by Josh Sewell
Nickel Boys
(Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving racism, some strong language including racial slurs, violent content and smoking. Opens in select theaters on January 10 and expands in the coming weeks.)
The premise: Based on Colson Whitehead’s 2019 novel (winner of the Pulitzer Prize), this innovative, poignant drama chronicles the friendship between Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson), two Black teenagers stuck in Nickel Academy – a horrific Florida reform school – during the Civil Rights era.
The verdict: RaMell Ross, director and co-writer (along with Joslyn Barnes), has crafted one of 2024’s best films. Admittedly, the weight and impact of Nickel Boys didn’t fully hit me right away because it treads similar narrative ground to countless other heartbreaking narratives. However, I couldn’t shake the movie for days after I saw it.
The more I thought about the film, the more I admired its audacity and compassion. I was also floored by the innovative way it shifts the audience’s perception of these characters and the world they’re trapped in, with a massive assist from Jomo Fray’s stunning cinematography. The cast is phenomenal across the board – not just Herisse and Wilson, but also Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Daveed Diggs, Hamish Linklater and Fred Hechinger.
Grade: A-
Better Man
(Rated R for drug use, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some violent content. Opens in theaters on January 10.)
The premise: A musical biopic that unabashedly embraces the genre’s many clichés, Better Man chronicles the rise, fall, and resurgence of British pop star Robbie Williams. What makes the movie stand out from similar fare like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman is that Williams is portrayed as a Planet of the Apes-style CGI monkey.
The verdict: The divisive conceit of Better Man is literalizing the trope that entertainers are basically glorified circus performers (aka “dancing monkeys”). It’s jarring to be sure, but once you realize the movie is playing it totally straight – never joking about it or winking at the audience – you’ll either roll with it or quickly decide it’s not for you.
The motion capture animation is surprisingly effective, the songs are pretty good and director Michael Gracey (best known for the vastly superior The Greatest Showman) keeps things visually interesting despite the paint-by-numbers screenplay. Unfortunately, because the film is far too long at 134 minutes, it runs out of gas well before the end credits.
Grade: C+
Hard Truths
(Rated R for language. Opens in select theaters on January 10 and expands in the coming weeks.)
The premise: The latest from acclaimed British filmmaker Mike Leigh is a family dramedy centered on the bitter, deeply angry Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, simply incredible), who takes out her traumas and anxieties on those closest to her. That includes her emotionally exhausted husband (David Webber) and son (Tuwaine Barrett), as well as her easygoing, immensely patient younger sister (Michele Austin).
The verdict: Although Hard Truths revolves around an immensely unlikable protagonist, Leigh’s writing and Jean-Baptiste’s performance (which should earn her a Best Actress nomination) makes her endlessly fascinating and worthy of examination. I imagine many viewers might even identify with her more than they’d care to admit. The supporting cast is equally compelling, especially Austin.
The film’s best scenes are when the two square off against each other. Although it’s never explicitly discussed, it’s clear both characters experienced trauma in their childhood that shaped the very different women they became. Leigh knows there are no easy answers or trite happy endings for them. Instead, he’s content to simply let all the characters’ words, actions and body language – even when they contradict – speak for themselves.
Grade: A-
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
(Rated PG-13 for disturbing violent content, bloody images, thematic content, some language and smoking. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: Shot entirely in secret, writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof’s controversial thriller centers on a family thrust into the harsh spotlight when a government official (Missagh Zareh) is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political protests and police crackdowns erupt, he becomes increasingly distrustful, fracturing his relationship with his wife (Soheila Golestani) and daughters (Setareh Maleki and Mahsa Rostami).
The verdict: At nearly three hours, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is always tense, gripping and rage-inducing. Rasoulof has crafted a passionate, political story that hits so close to home – often with real-life footage taken from social media – that Iran’s autocratic government sentenced him to flogging and eight years in prison. He and several other crew members escaped to Europe, where they still live in exile. (The film is Germany’s submission for the Best International Feature Oscar.)
The family at the narrative’s center metaphorically serves as a micro version of the nation’s macro political landscape – a world in which repressive, misogynistic attitudes slowly infect everyone and make their lives worse. While never an easy watch, it’s unquestionably an important one – particularly as our own country’s political landscape shifts dramatically.
Grade: B+
(Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving racism, some strong language including racial slurs, violent content and smoking. Opens in select theaters on January 10 and expands in the coming weeks.)
The premise: Based on Colson Whitehead’s 2019 novel (winner of the Pulitzer Prize), this innovative, poignant drama chronicles the friendship between Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson), two Black teenagers stuck in Nickel Academy – a horrific Florida reform school – during the Civil Rights era.
The verdict: RaMell Ross, director and co-writer (along with Joslyn Barnes), has crafted one of 2024’s best films. Admittedly, the weight and impact of Nickel Boys didn’t fully hit me right away because it treads similar narrative ground to countless other heartbreaking narratives. However, I couldn’t shake the movie for days after I saw it.
The more I thought about the film, the more I admired its audacity and compassion. I was also floored by the innovative way it shifts the audience’s perception of these characters and the world they’re trapped in, with a massive assist from Jomo Fray’s stunning cinematography. The cast is phenomenal across the board – not just Herisse and Wilson, but also Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Daveed Diggs, Hamish Linklater and Fred Hechinger.
Grade: A-
(Rated R for drug use, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some violent content. Opens in theaters on January 10.)
The premise: A musical biopic that unabashedly embraces the genre’s many clichés, Better Man chronicles the rise, fall, and resurgence of British pop star Robbie Williams. What makes the movie stand out from similar fare like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman is that Williams is portrayed as a Planet of the Apes-style CGI monkey.
The verdict: The divisive conceit of Better Man is literalizing the trope that entertainers are basically glorified circus performers (aka “dancing monkeys”). It’s jarring to be sure, but once you realize the movie is playing it totally straight – never joking about it or winking at the audience – you’ll either roll with it or quickly decide it’s not for you.
The motion capture animation is surprisingly effective, the songs are pretty good and director Michael Gracey (best known for the vastly superior The Greatest Showman) keeps things visually interesting despite the paint-by-numbers screenplay. Unfortunately, because the film is far too long at 134 minutes, it runs out of gas well before the end credits.
Grade: C+
(Rated R for language. Opens in select theaters on January 10 and expands in the coming weeks.)
The premise: The latest from acclaimed British filmmaker Mike Leigh is a family dramedy centered on the bitter, deeply angry Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, simply incredible), who takes out her traumas and anxieties on those closest to her. That includes her emotionally exhausted husband (David Webber) and son (Tuwaine Barrett), as well as her easygoing, immensely patient younger sister (Michele Austin).
The verdict: Although Hard Truths revolves around an immensely unlikable protagonist, Leigh’s writing and Jean-Baptiste’s performance (which should earn her a Best Actress nomination) makes her endlessly fascinating and worthy of examination. I imagine many viewers might even identify with her more than they’d care to admit. The supporting cast is equally compelling, especially Austin.
The film’s best scenes are when the two square off against each other. Although it’s never explicitly discussed, it’s clear both characters experienced trauma in their childhood that shaped the very different women they became. Leigh knows there are no easy answers or trite happy endings for them. Instead, he’s content to simply let all the characters’ words, actions and body language – even when they contradict – speak for themselves.
Grade: A-
(Rated PG-13 for disturbing violent content, bloody images, thematic content, some language and smoking. Now playing in select theaters.)
The premise: Shot entirely in secret, writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof’s controversial thriller centers on a family thrust into the harsh spotlight when a government official (Missagh Zareh) is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political protests and police crackdowns erupt, he becomes increasingly distrustful, fracturing his relationship with his wife (Soheila Golestani) and daughters (Setareh Maleki and Mahsa Rostami).
The verdict: At nearly three hours, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is always tense, gripping and rage-inducing. Rasoulof has crafted a passionate, political story that hits so close to home – often with real-life footage taken from social media – that Iran’s autocratic government sentenced him to flogging and eight years in prison. He and several other crew members escaped to Europe, where they still live in exile. (The film is Germany’s submission for the Best International Feature Oscar.)
The family at the narrative’s center metaphorically serves as a micro version of the nation’s macro political landscape – a world in which repressive, misogynistic attitudes slowly infect everyone and make their lives worse. While never an easy watch, it’s unquestionably an important one – particularly as our own country’s political landscape shifts dramatically.
Grade: B+
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com
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