DEATH OF A UNICORN (2025)

March 28, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. When most people think of unicorns, they picture something along the lines of “My Little Pony”, or some other lovable, cuddly animal from a kids’ story. This feature film debut from writer-director Alex Scharfman is definitely not that. In fact, the inspiration from the classic JURASSIC PARK (1993) is quite evident in these unicorns (and one of the main themes). Welcome to a fantasy-comedy-slasher with more than a dash of social commentary.

Ridley (Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday”, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE) and her dad Elliott (Paul Rudd, ANT-MAN) are on a road trip into the deep forest for a meeting with his employer, billionaire pharmaceutical CEO Odell Leopold (Richard E Grant, SALTBURN). Odell has terminal cancer and as his attorney, Elliott is hoping to close a deal that will set up himself and Ridley for life. Father and daughter argue about her deceased mother during the trip, causing Elliott to be distracted when a unicorn waltzes in front of their speeding car. It’s an unusual sequence that not only connects Ridley to the mystical creature and leaves them splattered in purple blood, it also sets up the rest of the story.

Upon arriving at the majestic estate in the forest, we are introduced to Odell’s wife Belinda (Tea Leoni) and their spoiled, entitled, obnoxious son Shepard (Will Poulter, MIDSOMMER), as well as the estate caretaker, Griff (Anthony Carrigan, “Barry”). It’s nice to see Ms. Leoni back, as it appears her last big screen appearance was in TOWER HEIST fourteen years ago (of course she starred in “Madam Secretary” for six of those years). There will likely be debates on the most memorable character, as Shepard is so over-the-top wacky that he becomes cartoonish, while Griff could easily have been yanked directly from a Mel Brooks film.

The key conflict in the story revolves around the all-out greed displayed by the Leopold clan versus the warnings from Ridley after she studies unicorn history and mythology via the tapestries of the Cloisters. Stuck in the middle is Elliott who wants to improve the relationship with his daughter while also appeasing the Leopold family. Scharfman includes quite a bit of comedy throughout, and when blended with the violent and gory horror elements, it actually seems to distract from what could have been a stunning cinematic experience, leaving us with a silly slasher sub-genre entry.

Richard E Grant delivers his usual strong performance and is given the actor’s dream of transforming from dying elderly man into the virile industry magnate of his youth. Will Poulter breaks away from his often-intense dramatic turns to flash his goofy comedy chops (snorting magical horn dust). The films kinda wastes Jenna Ortega’s talent, although she gets a nice line, “Philanthropy is just reputation-laundering for the oligarchy” highlighting the films anti-greed message. The argument could be made that Paul Rudd is a bit miscast, as we are never given any reason to believe he’s a strong or competent corporate attorney. There is enough to like here if fantasy-horror-comedy is your cup of tea, yet most will note the shaky GGI on the unicorns (improved for Act III), which pale in comparison to JP’s dinosaurs from thirty years ago

Opens on March 28, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2025 – short films

February 28, 2025

SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2025 – Short Films

Below are recaps of some of the short films I watched at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival.

FISHMONGER (25:30)

No rules apply to film festival shorts and writer-director Neil Ferron and co-writer Alexandra Dennis-Renner succeed in pushing the envelope with their surreal spin on Catholic mythology. Accurately billed as a supernatural dark comedy, the film plops us right into the middle of a crisis taking place on a remote Irish island. Christie O’Mallaghan’s mother is in the throes of a self-inflicted disease that finds her near death, and with sores that spew puss on him whenever he gets near.

Local beliefs are that if a mother passes, leaving an unmarried son, her soul is to burn for eternity. Christie loves his mother (having been dependent upon her in the cringiest of ways), and now, to save her soul, faces the choice between suicide and marrying the only unwed woman on the island, Penny O’Brien (played by Penny O’Brien). Since the two have never spoken, the latter seems unlikely. Father Heaney (Mark Bramhall) offers a possible solution. Christie, a hapless fisherman, is to paddle out to the cove, offer up specific gifts to the sea creature, and request his wish be granted to marry Penny.

The sequences here include a duet right out of a stage musical; tentacle sex with Sinead the sea creature, the likes of which caused me to look away; and a developing love story yielding yet more cringing (from me). Dominic Burgess plays Christie, Donnla Hughes is Sinead, and Mari Weiss is the suffering mother. It’s a bonkers premise that will surely draw comparisons to Robert Eggers’ excellent THE LIGHTHOUSE (2019). And though we admire Christie’s apparent willingness to do whatever is necessary to save his mom, the ending is sure to stun.

ONE REHEARSES, THE OTHER DOESN’T  (15:00)

As part of the “Experimental” category, this short from writer-director Jessica Hankey was co-written by playwright Victor Kaufold and the film’s subject, Marjorie Annapav. Ms. Annapav plays herself in the film as she engages with Gerrie (Ann Randolph), a performance teacher, so that Marjorie’s life can become a stage presentation.

Admittedly (and purposefully), this one is a bit tricky for viewers to follow. It’s more like a slideshow of the process, with the insight coming from the verbal exchanges between the women, at least more so than in the physical performances. There is a sequence regarding a once heavily-used Rolodex that provides some context, yet mostly this requires focused attention from viewers to grasp the specifics of Marjorie’s life, including her marriage to surrealist and pop artist, William Copley.

GURGLING  (13:06)

A conversation with a girlfriend leads to confession that a previous boyfriend broke up with her since she “lacked imagination”, a break-up that led to the friend taking advantage of the situation. Writer-director Christine Margaret Wu seems to really understand the young housewife who spends her days caring for her elderly in-laws while her husband works.

That same husband is constantly ‘too tired’ to show her any affection, so when she notices a voyeur spying on her while she showers, something ignites within her. She so longs to be desired and appreciated as her husband builds a “safe and stable life”. The film is from Taiwan and expertly captures the woman’s pent-up emotions.

THE SPHINX  16:22

Well, surely this one has a premise you’ve never seen before, even though I won’t spoil it for you. Writer-director Jesse Padveen takes us on a first date. The couple is awkwardly conversing in a restaurant booth. As the young man spins the tale of how he became a locksmith, the woman struggles to maintain some level of interest – or at least tries to appear that she’s listening.

Suddenly something jarring occurs sending the man off to ‘fix’ the issue. He’s embarrassed but she’s now surprisingly intrigued. The two head off to her friend’s party where he’s encouraged to perform his special party trick. This leads to humiliation for the man, and we follow him first to his mom’s place, and ultimately to his dad’s … where one of our questions is answered and we also learn of his dad’s specific (and understandable) fetish. This one is for those anxious to see a creative short.

TWO OF HEARTS 5:56

Although it’s slotted in the “Narrative Shorts” category, this quirky little film from writer-director Mashie Alam includes very little of anything we would traditionally label as narrative, at least conventionally speaking. With an opening credit that gives off soap opera vibes, we are soon engulfed in an oddball (limited) verbal competition between brother and sister.

“It’s always been the two of us” leads into each of siblings battling the other with the same comeback, “It should be you.” It’s not until the end when we are clued in to what they are debating, but it’s clear they are building up to a big decision … one they must come to agreement on. Equally surprising is how this sharp looking film concludes with Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talking”. Given how things are these days, it’s a relief to see any debate end with benevolence.

DEATH DRIVE  5:55

The woman shoves a handgun into the glove compartment of a classic Ford Mustang. Is she headed out to kill? To be killed? To see where the night takes her?  We are never really sure of much other than she loves to give that car the gas. A dashboard camera and the squealing tires keep us a bit disoriented, but then so do the images of the mostly elderly folks illuminated by the car’s headlights.

The only clue we have is the idling black sedan that may or may not be death, and may or may not be after the woman this evening. Writer-director Eli-Bella Wood also plays the woman who is driving, and the artsy slow-motion effects and the nighttime setting combine with the lack of dialogue to make this a film that revs in your mind … even after the man on the horse tips his Stetson.

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Posted by David Ferguson

BETTER MAN (2024)

January 9, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. There may have been a movie that surprised me more than this one during 2024, but off the top of my head, I can’t think of one. My expectations were low for a film based on the true story of a British boy band pop star whose music I wasn’t too familiar with … oh, and he’s played by a human-sized CGI chimp. Robbie Williams is the pop star, and though he has little popularity or recognition in the United States, his story is quite interesting … and certainly presented in a creative and entertaining manner by writer-director Michael Gracey (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, 2017) and co-writers Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole.

Calling young Robbie Williams an outcast is not done for dramatic effect. His troubled youth and home life morphed into an opportunity to join Take That, a boy band who hit it big in the 1990’s.  Booze, drugs, and depression are too often part of the story for those who reach celebrity status, and that’s certainly the case with Williams … as is his infidelity while on tour, and his ‘Daddy issues’, thanks to a father (Steve Pemberton) who dumps the family to pursue his own flirtations with fame – yet never shying away from sprinkling in a bit of envy while lecturing his son. If you’ve always wanted to see Oasis insult and humiliate another pop star, your wish will come true, although we doubt neither Liam nor Noel are having to act much in the scene.

Robbie Williams himself answers the big question early on. This is how he sees himself: a performing monkey. And the monkey, though not real of course, does a terrific job of winning us over to the point where we no longer have that initial ‘what the heck’ look on our face. The reason this works is that director Gracey and subject Williams never back away from playing this approach as directly as it shows on screen. It may be a gimmick, but it’s not played for a final ‘gotcha’ moment.

The music is on full display here, and Williams’ performance at Knebworth is excellent, but the real showstopper is “Rock DJ”, which along with the montage, provides us with a bit of history lesson on Take That. It’s a world class film scene and one of the best of the year. The personal aspects may not play quite so well. The inner-band rivalry with Gary (Jake Simmonce), and the manner in which he treats his relationship with girlfriend and also famous Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Bano) make him out to be more of a beast (and less interesting) than the one performing on stage. Still, I don’t hesitate to proclaim this to be the best music biopic of the year featuring a CGI chimp in the lead role.

Opens in theaters on January 10, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

PETER PAN (2024, stage musical)

December 27, 2024

(BROADWAY DALLAS 2024-25)

It’s a tale as old as time. OK, not that tale. And not all of time, although the story of Peter Pan dates back to JM Barrie’s 1904 play (“Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up”) and 1911 novel (“Peter and Wendy”). Most of us, across multiple generations, were first exposed to the story of the boy who never grows up while we were kids – through television, books, movies, and/or stage plays. Two of the more popular films include the 1953 animated Disney movie and the 1991 Spielberg movie HOOK starring Robin Williams. However, it’s live theatre where the story has had its greatest impact. There was the1954 Broadway production that featured Mary Martin (Larry Hagman’s mother) in a Tony Award winning performance as Peter Pan, and then in 1979, Sandy Duncan took on the role for a new Broadway production. The 1990’s had Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan, with her most recent run occurring in 1998.

The latest stage revival comes courtesy of a 2024 national stage production tour by director Lonny Price (a two-time Emmy winner) and based on an additional book by Larissa Fasthorse. Lorin Latarro and Paul Rubin handle the choreography and flying sequences. With a run at Broadway Dallas in the historic Music Hall at Fair Park, this latest production dazzles all ages – from 5 to 90+ (not counting the newborn someone dared carry in). The opening finds us in the bedroom of the Darling children, exposing us to the sufficiently irritating family. Dad is feeling the pressure of the impending work event, mom is worried about the babysitter, oldest daughter Wendy is rushing to grow up, while the two youngest, John and Michael, are immersed in childhood. After a tease from Tinker Bell, we don’t have to wait long for Peter Pan to make his spectacular entrance, soaring through the window while sprinkling fairy dust.

The production features three main sets: the Darling bedroom, the Neverland jungle, and Captain Hook’s ship, the Jolly Roger. All three are fully formed, with Neverland being especially adaptable. Complementing the sets are some terrific visual video effects on the backdrop. These are exceptionally effective during the initial flight from bedroom window to the shores of Neverland to meet The Lost Boys, as well as smile-inducing during the “shadow” moments.

With so many young characters, casting this show can be quite challenging, so it’s a pleasant surprise to note that there are no weak links here. High school senior Nolan Almeida plays Peter Pan. He is involved in most of the first half of the show, singing in six of the eight songs. Almeida brings a bustling energy to the role in comparison to the graceful and elegant style of some previous Pans. It’s different, yet it works … although I wondered why he only wore his hat during the initial scene. Cody Garcia plays dual roles as both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook, the latter being quite a crowd favorite. Making her professional stage debut is Hawa Kamara as Wendy Darling. It’s a key role, though she has only one solo singing moment. Bailey Frankenberg truly shines as Tiger Lily, both in her physicality and singing prowess. Comedy relief comes courtesy of Kurt Perry as Smee, Hook’s right-hand (no pun intended) pirate, and the two young Darling brothers, John and Mike, are played by Levi Chrisopulos and Camden Kwok, respectively (both making their national tour debuts).  Hook’s ‘other’ nemesis, the ticking crocodile, hilariously belly-crawls across the stage, generating laughter and applause from the audience.

The flying segments are a crucial element to the production, and each hoisted actor performs admirably, with Almeida’s Peter being noticeably acrobatic in his sequences. Audience reaction to each flying character was filled with joy, perhaps most apparent in Peter’s first and final flights. Another big audience moment stems from Peter Pan encouraging noisy participation to revive Tinker Bell’s spirit after her self-sacrifice. And speaking of Tink, I never figured out what sorcery (it’s a joke) was used to depict her darting light. Whatever it was, it worked beautifully. It’s a two-hour and forty-minute production, including the intermission, and perhaps the best compliment for those involved is that time flies (another unintended pun) by. The Music Hall sound system was strong and clear for the songs, the dialogue, and the sharp orchestra. The loss of one’s childhood may or may not be a time of melancholy, but the Peter Pan story never fails to land emotionally. The only downside I can find is now that this Disney property is open-source, there is an upcoming 2025 film entitled PETER PAN’S NEVERLAND NIGHTMARE. It’s sure to be Rated-R, and hopefully no young kids get anywhere near it, else their childhood be lost.

“Peter Pan” runs through January 5, 2025 at Broadway Dallas at Music Hall at Fair Park

https://broadwaydallas.org/

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Posted by David Ferguson

FLOW (2024, animated)

December 5, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Cats tend to be solitary creatures. And by ‘tend’ I mean about 99% of the time. In this superb animated fable from writer-director Gints Zilbalodis (AWAY, 2019) and co-writer Matiss Kaza, our protagonist is a cat who learns (and teaches us) that a community working together is more powerful than any single being working alone.

Clocking in at a brisk 84 minutes, the film opens with the cat gazing at his own reflection in the river. After a frantic chase with dogs on it’s trail, the cat escapes back to the house where he was once cared for by a cat-loving carpenter who has presumably since passed away. After a thundering herd of deer run by, a massive flood hits the forest and sends the cat scurrying for higher ground. The adventure begins … and though there are some similarities to other animal journey movies, this one is unique in its approach.

Zilbalodis has utilized no humans or human voices. The animal sounds are actually recorded animal sounds specific to each critter (no cute voiceovers). The exception is the capybara, where a camel’s recording is used instead. Much of the time is spent on a floating sailboat filled with an odd group of animals: our ever-present cat, the capybara (sleepy but loyal), a labrador (playful and friendly), a ring tail lemur (collecting all sorts of items along the way), and a large white bird ( I believe an African secretarybird who steers the boat despite a broken wing).

As you might imagine, this group of misfit sailors learn that survival depends on getting along and working together. Their teamwork is quite impressive, even as they encounter obstacles, and their own conflict – which leads to a stronger bond. This is not the hyper-realistic animation we’ve recently seen with animals, but the movements are extremely true-to-form for each of them. Zilbalodis includes some mystical elements, but as a fable, the message is that community and teamwork are stronger than solitude, and the final shot reinforces this. The filmmaker purposefully avoided any particular geographic locale (as noted by the various species) in order to ensure the deeper message is not lost. This is Latvia’s Oscar submission, and it will likely gain support in the animation category.

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Posted by David Ferguson

WICKED (2024)

November 19, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Who is the good witch and who is the bad one? For those of us whose obsession with the classic 1939 film version of L Frank Baum’s 1900 novel has lasted from childhood through adulthood, it has always been crystal clear that the Wicked Witch of the West was bad and Glinda the Good Witch was so-named for obvious reasons. Then along came Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West”, and the subsequent 20+ year Broadway run of the stage musical, which generated many new fans. And now we have a film adaptation of the stage production is directed by the talented Jon M Chu (CRAZY RICH ASIANS, 2018) with a screenplay co-written by Dana Fox (CRUELLA, 2021) and Winnie Holzman (who wrote the musical book for the stage musical). Could it be that the line between good and evil is not so clear? Or even that others have manipulated the situation to ensure a villain exists? I’m so excited for Oz fans to watch this.

Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba Thropp, the misunderstood, green-skinned outcast, and Ariana Grande Butera co-stars as Galinda/Glinda Upland, the rich, spoiled, popular kid. These two Grammy winners both deliver incredible performances with singing voices that leave us in awe. Ariana hits notes that seem otherworldly and Erivo is truly dynamic. It’s staggering to think much of their singing was performed “live” while acting. There is no way I’m going to spoil any of this, especially for those who have not seen the stage musical. Director Chu opted to keep the characters and songs from the musical, while adding even more detail to this film version.

Whether you prefer to label this a prequel or origin story, you should know going in that the complete story has been divided into two movies. The second part will be released in November 2025. This part one opens with Glinda gliding into Munchkinland to confirm the latest big news. She’s then persuaded to tell the backstory, which we watch in flashback form. We see the cutest ever newborn baby with green skin, and witness how Elphaba is mistreated in her own home in favor of her wheelchair bound sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), to whom their father demands she offer protection as they head off to Shiz University in the Land of Oz.

Judging her strictly by her ‘different’ appearance, everyone’s favorite classmate, Galinda, immediately treats Elphaba as a misfit, leading others to do the same. When Madam Morrible (Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh) spots some hidden powers in Elphaba, she arranges for the two rivals to share a dorm suite. This initially causes the rift to grow, right up until things thaw and a friendship forms. During some of these scenes, Ms. Grande flashes true comedic timing with giggles, patented hair flips, and some real zingers embedded in her self-serving compliments. Along the way, Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey, “Bridgerton”), a charming and carefree Prince, crosses paths with the girls, creating conflicting emotions.

Of course, this is a musical, and the familiar songs are not only sung beautifully, but most feature some intricate choreography and acting as well. Erivo and Grande each get their standout numbers with “Defying Gravity” and “Popular”, respectively. We see Elphaba turn to activism and a quest for kindness and justice in a sequence involving Dr. Dillabond (voiced by Peter Dinklage), one of the last remaining teaching animals at Shiz. The tone shifts quickly once Elphaba and (now) Glinda head to Emerald City to meet the Wizard, played by a surprisingly reserved Jeff Goldblum. We are also struck by Elphaba’s quiet dignity on her path to transforming into her more famous role.

There are countless life lessons to be taken from this fantastical world filled with colorful characters, and it’s interesting to see political strategy play out in a way to create the villain we are told is necessary to unite Oz’s citizenry behind the cause. We are also reminded that there are two sides to every story, and even Glinda realizes this as she and her new friend come to a fork in the road – or a broom on the balcony – that will determine their future. It’s quite a journey for these two, and along the way we see the fabulous Oz train, the Wizard’s for-show mechanics, the Grimmerie (Elphaba’s magic book), and of course, the fabulous flying monkeys (responsible for so many nightmares since 1939). We even get appearances from Kristen Chenowith and Idina Menzel from the original stage production.

The film looks absolutely marvelous, and much of that is thanks to the incredible sets created for the film … so much better than the heavy dose of green screen effects we’ve become accustomed to. Production Designer Nathan Crowley deserves mention, as does Paul Tazewell for the brilliant costume designs. The music is courtesy of John Powell and Stephen Schwartz (songs from the musical), and the choreography is from Christopher Scott. Oscar winner Frances Hannon delivers superb Hair and Makeup, while Director of Photography Alice Brooks and Visual Effects Director Pablo Helma give the film its remarkable look. We may have to wait a year for Part 2, where hopefully we discover how Glinda becomes sincerely good, but there’s little doubt this first part is memorable and worthy of multiple viewings.

Opens wide on November 22, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE CROW (2024)

August 22, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been thirty years since Alex Proyas directed THE CROW (1994). Unfortunately, the cult favorite is forever remembered as being the set on which lead actor Brandon Lee (son of the legendary Bruce Lee) died an accidental and tragic death. Along the way, there have been lesser sequels. There have also been so many rumors of a re-boot over the last fifteen years, that I remained a bit doubtful until the opening credits actually began to roll.

Director Rupert Sanders (GHOST IN THE SHELL, 2017) and co-writers Zach Baylin (KING RICHARD, 2021) and William Josef Schneider have avoided the “remake” label, while offering their version of the comic book series from James O’Barr. Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise in the IT movies) and pop star FKA twigs (HONEY BOY, 2019) play Eric and Shelly, the star-crossed lovers who meet at (and escape) drug rehab. Their freedom initially leads to some smooching and giggling and a shared bathtub and bed. Of course, things change for the doomed lovers quickly when she is reminded that some really bad people who work for a really bad man are trying to kill her.

The villain is played by the always-dependable Danny Huston, who has mastered reserved on-screen evil. His billionaire supernatural demon dude puts a hit out on Shelly because of an incriminating cell phone video. When his henchmen succeed in killing Shelly and Eric, the latter finds himself in purgatory learning lessons from Kronos (Sami Bouajila). It turns out the crow will guide Eric to put the wrong things right … which means brining Shelly back to life.

Eric’s afterlife revenge mission takes up most of the film, and violence is around every corner. You should know he is basically invincible, although he does feel pain. So those many bullet holes need to heal as quickly as possible. Eric goes goth (similar to what Brandon Lee did) and sports a black duster that would make Wyatt Earp and Blade envious. A beautiful Opera House serves as the setting for a John Wick-esque parade of violence and bodies … all synchronized to the stage production. We never really know why there are so many henchmen at the opera, but it allows the bullets to fly, the sword to swing, and the blood to flow.

The film clearly falls way short of a Marvel budget, but filming in Prague brings an element of interest with some previously unseen locales – a real plus for the film. It’s a gothic love story of revenge from beyond the grave, so the dark nature of the material is accompanied by some of the darkest lighting you’ll ever see in a movie (although not quite as much rain this time). To top it off, the crows that lead Eric are very cool. Let’s not kid ourselves, it’s a (very) messy movie, but it plays to its audience.

Opens in theaters on August 23, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

TUESDAY (2024)

June 14, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. I thought the same thing. How can a movie featuring a giant talking macaw make any dramatic sense, or deliver a message that’s worth hearing? Well, the first feature film from writer-director Daina Oniunas-Pusic does just that. We know the best fantasy stories and fables are based on harsh realities, and there is no reality more harsh than the fact that death comes for all of us. Now, whether death comes by the Grim Reaper, an Angel of Death, or a talking, size-shifting red macaw may be up for debate, but filmmaker Pusic and the cast deliver an immensely creative and thought-provoking look at death and all stages of grief.

The film opens by taking us on the daily routine of the Death Macaw as it visits those who have reached the end … whether they are ready or not. Some go peacefully, others not so much. Soon it visits Tuesday (played by Lola Petticrew, SHE SAID, 2022). Tuesday has a terminal illness and is wheelchair-bound and tethered to an oxygen tank. She knows it’s her time, but negotiates with the bird so she has a chance to tell her mother goodbye. A brilliant combination of humor-kindness-sarcasm-pot-music (Ice Cube)-and bathtime cause the death bird to give in and grant Tuesday’s wish. Of course, such a decision means death is taking a break, thereby wreaking havoc around the globe.

Mother Zora (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Seinfeld”, “Veep”, 11 Emmys and counting) returns home and reacts quite aggressively … actually violently … to the bird that’s there to take her daughter. Zora may be keeping secrets from her daughter, but it’s with the best intentions to protect her. And protecting her is exactly what she thinks she’s doing when she goes to war with the macaw (brilliantly voiced by Arinze Kene). This mother is just not willing to let her beloved daughter go without a fight … a fight that shifts the tone of the movie, as well as mom’s place in it.

It seems negotiations are ongoing between the parties, even though we all know there is no cheating death – at least not in the long run (some runs are longer than others). Yet, most of us spend each day warding off the idea or simply assuming it’s not our time. We also know most parents will go to any length to protect their kids and ease any pain they might have. A significant portion of this story is about dealing with grief. Julia Louis-Dreyfus mostly replaces her usual goofy grin with a look of stress and anguish. Facing reality, she’s despondent right up until she is enlightened. The filmmaker inserts an insightful blip near the end about God/the afterlife, and the best message is that grief must be dealt with. At some point, we must ‘get on with it’ and understand that the legacy of loved ones is carried on in our memories. Daina Oniunas-Pusic shows us some real creativity on a familiar topic, and it’s pretty impressive.

Opens in theaters on June 14, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

SPACEMAN (2024)

February 29, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Have you hugged a spider today? Adam Sandler has. Well, technically it’s his character who does the hugging. Jakub Prochazka, is a Czech astronaut 189 days into his year long mission. He’s flying solo on “the outskirts of Jupiter” to explore the Chopra cloud which is expected to reveal the beginning of time.  Honestly, it feels like a job worthy of more than one man, however, that’s what the source material provides. Based on the 2017 book “Spaceman of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfar, Johan Renck directs the adapted screenplay by Colby Day. Mr. Renck is not one that jumps to mind when thinking of an Adam Sandler movie. His previous credits include the excellent mini-series “Chernobyl”, as well as multiple episodes of acclaimed series, “Breaking Bad” and “Bloodline”.

The reality is that Adam Sandler is a solid dramatic actor, as evidenced by his roles in PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (2002), and more recently, THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (2017) and UNCUT GEMS (2019). In fact, many of us much prefer heavy-drama Sandler to goofy-comedy Sandler. In this latest, he goes low-key extreme. In fact, Jakub is rapidly sinking into depression, though it has little to do with the loneliness and solitude of space. That’s right … it’s a woman. His pregnant wife, Lenka (the always stellar Carey Mulligan) is missing and won’t communicate with her galactic husband. We know what’s going on with her, but the mission Commander (Isabella Rossellini) refuses to tell Jakub due to his fragile mental state. On top of that, his deteriorating spacecraft is preventing him from sleeping properly.

Soon, that rickety old space toilet is the least of Jakub’s worries. He’s sharing the claustrophobic space with a giant talking spider. Jakub is unsure if this is a figment of his imagination or some alien creature. Passively voiced by Paul Dano, Hanus the arachnid initially appears to be a manifestation of Jakub’s subconscious, but as time goes on, it appears he’s a creature with knowledge of the universe. The low-key vocals from Jakub and Hanus don’t generate much excitement for us viewers, but the therapy Hanus provides, allows Jakub to better understand himself … and also drives Hanus to binge eat. There are no Sandler tantrums or screaming moments … instead his sad eyes and droopy face tell us much about Jakub.

Hanus calls Jakub “skinny human” so many times, it feels like that should be the film’s title. It gets old pretty quickly. Other supporting work comes from Kunal Nayyar as Jakub’s virtual doc, and Lena Olin as Lenka’s mother, although the film struggles to give anyone beyond Jakub much definition (including the underutilized Mulligan). It’s a bit baffling to look at this cast and associate them with the Czech Republic space program, but it’s Hollywood, where the 20-year age cap between Sandler and Mulligan also matters little. The film spent almost three years in post-production for reasons I don’t know, but it’s safe to say it’s one of the better talking spider movies you’ll see, yet not one of the finest lonely astronaut flicks.

Begins streaming on Netflix on March 1, 2024

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2 Comments | Fantasy, Sci-Fi | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

MOLLI AND MAX IN THE FUTURE (2024)

February 9, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. I’ll readily admit that I’m not an expert in outer space-based Science Fiction Romantic-Comedies. If you press me for a description of writer-director Michael Lukk Litwak’s film, it would be “WHEN HARRY MET SALLY … in future space”. Of course, this low budget flick is no match for Rob Reiner’s classic 1989 Rom-Com, yet the mismatched couple and the recurring spontaneous meetups does strike some familiar chords.

Zosia Mamet stars as Molli and Aristotle Athari is Max. Zosia is a quirky actress known for “Girls” and the daughter of renowned writer David Mamet. Aristotle is best known for the season he spent on “Saturday Night Live”. This isn’t one of those shock-and-awe super special effects sci-fi spectacles. Instead, beginning in Chapter One, spaceships collide. One driven by Molli and one by uninsured Max. Rather than bicker over fault, the two display out-of-this-world chemistry … unorthodox chemistry for sure … but chemistry nonetheless.

Beginning with that initial bonding, viewers should brace themselves for non-stop banter whenever Molli and Max are together – something that happens frequently over the 12 years featured here. These reunions occur on various planets, across multiple dimensions, during a relationship with a robot, after joining a cult, and while living as a celebrity. One’s enjoyment of the film will surely be determined by how the rapid-fire dialogue strikes – is it charming or grating? Those charmed will likely focus on the friendship/romantic two-step. Those annoyed will likely notice the political angle that filmmaker Litwak tries to sneak in.

With Special Effects intentionally a notch below BARBARELLA (1968) and FLASH GORDON (1980), the green screen images may be cartoonish, but they fit with the overall tone here. This feels like one of those films that will find a very receptive niche following, while others will be baffled by the appeal.

In theaters beginning February 9, 2024

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1 Comment | Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

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