KING RICHARD
3 out of 5 stars
Though slightly overhyped, this remains a certifiable crowd-pleaser – having all of the inspirational hoorah a sports biopic can offer. And while we freely welcome it, director Green & writer Baylin’s approach tends to slide into TV movie territory – serving us a somewhat standard version of an underdog family fighting an uphill battle in having their dreams come true. What’s irrefutable is so much is owed to the excellent cast. Bernthal & Ellis are sensational, yet it’s Smith’s game from the get-go & he plays it to perfection. His portrayal of Venus & Serena’s flawed yet firm & devoted dad who champions his young daughters to be the best they can be is his best in 15 years.
THE FRENCH DISPATCH
3 out of 5 stars
Writer-director Anderson’s eccentricity, quirkiness, & pretty set pieces are delightful as usual in his homage to the magazine biz. Whether they’re regulars by now or first timers, it never ceases to amaze me the kind of top-of-the-line talent who are a part of his casts. McDormand & del Toro are the sure standouts this time around, while quite a few others get the short end of the stick. What eventually keeps this from being as amusing as some of Anderson’s better work is the framing of small stories within the larger one of the magazine’s owner & final issue. There’s a loss of coherence throughout, & w/ each passing segment – they lamentably get a little less interesting. They weirdly don’t fit comfortably into the film like they’re suppose to. That’s not to say each of them don’t have their moments, I mean it’s Anderson we’re talking about here after all. It’s just you’re ready to leave before he is, which is an odd feeling when watching anything this unparalleled auteur puts on the screen.
KURT VONNEGUT: UNSTUCK IN TIME
3.5 out of 5 stars
Vonnegut, the wryly satirical writer of such novels as Slaughter House-Five, Breakfast of Champions, & Cat’s Cradle, gets a sensational & loving doc from Emmy-winning writer/director Weide & co-director Argott. It beautifully exhibits a genius’ words & his use of humor to fight against real world bullshit. Vonnegut had seen & gone through a lot, & laughing was easier than being swallowed up in his own sadness & pain. Weide approached his favorite author about telling his story back in his high school days, but after over four decades & a fantabulous friendship shared between them – the results are, of course, specially intimate.
This is a wonderful way to either be introduced to Vonnegut or, for those who have read everything he’s done, have a better understanding of how his mind worked & how he could express it on the page. For Weide, it’s a deeper depiction of a father figure he absolutely adored, & Vonnegut definitely loved him like a son. It’s precisely what adds that essential layer that audiences wouldn’t otherwise get to discover if it wasn’t for a young high schooler receiving a response that’d change his & Vonnegut’s lives forever.
THE FEAST
1.5 out of 5 stars
Director Jones’ feature debut has a creepy atmosphere & disturbing imagery, but his dragging eco-horror flick gets less & less appetizing even after its “shocking” climax is served. Centering around a hired help aiming to horrifically spoil a little business dinner for a well-off family looking to cut a mining deal w/ their neighbor – so much of the story feels achingly uneager w/ Jones & writer Williams keeping a lot to themselves. Granted, as moviegoers, we don’t need to know every little thing. But when all that’s left on the table is grisly body horror & a familiar message of humans interfering where they shouldn’t – you’re leaving on an empty stomach.
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
2.5 out of 5 stars
Haynes’ radical rock doc, told almost entirely through the use of split-screen, does a decent job in having viewers experience an era & the cutting-edge band that rose from it. With that said, it gets frustrating as some stuff is intentionally left out that would provide more perspective in the band’s journey. And while there’s some stretches that are hardly hypnotic, there’s undoubtedly quite a few interesting elements being played – most of them involving Reed, of course. This is truly for the fans of his music, which, ironically, are the same ones who already know what’s being told.
BECOMING COUSTEAU
3.5 out of 5 stars
In this forthright but worthwhile doc about the pioneering French environmentalist & explorer, director Garbus does a credible job reacquainting us w/ Cousteau & his tiresome fight to bring awareness to what we now refer to as climate change. He awed the public by bringing a whole new underwater world to them, & while he made mistakes along the way – he spent the rest of his life trying to save it. It’s hard to imagine him being proud of the shape we’re in since his passing in 1997. Presenting such a profile in Cousteau’s own words & work is gratifying as his passion, discoveries, frustrations, tragedy & regrets are felt on a deeper level when personally expressed.
RON’S GONE WRONG
2.5 out of 5 stars
An affable animation that gets some things right such as the buddy comedy warmth between Barney & Ron, as well as its themes of technology being a blessing & a curse & the potency of friendship & acceptance. On the other hand, its assembly-line plot, falling short in the humor department, & coming super close to wearing out its welcome sends it rolling the wrong way. The charm & quirkiness ends up being this mid-level family friendly fare’s saving grace.
THE FIRST WAVE
4 .5 out of 5 stars
This doc of the first four months of COVID-19 in NYC is difficult to watch, yet deeply moving & courageous as we get unprecedented access to doctors & nurses fighting on the frontlines, as well as the patients & their families literally confronting life or death. It doesn’t get anymore intimate than watching a person take their last breath. No matter where you stand on vaccinations & masks, Heineman – director of Cartel Land – clearly proves this pandemic has devastated so many lives. You can hear it in the hospital workers’ voices & see it in the eyes of those gasping for air. Filled w/ endless moments of heroism, heartbreak, & hope – this is a must-see for obvious reasons, but what sticks w/ us the most is witnessing the vulnerability of humanity while never doubting its strength to help one another.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: NEXT OF KIN
1.5 out of 5 stars
The latest in this PA series may cover new territory, but continues the streak started years ago w/ PA4 of being straight up lousy. There’s a few split seconds of actual suspense within this story of a girl looking to find out more about her mother in an Amish community that’s hiding something sinister. But the rest is predictable & unsurprising, & honestly has no right to be a part of these found-footage horror movies seeing practically none of it has anything to do w/ paranormal activity!
MASS
4 out of 5 stars
A devastating drama of two pairs of parents trying to understand the incomprehensible, all the while thoughtfully challenging us viewers on how would we feel & what would we do. From first-time writer/director Kranz, this is a stunning study of anger, loss, pain & forgiveness, & features four powerhouse performances. The emotional weight put on Isaacs, Plimpton, Dowd, & Birney is massive, though their unbelievable restraint in showing how a terrible tragedy can ruin so many lives until it becomes too much to hold in is remarkable. And when the feelings come pouring out, it’s raw & rueful. An achingly profound & provocative film that’s difficult to watch, but couldn’t be more timely nor significant.
FINCH
3.5 out of 5 stars
This sci-fi post-apocalyptic drama may feel familiar in a lot of areas, but none of that can dampen such a wonderful & tremendously touching road trip happening as the world is ending. And it’s so easy to care for & believe in this unlikely trio when comprised of a stellar Hanks, a winning & hilarious robot voiced by Jones, & an adorable pup named Goodyear. More so, director Sapochnik offers up some awesome CGI & smartly reframes from going overboard w/ sentimentality; of course, it doesn’t hurt having one of the finest actors to ever live keeping everything experienced grounded & gratifying either.
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG
1 out of 5 stars
Definitely not for adults, but even for the kiddos – they’ll one day realize they deserve so much better than what director Becker is selling them. The scenarios get more & more ridiculous, the message of being different is lazy, & the CGI is dismal at best. No tails are wagging for this absolute cheap woof of a family movie that’s clearly incapable of capturing the spirit & heart of the books.
ANTLERS
2.5 out of 5 stars
Director Cooper & producer del Toro’s slow-burn creature feature is spawned from a short story by Antosca & it probably should’ve stayed that way. The unfortunate part is this has a lot going for it. The monster & mood are stirring & well-crafted, & Russell & Plemons put in two solid performances. Yet, when it comes to the mythological & metaphorical stuff – things start to not look so good from where we’re sitting. Each lose their meaning as they seem to always be clashing against one another. So w/ the impossibility of meshing the two, the outcome being coincidently thought-provoking & terrifying ain’t going to happen. Regardless, considering the crazy, gruesome shit we witness – those last remaining 10 minutes or so are the worst w/ a way too easy of an ending.
THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN
3 out of 5 stars
All you cat lovers gather around for a quirky biopic of Wain – a British artist who towards the end of the 19th century altered the world’s percipience of our feline friends through his playful, peculiar pictures. In this colorful yet needlessly sedulous story, co-writer/director Sharpe matches the whimsical energy of his subject pretty well. The issue is that it doesn’t always work in his favor. Though, through a journey of love, imagination, mental health, & loss – Cumberbatch is as electric as ever in his portrayal of a disarming, sorrowful soul who never received the respect he deserved while alive.
THE BETA TEST
1 out of 5 stars
First of all, this confusing, inconcise, & lifeless Hollywood satire is annoying to watch. Secondly, co-directors & writers Cummings & McCabe drag their decent ideas through a so-called “conspiracy thriller” that offers nothing remotely close to shocking, provocative, or worthwhile. Mysterious purple envelopes, cheating, paranoia, & murder – almost all of it is a waste of your 93 minutes.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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