Movie Review: I Am Woman (2019)

Genre: Musical Biography  

Director: Unjoo Moon  

Starring: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Danielle Macdonald, Evan Peters  

Running Time: 116 minutes  

Synopsis: It's 1966, and having won a contest promising a recording contract, Australian singer Helen Reddy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) arrives in New York City with her 3 year-old daughter. When the record company breaks its promise, Helen defaults to a lounge singer and forges a friendship with rock journalist Lilian Roxon (Danielle Macdonald). Eventually she falls in love with fledgling music manager Jeff Wald (Evan Peters). They get married and move to Los Angeles, but with Jeff developing a cocaine habit and ignoring Helen's ambitions, breaking into the music business will not be easy.

What Works Well: This standard biography effectively tracks the arduous path to stardom, Helen initially singing to an empty bar and living with her daughter in a cockroach-infested apartment. Despite a variable performance, Tilda Cobham-Hervey captures Helen's determination to overcome misogyny and achieve stardom on her terms. She finds her calling through Lilian's association with the women's movement for equal rights, and Helen's song I Am Woman becomes the anthem for a generation of women seeking a new social contract.

What Does Not Work As Well: Similar stories has been told before with more impact, and both the metronomic story beats and the rudimentary writing and performances are not far from television drama levels. The narrative veers towards a hagiography, where Helen can do no wrong and all the men surrounding her are dinosauric blocks.

Key Quote:

Helen: Did it ever occur to you men to ask women what they want to listen to?

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Movie Review: Vegas Vacation (1997)

Genre: Comedy  

Director: Stephen Kessler  

Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Wallace Shawn  

Running Time: 93 minutes  

Synopsis: After receiving a work bonus, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) takes his family on a vacation to Las Vegas. His wife Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) catches the eye of entertainer Wayne Newton (playing himself), while Clark gets addicted to gambling (and losing), ignoring his family in the process. Daughter Audrey (Marisol Nichols) connects with her rough-and-tumble cousin in Vegas' sordid corners, while son Rusty (Ethan Embry) discovers a hidden talent for winning.

What Works Well: This third sequel in the series of Griswold family vacation misadventures captures Vegas' gag-inducing faux glitz and glamour, and the associated gambling dangers. The running time is mercifully short, and a late intervention by Sid Caesar is worth waiting for.

What Does Not Work As Well: Randy Quaid's boorish cousin Eddie keeps getting in the way, plumbing new depths of atrocious behaviour. Clark Griswold's brand of comic ineptitude is low on energy, and the cast responds by just going through the motions. Wayne Newton and Wallace Shawn (as a caustic blackjack dealer) are over-applied to little effect. Most of the jokes miss their targets, including a tired detour to the Hoover Dam.

Key Quote:

Clark: Where the hell is the damn dam tour?

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Movie Review: Lonely Planet (2024)

Genre: Romantic Drama  

Director: Susannah Grant  

Starring: Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth  

Running Time: 96 minutes  

Synopsis: Suffering from writer's block and a disintegrating relationship, celebrated author Katherine Loewe (Laura Dern) attends a writers' retreat at a secluded resort in Morocco. She keeps to herself and avoids group activities to focus on writing. Also in attendance is up-and-coming writer Lily Kemp (Diana Silvers), whose first book was a surprise best-seller. She is accompanied by her boyfriend Owen (Liam Hemsworth), an equity manager and a misfit in this crowd. As Lily starts to enjoy herself in the company of other writers, Owen and Katherine are drawn together.

What Works Well: In what is essentially a travelogue, the Morocco locations are attractively filmed and add plenty of colour, despite the absence of meaningful local characters. Laura Dern delivers a psychologically haggard and lived-in performance as a woman experiencing multiple fractured pillars in her life.

What Does Not Work As Well: The pace is slow as the linear narrative defaults to a series of samey conversations between Katherine and Owen. Both are disillusioned, resulting in a suffocatingly mopey mood. Owen's sorrow is a result of being cold-shouldered by the literati, contextually undermining the older woman-younger man romance since Katherine is a more famous author than Lily. A one-dimensional Liam Hemsworth struggles to find depth in Owen, while the supporting characters are truncated at cursory introductions.

Key Quote:

Lily (to the group of writers, referring to Owen): He only reads Sports Illustrated.

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Movie Review: Marry Me (2022)

Genre: Musical Romantic Comedy  

Director: Kat Coiro  

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Sarah Silverman  
Running Time: 112 minutes  

Synopsis: Music mega-star Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) is about to get married (for the fourth time) to fellow music star Bastian (Maluma). But just as they are supposed to exchange on-stage vows in front of 20 million viewers, Kat discovers that Bastian has been cheating. On a whim, she plucks high school math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), a divorced dad, out of the crowd and marries him instead. They subsequently agree to get to know each other for a few months, giving love an opportunity to blossom.

What Works Well: This romantic fairytale combines the fakery of living through the lens of social media saturation with a search for true love. Despite the inherent incompatibility of the central couple, Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson bring just enough chemistry to add an endearing layer of affection. A sub-plot revolving around Charlie's pre-teen daughter and a math club competition is a movie-within-a-movie, and adds real-life flavours away from the razzle-dazzle of superstardom.

What Does Not Work As Well: The plot is as far-fetched as rom-coms go, Kat and Charlie sharing nothing in common before or during their romance. The running time is padded by at least 15 minutes, and instead of tackling the comprehensive sacrifices needed for this romance to work, the script is instead occupied by the predictable beats of unlikely love found, unlikely love challenged, and unlikely love confirmed. 

Key Quote:

Charlie: Is this smart?

Kat: I think we left smart six weeks ago.

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Movie Review: Messenger Of Death (1988)

Genre: Crime Action  

Director: J. Lee Thompson  

Starring: Charles Bronson, Trish Van Devere, John Ireland  

Running Time: 91 minutes  

Synopsis: In Denver, a shotgun-wielding assassin murders all the wives and children of Orville Beecham, a member of the Mormon community. Newspaper reporter Garrett Smith (Charles Bronson) starts to investigate and tracks down Orville's father Willis (Jeff Corey). He leads a secretive offshoot sect, and is quick to blame the slaughter on his estranged brother Zenas (John Ireland). Garrett travels to a remote county where Zenas owns a large farm, and teams up with local reporter Jastra (Trish Van Devere) to uncover an entrenched family feud and a vicious fight for land control.

What Works Well: The big sky Colorado settings are attractive, and the story is rich with potential: an isolated religious sect, an intense brotherly rivalry, and powerful men-in-suits dabbling in fracking and seeking control of precious water sources. In a change of pace and despite the high body count, Charles Bronson patiently investigates and asks questions to solve a mystery, leaving most (but not all) of the violence to others. The supporting cast is invested, and a car chase involving a couple of large trucks is adequately staged.

What Does Not Work As Well: The plot holes are large, a lot of the dialogue is straight from the first draft, the editing is often askew, and most of the acting is over-animated. A parallel story about a police chief running for mayor and being funded by business interests is a clear second-best compared to the Beecham family turmoil. The climax retreats from the breathtaking open country and into the expediency of a poorly conceived whodunnit, populated by less interesting characters and throttled by insufficient context.

Key Quote:

Willis Beecham: How we worship is no concern of yours.



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Movie Review: The Evil That Men Do (1984)

Genre: Crime Action  

Director: J. Lee Thompson  

Starring: Charles Bronson, Theresa Saldana, Jose Ferrer  

Running Time: 90 minutes  

Synopsis: Clement "The Doctor" Molloch (Joseph Maher) is hired by dictatorships to torture regime opponents. Investigative journalist Jorge Hidalgo is one of his victims, prompting retired assassin Holland (Charles Bronson) to come out of retirement on a revenge mission. Holland teams up with Jorge's widow Rhiana (Theresa Saldana) and her young daughter, and they travel to Guatemala to hunt down the Doctor.

What Works Well: State-sanctioned torture-for-hire is a worthwhile topic to explore, and here the industrial-scale atrocities are presented as a tacit extension of American foreign policy. With Joseph Maher dripping entitled smarm and Bronson in fine athletic form, the Doctor is despicable enough to anoint the hitman as the good guy. The on-location filming (Mexico subbing for Guatemala) is gritty, and the moment-of-reckoning climax, despite zombie-like execution, is satisfyingly gargoylian. 

What Does Not Work Well: Most of the plot points make no sense, including a professional assassin allowing a woman and child to tag along, and J. Lee Thompson's mechanically pedestrian directing does not help. Holland is never placed in any personal jeopardy as he methodically extracts revenge against the Doctor and his goons, robbing the action of any tension.

Key Quote:

Holland: I'm gonna rattle his cage. And when he sticks his neck out, I'll nail him.

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Movie Review: The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Genre: Mystery  

Director: Alfred Hitchcock  

Starring: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, May Whitty  

Running Time: 97 minutes  

Synopsis: In the fictional European country Bandrika, a train is stranded by an avalanche and the passengers spend a night at a small village motel. They include the adventurous Iris (Margaret Lockwood), who is traveling to England to reluctantly get married; the elderly Miss Froy (May Whitty); and dashing musician Gilbert (Michael Redgrave). After the train gets going the next morning, Miss Froy suddenly disappears, and Iris teams up with Gilbert to investigate. Dr. Hartz (Paul Lukas), magician Signor Doppo, and a nun are among the train passengers possibly involved in a cover-up.

What Works Well: With director Alfred Hitchcock obliquely critiquing a Britain ignoring the gathering storms of continental war, this lighthearted mystery and satire explores human reactions motivated by nothing-to-see-here self-interest. A feisty Margaret Lockwood animates the microcosm as the irrepressible Iris tangles with fellow travelers Caldicott and Charters, whose only interest is the score of a cricket game back home in England, and a philandering judge and his mistress studiously avoiding scandal. The confined train surroundings form a labyrinthian setting with secrets in every compartment.

What Does Not Work As Well: The opening 20 minutes at the motel are a cacophonic mess cluttered by too many irrelevant tertiary characters. What is finally revealed about the nefarious plot straddles the line between vague and ridiculous, leading to a stiff and unimaginative final showdown.

Key Quote:

Iris: Nuns don't wear high heels.

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Movie Review: A Good Woman (2004)

Genre: Romantic Dramedy  

Director: Mike Barker  

Starring: Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Wilkinson  

Running Time: 93 minutes  

Synopsis: In New York City, professional mistress Mrs. Erlynne (Helen Hunt) runs out of other-women's-husbands willing to fund her lifestyle. She relocates to Amalfi in Italy, and joins a wealthy and gossipy English community including newlyweds Meg and Robert Windermere (Scarlett Johansson and Mark Umbers). The dashing Lord Darlington (Stephen Campbell Moore) intends to seduce Meg, and finds an opening when Mrs. Erlynne occupies Robert's attention. Meanwhile, the exceptionally rich and many-times-divorced Tuppy (Tom Wilkinson) believes he can finally find happiness with Mrs. Erlynne.

What Works Well: This adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 1892 play Lady Windermere's Fan benefits from picturesque Italian locations occupied by the idle rich, and attractive 1930s-era sets, costumes, hairstyles, and make-up. Tom Wilkinson as Tuppy delivers a wistful performance as a soft-at-heart man who has everything except a worthy life companion. Director Mike Barker hustles events along at a brisk pace, and the central twist adds zest.

What Does Not Work As Well: The plot only works with a base level of across-the-board obtuse behaviour. Neither Helen Hunt nor Scarlett Johansson appear fully comfortable in their roles, and apart from Wilkinson, the other male actors mechanically go through the motions. Delivered by a hovering Greek chorus of secondary gossipers, the script is over-burdened with Wilde's witticisms, with most landing as self-satisfied clutter.

Key Quote:

Mrs. Erlynne: If we're always guided by other people's thoughts, what's the point of having our own?

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Movie Review: The Best Of Enemies (2019)

Genre: Biographical Drama  

Director: Robin Bissell  
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Taraji P. Henson, Anne Heche, Bruce McGill  
Running Time: 133 minutes  

Synopsis: The setting is Durham, North Carolina in 1970, with the schools still segregated. C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell) is the local leader of the Ku Klux Klan, while Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) is a black rights organizer. When a black school is damaged by fire, a community debate erupts on whether to allow the black students to attend a white school. Bill Riddick (Babou Ceesay) is recruited to organize a community charette and cajoles C.P. and Ann into the co-chair roles, exposing the two adversaries to opposing perspectives.

What Works Well: Based on actual events, writer and director Robin Bissel crafts a tense but hopeful drama of simmering racial conflict. Under the shadow of a virulent white supremacist culture intent on protecting the status quo, C.P. and Ann co-exist in the realm of economic stress, the search for belonging, and caring for family. The school debate becomes a catalyst to seek commonalities, the community's core evolved enough to gather and argue within a civilized process. C.P.'s journey is more profound, Sam Rockwell's every gesture and glance a study in conflicted complexity.

What Does Not Work As Well: The running time would have benefited from a 15 minute trim, and some of the sermonizing is delivered with straight-to-the-camera bluntness. Ann Atwater is often portrayed as just angry, and her backstory is shortchanged in favour of emphasis on C.P.'s reality.

Key Quote:

Ann (to C.P.): Same God made you, made me.

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Movie Review: The Grand Seduction (2013)

Genre: Comedy  

Director: Don McKellar  

Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch  

Running Time: 115 minutes  

Synopsis: The tiny harbour village of Tickle Head, Newfoundland, is suffering economic malaise due to the closure of cod fishing. Unemployed fisher Murray (Brendan Gleeson), his friend Simon, and banker Henry are desperate to attract a new petrochemical factory to the area, but the deal hinges on securing a resident doctor in the village. When Dr. Paul Lewis (Taylor Kitsch) arrives for a month, Murray mobilizes all the residents to embellish the realities of village life to convince Paul to stay permanently. Postmistress Kathleen (Liane Balaban) is the only local resident reluctant to play along.

What Works Well: This remake of a Quebec production benefits from a laid back attitude, rustic edge-of-the-continent scenery, and salt-of-the-earth characters. The comedy is underpinned by serious issues including the declining traditional fishing industry, erosion of dignity due to living on welfare, and families split apart in search of better fortunes. The running gags are strong, including the villagers pretending to like cricket (Paul's favourite sport), listening in on Paul's phone calls, planting money for him to stumble upon, and artificially elevating his hapless fishing skills.

What Does Not Work As Well: The fundamental premise is, of course, rickety (the factory can surely provide a doctor), and the portrayed process for selecting this village for an investment is amateurish. The longish running length is padded with some repetitive beats and unnecessary scenes, while the ending is both predictable and emotionally truncated.

Key Quote:

Simon (watching cricket on TV): It's like watching baseball, only longer.

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