Film reviews

Chicago Critics Film Festival 2024: Sing Sing Review

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Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kweda, soars with empathy and is a film in which turmoil finds courage. In the initial tone of the movie, it may appear that all is lost. However, there is lightwhen inmates have a chance to feel restored through doing stage performances. 

Sing Sing is the name of the prison in this true story. The main character is John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield (played by Colman Domingo). He is in prison for a crime he is falsely accused of and faces good and bad days. He builds connections with other inmates, such as D Dan (played by Sean Dino Johnson) and Clarence Maclin (played by himself). John shares the disconnect in this life of turmoil. This begins to change with the help of Brent Buell (played by Paul Raci) who provides the voice of inspiration for these inmates. They all act together in a theatrical group. Their fascination with the arts is where they find their voices again.

Sing Sing is about letting go and finding fulfillment. With strong writing by Maclin, the real John ‘Divine G” Whitfield, this true story displays realistic and humanistic qualities which add to the depth of Sing Sing.  By exploring the process of finding rewardsin the present, a powerful message is delivered.

There is value in Sing Sing as it effectively portrays how theperformance arts can create spellbinding achievements. Adrenaline of appreciation went pulsing through my chestduring the film due to my background in the arts, I rememberedhow much the stage meant to me. A heartfelt love for the arts makes for memorable connections with Sing Sing. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

The Idea of You

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Anne Hathaway plays a mother in this film with the same and laid-back personality type from her days as a teen actress. The Idea of You is a lighthearted romance film where there is an emphasis on meaning.  Hathaway’s role is the main point of interest of the film. The Idea of You challenges love at first sight, but also makes its audience consider the risks with any other type of relationship. Especially when one of the individuals is very high profile. Hathaway fits the role of an innocent and wonderful mom extremely well in The Idea of You.

Hathaway plays Solene, a single mother who owns an art gallery. Her daughter is Izzy (played by Ella Rubin). Solene mostly keeps to herself and thrives in her life of art with her studio. One day, she is forced to go with her daughter to see a boy band called August Moon, as her ex-husband couldn’t make it and she must fill in for his absence. While there, Solene steps into a random trailer, and runs into Hayes Campbell (played by Nicholas Galitzine). Hayes is the lead singer of August Moonand is extremely famous at this point in life. From there, a relationship of love and connection develops rapidly. Solene is in her forties and Hayes is twenty-four. The age-gap in therelationship is emphasized with enticing music as a backdrop to it all. However, the high-profile life of Hayes is where risks can come around for both Solene, Hayes, and others around them. Does their relationship truly have a form of connectivity? What is the benefit for Solene? What is the benefit for Hayes? Despite, the consequences, it is an adventurous love where boundaries are out the window.

Despite all of the deep consequences of this love affair, there remains a sensible side of appreciation in The Idea of You. The thrill of new love, the risks, and the many types of attention surrounding the age-gap of the relationship create a feel-good film with groovy thrills. Audiences want goodness in Hathaway’s and Galitzine’s performances. The “groovy thrills” come with the age-gap, the celebrity vibes surrounding the questionable relationship, and the love both have for one another…despite the uncertainty of where it will lead them.

When it comes to how moving parts play out in the heat of this unconventional relationship, The Idea of You paints an honest portrait of how this type of situation really goes. The fact of Hayes getting with a lady who is much older than him will impact his image and fame, and this same situation puts a label on Solene. There is a boiling point where their relationship becomes too hard to  maintain as a hidden one. The disruption ofdaily routines and the impact of general uncertainty of the future draw the line in The Idea of You as the lover’s grapple with the question of what takes precedence—fame or love?

With all the mixed feelings coming to a boiling point in The Idea of You, the seriousness of true connectivity is spot-on. Hathaway’s performance is on the most heartwarming level I have seen in a while. Her tone of empathy is seen in her brilliant eyes as she says, “I’m too old for you.” That quote emphasizes that despite knowing what the hearts wants and cannot have, it still craves a form of feeling love…no matter how big or small.

The overwhelming aspect throughout the film remains in thefact that Hayes has tons of fame. His is a life of wealthiness in a world of talent and contracts. A world where many are obsessed with him, and he has more money than he can spend. Does he get enough individualized attention? No, he does not.  This is what Solene provides for him when she is in his presence. It is something all of his money and fame cannot buy him. Falling in love, keeping a secret, having turmoil, and reconnecting—that is the pattern of relationship and resilience in The Idea of You. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

The Fall Guy Review

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Ryan Gosling is still being praised for his role as Ken in Barbie last year and he deserves even more for The Fall Guy. Gosling is the hero in this film, but his co-star Emily Blunt deserves applause along with Aaron Taylor-Johnson who plays the movie star. The Fall Guy is a comedy-thriller with a clever personalitywhich makes it soar with delight. The film is a blast from director David Leitch. While there are a few moments that drag, the adventure is interesting enough to offset any boredom.

Watching The Fall Guy feels like being an audience member on a movie set during shoots. The film industry is the focus of the film. The lead is Colt Seavers played by Gosling. Colt is astuntman who leaves the film industry, but then finds his way back into the routine of the business. He has his eye on the prize, his ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno, a movie director, played by Emily Blunt. Colt may have landed his lucky project by finding his way onto Jody’s project. There is a twist, however, when the lead of her project, Tom Ryder, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, goes missing. Suspense is a key part of this film’s creativity.

Of course, the setup relies on lots of action involving Colt. He must put together the pieces to find Tom. He must also get his reputation as a stuntman back. And he must do what he can to attract his ex-girlfriend again. There are plenty of diverse moviesets in The Fall Guy which have different atmospheres with various people and specific dangers.

The thrills are intriguing as Colt faces new and complex risks.Colt is used to doing stunts in movies and must perform some of them which cause him to face actual life-and-death scenarios. While sometimes exciting, the humor is occasionally mediocre. Fortunately, the different movie sets add value and keep things interesting.

The Fall Guy feels two-sided. It feels like it is a film within a film. One side contains the film which is set in the movie industry. The second side contains Gosling as the hero. Which side has the upper hand? The Fall Guy will make audiencesthink twice.

As I mentioned previously, the film is all Gosling. He is the king of continuity and thrives creating stunts with a killer attitude. In one scene, Gosling plays someone escaping in a boat with his hands tied behind him yet is still an unstoppable force. Although it is silly in spots, The Fall Guy still kills. It has laughs, excitement, thrills, and comedic peril. When his character Colt says, “Professional is my middle name,” the element of surprise rises.

My love for The Fall Guy is due to its utilization of movie sets as settings which greatly boosted the entertainment value. These cinematic settings created an enthralling vibe. Gosling jumps through many hurdles in this adventure and does not rely upon his pretty boy persona. This time, he deserves recognition for playing the hero, attracting the girl he loves, and gaining his career back. The Fall Guy is an above-average ride that deserves three out of four stars.

Treating cinema in many forms of art!