Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Florence Pugh, and Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts What better way to awaken the Marvel Cinematic Universe fatigue than getting a group of anti-heroes together? After years of formulaic action, underwhelming character introductions, and redundant revivals across the past few phases, Thunderbolts* has closed out Phase 5 with a level of optimism that reminds audiences how much dramatic strength these ensembles can hold. Much like The Avengers, which closed out Phase One, Thunderbolts* excels through character dynamics that let personalities shine, and action sequences that actually have real stakes. Each and every misfit, normally cast aside and left to their own devices, becomes part of a fluid collective. They get to know one another as a means of survival, and learn the power they have within themselves to push through the irredeemable bits of their past that have held them to solitude. Thunderbolts* turns the idea of an emulative superhero on its head. The film resonates by looking inward to figure out who these characters are, beyond playing connect-the-dots in the Marvel universe, and impressively navigates mental health without compromising the seriousness of the subject. Led by the magnificent Florence Pugh, and featuring a charismatic Lewis Pullman as a fresh-faced addition to the MCU, Thunderbolts* steers the future of Marvel Studios onto an excitedly different path.
Finding strength and heroism in antagonistic Marvel characters, Thunderbolts* has assembled a fitting creative team to balance heightened stakes with entertaining personalities. Director Jake Schreier (co-director of the Emmy-winning Netflix series Beef) reimagines what makes a superhero and leans into moral ambiguity to create a grounded environment where he can explore darker subjects like mental health, and emphasize those narrative elements visually. His ability to also incorporate comedy into poignancy, as exemplified throughout Beef, helps the oddball team of MCU loners in Thunderbolts* stand out in their respective internal battles, while also being universal and fun to watch. Schreier’s tonal balance complements the work of co-writers Eric Pearson (who previously wrote Black Widow) and Joanna Calo (the Emmy-winning writer behind hit shows The Bear, Hacks, and BoJack Horseman), both of whom can easily spot the grey areas of a character and find intrigue in the shadows. Their screenplay grounds the story with a humanistic focus, startling with our dynamic central character. Picking up from Cate Shortland’s Black Widow, Russian Red Room-trained assassin Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) now freelances for OXE Group chairman Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). While Valentina has Yelena’s next rogue move lined up, Yelena feels empty and directionless. Deeply impacted by the loss of her sister, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), and vulnerable to emotional manipulation, Yelena’s motivation to go through countless missions comes from a heavy void. The film opens with a face of loneliness and isolation, a close-up of Yelena’s vulnerability (and Pugh’s fearlessness), as she leaps off one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. When she lands, she breaks new ground within herself and reluctantly agrees to do one last mission before calling it quits on assassin work. But that mountainous trap of a mission has a lot more in store for Yelena’s fate. Valentina, under impeachment from the U.S. government, orders her assistant Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan) to scrub all OXE Group assets from history, including mercenaries — Yelena, John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko). The disillusioned misfits are lured into a fortress to kill each other, and in eventually seeing through the faux mission, they realize they must work together to survive an explosion of betrayal. Making matters more complicated, the mercenaries are joined by a civilian named Bob (Lewis Pullman), who cannot remember why or how he’s in the room with them. The emotional anchors of Thunderbolts* ride on character arcs, especially for Yelena and Bob. She feels a strong connection to his energy, and the two share an intriguing conversation in the mountainous fortress that foreshadows the narrative directions to come. There’s a reason why Yelena is drawn to Bob, a mentally troubled young man whose dark side is being exploited. Through their interconnectedness, the film explores resonant themes of mental health, depression, and fighting inner demons. The characters’ internal conflicts carry the story forward, letting Thunderbolts* work its magic as a relationship-building film. It’s not about connecting dots within the Marvel universe, nor discerning Easter eggs from interactions, nor fighting for the greater good of mankind. It’s very much about the individual growing pains of misfits who are figuring out their humanistic superpowers and, for the most part, get moments to shine. Since her standout performance in Black Widow, Florence Pugh’s Yelena has become a fan favourite. Pugh brought incredible depth, charm, and humour to her character. Her talent elevated the film and ultimately inspired an exciting new direction for the MCU to go in; it felt a no-brainer that she would go on to lead a franchise project. Thunderbolts* meets Yelena at a vulnerable point where she has sharpened her skills and learnt so much from her sister, but lost a sense of purpose. Haunted by the deepest, darkest rooms of her past, Yelena’s inner struggle is compelling material for Pugh to sink into, and she does so beautifully. One can immediately identify with her isolation, recognize the qualities that make Yelena who she is, and discover the character’s growth. Yelena’s attentiveness towards Bob’s vulnerability, and her willingness to take him under her wing, emphasize an exploration of mental health through the superhero genre. The film is not immune to some of the MCU’s repeat storytelling offences such as clunky pacing and, in more recent years, unfunny marketing-driven banter. The actors’ sensibilities and wit are more than enough to interject levity without forced, cheesy comedic timing. Additionally, the writing structure can be redundant and surface-level in how messages around mental health are presented. However, this does not diminish the sincerity of wanting to include such messages and tell a more human story than what audiences expect from a Marvel blockbuster. Thunderbolts* has the endearing ensemble and thoughtful writing to pull off character and story developments that genuinely do stir emotion. That a major MCU franchise film pushes for more mature subject matter feels incredibly refreshing, and does not underestimate the universality of a topic like depression, nor does it undermine the seriousness of it. Of the ensemble, Lewis Pullman has the most delicate role to play, calling on him to be vulnerable and intimidating at the switch of a hat. As a new addition to the MCU, he makes an engaging first impression and creates someone you immediately feel drawn to, as there is more to Bob than meets the eye. Pullman brings an endearing charisma to this seemingly innocent civilian, and the film’s first act smartly keeps his full abilities shrouded. Each layer of the character builds onto a compelling backstory and gives him a motivating factor, while also shedding light on Val’s shady intentions. When Bob volunteers to participate in a lab test, under the guise that it will take his pain away, Val has him injected with a DNA-altering serum to create Sentry, “Earth’s Mightiest Hero.” The superhuman’s powers are designed to rival all of the Avengers rolled into one. In exploiting Bob’s trauma, she unwittingly creates The Void, an entity that heightens his dark side to an all-consuming level. The Void keeps Bob stuck in a shadowy maze of his traumatic past, unable to fight against the emptiness and loneliness. Pullman, no pun intended, pulls off an incredibly multi-faceted role, from Void’s darkness and Sentry’s intimidation to Bob’s vulnerability. He navigates disorientating compartments of the character’s mind and, in a particularly moving sequence, shows Bob’s inner strength of realizing he’s not alone in the world. Sentry’s arc speaks to how depression doesn’t simply go away with a masked front, and how even the people one may perceive as superheroes can also struggle on the inside. Sentry also proves to be a far more intriguing character than expected; beyond a superhuman silhouette who can fight off any misfit without so much as flinching, he has enough self-awareness to question why he needs to follow Val’s orders. If he is so almighty, why would he answer to anyone? Through this character, the film finds emotionally resonating ways of communicating something that so many of us need to hear: you are not alone. The Void’s visualization also makes for some of the most engaging action sequences the MCU has ever produced. From turning civilians into shadows, to the misfits fighting their way through Bob’s psychological maze of dark rooms, to Bob fighting his inner self, the action derives from character development. It helps that much of the choreography we see is also from a ground-level perspective, which feels more tangible and creates a realistic set of stakes. Additionally, the brilliant score by Son Lux highlights the oddities of these characters and the tension of their heightened circumstances, while keeping humanity at the core. The level of tact involved in Yelena and Bob’s character arcs extends, for the most part, to all the misfits in this ensemble. The film gives familiar faces such as Walker (Russell) and Ghost (John-Kamen) more material than they’ve had across the entirety of the MCU. While this still leaves more to be desired, particularly from Ghost who disappears from the frame far too often, the time spent on their characters reveals a unique edge. Thunderbolts* excels at focusing on how to approach the misfits as an ensemble. It’s not so much about the group seeking revenge, but rather learning how to work together, and how to address their own pasts out of a need to keep surviving. The film’s second half also smartly gives each character a moment of saving bystanders not for the greater good, nor for any reason other than lending a helping hand, just as Yelena extends to Bob. This sentiment of helping hands also extends to characters such as Yelena’s father, Alexei (David Harbour), who not only provides comic relief but a voice of poignancy. During the film’s second half, Harbour and Pugh share an incredibly moving moment in a conversation of purpose and healing. With both actors so present in this moment, their conversation truly echoes and gives weight to Yelena’s character development. The presence of another familiar face, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), also emphasizes the film’s recurring theme of finding your community. While the character doesn’t get much to do, he still manages to resonate in identifying with the misfits, and at least makes an appearance as the Winter Soldier. As a former assassin, he has been in their position, and has the foresight to guide them towards pushing through complicated pasts. The battle between good and evil has long been the structure of superhero films. Thunderbolts* stands out by taking this approach to explore the interior conflicts within characters. The wrestling of good and bad elements exists within them, and watching those psychological battles play out is far more emotionally involving than much of what the MCU franchise has offered in recent years. With resonating subjects, a tremendous cast, and enough heart to feel purposeful, Thunderbolts* signifies that Marvel creatives still have the capacity to tell interesting stories within the superhero genre.
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Stefani Kimber in The Players (2025) Sarah Galea-Davis’s feature directorial debut The Players tells a universal story of power dynamics and gender roles through an avant-garde lens. Set in Ontario in the summer of 1994, the film follows aspiring young actor Emily (Stefani Kimber), whose dream comes true when she gets cast in a local production of Hamlet. Emily begins to feel seen and heard by the group of actors, as though she’s found her family through experimental expression. But in her naivete, she trusts that her aspirations will be nurtured and not taken advantage of. She trusts that putting herself in pain is “necessary” in the name of art. The company director, Reinhardt (Eric Johnson), operates his theatre like a cult, blurring lines between personal and creative relationships to feed his ego and toxic behavior. Written and directed by Davis, the film resonates as a coming-of-age story and a cautionary tale for young women who wish to get into the industry. Davis deftly captures the 90s mentality around what behaviors were tolerated. Additionally, Davis points out how this pre-#MeToo era made it more difficult for women to speak up about exploitation and abuse, not to mention the lack of safe spaces for women to discuss their experiences with one another. Led by an impressive performance from Stefani Kimber, The Players strikes a reverberating chord. The Players premieres on Saturday, March 29 at 6:30 pm and will be preceded by Dan Abramovici’s short film Spaceman. Canadian Film Festival (CFF) runs from March 24-29, 2025 at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto. Luna Vachon in Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story (2025) Closing out this year’s Canadian Film Fest (CFF), Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story steps into the ring of pro-wrestler Luna “The Lunatic” as she wrestles between personal and professional demons. The documentary paints a troubling portrait of an intimidating stage persona of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), particularly when so few women were embraced or taken seriously in the sport. From hyper-sexualization and stereotypical expectations to sexual assault and gender inequity, the documentary explores a challenging landscape through which Luna navigated. Directed, written, and produced by pro-wrestler Kate Kroll, Lunatic delves less into wrestling narratives and more into observations on Luna’s identity and how she was perceived by her surroundings, whether family and friends or former colleagues and fellow female wrestlers. Kroll attempts to infuse in-depth perspective with a mix of archival footage and floating head interviews, however, the material feels redundant and the focus is scattered. Additionally, repetitive storytelling techniques and shaky editing rob the documentary of its potential emotionality and staying power. Despite such shortcomings, Lunatic raises some intrigue about Luna Vachon’s uniquely carved legacy. Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story premieres on Saturday, March 29 at 9:00 pm and will be preceded by Michelle D’Alessandro Hatt’s short film Brave Rebel Army. Canadian Film Festival (CFF) runs from March 24-29, 2025 at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto. 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(2025) Will the Academy Make History or Lean into Their History with Best Cinematography This Year? (2023) Will Catherine Martin Become a Six-Time Oscar Winner with Elvis? (2023) Yes, Chef: 8 Delectable Food-Centric Films (2022) From left to right: Alireza Shojaei, Parham Rownaghi, Gus Tayari, and Mitra Lohrasb in His Father's Son (2025) Meelad Moaphi’s feature debut His Father’s Son shines as one of the most intriguing stories in this year’s Canadian Film Fest (CFF) lineup. Written and directed by Moaphi, the film explores an Iranian-Canadian family through lived-in character dynamics and layered performances. Struggling chef Amir (Alireza Shojaei) and his seemingly more successful younger brother Mahyar (Parham Rownaghi) face daily expectations from their parents, Farhad (Gus Tayari) and Arezou (Mitra Lohrasb). When the family receive news that an unexpected inheritance has been left to Mahyar, the gift cracks open revelations that will shape the family’s future. The film balances strong portrayals of each character’s perspective and finds strength in establishing how they relate to one another Amir and his father Farhad in particular share an ambiguously tense dynamic. Amir tries to make a name for himself through cooking, which Farhad does not consider a feasible career path. While the film attempts to earn an emotionally satisfying ending using this narrative father + son conflict, Moaphi’s writing lacks the depth and precision to pull it off. Additionally, the female supporting characters are not given much nuance outside of playing “the girlfriend” role. However, compelling performances elevate the material and help craft a memorable story. His Father’s Son premieres on Thursday, March 27 at 6:00 pm and will be preceded by Aisha Evelyna and Natalie Novak Remplakowski’s short film, Nola. Canadian Film Festival (CFF) runs from March 24-29, 2025 at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto. Britt Lower in Darkest Miriam (2025) This year’s Canadian Film Fest (CFF) kicked off with Naomi Jaye’s eccentric sophomore directorial feature, Darkest Miriam. The film stars Britt Lower (known for her role as Helly R. in Severance) as Miriam Gordon, a Toronto librarian who lives a relatively strange and quiet life. Haunted by the death of her father, Miriam navigates enigmatic waves of grief while dealing with the everyday oddities of library patrons. No matter how many incident reports she files away, the patrons (Fainting Man and Unusually Pale Female Patron, to name a few) persist. So too does Miriam’s mysterious interior world, as it flows eloquently into frame, whether through Lower’s majestic performance or Jaye’s poetic use of imagery. Executive produced by Charlie Kaufman and based on Martha Baillie’s 2009 novel The Incident Report, Darkest Miriam plays in a darkly humorous and deeply fragmented wheelhouse. While the film often gets lost in Miriam’s trailing memories, and feels much longer than its runtime, there’s an enticing quality to the puzzling narrative and wry tone. Featuring an incredibly understated performance by Lower, who wisely lets the viewer put pieces of her character together, the film is full of little discoveries that speak volumes. Darkest Miriam will be available digitally on April 15. Canadian Film Festival (CFF) runs from March 24-29, 2025 at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto. Now in its 19th year, Canadian Film Festival (CFF) returns today with another stellar lineup of Canadian stories. CFF celebrates creative voices from across the country, including British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia. This year, the festival will be showcasing 16 features and 50 shorts at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto from March 24-29, 2025. Tickets can be purchased at www.canfilmfest.ca. From the impressive lineup, 53% of films are by female/non-binary filmmakers, and 44% are from BIPOC filmmakers. The opening night film, Naomi Jaye’s Darkest Miriam, stars Britt Lower (known for her role as Helly R. in Severance) as Miriam Gordon, a sheltered librarian faced with grief as she navigates her job at the Toronto Public Library. Miriam’s existence cracks open when she receives a series of threatening letters addressed to her. The film marks Naomi Jaye’s sophomore directorial feature following 2013’s The Pin, a love story set during WWII. Darkest Miriam (based in Ontario) premieres Monday, March 24 at 7:00 pm, and will be sure to spark buzz amongst Severance fans. Darkest Miriam (2025) The closing night film, Kate Kroll’s Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story, shines a light on WWF villain Luna Vachon. The documentary follows Vachon through the peak of her 90’s fame, her hidden battle with mental health, and how she challenged mainstream expectations of women in the wrestling industry. The film marks Kroll’s third directorial feature following 2010’s No Fun City and 2014’s Path of Pilgrims. Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story (based in British Columbia) premieres March 29 at 9:00 pm. Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story (2025) Among the festival highlights, Catherine Legault’s LARRY (they/them) spotlights Laurence Philomène, a non-binary trans photographer based in Montreal. This intimate documentary explores Laurence’s inspired work through their empowering Non-Binary Portrait Series and ongoing autobiographical book called Puberty. The book features colorful, detailed self-portraits of Laurence in domestic spaces, as they undergo testosterone shots during their transition. LARRY (they/them) excels at amplifying the autonomy of non-binary storytelling and the power of unlearning what society has taught about gender and bodies. Legault infuses her second feature with a candid approach and crafts a tender experience. Her direction and writing create a safe space for honest expression, turning the lens inward to reflect Laurence’s self-care. LARRY (they/them) radiates a powerful sense of community. Given the intimacy of Legault’s filmmaking and Laurence’s candor, you feel completely present, as though you’re in the room with them. LARRY (they/them) uplifts one of the most inspiring voices of their generation as they find personal joy amidst hardships. The documentary premieres Tuesday, March 25 at 1:00 pm and will be preceded by Laura King's short film, Paper Lanterns. Continuing Canadian Film Fest’s showcase of diverse perspectives, Tarique Qayumi’s Conceiving Clara explores the resonant subjects of midwifery and IVF treatment. The film follows Clara (Tajana Susanna Prka), a midwife who helps women give birth but cannot bear a child. Facing constant pressure from her mother-in-law, Clara decides to undergo IVF treatment and experiences complications that lead to desperate measures. Directed by Qayumi, and co-written by Qayumi and Prka, the story puts you under a spell of frustration and uncertainty as Clara searches for answers. The film leans heavily into ambiguous storytelling and features some disjointed editing. As a result, the story loses momentum and focus in its overall message. However, the thematic urgency around this narrative stands out, from protecting midwifery practices to increasing awareness and support for the commonality of infertility. In addition, Tajana Susanna Prka’s performance holds the film together with strong emotionality. Conceiving Clara premieres Wednesday, March 26 at 6:30 pm and will be preceded by Luvleen Hunjan’s short film, Whispering in the Leaves. Also featured at CFF this year, Meelad Moaphi’s brilliant family drama His Father’s Son and Sarah Galea-Davis’s avant-garde The Players each represent Ontario-based productions that explore complex character dynamics, whether between fellow relatives or fellow actors. His Father’s Son, premiering Thursday, March 27 at 6:00 pm, centers on an Iranian-Canadian family whose collective history unravels unexpected truths. The Players, premiering Saturday, March 29 at 6:30 pm, follows a young actor who finds a surrogate family when she joins an exciting theatre production. His Father's Son (2025) Spanning a variety of genres, themes, and cultures, CFF continues to bring original and inspiring Canadian stories to Canadian audiences. Celebrate the art of cinema with CFF from March 24-29 at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto. To purchase tickets and view the complete festival schedule, visit www.canfilmfest.ca/films-2025. For more information on CFF, stay updated through the channels below: #CanFilmFest Twitter / X: @CanFilmFest Instagram: @CanFilmFest Facebook: facebook.com/CanFilmFest Youtube: Canadian Film Fest Tajana Susanna Prka in Conceiving Clara (2025) Continuing Canadian Film Fest’s showcase of diverse perspectives, Tarique Qayumi’s Conceiving Clara explores the resonant subjects of midwifery and IVF treatment. The film follows Clara (Tajana Susanna Prka), a midwife who helps women give birth but cannot bear a child. Facing constant pressure from her mother-in-law, Clara decides to undergo IVF treatment and experiences complications that lead to desperate measures. Directed by Qayumi, and co-written by Qayumi and Prka, the story puts you under a spell of frustration and uncertainty as Clara searches for answers. The film leans heavily into ambiguous storytelling and features some disjointed editing. As a result, the story loses momentum and focus in its overall message. However, the thematic urgency around this narrative stands out, from protecting midwifery practices to increasing awareness and support for the commonality of infertility. In addition, Tajana Susanna Prka’s performance holds the film together with strong emotionality. Conceiving Clara premieres Wednesday, March 26 at 6:30 pm and will be preceded by Luvleen Hunjan’s short film, Whispering in the Leaves. Canadian Film Festival (CFF) runs from March 24-29, 2025 at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto. Laurence Philomène in LARRY (they/them) (2025) Among the Canadian Film Festival (CFF) highlights, Catherine Legault’s LARRY (they/them) spotlights Laurence Philomène, a non-binary trans photographer based in Montreal. This intimate documentary explores Laurence’s inspired work through their empowering Non-Binary Portrait Series and ongoing autobiographical book called Puberty. The book features colorful, detailed self-portraits of Laurence in domestic spaces, as they undergo testosterone shots during their transition. LARRY (they/them) excels at amplifying the autonomy of non-binary storytelling and the power of unlearning what society has taught about gender and bodies. Legault infuses her second feature with a candid approach and crafts a tender experience. Her direction and writing create a safe space for honest expression, turning the lens inward to reflect Laurence’s self-care. LARRY (they/them) radiates a powerful sense of community. Given the intimacy of Legault’s filmmaking and Laurence’s candor, you feel completely present, as though you’re in the room with them. LARRY (they/them) uplifts one of the most inspiring voices of their generation as they find personal joy amidst hardships. The documentary premieres Tuesday, March 25 at 1:00 pm and will be preceded by Laura King's short film, Paper Lanterns. Canadian Film Festival (CFF) runs from March 24-29, 2025 at Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto. Rachel Zegler in Snow White (2025) Once upon a time, anticipating a new Disney film didn’t come with grumpiness around which animated classic from an 87-year-old vault the studio would remake next. But ever since the massive success of Disney’s live-action Oscar-winning Alice in Wonderland in 2010, the studio quickly jumped on a moneymaking train, and it seemed no stone would go unturned. Then came the live-action Disney princess trend, from 2015’s Cinderella and 2017’s Beauty and the Beast to 2020’s Mulan and 2023’s The Little Mermaid. The latest addition to this trend goes back 87 years to the vault’s first animated film entry: Snow White. Director Marc Webb and writer Erin Cressida Wilson adapt the Grimm’s Fairy Tale to give the story a new spin for modern audiences. Snow White shows promise in attempting to refresh dated source material and give the titular princess a lot more to dream about than Prince Charming. But there are too many rotten apples that spoil this fairy tale adaptation. Snow White follows the same skeleton as the 1939 story. The princess (Rachel Zegler) is exiled from her kingdom by her cruel stepmother the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot). Fueled by jealousy and vanity, the Queen recites to her Magic Mirror, “who is the fairest of them all?” As long as the Mirror replies in good standing with the Queen, Snow White is safe from harm, however the truth eventually finds its way to a broken reflection. Snow White is a threat to the throne, so the Queen orders the Huntsman (Ansu Kabia) to take her into the forest and kill her. But Snow White’s capacity for kindness far overpowers the ruling. The Huntsman spares the princess’s life, and she flees into a magical forest, where her kind-hearted soul leads the forest animals to help her find shelter. This brings them to the Seven Dwarfs’ cottage, where Snow White joins forces with the diamond miners to reclaim the kingdom from tyranny. Snow White also reimagines some tunes from the 1939 film, namely ‘Waiting On a Wish’ (originally ‘I’m Wishing’). The lyrics work to establish new desires and motivations for Snow White. Rather than wishing for love to find her, she wishes to become a leader of change. She wants to live up to the values her father instilled in her, carry on her parents’ legacy, and do right not only by them but the people of this kingdom. Core messages of bravery, leadership, and kindness resonate in Snow White’s journey, especially when she stands up to the Queen and confronts her guards in the film’s final act. By refocusing what Snow White wishes for, the film finds a way to offer something new that can strike a contemporary chord. Unfortunately, Snow White’s characterization is one of few strengths in Wilson’s screenplay. Among the few, the seven dwarfs are surprisingly spirited, given their awfully distracting CGI appearances. Dopey (Andrew Barth Feldman) in particular, who finds comfort in meeting Snow White as she helps find his voice, becomes the film’s best supporting character. Doc (Jeremy Swift) and Grumpy (Martin Klebba) also get moments to shine. Most impressively, the dwarfs’ ‘Heigh-Ho’ musical number (derived from the original film) pleasantly stands out with the vocals, choreography, and production design (especially for the mines). The dwarfs themselves, however, speak to one of the most misguided decisions in the film. The combination of CGI and motion capture give them a distracting, uninspired appearance. It feels especially odd when these characters are sharing scenes alongside George Appleby, an actor with dwarfism, who plays an on-screen bandit named Quigg. While it’s great that Appleby plays a character not defined by height, the approach to the dwarfs (which featured the voice of one actor with dwarfism, Martin Klebba) leaves behind a conflicting message. The screenplay overall lacks consistency and clarity, ultimately failing to give the story a sense of urgency. The attempts to create a modern retelling pays off in some ways (Snow White) and falls flat in others (Prince Charming, who is transformed into a town thief named Jonathan). Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) makes it clear that he’s not the romantic knight in shining armor, and the film makes it clear that Snow White doesn’t need a Prince to save her. But the notions still manage to come up, whether in scenes that lead up to a potential romance, or in Jonathan literally saving Snow White’s life. The writing shows an attempt to balance Snow White’s wishes for leadership with her romantic desires, as it’s okay to want both, but it lacks the precision and nuance. There’s also a lot of uncertainty around who Jonathan’s character ought to be, and the script does no favors for Burnap, who tries his best to add some personality but ends up becoming a monotonous presence. Thankfully, the film has a compelling lead in Rachel Zegler, who portrays her best version of this character. She absolutely carries this film on her shoulders. Whether it’s her magical renditions of old and new songs, or the movie star energy she radiates, Zegler shows a keen understanding of the material she’s working with and commits to rising above it. One of her most impressive moments is featured in the film’s final act, when Snow White finds her leadership and reignites the entire kingdom to fight for fairness and truth. Zegler’s strong sense of conviction lends perfectly to this moment, infusing much-needed emotionality into hollow storytelling and making up for a weak antagonist opposite her. The poison apple of Snow White is unfortunately Gal Gadot, whose Evil Queen feels woefully out of place in Marc Webb’s adaptation. As the primary source of conflict in this story, Gadot falls short of emoting a threatening presence, causing one to question how any character can take her seriously at all. Gadot makes an attempt to go the campy route, by way of exaggerated mannerisms and line deliveries. You can almost sense that Webb encourages her to keep trying. But she leans too far into one note, and plays that note repeatedly, without really exploring the villainy of her character beyond “looking” evil through icy glares. A good Disney villain, despite their antagonistic qualities, still has charm and a conviction that they are in the right. Gadot lacks the range to pull it off, and her scenes rob the film of its momentum. Disney’s track record continues to disappoint with Snow White. The studio’s dollar-sign eyes behind flipping animated films into live-action commodities can’t help but make one weary for whenever the next one will arrive. Though, while Snow White may not be the fairest Disney remake of them all, it’s also not the bad apple of the bunch. Rachel Zegler does her best to infuse genuine commitment and life into this adaptation, making it far at least an occasionally enjoyable endeavor. If anything, Snow White further solidifies Zegler as a movie star who continues to show her strengths in carrying a film, and a movie star who deserves better. |
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