Nosferatu (2024)

Gothic hardly covers it. Every frame of this film teems with expressions of the gothic ethos, making it an especially rich and evocative viewing experience, especially if you are familiar with the source materials. It is actually refreshing to see the vampire genre not treated as a mere fashion show for the pretty and perfect but as a story much closer to the folkloric roots of the thing (literally): as a true horror of pestilence, existential fear and death. Romance is underplayed in the face of primal forces—because, after all, we’re talking about a walking corpse here. The cast does a fine job of conveying all of the above with sincerity, and the script stays true to the roots of the tale, yet adds a few interesting twists and at least mildly provocative details. Finally, this film makes the point that horror, though certainly bound to blood and gore at its core, is not necessarily limited to over the top violence, slasher action or shock moments, but that atmosphere can deliver the basics of the genre, when it is done right. I wouldn’t guess what Stoker would have to say about this, but I suspect Murnau would be most pleased to see such a stylish and sophisticated expansion on his earlier masterwork. Great stuff. 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Sometimes they come back...and it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Maybe Beetlejuice (the original movie) was an unlikely suspect to rise from its grave—it seemed like it had said all that it had to say—but no, there apparently were a few more characters left to carve onto that gravestone. It probably helped immensely that a) many of the original principals needed work, and could use an old standby to serve as a seed for something new, and b) the success of Wednesday and its young star Jenna Ortega (who is in serious danger of being forever typecast) provided source material for an injection of new life to the older work. Merge the two influences and voila, a revival arrives, bringing much of the sensibility of the original, if not quite its freshness, while adding enough touches of today to make something that can stand on its own terms. Much of the narrative here works as a slow build, not unlike the first entry, until at last the applied touches coalesce into a climax that is genuinely funny, well brought together, and satisfying in its resolution of the various plot lines. The whole story put together may be something not quite what a fan of the first flick, or of Tim Burton in general, might expect at first glance, but if you let yourself get into the ... um ... spirit of the thing, you’ll find yourself feeling like the effort was not a dead waste of time. One suspects, given the rule of saying the name three times, that a follow up will be on the way; the vote here says that enough was done this time around to make that possibility one that does not need to remain buried—though these characters could also go to their rest without it being a tragedy, either. Ultimately, I guess you can’t begrudge anyone grabbing whatever kind of afterlife they can.

Spider-man: No Way Home

I honestly don't know what to say about this movie. I've never been as hyped up about the Tom Holland iteration of the Spidey story, so I suppose I should have appreciation for this flick's special-guest-star gimmick--and it is good to see the previous actors showing their version of the character, particularly Maguire's version, which really laid much of the groundwork for today's hero-film landscape (and doesn't get nearly as much credit as is deserved these days). So it goes. As for this particular work, again, it's mostly a matter of fan service, though it does benefit from the presence of some really good actors reprising their previous roles. On the other hand, the relationship between Holland and Cumberbatch never quite hits the right note. Guess it's a good thing that the latter disappears for about half the running time. That's the sort of thing we have here--an odd melange of good and bad, weird and decent and exasperating all at the same time. Sure, you can have fun with this movie, but the original film, twenty-some years ago, proved this story can be fun and high-quality at the same time. Who knows if this goes any further--it's the third lead outing for Holland, so likely done for him now--though the best bet would be to just let this thing leave off here and come back with a new iteration in about 15 years or so. Will that happen? No--the MCU is a stickier web than anything this kid can shoot. I guess it's just a matter of shrug the shoulders and accept it as it is. Oh well...

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.

Motherless Brooklyn

This outing poses an obvious question: who made the mistake in making the lead character a Tourette's-afflicted gumshoe? Was it Edward Norton the writer, or Norton the director, or Norton the actor? Amazingly enough, the auteur gets off the hook, as the condition comes from the source book, and was simply carried over into the movie. I suppose it would have been impossible not to do so, as the character's affliction is a signature mark of the work, but the device probably works better in print--where the reader has a certain amount of control over distraction--rather than on screen, where it becomes a one more layer of opacity in a complex story. Some of the story gets away from the viewer, which adds a demerit to an otherwise solid effort. So too with Norton's penchant (typical in an unproven director) to try to be a bit too gimmicky in the presentation; sometimes it works, other times keeping it simple would have served better. Those flaws are mostly outweighed by the overall skill, which is well employed in creating a solid, neo-noir environment that is one of the real joys of the film experience. It's hardly perfect, but this piece is perfectly watchable, and promise even better works to come.

Aquaman

Explicationfilm. Nothing seems to happen in this flick without one or more characters providing reams of explanation for whatever is going on. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it was written by video game designers, as much of the dialogue is reminiscent of the kind of background instruction you get on a video game title card. Jason Momoa is fun and charming, sort of like an off-brand version of Dwayne Johnson, but he can't overcome the weaknesses of the script or the overall silliness of the story's concept. It would be nice if DC would stop getting its ass kicked by Marvel and start presenting a few representative movies--but based on this outing, it doesn't look like that's in the cards. This fish mostly floats belly up--and that's a posture that gets you flushed.

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

A mystery that has long since been solved is no mystery at all. Hence, if you're making a remake of a mystery movie--especially if it is perhaps the most famous mystery of all time--then obviously that film has to be about something more than solving the case. So it is here, where the heart of the exercise comes in the form of style and personality. Director and lead Branagh comes through in both aspects, delivering a visually sumptuous film while also crafting a lively and fun version of Hercule Poirot. The rest of the cast acquits themselves well, too. The only real issue lies in the writer, believe it or not. Christie's plot and solution, seen through the perspective of a lack of surprise, is frankly absurd and something of a cheat. But, again, this outing is not really about the solution anyway. Go ahead and board the train; you'll have a good enough trip for your ticket price.

John Wick

Shakespeare it ain't. And I imagine that a lot of the plot points would not hold up under rigorous scrutiny. But oh, man--is this movie a hoot to watch. You pretty much know everything that's going to happen long before it does, but it's still wonderfully kick-ass, and entertaining to see it anyway. One of the real delights here is the terrifically and comprehensively imagined underworld of violent yet weirdly urbane criminals--a milieu in which everyone understands each other with barely a nod and dirty deeds can get done (though not necessarily dirt cheap) by just speaking one well-known phrase. You may need to check your brain at the door--and not be easily offended by violence; if you are, stay away from this neighborhood--but you will have a rollicking good time with this one.

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

It's weird. It's absurd. It's deadpan. It's frequently hilarious. Not everyone's cup of tea, to be sure, but those who get it will really enjoy an offbeat adventure. Special mention must go to the wonderfully mocking parodies of Cousteau-style nature films and books; the animation is a wry joy, and the artwork and look are spot on (and riotous). If you've liked other Wes Anderson movies, definitely take this plunge.

Auto Focus

A word of advice: if you're having the Pope over for the evening, you might want to bypass screening this one after dinner. The movie certainly has its share of nakedness, but it's not as sleazy as you might think; it's certainly not as stimulating as one would anticipate. I can't say if Greg Kinnear really captures Bob Crane--I was never a Hogan's Heroes fan--but the performances are well done and believable. The movie just never rises to any particular heights.

Finding Nemo

Hate to say it, but this isn't as good as you think it is. The film is technically brilliant, of course; Pixar has that template down pat now. And the vocal performances are well done. But there are a lot of elements here which seem stale and recycled (the goofy sidekick, the motley collection of friends, even the Disney staple of the dead parent). If you've been paying attention, you have to feel like you're being suckered. If you're as uncritical as a child, then sure, go ahead. But adults might have a harder time swallowing these fish sticks.

Spider-man

Great fun. A spectacular yet emotionally true summer movie, one that (at time of release) in many ways revived the then-moribund superhero genre. The effects never overwhelm the story; some movie-makers could learn a few things from that fact.

Shadow Of The Vampire

Willem Dafoe sucks…and there's your story. A stylishly done bit of horror-satire, with Dafoe as the Nosferatu who literally chews the scenery of John Malkovich's movie-within-a-movie. Don't worry--it's not really scary...just entertaining.