Reviews: "Cyrano" Enthralls And "Studio 666" Drags

This weekend, the highly anticipated musical film "Cyrano" comes to life on the big screen, starring Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as a trio caught in a love triangle.

Also headed to theaters is the horror-comedy "Studio 666," in which Dave Grohl and his Foo Fighters bandmates play versions of themselves.

Related

• The Most Anticipated Movies Of 2022

Here's what to see and skip this weekend.

Movies Out This Weekend

“Cyrano” — Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr.; directed by Joe Wright

A love story brimming with romance, sadness and joy, Joe Wright’s film version of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 classic play, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” can indeed make audiences laugh and cry — with panache.

“Cyrano,” a musical period piece, stars Peter Dinklage in the title role as the eponymous French nobleman faced with a romantic quandary.

Set in 17th century France, the new film reimagines our hero without his huge and distorted nose. Instead, Cyrano is now defined for his short stature in the screenplay written by Dinklage’s wife, Erica Schmidt.

Despite being renowned as the greatest poet and swordsman in Paris, Cyrano is beset with self-doubt when it comes to the vivacious and elegant Roxanne (Haley Bennett), the young woman who has been the love of his life since childhood. Over the years, Cyrano has decided to keep his deep affection for his old friend under wraps because he feels totally inadequate to pursue a romantic relationship with her due to his undersized build.

Meanwhile, Roxanne confides in Cyrano about a man who has caught her eyes and affections. This is a very poignant moment in the film, thanks to Dinklage’s magnificent acting gravitas. Certainly, audiences will feel every ebb and flow of emotions ranging from hope to disappointment as Cyrano discovers the truth.

At first, Cyrano feels Roxanne is about to confess her love for him. But sadly, the big reveal tells a different story. Instead, Roxanne has fallen for Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the dashing young army recruit who lacks Cyrano’s talent for mellifluous words in the parlance of love and romance.

As painful as it is, Cyrano accepts the reality of his unrequited love and eventually helps Christian woo Roxanne. How exactly? Unbeknownst to her, Cyrano writes sweet love letters for the lovestruck but tongue-tied young man.

See it. Dinklage owns the movie. His cinematic portrayal of a bold and vulnerable Cyrano is an acting tour de force. However, don’t expect the music to hit all the right notes.

Watch the trailer.

“Studio 666” — Dave Grohl, Jenna Ortega, Whitney Cummings; directed by BJ McDonnell

“Evil Dead” meets “The Shining” in BJ McDonnell’s “Studio 666,” a horror-comedy film based on a story written by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. It stars Grohl and his bandmates as versions of themselves, multi-platinum rock legends preparing to record their 10th album.

Following the footsteps of Led Zeppelin — which once recorded an album in a historic manor house — the Foo Fighters make the decision to record their next album in a big house, much like what the famed English rock band did in 1970.

Soon, their quest for that ideal recording place ultimately leads the Foo Fighters to a mansion in Encino, California.

Utterly ecstatic, Grohl seals the deal and declares, “the sound of this house is the sound of album 10.”

And so begins their acoustical studio setup — and their pursuit to make their next album a huge hit. But wait! There’s one big problem: Grohl is experiencing a musician’s block.

Will the Foo Fighters lead singer ever find the right rock 'n' roll beat? Well, Grohl unearths a reel-to-reel tape recorder with an unfinished song that deluges him with ideas for the band’s next opus. Meanwhile, the plot thickens with a mysterious malevolent entity lurking around the mansion.

Skip it. Grohl’s convincing performance is not enough to buoy a film that feels mostly higgledy-piggledy and overly long.

(Fun Fact: “Studio 666” was filmed in the same house the Foo Fighters recorded their album “Medicine at Midnight.”)

Watch the trailer.