Till (2022)

I am not sure why I have recently decided to put myself through the emotional wringer. I think it just happens during the time of year that is labelled “awards season”, forcing me to go out of my way to watch movies that I hope will be worthwhile, even as I worry about feeling drained by the time the end credits roll.

As much as I like to avoid spoilers, Till is based on a real incident that eventually, decades later, led to the creation of a law named after young Emmet Till. So I am going to specify that incident. Now. Here is your last chance to look away, if you have so far remained unaware of the case of Emmett Till.

Emmett Till was an African American boy who was abducted, tortured, and lynched for offending a Whyte woman in Mississippi. He was fourteen years old. It was sadly obvious from the outset that the jury would vote one way when the case went to court, but that didn’t stop Emmett’s mother from campaigning for change, for some good to come out of the horrendous murder of her baby boy.

Directed by Chinonye Chukwu, who is someone new to me (although I really want to see her previous feature, Clemency), this is a film that uses a factual event to underline how dangerous and unwelcoming many parts of the USA can be to black people. It may be a period piece, but seeing how slowly anything changes, and seeing parallels in the news today to show how many things have stayed the same, makes it horribly relevant. It is a potent reminder of how the imbalance in modern society has been set up over decades and centuries of prejudice and abuse.

Chukwu also worked on the script, alongside Michael Reilly and Keith Beauchamp (the latter having also directed a documentary on Emmett Till back in 2005), and the focus stays on the death of Emmett, and the subsequent court case. That’s a smart move, allowing viewers to see the butterfly effect of Emmett’s death, and providing a valuable opportunity to show the real courage of those who decided to speak up in the face of overwhelming odds, and risking their own lives to do so.

The cast all do their bit to elevate the material, and I will now be keeping my eyes peeled for whatever a couple of them do next. Jalynn Hall is as lovely as he needs to be in the role of young Emmett, his more childish moments all the more poignant while we await his fate. Whoopi Goldberg does good work in the role of a caring grandmother, and Frankie Faison, Sean Patrick Thomas, Tosin Cole, and John Douglas Thompson are a number of different men who play varyingly important roles in the life of Emmett and/or his mother. Haley Bennett is the woman who claims that young Emmett mistreated her, and she is duly viewed as a major villain by those who know the truth of the matter. I have omitted one notable name, and that is Danielle Deadwyler, in the role of Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. Deadwyler is consistently great here, often remaining composed, determined, and mindful of the perception of onlookers while others start to have doubts about the path they are set on. There’s one display of grief here that is heart-wrenching, and it is that moment that made me determined to watch more work from Deadwyler, who gives the kind of powerful performance that should affect everyone who sees it.

Till works exactly how it is supposed to work, and I think that is at least partly tied to the fact that it presupposes viewers having knowledge of how things play out. Highly recommended, and it should be mandatory viewing for idiots who say “all lives matter”, conveniently forgetting the slavery, abuse, legal wranglings, and deaths that brought us to the here and now.

8/10

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Prime Time: Call Me Claus (2001)

In an oft-used trope of the Christmas movie, Call Me Claus revolves around a central idea of someone hiring a Santa Claus “actor” who claims to be the real Santa Claus. There’s no ambiguity here. We know it is the real Santa Claus. We just need to see how long it takes to convince the central character, played here by Whoopi Goldberg.

Goldberg is Lucy Cullins, a powerful producer for a home shopping channel that is gearing up for that busy holiday shopping season. Desperate to find a Santa host, she ends up inadvertently hiring, yes, Santa (Nigel Hawthorne). This isn’t entirely coincidental. Santa is due to retire, and he knows that Lucy is due to inherit his role (he put his hat on her when she was a child visitor and he started to glow, which is THE SIGN). Lucy might not believe him though, her Christmas spirit seems to have been usurped by her hunger for continued career success. Oh well, it isn’t as if there are dire consequences expected if Santa doesn’t sort out his replacement in time. Oh wait . . . there are.

Director Peter Werner has an extensive selection of TV work throughout the past few decades, and his handling of this material shows what a steady and confident presence he is at the helm. This is what you expect it to be, a star vehicle that manages to play to a family audience, and everyone tries their best to make it something fun and light, while allowing Goldberg to feel like the right fit in the lead role.

She absolutely does. Yes, it’s fun to see her in movies where she can be more outrageous, whether that is in her physical performance or her choice of swear words, but this role allows her to play up the cynicism she does so well, as well as making good use of her in a Santa hat (because, quite frankly, seeing a black woman as a potential Santa still feels like a uniquely positive bit of seasonal representation over two decades after this was made). Hawthorne makes for a surprisingly good Santa, and I say surprisingly because of being familiar with his usual body type in his other roles. His manner is as kind and earnest as required, and he looks convincingly stressed and tired during the scenes that remind viewers of his urgent quest. Victor Garber, Alexandra Wentworth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell are all good fun, playing other people at the network in various positions of power, and Taylor Negron as an elf is an inspired bit of casting, because he seems both too tall and too grumpy for the role. You will also spot Frankie Faison, Bruce Vilanch, and Allyce Beasley in the cast. You may not recognise those names, but you will recognise the faces.

It may not be surprising that the writers involved with this don’t have the most extensive filmographies, and I say that in terms of the unique feeling of the film, not in terms of the quality. More interesting, however, is the fact that these people don’t have the “time served” in Christmas (TV) movies you usually see, although this is reflected in the way that the movie avoids slavishly copying every other seasonal TV movie. 

Although you may prefer many of her other movie roles, this film is a lovely mix of Whoopi Goldberg and festive trimmings. It has more proper laughs than you get in most films in this vein, but it also remembers to deliver the comforting glow and occasional “ho ho ho” that make it a sweet Christmas treat.

7/10

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Prime Time: Rat Race (2001)

With Jerry Zucker in the director's chair and a whole load of talented comedic performers in front of the camera, Rat Race certainly sets itself up as a film that wants to be in the top tier of modern comedies. The fact that it isn't, and the fact that it fails by such a large margin, is as surprising as it is disappointing.

The main premise is very simple, and very similar to another whacky comedy from decades ago, one that made use of an all-star cast. A group of people are selected to participate in a race to a locker some distance away. The first person to get there will get to keep the contents of the locker. $2M. It's that simple. Yes, this is basically a reworking of It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

There are moments that work in Rat Race, and some of those moments provide some hearty laughs. Jon Lovitz and Kathy Najimy bundling their two kids into a car that once belonged to Adolf Hitler pans out pretty much as you think it would, and is a real highlight, and there's a fun cameo from Kathy Bates, playing a woman obsessively trying to get people to buy one of her squirrels. A bus full of Lucille Ball fans also provides some fun. But there are so many other moments that either don't work as well as they should or just don't work entirely. The characters played by Seth Green and Vince Vieluf don't work, and neither do those played by Whoopi Goldberg and Lanei Chapman. Breckin Meyer and Amy Smart are helped by the script, although hindered by the fact that they're, well, Breckin Meyer and Amy Smart (to be fair, Meyer isn't as bad as Smart . . . but few actors are). Cuba Gooding Jr. is just fine, as is Rowan Atkinson, and John Cleese is helped along by super-white, larger, teeth to define his character.

Perhaps hampered by the script from Andy Breckman, Zucker feels like he could have been replaced by anyone in the director's chair. There's no sign of someone monitoring quality control, there's no sign of anyone taking on the responsibility to make the best of every comedy moment. All you get is a star vehicle without any big enough stars, but it's also very much a time capsule from 2001. From the cast to the plotting, despite it hewing so close to that 1963 movie mentioned above, and to the inclusion of Smash Mouth in the finale (not just a song, they get to make a cameo appearance and interact with all of the main players).

While it's not a film I'd recommend to anyone in the mood for a modern comedy, it IS a film I'd recommend to anyone looking for some easy entertainment that keeps throwing enough at the wall that one or two bits should stick. You can find a multitude of better comedies out there, but this is for people who want some recognisable faces and a general sense of familiarity (Atkinson, for example, is doing little more than a Mr. Bean act with an accent on top of his usual schtick). Passable enough. Just not often very good.

5/10

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Sister Act (1992)

The reason high-concept films are releases is because they're an easy sell. Take Sister Act, for example. It's a fun comedy, a lot of fun, but you can sell it with the simple line "Whoopi Goldberg has to act like a nun." There you have it. Do you like that idea? Does it amuse you? If so, you're bound to get some enjoyment from this movie.

Goldberg plays a singer named Deloris who walks in on her married gangster boyfriend (Harvey Keitel) having someone shot. Running away, she eventually goes to the cops and is asked to testify. That could take a couple of months though, which is why she has to be hidden away in the meantime, hidden where nobody would ever think of looking for her. A convent. Maggie Smith is the Mother Superior who doesn't think this is a good idea, Kathy Najimy is a very cheery and friendly nun, and Wendy Makkena is a bit shy. After some difficulty adjusting, Deloris manages to convince the Mother Superior to let her work with the choir, and that's when she starts realising the good she can do, arranging some non-traditional hymns and helping everyone to do better.

Director Emile Ardilino had a good run of hits from the late '80s to early '90s (starting with Dirty Dancing and ending with this one) and he knows how to put everything together for a perfectly satisfying feature that should please a large demographic. Although this is a star vehicle for Goldberg, the talented supporting cast members all get chances to shine and the major set-pieces are surrounded by lots of great touches and exchanges of dialogue.

Paul Rudnick wrote the script (billed as Joseph Howard) and it's very impressive for a feature debut. Rudnick paces things perfectly, and he seems to know that viewers will forgive the by-the-numbers nature of the thing as long as it keeps entertaining them from start to finish (which it does). You know how it's all going to end, but that doesn't make the journey any less enjoyable.

Goldberg is very funny in the lead role, although slightly toned down compared to her more amusing earlier career turns (the films may not have been as good, or slick, as this one but her ability to be more free and easy with her language and material worked a bit better), and the hilarity steps up a level as soon as she is forced into wearing a habit. Maggie Smith does thin-lipped disapproval better than anyone else I can think of, Najimy is amusing throughout with her wide-eyed view of the outside world, and Makkena does well as the shrinking violet who responds well once given a bit more confidence. Keitel is perfect for his role, trying to be charming one minute and then just ruthless the next, Bill Nunn is good as the cop trying to keep Deloris alive, and Robert Miranda and Richard Portnow are both a lot of fun as the guys who do most of Keitel's dirty work.

The soundtrack helps a lot too, with Deloris adapting a number of the tunes we hear her singing at the start of the movie into various hymns. It will have you tapping your feet and singing along.

Some will rate this even higher, of course, but it just suffers from the air of predictability, especially during the grand finale. The humour is still there, but there isn't the feeling that anything is really at stake. That's not terrible, it's a comforting and safe bit of work, but it does stop it from being a true great. Of course, on any other day I may have just overlooked that and added another point.

7/10

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

For anyone with far too much time on their hands, here are reviews for the previous Turtle-tastic flicks.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.
TMNT.

Yes, it's yet another reboot for our heroes in a half-shell. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have had a long, fruitful life in various guises, from their comic origins to the movies to the cartoon show to lunchboxes, toys and other merchandise, and I can't see that stopping any time soon. Having said that, things didn't look good for this movie. The very first trailer was received with a large amount of disdain, and outright hatred in some quarters. Michael Bay was producing (allowing for more people to rant, once again, about him somehow being the most evil thing to happen to movies since pan & scan). And the director was a man who can claim that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning remains his best movie. Throw Megan Fox into the mix (hey, I like her, but many don't) and you seem to have a recipe for disaster.

April O'Neil (Fox) is a reporter who seems to be stuck with the lighter items, despite working hard to pick up a serious news story. She thinks she may have something special on her hands when she sees some vigilantes taking on the violent Foot Clan, trained baddies who have been terrorising the city. Unfortunately, when she sees them up close she sees four large turtles. Nobody is going to believe her, of course, but that doesn't stop her from pursuing the story. Accompanied by a cameraman (Will Arnett), April heads along to visit local celebrity business mogul, Eric Sacks (William Fichtner). And then Shredder pops up to cause even more trouble. Fights happen. There are big action moments. And viewers may roll their eyes, as I did, at a section of the film showing how the turtles developed into the teenage mutant ninjas that we now know them as.

There are one or two things that this film does get right. First of all, the human cast works well. Fox is a decent April O'Neil, and her character is pleasingly proactive throughout the movie, Arnett is always good fun (and provides some amusement here), Fichtner is great, and it was good to see Whoopi Goldberg back in a major release, albeit in nothing more than a cameo role. Tohoru Masamune doesn't do too badly as the main, famous villain, while Minae Noji somehow makes a good impression as his main henchwoman, despite being treated quite badly by the weak script.

Some of the action in the first half of the movie works well. People will undoubtedly complain about the levels of lighting and the editing, but the film IS showing characters who are ninjas. The clue is there in the title, making the flurried fighting under cover of darkness perfectly acceptable, and enjoyable.

And then we have the runtime. At about 100 minutes, approximately, this manages to distance itself slightly from the modern trend of the blockbusters that run for at least two hours. Well, it WOULD, if it didn't feel like a much longer movie, thanks to the interminable dullness of it all.

That's all I can think of. A few of the lines will raise a smirk, but just as many will raise groans from viewers (both familiar and unfamiliar with the characters). The script, by Josh Appelbaum, Evan Daugherty, and Andre Nemec, feels as if it doesn't know what it wants to be. A fun film, in line with the past movies that many enjoyed, or a serious reboot, adding a sharpness and grit to the characters. It subsequently fails to be either.

Jonathan Liebesman directs with some competence, I guess. But he seems to be just as unsure of how to handle the material as the writers. Some of the rapport between the main characters does work, but an awful lot of it just falls flat. And as for the big set-pieces in the second half of the movie. Unfortunately, I think they're some of the dullest and most irritating that I've sat through in some time (in a mainstream cinema release, anyway). Everything soon starts to become tiresome, as those making the film opt to please the audience by just throwing more and more effects and noise onscreen, and hoping that something sticks.

Symptomatic of everything that's wrong with modern, soulless, cinema at its worst, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has already been successful enough to have a sequel greenlit. Which makes me incredibly sad, despite the fact that there are a lot of other world problems I should be focusing on.

4/10

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Christmas At Pee Wee's Playhouse (1988)

I, like many other non-Americans, have never watched Pee Wee's Playhouse. In fact, if it wasn't for Tim Burton making a movie based around the manchild played by Paul Reubens I am pretty sure that I wouldn't have a clue who Pee Wee ever was. But Burton made his movie and I found out about the character. That didn't make me immediately want to seek out the children's TV show that he used to front but over the years I kept hearing more and more about Pee Wee's Playhouse and I must admit that I became slightly intrugued. Then someone told me about this Christmas special and I knew that I had to see it.

It's so crazy and surreal that I'm not sure if I can do it justice but I'll try. I think the best thing is to describe the very basic format of the show, for the benefit of people like myself who had never before seen it. Pee Wee goes about his playhouse being very childish and playful and interacting with a number of people who stop by to see him. He also interacts with a Magic Screen, a talking bit of floor, the contents of his fridge and many other living things that shouldn't be living. If you're a UK resident of my generation then let me put it this way - try to imagine Rik from The Young Ones fronting a show for kids while wandering about the house that the gang used to share.

As it's Christmas there is a magical feeling in the air and the opportunity to get lots and lots of gifts. There are also even more visitors than usual as everyone tries to get involved with the Christmas cheer. Grace Jones is accidentally delivered to the Playhouse when she should have gone to The White House and she gets to sing and dance before having to leave, Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg pop onscreen to quickly say hello, Little Richard can't seem to manage walking on snow and ice, Magic Johnson joins the fun, K. D. Lang sings Jingle Bell Rock, Cher makes a brief appearance and Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello are forced to make lots and lots of Christmas cards at Pee Wee's behest.

Go back and read that paragraph again and remember that I still haven't covered everything in the show.

Reuben co-directed with Wayne Orr and co-wrote with John Paragon and he certainly gave the viewing public good reason to always remember Pee Wee. Everything about the show is slightly loony but in a good way, a way that kids will love and adults will also be able to enjoy. You might think that it's not worth considering as a seasonal viewing but, trust me, it's like eating a whole fruit loaf made of edible cracker jokes while washing it all down with mulled wine. That may not sound like a good thing but I think it is. The end result is a warm, fuzzy glow and a smile and a feeling that you've been slipped some candy-coated LSD.

8/10

You can pick this up on Region 1 DVD here - http://www.amazon.com/Pee-Wees-Playhouse-Christmas-Special/dp/B0002IQASG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1353882197&sr=8-4&keywords=pee+wee%27s+playhouse

But the uninitiated may first want to check it out on YouTube, where someone has kindly placed the whole thing (see it here).