by Josh Sewell
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
(Rated R for violence and some language. Now available on HBO Max.)
The cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher.
What it’s about: After years of outcry from diehard Zack Snyder fans, HBO Max gave the filmmaker an opportunity to finish his version of 2017’s Justice League, which he stepped away from due to a family tragedy. The result is a four-hour epic that doesn’t change the overall plot of the original, but shades it with far more (some might argue too much) character building. Following the conclusion of 2016’s Batman v Superman, Bruce Wayne (Affleck) is determined to ensure the death of Superman (Cavill) was not in vain. He joins forces with Diana Prince (Gadot) to recruit a team of heroes – including Aquaman (Momoa), the Flash (Miller) and Cyborg (Fisher) – to protect the world from an extinction-level threat.
The good: While four hours is excessive, I appreciated Snyder (with some help by screenwriter Chris Terrio) taking the time to course-correct his version of these iconic superheroes. Man of Steel and Batman v Superman did the beloved Kryptonian dirty, particularly with the director’s Randian interpretation of the character and the dour, grimdark tone.
The new cut of Justice League doesn’t totally erase the past, but I was surprised to find myself far more invested in these characters than I was in Snyder’s previous films. It takes a long time to get to the third act, but it’s worth it to see these heroes in battle together. Superman eventually seems like himself.
Unquestionably the best change is that Fisher gets far more to do. Cyborg is essential to the story rather than a living computer that only exists to help the more famous heroes, which made me realize how much Joss Whedon’s previous version squandered him. Believe it or not, Miller’s comedic performance is also utilized far better here.
The not-so-good: The film likely won’t do much to convert those who aren’t fans of Snyder’s take on the characters, although it mostly worked for me. Four hours is a long, long time to hang out in the world of a filmmaker who has already burned audiences twice before. There are also still lots of laughably dour moments in the first hour, although they eventually fade away.
The goodwill built up by the terrific third act battle is quickly squandered in the final moments. I have no idea why there are more endings than Return of the King, or why Snyder spends so much time setting up a future sequel we’re never going to see. The DC universe has already moved on without him.
Grade: B-
The Courier
(Rated PG-13 for violence, partial nudity, brief strong language and smoking throughout. Opens in select theaters March 19.)
The cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan, Angus Wright and Jessie Buckley.
What it’s about: Based on a true story, this spy thriller focuses on Greville Wynne (Cumberbatch), an everyday British businessman who is recruited by operatives from MI-6 (Wright) and the CIA (Brosnahan) to forge a partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Ninidze) at the height of the Cold War. Through their covert efforts, the duo provides crucial info needed to defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The good: I love it when a movie that isn’t on my radar comes out of nowhere to surprise me. That’s precisely what happened with The Courier, Dominic Cooke’s solid espionage tale, which is essentially a British take on Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. Tom O’Connor’s screenplay covers similar ground and has the same “dad movie” energy.
I knew nothing about Wynne or his exploits beforehand, so every new development drew me further into the narrative. Then, when I assumed I knew what was coming, the last half-hour completely upended my expectations.
The two stellar performances at the heart of The Courier help drive home the film’s more emotional moments. Cumberbatch is terrific as Wynne – no surprise since the character is in his wheelhouse – but Ninidze is equally compelling as the complex Penkovsky. Brosnahan and Buckley (who plays Wyne’s wife) are solid as well. I was also impressed by Suzie Davies’ production design.
The not-so-good: The Courier doesn’t really do anything to rise above its standard spy thriller trappings, but I’m not complaining. Sometimes it’s just fun to see a filmmaker and actors shine in a familiar genre.
Grade: B+
Blu-ray Review: News of the World
(Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, thematic material and some language. Available March 23.)
The cast: Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel.
What it’s about: After the Civil War, veteran Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks) earns a living by traveling the country to share the day’s news with townspeople. While making his way across Texas, he crosses paths Johanna (Zengel), a 10-year-old girl taken from her family as a toddler and raised by the Kiowa people. Since she’s alone in a world she doesn’t understand and without a way to communicate, Kidd decides to escort her hundreds of miles across dangerous territory.
The good: Hanks reunites with his Captain Phillips director Paul Greengrass, although News of the World is a departure from most of the filmmaker’s previous work. It’s the most conventional movie he’s ever made, tackling current issues with a healthy dose of sentimentality. The last 10 minutes sucker-punched me in the heart. I didn’t even realize I was crying until I felt the tears on my cheeks.
Hanks is excellent as always, but the surprise here is young Zengel, whose performance is mostly conveyed through facial expressions and body language. Their scenes together have a slow build that really pays off in the final act. But if you think Greengrass has become a total softie, there’s also a harrowing extended shootout sequence that reminded me he’s still the guy who made the Bourne movies.
The not-so-good: News of the World was one of last year’s most underrated films. Sadly, most people didn’t get a chance to see it on the big screen because of the pandemic, but it’s sure to find a renewed life when it hits stores next week. It’s a fairly conventional western, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing for fans of the genre.
Special features: Audio commentary with Greengrass; deleted scenes; and four behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Contest: Universal is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a copy of News of the World on Blu-ray. To enter, simply e-mail joshsewell81@gmail.com and put NEWS OF THE WORLD GIVEAWAY in the subject line. In the body of the message, tell me your favorite Tom Hanks movie and provide your name, mailing address and phone number. Over the weekend, I'll select a winner at random.
Grade: B+
Also available on Blu-ray and DVD: Antigone, a modern retelling of Sophocles’ tragedy centered on an Algerian-born teenage girl living in Montreal with her immigrant family. When her oldest brother is wrongfully gunned down by police during the arrest of her other brother, she devises a plan to free him. As the consequences of Antigone’s actions spiral out of control, writer-director Sophie Deraspe delves into contemporary issues including immigration, social media, identity and the power of idealism.
(Rated R for violence and some language. Now available on HBO Max.)
The cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher.
What it’s about: After years of outcry from diehard Zack Snyder fans, HBO Max gave the filmmaker an opportunity to finish his version of 2017’s Justice League, which he stepped away from due to a family tragedy. The result is a four-hour epic that doesn’t change the overall plot of the original, but shades it with far more (some might argue too much) character building. Following the conclusion of 2016’s Batman v Superman, Bruce Wayne (Affleck) is determined to ensure the death of Superman (Cavill) was not in vain. He joins forces with Diana Prince (Gadot) to recruit a team of heroes – including Aquaman (Momoa), the Flash (Miller) and Cyborg (Fisher) – to protect the world from an extinction-level threat.
The good: While four hours is excessive, I appreciated Snyder (with some help by screenwriter Chris Terrio) taking the time to course-correct his version of these iconic superheroes. Man of Steel and Batman v Superman did the beloved Kryptonian dirty, particularly with the director’s Randian interpretation of the character and the dour, grimdark tone.
The new cut of Justice League doesn’t totally erase the past, but I was surprised to find myself far more invested in these characters than I was in Snyder’s previous films. It takes a long time to get to the third act, but it’s worth it to see these heroes in battle together. Superman eventually seems like himself.
Unquestionably the best change is that Fisher gets far more to do. Cyborg is essential to the story rather than a living computer that only exists to help the more famous heroes, which made me realize how much Joss Whedon’s previous version squandered him. Believe it or not, Miller’s comedic performance is also utilized far better here.
The not-so-good: The film likely won’t do much to convert those who aren’t fans of Snyder’s take on the characters, although it mostly worked for me. Four hours is a long, long time to hang out in the world of a filmmaker who has already burned audiences twice before. There are also still lots of laughably dour moments in the first hour, although they eventually fade away.
The goodwill built up by the terrific third act battle is quickly squandered in the final moments. I have no idea why there are more endings than Return of the King, or why Snyder spends so much time setting up a future sequel we’re never going to see. The DC universe has already moved on without him.
Grade: B-
(Rated PG-13 for violence, partial nudity, brief strong language and smoking throughout. Opens in select theaters March 19.)
The cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan, Angus Wright and Jessie Buckley.
What it’s about: Based on a true story, this spy thriller focuses on Greville Wynne (Cumberbatch), an everyday British businessman who is recruited by operatives from MI-6 (Wright) and the CIA (Brosnahan) to forge a partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Ninidze) at the height of the Cold War. Through their covert efforts, the duo provides crucial info needed to defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The good: I love it when a movie that isn’t on my radar comes out of nowhere to surprise me. That’s precisely what happened with The Courier, Dominic Cooke’s solid espionage tale, which is essentially a British take on Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. Tom O’Connor’s screenplay covers similar ground and has the same “dad movie” energy.
I knew nothing about Wynne or his exploits beforehand, so every new development drew me further into the narrative. Then, when I assumed I knew what was coming, the last half-hour completely upended my expectations.
The two stellar performances at the heart of The Courier help drive home the film’s more emotional moments. Cumberbatch is terrific as Wynne – no surprise since the character is in his wheelhouse – but Ninidze is equally compelling as the complex Penkovsky. Brosnahan and Buckley (who plays Wyne’s wife) are solid as well. I was also impressed by Suzie Davies’ production design.
The not-so-good: The Courier doesn’t really do anything to rise above its standard spy thriller trappings, but I’m not complaining. Sometimes it’s just fun to see a filmmaker and actors shine in a familiar genre.
Grade: B+
(Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, thematic material and some language. Available March 23.)
The cast: Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel.
What it’s about: After the Civil War, veteran Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks) earns a living by traveling the country to share the day’s news with townspeople. While making his way across Texas, he crosses paths Johanna (Zengel), a 10-year-old girl taken from her family as a toddler and raised by the Kiowa people. Since she’s alone in a world she doesn’t understand and without a way to communicate, Kidd decides to escort her hundreds of miles across dangerous territory.
The good: Hanks reunites with his Captain Phillips director Paul Greengrass, although News of the World is a departure from most of the filmmaker’s previous work. It’s the most conventional movie he’s ever made, tackling current issues with a healthy dose of sentimentality. The last 10 minutes sucker-punched me in the heart. I didn’t even realize I was crying until I felt the tears on my cheeks.
Hanks is excellent as always, but the surprise here is young Zengel, whose performance is mostly conveyed through facial expressions and body language. Their scenes together have a slow build that really pays off in the final act. But if you think Greengrass has become a total softie, there’s also a harrowing extended shootout sequence that reminded me he’s still the guy who made the Bourne movies.
The not-so-good: News of the World was one of last year’s most underrated films. Sadly, most people didn’t get a chance to see it on the big screen because of the pandemic, but it’s sure to find a renewed life when it hits stores next week. It’s a fairly conventional western, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing for fans of the genre.
Special features: Audio commentary with Greengrass; deleted scenes; and four behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Contest: Universal is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a copy of News of the World on Blu-ray. To enter, simply e-mail joshsewell81@gmail.com and put NEWS OF THE WORLD GIVEAWAY in the subject line. In the body of the message, tell me your favorite Tom Hanks movie and provide your name, mailing address and phone number. Over the weekend, I'll select a winner at random.
Grade: B+
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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