Gawky, pimply Marni (Kristen Bell, “When in Rome”) is a four-eyes with braces who suffers tenth-grade as a “loser” oppressed by evil uber-cool senior J.J. (Odette Yustman) and her entourage who adopt “We Are The Champions” by Queen as their anthem. Marni apparently sublimated her self-image issues into a career in public relations. Before relocating to New York City as a newly promoted VP, she stops off for her older brother’s wedding. Her future sister-in-law turns out to be Joanna (aka, J.J.). Marni’s parents have embraced the one-time hell bitch. Even the family mutt likes her more now than Marni, who will employ her PR skills for payback as the nuptials near. But there’s more, almost. Marni’s mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Joanna’s aunt (Sigourney Weaver) were rivals in high school. Soon after the wedding DJ spins “We Are Family,” grandma Bunny (Betty White) will trash-talk her own high school rival. Director Andy Fickman and writer Moe Jelline manage to upgrade the image of in-flight movies. This laugh-free filler is made unlistenable thanks to a cutesy score by Nathan Wang. Editor David Rennie really did not do enough editing: although shorter than high school, “You Again” is too long. I wasted my time watching it and writing this. Sorry you’re wasting yours reading about it. With James Wolk, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber. 105m. (Bill Stamets)
Ray Pride is Newcity’s Senior Editor and Film Critic. He is a contributing editor of Filmmaker magazine.
Ray’s history of Chicago Ghost Signs is planned for publication next year. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram. More photography on Instagram.
Heart: A Review of Soul The real world is soulful, too, in Pixar's bountiful life of the mind.
Seeing The Elephant: A Review Of Babylon The boisterous, brawling yet melancholy "Babylon," is a variation on film history, but more drawing for drama. It's gaudy and mean, celebratory and sorrowful.
Heart of Darkness: A Review of The Batman The three-hour film noir unfolds briskly, an intensive study in the pervasive interplay of power, money and corruption in what seems like perpetual rainy night.
Fine Line: A Review Of Shortcomings It's a season for the comeuppance of a curmudgeon in Randall Park's smart, biting "Shortcomings," adapted by Adrian Tomine from his graphic novel of the same name.
Gawky, pimply Marni (Kristen Bell, “When in Rome”) is a four-eyes with braces who suffers tenth-grade as a “loser” oppressed by evil uber-cool senior J.J. (Odette Yustman) and her entourage who adopt “We Are The Champions” by Queen as their anthem. Marni apparently sublimated her self-image issues into a career in public relations. Before relocating to New York City as a newly promoted VP, she stops off for her older brother’s wedding. Her future sister-in-law turns out to be Joanna (aka, J.J.). Marni’s parents have embraced the one-time hell bitch. Even the family mutt likes her more now than Marni, who will employ her PR skills for payback as the nuptials near. But there’s more, almost. Marni’s mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Joanna’s aunt (Sigourney Weaver) were rivals in high school. Soon after the wedding DJ spins “We Are Family,” grandma Bunny (Betty White) will trash-talk her own high school rival. Director Andy Fickman and writer Moe Jelline manage to upgrade the image of in-flight movies. This laugh-free filler is made unlistenable thanks to a cutesy score by Nathan Wang. Editor David Rennie really did not do enough editing: although shorter than high school, “You Again” is too long. I wasted my time watching it and writing this. Sorry you’re wasting yours reading about it. With James Wolk, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber. 105m. (Bill Stamets)
