Review by Sean Boelman
Although the Resident Evil film adaptations aren’t what anyone would really call “good”, most of them are at least an entertaining guilty pleasure watch. Netflix took a stab at the IP, adapting it into a series, somehow making something that feels like if The CW were trying to rip-off The Walking Dead, which is not what Resident Evil should be at all.
The series follows Jade Wesker, daughter of scientist Albert Wesker, as she seeks to uncover the dark truth behind the Umbrella Corporation. Set in two timelines, the series splits its time between Jade as a teenager and as an adult. The teen portions of the show are set decades after the first Raccoon City incident — the outbreak depicted in the rest of the Resident Evil media — and the adult storyline is set after a second outbreak. This means that the story is not a direct adaptation of any of the games, instead drawing elements from the games’ mythology and expanding upon them in a sequel arc. And as an attempt to expand the world of Resident Evil, it falls significantly flat by being extremely derivative of other zombie films and shows. There is also the fact that the series seems desperate to pander to a younger audience. Although some of the action sequences are still quite gory, other portions feel like a teen soap opera. There are several horrible artistic choices made in the show, like a dance sequence set to Dua Lipa, that are simply baffling.
The main redeeming quality of this series is Lance Reddick, who is phenomenal in his role, even if it is very different from the Wesker that fans will know from the games. The way in which Reddick is able to nail the balance between charming and intimidating really carries the past timeline of the show.
Ella Balinska is decent as the lead, and is arguably better at carrying the show than the female leads in the Resident Evil movies (both Jovovich and Scodelario), but she is given frustratingly little to do until the back half of the season. Perhaps future installments will offer her more to work with. Like a lot of big-budget Netflix shows, there is a ton of CGI that almost feels unfinished. The bigger that the show goes, the worse it looks. And apart from one kickass action sequence that comes about halfway through the season, the action is pretty much generic zombie mayhem shot dizzyingly. Resident Evil isn’t unwatchable, but it also certainly isn’t deserving of the franchise’s moniker. Still, fans of zombie media will likely find themselves entertained by this, and it will be interesting to see if future seasons take a darker, more mature tone like the final episodes point towards. Resident Evil debuts on Netflix on July 14. All eight episodes reviewed. Rating: 2.5/5
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Review by Camden Ferrell Where the Crawdads Sing is a crime drama based on the book of the same name by Delia Owens. Released in 2018, the book became a global phenomenon and currently has a place on the Wikipedia page for a list of the best-selling books of all time, nestled with timeless classics and contemporary hits alike. Even if the book was a massive success, the movie is a mostly dull and predictable crime drama that is competently made but doesn’t do much to captivate or entertain audiences. Kya is a young woman who becomes a suspect of a murder investigation in a small town in North Carolina. From here, we see flashbacks and parallel storylines that detail her childhood, raising herself in the marsh as well as the legal proceedings of the main investigation. This is a great set up for an interesting crime drama that can also use its different timelines to be a fresh addition to the crime genre. From the start, the movie makes it painfully clear that it has no intention of breaking the mold or doing anything daring with its narrative approach. Written by Lucy Alibar who wrote the delightful film Troop Zero, this movie seems to lack a lot of distinct charm or personality. It features very familiar narrative beats, and it is full of cliché moments and dialogue that make the whole product feel too safe and predictable. The performances from the cast are fairly strong, but it’s still a bit underwhelming considering the talent they acquired. Daisy Edgar-Jones leads the film as Kya, and the movie lives and dies by her performance, and her acting works more than it doesn’t. She recently delivered a great performance in Fresh, but this seems to lack the energy and emotion that she we know she’s able to deliver. The rest of the cast including actors like Harris Dickinson, David Strathairn, and Taylor John Smith are able to deliver decent performances that aren’t particularly memorable.
The movie is well-made on the surface. Adequate cinematography, score, and direction make this product feel marketable and palatable, but this ultimately prevents the movie from feeling engaging, fresh, or daring. It’s a standard crime drama that drags on far too long with inconsistent emotional execution and an ending that is predictable and lacks a punch. Where the Crawdads Sing will undoubtedly have a great deal of fans whether it be from those who enjoy crime dramas, fans of the book, or both. However, many will find its sensibilities too familiar and boilerplate to make for an affecting and powerful movie. It’s competent in most of its aspects, but it has no interest in elevating itself beyond passable quality. Where the Crawdads Sing is in theaters July 15. Rating: 3/5 Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a new comedy-drama film from writer and director Anthony Fabian. This is the third time that the 1958 novel Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris has been adapted to film with the most recent being in 1992. Despite its flaws, this movie is without a doubt one of the most wholesome and adorable things you will see this year thanks to a simple and sweet story and a great leading performance from Lesley Manville. Ada Harris is a widowed cleaning woman in London who sets her sights on owning her very own Dior dress. To do so, she works and saves in order to take a trip to Paris where new friends and experiences await her. Set in the 1950’s, this movie does a great job of making its story a product of its time while not losing sight of the human aspect of its moving and emotional story. While many movies suffer due to their adherence to overused tropes and clichés, this movie succeeds for that exact reason. It’s content to be unambitious is what makes this film easy to consume and hard to dislike. The writing is simple, sweet, and features cheesy dialogue and quips that general audiences will be entertained by. It’s such an undemanding story that still manages to create compelling relationships as well as create a distinct sense of verisimilitude. Lesley Manville leads the film as the titular character, and the movie rests heavily on her shoulders. Unsurprisingly, she gives a delightful performance as an ordinary woman that we love to root for. Watching her infiltrate places of luxury and exclusivity with confidence and kindness is one of the most wholesome things in a while. The rest of the cast including the likes of Jason Isaacs, Isabelle Huppert, and Lucas Bravo is enjoyable and fit well within the world of the film.
It can overstay its welcome a little especially at the end, but it’s hard to find much else wrong with this movie. It’s far from perfect, but that’s what makes it so charming. It isn’t challenging, fresh, or particularly exciting, but it’s a perfect way to pass the time while watching an endearing and adorably wholesome story that will definitely put a smile on your face. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris will be a crowd-pleaser for most who watch it, and this is in no small part because of its performance and story. There are few things as heartwarming, cute, and wholesome than this movie right now in theaters. It’s uplifting, captures a wide range of emotions and is absolutely impossible to hate. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is in theaters July 15. Rating: 3.5/5 SOLAR OPPOSITES (Season 3) -- An Inferior but Still Enjoyable New Season of the Adult Animated Hit7/11/2022
Review by Sean Boelman
Although it generally isn’t as popular or quite as good as the other series Dan Harmon and Mike McMahon work on, Rick and Morty, Hulu’s Solar Opposites is still one of the most unmistakably fun adult animated shows there is right now. This new season might not hit the same heights as Season 2, it still offers plenty of great hijinks with the Shlorpians.
The season follows the four Shlorpians as they get into more hijinks, trying to make the most of their new Earth home while prepping it for the Pupa to terraform the planet. This season ultimately feels a lot more lightweight than the previous two, almost as if the creators didn’t expect it to go on for so long and they have run out of ideas of what to do. All four of the main leads go through arcs that are (perhaps a bit disappointingly) very similar to those that they experienced in the first two seasons. Korvo is still loosening up while Terry, Yumyulack, and Jesse are all maturing. It ultimately plays into the sitcom structure that the series is so obviously parodying, but even then, there is more growth in those shows. Without a doubt, the biggest strength of this series is still the subplot set in The Wall. It’s honestly shocking that there hasn’t yet been a spin-off of the show entirely focused on these characters, because they are significantly more compelling and interesting than the other half of the show.
This season, there are three episodes that are really exceptional, and the other eight are just fine. That isn’t to say that the other episodes aren’t entertaining — and at only twenty-two minutes or so a pop, they’re diverting enough even when their concept is comparatively weak — but they lack the creativity of the superior first two seasons.
If this season does do one thing even better than the previous two, it is the incorporation of meta humor. They really go all-in this season on the tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating humor, and these create for some of the funniest moments in the season. There’s also an overall sense of one-upmanship that is pretty amusing. Visually, there are some interesting things done this season, but for the most part, it’s a continuation of what has already been set up. For example, the world-building in the wall is extraordinary and getting to go deeper into this world is a treat. Some of the visual gags in this season are also pretty memorable. Season 3 of Solar Opposites might not be as good as what came before, but it’s still a refreshing entry into the adult animated space. Hopefully, the less creative ideas in this season aren’t an indicator that the show is running out of steam as a whole. Solar Opposites streams on Hulu beginning July 15. All eleven episodes reviewed. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Camden Ferrell It is this writer’s humble opinion that Nathan for You is one of the greatest achievements in recent television. Born from the vision and distinct cringe comedy style of Nathan Fielder, that show left a great cultural void when it aired its final episode in 2017. Now, Nathan Fielder’s long-awaited return to television is finally here. The Rehearsal is his new series that utilizes his trademark style of comedy and applies it to a new and exciting format that is just as hilarious as you’d expect. In his new show, Nathan once again helps individuals. However, instead of helping struggling businesses, he helps individuals prepare and rehearse for big moments in their life. When you’re living in an unpredictable world, Nathan wonders why anything should be left to chance. Through elaborate and convoluted set ups in the vein of his previous work, Nathan tries his best to consider every possibility of human interaction through these rehearsals. This is a great premise that it seems only Fielder could pull off so effortlessly. It perfectly matches the style of show he is known for, and it’s one that pushes his limits as an artist. Written and directed entirely by Fielder, it is clear that his brief hiatus from television has not hindered his immense talent for comedy and entertainment. He still has an immaculate and distinct sense of comedic timing unlike anyone else working today, and this show is bound to make everyone laugh in one way or another. It’s awkward, cringe, and uncomfortable, and it’s exactly what we’ve been missing from Fielder for years. In addition to writing and directing the series, Fielder also stars in the series as he conducts the titular rehearsals. He is as endearingly dry as ever, and his performance and improvisation make the show so continuously hilarious. Like his previous work, he is able to find a lot of real individuals to be the subject of his show. And to no one’s surprise, Fielder has once again found some truly bizarre and eccentric individuals who are entertaining and puzzling more than anything.
What makes Fielder’s comedies so captivating is how beneath their humorous surface, they ultimately try and understand the human experience and the capacity for empathy in an unforgiving world. His new show probably dives into these ideas more than Nathan for You. For fans of the show, this is more reminiscent of Finding Frances as opposed to the rest of the series. It substitutes some comedy for more meaningful ideas, and it works more than it doesn’t. The Rehearsal features the same reliable Nathan Fielder humor, but it will surprise you with how it broadens his horizons as a creator. There are some moments that are truly hilarious, and there are other’s that are shockingly emotional and show a deeper and more profound side to everyone’s favorite Wizard of Loneliness. The Rehearsal premieres on July 15 on HBO Max. 5 of the 6 episodes are reviewed. Rating: 4.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
There’s no denying that Jane Austen wrote some of the most timeless, persisting romantic comedies to have ever graced the page, hence why it is such a disappointment when a film adaptation fails to recognize what is so special about her writing in the first place. The new version of Persuasion really struggles to capture the wit of its source material.
The movie follows a woman who gets a second chance at finding true love when she reunites with a dashing man eight years after she was persuaded not to marry him. One of Austen’s two novels that was published posthumously, this became one of her most popular works, and as such, it will be familiar to most audiences. Austen’s writing naturally has a very acerbic wit, and is frequently written in a unique voice, but screenwriters Ron Bass and Alice Victoria Winslow really oversimplify things. They have the protagonist break the fourth wall frequently with a narration that feels like it desperately wants to wink at the camera. Perhaps the most disappointing thing about the film is that it loses much of the social context of the source material. All of Austen’s books have something to say about the absurdity of courtship, but this story was known for its particular insight. The movie loses much of its bite in how it discusses the social stratification aspects of romance.
The film also fails to effectively establish what is arguably the most important part of this story: the love triangle. Henry Golding is horribly miscast in his role. As great as Golding is at being charming, there’s a lot more to this role than being merely likable, and he isn’t able to get across those deeper aspects of his character.
Dakota Johnson fares better in her leading role, but there is a slight feeling that persists throughout the whole movie that she isn’t entirely sure how to deliver lines with this type of language. Cosmo Jarvis is without a doubt the best part of the cast, giving a performance that is genuinely lovely. Richard E. Grant is good too, but underused. Visually, there are some gorgeous things in the film, from picturesque cinematography by Joe Anderson to exquisite costume work from Marianne Agertoft. Director Carrie Cracknell has primarily worked in theatre up to this point, but she does well in a cinematic medium nevertheless. Persuasion isn’t awful, but it is one of the most uninspired Jane Austen adaptations to come out in quite a while. Although there are a few redeemable aspects to it, it’s not enough to recommend it to most viewers. Persuasion hits Netflix on July 15. Rating: 2.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Several documentaries have explored the meaning of important landmarks in the arts scene, but few have explored them as ambitiously as Maya Duverdier and Amélie van Elmbt’s Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel. And while the film’s ideas are fascinating, it’s not always as intriguing in execution as it could have been.
The movie explores the history of the legendary Chelsea Hotel through the eyes of the building itself, which is nearing the end of a renovation that marks the end of an era. It’s an interestingly impressionistic approach to this story, and it’s certainly refreshing to see that the film isn’t reliant on talking heads. One of the biggest issues with the movie is that it feels surprisingly cold and distant in its approach. It’s understandable that there is going to be a bit of rigidity in a film that is about a dilapidated building, but its attempts to connect with the people who lived and live there consistently come up short. There are some interesting ideas here about gentrification and legacy, and the perspective from which the movie explores these themes is innovative if not entirely effective. These are issues that have a very human impact, and doing it from the perspective of the building really eliminates this.
Those portions of the film which tell the story of the modern-day residents of the building are interesting, but have a very forlorn feel to them. It’s definitely sad watching as this place that has become so ingrained into their lives changes for better or worse and makes you think about the things that we take for granted.
However, the movie also has the side talking about the past and the glory days of the hotel. The way in which it switches between the nostalgia and the pessimism about the current situation can be quite jarring, especially since the runtime of the film is so short, clocking in at only around an hour and twenty minutes. Still, from a technical standpoint, the movie is absolutely gorgeous. Both the way in which it focuses on the architecture and the unique ways in which it incorporates archive footage are great. It’s definitely a very artistic approach to the story, which is welcome given how standard many films in this genre are. Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel deserves a lot of merit for not taking the easy route to tell its story, even if a lot of its ambitious swings end up being misses. It’s more interesting to think of what this could have been than what it is. Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel is now in theaters and on VOD. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
A parody can be quite funny if it utilizes the tropes of the genre in a way that is funny and insightful. While the Icelandic film Cop Secret offers a few interesting spins on the genre, it is largely generic in its plotting and characterization, making it fall flat despite its potential.
The movie tells the story of Iceland’s toughest cop who struggles with his personal identity when he is assigned a new partner in a case involving a string of inexplicable bank robberies in which nothing is stolen. It’s an attempt at satirizing a genre that pumps out B-movies seemingly weekly, so it should be pretty funny in theory. However, in execution, it falls victim to many of the cliches that it attempts to parody. The mystery at the center of the film is about as boring as they come, with stakes that are massive but never feel particularly urgent. And the movie isn’t nearly tongue-in-cheek enough for it to work in that regard. One of the aspects of the film that shows a lot of potential is the gay romance subplot, but the movie is not nearly developed enough in that regard. It’s clearly meant to be a commentary on the aggressively toxic masculinity of many of the films of the genre, but it ends up feeling like little more than a noble attempt.
The character development in the movie is also riddled with cliches. Although there are some compelling aspects of the protagonist’s story, the only thing that makes his arc unique is the sexual awakening he experiences. And his partner-turned-love-interest isn’t much more well-written.
The cast as a whole is certainly giving it their all, but they are playing to the archetypes. Auðunn Blöndal and Egill Einarsson have very clear roles that they are playing, and they do some things that are quite funny within the context of their performances, but their schtick grows monotonous quite quickly. Director Hannes Þór Halldórsson is replicating a very particular style, and he does so well, but the result is a film that still looks overwhelmingly cheap. In parodying B-movies and making a B-movie themselves, it’s tremendously ugly to look at. And even more disappointing is that the action sequences are underwhelming. There are some aspects of Cop Secret that show the potential to do something interesting with the genre’s tropes, but it ends up being too similar to the things that it parodies. The idea of a gay buddy cop movie isn’t ever delivered upon in a compelling way. Cop Secret is now in theaters and hits VOD on July 12. Rating: 2.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
A good minimalist thriller can be nice, taking a simple concept and milking suspense out of it. That is what Seth McTigue’s Take the Night seems to be doing at first, but when it turns into more of a morality tale heading into the final act, it loses much of its steam and becomes merely average.
The film follows a man who organizes a prank kidnapping of his brother, only for things to go awry when he hires career criminals who have more sinister plans. It’s an intriguing concept — taking something darkly humorous and turning it into something that is much more anxiety-inducing. However, the initial intrigue of the movie wears off around the halfway mark, where it reveals its hand way too early. It’s a concept that was perhaps better suited to a short than a feature, because the first half is downright exceptional and then it seems to have no idea what it’s doing for the remainder of its runtime. The very different direction that it takes for the last forty-five minutes also really confuses the themes of the movie. It’s clear that it’s trying to do something morally complex with the characters, especially the criminals, but it ends up feeling entirely underbaked by the end of the eighty-minute runtime.
Indeed, cutting back and forth between the two groups of characters prevents the audience from really connecting with either one, especially when combined with the fact that neither of them is doing something that is particularly good. It’s hard to truly like either one of them, which puts an unfortunate amount of distance between the audience and the characters.
For a cast that doesn’t have any big names in it, they do a decent enough job in their roles. On their own, it doesn’t feel like any of them could have carried the film, but as an ensemble picture, their performances suffice. That said, what is missing from this is a big villainous performance to bring it all home. And given that this is McTigue’s feature debut, the execution is surprisingly decent. It’s clear that the film’s budget isn’t all that high, as evidenced by the minimal amount of action, but it makes the most out of what it has. Especially when the movie is confined in location, it gives you quite the sense of claustrophobia. Take the Night is mildly entertaining, and that might be enough to recommend it to those looking for a quick eighty-minute watch. However, with the potential that it shows in the first half, this should have been something more. Take the Night is now in theaters and hits VOD on July 12. Rating: 3/5 Review by Cole Groth Both Sides of the Blade is one of acclaimed director Claire Denis’s latest films, which recently earned her the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival this year. If you’re familiar with her work, then you’ll almost certainly love this film. However, if you’re new to the filmography of Denis, it’ll be a bit of a struggle to get through this two-hour slog of a romantic drama. While this wasn’t my cup of tea, there are moments where it’s hard not to appreciate the brilliant performances from Juliette Binoche and Vincent Lindon, and the rather explosive third act is one of the better-written scenes I’ve seen this year. Opening up with a steamy romance scene between Binoche’s Sara and Lindon’s Jean, Both Sides of the Blade presents us with a story of a married couple who appears to be completely in love. What follows for the next forty minutes or so is an entirely boring and plain series of melodramatic and inconsequential events. Denis evidently does not care how long it takes her to get to the point. While I can appreciate a good relationship being built between characters, it feels largely unnecessary to spend so much time on two characters going about their lives. One of the more interesting elements is how she incorporates COVID-19 and other real-world elements to make the two characters feel very real. At various points, Denis uses an iPhone and real crowds to demonstrate that these are two people grounded very much in reality. They might be stuck in their pasts, but they have to go through them together. One of the big issues I have with this extensive character development is that it leaves other characters one-note and entirely uninteresting. Other than François, the characters who aren’t Sara and Jean receive almost no development the entire time, and it would almost be more interesting to cut them out of the film entirely and focus on the love triangle that’s developed throughout. Speaking of the love triangle, the core of the film follows Sara as she returns to a previous flame in her life and begins to question her relationship with her husband. During the film, we see a series of extraordinarily erotic scenes between Binoche and her two lovers, Lindon’s Jean and Grégoire Colin’s François. Let me tell you, these scenes get very, very sensual, and as an 18-year-old film critic, it was more uncomfortable watching 60-year-olds engage in sexual intercourse multiple times. If you’re a fan of steamy romance between sexagenarians, this might be the film for you. Again, for me, it wasn’t.
After cringing through most of the movie, mostly due to Sara’s unethical actions, it was nice to see how her actions eventually come back to get her. I loved how Denis treated the issue of Sara’s infidelity, and the third act draws out two of the best performances I’ve seen all year. Her script draws powerful performances out of the trio of talented actors. All of the dialogue feels painfully real, but it’s still not enough to save what feels like an overly melodramatic slog, and while this is technically well done, it doesn’t have the connection that it needs to feel like a film worthy of the praise it’s been receiving. If you’re interested in emotionally complex films, then you might find this to be an intriguing enough look into an intertwined relationship, and I would recommend this to serious cinephiles who love sloppy French romance films. Both Sides of the Blade is in select theaters starting July 8th, and will release on demand August 23rd. Rating: 2.5/5 |
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