THE HUNT

Hilary Swank     Betty Gilpin     Ike Barinholtz     Wayne Duvall     Amy Madigan     Reed Birney     Emma Roberts

     A perfect allegory for the times.  The Hunt is a 20^thcentury take on George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, in which the animals rebel against their masters.  Only in this rendition, it’s the “Elite Liberals” against “The Deplorables.”  Its plot is not a straightforward telling of a story.  It starts out with a group chat on the telephone, then goes backward and forward in time.  (So keep track of the names, even though it will still be confusing because identities are frequently shifting.)

     Before (almost) everything becomes clear, we witness characters being restrained on a plane and later hunted with guns, arrows, and hand grenades in an open field or roadside station.  These are people from different parts of the country who have been kidnapped, anesthetized, and brought to…they don’t know what state they’re in.  They only hear references to “Manorgate” (parallel to Orwell’s “Manor Farm”), and two pigs wearing human clothes appear from time to time—clues for those familiar with Orwell’s work.)

     That’s enough of the plot; it will be more entertaining and engrossing the less you know about it.  

     Writers Nick Cuse and Damon Lindelof are to be congratulated for their creativity in adapting a novel published in 1945 about Russia and the Soviet Union and cleverly making it relevant to our country today.  Director Craig Zobel expertly films their script, making it come alive in ways that are simultaneously entertaining and appalling.  I always have a problem with movies shifting back and forth in time, and in this film, it’s especially challenging when characters disappear and reappear, and identities often shift (e.g., it is not always clear whether a character is one of the good guys or the bad guys)—all of which contributes to its formulation as an intriguing intellectual puzzle.  

     Betty Gilpin exquisitely plays a somewhat mysterious figure who seems at first to be a deadpan young woman from Mississippi.  But she is a formidable fighter and always seems two steps ahead of whomever she meets.  Gilpin deserves a nomination for this role.  She easily carries the story as a lead figure.  Hilary Swank is perfectly cast in her role, although she is not present in most scenes.  Supporting cast is likewise a talented group of actors who move the story forward with ease.

     My only criticisms are in too much shifting back and forth in time (a current fad in filmmakers’ trying to make their movie more exciting) and in the length of the final battle (as unbelievable as it is humorous).

     This is one of those films that come along every so often to remind us of the artistic, intellectual talent at filmmakers’ disposal.  When you see a work like this, you wonder again why this talent is not tapped more often, and we are offered remakes and sequels ad nauseam.  Oh, yeah…once again, it’s all about the money.

Prepare to be entertained (likely) while being appalled (almost certainly) in this well-informed allegory reckoning back to George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

UGLY DOLLS

Voices of:  Kelly Clarkson     Nick Jonas     Janelle Monae     Emma Roberts

Wanda Sykes     Gabriel Iglesias     Blake Shelton     Leehon Wang

     UglyDolls is not really about being ugly; it’s about being different or outside the mold.  The message is worthwhile, but it takes a long time to get there, and the means of delivering it simply doesn’t measure up in terms of being interesting, entertaining, or inspiring.  On the contrary, it seemed to me that I was enduring an extended commercial made by advertising executives trying to sell the concept of inclusiveness (including messages like “Satisfaction guaranteed” along the way). The film has catchy tunes, but the story itself is without much creativity.  

     The “ugly” dolls are actually appealing, and Moxy (Clarkson) stands out for her perseverance and “we can do it” attitude.  It is rewarding to see her actively ignore naysayers—even among her friends and mentor, Ox (Shelton)—and press on towards her dream of going to the “big world” (being chosen to be a real child’s doll).  Her ever-loyal friends—Babo (Iglesia), Mandy (Monae), Wage (Sykes), and Lucky Bat (Wang)—stay with her all the way, even when they’re puzzled and questioning of her.

     Moxy’s main adversary in her endeavor—when she and her pals finally make it to the “Institute of Perfection”—is Lou (Jonas), the trainer of dolls, who claims they have to be perfect so they will be chosen and loved by a child in the “big world” and never be discarded—or in Lou’s terms, “recycled.”  Lou is the narcissistic idol of the dolls in perfection land who is impeccably coifed and dressed and always ready with a cutting remark about how others could improve their appearance.  (The focus is, of course, on physical appearance.) He refers to Moxy and her friends as “a little band of sock puppets” who could never “pass through the gauntlet;” that is, be accepted as a lovable doll.  He fits the idol mold in that all the dolls in his realm constantly look for his approval and attention.  Everyone wants to be special, of course.  And he can make that happen—unless, of course, the doll is hopeless.  Then it should be sent to recycling.  

     Director Kelly Asbury and her creative team perhaps aspired to the likes of Pinocchio,  Ratatouille, or Ponyo, but this production doesn’t measure up to the creative genius in those earlier works, primarily because the principles of inclusion are presented in such simplistic terms (i.e., focusing primarily on physical appearance).  Not as much was highlighted about how much quality of life was so much better in Uglytown before they lost confidence in themselves, than it was in the Perfection Institute.    

     The actors, Clarkson, Jonas, Monae, Sykes, Iglesias, Wang, Shelton, and Roberts are delightful in their renditions of the characters, and that is truly enjoyable, along with the artistic animations and sets.

There are much better movies for children than UglyDolls.

Grade:  D                                    By Donna R. Copeland

NERVE

Emma Roberts     Dave Franco     Miles Heizer     Juliette Lewis

          Reality games on television have spawned online gaming in the real world, where, as predictable, things can get out of control.  Vee’s (Roberts) best friend Sydney (Meade) nags and shames her into participating in the current craze, Nerve, a game in which “watchers” (i.e., voyeurs) devise dares for specific people.  Exasperated, Vee decides to give it a try, and it starts out mildly, where she is to kiss a stranger for five seconds.  With the support of her friend and fellow photographer Tommy (Heizer), she timidly approaches someone reading a book in a diner.  It’s Ian (Franco), who is so thrilled, he does a music-dance routine right in the diner, to warm applause. 

      But the way the game works, one “completion” brings on another dare—which the person can refuse, but when the chance to win big bucks is at stake, most gamers are sorely tempted, as is Vee, especially when Ian pleads with her.  The watchers have paired them up, so now all the dares are theirs to do together.  This leads on and on with higher and higher stakes and more and more dangerous dares. 

        To increase the complexity and heighten our interest (and nail biting), there are several behind-the-scenes intrigues involving Ian, a threatening figure named Ty (Machine Gun Kelly), and computer guru Tommy who is familiar with Darknet, so it becomes hard to know whom to trust.  It turns out that unseen forces are pulling the strings, making the marionettes dance to their tune.  This ends up in an ugly scene toward the end, with mob rule voting for the kill. 

        In the meantime, it seems a catfight is called for after Vee’s phone conversation with Ian about Sydney is overheard not only by Sydney, but also by everyone playing the game.  They have it out, and everyone wonders if their friendship will survive.  I could have done without this theme; it’s an unnecessary stereotype.

         Emma Roberts is developing into a fine actress, but still lacks the charisma she needs to be a major star.  Her performance just needs a little more spark to show more depth.  The same could be said about Dave Franco—although his song and dance routine was most impressive.  Again, he needs to have more roles that plumb his depth to make him a leading figure.  Supporting actors Miles Heizer and Emily Meade show talent that will serve them well.  Juliette Lewis’ cameo role as Vee’s mother is very well done.

        The book (Nerve by Jeanne Ryan) on which the movie is based makes a point about how online communication, being anonymous to some extent, is changing us.  Screenwriter Jessica Sharzer and directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman have taken the book and adapted it to make a suspenseful thriller that is likely to appeal to young people.  And for older people, it can be interesting and thought provoking in that it plays into current fears about the internet and how much data is collected about us.  It’s chilling to learn that whoever is behind the game of Nerve has access to all internet records about the players—their Facebook, their medical records legal records, everything.  In short, this film is scarier because it’s plausible.

A film illustrating some of the realities of reality games.

Grade:  C+                        By Donna R. Copeland