SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3
2024 | Dir. Jeff Fowler | 110 Minutes
4 out of 5
Hard to imagine the third installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise would be the one to win me over, but here we are. We somehow got from Ugly Sonic to one of the most visually mind-blowing video game adaptations ever. It delivers on spectacular action, gripping dramatic stakes, a ton of heart, and plenty of fun references to the classic Sega games. Keanu Reeves brings the appropriate level of stoic gravitas voicing Shadow, the perfect foil to Ben Schwartz's Sonic who in turn does surprisingly nuanced work this time around as the blue hero's seemingly unflappable exuberance up until this point is shocking broken before the final act. Jim Carrey is so very funny giving genuinely excellent performances as both the zanier-than-ever Eggman and his older meaner grandfather.
QUEER
2024 | Dir. Luca Guadagnino | 137 Minutes
4 out of 5
Daniel Craig is superb as a portrait of lonely desperation headlining this haunting William S. Burroughs adaptation. Exploring heartache and alienation in his signature deeply affecting style, Luca Guadagnino's picture is consistently enagaging and often surprising aesthetically, especially in the way it expertly features relatively modern but appropriately poignant needle drops for a 1950s period piece. Not for the faint of heart, the love scenes are intense, as are the deep dives into dreamscapes and unadulterated psychedelia.
GLADIATOR II
2024 | Dir. Ridley Scott | 148 Minutes
3 out of 5
A top-tier cast and an abundance of wild violent spectacle do little to elevate what is merely a passable sword and sandal action movie, particularly disappointing when compared to its iconic predecessor. This long-gap sequel sorely lacks a strong emotional story, squandering the dramatic chops of lead Paul Mescal, and the payoffs for various plot beats ring hollow. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are distractingly wacky as the pair of mad emperors, and Pedro Pascal seems lost in a role that is a perfect fit for him on paper, though Denzel Washington makes a full meal of the scenery evidently having the time of his life delivering the most compelling performance of the picture.
A REAL PAIN
2024 | Dir. Jesse Eisenberg | 90 Minutes
4 out of 5
A character-driven dramedy elevated by a fantastic performance from Kieran Culkin that seamlessly drifts between incredibly funny and deeply affecting. Writer/director/co-lead Jesse Eisenberg explores the different ways people process grief and sorrow or, perhaps more often, choose to bury these feelings. While the narrative is pretty straightforward, the emotions driving the picture are earnest, and the odd couple energy of a manic Culkin and a neurotic Eisenberg serve this picture well.
ANORA
2024 | Dir. Sean Baker | 139 Minutes
4 out of 5
A wild, chaotic, and deeply earnest emotional ride driven by a truly exceptional leading performance from Mikey Madison. Despite the somewhat unconventional and ostensibly salacious aspects of its narrative, at its heart the picture is an engaging universally-relatable story of misplaced love and heartbreak. The pacing and incessant shouting can be a tad relentless during the second act, but the film starts and ends masterfully.
