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Anyone But You  A few months after first date with Ben (Glen Powell), a stock broker, that doesn't end well, Bea (Sydney Sweeney), a BU law student, ends up bumping into him at the wedding of her younger sister, Halle (Hadley Robinson), in Australia. Halle happens to be marrying Claudia (Alexandra Shipp), the stepsister of Ben's best friend, Pete (GaTa). Ben and Bea pretend to be a couple to make the wedding more pleasant. The screenplay by writer/director Will Gluck and co-writer Ilana Wolpert is painfully unfunny, shallow and uninspired. There's nothing wrong with a shallow romcom every now and then as long as it provides the laughs. However, the humor here feels forced from the very first attempt at humor when Bea desperately needs to pee at a cafe, but has to order something and stand in a long line to pay for it before Ben comes to the rescue and pretends to be her husband. Then she accidentally wets the front of her pants with water from the bathroom's sink and must find a way to dry it or else it'll look like she peed herself. The wet pants joke goes on for too long and isn't even that funny. It takes Anyone But You a while to get to the meat of the story in Australia where Ben and Bea try to fool everyone by pretending to be a couple. Both of their exes happen to also be at the wedding. What sounds like a zany, raunchy screwball comedy only manages to be raunchy---very raunchy, in fact. Unfortunately, none of the raunchy jokes land either, especially when there's yet another sight gag that lasts too long when Ben and Bea finger each other at the edge of a cliff. Don't bother to ask how and why that happens because it doesn't make much sense in the film either other than to try to push the envelope. Nearly every character is a one-note, over-the-top caricature, including Bea (Joe Davidson), the new boyfriend of Ben's ex. Ben hopes that his ex will want to leae her boyfriend to be with him if she sees him and Bea as a couple. Not surprisingly, he's right. What does his ex see in him? What was their relationship like? Why did they break up? The screenplay doesn't care about answering those questions. Yet another joke that doesn't land is when Ben and Bea reenact a scene from Titanic on a boat to make it look like to the wedding guests they're in love. Is it too much to ask for some wit or sparkling banter? Even the recent Meg Ryan romcom What Happens Later manages to incorporate some witty banter that's sorely missing here. Anyone But Here aims too often for the low-hanging fruit and comes up empty. Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are sexy and charismatic, but, much like the humor, their chemistry feels forced. It doesn't help that both Ben and Bea are often annoying and unpleasant to be around. Bryan Brown has a few amusing moments as Claudia's father, Roger, another character who gets annoying after a while. Rachel Griffiths is wasted and miscast here as Bea's mother. She's much better in her iconic role as Rhonda in the classic Australian film Muriel's Wedding which is more funny, witty and smart than Anyone But You. Moreover, the use of music is awkward and unimaginative, especially a song that gets repeated before the entire cast sings it during the end credits. Is that a nod to the ending of There's Something About Mary where everyone hilariously lip syncs to "Build Me Up Buttercup"? If so, it's not even remotely as funny as in that classic 90's romcom that successfully pushes the envelope while also making the audience laugh. The only aspect that stands out is the breathtaking scenery of Australia, but that's not nearly enough to hold the audience's attention. At a running time of 1 hour and 43 minutes, Anyone But You is a witless, lazy and painfully unfunny screwball romcom. George Cukor is rolling in his grave.
 Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom  Aquaman (Jason Momoa), a.k.a. the king of Atlantis, has settled down his wife, Mera (Amber Heard), and their baby son, Arthur Jr. When Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) sets out to destroy Atlantis with the help of Dr. Shin (Randall Park), Aquaman frees his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) and joins forces with him to save Atlantis while searching for a hidden kingdom under the sea known as Necrus. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is yet another lackluster superhero action thriller that's high on action, but low on palpable thrills. The screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick is dull with very poorly-handled exposition that significantly diminishes that narrative momentum. There are too many characters, too much backstory that's glossed over and very little fun. Even the comic relief this time around doesn't quite work, so it's a slog to get through the seemingly endless second act. The film eventually becomes tedious and exhausting rather than exhilarating. Moreover, the dialogue often sounds stilted, clunky and, at times, unintentionally funny. The sight gag involving Aquaman eating a cockroach is disgusting, not funny. On top of that, the villains, Blank Manta and Dr. Shin, are very underdeveloped which makes Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom disappointing with a very weak story that fails to entertain. Perhaps it would work better as a video game rather than a movie. Unfortunately, none of the actors manage to enliven the film---not even Jason Momoa who's much more over-the-top and campy in Fast X than here. Nicole Kidman looks bored in her scenes as Aquaman's mother who's merely there to provide some more clunky exposition. The CGI effects are decent, but nothing exceptional, and they quickly become tiresome as do the action sequences. There's also some very choppy editing with abrupt cuts at times that feels awkward and distracting. At a running time of 2 hours and 4 minutes, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is an overproduced, asinine, anemic and underwhelming spectacle that's just disappointing as Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire.
 The Iron Claw  Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) grows up in Texas with his mother, Doris (Maura Tierney), father, Fritz (Holt McCallany) and three brothers, Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson), and Mike (Stanley Simons), in Texas during the 1980s. He and his brothers pursue a career in professional wrestling with their father serving as their coach. Meanwhile, Kevin falls in love with Pam (Lily James) while struggling to deal with a series of family tragedies. Based on a true story, the screenplay by writer/director Sean Durkin remains poignant and tender as it explores the topics of love, family, ambition and grief. Although on the surface it's about wrestlers, it's fundamentally an unflinching portrait of a dysfunctional family who stick together even through their hardships. The father, Fritz, comes across as domineering, cold and emotionally abusive toward his sons. Their mother is often stoic and also cold much like Beth in Ordinary People. She enabled Fritz's abusive behavior. The Iron Claw doesn't just deal with one kind of love; it tackles romantic love between Kevin and Pam and also the unconditional love between him and his brothers. Writer/director Sean Durkin does a terrific job of opening the window into Kevin's heart, mind and soul so that you can grasp the wide range of complex emotions that he's feeling. He has a lot of pent up emotions that gradually externalizes. It could be argued that he channels his rage and frustrations through wrestling. As the plot progresses, it becomes increasingly darker and melancholic, but without becoming maudlin or melodramatic. There are certain darker elements that Durkin leaves off-camera without dwelling on; instead, he trusts the audience's imagination and emotions. The dynamics between Kevin and his brothers feels organic, and the same can be said for his character arc as he learns and changes while concurrently growing more emotionally mature. Thank you, writer/director Sean Durkin, for seeing and treating these characters as complex human beings and for showing empathy even toward the most unlikable character, Fritz. Zac Efron gives the best performance of his career. He doesn't just transform into Kevin physically by bulking up; he also finds Kevin's emotional truth. His emotionally generous performance pays off with some very heartbreaking scenes that ground the film in authenticity. Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simons and Harris Dickinson are also superb. Even the supporting actors like Maura Tierny and Holt McCallany make the most out of their roles and are very well-cast. Moreover, there's the exquisite cinematography which starts in black-and-white before changing to color, and the well-edited wrestling scenes that don't shy away from showing the physical grit. The pace moves slowly without becoming sluggish, so there aren't any scenes that overstay their welcome. The third act won't be spoiled here, but it's worth mentioning that it earns every one of its emotions without becoming heavy-handed. At a running time of 2 hours and 12 minutes, The Iron Claw is a triumph. It's a powerful, captivating and genuinely heartfelt emotional journey.
 Memory  Sylvia (Jessica Chastain), a social worker who's been sober for the past 13 years, lives in New York City with her daughter, Anna (Brooke Timber). At her high school reunion, she meets Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) and he stalks her home. She believes that he's the one responsible for a traumatic event from her high school days. He suffers from dementia, so she agrees to become his caretaker. Writer/director Michel Franco has woven an honest, tender and heartfelt love story about the importance of compassion and overcoming trauma. When Sylvia meets Saul and instantly accuses him of being the someone from her childhood who sexually abused her. Saul doesn't remember the incident and can't confirm it because he has dementia. Could she be lying? Or is Saul actually her abuser? Memory could've easily turned into a psychological thriller or mystery, but instead turns into a character study of two wounded souls Sylvia who have buried their emotional pain. She had tried to drown her pain through alcohol. Her meetings with Saul reawakens that pain and compels her to confront it head on. She also confronts her memories which may or may not be reliable. As the film progresses, there are more revelations about her traumatic childhood that enrich the audience's understanding of her behavior, especially her relationship with her sister, Olivia (Merrett Weaver), who's also processing her own trauma. There's a particularly powerful scene where Olivia confronts their mother. Writer/director Michel Franco avoids melodrama and schmaltz, though, while also maintaining a solid handle on exposition without using flashbacks or voice-over narration. The compassionate bond between Sylvia and Saul feels organic, understated, unflinching and genuinely poignant from start to finish. Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard give convincingly moving performances that open the window widely into their characters' heart, mind and soul. They both capture their characters' vulnerability, strengths and, above all, their humanity without over-acting. Merritt Weaver is also superb here just like in Midday Black Midnight Blue which would make for an interesting double feature with Memory. The pace moves at just the right speed---not to slow nor too fast--while allowing the scenes to breathe. Too many films these days are in a hurry to get to a cathartic ending; Memory takes its time and trusts the audience's patience. Patience, after all, can often be very rewarding. The rewards here come in the form of observing two lost souls gradually heal and find love while conquering their adversities. Thank you, writer/director Michel Franco, for seeing and treating Sylvia and Saul as complex human beings and for displaying empathy toward them. At a running time of 1 hour and 40 minutes, Memory is an honest, tender and genuinely heartfelt love story.
 Society of the Snow  A charter plane carrying a group of rugby players from Uruguay to Chile crashes in the Andes mountains. The survivors, Numa Turcatti (Enzo Vogrincic), Nando Parrado (Agustín Pardella), and Roberto Canessa (Matías Recalt), among others, battle the elements while deciding whether or not to eat the dead bodies to stay alive. Based on a true story and on the book by Pablo Vierci, the screenplay by writer/director J.A. Bayona and his co-writers, Nicolás Casariego,
Jaime Marques and Bernat Vilaplana, combine thrills, tragedy and psychological horror with mostly effective results. The voice-over narration is somewhat distracting, though, and a sign that the filmmakers don't trust the audience's intelligence as well as their emotions because it leads to too much over-explaining. The audience doesn't always need to be spoon-fed and for their hand to be held all the time. Despite those setbacks, the film does manage to generate palpable tension and even a little poignancy as it focuses on the survivors' struggles. It also becomes quite harrowing when they have to decide whether or not to eat the dead bodies. To be fair, there is nothing unconventional or exceptional about Society of the Snow. Its narrative approach doesn't take any risks, so Society of the Snow often plays it safe like a by-the-numbers procedural where you can feel the screenplay turning every step of the way. The heartfelt performances by Enzo Vogrincic, Agustín Pardella and Matías Recalt are the film's main sources of emotional depth. So, they manage to rise above the mediocre screenplay and to help the audience feel more immersed in the story. The production design, visual effects and cinematography are also among the film's strengths. A lot of attention to detail has clearly been spent on the production values. Some scenes are breathtaking beyond words. That said, the editing could've been tighter because the running time feels bloated which causes some scenes the drag during the second act. At an overlong running time of 2 hours and 24 minutes, Society of the Snow is often thrilling, engrossing and well-shot, but conventional and just mildly engaging.
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