Entertainment

9 Angela Lansbury favorites to watch and where to find them

Published

2 years ago

October 12, 2022

9 Angela Lansbury favorites to watch and where to find them

You’re not alone if you happen to noticed the information of Angela Lansbury’s loss of life Tuesday, at 96, and considered turning on an episode of “Homicide, She Wrote,” the beloved thriller sequence she starred in from 1984 to 1996 as a author and newbie detective on the coast of Maine. Or, for that matter, the movies “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) and “Magnificence and the Beast” (1991), through which she gave two of her most indelible display screen performances — as, respectively, a conflict hero’s conniving mom and a teapot.

It’s inconceivable even to scratch the floor of Lansbury’s outstanding movie and TV profession, to say nothing of her work within the theater, however these and the opposite six titles collected listed below are a minimum of a begin. We take no duty if you happen to get up singing “Be Our Visitor” within the morning, although.

‘Gaslight’

Ingrid Bergman, left, Angela Lansbury and Charles Boyer within the 1944 drama ”Gaslight.”

(Sundown Boulevard)

1944 | 1 hour 53 minutes
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From The Occasions’ 1944 protection: 4 years in the past this month a wide-eyed, blond little English lady of 14 sailed up New York Harbor looking for refuge from the London blitz. Now, in August 1944, taller, poised and gifted, the identical lady is thought to be one of many foremost younger candidates for dramatic stardom on the display screen.

She is Angela Lansbury, who received unprecedented reward for an preliminary efficiency because the cockney maid in MGM’s “Gaslight,” starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer.

On the premise of her efficiency because the saucy, scheming servant in “Gaslight,” Angela was given a long-term contract. In “Nationwide Velvet” she has the sympathetic a part of an English nation lady experiencing her first puppy-love affair, in “The Image of Dorian Grey” she is featured within the tragic function of Sybil Vane, the younger actress betrayed by Dorian.

‘Nationwide Velvet’

Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney look at a horse in a barn in “National Velvet" (1944)

1944 | 2 hours 3 minutes | G

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From Norbert Lusk’s 1944 protection: Every thing that was whispered about “Nationwide Velvet” upfront of its opening on the Music Corridor is true, greater than true, and evaluations pretty trumpet the virtues of the movie. It’s a good, a wonderful vacation attraction, the primary image keyed to the season to achieve Broadway, the place it’s going to stay lengthy after the holly and mistletoe are taken down.

A brand new star would appear to have emerged from the brand new success within the individual of Elizabeth Taylor. “Her face is alive with youthful spirit, her voice has the softness of candy tune and her complete method on this image is certainly one of refreshing grace,” proclaims a critic. And one other reviewer discovers that Miss Taylor is “not solely a dreamy child however a baby who ‘lights up’ and has all of the integrity of an incredible ardour.”

‘The Image of Dorian Grey’

Angela Lansbury wearing a hat decorated with a dead bird in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945)

1945 | 1 hour 49 minutes

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From Edwin Schallert’s 1945 evaluation: The “flowers of evil” bloom within the display screen transcript of “The Image of Dorian Grey.” They flourish ebulliently within the conversations of Lord Henry (George Sanders), whose decadent bon mots seem to awaken marked response, particularly with the female viewers.

MGM has introduced the fabulous Oscar Wilde narrative of soul-destruction to the display screen, however undoubtedly confronted the legal guidelines, the prophets and the Hays workplace in its courageous endeavor. There are jarring compromises within the manufacturing, unquestionably, but it’s going to charge as one of the crucial uncommon ever introduced earlier than the general public. For that cause it’s going to arrest the curiosity of the discriminating viewers, despite the fact that it could not fully fulfill the devotees of the poet who gave the unusual story life.

Dismaying within the movie is the precise shut with its evidences of contrition on the a part of Dorian Grey, and in addition the sooner grotesque therapy of the concept of the portray. This image is meant to point out the consequences the lifetime of the central character has had upon him, whereas he himself stays ever younger. However the artist reveals neither subtlety nor inspiration in what he has achieved to unveil the deterioration course of. The movie falls flat on this and the climax.

Of homicide there’s the contact when Dorian Grey kills Hallward (Lowell Gilmore,) the artist who has painted him. That is the chiller peak. Gilmore admirably portrays the painter all through.

Miss Lansbury endows Sibyl Vane, the songstress with virginal allure. She is a outstanding discover. Donna Reed seems successfully because the daughter of Hallward, in love with Grey. Peter Lawford, Richard Fraser, Douglas Walton, Morton Lowry and Miles Mander are within the solid. It’s nicely off the hewn monitor, and due to this fact fascinating.

‘The Manchurian Candidate’

John Frankenheimer, the director, was nicely into “The Manchurian Candidate,” which he was filming from George Axelrod’s script, after I requested him what it’s about. Frankenheimer took a deep breath, stammered a number of phrases after which gave up. “You’ll need to see it and determine that out for your self,” he mentioned. I perceive readers of Richard Condon’s novel had one thing of the identical issue in making an attempt to explain it to mates. Anyhow, no matter it was that threw readers of the e book into incoherencies has been carried over into the image. I’ve now regarded on the pesky factor twice. I went the second time to see if I’d see what I believed I noticed the primary time.

“The Manchurian Candidate” will not be solely fascinating as a result of it’s so unpredictable as storytelling but in addition as a result of it reverts to the sort of movie-making that made cinema — sheer “movie” — a pleasure, and an finish in itself. However what IS it about? A Manchurian? A candidate? A candidate for what?

Amongst different issues, that is essentially the most horrifying image about brainwashing ever made — and there are moments, notably within the earlier sequences, throughout which the viewer could start to consider he’s present process a session or two himself. I don’t understand how far this fiendish “science” has progressed or that it may do to any human organism what it does right here to Raymond Shaw, performed by Laurence Harvey. Some will dismiss the idea as sheerest fantasy, or see in Raymond Shaw only a nuclear-age model of that older, simpler Frankenstein’s monster.

The brainwashers are Pink China Communists, the brainwashed a number of members of an American Military patrol, led by Harvey and Frank Sinatra, who’re betrayed by their interpreter, Henry Silva, ambushed and whisked aboard a helicopter to a brainwashing “class” in Manchuria. Right here their “teacher” is a squat, fearsome psychiatrist named Yen Lo (Khigh Dhiegh) and what occurs to them is like some monstrous nightmare, as diabolically humorous as it’s hair-raising.

Harvey is hardly the standard GI, however then Raymond Shaw will not be like different males. That is one or his strongest performances, as is in flip that given by Sinatra as the main. However essentially the most chilling portrayal is reserved for Angela Lansbury as Raymond’s politically formidable mom; it’s going to reside, because the saying goes, in infamy. (Learn extra) —Philip Okay. Scheuer

‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’

1971 | Fantasy | 1 hour 57 minutes | Rated G

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From Charles Champlin’s 1971 evaluation: Take a well-loved English youngsters’s e book a couple of vigorous woman with a number of magical powers together with flight, add some beguiling youngsters, mix in reside motion, animation and a few very particular particular results, garnish with some songs by the Sherman Brothers and — assuming you might be Disney Studios — what do you get? Effectively, one time you get “Mary Poppins” and the subsequent time you get “Bedknobs and Broomsticks,” thereby proving that essentially the most foolproof method by no means is. “Bedknobs” is nice sufficient and innocent sufficient. It is usually lengthy (virtually two hours) and sluggish.

The songs are perfunctory (nothing supercalifragiwhateverish) and the visible trickeries, splendid as they’re, are too sputtery to get the mission actually airborne. By the requirements Disney has set for itself, it’s a disappointing endeavor.

Angela Lansbury is a tweedy nation eccentric in wartime England, tootling round on a bronchitic sidecar motorcycle and receiving mysterious parcels from a professor in London. What she’s into is a research of benign witchcraft, main (she hopes) to an invention which can assist in the conflict in opposition to the Germans. She makes the incantations work, to the shocked shock of her mail-order Merlin, a London conman performed by David Tomlinson.

Three youngsters evacuated from the Blitz complicate her life and the plot, which facilities on a quest for essentially the most potent incantation of all of them.

The distinction between “Poppins” and “Bedknobs” will not be the distinction between Julie Andrews and Miss Lansbury. Miss Lansbury sits a brush sidesaddle (or sidestick) with a queenly class, and she or he accepts as if it have been on a regular basis widespread sense {that a} brass bedstead will fly anyplace on command, and naturally it’s going to, and does. She is participating as ever.

‘Dying on the Nile’

David Niven, left, Peter Ustinov and Bette Davis seated on on a patio in “Death on the Nile” (1978)

1978 | Thriller | 2 hours 20 minutes | Rated PG

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From Charles Champlin’s 1978 evaluation: When it’s achieved nicely, there’s nothing fairly like an escapist leisure to ease the aches and strains of every day residing. Following on the success of “Homicide on the Orient Categorical,” Sir Lew Grade & Co. have gone once more to the Agatha Christie shelf and picked out “Dying on the Nile,” a piece singularly nicely suited to the flicks as a result of it supplies a spectacular tour of King Tut’s house floor.

There’s a new Hercule Poirot and he’s the estimable Peter Ustinov, a casting I think is an effective deal nearer to Mrs. Christie’s intentions than Albert Finney was, good as Finney was.

There’s a new galaxy of all-star suspects: Bette Davis, Jane Birkin, Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden, George Kennedy, Olivia Hussey, Jon Finch and Mia Farrow, not all of whom survive to the ultimate confrontation, an occupational hazard in homicide mysteries.

David Niven, an ongoing research in urbanity, is Poirot’s colleague Col. Rice and Simon MacCorkindaleis the romantic lead, wounded early within the proceedings. Lois Chiles is his wealthy spouse and the sufferer of homicide most stealthy aboard a Nile paddlewheeler en path to Karnak.

‘Magnificence and the Beast’

Classic Disney animated version of the tale "Beauty and the Beast"

1991 | Animated musical | 1 hour 24 minutes | Rated G

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Fairy tales aren’t for kids solely. Confronted with a world of painful realities and deferred goals, what grownup, given half an opportunity, wouldn’t wish to cozy as much as a narrative that begins “As soon as upon a time in a faraway land” and is bound to finish with everybody residing fortunately ever after?

“Magnificence and the Beast,” the thirtieth full-length animated function from the trolls over at Disney and essentially the most satisfying in a long time, serves that twin viewers with a practiced expertness. Wised-up in addition to conventional, with a hanging and detailed look and a robust storyline, it’s certain to allure a large viewers each now and for a very long time to return.

A prologue, illustrated by an beautiful sequence of stained glass home windows, tells the again story of a spoiled, good-looking prince become an terrible beast by an avenging enchantress after he refuses her reward of a magical rose. He’ll stay so cursed ceaselessly, she tells him, except he can study to like, and be liked in return, by the point the final petal of the rose falls.

Blissfully unaware of that is the gorgeous Belle (voiced by stage actress Paige O’Hara). We meet her strolling the streets of her quainter-than-quaint French village, complaining that “there have to be greater than this provincial life.” A reader and a dreamer, she yearns for journey, little guessing how a lot of it’s going to quickly be in retailer for her.

Belle’s father Maurice, a feckless inventor very a lot within the Gyro Gear free mould, will get the plot rolling by getting himself hopelessly misplaced within the deep woods. He stumbles throughout a towering, intimidating citadel, which he finds to his horror is inhabited by that foul-tempered, roaring Beast, who promptly locks him up on common ideas. The feisty Belle retraces her father’s steps and presents to take his place because the monster’s prisoner.

In line with the press notes, the rationale Walt Himself had given up on an earlier Disney try at “Magnificence” is that his staff couldn’t lick the issue of methods to make Belle’s keep on the citadel lower than claustrophobic. Once more, it was Howard Ashman who broke the spell, developing with the concept of enchanted bric-a-brac, like Lumiere (Jerry Orbach), the candlestick with the persona of Maurice Chevalier, and Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury), a teapot with a coronary heart of gold. In truth, one of many movie’s animated excessive spots has all these objects, plus a brace of silverware and every kind of crockery, go into an elaborate “Be Our Visitor” manufacturing quantity that even Busby Berkeley would have been proud to name his personal.

Additionally serving to issues within the citadel is the intriguing persona of the beast. As voiced by Robby Benson (sure, that Robby Benson) and animated by Glen Keane, the Beast is a splendid creation, managing to be each intimidating and endearing, fiercer than fierce when hazard threatens from a genuinely horrifying pack of untamed canines, however only a huge softie with a foul mood the place Belle is anxious. And, sure, they do make an awfully cute couple. (Learn extra) — Kenneth Turan

‘Homicide, She Wrote’

Angela Lansbury and Richard Crenna in an episode of “Murder, She Wrote”

12 seasons, 1984-1996 | TV Thriller Collection | TV-PG
Peacock: Included

The very best factor concerning the two-hour premiere of “Homicide, She Wrote” on CBS Sunday is Angela Lansbury. She is all mischief and devilment, huggably clever, possessed of an agile thoughts and a candy nature as a thriller author/newbie detective who’s all the time one amiable step forward of the police.

As Jessica Fletcher (Lansbury) tells us (talking proper to the digicam) how she obtained began writing and sleuthing:

“I suppose I knew then and there that one thing weird was growing. …”

The “scene of the crime” is the weekend property of writer Preston Giles (Arthur Hill), the place the dastardly Caleb McCallum (Brian Keith) is also in attendance.

Somebody is lacking. There’s a scream. A physique floats to the highest of the pool. And it’s, it’s … time to name within the dumb cop (Ned Beatty).

Two extra issues of observe: “Homicide, She Wrote” will get a giant break by following “60 Minutes,” though different CBS reveals have had issue holding grownup viewers in that point slot. Additionally, the crack Richard Levinson and William Hyperlink, who co-created “Homicide, She Wrote” and have been government producers for the premiere together with Fischer, are listed solely as “consultants” for future episodes of the sequence. The impact of that is still to be seen as Jessica Fletcher continues taking part in these “foolish little homicide video games.” (Learn extra) — Howard Rosenberg

‘Little Ladies’

Angela Lansbury, left, is kissed on the cheek by Willa Fitzgerald in the TV miniseries ”Little Women.”

2017 | TV Miniseries | Drama | TV-PG

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From Meredith Blake’s 2018 protection: “Little Ladies” has been tailored quite a few instances — into movies, TV reveals, an opera, a musical and even two animé sequence. The most recent incarnation of “Little Ladies,” a two-part “Masterpiece” miniseries, co-produced by the BBC, was written by Heidi Thomas, creator and showrunner of “Name the Midwife,” one other interval drama targeted on the lives of girls. Starring Emily Watson as Marmee, Angela Lansbury because the formidable matriarch Aunt March and Maya Hawke as aspiring author Jo, it tells a story of younger ladies coming of age in a fraught interval that can resonate with up to date viewers — bonnets and all.

“Little Ladies” additionally marks Angela Lansbury’s first tv function since 2005, when she guest-starred in crossover episodes of “Regulation & Order : SVU” and “Regulation & Order: Trial by Jury.”

“Any time when one will get to make use of one’s expertise as an actress, you sort of bounce at it as a result of actually at my time of life, the chance doesn’t current itself as usually because it used to within the previous days,” mentioned the actress, 92.

Movie Reviews

“MaXXXine” Exudes Excess and Maximalist Filmmaking for Better and Worse (Movie Review)

Published

47 mins ago

July 7, 2024

Press Room

“MaXXXine” Exudes Excess and Maximalist Filmmaking for Better and Worse (Movie Review)

IMG via A24

Ti West’s X Trilogy: From divine horror success to “MaXXXine” conclusion.

Trilogies pose a formidable challenge. Achieving success once in filmmaking is a feat, but achieving it across three films where each complements and builds upon the last is akin to divine intervention. This challenge is particularly amplified in the horror genre, where great trilogies are rare and prized. Unlike other genres, horror retains elements of cinema’s attraction-based past, drawing audiences into darkened theaters with the promise of profoundly unsettling experiences that linger long after the credits roll.

Achieving success once in the horror genre takes considerable talent, but doing so three times in a row is an extraordinary accomplishment. Creating three installments of a horror series that are distinct enough to stand alone yet cohesive enough to form a unified whole is a daunting task. Ti West and his collaborators confront this challenge boldly with the X trilogy. While the trilogy-capping “MaXXXine“ may not entirely meet expectations, it remains consistently entertaining and compelling to witness.

5. MaXXXimal Filmmaking

With “X,” Ti West and his team immersed viewers in a film deeply steeped in the gritty ’70s aesthetic, blending elements of low-budget horror with adult film sensibilities. Transitioning to “Pearl,” they skillfully crafted a vibrant, Technicolor experience reminiscent of the whimsical delights from the 1940s, evoking the spirit of Powell and Pressburger. Now, with “MaXXXine,” West and his collaborators boldly delve into the excess and lunacy-driven style of the 1980s, fully embracing its over-indulgent ethos.

In an era where ’80s nostalgia has already had its moment, “MaXXXine” emerges like an irrepressible overdose. With the largest budget of the trilogy, production designer Jason Kisvarday meticulously reconstructs a glamorous yet debaucherous Hollywood of the 1980s. The results are breathtaking, a testament to the filmmaking prowess evident throughout the entire film. “MaXXXine” stands as a triumphant victory lap following the successes of “X” and “Pearl,” granting Ti West unprecedented access to Hollywood’s resources. From expansive soundstage sets to A-list co-stars and elaborate lighting setups, the film showcases West and his team at the peak of their creative powers.

The outcome is a wonderfully maximalist piece of filmmaking, where every dollar spent translates directly onto the screen. Ti West and cinematographer Eliot Rockett craft an immersive and visually stunning experience. “MaXXXine” authentically embodies the ’80s aesthetic, overflowing with nostalgia, and it’s immensely satisfying to witness West harness these tools to capture something so deeply personal and beloved to him.

4. The Big-Name Scenery-Chewers

As mentioned, with its much larger budget, “MaXXXine” also has a whole host of big-name stars who pop up throughout the film, all of whom seem to be having an infectious blast while doing so. Everyone from Lily Collins to Bobby Cannavale to Michelle Monaghan to Halsey turns up in roles of varying sizes and leaves their mark, but the true MVPs, in my opinion, are Kevin Bacon, Giancarlo Esposito, and Elizabeth Debicki.

Bacon is in the film a substantial bit more than I initially assumed he would be, and it is wonderful to see an actor as entrenched in audiences’ collective consciousness show up and remind us exactly why he’s so well-known in the first place. As a private eye with questionable morals, Bacon exudes sleaze and devours every morsel of dialogue he’s given. Esposito is indelibly commanding as something of a parody of the cliché Hollywood agent character archetype, and threatens to steal the show every time he shows up. And Debicki’s performance is easily the most reserved and understated of the bunch, but that winds up working in her favor. There’s a quiet intensity to her conversations with Mia Goth’s Maxine. Her character is ultimately saddled with spouting off some of the film’s biggest themes, and what could have easily sounded hack in another performer’s hands plays with gravitas from Debicki.

3. WEAK SPOT: The Passive Tale of Maxine Minx

So what’s wrong with “MaXXXine?” I’ve already talked about how much I enjoyed the filmmaking craft on display, and I’m going to praise both Mia Goth’s lead performance and Ti West’s direction. But what doesn’t work for me about the film? Sadly, it’s the story.

For as gloriously indulgent and well-crafted as much of “MaXXXine” is, it is ultimately in service of a story that never comes together. By overtly embracing the ‘80s aesthetic and setting, Ti West’s script intertwines various real-world ‘80s elements into the story, from Satanic Panic to the Night Stalker. Unfortunately, this approach is ultimately to the detriment of the film, as it never really develops a coherent narrative of its own. These various threads lead to a fracturing and fragmentation of the plot.

The biggest casualty of all of this is Maxine Minx herself. The titular character is left entirely passive within her own film, burdened with a story that doesn’t embrace the central conflict of want vs. need at the heart of her internal journey across the trilogy. Instead, MaXXXine leaves the character stranded, not playing an active role in her own story. She spends most of the film willfully ignoring the story beats unfolding around her, and the climax quite literally sees her tied up and uninvolved in every single action beat that plays out.

By the time the film reaches its conclusion, it can’t help but feel deflating.

2. Mia Goth’s Performance

Having said all of that, Mia Goth continues to deliver an incredible performance as Maxine Minx even under these circumstances. I wish she had been given a greater chance to shine through involvement in the actual story here, but Goth so thoroughly and articulately elevates what she is given that it remains astounding.

For what it’s worth, I found Goth to be incredible in her dual role in X and even better in Pearl. Goth’s performance in Pearl, right down to its final shot, is absolutely immaculate. In comparison, I don’t find her performance in “MaXXXine” to be as compelling simply because she didn’t have the same level of enthralling material to work with. However, I do absolutely adore the opening scene of “MaXXXine,” which serves as this film’s equivalent to Pearl’s final shot. In it, Goth delivers a masterclass performance and then immediately subverts it. Great stuff.

1. Ti West’s Direct and Editing

While I wish the story felt more motivated and coherent in driving toward its central themes, I would be lying if I said I didn’t thoroughly enjoy the vast majority of “MaXXXine.” Ti West, handling directorial and editing duties on his own as he did with the prior two installments, showcases his graduation to big-budget giallo-influenced ‘80s horror filmmaking while retaining the meticulous visual craft of his earlier work. West is a supremely talented filmmaker, and even if “MaXXXine” serves as a big victory lap for him, Goth, and the team behind these films, that’s fine by me. They’ve earned the right to bask in the limelight, and I genuinely hope West continues to operate at this level for future films. Having crafted great low-budget horror films for decades, seeing him play in a larger playground is undeniably enticing.

(C+)

Overall, “MaXXXine” doesn’t quite stick the landing. It feels less like a cohesive and satisfying film in its own right and more like an epilogue to the prior two films. The story lacks a driving passion and instead seems to follow the inevitable fallout from events set in motion by the earlier installments. It’s hard to argue that “MaXXXine” is the strongest of the trilogy, and viewers unfamiliar with “X” or “Pearl” may not find it satisfying on its own.

That said, despite these shortcomings, “MaXXXine” features great performances, stupendous production design, Mia Goth’s exceptional lead role, and is driven by Ti West’s phenomenal filmmaking craft. It stands as a cinema-of-attractions delight in its own right.

Entertainment

'Despicable Me 4' notches another win for family films at the box office

Published

2 hours ago

July 7, 2024

Press Room

'Despicable Me 4' notches another win for family films at the box office

“Despicable Me 4” had a strong showing at the top of the box office this weekend as family films continue to drive returns for studios and movie theaters.

The fourth installment of the Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment animated franchise raked in $75 million in the U.S. and Canada, according to three-day estimates from measurement firm Comscore. The movie opened Wednesday to $27 million and has now grossed an estimated $122 million.

Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” finally fell to second place this weekend with $30 million, though it has so far garnered $533 million in U.S. and Canadian box office revenue since it opened last month. The movie has brought in more than $1 billion globally.

Paramount Picture’s “A Quiet Place: Day One” prequel came in third with a second-weekend gross of $21 million, followed by A24’s horror film “MaXXXine” with $6.7 million. Sony Pictures’ “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” rounded out the top five with $6.5 million.

Compared to Memorial Day weekend’s dismal turnout, which prompted much hand-wringing among industry watchers, the extended Fourth of July weekend’s strong results and varied movie options have been a “stark and impressive difference,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

“To see this total change in the box office shows how unpredictable the box office can be,” he said. “All it takes is a few over-performances, with some great movies back to back, to totally change the entire perception of the health of the movie theater and of movies in general.”

Part of the momentum is the power of the family film. Some movie theater owners credit the blockbuster performance of “Inside Out 2” with getting audiences — especially families — back in the habit of going to multiplexes. With “Despicable Me 4,” as well as a family-friendly slate later this year, including “Moana 2,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Wicked,” theater owners have said they feel optimistic about their end-of-year prospects.

“You’ve got to have the movies out there to pull that audience in,” Dergarabedian said.

But it wasn’t a success story for every film this weekend. “Poor Things” director Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest movie, “Kinds of Kindness,” nearly doubled its screen count to 920 from 490 in its third weekend, yet dropped 45%, to gross just $860,000 for an overall total of $3.8 million.

Movie Reviews

Goyo Movie Review: An empathetic and sensitive romantic drama that puts us in the shoes of the other

Published

8 hours ago

July 7, 2024

Press Room

Goyo Movie Review: An empathetic and sensitive romantic drama that puts us in the shoes of the other

The first thing you will notice while watching Goyo is the sensitivity with which Marcos Carnevale has written his lead character. And this empathy is mirrored in those around him: his overprotective concert pianist sister, Saula (Soledad Villamil), his bantering brother-in-law, Matute (Pablo Rago), who never once makes him feel left out in any situation, and his colleagues, in general. Everyone in his immediate surroundings is mindful of his condition, without going as far as to make him feel uncomfortable. A sense that they’re rooting for him all the way comes through quite easily in the narrative. There’s a scene early on when Goyo follows Eva (Nancy Dupláa) to the subway in the hopes of introducing himself. It’s an anxiety-inducing sequence because it is way out of his familiar environment. It ends in Goyo literally falling out the train at a station platform and throwing up, being shown the finger by Eva (she presumes him to be a stalker). A simple act of travel by public transport, something that may seem so mechanical and run-of-the-mill for most, is given so much emphasis, as it may trigger a panic attack for somebody with Asperger’s (as it does for Goyo). Carnevale makes you think a great deal here, placing you in the shoes of someone with special needs. When her colleague is surprised to hear that Eva is going on a date with Goyo, she says, “Have you ever dated a guy who can’t lie? Who speaks his mind. Who is polite, incredibly smart, incapable of hurting you, and on top of all that, handsome? And the former’s response is, “Never in my life.” It is one of those short exchanges that encapsulates the sheer goodness of the film. Eva is in a tough spot with her family life and is aware of a positive influence when she sees one.