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| Courtesy of Disney |
(Rated PG for some action violence, peril and frightening images.)
The cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson.
What it’s about: A live-action remake of Disney’s beloved animated classic, this update of the bookish Belle’s (Watson) courtship with a cursed prince (Stevens) – which begins with her imprisonment in his castle – adds depth and mythology to a story known for its relative simplicity. The enhancements are a mixed bag, frequently enhancing the narrative but sometimes just padding the running time.
The good: Thanks to director Bill Condon’s flair for gorgeous visuals, a strong screenplay (credited to Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos) and absolutely incredible casting, this retelling of Beauty and the Beast works far better than I expected it to. In terms of quality, it’s much closer to the success of Cinderella than Alice in Wonderland. The story’s classic songs, packed with nostalgia, are transformed into rousingly-staged musical numbers, “Belle” and “Gaston” the most successful among them.
Watson is perfect as Belle, bringing emotional complexity to the role that helps erase some of the previous version’s problematic elements. Here, her town views her as an outcast because she dares to enjoy reading and wants to be something more than a wife and mother. It’s a strong allusion to our current anti-intellectual climate.
The actress’ version of Belle also meets the Beast’s angry attitude with her own headstrong personality, and she falls in love with him because they bond over an enthusiasm for learning – not because she succumbs to Stockholm syndrome (which is how it seemed in both the animated version and the original fairy tale).
Evans and Gad are also fantastic in what might be career-best performances. Evans is full of arrogant vitality, bringing the cartoonish Gaston to life in realistic way while still playing up the character’s over-the-top villainy. Gad’s LeFou is far more three-dimensional, which allows him to acknowledge the consequences of his behavior and come to terms with the company he keeps. It’s one of my favorite additions to the story.
The not-so-good: At 129 minutes, the film is far too long. Condon could’ve packed far more emotional wallop into less time by trimming several unnecessary, forgettable new songs and subplots that don’t really contribute anything of significance. Sadly, some cast members’ decent performances are undercut by disconcerting CGI – especially the Beast and the castle’s various servants/furniture.
Grade: B+
Get Out
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| Courtesy of Universal |
(Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language including sexual references.)
The cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford.
What it’s about: Chris (Kaluuya) and Rose (Williams) are a young, interracial couple who have reached the “meeting the parents” stage in their relationship. She invites him to her wealthy family’s estate for the weekend, but Chris is hesitant when he learns she still hasn’t told them he’s black. She swears it’s not an issue and – for a while, at least – that appears to be the case. Her parents (Whitford and Keener) are cordial, if a bit awkwardly overcompensating. But, as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly bizarre situations lead Chris to a horrifying truth.
The good: We’re only three months into 2017, but Get Out is already a contender for my Top 10 in December. The biggest compliment I can pay writer-director Jordan Peele’s modern horror classic (yep, I said it) is that the movie’s so unsettling, so smart and so masterful at using humor to relieve tension that I’ve put off writing about it since I saw it a month ago.
That’s partly because the narrative – especially the insane third act – has so many layers that I’ve spent countless hours analyzing characters’ behavior and motivations, as well as marveling at how every tiny piece of the story links together to create an absolutely brilliant piece of social commentary. Also, I was worried my effusive praise would create expectations Get Out couldn’t live up to, but that’s already happening without my two cents.
I can’t believe this is Peele’s debut film. It’s gorgeously shot (with an assist from cinematographer Tony Oliver), perfectly cast and there’s not a single unnecessary scene. Kaluuya is a magnetic performer who’s destined for stardom, while Williams, Whitford and Keener utilize their typical screen personas to great effect.
Caleb Landry Jones is also a live wire as Rose’s scuzzball brother, evoking Kalifornia-era Brad Pitt. But the film’s not-so-secret weapon is comedian Lil Rel Howery, who plays Chris’ shrewd, hilarious friend and serves as the audience surrogate. He’s like a less annoying Randy from Scream.
I’m glad I saw Get Out at a local theater rather than the typical press screening. It’s one of the most enjoyable moviegoing experiences of my life. I didn’t even mind when the crowd broke into applause during the final scene, usually a huge pet peeve of mine. The cheers were completely earned and it served as a welcome cathartic moment.
The not-so-good: I’m just typing some words here so I’m not left with blank space. Get Out is darn near perfect genre filmmaking.
Grade: A
Personal Shopper
(Rated R for some language, sexuality, nudity and a bloody violent image. Now playing in limited release.)
The cast: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger and Nora von Waldstatten.
What it’s about: This art house ghost story focuses on Maureen (Stewart), a personal assistant to a high-maintenance actress (von Waldstatten). Most of her time is devoted to shopping for expensive clothing and solving the host of problems caused by her boss, but she’s also a spiritual medium grieving the death of her twin brother. She’s determined to make contact with him, so she spends her down time in his Paris home. When she begins to receive text messages from an unknown person, she wonders if this is her brother’s attempt to reach out.
The good: Stewart continues to pursue intriguing, offbeat choices in her post-Twilight career. Here, she reteams with Olivier Assayas (her Clouds of Sils Maria writer-director) and is honestly the only reason the film works. She’s fantastic as the grief-stricken Maureen, frozen at this point in her life until she can deal with the ramifications of her brother’s unexpected death.
She’s in practically every scene, most of which require her to convey powerful emotions with little or no dialogue. The film should go a long way toward silencing her detractors, who often claim (erroneously, in my opinion) her performances tend to be monotonous or robotic.
Assayas is good at keeping viewers on their toes, wondering if the supernatural elements of the story are metaphors or if there’s actually something to Maureen’s claim that she’s a conduit to the other side. There’s an argument to be made for both views, which should lead to some lively post-viewing debates.
The not-so-good: The methodical pace, odd tonal shifts and ambiguous ending will likely be deal-breakers for many viewers. But since those are often the standard in indie films, most people will know what they’re getting into.
Grade: B
The not-so-good: I’m just typing some words here so I’m not left with blank space. Get Out is darn near perfect genre filmmaking.
Grade: A
Personal Shopper
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| Courtesy of IFC |
(Rated R for some language, sexuality, nudity and a bloody violent image. Now playing in limited release.)
The cast: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger and Nora von Waldstatten.
What it’s about: This art house ghost story focuses on Maureen (Stewart), a personal assistant to a high-maintenance actress (von Waldstatten). Most of her time is devoted to shopping for expensive clothing and solving the host of problems caused by her boss, but she’s also a spiritual medium grieving the death of her twin brother. She’s determined to make contact with him, so she spends her down time in his Paris home. When she begins to receive text messages from an unknown person, she wonders if this is her brother’s attempt to reach out.
The good: Stewart continues to pursue intriguing, offbeat choices in her post-Twilight career. Here, she reteams with Olivier Assayas (her Clouds of Sils Maria writer-director) and is honestly the only reason the film works. She’s fantastic as the grief-stricken Maureen, frozen at this point in her life until she can deal with the ramifications of her brother’s unexpected death.
She’s in practically every scene, most of which require her to convey powerful emotions with little or no dialogue. The film should go a long way toward silencing her detractors, who often claim (erroneously, in my opinion) her performances tend to be monotonous or robotic.
Assayas is good at keeping viewers on their toes, wondering if the supernatural elements of the story are metaphors or if there’s actually something to Maureen’s claim that she’s a conduit to the other side. There’s an argument to be made for both views, which should lead to some lively post-viewing debates.
The not-so-good: The methodical pace, odd tonal shifts and ambiguous ending will likely be deal-breakers for many viewers. But since those are often the standard in indie films, most people will know what they’re getting into.
Grade: B
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