THE POWER OF THE DOG
Writer/director Jane Campion constructs a phenomenally perfervid and methodical Western drama that is unyielding in the way it places audiences in a boiling pot of romance, ego, aloneness, toxic masculinity, and pretending to be something you’re not. The Burbank brothers are rich ranchers, but couldn’t be more different. George (Jesse Plemons) is more sincere and gentle, and is looking for something more to the life he’s living. And marrying Rose (Kirsten Dunst) could very well fill that emptiness within him. Then there’s Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) who’s a bona fide cowboy, but make no mistake – there’s menace and jealousy behind his eyes, getting off on individuals fearing him and the cruelty he dishes out.
Rose and her son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), are introduced to it straightaway. It’s only a matter of time before the escalating tension between George and Phil spills out and floods the breathless landscapes surrounding them. Every performance is cracking, as is Jonny Greenwood’s haunting score. In a role that we’ve never seen him in before, Cumberbatch is beyond magnetizing. He’s a truculent bastard scarred by his secrets and desires. Slow burning and perpetually perturbing, and by the final scene – you’ll be left speechless. Campion and the compelling cast are at the top of their game.
A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS
Henry Lawfull plays Nikolas, a boy who finds a map in his Santa’s cap made by his mother that will take him on an extraordinary expedition to find his father and Elfhelm – a magical village of elves. Blitzen the reindeer and a talking mouse named Miika (voiced by Stephen Merchant) are along for the magical ride that’s easy to predict, but we won’t mind where it’s taking us anyway. For being another Santa Claus origin fairytale, co-writer/director Gil Kenan handles it with heart and childlike wonder. With a stupendous supporting cast of Brits like Jim Broadbent, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins, and the marvelous Maggie Smith, what we get is pleasant enough & imaginative enough to enjoy for the light holiday distraction that it is.
THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS
Based on Jirô Taniguchi’s manga series, director Patrick Imbert tells an engrossing tale of a young Japanese photojournalist in search of a camera that could prove the conquering of Mt. Everest occurred way back in 1924 by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. Finding Habu Joji, an extreme mountain climber who has disappeared, is key in uncovering the mystery on that monstrous mountain. Exhilarating and emotional at times, the film is at its best once Imbert’s exploration of one’s obsession and purpose as well as the unruffled beauty of making it to the top of the peak comes into focus. Capturing it all in attractive, natural animation undoubtedly makes it a breathtaking viewing experience.
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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