Review by Adam Donato Thomas Marchese has only previously directed a documentary feature called Fallen and a couple short films, but makes his narrative feature debut here with From Black. Anna Camp stars as a troubled woman grieving over her lost son. John Ales co-stars as a group therapy leader who presents this troubled woman with an opportunity to get her son back. Sacrifices and creepy occurrences ensue as Camp tries to maintain her own sanity. From the horror faithful streaming service known as Shudder, here comes another demon possession romp. Horror in April is welcome, as the month of October doesn’t have a monopoly on scary. Even in theaters, Ari Aster’s latest Beau is Afraid graces the screen. Anyone rewatching his other two movies as of late will certainly find direct comparisons from Hereditary to From Black. That's not to say Hereditary has the most original story, but it stands out due to its direction and performances. All due respect, but Marchese and Camp are no Aster and Collette. Still, for a horror-specific streaming service movie, From Black got the job done. Most will recognize Camp from her roles in Pitch Perfect and The Help. Seeing as it’s been about a decade since these roles, it’s nice to see her get an opportunity to lead again, even if it’s on such a small scale. Her performance here certainly gets the job done. The character is also dealing with drug addiction which adds a physical element to her performance. She’s so miserable and on edge throughout, making for a stressful experience. It's hard to see this convincing anyone she needs to lead on the big screen, but she comes to play here and the movie is all the better for it.
Marchese should mark this venture off as a win because this movie was a solid outing. There is some scary imagery here. The demon that is lusting after the protagonist is used sparingly and not shown outright to allow the audience’s imagination to fill in the dots. While the story may be run of the mill, the main character never goes far enough off the deep end to the point she’s not relatable anymore. The last scene of the movie ends the experience on a high note that might convince viewers this is an above average horror flick. Maybe chop off 10 of the 100 minutes of the runtime because at the end of the day, simplicity is what this movie has going for it most. Horror fans and Shudder go together like demons and grieving mothers. From Black delivers solid scares despite its overly familiar concept. Camp and Marchese should be proud of this latest entry and build upon it. Check this one out on Shudder. From Black streams on Shudder beginning April 28. Rating: 3/5
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Review by Adam Donato From the director of the 2015 Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year comes To Catch a Killer. Damian Szifron has been quiet for the best decade outside of a television special, Stories that may Happen. Wild Tales was an Argentinian film, but To Catch a Killer is an American film through-and-through. Shailene Woodley plays a rundown police officer who teams up with Ben Mendelsohn’s FBI chief investigator to catch a crazy criminal. This crime thriller has talent in front of and behind the camera, but is it good enough to garner people’s attention? Almost a decade after tweenybopper movies like The Fault in our Stars and Divergent, Woodley has made more artistic acting choices. She saw the most success by getting nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her role in Big Little Lies. Her performance in To Catch a Killer is more mature and refreshing compared to everything we’ve seen from her previously on the big screen. She’s been jerked around and now she’s not going to take shit from anybody. When the story gives her big opportunities, Woodley takes advantage and carries the movie. Hopefully this can become a trend in her career as she’s definitely got what it takes to be a leading lady. Mendelsohn has a catalog of solid dramatic performances and this movie is a fitting addition. He’s usually the villain in his more blockbuster fare thanks to his standout performance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. There’s still that intestinal in this performance as his character and Woodley’s struggle to work together. While Woodley’s dramatic flash raises the ceiling for this dramatic thriller, Mendelsohn maintains a high floor as his fans know he’s going to bring it no matter what. While he may not be straight as an arrow here, it’s nice to see him playing for the good guys in this one.
This story is filled with violence and doesn’t shy away from the reality of it. There’s intrigue throughout until it reaches its satisfying conclusion. Ralph Ineson, of The Witch fame, plays the terrorist on the loose and shines when given the opportunity. Gritty and full of stakes, this crime thriller is sure to have fans of the genre glued till the end. Szifron deserves ample credit for directing two unlikely costars and gets the most out of them. To Catch A Killer justifies its two hour run time and is worthy of being checked out, whether that be on demand, streaming, or even a theatrical release. In the wake of the recent onslaught of franchise sequels, it’s refreshing to see an original movie like this. To Catch a Killer hits theaters on April 21. Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato While Katie Holmes is certainly not the movie star she used to be, her directing career seems to be her central focus. Her acting is still alive and well, nonetheless, as she usually stars in her directorial features such as Alone Together and All We Had. Her latest effort — Rare Objects — is an adaptation of a novel by Kathleen Tessaro. The story follows a young woman who moves back in with her mother as she attempts to rebuild her life. On this journey, she makes friends with Katie Holmes’s character who is also fighting her own battles. Is this flick good enough to convince IFC to give this feature a theatrical run? Julia Mayorga leads this movie as Benita. Her character is put through the wringer, but still finds a way to keep moving forward. Her performance certainly holds up the film, along with a supporting role from Alan Cummings. The two share what is probably the best scene in the movie, where Cummings really gets to shine. Somehow Katie Holmes is the worst actress in her own movie. Her portrayal was reminiscent of the meme where the woman has a bag on her head with the caption “omg she’s so random lol.” This may be intentional as her character is a recovering drug addict, but it came across as annoying more often than not. Derek Luke also appears in a brief and insignificant role. This is a movie for adults, which is clear from the uber-uncomfortable rape scene at the beginning of the movie, so it’s frustrating when the characters continuously come right out and state the theme of the movie. Sometimes things are more beautiful after they’re broken and it’s about the growth on the journey that makes the destination so sweet. This is a standard theme in movies like this and has a hard time having any real impact when it’s telegraphed as such. There’s nothing new or above average going on here. At just over two hours, the runtime really weighs on the viewing experience. Maybe the source material was equally as standard, but there’s nothing to go out of your way for with this movie.
Rare Objects is anything but rare. The movie gets its point across with as little subtlety as possible and Holmes’s performance follows suit. Maybe with Holmes’s name all over it, this flick will catch the eye of her fans. If this review is too harsh on Holmes, just remember she’s one of the stars of Jack and Jill. Skip this one. Rare Objects is now in theaters and on VOD. Rating: 2/5 Review by Adam Donato Ben Affleck has been one of the more high profile filmmakers of the 21st century. While Gone Baby Gone and The Town were both well received, Argo netted Affleck the Best Picture Oscar. Since then, Affleck has only directed Live By Night, a critical and commercial failure. One can assume a great deal of Affleck’s focus was on the DCEU and his solo Batman movie that was destined not to be. Air seems like a return to form, as the hype compares it to movies like Ford V Ferrari and Moneyball. Amazon is the distributor for this blockbuster as positive test screenings were overwhelming. Competing head to head with The Super Mario Bros Movie and the wake of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and John Wick: Chapter 4 seems like quite the uphill battle. Sure, whatever box office is gravy to Amazon, but hopefully this theatrical release will provide some much deserving exposure. Does Affleck have the magic to make this sports movie break through with audiences? To get the negative out of the way, while Air does compare with movies like Ford V. Ferrari and Moneyball, it’s hard to have high awards aspirations for this flick. Christian Bale and Brad Pitt provide much more gripping performances than anything Damon and Affleck provide. That's not to mention those movies are much more dynamic visually and have more depth in what they’re trying to say. Air doesn’t have much to say, keeping things simple with this humorous and inspiring true story. A disadvantage Air has is that it’s easy to be cynical and see this as a two hour Nike commercial. Movie stars aren’t enough to sell movies anymore. You need some brand recognition to guarantee butts in seats. While Air may be a standard biopic type movie, it accomplishes the goals it sets out for and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Matt Damon does a fantastic job at playing Matt Damon. Ben Affleck channels a supporting performance not unlike his role in The Last Duel, another recent collaboration with Damon. It’s certainly more on the comedic side, but it’s perfect as this movie is just trying to have a good time. Affleck said in an interview how this was such a fun movie to make, and it shows. Jason Bateman delivers in his supporting role. The real standouts here are Viola Davis and Chris Messina. While Air might not get a Best Picture nomination, it seems possible if not likely that Davis sneaks into the supporting actress category. Messina is absolutely unhinged and has one of the best freak outs in recent history. The choice to not show Michael Jordan directly in the film is handled with grace.
With a runtime at just under two hours, Air is a breeze to watch and is sure to leave audiences with a smile on their face. It’s equal parts funny and inspiring as this sports biopic seems as faithful to the true story as it could be. With the flood of high concept franchise films as of late, it’s refreshing to see a high profile picture like this. Make sure to see this one in a theater before it gets banished to Prime Video. Air is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5 Review by Adam Donato Board game movies are a thing. Anything to slap brand recognition on a generic blockbuster. I can’t wait for the Wonder Bread movie! Anyways, forget everything about the Dungeons & Dragons movie from 2000. Riding off their success making Game Night, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein are back in the directors' chairs for this new fantasy epic. With a cast of franchise regulars, will Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves have the pull to make it the blockbuster success Paramount wants it to be? Considering Daley and Goldstein have only made studio comedies, the action here is quite the standout. While the cinematography and special effects are lacking throughout the movie, there’s several action sequences that are worth the price of admission. One of the ways the action stays fresh is due to the characters having different abilities — specifically Sophia Lillis’s character as she can shapeshift into animals both real and fantastical. The large dragon heavily featured in the promotional material serves for a surprisingly fresh sequence. Also, there’s a great amount of practical creatures featured in the film. This goes a long way to making the world feel lived in. Guardians of the Galaxy was quite the risk of a concept, but what helped it work was the likable family that was formed out of these criminals. While it’s also not the most original story, it thrives thanks to its charm and personality. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves feels like the producer assigned someone to make a fantasy version of Guardians of the Galaxy. While Daley and Goldstein try to infuse some of their comedic personality, there’s several archetypes that feel too close to characters like Star Lord and Drax. Like most movies, this movie feels like an amalgamation of aspects from other more popular movies who did it better. It functions and will probably work for casual audiences, but this is clearly nobody’s passion project. The movie ditches the dice rolling and just tells a standard fantasy quest tale. Characters need to band together to find the MacGuffin so they can stop the bad guy from destroying the world. Chris Pine does a great job at playing Chris Pine. This is a similar role to James T. Kirk in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek films. Michelle Rodriguez is her typical badass self and her dry joke delivery works well. Justice Smith is the same annoying nerd he always plays. Sophia Lillis, while thriving in the action scenes, holds little emotional weight as her deal is that she doesn’t trust humans and Smith’s nerd boy is trying to court her. Rege-Jean Page of Bridgerton fame has a surprisingly small role as the handsome Boy Scout type. Hugh Grant plays a pathetic weasel version of his typical self while acting as the main antagonist of the film. Nobody acts in this movie. All of the actors showed up and played themselves.
While Scream, Creed, Shazam, and John Wick have all had previous movies recently, the Dungeons & Dragons franchise hasn’t seen the big screen in over two decades so at least it feels a little new. Hopefully Shazam! Fury of the Gods didn't quench fantasy lovers' thirst for dragons and this movie sees some success because it’s better than that sequel. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is generally fun and funny throughout. While it’s not an inspired piece of cinema like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it’s trying hard enough to make it worth your time at the theater. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves opens in theaters on March 31. Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato A Tetris movie could have easily been The Emoji Movie, but thankfully this story follows the real life makings of the Tetris game as we know it today. Taron Egerton stars as a game salesman who stumbles upon a revolutionary new game and seeks to obtain the rights, but Mother Russia stands in the way. From the director of Filth comes a movie that is closer to The Social Network than it is to The LEGO Movie. With the rise of Apple TV+ in regards to awards recognition, does Tetris hold the brand recognition to gain subscribers? Egerton has proved that he has the acting chops to be a leading man, but his box office prowess has yet to be tested. Luckily for this movie, it debuts on a streaming service so his day in court will have to wait. The Kingsman franchise and Rocketman are both fantastic and Egerton deserves a great deal of credit. In Tetris, his performance and character is reminiscent of Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street. He’s a fast talking, American salesman who can’t take no for an answer. This performance is full of life and personality as he once again makes the movie work. While audiences may come for the game brand, they will find themselves staying to see Egerton. I can't wait for Marvel to ruin him. This is a video game movie? It’s about a video game, but the story is focused on how the game came to fruition. That being said, its video game roots show through as pixelated versions of characters and settings permeate the movie. This is a cute touch that adds some style to the movie and helps keep what could easily be a dark film somewhat light. There’s a good deal of humor in the film, but with the subject matter being the fall of the Soviet Union and international politics at play, things could’ve gone south quickly. Speaking of the fall of the Soviet Union, one of the more interesting aspects about the movie is the perspective of the Soviet Union. How giving up the game to an American capitalist may seem like a small transaction, but it goes against the principles of their country and is a slippery slope to selling out entirely. The intrigue mostly takes place in Russia as American audiences can easily see this place at this point in history being a death trap — especially when our protagonist is trying to take something that was invented by a Russian. The business dealing and legal mumbo jumbo never get too out of hand as this movie pulls you in from start to finish. This true story is a rollercoaster with big ideas at play and so relatable as just about everyone has played Tetris at some point in their life.
Apple TV+ continues to make quality content and if you build it, people will come as they say. Apple has a great deal of clout and with movies like Tetris, they’re on the right track. Egerton should be an absolute star as he shines in this leading role. It’ll make you download the Tetris game app, guaranteed. Tetris hits theaters on March 24 and streams on Apple TV+ beginning March 31. Rating: 4/5 Review by Adam Donato Did you grow up with iconic characters like Batman and Superman? That’s too bad because watching Warner Bros. conduct a cinematic universe is like watching a toddler drive on the highway — haphazardly planning their movies and sometimes not even releasing them. DC has been the talk of the town lately as the Zack Snyder divorce is not sitting well with the more aggressive of fans. The new man in the house is James Gunn and going forward, he decides what goes and what stays. During this awkward transitional period, the Shazam! team is trying to keep the focus on its big new sequel. Will Shazam! Fury of the Gods be the hit that it needs to be to live to see tomorrow? Zachary Levi returns as Shazam after most recently starring in an Instagram Live where he’s on the edge of tears talking about the future of his character. His portrayal in the first movie was quite the revelation in the DCEU as we were graced with a character that was actually excited to be a superhero. He brings youthful joy to a character with the mind of a teenager. In the sequel, the cuteness of the character is beginning to wane. Maybe it was the second time he said “fam” where the realization kicked in that this character is kind of cringe. He faces the usual trappings of a character in a sequel as he doubts his own abilities and self worth. What if Shazam, like recent superheroes Ant-Man and the Wasp, doesn't need multiple movies of his own? David F. Sandberg has become quite the Warner Bros. regular after the surprise hit Lights Out, the solid Annabelle sequel, and Shazam all saw box office and critical success. Notice the Annabelle doll in the background of the pediatrician scene? That Sandberg is so cute!
Sequels are supposed to improve upon the original. This effort is a lateral move at best. Some things are handled better like the superhero siblings, but other things stay the same, such as how the villain feels obligatory. Mirren and Liu were like bottom tier MCU villains, which would qualify as mid tier DCEU villains (Listen, the change in leadership at DC was warranted.) Sandberg seems like he was able to make the Shazam sequel he wanted to, though, and while this may be his last effort with the character, there doesn’t seem to be any meat left on that bone — especially since Dwayne Johnson was so obnoxious about Black Adam. Standouts in Shazam! Fury of the Gods include Jack Dylan Grazer once again and newcomer to the franchise, Rachel Zegler. Especially after seeing Grazer’s character become a superhero himself, it’s clear now that he should’ve been the lead. After this and IT, it will be exciting how he continues as an actor now that he’s transitioning into adulthood. Zegler was also an immediate star and has great chemistry with Grazer here. Her powers are weird and her relationship with her sisters make no sense, but Zegler is always full of life on screen and is a welcome addition to this franchise. Djimon Hounsou is also given more screen time here and his character is taken in a more comedic direction. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a modest effort, but is more of the same and it’s starting to go stale. It's another clear sign the DCEU is ready for change. General audiences will be satisfied by this family-friendly superhero flick. The jokes are cheesy and the action is plentiful, despite being unspectacular. Fans of the first movie should check this one out in theaters because this could be their last chance. Shazam! Fury of the Gods hits theaters on March 17. Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato Based on the novel by Kate DiCamillo, The Magician’s Elephant is the latest animated feature to land on Netflix. It’s interesting how Netflix has high Oscar hopes for Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio and a few months later, The Magician’s Elephant arrives on the platform as well. Both are based on children’s fantasy books, set during a historical war, and focus on the dream of a young boy who must accomplish impossible feats. The recipe is there, but does The Magician’s Elephant have the creative team to make it a success among the likes of Del Toro’s Pinocchio? Wendy Rodgers makes her directorial debut with The Magician’s Elephant, having previously only worked in the visual effects department. The cast features some familiar faces, but nobody to write home about. Nothing but love for the genius who casted Benedict Wong as the magician because he is experienced playing a wizard. Brian Tyree Henry and Aasif Mandvi are the other recognizable voices used here. Mandvi is particularly annoying as he plays an irresponsibly eccentric king of this land, who is constantly flaunting his ignorance for those around him. None of the characters really stand out here. In fact, there’s quite a bit of juggling going on as some character threads seem superfluous. The story here is familiar to the recent Pinocchio adaptation, but obviously doesn’t work to the same degree. The real-world themes about the effects of war on a country’s citizens are not treated with the same amount of weight. Comparing and contrasting The Magician’s Elephant and Pinocchio is unfair to The Magician’s Elephant. In reality, it’s admirable that such a children’s movie would even tread on such dark topics. Pinocchio is arguably more accessible to adult audiences rather than children, but The Magician’s Elephant is clearly more geared towards the young ones. It’s very cutesy and the humor is exclusively for more immature audiences. In the end, the excessive character threads are brought together in a satisfying enough way, even though they reek with cheese. It’s a cute little fairy tale to throw on for children to fall asleep to.
For a straight-to-Netflix animated film, the animation is not that bad. This is likely accredited to the director coming from a visual effects background, having most recently worked on Dreamworks films such as Puss in Boots, Flushed Away, and Shrek. There’s some imagery in the film that cuts deep. One scene features a herd of elephants submerged in water attempting to swim to the top. When one of them can’t keep up, he begins to sink and for those with a fear of drowning, this is an effective sequence. Character design wise, it gives off vibes of trying to emulate stop motion animated characters, which tracks since Flushed Away tried similar tactics. Considering the animation for a throwaway Netflix content was of note, this is a huge win for The Magician’s Elephant. The target demographic for The Magician’s Elephant is definitely children and there’s nothing here to suggest they won’t enjoy this fairy tale. It’s got good morals and cute characters who are just trying their best to believe in something. The animation is good and there’s some talented people on board. Don’t expect this to get nominated or even be mentioned by anybody above the age of ten, but it’s solid children’s content. The Magician's Elephant streams on Netflix beginning March 17. Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato There’s a tendency for Christian flicks to fit into their own genre and not find widespread appeal. A movie getting a wide release with the word Jesus in the title is quite the bet, especially when it’s a comedy. Jesus Revolution attempts to appeal to young and old with the story of the rise of Calvary Chapel churches. Former television star Kelsey Grammer and the directors of American Underdog headline Jesus Revolution. The film will try to find success at the box office in the wake of Quantumania’s second weekend and will face off head to head with Cocaine Bear, which is the opposite of Jesus Revolution. Does this Jesus movie have the quality to get non-Christians in the theater? Jesus Revolution tackles the youth takeover of Christianity. The target audience is sure to be old people and it would do some good as it’s fraught with themes about acceptance and tolerance. It’s interesting to see movies aimed at older audiences that touch on issues sensitive to that community. That being said, this is a period piece so a lot of the older demographic experienced this movement in real time, but now they are the old heads. Obviously the movie is about religion so it’s going to be at the forefront, but it focuses on the peace and love aspect of Christianity that everyone can get down with. Jesus Revolution doesn’t necessarily appeal to people who don’t accept Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, but if they were forced to watch this movie, they would have a good enough time. Kelsey Grammer is a joy on screen always. His role as a pastor gives ample opportunities for him to have juicy monologue scenes. His transition from grumpy old head to spearheading the youth movement in Christianity is rushed, but the movie isn’t really about whether or not he will be changed. His relationship with Lonnie Frisbee is delightful. Frisbee is actually played by Jonathan Roumie, who played Jesus in The Chosen TV series. It’s an instantly funny match up having a guy who looks identical to the image of Jesus Christ the western world has paired up with a jaded man of God. Roumie is also given ample acting opportunities with his speeches in this movie as well. As the movie goes on, their relationship feels like the B story to Joel Courtney’s character. Remember the kid from Super 8? In Jesus Revolution he plays a young man going down a bad path before finding his place and future in the church. This is where we get the main romantic storyline of the movie. This character definitely fleshes out the runtime, but is not as compelling as Grammer and Roumie’s storyline.
There’s nothing to write home about, but Jesus Revolution is an enjoyable viewing experience. The religious crowd will enjoy this whether they’re old or young. Non religious people were not going to see this movie anyways. The trailer sums up the most interesting aspects, which is the inciting incident. Grammer and Roumie have standout performances and the vibe is consistently good. If you’re going to the theater intoxicated this weekend, be sure to check out Cocaine Bear, but if you’re high on life, then have a feel-good time with Jesus Revolution. Jesus Revolution hits theaters on February 24. Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato Heart of a Champion is the story of a young girl who dreams of owning a horse. This simple tale brings dreams and romance to the table for the family to enjoy. The lead of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl spin-off We Can Be Heroes, YaYa Gosselin, stars as a young girl struggling with her family relationships after a messy divorce, but distracts herself with her passion for horseback riding. With the help of her dad’s best friend, played by Starship Troopers lead Casper Van Dien, they rescue a horse and teach it to ride. Can she juggle her new hobby with her familial responsibilities? Luckily, director Brad Keller has experience with horses, as he directed A Horse Tale back in 2015. Besides Van Dien and Gosselin, Heart of a Champion also stars a beautiful horse. Before getting critical about this feature, it must be acknowledged that the intended audience for this movie has very low expectations. As long as it’s sweet and there’s a lot of scenes with the horse, then little girls and their moms will be happy. This is the perfect movie for a passable Saturday afternoon flick for mothers to watch with their daughters. To the casual viewer, Heart of a Champion is a fine experience of a movie. From a filmmaking perspective, Heart of a Champion is dog water. The story is obnoxiously by-the-numbers in every regard. You know exactly how this movie will go from the moment it starts. It’s not trying to challenge anybody, it’s just trying to have a feel-good time, which is fine. The dialogue is cringe throughout. All the characters are annoying. The lighting is regularly over-exposed. The editing is extremely awkward. The only redeemable thing about the editing is that this feature runs at just under 90 minutes. Every storyline attempted comes to completion in the most standard manner. There’s nothing of actual value or substance here whatsoever. Remember Edward Furlong? The kid who played John Connor in Terminator 2 and the Nazi youth in American History X? He’s totally in this. In the divorce this family is going through, Furlong plays the irresponsible father in her life. That’s crazy! He’s still out there doing things, and he looks nothing like he used to. What a weird little aspect about the movie. Also, Van Dien’s truck has a Texas license plate that says “COW BOY”. They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel for this movie.
Do you like horses? Then Heart of a Champion is the movie for you, because it definitely has a horse in it. If that is enough for one to enjoy for 86 minutes, check this one out on demand this week. If one is not a horse girl, then this is not worth your time. It’s like if you asked an AI to make a script based on the words “horse girl" — an unnecessary and basic flick. Neigh. Heart of a Champion hits theaters on February 17 and VOD on February 21. Rating: 2/5 |
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