Now Playing

 


Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

The Addams Family (Hulu/Prime)
Starring:
Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac, Chloe Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, and Nick Kroll
Synopsis: There have been a few versions of "The Addams Family" over the years, but last Fall we got an animated version. There are some big name voices attached to this project, and it feels like the perfect film to stream this time of year. I thought this one did a pretty good job with the story, and Alison Janney was fun as the antagonist. It wasn't incredible, but it was pretty entertaining, and a short commitment at less than 90 minutes.
Rating: PG for macabre and suggestive humor, and some action.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Babyteeth (Hulu)
Starring
: Eliza Scanlen, Essie Davis, Toby Wallace, and Ben Mendelsohn
Synopsis: This one is about a teen girl (Scanlen) who is struggling with a long-term illness and falls for a local drug dealer (Wallace). It focuses on their love story and the impact it has on her parents (Davis and Mendelsohn). There are some good performances here, but this one is a bit of a slog. It comes from Australia, but there aren't any cultural issues. I didn't take to the stories or the characters here, and it didn't feel like a journey that pulled me in. Scanlen is a strong young actress who's played a number of tormented characters. This feels like another in that string, and not overly compelling.
Rating: R
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Capone (Amazon Prime)
Starring:
Tom Hardy, Linda Cardellini, Matt Dillon, and Kyle MacLachlan
Synopsis: Josh Trank wrote and directed this look at Al Capone (Hardy). But rather than focusing on the life of crime that made him famous, it focuses on his last year, post prison, when illness had taken his mind, leaving him an incontinent shell of his former self. And, yes, the film is as bad as that description sounds. Hardy is a good actor, but this is a weird role, and the performance is equally weird. Mostly it's Capone seeing weird images, grunting, starring off into space and pooping his pants. It is a film you can safely skip.
Rating:  R for strong/bloody violence, pervasive language and some sexuality.
Verdict: One star out of four.

The Glorias (Amazon Prime)
Starring:
Julianne Moore, Timothy Hutton, and Alicia Vikander
Synopsis: This was originally supposed to be a theatrical film, but it shifted to Amazon in the wake of the pandemic. It follows the life of Gloria Steinem, and features her played by a number of different actresses at various ages, including Julianne Moore and Alicia Vikander. The film comes from Julie Taymor and covers a lot of the ground we saw in the series "Mrs. America." It is fascinating at times, but isn't an overly compelling biopic despite a strong cast. Still, for those that want to know more about Steinem and the events that helped shape her outlook on the world.
Rating: R for some language and brief lewd images.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Hubie Halloween (Netflix)
Starring:
Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Kevin James, and June Squibb
Synopsis: Sandler's latest project for Netflix is a Halloween-themed film, this one set in Salem and focusing on an awkward man (Sandler) who loves Halloween but isn't taken seriously. He tries his best to keep everyone safe, and help the celebration go according to plan. When people start disappearing, Hubie raises the alarm, but no one believes him. Will he be able to figure out what's going on before it's too late? This one features a lot of familiar Sandler collaborators, and has plenty of funny moments. It's a pretty easy to follow story with some fun red herrings and a nod to the season that's a humorous take on the world. Sandler has created some fun films for Netflix, and I think this could become a fun seasonal classic.
Rating: PG-13 for crude and suggestive content, language and brief teen partying.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Broncos Draft Targets

Favorite Westerns, No. 43