Wake Up Dead Man

 

When boxer-turned-priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) punches an obnoxious deacon, his punishment is reassignment to a rural parish under the iron grip of the reactionary, domineering Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Despite Wicks’ abrasiveness, he commands the loyalty of a small group of parishioners as well as Martha (Glenn Close), the church’s longtime secretary. When Jud attempts to lead the congregation down a gentler path, the two priests butt heads. And when Wicks is murdered during a Good Friday service not long thereafter, Jud becomes police chief Geraldine Scott’s (Mila Kunis) lead suspect. Enter famed detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), whom Geraldine brings in to investigate. Can he find the truth behind Wicks’ demise and clear Jud’s name.

The third film in writer-director Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series, Wake Up Dead Man is the most somber of the lot. The laughs are fewer (though the film does not eschew comedy completely), the body count higher, the themes weightier and more personal. As with the previous two entries, the film proudly embraces its Agatha Christie influences and gives Craig a chance to play off of a talented ensemble. However, there are also several departures from precedent here, some for the best, and some decidedly not.

For starters, this is far less of Blanc’s movie than the previous two. In fact, he doesn’t even show up until more than a half hour in. In and of itself, that isn’t a problem as it gives O’Connor a chance to shine. He imbues Jud with an earnest desire to help and inspire others through his faith, which meets its match in both Wicks’ self-serving demagoguery and Blanc’s skeptical, rationalist atheism. However, this shift in narrative focus also leaves Blanc a less active participant toward the end, a move meant to signal character growth but also one that takes some of the wind out of the film’s sails in light of his previous grand summations.

At 144 minutes, Wake Up Dead Man is also the longest entry in the series and feels it. That isn’t to say that it’s a slog – hardly – but rather it isn’t as narratively propulsive as the films that preceded it. A series of reveals – the Wicks family’s sordid history, a fateful meeting that preceded the murder, and more – provide useful context but slow the pace.

As with the previous films, the suspect pool is a motley gang of deplorables. There’s a powerful lawyer (Kerry Washington), her podcaster/failed politician adoptive son (Daryl McCormack), a bitter alcoholic doctor (Jeremy Renner), and an Orson Scott Card-like sci-fi author-turned-pundit (Andrew Scott). While Washington gives a spirited performance, the rest of them are fairly forgettable. And while Johnson previously showed a penchant for taking satirical shots across the political spectrum, the narrowing of his focus here to rightwing attention-mongers makes Scott and McCormack’s characters feel duplicative and Johnson’s critique feel tired. Fortunately, however, Craig, O’Connor, Brolin (a snarling cesspool of malevolent anger), and Close (devoted to the point of delusion) are strong enough to paper over the weak spots.

If nothing else, Johnson remains a sharp visual stylist. From the high ceilings to the church to the sinister dark of the woods that surround it, he leverages atmosphere to influence tone. As befits the genre, a clue can often be found lurking in the background or sometimes even in plain sight. The director’s cousin, Nathan, once again provides a well-matched score.

Wake Up Dead Man is a less enjoyable watch than the first Knives Out and, arguably, even the shallower-but-zippier Glass Onion, but its willingness to spurn repetition, coupled with its strong lead performances, make it worthwhile in its own right.

The One Korean BBQ + Bar

 

Located at 5820 Samet Drive in High Point’s Palladium Shopping Center, The One offers Korean cuisine for lunch and dinner. Online reservations are available as is online ordering through DoorDash. There is a drinks menu featuring sake, soju, and cocktails.

While its name may sound presumptuous, you can’t accuse The One of being misleading: Korean BBQ with table grills isn’t terribly common around these parts. For those who have had it elsewhere, The One may not bowl you over, especially at its price point. But for those who haven’t, it offers more than just a taste of something different.

Housed in a spacious, nicely appointed building, The One is clean and comfortable (with surprisingly supportive chairs). The menu includes all-you-can-eat BBQ, BBQ combos, meats a la carte, and an assortment of prepared dishes (apps, soups/stews, bibimbap, etc.).  My wife and I opted for the AYCE, and our server, Cody, explained how everything works: order up to three meats at a time, sides and banchan will be provided for the table, help yourself to the ramen bar. Cody was attentive and friendly throughout the meal, and The One seemed well-staffed and efficiently run.

While there were a few curious omissions (i.e. no galbi though there were pork ribs) and several dishes we hadn’t the stomach for, The One’s menu still left us with plenty of options. Across several rounds, we got to try the spicy marinated brisket, thin-sliced beef belly, garlic pork belly, spicy bulgogi, spicy pork bulgogi, and sweet & spicy pork ribs. They came with rice, vegetables for grilling, cheese corn, bean paste soup, and an assortment of sauces. We ended up passing on the ramen bar as it featured instant packs, and we’re spoiled by the real thing.

The food was, by and large, delicious. I would hesitate to call the “spicy” bulgogis actually spicy, but they were well-sauced, tender, and flavorful. The soup, on the other hand, had a welcome kick to it, and a few of the banchan provided a bit of heat as well. I didn’t run into anything that I would hesitate to reorder.

As with sushi, AYCE commands a premium, and The One’s version was no exception: $37 per adult ($25 if you go during lunch hours). Come hungry, for a special occasion (birthday in my case), and with a bulgogi craving, and you can get your money’s worth. Otherwise, it might seem like a reach. Fortunately, the prepared dishes won’t break the bank if you go that route instead.

Older reviews suggested that The One had some growing pains early on, but if our experience was anything to go by, they’ve put those issues behind them. It isn’t just the grills that are firing here. On ambiance, service, and food, The One knows how to make an impression.

The Phoenician Scheme

 

Following unsuccessful attempts to assassinate him, cutthroat industrialist Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) attempts to mend fences with his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) by naming her his heir. Liesl, an aspiring nun, wants nothing to do with him, blaming him for the death of her mother, but reasons that his money can be put to good use. No sooner do they meet, however, then does a conspiracy arise to bankrupt Korda by driving up the cost of building materials on the titular infrastructure project. Accompanied by Liesl and Bjorn (Michael Cera), an entomologist pressed into service as an administrative assistant, Korda must rally his investors, evade more would-be assassins, and come to terms with his failures as a parent. 

From the retrofuturist aesthetic to the Bill Murray and Willem Dafoe cameos to the themes of family dysfunction, The Phoenician Scheme is as Wes Anderson a film as Wes Anderson has ever made…except when it isn’t. Its exploration of the transformative power of faith is a new touch, but so too is its late-act sloppiness.

Anderson, who co-wrote the film with Roman Coppola, remains a polarizing figure, and The Phoenician Scheme does nothing to challenge that reputation. People tend to either find his quirkiness endearing or grating. One of those quirks is mannered dialogue, and it lends itself to deadpan humor here. Korda offers up hand grenades as if they were cigars and nonchalantly repeats that he feels “perfectly safe” as the threats to his life multiply. And yet, there’s a weightiness to the character that this unflappability belies. Korda is haunted by visions of divine judgment as well as his own childhood trauma.

If distinctive dialogue and design aren’t Anderson’s calling cards, then the ability to draw a star-studded ensemble cast must be at this point. While there’s nary a Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, or a Wilson brother in sight this go-around, the likes of Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, Riz Ahmed, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Scarlett Johansson pop up here. His undecipherable speech in The Usual Suspects notwithstanding, del Toro isn’t known for his comedy resume, but his dry delivery is a good fit. Threapleton, a relative newcomer (and the daughter of Kate Winslet), holds her own here, imbuing Liesl with a piety and seriousness that never seems winkingly parodic. Cera is, if a weaker actor, at least well-cast as a character whose meek demeanor hides a darker nature.

Despite these strengths, The Phoenician Scheme has a strained, rushed quality as if it’s racing against its runtime to establish itself as more than just a lark. This is most evident during the final half-hour, which features a dramatic antagonist reveal (whose drama is undermined by heavy foreshadowing and a silly-looking bout of fisticuffs) and a pat ending.

It seems borderline-heretical to write off such a precisely designed film as forgettable, yet The Phoenician Scheme simply doesn’t stick the way that some of Anderson’s previous offerings do. It’s worth watching if you’re a fan and enjoyable in the moment, but unlike The Royal Tenenbaums or The Grand Budapest Hotel, this is one that you probably won’t keep coming back to.

Cha Da Thai

Located at 420 Jonestown Road in Winston-Salem, Cha Da Thai serves Thai cuisine daily. It is open from 11-3 and then from 5-10 Monday-Friday, 5-10 Saturday, and 11:30-10 Sunday. Lunch specials and vegetarian and vegan options are available.

One of Winston-Salem’s longest-running Thai establishments, Cha Da Thai made for a frustratingly uneven dining experience. To the restaurant’s credit, it’s very nicely appointed. The interior features decorative woodwork, plants, and even a fish tank. The ambiance here is cozy and inviting.

Cha Da also boasts a sizeable menu. In addition to the soups, salads, curries, rice, and noodle dishes you’d expect, there are more lamb, duck, and fish offerings than you’d find at many Thai places.

Everything else was a mixed bag. Servers are affable, but the kitchen is rather slow. The food ranged from off-putting to solidly satisfying, with nothing really impressing. An order of papaya salad was generously portioned but went too heavy on the fish sauce. A tofu green curry featured a flavorful, coconut-forward sauce that was both tasty and too thin, and the accompanying vegetables could have benefited from more eggplant and less cabbage. A chicken Pad Thai hit the desired level of spiciness and did not skimp on the tamarind. While it was sweeter than I’ve had elsewhere, it hit the spot overall.

Cha Da Thai’s setting would make it an attractive dine-in destination if only the food were more consistent. As-is, Winston-Salem has better Thai options.