george.schmidt

WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL (2024) ***1/2 (Voices of: Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Lauren Patel, Reece Shearsmith, Diane Morgan) Everyone's fave inventor/cheese enthusiast and his loyal dog is back in this fun and inventive adventure revolving around Wallace's newest creations - an AI gnome made to do simple chores - and their revenge-seeking enemy Feathers McGraw. Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham direct with aplomb and highly creative set-pieces to keep the action lively and kinetic with the ever deadpan Gromit on top of things with skill and nonchalance. The stop-motion animation is alive and well with our DynamicDuo.

NOSFERATU (2024) *** Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Holt, Bill Skarsgard, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corbin, Ralph Inseln, Simon McBurney. Filmmaker Rober Eggers' Herculean task in remaking the silent horror film goes beyond iconicism and then some with its devil in the details approach for the timeless tale of the nefarious Count Orlok (an unrecognizable Skarsgard) whose stranglehold on newlywed Depp (having a field day of emotions) while her broker husband Hoult attempts to thwart his evil plans. Set in 19th century Germany and inspired by Bram Stoker's classic 'Dracula' the film outdoes itself with some truly amazing sets and production design by Beatrice Brentnerova & Craig Lathrop, respectively as well as the handsome and jaw-dropping cinematography by Jarin Blaschke. While on the whole the endeavor pays off but there's something decidedly off (i.e. Wtf is Orlok fitted with a ridiculous mustache?!) in the long run that comes-this-close to true cinematic greatness. Dafoe's Van Helsingian Prof. Von Franz is the one true spark of slightly enjoying himself as the historian more than practiced hunter in the field. And McBurney's mad-as-a-hatter turn as the Renfeldian Knock gives Dwight Frye a run for his loony money. I recommend you see this in IMAX to truly surrender to the film's wonder.