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Review by Cole Groth  As sunset falls on Ti West's X trilogy, let's take a moment to acknowledge what a neat event for the horror series. In X, West delivered a gory homage to '70s slasher flicks. In Pearl, we took a step back to the 1910s for a technicolor nightmare, showcasing the origins of X's villain. Now, West looks forward and places us in the '80s to end the trilogy. Out of the three films, this is easily the best. With a phenomenal leading performance from Mia Goth (who starred in all three), splendid kills, and some of the best cinematography from a horror film in a while, MaXXXine isn't just a great conclusion; it's one of the best horror films of the 2020s. Six years after the events of the first film, we follow Maxine Minx (Goth), a porn star looking to make her big break in Hollywood during the mid-'80s. Her journey to the top is interrupted as a terrifying serial killer known as the Night Stalker begins murdering people around her and a private investigator (Kevin Bacon) threatens to expose her involvement in the bloody string of deaths that occurred in her past. Maxine herself is a deeply interesting character, played perfectly by Mia Goth. She carries the aura of mystery around her throughout the film, leading to some great moments as the hero and times when she's frustrating to follow. She's willing to do whatever it takes to reach the top, but her cagey nature leads to plenty of aggravating moments. As the police follow her in an attempt to stop the killer, Minx offers almost no help, and as her friends are being murdered, she remains of little help when she could step up to be a hero. Just because she's the protagonist doesn't mean she's always likable, keeping her a constant source of intrigue.  The cast that surrounds Goth is star-studded and brilliant. Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Giancarlo Esposito, Halsey, and Lily Collins are just a handful of the actors who deliver terrific performances in their supporting roles. They range from devious to heroic, each fleshed out nicely by West's script and interesting to follow. The cast makes MaXXXine stand out as a grand conclusion to the trilogy, bringing it from a series of amateurish low-budget slashers to a horror film with a blockbuster feel.
Speaking of grand, Eliot Rockett's cinematography and West's editing make this one of the coolest-looking horror films of the 21st century. It's perfectly colored and shot to emulate the style of the 80s but manages to stand on its own as more than mere imitation. West plays with some fun editing tricks, like split screens and sliding frames, making this an ambitiously edited film that film nerds will adore. As far as the killer reveal goes, this will fall flat for those unaware of the trilogy. The unveiling comes out of nowhere and makes almost no sense because the film doesn't set it up within the confines of its runtime. This will lead to problems for new fans but gives audiences who showed up to all three films a more satisfying conclusion. Ti West has quickly established himself as a horror director for the ages, and if anything is clear from MaXXXine, it's that horror is more alive than ever. It's an impressive experiment in horror, sealing off a phenomenal modern slasher trilogy on a satisfying and intense note. A24's experiment of releasing three cheap horror films within just a couple of years has clearly paid off. West has stated in interviews that he has ideas for the future of the franchise, and while the series seems to have ended on a perfect note with this film, I'll be eagerly awaiting what's next. MaXXXine releases in theaters starting July 5. Rating: 4.5/5
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Review by Cole Groth  It's nice to see the murder mystery make a comeback in the last few years because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good reveal of a killer and a crowd of ridiculous personalities with confusing baggage. Reunion doesn't come to the top of modern murder mysteries, but it's still a fun watch deserving of attention, especially for those who already love this genre. In this Chris Nelson-directed film, our cast is led by Lil Rel Howery and includes Billy Magnussen, Nina Dobrev, Jamie Chung, Jillian Bell, Chace Crawford, and Michael Hitchcock. The crew makes up a fairly funny group, each saddled with controversy. Most are funny, and all are awful people. That said, most of the cast doesn't stand out quite as much as you would hope. People like Howery and Bell are the same type of character you've seen them play for their last ten films, and the rest of the cast just isn't interesting enough to be noteworthy. Reunion has a tone problem. It often feels very cynical and annoying in how most of the characters are rude to each other. We've seen this trope play out — a bunch of assholes get together to collectively trash their experiences as teenagers and explain how much they hate each other. It seems like the film is desperate to achieve this sense of relatability that it never does. I'd like to see a high school reunion film where everybody's awkward but mostly friendly because that's how people actually interact. Although the murder mystery relies on character archetypes, everybody here feels like a mishmash of tired personalities with an overbearing sense of negativity about everything (although, given the circumstances, it's hard to blame everybody for being awful).  The mystery itself is pretty fun to watch unfold, and at a brisk 90-minute runtime, it doesn't feel like it drags very much. Without spoiling the killer, though, a few of the twists and turns and the eventual reveal of who did it will leave viewers disappointed. The film feels like it's leading up to a big conclusion, but instead, it takes a bizarre turn that undermines much of what it had going for it. The most critical part of these films is that the ending sticks the landing, and this one misses it.
Aesthetically, this is a miss. The cinematography is bland, the lighting flat, and the editing basic. Since this script isn't incredible, Chris Nelson should've focused on making it stand out visually because, without any eye-catching shots, the only way for this to leave an impression would've been to make it optically compelling. It's reminiscent of See How They Run in the opposite way, which was a fairly decent script elevated by a great crew behind it to make it look more interesting and much better as a result. On the other hand, this film loses any memorability due to an unappealing look. Although this film has been done time and time again, Reunion is a somewhat comforting watch for fans of murder mysteries. It's easy to enjoy because the writing is simple, and there are a few laughs to be had. The cast is nice, the pacing is good, and overall, it's hard to really hate this. Although with a relatively strong cast, you might be left feeling that this was a film deserving of more than just fine. There's potential for something more interesting here, but the script and visuals don't unlock it fully. What's left is a just-decent installment into a very busy genre. Reunion releases on VOD starting June 28. Rating: 2.5/5 Review by Cole Groth  The corny tagline of Arena Wars, "The only way to live… is to kill," nicely summarizes what to expect from this low-budget action/thriller: a fun concept, cheap effects, and a weak script. It won't check any boxes as a film with genuine merit, but it deserves praise for being a fun time. In the dystopian world of Arena Wars, convicted criminals are offered a strange chance at redemption: a seven-tiered fight to the death. On each level, a trained killer, each more potent than the last. Most criminals are slaughtered almost immediately, meaning that ratings are down from the sickos who watch this type of program. It's up to our wrongly convicted hero, played by John Wells, to save the ratings, stand out above the bunch, and fight for his freedom. Violence and chaos ensue. The acting is a strange high point in the film. Most of it is pretty corny like you'd expect from the script, but many of the actors seemingly had a fun time behind the scenes, which radiates through the screen as the central group of fighters led their way through the Arena Wars. Most of the characters are douchey, but they're anchored by our lead, who brings a layer of sensitivity necessary to keep this film from not taking itself seriously enough.  Outside of bloody chaos and cheap thrills, Brandon Slagle's screenplay tries to elevate the premise through commentary on corporate greed and violence in the media. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't work very well. The dialogue is weak all across the board and entirely too on the nose. This film was meant for the action and not the story. Just because a movie has a low budget shouldn't mean that the script has to be so weak, though, so it can't be excused.
As far as the action goes, it's about what you'd expect — not great. It's mostly fun from its premise, but since the budget is so limited, the full vision of Slagle isn't matched. Most of the fighting consists of characters on a small stage engaging in hand-to-hand against a boring masked killer. That said, this maximizes its minimal budget, leading some of the action to work. The in-universe Arena Wars is a fascinating premise, and it would be pretty interesting to explore with a larger budget. Given the clearly low budget, it's a little tricky to wage the same type of criticism on this film as you would on any other strange sci-fi film. Despite some bad line delivery, strange editing decisions, and a somewhat ugly look, this is pretty fun because of how ambitious it is. If you're a fan of ridiculous and campy sci-fi/horror, this is actually a somewhat worthwhile watch. You wouldn't expect the ending to be nearly as positive as it is, but it ties the film together very well and leaves everything off on a satisfying note. Arena Wars is a test of whether you can forget about most of the technical stuff in a movie if it's fun. This suffers in a lot of places, including writing, visual effects, and editing, but it's the type of corny action fun that works if you're not looking for something serious. Arena Wars is now on VOD. Rating: 2.5/5 Review by Cole Groth  Jane Campion’s daughter, Alice Englert, is throwing her hat into the ring with her directorial debut, Bad Behaviour. Starring Jennifer Connelly as a former child actress unraveling under the pressure of her past life and strained relationship with her daughter while on a spiritual retreat, this film is a tonally confusing mess. With spots of humor and drama that feel too sharp around the edges, this might be a worthwhile watch for the ridiculousness alone, but not one that’s ultimately worth your time. Decades ago, Lucy (Connelly) found success as an actress in a kids’ show. She grew up with immense pressure from her demanding mother, and as the years progressed, she had a daughter and formed a turbulent relationship with her. Now seeking some sort of enlightenment, she goes on a retreat with a cast of other emotionally stunted individuals. Half of this film is about the retreat, and half of it is about the results. The two halves of the film play out very differently, with the first being an overbearing fever dream of a dark comedy and the second a more understated drama. Both halves work on their own but clash as a whole. Englert’s direction and script leave a lot to be desired. I found myself questioning every scene in what should’ve been a more straightforward film simply because none of these characters act like human beings. They’re dealing with intense issues such as parental abuse, suicidal thoughts, and intense anger, which get comically played up to a middling effect. Even if you can accept that these are the behaviors of people in real life, this is still a weird watch because almost every character is unlikable in their own special way.  Even if the script isn’t great, the actors do their absolute best. Jennifer Connelly offers a stellar performance as the lead character, paired nicely alongside Englert, who also stars in this as the daughter, Dylan. Their relationship is crucial to the film and something that doesn’t come together until the second half. Ben Whishaw plays a bizarre cult-leader-type character, and one of the biggest crimes this movie has is not leaning into his character enough. When the film suddenly rips us from the first half and tosses us into the second, it instantly becomes a weaker film overall. In search of an emotional core, the film loses the bite that makes it worthwhile to begin.
There’s a particular type of charm in the emotional moments of this, even if they cut into some of the comedic elements. Connelly perfectly demonstrates a woman who seems horrible to the world around her, harboring deep trauma. As she quickly falls apart, her transformation is difficult to watch and fascinating. It makes me wonder if this should’ve been more of a straightforward drama or not because if it drops the bizarre freakouts and comedy, it loses what makes it unique, but it would’ve been a damn solid exploration of a former child actress. Bad Behaviour is a big swing and a miss from Australia’s latest nepo-director, but it’s at least charming in its moments of silliness. If you think that Connelly loudly shouting, “I did not poop!” while swaddling herself like a baby sounds like something interesting, then you might enjoy this. The insufferability of these characters will make or break the film for most people. By the film’s conclusion, however, the film has lost so much steam that you might only remember the stupidity or the cruelty of each individual in this. There’s merit to be found in this, but it’s buried under so much nonsense that discovering it will only be fun to a few. Bad Behaviour is now in theaters and on VOD. Rating: 2.5/5 WILDCAT -- Ethan and Maya Hawke Team Up for a Confusing, Unique Telling of Flannery O’Connor’s Life5/3/2024 Review by Cole Groth  Ethan Hawke’s directorial efforts haven’t landed him much attention so far. Although his latest production, Wildcat, won’t change this, something is interesting about how daring he is as a director. His fourth narrative feature tells the story of Flannery O’Connor (Maya Hawke), the short-lived American novelist who held a lifelong struggle with illness. Instead of taking the typical biopic route, this film tells us her life story through a series of disjointed vignettes from her short stories. It’s an ambitious effort but one that’s ultimately a bit too confusing to reach the public eye — much like O’Connor herself. Wildcat takes place in 1950, when 24-year-old O’Connor visits her racist mother, Regina (Laura Linney). On her visit, she copes with her growing struggle with Lupus and her battle with publishing her first novel. To escape the oppressive world around her, she frequently takes us into her mind through some of her 31 published short stories. Each vignette brings together a variety of styles and tones, bringing us through on her adventure towards publishing as she pitches her novel around. One of the clear things about this project is that, without Ethan Hawke behind it, this wouldn’t exist. The large cast of actors like Linney, Steve Zahn, Cooper Hoffman, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Liam Neeson makes it clear that a few favors were called in. As far as the acting goes, this is an enjoyable time. Hawke allows all of the actors to embrace a variety of heartfelt, funny, or intense scenes. Each of the vignettes, while tonally confusing, is a pretty good showcase for the large cast.  There’s a scene about thirty minutes in which O’Connor’s mom complains about race relations and how slavery was actually a decent thing. At that moment, Jesus walks through the doors of the hospital they’re in and proclaims to her that there are just two spots left to get into heaven, and the only way she could get in is if she became a Black woman or as a white trash woman instead. She pleads with him to stay as herself, a respectable aristocratic white woman. Sounds a little insane, right? That’s about what you can expect from this biopic. It’s plenty of fun and tells an exciting story of her life, but for those familiar with the author or looking for a standard drama, this won’t be the film for you.
The core problem here is that Hawke looks at everything through the silly lens of a modern Hollywood guy. Racism is bad, of course, and he wants us to know that, if he were alive in the ‘60s, he would be the guy telling people that calling Black people inferior wasn’t very nice! It’s the type of screenwriting coming from a guy who doesn’t seem to know much about the past or is desperate to stay in touch with the youth. He almost loses O’Connor in the mix of things by throwing in strange political views that aren’t progressive enough to be daring but also too weak to feel realistic. There’s plenty of cool production and fun directorial style to find in Ethan Hawke’s latest feature, and while Maya Hawke is incredible as O’Connor, it’s clear that her dad has some ways to go before making a film ready for the mainstream. This is simply not a comprehensible enough movie at this stage. It’s weird and daring but also too rough around the edges. Perhaps that’s part of the character, but the viewing experience is ultimately much tougher because of it, and for someone unfamiliar with O’Connor already, I feel like I know her even less after Wildcat. Wildcat releases in theaters starting May 3. Rating: 2.5/5 |