What to watch this week: ‘28 Years Later', ‘The Phoenician Scheme' and more
With 28 Days Later (2002) and its sequel, 28 Weeks Later (2007), director Danny Boyle introduced a simple but telling innovation: fast zombies. The cast of the new film includes Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, and Jack O'Connell. (In theatres)
A still from 'Elio'.
Pixar will be hoping to make a splash with Elio, the story of a young boy who's beamed up into space and become Earth's emissary to other worlds. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina. (In theatres)
A still from 'The Phoenician Scheme'.
Wes Anderson's latest is set in the 1950s and revolves around arms dealer Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro), who's trying to get in the good graces of his estranged daughter, Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton). The cast is eclectic: Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch. (In theatres)
A still from 'Twin Peaks'.
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Indian Express
43 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Elio movie review: All smiles, and then some
Elio movie review: Pixar's latest is the staple story of an orphaned child, only this time it doesn't just have him rediscovering his family right at home but also finding one across the universe. It isn't exactly a voyage into the unknown, but it's not a wasted ride either. The titular Elio (Kibreab) is grieving the loss of his parents and proving a handful for his aunt Olga (Saldana) when he catches a presentation on the Voyager, the spaceship that has gone further than any and is still on its journey more than 45 years after its launch. Elio particularly latches on to its message that 'We may not be alone' and goes on to try everything he can to get the aliens to 'abduct' him, including scrawling the message on sand. Given that Olga is an aspiring astronaut working on a space base, the inevitable is close at hand, and somehow Elio gets beamed up. ALSO READ: Sitaare Zameen Par movie review: Aamir Khan delivers fully committed performance in heart-winning comedy The place where he lands is a kaleidoscope of luminescent colour, with creatures floating on their own or on what look like petals, having created a world called 'Communiverse', inhabited by 'the most brilliant minds of the universe'. They presume Elio is one such and is 'the leader of Planet Earth'. Elio, not really inclined to dispel the notion, soon finds himself swept into the conflict between this peaceful world and Lord Grigon (Garrett), who calls himself the Blood Emperor and is a metal-and-menace Marvel-lite creation. Too many complications happen next, including cloning, and the themes the animation explores may be lost on children. Elio does strike a friendship with Grigon's son Glordon (a wonderful Edgerly), but this too loses its way in the chaos unfolding between the many worlds. Glordon's apprehension that he is a disappointment to his ferocious father is ultimately the film's sweetest. He seizes with glee Elio's ploy to make him a 'bargaining chip' against his father. 'All I have ever been called till now is a liability, a burden,' Glordon says cheerfully. Carl Sagan's words ring out more than once in Elio. The search for alien life, he said, touches 'the deepest of human concerns' – 'Are we alone?' Often, we don't have to look so far. Elio movie cast: Voices of Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Shirley Henderson Elio movie directors: Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi Elio movie rating: 3 stars
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Elio movie review: This lifeless coming-of-age drama, the worst from Pixar, lacks self-belief just like its protagonist
In an age where everything is a remake or a sequel, Pixar has developed a reputation as one of the rare Hollywood studios that delivers 'original programming'. Fresh off the success of Inside Out 2, the animation giant comes out with Elio, the tale of a boy who doesn't quite fit in. And strangely enough, the same problem exists with the film as well. It is as tepid as it is predictable, and despite everything going for it, Elio just fails to get off the ground. The film is about the titular Elio, an orphan who lives with his aunt but never quite fits in. Elio dreams about being abducted by aliens, and behold, it does happen. The only issue is that the aliens—a conglomerate of the universe's finest called the Communiverse—assume he is Earth's leader. To stay in the Communiverse, he must negotiate peace with a warmonger named Lord Grigon, an alien warlord. But this may be more than Elio bargained for. Technically, there is hardly anything wrong with Elio. It is a well-animated film with visuals that jump out at you. The alien species look different enough, and yet innocent enough. The animators have even managed to bring the trademark Pixar-cuteness to the warmongering race of aliens. Elio also appears likeable, despite his quirks and pre-teen rebellion. The world-building is solid, with the Communiverse growing on you as the film progresses. But all that is largely on the surface. The film is a breezy feel-good affair that draws a few chuckles here and a few awws there. But Pixar has raised the bar so high over the years that all this feels bare minimum for a film from this stable. The emotional connect, which is the trademark of any good Pixar film, is missing here. We like Elio, but do we relate to him? The emotion of not fitting and feeling alone is so universal that the film should have easily tapped into it. Yet, Elio cannot manage what a non-human robot did over a decade ago (here's the mandatory Wall-e mention in a Pixar story). But even minus the emotional connect, Elio had the chance to be entertaining and engaging. It fumbles that, too, with some dull and lifeless storytelling. Elio gets predictable pretty quickly and resorts to tried-and-tested tropes, never staying ahead of the audience. If you have seen any two Pixar films in your life, or any two films for that matter, you can easily predict the next plot point and the next red herring. That takes the sheen away from what is developing as a solid entertaining film. The only thing going for Elio is its originality. The story may be age-old, but the treatment is new. The concept, however cliched, is presented in a 21st-century manner. Add to that the stunning visuals, and you have at least a watchable film, if not an enjoyable one. Elio takes universal tropes and themes, like all Pixar films, but only scratches the surface while dealing with them. Once you have seen genre-defining treatments of identity crisis (Soul), longing (Finding Nemo), and anxiety (Inside Out), it is hard to settle for just bang average.
Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
What to watch this week: ‘28 Years Later', ‘The Phoenician Scheme' and more
With 28 Days Later (2002) and its sequel, 28 Weeks Later (2007), director Danny Boyle introduced a simple but telling innovation: fast zombies. The cast of the new film includes Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, and Jack O'Connell. (In theatres) A still from 'Elio'. Pixar will be hoping to make a splash with Elio, the story of a young boy who's beamed up into space and become Earth's emissary to other worlds. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina. (In theatres) A still from 'The Phoenician Scheme'. Wes Anderson's latest is set in the 1950s and revolves around arms dealer Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro), who's trying to get in the good graces of his estranged daughter, Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton). The cast is eclectic: Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch. (In theatres) A still from 'Twin Peaks'.
