ARCO (2025, animation)

January 29, 2026

Greetings again from the darkness. ‘Arco, phone home’. OK, that’s not actually a line of dialogue in this Oscar nominated animated feature film from w-d Ugo Bienvenu, co-director Gilles Cazaux, and co-writer and Felix de Givry … but the line sure fits. Taking place in the future, the film’s strong themes are family, friends, and coming-of-age.

Hundreds of years in the future, ten-year-old Arco is tending to the family’s animals while his mother, father, and sister are off time-traveling. When told the age limit for such travel is twelve, Arco does what any young boy would do … he snatches his sister’s rainbow travel cloak while she’s sleeping and takes off to see what he’s been missing. Of course, things go wrong for Arco and he crash lands in the year 2075. Young Iris throws the trio of rainbow hunters (comic relief in Scooby-Doo mode) off his trail, and takes Arco home so Mikki, her robot nanny, can provide first aid.

The vibrant colors of Arco’s home are in the style of Studio Ghibli animation, and the bubble homes of Iris’ era speak clearly to the environmental message being delivered. Actually, there are a number of ecological issues covered here, yet the main focus is one of hope and the importance of family and friendship. You’ll notice some familiar voices, including Natalie Portman (also a producer), Mark Ruffalo, Will Ferrell, and Andy Samberg. This is a family film (not for the toddlers) with substance, and it certainly hasn’t been simplified or dumbed down for kids. It’s worthy of the Oscar nomination.

Opening in theaters on January 30, 2026

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2 Comments | Animation, Fantasy, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

LEE (2024)

September 26, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Being courageous and heroic doesn’t mean one must wear a cape and possess super powers. In fact, some of the most courageous folks use their words (spoken and written), their feet (for marching into battle), and as we learn here, even their eyes. Lee Miller is a famous photojournalist who used her words to get to the front lines of WWII, her feet to march with soldiers, and her eyes to decide where to focus her camera. The film is based on the biography, “The Lives of Lee Miller”, by her son Antony Penrose. It’s directed by renowned choreographer Ellen Kuras (her feature film directorial debut) and co-written by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, John Collee, and Lem Dobbs.

Oscar winner Kate Winslet stars as Lee Miller, and her fierce and committed performance validates what a passion project this was for her, and just how hard she worked to bring the project to fruition. Lee Miller was a well-known fashion model, and we see her hanging out with her band of artistic friends in pre-war France. It’s here where she first meets Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgard), and their initial intellectual bantering leads right to the bedroom. This after we hear Ms. Miller proclaim that she had ever only been good at drinking, having sex, and taking pictures. She speaks this line in 1977 while being interviewed (by Josh O’Connor, CHALLENGERS, 2024) about her life. It’s this interview that provides some structure to the film, while confirming that drinking and smoking were hobbies until the end.

It’s really Lee’s photographs that guide us through each phase. She and Roland relocate to London during the war, and soon enough she’s taking pictures under the guidance of British Vogue editor Audrey Withers (Andrea Riseborough). Continually having to stand up for herself after being rebuked for being a woman doing a man’s job, Lee partners with (and ultimately befriends) Life magazine photographer David E Scherman (a surprisingly effective Andy Samberg). Their work documenting history becomes historic in itself. After hearing about the “missing”, they were the first journalists to document Dachau concentration camp and the tragic prisoner trains.

Although British Vogue refused to publish the photographs as being too “disturbing”, the U.S. magazine did publish, creating awareness of the atrocities. The segment that leads to the infamous photo of Lee bathing in Hitler’s tubs is handled expertly. If there is a flaw in the film, it’s that we never really get to know Lee’s friends, so as she re-connects with Solange (Oscar winner Marion Cotillard), their meeting doesn’t hit as hard as it should. Still, the cinematography from Pawel Edelman and the accomplished performance by Kate Winslet, do justice to the stunning (actual) photographs shown. There is a dramatized twist near the film’s end that pays homage to Lee and her story. An early comment about Hitler is all too relevant today, and the battle scenes and photographs reinforce what courage Lee Miller exhibited.

Opens in theaters on September 27, 2024

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3 Comments | Drama, War | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA (2022, animation)

January 13, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. There is nothing wrong with delivering exactly what’s expected for kids’ movies. It’s a bit bewildering that so many fall short. This is the fourth (and final) film in the hugely successful “Transylvania” animated movie franchise, although it’s the first not directed by Genndy Tartakovsky (credited here as co-writer and Executive Producer). Also missing this time are Adam Sandler and Kevin James, who previously voiced Dracula and Frankenstein, respectively. The character voices have been replaced by Brian Hull and Brad Abrell, and rest assured, the vast majority of young fans will never notice. The film is co-directed by Derek Drymon (one of the creative forces behind the ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ franchise – including video games and movies) and Jennifer Kluska (the main director in the ‘Wild Kratts’ series). What they’ve done is deliver exactly what’s expected … a fun time for kids.

It’s been 10 years since the first HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (2012) and nearly four years since the most recent, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION (2018). As this one begins, Dracula is throwing a party to celebrate the hotel’s 125th anniversary. It opens with Dracula and his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) dancing to “Just the Two of Us”. The sweet moment soon morphs into “Just the Three of Us” as her husband Johnny (Andy Samberg) joins in. This is the first, but certainly not the last, transformation – as you’ve probably guessed by the title.

The characters and visuals are the key elements for most kids, and ‘Transylvania’ is here to serve. What’s interesting this time is that Johnny and Mavis are the key players. Thanks to a special ray gun that transforms (there’s that word again) humans to monsters and monsters to humans, the big kick here is that Johnny is zapped and becomes a colorful and zany dragon that is sure to generate laughs. Cellar-bound Van Helsing (a returning Jim Gaffigan) is the developer of the ray gun. After a series of mishaps result with the party punch turning most of the monsters into human form, the whole crew sets off on a South American adventure to locate a replacement crystal so the ray gun can return them to their natural monster state.

Since most kids’ movies include a life lesson or moral, you can probably guess what happens to the characters on that journey. Being transformed gives them a different perspective and appreciation of the “other” side. That said, the comedy here leans towards the slapstick and pratfalls of classic cartoons, especially Looney Toons. Kids are sure to enjoy the ‘physical’ comedy, in particular that of Johnny as an eager-to-please dragon.

Many of the voices are returning actors, and include Fran Drescher (Eunice, the Bride of Frankenstein), Steve Buscemi (Wayne the Werewolf), David Spade (Griffin the Invisible Man), and Keegan-Michael Key (Murray the Mummy). There is a humorous recurring gag for grown-ups with Frankenstein and how much he admires his human looks, a startling visual of BB the guinea pig, and a reminder of why momma always told you to keep an eye on your drink at parties. Those familiar with the Transylvania franchise should be satisfied, and any new viewers should be entertained … exactly what’s expected.

Premieres on Amazon Prime Video this Friday, January 14, 2022

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson