Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

The Menu and Glass Onion

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I am a sucker for murder mysteries and both of these movies delivered everything I like in good ones!  “The Menu” isn’t a true whodunit, but more like a why’d-he-do-that and the mystery is who, if anyone, will escape unscathed.  “Glass  Onion,” (a sequel to Knives Out) on the other hand, will have you guessing the whole time.  Both movies come to a satisfying conclusion.  “The Menu” stars Ralph Fiennes as a very talented high-end chef who serves an exclusive, and very expensive, meal every year to a small group of hoity-toity rich people.  Some of the guests this time are Ana Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo, Judith Light, and Janet McTeer just to name a few.    It becomes increasingly clear (not to mention horrifying)  that  the chef has conjured up more than just a meal.  The fun of this extremly dark comedy  is in figuring out who will still be around by the time the sixth course is finished.  Shout out to Hong Chau as the maitre d’  of the restaurant, who is just as subtly creepy and mysterious as the chef.

Part of the fun of “Glass Onion” rests with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Detective Benoit Blanc.  His acting and accent are spot on and the little tidbits we find out about his personality and private life are intriguing.  The set up for the story is that self-centered billionaire, Ed Norton (at his unlovable best) has sent invitations to a close knit group of his “friends” to spend a weekend playing a murder mystery game.  The guests include Kate Hudson, Janelle Monae, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, and Leslie Odom Jr.  Of course, there is a real murder and it is very convienent that Detective Blanc is there to peel away the many layers of this “onion” mystery.  Look for two cameos.  One, I will not spoil because you will recognize him right away.  The other one, well, I won’t spoil that one either.  I’ll just  say that you will see him several times.  Let me know if you recognized him before the credits rolled, or you googled who it was.  🙂

I highly recommend both of these movies. Which ever you choose, you are in for an entertaining time.

Death on the Nile

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If you are a fan of Agatha Christie, whodunits, Egypt, glamorous globetrotters or Kenneth Branagh; I have just the movie for you.  Sir Kenneth once again plays Hercule Poirot (returning as the classic Belgian detective with the little grey cells whom we last saw in Murder on the Orient Express),  He is taking a break from sleuthing by embarking on a relaxing vacation in Egypt.  Vacation abruptly turns into a murder investigation when one of the passengers on a private yacht is murdered.  It is obvious that someone on board is guilty of course, but who?  Therein lies the fun of the movie.  A myriad of characters and suspects are introduced.  All have hidden secrets and motives. There is the glamorous Linnet Doyle (Gal Gadot) who stole her girlfriend’s (Emma Mackey) fiancée.  The latter is stalking Linnet and her ex fiancée.  Armie Hammer plays the sleazy playboy – who may or may not only be after his new wife’s money.  Then there is Hercule’s old friend, Bouc, and his snarky artistic mother Euphemia – as well as Linnet’s ex fiancé, her personal maid and her lawyer, who all have something to hide.  The writer has added a backstory to explain why Poirot wears such massive moustaches.  This was not in any of the books I have read (I think I have read just about all of them), but I felt it was well-done and added to Poirot’s character.  Also two additional characters have been added:  Jazz singer Sophie Okenedo and her manager played by Leticia Wright, both with their own suspicious pasts.  There are so many characters, though, that some really get the short end of the stick as far as time on camera:  Russell Brand, Rose Leslie, Dawn French, and Jennifer Saunders immediately come to mind.  Anyway, this movie is exactly what you’d expect out of a whodunit – great scenery, lavish sets and costumes, tons of red herrings, a plethora of suspects and a twist ending.  The thing that keeps me from giving this movie my highest rating is I do think it was too long and dragged in the middle.  But still, I am a big fan of whodunits, and if you are too, you are still going to want to catch this one (and hopefully the next one).

Knives Out

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“Knives Out” is an old-fashioned who dunnit and I mean that in the best possible way.  “Knives Out” is packed full of talented performances, from seasoned troupers like Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Christopher Plummer and Michael Shannon.  Who dunnits always include a murder, suspects and an old spooky mansion.  This movie has it all and then some!  The house is full of esoteric antiques, secret rooms and doors, dark corners and creaky stairs.  Everyone, and I mean everyone, is a suspect.  The action centers on the apparent “suicide” of patriarch millionaire Harlan Thrombey, played by Chrisopher Plummer.  He is found in his study with a slit throat – which the police are considering a suicide.  In walks private detective Benoit Blanc (deliciously played by Daniel Criag. He’s not just James Bond anymore!) who believes the death may have been a murder most foul.  He interviews the motley collection of relatives who ALL have a motive, and one seemingly saintly care giver (played perfectly by Ana de Armas) who appears to be the only person in the house Harlan could stand.  This movie is going to remind you of Clue, Murder She Wrote, KFC, Foghorn Leghorn, and Agatha Christie, but with modern touches thrown in.  I couldn’t really spoil the plot if I tried because there are several reveals and all is not as it seems to be (of course).  This movie is a lot of fun to watch and I imagine the actors had fun playing their parts to the hilt.  I am giving this movie a golden apple because, well I throughly enjoyed it, and on this Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for movies that entertain and surprise me.  What more do we need on Thanksgiving? turkey, stuffing, gravy……….

Where’d you Go, Bernadette?

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I never read the novel that this movie is based on, and after seeing the movie, I really don’t want to.  “Where’d You Go Bernadette” is billed as a comedy/mystery/drama; but it really wasn’t funny, the drama was more like drama queen and the mystery wasn’t really a mystery.  It was all quite contrived, and I actually found it quite boring.   Bernadette is an architect who at first was considered a wunderkind, but who hasn’t worked in twenty years – mainly because  she had a failure and she can’t get over it.  Through a series of events (I think these were supposed to be funny), Bernadette is seen to be mentaly unstable and her husband considers having her committed.  There is a ridiculous FBI agent and investigation that really don’t add a thing to the story. When she learns of all this, through a psychologist/FBI ‘intervention,’ Bernadette disappears.  However, the audience, and even her family, knows where she is.  So there is no mystery there.  Despite this, Cate Blanchett gives it as good a try as she can as Bernadette, but the character is kind of annoying and really not very believable. Even more annoying is Kristen Wiig’s turn as the most obnoxious social climbing, controlling, PC, helicopter mom and neighbor as you’d ever hate to know. I can’t recommend this, and I am sure you can find better things to watch.

Murder on the Orient Express

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I started reading Agatha Christie murder mysteries in fifth grade and have been enamored ever since.  I saw the 1974 movie version and have read the novel several times.  In fact, knowing that the movie was coming out, I decided to reread the novel once more.  Kenneth Branaugh has made a worthy vehicle for Christie’s great who-done-it.  He also stars as  Hercules Poirot, the little Belgian detective with the fastidious mustache  who uses his grey cells to outwit and catch killers.  In order to appreciate a movie like this, you need to know going in that there will be no explosions, car chases, romance or sex (or innuendo for that matter).  You will get, however, an entertaining movie as you try to figure out who killed the despicable Mr. Ratchett, played by a remarkably restrained Johnny Depp.  The cast is chock full of acting talent,  You have relative newbie Daisy Ridley all the way up to the venerable Dame Judy Dench as suspects in the crime.  Other notables include Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad, Leslie Odom, Jr. and two of my favorite British actors, Derek Jacobi  and Olivia Coleman.  I heard Mr. Branaugh say in an interview that they built a replica train for this movie and it is quite something to behold.  In fact, they have done a superlative job of recreating the mystique, glamour and elegance of an era now fading from memory. The set (the train, really) and the scenery from Egypt to the snowy Balkan mountains, are breathtakingly realistic.  If you enjoy movies like Gosford Park or television shows like Downton Abbey, I think you will enjoy Murder on the Orient Express.