CINDERELLA (2021)

September 2, 2021

Greetings again from the darkness. In keeping with the times, writer-director Kay Cannon (the screenwriter for three PITCH PERFECT movies) has turned the classic and ancient Cinderella tale into an agenda movie, albeit one adorned with new and lively adaptations of popular songs. The earliest versions of the folk tale date back 2000 years, while the most widely-accepted fairy tale version was penned by 17th century French writer Charles Perrault, who also wrote “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Sleeping Beauty”. Since then, there have been countless renditions around the globe in various forms: literary, stage, musical theatre, TV, and animated and live action film. As far as I can tell, this is the first feminist take.

Opening with the town folks performing Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation”, we are then introduced to Ella (pop singer Camila Cabello in her first movie), who lives in the basement of her stepmother’s (Idina Menzel) home. Yes, Ella has two stepsisters, although neither are particularly wicked. In fact, Anastasia (Maddie Baillio) appears almost disinterested, while Drizella (Charlotte Spencer) is at times, downright hilarious (in a Leslie Mann kind of way). Even the stepmother has moments of respectability and decency with Ella.

Ella’s only friends are the three mice who also live in the basement. It’s here where she hones her talent as a dress designer and dreams of having her own business (“how hard can it be?”). For her, she sees fashion design as not just her way out of the basement, but more importantly, as her road to independence. She doesn’t need a man or anyone else, and is skilled in daily affirmations. Hers is less of a ‘dream’ and more of a goal, despite the challenges of her situation.

Of course this is still a Cinderella story, and Nicholas Galitzine plays Prince Robert, an unfocused young man who lacks the drive to be king and fulfill the ultimate wish of his father, King Rowan (Pierce Brosnan). On the other hand, Robert’s sister, Princess Gwen (Tallulah Greive) is both driven and filled with ideas on ways to improve the kingdom. Her father readily dismisses her from matters of importance (men things), while Queen Beatrice (Minnie Driver) initially tries to maintain peace in the family. Knowing that this is a musical, and seeing Pierce Brosnan’s name in the credits, might generate nightmarish flashbacks for those who experienced his singing in MAMMA MIA! (2008). While he does tease/threaten us with singing, most of his musical bits are quite tongue-in-cheek.

Bringing a jolt of energy to the story at a time when it’s desperately needed is Billy Porter as Ella’s non-binary Fabulous Godmother, known as Fab G. Porter’s costume and overall flamboyance are a hoot to watch, and oh by the way, he’s quite a singer as well. And yes, the three mice turn into coachmen played by James Corden, James Acaster, and Romesh Ranganathan. They do serve up some comic relief, but likely not as much as they or the filmmaker hopes. Surprisingly, the set design and costume design are fairly drab – the two exceptions being Porter and the ball.

In addition to the opening “Rhythm Nation” song, you’ll hear a version of Salt-N-Pepa’s “What a Man”, as well as other familiar tunes. The music and the shift in Ella’s approach are the contemporary touches, as the girl-power theme stresses there’s no need for a man … even a Prince. The twist on the Cinderella tale varies from previous versions, the most popular being Kenneth Branagh’s 2015 film with Lily James and Cate Blanchett, the 1997 film with Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother, and of course, Walt Disney’s 1950 animated classic. Ms. Cannon’s version is still a love story; it’s just love of one’s self and career, rather than the love of another person. A tale perfectly suited to the times.

In select theaters and on Amazon Prime beginning September 3, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

OSCARS 2020 recap

February 10, 2020

Oscars 2020 recap

 It could be argued that the last 5 years of Best Picture announcements have each provided somewhat of a surprise as the title was announced. However, the noise level and affection directed towards the stage as those associated with PARASITE assembled, gave this year’s announcement a distinct and special feel. Filmmaker Bong Joon Ho has won over many in the industry during this awards season, and the historical significance of having the first non-English language winner shouldn’t be minimized. However, there was something else at play as the applause and whistles boomed throughout Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. This was an auditorium filled with movie lovers who were celebrating a creative, unique, meaningful, and entertaining cinematic achievement … in other words, the things that movie making is meant to deliver. It was quite a moment.

While my predictions were correct on 20 of 24 categories this year, I can’t help but kick myself for not foreseeing this PARASITE juggernaut (it won 4 of its 6 Oscar nominations). Director Sam Mendes’ WWI visual masterpiece 1917 seemed to be on an unstoppable roll after winning Best Picture at BAFTA, Critics Choice, Directors’ Guild, and Producers’ Guild. But taking a step back and analyzing how the Oscars voting works – success is heavily dependent on how many ballots have a film in the first/favorite position – it becomes much easier to understand how this “upset” occurred. Ever since it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, the number of crazed and vocal fans for PARASITE have been all over social media encouraging others to check it out. While almost everyone was wowed with the visual experience of 1917, it was the rabid fandom for the South Korean film that really stood out.

 So it was Bong Joon Ho’s film making Oscar history, and yet there are also other things to discuss. Choosing to go “host-less” for the second straight year, the very talented Janelle Monae opened the show by performing a take-off on Mister Rogers and then exploding into a high-octane song and dance featuring many of the nominated films, and a few that weren’t. Ms. Monae also infused the first political statement of the evening – one that would surely be followed by many more. Steve Martin and Chris Rock then took the stage, and though they apparently had not rehearsed their time together, there were a couple of good zingers … especially those aimed at Amazon’s Jeff Bezos … and more than a few that fell flat.

In his acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor (ONCE UPON A TIME IN … HOLLYWOOD), Brad Pitt infused a bit of political commentary, as did Olaf, I mean Josh Gad, as he introduced Idina Menzel to sing the nominated song from FROZEN 2 (along with some talented international help). Diane Keaton did her best Warren Beatty/Faye Dunaway impression through incoherence and cluelessness (at the expense of good guy Keanu Reeves), and one of the best moments of the show was followed by one of the strangest. Lin-Manuel Miranda introduced a wonderful medley clip of film songs which played right into Eminem taking the stage to perform his Oscar winning “Lose Yourself.” Why is that strange?  Well, 8 MILE came out in 2002, and ‘18’ is rarely celebrated as a commemorative year (unless you are a 17 year old rejoicing in legal impendence). Eminem’s song is a favorite of many, but his inclusion here left us with one unanswered question … why?

Billie Eilish delivered a beautiful version of “Yesterday” as the annual In Memoriam slides played, but live performances from Randy Newman and Elton John (whose song won) paled in comparison to that of Cynthia Erivo. We were rewarded yet again by the brilliance of Olivia Colman, following up last year’s win with a turn as presenter. Her line, “Last year was the best night of my husband’s life” deserves to become part of Oscar lore alongside streakers, no-shows, and botched announcements. We were then subjected to two much-too-long ramblings from Acting winners Joaquin Phoenix and Renee Zellweger. Mr. Phoenix at least made some sense in his plea for justice for all (and a nice quote from his deceased brother River: “Run to the rescue with love, and peace will follow”), while Ms. Zellweger babbled “ums” and “you knows” about heroes, and proved why most actors should stick to a script.

As I’ve stated before, celebrities are welcome to their political opinions, which many share frequently and openly. My issue is that the Academy Awards ceremony was designed as a once a year opportunity to celebrate cinema and those who make it such an enticing and entertaining art form. Especially in this day of social media, I find the political outbursts to be in poor taste … similar to bringing McDonalds carry-out to a dinner party. It seems the proper approach would be to thank the Academy and those who helped the winner with their achievements, and then head backstage and tweet all the political opinions swirling about in their head. Having one’s own hair stylist, make-up artist, limo driver, and fashion designer, does not seemingly make one an expert on equality or geopolitics, so my personal preference would be for political opinions to be stifled for a few hours.

 All the best stories have memorable endings, and this year’s Academy Awards certainly delivered that. Political ramblings were forgotten as soon as Jane Fonda, after pausing for dramatic effect (and to ensure she had the correct envelope) announced PARASITE as Best Picture. Watching movie history unfold was exhilarating, and Bong Joon Ho’s promise to “drink till the morning” was well-deserved. He has announced his involvement with an HBO series based on this Oscar winning film, so we can expect to see his creativity on one screen or another for the next few years.

***NOTE: Tom Hanks announced during the ceremony that the long-awaited Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will open December 14, 2020 in Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile district.

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Posted by David Ferguson

UNCUT GEMS (2019)

December 23, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s debatable whether this movie should be labeled an indie crime thriller or a ‘Scared Straight’ session for gambling addicts. Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie are filmmaking brothers who seem to specialize in adding a frenetic pace to the lives of characters who consistently make bad decisions. Their excellent 2017 film GOOD TIME (starring Robert Pattinson) set the tone for their latest, featuring an Adam Sandler performance unlike anything we’ve previously seen from him.

After a brief prologue at an Ethiopian mine, we are dropped right into Howard’s world. Well, more specifically, we find ourselves on the camera end of Howard Ratner’s colonoscopy, while also seeing the vibrant glow of the rare opal extracted from that opening mine. Remarkably, the colonoscopy may be Howard’s (and our) most relaxing moment of the movie. The character of Howard is based on a guy the Safdie brothers’ dad worked for in the Diamond District when they were growing up. He’s played here by Mr. Sandler, who delivers a performance so memorable that we now can’t imagine anyone else in the role.

Here is what we learn about Howard: he’s arrogant and foolish and energetic and hopeful. He lives life on the edge … or perhaps he’s already tipped. He’s a Jewish jeweler based in inner-city Manhattan, and as the film begins, he owes a lot of money to someone who has hired goons to collect. Howard has an irascible wife Dinah (Idina Menzel, Elsa’s voice in FROZEN) who is fed up with his antics … one of which is his employee/mistress Julia (newcomer Julia Fox). Howard has an insatiable gambling addiction and he’s always on the brink of a life-changing big score or a colossal failure that could cost him everything. He’s a hustler who has to move faster each day to prevent the collapse of his house of cards: sports bets, pawns, loans, lies, and empty promises.

So if you think you now have a feel for this, I can assure you that you are mistaken. The frenetic pace is relentless to watch. We kind of like Howard, but yet, we want nothing to do with him. His latest scheme involves the expectation that the rare opal will solve his many financial woes. In the meantime, his business associate Demany (LaKeith Stanfield) brings him a high profile client … NBA player Kevin Garnett. The film looks and feels like a gritty 1970’s flick, but it’s based during the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, and Garnett plays himself (and quite well). Garnett borrows the opal for good luck and that’s when all ‘heck’ breaks loose. Also in play here is Howard’s rotten brother-in-law (Eric Begosian), to whom he also owes money. Adding even more NYC flavor are Judd Hirsch, John Amos, and sports radio host Mike Francesca, as Howard’s bookie.

Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never) provides an electronic score that helps ensure we are never comfortable watching what is unfolding, and cinematographer Darius Khondji (EVITA) keeps his camera in constant motion – just like the characters. Production Designer Sam Lisenco creates Howard’s world through the jewelry shop, the house, the apartment, and especially that back office. Set Decorator Kendall Anderson wins a place in my heart for the Pete Maravich poster.

The Safdie brothers co-wrote the script with their editor Ronald Bronstein (who also worked on GOOD TIME), and afterwards you’ll find yourself going back through all the poor choices made by most every character. The brilliantly sustained level of uneasiness includes a segment featuring The Weeknd, and one revolving around a school play for Howard’s daughter. The Safdie style is present throughout, and most conversations are loud and heated and threatening. If you are the type that needs at least one likable character, or a serene environment, or respectful adult conversation, you are out of luck here. Howard is an exhausting character in an exhausting story within an exhausting movie … just as it was intended.

watch the RED BAND trailer (PROFANITY WARNING):

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

FROZEN II (2019)

November 21, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. Let it go. Forget the sisterly issues of the Oscar winning original from 6 years ago. Arendelle is now doing just fine under “Ice” Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Well, at least until Elsa is beckoned to the foggy, off-limits Enchanted Forest by an ethereal voice that only she can hear. We know this probably isn’t good since the movie kicks off with a flashback to when the sisters were very young and their parents (voiced by Alfred Molina and Evan Rachel Wood) told them a historically significant story of the forest – a story with a vital missing piece.

Joining Elsa (voiced again by the wonderful Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell) on this journey to the forest and a discovery of the past are more familiar faces from the first movie: woodsman Kristoff (Jonathan Groff, who also plays Holden Ford in the excellent TV series “Mindhunter”), Kristoff’s loyal reindeer Sven, and everybody’s favorite huggable, philosophizing snowman, Olaf (Josh Gad back for an expanded role that provides more laughs).

Co-directors and co-writers Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee return for the sequel and their script, co-written with Marc Smith, features the familiarity that we’d expect from such a successful original, but it adds pieces that will likely be too confusing for younger viewers. Trying to recapture the magic of their Oscar winning song “Let it Go”, songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez seem to have a singing interlude approximately every 8 minutes or so. Olaf gets a cute song, and this time, even Kristoff has his musical moment with “Lost in the Woods” (Jonathan Groff is a Broadway veteran). Of course, it’s Elsa/Idina Menzel who provides two impressive power vocals. It appears “Into the Unknown” is getting the PR push, but personally I preferred “Show Yourself”.

Don’t think it’s all about the songs. There is an odd storyline that seems a bit preachy about making amends to past sins (politically and personally), and just how devastating it can be to discover that one’s family tree has some rotten branches. Whether kids “get” that nature’s balance must be restored, they will surely appreciate the two sisters: Anna’s inner-strength and determination matching Elsa’s magical powers. And all ages will enjoy Olaf’s comical fast-talking recap of the first movie – a scene itself worthy of admission.

While the songs might fall short this time around, and the story might be a bit more convoluted, there is no arguing that this sequel looks fantastic. The enhanced animation is quite stunning at times. As opposed to the blue and white color scheme of the first movie, this sequel features a palette that draws from Martha Stewart’s Thanksgiving table setting – the autumn colors are vibrant and gorgeous.

FROZEN II will have a bit more Oscar competition in the animated category than what its predecessor faced, as it will be going up against instant classic TOY STORY 4. The filmmakers are to be commended for bringing attention to natural elements of air, water, fire, and earth; however, a couple of the extended sequences will likely prove too intense for younger viewers. “Do the next right thing” may be the new Disney Golden Rule, but it’s difficult to imagine a non-talking gecko or terrifying Earth Giants will emerge as a new favorite toy. Parents should know going in that by the end, Elsa sports a new dress and hairdo, conflicting with an early song “Some Things Never Change”. And when parents realize a third “Frozen” movie is in the works, they should know that warm hugs help. Let’s just hope the next one isn’t called “Ice Cubed”.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson