House of Gucci (2021)
Directed by Ridley Scott
I generally enjoy my soft-spot for historical period pieces, but Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci misses the mark on nearly every level. First, the abundance of badly affected Italian accents is distracting to the point of near-embarrassment (and that it’s from a cast that, on paper, is quite stellar, makes it that much more cringey). Second, for a movie about an iconic fashion house, there is virtually no fashion to be seen. It’s bland, drab, and lacks any sense of pizazz. And finally, despite how accurate House of Gucci may or may not portray the true events that inspired its story, it quickly and annoyingly devolves into yet another clichéd tale about a hysterical crazy woman whose jealousy and paranoia drive her to murder. Can we please be done with these already?
Found (2021)
Directed by Amanda Lipitz
In this surprisingly emotional documentary by Amanda Lipitz, three Chinese-born adopted teenagers in the U.S. attempt to find their birth parents in China using DNA testing and some slick detective work. Documentaries about teenagers rarely hold my interest, but Found is unique in that the unlikely circumstances that make up its premise almost assure at least a moderate level of engagement – and that’s before its not-so-subtle jabs at China’s one-child policy and its aftermath. All told, Found might not break new ground in the documentary form, but proves that warmth and heart certainly have their merits too.
The French Dispatch (2021)
Directed by Wes Anderson
After ten films, Wes Anderson is still more or less making the same movie. I don’t necessarily mean that as a slight against him (I enjoy his style and sensibility more than I don’t), but at this point, I can’t help but feel that his main motivation and driving creative force is only to compete against his own filmography for the title of which movie can be the most “Anderson.” With that in mind, The French Dispatch is easily a top contender for that very niche title, but again, that’s not necessarily a slight. His ensemble cast is mostly good, even great at times (Benecio del Toro and Frances McDormand come to mind), and the stories that make up the film’s anthology format are entertaining enough, but the presentation falls short due to Anderson’s insistence on one-upping himself. However, if you strip away the sometimes displeasing visuals, The French Dispatch offers an abundance of quirky and humorous dialogue delivered with eccentric and exuberant precision. It’s pretty whip-smart stuff, which is something I can appreciate even if some of the other elements fall a bit short.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.