A team of sports broadcasters finds themselves caught in a life-or-death hostage situation. A quick-living British singer portrayed as a chimpanzee. An actress who’s a loyal malcontent who attacks everyone she meets.
They're a few of the fascinating characters (and a monkey) you'll meet on movie screens this week. That's why you need to get to know them.
“5. September”: At a time when it seems like meatier movies need to last more than two hours, director Tim Fehlbaum's purposeful and altogether terrific 95-minute pulse-pounder is something highly gratifying. The thriller from him and his co-screenwriters Moritz S. Binder and Alex David puts us right in the sweaty control room as ABC Sports producers and crew members scramble to cover the deadly Summer Olympics in Munich on that fateful day in 1972 to report. This ticking time- The bombshell report is (mostly) confined to the inner sanctum of this harried TV newsroom, where hot newcomer producer Geoff (John Magaro of “Past Lives”) leads the coverage and makes decisions in the face of the shocking consequences of the Israeli athletes being taken hostage both good and bad decisions.
The resulting chaos spirals completely out of control, making it difficult to determine what is truth and what is fiction. Key decisions about how to update the latest details and convey them to viewers responsibly and accurately are quickly reconsidered, resulting in an unbearably tense experience. “September 5” is seamless throughout, with precise editing from Hansjörg Weißbrich and powerful acting from Magaro, Peter Sarsgaard as TV boss Roone Arledge and Leonie Benesch as a particularly astute German interpreter. Plus, all the production details are right, from the chunky cameras to the wardrobe styles and the hectic arrangement of letter tiles used as on-screen descriptions. It is a riveting historical account from start to finish. Details: 3½ out of 4 stars; in theaters January 10th.
“Better Man”: The monkey is out of the bag, so to speak. Paramount Pictures is now fully embracing the central idea of ”The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey's biopic about British pop star/villain Robbie Williams – that he is portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee. While I'm still not convinced that this is actually the best way to go, I'm wholeheartedly in love with this high-energy, do-everything musical about Williams' life and struggles. Gracey entertains us in this stone-cold, honest overview of Williams' rapid rise to stardom (a desire instilled in him by his father, powerfully played by Steve Pemberton) in the boy band Take That, and on to his drug-fueled rants and escapades, his heavy tangible loves, his conflicts with other artists and his solo career. “Better Man” is brimming with priceless, surprisingly tender moments and plenty of insightful concert scenes (Take That's recreations are outstanding; a sequence with Williams' “Angels” will leave you in awe). Best of all is a magnificent, breathtaking number centered around “Rock DJ” that sprawls across London's Regent Street and will be remembered as one of the most effervescent and exhilarating sequences in any film of the last decade. Gracey saves the most emotional moment for last, as Williams taps into the Sinatra side he never wanted to let go of. Like the rest of the film, it is full of emotion and highlights the skill and impressiveness of the actor behind the computerized monkey suit – Jonno Davies. It's a fleet-footed feat of physical and emotional acting, and the 32-year-old English actor, much like Andy Serkis as Caesar in War for the Planet of the Apes, manages to make us cry and care for the person inside . Details: 3½ stars; in theaters January 10th.
“Last Showgirl”: In “The Last Showgirl,” Pamela Anderson's insightful but understated performance as a veteran Las Vegas performer at the end of her career never hits a wrong note. She plays Shelly, a performer who has dedicated 30 years to the old-fashioned Razzle Dazzle Show, which is now scheduled to close, putting her future in the business in doubt. Director Gia Coppola's film, based on a compelling screenplay by Kate Gersten, is a dark, character-driven drama that gives Anderson a powerful role that she relishes and commands in every scene. It is an achievement that is certainly worthy of an award.
Shelly has seen it all and sacrificed a lot; But she also did things her own way, which led to criticism from those around her, including her college-age daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd), who comes home for unpleasant visits, and stage manager Eddie (Dave Bautista, proving once again that he has dramatic range). who has a past with Shelly. The best scenes focus on the close-knit group of female cast members starting families of their own, as their “blood” families often want nothing to do with them. Shelly has become an adoptive mother to everyone, even her very tanned best cocktail waitress Annette (Jaime Lee Curtis, in another unforgettable performance), who is always struggling with finances. “The Last Showgirl” exposes the sexism and ageism these women face, but also shows the resilience and fighting spirit that help them stay true to who they are. Details: 3 stars; hits theaters on January 9th.
“Hard truths”: If you had the terrible misfortune of encountering Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste in a performance of breathtaking cobra-like artistry), the venomous protagonist in another of Mike Leigh's excellent character studies, you might want to sprint like Olympian Noah Lyles to get out of it Way to go her. The married, scorching-sour Londoner spews hatred wherever she goes, insulting everyone she meets: her dentist; her cowering, bullied, bear-sized son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett); even her hard-working punching bag husband Curtley (David Webber). Everyone around her bears the germaphobe's wrath, and the only person who can occasionally penetrate her bilious anger is her optimistic hairdresser sister Chantal (Michelle Austin), mother of two lively daughters. Chantal understands the reasons why Pansy lashes out and refuses to ever give herself the chance to see the beauty that exists all around her. Built on the great performances of Jean-Baptiste and Austin, Leigh's deeply conscious human drama makes us realize how tragic a character Pansy is and how compassionate Chantal is. It's a credit to both actors that they pulled this off, as the 81-year-old Leigh allows his cast to create their characters, interactions and situations through a long round of rehearsals. The unorthodox process continues to produce real and raw character studies, and “Hard Truths” stands on the same top floor as Leigh's best works – “Naked,” “Secrets & Lies,” “Happy-Go-Lucky” and “Another Year.” ” It is certainly a brilliant triumph for Jean-Baptiste, who burns in every scene and delivers a fearless performance that is unique for the ages. Details: 3½ stars; in theaters January 10th.
“The room next door”: Director Pedro Almodovar abandons the sexy to take mortality very seriously and seriously in his wandering, strangely stilted first feature in English, an adaptation of Sigrid Nunez's acclaimed novel “What Are You Going Through?” At the center of Almodovar's version is the reunion of two writers – the war journalist Martha (Tilda Swinton) and the writer Ingrid (Julianne Moore). The former friends reunite when Martha learns that her cancer is terminal. She doesn't want to die alone, and after Martha tells some convoluted stories from the past and laughs a bit, she asks Ingrid to come with her to New York State to live in an architect's dream house. There she asks Ingrid for a big favor. While many of the Almodovar hallmarks are present – the splashes of color, the rich visuals and the strong female characters – “The Room Next Door” feels fairly hole, an odd occurrence given its preoccupation with the actual fact of what's to return death, and that he plays the leading role of two of our biggest actors. But even their performances seem distant and distant in a movie of occasional beauty that ultimately fails to attach. Details: 2 stars; in theaters January tenth.
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