AQUAMAN
3 out of 5 stars
This DCEU blockbuster boisterously backstrokes in extravagant VFX & fun thanks to director Wan. He excels at being excessive in everything, creating some impressively splashy waves. But, they come crashing down on plot & script – letting them sink to the very bottom. Lucky us that Momoa’s charisma has him looking comfortable as our aquatic hero, injecting a necessary energy needed to nose-dive headfirst into the entertaining silliness of the seven seas.
INSTANT FAMILY
3.5 out of 5 stars
Director Anders takes a dramedy about foster care & turns in to something endearing & truthful about what family truly is – or ought to be. The plot doesn’t quite hit the complexities of such a substantial subject, but it’s smart enough to not go into the deep-end of mawkishness. The movie has a big heart & isn’t scared to tackle some tough situations while providing that extra bit of comfort by making you laugh. Wahlberg & Byrne are a prizewinning pair playing a couple giving parenthood a try – & what they get in return is disarray yet irreplaceable.
SHOPLIFTERS
3 out of 5 stars
A compassionate yet desultory drama centered around an unorthodox household scrounging on the margins of society. Patience is key, but if you can maintain it – you’ll be highly rewarded by director Kore-Eda. He gently lets a clan of thieves make their home only to pull the rug out from under them & his audience. The storytelling is honest & its impact is ultimately felt thanks to a talented cast expressing hope & heartache in choosing one’s family.
THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD
3.5 out of 5 stars
A tremendous tribute to all of the British soldiers whom went in to the first World War as kids & came out the other side never being the same again. Director Jackson deserves all the credit in the world for this extraordinary technical achievement in making 100 year-old black & white footage come to roaring life w/ the use of color & sound. Listening to the survivors’ stories in their own words – all scarred in some way from the atrocities seen & the smell of death becoming a daily occurrence – is fascinating while assuredly frightening. They all felt forgotten once they made it back home, but this compelling doc won’t ever let their memories fall on deaf ears.
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET
3.5 out of 5 stars
The game has indeed changed in this top-notch, sincere sequel about forever friendship & the insecurities we try to delete. Directors Johnston & Moore’s animation gets dizzy within our world wide web culture, but its heart stays exactly where it needs to be. The jokes deliver & the internet’s addictions & cruelty are creatively constructed in a bright, colorful world where everything is just a click away. Voicing Ralph & Vanellope, Reilly & Silverman are amazing together as they immensely continue to build up such consideration & fondness for their characters’ journey that even as their paths cross b/c of bigger dreams – none of it will ever be smashed to bits. Not even by the mightiest of fists.
WELCOME TO MARWEN
1.5 out of 5 stars
Transforming trauma into art in order to cope is a beautiful thing, & director Zemeckis recognizes that wholeheartedly. But the process is a painful one as he plays w/ his toys (aka the cast) & loses what made Hogancamp’s soul-searching so inspiring. Kudos for its visual ambition, but given the tremendous talent – it’s flabbergasting to see how big they fail at telling this tragedy to triumph true story.
VOX LUX
3 out of 5 stars
Portman is explosive as a vicious pop diva who hides her literal & emotional scars under chokers & glitter. Her character goes from a survivor to a star & her rise is a destructive one. Director Corbet’s fame fable doesn’t hit all the right notes – it aspires to be more than what you see. Yet, it’s constantly consuming as the stage is set for this unapologetic dance about celebrity to get uglier & uglier as its poison runs deeper & deeper.
BURNING
2.5 out of 5 stars
In director Lee’s super slow-burn thriller, he cleverly maneuvers his characters through a missing person mystery while stepping on the cracks of love, jealousy, & class. There’s a trio of terrific performances that only add to the mind-games & suspicion that is sewn throughout this confound story of human nature. Though, it’s so painfully long to sit through that it’s challenging to cherish any of it. And when the culmination of all you’ve seen finally comes to a head, you’re left w/ a lot of questions – one being why in the hell did it take this long to get here?
ON THE BASIS OF SEX
3.5 out of 5 stars
Jones is sensational as the brilliant & restless Ginsburg in this broad yet crowd-pleasing origin biopic that takes place when her trailblazing career is just beginning. Director Leder uses RBG’s early days to display how she’s always had the hankering for equality, yet self-doubt seemed to always sneak in as she is constantly being pushed back. But her supportive husband – a winning portrayal by Hammer – stood in her corner when society stood against it. Put politics aside & see a professor take on the courts during a time when the culture was changing, but the laws were not. It’s powerful stuff witnessing a legal icon being born while making history in proving there’s no difference between a man and a woman.
THE FAVOURITE
3.5 out of 5 stars
What a bracing command Colman, Stone, & Weisz have on this wild history piece of women behaving badly to capture their Queen’s attention for power & status that would make anyone immeasurably envious. This outstanding female trifecta lather themselves in a sticky love story where they ain’t afraid to surprisingly sting where it hurts the most. Director Lanthimos’ warped sense of humor & incredible individualistic style spins the stuffiness of 18th century Britain in to some nasty fun, but suffering is absolutely required. No pain no gain. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as its reign is slightly weakened by the last half hour when it tries to do the impossible – put an end to this madness.
ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE
3 out of 5 stars
Hunt is the standout in this rare breed of a horror musical w/ some holiday spirit. Director McPhail impressively puts some zest in to his typical zombie gore-fest w/ a little song & dance. Though, its bite barely breaks the surface due to having all of its originality drained in the musical numbers while leaving the story DOA. But it’s still worth the effort to taste this messy, unexpected mash-up doused in endless energy & catchy tunes.
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
4 out of 5 stars
An extraordinary drama of a young black romance beaten & bruised (but never broken) by the realities of racism & injustice. James & Layne put it all out there – their marvelous acting pours out w/ devotion, sorrow & anger as their characters desperately try to keep their family together. And being a huge asset to all of this is the unbelievable emotion expressed by King in a superb supporting turn as a mother & natural fighter for her kids. Director Jenkins artfully frames a poetic, soulful film told w/ elegance & beauty about life’s moments that shall not define who you are. He never lets hatred outweigh the cast-iron love that carries these characters through.
BEN IS BACK
3 out of 5 stars
All unraveling within 24 hours, this arresting family drama turned needless crime thriller attempts to crack open addiction & its aftermath. The result is uneven, but a remarkable performance by Roberts as a mother whose love for her son never staggers even when her trust does keeps the story as compelling as humanly possible. Hedges is superb as a young man living in the present for recovery while not wanting to repeat his devastating past.
VICE
2.5 out of 5 stars
Bale astonishes as Cheney, digging deep into what this man wants & what he’s willing to do to get it. Adams is sensational as his wife who knows what’s at stake as they conquer politics. Director McKay’s clever bag of tricks makes this plainly provocative & fascinating to behold. He takes no prisoners in his scathing, scattershot biopic of a power hungry VP who took that role & made it his own personal playground. It’s polarizing, dark, & has ferocious humor; but there’s nothing anyone involved can do to make this guy’s life riveting. Trying to make such heinousness entertaining was always going to be an uphill battle.
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
3.5 out of 5 stars
A historical political drama of two queens threatened by each other due to the constant conniving between men who kneel before them as their loathing from a woman w/ a crown runs deep. It’s a stellar showcase for Ronan & Robbie, playing royalty w/ such command & fierceness that you anxiously await for when they finally meet face-to-face – a scene that exquisitely shows their character’s strength & weakness that can’t be hidden from sisters. While director Rourke leaves us wanting a little more from Elizabeth & Mary’s rivalry, her storytelling is enriched w/ female frustration & fray as they clutch to power destined to leave behind a legacy.
DESTROYER
3 out of 5 stars
Kidman is astonishing as a detective covered in regret w/ nothing to lose as she vows to put an end to a vendetta that’s torn her into shreds. This is a dark, dirty cop thriller that asks a lot of its audience by carrying a jumping timeline, genre cliches, & a dragging runtime. Yet, that doesn’t mean director Kusama can’t be unflinching w/ a twist in her storytelling & bringing a hard-boiled heroine to lead us through.
BUMBLEBEE
4 out of 5 stars
There’s such awe in practically every aspect of this origin adventure. It’s fun & emotional, while the monstrous machine action still plays its knockabout part. Replacing Bay w/ Knight as director pays off big time as he delivers a relatable, funny story about friendship that grooves to the 80’s best tunes. Steinfeld’s stellar performance is the heart of it all w/ the biggest transformation being between her & her yellow soldier on wheels reclaiming what they thought they’d never get back. A Transformers movie that gets you teary-eyed? Believe it.
AT ETERNITY’S GATE
3 out of 5 stars
Director Schnabel paints a gorgeous celebration of Van Gogh & his artistic vision that couldn’t have possibly been shared by anyone else. As we see it through the eyes of the eccentric, tortured artist, his love for nature is intoxicating as is his desire to create what others can’t comprehend. Dafoe is immaculate, committed to obtaining the anguish & genius that spawned the famous fast-paced paintings that were deeply detested before being rightfully respected.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter@SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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