The Northman

 

The Northman

I did not realize Vikings had such bright and shiny teeth, but that underscores my lack of Nordic culture. This film is one of the most brutal and gory movies I have seen in some time. The movie has elements of Norse lore, Shakespearean and Greek tragedy. The plot is simple; Prince Amleth seeks revenge for the murder of his father by his uncle. The story is about the quest for this revenge. Fantasy is in the mix with dead Vikings coming to life with dead eyes and a magical sword that can only be drawn at night. Unless you are a Norse scholar you should brush up on your Viking history. An outstanding feature of the movie is the breathtaking scenery. The story is supposed to be in Iceland but most of the filming was shot in Northern Ireland.

A very buffed Alexander Skarsgard (a.k.a Tarzan) plays Prince Amleth. He is a brooding killing machine, which he does well. William Defoe is Heimer the Fool barely recognizable under his hair; his screen time is brief. Nicole Kidman is the queen and Amleth’s mother. Her character does provide a pivotable twist in the movie. Anya Taylor-Joy (a.k.a The Queen’s Gambit) is Olga the Slavic slave girl who becomes Amleth’s wife. Ethan Hawk is King Aurvandill War-Ravin Amleth’s father; again too much hair and hard to recognize.

The film received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89. The production cost was about $90m but the worldwide box office was only  $53m; it needed to make $200m to breakeven. For the target male audience, Thor is easier to digest.

Being the Ricardos

 

Being the Ricardos (Amazon Prime)

The film is a drama bio, pseudo-documentary. The drama part incorporates story points to deflect some unpleasant realities. When the story starts there are three older individuals who worked with Lucy on the show. They intermittently  narrate the story presenting facts or fiction.

Lucille Ball was a phenomenal comedian. She was a master (mistress) of physical comedy. At the height of “ I Love Lucy” the  show had sixty million viewers. She was a perfectionist and to the chagrin of her comedy writers micromanaged scenes.  She was  an adroit businesswoman and a brutal negotiator. She was the first  pregnant woman on a TV program which was taboo at the time. The ending is a whitewash  to rehabilitate Ball’s reputation.

Arron Sorkin is the writer director. The film is disjointed. This is unusual  for Arron Sorkin who is an award winning writer. The film centers on a critical week. The days of the week serve as chapters.  Then the story pivots to other parts and the transitions are not quite clear. Lucy is portrayed as supporting her husband, Desi Arnaz, and desiring a home life. Desi’s philandering is an undercurrent in the movie but its toxicity is peripheral to the story.

Nicole Kidman plays Lucy hard. Lucy is a difficult  actress and a tough businesswoman. She does not shy away from consequences. Some nuanced reflection of her actions would have benefited the character. Javier Bardem is Desi Arnaz. He is a natural for the role with his Latin background. He plays Desi more as a businessman than an actor and the film suggests he was overshadowed by his wife. Wonderful performances were delivered by J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda and Tony Hale.

Unless you a fan of “I Love Lucy” ,which was excellent, or a big Lucy fan, I would not spend twenty dollars to see this film. It was for free on Amazon Prime. I do not know why the movie is for free but I suspect it is a way to advertise the movie and get feedback.

Bombshell

Bombshell                                                                                                                    February 6, 2020

The word bombshell can be used as a double entendre. In the news it is an important fast breaking story. In the golden age of Hollywood a bombshell was an alluring  gorgeous starlet (see Hedy Lamar, doc. “Bombshell”) . This move has both. The film is a quasi-documentary with actual footage of events and in most instances uses real names.

The film is fast paced and since most everyone knows the story it feels a bit voyeuristic, but in a good way. The ensemble is terrific. I almost did not recognize Charlize Theron as Megan Kelly; the make-up was incredible. Not only did she look like Kelly, she captured  her uncompromising  attitude. Nicole Kidman played Gretchen Carlson with a stunning resemblance and a deep sense of betrayal. Margot Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil a fictional character. She is symbolic of all the victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Roger Ailes. She is  junior to the other two news women and her ambition and naivete make her a perfect target.  Roger Ailes is played by the incomparable  John Lithgow in a fat suit. Lithgow is masterful he plays Ailes as a dictatorial pig dangling choice spots on the news as bait to ambitious young women. Katie McKinnon plays a closeted lesbian with the door ajar. Her trademark humor is tinged with sadness and fear. Even if briefly, it was great to see Malcolm McDowell as Rupert Murdoch, an uncanny resemblance.

The Fox newsroom is toxic. Everyone fears Ailes and are scared of losing their jobs. The women wear skirts at work so their legs can be seen through  glass tables. It was fun trying to see how accurately the actors resembled  the real people. Sean Hannity  had a revolver in his waist belt, oblivious  that New York  does not permit  concealed weapons.

Charlize Theron in nominated for best actress and Margot Robbie is nominated for best supporting actress, both well deserved. What about Nicole Kidman? Her performance is Oscar worthy. Gretchen was the catalyst that brought down Ailes and Kidman played her role with profound pathos and grit.