Review by Cole Groth Documentary filmmaking is often overlooked as a lesser medium of entertainment. As a film critic, I’m embarrassed to say that I also stray away from documentaries, but I’ll reconsider this perspective going forward after seeing 32 Sounds. From Oscar-nominated director Sam Green, this immersive experience explores the human connection of sound and stands apart as one of the best documentaries in years. Sam Green follows up on his promise through the title of 32 Sounds. He presents the audience with 32 unique auditory experiences, ranging from sounds within the womb to the silence of the night. Some sounds are abstract, and some are incredibly common, but they’re all uniquely profound. Supported by a score from JD Samson, Green’s calm narration takes viewers on an odyssey. It’s easy to think a documentary like this would be pretentious. Trying to capture these shared experiences often traps directors into making assumptions about the world that simply aren’t true. However, Green takes a nuanced approach to these broad generalizations and explains sound’s universality with simplicity, making it wildly entertaining. Plenty of the 32 sounds Green explores are a lot of fun. We see the different ways that artists use sound in their works, highlighting the incredible medium that is sound. Documentaries too often feel like they’re made by people who simply find the topic interesting. Green has a connection with the use of sound that transcends this. He manipulates audio to shift tones numerous times, making this a fun and emotional experience.
Toward the film’s end, Green takes a sharply emotional twist and revisits voice memos from his deceased relatives. While the first hour is great, the last half hour is an absolute masterpiece. It’s rare to find a director so in touch with emotions; it is undoubtedly fresh air. With sound being the core of this documentary, Samson has a lot to stand up to with her score. Fortunately, she brings magic to the calm narration from Green and enhances the experience across the board. Her synth-heavy score is endlessly engaging, and mastery shines through each piece. 32 Sounds is nothing short of masterful. It’s the type of documentary that will shift your worldview and stick in your mind long after the credits roll. It’s a joyous exploration of the power of sound that is effortlessly delightful in its presentation. This is not a film to be missed. 32 Sounds releases in theaters starting April 28. Rating: 4.5/5
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Review by Jonathan Berk Writer and Director Jalmari Helander's new film Sisu is an explosive 90-minute action movie with a simple, yet effective narrative. Set in Finland towards the end of World War II, the film follows Aatami Korpi (played by Jorma Tommila) as he searches for gold. He finds a speck of gold that leads to a big discovery. Everything initially seems to be going well for this man, who appears haunted by a lost love — signified by the constant touching of a gold wedding band — as he starts off with his loot. Still, trouble has a way to find those with fortune as he passes by a unit of Nazi soldiers on their way out of the country. The Nazi soldiers are led by Bruno Helldorf (played by Abel Hennie) who sees the end of the war and decides to start making plans to save his own skin. The gold that Aatami possesses is Bruno’s potential ticket to life after the war, instantly pitting the Nazis against Aatami. How could one man possibly fight off a tank and dozens of armed soldiers? Well, he is no ordinary man. Sometimes, the action in this film is intense; bloody and visceral in cinematic compelling ways. The trailer shows a sequence in a minefield that is hard to ignore. It’s both inventive and explosive in its presentation and building of the legend that is Aatami. He survives what seems impossible odds in ways that feel impossible, yet somehow still practical. The film in general walks the line between reality and fantasy, all at the service of the myth being constructed.
In fact, it is the writing of the story that sets this movie apart. While there are some areas that get short shrift — probably to hit the short runtime many of us love — it's the building up of the film’s protagonist that is truly compelling. The backstory of Aatami will not be spoiled here, but it is this component of the film that makes it stick. As we witness things that seem improbable, we also slowly learn about who the man is, and a myth is constructed. John Wick got credit for its world building and the construction of the legend that is the Baba Yaga, and it seems Aatami has a bit of that as well. Like many action movies, Sisu doesn't have anything enlightening to say. Nazis are bad. War is bad. A man will go to great lengths to take back what is his or to make those pay he took from him. Yet, Sisu is a compelling watch for any fan of the genre. Sisu will be in theaters on April 28. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
If you ever wondered what The White Lotus would look like if it were produced by a network such as Freeform, look no further than the new Hulu series Saint X. Although the show is streaming on Hulu, it was produced by ABC Signature — the production company behind several Freeform shows — so it’s not wholly surprising that this show is trite, soapy, and all-around poorly made.
The story follows a young woman who sets out on a quest to discover the truth about her sister’s death that happened while they were on vacation years ago when she was a child. The series cuts between two timelines: one in the present day following Emily (Alycia Debnam-Carey) as an adult, and the other in the past, exploring the time leading up to her sister Allison’s (West Duchovny) death. The portion of the show set in the past is absolutely plagued with problems. First of all, it’s an extraordinarily trashy teen soap opera that simply isn’t very compelling. However, the fact that we know Allison dies makes it anticlimactic. Sure, there’s a limited amount of “how did it happen?” intrigue, but whereas something like The White Lotus has an actual mystery element, this feels more interested in the melodrama. On the other hand, the present-day storyline is simply boring. There’s not as many overt problems to pick out of that story other than the fact that it just isn’t interesting. The show attempts to give Emily characterization by showing how her personal life is affected by this obsession to find the truth out about her sister, but why do we care?
A good deal of this show’s issues could have been fixed with a better cast. Neither Debnam-Carey nor Duchovny have a compelling enough screen presence to carry the show. However, even worse are their male co-stars, Sule Thelwell and Jayden Elijah, who feel completely lost in their roles.
One of the more off-putting things about the show is that it sends questionable messages. There is a pretty substantial subplot that’s problematic, and it feels somewhat reductive in the context of what is essentially a bigger-scale soap opera. And to make things worse, there are many points at which the show seems to imply the characters are being punished for their “indiscretions.” What is perhaps most shocking about the show, though, is that it is so terrible despite having some legitimate talent involved. Acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees (Pariah) executive produced the show and had some director duties, so how is it this bad? It’s really frustrating just how little personality this series has, and — worse yet — that it manages to look ugly despite having a gorgeous setting. Having not read the best-selling book on which it is based, it’s hard to tell whether something was lost in translation with Saint X or if it was just never going to be particularly good. It’s disappointing that this couldn’t even manage to be trashy fun — it’s just nearly insufferable. Saint X streams on Hulu beginning April 26. All eight episodes reviewed. Rating: 1/5 Review by Tatiana Miranda Although most of his work was destroyed by Napolean Bonaparte only a couple of years after his death, Joseph Bologne's impact lives on through the new film Chevalier. Named after his role as Chevalier in Versailles, the film focuses more on Bologne's accomplishments as a violinist. The son of a wealthy plantation owner and an enslaved woman, Bologne was a Creole, free man of color who was taken to France at the age of seven, where he studied fencing and music composition. Because not much is known about Bologne, Chevalier does take plenty of creative liberties, yet the film does excel in portraying Bologne's unique perspective as a Black man living in Marie Antoinette's court during the early days of the French Revolution. The film opens with a concert performance by Mozart that is hijacked by Bologne after he asks to play alongside him. In a rap battle-style duel, the two musicians battle using their violins, with Bologne coming out on top. While this scene is wildly entertaining and a clever way to modernize the audience's perception of violinists, it's heavily fictionalized. Partially a result of the lack of remaining artifacts from Bologne's life and a mode of storytelling, Chevalier centers around the "height" of Bologne's career as a member of Marie Antoinette's court and a celebrated composer and chevelier. Then, after the death of his father and reunion with his mother, Bologne is confronted with his Blackness and the resulting limits of his career and love life. While Chevalier is unique in the fact that it is the first movie, better yet, the first piece of media to depict Bologne's life, it's not particularly distinctive when it comes to biopics. There are moments in the film, such as the opening performance with Mozart, that inject a sense of modernity in an otherwise period setting in a clever and practical way.
These moments are akin to movies like Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola. Yet, director Stephen Williams doesn't commit to this, instead clumsily juxtaposing these exciting scenes full of personality with ones that could have been pulled from any period drama. Chevalier is also lacking in terms of what parts of Bologne's story it decides to tell. Through his friend Louis Philippe II, the audience sees snippets of the French Revolution from the eyes of the nobility. For the most part, Bologne seems uninterested in the revolution as he is accustomed to his lifestyle and is close to Marie Antoinette. Yet, his rejection as the next conductor of the Paris Opera due to his skin color seemingly causes him to rethink his alliance. This, compared to Bologne's real-life experience as a colonel fighting in the revolution, come across as petty and understated. Oftentimes throughout the film, the discussion of Bologne's race feels like an afterthought. While this might be supposed to be a representation of Bologne's attitude toward it, it is more unusual as he is supposedly the first Black European composer to receive widespread critical acclaim. Although Chevalier is certainly a story about Joseph Bologne, it is not the definitive portrayal of his life and will likely cause viewers to want to learn more about him. While much is left unfulfilled in terms of historical accuracy and conclusive storytelling, Chevalier gives a voice to a previously unrepresented figure in history, which is a feat in itself. Chevalier is now playing in theaters. Rating: 3/5 Review by Cole Groth Ghosted might be the worst movie of 2023. Coming from Apple TV+, Skydance Studios, and a cast led by two of the biggest Hollywood stars, if this isn’t the worst of the year, it’s at least the most embarrassing. There’s hardly a moment in this aggressively terrible action/rom-com that will change your expression from anything better than a hard stare. I warn you now: stay away. Stay far away from ever wasting your time on this. To everybody unfamiliar with movie reviewing works, I’ll give you a quick tip on how you can tell a movie is terrible. A review embargo is when the studio behind a film tells you movie reviews can release. If the studio is confident that its movie is good, it’ll typically release the embargo a week or more early, so audiences can see the critics rave over it. If a film is bad, reviews might release a day or so before. Ghosted releases on April 21st. This review is embargoed until 9 pm EST on April 20th. That’s six hours before the film releases on Apple TV+. Ghosted follows Cole (Chris Evans), a boring farmer who experiences a chance encounter with Sadie (Ana de Armas), a hitwoman who isn’t much more interesting than Cole. After Sadie ghosts Cole after their date, he travels to another country to meet up with her. Why does he travel to another country to find a girl he hung out with one time? Maybe he’s delusional, maybe he’s a total idiot, or maybe he’s written by a bunch of morons. Once in Europe, Cole realizes the true nature of Sadie’s job and has to fight a series of bad guys to save his life. Does it sound generic? That’s because it is. Four people are credited with the screenplay of Ghosted. Chris McKenna, Rhett Reese, Erik Sommers, and Paul Wernick all deserve special shoutouts for their work on this film. McKenna and Sommers wrote the Spider-Man MCU trilogy, while Reese and Wernick wrote the Deadpool movies and Zombieland. These are all pretty good movies. Put together, you’d think that four decent screenwriters could make anything decent, but this screenplay is ungodlily terrible. After watching this, I hope they never receive work again. Every line of dialogue is generic, the plot progression is generic, and the overall story is just boring. If you thought Chris Evans and Ana de Armas were good actors, you may (will?) reevaluate your thoughts while the credits roll for this. Yes, a bad script will make even a competent actor look weaker, but these two lack so much chemistry that it’s almost laughable. They both stiltedly deliver terrible lines without any emotion, leaving you wondering if these two rehearsed their lines even a few times before the cameras rolled. A series of celebrity cameos are equally embarrassing because plenty of great actors will have a stain on their IMDb page from a thirty-second sequence here. We already know that the romance sucks, but what about the comedy? You might be surprised to hear that it sucks, too! There’s not a single line that could even bring a light smile to your face. The writers behind this couldn’t make you laugh if their lives depended on it, and it shows through their boring script. As if the lack of romance and comedy weren’t enough, the action is incredibly terrible. It’s over-the-top in its presentation, yet never fully commits to being violent. Most of the action is a series of confusing cuts and shaky cam set against fake-looking guns and missed shots. Is it too much to ask for a single punch to look like it was actually made? I don’t want actors to be beating each other up on set, but aren’t people paid to make sure that it looks like they are? In this film, clearly not. This is visually one of the ugliest big-budget films in a long time. The special effects are so inept, with the final sequence looking straight from a Robert Rodriguez movie. Not a single set looks genuine, the colors are ugly as hell, and the violence is terribly done. There isn’t a single shot from the nearly two hours that is appealing. Everything is either a generic shot from a studio set or a horrifically computer-generated one.
My biggest problem with movies like this is that talented screenwriters and directors are not given work in favor of incredibly untalented people like director Dexter Fletcher and the writing team behind this. The fact that people can waste two hours watching this film instead of seeing a passion project made by somebody who has something to say is devastating. Ghosted represents the worst of Hollywood. This is the culmination of years of executives deciding that terrible action movies can be saved by placing two big stars in front of the camera. As far as creativity goes, this could be one of the worst movies ever made. There’s not a single aspect of this movie that’s done well, and with so many millions of dollars involved in this, this movie has no right to be this terrible. The conclusion I’ve gathered from this is that Ghosted is a money laundering front. It’s hard to believe that actors decided to be in this, that a director signed on and directed this movie, or that a writer could put the dialogue to the page and submit this to a studio. No, I’ll choose to believe that Tim Cook wants to get a large tax write-off and is somehow using this film to make that happen. Everybody involved should be embarrassed. I would much rather watch a movie generated by an AI because an amalgamation of dozens of other action/comedies would still be better than this flaming pile of garbage. Ghosted will hopefully be ghosted by as many people as possible on its release date. Ghosted releases on Apple TV+ on April 21st. Rating: 0.5/5 Review by Camden Ferrell Not many directors can say that their feature directorial debut was a re-imagining of one of the most iconic operas ever made. However, this is exactly what Benjamin Millepied has attempted with his movie Carmen, a take on Bizet’s opera. While it’s visually stunning and full of amazing choreography, the film is too ambitious for its own sake and fumbles in telling its complex and abstract take on its story. After the death of her mother, Carmen flees her home in Mexico to come to the U.S. After confrontation and violence, she escapes with border guard Aidan, and they fall madly in love. Now, they must continue their journey to Los Angeles to find Masilda, a friend of Carmen’s late mother. This is a simple story told in a rather complex manner. It’s an interesting modernization of the opera, and aside from a few plot points and lyrics, it feels almost completely different. Being based on an opera, the movie is full of music and dancing, and it’s one of the film’s best attributes. The choreography done by Millepied is astounding and mesmerizing to watch. Set to an original score by the always impressive Nicholas Britell, these scenes are the highlight of the movie and engage the audience when the in-between moments fail. These moments are abstract yet effective in communicating things about its characters, and the movie could have benefited from more scenes of this nature. The performances are quite good as well even though they’re not amazing. Led by Melissa Barrera as Carmen, this cast performs well even if their chemistry isn’t always present. Barrera is an engaging lead with a great voice and rhythm that suit the movie well. Paul Mescal also stars as Aidan, and while he’s an interesting watch, there are times where he seems ever so slightly miscast next to Barrera. In addition to the leads the movie features a great performance from Rossy de Palma as well as an ensemble of incredibly talented dancers.
The movie’s ambition is its defining trait and also its downfall. There was never a moment where I didn’t admire how ambitious and bold it was. Unfortunately, I also think the movie suffered as a result of its ambitious storytelling methods. Millepied stuck to a vision and committed fully to it even though it didn’t flow between scenes well and tell its story in the best way possible. It’s an ambition that will likely turn away general audiences, but it’s still something most people will admire even if it’s minimal. Carmen is a bold reimaging of the classic opera, and it clearly stands apart as a separate body of work. Strong visuals from cinematographer Jörg Widmer, captivating cinematography, and wonderful music combine for some truly amazing moments. Sadly, these moments are brought down by less than stellar storytelling and pacing that hinder the film’s quality greatly. Carmen is in theaters April 21. Rating: 3/5 Review by Joseph Fayed Beau Is Afraid is the third feature from Ari Aster. After earning praise for his first two horror flicks, Aster returns to the genre with another story dealing heavily with trauma. This time, however, Aster incorporates some dark humor within his film. This results in a spectacle of performances on screen that — no matter the context — will leave you engaged. Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) is a man who grew up without a father and now has a strained relationship with his mother. Paranoid of his surroundings, Beau embarks on a trip to be reunited with his mother on his parents' wedding anniversary. The trip does not go as Beau imagined, and many hijinks occur along the way. Beau has many reasons to be afraid. In the series of events that transpire, Beau's weaknesses are exploited, and there is fear for how easily his life can be in danger. The horror elements are as strong as ever, but so are the humorous elements to this dark comedy. Familial trauma — a staple of Aster's films — is never as straightforward as it seems in real life. Mix this in with rejection, and the film highlights the absurdity of such trauma, even in its unorthodox approach to the theme. The film is visually stunning. Every bright color is beautifully contrasted with darker lighting during more intense moments on screen. The most notable part of the film is a detailed animated sequence that takes Beau's journey in an unexpected direction. The art style used makes it feel like I was watching something entirely different. While Aster's previous film Midsommar had the advantage of being filmed entirely outdoors for its sequences, this one clearly had the budget to make up for its lack of natural scenery.
Joaquin Phoenix knows how to play unhinged and/or depressed characters well. Since Beau is not a character who wears his emotions on his sleeve, Phoenix can convincingly show Beau reaching his breaking point at various moments. Zoe Lister-Jones and Patti LuPone both steal their scenes as the younger and older versions of Beau's mother. Beau's mother is a very secretive person, and as we learn more about her repressed feelings towards her son, the story is able to come full circle. Beau Is Afraid is a new take on family trauma, a familiar element in Ari Aster's filmography. There is a good balance of humor and terror, so that the nearly three-hour runtime doesn't feel oversaturated with either of those. If you're looking for every hidden message or metaphor to be deciphered, I wouldn't recommend watching this. It seemed like I was sitting through a one of a kind nightmare where I couldn't tell the difference between truth or fantasy. I suppose if I enjoyed this, maybe Ari Aster and I both need to be enrolled in therapy. Perhaps a group session, so that I could pick at his mind a little bit. Beau is Afraid is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Ray Romano’s directorial debut Somewhere in Queens debuted at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival to a warm response, and is finally making its way to U.S. theaters. Romano’s film is as charming and funny as one would expect — although it does struggle at times with figuring out exactly what it wants to be.
The movie follows a father who resorts to unorthodox measures to ensure his son’s success, putting his family’s relationships with one another at risk in the process. It’s the type of movie that feels comfortable and warm, and yet you also don’t know exactly where it’s going, as it takes some unexpected (and not always effective) turns. The thing that the film really struggles with is frequent tonal shifts. Although the movie always recovers itself, each time it switches tones or genres, it stumbles for a few scenes before regaining its stride. It has elements of a sports movie, a rom-com, a family drama, and a cringe comedy — and while there are sequences of each that work well, the connective tissue is a bit lacking. One of the most surprising things about the film is how dark the humor gets at times. Sure, there are plenty of lighthearted jokes and culturally-specific gags about Italians living in New York, but the funniest moments of the movie come from the bouts of awkward laughing you’ll feel from some of the enormously uncomfortable situations in the film.
Something that is interesting is that, despite all but one of the characters (who is not the protagonist) being completely selfish individuals, the movie manages to make the viewer care about them. The character’s decisions make them go beyond “flawed but lovable,” yet — perhaps out of pity — the audience will still find them to be rather moving.
The whole film has a very sentimental feel to it. From the soundtrack that is filled with songs that were at the height of their popularity decades ago to the many scenes of a family eating dinner around a massive table, it’s clear that this Romano made this movie from a place of love. As such, it’s pretty hard to dislike it. The film also boasts some genuinely great performances. Romano is very funny and endearing in the leading role — even if he is playing a character that feels like a version of himself. Laurie Metcalf has more than a few scenes in which she gets the opportunity to steal the show. The young duo, Jacob Ward and Sadie Stanley, are also quite charming. Somewhere in Queens is a charming little directorial debut for Ray Romano. It’s funny, occasionally dark, and has a really strong ensemble, showing that Romano’s sensibilities as a comedian translate nicely to the director’s chair. Somewhere in Queens hits theaters on April 21. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
As the film adaptation of one of her most famous books, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is hitting theaters, Prime Video is putting out a documentary about the legendary writer Judy Blume. Judy Blume Forever is a relatively standard documentary, but for those who grew up reading her books, it’s still pretty delightful.
The movie tells the story of the iconic author Blume, whose iconic works explored the experience of puberty and adolescence with unprecedented and since unparalleled frankness. As one would expect, the film dives into both the praise and controversy that Blume received, painting a broad picture of her cultural impact. In terms of the execution, the movie is about what one would expect from a modern biographical documentary — flashy and kinetic, with a level of energy that is designed to help the movie cover up its flaws. The film combines talking head interviews with archive materials and occasional animation that doesn’t add much to the story but does imbue it with a bit of added charm. The thing that really makes this stand out from many other bio-docs is that it is genuinely funny. Ultimately, fans would expect no less given the generally very funny nature of Blume’s writing and that so many of the most iconic portions of her work are read as part of the interviews. At times, the nostalgia begins to feel a bit overwhelming, but it’s unlikely that any viewer won’t share in that nostalgia.
One of the things that is frustrating about the movie is that — despite Blume’s massive cultural footprint — the film doesn’t seem to trust the audience to know she is important. It feels like too much of the movie is spent reminding us of the impact she had, rather than discussing why she had such an impact on so many people.
That being said, the more interesting moments in the film come from Blume telling her own story and giving her own worldview. The octogenarian is still going strong and is as opinionated yet charming as ever. Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok know that they have an absolute gem in their subject, and they take full advantage of that opportunity when they can. Obviously, there is an element of timeliness to the movie now given the amount of censorship that is happening in our society right now. This was something that Blume’s work faced a decent amount of when it was published due to its frank approach to its themes, and shockingly, many lawmakers are still trying to speak out against her work. Thankfully, Blume is very passionate about this topic, and talks about it at length — both with regards to her own work and literature at large. Judy Blume Forever doesn’t add anything particularly new to the conversation about Blume’s work, but when it lets us hear from the author herself, it’s a really fascinating watch. There’s some interesting stuff here about our current societal situation, but it’s mostly just a standard, if well-made biographical documentary. Judy Blume Forever streams on Prime Video beginning April 21. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Jonathan Berk Little Richard: I Am Everything delivers great archival footage, talking head interviews, tribute performances, and tons of information about the musical genius who was Little Richard. Director Lisa Cortés has crafted a tremendous documentary, both in its depiction of its subject and the look of the film. Those who are only familiar with a few iconic songs of this incredible performance will likely learn a lot about the man who is finally truly recognized for his role in music history. The talking heads in this documentary range are used expertly and feature some pretty big celebrities, including Mick Jagger, Billy Porter, and John Waters. Some interviews give Richard more historical context, while others offer their experience as a friend or fan of the iconic performer. The content these interviews deliver is intercut with archival footage and images that include tons of performances and TV interviews. Together, this paints a full portrait of the influence Little Richard had on the world and the many struggles he encountered over the years. Being a queer man of color offered plenty of pushback at the time Little Richard earned his place in the industry. His music pushed up against the accepted style of the time. The fact that his music appealed to white and black teens and encouraged them to break the rules at venues designed to be segregated only made him more of a target. At one point in the documentary, you hear Little Richard say, “My music broke down the walls of segregation,” and which may sound hyperbolic, it seems true.
While all these moments and stories are compelling, it is Richard’s internal struggle that makes his story stand out. Richard struggled with his faith and queerness on a public scale, even announcing he was straight on a late-night talk show. This change in his lifestyle had negative repercussions on the community and the people who looked to Richard to be a leader of it. This feels particularly poignant at a time when bigotry towards the LGBTQ+ community is again at a high. Though it tackles some tough conversations, it does brush over a moment when it is revealed a long-time love interest, Lee Angel, was only 16 when she started a relationship with Richard. Whether you love his music or agree with his often changing perspectives on sexuality, religion, or life in general, it is unlikely you won’t find Little Richard: I Am Everything a worthwhile watch. The films pacing and storytelling keep the audience engaged, while informing them about a relevant historical figure. I grew up thinking of Little Richard as more of a joke who sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider" on the Disney Channel. As I got older, I realized I maybe undervalued him as a musician. It wasn’t until this film that I realized how much I didn’t know about his influence. Little Richard: I Am Everything will be in theaters and on-demand April 21 Rating: 4/5 |
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