Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Absolution” (2024)

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Liam Neeson thrillers have become as common as day and night and we’ve grown accustomed to getting at least one a year. They usually follow a pretty familiar blueprint and each generally adheres to the same narrative formula although with slight variations (and I say that as a fan). But lately many of his thrillers have shifted from light and easy genre fare to grittier and more serious-minded. That trend continues with his latest, “Absolution”.

In “Absolution”, Neeson reunites with director Hans Petter Moland (the two worked together in 2019’s “Cold Pursuit”). While their previous collaboration had a pitch-black comedy element to it, “Absolution” is more of a tragedy. Screenwriter Tony Gayton puts together a sturdy crime thriller framework. But his interests lie deeper and are more human. And as its “Everyone Pays in the End” tagline foretells, not even the film’s damaged protagonist will remain unscathed.

Image Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

In “Absolution” Nesson is in top form and his signature gravitas is one of the film’s biggest assets. He puts off distinct Charles Bronson vibes with his late ’70s fashion sense, thick mustache, and steely tough-as-nails intensity. He plays Thug, a former boxer and hardened gangster who has loyally worked under a Boston crime boss (Ron Perlman) for thirty years. Though still deadly and efficient, some see Thug as a relic. This comes out most in some early scenes where he’s asked to work alongside the boss’s inexperienced and reckless son (Daniel Diemer).

But Thug has other concerns, mainly his reoccurring headaches and bouts with memory loss. He sometimes forgets names and directions, and even where he lives. He finally sees a doctor and is diagnosed with CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a neurodegenerative disease directly linked to repeated head trauma. He’s told to expect a sharp decline over the next couple of years which inspires him to make amends for the life he has lived.

Thug reaches out to his estranged and rightfully bitter daughter Daisy (Frankie Shaw), a struggling single mother who reluctantly introduces him to his grandson, Dre (Terrence Pulliam). Moland and Gayton tease what looks to be a conventional reconciliation story. But for Thug, reconnecting proves difficult. And no matter how hard he tries, he can only keep his condition a secret for so long – from his understandably leery daughter; from the kind-hearted and filterless prostitute he begins seeing on the side (Yolonda Ross); and from his suspicious boss.

Image Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

Neeson shrewdly embodies every facet of his character, from the grizzled tough-guy to the broken shell of a man fighting to keep his mind intact. It’s a measured and textured performance that pulls from the often underappreciated screen veteran’s acting arsenal. Both Shaw and Ross add compelling pieces while Perlman is a sturdy presence in a small but impactful role.

Not everything in the film clicks into place. There are a couple of well-meaning but out of tune dream sequences that don’t quite pack the emotion punch they’re going for. And there’s Thug’s sudden soft spot for a captive sex worker that desperately needs more attention. Yet “Absolution” remains a gripping slow-burn that offers Liam Neeson a meatier and more contemplative role while giving him the chance to knock off a few goons for old times’ sake. “Absolution” opens in theaters this Friday.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

NEON Releases Two New Posters for Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence”

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Today NEON dropped two new official posters for “Presence”, their upcoming supernatural horror film from director Steven Soderbergh. Plot details have been scarce for this delightfully cryptic chiller and that’s a good thing. What we do know is that the story (written for the screen by David Koepp) involves a family who discovers they’re not alone after moving into a new house. That sounds pretty generic, but with Soderbergh at the helm you know there will be more here than meets the eye.

“Presence” stars Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, West Mulholland, and Lucas Papaelias. It’s set to release January 17th. Check out the new studio released posters below and let me know what you think.

REVIEW: “On the Wandering Paths” (2024)

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Director Denis Imbert teams with Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin in “On the Wandering Paths”, a soulful adaptation of Sylvain Tesson’s 2016 autobiographical travel journal of the same name. Tesson’s book was based on his own deeply personal experience which led to a life-changing and contemplative journey of self-discovery.

Imbert eloquently captures the human pulse of Tesson’s story via a thoughtful script (which he co-wrote with Diastème) and a beautifully introspective performance from Dujardin who is the centerpiece of every scene. In addition to the stunning photography of the French countryside by DP Magali Silvestre de Sacy, “On the Wandering Paths” is built upon the self-reflections and philosophical meditations from one wayward man’s soul-searching odyssey.

Dujardin plays Pierre Girard, an accomplished writer with an adventurous lifestyle whose backstory plays out through a collection of memories and reflections. Pierre has enjoyed a successful life, but it is forever changed in one ill-fated moment of recklessness. While drunk, Pierre falls three stories from a balcony to the unforgiving pavement bellow. The accident leaves him with a broken leg and a serious back injury. He also loses his hearing in one ear and even his sense of smell is affected.

As he endures multiple surgeries and a lengthy recovery, Pierre falls into despair which costs him his relationship with his girlfriend Anna (Joséphine Japy). While bed-ridden, Pierre makes himself a promise – if he is ever able to walk again he will set out to cross France on foot. He eventually regains his ability to walk and immediately begins to fulfill that pledge. He plots himself a 1,300 kilometer route starting at the Italian border and across to the Cotentin Penisula.

His friends and family think he’s crazy. But for Pierre, his journey has a significantly deeper meaning. It’s not only about finding himself, but also proving himself to himself. And while there may be physical and emotional dangers with such off-the-grid solitude, Pierre sees it as a means of self-redemption and as an opportunity to close troubling chapters in his whirlwind life.

Imbert’s ability to immerse his audience in Pierre’s personal pilgrimage proves to be one of the film’s great strengths. He makes us feel like quiet observers, following closely as Pierre climbs each mountain, navigates each forest, and passes through each eroding village. We sense every bolt of pain that courses through his barely mended body, each threatening to end his mission. Yet he’s propelled by an unbending determination that often gives way to obstinacy, testing fate with each step and content with its final judgement.

Pierre’s trek isn’t one of complete isolation. He talks with several locals he encounters along the way. He pays a visit to his Aunt (Anny Duperey). He’s helped by a Good Samaritan (Dylan Robert) who accompanies him for a leg of his journey. And for a brief stretch he’s joined by his friend, Arnaud (Jonathan Zaccaï), and a little later by his concerned sister, Céline (Izïa Higelin). Though most of his time is spent alone, Pierre gleans something new from every person he spends time with.

“On the Wandering Paths” may be light on story but it’s full of spirit. It’s a visually delightful movie full of eye-catching landscapes and beautifully rugged vistas. But there is a lot more beyond the pretty scenery. In addition to chronicling Pierre’s stirring self-exploration, Imbert and Diastème offer a handful of economic and societal observations, mostly surrounding the depopulation of rural France. And it all funnels through Dujardin whose textured performance thoughtfully conveys the movie’s soul.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

New on Home Video: “Made in England: The Films of Powell & Pressburger” on Blu-ray and DVD

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Cohen Media Group is bringing the eloquent documentary “Made in England: The Films of Powell & Pressburger” to home video. Director by David Hinton, the film is produced by and stars Martin Scorsese who offers up a rich and illuminating cinematic masterclass on a filmmaking duo near and dear to his heart. Featuring rare archival material from the personal collections of Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger and Scorsese, the film offers a passionate retrospective custom made for cinema lovers.

Both Blu-ray and DVD editions of “Made in England: The Films of Powell & Pressburger” and will be available to purchase on October 29th. See below for a synopsis and release information.

About the Film:

Year: 2024

Runtime: 133 Minutes

Directors: David Hinton

Cast: Martin Scorsese, Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell, Thomas Beecham, Dirk Bogarde, Kathleen Byron, David Farrar, Samuel Goldwyn, Marius Goring, Kim Hunter, Jennifer Jones, Deborah Kerr

Martin Scorsese first encountered the films of Powell and Pressburger when he was a child, sitting in front of the family TV. When their famous logo came up on screen, Scorsese says, “You knew you were in for fantasy, wonder, magic – real film magic.” With Made in England he tells the story of his lifelong love-affair with their movies, including The Life and Death Of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes and The Tales of Hoffmann. “Certain films you simply run all the time and you live with them.” Scorsese says. “As you grow older they grow deeper. I’m not sure how it happens, but it does. For me, that body of work is a wondrous presence, a constant source of energy, and a reminder of what life and art are all about.”

Drawing on a rich array of archive material, Scorsese explores in full the collaboration between the Englishman Powell and the Hungarian Pressburger – two romantics and idealists, who thrived in the face of adversity during World War II but were eventually brought low by the film industry of the 1950’s. Scorsese celebrates their ability to create “subversive commercial movies” and describes how deeply their films have influenced his own work.

REVIEW: “Venom: The Last Dance” (2024)

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The first two Venom movies had all they needed to be great – a terrific character with an equally terrific history, the perfect actor, and the big budget backing of a major studio. And while 2018’s “Venom” and 2021’s “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” were financial successes, neither were particularly good movies. And that leads us to “Venom: The Last Dance”, the third and final Venom film that sadly falls into many of the same traps as its predecessors.

The overqualified Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock, an investigative journalist turned fugitive who is the host of a super-powered alien symbiote called Venom. The pair went on the run following the events of the previous film, eventually settling in Mexico. But when Eddie sees himself on the local news, the duo head out, turning “The Last Dance” into a buddy road-trip movie with the frazzled Eddie as the straight man and Venom as the incessant jokester.

Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

As the two travel into the States, they’re pursued by a crack black-ops military unit led by Chiwetel Ejiofor’s General Strickland. But this time around Eddie and Venom find themselves hunted by a far more dangerous threat. The movie starts with a cold open where we’re (barely) introduced to Knull, an evil cosmic deity who created the symbiotes but has sense been imprisoned by his creations. In order to escape he needs something called a “Codex” that just happens to be inside of Venom. So Knull sends his creature army to fetch the Codex so he can break free.

Through several uninteresting turns we learn the only way for the Codex to be destroyed is if either Eddie or Venom dies. Once Strickland gets wind of it, he and his soldiers intensify their search for our protagonists. At the same time, Knull’s ravenous creatures find their way to earth leading to a not-so-epic showdown. Along the way several side characters appear who do little more than eat up screentime. Namely the symbiote-obsessed scientist, Dr. Teddy Payne (Juno Temple) and her assistant Dr. Sadie Christmas (Clark Backo). And a family of alien enthusiasts led by their hippie father, Martin (Rhys Ifans).

Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Kelly Marcel, the writer of the previous two Venom movies, takes on full screenwriting and directing duties this time around. She hits us with more of Eddie constantly sparring with his attached alien “buddy”. And as before, the goofy banter gets old pretty quick. We also get tons of CGI action, some of which is pretty entertaining, especially once we reach the decommissioned AREA 51. Unfortunately the narrative threads that hold it all together are paper-thin and finding anything to latch onto is a lot harder than it should be.

Tom Hardy has said this is his last run as Eddie/Venom and that’s a good thing. The 47-year-old Englishman is a powerhouse actor who can hopefully move on to more substantial projects. As for “The Last Dance”, it ends the already subpar series on a whimper. It’s plagued by an erratic script, a lack of emotional weight, shallow characters, and a handful of truly awful scenes (none worse than a laughably bad dance number to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”). It still may muster up enough to satisfy the Venom die-hards (assuming they exist). But most everyone else will just be happy the series has come to an end.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Conclave” (2024)

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I was sold on seeing “Conclave” just by the sheer force of its cast. Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini instantly put the film on my radar. But for me the biggest draw was Edward Berger, the director, co-writer, and producer of the 2022 Academy Award-winning masterpiece “All Quiet on the Western Front”. Whatever the acclaimed filmmaker delivered as his next feature would be an instant must-see.

“Conclave” is an absorbing thriller that’s fueled by powerhouse performances and driven by a filmmaker who maintains an assured grip until he loses it in the final ten minutes. The film is a mostly captivating experience, frustrated only by a curveball ending so out of left field that it derails the near perfection that came before it. It’s a wild final swing that is little more than an eleventh-hour plot device, desperately aiming to be provocative, but too underdeveloped to be anything other than outrageous.

“Conclave” is based on the 2016 international best-selling novel of the same name by Robert Harris. For the majority of its time, screenwriter Peter Straughan’s adaptation plays like a high-stakes political thriller. It’s cloaked in mystery with several big reveals, some unexpected twists, and a lingering sense of paranoia. You can’t help but be sucked in by this ecclesiastical potboiler set within the hallowed halls of the Vatican.

Image Courtesy of Focus Features

The movie opens with Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) arriving at the Vatican after getting word the pope has suddenly died. After carrying out the ceremonial rites, the throne is officially declared vacant. From there, Father Lawrence is tasked with overseeing the papal conclave – a gathering in Rome of Cardinals from around the world for the purpose of electing a new pope.

From the first moment we meet him it’s obvious that Cardinal Lawrence isn’t thrilled with his responsibility. We learn he has recently struggled with a crisis of faith leading to his desire to resign from his position and leave Rome. At the same time, he also proves himself to be the most qualified and capable person to handle such a significant task. Fiennes commands the screen yet works with a necessary restraint. His weary eyes and burdened gaze gives us a good look into his tired and troubled soul.

Soon after the cardinals are sequestered and the process begins, four frontrunners arise. There’s Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), a staunch liberal pretending to be uninterested but with a clear desire for the papacy; Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), a conservative caricature with hardline views that some feel would set the church back decades; Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), a Nigerian archbishop who quickly emerges as the favorite; and Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), a politically savvy American bishop whose every action is driven by his ambition to be the next pontiff.

Image Courtesy of Focus Features

After none receive the required two-thirds majority, a second vote is held followed by a third and a fourth. Tensions rise as the candidates posture for position, use internal politics to their advantage, and in some cases resort to underhanded tactics to compromise their competition. Caught in the middle is Cardinal Lawrence who must navigate the accusations and potential scandals to ensure the integrity of the process. And what’s with the arrival of Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), the archbishop of Kabul who was secretly appointed by the late pontiff?

Berger goes to great lengths to make his film look as authentic as possible, recreating with painstaking detail everything from the Vatican’s ornate interiors to the vibrant priestly regalia. Meanwhile Stéphane Fontaine’s cinematography and Volker Bertelmann’s score add think layers of tension as the story progresses. And it all builds our anticipation for what should be a rich and juicy finish. But instead “Conclave” ends with a whimper, throwing in a last-second twist that’s given no buildup and has no notable narrative or dramatic connection to anything that preceded it.

For 110 minutes “Conclave” is hands-down one of the year’s best movies. Unfortunately its final 10 minutes turns it into one of the year’s most frustrating misfires. The ensemble is top-notch, the production design is stellar, the behind the scenes wrangling is riveting, and Berger’s direction is methodical and propulsive. It makes the film’s unraveling all the more discouraging. Rather than ending with a bang, “Conclave” is given a lazy, patronizing finish built more on sanctimonious intentions than good moviemaking judgements.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS