AT THE FLICKS
By David Schultz, film critic
Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas in Darkest Hour (2017)
The jowly faced prosthetics and the performance that hides an unrecognizable Gary Oldman that surely should make him Oscar bound in one of his best performances of his career. Gary Oldman totally absorbs himself into the role of Winston Churchill who becomes the reluctant choice as the new Prime Minster who finds himself under siege by the Parliament members. While Hitler’s forces get closer to England; having taking over most of Europe, having invaded Poland, Czech, Holland, etc.
Initially not viewed in high regard after his decision in the Gallipoli battle during WWI; Churchill receives a cordial visit from King George VI (Ben Mendelsohn) who offers an olive branch of support in his appointment.
Even though the Parliament’s initial choice for Prime Minister, Halifax (Stephen Dillane) felt this wasn’t his time after a scandal gets the current P.M. Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup) to resign the post
Just prior to his appointment, Churchill becomes rather abrupt to a newly hired secretary, Elizabeth Layton (Lily James) that later takes some coaching from Churchill’s strong willed wife, Clementine (Kristen Scott Thomas) to not be so gruff to the new girl who ultimately becomes his right hand.
From May 9, 1940 to the Operation Dynamo; we observe Winston Churchill as a man of private moments of self-doubt caught up in the inner workings of British government during his first term.
Until he strays away from his true self and feelings that takes him to act out of character to regain his perspective. When he decides for the first time to exit the limo and enter the subway to chat with the commoner on the train about how they view Hitler and the possible war looming to their country.
From this encounter, Churchill regains his focus to confront the Parliament for a fiery speech that emphasis a defiant spirit to fight no matter how outnumbered or the outcome.
The energetic pacing and direction from Joe Wright who creates a fascinating biography war drama that makes “Darkest Hour” shine through Gary Oldman’s captivating performance. This is a movie well constructed by its dialogue than its action that captures the vulnerability of this historic figure that wasn’t particular well liked of thought-of by those that reluctantly chose him to handle the country’s biggest concern during its darkest hour.
PG-13; 125min. A Focus features Release – Presented at selected theaters
Juno Temple in Wonder Wheel (2017)
WONDER WHEEL (***)
Behind the backdrop of the 1950’s seashore Coney Island amusement park, a daughter, Carolina (Juno Temple) on the run from his mob husband seeks sanctuary from her long, estranged father, Humpty (Jim Belushi) with a fire starting 10 yr old son, Richie (Jack Gore). Humpty has since remarried to an unhappy ex- actress turned waitress/ wife in despair approaching her 40th birthday, Ginny (Kate Winslet) who make the mistake of cheating on her first husband, a jazz drummer whom she realizes taught her what love is, compared to what her current husband currently show what love isn’t.
While Humpy softens his stanza toward his daughter for marrying too young to a mobster. He allows her to hideout and gets employed at his wife’s diner. Ginny begins to have another affair with an articulate lifeguard, Mickey Rubin (Justin Timberlake, who is also the film’s narrator). A former WWII navy veteran striving to be a playwright that ignites an” older woman, younger man” relationship. Until its love at first sight, when Ginny introduces Carolina, more intriguing for her past experiences that fascinate him as well as being closer to his type in age.
While the two women are clearly in love with the same men. It’s clear through the Oscar worthy performance of Kate Winset who plays the character with a certain edge that eventually gets the better of her. Clearly, Ginny needs the attention out of desperation for what’s lacking in marriage to Humpty. This leads to a mental misstep that leads to a tragic outcome those effects all in writer-director Woody Allen’s domestic period piece, romantic tragedy.
“Wonder Wheel” is a movie that captures a certain hue in these characters that seems to comes in three shades in most Woody Allen films. While , some of what occurs amidst this love triangle feels like a rehash to several past Allen films that looks more nostalgic than the attitude of the characters that become caught up in familiar infidelity themes.
PG-13; 101min. An Amazon Studios Release – Presented at selected theaters
Allegra Fulton, David Hewlett, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, and Sally Hawkins in The Shape of Water (2017)
THE SHAPE OF WATER (***)
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro’s overall fascination with monsters and the cinema continues to evolves from what could have been expected as another horror movie treatment.
Instead; we are treated with an unexpected romantic fantasy in his latest offering “The Shape of Water”. Sort of a wondrous nostalgic mix of “The Creature from the Black Lagoon” meets Steven Spielberg’s “E.T” meets “Cinema Paradiso” that is intended to be an adult fairy tale.
Sally Hawkins delivers an exceptional performance as a lonely mute woman, Elisa with a scarred past represented by her neck markings. Elisa lives in mundane obscurity with an unemployed repressed gay commercial artist, Giles (Richard Jenkins).
Set during the 60’s; They live in an apartment adjacent to an old movie theater palace. While Elisa is employed as a janitorial assistant alongside her chatty co-worker and protector, Zelda (a wonderful Octavia Spencer) who works at a secret government laboratory facility.
Where perfectly creepy and villainous Michael Shannon is easily despicable as federal agent, Richard Strickland who arrives with a nameless, amphibian-like creature (Doug Jones) from the depths of South America inside a murky glass tube tank.
Awaiting further orders from the General, Shannon’s character rather kill the creature than fulfill the scientists desire to learn from the creature that could serve a purpose in the Cold War.
After an incident occurs Elisa and Zelda are assigned to clean up the bloody mess. When Elisa notices and becomes infatuated by the creature who at first, represents symbolically what’s been missing from her life.
A kindred spirit develops into a form of communication between them that is quietly observed from a distance by a scientist, Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlberg) whose a double agent working with the Russians who like the Americans would capture the creature to kill it to prevent its knowledge and use on the other country.
But from these stark and tense dramatic moments comes lyrical, magical expressions through the nostalgic songs of the 40’s. The best of the lot, “You’ll Never Know’ giving way to the inner thoughts to Elisa who fills a void in her life through her concern and later sensual feelings for the creature that develops a plan to save the only thing in life to love her back.
This eventually leads to the two species making love under water by flooding the apartment bathroom. Done with style and grace by del Toro supported by an enchanting music score from Alexander Desplat. Nothing as gratuitous as was done years ago in 1980’s awful and laughable cheap, “Humanoids from the Deep”
More visual and technical sound than its script; “The Shape of Water’ is an eloquent banquet that represents del Toro’s best effort. The story is a revisionist’s effort to make something special out of the familiar that is at least, a refreshing departure from the usual movie fare.
R; 123min. A Fox Searchlight Pictures release – Presented at selected theaters
Cinemas Entertainment, a movie theater ownership and management company based in Chicago, is set to open on September 9, its newest venue located in Chicago’s Lawndale community. Located at 3330 W. Roosevelt Road (Roosevelt & Homan), Cinemas Entertainment 10 is a ten-screen theater that will show major studio new release movies and relevant independent films. “We have updated the entire facility which was already in good shape when we moved in,” stated Henry Leong, president and CEO of Cinemas Entertainment. “Most notably, we have installed new, state-of-the-art projectors for each of the ten screens along with new, advanced sound systems.”
