REVIEW: “The French Dispatch” (2021)

October 28, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Wes Anderson is undeniably an acquired taste, and for some moviegoers a little of his unique signature style can go a long way. If you’re one of those viewers who can only handle Wes Anderson in small doses, then his new film “The French Dispatch” probably isn’t for you. It is very much Wes Anderson. It’s a lot of Wes Anderson. In fact, it’s without question the most Wes Anderson thing he has done to date.

If that hasn’t scared you off then there’s a good chance you’ll find something to enjoy in “The French Dispatch”. As a long time indulger in all things Wes Anderson, this had a lot of what I was looking for from his movies: the quirky characters, the delightfully distinct visual style, Anderson’s dynamic use of language. And like many of his other films, it’s one I feel I need to see again and again in order to get a satisfying grasp of what he’s going for. For me that’s part of the Anderson allure.

With all of that said, I’ve wrestled more with “The French Dispatch” than any Wes Anderson movie to date. The parts of it that I like, I really really like. But I’ve had a harder time embracing this particular Anderson excursion as a whole. Part of it has to do with the film’s anthology structure which features an opening travelogue and three short stories loosely connected by a wraparound account of the eponymous publication’s final issue (whew, even that description sounded perversely Wes Andersonian). This approach inevitably (and unintentionally) highlights the film’s stronger segments and the weaker ones. And it’s in those weaker moments that we learn small concentrated doses of Anderson can sometimes be overpowering.

**Image Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures**

This unabashed love letter to the journalistic spirit is told through the writing of a group of expats bound together by the pages of a New Yorker inspired periodical titled (of course) The French Dispatch. The magazine began as a Sunday supplement in the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun before being relocated to France and transformed by founding editor and publisher Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray). Howitzer had an eye for talent and would bring them into his fold, looking past their blemishes and encouraging them to use their voices. He had his ways with suggestion (“Just try to make it sound like you wrote it that way on purpose”) and he certainly had his rules (“No Crying”). But Howitzer is dedicated to “his people”. Well, most of them.

His newsroom is filled with a collection of Anderson regulars and several newcomers, all part of a meticulously chosen ensemble and each with the stone-faced solemnity needed to exist in an Anderson world. The wraparound story gives us many of the film’s best moments as we watch Howitzer and his crack team of writers and editors going over what unexpectedly turns out to be the final issue of The French Dispatch. The dry, crisp, and often hilarious dialogue is only matched by the sets, each obsessively detailed compositions where every prop seems placed with painstaking purpose.

Following a smile-inducing Tati-inspired opening, we get what may be my favorite part – a brief opening travelogue for the paper’s “Local Color” section where Owen Wilson’s travel correspondent Herbsaint Sazerac treats us to the sights and sounds of the fictional French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé (which literally means Boredom-on-Blasé). With his black beret, chic turtleneck, and green knickers, Sazerac takes us on a bicycle tour, staring into the camera as he pedals through the seedier crevices of the less than idyllic village. The segment delightfully mixes Anderson’s visual flourishes with Wilson’s sly wit.

From there it’s on to the first feature story (“The Concrete Masterpiece”) written by the Dispatch’s art critic J. K. L. Berensen (Tilda Swinton). It tells the story of Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio del Toro), an incarcerated killer and oil painter extraordinaire (sorta), locked in an icy romance with his enigmatic prison guard muse (Léa Seydoux). The two get involved with a shifty art dealer Julien Cadazio (Adrien Brody) who sees francs in Rosenthaler’s art.

For the “Politics & Poetry” section, ace reporter Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand) pens “Revisions to a Manifesto”, Anderson’s whimsical version of the 1968 student protests in Paris. Krementz centers her piece on a moody student radical named Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet) who fights not for civil rights or the end of imperialistic oppression, but for free access to the women’s dorm. Krementz, a firm unbeliever in the concept of “journalistic objectivity”, throws herself into the fray, helping young Zeffirelli with his manifesto and stirring up trouble between him and fellow revolutionary Juliette (Lyna Khoudri).

The final feature (“The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner”) is written by Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright), a James Baldwin inspired foodie with a “typographic memory”. In his story Wright recounts a private dinner with the Ennui Police Commissaire (Mathieu Amalric). The meal is prepared by renowned chef and police lieutenant Nescaffier (Steve Park). The cozy feast is crashed by a band of thugs who kidnap the Commissaire’s son Gigi (Winston Ait Hellal). The entire police force is detached to track down the hoodlums. The story ends with an animated chase sequences that’s as peculiar as it is audacious. It also happens to be one of my favorite sequences in the entire film.

Each story comes with its own distinct flavor and all are told through unique points-of-view. And while the segments each have their own strengths, they also have their own shortcomings. “The Concrete Masterpiece” is the most well-rounded of the three shorts. However there’s a moment when Anderson’s uncomfortable gaze nearly crosses the line from artistic to lurid. “Revisions to a Manifesto” sees some great new faces enter the Anderson-verse (McDormand, Chalamet, Christoph Waltz). But its second half wanders and is the one point where the movie drags. “The Private Dining Room” may be the most poignant, yet it’s also frustratingly overwritten to the point of being a chore to follow.

While the stories can be a bit erratic, the visuals are a steady joy from start to finish. Cinematographer Robert Yeoman’s images could fill a postcard rack. Together, he and Anderson dip into all kinds of techniques to create a vivid living, breathing tapestry. They play around with the aspect ratios, cross back-and-forth between black-and-white and color, and use several of Anderson’s favorites touches (his side-scrolling dollhouse trick, his low-cut angles, the scrupulous editing, the dingy pastels in his color palette). At times it may feel like sensory overload, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen and often wanted the pause the movie just to soak in every detail.

“The French Dispatch” isn’t a movie easily defined, yet it’s one that’s very confident in itself. Nearly every frame, every character, and even the stories themselves are rich with influences and inspirations. Unfortunately the movie never slows down, never lets us up for air, and never gives us time to digest what we have consumed. That steady propulsion is embedded in the film’s DNA and is a key part of Anderson’s storytelling design. It can also be exhausting and a bit overwhelming, to the point that it leaves you thinking more about what all you missed rather than what you’ve actually seen. Then again, you could say “The French Dispatch” isn’t as much about the stories being told as it is the art of telling them. I don’t know if I fully buy that, but it’s enough to tide me over till my second viewing, something every Wes Anderson movie requires.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

First Glance: “The Unforgivable”

October 27, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Sandra Bullock returns with her first feature film since the popular Netflix horror-thriller “Bird Box”. She’s once again teaming up with the streaming giant in “The Unforgivable”, an upcoming drama that is part of Netflix’s packed awards season lineup. The film is directed by Nora Fingscheidt and written by the trio of Peter Craig, Hillary Seitz, and Courtenay Miles. It’s based on Sally Wainwright’s 2009 British miniseries “Unforgiven”.

Bullock plays Ruth Slater who is released from prison after serving 20 years for an especially heinous crime. But her attempt at re-entering society proves to be difficult. The community she returns to isn’t ready to forgive her and the only path to redemption may be in reconnecting with her estranged younger sister. Bullock is joined by a sparkling cast that includes Viola Davis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Rob Morgan, and Richard Thomas.

“The Unforgivable” is scheduled for a limited theatrical release November 24th and will stream on Netflix December 10th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Night Teeth” (2021)

October 27, 2021 by Keith Garlington

While it’s hard not to snicker at a title like “Night Teeth”, it’s even harder to get in sync with this light and often lethargic attempt at a hip stylish vampire flick. Directed by Adam Randall, this drab and lifeless clone of countless other bloodsucker movies has clear ambitions and its cast is able to squeeze out a few fun moments. But it’s hard to watch “Night Teeth” and not think of the much better movies it borrows from.

“Night Teeth” is what you get if you throw “Underworld”, “John Wick”, “Twilight”, and “Collateral” into one big cinematic blender. It’s a movie that gets so caught up in its desire to be cool that it forgets the need for good characters and a good story. From the blaring techno hip-hop needle-drops to the gratuitous slow motion, the movie tries everything in the book but to no avail. And while the story takes place over one brisk night in Los Angeles, it feels a lot longer.

A likable Jorge Lendeborg Jr. plays Benny, a normal highschooler who loves his skateboard and making music. His tough guy half-brother Jay (Raúl Castillo) is a chauffeur/Uber driver, but has some secret business on the side. One evening Jay has some rather urgent business to attend to and makes the ill-advised decision to let Benny take his chauffeur duties for the night. Jay’s only requirement is that Benny pose as him for the night. Just pick up the clients and take them where they want to go. Easy, right? Well of course not!

So Benny hops into Jay’s tricked out Cadillac Escalade and heads out into the LA night. He’s summoned to a posh Beverly Hills neighborhood where he picks up two mysterious women, the flirty Blaire (Debby Ryan) and the irritable Zoe (Lucy Frey). Their plans are to hit several parties across town before daybreak and Benny is to drive them, no questions asked.

But wouldn’t you know it, the girls aren’t at all what they appear to be. In fact, they’re especially thirsty vampires who have business at each of the stops they make. And (of course) Benny ends up caught in the middle. Along the way we the audience are showered with uninteresting and often convoluted mythology about a vampire hierarchy, warring nocturnal bosses, broken truces, and so on. None of it will stick with you and worst of all none of it does much to enhance the story.

Other characters pop up along the way, most notably a prominent crime boss named Victor (Alfie Allen) who immediately becomes the film’s chief antagonist. Megan Fox even shows up in a glorified cameo playing one of Victor’s somethings (I still haven’t quite figured it out who or what she is). But they too get bogged down in the movie’s countless clichés and the backstory mumbo-jumbo. It’s that stuff that ultimately zaps “Night Teeth” of its fun and energy. And no amount of gratuitous slo-mo or bright neon lighting can save it. “Night Teeth” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Old Henry” (2021)

October 26, 2021 by Keith Garlington

(CLICK HERE for my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Written and directed by Potsy Ponciroli and premiering last month at Venice, “Old Henry” is a lean and old-fashioned Western made by someone with a clear affection for the many classics of a bygone era. Ponciroli doesn’t offer much new to the well-worn genre and he happily embraces some its most necessary tropes. But there is a unique and appealing minimalism in his storytelling, and there’s a lot to love about how simplicity is woven into the very story itself.

“Old Henry” is a perfect vehicle for its star Tim Blake Nelson who falls right into the skin of the film’s titular lead character. Set in 1906, the story takes place in the waning days of the Old West. Henry (with his weathered skin and out-of-control handlebar mustache) is a man from a dying era, content to live out his days raising his petulant teenage son Wyatt (Gavin Lewis) on his small farm tucked away in the Oklahoma Territory.

Following the death of his wife ten years earlier, the overprotective Henry has worked hard to teach Wyatt about life. While his son is anxious to experience the bustle of the rapidly changing world, Henry argues in favor of the quiet simpler life – working the crops, feeding the stock, etc. “You’ll find there’s worse arrangements,” he says with a seasoned confidence. Henry knows the world. He has history with it. And that history is what pushed him to settle on such a remote patch of rocky land.

But that simple life is interrupted one cloudy afternoon when a horse with a bloody saddle wanders into their field. Henry sets out to find the rider, following a trail that leads him to a dried-up creek bed. There he finds a man with a gunshot wound (Scott Haze) laying next to a satchel filled with cash. Knowing that bags full of money often come with violent attachments, Henry’s first thought is to ride away. But his conscience gets the best of him. He takes the stranger back to his farmhouse, stashing the bag of money in a secret compartment in the wall of his closet.

And then along comes those attachments. Three black hats ride up to Henry’s farm looking for the wounded mystery man. The smooth-talking leader introduces himself as Sheriff Sam Ketchum (played well and with plenty of swagger by Stephen Dorff) and the other two (Richard Speight Jr. and Max Arcienega) as his deputies. Meanwhile back inside the house, the slow-healing stranger says his name is Curry and insists that he’s actually the sheriff and Ketchum and his men are bandits. And just like that the movie’s central tension is defined.

Secrets often play big parts in movies like these and “Old Henry” certainly has its share. Once Ponciroli gets all of his key pieces in place, it becomes clear that everyone has something to hide. From there it’s all about unpacking the many questions. The most urgent – Who is Ketchum? Who is Curry? Both claim to be the law and both have conflicting stories that don’t quite add up. But the biggest secret simmers in plain sight – just who is Henry and what’s this old baggage from his past that he’s worked so hard to bury?

Ponciroli moseys through the lightly breaded reveals with an Old West elegance, building towards the inevitable explosion of violence. Storywise it’s all pretty easy to figure out save for the one big twist that the movie teases early (for those paying close attention) and then unloads with a fun and satisfying fury. Meanwhile, DP John Matysiak’s evocative camera works well within the film’s mostly single setting, capturing both the ruggedly handsome countryside and rustic lived-in interiors.

“Old Henry” hits on a number of themes, but it’s Nelson’s performance that is the movie’s bread and butter. Precise and economical, the veteran character actor conveys so much with so little. Not a line of dialogue is wasted and every word he speaks seems shaped by the experiences of a life hard lived. And to Nelson’s credit, he often says just as much through his somber and weary eyes.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Dune” (2021)

October 25, 2021 by Keith Garlington

It’s hard not to be excited for a Denis Villeneuve movie. The French Canadian director, screenwriter, and producer has such a compelling filmography. I was introduced to Villeneuve via his 2010 Oscar nominated drama “Incendies”. But it’s his terrific run since then that has turned me into a bonafide fan. I enjoyed both “Prisoners” and “Enemy”. His 2015 border thriller “Sicario” may be my favorite film of his to date. “Arrival” was my #1 movie of 2016 while 2017’s “Blade Runner 2049” was a gutsy and heady sequel to a 1982 sci-fi classic.

It almost feels like a natural progression for Villeneuve’s next film to be his biggest and most audacious project to date. “Dune” is certainly that. This massive sprawling science-fiction epic is the first film in a two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 cult novel of the same name. Packing a hefty budget and a star-studded cast, “Dune” is a herculean undertaking brimming with ambition and made with the unquenchable passion of a filmmaker who has called this his “longstanding dream“.

There are a number of ways that a project of this size and scope could have gone awry. But Villenueve is a savvy filmmaker with a dedicated vision. I’ve seen “Dune” multiple times now, and I can honestly say that I’m struggling to find a single bad filmmaking decision anywhere in his movie. Bold statement, I know.

I suppose you could pick on the exposition in the first half, the film’s overall deliberate pacing, or the ending which is more of a stop than an actually finish. But easy defenses could be made for each of those “issues”. The exposition is hardly intrusive and actually feels warranted. Villeneuve’s patience proves to be a real asset, giving the story and the characters the room they need to breathe. It also provides Villeneuve the space to show off the film’s biggest strength – the extraordinary world-building (more on that later). And the ending is simply a byproduct of the right decision to make this a two-parter.

Without question, it was the right choice to break this up into two movies. This film literally starts with the “Part One” tag and ends around the halfway mark of the “Dune” story. As mentioned above, this benefits the film greatly because it allows the right amount of time for us to be immersed into this striking and complex world. And it allows Villeneuve (who co-wrote the script with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth) to acquaint us the many political, ecological, and societal intricacies that help give the story depth.

Set in the very distant future of 10191, “Dune” tells the story of young Paul (Timothée Chalamet), the gifted son of Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac), the leader of the powerful House Atreides. They live and rule on the planet Caladan where Paul, next in line to lead, is trained in combat by close friend and House Atreides warrior Duncan (Jason Momoa) and Leto’s top aide Gurney (Josh Brolin). His mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), an acolyte of a mysterious sisterhood called the Bene Gesserit, teaches him the secrets of a mysterious inner power he possesses, a power that’s causing haunting dreams of a troubling future.

Meanwhile on the harsh desert planet of Arrakis, the brutal House Harkonnen, ran by the chillingly vile and grotesque Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), have become obscenely rich controlling the planet’s production of a priceless mineral called Spice. The Harkonnens callously harvest the coveted natural resource, avoiding massive sandworms and persecuting the resilient indigenous clan known as the Fremen. Their leader is Stilgar (a solemn and reticent Javier Bardem) and also among their ranks is Chani (Zendaya), a young woman who has been appearing in Paul’s dreams.

After an imperial decree orders the Harkonnen off of Arrakis, the emperor grants stewardship of the planet to House Atreides. Suspicious of the mandate but loyal to the call, Leto accepts with hopes of forming an alliance with the native Fremen. That proves to be easier said than done. After 80 years of oppression, the Fremen are leery of any new offworlders. And can the Harkonnens be trusted to leave behind all the wealth and power found in the sands of Arrakis?

Ultimately the film very much belongs to Paul, a young man trying to find himself while being pulled in every direction. As Leto’s heir, everyone expects him to be next in line to lead House Atreides. Jessica’s sect (led by a wonderfully creepy Charlotte Rampling) hopes Paul is “the one” which they intend to use for their own cryptic purposes. And the Fremen, having heard of this messiah-like deliverer, wonder if Paul might be the fulfillment of that prophecy.

As Villeneuve patiently and methodically lays out his story, we’re struck by the surprising amount of narrative depth. Not only is “Dune” thematically rich, it’s filled with connected backstory. But to the screenwriting trio’s credit, they often (and smartly) allude to the lore rather than bury us in it. Yet there are still many layers to their story, and it’s impossible to narrow the film down to one single category. Of course it’s science fiction, but it’s also a coming-of-age story, a war movie, an anti-war movie, a sociopolitical parable. Another testament to the film’s richness.

But without question the movie’s biggest strength remains its world building. From the imaginative costumes to the jaw-dropping production design, Villeneuve and his talented team of creators have made a stunningly tactile world and every frame gives us something worthy to consume. Whether it’s the lush overcast Atreides homeworld with its vast waters and craggy coastlines or the stark yet gorgeous oceans of sand on Arrakis that look like golden brown meringue through DP Greig Fraser’s camera.

Interestingly, the technology of “Dune” leans more primitive than futuristic which helps the world feel rooted in our reality. There are no fancy LED panels and very little high-tech gadgetry. Even the structures convey this, often resembling old ruins rather than state-of-the-art facilities. The ships are massive and breathtaking spectacles yet designed with a cold austere simplicity. The machinery has a rusty industrial look and even the incredibly cool ornithopters (which resemble giant dragonflies) are a believable evolution of our standard helicopters.

To the performances, I admit to being a bit of a Chalamet skeptic. I’ve never thought he was a “bad” actor, just not up to the gushing hype that follows everything he does. Here he earns the praise he’s been getting. Chalamet brings a boyish petulance to Paul in the film’s early scenes, but over time convincingly turns his vulnerability to maturity. Isaac is fittingly stoic. Momoa is full of charisma. Brolin is stern and abrasive. Ferguson deftly manages the emotionally meatiest role. Skarsgård is devilishly menacing. Sharon Duncan-Brewster is mysterious yet exciting. Zendaya does fine with the few scenes she’s given.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from “Dune”. I’ve never read Herbert’s book and I don’t remember a thing about David Lynch’s 1984 film. Perhaps that’s why “Dune” 2021 blew me away. From its opening shot to the final fade, I found myself enraptured and transported. Villeneuve’s captivating direction, Hans Zimmer’s brooding exotic score (one of his very best), the exquisite sound design, the visual feast that screams to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Together it all makes for a smart, evocative, and rousing experience that reminded me at every turn of why I love cinema. And this is just Part One of the story.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

First Glance: “Ambulance”

October 22, 2021 by Keith Garlington

For better or for worse you always know what you’re going to get with a Michael Bay film. Sometimes his indulgences are too much and make his action-packed blowouts hard to bear. But when he gets it right, his movies can be exciting, thrill-a-minute experiences. Which will his new film “Ambulance” be? It’s hard to tell from the new trailer, but I do know that I like the look of it and it’s something I’ll watch without a moment’s hesitation. It also helps to have such a compelling cast.

Based on a 2005 Danish film, the story sees Yahya Abdul-Mateen II playing a decorated ex-soldier in desperate need of money for his wife’s surgery. He gets an offer from his close friend and foster brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) to help with a bank heist. The payout is $32 million. Of course the heist hits a snag and soon an ambulance and one unfortunate paramedic (Eiza González) are caught in the middle. The trailer shows (as you might expect) a ton of action and Gyllenhaal looks to be having an absolute blast. I enjoy Abdul-Mateen and González so this could be a lot of fun.

“Ambulance” hits theaters February 18th. Check out the trailers below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.