Look, I’m a big fan of Javier Bardem and I’ll watch pretty much watch everything he does. But even I may not be able to handle “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile”, the upcoming musical comedy set for release this fall. I say that after watching the first trailer which left me speechless (and not in the good way). The film revolves around an anthropomorphic crocodile that falls in with a New York City family (sounds strikingly familiar to Paddington and the Brown family in London, right?).
Shawn Mendes voices the titular talking croc who shocks the Primm family by showing up in their bathtub. Before long Lyle’s eccentric owner, Hector P. Valenti (Bardem) arrives to ease the family’s apprehension. But there has to be a villain and here it’s Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman) who believes Lyle belongs in a zoo. Along with Bardem, the attractive cast also includes Constance Woo, Scoot McNairy, and Winslow Fegley. If only the movie looked half as good as the cast.
“Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” opens in theaters October 7th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
There was a time when I was quite the basketball fan. It was back when college teams could keep players for more than a year and the NBA was brimming with personalities who went by such names as Magic, The Mailman, Clyde the Glide and Hakeem the Dream. I loved booing the Bad Boys from Detroit, cheering for the Seattle Supersonics (who always came up short), and watching Michael Jordan in his prime cement himself as the greatest of all-time.
But for me the NBA lost a lot of its grit and college basketball started to feel watered down as players began (understandably) jumping ship for pro ball. Still, the sport has never had a shortage of extraordinary and inspirational stories. And while I may no longer be an avid basketball fan, I’m still very much a movie guy who loves good stories. For decades movies have used basketball to tell some really good ones. Movies such as perennial favorite “Hoosiers”, William Friedkin’s underrated “Blue Chips”, or more recently 2020’s surprisingly great “The Way Back.”
Whether you’re a basketball fan or not, the story of NBA Champion and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is about as inspiring as they come and it comes to light in Disney’s new film “Rise”. Directed by Akin Omotoso, written by Arash Amel, and with Giannis serving as executive producer, “Rise” is a biographical sports drama that dodges most of the snares that come packed with the genre. “Rise” does what most of the best ones do – it focuses as much (if not more) on character than basketball. In this case, it’s about a tight-knit family and their remarkable yet trying journey towards a better life.
Image Courtesy of Disney Studios
From the start, “Rise” puts the bulk of its attention to Giannis’ family and the hardships they endured before basketball. It opens in 1990 with a heartbreaking scene as Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo (wonderfully played by Nigerian-American actors Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki) leave their infant son Francis with his grandparents in Lagos, Nigeria. They then make the arduous journey to Greece, dodging immigration roundups and finally landing in the north Athens neighborhood of Sepolia. Their plan was to quickly bring Francis over as soon as they’re settled, but they soon find themselves stymied by an impossible citizenship process.
“Rise” offers a surprisingly candid look at immigration, from the broken systems themselves to the suffering they can cause. The Antetokounmpo’s story is a prime example. In order to get legal residency in Greece, Charles or Veronica needed to have a payroll job. But they can’t get a payroll job without legal residency. This left them working low-paying jobs just to make ends meet. Meanwhile the looming threat of deportation made living a normal life next to impossible.
As the movie streaks forward, Charles and Veronica have four sons in Greece. Most of our time is spent with the oldest, Thanasis (Ral Agada) and of course Giannis (newcomer Uche Agada). Early on we see the boys hawking cheap souvenirs to tourists just to help their family get by. Later we see them stumble upon the game of basketball. Both Giannis and Thanasis are instantly hooked and begin sneaking across town just to play at a free youth club.
Image Courtesy of Disney+
Their parents eventually find out leading to some inevitable family tension. Veronica wants to let the boys play and have some semblance of a normal youth. Charles is a protector and is worried about his family’s status being exposed. It’s a dilemma that only intensifies as Thanasis and especially Giannis begin to excel at the game. Do they push towards the dream of playing professional basketball at the risk of revealing themselves to more and more people? It’s a question the movie tackles with a lot of heart.
Omotoso’s heavy focus on building this family’s dynamic is the biggest reason “Rise” works so well. We genuinely feel we know these characters from where they start to where the movie ends. We see the four brothers sleeping in the same twin bed. We see Giannis and Thanasis sharing the only pair of basketball shoes they can afford. We watch the hard-working Charles and Veronica do everything they can to shield their children from the precariousness of the family’s situation.
But we also see moments of love and happiness. And by the time the 2013 NBA Draft rolls around, we have such a rooting interest that we really don’t mind when the predictable feel-good elements kick in. That’s because “Rise” earns our emotional investment. And even though we ultimately know the outcome, the film’s payoff is just the kind heartwarming satisfaction we’re looking for. Sure, it’s a bit syrupy. But sometimes a little syrup hits the spot. “Rise” premieres today on Disney+.
Yet another film from this year’s Sundance Film Festival’s crop that slipped by me. “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” is a pandemic era feature from director Sophie Hyde that earned a lot of attention following its premier in January. The film explores themes of self-discovery and fulfillment in a way that is sure to resonate with most women. At the same time, it does so through a means that is sure to speak to some far more than others.
Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack lead this intimate two-hander that mostly sustains its interest throughout its four-act structure. In this obvious COVID-era production, the two stars are handed a challenging task and manage it admirably. Meanwhile screenwriter Katy Brand’s story of a widowed former schoolteacher and a considerably younger sex worker mines a surprising amount of depth and personal detail from her two characters. Yet as a movie, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” starts strong, adds some compelling layers, but comes unglued in an unfortunate final act that never quite rings true.
Image Courtesy of Hulu
The movie opens with a woman (Thompson) entering a hotel room. Her name is Nancy and she looks to be in her mid-sixties (the movie never tells us). She’s clearly anxious and after changing shoes nervously begins checking out the place. We then shift to a coffee shop where a young man named Leo (McCormack), roughly in his late twenties, checks his phone and the heads outside. He has appointment with a new client at a nearby hotel. Of course, that client is Nancy.
Upon Leo’s arrival to Nancy’s hotel room, we learn he is sex worker and Nancy has prepaid for his “services”. The hunky Leo oozes self-confidence yet he’s gentle and almost saintly through Hyde’s lens. He says all the right words, has endless patience, and often speaks like he’s leading a therapy session. Nancy on the other hand is quickly overcome by second thoughts. Trepidation sets in as she wrestles with feelings of shame, embarrassment, and insecurity. Soon she’s scrambling for any excuse she can find to not to go through with it.
Leo pours a couple of glasses of champagne to help break the ice and lighten the mood. And so begins this 97-minute movie that takes place almost entirely in this single hotel room. While sex necessitates a portion of the story’s preoccupation, it’s not as salacious as the premise may sound. In fact, the most seductive element of “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” is the honesty it brings to Nancy and Leo in the first two acts. It isn’t until the clunky final chapter that a frustrating sense of artificiality creeps in. And it’s here that the movie ends with an awkward sex montage which feels more like the script fulfilling a self-imposed expectation than a true ‘coming into her own’ moment for Nancy.
Image Courtesy of Hulu
Far more compelling is watching Thompson and McCormack unpack their characters through their many dialogue-rich conversations. The performances are fantastic, especially from Thompson who’s a conduit for the audience and the conscience-driven questions many may have (even though the film’s positions are never in doubt). But when she really starts peeling back Nancy’s layers, we see a woman woefully uncomfortable in her own skin and full of regrets for the life she never lived. But we also see touches of haughtiness and condescension in how she talks about her two adult kids (one is “too boring”, the other has too much fun) or the kids she once taught in school.
Despite the solid performances, many moments of heartfelt sincerity, and its impressive juggling of tenderness and the risqué, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” still evolves into something pretty predictable. And there’s also the preposterous nature of the story. I certainly don’t claim to be an expert, but I can’t imagine this is how Leo’s particular pay-for-service business generally works. But worst of all is the slapdash fourth chapter that nearly undoes the film’s more encouraging message of finding contentment and discovering self-confidence. “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” is now streaming on Hulu.
In “Code Name Banshee”, a former government assassin is forced back in the game after his old protégé informs him there is a bounty on his head. That premise alone is loaded with familiarity. But when you have Antonio Banderas leading the way it’s hard for me to turn a blind eye. Directed by Jon Keeyes, the action flick also stars Jaime King, Tommy Flanagan, and Catherine Davis.
Banderas plays a CIA assassin named Caleb who has went into hiding after leaving a job you never can truly leave. He’s found by his old protégé, Banshee (King) who warns him that a deadly mercenary (Flanagan) is seeking to collect a bounty that has been put on Caleb’s head. There are hints of some past tension between Caleb and Banshee, but they put it behind to try and stop their mutual enemy. The new trailer is full of action and Banderas’ suave style. I’m not sure if it offers much we haven’t seen before, but I’m certainly willing to give it a shot.
“Code Name Banshee” opens July 1st in select theaters and on VOD. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
One of my big regrets from this year’s Sundance Film Festival was missing out on “Cha Cha Real Smooth”. When sorting out my schedule, it wasn’t a movie that initially caught my eye. But after hearing the overwhelming excitement from fellow Sundancers I knew I had missed out. Apple quickly scooped up the film, and after a limited theater run, “Cha Cha” is now available to stream on Apple TV+.
It turns out “Cha Cha” earns the buzz. The light and easy dramedy teases conventionality but slyly maintains a freshness that keeps the story and characters from coming across as overly familiar. It very much feels like a movie of this era, yet it open-arm embraces several tried-and-true movie staples which is sure to give it credibility with the independent cinema scene. That may sound like a slight, but it isn’t meant to be. In fact, the movie’s fresh flavor mixed with its traditional indie movie vibe is a big part of what makes it work.
Image Courtesy of AppleTV+
“Cha Cha Real Smooth” is directed, written, produced, and co-edited by Cooper Raiff. He also stars as the film’s quintessential indie lead character. Raiff plays Andrew, 22-years-old and fresh out of college. As a character, Andrew is an interesting collage of traits. He’s a bit of a slacker and a touch selfish yet genuinely kind under the surface. He’s not lacking in self-confidence, despite still living at home with his mother (a really good Leslie Mann), step-father (Brad Garrett), and 12-year-old kid brother David (Evan Assante).
Andrew wants to work for a fancy non-profit, but his flighty lack of direction keeps him from putting in the effort. Instead he’s absorbed in thoughts of going to Barcelona where his college girlfriend is doing her Fulbright. It leaves him stuck working a go-nowhere job at a fast-food joint called “Meat Sticks” and serving as a part-time Bar Mitzvah party starter.
The movie gets going in earnest after Andrew meets a young mother named Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic teenage daughter, Lola (newcomer Vanessa Burghardt). Despite their age difference, Andrew and Domino develop an interesting relationship. Johnson is terrific playing yet another ambivalent and hard-to-read single mom with an enchanting aura of beauty surrounding a near impenetrable exterior. Domino is a devoted mother and is hesitant to put herself in any position that might compromise her first and most important calling. But there’s also a sorrow in her eyes – a sorrow that seems to vanish whenever Andrew is around.
This may sound like a pretty obvious rom-com recipe but Raiff has more on his mind. While he never goes as deep as he could have, he also doesn’t let his movie turn into a corny cringe-fest. That’s because his characters all feel natural and more akin to real life rather than the pages of some script. And the relationship between Andrew and Domino has more layers than you might expect. There’s clearly a connection between them and a strong undercurrent of passion. But it’s a classic case of “should they or shouldn’t they”. And despite their simmering mutual attraction, neither seem confident in what they really want. And things get even more complicated once Domino’s fiancé (Raúl Castillo) eases into the picture.
Image Courtesy of AppleTV+
I also loved how Raiff handles the relationship between Andrew and Lola, both on screen and off. It’s more than just a means of bringing the two adults together. It’s more than a young man’s chance to get in with a concerned and protective mom. Andrew often uses his “good guy” persona like a shrewd vendor pushing his wares. But his sincerity and kindness really comes out in his scenes with Lola. And Burghardt as terrific, bringing empathy and an authenticity to both her character and the film as a whole.
“Cha Cha Real Smooth” does a good job exploring the realities of growing up and what it means to discover one’s own direction in life. Along the way, Raiff shows keen instincts both as a director and a screenwriter, anchoring his story on familiar ground, but never letting it fall into the usual traps. And though it wears a little thin in the second half, there’s a certain messiness to these characters that I like and the film’s willingness to let them be flawed pays off in a big way. “Cha Cha Real Smooth” is streaming now on AppleTV+.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the phenomenon that is “RRR”. In addition to being the most expensive Indian movie to date and setting several worldwide box office records, the Telugu-language action-drama has won the praise of critics and audiences from around the globe. A three-hour epic set in 1920 pre-independent India may not sound like the kind of blockbuster today’s crowds are groomed to enjoy. But this is no ordinary blockbuster. “RRR” may anchor itself in rich history, but its very much a work of wild, unbridled fiction. And the sheer audacity of what we see on screen is cinema excess at its very best.
Directed and co-written by S.S. Rajamouli, the rollicking “RRR” is nearly impossible to define. It starts ferocious, turns lighthearted, plays like a comedy one minute and hits you with a musical number the next. The style-heavy action can be as brutal as it is proudly over-the-top. Yet there are also moments of silliness, heartbreak, and romance. It’s a buddy movie, a celebration of culture, a searing critique of colonialism, an ode to big screen spectacle. You could even call it a superhero movie of the most unconventional kind.
Image Courtesy of DVV Entertainment
That all may sound a little overwhelming, but don’t let it scare you away. Yes, there are numerous moving parts and even more genre influences. But Rajamouli harnesses it all into one mind-blowing stew that may defy definition, but that also reminds us of how movies can sweep us away in ways we never expect. This one certainly did me.
“RRR” (which we later learn stands for “Rise. Roar. Revolt.”) centers on two men who start as enemies, become friends, turn back to enemies, etc. The characters are based on two real-life revolutionaries, Komaram Bheem (played N. T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (played by Ram Charan). There’s no evidence the two leaders ever met in real life. But Rajamouli tosses aside any notion of historical restraints and imagines a fascinating “what-if” scenario.
The movie wastes no time setting up its villain(s) and its oppressive setting. The opening ventures deep into in the Adilabad forest where the cruel British Governor Scott Buxton (Ray Stevenson) and his equally vile wife Catherine (Alison Doody) claim for themselves a young girl named Malli (Twinkle Sharma) belonging to a quiet off-the-grid Gond tribe. The reverberations of their abhorrent act are felt through the entirety of the movie’s hefty running time.
Image Courtesy of DVV Entertainment
From there we get introductions to the two main characters and they give us a good sense of the kind of movie Rajamouli is shooting for. On the outskirts of Delhi, Raju (Ram Charan), a loyal soldier in the British army, single-handedly quells an massive uprising of angry locals with nothing more than wooden baton. Back in the forest, Bheem (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.), from the above-mentioned Gond tribe, displays his own superhuman prowess in a one-on-one with a man-eating tiger.
The paths of both men inevitably merge after Bheem is sent by his tribe to rescue Malli. But first he’ll need to find her. He begins his hunt in Delhi, masquerading as a local mechanic named Akhtar. The Governor gets word that a warrior is coming from the village, but they have no idea of his identity. Raju accepts the task of identifying and apprehending Bheem. If he brings him in alive, he’ll receive his much coveted promotion to special officer.
The first big twist follows a chance meeting where Bheem and Raju join up to save a young boy’s life. The two end up developing a close friendship, with neither realizing the other’s true identity. Their male bonding takes the story in some comical directions while a budding romance between Bheem and a kind-hearted Brit named Jenny (Olivia Morris) leads to a gloriously absurd and completely out-of-the-blue song-and-dance number (welcome to Tollywood).
Image Courtesy of DVV Entertainment
But secretly both Bheem and Raju continue their individual missions, leading to an inevitable clash once their identities are fully revealed. And all of that happens in the first half of the film. The second half isn’t as playful. It’s darker and bloodier, yet still maintains its bombast and over-the-top verve. The action scenes (shot by DP K.K. Senthil Kumar) only get wilder and are infused with mind-blowing choreography and top-notch CGI. And while the movie (to its credit) never loses sight of its two main characters, most people will leave the film talking about its outrageously fun set-pieces.
When taken all together, “RRR” plays like a rich and often pointed fable. It has an infectious charm in large part thanks to the bigger-than-life performances from Charan and Rao Jr., two of Tollywood’s biggest stars. Themes of fate, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal are intertwined with a sharp-edged dissection of colonialism and the oppression that follows in its wake. But what amazes most is the movie’s ability to be both heavy and light, funny and serious, utterly ridiculous and surprisingly thought-provoking. And Rajamouli’s ability to make it all gel is as superhuman as anything his two lead characters pull. “RRR” is now streaming on Netflix.
Keith & the Movies 