Mufasa: The Lion King

FamilyFaire:  Mufasa: The Lion King  (2024) PG In Mufasa: The Lion King, Mufasa is a cub who is lost and alone. He meets another cub named Taka, heir to a royal bloodline. They become fast friends, and with Taka’s help and some new friends, Mufasa might survive in this savage and beautiful world. Lately, it seems Disney has given up on new ideas and is just remaking all their classic animated films with live-action ones. So, when it was announced that Barry Jenkins, Academy Award-winning filmmaker (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk) would be directing, and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights) would write original songs for it, I had great hope that this would break the streak of bland musical remakes. Unfortunately, it's not even close. We have a story that no one was asking for: the origins of Simba’s dad, Mufasa, and his rival, Scar.One is how Mufasa and Scar first met, became friends, and then became enemies. The original animated 1994 movie was nominated for four Oscars, three of which were nominated for Best Song (Elton John (music), Time Rice (Lyrics), with ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ winning. Nothing in this film comes even close to any of the songs from the original film. There is one song, ‘Tell Me It’s You,” when (small spoiler alert) Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) profess their love for each other that is catchy and works in the moment. The rest of the songs are instantly forgettable, and there is one song, ‘Bye Bye,’ where the villain of the film, Krios (Mads Mikkelsen) sings about killing all his enemies, that is possibly the worst song that has ever graced the Disney movie screen (and that includes all those family musicals that Disney did on the cheap back in the 60s) with our bad guy constantly singing the words Bye Bye to his soon-to-be victims. Although there are some glimpses of what Barry Jenkins wanted to achieve with this film, he is hindered by the fact that the film has two storylines. The other storyline, which brings this whole film down to almost unwatchable, is Rafiki, with the help of Timon and Pumbaa, babysitting a young lion cub by telling him the story of Mufasa. I am guessing that Disney told Jenkins, hey, can you throw in the comic relief guys every ten minutes to keep the kids interested? It will help with our toy lineup. These interruptions to the story are grating and full of horrible jokes, most of which only a 3-year-old will find funny. While the lifelike animation is an improvement over the 2019 The Lion King remake (where every animal had faces that showed no emotion), this film would have worked much better as a traditional 2-D animated film. One of the great things about the Disney animated films of the 90s was that they had some incredibly beautiful shots, something this live-animated film is sorely missing. I guess I’m old school, but having lifelike animated animals singing just seems a little weird to me. The film feels longer than the two-hour runtime, with too many songs, too much Timon/Pumbaa, and an ending that seems very anti-climactic. By the movie’s end, I just wanted to say “Bye Bye,” and I sure wasn’t singing or humming any of the songs from this overly long and dull film.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Mufasa: The Lion King Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

FamilyFaire:  Sonic the Hedgehog 3  (2024) PG Sonic the Hedgehog 3 begins with Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails facing their most powerful foe ever, Shadow. If they have any hope of defeating Shadow, they will need help from a very unexpected source, Dr. Robotnik. As a film critic, I see about two-thirds (sometimes more) of the films I review with an audience. Sometimes this helps (seeing a children’s movie with kids in the audience lets me know if they are engaged with the film). Sometimes, it hurts (audience members pulling out their iPhones and distracting my vision while a key scene is being played out on screen). With horror, comedies, and Marvel films, seeing a movie with an audience can help significantly with the experience, sharing in the screams, laughs, or cheers. When I saw this film, it was evident that the audience I saw it with were fans of the Sonic games. They cheered when Sonic or Shadow showed off their powers, and when new characters were revealed, the audience would erupt. So, from those reactions, I feel that if you are a fan of the games, you will enjoy this film. I am not a fan of the film series. I barely liked the first film, mostly because of Jim Carey going nuts on screen, and I hated Sonic 2, mainly because Jim Carey’s Dr. Robotnik took a backseat to Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in the film, taking away from the joy of the first film. Luckily, the studio figured out we wanted more Jim Carey, not less, so we get two Jim Carey roles: Dr. Robotnik (who has been watching a lot of Telenovelas) and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, who is also an evil bad guy but even more so. And then we have Shadow, voiced by Keanu Reeves, who is a character who is determined to get his revenge for killing a friend of his and imprisoning him for 50 years. Carey has a blast playing two evil and weird bad guys, including several dance numbers he does as both characters. Shadow is a much better villain than Knuckles was in the second film, with a backstory that helps you understand why he is so pissed off all the time. The film is fast-paced, and even better yet, there is less interaction with the weak points of all three films, the husband and wife team of Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter), mostly seen at the beginning and end of the film. Of the three films, this was the one that I enjoyed throughout, and I think you will enjoy it too. And by the way, there are two bonus scenes, one in the middle of the credits that the audience went nuts over and one at the end of all the credits.Both set up the next film in the series.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Website Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View: The Six Triple Eight  (2024) PG-13  The Six Triple Eight takes place in 1943 during the height of WWII, when priorities changed, and a huge backlog of undelivered mail was overflowing warehouses. The 6888th Women’s Army Corps’ all-Black battalion was tasked with sorting years’ worth of mail and raising the spirits of soldiers and their families worldwide. This film is directed and co-written by Tyler Perry, a filmmaker not known for his subtle touch. The Six Triple Eight is based on a true story about an all-Black battalion that not once but twice did what others before them failed to do: finding a way to get the mail to the soldiers fighting the war and getting their letters to their loved ones back home delivered. Perry, unfortunately, makes this film about what these soldiers endured and not about the incredible accomplishment they were able to achieve against all the odds. The film constantly hits us over the head with how badly these women were treated and how they were set up for failure. It’s a constant theme throughout this film, and the repetition gets old after a while. Add in that the dialogue in this film is horrendous, with lines that felt hollow and out of place, making the film hard to watch. Their commanding officer, Major Adams (played by Kerry Washington), is constantly surprised by the racism she encounters. Every ten minutes is another scene where Capt. Adams stands up for her troops and is shot down by a racist military man. Her reaction is always of surprise and shock. The film never achieves any of the power and emotion that this story richly deserves. Instead, we get scene after scene that has little impact on the story or the great accomplishment that this battalion did. The film’s final scenes are with some of the surviving members of the battalion, who finally got recognition for their outstanding service to our country in the last few years. I wish the feeling I got from those few moments had carried over into the rest of the film. My Rating: Cable  The Six Triple Eight Website  Now playing in select theatres and on the Netflix platform. 

Forgotten Film:  The Taylor of Panama  (2001)  R  Andy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan) is a British spy for MI6 who has a habit of sleeping with women that can get him in trouble. Andy is given one last assignment to redeem himself. Go to Panama and find out if the Panama Canal is going to be sold to a foreign government. Andy needs someone who can supply him with information. He meets Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), a tailor for the rich in Panama. Andy finds out Harry has a past that could ruin his career, making a perfect patsy from which Andy can mine information from. Harry also has a beautiful wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) whom Andy can hit on. The Taylor of Panama is a film based on a novel by John Le Carre and is directed by five-time Oscar nominee John Boorman (Hope and Glory, Deliverance). It's a brilliant spy film where no one is a hero and has one of my favorite lines from a spy film: 'Welcome to Panama-Casablanca without heroes.'   My Rating: Full Price  The Taylor of Panama Info  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Sonic The Hedgehog 3: Sports Therapist to Mr. Carey

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Last Showgirl  (2024) R  Shelly (Pamela Anderson) has been part of a Las Vegas revue show for over 20 years. Shelly has given up everything to be a part of the show and is told that in two weeks, the show will close forever. Pamela Anderson hasn’t headlined a movie since her 1996 film Barb Wire. Anderson playing the aging showgirl that has gotten a lot of attention recently from film critics and the Golden Globes, and could possibly garner an Oscar nomination for the role. The film contains an outstanding supporting cast, including Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, Dave Bautista, Billie Lourd, Jason Schwartzman, and Jamie Lee Curtis.   The Last Showgirl Website  The film is in theaters on Friday, January 10, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Wicked

My View: Wicked  (2024) PG Wicked is about Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a misunderstood young woman who has been looked down upon because of her green skin. Glinda (Ariana Grande) is a spoiled rich girl who is a little boy crazy. At Shiz University in the Land of Oz, they find themselves becoming unlikely friends. We are about to learn that there are always two sides to a story. Wicked is a perfect example of what film can do with an adaptation of a Broadway musical. Take the music and story from the stage and flesh the story out, giving us more about the characters than what we get just from a song. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande shine in this adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical. Both are award-worthy performances and, like the two characters, the performances of Erivo and Grande are different but still both fantastic. Grande is perfect as the vain Glinda (pronounced with a hard G, by the way), who knows she is something special and loves the attention she gets just walking in the room, always looking perfect. Grande shows impressive range in her songs and commands the screen in every scene she is in, which is hard when your cast-mate in many scenes, Cynthia Erivo is equally compelling and commanding. Wicked is Elphaba’s story, and Erivo runs with the role, making us fall in love with her character from her first song. It’s an impressive and multi-level performance that gives us insight into what Elphaba thinks and feels as she discovers she isn’t a freak with green skin but someone who can have friends who care about her. The musical numbers range from some solos for both Erivo and Grande to big production numbers that are inventive and fun to watch. The musician number which takes place in the school’s library where the love interest of the film, Jonathan Bailey, as Prince Giyero, does a rousing number that has people dancing upside down that will blow you away. For fans of the Broadway musical, this will be a wonderful addition to a story they love. To the rest of us who haven’t seen it, it’s a beautiful film anchored by two terrific performances and a set design that is truly out of this world. I don’t know if there are any songs you will be humming as you walk out the theater door, but I know that you will be looking forward to part two.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again.  Wicked Website Now playing in theaters nationwide, including 3-D. 

My View:  Gladiator II  (2024)  R    Gladiator II tells the story of Lucius (Paul Mescal), who, after his home is conquered by a Roman army led by Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), is captured and taken to Rome to become a Gladiator to fight in the Colosseum. Lucius vows revenge and looks to his past to find the strength to return the glory of Rome to its people. Gladiator II takes place fifteen years after the first film, and the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Lucias, is living a good life with his loving wife, Arishat (Yuval Gonen), in Numidia. That city is attacked by a Roman force led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), who conquers the city. Lucius’ wife is killed, and he is forced into slavery, where he is spotted by Macrinus (Denzel Washington), who hand-picks Lucius to become a gladiator. Lucius vows to kill Marcus Acacius and anyone who gets in his way. The reason Gladiator was such a fantastic spectacle of a movie was because of the star power of Russel Crowe, the absolutely bonkers performance of Joaquin Phoenix and the incredible fighting sequences (including tigers). Now we have Gladiator II, which is still worth the price of admission because director Ridley Scott knows how to bring something this big and magical to the screen. However, there are some problems with this film that the first film didn’t suffer from. First is Paul Mescal doesn’t have the star power to play this part. I love him in smaller films, but this role needed a commanding presence that when he walks into any room, people will follow him to the death because of his charisma and star power. Russel had it. Even going back to Kirk Douglas in another gladiator genre film, Spartacus, had it. Mescal doesn’t. He is too soft- spoken and not charismatic enough for the role. In fact, I think the film might have been better if Mescal and Pedro Pascal had switched roles. The second problem is the CGI is not worthy of a movie that cost 250 million to make. Some of the CGI effects look like they didn’t go through a final process, making the film, at times, lose some of its impact. However, some of the battle sequences are fun to watch, and then there is Denzel Washington. Washington has a blast playing the string pulling Macrinus, who plays people like they are pieces on a board game. Washington does what few can do, chew up scenery and still make it look like a master class in acting. Watching Washington act on screen makes up for any fake-looking CGI severed head any day. So, pay tribute to Maximus and the past with a new adventure in the land of sandals, blood, and sweat. We are entertained. Just not as much as the first one.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Gladiator II Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My View:  Bread & Roses  (2023)  Bread & Roses is a documentary that follows three women living in Afghanistan after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Kabul. The documentary is a heartbreaking and powerful film about women at great peril fighting for their rights. The film is shot by the women on their phones as we see the fall of Kabul and how the Taliban started taking away the rights of women. One of the women, Dr. Zahra Mohammadi, is an outspoken dentist who has her own successful practice. She is vocal in street protests, constantly having meetings in her dentist offices, and is arrested several times during the film. Her practice is shut down, and she can no longer even take a taxi alone on the streets of Kabul. As the film progresses, we see the bravery of these women who keep speaking up, even when threatened with imprisonment and beating. The film shows the bravery of these women, as we see scene after scene where their protests are shut down with violence and arrests. In one shocking scene, after being arrested and put in a police car, the women are told that if they don’t shut up, they will be killed. A woman in the car dares the officer to kill her. Bread & Roses is a film that puts you right in the middle of a fight for basic human rights, where women are fighting against a regime of tyranny. Bread & Roses has gotten some publicity because of actress Jennifer Lawrence and activist Malala Yousafzai (who, as a teen, was shot in the face by the Taliban), but the focus should be on the film and the women who put their lives on the line to protest the ceasing of women’s rights at great peril.  My Rating: Full Price Bread & Roses Info  Now playing on Apple TV. 

My View:  The Piano Lesson  (2024) PG-13    The Piano Lesson focuses on the Charles family in 1936 Pittsburgh during the Depression and their conflict over what to do with a treasured heirloom piano, a legacy of their enslaved ancestors. This is another film produced by Denzel Washington that is based on a play by the legendary playwright August Wilson. The film is directed by Malcolm Washington (Denzil’s son), who co-wrote the screenplay with Virgil Williams, who was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay Mudbound, which he co-wrote with Dee Rees. Another Denzel son, John David Washington, stars as Boy Willie Charles, who comes into town and into the lives of his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler) and their uncle Doaker (Samuel L. Jackson). Boy Willie is there to claim his inheritance, a piano carved by a relative, a slave at the time, who carved the Charles family’s faces and scenes from their life into a piano owned by their slave master. Boy Wille’s father, who lost his life in the heist, stole that piano, and Boy Wille wants to sell the piano to buy some farmland. His sister is dead set against selling the piano and is convinced that ghosts are protecting it from being taken. Most of the film, like the play, centers on a couple of rooms in the home, as characters talk and drink, debating if the piano should be sold and if the ghosts of the dead are still around to protect it. There is a show-stopping scene in the middle of the film when the men are all drinking late one night and start a work song from the past that they sing with their hearts. The Piano Lesson is a film filled with powerful performances and always with August Wilson’s work, some fantastic speeches that seem to fill the air with those ghosts from the past. My Rating: Full Price The Piano Lesson Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Forgotten Film:  The Comedians  (1967)  A Welsh hotel owner (Richard Burton) secretly romances a diplomat’s wife (Elizabeth Taylor) while the harsh and violent reign of the despot ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier brings a country to its knees. The Comedians isn’t a great film, but it has a ton of star power from the 60s. Taylor and Burton were at the height of their fame and relationship, and they bought the rights to the book by Graham Greene as a vehicle for them to work together on. No matter that the wife in the book is barely in the film, Graham Greene wrote the screenplay and put Taylor in a scene every ten minutes to satisfy the couple and ensure the check would clear. Besides the power couple (Taylor looks terrific in the film), we have a cast that includes Alec Guinness, Peter Ustinov, Lillian Gish (great performance in a sea of bad ones), James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, and Paul Ford. The Comedians is worth watching to see a great example of Hollywood of the 60s trying to find things for the world’s most famous couple and failing.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee The Comedians Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Gladiator II: Shooting Electricians

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Mufasa: The Lion King  (2024)  PG  Mufasa is a cub who is lost and alone. He meets another cub named Taka, who is heir to a royal bloodline. They become fast friends, and with Taka’s help, along with some new friends, Mufasa might survive in this savage and beautiful world. The film is from Barry Jenkins, the Academy Award-winning director of Moonlight. Mufasa: The Lion King Website The film will be released on December 20, 2024, 30 years after the original The Lion King was released. 

Until Next Time!