From a magical animated tale, to a thrilling drama.
Film critic Josh Bell gives you a look at his two picks this week, including what he says is one of the best movies of the year in today's Bell Breakdown!
Now playing in theaters is the lovely animated fable Wolfwalkers, from Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon. Wolfwalkers is the Oscar-nominated studio's most ambitious and accomplished project yet. Set in 17th-century Ireland, Wolfwalkers follows young girl Robyn as she explores the vast woods outside her walled town. Local legend tells of people known as Wolfwalkers, shape-shifters who can command packs of wolves and magically heal wounds. Robyn befriends one such creature, a girl her own age named Mebh. That puts Robyn at odds with her father, who is tasked with ridding the forest of wolves. Created with hand-drawn animation that resembles storybook illustrations, Wolfwalkers delivers an immersive fantasy tale every bit as grand as anything created by a major studio. Wolfwalkers is now playing in theaters citywide, and will be streaming on Apple TV+ starting Dec. 11.
Available this coming Tuesday for video on demand rental is the excellent period drama Dreamland. Set in 1935 in the Texas Dust Bowl, Dreamland stars Margot Robbie as fugitive bank robber Allison Wells, who hides out in an empty barn on the family farm of troubled young man Eugene Evans, played by Finn Cole. Eugene sees Allison as the embodiment of his dreams for a more exciting life, and the two share an intense but doomed connection. With its gorgeous cinematography, haunting score, careful pacing, evocative use of cross-cutting, and great performance from Margot Robbie, this is one of the best movies of 2020. That's Dreamland, out Tuesday on VOD.
