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Review by Steve Barton II  Disney Channel Original Movies (or more commonly known as DCOMs) were a staple of millions of children’s Friday nights in the 90s and 2000s. When you saw the kids jumping on the rolling film rolls as the siren song plays with the lyrics “Let’s watch a Disney Channel Movie” echoing through the small television speakers, it put you in a trance for the next 2 hours. Toward the end of the millennial audience era, the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato made their Disney mark with 2008’s smash hit Camp Rock. With its massive popularity, the brothers and Demi made a sequel in 2010 and then split off to become worldwide pop stars on their own paths. After nearly 16 years of inactivity, Camp Rock is back in business with Camp Rock 3! Camp Rock 3 picks up with a new set of campers full of hope and talent. After Connect 3 loses their opening act for their tour, they return to Camp Rock to find their new opener and give a young artist a shot. If the campers want to win, they have to compete against one another for the coveted prize. Camp Rock 3 plays on the nostalgia for all the curious millennials/older gen-Z adults, while mainly playing to the normal Disney crowd. We do see the return of the Jonas Brothers as Connect 3 in a much more reduced role, but they still have a presence throughout the film. Demi does have a small cameo as Mitchie, but the stars of the show are Liamani Segura, Malachi Barton and the rest of the new kids. While they do use a few familiar tunes from the previous movies, they do some remixing and make it their own along with several original songs that rival the original. Capturing that perfect balance between new and old school is no simple task, but director Veronica Rodriguez did so with ease.  With brand new faces leading the way, the chemistry between the cast is key. Luckily, Liamani and Malachi have immediate chemistry and their voices compliment each other well. Rounding out the rest of the main cast is Lumi Pollack as the shy cello player Rosie and the scene stealer is Casey Trotter as the overactive and goofy drummer boy Cliff. The way Cliff delivers his silly puns while still having genuine kindness and charm about him feels like a kid you’d like to be friends with at camp. Maria Canals-Barrera also returns as Mitchie’s mom who is now running Camp Rock in her daughters honor and Sherry Cola is a bit more subdued and less raunchy than her previous work, but she still nails it as Connect 3’s manager who is desperate to keep them together as a family, brotherhood and band.
In conclusion, Camp Rock 3 is exactly what it needed to be, nothing more and nothing less. The songs are still Disney rated, but the pop-punk style gives it an edge and feels inspired by former Disney star Olivia Rodrigo. The sets look practically identical to the original (with a few upgrades) and Camp Rock hasn’t aged a day. The cast nails the feeling of the franchise while making something new for the younger audiences. Some of the millennial crowd that may feel awkward and cringy by some of the dialogue, just look back at the 2008 film and see if you still think its "flawless". If the thought of getting back to Camp Rock and recapturing the magic you felt as a kid watching that generational classic, turn on Camp Rock 3 with the kids and see if you can see the sparkle hit their eyes. Camp Rock 3 premiers on Disney Channel on August 13th and then it’s available the next day on Disney+ ! Rating: 3/5
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Review by Steve Barton II  In an age where nepotism in Hollywood is criticized by everyone with a microscope, it’d be fair to bow out of the limelight and stop acting. The benefits of having a rich and famous parent are probably extravagant at times, but I’m sure it’s not all sunshine. Having eyes on you constantly from extreme fandoms or producers who are expecting the same level of talent from you must be extremely exhausting. The entertainment world has plenty of famous people’s kids who ride off the residual star power until they fade into obscurity, but Sunny Sandler in Don’t Say Good Luck may be proving to not be another forgotten child. Don’t Say Good Luck follows Sophie (Sunny) as she’s trying out for the lead of the high school musical, when she learns that her mother’s illness has returned. With trying to balance both situations, Sophie tries her best to stay strong and leans on her peers for support. While this may not be Sunny Sandler’s first starring role in a feature film, this is her major breakout from her father’s shadow. Adam Sandler and his wife are still producers on the film, but neither of them are on-screen nor writing. Sunny had to both sing and act in some heavy, dramatic scenes and she holds her own with some incredible talent around her. In You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Sunny was playing a role that was basically herself, but amplified and exaggerated for the film. In Don’t Say Good Luck, Sunny becomes Sophie and makes this young girl who is riddled with stress and anxiety from all angles of life at once feel authentic and real. While The Sandman is an accomplished musician, it was a big shock to see Sunny sing with such strength and ease. She looked like such a pro that she may have picked up some pointers from her previous on-screen mother Idina Menzel. Whichever direction she chooses for her career, the future looks bright for Sunny.  The overarching plot of Don’t Say Good Luck isn’t entirely original with characters balancing life events with an unexpected illness, but it’s the characters that make this film special. Many films of a similar nature often overdramatize the illness or the drama around it to the point where it’s entirely unbelievable and frankly insulting to anyone who has gone through it. The way the parents in Don’t Say Good Luck attempt to keep their children’s lives normal during the chaos and the silent pain they all constantly show makes them feel like a family you know and desperately want to help. Melanie Lynskey does an amazing job at displaying the physical and (especially) emotional pain of terminal illness and leaving your young family behind. The scenes she shares with Sunny toward the end are a bittersweet and emotional display that has universal relatability. Max Greenfield as the father trying to hold it all together with love and humor was mastered as well. The rest of the supporting cast with Avatar’s Jack Champion, Stephanie Beatriz and several legends like Steve Buscemi help make Don’t Say Good Luck’s world feel lived in.
In conclusion, Don’t Say Good Luck will be a surprise to everyone scrolling through Netflix this weekend. While many will assume when seeing the Sandler name that it will be “just another cash grab from Sandler and Netflix”, by the end their eyes will be damp and wide. IMdB tagged this as a “musical drama”, but don’t expect the musical bits to make up a large portion of runtime. While the musical scenes are great, they only make up maybe 20 minutes of the runtime overall. By the end of Don’t Say Good Luck, you may feel emotionally exhausted yet also fulfilled by the love and support shown by the characters surrounding this family. If you enjoy dramatic, feel-good movies that don't shy away from real life issues and struggles, Don’t Say Good Luck should be on your Netflix watchlist. Don’t Say Good Luck is available for streaming on Netflix starting August 14th! Rating: 4/5 Review by Adam Donato  Some movies make a name for themselves before they even come out and for reasons that don’t really have much to do with the context of the film. More people can recount the behind the scenes drama with the cast of Don’t Worry Darling than they can the actual details of the narrative of the film. A few years ago, Warner Bros tried to shelf a new live action/animation hybrid film about Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation for their faulty products. The film was to be deleted as a tax write off just like Batgirl. This corporate malpractice naturally upset artists and fans everywhere, until the film was purchased by Ketchup Entertainment, who also released The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. Now everybody can rejoice as Coyote vs. Acme is getting a proper theatrical release. The question is: was Warner Bros right to shelf the movie? Seeing Coyote vs. Acme feels like a form of cinema activism. The man didn’t want you to see this movie. The fans don’t see any of the money from a corporate tax write off. We just get one less good movie in the world. For us, it’s an absolute victory. The unfortunate thing about the situation is that it’s also a win-win for Warner Bros. If the movie is good, they produced a good movie. If it’s good and successful, then it grows the Looney Tunes brand that Warner Bros owns. If it fails either critically or financially, then Warner Bros will feel emboldened by the initial decision to shelf the movie. Regardless, they still save face with talent that may have been weary of working with the studio if they have a reputation for shelving movies (or has that bridge already been burned?). The average cinephile doesn’t know what Ketchup Entertainment is and will just assign credit to Warner Bros for the movie being released. The movie cost $70 million, was bought by Ketchup Entertainment for $50 million, and is tracking to make $3-10 million at the domestic box office opening weekend. Unless there’s a huge cult following for the film, it appears we won the battle, but will lose the war. Forget about the business side of things, Coyote vs. Acme is tons of fun. The film delivers on all the zany cartoon gags that one would expect a Looney Tunes movie to provide. Wile E. Coyote has never been this fleshed out on the big screen. He’s equal parts chaotic hilarity and inspirational persistence. You will feel for Wile E. Coyote. The human cast is clearly having tons of fun here. The concept is comedically ridiculous and puts these overly familiar characters in a unique situation. The kids will enjoy the silly cartoon fun and the adults will be entertained by this parody of a courtroom drama. This could easily be considered the best live action/animation hybrid film since Who Framed Roger Rabbit? So if the movie is good, then why would Warner Bros want to bury it?  The easy answer is the financial benefit, but let’s get romantic for a second. The person that resonates with the concept of cinema activism will really connect with the themes of Coyote vs. Acme. It’s a story about a mistreated underdog who stands up against a mega corporation to stand up for what’s right. The metatextual read on the movie writes itself. Wile E. Coyote is Coyote vs. Acme and Acme is Warner Bros. Fans and artists demanded the movie just how Wile E. Coyote demands justice. One could wonder if Warner Bros wanted to avoid a message like that being spread, but as established earlier, this movie resonating with people is still a net positive. It’s more likely that this whole drama around the release of the movie is manufactured controversy to garner interest in the film. They want you to feel like you’re taking a stand by seeing the movie. Love it, hate it, or ignore it, Warner Bros wins. Luckily, Coyote vs Acme is so good that it makes it easy to take off the tin foil hat and just enjoy the movie.
There’s an interesting subgenre of performance that Will Forte does here. A comedian actor leads a movie with an ensemble of colorful characters. Forte is certainly capable of going full cartoon with his comedic performances, but his performance here is more of an every man who is dragged into this wacky legal battle. His schlubby appearance is so well contrasted by John Cena’s cartoonishly manly features as the antagonist of the movie. It’s also well contrasted by the innocent optimism of Lana Condor, who is most known for the To All the Boys movies on Netflix. Shoutout to a couple standout comedic supporting performances from Martha Kelly and P.J. Byrne. The movie is real and now it is in the hands of the public. Coyote vs. Acme is the latest example of the power of the court of public opinion. Artists deserve to see the fruits of their labor and audiences deserve to see good movies. Don’t tell a person you know something when you’re not allowed to tell them. They’re gonna want to know even more and hold it against you for teasing them with it. Well now we know and the secret is juicy. So please check out Coyote vs. Acme in a theater with the whole family for a raucous good time. Just like Wile E. Coyote, cinema persists! Coyote vs. Acme rocket skates into theaters August 28th! Rating: 4/5 Review by Adam Donato  The summer movie season has fired all its big guns, but August has plenty of fliers that have a chance to stick with audiences. Contrary to what appears to be the case, Universal does not have a copyright on dinosaurs. Much like how Jaws was the shark movie to end all shark movies, Jurassic Park did the same for dinosaurs. Despite the clear waning of quality, the Jurassic World franchise still prints money. There is something about that brand name recognition as dinosaur movies are not a lock whatsoever. The recent dinosaur picture 65 was a total failure. Even when Pixar gave their take on dinosaurs, it was arguably their worst feature to date. The End of Oak Street takes one look at the abysmal odds of success and never says die. In a summer movie slate full of remakes and sequels, The End of Oak Street is one of the few original hits. While the box office remains to be seen, it’s certainly got the quality part of the equation down. It’s really embarrassing for the Jurassic franchise for a dinosaur movie to get totally mogged like this. Turns out all one had to do was keep it simple. This movie stars one family of four and develops them as relatable characters so when these characters are running from the dinosaurs, the audience is not just afraid of the dinosaur, but for these characters they’ve grown to care about. It’s not a bloated mess that’s over two hours. It’s an efficient and brisk 100 minute romp. Oh, and The End of Oak Street costs about a hundred million dollars less to produce. Forget about brands because this original dinosaur movie may be the best dinosaur film since Jurassic Park.  David Robert Mitchell is back and with a curious new direction in his career. It Follows is a defining horror film of the 2010’s, but Under the Silver Lake is a niche mystery thriller. Eight years later, he’s back with a family dinosaur flick? It’s nice to see a director be able to handle different genres throughout his career. He also delivers a very handsome movie that isn’t afraid to show off a sick split diopter shot every now and then. The End of Oak Street feels like a very personal movie for Mitchell by the end of it. What he’s able to deliver with the dramatic family scenes in this movie is what makes the film work. That and his fun sense of humor. There’s a joke in this movie that is just so outrageous and really adds to the heart of the film. Even if the box office just breaks even, he should still be given the chance to do whatever he wants next as he’s an exciting filmmaker who has proven he’s not just a one trick pony.
Anne Hathaway is having a year to remember. She’s fresh off what looks to be an Oscar nominated performance in The Odyssey. The Devil Wears Prada 2 kicked off the summer box office. Mother Mary didn’t leave an impression and Verity is yet to be seen, but that’s a heck of a lot of work. While she’s not quite to the level of her performance as Penelope, Hathaway carries this movie. She’s such a strong character that handles both the dramatic and lighter fare in the movie. Ewan McGregor does his fair share here too and it’s just what the doctor ordered as he’s been mostly known for falling back on Kenobi this decade. The daughter is played admirably by My Old Ass’s Maisy Stella, despite getting the least to do in the family. Ironically, The End of Oak Street opens opposite of another dinosaur feature, PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie, and the voice of Chase in the previous installment plays the son in this movie. Christian Convery’s character seems to be the director insert here and while he can be irrational, he does have his trusty bow and arrow to keep him in the fight. A side character standout would be P.J. Byrne as the annoying neighbor. The End of Oak Street delivers the fun dinosaur scares that audiences want, but also gives you a reason to care about the people who are running away from the dinosaurs. It’s an absolute blast of a film that can hopefully carve itself a decent slice of the box office pie, which will be difficult with the likes of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey still going strong. Regardless, David Robert Mitchell is back in the directors chair and that’s something that’s worth celebrating. The End of Oak Street chases into theaters August 14th! Rating: 4/5 Review by Steve Barton II  If you’ve ever overheard a conversation about punk rock and Green Day isn’t mentioned as one of the best, you instantly knew those guys don’t respect their elders! Green Day formed back in 1987 (originally named Sweet Children) and over the last 20+ years have become one of the largest punk rock bands of all time! They’ve released 14 albums over their storied career with huge behemoths like Dookie and American Idiot, but their 1997 album Nimrod inspired the title of a film almost 20 years after its release. Nimrods was co-written by Green Day themselves (with Billie being the man behind the original concept) and portray themselves in the film as well. Nimrods follows three buddies who have a punk band in high school and have dreams of making it big out of their home town. Tommy (Mason Thames) gets a prank call from his brother’s friend that tells Tommy his band is opening for Green Day on New Years Eve in Los Angeles. The boys embark on a wild roadtrip leaving mayhem and mischief in their path to (hopeful) stardom. From the title alone, you can deduce that this is made for fans of Green Day wholeheartedly, but it still works if you’re not. While yes, it’s all centered around punk rock and goofing off, it’s also a deeper story about dealing with trauma and the brotherhood of bands as a whole. While creating art as a group, you often spend so much time together that you become a family in the best and worst ways. In Nimrods, Tommy’s dad had recently passed away and his only escape from the depression that his mom and brother are in is his music. Many artists can relate to this because channeling your feelings into art is a wonderful form of expression. The movie itself doesn’t fully acknowledge the “elephant in the room” until near the end, but the hints are scattered throughout in dialogue and subtle hints. The big dramatic moment in the last act did feel a bit weak and awkward with its build-up, but it may hit others a bit deeper if you’ve had similar experiences.  If you’ve ever been in a band, on a team or just had a close group of friends you’ll understand how great these fellas are! Mason Thames’ career has been on a huge ramp since The Black Phone and his star power is only rising. His chemistry with Kylr Coffman and Ryan Foust is absolutely stellar and you completely buy them as a group of buddies with big dreams. The group dynamics work with Chad (Foust) being the straight-laced kid who just wants to obey the rules, but loves his boys. While Fred (Coffman) is the goofball who is misunderstood and would be lost without his bros. While the character dynamics aren’t incredibly original, the actors themselves and the script are what ties it all together in a punk-rock bow.
Nimrods is fully a love letter to punk-rock and Green Day fans, but it’s also got some heart and talent that should be celebrated. While it does tread familiar territory, Nimrods creates enough of its own identity to stand out among the others. The main cast of boys are all fantastic in their respective roles and the supporting cast is full of incredible talents. Jenna Fischer played a widowed mother trying to keep her household and career together in grief and Fred Armisen was hilarious as the creepy motel owner. Mckenna Grace also has a small role as a love interest for Tommy and her chemistry with Mason is off the charts (which makes sense since they’re a couple). Sean Gunn, Angela Kinsey and Bobby Lee all help make this wild adventure feel even more magical with familiar faces and hilarious scenarios. The best cameo of all is the band The Paradox that shows up for a few moments at the outdoor party. Green Day giving this real up and coming band a spotlight is pretty badass and what punk rock is all about. If going on a road trip with some bros and getting into some silly antics sounds like a blast, don’t miss Nimrods when it hits the theater! Nimrods will be blowing out your theater’s speakers starting August 14th! Rating: 4/5 |