On the Basis of Sex - 3 smiles

"On the Basis of Sex" is an adequate bio-pic focused on the early life and courtroom baptism of now Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And while interesting, it's not as good as the recent documentary RBG. The film is essentially divided into two sections. The first focuses on the 1950s and early 1960s when Ruth (Felicity Jones) becomes one of the first women enrolled in Harvard Law School. Her husband, Martin (Armie Hammer), who is a year ahead of her at the same school, provides moral support until testicular cancer forces him to rely on her. She faces institutional sexism at Harvard, the most egregious of which comes from Dean Erwin Griswold (Sam Waterson), a staunch conservative. Eventually, after switching to Columbia to allow Martin to begin practicing at a prestigious New York law firm, she graduates and, despite excellent grades, finds no law firms will hire her. She accepts a professorship at Rutgers, where she remains for the next ten years. The second half of the movie earns its title as Ruth joins with her husband to represent Charles Moritz (Chris Mulkey) in a suit against the IRS. Central to Ruth's argument on Moritz's behalf is that the US tax code is unconstitutional - offering provisions that are unequal to men and women. With the reluctant support of ACLU lawyer Mel Wulf (Justin Theroux), Ruth and Martin reject a settlement and present their case in front of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. This becomes Ruth's opportunity and it launches her career as a staunch advocate for gender equity.

When the movie gets to scenes related to the Moritz case, everything sparks with energy, but getting here is a slog. The early sequences and domestic interactions are fairly generic and cliched and Ginsburg's conversations with her high school-aged daughter, Jane (Cailee Spaeny), seem too contrived. Felicity Jones' performance is solid while Armie Hammers role as her husband walks a line close to sainthood, but that's probably the fault of a script that gives him little to do other than support his wife. "On the Basis of Sex" creates the shameful truth of where the country was a half-century ago and the importance of Ginsburg in a legal shift that continues to this day.

The Upside - 3 smiles

"The Upside" is a feel-good remake of The Intouchables, a 2011 French box office hit. Anchored by strong performances and a palpable chemistry between leads Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston, "The Upside" breathes life into a predictable plot. But, unfortunately, the American production team, director Neil Burger and screenwriter Jon Hartmere, are unable to add any original touches to this based-on-a-true story tale. It's pretty much a transfer from French to English. "The Upside" falls loosely into the 'mismatched buddy film' genre where two people with radically different personalities are thrown together by circumstances and, after a period of tension and disagreement, form a bond. Race, class and physical disability mark the differences here. Hart's Dell Scott is a penniless ex-con with no home and no job prospects. Cranston's Phillip Lacasse is one of the richest men in the world who resides in an exclusive Manhattan penthouse. But, as a result of a paragliding accident, he's a quadriplegic. He lives his life in a chair that he moves by using his chin to press a lever. After Phillip fires his current caregiver, his administrative executive, Yvonne (Nicole Kidman), arranges to interview new prospects. Through a series of miscommunications, Dell ends up 'interviewing' for the job although all he wants is a signature indicating that he is actively looking for a job. Phillip, who is suicidal, likes the idea of someone unsuitable looking after him. At first, Dell's service falls between neglectful and incompetent, but as time passes, he learns to do the work and his unconventional approach gives Phillip a renewed hopefulness about the future.

Hart is fairly successful at proving his dramatic acting chops and the script certainly allows for him to get in many comic shots. Cranston is impressive as a man only able to use his face and voice and he seems to enjoy being Hart's straight man. Strong support comes from Kidman as Phillip's business partner who might have other feelings for him and Julianna Margulies as a pen-pal who agrees to a face-to-face meeting with Phillip. Although they serve a narrative purpose, Dell's scenes with his family tend to slow the momentum of the movie. Because "The Upside" is a feel-good film, you can over look its predictability and just enjoy it.

Bumblebee - 3 smiles

Some franchises just keep on going with new iterations. Technically, "Bumblebee" is a prequel, but it's really the start for a new set of Transformer stories. So it sort of fits in with the Michael Bay Transformer series, but not really. Director Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) focuses more on the human characters and their emotions and friendship over violence and special effects (although there's plenty of special effects robot-on-robot carnage). The movie starts with a short prologue set on the Transformers' home world of Cybertron, which has been torn apart by civil war. Sensing defeat, Optimus Prime evacuates his Autobots, sending them to different potential future bases for the resistance. For Bumblebee, this means Earth. His arrival isn't met with open arms, however. He is almost immediately attacked by a group of soldiers led by Burns (John Cena), whose furious attacks damage him. The situation becomes worse when Deceptions Shatter (voiced by Angela Bassett) and Dropkick (Justin Theroux) enter the fray. The critically wounded Bumblebee has no choice but to shut down and, in the shape of a yellow VW bug, he is left for scrap. Sometime later, 18-year-old Charlie (Hailee Seinfeld) finds him in a junkyard. After the owner gives her the car for her birthday, Charlie comes face-to-face with Bumblebee in her family's garage. The next few days are about getting to know one another as the Autobot becomes for Charlie what she lacks: a friend and confidante. Eventually, Shatter and Dropkick discover that Bumblebee isn't dead and they come after him.

Knight devotes a significant amount of the movie's running time to the development of the bond between Charlie and Bumblebee, something unheard of in the previous Transformer  movies. And Hailee Seinfeld's performance reveals layers of depth that are surprising given that she is performing against a green screen and not interacting with a real person. The movie works because of her performance. She is supported by Jason Drucker as her annoying younger brother Otis; Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as her neighbor and quasi-love interest, Memo; Pamela Arlon as her mother, Sally. The true co-star, however, is all CGI. Ultimately, "Bumblebee" is a well-paced science fiction action thriller with elements of drama, whimsy and a strong inter-species buddy element. And it's perfect for a rainy afternoon.

The Mule - 1 smile

Clint Eastwood's "The Mule," which he directed and stars in, is based on the incredible true story of an octogenarian who became an unlikely drug mule, transporting staggering amounts of cocaine for a major Mexican drug cartel. It features an esteemed cast and it grapples with several of Eastwood's preferred themes: regret, forgiveness and the inevitability of mortality. With all of these pieces, "The Mule" should have been a rich drama. Instead, it's elusive and unsatisfying. Why? Possibly it's because Sam Dolnick's script tells a superficial story and doesn't do much to develop its characters. Eastwood's Earl Stone remains an enigma. Why does he seem so unconcerned about all of the drugs he's transporting into Chicago? Does he not care? Has drug mule become the easiest way for him to earn money? Early glimpses of the man in 2005 suggest that Earl is a smooth operator, enjoying being a big fish in a small pool. He'd rather party with strangers at a hotel bar than appear at the wedding of his daughter, Iris (Alison Eastwood). Twelve years later, having lost his home to foreclosure, Earl meets a stranger at his granddaughter's bridal brunch who hands him a phone number and suggests he could make a decent amount of cash by just driving. (This connection seems too contrived.) In a parallel storyline, DEA agent Colin Bates (Bradley Cooper) has the task of stemming the flow of drugs into the Chicago area. Laurence Fishburne plays his boss and Michael Pena is his bland partner.

Earl is a narcissist until nearly the end of the movie, having estranged himself from his family for decades in favor of working and playing. So when he has a sudden change of heart and finally says all the right things to the people he's disappointed for so long, including his bitter ex-wife (Dianne Wiest) and his more optimistic granddaughter (Taissa Farming), the moment doesn't have the emotional resonance that it should. The movie repeatedly hammers home its message about the importance of family, but it ultimately rings hollow. There's also an icky motif of xenophobia that permeates the film. Earl refers to the minorities he encounters in antiquated terms and the Mexicans he works for are scary, gun-toting criminals, depicted in stereotypical fashion with shaved heads and neck tats. And, of course, they're taking advantage of Earl, a hardworking Korean War vet who's seen the American Dream collapse beneath him. Ultimately, "The Mule" is a clunky, poorly written drama that sullies Eastwood's legacy.

Mary Poppins Returns - 3 smiles

I had to see "Mary Poppins Returns" a second time because I really didn't like it the first time. I was able to pay more attention to song lyrics and Lin-Manuel Miranda didn't bother me as much as he did the first time around so I enjoyed the movie more. But what does that say about a film?  Director Rob Marshall relies on the original from tone to song style to costumes and set design. So it seems that he's appealing to those who were kids in the 60s and 70s. And I could argue that today's children will get lost somewhere in the middle of this rather dark story. Most of the new songs are easily forgotten whereas A Spoonful of Sugar, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Chim Chim Cheree are hard to forget. Emily Blunt does an admirable job of taking over for Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins and Lin-Manuel Miranda if effective in the various song and dance numbers he's in.

"Mary Poppins Returns" opens in 1935, 25 years after the original. When the now-grown Banks children, Jame (Emily Mortimer) and Michael (Ben Whishaw), find themselves in danger of losing the family home, Mary (Emily Blunt) descends from the clouds to lend her no-nonsense abilities as a nanny and problem-solver to the situation, taking Michael's three motherless children under her wing. This time around, with Bert no longer in the picture, her human best friend is Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), a London lamplighter (or Leerie as he refers to himself) who is always available to lend a hand. Michael, whose life was thrown into chaos with the death of his wife, finds himself deep in debt to a bank whose chairman, William Weatherill Wilkins (Colin Firth), pretends sympathy while hiding ulterior motives. When Michael asserts that his father owned shares in the bank, Wilkins offers to stop the foreclosure if proof can be provided by Friday at midnight. As Jane and Michael search for the missing papers, Mary provides a refuge for the children, taking them on magical journeys, including a visit to a China bowl and to her cousin, Topsy (Meryl Streep). While these events are enjoyable, "Mary Poppins Returns" pales in comparison to the original. It's an enjoyable holiday movie, but it's also an imperfect sequel.

If Beale Street Could Talk - 4 smiles

The over-arching theme of "If Beale Street Could Talk" is the enduring power of love although it emphasizes the oppressive force of racism. Some might view this as a political movie, but it's also a tale of love, survival and humanity. The story is narrated by Tish Rivers (Kiki Layne), the 19-year old protagonist. Her boyfriend and the father of her unborn child, Fonny Hunt (Stephan James), has been incarcerated for a rape he didn't commit. Director Barry Jenkins makes it clear from the outset that Fonny is innocent, but a racist cop and a brutalized woman without a clear memory of the event conspire to put an innocent man behind bars. And despite the efforts of a white lawyer (Finn Wittrock), an acquittal is an elusive dream. This is a world where Atticus Finch is fictional and plea bargains are the only realistic way to avoid the hammer of a mostly white jury.

Like any well-made movie with a social conscience, "If Beale Street Could Talk" fills the viewer with a sense of righteous indignation that any person (regardless of color or sex) could be subjected to such injustice. The film's ensemble cast provides a case study in emotionally powerful acting. Outside of the nameless cop, there are no villains. Newcomer Kiki Layne, making her feature film debut, brings a mixture of sweetness and strength to Tish, a stand-by-her-man woman who offers a measure of her resolve to her boyfriend and fights for his rights. Stephan James, who played Jesse Owens in the 2016 film Race, portrays Fonny as accepting his bleak reality without surrendering to despair. Effective support is provided by Regina King as Tish's fierce mother, who goes to Puerto Rico to talk to the distraught woman accusing Fonny. "If Beale Street Could Talk" works as a timeless romance, a family drama, legal thriller and a social commentary. It deserves its current accolades and should be seen.