By Susan Granger
Sure to wind up in many 10 Best lists this year, “Spotlight” is the fascinating, true crime story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that revealed the Roman Catholic Church’s systematic ‘cover-up’ of pedophile priests.
Spotlight is the name of the Globe’s investigative team, headed by Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton) and comprised of Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Sarah Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) and Matty Carroll (Brian d’Arcy James).
They report to managing editor Ben Bradlee, Jr. (John Slattery), whose father figured prominently in the Watergate-themed “All the President’s Men.”
After the Globe was bought by The New York Times in 2001, there’s a new, cost-cutting boss, Marty Baron (Liev Schrieber), who is not only Jewish but also an out-of-towner. He urges them to pursue molestation allegations against a priest, a subject the newspaper has traditionally ignored under tacit pressure from Cardinal Bernard Law (Len Cariou) and the Boston Archdiocese.
Spotlight soon learns that it’s not an isolated incident. Scores of similar claims have been privately settled by the Church’s evasive attorney (Billy Crudup), outside the legal system, and those involving paperwork have been sealed by complicit judges, thereby “turning child abuse into a cottage industry.”
Scripted as a fact-based, journalistic procedural by Josh Singer (“The Fifth Estate”) and director Tom McCarthy (“The Station Agent,” “Win Win”), it reveals the institutional conspiracy that protected these predators and perpetuated their heinous behavior, moving them from parish to parish.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t allow for much character development for the Spotlight team, who doggedly pursue leads and interview victims and parishioners. A notable exception is testy Mitchell Garabedian (Stanley Tucci), who steers them in the right direction when he realizes their serious intent.
Nevertheless, the entire ensemble scores – delivering solid performances.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Spotlight” is a taut, compelling 10, illuminating a timely, still-relevant issue.
Although “Spectre,” the 24th installment of the James Bond saga, is action-packed, the 53 year-old franchise, based on British Secret Agent 007, is creaking and beginning to show its age.
Beginning in Mexico City during the Day of the Dead celebration, Bond (Daniel Craig) scampers over rooftops, deftly assassinating an Italian bad guy, even as British Intelligence is still recovering from the massive attack that killed off M (Judy Dench) in “Skyfall.”
Apparently, before her demise, M sent a warning message which sends Bond on a global man-hunt for Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz), the evil mastermind of a crime syndicate called SPECTRE, who evokes recollections of James’ orphaned childhood and an infamous Bond villain from the past.
Complicating matters, Bond is summarily grounded by the cocky, new National Security Director (Andrew Scott), who is obsessed with creepy cyber-security. He’s determined to shut down the 00-section and disband Bond’s trusty team of Ralph Fiennes as M’s replacement, Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny and Ben Whishaw as gadget-master Q.
While Bond beds every sexy woman who crosses his path, the writers (John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Jez Butterworth) and director Sam Mendes have the good grace to include 50-year-old Monica Belluci (as an icy Italian widow, 007’s oldest conquest) before he settles on sullen, 30-year-old Lea Seydoux.
There are impressive chase sequences: a helicopter whirling over Mexico City’s crowded Zocalo, a spin through Morocco, a plane careening down an Austrian mountain, and an automobile encounter in Rome. Reportedly budgeted at over $250 million, it runs 148 minutes, the longest in the Bond series.
Problem is: an enervating fatigue has set in, taking the humor and fun with it. Even the title sequence is lame, particularly the signature song, Sam Smith’s whiny ballad “The Writing’s On the Wall.”
On the Granger Gauge, “Spectre” is a sinister, sadistic 6, clumsy escapist entertainment that’s neither shaken nor stirring.
Good grief! In “The Peanuts Movie,” Charles M. Schultz’s beloved comic strip characters are CG-animated and in 3D for the first time.
Working from a script by Schultz’s son Craig and grandson Brian with Cornelius Uliano, director Steve Martino and Blue Sky Studios (“Ice Age,” “Horton Hears a Who!”) have brought Charlie Brown and his gang back for the first time since 1980’s “Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don’t Come Back!).”
Their gently spirited concept faithfully replicates many of the individual characters’ quirks and idiosyncrasies. It revolves around how good-hearted Charlie Brown is immediately smitten when the Little Red-Haired Girl moves into the neighborhood, while a secondary plot involves Charlie’s fun-loving beagle Snoopy and his penchant for creative writing.
There’s Lucy, Schroeder, Sally, Pigpen, Woodstock, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Linus, along with the kite-eating tree, the missing football, the Great Pumpkin, the Red Baron and a femme fatale poodle.
Parents and grandparents may have to explain outdated items like a rotary telephone, fountain pen and manual typewriter to youngsters – but that’s not a bad thing. Many of us still use those archaic staples.
Significantly, Charles’ widow Jean Schultz has indicated that, while her husband would be proud of this version, she is in “no rush” to encourage a sequel – and her consent is vital to filmmakers at 20th Century-Fox who obtained the right to produce only one movie.
On the Granger Gauge, “The Peanut Movie” is an amiable, satisfying 7, sweetly nostalgic family fare.
( Editor’s Note: Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has been on radio/television as an anchorwoman and movie/drama critic for many years. See her reviews at www.susangranger.com.)
While I usually agree with you assessments, I have to disagree on Spectre. It is an unqualified global success, and perfect extension of the Bond series. And you are clearly not a music critic if you don’t enjoy Sam Smith’s anthem – and it is the very first Bond theme to hit #1 on the charts.