Dylan, a 19-year-old singer and songwriter, leaves his home in Minnesota and arrives in New York in 1961, destined to change the course of American music. Moving into Greenwich Village, he begins forming personal relationships while focusing on his career as a singer. Timothée Chalamet stars and performs as Bob Dylan, delivering an incredible performance that captures Dylan’s unique sound and subtle nuances. Directed by James Mangold, the film “A Complete Unknown” explores the four-year period when Dylan first emerged on the scene. This excellent movie is based on the 2015 book titled Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald.

In his journey, Dylan meets folk singer Pete Seeger, portrayed remarkably by Edward Norton, alongside a captivating Joan Baez played by Monica Barbaro. Elle Fanning co-stars as a character based on Dylan’s girlfriend, Suze Rotolo. These figures inspire Dylan, yet it’s clear he has a strong will to pursue what is right for himself. James Mangold has said in interviews, “This is a story about a specific moment in a person’s life, not their whole life. It also depicts a world where so much is communicated through song.” The film delves into Dylan’s psyche and his inherent musical genius—a talent that some artists are simply born with. However, it also explores the price of such natural gifts; despite rising to insane popularity, one can often find themselves feeling completely alone.

The film showcases his early performances as he rises to fame, culminating in his controversial use of an electric guitar at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Viewers will see him perform his iconic song, “Like a Rolling Stone,” which the film is aptly named after its lyrics…’A Complete Unknown.’

Whether you are a Bob Dylan fan or not, Timothée Chalamet delivers an authentic singing performance that embodies the voice of a changing generation. Dylan’s electric guitar sound, combined with his harmonica playing, propelled the folk music scene. His portrayal is one of the best performances I’ve seen this year; I truly enjoyed watching him in such an eccentric role. The direction is understated rather than showy or flashy, creating an organic feel for both the time period and the music. The film is currently showing in theaters and is set to open wide on December 25, 2024, by Searchlight Pictures.

Sarah Knight Adamson© January 5, 2025

Judy Greer as Grace, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez as Charlie, Molly Wright as Beth, and Pete Holmes as Bob in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Photo Credit: Allen Fraser

The town of Emmanuel is known for its annual Christmas pageant, which is about to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The long-time organizer and director, the unyielding Mrs. Armstrong (Mariam Bernstein), fell, breaking both of her legs and is out of commission. No one stepped up to lead the pageant, leaving Grace to volunteer. It’s an honorable undertaking that proves to be more challenging than she ever expected. Viewers will appreciate Grace’s confronts as she navigates her new role, one that doesn’t include dealing with the Herdman children, known as the worst kids in the history of the world.

Lionsgate

In reading the press notes, director Dallas Jenkins said that he’d been preparing for and visualizing the movie for over fifteen years, as his wife Amanda read the book to their children and it’s a beloved holiday tradition. Over the years, as they read it to their young children, Jenkins remembers laughing out loud right away and then being moved to tears by the end. “It was certainly worth the wait,” says Jenkins. “The timing turned out to be perfect.” The film has exceeded his expectations, and everyone who worked with him agrees he was the ideal director for the project.

Judy Greer remarked, “It would be really hard to direct this movie, and I’m always impressed every day with how Dallas manages to get everything he needs shot-wise while keeping his cool. The kids all seem to love him.”

I always appreciate a director’s story, as so many times you can feel their passion on the screen. Certainly, that is the case here as he zooms in on Judy Greer’s face as she agonizes over an uncomfortable situation. Jenkins’s style is slow and deliberate, allowing us to soak up the problem and perhaps ponder what we would do.

Again, I can’t say enough great things about the film and the people involved.

U.S. Release Date: November 8, 2024

Directed by: Dallas Jenkins

Screenplay by: Ryan Swanson and Platte F. Clark & Darin McDaniel

Based on: The novel by Barbara Robinson

Produced by: Kevin Downes, Jon Erwin, Andrew Erwin, Darin McDaniel, Chet Thomas, Daryl Lefever

Executive Producers: Dallas Jenkins, Jennifer Booth, Tony Young, Christopher Woodrow, K. Blaine Johnston

Cast: Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Molly Belle Wright, and Lauren Graham

Runtime: 99 minutes

Sarah Knight Adamson© December 6, 2024

Families can rest assured that younger children will enjoy “Moana 2” in the theater just as much as their older siblings and friends. The film boasts catchy songs, a powerful female lead character, and breathtaking special effects. Eight years have passed since that spirited Polynesian girl captivated Disney fans, and this sequel promises to deliver an unforgettable experience. From the get-go, she was groundbreaking, as there are no references to her being a princess. Quite the opposite, she’s an explorer who cares about her people and family culture and sets a strong role model for all.

MOANA 2 – Moanan and Maui. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In the animated musical Moana 2, Moana (voiced by Auli‘i Cravalho) reunites with Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) three years later for a new voyage with a new crew. She receives an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors and decides to journey to the far seas of Oceania, a place she’s never been before. She shows courage and determination in her new quest.

In reading the press notes, the three directors discuss the story. Director Dana Ledoux Miller, who wrote the screenplay with Jared Bush, has said that the story of “Moana 2” was inspired by the island communities themselves. “There are old stories within the Pacific of meeting points for navigators from different islands,” she explains. “We were inspired by that idea that people would travel to find each other—we imagined that, generations ago, many channels of the ocean led to one island, enabling wayfinders from across the ocean to come together to learn from each other through shared experiences.

Director David G. Derrick Jr. said, “Moana’s island of Motunui and her people are thriving, but she knows that they’re not done growing. There must be people out there beyond their island—and when she actually finds evidence of it, she must go farther than any of her ancestors have ventured to find the answers to her questions.”

The ocean, says director Jason Hand, is everything. “The ocean connects us,” says Hand, who—like Derrick— worked on the first film as a story artist “Everywhere we go, people talk about the seeing of our film, the inspiration behind it, the natural beauty of the Pacific—it really is a magical place. We’ve connected with so many people from the Pacific Islands and there is such a deep respect for nature and where they live.” The island sense of place and profound respect for their community is evident even when newcomers visit as I have done a few times while traveling to different islands around the world.

MOANA 2 – Moanan and Maui. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

There’s a phrase that’s often used in the Pacific, and it’s been said by many people: ‘The ocean isn’t what separates us; it’s what connects us.’ That’s always resonated with me.” Here, Moana will have to risk everything to take on Nalo, the god of storms, and find an unknown long-lost island that connects the people of the ocean. She sees this in her vision, yet needs a crew to help with the voyage.

And of course Moana’s story has to include Maui as these friends are great together. They tease each-other, also push each other to reach beyond their capabilities as they work together beautifully as any caring friendship does.

I screened the film with five children ages 6-8. They all laughed, sang, clapped, and stayed with me during the credits. Their parents also enjoyed the film, especially the music and cinematography. We all felt there could have been more additions to the story, yet we enjoyed the movie, especially the story art.

Sarah Knight Adamson© November 30, 2024