REVIEWS: The Grinch and Bohemian Rhapsody

Courtesy of Universal

The Grinch
(Rated PG for brief rude humor.)

In an industry where studios crave name recognition over original ideas, yet another remake of Dr. Seuss’ beloved creation was inevitable. So, if it was going to happen anyway, I’m glad it was spearheaded by Illumination, the studio behind the Despicable Me franchise and The Secret Life of Pets. (Granted, they’re also responsible for the uninspired adaptation of Seuss’ The Lorax, but they seem to have learned from that mistake.)

Although I don’t think anyone would argue this version is necessary – not when Chuck Jones’ 1966 masterpiece still airs on television every holiday season – it’s far better than it has any right to be. The animation is beautiful, retaining Seuss’ iconic character design while adding depth and vivid color that is almost blinding at times. Screenwriters Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow, along with directors Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier, update the story for modern audiences and fill in some of the characters’ backstories in a way that doesn’t feel forced or designed to pad the running time.

They also don’t rely on lazy pop culture references or cheap gags about bodily functions. (I was certain one particular scene was going to end with an animal passing gas. When it didn’t happen, I wanted to applaud the movie’s restraint.) Instead, the jokes are almost entirely based on character development and sight gags. Plus, at just under 90 minutes, The Grinch is perfectly paced. In the screening my daughter and I attended, the credits started to roll almost exactly when younger kids in the audience start to get antsy.

Finally, the voice cast is top-notch. Benedict Cumberbatch brings complexity and nuance to the title character (although I’m not sure why he went with an American accent) and Cameron Seely is outstanding as Cindy Lou Who, avoiding the typical child actor quirks that generally annoy me. Kenan Thompson, however, steals the entire movie as a good-natured Who that mistakenly believes the Grinch is his best friend.

Again, there’s not a creative reason for this movie to exist. Any justification comes from a desire to make unimaginable sums of money by cashing in on name recognition and nostalgia. Still, considering the project’s less-than-idealistic origins, it could’ve been so much worse.

Grade: B

Bohemian Rhapsody 

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

(Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, suggestive material, drug content and language.)

A biopic focusing on one of the most iconic rock bands of the 20th century, Bohemian Rhapsody gives viewers a look into the creation of Queen and how charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) became the most recognizable member of the group. After a meteoric rise and some big stumbles late in their career, the band (whose other members are played by Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joe Mazzello) goes on to deliver one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music at Live Aid, a telethon that reached an audience of nearly two billion people across the globe.

Bohemian Rhapsody rises and falls (sadly, more on the latter in a moment) on two massive strengths. The first is Queen’s unbelievable music. They’ve been widely acknowledged as all-time greats for so long that I think many of us take them for granted. My eight-year-old daughter went with me to see the movie and, as a result, we’ve been blasting the band’s greatest hits nonstop for almost a week. It’s a welcome reminder of just how staggering their talent and success truly was.

Hearing the title track, “We Will Rock You,” “Under Pressure” and countless others blasting through massive speakers was a joyous event. I saw the film in a standard theater, but I’m already debating going back to experience it in IMAX for the sound alone.

The other huge selling point of Bohemian Rhapsody is Malek’s astonishing work as Mercury. He doesn’t simply portray or impersonate the late singer – he embodies him. It’s on the same level as Jamie Foxx playing Ray Charles and Joaquin Phoenix playing Johnny Cash. Based on the movie’s success at the box office last weekend, I imagine he’s well on his way to landing a Best Actor nomination and becoming a household name (although he already is for fans of the television series Mr. Robot.)

Unfortunately, everything else about Bohemian Rhapsody is shockingly lackluster. Director Bryan Singer was fired during production for not taking his job seriously (although he retains sole credit thanks to DGA arbitration), and it shows. The concerts scenes are clearly shot on poorly dressed sound stages, the climactic Live Aid sequence is full of hastily rendered, distracting visual effects and all the characters apart from Mercury wear laughable wigs and fake facial hair.

Large chunks of the film play like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (the criminally underrated 2007 satire of musical biopics starring John C. Reilly), except everyone’s taking it seriously instead of going for laughs. There’s literally a scene where Mike Myers, playing a cartoonishly evil record exec, stares directly into the camera as it slowly zooms in and says he’s looking for a song “teenagers can crank up the volume in their car and bang their heads to. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ will never be that song.” Then there’s a pause so the audience can go, “Oh! Like he did in Wayne’s World!”

Finally, my biggest gripe is how the film plays fast and loose with Queen’s actual history. I know that biopics aren’t documentaries, and that characters and chronology are often changed to heighten the stakes. Still almost all the changes in Anthony McCarten’s screenplay end up making Mercury look like the villain in the film’s third act. That’s all well and good for dramatic purposes, except he’s the only person in Queen who’s no longer around to defend himself. It’s not a good look.

Grade: C+

Also Available: Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 3

Courtesy of Disney-Pixar

(Not rated, but appropriate for all ages. Arriving on Blu-ray November 13.)

The latest collection of Pixar’s short films that run before their higher-profile features includes “Bao,” “Lou,” “Piper,” “Sanjay’s Super Team,” “Riley’s First Date?,” “Lava,” “The Radiator Springs 500½,” “Party Central,” “The Blue Umbrella,” “The Legend of Mor’du” and “Partysaurus Rex.” Some aim strictly for viewers’ funny bones while others seek to tug at their heartstrings.

The disc also includes special features like filmmaker commentaries and intros; two behind-the-scenes featurettes; and two bonus films – “Marine Life Interviews” and “Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool.”