Review by Camden Ferrell David Leitch is a modern titan in film as a stunt coordinator, working on some of the biggest action films of the century. In addition to being a stunt coordinator, he has also added director to his resume in the last eight years with movies like Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2. His newest directorial effort is the action-comedy film Bullet Train. With a fast-paced story to match its setting, this movie is an action-packed thrill ride that will make audiences everywhere laugh and be on the edge of their seats. Ladybug is a seasoned assassin who seems to attract bad luck at every turn. Sucked back into this industry, he takes on a seemingly simple job aboard a bullet train in Japan. However, the train is full of assassins and dangerous individuals who each have their own separate objectives that often conflict with the goals of the other passengers. This is an exciting story with the potential to set up claustrophobic action and tension as well as some exciting twists and character moments. The script, written by Zak Olkewicz, is pretty quick to establish the highly comedic tone of the movie. All of the characters are witty and fun to watch and are able to banter hilariously when faces aren’t being punched in. The movie also makes the most of its setting and uses it to its advantage to create a quickly progressing story that still feels consistently paced from start to finish. There are sometimes where the comedy can undermine more serious or emotional moments for its characters, but it’s a flaw that is easily overlooked. One thing that will initially attract audiences to this movie is its massive cast full of established and up and coming stars. The movie is led by the always charismatic and charming Brad Pitt with a strong supporting cast including Joey King, Andrew Koji, and Bad Bunny to name a few people. While there are lots of fun performances and cameos, one would be remiss to overlook the hilarious duo that is Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry who both perform magnificently in this film.
Leitch’s background in stunt work is obvious in the way he executes this movie with carefully orchestrated fights that still flow naturally and engagingly. There are plenty of great surprises and gruesome moments in the fighting and action, and it never feels repetitive or tired. What it lacks in substance, it more than makes up for in abundant thrills. Bullet Train combines comedy, action, and a star-studded cast to make one of the best summer blockbusters of this year. It’s definitely an inappropriate movie that you don’t want to take young children to, but audiences everywhere will find something to enjoy in this thrill ride that never lets up. Bullet Train is in theaters August 5. Rating: 4/5
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Review by Sean Boelman
Although the first season of Industry was, perhaps unabashedly, an attempt to capitalize on the newfound enormous popularity of shows like Succession, it managed to gain enough traction to warrant a second season. Well thank goodness it did, because season two of Industry provides some of the best television of 2022 so far, even rivaling its HBO business world cousin.
Set years after the conclusion of the first season, these new episodes pick up after the gang has become full-time workers at prestigious finance firm Pierpoint as they get on with more financial troublemaking and personal debauchery. It’s like the creators of the series took everything about the first season and dialed it up to eleven. It’s smarter, sexier, and more suspenseful. Indeed, at this point, this series is beginning to take its rightful place as “sexier Succession.” The romantic tension between the different players at Pierpoint really comes to a head in this season. What once felt like a melodrama has instead become much more complex, with legitimate discussions of its implications. Something interesting that this season does is completely change the audience’s perception of the characters. Some characters who were once bratty are now some of the most approachable in the show, and others that were our de facto heroes are now showing their darker side. It’s something that could have backfired very badly, and yet they manage to make it work.
The actors have also really found their own this season. While Myha’la Herrold is still great here, Marisa Abela takes over as the commanding force this season. Some of the best scenes in the season are those in which Herrold and Abela get to act off of one another. Also a highlight is Jay Duplass, who is added this season in a prominent supporting role.
In terms of the technical financial stuff, the series still excels at making things exciting even if you don’t understand what is happening. In fact, that you don’t know what is happening makes it all the more suspenseful. Instead, the series focuses on what is at stake and makes your heart sink (or jump for joy) when the money dips or surges. The fast-paced editing definitely does a lot of the hard work to make the series as successful as it is. It’s much more polished compared to the rough, up-close-and-personal feel of Succession, but it works in its own way. The quick cuts when partnered with the razor-sharp dialogue gives it a very natural rhythm. While Industry might have started off in the shadow of another show, it has quickly risen to the rank of competitor. HBO apparently dominates the market on sharply funny high-level business satires, because this show is an absolute knockout. Industry debuts on HBO on August 1 at 9pm ET/PT with new episodes airing subsequent Mondays. Seven out of eight episodes reviewed. Rating: 5/5 |
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