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Review by Sean Boelman
Kristine Kujath Thorp and Rolf Kristian Larsen in THE BURNING SEA, a Magnet release. Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
Every country has a specific genre of film that they do disproportionately better than their peers, and Norway’s niche is disaster movies. As expected, John Andreas Andersen’s The Burning Sea is quite competent, but it’s far more boring than any movie about an oil rig explosion should be.
The movie tells the story of a group of researchers as they investigate an oil rig that is going down on the Norwegian coast, only to realize that the situation is much more dire than they ever could have imagined. While the basic premise seems pretty exciting, the approach is a bit too stately for it to work. Part of the issue with the film is that it doesn’t really establish its stakes very well. And given that the outcome threatened by these circumstances is environmental catastrophe, that’s an issue. Apart from some expositional dialogue that puts the situation in context of real-life ecological disasters, there’s not as much urgency as there should have been. Additionally, it is frustrating that the movie doesn’t go all-in on its commentary. There are some interesting ideas about the things that cause this type of disaster to occur, from greed to government incompetence, but they are never fully-developed into a compelling through-line. It’s more just a nagging voice at the back of the film’s conscience. 
Kristine Kujath Thorp and Rolf Kristian Larsen in THE BURNING SEA, a Magnet release. Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
The character development in the movie is also very shallow. The script really banks on the audience getting invested in the romance at the core of the film, but it’s about as basic as they come. Obviously, there is the basic level of sympathy that audiences would have for anyone in such a terrible disaster, but it’s missing the deeper connection that it would have needed to resonate.
The cast of the movie isn’t bad, but the roles also aren’t meaty enough to give them much to do. Kristine Kujath Thorp and Henrik Bjelland have some solid chemistry together when they share the screen, but when they are alone, neither is all that impressive. The supporting cast isn’t all that great either. Like a lot of Norwegian disaster movies, this is very heavy on the CGI, and it looks really good. But good visuals only go so far when there’s not enough excitement to go along with it. The action scenes are shot in a way that is spectacle-driven, but the effects aren’t all that cinematic or unique. There is no denying that The Burning Sea looks good, but that alone is not enough to recommend it. The script is the issue, as everything about the writing is so generic to the point of being boring. The Burning Sea is now available on VOD. Rating: 2.5/5
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Review by Dan Skip Allen
Films about or surrounding WWII can be educational and informative. In the case of I'll Find You, it delves into classical musicians growing up in the '30s and '40s just before the attacks on Poland. Stories about this era of history are always fascinating because of the time period. The arts were a lost discipline in those days because of the war. Many people died that contributed to the world in these ways, such as singers, musicians and actors, and so forth.
The film spans many years, so different actors and actresses play the characters throughout the years. A burgeoning opera singer, Robert Pulaski (Sebastion Croft, Leo Suter), becomes enamored with a young violinist (Ursula Parker, Adelaide Clemons). Due to the attack on Poland by the Germans, they have been separated and deemed dead and lost forever. Robert's love for Rachel compels him never to give up looking for her in this time of death and destruction. The film depicts his journey. Martha Coolidge uses archival footage mixed with a back-and-forth storyline involving the two main characters' lives, intertwining it with their friends and relatives, which gives the story more depth and gravitas. The drama between the family members during this time of strife is real, and that in part comes from the script by David A. Ward, Bozenna Intrator, and others. The story is gripping and grounded in the reality of the situation these Polish people dealt with during that time. These two leads of the film do an admirable job creating a lovelorn romance during this difficult time in history. Predominantly known for television work in Downton Abbey, Rectify, Parade's End, and the upcoming Vikings: Valhalla, the two are very believable in these roles. Their experience thus far in their careers has prepared them for these roles. They are a bit raw still but serviceable at times. More seasoned actors would have done a better job. The film has those more seasoned actors in other roles, though. 
Stellan Skarsgard (Thor, Dune), Connie Nielsen (Gladiator, Wonder Woman), and Stephen Dorff (Blade, Somewhere) are all very proficient in their various roles as a professional opera singer, family member, and general in the Nazi regime. The cast is full of actors and actresses besides these more established actors and actresses that round out the film very nicely. It is a big cast that tries to represent the size and scope of the film that the filmmakers are going for.
One of the main focuses the film is going for is its music. The two main characters and some supporting characters are singers and musicians. The music in the movie, from classic operas to various musical numbers performed by orchestras, is quite beautiful and candy to the ear, if you like that sort of thing. I'll Find You doesn't live up to the greatness of Schindler's List or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but it's a good film with good performances from the newer actors and seasoned actors alike. The production value is good, and it brings the audience into this world of WWII. The historical aspects are all on point. The music, which is the focal point at the film's heart, is delightful to listen to. The direction and script are competent and make for a good overall production. This film works on most levels — it's just not a perfect depiction of the period. I'll Find You is now available on VOD. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Dan Skip Allen
Bruce Willis has had a rough decade or so. In recent memory, he's pretty much been acting in the action movie of the month club. He was nominated for six Razzie Awards for the films he did in 2021. Gasoline Alley had a bit more clout than many of his other movies. It's about time he goes back to doing good work instead of phoning it in each film he's been doing recently.
Jimmy Jayne (Devon Sawa) is a tattoo artist in Los Angeles. He decided to visit a strip club because of his mother, a dancer in the past. He meets a dancer named Star (Irina Antonenko). The next day, two detectives named Freeman (Bruce Willis) and Vargas (Luke Wilson) come to visit him at his tattoo parlor called Gasoline Alley and try to pin the murders of four girls, including Star, on him. Sawa tries to figure out how he's been railroaded. This has a very good story of a wrong man in the wrong place. It's a classic trope in Hollywood. It's been done many times before, with North by Northwest starring Cary Grant being my favorite of them all. These types of stories lend themselves to mystery, action, and suspense. The noir and investigative aspects of the film set it apart from other low-budget fare. Sawa is pretty good in the movie. This story was meant for his acting sensibilities. 
The film has some pretty average filmmaking style to it except for the film's opening scene. It had a moody atmospheric fade in a shot of Sawa sitting at the strip club bar, creating the illusion that he was the man that killed the girls. The rest of the film is pretty straightforward. It has story beats that go in one direction while the actual mystery goes in another direction. It's classic noir storytelling.
The acting in the film is okay, but not great. The three leads, including Willis, have played this game for a while now, so it's old news for them. They are going through the motions as long as they've been experienced actors. A good murder mystery can get the creative juices flowing, and even veteran actors like these can get into the story and possibly give better-than-average performances. Is it the best-acted film ever? No, but these guys do pretty well in some throwaway roles. Gasoline Alley had a cool title and a better-than-average story, even though it's one we've seen in Hollywood films for decades now. A classic noir mystery thriller is always something worth seeing if it's done right. Sawa, Willis, and Wilson are all okay in the film. They don't need to be great to get this story across to the public. The public just wants something exciting and engaging to watch. This film is a quick 100 minutes long and doesn't waste much time getting down to the business of telling the story. Gasoline Alley is now available on VOD. Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato  Big Gold Brick is written and directed by Brian Petsos as his first feature length film. Petsos has directed several live action shorts, commonly teaming up with Oscar Isaac, who receives top billing for this movie. The lead role of Samuel is played by Emory Cohen. Samuel is a writer who recounts the story of his book in which he was run over by a car and commissioned to write a biography about the driver. Andy Garcia plays the driver who grows an attachment to Samuel as he lets him into his life and stays with his family. Sometimes going into a movie blind is great because there are zero expectations. That being said, some movies require some information to give the story context. For example, Big Gold Brick is supposed to be a cerebral comedy. At least, that’s what the poster says. The movie is absurd at places, but at no point is the movie outwardly funny. Samuel starts the movie out floating in space. At Garcia’s house, Samuel has regular conversations with a Santa toy. Not to mention, Samuel has some type of powers to manipulate things. There’s a high school basketball player that swears to have pink-eye after going to a local dessert stand. Just because you’re weird and quirky, it does not mean you’re funny.  No disrespect to Cohen, but he is in a different movie than everybody else. It’s actually quite astonishing watching this movie with so many big name people in it. Already listed are Isaac and Garcia, but also living in the house are Megan Fox and Lucy Hale. Cohen is a legitimate actor who has done things of note, but seems like this is his bold debut. His character is supposed to be crazy to an extent and the tone is very wacky, but his character does not work in any way, shape, or form. It’s hard to blame him because he’s probably just doing exactly what he was told. At the end of the day, this is Petsos's fault.
Garcia is the better half of this duo, in part because his character is so subdued compared to Cohen. His life is so mysterious and it’s enjoyable seeing him try to rehabilitate this man while also dealing with his family and the other people in his life. Isaac is barely in the movie, but when he is, he really goes for it. Just like with Cohen, the actor in this scenario has a bold take, but this movie is not good enough to make it justified. This is less detrimental to the movie as Isaac is in the movie so little and doesn’t show up until the movie is almost over. Speaking of almost over, this movie is over two hours long and is an absolute chore to get through. Comedy is subjective and someone with a different sense of humor might really enjoy this. Someone who knew this was a comedy going into it might enjoy it more as well. It was a surprise finding out this movie was supposed to be funny. It's a total waste of a pretty well named cast. It is the official recommendation of this review that this movie not be sought out for it is, in a word, bad. Big Gold Brick is now available on VOD. Rating: 1/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Photo Courtesy of HBO Max.
Created by David Jenkins (People of Earth) and executive produced by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows), Our Flag Means Death is perhaps one of the most unique workplace comedies to ever hit television. Funny and charming, this historical comedy has plenty of laughs and a good deal of heart to go along with it.
Inspired by a true story, the film follows an aristocrat who, bored with his domestic life, decides to give everything up and hit the seas as a pirate, but finds himself facing unexpected challenges. It’s a wild story that seems like a parody of other incompetent pirates of pop culture, but it’s based on one of those stranger-than-fiction tales. For the most part, the humor of the show is rather goofy, but there’s definitely a dark edge to it here and there. It really doesn’t take itself too seriously, and while there are some quips used as clear jabs against the injustices of modern society, the series seems content with being a silly comedy about pirates with unusual methods. There is a lot of buildup in the series, particularly in the first few episodes, but once the show finds its rhythm, it works pretty well. That said, there is no shortage of conflict to be found here. All of the moving pieces can be a bit overwhelming at first, but it’s easy to get attuned to the film’s erratic wavelength. 
Photo Courtesy of HBO Max.
Like any good workplace comedy show, viewers will each have their own favorite character. Although the protagonist is an interesting figure, and his arc is what will get audiences hooked on the show, his crew is what will be more memorable. This is especially the case with the characters who have more fleshed-out subplots.
The ensemble for the series is very solid. Rhys Darby plays the lead role in a way that is absolutely lovable. His comedic delivery can be a bit monotonous, but that is also part of what makes his performance so endearing. Waititi gives an excellent turn as Blackbeard, turning what audiences think they know about the famed pirate on its head. The production value of the series is also quite good. The costuming and sets periodize the show in a way that is much more effective than most historical comedies. As a whole, there is a playful style to the show, albeit with a bit of a bite, as shown through some of the more suspenseful bits. Our Flag Means Death is a refreshing comedy, taking a strong premise and applying familiar genre tropes to it to make something quite funny. This is a show that really rides on its characters, and Jenkins and the cast do such a good job of building them that it works well. Our Flag Means Death streams on HBO Max beginning March 3, with new episodes streaming every Thursday. Five out of ten episodes reviewed. Rating: 4.5/5 |