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When a film seeks to tackle such distinctive comedic forms as parody, satire or slapstick, the creators first need to make sure that what they're hatching truly works. But, in the case of this latest offering from storied auteur Bruno Dumont, the mark is missed by a wide margin. This alleged take-off on classic space operas like the original "Star Wars" trilogy or "Spaceballs" (1987) simply doesn't cut it, primarily because it just isn't funny. Perhaps that's due to the fact that the filmmaker doesn't seem to be clear on the direction he wants the story to take or the tone with which it's presented. In a nutshell, two alien species - the Ones (champions of good) and Zeroes (disciples of evil) - have been exiled to Earth (why and by whom is never made clear), where they're battling one another to win over the control of humanity through their ground zero strongholds in a small French coastal fishing village. But, in telling this tale, Dumont's paper-thin narrative meanders aimlessly, blending a bland mixture of lame humor (most of which falls positively flat), bombastic but innately shallow soliloquies on the nature of good and evil, unexplained Monty Python-esque absurdist imagery, and gratuitous sexual encounters that appear to be thrown in for little more than titillating filler. To its credit, the picture effectively employs some truly impressive special effects, an eclectic background score based largely on reworked neo-classical arrangements of the compositions of J. S. Bach and Henry Purcell, and a production design that incorporates set designs drawn from Gothic and Renaissance European architecture. It also features a wealth of stunningly gorgeous cinematography, although a number of overlong shots (particularly many inexplicably filmed from too great a distance) could benefit from judicious pruning. So what exactly is the director going for here? Damned if I know. If it's satire, its symbology is seriously undercooked. If it's a campy romp, it's too understated. If it's screwball comedy, the pacing is too sluggish. And if it's insightful social commentary, it's too superficial and doesn't take itself seriously enough. In essence, "The Empire" may offer some segments that are nice to look at, but that's about all, considering that the bulk of this release, in the end, really has nothing interesting, meaningful or piquant to say.

It's fascinating to see how something truly wondrous comes together from the ground up, witnessing the various components that go into the assembling if its finished form. It's particularly intriguing when that "something" is an individual who's tremendously gifted in some way and uses his or her talents to produce astounding works of creativity. That's especially true for those in artistic and entertainment pursuits, as is the case with iconic actress/singer/dancer Liza Minnelli, the famous daughter of actress/singer/dancer Judy Garland and filmmaker Vincente Minnelli. Writer-director Bruce David Klein's new biographical documentary of the legendary entertainer is a revealing look at the professional and personal life of its subject, told in nine chapters, most of which focus on the influences who helped shape the life and career of the storied stage, screen and concert performer. Under the tutelage of her famous parents, as well as mentoring collaborations with multi-talented entertainer Kay Thompson, singer Charles Aznavour, director Bob Fosse, composers Fred Ebb and John Kandor, and fashion designer Halston, Liza emerged as one of the most distinguished and readily identifiable figures in show business, rocketing her to stardom on multiple fronts. Her singular look, polished persona and stellar performances placed Minnelli in constant demand, thanks largely to her determination to follow through on every venture she took on, a quality that helped earn her an Oscar, an Emmy, three Tonys and a lifetime achievement Grammy Award. At the same time, Liza's personal life was as ambitious and colorful as her professional pursuits, one filled with more than its share of highs, lows and challenges, all of which are candidly examined, including the stresses brought on by relentless press coverage of these developments. These explorations into her life are backed up with a wealth of archive footage, film clips from Minnelli's Academy Award-winning performance in "Cabaret" (1972), and recent interviews with friends, collaborators and entertainment industry observers, including Michael Feinstein, Ben Vereen, Mia Farrow, Joel Grey, George Hamilton, Chita Rivera and actress/half-sister Lorna Luft, among others. This combination of elements makes for an insightful profile of the entertainer, even if it sags a bit in the middle and has an occasional tendency to gush in the presentation of its content. Nevertheless, for the most part, "Liza" is a truly terrific true story that shows how success arises when it's carefully conceived, deliberately constructed and meticulously packaged, yielding a result we can all genuinely admire.

The unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust never cease to leave audiences aghast and speechless, particularly when it comes to wondering how something like this ever could have been allowed to happen in the supposedly "civilized" world of 20th Century Europe. However, those of us alive today often fail to consider that news didn't travel quite as fast or as widely in those days as it does currently. So, when it came to news about the Nazi death camps that claimed the lives of six million Jews in cold, calculated fashion, word of the carnage didn't make its way onto the world stage until after it had been unfolding for some time. And, were it not for courageous whistleblowing efforts of two escaped prisoners from the Germans' first extermination facility in Chelmo, Poland, it may have taken even longer for the accounts to surface. Writer-director Lior Geller's fact-based release tells the story of two runaway gravediggers, Solomon Wiener (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and Michael Podchlebnik (Jeremy Newmark Jones), who fled the camp and made their way to the Jewish ghetto in Grabow, Poland, where they made contact with a rabi (Anton Lesser) who had connections to the Polish resistance movement. Solomon gave a full account of what was happening at Chelmo, the first reported testimony about Nazi atrocities against the Jewish community. This report was subsequently smuggled to London by members of the Jewish Underground, who presented it to the BBC for public broadcast in June 1942. And, at last, the world was aware of the butchery that was transpiring. From this, one would assume that this never-before-told story would make for a compelling film. However, when compared to other offerings about the Holocaust, this release, regrettably, comes up somewhat short. Perhaps the biggest issue here is the disproportionate emphasis that the narrative places on the already-well-known depraved and sadistic practices of the Nazis, events that account for nearly the entire opening half of the picture. As necessary as the depiction of these shocking and infuriating developments may be in setting the stage for what's to come, the amount of footage devoted to this part of the story tends to belabor the point. In fact, it's so prevalent that it nearly overshadows the heroic and more compelling account of the prisoners' harrowing escape, their tearful, gut-wrenching recounting about life and death at the so-called "work camp," and their exposure of the many lies that the Germans brazenly propounded about the nature of the facility. What's more, the picture could also use some shoring up in some of its technical areas, such as sound quality, lighting, editing, and a somewhat puzzling and uneven mixture of dialogue in German and English. To the film's credit, the fine performances of the three principals and its moving, emotive score help to make up for these shortcomings in a picture that gets progressively better the further one gets into it. And, to be sure, "The World Will Tremble" is by no means a bad film, but a number of other previous releases provide more effective accounts and treatments of this atrocity, such as "Sophie's Choice" (1982), "Schindler's List" (1993), "Remember" (2016), "The Zone of Interest" (2023) and "Lee" (2024), as well as the TV miniseries "Holocaust" (1978). Stories about this period in history are truly important and deserve commensurate treatment; it's nevertheless disappointing that this one didn't quite receive the handling it merits.