Now Playing

 

It’s getting close to the end of the year and that means plenty of big releases. Below is my take on the big new movies of the week. You can always keep up with the new movies I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (Netflix)
Starring: Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi, Bella Ramsey, Nick Mohammed, and Miranda Richardson
Synopsis: It’s been 23 years since the original Chicken Run. In that film, a plucky Chicken named Ginger and her American Rooster Rocky helped save the chickens on the Tweedy Farm from a dark life. Flash-forward, and Ginger (Newton) and Rocky (Levi) have made a life on a private island with all their friends. They have created a life safe from danger that’s peaceful and quiet. The problem is their daughter Molly (Ramsey) is a free spirit who doesn’t understand the dangers of a world she’s never seen. When she breaks free to explore, she runs afoul of danger, ending up in a whole new kind of chicken farm run by Dr. Fry (Mohammed) with a little help from Mrs. Tweedy (Richardson). Soon, Ginger, Rocky and the gang have to spring into action again, leading another prison break. This film picks up on the story, world and characters of the original. It brings a fun spirit to the screen. The animated style is fun and engaging, as are the characters and the world. I enjoyed the voice performances and the narrative. This is a worthy sequel and a fun, family-friendly streaming option. It’s worth checking out.
Rating: Rated PG for peril, action and some thematic elements.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

The Family Plan (Apple TV+)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Maggie Q, and Ciaran Hinds
Synopsis: The latest from Apple TV+ centers on Dan (Wahlberg), a family man and used car salesman living a quiet life in Buffalo, New York. He’s married to Jessica (Monaghan), raising three kids and keeping a low profile. When a picture of him ends up on social media, it brings back people from his past bent on bringing him back to his former life as an assassin. Dan takes his family on a road trip to Las Vegas, meaning to get new passports and start new lives. They think it’s just a fun family trip. When the truth comes out, can Dan keep his family together before it’s too late? That’s the challenge in this action comedy. I enjoyed Wahlberg and Monaghan here. There are some fun and funny sequences. A film like this isn’t really about the destination of the plot, it’s about the journey. This one has a pretty fun journey. The use of Maggie Q and Hinds in the third act also helps enhance the story. But this is mostly about Wahlberg and Monaghan, their chemistry on screen and the way they are able to drive this story. It's not a deep film, but it’s plenty of fun.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, sexual material and some strong language.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Finestkind (Paramount+)
Starring: Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega, Tim Daly, and Tommy Lee Jones
Synopsis: Charlie (Wallace) is a recent college graduate who has been accepted to law school. Though his father (Daly) is happy to see Charlie succeed, he craves something else. Instead, he links up with his half-brother Tom (Foster), a fishing boat captain. Charlie decides to try his hand at commercial fishing, making a connection to the crew and with a local girl (Ortega) along the way. But a series of misadventures find the brothers and their crew in trouble, with Tom’s father’s (Jones) boat impounded. They try to find a quick way to raise the funds needed, but it simply puts them in a deeper hole. Can they find a way out before it’s too late? This film comes from writer/director Brian Helgeland, who has done some compelling films over the years. This one has a decent cast and a decent premise. The action moves at a fine clip and there are some decent performances. But, overall, it doesn’t have a lot of depth or spark. It’s just OK and delivers a fairly stiff and predictable narrative. It’s a decent enough watch but it doesn’t feel overly special or compelling, which is likely to have it somewhat lost in the shuffle at the end of the year.
Rating: Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, drug material and sexual content.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Maestro (Netflix)
Starring: Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan
Synopsis: What is it to be a genius? That’s a question that sits at the heart of Maestro, a new film from Netflix that streams today. It focuses on the life of Leonard Bernstein, including his great compositions and conducting. But it’s also about the toll it took on his personal relationships, particularly with his wife, Felicia Montealegre. The film begins at the end. An aging Bernstein (Cooper) is giving an interview about his late wife, wistfully remembering her. Quickly we spin back to the 1940s, where Bernstein is getting his first big break as a conductor. He shines. Not long after, he meets Felicia (Mulligan) at party. Sparks fly, but it’s complicated. Eventually the marry and build a life together. But it’s complicated. Felicia isn’t the only person to whom Bernstein is attracted. While she makes a conscious decision, at least at the beginning, to share him with others to keep his creative spark going strong, it takes its toll. He reaches great creative heights. They build a family with three children. They remain in love. But it is complicated. This film is mostly about that complication, and how they continued to spin the axis of their orbit around each other. And in those moments and that story, Cooper and Mulligan shine. There are moments of beauty and passion throughout this film, which is one of the best of the year. The first part of their story is told in stunning black-and-white images. The choice adds a richness to the narrative and building the world. Later, we switch to color and it’s hard not to be drawn into the period settings and costumes. But through it all it’s the performances of Cooper—who co-wrote and directed the film—and Mulligan. Both earned Golden Globe nominations and both should be on the short list for an Oscar nomination as well. There are some incredible and powerful scenes that allow each to showcase their range and ability. The music and the storytelling sequences are effective as well. The whole production brings the story to life in a compelling and incredible way. I was moved by Cooper’s direction and the choices in bringing this story to life. The camera sits on the faces of the performers, particularly Mulligan and Cooper himself and allows the performances to shine through. Netflix has fought for years to break through at the Oscars. With Maestro, it feels like this might be a big year for the streamer. The film opened in limited release at theaters and streams on Netflix today. It’s well worth checking out.
Rating: Rated R for some language and drug use.
Verdict: Four and a half stars out of five

Wonka (Theaters)
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Olivia Coleman, Keegan-Michael Key, Jim Carter, Paterson Joseph, and Calah Lane
Synopsis: We’ve seen the legend in action before. Roald Dahl’s book, which tells of the wonderful world of master candy maker Willy Wonka, his golden tickets and the tour of his factory has been adapted twice. First with Gene Wilder in 1971 and later with Johnny Depp in the early 2000s. But what of Wonka’s life before? That’s what the new film from Paul King seeks to tell. King wrote the screenplay along with Simon Farnaby as the story focuses on a young Wonka (Chalamet) seeking to make his fortune. But he runs into resistance from the other chocolate makers, led by Slugworth (Joseph) and his police chief enforcer (Key). He finds a place to stay but ends up tricked into service by the wily owner (Coleman), making friends with a similarly trapped orphan (Lane) who helps him to achieve his dream. This is a fun, brightly colored and beautifully put together film. It’s a musical and a lot of fun. Chalamet delivers the best performance I’ve seen from him in his career, and the rest of the cast is solid, too. I enjoyed Grant as the Oompa-Loompa as well. This is a blast and a lot of fun for the whole family. It’s a film that’s worth checking out and one of the most fun releases available here at the end of the year.
Rating: Rated PG for some violence, mild language and thematic elements.
Verdict: Four stars out of five