#VicksFlicks Terse Twitter Reviews – Vol. 68

Brandon Vick reviews Babylon, The Whale, The Menu, Bones and All, and much more on the latest installment of Terse Twitter Reviews!

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BABYLON

4 out of 5 stars

Writer/director Chazelle audaciously frames a frenzied, bombastic trek through the debauchery of Hollywood in the era of silent films turning into talkies that’s surprisingly hilarious. Phenomenal production design & a thunderous score fabulously add to the gorgeous chaos that’s extravagant, excessive, & enrapturing for much of its 3 hour runtime. As it comes into its final hour full steam ahead – the story hits a wall once Maguire’s character pops up, entering uninspiring & futile territory. Still, Chazelle sticks the landing in the final moments that include a montage exhibiting the magic & immortality of the movies. Pitt is dreamy as a fading movie star while Robbie is alluring from the get-go in a role where she’s wonderfully unhinged. And a star is born w/ Calva in a magnificent performance where he falls in love w/ a woman who can’t be tamed while getting swept up in a take-no-prisoners film industry. Chazelle pulls off what most filmmakers could only dream about in this boisterous, exhausting, jaw-dropping, & totally wild epic.

THE MENU

4.5 out of 5 stars

Using delicious, devilish ingredients of horror, dark humor, & thrills – director Mylod & writers Reiss & Tracy cook up a burning batch of class warfare, plating an unforgettable feast that’s to die for. Fiennes is as commanding as he’s ever been playing a master chef whose passion has been pummeled to a pulp. So for his customers’ last supper, he’s prepared his masterpiece. Taylor-Joy is wonderful in her resistance, & watching her & Fiennes square off is an oversized treat. Another huge highlight is Chau, the chef’s right-hand woman, who manages the guests as they eat less than they desire but more than they deserve. It’s a sublime satire (w/ an exuberant score by Stetson) on the snooty foodie culture w/ plenty of incredulous flavor. Throughout each course, we’re licking our chops for what will be placed next on the table & the inspiration behind it. Never has a dish best served cold been so twisted yet tasty.

STRANGE WORLD

2.5 out of 5 stars

Disney presents an eco-friendly, sci-fi action adventure that has a lot to offer when it comes to lush & vibrant animation, an exciting concept, & meaningful representation. Directors Hall & Nguyen unfortunately use all of that to tell an ordinary, dusty story that’s practically running on fumes. Sure, there’s a splendid voice cast & a decent amount of heart & tenderness to barge through most of the muck. But the fact still remains there’s a ton of fun that goes untraveled in this unfunny & unnecessarily complicated exploration of the difficulties of sons following in their father’s footsteps & figuring out the legacy they’ll leave behind.

CAUSEWAY

3.5 out of 5 stars

Lawrence & Henry are incredible in Neugebauer’s feature directorial debut about two shattered individuals trying to pick up the pieces while an unapt friendship begins to form between them. The subtle storytelling of this tender trauma drama is emotionally textured, refusing to be showy or sappy. Healing is a process & Neugebauer wisely chooses not to rush it. She allows Lawrence & Henry to move around & sort their own shit out the best their characters know how. And in doing so, delivering quiet, honest performances that relay inconceivable pain & guilt without ever begging for our pity.

WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story

3 out of 5 stars

A parody biopic fabulously fit for the parody king w/ a wildly weird Radcliffe delivering a tip-top comedic performance. Silly, exorbitant, & ridiculous – co-writer/director Appel & Yankovic fondly poke fun while unabashedly veering from a conventional narrative & go full speed into unadulterated goofiness. But what accompanies that are numerous scenes that we have to slog through to get to the next good laugh, & sometimes the wait is too long because not every joke hits the mark. Even though a sense of fatigue sets in by the end, this is still a fun little farce crammed w/ truths, fibs, celeb cameos, & a menacing Madonna, played by a scene-stealing Wood.

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

4 out of 5 stars

After more than a decade, DreamWorks Animation has our adorable, fearless feline hero returning in an all new exciting adventure w/ exceedingly high stakes. Loaded w/ poignant themes of regret, forgiveness, belonging, fear of death, & appreciating the gift of life – directors Crawford & Mercado design a fun-filled story running on an unlimited supply of swashbuckling action & agreeable comedy. Families will no doubt be fully engulfed in the fresh & fantastical animation that’s a marvelous mix of 2D textures & 3D – generating exuberant & vibrant paint-like imagery that pops off the screen. The charming & hilarious voice cast, lead by the amazing Banderas, are great from top to bottom w/ Guillén being my personal favorite as a dog named Perro. The SCU (Shrek Cinematic Universe) desperately needed a jolt & now it’s got it in this splendid, stylized fairy tale sequel that’s one of the best animated movies of the year.

VIOLENT NIGHT

3.5 out of 5 stars

Harbour is one badass St. Nick & can swing the hell out of a hammer in this action/comedy gloriously decorated in Christmas mayhem that needs to be enjoyed with a rowdy crowd. Showing love to Home Alone & Die Hard, director Wirkola is having a holly jolly time presenting a version of Santa that’s no holds barred. There’s as much violence & explosions as there is wonderful Christmas music & decorations. Wirkola as well as the writers, Casey & Miller, are well aware of the movie they’re making & carry out everything the trailer advertises. The thrilling fight scenes & inventive kills earn it every bit of its R rating. Here’s a new Christmas classic for those who like them vicious, funny, grisly, unfeigned, and stark raving mad. (Full review)

BONES AND ALL

4.5 out of 5 stars

Cannibalism makes falling in love a little more complicated than usual in this gruesomely beautiful, beguiling coming-of-age romance where a constant state of uneasiness exists. In Guadagnino’s best film yet, two young outsiders have a formidable hunger to be normal, but through each other – a deep though disturbing discovery is found within themselves. Chalamet is terrific & Rylance is outright terrifying, yet it’s Russell’s remarkable, emotional, & harrowing performance that devours w/ might, leaving no scraps behind.

The flesh-eating horror isn’t for the faint of heart, & while shocking, it serves as a significant part to what Guadagnino exceptionally explores about abandonment, craving to belong, multigenerational trauma, & protecting those you love. Bolstered by staggering cinematography, a sharp script & a haunting, hypnotic score by Reznor & Ross – it’s a love story markedly stained in red that causes us to reflect on how otherness can survive in a world that wants to chew it up & spit it out.

SPIRITED

2.5 out of 5 stars

Neither a bah humbug nor a Christmas classic – Ferrell & Reynolds sing, jingle, & dance in this hip & buoyant yet overstuffed Dickens musical. All merry & bright, the two funny fellas do show off their natural born strengths w/ snark, silliness & sincerity. But it still has a challenging time sharing the lovely gift of laughter. Aside from a few rather amusing ideas – it’s the same old Carol w/ forgettable musical numbers & songs. Holiday cheer is in the air but in short supply.

THE WHALE

3 out of 5 stars

Adapted from his own play, writer Hunter & director Aronofsky fall short in implementing crucial emotional resonance in a film where confounding creative choices, a shallow script & an overall uneven tone hold viewers hostage from openly connecting to the characters’ pain. Even so, this stays a relatively devastating character study of one man’s guilt/gluttony, grief/faith, & love/compassion thanks to the incredible performances that substantially surpass all else.

Chau & Morton are remarkable in two vital roles that have us thoroughly transfixed on them & their time shared on-screen w/ Fraser. And as far as Fraser goes, it’s a comeback for the ages. His authenticity, vulnerability, & bravery overpower other aspects brought on by a defective narrative that to a certain extent weigh him down. Easily the best performance of Fraser’s career, he’s first-rate from beginning to end.

Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern 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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