I was not a big fan of the first Gladiator back in 2000, and I figured it was just because I don't like movies above gladiators. I rewatched it in preparation for Gladiator II and can now safely say I don't like that movie because it's kind of boring! Aside from Joaquin Phoenix's performance, which, love it or hate it, isn't boring, it simply takes itself too seriously.
Gladiator II does not take itself seriously, and in many ways it is absolutely ridiculous. And that's probably why I liked it.
Just how ridiculous? I'll just say this: the movie has sharks in battle mode, and a monkey elected by a mad emperor to be a Roman consul (a nomination that, after this week, doesn't actually seem that far-fetched). Those two things, along with plenty of anachronisms and implausible plot points steer the film into the realm of silliness, and Denzel Washington's scenery chewing, as a power hungry former slave who hopes to rule Rome, certainly doesn't steer it back on track. It almost made me feel a little sorry for star Paul Mescal, who certainly does seem to be taking the whole thing very seriously, because the insanity that surrounds him actual makes his character a tad underwhelming. And while I'm always happy to see Pedro Pascal (the movie is not lacking for movie star hotness, that's for sure) he felt a little under utilized.
Still, I came away from this very definitely entertained, though I'm not sure it will ultimately result in me thinking about the Roman Empire anymore than I already do, which is to say, never.
In case you've been living under a rock, or under a house that was dropped on you after a tornado, Wicked has arrived. If you're a fan of the stage musical, you've probably been counting the days to release, and have probably already seen it. And if you're not a fan...I'm not entirely sure the movie will make you one.
I read Gregory Maguire's Wicked when it came out, and saw the stage musical back in 2016, but for the life of me, I did not remember a lot of the story, so much of the movie was new to me, with entire characters and plot lines that I had no memory of. I bring this up because Wicked is so much movie, I was convinced they had to have put in all of these things I had no memory of just to pad out what is only the first part of this two part epic. Turns out, that's not the case! And being that the first act of the stage musical is definitely its best act, with the only two really memorable songs in the whole thing, I kind of worry about part two.
This origin story for the Wizard of Oz's, Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good, stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, and I've really got no fault with either of the performances; they both have the vocal and acting chops for their roles, and are both very engaging. But while it does feel like Erivo is really making the part of Elphaba her own, it does feel like Grande seems to be channeling Kristin Chenoweth a lot of the time. (Though that may simply raise the question: how much of Glinda was in the original writing of the part, and how much did Chenoweth instill of herself into it.)
There is so much in the movie to marvel at, with sets that take inspiration from Gothic, Venetian, and Moorish, and costumes that will make both Barbie girls and gothy gals envious; at times it almost feels overwhelming. And overwhelming is probably the most apt word for the movie as a whole. At about the 90 minute mark of this 160 minute movie I began to feel a little exhausted, so perhaps it's a good thing part two won't show up for another year. And I just hope part two brings us more of Bowen Yang, who, as one of Glinda's school friends, is by far the funniest thing in the entire movie. I demand a Pfannee spin-off!
