Movie Review

New live action Peter Pan & Wendy has just the right amount of fairy dust

The tale of Peter Pan has been told and retold so many times in multiple forms, whether it’s in books, theater, TV, or movies, that it is one of the most familiar in all of storytelling. In addition to the classic 1953 Disney animated film, there have been numerous live action adaptations, although – until now – not one done by Disney itself.

That changes with Peter Pan & Wendy, making its debut on Disney+, a film that uses the familiar to expand the story in a host of ways. As the film begins, Wendy (Ever Anderson) is getting ready to go off to boarding school, pretend playing what she and her brothers, John (Joshua Pickering) and Michael (Jacobi Jupe), believe is the fictional story of Peter Pan and Captain Hook. Their minds are blown when not only do Tinker Bell (Yara Shahadi) and Peter Pan (Alexander Molony) actually show up, but then also whisk them away to Neverland.

Once there, they encounter Captain Hook (Jude Law), Smee (Jim Gaffigan), and their crew of pirates; a diverse group of Lost Boys (and girls); and Tiger Lily (Alyssa Wapanatâhk), an indigenous girl who often comes to the aid of Peter and the Lost Boys. All involved go through a series of adventures in Neverland, with more than a few surprises along the way.

Written and directed by David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon), with help from co-writer Toby Halbrooks, the film touches on many of the recognizable elements of the original animated film, but does so in a way where the reverence is not the point. Lowery and his team insert details like John’s ever-present top hat, a hint of the music from “You Can Fly…” when Wendy flies for the first time, and the gigantic crocodile that torments Captain Hook, but each of these and more serve only as reminders what’s been seen before instead of being the focus of the film.

What truly makes the film sing is letting Wendy take the lead. No shrinking violet who’s merely in awe of Peter Pan and everything in Neverland, this Wendy challenges the cocky Peter and has a maturity that allows her to be both in control at almost all times and empathetic to everyone around her. In a similar vein, Tiger Lily goes from a non-speaking role to a strong character who speaks in Wapanatâhk’s native Cree language and plays the hero more than once. Giving Wendy and Tiger Lily more to do makes the story even more adventurous than it already was.

The film as a whole is remarkably inclusive, but done in such a way that feels completely natural. As mentioned, the Lost Boys also includes a few girls, as well as a boy with Down syndrome, but each of them is highlighted without making a big deal of their presence, making them simply part of the group. The pirate crew, while mostly anonymous, also has a nice multicultural blend to it.

Lowery also makes a point to go beyond the “good/bad” dynamic between Peter and Hook. They are antagonistic toward each other, to be sure, but their relationship is given a backstory that not only explains their enmity, but also gives it an unexpectedly emotional bent. Lowery plays both sides of the fence well, delivering the fun of Peter and Hook facing off while also allowing both characters to be three-dimensional characters.

The way Anderson commands the film, they probably should have named it Wendy & Peter Pan. The young actor announces herself in a big way here, and should she want it, you’re likely to see much more of her in the coming years. Molony is a serviceable Pan, although he’s not quite as dynamic as previous actors in the role. Law makes for an outstanding Hook, especially given the new demands on the performance. And Wapanatâhk does a lot with a relatively small amount of screen time.

Given the proliferation of Peter Pan adaptations through the years, you may not think you need to see another version. However, Peter Pan & Wendy bucks the trend of bad live action updates of Disney’s animated films, sprinkling just the right amount of fairy dust on the story to make it feel new again.

Photo courtesy of Disney

Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Joshua Pickering, and Jacobi Jupe in Peter Pan & Wendy.

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Peter Pan & Wendy is now streaming on Disney+.

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Movie Review

Daniel Craig searches for elusive new bond in audacious film Queer

Photo courtesy of A24

Drew Starkey and Daniel Craig in Queer.

As recently as the late 2010s, if a movie was made about an LGBTQ+ character, it was more than likely about their coming out experience. Romance, if it existed, was typically chaste, and actual sex was almost completely out of the question. Things have changed dramatically in the 2020s, to the point that a major movie star has no issue starring in a film called Queer.

Based on the 1985 novella by William S. Burroughs, the film features William Lee (Daniel Craig), whom everyone calls just Lee, a writer living in 1950s-era Mexico City who spends most of his time haunting local bars with friends like fellow writer Joe Guidry (Jason Schwartzman) and hitting on younger men. His early interactions in the film seem to indicate that Lee has a bad reputation within the local gay community, as multiple people avoid him or give him odd looks.

Lee senses an opportunity when he encounters a newcomer, Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). Despite some awkward interactions, the two of them start spending time together, although Lee has much more invested in the relationship than Eugene does. Their hit-and-miss bond continues until Lee, who’s starting to get into drugs in addition to the booze, convinces Eugene to accompany him on a trip to South America.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes (making their second straight film together after Challengers), early on the film seems to be mostly about the divide between an older person who’s grown comfortable in his ways and a younger person who’s living a relatively carefree life. The introduction of drugs into the plot changes things, though, with Lee searching out more ways to open his eyes to what the world has to offer.

Guadagnino and his team use some interesting visual storytelling techniques to introduce ideas that may not be present in the actual script. The most successful, demonstrated in multiple scenes, is the superimposition of movements by Lee over what’s actually taking place in the scene. The subtle overlay gives the audience insight into Lee’s true feelings, showing what he can’t or won’t say out loud.

Music also plays a big part in how the plot is perceived, with the use of anachronistic songs from Nirvana and Prince serving to heighten certain moments. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is not as in-your-face as the one they did for Challengers, but it complements the film well, especially when the plot starts to get trippy in its final half hour.

Craig, who appears sweaty and disheveled for much of the film, is about as far from the suaveness of James Bond as you can get in this role. He takes multiple risks with his performance and almost all of them pay off. Starkey’s character is subdued by comparison, but still comes off well. Schwartzman and Lesley Manville are given showy roles, with both using altered appearances that make them nearly unrecognizable to deliver memorable performances.

Queer is not as accessible as Challengers was storytelling-wise, but the fact that it tells a story about gay men living their lives as they see fit with no interference or questions shows how far the film world has come in a short period of time. It also continues Guadagnino’s streak of making audacious films in a way that few other filmmakers are willing or able to approach.

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Queer is now playing in theaters.

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Movie Review

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