Review by Camden Ferrell Despite being in his late 70’s, legendary writer and director Paul Schrader is still pumping out movies on a consistent basis. Oh, Canada is his most recent effort based on the novel Forgone by Russell Banks. It had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. While it touches on poignant and fascinating themes, the movie’s undercooked narrative prevents this from making the most of its thought-provoking premise. Leo Fife is a legendary documentary filmmaker at the end of his life. As he grapples with his imminent demise, he agrees to have his final testament filmed by other documentary filmmakers. We see Leo’s life as a young adult as he recounts his story of draft-dodging during the Vietnam War and the life he previously had. Leo, despite being an unreliable narrator, attempts to break down his mythological life. I think this premise tackles legacy in a fascinating way, and it’s a lens that feels almost meta due to the unintentional role Schrader has carved for himself in American culture. Schrader clearly knows what he’s trying to say with this movie, but the script has a hard time translating this into a tight and cohesive story. The themes linger throughout every scene, but the narrative fails to enhance it. Beats feel out of place and disjointed, and this ultimately undermines the beautiful and enigmatic ideas that are present. Despite this, there are still a handful of brilliant narrative moments that show promise if only it was a characteristic that was present throughout the movie. This movie is led by Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi who play Fife at different points in his life. Both men are subdued but occasionally captivating in their portrayal of such a complex character. They certainly don’t blow you away, but they do have some tender moments that are hard to deny. The ensemble is rounded out with actors like Uma Thurman and Michael Imperioli who are both serviceable if not memorable.
This movie ultimately tackles the line that blurs myth and truth and the ways in which idols are flawed. It tackles how a deeply complicated man can almost by accident become an artistic legend despite his numerous flaws. It explores the legacy of such an artist, especially in the face of a terminal illness. It houses tender truths that could have been explored in a movie twice as long, and while it gets points for its profound themes, its narrative shortcomings prevent this from becoming great. Oh, Canada is a promising entry in Schrader’s 21st century repertoire. It suffers from a messy narrative but excels thanks to its fantastic ideas and profound beliefs about art, legacy, and the inherent flaws of being human. It may not go down as his most memorable late period film, but it’s one that will be remembered for its undeniable potential. Oh, Canada is in theaters December 6. Rating: 3.5/5
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Review by Adam Donato There are not a lot of studios that regularly pump out Christmas movies like Netflix. That Christmas is an animated film that was supposed to be a Warner Bros film, but got bought by Netflix. It’s based on a series of children’s books from Richard Curtis. The studio responsible for the film is Locksmith Animation, who was responsible for Ron’s Gone Wrong. The cast sports notable British actors like Bill Nighy, Jodie Whittaker, and Fiona Shaw, as well as the Scottish Brian Cox voicing Santa Clause. Does this Christmas adaptation have enough heart to be included in the family's Christmas movie rotation? That Christmas has nothing but heart. The story follows the impact of a major snowstorm on a community of families in a small town in England. There’s three central narratives that intertwine with one another. Who but the writer of Love Actually to pen this one. A shy new kid struggling with his parents divorce, twins who can’t be more opposite, and a group of children fending for themselves as their parents face the weather to get back home. These stories are all blended together nicely and come together in the end in a satisfying way. The themes of the movie deal with some pretty serious subjects and there’s some mild language, but this story works for all members of the family. All the characters have so much personality and are each memorable in their own way. The child characters sound and act like actual children, without being annoying. The character designs are nothing to write home about. The animation looks like any old computer generated animated movie these days. The lack of visual style to the film is covered by the personality, humor and heart of the characters. The dialogue is very cleverly written and the delivery from the reputable cast is on point.
One cliche of the medium is present in this film. About halfway through there’s a montage set to an original song from Ed Sheeran. The song is alright, but the film could’ve done without it. That being said, the runtime is already at a low 95 minutes. The rest of the film features a collection of references to radio hits. This coupled with some more modern references date the film. Nothing outwardly cringe worthy, but certainly noticeable. Unfortunately for That Christmas, it will probably be forgotten in the depth of Netflix’s catalog. 2019’s Klaus, which is a superior film, was so well regarded it received an Oscar nomination, but has seldom been talked about in the last half decade. The family that stumbles upon That Christmas when it’s auto played after The Christmas Chronicles will be rewarded for their faith. That Christmas is an absolute delight and better than most of the theatrically wide released animated films this year. It’s a family film that takes its audience seriously and would be enjoyed by all this holiday season. That Christmas is out on Netflix on 12/4. Rating: 4/5 |
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