Project Hail Mary
Yes, this comedic sci-fi film was one of the most talked-about movies of the past spring season. And yes, audiences flocked to it and it made piles of money. But in case you still have not seen it, we are here to tell you this: Go. Run. It is about to leave theaters.
That matters, because “Project Hail Mary” is a film that absolutely deserves to be seen on the big screen. Its creators, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, hired cinematographer Greig Fraser, who in recent years has stood out for his epic work on films such as “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” the two “Dune” movies and the television series “The Mandalorian” — more on that in the next section — and here he outdoes himself. The visuals are simply wonderful, imaginative and inventive, giving grandeur to a story that is based on Andy Weir’s book of the same name and follows a fearful molecular biologist who finds himself aboard a spaceship on a mission that may be humanity’s last hope for survival. That grandeur helps the film overcome its technical and scientific mumbo jumbo. Also helping is Rocky, a small alien who looks like a walking rock and was sent into space on a mission similar to that of the biologist, played with great charm by Ryan Gosling.
And here are a few words of warning: “Project Hail Mary” is a sentimental film. At times, it even slips into a certain cheesiness, especially toward the end, when the manipulations by Lord, Miller and Weir become a little too transparent when it comes to the fierce friendship that develops between the human and the lovable alien. But that will not stop you from enjoying it. Hell, for most of you — and for this writer, too — it only adds to the overall, deeply rewarding experience the film offers. Think of it as a warm hug after which you simply feel better. And who doesn’t want that?
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Let’s start with this: What most critics who saw the new film in the “Star Wars” saga said is true — it is an extended episode of the television series “The Mandalorian,” and nothing more. On the other hand, “The Mandalorian” is a terrific TV series, if we briefly ignore its third season, and without question the best thing to come out of the franchise in recent years. So in that sense, if you like the show, you have nothing to lose.
In the hands of Jon Favreau, the man who launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe with “Iron Man” and who, together with Dave Filoni, is responsible for “The Mandalorian” — Filoni also co-wrote the film with him — “The Mandalorian and Grogu” faithfully does its job in translating the series to the big screen, even if it does not show too much inspiration. The effects are spectacular, Mando — voiced, and briefly shown, by Pedro Pascal — is tough and taciturn, Grogu is insanely cute, and that is basically all that is needed. The plot, let’s be honest, is less critical. It revolves around the son of Jabba the Hutt, the monster remembered from “Return of the Jedi,” and Mando and Grogu’s efforts to help him once they discover he is not just another “head” to be hunted and returned to his evil uncles, but actually a pretty decent guy/monster.
Everything here is small, compared with the galaxy-spanning stories we are used to getting from the “Star Wars” franchise — and that is the secret charm of this sweet, unpretentious film, which will absolutely give you a little more than two hours of fun in an air-conditioned theater. And yes, much has been and is being written about the fact that this appears to be the least profitable project in the history of the “Star Wars” brand. So what? The less plugged-in masses are simply waiting for it to arrive on Disney+, and you are not accountants but viewers looking for cinematic fun. That is all.
Fantasy Life
Unlike the previous two films, whose combined budgets are equivalent to the GDP of a mid-sized country, this is a small film. How small? Tiny. How tiny? Minuscule.
Matthew Shear’s debut film follows Sam Stein, played by Shear, a burned-out New York legal assistant who loses his job and suffers an anxiety attack. Following the crisis, he ends up working as a babysitter for the three granddaughters of his psychiatrist, played by veteran actor Judd Hirsch. During the job, he grows closer to Dianne, played by Amanda Peet, a frustrated actress whose marriage is in crisis. The two discover a connection that stems, among other things, from their shared struggles with mental health.
Now, based on that synopsis, you may think you know where the film is headed, but your assumption probably will not be entirely accurate, because “Fantasy Life” does not exactly follow the path a standard romantic comedy would take. In that sense, it is more of a dramedy than a romantic comedy — and that is to the film’s credit. It manages to be captivating despite the absence of laugh-out-loud moments, with its comedy leaning more toward the cringe side, and above all, it is touching. Much of the credit goes to the wonderful Amanda Peet, who delivers a rich, complex, layered performance as a privileged and depressed character who, in other hands, might have become unbearable. Bravo.
Hokum
“Hokum” is the title of the effective horror film, which fuses Irish folklore, rural Gothic and familiar horror conventions — hello, “The Shining” — into something fairly original and, above all, properly creepy.
Adam Scott, of “Severance,” plays a successful writer in crisis who arrives at an isolated inn in Ireland with his parents’ ashes. The goal? To scatter their ashes in a nearby forest and then kill himself. But the mission fails for various reasons, and our writer finds himself facing a local mystery and one particular suite in the inn that may be haunted. In the background are all the strange characters you would expect in this kind of setting and this kind of film, hallucinogenic mushrooms and a chilling folk legend about a witch who abducts children and leads them to hell.
Irish director Damian McCarthy takes these elements and creates a highly effective horror film that works on another level as well. “Hokum” means nonsense, rubbish, foolishness, tall tales — and that is indeed the protagonist’s initial attitude toward the legends he discovers in the remote Irish backwater he has reached. But as the story progresses, the writer discovers that this “folklore” serves another purpose as well. He discovers that these tall tales also reflect truth and offer a way to confront the regrets and guilt that have haunted him his entire life. In other words, this is a film about the power — healing or corrupting — of storytelling. And, as noted, it is also a good horror film. What’s not to like?
Masters of the Universe
And finally, an entertaining nostalgia pill in bubblegum flavor and bright neon colors: “Masters of the Universe,” another cinematic variation — after the cult 1987 version starring Dolph Lundgren and produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus — on the exploits of Prince Adam, aka He-Man. You remember, at least if you are ancient: This is the superhero who began life as a Mattel toy before getting a television series that in turn became a thriving media franchise.
The man entrusted with reviving the franchise in cinematic form — Netflix has already been running several worthy animated series for years, especially “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power,” with its queer spark — is director Travis Knight. Knight is the son of billionaire Phil Knight, the founder and owner of Nike, on whose board Travis also sits. He began his career in the industry, oddly enough, as a rapper, then became one of the leading forces in the global stop-motion scene. Among other things, Knight was the lead animator on the wonderful “Coraline,” directed the spectacular and moving “Kubo and the Two Strings” and received several Oscar nominations for his work. After making his blockbuster debut as director of the charming “Bumblebee” in 2018, Knight brings sweeping energy and a sense of creative joy to the story of He-Man and his friends, backed by the huge budget placed in his hands. Nicholas Galitzine, in the lead role, brings considerable charm to the somewhat ridiculous character in a film that simply embraces that ridiculousness for all of its 141 minutes — it is a little too long, yes — and celebrates it winningly.
And yes, this is a film that at times almost apologizes for its own existence, as some critics have noted, as if it is not completely at peace with the mega-goofy concept and naive roots of its source material. On that level, Knight inserts elements that at times nearly border on parody, slightly weakening the effect. But only slightly, because the overall package “Masters of the Universe” offers viewers who are simply looking to escape into an air-conditioned theater for two and a half hours is definitely worth your time and money, assuming you like big, colorful blockbusters that are smart in a dumb way. Even Jared Leto, who voices the cackling, skull-faced villain Skeletor and makes him even campier than the original, does not, as is his habit, manage to derail things. And that is already an impressive achievement.