4 stars out of 5
It’s not too often that an 85-year-old throws me off my game. But when the octogenarian in question is Francis Ford Coppola, perhaps I shouldn’t be too surprised. He has perhaps the greatest résumé of any filmmaker, living or otherwise: The Godfather, Godfather II, Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, and not far behind, Peggy Sue Got Married, Rumble Fish, The Outsiders, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Godfather III,The Rain People, You’re a Big Boy Now, etc. And now, after much anticipation, speculation, and consternation, Coppola has delivered a movie unlike any I’ve seen before: Megalopolis.
Which I think has also thrown off many critics and audience members prone to snap decisions. For this is not a movie you can slip into like an old shoe or comfy sweater. It’s disconcerting. The dialogue does not follow familiar rhythms. It requires your continued attention. Am I in college watching alternative theater? No, I’m experiencing the prototype uncompromising writer/director leaving absolutely everything on the table.
Megalopolis is a Roman epic set in modern times. It’s a Shakespearean tragedy and comedy. This is a science-fiction tale, mafia saga, The Fountainhead, tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood, sweeping love story, and above all else, a satire — of politics, the media, popular culture, the upper class, these 21st century United States, and more.
Adam Driver, as visionary inventor/architect/philosopher Cesar, does the heavy lifting here. In a role that’s often absurd, Driver steers it away from becoming ridiculous. He is a dependable leading man. Cesar’s rival is the mayor of New Rome/The Man/the establishment Cicero (I never claimed the allegory was subtle), deftly played by Giancarlo Esposito, from Coppola’s Cotton Club in 1984 and my cousin Steve’s Sweet Lorraine in 1987. On Team Cicero are Noo Yawker Dustin Hoffman and Coppola nephew Jason Schwartzman. For Team Cesar we have Laurence Fishburne, Jon Voight, and Coppola sis/Jason’s mom/playing Cesar’s mom/”ADRIAN!!!” Talia Shire. Awwww!!!
Most impressive are two actors whose characters switch loyalties: Mayor’s daughter Julia who falls for Cesar Nathalie Emmanuel, probably the most flesh-and-blood person in the story, and also she is a knockout. And as Cesar’s conniving cousin, comeback player of the year Shia LaBeouf, having a blast as on-edge Clodio who ends up leading a MAGA-like crowd (several with red baseball caps). Shout-outs also to actual pop star Grace VanderWall as virginal pop star who pulls a JoJo Siwa, Vesta Sweetwater, and to my celebrity crush Chloe Fineman as a Julia hanger-on party girl.
This is not a perfect film by any measure. The effects, often impressive, are sometimes cheesy. And though I was entertained throughout, the movie didn’t elicit a real emotional response from me (a great risk of satire) until the very end, when I realized how much Francis Ford Coppola loves this country and, even this late in the game, still has hope for us. Megalopolis may not be a box-office smash, but when it’s rediscovered in 30 years as a gem, I’ll be the first 85-year-old to tell you — wait, come closer so you can hear — “I told you so.”
Movie Review: Megalopolis
Movie Review: Will & Harper
4.5 stars out of 5
When I first read the description of this documentary — Will Ferrell and a longtime friend who has recently transitioned take a cross-country road trip — I immediately wanted to see it. I figured Ferrell would be a gentle guide into questions about transgender life that many of us have. And especially with so many stories — and disinformation — focusing on young people transitioning, this seemed like a worthwhile different angle. Plus, I love a good road-trip movie.
Then, when I found out Will’s friend Harper had been a Saturday Night Live writer (and eventually head writer), I was even more interested! I felt like I already knew this person a little, or at least their work. This was probably someone I’d get along with very well.
A bonus of this backstory is some added star power for the movie, as Will and Harper encounter several old SNL pals along the way. Harper readily admits that Ferrell’s celebrity was making this trip more trouble-free for her. She loves dive bars, out-of-the-way diners, etc. (I like her more and more!) But now was worried if, as a trans woman, she could hang out in these same places. So of course having Will on-hand provides a friend’s support, while his fame (usually) puts everyone at ease. Harper knows the true test is entering these spots alone.
I got teary quite a bit watching this film, certainly early on when we meet Harper’s two children. They’ve all decided that the kids will still call her Dad — because she’s their dad. It’s a really sweet scene.
It is not a non-stop joyride across this country of ours. Harper and Will run into people who are less understanding of someone who has transitioned, and encounter some real ugliness. And Harper just revisiting different moments in her life, and in her personal journey, obviously raises a wide variety of emotions.
You do not get the sense that Will Ferrell is trying to show the world what a good guy he is, but nonetheless it comes through. Because this is also very much a film about friendship. In theory, this was a change that could’ve shattered their bond. But that’s the thing about true friendship — it can weather any challenge.
Movie Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
4.5 stars out of 5
Pee-wee put Tim Burton on the map, but it was 1988’s Beetlejuice that really established his reputation as a master macabre mischief-maker. Yes, he’s occasionally strayed from the darkness since — Big Fish, Big Eyes, Dumbo, etc. — but like the band Garbage, Burton is really only happy when it rains. I’m glad to report that with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, it’s raining, it’s pouring, the older Tim is scoring.
Well, it’s actually regular collaborator Danny Elfman who does the scoring, just one of the reuniting class of ’88. Catherine O’Hara, repopularized by Schitt’s Creek, returns as the art-damaged mom. Winona Ryder, who I’ll always recall from the cover of the 1991 Rolling Stone Hot Issue, is the goth daughter all grown up. And Michael Keaton — who powered the original film with his manic comic performance and a decade ago earned a Best Actor nomination — is back as Betelgeuse, and the ’Juice is loose!
Notably and understandably absent is dad Jeffrey Jones, who was canceled before it was fashionable. But the writers cleverly use his character’s untimely demise as a jumping-off point for the story. Screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar previously worked with Burton on Wednesday. That series clearly reinvigorated the director’s spooky specialty, and he smartly plucks lead Jenna Ortega to play Winona’s gloomy offspring.
Joining the cast are Justin Theroux as Winona’s overly-woke boyfriend, Willem Dafoe as a (dead) TV actor who doesn’t always remember he was just playing a cop, and Burton’s girlfriend Monica Bellucci as a literally soul-sucking femme fatale fatality. (I miss you, Helena Bonham Carter!)
Much of the action centers around the Deetz family’s Psycho-like house in Winter River. The lack of Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis happily haunting the attic is quickly explained away. However, not mentioned is the disappearance of O’Hara’s very-80s “addition” to the house; I guess it just didn’t fit the mood.
Gough and Millar load the script with various mini-plots — all fun — and only a director as skillful as Burton could weave them all together, building the comic intensity, doubling down on hilarious special effects, and adding just enough mother/daughter sweetness. Everyone, especially Keaton, seems to be really enjoying themselves, and I just found the movie totally satisfying. If they want to do another sequel and add one more He Who Must Not Be Named to the title (no not that dope Voldemort; the original Bad Boy of ’88!), I will gladly hang out in the afterworld waiting room till it happens.
Aquarium Playlist, 9/17/24
EPISODE #608: BROTHERS
Isley Brothers — “Brother, Brother” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Lucinda Williams — “Little Angel, Little Brother”
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper — “Little Brother”
Mickey and Kitty — “The Kid Brother”
Young Fresh Fellows — “Two Brothers”
Former Babies — “Growing Up With Two Brothers”
John Doe — “Twin Brothers”
Filthy Friends — “Brother”
The Gotobeds — “Wimpy Garcia (Brotherfucker)”
The Last — “Hitler’s Brother”
Bruce Springsteen — “Highway Patrolman”
Trøn & DVD — “My Brothers & Me”
Annuals — “Brother”
Real Estate — “Brother”
The Jackson 5 — “Never Can Say Goodbye” r.i.p. Tito Jackson
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Aquarium Playlist, 9/10/24
EPISODE #607: SISTERS
The Gentle Waves — “Sisterwoman” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Juliana Hatfield Three — “My Sister”
The Go-Betweens — “The Clarke Sisters”
Deena Shoskes — “Sisters”
Eurythmics w/ Aretha Franklin — “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves”
Luna — “Hey Sister”
The Resonars — “Odd Sister”
The Black Keys — “Sister”
Jennifer O’Connor — “Sister”
Hank Ballard & the Midnighters — “Look at Little Sister”
Elvis Costello — “Big Sister’s Clothes”
Fleetwood Mac — “Sisters of the Moon”
European Sun — “A Song for Sisters”
First Responder — “Sister Song”
Sexy Kids — “Sisters Are Forever”
I Draw Slow — “Mama Don’t Cry” in memory of Charlie Birdwell’s sister Linda
U2 — “Where the Streets Have No Name” in memory of my dear friend Frances Murphy
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Movie Review: Between the Temples
3.5 stars out of 5
“A film by Nathan Silver.” That’s what the ads say. Who gives a crap?!? Who the hell is Nathan Silver? I looked him up, I still don’t know. Don’t you have to earn a credit like that? You know, on LinkedIn, I recently saw a current employee of the company where I worked at for a long time. And the person’s title was Associate Senior Editor. Well, which is it? Associate editor, or senior editor? You can’t be in-between! It’s title inflation and it can only lead to trouble, mark my words!!
I digress.
This is a cute little film, with some heavier content in it. (Suicidal ideation is heavy, yes? OK then.) A somewhat puffy Jason Schwartzman is the cantor at a suburban synagogue. (For you goys, that means he sings during the service.) He is no longer married and he is unhappy, and messing up at work. Jason’s two moms (come on Jack, don’t do a parenthetical here, it’s totally normal that he has two moms!) want him to be happy. The rabbi is cutting him a lot of slack. The rabbi is Robert Smigel, a.k.a. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, a.k.a. Saturday TV Funhouse, a.k.a. every funny thing ever, I don’t know if they said “hey let’s ask Robert Smigel to play the role” or if he auditioned and won the part, but he is totally believable as a rabbi and I was very glad to see him.
Two women enter Jason’s life. Most prominently is Carol Kane, because her photo is on the poster, not far from Nathan Silver’s name. She’s older but wants a bat mitzvah, and wants Jason to instruct her! But that’s crazy, bat mitzvahs and Trix are for kids! Hey, it’s a cute little movie, what can I tell you, so these things happen. She is a free spirit and Jason is not!
There is also the rabbi’s daughter (Madeline Weinstein). Hey, she’s cute, she’s smart, she’s funny, we like her! She’d be a good match for Jason! What a nice couple you two make!
There is comedic family yelling and the movie is lightly comic, very lightly, just a bit of heavier stuff. I could’ve done without the pun title, but maybe that wasn’t Nathan Silver’s decision. An afternoon audience of older Jews at the Red Bank cinema seemed to enjoy the movie, and I did too. I also enjoyed being one of the younger Jews in the audience, which doesn’t happen much anymore.
Movie Review: Alien — Romulus
4 stars out of 5
I was 10 when the original Alien came out so didn’t see it at the time, but even the poster was scary. Since then I think I only skipped part 4, despite the presence of Winona Ryder. So it was no surprise on an overcast late summer afternoon to find myself at Alien: Romulus. I guess 86-year-old Ridley Scott was too busy with the Gladiator sequel to direct this one, but at least he and octogenarian pal Walter Hill were in producer chairs.
Taking over as director and cowriting is Fede Álvarez, who made the decent 2018 Girl in the Spider’s Web. While the cast lacks star power, they did wisely sign up Cailee Spaeny as the lead. She has impressed me as Priscilla and in Civil War, and on the smaller screen in Mare of Easttown and Devs (no spoilers, I’m only 2 episodes in). Spaeny may not possess the physicality of a young Sigourney Weaver, but she definitely has the spunk.
Storywise, I won’t give much away, except to say Romulus is cleverly slotted between Alien and Aliens. Spaeny and her robot pal (David Jonsson) are stuck working on a dismal mining planet. Seeing a chance to escape, they… in the words of Steve Winwood… take it. And maybe sort of run into some aliens.
Romulus is tense, action-filled, dark, and yes, scary. Pretty freaking scary, actually. So if you like these movies, go see it in a big dark movie theater while you still can. At home, no one can hear you stream.
Aquarium Playlist, 9/3/24
EPISODE #606: SALUTING FLAGS
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Feelies — “Flag Days”
Roe Knows Best — “Capture the Flag”
The Long Ryders — “Capturing the Flag”
Broken Social Scene — “Capture the Flag”
K’Naan — “Wavin’ the Flag”
The Smile — “Waving a White Flag”
Dido — “White Flag”
Jack Silbert — “Red Flag U.S.A.” [spoken word]
U2 — “Red Flag Day”
Tuns — “Flags for Curtains”
Stiff Little Fingers — “Fly the Flag”
Elvis Costello — “No Flag”
British Sea Power — “Waving Flags”
Guided by Voices — “Exit Flagger”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Jack Silbert, curator