Movie Review: Punk Rock-Inspired “Cruella” is a Fashionable Surprise

Let me say this out of the gate... I didn’t have a burning desire to see another live-action ‘re-imagining’ of one of Disney’s animated classics. 

A little over two years ago, I reviewed Disney’s live-action remake of “Dumbo,” and described it as “a pretty big yawn.”

I’ll admit I haven’t seen all of the recent “House of Mouse” remakes (I’m told that 2019’s “Aladdin” reboot is worthwhile, and have added it to my Disney+ queue). 

It was with some trepidation that I went into “Cruella,” the origin story of “101 Dalmatians” villainess Cruella de Vil. 

In order to prep for the movie, I watched 1961’s “101 Dalmations” so I’d have some context. I don’t know that I’d ever seen the spotted puppy classic, and it certainly isn’t required viewing to enjoy “Cruella” (but there are some ‘Easter Egg’ nods to that original film).

The main hook in the narrative of “Cruella” is centered on Estella (Emma Stone), a thriving grifter and aspiring fashionista in 1970s London. 

The film starts out with sequences of grade school Estella (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland) during her early years in rural England, living with her mother Catherine (Emily Beecham). These scenes show us a precocious and creative girl whose “hair makes a statement.” She has a side to her personality that is edgy — “your name’s Estella, not Cruella” her mother opines as the two debate on the proper way to make clothes for the girl’s teddy bear. 

Estella’s penchant for challenging the world continually gets her in trouble at primary school. This ultimately creates situation where Catherine has to uproot her daughter to London. 

A series of unfortunate events leaves our heroine an orphan, on her own (with her dog Buddy) in the streets of London. 

Fortunately, Estella is able to make “friends in unlikely places,” and is buoyed in a chance meeting at Regent’s Park Fountain by youthful thieves Horace (Joseph MacDonald) and Jasper (Ziggy Gardner). 

The setup pulls elements of classic tales like “Annie” and “Oliver Twist,” and provides the foundation for Estella and the boys to evolve into a successful (and sophisticated) thieving trio. 

Estella dyes her hair a unified color, and a montage sequence (to the Rolling Stones 1960s tune “She’s a Rainbow”) moves the characters 10 years forward into early adulthood. 

Estella designs useful (and stylish) disguises for the trio to pull off various heists. Horace (Paul Walter Hauser) and Jasper (Joel Fry) are both affable members of the hodge-podge “family that is good at stealing stuff.”

Thievery isn’t Estella’s ultimate goal in life. To that end, Jasper is able to procure Estella an entry-level job at Liberty for her birthday — the “most fashionable department store in the city” (which exists in London to this day). 

The position isn’t where the wistful fashion designer hopes to be, but she does eventually find herself in the employ of Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), the head of the couture House of Baroness. 

What ensues is sort of like “The Devil Wears Prada” if it had been written and directed by the love child of Tim Burton and Guy Ritchie. 

(I was just watching Burton’s 1989 film “Batman” a couple weeks ago, and his gothic flair during that era feels like an inspiration for “Cruella” — minus the Danny Elfman soundtrack.) 

“Cruella” was directed by Craig Gillespie. I wasn’t familiar with his work. He is probably best known for the 2017 biopic “I, Tonya” (he is also a director and executive producer on the upcoming Apple TV+ series “Physical”). 

If this movie is any indication, he’s a director we’ll be hearing more from in the coming years.  

“Cruella” combines elements of a stylized fairy tale with an unorthodox heist movie. 

Estella’s rise in the fashion world plays with her internal emotional sensibilities. The juxtaposition between the heartfelt Estella and the edgy Cruella is at play throughout the film. 

“I’m Cruella,” she says, “born brilliant, born bad, and a little bit mad.”

“Cruella” maintained a brisk pace throughout. When I hear a movie runs two-plus hours, I’m often concerned about ‘narrative drag.‘ But the film’s overall momentum kept me interested (and I have the attention span of a gnat). 

Part of the appeal of “Cruella” is its overall look. The production design and fashions are a visual feast for the eyes. The costumes are essentially a character unto themselves, and provide more dimension to the film's characters. 

Costume designer Jenny Beavan created 277 costumes for the movie (including 47 for Stone’s character). Beavan is a two-time Oscar winner who previously designed for “Mad Max: Fury Road” and period dramas like “Gosford Park.” 

This Disney featurette focuses on some of the costumes in the film: 

I also enjoyed the soundtrack for “Cruella.” The filmmakers weave in a seemingly endless supply of songs from the 1960s and 70s. The musical stylings also include the newly recorded “Call Me Cruella” by indie rock band Florence + the Machine. 

While the script itself doesn’t have a whole lot of depth, the performances in the film are able to overcome the deficiencies. 

Emma Stone is one of today’s underrated performers. She has more range than she gets credit for, and gives off a certain je ne sais quoi in “Cruella” that has you rooting for her character throughout (read more about Stone in my 2018 blog post “The Lost Review: Is ‘La La Land‘ All That?“). 

Emma Thompson is solid, as usual, and is spot-on as an egomaniacal fashion designer. We don’t see her in films nearly enough these days, but she starred in two of my favorite films of the 1990s — 1991’s “Dead Again” and 1993‘s “The Remains of the Day.”

In addition to the two Emmas, the supporting players in “Cruella” give notable performances (often with scant material to work with). 

In particular, Paul Walker Hauser has a number of “scene-stealing” quips as Horace. I’ve written about him before in my 2019 review of Cobra Kai Season 2. While I wasn’t quite sold on his character in “Cobra Kai,” there is an affable goofiness about his performance in “Cruella” that aids the overall vibe. 

I also enjoyed the understated performance of Joel Fry as Jasper. Horace and Jasper could have been silly simpletons, but I appreciate that the filmmakers chose to give them a bit more texture.

Another one of Estella’s cohorts is Artie (John McCrea), the owner of a vintage fashion store called 2nd Time Around. While the character doesn’t garner much screen time, his Bowie-esque look ads to the film’s punk-rock aesthetic. 

I think “Cruella” is a textbook case of a movie becoming something greater than the sum of its parts. I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why it works, but it works. 

It also had more of an ‘edge’ than I was expecting.

Some of you will remember the G-rated “101 Dalmatians” reboot Glenn Close headlined in the 1990s. While that movie (and a sequel) was built to be “kid-friendly,” this film veers in a grown-up direction. 

“Cruella” is rated PG-13 and is more nuanced than any of its predecessors. That said, this is Disney we’re talking about, so the film doesn’t push the envelope too much. Still, it was nice to see something a little more sophisticated this time around.

I enjoyed Disney’s “Cruella.” 

Maybe my fondness is due to the fact that I went in with low expectations (and without any preconceived notions), but I had a good time with “Cruella.”

P.S. – Be sure to watch for a mid-credit scene after the movie! 

Previous post: Movie Review: Does “Without Remorse" Stay on Course?” 

Movie Review: Does “Without Remorse” Stay on Course?

I had high hopes going into “Without Remorse,” the latest entry in the “filmed Clancyverse” (filmed properties based on the novels of Tom Clancy). 

Looking at the trailers and pre-release materials for the film, fans of the Clancy novel could tell right off that it veered away from the 1993 novel (which took place in 1970). 

But having Michael B. Jordan in the lead role (one of today’s talented young actors) and a script by Taylor Sheridan (who created the series “Yellowstone” and has penned movies like “Sicario” and “Hell or High Water”) made me confident this would be a top-notch actioner. 

The movie was originally slated for a theatrical release by Paramount in 2020, but — due to the pandemic — was eventually sold to Amazon for a digital debut on Prime Video. 

The movie’s basic setup goes something like this...

Navy SEAL Senior Chief John Kelly (Jordan) and his team are tasked with rescuing a CIA operative in Aleppo, Syria. As the operation progresses, Kelly learns that the operative’s captors weren’t Syrian, but rather Russian. He wants to know why. 

(By the way, this isn’t Jordan's first role with ties to the Navy SEALs. He played former SEAL Erik Stevens in Disney’s “Black Panther” — read my review). 

Three months later, members of Kelly’s team are targeted by Russian FSB agents. 

Kelly’s home is invaded in the series of hits. He is seriously wounded in a firefight, and his pregnant wife Pam (Lauren London) is killed during the home invasion.  

Secretary of Defense Thomas Clay (Guy Pearce) and CIA officer Robert Ritter (Jamie Bell) decide not to launch an investigation into the murders. 

This prompts Kelly — with info from Lt. Commander Karen Greer (Jodie Turner-Smith) — to launch his own “investigation” into the Russians operating on U.S. soil. Kelly’s actions ultimately result in him getting tossed in prison. 

On the surface, the setup sounds pretty much de rigueur for a geopolitical espionage thriller. 

The issue is that the early sequences feel like they zip by too fast — as if the filmmakers were hurrying things along to move the narrative ahead. 

The setup eventually results in Kelly and a team of operators heading on a clandestine mission to Murmansk to find Victor Rykov (Brett Gelman), the man who  Kelly saw in his home when his wife was murdered. 

What could have been an interesting hunt for a Russian operative proves to be largely anticlimactic. I didn’t feel the story ever really reached its destination. 

Maybe it’s because we’ve seen a number of revenge movies in recent years. I can’t say for sure. 

While revenge stories often feature simple plots, the events in “Without Remorse” seemed like they unfolded in a manner that was far too simplistic. 

All I know is that the whole doesn’t transcend the sum of its parts in “Without Remorse.” 

By contrast, Amazon’s “Jack Ryan” series (read my review of Season 1 and my review of Season 2) has proven itself to be a pretty capable espionage thriller. That could be because it is given more room to breathe. 

I have a feeling “Without Remorse” might have worked better as a multi-episode series. 

That said, a number of the OG Clancy-based movies were terrific. “The Hunt For Red October,” “Patriot Games,” and “Clear and Present Danger” epitomized geopolitical thrillers in the 1990s — and rank among my favorite films of the era. 

“Without Remorse” was arguably the most “human” of Clancy’s thriller novels. Many fans rank it as their favorite in the late author’s bibliography. 

The decision to move away from the novel’s narrative is a curious choice. While no one expected this movie to take place in 1970, many of the story elements could have been adapted to the 21st century. A more faithful adaptation could have been really terrific — there was so much fertile material in the novel. 

Be that as it may, I fully accepted the idea of a movie with a different plot. 

I’d followed the development of “Without Remorse” over the years. I recall reading about various stars and directors attached to the project. Ultimately, those productions never got off the ground. 

The performers do the best they can with the material they are given in “Without Remorse,” but it just isn’t enough. 

Michael B. Jordan is solid (as usual). He has been excellent in various popcorn movies recently, including the solid “Creed” series (read my review of “Creed II”). 

Jordan’s talents would have benefitted from a better script. 

It’s an odd thing to say, considering the fact that Taylor Sheridan is one of the hottest scribes in the business today. Despite Sheridan’s narrative talents, the screenplay struggled to find its bearing (it might have to do with the fact that the project had gone through several iterations the past two decades). 

What could have been a fascinating origin story felt rushed and uninspired — more like a quick setup for a potential sequel down the road. 

(Speaking of a “potential sequel,” stay tuned for a mid-credit scene at the end of “Without Remorse.”) 

Overall, I was pretty disappointed with the execution of “Without Remorse.” The movie veered of course and lost its bearings. It could have (and should have) been much, much better. 

Previous post: This is the Way! My “Star Wars: The Mandalorian” Cereal Review 

This is the Way! My "Star Wars: The Mandalorian" Cereal Review

May The 4th Be With You!

A year ago today I reviewed General Mills's early 2020 incarnation of "Star Wars" cereal — the artwork on the box was from 2019's "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." 

I enjoyed that cereal more than other "novelty" cereals I've reviewed on the blog (a number of which have been pretty bad). I wrote "it's fun, it tastes good, and it won't offend you." 

The latest "Star Wars" cereal landed on store shelves toward the end of 2020. It was a tie-in to the Disney+ series "Star Wars: The Mandalorian" and prominently features artwork of Grogu (Baby Yoda). 

I've noticed the cereal going for a premium on a number of websites, so I assume it is currently off the market (although I saw a customer buying it recently at a nearby Sam's Club). 

Luckily, I had a brand new box sitting in storage. Its expiration date is next month, so I figured it was high time to review it! 

The cereal itself is nothing spectacular to look at. The marshmallows are shaped like Baby Yoda's head. The crunchy pieces are little yellow balls (which are essentially Trix) that have a fruity flavor. 

If I were to describe the flavor of the crunchy pieces, it is sort of what I'd imagine "Pledge Furniture Polish Cereal" tasting like — an artificial lemon flavor that is just “okay.” 

I will also note that there aren't nearly enough marshmallow pieces in the box. I had to dig through the box to find enough of the little pieces for the photos I took. 

There aren't any fun coloring pages, activities, or games on (or in) the box. The only thing is this artwork of Mando and Grogu with the number "11" and the title "The Child" on the back. The same art appears on the rear of each box that is sold, so it isn't part of a "collection" of boxes with different artwork. 

While I don't know if this is the way to a satisfying breakfast experience, you could do probably worse than General Mills's "The Mandalorian" cereal (see my "Does General Mills Mermaid Cereal Taste Like Real Mermaids?" review for more information). 

Is it great? No (and there were missed opportunities to make the packaging more fun), but it might satisfy the little ones in your life. 

I have spoken... 

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