Greetings again from the darkness. I’ve said it many times, and it still holds true, Oscar winner Pedro Almodovar is the most accomplished male filmmaker when it comes to creating interesting female characters and spinning female-centric stories. Almodovar’s first English-language feature-length film is one he’s adapted from the 2020 novel, “What Are You Going Through”, by Sigrid Nunez. It features two Oscar winners, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, both extraordinarily talented.
Noted author Ingrid (Julianne Moore) is at a book signing for her latest work on the fear of death. Jumping the line and surprising her is her long ago friend Martha (Tilda Swinton). The two previously worked together, are genuinely happy to embrace, and meet up after the signing. Martha informs Ingrid that she has stage 3 cervical cancer and is beginning an experimental treatment. While visiting Martha at the hospital, Ingrid not only learns the treatment has failed, but soon after is hit with what can be termed, “a huge ask”. Having no interest in continuing treatment, Martha informs Ingrid that she wants a friendly face ‘in the room next door’ when she takes the magic “goodbye” pill.
What follows is not a moral debate about fighting to live or taking one’s own life. Ingrid has made her decision. The lingering question is, how much can be expected in a friendship? Ingrid admits Martha was not her first choice – the others turned her down. Once Martha reluctantly agrees, Ingrid rents a stunning home in the woods … very private and very serene. As you might expect, Almodovar highlights many shots throughout with his trademark use of color, geometric lines, and architectural design. The women, the house, the setting, the art, the clothes, and the sets are all gorgeous. Special recognition goes to Cinematographer Eduard Grau (the equally gorgeous A SINGLE MAN, 2009), Production Desiger Inbal Weinberg (THE LOST DAUGHTER, 2021), and Costume Designer Bina Daigeler (VOLVER, 2006).
With the two women sharing the house, Ingrid anxiously keeps an eye on whether the bedroom door is closed or open (the ‘sign’), while Martha has flashbacks to her time as a war journalist on the front lines. Ingrid meets up with Damian (John Turturro), her former lover and something else the two women shared. Damian is a doom and gloom type focused on climate change and global crisis. This stands in stark contrast to Ingrid’s optimism. Of course, Martha has planned everything so that Ingrid is not in danger of being charged with assisting euthanasia, although a religious fanatic police officer (Alessandro Nivola) questions her aggressively.
There are some lovely moments shared between friends, and yet there are also scenes that could have used a sharper edge to the dialogue – especially the exhaustive exposition early on as Martha runs down the timeline of her entire life (much that Ingrid would have already known). There are references to Buster Keaton and John Huston’s movie, “The Dead”, and Almodovar throws in a nice touch when Martha’s daughter makes an appearance towards the end. Martha’s need/desire for connection, familiarity, and companionship are all believable, yet that “favor” remains a whopper.
Opens in NYC AND LA theaters on December 20, 2024, expanding in January
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Too many view WWII as just another page in history books, when in fact, so much changed around the globe because of that war. Almost 80 years later, the war continues to provide stories for filmmakers, and when it comes to storytelling, few do it better than this latest from writer-director (actor-turned-filmmaker) Brady Corbet and his co-writer (and romantic partner) Mona Fastvold. The two had previously collaborated on THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER (2015) and VOX LUX (2018).
Greetings again from the darkness. Ever since Bruce Willis’ John McClane ‘Yippee-Ki-Yayed’ his way into saving Christmas in 1988, many filmmakers have tried to latch onto the action-filled Christmas crime drama sub-genre. Of course, none have reached the level of that Nakatomi Plaza classic, and often the biggest miss is in the form of the villain. Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber is often cited among the all-time best movie villains, and deservedly so. This latest film we welcome to the party comes from director Jaume Collet-Sera (JUNGLE CRUISE, 2021, ORPHAN, 2009) and co-writers TJ Fixman (Ratchet & Crank video game creator) and Michael Green (LOGAN, 2018).
Greetings again from the darkness. We are probably fortunate that there are people who research, investigate, and write about the reprehensible world of white supremacists. While most of us would prefer to imagine that such folks don’t exist, or at least have little impact, the 1989 book “The Silent Brotherhood” by Gary Gerhardt and Kevin Flynn detail why ignoring is not a feasible option. Zach Baylin (KING RICHARD, 2021) has now adapted the book into a screenplay directed by Aussie Justin Kurzel (THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG, 2019, and the excellent NITRAM, 2021). The book and the film are based on the facts of the case that is now 40 years old, yet still relevant today.
Greetings again from the darkness. Some filmmakers have earned the benefit of the doubt to the point where each film they release is worthy of consideration. Luca Guadagnino is one such filmmaker. He first captured my attention with I AM LOVE (2009) and has since followed that with such interesting films as A BIGGER SPLASH (2015), CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017), SUSPIRIA (2018), BONES AND ALL (2022), and CHALLENGERS, his first film released in 2024. This time he and his CHALLENGERS screenwriter, Justin Kuritzkes, take on the 1985 William S Burroughs novella, “Queer”, which was linked to his 1953 novel, “Junkie”. Taking on the writing of William S Burroughs is challenging enough as a reader, much less as a filmmaker.
Greetings again from the darkness. J.D. Salinger once wrote, “Mothers are all slightly insane.” Rachel Yoder’s critically acclaimed 2021 novel has been adapted for the big screen by writer-director Marielle Heller, and it seems to confirm the Salinger theory. Ms. Heller has previously directed A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (2019), CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (2018), THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL (2015). She excels in projects that focus on human nature.
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.
Greetings again from the darkness. Every movie review provides the opportunity to walk the line between telling enough, but not too much. Some movies pose more of a challenge than others, and this is one. Director Steffan Haars (the ‘New Kids’ movies) and writer-actor Nick Frost team up to deliver a devilish and campy folk horror-slasher-comedy that brings a bit of innovation to genre that could use a boost.
Greetings again from the darkness. I’ll give you the set-up and you tell me how it ends. A workaholic real estate developer drives his yellow Porsche from Chicago to a middle-of-nowhere Ohio farm after his sister and brother-in-law die in a car crash. He’s there to sign paperwork for a foster family to take the four brothers left behind. However, there’s a glitch, and the stressed-out uncle is forced to extend his time with the four boys. Since, we can all guess how this story ends, the determining factor on whether it’s worth watching is what happens in-between.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been 60 years since ‘Beatlemania’ hit the United States. As impressive as Taylor Swift’s ascendance has been, it pales in comparison to the cultural impact of the Fab Four those many years ago. Documentarian David Tedeschi, working with raw footage shot by brothers and renowned documentary collaborators, Albert Maysles and David Maysles, takes us back to those frenzied 14 days of The Beatles’ first U.S. trip, including the infamous appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 