Archive for September, 2021

THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2: 2 ½ STARS. “it smooths out the story’s offbeat, macabre heart.”

The weird and wonderful Addams Family, Gomez (Oscar Isaac), Morticia (Charlize Theron), Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz), Pugsley (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton) and their chrome domed Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll), are just like any other family. Sure, they live in a house of horrors and are “mysterious and spooky and all together ooky,” but underneath it all, they are a regular, loving family.

The latest instalment in their lengthy documentation of family life, the animated “The Addams Family 2,” now playing in theatres and premium VOD, sees Gomez and Morticia, like so many parents, concerned that their kids are growing up too fast.

The action begins at Wednesday’s high school science fair. When she only earns a participation award for her project—transferring octopus intelligence into her Uncle Fester—she becomes more withdrawn than usual. To bring the family back together, Gomez and Morticia plan a family road trip to—where else?—Death Valley.

Along the way complications arise, including Cyrus Strange (Wallace Shawn, son of editor William Shawn who ran the Addams Family cartoons for decades in the pages of the New Yorker), an evil scientist who convinces Wednesday she is not really part of the Addams Family.

“The Addams Family 2” has top flight voice work from Isaac, Theron and especially Moretz, who nails the detached but spirited tone of her death-obsessed character. Her empowerment—”I’m not a freak,” she says, “I’m a force of nature.”—will also likely strike a chord with anyone who has felt like an outsider.

What the film doesn’t nail, however, is that Addams Family X-factor, the sense of gleeful dread. This is mainstream family animation, padded with songs and dance numbers, that smooths out the offbeat, macabre heart and soul of the source material. It’s goofy, not ooky, with none of the eccentric charm of the 1960s TV show.

Directors Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon bring a light touch to the story, where none was needed.

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK: 3 STARS. “feels like a pilot for a new show.”

“The Many Saints of Newark,” the sprawling big-screen prequel to the iconic television series “The Sopranos,” feels more like a pilot for a new show than the origin story of one of television’s most famous families.

Broken into three parts, “The Many Saints of Newark,” uses narration, courtesy of Tony Soprano’s late associate Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli), to break down the movie’s interconnected story shards.

Firstly, there is Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola), Soprano Family soldier, father of Christopher, cousin to Carmela Soprano, uncle to Tony. He’s hooked up, wily and impulsive but also treacherous. When his father, the slick sociopath ‘Hollywood Dick’ (Ray Liotta), returns from Italy with a new bride (Michela De Rossi), it triggers chaos in the Moltisanti family.

In Dickie’s orbit is Harold McBrayer (Leslie Odom Jr.), an African-American numbers runner for the Mob, galvanized by the 1967 Newark race riots to go out on his own and, finally, Tony Soprano, played by William Ludwig as a youngster, Michael Gandolfini, the late James Gandolfini’s son, as a teenager. As Dickie’s thirst for power spins out of control, he becomes a surrogate father to Tony, hoping to pass along something good to the impressionable younger man as a way to atone for his sins.

“The Many Saints of Newark” is vivid in its portrayal of the period. Covering roughly four years, from 1967 to 1971, it uses the turmoil of that time in American life as a backdrop for the explosive nature of Dickie’s world. That atmosphere of uncertainty makes up for a story that, despite some glorious moments, often feels rushed as it careens toward an ending that doesn’t mine the rich psychological landscape of these characters, which is what we expect from David Chase and “The Sopranos.”

The actors are game.

Nivola brings equal parts charisma, danger and depth to a flawed character who is the ringmaster to the action. Unlike many of the other characters, like the conniving Junior Soprano (Corey Stoll), henchman Paulie Walnuts (Blly Magnussen) or consigliere Silvio Dante (John Magaro), who come with eighty-six episodes of baggage, Dickie is new and can be viewed through fresh eyes.

Michael Gandolfini takes on the Herculean task of revisiting a character his father made one of the most famous in television history and brings it home by showcasing the character’s volatility and, more importantly, his vulnerability. He’s a troubled kid, on the edge of turning one way or the other, and even though we know how the story goes, Gandolfini’s performance suggests there is more to know about Tony Soprano.

If there is a complaint, it’s that both Tony and McBrayer, two of the main cogs that keep this engine running, get lost in “The Many Saints of Newark’s” elaborate plotting. Ditto for the female characters. Despite tremendous work from Vera Farmiga as Tony’s poisonous mother Livia and De Rossi as Dickie’s step-mom, the women often feel peripheral to the tale, in service only to the men’s stories.

“The Many Saints of Newark” brings with it high expectations but falls short of coming close to the greatness of its source material. “The Sopranos” broke new ground, changing the way gangster stories (and all sorts of other stories) were told on television. “The Many Saints of Newark” settles for less as an exercise in nostalgia.

THE GUILTY: 3 ½ STARS. “a no-frills thriller where the viewer imagines the action.”

There is no mention of COVID-19 in “The Guilty,” the new Jake Gyllenhaal thriller now streaming on Netflix. But make no mistake, this is a pandemic movie, A remake of 2018 Danish film “Den skyldige,” it is essentially a one hander, shot on a just a handful of set with strict safety protocols in place. Gyllenhaal may be socially distanced from his castmates, but his performance is anything but distant.

Gyllenhaal plays Joe Baylor, an LAPD cop on 911 duty while he awaits a trial for police brutality. As wildfire ravage the city, he’s tied to a phone at the call center, where he makes his displeasure at his new assignment clear to anyone who calls in. Short tempered, he snaps at his co-workers and even berates his callers for their bad choices—“You did drugs!”—before offering assistance.

His attitude changes when he gets a call from Emily (Riley Keough, who does impressive voice work), a mother of two kidnapped by her abusive ex-husband (Peter Sarsgaard). Their conversation sets off a chain of events that causes Baylor to look inward and reassess the choices that led him to the 911 dispatch center.

Played out in real time, “The Guilty” builds tension as Baylor races against a ticking clock to bring the situation to a safe resolution for Emily. Director Antoine Fuqua amps up the sense of urgency, keeping his camera focused on Gyllenhaal’s feverish performance. The close-ups create a sense of claustrophobia, visually telegraphing Baylor’s feeling of helplessness and his crumbling mental state.

Gyllenhaal hands in a gripping performance that bristles with determination, ranging from brooding, to explosive to resigned. His expressive face fills the screen, and with the exception of some distracting eyebrow acting, carefully guides us down the rabbit hole of Baylor’s anxiety.

“The Guilty” is a no-frills thriller that allows the viewer to imagine most of the action, both in Emily’s plight and Baylor’s head. It breathes the same air as movies like the minimalist “Locke” that do a lot with a little.

RICHARD CROUSE’S WEEKLY HELLO!: SIGN UP FOR RICHARD’S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER TODAY!

Richard’s free weekly newsletter, “Richard Crouse’s Weekly Hello,” can be delivered straight to your in-box with just a click of this link! It’s fun, quick and more than your usual entertainment report. Join us!

This week, “Tom Hardy’s Jekyll and Hyde Career Choices.”

”This weekend Hardy returns to theatres in the action movie Venom: Let There Be Carnage. He plays Eddie Brock, an investigative reporter with an aw-shucks accent and the title character, an amorphous sentient alien who requires a host, usually human, to bond with for its survival. It’s kind of an anti-superhero Jekyll and Hyde situation where Ed and Venom are a hybrid, two beings in one body…”

Read the rest, subscribe and check out past issues HERE!

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“Have I said this before? These newsletters are f’kng great. I look forward to each one. Great ground work for series of memoir-ish thoughts published in larger form. Very entertaining, insightful into the work you do, and occasionally with gentle glimpses into the people you meet.” “I love the little stories. A small glimpse into people lives and what makes them tick. Thanks.” “Richard are you the most normal person covering movies? Somehow this feels very Canadian – open, self-deprecating, low key, honest…very refreshing! PS I love your movie reviews on TV too.” “Your personal take on the millions of stories you have with entertainment life are a joy to read.” “I always enjoy these weekly vignettes.” “Great article, Richard, thanks! Well written and so relatable. Take care!” “Love the way you make each of your issues relatable.” “Great story, Richard. Funny how some things lurk in the recesses of our minds. Thanks for sharing.” “These slices of life interludes are terrific! Thank You” “Loved this, I felt like I was right there with you guys. Great read.” “Enjoying the personal background, as well as the career insights.” “Your stories are both informative and entertaining. You strike a perfect balance.” “I like your fun and accessible style!” “I’ve always found Richard to be one of the best interviewers in the entire realm of media today. Always entertaining and informative. Keep up the good work!” “These weekly visits are enjoyable. Thanks.” “I really enjoy these. Keep them coming!” “Great story, I really enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to the next issue! Thank you.” From Father’s Day: “Your father was a wise man, Richard, and it obviously rubbed off on you. Always enjoy your articles and interviews. Keep up the good work and stay safe and well.” “Enjoy listening to your thoughts and stories!”

TORONTO STAR: RICHARD ON The five most expensive car auctions of all time!

Richard writes about the five most expensive cars ever sold at auction!

“For the super-rich, auctions are not about a semiconductor shortage. For years auctions have appealed to high-end car collectors who routinely pay eye-watering prices for the privilege of, as sportscarmarket.com writer Steve Ahlgrim said, ‘sitting in the seat and knowing some of the greatest drivers in history sat right where you are…’” Read the whole article HERE!

 

 

Toronto Mike’d Podcast: Richard Crouse Kicks Out the Jams: Episode 916!

Richard joins the Toronto Mike’d Podcast to Kick out the Jams, play ten of his favourite songs and tell stories about each one. Click HERE to listen to the whole thing!

 

 

 

 

Here are the songs:

Welcome to the Working Week: Elvis Costello

Roxette: Dr. Feelgood

Spanish Stroll: Mink DeVille

Don’t Think Twice: Mike Ness

This is Not a Love Song: Public Image Ltd.

Diamond in Your Mind: Solomon Burke

Mother of Pearl: Roxy Music

Aladdin Sane: David Bowie

I’ve Been Everywhere: Johnny Cash

I Don’t Wanna Grow Up: Tom Waits

 

 

NEWSTALK 1010: IN DEPTH WITH RIK Emmett + AUTHOR Donna Morrissey!

This week on the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Rik Emmett. The musician, professor, writer and sometime cartoonist is in three Canadian “Halls” and two “Walks of Fame.” After 12 platinum LPs in his years as one third of the rock band Triumph, he went on to produce 20 indie projects, from rock and blues to jazz, folk, and classical. These days Emmett is trying something new. He’s reinventing himself as a poet. “Reinvention,” his new book of poetry, is available now wherever fine books are sold. It’s the project that followed on the heels of his retiring from touring and the life of a college educator in early 2019. In this book he makes sense of a life that always went in a lot of different directions all at once.

Then, Donna Morrissey author of six national bestsellers novels. She has received awards in Canada, the U.S., and England. Her fiction has been translated into several different languages. Born and raised in Newfoundland, she now lives in Halifax. Today we’ll talk about her new memoir Pluck: A memoir of a Newfoundland childhood and the raucous, terrible, amazing journey to becoming a novelist.

Listen to the whole thing HERE!

Here’s some info on The Richard Crouse Show!

Each week on the nationally syndicated Richard Crouse Show, Canada’s most recognized movie critic brings together some of the most interesting and opinionated people from the movies, television and music to put a fresh spin on news from the world of lifestyle and pop-culture. Tune into this show to hear in-depth interviews with actors and directors, to find out what’s going on behind the scenes of your favourite shows and movies and get a new take on current trends. Recent guests include Ethan Hawke, director Brad Bird, comedian Gilbert Gottfried, Eric Roberts, Brian Henson, Jonathan Goldsmith a.k.a. “The most interesting man in the world,” and best selling author Linwood Barclay.

Listen to the show live here:

C-FAX 1070 in Victoria

SAT 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

SUN 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

CJAD in Montreal

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

CFRA in Ottawa

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

NEWSTALK 610 CKTB in St. Catharines

Sat 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

NEWSTALK 1010 in Toronto

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

NEWSTALK 1290 CJBK

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

AM 1150 in Kelowna

SAT 11 PM to Midnight

BNN BLOOMBERG RADIO 1410

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Click HERE to catch up on shows you might have missed!

THE SHOWGRAM WITH JIM RICHARDS: DOES RICHARD CROUSE LIKE THESE MOVIES?

Richard joins NewsTalk 1010 host Jim Richards on the coast-to-coast-to-coast late night “Showgram” to play the game “Did Richard Crouse like these movies?” This week we talk about to talk about the big screen adaptation of the Broadway hit “Dear Evan Hansen,” the Melissa McCarthy dramedy “The Starling” and the Mark Wahlberg family drama “Joe Bell.”

Listen to the whole thing HERE!

NEWSTALK 1010: IN- DEPTH WITH Ivan Doroschuk AND MUSICIAN AND AUTHOR EMM GRYNER!

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Remember “The Safety Dance”? Of course you do. The Men Without Hats song was a worldwide hit in 1982 and earned them a Grammy nomination but it didn’t end there. It has since been covered by everyone from “Weird Al” Yankovic to the cast of Glee to a recent version by Angel Olsen.

The song’s writer and lead singer, Ivan Doroschuk, joins me today from his home on Vancouver Island to talk about some new music and a reimagination of his biggest hit.

Men Without Hats have just released “Again (Part 1),” a five-song EP featuring covers of The Tragically Hip, Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones and Mott the Hoople, along with an all-new version of the group’s signature hit “The Safety Dance,” now called “No Friends of Mine.”

Then we meet Emm Gryner. She is a Canadian musician and vocal coach. David Bowie named Emm as one of his two favourite Canadian acts. U2 frontman Bono named her song “Almighty Love” as one of six songs that he wished he had written.

Gryner toured in David Bowie’s band, singing and playing keyboards, and appears on the recordings Bowie at the Beeb and Glastonbury 2000. Emm helped make the first music video in outer space with Chris Hadfield and is now the author of a new book called “The Healing Power of Singing: Raise Your Voice, Change Your Life: What Touring With David Bowie, Single Parenting And Ditching The Music Business Taught Me In 25 Easy Steps.”

Listen to the whole thing HERE!

Here’s some info on The Richard Crouse Show!

Each week on the nationally syndicated Richard Crouse Show, Canada’s most recognized movie critic brings together some of the most interesting and opinionated people from the movies, television and music to put a fresh spin on news from the world of lifestyle and pop-culture. Tune into this show to hear in-depth interviews with actors and directors, to find out what’s going on behind the scenes of your favourite shows and movies and get a new take on current trends. Recent guests include Ethan Hawke, director Brad Bird, comedian Gilbert Gottfried, Eric Roberts, Brian Henson, Jonathan Goldsmith a.k.a. “The most interesting man in the world,” and best selling author Linwood Barclay.

Listen to the show live here:

C-FAX 1070 in Victoria

SAT 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

SUN 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

CJAD in Montreal

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

CFRA in Ottawa

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

NEWSTALK 610 CKTB in St. Catharines

Sat 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

NEWSTALK 1010 in Toronto

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

NEWSTALK 1290 CJBK

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

AM 1150 in Kelowna

SAT 11 PM to Midnight

BNN BLOOMBERG RADIO 1410

SAT 8 PM to 9:00 PM

Click HERE to catch up on shows you might have missed!