JUNGLE CRUISE
Take a popular Disney attraction and turn it into a Disney movie. It certainly worked for "Pirates of the Caribbean" (at first, anyway), so why not "Jungle Cruise!" Set in 1916, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson plays the skipper of a rundown Amazon tour boat. Just like the attraction, he tries to charm his customers with bad jokes as he dodges his debts on land. His fortunes look up when an adventurous woman played by Emily Blunt (in her third Disney film: "Into the Woods," "Mary Poppins Returns") hires him to take her to a flowering tree with healing powers, and she's stolen a museum piece that should lead them right there. But it's never that easy. Along the way, they encounter a torpedo-armed German aristocrat who wants the flower, too, as well as a group of cursed 16th century conquistadors who appear far too often.
Johnson and Blunt's chemistry crackles, though if he called her "Pants" one more time for her masculine wardrobe, I'd declare mutiny! Are they the modern day Bogie and Hepburn in "The African Queen?" Not quite, but they leave you wanting more of them and less of the antics that fill out the film. Blunt's foppish brother/travel companion is almost too much of a sideshow, not to mention a CGI pet leopard.
Bottom line: "Jungle Cruise" is a fun ride, just maybe not an "E" ticket.
(Walt Disney Studios. Rated PG. Running Time 2 hrs. 7 mins. In theaters and streaming on Disney+ - premiere access)
STILLWATER
"Stillwater" is Matt Damon's best work to date. He plays a roughneck from Stillwater, Oklahoma, whose daughter (played well by Abigail Breslin) is behind bars in Marseilles, France, for the murder of her roommate/lover, a murder she says she didn't commit. During a visit from dad, the daughter shares a possible new clue in the case. Her lawyer doesn't bite, so he takes the investigation into his own hands. I know, I know, you see those rooftops of Marseilles and wonder if Damon will break into full 'Jason Bourne' mode as he tracks down a killer. Far from it. This guy is grounded, and Damon is incredibly convincing as a man who recognizes his limitations.
"Stillwater" is loosely inspired by the Amanda Knox case, but not a copycat. It's co-written and directed by Tom McCarthy ("The Station Agent," Spotlight") who wisely avoids making this a story about a trial. It's a compelling family drama with a steady thread of intrigue. Dad befriends a local actress and single mother, played so naturally by French actress Camille Cottin. His relationship with her and her little girl becomes a make-good for his own failures, Damon beautifully drawing on his own 'girl dad' instincts. A turn in the story involving a captive nearly derails the movie, but it also provides a key turning point. As the expression goes, 'still waters run deep,' and this film will leave a quiet imprint, too.
(Focus Features. Rated R. Running Time 2 hrs. 20 mins. In theaters only)
THE GREEN KNIGHT
"The Green Light" might be the most authentic medieval movie I've seen, with great credit to Dallas director David Lowery. Based on the Arthurian poem of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," Dev Patel plays Gawain, nephew of King Arthur. When the mystical Green Knight enters a royal Christmas celebration, he throws down a challenge: strike him with his mighty axe, only if you dare to show up at his chapel a year later and take the same blow from him. Gawain accepts against the wishes of his girlfriend (Alicia Vikander), and in a year's time off he goes, soon to be off with his head. Along the way, he encounters ghosts, thieves and ethereal giants and winds up the guest of a lord (Joel Edgerton) and his seductive lady (in a double role by Vikander.)
I recently saw a father taking his young sons to this movie. It is not kids' stuff and might even challenge some grown-ups, but its presentation is visionary. Patel is at his most vulnerable and appealing as he searches for meaning in life and we all question what really makes a hero. This is a journey worth taking if you appreciate the unconventional.
(A24. Rated R. Running Time 2 hrs. 10 mins. In theaters only)
