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Date: 12/12/2022
New to Theaters: “The Fabelmans”
Across five decades of filmmaking, director Steven Spielberg accumulated an endless array of triumphs. The awe and wonderment of “Jaws” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” spearheaded the creation of modern blockbuster cinema, while gripping dramas like “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan” showcased Spielberg’s potent ability to convey the human condition through a camera lens.
With his latest project, “The Fabelmans,” Spielberg undertakes his most significant test yet – telling his own story. Spielberg spent the last two decades contemplating whether to recount his coming-of-age odyssey through the luminous light of the silver screen. He eventually decided to pursue the project during COVID-19 lockdowns, ultimately describing the project as the most significant story he has yet to tell.
Spielberg unsurprisingly tackles the herculean challenge with stellar results. “The Fabelmans” marks an indelible achievement in coming-of-age storytelling, intelligently reckoning with the filmmaker’s expressive joys and pains in a mesmerizing cinematic experience.
Several critic pundits have already denounced “Fabelmans” as just another routine coming-of-age story infused with Spielberg’s typical panache for sentimental storytelling. In reality, the film is anything but simple.
It all starts with Spielberg, who goes by the affectionate nickname Sammy in the film, experiencing filmmaking for the first time as a youth. Amidst the darkly lit multiplex, Sammy becomes entranced by the scenery of his first filmgoing experience – a silent train robbery film that sparks his imagination in ways that his adolescent mindset can’t quite comprehend. This moment is the genesis of Sammy’s filmmaking obsession. His passion receives active support from his eccentric mother, Mitzi, but is painted as a mere hobby by his pragmatic father, Burt.
Spielberg and his frequent screenwriting collaborator Tony Kushner follow Sammy as he becomes more entrenched in his filmmaking pursuits, including directing several spirited low-budget productions that pay ode to the western and war epics of yesteryear. The recreation of these productions is glorious in their affectionate glow, with Spielberg’s impressive technical craft conveying the innocent whimsy of his early filmmaking experiences.
As Sammy ages, his understanding of the craft evolves when his home movies intersect with troubling developments in his homestead. This process entrenches him in an illuminating trial by fire, placing him face-to-face with the complexities of adulthood through the prism of his film camera.
I found “The Fabelmans” most rewarding when exploring how Sammy’s maturation through the alluring gaze of filmmaking places him face-to-face with an uncompromising reality. While Sammy’s enchanted by the humanity and mysticism embedded within filmmaking, he also grows to understand that his dream will dedicate him to an art form that mirrors but can’t quite replicate the exact rhythms of life. It’s a fascinating portrait on self-discovery and art’s elusive allures from Spielberg that always feels well-balanced in its stirring sentiments.
Fans of Spielberg’s catalog are sure to feel his trademark touch behind the camera. He and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski have a way of making the most menial moments feel grandiose. From the radiant glimmer of each film projection to the expressive framing choices, Spielberg and Kaminski consistently find ways to enhance the compelling drama onscreen. It’s all beautifully tied together by another masterful score by composer extraordinaire John Williams.
The performances are also a standout. Gabriel LaBelle cements himself as a star to watch with his aching and personable depiction of Sammy’s coming-of-age journey. Paul Dano and Michelle Williams imbue their trademark talents into the complex roles of Burt and Mitzi, while veteran stalwart Judd Hirsch leaves an unshakeable impression in his limited screentime. There’s also a great cameo from a Hollywood icon, but I don’t want to spoil all the film’s wonderful surprises.
Simply put, “The Fabelmans” is a masterful achievement. Spielberg and company create an insightful, emotionally resonant, and profoundly impactful story that transcends its biopic form.
New to Theaters: “Violent Night”
Disillusioned by the commercial cynicism of Christmas, Santa Claus exists as an alcoholic shadow of his former holly-jolly self. Years of naughty list children and non-believing adults have eroded Santa into becoming a true grinch of the Christmas season.
While embarking on his supposed last annual present run, Santa suddenly finds himself ensnared in a deadly hostage situation at an elitist family estate. The predicament forces Santa to unleash his fierce warrior aptitude in order to save the day in “Violent Night.”
Christmas films are commonplace staples of the holiday season. Whether it’s the misty-eyed magic of “It’s a Wonderful Life” or the comedic hijinks of “A Christmas Story,” Christmas serves as a lively canvas for artists to imbue their unique sensibilities onto the holiday’s well-entrenched sentiments.
With “Violent Night,” director Tommy Wirkola and his creative team embrace a wholly untraditional approach – conjuring Yuletide cheer in an unabashedly R-rated action/comedy that feels like a forgotten byproduct of the action genre’s 1980s glory days. The bold risk results in a devilishly entertaining B-movie romp that still presents an infectious embrace of the Christmas spirit.
Swimming in unconventional waters comes second nature for Wirkola. The Norwegian filmmaker broke out with his Nazi zombie horror film “Dead Snow” in 2009, utilizing an offbeat concept to provide a campy spectacle full of bullets and bloodshed. He then became entrenched in Hollywood productions, although his efforts with 2013’s uneventful “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunter” showcased a director compromising his vision under restrictive studio mandates.
“Violent Night” thankfully features Wirkola’s auteur touch in every frame. The director evokes boundless energy in his craft, controlling the camera with technical aplomb as he dreams up a series of violent set pieces. Each clash’s creative choreography, ingenious practical effects and poised camerawork mix brilliantly in forming gleefully chaotic confrontations that maximize the film’s limited budget. The use of lingering tracking shots also highlights the exhaustion and physicality behind each grueling brawl.
I appreciate that Wirkola always imbues tongue-in-cheek energy into his films. Instead of shying away from the film’s “Die Hard”-meets-“Home Alone” premise, “Violent Night” embraces its identity as the vulgar stepchild of Christmas’ family-friendly image and is made all the better for it. Wirkola and the screenwriting team of Pat Casey and Josh Miller develop a robust comedic voice bursting with crass pratfalls and self-aware energy, including several humorous reimaginings of Santa’s well-regarded lore.
The script assembles ingenious avenues for tying in holiday values. The dispirited Santa Claus at the center of “Violent Night” is burnt out by years of watching Christmas transform into a holiday less about family togetherness and more about commercial excess. Through his heroic crusade, Santa befriends Trudy, an optimistic child who still believes in Santa and the Christmas spirit with an open heart. Her infectious optimism helps Santa and her cynical family members rediscover the purpose of the holiday. The concept is certainly nothing groundbreaking, but Casey and Miller inject enough warmth and sincerity to make “Violent Night’s” narrative approach ring true.
A skilled ensemble cast also delivers the goods. “Stranger Things” star David Harbour is a master at portraying surly tough guys with a heart of gold. As Santa, Harbour infuses the character’s grizzled charms with enough vulnerabilities to make his persona shine onscreen. Likewise, Leah Brady is effective as the good-natured Trudy, while lively supporting performances from Cam Gigandet, Edi Patterson and John Leguizamo as the sinister villain, Scrooge, add some comedic punch to the material.
I had a blast throughout “Violent Night.” The film offers an amoral and wildly amusing ride for viewers looking for a unique Christmas movie experience.