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Review: Emancipation

review | Emancipation

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This historically based Will Smith vehicle about an escaped slave sacrifices some badly needed character development for action scenes and atmosphere

by Roger Kanno
December 20, 2022

Apple TV+ began streaming its latest high-profile feature film, Emancipation, from its own production company, Apple Original Films, on December 9th after a limited run in theaters the week prior. Starring Will Smith and directed by Antoine Fuqua, it tells the story of Peter, a former slave, and his harrowing escape from a Confederate prison work camp and his bid to reunite with his family. The film is loosely based on the true story of Gordon, who escaped from a Louisiana plantation and joined the Union army in 1863. A photo of Gordon’s heavily scarred back, taken when he arrived at a Union Army camp after his escape, became a symbol of the abolitionist movement during the Civil War.

Smith delivers a powerful performance as Peter, disappearing into the role and bringing a full range of emotions, from love to fear to anger, as well as an unyielding sense of conviction. Jim Fassel (Ben Foster), a slave hunter who tracks Peter relentlessly through the swamps of Louisiana is a less complex character study, but Foster brings an eerie and disturbingly quiet sense of menace to the screen that is unsettling. Smith and Foster are both exceptional in their performances but I can’t help but think there could have been more depth to their characters had they been given more of an opportunity to explore them. Charmaine Bingwa also deserves mention for her dignified portrayal of Peter’s wife, Dodienne, whose careful actions and peaceful wisdom speak volumes of her personal strength.

Bill Collage’s screenplay and Fuqua’s taut direction keep the action moving at a breakneck pace as Peter tries desperately to elude Fassel’s pursuit, providing plenty of suspenseful action. However, the film begins by establishing the horrific treatment of Peter and his family before transitioning somewhat unexpectedly to an action-packed account of Peter’s flight from Fassel. The storyline establishing Peter’s motivations continues to be explored with flashbacks and occasional scenes of his family interspersed during the chase, but seems tacked-on and doesn’t fully illuminate this critical aspect of the story.

The spacious music score composed by Marcelo Zarvos and presented in Dolby Atmos provides a brooding and atmospheric aural underpinning that is wonderfully open and involving. Ominous, resonant tones of strings inspired by Haitian and African rhythms are enhanced by equally menacing horns and percussion that emanate from deep within the wide front soundstage. The sounds of construction at the work camp and the echoing of far-off noises in the swamp are just as expansive as the music. While most of the film relies on the excellent orchestral score and subtle Foley effects, the final battle scene provides plenty of explosions, gunfire, and screams of soldiers that are mixed in an extremely enveloping manner, although the bass is not exceedingly deep, even from the retort of the massive Confederate cannons.

The highly stylized visuals are the result of Fuqua’s collaboration with Academy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson. The Dolby Vision color grade is often nearly devoid of color and appears almost black and white in some instances. The lush backgrounds of the swamps are barely tinged with the faintest greens and browns, taking on a desolate look that mirrors the harshness of the film’s subject. While the mostly colorless imagery is quite barren, its stark minimalism is hauntingly beautiful. The picture remains sharp throughout, except for some occasional breakup and aliasing during scenes where the camera pans quickly through the swamp and there is a lot of foliage visible in the foreground.

I enjoyed the distinctive visuals and excellent sound design of Emancipation, which were well-served by a high-quality home theater system. Nonetheless, this important and historic story is handled clumsily and even some fine performances and technically proficient production can’t quite overcome the lack of narrative direction.

Roger Kanno began his life-long interest in home cinema almost three decades ago with a collection of LaserDiscs and a Dolby Surround Pro Logic system. Since then, he has seen a lot of movies in his home theater but has an equal fascination with high-end stereo music systems. Roger writes for both Sound & Vision and the SoundStage! Network.

PICTURE | The Dolby Vision color grade is often nearly devoid of color, appearing almost black & white in some instances, but while the mostly colorless imagery is quite barren, its stark minimalism is hauntingly beautiful

SOUND | While most of the film relies on the excellent orchestral score and subtle Foley effects, the final battle scene provides plenty of explosions, gunfire, and screams of soldiers that are mixed in an extremely enveloping manner, although the bass is not exceedingly deep

Review: Weird

review | Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

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This low-budget biopic, streaming free on Roku, features big-name comedic talent & a somewhat less than true-to-life plot

by Roger Kanno
November 21, 2022

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story tells “the unexaggerated true story about the greatest musician of our time,” Weird Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe), and his rise to the top of the music-parody business. Well, not really. While it is described as a biopic, like his songs, this version of Weird Al’s story is more of an over-the-top parody with all sorts of strange events beginning in his childhood when his mother tells him that, “we agreed that it would be best for all of us if you would just stop being who you are and doing the things you love.”

Produced by Funny or Die Productions and written by Yankovic and Eric Appel, who also directs, Weird premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival and is available for streaming on Roku as of November 4. Made on a reported budget of eight million dollars and shot in only 18 days, don’t expect lavish production values like with Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis or a lot of artistic cinematography, but Weird is one of the best and, more importantly, one of the funniest biopics in recent years, even if much of it is fictitious and outrageously exaggerated.

Whether you’re a fan of Weird Al’s music or not, you’ll likely enjoy the performances of some of his most recognizable hits, which were rerecorded for the film and are hilariously woven into the plot. For instance, he spontaneously creates the lyrics for “My Bologna” while making lunch for his roommates and for “Another One Rides the Bus” when confronted by Wolfman Jack (Jack Black) at Dr. Demento’s (Rainn Wilson) pool party. In addition to Black, there are cameos by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Conan O’Brien, Patton Oswalt, Michael McKean, Will Forte, Weird Al himself, and many others, but none more comical than Thomas Lennon as a door-to-door accordion salesperson. Quinta Brunson does an excellent job as Oprah and Evan Rachel Wood totally disappears into her bawdy caricature of Madonna. The plot line of the Material Girl pursuing an affair with Al and hanging around with him, which ultimately leads to a confrontation with Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, is hysterically absurd.

The script and direction are refreshingly tight as are the performances of the supporting cast, but Radcliffe is absolutely superb as Yankovic. From the earnest and idealistic young Al, Radcliffe fully commits to the role as his character is consumed by his fame and transforms into an egotistical rock star living in a preposterously lavish mansion. In a particularly side-splitting scene, a drunk and totally off-the-rails, shirtless Al rants at the audience during a live concert. It also happens that Radcliffe is ridiculously jacked and walks around shirtless in this and some other scenes and his insanely ripped physique is never addressed, which just adds to the absurdity.

The quality of the streamed 1080p picture was a little soft when played back on my Roku television. Very early scenes of Al in his youth appeared a little dark and bathed in a pale yellow light, while they were noticeably brighter with more natural lighting later on with Al as an adult. The picture quality is acceptable for such a low-budget production but there were times when there was some breakup and blockiness during scenes with a lot of action or movement. The most challenging scene occurs when Al performs “I Love Rocky Road” in a dark, seedy club. The garish red stage lighting combined with the darkness of the setting resulted in some loss of contrast and made the picture look a little blotchy. Otherwise, there was more than enough fine detail for the straightforward cinematography and to display the colorful patterns in Al’s Hawaiian shirts as well as his slightly unkempt mop of curly hair and ‘80s mustache.

Audio is made available in 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus but the songs are presented mostly in stereo with little use of the surrounds. They sounded good, with very discrete vocals on the newly recorded versions of the classic parody songs done for the soundtrack. Some scenes did take full advantage of the surround channels to provide an effective and enveloping auditory experience but most of the film is driven by dialogue, which was always clear and intelligible.

If you don’t have a Roku, you can still watch Weird through their app or on a web browser. It’s free, and although the advertisements are a little bothersome, Weird is an exceptionally funny film with an inspired performance by Radcliffe.

PICTURE | The 1080p picture streamed off Roku was a little soft with some breakup and blockiness during scenes with a lot of action or movement. Otherwise, you can see more than enough fine detail from the straight-forward cinematography.

SOUND | While most of the film is driven by dialogue, some scenes do take full advantage of the surround channels in the 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus mix to provide an effective and enveloping auditory experience

Review: Enola Holmes 2

review | Enola Holmes 2

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This strong followup to the Netflix offering about Sherlock Holmes’ smarter sister suggests the developing franchise might have some legs

by Roger Kanno
November 9, 2022

The rather unoriginally titled sequel Enola Holmes 2 is a breath of fresh air in the world of formulaic blockbusters that dominate the filmmaking industry. With a relatively modest budget but a strong cast and the same capable direction and screenwriting as the original, this second adaptation of the literary series demonstrates that the franchise may have staying power. Following up on the 2020 success of the original, Enola Holmes 2 has been available on Netflix since November 4.

The screenplay by Jack Thorne continues Enola’s (Millie Bobby Brown) story as she attempts to establish her own detective agency and emerge from the shadow or her famous brother, Sherlock (Henry Cavill). Starting a business as a young woman in the late Victorian era proves to be more difficult than she imagined. And through her investigations, she becomes involved with Sarah Chapman (Sarah Dodd), a historical figure and one of the leaders of the Matchgirls’ strike of 1888 that protested the dangerous working conditions in the Bryant and May match-making factory. The film takes on these heavier themes without becoming overly preachy and maintaining the lighthearted yet quick pace of the first film.

Much of the film’s charm can be attributed to Brown’s delightful yet nuanced portrayal of Enola. She’s a little older now but still finding her way in a whip-smart but endearing manner. And although she may lack experience at times, she is just as capable, if not more so, than her celebrated brother. Enola is an exceptional role model, and in many respects is a more formidable motion picture hero than many of those who fly through the air and battle space aliens or monsters from other dimensions.

Harry Bradbeer, who previously directed Phoebe Waller Bridge’s fabulous Fleabag television series, brings the same brisk and street-wise sensibility to this feature film. Enola similarly and slyly breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience, which Brown handles superbly. Enola 2 also benefits from having the charismatic Cavill as the rather grim, but brilliant older Holmes sibling. And while his character doesn’t have as much to do nor is he as engaging as Enola, Cavill provides a sense of stability and measure that perfectly balances the relentless energy and optimism of his character’s sister. In contrast, their flighty mother, Eudoria Holmes is played perfectly by the vibrant Helena Bonham Carter. And even though her screen time is fairly limited, she makes the most of it to really bring her supporting character to life.

The movie is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, and looks extraordinarily film-like and pleasing. The lighting looks very natural if a little dark at times, but is befitting the setting in England during the late nineteenth century. Colors are understandably muted and outdoor scenes shot in historic areas of London suitably exhibit the grimy look the city was known for in that era. And while the Dolby Vision HDR picture doesn’t quite pop like it can, darkly lit scenes such as the inside of Sherlock’s apartment still display a high level of fine detail in the background of his many unkempt furnishings and other belongings. Some scenes are obviously enhanced with CGI, especially when recreating the extensive backdrops of the old city but are done so sparingly and tastefully.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is superb from the very first scene with enveloping music immediately setting an exciting tone, followed by a realistic piercing police whistle off in the distance. This quickly transitions to the sounds of Enola running through the streets of London with people, horses, and the general hustle and bustle of the city placed realistically around her. The music is especially skillfully integrated with the Foley effects, resulting in a marvelously immersive quality. During dreamlike flashback sequences, echoing voices swirl around the room with deep, ominous music filling all hemispheres of the soundfield to produce a very menacing effect. During the horse-carriage chase, the nature of the sound inside the carriage is quite quiet, with an immediate quality making dialogue very intelligible even though the conversation is at a normal speaking level and many sounds outside the carriage are also audible. The height and surround channels are used more often to create a sense of envelopment rather than for directional effects but the soundtrack is wholly satisfying and adds greatly to the cinematic experience of this film.

All told, Enola Holmes 2 features a solid story and some fine performances along with high production values. I wish more franchise films and films from streaming services were similarly as accomplished and still as thoroughly entertaining for the entire family.

PICTURE | Enola Holmes 2 looks extraordinarily film-like and pleasing, and while the Dolby Vision HDR picture doesn’t pop as much as it could, darkly lit scenes still display a high level of fine detail

SOUND | The Atmos soundtrack is superb from the very first scene. The surround channels are used mostly to create a sense of envelopment rather than for directional effects, but the mix is wholly satisfying and adds greatly to the cinematic experience.

Review: All Quiet on the Western Front

review | All Quiet on the Western Front

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This German-made Netflix production about the horrors of war seems likely to garner a number of Oscar nods

by Roger Kanno
November 4, 2022

The 2022 release of All Quiet on the Western Front is the third film adaptation of Im Westen nichts Neues, the 1929 novel by World War I veteran Erich Maria Remarque. This German production from Amusement Park Film GmbH features a screenplay by Lesley Paterson, Ian Stokell, and director Edward Berger and had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12 and began streaming on Netflix October 28.

From the opening pastoral scenes of nature in the French countryside that transition to the bleakness and horror of the trenches and No Man’s Land of the Great War, All Quiet on the Western Front captivates with an unflinching visual style. The idealistic and fresh-faced Paul Bäumer’s (Felix Kammerer) ruddy complexion looks youthful and cleanly scrubbed when he and his friends enlist to fight the allied forces. Soon, their tidy but mended and repurposed uniforms and eager expressions are supplanted by the weary and terrified look of seasoned soldiers and the muck and filth of trench warfare. Paul is befriended by Stanislaus Katczinsky, or Kat (Albrecht Schuch), an older and more experienced soldier who takes him under his wing. A second story arc features Matthias Erzberger (Daniel Brühl), the head of the German delegation feverishly working to secure an armistice as they are suffering massive loses in the waning days of the war.

The juxtaposition of Erzberger practicing quiet diplomacy and the chaos of battle highlight the stark disparity between the absurd politics of war and the harsh realities of combat seen in the prolonged trench warfare scenes throughout the film. These scenes are utterly harrowing as we see the futility of the conflict through Paul’s eyes. Krammerer’s performance is absolutely gripping as we witness the young Paul transform from an idealistic youth to an experienced soldier just trying to survive.

The backdrop of war is undeniably ugly but All Quiet on the Western Front is a beautiful-looking film nonetheless. The Dolby Vision color grade is definitely cool with a pale-blue light bathing the lightly snow-covered hills of France in early winter. The grimy look of the trenches is perfectly captured, with every tiny detail of caked-on dried mud on the faces and clothing of the soldiers visible. The picture may seem a little washed-out at times but there just aren’t a lot of bright hues in the color palette of this desolate-looking film. As the soldiers gather before the final battle in a courtyard to be addressed by their general, the texture and color of their varying uniforms and complexions is readily apparent, even in long shots. In a particularly wide shot, the differing gray and green uniforms of the soldiers are subtly different, but easily discernible from the uniformly blue coloration of their helmets. Even the fine details of broken tiles and exposed burned timbers of damaged buildings far off in the background were easily visible.

As with most streamed films, there was some slight banding and artifacts in low-light situations and in smoky backgrounds but otherwise the picture quality was up to the task of reproducing the superb cinematography. In one particular scene, the blue twilight sky fades to jet black and tiny bright-red embers dance beautifully across the foreground and really popped against complete darkness. A single flare then lights up the sky and casts flowing, ever-changing shadows as it falls slowly to earth with the billowing shadowy shapes filling the wide 2.39 frame with hauntingly beautiful imagery.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack frighteningly captures the sounds of warfare with plenty of echoing explosions and gunfire all around, but the film starts off much more serenely. The opening scene begins with faint wind and cawing birds in the forest as explosions echo far off in the distance. As the focus shifts towards the battleground, occasional machine-gun fire breaks through the silence and strikes the ground with an alarming whooshing sound. When the camera zooms in further, the character of the sound changes to an even more urgent buzzing as bullets hit the dirt and spray it upwards and overhead, landing discretely and alarmingly in the surround channels. Bass is full and loud but not overpowering, with the overall presentation being extremely well balanced and complementing the excellent sound design.

All Quiet on the Western Front is Germany’s entry into the Best International Feature category for this year’s Academy Awards but it could likely compete in several of the other main Oscar categories. It is that good. It also happens to look and sound great, providing one of the most satisfying cinematic experiences provided by a movie from a streaming service this year.

PICTURE | The Dolby Vision presentation perfectly captures the grimy look of the trenches, with every tiny detail of caked-on dried mud on the faces and clothing of the soldiers visible

SOUND | The Atmos soundtrack frighteningly conveys the sounds of warfare with plenty of echoing explosions and gunfire all around. Bass is full and loud but not overpowering,

Review: Luck

review | Luck

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Several Pixar alumni crafted this AppleTV+ offering, which features first-rate animation and a kid-friendly plot but lacks the adult sophistication of a Soul

by Roger Kanno
August 10, 2022

Apple TV+’s first major animated feature, Luck, is a collaboration with Skydance Media’s new animation division headed up by Pixar veteran John Lasseter and several other former Pixar producers. With a big budget, stellar cast, and a proven creative team behind the project, Apple TV+ looks to make a big splash in animated films starting with Luck, which began streaming on August 5.

The film’s novel premise centers on Sam (Eva Noblezada), an orphan who has aged out of the foster-care system and sets out to start a new job and live on her own for the first time. The problem is, she is incredibly unlucky and almost everything that can possibly go wrong in her life does. Then one day while eating a panini, her fortunes change when she meets Bob (Simon Pegg), a talking cat from the Land of Luck where good luck is created for everyone on Earth.

The cast also includes Whoopi Goldberg as Bob’s boss, a leprechaun who has it in for him, Jane Fonda as a dragon named Babe in charge of the Land of Luck, and Flula Borg, who voices Jeff, a unicorn and maintenance engineer in a place called the In Between. The voice work is superb, although I wished Babe’s character would have been a bit more multidimensional to give the legendary Fonda more of a chance to shine. And while the performances are very good and the initial premise is intriguing, the film never really stretches much beyond that, with Bob and Sam’s quest to obtain a lucky penny leading to further, more harrowing, but somewhat predictable adventures.

The whimsical and inventive animation, Sam’s perpetually upbeat mood in the face of adversity, and the movie’s overall positivity are charming and will likely appeal to younger children. I did find the visuals like the many tiny bunnies that appear throughout to be quite endearing, even though I thought them to be a bit reminiscent of minions. And while the movie tries really hard, even having John Ratzenberger voicing a supporting character like he did in so many Pixar films, it just can’t reach the same heights as some of its predecessors like the more thought-provoking and cerebral Inside Out or Soul.

As with much of Apple TV+’s recent programming, the Dolby Vision presentation is absolutely first-rate. The picture is bright and punchy, as you might expect from a film set mostly in a place called the Land of Luck, with deep saturated greens in the intricate herring-bone patterns on the leprechauns’ uniforms and the foliage consisting of four-leaf clovers found on every type of tree and plant. Bob’s black coat ranges from deep black to dark gray depending on the realistic reflection of light off his coarse fur, which appears quite different in texture from the fuzziness of the bunnies. The picture is always razor-sharp, which reveals plenty of fine detail in the intricate animation, such as reflections in the visors of the bunnies’ hazmat suits and the shiny surfaces of the many whimsical vehicles zipping around the Land of Luck. The CGI visuals of Luck will look excellent on a high-quality HDR display.

The soundtrack, presented in Dolby Atmos, is engaging with some very catchy songs but could have benefited from a more aggressive mix. For instance, the opening credits begin with a delightful cover of Madonna’s “Lucky Star” with a clean and open sound spread evenly between the front speakers, but there isn’t much use of the surround and height channels or much bass energy either. Later, when Sam follows Bob through a portal to the Land of Luck, the swirling sound effects make much better use of all the available channels. Except for a few instances, scenes with such immersive sonic bombast are mostly absent from the rest of the film until the climactic scene featuring sweeping orchestral music and plenty of raucous directional surround effects.

Luck is a rare near miss for Apple TV+, whose strategy of providing limited content comprised of only original films and shows allows them to concentrate on quality rather than quantity. However, this film still looks great and will be suitable for younger children with its positive themes and kid-friendly content.

PICTURE | The Dolby Vision presentation is absolutely first-rate with a bright & punchy picture and CGI visuals that will look excellent on a high-quality HDR display

SOUND | The Atmos soundtrack is engaging with some very catchy songs but could have benefited from a more aggressive mix

Review: The Gray Man

review | The Gray Man

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This may not be a Bond or a Bourne but Netflix’ big-budget Ryan Gosling vehicle is still an entertaining and fast-paced actioner

by Roger Kanno
July 27, 2022

With an estimated budget of $200 million, The Gray Man is Netflix’ latest, and most expensive, big-budget thriller. Starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton, and Regé-Jean Page, among other award-winning actors, it is co-directed by the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe, who have co-directed two each of the Captain America and Avengers movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based on the book of the same name by Mark Greaney, as with other recent Netflix projects, it is expected to be the start of a film franchise. And like other films from the streamer, The Gray Man received a limited release in theaters on July 15 prior to being made available digitally on July 22.

Gosling plays Sierra Six, a CIA operative and part of an elite unit of highly skilled assassins. He becomes involved in an operation that goes awry and ends up having to run from the very people he works for. The plot is reminiscent of spy thrillers such as those from the Bourne series or James Bond, and like those other franchises, this film features an outstanding cast. Evans is the main antagonist, Lloyd Hansen, a ruthless killer for hire who plays his character menacingly enough but with just the right amount of douchiness and along with de Armas as a highly skilled CIA operative, Dani Miranda, these three are constantly at the center of the plentiful action. The set pieces are impressive with many memorable action sequences including an incredibly complex fight and chase onboard a tram-train that provides pulse-pounding excitement.

While there is plenty of great action, the character development can be a bit uneven. There is some good chemistry between the leads but, at times, their dialogue and interactions seem stilted. At other times, it is snappy and organic, moving the story along smoothly. It’s not the fault of the actors as they do their best with the material they’re provided. De Armas and Gosling are especially convincing as reluctant heroes, when given the opportunity and the means. The Gray Man may suffer in comparison to some of the accomplished spy thrillers that have come before it but taken on its own terms, is an entertaining and fast-paced actioner.

Although the film may be called The Gray Man, the visuals are anything but gray or drab. Establishing shots of a fireworks display are obviously CGI and stylized to look a bit like a graphic novel, but the Dolby Vision grade provides impressively rich, bright colors and deep, dark blacks. As the scene shifts to the celebration indoors, the constantly changing lighting from the fireworks and spotlights on the dance floor looked fantastic on my OLED display. The composition of shots with infinite blacks in the deepest of shadows contrasted by brilliantly illuminated objects such as colorfully backlit keyboards and LCD displays in an internet gaming café didn’t look particularly natural, but the atmospheric lighting and sharply defined images were certainly impressive. In a particularly challenging scene where smoke from an explosion fills the inside of an apartment building, the clouds of smoke appear with such fine detail that there’s a sense of depth and dimensionality as Six fights a team of Lloyd’s henchmen and the smoke swirls and moves around them in perfect unison.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is excellent, as should be expected from a big-budget action picture. During the tram-train fight sequence, the sounds of small-arms fire, explosions, speeding cars, and hand-to-hand combat mixed with the suspenseful music is dizzying in its clarity and ability to create a holographic aural effect. In addition to the aggressive, directional effects during action scenes, the object-based surround mix is used to effectively place eerily echoing voices and atmospheric music in the surround and height channels and move them smoothly around the room during a flashback scene. There is also some great use of popular music as introduced by characters playing records, such as Mark Lindsay’s “Silver Bird” on 45, which is played a couple of times in the film.

If you’re looking for something light and breezy to pass some time and give your home theater a real workout this summer, give The Gray Man a shot.

PICTURE | The Dolby Vision grade provides impressively rich, bright colors and deep, dark blacks

SOUND | The Atmos soundtrack is excellent, as should be expected from a big-budget action picture

Review: The Sea Beast

review | The Sea Beast

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This solid animated adventure from Netflix features an impressive, but somewhat inconsistent, visual style

by Roger Kanno
July 14, 2022

Netflix Animation’s fantastic new full-length feature, The Sea Beast, received limited release in theaters on June 24 and debuted on its streaming service beginning July 8. If you didn’t know that Netflix Animation is a thing, you’re likely not alone. Formed only in 2018, it has had a few critical successes but remains relatively undiscovered. And with the recent upheaval at Netflix, some projects have been cancelled and some staff have left the studio. Still, they have many projects in development and Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion animated version of the classic tale of Pinocchio is expected to be released in December. With that and the release of The Sea Beast, the studio’s profile looks to receive a significant boost in recognition.

Chris Williams, who worked on numerous high-profile Disney projects, including co-directing Bolt, Big Hero 6, and Moana, co-wrote the screenplay with Nell Benjamin and directed this film. The Sea Beast can be a little predictable at times but its story about a time when sea monsters ruled the oceans and posed great perils to sailors is more thought-provoking and character-driven rather than a typical action-adventure tale. There is plenty of action, though, to keep the story moving, some of which might be frightening to young children, but it is otherwise suitable for viewing by the entire family.

The cast includes Karl Urban voicing the character of Jacob, one of the celebrated hunters who fight the sea monsters under the command of Captain Crow (Jared Harris) on their storied ship, Inevitable. He takes a young girl, Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator), under his wing and together they embark on a journey to capture the Red Bluster, the most dangerous and feared of all the sea beasts. The story is filled with a diverse cast of interesting characters and manages to avoid most of the clichés of a nautical animated adventure.

The CGI animation presented in Dolby Vision can look fantastic. Sunlit scenes have a very natural look with the light glistening realistically off the water and the motion of the waves perfectly mimicking that of real life. The movement of the tall ships as they cut through the water and the gentle swaying of their rigging is perfect down to the the most minute detail; the faded individual strands of the ropes, the green oxidation on the brass fittings, and weathered decking all look amazing. The attention to small details is stunning. The captain’s long, dark-gray jacket exhibits great specificity in its stitching and differences in the texture of its well-worn surface that reflect light in different directions. It also moves convincingly with each stride he takes along with his baldric and heavy shirt that each move with the same cadence, but independent of one another. I was often mesmerized by these visuals.

While there is much to admire about the quality of the animation, there were still times when it could look a little cartoonish. Somewhat surprisingly, the rendering of the Red Bluster is quite simplistic, with a mostly smooth body and skin and uniformly red coloration that is fairly nondescript. In contrast, the crab-like sea beast it battles looked much more impressive with its spiky claws and legs with varied textures and colors exhibited by its gorgeous purply-blue, mottled shell.

The Dolby Atmos audio presentation is also very good at times, even though there could have been more use of the surround and height channels throughout the film. The sound design begins promisingly in the first scene when a young Jacob is lost at sea and attempting to cling to a piece of wreckage from his ship. The sound is enveloping and exciting as the crashing waves and wind surround him, and as he becomes submerged, the ambient sounds of the water fill all of the channels. However, during the subsequent battle scenes with the sea monsters, there was relatively subtle use of the non-front channels to provide a sense of envelopment but little in the way of exciting directional effects. And while the sound always remained clean and well-delineated, there was only occasional use of subsonic bass to provide a real visceral punch to accompany the terrific visuals.

Chris Williams’ The Sea Beast is not perfect but it brings all the charm and well-crafted storytelling of his previous efforts for Disney to his new partnership with Netflix Animation.

PICTURE | The CGI animation presented in Dolby Vision can look fantastic, with natural-looking sunlit scenes and stunning attention to detail

SOUND | The Atmos audio presentation is very good at times, even though there could have been more use of the surround and height channels

Review: Cha Cha Real Smooth

review | Cha Cha Real Smooth

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It might not be as big an indie win for Apple TV+ as CODA, but Cha Cha is still an endearing and diverting film

by Roger Kanno
June 27, 2022

Apple TV+ paid a record $25 million for the rights to CODA at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Judging by all the accolades, such as several major Academy Awards including Best Picture, it worked out pretty well for the streamer. This year, they spent big again at Sundance, securing the distribution rights to Cha Cha Real Smooth and making it available on their service beginning June 17.

Cooper Raiff, who wrote and directed the film, stars as Andrew, an apathetic recent college grad who moves back home and finds work at a fast-food restaurant. While chaperoning his little brother at a bat mitzvah, he is offered employment as a professional party orchestrator as several of the mothers are impressed by his party-starting skills. He also introduces himself to one of the mothers, Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). He establishes an immediate rapport with them, especially with Lola who is played brilliantly by Burghardt, giving her character a charm and honesty that is absolutely refreshing.

Raiff is also quite good, if somewhat formulaic in his portrayal of the goofy and sometimes annoying Andrew, and Johnson is both alluring and enigmatic as Domino. We never really get to know her as much as we would like and neither does Andrew. Johnson only ever reveals enough of her beguiling character’s backstory to maintain our interest without disclosing too many of her mysteries. The supporting cast includes Leslie Mann as Andrew’s anxious but supportive mother and Brad Garrett, who is slyly hilarious in an uncharacteristically subdued performance as stepdad Greg.

It’s far too early to make any Oscar predictions but Cha Cha Real Smooth isn’t as daring or as accomplished as CODA, so I don’t suspect it will challenge for many Academy Awards next year. Still, it’s another great Sundance find and solidifies Raiff, who previously wrote, directed and starred in S#!%house, as a filmmaker to take notice of.

I wasn’t expecting too much technically from this indie film but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the audio presented in Dolby Atmos and the use of some memorable song selections to go along with the quirky and charming story line. Although the music is mostly constrained to the front channels, there is some effective use of the surround and height channels to subtly enhance the stereo effect for a more involving auditory experience. Grammy -winning artist Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes On” sounded fantastic in the opening scenes, with the rapping and vocal harmonies sounding particularly clear. The catchy instrumentation wrapped around to the surrounds with a subtle echoing and a bit of height-channel information to expand the soundfield even further. And whether it was Jean Dawson’s “Clear Bones” accompanying the opening credits or “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc. playing at the bat mitzvah, the music always sounded full and enveloping.

Much of the film takes place indoors and at night, so there’s little natural lighting, and many of the scenes appear somewhat dark. While this isn’t distracting, as it seems quite organic, the picture is a little soft overall. Minute details in facial expressions or the texture of clothing are often not apparent, and background objects that are out of focus due to shallow depth of field seem even less distinct. Presented in 4K with Dolby Vision, the lighting was smooth and consistent even during those very dark scenes, but details never really pop like they can with a reference-quality HDR presentation.

Apple TV+ has a limited number of new releases each month but a high proportion of them, including both movies and TV series, are very well made. Cha Cha Real Smooth is another example of their high quality of programming. It might not be perfect, but it is an endearing film and well worth seeking out.

PICTURE | The lighting in this Dolby Vision presentation is smooth and consistent even during very dark scenes, but details never really pop like they can with a reference-quality HDR transfer

SOUND | The Dolby Atmos mix is pleasantly surprising, with some effective use of the surround and height channels to subtly enhance the stereo effect of the music track

Review: Hustle

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Adam Sandler turns in another solid dramatic performance in this tale of a down-on-his-luck basketball scout

by Roger Kanno
June 23, 2022

Most people know Adam Sandler from his days at Saturday Night Live or his many comedic film roles since the 1990s. But, in 2019, he starred in the fantastic Safdie Brothers’ drama Uncut Gems, receiving critical acclaim for his portrayal of a gambling-addicted jeweler. He is following up this career-defining performance with another dramatic role in Hustle, this time playing a down-on-his-luck scout and sometime assistant coach for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. And while he might still be best known for his often low-brow comedies, it should be remembered that Sandler has had other successful turns as a dramatic actor in The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and Punch-Drunk Love.

Produced by Sandler and Lebron James among others, Hustle features appearances by many current and past NBA players, coaches, and sports analysts. Sandler turns in another compelling and nuanced dramatic performance as Stanley Sugerman, a scout tasked with the nearly impossible assignment of discovering the next star player the team needs to compete for a championship. He does this while maintaining his easy-going charm, and while being supported by his strong but loving wife, played convincingly by Queen Latifah, and his daughter, an aspiring film-student, played by relative newcomer, Jordan Hull. The main antagonist, the 76ers’ top executive (Ben Foster), is a bit one-dimensional in his dislike of Sugerman and contrary views on player development, but otherwise the plot is solid and compelling.

The NBA personalities mostly play themselves and are used sparingly, although former player and current analyst Kenny Smith is believable as a super-agent and Sugerman’s good friend, Leon Rich. But the film would not have worked without the credible performance of Juancho Hernangómez as Bo Cruz, the player Sugerman discovers in Spain and convinces to return with him to the US in hopes of entering him in the draft. Hernangómez is a professional basketball player, currently with the Utah Jazz, but he captures Cruz’s naivety and ultimately strong but untested character as a young, developing player. Also deserving of praise is Anthony Edwards, the 2020 first overall draft pick and star player for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who plays Kermit Wilts. While most of his dialogue is delivered in the context of on-court activities, his portrayal of a cocky, trash-talking player is convincing. You don’t have to be a basketball or even a sports fan to enjoy this film, but you will enjoy it all the more if you are.

The picture quality of Hustle isn’t very memorable, but in a good way. It isn’t so over-the-top and eye-catching to draw unnecessary attention to itself, nor is it so poor that it distracts from the narrative. Presented in Dolby Vision, the visuals are sharp and detailed, although the color palette is a bit on the cool side and lacks some saturation. This suits the film, as it takes place mostly in grittier locations around Philadelphia such as training facilities or Sugerman’s middle-class neighborhood even though the film is about the big business of professional basketball. It’s not exactly Rocky-esque, even though it takes some cues from that film, but the subdued visual presentation is fitting.

Although it is presented in Dolby Atmos, there isn’t much use of the height or even the surround channels, but music is used effectively throughout, especially during the many exhilarating basketball sequences. When Sugerman first sees Cruz, hustling at a pickup game, some extremely catchy percussion from the score by contemporary composer Dan Deacon accompanies the insane baller action. There are also a lot of great rap songs and even some cool jazz featuring Meek Mill, Rick Ross, Outkast, Slick Rick, and the Miles Davis Quintet.

Hustle is a fine collaboration between Sandler and Netflix. It might not be as engrossing as the nail-biting Uncut Gems but it is a satisfying and uplifting film, showcasing genuine performances by Sandler and Hernangómez.

PICTURE | Presented in Dolby Vision, the visuals are sharp and detailed, although the color palette is a bit on the cool side and lacks some saturation

SOUND | Although presented in Dolby Atmos, there isn’t much use of the height or even the surround channels, but music is used effectively throughout

Roger Kanno

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Roger Kanno

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