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Review by Cole Groth  Colin West’s Linoleum is fantastic. At first glance, it seems like any other film about a man going through a mid-life crisis. However, tucked between the different subplots and a multi-layered sci-fi dramedy is a quietly devastating story about what it means to be fulfilled in life and to fulfill your dreams. Audiences will have fun following along with the various twists and turns that lead to a surreal ending, but if you prefer a simple story, there’s a great time to be had in the excellent performances, writing, score, and humor. Protagonist Cameron Edwin (played by a never-better Jim Gaffigan) has been fired from his failed children’s science show and is going through a divorce with his wife (Rhea Seehorn). His daughter is growing apart from him, his father’s dementia prevents him from remembering Cameron, and his therapy sessions aren’t helping either. He’s a real sad guy, to say the least. One day, a fancy car comes careening from the sky, and contained within it is a man who seems like his double. He looks the same as Cameron but is more successful on all accounts. This begins an unusual chain of events that leads Cameron to a new understanding of life. Cameron is an extraordinarily well-written character. He’s a protagonist that feels simultaneously like a blank slate for viewers to relate to and a complicated man whose purpose in life needs to be figured out both by him and the audience. It helps that Jim Gaffigan beautifully portrays Cameron and his double. He effortlessly jumps between an energetic Bill Nye-style TV host and a pushover of a father dealing with his crumbling reality. West’s script is very engaging. While his pacing is somewhat hard to follow, he captures a certain energy that will resonate with fans of mumblecore. Every character feels rich and multifaceted in a way that sticks in your mind. The four leading characters are given enough time to shine on their own, with each person having their own satisfying subplot.  While Cameron and Erin are dealing with their domestic issues, daughter Nora (Katelyn Nacon) is figuring her life out. She befriends Marc (Gabriel Rush), the son of Cameron’s double, who’s as much of a misfit as she. Cameron and Nora have very separate paths at first glimpse. On a deeper look, the two characters tell stories of self-discovery. Nora is trying to find herself as a teenager struggling with her sexual orientation, and Cameron is trying to prove himself as the competent man his wife once thought he was.
Gaffigan is supported by brilliant performances from every supporting actor. Rhea Seehorn hasn’t led many feature films besides her breathtaking performance in Better Call Saul. Here, she plays a character similar to Kim Wexler, making her exhaustion with her husband feel like a genuine relationship on the brink of ending. Based on this performance, Katelyn Nacon and Gabriel Rush deliver stellar performances and will surely be a force in their careers. Tony Shaloub appears as a therapist-type character who communicates with Cameron in cryptic and existential nonsequiturs. From a technical standpoint, Linoleum is an excellent production. Ed Wu’s cinematography highlights the strangeness of an otherwise ordinary world. The production design brilliantly takes us back to when landlines were popular, and space exploration was at its peak. Still, the stand-out is Mark Hadley’s phenomenal score. He brilliantly uses synths to demonstrate the reflective nature of West’s script. The ending will prove divisive to most viewers, delving deeper into the film’s ambiguously magical nature. Still, to those who love the rest of Linoleum, the ending should only feel earnest and rewarding to those paying attention. Colin West has delivered something genuinely magical that will have you thinking, and thanks to his powerful cast, this stands out as one of the best movies with a release this year. Linoleum releases in theaters starting February 24. Rating: 4.5/5
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Review by Adam Donato  (L-R) Kelsey Grammer as Chuck Smith and Jonathan Roumie as Lonnie Frisbee in the film, JESUS REVOLUTION, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Dan Anderson. There’s a tendency for Christian flicks to fit into their own genre and not find widespread appeal. A movie getting a wide release with the word Jesus in the title is quite the bet, especially when it’s a comedy. Jesus Revolution attempts to appeal to young and old with the story of the rise of Calvary Chapel churches. Former television star Kelsey Grammer and the directors of American Underdog headline Jesus Revolution. The film will try to find success at the box office in the wake of Quantumania’s second weekend and will face off head to head with Cocaine Bear, which is the opposite of Jesus Revolution. Does this Jesus movie have the quality to get non-Christians in the theater? Jesus Revolution tackles the youth takeover of Christianity. The target audience is sure to be old people and it would do some good as it’s fraught with themes about acceptance and tolerance. It’s interesting to see movies aimed at older audiences that touch on issues sensitive to that community. That being said, this is a period piece so a lot of the older demographic experienced this movement in real time, but now they are the old heads. Obviously the movie is about religion so it’s going to be at the forefront, but it focuses on the peace and love aspect of Christianity that everyone can get down with. Jesus Revolution doesn’t necessarily appeal to people who don’t accept Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, but if they were forced to watch this movie, they would have a good enough time.  (L-R) Jonathan Roumie as Lonnie Frisbee and Kelsey Grammer as Chuck Smith in the film, JESUS REVOLUTION, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Dan Anderson. Kelsey Grammer is a joy on screen always. His role as a pastor gives ample opportunities for him to have juicy monologue scenes. His transition from grumpy old head to spearheading the youth movement in Christianity is rushed, but the movie isn’t really about whether or not he will be changed. His relationship with Lonnie Frisbee is delightful. Frisbee is actually played by Jonathan Roumie, who played Jesus in The Chosen TV series. It’s an instantly funny match up having a guy who looks identical to the image of Jesus Christ the western world has paired up with a jaded man of God. Roumie is also given ample acting opportunities with his speeches in this movie as well. As the movie goes on, their relationship feels like the B story to Joel Courtney’s character. Remember the kid from Super 8? In Jesus Revolution he plays a young man going down a bad path before finding his place and future in the church. This is where we get the main romantic storyline of the movie. This character definitely fleshes out the runtime, but is not as compelling as Grammer and Roumie’s storyline.
There’s nothing to write home about, but Jesus Revolution is an enjoyable viewing experience. The religious crowd will enjoy this whether they’re old or young. Non religious people were not going to see this movie anyways. The trailer sums up the most interesting aspects, which is the inciting incident. Grammer and Roumie have standout performances and the vibe is consistently good. If you’re going to the theater intoxicated this weekend, be sure to check out Cocaine Bear, but if you’re high on life, then have a feel-good time with Jesus Revolution. Jesus Revolution hits theaters on February 24. Rating: 3/5 Review by Dan Skip Allen  National Geographic has made its share of nature documentaries in its long and storied history. Their films like The Rescue, Free Solo, Fire of Love, and The Territory have all been fantastic films. That being said, the one I have the most vested interest in is their latest film, Path of the Panther, from writer/director Eric Bendick. This movie focuses mainly on nature photographer Carlton Ward Jr. Throughout this documentary, he is shown putting his cameras in swampy land, ranches, and other spots trying to capture footage of the rare and endangered Florida Panther. He interacts with various people including Betty Osceola — a member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida — veterinarian Dr. Laura Cusack, rancher Elton Langford, animal conservationist Brian Kelly, and animal biologist Dr. Jen Korn, who all want to help save this endangered species. As a current citizen of Florida myself, I am a concerned citizen when it comes to trying to save some land in this beautiful state for the wildlife that lives here. We as humans need to try and co-exist with all this wildlife. It's one of the reasons why this state is so great. Its wilderness, forests, beaches, rivers, lakes, and yes, swamps like the Everglades, are important to the wildlife of this state. I want these animals to thrive! There are a few techniques that the writer/director, Bendick, uses to get his point across in this film, including narration from the subjects he's filming, talking heads, stock footage of the state and area the film takes place, and — most impressively — time-lapse photography. There are also many scenes where he focuses his camera on what Ward Jr. captures with his cameras. He uses this footage to show the viewers the "path of the panther" and various animals like bears, alligators, pumas, snakes, and birds. These techniques show a visual style that I loved.  The documentary also takes the viewer to various locations to show the expanse of where these animals live and fend for themselves, such as Braddock Ranch, Tribe of Florida, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve, White Oak Conservation Center, Zoo Tampa, Buck Island Ranch, Lime Creek Ranch, and the Caloosahatchee River. These locations were all important in showing the journey of the animals and people within the film.
Where this movie truly hits home for me, and I'm sure for many others, is when progress and nature take over. One of my personal pet peeves is how developers keep building homes and subdivisions all over the state. With all these new buildings to get to, roads aren't cheap, and so toll roads are the way to pay for all this construction. The problem is that people want these roads to go through wilderness and wetlands designated areas of protected land for wildlife. That is a no-go for me and the people involved in this film. All through the documentary, there is a beautiful score from Kevin Matley playing over everything. It co-exists perfectly with everything else going on in the movie. I absolutely loved the score, and it fit perfectly with the whole concept of what the filmmakers were trying to do. This is why music is so important to this industry as a whole. Path of the Panther is a remarkable film that shows how important our wildlife is to this state and the world in general. The Florida Panther is the main focus of these men and women who made and were featured in this movie, so that's what is important in the context of everything. Bendick and Ward Jr., along with everybody else, have made a stunning documentary that needs to be seen by as many people as possible. The narrative is one of the most important things to me as a Floridian, and should be important to others in the state, around the country, and worldwide. The main thing I took away from this film was how impressive these animals truly are, and why this fight to save them is so necessary. Path of the Panther hits theaters on February 24. Rating: 5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
We’ve reached an era in animation where animated films can be so much more than a kids’ movie, so it is frustrating to see when a movie is seemingly held back by its need to pander to a young audience. Lamya’s Poem falls victim to that pitfall, with a potentially important story weighed down by an overly cutesy approach.
The film follows a young refugee girl who finds herself inspired when she finds a book of poetry by the 13th century Persian poet Rumi. If it isn’t obvious, the intention seems to be to inspire real-life young people with this story. It’s undeniably well-intended — and it doesn’t become inadvertently insensitive — but it still feels like it is simply not enough. The movie blends the stories of the fictional girl and her turmoil in the Syrian refugee crisis with the stories from the poems of Rumi. While it is understandable why Kroenemer wanted to use such an important cultural text to draw a comparison to an urgent issue like this, the result ends up feeling somewhat insincere in both regards. There is no denying that young children who watch the film will certainly come away with some good messages on perseverance, the power of storytelling, and the importance of keeping in touch with one’s own culture despite obstacles. However, these themes — the last one in particular — are ineffective in a movie made by an American filmmaker in English, and seemingly for an English-speaking audience. 
Perhaps the most disappointing thing about Lamya’s Poem is that it fails to take advantage of the opportunity to say something meaningful about the refugee crisis. This film’s target audience is hugely impressionable and could be taught a thing or two about compassion by a movie like this. Although there are scenes of racism and xenophobia and its consequences, it doesn’t do enough to where it could spark a meaningful conversation between parents and their children.
Rumi is voiced by actor Mena Massoud (the live-action remake of Aladdin), and he is the highlight of the film. The eponymous fictional protagonist is played by a young Canadian actress, Millie Davis. To give credit where credit is due, Davis does a good job. However, it’s disappointing on the part of Kroenemer to have seen this part be whitewashed. The animation is rather uneven. For every bit of rough motion, there is a beautiful backdrop or lovely character design. It makes sense that there is an almost storybook-like element to the movie given how much of a role written storytelling plays in the plot and message, but filmmaker Alex Kronemer doesn’t do as much with the visual juxtaposition as he does the narrative juxtaposition. There are some things that Lamya’s Poem does well, but it can’t escape the feeling of being overly sanitized — even for a young audience. Remember that movie Where Is Anne Frank? that most people did not like very much? Lamya’s Poem is similar, but for a different culture and slightly better. At least it’s a merciful 88 minutes long, making it a harmless, if mostly unaffecting fable for the young ones. Lamya’s Poem hits VOD on February 21. Rating: 2.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
The Berlinale has been known for discovering some of the most exciting new voices in international cinema, and this year’s edition seems to deliver that in spades. Although the film itself leaves something to be desired, The Properties of Metals heralds the arrival of an intriguing new filmmaker in Antonio Bigini.
The film tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy who has the mysterious power of manipulating metal through telekinesis as an outsider who comes to the boy’s rural community to test his powers. It’s an intriguing premise that has a ton of potential for really good symbolism, but it ends up being a bit too restrained for its own good. Bigini posits some interesting questions about the upper class’s exploitation of the working class, but these themes are somewhat underdeveloped. We’ve seen plenty of effective films about an outsider who begins to interfere with something they have no business being a part of — and The Properties of Metals doesn’t do anything particularly meaningful with the trope. The biggest problem with the film is that it meanders pretty significantly. Despite the runtime being only around an hour and a half, it feels much longer than that because the story begins to feel repetitive at a certain point. Although no one would go into this film expecting a superhero movie — or even a horror movie, for that matter — it does become somewhat tiring to watch the triviality of it all. 
Of course, the mundanity is largely the point. However, the script needed to engage with the concept of spectacle on a much deeper level for it to be fully effective. It’s clear that Bigini had plenty of interesting ideas, including a little-known true story inspiration, but it feels like he threw everything at the wall and only a few things stuck.
The main thing that Bigini does well here is creating a sense of realism. His style is clearly influenced by neo-realism, with an emphasis on naturalistic performances — largely from newcomers — and human drama involving the working class. This creates a nice juxtaposition against the more fantastical elements of the premise. The Properties of Metals also boasts strong production values. The cinematography by Andrea Vaccari is stunning, particularly in its portrayal of rural Italy. And the production design by Paola Bizzarri does a great job of setting the time period of the film without feeling overly nostalgic or cheap. The Properties of Metals is a strong debut for Antonio Bigini, but it does suffer from some pacing issues and not entirely engaging with its themes. Still, it’s a stunning film to look at, and the concept is intriguing enough that it’s worth recommending. The Properties of Metals premiered at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival. Rating: 3/5 |