Mini Review - Wicked: Part I
Wicked: Part I (out Nov 21) is a very strong adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are fantastic. Director Jon M. Chu (In the Heights) has crafted a flashy piece (colourful sets, a gazillion overemoting extras) which is fun but also emotional. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - Goodrich
Goodrich (out Nov 21) has its moments but its largely a thin, unfulfilling drama about a middle-aged man (Michael Keaton) trying to get his personal and professional lives back on track (both are a mess). Grade: B-.
Mini Review - No Other Land
No Other Land (out Nov 21) is one of the year's best documentaries. Set between 2019 and 2023, it follows a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist as they try to raise international awareness about a group of roughly 1,000 Palestinians being forcibly removed from their remote homes in the West Bank. Eye-opening with interesting characters and backstories. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - Christmas Eve in Miller's Point
Christmas Eve in Miller's Point (out Nov 14) is an unorthodox holiday comedy-drama set around a Christmas Eve dinner. With no clear plot and a billion actors, it becomes an observational piece as we flick back and forth between characters engaged in random conversations. A shame these people aren't remotely interesting. Grade: C.
Mini Review - Gladiator II
Gladiator II (out Nov 14) leans too heavily into nostalgia (I lost track of all the references to earlier quotes and plot points from the original) but it still deserves praise. The performances are great (it's the best Denzel Washington has been in years), the action scenes get the heart pumping, the sound is thunderous, the music is stirring, and the production values are credible. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Memory
Memory (out Nov 14) is the story of two unlikely people who come together - a recovered alcoholic and sexual abuse survivor (Jessica Chastain) and a man suffering from early onset dementia (Peter Sarsgaard). I struggled with the contrived story (didn't believe it) but there are some great individual scenes (often involving kids and what they should/shouldn't know). Grade: B.
Mini Review - I Saw the TV Glow
I Saw the TV Glow (out Nov 7) is a perplexing drama about a friendless, introverted teenager who forms a connection with someone over a television show. The punchline is thought-provoking but it's a wild ride getting there. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Red One
Red One (out Nov 7) takes itself far too seriously. Chris Evans tries to spice it up with brevity but he's the only spark. It's the tale of a kidnapped Santa Claus and two men who forcibly come together to rescue him and save Christmas. Grade: C+.