Millennials Talk Cinema: ‘Cruella’ is barking mad, ‘The Dry’ is one hot thriller

‘CRUELLA’

In Theaters/Disney+

Amber-Rose Reed

Before watching “Cruella” — a “Joker”-like origin story from director Craig Gilespie (“I, Tonya”), about the dog-hating baddie Cruella DeVil from Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” — I made a list of Disney villains I would rather see an origin story about. Said list included Jafar from “Aladdin,” Scar from “The Lion King,” and the witch who cursed the Beast in “Beauty and the Beast.” I have been baffled for weeks that Disney actually committed time and money to a prequel about a dog-napping, would-be puppy-killer, starring Emma Stone and set in the world of high fashion.

It seemed like an elaborate practical joke.

Well, I have now watched “Cruella.”

Dear reader, I think I loved it.

Estella (Emma Stone) grew up on the streets of London with her found family, Jasper (the wonderful Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Houser). She turns away from low-life cons and petty theft when she finds her way into the fashion world working under the Baroness (Emma Thompson), only to find out that the accident that killed her mother wasn’t an accident after all — and that her new mentor was the one behind it. Deciding to take the Baroness down, Estella creates the persona of Cruella to put on a (fashion) show. Part “Devil Wears Prada,” part 70s glam extravaganza, I do not know how Cruella works as well as it does, but I found it delightful.

It’s also kinda dark — aptly so, because remember, one day this woman is going to attempt to skin 99 puppies for their coats.

As a fan and writer of fantasy fiction, I think a lot about what makes a hero and what makes a villain. A movie like this one — where the protagonist is on deck for villainy — makes for a good study of that difference.

I think it often comes down to what lessons the villainous protagonist learns from their struggle. Do they reject the toxic beliefs of the antagonist gunning for them, or do they embrace those beliefs? The Baroness, Estella’s mentor-turned-nemesis, dishes out what she believes to be wisdom about power, people, and relationships. She’s also straight-up evil, sort of Miranda Priestly meets Vito Corleone, minus any family values.

As much as Estella wants to defeat the Baroness, she also buys into her lessons, so much so that its entirely believable that the endearing relationship between Estella, Jasper, and Horace will one day end up in the same place as Cruella’s relationship with her toadies in “101 Dalmations.” The thing about villain origin stories is that even when they win in the end, they also lose that heroic potential inside of them. There’s always something sad about that, even if that journey includes a renegade runway sequence done to a Stooges cover (which, come on, was easily the best part of the movie).

All in all, “Cruella” is great fun with a wonderful cast. Insert shout-out here to Kirby Howell-Baptiste, who plays darling Anita Darling — the eventual owner those famous dalmatians — whose friendship with Cruella I finally understand). Despite some probably unintentional, problematic nature-versus-nurture points, and the weird decision to give dog-napping Cruella a dog of her own, I really enjoyed it, and will probably watch it again.

But a Jafar prequel would still be amazing.

[Suggested Emojis: Thumbs up, Dog emoji]

Video on Demand

Katie Wigglesworth

Riveting and brilliantly paced, “The Dry” — directed by Robert Connolly and based on the 2016 novel by Jane Harper — is mystery-drama done right.

The recent murder-suicide of a childhood friend brings detective Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) back to his hometown of Keiwara, Australia for the first time since departing under a cloud of a suspicion decades earlier, when a teenage girl, Ellie Deacon (Bebe Bettencourt), was found dead in a river. Both tragedies have left massive wounds in the small, tight-knit farming community, and as Falk investigates the murder-suicide at the request of the perpetrator’s remaining family, he becomes consumed with questions about both cases.

In lieu of flashy fight sequences or distractingly unrelated red herrings, “The Dry” focuses primarily on the rich relationships and complicated natures of its characters, letting it’s excellent cast shine.

The plot is headily paced and winding in a way that feels truly organic, placing the viewer firmly in Falk’s passenger seat as he grapples with ghosts new and old. Bana is stunning, playing Falk with an undercurrent of uncertainty and insecurity that feels wholly authentic. There’s a wistful bitterness in Bana’s performance that ebbs and flows as Falk attempts to maneuver in the one place he can never truly be comfortable. Also of note is Bettencourt’s nuanced, raw, and gripping performance as the long-deceased Ellie Deacon.

Bettencourt also sings the movie’s original song “Under the Milky Way,” a haunting and bittersweet elegy of longing that Bettencourt imbues masterfully with Ellie’s demons and desires in equal measure.

Aside from the mystery itself, the atmosphere and production design are stunningly crafted. Keiwara is a desiccating town. Plagued by a persistent drought, the pastures and the people are dehydrated and withering. Water, money, and patience are all taut past their potential, threading a palpable framework of discomfort through each interaction and scene. It’s a tenuous powder-keg of apprehension and desperation upon which Falk is digging for answers no one may be prepared for.

Engrossing, well scripted, brilliantly acted, and absorbingly paced, “The Dry” thrives on its layered storytelling and powerful performances. A haunting tale I’ll be revisiting time and time again.

[Suggested emojis: Two Thumbs Up]