"Victoria and Abdul"; 3 stars: The film looks at the later years of Queen Victoria's rule at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Her constant concerns about world politics and family issues have left the queen in a despondent state. This changes when a young Indian clerk, Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), travels to England to be part of the Golden Jubilee. What is supposed to be a short ceremony becomes a deep friendship as Queen Victoria convinces Abdul to become her spiritual advisor known as the Munshi.
There are only a handful of actors who dramatically increase the quality of a film simply with their presence. Without the casting of Dame Judi Dench as Queen Victoria, the period film from director Stephen Frears would have been a passable story of how a woman, strangled by the confines of the monarchy, manages to reach out beyond the palace walls. Dench is such acting royalty that she elevates the tale to a more regal level.
Dench's acting gravitas is strong enough to make even the lightest of stories automatically feel like they have more girth. And that's what happens with "Victoria & Abdul."
"Dunkirk"; 2.5 stars: Although "Dunkirk" looks at one of the most amazing military/civil operations of World War II (or maybe any military conflict in history), it's not a war movie. It's Christopher Nolan's view of a war movie.
Just as he looked at the broader battle of good versus evil through his "Dark Knight" trilogy, tying the sci-fi genre into creative knots with "Interstellar" and redefined the mystery movie with his mind-twisting "Memento," "Dunkirk" has the trappings of a standard war movie, but it's structured more to focus on community heroism rather than the single savior. And it's designed more to build suspense than take a linear look at the particular moment in time. It's an unorthodox style, but being different has become the trademark of a Nolan production.
The gamble is with his past works, Nolan had creative flexibility because he was working in fictional worlds from the pages of comic books to the inner workings of the mind. He's treading on sacred memories bringing events of Dunkirk to the screen.
"The LEGO Ninjago Movie"; 1 star: The best thing _ actually the only good thing _ that can be said about "The LEGO Ninjago Movie" is the filmmakers are doing their part to save the planet. The script is cobbled together bits and pieces of old "Power Rangers" tales while the action looks like it was designed from recycled moments from the previous "LEGO" movies, not to support the lackluster plot, but to distract from all of the problems. Even the voice work sounds like it is being reused from past offerings.
Each busted or cracked brick of this movie comes together to form a major mistake.
The problem with a successful film like "The LEGO Movie" is the inevitable sequels follow. In this franchise, the first sequel managed to find a saving grace in some well written lines and a healthy dose of nostalgia. This third offering has nothing to save it because of how the story, design and voice work lack even an ounce of originality.
ALSO NEW ON DVD DEC. 18
"mother!": Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem star in the visually arresting psychological thriller.
"Stronger": Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this film based on the true story of Jeff Bauman, a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing.
"Blood Money": Friendship is threatened by greed. John Cusack stars.
"Stan Lee's Lucky Man: Season One": A man (James Nesbitt) learns a supernatural luck bracelet can be good and bad.
"DuckTales _ Vol 1: Woo-Oo!": Huey, Dewey and Louie get their Uncle Scrooge to go on an adventure.
"Shattered": This thriller about power, greed and betrayal in a prominent political family is based on a true story. Arianne Zucker and Ray Wise star.
"Salvation: Season One": Group scrambles to find a way to save Earth from a threat from outer space.
"Leatherface": Four escapees from a mental institution leave a path of death and destruction.
"Women Without Men": The fate of four women come together in an Iranian orchard in 1953.
AVAILABLE DEC. 19 ON DIGITAL HD
"In Search of Fellini": A young woman travels to Italy to meet director Federico Fellini. Will be released on DVD Jan. 19.
