Gladiator II

Making a sequel to the cultural behemoth that was Gladiator would always seem to be a risky proposition. That film won a bunch of Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe and seems to be pretty much beloved by critics and audiences alike. Does this legacy sequel live up to the original film? No, of course not, but it's still a damn good time all the same. 

Set sixteen years after the events of the first film, Lucius (played by Paul Mescal), the son of Maximus and Lucilla (played by Connie Nielsen), is living in exile under an alias with his wife Arishat (played by Yuval Gonen). When their city is invaded by the Roman Army led by General Marcus Acacius (played by Pedro Pascal), Arishat is killed in the ensuing battle and Lucius is forced into slavery. Put forth as someone with potential as a gladiator, Lucius catches the eye of Macrinus (played by Denzel Washington). Initially resistant to becoming a gladiator, Lucius changes his mind when Macrinus promises to get him the chance to get his vengeance against Acacius for the death of his wife. What Lucius doesn't know though is that although Acacius returns to Rome as a hero, he has grown weary of warfare and the ambitions of the corrupt twin Emperors Geta (played by Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (played by Fred Hechinger) who are willing to sacrifice so many other lives to conquer other countries and grow their empire. Instead, along with his wife Lucilla, conspires to overthrow the Emperors and restore the Roman Republic. In the background, Macrinus is doing his own conspiring for his own gain, looking to capture the throne for himself. 

Ridley Scott returns to direct this time from a script by David Scarpa. The film does repeat some of the same plot points of the original film, primarily with the heroic gladiator, in this case Lucius, seeking vengeance for the death of a loved one. In that regard the film does indeed feel very familiar. However, the filmmakers add enough new complications to the story to not feel entirely like a tired retread of the first film. The filmmakers also raise the stakes in terms of the gladiator fights, including them facing off a horde of feral baboons, a gladiator riding a huge rhino, as well as the biggest set piece, a recreation of a naval battle in a flooded Coliseum complete with sharks! These sequences push the limits of plausibility with their outrageousness, but then again Ridley Scott has made it abundantly clear throughout his filmography that he won't let something as pesky as historical accuracy get in the way of pure entertainment and he accomplishes that in spades here. They also handle the political intrigue in the film well, with the different parties conspiring and plotting while Rome teeters on the edge of complete downfall that kept me engaged as I wondered how it would all turn out. 

Paul Mescal leads a star studded cast as a grown up Lucius, who was played by Spencer Treat Clark in the first film. Mescal wisely doesn't try to replicate what Russell Crowe did in the first film, which makes sense since they are playing completely different characters. His character is much more soft spoken and driven by his need for revenge with a certain seething anger that drives him but also blinds him from the bigger picture of what is going on. Pedro Pascal is great as Marcus Acacius, showing how disenchanted he has become with Military life, questioning the pain and misery he has created at the whims of the deranged Emperors. It adds some layers to the film as well as he tries to rectify his past mistakes and take a stand, even proving as a possible ally to Lucius. Connie Nielson reprises her role from the first film, portraying an older and more world weary Lucilla who sent her only son away to protect him from political assassins since Lucius would be the successor for the throne after the death of Commodus in the previous film. Nielsen plays the role with a grounded authenticity as a mother trying to help her son in any way she can. However, it is Denzel Washington that really steals the show as the scheming Macrinus. The way he manipulates and maneuvers throughout the plot to meet his own ends is devilish fun to watch and Washington is clearly having a lot of fun in the role too. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are also clearly having fun playing the twin Emperors, coming off as psychopathic spoiled brats who revel in indulging their every whim as they try to carve out their own legacy by conquering as much of the world as they can. 

Much like the original film, Gladiator II excels at being superior popcorn entertainment. It has action, thrills, and melodrama to spare. The movie clocks in at two and a half hours and I didn't feel it at all. Is it a worthy successor to the first film? I think it is. I found it to be every bit as entertaining while being different enough to stand on its own. Now, I just need to figure out how the hell ancient Romans got sharks into the Coliseum. 

       

  

Thelma

Perhaps the most unexpected buddy action comedy of the Summer is the delightful new film, Thelma. With a fantastic cast, a witty script, and plenty of charm I have to say I absolutely loved this film. 

Thelma (played by June Squibb) is an aging retiree living alone but is frequently visited by her doting grandson Danny (played by Fred Hechinger), who worries about her and keeps reminding her to wear her medical alert bracelet. One day she gets a call from an unlisted number and picks up. The person calling claims to be her grandson saying he was in an accident and was in jail. This is enough to panic her and she doesn't pick up on the obvious cues that it's a scam when they tell her she needs to mail in $10,000 to bail him out. Distressed, she collects cash she has stashed around the house and heads out to the post office to send it without even thinking twice. It's only when she talks to Danny, as well as his parents, Gail (played by Parker Posey) and Alan (played by Clark Gregg) that she realizes what happened. Furious, Thelma sets out to get her money back, enlisting the help of her friend Ben (played by Richard Roundtree) to help. The two set out on an adventure as they venture to the P.O Box she was instructed to send the money to and find the scammer who ripped her off.

The film was written and directed by Josh Margolin, taking inspiration from his own grandmother and crafts a highly entertaining film about the least likely action hero. I loved the way he re-purposed all the usual tropes of the action movie genre into the realm of Senior Living, including a car chase except it's scooters through a Retirement Home or using hearing aids synched to cellphones for surveillance purposes. Pairing nicely with this is the heartwarming aspects of the story, especially with Thelma and Ben showing they're still capable adults despite their older age. Josh Margolin balances the humor and more dramatic aspects of the story well, keeping things reasonably light and fun throughout while giving the proceedings just enough emotional weight to give it some poignancy. 

June Squibb is fantastic in the titular role of Thelma. She hits the right notes with her performance, handling the more easily trusting and vulnerable aspects of her character at the beginning of the movies quite well. She also handles her character's transition to deciding not to be a victim and taking the initiative to track down her victimizer and get her money back when it appears the Police is either unable to uninterested in helping. She also handles the physical comedy of her character quite well whether it is trying to sneak through a cluttered room or trying to balance on a bed to retrieve a gun from a high shelf at a friend's house. Fred Hechinger is quite endearing as Danny. He plays off June Squibb well and the two really sell how close their characters are and adds some nice emotional weight to the movie. It's a really sympathetic performance as Danny is at a bit of a crossroads himself. He's not currently in school and he and is girlfriend are on a break and seeing those two parallels play out between two characters in different stages of their lives play out was well done. Richard Roundtree is great as Ben, often acting as the voice of reason who continues to go along with Thelma's crazy adventure because he just can't let her go at it alone. His more level headed character plays off well with Thelma's stubborn determination. They make a great pair as they go through their adventure together. Parker Posey is a hilarious as Gail, the harried daughter of Thelma and mother to Danny. She sells how much her character cares about her family, especially both Thelma and Danny who she is both worried about and Posey finds the right balance between genuine and funny throughout the movie. Clark Gregg, much like Richard Roundtree' Ben, provides a voice of reason throughout the film for his family unit of himself, Gail, and Danny, who spend the second half of the movie trying to find Thelma and bring her home. It's a fun performance and he's amusing in the role in that uniquely Clark Gregg way. 

Josh Margolin has hit a home run with Thelma, smartly upending the oft told revenge tale with real wit and humor as it centers on two elderly main characters who show they can still get it done in their own uniquely brilliant ways. It's a warm and funny film that was a delight to watch from beginning to end backed by an equally delightful cast. I loved every minute of this film. If you're in the mood for something other than the usual Summertime blockbuster fare, this one comes highly recommended.   

  

The Fall Guy

The Fall Guy is the perfect way to kick off the Summer movie season with exactly the sort of action spectacle audiences find themselves craving this time of year. Filled with humor and stunts galore, it's also an endearing love letter to the people who make this exact sort of spectacle we love so much. 

Eighteen months after a stunt gone wrong left Colt Seavers (played by Ryan Gosling) with a broken back, he walked away from his career as stuntman for movie star Tom Ryder (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and film business. This included his then girlfriend Jody Moreno (played by Emily Blunt), who was working on the same set as a camera operator. He is pulled back into it though when he receives a call from Tom's producer, Gail Meyer (played by Hannah Waddingham), stating she needs him to double for Tom again on his latest movie, the sci-fi epic Metalstorm. To further convince him she tells him it's Jody's directorial debut, Jody specifically requested Colt, and the success of the movie is on the line. It's only when he arrives on location in Sydney, Australia that he finds out the truth that Tom has vanished and Jody not only did not request him but is still mad at him for ghosting her after his accident. Gail tasks Colt with locating their missing star since Tom and Colt used to be close she figures he is their best shot at locating Tom, especially since they can't go to the police since Tom has gotten involved with some shady folks (as well as they don't want any negative publicity that may impact the movie). What seems like a simple enough task quickly spirals out of control as Colt has to dodge bad guys while keeping the movie going as well as trying to repair his relationship with Jody. With some help from his best friend, and stunt coordinator on the film, Dan Tucker (played by Winston Duke), he's going to have to do all he can to find Tom and save the movie.

The film was directed by David Leitch from a script by Drew Pearce. Prior to becoming a director, Leitch worked as a stuntman and stunt coordinator himself and that sort of insider knowledge permeates throughout the film. Some of the most fascinating elements of the film for me were them showing the dynamics between the members of the stunt team, what all went into creating the various stunts and how they pulled them off. Of course, any movie with this sort of plot is definitely going to bring it in terms of action sequences, which is pulls off fantastically, including a prolonged car chase through the streets of Sydney that was both thrilling and amusing in the way it escalated throughout, along with others I won't mention because I don't want to give away too much of the fun. This is balanced with plenty of well done humor and comedy, much of it coming from Colt as despite all his derring-do in the stunt world quickly finds himself in over his head when it comes to trying to find Tom. The cherry on top of the whole thing is the perfectly handled romance between Colt and Jody throughout the film. 

The film has a fantastic cast led by Ryan Gosling. He has really carved out a niche for himself in comedic roles such as this giving off plenty of charm and just enough goofiness to be endearing as his character repeatedly finds himself in over his head and manages to get by on his wits and experience as a stunt man. Emily Blunt is the perfect foil for his antics and has impeccable chemistry with Gosling that really sells their romance. But even more than that, I love how she plays her character and really captures how overwhelming it must be at times to be a first time director, especially on a huge science fiction epic where everyone is coming at her from all departments and having to make countless decisions. The combination of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt is fantastic though and honestly made the movie for me, from their flirtatious and at times spiky banter, the two of them play off one another perfectly. Another pairing I loved was Gosling and Wilson Duke, who gets pulled into Colt's adventures and the two have a fantastic rapport with each other and really sell the long time friendship of their characters, with their tendency to trade off movie quotes with one another ringing true for a movie geek like me. Hannah Waddingham is a delight as the put upon Gail Meyer, who is trying desperately to keep the movie afloat as she moves from one crisis to another, forever with a can of Diet Coke in hand. Stephanie Hsu has a fun role as Tom Ryder's assistant Alma Milan, who turns out to be critical in Colt finding Tom and also turns out to be surprisingly good in a crisis. Hsu handles the role with plenty of humor and easily steals her few scenes in the film. 

Overall, The Fall Guy was a blast from beginning to end and the perfect movie to kick off the summer movie season. As I was watching the movie, I was once again how much I missed movies like this. In a era where it seems like every blockbuster is shot against a green-screen and CGI'd to death, it's a real thrill to see a genuine and thrilling action spectacle with practical effects and incredible stunt work. On that note, make sure to stay for the credits as they play over actual footage of how they pulled off all the incredible stunts for the movie, showing the actual stunt team pulling them off too. The perfect cherry on top of this very fun movie.   

Challengers

Originally scheduled for release last September, Luca Guadagnino's latest film, Challengers, was delayed due to the SAG/AFTRA strikes and finally makes it's debut in theaters this week. So, the predominant question I had going into this movie was if it was going to have been worth the wait, especially after having seen the trailers for months by this point. I am relieved to say that it absolutely was. 

Tashi Duncan (played by Zendaya) was a promising Tennis prodigy when she suffered a career ending knee injury and instead turned to coaching Art Donaldson (played by Mike Faist), who is also her husband and father to their little daughter. Art is in a slump losing match after match and in an effort to try and get his confidence up, Tashi gets him in as a wild card at a Challenger match where he finds himself going up against his former friend Patrick Zweig (played by Josh O'Connor). When they were younger, Art and Patrick were best friends and competing together through the Tennis circuit when they both met Tashi. Equally enamored with her, both boys are vying for her attention when she visits their hotel room that night. As the years pass and each character reflects on their past in this unique love triangle it all leads to this critical match where all three find all their past choices coming to a head and discover if their friendship can even be salvaged. 

The film was directed by Luca Guadagnino from a script by Justin Kuritzkes. As I watched the film, I was increasingly glad I was seeing it in the theater where it would have my undivided attention since the film adopts a very non-linear timeline as it starts in the present and then has flashbacks to various other points in the three leads lives, back to the present and then another flashback. It's an effective way to tell the story as the interpersonal interactions with Tashi, Art and Patrick over the years are revealed. Guadagnino does a great job differentiating the different time periods and times with subtitles documenting the time period. It was initially challenging but soon I was able to settle into the unique groove of the film. When it comes to the tennis matches, Guadagnino and Director of Photography Sayombhu Mukdeeprom do a fantastic job of crafting tense and thrilling tennis matches, including the big match between Art and Patrick that runs through much out the film and builds to a genuinely tense climax. 

The three central performances in the film are quite strong. Zendaya gives some wonderful layers to Tashi Duncan, who is someone who had to reinvent herself after a career ending injury and find a new way forward in life when the one she thought she was going to have was snatched away. She gives a very compelling performance, capturing Tashi's intelligence and drive, but also her impulsiveness, especially when it comes to her relationships with Art and Patrick. Mike Faist tackles his role as Art quite well, conveying his character at various stages in his career, from young upstart to someone who is anxious to retire. He does a great job capturing Art's frustration when he gets into his slump especially, with the frustration that comes with it resonating really well with me. Josh O'Connor is equally compelling as Patrick, whose Tennis career hasn't turned out as well as Art's, barely scraping by and sleeping in his car when he has to travel to meets since he's not even able to afford a room at a dingy motel. This, of course, is what is driving him throughout the epic rematch with Art as the two work out years and years of feelings on the tennis court.  

I was really impressed with Challengers, with three compelling characters acted beautifully by three very talented actors making for some riveting drama that had my attention from beginning to end. It's also one that you need to watch without distractions due to the non-linear storytelling, but if you can keep up with it, it's a good one that I look forward to watching again. 

2024 Oscar Predications

 

I haven't done this in a few years but I figured it would be fun to make my predictions for the major categories for tonight's 96th Annual Academy Awards telecast tonight. So, without further ado, here is how I'm thinking it will go:

Best Picture: 

This years spread of movies is a really strong one and I genuinely loved each one of them which is a rarity for me. It makes it hard to choose but I genuinely think it will go to Oppenheimer. It was a fantastic film that kept me riveted throughout it's three hour runtime. The direction from Christopher Nolan is magnificent and it has a stellar cast that is acting their socks off. I could see there being an upset for Killers of the Flower Moon but I'm nearly certain it will be Oppenheimer

Best Director: 

Much like Best Picture, I feel like this one is going to go to Christopher Nolan. Oppenheimer is a magnificent piece of filmmaking and he did a great job telling that story and tapping into his titular subject. Again, I could see it possibly going to Martin Scorsese too in an upset, but I'm pretty sure this is going to be Nolan's year. 

Best Actor: 

I'm nearly positive it will go to Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer. So much of the movie rested on his shoulders and he rose to the challenge wonderfully, crafting a riveting and revealing performance that, no pun intended, blew me away. I could see an upset and it going to Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, which would thrill me as I adored that performance too, but I'm pretty sure it's going to Cillian Murphy. 

Best Actress: 

This needs to go to Lily Gladstone for her performance in Killers of the Flower Moon. She outshone Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro with a dynamite performance that made the film for me. Her character goes through a lot through the film's three and a half hour runtime and throughout her performance was flawless. I loved it and I am convinced she will win. 

Best Supporting Actor: 

Ever since I first saw the movie last July I knew this was going to be Robert Downey Jr.'s year. He was fantastic as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer and I honestly can't see anyone else winning the award. It's Downey's year and I have no doubt about it. 

Best Supporting Actress:

Honestly, if it isn't Da'Vine Joy Randolph for her fantastic and empathetic performance in The Holdovers I will be shocked. From the moment I saw the film, I knew she had to win for that performance. It's such a beautiful and touching performance in a truly wonderful film. 

Best Animated Feature Film:  

I'm nearly positive this one will go to the fantastic Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which features stunning animation coupled with a great story and a smart story. I could see an upset going to The Boy and the Heron, but I'm feeling pretty confident with this one. 

Best International Feature Film: 

I feel confident that this one will go to the powerful and haunting Holocaust film The Zone of Interest. Focused on the commander of Auschwitz Concentration Camp and his family, the film is a searing look at the banality of evil. This one easily outshines the other films. I wouldn't mind seeing an upset for the equally riveting Society of the Snow, but I'm confident this one will go to The Zone of Interest. 

Best Cinematography: 

I'm calling this one for Hoyte van Hoytema for Oppenheimer. He did a fantastic job shooting this film and among all the other things I could say about the film, it looked stunning as well. I'm confident this one is locked up for Oppenheimer. 

Costume Design: 

I'm going to be bold and call this one for Jacqueline Durran for Barbie. She did a magnificent job crafting the style and fashion of Barbie world and all the various different Barbies and Kens with real style and humor that fits the film perfectly. If nothing else, the fact that everyone wanted that I Am Kenough sweatshirt speaks for itself. The Academy could be boring and give it to the latest costume drama, but I really think it deserves to go to Barbie.

Best Original Screenplay: 

I am really hoping this one goes to David Hemingson for his heartfelt, touching and quite funny script for The Holdovers. I adored this film and the writing is a big part of it. I would love for it to get some Oscar love tonight and I think this will be one of the categories where it will win. 

Best Adapted Screenplay: 

Once again, I see this one going to Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer. Trying to adapt the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb as well as it's aftermath, but he managed to do it with a precise and riveting approach that made for a memorable viewing experience. 

Best Original Song: 

I really want it to go to I'm Just Ken for just being the fantastic little earworm that it is. That's the one I'm rooting for but I'd be shocked if it actually won. But hey, Ryan Gosling is performing it live at the Oscars so either way, we win. 

Best Original Score: 

Once again, I think it's going to go to Oppenheimer. Ludwig Göransson's score for that film is a large part of that film and fit the film perfectly. I can't see any of the other nominations winning. 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: 

This one I am not sure of, but I'm going with Poor Things. Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston crafted a unique vision and makeup design for a very memorable film that plays like a fever dream spin on the Frankenstein tale. 

Best Production Design: 

I have to give this one to Barbie for the way it brought Barbie World to life in a way that made it so real and tangible. I think it deserves the win for that alone.   

That's it for me folks, there are a few other categories that I simply don't have predictions for. I haven't seen any of the short films or the documentaries so I don't really have any predictions there. We'll just have to see how right I turn out to be in a couple hours! 

Red, White and Royal Blue

 

When it was first announced that there was going to be a movie made from Casey McQuiston's novel, Red, White and Royal Blue, I was ecstatic. I had devoured the book over my summer vacation back in 2019 and was eager to see the film adaptation, hoping it held up to the highly enjoyable novel. I am pleased to be able to report it is as the film was one of the better romantic comedies I have seen in recent memory. 

Alex Claremont-Diaz (played by Taylor Zakhar Perez) is the son of United States President Ellen Claremont (played by Uma Thurman). He is sent to attend a Royal Wedding alongside his friend, and granddaughter of the Vice President, Nora Holleran (played by Rachel Hilson). During the reception, he gets into an argument with Prince Henry (played by Nicholas Galitzine) that results in them accidentally knocking over the towering wedding cake on top of the both of them. The incident is heavily photographed and makes headlines across the globe. Both Governments, fearing bad publicity, decide the best course of action is forcing Alex and Henry to pretend to be friends through a series of press interviews. After getting a chance to talk a bit, Alex and Henry are able to make peace over past perceived slights between the two and actually become friends for real. The two continue to bond over texts and emails between one another. While attending Alex's annual New Year's Eve party, it becomes clear to Henry that he likes Alex as more than a friend and makes a move to Alex's surprise. Initially surprised, Alex comes to realize he likes Henry as more than a friend too. As the romance grows between the two men as they meet up in secret, they find themselves realizing that the will need to figure out what they really mean to each other since both live extraordinarily public lives as well as what the consequences could be for those they care about, chiefly the British Crown and Alex's mom's re-election campaign.   

The film was directed by Matthew Lopez from a script he co-wrote with Ted Malawer. The film remains reasonably faithful to the source novel, with some understandable omissions to allow the film to fit neatly into a 120 minute runtime. They keep the film moving at a brisk pace as the romance between Henry and Alex front and center. The tone remains light and humorous through much of the film, with just enough sexiness to give the film a little edge (it certainly does earn its R rating, after all). Still, they do an adequate job of giving some real stakes to Alex and Henry's relationship and the obstacles they have to overcome in order to be together. The film boasts some gorgeous cinematography by Stephen Goldblatt to support the film. 

The cast is fantastic, starting with our two leads Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine. They have undeniable chemistry with each other that is palpable throughout the film. Perez does a great job capturing Alex's ambition and desires to be taken seriously by his mother's campaign staff. He also capture's Alex uncertainty as well as his recklessness and obliviousness when it comes to his relationship with Henry. Likewise, Galitzine does a great job conveying Henry's internal conflict between his love and desire to be with Alex and the duty he feels to the Crown. Sarah Shahi low-key steals the show as Zahra Bankston, Ellen's much put-upon Deputy Chief of Staff who finds it falls to her to fix the P.R disaster Alex and Henry create, as well as everything that comes from that. Rachel Hilson does well as Nora, Alex's best friend, and is a solid support for him. Uma Thurman is great as Ellen Claremont, capturing the more commanding side as someone who is President as well as the more maternal side when it's just her and Alex in the more heartfelt moments, all the while really sinking her teeth into a Texas accent the whole time. Stephen Fry does the most with one single scene as King James III, injecting some warmth and humanity into what could have been a very one note character in lesser hands.  

Overall, Red, White, and Royal Blue is one of the more delightful romantic comedies to come out in quite some time. The two leads have undeniable chemistry, the film is genuinely romantic and frequently very funny. Like any good Rom-Com, this will undoubtedly be one I watch many, many more times and honestly I can't think of higher praise for a movie than that.      

Favorite Movies of 2022

It's that time once again as I look back on the past year and reflect on the films I saw in the past year and determine which ones are my favorites. I don't do a Best Of List because that can be such a subjective term. Instead, I'm calling this list what it is: a list of movies that I genuinely loved that all came out in 2022 in no particular order. 

Everything Everywhere All At Once

This is one of the most inventive films I think I have ever seen. I was a fan of the directors Daniels from their previous film, Swiss Army Man, so I had high hopes for this one and they more than delivered. The film manages to mix genuine heartfelt drama with absurdist comedy perfectly while boasting some genuine and inventive creativity. The film also boasts a fantastic cast with great performances from Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis. 

The Menu

This film proved to be an expertly crafted, pitch black satire of haute cuisine and pretentious foodie culture. Ralph Fiennes gives a magnificent performance as Chef Julian Slowik who has prepared a memorable multi-course dinner for a group of select guests that grows more sinister as it goes on. With a plot filled with surprising twists, this film was a wild ride that I couldn't wait to experience again. 

The Fabelmans

It could be assumed that I would love Steven Spielberg's latest, but I was surprised just how much I adored this autobiographical film focusing on his family and youth as he first became interested in filmmaking. The resulting film is both heartfelt and perhaps more surprising, frequently pretty funny too. I was also not prepared on how much I would relate to this one, proving to be a rather emotional viewing for me. It's another one I am anxious to revisit. With great performances from a fantastic cast that includes Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Gabriel LaBelle, Seth Rogen and Judd Hirsch this was one I fell absolutely in love with. 

Glass Onion

Rian Johnson's follow up to Knives Out crafts a whole new mystery for his intrepid detective, Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig), to solve. Taking cues from Agatha Christie's Evil Under the Sun with a sun drenched beach side location and an all star cast that include the likes of Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kate Hudson, Jessica Henwicke, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom, Jr, and Kathryn Hahn having a blast playing an assortment of colorful characters that gather for a weekend Murder Mystery party that Benoit Blanc also gets an invitation to, a party that turns out to become all too deadly in real life. This one was a blast to watch from beginning to end with enough twists and turns to keep even the most jaded whodunnit fan entertained. 

Nope

I continue to be impressed by the films of Jordan Peele. His films are at once imaginative and entertaining while also provoking deep thoughts too. His latest is no different, taking a very unique spin on the UFO genre, focusing on a brother and sister OJ and Em Haywood (played by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) as they set out to capture photographic evidence of the UFO they have seen flying over their horse ranch outside Los Angeles, as well as the neighboring Wild West theme park run by former child star Ricky "Jupe" Park (played by Steven Yuen). Filled with humor and thrills, this one had me riveted to the screen from beginning to end. 

The Banshees of Inisherin

Easily one of the more unique movies of 2022 was this darkly comedic gem from Martin McDonagh that reunites Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who starred together previously in McDonagh's In Bruges. When folk musician Colm (played by Gleeson) decides he no longer wishes to be friends with Padraic (played by Farrell), this leaves Padraic devastated and confused. When he continues to pester his friend, Colm tells him that if Padraic doesn't leave him alone, he will cut off one of his fingers every time he bothers him and give it to him. With fantastic performances from Gleeson, Farrell and co-star Barry Keoghan, this was a unique and memorable film, beautifully shot against the gorgeous landscapes of Ireland. 

All Quiet on the Western Front

The latest adaptation of the classic novel by Erich Maria Remarque from director Edward Berger is one of the most intense, uncompromising, and devastating portraits of war I've seen. It also remains largely faithful to the source novel as it adheres to the themes of the futility of war, even as it expands on the novel by including the armistice efforts to end the war led by Matthias Erzberger (played by Daniel Bruhl) and therefore diverging from the central narrative following a young soldier, Paul (played by Felix Kammerer), as he goes from an idealistic young recruit to shattered and traumatized man just trying to survive the war. It also is, as near as I can tell, the only adaptation made in German with German filmmakers and a German cast, which just adds another layer of authenticity to the film.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

This one had a careful balancing act that it managed to pull off beautifully as it was at once both a loving tribute to Chadwick Boseman while also moving the story forward in an interesting and compelling way. The film has a real emotional weight to it as director Ryan Coogler and his cast lean into the very real grief they were no doubt really feeling at Boseman's tragic passing, weaving it throughout the film in a meaningful way. With great performances from Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett, as well as newcomer Tenoch Huerta as antagonist Namor, this one was one of the more satisfying Marvel movies in awhile.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Only someone like "Weird" Al Yankovic would make a movie about his life story that ends up being more of a parody of musical biopics. With a hilarious performance from Daniel Radcliffe in the title role, with Evan Rachel Wood equally hilarious as Madonna, this one diverges from the facts pretty quickly as it expertly parodies the various tropes of the genre. This one had plenty of hearty laughs from beginning to end. One demerit though for premiering on The Roku Channel and therefore being awkwardly broken up by several annoying commercial breaks. 

Top Gun: Maverick

Rumors of a sequel to the iconic 1986 film had swirled around for ages but never come to fruition until this past year. Made with care, this follow-up is every bit as good, if not better, than the original film as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (played by Tom Cruise) is called back to Top Gun to train a group of recruits for an extremely dangerous and nearly impossible mission (no pun intended) and in the process coming face to face with Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw (played by Miles Teller), the son of his late best friend, Goose. With stunning aerial photography and an emotionally resonate and suspenseful story, this one was superior blockbuster entertainment. I loved every minute, not realizing until then how much I had missed these sorts of action movies.  

Babylon

The latest from filmmaker Damien Chazelle is definitely not going to be for everyone. Chronicling the decadence and debauchery of the Golden Age of Hollywood leading up to the advent of "talkies." Moving at a breakneck pace as it tracks the lives of rising star Nellie LaRoy (played by Margot Robbie), Manny Torres (played by Diego Calva), movie star Jack Conrad (played by Brad Pitt), Lady Fay Zhu (played by Li Jun Li) and Jazz musician Sidney Palmer (played by Jovan Adepo) throughout this tumultuous time in Hollywood history, the film hardly stops to breathe as it blasts through it's three hour runtime. It is definitely one of the most memorable cinematic experiences in recent memory for me. 

Bros

This romantic comedy from writer/star Billy Eichner was a frequently hilarious and at times surprisingly heartfelt romantic comedy focusing on the opposites attract couple Bobby Lieber (played by Eichner) and Aaron Shepard (played by Luke Macfarlane). Filled with countless witty observations and genuinely funny scenes make this a refreshingly entertaining romantic comedy that I thoroughly enjoyed with a stacked cast made up almost entirely of LGBTQ actors.  

The Black Phone

The latest from from Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill was a fantastic adaptation of the short story of the same name by Joe Hill which they do a marvelous job of bringing to the screen. The film has style and atmosphere to spare as it centers on young teen Finney (played by Mason Thames) who has been kidnapped by a child murderer known as the Grabber (played by Ethan Hawke). He finds help from an unexpected source, the ghosts of his past victims, communicating with him through a old, broken kitchen phone that hangs on the wall in the basement he's being kept in. It was a memorable scary movie with thrills and real emotional gravitas, anchored by a great performance from Mason Thames and a genuinely scary turn from Ethan Hawke. 

Bullet Train

This movie was easily some of the most fun I had in the theater all year. The film follows an assortment of colorful characters, each an assassin on a different mission that intersect in unexpected ways on one particularly chaotic ride on the titular train. Filled with fantastic comedic flourishes and a great cast that includes Brad Pitt, Brian Tyree Henry, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Logan Lerman, Sandra Bullock, and Michael Shannon. This one was a blast from beginning to end. 

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

As a longtime fan of Nicolas Cage, I had a lot of fun with this one. There are not many actors a film like this would work with, but it certainly did with Cage, gamely playing an exaggerated version of himself who takes a gig to attend a rich fan's birthday party. He pairs well with Pedro Pascal, who fills his character with this warm, if slightly naïve, charm playing the aforementioned fan, Javi. Filled with meta humor about the mythos of Nicolas Cage and impressive action made this for one of the more unique movies of 2022.