In this edition of Additional Bite-Sized Reviews, I give you my thoughts on 1) a recent two-part documentary that I enjoyed quite a bit, 2) my first Wim Wenders film, 3) one of the biggest event films of last year, 4) a streaming film that didn’t fully work for me, and, finally, 5) a Disney film that is chock-full of references.
F.A.Q.
- What are Additional Bite-Sized Reviews?
– My movie and television catch-up review series ‘Additional Bite-Sized Reviews‘ is an evolution of the Overview-article section previously titled ‘What I Didn’t Write About.’ In articles such as this one, I will provide my readers with my thoughts on select new films, new shows, or even classics that I feel like giving my thoughts on relatively briefly, since I don’t have the time to dedicate thorough reviews to them at this point in time. - Why do the bite-sized reviews not include either a letter grade or a review score?
– In my full and thorough reviews, I like to score or grade what I watch. But since these reviews aren’t as detailed, I think it is fairer to the films and shows to simply just decide whether or not to recommend them. I guess you could say this is the only type of review that is basically ‘scored’ with the classic thumbs-up/thumbs-down-method on my site, though sometimes my recommendation answer comes with a caveat.
STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces | Docu-Series | Directed by Morgan Neville | Release Year: 2024 | Recommended?: Yes.
Steve Martin is the kind of iconic and beloved American star of screen and stage that probably needs no proper introduction, but, man, was I delighted when I saw that Apple had released a documentary about his career. Thought this was quite good. On the one hand, I would’ve probably preferred if it were just a single documentary film rather than a two-parter, but, on the other hand, once you see this, it is very clear that the two parts are very distinctive.
Part One, or Then, is a recap of his rise to stardom complete with lots and lots of archival footage of his stand-up. Here it does a good job of emphasizing not just his excellent comedic timing but also the noteworthy timing of his comedic stardom. As someone who mainly knows him for his films, it was really interesting to have his career be presented like this.
Then there is Part Two, or Now, which features testimonials and talking-head interviews but also extended sequences with the star himself going through his daily life, writing comedy, discussing how he has arrived at fatherhood late in life, and things like this.
When viewed together, it makes for a relatively eye-opening look at a beloved comedian (adored by multiple generations), his complicated/difficult relationship with his father (“he’s no Charlie Chaplin,” his father apparently said, when asked, in front of Steve Martin, what he thought of The Jerk), the longing and loneliness that has followed him through his life and is seen in his relationships, his movies, and in his love of certain pieces of art.
I’ll probably remember it best for the overwhelming wave of emotion that hit Martin as he thought back on Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and his castmate and friend John Candy. It is a moment that hit social media a while back, and I do wish this documentary had more of these moments with Steve Martin engaging with and sharing his memories of certain films and their production. We get glimpses of this, but I would’ve loved much more.
Der Amerikanische Freund | Film | Directed by Wim Wenders | Screenplay by Wim Wenders | Release Year: 1977 | Recommended?: Yes.
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1974 novel Ripley’s Game, Wim Wenders’ Der Amerikanische Freund is mostly set in Hamburg, Germany, and it follows Tom Ripley (played by Dennis Hopper) as he becomes involved in a murder scheme set in motion by French criminals who, on Ripley’s disingenuous suggestion, have hired Jonathan Zimmermann (played by Bruno Ganz), a German picture framer suffering from a serious medical condition, to do their dirty work for them.
Believe it or not — this was my first Wim Wenders film. It is a strong and atmospheric 1970s slow-burn Euro-thriller with solid work from Dennis Hopper (in a cowboy hat!) and, especially, Bruno Ganz. It does feel like a film that could be better on a second viewing, but, even on the first viewing, this had all the makings of something I greatly like. The first mission was especially gripping to me, and I thought Ganz did such a good job of hitting on his character’s amateurishness and nerves — terrific sequence. Some parts of the last 15-to-20 minutes felt slightly inelegant and unclear, but I suspect some of that could be ironed out the next time I see it — a definite recommendation.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour | Concert Film | Directed by Sam Wrench | Release Year: 2023 | Recommended?: Yes.
Last year, The Eras Tour concert film took the world by storm and revitalized the movie theater industry in ways that took a lot of people by surprise. Earlier in the year, I sat down to watch the overwhelming concert film, and, I have to say, I quite liked it.
“What if I told you I’m a mastermind?”
Yeah, as a show, it really does have everything. It’s got well-defined chapters, but also excellent visuals, production design, choreography, light show, editing, and, of course, music (and in varying styles no less). On the one hand, I feel like you could shave off 20ish minutes from this, but, on the other hand, all of it is very good and entertaining. Some eras are infectiously entertaining (1989, Red, Fearless) in large part because of the energy of the track performances, while other, less-energetic eras are powered by great animated visuals or effective choreography or production design (Evermore, Folklore). Some have a bit of both (e.g. Midnights, Reputation). For now, I’ll keep my personal set ranking to myself, but, yeah, what a superstar.
Role Play | Film | Directed by Thomas Vincent | Screenplay by Seth W. Owen and Andrew Baldwin | Release Year: 2024 | Recommended?: No.
Thomas Vincent’s Role Play is an unfortunately derivative spy film about a spy’s double life getting mixed up with their family life, which they try to keep separate. We’ve all seen so many different versions of this very film, so if you’re not doing something original with it (which you, of course, should), then you have to excel in every other department. Frankly, this film does have a solid cast, but it isn’t funny enough to be a good comedy, have enough riveting action to be a good action film, nor is it thrilling enough to be an edge-of-your-seat spy thriller.
With the kind of performances that we see from Bill Nighy, David Oyelowo, and Kaley Cuoco, I feel like this could’ve worked better if it had leaned more into the family comedy of it all — like Simon Cellan Jones’ The Family Plan did with a similar basic premise. But instead of zigging, Role Play zags, and you’re thus left with a disappointingly unengaging spy film with a derivative plot and a cast, which also includes Connie Nielsen, that deserves better. Frankly, the film peaked with Bill Nighy’s entertaining but brief appearance in the film’s first act. Through it all, the film needed much more of his energy from the bar scene.
Wish | Film | Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn | Screenplay by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore | Release Year: 2023 | Recommended?: For Disney die-hards and families, yes.
Wish is set in a magical kingdom ruled by King Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine), who has the ability to make people’s innermost wishes come true. The film follows a young woman named Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose), who has secured a job interview for his apprentice role. However, when she asks for her grandfather’s wish to finally be granted, Magnifico becomes offended and declines. As she gets to know him in the job interview, it becomes clear to her that Magnifico isn’t as good-hearted as he pretends to be. When she, later, makes a wish upon a start, something happens that will change the course of the kingdom forever.
This is essentially Disney Easter Eggs: The Movie — which should clue you in on how bereft of originality this film may or may not be. It looked, to me, like the film was trying to be a blend of multiple different styles of animation, but it didn’t wow me as it was intended to. Some of the songs are decent (I like the “Is This The Thanks I Get?” antagonist song), while others feel quite unoriginal (maybe it’s just a ‘me thing,’ but the song where the protagonist introduced us to the town felt like it was more suitable for Encanto).
I enjoyed Chris Pine’s vocal performance, and there are scenes and references that I quite enjoyed, but elements of it feel generic and forgettable. Therefore, I can’t fully recommend this to anyone other than Disney die-hards and families with young children (who will probably enjoy this a fair bit). I don’t think it is a complete waste of time or a terrible movie, though. It is more than merely passable, it just feels inadequate when compared to all the much better films it’s constantly referencing.
– Reviews Written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 