Photo courtesy of Sega
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
This week in theaters: ‘Fantasy Island,’ ‘The Photograph,’ ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ and ‘Sonic the Hedgehog.’
Fantasy Island (Rated PG-13)
The feel-good, 1980s TV show becomes a horror Blumhouse production. Alas, Tattoo is gone and with him, “Ze plane, zee plane!” Michael Peña portrays the enigmatic Mr. Roarke (minus the gravity and suave poses struck by Ricardo Montalbán). On an idyllic tropical island, Roarke promises to bring a few lucky guests’ fantasies to life. Dreams come true as guests reunite with dead loved ones or finally get revenge against those who’ve wronged them. However, in short order, these fantasies devolve into nightmares. Only by solving the island's mystery can they escape with their lives. Oh—Ze pain, ze pain. Had the film included Tattoo and cast the right actor as host, this could have been a series reboot.
The Photograph (Rated PG-13)
Mae Morton (Issa Rae) is the estranged daughter of famous photographer Christina Eames, and the latter dies unexpectedly. Mae is angry, hurt and filled with questions she hopes to answer with help from rising-star journalist, Michael Block (LaKeith Stanfield). But Michael offers something different when he decides that Mae is “special” and pursues her romantically. Mae also feels an attraction, but having guarded her emotions so long, she is fearful of falling in love. Will Mae let go and explore her feelings, or will she run from them? Not that we care, because Mae's fabricated journey is more molehill than mountain.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Rated R)
In 1760 France, Marianne is commissioned to paint a wedding portrait of Heloise, a young noblewoman. Because Heloise is a reluctant bride-to-be, Marianne is introduced to Heloise as her paid companion and instructed to paint Heloise's portrait in secret. Before long, Heloise discerns the deception, but Marianne hasn't tried very hard to hide it. As kindred spirits—unconventional women stumbling through a patriarchal construct—Marianne and Heloise soon develop deep feelings for one another. They take an accounting of their fears and flaws along with their strengths and dreams. The film excels in conveying a mutual understanding that transcends their differences.
Sonic the Hedgehog (Rated PG)
Animated atop live action, Sonic the Hedgehog hails from another dimension. A Sega video game creation called Sonic and U.S. Government representative, Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) are arch enemies. The doctor pursues Sonic to obtain the blue hedgehog’s superpower enabling unbridled speed. Sonic uses that speed to evade capture, helped by Sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden). Originally costing $90 million and intended for release last November, that plan was scrapped last May after the release of the film's first trailer. Sonic fans despised the hedgehog’s new design. A three-month delay and approximately $5 million later, Sonic now more closely resembles his game character. Either way, the film is a snoozefest.
