Mufasa: The Lion King

• Director: Barry Jenkins
• Writers: Jeff Nathanson
• Starring: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Kasigo Lediga, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Blue Ivy Carter

Grade: C-

It came as a bit of a surprise when arthouse auteur Barry Jenkins was announced as the director of Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to the 2019 computer animated remake of the 1994 classic. Though Disney has snagged a handful of well respected directors to helm their live-action remakes, Jenkins was a different level. Would he simply use the project as a springboard to make another passion film, or would he find a way to inject his style and humanity past the Mouse House’s tight leash? Though there are bright flashes where it feels like Jenkins prevailed, the film is ultimately plagued by a mixture of everything that’s hurt Disney in recent years.

Maria

• Director: Pablo Larraín
• Writers: Steven Knight
• Starring: Angelina Jolie, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Haluk Bilginer

Grade: B-

During his introduction of his latest film Maria, director Pablo Larraín espoused a childhood fondness for the opera, and a hope that the art form could return to its more welcoming, populous roots. With this in mind, it’s clear that Larraín’s film has great reverence not just for the opera itself, but for its subject, Maria Callas. It’s a thread that has connected a number of his films, especially his unofficial trilogy exploring the inner lives of the 20th century’s most misunderstood women, but there’s something missing from his latest entry, and part of it may be because of her unfamiliarity.