It’s American Thanksgiving tomorrow, and tradition dictates the studios roll out their holiday-weekend contenders today. And NOW is on top of them!
Allied: Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard do their best to bring Robert Zemeckis’ latest digital construction to life, wind up making it reasonably watchable … if never exactly gripping.
Bad Santa 2: I really did not like the first one, and a sequel thirteen years later seems utterly pointless. So we sent Phil instead. Poor Phil.
Moana: Disney’s latest animated adventure is a joyous, knowing embrace of the studio’s formula from John Musker and Ron Clements, who perfected it with The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. And Lin-Manuel Miranda delivers the best songs since Ashman and Menken.
Rules Don’t Apply: Warren Beatty’s first film in almost two decades is also the worst thing he’s ever done. Like, ever. Fox is obliged to make an Oscar push for this, but don’t fall for it. Please.
That’s it for today, but there’s more coming tomorrow. Stay tuned …
Hello Norm, these are the turkeys, all right. But there are two soaring alternatives in theaters: “Arrival” with Amy Adams, and “Manchester by the Sea” — go see them instead!
–poor stuart