by Josh Sewell
The Call of the Wild
(Rated PG for some violence, peril, thematic elements and mild language.)
The cast: Harrison Ford, Terry Notary, Omar Sy, Dan Stevens, Karen Gillan and Bradley Whitford.
What it’s about: Based on Jack London’s classic novel, this live action/CGI hybrid introduces a new generation of viewers to Buck (Notary, via motion capture), a friendly, hulking dog whose spoiled life as a wealthy family’s pet is shattered when he’s abducted and transported to the frozen Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s.
The good: The Call of the Wild is a surprisingly effective adaptation of the source material, updated for the modern era by changing some of the story’s problematic elements that wouldn’t fly today. Directed by Chris Sanders (working from Michael Green’s screenplay), who brings his expertise from the animation world to a slightly heightened version of reality that still establishes life-or-death stakes, this ends up being a strong family film despite some of its flaws.
Ford, who plays John Thornton (Buck’s final companion), is the best he’s been in a while. Audiences have grown accustomed to the actor sleepwalking through many of his roles, but he’s fully invested here. Thornton is coping with the death of his son and the end of his marriage, so viewers see a deeply wounded man who’s on the verge of giving up because of the pain.
When Buck comes into his life, Ford sells Thornton’s transformation. The spark returns to his eyes and he’s happy to find some form of love again. As for Buck, Notary utilizes his recent experience working on Matt Reeves’ Planet of the Apes trilogy to instill the canine with recognizably human characteristics. While his CGI creation doesn’t entirely work, Notary overcomes some design flaws to make Buck a far more convincing character than he might’ve been with a lesser performer.
The not-so-good: I understand that the dangers inherent in filmmaking necessitated using CGI and motion capture to create Buck, rather than filming with actual animals. But the finished product lives somewhere in the uncanny valley between cartoon and realistic dogs. I got used to it after a while (I don’t know if the effects got better halfway through or if I just acclimated), but it’s enough to take viewers out of the movie for a while.
Grade: B
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
(Rated R for some nudity and sexuality. Now playing in limited release.)
The cast: Noemie Merlant, Adele Haenel, Valeria Golino and Luana Bajrami.
What it’s about: In 18th century France, young artist Marianne (Merlant), is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Haenel) without her knowledge. Therefore, Marianne must observe her by day and paint from memory at night. Over the next few days, the two women become intimately close, but time is short since Héloïse's marriage is approaching.
The good: Although it won’t open locally, I urge you to keep this deeply moving French romance on your radar. Yes, you can wait until it hits VOD and Blu-ray in a couple of months, but the lovely, poignant story and Claire Mathon’s stunning cinematography make Portrait of a Lady on Fire worth the drive to Atlanta to experience it on the big screen.
On paper, the film sounds like the epitome of pretentious awards bait. However, writer/director Celine Sciamma’s film is far more complex and engaging than the simplistic description above. The chemistry between Merlant and Haenel is scorching (no pun intended), their relationship slowly building to an emotionally devastating finale. It makes hanging in there through the methodical pacing a solid investment.
The not-so-good: Nothing at all. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is darn near perfect, which is why it was on my Top 10 list last year. I can’t believe it didn’t make more of an impression during awards season. It missed the Best International Film category at the Oscars because France chose Les Misérables as the country’s selection instead. It would’ve ended up losing to Parasite regardless, but it should’ve also been considered for Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Best Director at the very least.
Grade: A
Blu-ray Review: Frozen II
(Rated PG for action/peril and some thematic elements. Available on February 25.)
The cast: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff.
What it’s about: This sequel provides insight into the origin of Queen Elsa’s (Menzel) magical powers, as she begins to hear an eerie sound calling to her from an enchanted forest. When events threaten the kingdom of Arendelle, Elsa and her sister Anna (Bell), along with ice harvester Kristoff (Groff), reindeer Sven and adorable snowman Olaf (Gad), set out on a dangerous journey to set things right.
The good: After a sluggish start, the story picks up once the gang embarks on their big quest. The animation is gorgeous, and I like that screenwriter Jennifer Lee (who co-directs with Chris Buck) doesn’t rely on a traditional villain. Instead, the “antagonists” are relatable fears of the future and changing your worldview when presented with painful new information.
The returning cast is still fantastic, maintaining the camaraderie that made the original Frozen so special. Bell and Menzel get plenty more opportunities to sing and their chemistry remains the strong foundation upon which these films are built. The bond between Anna and Elsa has been quietly revolutionary for Disney, proving that “true love” isn’t limited to romantic relationships with Prince Charming.
However, the MVP of Frozen II is Olaf. The childlike snowman serves as the audience surrogate here. Like the kids watching, he has aged between films, growing more mature and asking questions about complex subjects that don’t have easy answers. As such, Gad’s commendable performance has subtly changed to match Olaf’s evolution.
The not-so-good: Strangely enough, the songs are a little disappointing this time around. They’re not awful by any stretch – returning songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez craft complex melodies with emotionally resonant themes. But none of them are particularly memorable.
Frozen II goes to some narratively dark places, but it ultimately lacks the courage of its convictions. There’s a sense of inevitability to the proceedings, but it pulls its punch right at the end. I guess a somewhat dark conclusion isn’t an option when Disney still needs to sell billions of dollars in merchandise and a potential third installment.
Special features: Sing-along version; outtakes; deleted scenes; deleted songs; “Did You Know????” featurette; music videos; and more.
Grade: B
The Call of the Wild
 |
| Courtesy of 20th Century Studios |
(Rated PG for some violence, peril, thematic elements and mild language.)
The cast: Harrison Ford, Terry Notary, Omar Sy, Dan Stevens, Karen Gillan and Bradley Whitford.
What it’s about: Based on Jack London’s classic novel, this live action/CGI hybrid introduces a new generation of viewers to Buck (Notary, via motion capture), a friendly, hulking dog whose spoiled life as a wealthy family’s pet is shattered when he’s abducted and transported to the frozen Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s.
The good: The Call of the Wild is a surprisingly effective adaptation of the source material, updated for the modern era by changing some of the story’s problematic elements that wouldn’t fly today. Directed by Chris Sanders (working from Michael Green’s screenplay), who brings his expertise from the animation world to a slightly heightened version of reality that still establishes life-or-death stakes, this ends up being a strong family film despite some of its flaws.
Ford, who plays John Thornton (Buck’s final companion), is the best he’s been in a while. Audiences have grown accustomed to the actor sleepwalking through many of his roles, but he’s fully invested here. Thornton is coping with the death of his son and the end of his marriage, so viewers see a deeply wounded man who’s on the verge of giving up because of the pain.
When Buck comes into his life, Ford sells Thornton’s transformation. The spark returns to his eyes and he’s happy to find some form of love again. As for Buck, Notary utilizes his recent experience working on Matt Reeves’ Planet of the Apes trilogy to instill the canine with recognizably human characteristics. While his CGI creation doesn’t entirely work, Notary overcomes some design flaws to make Buck a far more convincing character than he might’ve been with a lesser performer.
The not-so-good: I understand that the dangers inherent in filmmaking necessitated using CGI and motion capture to create Buck, rather than filming with actual animals. But the finished product lives somewhere in the uncanny valley between cartoon and realistic dogs. I got used to it after a while (I don’t know if the effects got better halfway through or if I just acclimated), but it’s enough to take viewers out of the movie for a while.
Grade: B
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
 |
| Courtesy of Neon |
(Rated R for some nudity and sexuality. Now playing in limited release.)
The cast: Noemie Merlant, Adele Haenel, Valeria Golino and Luana Bajrami.
What it’s about: In 18th century France, young artist Marianne (Merlant), is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Haenel) without her knowledge. Therefore, Marianne must observe her by day and paint from memory at night. Over the next few days, the two women become intimately close, but time is short since Héloïse's marriage is approaching.
The good: Although it won’t open locally, I urge you to keep this deeply moving French romance on your radar. Yes, you can wait until it hits VOD and Blu-ray in a couple of months, but the lovely, poignant story and Claire Mathon’s stunning cinematography make Portrait of a Lady on Fire worth the drive to Atlanta to experience it on the big screen.
On paper, the film sounds like the epitome of pretentious awards bait. However, writer/director Celine Sciamma’s film is far more complex and engaging than the simplistic description above. The chemistry between Merlant and Haenel is scorching (no pun intended), their relationship slowly building to an emotionally devastating finale. It makes hanging in there through the methodical pacing a solid investment.
The not-so-good: Nothing at all. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is darn near perfect, which is why it was on my Top 10 list last year. I can’t believe it didn’t make more of an impression during awards season. It missed the Best International Film category at the Oscars because France chose Les Misérables as the country’s selection instead. It would’ve ended up losing to Parasite regardless, but it should’ve also been considered for Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Best Director at the very least.
Grade: A
Blu-ray Review: Frozen II
 |
| Courtesy of Disney |
(Rated PG for action/peril and some thematic elements. Available on February 25.)
The cast: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff.
What it’s about: This sequel provides insight into the origin of Queen Elsa’s (Menzel) magical powers, as she begins to hear an eerie sound calling to her from an enchanted forest. When events threaten the kingdom of Arendelle, Elsa and her sister Anna (Bell), along with ice harvester Kristoff (Groff), reindeer Sven and adorable snowman Olaf (Gad), set out on a dangerous journey to set things right.
The good: After a sluggish start, the story picks up once the gang embarks on their big quest. The animation is gorgeous, and I like that screenwriter Jennifer Lee (who co-directs with Chris Buck) doesn’t rely on a traditional villain. Instead, the “antagonists” are relatable fears of the future and changing your worldview when presented with painful new information.
The returning cast is still fantastic, maintaining the camaraderie that made the original Frozen so special. Bell and Menzel get plenty more opportunities to sing and their chemistry remains the strong foundation upon which these films are built. The bond between Anna and Elsa has been quietly revolutionary for Disney, proving that “true love” isn’t limited to romantic relationships with Prince Charming.
However, the MVP of Frozen II is Olaf. The childlike snowman serves as the audience surrogate here. Like the kids watching, he has aged between films, growing more mature and asking questions about complex subjects that don’t have easy answers. As such, Gad’s commendable performance has subtly changed to match Olaf’s evolution.
The not-so-good: Strangely enough, the songs are a little disappointing this time around. They’re not awful by any stretch – returning songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez craft complex melodies with emotionally resonant themes. But none of them are particularly memorable.
Frozen II goes to some narratively dark places, but it ultimately lacks the courage of its convictions. There’s a sense of inevitability to the proceedings, but it pulls its punch right at the end. I guess a somewhat dark conclusion isn’t an option when Disney still needs to sell billions of dollars in merchandise and a potential third installment.
Special features: Sing-along version; outtakes; deleted scenes; deleted songs; “Did You Know????” featurette; music videos; and more.
Grade: B
Comments
Post a Comment