HOLLYWOOD, CA — This Christmas Holiday weekend, the new movie releases feature a wrestling family dynasty, three kindred spirits and a racing car magnate.
The real-life story of the Von Erichs, one of wrestling’s most influential families, comes alive in “The Iron Claw,” starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickenson and Stanley Simons as sibling brothers thrust onto the world stage of pro wrestling. The piercing drama gives an insight into the siblings’ relationship with their father (Holt McCallany), who steered their way to the ringside spotlight.
“The Color Purple” has a new iteration in the form of a movie musical, starring Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo and Halle Bailey. It is a refreshing take on the enduring narrative of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-winning best-seller of the same title.
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Also available for your viewing pleasure is “Ferrari,” a biopic about the legendary Enzo Ferrari. Adam Driver plays the eponymous racing car magnate, along with Penelope Cruz and Shailene Woodley co-starring as the two most important women in Ferrari’s life.
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Check out what we thought of the three new releases below.
Movies Out This Holiday Weekend
“The Iron Claw”
Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickenson, Stanley Simons; directed by Sean Durkin
The latest effort by Sean Durkin — the auteur behind such psychological dramas as 2011’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene” and 2020’s “The Nest” — shines a spotlight on the true story of the Von Erichs, the first family of Texas wrestling. Their claim to fame is the family’s title claw, a brutally painful face grip that could make their opponents surrender to submission instantly.
“The Iron Claw” delivers a searing portrait of a sports family in American film, buoyed by an electrifying ensemble cast, Durkin’s stylistic atmospheric approach along with Cinematographer Mátyás Erdély’s wondrous eye for feats of pure athleticism.
Check out our full review of the movie:
“Ferrari”
Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Patrick Dempsey; directed by Michael Mann
Michael Mann’s sports drama, based on Brock Yates’ 1991 Enzo Ferrari biography, follows the famous automaker during the summer of 1957.
The movie charms in lavishness and lusciousness, featuring beautiful cars, Italian high-end fashion designs and sumptuous food spreads — all replete with a beckoning Northern Italian setting.
Adam Driver plays Enzo, and audiences will meet the racing car magnate as his personal life and business ventures are both spiraling out of control. His dual relationships with his wife Laura (Penelope Cruz), and his mistress, Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley) are seemingly on the precipice of collision. Apparently, Laura is about to explode, as Lina is now adamant that Enzo’s bastard son Pierro be christened with the last name Ferrari.
Meanwhile, his auto empire, Ferrari S.p.A, is floundering in the wake of declining car sales as the Maserati brand is gaining more traction in the race-car niche, rendering a bleak financial outlook for the Ferrari brand.
What can be Enzo’s solution? To recover from the business slump, the silver-haired business tycoon decides to enter the grueling Mille Miglia race, a 1,000-mile open-road, motorsport endurance race that takes place in Italy.
The biopic centers mostly on the tenuous relationship between Enzo and Laura. But the melodrama feels bland despite Driver’s and Cruz’s impressive dramatic gravitas. At best, the movie is viscerally thrilling in terms of spectacular racing sequences. By the end, nevertheless, audiences might still be wondering on their way home — “Who exactly is Enzo Ferrari?”
“The Color Purple”
Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Halley Bailey; directed by Blitz Bazawule
Blitz Bazawule’s latest effort comes in the form of a movie musical concoction comprising Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-winning bestseller, the Tony-winning 2005 Broadway stage musical production, and Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed 1985 film version. And what a feat!
The latest iteration is deeply resplendent, dazzling audiences with a refreshing take on the enduring story of three kindred spirits beset with the repulsive social maladies in the South in the early 20th century. The musical score includes 21 new songs, all beautifully fused with stellar acting performances along with electrifying dance and musical numbers.
Fantasia Barrino is outstanding as Celie, and her rendition of “I’m Here” is incredible. Danielle Brooks, Coleman Domingo and Taraji P. Henson add piquancy to the story as supporting cast. Last but not least, Whoopi Goldberg, who played Celie in the original film, makes a cameo appearance.
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