Movie Review: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Director: Rian Johnson
Writer: Rian Johnson
Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista 

Release (Theaters): Nov 23, 2022
Release (Streaming): Dec 23, 2022
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violence|Sexual Material|Drug Content|Strong Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy, Drama 

Runtime: 2h 20m
Distributor: Netflix 

Benoit Blanc returns to peel back the layers in a new Rian Johnson whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron for their yearly reunion. Among those on the guest list are Miles' former business partner Andi Brand, current Connecticut governor Claire Debella, cutting-edge scientist Lionel Toussaint, fashion designer and former model Birdie Jay and her conscientious assistant Peg, and influencer Duke Cody and his sidekick girlfriend Whiskey. As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbors their own secrets, lies and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.

My husband and I loved Knives Out and looked forward to this follow-up. It was definitely entertaining. Not quite as good as the first movie but still worth seeing. Lots of humor and a twisty murder mystery. I think they tried too hard to capitalize on Benoit Blanc's quirkiness. I like large ensemble cast movies and this one delivers.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a perfect movie to watch over the holidays with friends and age-appropriate family :)

My husband and I give it 4 "glass sheep."

 

SharonS

Sheep Movie Review: Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out (2019)
Nov 27, 2019
Directed By: Rian Johnson
Written By: Rian Johnson
Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon
Runtime: 130 minutes
Studio: Lionsgate
Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Suspense
Acclaimed writer and director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) pays tribute to mystery mastermind Agatha Christie in KNIVES OUT, a fun, modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death. With an all-star ensemble cast including Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, and Jaeden Martell, KNIVES OUT is a witty and stylish whodunit guaranteed to keep audiences guessing until the very end.

Went to see Knives Out with my husband and 18-year-old daughter. Holly and I enjoyed it much more than my husband who thought it dragged. Knives Out is an excellent murder-mystery movie. Fabulous acting cast, great script with the right amount of dark humor.

The story moves in a step-by-step fashion like a typical murder-mystery. There is one car chase! But this the movie's strength is in the cast and story.

Knives Out isn't the type of movie you need to see on the big screen (though an argument can be made that Chris Evens needs to be seen on one). But if you enjoy a quality murder-mystery and looking for something to do on a cold day, then this is worth a watch.

Don gave it 3 1/2 sheep

Holly gave it 4 1/2 sheep

I gave it 4 "KFC" Sheep

SharonS

Movie Review: Skyfall (spoiler free)

Skyfall (12a)
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Helen McCrory and Javier Bardem
Running time: 143mins

In an attempt to avoid any spoilers, all that we’ll mention of the movie’s plot is that it involves MI6 agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) as he attempts to recover a stolen hard drive containing the identities of undercover NATO. With M (Judi Dench) facing judicial review and potential forced retirement by intelligence committee chairman Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) over the screw up, the pressure is on for Bond to recover the drive from Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem), who has made MI6 his target in a terror campaign.

Without spoiling the plot, I’ll start by saying that Skyfall is a vast improvement over the disastrously bad Quantum of Solace, with it’s heights being as good as Daniel Craig’s first outing as 007, Casino Royale. Craig’s performance is his best in the role, this time given more of a struggle with himself to portray than a struggle with his job which is what Casino Royale focused on. Bond allows people to be killed throughout the movie, when in previous movies he may have maybe stepped in before their being killed, here he doesn’t, and it makes the point that Bond isn’t out there to be the good guy, Bond is a spy, and a damned good one, who is focused on the mission – and if people die to obtain that goal of the mission, then so be it. There’s also an ongoing question of outliving one’s usefulness which applies not only to the character of Bond but also that of Judi Dench’s M, facing the threat of having to step down and make way for someone else.

An attempt has been made with the movie’s script to simplify the story, which leads to each step of Bond’s investigation being less complex than they were in Casino Royale, and the whole thing of gadgets being essentially dropped. A rather odd decision considering this is Craig’s first Bond movie to feature a Quartermaster, with the character of Q played excellently by Ben Whishaw, if a little too stereotypically (in a kind of young sweater wearing Cambridge graduate who, just to make the point of how British he is, loves to drink tea).

The movie is darker and more mature in tone than the previous ones, with the subject of terrorism and a political undertone taking a more central role in the story, with the characters being serious for a great deal but with subtle attempts at humour throughout, including a reference to Live And Let Die which made me laugh. It does add to the characters more, with the interplay between M and Bond gaining greatly from both. Javier Bardem is an interesting Bond Villain, if a little too much over the top even for this type of role. His motives come across successfully, but at times I felt as if he were trying to out-do Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, though this may be down to the writing, which at one point has the character make a statement with the use of The Animals cover of song Boom Boom.

Product placement is, as always, an issue – Early on Bond is lying in a bed drinking a Heineken rather than his trademark Vodka Martini, there’s a lingering shot of Bond’s hands as he does something which makes it clear that he’s wearing an Omega Seamaster watch – which you know is a Seamaster because of the numerous adverts shown before the movie. It’s not as in-your-face as the product placement in Casino Royale, but it’s to an extent that is certainly noticeable enough to be a distraction from the movie.

At 2 hours and 23 minutes in length, the movie does have a slight issue with being too long. There is action and there is drama, with an equal focus on both and an intentional decision made to not hit the viewer on the head repeatedly with action sequence after action sequence. But that does mean that early in the second act of the movie there is a slight lull to the pace, and the movie would have perhaps gained from some trimming of the fat. That said, it is an enjoyable 2 hours and 23 minutes, that is most certainly not a disappointing experience.

Skyfall certainly helps to cement Craig as the best Bond since Sean Connery, and Sam Mendes has done a far better job than expected for a director who has rarely tackled a movie featuring this level of action, but should not have been given quite as much free reign with the movie’s length. Overall though, you would be missing out on a great addition to the Bond series if you missed this at the cinemas, especially as it’s the first Bond movie to be given an Imax release. Fans will not be disappointed.

4.5 Sheep out of 5

guest reviewer: from Following the Nerd

Andrew
Co-host of the Monday Movie Show, Andrew is a huge movie fan who is into all sorts of things movie related, as well as a fan of all things nerd. In his spare time he likes to work at script writing, that is when he's not spending it on something movie or nerd related!

gratuitous Daniel Craig photo

Sheep Movie Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

***I'm going to split this review up into two parts. The first will be a straight review of this film. The second will be a comparison between the American version and the Swedish film.***

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, directed by David Fincher and staring Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer and Stellan Skarsgard is the film adaptation of the world wide best selling book trilogy by Stieg Larsson. If you missed the Swedish films, this movie is worth seeing, it's both sexually charged and competently acted, dark and twisted and for what it lacks in material it makes up for in visually stunning craftsmanship.

Plot:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first film in Columbia Pictures' three-picture adaptation of Stieg Larsson's literary blockbuster The Millennium Trilogy. Directed by David Fincher and starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the film is based on the first novel in the trilogy, which altogether have sold 50 million copies in 46 countries and become a worldwide phenomenon.

The whole draw of these films is its gritty underground feel. While Fincher's version of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo does tap into the underground vibe, you're left a little short of the mark. Granted, it doesn't miss the mark by much but it never really takes it further than a nasty rape scene here and some bed play there. Would have liked to see a bit more darkness but that being said this movie is rated R and for a very good reason. It's not a movie for kids and some adults might not like it either. But aside from rape and bad hygiene the movie as a whole is definitely worth a watch. It's eye candy for those that love a cinematic experience.

Daniel Craig was tasked with the job of becoming Mikael Blomkvist, the Swedish reporter who's your average Joe when it comes to looks but has got the investigative nose which rivals a bloodhound. Sorry but average Joe he is NOT in the looks department, not his fault but those baby blue eyes kinda suck you right in. *sigh* Moving on...crafty and witty character which I felt Daniel does a decent job conveying those aspects the character. Daniel did the best he could within his bag of acting repertoire. Was he great in this movie? No, but he did well considering what he was working with. Leading lady Rooney Mara plays the gothic tech genius Lisbeth Salander, and in my opinion she may just become a new shinning star for Hollywood. On her own she carried this movie much further than I had expected.

Major product placement was prominent during the film (Apple and McDonald's being at the forefront) which only added to the corporate feel of the film. I personally could have done without those and felt like it took away from the movie's atmosphere. Overall the film taps into family secrets that would make a Borgia blush, including incest and psychopaths just to name a few. Unfortunately the movie ends up semi-flawed and turned horribly too romantic by the ending but it's strangely somewhat appealing.

The film doesn't come close to the original but it's not a complete waste of time either, you do find enough substance to walk away with.

Getting 3 and 1/2 Sheep

KD

***Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) Swedish version. Comparison***

Directed by Niels Arden Oplev and staring Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace. Compared to the US remake this film blows the remake utterly out of the water; undeniably one of the best films I've ever seen. It's a chilling detective tale done completely right and earns the right to be called a thrilling piece of drama. Set in the beautiful Scandinavian landscape this movie not only out-acts the 2011 film but is far more visually appealing as well. Noomi really breaths life into the character of Lisbeth, making her one not to be messed with, and while our leading man Michael may not have the looks of Craig he does a far better job at breathing life into the character.

This version of the film is far more than just good guys vs. bad guys, it's a rich story told with sincerity. While I understand the need for the Hollywood giant to tap into this series, I wish it would have just been left alone. Nothing you don't already see in the original is shown in the remake and the remake doesn't tell it any better. That may be debatable with others but I'll let you be the judge.

I'll say this, if you've yet to see the Swedish version you won't be disappointed. If you have seen the Swedish ones then prepare for a mangled version of a classically told mystery-thriller. I won't goes as far as to say it was "raped by Hollywood" but it was definitely taken on a date and roughly felt up by the end.

KD

WonderCon 2011-Cowboys and Aliens Panel

WonderCon 2011 boasted many coming films and comics, among this group is the highly anticipated Cowboys and Aliens. Director Jon Favreau and Executive Producer Robert Orci were front and center answering questions. Cowboys and Aliens stars Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Clancy Brown and Adam Beach. Scheduled to hit theaters July 29th 2011, I for one am looking forward to this film.

Storyline:

The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly startsto remember who he is and where he's been...

Jon Favreau was asked a few questions about WonderCon it self, what it was like working with this amazing cast and if he prefers directing over acting. Here is a little bit on what he said.

Question: About attending WonderCon 2011.

Answer: "I was here in 2008 to promote Iron Man. It really was a wonderful moment, similar to this in that people didn't know what to expect. We were a bit of an underdog back then. ComicCon has turned into this huge thing and it's a lot of fun; but, WonderCon reminds me a lot of what ComicCon was like when I first started going to ComicCon. ComicCon has been so instrumental in so many movies really arriving that everybody focuses a lot of attention there; but, it's more like a big festival or big party. What's nice about WonderCon is it's a little bit more intimate and we can really have a dialogue here and talk about things. It's not like a big carnival. I think it also shows you guys who really cares about this group of people and I, for one, am very grateful for what you guys have all done for my career. So I want to make sure that this remains a priority. There's a much more limited slate of films that have prioritized this event so it allows for a better dialogue."

Question: What it was like to work with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford.

Answer: "These guys were great. Daniel Craig is just an awesome, professional, great dude. I admired his work in Layer Cake and, of course, later in the Bond films where he was a sort of a vulnerable but really badass hero, where the wheels were always turning. He's really invested in the stakes of the moment. So you have that generation. And then, of course, Harrison was a late-breaking idea because we didn't think it was doable at all. We never thought he would want to come back to genre and--as most of the people in this room feel--we fell in love with the guy through films like Star Wars (crowd cheers like crazy) and Indiana Jones. To have him bring that pedigree was almost like when you would cast John Wayne in a western. He brings this entire history and so you have two generations of action stars who reluctantly have to work together--we start them very much at odds in a cruel environment--to rescue their people. It was just great. They both care deeply about the process, they were a lot of fun, we were all living out in Santa Fe for the summer, and it was a dream project."

Question: If he prefers directing over acting.

Answer: "I enjoy directing more to be honest with you because--now that this

[attending WonderCon] has become part of directing; now that we're trying to lock picture and finish off effects and get the music in and this is the moment when it tends to become the most trying and there's the most anxiety from the studios and you're trying to figure out your release and your marketing campaign--to be able to come here and show you this and to feel like we're throwing a party and have it be appreciated so much, it makes directing the most fun job there is in the world, for sure."

Favreau and Orci also talked with us about each character being a big part of the film, because every part matters in a western. There are no small parts. Director Favreau is also making use of social networking, speaking with blogs and using Twitter to get his movie out to the public. I speak for us all when I say COME TO THE SHEEP! We would love to have him talk Aliens with us any day of the week. :)

If you were lucky enough to have nabbed a seat in the viewing room you got a nine minute screening of the movie. A very tasty treat indeed. So what say you? Will you be going to see Cowboys and Aliens? Leave some comments below and let me know what YOU think.

KD

PS While I did get all this recored in my funky old mini tape recorder, my good friend Michael Guillen transcribed it on HIS blog first. You can check out the whole panel at The Evening Class. Thanks Michael! :)