Written by: Kevin Berge
Sometimes, reviewing movies is easy. You watch a great film, and you have a ton to say. Sometimes, reviewing movies is a complete mess. The film is so bad that you don't even want to give it recognition, but it is too popular not to at least discuss.
Recently, the latest movie in the Wizarding World franchise was released titled Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald. It is clearly the biggest movie in theaters right now. It is also a complete mess that everyone should avoid.
Therefore, I present this article not as much as a review for Crimes of Grindelwald but a showcase of potential alternatives you could be watching instead in theaters right now: the exciting thriller Widows, the intense drama Green Book, or the beautifully emotional biopic A Private War.
Recently, the latest movie in the Wizarding World franchise was released titled Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald. It is clearly the biggest movie in theaters right now. It is also a complete mess that everyone should avoid.
Therefore, I present this article not as much as a review for Crimes of Grindelwald but a showcase of potential alternatives you could be watching instead in theaters right now: the exciting thriller Widows, the intense drama Green Book, or the beautifully emotional biopic A Private War.
Just push the domestic abuser a little more over to the right please so that we don't have to look at him. (Image Courtesy of: digitalspy.com)
Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald
I was thinking back recently on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as the sequel approached. I gave it fairly high marks on my initial viewing, but thinking back it hasn't really stuck with me. The characters are all fairly one-dimensional especially anyone not named Newt Scamander.
This is the first of many flaws elevated to frustrating heights by the sequel. Crimes of Grindelwald is far worse than its predecessor, and it also seems to be on a mission to erase much of that first film's work. It retcons moments with unnecessary regularity while making most of these characters less interesting.
Its most egregious mistake though is it never feels like it knows what it is. This film dances around its own plot, seemingly jumbling together three different stories into one mash of inconsistent plot. Gone is all the joy and whimsy that define the first act, replaced by a painfully undefined foreboding to an unsatisfying finish.
J.K. Rowling's second attempt at writing the screenplay for her own world feels completely lost, and, despite all his experience with the Wizard World, director David Yates seems to only be able to capture beautiful scenery rather than piece it all together.
This movie attempts to jump from plot twist to plot twist until you forget which characters were even supposed to matter. There's no cohesion with so many threads thrown by the wayside all the way up to an embarrassing finale that is more concerned with reminding everyone there's more movies to come than completing any threads.
I found myself at multiple times during the run of this film wondering how such a mess was put on screen. Whether it is because of Rowling's inexperienced, studio mandates that led to a rushed attempt to continue a franchise, or shoddy editing work that chopped this to pieces, the storytelling failed by the end of the first act.
There are genuine points of emotional resonance and good acting, but, despite the best efforts of Jude Law (who deserves his own Dumbledore movie), Eddie Redmayne (who is still reliable), and Zoë Kravitz (who deserved so much more), this is a complete and utter failure.
This is the first of many flaws elevated to frustrating heights by the sequel. Crimes of Grindelwald is far worse than its predecessor, and it also seems to be on a mission to erase much of that first film's work. It retcons moments with unnecessary regularity while making most of these characters less interesting.
Its most egregious mistake though is it never feels like it knows what it is. This film dances around its own plot, seemingly jumbling together three different stories into one mash of inconsistent plot. Gone is all the joy and whimsy that define the first act, replaced by a painfully undefined foreboding to an unsatisfying finish.
J.K. Rowling's second attempt at writing the screenplay for her own world feels completely lost, and, despite all his experience with the Wizard World, director David Yates seems to only be able to capture beautiful scenery rather than piece it all together.
This movie attempts to jump from plot twist to plot twist until you forget which characters were even supposed to matter. There's no cohesion with so many threads thrown by the wayside all the way up to an embarrassing finale that is more concerned with reminding everyone there's more movies to come than completing any threads.
I found myself at multiple times during the run of this film wondering how such a mess was put on screen. Whether it is because of Rowling's inexperienced, studio mandates that led to a rushed attempt to continue a franchise, or shoddy editing work that chopped this to pieces, the storytelling failed by the end of the first act.
There are genuine points of emotional resonance and good acting, but, despite the best efforts of Jude Law (who deserves his own Dumbledore movie), Eddie Redmayne (who is still reliable), and Zoë Kravitz (who deserved so much more), this is a complete and utter failure.
Grade: F
For a film starring mostly women and titled to focus on those women, there sure are a lot of men focused on in the poster. (Image Courtesy of: flickeringmyth.com)
Widows
Steve McQueen has been a pretty consistently excellent filmmaker over the years with 12 Years a Slave standing as his breakout moment, recognized by many of the biggest award committees as the best movie of 2013. It was always going to tough to follow up that film.
Widows though was a surprising move for the director. It is an action thriller that feels like it was built to be a blockbuster even though it has been marketed more to the dramatic audience that McQueen's work has focused on in the past.
No matter who it was addressed to though, it is an intense ride filled with memorable performances. In particular, Viola Davis (Fences), Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta), and Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) are all fantastic in this ensemble cast and drive the intensity of the emotions of the story.
McQueen though does not seem to have full control of all he wants to do in Widows. There are too many characters all connected in a limited manner, leading to a 129 minute movie that was meant to go 150 minutes. There's just too much going on.
It does not take away from the effect of the film though. With this much emotional power behind the action and top notch actors defining the drama, Widows is too strong an experience not to enjoy.
It is just a shame that it cannot quite live up to the elements that make it up. McQueen reached too far with his next work and ultimately showed he still has room to grow as a filmmaker, which is impressive given the heights he has already reached. It will be exciting to see what he does next.
Widows though was a surprising move for the director. It is an action thriller that feels like it was built to be a blockbuster even though it has been marketed more to the dramatic audience that McQueen's work has focused on in the past.
No matter who it was addressed to though, it is an intense ride filled with memorable performances. In particular, Viola Davis (Fences), Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta), and Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) are all fantastic in this ensemble cast and drive the intensity of the emotions of the story.
McQueen though does not seem to have full control of all he wants to do in Widows. There are too many characters all connected in a limited manner, leading to a 129 minute movie that was meant to go 150 minutes. There's just too much going on.
It does not take away from the effect of the film though. With this much emotional power behind the action and top notch actors defining the drama, Widows is too strong an experience not to enjoy.
It is just a shame that it cannot quite live up to the elements that make it up. McQueen reached too far with his next work and ultimately showed he still has room to grow as a filmmaker, which is impressive given the heights he has already reached. It will be exciting to see what he does next.
Grade: B-
Of all the things to not make it out of the 60s, it's a shame they still don't make cars this color often anymore. (Image Courtesy of: 1A.org)
Green Book
Actor chemistry is one of the best assets any movie can have. It can allow audiences to forgive everything else about the construction of a film. Green Book is first and foremost great because Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are fantastic actors with incredible chemistry.
They dominate the screen separately and together in this story about American race relations in the 1960s. In a year where this topic has been discussed heavily in various forms, Green Book could have easily fallen flat on its face.
While the storytelling from director Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber) as well as screenwriters Nick Vallelonga (the son of Tony) and Brian Hayes Currie based on the real-life friendship of bouncer Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) and musician Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) is not perfect, it is good enough.
It allows the actors here to thrive and sell this journey. The interplay between the two is engaging, hilarious, and touching in a way that I expect will stick with me for months and years to come. Both men sell every second.
It is honestly shocking to me that this film is not finding more success than it is. It is a powerful and accessible story that is far better than it has any right to be. The theater I saw it in was not packed but did give it a respectable ovation once the credits rolled.
This is a tale about how we can all learn to be more open. These two friends from completely different worlds grow to understand that their difference can be the driving force behind their common bond. It's the type of simple resonant biopic that everyone will likely enjoy.
They dominate the screen separately and together in this story about American race relations in the 1960s. In a year where this topic has been discussed heavily in various forms, Green Book could have easily fallen flat on its face.
While the storytelling from director Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber) as well as screenwriters Nick Vallelonga (the son of Tony) and Brian Hayes Currie based on the real-life friendship of bouncer Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) and musician Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) is not perfect, it is good enough.
It allows the actors here to thrive and sell this journey. The interplay between the two is engaging, hilarious, and touching in a way that I expect will stick with me for months and years to come. Both men sell every second.
It is honestly shocking to me that this film is not finding more success than it is. It is a powerful and accessible story that is far better than it has any right to be. The theater I saw it in was not packed but did give it a respectable ovation once the credits rolled.
This is a tale about how we can all learn to be more open. These two friends from completely different worlds grow to understand that their difference can be the driving force behind their common bond. It's the type of simple resonant biopic that everyone will likely enjoy.
Grade: A-
I'd make an eye patch joke, but it would be in poor taste and the movie already made most of them. (Image Courtesy of: hollywoodreporter.com)
A Private War
As a writer, I often ask myself why I write. A Private War has a fairly simple answer to that question: writers write to tell stories. Celebrate war correspondent Marie Colvin (Rosamund Pike) wrote because she wanted to verbalize the struggles and pains people were feeling stuck in a war zone.
By the time the credits roll on A Private War, it is hard not to appreciate that sentiment especially in this current time we live in. This movie stands as a stark rebuttal of the current American regime that is condemning journalists and holding up the dictators who openly belittle journalists if not outright assassinate them.
It is one of the most important movies to come this year, and it would have been great even if it wasn't so relevant. Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) is brilliant as Colvin, completely transforming into the journalist throughout the run of the movie to the point that she sounds almost identical to her.
More vitally, this movie is never dull. Biopics can often fall into the traps of failed pacing and melodramatic takes on real life, but A Private War is as much a war film as a historical drama. It portrays war in all its pain and suffering, and every minute is tense.
The final act of this movie is built up from the start and certainly does not disappoint. It may be the best climax of a movie all year. I was glued to my seat and struggling not to get emotional as the film pushed forward into its most frustrating and inescapable tragedy.
A Private War celebrates individual experience by placing an intensely close eye on Colvin's own trauma as well as the trauma she covers. Director Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) has created a film about understanding that feels as vital and inclusive as any film this year, and it's the rare film I feel everyone should see.
By the time the credits roll on A Private War, it is hard not to appreciate that sentiment especially in this current time we live in. This movie stands as a stark rebuttal of the current American regime that is condemning journalists and holding up the dictators who openly belittle journalists if not outright assassinate them.
It is one of the most important movies to come this year, and it would have been great even if it wasn't so relevant. Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) is brilliant as Colvin, completely transforming into the journalist throughout the run of the movie to the point that she sounds almost identical to her.
More vitally, this movie is never dull. Biopics can often fall into the traps of failed pacing and melodramatic takes on real life, but A Private War is as much a war film as a historical drama. It portrays war in all its pain and suffering, and every minute is tense.
The final act of this movie is built up from the start and certainly does not disappoint. It may be the best climax of a movie all year. I was glued to my seat and struggling not to get emotional as the film pushed forward into its most frustrating and inescapable tragedy.
A Private War celebrates individual experience by placing an intensely close eye on Colvin's own trauma as well as the trauma she covers. Director Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) has created a film about understanding that feels as vital and inclusive as any film this year, and it's the rare film I feel everyone should see.
