MOONFALL
Sure, we had ice pellets falling from the sky, but that's nothing compared to chunks of the moon! That's what's happening in "Moonfall."
Most moviegoers know what they're in for when they see a Roland Emmerich movie: "Independence Day," "Godzilla, "The Day After Tomorrow." You get the picture!
With "Moonfall," brace yourself for the truly preposterous. Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson play former astronaut partners. She's moved on to higher ground as a NASA big wig. He fell from grace, blamed for a space disaster they both experienced. Now comes this new disaster! The moon has been knocked out of orbit, and the end of the world is imminent!
An amateur astronomer/conspiracy theorist, played by "Game of Thrones'" John Bradley, gains access to the classified scoop and gets it to the down-and-out Wilson. Soon, the three moon musketeers are tapped to head into space to save us all! Meanwhile, a separate drama is playing out with Wilson's estranged family on Earth, while our amateur moon man helps his pro partners realize his theory of what's happening "out there" isn't far from the truth. That exploration pushes the story way, way beyond belief, as if it weren't already there.
Wilson and Berry take this story seriously, as they're supposed to, and you can't fault their performances. Bradley is fine as the comic relief, but you'll wish for Josh Gad. I saw "Moonfall" on IMAX, which made it even bigger and dumber. If you're looking to escape the house and the leftover ice, you might have some fun. Warning, though: Emmerich is aiming for your jaw to drop, but he might have you scratching your head instead.
(Lionsgate. Rated PG-13. Running Time 2 hrs. In Theaters Only.)
SUNDOWN
From "Moonfall" to "Sundown," it sounds like we have a theme going here!
Hardly.
They couldn't be more different. "Sundown" is a small film that requires some patience.
Wealthy siblings Tim Roth and Charlotte Gainsbourg are vacationing with her kids in Mexico. She gets word of a family tragedy back home and has to quickly leave with the kids. Roth says he forgot his passport back at the resort and stays behind. Did he really forget it, or did he want an excuse to indulge his midlife crisis? Soon, he takes up with a sexy, local shop owner. The first 50 minutes of this movie languish. (Yes, I checked my clock.) When something else horrible happens, and he's arrested, the drama picks up.
Roth is a great actor, and this is an interesting study, but I'm not sure what the filmmaker had in mind as far as engaging the audience. A final tragedy, that may or may not be related to the hallucinations he's been having, drives it all to an empty ending. If you're an occasional moviegoer, this is not the film for you. The much better midlife-crisis-on-the-beach film is "The Lost Daughter," which you can stream at home.
(Bleeker Street Media. Rated R. Running Time 1 hr. 23 mins. In Theaters Only.)
THE WOLF AND THE LION
When two wild animals of different species pair off, it can either be a blood fest or a cute-and-cuddly animal movie. "The Wolf and the Lion" is the latter.
The epilogue makes it seem like it's based on a true story, but it's not.
A beautiful young music student, played by Molly Kunz, visits her late grandfather's home on an island in the Canadian North Woods and discovers the pup of her grandpa's beloved wolf. One the same day, a lion cub comes into her life. He was on the way to the circus and literally fell into her arms. (Couldn't make that one up!) She's earned a prestigious place with the L.A. Philharmonic, but she wants to stay put and figure out what to do with her pup and cub, which have become inseparable. She names them "Mozart" and "Dreamer." Sweet and simple for now, but a wolf biologist is tracking down
"Mozart," and an abusive circus worker wants "Dreamer" back. There has to have a happy ending, though, doesn't it?
Kunz is a lovely young actress. Graeme Green is always a nice addition. The animals are gorgeous, so is the scenery, and the message about all animals' rights to freedom can't be overlooked. File this one under "nice for tween girls." Nothing more.
(Blue Fox Entertainment. Rated PG. Running Time 1 hr. 39 mins. In Theaters Only)
LAST SURVIVORS
I wanted to see this film because I like Alicia Silverstone. After I watched it, I said to myself, "she's better than this."
Her character is living off the grid. So are a father and his adult son, played by "True Blood's" Stephen Moyer and "Pretty Little Liars'" Drew Van Acker. They've created what the dad considers Utopia up in the mountains, far from the decay of the rest of the world. When a medical emergency forces the son to seek help, he heads out and encounters Silverstone.
Look, this son is naïve. The perfect family life to him is "Swiss Family Robinson," because he's read that book. So, he doesn't know what to make of this mysterious woman. A romantic interlude is awkward, at best. It takes a while for him to realize the outside world his dad has painted is not that way at all.
There have been more than one of these films that seem perfect to make during the pandemic: small cast and crew, small budget. This one is well-intentioned and has an interesting twist, but maybe it should have stayed in the imagination of its writer.
(Vertical Entertainment. Not Rated. Running Time 1 hr. 39 mins. On Demand.)
