Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of October 25, 2021
The French Dispatch
Rated R for language, graphic nudity and some sexual references
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
In Theaters
Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel) is best know for his eclectic stories told with amazing casts, and with the French Dispatch you get what you expect and more. I say more because not only is this perhaps the quirkiest of all of his movies, but the cast might be his biggest ever as well. The story takes place over three distinct narratives written for a newspaper in Liberty, Kansas, all from the writers at that Newspaper’s Parisian office. With an almost anthology feel, the movie is his least accessible picture, but with Bill Murray, Timothée Chalamet, Benicio Del Toro, Frances McDormand and so many others that my column length could just contain the names of famous actors if I put them all in, the project is also a little slice of heaven for Anderson’s fans. I found it enjoyable, funny, poignant, brave and of course very strange. And even though the story structure is whacky, Anderson’s style and confidence are impressively portrayed here. There is no doubt that he couldn’t care less if you like the film or not. It’s his playground and we get the pleasure of watching him work in it. One item of note that I must mention, this year hasn’t been the greatest years for orchestral scores, but this one by Oscar winner Alexandre Desplat (The Shape of Water) is worth diving in to. It makes for a perfect backdrop to the idealized world of 1960’s Paris. B+
My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission
Rated PG-13 for bloody images, violent material and some language
In Theaters
I have to be honest here – my eleven-year-old made me watch this. When he found out that I was asked to screen it, he about lost his mind that he would get to see it early with me. So I’m glad I got to make the kid happy for two hours. For the rest of you – I’ll try to explain what you need to know. This is the third film in the franchise and it’s about to get a really big U.S. theatrical release, which makes it more than relevant, especially for its rabid fan base. Based on the fairly new manga series, a large percentage of the planet has a quirk, not the Wes Anderson kind but rather a special gift. Those with big gifts become heroes and a team of said heroes attempts to stop a tyrannical leader with a plan to rid the planet of quirks and the humans who possess them. Compared to the other major anime film that scored a big box office earlier this year, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (which grossed half a billion world-wide), this is a far less confusing film to watch, and thus less painful. That being said, the animation seems lazy at times and the music will leave you smothered in cheese. Perhaps they are just going for the show’s style (I wouldn’t know since I’ve never watched), but I would have put some more effort into the production. With the absolute profitability of these films, you’d think they’d put a little more quality up front. C+