Cyrano a lush, moving affair
Unabashedly romantic, Joe Wright’s Cyrano embraces its romantic ideal and runs with it. Based on an off-Broadway musical written by Erica Schmidt, this adaptation stars Peter Dinklage as Edmond Rostand’s doomed romantic hero, though in this version a massive nose isn’t what makes the title character self-conscious, but rather his diminutive size. He pines from afar for the lovely Roxanne (Haley Bennett), who only has eyes for Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a handsome but rather inarticulate cadet in Cyrano’s regiment.
The classic love triangle, in which Cyrano’s words are used by Christian to woo Roxanne, is realized with sincerity by the three leads, their passion making the story come to life, an urgency running throughout that makes it alive and fresh. The songs by Aaron and Bryce Dessner are a mixed bag but when they work, they soar, “Every Letter” being a highlight as it espouses the power of Cyrano’s amorous words. To be sure, Dinklage is no singer, but his voice isn’t why he’s here. He breaks your heart, the actor conveying his character’s pain and longing with a glance, slight hitch in his voice or wry laugh. Lush and sensuous, this one earns your tears. In theaters.
Studio 666 gory fun
If you’re looking for goofy, gory fun, the Foo Fighters’ Studio 666 is right up your alley. Seems the band’s manager (Jeff Garlin) is in desperate need of their new album but their leader, Dave Grohl, doesn’t want to do the same ole thing. Hearing of a house that happens to have great acoustics and once belonged to a legendary manager, they decide this is the place to lay down some killer tracks. Problem is, they don’t realize it was the site where another band was brutally slaughtered.
Goes without saying that the place is haunted and the malevolent spirits that haunt it have a profound effect on the boys in the band. There’s a B-movie vibe here that make the gory goings-on a lot of fun, while the fact that Grohl and his bandmates can’t act to save their lives contribute to the sense of mirth. To be sure, the film does overstay its welcome but the cheesy special effects throughout are worth a chuckle or two. An unexpectedly good time, the music’s pretty good too. In Theaters.
Subtle approach makes for a Good Dog
There were more than a few things that I didn’t like about Dog – its comedy is forced at times, the story meanders a bit and the constant mishaps the protagonists endure become a bit much to take – but in the end, the film’s heart ends up trumping these shortcomings. Channing Tatum is front-and-center as Briggs, a war veteran in denial regarding the long-term effects combat has had on him. Eager to re-enlist and get a new assignment, he agrees to deliver a combat dog to the funeral of a former soldier-in-arms who’s passed away, in the hopes his former captain will help him get back in action.
The trip from Montana to Southern California is filled with mishaps and bonding between the cunning canine and his desperate new best friend. Briggs comes to realize he and Dog have both been damaged in combat, and seeing the struggles the canine goes through helps him come to the realization he needs help as well. The difficulties encountered on the trip seem a bit desperate and contrived but, in the end, the journey proves worthwhile. Fortunately, the sentiment isn’t applied to thickly and the film is the better for it. In theaters
This article appears in Abortion haven 2022.
