This week’s movie releases include Red One, The World According to Allee Willis, All We Imagine as Light, and Hot Frosty. Weighing in are Alison Willmore, film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture; and William Bibbiani, film critic for the Wrap and co-host of the Critically Acclaimed Network.
Red One
Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson team up in this holiday action film to save Santa Claus, who has been kidnapped.
Willmore: “There is bickering and there is some computer-generated action. And there is also, of course, some heartwarming redemption — all the things you need in a movie in which Santa is kidnapped by a Christmas witch played by Kiernan Shipka. I don't even know what to do with this movie. It has a really funny backstory and in that it has cost a reported $250 million. … It is, I think, technically competent enough, while also being very joyless.”
Bibbiani: “It's not as bad as you might think, which I also agree is to its detriment. Because I think if this had been a film that just leaned into its absurdity — and its sort of disastrous premise — It probably could have been extremely fun. I mean, this is the kind of movie that feels like a Saturday Night Live sketch that got way out of hand. We probably only have two minutes of actual material here.”
The World According to Allee Willis
This documentary focuses on songwriter and art director Allee Willis, who co-wrote hit songs such as “September” and “Boogie Wonderland,” as well as the theme song to “Friends.”
Bibbiani: “She's been kind of forgotten and that's a real tragedy, because if you watch this documentary, she was a really interesting, talented, funny, somewhat tortured person who really struggled with growing up queer in an environment where she was not allowed to be openly queer. And we see the impact that had on her life. But honestly, this movie is just such a revelation if you didn't know who Allee Willis was, and I think that's important. I think a lot of documentaries are kind of catered to people who already know the subject. I want to show this to everybody and say, ‘Hey, look, everything you like is right here in this person.’”
Willmore: “I had no idea that this woman was behind so much popular culture that I know and love. And I was so impressed by her story and her winding, unpredictable career. She is a really interesting person. She documented her life a lot, so there is a lot of footage of her throughout the years, which I really appreciated as well.”
All We Imagine as Light
Two female nurses travel through modern Mumbai in this film that won the Grand Prix award at the Cannes FIlm Festival.
Willmore: “I appreciated the kind of complexity that these women were allowed to have as characters who really had their own yearnings and their own very disparate personalities and they're brought together as roommates. But I think the movie ends on this note that allows them to acknowledge their yearnings and desires, while also letting us understand that they are not going to necessarily go off to straightforward happy endings. It's just a gorgeously made and really well-acted movie.”
Hot Frosty
This holiday film puts a twist on the holiday staple Frosty the Snowman. In this version, he has abs and pecs, but is still melting. It stars Lacey Chabert and Dustin Milligan.
Bibbiani: “Hot Frosty is actually a lot of fun. It knows exactly what it is and what it is attempting to do to you, and it does that thing. … It is very silly. It knows it.”
Willmore: “I feel like we're in danger of overselling this one. I think that it will probably register with you most if you are already fond of the Christmas movie industrial complex as it has grown from not just Hallmark now, but like many different places, including Netflix. Because this is both a straightforward Christmas romantic comedy, as well as a totally wacky one, given the premise. But for me, I think the most pleasure came from just the fact that it has this premise at all. It does commit to it. He is someone who is a beautiful man, but also totally cold to the touch and always in danger of melting, and nevertheless, really good at learning about home improvement from watching TV.”