THE WITCHES

Anne Hathaway     Octavia Spencer     Chris Rock     Jahzir Bruno     Stanley Tucci

     When the witches are away, the mice will play.  This is a fun piece narrated by Chris Rock and starring him and two excellent actors, Octavia Spencer and Anne Hathaway, in a fantasy based on a Roald Dahl novel.  Kid-friendly, of course, but with suspense that is likely to be enjoyed by adults as well as children.  

     It starts out tragically, but Spencer’s warm presence as a grandma is soothing, and she has her work cut out for her with her grandson’s (Bruno) grief and, later, his dilemma.  To help him with his grief, Grandma (Spencer) brings home a pet mouse for her grandson, which does indeed spur him to move on to the next step.

     After the boy encounters a witch in the store, Grandma decides they need to go stay in a fancy hotel where the wealthy white people stay.  (This is on the premise that Witches only seek out minorities—e.g., the blacks—and the disadvantaged.)  Grandma knows this from losing her childhood friend in just such circumstances, and she informs her grandson about witches.  They are demons made to look like humans. They have no toes, no hands, no hair—and must compensate for this with gloves, wigs, high-heeled shoes, etc. When they go out in public, they look like regular society women.  

     By coincidence, the International Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Children is having a convention at this very hotel.  Crossing of paths between this group (which is a front for the Grand High Witch played by Hathaway and her coven) and Grandma and her grandson forms most of a plot filled with nail-biting suspense, along with some horror and comedy.  Mice-phobic people might want to stay away—but should see—this escapade.

Special effects (Adrian Bennett, Fernando da Silva et al.) take center stage in showing what happens when magic appears to spice up the action in the story. Here it is used to engage the audience as much as the plot and the actors.  And it is so satisfying!

     Co-writer and director Robert Zemeckis, with the help of Alphonso Cuaron and Guillermo del Toro (Mexican filmmakers we all know and love), has assembled a cast and crew that elevate this film from a run-of-the-mill children’s movie to one that is capturing and entertaining, but has important messages related to acceptance of others, regardless of their appearance, the importance of family, and simply enjoying life, whatever happens.  

The film can be seen on HBO MAX beginning 10/22/20.

 

A film for the times in terms of its message and as a vehicle to escape momentarily the concerns of the day.

 

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

DARK WATERS

Mark Ruffalo     Anne Hathaway     Tim Robbins     Bill Camp     Bill Pullman     Victor Garber

     Robert Bilott (Ruffalo) is a promising young attorney who has just made partner in a respected corporate law firm.  He has a number of key supporters as a result of his work defending chemical companies, who believe he will distinguish himself (and them) because of his deliberateness and passion for the law.  He will indeed live up to this faith, although not in the way his supporters think.

     Soon after starting this phase of his career, Rob is personally visited in his office by a West Virginia farmer, Wilbur Tennant (Camp), wanting representation. He has been referred by his neighbor, Rob’s beloved grandmother.  Rob patiently explains that he is a civil lawyer and not likely to serve the client well.  Tennant leaves in a huff, feeling that all his antagonism toward authorities is justified.  

     But Rob is conscientious, and visits his grandmother for more information. She reminds him that as a boy he used to go to the Tennants’ farm every summer (to swim and learn to milk cows!) and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Rob does a bit more investigation, looking at a landfill near the farm, and being shown by Tennant some of the devastation, which he thinks is perpetrated by the DuPont company (DuPont de Nemours, as they prefer to be called).  

     After doing more research into the company and getting the EPA reports, it begins to dawn on Rob that there is something to investigate (like water and air contamination, as well as animal/human organ damage.  The Tennants do not have the money to hire him, so he discusses with his boss Tom Terp (Robbins) the possibility of taking on pro bono what they foresee as a short-term project.  Terp reluctantly agrees on the basis that it will promote the Taft Law Firm’s good name.

     What is in store for them is (literally!) mountains of data for Rob to go through, unsatisfying responses from the DuPont company to his inquiries, and later on, major resistance and obstruction as a defense by DuPont, despite ever-mounting evidence against them.

     I wish I could describe to you a heroic story in which legal and political action made a decisive difference.  Although I cannot, I nevertheless urge the public to see this film (updated/extended from the Erin Brockovich) for its application to contemporary environmental and political concerns.  It’s a bit like a detective story that must accumulate data over a long period of time, and becomes a drama that is all too familiar today.

     Mark Ruffalo does an exemplary job portraying a man trying to overcome a compromised history by committing himself to helping the disadvantaged.  This comes at a cost, and we see his, his wife’s (Hathaway) and their family’s sacrifices.  Noteworthy (and perhaps award-worthy) is Bill Camp’s performance in playing a West Virginia farmer who is astute but not given credit for it by virtue of his accent, his class, and where he is from geographically (West Virginia). He successively endears others, and distances them because of his extreme (but well justified) anger. He is a significant supporting actor.

     Todd Haynes continues to surprise with his explorations into varying subjects and he and cinematographer Edward Lachman’s foray into innovative techniques in Wonderstruck, Far from Heaven, Carol, and this film, show their abilities to portray the poetic as well as the meaningful in their joint works.  I want to give a shout-out to composer Marcelo Zarvos, whose music has a paradoxical effect of being soft and lyrical, but with ominous overtones, even from the beginning.  Those tones let you know this will not be a romp through the park.  

     The movie gets into substantive issues relevant today about environmental concerns, corporate power, and the costs of social advocacy, while engaging you emotionally into the drama.

Dark Waters turn out to be toxic.

Grade:  B+                                    By Donna R. Copeland

SERENITY

Matthew McConaughey     Anne  Hathaway     Diane Lane     Djmon Hounsou

Jason Clarke     Jeremy Strong     Rafael Sayegh

     The complexity of the plot in Serenity (which is far from serene) hypes up the excitement and intrigue, and keeps you guessing throughout.  The theme of “What is real?” gives it an added boost in depth as the viewer is forced to ask the question over and over in terms of the plot, but also in terms of each of the characters and their minds—along with ethical questions that will arise.  It is the talented work of Writer/Director Steven Knight who has given us previous—sometimes quiet—thrillers, as in Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, andLocke, that stay on one’s mind after leaving the theater.

     The story starts out as a simple tale about a fisherman who seems to be suffering from PTSD following his medal-earning service in Iraq, which he is self-treating with alcohol.  He is gruff and single-minded, seems to have no inkling about human management and relationships, and is compulsive about finding a certain tuna in the ocean that he has named “Justice” (which, like everything else in the film smolders with symbolic meaning).  

     Baker Dill (McConaughey)—not his real name, of course—is shown to run rough-shod over employees such as loyal Duke (Hounsou) and clients, every incident of which always gets spread through the town of Plymouth, where “everybody knows everything.”  And they do seem to know; the instance something happens everybody knows about it, even deals made supposedly in secret. There’s only one bar in town, which is part of the explanation, and a certain cat owner named Constance (Lane) has a perfect view of the dock from where all boats go to sea, but word also seems to travel mysteriously.

     Some may get turned off by the occult references in the film, but, to me, that only adds to its intrigue.  It’s done so subtly (and some kinds of supernatural events have been accepted in some circles), and for substantive reasons (as in a father connecting with his son), I could easily accept it as part of the story. Besides, the ending is so ambiguous in terms of what really happened, it’s one of those delightful films where you can pick the ending you favor.  Either it’s a fantasy of someone’s mind, or it’s a realistic account of what happened.  The capper for these thoughts is Baker’s comment about a telephone call he’s just had:  “I didn’t have enough coins to get in that conversation” [about what was real]. 

     McConaughey is in his usual form, capturing a character central to the plot of a movie. Here again, he confirms his status as a top-notch actor.  His movies vary considerably in quality, but in Serenity, he has chosen a role within a plot that is both complex and airtight.  The rest of the cast measures up to the task of characters who are presented as strong and convincing:  Anne Hathaway as the somewhat mysterious element of Baker’s/John’s past whose presence unnerves him; Djmon Hounsou as the one Baker asks to be his conscience, but intermittently dismisses; Jason Clarke as a thoroughly reprehensible husband; Jeremy Strong as an ambiguous figure offering an ambiguous bargain; Diane Lane as an important grounding connection for Baker; and finally, young Rafael Sayegh as Patrick, an elusive game-inventor-player who may or may not be real.

A delightful and thrilling exploration into reality/fantasy possibilities and the questioning of the rules of the game.

Grade:  A                        By Donna R. Copeland

OCEANS 8

Sandra Bullock     Cate Blanchett    Rihanna    Sarah Paulson    Mindy Kaling    Awkwafina

Anne Hathaway     Helena Bonham Carter     Richard Armitage     James Corden    Dakota Fanning

     This clever, fun heist movie will engage you, intrigue you, and keep you entertained. Debbie Ocean (Bullock), sister of Danny (George Clooney) in previous Oceans movies, is just being released from prison after serving five years. She bounds out in the same outfit as when she went in—dressed for the evening in a trendy black outfit—assured that she can go anywhere and do what she wants with the $45 in her pocket. And we see how she begins to do just that with her light fingers and made-up stories as she ensconces herself into a fancy hotel and gets in touch with her seven specially talented friends and accomplices, the first being Lou (Blanchett), an Australian motorcycle enthusiast and sharp observer of human behavior  

     Debbie has used her time in prison well, figuring out detailed plans for living up to her family name, exacting a delicious revenge, and getting a ticket to the high life for life.  Debbie and Lou flesh out a strategy for a major heist of jewelry at one of THE social events of the year, the Met Gala, hosted by the iconic Vogue Magazine editor and artistic director of Conde Nast publications, Anna Wintour who appears as herself in the film.  

     Debbie and Lou assemble a motley team of thieves, smugglers, fashion and jewelry designers, forgers, and computer geniuses to play their roles in an intricately choreographed dance designed to net them all a sizeable share. What are they after? Cartier’s 150-million-dollar diamond necklace.  It will involve managing to get just the right celebrity to wear it to the ball.  

     Some of the funniest scenes include the eccentric fashion designer Rose Weil (Carter) flattering the always-aspiring celebrity Daphne Kluger (Hathaway) to go along with the plan to wear the necklace.  (Not hard at all, once she sees it.)  To watch Hathaway acting out preening and self-love in brilliant red lipstick in front of the mirror as she tries on various necklaces (the real diamond one is held out as a tease) will surely make you groan and laugh at the same time.  

     Also engaging are glimpses into the current lives of the fellow co-conspirators. Tammy (Paulson) is a contented mother who buys tens of bicycles on eBay when she has only one child.  Nine Ball (or “Baller”, if you prefer) (Rihanna) is a wizard on the computer, and most of the fun here is seeing others having to catch up with her; and like any good Asian has a relative, April (Midori Francis), to come through at a crucial time.  Mindy Kaling, as Amita, the jewelry designer, is trying to find a partner on an internet match site, but she will amuse and impress you with her rather naïve pronouncements coupled with design efficiency.  Constance (Awkafina) always shows up just in time, and even though she is simply collecting and sorting things, you smile at her dedication.  

     In Oceans 8, Director Gary Ross demonstrates his sensitivity toward women’s important issues, his delight in mixing up craftiness and comedy, and his flair in infusing excitement into a rather predictable plot.  The journey there is the point, and it will serve as a good time to relax and simply enjoy.

     This Oceans’ cast impresses with its unwavering skill and art.  The major protagonists and supporting actors deliver what we hope for and expect in a film of this kind.  Bravo to all!

This is a great movie for kicking back, relaxing, and letting the irony and truthfulness amuse you.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Mia Wasikowska   Johnny Depp   Helena Bonham Carter   Anne Hathaway   Sacha Baron Cohen   Alan Rickman

          Constant artificiality in the emotional exchanges and CGI effects makes much of this film meaningless.  It’s like a stroll—or a run—through a garden of artificial flowers or being stuck inside a video game, as in the Russian film Hardcore; only this is for kids.  Case in point, Alice is congratulated profusely in the end, but it’s not very clear exactly what she did other than sail/burst around in a time machine that pops her out on the ground or the floor.  Traditionally, the hero(ine) is sent by fate through trials that establish her mettle, but we see none of that here.  The main point of the film—which is that you can’t change the past—is obscure, until Alice talks about learning her lesson at the end.  Otherwise, all the action of the film is trying to do just that, change the past.

         The film opens with Alice the captain of a ship in dangerous waters where she is willing to take risks (she doesn’t believe in “impossible”), even against the advice of her crew.  Of course—this being Alice—she makes it safely to her homeport, pumped about the next adventure.  To her dismay, her benefactor has died, and his son Hamish (a rejected lover) wants to reclaim her boat, has made a spurious deal with her mother regarding her home, and now wants her to work as a clerk.  What to do?

          As she is mulling this over, Alice gets a message from the Blue Caterpillar (Rickman) that she is needed back in Wonderland, so she goes through the glass portal to see what is wrong.  It’s the Mad Hatter (Depp), who has slipped into a dangerous depression following the disappearance of his family.  After discussing it with the White Queen (Hathaway), Alice pursues the possibility of going back in time to “get” his family and bring them up to the present.  The person in charge of the “Chronosphere” is Time (Cohen), and he warns against the plan.  Not to be deterred, Alice gets her hands on it anyway, and proceeds.  There follows lessons about the folly of trying to change the past, side issues of sibling rivalry, and the values of home and family.

        With CGI overwhelming the story, it’s difficult to see how children would really come away with the messages—as mundane as they are.  They are likely to enjoy the production design (Dan Hanneh) and special effects in and of themselves and the costumes (Colleen Atwood), but as far as deriving any edification about sibling rivalry, undoing the past, or the rights of females, I doubt those things come through.

A CGI bloated production with a weak storyline.

Grade:  C-                                    By Donna R. Copeland