Tick Tick Boom

Tick Tick Boom (Netflix)

I am not the right person to review a musical film. I though an octave was something you bought at  the farmer’s market. This film has energy, warmth and pathos. It is about Jonathon Larson and his artistic challenges to write a Broadway musical. In case you do not know who Larson is, he wrote and composed Rent (which my wife reminded me we saw). The film has musical numbers but also dramatic scenes depicting Larson’s struggles to write a  musical. The creative process is a mix of failures, emotional turmoil and success-even if only brief.  

Andrew Garfield gives a bravo performance. On the “Late Show” Garfield said he never sang before, but Lin-Manuel Miranda, the director, wanted him for the part. Garfield took singing lessons. When I made the remark that Garfield was just mouthing songs my son corrected me saying I knew nothing about melody, range and hitting the notes. According to Wikipedia there are loads of cameos from famous theatrical composers and musical actors. I have no idea who the are but they were  great.

Besides Garfield’s outstanding energetic performance the film has a strong supporting cast. His girlfriend played by Alexandra Shipp, presents Larson with the pivotal question; when do you stop striving for the impossible? Of course they break into song. His boyhood friend Michael, who gave up on acting, went to the dark side and got a job in advertising. It is a dear friendship and Michael is there even when he is pushed away.  I am not sure if they broke out in song but probably they did. A poignant scene is when an actor portraying Steven Sondheim gives Larson positive feedback. As you may know Sondheim recently passed.

The film is not about his famous play Rent, but rather a play he labored over for many years, Superbia, which was never produced. Tragically Larson died of  aortic dissection at age 35. He posthumously won a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. He died on the first day of Rent’s off Broadway preview performance.

 

  

King Richard (HBO Max)

 

King Richard (HBO Max)

Richard Williams is a dedicated father but he is an annoying person. This is a Horatio Alger story but here Horatio is black and female.  His drill sergeant  method guiding  his daughters  to tennis stardom is admirable but dictatorial. He had an 84 page plan for the girls tennis stardom but he could not succeed without the remarkable talent of Venus and Sarina. As he said he has two Michael Jordans.  The film is a biopic, it tells a good story but lacks dramatic tension. The story could have been as effective on PBS. Surprisingly on HBO Max it was for free.

Will Smith gives his usual performance. This is a toned down “Bad Boys” act. Same face contortions, same leaning over into your face, same eyebrow lifts, same tone. As he demonstrated in “Ali” he can do better but he did not try here. Aside from the two delightful young girls who played Venus and Sarina the other character of note was Aunjanue Ellis who played his wife Oracene “Brandy” Price. She is a partner in her husband’s quest for their daughters success but she corrects the course when she things go wrong. The two young girls who portray the future tennis greats are very sweet and almost never push back on the intense regiment they have to follow. May we all have teenagers like them.

Names of famous tennis stars were dropped everywhere. From a historical perspective it was interesting to see how many tennis players had the same coaches. There were reenactments of actual tennis matches. The other actors were bit players mostly folding to Richard’s demands. While both sisters are showcased as potential tennis greats this is the rise of Venus and her early wins.

Not to dissuade you from seeing this movie other critics have given this film glowing reviews.

Dune

 

Dune

Seventy year old men should not watch Part One movies since seeing Part Two may be a bit tenuous. This is the first part of the epic 1965 sci fi novel by Frank Herbert. There are two books running 800 pages in all. The 1984 version of Dune was a box office flop. Dune was one of those 1970’s college campus must reads like Catch 22 and Slaughterhouse Five (I never read Dune).

This Dune has a lot of energy and an A rated cast. The plot is dense but it boils down to some basic elements: feudalism, palace intrigue, colonization, exploitation and a sprinkling of Zen. It is best to watch this movie in chunks. Dune is a great visual movie. The special effects are spectacular with futuristic spacecrafts traveling between planets. The battle scenes are different from other sci fi films in that they involve hand to hand combat. The costumes are unique and a key part of the movie. I am confident Dune will receive Oscar nominations for costume and art production.  

Timothee Chalamet plays Paul Atreides the ducal heir. He is still willowy but gives a strong performance.  He does not have the muscle mass of an epic hero. In one scene he disrobes to put on a desert survival suite and his back looks a portable xylophone. Oscar Isaac is focused and gives his usual strong performance. Jason Momoa provides an ample dose of arched eyebrows. Zendaya has a few scenes at the end of the movie but she does what she does well, smolder. With the exception of Chalamat there are too many diverse scenes for one character to have a sustainable dramatic impact, which is not a bad thing.

If you are a sci fi fan this is a must see. The movie’s visual effects alone are worth seeing. I did not watch the epic credit roll at the end because after 156 minutes I had to do what seventy year old men need to do.

Cry Macho (HBO Max)

 

Cry Macho (HBO Max)

If Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby were A+ and Grand Tornio was an A, this film is a sold C. I am reluctant to call this a vanity movie but at 91 Clint should hang it up. He looks like a 91 year old man with cellophane skin and bony hands. He plays a  former rodeo star and a washed up horse breeder. Stand-ins were a required for some scenes. In one shot Clint appears to be bucking a mustang but it was plain to see it was a stunt man. There was a cut away of Clint bouncing up and down to simulate the bucking horse. He punches out a bad guy sixty years his junior with one punch a la Dirty Harry. Clint still has that animal magnetism but rather than racy bedroom scenes there was a lot of hugging and hand holding instead. So much for Viagra.

Basically the film was boring. The movie is about Clint getting  the son of his ex-boss out of Mexico. The movie is an uneventful road trip. The acting of the supporting actors is uninspiring. The young actor playing the estranged son seemed to be reading lines rather than acting. The only actor of some standing was Dwight Yoakum and his screen time was limited. Clint directed this film. I cannot comment on the directorial merits but the film had a budget of $33m and a box office of $4.7m. Enough said.

I am not saying he should not go gently into that good night but he should start enjoying his Social Security. He earned it.

 

No Time to Die

 

No Time to Die

If anyone is counting this is my 200^th film review.

I saw my first Bond movie in 1962 with my sister, it was Dr. No. We had no idea what it was about but we were blown away. We never saw anything like it before with so much action and intense characters (every eleven year old boy was thankful for Ursula Andress). It was a thrilling experience and  Daniel Craig’s franchise has maintained the thrill.

This Bond movie has all the signature elements. Bond is suave and a dispassionate killer, gorgeous women of dubious  character, super villains who want world domination or large bank accounts, stunning stunts, gadgets to warm the heart of every man-child and that hallmark bass line. Bond movies have reoccurring characters from other movies such as M, Q and Moneypenny. Some are recognizable and others not. This film is so engaging all viewers will find it enjoyable.

The film has  many reveals, it is a must see. In fear of my life there is little I can say about the plot. This is Danial Craig’s last Bond movie after 15 years at the helm. He is a bit moodier in this outing. The femme fatale is Lea Seydoux. She did not strike me as the typical voluptuous Bond female rather she was more like the girl next door (I guess Ursula left an impression on me). Rami Malek is the uber villain Lyutsifer Safin. Every time I see Malek I have Freddy Mercury stuck in my head, but he really did a great job. He wasn’t cheesy and played the role as a low keyed psychopathic villain well. The newest character is Lashana Lynch as Nomi. I  absolutely cannot say anything about her. Felix Leiter is back played by Jeffrey Wright, a bit sweatier and chubbier. Christopher Waltz reprises his role as Bolfeld. His screen time is short but important to the plot. Q applies his wizardry to a new arsenal of weapons. Locations are a big part of the movie. The movie was filmed in Matera Italy, Jamaica, Cuba, Norway and the Pinewoods studios in London.

If you are a Bond fan, or not, you should really see this movie.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

It was pretty good, better than I expected. This is not a Kung Fu movie per se, although there is a lot of Kung Fu fighting. The fighting is in slowmo Kung Fu like Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger and not like Bruce Lee’s bone crushing blows. The story was not entirely set in a mystical Chinese landscape,  San Francisco streets were prevalent. With Marvel movies there is humorous banter provided by Awafina with her delightful Queens accent. The plot is pretty straight forward with a son/father conflict with a bit of Oedipus Rex sprinkled in. The evil guys are mythical Chinese creatures like the ones in the Chinese New Year’s street parade.

The protagonist , Shang-Chi, is played by Simu Lu a Canadian actor. He is affable akin to Jackie Chan. He does a fine job and I am sure we will see him the sequel (another Marvel tradition). Awafina has a supporting role as Shang-Chi’s friend, but not girlfriend. This uncomplication makes the film lighter and you can concentrate on the fighting. The perennial Michelle Yeoh plays Sheng-Chi’s aunt. She was a leading character in Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger and her presence gives the film credibility. Ben Kingsley reprises his role as Trevor Slattery as the Mandarin from Iron Man 3, another Marvel linkage. He gives a humorous performance. Special effects are a major part of the film.

Cruella (Disney)

 

Cruella (Disney)

Now that Disney has dropped its  price tag of $29.99 and streamed Cruella for free, I decided to watch it. It was quite entertaining. It is a mix of camp, comedy and  darkness. This move is very un-Disney. In an early scene one character meets a disturbing demise. Disney films have dark elements. Killing Bambi’s mother, Dumbo caught in a fire and a poisoned apple are not child friendly. Cruella has the distinction of the first Disney character to use a straight razor. She must have borrowed it from John Wick. A technical point: aside from an allusion to “1,001 Dalmatians” Cruella is far different.

Emma Stone must have had a fabulous time in the role of Cruella. With all the camping there were  dramatic scenes giving  balance to the movie. Stone’s voice and posturing  were over the top but appropriate for the character. The original Cruella was a nasty. Stone plays the role more with cunning and revenge rather than cruelty. However, the three dalmatians in this film do not come off well.

Emma Thompson is the villainess as the Baroness. She must have channeled Meryl Streep from the “Devil Wears Prada” for her over the top portrayal. With her ramrod posture and barely moving lips she takes snobbery to new heights. She is a cruel and narcissistic villain.

The supporting cast is wonderful. Cruella’s two childhood friends make up her gang. Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauer play two street urchins who befriend her and become her henchmen. They provide comedy to the film. Mark Strong plays his usual granite faced persona. He plays the role with usual British reserve but strongly. There are many other characters who give wonderful performances.

Couture is a big part of the film. The dresses are excessive but not totally ridiculous. They have elements of legitimate fashion. The flaming gown was marvelous. This movie has an outstanding soundtrack of 70’s songs.

Was the price reduction worth waiting for, yes.