Thanksgiving Leftovers: Glass Onion & Strange World

If you didn't get caught up on these movies over Thanksgiving, it's not too late. Whether you're seeking a murder mystery or an animated climate change parable, there's something for everyone!

Glass Onion: Come on, if you watched Knives Out, you already know that there's no way Rian Johnson could make a bad movie. The man is one of the best writer-directors in the business and the fact that he has chosen to use his talents to take Daniel Craig, give him a ridiculous New Orleans accent as Detective Benoit Blanc, and deploy him with a cast of shadowy and mysterious people who all have motive and opportunity and need Benoit to solve a dastardly murder is the best thing that has ever happened for the world's holiday viewing options. If I could get a new Knives Out sequel every Thanksgiving for the rest of my life, I would be the happiest woman in the world.

It's a mystery so I can't spoil anything, not even who gets killed. All I'll say is that the cast, including folks like Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Dave Bautista, and Janelle Monae, are all sublime, playing heightened versions of classic whodunnit stereotypes and giving their best Clue impersonations (every time Hudson screamed, I was immediately reminded of Lesley Ann Warren). It's a twisty and devious little script that keeps doubling back on itself and throwing new information out there to muddy the waters, but it is also scrupulously fair and gives you all the information you need to solve this mystery yourself. But why would you want to when Benoit Blanc is on the case? I noticed the main clue right away but the film managed to distract me with many red herrings - Agatha Christie would be proud. 

This movie also boasts sublime production and costume design. Everything is taking placed on a beautiful sun-drenched Greek island which feels like a self-contained, bizarre, slightly unreal world. You're stepping into a mystery novel for two hours: it's a captivating delight from start to finish and you won't regret a second.

Strange World: If you're in need of a Fantasia-esque Disney experience, you've come to the right place. This is an animated movie with a lot of color and whimsy, and a not-so-subtle message about preserving our planet. It's perfect for young kids, but it's also fun as an adult because it's just so weird and wonderful to look at.

Jake Gyllenhaal voices Searcher, the son of the famous explorer Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid) who disappeared on an expedition many years ago. Searcher is now an adult with his own family, and he leads a very settled, stable life as a farmer, helping to grow Pando, the miracle plant that helps to power the world he lives in. But of course his son, Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White), is not content with being a farmer and is harboring ambitions to be an explorer like his grandfather. What follows is an expedition into a mysterious realm, because Searcher needs to figure out why the Pando plants are all dying. He teams up with a host of people, including his wife, Meridian (Gabrielle Union), and they all have a twisty adventure set in a gorgeous land brimming with weird creatures (many of which are destined to become fun squishy toys for Disney to market to young children). 

The third act reveal about what is happening to the plants is rather stunning, and this is a great example of inventive storytelling and visual artistry, with great voice acting all around. This is also a very diverse movie. Searcher and Meridian are an interracial couple, Ethan is gay, and their dog only has three legs but happily runs all over the place and joins in the shenanigans. Everyone is very accepting and casual about living their life as befits them and I hope animated movies continue to better reflect the world as it is. After all, when your movie is set in a world filled by weirdly colored blobs, it doesn't feel like there's any reason to insist all the humans be white. Directed by Don Hall and written by Qui Nguyen, this movie has been flying under the radar, but it's well worth a shot if you need something charming to watch this month.