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Hey, I got a new pair of Film Critic pants for Christmas! Time to put them on for another week of film releases!
Four new movies are featured in this week's capsule (short) movie reviews for a special release date of Wednesday, December 25, 2024. Yep...Christmas.
1) NOSFERATU
Director Robert Eggers brings the third film version of the "Nosferatu" story to the screen with astonishing results. The original "Nosferatu" from 1922, directed by F.W. Murnau, is a masterpiece of German Expressionism and horror and is considered one of the greatest films ever made.
It basically told the story of Dracula from Bram Stoker's novel but changed the names (Orlok instead of Dracula) and some of the settings because of rights issues. Werner Herzog's 1979 "Nosferatu" remake with Klaus Kinski returned to the original names and text from Stoker's book. The result was quite interesting and fun.
The third version of the story, which goes back to the names and situations from Murnau's original, has been written for the screen and directed by Robert Eggers. Eggers is one of the most interesting and uniquely talented filmmakers on the planet, and with this film, he is now four-for-four.
His previous films "The Witch," "The Lighthouse," and "The Northman" are all incredible works that stand as three of the best films of the last ten years and peerless examples of recreating dark, twisted time periods with incredible detail and authenticity. Eggers is the real deal and one of the best writers/directors working today.
If you're familiar with the story from Stoker's book "Dracula," then you know the story here. Except for a few changes, it follows the tale very faithfully. The question as to whether Eggers can possibly bring anything new to the table is answered within the first three minutes of the film when he establishes an overwhelming mood and style that sucks you in immediately.
This is an absolutely terrifying film, made with such skill and confidence that I sat in my seat for almost the entire running time with wide eyes, a slack jaw, and a sense of deep appreciation for everything that was unfolding on screen. This is simply filmmaking of the highest order and horror execution of such mind-boggling assertiveness that I was completely awestruck by the experience.
The incredible cast is remarkable here, working under demanding circumstances and labor-intensive conditions to give some of this or any year's most intense, unbridled performances.
Nicholas Hoult (who is having a banner 2024), Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (he is forgiven for "Kraven"), the great Willem Dafoe, Simon McBurney (insanely good as the Renfield character), and especially Lily-Rose Depp all shine, while Bill Skarsgard is astonishing as Count Orlock, who can be added next to the other iconic horror characters he has played (Pennywise anyone?)
On the technical side, this film is flawless and breathtaking; the cinematographer, designers, customers, and make-up creators (the look of Orlock is new, horrifying, and astonishing, and the very slow reveal only adds to the effectiveness). Editors create a fully realized world that is a wonder to behold, like Eggers' other amazing period pieces. And this film breaks the record for the most live rats used in a movie.
Dark, sexy, appalling, beautiful, scary, and filled with a sense of dread that almost becomes a character in and of itself, this is one of the very best films of 2024, one of the finest vampire movies ever made, and it is certainly the best horror film of the year. - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the early 1960s, 19-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music. Forming his most intimate relationships during his rise to fame, he grows restless with the folk movement, making a controversial choice that reverberates worldwide.
Yep, that pretty much sums it up.
James Mangold, the director of such great films as "Logan," "Identity," "Heavy," "Copland," and the remarkable Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line," brings his latest to the screen, and it is one simply one of the best music biopics ever made, and one of the year's finest films.
The overwhelmingly talented Timothee Chalamet (perhaps my favorite actor on the planet right now) plays Dylan, and it is a performance for the ages, truly. He creates a complicated, mysterious, fascinating character (much like the mysterious real life man) whose personality, flaws and quirks are not fully explained, and that is the point.
Mangold and Jay Cocks' fantastic and smartly structured script (based upon the book "Dylan Goes Electric!" by Elijah Wald) covers only four early years in the career of Bob Dylan, but, wow, what an incredible four years it was.
The folk music scene of the period and the political and social events of that time are brought vividly to life via truly outstanding production design, sets, costumes, and cinematography. It takes you back in time so thoroughly that it's breathtaking.
The music performances themselves are incredible, with every actor and actress singing, playing their instruments, and performing live during filming. Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, and Chalamet work double duty in this film, and they are all remarkable.
Mangold and his cast also convey an invigorating sense of creation, joy, and energy as the scenes in studios, on stages, or in coffee houses leap off the screen with palpable power. I was literally on the edge of my seat during the climax of the film set at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 when Dylan famously defied almost everyone in the music world and went electric. It's one of the biggest moments in music history and handled magnificently in the film.
In fact, almost everything is handled magnificently in this film, which is one of the most vibrant and important music films ever made. It is as close as anyone will come to getting some insight into the mystery that is Bob Dylan.
It always feels completely real and cohesive, even when it follows some of the inevitable cliches found in almost every music biopic.
What can be said about my boy Timothee? It is the best performance of his career (and that's saying a lot because he has given multiple amazing performances over the years). It is easily the best performance any actor has given in 2024... by far.
Chalamet is one of the most gifted actors of his generation, and watching him mature before my eyes has been a distinct pleasure and honor. His performance in "A Complete Unknown" is the work of a supremely talented man. It cements his place in history as one of the best actors ever to grace the screen. Yes, he is that good, and so is this movie. Just give him the Oscar now. - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3) BABYGIRL
Nicole Kidman, who seems to be in every single film, streaming series, TV show, commercial, and AMC theater promo being produced today, stars in this sexy drama just in time for Awards Season.
Writer/director Halina Reijn's follow-up to her brilliant, twisted, and brutal satire of Gen Z, "Bodies Bodies Bodies," is a massive disappointment and a drop in quality of biblical proportions.
Kidman plays a married company CEO who, on the surface, seems to be happy, sexually satisfied, powerful, and content. That all proves to be an illusion when she begins a torrid affair with a much younger intern (Harris Dickinson), whom she allows to dominate her sexually and personally.
Reijn's clear intention is to take the stereotypical elements of the dopey erotic thrillers of the 80s and 90s—explicit sex, kinky games, forbidden dalliances, and horny wordplay—and turn them into something significant and, ultimately, feminist. She fails miserably.
What Reijn and Kidman are trying to do here is absolutely nothing new or daring; it's just a wee bit more sophisticated and a lot more pretentious.
The script's so-called "feminist" office politics, which complicate the plot and seemingly elevate Kidman's female co-stars, are just as stale and tired as the stuff in "Basic Instinct," "The Last Seduction," and especially, "Disclosure."
It also doesn't help that Kidman is truly awful in the film, relying on gimmicky mannerisms and completely unnatural histrionics to slam the emotions (dramatic, sexual, political, etc) down the viewer's throat. To make matters even worse, Kidman's partner, Dickinson, is an absolute disaster. Annoying, completely hollow, and not even remotely sexy, he gives one of the year's most irritating and inept performances.
Only Antonio Bandaras (Kidman's husband) comes away unscathed here, as he provides the only honest moments in the entire film. The film works whenever he's on-screen; when he's not, it's a complete chore to sit through. - ⭐️1/2
This exceptionally intelligent and compelling sports movie tells the true story of professional boxer Claressa "T-Rex" Shields' journey to a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics.
Ryan Destiny stars as Shields, a struggling, financially challenged resident of Flint, Michigan. She is simply amazing, embodying the athlete with a complete physical and emotional transformation that anchors this excellent film.
The great Bryan Tyree Henry co-stars as T-Rex's humble, broke coach who guides her to the gold medal and beyond. With this outstanding performance, Henry continues his impressive streak as one of today's best-supporting actors.
Written by Barry Jenkins ("Moonlight") and sharply directed by the terrific cinematographer Rachel Morrison, making her feature debut, this is one of the most satisfying films of the year and goes much further than just a typical underdog sports movie.
This is a wonderful portrait of determination, strength, and friendship, as well as an accurate portrayal of Flint, Michigan, and the world of boxing. - ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
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