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Sandra Olmsted’s Cinematic Skinny: Holiday Films 2
A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood and Frozen 2 are Top Films This Holiday Season
By Sandra Olmsted
Director Marielle Heller’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, a Tristar release, gambles that focusing on the child-like qualities of the beloved children’s TV figure that she’ll strike the same box-office gold of last year’s documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? It is a big gamble for her since a failure with her third film could derail her directing career. Yet, Heller pulls out many stops and runs with this story based on the 1998 encounter between Tom Junod, a cynical star reporter for Esquire, and the ever-pleasant and caring Mister Rogers played exquisitely by Tom Hanks.
Although the viewers may think that this is a biopic about Rogers, the film only covers the encounter and subsequent friendship between a fictionalized Junod named Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys in a moving performance) and Mister Rogers. Fresh off a brutal run-in with the father (Chris Cooper in a spot-on performance) who abandoned him as a child, Vogel arrives to Mister Rogers’ set with a huge chip on his shoulder because he thinks the story is a waste of his talents. Characteristic of his disarming charm and concern, Rogers turns the interview into an opportunity to mend Vogel’s broken heart.
Audiences will be delighted by the aforementioned performances and by Heller’s interesting touches, such as using toy cityscapes as the sets for live scenes and vintage footage of the TV show; audiences might also find joy and hope in Vogel’s transformation. Audiences should not expect a real bio-pic because the film’s central character is Vogel, not Mister Rogers; furthermore, the film’s final act follows the TV show’s model of low or no drama too closely and feels like an episode of an educational TV series. (108 min., Rated PG for some strong thematic material, a brief fight, and some mild language.)
Disney’s Frozen 2 provides more magic and even more girl power than the first installment in this continuing tale of Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel). Olaf (voice of Josh Gad) and Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his ever-reliable reindeer Sven return and Anna and Elsa meet General Mattias (voice of Sterling K. Brown).
The sisters face a new threat to their kingdom, involving a mysterious ocean tied to their parents’ disappearance and a strange wood that has trapped the indigenous Northuldra tribe and some of Arendelle’s citizens for many years. The inclusion of the Eskimo-esque or Laplander-esque native people opens the story of Anna and Elsa up to more sequels; and Anna and Elsa’s new adventure even calls for them to wear pants, although very pretty and feminine ones.
The kids and some adults will be singing most songs by the second verse, one exception being Kristoff’s so-bad-it’s-funny 1980s boy band music video parody; at least, I hope it was a parody for directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee’s sake. (103 min., Rated PG for action/peril and some thematic elements.)
Other notable films, either already opened or opening for the holiday weekend, include:
Waves,the powerful story of a family’s heartbreaking loss, starring Sterling K. Brown. Acclaimed director Trey Edward Shults’ award-nominated A24 release runs 136 min and is rated R for language throughout, drug and alcohol use, some sexual content and brief violence-all involving teens.
The Irishman, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci and directed by Martin Scorsese, chronicles a mob hitman recalling his possible involvement with the slaying of Jimmy Hoffa. To rave reviews, this much-anticipated Netflix release opened in theaters last week and will stream for the holiday weekend. On the shortlist for Oscar noms, this drama runs 209 min. and is rated R for pervasive language and strong violence.
Knives Out, an old-school whodunit, brilliantly directed like a comedy by Rian Johnson. This fun-filled film has a huge, star-studded cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, and Chris Evans. When a renowned crime novelist (Plummer) dies under mysterious circumstances, Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) must sort through the victim’s eccentric family, friends, and staff for the killer. Lionsgate’s dark comedy runs 130 and is rated PG-13 for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material.
Several other films are also in theaters now, including the police crime drama 21 Bridges (STX), the family drama Frankie (Sony Picture Classics), and the first date turned on-the-run-from-the-law road picture, Queen & Slim (Universal). Happy Holiday Moviegoing and Happy Thanksgiving!
