Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of December 23, 2024
The Fire Inside
Rated PG-13 for brief suggestive material, thematic elements and some strong language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
In Theaters
This inspirational sports flick follows the true story of Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny), who fought against all odds to become one of the greatest female boxers of all time. As a little girl, she demanded to be coached by Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry), in a male-only gym located in Flint, Michigan. Moving up the ranks, she was able to qualify for the Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win a gold medal in boxing. Many will already know much about this fighter before going in, and this film exists to both to tell her story but also to celebrate it. Written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), the film is only slightly formulaic but goes against the grain by exploring what happens after victory as much as what it takes to get there. This proves to be a smart way to tell Claressa’s story as it gives more than just your standard journey to getting the gold. It also shows the good, the bad and the indifferent of what can happen after success. Directed by noted cinematographer Rachel Morrison (Mudbound, Dope) the film has also has an exciting feel and pace that proves to be extremely entertaining. Acting-wise, Henry is fantastic as coach Crutchfield and manages to elevate everyone around him as the pair work together for their common goal. In a holiday season without a lot of family-friendly non-musical fare, this is a welcome addition that should play well, although it’s lack of star-power might hurt it’s chances of competing in a crowded field. Hopefully, it won’t get lost in the shuffle enough to find a willing audience to give it a chance, as it is a sports pic that will having your cheering and leave you feeling upbeat as you walk out of the theater. A-
Nosferatu
Rated R for graphic nudity, bloody violent content, and some sexual content
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
In Theaters
For the ultimate of Christmas experiences, try this graphic horror pic by famed dark filmmaker Robert Eggers (The Northman, The Lighthouse) which retells the 1922 German silent film of the same title. Having never seen the silent film, I was completely unaware that this tale was a near copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, only with the characters renamed and with slight story differences throughout. But here it is not the story that is most important but the style, and Eggars creates a wickedly disturbing canvas for this particular story. As with all his films, this one is extremely violent and odd, which desires for you to be enthralled yet disgusted. Cinematically, the film is so macabre that it is almost beautiful, with terrific production and many great performances. Unfortunately, I was very put off by the look of Count Orlok, whose image was more confounding that horrifying. Bill Skarsgård does a decent enough job playing him, but I wanted to look away every time he came on screen, more out of repulsion than fear. I also wish that that there was a more compelling romantic narrative here, like there was in Dracula. If you’re going to copy anything from Bram Stoker, that would be a major replication to include. By the end, I could appreciate what Eggers had done, but I couldn’t find a way to really like it, and I absolutely wanted to. B-