BRIAN AND CHARLES

 David Earl     Chris Hayward

            Brian (Earl) is an inventive soul whose house in Wales looks like a laboratory made from whatever he can find and bring home.  He’s even made a cuckoo clock that can fly so the townspeople can check out the time in the sky wherever they are.  Then one day he decides to make a robot to help him around the house,

            Finding most of what he needs on hand or searching through trashes, where he has found a mannequin’s head, Brian is delighted with his newest invention.  After several tries when it fails to respond to the on-switch, Brian is about to give up.  But when he returns home from a village errand, he is surprised that Charles (Hayward) has come alive!

            The fanciful tale weaves through the two getting acquainted and struggles of wills that soon come to the fore.  Soon it becomes apparent that Charles is very much like a very young boy but with a “mind” of his own.  To Brian’s chagrin, Charles does not want to follow commands. 

            After the gist of the plot becomes apparent, the action sags a bit; however, Earl and Hayward, the two writers, introduce not only an unlikely romance, but also a development in which Brian and Charles are subjected to bullying by one of the locals and his unruly family.  

            This gives the filmmakers an opportunity to make some statements about tolerance and nonviolence, giving the story relevance in today’s world.  It will be appealing to those who appreciate wry British humor and imagination without the need for logical explanations.  Cinematography by Murren Tullett adds to the charming nature of this film, which children may especially like.

 

A fanciful tale about an obsessive inventor who has come up with an idea for a robot.  

 

Grade:  C                              By Donna R. Copeland

GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE

 Emma Thompson     Daryl McCormack

            This is a fun and surprising movie about sex work that comes across as genuine in ways one wouldn’t expect.  Yes, it has a lot of laugh-out-loud humor—which is good, since many encounters are clearly awkward.  But the underlying truths and the transformation of both characters elevate the story above the purely entertaining.  

            I’m not sure how younger people will view the story.  Maybe the older woman Nancy (artfully played by Thompson) will remind them of a parent who is in their eyes strait-laced and judgmental, and it will be rewarding to see that character change in significant ways.  Or maybe they will be instantly turned off by an older woman discovering sex for the first time, despite the fact that she has grown children.  “Boring!” as covered in the story.

            For me, the film seems much like listening to a therapy session (ignoring the actual content for the most part).  The intrigue and oddity of it lies in how much the sex worker “Leo” (McCormack) sounds like a good therapist—always empathic, understanding, insightful, and reassuring.  He effectively overrides Nancy’s frequent misgivings and self-deprecations, re-focusing her attention on herself and her desires.  Never before in her life have her wishes been considered top priority.  That’s one new revelation/experience for her, but there will be many.  Most importantly, her need for control will be addressed without her realizing it until after the fact.

            A most important aspect of personal relationships is aptly addressed when like a “patient” Nancy does some sleuthing about Leo personally.  (Neither uses his/her real identity for the “sessions.”)  Leo reacts to this boundary infraction (this time not like a therapist), with outrage.  An engaging part of the movie is still very much in seeing how the characters deal with the reality of their lives.

            Thompson (as always) and McCormack as actors pull us into this story hook, line and sinker.  Both make Nancy and Leo real in ways we can envision and care about them.  She gets on the nerves from time to time, but his responses to her help us forgive her.  And you realize that that’s how things should work between people.  It’s a model for all of us to follow. 

            Something can be said about Daryl McCormick; he reminds us of Rege-Jean Page in the first season of “Bridgerton”, who became an international heart-throb before he left the show after the first season.

            Kudos to writer Katy Brand who came up with this story and to director Sophie Hyde for making it into a movie about an older woman and a younger man that has both substance and wit—not an easy thing to do!

            The film will be released on HULU on June 17, 2022.

 

A surprising comedy/drama that endears and has substance.  

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland

            

THE DUKE

 Jim Broadbent     Dame Helen Mirren     Fionn Whitehead

Heather Craney     Matthew Goode     Aimee Kelly     Craig Conway

            This is a strangely seductive movie, showing a British family with a rather daft though good-hearted Kempton Bunton (Broadbent), his wife Dorothy Bunton (Mirren), and younger son Jackie (Whitehead) not communicating very well with one another.  Dorothy is extremely critical of Kempton (for some good reasons), which makes him more secretive at times, and Jackie torn between taking sides with one then the other.  An older son appears about midway through, but doesn’t appear to have much in common with the rest of his rather straitlaced family.  Dorothy is especially offended by his frequent swearing.

            Much about the family is a dramatization, but the story is loosely based on an actual theft of the Goya painting entitled “The Duke of Welllington” from the National Gallery of London.  Reference is made to it in a number of plays and movies ever since.

            In the movie, Kempton is currently protesting paying the government a television license (which everyone was required to pay) since he cannot get the BBC and he feels strongly that everyone should be able to watch television as a public service.  After serving some time, he thinks he has solved the problem by taking the BBC tube out of his set.  He is not only against paying the license himself but feels strongly that everyone should receive television as a public service.  

            When the theft of the  Goya painting is in all the news, it suddenly appears in the Bunton household, with Kempton and Jackie making sure it is hidden even from the ever-cleaning Dorothy.  

            Much intrigue occurs around the painting, around Kempton’s temporary jobs, and the death of Jackie’s sister.  Towards the end, after the viewer has become more and more sympathetic to and interested in the family, there is a surprising shift, which makes the Roger Michell’s direction and screenplay by Richard Bean and Oliver Coleman impressive in its subtlety and its shift from an account of a zany man to a heart-warming story of community and care for others. 

            Jim Broadbent’s acting skills have made him a famous and favorite British actor.  Here, he makes his character so convincing one surmises that he is one with the kindly Kempton Bunton.  The same for Helen Mirren who after we so often see her now so elegantly dressed and coifed nowadays in the media we can see how easily she pulls off playing a frumpy housewife with firm opinions.  Fionn Whitehead and Matthew Goode as Kempton’s solicitor contribute to the appeal and quality of The Duke.

 

This is an engaging British production that pulls you in, makes you think, and have good thoughts about humankind.

 

Grade:  A                              By Donna R. Copeland

7 DAYS

 Gita Reddy     Zenobia Shroff     Karan Soni     Geraldine Viswanathan

            This production executive produced by the Duplass brothers and Roshan Sethi (the latter also the director) and written by Sethi and the star Karan Soni seemed to have promise but turns out to be less interesting than expected.  I realize that I was anticipating something like The Big Sick (starring Kumal Nanjani and Zoe Kazan), a rom-com written by the two stars that speaks across cultures.  

            The idea of making a movie about matchmaking that is prodded by Indian born parents in today’s age would be a challenge for sure.  Setting the film during the recent and ongoing pandemic is likewise intriguing.  But whereas the acting in 7 Days by Karan Soni (as Ravi)  and Geraldine Viswanathan (as Rita) is really fine, the script is not so much.  Pitching a naïve, compulsive, over-achieving mama’s boy against an impulsive out-of-work, impish woman could be funny, I suppose, but their situation becomes so unlikely it strains credulity.

            I admit I did laugh out loud a few times (guess-who jokes through a locked door), but most of the time this couple spends together is not entertaining or even interesting.  I ended up having no sympathy at all for the Rita character and only a little for Karan who is such a neurotic wimp I lost respect for him, although at least his heart was in the right place.  That these two people who are so different from one another could end up together in a marriage is completely incomprehensible to me.

            I presume that 7 Days will be of interest to people whose values are still with the “old country”, but it’s doubtful many young people of today will find it something they want to watch.

 

Matchmaking by parents in a time of covid should be comedic, but in this case, it is not.

 

Grade:  D                              By Donna R. Copeland

THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT

 Nicholas Cage     Pedro Pascal     Tiffany Haddish     Sharon Horgan

Neil Patrick Harris     Demi Moore     David Gordon Green

            This is a curious mixing up of reality and fantasy, though mostly fantasy.  It seems that writer (with Kevin Etten) and director Tom Gormican intended to make a spoof of Nicholas Cage and his movies by weaving in and out of both in a multi-layered piece that oftentimes uncannily mirrors Cage’s own life and career.  To enmesh the plot further, Cage’s double named Nicholas Kim Coppola (the actor’s given name before he changed it) appears periodically urging him to be true to himself as an actor.  Confusing?  It’s meant to be.

            When the movie opens (after a quick scene of a kidnapping unexplained), Nicholas Cage the character is in a career slump, which he does not want to acknowledge.  Neil Patrick Harris playing his agent Richard Fink tries to get him any job he can, even those beneath him.  But the offer that most intrigues him is the one in which he will go to a super fan’s birthday party for which he’ll earn $1 million.  This makes Cage vulnerable to a major scam and provide a perfect opportunity for an action film, which the character Cage is eager/desperate for.  

            In the beginning, the film portrays Cage the actor as someone so self-involved, he cannot celebrate his teenage daughter on her birthday without directing the guests’  attention to himself.  This part of the movie is hard to watch because he is so obnoxious.  But it transitions to Javi Gutierez’s (Pascal) villa in Mallorca where Cage will be caught up in his host’s luxurious living and an intrigue that involves the CIA (Haddish).

            Bright and knowledgeable people are likely to enjoy thoroughly the references to movies (highlighted are Cage’s Guarding Tess, Moonstruck, and others) and filmmaking (Cage and Gutierez wanting to make “a character-driven adult drama”, stealing lines, going in and out of character).  The audience I was with seemed to enjoy most the usual kinds of goofiness that many people seem to love, like pratfalls, a car backed up so fast it crashes into another car, and hair-raising car chases.  So, in these senses, the film will appeal to a broad span of viewers.

            I admire the actor Nicholas Cage for agreeing to support a movie that portrays him with many of his flaws…and he acts in it, no less.  His genuineness and willingness to allow himself to be seen in such a light is unusual and reflective of his decision to change his name from Coppola to Cage early on in his career and fund numerous charitable projects through the years.

            I also admire the skill, cleverness, and humor that Tm Gormican and Kevin Etten brought to bear on such a complex, multi-layered work that is meant essentially as entertainment.  But it might be more than that in both the filmmaking world and in psychoanalytic efforts to understand the individual in the contexts of origin, development, and achievements.

            Nicholas Cage as himself is of course the penultimate of any acting career, and he does it so easily.  Pedro Pascal is a talented actor in many different kinds of roles, and he pulls off the transitions required here.  Tiffany Haddish as a CIA agent is not so convincing, but her role is meant to be comical more than real, and for that she does a good job.  

 

Nicolas Cage?  See him here in all his facets, both real and imagined.

 

Grade:  B+                            By Donna R. Copeland

TOPSIDE

Zhaila Farmer     Celine Held     Jared Abrahamson     Fatlip 

            Topside is what a five year-old girl named Little (Farmer) living in the tunnels beneath New York City is told is above her.  Her mother Nicki (Held) mysteriously disappears during the day and is with her at night and in the morning when she wakes up.  But Little is quite alone during the day except for a friendly man “next door.”  He doesn’t approve of her mother’s arrangements, but can’t seem to talk her out of it.  He chats with the girl from time to time and finds that she has a great imagination but is clearly missing out on normal school learning.

            When it becomes known that the city is clearing out the underground residents, Nicki attempts to solve her problems, but is clearly a child herself, without many resources.  She doesn’t even seem to know about (or perhaps trust) city services, and when she is separated from Little during a harrowing trip “topside”, she has no idea what to do, and becomes hysterical.

            This is a sad story where the viewer may be constantly, although silently, calling out with advice, as there are any number of avenues Nicki could pursue to get help.  Which makes me wonder about the filmmakers’ (writer/directors Logan George and Celine Held) intent in making the film.  Perhaps it’s to show the increasing importance of homeliness in cities and the limited resources available to those in such straits, sometimes because of mistrust of city services.  The filmmakers do a good job in showing part of why the mother is in the straits she’s in (even though still holding on to basic values) and the adaptability of children to adjust to all kinds of circumstances.  

            But it’s hard to watch, especially during the long separation of two human beings so close to one another, and the power of addiction on a user.

            Little (pun intended), played by Zhala Farmer, is precious and ever so appealing in the role of the child who has clearly benefitted from the love and playful attention bestowed upon her by her mother—who actually seems more like an older sister.  The child actor has already learned the power of an expressive face.  Held as the mother also plays her character as someone appealing who has lost her way and has no idea what to do to find a way out.  I especially enjoyed the performance of Fatlip, whose incredulity of the mother’s decisions was heartwarming.  Likewise—in a different way--Abrahamson’s performance of someone who only knows exploitation in relationships is right on target.

            This movie is likely to appeal only to those who are interested in and have an investment in social issues within our society.

 

Take a subway ride—one different from any you have ever imagined.

 

Grade:  C+                            By Donna R. Copeland

DOG

 Channing Tatum.    Kevin Nash.    Jane Adams

Army Ranger Briggs (Tatum) is messed up with head trauma and PTSD after his service in Afghanistan.  He’s begging to re-up, but can’t get permission from his supervisor.  He makes such a pest of himself, the captain sends him on a mission, and if he completes it successfully, Briggs will get what he wants.  How much the officer has insight into the value of his charge is unclear.  At any rate, Briggs is supposed to take the Army Ranger dog named Lulu that belonged to his fallen brother Riley to the man’s funeral down in Arizona, where the dog is to be honored for his exemplary service.

Before Briggs leaves for Arizona with dog in tow and during the trip, we get a picture of the man, as well as the dog.  He knows nothing about dogs or the power of persuasion, so he is in for a sometimes brutal trip, trying to use his bluster and macho personality to get the dog to behave and obey him.  Lulu can attack at any time with her sharp teeth and boxer-like paws.  She protests mightily to being left in the car and will run away the first chance she gets.

On  the road, Briggs decides he needs breaks and tries to use his usual means of entertainment—going to bars, carousing, and hitting up women with little more success than he has with Lulu.  He runs into a heap of trouble, but somehow along the way, he meets people who want to help him. 

And along the way, he begins to realize that he should listen to them, even if some are suspicious of him, practice Kundalini yoga, are psychic and downright kooky.  To his credit he can be personable and make friends easily.  Perhaps the most helpful is when he and Lulu are beginning to develop some rapport, and Briggs rewards her by driving by the house where Lulu’s brother lives.  The dogs recognize one another right away, and the caretaker of Lulu’s brother has many tips for Briggs.

Briggs encounters other obstacles—some really scary, some really comical—on his way and one wonders whether he will ever make it to Arizona and the funeral.  

The beauty of Dog is in witnessing Briggs’ gradual transformation of character and to see some of how Lulu and the helpful people they meet play a part.

Channing Tatum’s gifted acting draws the viewer into the drama, making it a real experience that is instructive as well as touching.  He knows exactly how to make the character he is playing charming, annoying, playful, contemplative, disgusting, and bright enough to get himself out of any scrape.  Strong support is provided by his fellow actors, Kevin Nash who plays a brute, his psychic wife played by Jane Adams, and others.

This is both Reid Carolin’s and Channing Tatum’s directing debuts, but it comes across as being directed by someone more experienced.  The soundtrack by Thomas Newman heightens this film’s value.

 And you thought a car trip with kids was trying!  Get a look at Lulu!  It’s amazing how she and the main character are able to make her therapeutic.

Grade:  B By Donna R. Copeland 

MARRY ME

 Jennifer Lopez     Owen Wilson     John Bradley     Sarah Silverman     Maluma

            Marry Me is the sweet kind of comedy many are drawn to.  Unlikely events transpire with a few worrisome moments, the main characters are likeable, and the plot gradually thickens to bring the show to an end.  Jennifer Lopez as Kat Valdez, a wildly popular singer plays the role beautifully and convincingly throughout.  It’s fun for the average viewer to get to go behind the scenes and get a peek at the life of a celebrity—the perks, as well as the insufferable publicity.  I imagine that the character Kat may be based on the actress herself, at least as she is currently regarded.  Earlier, she had a reputation for being a diva, but she may have been forced in that direction in order to achieve what she has as a Latina woman.

            The same might be said for Lopez’ costar, Owen Wilson, who is usually seen to be a laid-back guy with a somewhat wry bent to his personality and the characters he plays.  They’ve both acted in a number of rom-coms, so are experienced in the genre’s comic timing, mixture of sadness and goofiness, and pulling of the heartstrings.  I wouldn’t have expected there to be much “chemistry” in their attachment, but that does begin to surface as the characters get better acquainted.

            John Bradley does a great job in being Kat’s manager, showing expertise in negotiations, going with the flow, and riding out the abrupt changes in plans.  This character is always Johnny-on-the-spot, providing instant cash, reservations, or whatever practical items are needed.  Bradley is skillful in having his facial expression show exactly what he is feeling inside.

            Marry Me is successful in achieving what I presume was intended, an entertaining show with dashes of insight and soulfulness.  Directed by Kat Coiro, it holds the viewer’s interest and amusement.

 

When a celebrated pop singer is found to be betrayed right before her planned on-air wedding, she comes up with a spur-of-the moment solution to her problem.

 

Grade:  C                              By Donna R. Copeland

I WANT YOU BACK

 Charlie Day     Jenny Slate     Scott Eastwood     Gina Rodriguez     

Manny Jacinto     Clark Backo     Luke David Blumm

            This is a smart comedy—laugh-out-loud funny in places—well written (Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger) and suspenseful because it’s unclear just how everything will be worked out.  In some ways, it’s a series of funny disasters, but it’s more than that in its touching on the difficulties in long-term relationships and the hazards of scheming to achieve an aim.

            Much of the credit for its spontaneity and set-ups goes to an excellent cast of actors experienced in the art of comedy.  Peter (Day) has a serious relationship with Anne (Rodriguez), and Noah (Eastwood) and Emma (Slate) have been together (happily from her point of view) long enough to consider taking the next step.  The two couples’ break-ups take Peter and Emma totally by surprise, and they feel the stings of being dumped.

            It turns out, they work in the same multi-story building, and when they meet unexpectedly in a stairway after individual meltdowns in meetings, they commiserate with one another, and decide to get together after work.  While trying to work through their grief by drinking and singing about their troubles at a karaoke bar, they come up with an ill-conceived plan to break up their former mates’ new relationships.

            This leads to sometimes hilarious situations in all kinds of settings with additional characters thrown in, the most touching of which is Emma coming across 12 year-old Trevor in her work as a “volunteer” for a middle-school drama, directed by Logan (Jacinto), Anne’s new love.  Trevor is filled with rage about his home situation, and Emma is able to do some amateur (but helpful) counseling to steer him onto a better track.

            Other funny scenes come up with paunchy Peter attempting to befriend Noah, a physical trainer.  Noah trains Peter in physical activities he never dreamed of doing, much less mastering.  In the process—exhausting as it is—Peter discovers a new side of himself.  

            Jason Orly directs I Want You Back admirably.  The timing of the scenes in telling a story and balancing out the comedic and “truthy” elements skillfully sustain interest and engagement of the viewer.

 

A comedy that will make you laugh out loud while making some insightful statements about people and relationships.

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland

THE ICE AGE ADVENTURES OF BUCK WILD

Voices of:  Vincent Tong     Aaron Harris     Utkarsh Ambudkar

Simon Pegg     Natalia Martinez     Ray Romano     Queen Latifah

This is an Ice Age adventure in the usual Disney vein.  Typically, in the franchise’s tradition, some current universal issue is addressed (e.g., climate change, its threats and others’ to animals and to earth), along with changes in relationships within small groups, like a family or a herd, facing a major threat.  This one focuses on children ready to leave home, pitting their urges against the common parental holding on, and changes that take place in relationships across time.

            In a previous version of Ice Age (e.g., Continental Drift) it is Manny (Romano) who has trouble letting his daughter Shira leave home; in Adventures of Buck Wild, it is Ellie who wants to keep their adoptee possums, Crash (Tong) and Eddie (Harris), from striking out on their own.  Various points are made about their not being ready to be on their own range from “You’re not ready” (Ellie) to “it’s about time” (Manny)—perspectives that will be familiar to all.

            As we follow the possums sneaking out to forge their own futures, we are taken with them on numerous adventures that make them question their decision to leave home, some of which are treacherous.  Notably, although they do reconnect with their old savior Buck Wild (Pegg) after entering the “Lost World”, earth’s most dangerous place where ancient dinosaurs rule, they will still go through numerous trials, concluding with the usual Disney ending when points are made about sticking together as a family/herd and care and concern about others.

            The biggest threat in this story is evidenced by Orson (Ambudkar), the animal with the big brain who wants to rule the world.  The familiar narcissistic traits of such a personality are apparent, which make it easy to dislike him.  But although autocratic regimes (accurately portrayed in this rendition) wanting power are familiar to all of us, there is little insight in this film about how to counteract such entities.  Simply resorting to old—previously relevant—strategies about sticking together or wreaking vengeance is not going to do it.  There have to be reasons for sticking together—not just something like “we’re a family.”

            This production is an example of a franchise that has outlasted its relevancy, despite its efforts to relate to the modern world.  Yes, we know about climate change and the difficulty personal relationships undergo across time, but what to do, really?  

            This is a cartoon not expected to give us profound insights, but it would have been nice to see some clever insight—even comedic—that would give us a clue.  There are encouraging statements made about change across time—its benefits as well as the anxiety it produces, and about how despite change, some elements such as a person’s basic identity remain the same.  It is a bit amusing to see how personal responsibility is modelled in the echoing arguments about “it was my fault”, “no, it was my fault.”  

However, I can’t imagine anyone maintaining interest in this franchise across all its repetitious 20-year iterations.  It’s likely that only newcomers will engage with this one, the latest.

 

Oh, to be transported to a universe—even a fanciful one—where today’s problems would be addressed intelligently.

 

Grade:  C                              By Donna R. Copeland

 

THE KING'S MAN

 Ralph Fiennes     Gemma Arterton     Rhys Ifans     Djimon Hounsou     Tom Hollander

Matthew Goode     Harris Dickinson     Charles Dance     Daniel Bruhl

This third Kingsman movie in the series is to serve as a prequel to the first two:  Kingsman:  The Secret Service (2014) and Kingsman:  The Golden Circle (2017).  It’s all about how a private secret service got formed in Great Britain and who was behind it.  The Kingsman films are based on a comic book series by Mark Millar and David Gibbons.  The first film, was more positively received than the second. 

In this current version, the title The King’s Man implies something different from the previous two films.  The King’s Man (presumably referring to the duke of Oxford (Fiennes), is someone with meritorious service having a change of heart after a number of successful battles, and now wanting to work toward peace as opposed to proving his manhood (over and over) by military feats.  It was his wife’s dying wish that he would not lead their son Conrad into battle.  After meritorious military service, he quite readily accedes to her and promises that Conrad will never go to war.

This promise is the crux of the film in that as the years go by and Conrad (Dickinson) grows up admiring his father’s service, he wants to follow in his footsteps.  What ensues is an account of times when the father stands in his way and other times when Conrad insists on making his own choices.  

The film is good (and humorous) in showing political intrigue (The Kaiser of Germany, Nicholas, Tsar of Russia, and King George—all descendants of Queen Victoria—comprising a triple competition) and the uncertainty of outcomes in both dramatic and personal costs.  Ralph Fiennes’ performance is the best part of the film.

The many sword plays and cliff-side terrors can be exciting, but because of their length, tend to make the viewer lose focus.  Some are remarkably choreographed—particularly the ones showing sword fights between whirling dervishes on tabletops—which provide entertainment in themselves.

King’s Man has its appeal in the quality of the production and the actors, but the film sags from the writers’ not apparently having a clear vision of what they wanted to express.  When the fights seem to go on interminably, it seems like the director Matthew Vaughn has gotten distracted by the action and doesn’t realize he needs to move on. 

 

Swashbuckling during the outbreak of WWI in a mix of tongue-in-cheek humor, serious aggression, and emotional upset .

 

Grade:  C                              By Donna R. Copeland

LICORICE PIZZA

 Bradley Cooper     Alana Haim     Maya Rudolph     Skyler Gisondo     Sean Penn

John C. Reilly     Tom Waits     Bennie Safdie     Cooper Hossman

 

          This is a really fine production from script to actors, music, cinematography, and production design.  The dialog is entertaining and smartly—but not too smartly—crafted.  Everyone converses in ways people normally talk to one another without artifice, which sometimes happens with clever scriptwriters.  This was penned by its director Paul Thomas Anderson and reflects his usual number of characters’ insights while still being entertaining and funny.  

            Two quirky characters meet when Gary (Hoffman) is still in high school.  She is 25 year-old Alana (Haim), who deflects his flirtatious advances in no uncertain terms.  She points out that it would be illegal for her to accept them.  But finally being convinced that Gary has already made his mark as a known actor and businessman she finally gives in to his persistence and agrees to be friends.  Gary’s ace in the hole—a sense for and success in finding business opportunities—is not usually a come-on for young women, but Alana has enough untapped talent in the art it is attractive to her.  She can’t resist joining in on his impromptu endeavors, making a contribution that shows, to everyone’s surprise, acumen.  She is the youngest of three sisters in a Jewish family that also looks upon her with bemusement.

            So the film does the wacky back-and-forth switches common in first love, the back-and-forth usually being stimulated by sparks of jealousy on one side or the other.  Entertaining bits that get into numerous sub-plots are their business ventures: “Soggy Bottom Waterbeds” morphing into “Bernie’s Waterbeds”, “Pacific Waterbeds”, “Fat Bernie’s Pinball Palace”, and even “Fat Bernie’s Environmental Living.”  Throughout, Alana frequently calls Gary a dumb d…….it, thinking he will go away…but not with somebody else, of course, we realize, before she does.

          Other enjoyable/fun moments in Licorice Pizza are the name-dropping (Barbra Streisand), the cameos (Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Maya Rudolph, Skyler Gisondo), the playful camera action through windows and super-imposed reflections, and musical accompaniments to particular scenes.  Bradley Cooper’s Jon Peters as an over-the-top self-entitled film star competes with Jared Leto’s Paolo Gucci in House of Gucciin conveying a completely different persona then those we’ve come to associate with them.  

        Cooper Hoffman brings the star quality of his father, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, into his character as a charismatic figure able to charm and convince others of his abilities.  Alana Haim winningly demonstrates her talent in inhabiting a character and bringing it to life.  I especially like the way Alana is portrayed; her attraction to men is primarily about her maturity and business sense, rather than her physical attractiveness. In fact, she has few of the qualities usually given to “beautiful”, but more than one man is grateful to her for her good sense.  (How long will it be before filmmakers highlight that aspect of women over their physical appearance?)

            Much could/will be made of Gary’s age (15 going on 16) in this film, but because of the way the characters are presented (he much more “worldly” than she, and his pursuing her rather than the other way around) justifies it from my point of view.  So many relationships with the male much older than the female don’t seem to give people much pause. 

A new kind of “first love”, where the characters are quirky and don’t fit the usual mold.  A superb production.

Grade:  A                              By Donna R. Copeland

DON'T LOOK UP

 Leonardo DiCaprio     Jennifer Lawrence     Rob Morgan     Jonah Hill     Mark Rylance

Tyler Perry     Timothee Chalamet     Cate Blanchett     Meryl Streep     Ron Perlman

            In the beginning when astronomer Dr. Randall Mindy (DiCaprio) and his graduate student Kate (Lawrence) first discover a “planet destroying comet” headed for Earth they attempt to inform the proper authorities and American people that the country has only six months to get ready for it.  They’re wanting everyone to look up and see the moving light with a tail and understand it is coming our way.  The movie gets its title from those not wanting to accept that a comet is on its way and very dangerous; when it appears to the naked eye in the sky some advise others, “Don’t look up.”

         Well, the movie is a very funny parody about our political times, shining its light on climate change deniers, right-wingers, Fox News, the media’s exploitation of trivialities and current pop interests over serious news, and prominent Republicans who have their own ethics and their own interests at heart.  Topping the list is the President (Streep) with long blonde hair and a primary interest in getting re-elected [her empty-headed son Jason (Hill) serves as her Chief of Staff].  As expected, the President and her “scientific” appointees want to keep the news quiet and just “sit on it” for a while (i.e., until after the mid-terms).  DiCaprio has observed that “Adam [McKay] has woven an incredibly timely message about society, how we communicate, our current priorities, and the climate crisis into an absurdly funny yet important movie."  https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a37512771/dont-look-up-news-cast-spoilers-date/

       Upon hearing the news, the administration’s reaction and its influence spreads and influences those who similarly want to ignore science and scientists, ridicule them, and even become very nasty toward them on social media. The two scientists’ media advisors tell them to “keep it simple—no math”, to which Dr. Mindy replies, “But it is math!” Clearly, because he is a male and speaks a language many can’t/won’t understand, Dr. Mindy is made a darling; whereas Kate—younger, more articulate in plain language and more in touch with her emotions—becomes a pariah.  And gets arrested by the FBI more than once.

            Even the sexual boundary issues are brought into play, with a sensuous “Daily Rip” TV show host, Brie (Blanchett) seducing Randall and promoting him so long as he does her bidding.  (Her show with co-host, Jack Bremmer (Perry) is clearly a reference to “Fox and Friends” on Fox News.)   In Kate’s circle, the men are aware of the Me Too movement, such as one asking politely if he may touch Kate’s hair in a “nonsexual manner.”  These are anti-war anti-violence protesters who are gentle and respectful of women.  (The currently adored Chalamet plays one of them.)  

            The cast is huge and full of some of our best actors who are at the top of their game.  DiCaprio is almost unrecognizable in his slightly befuddled scientist mode.  It’s good to see Jennifer Lawrence back in action after a brief hiatus, and she plays the fiery young scientist most convincingly.  It’s too bad the writers had both scientists becoming uncharacteristically (for scientists) hysterical and verbally combative at times.  It undermined their believability in a significant way.

            A scene-stealer is Mark Rylance in his most surprising role:  that of an owner of a tech (phone) company who sees himself as a scientist because his company uses algorithms.  He comes across as an odd kind of person, but is a large donor to President Orlean’s campaign, so has her ear.  He convinces her of his alternative plan to deal with the comet, and we see how that works out.

            Entertaining is Ariana Grande’s performance as a pop star whose love life steals away the public’s attention from the impending danger to the outcome of her current romance.  It’s still another comment about the current attention span and the public’s and media’s focus on their idols.  Other actors who should be acknowledged are Rob Morgan as a Black scientist and Ron Perlman as the Administration’s willing sacrificial lamb (who didn’t have to serve when the mission he was on was aborted) but who nevertheless saw himself as a fighter and a hero.

            Adam McKay has had a significant role in movie productions including The Big Short and Vice, and the current TV series “Succession”, but Don’t Look Up seems to be a major shift into satirical parody.  He clearly has his finger on the times, and doesn’t mind at all skewering others when apt.  This is a “feel good” movie for those of us more politically liberal and concerned about the future of our democracy.  It describes so well the world we live in with all its puzzlements and outrageous people and behaviors.

            Don’t Look Up refers to the time when the deniers are the most desperate in wanting people to deny reality.

 

Don’t Look Up:  A must-see for everyone now living in a most perplexing age as far as people are concerned, but where science is concerned everything is quite clear.

 

Grade:  A-                             By Donna R. Copeland

ENCANTO

Voices of:  Stephanie Beatriz     John Leguizamo     Maria Cecilia Botero

Diane Guerrero     Jessica Darrow     Ravi Cabot-Conyers

             Encanto starts out being charming and a bit too much like a typical Disney movie.  It’s rather sugary and hypomanic.  Many of the words in the rap singing will go over many people’s heads, but the viewer easily gets the impression that the household is a most happy place, and that the Madrigal family’s powers to do good for the community make them beloved.  Abuela (Botero) is especially proud of what she established after she lost her husband.

            But there are some sad notes—young Mirabel (Beatriz) is the only one who has never received her “door” unlocking a special power as everyone else has.  One of them can lift remarkable loads, one can make flowers grow, one has healing powers, for instance, but Mirabel is not known for any special gift, even though she is told over and over that she herself is special.  She is sharp enough to sense that people are covering up something.

            Blessed with a big heart and always wanting to help, Mirabel is also rambunctious in her efforts, and may leave destruction in her wake, which is sad because her aim is always to help and make her family proud of her.  Family members identify her with an uncle named Bruno (Leguizamo)—whose name is not to be mentioned.  As one song says, “We don’t talk about Bruno, no no no!”  

            And this is key to one of the messages of the movie—not talking about things is often an indication of their importance.  When Mirabel chases after Bruno—who is said to have moved away from town—she is told not to look for him.  But cousin Luisa (Darrow) has let it slip that Mirabel should go to Bruno’s Tower to find answers to her questions after certain powers seem to be slipping away from some family members and Mirabel has received warnings about the magic of the house disappearing.

            It did this psychologist’s heart good when Encanto begins to reveal that family secrets often hold the key to whatever might be ailing it.  It’s at this juncture that Encanto becomes so much more engaging and more than simply an entertaining animation.  Because despite family remonstrances, Milabel forges ahead and learns valuable information that—although painful and disruptive—heals wounds that no one in the family wants to acknowledge.

            So, what for me started out as mere fluff and almost boring turned into something that caught my attention and made me smile and respect the film so much more.  Many psychological insights and moral principles tumble out in the last half of the story, which then illuminate the first half.

            Production design (Ian Gooding and Lorelay Bove) and the other crafts of animation and effects make Encanto a first-rate story of magical realism, and Lin Manuel Miranda’s stamp on production and music is apparent.  It puzzles me that the filmmakers elected not to put in subtitles for the Spanish-speaking/singing parts, unless perhaps to make the point that Americans need to learn the language, considering that Latinos will be the dominant ethnic group in the USA sometime soon.  It would actually be helpful for some of us to see subtitles for the rap portions as well, which go by so rapidly they’re not understood by many.

            Encanto is likely to appeal to general audiences who will be fascinated by the crafts, appreciate the emphasis on the value of family, and recognize some of the traits of families that cause problems or make them successful.  This movie is more than fluff.

 

Family secrets once aired can be healing and even be a salvation.

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland