Elio - Review: The Heart of the Stars

 

For as long as it has existed, Pixar has been a studio with plenty of hits and plenty of behind-the-scenes issues. When “Elio” was first announced back in 2022, it had a different plot and director to the version now playing in theaters, and there is some irony to the fact that a tale like this was almost abandoned and restarted at some point during production. With a pair of new directors/co-writers Madeline Sharafian (“We Bare Bears”) and Domee Shi (“Turning Red”) and co-writers Julia Cho (“Turning Red”), Mark Hammer (“Shotgun Wedding,” “Two Night Stand”), Mike Jones (“Soul,” “Luca”), and a new crack at the story, Pixar’s latest seems to have faced quite the uphill battle even before arriving in theaters.

The film follows the titular eleven-year-old boy Elio, played by Yonas Kibreab (“Merry Little Batman”), living with his aunt Olga, played by Zoe Saldaña (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avatar”), after the death of his parents. After constantly butting heads with his aunt, Elio is unexpectedly whisked into deep space to the Communiverse: a grand meeting of representatives from all corners of the galaxy. As the believed leader of Earth, he volunteers to attempt to broker negotiations between the Communiverse and the violent warmonger Lord Grigon, played by Brad Garett (“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Gleason”). However, things go awry after Elio meets Grigon’s pacifist son Glordon, played by Remy Edgerly.

As one can expect from Pixar at this point, there’s a hearty dose of emotional catharsis on display throughout all of “Elio.” The film spends a lot of its runtime examining Elio’s loneliness and the healthy and unhealthy ways he attempts to counter it. The third act in particular draws heavily from these ideas, and the connections explored between Elio and Olga and Elio and Glordon are the film at its absolute best. The writers have a gift for getting into the details of these conversations and that, mixed with Pixar’s highly detailed animations, make for a movie that nails the same kind of emotional ballet that the studio has always been known for. It might not be their most unique work, but it all comes together by the end and it's effective, nevertheless.

Kibreab is an absolutely fantastic, charming, and funny protagonist that carries the film on his short shoulders. He gives one of the better child voice acting performances in recent memory, and he has excellent chemistry with Saldaña and Edgerly. Saldaña as well, for all her preexisting science fiction work, taps into something here that’s far more emotionally grounded than a lot of her previous works and definitely a step above the typical celebrity voice acting most Hollywood animated films are saddled with. Edgerly is also great, though his character feels a bit more two-dimensional than Elio, and the rest of the film is peppered with very funny, but scant vocal roles from various character actors such as Brendan Hunt (“We’re the Millers,” “Ted Lasso”), Naomi Watanabe (“Sailor Moon Eternal”), Shirley Henderson (“Trainspotting,” “Stan & Ollie”), Ana de la Reguera (“Nacho Libre,” “The Forever Purge”), and Matthias Schweighöfer (“Army of the Dead,” “Valkyrie”).

There’s a typically gorgeous amount of animation on display, but “Elio” has a decidedly smaller scale than previous Pixar fare. Ironic given that it's set on Earth and in outer space, but it is confined mostly to a handful of locations, letting each breathe with specific details and aesthetics. A lively electronic musical score from Rob Simonsen (“500 Days of Summer,” “Deadpool & Wolverine”) is peppered throughout and helps to further establish the film’s identity. The film’s auditory identity is particularly excellent, not just with its musical score but the sound design and use of a reoccurring Carl Sagan quote as well.

Among other Hollywood animation studios, Pixar has always maintained a very specific, “calmer” vibe with its films, avoiding pop culture or meme references embraced by some other studios. But even among their own films, “Elio” has a different vibe. The film embraces different feelings of loneliness and at times can almost have an atmospheric, peaceful nature that sets it apart from the rest of the studio’s catalog. While those vibes and ideas do make it different, it explores them in much the same way most other animated family films do. Meaning the meat of the film is interesting and clearly something different, but it's just prepared in a plainer way.

“Elio” continues Pixar’s streak of excellent, thought provoking, emotional animated adventures anyone can enjoy. While it might not be as creatively told as some of the studio’s best, you’d still be hard pressed not to enjoy this meditative, funny, and thoroughly charming tale of loneliness and exploration amongst the stars. 4.5/5

KPop Demon Hunters - Review: Don't Think TWICE about this BANGer New Animated Musical Adventure

 

You’ll be hard pressed to find an animation studio more in the good graces of the film community than Sony Pictures Animation. A handful of duds like “The Emoji Movie” and the live action/animated “Smurfs” movies haven’t dampened the acclaim given to the studio for innovating within their franchise films like “Hotel Transylvania” and the “Spider-Verse” series and championing more director driven creative fare like “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” and “Surf’s Up.” Now, the latest film is a combination of the same hyper-stylized animation the studio is known for and one of the fastest growing music genres worldwide to create a wholly unique blend to tell the story of a group of “KPop Demon Hunters.”

The film follows Huntrix, a KPop group made up of leader Rumi, played by Arden Cho (“Teen Wolf (2014),” “Partner Track”), writer/rapper Zoey, played by Ji-young Yoo (“Until Dawn (2025),” “Expats”), and aggressive vocalist Mira, played by May Hong (“Tales of the City,” “Full Circle”). While a world famous Kpop group on the surface, they secretly protect the world from demons seeking to invade and steal souls, led by the demon king Gwi-Ma, played by Lee Byung-hun (“Masquerade,” “Squid Game”). After years of failure, one of Gwi-Ma's demons Jinu, played by Ahn Hyo-seop (“Dr. Romantic,” “A Time Called You”), develops a new idea to take over the world: disguise a group of demons as a Kpop boy band to take attention away from Huntrix and slowly steal the souls of their fans.

Like virtually every single other film by the studio, this latest from Sony Pictures Animation is a visual feast for the senses. Just like “Spider-Verse” embraced the techniques employed by comics and “Mitchells” embraced the doodles from within a teen’s notebook, “Demon Hunters” fully embraces the techniques and style of anime and manga. Characters ebb and flow with detailed dance choreography, while also popping forth with exaggerated expressions and overacting that has been a staple of series like “One Piece” and “Dragonball Z” since their inception. The way these traditionally two-dimensional elements are brought into this three-dimensional world is just fantastic to watch. It also means the action is equally as great, with highly stylized fights working as music video sequences in their own right.

Those fights are legitimately blended with music, and the film’s attitude towards artistic expression and the power of music is fused through the entire project. It makes for a film that isn’t just funny and cool to watch but has something to say about the commercialization of the music industry and the fabrication of boy/girl groups. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it's just enough meat to go with the rest of the film’s blast of colorful fun. Directors/co-writers Chris Appelhans (“Wish Dragon”) and Maggie Kang and co-writers Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan put a lot into fleshing out the central conflict and the friendship between the central trio. Beyond the characters and world building, there’s also quite a bit of examinations about the power of music as a spiritual connection. The film shares a good deal of DNA with this year’s earlier hit “Sinners” in that way, and it makes the musical sequences and the usage of songs during the fight sequences stand out more.

Cho, Yoo, and Hong do a fantastic job at breathing life into these characters, running wild with their close-knit friendship and the film’s silly sense of humor. They work well together, and it's a treat to watch them bounce off each other in moments of borderline improv and then come back around for the film’s serious emotional moments. The way they embrace the wackier humor is truly endearing and makes each one of them stand out as a real, believable friend group. Hyo-seop also makes for an entertaining and sympathetic villain who clearly has more going on than just being a typical evil puppet. Byung-hun is a menacing treat used sparingly, and Ken Jeong (“Community,” “The Hangover”) appears as Huntrix’s manager Bobby in a role that makes great use of his comedic talents without relying on using his voice in a grating way.

Thanks to the world building and animation, “Demon Hunters” can easily be enjoyed by anyone whether they know BTS as a group of young musical heartthrobs or just the abbreviation for “behind the scenes.” It feels like the rare animated film that will catch people off guard and truly have something for everyone. With an excellent voice cast and a gorgeous aesthetic, toe-tapping tunes, and a quick pace, “KPop Demon Hunters” wields its style like a weapon as deadly as those used by its central trio. It’s another massive hit for Sony Pictures Animation and easily stands as one of the best animated films of the year. 4.5/5

Materialists - Review: Living in a Materialistic World

 

Celine Song’s directorial debut “Past Lives” set the world on fire during the 2023 Oscars season thanks to its exploration of modern relationships, romances, and intimacy set against a backdrop of longing and long-distance friendships. Her follow-up explores many of the same things, with a New York City setting, a cast of attractive big-name actors, a clear inspirational throwback to the romance films of the early 2000s, and the concept of “matchmaking” squarely in her sights. 

Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson (“Fifty Shades of Grey,” “Cha Cha Real Smooth”), is a matchmaker at the Adore agency living in New York City paycheck to paycheck. At the wedding of one of her clients, she meets Harry Castillo, played by Pedro Pascal (“The Mandalorian,” “Gladiator II”), the wealthy brother of her client’s new husband, and she reconnects with John, played by Chris Evans (“Knives Out,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”), her broke, cater-waiter, failed actor, ex-boyfriend. As she connects and re-connects with each of them, she’s forced to re-examine what her definitions of love and connection actually mean, all while dealing with a devastating complication with one of her clients Sophie, played by Zoë Winters (“Succession,” “Jules”). 

Johnson, Pascal, and Evans all make for an exceptionally charming and entertaining romantic trio. Johnson in particular makes great use of her subtler skills and makes Lucy a complex lead to root for. You truly have no idea which way she’ll go throughout the film, and there’s an evolution of her character and beliefs that results in a satisfying and emotionally complex arc for her. Pascal and Evans are a bit more one note, given that they aren’t the central roles in the film, but they clearly are having a ton of fun playing right into the romance cliches of their characters. Winters also does a great job with her minor role, excelling especially when she’s placed alongside Johnson. The use of the character herself is more up in the air, but Winters’ skill is never in question. 

Song’s script moves playfully back and forth between embracing the cliches of this genre while still spending ample time playing within it. She has a lot to say about the expectations and restraints of modern dating, and Johnson’s character serves as a mouthpiece for this. It never feels preachy or over-blown, but the film does get into plenty of “having its cake and eating it too” territory towards the end. Regardless, the individual dialogue itself is snappy and fun, with Pascal, Evans, and Johnson all delivering it with charm and energy. It’s also simply a gorgeous film, one that makes excellent use of New York City and its various locales, indoors and out. Cinematographer Shabier Kirchner (“Small Axe,” “Past Lives”) shoots it all with the skill of a grounded drama without dampening any of the glitz and flair. The musical score from Daniel Pemberton (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”) is also a frothy highlight; like the script, it seeks to emulate the iconic scores of other early 2000s romance films while also playing quite a bit within the expected sound.

Things are all well and good until Sophie’s subplot is introduced. While Song’s intentions are clearly good and the subplot is written with care, it juxtaposes the rest of the film so drastically that it creates a severe case of tonal whiplash. It has nothing to do with Johnson or Winters’ performances, but merely the fact that the tone and seriousness of the development clashes with the rest of the film. By the end, things wrap up nicely, but it can at times feel like a delicious cupcake with a carrot in the middle: great on their own, together less so until you get used to them.

“Materialists” is a sugary sweet follow-up for Celine Song that demonstrates her continued strength withdissectingg modern day romantic relationships. Her cast are all great together, and the film is exceptionally gorgeous with equally great music. As a total package, it has some disparate elements and doesn’t quite reach as highly as her previous effort. But for those looking for a romance that feels like it was plucked out of a bygone era, it's an easy recommendation. 4/5

How to Train Your Dragon (2025) - Review: Faithful to a Fault

 

Way back in 1998, Gus Vant Sant, a director who made a name for himself with honest, human dramas like “Good Will Hunting” and “My Own Private Idaho” directed a shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller film “Psycho.” That remake, also titled “Psycho,” was mostly lambasted as a pointless exercise in creatively bankrupt filmmaking. That film was at least remaking one that was almost 30 years old. This shot-for-shot remake does share one of the same directors as its original film, one of the same writers of the same film, and many of the same production crew members as well. We’ll see if that will make it matter any more.

“How to Train Your Dragon” follows young awkward Viking Hiccup, played by Mason Thames (“The Black Phone,” “Incoming”), the son of the manly and strong chief of the Isle of Berk Stoick, played by Gerard Butler (“300,” “Olympus Has Fallen”). The Vikings of Berk are constantly beseeched by deadly dragons constantly attacking their town and Hiccup one night manages to down one of the deadliest: a Night Fury. After finding that the creature is really nothing to be afraid of, he begins to slowly learn how to tame various dragons using non-violent methods, attracting the attention of star Dragon killing pupil Astrid, played by Nico Parker (“Dumbo (2019),” “Suncoast”), local mechanic and dragon killing teacher Gobber, played by Nick Frost (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz”), and the newfound adoration of Hiccup’s father.

At its core, this is very much the same story of an outsider finding his place in the world, of differing forms of masculinity, of respecting nature, and of father and son bonds. In fact, despite some minor tweaks, DeBlois has on record stated that they used the same script as the original animated film. This leads into some confusing decisions and dialogue that works far better in an exaggerated animated environment than it does in a live action one. Lines that flowed better and faster in the original feel stilted and awkward in live-action. The handful of moments that are changed are done so in bizarre ways that stand out: quick lines referring to Vikings from “sun baked tribes” or the “silk road” to explain why Berk is more multi-cultural, and a moment where Hiccup tells Astrid not to interfere because his dad “respects her too much” feel very out of place and awkward.

The performances are, across the board, very solid. Frost and Butler are excellent and provide a great sense of presence and character to the entire adventure. Butler clearly loves this character as he voiced Stoick in the original animated film, and the joy and energy in his performance is evident. Parker and Thames are fine enough, but neither is able to break out of the roles. They just come across as adequate impersonations, rather than real, lived performances. The worst offenders come from the gaggle of bullies that befriend Hiccup over the course of his adventure.  Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut, played by Gabriel Howell (“Bodies,” “Nightsleeper”), Julian Dennison (“Deadpool 2,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”), Ingerman Bronwyn James (“Wicked,” “Harlots”), and Harry Trevaldwyn (“Ten Percent,” “The Bubble”) respectively, feel as though they come from the Disney Channel school of teen acting. Dennison eventually finds his footing as Fishlegs, but the rest are more annoying than endearing.

John Powell’s (“Kung Fu Panda,” “Happy Feet”) evocative and emotional score is as wonderful as ever, soaring and flying with the scaled beasts it sets to music. At times, it can feel almost muted compared to the original, with some notes and instruments feeling held back compared to the original compositions. The same goes for the film’s visuals, which while detailed and gorgeous, are also far duller than one would expect. What should be grand sweeping vistas of blues, greens, browns, and greys, come across as muddied and swaddled in grey fog and night. For the most part, cinematographer Bill Pope’s (“The Matrix,” “Spider-Man 2”) work here is great, but it consistently feels as though the film’s brightness is turned down to half levels.

Quite simply, it looks and feels like a fan film at worst and a promotional ad for a new theme park at best (I see what you’re doing here, “Epic Universe: Isle of Berk”). The slaven commitment to recreating the original film in look, feel, and literal shots means that, for people who’ve seen the original countless times, there’s nothing new here. There can’t be “easter eggs” for fans of the original when everything must be exactly as it was before. And things come across so stilted and soulless that it will likely confuse those who’ve never seen the original and came in expecting to see the tale they’ve heard is one of the greatest animated films of this century.

It feels odd, given the negative connotations of the rest of this review, but this live action remake of “How to Train Your Dragon” is a harmless affair that mostly manages to recapture the charm of the original film without ever soaring close to as high as any film in the franchise, let alone the original. However, in attempting to retell the same tale just in a live action format, DeBlois has effectively made what is a high school production to the original film’s Broadway production. It’s the same song and dance, but it can’t help but pale in comparison to what came before in virtually every way. 3.5/5

The Life of Chuck - Review: The Story of a Life

 

Your average moviegoer might be immediately scared away by the prospect of a Stephen King film, given the writer’s penchant for creating some of the most horrifying tales of modern horror. From “IT” to “The Shining” to “Carrie” to “Christine” to many many more, he’s definitely left a mark on the film and literary horror landscape. However, he’s also told many tales that are decidedly less horrific and even life-affirming, from “The Green Mile” to “The Shawshank Redemption” to “Stand by Me,” he’s no stranger to making life seem as magical just as much as he can make it seem horrific. Writer/director Mike Flanagan (“The Haunting of Hill House,” “Doctor Sleep”) is no stranger to adapting King’s works and he’s also now making a pivot to decidedly lighter works with an adaptation of King’s short story “The Life of Chuck.”

Told using a non-linear plot and narrated by Nick Offerman (“Parks and Recreation,” “Heart Beats Loud”), the film follows the titular Charles Krantz, played as a child by Benjamin Pajak, a teen as Jacob Tremblay (“Room,” “Wonder”), and as an adult by Tom Hiddleston (“Loki,” “The Night Manager”), as he grows up, highlighting various specific elements of his life, such as moving in with his grandfather Albie, played by Mark Hamill (“Star Wars,” “Batman: The Animated Series”), and grandmother Sarah, played by Mia Sara (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Legend”), a high school dance, and dancing to a drumming busker Taylor with Janice, played by The Pocket Queen and Annalise Basso (“Oculus,” “The Red Road”), respectively. Meanwhile, part of the film features Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave,” “Doctor Strange”) as schoolteacher Marty and Karen Gillan (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”) as nurse Felicia who both attempt to piece together who Chuck is after a billboard thanking him appears in their town.

Flanagan has made great strides in adapting this tale in as straightforward a way as possible. Not only are some sequences taken verbatim from the original short story, but the overall calm, almost ethereal nature of it all remains intact. The feeling that “The Life of Chuck” evokes is nothing sort of bizarre: it's a film that feels at peace rather than a peaceful film itself, like the feeling evoked when walking through a calm hospital hallway. It's certainly unique, but it can also feel too at ease, as if the film itself has no stakes. It certainly does, and it builds to an exceptionally interesting and life-affirming conclusion. But at the same time, it leaves one with a simple, pleasant feeling of “that was good” rather than any sort of strong, or even overwhelming emotion. The musical score, composed by The Newton Brothers (“Oculus,” “Doctor Sleep”), maintains that same level of quiet, peaceful ambience, almost like a ghostly whisper setting you at ease with a great deal of beauty.

The film is also shot with an exceptionally calm demeanor by cinematographer Eben Bolter (“Avenue 5,” “Tea with the Dames”), gliding between scenes and folding in different aspect ratios and colors schemes. Sometimes it embraces a dayglo atmosphere, sometimes it's more downtrodden and flat. It's an interesting aesthetic, but it prevents the film from really standing out in a specific way. It speaks to an unfortunate issue at the center of the project. For as sweet, calm, and life-affirming as the film is, it proves to be too much so. What starts as a unique balm for the soul kind of a film ends up being something too slight, too calm, that it fails to really register an impression in the viewer's mind.

The performances are excellent across the board. A cast of committed performers helps breathe life into a story that could have otherwise been considered remarkably melodramatic. Ejiofor and Gillan have excellent chemistry together in the first act, and for a mostly wordless dance-based second act, Hiddleston, Basso, and The Pocket Queen make up quite a trio. Hamill also turns in some of his best, most calming grandfatherly work of his career. It's a lot of very sweet, smiley performances that all come together to create a very warm embrace kind of ensemble.

There’s certainly something to be said for a film that seems to desire to be the complete inverse of a typical Hollywood project. Instead of seeking to excite or overwhelm, “The Life of Chuck” is a movie that might initially worry some, before slowly transitioning to a work meant to be a calming, self-affirming piece of cinema. It certainly does do exactly that, and it does so with great performances, gorgeous cinematography and music, and all-around excellent production quality. However, in doing so, it fails to make a true impact on the viewer besides simply residing in the realm of being a “nice time.” Which isn’t anything to sneeze at, but with a film that just seeks to accomplish, your mileage may vary. 4/5

Predator: Killer of Killers - Review: Leader of the Pack

 

There’s something beautiful about the 21st century’s newfound respect for animation. What was previously seen as a medium relegated strictly to family fare or kid’s entertainment has now blossomed into a far wider variety of material, thanks to the increase in adult-aimed animated material as well as animated series based on live-action franchises like “Men in Black,” “Beetlejuice,” and “Ghostbusters.” This means that more franchises are embracing the medium despite originating in live-action, with the likes of the “Spider-Verse” films and now “Predator” getting into the mix.

“Predator: Killer of Killers” is an anthology films focusing on three different periods in human history and three different encounters with a deadly Predator at those different times: a Viking warrior named Ursa, played by Lindsay LaVanchy (“Initiation (2020)”), in Scandanavia in 841, a Japanese samurai named Kenji, played by Louis Ozawa (“Hunters,” “Predators”), in 17th century Japan, and a World War 2 pilot named Torres, played by Rick Gonzalez (“Arrow,” “Coach Carter”), in 1941. Each faces off against a different Predator, with different weapons utilized by the alien hunter and the human warrior in their various face-offs.

Without a doubt, the smartest thing that director/co-writer Dan Trachtenberg (“10 Cloverfield Lane,” “Prey”) and co-writer Micho Robert Rutare (“Z-Nation”) do is keep things relatively simple. There’s no reinvention of the typical “Predator” mythos or formula here. Rather, the simple premise of going back through human history provides a shot in the arm in much the same way that “Prey” did a few years back. Simply juxtaposing different human weaponry against the science-fiction brutality of the Predator species allows for some thrilling and creative battles that are animated in a detailed and gorgeous style that still manages to be grimy, as if everything is sketched out with thick black markers.

The vocal performances, while few, are all excellent. LaVanchy has a guttural and commanding presence, Ozawa delivers a cool and controlled character, and Gonzalez, playing the youngest of the trio, manages to make his more anxious, inexperienced persona endearing without becoming annoying. The titular Predators are just as menacing as they’ve ever been, now accentuated with varying styles befitting the animation medium, and their roars, coupled with the film’s excellent sound design and score from composer Benjamin Wallfisch (“IT (2017),” “Blade Runner 2049”), create a thoroughly entertaining animated playground of violence.

This isn’t just a display of cartoon bloodshed though. Rather, the nature of the anthology means that the film manages to showcase not only the different weapons and techniques of violence from history but hit on three different emotional beats throughout the film. There’s a surprising amount of restraint in the violence (this is still a “Predator” film though), and there’s a specific use of the more intense moments of gore and viscera that prevents things from becoming overwhelming while also giving the moments when they do more impact. That, coupled with the film’s excellent usage of color (especially green), makes this feel like far more than a straight-to-streaming spin-off tale. The last fourth of the film especially turns things around not only on the central ideas of violence Trachtenberg and Rutare were playing with before but also makes for a far more satisfying ending than most anthology films get. It does end with a sequel tease that feels deliberate and obvious, if not a little bit annoying, but the promise of more of this creative, cool take on the franchise isn’t a bad one by any means.

“Predator: Killer of Killers” is a surprising high point for the franchise, sitting nicely right alongside the original film and 2022’s “Prey” as the best of the series and continuing the stretch of goodwill garnered from the success of that 2022 entry. The animated world, surprising emotional angles, and vocal performances help make this a new twist on the formula as entertaining as the series has ever been. Hopefully this proves that “Prey” wasn’t a fluke, and the new blood injected into the franchise can last for a long while to come. 4.5/5

Ballerina: From the World of John Wick - Review: Dancing In the Snow

 

When the “John Wick” franchise started off with a bang back in 2014, its likely few could have predicted that just over a decade later we would have four films in the main series, a spin-off television show, multiple video games and comic books, and now a spin-off film. While the quality of each project has waxed and waned, the films have been without a doubt the best of the series, and now Ana de Armas (“Knives Out,” “Blade Runner 2049”) is here to stake her claim on the franchise with the first spin-off film for the franchise, “Ballerina.”

Set between the events of “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum” and “John Wick: Chapter 4,” the film follows Eve Macarro, played by de Armas, as she trains to become a member of the Ruska Roma, a group of women trained in both ballet and assassination techniques run by the Director, played by Anjelica Huston (“The Addams Family (1991),” “The Royal Tenenbaums”). After becoming a Kikimora, a specialized assassin trained to protect high value targets, she is attacked by a man with a mysterious scar, causing her to embark on a quest to take down the Chancellor, played by Gabriel Byrne (“The Usual Suspects,” “In Treatment”), with the help of Winston Scott, played by Ian McShane (“American Gods,” “Deadwood”), Charon, played by Lance Reddick (“The Wire,” “White House Down”), and John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves (“The Matrix,” “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”). 

At this point, virtually any film under the 87North banner is expected to deliver a specific flavor of high-stakes, stunt heavy action spectacle. The production company, co-founded by “John Wick” co-creator and lifelong stuntman David Leitch, has, across the board, infused their particular set of stunt forward techniques into each project, and the same is true for “Ballerina.” Arguably more than any of their other non-“Wick” projects, “Ballerina” manages to nail the exact kind of feeling inspired by Reeves’s one-man wrecking crew tales. It isn’t just because it’s set in the same world, but it has the same creativity in its construction. de Armas is a complete powerhouse, and you’ll likely never be satisfied with a standard grenade explosion again.

Rather than just having good action, director Len Wiseman (“Underworld (2003),” “Live Free or Die Hard”) and writer Shay Hatten (“Army of the Dead,” “John Wick: Chapter 4”) emphasize throughout the film that Eve is not nearly as experienced as some of the people she’s going up against. While this series is no stranger to beating its protagonists up, “Ballerina” takes ample time to show Eve’s evolution into her final form. It makes for a more cathartic and satisfying action adventure. This also helps given that the rest of the film isn’t up to the rest of the series’ inventiveness with its plot. 

While it still follows the same rules and world-building that the other “Wick” films do, the actual journey Eve goes on and the overall plot are far more generic than this series has previously been. It’s closer to the pulpy B-movies that have populated the recent careers of the likes of Bruce Willis or Liam Neeson with some “Wick” world-building elements sprinkled in. A small appearance from Norman Reedus (“The Boondock Saints,” “The Walking Dead”) does liven things up a bit, but not enough to save the plot from being little more than a cheesy excuse for the action. Things are their worst at the start, but after the first fifteen minutes the film does get out of its own way and starts to have some fun. Most bizarrely though, the film’s connections to the other “Wick” films start simply enough, but snowballs into absurdity by the end. It cheapens the film by featuring cameos with characters who have no possible stakes or danger.

At one point in “Ballerina,” as a character is beaten mercilessly, a television in the background quickly flips channels between a Three Stooges short, and a few Buster Keaton scenes, showcasing some of the most famous stunt performers who undeniably laid the groundwork for people like Leitch, Derek Kolstad, and other modern action stunt-heavy films. It’s a nice wink and shows that this series, for whatever happens with the story, will always prioritize impressive stunt work over everything else. de Armas anchors what is an otherwise fun if serviceable plot backed up by the exact kind of creative, escalating action that we’ve come to expect from these films. Once it gets out of its own way, “Ballerina” really can dance a flashy dance. 3.5/5

The Phoenician Scheme - Review: The Family That Schemes Together

 

There’s a trend of “serious” directors or actors breaking off from their typical material to make films aimed at children shortly after they themselves have children. Martin Scorsese made “Hugo” when his daughter was 11, George Miller made “Happy Feet” and “Babe,” and plenty of famous actors have done voices for animated family films. That kind of realization makes Wes Anderson’s (“Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel”) latest film “The Phoenician Scheme” make a little bit more sense, as the film release just shy of his own daughter turning 9 years old.

Set in the 1950s, the film follows industrialist businessman Zsa-Zsa Korda, played by Benicio Del Toro (“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “The Usual Suspects”), as he attempts to set in motion a plan to rebuild the infrastructure of Phoenicia. He enlists in the help of his estranged daughter and nun-in-training Liesl, played by Mia Threapleton (“Dangerous Liaisons,” “The Buccaneers”), in seeking out his numerous benefactors, including Prince Farouk, played by Riz Ahmed (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Nightcrawler”), bankers Leland and Reagen, played by Tom Hanks (“Toy Story,” “Forrest Gump”) and Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad,” “Malcolm in the Middle”) respectively, club owner Marseille Bob, played by Mathieu Amalric (“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” “Quantum of Solace”), ship captain Marty, played by Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction,” “Angels in America”), and Korda’s second cousin Hilda, played by Scarlett Johansson (“The Avengers,” “Jojo Rabbit”), for more money for the venture. The pair are accompanied by Korda’s tutor turned administrative assistant Bjørn Lund, played by Michael Cera (“Superbad,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”), as Korda uses the trip as an attempt to reconnect with Liesl and convince her to be his heir in the event of his death.

Anderson’s films as of late have contained far more fantastical elements than they previously did. Gone are the days of more simplistic setups or worlds like “The Royal Tenenbaums” or “Rushmore.” Rather, like “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” his works as of late have been hyper specific borderline fantasies of European architecture and pastel soaked realism. Unlike previous works such as “Asteroid City” or “The French Dispatch,” where that style was utilized as a narrative technique as well as a stylistic one, here it only serves as the latter. It means that even the film’s most grounded emotional elements have to fight harder to break through the artifice Anderson creates. This serves as a double-edged sword, as his regular players who’re content to simply serve as background characters, such as Hanks or Cranston, do just that. However, it also means that those in his troupe that really push to break through make a bigger impact than they otherwise might.

Del Toro delivers one of the finest performances of his career and one of the best in any of Anderson’s films. His deadpan nature of being completely sincerely silly and serious makes Korda a fascinating person to watch. Threapleton also proves herself a fantastic addition to Anderson’s merry band or misfits. She is the standout amongst the entire cast and immediately catapults her career into newfound heights with her role here. Cera proves to be a remarkable addition as well. His role stands out particularly well given just how obvious of a fit he seems to be in this world. His mannerisms and canter slot perfectly into the material, making him seem as if he’s been working with Anderson for years.

However, all the artifice and performances in the world can’t prevent this “Scheme” from feel likes its moving at a deliberate pace from the very start. At just barely over 100 minutes, this tale proves to be one of Anderson and co-writer Roman Coppola’s (“Isle of Dogs,” “Moonrise Kingdom”) most lethargic in quite a while. It certainly doesn’t drag, but the innate engine of wordplay and intrigue can only do so much. It may just be the very first time in his career where Anderson seems to be spinning his wheels with his own material. There isn’t a grand moment of revelation like in “Asteroid City” or a beautiful moment of visual spectacle like “The French Dispatch.” Even the scenery eventually begins to look like leftovers from “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Anderson’s leftovers are still pretty delicious leftovers, but they’re leftovers all the same.

Wes Anderson’s latest film is a delight when its laser focused on its central three performances and the father-daughter story caught right in the middle. The surrounding elements meanwhile all feel like the best bits of previous Anderson adventures, from the locations, set designs, music, down to the supporting performances. It’s certainly not bad, but it’s unlikely to win over anyone not already firmly in Anderson’s camp, despite Threapleton’s fantastic performance, nor is it near the best examples of what he’s capable of. 3.5/5

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning - Review: Should He Choose to Accept

The past few films starring Mr. Movie Star himself Tom Cruise (“Jerry Maguire,” “Edge of Tomorrow”) seem to have been mirroring the struggles any real-world movie star would be having in this new uber-franchised age of streaming services and A.I. generated content. “Top Gun Maverick” had the air force seek out his character to teach a team of young recruits to do something only a real human could do; no drones, no computer guidance systems, only flesh and blood people. But that film pales in comparison to how on the nose “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” was in its plot. That film sees Cruise’s character and his team having to fight back against an A.I. algorithm that is all knowing, shape shifting, and threatening to destabilize the sense of truth in our world as we know it.

It’s quite the precedent narrative to have in your borderline three-hour long blockbuster action epic, even without the public figure Cruise has crafted for himself. After all, when your whole identity is doing stunts and action in films with as little digital fakery as possible, making a film about fighting against a digital entity is quite the move. But it takes more than a clever idea and some stunts to make a good movie, especially to make a good finale.

“Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning,” the eighth film in the franchise and the fourth written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie (“The Way of the Gun,” “The Usual Suspects”), almost directly follows the events of the previous film and sees Ethan Hunt, played by Cruise, and his team, consisting of former pickpocket Grace, played by Hayley Atwell (“Agent Carter,” “Christoper Robin”), computer hacker Luther, played by Ving Rhames (“Lilo & Stitch,” “Pulp Fiction”), technical field agent Benji, played by Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Star Trek (2009)”), and former assassin turned ally Paris, played by Pom Klementieff (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “The Killer's Game”), hunting down Gabriel, played by Esai Morales (“How to Get Away with Murder,” “Ozark”), as he attempts to control the mysterious rogue A.I. known as “The Entity” as Ethan attempts to find and kill it.

The film certainly involves much more than just that, and it's a veritable who’s-who of past MI installments. Angela Bassett (“9-1-1,” “Black Panther”) returns from “Fallout” as the President of the United States, Henry Czerny (“Revenge,” “The Boys of St. Vincent”) as Eugene Kittridge, director of the CIA, returning from “Dead Reckoning,” and even Rolf Saxon (“Woman in Gold,” “Capital City”) reprising his role from the first “Mission: Impossible” film as William Donloe, among many others. It’s a joy to see so many players from past films come back to continue to dance about in Cruise’s wild spy-fiction playground. The franchise is no stranger to having random character actors pop up for one or two scenes, and it never fails to provide a little hit of classic ensemble film nostalgia, like “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” “Caddyshack” or “Airplane.”

However, the number of characters from previous films does lead into the film’s biggest issue: the first act specifically is loaded with flashbacks and callbacks to previous films and previous footage to the point where it becomes overbearing. It could simply be a studio note or the nature of this being the “final” film, but it’s surprising to see McQuarrie and co-writer Erik Jendresen (“Killing Lincoln,” “Band of Brothers”) resort to this for a series which has previously had films just as interconnected as this, but resisted delving this deep into saying “remember this” and pointing fingers. The film’s opening 15-or-so minutes, everything before the opening titles, feels particularly rough and over-expository, and while the 30 minutes afterwards slowly shake it off, for a film that’s almost three hours, having its first act be largely an exposition dump is an unfortunate move.

Cruise is just as electrifying as he’s ever been, and his entire ensemble is fantastic, slotting right into their roles in the tale with precision. A surprise highlight is Saxon as Donloe, who appears in what could have been a brief cameo that ends up resonating through the rest of the film as a nice, succinct example of the central themes bleeding through the whole franchise (more on that in a bit). Every character is dialed up to just the right degree that their actions are sufficiently exaggerated for this end of the world scenario, without teetering into cheesy “made for TV movie” territory.

The stunts, as expected, are absolutely thrillingly put together. Each moment comes together as a ballet of production techniques to craft some of the most exciting sequences you’ll see in any movie this year. The submarine sequence that is at the center of the film’s middle chunk is just jaw droppingly impressive and as tense as anything in the franchise before. There’s a very direct sense of isolation before the third act begins its thunderous rise to the climactic finish, and it's an interesting dichotomy that further enhances both aspects of the film. The musical score by composers Max Aruj (“The Ice Road,” “Lansky”) and Alfie Godfrey (“A Town Called Malice,” “Marching Powder”) backs this up, turning in a score that’s far more somber than before, matching the film’s mixture of isolation and action.

Despite its contemporaries, the “MI” series has always been based more around its individual characters than the action, and this installment is no exception. Rather, its a far more emotionally cathartic mission than any of the previous ones. Those previously mentioned flashbacks are one example of the wistful nature of this tale, drawing directly back into each previous installment in interesting and surprising ways. Like with Donloe, it’s a way to tie everything together in ways that will satisfy those who enjoy piecing the whole puzzle together, as well as those who go for the emotional gut-punches. Cruise and his team have always made this a series about the individual humans who do this work, not the work itself, and “Final Reckoning” is a mission statement entirely for that ideal.

If this truly is “The Final Reckoning,” then Tom Cruise and his production and secret agent team have turned in a truly thrilling new tale that easily sits alongside the best of the franchise, even if it doesn’t eclipse them. Once things really get going, you’ll be hard pressed to remember the stiffer opening segments as things just keep crescendoing over and over with the same technical skill you can expect from this series. Think of it like this: Tom Cruise likes running. The hardest part of running is getting started. But once you do, it’s almost impossible to stop and the momentum and feeling is exhilarating. 4.5/5

Lilo & Stitch (2025) - Review: A Soulless Little Abomination

 

“There’s one in every family,” or so the marketing for the 2002 original “Lilo & Stitch” said. It makes sense, given the titular character’s more anarchic and chaotic nature, to juxtapose him against the nicer, calmer Disney fare. It clearly worked, as the original film was not only a box-office success, but the character has become one of Disney’s most profitable cash cows. Now, deep into the age of the Disney live-action remake, it makes sense that a character as popular as him would get the same treatment given to other Disney classics like “Cinderella” and “Snow White.” They’ve even kept the marketing the same, with posters involving Stitch messing with recent Disney live-action films but this time with a far more fitting tagline: “Who asked for this?”

The film stars newcomer Maia Kealoha as six-year-old Lilo, a young Hawaiian girl living with her sister Nani, played by Sydney Elizebeth Agudong (“Infamously in Love,” “At Her Feet”), after the recent death of their parents. Lonely and frustrated with her sister, Lilo wishes for a best friend, and she gets one in the form of the alien experiment Stitch, voiced by Chris Sanders (“How to Train Your Dragon,” “The Croods”), shortly after he crash lands in Hawaii from deep space. Stitch uses Lilo to try and blend in, hiding in plain sight from his creator Jumba, played by Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover,” “The LEGO Batman Movie”), and Pleakley, played by Billy Magnussen (“Game Night,” “Aladdin (2019)”), while also avoiding the human CIA agent Cobra Bubbles, played by Courtney B. Vance (“Isle of Dogs,” “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story”).

Stitch’s chaotic nature is still here in ample supply, even if his strict violence has been toned down a bit. He tears things up with reckless abandon, and the heart of his character is still there. Given her newcomer status, Kealoha also holds her own remarkably well, not only for a child actor but also for one having to play against a non-existent CGI creature. She’s adorable and manages to only occasionally drift into the territory occupied by other child actors. Magnussen is also an absolute delight as Pleakley, either in his human disguise form or voicing his CGI alien counterpart. His gift for extremely physical humor carries over to his voice as well, and he is a scene-stealer in every moment. Stitch himself also looks fantastic and stands as a great example of transforming a 2D character into 3D CGI with ease.

Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end. This new version of the original film, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”) and written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes (“Dear David”), is a bizarre Frankenstein version of the original. It alternates between scenes that are either completely different than what came before or are word for word the exact same, and the difference in material makes for a jumbled mess of central themes. For example, the original film’s main antagonist Gantu is completely absent, with Jumba now fitting into that role. An interesting enough change, but the film doesn’t change Jumba’s character at all to fit this more opposing role, making him lack any sort of menace or danger and making the third act chase to save the day as exciting as a bowl of corn flakes.

This is just one of numerous scripting and plot issues with the film as a whole. It feels as though there were too many various ideas on how to mix things up for a remake and Bright and Waes simply threw a dart at a board to decide what to change. It leads to the central themes and morals lacking the character arcs or impact needed to actually make them work. This coupled with the performances from the rest of the cast, which maintain an overly energetic, hokey feeling, give the entire film this identity of being a streaming film gussied up for a theatrical release. This would be a shocking idea if not for the fact that that’s exactly what happened. This might explain why the colors look flat, the cinematography is basic and bland, and the CGI characters look incredibly ugly besides Stitch. There’s even a moment of product placement so blatant, you’d think the moment was initially shot to be a commercial and was accidentally included in the final film. I hope you like Capri-Sun!

What all of this means is that the identity of the film has been flattened, turned into a generic kid’s movie E.T. knockoff, the kind that used to come out every few years before streaming services became the main home for films of that quality. Yes, the original film still exists and this new remake being subpar will not affect that, but its nevertheless disappointing to see a character and story that are regularly regarded as the height of Disney’s 2D canon turned into a shallow impersonation of the kind of film it was poking fun at when it was originally released.

“Lilo & Stitch” is a bland, bloated, confused, boring mess that changes its story at random and doesn’t even put forth the effort to retrofit its central themes to fit the new narrative. Stitch himself may look and sound great, Maia Kealoha does a fine job and could easily have a bright career ahead of her, and Billy Magnussen tries his best to save what he can, but this is a film that lacks any kind of whimsy or identity apart from being the same thing you’ve seen before, but with a new coat of paint. I’ll remove the critic facade for a moment for a perfect example: the speech Stitch gives at the end of the film about his “little broken family” is word for word the same speech as in the original film. And if you listen closely, it sounds almost exactly like the vocal recording itself was just reused from the original film. If that isn’t a perfect example of what this film is, I don’t know what is. 1.5/5