Cruella (2021)
★1/2 When we look back in 50 years at the age of IP in films, we’ll look fondly at The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Marvel movies. But when we examine the decline of our cinematic period, the first film on the list should not be a bad teen dystopian adaptation or the mediocre extensions of preexisting franchises. It should be Cruella , a truly awful film that fails to justify its own existence. Cruella is an attempt to create a sympathetic backstory for a horrific animal abuser. Estella, played by Emma Stone, is orphaned at an early age and is forced to join up with London street urchins as she pursues a life of crime. Still, she maintains her dream of being a famous fashion designer. She begins working for The Baroness – who is essentially a more evil version of Meryl Streep’s character from The Devil Wears Prada – and challenges current fashion norms to the tune of British punk rock as she devolves into a dark antihero. There are a couple of pleasant things in...