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This week we got a pair of new films built around strong female heroines who have a knack for singing. Below is my take on both the new films. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

O’Dessa (Hulu)
Starring: Sadie Sink, Murray Bartlett, and Regina Hall
Synopsis: The movie musical has been around as long as we’ve had films. Each year we get a fair number of musicals of different styles. For them to work, the music needs to be strong but for it to be a great film it takes more than that. Therein lies the problem for O’Dessa, a new musical that streams on Hulu beginning Thursday, March 20. The film is a dystopic futuristic tale about a young ramblin’ musician that could hold the key to providing the world a better future. It’s a rock opera of sorts, but it features a number of original songs and a unique story. While the music is often quite good, it’s in service of a film that’s uneven at best. We open with an introduction to the world, which is in ruins. It’s also being ruled by Plutonovich (Bartlett), who captured a rare resource that had ruined the land and held the people hostage. But we’re told, there is the prophesy of a musician from the mountains that will sing a song to unite the people in freedom. It isn’t long before we meet O’Dessa (Sink), who is living a quiet life as a dirt farmer. But her father (Pokey LaFarge) was a ramblin’ musician of some renowned, and O’Dessa dreams of following in his footsteps. When her mother passes away, O’Dessa finds her father’s guitar and sees a vision of a prophecy suggesting that she’s the “Seventh Son” that will sing a song of greatness to change the world. With that in mind, she sets out for the city. The journey, the world, and the people aren’t all she’d hoped. Her father’s guitar is stolen from her, and she struggles to earn the money to buy it back. But, along the way, she connects with Euri (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) and sparks fly. But, like the rest, Euri is trapped in this world. Can O’Dessa regain the guitar and fulfill her destiny? Does she have the strength to save the world? This film comes from writer/director Geremy Jasper, who also co-wrote most of the original songs. He has a vision for this story and this world. And at times, the visuals are quite eye-popping and appealing. I felt that most early in the film. But, at times, the visuals can be too much. The same goes for the personalities in the film. While I enjoyed O’Dessa and her arc, the rest of the world that populates the film is hit-or-miss. The story also relies heavily on establishing a great connection between O’Dessa and Euri, and their love fueling her mission. That doesn’t quite hit for me, and their chemistry feels a bit lacking at times. The uneven characters, story, and visuals detract from a creative idea and some aspects of the film I enjoyed. That keeps it from reaching the heights it could. Despite that, I can’t quite give up on the film because of the strength of the work done by Sink, who is great in the lead role, and the music. The original songs—particularly the ones performed by Sink—are quite engaging. The film nails the original music and has a strong lead performance as an anchor. That makes it interesting at times, and sometimes compelling, but uneven. Still, it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Sink and looking for something different. I enjoyed it at times, and I appreciated the big swing here.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for violent content, strong language, drug material, suggestive material and thematic content.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

Snow White (Theaters)
Starring: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and Andrew Burnap
Synopsis: Back in 1937, Snow White was one of the first big Disney animated releases. It’s a classic that has endured for 88 years and spawned legions of fans. It’s part of the fabric of Disney, including its parks. But in the wave of re-imagining animated films, we’re seeing this story brought back to the big screen. In the new iteration, Rachel Zegler steps into the role of Snow White with Gal Gadot as her stepmother, The Evil Queen. We get re-imagined versions of the classic songs with the addition of new ones. It’s all beautifully created to bring this story back to life for the next generation of viewers. We open with Snow White’s birth and early childhood, an idyllic time where she learned to appreciate the bounty of the land and the gifts of the people. But when her mother died and her stepmother arrived, things began to change. When her father disappeared, the Kingdom changed again. Snow White was relegated to a servants role as a prisoner of the palace. When a thief named Jonathan (Burnap) comes to the castle, Snow White realizes how bad things are for her people. She tries standing up to the Queen but incurs her wrath instead. That leads the Queen to send Snow White out into the world with The Huntsman (Ansu Kabia), instructing him to kill her. When the Huntsman can’t kill Snow White, he sends her deep into the forest. There, Snow White meets the Dwarves and Jonathan’s friends. She begins to dream and plan how she can restore her kingdom once again. This is a timeless tale and while some of the story is updated and changed for a modern era, the bones of the narrative remain unchanged. We have Snow White, the Evil Queen, the Huntsman, the poisoned apple, the Dwarves, and our happy ending. Director Marc Webb does a nice job putting all the pieces together. The film also has a great fairytale look. The blending of CGI with the animals and the Dwarves works well enough. The sequences look fun and inviting and are a great callback to the visuals of the animated film. Zegler does a nice job in the lead role. She’s an engaging lead and a powerful singer. I enjoyed the re-imagined songs like “Whistle While You Work” and “Heigh-Ho,” but I also appreciated the new songs. The film is at its best when Zegler is on screen. The same can’t be said for the film’s other star. We’ve seen Gadot be engaging in other roles in the past, but her Evil Queen here is two-dimensional at best. There’s little life in her character or her sequences, including her musical numbers. Even when face-to-face with Zegler, there’s little pop. Overall, this new version of Snow White feels familiar and new at the same time. It’s got some good moments and a solid overall look. But it doesn’t feel incredible as either an adaptation or a film. Still, it’s a pleasant enough watch that’s good for the whole family.
Rating: Rated PG for violence, some peril, thematic elements and brief rude humor.
Verdict: Two and a half stars