Rating: ««« out of ««««

Running Time: 115 min.

Martin McDonagh sure has a way with words. In fact, his previous features In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths are well known for their sharp and incisive dialogue and deeply flawed characters. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri is no exception, boasting an incredible cast at the top of their game and a mean but thoughtful script dealing with grief and anger.

Mildred (Frances McDormand) is a grieving mother whose child was raped and murdered by an unknown assailant. Frustrated at the lack of progress in the case by law enforcement, she buys a trio of billboards and posts a pointed question on each of them in large lettering to Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson). His staff, including a violent and racist cop named Dixon (Sam Rockwell), are none too pleased about the message. This leads to increasing tension and conflict between the woman and authorities.

The performances are uniformly excellent here, with each character distinctive and memorable. McDormand is certainly worthy of accolades as the frustrated and angry mother. Her blunt and direct comments cut through the hypocrisy present in the town and allow the film to deal with some of the small town’s backwards ways. Harrelson is also excellent as the grouchy chief who ultimately isn’t quite as mean as he initially appears. And Rockwell stands out as a despicable deputy forced to come to hard realizations about his own flawed character. Portraying a person with horrid traits that viewers are supposed to eventually feel sympathy for is a remarkably difficult task, but the actor pulls it off.

The cast is rounded out by stellar supporting turns from familiar faces like Peter Dinklage and John Hawkes (among many others). Thankfully, there’s a dark sense of humor running through the piece, which helps to add a bit of levity to the extremely grim material. There are plenty of great interactions between the baffled cops and other citizens as they attempt to get to the bottom of the billboard issue and catch up with what is going on. It is incredibly harsh and foul at times, but the unique phrasing and delivery is part of what makes the material so compelling.

Viewers should be warned that this isn’t a murder-mystery and the ultimate outcome of events related to the crime aren’t as essential as the personal development and growth of the characters. The movie doesn’t give any easy answers to the questions raised and ultimately appears to promote the importance of forgiveness, understanding and positive change (that is, in between the questionable behavior and actions of its leads).

While it certainly won’t be for everyone, this reviewer was very impressed with the biting script and incredible performances in Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri. This backwoods town certainly doesn’t seem like a place anyone would want to visit, but watching a film about the residents is undeniably griping from start to finish.

Visit: cinemastance.com

By Glenn Kay
For the Sun

The McKinley County Sheriff's Office reports that a man is calling local numbers identifying himself as Robert Mason from MCSO trying to get money from people by telling them there is a citation they need to pay or they will be arrested. The number is disguised as the MCSO telephone number, but it is not a call from the Sheriff’s Office.

MCSO and the courts never call asking for money over the phone.

Also they do not use Zelle, Paypal, Moneygram, Western Union, Venmo, Cash App, Google Pay or any other form of electronic payment.

If you have questions about citations or outstanding warrants contact the local courts directly.

If you have been contacted by this person or anyone else you suspect to be conducting a scam, you can report it to the Attorney General's Office scam hotline at  (844) 255-9210.

Rating: ««« out of ««««

Running Time: 109 min.

Pixar, once the leader in the animated film industry, has been in something of a creative slump lately. While still boasting excellent technical merits, recent titles like Cars 3, Finding Dory and The Good Dinosaur haven’t exactly been earning raves from the press. Their latest, Coco, attempts to tackle unique and visually arresting subject matter by using the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday as inspiration. But does it do the material justice?

The story involves 12-year-old Miguel Riviera (Anthony Gonzalez). He wants to be a musician like his hero, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), but his shoemaking family doesn’t permit any music in the house. When the boy enters a talent contest on the holiday, his relatives destroy his guitar. Undeterred, Miguel visits the grave of de la Cruz and tries to “borrow” one displayed in the star’s crypt. This passes him through to the Land of the Dead. The boy learns that the only way to return to the living world is to find a special marigold petal and receive a family member’s blessing before sunrise. Believing that de la Cruz may be his great-great-grandfather, Miguel befriends Hector (Gael García Bernal), a trickster who promises to help him complete his task.

This is a warm-hearted effort that stresses the importance of family bonds, forgiveness and remembering the dead. These themes are further stressed by the clan’s shunning of a late relation and a plot complication; when the deceased are forgotten by their family, they completely vanish from all realms. These little touches add a bit more drama to the proceedings, as certain skeletal characters begin to fade away (and while I’m not sure if the studio intended this, it will probably make young children whose families celebrate the holiday feel incredibly guilty should they not take part).

There are few minor issues. Miguel’s guitar playing skills are exceptional, despite the fact that he really hasn’t had much of an opportunity to play. The jokes and one-liners presented are hit-and-miss, although there are a few particularly funny ones that elicit laughs; a bell-related gag is played off in a very amusing manner. And being a Disney film, there is a great deal of emotional manipulation as the filmmakers push to elicit a tear or two towards the close. However, it is a movie about the dead, and as such the tear jerking doesn’t feel as forced or unwarranted as in other titles of its ilk. Ultimately, Coco is effective at pulling the heartstrings.

And as expected, the images are eye-popping. There are some vibrant colors on display in the Land of the Dead. Of course, the bony skeletons add another level of interesting imagery and make for a nifty contrast to the neon pink, purple and orange hues lighting the stacked buildings and homesteads of this afterworld metropolis. The movie also earns points for its arresting alebrijes, bright spirit guides who fly through the night sky. There’s also a goofy dog named Dante that provides some comic relief with his drooping tongue and dopey expressions. Thankfully, the screenwriters also developed the character to give it a purpose in the story besides providing obvious sight gags.

In the end, Coco may not be remembered as the greatest title in the Pixar catalog, but it is a charming and enjoyable exercise that easily bests the last few features from the studio. Most family audiences will find that the film carries a sweet and enjoyable tune.

Visit: cinemastance.com

By Glenn Kay
For the Sun

Rating: «« out of ««««

Running Time: 121 min.

Over the past four years, DC has pushed to create a grand cinematic universe, equivalent to the one created by its contemporary (and competitor) Marvel. It’s fair to say that while their latest attempts have resulted in box office success, the quality of the films has been uneven. Justice League is a team-up film along the lines of The Avengers, introducing and uniting several of the biggest characters in comics. This reviewer can report that the latest effort is slightly better than the previous Batman/Superman entry. However, it still manages to do more wrong than it does right.

Several months after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), the world is in mourning. When Bruce Wayne, aka Batman (Ben Affleck), encounters an evil minion known as a Parademon, he becomes concerned. Wayne sets out to form a Justice League to combat the new threat that includes Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). Together, they square off against an otherworldly foe named Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds). The villain announces his intention to locate three powerful Mother Boxes hidden on Earth and combine them into an Uberbox of sorts, which will cause a kind of Hell on Earth. Don’t ask for specifics about why these world-destroying items were created in the first place, the explanation is vague.

As with the earlier episode, this tale begins with a heavy, somber and overly serious tone. There’s a gray and colorless hue to the look of the film as well. The cast also has very little in the way of zippy material to help elevate the mood. Much of the dialogue is flat and the performances come across as incredibly stiff. A few throwaway lines earn a minor chuckle here and there, but anytime the characters are forced to talk about grave issues and personal trials, it’s hollow, stilted, and at times even wince-inducing.

The action itself is handled reasonably enough, although it is showcased using an overload of CGI effects that look less than photorealistic. And there are some other oddities about these sequences. There’s a showdown between several characters at a park in the middle of a city, with the superheroes using their remarkable powers to fight (and even do some property damage). Yet while all of this is happening, not a single metropolitan citizen is visible rubbernecking at the action. It’s rather stunning that no one would notice what was going on.

We don’t get to know a whole lot about the generic CGI super-villain either, which makes him a less than dynamic foe. The climax involves Steppenwolf taking control of an old, vacated Russian nuclear reactor and using it as his home base. We are told that the lives of many unfortunate residents in the Chernobyl-like area are in immediate danger, yet we only see a single family of four over the entire course of events. As the movie progresses to its climax, there’s a distinct lack of, well, people... which is strange for a movie about saving humanity and the planet. In fact, it doesn’t seem like anyone outside the core group of heroes actually knows that there’s any threat at all. Again, this drains stakes and suspense from the proceedings.

On the plus side, there is more of an attempt at humor in the latter stages of the film when the characters unite to fight against evil. The script attempts to use The Flash as comic relief, and while several one-liners are ineffectual, a few minor quips do work. The most effective moment in the entire movie is a confession from Aquaman that ends with a funny reveal. It’s the one gag that actually lands perfectly and earns a big laugh. Hopefully this marks the beginnings of an attempt to steer away from the drabness of many of these features.

Still, the current situation is poor overall. Perhaps most shockingly, the movie cost $300 million dollars and is the second most expensive film ever produced. You’d never guess it to look at it. Sadly, Justice League is a busy, dull and largely ineffective film. Despite all of the talent, effort and famous characters involved, the quality of this feature and its larger series still isn’t anywhere close to being in the same league as its superhero competitors.

Note: If you do end up giving it a try, (and make it through the whole thing), there is a post-credits scene setting up a future movie.

Visit: cinemastance.com

By Glenn Kay 
For the Sun