Mini Movie Reviews Archives
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Jojo Rabbit
Writer/director Taika Waititi (“Thor Ragnarok”) created a Wes Anderson-esque offbeat Anne Frank-ish comedy, which won the People’s Choice Awards at TIFF. JOJO RABBIT is set near the end of World War II. Jojo Betzler, played by a remarkable young actor (Roman Griffin Davis) who could give both Jacob Tremblay (Room) and the Stranger Things kids a run for the money) is a German 10-year-old Nazi enthusiast so zealously ready to join the Third Reich, his imaginary friend is a wacky Adolf Hitler (played by Waititi). This is Roman’s first professional role and he really seemed to understand the whole tone of the movie and how to play it straight with…
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THE IRISHMAN
Marking Martin Scorsese’s 60th directorial effort. Based on Charles Brandt’s book I Heard You Paint Houses, (screenplay Steven Zaillian) a non-fiction account detailing the life of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) a soldier in WWII, who returns to his Philadelphia roots to become a truck driver, but eventually is lucky or unlucky enough to meet mob boss Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) who measures Sheeran up to be mob material, despite not being Italian or connected to any families. And thus, begins the 210 minute story leading up to the 1970 disappearance of Teamsters union figure Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). Sheeran may have left the war, but the soldier mentality has…
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HARRIET
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JOKER
I’m impressed with JOKER, yes, but still having trouble, as Joaquin Phoenix puts it in this interview – “finding something real” or original to say. Does it glorify these lone killers who tend to be white men on the fringes of society? Is it too inciting during a time when the country is even more divided and in political mayhem? On the other hand, does director Todd Phillips (co-writer Scott Silver) find a way to shine a light on these people who have been abused, are weird and ostracized, cut off from kindness, cut off from getting help as social programs shut down. This film could be seen as a…
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The Addams Family
THE ADDAMS FAMILY (animated) Directed by Conrad Vernon & Greg Tiernan Voice Cast: Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, Allison Janney Tinsel & Tine #MiniMovieReview It’s a cute update of the iconic classy spooky family, with a number of bits to pay homage to both the show I loved as a kid, and the movies of the 90’s. However, the movie begins with the wedding of Gomez and Morticia and I can’t help but wish they’d gone with an entire origin story instead of centering the plots around Pugsley and Wednesday. But of course I realize this movie is not aimed…
