Movie Morsels: One Minute Movie Reviews - February 2023


Welcome, CineFreaks, to my latest literary concoction! Introducing: Movie Morsels, where I break down some of the box office’s recents hits and misses into easy-to-swallow bite-sized portions. As always, I slap a grade onto the end of these bad boys so you can decide for yourselves if they’re worth the popcorn and ticket price. Feel free to take these reviews with a grain of salt and a little pepper as you sink your teeth into these fun-sized synopsis. Let’s dive into this cinematic charcuterie board, shall we? 

WARNING: A FEW FUN-SIZED SPOILERS AND CHOKING HAZARDS AHEAD! 

  1. A Man Called Otto

Tom Hanks stars as Otto, a curmudgeon who’s given up on living following the death of his wife in this adaptation of the Swedish film, A Man Called Ove. After meeting a young family who’ve moved in across the street, Otto quickly meets his match in the form of the quick-witted and warm-hearted Marisol. Before long, Otto comes to learn how to live again as friendships are formed and a legacy of love is left behind. Always fun to see Hanks play against type, this film was, surprisingly, better than I had expected. It’s a simple message of love and acceptance that constantly tugs at your heartstrings throughout its two-hour runtime. It was such an emotional rollercoaster, that it took me a while to get out of my seat after the lights came up. This one will definitely crotch-kick you in the feels! 
A+ (for making me cry like a three-year-old)

    2. Plane    

Essentially Air Force One on the ground. Plane stars Gerard Butler as Brodie Torrance, a seasoned airline pilot who must work together with a fugitive he’s transporting in order to save his kidnapped passengers after his plane is forced to land on a war-torn island. Plane isn’t anything new in the realm of cinema, and if you go into it expecting a straight-up white-knuckle action flick with mildly physics-defying action and a heaping helping of suspense, you won’t be disappointed. It’s definitely a popcorn flick of old-school proportions, harkening back to the films of Wolfgang Petersen, and it was refreshing to be allowed to sit back in the theater and simply enjoy the ride for a change. I don't know if I'll be flying the not-so friendly skies anytime soon after buckling up for this wild ride!     
Solid B average

    3. Babylon

Babylon follows the meteoric rise and tragic, sometimes deadly fall of multiple characters throughout 1920’s Hollywood as they pursue outsized ambition and outrageous excess in an era of decadence and depravity. Starring the oft-talented Margo Robbie, the aging but ever-charismatic Brad Pitt, and fresh-faced Diego Calva, Babylon comes across as Hollywood’s love letter to itself. While it’s beautifully shot, and brilliantly performed by nearly every actor from large to small, Babylon is a bloated, pretentious, and often maddeningly disjointed mess. The three-hour behemoth was a chore to watch and a lesson in how not to make a film.

Filled with scenes far longer than necessary, populated with more characters than it needed, and telling more stories than it can handle, Babylon has much to show and very little to say. The biggest offense is that the film was marketed in the trailer as something of a zany comedy instead of the art house experiment that it is. Rather surprising coming from a filmmaker who gave us La La Land and Whiplash. Wait for this one in the $5 bin at Walmart, then use the BlueRay as a coaster.   
D- (only because I love old Hollywood) 

    4. Violent Night

What do you get when you cross Die Hard with Home Alone and add a smattering of John Wick? You get this festive, surprisingly good, unapologetically gory flick. Jack Frost may nip at your nose, but this movie kicks you right in the chestnuts! The film is a success largely due to David Harbour’s humorously bawdy turn as a jaded Father Christmas, disillusioned with his role in the modern world. Before he gets the chance to hang up his boots, he finds himself the reluctant savior of a wealthy family taken hostage by Christmas-hating mercenaries on the night before Christmas. Not-so-Jolly ol’ Saint Nick joins forces with the family's youngest daughter, who embodies the Christmas spirit, reminding him who he is. Together, they deck some serious halls in this pine-scented punchy thriller. You better watch out. Santa Claus is coming to town!  
B+

    5. The Fablemans

A thinly-disguised autobiography of director Steven Spielberg’s childhood and coming-of-age, The Fablemas is arguably the auteur’s most personal film to date. The film follows the journey of young Sammy Fableman as he discovers an irresistible passion for filmmaking just as he uncovers a crippling family secret that threatens to upend his dreams of becoming a storyteller. Armed with a camera, Sammy struggles to find himself as he learns to embrace the process of growing up and harnesses the power of the lens. 

For a fan of everything Spielberg, this film is a captivating insight into the mind and early world of the legendary filmmaker. It’s obvious that Spielberg and Tony Kushner put their heart and soul into every word of the script. Beautifully shot and masterfully written, the Fablemans proves that Spielberg is showing no signs of slowing down. A must-see for anyone who's ever sat in a darkened theater and dared to dream. 
A-        

    6. The Menu

Satire is rarely as over-the-top as it is in The Menu, nor is it quite so confusing in tone. What starts out as a high-strung thriller quickly dissolves into a confusing commentary on pretentiousness and hubris. Ralph Finnes stars as a world-renown chef who’s invited celebrities and politicians to his private island for a meal they won’t soon forget. Anya Taylor-Joy rounds out the cast as an un-invited dinner guest with secrets of her own. 

As the meal progresses, we learn the master chef has more in mind for his guests than just dessert. With each course, patrons fall victim to Chef’s plot to right perceived wrongs he believes has been thrust upon him and avenge the sin of vanity. The film culminates in a rather silly and hollow ending where everyone save for Taylor-Joy ends up a human S’more. After the lights came up on this culinary flick, I left the theater still feeling hungry. Next time, I think I'll just order a cheeseburger.      
C-    

    7. Ticket to Paradise

This feel-good rom-com reunites George Clooney and Julia Roberts as a divorced couple who travel to Bali, teaming up to stop their daughter (Billie Lourd)  from marrying an islander she only just met. Predictably, a romance is rekindled between the two as they come to accept their daughter’s impending marriage and learn to let her be her own woman. It’s a movie true to form for its genre, riddled with clichés  and offering very little in originality and even less in the way of genuine humor. Clooney and Roberts seem to be phoning in their performances, forcing poor Lourd to carry most of the film. The cinematography is gorgeous, filmed in the warm colorful hues of the sun-drenched island location it’s shot in. While it was a fun date night movie for me and the missus, the best parts of this film were in the trailer, so we got no surprises there.  
C (but A for tropical flavor) 
 

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