WILL & HARPER (2024)

January 11, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. Realistically speaking, there should be more words for ‘friendship’, designating the multiple levels on which ‘being friends’ can occur. If Financial Advisors can have “A” (like Warren Buffett), B, C, and D (like me) clients, then wouldn’t it be reasonable for us to have levels of friendship for those we entrust with our kids and a house key versus those we meet periodically for happy hour, or those we acknowledge in the grocery store with a wave and a smile? OK, so while the viability of friendship by ranking is not likely, this latest from Josh Greenbaum (BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, 2021) introduces us to a friendship we can all strive for.

Andrew Steele was the head writer for “Saturday Night Live” from 1995 through 2008. Nominated many times for Emmys and WGA awards, he won an Emmy in 2002. During the time at SNL, Steele struck up a friendship with the great Will Ferrell, who was a memorable cast member from 1995 through 2002, before striking gold in movies. Almost thirty years into the friendship, Steele informed Ferrell that Andrew was now Harper (an interesting story behind the name choice), and her transition had begun in 2022. Now, keep in mind that Will Ferrell is a guy in his mid-50’s. Sure, he’s been around Hollywood for decades … but still, this information from a long-time friend would surprise most anyone.

Going back to levels of friendship, Ferrell suggests the two take one of Harper’s beloved cross-country road trips together. Watching the film, it plays like Ferrell prefaces this as a way for the two to reconnect, but on a deeper level, it translates into Ferrell making it easier for Harper to get more comfortable in public with her new self. Either way, this is a friendship to admire and the type of character we should each respect.

We have all seen many movies where buddies take a road trip together. However, these 16 days become much more personal and eye-opening than the average buddy flick. The two friends exchange personal details, and respectfully, Ferrell allows Harper to vocalize and process what this new identity means, how it feels, and how she is accepted by others (who are not long-time friends). There are many stops along the way, including parking lots, sporting events, and a dive bar in Oklahoma. Most of this provides some insight, although the over-staged bits (disguises) seem out of place.

Will Ferrell does in fact reward us with doses of humor. “Are you a worse driver now?” is an instant classic, and their friendship-based banter helps us feel like we are along for the ride. There are segments featuring Harper’s daughters and SNL celebrities, and Harper sometimes reminds us of her prolific comedic writing skills. Perhaps the most telling interactions are those with strangers – related both to Ferrell’s status and Harper’s gender. These days, there is a growing anti-trans sentiment that threatens to destroy the advances made over the past years. It seems to me that the message being delivered here is not one of celebration or special treatment, but rather acceptance and friendship … allowing adults to be who and what they want to be, as long as they aren’t harming others. That also seems like the definition of human decency. This one will likely have you analyzing your own reactions, and you’ll definitely want to stick around for Kristin Wiig’s remarkable song at the end.

available on Netflix

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (2024, Germany)

January 10, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. In the year of long movies, this is one of the longer ones at two hours and forty-eight minutes. Also, in the year of only a few great movies, this is one of them. Writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof was arrested and sentenced for criticizing the Iranian government. He subsequently escaped and fled the country, only to show up for his film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. This is Germany’s submission for the best Foreign Language Oscar.

On the surface, this seems like a simple story. Amidst severe and sometimes violent political unrest in Tehran, a man’s gun goes missing, which could cost him his job. He proceeds to accuse his wife and daughters of taking the gun, and takes such extreme measures in solving the theft that he destroys the fabric of the family. In the United States, we have recently witnessed how political discord can negatively impact family bonds, yet this pales in comparison to what occurs in countries like Iran. The violence in the street too often results in bloodshed that finds its way into homes.

Iman (Missagh Zareh) has not yet had time to celebrate his job promotion in the prosecutor’s office when he’s expected to file a false report regarding a case investigation. The result of the report would likely lead to the prisoner’s execution. It’s just ‘playing ball’ … or office politics (unless of course you are the one to be executed). The increased perks with his new position also bump up the level of danger for Iman and his family. As often happens with the younger generation, his daughters Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) and Sana (Setareh Maleki) support the rebellion, which puts their mother Najmeh (Soheila Golestani) in the unenviable position of disagreeing with her daughters, yet having to protect them from their establishment father.

Director Rasoulof expertly weaves storylines of politics, family dynamics, societal upheaval, and generational differences into an incredibly interesting and often tense film without sugarcoating with unnecessary cliches or easy answers. This is what real life can look like – decisions have ramifications. Fingernail polish and protests can be related, and once again we see that it’s not paranoia if they are after you.

The film opens with an explanation of the sacred fig, and as the story unfolds, we catch the tie-in. We know that times change, and each generation brings new ideas and preferences. We also know that these transitions can range from clunky to violent. There is an extremely effective chase scene through the ruins of a deserted town, and it plays directly to the point that these family members are on different tracks. Rasoulof includes clips of real protests, as well as the gut-wrenching no-win situation Najmeh finds herself in. It’s a terrific performance by Soheila Golestani in a terrific movie from Mohammad Rasoulof.

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Posted by David Ferguson

NICKEL BOYS (2024)

January 10, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. I don’t recall a more unusual opening seven or eight minutes for a film (even including Terrence Malick). Slightly disorienting fragments of scenes from odd angles are made more obscure through nearly indistinguishable dialogue. The surreal images form a dreamlike montage of a playground, a sale on color TV’s, Martin Luther King’s speech, and more. A few more minutes pass before we get an actual look at Elwood, whose story we are about to follow.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning 2019 novel by Colson Whitehead is adapted for the screen by writer-director RaMell Ross and co-writer Joslyn Barnes. Though the story and characters are a work of fiction, the Nickel Academy is based on the Dozier School, a Florida panhandle-based reform school that operated for 111 years prior to unmarked graves being discovered.

Elwood (Ethan Herisse) is an intelligent high schooler being raised by his wise and hardworking grandmother Hattie (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, KING RICHARD, 2021). His teacher is so convinced of Ethan’s potential that he guides him towards a local college that accepts black students and offers scholarships. It doesn’t take us long to gain an affinity for Elwood and realize he has a promising future. Well, that’s right up to the moment he mindlessly accepts a ride in a stolen car. The police treat him as an accomplice, and poof, he’s in a patrol car headed to reform school. The contrast between the environments for white kids at Nickel Academy versus black kids is startling.

Elwood and Turner (Brandon Wilson, THE WAY BACK, 2020) form an unlikely friendship. Turner, who has no family, is from Houston and has a big city viewpoint of societal racism compared to Elwood’s mostly hopeful nature. Two sides of a coin one might say. Director Ross references the classic film THE DEFIANT ONES (1958) a few times – noting the differences between the Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis characters. Another creative choice from Ross is the alternating timeframes as the story is told. Of course, there is young Elwood (Ethan Cole Sharp) and reform school Elwood (Herisse), and we find ourselves intrigued by ‘adult’ Elwood (Daveed Diggs). Ross shows mostly the back of his head as he starts his own business – Ace Moving Company – and works through relationship issues.

Still, most of the film’s story occurs while Elwood and Turner negotiate each day through the abuse and mistreatment … and fear of the sweatbox. It’s through their eyes that we ‘see’ what they say. This distinctive camera work from cinematographer Jomo Fray would likely be distracting in most films, but here, it works to plop us right into an environment we’d likely never experience on our own. Supporting work comes from Hamish Linklater as the home’s director and Fred Hechinger as a foreman who cuts the boys some slack. It’s Linklater’s character who methodically lays out the steps for the boys to achieve release. It’s only with time that they discover these steps are nothing but a pipe dream.

It’s a long movie with some heartbreaking moments. It’s also one that frequent movie goers will recognize as a true work of art. As adult Elwood follows the excavation of the Nickel Academy site, the impact of a place that laid the foundation of animosity becomes quite clear. There are lessons to be learned from history, if only we take heed.

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE LAST SHOWGIRL (2024)

January 9, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. I get that many would quickly toss this one aside without so much as a second thought. After all, Pamela Anderson hasn’t been featured much in the last decade (or two), and most only recall her from “Baywatch” in the 1990’s and, umm, perhaps an infamously intimate video. My advice would be to reconsider. She’s now 57 years old and is absolutely terrific in this film from director Gia Coppola (granddaughter of legendary director Francis Ford Coppola; her big screen debut was as baby Zoe in NEW YORK STORIES, 1989). The screenplay is from TV scribe Kate Gersten (“Mozart in the Jungle”).

The film opens with Shelly (Ms. Anderson) in a close-up during an audition. She’s obviously quite nervous and a bit out of her comfort zone. It turns out most of the movie is a flashback that leads up to the full audition, including her verbal sparring with the show’s casting director (Jason Schwartzman, director Gia Coppola’s cousin). We soon learn that Shelly is a veteran dancer who has been a part of the ‘Razzle Dazzle’ burlesque show in Las Vegas for 38 years. The show’s promotional posters from the late 1980’s feature a young Shelly – and she’s been there ever since.

We experience the frenetic energy and near chaos backstage during the show, as Shelly and her fellow dancers, Mary-Anne (Brenda Song, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, 2010) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka, “Mad Men”) juggle for dressing room space and costume changes between numbers. The two younger dancers look up to Shelly, who even fills the role of mother-figure for Jodie – a youngster dealing with family issues. All of the timing is coordinated by the Stage Manager Eddie (Dave Bautista, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, 2014), a figure of calm who has a history with Shelly.

Shelly’s best friend is Annette (Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis), who plays an aging cocktail waitress trying to hang on despite the generational shifts. What seems quite clear is that all of these folks are caught in a web of day-to-day survival – never able to get ahead (despite a career spanning almost 4 decades). When the new owners decide to shut down Razzle Dazzle in favor of a circus, Shelly experiences double panic mode. Not only is her livelihood at stake, but her estranged daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd, “American Horror Story” and daughter of Carrie Fisher) is showing signs of wanting to reconnect with, or at least make sense of, a mother who chose the stage over her. The two share some emotional scenes.

Many will be surprised at the range Pamela Anderson shows in her performance, and the story itself should not be overlooked. Razzle Dazzle acts as a stand-in for the life so many folks have led, and just how untethered and lost they feel when the rug is pulled from the only life they’ve known. Shelly mentions a couple of times how she’s always having to defend her life, somehow not recognizing the need … even when Hannah is standing face to face with her. There’s a lot here, and I’m hoping movie lovers give this one a shot.

Opens in theaters on January 10, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

HARD TRUTHS (2024)

January 9, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. Mike Leigh has long been one of the most interesting filmmakers working. His projects vary greatly and include such gems as HIGH HOPES (1988), VERA DRAKE (2004), HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (2008), ANOTHER YEAR (2010), and MR TURNER (2014). His actors always seem at the top of their game in his films, and this latest is no exception. Marianne Jean-Baptiste tears into her role as Pansy, one of the most chronically agitated women you’ve ever experienced.

We witness first-hand as Pansy berates so many different people … often for just doing their job (not up to her standard) or simply just being (in a spot Pansy doesn’t want them to be). She’s a non-discriminating grumpy woman whether shopping, visiting a medical professional, or even around her family. Her depressive nature tends to boil over as anger or an irrational sensitivity to most living things. Watching her lambaste her husband Curtley (David Webber) or her 22 year old son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) is cringe-inducing, yet it becomes quite curious when neither react to her outbursts. Their stone-faced demeanor says so much.

Pansy’s sister Chantelle (Michele Austin) is quite the contrast as a normal woman, upbeat hairstylist, and mother of two well-adjusted adult daughters. Sisters Pansy and Chantelle planning a trip to visit their mother’s grave for Mothers’ Day somehow becomes the crux of the story, and exposes more of the pain Pansy lives with on a minute-by-minute basis.

This is Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s return to the world of Leigh cinema – in 1996, she starred in SECRETS AND LIES, a much different role for the talented actor. This time she gets to epitomize what so many of us feel … most people and most things across most of this world we live in are not quite right. Our ability to cope boils down to how we learn to live with all of the annoyances. Do we lash out? Do we take the abuse? Do we shift our attitude and find joy wherever possible … making a positive impact? It’s clear some folks don’t possess the inner-strength to find peace. It’s up to the rest of us to understand and help as best we can.

Opens in theaters on January 10, 2025

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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

SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY (2024, doc)

January 4, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. Almost all little kids imagine themselves as Superman, a larger-than-life figure who accomplishes incredible things … while flying through the air! Filmmakers Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui collaborate again, this time to tell the story of the man who became Superman on screen for a new generation, and then, after a horrible accident, became a real-life inspiration and advocate for so many folks around the world. We also note that it’s impossible to tell the Christopher Reeve story without also gaining insight into his equally determined wife and caregiver, Dana Reeve.

“You are still you, and I love you.” These are the words Dana spoke to Christopher after the 1995 riding accident when his horse refused to jump a fence, sending Reeve flying in such a way that the landing left him a quadriplegic near death. Rather than fading, her words gained strength over time, right up until his death in 2004. The film offers a profile of Reeve’s early days, first as a roommate of Robin Williams at Julliard, and later as an up-and-coming actor. There is discussion of his attempts to break away from the Superman cape, most noteworthy in films like SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1980) and DEATHTRAP (1982).

Personal insight is provided by Reeve’s own children, Gae Exton (his ex and mother of two of his kids), and friends and colleagues – Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Daniels, and Glenn Close. Some of this is focused on his post-injury career when he pursued acting and directing (1998 TV Movie, REAR WINDOW), yet the most personal and insightful bits come courtesy of the home movies through the years, offering a window into the man, rather than the actor. It’s that man that shines through once he transitions into Christopher Reeve, activist for spinal injuries.

Reeve displayed little self-pity, instead determined to move forward with a new life where his celebrity status could bring attention (and money) to the cause. He gave speeches (the Democratic Convention) and made appearances (one at the Academy Awards ceremony less than a year after his accident). Always by his side was Dana. She was an incredible caregiver, yet so much more as she shared his determination in fundraising and medical research. A little off topic, but there’s a clip of her singing in 1987, displaying significant talent.

A devastatingly emotional sequence occurs as we see the family visiting Reeve’s death bed. He was 52 years old when he passed. Proving that the universe bears no sense of fairness, non-smoker Dana was diagnosed with lung cancer less than a year later, and died at age 44, a mere 17 months after Christopher’s death. It’s rare for a documentary to deliver such personal insight, and even rarer for one to pack such an emotional wallop. The stories of Christopher and Dana Reeve serve to remind us of what matters in life … that’s their legacy (more so than a cape).

*On a personal note, I sat by Christopher Reeve at the LA Coliseum during an NFL playoff game between the Cowboys and Rams in January 1979. He took pleasure in talking trash to the young man (me) wearing the Cowboys jersey … at least until the good guys took a commanding lead and he left early.

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Posted by David Ferguson

SEPTEMBER 5 (2024)

January 3, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. The 1972 Olympics are remembered for a few highlights. Swimmer Mark Spitz set seven world records on his way to seven gold medals. Belarusian gymnast Olga Korbut won three gold medals (although not in the all-around). The United States and Russia played one of the strangest and most controversial games in Olympics history. And most importantly, the 1972 Munich Olympics are remembered for the tragedy surrounding 10 members of Israel’s team being taken hostage by a masked Palestinian militant group.

Writer-director Tim Fehlbaum and co-writers Moritz Binder and Alex David recreate the events from the perspective of the ABC television production crew. For some historical perspective, this was the first OIympics with widespread and comprehensive live television coverage. It was also the first Olympics held in Germany since 1936 (the Jesse Owens’ games). These games were merely 27 years after the end of WWII. Quick math tells us that 27 years ago from this film’s release was 1997, the year Princess Diana died. To put it plainly, physical and emotional wounds had not completely healed, and Germany was striving to put the past out of mind.

Renowned ABC sports producer Roone Arledge (played here by Peter Sarsgaard) is the man running the Olympics coverage. Newbie broadcast producer Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro, PAST LIVES, 2023) is brought in to run the “off hours”, while Arledge rests. Mason’s experience includes covering minor league baseball, so this is his first shot at the big time. His supervisor, Marvin Bader (played by Ben Chaplin, THE THIN RED LINE, 1998) has confidence in his young protégé, but things go sideways quickly when gunfire is heard.

The genius of the film stems from Director Fehlbaum and Cinematographer Marcus Forderer (I ORIGINS, 2014) choosing to shoot everything inside the ABC control room. This heightens the claustrophobia and pressure as the crew struggles with how best to handle this developing and obviously historic moment. It’s no longer about swimming and sprinting, but now it’s ABC Sports versus ABC News … and since possession is the proverbial 9/10 of the law, Arledge fights to keep the story with his team who is in close proximity. Anchor Jim McKay is seen in archival footage, while reporter Peter Jennings is on the grounds. Translator Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch, who was amazing in THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE, 2023) is the only one who speaks German and she is vital in her reporting of what’s being broadcast via local radio.

It’s difficult to convey just how much tension runs through this film for both the television crew and the viewers. Ten members of Israel’s Olympic team was taken hostage inside the Olympic Village by the masked Palestinian militant group Black September. We know how history played out over those hours and it’s chilling to revisit from this perspective. The geopolitical aspects are touched upon (Bader was Jewish), but this isn’t about that. Journalism may be heavily criticized these days, but it’s historic moments like this when we depend on competent trained professionals to tell (and show the stories the world needs to know. The haunting archival clips used here add to the quasi-documentary feel.

Opening in select theaters on December 13, 2024 and wide on January 10, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

STUDIO ONE FOREVER (2024, doc)

January 3, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. Apologies in advance for any improper labels or descriptions included here. This documentary dates back fifty years to when the term “gay lifestyle” was acceptable. Further to the point, the focus is on Studio One, a West Hollywood disco for gay men. It took a while for the doors to open for other persuasions in what is now referred to as LGBTQ+. Filmmaker Marc Saltarelli really delivers a history lesson – not just for a landmark building, but for an era when gay men were sometimes arrested for simply walking down the street together.

The archival clips and photos often feature sweaty torsos dancing to disco music in a cavernous warehouse located on LaPeer Drive. So why does this particular disco warrant a documentary? Partly because of when it opened (1974), partly for how long it lasted (19 years), and mostly for the people who played and worked within those walls. In 1974, this was one of the few places gay men could hang out together and party. And oh my, did they party!  We hear stories from patrons, performers, DJ’s, and bartenders … stories that include feeling safe and free and cutting loose with music, booze, and drugs (etc etc).

It wasn’t all dancing and gyrating. Studio One became a key force in the Gay Rights Movement, as well as the war against AIDS. Additionally, once the “Backlot” was opened upstairs, it developed into a popular performing spot for musicians and comedians, plus as a hangout for celebrities. Boston Optometrist Scott Forbes founded the club, but the building itself had quite a prior history. In 1929 it hosted a movie camera factory, and during WWII it served as a munitions storage facility. In 1967, “The Factory” opened as a private club partially owned by actor Paul Newman. It was 1974 when Forbes opened Studio One, setting in motion a cultural shift for southern California.

When the film opens, we are informed that a real estate developer has petitioned the city to demolish the building. Those with so many memories of the place work to defend it. Ultimately, a surprising compromise is reached. Along the way, we hear from Chita Rivera, Bruce Vilanch, Liz Torrez, and others as they discuss the impact of this hot spot, and how it evolved into a stage for top performers – including Joan Rivers during her cause to help find a cure for AIDS. It was also a hangout for A-list celebrities like Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, and even Bette Davis.

Disco music and discotheques went out of style many years ago, yet the most startling revelation of the film is in the club’s own policy of discrimination. When it began, Forbes envisioned this as a place for gay men to experience each other. We even learn his preference was for blond gay men. Not so welcome were people of color, lesbians, or others outside of the preferred demographics. The club (and its owner) was racist and sexist … quite surprising from a group that society had so severely discriminated against.

The history lesson continues with a segment on the filming of CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC (1980) at the club, and how Steve Rubell was influenced by Studio One when he founded the infamous Studio 54. The emotions run deep as our talking heads recall those who were lost to the AIDS epidemic, but the smiles are present as they reminisce about the good times. The film provides an unusual look at a specific time in history … one that shifted society.

Available on Digital Platforms beginning January 6, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE WILD ROBOT (2024, animation)

January 2, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. With four outstanding animated films released in 2024, this one adapted from Peter Brown’s 2016 book by director Chris Sanders (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, 2010) stands above the others thanks to a tremendous story and fascinating characters. This is one for all ages and all types of movie lovers. It’s simply that good.

A new-age robot washes ashore. With no assigned customer and no programmed task, “Roz” is a bit confused on how best to proceed. This leads to a trip into the forest where she shifts to ‘learning’ mode, and soon enough is speaking to the various wild animals – finding ways to ‘help’ most of them. It’s a terrific opening few sequences drawing us in with awe and surprisingly … character connection. A tragic accident finds an undersized and orphaned gosling basically playing “Are You My Mother?” with Roz. The 1960 book by that name is a kids’ classic written by PD Eastman and edited by Dr. Seuss, and re-read countless times by most parents.

What follows is an incredible adventure featuring many different creatures, each with distinct personalities. Only these aren’t the cartoon characters we are accustomed to seeing in animation. None here are training for a solo on stage or strategizing to escape the zoo. These are wild animals in nature, and sometimes bad things happen … and sometimes good things happen. As bonds are formed and trust gained, it’s wonderful to see the community come together. Much/most of the story revolves around three outcasts: Roz the robot who is searching for her task, Brightbill the gosling who is ignored by the skein of geese migrating, and Fink the fox whose loneliness matches his sly manipulations.

A talented and deep voice cast includes Lupita Nyong’O (Roz), Pedro Pascal (Fink the fox), Kit Connor (undersized and orphaned Brightbill), Bill Nighy (Longneck, leader of the geese), Stephanie Hsu (Vontra, leader of the retrieval bots), scene-stealing Matt Berry (Paddler the beaver), Ving Rhames (Thunderbolt, hawk), Mark Hamill (Thorn the grizzly bear), Catherine O’Hara (Pinktail the possom). It’s a lineup of celebrities, but this is no ego exhibition. The characters are developed and story is multi-faceted. Some scenes are tense, while others are capped with humorous moments (“male bovine excrement” cracked me up). There is an overall guiding message of kindness, cooperation, and putting others ahead of self.

The film’s score is by Oscar winner Kris Bowers, and Dreamworks, in their ongoing rivalry with Pixar, has delivered depth and artistry instead of the usual cash grab on project for kids. Without a specific task to complete, Roz manages to be a guiding light for Brightbill and a partner to Fink, all while being an asset to the community … even though she looks a bit worse for wear by the end. For those who typically shy away from animation, this one is worthy of a watch. This is expert filmmaking.

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Posted by David Ferguson

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