So far 2016 has been a fascinating year for documentaries. And while one prominent film is getting most of the attention, energy, and chatter, it’s hard to believe there will be a better documentary this year than the sublime “Once Upon a Time in Harlem”. Shot in 1972 by filmmaker William Greaves, the movie is a collection of footage gathered during a party for surviving participants in the Harlem Renaissance. And I was enthralled from the very start.

The Harlem Renaissance was an explosion of artistry and intellectualism born out of the African American experience. It was a movement during the 1920s and 1930s that saw the black community taking control of their stories and expressing them through visual art, music, literature, journalism, and activism. For many it was an awakening that laid the groundwork for major cultural events to come. And Harlem was the epicenter.

In August of 1972, documentarian William Greaves sent out invitations to a cocktail party at the home of legendary composer Duke Ellington. His goal was to gather the living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance for an afternoon of reminiscing, reflection, and perhaps even a little debate. Greaves and his small crew would be there to capture it all on film. Sadly, William Greaves died in 2014 before ever finishing the project.

Twelve years after his death, William Greaves’ son David, who served as a cameraman during the 1972 gathering, revisited his father’s footage. With the help of his daughter Liani, David was able to see William’s vision brought to life in “Once Upon a Time in Harlem”. It’s a transfixing father-son collaboration that contextualizes a significant moment in American history. It’s also an illuminating and transporting cinematic experience that appeals to both mind and senses.

The film begins as a Who’s Who list of prominent figures from the Renaissance arrive at Ellington’s Harlem townhouse. Among the many distinguished guests are poet Arna Bontemps, painter Aaron Douglas, composer and pianist Eubie Blake, journalist George Schuyler, activist Louise Thompson Patterson, photographer James Van Der Zee, actor and founder of the Negro Actors Guild Leigh Whipper, librarian Regina Andrews, theatrical producer Irvin C. Miller, writer and painter Richard Bruce Nugent, prominent socialist, Richard B. Moore, historian John Henrik Clarke, and more.

It’s very much a melding pot of thought, insight, and creativity. But the special ingredient that makes it so invigorating is the casual setting Greaves was able to create. It opens the door for much freer and livelier exchanges. The lack of restrictions add a level of comfort that immediately pays off. The guests waste no time telling old stories, sharing good and bad memories, and engaging in a few passionate yet respectful back-and-forths.

Another key strength lies in the film’s ability to make us feel as if we’re there, slipping from room to room, listening in on conversations and absorbing the laidback one-and-one interviews. What we witness is both compelling and eye-opening: painful recollections of the past, observations on the economic, political, and artistic development of Harlem, hearty disagreements on the positions of Marcus Garvey, and so much more.

Just the access to this unfiltered party footage would be enough to make “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” a must-watch. But Greaves also incorporates a number of archival photographs, stock images from newspapers, and more that add context and perspective. When considered together, the film becomes both an essential historical artifact and engrossing entertainment. Rarely has being a fly on the wall felt this enlightening.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

With “Operation Kabul”, Hungarian director Zsombor Dyga offers a striking point-of-view on the disastrous 2021 United States-led NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan. The events resulted in the collapse of the Afghan government and military followed by a chaotic mass exodus of civilian non-combatants. The Taliban swooped in and immediately took control of the city of Kabul while NATO coalition forces stationed at the nearby airport frantically scrambled to evacuate their citizens and allies.

“Operation Kabul” is an absorbing war thriller inspired by real-life events from August 2021. It follows a specials ops unit from the Hungarian Defense Forces who are flown into the Kabul airport for a two-day retrieval operation. Their mission is to pickup and extract a group of 200 civilians from a list given to them by their State Department and transport them to safety in Uzbekistan. But as they arrive, the situation has already turned chaotic as over 10,000 desperate refugees converge on the airport in hopes of getting a flight out.

The story (written for the screen by Áron Horváth) follows the unit’s efforts to navigate the chaos at the airport, where they join numerous other allied nations in locating their people amid the masses crowding the gates. It’s a powder keg scenario that’s rooted in authentic tension. The soldiers are forced to turn away men, women, and children which only agitates the crowd. Meanwhile the looming threat of violence from hostile insurgent forces ratchets up as the situation intensifies.

A key member of the unit is Lieutenant Bálint Kerekes (Gábor Jászberényi), a seasoned soldier who was last in Afghanistan two years earlier. A series of flashbacks follow Bálint’s previous tour, where he met and assisted a Hungarian physician named Eszter (Blanka Mészáros). The two gained a strong mutual respect for each other before Bálint headed back home. Now he’s back and Eszter’s name is on his extraction list. But when word gets back that she has been abducted in Kabul, Bálint leads a team of riflemen on a daring rescue.

To their credit, Dyga and Horváth mostly steer clear of the political nonsense, keeping their focus on the boots on the ground. The film impressively conveys the weight of their circumstances and the impossible dilemmas they face. Several scenes boost the tension to near visceral levels while simultaneously remaining firmly grounded. This is especially true with the combat sequences. They’re fierce and harrowing yet authentic through the lens of DP Tamás Dobos’ camera.

“Operation Kabul” (titled “Dragons over Kabul” in its native Hungary) is a riveting new entry into the war thriller catalog. It’s one that embraces many of the elements we have come to expect from the genre. Yet it also offers a unique perspective on the events of August 2021. Some of the characters could use more depth, and certain events happen without much explanation. But the filmmakers nail what matters most. They effectively immerse us in a harrowing situation, rooting it in reality while never forgetting to entertain us.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Jessica Chastain playing semi-dual roles in a twisted supernatural horror film was more than enough to spark my interest. If only “Other Mommy” offered her better material to work with. Instead, the Academy Award-winning Chastain finds herself held captive by a movie that lacks the intrigue, suspense, and scares found in its very own trailer. It’s an astonishing misfire and easily one of the more disappointing horror films of the year.

“Other Mommy” is based on the 2024 novel “Incidents Around the House” by Josh Malerman. It’s adapted for the screen by Nathan Elston who attempts to combine supernatural horror with a domestic drama. Unfortunately neither works, either together or on their own. That’s because we never get more than a surface-level connection with the family. And while director Rob Savage devises some delightfully gory jolts, the horror elements fall short simply because there is so much that doesn’t make sense.

As for the story, Ursula (Chastain) is a successful businesswoman who seems to have a perfect life. She’s married to Russ (a miscast Jay Duplass) who takes care of the house while she advances her career. Together they have a darling 7-year-old daughter named Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark) who is trying her best to adjust to her new school. But we quickly begin to notice cracks in Ursula and Russ’ marriage. Bela notices it too, which leaves her vulnerable to the wooing of an evil entity.

Bela begins having encounters with a supernatural presence that takes the form of Ursula. Bela names her Other Mommy and is slowing lured in by the entity’s twisted charms. Other Mommy repeatedly asks “Let me into your heart”, which Bela is reluctant to allow. As the entity grows impatient, its aggression intensifies. And before long it’s not just preying on Bela, but their entire family as well. That forces Ursula and Russ to patch up their differences in order to protect their daughter.

Now there’s nothing wrong with that setup, and it sets the table for what could have been a tense and terrifying story. But after its promising start, the movie trudges from one semi-spooky encounter to the next with nothing remotely interesting connecting them together. Several other players are thrown in including a family friend named Frank (Arian Moayed), Ursula’s estranged mother (Karen Allen), and a team of paranormal investigators. But most exist solely as fodder for Other Mommy.

As mentioned, the entity does get a few creepy moments and there is at least one memorably gruesome kill. But Savage’s overreliance on tired clichés and mediocre CGI holds other scenes back. Plus it’s hard to invest when the ‘rules’ of the entity are never defined. Chastain certainly does her part, putting maximum effort into both of the characters she plays. She truly keeps the movie afloat with the subtle volatility she hides inside of Ursula and the dark menacing edge she brings out of Other Mommy. Chastain is quickly established as the film’s biggest strength.

Yet despite its star’s admirable commitment, “Other Mommy” can’t overcome its drab storytelling and glaring lack of originality. There are some rich themes caught in the film’s narrative gears, and there are several times when we’re reminded of what the movie could have been. But even the most faithful horror fans are liable to find themselves baffled by the tedium. And like the rest of us, they’ll find the only thing harder than staying engaged will be staying awake.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

There’s a cool current trend within indie cinema that has seen a number of filmmakers seeking to recapture the throwback B-movie schlock that once frequented the screens of grindhouse theaters and the shelves of VHS rental stores. For those who may take that as an insult, it’s actually quite the compliment. I still love so many of those movies along with their often wild and storied histories. And over the years they and their filmmakers have earned their places on cinema’s rollercoaster timeline.

The latest indie to turn back the clock in this way is “Onslaught”. On paper, “Onslaught” doesn’t seem like a movie that has much in common with the low-budget exploitation films that clearly inspired it. It’s backed by the prestigious A24. It’s helmed by a blockbuster director. And it features a terrific cast of well-known names. But it doesn’t take long to recognize the film’s exploitation inspiration. And as a fan of that raw and gritty style, it’s easy to appreciate what director Adam Wingard is going for.

“Onslaught” clearly and proudly hearkens back to the work of several filmmakers, from grindhouse stalwarts like Roger Corman to the grittier low-budget genre films of John Carpenter. We catch the vibe early on and Wingard only ratchets it up as the story (written by his frequent collaborator Simon Barrett) unfolds. The finished product is an ultra-violent, sensationalistic, genre-warping delight that unapologetically immerses itself in the scuzzy grindhouse style. And I was hooked every step of the way.

Adria Arjona plays Celeste, a former Army sniper suffering from PTSD who now works as the on-site manager at a remote trailer park somewhere in the Desert Southwest. One day she’s surprised when her ex-husband (Jacob Scipio) unexpectedly drops off their daughter Daisy (Blake Kennedy) for the weekend. He also drops the news that he and his new wife are considering relocating across the country and plan on taking Daisy with them.

Not far way, in a hidden underground military research facility, a top-secret experiment is being conducted under the leadership of Dr. Hans Kammler (Dan Stevens in full mad scientist mode). Funded by a mysterious shadow board, Kammler has taken a trio of violent combat veterans and bioengineered them into ruthless killing machines. He has stripped them of their humanity, muted their ability to feel pain, and genetically enhanced their abilities. Once unleashed, the three hulking juggernauts will not stop killing until they have no more targets to kill.

The impatient board sends out a representative named Baylor (Michael Biehn) to press Kammler for results. The doctor reluctantly agrees to a demonstration but it goes terribly and violently bad. The three super-soldiers, known by their code names The Butcher (Alex Pereira), The Cockroach (Dave Campbell), and The Crybaby (Tyler Hall), escape the facility and vanish into the night. After massacring everyone at a truck stop, they follow the road to the trailer park where Celeste dusts off her military training and fights for her and daughter’s lives.

It’s a fairly simple setup to an even more straightforward story. But Wingard’s kinetic direction and razor-sharp focus propels things forward at a feverish pace. There’s no wasted time or energy. And the genre blending adds to the fun. The three soldiers have the presence of terrifying slasher movie killers. The action is fierce, bloody, and brutal. The baked-in campiness adds flashes of black comedy. And it’s all driven by a go-for-the-jugular audacity that fuels the entire endeavor.

There are several other fun supporting characters who bring their own spark to the story. Reginald VelJohnson plays Josiah, an old Vietnam veteran and trailer park resident. Rebecca Hall is devilishly entertaining as Kammler’s mysterious wife Hanna. Drew Starkey gets some good moments as Cyrus, the board’s drugged-up fixer sent in to clean up and contain the situation. And Eric Wareheim adds some humor as an overstimulated sheriff’s deputy named Kovacks.

At its core, “Onslaught” is a vicious and visceral homage to the 1970s exploitation scene. And you don’t just see it in the pulpy tropes, blood-soaked violence, colorful characters, and socio-political cynicism. It’s also in the brash colors and high-energy synthesized score. There is an unflinching intentionality behind every decision director Adam Wingard’s makes. And it’s that intentionality that allows him to see his wild and gnarly vision through to the end.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

The new romantic comedy “One Night Only” is what you get when you combine two immensely talented young stars with an utterly ridiculous premise. You’re drawn in by the appeal of seeing two charming and charismatic performances. But once in you’re constantly being pushed away by the sheer absurdity of the story being told. That insurmountable clash is what makes “One Night Only” far more frustrating than romantic or funny.

Director Will Gluck of “Easy A” fame teams with screenwriter Travis Braun to tell a story set in a hokey pseudo-fascist America where a congressional mandate has made it illegal to have sex outside of marriage. For reasons that never make much sense, the government has designated one night of the year where singles are legally allowed to hook up. It’s when seemingly normal people turn into rabid horn-dogs for twelve hours just because this ridiculous premise needs them to.

The story kicks off as ‘singles night’ is about to begin. Callum Turner plays Owen, the owner of a Manhattan pizza shop who has big plans for the evening. He’s all set to propose to his girlfriend, Malika (Maya Hawke). But before he can, she randomly informs him that she’s going to sleep with someone else that night. She offers no meaningful explanation other than it being an “abnormal circumstance”. That leaves Owen on his own to find someone he can share the night with.

Elsewhere, Allie (Monica Barbaro) is an aspiring vocalist who has settled on singing jingles for medication advertisements. Her plans for the evening are shattered after her flaky best friend Jacinta (King Princess) ditches her at a bar for the first guy she meets. Suddenly Allie too is on her own which sets up the first of several meet-cutes with Owen. Things don’t go well at first, as the two deny their obvious mutual attraction and look to hook up elsewhere. But after each failed attempt, Allie and Owen bump into each other again. And as you can probably guess, each time they meet the romantic spark gets a little hotter.

The goofy premise alone immediately puts “One Night Only” behind the 8 ball. But the issues don’t stop there. The movie doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be. Much of it plays like a dime-a-dozen romcom that’s made watchable by two likable leads. But then you have the lazy attempts at being a raunchy sex comedy which is where the movie spectacularly falls on its face. Whether it’s the forced vulgarity-for-laughs from a 12-year-old kid or an embarrassingly bad scene for Molly Ringwald and LeVar Burton – these off-putting and glaringly unfunny choices knock the movie completely off the rails.

It also doesn’t help that the “One Night Only” has nothing of value to say about anything. It’s only at the very end that we get something resembling a point. But by then I had already spent all of my goodwill and was ready for the credits to roll. It’s a shame because Barbaro and Turner give it their all and have some pretty decent chemistry. But they’re in desperate need of better material. And no matter how hard they try, there’s just too much for them to overcome.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

Some may disagree with this statement, but I say it with unfettered confidence – Christopher Nolan has yet to make a bad movie. Obviously some of the thirteen feature films he has directed (twelve of which he also wrote) stand out more than others. But through his incredibly diverse catalog of movies, Nolan has firmly established himself as both a master craftsman and storyteller. Every one of his movies has impressed me, with a whopping seven of them being my favorite film from their year of release.

Nolan’s stellar track record certainly isn’t tarnished with his latest, “The Odyssey”. It’s the visionary filmmaker’s spectacular cinematic adaptation of Homer’s Greek literary classic. It may also be his boldest swing to date. Nolan skillfully retells the story of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who leads his battle-weary men on the perilous, decade-long journey home after fighting in the Trojan War. The film is an epic in every sense of the word, transporting us to a place equally defined by myth and humanity, and created through the bravura filmmaking of a director who is as daring as he is confident.

One thing from Nolan’s breathtaking masterwork that will immediately grab you is its massive scope and grand scale. This is a gargantuan production that painstakingly puts every penny of its enormous budget on the screen. Scene after incredible scene openly displays the kind of jaw-dropping movie magic that will have you asking yourself, “How on earth did they do that?” It’s rapturous movie-making that would almost feel old-fashioned if it wasn’t for the groundbreaking spectacle that is on a scale unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Yet even more amazing is Nolan’s ability to balance such grandeur with an emotionally grounded thematic richness. Some of the film’s core elements revolve around such heavy subject matter as war trauma and guilt. Nolan shrewdly explores the deep psychological toll war can take. He challenges the notion that a soldier can simply put aside the death and violence of the battlefield and return home the same as they were before. But Nolan also emphasizes the driving force that is love, and the life-sustaining hope that can spring from it.

Even more, in its own way, Nolan’s film celebrates humanity’s long history of telling stories. We learn much from the numerous stories shared to others by bards, soldiers, mystics, servants, the undead, and more. Nolan organically incorporates them throughout the film in ways that seamlessly fit within his compelling non-linear structure. And they’re visually relayed across immersive canvases, highlighted by stunning real locations, stellar production design, and practical effects work that grounds us in the peril.

In a career defining performance, Matt Damon plays Odysseus, the weary and burdened king of Ithaca who has spent ten years away from home fighting the Trojan War. Following the fall of Troy, Odysseus and his men finally begin the long trek back to Ithaca. But their journey is thwarted by a series of deadly mythical encounters that ultimately lead to them being lost at sea. Along the way many of his men are killed, leaving Odysseus bearing even more guilt for the mounting lives lost under his command.

Meanwhile in Ithaca, Odysseus’ wounded but resolute wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and their son Telemachus (Tom Holland) still hold out hope that the king may return. But in his absence, dozens of self-serving suitors have gathered in hopes of courting Penelope in order to stake their claim on Odysseus’ throne. The most aggressive among them is the devious and scheming Antinous (Robert Pattinson), who will do anything necessary to be king. That includes killing Telemachus who is wise to Antinous’ twisted ambition.

While the events in Ithaca play out in the present tense, much of Odysseus’ story unfolds through flashbacks. Many of them come after he washes up on the shores of Ogygia. There he begins regaining his memory with the “help” of the mysterious nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron). Of course the past and “present” inevitably collide in a final act that brings this epic tale to a riveting and emotional satisfying conclusion. It’s a finish that does justice to both the spirit of Homer’s foundational work and Nolan’s original vision.

Damon’s full-bodied performance offers up a multifaceted Odysseus whose emotional journey is as crucial as his physical one. He’s a rugged warrior and a brilliant strategist who has earned the respect and loyalty of his men. But he’s also cocky to a fault, with a willingness to defy the gods no matter the consequences. But Odysseus’ facade slowly cracks under the weight of everything he has done and everyone he has lost. And Damon conveys it all with captivating precision, either as the legendary hero or a broken wanderer.

Several other stand-out performances help flesh out Nolan’s epic. Hathaway brings stoicism and resilience to Penelope while Holland’s boyish innocence hides Telemachus’ steadfast determination. Pattinson is fittingly slimy. Himesh Patel is terrific as Odysseus’ loyal lieutenant Eurylochus. Benny Safdie’s hulking Agamemnon is an intimidating presence to behold. John Leguizamo has never been better than as Odysseus’ blind swineherd Eumaeus. Samantha Morton enchants and terrifies as the sorceress Circe. And the gritty Jon Bernthal is a nice fit as Sparta’s King Menelaus.

But as with most Nolan movies, the conversation always seems to come back to the craftsmanship. “The Odyssey” sees him working in top form to deliver a landmark technical achievement that reminds us of why we still go to the theaters. Nolan’s virtuosic savvy is certainly key. But he also has the smarts to surround himself with geniuses. DP Hoyte van Hoytema’s exquisitely tactile realism roots the movie in reality while still capturing the mythological aura and sweeping scale. And composer Ludwig Göransson masterfully immerses us through his clever blending of traditional and experimental tunes.

Odyssey purists may gasp at Nolan’s willingness to peel away the prestigious veneer from Homer’s work for something more grounded and relatable. They might recoil at the modernized languages and reimagined ending. But Nolan never pretends to be making a by-the-letter adaptation. Much of Homer’s original vision is retained. But just like old tales often take new forms the more they’re shared over time, Nolan tells Homer’s story from an honoring yet fresh perspective. And when joined by his unmatched technical prowess, we end up with a testament to the resonating power of cinema. And I for one am grateful there is a filmmaker able to pull something like this off.

VERDICT – 5 STARS