THE CAST – Johnny Depp, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy, Tramell Tillman & Ian McKellen

THE TEAM – Ti West (Director) & Nathaniel Halpern (Writer)

THE RUNNING TIME – 116 Minutes

Since its publication in 1843, Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” has never gone out of print. Translated into over forty languages, the beloved novella has been adapted for stage and screen dozens, if not hundreds, of times since the dawn of the twentieth century. Dickens’s timeless story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge re-learning how to experience joy through kindness after a Christmas Eve haunting by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future has an elemental simplicity that makes it incredibly easy to adapt to different settings, styles, and performers. Scrooge is one of the most enticing characters for any actor to play, and few roles in the English-language canon can say that have been portrayed onscreen by such varied performers as Reginald Owen, Michael Caine, Jim Carrey, and Vanessa Williams (not to mention seemingly every major animated character on TV).

With this in mind, it was perhaps inevitable that Johnny Depp would choose this part for his big Hollywood comeback vehicle after years relegated to European slop following the scorched-earth domestic abuse trial between him and ex-wife Amber Heard. A beloved piece of IP with a surefire holiday box-office window, and a part that lets the actor pull all kinds of faces and funny voices while playing one of the most famous redemption arcs in all literature? And it can ride the zeitgeist of anticorruption and wealth disparity by emphasizing those themes already present in the story? An irresistible prospect for any actor, to be sure, but particularly for one in need of a bit of image rehabilitation.

Ti West’s new film of “A Christmas Carol,” adapted by “Tales From the Loop” creator Nathaniel Halpern, takes the bold step of being named “Ebenezer,” announcing itself as a definitive take on the character, one that will go deeper into his story than ever before. That’s a tall order, perhaps an even taller one than Depp has in making the role his own. With the dozens of different versions of “A Christmas Carol” in the public consciousness, nearly everyone has an idea of Scrooge in their heads, and there’s hardly an aspect of his character that hasn’t been explored in depth over the years. While Halpern does make some small changes to the story that mostly work well, the biggest addition comes in the most obvious, least interesting place. Unwilling or unable to push the story’s “eat the rich” angle as far as possible, Halpern goes in the other direction, making Scrooge’s redemption arc all about two women: his sister, Fan, and his one true love, Belle (Ellie Bamber). While there’s potential in this idea that could make the material more boldly contemporary, “Ebenezer” squanders it.

This choice also has the unfortunate side effect of making Ebenezer’s eventual turn feel much more shallow. Scrooge has become a miserable old man because of the lack of love in his life, true, but he pushed all potential for love away because he became consumed by greed. That greed is the character’s defining trait, but in “Ebenezer”, we don’t see much evidence of it. This Ebenezer is more of a cynic, someone who believes everyone is out to get one over on others and who has been proven right enough times that he’s hardened his heart to everyone. Being reminded of the women he loved and lost (in different ways), and how much they still mean to him, awakens his more feminine instincts, causing him to care about other people in a way he hasn’t for decades. On its face, this isn’t a bad arc; it’s just a far more conventional, easily digestible arc than what Dickens originally wrote. A story about a man reckoning with how his actions have caused him unhappiness is most impactful when he realizes he has no one to blame but himself. With the way “Ebenezer” emphasizes its story beats, though, it comes perilously close to blaming its main character’s unhappiness on the two women in his life.

With Depp in the role, it’s hard to read “Ebenezer” as anything but a half-hearted apology to audiences: When Ebenezer screams in terror to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, “I am not who I once was,” we are clearly meant to hear this as coming from the actor, too. In theory, it’s a moving moment, fusing actor and character together to build an emotional beat fantastically larger than life. In practice, however, it doesn’t work in that way, because Depp can’t stop himself from going overboard. Ever the kooky character actor, Depp revels in the part’s extremes, taking malevolent glee in shooing people away in the opening scenes, sinking to mournful depths as the ghosts who haunt his life, and brimming over with childish joy in the final scene on Christmas Day. Playing these extremes so broadly makes the character’s turn feel slightly unbelievable, as Ebenezer seems like an entirely different person in the final sequence. His mannerisms, and even his voice, give the impression that Scrooge has regressed to his younger self. While that’s true on an emotional level, manifesting it so strongly in the performance makes it feel, well, performative. It feels like Ebenezer himself is putting on an act, but the film keeps insisting he’s sincere, drowning the finale in treacly sweetness.

With Depp doing his thing in the lead, it would be very easy for the rest of the cast to feel unmemorable in comparison. Thankfully, they’re up to the task, clearly having a grand old time stepping into these iconic characters. Rupert Grint is the perfect Everyman Bob Cratchit, and he builds a warm, realistic marriage with Charlie Murphy. Sam Claflin has the job of selling us on Ebenezer’s inherent value as a person as his nephew, and he does so with loving forthrightness. As his wife, Daisy Ridley steals both scenes she’s in with impeccable comic timing (the only moments of humor in the film that unequivocally work). Ellie Bamber’s appealing screen presence shines like a light in the darkness, a bright North Star for Ebenezer (if only he would follow it).

The ghosts are always the parts people look forward to the most, though, rich as they are with the opportunity to do something interesting. West, who doesn’t lean into the horror elements quite as much as he could (the half-hearted attempts at jump scares may work for children but certainly not anyone past puberty), had his design teams come up with looks that honor Dickens while adding something new. Andrea Riseborough’s Ghost of Christmas Past is a blank-eyed ghost bride still in her wedding dress, suggesting a story that might move Ebenezer but never breathing a word of it. Meanwhile, Tramell Tillman’s Ghost of Christmas Present slowly decays the longer he shows Ebenezer how others are enjoying the holiday, visualized by the leaves that adorn his crown. The vision of the twin ghosts Want and Ignorance inside him is the closest West gets to making a full-on horror version of the story, enough to make you wish he had gone further.

Unfortunately, that other, meaner, better version remains just out of reach throughout “Ebenezer.” Eve Stewart’s storybook sets and Catherine George’s well-crafted costumes give the film a classic Christmastime feel, with subtle Burton-esque touches that hint at the story’s more macabre aspects, without fully embracing its more fantastical elements. Tyler Bates’s score bounces back and forth between romantic Christmas melodies and Gothic foreboding, but it feels as overblown as Depp’s performance, overegging the most emotional moments. Most infuriatingly, West has cast the perfect Scrooge in the wrong part: Sir Ian McKellen, who has yet to play Scrooge (at least onscreen), makes an appearance as his business partner, Jacob Marley. The venerated actor’s inimitable voice is on full display, spitting out insults laced with venom and the solemnity of a Shakespearean tragedy. It’s a fabulously, bitterly nasty performance, and the subtlety McKellen brings to Marley’s care for Ebenezer speaks volumes. It’s more than enough to make you long to see his take on Scrooge, and mad that Depp’s take on Ebenezer feels so toothless in comparison. The time is ripe for a “Christmas Carol” adaptation that really lets that miserly bastard have it, but “Ebenezer” ain’t it.

The post “EBENEZER” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

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The post The Next Best Picture Podcast – “MaXXXine” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

THE CAST – Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito & Kevin Bacon

THE TEAM – Ti West (Director/Writer)

THE RUNNING TIME – 104 Minutes

Ti West’s trilogy of films that began with 2022’s “X” is one of the most improbable trilogies in recent memory. Horror trilogies are a time-honored tradition in Hollywood, but the “X” trilogy stands out as especially daring and formally bold. “X” remains fun enough on its own, a scuzzy Grindhouse-styled slasher set at an amateur porn shoot on a remote Texan farm in the 1970s. The film’s (not-so) secret weapon is Mia Goth’s astonishing double turn as both final girl Maxine and demented killer old lady Pearl. The sublime makeup work renders her unrecognizable as Pearl. Still, the meta-narrative of an actress in old age makeup lying next to her younger self and openly desiring her beauty deepens and becomes more meaningfully sad after watching the subsequent prequel “Pearl,” in which Goth plays the younger Pearl. We see why she became the person we saw in the previous film. Both films are presented as if from another era – the ‘70s for “X” and the ‘40s-‘50s for “Pearl” – but with content far more outré and psychologically twisted than films of the time allowed. It’s a heady mix of film geekdom and genre thrills, frivolous escapism and trenchant social commentary, and Goth delivers the performance of 2022 between the two films, with “Pearl” and its eight-minute monologue and audacious end credits shot solidifying her as one of the best, boldest actors of her generation.

Now, West and Goth are back at it with “MaXXXine,” a continuation of Maxine’s story from “X” styled as an ‘80s slasher. Six years after the events of the “Texas Porn Star Massacre,” Maxine has gone as far as she feels she can go in adult entertainment and has set her sights on becoming a legit actress. Naturally, she finds her way in through a sleazy, low-budget horror sequel directed by the ruthlessly professional Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki), who sees the same X-factor that Pearl did in Maxine. Instead of trying to take it for herself, though, Elizabeth wants to shape it, and that starts with telling Maxine to squash everything in her life that could interfere with the film. Unfortunately for Maxine, that becomes difficult first when a number of her sex worker friends turn up dead, seemingly at the hands of “The Night Stalker,” an actual serial killer who terrorized the women of Los Angeles. It then becomes even more difficult when a private investigator named John Labat (Kevin Bacon) tracks her down on behalf of a mysterious, powerful employer who harbors nefarious intentions toward Maxine. With a couple of hotshot LAPD Detectives (Bobby Cannavale and Michelle Monaghan) on her tail and only her manager Teddy Night, Esq. (Giancarlo Esposito) to trust, Maxine must become even stronger than she was back in Texas in order to ensure that she will live the life that she deserves: As one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

West is painting on a much larger canvas in “MaXXXine” than in the previous films; both “X” and “Pearl” took place at a remote farm and the closest environs, while “MaXXXine” takes place in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, West’s storytelling is not as exciting here as in the previous films. While each film in the trilogy has been designed to reflect moviemaking styles as it comments on how showbusiness exploits women in different eras, “MaXXXine” commits a bit too much to recreating the genre storytelling of the period. Sometimes, this manifests in scenes that recreate the look of ‘80s videotapes, other times in spot-on fashion choices, both of which can be fun. But West has borrowed too much of the writing style of ‘80s slashers, which were not exactly known for being well-written. The dialogue can be too on-the-nose, but the cast delivers it in a highly entertaining fashion. However, things start to fall apart regarding the film’s big set pieces. A chase scene on the Universal Studios backlot that ends inside the Bates house from “Psycho” is thrilling. Still, considering the opportunities offered by the space, it underwhelms, lacking the cleverness of the previous films. While the film’s finale has a terrific setup (a house high enough up the hill with the Hollywood sign that reaching it requires a ride in a lift), given the story and themes of the previous films, the reveal of the killer’s identity is not only obvious but presented in a disappointingly straightforward way. Pearl is such a fascinating, unique character in both previous films that it would be hard to top her, but the big villain monologue feels rote, with nothing approaching the sharp character work of “Pearl” or the genuinely dangerous mania of “X.”

While this is disappointing, it just makes “MaXXXine” the least of the trilogy, not a bad film in and of itself. In fact, these complaints feel like a feature instead of a bug, an attempt to make an ‘80s slasher in the modern day without elevating it. One of the hallmarks of West’s previous films has been a love of cinema that manifests in both obvious and subtle references to the films that have inspired him. “MaXXXine” is positively punch-drunk on movie love: Outside of the big “Psycho” cameo, there’s Bacon’s PI sporting the linen suits and flop sweat of Orson Welles in “Touch of Evil” (and eventually the nose bandage worn by Jack Nicholson in “Chinatown”), shots of the killer with a video camera like they were in “Peeping Tom,” and pointed call outs to both Theda Bara (the original vamp of silent cinema) and Marilyn Chambers (often cited as the most famous porn star to cross over to mainstream fame), and that’s just for starters. As with all of West’s previous films, “MaXXXine” is immaculately crafted, perfectly capturing the look and feel of the seediest parts of the ‘80s. The neon glow of LA nightlife adds the perfect pop of color to the grisly grime of Eliot Rockett’s cinematography, and production designer Jason Kisvarday has a blast covering the whole spectrum of Hollywood, from power lunches at sleek restaurants to the dingy strip club next to LAX where Maxine works (shout out to the cookie jar full of cocaine).

However, we can’t talk about “MaXXXine” without talking about the title character herself. From her first entrance in a backlit wide shot, dressed in a form-fitting denim outfit with a mane of wavy blonde hair that she uses like a weapon, it’s clear that Maxine and Goth are in control, and the audience is just along for the ride. West doesn’t even make fans wait for Goth to let loose, giving her a juicy audition scene at the top of the film. Goth’s livewire energy brings an unpredictability to her performances, a perfect quality for Maxine. Much more than most horror heroines, Maxine is defined by her forward momentum. She may get scared, but she’s not afraid of anything, fully willing to run toward danger if she thinks she can take it. She takes no prisoners, and neither does Goth. Her performance here ties together everything she’s done in “X” and “Pearl,” showing how Maxine moves past her trauma and builds herself back up to be even more formidable than she was. That the film acknowledges Maxine’s trauma without letting it take over the whole movie further separates it from current trends in horror cinema. It also makes Goth and West’s commentary on how the entertainment industry has treated women since its inception resonates more strongly than it would otherwise by not reducing her to one thing. Maxine Minx is not a mere victim. She’s more than just a woman. She’s so much more than a porn star. Maxine Minx is a legend for being all those things and more. The film’s cheeky ending, while it lacks the twisted, sick kick of “X” and “Pearl,” brings the trilogy to a satisfying close on the level of both plot and theme (much more than most slasher movies accomplish) and Goth’s take-no-prisoners performance is a big reason why. She has the ability of a true movie star to change the gravity in any room she walks into, refocusing everything to center on her. Watching her take center stage in this trilogy and grow from a promising up-and-comer to one of the all-time greats has been a thrill all on its own, but watching her take Maxine to ever greater highs of self-possessed ferocity is the kind of thing movies were made for. “MaXXXine” may not be perfect, but like its namesake, it still has something special.

The post “MAXXXINE” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

Plot Synopsis: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

What do you all think of the trailer? This exceeded all of my expectations. We’re massive fans here at NBP of both “X” and “Pearl,” and speaking for myself, I love how stylistically different all three have been from one another while sticking to the horror genre but with a slight twist each time. Paying homage to noir films and setting this within the 1980s gives Ti West a fun canvas to play with as he mixes paranoia with serial killers and Maxine Minx’s desire to be a star in Hollywood. Everything, from the way this was edited to the music selection and the glimpses we got of Mia Goth’s performance (who has been excellent across the previous two films so far), was perfectly done to get me and I’m sure others excited. After “X” premiered at SXSW and “Pearl” made its world premiere in Venice, does this mean “MaXXXine” will be announced later this week for Cannes? The July 5th release date lends itself to that possibility. What do you all think, though? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.

The post Trailer – “MaXXXine” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

Not much is known about the project besides it being a sequel to the first film in the Ti West-directed horror series “X” (with “Pearl” serving as a prequel to both). The new movie follows Maxine (Goth) making her way to becoming a star in 1980s Hollywood. Ti West is set to return as director and wrote the script after helming the previous two films. A24 is producing the film just like the last two. “MaXXXine” is set to start production later this month and will be released in 2024.

We are very excited to see “MaXXXine” as we were all fans of what Ti West brought us with “X” and “Pearl.” Each had its own stylistic identity and featured Mia Goth, giving an absolutely unhinged dual performance as both Maxine and Pearl. This is easily the most extensive cast of the series so far, and considering the cult-like following of the first two films, we expect this one to be bigger than them financially. With Giancarlo Esposito possibly playing a shady adult film agent and Kevin Bacon apparently playing a private detective who is maybe trying to solve the murders of the first movie, set across the backdrop of 1980s Hollywood, this already has our curiosity turned all the way up.

What do you think of the cast announcement for “MaXXXine?” Are you a fan of the previous two films? Please let us know in the comments section below or over on our Twitter account.

The post The Cast For Ti West’s “MaXXXine” Has Been Revealed appeared first on Next Best Picture.