Getting back to the movies

Moving beyond the slap

For the record, I think Will Smith did the right thing by quitting the Academy, and I think he should be allowed to keep his Oscar, which he won fair and square. Meanwhile, the Academy wouldn’t be out of bounds by barring him from the ceremony for a few years and/or making him ineligible for nominations.

And now that I’m the 2,383,569,231st person to add my voice to that discourse, let’s get back to what I’m all about, and what the Academy SHOULD be all about, which is the movies themselves. I have lots of thoughts about the general state of the movies, the Oscars, and critics, but I’m saving that for another piece I have in my drafts. But for this space, let’s get back to some quick reviews.

IN THEATERS

The Lost City: Ty Burr described this as “a microwave burrito of a movie,” and he’s not wrong, although I happen to think it’s a decent burrito - one that’s good enough to enjoy while I’m watching even if I forget it almost immediately. Audiences are so deprived of studio movies that aren’t IP-driven, that when we get good old-fashioned studio product, some people might overpraise it. I guess even a microwave burrito tastes great when you’re starving, but this movie isn’t really the second coming of Romancing the Stone. It’s a mildly entertaining star vehicle well served by Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and, on a very limited basis, Brad Pitt. Bonus points for Daniel Radcliffe having fun chewing the scenery as the bad guy. The jokes and the banter are standard issue (ha-ha, he has leeches on his ass!) but darned if the stars don’t sell them. FINE.

The Outfit: Here’s a solid little chamber piece powered by a strong cast including Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch and Dylan O’Brien. Although this is an original screenplay, the movie feels very much like a filmed play, and when a movie is not a play to begin with, that can actually be to its benefit. It’s an intimate, absorbing narrative that loses its grip in the last act with a couple endings too many, but the cast pulls it off. RECOMMENDED.

Uncharted: I’ve seen worse adventure yarns, but never mind that this is no Raiders of the Lost Ark - it’s not even as fun as the 1999 The Mummy. Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg coast on their considerable charisma, but when one of the stars of the movie is a Papa John’s Pizza, that’s when you lose me. NOT RECOMMENDED.

X: Saving the best of the theatricals for last, this my second favorite film of the year so far after Turning Red. Director Ti West serves up a suspenseful and insightful mashup of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Debbie Does Dallas, with an excellent cast. Brittany Snow, Jenna Ortega, Kid Cutti, Martin Henderson and Stephen Ure are all aces, but Mia Goth tops them all with a truly surprising performance that made me do a double take. Only debit: the creepy old man/monster trope is a little too well worn. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

AT HOME

Cyrano: The direction is inventive, and the performances are solid, especially by the ever undervalued Haley Bennett, but what good’s a musical when the songs are not very memorable? I guess I’d better not try to get into The National. NOT RECOMMENDED (Premium VOD)

Deep Water: Like The Lost City (I imagine too many people haven’t connected those two titles), this movie is getting overpraised simply because it’s a rare breed. Not only is this an erotic thriller (at least by genre) but it’s the first movie Adrian Lyne has made since Unfaithful in 2002. However, if you go into this expecting something along the lines of 9 and 1/2 Weeks, you might be disappointed. Bodies don’t gyrate every 20 minutes, so this thriller isn’t all that erotic. However, it is based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, and the sexual politics of Patricia Highsmith novels are nothing if not fascinating. Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas are ideal as a couple who profess to have an open marriage, only Affleck constantly glowers at her suitors with disapproval - and maybe worse. The ending threatens to fly off the rails, just as Fatal Attraction did, but Lyne and De Armas bring it home in the final shots. RECOMMENDED. (On Hulu)

Fresh: Now here’s a thriller that’s - not erotic, really, but it’s definitely sexy and more than a little riveting when Daisy Edgar-Jones finds that she’s stuck at Sebastian Stan’s house. To reveal more than that would be very gauche of me, so suffice it to say this thriller is delectable in all the most fiendish ways. Mimi Cave is a director to keep an eye on. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (Hulu)

The Novice: And once again saving the best for last, this underseen thriller from late last year serves as a terrific showcase for Isabelle Fuhrman. It’s sort of the sports movie version of Whiplash, only the central figure’s antagonist is not a cruel teacher but Fuhrman herself, who is driven to a fault as she tries to make her mark on the college rowing team. She not only alienates everyone around her by constantly overachieving, she puts herself through intense mental and physical trauma. That trauma is made all the more impactful thanks to director Lauren Hadaway, who previously worked as a sound designer - and she brings that experience to bear with a vengeance. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (Available for rental).