First Glance: “Rebecca”

September 8, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Daphne du Maurier’s classic novel has been adapted several times for stage and screen. Perhaps the most celebrated is Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Ben Wheatley takes a stab at this alluring romantic thriller which will star the vastly underrated Lily James and feature Armie Hammer in his second significant October film role (the other being Kenneth Branagh’s “Death on the Nile”).

The first trailer lays out the story well. A young woman (James) is swept away by a debonair widower (Hammer). The two marry and settle into his Manderley estate where the memories of his old wife Rebecca haunt every room and every hall. Add a deliciously devious Kristen Scott Thomas playing the housekeeper who’s happy to add even more tension between the new couple. The trailer shows off a sparkling period production design but melds it with a creepy Gothic feel, both of which fit the story well. I’m excited for this one.

“Rebecca” premieres October 21st on Netflix. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Mulan” (2020)

September 8, 2020 by Keith Garlington

If you’re wondering how the new “Mulan” stacks up against its animated predecessor or even the more recent Disney live-action remakes, this might not be the review you’re looking for. Full disclosure: I’ve never seen the original 1998 animated feature. And I haven’t watched any of the latest not-so-warmly received live-action reheats. But I have seen Disney’s new $200 million “Mulan”. You know, the $30 ‘stream at home’ version. And guess what – it’s not bad. Is it worth the high price tag to watch right now? I’ll let you decide.

“Mulan” comes from director Niki Caro and the writing team of Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Elizabeth Martin, and Lauren Hynek. Their retelling of this inspirational tale aims at capturing the spirit of the original animated film while also making meaningful choices that set their version apart. The way it sounds, the more recent live-action remakes went to great lengths to follow their originals. “Mulan” 2020 attempts to carve its own identity with a more realistic vision, no songs and no celebrity-voiced comic sidekick. The results aren’t perfect, but they’re pretty darned impressive.

Photo Courtesy of Disney

Liu Yifei plays Mulan, the spirited eldest daughter of honored war veteran Hua Zhou (Tzi Ma). The two have a loving bond with the father aware that there is something special about his daughter. But his deep devotion to archaic traditions leaves Mulan bound by the expectations of her family, village, and culture. “A daughter brings honor through marriage“, Hua Zhou lectures. “Your job is to bring honor to the family.” Yet in this world of ‘honor’ through marriage, she can’t even choose her own husband.

Meanwhile on the outskirts of the empire a warlord with a grudge named Böri Khan (Jason Scott Lee) begins attacking imperial garrisons. Lee is a striking presence, with the look and the snarl of a menacing villain. Unfortunately he’s the victim of an all-too-familiar problem in modern blockbusters – bad guys with hardly any depth and the barest motivations. Basically Böri Khan sets out to quench his thirst for revenge by killing the emperor and becoming the new ruler of the kingdom. Not the most original crusade, but he and his soldiers sure look cool carrying it out.

With the attacks intensifying, the Emperor (played with stoic distinction by Jet Li) calls for one male member of every family to join the fight to quell the enemy invasion. Hua Zhou, the lone male in their family, prepares to join the war effort despite his failing health. Knowing her father’s chances of survival are slim, Mulan takes his sword and armor and sneaks away, posing as his son and joining the Fifth Battalion led by esteemed Commander Tung (played by Chinese screen legend Donnie Yen). It’s her first venture into the male-dominated world and if her ruse is discovered she’ll have more to worry about than shame and dishonor.

Photo Courtesy of Disney

The bulk of the film’s second act concentrates on the training of the young soldiers. Mulan is easily the most skilled warrior in her regiment, but showing her abilities would draw too much attention and risk exposing her secret. Therefore much of this segment is spent with Mulan concealing her identity from the other recruits especially the curious and charismatic Chen (Yoson An). What’s missing is the emotional toil. There is certainly an interesting thematic conflict between loyalty to duty and embracing one’s true self. But we rarely see Mulan wrestling with it on an emotional level. We get a few of those scenes and they work really well. We just get too few of them.

From there the film moves to an action-filled final third. Surprisingly “Mulan” never quite reaches the scale I was expecting. This could be due to misguided expectations on my part, but the film isn’t a huge sprawling epic. It has all the dressings, but when it comes to the action the film’s snappy pace never keeps it in one place for too long. For that reason some of the action scenes are unexpectedly short and tame, perhaps the result of being a Disney property.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t stunning images throughout “Mulan”. Caro and her DP Mandy Walker shoot some exquisite shots both when filming the diverse landscapes or capturing the gravity-defying fight sequences. One showdown set inside a tight hallway is shot with incredible style and energy. Another fight through some bamboo scaffolding features several ingenious camera tricks and wonderful framing. At the same time Oscar winner Grant Major’s production design and Bina Daigeler’s costumes add something interesting to every composition.

Photo Courtesy of Disney

Cast-wise Liu Yifei shows nice range moving from a rambunctious rebel by nature to a battle-ready warrior exemplifying courage and leadership. She does good with what emotional material she’s given and her physicality is unquestioned. Donnie Yen and Jet Li are great presences but get little opportunity to show the martial arts prowess what made them such stars. Perhaps the most compelling character is an exiled sorceress named Xianniang (Li Gong). She’s a servant and weapon of Böri Khan who doesn’t take kindly to being called a “witch”. There are hints of a rich and thoughtful backstory, but sadly all we get are crumbs – fleeting references to a pained past that I would love to have known more about.

I can see “Mulan” pulling people in a variety of directions. Lovers of the animated original may take issue with some of its creative choices. Those looking forward to its more realistic spin may find it too restrained and safe. For me, the film’s strengths definitely outweigh its shortcomings. “Mulan” pulls us into a vibrant and fascinating world while telling a story full of inspiration and relevance. At the same time I found myself constantly wanting it to go further. Did being a Disney property hold it back? Were my expectations out of whack? I’m not sure. So I end up still unable to tell you if the movie is worth the $30 price tag. Once again, I’ll let you decide. “Mulan” is now available exclusively on Disney+.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Enola Holmes” (2020)

September 7, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Full disclosure, I had never heard of Enola Holmes prior to seeing the recent Netflix trailer. It’s a little embarrassing to be honest. How could I not know the teenaged sister of the world’s renowned detective Sherlock Holmes? To answer that blatantly rhetorical question, Enola was created by American author Nancy Springer and was the protagonist in her popular young adult novel series. In my defense YA books aren’t exactly in my wheelhouse.

Nonetheless a big screen adaptation simply titled “Enola Holmes” was greenlit, headed by director Harry Bradbeer of “Fleabag” fame and written by Jack Thorne. Then COVID-19 hit, forcing theaters to close and putting the movie’s release on hold. Enter Netflix who had already worked closely with the film’s star Millie Bobby Brown on their hit series “Stranger Things”. The streaming giant acquired the distribution rights from Legendary Pictures with thoughts of a possible franchise in mind. After seeing “Enola Holmes” I would follow the spirited young sleuth on another adventure in a heartbeat. This is a great way to start a potential series.

Brown is the heart and soul of “Enola Holmes”, playing the title character with boundless energy and just as much grit. Her performance is delightfully charismatic and captures everything from Enola’s playful charm to her rebellious spirit. It should also be mentioned that Brown is really funny, constantly breaking the fourth wall with snarky sentiments, exasperated glances, and chipper narration that feels as though she’s talking with a close friend rather than some nameless audience. This truly is an eye-opening performance, highlighting Brown’s keen handling of dialogue, a surprising physicality, and sharp comic timing that’s rare for her age.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

The movie begins with Enola setting up her own story. She tells us how she lost her father at an early age and her two older brothers, Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) left home shortly after. That left young Enola and her mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter). The two were extremely close, spending nearly every waking hour together. Instead of sending her daughter to school Eudoria taught Enola herself, bypassing the stuffy traditional lessons for raising a ‘proper lady’. “I was taught to watch, to listen,” Enola explains. “I was taught to fight.”

But on the morning of her 16th birthday Enola wakes up to find her mother missing. Her two brothers are summoned back to the Holmes estate. Mycroft, the cantankerous eldest brother is a bit of a villain in his own right. A slave to an archaic male-dominated way of thinking, Mycroft determines Enola needs a “proper” education. “We need to break her and then build her up,” he barks. “We’ll make her acceptable for society.”

Sherlock, the powerless middle child in the established family hierarchy, sees more in Enola. And while he too is a product of the boys club society, he didn’t become the world’s greatest detective by denying what’s right in front of his eyes. “It’s always there, the truth. You just need to look for it.” And the truth is their backwards-thinking patriarchal world is changing and Sherlock slowly begins to realize his smart and determined sister is an embodiment of that truth. Plus he actually cares for Enola. But Sherlock Holmes doesn’t show emotion, right? Doing so could compromise his reputation or prompt a lawsuit from the Conan Doyle Estate.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Enola will have none of it. She sneaks off on her own, utilizing her own detective skills in hopes of finding her mother. Her adventure takes her to London, crossing paths with a fellow runaway named Tewksbury (Louis Partridge) who has his own family baggage to deal with. Meanwhile Enola’s brothers are hot on her trail, looking for their sister but for much different reasons. It all makes for an immensely entertaining high-energy story told mostly through a strong and distinctly female lens.

I’ve praised Millie Bobby Brown and rightfully so, but we also get terrific turns from Cavill and Claflin. Much like Brown, both are given well-written characters who are great straight-faced foils for Brown’s irresistible exuberance. Cavill is particularly good. Not especially known for playing high-emotion characters, he’s a good fit for Sherlock. But he also brings a surprising nuance to a character we’ve seen done multiple times over.

By the end “Enola Holmes” had delivered exactly what I had hoped for. It’s a fun, vibrant, personality-rich adventure soaked in themes of womanhood, self-discovery, and finding your way in the world. Enjoy it for the smattering of action-packed thrills, its sharp sense of humor, the terrific Daniel Pemberton score, and a full cast of top-notch performances. This was a great get for Netflix and here’s hoping we get more Enola adventures in the future. “Enola Holmes” premieres September 23rd on Netflix.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

First Glance: “My Zoe”

September 4, 2020 by Keith Garlington

With “My Zoe” Julie Delpy brings together an intriguing cast to tell an emotionally charged story of grief, loss, and a mother’s attempt to cope. The drama is written and directed by Delpy who also plays the leads role. “My Zoe” first showed at the 2019 Toronto Independent Film Festival and it’s first trailer debuted a few months ago. But now we have an October release date and I like the looks of it so far.

Delpy plays Isabelle, a mother raising her daughter Zoe with her bitter ex-husband (Richard Armitage). When Zoe tragically dies Isabelle is shattered and unable to accept the death of her beloved daughter. So against all reason, the devastated yet determined mother seeks out a Russian fertility specialist (Daniel Brühl) and his wife (Gemma Arterton) believing they can help bring her daughter back. It’s heavy subject matter approached from a very unique angle.

“My Zoe” is set to release October 5th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Boys State” (2020)

September 4, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Despite knowing of it my entire life, I was amazed to find out how little I knew about Boys and Girls State. Founded in 1935 and 1937, these leadership and citizenship programs are held each summer in nearly every state across America. For a week high school students participate in the formation of city, county, and state governments similar in function to the U.S. systems. They are broken up into two parties who then elect their leaders and develop their party platform from scratch. It all culminates in the election of one student to the highest office of governor. It’s really quite fascinating.

The Sundance hit “Boys State” gives a eye-opening look inside the program. In the film documentarians Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss follow the roughly 1,000 boys who attended the 2018 Boys State in Texas. They concentrate mostly on a handful of ambitious teens from very different backgrounds who arrive in Austin and are immediately baptized into the intense and hyper-competitive political event. The boys are assigned to either the Federalist or Nationalist party. They pick the office they want to run for and then begin creating policy and organizing their campaigns.

Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+

But the most compelling thing about the documentary is how effectively McBaine and Moss show Boys State as a microcosm of modern-day politics. It takes no time exposing how quickly partisanship takes hold and how fast the love of power and position can lead to moral compromise. Through the boys and the preconceived notions they bring, we witness how deeply the flaws of our current political philosophies are carved into the minds of our youth. And oh how quickly independent thought is tossed aside while attempts at working together and meeting people in the middle are shown to be futile and unfruitful.

Of course “Boys State” does have its own biases and it reaches a point where it begins pointedly shaping its heroes and villains. The movie sets up a boy named Steven as its veritable ‘good-guy’ – a friendly, good-natured young man who is mature beyond his years. He’s the son of a once undocumented Mexican immigrant and is truly inspired to serve his country. But in reality even he is playing the game – an ardent Bernie Sanders supporter moving to the middle to secure some red state conservative votes during his run for governor. It emphasizes what another boy sadly and succinctly reveals, “Sometimes you can’t win on what you believe in your heart.”

Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+

Your response to “Boys State” may be influenced by your own political sway or personal party allegiance. By the end some will be left feeling inspired and optimistic while others are likely to feel discouraged and even more cynical than before. Whether intentional or not, in that sense the movie even uses the audience’s response as indicative of how bitterly divided our country is at the moment.

For me the most disheartening thing about “Boys State” is that most of what we see mirrors our existing political climate rather than give hope that change will come with the next generation. And how sad it is to see young people already compromising their convictions and ideals for political gain. On the positive side it’s good to see intelligent young men with such ambition and drive. If only they had a more respectable political model to follow. “Boys State” is now available on Apple TV+.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

First Glance: “No Time to Die” Trailer #2

September 3, 2020 by Keith Garlington

I normally don’t do First Glances of second trailers. But so many of us have been anxiously awaiting the new 007 adventure that I couldn’t help but share a few words on trailer #2 for “A Time to Die”. Originally planned for an April release, the 25th James Bond film is now slated to drop in November and what better time than now to throw out a brand new trailer for us to chew on.

Sporting an exciting tag “The mission that changes everything begins“, the new trailer shows why the Craig-era Bond films have been so much fun. Exhilarating action, a terrific cast of charismatic characters, and of course Daniel Craig who still packs the swagger and physicality that has made his run so great. Names like De Armas, Fiennes, Malek, Seydoux, Waltz, Harris, Wright, Lynch, and Whishaw all appear in the trailer which only strengthen its appeal.

“No Time to Die” hits theaters this November. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.