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Detailing the career of British pop star Robbie Williams, his meteoric rise, catastrophic fall, and miraculous recovery, Better Man is the biopic analysis that aims to educate and entertain as only the Robster can. Directed by Michael Gracey who comes with a pedigree of rock and roll and pizazz with titles such as The Greatest Showman and Pink: All I Know So Far in his pocket, Better Man is in good hands to conceptualize and execute intricate cinematography, choreography, and visual effects in order to also effectively tell Williams’ story in an interesting way beyond the average VH1 behind the music documentary style. And, while the answer to why Williams is portrayed by a CGI monkey ala Planet of the Apes is never spoken, the fact that Williams has often described his feelings about his own career as a dancing monkey, part of this question is put to rest, meanwhile, from a production standpoint, the move makes casting for the film considerably easier, and as Williams wrestles with his own inner demons in his darkest hour this makes even more sense. That’s a long way to say, visually the film is a treat, and musically the film checks the boxes for fans of the artist’s songs, some of which have been re-recorded for dramatic styling, yet story wise there aren’t dramatic bombshells to get into salacious or cutting details of Williams’ life, if you’re looking for that, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Instead, we have a paint by numbers tortured pop star tale on our hands, but even then, as Williams points out with the right cheeky attitude, sometimes that’s all that’s required to put on a show. Fun for the fans, and even those who want some counter programing to the January dregs. Better Man runs two hours and fourteen minutes and is rated R.

A creative woman and Gallery Director (Amy Adams) gives up her career to start a family with her husband (Scoot McNairy) who’s often away on business. Before long, life as a stay at home mom begins to lose its shine, now with a two year old who refuses to sleep in his own bed (Emmett and Arleigh Snowden), a strange calling from within seems to have a message that refuses to be ignored. Could this be a call of the wild to liberate the domesticated and suburbanized mother, only one way to find out. Written by Marielle Heller and Rachel Yoder and Directed by Heller this Kafkaesque horror of a woman losing herself in her prime and making the ultimate sacrifice of self for her children is familiar theme to many couples, and, while layered with metaphor and humor, the truths revealed are also somewhat blatant in their delivery just the same. To that end, kudos to Heller and team for taking on this project, but repetition, and lack of clarity between folklore, what’s real, and what’s imagined becomes hard to discern and ultimately leaves us questioning all of the parallel concepts and narratives. A slower pulse to the film’s overall pace makes its already brief hour and thirty eight minute runtime also feel longer than necessary. End result, a deep sigh, a maxed out volume of empathy capable, and frustration. Nightbitch is rated R.

While shooting a documentary in India, Simon Chambers is contacted by his uncle David in London with the message, “come back to London, I think I may be dying.” Concerned and being next of kin, Simon puts his film on hold to assist David, a long since retired Shakespearian actor and drama teacher. But, as it turns out, David happens to have a panache for exaggeration and dramatics, and, he’s very much not dying. David is however suffering from some dementia and a strong desire to stay in his own apartment, which is a wreck, this is where Simon’s next documentary takes form. How to assist a real life King Lear in his later years? Documenting his uncle’s final years and the struggles that family must work through, navigating healthcare, finances, assisted living, and final choices, all the while maintaining a sense of humor and good nature. Much Ado About Dying endears itself with viewers through the lens of compassion for what might otherwise be considered madness, shedding light on the British Health care system, but more so looking to the pitfalls and struggles that all surround David, who by all means is exactly as eccentric as some of his stage characters, and the varying degrees of cretins that have found their way to his doorstep, for good and for bad. For Director Chambers, maintaining some sense of objectivity and perspective from his subject, the lines are blurred, but, the end result is still sound as the chaos and frenzy whip to a heartfelt conclusion, Much Ado About Dying delivers perhaps David’s best and final performances without truly overstaying its welcome. Running one hour and twenty four minutes, Much Ado About Dying has been making the festival circuits and can now be streamed on Amazon, worth the watch, especially for those who’ve ever had to tend to an aging parent or relative.