ROUND UP OF NEW AND RECENT FILMS PART NINE

ROUND UP OF NEW AND RECENT FILMS PART NINE.

Hipsters (Stilyagi/2008) is a Russian musical set in Moscow in 1955. Mels (Anton Shagin) belongs to the Communist Youth League, which tracks down young people -- or "hipsters" -- who love the traitorous Western ideology, including American fashion and music. Mels falls for a hipster named Polina or Polly (Oksana Akinshina) and becomes a hipster himself (although his hairstyle looks more modern-day rockabilly -- almost like Eraserhead -- than 1950's greaser). The colorful settings and cinematography, enthusiastic cast. snappy songs (most original, although we also hear "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess), and lively dancing don't quite disguise the fact that this love story is cliched and superficial. However, the picture is good to look at and at times quite entertaining, if definitely overlong. **1/2.  

Big Eyes (2014) is Tim Burton's true story about the painter Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) whose husband Walter (Christoph Waltz) took credit for her work, culminating in a court trial. Whatever you may think of Keane's paintings of her big-eyed subjects, Big Eyes is absorbing and well-acted, one of Burton's better movies in recent years (if not exactly spectacular). Terence Stamp is also in the cast. Waltz is a good actor who almost always adds a layer of slime to his portrayals. ***. 

Dark Crimes (2016) stars Jim Carrey (pictured) as a Polish police officer (!) trying to get out of desk detail before retiring. Carrey gives a good dramatic performance and has some very strong moments, and the supporting cast is generally on target as well, but even if you accept that Carrey's character is a fuck-up, some of his actions are inexplicable. Moody photography helps a lot but this script has a whole lot of problems. Marton Csokas certainly scores as the sinister author that Carrey is certain is responsible for a brutal murder, and Charlotte Gainsbourg is fine as his girlfriend. Some of the action centers on a shuttered, sleazy sex club called the Cage. Supposedly based on a true story, this is initially compelling but ultimately a misfire. **3/4. 

Sam Claflin and Rachel Weisz

My Cousin Rachel (2017) is a creditable remake of the earlier version of Daphne Du Maurier's novel starring Olivia De Havilland and Richard Burton. This version stars Rachel Weisz and Sam Claflin and is written and directed by Roger Michell. The film is very well photographed by Mike Eley. The story retains its ambiguity.  ***. 

Who's Killing the Cheerleaders? (aka Who is Killing the Cheerleaders?) is a 2020 telefilm in which a young lady who was a high school student when some of her friends were murdered comes back to town as a teacher -- and now more cheerleaders are being killed. This is a bloodless, non-slasher slasher film that may hold the attention for a time but which flies from your memory practically before it's even over. Ella Cannon is acceptable as the heroine, as is Austin Freeman as her old wannabee boyfriend. It all seems to take place in some alternate universe, the cable land of crappy movies. From Lifetime, naturally. **.  

ANNE BANCROFT: A LIFE

ANNE BANCROFT: A LIFE. Douglass K. Daniel. University Press of Kentucky; 2017. 

Anne Bancroft was typical of a lot of what we might call "second tier celebrities." Bancroft was accomplished and celebrated, an Oscar-winner, and had a highly successful career, yet for most of her life she was not really "bankable." Her husband, Mel Brooks, may have even become the bigger "name" at one time. In spite of this, Bancroft managed to amass many credits on TV, on the stage, and in films, with her most famous movies being The Miracle Worker (recreating her stage role) and The Graduate. This excellent biography covers her entire life and career from girlhood to death, and does so with intelligence and sensitivity. Author Daniel also analyzes Bancroft's technique in different roles, and doesn't shy away from recording times when she was off her game, at least according to certain critics. Bancroft toiled in B movies like Gorilla at Large and The Girl in Black Stockings, before entering a new phase and new admiration on Broadway and elsewhere. On the stage Bancroft tackled challenging roles in works such as The Devils and Mother Courage. The book is bolstered with many comments from people who knew and worked with the woman. Bancroft's first movie was Don't Bother to Knock, where she was upstaged by Marilyn Monroe but gave the better performance. She wisely turned down such projects as Myra Breckinridge and Mommie Dearest. 

Verdict: Excellent on every level and a good read as well. ****. 

YOU AIN'T HEARD NOTHIN' YET: INTERVIEWS WITH STARS FROM HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN ERA

YOU AIN'T HEARD NOTHIN' YET: Interviews with Stars from Hollywood's Golden Era. James Bawden and Ron Miller. University Press of Kentucky; 2017.

This is a collection of interviews by the two authors (working separately) with a variety of prominent film figures. Some of the interviews are very brief and focused on one particular film -- generally to publicize a TV movie -- but others are a little more in-depth. Interview subjects include Robert Preston, Cornel Wilde, Walter Pidgeon, Robert Young, Bette Davis, Janet Leigh, Patricia Neal, and many others. There are sections on notable movie heavies, child stars, leading ladies, and so on, as well as pieces on Jay Robinson [The Robe] and Hurd Hatfield [The Picture of Dorian Gray], who were in a sense seen as Hollywood causalities but actually had long and busy careers in spite of it. The interview with Victor Buono seems to focus mostly on his weight. Along the way there are some interesting tidbits. For instance, both Patricia Neal and Daniel Massey (who gives one of the longer and more interesting interviews in the book) both think that The Fountainhead was a stinker. Stupid moments include the section in the Anthony Perkins piece where Miller blames Perkins' being a closeted homosexual on the supposed "lack of heat" with his leading ladies (although Rock Hudson had no problem, and Perkins, be he gay or bi, later got married and fathered two children).

Verdict: Entertaining look at Hollywood from an insider's perspective. ***. 

GOOD NEW MOVIE: CROOKED HOUSE

CROOKED HOUSE (2017). Director: Gilles Paquet-Brenner.

When the wealthy and elderly Aristide Leonides is found dead in his bed, his grand-daughter, Sophia (Stefanie Martini), importunes old boyfriend and private eye Charles Hayward (Max Irons) to look into things and discovers the man was poisoned. Suspicion immediately falls upon Brenda (Christina Hendricks), Leonides' much, much younger wife, who was having an affair with the tutor, Laurence (John Heffernan), but there are other suspects as well: Leonides' sons Philip (Julian Sands) and Roger (Christian McKay), and his grandson Eustace (Preston Nyman); their respective wives Magda, the actress (Gillian Anderson), and Clemency (Amanda Abbington); and the spinster aunt, Lady Edith (Glenn Close). Trying to assist Charles as he interviews everyone in the house is young Josephine (Honor Kneafsey), who is keeping a journal as she tries to find out "who-dun-it" before Charles does, but her efforts may get her into trouble -- or worse.

Glenn Close

Crooked House is a good adaptation of an excellent 1949 novel by Agatha Christie, and it builds in suspense and power as it goes along. The actors who make the best impression are the best-known: Terence Stamp [Superman II] in the small role of a Scotland Yard inspector; Glenn Close as the somewhat eccentric but likable aunt; and Gillian Anderson [The X Files] as the flighty tippling actress who isn't much of a mother to her three children. Close and Anderson's characterizations border on caricature at times, but they are both fun, although there are times Close seems to be channeling Cruella de Vil. Max Irons, son of Jeremy Irons, is competent enough, but his performance lacks charisma and intensity. Most of the other performers are quite good. The film is handsomely mounted, with especially striking art direction, although sometimes the players seem rather lost in the very wide-screen photography. Apparently the story takes place in the 1950's, which explains the rock 'n' roll, but the atmosphere and fashions are very thirties. Paquet-Brenner also directed Dark Places.

Verdict: Creditable Agatha Christie adaptation is not as good as the book, but worth viewing in any case. ***. 

ROUND UP OF NEW AND RECENT FILMS PART FOUR

Dr. Strange 

Here are some mini-reviews of films that are less than twenty-five years old:

Deadly Whispers (1995). Director: Bill Norton. An investigation ensues when young Kathy Acton (Heather Tom) goes missing, and suspicion falls upon her father (Tony Danza). There are several good performances in this fact-inspired telefilm, especially from Pamela Reed as the missing girl's mother -- she is outstanding. **1/2.

Lonely Hearts (2006). Writer/Director: Todd Robinson. This is the third version of a true story already told in The Honeymoon Killers and Deep Crimson, only the focus in this version is on two homicide detectives (well-played by John Travolta and James Gandolfino, especially the former) with their own issues who track down the  exploiters and killers of lonely women, Ray Fernandez (Jared Leto) and Martha Beck (Salma Hayek). Leto and Hayek make a sexy and deadly duo of sociopaths,but making them share attention with the cops harms the movie. **1/2. .

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010). Writer/director: Woody Allen. When Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) walks out on his ding-bat wife, Helena (Gemma Jones), and marries a hooker, his daughter develops her own marital problems with her writer-husband (Josh Brolin). Meanwhile an alleged psychic, Cristal (Pauline Collins), is telling Helena how everyone should live their lives (past and future). This is a very entertaining and very well-acted comedy-drama that just misses being really special. It's typical Woody Allen, with lots of infidelity and screwed-up relationships. One plot point, in which a character steals a dead man's manuscript and presents it to a publisher as his own, has been much better handled elsewhere. **1/2.

Margin Call (2011). Director: J. C. Chandor. In 2008, after the head of their risk department is fired, an investment firm discovers that they are heading for a financial disaster; arguments ensue as to exactly which path the company will take to survive. Top-notch acting from such players as Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany and Simon Baker, among others, helps keep this suspenseful and riveting, although some may be disappointed at the lack of highly dramatic fireworks. ***.

Honeymoon (2014). Director: Leigh Janiak. A couple (Harry Treadaway of Penny Dreadful and Rose Leslie) go to a cabin on their honeymoon and strange things begin to happen. Are one of both of them having a psychotic breakdown; is another couple nearby causing problems; or is there something odd going on in the woods? The movie is very well-acted and suspenseful but much too slow, and the wind-up borders on the ludicrous because it ultimately makes little sense. Too bad, because it holds the attention for quite awhile. **.

Home Sweet Hell (2015). Director: Anthony Burns. The acting is splendid in a very black comedy in which a man (Patrick Wilson) with a domineering and sociopathic wife (Katherine Heigl) is importuned by her to murder his avaricious and dishonest mistress (Jordana Brewster). Jim Belushi also scores as Wilson's friend and employee, but the movie becomes increasingly over the top and rather ridiculous. **1/2.

The Accountant (2016). Director: Gavin O'Connor. Two Treasury agents try to track down a mysterious CPA (Ben Affleck) with a strange family history who runs his own business but seems to have a number of dangerous sidelines. The picture has interesting twists and turns but ultimately it becomes a little silly. The acting is good, with J. K. Simmons a stand-out. This probably would have worked better as a novel. **1/2.

Dr. Strange (2016). Director: Scott Derrickson. Marvel's "Sorcerer Supreme" reinvented for the movies retains the idea of an arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) who searches for meaning after he loses the medical use of his hands. Tilda Swinton makes her mark as "The Ancient One" (given a sex-change from the comics), Cumberbatch [Star Trek Into Darkness] is okay, and there are some fine special effects, especially a sequence in which Manhattan is seemingly turned topsy turvey during a battle. The depictions of other-dimensions are interesting but there's nothing as bizarre as what artist Steve Ditko came up with in the comic book. The whole project is just kind of blah. Stan Lee's cutesy cameos in these things are getting tiresome. **1/2.

Logan (2017). Director: James Mangold. This tremendously over-rated movie takes a last look at the character of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) -- James Logan of the X-Men -- and his mentor, Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), while adding a little girl, possibly Logan's daughter, who runs around beheading people with her claws. Meant to be moving, Logan is instead kind of silly and so restricted by dumb popular tastes that even a certified X-Men fan like myself found it stupid and tedious. The actors, however, are excellent and deserve a better vehicle. **.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017). Director: David France. This documentary follows Victoria Cruz of the Anti-Violence Project as she tries to investigate the death of transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson. Was she murdered, or did she simply fall through the literal cracks in the pier near where her body was found? The movie has no real answers. It also looks at the life of transgender activist Sylvia Rivera, who became good friends with Marsha after their initial rivalry. There was criticism of the film because it was made by a white, gay, non-transgender (cisgender) man, but the real problem is that it borders on the superficial. One suspects that despite the very real challenges and discrimination Johnson and Rivera had to face, they had self-destructive streaks that only added to their problems. Johnson and Rivera get points for helping homeless transgender youths of color, but their work as LGBT political activists has been somewhat exaggerated. **1/2.

The Beguiled (2017), Director: Sofia Coppola. This remake of the near-classic Clint Eastwood film mixes Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Kirsten Dunst but comes up short. The simple truth is that while Farrell is arguably a better actor than Eastwood -- and he's quite good in the film -- Kidman is no match for Geraldine Page nor Dunst for Elizabeth Hartman from the original. Both of those actresses provided neurotic emotional fireworks that the new ladies lack. Still, it's an entertaining picture but not nearly as good as the earlier version. **1/2.

Batman and Harley Quinn (2017). Director: Sam Liu. Batman and Nightwing team up with reformed villainess Harley Quinn to stop a plot by her old friend Poison Ivy and the Floronic Man. This is the nadir of DC comics animated features, a disgracefully awful, self-indulgent mess that even includes jokes about flatulence. The worst Batman project ever, everyone involved in this should hang their heads in shame. Written by Bruce Timm and Jim Krieg. Why does DC keep foisting the irritating and obnoxious Harley Quinn on everyone? 1/2*.

Bad Match (2017). Written and directed by David Chirchirillo. An Internet stud hits the sheets with the wrong woman, who turns out to have a screw loose, acting like she's his fiancee when they've only had a couple of "dates." Before long he winds up fired from his job and accused of downloading kiddie porn onto his computer. Most men in this situation would stay far, far away from this "psycho bitch" who could easily accuse him of rape if he were ever alone with her, but our hero is so stupid that he goes to her apartment twice -- and worse. The film is not badly acted and has some suspense and a couple of twists, but it lacks the strong characterization and impact that might have made it more memorable. This is a good illustration of the old adage "it isn't what happens to us but how we react to it." **1/2.

Batman vs. Two-Face (2017), Director: Rick Morales. This is another animated film that is inspired by the sixties Batman TV show and which employs the voices of Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman). The dynamic duo's main adversary is Two-Face, who also works with Hugo Strange and at one point auctions off Batman's secret identity to such villains as Bookworm, Joker, Riddler, and Penguin. King Tut also appears. The film is "cute," but the highlight is the closing credits in which the entire cast dance the "Batusi." Aunt Harriet can really shake it! The well-animated picture is dedicated to the late Adam West.**1/2.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Director: Jon Watts. Marvel has rebooted the Spider-Man franchise by turning him back into a high school kid (in the comics he didn't have much to do with the Avengers until he was an adult). This makes the movie with its 15-year-old hero (an enthusiastic Tom Holland) seem even more like a Disney movie for kids. Scenes of the boy's high school life rapidly become tedious in this very overlong movie which is distinguished strictly by two scenes: a battle on the Staten Island ferry, and a climactic mid-air fight involving a plane and a crash landing at Coney Island. These sequences are fairly spectacular, but there aren't enough of them, and the film goes on for fifteen minutes after the climax! The new supposedly high-tech versions of Spider-foes The Vulture (Michael Keaton) and Shocker aren't half as striking as the originals. In this The Vulture is the father of Spider-Man's crush Liz, and is using stolen alien technology to make weapons. Jacob Batalon makes an impression as Spider-Man's friend, Ned. **.

BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY

Hedy Lamarr

BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY (2017). Director: Alexandra Dean.

Austrian-born and Jewish, Hedy Lamarr fled the Nazis and emigrated to America, where she was turned into a star after appearing in the controversial Ecstasy in her homeland. Her first American film was Algiers with Charles Boyer. A look at her films reveal an actress whose work could be uneven, but who could also offer effective, sensual, and warm performances in such films as Crossroads and Zeigfeld Girl. She turned to producing later on and worked on Edgar G. Ulmer's The Strange Woman with George Sanders. Bombshell concentrates less on her film career and more on her scientific work, which -- incredible as it may seem -- led to the wi-fi and blue tooth of today. Apparently Lamarr conceived of the idea of radio-controlled torpedoes during WW 2 (after reading of all the deaths at sea caused by German u-boats). Her main contribution was the idea of "frequency-hopping" to keep the Germans from interfering with the Allies' signals. This same frequency-hopping led to the cell phones and other devices that are commonplace today. The Navy rejected Lamarr's ideas (developed with the help of a friend, the American composer Georges Antheil), although they apparently used her technology anyway but never acknowledged it (or paid her for it) until she was an elderly recluse who had lost her beauty. Bombshell features interviews with her children, biographers and film critics, as well as comments from Lamarr herself from a taped interview she did with a magazine writer. If you're looking for an intensive exploration of her film work and/or comments from fellow actors, you won't find them, giving this otherwise excellent documentary a feeling of incompleteness. However, what we do get is undeniably absorbing, and the filmmakers were undoubtedly not interested in doing just another movie star bio. NOTE: This documentary can be viewed on Netflix and on DVD.

Verdict: Who knew Hedy was a genius? ***.

JUSTICE LEAGUE

The heroes of the Justice League

JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017). Director: Zack Snyder.

A demonic figure named Steppenwolf (Claran Hinds) sends monstrous para-demons to Earth in order to claim three "mother boxes" (sort of an alien computer) secreted in Atlantis, on Paradise Island, and somewhere among ordinary humans. When the three boxes are connected, it could signal the end of mankind. Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) gather together other heroes to combat this menace: a teenage super-speedster, the Flash (Ezra Miller of We Need to Talk About Kevin); Aquaman (Jason Momoa), who is more at home under the ocean; and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), who is mostly mechanical. The team (never really referred to as the "Justice League") use one of the Mother Boxes to resuscitate Superman (Henry Cavill), who was killed at the end of Batman V Superman. One of the best scenes in the movie features the battle between a confused, newly awakened Man of Steel with the other heroes as they try to get through to him in his confused and hostile state. While Justice League is an improvement over Batman V Superman, it's still disappointing considering the talent involved and all the hard work and fine FX that went into the production. While there is some excitement and suspense to the action sequences, they still often look like confused and cluttered video games. There is an admirable attempt to add some flesh and blood to these heroic and colorful characters, not only by the screenwriters but by the actors who play them; Affleck and Gadot are especially notable, and Jeremy Irons makes an excellent Alfred, Batman's butler and aide-de-camp. It is also strange that the minor character of Steppenwolf should have been chosen as the primary antagonist when his nephew Darkseid would have been a much better choice. Many of the concepts in the film are based on ideas by writer-artist Jack Kirby, who created the "Fourth World" mythos that is referenced in the movie. Changes from comics to film are numerous: Barry Allen was not a teen when he became the Flash and the business with his father being in jail for murdering his mother was carried over from the TV series. Aquaman was brusque, bearded and long-haired only for a brief period in the comics. Lois Lane and Ma Kent are nearly unrecognizable. For more about the comic books see The Silver Age of Comics.

Verdict: Now that the characters and the team have been introduced, perhaps the sequel will be a more memorable movie, although this has its moments. **3/4.

CHARLES WALTERS: THE DIRECTOR WHO MADE HOLLYWOOD DANCE

CHARLES WALTERS: THE DIRECTOR WHO MADE HOLLYWOOD DANCE. Brent Phillips. University Press of Kentucky; 2017.

This excellent biography looks at the life and work of Charles Walters, who started out as a dancer, became a choreographer for both stage and film, and then directed many notable movies at MGM and elsewhere. Walters lived with a male partner, his agent, for many years, was good friends with everyone from Judy Garland to Esther Williams to Lucille Ball (working with the latter on TV specials as well as Du Barry Was a Lady, for which he did the choreography), and by all accounts was a likable and amiable Hollywood presence. The movies Walters directed include Good News, Easy to Love, Summer Stock, Jumbo, Lili, Torch Song with Joan Crawford, High Society, The Glass Slipper, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, among others. Well-researched and bolstered with interviews, this bio has amusing behind-the-scenes anecdotes a'plenty,and also explores Walters' approach.to "cine-dance" -- dance in the movies. 

Verdict: First-rate look at an unsung Hollywood figure. ***1/2.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

Armie Hammer

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017). Director: Luca Gaudagnino.

In 1983 Italy, 17-year-old Elio (Timothee Chalamet) lives with his parents in a small village. His father (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a professor of archeology, and each summer a graduate student spends time with the family and assists him. This summer it's 24-year-old Oliver (Armie Hammer of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.), who on the surface at least seems sunny and confident. Elio has a sometime girlfriend, but while initially standoffish to Oliver, he eventually seems to focus much more on him than the girl. Elio and Oliver eventually begin a romantic and sexual relationship, but (alleged) true love doesn't always run smoothly. Coll Me By Your Name is based on the novel by Andre Aciman, a middle-aged family man who thinks there's no such thing as "gay, straight or bi" and is possibly not the best person to write a supposed gay love story. The film version is similarly confused when it isn't being tedious. Chalamet, who was actually 20 during filming and could pass for fifteen, gives a very good performance (he is especially good at the very end, when a long take focused just on his face shows the conflicting emotions Elio feels -- from heartbreak to anger to wry understanding of sorts) but Hammer is more problematic. At 31 he is too old and too tall and his very awkward and unconvincing love scenes with the boyish Chalamet are less erotic than they are discomfiting. (While not effeminate, Hammer does seem to play the role at times like a borderline languid queen as if he thought that's how he should play a gay guy.) Others have noted that Oliver is not a child molester -- that Elio is of legal age in Italy -- but the sex scenes still look like ads for NAMBLA. (We do have to remember, however, the innumerable movies that have had adult men involved with 16 or 17-year-old girls without anyone raising an eyebrow.) Others have also noted that Call Me By Your Name comes off less as a love story between equals as it does the story of an older man who gets off on a boy's adoration of him and pretty much takes advantage of it, especially when one considers what he does at the finale. A bigger problem is that Elio and Oliver are simply not that interesting. Perhaps the best scene in the movie is when father and son have a very frank talk without ever quite coming "out" with what they're talking about (pun intended), but which they manage to get across in spite of it. Still, one might wonder if the sequence is really that believable. Call Me By Your Name also has a dated quality, as if it came out in the seventies instead of 2017, and there have certainly been many -- too many -- tales of boys who fall for older men only to have the older guy go off and get married. While I've no doubt many conservatives will see this film as a Gay Lib movie -- not to mention prettified Chickenhawk crap -- the fact is that Call Me By Your Name is not as gay-friendly -- nor as gay --as it may seem, in some ways suggesting (intended or not) that homosexuality is just a phase. Another "minimalist" movie that has no really great or memorable dramatic sequences. 

Verdict: If it doesn't put you to sleep you may find some of it interesting, but otherwise, this is a MAJOR disappointment. **. 

THOR: RAGNAROK

Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston

THOR: RAGNAROK (2017). Director: Taika Waititi.

"Asgard is not a place -- it's a people."

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) manages to defeat the fire demon, Surtur and his impressive dragon, but then learns that he has to take on his sister, Hela (Cate Blanchett), who happens to be the Goddess of Death! (In the early Thor comic books Thor and Hela were not related). But while Hela is wreaking havoc on Asgard, Thor is imprisoned on a strange planet ruled by a weird character named the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), who pits Thor against his special champion in an arena -- the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)! Will Thor be able to convince his fellow Avenger, as well as his untrustworthy brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and a fierce Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) to escape the Grandmaster and rescue Asgard from Hela? What do you think? Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was a huge and unexpected hit, and it was played mostly for laughs, so it was decided to try the flippant, almost campy approach with this latest installment of the Thor series (following Thor and Thor: Dark World). As much as I may lament this approach in most instances, the fact remains that Thor: Ragnarok is better and much more entertaining than the previous Thor films. Although the characters perhaps dally too long on the Grandmaster's planet, the film is fast-paced, colorful, full of some amazing FX (including a gargantuan canine) and well-done action scenes, and features some amusing and lively performances. Hemsworth and Hiddleston make good, somewhat friendly brothers and adversaries, Goldblum is fine as a campy version of an old Marvel cosmic character; and Blanchett [Blue Jasmine] basically steals the movie with her stylish and impressive turn as the dark goddess Hela. There is also nice work from Anthony Hopkins as Odin; Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange; Karl Urban as Skurge; and Idris Elba as Heimdall. The art direction is striking, as is Javier Aguirresarobe's cinematography; and Mark Mothersbaugh's music is effectively "grandiose" when required. NOTE: To read about the comic book adventures of Thor see The Silver Age of Comics.

Verdict; Too silly and flip perhaps but undeniably well-made, good to look at, and exciting. ***.

HE'S GOT RHYTHM: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF GENE KELLY

HE'S GOT RHYTHM: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF GENE KELLY. Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson. University Press of Kentucky; 2017.

He's Got Rhythm explores the life and work of Gene Kelly, who could act, sing, choreograph, and direct, but always considered himself primarily a dancer. And boy could be dance! This lengthy and fairly exhaustive bio looks at his often contradictory nature; his perfectionism, which occasionally put him at odds with co-workers and frequent collaborators, such as Stanley Donen [Royal Wedding]; his three marriages, to actress Betsy Blair [A Delicate Balance] and others; his friendly "rivalry" with Fred Astaire [Carefree]; and his persistent championing of dance throughout his long life. His marriage to Blair ended in divorce when she fell in love with another man; his second wife, who had formerly worked for him, died of leukemia; and his third wife, who was working with him on his autobiography, was a much younger woman who took over his life and, according to the book, separated him from his close friends and family even as he lay dying. The authors examine every project that Kelly was involved or nearly involved in, including his star turn as Joey in the original Broadway production of Pal Joey; his plans to star in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a movie that was ultimately canceled; his turn behind the camera with Hello Dolly and other movies; his TV specials that celebrated the dance; and his appearances in such classics as Singing in the Rain and On the Town. Kelly's low-budget dramatic films such as The Devil Makes Three, are mentioned only in passing in comparison. But this book is an excellent tribute to Kelly, which makes a strong case for his art and his enduring popularity.

Verdict: First-class bio. ***1/2.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017)

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017).

Traveling on the Orient Express in 1934, famous detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) learns that a man has been murdered and is asked to investigate by his old friend Bouc (Tom Bateman), a representative of the train line. As Poirot interviews the other passengers, he slowly discovers that many of them had some connection to the victim, a man named Rachet, who was really the notorious kidnapper, Casetti (Johnny Depp). As Poirot discovers the many secrets of the numerous suspects, he finds himself with a moral dilemma. I was a bit taken aback when I first heard of this film, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised when I finally saw it. Although he may not be quite as convincing as David Suchet or Albert Finney in the first version, Branagh is much better as the Belgian detective than anticipated. Unlike Christie's creation -- and for better or worse -- Branagh makes a more "virile" Poirot, and has him mooning over the photograph of a lost love as if to prove his heterosexuality (Poirot was never gay in any case). The movie is also superior to the 1974 version, with better performances from the supporting cast and a more serious tone. Michael Green's screenplay intelligently "opens up" the film in small ways, and the plot doesn't seem quite so far-fetched. Depp is excellent as the racketeer, and there are also notable turns from Michelle Pfieffer as Mrs. Hubbard (she is much better than Lauren Bacall in the original); Derek Jacobi as a nervous manservant; Willem Dafoe as a Pinkerton detective; and Judi Dench as the formidable Princess Dragomiroff. Of the younger players, Josh Gad makes an impression as McQueen, the dead man's secretary, as do Daisy Ridley [Star Wars Part VII] as Mary Debenham and Leslie Odom Jr. as Dr. Arbuthnot. Arbuthnot was not a black character in Christie's novel -- this film is generally faithful to it -- but that does not present a problem, except that at one point the positively drawn character seems to become quite negative. Patrick Doyle's [Thor] score lacks the suspense and tension that a mystery requires, but in the final quarter it does add some depth and somberness to the proceedings. "Never Forget," which we hear over the closing credits, is a pretty song that is very nicely warbled by Michell Pfeiffer, who proved she could sing long ago in Grease 2.

Agatha Christie was still alive when the first version of this story came out. While she admired Finney, she did not admire his mustache, which was nowhere near as "magnificent" (at least in Poirot's opinion)  as it was supposed to be. Love it or hate it, Branagh's mustache would probably have pleased Christie. This movie was absolutely hated by many people -- who thought they fiddled unnecessarily with a "masterpiece" -- but as much as I love Christie's work, I don't consider the novel to be a "masterpiece" nor the first film version, either.

Verdict: Unevenly directed perhaps, but still the best version of this venerable old story. Makes me look forward to Branagh's version of Death on the Nile. ***.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK MOVIES

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK MOVIES. Wheeler Winston Dixon and Richard Graham. Palgrave Macmillan; 2017.

This is indeed a very brief overview of comic book and comic strip adaptations that comes off more like a long article than a book. Chapters look at characters from the DC Comic universe, such as Superman and Batman; the characters of the Marvel Universe, such as Iron Man and the Fantastic Four; Japanese anime; and independent films such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The book is breezily written for the most part, makes some good points about these movies, but in some ways comes off like a well-done term paper. There are no photographs. It's strange that the publisher didn't invest in some pictures and thicken the book's page count.

Verdict: Publish or perish? **1/2.

WONDER WOMAN (2017)

Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) on the battlefield

WONDER WOMAN (2017). Director: Patty Jenkins.

During WW1, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) of British Intelligence, winds up on the island of Themiscrya, where he is pursued by Germans and encounters Princess Diana (Gal Gadot of Batman V Superman) and a horde of warrior-like Amazons. Against her mother Hyppolyta's (Connie Nielsen) wishes, Diana decides to take off on a boat with Trevor and do what she can to stop Ares (David Thewlis), whom she believes is responsible for the current miserable state of the world. Never mind that it's hard to believe that an officer in British Intelligence would want to just take this strange gal with him on a secret mission, but Diana proves her mettle when she puts on her costume and reveals astonishing super-powers. Aside from Ares, Diana's adversaries include General Ludendoirff (Danny Huston of Hitchcock), and the disfigured Dr. Maru (Elena Anaya), a specialist in poison whose latest gas can seep through gas masks. As played by the talented Gal Gadot, this Wonder Woman (although she's never referred to as such), is an impressive heroine who combines strength and courage with compassion, and as such is a noble and inspiring figure. But the film itself is slow and unconvincing at times, with sporadic bursts of excitement and light show-battles that we've all seen before. The music (Rupert Gregson-Williams) helps and there is outstanding cinematography (especially in the Themiscrya sequences) by Matthew Jensen. Chris Pine is only adequate as Steve Trevor, who was as American as apple pie in the comic books. Robin Wright of House of Cards makes a notable Antiope, but she isn't around for very long. (If you're wondering why Adolf Hitler doesn't get into the action, remember this is World War One, not World War Two.)

Wonder Woman first appeared in comics in the forties. To explain away inconsistencies, it was decided that the Wonder Woman of WW2 (not WW1 as in this movie) was the "Earth-1" version and the Wonder Woman of modern times was from "Earth-2." Apparently the Wonder Woman of this movie is the same person and is simply immortal.

Verdict: Gadot is impressive; the movie less so. **1/2.

VICIOUS

VICIOUS. William Schoell. 2017; Cemetery Dance.

Jimmy and Dorothy are a young couple who share a love of film, except that Jimmy's tastes run to the grotesque and horrific. Dorothy has trouble with such films as slasher movies because her own parents were assaulted and murdered by a maniac -- she gets no enjoyment out of films that bring that living nightmare back home to her. One of the earliest "slasher" films is the infamous Vicious from the sixties, and now they're making a sequel. As they film the movie, with Jimmy and Dorothy both covering it from different angles for their respective publications, people associated with the film begin to get murdered -- horribly murdered. Mix in a demon, a killer with a clawed hand, a railway car full of ghosts, a gay psychic, and some very strange nuns in a convent hovering near a girls school -- where the students are also being murdered -- and you have one heady brew of shock and suspense.

Vicious was originally published in paperback under the generic title Bride of Satan, a title which the publisher insisted upon. Now the prestigious Cemetery Dance Publishers has brought it out in a spanking new epub edition with a great cover by Kealen Patrick Burke and his Elderlemon Design. Available on kindle, nook, and other platforms, and can also be read on your computer. This is an enjoyable read for both horror fans and film buffs, but be warned that it gets a little gross at times.

LATE AT NIGHT

Cover by Elderlemon Deisgn

LATE AT NIGHT. William Schoell. Cemetery Dance; 2017.

My vintage horror novel Late at Night has been reissued in epub format by Cemetery Dance, and can be read on Kindle, Nook, or on your computer or other device.

In this book a group of psychic investigators and others come to the infamous Lammerty Island, which has a history of murder and mayhem. One night our hero, Ernest, wants something to read until he feels sleepy and discovers a paperback in the old house's library. As he reads, he discovers that he is the main character, and the supporting players are the other people in the group. What's going on here? And then the murders start ...

Readers have found this book both scary and suspenseful and I'm happy that Cemetery Dance has given it a new life. I was also pleased with the reviews on Amazon. This one was a lot of fun to write!

MISS D AND ME: LIFE WITH THE INVINCIBLE BETTE DAVIS

MISS D AND ME: LIFE WITH THE INVINCIBLE BETTE DAVIS. Kathryn Sermak with Danielle Morton. Hachette Books; 2017.

Kathryn Sermak was a personal assistant to Bette Davis in the actress' later years and became a close friend as well, going on trips with the star even after she was no longer in her employ. Sermak writes about how Davis, who at first wanted to fire Sermak, took the young lady under her wing (whether she wanted to be there or not), taught her manners and added some polish, and encouraged her in both her private life and love life. Like most movie stars, Davis could on occasion be difficult and unpleasant, but she was more often kind-hearted and always fascinating. Sermak writes about how difficult it was for Davis to survive breast cancer and a stroke, and then have to deal with her daughter, B. D. Hyman's, betrayal by writing My Mother's Keeper. Hyman, apparently under the thumb of her husband, whom she married at sixteen, had turned into a sanctimonious religious zealot and wanted her mother to mend her ways or she would never see her grandchildren. (One need not even comment on that!) There is some satisfaction in that Davis' fortune was divided between her son Michael and Sermak and Hyman was cut out without a dime (after receiving much financial support from her mother over the years). The book is very well-written by Sermak and Morton, and pulls the reader along, even creating suspense in whether or not Davis' exhaustively-planned weekend with her children and grandchildren will go well or not, and in whether or not Sermak herself will find a lasting relationship with her French boyfriend, Pierre. Books like Miss D and Me have to be taken with a grain of salt, of course -- not to be cynical but Sermak may have done all she did for Davis to get in her will for all we know --  but much of it rings true and is rather moving to boot.

Verdict: Bette Davis fans will want to devour this highly interesting study of the lady's last few years. ***1/2.

SAURIAN

SAURIAN, William Schoell. Cemetery Dance; 2017.

Cemetery Dance publishers has released a new epub version of my vintage horror novel Saurian. The book's antagonists are Thomas Bartlett, whose family and entire town were destroyed by a monstrous creature when he was just a boy, and Gareth Bronmore, a real estate developer who seems to prosper as certain properties are ravaged by an unknown and gigantic animal ... an animal that has strangely human eyes.

I admit that Saurian was influenced by such movies as The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and The Giant Behemoth, but whereas those movies had one-dimensional characters and fairly basic storylines, as wonderful as they were, I tried to create living, breathing characters for the novel and add some unique elements to the story.

This edition has a spanking new cover by Elder Lemon Design.

Saurian is available on Amazon (Kindle) and Barnes and Noble (Nook) and can also be read on computers and other devices.

KONG: SKULL ISLAND

Kong expresses his opinion of this movie

KONG: SKULL ISLAND
(2017). Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts.

A prologue set in 1944 shows two soldiers -- one Japanese, one American -- fighting on Skull Island until King Kong (or at least his paws) interrupts. Thirty years later an expedition is going to Skull Island for resources, and it's quite awhile until the title character shows up in all of his glory. Sergeant Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) wants to blow Kong away for destroying many of his men, but others argue that Kong protects the natives on the island from much worse monsters. While the two opposing camps try to persuade the other, they must fight off all manner of hungry and horrible creatures. This reboot of Kong is more successful than the most recent Godzilla, but despite some outstanding special effects -- and an impressive leading man in Kong -- the movie just lacks that certain sense of wonder. Having the trip to Skull Island be a military operation sort of strips it of romance, and Kong: Skull Island is merely another loud, cold-blooded (if not necessarily more cold-blooded than the original King Kong), slick, forgettable, modern-day monster flick with a typically flip, often cutesy approach and a mediocre screenplay. The actors are competent enough, but they are pretty much lost in a sea of FX, and sympathetic characters get dismissed even as they're eaten. Kong is much, much bigger in this than he was in the 1933 film, and his climactic battle with a huge reptilian creature -- not to mention the post-credit epilogue that most people didn't wait around in the theater to see -- suggests there may be a remake of King Kong vs Godzilla in the offing. Despite all the action, the movie has slow stretches, and not just in the first quarter. The two best scenes in the movie have nothing to do with Kong at all: the soldiers are attacked by a humongous and deadly tree spider; and a touching coda involving the surviving WW2 sailor from the prologue as he returns home to his family. As the guide and nominal hero of the piece, Tom Hidddleston makes much less of an impression than he does as the villainous Loki in Thor.

Verdict: The original King Kong is still the best and likely to remain so. **1/2.

THE OTHER SIDE OF NETFLIX' "MAKING A MURDERER"

THE OTHER SIDE OF NETFLIX' MAKING A MURDERER

I confess that I only watched the first episode of Netflix' Making a Murderer non-fiction series. I didn't think the documentary was that well done, and had no great interest in watching ten hours of this story: its premise was that Steven Avery, wrongfully convicted of a rape and imprisoned for 18 years, was also wrongfully convicted of the rape-murder of Teresa Halbach subsequent to his release, and that police planted evidence to convict him. I am well aware of how venal human nature can be, and I am certainly aware of corrupt cops, but I found it hard to believe that men who had long-time honorable careers would suddenly risk those careers, as well as jail time, just because Avery filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit -- after all, whatever money judgment he received would have come from the taxpayers, not out of the pockets of those law enforcement officials. It would also mean that the "real" killer would get away with a ghastly crime, and be left free to attack and murder more innocent women. I don't buy it. Yet, apparently the prosecutor in the original rape case knew of Avery's innocence and did nothing to stop his conviction ... Two recent books look at the Teresa Halbach murder and the Netflix documentary about Steven Avery.

AVERY: The Case Against Steven Avery and What Making a Murderer Gets Wrong. Ken Kratz with Peter Wilkinson. Foreword by Nancy Grace. Benbella; 2017.

Ken Krartz, the prosecutor on the case, intelligently explains how the documentary, which can hardly be accused of objectivity, distorted or withheld key facts so that Avery would seem innocent. Kratz, who was disgraced when he foolishly sexted a crime victim, received death threats not for that behavior, but because he supposedly prosecuted an innocent man. Many of these hateful messages, I believe, are generated by criminal types who hate the police and the justice system.

Avery makes a strong case that Steven Avery was guilty as sin, Kratz may make excuses for his reprehensible behavior -- the old sexual addiction ploy -- but that doesn't mean his case against Avery isn't solid. Avery built up a lot of hate over those 18 years in jail, and although he only succeeded in screwing up his own life even more, he took out his hatred on a perfectly innocent woman. With all the hoopla over the documentary, it's sad that the victim, Teresa Halbach, has been almost forgotten.

Verdict: The other side of the story. ***.

INDEFENSIBLE: The Missing Truth About Steven Avery, Tersa Halbach, and Making a Murderer. Michael Griesbach. Kensington; 2016.

Michael Griesbach is a prosecutor, but he did not work on the Steven Avery murder trial. He found it hard to believe that police officers he greatly respected would have framed Avery for murder, but he was troubled by much of what he saw in Making a Murderer -- until he dug deeper and discovered how the documentary withheld information and used editing tricks to support their theory that Avery was innocent. Grisbach is unsparing in his condemnation of the men who allowed Avery to be (in this case) wrongly convicted of the original rape charge, but he intelligently and astutely makes the case for Avery's murder of Teresa Halbach. Griesbach allows that there might have been mistakes made, such as in the interrogation of Avery's nephew, but point by point he exposes Making a Murderer's inaccuracies (to put it mildly) and the fact that the documentary leaves out much information that would point towards Avery's obvious guilt. Indefensible is an eye-opener.

Verdict: Possibly the final word on Steven Avery. ***1/2.