Renfield

Director: Chris McKay
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Brandon Scott Jones, Adrian Martinez, Camille Chen, Bess Rous, Jenna Kanell, James Moses Black, William Ragsdale
Running Time: 93 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)  

For many, the primary reason to see Chris McKay's horror comedy Renfield was locked into place upon discovering Nicolas Cage would be playing Dracula, donning the iconic cape previously worn by Bella Lugosi, Christopher, Lee and Frank Langella. After Universal's failed attempt at rebooting their movie monster franchise with 2017's The Mummy, casting Cage as the Prince of Darkness seems almost too perfect, as it's just the kind of character this notoriously risk-taking actor can literally and figuratively sink his teeth into. You can also picture him doing backflips reading the script, salivating at the idea of putting his own distinctive spin on a role that lends itself to the kind of weird, wild reinterpretation he specializes in.

As you'd expect, Cage doesn't disappoint, and though it won't lead to big budget sequels or spin-offs, that likely wasn't the intention anyway. After all, the story's emphasis is cleverly placed on Dracula's beleaguered assistant, opting instead to administer just the right amount of Cage, whose fantastical take comes in measured, but memorable doses. The rest falls on his co-stars, who more than hold up their end by continually bringing the laughs. Working from Ryan Ridley's screenplay, McKay balances two seemingly disparate plots with very little fussiness or confusion. And in featuring some humorously exciting action sequences and impressive practical effects, it's 93 minutes seem to fly by at a breakneck pace.

After ninety years, former attorney R.M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) has grown tired of serving as Dracula's (Cage) loyal assistant and constantly being at his beckoned call. In exchange for bringing him master victims, he's been granted immortality by his master, gaining super speed and strength when he consumes insects. But when Dracula must recuperates from a brutal attack, the two relocate to New Orleans, as an increasingly fed up Renfield secretly joins a 12-step support group for people stuck in toxic, co-dependent relationships.

Following a warehouse massacre, Renfield finds himself in the crosshairs of Lobo crime family enforcer Teddy (Ben Schwartz), which catches the attention of hot headed N.O.P.D. officer Rebecca Quigley (Awkwafina), whose own father was killed by the Lobos. As Renfield and Rebecca form an uneasy alliance, Dracula concocts a huge plan, further manipulating his assistant. But at some point, Renfield will need to tell Rebecca about his dilemma and eventually summon the courage to break free from Dracula's control.  

While various attempts at bringing Dracula into the modern world have yielded mixed results, this takes a fresh approach by adopting Renfield's point-of-view. Without wasting time getting to business, it dives headfirst into a black-and-white opening flashback sequence that inserts its two leads into 1931's Dracula. As an early indicator of McKay's willingness to take creative leaps and make some unexpected choices, it works, providing a memorable first look at Cage in the part. He still makes this Dracula outrageously his own, but seeing him incorporated into the classic film underlines how good a fit he is, resembling Lugosi at points and even lifting mannerisms from other past portrayals (with a little Quasimodo thrown in).

As Renfield, Hoult plays straight man to Cage's ghoulish creation, faring especially well when his character yearns for a more normal life outside of pleasing his abusive master, which the film's self-help spoof really hammers home. Awkwafina's casting brings an entirely different dynamic to the type of role usually occupied by a safer, less polarizing choice. The gamble pays off, as she shoots off some sarcastically clever one liners while exterminating the bad guys alongside Hoult, with whom she shares some good chemistry. And the always entertaining Ben Schwartz steals his scenes as the loud mouthed, self-proclaimed hitman who wimpily takes orders from his mob boss mom Bellafrancesca (Shohreh Aghdashloo).  

This can all lead to one place, with Renfield seeing the light and attempting to get out from under Dracula's thumb. For Rebecca, it's about cleaning up the streets and avenging her dad's murder. Both intersect in a gory, violent climax that's as comically action packed as everything preceding it. Cage's performance may not be the only thing worth talking about, but it's high on the list, aided in part by the comparable craziness surrounding him. Undeniably odd and not for everyone, Renfield isn't perfect, but fans of the genre will probably have a tough time resisting its unique charms.           

Black Mirror (Season 6)

Creator: Charlie Brooker
Starring: Annie Murphy, Salma Hayek, Michael Cera, Myha’la Herrold, Samuel Blenkin, Daniel Portman, Monica Dolan, John Hannah, Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett, Kate Mara, Auden Thornton, Rory Culkin, Zazie Beetz, Clara Rugaard, Danny Ramirez, Anjana Vasan, Paapa Essiedu
Original Airdate: 2023

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

Once counted among Netflix's earliest successes, Charlie Brooker's technology themed British anthology series Black Mirror hasn't aired since 2019's underwhelming 3-episode fifth season. And that's assuming you'd consider such a small amount of content a season at all. This followed 2018's interactive, "choose your own adventure" feature Bandersnatch, which garnered a mixed response, leaving viewers wondering if the series could recapture its former glory, which peaked with the third season's Emmy-winning "San Junipero."

While that episode (and to a lesser extent, season four's "USS Callister") has justifiably been cited as a series high, let's not kid ourselves into thinking consistency has been its key strength, with length and pacing issues leading to some real stinkers along the way. But now after a production rights battle had even its creator expressing uncertainty about further seasons and what incarnation those could take, it's finally back.

The good news is that this sixth season sees the series retaining much of what originally worked, while still managing to go in wildly clever new directions. Even if five episodes still doesn't feel like enough, there is a cohesiveness to the storytelling that's been lacking for a long time. Discussions and arguments will undoubtedly break out over the subjective rankings of these episodes, but at least that debate has rarely felt this purposeful. 

Less acceptable is the complaint this "isn't Black Mirror" because it supposedly skews too far from its original intentions. In actuality, this change is a relief, as the show often tripped up by shoehorning outrageous plots into its tech-themed premise rather than organically incorporating them. This new batch is given a little more room the breathe, leaning into the sci-fi, horror and dystopian elements that first invoked all those Rod Serling comparisons. And you wonder whether we'd even be hearing those criticisms if word hadn't leaked that Brooker was planning a "Red Mirror" horror anthology that was intended to showcase the season's final entry. 

These five episodes could be viewed as two halves, with a meditative psychological drama sandwiched in the middle. The season starts in slightly familiar territory before moving to darker places that deviate unexpectedly from the show's tangentially shared universe. One of the installments feels like a miscalculation, a couple linger in the mind longer than others, but it all still fits together really well, offering up a little something for everyone.

In the opener, "Joan is Awful," Annie Murphy gives a tour de force comedic turn as tech CEO Joan, who  discovers the very recent events of her life are unfolding on screen for the world to see in a new "Streamberry" series starring Salma Hayek (played by Salma Hayek). This is easily the lightest, most playful episode of the bunch, not to mention the funniest. And nearly all of it can be attributed to Murphy's wacky turn as Joan, a woman overwhelmed by awkwardly firing employees at the board's will before coming home to safe, but boring boyfriend Krish (Avi Nash). 

Between Joan's trips to her therapist and a temptation to cheat with returning ex Mac (Rob Delaney), the revelation that all of this has been adapted into a series causes humiliating embarrassment on a grand scale. Luckily, she has a plan to get the show cancelled that may or may not involve Hayek and a really disgusting public act. What works best is how the story peels back a few more layers than you'd think, capped it all off with a fun final twist that plants it firmly alongside other similarly themed Black Mirror episodes covering technology's trappings. 

Netflix also really skewers itself here, showing a surprising amount of self-awareness, with Brooker's script humorously taking aim at their "terms and conditions" and greedy business model. In tackling the issue of AI and CGI replacing actors and writers, it's one of the timelier episodes, capped off by a memorably uproarious Michael Cera cameo.   

The second episode, "Loch Henry," finds film student couple Davis (Samuel Blenkin) and Pia (Myha’la Herrold) traveling to his quaint Scottish hometown to visit his widowed mother Janet (Monica Dolan) and shoot footage for their documentary on a local conservationist. But during a stop at the bar owned by Davis's childhood friend, Stuart (Daniel Portman), a far more sordid subject piques Pia's interest

Daniel tells Pia the story of local murderer Iain Adair, who was responsible for the torture and deaths of numerous tourists in the '90's, resulting in the shooting of Davis's late policeman father Kenneth (Gregor Firth) and the town's decades-long decline. Despite Davis's obvious discomfort, Pia convinces him to focus their film on this, doing the research and even visiting the scene for additional footage. But since crime documentaries are a dime a dozen, they'll need a hook for it to stand out from the pack, And boy do they ever get one. 

When this starts you're unsure what the goal is, at least until Pia convinces Davis to shift course and an incredible musical montage featuring Melanie's "People in the Front Row" signifies they're off to the races. Blenkin and Herrold build on their natural chemistry, while a subtle Dolan convinces as a mother willingly participating to keep her husband's memory alive. 

Of all the episodes, this contains the biggest twist. And for every viewer saying they saw it coming will be others totally taken aback. What really matters is whether it lands, as this unquestionably does, with Brooker turning his retro VHS camcorder on Netflix's taste for true crime exploitation and the viewers' willingness to join in for entertainment's sake. 

"Beyond The Sea," takes place in an alternate 1969, with astronauts Cliff (Aaron Paul) and David (Josh Hartnett) aboard a ship on a six-year space mission. In between medical physicals and repairs, their consciousnesses are transferred to artificial replicas of themselves on Earth, enabling both to spend time with their respective families.. 

While the emotionally distant Cliff lives quietly off the grid in an idyllic rural farm house with wife Lana (Kate Mara) and their son, David settles in California, making him a more recognizable celebrity. But when tragedy strikes and replicant David and his family are targeted by a violent, Manson-like hippie cult, Lana suggests Cliff lend distraught, depressed David his replica so he can unwind back at their home. As David's trips become more frequent, he becomes unhealthily attached to a life that isn't his. 

Going on cast and premise alone, this seemed a likely frontrunner for the season's best going in. And even while that designation is arguable, few could claim it disappoints. Running a robust 80 minutes, it's the longest episode, but a meditative slow burn that perfectly suits the material's melancholic tone. There's a mesmerizing, contemplative quality to how it all unfolds, thanks largely to John Crowley's steady direction and the impressive production design that goes into creating both the shuttle and Earth-bound 60's settings. It's 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as its story wrestles with some heady sci-fi themes that are only bolstered by three terrific central performances.

Paul and Hartnett are devastating in their roles, with the former pulling off the tricky job of playing both Cliff and David, going home first as Cliff before sporadically returning as David occupying Cliff's body. It's sort of a Face/Off-like scenario with Paul never leaving doubt as to which character he's inhabiting, completely adjusting his mannerisms, speech and physicality to match each. And Mara doesn't have it easy either, having to react differently to both while struggling with Lana's guilt in finding David more attentive and engaged than her actual husband. 

After seemingly years away, Hartnett returns in a major role and is also apparently now five times the actor he was, capturing the loneliness, anger and jealousy of a man who's lost everything. Believing Cliff doesn't appreciate what he has, David walks up to the edge of madness before crossing that line into the unthinkable, perhaps damning both of them to share in their own separate hell together. You may generally know where Brooker's headed from the start, but this Twilight Zone-inspired morality play will benefit from repeated viewings, satisfying the most cynical series purists with its brutal ending.

In "Mazey Day," increasingly disillusioned celebrity photographer Bo (Zazie Beetz) gets a tip that missing actress Mazey Day (Clara Rugaard) may be hiding out nearby following a hit-and-run overseas. Despite recently quitting the paparazzi game, she knows photos of the starlet could command a lot of cash. Looking to dig herself out of a financial hole, she follows some leads to locate Mazey, with disastrous consequences. 

The season's shortest episode is also its most underwhelming by a large margin, testing the theory that less is necessarily more with Black Mirror. From a technical standpoint, it's fine, but despite the next entry demonstrating how the show can successfully dip into unchartered territory, there just isn't a lot of purpose behind this, regardless of genre.   

Brooker setting the action in 2006 is smart since the very idea of a celebrity "disappearing" in the current age of social media is close to impossible, especially following a vehicular assault. The paparazzi was also at their most venomous during this era so that helps in setting the stage for what could have been a promising look at media obsession. Unfortunately, this takes a lesser route that isn't poorly executed, but just very run-of-the-mill. 

After making that hard narrative pivot, the intrigue comes to a sudden halt, leaving us with an entertaining diversion in search of something larger to say. Beetz makes an effective lead but can't overcome the deflation of that sudden detour, which leaves a potentially better story on the table in favor of shocks and gore.

A beautifully bleak opening set to Art Garfunkel's "Bright Eyes," begins the final episode, "Demon 79," which takes place in a small English town of Tipley, circa 1979. It follows meek, mild mannered department store associate Nida (Anjana Vasan) into work where she puts up with a prejudiced co-worker (Katherine Rose Morley) and boss (Nick Holder). Despite fleeting daydreams of enacting violent revenge, she remains composed and polite, quietly suffering as further anti-immigrant rhetoric is spewed outside the door by campaigning conservative politician Michael Smart (David Shields). 

When Nida takes home a mysterious wooden talisman from the store's basement, she inadvertently  unleashes an aspiring demon named Gaap (Paapa Essiedu), who appears in the human form of Boney M. band member Bobby Farrell. Told she has to make three human sacrifices before May Day or the world will end, she's suddenly faced with some monumental choices as the clock winds down. While definitely not a murderer, the skeptical Nida will need Gaap's help to learn quickly, assuming the fate of the world does really lay in her hands.

This joins "Beyond The Sea" as the best directed episodes of the season, as Vasan's heartbreaking turn proves to be the real draw here, with the actress nothing short of extraordinary in depicting the emotional stages this shy woman goes through, even before this supernatural entity appears. While its premise draws heavy parallels to the recent Knock at the Cabin, a better thematic comparison might be the classic Twilight Zone episode, "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," at least in terms of its examination of "otherness" and xenophobia. 

Gaap believes Nida's been chosen because she's a good person, but also an easily corruptible one. And you see that aspect peeking through every corner of Vasan's performance, which has her character torn between doing what's dutifully expected and finally taking a stand. The comedic banter between Vasan and Essiedu keeps everything rolling, but her fear and anger is palpable when it starts seeping through to the surface.

It's one thing to talk about preemptively doing the world a favor by killing someone like Hitler, but not as easy to actually go through with when you're the person swinging that hammer. While the possibility of Nida being mentally ill hangs over this story like a specter, Brooker and co-writer Bisha K. Ali realize what such a decision would mean, ultimately staying true to their original conceit without undermining it. Divisive as this episode is, it's ironic that an homage to 70's British horror devoid of modern technology further illuminates how challenging perceptions has always been the series' biggest strength.   

A Good Person

Director: Zach Braff
Starring: Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Celeste O' Connor, Molly Shannon, Chinaza Uche, Zoe Lister-Jones, Nichelle Hines, Toby Onwumere, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Oli Green, Alex Wolff, Brian Rojas, Ryann Redmond, Sydney Morton
Running Time: 129 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

Getting past the generic title and fairly familiar premise, there's a lot that works in writer/director Zach Braff's A Good Person. While it's been nearly twenty years since Garden State polarized moviegoers,  the former Scrubs star continues to take a thrashing for it, with detractors complaining he hasn't done enough differently behind the camera to change minds or win over the uninitiated. But despite preconceived notions, Braff clearly has a lane, knows the type of film he wants to make and remains competent at it. 

Preconceived notions aside, if the temptation exists to belittle this small-scale human drama as schmaltzy or Hallmark-like, it's really no better or worse than the similarly themed A Man Called Otto, if maybe even a little less sentimental. And the biggest reason why are the performances, particularly Florence Pugh's. The movie isn't exactly be a departure, but her lead turn is, further building on all the promise she's consistently shown since first breaking through.

Just as pharmaceutical sales rep Allison Johnson (Pugh) prepares to marry to longtime boyfriend Nathan (Chinaza Uche), a tragic car accident leads to the death of his sister Molly (Nichelle Hines) and her husband Jesse (Toby Onwumere). Allison, who was driving, suffers serious injuries as a result, leading to pain pill addiction and severe depression. Now a year later, she's broken up with Nathan and living with her concerned mother, Diane (Molly Shannon). As Nathan tries to move on, he and Molly's ex-cop father Daniel (Morgan Freeman) takes in Molly's teen daughter Ryan (Celeste O'Connor), who's acting out in school and still unable to process the loss of her mom.  

A strung-out Allison panics after accidentally encountering Daniel at a therapy group, but reluctantly agrees to stay at his urging, as the two form a tentative friendship. A recovering alcoholic with a shameful past, he still blames Allison for the accident but views helping her get clean as a challenge. Unfortunately, Daniel's problems with Ryan worsen as Allison's guilt and self loathing over the crash send her spiraling out of control. Until both come to terms with past mistakes, there's little chance they'll be able to piece back together the fragments of their shattered lives.

As opioid addict Allison, a profusely sweating Pugh, complete with a moppy haircut and baggy clothes, gives a performance that deserves far more attention than it's gotten. And had it come in any project other than one with Braff's name attached, everyone would probably be raving about it. Similar to her recent work in Don't Worry Darling, she proves capable of single-handedly carrying and elevating material that wouldn't connect with lesser actresses in those roles, even overcoming a few questionable creative calls along the way. 

While this doesn't have as many problems as you'd think, we know where it's going, leaving much of the heavy lifting to Pugh and Freeman.To Braff's credit, he doesn't get much wrong and just lets the them do their thing since they're great together. And Pugh's transformation from promising, optimistic pre-crash Allison into a flailing, self-destructive mess results in some memorable scenes, like a bar encounter with a pair of high school classmates or an extremely uncomfortable trip to the pharmacy.

The closer Allison and Daniel become, the worse their respective situations seem to get, with both petrified to face their demons head-on. She's definitely responsible for the accident and pushing Nathan away, but we quickly find out Daniel wasn't exactly father of the year. Fearing he'll fall off the wagon, there's good reason to believe the rage and pain has less to do with Allison's culpability in the accident than his regretful past. It seems like years since we've seen Freeman in a major role like this and he predictably knocks it out of the park, again enveloping us with his wise, all-knowing presence, only with some slightly rougher edges this go-around. 

Some will decry it as simplistically obvious symbolism, but there's a tidy subplot involving Daniel's train set that's effective in conveying the story's theme, largely because Braff wisely picks his spots and doesn't clobber us with it. The same could be said for Allison's singing, a detail enhanced by Pugh actually being a talented singer, making the character's aspiring musical career a better fit than it otherwise would. Of course, everything leads to Allison eventually coming face-to-face with the rebellious Ryan, with the latter finally getting her chance to confront the woman who inadvertently destroyed her world.

The complicated relationship between Allison and Ryan may be what the script handles best, with Celeste O'Connor bringing a surprising amount of depth to the angry teen. An understated Chinaza Uche is equally good as Nathan, dragged back into Allison's life a year after the tragedy while also confronting long unresolved issues with his father. And Molly Shannon again stretches her comedic muscles in a drama, stealing scenes as Allison's mom, who attempts to administer tough love in the face of a maternal instinct to smother with sensitivity.

Even as the story lands on its feet, a party sequence in the last act gets a bit overwrought in a film that mostly steers clear of theatrics. It's also sort of perplexing how little attention is given to the fact that Molly's husband died in the crash too, with Jesse's existence basically shoved under the rug. Still, for all that happens, A Good Person is almost downright restrained, resulting in what could be Braff's most assured directorial outing yet. And considering how far off the rails potentially melodramatic material like this can go, that in itself warrants a small round of applause.  

Reality

Director: Tina Satter
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Marchánt Davis, Josh Hamilton, Benny Elledge, John Way
Running Time: 82 min.
Rating: TV-MA 

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

The arrest of U.S. Air Force vet and NSA contractor Reality Winner (yes, her real name) on charges of releasing classified intelligence information hasn't exactly aged well. Or more accurately, public reaction and media coverage of the circumstances haven't. She committed a crime that, if gone unpunished, could have set a dangerous precedent when it comes to leaking government secrets. But regardless of your opinion on the offense, her motivations are laid bare in Tina Satter's gripping, tension-filled Reality, which hones in on how the leak somehow created more hysteria than the actual information being withheld from the American people. And it does this by simply showing what happened.

Co-written and directed by Satter from her stage play, Is This A Room, it's based on the actual interrogation transcript from the day the FBI showed up at Winner's doorstep, leaving little doubt we're getting a fairly accurate, word-for-word account, pauses and redactions included. Taking place entirely at her house, the bare bones approach gives us a chance to listen to how real people talk, as the actors fill in the blanks, defined as much by the choices they don't make as the ones they do. What results is 82 minutes of pure suspense and a Sydney Sweeney performance that at this early stage of her career already feels like a big achievement.

On June 3, 2017 Reality Winner (Sweeney) returns home from grocery shopping to find FBI agents Taylor (Marchánt Davis) and Garrick (Josh Hamilton) in her driveway. There's some small talk with a cooperative Winner before backup arrive to search the house, making sure her pets are accounted for and safe. Settling on an empty, unused bedroom to question her, the two agents begin their formal interrogation.

The agents inquire about the specifics of Winner's office job as a government contracted Farsi translator, which she hopes will lead to a deployment to Afghanistan. After revealing they're investigating her role in the leak of classified documents to a media outlet, she denies the accusations. But over the course of the hour, they break her down, eventually getting to the bottom of what she did and why. By the end of the day, Winner will be in handcuffs, eventually sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison under the Espionage Act.     

Does Winner know why these agents are there? Which parts of her story are lies? At what point will they stop playing nice? Those are the major questions Satter's film introduces, while the accused remains respectful and obliging, desperately trying to keep her cool under pressure. You can tell she's terrified, and for good reason, as these agents already know what they're after, despite how polite or accommodating they appear to be. 

Since the dialogue is set in stone, the direction and performances are everything, tasked with bringing to life this recorded transcript. None of it is too static or stagey, with Satter (in her directorial debut) hanging on every word and tiny action. Whether it's an agent's seemingly innocuous conversation with Winner about her rescue dog or a sudden movement to unlock her phone, each moment feels important in a situation this dependent on reading people. 

Satter also uses every visual and narrative device at her disposal to heighten the drama, displaying the actual transcript on screen during conversations, playing the real recording, incorporating actual photos and footage of Winner, utilizing flashbacks and even cutting to black during redacted discussions. And then after teetering on the edge of our seats watching the process itself, we get the reveal.

When cornered into confessing she leaked a document from the NSA database regarding possible Russian interference in the 2016 election, a fuller picture comes into view of who Winner really is and what she stands for. A CrossFit instructor and avid power lifter in her spare time, she feels bombarded by FOX News at work, depressingly awaiting a deployment that might never come. Toiling away in a cubicle for a department that makes little use of her extensive lingual skills. she's grown sick of government lies, determined to follow through on her pledge to protect and serve at any cost. It's a defense that holds up better morally than legally, resulting in the predicament she now finds herself.     

Sweeney plays it perfectly, never pushing too hard in either direction when reacting to the chaos that descends upon Winner. Subtly giving off all the clues she has something to hide, the agents remain a few steps ahead, setting a mouse trap they're sure she'll eventually walk into. And she does. But what's most impressive about Sweeney's performance is how much she's able to convey with preciously little, making her end of the transcript dramatically soar for an hour and a half. No matter how small, each word and expression can be read as a sign that Winner knows the vice is tightening. By the end, she's rendered helpless. 

Not to be overlooked are the turns from Davis and Hamilton as Winner's opponents in an uneven battle of wills in a dirty, vacant room. If she understandably deteriorates under the pressure, these guys are on cruise control, remaining patient and precise throughout, tactically breaking down her barriers.  Harmlessly presenting themselves in khakis and collared shirts, the two actors expertly convey those intentions, making Sweeney's work that much better as the exhaustive grilling wears on. 

By leaking that to the media, Winner wasn't covered under the Whistleblower Protection Act, practically guaranteeing a jail sentence of some sort. The one that came down was stiff, even as we're left wondering about the absence of a lawyer or why she wasn't read her Miranda rights prior to questioning. Apparently, none of that made a difference in invalidating the confession or fighting a conviction.

This is a straightforward procedural, but in the best possible way. Not knowing what to make of Winner's thoughts and actions, it puts viewers in a position similar to the agents assigned to her. They realize how much pushing needs to be done, but when one of them remarks that she doesn't seem like the type to do this, you sense he means it. Reality gets to the how and why, while also reminding us that 2017 simultaneously feels like yesterday and centuries ago. Winner couldn't have known the eventual importance of her arrest, but given everything that's happened in the country since, it's easy to believe she'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Yellowjackets (Season 2)

Creators: Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson
Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Kevin Alves, Simone Kessell, Lauren Ambrose, Elijah Wood, Ella Purnell, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Sarah Desjardines, Alexa Barajas, Rukiya Bernard, Aiden Stoxx, Alex Wyndham, Nicole Maines, Nuha Jes Izman, François Arnaud, John Reynolds, John Cameron Mitchell
Original Airdate: 2023

**The Following Review Contains Plot Spoilers For The First Two Seasons Of 'Yellowjackets' **

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)   

Sometimes the big test for a dramatic series is whether its showrunners can make the tough, uncomfortable decisions that serve the story's larger purpose. And now after Yellowjackets' latest nine episodes, it's becoming easier to envision there is one. In ending its first season with a major character's death, the psychological survival thriller hinted it wouldn't be shying away from those difficult calls, generating optimism and dread surrounding what's next for the 1996 plane crash survivors and their emotionally traumatized adult counterparts. As such, this entire second chapter may as well share the same title as its eighth episode, "It Chooses." 

What "It" is has emerged as a show defining question, or even the dividing line that separates real from imagined and past and present. But whether the catastrophes in these two timelines can be traced to a supernatural entity or exists primarily in the survivors' heads is becoming harder to distinguish. Whether it's a combination of both, or neither, there still isn't a way for them to change what's happening. We're getting a lot of answers, as creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson rarely drag their feet, reeling us in by introducing new complications and dangling some unresolved threads awaiting a pay off. 

They know we're hooked for the long haul, and even if this season is noticeably different and crazier, there's no drop-off, with the 90's timeline becoming increasingly unpredictable despite knowing the fates of some involved. And after hints and glimpses of forthcoming tribal violence, attempted murder and cannibalism, this follows through, retaining its dark, twisted sense of humor in the process. And it all culminates in a finale that will have fans scratching their heads as to what lies ahead. "It" may have chosen, but not without shocking consequences that will surely take these characters to even more disturbing places. 

It's late 1996 and the team of plane crash survivors struggle to make it through a brutal winter in the wake of Jackie's (Ella Purnell) death, turning to their anointed leader Lottie (Courtney Eaton) for spiritual guidance, believing she can talk to the wilderness. But as a guilt-ridden, pregnant Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) remains incapable of processing her best friend's death, Taissa's (Jasmin Savoy Brown) nightmares and sleepwalking incidents escalate to alarming levels, with girlfriend Van (Liv Hewson) desperately trying to contain the problem. 

Natalie (Sophie Thatcher) helps Travis (Kevin Alves) continue the search for his missing brother Javi (Luciano Leroux) while Misty (Samantha Hanratty) forms a bond with quirky teammate Crystal (Nuha Jes Izman). Depressed and withdrawn, the one-legged Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) is the odd man out, morally disgusted by the girls' actions as they fall deeper under "Antler Queen" Lottie's mystifying spell.

The adult Yellowjackets aren't faring much better in 2021, with Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) enlisting the help of Taissa (Tawny Cypress) and Misty (Christina Ricci) in covering up her boyfriend Adam's (Peter Gadiot) murder. But with cops closing in, husband Jeff (Warren Kole) and daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) prove surprisingly invaluable in protecting Shauna and keeping their family intact. 

Plagued by escalating hallucinations and a personality disorder that's put estranged wife Simone (Rukiya Bernard) and young son Sammy (Aiden Stoxx) in grave danger, Taissa finds Van (Lauren Ambrose), which introduces a new set of challenges. And in reluctantly teaming with eccentric fellow online "Citizen Detective" Walter (Elijah Wood), Misty attempts to rescue a kidnapped Natalie (Juliette Lewis), realizing all roads lead back to Lottie (Simone Kessell), whose woodsy spiritual retreat more closely resembles a cult, dredging up painful memories for the Yellowjackets.                       

After the finale tease of Lottie being behind Natalie's abduction, one of the bigger curiosities heading into this season was the potential addition of more adult survivors. But Lottie and Van's presence is a little more complex than anticipated, at least so far as the former's motivations, as she psychologically teeters on the edge, hinting at something more sinister. Then again, the same could be said for everyone who made it out of the wilderness in one piece, yet remain permanently shattered by the experience.

Simone Kessell keeps us guessing as the middle-aged version of the Lottie, now going by Charlotte. On one hand, she's credible as a spiritual guru you want to believe has the purest intentions in helping Natalie, until realizing that's exactly how cult leaders operate. Still, it's clear both the younger and older iterations of the character suffer the same painful effects of being able to see what no one else can. Upon their arrival at her compound, the team again becomes quickly entangled in Charlotte's web, discovering what Nat and troubled followers like Lisa (Nicole Maines) already know. Forgiveness is a nice idea, but letting go is harder than it looks. 

As owner of the incredibly named "While You Were Streaming" video store, adult Van also hasn't moved on or dealt with what happened twenty five years earlier. And Taissa showing up does little to improve that, even if their connection is still immediately apparent and seemingly stronger than ever. It's fun contrasting how fan favorite Lauren Ambrose plays Van character in comparison to Liv Hewson's '96 take. While there are still shades of her younger counterpart's sarcastic humor, whatever joy she had as a teen has been wiped clean away in the decades following the crash. And the fatal medical diagnosis she's withholding from Taissa only makes her depression that much worse. 

Adult Misty further pushes the envelope of what we perceive she's capable of after eliminating Taissa's hired investigator Jessica Roberts (Rekha Sharma) last season. Her unbridled excitement at helping Shauna dispose of Adam's body is typical Misty, even as the plan implodes, bringing her no closer to achieving the respect and acceptance she's always craved. The arrival of true crime soulmate Walter provides reassurance, bringing out a certain vulnerability, energizing her with the possibility someone truly sees and accepts who she is. 

Ricci and Elijah Wood's Ice Storm reunion is the highlight of the season, if not the entire series thus far. If you thought Misty and Nat road trips had spin-off potential, a show with these two joining forces to solve crimes would easily top it, as Ricci continues to play Misty as the show's most desperately likable sociopath. She and the equally eccentric Walter each harbor legitimate doubts they can trust each other, while we speculate whether he'll even survive the season. Walter's obsessive interest in Adam's disappearance raises Misty's suspicions, even as their relationship takes some outrageous detours, including a surreal Twin Peaks-inspired musical dream sequence featuring John Cameron Mitchell. 

Even with Misty's criminal expertise, Shauna's doing enough on her own to attract suspicion from detective Kevyn Tan (Alex Wyndham), as Jeff temporarily shelves his shock and anger over Shauna's affair to help cover up Adam's murder. But considering how Jeff's blackmail plot with buddy Randy (Jeff Holman) partially led to this mess, he proves surprisingly loyal, with Warren Kole adding some needed dimension and humanity to his overgrown jock character. 

Sarah Desjardines basically steals these episodes as Callie, flipping the script on last season's angry teen trope and proving the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. When Callie's involvement with undercover detective Saracusa (John Reynolds) jeopardizes everything, she quickly adjusts, showing an aptitude under pressure few expected from this previously irritating character. Of everyone, she might be the shrewdest, as an impressed Lottie eventually finds out firsthand. But as sad at it seems, it took Shauna killing someone to finally bring her and Callie closer.

It's not difficult to see how the loss of Shauna's baby would directly inform that dysfunctional relationship with Callie later on. Shauna's doomed pregnancy is hard to watch, as is the team staring in stunned silence as she later beats the hell out of Lottie, nearly killing her. But the group's impromptu Midsommar-like feast (with Jackie as a main course) is a bridge too far for the disgusted, suicidal Coach Ben. He's haunted by his decision to board that plane and leave behind an unexplored life with boyfriend Paul (François Arnaud). Misty's friendship with Crystal goes south, as we knew it would, but more revealing is how she covers up her bestie's barely accidental death, planting seeds for the Citizen Detective she'll become.

Nat makes some morally questionable calls in dealing with Travis before her number seemingly comes up. It's alarming how quickly the team's bloodthirst kicks in, becoming all too eager to hunt and kill her because the wilderness "chose." But if what happens to the returning Javi is any indication, it's the Yellowjackets calling all the shots. They could have saved him and didn't, instead getting another meal and paving the way for Lottie to pass the Antler Queen baton to Nat.

Adult Nat won't be so lucky, but at least goes out sacrificing herself to save Lisa. This is as big a death as it gets on an ensemble drama like this, placing the remainder of Nat's story in Sophie Thatcher's hands. And she often doesn't get enough credit for channeling Juliette Lewis's mannerisms and voice, with many opting instead to focus on a perceived lack of physical resemblance (which isn't true upon looking at clips and photos of a younger Lewis). 

Heightened by the use of Radiohead's "Street Spirit (Fade Out)," Nat's strangely moving death sequence is more notable for seeing Thatcher and Lewis act side-by-side in the same scene. As the character passes over to the other side having apparently found some kind of peace, you remember just how interconnected everything is. Because the format can sometimes make this feel like two different shows, any chance to see the older and younger versions of these characters interact on screen is bound to feel special. And this definitely does.

With adult Shauna apparently in the clear over Adam's murder thanks to Walter, Misty will have to wrestle with the fact she's directly responsible for Nat's demise. Beyond that, everything's a question mark in that timeline, almost as if it's wrapped up. The past looks a little clearer, as more death, betrayals and dark days seem inevitable until rescue. Feeling increasingly dispensable, Coach Ben's burning of the cabin indicates he's officially gone off the rails, setting him up as a far bigger threat and making those brief glimpses of the team's 1998 return home even more intriguing.   

Like most second seasons, this tries to jam a lot in, but even as we're sometimes left perplexed by character motivations or storytelling holes, it's kind of shocking how steady it remains. And while the musical choices seem a little more on the nose compared to last season, it's tough to complain about such an impressive catalogue of mid 90's hits, along with an Alanis Morrisette cover of Craig Wedren and Anna Waronker's brilliant "No Return" opening theme.

Considering its perilous setting and a plot dependent on physical survival, the makeup and costuming needs to be unmatched, which it is. This also seems to be outgrowing all those early, superficial comparisons to Lost, as you sense the writers know the importance of having enough creative guardrails in place to prevent the series from devolving into an impenetrable puzzle-box. But based on what we've seen, Yellowjackets is still headed in an upward trajectory, delivering a tight sophomore season that doesn't overstay its welcome and still has us clamoring for more. 

Peter Pan and Wendy

Director: David Lowery
Starring: Jude Law, Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Yara Shahidi, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Joshua Pickering, Jacobi Jupe, Molly Parker, Alan Tudyk, Jim Gaffigan
Running Time: 109 min.
Rating: PG

★★½ (out of ★★★★) 

With a traffic jam of live-action adaptations based on their classic animated films hitting screens, it was inevitable Disney would need to prioritize. So that Peter and Wendy went straight to streaming speaks volumes about where it ranks on the studio's agenda. Continuously remade, rebooted and sequeled over the decades, there aren't many creative avenues left to explore in J. M. Barrie's source material. If it dropping on Disney Plus wasn't a red flag, then a poorly received trailer did the trick, with many already jumping to criticize the effects and dark cinematography. Fortunately, what this has going for it is director David Lowery, whose Pete's Dragon proved an accomplished filmmaker is capable of sliding their vision into a highly commercialized family product.

Lowery (who co-wrote the script with Toby Halbrooks) isn't as successful this time around, and while it's not the disaster you've heard, the outcome is still uneven. Clocking in at a bearable length, for everything that works, you'd have little trouble finding something else that doesn't. The good news is that after a somewhat clunky start, there is an attempt to add some depth to the Hook character and his connection to Pan. But whether that novel approach does enough to sufficiently distinguish this from previous takes is debatable.

In London, Wendy (Ever Anderson) spends her last night at home playing with younger brothers John (Joshua Pickering) and Michael (Jacobi Jupe) before preparing to leave for boarding school the next day. Dreading her departure and not wanting to grow up, she's visited by Peter Pan (Alexander Molony) and his pint-sized fairy companion Tinker Bell (Yara Shahidi), who invite the three children to fly to Neverland, a magical island where Wendy will seemingly get her wish. 

Upon their arrival, the kids are attacked by a pirate ship commandeered by the evil Captain Hook (Jude Law), who vows revenge on Peter for cutting off his hand. After joining forces with Tiger Lily (Alyssa Wapanatâhk) and the Lost Boys to battle Hook, the complicated relationship between him and Peter is revealed, setting the two sworn enemies on course for another battle in their ongoing feud. As Wendy witnesses this, she slowly comes to the realization that her reluctance to face adulthood could carry unexpectedly negative consequences.

At first, the film does check off the usual boxes those even slightly aware of the story will recognize. To its credit, that's done quickly, but there are points where you wonder how effective an entryway this is for younger viewers getting their first exposure to Peter Pan, assuming that's even the project's goal. You usually don't hire a director like Lowery without plans to put a serious-minded, nostalgic spin on this, as we've hit a turning point where these adaptations aren't geared toward kids, but older audiences who grew up watching the originals. The screenplay does almost seem to be working under the assumption that everyone knows the tale inside and out, at least until it takes a fairly significant detour in fleshing out Hook's psychological motivations.

Wendy's relationship with her brothers and parents (played by Molly Parker and Alan Tudyk) are given no more than a few scenes before the action shifts to Neverland. It's all sort of flat until Jude Law's entertaining Hook arrives on the scene, playing the sleazy captain as if he's auditioning to replace Johnny Depp in the next Pirates of the Caribbean sequel. Things gets progressively better the more Wendy interacts with her new friends and Hook and Pan dredge up their messy past. The latter is a big change, but in the case of a familiar story beaten into the ground, any alteration feels welcome and this one actually plays pretty well. Any change to a beloved text is usually met with immediate backlash, but adding an extra dimension to Hook is hardly a crime when this desperately needs something to set it apart.

There's definitely an effort to be more inclusive, with the Lost Boys adding girls, people of color and a mentally handicapped member. That's fine, but nothing's done to give us greater insight into these supporting players than in previous iterations. A really likable Yara Shahidi makes for an emotive Tinkerbell, endlessly expressive in her facial reactions and body language, while Alyssa Wapanatâhk's Tiger Lily is depicted stronger and more respectively this time around. In addressing valid criticisms an indigenous character was treated insensitively in previous adaptations, this at least bothers to get it right, with the actress making a brief but memorable impression as the brave warrior. As Peter and Wendy, Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson don't have much chemistry together, but still fair well, especially since the film isn't contingent on any of the performances so much as the spectacle of a story that's been reheated countless times now.

Lowery has a good handle on what he wants to convey, and despite some occasionally spotty CGI, the production design and visual aesthetic is impressive, if thankfully not quite as dark as it looked in the trailer. He may have been creatively handcuffed a little more on this one, but it's not a debacle, as his style still finds a way in during some bigger moments. Peter Pan and Wendy tries to put a slightly different spin on the material, only to falter by not adding much to what was already there. It's become an all too familiar complaint for those tired of Disney reimaginings safely recycling beloved catalogue classics with increased frequency, but mixed results.            

Champions

Director: Bobby Farrelly

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson, Matt Cook, Ernie Hudson, Cheech Marin, Madison Tevlin, Joshua Felder, Kevin Iannucci, Mike Smith

Running Time: 124 min.

Rating: PG-13

 

★★½ (out of ★★★★) 

It's easy to imagine the sports comedy Champions passed through half a dozen hands before landing on Bobby Farrelly's desk, likely the last stop in finding the most efficient, least problematic way to bring this to the screen. A long way from There's Something About Mary, it's constructed as a feel-good project that bends over backwards not to offend or court controversy, which is ironic coming from one half of a filmmaking duo who pioneered the most popular R-rated comedies of the 90's. Farrelly's solo directorial debut is noticeably safer, but in trying so hard to be sweet and harmless, it ends up sacrificing the laughs.   

This isn't exactly a subject that can go for the jugular, but as a mainstream family picture centering around a somewhat sensitive issue, you sense the hesitancy. And a run time north of two hours (like the 2018 Spanish film from which it's based) seems overindulgent, especially when much of it is taken up by montages hammering home the same point. So even with a likable cast, an ideal lead, and a satisfying enough result, it can get irritatingly repetitive. Too sincere to work as a vulgar comedy, but containing just enough crude humor to blunt the emotional drama, this just never quite connects like it should. 

When Iowa J-League basketball coach Marcus Marakovich (Woody Harrelson) is fired after shoving his friend and head coach Phil (Ernie Hudson) during a heated game, he hits the bar to drink away his frustrations. While driving home he rear ends a police car, resulting in him being sentenced to 90 days community service with a basketball team called the Friends, made up entirely of players with developmental disabilities. 

After initially showing little interest in guiding this team and using former assistant coach Sonny (Matt Cook) to land him an NBA coaching job, Marcus slowly warms up to the idea, taking an increased interest in the players' lives. This includes the aquaphobic Johnny (Kevin Iannucci), whose older sister Alex (Kaitlin Olson) he awkwardly knows from a recent one night stand.  But even with the injured Cosentino (Madison Tevlin) returning off the bench, their star player Darius (Joshua Felder ) refuses to play, jeopardizing the team's hopes of making Special Olympics, as Marcus' future and career hang in the balance.

Baring the usual hallmarks of athletic underdog stories, the movie at least knows what it is, even poking fun of Marcus' casual dropping of "the 'R' word" in describing the team. You knew this would come up and screenwriter Mark Rizzo wisely acknowledges that discomfort right away, while letting us know this guy just can't take a hint. And since Harrelson isn't exactly associated with characters who coddle or inspire, it helps in establishing Marcus as a hot tempered, bombastic blowhard. Of course, the whole point is that none of these players need coddling, but a little guidance and motivation, for which their irresponsible coach also seems woefully unsuited. 

The setup runs into trouble in trying to mix raunchy humor with uplifting details about how self sufficient these disabled people are off the court, somewhat condescendingly assuming viewers will see them as Marcus does. In what comes across as an effort to deflect any potential backlash, we get a montage where Cheech Marin's rec center manager Julio runs through the all the players' personal achievements. You appreciate the intention, but it's the film's first really clunky sequence, with more to come, including one that pounds us into submission with Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping." The big subplot involving Darius's reasons for sitting out works, but they really drag the mystery out, only beginning to culminate as we enter the last act.

Harrelson's cranky charm and the cast's overwhelming likability is a saving grace, with supporting players like Ernie Hudson and Kaitlin Olson investing more into their respective characters than flimsy descriptions imply. While Marcus' relationship with Olson's sarcastic Alex does contain manufactured complications, it's fine for what it is, even if fans of her TV work on Always Sunny may be frustrated she's not given something better to do here. Still, it's great to see her in a big screen comedy role, which feels overdue.  

Champions has one of those endings where victory can't be achieved entirely on the court, and compared to others in the genre, it's suitably handled. The real dilemma comes in how long the movie takes to get there, leaving blinking signposts along the way telling us how to feel. And for all the recent criticisms over bloated running times, you really do notice it in a comedy like this. If the jokes aren't hitting or the tone seems off, an extra half-hour or twenty minutes can be especially problematic. Considering that, it's a pleasant surprise this isn't far worse, making you wonder if a tighter version of the same material would more closely resemble the superior sports comedies it's trying to emulate.