Movie/TV Reviews

Susan Granger’s review of “A Hero” (Amazon Studios)

 

Iran’s official Academy Award submission as Best International Film is “A Hero,” a drama/thriller by two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (“A Separation,” “A Salesman”), who sent critics (like me) a letter stating:

“Over the years, with the films I wrote and directed, I have always tried to create empathy between the audience and the characters on the screen; empathy, not only with one group of characters, but with both protagonists and antagonists. In ‘A Hero,’ I continue on the same path with a simple story that gradually turns into a complex situation.”

He goes on to add: “I believe empathy with characters puts the audience in an emotional state that causes them to make a fairer judgment about the characters and, hopefully, themselves.”

Set in the Iranian city of Shiraz, the film follows sign painter/calligrapher Rahim (Amir Jadidi), a divorced father imprisoned for debt, who is given a ‘furlough’ of 48 hours to convince his dour creditor, Bahram (Mohsen Tanabandeh) who runs a copying/printing store in a shopping mall, to drop the charges.

To consult with his brother-in-law Hossein (Alireza Jahandideh), Rahim climbs the scaffolding-covered Naqsh-e Rostam, a mountain necropolis containing the royal tombs of Persepolis, including the remains of Xerxes the Great.

A short time later, conscience-stricken Rahim decides to return a lady’s lost handbag containing 17 gold coins. His humanitarian gesture turns into a full-blown media event, catapulting him, his family and prison authorities into public scrutiny. It’s reflective of our contemporary ‘cancel culture’ – when somebody becomes famous for doing a good deed, others try to bring the hapless hero down.

The complex narrative explores universal themes of honesty, honor and the price of freedom by showing how half-truths and lies can erode the soul and exposing how insidious judgment by social media is increasingly prevalent.

In competition for the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, “A Hero” won the Grand Prix.

In Farsi with English subtitles/narration – on the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “A Hero” is a subtly suspenseful 7, streaming on Amazon Prime.

 

 

Susan Granger’s review of “Yellowjackets” (Season 1 on Showtime)

 

Without doubt, “Yellowjackets” on Showtime is the most provocative new show of the season. Combining the classic premise of “Lord of the Flies” with the skittery, supernatural spookiness of “Lost” and the horror thriller “Alive,” it’s about teenage girls on a New Jersey high school soccer team.

After qualifying for the 1996 national championships, they board a private plane to fly to the state of Washington. But there’s an accident, and they crash-land in a remote forest somewhere in the Canadian Rockies.

Apparently, some of them were eventually rescued – because we meet them again – 25 years later – in 2021. They’re now adults, but they’re all traumatized, haunted by what happened in the 19 months during which they became feral, foraging, farming and, basically, struggling to survive.

Most of the savage drama of the first season revolves around young Shauna (Sophie Nelisse), Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) and Misty (Sammi Hanratty)…and their adult counterparts: Shauna (Melanie Lynsky), Taissa (Tawny Cypress), Natalie (Juliette Lewis) and Misty (Christina Ricci).

Initially, tension erupts between insecure Shauna and her popular best-friend, team captain Jackie (Ella Purnell) because, apparently, Jackie’s boy-friend Jeff (Jack Depew) was not only unfaithful but impregnated Shauna just before the plane departed. Now – in present time – Shauna is married to Jeff (Warren Kole) and they have a teenage daughter, Callie.

Back in the woods, there’s also deeply religious Laura Lee (Jane Widdop), spiritual Antler Queen Lottie (Courtney Eaton), and hard-hitting Van (Liv Hewson), along with Coach Ben (Steven Kreuger), Travis (Kevin Alves) and Javi (Luciano Leroux). 

Showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, along with Jonathan Lisco, have concocted an eerily disturbing, ongoing mystery that’s not only sinister (hinting at cannibalism) but constantly surprising. Before long, you’re hooked – and it’s horrifying!

And Ashley Lyle has confirmed that other survivors are out there – somewhere – and will appear next season.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Yellowjackets” is an unpredictably intriguing 8 – streaming on Showtime – with Season 2 already in the works.

Susan Granger’s review of “The Tender Bar” (Amazon Original Movie)

 

Directed by George Clooney, this gentle, coming-of-age story revolves around J.R. (played as a child by Daniel Ranieri, then by Tye Sheridan), growing up in Manhasset, Long Island, during the late 1970s/early 1980s with his single mother Dorothy (Lily Rabe), cantankerous grandfather (Christopher Lloyd) and affable Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck), who proudly drives a stunning blue-green Cadillac convertible. 

A beloved figure at his working-class bar, The Dickens, philosophizing Uncle Charlie offers naïve, vulnerable J.R. unconditional love, promising: “I’m never going to let you win, and I’m always going to tell you the truth.”  Insofar as “the male sciences” go, he cautions: “Don’t ever hit a woman. Even if she stabs you with scissors.”

Uncle Charlie encourages his ambition to become a writer, knowing that J.R. will inevitably track down his deadbeat dad (Max Martini), a radio disc jockey known as “The Voice” who never wanted him and doesn’t care about him.

Based on Pulitzer Prize-winner J.R. Moehringer’s 2005 memoir, it’s somewhat superficially adapted by screenwriter William Monahan, who follows J.R. to Yale, where he falls in love with a classmate (Briana Middleton) and ignores his mother’s desire for him to go to law school in favor of becoming a journalist.

(In recent years, Moehringer collaborated with Andre Agassi and Nike co-founder Phil Knight on their autobiographies and worked with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, on his, scheduled for later this year.)

FYI: A bar known as The Dickens – with a fading likeness of Charles Dickens painted on the side of the building – was a real Long Island establishment but, for the film, the setting was re-created in several Massachusetts towns.

Not surprisingly, the Screen Actors Guild nominated Affleck as Best Supporting Actor for this film. It’s been a productive year for Affleck, who was also almost unrecognizable as the villain in Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel.” FYI: Affleck won an Oscar in 1997 for co-writing “Good Will Hunting” with Matt Damon.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, The Tender Bar” is a nostalgic, sensitive 6, streaming on Amazon Prime.

Susan Granger’s review of “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (A24, Apple TV+)

 

As a first-time solo director, Joel Coen takes a sparse, stylized look at one of Shakespeare’s most compelling plays.

Filming in austere black-and-white, he presents an abstract physical world that’s filled with deep, geometric shadows, sharp angles and bleak walls, focusing on an ambitious middle-aged couple, determined to usurp political power in medieval Scotland.

The bloodthirsty tale begins with General Macbeth (Denzel Washington) victorious after quelling a rebellion against King Duncan (Brendan Gleeson), who subsequently names his son Malcolm (Harry Melling) Prince of Cumberland and heir to the throne.

For his valor, Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor, fueling a treacherous desire for even greater recognition. Heading home with his comrade Banquo (Bertie Carvel) as cackling crows circle overhead, weary Macbeth has a supernatural encounter with shapeshifting, soothsaying witches (embodied by British contortionist/actress Kathryn Hunter), who cryptically address him as “King hereafter.”

Across the moors, Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand) relishes this propulsive prophecy, concocting a ruthless regicide plot. Then when Lord Macduff (Corey Hawkins) flees to England with Duncan’s son Malcolm, Macbeth takes twisted revenge by killing Macduff’s wife (Moses Ingram) and children. “Blood will have blood.”

But manipulative Lady Macbeth’s scheming treachery takes its toll, driving her into sleepwalking madness, alarming her courtiers, including the doctor (Jefferson Mays), who observes, “Unnatural deed do breed unnatural troubles.”

For his first foray into solo directing, Joel Coen evokes the familiar noir concept of greed & wealth leading to betrayal & death that’s characterized his previous work (18 films including “No Country for Old Men”) with brother Ethan.

Coen’s ensemble delivers at a superlative level that should lead to Oscar nominations Working with set designer Stefan Dechant, French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel stresses surreal, theatrical minimalism, while Carter Burwell delivers an ominous orchestral score.

Historically, there have been many screen adaptations, including Orson Welles’ in 1948, Akira Kurosawa’s “Throne of Blood” in 1957, Roman Polanski’s in 1971, and Justin Kurzel’s in 2015.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is an inspired, audacious 8, streaming on Apple TV+.

Susan Granger’s review of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (Columbia Pictures/Sony)

If you chose not to risk Omicron by going to the theater, now you can stream “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” as a new generation battles the spirit world.

Directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman who directed the first two 1980s movies, it’s a continuation of the story from “Ghostbusters” and “Ghostbusters II,” including original cast members, including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver.

This time the franchise focus is on teenage Trevor (Finn Wolfhard of “Stranger Things”) and his younger, science-loving sister Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) who have moved with their single mom (Carrie Coon) to a spooky farm in Summerville, Oklahoma, that was owned by their eccentric, gadget-wielding grandfather, Egon Spengler (the late Harold Ramis).

When Trevor geta a job at the local drive-in burger joint and develops a crush on Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), Phoebe enrolls in a summer school course taught by amateur seismologist Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd). There, she befriends Podcast (Logan Kim), so-named because he documents every moment of his life.

And when their goofball adventures – capturing demonic Muncher after razing the nearby town – result in them winding up in jail, Phoebe requests to make one phone call, reaching out to Ray Stanz (Dan Aykroyd) at Ray’s Occult Books.

Once again, the young protagonists must face the forces of the ageless demonic deity known as Gozer (embodied by Olivia Wilde), along with the Gate Keeper and Key Master.

As co-writer with Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman inserts several nostalgic nods to his dad – like having the town’s movie theater playing “Cannibal Girls,” the first independent horror picture his dad Ivan ever directed.

Reitman reinstates Ray Parker Jr.’s iconic theme song, and the VFX department has duly recreated Terror Dogs and the minion-like Mini-Pufts, referencing the original Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, along with metal-gobbling Muncher, replacing Slimer.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is a blandly familiar 5, ghoulishly streaming on Amazon Prime, Vudu and YouTube.

 

Susan Granger’s review of “C’mon C’mon” (A24)

Writer/director Mike Mills’ turbulent new family melodrama delves into the trials and tribulations of parenthood, encompassing its inherent joys and overwhelming responsibilities, including choosing between self-interest and caring for a child.

Living in a small Chinatown apartment, Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) is a New York radio journalist heading a small team of interviewers who travel around the country asking young people probing questions about their aspirations, what they think of the world around them, their uncertainties and what needs to change.

When his estranged sister Viv (Gaby Hoffman) must cope with a mental health crisis involving her bipolar husband (Scoot McNairy), Johnny flies to Los Angeles to care for Jesse (Woody Norman), her imaginative, precociously perceptive nine-year-old son.

Having absorbed Viv’s self-help exercises and vocabulary, vulnerable Jesse has been taught to express his feelings openly, leading to insightful cross-generational communication.

The bittersweet plot revolves around the transformation that happens when Johnny, who’s single and has no children, steps into the avuncular role.

Inspired by his own parenting experiences with filmmaker Miranda July (“Kajillionaire”), Mike Mills shot the script in sequence, working with Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan to film in luminous black-and-white, tracing how Johnny and Jesse bond – with music by Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National.

Previously in “Beginners,” Mills explored his poignant relationship with his father who came out late in life, and in “20^th Century Women” he recalled his mother and sister who raised him.

Bearded and considerably heavier than he was as the Oscar-winning “Joker,” Joaquin Phoenix delivers a quiet, gently thoughtful, emotionally satisfying performance, while British newcomer Woody Norman masters an authentic American accent.

FYI: One of the young people interviewed is Devante “D-Man” Bryant, a nine year-old who was later killed in a shooting and to whom the film is dedicated.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “C’mon C’mon” is a sensitive, stylistic, soft-spoken 7, streaming on Prime Video.

Susan Granger’s review of “Cyrano” (MGM and UA Releasing)

It’s not about the nose!

Director Joe Wright re-imagines Edmund Rostand’s 1897 poetic drama “Cyrano de Bergerac” about a swashbuckling poet/solider with self-esteem issues. All his life Cyrano has been besotted by his beautiful childhood friend Roxanne but unable to express his love for her because of embarrassment over his enormous nose.

When cultured Roxanne falls in love with Christian, a handsome but inarticulate soldier in Cyrano’s regiment, Cyrano offers to covertly coach Christian, pouring out his passion through Christian’s lips. But will his secret ever be discovered?

In her musical adaptation of the French classic love story, Erika Schmidt discards the gigantic nose as an impediment and substitutes short stature. Cyrano is embodied by Peter Dinklage, while Roxanne is played by Hayley Bennett and Christian by Kelvin Harrison Jr. Ben Mendelsohn plays the villainous DeGuiche.

In an interview with the New York Times, Peter Dinklage compares the courtship to contemporary ‘catfishing,’ noting: “It’s exactly what we’re doing today with online dating, where you’re putting up a profile of yourself that is not necessarily true to who you are. We all pretend to be other people to a varying degree.”

Four-time Emmy-winner Dinklage is best known for playing Tyrion Lannister for eight seasons on TV’s fantasy drama “Game of Thrones.”

Historically, there was a 1950 film version for which Jose Ferrer won an Oscar as Cyrano. Gerard Depardieu also tackled the role, along with Christopher Plummer, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Steve Martin, who made it into a modern rom-com with “Roxanne.” There have been countless stage productions.

This production is a family affair. Peter Dinklage’s real-life partner is Erica Schmidt. Working with The National’s Aaron Dresser and Bryce Dessner, they developed this concept in a workshop at Goodspeed’s Norma Terris Theater in Chester, CT.  

Joe Wright, whose real-life partner is Hayley Bennett, shot the film in Sicily, placing the wintry battle scenes against the magnificent backdrop of Mount Etna.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Cyrano” is an engrossing 8, a classic tale enhanced by the music.

 

Susan Granger’s review of “The King’s Man” (20^th Century/Disney)

This prequel to writer/director Matthew Vaughn’s previous comedy/action/adventure reveals the origins of the super-secret British agency headquartered in a discreet tailor’s shop on London’s fashionable Savile Row.

Set during World War I, the irreverent story revolves around Orlando, Duke of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes), who is determined to prevent a nefarious cabal, led by The Shepherd, from annihilating Europe’s ruling class and creating anarchy.

Taking liberties with actual history, he and his patriotic son Conrad (Harris Dickinson) were riding in the carriage of Austria’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand when he’s assassinated by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo.

In a bizarre bit of casting, Tom Hollander plays three first-cousins: England’s King George, Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm and Russia’s Tsar Nicholas. Plus, there’s Charles Dance as Orlando’s war-minister mentor, Lord Kitchener.

Clues lead Orlando, accompanied by his loyal bodyguard Shola (Djimon Hounsou), to Russia, where he encounters the mad monk Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans), who greets him with “Take your trousers off and sit down,” before licking a battle wound on the aristocrat’s thigh.

Weird – to say the very least – heralding an elaborate dance/fight sequence, set to the “1812 Overture.”

As the swashbuckling plot progresses, villainous Rasputin’s legendary resilience is tested…and he’s not even the mysterious mastermind.

Problem is: the tone of Matthew Vaughn & Karl Gajdusek’s convoluted script is inconsistent and, therefore, confusing, bouncing between colonialism and pacifism, as pithy Orlando proclaims, “Nobility never came from chivalry. It came from being tough and ruthless.”

Yet, kudos to them for slyly inserting a super-efficient nanny (Gemma Arterton) who has organized a network of domestic servant-spies. But bickering Colin Firth’s Harry Hart and Taron Egerton’s Eggsy are sorely missed.

Do wait for a pivotal mid-credits scene, involving Erik-Jan Hanussen (Daniel Bruhl), Vladimir Lenin (August Diehl) and Adolf Hitler (David Kross).

FYI: The Kingsman concept can be traced back to Icon Comics, a Marvel imprint.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “The King’s Man” is an absurdly frenzied 5, exclusively in theaters.

Susan Granger’s review of “Spiderman: No Way Home” (Columbia Pictues)

Spidey swings again! The new sequel “Spiderman: No Way Home” topped $600 million, becoming the biggest hit in Sony Pictures history and ranking as one of the 10 top-grossing domestic hits of all time.

In this third go-round as the teenage web-slinger, Tom Holland’s likable Peter Parker loses his anonymity when malevolent muckraker J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) reveals his identity as a Queens, New York, high school student.

The media soon surround his apartment, harassing Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) and bachelor-uncle Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), as Peter is accused of being a war criminal.

When guilt-by-association causes Peter’s plucky girl-friend MJ (Zendaya) and loyal pal Ned (Jacob Batalon) to be rejected by MIT, he solicits his mentor Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to use his Master of the Mystic Arts powers to make everyone forget he was ever Spidey.

Problem is: that spell opens up the Multiverse, creating an eye-popping, intergalactic rift between parallel dimensions.

Which means villains from past “Spiderman” films, starring Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, suddenly re-appear. There’s Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Hayden Church), Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and the Green Goblin/Norman Osborne (Willem Dafoe).

Surprises abound in this radical approach to a superhero movie, a caper that would have delighted the late comic-book auteur Stan Lee, who loved interlocking sprawling Marvel Comics backstories, exploring a multitude of characters.

Taking an outrageous creative risk were screenwriters Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, along with director Jon Watts and producers Kevin Feige & Amy Pascal, hammering home lessons about how great power entails great responsibility and, often, great sacrifice.

Stick around for the mid-credits scene and post-credits trailer, heralding more chaos from the collective amnesia in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in “Dr. Strange and The Multiverse of Madness.”

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Spiderman: No Way Home” is an action-packed, nostalgic 9, jump-starting theater-going despite the Omicron variant.

 

 

Susan Granger’s 10 BEST of 2021 (in alphabetical order):

 

PICTURE:

BEING THE RICARDOS

BELFAST

CODA

CYRANO

IN THE HEIGHTS

KING RICHARD

THE LOST DAUGHTER

THE POWER OF THE DOG

TICK, TICK…BOOM!        

WEST SIDE STORY

DIRECTOR:

Kenneth Branagh  -BELFAST

Jane Campion – THE POWER OF THE DOG

Maggie Gyllenhaal – THE LOST DAUGHTER

Rebecca Hall – PASSING

Sian Heder – CODA

Pablo Larrain – SPENCER

Lin-Manuel Miranda – TICK, TICK….BOOM!

Aaron Sorkin – BEING THE RICARDOS

Steven Spielberg – WEST SIDE STORY

Joe Wright – CYRANO

ACTRESS:

Sandra Bullock – THE UNFORGIVABLE

Jessica Chastain – THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE

Olivia Colman – THE LOST DAUGHTER

Penelope Cruz – PARALLEL MOTHERS

Lady Gaga – THE HOUSE OF GUCCI

Alana Haim – LICORICE PIZZA

Nicole Kidman – BEING THE RICARDOS

Ruth Negga – PASSING

Kristen Stewart – SPENCER

Tessa Thompson – PASSING

ACTOR:

Javier Bardem – BEING THE RICARDOS

Nicolas Cage – PIG

Bradley Cooper – NIGHTMARE ALLEY

Benedict Cumberbatch – THE POWER OF THE DOG

Peter Dinklage – CYRANO

Adam Driver – HOUSE OF GUCCI

Andrew Garfield – TICK, TICK…BOOM!

Tim Black Nelson – OLD HENRY

Will Smith – KING RICHARD

Denzel Washington – THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Ben Affleck – THE LAST DUEL

Reed Birney – MASS

Jamie Dorman – BELFAST

Corey Hawkins – IN THE HEIGHTS & THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

Ciaran Hinds – BELFAST

Troy Kotsur – CODA

Jesse Plemons – THE POWER OF THE DOG

J.K. Simmons – BEING THE RICARDOS

Kodi Smit-McPhee – THE POWER OF THE DOG

Bradley Whitford – TICK, TICK…BOOM!

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Nina Arianda – BEING THE RICARDOS

Caitronia Balfe – BELFAST

Jessie Buckley – THE LOST DAUGHTER

Ariana DeBose – WEST SIDE STORY

Judi Dench – BELFAST

Ann Dowd – MASS

Kristen Dunst – THE POWER OF THE DOG

Aunjanue Ellis – KING RICHARD

Olga Merediz – IN THE HEIGHTS

Rita Moreno – WEST SIDE STORY