The last flashes of summer have given way to a chill that can only mean one thing; autumn is upon us. And as we settle into darker nights, our collective screens reflect a certain mood. Whether at home or in a theater, we seek out movies to give pause and even a slight tingle down our spine. Well, Disney Plus has just the ticket for you then.
Starting at the end of last month, Haunted Mansion has its premiere. After a rather lackluster reception back in August, the powers that be decided to shaft it onto its home viewing service just in time for Halloween. Conventional wisdom would have been that the movie would have been released in theaters during the spooky month, instead of in the dog days of summer. A crowded theatergoing schedule could have been the reasoning, but how could the house of mouse predict Taylor Swift dropping a concert film.
For all intents and purposes, this makes for a sufficient release for the whole family. An all-star cast lead by LaKeith Stanfield enter a decrepit old house in search of the paranormal. I must say that Stanfield never turns in a lackluster performance. Ever since Get Out, he has surprised me in many ways. Always the consummate actor, his presence gives us assurance that we are in good hands.
The others do well; Jamie Lee Curtis is unrecognizable at Leota who only appears halfway through the film. Rosario Dawson seems to be the only participant phoning in her role, which is shocking because she is always reliable. Too many smaller cameos pulled me out of the film. Did we really need Dan Levy, Marilu Henner and Winona Ryder showing up for a few minutes with no rhyme or reason? Regardless it was a nice diversion for a couple hours; no great masterpiece but entertaining nonetheless.
Over on Netflix we are being spoiled with yet more features from director Wes Anderson. Earlier I reviewed Asteroid City, which you may recall my dislike of. However, these short films are not of his imagination, but that of beloved children’s writer Roald Dahl. The longest of the four, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, is the most complete. We follow the main character played by Benedict Cumberbatch, displaying a great sense of gravitas but without forsaking humor. The same tropes of an Anderson film abound, including immaculate cinematography by longtime collaborator Robert Yeoman. The preceding entries The Swan, The Rat Catcher, and Poison feel like wisps of plots; much of which are owed to Dahl’s short fiction.
My personal favorite was the later, in which Cumberbatch is a Britisher in India who wakes to find a snake sleeping on his chest. Wes’s deadpan humor really ratchets up here to great effect. Check these out if you are looking for a light evening.
Lastly, I would like to talk about a cinematic experience I had, but that I hope you all can see on streaming at one point. Pedro Almodovar is Spain’s foremost auteur, spinning yarns filled with pathos and camp. Lately he has been branching into English speaking movies in short form. His newest Strange Way of Life is a Western with Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal. The former plays a local sheriff seeking revenge on his sister-in-law’s murder at the hands of the former’s son. As the film unfolds, we learn that both of them had a strong bond that has never left them.
With amazing camera work and impeccable costumes, Almodovar realizes these characters’ love perfectly even in a truncated runtime. In interviews, he claims this to be his answer to Brokeback Mountain and it is easy to see why. With a wonderful score from Alberto Iglesias which recalls Sergio Leone’s films, Strange Way of Life has to be one of my favorites of the year. Here is hoping you all have a chance to view it soon, if not in theaters.
