What I’m Watching: Breathtaking ‘Bones,’ Disastrous ‘Disenchanted’

Date: 12/6/2022

New to Theaters: “Bones and All”

After being abandoned by her father, Maren wanders across the country in search of answers to her identity. She stumbles into Lee – a drifter suffering from a similar infliction – they are both cannibals. Maren and Lee form an affectionate bond as they wrestle with their future in “Bones and All.”

The notion of a cannibal love story may garner repugnant responses from readers at first glance, but the concept packs far more resonance than what initially meets the eye. Based on Camille DeAngelis’ acclaimed 2015 novel, “Bones and All” thankfully utilizes its premise for more than grisly gore and bone-crunching body horror. Instead, the film adaptation offers an emotionally raw, star-crossed romance that impactfully reckons with its characters’ vulnerable plights.

Concocting untraditional narratives comes second nature for Italian director Luca Guadagnino. Following his success with the Oscar-winning “Call Me By Your Name” and his bold remake of “Suspiria,” Guadagnino imbues his dream-like sensibilities masterfully into “Bones and All’s” narrative framework.

The structure-free approach fits the aimless road trip odyssey like a glove, with the director’s evocative framing choices and intelligently implemented music cues eliciting a deep undercurrent of untamed emotion resting under the surface of his insular subjects. In addition, Guadagnino conjures remarkable sensitivity throughout “Bones,” wrestling sincerely with his characters’ three-dimensional perspectives without rendering clean-cut conclusions from their struggles. He also executes a few sequences of grisly human consumption, although these moments focus less on visceral carnage and more on the taxing personal toll of the characters’ insatiable desires.

At its core, “Bones and All” is a profoundly personal work. Screenwriter David Kajganich’s adaptation skillfully dissects the human ramifications of Lee and Maren’s unique inflection. In a figurative sense, their hunger for human flesh mirrors an inescapable addiction – an uncontrollable urge that drives both into being longstanding outsiders. I appreciate the patience Kajganich operates with across the film’s sprawling 131-minute runtime, delicately developing Lee and Maren as wistful dreamers searching for a sense of solace amidst a world that shuns their existence.

A trio of impactful performances also steals the show. As Maren, emerging star Taylor Russell showcases her effervescent talents onscreen. Her expressive subtleties and commanding screen presence help morph Maren into a lived-in protagonist that boasts a transfixing hold on viewers’ interest. Likewise, Timothée Chalamet is aptly suited for the role of cannibal drifter Lee. The actor exudes alluring charisma and emotional vulnerability as Lee comes face-to-face with his complicated existence. The impactful performances from Russell and Chalamet cultivate natural chemistry onscreen as the duo forms a romantic dynamic forged from the fires of their pained shared history.

Oscar-winner Mark Rylance also exhibits remarkable dedication as a sinister cannibal tracking Maren’s every move. I will admit that Rylance’s arc is the film’s weakest element, ultimately injecting too much melodrama that distracts from the narrative’s more nuanced pleasures. However, the actor’s unfiltered mania and overwhelming creepiness still allow the role to take on its intended menace.

“Bones and All” really enamored me from start to finish. It’s a deeply affecting work that morphs its unconventional premise into a powerful portrait of two disenfranchised people finding solace in one another.

New to Streaming: “Disenchanted” on Disney+

Like a lurking spectrum haunting my dreams, Disney returns with another straight-to-streaming sequel, “Disenchanted.” The 2007 live-action fairy tale redux “Enchanted” represented a breath of fresh air for Disney, showcasing an alluring array of bright music numbers and clever twists on the studio’s well-known formula. The feature also marked a mainstream breakout for star Amy Adams – a six-time Oscar nominee who imbued an exuberant presence into the lead role of princess Giselle.

Fourteen years later, “Disenchanted” releases on Disney+ to little fanfare. This sequel follows Giselle and her husband, Robert, as they move into the suburbs. What promises to be a fresh start for their family quickly sours on Giselle’s teenage stepdaughter Morgan. To correct the situation, Giselle wishes to change their neighborhood into a fantasy world. Her request soon presents unpredicted ramifications as Giselle comes face-to-face with her possible existence as a fairy tale cliche – the wicked stepmother.

“Disenchanted” is an ironically apt name for this lame-duck sequel. While “Enchanted” cultivated a passionate audience from its balance of whimsy and intellect, “Disenchanted” never captures the vibrant spark that enchanted viewers in the first place.

The numerous deficiencies are apparent from the film’s onset. Director Adam Shankman exhibits little care in his director-for-hire efforts, showcasing a studio-friendly visual sheen that looks more akin to a half-hearted Disney Channel program than a big-budget feature film. Even the film’s attempts at showstopping music numbers and lavish action setpieces look aggressively shoddy – a fact made all the more inexcusable considering the unlimited money and assets Disney has at their disposal.

I can’t blame Shankman too much because it’s clear Disney inserted little effort across the entire production. The screenplay is as thankless as it gets, regurgitating its predecessor’s attempts at modernizing fairy tale tropes but without the cleverness and perspective that made “Enchanted” so noteworthy. As a result, viewers can practically set their watch for when each unsurprising plot twist and maudlin moment of melodrama will occur. Every detail, from the half-hearted jokes to the trite music numbers, feels like a lifeless shell of what the original achieved.

Even the star-studded cast seems bored by “Disenchanted.” Amy Adams tries her best to elevate wayward material, but her genuine efforts are squandered in a movie that doesn’t know what it wants to do with her character. Gieselle fluctuates from wholesome positivity to moments of utter wickedness as she falls into a sinister spell. Like most elements of “Disenchanted,” Gieselle’s character change feels like a half-hearted attempt at fusing new energy into the proceedings. Co-stars Patrick Dempsey, Maya Rudolph and James Marsden are equally wasted in roles that underutilize their distinct talents.

“Disenchanted” never answers one crucial question – why continue the “Enchanted” story? You would think after 14 years, Disney would concoct an inspired vision for building upon one of the best live-action films of their modern era. Instead, “Disenchanted” reads more like a last-minute project slapped together by procrastinating parties vying to meet an imminent deadline. It’s an undernourished and uneventful feature that wastes its creative talent’s energy and, worst of all – the audience’s time.