‘Red One’ Is A Slick Overstuffed Christmas Tale With Synthetic Emotions

‘Red One’ Is A Slick Overstuffed Christmas Tale With Synthetic Emotions

By Lynn Venhaus

Whatever the imaginary magical Christmas feeling we crave to experience every year at this time, we seek it out in holiday traditions, seasonal foods, songs and movies – whether fantasy or funny. Granted, most holiday movies are a license to print money. A certain greeting card company’s cable television channel churns out cheery Christmas fare for days on end starting when leaves are still on the trees.

Make no mistake, commerce-driven craftsmanship is manufacturing all the warm and fuzzy, and none of the emotions “Red One” is trying to elicit are earned. This poorly executed family fare will live on eventually streaming on Amazon Prime video. Its clash of tones is irritating, but nevertheless, there are elements that can make either the naughty or nice list.

When a villain kidnaps Santa Claus (JK Simmons) from the North Pole, an E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) operative (Dwayne Johnson) joins forces with the world’s most accomplished tracker (Chris Evans) to find him and save Christmas.

With an abundance of twinkly tinsel, the slickly made fast-paced fantasy action comedy is the latest attempt to please both adults and children alike – and it is likely to be a major crowd-pleasing hit, if the preview audience’s reaction is any indication.

However, upon critical analysis, it’s an overstuffed stocking too big for hanging on the mantel because it sags with extra weight.

“Red One” is altogether too much – aggravating over-the-top computer-generated images (CGI), big beefy actors going through the motions imitating standard characters, derivative storylines from better films, and an overload of shiny distractions. The film cost $250 million to make. And it’s 2 hours and 3 minutes’ long.

The goal is to thwart gigantic gnarly shape-shifting evildoers to save Christmas. Sure, let’s scare the little kids in between the holly and jolly.

With parts both dark and light, weird and wonderful (who wouldn’t want to live and work in Santa’s extravagant futuristic village?), and an occasional sliver of charm and good humor, “Red One” tries to be all things to everyday people, like an all-you-can-eat buffet pre-global pandemic where the budget cuts of meat are over-sauced.

You might have seen the bounteous plot strands before: derelict dad learns the meaning of Christmas after bonding with the son he chose to neglect—reminiscent of “The Santa Clause” from 1994 starring Tim Allen; a Santa Claus kidnap plot in “The Christmas Chronicles” from 2018 starring Kurt Russell; a wintry North Pole wonderland looking like “The Polar Express” with touches of “Elf”; animals out of “Narnia,” and an assortment of ne’er-do-wells, cretins and bad behavior a la “Bad Santa,” “A Christmas Story” and “Jingle All the Way.”

And that’s only the tip of this iceberg. “A miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer”? Ha! Santa’s sleigh is souped-up, a marvel of technology that could have been crafted by NASA scientists. The “eight tiny reindeer” that Clement C. Moore wrote about in his “Twas the Night Before Christmas” poem are huge hulking beasts.

JK Simmons created a fine Father Christmas, a good ol’ sincere Nick, who doesn’t have a round belly that shakes like a bowlful of jelly because he’s fit as a fiddle. He works out so he can visit every single home around the world in one night – and sample the cookies left for him. But because he is being held hostage for most of the film, we only experience his delightful performance as bookends.

In a crazy conflict, his adopted brother is Krampus (Kristofer Hivju). This subplot is where it turns nasty and gross, for the mythology surrounding the horned figure is as a punisher of the bad kids.

The mastermind of the nefarious plot is Gryla, a witch who’s got a bee in her bonnet about how the naughty kids don’t really receive the consequences they deserve. She is played, with a lot of CGI enhancement, by Kiernan Shipka, best known as Sally Draper on “Mad Men.” Here she wears glossy dark lipstick and has an ominous magnified voice.

It’s a ridiculous premise, written by Chris Morgan, who is responsible for three “Fast and Furious” franchise scripts that I thought were written by chimps, and Hiram Garcia, who wrote one episode of “Young Rock” and produced two “Jumanji” movies directed by Jake Kasdan, who was at the helm here.

Kasdan is known for broad satire and has missed the mark before in the raunchy “Bad Teacher” and goofy “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.” This mash-up is just bizarre, devoid of any genuine sentiment, like a chase-based videogame being played while a fake fireplace is on the television screen. Let’s go to a tropical island with babes in bikinis and attacking snowmen — and Nick Kroll as a bad guy!

Among the vacuous thinly developed characters is Jack O’Malley played by Chris Evans, in selfish cad “Knives Out” mode. A revered hacker and tracker who is supposed to be a legend in the high-tech espionage world despite being a scoundrel in real life. He does have a few earnest moments with Wesley Kimmel, who plays his son Dylan (and is a nephew of Jimmy Kimmel).

He’s enlisted to help the very serious Callum Drift, who is Santa’s head of security – of course, it’s Dwayne Johnson in a role he could do sleepwalking. Do not expect a bromance.

Totally wasted is Lucy Liu as a director who oversees the elaborate Santa compound, and the marvelous Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus. Their screen time is as miniscule as a funny bit with real trolls working the cyber-security detail.

Naturally, filmmakers pepper the soundtrack with some snappy Motown-type versions of Christmas classics, distracting from the movie’s flaws with jingly bells.

Everything is wrapped up in a big red bow.  For some viewers, “Red One” is a pleasant holiday movie. For others, it’s time to let out a cranky ‘Bah, Humbug” and turn to a comforting old favorite.

“Red One” is a 2024 action-comedy-fantasy movie directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, JK Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Lucy Liu, Bonnie Hunt and Wesley Kimmel. It is rated PG-13 for action, some violence, and language, and its runtime is 2 hours, 3 minutes. It opened in theaters Nov. 15. Lynn’s Grade: C-.

‘Saturday Night’ Comedy a Half-Baked Trip Down Memory Lane

‘Saturday Night’ Comedy a Half-Baked Trip Down Memory Lane

By Alex McPherson

Frenetic, scattershot, and thoroughly self-absorbed, director Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” might satisfy those nostalgic for the early days of “SNL,” but fails to make a name for itself on its own merits.

Presenting itself as a fictionalized version of the stressful 90 minutes leading up to the original “Saturday Night Live” (originally called “Saturday Night”) broadcast in October 1975 at Studio 8H, Reitman’s film revolves around Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), the show’s executive producer and ringleader. Michaels remains insistent on the show’s potential while having little idea as to what it actually is.

Co-creator Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman) is increasingly worried about how things will pan out, trying to reason with the ever-resistant Michaels as the cramped, claustrophobic halls of Studio 8H buzz with both excitement and growing fears of potentially spectacular failure. There’s also a llama, for some reason.

All the while, a group of unruly, up-and-coming comedians — including the arrogant yet charismatic Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris, no relation), John Belushi (Matt Wood), plus several talented women such as Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn), and Jane Curtin (Kim Matula) that the film mostly treats as afterthoughts — prepare to go on-air, confronting their own mini-crises and doubts as the clock ticks, ticks, ticks toward showtime, and the history books.

Tempers run hot (the pretentious Belushi and Chase butt heads, and Belushi hasn’t even signed his contract yet), people are stoned out of their minds, lights are falling on-stage, the sound system’s busted, head writer Michael O’Donoghue (Tommy Dewey) is spewing acerbic barbs at anyone and everyone questioning his scripts, and rival late-night host Milton Berle (J.K. Simmons, typically strong) is, quite literally, waving his dong around.

Gabrielle LaBelle, Kaia Gerber and Cory Michael Smith.

NBC executive Dave Tebet (Willem Dafoe) is observing the whole production from afar, egging on Lorne with smug anticipation of his passion project’s downfall, as the whole endeavor is a pawn in NBC’s contract dispute with Johnny Carson.

Suffice to say, the stakes are high, at least in the context of these characters, who don’t yet know that SNL will wildly succeed and become a cultural institution. Watching as a casual fan of the iconic program, though, “Saturday Night” is curiously devoid of surprise, or insight, or, even, laughs. There’s way too much smugness in Reitman’s retelling of this “revolution in comedy.” The film appeals to mainstream cinema’s obsession with callbacks at the expense of telling a story worth investing in.

Still, despite its emptiness, “Saturday Night” features dynamic performances from an ensemble doing an at-times-scarily convincing job at portraying their real-life counterparts. LaBelle brings a nervous, stubborn energy that’s simultaneously inspiring and pathetic, barely tamping down Michaels’ anxiety over his passion project’s success (or downfall, but we already know it’s going to be a success).

Hoffman is typically excellent as Ebersol, channeling his father’s capacity for emotional release during a pivotal scene in the latter half of the film.

Cory Michael Smith is an obvious standout as Chase, conveying the man’s arrogance and insecurity (and hilarity) in a way that demands attention, whether we like it or not. O’Brien makes a mark with his brief screen time as Aykroyd. Morris brings some much-needed pathos as his character questions his purpose and reason for being there as the only Black cast member. Wood does what he can with Belushi, with Reitman and co writer Gil Kenan highlighting his drug use and fickleness (mostly as a punchline) — making Belushi’s will-he-won’t-he arc both semi-poignant and weirdly uncomfortable, given Belushi’s later tragedy.

Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels.

The rest of the cast — including the ever-reliable Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ then-wife, Rosie Shuster, Jon Batiste in a small-yet-memorable appearance as Billy Preston, and seemingly a million other recognizable faces playing various recognizable faces, with Nicholas Braun doing double duty as punchline-ready interpretations of Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson — are perfectly adequate, but not exactly given much to sink their teeth into narratively with their limited screen time.

Indeed, “Saturday Night” ultimately reveals itself to be little more than a carnival ride of memories and irritating dialogue that — when it’s not replicating famous jokes and sketches — takes advantage of 20/20 hindsight to constantly pat itself on the back.

Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan’s script takes an Aaron-Sorkin-esque approach in its witticisms, fast pace, and at-times blatant sentimentality as it literally clicks down the moments until showtime, incorporating as many famous gags as possible that loyal viewers are expected to get excited about. Some barbs and vignettes amid the chaos are amusing, and “Saturday Night” is never less than watchable, if usually superficial.

Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase.

Eric Steelberg’s textured, 16mm cinematography weaves throughout the studio’s sweaty interiors, faithfully recreated with attention to period detail in sets and costuming, making plentiful use of long takes and whip-pans.

The film careens from one easter egg to another — complete with its own pseudo laugh track of characters cracking up; the film desperately begs us to laugh along with them. Batiste’s percussion-laden score, combined with Nathan Orloff and Shane Reid’s editing, helps create a fittingly frantic, albeit artificial, sense of paranoia that highlights the film’s construction as an allegedly off-the-rails roller coaster that’s never truly allowed to chart its own path.

It’s fine: There’s just not much there beyond the film playing to viewers’ nostalgia. And maybe that’s acceptable for those who’d like to coast on the associated dopamine rush. Myself, however, not so much. “Saturday Night” is never bad (far from it), but it never ascends beyond average — a self-congratulatory tribute to the groundbreaking show in a puzzlingly vanilla framework.

“Saturday Night” is a 2024 comedy based on a true story, directed by Jason Reitman, and starring Gabriel LaBelle, Cooper Hoffman, Willem Dafoe, Corey Michael Smith, Lamorne Morris, Rachel Sennott, Matt Wood, Dylan O’Brien, Ella Hunt, Kim Matula, Emily Fairn, Nicholas Braun, Jon Batiste, Tommy Dewey and JK Simmons. It is rated R for language throughout, sexual references, some drug use and brief graphic nudity and the run time is 1 hour, 49 minutes. It opened in theaters Oct. 11. Alex’s Grade: C

Lively ‘Saturday Night’ Re-creates a TV Landmark’s First Broadcast with Outstanding Ensemble Cast

Lively ‘Saturday Night’ Re-creates a TV Landmark’s First Broadcast with Outstanding Ensemble Cast

By Lynn Venhaus

The unpredictable Not Ready for Prime Time Players would go on to become household names. A shaggy group of irreverent writers would ignite a counterculture revolution with their parodies of contemporary culture and sharp political satire. And a young and scrappy Canadian would lead the inspired chaos of a late-night live sketch comedy show into showbiz history when “Saturday Night” premiered on Oct. 11, 1975.

With “Saturday Night Live” about to celebrate 50 years on television, it’s the right time to revisit the show’s frenetic start in NBC’s Studio 8H in Rockefeller Plaza. Writer-director Jason Reitman’s dramatic comedy finds the beating heart in this runaway train ride depicted in the 90 minutes leading up to the inaugural broadcast.

Along with co-writer Gil Kenan, their “based on a true story” captures the frenetic pace and the backstage lunacy that forever changed late-night comedy. It was a “big bang” that redefined the television landscape, and while a mini-series could do the origin story justice, this focused narrative framework succeeds in pulling back the curtain.

In a kinetic snapshot of what happened that fateful wild and crazy night, Gabriel LaBelle anchors the best ensemble cast of the year as the confident producer Lorne Michaels.

LaBelle, who was impressive as young Steven Spielberg in “The Fabelmans” two years ago, plays the driven big dreamer who believes in his instincts and the largely unknown cast’s talents. He’s the calm circus ringleader in the eye of the storm amidst the gusty winds threatening to blow it all down.

Gabriel LaBelle, center, as Lorne Michaels

From the start, Michaels has produced all but five years of the show, leaving in 1980 when Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner were the last original cast members to depart, and returning for the 1985-86 season.

He started out as a comedy writer whose credits included “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and now oversees a vast empire of last-night television and feature films. Michaels’ first wife, Rosie Shuster, is portrayed by a sharp Rachel Sennott as an integral force, both as a writer and someone putting fires out.

As the clock counts down to the live launch, there isn’t time for in-depth character portrayals; instead, we get snippets of familiar personality traits from those emerging stars Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn), Jane Curtin (Kim Matula) and Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris, no relation), with Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith) and John Belushi (Matt Wood)’s well-documented egos and clashes getting more screen time.

The seven actors quickly convey their quirks and foreshadow the stars they would become. Standouts here include O’Brien as a minutiae devotee and big flirt Aykroyd, Emmy-winning Morris as the underused Morris — a multi-hyphenate perplexed at his inclusion, and Smith as quick-witted, arrogant and self-absorbed Chase, the show’s first break-out movie star.

The women, understandably, are trying to find their place in the boys’ club, which is representative of those early years.

The nostalgia factor is big here for longtime fans of the show, especially those of us who watched the first episode in real time (My college roommates and I tuned in, presumably because we were big George Carlin fans, for we did not recognize the others, except for Billy Preston because he played with The Beatles). A film by Albert Brooks? Jim Henson and his Muppets?

Now, fans of the National Lampoon Radio Hour (1973 – 1974) were familiar with cast members Chevy, Belushi and Gilda. Its creator, Michael O’Donoghue, a jaded, cynical anarchist, went on to be SNL’s cutting-edge head writer for three years. His tussles with the network censors’ red pens must have been headache-inducing.

Reitman’s condensed depiction of legendary writers Al Franken, Tom Davis, Alan Zweibel, and Herb Sargent (Tracy Letts!) is noteworthy. While not all sketch development is accurate timeline-wise, the inclusion of Aykroyd’s Julia Child parody where she gushes blood from a cut artery during a taping of “The French Chef” is a good one to mention – and so is the construction workers’ gender reversal cat calls with Aykroyd as the objectified — even though both were on later shows.

Reitman’s reverence for all things SNL is admirable – and understandable, for it continues to be a force in the cultural zeitgeist. His father, Ivan, directed Aykroyd and Bill Murray in 1984’s biggest box-office hit “Ghostbusters” and other movies featuring alumni.

Jason Reitman’s previous comedies “Juno” and “Up in the Air” showed much potential, so it’s nice to see him navigate this incredible moment in time and do so with a clear-cut vision and savvy casting choices.

Fellow nepo baby (in a good way) Cooper Hoffman, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son, is a perfect foil as ambitious Dick Ebersol, rocking the polyester suits as the late-night director of programming. (He’d later go on to produce SNL after Michaels’ left.)

Portraying the old guard is Willem Dafoe as humorless network vice president of talent relations Bob Tebet, who’d be happy to run another Johnny Carson “Tonight Show” re-run instead.

Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman

In small but essential roles, musical wunderkind Jon Batiste plays musical guest Billy Preston and Nicholas Braun (Emmy-nominated Cousin Greg on “Succession”) astutely characterizes up-and-coming Andy Kaufman’s brilliant schtick and as a naïve but talented puppeteer Jim Henson, clearly ahead of his time.

Matthew Rhys, Emmy winner for “The Americans,” is a snarling George Carlin who does not want to play nice with others in sketches.JK Simmons swoops in to steal his scenes as cantankerous old-guard comic Milton Berle, representing a different generational style.

Batiste also composed the propulsive original music score, which adds to the fast-paced freewheeling vibe. Reitman’s go-to cinematographer Eric Steelberg offers insight into the adrenaline rush while Jess Gonchor’s production design overstuffs Studio 8H plausibly.

An engaging whirlwind representing a collaborative creative process that sparked a comedic revolution, “Saturday Night” takes us back to an extraordinary leap of faith that resonates today. No need to give us a roadmap of the past half-century because we know the rest of its remarkable history.

Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris.

Notes: To learn more, “Live from New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests,” first published in 2002, is a definitive oral history by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales.

Two documentaries on the short, brilliant and troubled lives of two of the show’s biggest stars, “Belushi” (2020) and “Love, Gilda” (2018) are available to watch on subscription streaming services, and for digital rental.

“Saturday Night” is a 2024 comedy based on a true story, directed by Jason Reitman, and starring Gabriel LaBelle, Cooper Hoffman, Willem Dafoe, Cory Michael Smith, Lamorne Morris, Rachel Sennott, Matt Wood, Dylan O’Brien, Ella Hunt, Kim Matula, Emily Fairn, Nicholas Braun, Jon Batiste, Tommy Dewey and JK Simmons. It is rated R for language throughout, sexual references, some drug use and brief graphic nudity and the run time is 1 hour, 49 minutes. It opened in theaters Oct. 11. Lynn’s Grade: A-.

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Is A Dazzling, Incomplete Spectacle

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Is A Dazzling, Incomplete Spectacle

By Alex McPherson

An eye-popping feast for the senses whose visual inventiveness can’t compensate for a restrictive middle-chapter narrative, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is consistently engaging but will play best for those already well-versed in Spider-Man lore.

Taking place 16 months after the events of “Into the Spider-Verse,” the film follows the exploits of 15-year-old Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), who struggles to balance his superhero role as Spider-Man with the more traditional responsibilities (i.e., attending classes) expected by his strict yet loving parents, Rio (Luna Lauren Velez) and the soon-to-be-police-chief Jeff (Brian Tyree Henry), who are unaware of his alter ego.

Miles, a rebellious teenager experiencing loneliness and heartbreak from his (literally) “out of this world” spider-people companions, including badass crush Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), feels adrift and unable to fully express himself — yearning for freedom and belonging.

Gwen, in her own dimension, is similarly struggling to find acceptance and meaning; her father, George (Shea Whigham), a police chief, discovers her identity as Spider-Woman and blames her for the death of her timeline’s Peter Parker. After battling a monochromatic variation of The Vulture, Gwen is recruited by a team of Multiverse protectors — including the motorcycle-riding Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) and the brooding Spider-Man 2099, a.k.a. Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) — running from her now-perilous bond with her father. Soon enough, however, she’s called back into Miles’ orbit to tackle a new threat.

A bespeckled, self-deprecating foe named The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) shows up in Miles’ reality — brimming with hatred for Miles due to a past wrong that left him covered with holes through which he can teleport across great distances. He’s champing at the bit to become Miles’ “nemesis,” getting stronger by the moment in his fierce desire for revenge. 

Things get even more complicated when Gwen shows up, reigniting her situationship with Miles, and prepares to leave once The Spot teleports elsewhere. Miles ends up following her into an interdimensional portal revealing a whole society of Spider-Beings, including the jovial Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), the unruly, punk rock Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya), seemingly assembled from scraps of paper, and a hulking Spider-Tyrannosaurus, each manifested through different animation styles.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though, as not only has The Spot gained enough power to pose a tangible threat to the Multiverse as they know it, but Miles must continue to fight against fatalistic, predetermined beliefs that restrict his free will on a universe-altering level.

Indeed, “Across the Spider-Verse” certainly has a boatload of information to convey to viewers, and to be honest, some of it soared over my head. This remains the sequel’s greatest flaw: no matter how excellent it looks and how well the talented ensemble brings these characters to life, the film remains ham-strung by a desire to be bigger in the classic sense, leaving its most compelling thread dangling by the end as we wait for the next installment in 2024. 

Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, and Kemp Powers certainly have a keen sense of spectacle, seamlessly blending art styles together that reflect characters’ specific views of the world and their distinct, variably layered personalities. From a watercolor backdrop melting from mournful blue to hopeful pink with the thawing of emotions, to a brief detour into stop-motion animation straight out of “The Lego Movie,” and frantic action sequences throwing characters of all styles at the screen at once, packing in multitudes of nerd-culture references along the way, “Across the Spider-Verse” is equal parts mesmerizing and fatiguing by the end of its 136-minute runtime, boosted by a thumping, energetic score by Daniel Pemberton and a catchy soundtrack. The passion poured into this project by everyone involved is apparent from start to finish, at least from a presentation standpoint.

“Across the Spider-Verse” still falls prey to sensory overload in its second half, just like its predecessor, but is refreshingly focused on human relationships in its beginning stretch, particularly regarding Miles’ bond with his parents. Moore, Lauren, and Tyree Henry lend real pathos to their roles in these slower sequences, tenderly and believably navigating difficult choices along Miles’ transition into adulthood. Steinfeld is also excellent, particularly in early scenes with her alienated father: vulnerable and courageous, bitter and earnest. Gwen’s not defined by her will-they-won’t-they romance with Miles, but rather by her personal strength to confront her demons and fight for what she believes in.

It’s somewhat disappointing, then, that as Miles and company journey through the Multiverse, encountering bazillions of Spider-Beings, that “Across the Spider-Verse” reverts so frequently to exposition dumps and rushed characterizations that allow little time to be fleshed-out beyond the surface level.

Talk of so-called “canon events” (the expected happenings of each Spider-Man story) are interesting in a meta-textual sense, but the film leaves the concept’s thornier elements dangling, hopefully to be explored down the road, in favor of simplistic messaging. The Spot, too, idiosyncratically brought to life by Schwartzman, is sidelined for most of the second half, a Big Bad seemingly too big for the already overstuffed film to address.

No matter how likable the characters, or thrilling the animation, “Across the Spider-Verse” is unable to break free from the expectations of tradition: a story whose ideas of empowerment and individuality are only broached but not fully delved into, set-up for greater things in the future. Perhaps “Beyond the Spider-Verse” will rectify these qualms, but as it stands, “Across the Spider-Verse” can’t match its breathtaking presentation with equally strong storytelling.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is a 2023 animation-fantasy film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson and starring (voices): Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Luna Loren Valez, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Rachel Dratch, Brian Tyree Henry, Shea Whigham, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, J.K. Simmons, and Mahershala Ali.
It is rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements and the runtime is 2 hours and 20 minutes. It opens in theaters on June 2. Alex’s Grade: B

‘Spider-Man’ Leaps Into Second Spider-Verse With Eye-Popping Innovation But Super-Frantic

‘Spider-Man’ Leaps Into Second Spider-Verse With Eye-Popping Innovation But Super-Frantic

By Lynn Venhaus
Pop art, quantum physics and pathos collide in a grand superhero spectacle, resulting in this “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” sequel being a mind-blowing amalgamation of next-level animation like but surpassing the 2018 original.

In this second installment of an animated film trilogy, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) catapults across the multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

However inventive and clever it is, though, about half of the storyline is incoherent and panders to fan service — and the sensory-overload-on-steroids style is overwhelming and exhausting. Yet, we’re all locked in.

This 2 hour and 20- minute eye-popping extravaganza takes place across six dimensions, has 240 characters in it and had over 1,000 animators working on it – the most ever.

The Spider-Man mythology, easily relatable for teens who understood creator Stan Lee’s metaphors for figuring out their place in the world, began as a socially inept high school student who was bitten by a radioactive spider, and thus developed superpowers. That was in 1962, and in fighting crime in his subsequent Marvel Comics issues, Peter Parker would eventually learn “with great power comes great responsibility.”

Since 2002, there have been eight live-action Spider-Man movies, plus his role in “The Avengers” franchise, not to mention a past TV series, Broadway musical, video games and books.

The three co-directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson mash parts of the old films with elements of the comic books. That comic imagery, added in with drawing and painting styles of the 20th and 21st centuries, results in a visually stunning work. Art historians will be in for a treat.

And comic book fans will be delirious about the Easter eggs – no doubt courtesy of cheeky producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller who finally won an Oscar for directing the first movie (previously robbed for “The Lego Movie”) but only co-wrote this script with David Callaham, a veteran of the first and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”

I understand their desire to throw in as many gags for the super-fans, but that darn muddled narrative lets the rest of us down. And their need to fiddle with the Spider-Man canon to keep it fresh and interesting. Sure, there are compelling human emotional touches (dead relatives, loved ones in peril), but the hyper-kinetic storytelling weakens the overall effect for those ‘not in the zone.’

Another sticking point is that the middle entry in this animated world ends with a cliffhanger, then states Miles will return in “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.” It is set for a March 29, 2024, release — frustrating to viewers who like things resolved before waiting for another one, because this one just ends without a resolution.

And if you did not see “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” released four and a half years ago, you will be lost here. As a quick recap, Miles Morales, a black Hispanic Brooklynite, was juggling his life between being in high school and a Spider-Man, but when Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk uses a super collider, he finds out that others from across the Spider-Verse have been transported to his dimension.

This time, 15-year-old Miles remains on Earth – 42, but as he discovers more multi-verses, he meets dozens of other Spider-People. In this global take, we meet a Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), a cockney street punk Spidey named Hobie (Daniel Kaluuya), a snarling, hulking vampire Spidey Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), and a pregnant Spider-Woman, motorcycle mama Jessica Drew (Issa Rae). Saving the world is tough business, and there are existential crises happening.

Miles’ mentor, Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), is shown as a young father, married to MJ (Zoe Kravitz), who brings his baby along for the adventures. Sad girl Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) is a combo grrrl rocker and a Spider-Girl whose anguished storyline is equal to Miles’.

Spidey and The Spot

While one can applaud the energy and the dazzling visuals of non-stop action, characters are often frazzled, and the pace is so frenetic that you feel like you are trapped in this parallel universe too. Who’s good, who’s evil, and who may be both?

Shameik Moore has returned to voice Miles, and he’s dandy as the angsty teen who is exasperating to his parents because of his time-management skills (they don’t know he’s keeping the bad guys in check, at least in his neighborhood).

His parents are voiced by Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Loren Valdez, joining a slate of major talent whose vocal work is solid but does not immediately identify them. Yet, it’s easy to place J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, SNL’s Rachel Dratch as the principal, and Jason Schwartman as the revenge-seeking villain “The Spot” (a standout).

Hyper and hypnotic, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ” has pushed forward the genre and is a fun fan experience. The propulsive score by composer Daniel Pemberton is also a plus. I give the animation an A+ but the story a B-.

It’s a lot to juggle sci-fi, action, adventure, family, comedy, drama, and fantasy in one animated feature, and this film does display heart, even if the movie can’t stand on its own.

After two decades of superhero comics ruling the bombastic blockbuster box office, what’s next? Has art opened another dimension? One of the Spider-Verse’s greatest strengths is that it still surprises, and these multiverses show no signs of maxing out.

One thing is for certain, the enthusiasm for this head-spinning series is not waning anytime soon (even with the grumbling about waiting for the next sequel). It’s as if we’ve hopped on one of the wildest amusement parks rides ever, and we need to see where it leads.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is a 2023 animation-fantasy film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson and starring (voices): Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Luna Loren Valez, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Rachel Dratch, Brian Tyree Henry, Shea Whigham, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, J.K. Simmons, and Mahershala Ali.
It is rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements and the runtime is 2 hours and 20 minutes. It opens in theaters on June 2. Lynn’s Grade: B

This review also appeared in the Webster-Kirkwood Times’ Reel World with Kent Tentschert.

‘Being the Ricardos’ A Lush Look at Legends Lucy and Desi At Crossroads

‘Being the Ricardos’ A Lush Look at Legends Lucy and Desi At Crossroads

By Lynn Venhaus

One of the best films of the year, “Being the Ricardos” defies expectations, and it’s exhilarating.

During one critical production week of their groundbreaking sitcom “I Love Lucy,” Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) are threatened by shocking personal accusations, a political smear, and cultural taboos in Aaron Sorkin’s behind-the-scenes drama “Being the Ricardos.”

Because this biographical drama focuses on richly textured storytelling, an extraordinary ensemble goes beyond impersonations of the “I Love Lucy” cast to seamlessly weave potential personal and professional crises within one week’s time.

Writer-director Aaron Sorkin has brilliantly constructed how household names Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz coped with damaging headlines while filming their groundbreaking television series that was seen by 60 million viewers each week.

The sitcom, which ran for six seasons from 1951 to 1957, was the first scripted television program shot on 35mm film in front of a studio audience and the first to feature an ensemble cast.

It was a big deal. One of the most influential shows in history, it was voted Best TV Show of All Time in a 2012 survey conducted by ABC News and People magazine. Fans remember certain episodes fondly – the unforgettable candy factory, Vitameatavegamin and grape stomping to name a few. (Don’t worry – fans get a taste).

Sorkin incorporates the Red Scare, courtesy of the hysteria caused by the House Committee on Un-American Activities by now disgraced Sen. Joseph McCarthy, as tabloid headlines screamed Lucy was a Communist – and powerful gossip columnist Walter Winchell announced it on his weekly radio show.

Sorkin also depicts how cavalierly women were treated in Hollywood in a sharp script that can resonate with modern audiences.

After five Emmy Awards for “The West Wing” and multiple Oscar nominations – and one win for “The Social Network,” his style is familiar – “Sorkin speak” – and it remains riveting.

Above all, the film concentrates on the relationships. The actors nimbly deliver the material to make it sing – and zing.

Lucille Ball is portrayed as a talented creative force who struggled to be taken seriously in a male-dominated business in the early days of a young industry. She was tough, but she had to be, and fought for what she wanted.

The time is 1952, and the creative team gets everything right about the period – including attitudes and social mores.

And so do the actors — three Academy Award winners and one Tony Award winner deliver a master class on portraying four real people from the inside out.

Proving the naysayers wrong, Nicole Kidman may make believers out of her harshest critics with her multi-layered portrayal. She shows us different facets of Lucy’s life – the wife, mother, performer, and producer.

Kidman works fluidly with equally magnetic Javier Bardem as her mate and business partner, and he’s an indelible Desi Arnaz – he captures the savvy producer, protective husband, charismatic singer, vivacious musician, and a Cuban immigrant torn from his former life.

A pioneering power couple, both were driven, intelligent people who blazed trails and envisioned the big picture. They had a tempestuous hot-cold relationship that affected their careers and didn’t last in their personal lives. Sorkin honors them as visionaries while not sugar-coating their issues.

As the show’s sidekicks Fred and Ethel Mertz — the Ricardos’ landlords – William Frawley and Vivian Vance were further from their character’s reality than the public knew.

As hard-drinking, sarcastic veteran Bill Frawley, ace character actor J.K. Simmons is a terrific grumpy old guy with little tolerance for fools – yet a softer, wiser man when letting his guard down. He’s a certain supporting actor nominee, and awards nominations should be forthcoming for all.

A spirited Nina Arianda, 2011 Tony Award winner for “Venus in Fur” in her first Broadway role, knows exactly who Vivian was and honors the second-fiddle actress while announcing her arrival in a major way.

TV was just beginning to be a force for societal change, and “I Love Lucy” was the biggest show on television at that time, the gem in CBS’s crown.

Back then, the sitcom’s premise was different – As the wife of Cuban bandleader Ricky Ricardo, Lucy tries to help him succeed in show business but usually gets in a pickle, driving her husband crazy. She usually enlisted best gal pal Ethel Mertz – her neighbor – in the shenanigans.

When the Ricardos welcomed little Ricky back in 1953, it was a major TV event. This film shows how the sausage was made, so to speak – the network brass dealing with Lucy’s real-life pregnancy in a typical tone-deaf way indicative of the times.

The supporting cast excels at revealing the period restrictions, and the dilemmas involved in running a successful TV show. Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat and Jake Lacy play crucial staffers Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll Jr. as their young selves while John Rubinstein, Linda Lavin and Ronny Cox play them as older retirees looking back.

As director, Sorkin shows us the writers’ room and the soundstage, then opens the doors on their personal life – and their Hollywood back stories. It’s a revealing glimpse into the personalities as well as Lucy’s comedic genius and Desi’s practicality focused on moving the show forward.

This is only his third film directing, and most accomplished work to date (“Molly’s Game” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7” preceded it.)

In a clever move, Sorkin displays Lucy’s thought process on making scenes work – and often better. Alan Baumgarten’s editing and Jeff Cronenweth’s cinematography are exceptional in this regard, but every element – Jon Hutman’s production design, Susan Lyall’s costume design and Daniel Pemberton’s music score come together in a top-tier polished way. Most have worked with Sorkin before.

As is well-documented, the Arnaz’ marriage didn’t survive – and we see why here. In this case, Desi has more explaining to do than Lucy.

And Sorkin took creative liberties with the storyline – the events happened, but not in seven days. But it’s fascinating nonetheless and a well-crafted showbiz drama. Comedy is not pretty, Steve Martin titled his third comedy album in 1979, and this film certifies that to be true.

Above all, the film serves up a fresh appreciation for the talented pair. Engaging and entertaining, “Being the Ricardos” is a lush look at legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and the way they were at a crossroads time in America.

“Being the Ricardos” is a 2021 drama directed and written by Aaron Sorkin. Starring Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, JK Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, its run time is 2 hours, 11 minutes and is Rated R for Language. In theaters on Dec. 10 and on Amazon Prime on Dec. 21. Lynn’s Grade: A.

Cast Adds Verve to Sci-Fi Action Thriller ‘The Tomorrow War’

Cast Adds Verve to Sci-Fi Action Thriller ‘The Tomorrow War’

By Lynn Venhaus
In the grand tradition of summer blockbusters, the action-packed sci-fi thriller “The Tomorrow War” arrives in the new world on the home screen – Amazon Prime, to be exact.

While these kinds of digital visual effects and high-octane combat sequences are best-suited for a large screen — remember “Independence Day” on the holiday weekend in 1996? – this ‘90s-throwback film will be a crowd-pleaser with the charming everyman Chris Pratt leading the way.

It’s Christmastime 2022, and during a televised world soccer game, a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 with an urgent message: Thirty years in the future mankind is losing a global war against deadly alien invaders. To save the human race, soldiers and civilians in present time are drafted to be transported to the future for seven-day duty.

Joining the fight are Pratt as family man and high school teacher Dan Forester, who teams up with a brilliant scientist from Romeo Command (Yvonne Strahovski) and other draftees to save the world and rewrite the fate of the past.

Pratt is naturally in his wheelhouse – a veteran soldier, now a loving husband and father and high school biology teacher, whose leadership skills bolster the impossible fight against these relentless “white spikes.”

The vicious teeth-and-tentacles enemies are swift beasts, designed like a multi-limbed puma/wild dog hybrid with reptile features, not unlike prehistoric creatures. Visually, they are disgusting, and when harmed, burst with icky goo oozing out. They aren’t all that original looking, and neither are the video-game effects.

Most of the ordinary humans are helpless against these hulking packs, who are everywhere. But not Pratt, the scientific military minds in the field – and his ragtag assortment of supporting characters.

The group he is attached to in training camp turns out to have interesting backstories and personalities to make their bond strong. Actors Sam Richardson, terrific as talkative Charlie, Edwin Hodge (Aldis’ brother) as tough but glum Dorian and sarcastic, anxious Norah (Mary Lynn Rajskub) become fierce fighters.

Ever-reliable Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, as Dan’s estranged father and a rogue techie, joins the group on a perilous mission – but that’s another subplot.

There are several plotlines going on – with significant twists – to keep the story humming, even if it resembles other sci-fi dystopian thrillers with similar villains. And despite the multiple threads, there is surprising emotional depth in a few characters.

Screenwriter Zach Dean, who wrote one of my favorite under-the-radar atypical thrillers called “Deadfall” in 2012, has mixed the explosions with a sturdier story, no matter how generic it looks.

Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski

However, it is still time travel, which always makes my head hurt, so it’s best not to think too hard about the back-and-forth jumping. When it gets too crazy in regular logic, just enjoy the performances.

Pratt, after starring in “Jurassic World” and “The Guardians of the Galaxy,” embodies both the brawny action hero dedicated to saving lives and the likable guy-next-door committed to his wife and daughter. He is more serious here than jaunty, but capable of shouldering the dilemmas.

Betty Gilpin portrays his wife with a furrowed brow, and the exceptional Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who played young Gloria Steinem in “The Glorias” and is in the new “Black Widow,” is impressive as daddy’s girl Muri, a whip-smart 8-year-old.

The women integral to the mission stand out — Yvonne Strahovski, Emmy nominee for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” is compelling as the brainy scientist racing against time, and Justine Matthews is forceful as officer-in-charge Lt. Hart.

Director Chris McKay, Emmy winner for “Robot Chicken” who helmed the delightful “The Lego Batman Movie,” confidently makes his live-action debut. He may seem an unlikely choice for such a big visual-effect extravaganza, but he has smoothly guided the action – and not at the sacrifice of story.

Composer Lorne Balfe, who has scored the recent “Mission Impossible” films and has specialized in tentpole action films, provides the requisite bombast.

While the film doesn’t stray from the usual archetype of doomsday adventures, there is a noticeable oomph that is unexpected. Sure, the movie checks all the boxes in the successful blockbuster formula but is unique enough to be worth a look during these pandemic times.

That certainly helps because it is a 2 hour and 20-minute commitment. But the cast is what elevates it beyond the same-old, same-old.

Jasmine Matthews

“The Tomorrow War” is an action sci-fi thriller directed by Chris McKay and stars Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Jasmine Mathews, Edwin Hodge and Ryan Kiera Armstrong.
Rated: PG-13 for some suggestive references/action/language/intense sci-fi violence, the run time is 2 hours, 20 minutes. Streaming on Amazon Prime starting July 2. Lynn’s Grade: B-

‘Palm Springs’ Inspired Romantic Comedy with Offbeat Pairing, Premise

‘Palm Springs’ Inspired Romantic Comedy with Offbeat Pairing, Premise

By Lynn Venhaus
One of the best surprises of the current year in film, “Palm Springs” is an inventive, genial romantic comedy with an edge. (Warning frank sexual dialogue and content).

Nyles (Andy Samberg) is with his girlfriend at a wedding in Palm Springs when he meets Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the reluctant maid of honor forced to be at her sister’s wedding. She’s the family black sheep and a skeptic when it comes to true romance but is drawn to Nyles’ wacky sense of humor and darkly comic nihilism.

Like “Groundhog Day,” Nyles is sucked into a surreal time-space continuum, repeating this same date. He warned her not to follow him into a cave…

Written and directed by first-timers – a remarkable combination of director Max Barbakow and writer Andy Siara, it builds on the time-travel concept in a manner like “Groundhog Day” but does not follow the same trajectory.

The wedding setting is inspired and fertile ground for comedy – what with family dynamics, quirky relatives, young adults with a lot of baggage already and always people with secrets, combined with the time-honored rituals of American nuptials and receptions. I mean, it is comedy gold, and you have someone who is a zen master at it, Andy Samberg.

Christin Milioti and Andy Samberg in “Palm Springs”

I always enjoyed the goofy Samberg as an off-kilter presence on “Saturday Night Live” from 2005 to 2012, his digital shorts and his clever work with Lonely Island. Although the 2016 comedy “Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping” is highly underrated, I never considered his acting on the same level as breakouts Bill Hader and Kate McKinnon, but he is terrific here. He is just the right blend of world-weary and devil-may-care. He also proves to be a suitable romantic lead – who knew? – and his offbeat pairing with Cristin Milioti, also not your typical romantic interest — even though she was the “Mother” in “How I Met Your Mother” (Spoiler alert for a TV show that ended in 2014), energizes the movie.

Samberg’s wacky charm is his strength, so you go with the premise, even when all time-travel segments have plot holes – but don’t dwell on that. Just enjoy. 

Milioti, a Tony nominee as the immigrant who falls for the broke Irish musician in “Once” the Broadway musical, is such a good actress, capable of expressing the gamut of emotions her character goes through. You root for this couple, who have such a blast together dealing with the gimmick.

Look for the movie, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January, to be considered for this season’s awards — it’s that sharp and witty.

It also benefits from such pros as Peter Gallagher as father of the bride, J.K. Simmons as a wedding guest, Tyler Hoechlin as the compromised groom and a brief appearance by June Squibb as Nana, always delightful.

Fresh and fun, “Palm Springs” is a tidy 90-minute ride full of humor, unexpected turns and sweetness.

“Palm Springs” is a romantic comedy not rated that is 90 minutes long. It is directed by Max Barbakow, written by Andy Siara, and stars Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Tyler Hoechlin and June Squibb. It is streaming on Hulu, beginning July 10.