Author: dlepikcom

“1917” (*** out of four) was a reverently done WWI melodrama about two young British soldiers (George Mackay and Dean Charles-Chapman) who are given the near-suicidal mission of delivering a message deep behind enemy lines which will prevent 1,600 men from walking directly into a deadly trap but they face loads of opposition and exposition along the way. Director Sam Mendes shoots and edits this to appear in a single one-take and places you right there in the center of battle but film has a frustrating sense of detachment (which many of his films have had over the years) and doesn’t have an emotional center since you feel so distant from the main characters. Still worthwhile with many overall effective moments. Thomas Newman’s usual rich music score is a definite plus.

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“Just Mercy” (*** out of four) was an absorbing true story of determined civil-rights attorney Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) who takes up the case of a wrongly convicted inmate (Jamie Foxx) who is on death row and works to have his case overturned to the bigotry and bias that resulted in his conviction. Two powerhouse performances from Foxx and (especially) Jordan make this a must-watch even as it covers some familiar ground and territory. Well-realized and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton based on Stevenson’s memoir of the same name.

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“Spies In Disguise” (*** out of four) was a fun animated action comedy about a warrior superspy (voiced by Will Smith) who becomes inexplicably turned into a pigeon and has to rely on his socially inept tech officer (voiced by Tom Holland) to save the world from mass destruction but this results in many unexpected incidents and interactions between the two of them in order to achieve their desired goal! Uneven script and story is more than compensated by striking and spectacular animation (especially in the final third which is a wow), the entertaining voices and repartee between the leads, and film’s hurtling pace. KIds will love this and parents will likely find it rewarding

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“Little Women” (** out of four) was an anachronistic remake of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel about four sisters (Saiorse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen) coming of age in the aftermath of the Civil War and showing the different paths and relationships they have in life. Seventh adaptation of this story is hopelessly dated and thus retains little of the original story or previous film’s impact or relevance. After a while, it’s simply boring, despite the best efforts of a talented cast. Meryl Streep adds some spice in her few scenes as Aunt March.

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“Trauma Center” (** out of four) was a murky horror thriller about an injured young woman (Nicky Whelan) who winds up trapped in a lockdown hospital ward and pursued by two corrupt cops (Texas Battle and Tito Ortiz) who are after her for implicating evidence while a determined and honorable cop (Bruce Willis) tries to get to her in time to save her. Not bad, with some taut action and stylish touches from director Matt Eskandari, but mostly unpleasant and routine. Willis can play this role in his sleep by now and Steve Guttenberg has a throwaway cameo as a doctor at the beginning.

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“Stay Out / Stay Alive” (*1/2 out of four) was a by-the-numbers horror show that most moviegoers would best stay away from about five young hikers (Brie Mattson, Brandon Wardle, Christina July Kim, and others) who find that there is gold in them thar hills and attempt to locate an abandoned goldmine buried underneath the earth but are attacked and mauled and find that they’re the ones who are gonna be buried instead. Enervatingly routine and predictable until the final third when it finally comes alive and delivers a scare or two. Regardless- “The Descent” told virtually the same story and scarier nearly 15 years ago. Lawson Rollins’ fine music score and some crisp cinematography by Bill Holshevnikoff are literally the only things to make you “stay” and watch this.

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“Queen And Slim” (***1/2 out of four) was a harrowing melodrama about an African-American couple (Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith) out on their first date which takes numerous unexpected twists and turns when they are pulled over by a racist cop and kill him and then take it on the run. And that’s just the beginning of the story! Riveting character study is enhanced by crackerjack direction by Melina Matsoukas who takes the story in a multitude of different directions but yet keeps the strong focus on the two characters and two strong performances. Bokeem Woodbine, Chloe Sevigny, and Flea all turn in unexpected but strong cameos which add to film’s flashy and spontaneous style.

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“Uncut Gems” (** out of four) was a superficial melodrama about a desperate NYC jeweler (Adam Sandler) who is also a gambling addict who turns out to be his own worst enemy as he makes a series of high-stakes bets that could either be a windfall or could turn out to be quicksand for him and his family. Sandler is adequate and nothing more in what many have called a career-altering performance and we don’t know hardly anything about him except he’s addicted to making money. It’s also hard to care about anything in the film since his central character is so unlikeable. Good NYC atmosphere highlighted by Darius Khondji’s gritty cinematography can’t enrich this unappealing story.

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“Cats” (*1/2 out of four) was a misfired adaptation of the popular musical about a tribe of cats called the Jellicles (Taylor Swift, Judy Dench, Jennifer Hudson, and others) who have to make the life-altering decision about who will ascend up to the Heaviside Layer and will come back to a new Jellicle life but find that this is a much more difficult decision than they thought. Even the musical numbers are botched by cluttered staging and surprisingly tacky cinematography and sets. I wasn’t a huge fan of the musical but at least it had striking costumes and was visually extravagant. A real disappointment from director Tom Hooper who fared far better with his 2012 adaptation of “Les Miserables.”

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“Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker” (** out of four) was a less-than-spectacular final chapter of the “Star Wars” saga about the surviving Resistance (Oscar Isaacs, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley) who face the First Order (led by Adam Driver) to see who will survive but nothing much goes as planned. Certainly watchable for “Star Wars” fanatics and features the series’ usual visual effects and some colorful action scenes but story and script are pretty weak this time around and fllm lacks the sense of awe and wonder that the originals (and even the last two entries) had. You feel almost like you’re watching a video game instead of a conclusion to the most grand sci/fi series of all time. Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher all have welcome cameos but this still ranks as a disappointment.

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