Originally I wanted to write solo reviews for both The Holdovers and Priscilla but I am running out of time and the thought occurred to me ‘maybe a comparison of the 2 might be interesting?’ After all, why did one work for me so well and the other was so disappointing? Let’s talk about it!

Now they aren’t an exact comparison because The Holdovers is an original screenplay with fictional characters and Priscilla is based on the memoir of a real person Priscilla Presley. But they are both character pieces and both set in the 70s and both about young adults so they aren’t complete opposites.

The main difference between the two films is in The Holdovers we get to know the characters so well, even minor characters we don’t spend a ton of time with like Mary Lamb played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph. We learn so much about the choices in her life, her family, faith and everything else in only a few key scenes.

Priscilla, on the other hand, always keeps her at an arms-distance. You’d think a film directed by the daughter of a famous person, Sofia Coppola, would have something interesting to say about this famous woman who eventually leaves Elvis but she really doesn’t. The relationship is toxic but we don’t get to hear from Priscilla. What does she like about Elvis? Is it the money? Is it a spiritual connection? What does she want in life? She’s young but all the more reason to see her grow and develop as a character.

The performances are all good in Priscilla but its the screenplay that lets them down. It honestly felt like a made for TV movie without the moxie and camp those films can have. I felt like I learned next to nothing about Priscilla from watching the movie and I came in knowing very little. Isn’t that the whole point of the movie to tell her story? Evidently she’s a young girl who waited around in Graceland but had almost no personality herself. Also I felt they were trying to portray Elvis as asexual or disinterested in sex (he’d rather read philosophy) but they never did anything interesting with that either.

The Holdovers has 2 masterfully written characters with Paul Giamatti as the professor Paul Hunham and Dominic Sessa as a lonely student Angus Tully. They can’t stand each other at first but are forced to share the holidays together and come to understand and respect one another. It’s moving and authentic and wonderfully acted. It is also cool that Paul Giamatti’s character has a strabismus problem with his eye which I have too! I’m not sure how they did that if it was special effects or what but it was neat to see a character grapple with that in a feature film.

Of course I am drawn to holiday films but The Holdovers is really a film about friendship and how we all freaking need each other. I could nitpick about the ending not being perfect but it was good enough and provides a moment of sacrifice for Paul (who has been relatively selfish most of the movie) and some hope for Angus. Nobody has really believed in him in his life and now someone has and it’s beautiful,  moving and lovely.

Basically Priscilla is well-made but it left me with little insight into its characters where The Holdovers had it in spades. One has a weak script and the other is one of the best in years. It’s as simple as that.

Priscilla– Frown Worthy 4 out of 10

The Holdovers– Smile Worthy 9 out of 10

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I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m one of the only professional critics who wasn’t going into the latest, Killers of the Flower Moon, from director Martin Scorsese with super high expectations. While I recognize the achievement in many of his films they often aren’t on my wavelength and not something I particularly enjoy (I famously hated his film Silence but have appreciated some of his films like Goodfellas.) Especially with it’s well over 3 hour runtime I anticipated KOTFM would be something I’d appreciate but struggle to get through. Well, now I have seen it I can say it is a tough sit but I found it surprisingly compelling and something I can genuinely recommend experiencing.

I think what makes KOTFM work so well is Scorsese has found a genuinely compelling story and he asks us to root for and against the right people so we are with the movie from the beginning and end up outraged, as we are intended to feel. What particularly struck me is the lack of control especially the female characters (in this case real life people who actually existed) have over their lives and choices. So often it is assumed that money=power and that is often true but it is only the case if you have the power to use the money effectively. All the Osage characters in the story have money from oil so one would think they have power but they do not control the use of that money therefore their power is easily manipulated.

This is made especially clear in the narrative by the fact that two with power, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Ernest Burkhart and Robert De Niro’s William Hale are complete idiots especially Ernest. And yet because of who they are and the color of their skin they have power and with their lack of care for their fellow humans they wield that power with disastrous results.

Lily Gladstone is getting deserved buzz for her incredible performance as Mollie Burkhart. Her character genuinely falls for the simple-minded Ernest but that decision is truly her only moment of power. Even as she fights diabetes with some of the first ever insulin injections she is completely at the mercy of her husband and other mostly white men in her life. She watches in horror as her family members are taken down one-by-one knowing her time is coming and knowing how little power she has. At one point she tries to get the President of  United States involved, and I suppose her money does get her some notice there but it’s so minimal compared to the easy power her husband so thoughtlessly bumbles about.

Watching KOTFM it’s easy to become angry and this is intentional. We as human beings bristle at the idea of inequalities around us. It’s gross what is happening to Mollie and we want to make it better. We hope that such atrocities couldn’t happen today all the while knowing the horrific statistics of violence towards Native American women- and those are women without the faux power of wealth like Mollie had. It’s maddening and makes the film very effective.

What makes it less effective is some of the direction of the actors by Scorsese. Most of it is compelling but there are times performances feel like caricatures more than realistic historical figures. This is particularly true with Brendan Fraser and John Lithgow’s attorney characters which felt like they were from a different less-grounded movie. I also felt some of the supporting and extra roles were amateurish and weak.

Other than that this is a compelling story that needed to be told, and I’m grateful to Scorsese for telling it. I guess there is comfort that there is some justice at the end of the film but only after such a price is paid and again only because a literal trip to the President was called upon to get it. (When she does say ‘you’re next’ to Ernest that’s a satisfying moment!)  Surely we can do better? Again it makes me mad. It makes me want to fight harder for people like Mollie who deserve power but are instead left to the whims of the despots and fools. We as a country pay the price. It’s tragic yet, like I said, compelling.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Hey everyone! It’s time for an update on a bunch of recent releases I’ve seen. I’ve had a pretty good stretch of films and am excited to be starting Christmas coverage at Hallmarkies Podcast next week with the first Hallmark movie airing on Friday.

TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR

One of the great things about being engaged in cinema is it opens you to so many different kinds of experiences. You can laugh, scream, cheer, and occasionally go nuts with teens  at a concert and the latter is what you get to do with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. I am obviously aware of Taylor Swift but I am far from a swiftie or fan of hers. I have nothing against her but just not very up to date on modern music unless it’s in a movie or Broadway show.

Anyway, the concert was super fun to experience with everyone singing and cheering. I can only imagine how much fun it is for fans or to go with a group. As a critic it’s hard to review such a fan-specific event but the concert is well put-together and Taylor is an extremely engaging performer. Again I was not familiar with most of the songs but she did a good job combining soft and hard and her stamina with the complicated arrangements and set-pieces is impressive (and some extremely fast costume changes.)

She also includes over 40 songs which is amazing for any performer so we definitely get our moneys-worth for the cost of admission. I had a great time with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and if you can see it in IMAX or at an xd screen I highly recommend it.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

THE OTHER ZOEY

In addition to Taylor we have a new rom-com out in theaters this weekend called The Other Zoey. It stars Josephine Langford as Zoey who gets in a screwball comedy situation where she is mistaken as a different Zoey by a hunky soccer player who gets amnesia and thinks she is his girlfriend also named Zoey. The catch is that she is cynical and not interested in romantic comedies, so for her to be stuck in the plot of an outlandish screwball comedy is ironic and funny.

They try and give The Other Zoey an edge to separate it out from Hallmark romances by having characters be polyamorous and lie to each other, but a lot of that edge falls flat. Langford’s character is pretty unlikable in the film but she does have decent chemistry with both male leads (Drew Starkey, Archie Renaux.) If you are jonesing for a rom-com this is sarcastic and funny enough to satisfy that itch. Not great by any means but passable entry in the genre.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy

JESUS REVOLUTION

I finally got around to seeing Jesus Revolution on the plane and after hearing good things I can say I really enjoyed this intriguing faith-based film. It is made by one half of the Erwin Bros, Jon Erwin (with Brent McCorkle) and so far I have enjoyed all of the Erwin Bros films. They are making by far the strongest narratives right now in the faith-based market. They still have flaws but they aren’t afraid to put story over ministry and have characters with flaws that learn and grow.

Jesus Revolution tells the story of a group of hippies that turned to evangelicalism and religion in the early 1970s. We get to follow a number of real life characters including: Kelsey Grammer’s pastor Chuck Smith who embraces, at first reluctantly the movement, Joel Courtney as a confused teen in love named Greg Laurie and Jonathan Roumie (who plays Jesus on The Chosen) as the charismatic leader Lonnie Frisbee. These are fleshed out, imperfect characters. Not the paragons of virtue we sometimes see in this genre.

They do have enough messaging for fans of the genre but overall it’s a compelling story well told and I learned about a movement I’d never heard of before. Worth a watch.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

ONCE UPON A STUDIO-

I am sure there will be some people who will turn up their noses at Once Upon a Studio and criticize it as empty fan service but even though I have been very disappointed in Disney lately I’m not that cynical. For the 100 year anniversary of the studio they created a little short showcasing their animation (I really appreciate they kept it to just Disney and no Pixar, Star Wars or anything like that.)

It’s a simple concept of 500 characters from the studio gathering together to take a family photo. What I love is they didn’t just stick to the successful properties like The Lion King or Frozen but we have characters from shorts like Johnny Appleseed and from flops like Gurgi from The Black Cauldron. There is a particularly touching moment where Mickey greets a painting of Walt Disney and thanks him for all the memories. You’d have to be pretty cynical to not appreciate a moment like that.

Of course animation lovers and Disney fans have to see this short. I look forward to seeing it before their new film Wish coming out next month.

If you got to see it what characters did you enjoy seeing again the most?

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

So there you have it. An all positive update! Happy moviegoing! 

If you like my writing and want to support what I do check out the patreon for some great perks here.

Hi everyone! I am writing to you from the Big Apple where I am here to attend a few days of the NYFF. I wish I could attend the entire festival but that isn’t possible. Nevertheless, I am grateful for what I can attend. I actually forgot to pack my power cord for my computer so I probably won’t update my thoughts on the films until I get back but make sure you are following me on social media to see what I think of what I get to watch. Before all of that and while I still have some battery power I have to give my thoughts on a short, Strange Way of Life, I was able to see before leaving on my trip. It’s by famed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar and I found it to be a sexy, enjoyable little short. My only complaint is why is this a short? There was more story to be told!

Strange Way of Life is a western starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke. Hawke is the sheriff who has a warrant for Pascal’s son but the 2 men have a history together and we even see their younger selves depicted in a very sexy scene drinking wine out right out of a barrel.

I think your enjoyment of this short will depend on how much you enjoy classic romance tropes. If you roll your eyes at swoony scenes or anything tiptoeing near erotica than this isn’t for you. I expect many wanting more artistic Almodóvar will be disappointed how conventional this is but as a fan of romance novels and swoony scenes I really enjoyed it. I’d love for Almodóvar to make this a series of shorts about these two men- perhaps elaborating on their past love a little more.

I saw Strange Way of Life short as a stand-alone but it will be playing with Almodóvar’s pandemic short The Human Voice which was also fascinating. If it sounds like your kind of thing I definitely recommend it.

7 out of 10

If you like my writing and want to support what I do check out the patreon for some great perks here..

Sometimes I admit my job as a film critic can be a little bit strange. Especially as an animation expert I can find myself critiquing films that I am definitely not the target demographic for. Such is the case with the latest from Nickelodeon Movies, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Not having any experience with the franchise I thought the original Paw Patrol: The Movie was cute with a surprising story arc for little Chase who has PTSD and anxiety from trauma he experienced as a puppy. I have also gotten to know the director of both Paw Patrol movies, Cal Brunker, on social media and even had him on my podcast last month:

So now we have the new movie Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie and while it is a step down from the first film it has enough heart and positive messages to make it a worthwhile family film especially for the franchise’s fans of any age.

In this entry the focus is on little Skye (McKenna Grace) who was born the runt of her litter and always felt like she was lagging behind, smaller, weaker than all the other dogs. She basically has a giant case of imposter syndrome within the Paw Patrol and is very insecure why Ryder includes her in the group at all.

This doesn’t last for long, however, when the Paw Patrol pups get magic crystals that give them super powers. I’m not sure why this addition is necessary when you already have dogs flying planes and driving cars. Aren’t they already super powered? Nevertheless, it creates an effective story arc for Skye as she finally feels powerful and worthy of being on the patrol and she leads the charge against the evil ‘not mad’ scientist Vee Dance (Taraji P Henson.)

I do  think the change in the franchise from regular super dogs to super superhero dogs feels generic and played out but the designs are still cute and like I said, Skye’s story is sweet enough to make it worth recommending especially for family’s of small children. The voice cast is all solid and the animation is bright and colorful. If you enjoy this franchise and liked the first film I’m confident you will have a good time with Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy

If you like my writing and want to support what I do check out the patreon for some great perks here..

If you have been following my reviews for any amount of time you know I am a bit of a tough sell when it comes to the sci-fi genre. A lot of it can get too bogged down by world building and lore I don’t care about and forget the emotional core to the story. I was worried that would be the case with Gareth Edwards’ new original sci-fi film The Creator. It’s not perfect but the relationship at its center carried me through the weak sections and I found it to be one of the best movies of 2023.

The story is set 50 years in the future where AI and man are at war after a nuclear explosion took out a million humans. John David Washington plays Joshua Taylor a special forces operative who is take down the AI. His wife Maya, played by Gemma Chan, is pregnant and the 2 have a deep and abiding love for each other that is the motivating force for Joshua in the story. They aren’t together long but the chemistry was so believable between the two that I bought his choices throughout the film.

I don’t want to spoil much more but basically Joshua becomes responsible for an AI child that is also a weapon and all the while he is putting together clues concerning his wife an her disappearance. It seems like some people were underwhelmed by this script but I thought it did what it had to do to give the character motivation and an emotional connection to his wife and the child that gave hope and meaning to the action.

Speaking of the action that is more where I had issues with the film. Edwards’ gets a little too explosion happy with a giant ball of fire being the solution to most problems and the ending to most scenes. They start to lose their impact when they are happening ever few minutes. It also does get confusing on what exactly the little girl’s powers are and what Joshua needs to do to protect her (and why he was picked over everyone else to help her.)

Nevertheless, The Creator looks great and I honestly expect some convoluted elements in a sci-fi film like this. The score by Hans Zimmer was supplemented by lots of “Clair de Lune” segments which was an unusual choice for this genre (you’d expect something more synthesized like in the Blade Runner films).

I personally enjoyed The Creator more than the Blade Runner films or the recent Dune because I cared more about the relationships at its core. They felt real and drew me into the story, made me invested on what was going to happen next. Some have compared The Creator to Edwards’ film Rogue One but that didn’t have the romance at its center to draw me into the film. It just had characters I didn’t care about that didn’t have a meaningful connection to each other. Both Joshua’s relationship with Maya and the little girl are more moving than anything I got in Rogue One. It’s also really impressive what Edwards’ did on a very small $80 million budget.  If you liked the recent Avatar: the Way of Water I bet you will like this. They are both immigrant stories with relationships at their core and I found both to be very moving and visually dazzling experiences.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

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