A Christmas Day Movie Preview

Summary

All Of It: A Christmas Day Movie Preview – Detailed Summary

Episode Title: A Christmas Day Movie Preview
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Alison Wilmore, Film Critic for New York Magazine and Vulture
Release Date: December 24, 2024

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Introduction

In the festive episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart, listeners are treated to an insightful preview of the myriad of films releasing on Christmas Day. Alison welcomes film critic Alison Wilmore to navigate through the diverse array of movies slated for the holiday season, offering expert opinions and highlighting standout performances.

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Holiday Movie Landscape

Alison Stewart sets the stage by acknowledging the variety of holiday traditions and the surge of movie releases on December 25th. From traditional blockbusters to unique independent films, this year’s lineup promises something for every moviegoer. Stewart mentions discussions from the previous week about films like Baby Girl and A Complete Unknown, and teases upcoming conversations on biopics, animated features, and streaming releases.

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Featured Films Discussed

1. The Fire Inside

Overview:
The Fire Inside centers on Clarissa T. Rex Shields, portrayed by Ryan Destiny, a 17-year-old boxer who becomes the first American woman to win a gold medal in Olympic boxing.

Key Points:

• Performance Highlights:

  • Ryan Destiny delivers a compelling performance, showcasing the physical and emotional transformation required to embody a professional boxer.
  • Brian Tyree Henry shines as Jason Crutchfield, Clarissa's dedicated trainer, earning praise as a potential contender for Best Supporting Actor.

• Direction and Writing:

  • Directed by Rachel Morrison in her directorial debut, known for her work as a cinematographer.
  • Written by Barry Jenkins, marking his second collaborative effort following the Lion King sequel, Mufasa.

• Themes:

  • Explores the harsh realities faced by female athletes post-Olympics, particularly in sports that lack sustained media attention and sponsorship.

Notable Quote:
Alison Wilmore highlights the film’s depth, stating, “It’s really about wrestling with the realities of being a woman in sports...you have to keep fighting in another way. That can be really disheartening” ([02:19]).

2. Better Man

Overview:
A Robbie Williams Biopic takes an unconventional approach by portraying Robbie Williams as a chimpanzee, blending human drama with surreal humor.

Key Points:

• Creative Choices:

  • Robbie Williams is uniquely depicted by a chimpanzee, a bold stylistic decision that distinguishes the film from traditional biopics.

• Performance and Direction:

  • Michael Gracie, director of The Greatest Showman, brings energy to the musical numbers, which are praised for advancing the narrative despite the unconventional portrayal.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore comments on the film’s musical aspects, saying, “...the music numbers are really energetic and they actually kind of move the story forward” ([06:33]).

3. Baby Girl

Overview:
Baby Girl stars Nicole Kidman as Paris Dickinson, a high-powered CEO grappling with her hidden desire for BDSM dynamics in her personal life.

Key Points:

• Nicole Kidman’s Performance:

  • Depicts a multi-faceted character dealing with internalized shame and the struggle to reconcile her public image with her private fantasies.

• Director’s Insight:

  • Helena Raine explains, “Everything is about what is real and what is not real...she completely forgets to think about, what do I want” ([12:48]).

• Themes:

  • Addresses the complexities of power dynamics, personal fulfillment, and the societal expectations placed on women in leadership roles.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore praises Kidman’s ability to embody the character’s struggle, stating, “...it has a lot going on. It is a complicated movie. And I think that Kidman's performance is really what holds it together” ([13:41]).

4. The Brutalist

Overview:
An ambitious film made on a modest budget, The Brutalist has captivated audiences with its sweeping narrative and Adrien Brody’s standout performance.

Key Points:

• Production:

  • Produced with a budget of approximately $10 million, showcasing impressive scale and ambition.

• Adrien Brody’s Role:

  • Delivers one of the best performances of the year, with critics like Wilmore expecting significant award season attention.

• Audience Reception:

  • Praised for its engaging narrative and Brody’s dedication to the character, leaving a lasting impression on movie enthusiasts.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore lauds Brody’s performance, noting, “I think he’s phenomenal. And I expect he’s going to get a lot of attention as the kind of award season rolls on” ([15:02]).

5. Hundreds of Beavers

Overview:
A campy, black-and-white film that harkens back to art house cinema, Hundreds of Beavers offers a lo-fi aesthetic and entertaining narrative.

Key Points:

• Style and Execution:

  • Embraces a retro feel reminiscent of midnight screenings, appealing to audiences seeking something different.

• Budget and Success:

  • Created on an estimated budget of $150,000, the film has garnered a loyal following through film festivals and strategic streaming releases.

• Accessibility:

  • Available for free streaming on Tubi TV, making it easily accessible to a broad audience.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore encourages exploration of the film without spoilers, saying, “I think that style is part of the joy” ([18:11]).

6. Nesferatu

Overview:
A remake of the classic 1922 silent vampire film, Nesferatu brings modern interpretations to a timeless horror narrative.

Key Points:

• Performance Highlights:

  • Nicholas Hoult delivers a terrifying portrayal of Thomas Hutter, conveying genuine fear and helplessness.

  • Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok offers a sinister presence, maintaining the eerie atmosphere integral to the story.

• Reception:

  • While Wilmore appreciates Hoult’s performance, she expresses mixed feelings about the film’s overall execution, despite strong acting.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore reflects on Hoult’s ability to convey terror, stating, “Nicholas Hoult… gives the best terrified face” ([19:08]).

7. A Complete Unknown

Overview:
Starring Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown delves into the enigmatic life of the legendary musician.

Key Points:

• Performance:

  • Chalamet is praised for his portrayal of Dylan, capturing the musician’s complexity and influence within the folk scene.

• Supporting Cast:

  • Features strong performances from Elle Fanning, Edward Norton (as Pete Seeger), and Monica Barbaro, enhancing the film’s depth.

• Themes:

  • Explores the mixed emotions surrounding Dylan’s impact on the music industry and personal relationships within his sphere.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore acknowledges Chalamet’s skill, stating, “Timothée is able to play Bob Dylan as this really enigmatic but incredibly talented figure” ([20:33]).

8. The Six Triple Eight

Overview:
A World War II drama by Tyler Perry, The Six Triple Eight focuses on an all-black female battalion in the Women's Army Corps tasked with delivering mail in Europe.

Key Points:

• Production Quality:

  • Noted for being glossier than Perry’s typical offerings, though some scenes may still reflect lower production values.

• Performance:

  • Kerry Washington leads as Major Charity Addams, embodying strength and resilience amidst adversity and racial prejudices.

• Historical Significance:

  • Highlights the often-overlooked contributions of black women in military history, emphasizing their critical role in maintaining soldier morale through mail delivery.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore appreciates the portrayal of the battalion’s efforts, saying, “...there is value to what it's highlighting, which is... an all-black, all-female battalion” ([22:19]).

9. Red One

Overview:
An action-packed Christmas film featuring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Chris Evans, Red One revolves around the high-stakes kidnapping of Santa Claus.

Key Points:

• Production Scale:

  • With a staggering budget of $250 million, the film boasts high production values and a star-studded cast including J.K. Simmons.

• Premise and Execution:

  • Combines traditional buddy-cop elements with holiday magic, creating a novel yet somewhat frivolous narrative.

• Reception:

  • While not universally acclaimed, the film is recognized for its novelty and the charisma of its leading actors, making it a go-to for fans of action-comedy hybrids.

Notable Quote:
Wilmore remarks on the film’s unique position, stating, “I would not say it's a good movie, but I have talked to some people who've enjoyed it” ([24:00]).

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Listener Interactions

Throughout the episode, Alison Stewart engages with listeners who share their experiences and recommendations:

• Laurie’s Feedback on The Brutalist ([14:37]):
  Praises Adrien Brody’s dedication to his character and highly recommends the film for its ambitious storytelling.

• Alexander’s Thoughts on Hundreds of Beavers ([17:30]):
  Enjoys the film’s campy, art house vibe and encourages others to seek it out on Tubi TV.

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Conclusion

Alison Stewart and Alison Wilmore wrap up the episode by encouraging listeners to explore the diverse holiday film offerings, whether opting for cinematic releases or streaming options. The episode serves as a comprehensive guide for movie enthusiasts seeking to make informed choices during the festive season.

Notable Final Quote:
Wilmore extends festive wishes, saying, “Happy holidays” ([25:32]).

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For more insights and in-depth cultural discussions, tune in to future episodes of All Of It on WNYC, hosted by Alison Stewart.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

Listener support WNYC Studios.

[Alison Wilmore]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. For the next few days, you'll hear a mix of special programming as well as excerpts from some of our favorite conversations. This year, you'll hear from Kate Winslet, John Legend, Zoe Kravitz, Lin Manuel Miranda, Regina Spector and so much more. And if you're a longtime listener, you know what a ride this year's been for me. January was great, and then in February, I had emergency brain surgery. I talked about it on air, the nuts and bolts of that experience with my neurosurgeon. And we re aired that conversation yesterday. And I was surprised how many of you didn't know. So that's good news. I guess I'm not slurring my words together as much as I think I am. So thanks to everybody who reached out. And to close out yesterday's show, we talked about gratitude and it's worth repeating. I'm grateful to be here today. And I'm grateful to those of you who are listening. Thank you for being with us this year and I'm looking forward to heading into 2025 together. People's holiday traditions vary. Some open presents on Christmas Eve. Some people make volunteering a priority. Some families engaged in a white elephant gift exchanges. Some are getting ready for Hanukkah. For some people, it's just December 24th. And every year, hundreds of thousands of people spend some time during the week between Christmas and New Year's in a movie theater. This year, moviegoers will be spoiled for choices because there are a whole bunch of movies opening on December 25th. We spent part of last week here on all of it, talking about some of them, films like Baby Girl and A Complete Unknown. But there are others, a biopic of an Olympic champion boxer, a pop star portrayed by a chimpanzee. But plus, if you don't want to leave your cozy home or apartment, there's a crop of new films hitting streaming services as well as holiday classic just waiting for you to rewatch. Joining me now to talk about all of it is Alison Wilmore. She's a movie critic for New York Magazine and Vulture and a regular guest here on Olivet. Hi, Alison.

Hey. So good to be here.

So let's talk about a couple of the films that's opening that are opening on the 25th. The fire inside. The film's about a 17 year old boxer who becomes the first American woman to win gold in boxing, boxing at the Olympics. But it's not like a Traditional sports epic because it focuses on what happens after she wins. First of all, who's in it?

So we've got Ryan Destiny playing Clarissa T. Rex Shields, someone who you may know from the show star or grownish. She does a great job in this role. That obviously requires a lot of physical preparation. You're playing a professional boxer. You've really got to transform your body. And then you've got Brian Tyree Henry, who is really amazing, I think real, like, outside candidate, I think, right now for Best Supporting Actor, but definitely has been in the mix and is just great as Jason Crutchfield, who is Clarissa's trainer. And this is a movie directed by Rachel Morrison, who's a cinematographer making her directorial debut. And it is written by Barry Jenkins, Barry Jenkins's second movie out at the moment. He also did the new Lion King sequel, Mufasa. And, yeah, you know, what I really liked about it is that the first half of this movie is kind of what you might expect from a inspiring sports biopic. You know, you've got the training, you've got the competition. And then the second half is about how Clarissa comes home and is, you know, to Flint, where she's from, Flint, Michigan. And her life isn't really transformed even after a gold medal because there aren't a lot of sponsors lining up to sponsor women boxers. And in particular, she does not fit the image that they want of a kind of athlete that they put, you know, on a commercial. She's not glamorous in the way they want. And so it's really about wrestling with the realities of being a woman in sports, and in particular, in a sport that still does not have a huge degree of media attention, you know, like women in boxing.

So I don't know if you know this or not, but has Clarissa given the film her blessing?

I believe it is authorized. So I do not know if she's been participating in kind of supporting the film. But it's hard for me to imagine that this one was not made. This particular film was not made without her permission.

What is the strongest point in this film? Is it a performance? Is it the way it's shot? What do you think is the strongest what this film offers?

Well, I think. I mean, there are two really strong performances here. But what I loved about it was the kind of way it delves into the fact that for so many sports, in particular women's sports, but for so many sports that we see, we only look at during the Olympics, right? Like, we become so invested in these narratives during every four Years. And there are so many sports in which, like, this requires basically your whole, like, all of your time to train and this enormous amount of commitment and sacrifice. And then you go from that to having nothing afterwards. Right. You just kind of get dropped back into the real world and in this case, into a life that was like, you know, dealing with poverty, dealing with trying to support siblings, and dealing with a family history that involves some substance abuse, you know, And I think we like a fairy tale type of story where someone gets, you know, they win and that's the end. And I think that having the story continue on to kind of be like, hey, the realities of this are that you aren't necessarily whisked away to a life of kind of glamour and money and endorsement checks that actually you have to keep fighting in another way. That can be really disheartening. I really appreciated that.

That is called the Fire Inside. The next film we're going to talk about is Better Man. It's a Robbie Williams biopic in which Robbie Williams is rendered as a chimp, as in a primate. First of all, why is Robbie Williams, a pop star, being portrayed unironically as a chimp?

So apparently Robbie Williams himself has said that he has, quote, always felt less evolved than other people in A tribute to our primate ancestors. But within the movie, it is never explained and no one ever mentions it. So everyone else is just played by a person with a normal person face. And Robbie Williams is performed by a chimpanzee, you know, in clothing, singing, acting like a person. But yes, is. Is. Is just a chimp. It is a bold stylistic choice. Absolutely.

Is he the only chimp in the movie? I mean, are his parents chimps or.

Nope, nope, his parents are.

No, no chimps.

They're played by. Yeah, actors. Steve Pemberton plays his kind of his father who becomes like the kind of source of a lot of daddy issues because his father had show aspirations as well and kind of said the only thing that was important was the spotlight. And yes, everyone else in this is a professional actor, including the actors that play the members of Take that, which was the boy band that Robbie Williams got his start in before going solo. But yeah, it is otherwise just in a funny way, it is actually like your kind of standard rise, fall, redemption, you know, arc that you would expect from a lot of movies about professional musicians. Yeah. Except with a chimp.

Does the chimp add anything to the film?

I would say it kind of like the musical biopic. And, you know, that's. It's not the only One that's coming out this week is not always my favorite genre. I feel like it's a little formulaic and sometimes it's a little like. Feels a little hackney to me when you're like, this is what makes this person tick. Because most people aren't actually that simple. Right. But I kind of appreciated the effort to shake things up by adding a chimp here. But what I will say, as someone who did not have a deep and abiding interest in Robbie Williams career going into this film, you know, like, I have a vague recollection of some of his hits. I think he had a kind of bigger footprint in the UK where he's from than here, though I'm sure a lot of people remember him or if we heard some of his songs, would remember them. The thing that I appreciate about this movie, which is directed by Michael Gracie, who did the Greatest Showman, if you remember that one with Hugh Deckman, is that the music numbers are great chimps and all. They're really energetic and they actually kind of move the story forward. Like when Take that gets signed by their first label, they burst out into the street and they perform this song and dance number. It is Rock dj, which is one of Robbie Williams bigger hits. But it becomes this representation of their rise to fame in a song and dance form. And I thought the music numbers, as wild as it is to see this chimp in there with no explanation and no one seeming to notice, I think the visual energy, the way that the choreography, the way that they're staged is actually pretty great. If you have any natural inclination towards musicals in particular musical numbers. And there have been a lot out there this this season, including Wicked. I think that this movie actually offers some genuinely interesting and inventive ones. And for that I would say it.

Is worth seeing that is called Better Man. My guest is Allison Wilmore. She's a film critic for New York Magazine. We're talking about some of the films being released over the holidays, both on screen and screaming if you screening. Excuse me. If you would like to join the conversation, tell us what movie you're gonna see over the holiday week. 2124-3396-9221-2433, 9692. We want to know what film you're excited to see in the final week of the year. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC okay, let's talk about a couple of films we've talked about a little bit on the air. Baby Girl Nicole Kidman stars as a CEO, embarks in kind of a BDSM light aff. Paris Dickinson. So many people have talked about Nicole Kidman's performance. What is special about Nicole Kidman's performance in the film Baby Girl?

Well, she's really wrestling with a lot of image issues. And a lot of her character is someone who has a lot of internalized shame. You know, I think that this is a movie about a woman who has really made herself into this image of this like, kind of role model image, highly scrutinized, of like a rare woman in power, a CEO. There's a lot of eyes on her and you know, what she wants in the bedroom and what she has never been able to articulate is that she likes being dominated. And she can't mention that to her loving husband. She can't mention that to anyone. And I think what this movie does really well is kind of explore the idea of internalized shame, but also the idea of that it is not, you know, what someone prefers in the bedroom does not, is not any reflection on, you know, like, their feminism and their. Like, like, like that she can have these things together and they're not contradictory. And yeah, I think it's just like a. It's a set, you know, maybe it's not the. Of the movies out in theaters this week. Maybe this is not the one that you bring Grandma too. I don't know. I don't want to judge your grandma. Maybe your grandma would be very into this, you know, like, I don't know. But I. It is, I thought, a kind of refreshingly grown up and sometimes surprising movie that is also. It takes place over the Christmas season. There is a holiday party, office office holiday party. So it is not just a Christmas release, but a Christmas movie.

I spoke with director Helena Raine on the show last week and I asked her why Nicole Kidman's character is so attracted to her intern who is played by Harris Dickinson. This is what she said.

[Helena Raine]

Everything is about what is real and what is not real. So we see this woman that thinks she has to be the perfect mother, the perfect CEO, the perfect lover, the perf wife, the perfect daughter. And I think a lot of women. And again, I'm generalizing for the sake of our discussion today, but a lot of women feel that need to nourish, to please, and they completely forget to think about, what do I want. And then when this young man shows up and kind of doesn't care about any of her masks, she's perfected all these different masks. And she's showing him, you know, the mask of the CEO, and he's like, take your mask off. And that's exactly what she's looking for. And instead of sitting her husband down and saying, hey, Antonio Banderas, I need to talk to you, I have these hidden fantasies. Can you please help me with that? She doesn't do that. It's a cautionary tale of what happens when you suppress your inner beast. And your beast will come out in ways that you don't want it to come out. And it is a risk and it will hurt others. And that's what's happening with Harris Dickinson arriving on. On the stage.

[Alison Wilmore]

Does rain accomplish her goal in the film?

I think so. I think that this movie is. Does a lot of interesting and I think, edgy without being, I think, like needlessly confrontational. You know, it is very character driven. I think it is a movie that really delves into the layers of power dynamics going on here. You know, obviously including the deeply frowned upon one in terms of the workplace of this main relationship. But, yeah, I think it has a lot going on. It is a complicated movie. And I think that Kidman's performance is really what holds it together. I think does play a lot with that idea of needing to be perfect and how that just wears you down.

Let's talk to Laurie and Chelsea. Hi, Laurie. Thanks for calling all of it.

[Alison Stewart]

Hi.

[Alison Wilmore]

I went to see the Brutalist last.

[Alison Stewart]

Night, and it was one of the most incredible movies I have ever seen. And I'm a real movie fanatic.

[Alison Wilmore]

And it is hard to believe watching.

[Alison Stewart]

I kept thinking, how does Adrien Brody go back to being himself? He was so dedicated to this character.

[Alison Wilmore]

I highly recommend it.

[Laurie]

It's very long.

[Alison Stewart]

There's an intermission, but engaging start to finish.

[Alison Wilmore]

Thank you for the call. Your thoughts on the Brutalist?

Oh, I think it's like, it's an incredibly ambitious movie. It's the sort of movie, you know, like the movie equivalent of like a sweeping, great American novel. Like, it's got this incredible scale. It was somehow made for $10 million, which seems like kind of like when you see it just is almost impossible to wrap your head around. And I would agree. Adrien Brody gives one of the great performances of the year. You know, he's an actor who just bursts onto the scene so young and got a lot of attention and then has been working ever since, but I think has not gotten a chance to have the kind of role that showcases his particular gifts again until this point. And he's phenomenal. And I expect he's going to get a lot of attention as the kind of award season rolls on.

We'll have more with Allison Wilmore, film critic from New York Magazine, after a quick break.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all WNYC Studios is supported by GiveWell. When you make a big purchase, say a car or a new mattress, how do you make sure that you're making the right choice? GiveWell provides an independent resource for a different kind of purchase, a donation. Over 100,000 donors have used GiveWell to donate. First time using GiveWell. When you go to givewell.org and pick podcast and enter WNYC at checkout, you can have your donation matched up to $100 before the end of the year or as long as matching funds last. I'm erin Moriarty of 48 Hours, and of all the cases I've covered, this is the one that troubles me most. A bizarre and maddening tale involving an eyewitness account that doesn't quite make sense. A sister testified against a brother. A lack of physical evidence. Crosley Greene has lived more than half his life behind bars for a crime he says he didn't commit. Listen to Murder in the Orange Grove, the Troubled Case Against Crosley Greene. Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Alison Wilmore]

You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Alison Wilmore. She's movie critic for New York Magazine and Vulture. We're talking about the films that are coming out in this last week of the year. Let's talk to Alexander from Manhattan. Hi, Alexander.

[Laurie]

Hi. Thanks for taking my call. I came across Hundreds of Beavers last night on Prime Video. And I know this came out, I think a couple of months ago. It reminded me of what you would catch at the art house cinemas kind of like at midnight before there was streaming services. I really enjoyed the campiness of it, the black and white, the, the kind of like lo fi aspect of it. I highly recommend it if you want to see something different, entertaining. It's, it's a little longer than what I expected. It, it's like an hour and 48 minutes. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Alison Wilmore]

Thanks so much for calling. Are you recomm. Are you aware of that? Alison?

Yeah, it's this actually kind of great success story where this movie was made for very little money. I think they said it cost like $150,000, which is basically nothing in terms of a movie budget. And it actually premiered in 2022 at a film festival and has slowly rolled out over, over this time and Built this big following, you know, and I don't want to say too much about it because I think that the style of it is part like discovering the style it's going to take and the kind of premise is part of the joy. But yes, I would absolutely recommend seeking it out. It's also, I believe, streaming for free on Tubi TV with ads of course, but if you just want to sample it there too.

Who hasn't seen the postage for Nesferatu? It's a remake of the 1922 silent vampire film. So who is the breakout of the star of this film?

Ooh. Well, I am actually. I would say I was a fan of Nicholas Holt in this movie. You know, Bill Skarsgrd plays the vampire Count Orlok, you know, a mysterious nobleman in Transylvania. If you ever ordered to go to a remote castle in Transylvania, just say no. Even if it's don't do it, not a good idea. But Nicholas Holt plays Thomas Hutter, who is a newlywed who is sent out there for a real estate deal with this mysterious Count. Obviously it doesn't go well. The count is a mortal demon, blood sucking demon who is after his new wife, played by Lily Rose Depp as Ellen. But I think Nicholas Hoult, out of everyone in this movie, gives the best terrified face. You know, he's had a very good fall in general. But I think it is hard to do a face that just expresses how something utterly nightmarish is happening near you. But you have no way to get yourself out of the situation and you know, that's really important. This is a movie that I loved the look of it, but I didn't love it overall. And I've really liked Robert Eggers previous films. But Holt really, I think kind of carried in his scenes what I needed from this movie, which is to have a human in there being like, oh, this is awful. This is a terrible situation. And you can see it all over my face.

A Complete Unknown follows a Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothee Chalamet. Timmy is getting a lot of praise for this. Does he deserve it?

I think he's good though. You know, as I said, this is not always my favorite genre. I feel like what we tend to reward is like basically this kind of like big impersonation that an actor does. I really like the movie Walk Hard, which is basically, you know, making fun of these movies with John C. Reilly. If you haven't had the pleasure. That's a great comedy. I unexpectedly really like this movie and I think it's in part Because Timothy is able to do play Bob Dylan as this really enigmatic but incredibly talented figure kind of blowing into this folk scene. And I think the movie really is able to showcase that performance, which is not a very friendly one. You know, I think it's hard to base a movie around someone who is. Who is like kind of. Of enigmatic and hard to get a handle on and hard to like. By all of these supporting performances, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro, who are all really strong. I particularly thought Edward Norton as Pete Seeger was great. And the ways they look at Bob Dylan, Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan as he performs, I think tell you as much as Timothy's performance. It is a movie about the kind of mixed feelings when someone blows into your scene who you know is going to change everything.

In the streaming world, we have Tyler Perry's World War II drama, the Six Triple Eight with Kerry Washington. It's about a group of black women who serves in the Women's Army Corps in Europe. Sometimes Tyler Perry does these dramas. How does he fare?

I think this is a. He makes so many movies. I think this might even be his third one this year, in addition to all of his TV work. And, you know, sometimes those movies, he shoots them so quickly kind of there are continuity errors. There's a lot of kind of like lower, lower production value. This one is definitely glossier than that, though. I think there are still moments where it looks a little cheaper. But it does tell a story about a group of women that I had not been familiar with. And I think for that, in that at least there is value to what it's highlighting, which is, you know, this all black, all female battalion that in World War II basically helped deliver the mail. There was this enormous backlog of mail to and from the soldiers in the European front, and no one was getting it. It was causing huge drop in morale. And so this was essentially this incredible feat of administration that they pulled off despite enormous bigotry from generals who didn't believe in their ability to do this work. Yeah. And you've got Kerry Washington in lead role as the kind of the drill sergeant type, but also as someone who, as Major Charity Addams, kind of faces down a lot of kind of racism and a lot of kind of like just insulting behavior and kind of holds up under it with a lot of dignity.

And that's on Netflix and then live on Amazon. The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, the movie Red One. It's got lots of big names. Chris Evans, J.K. simmons. Does it deliver on the star quality?

Well, I will say the most notable thing about this movie to me remains that it cost a reported $250 million.

What?

I'm sorry. And like just an astronomical amount of money for a Christmas action movie about Santa getting kidnapped. I would not say you see it all on screen though I'm sure a lot of it went to, you know, the, the kind of stars that, that it enlists. I will say I had almost gone into this movie hoping it would be a disaster because I think the stories about its production had been so kind of alarming and then just the premise is so silly. Yeah, like Santa Claus gets kidnapped on Christmas Eve. There's this whole high tech world in the North Pole. There's a tough bear. Santa is played by J.K. simmons and is enormously muscular for some reason. It's competently made enough I think, though, like, I think knowing the backstory, a bit of just how bloated the budget is does make it a little more enjoyable as a novelty. But yeah, you know, I, I would not say it's a good movie, but I have talked to some people who've enjoyed it. So if you are particularly fond of the Rock Chris Evans playing basically in a buddy cop movie that involves Santa, this is your movie. This is it.

Alison Wilmore is a movie critic for New York Magazine and Vultures. Thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it and happy holidays.

Happy holidays. Thanks for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

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