Movie Reviews

MOVIE REVIEWS: “The Heretic” and others – Valdosta Daily Times

Published

2 hours ago

November 16, 2024

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MOVIE REVIEWS: “The Heretic” and others

Published 10:00 am Saturday, November 16, 2024

by Adann Kennn J. Alexxandar

: Adann Kennn J. Alexxandar

“The Heretic”

(Psychological Thriller: 1 hour, 50 minutes)

Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East

Directors: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

Rated: R (Bloody violence)

Movie Review:

Hugh Grant is a tour de force. His performance alone is a reason to watch this psychological thriller. His well-done, uncanny performance is powerful. He is charming as his character Mr. Reed.

Mr. Reed has stressed an interest in faith, so Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton arrive at his door to discuss their faith as Christians. Mr. Reed invites the missionaries in and tells them his wife is baking a blueberry pie. He pours the young women drinks and Barnes and Paxton begin discussing their branch of Christianity as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their talk of theology quicks into something more deviously diabolical as they gradually become aware of Mr. Reed’s intentions.

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods are the directors and writers of this psychological thriller. It may be sacrilegious for some conservative people of faith to find this movie welcoming, but those who like movies that play with the mind should find this a philosophical treat.

Sophie Thatcher (Showtime’s “Yellowjackets”) and Chloe East (“The Fabelmans,” 2022) exude a certain sense of vulnerability as young religious women. They are clever but fit the roles of readymade victims.

However, the best reason to see this movie is Hugh Grant. He offers a superior portrayal of a creepy man concerned about the “one true religion” as he terms it. He plays Mr. Reed with an energetic zeal unmatched.

Grade: B (Even heretics can believe in this intelligent photoplay.)

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”

(Comedy/Drama: 1 hour, 39 minutes)

Starring: Judy Greer, Molly Belle Wright, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez and Pete Holmes

Director: Dallas Jenkins

Rated: PG (Thematic material, violence and underage smoking)

Movie Review:

The holiday movie is officially here with “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” It is an adaptation of the book by Barbara Robinson and a remake of the 1983 television movie that starred “M*A*S*H” alum Loretta Swit. This latest version is a surprise that easily wins one over. It offers comedy and endearing characters.

The Emmanuel Annual’s Christmas pageant is without a director after an accident. Grace Bradley, played by a likable Greer, agrees to direct the pageant that is getting plenty of local attention as it is the event’s 75th anniversary. Grace’s task should be an easy one, but that changes quickly. Enter The Herdmans, six very unruly children led by older sister Imogene (Beatrice Schneider). The Herdmans take over the leading roles to the chagrin of the church’s congregation.

The movie shines because of a good cast. Judy Greer’s performance easily obtains favorability. Directing children in a pageant or similar event is not an easy task, especially with disgruntled parents and six misbehaving kids. Greer’s portrayal of Grace’s uneasiness in her job is formidable. Greer inspires one to cheer for her cause.

The children are also enjoyable to watch. Beatrice Schneider, Molly Belle Wright, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguezand and Lorelei Olivia Mote are engaging and provide plenty of amusing moments.

Dallas Jenkins (“The Chosen”) directs this cheerful Christmas movie. The story jumps through time haphazardly occasionally, but the movie remains enjoyable throughout its runtime. If one is searching for a good family movie this holiday season, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a good reason to leave the house before the holiday shopping begins.

Grade: B (A good pageant.)

“Anora”

(Comedy/Drama: 2 hours, 19 minutes)

Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Vache Tovmasyan and Karren Karagulian

Director: Sean Baker

Rated: R (Strong sexual content throughout, graphic nudity, pervasive language, violence and drug use.)

Movie Review:

Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner “Anora” is an entertaining adult drama with plenty of comical moments to keep it fascinating. Mature audiences that appreciate movies as pure entertainment should find “Anora” a welcomed sensation.

The movie follows Anora (Madison), a sex worker who goes by Ani, and Ivan Zakharov (Eydelshteyn) whose nickname is Vanya and is the son of a Russian oligarch. They both present strong extroverted personalities while having introverted, compromised egos. The two meet at Anora’s job, a strip joint in New York City. The two begin a hypersexualized whirlwind affair that lasts roughly a week. During that time, Ivan proposes to Anora. All is well until Ivan’s parents send Ivan’s godfather Toros (Karagulian) and henchmen Igor (Borisov) and Garnick (Tovmasyan) to ascertain exactly who Ivan impulsively married.

From there, this movie becomes one of adventure and comical moments. Anora, Toros, Igor and Garnick search New York City trying to find an inebriated young Ivan whose parents Nikolai and a domineering Galina Zakharov (Aleksey Serebryakov and Darya Ekamasova, respectively) want the marriage annulled immediately.

“Anora,” among the cursing and gratuitous sex scenes, is an enjoyable movie. One truly gets to know Ani and Ivan through their sexual encounters, their drug and alcohol use, and the people they associate with daily.

Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn play these characters well. Despite their childish whims and immoral and unhealthy lifestyles, this story makes them endearing personas. It is easy to see why people want to party with them. Madison (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) is especially keen as Anora, aka Ani.

They are joined by Karagulian, Borisov and Tovmasyan. They are a modern-day Three Stooges, providing plenty of humorous material.

These people are far from being saints, but they offer an exciting screenplay. Anora is good entertainment for mature audiences. It is funny and engaging throughout, even when moments appear forced or over-exaggerated.

Director-writer Sean Baker is a skilled moviemaker. He is responsible for “The Florida Project” (2017), “Red Rocket” (2021) and “Tangerine” (2015) that is similar to “Anora.” His movies are impressive.

“Anora” enhances his cinematic resume once more. It is splendid, energetic entertainment.

Grade: B+ (She dazzles like a shining star.)

“Weekend in Taipei”

(Action/Thriller: 1 hour, 40 minutes)

Starring: Luke Evans, Lun-Mei Gwei, Sung Kang

Director: George Huang

Rated: R (Violence and language)

Movie Review:

A “Weekend in Taipei” is a formulaic action flick directed by George Huang who cowrote this screenplay with Luc Besson. Think of this action flick as a weak “Fast and the Furious” type movie. It is good on the action while delivering thinly veiled characters and a shabby plot. If this movie is to cement Luke Evans, an otherwise capable actor, as a new action star, it fails miserably.

Evans plays DEA agent John Lawlor travels to Taipei during a weekend vacation and reconnects with an old flame, Joey Kwangwho (Gwei). She is now the wife of a notorious crime lord and billionaire shipping magnate Kwang (Kang). Joey and her son Raymond (Wyatt Yang) are soon reunited with Lawlor as they try to survive Kwang’s henchmen horde.

Action is all you get with this movie. The main characters are underdeveloped. The narrative needs help similarly. Wyatt Yang, a kid actor, offers better lines, which is not good since he is a secondary player.

The movie also tries to insert a romance substory. The chemistry between Lawlor and Joey is ineffective. This is no love on the weekend.

Grade: D+ (Reserve your weekend for something else.)

“Elevation”

(Action/Science-Fiction/Thriller: 1 hour, 31 minutes)

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin and Maddie Hasson

Director: George Nolfi

Rated: R (Violence, peril/scary scenes, strong language, sexual references)

Movie Review:

Elevation is a science fiction thriller that has an asinine plot. The more the characters explain what is happening, including what the monsters are, the more irrelevant the plot becomes.

All humans now live above 8,000 feet in mostly mountainous areas. Any person below that altitude is hunted by these giant cockroach beings. Single father Will (Mackie) needs more medication for a medical condition for which his son Hunter (Danny Boyd Jr) suffers. Will decides to go below 8,000 feet.. He sets out to retrieve needed items from a nearby deserted hospital. A former Cal Tech research scientist Nina (Baccarin) and a courageous Katie (Hasson) decide to accompany him on this dangerous quest.

A trivial mix of “War of the Worlds” (2005) and “A Quiet Place” movies that started in 2018, “Elevation” is nonsensical science fiction. Such pseudo-science material robs it of being convincing.

George Nolfi and Anthony Mackie last worked together in biographical drama “The Banker” (2020) and previously in 2011’s “The Adjustment Bureau” (2011). “Elevation” is a lesser production for the two men. The sci-fi feature is something you would waste time with on the Syfy channel. But to watch that channel, you do not have to leave your home.

Grade: C- (This post-apocalyptic does not reach epic heights.)

“Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom”

(Anime/Action/Fantasy: 2 hours, 15 minutes)

Starring: Satoshi Hino, Yumi Hara, Masayuki Katô

Director: Naoyuki Itô

Rated: R (Bloody violence and language)

Movie Review:

“Overlord” is another anime movie based on a television series. Therefore, it is mainly for the fans who follow it on the tele. Like too many other anime movies, this one consists mostly of characters talking and then fighting and talking then fighting, a repetitive process.

This movie follows several characters attempting to save their kingdom by joining forces with the Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown. Together, the group is formidable, but their demi-human enemies are as relentless as their leader, the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth.

“Overlord” has a complex plot and interesting multiple characters, yet they are placed in a lackluster narrative as if a lengthy nighttime soap opera. Plus, it ends with a cliffhanger. When watching anime, one wants to yell, “just shut up and fight already.”

Grade: C (Over it.)

“Small Things Like These”

(Drama: 1 hour, 38 minutes)

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh and Emily Watson

Director: Tim Mielants

Rated: PG-13 (Thematic material)

Movie Review:

This historical fiction drama is a very quiet drama based on Claire Keegan’s 2021 novel. It is a visual experience. It resides on silent moments rather than the vocalizations of the cast. What is seen between the words are powerful moments to facilitate the narrative as much as words.

At the core of this movie, Cillian Murphy portrays devoted father Bill Furlong, a coal merchant in a 1985’s New Ross, Ireland. Seeing a young woman being forced into a Catholic convent because she is pregnant causes Furlong to have traumatic memories of his mother’s death. His sentiment towards a young lady he later encounters at the convent drives him to upend community norms to reveal a disturbing secret.

Historical fiction is a story that takes place with a background of particular historical events. “Small Things Like These” is comparable to “Philomena” (2013), which was based on an actual story. Both are about the Magdalene laundries of the 1800s and 1900s. Both are captivating, but “Philomena” is more emotively gratifying than “Small Things.”

Audiences may remember Murphy for his Academy Award-winning performance as the title character in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” 2023. Murphy has always been an exceptional actor no matter what role. He continues that here in in “Small Things.” Even with little words in multiple scenes, he manages to exhibit a world of emotion and angst.

Tim Mielants (“Wil,” 2023), this drama thrives on Murphy’s talents, but the screenplay is a little dull, despite some key well done aspects. Again, this is a visual movie first that rests primarily on Murphy’s usual sound performance. For those liking a slow-moving drama, “Small Things Like These” is the perfect afternoon movie.

Grade: B- (The small things add up to make something bigger, eventually.)

Movie Reviews

'Kanguva' movie review: Visually stunning film with a predictable plot

Published

10 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Press Room

'Kanguva' movie review: Visually stunning film with a predictable plot

The story revolves around Suriya’s character, a cursed warrior with a tragic fate. Suriya delivers an intense performance, but he alone cannot save the film with its predictable and masala-driven plot.

Arun Antony

Last Updated : 16 November 2024, 02:53 IST

Movie Reviews

Ghost Cat Anzu Anime Movie Review

Published

19 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Press Room

On paper, Ghost Cat Anzu would seem to be this year’s most family-friendly offering at the annual Scotland Loves Anime Film Festival, now in its 15th year. Compared to most other films, the audience was certainly composed of a higher proportion of families with children. Perhaps they weren’t expecting such a deeply strange movie, with a first half structured of loosely associated, scatalogically humorous skits and a second, more action-packed half descending into a chaotic exploration of Buddhist Hell, complete with violent comedy torture demons and deeply unsettling afterlife implications for at least one central character. We go from funny cat man licking his balls to “Needle Mountain Hell” and “Great Screaming Hell” within a matter of minutes.

Ghost Cat Anzu is bonkers, and I love it for that.

It’s not only the unhinged plot that sets Ghost Cat Anzu apart. For one, it’s a French-Japanese co-production and an adaptation of a relatively obscure single-volume 17-year-old manga (though a sequel began serialization earlier this year). Screenwriter Shinji Imaoka is best known for his work on several sexually explicit “pink films,” a brave choice for a “family” movie. Unusually, Ghost Cat Anzu has two directors because, in The Case of Hana and Alice-style, the film was first shot with one director entirely in live-action, then digitally painted over under the aegis of an animation director. I’d hesitate to call the animation style pure rotoscoping, however – while the characters do move in a more naturalistic fashion than in much other anime, it’s not distracting or deliberately provocative like Flowers of Evil, which reveled in its naturalistic ugliness. Here, the live-action performances are transformed not into something uncanny or disconcerting, but human and relatable, even fantastical.

Take Karin – she’s a brat. Manipulative and conniving, she’s not a “nice” kid, but then life hasn’t been “nice” to her. We quickly learn that she changes her demeanor depending on the audience. With her father, she’s rude and condescending, referring to him only by his given name and with no honorifics. Around other adults, such as her grandad, she’s all wide eyes and broad smiles as she pretends to be a “good girl.” It’s funny and a little sad how she uses the blushing village boys to pursue her vindictive agendas. The animation style captures every nuance of her body language, adding to our understanding of her conflicted, complex character. Her facial expressions, in particular, are hilarious. It’s unusual for a child in this animation genre to be so thoroughly fleshed out – she’s an excellent example of a character who acts hatefully but remains empathetic for the audience.

Despite being a supernaturally-sized immortal “ghost cat” (a translation of the Japanese term “bakeneko”), Anzu himself acts more like a slightly weird, single, 37-year-old uncle with a penchant for Hawaiian shirts and farting loudly in public. His facial expression rarely changes – huge wide eyes that are difficult to read, emoting mainly by the liberal use of oddly-floating sweatdrops. He’s hilariously flawed, getting pulled over by the police for riding a motorbike unlicensed and losing Karin’s money at pachinko. At times, he’s the unfair target of Karin’s resentment, but as part of her family, he loves and looks out for her, making sacrifices and suffering for her wellbeing. He’s a good kitty, really.

Anzu’s not the only strange creature. In this version of rural Japan, the supernatural is but another aspect of everyday life – hence, when we meet various yokai, they’re engaged in normal human activities, and no one bats an eyelid. Of course, a tanuki can work as a golf caddy, and obviously, a human-sized frog digs enormous holes and runs his own private hot spring pool. There’s a gaggle of cute little spherical tree sprite birdie thingies that stepped straight out of a Miyazaki movie and a really weird-looking mushroom guy that adds to the extremely colorful supporting cast.

ghost-cat-anzu-2 — © いましろたかし・講談社／化け猫あんずちゃん製作委員会

While Anzu’s daft antics raised a great deal of laughter from among the festival audience, it’s a slowly-paced film with strange comedic timing, where it takes a long time for anything to happen. That’s not necessarily a criticism; many writers and directors have made entire careers producing slice-of-life anime celebrating the pleasures of a slow life. So it’s unexpected that Ghost Cat Anzu goes to such exotic – and disturbing – places in its second half – switching up bucolic country existence first for urban Tokyo and then for the various levels of Buddhist Hell, here depicted as an upmarket hotel populated by Chinese-style demons and the souls of the dead. Comparisons with Keiichi Hara‘s Colorful spring to mind, with newly-deceased humans queueing up to receive details of their souls’ fate from businesslike attendants.

I don’t want to spoil the details of why the characters end up in hell or what they do there, but the film culminates in a truly demented car chase involving a minibus full of demons, Anzu demonstrating his most dangerous motorcycling skills, and an insanely-animated yokai-driven sports car sequence. It’s all so silly, and while wonderfully fun for adults, there’s a tonally discomforting element of quite brutal violence, played apparently for laughs. It may be too much for younger kids, and the ultimate outcome of these events may lead to challenging conversations with questioning children about Eastern concepts of the afterlife that may require entering a Wikipedia Death Spiral for parents.

At its core, Ghost Cat Anzu is a film about a young girl struggling with the scars that death has inflicted on her life, lashing out in anger and resentment at those around her, bargaining in an attempt to change her situation, and finding a way to gain acceptance. Indeed, there’s some denial mixed up in there somewhere, too. Ghost Cat Anzu‘s ending will spark disagreements among viewers, as many aspects are left ambiguous, even though the central conflicts are satisfyingly resolved. It’s absolutely not the sort of animated film you’d expect to see from a Western studio.

Even if you’re not a fan of rotoscoped animation, don’t let that put you off Ghost Cat Anzu. It’s a deeply strange but entertaining film that, although it seems to start as a silly comedy, proves to be profoundly emotionally intelligent and interesting. Karin makes for a compelling and conflicted lead, ably supported by her charismatic and weird cat-uncle. Recommended for fans of Japanese folklore, “difficult” girls, and fart jokes. Nya-ha-ha-ha!

Movie Reviews

Gladiator 2 review: Paul Mescal's epic struggles to stir emotion

Published

1 day ago

November 15, 2024

Press Room

Gladiator 2 review: Paul Mescal's epic struggles to stir emotion

Gladiator 2 recaptures the grandeur of ancient Rome, echoing the epic scale of the 2000 original. Directed by Ridley Scott, the sequel leans heavily into grand action, however, it lacks the emotional depth that made its predecessor unforgettable.

Set over two decades after Gladiator [2000], the story follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), now called Hanno, who lives as a soldier in Numidia until General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades, forcing him back into the Roman Empire. Under Macrinus (Denzel Washington), Lucius re-enters the brutal arena, ultimately driven to challenge young emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn) to fulfil his father Maximus’s vision of a Rome free from slavery.

The word Gladiator evokes emotions and memories of Russell Crowe in the Ridley Scott film. There has been an entire generation of audience that has grown up to love Gladiator and watched it multiple times. Unfortunately, the new film not only fails to match up to the original but also disappoints on multiple fronts.

Here’s the trailer:

The sequel delivers action, gore, and an electrifying score that elevates the viewing experience, but none of this compensates for the lack of emotional resonance. Unlike the original, which skillfully pulled emotional strings, Gladiator 2 fails to evoke a lasting impact. Family reunions and Lucius’s separation from his loved ones lack poignancy, leaving viewers uninvested. The story, while epic in scale, is too predictable and lacks nuance, with a few twists that genuinely surprise you.

When Lucius loses people close to him, one is supposed to feel empathetic towards him, but it hardly stirs any emotions. Perhaps the delay and the writers’ strike in Hollywood are to be blamed, or maybe it is just lazy writing.

The hand-to-hand combat scenes of Gladiator made the film a unique experience in 2000. While the action scenes in Gladiator 2 are good, they don’t add up to the experience people had while watching the Russel Crowe original.

David Scarpa keeps the screenplay more or less linear with flashbacks connecting the dots. The only interesting character in Gladiator 2 perhaps is that of Denzel Washington as Macrinus, who plays to the gallery. He is covet in his tactics and is driving the politics in the narrative. But it isn’t enough. The revelation of Lucius being the Prince of Rome is hardly startling for us or the Roman Empire.

Performances by the cast are great. From Paul to Denzel to Pedro, everyone knows the stakes are high, and they are pitch-perfect with their dialogue delivery and action-packed performances. However, without a strong emotional core, Gladiator 2 can feel like a chore, with its two-and-a-half-hour runtime dragging to feel even longer.

The challenges of making a follow-up to a cult classic film are multiple. While Gladiator 2 has a few moments that work, overall, the inevitable comparisons to the original prevent it from becoming a wholesome new experience.

2.5 out of 5 stars for Gladiator 2.

Published On:

Nov 15, 2024