"Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die" Review: A Message From A Plausible Future?
There’s nothing like being in the hands of a director that has a vision for the story they want to tell. Director Gore Verbinski’s Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is one of those films. This one had me from the beginning with a closeup of a bottle of Cholula, because it told me further smart choices would be made from this director! (Cholula should be everyone’s hot sauce of choice.) In all seriousness, the opening imagery is a visual spectacle that should be studied in regard to taking a scene we’ve seen a million times and making it interesting. Admittedly, it goes off the tracks in Act III, but it’s refreshing to see a film that swings for the fences!
In a world where people are addicted to their phones, will anyone speak out against it? Hmmm, it sounds like our present day and writer Matthew Robinson obviously has something to get off his chest with his messaging of how we currently live with tech in the story that ensues. In the film, The Man From The Future (Sam Rockwell) bursts into a crowded LA diner to preach a message about the dangers of our technological addiction. The Man’s goal is to find the right combination of people in the diner who will come with him to stop humanity’s impending apocalyptic future. It’s a future in which AI has it out for humanity. Yes, it sounds like The Matrix meets The Terminator but this takes a more eccentric, fantastical approach to its storytelling.
As the rag tag group of patrons, made up of Susan (Juno Temple), Ingrid (Hayley Lu Richardson), Mark (Michael Peña), Janet (Zazie Beetz) and Scott (Asim Chaudhry), are assembled for the over one hundredth time, it becomes clear that The Man seems to know a lot about each patron; this sparks their curiosity to follow him on the journey. Once the film gets going, we get the backstory of each patron. The stories interweave into a clear picture of the motivations for why this just might be the group that saves the world. Will they?
The strength in this film lies in the script. We’ve all probably had a moment where we come out of a doom scroll, had an instance when we look around a restaurant at other tables with people looking down at their phone instead of at each other, or found it strange that what we just said out loud is now an ad presented in our feed. Robinson takes these moments and throws a mirror up to say “this is where we are headed”. It’s a picture of the disconnected, cold-hearted society that we could easily become. It’s a world where a school shooting is an everyday run of the mill thing, classrooms are full of students where phones are stuck to their hands and it gets darker from there. It’s a film that, as a film critic, it forces you to stop taking notes and go for the ride.
Let me be clear, this film gets bonkers. Sam Rockwell does a lot of the heavy lifting in landing on a protagonist that we can follow through his delivery and nuanced performance. The ensemble cast does their part as well, but this feels like vignettes of “Black Mirror” turned into a dark comedy movie over the course of its running time. Robinson’s message is loud, reminiscent of Boots Riley’s Sorry To Bother You, but doesn’t land as sharply. Verbinski and cinematographer James Whitaker paint a picture of a pretty world that doesn’t realize how ugly it is with the camera and light. That’s what resonates and translates. Society never gets to a bad place overnight. It’s the slow burn into apathy that gets us there. If you’re a fan of quirky, adventure, sci-fi films with a message, this might be worth seeing in theaters this weekend.
Rating: B-
"Sweetness" Review: A Coming of Age Stan Fil
If Misery had a kid for this teen generation it would likely be Sweetness. While we’ve seen films like this before (The Fan, The Fanatic, One Hour Photo), this iteration of obsessive fan takes a different approach. It’s the slow unraveling and journey into darkness of its main character that makes Sweetness a haunting iteration.
Rylee (Kate Hallet) is an outcast at her high school. She tries to keep to herself, but most kids make fun of her regardless. Her only friend is Sidney (Aya Furukawa) and the music of the band Floor Plan. The band’s lead singer, Payton (Herman Tømmeraas) is plastered all over her wall. Her Homelife isn’t much of a reprieve with her dad (Justin Chatwin) on the beat as a police officer and her step mom (Amanda Brugel) trying a bit too hard. So when the opportunity to see her favorite band comes along, she goes!
The band plays in front of a large crowd, but it’s not so big that Payton can’t accidentally hit his number one fan with a car in the parking lot after the concert. Payton offers Rylee a ride home. For Payton, it’s a way to not bring attention to his blunder; for Rylee, it’s a divine moment that was meant to be. As events occur, Rylee realizes that she is supposed to save Payton from a drug relapse and she takes matters in to her own hands to ensure that he stays sober.
So much of what makes this film an interesting watch comes down to the mise en scène, based off the cinematography and direction. The opening montage of teens and tweens at a concert is shot with precision. The red concert lights make it look like they’re trapped in hell as they reach out and scream. Shot any other way it would look like girls freaking out at a concert and screaming for their favorite artist, but writer/director Emma Higgins manages to find the horror in the euphoria. Throughout the film, cinematographer Mat Barkley, uses light and the lack thereof to show the journey of Riley as she goes further down a hole of delusion. A frame can tell a thousand stories and the control of the camera is remarkable.
In a film about an obsessed fan, disassociation is prevalent here. Rylee doesn’t realize that her decisions and actions are dangerous because she’s blinded by a mixture of love, teen emotions, and trauma that she hasn’t properly unpacked. Kate Hallett encompasses the closed off loner teen who only comes to life with her friends or music. It’s a subtle, physical performance in which her body, in combination with Emma Lees’ set costumes, allows her to glide between insecure teen to oblivious, lovelorn, and unbalanced Stan. Similarly, Higgins camera focuses on a subject and glides into a wide or vice versa for moments of detachment.
Ultimately, Sweetness plays like a well outlined script, but the moments between each major plot point has a lack of urgency and sometimes believability that makes you feel like putting your earbuds in for parts of the ride. There are some beautifully shot revelations near the end of the film that just don’t hold the intended gravity of the scene as they should have. Transitioning from music videos and shorts, the influences and eye for visual storytelling is quite apparent in Emma Higgins work. Her song choices in the film are spot on as she matches them to key moments in the film. She’s a filmmaker to watch for sure! Sweetness might not become a classic like Misery, but this coming of age tale of a teen who steps into her darkness could have legs for something more down the road.
Rating: C+
"Wicked: For Good": The Magic of Feeling Over Thinking
What’s more New York than the Empire State Building and a Broadway show? Having seen Wicked on the big screen, we found ourselves taking in the hit Broadway musical during a Spring Break trip to the Big Apple. Sandwiched between the cinematic release of part one and part two, my family and I discovered the magic of the stage play. Wicked: For Good may be the inferior of the three experiences but it still manages to pull off one trick: a theater full of strangers vibing to the songs and spectacle with the sound of sniffles at the end.
Twelve tide turns since Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) came into her own and defied gravity, For Good dives further into the world of Oz. It opens showing a yellow brick road that has been laid and the animals who are being used to continue the work. As the freedom fighter, political activist and Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, continues to wreak havoc against any plan that the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) has, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) has managed to prop Glinda (Arianna Grande) up as the goodwill ambassador for the Wizard. As Elphaba fights for persecuted animals and tries to clue the citizens of Oz to the truth, she lives in the woods to keep her distance from her sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), the new Governor of Munchkin Land. In a world where the true good is muffled and the performative good is promoted, it’s a true political slight of hand fit for the times.
It’s the same slight of hand in the movie that writers Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, and Gregory Maguire want viewers to experience outside of it. The gap in time leaves plot holes that likely would have helped part two be as strong as part one. It’s the journey of seeing Elphaba and Glinda grow in their relationship and power that makes the ending of Wicked so powerful. Here, we have to just go with the jumps in character development. How did Nessa become captor over lover of Boq (Ethan Slater)? Why is Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) captain of the Wizard’s guards? While the movie does explain Glinda’s desire to be accepted as her reason for sticking around, we don’t quite get an understanding as to why Elphaba would tolerate her bestie continuing to participate in the charade. Regardless, the film isn’t asking you to think. Instead it wants you to feel.
So if you’re willing to roll with it, you can get swept away in the feels of the story. After all, musicals are an outward expression of what we feel through song. The songs and vocals don’t disappoint here. It’s leading ladies have lungs for days. While arguably Wicked holds the more powerful ballads, the songs in Wicked: For Good support the character development and moments that make this musical touching.
The film, like the stage play, rushes the second half of the story. It loops in some of the major plot points of The Wizard of Oz, giving the behind the scenes that we didn’t know while making sure we don’t focus on Dorothy and her companions too much. Ultimately, as the movie made it’s way to it’s final running time, I heard the sound of sniffling in the screening I was in. I saw a grown man crying next to my daughter on one side and a mother holding her young daughter while wiping tears on the other side of me. So plot holes aside, Wicked: For Good is still affective and may still your heart for a clock tick.
Rating: B-
"Jurassic World Rebirth: Enter At Your Own Risk"
Jurassic Park installations aren’t very innovative. Usually someone wants power, wealth and thinks they can achieve that by manipulating gigantic pre-historic creatures. There’s someone who has worked closely with the species or studied them heavily who gets pulled in to an adventure or nefarious task. There’s always the cool rebel who has street smarts and perhaps a military background. Probably most importantly, there’s some kid in the mix. Jurassic World Rebirth is the same formula, different mission, but still has elements of spectacle.
Probably the most interesting thing about this film is that it takes place in a world where people don’t care about dinosaurs anymore. They’re no longer flocked after by the masses in zoos or theme parks. In fact, they’re dying in climates outside of the equator. Rather than stay in a community where extinction is happening, Zora Bennet (Scarlett Johansson) is propositioned to go to a dangerous island where dinos are thriving to retrieve blood from some of the oldest dinosaurs to try to eradicate heart disease. The gun for hire is desperate for one last job that will allow her to retire, having spent most of her life on special ops, she’s the best person to lead the team being pulled together by pharmaceutical executive Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend). From there, they pull in Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), and some more rag tag mercenaries to round out the group.
Simultaneously, a family is crossing the Atlantic in the middle of nowhere. In yet another place that writers Michael Chrichton and David Koepp miss the boat (hehe), this family dynamic is explained just enough for us to fill in the blanks on their current relationship but is barely developed over the course of the film. Reuben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) has his daughters, Teresa (Luna Blaise) and Isabella (Audrina Miranda) on this once in a lifetime trip. Teresa’s boyfriend, Xavier (David Iacono), is a lazy stoner who seemingly may have made the voyage under a condition for Teresa to go. Xavier is another character who is underwritten but may be one of the most captivating of the group.
With that we have our characters for the film. Director Gareth Edwards does well when he seemingly pays homage to the Spielberg style of filmmaking. He uses camera angles that show the scale of the dinosaurs versus humans. He pushes in for close-ups to give characters a pivotal line or to show the intensity of a moment. Cinematographer John Mathieson helps in these moments with the golden glow of light that captures a character in the frame. This is all counterbalanced by the visually alarming CGI that’s used. It felt more like the special effects from The Lost World (1925). A perfect example is a scene with a T-Rex waking up to come after the Delgados. The initial camera work and suspense of the scene will have you hold your breath, but you can breathe out once the dino gets moving alongside the family. It looks like they’re superimposed in the frame.
This film brings into question the length of movies made today. Rebirth could have started at sea (about 25 minutes in) and still worked. Why do we have to assemble a team for twenty minutes? What if we meet the team in progress and learn about them during the mission? There is a two to three minute expositional dialogue between Bennet and Kincaid on the ship that is a drag. However, maybe it wouldn’t have been so boring if that was the background info we received on the characters instead of the drawn out set up prior.
Jurassic World Rebirth is predictable and carries a nostalgic familiarity. There are glimpses of brilliance followed by segments of mundanity. It doesn’t know the film style it wants to rely on and is certainly two films in one that come together in the end. It’s entertaining for the moment and forgotten once you hit the lobby of the theater. I couldn’t justify the price for my family to see it in theaters, but nothing beats seeing a dinosaur on the big screen. Enter at your own risk.
Rating: D+
"Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning": A Love Letter to Old School Action Blockbusters
If our lives are the sum of our choices, than Mission Impossible-The Final Reckoning is certainly the sum of its predecessors. After a bland Dead Reckoning, it all leads up to this film. Perhaps a love letter to big action blockbusters and cinema itself, Tom Cruise doesn’t hold back on stunts and action set pieces. In a franchise that’s all about the journey to an end, this entry doesn’t disappoint!
We get put right back into the action after the events of the last film. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is still wrestling with the loss of Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson). Luther (Ving Rhames) is somewhere underground building a weapon that will defeat the Entity. Gabriel (Esai Morales), having failed The Entity by losing the cruciform key, is now on the outs but still desires proximity to the digital AI virus. The world is in chaos and on the brink of nuclear destruction. Only with the help of Grace (Hayley Atwell), Benji (Simon Pegg), Paris (Pom Klementieff) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis) and a few friends he doesn’t know yet can Ethan try to pull off the impossible.
So that’s it. That’s the race against time. It’s understanding the race to extend time and the lives of billions that becomes heavy after a long exposition of the stakes in the first thirty minutes. The theme of loss and perseverance through obstacles is hammered home as Ethan must once again sacrifice his feelings and perhaps life for the greater good. As soon as you start to think this proselytizing is becoming annoying, the movie is off and the magic sets in. Suddenly the dark themes and pressure laid on Ethan and his team turns into gigantic action set piece after gigantic action set piece that forces you to hold your breath in anxiety laced stunts that you’re enthralled in.
If this is the last hoorah for Tom Cruise in the shoes of Ethan Hunt (although he’s alluded to it not being over) Cruise and co-writer/director Christopher McQuarrie decide to take us on a thrill ride on land, air and under the sea. Major stunts happen in places and ways that take something we’ve seen before but elevate it in unique ways. Cinematographer Fraser Taggart lights his subjects with an old school glow. It’s this nod to Indiana Jones and other old school blockbusters that used a splash of light across the eyes or to highlight the McMuffin in a scene that makes a moment important. It’s Cruise’s desire to entertain audiences by pushing his own body in stunt after stunt that gives a nod to the trailblazers who performed their own stunts in the early days of cinema.
The Final Reckoning feels is a broken mirror that slowly comes together, shard by shard. Occasionally we get glimpses of other shards that haven’t been placed on the board yet, but when has Mission Impossible not done that? It’s the fun of trying to put the pieces together and watching the one in a million chance opportunities work to create the suspense that makes a movie like this worth seeing in theaters! Grounded in a space of reality, I couldn’t help but think at one point, maybe this is what the world on the brink of nuclear extinction would look like.? It may not have all the memorable feats and set pieces of MI past, but it pays off. It’s definitely worth the ticket, popcorn and snacks this Memorial Day weekend.
Rating: B
"Sonic The Hedgehog 3" Review": A Genre Buffet of Family Fun
With it’s third entry into the franchise, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 has it’s footing. It’s full camp. It’s a genre buffet that focuses more on its vignettes than answering plot hole questions. It just might be the most fun you’ll have in theaters with your family this holiday season!
Building on the events of Sonic The Hedgehog 2, the film finds the new Wachowski family with Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) trying to get away for some R&R with Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter). After a hedgehog named Shadow (Keanu Reeves) is released from his suspended state after fifty years, that peace the family is attempting to get comes to an immediate end. Team Sonic is whisked to Tokyo to try and bring Shadow under control, if at all possible.
Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone and Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
The big question is who released Shadow with what looks like Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) tech? It’s quickly revealed that Ivo has been enjoying telenovelas and getting the Thor post Infinity War treatment (big gut). Enter Gerald Robotnik (Jim Carrey), Ivo’s long lost grandfather. From there, it’s off to the races to stop a world ending machine and Jim Carrey having as much fun as he can on screen.
Knuckles (Idris Elba), Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
The film continues to build out the video game world, showcasing character’s skills and power ups. It also noticeably shifts in genre in its dialogue, cinematography and pacing throughout the film. The opening setup is full of action, it moves into a kid friendly horror moment, a musical dance number, comedy and drama. This could seem disjointed at first glance, but for anyone who played the game on Sega, we know that there were different levels with different styles of gameplay and music. It’s this not so subtle change in cinematic genres that confirm the film is self-aware. In fact, there is a joke about making a flash drive work after blowing on it much like we did with game cartridges.
Shadow (Keanu Reeves) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc. | © 2024 Par. Pics & SEGA
Jim Carrey said that he came out of retirement for this film because he needed to pay bills. Hopefully he keeps overspending so we’ll see him future films because he’s so much fun to watch as both Ivo and Gerald Robotnik. Each character is fully developed, but they bounce off of each other in comedic fashion as only Carrey can do. Where the first two films were about building family, Keanu Reeves’ Shadow has baggage to deal with in regards to the family he lost. So the franchise keeps revolving around family dynamics while adding more characters to this world.
So make sure you stick around for the post credit scene. This is by no means an Academy Award winning children’s film. It’s fun, nostalgic for those who played the game or watch/ed the shows. It’s a good time at the movies for the family!
Rating: B-
"Gladiator II" Review: Standing In The Shadow of Its Predecessor
Twenty four years ago, the world of cinema was in a different place. Upon Gladiator’s 2000 release, CGI (computer generated imagery) was burgeoning. The film boasted of scenes of a coliseum built by a computer’s hand. A lot has changed since then. What once was done by trained professionals can be done by anyone with an app on their cell phone. This idea of a culture being shaped and moved into different directions by time is a theme within Gladiator II as well. What will become of our legacy? The statement that Maximus (Russell Crowe) made “What we do in this life echoes in eternity.” before his death, is still wrestled with here. The question is, is this legacy sequel worthy to stand with its predecessor?
Photo Credit Cuba Scott
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Taking place sixteen years after the death of Maximus, a farmer-soldier named Hanno (Paul Mescal) stands between Rome and the impending conquest of his home, Numidia. Surviving the battle but losing the war makes Hanno a prisoner of war; he is sold into the gladiatorial system and shipped to Rome to become entertainment for her people. Of course, this means that he enters the system with a chip on his shoulder and a fury that burns for General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) who took away his former life and loved ones that existed in it.
Rome has changed since we last saw it. It is now governed by twin Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). The twins lust for blood and conquering nations has secretly driven their hero General Acacius to be tired of all the bloodshed. He and his wife, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), the daughter of Marcus Aurelius, are conspiring to overthrow the twins. This b story is perfect for Hanno’s storyline as he is proving himself to be a fierce competitor for gladiator trader Macrinus (Denzel Washington). Hanno’s one request in exchange for giving his all for Macrinus is the head of Acacius. Thus, a race between the two desires sets course, pitted against the backdrop of three days of Coliseum games.
As different mysteries are revealed, the fading cloud of a dream that Marcus Aurelius had of Rome is continually brought to the forefront by characters. While various characters have their dream of how to achieve a better Rome, it’s clear, the current path and generation at the helm must be ousted. This is the difference between Gladiator and Gladiator II. The former had heart and conviction from a rooted place, while the latter is a shadow imprinted by its forerunner. There is a breaking point in the film in which questions being answered and plots revealed totally let’s out the steam of this engine.
Photo Credit Paramount Pictures
That said, Gladiator II is a spectacle that should be seen on the big screen. Director Ridley Scott’s vision for this time period, the Coliseum, the games, and the bloodlust that still can be prevalent today is on full display. With fights involving baboons, sharks, a rhinoceros, and gladiators there is an impressive use of camera work and fight choreography. Costume designers David Crossman and Janty Yates craftsmanship is exquisite to look at as well.
Photo Credit Aidan Monaghan
Denzel Washington’s Macrinus is certainly worth the hype. As the film moves along and we get to know his character better, his delivery of dialogue and physical gestures may afford him a supporting actor nod if the hype machine is loud enough. Either way, he is fun to watch!
Ultimately, Gladiator II, while uninspired in some ways is still an entertaining movie. Nostalgia is another character that interweaves itself in this storyline. It’s mixed into the opening credits and Harry Gregson-Williams score. It makes the film a popcorn blockbuster that will pass the time, but I’m not sure it will stand the test of time as a classic like Gladiator.
Rating: B-
"Inside Out 2" Review: Another Great Probe Into Our Minds!
Inside Out will always be a special film for me because it was the first film I took my daughter to see when she was almost three years old. The Oscar winning film was a great movie that dealt with emotions and how we use them. Nearly ten years later, Riley (Kensington Tallman) is thirteen, my daughter is almost twelve and this movie is so in touch with that thing called puberty it’s scary!
We catch back up with Riley as she is still playing hockey and dominating the rink. She is going to high school next year and her bond with her best friends, Grace (Grace Lu) and Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green), couldn’t be stronger! Or could it? As the trio goes to camp, Riley learns that they will be going to different schools in the fall which will break up the band. This information, coupled with the onset of puberty, creates new emotions that come to the forefront of her mind.
Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Anger (Lewis Black) are still at the helm of the controls of Riley’s mind, but new emotions are introduced that will challenge for the throne: Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos) (think “play it cool” mentality), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and, the leader of them all, Anxiety (Maya Hawke). Anxiety proves to be akin to fear in some ways but her role is to predict what could happen to Riley and either stop it, avoid it, react to it or move her towards it if the idea seems good to her.
The old and new emotions have a conflict that sends the old crew on an adventure. Along the way we meet some new characters and concepts like sarcasm being a literal chasm that makes anything nice sound bad and a stream of consciousness being a stream with whatever Riley is thinking in it. Perhaps the funniest new characters are Bloofy (Ron Funches) and Pouchy (James Austin Johnson), a duo similar to a Barney-like character that Riley secretly still likes watching.
Writers Meg LeFauve, Dave Holstein, and Kelsey Mann do a wonderful job of setting this new world up for the viewer inside Riley’s head as they interact with what’s going on outside of her body. It’s easy to follow and it’s the journey that makes this movie another winner! There is something so universal about the pressures of trying to fit in, choosing between making new friends or being loyal to old ones, and not really knowing what’s going on inside. Pixar usually has a way of speaking to adults while entertaining kids and that is on full display here.
Inside Out 2 is a winner because it’s thought provoking in addressing how the coming of age passage can be difficult, awkward and beautiful all at once! It doesn’t sugar coat mental health but delivers a spoonful of sugar with the medicine the doctor ordered to address it with laughs and a few tear jerking moments. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another decade for the next stage of Riley’s life, but this is certainly one to take the family to see in theaters!
Rating: A-
"Madame Web": You Wish You Didn't See It Coming!
Alfred Hitchcock said “To make a great film you need three things- the script, the script, and the script”. Madame Web is the perfect example of what happens when those three things are missing. It doesn’t matter if $80+ million dollars. You have to stick to the basics!
With story and written by credits spread amongst five people, this exceptional film starts off with the typical back story exposition. A mother, pregnant and in search of a mysterious spider that possesses a healing power inside it, searches through the jungle with a guide/friend named Ezekiel (Tahar Rahim). Of course, something is going to go wrong and does, but not before she gives birth to a baby after being bitten by a spider. Years later, Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) is thriving in NYC as an EMT. She starts seeing the future before it happens and can’t make sense of it. Honestly, it’s a little hard to follow for the viewer as well, but we can go for the ride.
Cassie (as her friends call her) starts to find purpose in saving three teenage girls from, you guessed it, the big baddy Ezekiel starts hunting them down to kill them. What we were sold in the trailer was Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced), and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor) as spider-women. What we got was a thinly plotted chase thriller with action scenes sprinkled in. Character development is about as thin as a spider web. There’s just enough that you can see something, but the teenagers are reduced to stereotypes of the quiet one, pretty one and angsty one.
The one good thing this film shines a light on is the family that you choose versus the family that you’re born into. All of the women in this film have issues with their blood family, but are able to deal, heal and congeal as a unit with their new found sisterhood. Unfortunately, I don’t think this film knew what it was selling. If only the writers and producers could have seen the future like their main character. Perhaps we could have received the film we were hoping for.
Rating: D
"The Marvels" Review: An Entanglement Of Sorts
The Marvels feels like the crashing of three different Marvel shows. It’s a soup that doesn’t quite gel and yet was an alright meal at the same time. It’s another rung in the ladder of Marvel movies and TV shows that is setting us up for something greater! These days, that seems to be the familiar MO of Marvel but you have to start somewhere.
I watched the Infinity War and End Game battle sequences prepping for the movie based off of what I saw in the trailer. I was way off. As long as you’ve seen WandaVision, Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel you’re good to go in knowing the characters. If you want to understand the plot just watch Captain Marvel as this film acts as a sequel to it. After taking down the Kree’s overseeing intelligence known as the Supreme Intelligence, Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) aka Captain Marvel, inadvertently created a new enemy in Dar-Been (Zawe Aston). In taking out the Supreme Intelligence she also took out the resources of Dar-Been’s home planet and that is something Dar-Been wants back.
While investigating a strange jump point that hasn’t closed, Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), touches it at just the right time to get her powers entangled with her aunt Carol (whom she hasn’t seen in years) and Jersey City’s Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) aka Ms. Marvel. It’s a strange, platonic love triangle that works for the emotional beats of the film. Ms. Marvel is obsessed with Captain Marvel as her biggest fan. Captain Rambeau has felt abandoned by her aunt Carol while watching Captain Marvel be everywhere for everyone except her. Captain Marvel has her reasons as to why she wasn’t there for Monica. It’s this gumbo of emotions that helps the movie have a heartbeat. The chemistry of the women is probably what saves the film from itself with a couple of random moments and set pieces.
Kamala Khan’s infusion in the MCU has brought the fun quirky teenage spirit. Credit has to be given to her family ensemble with her mom (Zenobia Shroff), dad (Mohan Kapur), and older brother (Saagar Shaikh) continually responding to situations as if their daughter/sister is not a superhero. That grounding of Kamala helps create emotional moments with her family and Kamala is able to share that love with the often emotionally guarded Captain Marvel. While much of the film is based on the consequences of past decisions, the message of the ability to grow and learn is on display.
My middle school-aged daughter enjoyed the film way more than me. So this is probably a good time for the kiddos at the movies! We both agreed that it felt like episodes of different MCU shows being pieced together. That start/stop approach to the overall film is what pulls it down but the lead performances are earnest and help smooth that over. The Marvels isn’t a memorable film but the mid-credit sequence will have geeks talking for sure!
Rating: C
"Elemental" Review: This isn't Pixar's Best
Animation can be a great storytelling tool! When done well, filmmakers can use the genre to express emotions and show things that can’t be done in live-action. With “Elemental”, the ambiguity of anthropomorphism makes for a confusing story, weird relationships and complex storytelling that should otherwise be simple.
Set in a place called Elemental City, the inhabitants consist of fire, wind, earth and water people. Fire is the one element that is somewhat ostracized due to their ability to destroy most elements. Ember (Leah Lewis) is a second generation fire element of the city. Her father (Ronnie Del Carmen) has worked hard to keep his store, The Fireplace, up and running. His goal is to pass it on to Ember. Ember is stuck between wanting to honor her father’s wishes and wanting to find out what she loves. The frustration of being stuck in the middle produces an uncontrollable fireball that Ember has to release. On one such occasion, she retreats to the basement to blow off steam only to have Wade (Mamoudou Athie) come through a leaky pipe. Wade is a city inspector who can’t let the violations he sees in the basement go. So the rest of the film is about the shenanigans this odd couple gets into as Ember tries to save her dad’s shop from being shut down.
There are clear rules in this world. Fire can boil water, water can replenish Earth, water can also douse a flame, etc. So a romantic relationship between fire and water shouldn’t work. Pixar is usually known for being able to mix social messages with their films but there are a few too many messages going on here. There is a generational understanding issue, a xenophobia issue, a class issue, and frankly, an ethnicity issue. Ember’s parents seem to have an Asian accent and exhibit the traditional values of an Asian family. (This is based on director, Peter Sohn’s, life.) So rather than focusing on the elements being blank canvases without intricate human qualities, dealing with universal problems, this feels like the elements are geared after a certain group of people. This is fine when you make clear lines, but the anthropomorphism makes it hazy. There are too many things that writers John Hoberg, Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh are trying to tackle. Children won’t care but adults will scratch their heads.
This does feel like new territory for Pixar as the relationship between Ember and Wade feels like young adults falling in love. It’s hard to know their age, but context clues put this in unchartered territory. Perhaps the best part of the film is the visuals that are served to the audience. In fact, the song “Steal The Show” by Ari Leff and Thomas Newman does just that in a beautiful montage of Ember and Wade seeing each other’s uniqueness against the backdrop of Elemental City. It’s a great number and captures what Pixar does best.
This isn’t Pixar’s best in their catalogue. Outside of the song, this isn’t very memorable and leaves a few more questions than answers. Yet, there are moments of Pixar brilliance. No need to rush out for this one parents.
Rating: C
"Transformers: Rise of The Beasts" Review: More of The Same & A Little New
I didn’t have big expectations going in to Transformers: Rise of The Beasts. I told my kids they could expect loud sound. I went to get snacks during the opening of the film. They ran out of the theater as I was coming back with snacks and said it was too loud. Just like my kids, over the course of the film, I got adjusted to the usual noise and wound up enjoying the experience. Let me explain.
Set in 1994, the film introduces us to Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos), an army vet who is looking for work while looking after his sick little brother, Kris (Dean Scott Vazquez). When an interview doesn’t work out as he’d hoped for due to some marks on his record, Noah turns to Reek (Tobe Nwigwe) to boost a car. Elsewhere in New York, Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) has found an interesting artifact (it’s always something “mysterious” with a Transformer logo that just needs to be touched or turned the right way) that even as an overqualified intern/expert in hieroglyphs and artifacts, she can’t figure out what it is. When the mysterious key starts working unbeknownst to her, it brings Autobots and Decepticons out of hiding, and thus Noah and Elena’s paths cross.
The big baddy this go round is Scourge (Peter Dinklage). Scourge wants the key to bring his planet eating master to dinner on Earth or a dinner of Earth.? Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) sees it as a way to get off the planet and home. The race is on and thus you have another Transformers movie.
Let’s get back to the noise I mentioned in the beginning. So many of these films have the same cliché beginning, middle and end. An average Joe gets stuck in the middle of an intergalactic feud and fights for the fate of the world. The dialogue and comedic punch lines feel so paint by the numbers you’d be hard pressed to laugh when the music dies down just enough for them to stick the line. That’s where this film fails. Even the heartwarming big bro, little bro relationship between the Diaz brothers feels forced rather than earned. Although, some credit should be given to the young Vazquez as he gives a pep talk to his older brother.
Where the movie succeeds is allowing you to take in the spectacle of it all. Sure, some may say it’s CGI heavy, but it’s great seeing the Maximals take the stage, seeing the jungle of Peru, and the imaginary worlds created. Another win is the ‘90s soundtrack that the film is infused with. If you grew up during the decade and loved hip hop, there is plenty there.
A few noteworthy performances are Anthony Ramos as the lead, Pete Davidson as Mirage, and Tobe Nwigwe as Reek. It’s easy to like Noah and root for him due to Ramos’s portrayal as an every man. Davidson doesn’t go too overboard with the black culture influenced Mirage that was probably written on the page. Thus, Mirage becomes a memorable Autobot. If you know you know when it comes to Tobe Nwigwe. It’s been amazing to watch his career. He’s an amazing creative and to see him go into film is great, but to see him actually create a well rounded bit character speaks to his talent.
Transformers: Rise of The Beasts is a summer, popcorn blockbuster. Nothing more. Nothing less. It’s a good choice for the movies this weekend if you haven’t already seen Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse. Just prepared to witness more of the same and just enough uniqueness to make this an alright installment in the franchise.
Rating: C-
"Creed III" Review: The Message in The Whisper
In 1 Kings YHWH speaks to Elijah in a whisper after an earthquake and a fire. Now, Creed III is not a Biblical epic nor am I putting it on that level. I’m only using that example to illustrate how it speaks in a whisper if you can see past the boxing action and grudge match rivalry, and the film did speak to my soul. It lands on a poignant character drama with themes of overcoming trauma, being emotionally vulnerable, letting go of grudges and of course, the underdog story we’ve come to love.
The film picks up at a time where Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) has decided to step away from the sport while he’s on top. No sooner does he do that than an old friend, Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) comes back into his life. Damian has been locked up for the past eighteen years. He’s watched Adonis’s meteoric rise to a position he feels should have been his. How their history is intertwined is a major key to the story.
This is a by-the-numbers Creed movie, infused with intimacy and originality that makes the film stand out. You get what you would expect but it continually strives to slip the predictable as well. From a technical perspective, Jordan (in his directorial debut) finds a way to show boxing visually from a fresh point of view. He uses the camera, sound and fight choreography to allow us to see the fight but step into the mentality of the fighter in the present moment of it. This is seen throughout the film but is beautifully executed in the final act.
Jonathan Majors is showing that he is a force to be reckoned with on screen. His physicality of Dame in the film is like a character choice from a Kurosawa picture. He has certain ticks that he repeats throughout the film that embody his raw rage. He’s carrying eighteen years of baggage internally and it comes out in his voice, movement and how he makes eye contact. He’s constantly studying. Jordan is serviceable as Adonis and gives a nuanced nod to being an aged fighter. Tessa Thompson gives Bianca a soul. Many times, the “wife” can be lost in the film as a side character, but here she is a present, integral part of Adonis’s life. Mila Davis-Kent is a welcomed addition as Amara Creed. Amara uses ASL to communicate and the relationship with her parents is beautiful.
Some may note the lack of a certain figure in this film. However, I think it’s intentional. Sylvester Stallone and the shadow of Rocky has been in the first two films. This installment allows Adonis Creed to make a name for himself. Ties have not been cut, and while Rocky’s absence is noticed it certainly doesn’t hinder the movie in anyway.
Whether you are looking for entertainment at the theater or dealing with middle aged thoughts and issues, this movie delivers on all levels. We’re reminded that at the heart of every Creed film, there is an intimate, dramatic story that is universally understood. You just might have to catch the message in the whisper!
Rating: A
"M3GAN" Review: When Killer Dolls Play It Safe
M3GAN has the potential to be a pop-culture icon. The memes that have come from the trailer alone have been enough to have her ascend to memorable villain status. However, the film itself is a paint by numbers horror movie that, unlike its robotic star, doesn’t have the same amount of life and punch!
After her parents die in an accident, Cady (Violet McGraw) has to live with her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams). It’s quite evident that Gemma hasn’t had too many touch points with children. Her house is a nerdy roboticist’s bachelorette pad, equipped with collectibles and an Alexa-type device that runs the house. To Gemma’s credit, she wants to fight to keep her niece with her instead of Cady going to live with her father’s parents. She wants to fill the void she sees in Cady’s life while simultaneously wanting to please her boss David (Ronny Chieng) in getting a new toy to market.
Gemma figures she can solve both issues with her Model 3 Generative ANdroid aka M3GAN (voiced by Jenna Davis and played by Amie Donald), a prototype of what could be a game changer in toys. A doll that is continuously learning the child it’s paired with and told to protect her sounds like a great idea! Right? Wrong! Let the dangers of a sentient Artificial Intelligence (AI) manifest!
There are so many things going for this film. For starters, the M3GAN doll body and face is horrifically realistic and yet the wig is awful. So this villain has the physical characteristics to be memorable. The film starts with a realistic promo for a Furby-like toy for today’s kids. You can feed it via an app and the physical toy responds. If you over-feed it, it poops. It’s so over the top but grounded in today’s reality, which underscores the films theme of relationships. There is a constant nod to our connection with technology and one another as human beings. The fight between what we pay attention to more, tech or the ones we love is real! The tension created by director Gerard Johnstone between M3GAN and the adults who realize something is wrong is palpable. This is largely due to the cinematography of Peter McCaffrey and Simon Raby (director of photography). The frame hides M3GAN in shadow when needed and puts her on full display at other times.
When the movie leans into its satirical nature and the themes it explores, it’s a blast, but it takes itself too seriously more often than not. It’s as though it knows it comes from a long line of killer doll movies and is afraid to buck the rules or step out of line by making memorable kills or noteworthy dialogue. The best performances come from Williams, McGraw and the physicality of Donald as your standard horror leads. Yet, it’s probably because they are the best developed characters on the page. Chieng’s David is supposed to be the self-centered, berating boss but his lines are vapid and poorly delivered. Everyone else in the film seems to be set pieces to get us from Act 1 to Act 3.
The best moments are probably not meant to be funny, like the cop who says “I’m sorry, I wasn’t supposed to laugh at that” or M3GAN playing “Toy Soldiers”. Each set up for a genuine scary moment is stress inducing until its underwhelming finish. I’m assuming the PG-13 rating kept M3GAN from going for the fences. Instead we get a bunt that should definitely bring viewers in for a streaming platform view at home, but not the home run in theaters! Save your theater money, but definitely grab some popcorn when this hits whatever streaming platform it will land on.
Rating: C
Check out some of the best memes to come from the trailer:
"The Menu" Review: Don't Let This Sneak By You!
The Menu is not a film that will be advertised well. The trailers won’t do it justice because it’s hard to really tell what the film is about without spoiling something or oversharing. So it’s doomed from the start from a marketing perspective. You’ll just have to trust me that you should see this film if you enjoy smart, dark humor, and mysteries that reveal the truth in clever ways over the course of the films running time. Much like its main character’s menu, the movie is something you have to ride along with. As the slow burn story unfolds, the ending is delicious!
Margo (Anna Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) are one of many couples going to a nearby island to enjoy the food of Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) at an exclusive restaurant called Hawthorne. Pairs may be a better word as not everyone is romantically involved, but one thing for sure, they’ve been chosen. We’re introduced to each patron in a bumbling fashion as they board the boat. There’s the power broker bros in Bryce (Rob Yang), Dave (Mark St. Cyr), and Soren (Arturo Castro). An actor past his heyday only known as a Movie Star (John Leguizamo) with his assistant Felicity (Aimee Carrero) provide screwball comedy, while an elderly couple Richard (Reed Birney), and Anne (Judith Light) give a glimpse of life on autopilot.
As the evening gets underway, we quickly see that at $1,250 per plate, most guests are there for either the lavish experience or to say they were there. Chef Slowik’s guests don’t have his attention when the first course is served. Yet as each course is dished, that quickly changes.
This film comes down to performance. The ensemble of personalities are what draws us in to care when we otherwise wouldn’t. Anna Taylor-Joy’s Margot is fun to watch as a misfit amongst the guests. Hong Chau is a stand out as Chef Slowik’s right hand, Elsa. She is devoid of emotion and yet her physical presence and delivery of dialogue commands respect. Fiennes exudes an unsettling calm in his cult-like figurehead.
While Fox Searchlight may be the studio behind this film, it feels more like an A24 movie. It is reminiscent of Midsommar in its dark mischief that toys with patrons in the film and viewers watching. Writers Seith Reiss and Will Tracy craft a story that touches on classism, obsession and desensitization. Director Mark Mylod uses the virtually one location shoot to his advantage. The visually intimate and beautiful set, slowly turns into a claustrophobic and horrifying space. This is definitely worth the price of admission! Just remember to tip your waiter.
Rating: B
"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Review: This Feels Personal
You can hear a pin drop in the first five minutes of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s intense and doesn’t let go of wrestling with loss, the cycle of violence and how we respond to it all throughout its running time. Even with that, this film is a vibe! It pays tribute, takes you in directions that you expect and does an intentional job of curving your expectations at the right time. This is one of the best MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) installments in a while!
The loss of Chadwick Boseman shook the world. It was a death we didn’t expect. He was a talented actor and better human being to all who knew him. He endured in silence, proving his quiet strength and giving us a lot to think about in hindsight. Whether it was not to make fun of a celebrity’s (or anyone for that matter) weight loss because you don’t know what they’re dealing with or his words in interviews, we all had to wrestle with his death. Writer/director Ryan Coogler and the rest of the cast had to do this as well. The original sequel script had to be re-written. It’s in the spaces of deep pain as a reflection of deep love that you can get a focused script like Wakanda Forever. It’s not a perfect script/story, but it’s deeply personal in every frame.
This is a spoiler free review, so I’ll only speak based off of what you can gather from the trailer. The world of Wakanda is familiar yet matured here after the Blip. Her people are dealing with the loss of their leader. Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is mourning as a mother would, with maturity and grace, while keeping the outside world at bay from using vibranium in a way that would harm others. Shuri (Letitia Wright) is going through it! Her grief is manifested in overworking and anger.
In the outside world’s zest to find vibranium, a new underwater nation called Talokan is awoken. With a desire to stay hidden, its’ leader Namor (Tenoch Huerta), will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Even if it means taking down Wakanda to do it. So Wakanda calls on her heroes Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Okoye (Danai Gurira), M’Baku (Winston Duke) and new comer Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne).
Ruth Carter’s wardrobe in the film is once again Oscar worthy. Part of the reason the film is a vibe is because of how cool the cast looks throughout the film. Whether they are wearing street clothes or traditional garb, Carter nailed it! The production and art design is incredible grounded in a tangible future. The music from Ludwig Goransson is haunting, inspired and sets the right tone for the film. Listen to the music playing in the lab while Shuri is working. It fits seamlessly to the point you might miss it because so much thought has been put into this world from head to toe.
There is an element of this film that we have to deal with. While the story does a great job of giving us Afro and Latino Futurism visions, the fact remains that the majority of the film is about two brown communities fighting each other. While the Talokan people are blue on land, they’re brown under water. They’re of Mayan origin. So it’s easy to forget this point. At a micro level, two brown nations are willing to go at each other in order to save themselves from colonizers out of fear of colonization. It’s not even guaranteed. It’s strategy for a possibility. Yet, it’s evident that they are two of the strongest nations in this world. There’s an invisible chain at play that just feels a little all too familiar for me.
That said, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a serious character drama with super hero action in the background. Their are noteworthy performances from Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright as the women take the stage in a way that feels lived in from my black experience! Equal to the performances are the character arcs of the protagonists and antagonist. Just as Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) was a great idealogical foil to T’Challa, Namor is another villain who could be considered a hero depending on the side of the coin you align with. It’s an entertaining film that will be remembered in the MCU due to the loss of Chadwick Boseman and the universal themes it deals with. There’s only one post credit scene, so you don’t have to wait until the credits finishing rolling this time!
Rating: B+
P.S.
Look for the male extra on the left side of the screen dancing in white in the beginning of the film. Someone should have been watching the dailies to remind him to stay in character! He was having too much fun I guess. If it wasn’t such a serious moment…I would have been laughin’!
"All Quiet On The Western Front" Review: The Horror of War
Franklin D. Roosevelt was right when he said “War is young men dying and old men talking.” All Quiet On The Western Front embodies this throughout its running time. It’s not a war movie, it’s a collateral movie. The violence and silence within it shows the horror that is war.
Director Edward Berger takes the third at bat for the adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s book. Berger’s eye for detail and his ensemble’s performances make for a war film that stands out in the genre and annals of cinematic history. The story hasn’t changed. Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) is a seventeen year old who wants to go to war after hearing a speech given at his school. It’s some speech, because war sounds like a way to serve his country, become a man and a hero to him and his friends. They enlist the next day and Paul is quickly thrust into the truth and horrors of war. So are we.
Within a few hours of being out in the field, an attack leaves Paul as the sole survivor amongst his friends and scarred for life. It’s the little details along the way that make this so heart wrenching. He should have known something was up when he received a uniform that belonged to someone else. Once he’s in it, there is the collection of dog tags. The soldiers not only have to fight and fear for their lives, but they also have to face death. They literally have to look at bodies of fallen friends who had a name, family and friends and collect identification from their corpse. It’s cruel. It’s traumatizing. We have to witness it along with Paul.
A tale tale heart moment comes later when Paul kills an enemy in the trenches and has to listen to him die slowly because he can’t get out of the trench. He watches him take his last breaths and suffers mentally knowing how much pain he is in. The shift from kill or be killed to empathy is executed in a heartbreaking moment as he tries to save him and apologizes for what he’s done. This results in him finding a photo of his wife and child. This is what the film repetitively nails home. There is nothing fun, beautiful or fantastical about war.
If there’s a film that should help us think twice about war, especially in these times, it’s this one. The collateral of war is not just on the battle field but it hits the soldiers family back home and especially the soldiers themselves.
Rating: A
"The Woman King" Review: This Should Not Be Missed!
There’s no doubt that The Woman King will be a cultural experience for many this weekend. The telling of one of the most feared and revered female warriors on the big screen is something to behold. While some of the action feels “Disney-fied”, the message in this film is undeniably powerful and should not be missed!
The film revolves around the West African nation of Dahomey in the early 1800s. Known for their fierce, all-female warriors called the Agojie, we’re thrust amidst an ongoing Game of Thrones amongst African Kingdoms. Nanisca (Viola Davis) leads these incredible warriors and after a recent battle, realizes she needs new, stronger soldiers to fight off the rival Oyo empire. The Agojie are all that stand in the way of the Oyo and King Ghezo (John Boyega) has full faith in them.
Nanisca leans on her right hand, Amenza (Sheila Atim). It’s evident that they have been through good and bad times together. Amenza holds Nanisca’s orders, secrets and trust as a chosen sister. Izogie (Lashana Lynch) trains the new crop of prospective Agojie. She’s an aggressive fighter with ambition to be more who gives tough love and mentoring to the hopeful. One amongst them is Nawi (Thuso Mbedu). Nawi is an untraditional young woman who has turned every suitor away with her attitude. For her, the Agojie is her way out of a life of subjectivity.
With war as a vehicle of urgency, in the backdrop of the setting is also the Atlantic slave trade. It’s a part of the movie that is naturally highlighted as a theme of both physical and mental slavery shows itself throughout the film. Writers Dana Stevens and Maria Bello shine light on the various tribes and nations involved in the atrocity and in a minor way, the impact that we can assume it had on the African people. Trauma is dealt with in a way that is both heartbreaking and triumphant! As each member of the Agojie carry the weight of their own trauma, how they overcome is perhaps the most powerful message in the film.
Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond The Lights) may not be a house hold name to many, because she directs a feature film so infrequently. However, when she does get behind the camera, it’s always worth watching. Her ability to capture human relationships is always refreshing. Viola Davis gives a masterful performance as always. The lean she does at the climax of the film takes you through so many emotions without her saying a word. Lashana Lynch will likely have Oscar buzz surrounding her performance as she gives Izogie a hard exterior with a soft core to create a complex but lovable character.
The celebration in song and dance throughout the film is moving. You can feel the joy and pain at times in the tribal dancing. The action in this film is a little underwhelming at times. To be all female warriors, you would expect serious bloodshed. Even if that couldn’t be shown due to the rating, the problem is that the camera doesn’t allow you to see the fight choreography in full. Mid-shots are used rather than wides. So the action feels stifled at times, which is sad because it would be nice to see all of the hard work these amazing actresses put in on full display. To see women tough and brutal is not something we get often from film. Perhaps some will say we got a lot here, but this did feel like it was under the watchful eye of someone to keep it PG-13.
Whatever the case may be, the message in this film and the portrayals by the cast is worth seeing! Grab some friends and go this weekend! This was like church for the crowd I screened the film with. They talked to the screen and audibly showed they related to the message. That’s the power of film!
Rating: B+
"Barbarian" Review: An Unexpected Surprise!
If you like films that go in a direction you don’t expect, or subvert their genre, Barbarian is one to see. The film was marketed in a way that doesn’t give away the overall story, but has more to it than meets the eye. It’s a psychological thriller that will keep you questioning what will happen next, even when it admittedly goes a bit off track!
Tess (Georgina Campbell) is checking in to her Air BnB to no avail. A light pops on inside the house and she meets Keith (Bill Skarsgard), who seems to be occupying the space through another rental service. After they both realized they’ve been double booked, they’re tasked with awkwardly trying to figure out how they will do sleeping arrangements for the night. It’s the friend or foe mystery that propels the story forward.
As much as I’d like to give more context, going about as far as the trailers explore is best. Tess does discover an ominous room in the basement. Writer/Director Zach Cregger understands the story he’s telling and where he wants to lead his audience. Visually his framing leads the eye to an object or character, but he blocks his characters in the same frame to hide what we really want to see.
In understanding the rules of the horror genre, Cregger manipulates his audience in fun and entertaining ways. As Barbarian develops, its self-awareness and dark humor makes exploration of the secrets that lie beneath its story interesting to peel back. Somewhat like the way I’ve mentioned the genre(s) this film straddles, if you were paying attention! This is worth a view!
Rating: B
"Prey" Review: A Prequel On Par With The Original
In a world of streaming, Prey is one of those films that will be released directly on Hulu, but is worthy of the big screen! The beautiful landscape, scale of humans versus animals or Predator, and entertaining story would have been worth the summer blockbuster theater check-in. This film is on par with the original Predator in terms of entertainment and story! It’s worth the watch this weekend!
Naru (Amber Midthunder) is a young Comanche who wants to hunt like the men in her tribe, but isn’t given the same respect because she is a woman. Her older brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers), recognizes her potential but also knows Naru has to earn her stripes. She’s an excellent tracker, knows natural medicine, and can throw an axe like the rest of the boys. Her opportunity comes in the form of a hunt for a big cat. Her much larger test however, comes from the sky and no one else seems to notice. In fact, she’s the only one to pick up on the signs of a much larger, dangerous being in their midst.
As with any of these movies, it takes a while before the Predator is revealed fully and that’s when the fun begins. The kills and weapons in Prey are creative and awesome for franchise fans! This particular predator has so many different weapons in its arsenal that we get to see used in creative ways. Similarly, because of the time period (late 1700s), our weapons are primitive in comparison. Yes, our weapons are always primitive in comparison to a Predator’s but this showdown calls for a primal fist to cuffs. It’s the stripped back, crude nature of this story that touches our basic needs and thus makes the movie a suspenseful and thrilling watch. Amber Midthunder is the heart of the film and a protagonist underdog we can get behind!
The battle of wits is what all Predator films come down to, but the camera work and editing are elements that make this exciting to watch as well. Director, Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) uses matching shots of wounds being cleaned and the fight for survival amongst predator and prey of all walks of life weave together a story that is understood through montage. Low angles show the scale of the Predator (Dane DiLiegro is a former basketball player) 6’9” frame towers over its competition. Aerial shots of high grass fields show the speed in which this Predator can move on its prey!
Perhaps an interesting point in this film is how the Predator only goes after what it deems as a threat or real competition. Similarly, Hulu should not be afraid to take on the competition in the box office if it has a movie like this on its hands! This likely would have done well by word of mouth. Instead, to take a line from the film, they said “This is as far as you go. No more. This is it.” Hopefully, the overwhelming response from fans will change their mind in the future!
Rating: B+