Nobody 2

See, these people understand one of life’s fundamental principles: violence is always the answer. Conflict inevitably follows one of two paths: resolution or escalation. And this story decidedly leans towards the latter. Bob Onenkirk’s Hutch is a man who simply can’t avoid escalation, even when he wants to, and that produces both some rumination on the nature of one’s being, and a metric ton of cinematic carnage of the mostly amusing type. The proceedings don’t start out particularly promising, but soon enough the mayhem starts, and it includes not just an orgy of entertaining terrible things—or, perhaps, terribly entertaining things—but also some laugh-out-loud visual humor. The family angle plays well enough, but it never gets in the way of Hutch throwing down in his creative and oddly indestructible way. Christopher Lloyd provides able if limited support as the grandfather who got this train rolling, Connie Nielsen starts out as a long-suffering wet blanket but eventually rallies to stand tall and enjoy some mayhem of her own, and Sharon Stone gives one of the most scenery-chewing performances ever committed to media (before the scenery gets blown up, that is). It’s not a great movie by any measure, but this flick does exceed expectations and entertain the audience, especially so for a sequel. And who can resist that? Well, you know… 

The Naked Gun (2025)

Amusing, mostly. This flick is more a collection of moments rather than a cohesive comedic story. You could say that about the original police squad show and its sequel movies too, but they tended to hold together better than this work. Of course, those shows had the benefit of coming from the Zucker/Abrahams team, who were demonstrably comedic geniuses, whereas this film comes from a group of mostly nobodies. The difference in pedigree may be the source of the problem, as there’s just something missing in a lot of this plot; generally, the jokes take too much time to land, and then the movie lingers on them too long. These guys don’t seem to understand that a film like this requires a machine gun approach, not being satisfied with a good line or visual here and there. Liam Neeson and (particularly, maybe surprisingly) Pamela Anderson do the best they can with the material, and there are a few moments of laugh out loud hilarity—including one sequence that’s actually cribbed from an Austin Powers movie—but not enough good moments to make it seem like this reboot was all that necessary. If you’re looking to be a screw up, you’d better be a great screw up—otherwise, everyone will think you just don’t know what you’re doing.  

Novocaine

This is a movie built entirely around someone saying, “wouldn’t it be cool if...” Sadly, the answer is mostly, “no, it wouldn’t.” It turns out that a movie where not just the villain but also the hero, and pretty much everyone else, is an unstoppable killing machine isn’t as entertaining as some might believe. You watch this flick constantly thinking about all the holes in the concept, every little thing that makes the entire story impossible from the get-go. Rarely does anything in this film ever come as a surprise to the audience, whereas many moments and actions are entirely predictable. While this is ostensibly an action comedy, the actual laughs are few and far between. Notably, many of the elements herein—gaming, tattoos, difficult interpersonal relationships—are completely congruent with the current zeitgeist. That probably makes the story all the more representative—and makes it all the more disturbing that, ultimately, this movie boils down to an exercise in vicarious cruelty and sadism. The one redeeming feature is the performances of the cast—mostly no-names beyond the relatively established Jack Quaid—all of whom are fairly believable in their roles; that’s a bright spot, given that movies that feature a half-baked concept often compound the trouble with bad acting. In the end, the protagonist may not feel any pain, but any who watch this one will feel discomfort, frustration, and probably a bit of anger, too—at the very least. 

No Hard Feelings

There’s no way that, going in, you thinking this movie will be what it turns out to be. Everything about the premise screams silliness and cheap laughs—if any. And there is a bit of that here—but there’s far more of something that’s real and honest and downright charming. A lot of that credit must go to Jennifer Lawrence, who not only brings her star power to the film but delivers a note-perfect performance as a flawed but still likable heroine (and, not to mention, looks stunning as well). Her costar Andrew Barth Feldman is good, too, bringing a believability despite his character’s seemingly unbelievable lack of social skills. (If this kid is based on true Generation AA neuroses, then there’s really no hope for the future.) Mostly, you walk away from this one appreciating its gentle humor and modest humanity—something that’s become all too rare in current cinema. Better than your average summer fling, for sure.

Nope

This movie takes its good sweet time getting into the meat of its story. That’s actually something of a throwback, since horror flicks in olden days didn’t put their monsters, chaos and gore out front and center until well into the running time. They generally worked the slow build, unlike much of today’s more hyperkinetic fare. So that’s not an inherent problem with this one; what causes some viewer consternation here at the start, more than anything else, is Keke Palmer's high-volume, grating presence in the otherwise quiet and ominous stage-setting early scenes. You almost want to walk away just to keep her from getting too much on your nerves. Thankfully, the plot and action soon rev up and begin to deliver the kinds of jolts that make her boisterousness relatively muted in comparison. A lot about the middle of the movie is appreciable, with some nasty surprises giving the narrative some high-energy moments. But then, the denouement leaves a bit more to be desired: the monster weirdly transforms, without necessarily becoming anything more particularly scary or alien in character, the characters go off into behaviors that don’t seem particularly rational, and the beastie meets its destiny in a way that does not make much sense. So there are good scenes in the middle, the direction and cinematography present rich visuals—a notable achievement considering the dry-as-dust desert setting of the story—and a lot of the film works ... but there’s also a tepid opening and a not especially compelling ending. You get just enough here to turn a "nope" into a "yes," but just barely—and you are hardly inspired to shout out that affirmative.

Noelle

This movie contains a ton of product placements. Its script is not nearly as clever as it could or should have been, leaving plenty of obvious opportunities for amusement just hanging there. Being postmodern Disney, it genuflects at the altar of identitarianism to an irksome extent. And in certain places, it's just downright dumb. So why did I enjoy it so much? Because it has Anna Kendrick in nearly every frame. Duh. Anna, one of your correspondent's personal favorites, really shines here, bringing plenty of sincerity to a silly role as Santa daughter (and would-be replacement), not to mention that she looks surprisingly hot throughout, despite--or maybe even because?--she's decked out in winterish costumes all the way. However it plays, it plays; Kendrick works her usual magic and provides plenty of individual delight. Meanwhile, there's just enough good humor from the rest of the tableau to counteract the film's worst indulgences. (Also, it's great to see Julie Hagerty in a movie again.) A great Christmas movie? Hardly. But if you like a certain girl...required viewing, I guess it all depends upon which way your North Pole points.

No Time to Die

A fitting swan song for Daniel Craig’s run as James Bond, even if it does get a little too mushy here and there. There are some minor pacing problems, but when the action comes it does so in sequences that rival any in the series. As with any Bond film, the eye candy must be first rate; here Lea Seydoux and Ana de Armas admirably fill that need here. Other cast members do good to excellent jobs in support. Mostly, though, this is about Craig, stating his case as (maybe) the best Bond ever. It may be hard to lift him above Connery--who after all defined the role, and had the advantage of better context (Cold War) and, frankly, better productions (storylines, writing, and that certain, mid-century spy movie joie de vivre) on his side--but the modern man probably sits at at least No.. 2. That's hardly something to be ashamed of. This last trip through the MI6 underworld reminds us how lucky we’ve been to have had the franchise resurrected from its seeming expiration back in the Dalton/Brosnan days, when the joy largely went out and camp was practically king. Our man--or, at least, the original king's man--will return, per the post-credits teaser--but it’s hard to imagine the new guy doing any better than Craig's body of work. (That is, assuming the new Bond is a guy, and that the producers don’t go really far off the reservation with their choice). This Bond may not have gone out with the biggest bang, but he left a big, shining legacy for film history to remember and enjoy.

Nightmare Alley

Just like a carny sideshow, this flick is filled with obvious humbug. The story takes its sweet time getting into the meat of the matter, mostly through creating a number of set ups that will have rather clear payoffs in scenes down the line. On the plus side, this film is visually fine to look at, both from a design standpoint and in terms of cinematography (both typical strengths of any Guillermo del Toro movie). Overall, there’s enough entertainment here to let you watch it without feeling like a total mark, but one has to suspect that this could have been a more dazzling show, without resorting to any sideshow tricks.

Nobody

A fine film to watch when you’re having a bad day. It’s vaguely obscene to call this one a real hoot, given it's profound violence and lack of much in the way of redeeming value, but there it is. Despite the well-trodden territory—Taken and the Wick movies long ago beat this one to the punch—the scenario still has the power to entertain and, if you’re the certain warped type, amuse. Odenkirk's leading turn here emphasizes the strength of the premise that you can’t judge a book by its cover, and that anyone--even the seemingly least likely--can be a real threat, at least when the circumstances are right. That strong premise, good visuals, and exactly the right attitude make this one a piece of good, professional work.

No Sudden Move

I have a sketchy history with Steven Soderbergh movies. I also have a sketchy history with crime caper movies, the kind that are convinced of how clever they are and think that you should be convinced of it, too. So what do you think happened when I watched this flick? Well, it wasn't all that bad, but you're not too far off. The bulk of the enjoyment here comes from watching veteran, professional actors like Don Cheadle and Benicio Del Toro playing off and against each other; they're fine, especially in the early segments of the film. But the plot eventually gets away from itself, becomes too convoluted, and then attempts a ham-handed effort at injecting a bit of socioeconomic commentary and muckracking into the tale, without that element really being part of the story from the start. It also doesn't help, either, that Soderbergh--despite or perhaps because of his reputation as an innovative filmmaker--seems unaware throughout the running time that his camera--possibly smartphone--created distortions of the image throughout the picture; a lot of the frames look like they were (unnecessarily) shot with a fish-eye lens. So despite some decent aspects of this movie, it mostly comes across as a muddle.

A Night in Casablanca

An attempt at making a crackpot sequel, of sorts, about Morocco’s most cinematically famous city. This outing offers the Marx Brothers at nowhere close to their zenith, but there a decent number of good moments, mostly provided through Groucho’s impeccably delivered one-liners. But the story is kind of lame, the supporting cast is generally weak, and the final set piece goes on too long. And, worth noting for you Zeppo partisans out there, the fourth brother is nowhere to be found. Still, it is a Marx Brothers movie, so if you're a fan of their oeuvre, this work has its appeal. All in all, there are better ways to kill an hour and a half--but you could do worse, too.

Nomadland

This film, much like the characters it portrays, seems to be not quite sure where it wants to go. Early on it aims to be a postmodern Steinbeck, touching on Grapes of Wrath-style socioeconomic themes with a similar point of view. It can be, at times, very self-conscious in the way it tells its stories of the downtrodden. A lot of the early running time is taken up by the depressing spectacle of seeing the desperate in all their desperation, sometimes supporting each other, sometimes feeding off each other. Disease and its aftermath is a common theme in these tableaux, lest one let oneself believe that health care, or lack thereof, is not a fundamental issue in this society. all cogent observations of the American scene, so far. The filmmakers present the problems fairly comprehensively, but they notably offer no real answers--suggesting, somewhat ominously, that maybe there are no answers. That may not be a fair critique, but if someone has thought enough about these issues to produce a whole film about it, you might expect some suggestions in a movie that so obviously has political thoughts on its mind. What's more problematic is the film's shift from the political to the personal. As the story zeroes in even closer on Frances McDormand's protagonist, one can't help but conclude that Fern is a nomad not simply due to economics and bad luck, but due to personal dimensions that go beyond the facts of her life and rest closer to character flaws. Those pieces of the portrait tend to undermine the social/political viewpoint; they give the viewer room to dismiss or assign blame, and reject any thoughts towards social justice. The presentation overall is fine, but the story and message come across as too muddled and lacking in ultimate conviction to represent a grand achievement.

Notes on a Scandal

I can imagine many viewers seeing this film and thinking its story is almost unbelievable. Hardly. The strength of this movie is its keen perception of the nature of the human animal--we do what we can do, and not in a good, first-responder "we're doing all we can" way. The animal does what it can get away with, mostly, and this story is largely about that, presenting that fact in a way that's searingly honest throughout. The screenplay is smart if not exceptional, and Dench and Blanchett present the kinds of performances you expect as routine from two such fine actresses, while most of the rest of the cast is good but fairly standard. I wouldn't say this is an all-time great, but it's certainly worth a look as a good film, and as a portrait of human nature.

The Natural

Life in the Manichean league. Not since the black-hat/white-hat westerns of days of yore has there been a movie so simplistic in its depiction—visually, at least, if not in plot terms — of the good vs. evil conflict. And yet, despite this film’s short-spectrum presentation, the story still comes across as something of a muddle. Yes, it is apparently supposed to be something of a mystery what happened to Roy Hobbs during all those missing years—but that doesn’t mean the character’s arc should make so little sense. The viewer is left wondering why exactly that life-changing event happened at all, let alone why someone seemingly as good and grounded as Redford’s character would be so thoroughly diverted for a decade and a half. This is movie that, like most fables, I suppose, does not stand up all that well to scrutiny. Sure, the right side wins in the end—no real spoiler there; the denouement is obvious all the way through—but even such a triumphant ending ultimately comes across as unsatisfying. You can chalk this one up as a win, ultimately, but there were certainly errors made along the way.

Never Say Never Again

At last, the Bond movies project is complete, now that I've re-watched this movie, the rogue production of a remake of Thunderball. A couple of things stand out: one, Sean Connery's appearance here demonstrates in no uncertain terms that Bond actors have to be put out to pasture at a certain point. There's just no getting around the fact that Connery was too old for the role at this point, even though he acquits himself rather well in this outing. The plain fact is, the man in the tux has to have a certain appeal that only a man under a certain age can have. Secondly, this film suffers from its rogue status for one very good reason: the lack of proper licensing meant they could not use the actual James Bond theme for the music, and the absence of those familiar sounds makes a huge difference. It also doesn't help that the movie runs just a bit too long. And, like its model, there's a bit too much underwater work here; the action always seems slower when everyone is hauling around a scuba tank. There's fun stuff, a strong dose of irreverent humor sprinkled throughout, some good action, and some silliness, too. All in all, it's not bad, but it never really had a chance to live up to the best standards of the Bond canon.

Nurse Betty

Good stuff here. Enjoy the almost always great Renée Zellweger as the titular confused lady; plus she gets strong support from the rest of the cast, in particular  Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman, who are a hoot as a pair of father-son, yin-yang hitmen.

Notting Hill

Not exactly earth-shattering, but mostly harmless fun. Julia Roberts keeps herself relatively unannoying, Hugh Grant does what Hugh Grant does, and London--specifically the titular neighborhood--does a fabulous job of playing itself. Enjoy for a little escapist romantic pleasure.

No Man's Land

A brilliant little picture about one absurd and tragic day in the midst of the Bosnia war. The story is told with grim humor almost from start to end, but the laughs never dull the impact of the awfulness of the situation. This one received lots of thought for a "Best of All" induction; it's not quite that great, but it's still well worth seeing.

Never Been Kissed

So fluffy that you half expect the DVD or viewing device to float right out of your hand--but, hey, Drew Barrymore is very appealing, and this is her at her most very appealing, so you'll probably enjoy this one if you don't expect anything profound.

Non-Stop

Liam Neeson sure does have this ass-kicking thing rolling along these days. In fact, Neeson has grown so comfortable with this formula that by now it may be starting to show some wear and tear. This iteration of the model comes across as somewhat lacking; the action sequences don't feel all that active, probably thanks to the limited staging options of an airplane cabin. There's little of the joyful mayhem of the Taken series here; mostly it's just Neeson looking confused as he tries to figure out who the villain is. The star isn't alone in that; the recursiveness of the film's whodunit plot means that suspects previously dismissed wind up coming back again--unfortunately, without a particularly good reason for their plotting. This is hardly the sort of movie from which you should expect greatness, but a better effort than this shouldn't be too much to ask.