'A Complete Unknown' Brings Bob Dylan to the Big Screen

         On December 25, 2024, Searchlight Pictures releases 'A Complete Unknown', which has quickly earned Oscar buzz as well as Golden Globe Awards nomination, as well as a score of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing. In the film, "Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music. He forges intimate relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking and controversial performance that reverberates worldwide. Timothée Chalamet stars and sings as Bob Dylan in James Mangold's A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, the electric true story behind the rise of one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in history." The ensemble cast includes Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, and Edward Norton. But what did the critics say?

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

        Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com says, "Mangold’s film fluidly captures the intersection of art and fame with solid performances, unshowy direction, and organic editing." Adding, "Mangold’s approach demands a great deal of Mr. Chalamet, and he nails it. Not only does he sound like Dylan when he’s singing, he somehow captures the newness of these moments. When he plays “The Times They Are A-Changin’” for the first time in a great scene, it’s a song that a lot of people in the movie audience know by heart. Still, Chalamet and the production somehow convey the immediacy of that moment at Newport when these people are hearing a masterpiece for the first time. It gives the film an electricity that biopics almost always lack, feeling urgent instead of merely like a jukebox that’s been played a hundred times. Chalamet is ably supported by a great ensemble. Norton and Fanning have been getting some early attention—both have won critics awards already—but the standouts for me are the captivating Monica Barbaro as Baez and a playful turn from Boyd Holbrook as Cash. Barbaro subtly nails how equally enraged and enraptured people could be by Dylan while Holbrook plays Cash as someone who spotted the raw genius in Dylan through all the stuff that fame and expectation put around him. They’re the angel and the devil on Bob’s shoulders."

       Johnny Oleksinski of New York Post praises the film, stating, "Because Mangold has made a quiet and intimate film — not a cliche, showboating one of tears and tragedy — Chalamet never pushes these traits into a silly tribute act. Far from an animatronic impersonator, the actor is always honest and believable."

        Siddhant Adlakha of IGN Movies writes, "It’s formally straightforward, but its focus on the characters in Dylan’s life – rather than the musician himself, played by Timothée Chalamet – turn him into an enigma, for better or worse." Concluding, "Unfortunately, A Complete Unknown doesn’t offer much hand-holding for those unfamiliar with the creative, political, and interpersonal drama in and around the circles traveled by Dylan, Baez, Seeger, and Rotolo. It keeps such details opaque while casting a sense of grandeur upon its proceedings: The camera always floats toward and alongside Dylan, following him through crowded spaces, and becoming trapped by his allure in private moments. Mangold seems less concerned with the musician’s place in our collective history, and ends up more focused on Dylan the enigmatic individual as seen through the eyes of each supporting character."

'Young Werther' Reviews: "If you’re looking for a familiar story that features elements of early 2000s rom-coms, including fun loving best friends and awkward sexual tension in a love triangle, you’ll be pleased with this film"

         On December 13, 2024, Lionsgate releases 'Young Werther', which has received a mixed reception from critics. "Patrick J. Adams, Douglas Booth and Alison Pill star in this romantic comedy based on the classic smash hit novel of tragic romance. While on a simple errand to Toronto, a carefree and charming young writer named Werther stumbles across the love of his life only to discover that the young woman is engaged. Despite the urgings of his hypochondriac best friend, Werther turns his world upside down in a desperate, misguided and hilarious quest to win her heart." But what did the critics say?

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        Justin Bower of Loud and Clear Reviews says, "It’s also loads of fun. If you’re looking for a familiar story that features elements of early 2000s rom-coms, including fun loving best friends and awkward sexual tension in a love triangle, you’ll be pleased with this film. While it offers some hilarious jokes and a somewhat intriguing storyline, it’s nothing revolutionary. The acting, led strongly by Booth and Pill and supported by Adams, is the best part of Young Werther. Not only is Werther and Charlotte’s chemistry believable, but the cast as a whole works perfectly together. This salvages an oddly paced story that attempts to cover too much ground in a short runtime. Young Werther’s script is well written. I usually detest expositional dialogue, but it is utilized in a clever way to clarify character backstories and interests. Other big moments, such as Werther’s inevitable proclamation of love for Charlotte, are sentimental and avoid being cringeworthy. There are plenty of heartstopping moments throughout; the ending is surprising, the most original portion of the film. Romantic bliss can only go so far, and the conflict at the heart of Werther and Charlotte’s relationship eventually surfaces. Arriving at the end, however, is a journey writer-director José Lourenço seemed reluctant to embark upon. Long, dialogue-heavy scenes are interrupted by montages over catchy songs to fill in the gaps of lost plot progress. While I think no rom-com is complete without a good montage, Young Werther overuses them, resulting in a disjointed experience overall."

       Bill Chambers of Film Freak Central notes, "Pill has received some of the best reviews of her career as the winsome Charlotte, but it’s a blessing and a curse that the character’s chapter-skipped youth resonates with how Pill went straight from playing students to teachers in the popular imagination because no one in the past 20 years had the insight to make her the romantic lead. She’s in her element here, but she’s undoubtedly a bit long in the tooth for Charlotte, and styled so rigidly it’s as though one hair out of place will cause the decades to instantly catch up with her. It reduces her to a cartoon character, and one of those is already enough for the remarkably thin Young Werther, a movie that confuses the novel’s gravitas with its renown. Instead of writing a roman à clef about his chaste affair with Charlotte, The Sorrows of Young Walter, and sending her a copy, Werther may as well have texted her; that “sorrows” lands with all the heft of “[sadface emoji], lol.”

'The Brutalist' Becomes an Early Oscar Contender

         On December 20, 2024, A24 releases 'The Brutalist', which has earned rave reviews from critics and a score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes. On his own in a strange new country, László settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren recognizes his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost...." The ensemble cast includes Joe Alwyn, Guy Pearce, Raffey Cassidy, Felicity Jones, and Adrien Brody. Read the full review round-up below.

        Roger Friedman of Showbiz 411 writes, "It looks like a masterpiece, it’s long, and rises to enormous heights many times during its showing. You could say it’s like a piece of Brutalist architecture."

        Brianna Zigler of AV Club notes, "The Brutalist is impressive, but like the technically brilliant construction at its core, never feels wholly worthy of the suffering put into it." Continuing, "Racism and persecution guide László’s brutalist designs, erecting a monument meant to mirror the prison which held him in Buchenwald, to the complete ignorance of the Van Burens. With the (obvious) reveal of László’s artistic intentions late in the film, The Brutalist’s Israel references come across somewhat conflicting. Is László’s structure a memorial, or is it just another prison? Is Israel truly free for the Jews, or is it more similar to America than the Tóths care to admit? The Brutalist tip-toes around the issue and the questions it sparks, too annoyingly subtle to spark outrage from either side. But the building is outwardly less memorializing than it is blanketly intimidating. Shots inside the structure—filmed magnificently by cinematographer Lol Crawley—are sometimes evocative and deeply shadowed, other times stark and plain, the intensity of the raw concrete enough to threaten on its own. In fact all of The Brutalist, filmed in stunning VistaVision and screened on 70mm, is thrillingly composed. Across its three-and-a-half-hour runtime, it grapples with themes of assimilation, American mythology, colonization, and self-imprisonment; although, by the second half of the film the story feels wanting. The Brutalist hinges upon the sum of its parts, similar to Corbet’s more divisive Vox Lux, which also dealt conflictingly with America-specific trauma. Still, there is a cynicism that separates The Brutalist from your typical immigrant rags-to-riches tale. László is tormented, his relationship with Erzsébet is deeply troubled, and Jones’ performance is one of pain and vulnerability toughened by unspeakable suffering. But the boilerplate nature of the narrative (co-written by Corbet and Mona Fastvold) undercuts the technical strengths, and emphasizes some of the other various hitches along the way. Isaach de Bankolé’s character, for example, exists to show that László is compassionate to Black people during this difficult era, and there is a shocking literalization of Harrison and László’s relationship that leaves little room for nuance."

        Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru praises the film, stating, "Beautifully shot and initially captivating, heartfelt and spellbinding before it loses steam and becomes clunky and undercooked. Adrien Brody gives an Oscar-worthy performance, one of his best since The Pianist."

        Ross Bonaime of Collider writes, "It’s also fascinating to watch how László’s journey changes depending on who enters his world. When he lives in Attila’s furniture shop, holed up in an old stock room, he’s much more meek and unassuming; he gets his work done, but he mostly stays out of sight. Yet once he’s shown his greatness through old newspaper clips by Harrison and given a job worthy of his talents, he tackles the opportunity with vigor. Pearce is also giving one of his finest performances yet as Harrison, a symbol of how rich men in power utilize the work of immigrants to get ahead in life. Harrison isn’t a character who’s easy to parse out, shifting from a screaming madman to a welcoming figure in the community for László in his first two scenes. Even when The Brutalist is more blunt about Harrison’s intentions in the second half of the film, one of the movie’s rare missteps, Pearce plays Harrison with the stoicism and hypocritical moralism that makes the character work." 

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'Leah's Perfect Gift' Misses the Mark

         On December 8, 2024, Hallmark Channel released 'Leah's Perfect Gift', which has proven to be one of the least successful holiday films of the season. In the film, "A Jewish Leah accompanies her boyfriend to Connecticut to experience a traditional Christmas with his family." The ensemble cast includes Emily Arlook, Evan Roderick, and Barbara Niven. But what did the critics say?

Credit: @2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Allister Foster

        Danielle Solzman of Solzy at the Movies writes, "Leah’s Perfect Gift is a Hallmark movie about a Jewish woman obsessed with Xmas and longing to celebrate a traditional Xmas. Movies and Chinese food aren’t enough? I mean, this year we have Chanukah starting on December 25 because that’s when 25 Kislev starts this year. Talk to any religious or observant Jew and they’ll tell you that the premise of Leah’s Perfect Gift is offensive and sickening. Is this what the Hallmark Channel thinks of the Jewish community? That we’d rather celebrate a Christian holiday than our own?!? It is bad enough that I only learned on motzi Shabbos that the film is based on a book! Hallmark, we need to have a talk. Some of you are probably going to say, well, what about interfaith families? No offense to those couples and their families but we’re talking about a film where a Jewish woman is more obsessed with Xmas than the Christians in the film. I don’t think I need to remind anyone about the origins of Xmas and why it’s so offensive that a Jewish woman wants to celebrate Xmas more than the Jewish holidays. If you’re wondering, the same would apply if it were about a Jewish man, rather than woman. The mere idea is just so offensive. It’s as if Hallmark thought, the Jews are already feeling bad enough this year, how can we make it worse?!? That being said, Hanukkah on the Rocks (why not Chanukah, like the Hebrew pronunciation) is premiering on Shabbos. I’ll be watching it really soon. Let’s hope it’s better." Adding, "The amount of Chanukah featured in this movie is very slim, maybe five minutes at the most. Jonathan (Barry Levy) and Suzanne Goldberg (Robyn Ross) host Chanukah at their home. In what is no doubt a stereotype, Suzanne insists that their guests do not leave without food. Chinese food and the movies? We might be getting some Chinese food–if anything, it’s maybe the same amount as all of Chanukah in the movie–but not any movies. Oh yeah, the Jewish family is from New York City–the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. You start wondering how it is possible that Leah became more obsessed with Xmas than Jewish holidays. Here’s the part that I don’t get, especially because you’d think people would at least read about Chanukah in the newspaper. Barbara Westwood knows absolutely nothing about Chanukah and seems shocked about Jews eating Chinese food on December 25. I’m sorry but WHAT?!? You’d have to be living in a cave if you’ve never heard of Chanukah, let alone Jewish minhag of eating Chinese food and going to the movies on December 24-25. Chinese restaurants are among the few restaurants that are open so it developed into a Jewish minhag to eat Chinese food. This year though, the first night of Chanukah coincides with December 25 so there will be plenty of Chanukah parties with a mix of latkes and Chinese food. One such party is currently on my calendar."

'Lucy Worsley's Holmes vs. Doyle'

         On December 8, 2024, PBS premiered 'Lucy Worsley's Holmes vs. Doyle', which has received rave reviews from critics. In the series, "British historian Lucy Worsley delves into the complex love-hate relationship between Sherlock Holmes and the man who created him, Arthur Conan Doyle." Read the full review round-up below.

        John Anderson of Wall Street Journal says, "Ms. Worsley -- who has grown more comfortable and conversational as her historical specials have progressed (and is dressing quite fashionably) -- provides many gems of anecdotal information." Adding, "There are certain nuggets of trivia that Sherlock Holmes fans hold dear, either about their favorite sleuth or his author, Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes never said “Elementary,” not on Doyle’s pages. He never wore a deerstalker cap (a figment of illustrator Sidney Paget). And on the day “The Adventure of the Final Problem” was published, Doyle’s diary entry read, “Killed Holmes.” It was December 1893. Doyle was only 34 years old. The murder was only temporary. And Holmes was the most famous detective in the world—more famous, even, than his creator. Such is the heart of the conflict confronted by the host of “Lucy Worsley’s Holmes vs. Doyle,” a three-part examination of the love-hate relationship between the famous writer and what he calls the “monstrous growth” that became one of the classic characters in all of literature, never mind the detective story. The vintage interview footage featuring Doyle himself is one of the more fascinating aspects of the program, as is Ms. Worsley’s peripatetic journey to link Holmesian detection with modern methods of criminal investigation and prosecution. Sometimes Doyle was prescient; sometimes Holmes made himself a one-man system of justice."

       Anne Brodie of What She Said notes, "Sherlock Holmes fans take note.  Lucy Worsley’s Holmes Vs Doyle airing Sunday night on PBS offers a unique take on the famous detective created by author Arthur Conan Doyle and the relationship between the man and his muse who made him a sensation, even as their relationship soured. Holmes, a master of disguise, intuition and knowledge of human nature first appeared in A Study in Scarlet in 1887, then four novels and 56 short stories.  Holmes is considered one of the greatest fictional detectives, and the Guinness World Records lists him as the most portrayed human literary character in film and  television history. Truth is, Doyle came to hate Holmes, feeling trapped in continuing his story at the expense of his other writing.  But it’s a lot more interesting than that sounds. And what about that violin?"

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'A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter' Brings a Twist to Traditional Holiday Fare

         On December 6, 2024, 'A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter' was released on Netflix to predominantly positive reviews. In the holiday special, "Pop icon Sabrina Carpenter jingles all the bells in her first-ever variety music special full of Christmas hits, unexpected duets and comedic cameos." But what did the critics say?

       Sean Boelman of FandomWire says, "Don’t expect to add it to your yearly viewing rotation unless you’re a Carpenter megafan, nor should you expect to add these covers to your holiday playlist, but as far as 50-minute variety specials go, there have been much worse." Adding, "The best moments are when Carpenter cracks jokes about her image, pushing the envelope as far as she can with double entendres without crossing the line into all-out raunch. On the other hand, the show’s attempts to feel “grounded” by leaving in mistakes feel tremendously artificial and forced. Indeed, the best opportunity that A Nonsense Christmas had to feel grounded is wasted. In one section, Carpenter begins to share personal stories about her own childhood experiences during the holidays. Although this is a very common part of holiday variety specials, Carpenter is an excellent storyteller, and it’s easy to linger on every word she says — no matter how standard they may be. If only there were more of these intimate moments." 

Photo by Cristian Tarzi on Unsplash

        Johnny Loftus of Decider notes, "In A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter, now streaming on Netflix, you can expect Christmas classics, guest duets, goofy holiday sketches, and cheeky double-entendres inside every wrapped gift on the special’s “Recorded Live In Front of Studio Audience”-style stage. Sabrina Carpenter is the star of the show, of course, but don’t expect “Espresso,” or even her viral hit “Nonsense” – instead, Sabrina performs a few seasonal chestnuts with guests Chappell Roan, Shania Twain, Tyla, and Kali Uchs, appears in a few comedy bits that include notables like Kyle Mooney, Megan Stalter, Quinta Brunson, and Cara Delevingne, and generally hams it up, just in time for Christmas. “So if you’re hot and you’re young and you’re stocking’s well hung…by the chimney with care, it’s the most nonsense time of the year…” Adding, "Stream It! A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter is having a lot of laughs and fun – and Sabrina herself is having the most fun – but it also brings in a few nice versions of songs for season. And really, it never once takes itself too seriously, which itself is refreshing. Why don’t more celebrities just cut loose and riff on their own branded version of what in another TV era would be called a Christmas variety show?"

'Private Princess Christmas' Reviews: "some sweet moments, but a subpar romantic plot"

         On December 6, 2024, Hallmark Channel released 'Private Princess Christmas', which has recieved a mixed reception from critics. In the film, "After failing in her royal duties, Princess Violet is sent to an American leadership training program where she makes and unexpected connection with the stoic instructor, Captain Ryan." The ensemble cast includes Ali Skovbye, Derek Klena, Erica Durance, and Kheon Clarke. But what did the critics say?

        Maddy Casale of Decider says, Private Princess Christmas is the “parent figure sending daughter to a boot camp where she finds purpose and an unlikely bond with her Captain” aspect of Cadet Kelly with dashes of The Sound of Music and Falling for Christmas also mixed in." Continuing, "Also, apologies for being nitpicky, and I know Wingravia is fictional but they did say it was in Eastern Europe, so what’s up with the British accents? Wouldn’t something vaguely European and Slavic be more fitting? Then again, this movie isn’t too concerned with realism, so I guess we’ll have to give them a pass. I mean seriously, how did they cause a fire in an oven because Violet confused Fahrenheit and Celsius? I know it’s annoying to be the “um, actually!” person but I’ll do it anyway and say that if Violet was setting Celsius numbers on an American oven, she’d be baking things at less than 200 degrees Fahrenheit, so how would that end up burning anything? But hey, I guess where there’s a will, there’s a way. This isn’t to say that it was all bad! Ali Skovbye was at her best as Violet when sharing the screen with Shep, using her knowledge of ASL to communicate with the deaf veteran in moments that transcended a script or schmaltzy Christmas story to feel like genuine, touching scenes of human connection. Perhaps if the romantic plot was axed, the story would have had time to give Violet more of these moments, and maybe there’d even be time to make the other cadets more well-rounded. Unfortunately, a Hallmark holiday movie without a romance is like a queen without a crown or a princess without a mission (that is to say, apparently unthinkable) so the finished product does not fully reach its potential. SKIP IT. Private Princess Christmas has some sweet moments, but a subpar romantic plot, two-dimensional characters, and some extra cheesy moments end up dragging it down. However, if you want a good drinking game, then actually you maybe should stream it, just so you can get blitzed by taking a sip every time they say “festoon." 

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