Film Previews

‘The Whale’
R | 117 minutes
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins

Charlie is a morbidly obese English teacher based in the state of Idaho. At about 600 pounds, Charlie’s obesity has made his range of movement limited, and he shares his passion for literature (particularly within his favorite novel, “Moby Dick”) entirely virtually from his own couch. In addition to his morbid obesity, Charlie is also depressed to the point where he is suicidal, as he is essentially trying to eat himself to death. The only thing that is really stopping Charlie from achieving this goal sooner is another want to reconnect with his teenage daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink). Charlie seems to have come to terms with the fact that he doesn’t have much time left on Earth, regardless of if he’s trying to expedite the process by overeating. However, with the help of Ellie, Charlie’s nurse and closest friend Liz (Hong Chau), and a Mormon missionary named Thomas, perhaps Charlie may get a chance to find a source of meaning and happiness that he’s been missing for so many years.

‘Marlowe’
R | 110 minutes
Director: Neil Jordan
Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange

Based on Booker Prize-winning author John Banville’s book “The Black-Eyed Blonde,” “Marlowe” presents a gripping noir crime thriller set in late 1930s Bay City and centers around a brooding, down-on-his-luck detective, Philip Marlowe (Liam Neeson) who is hired to find the ex-lover of a glamorous heiress (Diane Kruger), daughter of a well-known movie star (Jessica Lange). The disappearance is the first twist in a series of bewildering events, and soon Marlowe is embroiled in a deadly investigation that puts him in the crosshairs of several of the city’s richest and most dangerous constituents. 

‘Babylon’
R | 188 minutes
Director/Writer: Damien Chazelle
Starring: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Jean Smart

From Damien Chazelle, “Babylon” is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles featuring Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jovan Adepo, Toby Maguire, Li Jun Li, Eric Roberts and Jean Smart. A tale of ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. Brad Pitt’s character is reported to be based on John Gilbert, a silent-film star whose career declined when talkies started taking over. Margot Robbie is playing actress Nellie LaRoy based on Clara Bow, who successfully made the transition to talkies and came to personify the Roaring Twenties. Additionally, there’s Jean Smart, playing what is presumed to be the fictional character of a Hollywood journalist/critic who can make or break careers.