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Review by Camden Ferrell  Legendary filmmaker James Cameron has decided to graciously not make audiences wait another 13 years before returning back to Pandora for another installment in his wildly successful and ambitious Avatar franchise. Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third film in the series, and it’s one that is attempting to follow two of the most successful movies of all time at the box office. However, it seems Cameron is not concerned with those high expectations, opting instead to explore this world and its characters with the same blend of spectacle and personal stakes that made the first two such big hits. This installment is yet another awe-inducing blockbuster that will blow you away with its visuals and insane action set pieces even if it is a little lighter on the world building when compared to its predecessors. In the wake of the last film, Jake and Neytiri’s tight-knit family must pave a way forward in spite of their grief all while dealing with a new threat. They encounter the Ash People, an aggressive tribe of Na’vi led by the powerful and incendiary Varang. This conflict blooms among the Na’vi’s ongoing conflict with the RDA, a human-led megacorporation. While The Way of Water leveraged a new tribe as an opportunity to world build and revel in its new environments, it seems this newest movie has little interest in using the Ash People to do the same. Instead, the movie mostly concerns itself with the turmoil and aggression between tribes, which highlights some of the movie’s core themes. It’s an unexpected change of pace considering how adept the previous films were at world-building and exploring the unique cultures of Pandora, but it’s a decision that I grew to understand and accept as the film progressed. Like the previous films, the writing tends to be one of the weaker aspects and this is no exception. What the franchise does really well is develop compelling stories with clear cut and resonant themes around family, perseverance, and preservation. The problem is when those ideas are put into practice. It’s a noble and heartfelt story that feels occasionally let down by subpar dialogue and odd narrative choices that either rehash overdone ideas or slow the pace down. The writing is still far from inadequate but when a movie excels on so many levels, it makes the weak links stick out more than usual.  The movie continues to utilize its revolutionary motion capture technology that really gives the actors freedom and the ability to convey such subtle emotions in alien bodies. I found myself particularly compelled by Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña as their characters tread new emotional ground amidst a deadly threat. I also think their kids and acquaintances are given more substance, and it was fun to see the actors lean more into these characters (even if Sigourney Weaver still feels like an odd choice to play a teenager).
Obviously, when a viewer buys a ticket to this movie, they’re doing it for the hope of seeing a true cinematic spectacle. I believe viewers are going to be more than pleased with the return on their premium format ticket price. This newest entry absolutely rules with its gargantuan set pieces and battles. It truly transports you to another world, and you genuinely forget that you’re in a theater once this movie kicks into high gear. There might be a little fluff in the middle section of the movie, but it’s a small price to pay for the immense payoff that gets delivered throughout. I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to say that I got literal chills and goosebumps from some of the insane visuals Cameron and his team created. It all comes together in such a chaotic yet controlled symphony, and I found myself wondering how anyone could possibly edit all this footage together so well. Avatar: Fire and Ash delivers exactly what an Avatar movie needs to. It may not be a deep and nuanced analysis of morality, but it’s an emotional story of a tribe of people in the face of imminent threat and danger. Pair this with noble and resonant themes about family and some of the most insane action you might see this century, and you have a certified crowd-pleaser that’s going to keep viewers on the edge of their seats for over three hours. It’s not perfect, but it’s an absolute thrill ride of a film. James Cameron is 71, but I hope he keeps making these movies forever. Avatar: Fire and Ash is in theaters December 19. Rating: 4/5
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Review by Adam Donato  Is there an actor in the world with more stock than Timothee Chalamet? Last year he starred in one of the defining blockbusters of the decade and gave Adrien Brody a run for his money at the Oscars. Just one year later and he’s at the head of the Best Actor race once again. Leading him to the promised land is Josh Safdie, who was formerly half of the Safdie brothers duo. The two decided to split this time around. Benny Safdie directed The Rock in The Smashing Machine in October, but Josh Safdie gets Timothee Chalamet with a prime Christmas release date. The Smashing Machine had to deal with the likes of Tron: Ares at the box office, meanwhile Marty Supreme is in the wake of Avatar: Fire and Ash. If word of mouth is as expected, then Marty Supreme can be the best bridesmaid of the box office. This has to be the year, right? Timothee Chalamet delivers arguably the best performance of his already illustrious career as a fictionalized version of famous tennis player, Marty Reisman. The propaganda about how Chalamet had ping pong tables on his sets for the past six years is an undeniable level of commitment to this role. It seems like the perfect narrative for Chalamet to get his first Oscar. His character is so enduring here in a similar way to previous Safdie protagonists. It's a very physical and funny performance. His charm and eccentricity reaches peak capacity here. The Academy has a reputation of waiting until the greats are due so if he almost won last year, then this could easily be his time in the sun.  It wasn’t like there was some messy break up between Josh and Benny Safdie. Their solo movies are both sports biopics with special lead performances. While Benny delivered a very good movie, Josh gave us one of the best movies of the year. Marty Supreme will be a major player this awards season and deserves every bit of it. It’s an intense rollercoaster that also happens to be one of the funniest movies of the year. The only hang up in the Best Picture pursuit is its lack of heavier pertinent themes. Instead, Marty Supreme is just focused on being one wild ride. It’s definitely in the familiar Safdie brothers formula. An insatiable and relentless man actively pursues excess, but is constantly forced to take two steps back after every step forward. The unofficial trilogy of Good Time, Uncut Gems, and Marty Supreme is punctuated with an exclamation point.
There’s a litany of standout supporting roles in Marty Supreme. It’s the film debut of both Tyler, the Creator and Kevin O’Leary, who are both fantastic. Tyler has always been known for his larger than life personality and makes a definite impression during his time in the film. O’Leary of Shark Tank fame fits perfectly as this cruel and vindictive business man. This is the first non Marvel movie of Gwyneth Paltrow in over a decade. Her and Odessa A’zion will both be competing for supporting actress. These two women are the driving force for Chalamet’s character throughout the film. Every performance in this movie knocks it out of the park. They all bring fun, scares, and heartbreak to Marty Supreme. Marty Supreme is A24’s most expensive film to date and the investment was worth it from a quality perspective. The marketing campaign has already been up to some good stuff as Chalamet is leading the charge. He’s one of the only legitimately undeniable movie stars and this is primed to be his moment for the gold. Josh Safdie’s solo career is off to an absolute bang. It’s one of the best movies of the year and deserves to be seen in a theater this Christmas. Marty Supreme will be in theaters on December 25. Rating: 5/5 Review by Adam Donato  James L. Brooks is back in the director’s chair for the first time in fifteen years with Ella Mccay. It’s about a young woman’s political pursuit for the good of the people, while juggling the complicated loved ones in her life. Emma Mackey plays the title character and is surrounded by an ensemble of great names. The film opens between the Thanksgiving and Christmas rush of awards hopeful films so carving out a piece of the box office will be a tall task. Can Brooks recapture the magic of his earlier hits in his return? While Ella McCay has a lot of bumps in the road, it’s an inoffensive dramedy with a good amount of laughs to get you through it. The strength of the movie also seems to be its biggest detriment. The film is trying to juggle many different storylines and few feel like they get fully fleshed out. That being said, throw enough darts and you’re more likely to hit something. Some of the storylines hit home and provide a lot of laughs, but the ones that don’t hit are dreadful. Specifically the husband and the brother. These characters weigh the film down like an anchor. They’re awkward, unreasonable, and just downright annoying. Everything really grinds to a halt when they're on screen.  Where the true value of the film lies is in its good hearted nature. Ella is such an endearing and likable character. She’s constantly trying to bite off more than she can chew, but for the best reasons. Mackey delivers a solid performance as the lead and has good chemistry with several costars. Jamie Lee Curtis and Albert Brooks being the standouts. This duo act as her parental figures throughout the film guiding her through the tribulations in her life. Julie Kavner is great as the narrator of the film and has several hilarious highlights. Kumail Nanjiani and especially Ayo Edibiri have little to nothing to do here. Not that they’re bad in the film, but they’re definitely the fat in the script. Woody Harrelson is surprisingly underutilized in the film especially since he’s so heavily featured in the marketing. Jack Lowden and especially Spike Fearn are terrible anchors weighing the film down.
Ella McCay seems to already have its detractors, but it’s an overreaction. It’s a passable drama with some really good comedic bits throughout. The story is certainly scatterbrained, but there’s good intentions in the soul of the film. It’s not worth prioritizing in the theater, but there’s worse things to flip on while streaming. Maybe the best days of Brooks are behind him. Ella McCay is in theaters on December 12. Rating: 3/5 Review by Daniel Lima  My earliest memory of learning about the 1999 World Trade Organization protests in Seattle was reading about it in an elementary school history textbook, sandwiched right at the end, with precious little context for a young mind to understand what they were actually about. Looking back now, living through the repercussions of the failed promise of this “End of History” mindset, it is startlingly clear how the protests were a prelude not only to other incidents of civil unrest and uprisings, but how prescient all the people out on the streets truly were. WTO/99 is a stirring recounting of these four days, weaving a narrative with a clear perspective without ever sacrificing fidelity to the truth. The film is assembled almost entirely from archival footage, using real video shot by protesters and media camera crews on the ground to show every possible angle of the chaos, from peaceful yet impassioned rallies to violent police actions to people simply caught in the crossfire. Clips from broadcast news and entertainment such as Real Time with Bill Maher (if you could call that entertainment) provide the context for how the nation at large is reacting to what they are seeing, or at least the establishment narratives that were pushed at the time. It would be all too easy for a project like this to focus on the breakdown of order, to admonish dangerous anarchists breaking windows and the heavy-handed police response, without ever engaging with why people were on the streets to begin with. To the immense credit of director Ian Bell, WTO/99 never loses sight of the discontent motivating the protesters. Every step of the way, the film takes time to hear from regular people (as well as prominent voices like Michael Moore and Alan Keyes) who, in spite of wildly different ideologies, are united in their concern and disdain for the looming neoliberal world order.  From college students to farmers to union organizers to Republican presidential nominees, everyone voices a fairly coherent set of grievances about globalization, as embodied by the World Trade Organization. They complain that it removes trade barriers through an opaque process that removes the average citizen from the political process; that it would inevitably lead to offshoring labor to countries with nonexistent labor laws, harming both the American middle and working class as well as those foreign workers; that it would similarly allow corporations to skirt environmental regulations meant to protect both the global ecosystem and public health. This broad cross section of society vary in how eloquently they express their discontent, but there is a clarity that undermines the line that these disaffected people are all out on the street just to create trouble. The film wisely juxtaposes these searing yet coherent testimonials with news coverage of the protests, much of which implicitly sides with the police and the WTO. The chumminess between CNN anchors and WTO officials, the callousness of the officers who refuse to hear a word about police brutality, the lack of any TV coverage that makes the government’s use of force or the negative repercussions of these nebulous free trade agreements, all make for an infuriating contrast with the people who are attempting to make their voices heard in the face of violent suppression. The sight of armed, masked men firing weapons into crowds of unarmed people will never cease to be horrendously sickening, even as accustomed to such footage as we seem to be becoming. Perhaps more chilling than that overt violence is the ease with which they are deployed, with government officials often saying the quiet part out loud. An aside about the police being there to defend property, or the police chief in a press conference insisting that use of force is justified even as a reporter tells him that he personally witnessed chemical agents used on seated protesters, is almost as viscerally repugnant as these acts, of which there is ample video evidence.  At the end of the film, there is a quick denouement that regales the audience with the fallout of the protests: Occupy Wall Street, the economically disaffected voters that elected Donald Trump, the brutal response to the Black Lives Matters protests. It is perhaps the film’s biggest misstep, as anyone tuning into WTO/99 can likely draw those comparisons themselves, and anyone who cannot would also likely not be able to connect the dots with how quickly. Infinitely more haunting are the interviews done with protesters after the conference ends, the pride they take in what was accomplished and their hope for the future. To anyone following the news in 2025, it’s heartbreaking to know that all their greatest fears have been validated. I wonder how they’re all doing now.
Political media often ends up being labeled as “propaganda”, implying that in attempting to create a narrative that adheres to a certain ideology, facts must necessarily be distorted to the point that such media would be cheap and dishonest. The obvious rejoinder to this is it is impossible to cover any topic with zero bias, and such an attempt would merely be reinforcing whatever the status quo of a given culture is (for instance, all the news media captured here). More valuable is a work that constructs an argument from a clear point of view that is supported by fact. WTO/99 is a triumph of storytelling prowess. To cull what must be thousands of hours of preexisting raw footage into a concise package that captures the breadth of what had happened, while offering a perspective on these events, without resorting to a talking head explicitly explaining things to the audience, is a remarkable feat. If only mainstream media was as forthright. WTO/99 is now in theaters. Rating: 4/5 |