Multiplex Madness
Napoleon
⭐⭐1/2
Genre: Drama, War
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby
Ridley Scott returns to his Happy Place of just making a bloated historical epic that one will watch and go "Yeah, that sure was long." This one is based on the reign of Napoleon Bonapart as the Emperor of France, from leading the armies to numerous victories all the way to his exile. This Napoleon movie comes to life during the war segments, in which the various conflicts are realized with detail and excitement. Scott tries to create a through-line to the film as an unconventional love story between Napoleon and his first wife, Josephine, which seems like a nice idea, but this loosely categorized romance is so cold that while it has its interesting elements, getting swept up in it is a trial rather than an experience. Scott does use that thread to weave look at a human behind the towering reputation, and he makes no qualms about it that Napoleon was an uncouth jackass. It's something to be of two minds of, because it's easy to see what film Scott was trying to make, with solid performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, but it's one that is muted and difficult to really care about.
Saltburn
⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Thriller
Director: Emerald Fennell
Starring: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe
Barry Keoghan plays a socially awkward boy who becomes infatuated with a wealthy student at college who invites him to his family's estate for the summer and treats him like a pet. That's just the starting point to Saltburn, which has a collected exterior but so many cranks inside of it making things more complicated. It's almost like an anxiety. The film is confident and intriguing, I'll give it that much. It's sometimes a tad bit too eager to give away its hand, and when it does finally show its cards, it feels like a partial bluff because it concludes with an ending that it has heavily alluded to but also doesn't quite make sense. But it has an interesting tone that keeps it flavorful, though it can sometimes be vain enough to admire itself when it really shouldn't. The film's enhancement of social awkwardness is so pungent that it often overwhelms the film and even its attempt at being a pressure cooker drama comes off as more awkward than Keoghan's character. There's a certain type of filmgoer who will watch this movie and find it their favorite movie of the year. There is also an audience who will just look at it and say "What the fuck?"
Wish
⭐⭐1/2
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn
Starring: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk
Simple, but likable, offering from Disney's animation studio celebrates the company's 100th anniversary with a film that paints itself with elements from much of its rich history, but also feels like a bit of a cluttered gathering. The story tells of a kingdom led by a king who keeps everyone's wish safe in his castle, but a young girl seeks to free them once she sees how much the townsfolk lost by giving them up. It's a well intentioned movie about the importance of desire, heart, and ambition, and how it's drives each of us. Recent Oscar winner Ariana DeBose sparkles in her lead role, using that singing talent she put on display in West Side Story to good use with some memorable musical numbers. If the movie fully formed around her, I'd probably be more enthusiastic about it, though she's a powerhouse standout. By comparison, Chris Pine's antagonistic king is woefully undercharacterized, as he just seems driven by wonky mood swings rather than any internal logic (and he's given a couple of forgettable power ballads that Pine just belts through). If one is familiar with Disney's film history, one can enjoy picking out the various easter eggs throughout, from supporting characters clearly based on the Seven Dwarfs to an unexpected reference to the premise of Zootopia (but I'd be more impressed if they referenced Treasure Planet). Those looking toward Wish looking for the next Encanto or Moana will likely leave disappointed, though it's a far better movie than, say, Frozen II. Those willing to let Wish be itself may find that it's pretty delightful family entertainment.
Netflix & Chill
Good Burger 2
⭐⭐⭐
Streaming On: Paramount+
Genre: Comedy
Director: Phil Traill
Starring: Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell
Appealing solely to very young children or middle-aged men of a certain generation who don't give a shit if this movie is trash or not, Good Burger 2 is a sequel to Good Burger, and a prequel to the eventual Oscar winner Good Burger 3: Return of the Burger King. This epic sequel that was twenty-five years in the making brings back the former Nickelodeon superstar alum Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell reprising their roles of fast-food employees Dexter and Ed, who are now in their late-forties and still working at Good Burger, who find their business threatened again when a conglomerate seeks to take over the restaurant and franchise it. It's an idea that's not that evil if you think about it, but only becomes backhanded because they're doing it just because they hate the joint so much (so much that they want to make more of it? Nickelodeon villain logic). So really the villain of the Good Burger movies is soulless capitalism, and the good guys are small business who fight to maintain their share of the marketplace (even though their particular building would probably never pass a health inspection). There's not a lot to say about Good Burger 2 in its defense or detriment, because I imagine most already know whether or not they're going to watch it, and if they are, they'd probably get a kick out of it. It's about as good as you can expect a Good Burger sequel to be, for better or worse. The movie is very much a Good Burger movie, albeit one that featuring men in their forties with looks of "What the hell am I even doing back here?" on their faces. It's dumb, but it's playful. These guys created a sort of wavelength of simple comedy that defined a decade of children's entertainment. If you grew up with the original Good Burger movie, All That, and Kenan & Kel and just see that poster and feel all warm and nostalgic, it might be worth a spin.
Movies Still Playing At My Theater
The Holdovers ⭐⭐⭐
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (no)
Killers of the Flower Moon ⭐⭐⭐1/2
The Marvels ⭐⭐1/2
Next Goal Wins ⭐⭐1/2
Priscilla ⭐⭐⭐
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (probably)
Thanksgiving ⭐⭐1/2
Trolls Band Together ⭐⭐1/2
New To Digital
Oppenheimer ⭐⭐⭐
New To Physical
Expend4bles ⭐⭐
Oppenheimer ⭐⭐⭐
Saw X ⭐⭐⭐
Coming Soon!
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