Starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells and Kerry Washington; Ryan Murphey’s latest creation is comedy/musical film, The Prom.
The Prom is the story of a swarm of self-obsessed theatre stars who arrive in a small conservative Indiana town, in support of a high school girl who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom.
Meryl Streep playing a role that’s the slightest bit reminiscent of her great work in The Devil Wears Prada (2006). That’s all the reason I need to watch this one. Particularly since musicals aren’t my favourite.
Also, Washington and Kidman and Rannells, plus I like the premise.
Keegan-Michael Key, Mary Kay Place, Tracey Ullman, Ariana DeBose, Kevin Chamberlin, Nathaniel J. Potvin, Nico Greetham, Jo Ellen Pellman, Logan Riley and Sebastian Vale also star.
Bombshell (2020), Charlize Theron, Lionsgate Movies
I was vaguely aware but definitely didn’t follow the Fox News / Roger Ailes sexual harassment scandal of 2016.
Set predominantly in the Fox News offices in New York,Bombshell focuses on the experiences of three women in particular (Gretchen Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Kayla Pospisil), while they were employed by Ailes.
With such a great cast that features Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman, Kate McKinnon and John Lithgow, it was clear right away that Bombshell wouldn’t disappoint performance-wise.
Instead, it was the distracting prosthetics work on Nicole Kidman’s chin that first stood out as ‘not quite right‘. Secondly, due to how the story is structured, by the end it felt as though I hadn’t quite watched a complete film – but rather snippets of specific days in a much bigger story. A story that I may have enjoyed more and felt more connected to, had it dived deeper into the backgrounds of the key characters. Maybe it would have worked better divided into several parts of a mini-series.
Bombshell (2020), Nicole Kidman, Lionsgate Movies
The last way in which Bombshell ‘isn’t quite right’ is actually through no fault of its own. I had some expectations about seeing a few scenes displaying ‘heartwarming female solidarity‘ between the key characters. A truth that seems more than a tad silly now, especially considering the social climate and apparent rivalries at the Fox News offices.
Overall, director Jay Roach’s movie did a good job of keeping my attention throughout; thanks in large part to the performances which really are the best thing about Bombshell. The prosthetics, particularly on Lithgow are also great.
Watch Bombshell for the ‘inside look’ at how disturbing things really were at Fox News. Just don’t make my mistake and go in expecting too much of the aforementioned heartwarming sisterly stuff’
The Goldfinch (2019), Ansel Elgort, Warner Bros. Pictures
Based on Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name, and directed by John Crowley, The Goldfinch is a new drama starring Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman, Sarah Paulson and Finn Wolfhard.
After a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that kills his mother, young Theodore Decker is taken in by a wealthy Upper East Side, New York family…
I’m interested for reasons including this trailer looks great, my appreciation of most – if not all the actors involved and I can’t wait to see how well this movie says what it has to say about grief.
My only wish at this point is that young Theodore actually resembled grown up Theodore. He’s probably too young but Jacob Tremblay probably looks more like a younger version of Elgort and Thomas Mann looks more like a grown up Wolfhard. What do you think?
Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Aneurin Barnard, Peter Jacobson, Luke Kleintank and Peter Jacobson also star.
Aquaman (2018), Jason Momoa, Warner Bros. Pictures
In director James Wan’s latest, Jason Momoa is Aurthur, a.k.aAquaman, a man who reluctantly begins a journey to take his rightful place as heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis and become a hero to the world.
Considering how DC Comics’ recent films have turned out, Wonder Woman (2017) being an exception; as much as I enjoyed the Aquaman trailer, I made sure to not get too excited.
Having now seen it, even though Aquaman is not my favourite super hero movie, there is definitely some fun to be had by watching. For example, I found Momoa quite delightful, thanks to his aesthetic, physicality and charisma. If I had to choose though, it’s definitely the underwater special effects in Aquaman that I loved most. From the toothy flesh eating creatures to the beautifully lit colours of the deep, I couldn’t help but be reminded to look forward to the upcoming C.G.I-rich Avatar movies… whenever director James Cameron is ready.
Other key highlights in Aquaman include the action sequences in Sicily, Willem Dafoe’s performance and Nicole Kidman’s rather convincing fight sequences. Maybe I’m really into seeing Kidman fight because I don’t remember having seen her fight like that in a movie before. Either way, I remain impressed.
In terms of the elements I wish weren’t quite so about Wan’s movie, that would be the romance between Aurthur and Mera. ‘Forced’ is the word because I simply didn’t buy it. I also noticed a few awkward instances regarding the placement of music as well as some less than inspiring dialogue. Lastly, we have Manta; he’s simply not the best superhero villain I’ve ever been exposed to.
By the end of Aquaman, I was just glad that I found more things to enjoy than not. Plus, I’m happy for DC Comics because things seem to be turning around.
Boy Erasedis a biographical drama based on a specific time in the life of Garrard Conley, a Baptist preacher’s son who as a teenager was forced to take part in a church-supported gay conversion program. A disturbing and damaging practice that I’m sadly unsurprised to learn still continues today.
Besides standing out for being a heartbreaking true story that’s well acted and directed, Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Joel Edgerton’s latest movie features a number of scenes that I won’t soon forget.
My very favourite one is a scene so moving that it made me realise I don’t actually recall the last time I wanted a person’s all important phone call to be answered so desperately.
My second favourite scene takes place just before the one with the phone phone call. It’s a moment that had me hoping that every parent with a strong willed child recognises the value of their child’s will. Especially when the child chooses to question what appears as nonsense – at the most crucial time, regardless of who may be spewing it.
Boy Erased definitely has a number of unfortunate things that happen in this story; meaning you really won’t be laughing much, if at all. Still, I did find the experience worthwhile for the insight into what can occur at gay conversion camps and for the aforementioned well executed and memorable scenes which take place towards the end.
Watch it if it intrigues you enough and also because it’s more hopeful than you may think.
Starring Nicole Kidman, Sebastian Stan, Bradley Whitford and directed by Karyn Kusama, Destroyer is the story of the moral and existential odyssey of an LAPD detective named Erin Bell.
Bell decides to reconnect with people from an undercover assignment in her distant past in order to make peace…
I’m in for what looks like a really good Kidman performance and to understand the nature of the wrongs that led to Bell needing to make peace.
Tatiana Maslany, Shamier Anderson, Toby Kebbell, Scoot McNairy and Toby Huss also star.
The Upside is a remake of French film The Intouchables (2011), the story of the relationship between a wealthy paraplegic and an unemployed man with a criminal record who’s hired to help him.
Bryan Cranston, Kevin Hart and Nicole Kidman star while Neil Burger directs…
There’s no denying it, The Intouchables is a great movie and could have done without a remake. At the same time though, I think I may actually have fun seeing how different this remake is to the original. I could also be wrong about that last statement but I don’t mind finding out. Furthermore, I want to see what comedian Kevin Hart can do in a more dramatic role.
Julianna Margulies, Golshifteh Farahani, Tate Donovan and Aja Naomi King also star.
In Aquaman, Jason Momoa is Arthur; a man who learns of his position as heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. Arthur must step forward to lead his people and become a hero to the world.
Directed by James Wan; key cast includes Momoa, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Randall Park…
I’m in for the visual spectacle and to see Momoa do a good job.
The cast also includes Patrick Wilson, and Willem Dafoe.
