Movie Reviews
‘Last Movie Stars’ Turns Scenes From a Celebrity Marriage Into a Perfect Docuseries
They have been two actors, who occurred to briefly meet within the New York workplace of their mutual supervisor; the attractive blonde from Georgia mentioned she initially “hated him,” what with this blue-eyed Greek god trying so damned beautiful in his seersucker swimsuit. However let’s not child anyone — it was lust at first sight. When the 2 of them have been solid as understudies within the unique Broadway manufacturing of William Inge’s Picnic, they’d watch the play collectively within the wings. Throughout a scene through which the lead characters would seductively dance with one another onstage, they’d be doing their very own sultry tango behind the scenes each night time, till he ultimately leveled as much as a spot within the solid. The spark had been lit, nevertheless, and although the good-looking younger man was already a tied-down household man, they carried on a hot-and-heavy affair for nearly six years.
In 1958, after his divorce was finalized, they married. This new husband and spouse would increase six youngsters (together with three from his earlier union), win numerous awards, marketing campaign for Civil Rights and presidential candidates, launch a meals line, give thousands and thousands of interviews and provides away thousands and thousands of {dollars}. She preferred to knit. He preferred to race vehicles and occurred to be one of the vital well-known individuals alive. They made 16 movies collectively. Additionally they harbored respective resentments over the opposite’s essential reward and careers, handled unflattering gossip, drank an excessive amount of too usually and fought loads. Not even Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, the primary couple of Hollywood, have been resistant to the drudgery and petty squabbles that observe if you say “I do” and attempt to preserve the doing half going for higher or worse, in illness and in well being, for 5 a long time.
The Final Film Stars is, above all else, a love story about two individuals who signify the dual gold requirements of their occupation — what director Ethan Hawke refers to as “first-ballot hall-of-famers who additionally occur to be married [to each other].” And for a sure sort of viewer, the sort who research the TCM schedule each month prefer it was the Torah and argues concerning the careers of Jean Arthur versus Jean Simmons on Twitter [sheepishly raises hand], this sort of stroll down a reminiscence lane positioned on the nook of Outdated Hollywood and Vine is pure, uncut catnip. Each Newman and Woodward’s tenure on the silver display screen intersects with so many eras and method stations of Twentieth-century cultural historical past: the Actor’s Studio era, the Technique-mad Nineteen Fifties, the rise of TV, the theatrical revolution occurring on Broadway, the socially aware Sixties, the anything-goes New Hollywood Seventies. To not point out socially accepted concepts about gender, political activism, fame, and sex-symbol facial hair. (You may take the zeitgeist’s temperature within the archival footage by the shagginess issue of Newman’s beard.)
However this six-episode docuseries (it begins streaming on HBO Max on July twenty first) additionally doubles as a portrait of the agony and ecstasy of matrimony — an affectionate but psychologically fraught, zero-prisoners-taken take a look at a union that had been lionized as a fairy-tale come true and was something however. Hawke might have referred to as this Scenes From a Movie star Marriage and it could have nonetheless been 100-percent correct. Throughout considered one of his many onscreen Zoom interviews (extra on that in a second), Ethan mentions that, having been requested by one of many couple’s kids to make this doc, he’s not sure the way to make it work. His daughter, Maya Hawke, reminds him of some paternal recommendation he as soon as gave her: Each relationship is made up of two companions and a 3rd social gathering, i.e. the connection itself. What the filmmaker has now performed is put that individual third social gathering below the microscope. It’s a picture-perfect take a look at a extremely imperfect show-biz-royalty relationship, one which brimmed with love and anger, simply as messy and mistake-filled and made on the fly as our personal. They might have been offered because the anti-Liz Taylor and Dick Burton. The fact, nevertheless, was much more sophisticated.
It’s that tightrope-strut between burnishing the Dream Manufacturing facility mythology behind the Newman/Woodward duo — it’s referred to as The Final Film Stars, and makes a robust case for the title; belief us, you’ll wish to binge on each of their filmographies earlier than this docuseries is finished — and peeling it again that makes this such an awesome look ahead to non-film nerds as properly. That, and the ingenious work-around that its creator has constructed to make this story come alive. As soon as he got here on to the challenge, Hawke came upon that Newman had begun engaged on an autobiography within the late Eighties together with his buddy, the screenwriter Stewart Stern. Dozens upon dozens of interviews with the couple’s buddies, household, colleagues, administrators and, naturally, Newman and Woodward themselves, have been recorded. Then, impulsively, Newman requested Stewart to cease the challenge. Someday, on his option to a fishing journey with considered one of his daughters, he stopped by a dump and burned all the tapes. What few survived, Hawke came upon, have been unplayable. All was misplaced.
Besides Stern had managed to have all of those tapes transcribed earlier than Newman went pyromaniacal on them, and Hawke managed to get his arms on the tons of upon tons of of pages of interviews with well-known, non-famous and notorious of us waxing about Paul, Joanne and their work. So he enlists a who’s who of individuals from his Rolodex and asks them to learn these transcripts as a type of each narration and residing theater. George Clooney is recruited to voice Newman. Laura Linney indicators up for Woodward. Vince D’Onofrio takes on John Huston, theater veteran Brooks Ashmanskas does an uncanny impersonation of Gore Vidal, and Zoe Kazan lends a way of pathos to the testimony of Paul’s first spouse, Jackie Witte. Everybody from Karen Allen to Oscar Isaac, Sam Rockwell to LaTanya Jackson joins in on the enjoyable. “A play of voices,” is how Hawke describes the top purpose. “A neighborhood trying again.” It sounds pretentious as hell on paper. It really works like gangbusters onscreen.
So sure, you do get a form of once-in-a-lifetime, all-star recounting of the Saga of Newman and Woodward, from their illicit supernova beginnings to their autumn years as doting grandparents, proper as much as Newman passing away from most cancers in 2008. You get an impeccable movie historical past lesson, centered round two of the brightest abilities to return out of American motion pictures. You get a real sense of who these two individuals have been, to one another and to their household (most of whom give new interviews to Hawke), to their trade and to the world. And whereas Hawke, no stranger to performing nor to movie star unions given the unflattering post-mortem remedy, is aware of when to be delicate to the truth that these married stars have been additionally human beings, he’s additionally acquired a eager sense of when not to print the legend. Nearly half an episode is dedicated to Newman’s ingesting drawback, which prompted quite a few issues for his marriage and his youngsters. Their arguments and resentments — over his fame, over her having to place an ascending profession on maintain for home causes — are analyzed as a lot as their joint movie initiatives.
And due to his willingness to take a look at all of it, the great and the dangerous and as a lot of the reality of all of it he can observe down, Hawke’s efforts repay in a spectacular style. The Final Film Stars is a valentine to the collective phantasm, these methods of the sunshine performed by shadows on a wall, we nonetheless cling to often known as “the flicks” and people who turn out to be bigger than life due to them, actually. It additionally respects and admires them sufficient not cease there, and attempt to let the world know that it wasn’t all happiness and photograph spreads of familial bliss. It acquired ugly. However they cherished one another, they usually stayed collectively even when the chances urged they name it quits like so many movie star {couples} earlier than them. They cherished one another, even after they hated one another, for 50 years. Roll credit. How heartbreakingly romantic is that?
A serial killer on the loose. The killer has a pattern – he/she brutally maims the target, leaving them with a gory smiling face. Enter a high-ranking police officer diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, who has only one year before his memory fades forever. Now, this is a story that has the potential to be developed into a high-octane thriller with twists and turns. But, does Sarath Kumar’s 150th film, The Smile Man, live up to expectations? Let’s find out!
Chidambaram Nedumaran (Sarath Kumar), a CBCID officer, is recuperating from an injury. To make matters worse, he’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and has just one year left to preserve his memories. Before his injury, he was involved in the investigation of The Smile Man case. While he is trying to adapt to his new lifestyle with memory loss, a series of similar killings take place, forcing Chidambaram to reopen the case.
This time, however, Chidambaram must battle his declining health while investigating the case to unmask the killer. Why was the Smile Man case closed before his injury? Is there anything more than what meets the eye? Who is the killer, and what is their motive?
Director duo Syam and Praveen’s The Smile Man has a solid story at its core, though it might remind you of thrillers, Ratsasan and Por Thozhil. A serial killer story has a predictable template, but a film can stand out from the crowd because of the way the story and screenplay are treated. That way, The Smile Man is an illogical thriller that reeks of amateur making. The killer leaves a smiling scarred face on the victims and the pattern should ideally shock the audience. But, the poor prosthetic makeup hardly makes it look menacing.
Here’s the trailer:
The portrayal of journalists in The Smile Man is poor, anf the dialogue is one of the film’s biggest drawbacks. For example, the CBCID officer casually throws around words like ‘copycat killer’ without any solid basis. The reasons given are so futile that it forces you to not take the characters seriously.
The killer’s face is hidden for half of the film, and when it is eventually revealed, it fails to deliver any excitement. Similarly, the killer’s motive and his backstory are told and not shown. The justification hardly makes sense and one could spot a lot of logical loopholes.
TThe film’s music tries to evoke emotions but falls flat. Before each murder, a growl indicates what’s coming, and before the killer strikes, the music warns you. This removes the element of surprise, which is crucial to a good thriller.
Sarath Kumar is the only actor who gives his all in an attempt to salvage this poorly executed story. The rest of the performances, except for those by George Maryan and Kalaiyarasan, make little impact.
The Smile Man is a lost opportunity considering the potential it showed. If only the screenplay had been handled better, the film could have had a much stronger impact.
2 out of 5 stars for The Smile Man.
The CGI animated savannahs, rivers and rock formations of Africa are photo-real, and the animals populating it have never been more realistically rendered than they are in “Mufasa: The Lion King.”
Disney felt the need to have the lions, warthog and meercat’s lips move when they sing, which is saying something.
But let’s keep this review short and not-exactly-sweet, unlike this boardroom-ordered prequel to one of Disney’s most popular intellectual properties. “Mufasa: The Lion King” never makes the case that it’s a story that needed to be told or a movie that needed to be made.
It’s about how Mufasa got separated from his birth-parents’ pride of lions, and joined another, becoming “brothers” with the lion cub who “saved” him, but who will come to be called “Scar.”
So the object of this prequel is to show how Mufasa became Lion King and how Scar got his scar and became the bitter rival in their pride.
The “story” is framed as a “story” Rafiki the ape (John Sani) tells Simba’s cub, and that cub’s protectors/babysitters, Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen).
The tale is of another coming-of-age quest, with two young-lions on their own this time, paired-up, depending on each other, on the run from a pride of albino lions led by the killer Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen).
There are new songs of a far more forgettable nature than those from the animated classic “The Lion King.”
“The circle is broken,” he growls, and we believe him.
There are harrowing moments of drama in their quest, but there’s precious little humor to the movie, all of it provided by the same duo who have always been the comic relief, Timon and Pumbaa.
“We’ve been singing ‘Hakuna Matata’ since forever!”
“Who hasn’t?“
The messaging, about taking in “strays,” and that “To be lost is to learn the way,” is weak tea.
Story failings aside, it’s not a bad movie. But “Mufasa” never lets us forget the limited-entertainment-value of the entire undertaking. Oscar winner Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) was hired to direct, but aside from a few voice casting decisions (Keith David, Anika Noni Rose, with Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison, Jr. as Mufasa and Taka/Scar), he brings nothing to this that makes a difference.
Disney’s tech/animators telling their bosses that “Yes, we can make it look like a movie with real singing lions and bathing hippos on the veldt without using real animals or shooting on location” is no justification for showcasing that technology.
Story matters, and this one didn’t need to be told.
Rating: PG, some violence
Cast: The voices of Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Tiffany Boone, John Kani, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Keith David, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen.
Credits: Directed by Barry Jenkins, scripted by Jeff Nathanson, based on characters from Disney’s “The Lion King.” A Walt Disney release.
Running time: 1:58
Better Man, 2024.
Directed by Michael Gracey.
Starring Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvany, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, Anthony Hayes, Jake Simmance, Jesse Hyde, Liam Head, Chase Vollenweider, Rose Flanagan, Jack Sherran, Karina Banno, Asmara Feik, Leo Harvey-Elledge, Elyssia Koulouris, Frazer Hadfield, Chris Gun, Ben Hall, Kaela Daffara, and Chase Vollenweider.
SYNOPSIS:
Follow Robbie Williams’ journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.
During a conversation exploring the possibility of a biopic, British popstar Robbie Williams told well-regarded musical director Michael Gracey that he saw himself as a monkey performing for others. That became the window into telling the story of this singer/songwriter with Better Man, a film that, as the title implies, also shows that Robbie Williams is self-aware of his flaws, mistakes, and shortcomings without being afraid to put them front and center. Yes, rather than go through the arduous casting process, Michael Gracey ran with that comment literally, making the creative choice to have the pop star played by a CGI monkey (voiced by Jonno Davies, with Robbie Williams lending his vocals.)
It’s a smart move to roll a short clip of subject and filmmaker conversing before the film starts proper, not just because other parts of the world might not be familiar with Robbie Williamss music (consistently accidentally reading it as a biopic about musician Robin Williams if you’re anything like me), but also since this is such a bold concept for a biopic that it’s helpful to get an idea of what this man looks like and the personality he puts out there before it’s all monkey business.
Going one step further, this turns out to not fall into the trappings of a flailing gimmick but ties into themes of pressures of the music industry, fame causing stunted behavior, family drama, and an unflinching portrayal of self that doesn’t smooth over any rough edges. Better Man is an invigorating biopic; a shot of adrenaline to the most overplayed, clichéd genre. After this, no one should be allowed to make biopics (at least ones about musicians) unless they have an equally creative angle or some compelling X factor behind it. Simply put, this film puts most recent offerings from the genre to shame, especially the ones that get trotted out at the end of every year as familiar awards bait.
Even though the life trajectory and story beats aren’t anything new to anyone who has ever seen a biopic about a musician before, it gets to be told with boundless imagination, typically coming from several dazzling musical sequences. Not only are they dynamic in presentation (whether it be jubilantly unfolding across the streets of London or something more melancholy regarding fatherly abandonment), but they are sometimes highwire concepts themselves; Better Man has one of the most thrilling, fantastically clever, visually stunning, and exciting takes on battling one’s demons.
The characters (including Robbie’s family, friends, lover, hell, and even Oasis) don’t interact or react to Robbie Williams as a monkey. It’s a visual treat for us (this film would fall apart without the astonishingly expressive technical wizardry from Weta, who already have proven themselves as outstanding in this field when it comes to the recent Planet of the Apes movies) but another personal, self-deprecating, honest interpretation of how Robbie saw himself during these life stages. Initially, this feels like it will end up as a missed opportunity for further creativity or humor. One of the more surprising elements here is that the filmmakers (with Michael Gracey co-writing alongside Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson) are playing this material straight and not going for laughs. That confidence pays off, allowing a maximalist, melodramatic side to come out with sincere, absorbing emotional heft.
That story follows a standard rise and fall structure, with Robbie Williams finding inspiration from his initially supportive singing father (Steve Pemberton), exhibiting a relatable drive to make his grandmother (Alison Steadman proud, getting his start in boy band Take That before his insecurities and worsening substance abuse and egocentric behavior gets him kicked out, stumbling into a rocky relationship with Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Banno), and then not only finding the courage to put some meaningful lyrics out into the world through a successful solo career but managing the anxieties that come with performing in front of humongous crowds while constantly struggling with drug addiction.
Some of those aspects feel glossed over and aren’t as explored as they possibly could have been (the film is already 135 minutes, but some of it is given a broad strokes treatment), but it’s affecting anyway due to the creativity, artistry, musical numbers, and blunt honesty enhancing those character dynamics. Better Man is a biopic that starts with a confessional about being a narcissist and having a punchable face and ends up somewhere beautifully moving that perfectly captures the essence of that title. There is also a healthy dose of Frank Sinatra here, given that he was a major source of inspiration for Robbie Williams, so let’s say he and Michael Gracey did this biopic their way, and the result is something no one should want any other way.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/playlist
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