HOLIDAY AVALANCHE: Quick Takes on The Aeronauts, Marriage Story, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Ford v Ferrari, and Jojo Rabbit

Courtesy of Amazon

The Aeronauts
(Rated PG-13 for some peril and thematic elements. Opens Friday exclusively at Atlanta’s Midtown Art, available on Amazon Prime starting Dec. 20.)

The cast: Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne.

What it’s about: In 1862, meteorologist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) teams up with hot air balloon pilot Amelia Rennes (Felicity Jones) to research weather patterns and attempt to fly higher than anyone in history.

Quick take: This enjoyable, yet ultimately lightweight drama boasts a strong lead performance from Jones (reteaming with her Theory of Everything co-star Redmayne, who plays the same character he always does), as well as commendable visual effects and cinematography. However, those strong points are undercut by some jarring missteps.

First, although the film is being sold as a true story, Jones’ character is completely fictional, serving as a composite for several real-life male figures. It’s a weird narrative decision. Second, the aspects that make the movie visually compelling (storybook-style flourishes, high stakes drama thousands of feet in the air) work best on the big screen, where it will only play for a couple of weeks. The Aeronauts will probably be far less striking on television, where most viewers will eventually watch it.

Grade: B-

Marriage Story

Courtesy of Netflix

(Rated R for language throughout and sexual references. Now playing in limited release, available on Netflix beginning Dec. 6)

The cast: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Ray Liotta and Alan Alda.

What it’s about: Theater director Charlie (Driver) and actress Nicole (Johansson) decide to end their rocky marriage after she gets the chance to move to Los Angeles and star in a television series. The process begins amicably, but when Nicole hires a high-powered lawyer (Dern), Charlie retaliates by hiring attorneys of his own (first the grandfatherly Alda and then a shark played by Liotta).

Quick take: Filmmaker Noah Baumbach’s searing drama isn’t an easy watch by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s far less bleak I was expecting. It’s certainly a realistic look at a crumbling marriage, yet I emerged on the other side believing these emotionally and psychologically devastated characters were on the road to healing. Driver is outstanding and Johansson matches both his intensity and vulnerability. But it’s Dern, as Nicole’s take-no-prisoners attorney who is the movie’s most obvious shot at Oscar glory. I don’t see how she loses Best Supporting Actress.

Grade: B+

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Courtesy of Sony

(Rated PG for some strong thematic material, a brief fight, and some mild language.)

The cast: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper and Susan Kelechi Watson.

What it’s about: Inspired by a true story, children’s show host Fred Rogers (Hanks) bonds with a cynical journalist (Rhys) tasked with writing a profile of the beloved figure. He initially believes Rogers is too good to be true, but he soon learns valuable lessons about empathy and forgiveness.

Quick Take: This film was practically designed in a lab to make viewers cry, but director Marielle Heller (working from a screenplay by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster) ensures that the tone doesn’t feel manipulative. Still, it’s probably not the movie most viewers are expecting. For starters, Hanks isn’t the central focus. Instead, he serves as a therapist of sorts to Rhys’ fictional reporter.

The movie itself is framed like an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood, frequently going to surreal places. I thought it was a bold narrative choice, but those looking for a more conventional biopic might disagree. I just hope Hanks can squeeze into the highly competitive Best Supporting Actor field this year. He hasn’t been nominated for an Oscar since 2000’s Cast Away, which is simply unacceptable.

Grade: B

Ford v Ferrari

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

(Rated PG-13 for some language and peril.)

The cast: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Noah Jupe, Catriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, Tracy Letts and Ray McKinnon.

What it’s about: In 1966, ambitious car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and volatile driver Ken Miles (Bale) set out to build a Ford capable of challenging the seemingly unbeatable Enzo Ferrari, whose automobiles have long-dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Along the way, they battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons.

Quick Take: James Mangold (the director who also gave us Logan and Walk the Line) has crafted what might just be the ultimate “dad movie.” It’s about stoic, macho men in the 1960s designing cars and takes place during a time when America actually built things, rather than outsourcing them to maximize shareholder profits.

It’s the sort of breezy drama destined to play on TNT forever, which will immediately grab you while you’re channel surfing. That might sound snarky, but I mean it as a compliment. Damon and Bale are fantastic, exhibiting an easygoing chemistry that doesn’t seem forced, and they’re supported by a staggering number of awesome character actors. The racing scenes are thrilling, while the screenplay is funny, intelligent and sneakily emotional. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour movie that feels like 90 minutes. The thing flies by like its titular automobiles

Grade: A-

Jojo Rabbit

Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

(Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, violence, and language.)

The cast: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Taika Waititi, Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson.

What it’s about: This World War II satire centers on Jojo (Davis), a lonely German boy whose Nazi-influenced worldview is shattered when he discovers that his single mother (Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (McKenzie) in their walls. Torn between the love of a parent and the persuasive ramblings of his imaginary friend – an idiotic caricature of Adolf Hitler (Waititi, also wrote and directed) – Jojo must confront his blind nationalism and see the world for how it really looks, not what he’s been ordered to believe.

Quick Take: A comedy about a kid whose imaginary friend is Hitler is a tough sell for any filmmaker who isn’t Mel Brooks. Fortunately, Waititi has a track record that proves he’s up to the challenge. His previous films like Thor: Ragnarok and Hunt for the Wilderpeople prove he can balance humor and heart.

Waititi also doesn’t disrespect the real-life history behind the movie. The first hour or so focuses on Jojo’s blissful ignorance, how he can swallow Nazi propaganda when the evidence around him constantly proves it’s bullshit. But the real world eventually hits Jojo hard. I went from laughing every few minutes to constantly brushing away tears, and Waititi makes the transition feel effortless.

The entire cast is outstanding, but any time Davis shares a scene with Johansson or McKenzie, the movie is on a whole different level. I also love that Waititi – who is of Maori and Jewish descent – cast himself as Hitler. It’s the ultimate middle finger to such an evil man.

Grade: A-