Weekend film reviews: ‘Napoleon,’ ‘Wish,’ ‘Maestro’

Written by Danielle Chiriguayo and Amy Ta, produced by Sarah Sweeney and Sara Schiff

Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte, who quickly rises from military commander to emperor. Credit: YouTube.

The latest film releases include Napoleon, Wish, Maestro, American Symphony, and Good Burger 2. Weighing in are William Bibbiani, film critic and co-host of the Critically Acclaimed Network, and Shawn Edwards, journalist for FOX 4 News in Kansas City, Missouri.

Napoleon

Directed by Ridley Scott, this biopic follows Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte, who quickly rises from military commander to emperor. The film also shows his turbulent relationship with his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).  

Edwards: “It's an impressive film from a craftsmanship perspective. … It looks authentic to the period. The problem with the film is … how can a film this big and this grand say so very little and not explain enough? … The battle scenes are terrific, but everything else is this mix of half-facts and incorrect historical depictions. … Joaquin Phoenix is a terrific actor, but he lazily traverses the material. Not sure that's all his fault; you can maybe lay some of that blame on director Ridley Scott. … The thing that I found most interesting with the film is it almost played more like a comedy. And I'm not sure that was the intent.”

Bibbiani: “The movie feels very eclectic and not very well-formed. I think we're at a point now where maybe whenever Ridley Scott makes a movie like this, we all agree just to ignore it until the Director's Cut comes out. Because this happens constantly — he'll make a movie, whether it's Blade Runner or Legend or Kingdom of Heaven, and it's all like, ‘Oh, this is kind of interesting visually, but it's not that great.’ And then the Director's Cut comes out, and you're like, ‘Oh, this is actually a masterpiece.’ And why don't they just let him release the Director's Cut in the first place? … This has all the earmarks of that … inconsistent pacing, episodic nature of it, the elements that feel a little unexplored. 

… It's a rather entertaining watch. And I actually think it is intentionally funny. Some of the things that Joaquin Phoenix says and does in this movie are clearly laugh lines. … They're also getting the moments where he comes across as immature or insecure, and I think that really adds to the appeal of the movie.” 

Wish

In this Disney animation, Ariana DeBose plays Asha, a young girl who wishes on a star and gets more than she bargained for.

Bibbiani: “The songs are pretty forgettable. The animation style is unremarkable. The cast is strong, Chris Pine and Ariana DeBose in particular are really good. But it's astounding that they decided to celebrate 100 years of Disney with a movie that denounces what Disney has become very openly in the plot. It's fascinating. And I wonder if this is a complete lack of self-awareness or if this is a confession, it's hard to say.” 

Edwards: “It felt like this movie had been sitting in the Disney vault for the past three decades because it felt very 90s-ish. … It all seemed very flat. And the biggest thing in the movie is the songs. The songs are just flat-out terrible there. There's no magic to the songs. They're not pop-y. They're not catchy, they're not memorable. The movie just meanders along. Ariana DeBose is fantastic, but I don't feel like she was given permission to soar. …  I don't even know who this movie is for because it's not cute enough to really appeal to kids, but yet, it's not intelligent enough to really keep adults’ attention.” 

Maestro

This biopic focuses on the long relationship between composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia. Bradley Cooper directs and stars opposite Carey Mulligan.

Edwards: “I liked a lot of the choices that Bradley Cooper made with the angles, and the way that he brings the film to life, and his choices of doing some of the film in color and some … in black and white. As he tells what is a complicated story about a very complicated person who has these extreme personalities … I love the honesty … in the fact that Bradley Cooper lets the story breathe … and let the viewer lend their own judgment to how they felt about this very complicated individual as it spans several decades of his life.” 

Bibbiani: “The thing that's really astounding about Bradley Cooper is he's an excellent actor. He's very convincing. But he has really pushed himself as the director between this and A Star is Born. He is an impressive storyteller who makes interesting choices. But I do think [Maestro] … ultimately ends not as strong as it begins. But that first half of the movie is really quite astounding, and it's certainly worth checking out.”

American Symphony

This documentary from Matthew Heineman (A Private War) follows a year in the life of musician Jon Batiste and his partner Suleika Jaouad.

Bibbiani: “[American Symphony is] about this really tumultuous year where on one hand, everything is going really well for them. They get married. He wins awards. He conducts this really ambitious and exciting symphony. But also [Jaouad] is going back into chemo, and they don't know if she's going to survive. A lot of ups and downs, both in their lives and for the audience, and it's a really fascinating watch. These are very lovable people as depicted in the documentary, and you really do get swept up in the strange, giganticness of their lives. The music is really, really wonderful. The people involved are absolutely fascinating. … Parts of it are very sad, but it's also quite joyous.” 

Edwards: “This love story is full of challenges and full of struggles, but throughout it all, there's also a lot of hope and a lot of joy. And of course, it's a given that the music is going to be terrific because he's an incredible composer and an incredible talent. But the way that it unfolds is so unexpected that I think it gives the film a lot of unexpected energy and a lot of unexpected joy, and there's a musical rhythm to it. But there's also a rhythm of life to the film, which really sets it in motion and helps you to keep your attention as you follow these two people that have this great relationship and great chemistry together.”

Good Burger 2

In this comedy, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell are back as workers at Good Burger. It’s a sequel to the 1997 film of the same name. 

Bibbiani: “Even though it's been over 20 years, they have decided to keep the exact same very child-friendly tone. The humor in this movie is very innocent and very silly, which is bizarre in a way, because the target demographic for this movie is surely people who remember Good Burger … and they've grown up. Children, I hope, will see this movie because I think it will appeal to them. It's really quite adorable. But I don't think they have anything connected to the brand. 

… I feel like this is a movie for adults, to win them over and remind them what it was like to be a child. Listen, Good Burger 2 is an innocent film and it's quite cute. And if you're a fan of Good Burger, which is really the only people who this is made for, I think it's worth watching if you get in that mindset that the film has not grown up with you.”

Credits

Guests: