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Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar: The Way of Water
(In Theaters December 16)
Thirteen years after releasing Avatar, James Cameron and a small army of writers, have written—and largely filmed—three sequels simultaneously. This first sequel returns to Pandora, where Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) left human form behind to physically and mentally become a Na’vi. Together, Jake and his Na’vi love, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), have two children. Once again, Pandora is raided by a greedy corporation, which, is also (once again) under the supervision of Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang).
Thanks to some science-fiction hocus pocus, Quaritch is back from the dead, still determined to steal Pandora’s rare resources regardless of the consequences to its inhabitants. This time the Na’vi fight back and are attacked by Terminator-worthy killer robots. To escape the carnage and plan their battles, the Na’vi retreat beneath Pandora’s bright blue seas, where new alliances are made. Sigourney Weaver returns in a role that blends Na’vi spiritualism with science fiction. Among others, Kate Winslet and Cliff Curtis join the cast. Though his film is imaginative and visually breathtaking, Cameron’s dialog still leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, it’s a three-hour and 10-minute stunner, with a PG-13 rating, that features exciting battles and exotic creatures. In other words, a great return on the price of a movie ticket. (Lisa Miller)
Felix and Lola / Love Street
(Cohen Film Collection Blu-ray)
The opening scene of Felix and Lola (2001) is reminiscent of David Lynch: a dark nightclub dripped in deep shades of neon; the band plays a eerily quiet song, the dance floor fills with swaying couples—and a saturnine man sits alone at a table. He has a gun. He aims at the band’s singer … and shoots.
French director Patrice Leconte cuts then to the long flashback. Felix (Philippe Torreton), the lonely operator of the bumper cars at a midway, becomes transfixed with a woman at the fairground, Lola (Charlotte Gainsbourg). He can’t remove his eyes from her and finds an excuse to chat her up. (The singer is seen lurking in the backdrop) Although Felix and Lola become friends, she is mysterious, guarded, suffused with strange sadness. And then she disappears.
Felix and Lola maintains emotional intrigue in the Hitchcock Vertigo mode. On the new Blu-ray release, it’s double-billed with another film by Leconte, Love Street (2002). (David Luhrssen)
Jurassic Punk
(Limited Theatrical Release & Streaming on AppleTV, December 16)
This documentary pulls back the curtain to reveal the unlikely creator of the T-Rex from Jurassic Park and the Terminator from T-2. His name is Steve Williams, and he’s nothing like the typical Hollywood success. Williams possesses a genius IQ and immense ingenuity that helped him invent a persuasive computer-generated dinosaur. His social IQ is a whole different story. For starters, he bad mouths Steven Spielberg. In addition, his outspoken opinions regarding the proper use of the special effects era he helped usher in, run contrary to how those effects are typically used by Hollywood moviemakers. It’s probably to be expected that William’s is no longer in special effects. Precisely how he became such a big deal who now lives from paycheck to paycheck as a blacksmith, adds up to a lauded, notable tale. (Lisa Miller)
Unidentified
(Film Movement DVD)
In this intriguing 2020 crime drama by Romanian director Bogdan George Apetri, Florin is a dedicated cop who is going rogue—and unglued. For a shorthand description, think Dirty Harry divested of self-confidence and swagger. Like Clint Eastwood’s brooding detectives, Florin loves music (classical in this case) and tends to work alone. Unlike Clint, he’s not much of a lady’s man. Florin is obsessed with tracking the arsonist who has already caused two deaths before he can light another gas can. Florin is a mess. Will he achieve rough justice in the end? (David Luhrssen)
