Author: Mike Smith

• NOVOCAINE
• Starring:  Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder and Ray Nicholson
• Directed by:  Dan Berk and Robert Olsen
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 50 mins
• Paramount

Our score:  3.5 out of 5

One of the greatest bad ass characters in movie history was Mr. Joshua, played by Gary Busey in “Lethal Weapon.”  Willingly holding his arm over a direct flame and not flinching…it still makes me grimace.  Meet Nate Caine (Quaid).  He makes Mr. Joshua look like a wimp.

Packed with humor and over the top violence, “Novocaine” is an ultra violent, ultra funny film ostensibly about a man following his heart.  Nate is a quiet guy who earns his money as the assistant manager of a local bank.  While running a morning meeting he can’t help but notice a new teller named Sherry (Midhunder) as she comes in late.  Afterwards she apologizes and offers to take Nate to lunch.  He finally agrees but is surprised when Nate only orders a milkshake.  She offers him a bite of her pie but he refuses, explaining that he was born with a condition that prevents him from feeling any kind of physical pain.  He can’t eat solid foods because he could inadvertently bite his tongue and bleed to death.  Things are looking up for Nate.  Until they aren’t.

It’s hard to put a label on this film.  Yes, it’s violent.  Yes, it’s action packed.  Yes it’s funny.  But it’s neither a horror, action or comedy film.  It’s the rare combination of all three.  The story moves along quickly, carried on the shoulders of the film’s three leads, two of them (Quaid and Ray Nicholson) the sons of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors Dennis Quaid and Jack Nicholson (their mothers aren’t too shabby either – Meg Ryan and Rebecca Broussard, respectively).  Both have a fine screen presence.  Quaid is quite likable.  Nate would be the perfect “every man” if not for his little issue.  As chief bad guy Simon, Nicholson sends chills down your spine with only a glance and a comment.  As Sherry, Ms. Midthunder is both sweet and sour, hiding a secret that gives the film its genuine tension.

The action scenes are top notch, if not a little over the top.  I mean, sure you can’t feel someone smash your head into a wall but you should at least stumble a little, right?

If you need to jump start your spirits this week then I recommend seeing “Novocaine.”  It’s Pure Adrenaline!

On a scale of zero to five, “Novocaine” receives ★★★ ½        

• THE BRUTALIST
• Starring:  Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce
• Directed by:  Brady Corbet
• Rated:  R
• Running time: 3 hrs 20 mins (3 hr 35 with intermission)
• A24

Our score:  5 out of 5

Budapest.  World War II has recently ended.  We find Erzsabet (Jones) writing a letter to her husband, Laszlo (Brody), reminding him of her love and where he can find her.  An important fact as Laszlo is now living in Pennsylvania, trying to build a new life in a constantly changing new world.

Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, “The Brutalist” is a beautifully shot film that celebrates one mans desire to be remembered, no matter the cost.  Arriving in America, Laszlo is given work by his cousin, a businessman with a furniture store.  Laszlo is an architect and his skills go well with furniture designing.  He is also a proud Jew, who is upset that his cousin has not only changed his last name but is now a Catholic.  Laszlo battles many demons, from terrible dreams to drug addiction but no matter what, he will fight to achieve the “American Dream.”

Thanks to the amazing cast, the three hour plus run time does not seem that long.  Brody is always at his best when he is playing tortured souls and his performance here is top notch.  Both he and Huffman are Oscar nominated for their work and they are well deserved.  But the stand out performance here goes to fellow nominee Guy Pearce, who owns every scene he is in.  I have loved Pearce ever since his breakout performance in “L.A. Confidential” and he is outstanding here.

The film is beautifully shot and the period settings perfect right down to the smallest detail.  The film is also propelled by it’s Academy Award nominated musical score, as well as the greatest selection of mid-century standards since, well, “L.A. Confidential.”

Please note, I had the opportunity to see the film without and intermission so if you see it in the cinema, add 15 minutes to the run time.  But believe me, it is time well spent.

On a scale of zero to five, “The Brutalist” receives ★★★★★

• LOVE HURTS
• Starring:  Ke Huy Quan, Josh Stoddard and Ariana DeBose
• Directed by:  Jonathan Eusabio
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 23 mins
• Universal
• Our Score: 3 out of 5

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend I’m reminded of a question that is usually reserved the game’s MVP:  “Hey Ke Huy Quan, you just won the Academy Award.  What are you going to do now?”  However, instead of proclaiming he’s going to Disney World, Quan declares, “I’m going to make an uneven action film.”

Valentine’s Day.  As a mysterious woman spends the morning defacing the many bus benches and yard signs featuring real estate agent Marvin Gable (Quan).  Meanwhile, Marvin is doing his best to sell his most recent house, repeating his mantra for prospective buyers, “I want a home for you.”  Returning to work, Marvin is stunned to learn that he has received a prestigious award for his realtor skills.  It’s a pretty good day for Marvin.  Except, of course, for the assassin hiding in his office.

Full of fun martial art battles, but not much else, “Love Hurts” seems to be a film that was hurried to theatres to capitalize on both Valentine’s Day and the fact that the cast includes a pair of recent Oscar winners (Ms. DeBose won hers a couple of years ago for “West Side Story.”)  While the action scenes are top notch – first time director Eusabio did a lot of stunt work for films like “The Fall Guy” and the “John Wick” series), the story is fragmented.  With a run time of only 83 minutes, including credits, it feels like there is more to the story that is missing.

That being said, the film boasts a strong cast.  If you’ve ever seen an interview with Quan, you know that he is a very likable person, and that personality fits Marvin to a tee.  Marvin has done his best to distance himself from his past, but even nice guys have bad days!  The rest of the cast play to their strengths as well, with a special mention to Sean Astin, who gives his character a true humanistic heart.

Overall, the film is enjoyable, but I can’t help but wonder about what it could have been.

On a scale of zero to five I give “Love Hurts” ★★★

• INTO THE DEEP
• Starring:  Scout Taylor-Compton, Callum McGowan and Richard Dreyfuss
• Directed by:  Christian Sesma
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 30 mins
• Saban Films

Our Score:  3.5 out of 5

The ocean is a pretty scary place.  Especially if you’re a young girl just learning to swim.  While treading water with her father, young Cassidy (Quinn P. Hensley) is getting mad, as her father keeps kicking her legs.  Only dad is several yards away.  Uh oh!

Well-acted, with some equally good effects, “Into the Deep” tells the story of the now grown up Cassidy (Taylor-Compton) and her boyfriend, Gregg (McGowan) as they prepare to dive to recover a rumored sunken treasure.  Thanks to the constant guidance of her grandfather Shamus (Dreyfuss), Cassidy has conquered her fears to become a marine biologist.  When the pair, and their friends, are taken captive by modern-day pirates searching for 80 kilos of heroin that has been lost at sea, it will take every bit of Cassidy’s will to stay alive.

Of course, any shark-themed film will be compared with “Jaws,” and “Into the Deep” is no exception.  Even with Dreyfuss aboard, it’s not “Jaws.”  But then again, it doesn’t try to be.  If I compare the film to a Peter Benchley story it would be “The Deep.”  The film’s suspense comes from the interactions with the pirates.  They are bold and ruthless and not above executing innocent boaters or the coastal authorities.  The sharks ramp up the suspense even more, and the attacks are well staged.  Nothing over the top.  Very perfunctory and quick.  In this day of CGI overuse, it is a credit to the filmmakers that they don’t go overboard, so to speak.

The cast is strong, especially Taylor-Compton, who displays the silent toughness she will need to survive.  Kudos also to Jon Seda, who plays the leader of the pirates.  He takes a character that could be played over the top and keeps him grounded, making him even more menacing.  And what a great bit of casting to have Mr. Dreyfuss in the cast.  He has always had a way of holding the audience with just his words, and as we listen to his advice, shown through flashbacks, you hang on every word.  “Remember,” he tells the young Cassidy, “this is their world.  You are a visitor.  You are a guest.”  The film is well-paced, and moves along swiftly.  Production values are strong and the musical score, by Andy Fosbery, sets the tone well.

The final credits run alongside a very heartfelt PSA from Dreyfuss on the importance of sharks in our world and how to assist in shark conservation, something that was very important to “Jaws” creator Peter Benchley.

On a scale of zero to five, “Into the Deep” receives ★★★ ½  

• ONE OF THEM DAYS
• Starring:  Keke Palmer, Sza and Katt Williams
• Directed by:  Lawrence Lamont
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 37 mins           

Our Score:  3.5 out of 5 

Your rent is due and you’re late for a job interview that, if you get it, will change your life.  But, of course, things don’t go the way you plan.  It’s just one of them days!

Meet Dreux (Palmer).  She has worked hard to move up the ranks at the restaurant she waits tables at and has finally been given the chance to interview for the opportunity to manager her own store.  Things in her life are going good unless, of course, you add in her roommate, Alyssa (SZA), a woman more interested in hanging on to her boyfriend then helping her friend succeed.  When Dreaux learns that Alyssa has given their rent money to the boyfriend, the two must devise a way to pay the rent before the clock strikes twelve or face immediate eviction.  Let the hijinks begin.

Fast paced and quick witted, “One of Them Days” manages to stretch a one-joke story into a solid hour and a half.  This is due, in part, to the outstanding performance by Ms. Palmer.  She gives Dreaux a great mixture of both humor and seriousness that suits the character.  As the roommate whose decisions always seem to be the wrong ones, SZA carries the bulk of the comedy and handles it well.  The supporting cast is strong, from Maude Apatow as a new neighbor whose sunny disposition is very rare for the apartment complex to the always fun Katt Williams, who does all he can to dissuade the girls from getting a payday loan, cautioning “if you don’t have the money this month, you’re not gonna have it next month!”

The film does its best to cram a lot of antics into the 97-minute running time.  I would have rather they stretch the adventures over a weekend then force so much into, by the script’s reckoning, was only a few hours.  The film also serves as a great reminder that the Honey Butter Biscuits at Church’s Chicken are worth fighting for.

On a scale of zero to five, “One of Them Days” receives ★★★½

• BETTER MAN
• Starring:  Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies and Steve Penderton
• Directed by:  Michael Gracey
• Rated:  R
• Running time: 2 hrs 14 mins
• Paramount

Our Score;  5 out of 5

Let me begin by saying that, except for knowing that Robbie Williams was once part of a British boy-band, I had no knowledge of his music.  Let me also say that, after watching “Better Man,” he has gained a new fan.

In the mid-1980s, young Robbie Williams (Carter J. Murphy) spends his time with his mother and grandmother, watching television and dreaming of being a performer.  His father, Peter (Pennberton) has also had star aspirations, hoping to one day be in the same league as Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin and, of course, Frank Sinatra.  When Robbie cheekily gets himself a position in the new boy-band Take That, his career begins to take off.  But he wants to be more then just a face in the background.

Not since the “South Park” movie has there been a more innovative film musical.  Starting with the fact that Robbie is portrayed as a chimpanzee (we are told through narration that this is how he sees himself) and featuring some dazzling musical numbers, the film is fast paced and full of some amazing music.  Narrated by Robbie Williams, the singer is portrayed on screen by Mr. Davies.  Even as an ape – after about the first half-hour of the film I stopped noticing the fur, so powerful was the performance, the performance hits all of the emotional beats.  Whether hitting the highest of highs or sinking to the lowest depths, the film maintains its emotional hold on the audience.

The selling point, of course, is the music.  Mr. Williams is an amazing lyricist, writing from deep inside his soul.  When I shared that I was seeing this film with some of my U.K. based friends, they all to a man commented on how much the loved Mr. Williams’ music.  Me too!

Director Gracey also helmed “The Greatest Showman,” a film that started slow at the boxoffice then exploded after word of mouth spread.  I hope “Better Man” has the same success.  It certainly deserves it.

On a scale of zero to five, “Better Man” receives ★★★★★

• A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
• Starring:  Timotee Chalamet,  Elle Fanning and Edward Norton
• Directed by:  James Mangold
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  2 hrs 21 mins
• Searchlight

Our score:  5 out of 5

If I just wrote the superlatives that have been used to describe the music of Bob Dylan for the past five decades this review would be 1,000 words long.  So let me just throw out a few.  Genius.  America’s troubadour.  And, my favorite, the greatest artist, in any medium, of all time.  With multiple Grammy awards, an Oscar and, oh yeah, both a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize, there isn’t much he hasn’t done.  But how did young Robert Zimmerman from Hibbings, Minnesota, become Bob Dylan?  “A Complete Unknown” fills in the blanks.

New York City.  1961.  A young man wanders the streets of Greenwich Village, intent to visit his idol, the great folk musician Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) who is currently in the hospital.  He finagles his way to Guthrie’s room, where he also meets another of his heroes, Pete Seeger (Norton).  With the support of these two men, the world will soon meet, as Joan Baez called him, “the unwashed phenomenon, the original vagabond.”  Say hello to Bob Dylan.

It has to be extremely difficult to make a film about a performer that the entire world knows.  Rami Malek in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Jamie Foxx in “Ray” and both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in “Walk the Line” – also brilliantly directed by James Mangold – hit all of the right notes with both fans and critics.  As quite possibly the best film of the year, “A Complete Unknown” most definitely deserves a slot on that short list.

The film’s casting is spot on.  Chalamet, who not only embodies Dylan in speech patterns and mannerisms but does his own singing, channels the rebellious energy that made Dylan a folk hero.  As I told the studio rep after the screening, “give that kid the Oscar now.”  And Chalamet is surrounded by an amazing cast, led by Norton.  When we first meet Pete Seeger he is fighting for his freedom in court, having to address the backlash from his song, “This Land is Your Land.”  Fanning stars as Sylvie Russo, Bob’s on and off again girlfriend based, I’m sure, on Dylan’s friend Suze Rotello, who is featured with Dylan on the cover of his album “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.”  We are also introduced to other great musicians of the era, including a performer my high school Spanish teacher, Mr. Guggino, used to refer to as JO-ANN BAZE,  Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook).  All of the actors do amazing work, especially capturing the vocal qualities that made their characters stars.

Mangold’s direction is straight ahead and on point, and there isn’t a wasted frame of film on screen.  But it’s the music that fans will be going for, and they will not be disappointed.  With so many great songs over fifty years, it’s had to remember all of the songs Dylan wrote that either he performed or that he gave to others.  But they were ahead of their time then and remain beloved now.

On a scale of zero to five, I give “A Complete Unknown” ★★★★★

• MUFASA: THE LION KING
• Starring the voices of:  Aaron Pierre, Tiffany Boone and Mads Mikkelsen
• Directed by:  Barry Jenkins
• Rated:  PG
• Running time:  1 hr 58 mins
• Walt Disney Pictures

Our score:  5 out of 5

When the animated film “The Lion King” was released in 1994, it was another example of the amazing second golden age of Disney Animation, grossing almost $1 billion around the world.  So popular was the film that it spawned both a highly successful Broadway show (still running both in New York and around the world) and a live-action version, released in 2019 which, until this past year’s “Inside Out 2,” was the highest grossing animated feature film ever released, earing more than $1.6 billion.  So it’s safe to say that the story of Simba is pretty well known.  But what about his father, Mustafa?  Wonder no more.

The film begins with the now adult Simba (Donald Glover…I guess Matthew Broderick was busy) departing his kingdom to welcome a new cub into the family.  He leaves his young cub in the very suspect hands (paws?  Hooves/) of Timon and Pumba (Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen), who are quickly assisted by Rafiki (John Kani).  In order to bide their time together, the trio decide to tell the story of Simba’s father, Mustafa.  And a grand story it is.

Beautifully rendered (this is by far the best live-action/animated film I’ve ever seen), “Mufasa: The Lion King” does a great job of introducing new characters while letting the audience reconnect with familiar ones.

We meet Mustafa (Braelyn Rankins) as a young cub who finds himself lost and taken in by a kindly lioness.  The leader of the pride is not happy with this outsider and banishes him to live with “the women,” meaning he will have to learn to hunt to provide for the rest of the pride.  Mufasa is befriended by Taka (Theo Somolu), the son of the leader, and the two grow up as brothers.  But, as in the original film, when jealousy rears its ugly head, even brotherly love is not enough.

Thanks to the voice actors, and the amazingly realistic visuals, the film is a most welcome addition to the “Lion King” lineage.  Ostensibly a musical, the songs – by the great Lin-Manuel Miranda – are almost secondary to the film.  Tim Rice and Elton John are a hard act for anyone to follow but the tunes here are quite hummable.

Of course, for many, the voice of Mustafa is and always will be, the late James Earl Jones.  Jones was asked to reprise the role but declined.  The film is dedicated to his amazing and endering memory.

On a scale of zero to five, “Mustafa: The Lion King” receives ★★★★★.

• KRAVEN THE HUNTER
• Starring:  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana Dubose and Russell Crowe
• Directed by:  J.C. Chandor
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  2 hrs 7 mins
• Columbia Pictures

Our score:  3.5 out of 5

Sometimes the Marvel Cinematic Universe is confusing.  The majority of films based on Marvel Comics characters are all related in some way to others, seamlessly stringing along a story that has stretched for decades.  “Iron Man.”  The Tom Holland “Spider-Man” series.  “Doctor Strange.”  They all go together like another piece in a giant jigsaw puzzled.  However, for every one of those films, you have characters like Deadpool, the X-men and Howard the Duck, whose films are basically stand alone stories, though Howard the Duck does make a brief appearance in the coda of the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” film.  Add to the latter list “Kraven the Hunter,” best known to comic fans as Spider-man’s foe.  Not here though.

Sergei and Dimitri Kravinoff (Levi Miller and Billy Barratt) are two young men attending a posh private school in upstate New York.  One day they are informed that their father will be calling on them.  Soon a long, black car pulls up.  The boys get in.  Their destination will change both of their lives forever.

As I always note when I’m reviewing a comic book film, the only ones I read as a kid were Batman and Superman.  I knew Spider-Man from the Saturday morning cartoons, but I was, and still am, much better versed in the D.C. Universe.  So not only wasn’t I aware of  Kraven’s Spider-Man association, I didn’t even know he was a comic book character.  That being said, he’s pretty darn cool!

While on safari with his brother and father, a Russian bad guy brilliantly portrayed by Crowe, Serfei is attacked by a lion and dragged away.  A young girl, whose grandmother has provided her with a special potion that heals anyone who drinks it.  She gives some to the badly mauled Sergei, who is rushed to the hospital.  He survives, but he is now more animal than man.  He is a hunter.

Action packed from beginning to end, “Kraven the Hunter” is an unapologetic film where the nastier they bad guys fall, the happier the hero becomes.  Taylor-Johnson, who starred as the title character in “Kick-Ass” and gave an amazing performance as the young John Lennon in “Nowhere Boy,” is excellent here as the now-grown Sergei, who spends his days tracking down the worse of the worse and dispatching them to hell.   Younger brother Dimitri (Fred Hechinger) is more a lover then a fighter, earning his living as a lounge singer and disappointing his hard-ass father.  Hechinger seems to be attracted to these roles, having recently appeared as the less-then-tough Emperor Caracalla in “Gladiator II.”  Oscar winner DuBose does what she can with an underdeveloped role as the mystery girl who saved Sergei’s life, now all grown up.

But most people don’t go to action films for the acting.  They go for the action, and this film is packed with it.  Director Chandor sets a frantic pace and the cast keeps up with it.

On a scale of zero to five, I give “Kraven the Hunter” ★★★ ½

• MOANA 2
• Starring the voices of:  Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson and Alan Tudyk
• Directed by:  David G. Derrick Jr., ason HandDana and Ledoux Miller
• Rated:  PG
• Running time:  1 hr 40 mins
• Walt Disney Pictures

Our score:  3.5 out of 5 

On an island somewhere in the ocean, a young girl and her companions – a pig and a chicken – make their way to the top of a mountain.  There they can look out over the land.  The girl, named Moana (Cravalho) blows into a large conch shell, hoping to get a response.  But she is only greeted by silence.  Maybe next time?

A beautifully presented continuation of the 2016 hit, “Moana 2” finds our title character growing up and mounting a long, dangerous tip to the far seas of Oceania, where she is convinced she will find other civilizations.  Besides her two animal pals, she is accompanied on the journey by youthful Moni (Hualalai Chung), the industrious Simea ( Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), and the elder Kele (David Fane).  Their trip is full of peris, with each day bringing a new adventure.

It is amazing what can be done with animation these days.  I’ve always found the hardest things to animate realistically are hair and water.  Something always made them seem just a little…”off.”  Not here.  The film is beautifully rendered and the ocean waves are so realistic you may find yourself ducking for fear of getting wet when they splash onto the shore.  The story is straightforward but quite dark at times.  Thankfully there are brief respites of humor, most of it provided by the amazing Maui (Johnson), obviously having fun with the role.  The other characters are standard Disney-fare – Moni could be a distant relative of “Beauty and the Beast” tough-guy Gaston, while Kele is the atypical “the sky is falling” character, casting doubt at every turn.  But, also following in the Disney tradition, are some great songs beautifully performed.

Overall, while younger children may be frightened by some of the images, the older ones (my two grandchildren included) should have a fun time.

On a scale of zero to five I give “Moana 2” ★★★1/2.

• GLADIATOR II
• Starring:  Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington
• Directed by:  Ridley Scott
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  2 hrs 28 mins
• Paramount 

Our score:  4.5 out of 5

Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb once noted that “the only sequel to lose money is the last one.”  Translated, it means that Hollywood Is not afraid to stick a number at the end of a film title and will continue to do so until people stop showing up.  So I was very apprehensive when I heard that a sequel to the Oscar-winning “Gladiator,” release almost a quarter century ago.  I’m happy to report that I needn’t have worried.

Rome.  While once a mighty city rulled by beloved men, it has deteriorated into a city of unrest.  While Rome was founded by brothers Romulus and Remus, it is now run by the Latin versions of Tweedledum and Tweedledee, brothers Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).  When the two aren’t bickering over the smallest perceived injustice they are sending their best general, Marcus Acacius (Pascal) to conquer every neighboring city.  When his latest attack takes the wife of an opposing soldier, vengeance is sworn.  But how to get it?

On my short list of film directors who criminally have never won an Academy Award for their work, Ridley Scott is right at the top.  With films like “Alien,” “Bladerunner,” “Thelma and Louise,”  “Blackhawk Down,” and, of course, “Gladiator,” he has crafted some of the best films of the past five decades.  You can now add “Gladiator II” to the list.

The film follows the vengeance-seeking soldier, (Mescal) after his capture.  His fighting spirit leads him to be chosen to train to fight in the Colosseum, championed by Macrimus (the always brilliant Denzel Washington).  As he hones his skills by fighting everything from giant, wild monkeys to rhinoceroses, he continues to win, driven by the thought of one day hoisting Acacius’ head.  And a memory.

Action-packed, “Gladiator II” is wall-to-wall adventure.  Like the original film, the dialogue is short and direct while the action is over the top.  Scott’s pacing keeps the film moving quickly and the visual effects are top-of-the-line.  The film does have an association with the original Oscar-winning film, but to say more would spoil the surprise!

On a scale of zero to five, I give “Gladiator II” ★★★★1/2.