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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Director: Sam Raimi  Rated: PG-13  Runtime: 2hr 6 min  Studio:  Marvel Studios

Screenwriter: Michael Waldron Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a dark, trippy departure from the previous Marvel film template. It’s not quite as psychedelic as the first film but leans into a darker/horror-ish vibe attuned to director Sam Raimi’s style. 

While Raimi’s style is fully displayed in so many aspects of the film, a subtler undertone is trying to understand how Wanda Maximoff (Olsen) got to where she is as a character in this movie. So before viewing this film, you must watch the Marvel TV show WandaVision; first, it will answer things the movie won’t address. Once you’re all caught up, it’s a decent story and plot if you can overlook that Sam Raimi didn’t even watch all of WandaVision, just bits of certain episodes. It solidifies how Marvel Studios values its female characters, willing to sacrifice them for their prized goal of story continuity between projects. It’s a practice that truly needs to stop! The film starts with a leap right into the action and the introduction of a new character, America Chavez (Gomez), and a version of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr. Strange.  

While the audience doesn’t learn much about America as a character in this film, it’s clear her character is a bridge into the next phase of the MCU and shows new blood (and abilities) to work with as the original Avengers are all but gone. This was inevitable after Endgame, and while I thought Multiverse of Madness would play off of the events in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it takes the multiverse reality introduced in Spiderman and mashes it together with WandaVision. This opens up or gives room for a different Wanda/Scarlet Witch down the road (or any of the Avengers) because initially, Wanda/Scarlet Witch originated as a mutant in the comics. This fact is paramount because Marvel can finally introduce (let alone utter the word) mutants in the MCU. 

Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in Marvel Studios ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Image: Marvel Studios via Slashflims.com

While Wanda has gone down the dark magic rabbit hole, thus pitting her against Dr. Strange, Olsen and Cumberbatch give excellent performances. They’ve both embodied their respective characters for a while now, and they are clearly comfortable with the mannerisms and energy that make them shine. But it’s not just the performances and the directing that work for this story; it’s the choreography, sound editing, CGI, costumes, and various set designs! In a multiverse, everything is the same, but somehow just a bit different. How many ways can you dress up a New York street? Revise the Sanctom? In these areas, I say, well played and well done. 

The area I’m hung up on is Wanda’s journey to her point in Multiverse of Madness. I think writers really did Wanda dirty. She starts off as this traumatized child who is studied and used and lost loved ones. She finds a new type of family in the Avengers, certainly with Vision, but after the events of Endgame, they’re all gone or abandoned her. She’s essentially a traumatized adult with no support or resources. She goes from hero to baddie in a deep breath (the blip) and is shunted aside for the sake of franchise development. It sends a terrible message about loss and mental health, a stark contrast to the support group Steve Rogers led in Endgame. That’s all without factoring in Wanda’s power upgrade she (clearly) doesn’t have a handle on. Power corrupts absolutely, indeed!

Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch in Marvel Studios ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Credit: CinemaBlend.com

So while I’m not a fan of where the writers have taken Wanda’s character, Elizabeth Olsen certainly does a fantastic job of depicting a formidable badass. I look forward to seeing her character again and where Dr. Strange goes into the next phase of the MCU and America Chavez’s role within it. It’s not my favorite MCU film, but it’s not the worst and if you have time, make a place on your watchlist for it. 

  • A Pen Lady
Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Spencer (2021)

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Director: Pablo Larraín  Rated: R  Runtime: 1h 57m  Studio: Neon Screenwriter: Steven Knight  Cast: Kristen Stewart, Jack Farthing, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris 

Some (fictional) films are inspired by, based on, or adapted from other works or events. No matter the mild disclaimer, the audience understands that it’s still a work of fiction. Spencer doesn’t do that. It opens with “a fable from a true tragedy.” Like children’s stories that start with the words ‘once upon a time.’ We know they are made up unless you are a small child who hasn’t learned better yet. Steven Knight and Pablo Larraín set the tone for their film that the viewer will be as gullible as a small child. 

I’m not a royalist. I’m also no fan of Kristen Stewart. Yet I respect the humanitarian that Diana was, and her hands-on approach to parenting, as it was. So, I begrudgingly finally sat down to watch Spencer. 

Spencer is one of the most mind-numbingly dull waste of brain cells; time sucks, I have watched in years. If I had paid to see this in theaters, I would have gotten my money back. Instead, I kept skipping ahead (on Hulu) to see if anything more interesting would happen. It didn’t. A turtle could outrun the pace of this film; it drags with no redeeming waypoints along its runtime. I can’t fathom how chaotic it was to read the script for this film and why anyone would agree to such poor transitions from scene to scene. 

Kristen Stewart as Diana in ‘Spencer’ Image: Neon via Variety.com

In any one scene, Diana is depressed, frustrated, physically ill, and contemptuous. None of the grace of character attributed to her usual demeanor is on display in this slice of life holiday getaway. No one has their shit together one-hundred percent of the time, let alone behind closed doors. And yet, this depiction of her mindset after she and Charles (Farthing)decide to end their marriage is understandable only to a point. The rest of the cast, where the Royal family is concerned, was an ugly prop. A cold as ice implication that they hated Diana. There is nothing profound about any of them as actors. I think they may have been cast because they fit two criteria. First, they bear some resemblance to a royal family member. Second, they look like they could kill someone with a disdainful icy glare. 

The takeaway from Spencer is that Diana is ungrateful and is losing her shit. At the same time, everyone else micromanages her and watches the trainwreck in progress. Why? The royal family is an unyielding, un-empathetic lot trained in the archaic art of not feeling, speaking, or thinking. To do so is treason. Farthing’s Charles says there needs to be two of everyone, the real one and the one for photos. Yet, what is abundantly clear is that there isn’t one heart between the two versions of Charles or the Queen, and they’ve killed Diana’s along with her most of her soul. The only true glimmer of honesty in this movie is Diana’s warmth for her boys. 

From ‘Spencer’ a family photo. Image: Neon via People.com

It’s not a secret the English monarchy is detached from reality, but apparently, so is the director and screenwriter of Spencer for thinking this was a story worth telling. It’s one thing to take liberties with known facts about a famous/infamous person and frame what unfolds as a “what if” scenario. Spencer, however, plays out as a dull character assassination. This telling doesn’t tell the audience some facts it doesn’t already know about Diana or the royal family. So why make it? Billed as a biopic, there is nothing epic about this film. By definition, a biopic is about the life of a person, not a day in the life of one. The distinction is essential. 

Spencer is a tedious watch with disjointed scene shifts overlayed by questionable musical accompaniment, performed by a cast as engaging as watching paint dry on cardboard. Again, I’m no royalist, but good or bad, Spencer is an $18 million piss on Diana and the royal family. Nothing so unoriginal, poorly constructed, and boring should ever make your watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Last Night in Soho (2021)

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Last Night in Soho (2021) Directed: Edgar Wright  Rated: R  Runtime: 1h 56m  Studio: Focus Features  Screenwriter: Edgar Wright, Krystal Wilson-Cairns  Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Thomasin McKenzie, Diana Rigg, Terence Stamp, Michael Ajao

The 60s are alive once more through the fashion trends and set designs quintessential to the decade in Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho. A dark, captivating story with suspenseful twists and a great cast. Its plot makes this time-traveling thriller an underdog movie amongst similar billings. 

Eloise (McKenzie) is a sheltered country bumpkin who travels the same path her dead mother once did; to be a fashion designer. Raised and encouraged by her grandmother Eloise seems detached from the modern, everyday world. Yet to make it as a fashion anything in England, London is the place to go. So, Eloise leaves home to attend the London College of Fashion. Eloise struggles in the dorms, becoming so downtrodden by the disillusionment of reality she leaves the dorm to rent a room off-campus. The writer’s choice here is to move the story along, but it strips Eloise’s character of the ability to grow as a person. This film’s dark unlying theme is a women’s lack of choices or autonomy. 

Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie in ‘Last Night in Soho’ Image: Focus Features/Parisa Taghizadeh via hollywoodreporter.com

Once settled in her new space, she discovers something, like a portal to Narnia or Wonderland. Eloise is enveloped and inspired by the 1960s vivid glamour. The mysterious singer, Sandy (Taylor-Joy), and her manager, Jack (Smith) in her dreams until it turns foul. Are they dreams, memories, or time travel? Why does she stay when most people would run away screaming? Wright goes back and forth; he isn’t entirely clear. Nor is it clear if Eloise is an observer or participant in what she sees. It’s never explored and can seem like a plothole that should have been addressed upon first viewing. However, Wright likes to blur certain aspects, so maybe there isn’t one correct answer. This film is psychological.

The movement between Sandy’s actions and Eloise’s observations is (cinematically) well shot and edited. This facilitates in blurring reality and the dreamscape of past events. The lighting and music also cement the tone and pace of a given scene and the film overall. Edgar Wright makes it easy to watch but, in reality, involves a lot of forethought, takes, and editing. I applaud any movie with a detailed, rich plotline that doesn’t cause hiccups or continuity errors. Last Night in Soho is packed with details and aspects that make the characters’ lives plausible. None more so than Sandy.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith in ‘Last Night in Soho’ Image: Focus Features via theguardian.com

Anya Taylor-Joy has had a busy last couple of years with a wide variety of roles to her credit. This movie is another notch off of genes she can pull off. While Eloise is the vehicle that gets us to Sandy, Sandy’s character is the star of this film. Her journey connects to everything in this movie—the twists and emotional resonance fuel the narrative. 

Last Night in Soho isn’t a horror film. It’s psychological, thrilling suspense with layers. I appreciate a screenplay that’s written and cast well and was not disappointed. Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Diana Rigg are all wonderful in their respective roles in this film. Each brings professionalism and gravitas to their character’s places within this movie. A perfectly cast, well-directed story of ambitions, the spotlight, and the nightlife of Soho in the 60s makes Last Night in Soho worth a place on your watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Kimi (2022)

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Kimi (2022)

Directed: Steven Soderbergh  Rated: R  Runtime: 1h 29m  Studio: New Line Cinema

Screenwriter: David Koepp  Cast: Zoë Kravitz, Byron Bowers, Rita Wilson

“What if every sound…what if every moment, was recorded?” The trailer for Kimi asks.

Around 3.5 billion people on this planet have some Andriod-based phone or an iPhone; it’s one or the other. How many have an Amazon device that uses Alexa? ‘Hey, Google,’ ‘Hey, Siri,’ and ‘Alexa’ are available digital assistants on those devices, respectively. So it’s no new idea that they can always listen in on us record us when we are unaware. In that, Soderbergh’s Kimi doesn’t bring up anything the public is in the dark on. In this film, such recordings are voice streams or data streams. 

Anglea Childs (Kravitz) is a work-from-home (WFH) tech analyst. Her job is to sift through logs of complaints/troubleshoot the voice activation interactions between digital assistant Kimi and a user’s requests. Effectively she’s the human component of AI advancement/diagnostics. Angela works as a voice stream interpreter, so Kimi will understand that reminding someone to buy more “kitchen paper” is slang for paper towels. Easy, right. What is easy about such a position when you hear something horrible in a data stream?

Kimi follows Angela as she attempts to reach out to her employer and others within the company she works for to handle such a situation. That’s not easy for Angela because she rarely leaves her home. Soderberg and Koepp leave her character to seem as odd to the viewer as she is to her fictional counterparts. There is nothing more than a few comments throughout the film that mentions why Anglea is the way she is. This marginalization of her mental health is stigmatizing. Worse because it’s a core feature of what propels Angela to do anything (or not), the main reason she works from home. It’s made light of, yet the lion’s share of this film’s setting is her apartment. 

Zoë Kravitz in HBO’s ‘Kimi’ Image: WB and New Line Cinema via LAtimes.com

Anglea is agoraphobic, which in part means she’s afraid to leave places (like home) that are perceived as safe, but she will. Anglea is shown in small ways to make an effort to overcome her issues, which was nice to see reflected on screen. However, how the creators of this movie felt about the problems or bothered to research is sad. They gave her no support system, only a doctor, dentist, and mother who come across as ‘done with her attitude problem’ mentality. Their addition to the plot is filler and adds nothing to the story. 

Poorly intertwined into Anglea’s layers as a character is the film’s actual plot. When she suspects a crime has been recorded, her boss tells her to scrub it. To get rid of it. Part of the reason is for the love of capitalism, and Amygdalya’s CEO doesn’t want to be lumped into a privacy storm like Amazon. Being told to ignore something is one thing; being told to destroy potential evidence is another. It speaks to privacy concerns, certainly, but also to ethical and moral obligations to our fellow man.

A Kimi device in HBO’s ‘Kimi’ Image: WB and New Line Cinema via thecinemaholic.com

Kravitz’s Angela isn’t stupid; she’s intelligent, healthy, and resourceful. So, when she’s not having a full-on panic attack or a bout of debilitating anxiety, why didn’t she call the FBI herself or email them with a file attachment? It’s understandable the compulsion Anglea has to help this stranger. Still, Anglea never needed to leave her place to do it. The plot devices to ensure she did are weak excuses to justify chasing her down in the first place. Ultimately culminating in nothing more than an aggressive show of…(no spoilers!). A better writer would have done justice to a plot like this, but this whole script stinks. 

The only thing that redeems Kimi in any way is Kravitz. She depicts neurotic, ritualistic mannerisms and behaviors with ease. She brings to life what it must be like to live and work with agoraphobia without coming across as a batshit crazy shut-in. It’s measured and not over the top, which allows the audience to see Angela as a person. 

Zoë Kravitz in HBO’s ‘Kimi’ Image: WB and New Line Cinema via Dailymail.com

Sadly not even Zoë’s performance can make up for a cardboard ending. The build-up throughout the story is hollow when the “villain,” Brad, is backed by thugs. Where they come from and why they are involved is inconsequential. It’s eluded to as a glossed-over subplot that means nothing to the story beyond a tired plot mechanism. 

Kimi’s billed as a thriller, but there’s little. Instead, it’s an exercise in poor execution of ideas to a screenplay. Another half-hour or forty-five minutes to flesh out details left on the floor would have helped this narrative shape up into something worth watching. Kimi’s trailer makes this film’s tone and pace come off as more exciting and engaging than it was. There are far better thrillers out there and projects that don’t waste your time or Zoë Kravitz’s talents as an actress. Kimi isn’t worth a place on your watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Jurassic World (2015)

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Jurassic World (2015)

Directed: Colin Trevorrow  Rated: PG-13  Runtime: 2h 4m  Studio: 

Screenwriter: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, BD Wong, Vincent D’ Onofrio, Judy Greer

Jurassic World is built on the foundations of the Jurassic Park Trilogy. “Welcome to Jurassic Park” is one of the most iconic lines in a movie in the past thirty years. Audiences’ love of this franchise has endured because it’s a solid, fun story. The bar was set high for Jurassic World.

Now, you don’t need to have seen the original films to enjoy this one, but some moments and scenes pay homage to them. This film dives right into a dinosaur theme park that’s been open for years. Thousands of people have come and gone. In this premise alone, this film exceeds its predecessor. Yet, it was the most logical place to continue this franchise. One of the attributes that work in this series favor is that no one has copied it or tried to reboot it in three decades. That makes the opening/title sequence of this film so smile-inducing. The music, imagery, and font are iconic and give the audience a taste of what’s in store. 

The Indominus Rex from ‘Jurassic World’ Image: Universal Studios via ILM.com

Viewers get to see this lush, detailed, rich island theme park environment with attributes that would absolutely pull in customers if it were real. Despite the obvious concerns of such a park, emulating the hallmarks of resort theme parks, visually and practically, makes it a huge step up from John Hammond’s original park. 

While it’s not essential, per se, to the plot, I have questions. What happened to the remains of the original dinosaurs, the first-generation ones that died out? How long did that take based on the lifespans of the varying breeds? Jurassic World has been open for years; how long is that? They needed time to survey, tear up old structures, build new ones, and create the new dinosaurs. With all the time involved, how did no one learn from the events of the last three films? 

Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins in ‘Jurassic World’ Image: Universal via thehollywoodreporter.com

A tremendous benefit of new technology and CGI advances is that the animals look much better! More realistic. It allows the actors to interact more efficiently with what ends up being added after the fact, all the things that chase them. BD Wong is back as Dr. Henry Wu, the curator/creator of the resurrected dinosaurs. Here his character is evolved, given greater scope. In the first film, he’s a younger lab man who’s not truly part of the plot. In Jurassic World, his inclusion is one of the story’s main threads, granting the franchise a more robust continuity. BD Wong is a talented actor with a range of characters depicted in his filmography, and I’m glad they could get him back to reprise this role. 

I love Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire, the director of operations of Jurassic World. She’s polished refined, but with grit. Her performance, energy, and presence as the work-a-holic auntie-in-charge of a workplace gone sideways are brilliant and fun. Her chemistry with Chris Pratt’s Owen Grady works too. He’s the perfect mix of sassy and ‘those things will eat you alive, keep your shit together’ employee you’d want to work with. Once upon a time, people wanted to dig up dinosaur fossils as a career with more earnest; now, in a world with living dinosaurs, you can train them, like Owen. Specifically, he trains raptors. The methodology behind this practice on-screen is believable enough not to be questioned, letting the viewer enjoy its idea. 

Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins in ‘Jurassic World’ Image: Universal Studios via insider.com

You can’t have a theme park without kids, so of course, Jurassic World has a few of its own. Claire’s nephews Zack (Robinson) and Gray (Simpkins) visit the park as everything goes wrong. They add a needed layer of youthfulness and extra characters to be at multiple places on the island. Their addition helps immensely with pace and permits more settings, dinosaurs, and action sequences. 

Jurassic World is an example of what happens when you ignore history-it will repeat itself. Denial may get you eaten. This installment of the Jurassic franchise has more people, more teeth, and more spectacle. It’s a fun movie worth a place on your watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019)

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The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019) Directed: Gideon Raff  Rated: TV-MA  Runtime: 2h 9m  Studio: Netflix/Bron Studios Screenwriter: Gideon Raff  Cast: Chris Evans, Alessandro Nivola, Greg Kinnear, Haley Bennett, Michiel Huisman, Michael Kenneth Williams, Ben Kingsley, Chris Chalk, Mark Ivanir, Alex Hassell

The Red Sea Diving Resort is an inspirationally touted film that forgot to include anything inspiring. 

The film opens with a voice-over, narrating the scene and thus explaining the story’s point. The voice is Kebed’s (Williams), one of only three black characters who have a meaningful, yet minor, role. This opening scene highlights (immediately) two of the biggest problems with The Red Sea Diving Resort. First, Raff must explain every detail he thinks you won’t understand. Second, white people are the saviors of the black Jews fleeing Ethiopia. 

This movie is based on actual events. Mossad agents did spend years in Sudan using a previously abandoned seaside resort to smuggle black Jews to Isreal. Raff’s problem (as writer and director) is that he only told one side of the story. He included nothing of meaningful resonance of these Beta Jews (as they are known). And there were opportunities to do so. With a story as significant, meaningful, and layered as these missions were for all involved, it’s a repulsive display of systematic racism. To gloss over the black characters as much as he did, propping them up only to facilitate white characters is repugnant. How did Netflix find this a good screenplay? 

Michael Kenneth Williams and Chris Evans in ‘The Red Sea Diving Resort’ Image: Marcos Cruz/Netflix via polygon.com

Gideon Raff is Israeli but couldn’t find any of his people to star in this film? Did he look? Did people say no? That’s a red flag. So enter the American-sounding and looking beach chic Ken and Barbie (Evans and Bennett). Mixed with a British actor (Kingsley) who uses non-Jewish slang (calling people’ chaps’) all while not even trying to lose his own accent. 

Raff depicts Mossad as this spy agency with a cowboy mentality likened to the American wild west in a story whose premise is built upon the necessity of teamwork and planning. It’s okay when trouble pops up; Ari’s (Evans) got it. As if positive thinking alone will save anyone from certain death if they’re caught. There is a team of agents with Ari, but none are fleshed out, well-rounded, or have satisfying arcs. As members of the white savior club, you think they’d be important, but they’re not. 

Chris Evans and Haley Bennett in ‘The Red Sea Diving Resort’ Image: Netflix/Marcos Cruz via polygon.com

The third black character with any significant lines or screentime is Commander Ahmed (Chalk) that Ari refers to as Colonel or nothing. He’s the leader of the Mukhabarat, a “military organization” that terrorized Sudan. None of that information is touched on, or the underlying reasons the Beta’s flee in the first place. Nor the call to action that involved Isreal in the first place; you won’t learn about that in this film. So you must take at face value that Chalk’s character is the physical manifestation of why these people are fleeing Ethiopia. Yet it doesn’t do the depth of their reasons justice. For such an important character, you think it would have been easy to figure out the character’s name or the actor who plays him. You’d be wrong. I had to turn on my closed captioning feature to find out Chalk’s character’s name, which isn’t even uttered until near the film’s end. I had to look through articles on this movie for the actor’s name to find it. Chris Chalk’s part in this film is not included under a Google search for the cast of this film, nor on IMDb.com (I’m not affiliated with either). Chalk’s character is another example of Raff’s poor filmmaking skills or Chris Chalk’s wanting everyone to forget he was in this movie. It’s sad because Chalk’s performance was one of the few that displayed any effort or emotion. 

Ethiopian Jews fleeing Sudan in Netflix’s ‘The Red Sea Diving Resort’ Image: Netflix via digitalspy.com

Now Gideon Raff is the same man who gave the world Homeland and the limited series The Spy. Raff won awards for these; perhaps he should stick with just television.

The Red Sea Diving Resort is a grossly missed opportunity to take a story with two already entwined entities and tell a whole and compelling story. As it stands, the black characters were depicted as poor, desperate, violent, or greedy. This depiction may have been the reality of the time, but Raff gives none of these characters any form of agency beyond their choice to flee. Those missed opportunities for nuanced realism are tragic. It’s an injustice to those this story is supposed to also tell. 

A poorly written script with no character development and lackluster acting is worth no one’s time, especially one that systematically snubs half of this story’s reason for existing. The Red Sea Diving Resort isn’t worth your time or a place on your watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Official Secrets (2019)

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Directed by: Gavin Hood  Rated: R  Runtime: 1h 51m  Studio: Entertainment One

Screenwriter: Sara Bernstein, Gregory Berstein, Gavin Hood

Cast: Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Matthew Goode, Adam Bakri

How often do you follow a moral compass?

Our world is diverse in so many ways, politics in particular. Government structure varies by country, but in democratic ones, the people expect to have a voice. What happens when they don’t? What is the outcome when suppression and morality collide? 

Official Secrets is a well-shown re-telling of real-life events of that collision. Keira Knightley stars as Katharine Gun, a former analyst for the British government at the government communications headquarter (GCHQ). There she interpreted and transcribed information passed down to her. 

Matthew Goode and Matt Smith in ‘Official Secrets’ Image: IFC Films/Allstar via theguardian.com

In January 2003, her department received an email, a forwarded memo that openly requested that the United Kingdom aid the United States NSA in spying on members of the United Nations. Soley to obtain blackmail to use against specific smaller nations to secure votes at an upcoming UN vote to go to war with Iraq or not. 

Spying on her people was okay with Katharine because it could prevent a terrorist attack. Spying on others, for another country especially to use as blackmail to go to war-hard stop. 

Official Secrets is a well-written script, with outstanding direction of its talented cast. Everyone’s performances were on point, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen Keira Knightley do. Her measured emotional responses to each sequence are believable. It made me feel for the real-life Katharine. 

Keira Knightley in ‘Official Secrets’ Image: IFC Films/Allstar via theguardian.com

Even with the director adding original media footage, which added a layer of realism, this story is still illuminatingly powerful two decades later. That the need for transparency and morality exists so deeply within governments that people like Katharine Gun and publications like The Observer need to take risks, still, today keeps her story a relevant and cautionary tale. 

Gun’s human rights lawyer, Ben Emmerson, is played by the superb Ralph Fiennes. Opposite him is Jeremy Northam, who portrays Ken MacDonald, the director of public prosecutions. MacDonald was the one who decided to charge Katharine or not, to make an example of her or not. 

Keira Knightley in ‘Official Secrets Image: IFC Films/Allstar via filmgeeky.com

It’s Ken MacDonald’s position on Gun’s actions, his visceral disdain for her or those like her that personifies how petty and spiteful the British government is. The government established in the Queen’s name. That screams volumes. 

Official Secrets is an easily watchable film that shows you the most vital points in real-life events based on morality, lies, and suppression. Official Secrets belong on your watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Ocean’s 8 (2018)

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Ocean’s 8 (2018)

Directed by: Garry Ross  Rated: PG-13  Runtime: 1h 51m

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures  Screenwriter: Garry Ross, Olivia Milch

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Akwafina, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter

What would you do for a cut of 150 million dollars? 

Debbie Ocean (Bullock) took five years, eight months, and twelve days to plan out the biggest heist of her life. Now that she’s out of prison, all she needs is to assemble the best in each area she needs to get the job done. First, she starts with her number two, Lou Miller (Blanchett), then moves on to a jeweler (Kaling). Next up, a street con (Akwafina), the mom next door (Paulson), a fashion designer (Bonham Carter), and a hacker (Rihanna). 

Ocean’s Eight is an action-comedy built upon its Ocean franchise predecessors. The lead of an almost all-male cast was Danny (George Clooney), Debbie’s brother. A nice attribute about this movie is that you don’t need to watch the previous ones for anything to make sense. Ocean’s Eight isn’t the first heist caper, nor the last-yet its all-female cast (of a solid group of actresses) gives it a welcoming freshness. This ensemble of seasoned actresses is an exceptional collaboration of funny, serious, and nuanced. I loved the fresh take on a museum theft. Plenty of places or people have been robbed in movies, but I’ve never seen anyone try to do so at The Met Gala. 

Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Akwafina, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson in ‘Ocean’s Eight’ Image: Warner Bros. via nbcnews.com

The chemistry amongst the cast is energetic and makes the film that much more fun to watch. It’s cohesive and well-directed, with only a few plot questions about Debbie’s plan that jumped out at me. Ross utilizes music in the background to establish pace and tone throughout the movie. 

Ocean’s Eight isn’t overly serious or trying to reinvent this type of film, except for where it moved women from secondary characters to the primary ones. The playful nature of the setup to robbing The Met Gala is fantastic. It allows the audience to sit and enjoy a well-dressed movie with no other purpose than straightforward enjoyment. 

Sarah Paulson, Sandra Block, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, Akwafina in ‘Ocean’s Eight’ Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via nbcnews.com

Every movie is meant to be enjoyed or appreciated; why watch otherwise? Ocean’s Eight is the confident, smooth reality break you didn’t know you wanted to see. A movie like that should be on your watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Red Notice (2021)

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Red Notice (2021)

Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber  Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 1h 55m

Studio: Netflix  Screenwriter: Rawson Marshall Thurber

Cast: Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson

Red Notice aims to hit the mark as a fun international heist caper but misses the mark. 

The film is full of clichés and overused tropes such as “the muscle,” “wisecracking loudmouth,” and “a stunning woman.” Such stereotypes are tired and unimaginative, like Johnson and Gadot’s performances and on-screen chemistry. 

Red Notice tries for an Indiana Jones feel with its plot that hoped to infuse light-hearted humor as in The Mummy with Ryan Reynolds casting but failed to deliver. Johnson plays John Hartley, an FBI profiler who ends up teaming up with art thief Nolan Booth (Reynolds) to catch “The Bishop” (Gadot), who sets them both up. 

There is no thrill while watching this treasure hunt, full of escapades, double-crossing, and uninspired fight scenes. This movie was doomed from the moment it was green-lit because its casting choices are the only thing propping up the story’s weak execution. All three of the main cast can give better performances than Red Notice’s script provides. Red Notice may be Netflix’s most-watched film in its history, but it in no way should have cost 200 million dollars! It was an interesting story concept with a cast full of people audiences love to see, so why wouldn’t anyone expect it to be a hit? Especially after Covid restrictions were lifted in many places. While adorable Gal Gadot doesn’t do it for me as a believable baddy, Johnson is just too stiff. John Cena could have pulled off being an irritated FBI agent, better matched against Reynolds quips, and physically able to make more believable facial expressions at Gadot. 

Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds in ‘Red Notice’ Image: Netflix via latimes.com

The focus of critiquing the casting here is because it’s all Netflix used to sell this film as watchable in theaters (where it did terribly) or on its streaming site. So I’m left to ponder how long Dwyane Johnson can keep getting type-cast in Hollywood as the ‘attractive muscular leading man?’ What does he have left talent-wise as time goes on when he can’t throw people down or jump from high heights from helicopters anymore? Couple that with Gal Gadot’s less than solid filmography as anything other than ‘the hot woman doing something’ (despite her outstanding Wonder Woman performance) and her talent abilities are to called into question. Everyone expects so much from them, yet films like Red Notice smoother any chance for either’s potential to shine. 

It’s no surprise then that Ryan Reynolds is the best thespian of this trio. Yes, he usually does the wisecracks, the comedic-often raunchy characters, but he still has the most range. Like Johnson and Gadot’s characters, Reynolds displays as tired as if they know their characters are reaching too hard-all under fake smiles, sunglasses, and chest-puffing. 

Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot in ‘Red Notice’ Image: Netflix via NYTimes.com

Writer and director Rawson Thurber created a story that takes itself too seriously in its execution despite a bit of cheese. Nothing sets this over-hyped movie apart from others in its genre, except its MacGuffin title and overuse of the color red. 

Red Notice truly is nothing special and not worth your time or spot on a watchlist. 

-A Pen Lady

Film Critic, Movie Blog, Movie Reviews

Blue Bayou (2021)

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Blue Bayou (2021) Directed by: Justin Chon Rated: R Runtime: 1h 52m

Studio: Focus Features Screenwriter: Justin Chon  Cast: Alica Vikander, Justin Chon, Mark O’Brien, Sydney Kowalske, Emory Cohen

Blue Bayou is a poignant film about love, family, and the ties that bind; in an unjust society full of bigots and legal loopholes. 

Antonio LeBlanc (Chon) was adopted as a toddler from Korea by a family from a small Louisiana town. Who gave him up after six months—left to be raised by the foster care system for the rest of his youth. After a lifetime of small-minded people, he meets Kathy (Vikander), the love of his life. He marries her, helping raise her daughter, Jessie (Kowalske). They’re his whole world. 

In Blue Bayou, Antonio struggles to make ends meet, like so many people with or without baggage. Yet Antonio’s obstacles are things he can’t check at the door or put in a closet. He’s a convicted criminal-worse in Louisiana; he’s Asain. Constantly asked, “where you from?” despite a thick Cajun accent. It’s the smallest example of racism his character endures. He’s always the outsider with no nuclear family growing up and nothing of pride to hold on to of his Korean heritage. 

Alicia Vikander, Sydney Kowalske, Justin Chon in ‘Blue Bayou’ Image: Focus Features via Vanityfair.com

Small-minded bigotry is as common as breathing in the deep South of America, and prejudice and authority make a terrible combo. It is this mindset that sets off the plot and story. 

A run-in with Ace (O’ Brien), Jessie’s father, and his police partner (Cohen) at a store ends in Antonio’s arrest and subsequent detainment by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The legality of Antonio’s adoption from Korea is called into question and sets the wheels in motion for his deportation. 

Chon’s set locations, the lush, quiet bayou hideaway, and sunsets over the water juxtapose Antonio’s reality. That’s what this film is at its core, emotional resonance. The shared body language between Antonio and Kathy, or his honesty and bonding efforts with Jessie, all speak to the little moments we all have. For better or worse, those real human moments are layered with abuse and ridicule bubbling near the surface for Antonio, constantly. And now, through legal loopholes, he could lose it all-the only places he’s ever called home, through no fault of his own. 

Sydney Kowalske as Jessie in ‘Blue Bayou.’ Image: Focus Features via IMDb.com

Illegal immigration/entry into the United States is a very polarizing topic. Still, Chon has honed in on this overlooked slice of the issue. Despite anyone’s thoughts on immigration into America, one burning question is this: why are all adopted children from other countries not automatically citizens? The truth is illuminating. 

Blue Bayou is a realistic, raw look into a topic and people’s reality on the subject of international adoption, racism, and the strength of the vows “for better or for worse.” If ever an indie film deserved a place on a watchlist, this one does. 

-A Pen Lady