Director Paul King’s “Wonka” sets out to tell the origin story of none other than Willy Wonka, the popular chocolatier from Roald Dahl’s beloved 1964 novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. The story (co-written by King and Simon Farnaby from a story conceived by King) follow Willy’s challenging early days in Europe. King has called his film a companion piece to Mel Stuart’s 1971 film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”. You can certainly feel that connection.

I don’t have much of a history with the Wonka character or the previous two movies. I’ve seen them both but never felt the same affection that many do. And that’s why “Wonka” was such a pleasant surprise. It turns out to be a delightful fantasy film for the entire family that features a terrific ensemble, great production design, good humor, and even better musical numbers. Oh, and there’s the hysterical Hugh Grant who quite honestly steals every single scene he’s in (and that is no exaggeration).

The film kicks off with a fabulous opening number as Willy Wonka (an affable and energetic Timothée Chalamet) arrives in a European coastal town with very little money but a really big dream. He desperately wants to open his own chocolate shop in the town’s famed Galeries Gourmet. There he hopes to make the finest magical chocolates to share with the world. But as he quickly learns, that’s easier said than done.

The wide-eyed Willy is a dreamer at heart. He prides himself in being a magician and an inventor. But his true passion is chocolate – something handed down to him by his late mother (played in flashbacks by Sally Hawkins). Unfortunately the ambitious but gullible Willy doesn’t have a good grasp of the real world and is immediately duped by the devious Mrs. Scrubitt (Olivia Colman) and her lunkheaded goon Bleacher (Tom Davis). Under the guise of kindness, the pair offer Willy a room for the night but trick him into signing a binding contract (always read the fine print) that confines him to labor in her basement laundry.

Willy joins several others who also failed to read the fine print. He takes a liking to the small group of coerced laborers, especially a resourceful orphan girl named Noodle (Calah Lane). The two have a great rapport and the brother-sister dynamic that develops is one of the sweetest (bad pun intended) ingredients in the film.

Noodle helps Willy slip out of his confinement so he can begin selling his chocolate. But he runs into bigger challenges than mean old Mrs. Scrubitt. It turns out there is a cartel of chocolate shop owners (played with hilarious over-the-top panache by Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, and Matthew Baynton) intent on squashing any competition. They ensure their chocolate dominance through bribes to the crooked sweet-toothed police chief (Keegan Michael Key) and an equally corrupt local cleric (Rowan Atkinson).

Then there’s the nagging issue of the small green-haired orange-skinned man who keeps slipping in and stealing Willy’s chocolates. He identifies himself as an Oompa-Loompa and he’s played by the riotously starchy Hugh Grant. It’s such a wildly absurd pairing (Grant and Oompa-Loompa) but it works so well thanks to the effortlessly droll veteran actor. He had me smiling every time he popped up on screen.

The ‘overcoming adversity’ tale that follows sticks close to formula as Willy the confectioner and his new friends go head-to-head with the choco-conglomerate. Yet King (best known for his terrific “Paddington” films) infuses the movie with his own charming effervescent style of storytelling, slyly navigating through some surprisingly dark themes with a warm and genial spirit. And to his credit, King gets the tone just right, whether he’s submerging us in his sugar-coated fantasy, tenderly touching our emotions, or playfully venturing into full heist movie territory.

As for the music (and yes, “Wonka” is very much a musical), none of Neil Hannon’s original songs will stick in your mind. But that’s not to say they’re bad. In fact the songs are perfectly in tune with the storytelling and the smile-inducing musical set pieces offer entertaining rushes of vibrant creativity. And kudos to Chalamet who does a great job balancing all that’s asked of him. He’s a nice fit for a story that smoothes off most of the Dahl’s sharp edges and embraces the childlike sense of wonder that makes this movie such a treat. “Wonka” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Two brothers make a startling discovery after hearing gunshots in a patch of woods near their land. That kicks things off in Argentinean writer-director Demián Rugna’s unsettling chiller “When Evil Lurks”. The film blends elements of psychological horror with the supernatural in telling a smart and original story that I guarantee is unlike anything you’ve seen this year. And coming from a genre that has often struggled when it comes to good original ideas, that is certainly high praise.

From the very outset there’s something alluring about Rugna’s story. It’s dark, uncomfortable and insidious, but alluring nonetheless. It doesn’t take long for him to jolt us with the first of several gruesome shocks. And as he cleverly unpacks and defines his horrifying dystopia, we get a movie that’s as unpredictable as it is horrifying. That’s because no one in his grim and sinister world is safe.

The movie opens with gunshots in the middle of the night. Brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jaime (Demián Salomon) try to gauge the distance and prepare to investigate. But they wisely decide to wait until morning. Shortly after daybreak the two make their way through their field and into some woods where they come across a grisly scene. I’m hesitant to say much more about the opening because experiencing the scene-by-scene setup within the first fifteen minutes or so really leaves a mark.

Suffice it to say the brothers discover that a malevolent entity has settled into their small rural town. They learn that Uriel, the son of a poor elderly woman, has turned “Rotten”, which is a name given to those possessed by a sinister evil spirit. Pedro and Jaime quickly notify the police who don’t seem concerned. “There’s a protocol for cases like this”, they’re told. That protocol involves people known as “Cleaners” who are able to kill the doomed host without unleashing the demon. But here’s the problem – the Cleaner summoned to their town never showed up.

So with the help of a coarse and concerned neighbor Ruiz (Luis Ziembrowski), Pedro and Jaime attempt to take care of the Rotten themselves. But we quickly learn that in Rugna’s world there are very specific rules for dealing with a Rotten (use nothing electric, no lights, don’t use bullets, etc.). The rules don’t always make sense, but they emphasize the need of Cleaners. And the tension certainly ramps up once the brothers and Ruiz inevitably break them. The evil spreads and infects with gruesomely violent results. Meanwhile Pedro and Jaime race to gather their family and escape from the horror they’ve unleashed.

Even at a tight and fleet-footed 99 minutes, Rugna makes time for his characters, specifically the two brothers. There is a compelling dynamic between them. Pedro seems to have the most to lose as the father of two sons, the young Santino (Marcelo Michinaux) and his autistic teenager Jair (Emilio Vodanovich). The responsibility of protecting them and the weight of losing them at times seems unbearable. Jaime is the loyal brother who not only stands by Pedro, but who keeps him together when he starts to crack.

As you might have gathered, “When Evil Lurks” is not for the faint of heart. It’s bleak, gory and disturbing. Rugna and his team often broadside us with several squirm-worthy moments, most of them realized though some gnarly practical effects. You rarely see these instances coming which makes them all the more effective. Not all of the pieces fit firmly into place, mainly in the second half. But Rugna sticks his landing and ends his film in a way that only seems fitting. It’s yet another example of good instincts from a filmmaker who is sure to get a lot more attention.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

The delightfully eccentric artistry and craft of Wes Anderson is on full display with “The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar”, the first film in a four-part series of shorts adapted from the works of Roald Dahl. Written, directed, and produced by Anderson, the 38-minute short film is based on Dahl’s 1977 story of the same name. It’s soaked in the filmmaker’s signature style which turns out to be a perfect fit for Dahl’s flavorful verbiage.

“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” is some of Anderson’s most visually striking work to date. He uses a distinctly theatrical approach in staging scenes and in ushering the audience from one scene to the next – utilizing elaborate moving sets, sumptuously painted backdrops, and richly detailed dioramas. And of course it’s all bathed in Anderson’s unique storybook color palette.

As for the storytelling, Anderson sticks close to Dahl’s own words, pruning it a bit to seamlessly flow with his on-screen vision. The film stars a handful of Anderson reliables who each serve as both characters and narrators. They peer straight into the camera, addressing the audience directly while delivering the fast-paced dialogue with astonishing precision and fluidity.

Ralph Fiennes plays a version of Dahl himself who gives us an introduction to his story from inside his cramped but cozy “writing hut” (later Fiennes shows up as a policeman in one of the film’s funniest bits). A delightfully wry Benedict Cumberbatch plays the titular Henry Sugar, a self-involved and unashamedly bad gambler who finds himself consumed with the contents of a book he swipes while visiting a rich friend’s estate.

The book contains the story Imdad Khan (Ben Kingsley), a man who claimed to have the ability to see without using his eyes. Within the small volume Khan recounts his meeting with an old mystic who taught him how to see things with his mind rather than eyes. Unyielding in his desire to get ahead, Henry sees an opportunity. If he can study the book and learn the ancient skill, he could use it to win (cheat) at the blackjack table.

While every performance hits just the right note, Dev Patel may steal the show. He plays Dr. Chatterjee who chronicles his encounters with Imdad Khan. Together with his colleague Dr. Marshall (an equally fantastic Richard Ayoade), the two find themselves in utter awe and unable to explain the strange man’s ability. Patel is an absolute riot, meticulously detailing every impression and emotion they felt yet doing so in the most deadpan way imaginable. He’s hilarious.

Anderson’s story within a story within a story structure is ingenious and he pulls it off to near miraculous perfection. It’s fascinating to watch as he takes such specific usages of visuals, narrative, and performance and caramelizes them into something so precise and flavorful. Overall this is a far cry from the filmmaker’s more understated(ish) earlier work. Yet nothing here is done for mere eccentricity’s sake. There’s such a wonky harmony between Dahl’s words and Anderson’s profoundly unique style which makes this quirky short film such a delight. “The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

The latest in the long line of musical documentaries is “Wham!”, Netflix’s new film chronicling the rise of the eponymous English pop duo which became a global sensation during the early and mid 1980s. It may be easy for some to forget the far-reaching popularity of Wham! in large part due to George Michael’s solo career success. But during their four-year run Wham! would sell over 30 million records worldwide.

“Wham!” is directed by Chris Smith who has found himself a comfy home on Netflix. Coming out on the 30th anniversary of the duo’s debut album “Fantastic”, his documentary tells the story of friends Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael through audio interviews and archive footage from concerts, television appearances, and home videos. All together it follows a pretty basic music doc formula, but it should be a nice ‘turn back of the clock’ experience for fans.

The film touches on Ridgeley and Michael’s childhood including their first meeting as preteens at Bushey Meads School in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England. But it doesn’t waste much time before jumping into their music career starting with their early struggles to get their feet in the door with record companies. Then came their big break when they were unexpectedly scheduled to perform on the popular BBC television show Top of the Pops.

Suddenly Wham! was getting noticed and after signing with Epic Records and embracing a more poppy image they became known worldwide. As their story progresses Smith finds room for nearly every one of their songs including early stuff like “Wham Rap” and “Club Tropicana” to their chart-topping hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, “Careless Whisper”, and “Everything She Wants”.

To a much lesser degree Smith also looks at the duo’s personal lives. It includes Michael’s well-documented struggle with his sexuality and his embrace of his pop-star persona as a means of defining his true self. And there is a little about Ridgeley’s experiences falling into Michael’s shadow as well as hints of his hard partying lifestyle which became tabloid fodder.

But the documentary doesn’t offer much past that, coming to a full stop with the duo’s sold-out 1986 farewell concert at Wembley Stadium. It doesn’t touch on anything beyond their final show. Nothing about Ridgely’s post-Wham! life which was mostly out of the public eye and nothing about Michael’s legal troubles or drug issues.

As a fan piece “Wham!” works pretty well. It highlights the bands ups while steering mostly clear of the downs, and it’s full of the music fans love. As a meatier documentary it falls a little short. It does a good job reminding people just how big Wham! became (something I admit to have forgotten) and we get a little insight into their creative processes. But some things remain unexplored leaving us with a fun time capsule movie but not much more than that. “Wham!” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

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

Ron Shelton’s 1992 basketball comedy “White Men Can’t Jump” lived and breathed off of the electric personalities and hilarious chemistry between its two leads, Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes. When hearing a remake was on the way I immediately wondered if there was any way it could recapture that kind of energy? In a word, no. And in many ways not even close. In fact, it’s accurate to say this “update” barely resembles its inspiration.

This bland and frankly needless remake comes from director Charles Kidd II aka Calmatic. In it Sinqua Walls plays Kamal Allen a former high school basketball phenom who was projected as a “can’t miss” player. He was heavily recruited by colleges and NBA teams alike. But an arrest for assault during his senior year tarnished his reputation and scared away every interested party. So now he’s stuck in a minimum wage job driving a deliver truck, barely scraping by and trying to support his wife Imani (Teyana Taylor) and their young son. He can still hoop, but he’s given up on ever playing professional basketball.

Jeremy (played by rapper Jack Harlow in his acting debut) once had a promising basketball future of his own and was a standout player at Gonzaga University. But two blown ACLs sidetracked his dreams. So now he’s selling cheap bottled health drinks and hustling streetball games for cash. He desperately wants to play basketball again and he has the wild idea that “regenerative medicine” is his ticket to the NBA G League. But his girlfriend Tatiana (Laura Harrier) wants him to focus more on their future together.

The two former ballers cross paths at a neighborhood gym where Jeremy promptly hustles Kamal out of $300. It understandably leaves a sour taste in Kamal’s mouth. But with both of them in desperate need of money, they end up teaming together to play in a two-on-two streetball tournament with a massive payout going to the winners. First, they’ll have to hustle a few neighborhood games to pay for their entry fee. Second, they’ll have to do it without killing each other. That proves to be a tough ask.

From the very start, the story just doesn’t have the energy or the spirit of the 1992 original. And at times it doesn’t even seem try. The script occasionally attempts (but falls terribly short) at recreating the playful banter, the culturally tinged back-and-forths, and the hilarious insults that Snipes and Harrelson fired off so naturally. A lot of it has to do with the lukewarm chemistry between Walls and Harlow. Individually their performances are fine, but neither have the charisma of a Snipes or a Harrelson. And together there simply isn’t much of a spark between them.

To compensate, the movie ventures off into some more dramatic directions, none of which work particularly well. Co-writers Kenya Barris and Doug Hall attempt to cook up some interest in Kamal and Jeremy’s home life. But these side dishes consist of little more than Imani and Tatiana understandably losing patience with their bone-headed beaus.

We find some hope in these family scenes in the form of the late Lance Reddick who plays Kamal’s father, Benji Allen. At first he comes across as an overbearing LaVar Ball type. But over time we get a sense that there’s actually more to his character. Unfortunately we’re left to wonder because Reddick doesn’t get much screen time and the father-son relationship is left painfully underserved.

So we’re left with everything else, nothing of which will stick with you past the closing credits. The humdrum humor certainly won’t as it rarely registers. And there’s definitely not enough personality or charm to leave any kind of mark. Even the basketball scenes fall flat. And I’m still trying to figure out why they even bothered calling it “White Men Can’t Jump” considering how little it has in common with the considerably better original. Maybe the idea looked better on paper. Maybe it’s a cash grab. Either way, it doesn’t make for a good movie. “White Men Can’t Jump” is now streaming on Hulu.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

The third installment in the now expanding TRF Spy Universe is the aptly titled “War”, a brawny Bollywood blockbuster that rivals any big-budget tentpole movie Hollywood puts out today. It’s a bit like “Mission: Impossible” meets “Fast and Furious” but with its own special sauce that fans of Indian action cinema will immediately recognize. It makes for a movie that’s exhilarating from start to finish and one with enough pizzazz to keep its audience glued to every eye-popping frame.

“War” is directed with style and verve by Siddharth Anand who more recently has directed the universe’s fourth film, 2023’s “Pathaan”. In “War”, Anand went BIG with his action scenes and clearly spared no expense. Taking place in stunningly shot locations all around the world, his set pieces are second to none and include a wild shootout in Tikrit, a killer pursuit across the rooftops of Marrakesh, a jaw-dropping motorcycle chase through Lisbon (that must be seen to be believed), and a sports car showdown in the Arctic Circle.

Adding to film’s list of strengths are the terrific lead performances from its two leads, Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff. Both have leading man charisma as well as the gritty physicality their roles demands. But they also have the ability and the smarts to dial their performances down whenever a scene needs them to. Ultimately it adds a level of believability to their characters, even in the instances when the delightfully over-the-top action sticks them in some pretty wild and crazy situations.

The story moves at a propulsive pace and is full of twists and unexpected turns. Shroff plays Captain Khalid Rahmani, a RAW agent desperate to regain his family’s honor after his disgraced father betrayed his country and was killed as a result. Khalid was trained by one of RAW’s best agents, Major Kabir Dhaliwal (Roshan). Kabir was hesitant to take Khalid into his special unit, because of his father’s bad name. But Khalid proves himself in the field and earns Kabir’s trust. Kabir agrees to train Khalid, and the two develop a friendship.

But when Kabir suddenly assassinates a high ranking RAW official, it’s left to a shocked and hurt Khalid to hunt down and eliminate his former mentor. But that proves to be easier said than down as Kabir always seems to be one step ahead of Khalid and his team (much like the movie is with its audience). Every time we feel we have a grasp of where things are going, Anand throws us a curveball. Admittedly, a couple of the twists are utterly preposterous. But they’re also wildly entertaining.

While its story (written by a team of four that includes Anand) earns its spy thriller stripes, there’s so much more that makes “War” click. I mentioned Roshan and Shroff who are in perfect tune with their characters and each other. And again, there’s the incredible vistas that are exquisitely shot by DP Benjamin Jasper. There’s also the remarkable fight sequences put together by South Korean martial arts choreographer Se-yeong Oh. The extraordinary production design, the (mostly) incredible digital effects, the energetic but not overbearing score – all key ingredients that Anand uses to the fullest.

“War” is a thrilling ride built on a big vision and even bigger ambition. There’s not a dull moment to be found in the film’s hefty 154-minute runtime, and it does a great job leaving its audience hungry for more. As for its standing in the growing TRF Spy Universe, it’s hard to tell right now. A sequel to “War” is said to be in the works, and its connection to “Tiger 3”, the fifth film in the universe due out later this year, remains to be seen. But even on its own, “War” delivers everything action fans will want, plus some. “War” is available on VOD and streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS