Barbie

Amusing, except when it isn’t. This movie stands as a glaring example of the power of visuals. If viewers were to watch this film by not watching it—by closing one’s eyes and just listening to the dialogue—I suspect you’d get a radically different perspective on it from audiences. As it is, the movie’s political “screed as script,” which displays a very hard-edged “us vs. them” mentality, goes over much better by being wrapped in candy-coated visuals and a substantial amount of pretty. That’s ironic, since one of the very things that the filmmakers wish to reject—superficiality—is the very thing that makes their presentation and its philosophical underpinnings palatable. I suspect this movie is very much of its current moment; take this work out of the present day—mid-2023 and into ‘24—when identity and grouping and rigid structures of right-think are welcomed and lauded (at least among the believers), and you probably won’t get nearly as much positive reaction to it as it received upon release (and continues to garner on secondary distribution). Indeed, I suspect in the future many will find this movie’s contemporary success somewhat baffling. It may be truly aligned with the zeitgeist, but that likely will come to be seen as less a positive about this film, and more a negative about said zeitgeist. Frankly, this flick nearly put me to sleep, and that’s hard to imagine when most of watching it involves staring at the stereotypically apt Margot Robbie. I acknowledge that there is a certain amount of bemusement to be had here, in some of the show’s aspects, but not nearly enough to validate the reception this picture received. Disappointing and disheartening, and hardly welcome in any serious person’s dream world.

Bombshell (2019)

I can't resist the hot blonde chicks. Apparently, that was Roger Ailes' premise, too. He and Rupert Murdoch built a media juggernaut--and quite literally changed the world--using mostly the power of the flaxen-haired. This work would have you believe that Ailes was a tremendous creep, and that his media machinations happened at a tremendous cost to the well-formed mannequins employed by FOX News. The former premise seems plausible--though, as this movie itself makes clear, it's easy to cast a guy who was substantially less easy on the eyes than Megyn Kelly as a monster (I'm familiar with that reality myself). The latter premise is questionable, or at least this flick does not do a fully successful job of making that case. For certain, it does not raise the point of the Faustian bargain that these women made. It's hard to imagine that any gal grows up looking that attractive (Kelly and Gretchen Carlson are undeniably good-looking, regardless of their work as political spokesmodels) and doesn't know by the time she's 17 years old that doors open for her that would otherwise be closed to others less endowed by nature with looks (to say nothing of more or less talent). None of these women would have been there--and reaped years of benefits--without their looks, and what those looks meant to others (read: males) who employed or watched them. It also doesn't help that the movie's liberal viewpoint is bluntly apparent throughout (and voiced by Theron's Kelly, which comes across as somewhat false), and thereby distracts from what would otherwise be a more effective (dare one say, fair and balanced) indictment of Ailes and the whole operation. Oh, well--at least most of the scenes feature visuals that are nice to look at.

Office Christmas Party

Yeah, this movie is exactly what you think it is. So why the positive review for something so formulaic and utterly predictable? Because it's particularly well-done formulaic and predictable work. It's funny most of the way through, delivering occasional laugh-out-loud moments, and never really goes particularly wrong in performing its mission. The real strength here may lie in the fact that, even with such a large ensemble cast, no one ever really steps on anyone else or tries to take over the show (maybe T.J. Miller, a little bit, but he is what he is). All in all, this is exactly what an unabashed raunchy, adult comedy is supposed to be like, and when people achieve their own goals, that should be recognized.

Ghostbusters (2016)

If. That is the essence of everything with this movie: if. If this were an original idea; if there were not a classic movie that preceded and inspired this version; if this movie did not employ the gender-shift gimmick...If not for any of those aspects, then perhaps it could have earned more respect upon release. Judged on its own merits, the film certainly is worthy of respect; it's funny, engaging, and about as clever as one could expect given how high the bar was previously set. And the "controversial" casting is really not an issue; the ladies do a fine job, though only Kate McKinnon actually takes her role and runs with it, create something wholly fresh in this context. All in all, this is a good time at the movies, and--given the not so subtle hint of a sequel--worthy of attention now and in the presumed future.