Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken review

RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN: 

LATEST DREAMWORKS FILM IS A FAMILIAR BUT CHARMING BEAST! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

The titular teenage kraken in Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

 

            A young kraken disguises herself as a teenage girl in Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, the latest animated feature from DreamWorks. The film is directed by Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps, The Croods, Vivo) and written by South Park’s Pam Brady and heavily inspired by John Hughes films, Lady Bird, and Booksmart.

            When the trailers started coming out, people were criticizing it as a generic animated film with the same quality as a Boss Baby movie…I was one of the few people who actually thought it looked okay. Keep in mind, I didn’t think it looked like one of the gold standard DreamWorks films like the first two Shrek movies, the Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon trilogies, or even last year’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, but I was also optimistic about it and that perhaps the film’s charm will win me over despite a derivative plot. 

            That’s pretty much what happened, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is a perfectly serviceable animated film for kids and families that doesn’t really excel at engaging storytelling, but the imaginative creature designs and world-building, likable characters, and heartfelt family moments keep it afloat (No pun intended). Honestly, I guess you could call this a repeat of my thoughts on Pixar’s Elemental where the movie is subpar compared to the studio’s other work, but the charm of the characters and creativity shine through. 

            The film follows Ruby Gillman (voiced by Lana Condor-X-Men: Apocalypse, To All the Boys franchise, Alita: Battle Angel), a shy freshman desperately trying to fit in at her new high school But when Ruby discovers she’s actually a descendant of the warrior kraken queens and is destined to inherit the throne from her Grandmamah (voiced by Jane Fonda-9 to 5, Book Club 1 and 2, 80 for Brady), she learns that the kraken have been at war with power-hungry mermaids for eons. On top of that, the popular new girl she befriends Chelsea (voiced by Annie Murphy-Schitt’s Creek, Black Mirror, Praise Petey) happens to be a mermaid and is like if Ariel from The Little Mermaid had the personality of Regina George from Mean Girls. 

            Ruby will need to embrace what she truly is in order to protect those she loves from the wrath of the evil mermaids. 

            The film also features the voices of Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine, Knives Out) as Ruby’s overprotective mother Agatha, Sam Richardson (Veep, Detroiters, The Afterparty) as Ruby’s enthusiastic uncle Brill, Colman Domingo (Lincoln, If Beale Street Could Talk, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) as Ruby’s supportive father Arthur, Will Forte (Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs 1 and 2, MacGruber, Scoob!) as Captain Gordon Lighthouse, Jaboukie Young-White (Ralph Breaks the Internet, C’mon C’mon, Strange World) as Ruby’s skater-boy crush Connor, Liza Koshy (Liza on Demand, My Little Pony: A New Generation, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) as Margot, Eduardo Franco (Booksmart, Superintelligence, Y2K) as Trevin, and Ramona Young (Legends of Tomorrow, Blockers,Wendell & Wild) as Bliss. 

            Overall, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is a fine animated film that doesn’t reach the success of other DreamWorks titles, but it has enough likability and imagination to make for a decent night with the family. Like Pixar’s Elemental, the plot is very derivative of other animated features and films in general and in this film’s case, Turning Red, Luca, Mean Girls, The Incredibles, and a little bit of The Incredible Hulk for good measure and because of that, the story is the weakest aspect of the film. 

            The film also skimps out on important plot points and details, specifically the reasoning behind Ruby’s mother’s decision to leave the kraken world and raise her family amongst the humans. To the point where I need to remind myself that she was once a mighty kraken warrior before she left because I don’t think the film ever explores that outside of a few mentions. 

            I’m not saying it needed a big exposition dump, but maybe a little more information about it told in a visually pleasing way. Even Elemental, for as derivative as that film is did this kind of thing better. 

            While the plot may be shallow, the characters are quite likable starting with the titular Teenage Kraken herself. I think Ruby Gillman is a very endearing protagonist who has this adorkable charm to her personality and despite being a kraken is also easily relatable as a high school student. 

            Whether it’s asking that special person to the prom or simply trying to fit in at school, make new friends, or if you’re simply a social outcast, Ruby’s reactions to high school drama feel very natural and something I think any teenager or anyone who ever went to high school can relate to in some shape or form. 

            Jane Fonda (literally) dominates as Grandmamah AKA the Queen of the Sea who teaches Ruby how to use her kraken powers. She even gives the best line in the movie when Ruby comments on how people love mermaids “Well of course they do, people are stupid!” which made seeing the trailer for this before Disney’s live-action Little Mermaid remake truly glorious. 

            Annie Murphy is a lot of fun as Chelsea the Mermaid who again, is pretty much Ariel if she had the personality of Regina George. Also, it’s just amusing to see an animated movie for kids where the sea monsters are the heroes, and the mermaids are the villains. 

            The heartfelt moments and family aspect of Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is very strong and the emotional highlights of the film. I think the scenes where she’s interacting with her mother and grandmother are very heartwarming, I love how she’s part of a group of equally quirky friends, and the romance between her and Connor is quite sweet. 

            While the animation and character designs are pretty standard are on land, they truly come to life in the underwater world. I love the use of neon colors on the krakens’ forms, Grandmamah’s kingdom alone is a visual marvel, and all kinds of imaginative characters, it’s a good contrast to the semi-murky, all too familiar seaside town. 

            Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is a mostly harmless DreamWorks film that has bursts of imagination and a lot of charm. Kids will probably love it and parents will likely appreciate elements of it, I’d say it’s worth checking out if you're curious and you've already seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Elemental. 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY: 

VERY STANDARD FIFTH “INDY” FILM ENDS SERIES ON STRONG NOTE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

DISNEY/LUCASFILM LTD

Harrison Ford is back in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

 

            Harrison Ford (Star Wars franchise, The Fugitive, Air Force One) dons the hat and whip for the last time in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth and final chapter of the Indiana Jones film series and first not to be directed by Steven Spielberg though he is credited as an executive producer alongside George Lucas. This time, James Mangold (Walk the Line, Logan, Ford v. Ferrari) is in the director’s chair and is tasked with bringing Indy back to his roots after the extremely divisive responses towards 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. 

            I’ve enjoyed the Indiana Jones films for the most part, I think the first Raiders of the Lost Ark from 1981 isn’t just the best movie in the series but also a landmark in cinema with incredible practical effects, exciting action, and a fun adventure with a bite to it. Its sequel, The Temple of Doom is often considered the black sheep of the series and was responsible for creating the PG-13 rating, but I love it for just how dark and demented it gets while the third film, The Last Crusade is more light-hearted in tone compared to the previous two, but it’s still a very well-crafted film with an engaging plot and the dynamic between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery in that film is the stuff of legends. 

            The fourth film, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is objectively the worst with some of the most baffling plot elements and choices made out of any of the movies. However, it does have its moments and it was exciting to see a new Indiana Jones movie in theaters when it came out. 

            Which finally brings us to The Dial of Destiny, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t super hyped for this movie when it was announced. It’s for pretty much the same reasons people had when Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was in-development, it’s way too late, Harrison Ford is 80 years old now, and both movies ruined what was a perfect ending with Last Crusade to the point where now they’re just beating a dead horse every time a new film was announced. 

            With that said, I was trying to be open to it as James Mangold is a brilliant filmmaker and made some truly excellent movies. Upon seeing the movie, I can say to my surprise that…Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is perfectly average but ends on a strong note. 

            The film follows daring archeologist, Indiana Jones (Ford) racing against time to obtain a legendary dial that can alter the course of history. Accompanied by his goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge-The Iron Lady, Goodbye Christopher Robin, Solo: A Star Wars Story), Indy finds himself squaring off against a former Nazi known as Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen-Casino Royale, Arctic, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) who plans to use the dial for his own devious ways. 

            The film also stars Antonio Banderas (Desperado/Once Upon a Time in Mexico, The Mask/Legend of Zorro, Shrek franchise) as Renaldo, John Rhys-Davies (Victor/Victoria, The Living Daylights, The Lord of the Rings trilogy) reprising his role as Sallah, Toby Jones (Harry Potter franchise, Finding Neverland, Frost/Nixon) as Basil Shaw, Boyd Holbrook (A Walk Among the Tombstones, Logan, The Sandman) as Klaber, Shaunette Renée Wilson (Billions, The Resident, Black Panther) as Mason, Thomas Kretschmann (The Pianist, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Infinity Pool) as Colonel Weber, and Oliver Richters (Black Widow) as Hauke. 

            Overall, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has some fun moments and Harrison Ford once again is excellent as the titular character, but it doesn’t really do much new or interesting with the formula. For the most part, it’s just an average Indiana Jones adventure with little surprises and lacking the dark edge of the earlier films.

            The first 20 minutes of the film set during World War II with Indy raiding a Nazi train however is incredible and very well-directed, choreographed, and consistently exciting despite some dodgy de-aging effects on Harrison Ford. It’s easily the best action scene in the movie and one Hell of a first impression that sadly the rest of the film couldn’t quite live up to. 

            There are other standout action scenes in the movie like a fun chase through a city on these three-wheeled carts in the middle of the film and a wild climax involving the dial that I dare not ruin here. But nothing in the film comes close to the high I felt during the Nazi train sequence in the beginning. 

            As always, Harrison Ford is great as Indiana Jones and puts the effort into his performance despite the fact that he’s now 80 and has been playing the character for over 40 years. His performance in this really shows the dedication and love he has for the character and still kicks ass in the role even with his age being a factor. 

            Mads Mikkelsen is also excellent as the film’s villain and dominates just about every scene he’s in. With this soft-spoken yet menacing demeanor and the fact his character was a Nazi, the guy can literally just read the script and still leave a lasting impression…it’s also fitting that he was also the villain in Casino Royale since Spielberg cited James Bond as an inspiration for Indiana Jones. 

            Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character took some time to warm up to, but by the halfway point I thought she was a good foil for Harrison Ford. She’s no Karen Allen, but she gets the job done well. 

            As already mentioned, the film’s narrative is just a generic Indiana Jones plot that gives more of what we’ve seen before in the other movies. Indy and friends raid a tomb or ancient temple to find a valuable object and have to keep it out of the bad guys’ hands, it often felt like a paint-by-numbers Indiana Jones movie that exists only as a 2 ½ hour time-waster. 

            However, as indifferent as the film is plot-wise, it does end the series on a satisfying note which is more than I can say about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker or Jurassic World: Dominion’s endings. I won’t give anything away, but the ending did stick the landing for me and almost saved the movie. 

            Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a serviceable fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise with a strong sendoff to the iconic archeologist. It is an improvement over the fourth movie but still can’t quite recapture the magic of the original three films. 

            No aliens, CGI monkeys, or hiding in refrigerators to survive bomb blasts this time around…so that’s good, I guess. 

No Hard Feelings review

NO HARD FEELINGS: 

NO HARD FEELINGS, BUT THIS JENNIFER LAWRENCE COMEDY IS A RIOT! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman in No Hard Feelings

 

            A 32-year-old Uber driver and bartender dates a 19-year-old virgin in hopes of saving her house from bankruptcy in No Hard Feelings, the new R-rated sex comedy from Gene Stupnitsky (The Office, Good Boys) and starring Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games franchise, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle). While raunchy humor can be hit-or-miss to me at times, when done well not only can I find it funny but often laugh out loud hilarious with some of my favorite comedies of all time being of the raunchy variety like Superbad, Tropic Thunder, and The Hangover. 

            I enjoyed Stupnitsky’s previous directing effort with 2019’s Good Boys and called it the unofficial prequel to Superbad but in the grade/middle school environment. While the R-rated jokes coming out of grade-schoolers’ mouths were quite funny, I also appreciate how he also worked in some surprisingly heartfelt and touching moments in that movie as well. 

            Naturally, I was onboard for another movie from him especially one with Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role. I think Lawrence has strong comedic potential as she’s showcased it before in other movies despite being better known for portraying the Girl on Fire or for her performances in awards season films. 

            I can say with much enthusiasm that I found No Hard Feelings to be quite funny and very charming if you can believe it. Yeah, a movie about a 32-year-old dating a teenager is actually charming. 

            The film follows Maddie (Lawrence), a down on her luck Uber driver and bartender who is facing bankruptcy after her car is repossessed and trying to pay off property taxes on her childhood home. Desperate to save her home, Maddie answers a want-ad from a pair of wealthy helicopter parents known as Laird (Matthew Broderick-Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Freshman, Election) and Allison (Laura Benanti-The Detour, Here Today, Tick, Tick… Boom!) to date their socially awkward son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman-A Tourist’s Guide to Love) before he leaves for college in exchange for a car. 

            But Maddie soon learns there is more to this awkward teen than she expected and allows him to come out of his shell through the time they spend together. 

            The film also stars Natalie Morales (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, The Grinder, Parks and Recreation) as Sarah, Scott MacArthur (The Mick, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Halloween Kills) as Jim, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, Girls, The Bear) as Gary, Hasan Minhaj (The Daily Show, The Spy Who Dumped Me, Dads) as Doug Khan, Kyle Mooney (Saturday Night Live, Brigsby Bear, Batman VS Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Jody, and Zahn McClarnon (Fargo, Westworld, Marvel Cinematic Universe) as Gabe Sawyer. 

            Overall, No Hard Feelings doesn’t try to be a comedy game-changer or anything like that, it’s just a funny homage to raunchy comedies from the mid-late 2000s with some genuinely touching moments sprinkled in there for good measure. While I’ve seen much funnier movies of this particular genre of comedy before, I found myself laughing quite a bit during the film and most of that is geared towards the casting of both Lawrence and Feldman. 

            As previously mentioned, Jennifer Lawrence isn’t really known for her comedic roles, but she gives a very funny performance in the film and has strong comedic timing. One of her best scenes is when she first meets Percy at an animal shelter that he volunteers at and tries to act flirty and sexy around him, but it comes off as awkward and uncomfortable which I thought was hysterical and shows off her capabilities as a funny actress. 

            I’m not familiar with Andrew Barth Feldman’s other work, but he is a standout in the film as this socially awkward teenage boy. His performance leans more towards slapstick and physical comedy as this kid who’s never really explored the outside world and most of Feldman’s comedy comes from his reactions to situations Lawrence’s Maddie gets him into without coming off as a complete idiot. 

            It doesn’t stop there though, both actors are also excellent in the more heartfelt moments of the film despite its absurd and seemingly problematic premise. Over the course of the movie, Lawrence and Feldman’s characters do form a strong friendship and it’s genuinely sweet with both characters wanting to help each other out with their current predicaments. 

            When Lawrence’s Maddie tells Feldman’s Percy about her past and why she’s the way she is, it’s surprisingly heavy and adds elements of humanity and sympathy to her character which I was not expecting to get. Also, on a more uplifting note, it’s also charming to see Feldman’s Percy outside his room and interacting with the outside world to the point where it’s somewhat contagious, you’re just so happy watching him because he’s so happy. 

            No Hard Feelings is one of those films that gives exactly what it advertises while also leaving room for unexpected surprises. It’s a funny and very heartfelt comedy that blends its raunchy sex humor with a touching story about growing up and gaining independence that’s elevated by the charm of its leads. 

            No Hard Feelings, I hope! 

Asteroid City review

ASTEROID CITY: 

A WHIMSICAL AND QUIRKY CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE “WES” KIND! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES

The star-studded citizens of the titular city in Asteroid City

 

            A Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention makes first contact with an unexpected visitor in Asteroid City, the new film from Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch). I’m always down for new Wes Anderson entertainment as the man does phenomenal visual storytelling with a very distinct directing style. 

            I’ve already praised his filmmaking before in other reviews, so I won’t waste time repeating myself. I will say that he alongside Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino are some of my most influential filmmakers that always get me interested in making movies whenever I see one of their films. 

            I was intrigued by Asteroid City when I first saw the trailer and thought it looked like a fun homage to classic sci-fi/alien contact films done in Anderson’s signature directing style. While I don’t think it’s one of his absolute best films, I really enjoyed myself with Asteroid City. 

            The film’s events are actually told as if it’s an old television broadcast or stage reenactment of said events and is set in the in-universe fictional town known as Asteroid City that’s hosting a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention. The convention is organized to bring students and parents from across the country together for fellowship and scholarly competition, but the convention is spectacularly disrupted by a bizarre series of world-changing events including contact with a mysterious alien. 

            The film stars frequent Wes Anderson collaborator Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) as war photographer and widowed father Augie Steenbeck, Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jojo Rabbit) as actress and mother Midge Campbell, Tom Hanks (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Cast Away) as Augie’s father-in-law Stanley Zak, Jeffrey Wright (Casino Royale, The Hunger Games franchise, The Batman) as Junior Stargazer Awards show host General Grif Gibson, Tilda Swinton (Adaptation, The Chronicles of Narnia franchise, Marvel Cinematic Universe) as scientist Dr. Hickenlooper, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Argo, Godzilla (2014)) as the host of an anthology series, Edward Norton (American History X, Fight Club, The Incredible Hulk) as legendary playwright Conrad Earp, Adrien Brody (The Thin Red Line, King Kong (2005), See How They Run) as director Schubert Green, Liev Schreiber (Scream franchise, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) as J.J. Kellogg, Hope Davis (Flatliners, About Schmidt, American Splendor) as Sandy Borden, Stephen Park (In Living Color, Falling Down, Fargo) as Roger Cho, Rupert Friend (Pride & Prejudice, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Obi-Wan Kenobi) as Montana, Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Fear Street Part One: 1994) as June Douglas, Steve Carell (Anchorman 1 and 2, The Office, Foxcatcher) as a motel manager, Matt Dillon (The Outsiders, In & Out, There’s Something About Mary) as Hank, Hong Chau (Treme, Inherent Vice, Watchmen) as Polly Green, Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Spider-Man, The Lighthouse) as Saltzburg Keitel, Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Dope, Spider-Man franchise) as Gen, and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park franchise, Independence Day 1 and 2, Thor: Ragnarok) as ???. 

            Overall, Asteroid City may not be among Wes Anderson’s best work, but it’s still a well-crafted and thoroughly enjoyable film with a star-studded cast and quirky dialogue to boot. It isn’t for everyone though, especially those who aren’t fans of this director’s style, and it certainly won’t be the film that will win those people over. 

            However, those who are familiar with Anderson’s work and love his efforts as a director will be engrossed by its unconventional storyline and marvel at its storybook-esque production design. This is not your typical alien encounter movie like Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Robert Zemeckis’ Contact as the alien only appears briefly in certain scenes and it doesn’t even become an alien movie until the halfway point. 

            The first half of the movie doesn’t have much of a storyline, you’re basically just watching the people in Asteroid City live their lives, interact with each other, and get ready for their big convention. I couldn’t even describe what the movie was about until the alien UFO showed up and I still didn’t always know where it was going. 

            What keeps the movie thoroughly engaging from start to finish is its cast of characters, not just the actors playing them but also the characters themselves. Since this is a film with a very large cast, some actors won’t get as much time to shine as others, but just about every cast member utilizes the time given to them to their advantages and even extremely minor characters like Steve Carell as a hotel manager or Bryan Cranston as a TV host leave an impression. 

            The cast member who probably has the most development is Jason Schwartzman as Augie; I’ve enjoyed Schwartzman’s performances in other Wes Anderson movies and films like Scott Pilgrim and his recent vocal performance as The Spot in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse really showed off his comedic talents. Schwartzman has excellent comedic timing when delivering a funny line in the film like a scene where he’s talking to his four children about Heaven which he does not believe in and of course he acknowledges his true beliefs while trying to comfort his kids which is funny while also selling the heartfelt moments as well. 

            The production design is also stellar and really captures that storybook feeling Anderson is known for. It’s almost like you’re watching a play but on the screen in terms of its visual style, in fact I’d be down for Wes Anderson to direct a live stage show, his films already have that look to begin with. 

            Granted, the film doesn’t quite do much new in terms of Wes Anderson cinema, a lot of these tropes, characters, and filmmaking techniques you’ve seen in his other films. But if the story is well written and the characters are compelling, it doesn’t really matter too much. 

            I had fun with Asteroid City, it’s not perfect or one of the director’s strongest outings, but the technicals are appealing, the characters are very likable, and the plot is engaging. Hop on the train and witness Asteroid City for yourself, 10 points for using the Slim Whitman song from Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! in this movie, BTW.  

Washington State Summer Con 2023 Recap