A Reel Review: WICKED

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the first novel in the Oz series of books by L. Frank Baum, has been the basis for several pillars in our culture. The first and most definitive came in 1939 with the classic THE WIZARD OF OZ. The second came in 2003 with the Broadway smash Wicked, which was a loose adaptation of a novel by Gregory Maguire…which told the story of the early friendship between the famed Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Here in 2024, we get another trip down the yellow brick road, with Jon M. Chu’s big screen adaptation of the Broadway show. 

 

After the apparent death of the Wicked Witch/Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), at the hands of Dorothy, Glinda (Ariana Grande), recounts her first encounter with her, which includes their days as students at Shiz University. 

 

Directed by Jon M. Chu and based on the long-running Broadway play, WICKED is a dazzling musical using a monkey-load of modern visual effects to return to that magical, colorful, and wonderful world of Oz. Despite the large setting, WICKED early on finds a great balance between the spectacle and its characters. The bulk of the film is centered around the initial rivalry and eventual friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. Elphaba, who is treated as an outcast due to her green screen color, is forced upon the prim-and-proper Glinda as a roommate, and is then accepted by the Dean of Sorcery (Michelle Yeoh), as a sorcery student…a position coved by Glinda. 

 

The tension between the two makes for an emotional, and workable character-driven story. There is a heart to WICKED with Elphaba’s skin color working against her, and she is constantly mistreated by nearly everyone at the university. Great lengths are taken to make this real-world issue of those who are different being treated badly work in Oz, and it all works beautifully. 

 

WICKED also has the task of operating as a prequel to eventual story of Dorothy that we all know so well, ticking off items such as the creation of the yellow brick road, the Wicked Witch’s outfit and broomstick, and the flying monkeys. It is executed well and never feels forced. WICKED also has to work as a movie musical, and the performances are nothing short of dazzling. The film is also saturated in Oz lore, with subtle and sneaky references to the 1939 film. Pacing is brisk, and the 160-minute run-time flies by. Visual effects are standard for a film of this scale (not tremendous, not terrible), but the overall production design is breathtaking. 

 

Acting is superb. Cynthia Erivo and Araina Grande are perfectly matched, and both give their characters a lot of heart. Michelle Yeoh is excellent as always. Jeff Goldblum comes in as the Wizard and is a blast. 

 

WICKED is only part one of the entire adaptation, and it has a solid ending that stands very well on its own. But the many story threads here are so good it is going to be a very long wait before part two arrives next year; there is a lot to look forward to in our next trip to Oz, and should finish as another wonderful pillar in our culture. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

A Reel 20: NATIONAL TREASURE

“Who wants to go down the creepy tunnel inside the tomb first?”

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of NATIONAL TREASURE. 

 

Directed by Jon Turteltaub and released by Walt Disney Pictures, NATIONAL TREASURE was a treasure hunt and heist film where a historian races against competing treasure hunters and the FBI to find a Freemason fortune lost for hundreds of years…which includes a map hidden on the Declaration of Independence. 

 

The search for this treasure began in 1999, when filmmaker Jon Turteltaub, who had success in directing 3 NINJAS (1992), COOL RUNNINGS (1993), and PHENOMENON (1996), developed the idea along with film executive Charles Segars, with a script by Jim Kouf. In 2001, the project was picked up by Touchstone Pictures and would be produced by legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Drafts of the script would be written by nine different writers. 

 

The impressive cast would include Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates, along with Sean Bean as his rival. Diane Kruger would play an archivist, and Justin Bartha would play Gates’ sidekick. Jon Voight would play Bates’ father, and Christopher Plummer would play his grandfather. Harvey Keitel would play the FBI agent in charge of the chase. Filming would take place mostly on location in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia, and Utah. Trevor Rabin would provide the score. 

 

Despite mixed reviews, NATIONAL TREASURE would be a box office hit, and would have the best opening weekend for a Disney film until it was surpassed by CHICKEN LITTLE in 2005. It held on to the No. 1 spot for three weekends, and would finish as the 12^th highest grossing film of the year worldwide. Trevor Rabin would win a BMI Film & TV Award for the score. A sequel would follow in 2007, along with a TV series in 2022. 

 

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NATIONAL TREASURE, showing no shame, borrows heavily from the famed INDIANA JONES franchise; racing from location to location following clues while being pursued by bad guys, searching tombs and tunnels, and providing a thrill a minute. NATIONAL TREASURE did not quite reach the heights of INDY, but it certainly did try its hardest and does recapture the spirit. Saturated in American history, it takes its liberties with what really happened and has a blast with it, and is a good example of how much fun the movies can be when they don’t follow the rules of reality. Over time it has become a bit of a cult classic, and perhaps its best legacy happens on the streets of Philadelphia. Much like tourists pointing at the Empire State Building looking for King Kong, tourists in Philly point at Independence Hall where Nic Cage went sprinting after another clue. That’s the type of thing that goes for a couple hundred years.

 

 

“I’m going to steal the Declaration of Independence…”

A Reel 20: THE INCREDIBLES

“No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again…”

 

This week marks the 20th anniversary of THE INCREDIBLES. 

 

Written and directed by Brad Bird, and produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by 
Walt Disney Pictures, THE INCREDIBLES followed a family of superheroes who live in hiding after a government mandate, who eventually come into battle with a vengeful foe. 

 

THE INCREDIBLES was conceived by Brad Bird in 1993, who came up with the idea as a metaphor for his own struggles with his career and family balance. After Bird’s animated film THE IRON GIANT struggled at the box office in 1999, Bird brought the idea to his old classmate John Lasseter at Pixar. Bird wrote the script alone, which was a departure from Pixar’s standard of having several writers on their projects. 

 

Bird brought in animators from his IRON GIANT team, who had to make the leap from 2D to 3D animation. With this being the first feature length film from Pixar with all human characters, new technology was developed to animate detailed human anatomy, including clothing, skin, and hair. 

 

The cast would include Craig T. Nelson (Mr. Incredible), Holly Hunter (Mrs. Incredible), Jason Lee (Syndrome), Samuel L. Jackson (Frozone), along with Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, and John Ratzenberger. Brad Bird would provide the voice of Edna. Michael Giacchino did the score. 

 

THE INCREDIBLES was released wide on November 4th in 2004, and was met with excellent reviews. At the box office, it would finish as the 4th highest grossing film of the year, behind SHREK 2, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, and SPIDER-MAN 2. At the 77th Academy Awards, it would win Best Animated Feature and Sound Editing, and be nominated for Original Screenplay and Sound Mixing. A sequel would follow in 2018, and the characters would have a strong presence in Disney parks. 

 

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2004 was a different time for superheroes on the big screen. Although there were hits such as SPIDER-MAN that year and X-MEN a couple years before, things were quiet for our caped wonders. After all, this was four years before IRON MAN and the MCU began. THE INCREDIBLES cannot be credited with launching the genre that would dominate screens for the next two decades, nor can it be lumped into the lot…simply because it is the most of unique of its kind. As an original work, it was not tied down to endless comic origins, and as a Disney release, had strong family themes that resonated. True to Pixar form, it spoke to older audiences; exploring themes of men dealing with middle-age and feeling their best days are behind them. And for fans of cinema, THE INCREDIBLES was saturated in film lore…borrowing elements from James Bond and classic good vs. evil tropes, while offering thoughtful deconstructions of the classic superhero character. One of Pixar’s most super. 

 

“…we’re superheroes. What could happen?”

 

A Reel Preview - The Year in Film 2024: Episode XI

November is about to arrive, and the 11^th month of the year is one for tradition: where the first serving of holiday films and Oscar hopefuls are offered for the gorging. This month’s menu offers just that, along with some of the most anticipated films of the year. Here’s what’s coming out hot in this packed month: 

 

 

 

ABSOLUTION – Liam Neeson continues his second (or third), career in action flicks, this time playing a modern gangster. Ron Perlman co-stars. 

 

 

 

HERE – Robert Zemeckis (BACK TO THE FUTURE), reunites with his FORREST GUMP team of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in this drama that unfolds in a single, fixed location. 

 

 

 

JUROR #2 – Legendary filmmaker Clint Eastwood, at 94 years young, directs this legal thriller about a juror struggling with a moral decision. The cast includes Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, Zoey Dutch, Kiefer Sutherland, and J.K. Simmons. 

 

 

 

BLITZ – Acclaimed director Steve McQueen (12 YEARS A SLAVE), is back with this historical war drama about a young mother (Saoirse Ronan), who goes searching for her lost boy during a WWII bombing raid.

 

 

 

 

 

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER – Based on the book of the same name, a group of juvenile delinquents find themselves in their town’s Christmas pageant. 

 

 

 

 

HERETIC – Hugh Grant plays a creep who pulls two missionary students into his home in this horror-thriller. 

 

 

 

RED ONE – In this holiday comedy, Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons), is kidnapped and his head of security (Dwayne Johnson), hires a bounty hunter (Chris Evans), to find him. Lucy Liu and Bonnie Hunt co-star. 

 

 

 

GLADIATOR II – Ridley Scott returns to the world of strength and honor in this legacy sequel to his Best Picture-winning epic from 2000. The cast includes Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Derek Jacobi. 

 

 

 

WICKED (PART 1) – One of the most anticipated films of the year; the long-awaited big-screen treatment of the Broadway smash hit. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name, this musical covers the events of the show’s first act, following the friendship between the eventual Wicked Witch (Cynthia Erivo), and Glinda (Ariana Grade). The rest of the cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, and Jeff Goldblum. It is directed by Jon M. Chu (CRAZY RICH ASIANS). 

 

 

 

MOANA 2 – Walt Disney Animation Studios delivers the sequel to their 2016 classic. Set three years after the events of the first film, Moana (reprised by Auli’i Cravalho) reunites with the demigod Maui (reprised by Dwayne Johnson), to answer a distress call from far across the sea. 

 

 

 

QUEER – Acclaimed director Luca Guadagnino (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME), directs this historical romance drama with an American (Daniel Craig), becoming infatuated with a younger man (Drew Starkey). Jason Schwartzman co-stars. 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the final month of the year. 

 

 

A Reel 20: SAW

“I want to play a game…”

 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of SAW. 

 

The first of a horror franchise which has so far produced nine sequels with a 10^th on the way in 2025, SAW cut around the tale of the Jigsaw Killer, who tested his victim’s will to live though deadly games. The main story followed two victims who awaken as prisoners with one being ordered to kill the other in order to save his family. 

 

The concept of SAW goes back to 2001, when screenwriter Leigh Whannell co-created the story with director James Wan. After failed attempts to get the script produced, they moved to Los Angeles where they would shoot a low budget short-film of the same name, based on a scene out of the script. In 2003 producers were attracted to the short-film and formed a horror film production label, Twisted Pictures. The film was given a small budget and a shooting schedule of 18 days. 

 

The cast was small but effective. Veteran actor Cary Elwes would play one of the imprisoned victims, with Whannell taking on the role of the other. Danny Glover and Ken Leung would play detectives trying to untwist the case, and Tobin Bell would play the pivotal role of the Jigsaw Kiler. Other roles would be held down by Dina Meyer, Michael Emerson, Shawnee Smith, and Monica Potter. 

 

Lionsgate would pick up the distribution rights to SAW, and premiered it at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. It was originally intended to be direct-to-video, but after a strong showing a Sundance it was changed to theatrical. On release, SAW would open third at the box office, behind the Oscar-darling RAY and fellow horror-film THE GRUDGE. It would earn steadily to finish as the 54^th highest grossing film of the year. It would be nominated for Best Horror Film at the 31^st Saturn Awards. Over time, it’s many sequels would gross over $1 billion. Initial reviews were mixed, but has moved into a cult-favorite status. The franchise would expand into video games, comics, masks, and action figures. It would be credited with re-starting the splatter genre for the 2000’s.

 

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There is a lot to be said about the rising and falling quality of the SAW sequels that have populated theatres nearly every October for the last 20 years. But none of that matters here, because the first film on its own deserves high praise. Twisted and evil, SAW placed victims into psychological ironic terrors of their own doing. The traps were Jigsaw’s sermons to the world, but unlike most preachers, Jigsaw could actually deliver on the promise of punishment. From a filmmaking standpoint, SAW was expertly put together. The non-linear storytelling kept audiences guessing; building layers of mystery that would be peeled back one at a time...and the mighty twist at the end would be an element that would define the franchise. This was a game worth playing, even just once. 

 

“Game over!”

A Reel Review - JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX

There is plenty of debate to be had over what a good sequel should do, and there are no wrong answers. Should they go bigger, or deeper? Some choose one or the other, while others find a balance and do both. For JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX, the sequel to the Oscar-winning hit JOKER from 2019, there is no attempt at all to go bigger. 

 

Arthur/The Joker (Joaquin Phoenix), is incarcerated at the inhumane Arkham Hospital, awaiting trial for five murders. There, in a music class, he meets Lee (Lady Gaga), a fellow patient who is obsessed with his Joker persona. 

 

To say much more of the plot wouldn’t be giving away much, because there isn’t much more to give away. Written and directed by Todd Phillips (who helmed JOKER), this second go-around has very little to do. Arthur waits around for his trial, the trial begins, a little bit of chaos happens, and then right back to Arkham. 

 

Beefing things up is Arthur’s struggle with himself: is he Arthur, or the Joker? It’s an interesting question that puts him in a tough spot: Lee loves him for the Joker, and the persona has been idolized in pop culture around Gotham. At his trial, blaming a split personality for the murders works in his favor. Arthur struggles with this, and this is explored in his head via musical numbers with himself and Lee. The numbers are clever in places, spectacular in others, and do well to express what’s going on in Arthur’s complicated head, but the thin and sluggish story in-between the singing and dancing makes it feel less of a movie and more like a highlight reel. 

 

Phillips is playing with themes of mental illness, love, and hero worship. Solid themes to work with but the film gets bogged down with it; there’s plot and theme, and FOLIE A DEUX is 95% theme. But when it isn’t brooding and sulking, there’s some pieces to admire: the cinematography is stunning, and the soundtrack has a great balance between chilling and toe-tapping. 

 

Acting is excellent to a point. Joaquin Phoenix once again is mesmerizing. Lady Gaga is brilliant in her acting and her singing performances, and she commits to the thin material she’s given. The issue around her is she feels underutilized and is never let off the leash; the film cheats her and it feels like a waste of her powerhouse talent. The supporting cast of Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, and Steve Coogan are all excellent. 

 

One thing that all sequels should do is to smash expectations, and this JOKER sequel certainly does that. It takes some big swings in providing shocks and surprises, and the biggest shock of them all comes in the ending. It’s a bold way to go out, and is sure to spark plenty of outrage and debate. But overall, it completely changes how we view the first film and everything that after to that point, and not in a great way. FOLIE A DEUX has its moments here and there, but nothing much after. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2024 - Episode X

Glorious Fall is here! For the first full month of the windy and colorful season we have new horror films, along with some notable re-releases: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS will get another run, as will SAW for its 20^th anniversary. Along with the ghosts and goblins of the season, we have the first wave of films with Oscar potential. Here is what’s coming to the big screen for October: 

 

 

 

 

JOKER: FOLIE & DEUX – Joaquin Phoenix reprises the role of Arthur Fleck/The Joker from JOKER in 2019 which won him an Oscar. This time around Fleck faces trial for his crimes and meets and falls in love with Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga), in what is being described as a Jukebox Musical film. Todd Philips, who directed JOKER, returns to direct. 

 

 

 

MONSTER SUMMER – Mel Gibson plays a retired police detective who helps a group of kids solve the mystery of a monster on their vacation island. 

 

 

 

PIECE BY PIECE – In this animated film, the biography of famed singer Pharrell Williams is told in Lego style. 

 

 

 

SATURDAY NIGHT – Jason Reitman (GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE), directs this comedy-drama about the first night of Saturday Night Live. 

 

 

 

TERRIFIER 3 – The third entry in the slasher franchise, with Art the Clown going on a bloody rampage on Christmas Eve. 

 

 

 

THE APPRENTICE – In one of the most controversial films of the year, Sebastian Stan (THE WINTER SOLDIER), plays a young Donald Trump and Maria Bakalova (BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM), plays Ivana Trump in this drama which follows Trump’s early days. Jeremy Strong co-stars. 

 

 

 

WE LIVE IN TIME – Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in this love story which follows their accidental meeting, marriage, and raising a child. It is directed by John Crowley (BROOKLYN). 

 

 

 

SMILE 2 – The second entry in this horror franchise. Naomi Scott (Jasmine from the live-action ALADDIN), plays a pop-star experiencing disturbing events. 

 

 

 

ANORA – Acclaimed director Sean Baker (THE FLORIDA PROJECT), returns with this drama about a young stripper who falls in love with a client. 

 

 

 

VENOM: THE LAST DANCE – Tom Hardy reprises his role as Eddie Brock in the third film in the craptastic VENOM franchise. This time Eddie and his talking blob of poo go on the run when they are hunted by both of their worlds. 

 

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Next month: Reel Speak previews the month of November. 

 

 

 

 

A Reel Review: MEGALOPOLIS

When the conversation moves to the greatest films ever made, Francis Ford Coppola would be the only director who would have three (three!), films in the Top 5: THE GODFATHER, THE GODFATHER PART II, and APOCALYPSE NOW. No one gets that high on that list without breaking some rules, and Coppola has been the biggest breaker of them all; re-writing the book on filming, editing, scoring, and acting. This year, Coppola brings his style to the big screen with a film that he has been working on since 1977: the sci-fi epic MEGALOPOLIS. 

 

In re-imagined version of America and the city of New Rome, visionary architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), has invented a new element called Megalon, which he wants to use in building a city of the future. Standing in his way is Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), whose daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanual), defies her father and begins an affair with Cesar. 

 

Written and directed by Coppola and heavily inspired by ancient Rome history, MEGALOPOLIS does not have much by way of plot; the guts of it are Cesar looking to break convention in building a utopia, and the conservative Mayor looking to keep things traditional. Rotating around that is Cesar’s relationship with Julia, his one-time love affair with a TV star (Aubrey Plaza), his big-bank running uncle (Jon Voight), and his wild and scheming cousin (Shia LaBeouf). All topped off with an aging Russian satellite that is in a decaying orbit and ready to fall to Earth on top of New Rome. It’s a film packed with side-stories that while interesting in the moment, do not have much of a payoff at the end. 

 

Underneath all that, Coppola is playing with big questions for his characters to debate: Are utopias good for us? What is art and who gets to say if it is or not? What is the responsibility of a leader, or society? MEGALOPOLIS throws around the questions like candy but ultimately offers no answers. Overall, Coppola uses the film as a huge metaphor for the state of America today. Thankfully, he doesn’t do so bluntly. Cesar’s ability to stop time is a bit of a mystery and is woefully undercooked. 

 

There is still much to admire in MEGALOPOLIS. Coppola uses every inch of the IMAX format, and every shot is a painting. His old out-of-the-box thinking in the editing is still active, with many scenes taking off sideways into psychedelic visions that may or not add much; it’s bewildering at times. The parallels between New Rome and ancient Rome are well done, and overall the film has a classic feel to it in its costuming and overall design; it’s gorgeous and earns its visual impact. Visual effects are stunning in places and ho-hum CGI in others. And for a guy who fired shots at Marvel movies, he sure used a shit-ton of Marvel-like green-screen effects which leads to many artificial-looking setpieces. The score by Mihai Golijov is non-existent. 

 

The cast puts in their best despite being asked to pull off some very odd performances. Adam Driver is great, as is Aubrey Plaza and Nathalie Emmanuel. Shia LaBeouf and Jon Voight are hilarious. Smaller roles are held down well by Laurence Fishburne (who also serves as narrator), Talia Shire, and Dustin Hoffman. 

 

Late in the third act, Cesar hits rock bottom (as most protagonists do), but the resolution to his woes comes too quick and easy (and somewhat ridiculous), and leaves the film with not much of a climax and a ho-hum ending. Like most of his filmography, Coppola throws everything he has on the screen in building MEGALOPOLIS; the foundation is solid, but the upper floors are shaky. That lack of balance makes it a nice place to visit, but we wouldn’t want to live there. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

 

 

 

 

A Reel Preview: Everything You Need to Know About MEGALOPOLIS

This week, famed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola returns to the big screen with his long-awaited epic, MEGALOPOLIS. Here in this preview is everything you need to know: 

 

What is this about? – MEGALOPOLIS is the first film from 85-year-old Francis Ford Coppola since 2011. Set in a re-imagined United States, a visionary architect clashes with a corrupt Mayor over how to rebuild the metropolis of the fictional city New Rome. The film is labeled as an epic science-fiction drama, which draws parallels from the fall of Rome. 

 

Who is behind the camera? – MEGALOPOLIS is written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who is best known for his films in the 1970’s which are often considered to be among the greatest of all time; THE GODFATHER (1972), THE GODFATHER PART II (1974), and APOCALPYSE NOW (1979). Other notable films include THE CONVERSATION (1974), THE OUTSIDERS (1983), THE COTTON CLUB (1984), PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED (1986), THE GODFATHER PART III (1990), BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992), and THE RAINMAKER (1997). This is his first feature film since the experimental TWIXT in 2011. 

 

Who is in front of the camera? – Coppola has assembled an ensemble cast, with Adam Driver (THE FORCE AWAKENS) playing the role of the architect, and Giancarlo Esposito (TV’S THE MANDALORIAN), as the mayor. The rest of the cast includes Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman. 

 

Random Facts – Coppola conceived the overall idea for MEGALOPOLIS towards the end of filming APOCALYPSE NOW in 1977 * Coppola sold a portion of his winery to spend $120 million of his own money to fund the production * The film has been mired in controversy; from accusations of inappropriate on-set behavior by Coppola, a visual effects staff that was fired during production, and a trailer that was pulled after using fake, AI-generated quotes * Actor James Caan, who was in THE GODFATHER, was cast in the film but passed away before filming. His role was filled by Dustin Hoffman * MEGALOPOLIS premiered at the 77^thCannes Film Festival in July of this year * 

 

What to expect – When Francis Ford Coppola arrived on the scene in the 1970’s, he was part of the new age of filmmakers that would favor experimentation that would change the face of moviemaking. Coppola, along with names like Lucas, Spielberg, and Scorsese, did just that. The reactions from Cannes indicate that Coppola has continued to push the boundaries of what we know as traditional filmmaking. Some of it may work, some of it may not…but it looks like MEGALOPOLIS will be a film that will offer something very new. 

 

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MEGALOPOLIS hits the big screen this Friday, September 27^th, with preview screenings on the 26^th.

 

A Reel Review: THE SUBSTANCE

Body Horror is a genre of film that can be difficult to watch. They are horror flicks that violate or deform the human body in grotesque ways. Over the years there have been landmark films in this genre, such as ALIEN (1978), THE THING (1982), and THE FLY (1986). This year, we can add the thrilling, stomach-churning, exquisite and ghastly statement on Hollywood, THE SUBSTANCE. 

 

Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), is a 50-year-old actress whose best days are behind her. After she is fired from her aerobics show by TV executive Harvey (Dennis Quaid), she is given a black-market serum by a mysterious supplier called The Substance, which promises to deliver a younger version of herself. 

 

Written and Directed by Coralle Fargeat, THE SUBSTANCE is an exploration of the human body and how it is perceived by ourselves and those around us. Showing no restraint, the film gets to the younger version of Elisabeth in a shock; the new version (Margaret Qualley), is “birthed” out of her back. Calling herself Sue, she gets her old job back and gets instant fame. But there are hard rules in place. The two have to switch bodies every seven days without exception, but when Sue decides to break the rules, things get gory in a hurry as their bodies begin to deteriorate. 

 

Director Coralle Fargeat is looking at familiar themes of beauty and how mainstream show business treats women after they reach a certain age. Fargeat is heavy on the metaphor, often using mirrors, reflections, billboards, and Walk of Fame stars to help tell her story. There is some excellent filmmaking here, and the contrast between the two women drives the story. 

 

When things get gory, things really get gory. The birthing scene is squeamishly done, and using some great practical effects, the eventual body deteriorations and deformations are stunning. But what really makes it all work is the sound design. Every creak and drip that the human body makes is brought up to the front, and even little things like eating shrimp or using a needle goes right through our ears. Fargeat understands that what we hear is just as important as what we see and blazes some new territory in movie-making. 

 

Acting is tremendous. Demi Moore puts in a career-best, and Margaret Qually is a delight. Dennis Quaid is a pig of a man aptly named Harvey, and chews it up. 

 

THE SUBSTANCE, after a wild third act, doesn’t quite wrap up tightly. The identity of the mysterious supplier or what they were up to is never given, and there is a hanging question if Elisabeth and Sue actually share a conscious; each one acts like they don’t know what the other has been up to, which seems to cheat the experience of using a younger body. Despite that, THE SUBSTANCE is a powerful film that will destroy appetites and change perspectives on show business. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel 30: ED WOOD

 

“This is the most uncomfortable coffin I’ve ever been in…”

 

This month marks the 30th anniversary of Tim Burton’s ED WOOD. 

 

Based upon the life story of infamous director Ed Wood, Tim Burton’s loose comedic biopic was based upon the novel Nightmare of Ecstasy by Rudolph Grey. The film was the brainchild of writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who as film students at USC originally conceived the project as a documentary. As the project progressed and changed to a feature film, it eventually landed on the desk of strange and unusual director Tim Burton; the man behind hits BEETLEJUICE (1988), BATMAN (1989), and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993). 

 

The pairing of Burton with a story about Ed Wood, a director who would gain notoriety as one of the worst directors of all time, was a perfect one. Burton had always been a fan of the man’s work, and this admiration would seep into the film as ED WOOD would ultimately not make fun of the man, but would explore his passion for storytelling. Burton would also inject his personal relationship with screen legend Vincent Price into the film; his Ed Wood character would strike a beneficial working friendship with horror-film actor Bela Lugosi. 

 

Burton would assemble an ensemble cast. Johnny Depp jumped at the chance of playing the lead, and he was joined by Martin Landau (as Lugosi), Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Lisa Marie, Jeffrey Jones, Bill Murray, pro-wrestler George “The Animal” Steele, Juliet Landau, Mike Starr, J.D. Spradlin, and a Vincent D’Onofrio as a young Orson Welles. 

 

The film had underperforming box office numbers, but the very strong reviews and accolades for the cast would earn it popularity long after it left the big screen. ED WOOD would be nominated for a Golden Globe (Best Musical or Comedy), and Best Actor (Depp). Rick Baker would win an Oscar for Best Makeup. Martin Landau’s dazzling performance would earn him an Oscar. Over the years, much like the director whose name is on the film, ED WOOD would gain traction as a cult favorite. 

 

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This Blogger’s first encounter with ED WOOD came in the early Spring of 1994, when our film class was shown a work print of the film, nearly six months before it was to be released in theatres. That work print, shown to us in glorious VHS, was an incomplete version…with running time-codes, black spots where edits and effects had to be inserted, and a notable absence of opening and closing credits. The film, even in an incomplete version, was dubbed worthy of being shown in a film class as there was plenty that students of film could learn from ED WOOD. Not only is it perfectly crafted, well-acted, and written to the point where it is infinitely quotable, but Burton was able to find the heart and soul in the story of a very weird man. Burton’s Ed Wood character was the Little-Engine-That-Couldn’t; a very earnest director who spun his wheels really fast and hard but could never quite make it over that mountain. It is Burton’s statement on what is art and who gets to say if it is, which gives it a timeless quality. ED WOOD was a labor of love for Burton, and those are best kinds of film. 

 

“This is the one! This is the one I’ll be remembered for!”

 

James Earl Jones: 1931 - 2024

Actor James Earl Jones has passed away at 93. 

 

An owner of the most distinctive and iconic voices in cinematic history, James Earl Jones was born in Mississippi in 1931. A pre-med major in college, he served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War before pursuing a career in acting. He would have his Broadway debut in 1957 and would perform in several Shakespeare plays. In 1964 he would have his big-screen debut in Stanley Kubrick’s DR. STRANGELOVE. In 1974 he would co-star with Diahann Carroll in CLAUDINE, which would earn him a Golden Globe nomination. 

 

In 1977, he would land the role that would define him for the rest of his life, when up-and-coming filmmaker George Lucas cast him as the voice of Darth Vader in STAR WARS. He would reprise the role in the direct sequels, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), and RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983). He would come back to Darth over the long Saga, voicing him in REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005), ROGUE ONE (2016), and THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (2019).

 

His impressive filmography would include the towering villain Thulsa Doom in CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), along with roles in SOUL MAN (1986), Francis Ford Coppola’s GARDENS OF STONE (1987), COMING TO AMERICA (1988), FIELD OF DREAMS (1989), SNEAKERS (1992), SOMMERSBY (1993), THE SANDLOT (1993), and JUDGE DREDD (1995). He would have a significant role in films based on Tom Clancy novels, including THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990), PATRIOT GAMES (1992), and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (1994). 

 

Walt Disney Pictures would further elevate his iconic status when the cast him as the voice of Mufasa in their towering THE LION KING (1994). He would reprise the role in THE LION KING II: SIMBA’S PRIDE (1998), and the live-action/animated remake in 2019. 

 

In his career he would win two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Grammy Award. He would earn a Golden Globe, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2011, he received an honorary Oscar. The former Cort Theatre on Broadway was named the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022. 

 

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This Blogger still remembers his first time seeing STAR WARS way back in 1977. The dramatic entrance of Darth Vader, the maske intimidating bad guy with the chilling mechanical breathing made an instant impression. As awesome as that moment it was, it was nothing compared to what would come next…hearing him speak. The voice went right through us back then, and it still does now. 

 

James Earl Jones was gifted with a voice that was unforgettable, but he also knew what he was doing as an actor. His roles as a CIA Chief and a baseball-loving writer (where he delivered one of the greatest monologues of all time), also made deep impressions, and he always seemed to make every movie he was in a little bit better. The voice of Darth Vader has been silenced, but it will echo in our core memories as long as the stars burn. 

A Reel Review: BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Strange and unusual director Tim Burton has not had the best millennium; directing an impressive number of stinkers with only the occasional flashes of brilliance that put him on the Hollywood map. After his disastrous DUMBO remake in 2019, he vanished into the underworlds of streaming with success…and this year he returns to the big screen by resurrecting his most iconic creation…the ghost with the most, Betelgeuse in BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE. 

 

Lydia (Winona Ryder), along with her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega), and her stepmom Delia (Catherine O’Hara), return to Winter River for the funeral of Charles. Once back in their old house, Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), is brought back to the land of the living. 

 

Directed by Tim Burton and set 36 years after the events of the first film, BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE is a loaded film. Lydia these days has her hands full with a new fiancée (Justin Theroux), and dealing with her daughter who hates her guts. Astrid in the meantime gets tricked into the underworld in a desire to see her dead father (Santiago Cabrera), which leads Lydia to seek out help from Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse has his own problems, with his ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci), seeking revenge against him, which earns the attention of a ghost detective (Willem Dafoe). 

 

If all that sounds like a lot, it is. BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE is at its strongest when focusing on the family issues of Lydia, Astrid, and Delia. But just when the film finds a good groove, it has to cut away for what seems like an intrusive storyline of Betelgeuse’s revenge-seeking ex-wife who is sucking the souls out of dead people in the afterlife. This leads to even more time having to be spent with the ghost detective. While the ex-wife scenes are well-done and Bellucci is well-cast, there isn’t nearly enough payoff for it all. All of it could be exorcised from the film and it would not affect anything save for the run time. 

 

There is still plenty to enjoy here. The atmosphere of the first film is perfectly recaptured; the quirks, the ghostly bits, and even the old cast seems to slip right back into their roles. There is a commitment to practical effects work that really works and adds to the charm, and the setting of just before Halloween gives it an October watchlist vibe. Burton also does well in exploring and expanding the afterlife world with its inner workings revealed. Flashbacks are handled beautifully using Claymation and black-and-white filming, although an extended song-and-dance routine near the end goes on way too long, and the chosen song is a stinker. There are also some weird editing decisions made; the long-awaited big reveal of Betelgeuse's return is lazily handled. 

 

Acting is mostly superb. Michael Keaton brings back Betelgeuse very well and is a blast, but he seems tamer…likely a byproduct of his age. Jenna Ortega is a delight and carries the film. Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are excellent. Justin Theroux is just annoying. 

 

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE feels like it was playing with several different ideas and concepts in the writing stage, most of which could have been saved for a third film, but then decided to cram everything in one place in case BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE doesn’t get made. What we are left with is a film that is frustratingly overcomplicated. It’s not dead-on-arrival, but it won’t make your millennia either. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2024 - Episode IX

The Summer Movie Season for 2024 has ended, and the cool winds of Glorious Fall have begun to swirl. This September is packed month, with some heavy hitters swinging for the fences. Here’s what’s coming to the big screen this month: 

 

 

 

 

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE – Tim Burton returns to direct, and Michael Keaton reprises the role of the demonic prankster Betelgeuse in this legacy sequel, which sees the daughter of Lydia (reprised by Winona Ryder), releasing him. The cast includes Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe. 

 

 

 

THE 4:30 MOVIE – Director Kevin Smith (CLERKS, DOGMA), helms this semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy based on his youthful experiences of sneaking into movie theatres. 

 

 

 

THE KILLER’S GAME – Dave Bautista (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY), plays a hitman who fends off a hit on himself after he finds out his terminal diagnosis was incorrect. The cast includes Ben Kingsley, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, and Bautista’s GUARDIANS castmate, Pom Klementieff. 

 

 

 

SPEAK NO EVIL – In this remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name, an American couple has their dream holiday in a country house turned into a nightmare. The cast includes James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy. 

 

 

 

TRANSFORMERS ONE – This animated film explores the early friendship between iconic robots-in-disguise Optimus Prime and Megatron. The voice-cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, and Scarlett Johansson. 

 

 

 

SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY – This documentary film explores the life and legacy of famed Superman actor Christopher Reeve. 

 

 

 

 

LEE – In what is expected to be an awards contender, Kate Winslet plays famed war photographer Lee Miller, who chronicled WWII for Vogue magazine. 

 

 

 

MEGALOPOLIS – Famed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (THE GODFATHER, APOCALYPSE NOW), returns to the big screen with his first film in 13 years, which follows a visionary architect who is struggling to rebuild a metropolis after a devastating disaster. The cast includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman. 

 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of October.