Review by Dan Skip Allen
There are a lot of undistinguished monsters in films in the past: shadowy monsters with greasy black hair and long fingernails. Since then, we've gotten a lot of movies with these types of monsters as the antagonist. It's like writers can't come up with anything else to scare people with.
This time out a mute boy is left in his apartment by his father who is a nighttime DJ. The previous inhabitant of the apartment died there and left some suspicious items: a book and a mirror (as if they couldn't come up with other superstitious items). The boy gets into the items and conjures a monster that sometimes takes the form of his deceased mother, sometimes a shadowy cloud, and sometimes it takes over people in the surrounding building and apartments. The boy is played by newcomer Ezra Dewey. He carries most of the film by himself. As a mute boy, he doesn't say anything. He only screams. So does the monster as well. This small apartment has to play as host to this entire scenario. They use a lot of items from the apartment to keep the 81-minute runtime moving along. This was a task considering what the kid had to do in the film. He was very good considering everything.
The visuals were hit and miss in this film. Sometimes they looked cool and other times they looked fake. The CGI scenes were the worst of those. The makeup scenes were much better. Combining these scenes throughout the film wasn't seamlessly done. Maybe that was due to a small budget. This just seemed very underwhelming at times. A little blood and gore made for a more realistic scenario, but it just wasn't that believable to me.
A twist in the script makes this story go a long way. I for one would have liked to see more of the father-son relationship. Brief glimpses of the mother as a demon were interesting moments in the story, but the focus should have been more on the father-son relationship. This story was quite underwhelming from that aspect. It's sad because that story had some potential to it. This film was filled with underwhelming things in it. The script, visual effects, and overall lack of dialogue because the kid was a mute made for a long 81 minutes run time. This film obviously lacked a budget and a more seasoned filmmaker to tell this story. A monster we've seen a dozen times before didn't help this film at all either. It's just another lackluster bad horror fantasy. The Djinn hits theaters and VOD on May 14. Rating: 1.5/5
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Review by Dan Skip Allen
Some documentaries deal with softer topics, and others pack much more of a punch. Bastards' Road falls into the latter category. The main focus is the fact that a man is walking across the country from Maryland to see his friend in California, but as is the case with most films, there is more to the story than that.
The film focuses on an ex-Marine named Jon Hancock of the 2/4 Echo/Fox companies. He enlisted shortly before 9/11, so his deployment was mostly fighting in Iraq. The film also has a lot of talking heads of the men who fought beside Jon in Iraq. On the way to California, he stops to visit some of these men. This film is like a pilgrimage for him. This walk is like a penalty. He is paying the price for the things he said and done in his life in the past. The film has a lot of stats about soldiers who have committed suicide or of soldiers who have PTSD due to their service for this country. A lot of men and women have lost their lives to this disease. They just couldn't handle the things they did over there. The way they dealt with it was killing themselves or stress, anger, drugs, and alcohol. It wasn't easy on their friends and families.
The filmmakers get to the heart of this man and his friends and family. Mostly they point the finger at the main subject of the film, Jon Hancock. He is a very flawed and damaged individual. The walk is a way for him to save lives and make up for everything he has done. This might be an inspiring film for him and others, but he has to get back to the real world and start forgiving himself for his mistakes and apologizing to those he hurt. He had to give the tough answers. It's not going to be easy on him or others who need them.
The film has beautiful cinematography and songs as the film progresses. The scenery of our country is beautiful. Sometimes we forget how beautiful our country is. The cameras captured that beauty first hand. The songs have an inspiring nature to them when put over certain parts of the film. Also, the film uses different camera techniques that capture Jon, his family, friends, and the servicemen with whom he went to battle in Iraq. In the end, this film is an answer to the pain and suffering Jon went through as well as inflicted on others. It is like a remedy for everybody who is hurting and has gone through tough times following the war. He showed everybody if he can do this to help lay his penance then they too can fight through their demons. Jon did something which had huge implementations of a lot of people positively. This film was the vehicle for which he delivered his message. Bastards' Road hits VOD on May 11. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Billy Crystal is an absolute legend in the world of comedy, so it is only fitting that his newest film is about a fictional comedy legend. Here Today might be sappy and sentimental, but thanks to a genuinely sweet script, some occasional hilarity, and surprisingly great chemistry between its stars, this is quite the unexpected delight.
The film follows an aging writer on a comedy show who, forced to come to terms with his past, forms an unlikely friendship with a street singer who offers an eye-opening new perspective on the world. It's a story we have seen done before, even within the same setting, but there is still something charming about it nevertheless. Admittedly, it is frustrating to see a film come out today that reduces a Black character to a magical negro archetype. It would have been nice to see this character have more of an arc of her own, as her purpose in this case is merely to serve the white male protagonist. However, given that the protagonist’s own arc is somewhat uneven itself, the lack of development isn’t entirely unforgivable. It’s been nice to see Crystal in recent years taking on roles that blend some more dramatic moments with his comedic chops, and this project offers plenty of opportunity in that regard. Tiffany Haddish is also very good in a role that basically consists of a toned-down version of her typical schtick.
The script by Crystal and Alan Zweibel does a good job of balancing the lighter portions with the more somber moments. None of the jokes are super fresh, but they are still funny in a wholesome way. There is this air of comfort that radiates throughout the film’s nearly two-hour runtime and keeps the audience invested.
There is also a very good message in the film about self-care and forgiveness. The film is trying to juggle a lot of different storylines, but the one that is likely to stand out the most to viewers involves the protagonist coming to terms with the death of his wife. It’s a really moving approach to a familiar theme. Visually, the film isn’t anything special, but that can be mostly expected from a straightforward dramedy like this. The cinematography is a little on the saturated side and the score is a bit heavy-handed, both trademarks of the genre. Still, Crystal knows how to do comedy, and the few big comedy scenes are really great. Here Today may be slight, and it might not be anything particularly new, but it’s absolutely adorable to watch. This is the type of film to take your parents or grandparents to for a sweetly enjoyable night out. Here Today is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Mark Millar is one of the most acclaimed comic book writers in the industry, hence why the new Netflix series Jupiter’s Legacy, based on one of his properties, was so highly anticipated. Unfortunately, due to subpar acting and a complete lack of forward momentum, this is one of the biggest duds that the streamer has put out in their history of original programming.
The series follows the children of the first generation of superheroes as they struggle to live up to the legacy that their parents have set for them. This definitely isn’t the first time that there has been a story about superpowered kids trying to live within the image of their family, and it won’t be the last either, but this is the first one that has been so intentionally edgy to the point of shooting itself in the foot. One of the issues with the series is that it is unable to settle on a tone. It wavers between being campy (sometimes on purpose) and gritty (occasionally unintentionally), which is entirely off-putting. However, even more frustrating is the fact that this feels like eight hours of build-up to something that never comes at the end. There are some things to be said in the series about heroism and patriotism, but the writing is extremely on-the-nose and didactic, not to mention the fact that nearly every superhero movie or show ever made deals with the same themes. The series ultimately focuses more on these elements than the loyalty to one’s bloodline angle, which is far more interesting, if not entirely unique.
The thing about the series that is perhaps the biggest letdown is the lack of world-building. Millar’s work is known for vibrant characters and immersive mythology, and this just feels painfully generic. Even the side story that details how the parents got their powers is a bland and ambiguous origin story.
Josh Duhamel gives a performance that is nearly unforgivable in the lead role. It’s clear that he’s trying his best, but due to a combination of poor writing and the fact that he is seemingly imitating other, better heroic turns, his delivery is never believable and frequently laughable. The only highlight in the cast is Elena Kampouris, who is the sole person who was able to infuse personality into her role. One would think that a Netflix series based on comic books by a popular writer would have unlimited resources at its disposal, but it’s not evident in the final project. The set pieces are minimal, the CGI is atrocious, and the costume design is unimpressive. If the writing didn’t do it already, viewers will be drawn out of the world by the terrible look. Jupiter’s Legacy is a massive swing and a miss for Netflix. Even those looking for passive amusement will likely find themselves bored by this largely conflict-free schlock whose legacy will ultimately be getting lost in the sea of content on the service. Jupiter’s Legacy is now streaming on Netflix. Rating: 1.5/5
Review by Camden Ferrell
Anthony Mandler is a renowned voice and has directed music videos for some of the world’s biggest artists. Monster is his debut feature film that premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is based on the novel of the same name by Walter Dean Myers. This movie features a talented cast and packs an emotional punch despite its narrative shortcomings and flaws.
Steve Harmon is a 17-year-old honors student as well as a passionate filmmaker. However, his life spirals out of control when he is accused of murder and put on trial. Now, he must navigate his legal battle, facing serious jail time. This is a great set up for a courtroom drama, and its lead character provides a unique perspective that the genre doesn’t always have. The screenplay, written by Janece Shafer and Colen C. Wiley, lays a decent foundation for the actors to work off of. This is both of their first feature screenplay, and it shows a lot of promise for them as writers. It tackles the intense subject matter and develops the humanity of the protagonist in creative ways. The actual courtroom scenes aren’t as engaging as they could have been, and it suffers from dialogue problems throughout, but it’s commendable nonetheless. Kelvin Harrison Jr. leads this film as Steve Harmon. He has proven in two recent performances (Luce and Waves) that he is one of this generation’s most talented and promising young stars. This performance doesn’t stand out as one of his bests, but he still gives another good performance of a teen in crisis. One of the surprise highlights of the film is the performance of Jeffrey Wright who plays Steve’s father. He doesn’t have a lot of screen time, but he makes the most of it. He has one absolutely stellar scene in the film with Harrison Jr. that is emotional and memorable.
Despite the talented cast working on this movie, it still suffers from some pacing problems. Its non-linear story works well in the last half of the film, but it feels too disjointed in the beginning. There are moments that could have been explored more and others that didn’t feel essential to the story. Luckily, the film does hit its stride around the halfway point to make up for it.
Mandler’s previous work as a director of music videos seems to have influenced the filmmaking aspect of the protagonist. It was nice to see Steve’s creativity and aesthetic interwoven with the legal drama that was unfolding. The message of telling your truth and letting your voice be heard is a little too on the nose, and it does indulge itself a little too much in that regard, but it’s a unique angle that makes this film feel fresh. The themes and morals that are expressed in this movie are noble, but it also feels like certain narrative choices seem to contradict what it’s trying to say and somewhat undermine the message. It’s not an unforgivable flaw, but it is one that is noticeable. However, there is enough working in the movie’s favor to compensate in this narrative problem. Monster features some talented actors in a somewhat familiar courtroom drama. Mandler’s direction offers his unique perspective into the story and makes for an enjoyable yet flawed movie. Monster is now streaming on Netflix. Rating: 3.5/5 Reviewed by Adam Donato Jason Statham stars as Jason Statham in Guy Ritchie’s newest feature, Wrath of Man. This time, Statham works as a driver of vans carrying ludicrous amounts of money that are often targeted for robbery. Filled with plenty of cheesy “tough guy” dialogue and generic action scenes, Ritchie is back doing what he always does. At least it’s not a bad live-action Disney remake. The most frustrating thing is imagining how many people will go see Wrath of Man and didn’t see Nobody. The middle-aged white guy action flick genre is an ever-flowing well of mediocrity and Wrath of Man is no exception. While Nobody is still rocking at one matinee showtime a day, Wrath of Man will reign supreme at the box office as dad movies are slim pickings at the moment. It’s a safe bet of a movie for MGM, which debuted their new logo on the first teaser poster for this movie. Statham and Ritchie are known quantities and deliver the bare minimum here. Speaking of the bare minimum, at a certain point Statham’s character exits from the movie and the story follows a completely new set of characters for thirty minutes. All of the cool Statham scenes are in the trailer, except for the last twenty minutes. It’s not even like The Gentlemen, where the majority of the cast is full of big names. Come for the Statham, stay for Josh Hartnett, Jeffery Donovan, and Scott Eastwood. Fun fact, that trio could’ve all traded roles and the movie would be exactly the same. Wrath of Man is an American remake of a French film called Le Convoyeur. (This is one of the few Ritchie movies to be set in America, by the way.) The original was met with mixed reviews from audiences. Expect the remake to receive a similar reception as it’s generally entertaining and satisfying enough. At the very least, the run time clocks in just under two hours. It’s hard to imagine Ritchie did much improvement upon the original. That is unless the original also has the main character say the word “poo-poo”. The timeline is confusing and the amount of toxic masculinity is through the roof.
This Mother’s Day weekend, please do your mother a favor and do not take her to the theater to see Wrath of Man. It’s good enough to pass, but that’s what makes it even more frustrating. Statham became a parody of himself in Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw and is due for a reinvention. Wrath of Man is like if someone got an AI to write a Ritchie movie starring Statham. If that’s your bag, more power to you. Can’t say there weren't a bunch of tough guys shooting each other. Wrath of Man hits theaters on May 7. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Since its origins, the slasher film has been one of the more socially-minded subgenres of horror, and John Berardo hopes to revitalize it with his movie Initiation. And while the film has a message that is definitely timely and interesting, it’s too full of itself to be particularly effective, much less entertaining.
The movie follows the students and faculty of a university that is torn apart after a vicious string of killings seemingly connected to a social media trend. It’s a compelling back-to-basics premise on paper, but in execution, Berardo and co-writers Brian Frager and Lindsay LaVanchy have lost track of what made this type of film special in the first place. There are some really interesting things to be said in the movie about the issue of sexual assault on university campuses and how it connects to social media, but these themes are presented in a way that is didactic at best and shallow at worst. And the ending tries to bring these ideas full-circle but feels tremendously cheesy instead. The character development in the film is also disappointingly scant. Obviously, a majority of the male characters are meant to be dislikable representations of the frat boy culture that has perpetuated the toxic events and actions which the movie is dissecting, however, it is certainly problematic that the female characters are almost as underdeveloped.
None of the stars of the film turn in a performance that is particularly notable, but none of them are bad compared to the typical quality of actors who appear in B-movies like this. It’s a teen ensemble piece, and while there is a scream queen character, LaVanchy’s performance ultimately isn’t the movie’s highlight.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the film, though, is the fact that it is a failure as a horror movie. The body count in early slashers was never particularly high, but those filmmakers had other ways of building tension. However, in trying to get his message across early, Berardo abandons suspense, causing the audience to check out before the first kill comes after the thirty minute mark. The kill scenes in the film are somewhat impressive in some regards and underwhelming in others. Berardo shows the gnarly aftermath of these murders in a way that will satisfy genre fans’ craving for carnage, but the actual action is minimal, seemingly in an attempt to keep the budget low. Stylistically, the movie tries to be a blend of retro and modern, and it doesn’t consistently work. Initiation aims to revitalize the slasher genre with new and modern themes, but due to poor direction, it’s just boring. Despite an interesting concept, this flick is unlikely to satisfy even the most easily entertained of thrill seekers. Initiation hits theaters and VOD on May 7. Rating: 1.5/5
Review by Camden Ferrell
It is hard to deny that Joseph Stalin is one of the most consequential historical figures of the 20th century. As a result, Stalin’s death was a spectacle unlike any other. Veteran documentary filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa chose this as the subject of his film State Funeral, which had its premiere at the 2019 Venice International Film Festival. Thorough to a fault, this movie is an immersive look at Stalin’s death and funeral, but it lacks a strong narrative due to its exclusive use of archival footage.
Stalin died in March of 1953. Following his death, numerous citizens pay their respects at the Red Square and witness his burial. It’s a widespread event in the Soviet Union, and people from all walks of life mourn their leader. This is an interesting subject matter due to its historical significance and how it can be relevant to today’s culture. The most notable aspect of the film is that it is comprised solely of archival footage of the funeral and mourning of Stalin. Editing it was no doubt a Herculean task, and Loznitsa selects some genuinely fascinating material. The footage is gorgeously shot in both color and black and white, and it really does immerse the audience into the experience. Despite not being particularly engaging over multiple hours, the movie does succeed in bringing the viewer into this historical occasion and capturing a feeling rather than a story.
However, this isn’t entirely sustainable for over two hours. The footage begins to lose its charm after constant exposure, and the length of the film significantly tests the viewer’s patience. While the footage is nice to look at, the significance and meaning derived exponentially decreases over time. The film is exhaustive and thorough, and it makes sure to leave no stones unturned in its exploration of a nation’s grief over the death of a leader.
On the surface, a movie showcasing the grief over a complicated and ethically objectionable leader, can seem problematic. However, it’s very obvious, especially by the end of the film, that the film serves as a commentary on the cult of personality surrounding Stalin. Its subtext explores the effects of totalitarianism and serves as a modern reminder of how someone like Stalin could significantly affect his subjects. Incredibly thorough and historically significant, State Funeral ultimately suffers at the hands of its bloated runtime and lack of engagement. It’s informative and somewhat interesting in its immersion, but it will most likely turn off most viewers with its structure. State Funeral will be available in select theaters May 7. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Zach Lamplugh isn’t breaking new ground as much as he seems to think he is with his mockumentary 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot, but it’s still pretty charming for a spoof. Although it takes a while to get to where it needs to be, it is satisfyingly entertaining once it gets to its point in the final act.
Poking fun at the VICE style of investigative journalism (or infotainment, depending on who you ask), the series follows a reporter and his producer who follow an amateur cryptozoologist into the forest to follow Bigfoot’s trail. This is trying really hard to be both quirky and insightful at the same time, but doesn’t pull it off until the last third. Ultimately, this feels like a comedy sketch stretched into an eighty-minute movie. There are some funny moments sprinkled throughout, but it never gets to the point of being riotous. It constantly feels like it is building to something, and while the payoff is there, the first half of the film never escapes this feeling of needing a higher purpose. In the movie, Lamplugh and co-writer Brian Emond play fictionalized versions of themselves. This setup creates some great chemistry between the two stars, and the film owes much of its comedic momentum to this. Supporting actor Jeffrey Stephenson is also mostly funny as the slightly unhinged Bigfoot hunter.
That said, there are some extreme deficiencies in character development. The arcs that the main two characters have are both very superficial and generic. It’s hard to get invested in yet another story of two best friends clashing because one of them thinks themselves superior and must learn a bit of humility.
And in terms of how it pokes fun at this style of journalism, the movie pulls a disappointing amount of punches. There have been other VICE-esque mockumentaries that have done this same thing in a more substantial way. Even though the film does point out some of the obvious flaws of the medium, it fails to analyze any of the deeper issues with sensationalized journalism. Of course, the movie is shot in a way as to mimic a lot of the stylistic quirks that VICE has in its reporting, and Lamplugh does a solid job of that. It’s admittedly pretty gimmicky, and the novelty wears out after the first twenty minutes or so, leaving an hour of competent but mostly unexceptional mockumentary filmmaking. 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot ends very strongly, but it does struggle to find its footing for much of its runtime. It’s mostly entertaining, although this likely would have made a better short than a feature. 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot hits theaters and VOD on May 7. Rating: 3/5
Review by Dan Skip Allen
Phillip Noyce is a well-known Australian director who has directed seventeen feature films in different genres, most of which are in either drama or crime or something to do with these two genres. Even though Above Suspicion has to do with the Dixie mob, it's still considered a crime film because it deals with drugs, death, and FBI agents. So Noyce has stuck to his guns with another crime-riddled film set in Kentucky.
Susan Smith (Emilia Clarke) is a drug dealer in Pikesville, Kentucky. When a young up-and-coming FBI agent, Mark Putnam (Jack Huston), gets stationed in the local office, he tries to make a name for himself by breaking the local drug trade in that area. He convinces Susan to be a confidential informant. She has to snitch on her husband and people she's known and lived around her whole life. Things aren't as cut-and-dry as this, though. They get caught in a web of events that could take them both down. This story was written by Joe Sharkey, a New York Times columnist. He usually writes about business in his column. In his novels, he focuses on criminal activity, deceit, and death. The same goes for his book from which he wrote the script for Above Suspicion. He knows this world in and out. Sometimes adapting a novel into a script, you need to be careful not to have too many characters which take away from the main plot of the film. This film has this problem. There are a couple of subplots that aren't necessary for the overall flow of the film. Besides the two main characters, there are a nice group of co-stars in the film, needed or otherwise. Johnny Knoxville stars as Susan's abusive husband, and Sophie Lowe plays Mark's wife. She is just in the middle of this crazy scenario between Mark and Susan. Austin Hebert is the local sheriff. He's trying to make a name for himself. Thora Birch is Susan's sister, Karl Glusman is a local criminal, and Omar Benson Miller is another drug dealer turned informant. Everybody has a role to play in this mixed-up game.
Still, Clarke and Huston are the main focus of this film. When the film doesn't veer off into other directions, it is fine. This main plot is where the film should have focused more energy. Clarke gives everything she has as a country-fried drug addict from the south, accent included. Huston is fine as well, but I could have used a little bit more emotion from his character. The dramatic scenes weren't as dramatic as they could have been. A more seasoned actor in his place may have done better. This entire scenario seemed a little much for him as an actor playing this character of a rookie FBI agent.
The film seemed to know its place as in the location and so forth. Noyce understood that about the story. The setting was fine and the visuals matched the setting. A seasoned director like Noyce knew how to get all of this stuff right. The cinematography, the score, and the production value of the film were all on point, as well as the makeup, hairstyling, and costumes. All of this stuff worked for me in this film. The story was too convoluted though. That didn't work. Noyce did an admirable job on this film. His expertise was evident in this production. All the crafts and below-the-line work were very good in the film. The cast was fine. The thing that really dragged this film down was the script. It had too many subplots that took the focus away from the main characters. Maybe let a more experienced screenwriter write the script instead of the author of the book. Above Suspicion hits theaters and VOD on May 7. Rating: 2.5/5 |
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