Directed by: Benh Zeitlin
Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Release date: February 28, 2020 Streaming Online Video
Genre: Drama and Fantasy
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
The classic story of Peter Pan is wildly reimagined in this fascinating epic from Benh Zeitlin, director of Beasts of the Southern Wild. This is a story of children lost on a mysterious island where aging and time have come unglued, and Wendy must fight to save her family, her freedom, and the joyous spirit of youth from the deadly peril of growing up.
Starting with a backstory, the plot begins as Angela Darling (Shay Walker) works as a waitress as Darling's Diner near a railroad in the rural South, with her young children - twins James and Douglas (Gavin and Gage Naquin), and youngest daughter Wendy (baby Tommie Lynn Milazzo, child Devin France, and adult Stephanie Lynn Wilson) - hanging around there. Oldest sibing youngster Thomas (Krzysztof Meyn), having his birthday one day, is jokingly told by his grandmother that he and Angela's children that they'll be working at the diner when they grow up. Insisting that he'll be a pirate, Thomas goes outside at the thought of having to get older and work. A train passes by, and a small figure runs on the roof and gets Thomas to climb onto the train as Wendy watches as he runs away.
Years later, Wendy is nine years old and has a thirst for adventure, coming up with bedtime stories to read to herself, despite assisting he mother with the diner along with her brothers. One night, Angela tells them about her life, indicating that she gave up her dreams to raise a family, making Wendy wonder whether she will have to give up her own dreams as a grown-up. After school, Wendy contemplates boarding the train, but does not. However, another night she notices a boy at her window - it's Peter Pan (Yashua Mack), a rambunctious boy who influences Wendy and her brothers to jump on the train and go on an adventure.
The children travel to a lost island. This takes the audience to a dark netherworld (another dimension) with mythical creatures, where events are unlikely to occur in real life. It all transcends the bounds of human possibility and physical laws. As the film takes on the form of the Peter Pan fairy tale with elements of magic, myth, wonder, and the extraordinary, it offers obstacles of a quest. Yet, the mood and tone is very dark, lending a murky texture on screen. The theme is often ghostly, depicting spirits, apparitions, and miracles, all for the delight of audience escapism.
Wendy is a uniquely structure narrative that gives praise to a fine mostly child ensemble, and they will captivate the viewers.
FILM RATING (B-)
Friday, February 28, 2020
Friday, February 21, 2020
EMMA
Directed by: Autumn de Wilde
Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Release date: February 21, 2020
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Adaptation, and Remake
Distributor: Focus Features
MPAA Rating: PG
A novel first published in 1815 by Jane Austen, tells a story about youthful hubris and romantic misunderstandings. The setting is a fictional country village of Highbury and the surrounding estates of Hartfield, Randalls, and Donwell Abbey and involves the relationships among people from a small number of families.
Emma, is a tale that explores the difficulties and concerns of genteel women living in the Georgian-Regency England. The narrative is focused on Emma Woodhouse, a handsome, clever, and rich nearly 21 year old woman. She lives in a comfortable home with very little to distress her spoiled, headstrong, and self-satisfying personality; she greatly overestimates her own matchmaking abilities; she is blind to the dangers of meddling in other people's lives; and her imagination and perceptions often lead her astray.
In this formulated romantic dramedy, with mis-matched lovers and female relationships, the plot is melodramatic and gives a rise to gal-pal scenarios. Yet, it is also a film depicting family crises and emotional carthasis along with empowering female bonding situations.
The all-encompassing cast is led by Emma Wodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy), the protagonist. She is a beautiful, high-spirited, intelligent, and slightly spoiled young woman from the landed gentry. Her mothe died when she was young, which delegates her as mistress of the house of Hartfield since her older sister Isabella got married. Emma is portrayed as compassionate to the poor, but at the same time has a strong sense of class status. Although she has vowed she will never marry, she delights in making matches for others. She has a brief flirtation with Frank Churchill (Callum Turner), an amiable young man liked by almost everyone, although Emma's friend/critic and neighbor Mr. George Knightley (Johnny Flynn) sees him as immature and selfish for failing to visit his once widowed father after his new wedding.
This 1800s period piece film is a sprawling epic and an engaging brilliant romp that covers a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop. The production takes on an extravagant setting and period, lavish costumes, and accompany everything with grandeur and spectacle, dramatic scope, high production values, and a sweeping musical score.
Emma has been the subject of many adaptations for film, TV, radio and the stage. Film adaptations: 1995 Clueless, 1996 Emma, and 2010 Aisha. There are also, 8 TV adaptations and 5 stage productions.
The outstanding supporting cast members, Bill Nighy as patriarch Mr. Woodhouse, Mia Goth, Myra McFadyen, Josh O'Connor, Rupert Graves, Gemma Whelan, Amber Anderson, Miranda Hart, Tanya Reynolds, Suzy Bloom Vanessa M. Owen, and Isis Hainsworth make this modernized narrative a quite moving and enjoyable addition to Jane Austen's legacy.
FILM RATING (B)
Directed by: Autumn de Wilde
Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Release date: February 21, 2020
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Adaptation, and Remake
Distributor: Focus Features
MPAA Rating: PG
A novel first published in 1815 by Jane Austen, tells a story about youthful hubris and romantic misunderstandings. The setting is a fictional country village of Highbury and the surrounding estates of Hartfield, Randalls, and Donwell Abbey and involves the relationships among people from a small number of families.
Emma, is a tale that explores the difficulties and concerns of genteel women living in the Georgian-Regency England. The narrative is focused on Emma Woodhouse, a handsome, clever, and rich nearly 21 year old woman. She lives in a comfortable home with very little to distress her spoiled, headstrong, and self-satisfying personality; she greatly overestimates her own matchmaking abilities; she is blind to the dangers of meddling in other people's lives; and her imagination and perceptions often lead her astray.
In this formulated romantic dramedy, with mis-matched lovers and female relationships, the plot is melodramatic and gives a rise to gal-pal scenarios. Yet, it is also a film depicting family crises and emotional carthasis along with empowering female bonding situations.
The all-encompassing cast is led by Emma Wodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy), the protagonist. She is a beautiful, high-spirited, intelligent, and slightly spoiled young woman from the landed gentry. Her mothe died when she was young, which delegates her as mistress of the house of Hartfield since her older sister Isabella got married. Emma is portrayed as compassionate to the poor, but at the same time has a strong sense of class status. Although she has vowed she will never marry, she delights in making matches for others. She has a brief flirtation with Frank Churchill (Callum Turner), an amiable young man liked by almost everyone, although Emma's friend/critic and neighbor Mr. George Knightley (Johnny Flynn) sees him as immature and selfish for failing to visit his once widowed father after his new wedding.
This 1800s period piece film is a sprawling epic and an engaging brilliant romp that covers a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop. The production takes on an extravagant setting and period, lavish costumes, and accompany everything with grandeur and spectacle, dramatic scope, high production values, and a sweeping musical score.
Emma has been the subject of many adaptations for film, TV, radio and the stage. Film adaptations: 1995 Clueless, 1996 Emma, and 2010 Aisha. There are also, 8 TV adaptations and 5 stage productions.
The outstanding supporting cast members, Bill Nighy as patriarch Mr. Woodhouse, Mia Goth, Myra McFadyen, Josh O'Connor, Rupert Graves, Gemma Whelan, Amber Anderson, Miranda Hart, Tanya Reynolds, Suzy Bloom Vanessa M. Owen, and Isis Hainsworth make this modernized narrative a quite moving and enjoyable addition to Jane Austen's legacy.
FILM RATING (B)
PREMATURE review by Gerald Wright
Directed by: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Running time: 86 minutes
Release date: February 21, 2020 Prime Video Streaming
Genre: Drama, Romance, Coming of Age, and Arthouse
Distributor: IFC Films
MPAA Rating: Not rated
In a film co-written by director Green and lead actress Zora Howard comes a story of a young African-American woman finding herself on the precipice of adulthood as she navigates her way through the highs and lows of a life-changing summer romance in Harlem, New York.
Set against the backdrop of a changing Harlem landscape, it all begins on a summer night in the uptown Manhattan community during her last months at home before starting college, a seventeen-year-old poet Ayanna (Zora Howard) meets Isaiah (Joshua Boone), a charming music producer who has just moved to the city. It is not long before these two artistic souls are drawn together in a passionate summer romance. However, this is not to be categorized as a simple romantic young love story, where affairs of the heart that center on just passion, emotion, and the romantic, affectionate involvement of the main characters, and the journey that their love takes through courtship.
This is a serious, plot-driven presentation, portraying realistic African-American characters and life situations. It is a story depicting the natural order of uptown New York City, with its atmosphere and personalities. This is a breakthrough performance by Zora Howard, a Harlem-bred multidisciplinary creator and performer. Her poise and formidable engagement to the camera is sensational. The contemporary stories involving intense character development and interaction of the youth in the uptown community setting is genuine, as the plot evolves around the mysterious outsider and Ayanna. Her entire world is turned upside down on her path towards self-discovery as she travails the rigorous terrain of young love the summer before she leaves for college.
The dialogue is realistic and raw, which gives credibility to each character in the cast. Their performances are sensational and is a great addition to an impeccable script exploring love, Black America, single mothers, and a mother daughter relationship. Using Harlem as a backdrop, naturally ignites the pacing and rhythm, along with a great jazzy music score - it sets a unique tone.
This is a very good romantic coming-of-age dramatic narrative capturing a glimpse of intellectual and artistic black youth searching for eternal truth, with the life journey of confusion along the way.
FILM RATING (A+)
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