N O V E M B E R 6, 2022
S U N D AYS I G N A L · 1 3
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‘Armageddon Time’ Had Good Intentions By Richard Roeper Signal Contributing Writer
‘Armageddon Time’
1/2 (out of four)
Focus Features presents a film directed by James Gray. Rated R (for language and some drug use involving minors). In theaters.
T
he majestic Anthony Hopkins nearly saves the well-intentioned but dour and heavy-handed American family portrait film “Armageddon Time” in a single, elegantly constructed scene in which Hopkins’ family patriarch, Aaron, is in the park with his grandson Paul (Banks Repeta), who tells Grandpa at his new private school, “Sometimes kids say bad words about the Black kids.” “What do you do when that happens?” asks Grandpa Aaron. “Obviously nothing, of course.” “You think that’s smart? Next time those schmucks say anything bad about those kids, you’re gonna say something. You’re gonna be a mensch, OK?” Grandpa then tells Paul to give him a “firm handshake” and a hug, while in the distance, Paul’s mother and Aaron’s daughter, Esther (Anne Hathaway), sits in the car, overcome with emotion — because she knows something about her father’s health that hasn’t yet been conveyed to Paul, who worships his grandfather. It’s a simple yet complex and beautifully executed scene, and it speaks to the strength of “Armageddon Time,” writer-director James Gray’s Truffaut-esque and deeply personal work about growing up as the descendant of Jewish immigrants in New York City in 1980, on the cusp of the Reagan years. There are times when this film feels absolutely real and lived-in, as when Paul’s extended family gathers for dinners where everyone talks at once and nobody is listening, and you can feel the tensions but also the enduring and abiding love at the table. Unfortunately, Gray’s central young character isn’t as sympathetic or likable as the talented filmmaker must have intended, and the constant lecturing about white guilt among liberals is delivered in all caps, with exclamation points.
husband who believes in the belt as a perfectly capture the 1980 time petool of discipline, an older son (Ryan riod, from the sets to the clothes to Sell) whose bullying of Paul goes bethe snippets of Ronald Reagan on TV, yond normal big-brother stuff, and campaigning for the presidency and Paul, who openly disobeys her and then celebrating his landslide victohates his life so much he’s planning to ry on Election Night, as Paul’s family run away with Johnny, who is essenlooks on in disbelief. The cast is extially homeless and increasingly descellent, with Oscar winners Hopkins perate to skip town. and Hathaway doing true character “Armageddon Time” takes a bizarre turn when Paul’s family sends work, and “Succession” star Strong him to private school, where, on his demonstrating once again he can disfirst day, he’s cornered by Donald appear into a wide variety of characTrump’s father, Fred (John Diehl), ters. I kid you not, who looks and acts Alas, I found Paul’s antics more Laemmle Theatres • Santa Clarita Signal adsource@exhibitorads.co like Vincent Price in a horror movie, frustrating and exasperating than enquestions Paul about his REAL last p. 888.737.2812 f. 203.438.12 3col (4.75”) x 5.9” dearing, and the steady drumbeat of name and hustles Paul into a school November 6-10,about 2022 Ad insertion date: Sunday-Thursday, institutional racassembly, at which Mary Trump (Jes- messaging PHOTO COURTESY IMDB at the school, a police station sica Chastain) proclaims, “In this1, 2022 ism Ad creation/delivery date: Tuesday, November at 10:54:29 AMatCASCS_LEM1106Young Banks Repeta does a fine job institution, you can be anything you and in and around the Graff family, tackling a heavy load as the central want to be. It won’t be because of a becomes more tiresome than enlightfigure in Gray’s story: one Paul Graff, handout. It’ll be because you earned ening. The best intentions, even from who in the Queens of 1980 is about to your way there.” Now, THAT’S rich. such a fine filmmaker, don’t always start his first day of school as a sixth Writer-director Gray (“Ad Astra”) translate to the best movies. grader at P.S. 173, where Paul is more and the production design team and interested in drawing comic-book Copyright 2022 Chicago Sun-Times cinematographer Darius Khondji characters and clowning around than paying attention to the rigid Mr. TM Turkeltaub (Andrew Polk), one of those Movie Teacher characters who seems to hate children and the very idea of real education. Paul makes fast friends with fellow mischief-mak22500 Lyons Ave. info Line 310.478.3836 er Johnny (Jaylin Webb), a Black student who is bussed in to school every day — but time and again, it’s Johnny THE METROPOLITAN OPERA: THE MAGIC FLUTE HOLIDAY who takes the fall whenever the two ENCORE 1:10 4:10 7:00 get into trouble, in or out of school. Julie Taymor’s kaleidoscopic production returns to select cinemas this holiday season in an encore presentation of the company’s first-ever Live in HD transmission, starring tenor Matthew Polenzani, baritone Nathan Gunn, and bass René Pape. As Johnny’s hot-tempered father, Irving (Jeremy Strong), says after one BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER C Thu: 4:00 7:30 such incident for which Paul will get Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje, fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War away scot-free, “Be grateful when you Dog Nakia and Everett Ross and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda get a leg up. You make the most of ARMAGEDDON TIME E 1:20 4:20 7:20 your break and do not look back.” A deeply personal story on the strength of family, the complexity of friendship and the generational pursuit of the American Dream. This is a constant theme in “ArPREY FOR THE DEVIL C 1:30 4:30 7:30 mageddon Time,” as Paul’s family Sister Ann, a novice nun who devoutly believes performing exorcisms is her calling, confronts a demonic force that infests those around her and has mysterious ties to her past. speaks of the struggles of the Jewish people and the history of hatred BLACK ADAM C 1:10 4:10 7:20 and persecution of the Jews, even as Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods - and imprisoned just as quickly - Black Adam (Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world. some of them wave off casual racism TICKET TO PARADISE C 1:30 4:30 7:30 in their own community. It’s a lot for George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunite on the big screen as exes who find themselves on a shared mission to stop their lovestruck an 11-year-old to process, but Paul daughter from making the same mistake they once made in TICKET TO PARADISE. is written as a naive, impetuous and TILL C 1:00 4:05 7:10 often downright bratty kid, especially Till is a profoundly emotional and cinematic film about the true story of Mamie Till Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14 in his treatment of his loving mother, year old son, Emmett Till, who, in 1955, was brutally lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. who seems overwhelmed by a life that TÁR E 1:00 3:50 6:55 entails teaching home economics and From producer-writer-director Todd Field comes TÁR, starring Cate Blanchett as the iconic musician Lydia Tár. TÁR examines the changing nature of power, its impact and durability in our modern world. trying to run an overcrowded and FOR 11/6/202211/10/2022 ONLY WWW.LAEMMLE.COM loud household. She’s dealing with a
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