REVIEW: “The One and Only Ivan” (2020)

August 25, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Talking animal movies aren’t usually my cup of tea. Maybe it’s because I’m in my late 40’s which puts me about 40 years older than the target audience. Yet I can still appreciate movies like “The One and Only Ivan”, a sweet and gentle family film with plenty of heart. It’s a movie with a very old-school Disney vibe which is good for the reasons mentioned above. But it also means we get a pretty formulaic story that doesn’t hold back on the occasional cheese.

Bryan Cranston plays Mack, the ringmaster of a big top animal show located inside of a dried-up shopping mall. The show is headlined by a silverback gorilla named Ivan (soulfully voiced by Sam Rockwell) who Mack adopted as a baby after he was saved from poachers. Other animal acts include a wise pachyderm Stella (Angelina Jolie), a neurotic seal (Mike White), a prissy poodle (Helen Mirren), a rooster with stellar hand-claw coordination (Chaka Khan), and a rabbit who drives a toy firetruck (Ron Funches). And there’s also Ivan’s best friend, a stray dog (Danny DeVito) who sneaks into his pal’s cage at night.

Photo Courtesy of Disney

This is one of those movies where the animals speak to each other in fluent English which the humans never hear. That’s actually not a gripe. Like others before her, director Thea Sharrock does a good job selling it and we viewers have seen enough of these type films to understand the rules. The animals are given a wide range of personalities. Most are fun while a couple border on caricature. And only a handful get meaningful screen time. The others are easy to forget about, only occasionally popping up when the movie needs a group scene.

With the mall steadily losing business to the bigger and more modern Galleria, Mack’s audience size dwindles. Realizing he’s a few sparse crowds away from shutting down, Mack brings in a precocious baby elephant named Ruby (Brooklynn Prince). She becomes the show’s new headliner creating a tinge of jealousy in Ivan. But a young human girl named Julia (Ariana Greenblatt), the daughter of Mack’s handyman, helps Ivan to see himself in Ruby. He determines to help Ruby have the freedom he lost when he was her age.

One of the film’s strengths is found in the human element. Cranston’s Max is hardly a villain. He’s a lonely fellow who genuinely loves his animals despite being impervious to the effects of their captivity. It adds a much more interesting dynamic than if Mack were a hateful, physically abusive brute. That character type has been done many times before.

Photo Courtesy of Disney

Other strengths include the excellent GGI and even better voice work that bring the animal characters to life. There is such a soothing, easy-going quality to Rockwell’s voice while Jolie speaks with a sage-like elegance. DeVito’s playful banter is a nice fit while young Prince conveys an irresistible sweetness. They all work together with visual effects supervisor Nick Davis and his team of animators who seamlessly handle the integration of computer-generated characters into a live-action space. We’ve seen it done before, but rarely better than here.

Unfortunately the film isn’t without its flaws. Writer Mike White’s adaptation of K. A. Applegate’s children’s novel starts strong and does a nice job developing its main characters. But the story shows signs of stress especially as it threatens to turn into an animal version of “The Great Escape”. White (thankfully) dials it back and points towards a potentially better finish. Instead we end up with a rushed and on-the-nose final act that’s partially saved by a bittersweet ending which (either intentionally or not) is both happy and heartbreaking. I like interpreting it that way. It makes “The One and Only Ivan” a little more than a run-of-the-mill family drama.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

DC FanDome: The Best Trailers & Biggest Announcements

August 24, 2020 by Keith Garlington

On Saturday DC Comics and Warner Brothers held their first ever DC FanDome, a day-long virtual celebration of everything DC. It featured interviews, panels, game reveals, and new trailers for upcoming projects from their biggest properties. It was a day full of great announcements and unexpected surprises. Before we get to the trailers here are a few of the biggest news bites.

Some of the most exciting news came during the panel for the upcoming Flash movie. We learn that Flash’s film will officially launch the DC Multiverse much like his character did in the comics. But it gets better. As star Ezra Miller said, “By opening the door that Flashpoint did in the comics, all of these stories and characters can start to collide.” And they aren’t wasting any time. Turns out Michael Keaton’s Batman from the Tim Burton films actually designs Barry Allen’s new Flash suit (check them out in the cool image below). Not only does the multiverse bring all of the DC movies under the same umbrella, but it offers tremendous crossover opportunities. Talk about exciting potential.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was finally able to share details on his long talked about “Black Adam” movie. Black Adam is such a rich and complex character and it sounds as though the movie will embrace much of that. Plus he gave us some cool teases of the Justice Society and the roles they will be playing. If they get him right, Black Adam could be a game changer.
James Gunn revealed the cast for his upcoming refresh of Suicide Squad, and what a MASSIVE cast it is! Returning is Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, and Viola Davis. But it’s some of the new faces who give me hope: Idris Elba, Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, John Cena. That only scratches the surface. The cast is truly enormous and getting everyone quality time is going to be a huge challenge. I’ll think I’ll stay in skeptical mode for now.

Now let’s get to the really good stuff:

“The Batman” Teaser

Director Matt Reeves finally gave us a first look at “The Batman” and it didn’t disappoint. Talk about leaving a terrific first impression. I love the dark gritty tone, the serial killer/detective vibe, the fresh glimpses we get of some familiar characters including Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon and Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman. And how about the creepy sadistic teases of Paul Dano’s Riddler? And of course Robert Pattinson who looks great as a deeply damaged Bruce Wayne/Batman finding his way in his early vigilante days. This was a really satisfying teaser especially when combined with the multiverse news. I can’t wait!

“Wonder Woman 1984” Trailer 2

Patty Jenkins ended the “Wonder Woman 1984” panel with exactly what I was hoping for – a brand spanking new trailer. Gal Gadot continues to make this character her own and the trailer gives her plenty of cool moments (she’s so good). Chris Pine gets a few new clips as does Pedro Pascal. But it’s Kristen Wiig’s character who we learn the most about. I like what we’ve seen so far from Wiig but I gotta admit the Cheetah getup near the end of the trailer looks a little iffy. Still, this movie remains high on my must-see list and it was great to get some new looks.

“Justice League” The Snyder Cut

I proudly admit that I like “Justice League” but it definitely had its flaws. Who’s responsible for those flaws is still up for debate, but many believe they are due to Joss Whedon’s re-writes and re-shoots. Whedon took over for Zack Snyder following a terrible family tragedy. Fans knew instantly the film felt off and some time later they began petitioning for the Snyder Cut. Saturday we got our first look at the official Snyder Cut coming next year to HBO Max. The teaser shows a variety of awesome images from the cut playing to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. Odd choice of song yet incredibly effective. Apparently it will be four hours long and broken into four “episodes”. But don’t worry, Snyder confirmed it will also be coming out as a full movie. I can’t wait to see the film again, this time in its original vision.

So what were you thoughts on the movie news from DC FanDome? What was your favorite announcement? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

First Glance: “Let Him Go”

August 21, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Kevin Costner and Diane lane reunite but this time not as the Earth parents of Superman. Instead they star as a different husband and wife duo in Thomas Bezucha’s upcoming thriller “Let Him Go”. As a huge Costner fan my ears perked up just hearing about his new film. But after seeing the first trailer I’m even more onboard. This isn’t another warm and fuzzy old couple love story.

The film follows a retired sheriff (Costner) and his wife (Lane) who are still mourning the death of their son. The two set out to rescue their grandson from his abusive stepdad who lives with his twisted off-the-grid family. The clan is ran by a wicked family matriarch (played by none other than Leslie Manville) and she isn’t giving up the boy without a fight. I love the cast and I love the concept.

“Let Him Go” is set for a November 6th theatrical release. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Tesla” (2020)

August 21, 2020 by Keith Garlington

All movie genres have their conventions and biopics are no different. So many biographies are bound by certain self-imposed responsibilities and constraints that often strip them of their own style and flavor. They follow familiar paths, hitting familiar beats, and ultimately reaching familiar results. But as quick as I say that, along comes Michael Almereyda’s “Tesla” to give the biopic ‘genre’ a swift kick in the pants.

Almereyda’s fresh, quirky, and utterly fascinating foray into the life of Nikola Tesla fully embraces the mystery behind the brilliant engineer, inventor, and futurist. With style aplenty and even more audacity, Almereyda kicks aside nearly every biopic convention, crafting a biography based as much on feeling and intimation as strict history. For example Almereyda doesn’t mind showing you a scene only to stop it and tell you it never actually happened. He doesn’t do it as a stunt, but as a way of exploring the enigmatic Tesla from unique points of view.

What better fit for the film’s peculiar rhythm than Ethan Hawke. The often underrated actor plays Tesla as a man out of time, someone so forward thinking that he struggles to connect with the present. A man essentially held captive by his own genius. “Sometimes it seems as though all I do is think.” Tesla solemnly explains. “For days and weeks on end. Like my brain is burning. Who can live with that?” Hawke doesn’t give us a starry-eyed dreamer. Instead his Tesla exists in a perpetual state of awkward intensity; so confident in his brilliant theories yet too melancholic and soft-spoken to convince anyone other than himself.

Photo Courtesy of IFC Films

Not afraid to color outside the lines, Almereyda mixes facts with speculation to paint an abstract portrait of a man often overlooked in conversations over what became known as The Current War. Enter Anne Morgan (a really good Eve Hewson), daughter of financier and banking giant J.P. Morgan (played in the film by Donnie Keshawarz). Anne serves as our narrator and semi-historical tour guide through the life of Nikola Tesla. She also brings a shrewd female perspective to the testosterone-rich timeline. Sometimes Anne is sitting at a table with her MacBook sharing Google searches with the audience (yes, MacBook and Google). Other times it’s simple yet cutting voiceover where she shares how things might have played out. “If only Tesla had an enlightened hustler to steer him through the crass commercial world.”

That cynical yet thoughtful line of dialogue is actually a thinly veiled jab at Thomas Edison, played with a delectable balance of smarts and smarm by Kyle MacLachlan. Anne points out that you’ll only find the same four or so photos of Tesla on the web. Yet a quick Google search turns out countless images of Edison. And history bears it out. Edison’s renown has proven timeless. His success led to great wealth and notoriety. Children still learn of his work at an early age. Hotels, schools, bridges, a lake, a mountain, even an asteroid honor his name. Tesla died penniless and alone in a New York City hotel room.

Anne’s laptop, the internet references, even a later scene showing Edison with an iPhone all speak to technologies made possible by Tesla’s contributions. But Almereyda wisely keeps them brief and at a minimum, instead focusing on Tesla the man. From his early days working with Edison to their disagreement over direct current which Edison supported versus Tesla’s preferred alternating current. We watch him join Edison rival George Westinghouse (Jim Gaffigan), selling many of his patents and costing himself millions of dollars down the road. And of course we see Tesla’s move to Colorado to do his own radical experiments away from constant corporate conflicts.

Photo Courtesy of IFC Films

Through it all Tesla is shown to be a man stubbornly loyal to his work. Anne tries to crack through his shell, even using her father’s fortune as a lure. Tesla shows signs of interest but is overwhelmed by Anne’s game of cat-and-mouse. Even a sultry global stage celebrity like Sarah Bernhardt (Rebecca Dayan) can only capture so much of his attention. In one sense Tesla is fascinated by Bernhardt and her aura of fame. But who has time for relationships when there is so much work to do?

Almereyda’s style choices also extend to the film’s look. Several scenes are shot in front of beautiful yet blatantly obvious painted backgrounds as if we were suddenly watching a small stage production. My favorite may be a scene of Tesla walking out in front of a backdrop of Niagara Falls, his hair and raincoat soaked. It’s unmistakably evident that they are not on location, but Almereyda is fine with that, happily drawing attention to its artifice. And it fits the film in its own strange synchronistic way.

It has been fun watching the early reactions to “Tesla”. Some have been taken aback by its weird beats and it’s unorthodox structure. Others have really went for its gutsy risk-taking and avant-garde flavor. Put me down in the latter category. “Tesla” finally gives the Serbian-born visionary the big screen treatment, offering him more than than a brief cameo or a thinly sketched supporting role. It happily embraces the Tesla mystique and tells his story with an ever so sly sense of humor (Just wait until you see a hysterical out-of-the-blue musical number. I’d be a villain if I spoiled it). Thankfully the film’s blending of the past, present, and future is more than a gimmick and Hawke’s stoic, internalized performance is the perfect anchor for this spunky and stylish bio.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

First Glance: “On the Rocks”

August 20, 2020 by Keith Garlington

I’m always up for a Sophia Coppola movie and yesterday brought the first trailer for her new dramedy “On the Rocks”. Like all of her previous works Coppola both writes and directs what is the first film in distributor A24’s multi-year partnership with Apple. It has yet been announced if “On the Rocks” will premiere on Apple’s new streaming platform.

The film stars Rashida Jones as a woman in her late thirties who begins to suspect her husband (Marlon Wayans) is having an affair. She turns to her playboy father played by Bill Murray for wisdom and advice. The two end up as daddy/daughter detectives, tracking her husband across the Big Apple and learning about their relationship in the process.

“On the Rocks” opens this October in theaters and (maybe) in AppleTV+. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Unhinged” (2020)

August 20, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Movie theaters all around the country are welcoming back audiences with “Unhinged”, long advertised as the first major new release to come out on the big screen in five months. After several delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, the movie is finally set to open exclusively in theaters this weekend. “Unhinged” is a road-rage thriller from director Derrick Borte and writer Carl Ellsworth that starts off with a pulpy bang, foregoing all niceties and getting right to the dirty work of putting a face to its title.

In its terrific tone-setting opening, we see a man played by Russell Crowe sitting in his pickup truck as rain pours down from the night sky. He looks haggard and empty – his nerves clearly shot. He pops some pills, pulls off his wedding band and flicks it over his shoulder. With a sudden glance of calm resolution, he steps out into the downpour, pulls a long claw hammer and a gas can from his backseat and walks to the front door of a two-story suburban home. The violence that follows firmly sets him as the film’s antagonist and all before the title hits the screen.

Photo Courtesy of Solstice Studios

That shocking prologue puts “Unhinged” in an interesting place. It’s a rousing, savage introduction that sets high expectations which the rest of the movie works hard trying to reach (it never quite does). One thing is for sure, Borte’s shrewd table-setting gets its hooks in the audience and Crowe’s grim manifestation of modern society’s festering angst, fury, and incivility leaves you glued to the screen.

Not wanting to overplay its ‘crazy man’ hand, the movie pivots to its main story. Recently divorced Rachel (Caren Pistorius) has hit rock-bottom, struggling financially while trying to take care of her young son Kyle (Gabriel Bateman). After oversleeping she speeds through the dense traffic of an unnamed city (filmed in and around New Orleans) to get her frustrated son to school on time. “Three tardies is an automatic detention” Kyle grumbles, used to his mother’s perpetual lateness.

Rachel pulls up behind a pickup at a traffic light. The light turns green but the truck doesn’t budge. A stressed Rachel lays on her horn and swerves around followed by an angry flip of her hand. At the next light the truck pulls beside her, the man from the prologue in the driver’s seat. He rolls down his window and explains that he’s been having a rough go and apologizes demanding Rachel do the same. When he doesn’t get the response he’s looking for his poorly veiled indignation boils over. “I don’t think you even know what a bad day is.” he seethes. “But you’re gonna find out.”

The encounter sets the single-minded story in motion as the deranged madman terrorizes Rachel for the duration of the movie’s running time. The man (who calls himself Tom Cooper in one scene but is hardly convincing) follows Rachel around the city, actually getting her phone at one point and threatening to kill her loved ones. “Who’s going to die? Or do you want me to play Russian roulette with your contact list?” Borte squeezes out everything he can from the simple story, cranking the tension level to 10 and not shying away from amping up the gruesome nature of the violence.

Photo Courtesy of Solstice Studios

Pistorius makes for a solid protagonist, ably portraying a single mother down on her luck but not without her own shortcomings. She’s steadily convincing whether conveying abject terror or mama bear grit when protecting her son. But it’s Crowe who takes no time reminding us of his A-list acting chops. We know from the chilling opening that his character has more going on than a simple case of the Mondays. But Crowe goes all-in, bulling through scenes with sadistic blunt force. He’s the one people will be talking about.

“Unhinged” is a simple yet satisfying thriller that by the end turns into full-on maniacal horror. Its simplicity is its biggest flaw. While the film aggressively barrels forward, it sticks to its one single lane and never taking a detour. You know where it’s going to end. Still the trip there is worthwhile in large part thanks to Crowe and the unsettling menace he brings to the screen. You never doubt his character’s burning hatred towards everything living including himself. It’s great to see Crowe in top form once again. “Unhinged” opens Friday only in theaters.