“Midway” (War/History: 2 hours, 18 minutes)

Starring: Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Dennis Quaid and Woody Harrelson

Director: Roland Emmerich

Rated: PG-13 (Violence, war imagery and profanity)

 

Movie Review: “Midway” is another movie about the turning point of World War II’s Pacific Theater. Other movies have detailed the same battle, one being Henry Fonda and Charlton Heston’s 1976 film. The problem is this modern version spends time trying to humanize its historical figures with one-liners and as husbands rather than making this a war movie about war strategy between two warring states.

After Japan attacks Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, United States Navy Pacific Fleet, under the command of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (Harrelson), battles against Japanese forces commanded by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Etsushi Toyokawa). Approximately six months later, the Battle of Midway commences on June 4, 1942. The next three days, the U.S. Navy and valiant fighter pilots engage Japanese forces in one of the decisive battles of World War II.

“Midway” is interesting, yet it wastes time trying to humanize its characters when their tactical situations are what is most intriguing. The movie has the characters uttering lines that are not dramatic enough for this patriotic tale. This could have been a very good dramatic war movie about tactics, sacrifice and East versus West thinking during a great war. Instead, Wes Tooke’s screenplay adds soap-operatic themes that add nothing to the movie.

Director Roland Emmerich (“Independence Day,” 1996; “2012”, 2009) delivers entertaining movies. They are never boring. However, the stories have lackluster nuance, and the acting is usually marginal because the writing gives excess time for actors to shine. For them, small bits do not allow casts to rise to the grand plots of his movies. “Midway” is similar, a typical Emmerich movie.

Grade: C (It goes the stretch but is only midway there.)

“Playing with Fire” (Comedy: 1 hour, 36 minutes)

Starring: John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key and John Leguizamo

Director: Andy Fickman

Rated: PG (Crude humor, suggestive material and mild peril)

 

Movie Review: “Playing with Fire” is a childish comedy for family audiences. Small fries may love it, but the story is elementary material. The comedy is just as apathetic. This comedy proves only real firemen should play with fire.

Jake Carson (Cena), a fire superintendent, is a by-the-book wild land firefighter. He and his team rescue three minors, a teen and two children, from a burning house. Afterward, the firefighters must tend to the children until their parents arrive. The undisciplined siblings cause major operational interruptions in the fire station.

The story is nonsensical material and less than par acting. Story elements are unconvincing from the start. Characters do not do what one expects, especially from the adult characters. Contrarily, the script makes these the most unruly kids. They are a form of birth control. After observing these children, one does not want to have children.

The acting is uninspiring. Brianna Hildebrand plays Brynn. She is one of the younger members of the cast. Hildebrand acts as if she wants to laugh during scenes as if she knows this movie is ridiculous material.

“Playing with Fire” is a comedy for sure, a silly, goofy one. It burns in the worst possible manner.

Grade: D+ (Never play with fire.)

“Last Christmas” (Romantic Comedy: 1 hour, 43 minutes)

Starring: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh and Emma Thompson

Director: Paul Feig

Rated: PG-13 (Profanity and sexual content)

 

Movie Review: “Last Christmas” is a mediocre romantic comedy. The story is inviting as a holiday visual feast, but it quickly wanders into the typical romcom. Even more, the characters are annoying and have as much chemistry as rival political parties at a Christmas feast. 

Kate (Clarke) works as an elf in London at a year-round Christmas store. Her life is not as she would hope. This changes when she meets a handsome Tom (Golding) outside of her workplace. They form a first rocky but eventual romantic relationship.

This yuletide romance stars an attractive couple, “Game of Thrones’” Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding of “Crazy Rich Asians” fame. Their vibes do not jive. The romance never reaches a peak that makes one dive into their relationship.

Even more, this romance has a fantasy-like addition that is unconvincing. Bryony Kimmings and Emma Thompson, who also star in this mild feature, attempt to create an artistic venture. A few scenes are very well-done comical bits. Other moments are stereotypical elements that make this romantic comedy commonplace, an uneventful soap opera.

Grade: C- (It lasts too long.)

“Jojo Rabbit” (Drama/Comedy: 1 hour, 48 minutes)

Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen and Scarlett Johansson

Director: Taika Waititi

Rated: PG-13 (Mature thematic content, disturbing imagery, violence, and profanity)

 

Movie Review: “Jo Jo Rabbit” is gratifyingly and sincerely affecting. It plays as a riveting comedy and equally a moving drama. The work of director-writer Taika Waititi, it is one of the better movies this year. It brings humor to a serious part of world history — Hitler’s Nazi Germany during the latter part of World War II. 

Waititi, a self-described Polynesian Jew, cast himself as Adolf Hitler, the imaginary friend of a 10-year-old German boy named Johannes “Jojo” Betzler (Davis). Jojo and his mother, Rosie (Johansson) live in Germany. Jojo’s father is supposedly serving on the Italian front, but neither he nor his mother has had any contact with him. 

Jojo’s older sister, Inge, has recently died of influenza. Jojo and his mother are surviving, and the 10-year-old manages thanks to his supportive imaginary friend, a childish Hitler. Jojo’s life changes when he discovers a world of secrets the adults around him have been hiding. 

A satirical, dark comedy film by Taika Waititi, is an adaptation of Christine Leunens’ book, “Caging Skies.” Waititi creates an artistic venture that inspires with keen drama as well as timely inserted comedy. He also creates unique characters. Jojo and Elsa, a Jewish teen, are especially effective characters.

Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie are brilliant as young cast members. Davis keenly plays Jojo, who acquires the nickname Jojo Rabbit. He is the central character. He becomes the pivotal force of the entire movie as most of the events in his town are from his perspective primarily. His scenes with Waititi’s Hitler are comical yet offering insight to the mind of a child who sees Hitler as the savior of Germany.

Secondarily, Davies’ scenes with talented young actress McKenzie (“Leave No Trace,” 2018) are equally as brilliant. McKenzie, like Davis, plays her role with zeal. Davis, McKenzie, along with Scarlett Johansson, offer inviting turns. Davis and McKenzie, especially, make you appreciate their characters and the principles that guide them.

Similar to the Italian movie “Life is Beautiful” (1997), “Jojo Rabbit” takes a very serious part of history and makes it comically humorous in an attractive, beautiful manner. It also creates a story with intense drama. Its only fault is the comedy and dramatic moments are both good entertainment, so they often compete against each other in the same movie. The movie would make a better drama.

Still, Waititi’s direction and writing are topnotch. Davies is riveting persona, and McKenzie makes her character a superb addition. Hats off to them and the rest of the cast and crew for providing one of the most entertaining, albeit eccentric movies this year.

Grade: A- (Jojo delivers.)

“Pain and Glory” (Drama: 1 hour, 53 minutes)

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia and Penélope Cruz

Director: Pedro Almodóvar

Rated: R (Drug use, graphic nudity and profanity)

 

Movie Review: Academy Award recipient Pedro Almodóvar is the director and writer for this movie about a waning director. 

“Pain and Glory” marks another collaboration between Almodóvar and Antonio Banderas, who delivers one of his better performances in recent years. The gentlemen have made movies with each other spanning 40 years. “Pain and Glory” is a subtle narrative, engagingly executed and well-acted.

Spanish film director Salvador Mallo (Banderas) is declining in fame and health, physical and mental infirmities. He is also suffering a creative crisis. He wants to produce artful movies again but his ailments and thoughts of past life events keep him preoccupied. 

He visits Alberto Crespo (Etxeandia), a lead actor from his earlier film “Sabor” that has just been released to wide audiences. The two men have not spoken in nearly 30 years due to a quarrel over creative differences. 

The two settle differences and dive into drug use as Mallo reminisces about childhood, cinema, life with his parents his father (Raúl Arévalo) and mother Jacinta (Cruz) in a whitewashed cave house and a past love Federico (Leonardo Sbaraglia). Gradually, Mallo finds the creative energy to write again.

Almodóvar channels this alternate life through Banderas, who dresses like the director and sports a similar hairstyle. Banderas provides a splendid performance. He plays his part well. Banderas and Almodóvar’s talents here are a tribute to their friendship over many decades.

The camaraderie works here in this story that is subtle in its approach to tell a story about a man contemplating his mortality via evaluations of past relationships with family and friends. The only problem is it is too subtle at moments. The plot appears elusive occasionally. The movie sometimes has an abstractness that offers little in exchange for artistic diversions. These infrequent diversions do not ruin Almodóvar’s brilliant screenplay.

A 2019 Cannes Film Festival standout, “Pain and Glory” is about one man’s recount of his history from childhood with his family to finding comfort in cinemas, to his adult relationships with others. Almodóvar put much of himself in this movie, and it shows.

Almodóvar is known for Academy Award films such as “All About My Mother” (1999) and “Talk to Her” (2002). In “Pain and Glory,” he wants to tell a story of a character similar to himself. He creates an artful, alternate reality version of his own life that is engaging for those looking for a slow drama that entertains with its ability to be unpredictable and fascinating.

Grade: B (Neither pain nor glory, but it is good.)

“Ford v Ferrari” (Drama: 2 hours, 32 minutes)

Starring: Matt Damon and Christian Bale, with Jon Bernthal,

Director: James Mangold

Rated: PG-13 (Profanity and moments of peril)

 

Movie Review: Ford and Ferrari are world-known brands in the race car sports drama. However, the relationship of characters between characters played by Academy Award-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale are the highlights of this automobile tale. 

Damon plays Carroll Shelby, an American automotive designer and engineer, and Bale plays Ken Miles, a British World War II veteran and a professional race car driver. The two men have one goal as shaped by Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts), CEO of Ford. They are commissioned to develop a race car to triumph over the race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966. 

Shelby and Miles battle each other over creative differences, corporate executive interference and achievements in mechanical engineering to build a revolutionary vehicle for the Ford Motor Company.

This is a fun movie, especially for those who like to drive cars at extraordinary velocities. The movie has unique characters, especially Damon and Bale’s roles. The two men add nice dramatic turns playing the leads, and their antagonistic friendship is intriguing. Their mission — the movie’s plot — is captivating.

Stereotypical actions of supporting characters are fascinating. The supporting cast is personas who lend themselves to formulaic people. They are entertaining but appear unconvincing for a movie of this caliber. They are fine for their part of this story because the main focus is elsewhere.

Damon and Bale are the main focus. Their characters have a job to do and that drives this movie. These actors and talented director James Mangold (“Logan,” 2017; “Girl, Interrupted,” 1999) create an entertaining movie that craftily creates a place in the present for events of past.

Grade: B (Fast and furious competition crosses the line for a first-rate team.)

 

Adann-Kennn Alexxandar lives and works in Valdosta.