The hard truths of ‘Armageddon Time’

Taking a moment to feel grateful that Keanu Reeves still walks among us, while puzzling over exactly how Will Smith gave the Lakers a lesson in “togetherness” and “gratitude.”

The Lakers season really is a dumpster fire, isn’t it? Maybe Adam Sandler can take a break from his Oscar campaign for “Hustle” and lend a hand?

I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times, host of the Envelope’s Friday newsletter and the guy wearing a Phillies hat for at least the next week.

‘Armageddon Time’ offers a wrenching rear-view mirror glimpse

I saw James Gray’s provocative and poignant memory piece, “Armageddon Time,” a couple of months ago at the Telluride Film Festival, and the movie — opening in a few theaters around town today — has stayed with me. It’s a story taken from Gray’s childhood growing up in Queens, looking at a middle-school friendship between Paul (Banks Repeta, playing Gray’s surrogate) and Johnny (Jaylin Webb), kids who question authority and have a healthy disdain for rules. Their friendship is tested by the circumstances of their lives and the systemic racism surrounding them. It’s a bittersweet movie, elevated by its refusal to bask in easy nostalgia. It also has a terrific cast, including Jeremy Strong and Anne Hathaway playing Paul’s parents and Anthony Hopkins’ twinkly turn as his grandfather.

As my pal Times film critic Justin Chang writes, “If ‘Armageddon Time’ seems to hew to a familiar playbook, it also avoids trafficking in the complacency, reassurance and false equivalencies that most Hollywood explorations of race and class are eager to peddle. It doesn’t evade every trap or trapping of convention, but its tenderness of touch is matched by a remarkable toughness of mind.”

Anthony Hopkins and Banks Repeta in a scene from “Armageddon Time.”

(Focus Features)

Painful past revives filmmaker’s passion

Gray is a terrific conversationalist, so it’s no surprise that Times film writer Mark Olsen had a great interview with the “Armageddon Time” filmmaker, discussing the inspiration for the film and his partnership with Jeremy Strong, who plays the movie’s stern, loving father.

“What is it that’s important to you, if I can use this word, as an artist?” Gray mused about the reason behind looking at a chapter from his own past. “Why is it you want to do this to begin with? Why is cinema important to you? And I felt that I had gotten too caught up in things that were not directly related to my own experience, and that I spent a lot of my time fighting for my ideas and a lot of time compromising.

“And I didn’t want to compromise. I’m sorry to say that. I was tired of agreeing.” Gray added. “I wanted to return to a place where it would be my voice completely.”

“Armageddon Time” writer-director James Gray.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Scary movie streaming time

I watched “The Omen” — the OG one — again last week for reasons I still don’t understand, other than I think I wanted to blast Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning Satanic riffs in surround sound and parse the smile on young Damien’s face at the cemetery again as his adopted parents are laid to rest. (Daaaaaamiiiieeeennnnn!)

But I need to get away from my horror comfort food this Halloween and sample some new tricks and treats, and I knew I could count on my friend Jen Yamato to point me toward some new finds. She put together a list of new chilling tales, which, of course, includes the recent hit “Barbarian” (now on HBO Max!) and, yes, “Pearl,” which I wrote about a few newsletters ago. As for the “Hellraiser” reboot, I’m going to politely decline, as I still haven’t exorcised visions of the original Pinhead from all those years ago.

Wishing you a happy Halloween with hopes that you get full-sized candy bars ... and not a rock in your bag.

Georgina Campbell in “Barbarian.”

(20th Century Studios)