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Starstruck
A plethora of three- and four-star movies in this week’s new releases, including Thor: Ragnarok, The Nile Hilton Incident, Jane, and Tragedy Girls
The Nile Hilton Incident: Even dirty cops want to do the right thing sometimes.
As the Beast used to say in the old X-Men comic books, “Oh my stars and garters.” (And yes, that’s a cheap way of referencing this week’s comic-book movie release, Thor: Ragnarok. Let’s get back to the talk about stars, shall we?)
Movie
Thor: Ragnarok *
Call it The Starkening. After Iron Man’s alter ego got neurotic in <em>Iron Man 3</em> and morally serious in <em>Captain America: Civil War</em>, his spirit of devil-may-care quippiness was forced to roam the MCU, seeking new hosts. And it found some, however unlikely: first a master of Eastern mysticism (<em>Doctor Strange</em>), and now a Nordic war deity. Director Taika Waititi’s take on the God of Thunder plays a bit like the rock mockumentary <em>This is Spinal Tap</em>: it’s front-loaded with jokes, built around a severe humbling, and full of silly bombast. (Stonehenge! Asgard! Though he does have an eye for tableau.) Humor is great — nobody wants Thor and Hulk adopting the dark ‘n dour tone of <em>Batman v. Superman</em>. But maybe not so great that both story and character should be forced to bend the knee to its whims? (A hammy Jeff Goldblum is a happy exception: his slave-driving showman need be nothing more than a monstrous hoot.) Knee-bending is the ostensible issue here: with Odin’s passing, who should ascend the throne? Thor? His older sister Hela, Goddess of Death? None of the above? The story, which is concerned with the foundations of power, demands a reckoning. Instead, the script provides a couple of one-liners.
This week sees the release of not one but two four-star films for Grumpy Old Man Lickona. Okja hit Netflix some time ago, but this week it’s getting a theatrical release. I had a chance to watch it a second time, and looking back I think I was a little giddy when I gave it four big ones. But then, it isn’t often that a movie makes me giddy. And who knows, I may look back at The Nile Hilton Incident one day and shake my head over how much I just plain enjoyed its modern Egyptian noir. But for now, four stars! And another three for the very fine documentary Jane. Watch it together with Project Nim for a prime primate pairing!
As for Scott, he laughed at Tragedy Girls and giggled inappropriately at The Killing of a Sacred Deer. (He probably smirked at the makeup in LBJ, too, but his review isn’t up just yet. And who knows? A Bad Mom’s Christmas may make him chuckle despite himself. He’s a jolly fellow. Keep checking back!) The endless carnage of Blade of the Immortal clouded up his sunny disposition a bit, but it took the “well, whaddya know” happenstance of Wonderstruck to really make him frown.
Opening but unreviewed: No Dress Code Required.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Starstruck
A plethora of three- and four-star movies in this week’s new releases, including Thor: Ragnarok, The Nile Hilton Incident, Jane, and Tragedy Girls
Starstruck
A plethora of three- and four-star movies in this week’s new releases, including Thor: Ragnarok, The Nile Hilton Incident, Jane, and Tragedy Girls
The Nile Hilton Incident: Even dirty cops want to do the right thing sometimes.
As the Beast used to say in the old X-Men comic books, “Oh my stars and garters.” (And yes, that’s a cheap way of referencing this week’s comic-book movie release, Thor: Ragnarok. Let’s get back to the talk about stars, shall we?)
Movie
Thor: Ragnarok *
Call it The Starkening. After Iron Man’s alter ego got neurotic in <em>Iron Man 3</em> and morally serious in <em>Captain America: Civil War</em>, his spirit of devil-may-care quippiness was forced to roam the MCU, seeking new hosts. And it found some, however unlikely: first a master of Eastern mysticism (<em>Doctor Strange</em>), and now a Nordic war deity. Director Taika Waititi’s take on the God of Thunder plays a bit like the rock mockumentary <em>This is Spinal Tap</em>: it’s front-loaded with jokes, built around a severe humbling, and full of silly bombast. (Stonehenge! Asgard! Though he does have an eye for tableau.) Humor is great — nobody wants Thor and Hulk adopting the dark ‘n dour tone of <em>Batman v. Superman</em>. But maybe not so great that both story and character should be forced to bend the knee to its whims? (A hammy Jeff Goldblum is a happy exception: his slave-driving showman need be nothing more than a monstrous hoot.) Knee-bending is the ostensible issue here: with Odin’s passing, who should ascend the throne? Thor? His older sister Hela, Goddess of Death? None of the above? The story, which is concerned with the foundations of power, demands a reckoning. Instead, the script provides a couple of one-liners.
This week sees the release of not one but two four-star films for Grumpy Old Man Lickona. Okja hit Netflix some time ago, but this week it’s getting a theatrical release. I had a chance to watch it a second time, and looking back I think I was a little giddy when I gave it four big ones. But then, it isn’t often that a movie makes me giddy. And who knows, I may look back at The Nile Hilton Incident one day and shake my head over how much I just plain enjoyed its modern Egyptian noir. But for now, four stars! And another three for the very fine documentary Jane. Watch it together with Project Nim for a prime primate pairing!
As for Scott, he laughed at Tragedy Girls and giggled inappropriately at The Killing of a Sacred Deer. (He probably smirked at the makeup in LBJ, too, but his review isn’t up just yet. And who knows? A Bad Mom’s Christmas may make him chuckle despite himself. He’s a jolly fellow. Keep checking back!) The endless carnage of Blade of the Immortal clouded up his sunny disposition a bit, but it took the “well, whaddya know” happenstance of Wonderstruck to really make him frown.
Opening but unreviewed: No Dress Code Required.
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