Martin's Musings

Three films into the Knives Out series and Rian Johnson still isn’t bored with his own funhouse — and neither am I. Each entry in the Agatha Christie–inspired franchise has told a different story with a different cast and setting, but they’ve all been mainstream crowd-pleasers that feel intelligently crafted rather than assembled by an algorithm, the rare series where “new installment” means “new flavor” instead of “same meal reheated.” 

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery keeps that streak alive. It’s not as bright and cameo-filled as 2022’s Greek island–set Glass Onion was. But it’s sharper and more self-possessed than the original Knives Out was.

With its lush cinematography, precise period details, and performances so controlled they practically scream “For your consideration,” Hamnet is one of those movies that feels engineered from the ground up to earn award consideration — if not a few little gold men themselves.

And to be fair, it is a beautiful movie. Director Chloé Zhao clearly put a lot of thought and care into the look and feel of her latest work. Every frame feels deliberately composed and drenched in a kind of quiet melancholy that fits the subject matter perfectly. (Though, some shots do appear to be lifted straight out of a Terrence Malick film.) The acting is top-notch across the board, too, with grounded, intimate performances that pull you in even when the movie itself drags.

But that’s the thing: For about three-quarters of its length, Hamnet is … a bit dull. Not offensively so, not “check your watch every 10 minutes” dull, and certainly not “to sleep, perchance to dream” dull. Just slow, restrained, and very interior. As expected.

Heaven has a sense of humor.

That’s one of the key takeaways of Eternity, a new movie that asks the question: If you could spend your eternal afterlife in a setting of your own choosing, which one would you pick and who would you spend it with?

The film comes from the studio A24, and it is, not surprisingly, a quirky rom-com that errs not on the side of mainstream romance but on the side of offbeat comedy, packing in so many subtle jokes that you either have to be an eagle-eyed viewer or a repeat viewer so you make sure you catch them all. 

Every awards season seems to have one: An unassuming crowd-pleaser that sneaks up on voters and somehow finds its way into the race. (Think CODA.) This year, that film might be Rental Family. It’s not a prestige drama, and it’s certainly not hitting theaters with a tidal wave of buzz like some other films are (ahem, Wicked: For Good). Rather, it’s a smaller film that’s gentle, observant, and deeply human, and anyone who sees it is bound to be moved. 

Rental Family stars Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser (Encino Man, The Whale) as Phillip Vandarpleog, a struggling American actor living in Japan, who is still waiting for his big break. Till that happens, he gets by with random commercial gigs and other blink-and-you’ll-miss-them acting jobs. 

It’s this unsteady, in-between life that makes him the perfect candidate for an unusual company called Rental Family — a business that hires actors to play whatever stand-in role a client needs: a best friend, a mistress, a funeral attendee, a sibling, a spouse, or a groom. Essentially, it’s human companionship as a service. (HCaaS?) Or, to put it another way: “We sell emotion,” Phillip’s new boss (Takehiro Hira) tells him.

Scarlett Johansson sure didn’t choose an easy, vanity project for her directorial debut. 

Yes, Eleanor the Great is another enjoyable, well-acted outing in which June Squibb (Thelma) plays a spunky old woman who still has a lot of life left in her, despite her relatives wanting to shut her down.

And it’s a very nice showcase for Johansson to celebrate her Jewish roots — surprisingly so, given that she hardly ever mentions her heritage and has said very little (if anything) in support of the Jewish people or Israel since October 7.

But the film is centered around a problematic plotline that will probably give many viewers the ick and that detracts from what’s good about it overall.