'Disfluency' Reviews: "a hugely empathetic, emotive and rewarding experience"

    On January 10, 2024, with a streaming release on January 24, 2024, Buffalo 8 releases 'Disfluency', which has earned rave reviews from critics at the time of this writing and a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "After flunking her final college class, Jane retreats to her Michigan hometown for one last, carefree summer vacation. She soon rekindles an old friendship with a single mother, teaching her sign language so she can reconnect with her son. Despite her best efforts, however, Jane can't hide the traumatic secret that caused her academic failure." The ensemble cast includes Libe Barer, Ariela Barer, Chelsea Alden, Dylan Arnold, and Travis Tope. Read the full review round-up below.

    Rob Aldam of Backseat Mafia says, "While the term post-traumatic stress disorder might have first been officially used in the late 1970s for the diagnosis of Vietnam War veterans, the concept of an extreme stress reaction predates it by a couple of decades. Of course, the actual symptoms of PTSD were nothing new, though the condition has been known by a variety of names over the centuries. There’s no doubting its connection with warfare, but also any form of severe interpersonal violence. One young woman struggles to process what happened to her in Disfluency. Jane (Libe Barer), the prodigal daughter, returns suddenly to her parents’ lake house after unexpectedly flunking her final college class. Her mother (Diana DeLaCruz) is beside herself that her youngest has ruined her prospects, although her father (Ricky Wayne) is a little more upbeat. She returns to her hometown and finds consolation in her older sister (Ariela Barer), high school friends and crush (Dylan Arnold) for the long hot summer. Trying to process what has happened to her. On the face of it, the premise of Disfluency might not sound particularly original, but the way the drama unravels in writer/director Anna Baumgarten’s debut feature is brilliantly done. This is largely thanks to some great writing and a wonderful central performance from Libe Barer. The use of language, especially speech disfluency, as a way of conveying how Jane is feeling works exceedingly well. While the luscious cinematography captures the hazy days of youth. All helping to make Disfluency a hugely empathetic, emotive and rewarding experience."

Photo by Edgar Soto on Unsplash

   Brian Eggert of Deep Focus Review notes, "Director Anna Baumgarten’s Disfluency uses a linguistic term as a metaphor for our sometimes delayed response to trauma and how that can upset the course of our lives. The title refers to vocalized pauses such as “um” and “like” that so many of us involuntarily use as interrupters to our thought flow. “I’m sorry” is the term of choice for Jane (Libe Barer), a talented student who nonetheless just flunked her final undergraduate course—about disfluency, of course. After returning home to Michigan for the summer, Jane says “I’m sorry” as a reflex, and in turn, buries the reasons why she flunked. But with the help of some hometown friends and her sister Lacey, played by Libe’s real-life sibling Ariela Barer, Jane works up the confidence to tell people what happened. Disfluency comes with a content warning that some viewers may find its themes difficult. Indeed, Jane confronts her repressed trauma with the suspicion that she may have been raped at a college party. Libe is particularly good in her scenes of teary recollection during an anxiety-ridden trip to the police station with her sister. And the off-screen relationship between the siblings helps give the sisters’ on-screen dynamic a naturalness—the best parts of the film are the scenes between them. However, the film’s dramaturgy and generic form resemble a production suited for a Lifetime Original movie or even a movie-of-the-week circa 1995. But that shouldn’t be held against it. Even if Disfluency feels maudlin and commonplace in its execution, the Barers sell every emotion in their performances, making the result undeniably effective. 3/4 Stars."

'Avicii - I'm Tim' Hits the Right Notes

    On December 31, 2024, Netflix releases 'Avicii - I'm Tim', which has earned rave reviews from critics at the time of this writing. In the film, "Before there was Avicii, there was just Tim. For the first time through his own words, witness the journey of a shy but prodigious musical talent who would soon become one of the defining artists of his generation." But what did the critics say?

    Will Bjarnar of Next Best Picture says, "Charting the life and accomplishments of Tim Bergling – the Swedish DJ known to anyone who has listened to music in the last 10-plus years as Avicii – Burman’s film does, indeed, follow the tired cradle-to-grave formula that has dulled projects of a similar ilk in the recent past (Bergling tragically took his own life in 2018 at the age of 28). But what this documentary possesses that hundreds of others lack is a rare sense of soul. It doesn’t rely on sit-down interviews with journalists who have deemed themselves the foremost authorities on an artist’s career, instead placing an emphasis on industry personalities and, especially, close friends of Bergling, with the two often intersecting. More than any other, to the film’s ultimate credit, we hear from Bergling himself. It’s evident that Burman and co. were working with Avicii’s team on a documentary of sorts for years before his death, but “I’m Tim” employs a great deal of archival behind-the-scenes footage of Bergling’s rise that was clearly filmed in an effort, from the moment he pieced together the beat to his first hit, “Levels,” to the moment something clicked within him leading to a change in his sound and taste. We see Bergling working with artists like Chris Martin – he produced Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars” – Dan Tyminski, who provided the vocals for “Hey Brother,” and Aloe Blacc, who sings on “SOS” and Avicii’s biggest sensation, “Wake Me Up.” This footage is intercut with interviews with said artists, as well as conversations with some of Bergling’s closer personal confidants, like his longtime manager Arash “Ash” Pournouri and the nightclub promoter Jesse Waits, who became a brother to Bergling over the course of their years long friendship." Adding, "Most prominently and notably, we hear Bergling discussing his complicated relationship with fame and his struggles with mental health. Almost always heard in voiceover, he  notes that he never felt like much of an artist or producer but a person “filled with music.” You can see that mentality in his early performances, in particular; Bergling, often donning an Atlanta Braves or Oakland Athletics cap because of the “A” logos they featured on the front, typically wore plaid button-ups one might pull off the clearance rack at Kohl’s while performing at EDM (electronic dance music) festivals like Miami’s heralded Ultra. While his fans donned skin-tight neon digs, the artist known as Avicii appeared as though he was about to accept an academic excellence award at his high school. Such habits make it clear that Avicii was merely a mask for the man named Tim, the artist serving as an alternate personality, not quite something he’d consider an escape. A friend recalls that “Tim and Avicii weren’t really getting along for a long time,” almost like the DJ within was a Venom-esque syndicate itching to control the man’s body and soul. Tim himself says, “I didn’t like [having] to be Avicii and then [having] to be Tim… Then I didn’t even enjoy making music.” It’s heartbreaking, an internal sparring not at all worthy of chalking up to the price of fame." 

Photo by Marcela Laskoski on Unsplash

Should there be a 'Squid Game' prequel?

         On December 26, 2024, the second season of 'Squid Game' was released to acclaim. As an avid fan of the series, I was enthralled by the drama of it all as well as the new characters, which actually might be more fun that the first group of the game's victims. Unpopular opinion, so have at me lol. Saying that, any fan knows that the show's creator has stated it will only last three seasons, which is sad yet makes me happy since the series has a clear ending in mind. After the last season of 'Game of Thrones', which was a really mixed bag, this is actually calming in a weird way. But, and this might seem all very 'House of the Dragon' here, I believe that a prequel about how the games began would be amazing. Hear me out:

1)The Various Time Periods: Since it really was not established how old the games are, the sky is the limit here. Let's say the games began in the 1980s for example. It would be cool to see how it all started plus the fashions, technologies, and whatnot.

2)Oh Il-nam: When we last saw him, Ph Il-nam was "The Old Man" that deceived us all. But what was he like when he created the games? Was he more emotional? Less? Was he seeking revenge on society or someone in particular? Who helped him create the games? Who was the first winner? Were there any hiccups in the early gameplay? The questions go on and on. In my mind, he would be played by Park Seo-joon or Lee Moo-saeng, but I am sure the line would be out the door to audition for such a juicy role.

    In short, the ball is your court Netflix!

Photo by Daniel Bernard on Unsplash

Second Season of 'Squid Game' is Not as Dynamic but Still Worth it

     On December 26, 2024, Netflix released the second season the of the award winning 'Squid Game', which quickly amassed a score of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the series, "Hundreds of cash-strapped contestants accept an invitation to compete in children's games for a tempting prize, but the stakes are deadly." All the while, the recent winner re-enters the game in order to take it down internally. The ensemble cast includes Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Lee Byung-hun, Gong Yoo, Im Si-wan, and Yang Dong-geun. But what did the critics say?

Photo by Riza Gabriela on Unsplash

      Belen Edwards of Mashable says, "With every effort to dial up an element from Season 1, be it the voting mechanic or the Front Man's role, Squid Game Season 2 weakens its own mystique and appeal." Adding, "Squid Game's overemphasis on voting is just one symptom of Season 2's overarching problem: Recycling Season 1 plot points with twists that run themselves into the ground. Let's start with an obvious one. Once again, the games' player 001 is a plant from the people controlling the games. This time around, it's none other than Front Man Hwang In-ho, who's snuck into the games to watch over Gi-hun, and who ends up becoming one of his closest allies. All the better to break his spirit once he finds out his true identity! The only problem is, Gi-hun doesn't learn who 001 really is this season, so we lose the feeling of brutal catharsis we got with the Oh Il-nam (O Yeong-su) reveal from Season 1."

       Sara Wallis of Daily Mirror praises the series, stating, "By mid-season, the twists and turns will be coming so fast, you won’t be able to look away until the final, devastating, flourish. Let the new games begin." Continuing, "When you finally see him on a bunk bed in that familiar green tracksuit labelled ‘456’, you’ll sit bolt upright and grab the popcorn. There’s comedy amid the trauma - the new batch of players complain about everything from the colour of the uniforms to the secrecy of the staff. They don’t know what’s coming… but Gi-hun does, and so do we. Some parts are familiar - the gigantic doll with the laser stare makes a reappearance - but there are scary new games. A clever new rule brings even more tension and rivalry within the group, while there are plenty of players to get emotionally attached to and to hate."

   Joel Keller of Decider notes, "The long-anticipated second season of Squid Game lives up to what Hwang Dong-hyuk accomplished in the first season, with Gi-hun back in the game, but for very different reasons than when he first played it." Concluding, "The first episode shows that Hwang isn’t into repeating what made the show such a global success back in 2021. We suspect that even the games Gi-hun plays will be different, giving him less of an advantage than he might think he has given his previous experience. That’s certainly a good thing, as will meeting a new group of players once he re-enters the game. Also, at the same time, Jun-ho will keep probing from the outside, looking for his brother and trying to put a stop to the game in his own way."

   Annie Banks of The Mary Sue says, "If anything, Squid Game Season 2’s uneven seven-episode stretch closes itself out with a cliffhanger that might just be worth the watch. It’s simply too bad the season couldn’t offer much more than that." Adding, "The socioeconomic commentary that contributed to what make Squid Game so fascinating upon its initial arrival is slow to arrive in Season 2, but its emergence midst episode one looks to one of the series’ strongest elements. When The Salesman (Gong Yoo) offers a homeless man the choice between a bread roll and a lotto ticket, the first value-driven conflict is introduced. After the scratch-off ticket doesn’t reveal any major winnings and The Salesman asks for his coin back, Squid Game Season 2’s simple-yet-effective depiction of apathy for the impoverished begins to unfold. As this pattern continues throughout the second season, Squid Game Season 2 leans back on its commentary of classism. These moments that provoke conversation around the show’s major points of contention are Squid Game Season 2’s strongest, and hopefully, fleetingly, their impact will influence its audience." 

Third Season of 'What If...?' Captivates Critics

         On December 22, 2024, Disney+ premiered the third and final season 'What If...?', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the series, the multiverse comes to life in new and exciting ways. The ensemble cast includes Anthony Mackie, Mark Ruffalo, Teyonah Parris, Simu Liu, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Kathryn Hahn, Seth Green, Samuel L. Jackson, Oscar Isaac, Laurence Fishburne, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, Emily VanCamp, Dominique Thorne, Wyatt Russell, Hayley Atwell, and Jeffrey Wright. But what did the critics say?

       Arezou Amin of Collider says, "What If Season 3 caps off the series with a bleaker final outing that ultimately manages to keep hope at the center of it all." Adding, "Without a doubt, Season 3 of What If...? is the show's bleakest yet. While the earlier seasons had riffs on Christmas movies, winks at the heist genre, or cartoonish showdowns with the episode's villains, moments like this are few and far between in Season 3. This isn't exactly a surprise. It feels as though the world around us has been moving in a bleaker direction for quite some time, and all media is a reflection of the time in which it was made, be it intentional or otherwise. The topics that What If...? Season 3 touches on are hardly new to the MCU, or even the wider superhero genre; greed, power, violence, prejudice, and subjugation remain at the heart of what drives the villains. Episode 6, "What If 1872," is particularly unafraid to directly call out the injustices its heroes are fighting, and unsubtly hints at similar issues still occurring today. What is new, however, is how utterly hopeless so many of the episodes feel.Yes, every story needs a low point in which the characters believe they cannot continue the fight; every Marvel movie has that moment. But the sheer, colossal, multiversal scale of the series really amplifies that helplessness, with the scenarios The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) chooses to visit feeling more cataclysmic than they usually do. Absent from this season is the lighthearted air of "What If T'challa Became Star Lord" and "What If Happy Hogan Saved Christmas," or the groundbreaking nature of "What If Kahhori Reshaped the World." Season 3 does have its relatively lighter episodes with fun concepts — those starring Howard the Duck (Seth Green) and Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) come to mind — but even those are tinged with the larger, cosmic scale of everything happening around them."

       Alan French of FandomWire notes, "When you dig into the creativity of What If…, it starts at the animation stage. For all the cool storytelling tricks that the series hopes to pull off, What If… Season 3 has to push the boundaries of what is possible in the medium. Like the two seasons before, a mixing and matching of styles allows the show to soar. In the old West, the vistas and gunslinging shine bright. Beyond the cosmos, the monsters look bigger and badder than ever. Magic duels between movie stars are larger than life, and even adding film grain to the frames feels bold and interesting.What If… Season 3 does not work unless this integral piece of the puzzle works. It’s not only that it looks gorgeous, but it adds dramatic tension to every episode. The fight sequences remind us just how tired the action has become in the live-action movies. With stunning creativity, What If… pushes the physical limits and creative uses of the powersets of its heroes. Even better, the writers never focus only on battle. Their powers are just as integral to their interpersonal relationships and antics as they are in battle."

Image Courtesy of Disney

The Holiday Offerings of the Week Keep Spirits Bright

         The holiday offerings brought to viewers this week may be less plentiful, but oddly enough might be the most interesting thus far. Here are the three that are especially noteworthy.

        On December 21, 2024, Lifetime released 'A Carpenter Christmas Romance', which is the spiciest film of the season. Mandi Bierly of TVLine says, "From Sarah Drew, writer of last year’s A Cowboy Christmas Romance, comes Lifetime’s sexiest holiday movie of 2024 (with an equally shameless title). Pretty Little Liars’ Sasha Pieterse stars as fantasy romance novelist Andrea, who takes refuge at her late grandpa’s farmhouse when readers threaten to boycott the last book in her best-selling series after its final page killing off a fan favorite leaks. She may still have one admirer, however: Seth (Mitchell Slaggert, The Sex Lives of College Girls), who’s described as Andrea’s “very own Jordan Catalano.” Growing up, she’d spend her summers on the farm and tutor/make out with the popular athlete — who made her feel like his “nerdy little kept secret” in public (Normal People vibes). This “Jordan” looks more like a Hemsworth brother than Jared Leto, but artisanal woodworker/handyman Seth embodies the growth we never got to witness on My So-Called Life. We find out why he treated Andrea poorly when they were young, how his post-high school life unfolded, and what happened to make him the stand-up guy who’s literally rebuilding his town after a fire decimated it. Because this is Lifetime, that noble transformation is accompanied by a surprise-appearance shirtless scene, slo-mo wood carrying, a hand-on-hand sanding tutorial, a rain-soaked sex scene, and a blow-up before Seth renews Andrea’s faith in happy endings. Fingers crossed we get A Man in Uniform Christmas Romance next year."

Photo by Jodie Walton on Unsplash

        Also on December 21, 2024, Hallmark released 'Happy Howlidays', which also anxiously anticipated. Bierly writes, "Ezra Moreland, the winner of Hallmark+’s Finding Mr. Christmas, stars as dog rescue owner Max. When his heartbroken pup Jules falls head over paws for Russell, a stray reluctantly fostered by Seattle Tourism Board coordinator Mia (Jessica Lowndes), the canine couple become a city favorite — and the foursome is forced to go on more holiday outings together for content. There’s a depth to hot mess Mia’s story that you won’t be expecting, and a cameo from a Hallmark fave that you won’t find too surprising. Moreland has yet to master the necessary charm to remain a Hallmark Leading Man, but a shirtless scene shows promise for him to at least become a go-to Ex."

        On December 22, 2024, Lifetime releases 'Engaged by Christmas', which on paper seems to be a fan favorite solely based on the themes being popular amongst fans. Bierly notes, "Professional proposal planner Zoe (Brittany Bristow) is about to launch her own broader romance-based business with a “12 Dates of Christmas” blog when taking the suggestion of her most trusted advice columnist, Aunt Adora, to have an honest conversation with her boyfriend about their future results in her being suddenly single. Once desperate Zoe discovers Aunt Adora is actually nephew Adam (Marcus Rosner), she blackmails him into being her de facto plus-one and publicizing her services. Bristow and Rosner, holiday movie pros, make this predictable plot go down as smoothly as the beverages served at Zoe’s hot cocoa pop-up."

'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' Reviews: Latest Entry into the Franchise Thrills Fans

         On December 20, 2024, Paramount Pictures released 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 87% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing. In the film, "Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet." The ensemble cast includes Keanu Reeves, James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Idris Elba, Krysten Ritter, Adam Pally, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Tika Sumpter, Ben Schwartz, and Lee Majdoub. Read the full review round-up below.

        Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth says, "Frenzied action and loopy comedy aside, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has heart and is aware it doesn’t always “gotta go fast,” occasionally slowing down to ensure we care about these characters while laying out its themes with affecting sincerity" Adding, "With Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Jeff Fowler and company have found the right balance of humor (even Jim Carrey feels reinvigorated and energized more than in the first two, up for the goofy acting challenge presented that is right inside his slapstick wheelhouse, while also simply given mostly funnier material to work with) and frenzied action elevated by strong, vibrant CGI (this is unquestionably one of the better-looking special-effects extravaganzas of recent memory) alongside an engaging story. There is a case to be made that Shadow’s back story could have been even longer and not limited to a couple of flashbacks, but the right characters here are put front and center, which makes all the difference for a Sonic adaptation to click."

       Rodrigo Perez of The Playlist notes, "If you’re not a parent, you may have no interest in seeing Paramount’s “Sonic” movie franchise unless you’re like my dear friend Caleb, who is in his early 30s, loves anime, and seemingly has the same taste as my eight-year-old son. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But this is fine, “Sonic” movies are definitely movies for children first and foremost”— and there’s nothing wrong with that either—and “Sonic 3” mostly continues down that same path." Concluding, "However, presuming you don’t know the “Sonic” movies—I certainly would have never seen them without my kiddo—they’re actually quite surprisingly endearing, lighthearted, amusing and entertaining. And when they’re at their best, they’re essentially stories about outsiders trying to fit in, our collective need to belong and the heartening qualities of found families; all good emotional qualities that put an extra pep into the wacky energy of these fun movies."

Photo by Adam Mills on Unsplash

       Jordan Hoffman of The Daily Beast was less impressed, stating, "This is a movie you take your 9-year-old nephew to when he won’t shut up about Pokémon and you need something to occupy him for a few hours before you lose your mind." Continuing, "There’s a big battle in Japan that involves lasers flying all over the screen. Then, after some Japanese marshmallows sing The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” the trio joins forces with their former nemesis, the Eggman, aka Dr. Ivo Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey. Carrey, who has pretty much stopped appearing in studio movies except for the Sonic franchise, has decided on a performance style that I suppose you could politely call “a choice.” It mainly consists of sticking his belly out and doing a voice that sounds like Robin Williams at his most zany crossed with the “I Got Starbies Girl.” What else did it remind me of? Hmmn, let me think. Ah, yeah, the time I had to see a doctor for an inflamed hemorrhoid. It reminded me of that."

'Trading Up Christmas' Brings Christmas Joy

         On December 19, 2024, Hallmark Channel released 'Trading Up Christmas', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, "Michelle tries to get her sister a new place to live and all she has is a Christmas stocking to trade with." The ensemble cast includes Italia Ricci, Michael Xavier, Taylor Love, and Connie Manfredi. But what did the critics say?

        Liz Kocan of Decider says, "Using a trading up scheme as the basis for a movie is a clever conceit, and Trading Up Christmas turns what is typically a fun, creative challenge into a heartwarming tale of kindness and community – but in doing so, it doesn’t get overly sappy. By having cynical Dan and Keri both expressing their doubts and realistic expectations for how the whole thing will play out, they both keep idealistic and optimistic Michelle grounded and, yes, of course they all serve as foils for one another. Michelle helps Dan’s heart grow three sizes and eventually he opens up about his feelings for her. But Michelle, always the proactive helper, finally lets someone else help her for a change, and in him, she finds a mischievous accomplice. Unlike many Hallmark movies which take place in a fictional town that’s named some variant of [Tree Species]+[Geographical Feature], like Sycamore Hills or Cedar Grove, this one takes place in the real city of Worcester, Massachusetts – the very city where this writer happened to grow up. If I had to make a very personal complaint, it’s that there is nary a B-roll shot of the giant Polar Seltzer polar bear off of I-290, nor a single reference to the traffic in Kelly Square. Putting that aside so I can be an real journalist like Dan is, the film has a satisfying romance that builds gradually and realistically as Michelle and Dan start their relationship as writer and subject, soon developing into flirty friends, and many of the supporting cast are genuinely funny and well-developed. The movie features several intertwining plots about sibling relationships, too, which help it feel like these characters are layered and would still be interesting outside of the trading plot. While it’s no surprise that this movie gets its happy ending, both in romance and real estate, it takes us on a slightly unpredictable ride to get there, which is always a plus considering how formulaic these films can often be." Adding, "Michael Xavier’s portrayal of Dan is prickly at first, but pretty soon, after he starts to throw himself into his role as Michelle’s trading buddy, his talent as a comedic actor starts to shine. The goofier he’s expected to be, the more believable and appealing a leading man he is."

Photo by Jamie Davies on Unsplash

'Dahomey' is Short-Listed by the Oscars

         On October 25, 2024, 'Dahomey' was released by MUBI, earning rave reviews and a score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. Soon after, on December 17, 2024, the film was short-listed for Oscar glory as it could nab a nomination, which would bring the film to an even bigger audience than ever before. "From acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics), DAHOMEY is a poetic and immersive work of art that delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives Diop questions how these artifacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear prize at the 2024 Berlinale, DAHOMEY is an affecting though altogether singular conversation piece that is as spellbinding as it is essential." But what did the critics say?

        Wendy Ide of Screen International says that the film "Feels like an important contribution to an ongoing conversation about the legacy of colonialism in Africa, and to the thorny topic of restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage to the country of its origin." Adding, "The effect is slightly disconcerting at first, but the arcane otherworldly quality and Orcel’s lyrical words work to powerful effect. Elsewhere the use of sound, together with electronic music by Wally Badarou and Dean Blunt, plays an important role in giving a sense of the power and significance of the items, as they embark on their belated return journey. Another key voice in the film is that of Calixte Biah, the Beninese curator who accompanies the treasures from Quai Branly to Cotonou. His reverence in the face of the artefacts, and his detailed assessments of their condition and identity provided a crucial historical context for the items."

        Adam Solomons of indieWire notes, "For those who know little about the subject matter, “Dahomey” is a bold and memorable history lesson. But with Diop’s expressive talents as they are, it’s fair to hope that she returns to the world of fiction next time." Concluding, "Filmmakers reflecting on ceramics as a symbol of colonial happenings is not new: Diop has said that one of her only conscious influences was “Statues Also Die”, a 1953 film about looted African art in French museums directed by Alain Resnais, Chris Marker and Ghislain Cloquet. Parts of it are so critical of colonialism that it was banned in France. That film is thirty minutes long and “Dahomey” might have worked better at a runtime closer to that: the student debate, though well staged, becomes a bit repetitive, and some of the shots of boxes being loaded and unloaded go at a snail’s pace. The weight of history clearly weighs on “Dahomey”, and the fantastical elements need time and space, but a little more pace where possible would be no bad thing."

       David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praises the film, stating, "Words delivered in the low rumble of Ghezo’s voice suggest the disorientation of emerging from “the kingdom of night” into a place “far removed from the country I saw in my dreams.” Imaginative use of electronic music by Wally Badarou and Dean Blunt, who hail from Beninese and Nigerian roots, respectively, amplifies the mythical and spiritual aspects of travel across centuries. With a fluidity of form and subject comparable to what Ava DuVernay achieves in Origin, Diop folds the poetic into the political, without ever becoming didactic. The film reflects on sensitive issues pertaining to the return of looted property and on the partial erasure of Dahomey’s history and language once schooling in French became the educational norm."

Photo by Charlie Solorzano on Unsplash

       Jessica Kiang of Variety writes, "Diop fashions her superb, short but potent hybrid doc “Dahomey” as a slim lever that cracks open the sealed crate of colonial history, sending a hundred of its associated erasures and injustices tumbling into the light." Adding, "One of the young debaters calls the return of the 26 pieces “a savage insult.” Another sees its motivation as solely political, a token gesture made by the French to distract from domestic pressures. And when one young woman locates the occasion’s importance in how it can help to rewire the population’s understanding of their own history — “I was told I was descended from slaves,” she says fiercely, “But I was descended from Amazons” — even that triumph is tempered by Diop’s careful inclusion of another of the returned artworks: an ornate Dahomey throne adorned with dozens of figurines representing the Kingdom’s powerful slave trade. Dahomey, particularly under Gezo, derived a great deal of wealth and a good portion of its national identity from conquering and enslaving neighboring peoples."

'Mufasa: The Lion King' Reviews: Origin Story of Disney Icon Divides Critics

         On December 20, 2024, the world of 'The Lion King' roars back onto the big screen with the origin story of Mufasa in 'Mufasa: The Lion King'. In the film from Walt Disney Pictures, Kiara is told of her grandfather's rise to power from the wise Rafiki as Timon and Pumbaa provide their signature humor in color commentary. The ensemble cast includes Aaron Pierre, Preston Nyman, Thandiwe Newton, Blue Ivy Carter, Donald Glover, Keith David, Tiffany Boone, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lennie James, John Kani, Seth Rogen, Beyoncé, Billy Eichner, Anika Noni Rose, Mads Mikkelsen, and Kagiso Lediga. With a score of 59% on Rotten Tomtaoes at the time of this writing, critics are currently divided over the film, but predominantly impressed. But what did they say?

        Laura Clifford of Reeling Reviews says, "Director Barry Jenkins ("Moonlight," "If Beale Street Could Talk") takes the reins from Jon Favreau for one of the more convincing computer generated 'live action' films from Disney yet. Jeff Nathanson's (2019's "The Lion King," "Young Woman and the Sea") screenplay is not only a prequel, but an original story for such characters as Rafiki, Sarabi (voice of Tiffany Boone), hornbill Zazu (voice of Preston Nyman) and Scar. Themes of blended families continue, but brotherhood is at the heart of this one as well as providing an emotional explanation for Kiara's parents' absence. Lin-Manuel Miranda provides the songs, but there is nothing as memorable as 'Hakuna Matata' here and several could have been excised for a leaner run time." Adding, "While I'm no fan of Disney's 'live action' remakes, only "The Jungle Book" having really delivered, "Mufasa" is a step up from its predecessor and good programming for families during the holiday season."

Image Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

           Nicholas Barber of BBC.com notes, "Yes, we're talking about a prequel to a remake. And, yes, it's as pointless as that description makes it sound. This contrived cash-in may be worth sitting through on Disney+ if you're a Lion King superfan, but, like so many prequels, it devotes tremendous amounts of thought and energy to answering questions that nobody was asking in the first place. When did Simba's dad Mufasa meet his wife Sarabi? Where did Rafiki the mandrill get his walking stick? How did Zazu the hornbill become Mufasa's right-hand man (or, I suppose, right-paw bird)? The film is directed by Barry Jenkins, who made the Oscar-winning Moonlight, and the songs are by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the most feted Hollywood and Broadway songwriter of his generation, so a more pressing question might be: don't the supremely talented artists involved have anything better to do with their time?"

        Robert Daniels of IGN Movies praises the film, stating, "Mufasa: The Lion King is the best version of a Barry Jenkins-directed children’s film imaginable. That compliment might read as backhanded, but considering many were afraid the Disney machine would chop and screw the visual and storytelling splendor of the director behind Moonlight, such an astonishing result is a mighty win. This photorealistic prequel to Jon Favreau’s 2019 remake of The Lion King is a major technical achievement and an emotional leap forward from its predecessor. And while the story of Mufasa and Taka, two brothers turned enemies, isn’t altogether new, Jenkins adds enough twists and turns across varied terrains for their predictable sibling rivalry to have some bite. Seeing Jenkins guiding this material, no matter how assured, will surely rattle many who’d rather he make an original film. But there isn’t the sense Jenkins made Mufasa to satisfy only adult filmgoers (though there is an aching tribute to James Earl Jones that’ll touch many older viewers). This movie is aimed at a younger audience. There's mischievous humour and jaunty show tunes to accompany the campfire-story mood. Sometimes the desire to keep the audience engaged – accomplished through a framing device that sees Mufasa’s story told to his granddaughter, Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), by the sage mandril Rafiki (John Kani) – restricts us from fully immersing ourselves in this digital world. By the end, however, Jenkins works enough enchantment for Mufasa to conjure real joy and urgent poignancy." Concluding, "It helps that unlike Favreau, Jenkins isn’t restricted to making a shot-for-shot remake. As related by Rafiki – and frequently, annoyingly interrupted by asides from sidekicks Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) and Timon (Billy Eichner) – Jeff Nathanson’s script finds young Mufasa (Braelyn Rankins) living in a cracked, drought-stricken land and dreaming of a far away verdant paradise called Milele (a Swahili word meaning “forever”). After a sudden violent flood (which mirrors both the action and emotional impact of the animated original's wildebeest stampede) rips the cub away from his mother and father, he drifts miles down river, where he’s saved by the prince of another pride, Taka (Theo Somolu). Thematically, you can already see why Jenkins would be attracted to this material. His miniseries adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad previously demonstrated his keen interest in kinship, ancestry, oral storytelling, and maternal love. The last of those themes takes shape through Taka’s mother, Eshe (Thandiwe Newton), who raises Mufasa despite the grumblings of her husband Obasi (Lennie Jones), who sees outsiders as a plague to be purged. As portrayed by a commanding Aaron Pierre, the orphan grows to become more like Eshe, learning empathy, imagination, and sensitivity; Taka (a cagey Kelvin Harrison Jr.), on the other hand, learns deceit and laziness from his father."

Image Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

'Better Man' Reviews: Robbie Williams Like You Have Never Seen Him Before

         On December 25, 2024, Paramount Pictures releases 'Better Man', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics, earning a score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. "Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Robbie's perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie's journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist -- all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring." But what did the critics say?

       Will Mavity of Next Best Picture says, "Better Man” is probably (and hopefully) the closest we’ll ever get to a “Deadpool” musical. The Robbie Williams biopic is crass, meta, and self-aware, full of F-bombs, dick jokes, winking asides to the audience via narration, copious amounts of CGI, and even its share of graphic violence. And, just like Deadpool, it’s not nearly as groundbreaking as it thinks it is. Because, at the heart of “Better Man,” for all the tools it uses to earn its R-rating, it’s still yet another musician biopic following the rise/fall/redemption arc, complete with failed marriages, substance abuse, and daddy issues. This is one that just so happens to feature a CGI chimpanzee instead of Williams. Yes, you heard that correctly. Former Visual Effects Supervisor-turned-Director Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman“) collaborated with the visual effects team at Weta – who brought you Gollum and the “Avatar” aliens – to render Williams as a photorealistic CGI chimpanzee in every single scene. The chimpanzee progresses through the classic beats of a musician biopic otherwise. Williams grows up with a neglectful father, hustles his way into show business in large part to try and find the love and acceptance he was denied as a child, joins a band, finds success (and drugs), sets out on his own, has a rocky marriage, sees his substance abuse worsen and almost derail his career, confront his inner demons, and then perform a redemption performance. What makes “Better Man” stand out is, well, aside from the fact that there is a CGI chimpanzee in every scene, is that, whereas most musician biopics sanitize their subjects, Williams is depicted unrelentingly as an asshole – even from the very beginning. This film does not want to make you particularly like or even root for its subject. Williams’ narration feels like a cross between Deadpool and Ewan McGregor in “Trainspotting” and further hammers this home with constant jokes. An example is when Williams is getting a handjob and makes eye contact with his manager, quipping, “For once, Nigel wasn’t the biggest Wank in the room,” and says things like, “For legal reasons, I am required to tell you that X is a super nice person.” The quips are often low-hanging frat-type humor, but they sometimes land. However, they do little to endear Williams, who spends the majority of the movie brash and arrogant to the extreme, abusing every substance under the sun, cheating on his wife, and berating his friends."

       Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist notes, "As the screenplay, written by Gracey, Oliver Cole, and Simon Gleeson, unfurls predictably, the musical numbers do not. Many may have written “The Greatest Showman” off as a one-hit wonder for Gracey and given the songwriters and stars of that word-of-mouth blockbuster too much credit. With “Better Man,” Gracey proves he’s a visionary when it comes to crafting an engaging and, perhaps most importantly, surprising musical number. “Better Man” is essentially a jukebox musical, mostly featuring songs from Williams’ catalog even for the Take That sequences. One lengthy number finds the band dancing through the streets of London’s SoHo neighborhood to his 2000 hit “Rock DJ.” Sure, a plethora of visual effects are used to pull it off, but from the choreography to the cinematography to the production design to the visual framing, the number is an absolute knockout. It’s almost euphoric. And it’s not the only one. While the musical elements often take the movie to impressive artistic heights, it’s not just the storyline that ends up hindering “Better Man.” In theory, the idea to portray Williams as a CG monkey (physically captured by Jonno Davies and Williams himself as an adult), is a creative masterstroke. Perhaps for a short film or music video, this thematic choice would have a greater impact. As this 134-minute film unfolds, you simply tire of experiencing Williams being portrayed in this context. The visual effects work from WETA are superb, but the human element is increasingly absent. At some point during the film you just want the monkey to transform into the real Williams or an actor portraying him. You want someone real to bring Williams’ life story back to earth. Moreover, in the context of the film, the musical numbers would have been just as stellar without the monkey, perhaps even more so. It was a gutsy and admirable choice from Gracey to go in this direction, but it eventually just leaves you wanting."

Photo by Lynda Sanchez on Unsplash

        Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood Daily praises the film, stating, "Michael Gracey‘s wildly inventive musical biopic of superstar British entertainer Robbie Williams rolls the dice on a unique star casting decision to play Williams that separates it from every showbiz biopic that has come before. A CGI monkey (actor Jonno Davies) plays the singer in what is otherwise a recognizable cradle-to-comeback story so familiar to those who rise to the top, only to fall and rise again. This is the equivalent to casting Lassie to play Frank Sinatra. OK, maybe not that crazy, but close enough. So guess what? It really works, even if in America the subject of this major studio film (Paramount picked up the independently produced production) is not widely known, but an icon who has sold over 80 million albums across the rest of the globe, and was recently the subject of a four-part Netflix docu series." Concluding, "The use of Williams narrating, expletives and all, his own story never gets in the way and actually seems necessary so that after a while you forget the monkey gimmick and accept it willingly. Much of the credit here has to go to Davies, who may be CGI’d in the final product, but had to be convincing working opposite the humans in all the song and dance to dramatic moments. He doesn’t miss a beat. Gracey plays a lot of it in close-ups of his eyes, a haunting effect itself. Andy Serkis would approve. The large supporting cast is also quite fine, including a superb Pemberton in a key role as his father, and notably Raechelle Banno as a pop star romantically involved with Williams until a decision to have an abortion changes things. Veteran British actress Allison Steadman lends much needed warmth as Williams’ beloved Grandmother Betty, and Damon Herriman seems just right as manager Nigel Martin Smith."

Networks Offer a Stocking Full of Holiday Joy: Part 2

         This week, the various networks producing holiday fare offered more notable content than normal, so narrowing the choices down to just five was a bit more difficult this time around. Saying that, here are the four that critics have singled out as being the most intriguing and caught my eye.

        On December 14, 2024, Lifetime released 'The Holiday Junkie', which has earned rave reviews. Mandi Bierly of TVLine says, "Jennifer Love Hewitt has never headlined a holiday movie before, but she made up for lost time by developing, directing and starring in this obvious labor of love (she even performs two songs on the soundtrack). She plays professional Christmas decorator and planner Andie, who’s carrying on her late mother’s legacy with the titular company but also dreams of expanding it into a consumer brand. She hopes to impress her newest client, a venture capitalist, by giving his family a picture-perfect holiday. But when the brood gets stuck out of town, Andie finds herself home alone for days with Scrooge house manager Mason (Brian Hallisay, Hewitt’s husband and former The Client List co-star). He has a valid reason for being an ice man in December, but eventually, he thaws. Things heat up. Then way up. Then cool off. Then…well, you’ll have to watch. There are a lot of films with characters adjusting to Christmas without a parent, but few explore the grief as fully as this one. You’ve never seen a character tear up as many times as Andie does throughout the film — a realistic number, if you’ve been through it yourself. Yet as palpable as the pain is at times (listen for Hewitt’s cover of “Missing You”), so, too, is the tenderness Mason and Andie show each other in certain moments (wait for the Christmas lights). Here’s hoping Hewitt pours her heart into another movie next year."

Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Lindsay Siu

        Also on that night, Hallmark Channel released 'The Santa Class', which was my personal favorite of the grouping. Bierly notes, "If you like your holiday movies with some Christmas magic — but still shy of the story taking place inside a snow globe — our runner-up pick, The Santa Class (premieres Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 pm on Hallmark Channel), is for you. Kate North (the always wonderful Kimberley Sustad) is dealing with a lot this season: Her father has handed over the reins of his once-great academy that trains seasonal Santas. To save it, she needs the latest ragtag group of recruits to defeat a rival Santa school in the annual Christmas Cup for the first time ever, with the help of side-switching instructor Dan (Benjamin Ayres, tempering a Buddy the Elf-level enthusiasm). And among those recruits are the real Santa (Holiday Road’s Trevor Lerner), who Kate and Ben discover in the road with amnesia, and Hallmark fave Paul Campbell, who plays himself. Campbell’s hilarious turn, and the sentimental ending, will make this a film you’ll be happy to randomly catch during Countdown to Christmas for years to come." Personally, it is also my favorite tv movie of the year but knowing how the Emmy Awards work...it sadly will not get noticed.

Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Luka Cyprian

        Much to my surprise, 'All I Need for Christmas', which premiered on Hallmark Mystery on December 12, 2024 to little fanfare or commercials, proved the be the most emotional of the group. Bierly also was impressed, stating, "Flip phone-toting singer/songwriter Maggie (Mallory Jansen) fears today’s music-making apps have killed her career for good. Which means she’s not thrilled to meet Archer (Dan Jeannotte), the developer of her presumed downfall, at her family’s New York state Christmas tree farm. With time, Archer inspires her to see a way forward, and she encourages him to repair his relationship with his sister Piper (Emily Tennant) using his years of therapy spent processing their father’s shockingly toxic holiday tradition. Jansen and Jeannotte play the tension and romance with ease, and aren’t even upstaged by adorable piglets named Johnny and June."

        Last, but certainly not least, OWN released 'Mistletoe & Matrimony', which was the most unexpectedly fun. Bierly writes, "Chicago wedding planner Olivia (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) gets a last-minute client for Christmas Eve — her nearly unredeemable bridezilla sister Rosemary (Asha James) — whose fiancée Gwen’s (Krista Nazaire) best friend happens to be Olivia’s ex, travel photographer Isaiah (Etienne Maurice). While Olivia and Isaiah team up to fulfill Rosemary’s demands, their feelings and dreams of launching a destination wedding business together resurface. So do all their past issues." While I was completely unaware that OWN made movies in the first place, this film is absolutely going on my annual rewatch list due to the chemistry between the cast as well as a top notch script.

        

'Hanukkah on the Rocks' Reviews: "Ultimately, the ensemble nature of this movie as well as the focus on celebrating Jewish culture and traditions help to make it feel worth watching for viewers of all backgrounds."

         On December 13, 2024, Hallmark Channel released 'Hanukkah on the Rocks', which has earned a predominantly positive reception from critics. The film pairs "Degrassi‘s Stacey Farber and The Secret Life of The American Teenager‘s Daren Kagasoff as two adults feeling lost in life just a week before Hanukkah. Luckily, they both end up finding some solace and purpose in a Chicago bar called Rocky’s, as well as its staff, patrons, and Hanukkah celebrations. But even as the holiday brings the two closer, they‘re unsure of the road ahead as the futures they’d planned clash with the new ones they inspire each other to chase." But what did the critics say?

Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Steven Ackerman

        Maddy Casale of Decider says, "Hanukkah on the Rocks might remind you of the 2022 Hallmark Hanukkah movie, Hanukkah on Rye, and not just because of their similar titles. Julie Sherman Wolfe actually wrote both films, which each showcase Jewish holiday foods and traditions in their own way. The warm neighborhood pub vibe may also remind you of the beloved sitcom Cheers, especially considering both titles feature a bar owner named Sam." Adding, "Although it has been trying to diversify its filmography slowly but surely over the past few years, Hallmark still doesn’t have many Hanukkah movies. With that in mind, I think that the mere existence of this movie is a win for representation, and the writing also shows that care, research, and personal experience went into the portrayal of this Hanukkah story. Especially coming to this movie as someone who was raised Christian, there are plenty of things that may have felt unfamiliar, but that didn’t mean that as a viewer, I cared about them any less. After all, at the heart of Hanukkah on the Rocks is a story about community, tradition, and family, things that anyone can relate to. You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy watching the festivities because both the characters at Rocky’s and the movie itself welcome everyone in with open arms. That being said, there are some critiques and gripes that I think viewers of any religion or creed could likely agree upon. First of all, it’s a bit ridiculous to suggest that there would be only one box of a specific Hanukkah candle in a city as big and diverse as Chicago, but hey, that’s just Hallmark movies for you, so we can give it a pass. However, a major part of any Hallmark movie tends to be the romance, and the one here between Tory and Jay was just okay. They had some genuinely enjoyable moments of interaction and chemistry, but these were weighed down by some especially cheesy moments and the somewhat two-dimensional nature of the characters, themselves. You’re telling me that Tory has lived in Chicago her entire life and has zero friends besides her Bubby? I know she’s a workaholic but that seems impossible! But I guess if she didn’t have time for her sister and nephew, she really didn’t have time for any friends, which is a bummer. Really, I just wish the characters were a little more fleshed out so they could feel a bit more real and therefore easier to invest in and connect to. Ultimately, the ensemble nature of this movie as well as the focus on celebrating Jewish culture and traditions help to make it feel worth watching for viewers of all backgrounds. I’m glad to see Hallmark go for something outside of their usual Christmas story, and I hope that they will continue to do so in the years ahead!"

'Dirty Angels' Fails to Impress Critics

         On December 13, 2024, Lionsgate released 'Dirty Angels', which received a predominantly negative reception from critics and a score of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing. In the film, "Soldiers in an all-female commando unit pose as members of a relief organization to save a group of girls taken hostage by terrorists in Afghanistan." The ensemble cast includes Ruby Rose, Eva Green, Jonica T. Gibbs, and Maria Bakalova. Read the full review round-up below.

        Matt Lynch of In Review Online says, "Ever since the disaster that was Green Lantern, one of action cinema’s surest old hands and biggest directors of the ’90s has been toiling away making sturdy, and occasionally lower budget, films. Now 81 years old, most recently Martin Campbell has dabbled in Neeson territory (2022’s Memory), made an unusual Jackie Chan revenge movie (The Foreigner), and gave viewers the truly weird hitman romantic drama The Protege. Now, he’s back with the women-on-a-mission movie Dirty Angels, which reunites him with his Casino Royale star Eva Green, and like the rest of his output over the last decade or so, the project delivers mostly solid journeyman work, goosed with a few welcome idiosyncrasies." Adding, "With regard to the cast, though, there isn’t as much to say, since beyond Jake the other women are thinly sketched and mostly there to offer expository dialogue — this is the Eva Green show. The actress gets to do almost all of the lifting here, playing Jake as so closed-off that her natural ruthlessness is amplified to the point of cruelty. She’s clearly having a blast with the role despite the utter seriousness of the entire proceeding, and it’s yet another genre movie in which the performer with presence to spare proves to be most successful element. Dirty Angels is hardly a perfectly film, but it’s Green, even more than Campbell, who makes the material work."

       Aaron Peterson of The Hollywood Outsider notes, "Despite the lack of humor (and a handful of spotty effects), Dirty Angels is a pulpy good time. Director Martin Campbell knows this genre back-to-front and has delivered yet another entertaining bloodbath with more than its share of plot twists." Concluding, "Though the team and the script both are effective, engaging and, at times, even surprising, one element that is slightly lacking is fun. Grounded in realism, Dirty Angels is a very gritty mission-style scenario, but having a jovial aspect often elevates the best in the genre. Other than a few welcome winks and quips from Bakalova, this grouping is more intense than John Wick at a puppy mill."

       Nick Rogers of Midwest Film Journal was less impressed, stating, "There are some interesting intertextual ideas about the delusion of American exceptionalism and a very strong fight scene involving Eva Green that's both sword fight and street fight. But this is otherwise merely the latest mediocre Martin Campbell movie."

Photo by Josh Eckstein on Unsplash

        Robert Taylor of Collider writes, "Dirty Angels is largely structured like a heist movie, with most of the screen time devoted to preparing for the big rescue. And that's really the problem number one here. For an action film, there's surprisingly little of it. The first significant action sequence doesn't occur until 50 minutes into the movie. By the time the Angels, disguised in burkas, storm the bad guys' compound, there are only 15 minutes of the movie left. The rest of the runtime is filled with endless planning and some light intrigue. The team makes various alliances with local power players, some of whom will later be revealed to be double-crossers with secondary motivations. The film also spends a lot of time trying to build out a world where sometimes you have to ally with the lesser of two evils, but the political observations the movie offers feel both too superficial and ill-fitting for the story at hand. This is a sub-two-hour "women on a mission" action movie, which isn't the ideal platform to sneak in a detailed breakdown of the geopolitical history of the Middle East. None of it proves to be very interesting, and plot specifics often feel like they're from a lesser episode of 24."

'Carry-On' Reviews: Film Truly Take Flight

         On December 13, 2024, Netflix released 'Carry-On', which has earned predominantly positive reviews and a score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "A young TSA agent fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight." The ensemble cast includes Sofia Carson, Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, and Danielle Deadwyler. But what did the critics say?

        Nick Schager of The Daily Beast says, "The ’80s and ’90s were a golden age of high-octane action-thrillers, and that tradition is continued with exciting aplomb by Carry-On. Following two misguided forays into tentpole extravaganzas (Jungle Cruise, Black Adam), director Jaume Collet-Serra returns to the sort of terrain he successfully tilled with Liam Neeson in Unknown and Non-Stop via this fleet and clever tale of a TSA agent who finds himself blackmailed by a mysterious villain into letting a carry-on bag pass through security. A clockwork genre contraption that consistently devises new ways to keep its protagonist in do-or-die crisis, this breakneck Netflix offering confirms the enduring vitality of its chosen formula—and, in the process, proves an unexpected and welcome Yuletide streaming gift." Adding, "Bateman, meanwhile, channels his Ozark protagonist’s amorality for the cool, calm, and ruthlessly sociopathic Traveler, whose flat, business-like demeanor is reflected in his nondescript clothing and baseball cap. They make for a fine cat-and-mouse pair, and Deadwyler, Norris, and Logan Marshall-Green (as a Department of Homeland Security official assigned to assist Elena with her investigation) provide colorful, convincing support."

        Jim Vorel of Paste Magazine notes, "The result is a hamstrung thriller that feels cheaper than it should, like a feature-length episode of FOX’s 9-1-1, bogged down by a sense of malaise radiating outward from its protagonist in waves." Concluding, "Taron Egerton would no doubt very much appreciate it if you would take the bait and compare his new, holiday-adjacent Netflix action thriller Carry-On to Die Hard … or perhaps Die Hard 2, actually. And indeed, this is absolutely a vintage thriller in its DNA, perhaps more of a ‘90s homage than an ‘80s one; the kind of flick where a workaday white male schmuck has to rise to the occasion to thwart some seemingly omniscient bad guys while rediscovering the true meaning of … I don’t know, family? Christmas? Unpaid overtime? The point is, our protagonist learns a lesson, shoots some guys and emerges with his life and priorities newly sorted out. The only problem, of course, is that this vanishing breed of modestly budgeted thriller typically revolves almost entirely around the magnetic draw of a star whose easy confidence and charisma can make you fond of the character, even against your own will. And for whatever reason, Egerton is not that star for Carry-On, a film whose protagonist remains an awkward, unreadable cipher from start to finish, dragging down the stronger supporting work surrounding him. His “Ethan Kopek” feels like he should be a minor character in someone else’s film, rather than the star of his own."

        Mitchell Beaupre of The Film Stage praises the film, stating, "Carry-On keeps you on the edge of your seat with its myriad turns, always being sure to ground itself in realistic characters who offer the opportunity to question what we would do if presented with a similar scenario."

Photo by Josh Eckstein on Unsplash

        Matt Lynch of In Review Online was less impressed, stating, "Even lay viewers have seen this movie a dozen times, but there are still some cheap pleasures to be had with the back and forth between the mastermind and the hostage as Ethan continues desperate but clever attempts to either get someone’s attention and help or to foil the Traveler’s plans altogether. Those attempts almost unfailingly get somebody killed in addition to being increasingly implausible, but Collet-Serra at least keeps things mostly moving at a good clip. The film’s major problem, then, isn’t its familiarity, but its other parallel half, which features a police detective (Danielle Deadwyler) who finds herself investigating the Traveler and his goons, and whose exploits outside the airport grind the film’s momentum to a full stop. Forcing these twin storylines to inevitably intersect at Carry-On‘s end utterly destroys the pace of these crushingly overlong two hours. Collet-Serra clearly understands the assignment and delivers sturdy work, but any time the movie steps away from its core premise and contained setting, it crashes."

'Kraven the Hunter' Reviews: Film "eerily resembles the cobbled together emptiness of the worst 2000s superhero time-wasters"

         On December 13, 2024, Columbia Pictures released 'Kraven the Hunter', which has failed to impress critics, earning a score of 15% on Rotten Tomatoes along the way. "Kraven the Hunter is the action-packed, R-rated, standalone story of how one of Marvel's most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless gangster father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared." The ensemble cast includes Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, and Alessandro Nivola. But what did the critics say?

        Chris Bumbray of JoBlo's Movie Network notes, "It’s gotten to the point now that when you see the Sony logo before an “in association with Marvel” banner, you can’t help but cringe. The live-action films the studio has made based on Spider-Man’s rogues gallery have been pretty terrible, with Morbius and Madame Web ranking among the worst superhero films ever. The fact that the Venom trilogy was mediocre is something of a triumph for the beleaguered slate of films, but for a while now, the director of Kraven the Hunter, J.C. Chandor, has been promising this would be different. I went into the movie with decently high hopes, as I’d seen twenty minutes of footage a few weeks ago before interviewing Aaron Taylor-Johnson (look for our interview soon), and liked what I saw. I also think Chandor is a great director, having been a fan of all of his previous films, in particular A Most Violent Year and the underrated Triple Frontier. Sadly, the film is a total mess in a way the isolated bits of footage I saw earlier didn’t reveal. Like other movies in the Spider-Verse, it feels made by committee, with any of the interesting elements Chandor brings to the film having been washed away in a sea of re-shoots and (I presume) re-edits. The script is a mess, with it never clear just exactly why Kraven hunts down evildoers and if he profits from it (his sprawling jungle hideaway and private pilot makes it seem like he does), with it loaded with corny dialogue that I find it impossible to believe comes from the pen of co-screenwriter Richard Wenk (known to be a very solid scribe)."

       Jesse Hassenger of AV Club was more impressed, stating, "While all of the previous movies in this barely-series seemed scrambled together in a panic, Chandor’s movie seems scrambled together with a great deal of confidence and a bit of style."

Photo by Brands&People on Unsplash

        Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru writes, "Kraven (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a hunter who gained superpowers as a teenager, breaks out of prison and seeks revenge against Rhino (Alessandro Nivola) and other gangsters who are trying to take over the Russian crime world that he dad, Nikolai (Russell Crowe), a Russian gangster, leads in Kraven the Hunter. The screenplay by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway is a convoluted, clunky and tedious mess that becomes increasingly preposterous and silly. The flashbacks are poorly integrated as they show the origins of Kraven's superpowers when he somehow obtained them after a lion bit him and a young girl gave him a magic potion to drink. He reunites with that girl, Calypso (Ariana DeBose), years later when she works as a lawyer. Before you know it, she joins him on his quest to battle Rhino and his sidekick (Christopher Abbott). The action scenes are poorly shot, the CGI effects are subpar and the editing feels choppy at times. Moreover, the dialogue is often stitled with some unintentionally funny lines that almost rival Madame Web, but not quite. Levi Miller plays the teenage version of Kraven while Fred Hechinger plays Kraven's estranged half-brother, Dmitri. Russell Crowe, Allessandro Nivola and Ariana DeBose deserve better material. If you could imagine Spider-Man crossed with John Wick minutes the pizzazz, thrills and fun, it would look something like this."

       David Crow of Den of Geek says, "The movie is so vacuous, so bereft of life in spite of its many desperate and quality actors trying to quicken the cadaver with wasted energy, that it eerily resembles the cobbled together emptiness of the worst 2000s superhero time-wasters."

'The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga' Reviews: "a unique look at the ways people can become radicalized for a cause within the oxygen-free internet echo chamber"

         On December 11, 2024, Netflix released 'The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the series, "An Elvis impersonator's conspiracy theory sets off a feud that spirals into an attempted presidential assassination." But what did the critics say?

Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

        Andrew Parker of The Gate says, "A wildly entertaining, naturally humorous, and jaw dropping descent into the world of online conspiracy theories, familial rivalries, and Elvis impersonators, Chapman and Maclain Way’s documentary miniseries The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga is the definition of the word flabbergasting. A sprawling stranger-than-fiction yarn revolving a man with a misplaced hero complex who constantly proves to be his own worst enemy (on top of being an annoyance to many caught in his blustery path). The Kings of Tupelo weaves a masterfully told story of deception and hidden truths, but not the ones envisioned originally by the documentary’s (unfortunately) gregarious subject." Adding, "But just when it feels like things have led down the dark path the Ways hinted at early on, the third and final instalment of The Kings of Tupelo masterfully stages a huge rug pull on the viewer and flips everything on its head. I wasn’t entirely familiar with the story at the heart of the Curtis’ case (or maybe I just forgot about it over time), but the third act drops some major bombshells involving another possible conspiracy and a very different kind of impersonation. At this point, The Kings of Tupelo becomes a story that one reporter at the time all of this was going down likened to a Coen Brothers movie, but really it plays more like a shockingly layered, southern fried dipshit version of Inception, where the rabbit hole grows deeper, more large personalities enter the fray, and things become even more baffling. The final episode is a masterfully edited and paced piece of work that hits like the Ways have been sitting on a royal flush since the start and have been bluffing their way towards the biggest payoff with devilishly creative glee. That huge reveal and the film’s elaborately parsed conclusion make the viewer’s investment of time well worth it. But The Kings of Tupelo more poignantly looks at the complicated nature of conspiracy culture. People tend to believe whatever suits their mood, temper, and world outlook, and any bit of validation, enabling, or vindication can lead to a sometimes unwarranted inflation of self-confidence. When someone in this mindset is given an inch, they see acreage. The Kings of Tupelo is a unique look at the ways people can become radicalized for a cause within the oxygen-free internet echo chamber. It’s also hilarious, shocking, and cringe inducing in the most crowd pleasing of ways."

Do Not Sleep on 'Dream Productions'

         On December 11, 2024, Disney+ premiered 'Dream Productions', which quickly earned a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing. In the series, "Riley's growing up and her Core Emotions are on the job helping her navigate, but now Paula faces a nightmare of her own; her signature combination of dreams featuring Rainbow Unicorn and copious amounts of glitter just isn't working anymore." The ensemble cast includes Paula Pell, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Richard Ayoade, and Kensington Tallman. But what did the critics say?

        Nick Schager of The Daily Beast says, "A clever and compassionate look at another corner of its protagonist’s mind—as well as a playful critique of the filmmaking process." Adding, "It’s nice that Poehler, Black, Smith and Lapira participate in Dream Productions, although Joy and company’s roles in this adventure are peripheral. That’s ultimately no huge loss, as Pell and Ayoade’s winning vocal performances are lively and their characters’ saga is fleet and funny, wasting little time on superfluous asides or running bits into the ground."

       Grant Hermanns of Screen Rant praises the series, stating, "Pixar's Dream Productions is a very inventive twist on the Inside Out formula, though it does somewhat suffer from feeling a bit rushed for a TV show." Concluding, "Ultimately, one of the few things the show does have working against it is the pacing of its story, which feels rushed in its latter half. Not counting credits, Dream Productions hardly clocks in at a 100-minute runtime, about the same length as both Inside Out movies. While a TV show may not need to have a 20-plus-episode run, a lengthier runtime would've benefited the full arc of its story, which the Disney+ spinoff really needed, as Paula and Xeni's storylines race to their finish lines."

Image Courtesy of @2024 Disney/Pixar All Rights Reserved

       Tara Bennett of AV Club was less impressed, stating, "Let it be known that if a third Inside Out feature gets made and it’s revealed that franchise heroine Riley Andersen’s (Kensington Tallman) anxiety has gotten worse, pointing the blame at her messed-up dream world is going to be expected, if not required. In fact, Dream Productions might be the first Disney-produced title to establish as canon that Hollywood studio culture is an ouroboros of dysfunction that originates from a toxic mini studio existing in all of our heads.  Pixar’s Dream Productions is a bridging mockumentary miniseries set between the events of Inside Out and Inside Out 2. Developed alongside the recent sequel, this series benefits from the animators getting full access to these updated characters and environments to make a really attractive streaming series that doesn’t look like it was made on the cheap. Unfolding like a side mission in the overall story of Riley’s young life, Dream Productions gives audiences a little more time with her as she’s growing up and trying to figure it all out. However, as a concept, its overall thesis that our dreams are produced by a brain-based “studio” that’s just as capricious and soul-crushingly focused on results as the real Hollywood is too meta for most kids to understand. Worse, it goes too far afield from the franchise’s mandate that Riley’s Emotions are always her biggest cheerleaders." Concluding, "That said, there are a couple of really well-executed musical numbers that elicit the exhilaration of a truly memorable dream. Also, the show’s construct of how a dream translates into Riley’s awareness—the camera is Riley—gets points for originality. The more comedic dreams (there’s an ’80s-inspired, David-Lynch-meets-The-Cure one, as well as a crush-focused sequence that unfolds like a Canadian rom-com) land nicely too. Character-wise, Ayoade’s signature style of line reading mixed with Xeni’s design and eccentric look make him a standout amongst a rather tepid ensemble that never reaches the success of the Core Emotions’ chemistry.  On the whole, Dream Productions is a fun idea that gets a bit derailed by its Hollywood setting and mockumentary format. And the meta playground of a studio backlot devolves too much into the negative with personal politicking and self-serving career ambitions. The Riley of it all is supposed to be the whole point of this wing of her subconscious. But that often gets subsumed when the series veers into a tame version of Robert Altman’s The Player."