Review by Cole Groth Disney’s been in a rut recently. Fans are increasingly tired of the MCU’s chaotic story, and their animated films aren’t as consistently praised as they were half a decade ago. After the disastrous Lightyear bombed at the box office, they’re looking to revitalize their fan base with Don Hall and Qui Nguyen’s Strange World. Unfortunately, Strange World is the worst animated film from Disney since Cars 3, and it’s not even close. A satisfactory musical score and a fun premise aren’t enough to save this from being a sanitized, poorly-paced, unbearable kids’ movie with terrible dialogue and flawed characters. Strange World follows Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal), the son of a legendary macho explorer, Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid). After getting separated in his early twenties, Searcher became a farmer and settled down. While taking care of his family, the Clades get swept up on a journey into the fantastical world of Avalonia. As the Clades and fellow crew members learn, this world is strange. Nothing is as it seems as Searcher and his son, Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White), have to save civilization from an unknown entity. This summary might be enough to drag people to see the film, but its good fortunes go about that far. Legendary composer Henry Jackman can't even save the adventure sequences from being utterly dull with some great music. Is it too much to ask for a kids’ movie to have a good script? Qui Nguyen clearly doesn’t care, because this one sucks. With some of the worst dialogue in recent memory and horrible character development, Nguyen fundamentally misunderstands how families work. The Clades are a bizarre mismatch of personalities; none interact like ordinary people. Every character, without fail, is incredibly annoying. The dialogue between each character is cringe-worthy and cliché. Searcher is a weak man whose escapades grow increasingly pathetic. Jaeger is the most interesting, but the script constantly undermines him for being too macho compared to everybody else. Ethan is obnoxious, and Disney uses him being gay purely for brownie points which seems entirely inauthentic. Meridian Clade (Gabrielle Union), Ethan’s mother, is a generic leading woman with little sense of agency. The other crew members that join the expedition have nothing going on and only serve as unfunny comedic relief or generic characters to progress the story along. The best entity in the film is a dialogue-free blob named Splat who provides some genuinely funny comedic relief and cute moments. Still, for some reason, Nguyen decided that there needed to be a dog, too, which seems to provide the same cuteness as Splat. Somewhat surprisingly, the animation is bland, too. It’s very colorful, which might lead audiences to believe that the animation is unique, but it’s anything but. Everything looks so sanitized and uninspired. Instead of going for a unique style, Disney has opted to make a movie that looks identical to Lightyear, which was also one of the uglier Pixar movies. If this was released in 2015, it could be an impressive feat of animation, but in 2022, audiences expect something truly magical. It’s hard to look at Strange World and think that this is the future of animation because, at best, it’s okay. Children might be entertained, but Disney used to create movies that the whole family could enjoy. Anybody over ten will have seen something much better in their lifetimes, which is a testament to how lackluster this is as a whole. Beyond the exciting environments, the character design is ugly and unoriginal. Most characters don’t match their voices, and the movements are exaggerated and annoying when they move their mouths. Strange World has received almost no marketing, and with the review embargo releasing only two days before the film releases to the public, one thing is clear: Disney knows it has a dud on its hands because this movie is an amalgamation of the worst characteristics of animation. It’s a corporate-generated, ugly, boring movie that should embarrass producer Roy Conli. With an estimated $120 million budget, this film is currently tracking to make less than $100 million during its run. Strange World will be an enormous bomb for Disney, and it deserves nothing less than to crash and burn. I usually advocate for films succeeding at the box office, but if Disney is willing to put so little effort into their movies, why should they be rewarded simply for their title? Do not even wait for this film to release on Disney+; it would be a more prudent use of your time to watch almost any other movie on the platform instead. Like the world that the Clades wanted to explore, society will forget about this movie within a few weeks of its release.
Strange World releases exclusively in theaters on November 23rd. Rating: 1/5
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Review by Camden Ferrell After a summer dominated by Top Gun: Maverick, it’s hard to dismiss the surface level similarities between that and Devotion, a new biographical war movie coming out this week. However, this is an entirely different story, based on a novel about the real events surrounding Jesse Brown, an African American pioneer in military aviation. Directed by J.D. Dillard this is a crowd-pleasing and occasionally emotional war movie that will be lots of fun for audiences of all ages while teaching them about real life military heroes. Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner are naval aviators during the Korean War, a conflict that isn’t as talked about as other American conflicts of the time. Together, they form a bond while dealing with their jobs as aviators and the dangers and complications that come from such a profession. This is a pretty straightforward war movie that has strong potential for entertainment due to its subject matter and authentic nature. The movie makes it pretty clear from the start that it solely wants to play by the book in terms of its writing. This is the first feature screenplay from Jake Crane and Jonathan Stewart, and it’s content to play it safe and stick to traditional filming conventions. And this is where I think the movie works best. It doesn’t need to subvert expectations. For a movie like this, a no-frills approach to writing worked well for what it’s worth and was able to adequately tell the story at hand. The acting was surprisingly the strongest aspect of this movie. In a war movie, you expect the action and tension to be the most interesting part, but both Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell command the screen throughout. Their performances are nuanced, unique, and they both have remarkable chemistry on screen together.
The movie also boasts some amazing aerial action that (while not being nearly as great as that of Top Gun: Maverick) is quite engaging and thrilling. It has some great tension and suspense to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, and it makes for some great blockbuster entertainment. There are some scenes that feel a little cheesy throughout, but overall, it does a great job of educating viewers about these real-life people and events while still making a fun and crowd-pleasing blockbuster that entertains above all else. Devotion is a fun movie for all audiences and is able to tackle interesting themes about racism and privilege during this period of American history. Bolstered by great action, some emotional punches, and a great set of leading performances, this is a war movie that is worth checking out this Thanksgiving. Devotion is in theaters November 23. Rating: 4/5 Review by Sean Boelman Taurus is the type of film whose existence is merely a gimmick, banking on the popularity of its lead star as a musician to bring the project a higher profile. While it might be an interesting experiment for writer-director Tim Sutton, it fails due to the lack of capability of lead actor Colson Baker (better known as Machine Gun Kelly). The film follows the final days of a rising star in the music industry as he attempts to find the inspiration to make one last song. It’s a concept that will intrigue many, particularly if you are a fan of Machine Gun Kelly’s music, but it’s done in such a meandering, derivative way that it is difficult to enjoy. There is also the fact that the film is extraordinarily dour. Granted, Baker’s public persona is all about being unhinged, but that personality is not something that an entire feature film should be built around. Sutton takes the film entirely seriously, rather than making it a satire, and that was maybe the biggest mistake he could have made. Baker is playing a character that is obviously not too far from home here — a disillusioned rockstar soul-searching for inspiration — but that feeling of authenticity does not necessarily equal a good performance. There is very little emotion to Baker’s delivery, and as such, it’s really difficult to connect with the character. It would be nice if the character were written with any significant depth, but this is yet another story of a tortured artist. Sutton’s attempts to do something more ambitious with the script and create an almost dreamscape-like feel does not help, as it begins to feel frustratingly ambiguous at points.
However, perhaps the worst thing about the film is that it seems to think it is brilliant and profound, yet it has nothing new to add to the conversation about fame. This is a cautionary tale the likes of which we have seen hundreds of times before, and the only thing that makes it unique is the gimmick of having Baker play a character similar to himself. It's a shame, because there are some genuinely interesting ideas happening here creatively. The cinematography and atmosphere are immersive and well-crafted, drawing us into the world of the protagonist. And the soundtrack, featuring music by MGK, is pretty solid too (if you are a fan of his music, of course). Taurus is ultimately a gigantic waste of time. As a starring vehicle for Baker, it can get a bit of slack because he does fit the role perfectly. However, he simply does not have the charisma or star power to carry a film on his own — at least not yet. Taurus is now in theaters and on VOD. Rating: 1.5/5 Review by Joseph Fayed When it comes to Westerns and Native Americans, films tend to fall under familiar tropes which more often than not can be perceived as offensive. It is a nice surprise to see a film such as The Last Manhunt revolve around a real person and with as much Native influence as possible behind the scenes. Unfortunately, this attempt to reshape the narrative around Willie Boy is too stagnant to tell the story it is meant to tell. Willie Boy is a Chemehuevi long distance runner in love with Carlota. Carlota's father disapproves of their relationship. Willie Boy and Carlota try to run away, and when her father confronts them, Willie Boy accidentally shoots him. This results in the two being pursued by the local sheriff and his posse. In the chase through the Mojave desert that ensues, lives are forever altered. While at surface level, it may seem that the story of Willie Boy may be interesting, the manhunt we see portrayed focuses on style more than substance. The cinematography is stunning and really captures the beauty of the Old West. Set against that gorgeous backdrop, feels like a half polished story. Willie Boy and Carlota are very quickly side tracked as, the film shifts most of its focus to the team behind the manhunt. The local sheriff, played by director Christian Camargo, stands out because he is the only one given any kind of backstory. The brutality of the manhunt was touched upon throughout the film's runtime. It takes note of the films setting and provides us with some of the best moments in the film. How the elements effect the characters provides them the emotional backbone the dull script fails to provide them with. Jason Momoa received a story credit for this film and has a supporting role in it as well. But don't let any promotional posters fool you, his brief amount of screentime contributes nothing to the overall plot. The young man working at the local newspaper who follows the manhunt as part of a cover story he is working on added more of a thrill than any shoot out scene.
While certain elements of the story were specifically adapted for the screen such as Willie Boy and Carlota's ultimate fates, the forces behind this film failed to make an interesting Western thriller based on a real, interesting person. Despite the appearances of several talented actors, their performances are wasted by lackluster dialogue and action you have seen in many previous Westerns. The Last Manhunt is a different take on the life and manhunt of Willie Boy that dries up under the Mojave sun. The Last Manhunt is now available on VOD. Rating: 1.5/5 Review by Dan Skip Allen Miles Miller and Alfred Gough were on a high while their show Smallville was doing great. They haven't hit it big since, even though they have been doing other shows like The Shannara Chronicles and Into the Badlands. When they reached out to the master of darkness himself, Tim Burton, their next project, Wednesday — based on the character from The Addams Family — bore fruit. When Nexflix jumped on board, this series saw the light of day. Has it been worth the wait? Let's see. Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) isn't your average teenager. She has a penchant for wearing black clothes and a sense of the macabre. She's into dark things like going to funerals or getting revenge on her brother's tormentors by putting a bag of piranhas in a swimming pool so they can chew off their testicles. That's the kind of girl she is, though. Darkness follows her as she's expelled from one school where she didn't fit in and ends up at another school called Nevermore Academy. She fits in perfectly, except her curious nature gets her into trouble wherever she goes. Tim Burton brings his dark sense of nature, which he's famous for, to this series that you would have thought he'd already have directed, but he didn't. Barry Sonnenfeld directed the two previous films based on The Addams Family, and the animated films, although still produced by MGM, are directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon. This show is an MGM production airing on Netflix, so there is some flexibility with the structure of the series. This show is a mixture of a CW show and a Harry Potter film. Part of what made the other films based on this IP is the cast, and Wednesday doesn't mess around in that regard, either. Gomez and Morticia Addams are portrayed by two big-name actors: Luis Guzman and Catherine Zeta-Jones. They are pretty fun to see as these characters. The title character Wednesday is played by Jenna Ortega. She has had some mild success with The Fallout, Scream, and X. These are all things she was good in, but she wasn't necessarily the star. Wednesday put her to the test with the commitment she needs to make as this popular character. She passes the test with flying colors. The rest of the cast, played by some famous people, are pretty good as well. The school headmistress Larissa Weems is played by Gwendoline Christie of Game of Thrones fame. She is a thorn in Wednesday's side as soon as she is admitted to this Nevermore Academy. As we all know, Christina Ricci played Wednesday in the '90s movies, but she plays a normie teacher who is not a monster or creature character who seems a little too nice for her own good. There are also a lot of kid characters in the show. Emma Myers plays Enid Sinclair, Wednesday's roommate. They are nothing alike, but they seem to find a liking for each other despite their differences. Two love interest characters, Tyler and Xavier (Hunter Doohan and Percy Hynes White), have their ups and downs with Wednesday throughout the series. They are good young actors, though. The list goes on and on, including a guest appearance by Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester and Jamie McShane as the Jerico town Sheriff Donovan.
With Miller and Gough as the show creator, they can also add series writers to their titles. They took a popular IP and added a touch of romance, mystery, and murder from 25 years ago involving Wednesday's parents to the show. The series had a lot of intriguing moments involving werewolves, monsters, and various events that made it a lot of fun throughout. A crazy canoe race, a scary birthday party, and many gory deaths from some kind of monster have Wednesday, the authorities, school officials, and students baffled. The mystery involved is very interesting and keeps the characters guessing throughout the eight-episode show. The audience watching will definitely enjoy all the twists and turns the series brings. Wednesday brings all the flavor of a Tim Burton-directed film. He directed the first two episodes of the series before others got their opportunity. The dark, macabre nature of the series lends itself perfectly to this character and her world Miller and Gough expanded upon. The visuals are just incredible, and the score by Dany Elfman is amazing. He knows just what to do on a series like this. His unique style works very well opposite Burton's. Wednesday is coming out a little late for the Halloween season, but it's not too late for fans looking for a wildly entertaining show for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. It's a good change of pace from all the football that families will be watching. This is the show of the fall season so far, and I hope it gets renewed for another season. It deserves it. Wednesday streams on Netflix beginning November 23. Rating: 4.5/5 Review by Adam Donato After a few years of Disney+‘s dominance in the streaming wars, a pattern of behavior has become apparent. Whether it’s their Marvel/Star Wars shows, short and sweet animated series, or entirely unnecessary live-action sequels to Disney Channel quality movies, it's all content. The first Enchanted movie was quite the hit. When traditional 2D animation looked like it was on its way out, Enchanted puts a twist on the classic formula and cliches of the subgenre of animated Princess fairytales. Today, Disney has an insatiable monster it has to feed content to on a regular schedule to maintain subscribers. Any brand name that can be salvaged will be revived whether you like it or not. This time, the fairytale doesn’t end as Giselle and her new family move to the suburbs to pursue a more quiet, simple life together. Will Disenchanted live up to the original? Seldom do good movies launch exclusively on streaming services. This fall is seeing the release of the hotly anticipated Knives Out sequel on Netflix and even that is getting a shot at a theatrical run. If Disney had any real faith in this project whatsoever, it would get some kind of wider release. It’s clear from the start that this sequel was a passionless piece of content. That being said, it’s not devoid of quality. Enchanted is such an interesting concept and the cast is returning so there’s some things going for this sequel. The best thing about the first movie is also the best thing about the sequel, which is the cast. Amy Adams and James Marsden seamlessly slip back into these iconic roles. The best idea for this sequel was having Adams play a contrasting role to what she did in the first one. She’s still hamming it up, but it feels fresh following up the first one. It’s nowhere near the caliber of the first movie, but that wasn’t Oscar worthy either. Patrick Dempsey is equally as unlikable in this movie as he was in the previous one except here he has nothing to do. Maya Rudolph is the big new addition to the cast and she clearly has fun doing the whole evil Queen stereotype.
The musical numbers here are not as memorable as they were in the first one. Despite this, Disenchanted has another feather in its cap compared to other Disney live action rehashes because it’s filled with musical numbers. Nothing here is worthy of being added to your playlist. Speaking of unremarkable, but appreciated aspects of the movie, the animation is entirely uninspired. Either it’s 3D animation made to look like 2D animation or it’s cheap 2D animation. Disney has a reputation of being stingy on their budget for these projects they clearly have no faith in. It’s not the worst Disney live-action rehash, but that’s not saying anything at all. Eventually, Disney will run out of things audiences remember and start making more original content. When it comes to Disenchanted, stick to the first movie as this sequel is uninspired and skippable. Disenchanted is now streaming on Disney+. Rating: 2/5 Review by Sean Boelman Hulu already has one wild-but-crazy true crime hit this year in Pam & Tommy, but as if that wasn’t enough, they’re back for more with the murder saga Welcome to Chippendales. While the series might suffer from pacing issues, it’s nonetheless a thoroughly entertaining ride with an unexpectedly compelling story. The show tells the story of Chippendales founder Steve Banerjee and his tragic fall from success. The fact that this story happened almost 30 years ago and is now receiving the spotlight — with more adaptations on the way — is pretty nuts, but it will satiate the American public’s craving for true crime stories. The show’s biggest issue is its pacing, which feels quite rushed. The eight-episode series moves along at a breakneck pace, almost as if we’re only getting a quick rundown on the events. We’ll get one scene to represent an entire court case, or we’ll have a gap of months or years between episodes, and it can be disorienting at times. Recently, there has been a trend in television to make shows in which around 90% of the characters are complete backstabbers, and yet find a way to make them compelling. Welcome to Chippendales accomplishes that in spades. While Banerjee’s actions might be pretty deplorable, his ambition grounds the show quite well. Despite somewhat questionable casting, as Banerjee is Indian and Nanjiani is Pakistani, Kumail Nanjiani does an excellent job in his role. It’s a role that, in other hands, could have easily become the subject of ridicule. However, Nanjiani has both the comedic chops to make the role funny and the dramatic ones to pull off the tragic elements of the character's story.
The supporting cast also shines. Murray Bartlett delivers yet another scene-stealing supporting role, making viewers wonder where he has been all these years and how he is just now getting the spotlight he deserves. Dan Stevens also has a memorable role in what might be one of the wildest stunt castings of the year. The series embraces the campy element of the subject matter for its execution, and so the execution has an altogether ridiculous vibe to it. While there are a few sequences that go overboard to the point of looking cheap — like one of the montages — it feels intentional and works quite well as a result. Welcome to Chippendales is a wild, entertaining, and binge-worthy new miniseries. While there are some issues with the pacing and grasp of time, it’s still a thoroughly enjoyable watch nonetheless. Welcome to Chippendales streams on Hulu beginning November 22. All eight episodes reviewed. Rating: 4.5/5 Review by Camden Ferrell Bones and All is the first feature film from director Luca Guadagnino since his 2018 remake of Suspiria. Based on the novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis and written by David Kajganich, this story finds Guadaningo back in provocative form. Blending Americana with the unflinching gore of this unusual love story, this movie manages to pack an emotional punch while still giving viewers an experience to remember. Maren is a young woman who winds up alone after her affinity for human flesh finds her on the run. Now, she must traverse the United States in search of her absent mother while learning more about other “eaters” and the struggles they share. Along the way, she meets Lee, another lone eater and together, they embark on a journey together where they find love while dealing with their own carnal desires. This is a simple premise made unique by its intense angle, themes, and content. The script is quite strong from start to finish. There are a few pieces of dialogue that don’t always work or feel out of place, but for the most part, it does a great job at feeling natural yet compelling at the same time. It tackles the subject matter with maturity and delicacy, and it is able to work with its outlandish premise without making a mockery of it. The performances in this movie are amazing throughout. This movie is led by Taylor Russell who has proven her prowess in movies like Waves. In this movie, she is able to shine in the spotlight more and show off the depth of her abilities. Timothée Chalamet co-leads in the movie, and he gives a strong performance, but it doesn’t really compare to the abilities of the other actors in the movie. Both Mark Rylance and Michael Stuhlbarg give extremely strong and memorable performances despite not having the most screen time.
Guadagnino has an unflinching eye that works perfectly with this movie. He is able to find the beauty and heartbreaking awe to be found in a gruesome and bloody story. There are many graphic depictions of cannibalism that are so raw and powerful which benefit greatly from his bold style as a director. In addition to this, the movie features some gorgeous cinematography and a strong score to give it the feeling of Americana movies like Badlands. Bones and All is not for the squeamish but those who are able to withstand its gore and violence will be treated to a beautiful story of love and trauma. It features great performances, gorgeous cinematography and a slow but meticulous pace that will reward those who are patient and open-minded to one of the most unique movies of the year. Bones and All is in theaters November 18. Rating: 4.5/5 LAMBORGHINI: THE MAN BEHIND THE LEGEND -- A Biopic With a Few Directorial Tricks That Didn't Work11/16/2022 Review by Dan Skip Allen Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend is another origin story of a businessman who created an empire, but his drive to succeed got him into trouble with his family and his rivals. I'll be honest — I didn't know much about the man behind the great car manufacturer, Ferruccio Lamborghini (Frank Grillo), but when I finished the film, I understood who he was and his drive to succeed against all odds. He was a man who wanted to succeed despite the cost to those around him. Ferruccio Lamborghini as a young man, was a farmer like his father. He longed for more, though. He had a lot of ideas in his mind regarding motors and building things people needed. With this ability to tinker, he got a friend to help him develop a new kind of tractor. This tractor is lighter and sturdier and can go a lot further on a tank of gas, revolutionizing farming. They get rich on this device, but this isn't enough for him. He wants more and tries to compete with Enzo Ferrari (Gabriel Byrne) by creating a better and faster race car. Like many successful men, Lamborghini neglects his family and loved ones. He feels his success allows him to do what he wants regarding his private life. He sleeps around and ignores his son and current wife after his first wife, whom he loved dearly, died in childbirth. His rivalry with Ferrari clouds his judgment and makes him push everybody away, even his friends. This man has tunnel vision regarding his drive to be better than everybody he believes is in his way. This is a dangerous lifestyle if it doesn't succeed. The director chooses to go into a few different aspects of this movie to make it not a standard biopic. The first is a framing device of a race between the two car magnet owners in their respective cars to prove who is the best. The other two are that the film is split into three segments depicting the life of Lamborghini and his friends and family. Set in the '60s in Italy and a couple of decades later. These directorial and script tricks are typically useful in movies. This time they were for not. This movie just didn't work all the way around. Frank Grillo lucked into acting when he was offered to be the trainer on Warrior. The director liked him so much that they offered him one of the film's supporting roles as an MMA trainer. This led to bigger and better roles in the MCU as Crossbones. He is usually good as an occasional hitman or stunt driver, but he seemed out of place in this role. He just didn't come across right to me as this farmer-turned-car manufacturer. His line delivery is slow and clunky, and out of depth. It's sad because I wanted to see him in a starring role like this.
As a biopic, it just doesn't work, either. The movie's length seems like a red flag that something is wrong with this production. It was a very short film considering everything the filmmakers tried to cram into it. The script and acting from all seem a bit dumbed down to me. It looked like this movie was meant to be something bigger but ended up being a badly edited-down version of what they initially wanted it to be: an engaging story about a man who had nothing and made himself into something. Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend isn't a good biopic, and it's not a good film in general. The director Robert Moresco tried a few tricks with the narrative that didn't work in the end. Grill as a leading man was a mistake as well. This didn't seem like the version of the movie that was supposed to come out. It is a shadow of what it should have been. The length and all the editing are disguising something that wasn't on the screen, but I can't put my finger on it. Just skip this biopic and watch some other fall films instead. Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend hits theaters and VOD on November 18. Rating: 1/5 Review by Sean Boelman A Christmas Story has become a bonafide cult classic, receiving a very muted reception upon its release but eventually becoming one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. A Christmas Story Christmas is the latest in a line of sequels to attempt to capitalize on its popularity, and while it is definitely higher-caliber than previous efforts, it also lives in the shadow of its predecessor. The film follows Ralphie as he returns to his childhood home in the hopes of providing the same type of magical and memorable Christmas that he had as a child. Set decades after the original movie, this is the latest in the line of legacy sequels that have come out recently trying to capitalize on the popularity of significant IP’s. The film isn’t subtle with its nostalgia-baiting, with several annoyingly overt callbacks to some of the most iconic moments from the first movie. While a few of them are at least somewhat natural — exploring the aftermath of one of the anecdotes from the original film — many of the callbacks tend to be simply including props or lines to get a quick, cheap laugh. Peter Billingsley returns to his role as Ralphie, now nearly forty years later as an adult. He clearly has a connection to the role that made his career, and that really shines through in terms of authenticity. Billingsley also takes over narration duties now that series creator Jean Shepherd passed away over twenty years ago. Just like the original movie, the sense of humor here is largely innocent and juvenile, although this time around, it tends to feel like a shell of the original. A Christmas Story got its charm by capitalizing on its adult audience’s nostalgia for their childhood, and while this sequel does the same, it creates a weird cycle of nostalgia where it’s being nostalgic for nostalgia.
The film also suffers from a feeling of bleakness compared to the original. The inciting incident here is the death of the Old Man, and while his presence doesn’t necessarily create an enormous void, the movie is constantly reminding the audience that he isn’t there because the characters are depressed and moping around without him. From a technical level, the film does look better than some of the straight-to-television and straight-to-DVD sequels that have been made in the franchise. The periodization isn’t great, as it does feel vague despite the fact that it was set a few decades ago. And furthermore, the physical comedy gags aren’t all that great. A Christmas Story Christmas is clearly baiting for nostalgia, and while there are some moments that accomplish that successfully, it grows monotonous rather quickly. In trying to recapture the magic that made the original so beloved, it ends up just spinning its wheels. A Christmas Story Christmas streams on HBO Max beginning November 17. Rating: 2/5 |
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