If you haven’t been paying attention this year, you’ve likely missed the very large billboard in Tinseltown. No, not the Hollywood sign. I mean the massive endorsement (literally) for capitalism.
Indeed, big business is in big demand for 2023 thanks to the cycle of corporate origin movies. Is it coincidence we’ve had so many in a calendar year? Perhaps. Or are we simply at a point post-superhero movies and franchise films that writers & directors now seek to romanticize the popular products of yesteryear … and the stories behind them.
While a couple of these representations seem to be fairly accurate (Air, BlackBerry), others come across as merely melodramatic revisionist history (Flamin’ Hot, Tetris). Regardless of which side of the spectrum they land, what can’t be argued is movie studios have found audiences respond well to IP from a factory just as much as from a novel or comic book.
Here is the list of movies in 2023 focused on big biz, including synopsis, rating (based on five stars), and my review. (Note: some of my reviews have spoilers; please read with caution)
Air
Synopsis: Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: I’m an unabashed Michael Jordan fan. I fell in love with him watching the Chicago Bulls get their asses handed to them by the Detroit Pistons. And then I fell in love with the actual team as a whole. And now, still, till this day, I’m a hardcore Bulls fan. All because of Michael Jordan. I bring that up to write had this been about any other player, I would not have gone to the theaters to see this film. I had little interest. But I’m glad I went. Air is more enjoyable than I expected. Sure, most of us know this part of history. Jordan famously wanted to sign with Adidas. He had zero interest in Nike. And Air Jordan’s became - and remain - the hottest basketball sneakers of all time. That aside, it was cool to see the dynamics of how it all came together. The cast does a solid job all around, highlighted by Viola Davis, Matt Damon, and Jason Bateman. And there is enough drama for a story of which you already know the outcome. All in all, a nice time at the cinema.
The Beanie Bubble
Synopsis: Ty Warner was a frustrated toy salesman until his collaboration with three women grew his idea into the biggest toy craze in history.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: On par with Flamin’ Hot and Tetris, The Beanie Bubble feels more Hollywood than historical. Maybe reality wasn’t as salacious as this movie; one can only hope. Because Ty Warner came across as an indigestible creep. He made me sick to my stomach. And Zach Galifianakis played the role exceptionally, lulling you in just as real life Ty (so it’s suggested) did to the many ladies in his life — and making you hate yourself for it. While Zach Galifianakis is great as Ty Warner, and our three lead actresses [Emily Banks, Sarah Snook, and Geraldine Viswanathan] shined bright, as well, you’d think the movie would’ve been much better with such great performances, Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine. Just not as great as one might imagine. It’s actually weird and somewhat unexplainable, given that I think The Beanie Bubble is rather entertaining throughout and I never once labored through it. Perhaps it’s the sliminess of Galifianakis’s character or the fact I have no desire to rewatch the film. Whatever the reason, it didn’t connect for me more. I will say the constant back & forth in timelines got annoying after awhile. At its conclusion I found myself researching fact from fiction; I was too hung up on praying Ty Warner didn’t really behave this way to these women (different names in real life). Seems I’m more intrigued by the reality of it all and less concerned with what Apple+ wants to show me. Kudos to the production team for making a fairly solid offering and at least making me care about beanie babies … first & last time in my life. If you’re looking for more of a soap opera than a true account of actual events, you’ll get more out of this flick than you otherwise would. If you want more of the real-to-real, try Air or, even more so, BlackBerry.
Blackberry
Synopsis: The story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review: Easily the best of the bunch in Hollywood’s 2023 corporate origin film trend, BlackBerry is high-octane capitalist storytelling. Covering the rise & fall of, during its time, the world’s most popular mobile phone, BlackBerry takes us through the journey of Canadian outfit RIM (Research In Motion) - the organization behind the iconic product - and how the tactics they used to get ahead would eventually catch up to them. The first 25 minutes is a bit of a grind, if I’m to be honest. But once Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) accepts Mike Lazaridis’s (Jay Baruchel) offer to be co-CEO, the movie starts to find its footing. Enough can’t be said about Howerton’s electric performance, and I mean that throughout. But especially the subsequent 20 minutes. He’s basically carrying the movie [and any intrigue & enjoyment] single-handedly. As soon as we get to minute-marker 47, this film takes off. Hell, it really takes off. It’s fantastic from that point on, immediately jumping to 2003 and the start of the BlackBerry craze. But there’s a line shortly before that point in the story, prior to the Verizon meeting, where Mike asks Jim to make a deal that they’d never lie to each other. That exchange was some really good use of foreshadowing {more on that shortly}. As the narrative goes on, Howertown continues to shine. To my surprise, however, Baruchel also picks up his game — instead of being just another Baruchel role we’ve all seen a half dozen times, he actually showcases some range. Even going as far as identity turning, transitioning from the hero of our tale, with all the innocence, principled ideologies, and moral integrity, to somewhat of a villain at the end. Now that makes for a solid use of character. The plot really thickens though once Howerton gets to his NHL owner ambitions, all while, unbeknownst to him, his company is being eradicated … both by Apple, future makers of the NOW most popular mobile phone, and by the Security Exchange Commission. It’s at this juncture where we revisit the “never lie” edict. The entire runtime we only know Balsillie as a obnoxious, abrasive, loud, yet confident and business-savvy con-man. When Jim lies to Mike about trouble with the SEC, and Mike lies to Jim about concerns regarding the iPhone as a competitor, that’s when the permanent fracture happens. Thus, in retribution, Mike sells out Jim to the SEC. And only once, in this moment, do we see Jim act against type. He’s mild-mannered, polite, accepting. Things he never showcased at any other point. As you can guess, Howerton played it magnificently, as well. As for Mike’s comeuppance, he vowed never to use China as a manufacturer due to faulty builds. Feeling like he had no other choice to compete, he retreated from his stance on leveraging China. That decision resulted in nearly every BlackBerry Storm model being replaced or returned due to errors. In the end, BlackBerry sums up a history most of us are pretty familiar with: Apple and the iPhone crushes BlackBerry into nonexistence. And, similar to Air, BlackBerry does a nice job of entertaining and informing the viewer about a story with which we’re quite intimate. I just wish all the movies in this ‘23 big biz trend could say the same.
Flamin' Hot
Synopsis: This is the inspiring "true" story of Richard Montañez who, as a Frito Lay janitor, disrupted the food industry by channeling his Mexican heritage to turn Flamin' Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Review: Flamin’ Hot is a fun & inspirational story, even if it does take a few liberties. And while it’s a great tale of overall perseverance and a positive account for the Mexican community, this is just another churn & burn (no pun intended) movie offering. This is, of course, a blog about the many biographical dramas we’ve had in 2023. If they keep producing subpar titles, however, eventually it’s the genre that will be flamin’ out [okay, that was the last one … I promise].
Though the movie doesn’t quite hit the mark, credit still to Eva Longoria on her feature-length directorial debut. Credit, as well, to Jesse Garcia as Richard Montañez and Annie Gonzalez as Judy Montañez, respectively. Both had solid performances; the latter especially. I enjoyed every time she’s on screen. Also, quiet shout-out to the very talented Tony Shalhoub for his charismatic portrayal as Roger Enrico.
Tetris
Synopsis: The story of how one of the world's most popular video games found its way to players around the globe. Businessman Henk Rogers and Tetris inventor Alexey Pajitnov join forces in the USSR, risking it all to bring Tetris to the masses.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Review: Tetris is a wild ride, for good & bad. For me this film came out of the blue. I saw a commercial & then, like a Tetris block, it just dropped. My first reaction was to be excited. It sounded like a fun flick. Except I waited too long and, thus, inadvertently allowed myself to read, hear, and learn about others’ reviews. That was a mistake. When I finally got around to watching the movie I was by then skeptical. It may have colored my sentiment for “Level 1”, as the filmmakers define the opening 15 minutes of this story. I thought this first act left much to be desired. Surprisingly, this journey through video game history — some real … some embellished, I’d presume … and some, I’d stake my life, is complete equine scatology — would start to pick up. But not completely. It ebbs and flows. Which is to say the pacing and overall editing could’ve been improved. It’s still a cool (obviously not 100% true) trek through some version of the game’s atypical path from creation to customer. Is it worth a watch? Honestly, that’s hard to say! It’s not something I’d go running to scream about from the mountaintops. But if you have even a tiny inkling, give Tetris a shot. It may surprise you, too. Probably the last, best two bits of info I can add: first, Taron Egerton (albeit in an incredibly whitewashing cast of a role) is really good … second, I’m a sucker for sappy/happy endings — and the San Francisco ending is money!
Those are the films immediately available to watch. As for what's to come ... well, Jerry Seinfeld, along with Netflix, has assembled an A-list cast for his feature directorial debut about the beloved breakfast dessert pastry Pop-Tarts entitled Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story.
Still without a release date, the synopsis for the film, which is set in Michigan in 1963, reads: “Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever. A tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar and menacing milkmen.”
If nothing else, it's clear Hollywood's current infatuation with both intellectual property and consumerism won't end here. It's primed to go well into 2024 and likely beyond. Because if there's one thing we know about movie studios, they never like to leave a well until it's dry.
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