The first full trailer for Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” was an exhilarating stunner. Now Warner Brothers has dropped yet another killer trailer to wet our appetites for the upcoming superhero adventure. Set to release in 2021 but postponed due to the pandemic, “The Batman” gives us a new iteration of the Caped Crusader, one that may be the darkest take on the character to date.
The new trailer gives a deeper look at the tension between the brooding Robert Pattinson and the mysterious Riddler (Paul Dano). We also get to see more of Zoe Kravitz’s Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman). There are some cool lines from Andy Serkis who plays Alfred as well as another glimpse of that intense car chase between Batman and the unrecognizable Colin Farrell who plays a new version of the Penguin. I love everything Reeves has shown us so far and I can’t wait for this to hit theaters.
“The Batman” opens in theaters March 4th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
Toss me into the camp with the few who never really got into the “Matrix” movies. The first film of the series, 1999’s “The Matrix”, was entertaining and built itself around a pretty cool premise. The second film, “The Matrix Reloaded”, features three spectacular action scenes but little else worth revisiting. The third movie, “The Matrix Revolutions”, was a forgettable slog that mercifully brought the series to an end (or so we thought).
While the idea behind “The Matrix” is interesting and its video game-ish action can be fun, it’s the series creators, the Wachowskis, that I’ve often struggled with. Their movies tend to be built around big ideas but too often feel cold and empty. Movies like “Cloud Atlas” and “Jupiter Ascending” are shining examples of how high ambition mixed with overindulgence can overpower good storytelling.
Now some 18 years since the last movie, one-half of the Wachowskis, Lana, steps back into the Matrix with “Resurrections”, a movie that seems to have been made with die-hard fans in mind. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that and maybe there’s enough of that fan base to make this movie worthwhile. But for lukewarm viewers like me, or for those who have moved on from the near 20-year-old trilogy, there’s not much here to latch onto. Even worse, “Resurrections” is a slog, overburdened by endless exposition and lacking anything that feels remotely fresh.
Image Courtesy of Warner Brothers
Wachowski’s fourth installment sees Keanu Reeves reprising his role of Neo. Following his sacrifice in the previous film, Neo has been brought back and programmed into the Matrix as video game developer Thomas Anderson. He’s the creator of a popular trilogy of games inspired by a series of unexplained dreams that are actually memories from his previous time in and out of the Matrix.
After their offices are attacked by tactical troops who shoot so poorly they make Stormtroopers from Star Wars look like expert marksmen, Thomas/Neo is approached by a duller but sharper dressed Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). He once again gives the whole Red Pill/Blue Pill spiel which offers Neo a chance to have all his questions answered. Meanwhile Trinity (a returning Carrie Anne Moss) has been reinserted into the Matrix as a married mother of three named Tiffany who likes motorcycles and coffee (who doesn’t, right?)
After learning Trinity’s whereabouts, Neo wants to save her. But he’s informed by an old friend Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith reprising her role from the last two movies) that doing so could jeopardize the new underground human sanctuary called Io. But with the help of an ambitious and awe-struck young captain named Bugs (Jessica Henwick) and her utterly forgettable crew, Neo defies Niobe’s warning and sets out to free Trinity. But a new force at the center of the Matrix has other plans.
Of course that is a very short summary of the story. There’s actually a ton of information crammed in along the way. In fact, for a while it feels as if every other scene includes yet another long and often tedious info dump. Everyone Neo meets seems to have a lot of explaining to do before the film can ever move forward. It’s so noticeable that you can’t help but laugh as you wait for their long-winded conversations wrap up.
Among the other new faces we meet is Neil Patrick Harris who plays Thomas’ therapist who tries to help Neo distinguish his reoccurring dreams from “reality”. We also get a dry and bland Jonathan Groff as a new version of Neo’s arch-nemesis Agent Smith. It’s obvious Groff is trying his best to recreate the villain made famous by Hugo Weaving in the first three films. Unfortunately he can’t muster half the charisma or menace that Weaving brought to the role. As a result, this iteration of Smith falls flat.
Image Courtesy of Warner Brothers
There are several other noticeable issues that I couldn’t quite shake. For example, early on there’s this whole weird self-aggrandizing meta angle where Wachowski uses game designers in a brainstorming session to tout how smart, challenging, and subversive the Matrix movies are. The problem is it never feels natural to the story. Instead it feels like a filmmaker trying to be funny or clever (honestly it’s hard to tell which).
There’s also the issue of the movie’s rather generic effects. Like them or not, the Matrix movies have always had a slick and cool look, especially during the stylish action sequences. But here nothing stands out which is surprising considering how far digital effects have come. But even the fight scenes lack energy and come across as uninspired.
As for the performances, everyone is doing the best they can. But the script (co-written by Wachowski, David Mitchell, and Aleksandar Hemon) gives them painfully little to work with. Even the movie’s philosophical ramblings (a staple of the earlier films) aren’t nearly as smart or engaging as the movie thinks they are. Ultimately we’re left with a sequel that may have enough nostalgic callbacks to satisfy hardcore fans. For the rest of us it’s a needless revisit that lacks the originality of the first film and the memorable action sequences of the two earlier sequels. “The Matrix: Resurrections” is now showing in theaters and is streaming on HBO Max.
I just wanted to take a second to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope everyone who celebrates had a wonderful day full of food, family, and festivities. Thank you all so much for another great year on this silly little site of mine. Your reading, likes, comments, and conversations have helped make this whole movie review gig worthwhile. I can’t wait to see what 2022 gives us to talk about. God’s blessings to each of you, your families, and your new year.
NFL quarterback Kurt Warner’s journey from stocking shelves at a grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa to being inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio is nothing short of remarkable. The personable, faith-driven graduate of the University of Northern Iowa spent four years after college fearing his dream of playing pro football was over. But when a near providential opportunity came his way, Warner went from the supermarket to the Super Bowl.
“American Underdog” sets out to tell the story of Kurt Warner’s rise to football stardom, chronicling the numerous highs and lows that made his journey such an inspiration. The film is directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin whose faith-based catalog includes movies like 2018’s “I Can Only Imagine” and last year’s “The Jesus Music”. Here the brothers deliver a sports biopic that really is about the person more than their accomplishments. That doesn’t mean it avoids all of the usual sports movie trappings. There’s plenty of melodrama and of course we get the overly dramatic ‘big game’, complete with swelling music and obligatory slow-motion. But at its heart, the movie sticks to the personal side of Kurt Warner’s story which proves to be the right move.
Image Courtesy of Lionsgate
This is one of those movies that’s hard for me to dislike even with its noticeable flaws. I’m a sucker for true underdog stories and Warner’s is undoubtedly one of the most amazing in sports history. Here he’s played by the effortlessly likable Zachary Levi (“Shazam”) who may be a tad too old for the film’s early scenes, but who quickly sinks into his role. He gives an earnest and committed performance that highlights Warner’s character yet doesn’t shy away from his shortcomings.
By focusing more on Warner’s personal journey, screenwriters Jon Erwin, David Aaron Cohen and Jon Gunn hand Levi a surprisingly meaty role. While football certainly has its part in the story, the movie is really about overcoming impossible odds to succeed. More than that, it’s about grasping what’s truly important in life. We learn that for much of Kurt Warner’s life, football was most important. But it takes losing his dream and meeting his future wife Brenda Meoni (played with a striking mix of strength and vulnerability by Oscar-winner Anna Paquin) to finally open his eyes to what matters most.
The film’s early scenes touch on Warner’s time as a fifth year senior quarterback for Northern Iowa. After sitting on the bench for four years, Kurt is finally named the team’s starter. Soon he’s cutting his own “highlight” reels to send out to pro scouts. But an unknown quarterback with only one year of college experience at a small Division I school automatically sets him up as an underdog.
It’s during this time that he first meets Brenda, a divorced single mother raising two kids, one being her legally blind son Zack (Hayden Zaller), an underdog in his own right. Despite there being a clear spark between them, Brenda fears a repeat of her painful first marriage, and is quick to push Kurt away. But the movie’s inescapable predictability kicks in (the first of several times) and the two eventually become a couple.
While none of the film’s major plot points will surprise you, it’s what happens in between them that gives the movie its heartbeat. Football takes a backseat to Kurt and Brenda’s struggles. We see them buying groceries with food stamps and scrapping together loose change just to put gas in the tank. They’re hit with both tragedy and hardship leading Kurt to finally swallow his pride and accept a job playing quarterback for the Iowa Barnstormers, a new team in the fledgling Arena Football League. Not only does it help pay the bills, it finally opens the door to his dream of playing in the NFL.
Image Courtesy of Lionsgate
Interestingly, the last 20 minutes is all we get of Warner’s NFL career. We see him get the call to St. Louis where he faces the ire of offensive coordinator Mike Martz (Chance Kelly). “You’re too old to be a rookie. You’re too green to be a pro,” Martz barks. But Kurt has one powerful ally – a gravelly voiced Dennis Quaid playing Rams head football coach Dick Vermeil, yet another fellow underdog who believes Kurt is ready for his shot.
Strangely, “American Underdog” downplays the spiritual side of Kurt Warner’s journey, something he himself has been very vocal about. It’s definitely woven throughout the movie, but there seems to be a concerted effort to be as subtle with it as possible. Perhaps it’s to avoid the schism that often comes with “faith-based” movies. At least it’s there and it helps give a well-rounded and honest portrayal of the man beyond the touchdowns and accolades. A man with a truly inspiring story worth being told. “American Underdog” opens in theaters on Christmas Day.
Today I’m wrapping up my look back at the best performances of 2021. All that will be left is my Top 10 Films (look for that next week). We finish with the Lead Actor category, one that is brimming with Oscar-worthy leading work. Several big names as well as a few unexpected ones made this a really hard group to narrow down. But such are the silly rules. So here we go, starting with a few honorable mentions.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Oscar Isaac (“The Card Counter”), Eric Bana (“The Dry”), Tim Blake Nelson (“Old Henry”), Bradley Cooper (“Nightmare Alley”), Joaquin Phoenix (“C’mon C’mon”), Luke Kirby (“No Man of God”), Ciarán Hinds (“The Man in the Hat”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”), Denzel Washington (“The Little Things”), Jude Hill (“Belfast”), Adam Driver (“House of Gucci”), Don Cheadle (“No Sudden Move”), Tom Hanks (Finch), Harvey Keitel (“Lanksy”)
#5 – Will Smith (“King Richard”)
I’ve always found Will Smith performances to be pretty hit-or-miss. But his portrayal of Richard Williams in “King Richard” tosses aside any hesitation I may have had. Williams was a complicated man and Smith transforms to shed light on the determined father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. I wasn’t particularly excited for “King Richard” but it really surprised me. Smith was a big reason why.
#4 – Andrew Garfield (“Tick…Tick…Boom!”)
While the script and direction for “Tick…Tick…Boom!” was a little shaky, there was nothing lacking in Andrew Garfield’s lights-out performance. Both when acting and singing, the magnetic Garfield infuses the film with an infectious energy. He quite literally carries the movie on his shoulders and it’s impossible not to be drawn in by the enthusiasm and the emotion he brings.
#3 – Nicolas Cage (“Pig”)
While these days he’s probably known more for the unbridled nuttiness he brings to so many of his roles, sometimes we forget that Nicolas Cage is actually an immensely talented actor. Look no further than “Pig” for proof. He turned a lot of heads with his restrained and affecting portrayal of an off-the-grid hermit who sets out to find his stolen truffle pig. It may sound silly, but it’s hard not to moved by his performance.
#2 – Peter Dinklage (“Cyrano”)
One of the great surprises of the 2021 movie year was Peter Dinklage in the brilliant musical “Cyrano”. Anyone who follows Dinklage knows he’s a terrific actor. But here, not only does he get to showcase his acting chops with a meaty dramatic leading role, but he also gets to sing too. And it does it extremely well. Mix the two talents together and you have one of the best performances of the year.
#1 – Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of MacBeth”)
I learned a long time ago that in the world of acting there’s nothing Denzel Washington can’t do. And through the years he continues to prove that to be true. His latest film “The Tragedy of MacBeth” is even further evidence. Washington’s take on Shakespeare’s classic character is utterly captivating and he offers a perspective that honors the Bard’s vision yet still feels strikingly fresh. This is Denzel at the top of his game. Then again, when is he not?
Thanks for following along. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Today I’m continuing my celebration of the best performances from the past year. We spent the last two days covering the top supporting work of 2021. Now we’re moving to the lead categories beginning with Best Actress. This is a stacked group of incredible talent and narrowing them down proved to be tough. As before, I’ll begin by naming a few worthy honorable mentions.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Tilda Swinton (“Memoria”), Isabelle Huppert (“Mama Weed”), Emilia Jones (“CODA”), Olivia Munn (“Violet”), Millicent Simmonds (“A Quiet Place II), Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”), Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”), Rebecca Hall (“The Night House”), Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”), Niamh Algar (“Censor”), Renate Reinsve (“The Worst Person in the World”), Noomi Rapace (“Lamb”), Thomasin McKenzie (“Last Night in Soho”)
#5 – Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”)
The buzz coming out of Venice following the world premiere of “Spencer” had everyone talking about Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Princess Diana. The buzz has died down a little but she still seems to be an Oscar front-runner. The good thing is she has earned the hype. From her voice to her mannerisms, Stewart gets it right while also melding nicely with the film’s psychological edge.
#4 – Mélanie Laurent (“Oxygen”)
Mark this as a movie that fell under too many radars. “Oxygen” is a taut claustrophobic sci-fi thriller where Mélanie Laurent wakes up in an airtight medical cryogenic unit with no idea how she got there. For the most part Laurent is the lone cast member and she quite literally carries the movie. “Oxygen” is sharply written and directed, but it’s Laurent who keeps us locked in.
#3 – Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”)
While the supporting cast of “West Side Story” has gotten the bulk of the attention (and understandably so), Rachel Zegler makes a splash in her feature film debut. With a sparkling presence and a powerful voice, Zegler sings her way through some of the film’s best scenes. She also has a budding charisma that promises only to grow as her career continues.
#2 – Jodie Comer (“The Last Duel”)
In Ridley Scott’s medieval epic “The Last Duel”, Jodie Comer’s character finds herself trapped within a brutal and oppressive world ruled by men. It’s a role that sees Comer tackling a range of emotions and often suppressing her character’s feelings out of fear of retribution. But there’s also a strength and resilience in her performance that is crucial to the story. She is a star on the rise.
#1 – Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”)
Whenever you see Olivia Colman’s name you know the kind of top-notch performance you’re going to get. Her work in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter” is further proof of that. Here she’s explores a character clearly troubled and full of mystery. As the layers of the story are shrewdly peeled back, Colman gets some material she can really sink her teeth into. It’s one of her best performances in a career full of great performances.
Check back tomorrow as we finish up with the Best Actor Category
Keith & the Movies 