WAYNE SHORTER: ZERO GRAVITY (2023, doc)

August 24, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. When the musical geniuses we respect and admire speak in awe and wonderment about another musician, we know it’s time to pay attention. Of course, Wayne Shorter has long been recognized as a Jazz giant, and unfortunately he passed away earlier this year. For this three-plus hour documentary, director Dorsay Alavi interviews such renowned artists as Joni Mitchell, Sonny Rollins, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock. It’s fascinating to hear those on top of the mountain express high-level respect for Shorter using such descriptions as greatness, visionary, and genius.

Progressing in mostly chronological order, Alavi divides the film into 3 parts, or “portals” paying tribute to Shorter’s Buddhist practices. Portal 1 is subtitled “Newark Flash in NYC 1933-1971”. Portal 2 is “Faith is to be Fearless 1972-1999”, and Portal 3 is “Zero Gravity 2000”. We learn about Shorter’s childhood, including the bond with his mother, his early artistic talent, and his influences: movies, comic books, and music on the radio. Early on, he performed with his brother, and they went by Mr. Weird and Doc Strange. Later, Wayne became known as “Fast Fingers” for his work on the clarinet and sax, and after a stint in the Army, he joined Art Blakey’s band. When Miles Davis pursued Shorter to replace John Coltrane, the move freed Shorter to concentrate on his own compositions, leading to Miles Davis’ “ESP”.

The second portal focuses more on Shorter’s family life, which featured some highs to go with much tragedy – more than one man’s share. The challenges of marriage(s) and parenting are discussed, as is Shorter’s transition to fronting Weather Report, the band that brought jazz fusion to mass audiences and mainstream radio. It’s also in this phase where a grieving Shorter bonds with his third wife Carolina, a close friend of his second wife Ana Maria. It’s also here where Herbie Hancock and Wayne cement a friendship strengthened by musical talent and appreciation.

Portal three takes us through Shorter’s life post-Weather Report, allowing Wayne to explore even more new avenues for his music. The Wayne Shorter Quartet is featured and we hear from the other musicians that played with him. We are struck by how Shorter pushed each of them towards freedom and musical expression … they describe it as building the composition live, improvising the feel. It’s in this later stage where Shorter mentors many young musicians who are drawn to his brilliance. He is a musical Yoda … taking them off the page and into a new realm of artistry.

One of my favorite sequences comes when Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding collaborate on “Gaia”. Her singing and bass playing are ethereal, while his playing was never more free. One of Shorter’s fellow musicians describes his career as “the soundtrack of his life”, and another that his “music sounds like life.” Perhaps no other musician has received such compliments from those they played alongside and those they influenced. Wayne Shorter certainly deserves to be mentioned with Miles Davis, Charlie Bird, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, and Thelonius Monk as being among the greats of jazz, and while Dorsay Alavi’s documentary may be a bit long, the case is made.

Premiering on Prime Video on August 25, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

LANDSCAPE WITH INVISIBLE HAND (2023)

August 18, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Alien invasion movies have long been a favorite of science-fiction filmmakers, as well as platform for those who strive to caution us to our societal missteps and wrong choices along life’s muddy path. Within the past couple of weeks I watched JULES (2023), a cute, heart-warming story about an alien who crash-lands in Pennsylvania and is cared for by Ben Kingsley’s character. Going back further we have the thoughtful ARRIVAL (2016), the outlandish MEN IN BLACK (1997), the precious E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) from Spielberg, the frightening ALIEN (1979) by James Cameron, the often-re-made WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953), and the classic FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956). Of course, this is but a tiny portion of the complete list, but it gives some idea of the long-lived fascination.

Writer-director Cory Finley has become a rising star with the devilishly entertaining THOROUGHBREDS (2017) and BAD EDUCATION (2019). For his third feature, he has chosen to adapt MT Anderson’s 2017 novel, and in the process delivers a hit and miss commentary on the human race. Artwork is creatively utilized to provide the timeline and backstory of how the technologically advanced aliens invaded and began rule the planet. It takes us to the year 2036, five years after “First Contact.” It’s here where we find the Campbell family: mother Beth (Tiffany Haddish), son Adam (an excellent Asante Blackk, “This is Us”), and daughter Nathalie (Brooklynn MacKinzie). Beth is a former lawyer, unable to find work and struggling to make ends meet for the family. Adam is the main feature here, as a high school student who is exploring his talent as an artist, while also falling for new girl Chloe (Kylie Rogers, “Yellowstone”) who is homeless with her dad (Josh Hamilton) and bitter brother Hunter (Michael Gandolfini).

The aliens, known as Vuvv, have their own scratchy language, and the appearance of slimy loaves of bread with four paddle legs and two caterpillar eyes. As a species, they are mesmerized by human romance, and the newest Courtship Broadcast they follow is “Adam and Chloe in Love.” The two teenagers gain a following, which means money for their families. However, since much of the movie is spent harping on the evils of capitalism, the two soon find themselves being sued by the aliens for misrepresentation, putting themselves and their families at risk. A particularly creative solution to the problem finds one of the Vuvv moving into the home and attempting to emulate sitcom family life as seen on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” (personally I would have preferred “Leave it to Beaver”).

This is not one of the post-apocalyptic films that have become so popular. Rather it’s social commentary that doesn’t dig very deep and sticks to the easy targets. There are a few doses of clever humor, including a SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION shot in a golf course sandtrap, and a school lunch menu that includes Saturn sliders and Moon nuggets. Adam’s story is one of a young man striving to maintain his sense of self despite other-worldly obstacles. The lessons are clear in that money can’t buy happiness, but even that lesson doesn’t prevent us from wanting satire to go a bit deeper with its commentary … warbling music (Michael Abel) isn’t quite enough. Although this film isn’t at the level of his first two features, filmmaker Cory Finley will surely deliver future projects that inspire thought and soul-searching.

Opens in theaters on August 18, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

BIRTH/REBIRTH (2023)

August 17, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. When Colin Clive bellowed, “It’s alive. It’s alive”, in James Whale’s classic FRANKENSTEIN (1931), it instantly became an iconic moment in cinema history, and inspired many new readers to seek out Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. Since then, there have been numerous takes on the idea of bringing the dead back to life, and this latest is the first feature film from writer-director Laura Moss and their co-writer and collaborator on their award-winning short film, FRY DAY (2017), Brendan J O’Brien.

The film opens with the frantic emergency delivery of a newborn where the mother’s life is in danger. This scene bookends the story, and it’s not until the end when we realize what’s happening and why. As an opener, this throws us a bit off track, and it’s followed up by showing us the close mother-daughter bond between maternity nurse Celie (a terrific Judy Reyes, “Scrubs”) and six-year-old Lila (AJ Lister). The next morning is a mother’s worst nightmare, and this takes us into the depths of the hospital and the story.

Bacterial Meningitis takes Lila’s life in a matter of hours, and her body ends up with onsite pathologist Dr Rose Casper (Marin Ireland, “Justified: City Primeval”). Socially awkward doesn’t do justice to Rose’s personality, as she seems to be incapable of empathy or even a normal conversation. However, she is obsessed with finding a cure. No, not a cure for meningitis or even cancer, but a cure for death. And her latest “patient” is the recently deceased Lila.

When Celie tracks down Rose at her apartment, she is stunned to see Lila in bed attached to monitors, while Rose’s pet pig tromps around the kitchen. It’s at this point where we realize we have been horror-conditioned to expect Lila to stagger from bed and spread atrocities across the city, wreaking havoc on all who have wronged her. With the creativity of the filmmakers, not only does that not happen, but instead an odd example of teamwork builds between Celie and Rose. It’s a brilliant turn of events, and one that elevates the film within the horror-thriller genre.

Rose’s obsession and focus is quirky and odd and unconventional, and watching Celie not just join in the mission, but actually contribute, is quite interesting. The contrast between the two women is obvious – Celie sees people (babies) as they are born into the world, while Rose seems them just after they depart … these are the first and last stages. There is really only one misstep here – involving Muriel the pig – but most of the movie is exceptionally well written and acted. Ms. Ireland’s Rose will surely make most viewers quite uncomfortable – especially with her method for gathering fetuses for research.

Playing God or trying to outwit nature and biology is typically a losing battle. The film has bits of Frankenstein, PET SEMETARY, Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise, as well as HP Lovecraft’s RE-ANIMATOR. As the two women begin to share traits previously only visible in the other, the film harkens back to the old adage – just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should – only with a big twist from a unique point-of-view as a final shot. It’s a dark movie that certainly isn’t for everyone, but here’s hoping Laura Moss’s film finds a midnight movie audience.

Opens August 18, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE MONKEY KING (2023, animated)

August 17, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Adapting literary works for the big screen is common practice; however, the stakes are a bit higher when dealing with a beloved classic Asian work that is more than 400 years old. “Journey to the West” was initially written during the Ming Dynasty and no original author has ever been confirmed. The stories were re-imagined for an English audience in 1942 by Arthur Waley and published as “Monkey”, and now director Anthony Stacchi and co-writers Steve Bencich, Ron J Friedman, and Rita Hsiao have brought their vision to the screen … focusing on one specific segment of the story.

Now, if that first paragraph sits a bit heavy, you should know this is an animated movie targeted at kids. It’s action-packed, colorful, and funny … all while packing a message or moral that most parents will appreciate. Much of the Chinese spiritual and philosophical and cultural aspects are included, but never so heavy-handed as to lose the attention of kids. In fact, if any aspect is somewhat overboard, it’s the martial arts fighting and action sequences … of which there are many. Possibly too many for some kids and some parents, and if the messages somehow get lost, it’s likely in the crash-boom-bang overdose because the action, while well done, is relentless.

Monkey King (voiced by comedian Jimmy O Yang) is birthed/sprung from a rock and has special powers. Unfortunately, he is not accepted by the local clan of monkeys, even after saving them from a threat. Instead, he turns his attention to being accepted into The Immortals (Gods of the animal world). To prove his worthiness, he sets out to defeat 100 demons, but along the way, we witness an oversized ego and lack of humility. Monkey King is simply not very likable. On this journey, he gains an assistant in his number one fan (not in a MISERY way) Lin (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport). Monkey King even treats her poorly.

The next best character, and Monkey King’s nemesis, is the underwater Dragon King (SNL’s Bowen Yang). Their exchanges and ego-wrangling are some of the best in the movie, and the underwater scenes provide a welcome CGI change of pace. With no family and his only friend being his magic stick, Monkey King is an outsider with special powers and the kind of attitude that gets junior high kids sent to the Principal’s office. No matter how many heroic feats he turns, his lust for power and lack of humility win him no points with The Immortals.

The Dragon King gets the best musical number, while Monkey King’s journey leads him through Buddha (BD Wong) and literally into both heaven and hades. The film’s big question is how long it will take Monkey King to learn humility and show kindness to others. As has been stated, an ego trip is a journey to nowhere … it’s a lesson this talented Monkey King must learn.

Opens on Netflix beginning August 18, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

JULES (2023)

August 11, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Senior citizens sometimes nearly cease to exist for the outside world, or at best, are humored in a ‘there-there’ manner. So, what do you think happens when an elderly gentleman in a small western Pennsylvania town repeats the same suggestions at multiple City Council meetings, and then, in a nonchalant way, mentions that a spaceship crash-landed in his backyard, damaging his azaleas and birdbath? Right, others just shrug and move on, assuming the ol’ geezer is just imagining things.

But what if the old man is not imagining? What if that spaceship/UFO did crush his azaleas and he’s now being quite hospitable and nursing the injured alien back to health? Well, that’s the story here in the first feature film screenplay from Gavin Steckler (“Review”) in a film directed by Marc Turtletaub, best known as a Producer on such fine films as THE FAREWELL (2019), LOVING (2016), and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006).

Oscar winner Ben Kingsley plays Milton Robinson, a gentle soul and widower whose veterinarian daughter Denise (Zoe Winters, “Succession”) helps him out with finances, while also encouraging him to see a doctor in hopes that he’ll agree to move into an assisted living home. We see her concerns as Milton is forgetful and repetitive and lonely … yet we also see his insistence on maintaining independence. Obviously, this is a situation many families deal with on a daily basis.

Things get really interesting when a couple of the other town elders become involved. Sandy (Harriet Sanson Harris) is the chipper do-gooder who is always trying to better the community, while Joyce (Jane Curtin) is the nosy one who wants to know everyone’s business. Watching these three deal with the quiet and calm alien they name Jules is almost a therapeutic experience in bonding over a secret.

Mostly a charming, feel-good movie, Ms. Curtin does deliver a dose of comedy with her rendition of “Free Bird”, and having Milton admit to three jaywalking tickets while addressing the City Council is a nice touch. This little film is full of kindness – unless you are a cat – and most will recognize that sliced apples take the place of Reese’s Pieces. It’s likely the most pleasant and easy-going science fiction movie we’ve seen … at least until the few moments when the government is involved. Let’s hope we would all treat outsiders the way Milton treats Jules.

Opens in theaters on August 11, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

MOB LAND (2023)

August 3, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. As one who readily admits to watching too many movies each year, I always welcome the unanticipated joy in being pleasantly surprised by one that exceeds expectations. Doing just that is the first feature film from writer-director Nicholas Maggio and co-writer Rob Healy – a neo-noir thriller that takes place in a small rural community down south.

Now you might initially cringe (I did) at the thought of John Travolta carrying a big gun and wearing a cowboy hat as slow-talking Sheriff Bodie Davis in this small town, but I’m happy to report he never overplays his hand and delivers a truly respectable performance. However, despite the poster, his marquee name, and the gravitas he carries, Travolta is not the main focus here. Instead, Shiloh Fernandez plays Shelby Conners, a greasy-haired, drag racing, local truck driver and mechanic who shares a daughter with his town beauty wife, Caroline (Ashley Benson). The family is struggling to make ends meet in this town where drug overdoses barely raise an eyebrow.

Caroline’s brother and Shelby’s friend, Trey (Kevin Dillon), drags Shelby into a get-rich-quick scheme derived from desperate times. A local clinic is the front for a drug-dealer, which means piles of cash on hand, with not enough security. Shelby reluctantly agrees and, of course, things go sideways. Only it gets much worse when Clayton Minor (Stephen Dorff) shows up and informs the boys that they ripped off the New Orleans mafia, and as the fixer/enforcer, he’s there to set things right.

Many times we have seen local boys looking for an easy score. Rarely are the scores easy, and never are they without consequences. Trey doesn’t last long, but a strange connection occurs between Shelby and Clayton. Now he’s been doing this for a while and he’s very good at his job, but Clayton is struck by Shelby’s sincerity. Empathy may be a stretch, but he’s at least paying attention to the humanity of the situation, despite threatening Shelby’s wife and daughter. It does present an unfamiliar dilemma for Clayton, serving as the crux of the story.

As you know, in small movie towns, everyone knows everyone else, so smooth-talking Clayton in his shiny black Caddy stands out like the proverbial sore thumb. Sheriff Brodie is suspicious and cautious and worried about his nephew Shelby, but there’s not much he can do to keep up with the gangster. Travolta and Dorff have a couple of nice scenes together, and the film’s opening sequences establish the contrast between their characters.

But it’s Shelby and Clayton who spend the bulk of the film together. Dorff has most of the best lines, and Fernandez holds his own. Mr. Dorff has always been a personal favorite, and I’ve often wished he was cast in better movies. Mr. Fernandez was once considered a rising star, and seems to have settled into his acting career just fine (sans spotlight).

Devlin McCluskey sings a terrific and unusual version of “House of the Rising Sun” during the film, and Jason Dodson (the Maldives) plays a wonderful song over the credits, and both songs fit with the look and feel and tone and style of the film … something that doesn’t always happen. There is nothing about the film that gives the impression of ‘first time director’, so we will sit anxiously awaiting the next one from Nicholas Maggio. In the meantime, hopefully someone will give Stephen Dorff another perfect role.

Opens August 4, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

SHORTCOMINGS (2023)

August 3, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. In the past twenty years, Randall Park has built an excellent acting career, likely best known as nice guy dad, husband, and restauranteur on the long-running TV series “Fresh Off the Boat”. He also had prominent roles in the mini-series “WandaVision”, “Veep”, and the Ant-Man movies. Now taking his shot as a feature film director, Mr. Park sticks closely to the Asian community, while simultaneously taking a step forward by not emphasizing generational aspects and familiar cultural tropes. He’s working from a script that Adrian Tomine adapted from his own graphic novel.

The film opens with Miko (Ally Maki, “Wrecked”) and Ben (Justin H Min, AFTER YANG) watching the end of a film festival movie. It plays as a parody of the hugely successful CRAZY RICH ASIANS (2018) and leads to contrasting reactions and an argument for Miko and Ben. Miko is the curator of the film festival and is thrilled the movie received such positive audience reactions, while Ben, a struggling indie filmmaker, is totally offput by the film’s pandering and mass appeal. We quickly realize Ben is a condescending jerk and Miko is fed up.

Ben manages a small arthouse movie theater in Berkeley and often has lunch at a local diner with his only other friend, Alice (a terrific Sherry Cola, JOY RIDE), who points out that his smugness doesn’t play well with others. Alice is gay and laughs off her tendency to ‘play the field’. Miko calls out Ben on his blonde, blue-eyed white girl fetish, and then soon after announces she is taking an internship in New York City, causing us to realize this movie is probably going to deal with Ben’s road to redemption (hopefully resulting in a worthwhile human being).

With Miko living across the country, Ben seems to be at his most comfortable with Classic Movies and solo chill. He’s a film school dropout with no filter and no sense of timing with his comments and critiques. Basically, he’s not a likable guy, and we see this in his separate pursuit of two blond, blue-eyed white girls. He hires performance artist Autumn (Tavi Gevinson) to work the ticket booth at the theater, and has no idea how to deal with her emotional swings and artistic leanings. Things are even worse with Sasha (Debby Ryan), who is coming off a breakup with her girlfriend. Despite warnings from Alice to stay clear, Ben’s pompous nature is once again exposed, leaving him all alone.

Ben’s world changes abruptly when Alice informs him she is also moving to New York and invites him to come visit. He sees this as a chance to get back together with Miko, who has quasi-ghosted him since she left. When Ben arrives, he finds Alice living with Meredith (Sonoya Mizuno, EX MACHINA) in a serious relationship, and stumbles on Miko in a situation that causes confusion, and of course, conflict. Leon (Timothy Simons, “Veep”) is a NYC fashion designer with an Asian fetish plays a key role in this segment.

The film is billed as a comedy, and while there are some funny moments, there is actually a sadness throughout … most of it related to how most everyone is searching for love while trying to avoid loneliness. During this search, we are often our own worst enemy (Ben being the prime example here). The message here is that while we are all flawed, one can only find joy once they sincerely enjoy the happiness of others. Watching Ben’s journey is not always a pleasant viewing experience, however his story is well told.

In theaters beginning August 4, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

WHAT COMES AROUND (2023)

August 3, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Not long ago, cable movie channels were filled with late night flicks that were easy enough to watch, and even easier to forget. Unfortunately, that description fits the second feature film from director Amy Redford (daughter of screen legend Robert Redford). Scott Organ adapted the screenplay from his own play, “The Thing with Feathers”, and the title of the film has been changed … it played the 2022 Toronto Film Festival as ROOST. It’s one of those times where some individual pieces are better than the film as a whole.

Grace Van Dien (“Stranger Things, CHARLIE SAYS, 2018) stars as Anna, who is on the verge of her 17th birthday. She has been secretly online chatting with an older “college boy” named Eric. In a virtual ‘meet cute’, they read Emily Dickinson poetry to each other and talk for hours. Since he lives 900 miles away, the two have never met, but in typical teenage fashion, Anna says “he gets me.” As an unexpected birthday surprise, Eric (Kyle Gallner, THE FINEST HOURS, “Interrogation”) shows up at her door and drops off a thoughtful present. All of this is happening as Anna’s mother Beth (Summer Phoenix, sister of Joaquin and the late River) announces her engagement to her cop boyfriend Tim (Jesse Garcia, QUINCEANERA, 2016).

The proverbial ‘stuff’ hits the fan when Anna introduces Eric to her mom. Not only is Eric a bit older than he let on (and the college story was a fabrication), his aw-shucks and overly apologetic demeanor don’t seem to charm anyone except Anna. But more than that, there’s a twist here that causes a cosmic shift in all of these relationships.

Grace Van Dien is the great-granddaughter of the late and legendary Robert Mitchum, and she’s worked non-stop the past ten years, though I’ve only seen her in a couple of things. She clearly has screen presence, although this role doesn’t stretch her much at all. I do hope she’s offered some more challenging projects moving forward. The bulk of the film’s second half focuses on creepy manipulation and the grooming of teenagers … a hot and important topic lately due to the vulnerability of teenage girls. The message is appreciated, but this one would have benefitted from some script polishing so that the dialogue was more realistic.

Opens on August 4, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM (2023)

August 1, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. You may or may not be surprised that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles date back almost 40 years to the mid-1980’s when co-creators Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman published the comic and then signed on for the original TV cartoon series. This was followed by the first live-action film in 1990 (with Elias Koteas, Judith Hoag, Corey Feldman, Sam Rockwell, Josh Pais). Since then, there have been various TV series, as well as animated and live-action movies … the most recent being the poorly received films in 2014 and 2016. Along comes co-writers and co-producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, together with other credited writers Jeff Rowe, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, and Brendan O’Brien to deliver a contemporary and re-imagined look at the born-from-ooze Turtles. It’s co-directed by Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears, previous collaborators on THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES (2021).

The first thing we notice is the animation. It’s a different look than what we are accustomed to, and Mikros Animation has blended traditional Anime with a harsher, more vibrant look to complement the heavy dose of action this film delivers. The style takes a bit to get comfortable with, but once you do, the effects are easy to appreciate. Since this is a next-generation TMNT, we also get a new origin story in the opening sequence. The same green ooze flows into the sewer, and there is an emphasis on the work of scientist Baxter Stockman (voiced by Giancarlo Esposito, of “Breaking Bad” fame).

Soon enough, we flash forward 15 years to the teenage years. Leonardo (Nicholas Cantu), Rafael (Brady Noon), Donatello (Micah Abbey), and Michealangelo (Shannon Brown Jr) have been raised and trained by Master Splinter/Dad (Jackie Chan). Their big outings are to the grocery store with strict instructions to not be seen. The individual personalities begin to surface, and it’s made clear these boys dream of being accepted in the outside world and attending high school. And we all know what happens when an overprotective parent clashes with teenagers seeking independence … a tale as old as time.

When the turtles cross paths with April O’Neill (Ayo Edibiri), aka April O’Puke due her extreme camera shyness, their hopes of becoming heroes mesh nicely with her desire to break a big story for the school newspaper. The timing couldn’t be better for all involved as an evil menace is preparing to take over the world. Nope, it’s not Shredder, but rather Superfly (an amazing Ice Cube) and his own band of mutants. Superfly’s plan involves turning all Earthly animals into mutants in order to rule the humans. The Turtles must decide if bonding with fellow mutants is more desirable than allowing Superfly to destroy the world of humans and their new friend April.

The rest of the voice cast is outstanding, and includes: Rose Byrne (Leatherhead), John Cena (Rocksteady), Seth Rogen (BeBop), Paul Rudd (Mondo Gecko), Maya Rudolph (Cynthia Utrom), Post Malone (Ray Fillet), Hannibal Burress (Genghis Frog), and Natasia Demetriou (Wingnut). Action fills the screen through much of the run time, and the action sequences are huge spectacles for animation. However, it’s the sheer volume of action that is my only real issue. It feels like the teamwork and camaraderie that played such a big part in Turtle lore gets shortchanged here. There simply isn’t enough time spent with four Turtles cracking wise – a surprise given the comedic roots of Rogen and Goldberg.

Plenty of pizza and ooze are present, and the heavy dose of hip-hop classics adds to the contemporary vision. The Turtle van is quickly shown, although it’s little more than a stolen pizza delivery truck, and the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross plays well here. No “Cowabunga” exists in this re-boot, leaving some history behind, yet overall, we should be pleased that Turtle Power is back with our favorite heroes in a half-shell.

Opens in theaters on August 2, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

BARBIE (2023)

July 30, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. A reasonable assumption could be made that a movie based on a doll so popular with pre-adolescent girls would be geared towards that audience. However, this is the era of comic book movies targeting “grown-ups”, and since we know, based on her previous work (the exceptional LADY BIRD, 2017), Greta Gerwig is an intelligent filmmaker, a more reasonable assumption is that she purposefully aimed the movie at women who once played with Barbie dolls and now fill their days with work, family, and adulting. This strategy has proven to be box office gold, and the heavy dose of cosplay at screenings proves the lasting impact this plastic doll has had on many women who lined up for tickets.

Ms. Gerwig co-wrote the screenplay with her real-life spouse and fellow filmmaker, Noah Baumbach (MARRIAGE STORY, 2019), and it’s fascinating to see what they have produced. Whether you find the film entertaining is another matter altogether, yet we tip our cap to the strange, visually-stimulating, and thought-provoking end result. Many will go in-depth on analyzing the gender politics and feminist approach to the story; however, I’m just here to discuss this as a movie, not a movement.

Two-time Oscar nominee Margot Robbie stuns in the opening sequence (a tribute to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) as the original 1959 Barbie. In fact, Ms. Robbie is terrific throughout in this more-challenging-than-expected role. She’s so much more than a pretty face in high heels, as she’s previously proven in a risk-taking career featuring memorable turns in such films as THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013), SUICIDE SQUAD (2016), I, TONYA (2017), as Sharon Tate in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019), and last year’s underappreciated BABYLON (2022). This time she portrays ‘Stereotypical’ Barbie, whose everyday is perfect in Barbieland. It’s here where we meet a diverse group of Barbies featuring Issa Rae, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Sharon Rooney, Dua Lipa, and others. We are also introduced to Ken (two-time Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling, terrific here), whose mood for the day is totally dependent on whether Barbie acknowledges him. An equally diverse group of Kens features Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, John Cena, Ncuti Gatwa, and others.

Barbie’s paradise is rocked one day when she begins wondering about death. A trip to “Weird Barbie” (a kooky Kate McKinnon) lets her know that the only cure for this existential crisis is a visit to the human world, where a sad girl is playing with her doll. It’s really an imaginative hook to allow the two worlds to collide. Unfortunately, only bits and pieces of the human world clicked for me (loved the rollerblading at Venice Beach). It makes sense that Barbie is shocked to discover the misogyny and patriarchy ruling the human world, but there are three other elements at play here: Ken discovering that men don’t take a backseat to women in this world, and in fact, they dominate; the corporate office of Mattel plays like a slapstick cartoon with Will Ferrell as a nonsensical CEO; and the mother-daughter duo of America Ferrera as Gloria and Ariana Greenblat as Sasha. The big twist occurs in that latter sequence, and it’s Ms. Ferrera who dishes out the gut punch soliloquy about what’s expected of women and how they are viewed. This monologue is the lesson director Gerwig wants viewers to leave with.

Barbie’s return to a much-changed Barbieland finds Ken and other Kens treating the Dreamhouse like a Frat house. See, the boys have learned how to run things their way … and at its core, that’s my main issue with the movie’s theme. Empowering women is a good thing, but why did Ms. Gerwig feel the need to make everything either a win for the women or a win for the men? I have always thought equality was the goal, not dominance. It’s this approach that gives the film a serious and dark undertone in a quite heavy-handed manner. Sure women enjoy having power. So do men. That’s no great mystery solved, and in fact makes these obvious points somehow more obvious.

Let’s talk about a few other less ominous topics. Helen Mirren delivers an admirable voiceover as the narrator, and a depressed Barbie and Ken’s affinity for horses are nice touches. Two of my favorite segments are Barbie’s first interaction in the human world … a “beautiful” woman on a park bench played by Oscar winner Ann Roth (a renowned Costume Designer who did not handle the costumes for this film), and a conversation with Barbie inventor Ruth Handler (played by Rhea Perlman), who named the doll after her daughter. While I hold firm on my belief that the film is not especially entertaining/fun, I’ll also admit the song and dance around the “I’m Just Ken” number was a hoot. Other than performances from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the star here is the Production Design from six-time Oscar nominee Sarah Greenwood. The film looks amazing, even if you might get your fill of pink by the end. Barbieland is quite a sight – it’s a shame the rest of the movie didn’t deliver this much fun, and instead pitted men against women.

WATCH THE TRAILER

6 Comments | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

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