SMALLS FEELS THE POWER OF THE DOG

 This review was originally posted to Letterboxd on December 5, 2021.

A western tackling themes of masculinity. Rancher brothers Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons) are seemingly starting to grow apart. It doesn't help that George is quiet, soft-spoken, and sensitive while Phil is a brash, rough bully. The rift in the brotherly bond only gets worse when George marries Rose (Kirsten Dunst), whom has an effeminate and odd son named Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Peter's and Rose's increased presence in his life doesn't take long to get under Phil's skin, and the jerk takes most chances he gets to torment Rose and Peter...that is, until Peter makes a surprising discovery about Phil that changes the dynamic between the two.

Power of The Dog's cast is pretty top tier, and everyone brings their A game. Kisten Dunst as Rose brings a fragility and vulnerability to her struggling housewife, who cannot cope with the new expectations placed upon her. This is easily one of Dunst's best performances. Plemons likewise is very sweet and likable as a man who seems to have grown out of love with the life he's living and the people he's surrounded by until Rose and Peter enter the picture.

Kodi Smit McPhee continues to impress, though he doesn't really enter the film until an hour in (not counting his two or so scenes in the first act). Peter is a genuinely odd presence who manages to continually emanate warmth, yet Power of The Dog continually teases us with the possibility that he might be poised to go down a much darker path. All this said, it's really Benedict Cumberbatch who steals the show. Power of The Dog focuses on Phil for almost all of the run time, and this is almost more his story than it is anyone else's. He has a rich, interesting, and sad backstory that explains why he is the way he is but doesn't excuse his behavior. The multiple scenes where Phil gets to spend some much needed alone time are haunting and gorgeous.

The friendship that starts to form between Phil and Peter is the basis for the last 25 minutes or so of the film, and it's here where things really start to get interesting. Peter starts to become a bit more like Phil (much to Rose's horror and concern), and Phil begins to soften up a bit. Of course, things aren't exactly how they appear. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the score by Jonny Greenwood, which is minimalist, folk-sy, and damn near close to perfect.

The choice to use an "Old West" setting to explore themes of warring masculinities is an inspired one that works incredibly well (though, this film is based upon the 19667 novel of the same name). Power of The Dog is a film boasting a strong cast, permeated by strong performances, with some big topics to talk about. It's definitely recommended viewing as not only is it a exceptionally well-crafted film, but what it has to say about masculinity is worth hearing as well.

4.5 STARS

DO LICORICE AND PIZZA GO TOGETHER?

 This review was originally posted to Letterboxd on January 3, 2022.

A comfy, chill film. They get the 1970s perfectly, and you feel transported back to that era for the full run time. Bradley Cooper steals his 3-4 scenes as an unhinged Jon Peters (a rich film producer). Paul Thomas Anderson directs the shit out of the film (he's on his A game here), and the cinematography by Paul Thomas Anderson and Michael Bauman is delightful and often impressive. The soundtrack is tops as well. 

The stars of the show are Cooper Hoffman (son of the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman) as Gary Valentine and Alana Haim ( of the band HAIM, her family appear as supporting characters as well) as Alana Kane. Gary is a 15 year old child actor and "entrepreneur" (aka a hustler, making money off the latest trends). Alana is a woman in her 20s (The film throws the ages 25 and 28 at us, but we are never given her true age) who is working an unfulfilling job as an assistant for companies that do school photos. 

This is how Gary and Alana meet. Unlikely as it may be, there are sparks almost immediately. They wind up working together on one of Gary's schemes selling water beds (the first of several schemes). The film proper follows our two unlikely "friends" as they go on several adventures over the course of one summer.

Licorice Pizza's central relationship is challenging, unconventional, and a bit ick. Gary and Alana are more than friends but less than lovers. They are both asked multiple times what exactly they are and neither can put a name to it. Hoffman and Haim have a natural chemistry, and work off of each other well. 

This counts as Hoffman's and Haim's first film roles, and it's a rare treat to watch two new stars be born in front of you. The characters of Gary and Alana are very likable, though they make questionable decisions throughout and are full of flaws and insecurities. Alana has a clear, desperate ache to be famous/cool, and despite affecting a too-cool-for-school attitude, she continually seeks approval from males (most of whom are older and view her as an object). 

Gary is the one guy in Alana's life who comes closest to seeing her as a person (not to mention he tries not to overstep boundaries with her). That said, Gary is a bit of a lothario as he is seen courting multiple girls closer to his age (Which Alana gets visibly jealous over).  It's enjoyable to watch these two, however it's not exactly easy to root for them to wind up together (The age gap is quite significant, not to mention he's under-age). 

Not much really happens in the movie, as Licorice Pizza has a very relaxed, loose vibe. There isn't much plot, but the proceedings are usually entertaining and a good deal of the film is very funny. This is Paul Thomas Anderson back in Boogie Nights form, and Licorice Pizza definitely reminds of the former as well as of Dazed and Confused. Despite a questionable romance at it's core, Licorice Pizza is a ton of fun and a great time at the theater.

5 STARS

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME BRINGS THE HOME TRILOGY TO AN EMOTIONALLY RICH CLOSE

 This review was originally posted to Letterboxd on December 17, 2021.

In No Way Home, we pick up immediately after the mid-credits scene from Far From Home. Peter has just had his identity leaked to the public by J. Jonah Jameson. Not only has his life just been forcibly flipped on it’s ear, so have the lives of the people who know and love him. 

In an attempt to fix things, Peter goes to Dr. Strange for help. He asks him to cast a spell to make everyone forget who Spider-Man is, but as the spell is being cast, Pete has second thoughts and tries to alter it. The spell is botched and aborted, but unfortunately the damage has been done. 

Villains from alternate universes begin to get sucked into Peter’s reality, and it’s up to him to capture them and fix his latest mistake. Naturally, Peter’s inclination to always try to do the right thing will only get him into deeper trouble as we follow him on his quest. 

No Way Home is Sony/Marvel’s most ambitious Spidey film yet. It’s also filled with nostalgic moments, throw backs/references to previous films, and fan service. Luckily, none of it is bad. It’s not often a film that has been this highly anticipated is able to live up to the hype, but No Way Home doesn’t just live up to the hype, it exceeds some expectations as well.

No Way Home’s cast remains pretty solid. Marissa Tomei is unforgettable as Aunt May, and she has some real killer moments here ( one scene in particular stands out). Jon Favreau is still very sweet and funny as Happy Hogan. Tom Holland continues to make for a great Spider-Man/Peter Parker. He is really put through the wringer here, and his arc in this outing is rich and satisfying. His choices, decisions, and mistakes will have lasting repercussions. 

Zendaya’s MJ is still very spunky, sarcastic, and cute. Her relationship with Peter is very sweet and believable, until the end where the film tries to advance the relationship too quickly. It plays up a specific moment, and it didn’t land quite the way they wanted it to. 

Jacob Batalon returns as Ned, and the film beats him with a stick. Ned is done dirty here, and he doesn’t feel like the Ned we knew and loved from previous films, Here, Ned is dealing with the fear that he might not be Peter’s best friend. His arc is lame, and it’s very annoying to watch this sad-sack, depressed version of Ned. That said, Ned does get some moments to shine in the third act and he doesn’t necessarily end where he started.

Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role of Dr. Strange. In this film, Strange is no longer Sorcerer Supreme due to him being blipped for 5 years (now Wong is Sorcerer Supreme). Strange is not a mentor to Peter, nor is he a friend. Peter makes some choices here that really piss off Strange. They aren’t enemies, but they do find themselves opposing each other during a critical scene. Cumberbatch continues to display a dry wit throughout and still charms in the role. 

J.K. Simmons returns as J. Jonah Jameson. Here, J.J. is the head of a low-budget internet news show called The Daily Bugle. This version of the character seems to be a jab at shows like InfoWars and the like. It’s not a bad idea, but he isn’t given much screen time and his character gets almost no development. 

Now for the villains. Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, Thomas Haden Church, and Rhys Ifans reprise their roles as Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Electro, Sandman, and The Lizard respectively. Alfred Molina remains one of the best villains of all time as Doc Ock. His character is exactly the same as we remember him from Spider-Man 2. His fight scene with Spidey on the bridge is a stand-out. Speaking of the fight scenes, each one is memorable, exciting, and thrilling. 

Not much is done with Lizard and Sandman. Sandman has some cool scenes showcasing his powers, but that’s about it. Lizard remains a formidable threat, but is mostly used for laughs. It’s just super cool they got Rhys Ifans and Thomas Haden Church to return, despite them not being used effectively. 

Jamie Foxx returns as Electro. This Electro is certainly better than the one we got in Amazing Spider-Man 2. In No Way Home, Electro’s motivations are he doesn’t want to lose his power and he doesn’t want to die. It's appreciated he gets his headpiece from the comics.

All this said, at the end of the day one villain looms large over the rest: Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin. The OG is back! Goblin here loses his mask early on, and dons loose-fitting, green and purple hobo-esque-clothes that become his iconic Goblin garb later. Dafoe sans mask is truly unhinged, relishing the chance to act with his face/ facial expressions as Goblin. Dafoe doesn’t need a mask to be scary or to convince as Goblin, his face IS his mask.

The Green Goblin in No Way Home is Spidey’s greatest threat. Goblin is even more demented, insane, and evil here than he was in the first Spider-Man film. He laughs in bliss as Spidey pounds the crap out of his face in one scene. One of his goals is to bring Spidey to his knees, his other goal... I won’t spoil. Needless to say Dafoe’s Goblin remains the greatest villain in any Spider-Man film, and his presence here only makes No Way Home that much better.

Despite all this, No Way Home is not a perfect film. The first act isn’t the best. It does take a while to get to the spell, but once the spell is cast things start picking up. Regardless, if the third act doesn’t get your adrenaline spiking, you likely don’t have a pulse. No Way Home also showcases Marvel’s tendency to lean into humor. Most of the comedy works, but there are some cringe moments and a joke involving ‘The Equalizer’ landed with a resounding thud in my theater. 

The villains are in the film a good deal, but they get very little development (you have to watch the previous Spidey films to get their development). Here, they essentially act as antagonistic forces and as a delivery system of sorts for the message Peter has to learn. They serve an important purpose, but it felt like more could have been done with them. It is nice that No Way Home goes out of it’s way to wrap up each villains arc from their previous film, but in doing so it raises further questions about their fates and the fates of their respective universes. 

No Way Home is likely the most Peter Parker-centric film we’ve gotten since The Amazing Spider-Man. No Way Home is all about Peter Parker, his innocence/naiveté, the mistakes he makes, and what he learns from those mistakes. No Way Home sees Peter ultimately go through a sort of ego death by the end, and the path laid for future installments is uncertain but fascinating.

At the end of the day, No Way Home swings for the stars and actually hits its target for the most part. I haven’t even mentioned how delightfully weird it is, and how some scenes might make your head hurt in a good way. No Way Home brings this Spidey trilogy to an emotionally rich and satisfying close while also finding ways to thrill and delight long-time fans. No Way Home is likely one of the best times you’ll have in a theater this year. See it with a large, reactive crowd. Spider-fans rejoice!

4.5 STARS

SUMMER STARTS EARLY WITH DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

 A horror-tinged Sam Raimi Marvel flick. Think a mixture of The Evil Dead, Spider-Man 2, and Everything Everywhere All At Once (but toned down from an 11 to an 8.5). This is a HARD PG-13. There is blood, there are lots of deaths (and I’m not talking about getting dusted), and Multiverse is not afraid to get strange. You might want to leave the young ones at home.

In Multiverse, when America Chavez ( Xochitl Gomez) lands in our reality, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumbetbatch) is compelled to help. America is in possession of multiverse hopping powers that Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) desperately wants to use, even if it means sucking the powers (and life) out of the young girl. So begins a mad chase through the multiverse.

Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness is Sam Raimi’s grand return to the big screen after a 9 year hiatus, as well as his welcome return to the superhero genre after an absence of 15 years! Much of Raimi’s sensibilities and his trademark style make it into this film. There is no mistaking it’s Raimi behind the lens. He consistently goes for broke. This definitely could annoy some, but Raimi fans should be thoroughly titillated. This is Raimi’s long-awaited return, and it’s worth it!

Michael Waldron gets the sole writing credit. Most well known for creating the Disney + series Loki, this is his first feature film. The writing is serviceable, but many of Waldron’s eccentricities that were evident in Loki pop up here as well. It works for Multiverse, and him and Raimi make for a surprisingly great pair.

John Mathieson (Gladiator, Logan) is in charge of cinematography. Bob Murawski (Sam Rami’s Spider-Man trilogy, Drag Me To Hell) and Tia Nolan ( Bewitched, Friends With Benefits) do editing. In their hands, the movie is consistently a marvel to look at. They all do incredible, dazzling work. Thanks to them, Multiverse is the best a Marvel film has looked in a while.

Danny Elfman composes the score for the movie. His efforts amount to what is undoubtedly his best modern day work (the fight scene with musical notes remains a highlight, although there are numerous other sonically satisfying scenes throughout). The album for Multiverse is the rare Marvel score that is worth a purchase or download.

The visual effects work is to be commended as well. There are plenty of zany designs, as well as a decent amount of the grotesque. One stand-out is Gargantos (the first alien that Strange has to save America Chavez from on Earth). The design of the creature is beautifully silly and cartoony. It looks like it was dropped right out of a comic book.

Benedict Cumberbatch returns to play the lovable narcissist Dr. Stephen Strange. He is given a lot more to work with this time. He gets to play multiple versions of himself, and seems to have a blast doing so. He also gets an emotional arc about his happiness, and he is faced with temptations that threaten to corrupt him. Strange is still not my favorite Marvel character, but he might be at his most interesting in this outing.

Elizabeth Olsen knocks it out of the park as The Scarlet Witch, a terrifying supreme being who wields the power to re-write reality, influence minds, possess people, and more. This is our Scarlet Witch villain movie and it’s great! There are scenes featuring her that feel ripped out of a horror film. Those unfamiliar with the Disney + series WandaVision might want to do some catching up before viewing this sequel, as that show establishes The Scarlet Witch’s backstory and motivation (Technically Multiverse is a sequel to *deep breath* Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, WandaVision, and Loki). Either way, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch makes for an appropriately scary and powerful tragic villain that ranks in as one of the MCU’s best.

Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez is given almost no time to shine. She gets little development, and almost acts as a Macguffin. She has very little agency, as she has to rely on others to save her throughout almost the entire run time. Her role mostly consists of screaming and running. Hopefully she is treated better in future movies.

Benedict Wong returns as Wong, the current Sorcerer Supreme and best friend to Strange. He is in the film a good deal, as he is invested in saving America Chavez and stopping the Scarlet Witch. Wong is a fan favorite character, and he gets to be a bad-ass for most of his scenes. He gets plenty of fights, and remains a very memorable presence in the MCU. 

Rachel McAdams makes a re-appearance as Dr. Christine Palmer. She gets more screen time (appearing for a decent amount of the latter acts) and is given more to do this go round. There are also two surprise cameos that should please fans, but I can’t talk about those here, so instead allow me to praise Bruce Campbell. He gets only a handful of minutes, but he makes them count. What can I say, man’s still got it.

A lot is thrown at the screen in Multiverse. The word of the day is: Madcap. There is much craziness to be sampled in this dark superhero flick. The film makes the most of it’s multiversal, anything-goes rules to craft one hell of a dizzying, insane spectacle ( There are definitely some things I would have never expected to see in a Marvel movie). Unfortunately, there isn’t much plot as the proceedings are essentially one big chase (think Mad Max: Fury Road). That said, it’s a very fun, crazy chase that holds your attention for most of the run time.

Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness is Marvel’s first solo Multiverse flick, and it’s a success. Sam Raimi makes his triumphant return to the big screen, proving that time has not rusted his unique talent. If you’re looking for a new take on the good old fashioned popcorn munching big budget summer blockbuster, Multiverse of Madness is the ticket. It’s certainly a strange marvel.

4.5 Stars

EDIT: I did see this in RealD 3D in the back row of my theater. The 3-D was very good, and shone in some scenes. It might have added a sense of scale to some parts (but seeing it on an IMAX screen would likely do the same, and from my understanding Multiverse was shot entirely with IMAX cameras), but it definitely added some depth. Very few things flew out of the screen. You won't be wasting your money on the 3-D ticket should you go this route as the 3D is quite good, but you'll be just as fine if you opt to save your hard earned dollar and go for 2D instead.