WATCH: Steve McQueen’s ‘Lovers Rock’ is one of the best new movies.
Another must-see, the terrific ‘Croods’ sequel, opens at theaters and drive-ins
Who doesn’t love to be surprised by the movies? Two of this week’s titles — the MMA-themed drama “Embattled” and the animated family feature “Croods: A New Age” — thoroughly do that. They join Steve McQueen’s sultry, sexy “Lovers Rock” as the three musts to add to your watchlist.
“LOVERS ROCK” >> Oscarwinning filmmaker Steve McQueen takes us on an allnighter with the second in his five-part “Small Axe” series for Amazon Prime, and what an ultimate ’80s house party experience it turns out to be. Not known for his playfulness, McQueen’s steamy and joyous celebration of being Black and beautiful is just that, as two attractive potential lovers (Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn and Micheal Ward) get closer at a Notting Hill party, both on and off the dance floor. Everything about “Lovers Rock” stimulates the senses. We can practically taste the earthy spiciness of the Jamaican food and feel the sexual heat pulsating from the dance floor. It runs just over an hour, but you’ll surrender to this intoxicating, nostalgic film. And if one particular dance sequence — to the tune of Janet Kay’s “Silly Games” — doesn’t tickle your libido, nothing will.
DETAILS >> \*\*\*\* out of 4; available beginning Friday on Amazon Prime.
“EMBATTLED” >> Director Nikolay Sarkisov’s first feature, a martial-arts family feud, ranks as one of the boldest, strongest films of 2020. Really. If there’s any justice, Stephen Dorff will step into the Oscar ring for his turn as Cash, a jerk and a champion MMA fighter. Cash fights to kill and has dealt emotional and physical blows to son Jett (Darren Mann in a commanding performance), who takes care of his developmentally disabled younger brother (Colin McKenna) and helps out his hardworking mom (Elizabeth Reaser). Sarkisov and screenwriter David McKenna (“American History X”) give us fully drawn, realistic male characters slugging it out in a battle of male toxicity.
DETAILS >> \*\*\*/*; now streaming on various platforms.
“CROODS: A NEW AGE” >> Universal’s pert and perky follow-up to its 2013 animated caveman family smash is quite a fresh surprise — one of the best animated features of 2020. The voice cast — Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann, Kelly Marie Tran, Clark Duke — couldn’t be better and the message on polarized communities coming together to find common ground couldn’t be more relevant. As a flummoxed patriarch clings to his Neanderthal ways while his daughter (Stone) falls for a more modern-mode guy ( Reynolds) Cage’s histrionics make for a snug fit. The animation is top-notch and there are plentiful critters, including punch monkeys and literal land sharks (my favorite) — to delight the kiddies. What a shame it’s only available in theaters (which may be hard to find in the Bay Area) and at drive-ins. DETAILS >> \*\*\*/*; opened this week.
“UNCLE FRANK” >> A la n Ball’s bittersweet ’ 70s- set road picture on letting go of the past is a satisfying trip made all the better due to Peter Macdissi. He plays a sweet-souled lover of Paul Bettany’s tensedup Frank, a closeted Southern-born professor whose worshipful niece (Sophia Lillis) arrives in New York City to attend college. Summoned back home, Frank takes a road trip and returns to his tangled roots, where a tragic event nearly destroyed him. It’s a poi
gnant dysfunctional family drama laced with warmth, sadness, humor and hope. It serves up heaping slabs of comfort food for the soul. DETAILS >> \*\*\*; now streaming on A mazon Prime.
“HAPPIEST SEASON” >> Kristen Stewart’s endearing performance and actressco-screenwriter Mary Holland’s clumsy onscreen antics prop up this comingout at the holidays dramedy, which earns points for showing two women in love, but loses some for making Stewart’s amour too unlikable and the entire production so lily white. Mackenzie Davis gets saddled with the annoying role of the closeted (to parents and friends) Harper. She brings Stewart’s Abby back home to meet the family, made
up of a political schmoozer of a dad ( Victor Garber), a social- climber of a mom (Mary Steenburgen), a competitive sister (Alison Brie) and a hot mess younger sis (Holland). She tells all that Abby is her roomie. Clea DuVall’s rom- com is fun and funny in spots, but the resolution rings hollow, given how much we grow to love Abby and want her to hook up with a character played by Aubrey Plaza instead. Representation matters, for sure, but we need more diversity both in color and character at the holiday table.
DETAILS >> \*\*; able on Hulu. now avail
“CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES
2” >> In this more effectsdriven but less entertaining sequel to the well-received 2018 Netflix stocking
stuffer, true Santa believer Kate ( Darby Camp) has turned into a whiny teen who rejoins Santa ( Kurt Russell) and Mrs. Claus (Goldie Hawn) at the North Pole along with — to her dismay — the son (Jahzir Bruno) of mom’s new beau. Chris Columbus takes over the reins as director and binges on the cheesy digital effects, but his story does dash off into an exciting new direction as it revisits the origins of Santa. It’s a welcome detour from the story’s obvious setup in which avenging elf Belsnickel (Julian Dennison) vows to bring down Santa and the North Pole. DETAILS >> \*\*/*; now streaming on Netflix.
“BLACK BEAUTY” >> Disney+ modernizes Anna Sewell’s 19th- century story and the contemporary results are pretty but lacking in passion. Kate Winslet voices the striking, untamable Beauty, a wild horse that forms a kinship with Jo (Mackenzie Foy), a 17-yearold grieving a terrible loss and now living with her uncle John Manly (Iain Glen) at his Birtwick Stables. Writer-director Ashley Avis picks up the pace halfway through, as a spoiled brat treats Beauty poorly, but the message about being compassionate to animals — the gist of Sewell’s classic — lacks punch.
DETAILS >> \*\*; available beginning Friday on Disney+.
“BUDDY GAMES” >> S exism and homophobia rule in this repellent comedy about “boys just being boys.” Josh Duhamel cowrote, directs and stars in one of the worst films I’ve seen. A group of guys reunite to play “Jackass”-like games years after a mishap leaves one without part of his scrotum due to paintball trickery. Har, Har. This time, the now filthy rich Bob ( Duhamel) sweetens the jackpot with $150,000 smackeroos. More testicle humor enuses while Olivia Munn wanders around cooing over Bob while wearing sexy outfits. Characters belch, swear and do all sorts of crude, offensive and unfunny things.
DETAILS >> No stars; at driveins and some theaters.
“MOSUL” >> Editor Alex Rodriguez is the real star of this intense, boots- onthe- ground war thriller about the campaign to retake the bullet-riddled titular Iraqi city from ISIS in 2017. Director Matthew Michael Carnahan makes it a rapid-fire affair with human drama tucked in as a 21-year- old Kurdish man (Adam Bessa) joins a hardened SWAT team in a hellish fight. It’s well-made and engrossing.
DETAILS >> \*\*\*; available beginning today on Netflix.
“THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE” >> Two gay lovers (Stefano Accorsi and Edoardo Leo) bicker in Italy as they care for two children of an enigmatic friend (Jasmine Trinca) while she undergoes rounds of medical tests. What sounds like it could be rote turns into an original and emotional comedy- drama about an unhappy couple uniting for a defining if risky task. Director Ferzan Ozpetek’s drama doesn’t stick to the obvious as his lead characters grapple with unfaithfulness, family issues and friendships. And what a beautiful, understated ending.
DETAILS >> \*\*\*; now available on various platforms.