December movie reviews part 2

In theaters:

WICKED FOR GOOD

I had pretty much the same reaction to this movie, which is essentially the 2nd half of one large movie if we're being honest, as I did to the first. It's solidly made and mostly well acted (but Taco Grande is way out of her depth when she has to be dramatic here), but I don't think it should be in contention for serious awards. And while I'm sure it's the same in the play, what a cop out ending. 

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH

The spectacle is still there, but this 3rd Avatar film disappointed me. It didn't involve me on a story level, as some of the narrative choices in the previous film that I didn't like figure in here in a big way. I simply will never care about Stephen Lang and his son, the eternally annoying Spider. James Cameron can still stage an action sequence like nobody else, but even there, this movie's action is kind of just a rehash of the original's sky fight and the sequel's water fight. This is also the longest of the Avatar films, and it's not necessary.

The film is heading for a billion dollars, so there will probably be more of these, but Cameron needs to pivot to a new story in this world. 

MARTY SUPREME

Josh Safdie (who made Uncut Gems with his brother but here flies solo) does another very propulsively crazy film about a main character trying to hustle everybody but largely self-destructing in the process. I felt the movie was too much like Uncut Gems, a better film, but I guess if you're going to rip off yourself, you're allowed. Timothee Chalamet is very good in this, and the film is loaded with memorable bit characters  

Everything else:

SPINAL TAP 2: THE END CONTINUES

Was not really a fan of the original, but I decided to watch this as a Rob Reiner tribute. Really didn't like this either, and it has that added layer of years-later comedy sequel rust. 

THE SURE THING

A much better Reiner movie, this was his 2nd directing effort in the 80s, a teen romance comedy with very early John Cusack and the super cute Daphne Zuniga. It's funny, and the romance works. I like this more than Say Anything. 

LOVE ME

They tried. Years after humans go extinct, a satellite and a buoy connect and grow a relationship. It goes all the way to the end of time. And it feels that long at times. It's at best a short film. Kristen Stewart voices the buoy and later is shown in human form and looks great, so the film has that going for it. 

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

I had never seen this before. I can see why it has a following. The animation is outstanding, and once the film gets into a groove of oddball shenanigans, it's pretty fun. 

FREAKIER FRIDAY

A dreadful sequel whose only idea is to have 4 people swap bodies this time instead of just 2. The Lindsay Lohan comeback is not happening. She's not at all appealing anymore. 

BRING HER BACK

A deeply fucked up horror movie from the guys who made Talk To Me a few years ago. This one is even darker and more disturbing, and has a pretty good story. Terrific against type Sally Hawkins casting. 

THE ROSES

A remake of The War of the Roses that only starts to be some wicked fun in the last half of the movie, despite game efforts by Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. For some reason this is shot like a Hallmark movie. 

HAVOC

Good dirty cop movie, with some frenzied and bloody action courtesy of The Raid director Gareth Evans. The squib budget on this thing must have been crazy.

THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10

Super cliched thriller where Keira Knightley is sure she heard someone killed aboard a yacht but can't prove it. I have a real aversion to supposedly smart movie characters doing obviously dumb things, so this movie drove me nuts. Gee, I wonder if the obviously bad Guy Pearce is the bad guy? 

TRAIN DREAMS

A nice little film following Joel Edgerton as a man living and working in Idaho in the early 1900s. It has a very Terrence Malick vibe to it, with lots of quiet and pretty cinematography. It didn't quite have the big emotional impact, but it's a lovely little unassuming story. Great ending. 

ELIO

Might have been Pixar's biggest flop ever, but it didn't deserve that. (Of course, even I didn't see it in theaters, and I had seen every Pixar film in theaters that COVID didn't prevent) It's not ambitious, but it's a fun little space adventure, with some laughs and sweet moments.