Rating: «« out of ««««

Running Time: 109 minutes

The 1962 book, A Wrinkle in Time, was one that completely passed me by growing up. However, it has developed a fervent following, now large enough to warrant a $105 million dollar cinematic adaptation. What transpires is noble in its intentions to promote love and a positive approach to life. However, as a drama and adventure that spans the universe, it never manages to build up a great deal in the way of thrills.

Meg Murry (Storm Reid) is a young girl whose schoolwork and attitude change for the worse when her astrophysicist father (Chris Pine) disappears. After four years, her child prodigy brother, Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe), believes he has found a lead in locating their dad. It comes in the form of three eccentric, costumed space-beings named Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey). They explain that Meg and Charles Wallace’s father has gotten lost traversing the universe and agree to assist the kids and their pal Calvin (Levi Miller) in finding the missing scientist. These guides are a force of light, encouraging the children to ward off the evil darkness that is expanding from world to world.

The kids are fine in their roles, if written a bit too perfect to be believed. I suppose in a kid’s film, one has to be open to the idea of a 6-ish-year-old child prodigy solving the mystery of a disappearance well before his scientist mother (who happened to be working on the very same project as her husband). The movie does boast some elaborate and colorful special effects as the leads use the “tesseract” to locate him. This amounts to traveling billions of miles through time and space by using their minds. A couple of the strange worlds offer some interesting imagery; in particular, a sinister environment that looks like a suburban tract out of the 1950s.

Unfortunately, there are some serious story issues that diffuse much of the excitement. There’s a lot of set-up establishing the astral visitors as personifications of light and positive energy, promoting individual strength and attempting to instill pro-activeness in the heroine. The attempt is admirable, although some very clunky humor is used to make the point. Mrs. Who only speaks in inspirational quotes and Mrs. Whatsit openly voices doubts about Meg (which seems like a contrast to what the character actually stands for). Many of these gags fall flat.

But the major problem is the villain of the piece. Eventually referred to as IT, the being is visually portrayed as a mix between storm clouds and cells, also possessing tree-like features. After spending so much time developing manifestations of light, the film desperately needs a Mr. or Mrs. Darkness; some sort of physical manifestation to offer a creepy, even charismatic persona and tangible threat. Instead, the kids essentially face off against weather patterns. Towards the end, IT does use a character or two as a puppet, but this antagonist has no strong identity and doesn’t make an impression. And when Meg finds inspiration to face her foe, much of the action is oddly scored with pop tunes. As a result, there is no drama or anxiety generated.

Finally, while earnest, the denouement resorts to too many saccharine hugs, cornball sentiment and clunky exchanges between the characters. The ideas are certainly there, but the screenplay never really does the drama any service, leading to an adventure that is entirely underwhelming. I admired individual scenes in A Wrinkle in Time, but as a whole the movie doesn’t provide the sense of wonder and excitement hoped for.

By Glenn Kay

For the Sun

By Glenn Kay

For the Sun

It's time for yet another look at all of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD shelves. In fact, it seems like just about every genre is represented this time out, with something for everyone. So if you can't make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!

Big New Releases!

78/52: Hitchock's Shower Scene - The three-minute shower scene from the 1960 classic Psycho is the subject of this documentary, which has been named after the number of camera set-ups and edits used in order to create the notable sequence. Film critics, movie makers and others detail the history of how it all came to be, as well as the technique and skill involved in putting it together. Critics generally liked the movie. A few suggested it got a bit obsessive over every minute detail, but most found it to be informative and entertaining, as well as a great way to introduce movie fans to film analysis and criticism.

Darkest Hour - This British biopic tells the story of Winston Churchill's appointment to Prime Minister, prior to the beginning of WWII. As tensions rise between the UK and Germany, the leader faces difficult decisions about how to proceed. He must also deal with a group within parliament who want him removed from office. Reaction to the drama was strong overall. A few commented that the movie had a direct and straight-forward manner that could have done with livening up, but everyone admitted that the lead performance was first class and Academy Award worthy. The movie stars Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristen Scott Thomas and Ben Mendelsohn.

Just Getting Started - Eccentrics at a Palm Springs resort are at the center of this comedy. The story follows the manager of the establishment, who harbors a secret past. When an charismatic ex-military man shows up, the two butt heads and vie for the affections of another resident. However, they must team up after an assassination attempt is made on one of them. The press absolutely hated the picture. They wrote that it was lazily put together, largely unfunny and completely wasted the talents of a impressive cast. Ouch. Now viewers can make up their own minds. It features Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, Rene Russo, Glenne Headly and Joe Pantoliano.

Murder on the Orient Express - Detective Hercule Poirot gets an update with this new take on the famous Agatha Christie novel. While traveling on a train across Europe, one of the passengers is murdered, forcing the investigator to solve the crime. Critics were divided on this take, although it did receive more positive notices than negative ones. All found it beautifully shot and some called the mystery interesting. Others described it as weaker than the previous film adaptation, suggesting the only interesting new addition was the lead's exaggerated facial hair. In the end, it might all depend on how familiar you are with the source material. It stars Kenneth Branagh, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer and Daisy Ridley.

Sleeping Giant - This independent, coming-of-age tale involves a boy staying with his family at a lakeside cottage on Lake Superior, Ontario. He makes friends with two other kids in the neighborhood. However, their idea of staving off boredom in the woods is petty crime and trouble-making. When all three set their sights on the same girl, the lead must navigate difficult waters. This little flick received excellent notices. It has been described as well-acted film, authentic and believable in the ways it depicts the wild actions and varied emotional states of youngsters. It features Jackson Martin, Katelyn McKerracher and Nick Serino.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - A woman rents out three large billboards and posts a pointed message to police about the unsolved death of her daughter, leading to all kinds of conflict and violence. This Academy Award nominated dark comedy/drama examines the actions of various troubled individuals as they attempt to cope with their grief and anger issues. It earned plenty of praise from reviewers as well as Oscar nods. One or two found its dark and mean approach unfavorable, but almost all were blown away by the performances and sharp dialogue from writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths). The movie stars Francis McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, John Hawkes and Peter Dinklage.

Blasts from the Past!

This is another week filled with an incredible selection of notable titles getting the Blu-ray treatment. Olive Films have several remarkable arrivals. They include the Oscar- nominated Birdman of Alcatraz (1962). It stars Burt Lancaster as a violent crook sentenced to solitary confinement. In the process, he takes up birds as a hobby and begins to find redemption as the years pass. The distributor is also putting out the well-regarded family drama, Five on the Black Hand Side (1973). This one is a domestic drama about an African-American family headed by a domineering barber patriarch, and the numerous tensions within the clan.

And there's more. Olive is also releasing the Jerry Lee Lewis musical biopic, Great Balls of Fire! (1989) with Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder and Alec Baldwin. This one depicts all of the performer's wild eccentricities both on stage as well as in his personal life. With a little luck, there may be a disc review on the site soon. Finally, you can now pick up a Blu-ray of the western/comedy, The Hallelujah Trail (1965). It was made in the spirit of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and follows an all-star cast (including Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Martin Landau, Donald Pleasance and many others) as they all race to retrieve a valuable lost shipment of whiskey.

Not only that, but Olive also has the cult unique item, Scalpel (1977). This is one of those titles that was most frequently seen during its early 80s VHS release, but then faded into oblivion after the arrival of DVD. It's been nearly impossible to find until now. This is a psychological thriller about a mad plastic surgeon who finds a teen beaten and near death. He decides to use his skills to rebuild her face. However, it appears that he really wants to make the girl into his long lost daughter. Arrow Films has given the feature a 2K restoration from the original film elements. The Blu-ray also includes a film historian audio commentary, new cast and crew interviews, as well as various promotional materials.

The Sect (1991) aka The Devil's Daughter arrives via Scorpion Releasing. It's a strange little Italian horror picture produced by Dario Argento and director by Michele Soavi (Cemetery Man aka Dellamorte Dellamore) about an American schoolteacher in Germany who finds herself potentially hosting the offspring of Satan. The release is supposed to include an interview with a cast member.

Finally and on a much more family-friendly note, Disney is releasing the classic animated film, Lady and the Tramp (1955). The two-disc, Blu-ray/DVD combo is part of their Signature Collection and is certain to include plenty of extras.

You Know, For Kids!

Here is, well, the only title geared to children.

Ladyandthetramp.jpg

Lady and the Tramp (Signature Collection)

On the Tube!

And here are the week's TV-themed releases.

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Diff'rent Strokes: Season 7

Green Acres: Season 5

Macgyver: Season 1

Rebecca Martinsson: Series 1

Rating: «« out of ««««

Running Time: 115 minutes

A word of warning about the new sci-fi thriller Annihilation... if you’re expecting a straight-forward narrative adventure, you’re probably not going to like it. The latest from writer/director Alex Garland is adapted from a book series. Frankly, it doesn’t have the same sharpness found in his previous film Ex Machina or past screenplays such as Sunshine and Never Let Me Go. However, it does work a sort of strange charm as a trippy, gonzo fantasy with some borderline psychotropic imagery. If you’re able to simply take in the crazy visuals and allow your mind to ruminate on and fill in the many story gaps yourself, then you may appreciate it.

Lena (Natalie Portman) is a biologist reeling over the disappearance of her husband Kane (Oscar Isaac), who vanished more than a year ago while on a secret mission. When he reappears without warning showing symptoms of amnesia and then becomes physically ill, the protagonist finds herself roped into a follow-up trip to try and discover what happened. Led by Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and an all-female team enter a restricted area known as The Shimmer. As it so happens, Kane is the only person to have ever returned from the zone alive... not a hopeful sign for this new expedition.

And as you can imagine, as soon as they cross through a strange barrier, things go south. The story itself is narrated by Lena, slowly revealing bits and pieces of information about the people and their motivations. The film takes time to develop its characters as, well, smart but damaged individuals. This approach allows for some interesting thematic discussions about the self-destructive qualities of humanity and how it ties in to our biological make-up. And for those scientifically inclined, there’s additional talk about cell biology development and cancer, with a brief shout-out to the HeLa cell line.

Early sections of the movie exude a palpable sense of foreboding. Things get particularly eerie as the leads find themselves slowly losing their faculties and attempting to figure out all of the strange things they’re witnessing. A few scenes involving violent attacks are impressively handled, with some big jolts and effective audio cues (a bizarre, bear like creature with a human call is effectively rendered and sends chills down the spine). The movie makes a visual impact as well, with the new hybrid environments and life forms displaying unique and striking qualities.

One thing that the movie doesn’t master is effectively displaying the details of what is occurring. Early on, the characters share their desperation for answers to the questions plaguing them. By the close, comments about scrambled DNA are made in a general sense, although not with much clarity. Of course, this may be the point, but it does feel lacking in certain respects. Much of the dialogue between the knowledgeable group members describe the changes witnessed as being “impossible” (and indeed, they are) but there are never any concrete theories offered. By the climax, events go even further into left field, taking on an impressionistic bent that is accompanied by wild visuals.

So, while there’s a lot of scientific talk, the major questions raised are left completely unanswered and ultimately unfathomable (at least, upon first viewing). However, it still appealed to me as a sort of strange fever dream. It isn’t in the same league as the filmmaker’s previous works, but Annihilation does offer interesting characters, intriguing ruminations about science, psychedelic visuals and a few old-fashioned scares. Brave souls in an adventurous and forgiving mood may find something to like.

By Glenn Kay

For the Sun

Pena expresses his Native American heritage through painting

Artisans express their talent through various emotions they feel, see, and experience, whether it’s harmonious or dramatic episodes in their life. It’s these life moments that make each artist unique and we as the viewers get a moment to delve into the artist’s creative mind.

One artist that truly shares his past experiences, in so much as shocking the viewer, is Arnulfo Pena, who does this through the touch of paint to canvas.

Born in Corsicana, TX, 72-year-old Pena has seen his fair share of dramatic experiences directly tied to his Native American roots, more exactly from the Mescalero Apache tribe. Having recently moved to the area September, Pena says he feels welcomed here along with his paintings that depict strong messages of the treatment of Native Americans.

“I’m an impressionist painter and I like to paint the injustice of how Native Americans were treated and treated now,” he said. “I want to shock the person who sees my paintings and to focus in on the meaning of them.”

One painting entitled “John Smith Never” does just that. The painting depicts a Native American warrior with bloodshed eyes and his mouth completely shut because he could never speak his language.

“I painted this because no matter how hard they (the white man) tries to make us white it will never happen,” he said. “They can cut our hair, they may change us physically but mentally we will always be Native Americans and we can never forget who we are. We will not be John Smith ever.”

Pena’s interest in painting began in the fifth grade and has continued for the past 65 years. He entered a city painting contest and won. An interested art lover saw his work and offered him a scholarship to pay for his art school. As a sixth grader, he held his first exhibit featuring seascapes paintings.

“I’ve always liked painting and always wanted to do it, even though later on in life I became a banker,” he said. “I still had this passion even coming back from the Vietnam War. I decided to enter in art school for two years.”

Pena was offered a scholarship to go to Rome, Italy for three weeks. While there saw his hero – Michelangelo the Italian Renaissance artist whose works include the marble sculpture David.

“I liked his movements and the fact that it’s all realism to express in his portraits,” he said.

Pena says this helped him connect with his heritage and the realism of what he really wanted to do with his paintings. This included a painting of running horses, in essence to capture the spirit of running horses and his Apache heritage.

“Realism was very strong with me. I did paintings of Native American women who were forced to get sterilize,” he said. “I tell it like it is and I don’t hide the truth. Some people like it and some people don’t.”

Pena has sold paintings for as much as $2,000 and has painted murals that have went for $17,000.

Pena has moved outside of the traditional paintbrush and has used  spray paint to create eclectic pieces. Currently living in the Pueblo of Zuni, he was commissioned to create some paintings by Tom Kennedy of the Zuni Visitors Center. One painting is of the Spanish Conquistador Coronado and his first meeting with the Zuni Pueblo.

Pena can also be seen at the ArtsCrawl in downtown Gallup where he says it’s refreshing to hang out with other talented artists and just simply do his thing.

“When I came across the ArtsCrawl I was fascinated and realized that there were a lot of talented artisans here,” he said. “In Texas it’s just windmills, longhorns, and coming here seem to fit my world. I felt welcomed here and people welcomed my spectrum of art. They appreciated the fact of what I was doing and welcomed me.”

As a disabled veteran he says being here he feels no pressure at all to paint, and suggests for inspiring artists to simply paint for fun if that is your forte.

“When you love to paint just paint away, do what you want to do and don’t let people restrict your creativity,” he said. “Don’t let it become just a living, it causes stress and you’ll find no joy in it. Do what you love to do just go for it.”

For more information on Arnulfo Pena visit his webpage: www.gallluparts.org/arnulfopena

By Dee Velasco
For the Sun