Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Cruella

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There has been a continuing trend these days in television and movies to make prequels. Cruella is the latest movie to take an old favorite, in this case, 101 Dalmatians, and attempt to give us the back story. I did not hold out high hopes for a live action prequel to one of the lesser Disney animated movies. So, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Well done to all concerned! Emma Stone is excellent as Estella, a problem causing girl, who was born with two-toned hair and a rather dark side to her personality that she nicknames Cruella. She causes enough difficulties that she and her mother have to head for London – with a stop where her mother hopes for help from a mysterious potential benefactor. Estella manages to get into trouble – again!- and the dogs are set on her. She is eventually orphaned! The story follows Estella as she makes her way to London, where she is befriended by two lovable (and slightly clueless) street urchins a la Oliver Twist. Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser play these lovable petty criminals as a kind of Laurel and Hardy. After some clever and comic grifting, Emma, who with her friends is no longer a kid, moves on to pursue a career in fashion, something that was always in her dreams. Estella starts out as a janitor at an upscale clothiers, and is noticed by “THE Barroness,” a very haughty, influential clothing designer. She catches the Baroness’s eye, and favor, and works her way up to assistant before finally branching out to create her own designing company. And she’s ready to take on this Baroness. Enter Cruella! The duels between the two are lively and fierce. Emma Thompson has a field day playing the supremely arrogant and overbearing fashion designer Baroness; who eventually is revealed to be an individual much more cruel than Cruella herself as her rivalry with Estella intensifies. Rounding out the cast is Mark Strong who seems to be a henchman to the Baroness, but turns out to be something else. I wouldn’t be surprised if both Emmas were nominated for awards, their acting is just that good and so captivating! Throw in a great soundtrack, gorgeous costumes, bold effects, two cute dogs and some twists and turns and you have quite a thrilling ride. I strongly urge you to NOT watch this movie on Apple Plus. This is one of those movies that is too big for a mere TV screen. Do yoourself a favor and see this one on a big screen. You won’t be sorry.

Zombieland : Double Tap

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Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin are back in fine form as our favorite zombie killers (Yes, I love Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and even Night of the Living Dead, so no disrespect).  This time our intrepid companions face some new versions of old threats.  There are still the slow-moving, dumb zombies – the Homers. But there are mutated quicker and smarter zombies – the Hawkings and even worse, the Ninjas, nicknamed the T-800, who are smart and relentless.  If that weren’t enough, Columbus (Eisenberg) has caused Wichita (Stone) to leave when he professes his love for her.  Then Little Rock (Breslin) runs away with a peace-loving hippy named Berkley (Avan Jogia).  This causes Wichita to come back and with Tallahassee (Harrelson) they drive off on an expedition that takes them from their comfy home in the White House to Graceland to the hippy paradise of Babylon.  On their way, they meet some new characters. One is played by Zoey Deutch as Madison, the blonde (of course) dim bulb who has survived the apocalypse by living in a freezer. Rosario Dawson is Nevada, and runs the Hound Dog Hotel near Graceland which holds all the Elvis memorabilia from his old homestead. But Abuquerque and Flagstaff ( Luke Wilson and Michael Middleditch) earn a New Character award from me as two partners at the hotel who have an uncanny resemblance to Tallahassee and Columbus. And they haven’t even gotten to Babylon yet! Are you a little confused? Don’t worry. There is so much action, you just have to see it to get it. Once you get into the flow, it will all be clear. This movie is everything that made the first Zombieland so endearing.  If you loved the first one, you will not be disappointed. Stay for one of the best post-credit scenes ever and you will be pleasantly surprised by a great cameo.  Not only that, but there is a very short after all the credits scene that is just fun.  Zombies might be gross, disgusting and undead, but Zombieland is anything but.  A real treat!!

The Favorite

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This movie seemingly has everything I love in a good historical movie:  great costumes, fantastic sets, stellar acting,interesting  plot, intrigues and crisp writing.  And yet, I can not give this movie a golden apple.  Let’s start with what ‘s good.  The three main actresses pull off an acting coup. Olivia Coleman is spot-on as dumpy nearsighted English Queen Anne, who lets her favorites dictate her political decisions.  Rachel Weisz is equally compelling as the Queen’s long time favorite, Sarah Churchill (Winston’s grandmother), the Duchess of Marlborough.  She schemes to stay in favor and control of the monarch, and is deliciously ruthless.  Emma Stone shows surprising depth (to me anyway) as Sarah’s cousin, a down on her luck aristocrat who ditches her morals, but gains the Queen’s ear.  Everything is very satirical and tongue in cheek, with delightful bitchy dialogue.   The decadence of the last Stewart court and the conniving and back stabbing is delicous to watch.  However, I didn’t enjoy the way the movie plays fast and loose with historical facts.  Queen Anne is given to hedonistic escapades that probably have no basis in facts.  I found that whole aspect of the film rather seedy and I am definitely no prude.  Queen Anne is portrayed as something of an imbecile, which also doesn’t seem to be based in fact either.  Many kings had their favorites and exchanged sex for favors, so I do not have a problem if that is what Queen Anne did, but I just don’t like the way her affairs are portrayed in the movie.  The other thing lacking in this movie is someone to root for.  There are definitely no heroes or heroines for that matter to root for.  Excpt maybe the rabbits.

LaLa Land

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Do you enjoy watching those big, splashy musicals that Hollywood made in the ’40s and ’50s?  Movies like “The Harvey Girls” “An American in Paris” or “Singing in the Rain”?  If so, La La Land is going to put a song in your heart and some boogie in your feet.  This is one wonderful movie.  Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling seem at first to be two unlikely actors to pull off an old-fashioned musical.  And yet they do!  The songs are modern and the lyrics are a delight.  La La Land tells the story of Mia and Sebastian, who have both come to “The Land of Broken Dreams” to make it big.   Mia wants to be an actress while Sebastian is a dedicated jazz musician who dreams of owning his own jazz club.  The movie shows the ups and downs and highs and lows of their pursuits with music and dance enhancing that journey.  John Legend is also featured and helps to move the plot along rather nicely.  This is a wonderful movie, and if  you love music, you will not be disappointed.