I throughly enjoyed Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, one of the top films of the year. Sean Penn was incredible: scary, ridiculous and fully broken. Leo was excellent as always. Benicio Del Toro and Chase Infiniti absolutely shined in every scene they inhabited. The plot was more screwball than I expected. I truly never knew what was going to happen next and was better for it. Part family drama, part liberal fantasy (An organized resistance?! A number you can just call?!), part reflection on the unchecked power of our security apparatuses, One Battle After Another is incredibly well-made, thought-provoking and fun.

As the film still rattles around in my brain, one thing about the ending is still gnawing at me, though. I don’t know how much the story stuck to Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland – I suspect not much – but I’d have written the end of Col. Steven J. Lockjaw’s story a little differently. (Spoilers ahead.)

In the movie, Lockjaw survives the attempt on his life only to resurface at another interview with the Christmas Adventurers Club. He presents a pathetic explanation of his mixed-race child: that he was reversed raped. The excuse is laughable, yet moments later we’re told he’s in the club. He made it. He’s shown his nondescript corner office. As he kicks up his feet, gas drops from an air conditioning vent and he’s unceremoniously killed. His body is dumped and cremated. The implication, I think, is that he is nothing to the greater forces of power. He’s a speck on the front of the train.

This is a fitting end for Lockjaw and I can understand the decision – they went with an absurd end – but I’d have gone a different direction. In my version, Lockjaw tells his pathetic lie and the Christmas Adventurers Club accept him anyway. He goes to his empty, boring, soulless office. He’s won. He’s achieved everything he’s ever wanted – to be someone, to be part of a group, accepted. He looks out from the 3rd floor over a plain parking lot in a midwestern office park. We linger on this unspectacular view for a long time. Then we go back to his face. Is this all there is?

I like this less sinister ending because it shows us just how stupid his pursuit was and how stupid the Christmas Adventurers Club is. They don’t even care about his lie. They’re a bunch of sad, white supremacists with a small amount of power from a few well-placed members. That’s it. This is not some well-regarded group. Membership is not an achievement. To place importance in it is foolish. The office overlooking a parking lot is nothing special. The fact that Lockjaw caused so much pain to achieve his goal makes him seem small, much smaller than the resistance he fought against. When he looks over that parking lot, does he know how stupid he is? Was the prize even remotely worth the effort? To me, this ending is much more tragic and perhaps more of a punishment for his character than death.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Severance, the Ben Stiller-produced workplace thriller on Apple TV+. I was a big fan when Season 1 came out a few years ago and throughly enjoyed Season 2 which just ended. It’s a smart, funny, creepy, weird, beautiful, well-crafted show that tickles all the right sensibilities. The acting is superb and the cast is top-notch. We’re talking about the incredible Adam Scott, John Turturro, Christopher Walken and Patricia Arquette; comedy actors Zach Cherry & Michale Chernus; and relative newcomers Britt Lower, Jen Tullock, Dichen Lachman and Tramell Tillman. Every single one of them are great. And then there’s the World of Severance, a beautifully conceived retro-futuristic med-tech office building and town full of spooky and often hilarious weirdness.

I really enjoyed diving back into Season 1 with the official Severance Podcast. Ben Stiller and Adam Scott host the show which follows each episode, from the pilot to the Season 2 finale. Both hosts are incredibly funny, low-key and thoughtful and each episode includes a guest, often a cast member, but sometimes someone surprising like John Stewart or Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell.

Severance is the brainchild of Dan Erickson, a brilliant first time show runner, but it’s Ben Stiller who greatly contributed to the casting, music and production elements of Severance. The podcast is a treat because we hear about how Stiller envisioned and integrated these different aspects from conception to screen. Not only is the plot of the show a fascinating puzzle box, the aesthetics are unique. Stiller and his team successfully created a distinct Severance vibe – you know it when you see it – and lately, it’s been everywhere. This show and podcast have been a smart, fun escape.

The internet is stuffed with Christmas movie lists, but Thanksgiving, already so often overlooked, has very few definitive films. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is at the top of any list, and the John Hughes classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles soon comes to mind, but after that, it’s slim pickings, something you never want at Thanksgiving. My criteria are simple: the word Thanksgiving has to be uttered or written on a sign. However, the more Thanksgivingy the movie feels, the better – whether that be due to a pivotal dinner scene, the presence of multiple pilgrims, or the celebration of family and thankfulness. Here’s my list:

1. Planes, Trains & Automobiles
2. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
3. Fantastic Mr. Fox
4. Scent of a Woman
5. The Big Chill
6. Home for the Holidays
7. Addams Family Values
8. Rocky 
9. The Ice storm
10. Spider-Man (2002)

Honorable mentions: The Blind Side, You’ve Got Mail, Miracle on 34th Street, Hannah and Her Sisters

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) – This Steve Martin/John Candy buddy movie classic is set against the backdrop of Martin struggling to get back to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving dinner with his family. As prolific a writer John Hughes was (53 writing credits), he only directed 8 of his movies. This is one of them. Trust me: it’s worth a rewatch. You know more of the lines than you think. Streaming on Paramount+ (Fall 2024).

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) – This Peanuts tale is not as popular as the 1965 Christmas one, but it still packs an emotional punch. When Charlie Brown is roped into hosting a Thanksgiving dinner he, Linus & Snoopy prepare a meal of toast, popcorn, pretzels, jellybeans, and ice cream sundaes. Peppermint Patty is not impressed. There’s also lots of Snoopy and Woodstock in pilgrim hats. Streaming on Apple+ (Fall 2024).

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – Wes Anderson’s beautiful stop-motion film is loaded with big-name voices and based on a story by Roald Dahl. Even viewers that aren’t big Anderson fans can appreciate the craftsmanship, humor and heart of this adventure-comedy. Fantastic Mr. Fox was supposedly the first book Wes Anderson ever owned, bought by his mother whose name was, no kidding, Texas Ann. Streaming on Disney+ (Fall 2024).

Scent of a Woman (1992) – Chris O’Donnell takes a job over Thanksgiving break watching Al Pacino’s blind, cantankerous Lt. Col. Slade and the rest is history. Pacino won an Academy Award for Best Actor and the film gave director Martin Brest carte-blanc in Hollywood. Unfortunately Brest followed it up with Meet Joe Black (1998) and Gigli (2003) and was rarely heard from again. Scent of a Woman, however, packs in a lot of great, memorable scenes, including a very uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner. Streaming nowhere (!) but available on all streaming rental services. (Fall 2024.)

The Big Chill (1983) – Another classic, this one from Lawrence Kasden of Empire Strikes Back and Indiana Jones fame. This story of angsty boomers hits a little different these days, but it’s got star power and a banger of a soundtrack including tracks by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Marvin Gaye, and the Stones. The movie doesn’t take place on Thanksgiving weekend, per se, but you’d be forgiven for thinking so and there is a memorable Thanksgiving flashback along with many touching and uncomfortable “family” moments. Streaming on Max (Fall 2024).

Home for the Holidays (1995) – The best example of a dysfunctional family visit during Thanksgiving, this Jodie Foster-directed film stars the lovable Holly Hunter as she wrestles with life as a mom and daughter. Streaming on Paramount+ (Fall 2024).

Addam’s Family Values (1993) – This live-action sequel contains the best “traditional Thanksgiving” scene in movie history as Wednesday tells the story of the Indians and Pilgrims as no one else can. Streaming on Paramount+ (Fall 2024).

Rocky (1976) – It’s Rocky. The original. It was an instant cultural phenomenon and is widely regarded as one of the greatest sports films of all time. It also has a great (and pivotal) scene on Thanksgiving. Streaming nowhere (!) but available on all streaming rental services. (Fall 2024.)

The Ice Storm (1997) – Why include this film over some others? Because it’s a great movie with incredible acting and scenes that stay with you. Oddly it stars two actors, Kevin Kline and Christina Ricci, that are in two other films on this list. Streaming nowhere (!) but available on all streaming rental services. (Fall 2024.)

Spider-Man (2002) – What a fun action and origin movie this was when it came out 20 years ago. The cast is spot on and while it’s very much a comic book movie, it still holds up. Toby Mcguire fights the Green Goblin during what is basically the Macy’s parade and then is late to another uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner. Director Sam Raimi skillfully navigates a heart-wrenching romantic triangle and delivers a powerful closing scene. Streaming on Disney+ (Fall 2024).

What do you think? Did I miss any obvious flicks? Rankings are subjective, but I think we can all agree while there’s not much of a Thanksgiving “season” anymore, it’s still an important, beloved holiday worth celebrating.

The latest and presumably last installment of the Indiana Jones franchise came out this summer. Based on previews and the early press, Dial of Destiny did not seem worthy of $15 and an afternoon at the theater during an otherwise busy summer. Now that I’ve watched the movie via Disney+, that assessment has proven accurate.

The unfortunate reality is that 80-year-old Harrison Ford is a shell of the Indiana Jones we all remember. While Dial of Destiny contains a fun mystery and some entertaining action scenes, it is largely forgettable. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is excellent as Jones’ god-daughter, Helena, but ironically, the energy and vitality she brings to her part only highlights Ford’s own slow and grump-filled performance.

Some of this, of course, is on purpose. Ford wanted to bring closure to his character and this is where he and the screenwriters envisioned Jones by the 1960s: tired, retired, washed up and washing down his contempt for the era with booze. This nicely sets-up the “one last ride” undercurrent of the film, along with a subtle redemption arc and well-earned finale with the love of his life, Marion. Still, I’m confident most Indiana Jones fans were happy remembering the beloved character as he was in the first three films: strong, resourceful, quick-witted and full of hope.

This classic version of Indiana Jones is who we see in the first twenty minutes of the film, as modern CGI is able to de-age Ford during an action-packed flashback. Parts of this sequence are excellent and beautifully executed, tricking viewers’ brains into believing we’re watching new footage of 80s and 90s-era Jones. But then the character speaks in Ford’s gravelly, modern-day voice and the illusion is lost. While many aging actors still possess their iconic voices, Ford does not. Continuing the uneasy effect, many scenes look like a video game cut scenes rather than film. Director James Mangold shrouds the sequences in a vignette, denoting a dream-like quality, but it’s not enough. We know we’re watching a fake, and by the end you wonder how some of the scenes made it into a $300 million movie.

So this is a swan song for Indiana Jones. This installments’ McGuffin, a thousand-year-old dial which tracks rifts in time, coupled with de-aging CGI, would seemingly give the filmmakers license to revisit the previous four films, to fill some gaps in Jones’ checkered past, or to relive old glories. Alas, all of that was too ambitious for this film.

There is no clever time paradox, either. If time-travel is possible, you’d think, so are many ingenious twists and turns. The main villain, Nazi scientist Jürgen Voller, is killed in an overly graphic manner during the film’s opening scenes. His return in the 1960s raises many questions. It turns out, he simply survived. Ho hum. The film’s closing act, when the Dial is finally activated, does contain a modest twist, but for the most part the Dial was truly a McGuffin all along. Its time-tracking abilities and their effects on the plot are minimal.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is an uneven film filled with many dubious choices by the filmmakers. Perhaps this is to be expected from a movie first hatched by George Lucas in 2008 before being passed along to a litany of writers and directors until its production could wait on Ford no longer. The film had to be made and it was. In this finale, Indiana Jones has his last adventure before settling down in Harlem with Marion and their friends. I suppose it is the ending he deserves, if there had to be one at all.

Andor is the latest Star Wars series. The first three episodes came out this week and the show looks incredible so far. As I understand it, each three-episode arch will get a new director. I’m hoping that’s a good thing. The last two series, Obi-Wan and The Book of Boba Fett were extremely uneven. The Boba Fett series in particular had some great writing and some bad writing, mixed in with uneven acting, directing and tone. Because it was such a missed opportunity, I’ve been thinking about how it could have been better.

The Problems
What were the biggest issues with The Book of Boba Fett? The first is that fans wanted to see Boba Fett kicking butt, but the show is set in the Mandalorian time-period, five years after Return of the Jedi when an older, wiser and sarlaac-pit scarred Boba Fett is attempting to build a crime syndicate. Boba seems ridiculously out-numbered. His crew is in the single-digits until late in the series when he recruits a town of reinforcements. The scale always seems off. Lastly, the look and tone don’t match the plot. Any story about a crime syndicate begs for dark, late-night encounters but this series takes place almost exclusively during the day. Instead of scenes filled with the strain and emotion of hard choices, most scenes play out as ho-hum comic book panels where the characters don’t make things happen, they just bounce to the next page.

Fix Number One: Three Stories
One thing the series does well is to tell two stories: the story of the crime syndicate and the story of Boba Fett’s recovery and rehabilitation among the Tuskan Raiders, which we see in flashbacks when he’s resting in his bacta tank. The Sand People segment is both well-written and touching and shows us the reasons that Boba Fett has become kinder, gentler scum. Or has he?

My fix: weave three stories instead of two. Obviously, you can cut the inexplicable Mando-only episodes out of the middle of the series to save run-time. The third story, which we’d also see in flashbacks while in the bacta tank would be of a bounty hunter mission from Boba’s past. Presumably it’s a mission that goes terribly wrong. He’d display the cunning badass persona he’s famous for, as well as total ruthlessness. This would contrast with the Sand People storyline of redemption. The question going into the final series climax would be this: Can a man like Boba Fett really change or will the pressure of his predicament push him back to his ruthless ways?

Fix Number Two: The Crime Syndicate Story
The “present day” story is a mess. Characters are introduced but never developed and Boba never seems to have an adequate crew or plan. I’d restructure it as a series of problems and solutions. Each time, his reward is more allies. First, he negotiates with the Hutt Twins, then he manages to win over the Trandoshans. The whole time it’s clear his chief rival is Shaiz but we also learn the Pykes are coming. A storm is brewing and he’s out-manned. His next hurdle is winning over the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan. It’s a big win, but when he tries to recruit Cobb Vanth’s town we see that the Pykes have recruited Cad Bane. Checkmate. Only as a showdown becomes inevitable does Boba Fett turn to his ace-in-the-hole, the Mandalorian. There’s a big fight of course, with different factions facing off, but Boba eventually triumphs. Shaiz is defeated and at his mercy. The question is whether Boba will delivery vigilante vengeance or true justice. Has he really changed?

Fix Number Three: Less Phantom Menace, more Rogue One
As I mentioned earlier, the bright, comic book look and tone of this series doesn’t match up with the expectations of a show about an infamous bounty hunter forming a crime syndicate. Read that description again and tell me if you see sunshiny days and smirking faces. With the introduction of the bounty hunter mission storyline, which could take place in dark city streets somewhere, the tone of the series immediately gets better. Add in some Mos Espa night scenes where bad things happen. Throw in a lightning storm. The day scenes work better as slow-burning suspense if we know that each night there will be a reckoning.

Overall, Boba Fett was both fun to watch and full of problems. Star Wars fans can be a tough crowd, but that doesn’t excuse lazy writing and uneven craftmanship. The Book of Boba Fett was a missed opportunity, but based on the first three episodes, Andor looks like a smash hit.