NYFF Review: João Pedro Rodrigues’ Will-o’-the-Wisp Gives Wood As Good As It's Got

by Jason Adams

How many wood puns would a reviewer chuck into his review of a movie about wood puns? Admittedly not quite as tight a tongue-twister as the “how much wood would a woodchuck” original, but we work with what we’ve got. And I’ll try to rein myself in when it comes to queer sensualist and provocateur João Pedro Rodrigues’ Will-o’-the-Wisp (aka Fogo-Fátuo) as far as such woody things go, but when he’s got his own characters talking about the trees being “tumescent with sap” I can only be so discreet. But I know when I’ve been beaten, and this wood master already beat me at my own game. Point João once more!

At sixty-seven minutes Will-o’-the-Wisp is as slight as is its central figure, a dazzled Portuguese princeling named Alfredo (Mauro Costa) in an alternate-reality timeline...

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Streaming: "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande"

by Nathaniel R

Here's one we absolutely meant to review at Sundance but didn't get to. We did you disservice. This must-see drama from writer Katy Brand and director Sophie Hyde, now streaming on Hulu, is a fine specimen in the increasingly endangered species of "character-based drama for adults". More rising directors and screenwriters should attempt low-budget premises like -- easier to get funding -- provided they can find and guide actors savvy enough to pull off something direct and delicate. Hyde and Brand have done just that even if they haven't attempted to make it very "cinematic". It's not based on a play but it does feel like a film version of a play. For the wisely economical 97 minute running time we're entirely focused on just two people in one hotel room. Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson) is a lonely fifty something widow who hires a male escort "Leo Grande" (Daryl McCormack) to fill the void of human connection in her life. She also hopes to finally experience an orgasm...

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Donnie Linko

• Esquire wonderful profile of Jake Gyllenhaal who is (maybe) at a career crossroads
• Shadow and Act suggests actresses for the upcoming Angela Davis biopic. It's certainly going to be a killer role for the right person. Have any suggestions of your own?
• Independent Sydney Sweeney talks about her work on Euphoria and that people aren't paying attention to the performance, just the nudity
• Playbill Antonio Banderas is doing Sondheim's Company as Bobby in Spain right now. He's surely the oldest Bobby ever (at 61 when the plot is very much about being in your 30s) but we'd so love to see this.

Hot Links and Leftovers

• Vulture Allison Wilmore makes a good case that Don't Look Up is going to win Best Picture (uh-oh)
• The Daily Beast great far ranging interview with Steven Soderbergh - very exciting quote on the third Magic Mike movie "It’s as close to a full-blown musical as I’m ever going to get." And yes he also talks about superhero movies which all the A list directors are required to talk about now in interviews (sigh)
• Vogue "2022 Hollywood Portfolio" features lots of Oscar hopefuls and also some wildcards having a good year. Alana Haim, Simu Liu, Aunjanue Ellis, Dakota Johnson, Rachel Zegler, Dami Judi Dench, Jodie Comer, etc...

Razzie nominations, Plaza Suite, Mothering Sunday, American Born Chinese and more after the jump...

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Lukewarm off the press: MTV Movie Awards, Dune buzz, Norman Lloyd, etc...

Sorry about our radio silence these past few days. But let's catch up with some of movie news that we missed.

• The MTV Movie & TV Awards were held with WandaVision emerging as the big winner taking home Best Show, Best Performance, Best Fight, and Best Villain. Sacha Baron Cohen, Chadwick Boseman, and Scarlett Johansson among others were also honored.

More after the jump including Dune, Disenchanted, and Lord of the Rings for TV news...

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