Reese Witherspoon Knows She’s Out Of Touch With The Kids Talk, And Honestly Same
Bond Producer Barbara Broccoli Recalls 'Distressing Meeting' With Amy Winehouse Over Working On Quantum Of Solace
Colin Trevorrow Talks Future Of Jurassic World, Admits ‘There Probably Should Have Only Been One Jurassic Park’
Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon Review: Graphic Thriller Leaves Many Questions Unanswered
An escaped mental patient with the power of persuasion makes friends and enemies in seedy New Orleans. Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon has an interesting premise and characters. The problem is that it leaves too many questions unanswered. The ultra-stylized narrative plays out like a violent music video. A rocking soundtrack thunders while a mystery doesn't unfurl. I was left scratching my head when the credits rolled. There's pulp entertainment galore but little understanding of the protagonist. Her extraordinary abilities, origin, and personality remain an enigma. The film's shallow approach leaves you hanging.
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From Kevin Costner To Tom Hanks: Yellowstone's Kelly Reilly Has Landed Her Next Big Screen Role
Upcoming Disney Movies: Full List Of Titles And Release Dates
Don’t Worry Darling’s Nick Kroll Has A Funny Response To Feud Rumors, Other Drama
Now You See Me 3 Is Still Happening, Has Brought Aboard A Major Venom Talent
The Greatest Beer Run Ever Review: Vietnam War Dramedy Struggles with Tone
The Greatest Beer Run Ever tells the almost unbelievable true story of a man's sobering adventure during the Vietnam War. In 1967 Inwood, Manhattan, John "Chickie" Donohue argued with his younger sister about the war's media coverage. She felt President Lyndon B. Johnson and the military were lying to the American people. Their tight-knit neighborhood had lost several close friends in combat. As preposterous as it sounds, Chickie, a merchant marine sailor, decided to bring beers to his fighting buddies. The film struggles with its tone. It tries to walk the line between a comedy and depicting bloody conflict; doing neither well.
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Bruce Willis Has Retired From Acting, But His Likeness Will Live On Thanks To Selling His Deepfake Rights
That Time Johnny Depp’s New Girlfriend Actually Represented Meghan Markle
Grammy-Winning ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper Coolio Is Dead At 59
Top Gun: Maverick's Jon Hamm Had The Best Reaction To Being Offered His Part In The Sequel, Though He Almost Fired His Agents
Stephen King Heaps Praise On Smile While Highlighting One Particular Performance
Tom Hanks Talks The ‘Casual Slaughter’ That Is Movie-Making And How Many Good Films He’s Made
Don’t Worry Darling Faced A Funny Predicament When It Came To Harry Styles’ Hair On The Movie
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues Review: A Brilliant Retrospective of an American Icon
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues reveals the iconic entertainer in a brilliantly artistic format. Armstrong recorded conversations and kept detailed scrapbooks throughout his legendary career. Documentary filmmaker Sacha Jenkins presents the jazz master using collages, archival footage, and his own words. Interviews with friends, family, collaborators, and admirers are heard as voice-over narrators but not seen. Armstrong is front and center for a remarkable experience. He was America's most popular musician for decades but suffered humiliating exploitation and racism. Armstrong wasn't allowed to stay in many of the venues he performed. He kept up a positive public disposition despite the constant racial degradation.
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Harry Potter’s Alan Rickman Gave Jason Isaacs Hilarious Advice While Filming Quidditch Scenes
Avatar Side-By-Side Video Really Highlights How Ridiculous Filming Mo-Cap Is, But How The End Result Is Worth It
EGOT Winners: Every Celebrity To Win An Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, And Tony Award
Aqua Has Responded To 'Barbie Girl' Being Excluded From Margot Robbie's Upcoming Barbie Movie
Smile Reviews Are In, Check Out What Critics Are Saying About The Creepy New Horror Movie
Kick-Ass’ Chloë Grace Moretz Gets Candid About ‘Chaotic’ Paparazzi Experiences She Had After Appearing In the Movie
Beauty And The Beast’s Luke Evans Shares Cute Video After Waking Up To Billboard Of Belle Actress Emma Watson
Smile Review: Sosie Bacon Shines in Scary Horror Film
Sosie Bacon gives an emotional and gut-wrenching performance as a woman haunted by an evil entity. Smile has legitimate scares that pack a wallop. If only the film weren't so damn long. The terror washes back and forth like waves because of slow pacing. A long second act has lulls that tried my patience. The film would have been more impactful at ninety-minutes instead of two hours. Bacon's mental and physical spiral holds the narrative together. Everyone believes she's having a psychotic breakdown. You feel her distress as a mortal threat looms.
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Rob Zombie’s ‘The Munsters’ Is D.O.A.
Rob Zombie’s 2007 “Halloween” reboot removed the mystique behind Michael Myers.
Instead of a mysterious “shape” who killed out of rage, Myers became a mistreated lad with a penchant for William Shatner masks.
The writer/director’s “Munsters” reboot performs a similar service. The original series contrasted the ghoulish family with its Normal Rockwell neighbors, and hilarity ensued.
You won’t find much hilarity in “The Munsters,” now on Blu-ray and Netflix. The reboot, technically a prequel, drowns in creative flop sweat while ignoring the source material’s comedic template.
Rarely have so many performers burned so many calories for zero laughs. Less than zero, to be more accurate.
Jeff Daniel Phillips stars as Herman Munster, created by a mad scientist fusing disparate human parts together. He’s freshly revived when he has a prophetic date with Lily (Sheri Moon Zombie, the director’s muse).
It’s love at first sight, which rankles Lily’s grandfather, the Count (Daniel Roebuck stepping in for Al Lewis’ iconic ghoul).
Will Grandpa find a way to separate these lovebirds? Will Lester the werewolf (Tomas Boykin) trick Herman into a deal he’ll quickly regret? Can characters introduced in the first act disappear without a trace?
“The Munsters” storyline feels like several sitcom episodes cobbled together, with no particular plot emerging as vital to our interests. Yes, Grandpa loathes Herman at first, but it’s hardly enough to carry a film.
The emergence of Grandpa’s vengeful ex is similarly wan and hardly worth our while.
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The film’s saving grace? Phillips and Sheri Moon Zombie share an odd, undeniably chemistry as two lovestruck Munsters. Their infectious spirit holds some sections of the film together, even when it’s clear the material is pure filler that screams for an editor’s blow torch.
Zombie chose to bathe nearly every scene in ugly neon light, ensuring nothing on screen is frightening or film worthy. That yields a PG-rated romp, but it also makes the entire production look like a straight-to-video affair, at best.
The content hardly helps.
You’ll sit, stone-faced, waiting for that first, elusive laugh. Zombie and co. try everything to make us grin, from silly fades to fast-action snippets and animated segues.
Nothing works.
The film shoves its micro budget in our faces. In many ways, it feels like a product of another age – even before the ’60s-era inspiration. The comedy is Borscht Belt crude, the musical cues so bald you’ll swear it came from a silent movie screening.
The film traffics in a few black-and-white montages, but they add nothing to the laugh quotient or storyline.
It’s still hard to get grumpy about Zombie’s “Munsters” misfire. The cast is so game, so eager to do anything for their director, that to pile on the production feels cruel. It’s literally punching down.
RELATED: ‘CHILD’S PLAY’ REBOOT IS A DEBACLE
Phillips nails Fred Gwynne’s signature laugh and foot stomps, while Sheri Moon Zombie flutters across the screen like her predecessor, Yvonne De Carlo. It’s all for naught, as the story barely moves forward, and the screenplay delivers one groaner atop another.
Some gags are meant to be old and dusty, of the wink-wink, nudge-nudge variety. It’s hard to distinguish them from the “fresh” pile.
We get the usual array of Easter eggs, from Phillips name-checking “Car 54, Where Are You?” (Gwynne’s previous sitcom hit) to minor characters from the show’s original run dropping by for a visit.
Keen-eyed types will notice original “Munster” Pat Priest and made the cut, as did the voice of Butch Patrick AKA Eddie Munster.
“The Munsters” feels like a robust high school production, one given ample space and a serious makeup budget (by scholastic standards). Even the best backdrops and monster goop, though, is reduced to trash by Zombie’s lighting scheme.
On this day in 1964, the Munsters first aired!
Here’s one of the best scenes from the show and the lesson still applies today! pic.twitter.com/YHv3UVqvRJ— Scooby-Doo History (@scoobyhistory) September 24, 2022
The director behind “The Devil’s Rejects” and “31” isn’t known for humor, and “The Munsters” won’t move the needle on that assumption. He stomps all over the mildly clever lines, either with the boisterous soundtrack or ham-fisted direction.
At least he didn’t trod down a woke path or discard the show’s PG roots. You’ll hear a gay sex joke but it should sail above the kiddies’ heads.
In fact, children are the best audience for the reboot, eager to see garish colors, monstrous costumes and “Barney”-level yuks.
“The Munsters” doesn’t directly tease a sequel or series extension, but the final moments suggest such a scenario. Now, that’s frightening.
The Blu-ray edition features audio commentary from Rob Zombie plus an hour-long featurette “The Munsters: Return to Mockingbird Lane.” The latter lets the writer/director do a deep dive into his creative process.
HiT or Miss: The first trailer for “The Munsters” hinted at a debacle in the making. The actual film does nothing to counter those thoughts.
The post Rob Zombie’s ‘The Munsters’ Is D.O.A. appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
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Even Halle Bailey Got Overwhelmed Hearing Herself Sing Emotional ‘Part Of Your World’ For Little Mermaid Movie
Adam Sandler Discusses Whether He Prefers Doing Dramas Over Comedies At This Stage Of His Career
JLo And Ben Affleck’s Wedding Officiant Reflects On Getting To Oversee The Ceremony
Mel Gibson Turned Down James Bond Years Ago, And Sean Connery Is Part Of The Reason
Excerpts From Alan Rickman's Diary Reveal Actor Considered Quitting Harry Potter And One Piece Of Advice Early On That Helped Him Through
As Scooby-Doo And Scooby-Doo 2 Head To Netflix, James Gunn Is Still Salty
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Dead for a Dollar Review: Sluggish Western Falls Flat
Action auteur Walter Hill and Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz return to the western genre with disappointing results. Dead for a Dollar has all the hallmarks of a classic shoot 'em up. There's a gringo bounty humor, his loquacious adversary, a supposed damsel in distress, trusty sidekick, Mexican outlaws, and ruthless baron mixed up in a dusty desert town. Toss in a venerated supporting cast, and you have the ingredients for greatness. Instead, we get a dull film with lifeless characters and tepid action scenes. The narrative sluggishly creeps to a climax with bewildering editing choices.
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Glen Powell Reveals What Jon Hamm Did For All The 'Young Guns' On The Top: Gun Maverick Set
Emma Watson Had A Crush On Tom Felton During The Making Of Harry Potter. Now, She Calls Him Her 'Soulmate' In Sweet Introduction
Dozens Of Don’t Worry Darling Crew Members Share Statement After Reports Of On Set ‘Screaming Match’ Between Florence Pugh And Olivia Wilde Rolled Around
New Details About Johnny Depp's Alleged Romance With Lawyer Emerge, But He May Already Have Eyes On Other
John Stamos Recalls Having Dinner With Tom Hanks Right Before He Was Set To Play Walt Disney And What Should Have Tipped Him Off
Ana De Armas Gets Real About The ‘Dangerous’ Attention She Received While Dating Ben Affleck
Harry Potter ‘Bad Dad’ Jason Isaacs Shouts Out Tom Felton For The Draco Malfoy Actor’s Birthday
Pierce Brosnan Recalls Meeting Robin Williams For The First Time… As Mrs. Doubtfire
Final Destination 6 Has Taken Another Big Step Forward After Months Of Silence
After Sylvester Stallone's Sweet Post On Instagram, He And Jennifer Flavin Might Have Hope After All
Walt Disney’s Granddaughter’s Candid Take On The Online Response To The Diverse Casting In The Studio’s Films
15 Years Later, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley And More From The Cast Of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Lou Review: Allison Janney Gets Brutal in New Netflix Thriller
It was Liam Neeson's role in Taken that many people credit as marking a dramatic shift in action movie stardom. At the time, the 56-year-old seemed unlikely to launch a major action franchise, and everyone was surprised with how much it rubbed off on the cultural canvas, with additional older men taking on action movies, from Keanu Reeves to Bob Odenkirk. However, it really wasn't a big deal. Older men have headlined action movies since there were action movies — Roger Moore was 57 in View to a Kill, Sean Connery was 66 in The Rock, and even Daniel Craig was 53 when No Time to Die was released, just looking at actors who've played James Bond. Older male action stars aren't anything new; older female ones, however, are a different story.
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Top Gun: Maverick Breakout Glen Powell Proves Montages (And Well-Oiled Abs) Are ‘Forever’ With Sizzling BTS Video
Florence Pugh And Olivia Wilde Reportedly Got Into A Screaming Match Filming Don't Worry Darling, Starting Long-Rumored Feud
Halle Bailey Talks How Crazy The Stunt Work To Do A Live Action Version Of The Little Mermaid Actually Was
James Cameron Is Making A Big Budget Spectacle With Avatar 2. What’s An Extra ‘$5 Million’ Here Or There?
Indiana Jones 5: An Updated Cast List, Including Harrison Ford
Ben Affleck And Jennifer Lopez's Relationship In Pictures, 20 Years Ago And Present
Pierce Brosnan Shares His Blunt Thoughts On The Latest James Bond Movies And The Future Of The Franchise
Jonathan Bailey Responds To His Wicked Movie Casting As The Internet Freaks Out
Julia Roberts Has An A+ Response When Asked Why She Decided To Film Rom-Com Ticket To Paradise With George Clooney
Martin Scorsese Might Not Like Marvel Movies, But He Had A Strong Reaction To Ti West’s Pearl
Tom Hardy’s An Action Star IRL After Winning Gold At Martial Arts Competition
One Woman King Death That I Can't Stop Thinking About
The Wicked Movie Musical Is Looking To Cast A Bridgerton Favorite In A Key Role
Leonardo DiCaprio And Gigi Hadid Still Hanging Out And A New Report Indicates Why He May Be So Into Her
Fellow Disney Princess Rachel Zegler Supports Halle Bailey On Social Media Amid Little Mermaid Casting Backlash
Barbie’s Margot Robbie Recalls Being ‘Mortified’ By Those Viral Set Photos
Watch Jennifer Hudson And Original Dreamgirl Sheryl Lee Ralph Do An Impromptu Performance Of That Beloved Song
Andor Opening Episodes Recap & Review: Diego Luna is Jason Bourne in Outer Space
Spoiler WarningAndor is the expansion of the Star Wars universe we didn’t know we needed. This dark and gritty spy thriller tells a story that we’ve never seen before. Set in the darkest timeline of the galaxy, Andor is a completely different Star Wars show in the best way possible. Reprising his role as Cassian Andor, Diego Luna is simply fantastic while the show resonates on certain themes that reflect upon the kind of world we live in today. Andor is a much slower-paced spy story that’s more focused on character exploration rather than epic action sequences.
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The Enforcer Review: Antonio Banderas Cares & Kills
A recently paroled hit man develops a conscience after meeting two very different strangers. The Enforcer gets an acting booster shot from a compelling Antonio Banderas lead performance. He's believable as a killer who reaches an inflection point. What could have been a clichéd, B-movie actioner engrosses with neon noir imagery, brutal beat downs, and bullet-riddled heroics. Kate Bosworth also stands out as the ruthless gangster that holds the scumbag leashes. She's effective playing against type. There are several glaring editing issues but not enough to torpedo the overall entertainment value.
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Watch Jennifer Garner Adorably Fail A Box Jump In Totally Relatable Workout Video
Jordan Peele Got A Perfect Nope Shout Out From Midnight Mass' Creator, And It's Making Me Sorta Nervous
Toy Story 5 Rumors Swirl After Tim Allen And Tom Hanks Meet Up, But They’ve Actually Talked About Why They Do This Before
Ticket To Paradise Reviews Are Online, And Critics Are All About The George Clooney And Julia Roberts Pairing
Emma Watson Look-Alike Goes Full Gryffindor Cosplay In Honor Of Hermione Granger's Birthday
Splash's Daryl Hannah Defends Halle Bailey's Little Mermaid Casting
Willow Smith Doesn’t Want To Talk About The Oscars Incident, But She Does Get Candid About Her Relationship With Parents Will And Jada
James Cameron Admits He Played The ‘Titanic’ Card When Clashing With The Studio Over The Original Avatar Film
Drifting Home Review: An Exhausting, But Rewarding Contemplation on Forgiveness and Survival
Summer vacation was the prime of every child’s primary school education, but what happens when an entire group of children suddenly find themselves lost at sea? The world they knew is rapidly changing, with the buildings they grew up with being torn down, and friendships rapidly shifting as aging family members pass away. Netflix’s newest animated release, Drifting Home, takes its feuding protagonists and puts them into a situation where if they do not overcome their differences, they and their friends may find themselves at great risk. And, above all else, they must learn to forgive despite being young and immature in the eyes of the adults who surround them.
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TIFF 2022 Review: The Fabelmans Further Proves Why Steven Spielberg is One of the Filmmaking Greats
Director Steven Spielberg goes back to his roots with The Fabelmans. The film made its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2022, marking the director's debut at the institution in his decades-long career. The Fabelmans was first announced as part of TIFF's line-up in July 2022, per EW. Naturally, Spielberg's film skyrocketed to the top of almost everyone's list of the most highly anticipated movies to see, especially after Variety reported a bidding war over the film between other major fall festivals like Venice and Telluride. To perhaps no one's surprise, The Fabelmans was met with a standing ovation after its first screening.
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Jamie Lee Curtis’ Latest Halloween Ends Image Has Me Concerned For Laurie Strode
Steven Spielberg Responds To The Fabelman’s TIFF Win As The Oscars Race Starts To Heat Up
Kate Winslet Hospitalized After On Set Injury
Cobra Kai Boss Clarifies The Show's Connection To Recently Announced New Karate Kid Movie
Frozen’s Kristen Bell Hilariously Apologizes To The Parents Who Have Watched The Movies On A Loop
Just JLo In A Tub And Sharing A Stunning View Of Her Honeymoon And 'Self Care'
Johnny Depp May Not Want To Return For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6, But He’s Certainly Game To Go Full Captain Jack Sparrow For The Fans
James Cameron Opens Up About Releasing Avatar 2 Over A Decade After The Original And Why He Thinks It Will Work
Brie Larson Just Dropped A New Detail About Her Fast X Character
Alexandra Daddario Started Training For A Bigger Butt On Baywatch, And She’s Continued That Fitness Journey Since
As Rumors About Leonardo DiCaprio And Gigi Hadid Swirl, Ex Zayn Malik Is Allegedly Unhappy
Mission: Impossible 8 Briefly Paused Filming With Tom Cruise And Co., And Sheep Were Involved
Channing Tatum's Magic Mike 3 Finally Has A Release Date, And There's More Exciting News
Timothée Chalamet Responds To The Thirst Tweets After The Internet Lost Its Mind Over His Wonka Reveal
Zac Efron Addressed Those Jaw Surgery Rumors And Said He Actually Almost Died
Anne Heche Didn’t Leave A Will. Now Her Son And Ex-Partner Are Battling Over Her Estate
Oliver Stone’s ‘U-Turn’ Is His ‘After Hours’
Oliver Stone’s “U-Turn” (1997) is rarely mentioned in conversations regarding Stone’s best work (or at all) and that needs to change.
Made between “Nixon” (1995) and “Any Given Sunday” (1999) and released to audience indifference in 1997, it’s not the minor league lark that many claimed in ‘97. Actually, this is Stone’s “After Hours” (1985) in which an ensemble cast, a can-do film school approach and a light footedness elevates it above prestige expectations.
Yes, its “smaller” than “JFK” (1991), Stone’s masterpiece, and less important than “Platoon” (1986), Stone’s defining work. Yet, “U-Turn” is never afraid to leave teethmarks on its audience (as opposed to holding their hand and coaxing them towards a Happy Ending) and is wall-to-wall with Stone’s brilliance as a film artist.
We meet Bobby, played by Sean Penn, on the run, driving through brutal roads that have used up all sorts of wildlife and are unforgiving to those lacking survival skills. Bobby himself must face this when his car pops a gasket and he’s forced to surrender his vehicle to a folksy, dirty (in every sense of the word) and weary mechanic named Daryl (Billy Bob Thornton).
While awaiting repairs, Bobby walks into a run-down little town called Superior and seemingly gets into trouble with everyone he encounters. A bigger problem lies in Bobby’s past, as we learn he’s on the run from criminals, has a massive stash of money in his possession and even lost a finger for missing a payment to the wrong people.
When Bobby encounters the enticing Grace (Jennifer Lopez) and her bizarre husband Jake (Nick Nolte), he falls into another self-made trap, involving murder-for-hire and a femme fatale who might be the deadliest of all the dangerous creatures he encounters.
We’re deep in a film noir world, as Nolte notes “a man who’s got no ethics is a free man.” The $50,000.00 life insurance policy that becomes a murder/swap scenario plot point is like something right out of “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (either version).
John Ridley’s screenplay is based on his “Stray Dogs” and clearly reflects a love for these seedy and deliciously nasty types of crime stories.
25th Anniversary: U TURN (1997) Oliver Stone pic.twitter.com/MiNHgolSQd
— Cinema Phenomenology (@phenocine) August 27, 2022
When Penn and Lopez’s character dream of escape, it’s not an island oasis they envision, but a shot of a car roaring down a road, smoky dirt flowing behind it. For these fallen angels, money, sex and one-upmanship is a goal but true salvation is fleeing the purgatory in which they cook under the roasting sun.
Stone’s mastery of tone and use of full throttle cinema to evoke the protagonist’s perspective is as strong as ever. So is the excellent ensemble, as every cast member plays to their strengths and surprises us with some offbeat acting choices.
Early into production, the lead role was once played by Bill Paxton but wound up in Penn’s hands; Penn’s testiness makes him a better pick for the role than the more amiable Paxton.
It helps that we’re not really supposed to like Penn’s character, though he acts as the audience surrogate and we want him to get out of Superior as much as he does.
A pitch perfect Claire Danes and Joaquin Phoenix intermittently show up as a deranged young couple. Thornton is fantastic playing Daryl, the local mechanic whose lone ability under a hood gives him god-like abilities in this town.
It also creates a sense of division between Bobby’s dismissive, above-it-all tourist and Daryl’s folksy knowledge and practical approach to everything. Penn’s scenes with Thornton are hilarious, as we share and understand Bobby’s rage, but Daryl is always right.
Jon Voight’s casting as a blind and homeless Native American is questionable, though he’s as mesmerizing here as he was in “John Grisham’s The Rainmaker,” “Anaconda,” “Ali” and other late career highlights from this period.
#UTurn was the middle film of an unplanned crime trilogy between #NaturalBornKillers (1994) and #Savages (2012). Unappreciated in ’97, it was pulled from most theaters quickly. TriStar disliked it, and reviews were not kind — ‘brutal,’ ‘derivative,’ etc. pic.twitter.com/d4W5MuUc0M
— Oliver Stone (@TheOliverStone) February 3, 2021
Stone once again uses a Native American character to reflect on America’s past, as he did in “The Doors” (1991) though, with both films, it’s an element that serves as subtext and doesn’t overwhelm or become a central theme.
Liv Tyler makes a quick, silent cameo; she was an in-demand actress at this point and her blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance is baffling, though hardly the most bizarre thing here.
Robert Richardson is the film Director of Photography and frequently performs miracles here. Note how his over-exposing some of the scenes makes the imagery simmer. It looks hot, smoky and devoid of life in this world, and we feel trapped just as much as the characters do.
As it was with “JFK” and “Nixon,” the editing is incredible; Bobby’s brief mention of being a former tennis instructor even allows for quick clips of him on the court during happier days. The editing is credited to Hank Corwin and Thomas J. Nordberg, who clearly had oodles of footage to sort out and assemble into Stone’s cracked vision.
Ennio Morricone’s score is sometimes cartoonish, sometimes sinister – the music fits the sun warped mind of our weary protagonist.
At times, “U-Turn” is very funny, such as the moment a scorpion appears and scares Bobby out of drinking from a hose. Stone’s sun-bleached noir gets incredibly ugly by the third act. Stone punishes his audience, and the film gets long winded when it ought to be wrapping up.
After suggesting many heinous things, Stone shows us them, which is unnecessary.
The film is already pretty savage; getting crazy with the carnage and depravity so late in the game doesn’t give this any additional charge, only reminding us that the “Natural Born Killers” director loves excess.
The depravity involving Nolte and Lopez’s characters weighs the conclusion down. Instead of that, why didn’t we get one more welcome, loopy Danes/Phoenix appearance?
Yet, when the story regains its focus in the final scenes, particularly with another hysterical encounter with Thornton, it at least ends strong.
“U-Turn” (actually, it’s really more of a detour) ends on a killer punchline, as a shadow sweeps over characters, blanketing them with death, and the film ends. Stone’s film is savage, overbearing and very funny, a tour de force of acting and filmmaking.
The setting here never feels like a film production façade, as “U-Turn” creates an environment where one could be absorbed by nature, swallowed whole, which is only avoidable if you don’t stop moving. Superior comes across as a town consisting of misplaced members of society.
It’s a real place, too, as Superior is an actual town surrounded by a desert. I’m curious what the Superior town historian thinks of this movie.
Penn is stuck in this town and both the landscape and the town folk begin to feast on him. Death is bearing down on Bobby and everyone in Superior. Do the people of Superior watch this and laugh…or cry?
The post Oliver Stone’s ‘U-Turn’ Is His ‘After Hours’ appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
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Fencing Expert Looked At Pirates Of The Caribbean’s Famous Sword Fight, And He Has Some Complaints About Orlando Bloom
The Bear's Jeremy Allen White Is About To Get Shirtless A Bunch For His New Movie With Zac Efron
See Blake Lively’s Red Carpet Baby Bump In Under-The-Radar Pregnancy Announcement With Ryan Reynolds
Zendaya Back To The Dune 2 Grind After Historic Emmys Win, But Not Before Celebrating With Her Mom (And Tom Holland)
Upcoming Matthew McConaughey Movie About Soccer Team Heading To China Has Been Scrapped Over ‘Disturbing Allegations’
Harrison Ford Popping Up In All Kinds Of Photos This Week, This Time Making Brie Larson ‘Too Stunned’
The Transgender Joker Movie Just Got Pulled From TIFF, But Its Wild Trailer Is Still Available
Olivia Wilde Talks Being 'Proud' Of Don't Worry Darling As BTS Drama Dominates The Conversation
‘Prey’ vs. ‘Predator’ – The Battle Where Everyone Wins
Leave it to writer/director Dan Trachtenberg to once again emerge from the shadows with a surprise franchise extension.
In 2016, it was with his lean, scary and never-more relevant “10 Cloverfield Lane” and now, premiering exclusively on Hulu, is his surprise action/sci-fi/horror, “Prey.” The reviews have largely and deservedly been raves for Trachtenberg’s prequel to “Predator” (1987) and clever rethink of the entire franchise.
Many have stated that “Prey” is the best of all the Predator films and provides everything that the sequels have lacked. Is that the case, or is the collective enthusiasm for “Prey” overshadowed by what came before it?
Let’s begin with our first entry, the one that instructs us to “Get to da choppah!”
John McTiernan’s “Predator” (1987) was a game changer for its star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose early, post-“The Terminator” box office successes were a mixture of B-movie missteps (like “Raw Deal”) or B-movie overachievers like this one.
While often mentioned as one of the most absurdly hyper-masculine, uber-macho, testosterone-crazy action flicks of a red meat chompin’ decade of the eighties, there’s more to it than that. While the pacing lags at times, “Predator” is awfully impressive, and its best passages are a master class of action movie filmmaking.
McTiernan, licking his wounds after the failed “Nomads” (1986), was more than up to the challenge of directing this reversal of “The Most Dangerous Game.” This time, the hunters become the hunted, and a jungle-set “Aliens” (1986), complete with a traitorous Burke figure (Carl Weathers instead of Paul Reiser), a one-on-one battle between a monster and the last soldier standing and the story of the world’s toughest soldiers being no match for an otherworldly killing machine.
Schwarzenegger’s Dutch is recruited to oversee a deadly mission, which he was hand-picked by a former collegue, played by Weathers, who now has a suit and tie desk job. It’s a laughable casting choice, as Weathers is so ripped and blindingly charismatic, he’s every bit the super stud as Schwarzenegger.
If this is what a desk jockey soldier looks like, then, in between filing reports, Weathers visibly hasn’t missed a single day at the gym.
Once the super-duper tough motley crew of Dutch’s team is assembled (which include filmmaker Bill Duke, screenwriter Shane Black and none other than Jesse “The Body” Ventura), the film displays a stronger first act than I remembered. In fact, a siege on an enemy village is a ferocious set piece, an early indicator than McTiernan is, no joke, one of the best action movie filmmakers alive.
The opening title sequence reveals the sci-fi element, and the film shortchanges itself by tipping its hat so early. If anything, the film is so engaging, they should have ditched the early tease, promoted this as a straight-forward jungle adventure and sprung the sci-fi element on the audience during the second act.
It would have worked.
In fact, the Predator is the most menacing and intriguing during the early stretches, when it displays its chameleon-like albitites and striking infra-red Predator Vision.
The bicep-pumping, chest pumping macho stuff enters this into self -parody early and the insistence on mimicking the plot trajectory of “Aliens” in a jungle setting goes like clockwork. The real saving grace of “Predator” (aside from Alan Silvestri’s thrilling score) is the rousing third act: the warrior vs. warrior jungle standoff, almost devoid of dialog for a long stretch, is when this movie isn’t just great but downright brilliant.
By stripping Schwarzenegger of hit and miss line readings, allowing his considerable physicality to counter the late Peter Baker Hall’s stature as the Predator and the battle of wits to take on Jack London survivalist feel, the film feels much richer, rawer, and fresher than it truly is.
While not on the level of Schwarzenegger’s greatest hits that followed (“Total Recall,” “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” and “True Lies”), “Predator” was another big step up the ladder for its star (though it was not, as he claimed on a morning talk show, “scarier than ‘The Terminator’”).
McTiernan had has own trio of success, as this followed “Die Hard” (1988) and “The Hunt for Red October” (1990).
RELATED: WHY ‘DIE HARD’ (STILL) MATTERS
The sequels aren’t all bad, though they’re a mixed bag overall. Stephen Hopkins’ “Predator 2” (1990) is a berserk, overly caffeinated (or, more likely, heavily coked up) blockbuster in the Joel Silver mode. Replacing Schwarzenegger with Danny Glover was a novel, forward thinking touch that works; so does the third act, another man vs. alien battle that gets pleasingly literal in an alien’s lair.
As for the rest, it’s aggressively awful. The killer Jamaicans terrorizing L.A. are a low point (apparently the end of the Cold War briefly made the filmmakers consider someone other than Russians as the bad guys).
Likewise, the violence, which is so vile, it makes the bloodiness in the original look restrained.
“AVP: Alien Vs. Predator” (2004) isn’t as bad as remembered, as it has Lance Henricksen making a welcome return to the Alien/Predator franchise, a strong lead by Sanaa Lathan and, par for the series, a one-on-one final battle that delivers. Otherwise, aside from a few striking moments, its C-grade junk.
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Far worse is “AVP: Requiem” (2007), which might be the worst film I ever saw on Christmas Day. By sucking both the Alien and Predator franchise of character and style, loading the cast with interchangeable victims to-be and featuring a scene where a birthing ward is flush with women getting murdered by chest bursters, this scrapes the bottom of the barrel and just keeps on scraping.
The Robert Rodriguez-produced “Predators” (2010) is a big improvement on the empty “AVP” attempts to get the franchise rolling. This stand-alone is often criticized for having a mega-buff Adrien Brody in the lead; while many considered it miscasting, Brody earns his way into the film, which has a fantastic opening scene, a great set piece involving the hunt of an alien creature (not the Predator) and then fizzles out by the end.
Rodriguez reportedly concocted “Predators” in his youth and aimed to make it the equivalent of “Aliens.” Not quite, but he gets halfway there.
Shane Black’s “The Predator” (2018) is the most curious of the “Predator” sequela and easily the most disappointing. A reboot with an ensemble cast, more aliens and the baffling choice of having an autistic boy as a main character, its tonally out of whack and uneven from start to finish.
Black, having co-starred in “Predator” and written several standout action movie screenplays (ranging from “Lethal Weapon,” “The Last Boy Scout” and, my favorite, “The Long Kiss Goodnight”), seemed like an ideal writer/director for the project and his prior “Iron Man 3” signaled a return to form.
This is a rare off day for him, and everyone involved. “The Predator” is both overplotted and not very interesting.
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On the other hand, “Prey” astonishes not only with its action and widescreen visuals, but with its redirect of the narrative. By declaring itself a set-300-years-earlier prequel, it allows itself to reposition the series, effectively going back-to-the-basics of the first film and providing social and historical commentary with its Comanche tribe protagonists as the focus.
Lead Amber Midthunder’s Naru, an axe-wielding, untested and fearless warrior, is the equivalent of Schwarzenegger’s Dutch. The hard-to-miss but not overly heavy-handed suggestion that “Prey” is an allegory for colonialism works.
What doesn’t is how contemporary the dialog sounds, though maybe having most of the dialog spoken in English is the real problem. Unlike the performances in “The New World” (2005), the illusion that we’re watching the “Naturals” interact in an untouched environment doesn’t always connect.
A few missteps aside, Trachtenberg is a great storyteller, the key set pieces absolutely deliver and the final reveal, provided as an illustration right before the credits kick in, creates a sting that references both human history and the other Predator movies, particularly “Predator 2.”
Now Watching: Predator 2 pic.twitter.com/LaSAXehzbY
— Noir (@TheRisenKnight) August 26, 2022
I hope we don’t get a “Prey 2” or “Prey: Rematch” or whatever easy pitch that is probably being made right now in a Hulu boardroom. If the Predator series comes back (and really, it’s more of when than if), I hope we get a fresh perspective that matches Trachtenberg’s take.
Rather than checking the boxes of franchise expectations, “Prey” considers the essence of survivalist adventure tales, reflects what made McTiernan’s film so impactful and manages to include Native American representation in cinema that gives texture and historical context to what could have just been a monster smash and bash.
We’ll always have “Predator” to greet us on an unending loop on basic cable, but what you’ve heard is true: “Prey” is the best of the Predator movies.
The post ‘Prey’ vs. ‘Predator’ – The Battle Where Everyone Wins appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
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'My Policeman' Video Review: Harry Styles Shines In Leading Role
'The Greatest Beer Run Ever' Video Review: Zac Efron Can't Save This Terrible Script | TIFF 2022
Gal Gadot Says She Was ‘Intimidating’ On The Snow White Set, And Rachel Zegler Confirms It
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TIFF 2022 Review: Empire of Light is a Beautiful Love Letter to Cinema
The Princess of Wales Theatre was the perfect place for the Canadian premiere of Empire of Light at Toronto International Film Festival 2022. Written and directed by Sam Mendes, Empire of Light harkens to the days of seeing a movie in a theater equipped with plush, red-velvet seats, grand lights, and a marquee. Indeed, the film is Mendes' most autobiographical to date, written during, per his anecdote during the film's Q&A after the premiere screening, the COVID-19-related lockdown in 2020 and inspired by his love of movies in his youth and, more significantly, his mother.
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Jordan Peele Reveals An Amazing Secret About Nope, And My Mind Is Blown
Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing Review: Paris Gets The IMAX Treatment
Who wants to visit Paris — without actually paying to go there? IMAX is here to help, presenting a live music experience titled Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing, showing in its theaters this month. Grammy winner Renée Fleming has graced the world’s biggest stages — and now she’s debuting on the world’s largest screens. This fascinating, insightful documentary will win the hearts of opera lovers everywhere, while also intriguing newbies to the art form like myself. With the help of giant cinema-scope lenses, Fleming introduces viewers to one of the most majestic cities in the world and offers an appreciation of its music, performance, culture, art, and food. And more than that — she is joined by many of its notable residents.
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Tyler Perry Shares Feelings About Adding Diverse Voices To The Industry And What He Feels It Will Take To Do It
Anna Kendrick Got Stuck In An Elevator But Has A Great Sense Of Humor About The Fashion Emergency That Ensued
Mighty Ducks Actor Shaun Weiss Opens Up About How Life As A Child Star Led To His Problem With Drugs
First Impressions Of My Policeman Are Here, And People Can’t Stop Talking About Harry Styles’ Performance
TIFF 2022 Review: The Lost King is a Touching Story Where Past Meets Present
Making its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2022, The Lost King is Stephen Frears' newest movie since 2017's Victoria & Abdul. It stars Sally Hawkins as Philippa Langley, who, fresh off a divorce and currently dealing with ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome), finds herself drawn to King Richard III, specifically, on his demonization (as a result of 500 years of continued misinformation) as a cruel monarch. What starts as a curiosity soon turns into a steadfast determination to uncover his long-lost remains and retell his story. The Lost King traces Philippa's story as an amateur historian and the hurdles she jumps through — from the misogynistic to the bureaucratic — as the past meets the present.
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Amid Ezra Miller's Recent Controversies, Their Daliland Director Provided Positive Thoughts On Their Work Ethic
Jennifer Lawrence Has A Great JLo And Ben Affleck Zinger When Asked About One Thing She Wished She Knew Before Marrying Cooke Maroney
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Mission: Impossible's Simon Pegg Remembers The Queen Of England Wearing 3D Glasses In Fond Tribute Post
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Anna Kendrick Delivers Career-Best Work As A Victim Of Emotional Abuse In The Sympathetic Alice, Darling
Tales of the Walking Dead Mid-Season Review: On Mediocre Footing Heading into the Penultimate Episode
Tales of the Walking Dead heads into its penultimate episode on firmly mediocre footing. The anthology series set in The Walking Dead universe hasn't been great or terrible. The six-episode first season explores mostly new characters at different times in the zombie apocalypse. The high point so far explains how a known character, the monstrous Alpha (Samantha Morton), and her daughter, Lydia (Scarlett Blum), became a part of the skin mask-wearing Whisperers. The show avoids most of the foolish pitfalls that plague the other franchise properties. That said, Tales of the Walking Dead hasn't delivered anything extraordinary enough to make fandom clamor for its renewal.
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Lily Tomlin And Jane Fonda’s Dark Comedy Moving On Is The Perfect Elixir For Those Missing Grace And Frankie
Writer Recalls Queen Elizabeth II Sweetly Getting Involved In James Bond Sketch With Daniel Craig
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‘Clerks III’ – Time to Close up Shop
The 1994 comedy “Clerks” remains an indie gem – unpolished, unsophisticated and unable to be copied.
New Jersey’s Kevin Smith broke out by scrabbling together just enough wit and wisdom to make a feature film. Nothing more, nothing less.
The inevitable “Clerks II” proved a letdown, but it let Smith expand his View Askew canvas enough to warrant our attention.
“Clerks III” is a disaster, as painful as anything Smith has foisted upon us to date. And, given he previously directed “Yoga Hosers,” that’s quite a statement.
We’re back at the Quick Stop and forever clerks Dante and Randall (Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson) are still slinging cigarettes and Chewlies gum. Smith’s screenplay immediately name checks NFTs and Gen-Zers, as if contractually obligated to remind us the ’90s are no more.
Trust us. Watching this pale attempt to revive Smith’s cinematic promise gets the job done.
Randall collapses in the store early on, and only the skills of a quippy surgeon (Amy Sedaris, far too good for any of this) keep him above ground. Staring death in the face forces Randall to re-examine his humdrum life, and he settles on the one thing to give his remaining days a purpose.
He’ll direct a movie about his life behind the convenience store counter.
How hopelessly meta. How wildly unambitious. Can Smith even write a comedy without lazy meta tropes?
“The movie is packed with what the kids on the Internet used to call ‘the feels.'” Kevin Smith says “Clerks III” offers more than just comedy. pic.twitter.com/AHFwJvk7NB
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) September 7, 2022
Smith could use the occasion to riff on Hollywood, 2022 style, but he’s been doing a less ambitious version of that for, well, ages. Think “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” and “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.”
He’s got nothing left to say. Literally nothing.
It doesn’t stop him, though, from stringing together an impressive string of comedically comatose quips and sight gags. It’s vulgar, of course, but without a scintilla of wit or naughtiness.
The screenplay mentions ‘woke” briefly and how the story lacks “diversity.” More cultural box checking, done oh, so briefly and without an ounce of wisdom.
What Smith really wants is to celebrate these characters and set them up for an increasingly maudlin story arc. There’s little interesting here, either, but it’s a respite from the forced antics and recreation of past “Clerks” scenes.
Yes, the film-within-a-film replays moments like the salsa shark, the Pringles can stuck on a customer’s hand and more. There’s little reason to watch this over the original “Clerks.”
Has a director ever screamed, “I have nothing left to say. Nada. Zilch” louder?
And then we have Smith’s cameo parade, suggesting he’s a pretty nice guy off screen who build a Rolodex from extreme loyalty.
Rosario Dawson returns, in a way, and the light she brings to the project proves how much she’s needed in a vehicle like this. Suffice to say she’s not given anything to do or say that’s worthwhile.
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There’s literally one sequence that pops. One. It catches us by surprise, delivers a jaw-dropping smile and makes you remember the wit Smith flashes in his chatty live appearances.
Even Jay and Silent Bob, scene stealers of the first order, can’t make us grin this time ’round.
Need more comic fails? There’s a running gag around kites and one about a devout Christian who becomes a Satanist. Both are even more depressing than they sound.
Smith’s directorial career is a mess, but there are intriguing moments scattered about. “Tusk” is genuinely creepy and raw, while “Red State” is a competent thriller with a glint of social messaging.
Part of the problem is that the “Clerks” mojo has been co-opted by countless YouTubers. They dissect minute elements of “Star Wars” and other pop culture titles, so the Randall/Dante musings are no longer fresh.
Or necessary.
“Clerks III” probably costs as little as any sequel could. And that’s perfectly fine. The cast members remain rough around the edges, too.
Once upon a time Smith made something wonderful from similarly raw materials. “Clerks III” shows he can’t do the same any more.
HiT or Miss: It’s hard to see even Kevin Smith fanboys thinking “Clerks III” is anything but the year’s sorriest sequel.
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Medieval Review: Ben Foster Fails to Resonate in Brutal Czech Epic
Medieval lives up to its title as a barbaric tale of bloody conflict, political machinations, and religious oppression. Ben Foster leads a veteran ensemble as Jan Žižka, a historic Czech warrior renowned for his innovative battle strategies. The violence is stomach-churning. Heads are smashed to a pulp, limbs hacked, women assaulted, and innocents skewered like kebabs as duplicitous nobles vie for control of Europe. If only the script matched the brutal action scenes. Medieval realistically depicts savagery but struggles to form a compelling narrative.
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Zac Efron's Called His Baywatch Body 'Stupid,' But Reveals Now It Totally Messed Him Up
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‘Barbarian’ Gives 2022 Another Gonzo Horror Experience
“Barbarian” may be the movie bargain of the year.
Never mind that gimmicky, $3 a ticket deal. “Barbarian” is three movies in one. Maybe four! How they all fit together is something writer/director Zach Cregger struggles with from start to finish.
And yet “Barbarian” is compulsively watchable, shrewdly crafted and only loses control in the final five minutes.
Georgina Campbell plays Tess, a woman hoping to crash at a rental home before a pivotal job interview in Detroit. Except when she arrives at the modest home it’s already occupied.
The mild-mannered Keith (Bill Skarsgard of “It”fame) also booked the home in question.
The two realize the rental company is to blame, but they make the best of it and split the accommodations. It’s a gentle way to start a thriller and, for a while, possibly the least expected “Meet Cute” moment.
Except the home in question has some secrets Tess can’t even imagine.
And that’s where the Official Plot Description comes to a screeching halt. To reveal more would spoil what Cregger has in store, and that would be darn near criminal.
“Barbarian” is a horror movie, no doubt, but the genre beats are treated with care. Some early camera work makes us uneasy, a perfect frame of mind for what follows.
But what follows, exactly?
The story offers distinct vignettes that clumsily fold atop one another. The more you think about them, the less they coalesce. And yet you’re invested from the opening scene, eager to learn the truth behind the shocks.
Give plenty of credit to Campbell, who proves resourceful as someone far smarter than your average horror movie character.
Until she isn’t.
Cregger has it both ways here, supplying real grit to the storytelling until the narrative demands genre cliches to push the story forward.
Does Cregger even know what’s at the core of his own movie? “Barbarian” plays out like random world building, and by the final moments we’re less eager to revist this landscape.
Your eye-roll meter will hit red, if that helps explain matters.
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Let’s hazard a few educated guesses. The Detroit ‘burb where Tess and Keith meet represents a civilization in decline, and the horrors that unfold showcase that reality. Those who escaped were the lucky ones.
Except the story doesn’t quite sell that angle.
A mother-child subplot suggests what happens when the young generation is neglected, but that seems like a stab in the dark, too.
Campbell and Skarsgard are quite good together, convincing as both wary strangers and two people who have more in common than expected. Justin Long appears, too, playing an arrogant actor accused of a terrible crime.
It’s the second Long movie this month that lets the veteran actor show his darker side.
#Barbarian: Writer/Director Zach Cregger on Takashi Miike’s ‘Audition’ and Other Horror Movies That Influenced His Film [Interview] https://t.co/UryabI6O6F
— Bloody Disgusting (@BDisgusting) September 5, 2022
Every time “Barbarian” feels like it’s closing in on a final revelation the story does a head fake. We get a minor character who delivers some exposition in the grand horror movie tradition, but can he be trusted?
A key character confronts a terrible truth only to deny it seconds later in the most inauthentic way.
“Barbarian” may copy some genre beats, but its originality wins us partially over. Much like the year’s previous horror standout, “Men,” this is one shocker we haven’t seen before. We might have to watch it a few more times, though, to get the big picture – assuming there’s one to be found.
Gonzo horror can be wonderful, but “Barbarian” wants to be both a smart, slick thriller and a dumb as a doornail cult hit. Next time, Cregger should pick a lane, and there’s enough talent on screen to suggest he’ll do just that.
HiT or Miss: “Barbarian” is bold, fresh and shocking at times. It’s also a storytelling mess that loses the thread in its final, delirious moments.
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Florence Pugh Bowing Out Of Another Don't Worry Darling Event After Skipping Venice Press
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Devil in Ohio Review: When Cults Inflitrate Home Life
For many people, cults have been an endless form of fascination, which has heavily bled into the entertainment world in the past couple of years. Streaming platforms like Netflix have become known for their true crime documentaries about serial killers, cults, and everything in between. Audiences have been eating this kind of content up, whether through listening to their daily podcast or turning on the television. Some say this interest stems from the fact that it is true and unbelievable in everyday life, hence many people’s obsession with true crime as a genre. Regardless, Netflix has released a new limited series titled Devil in Ohio, which might be adapted from a novel, but definitely feels like something relevant to the world today.
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John Boyega Provides An Update On Attack The Block 2
Don’t Worry Darling Earns 5-Minute Applause At Venice Film Festival, But The Early Reviews Are More Mixed
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How ‘House of Darkness’ Fumbles MeToo Scares
Neil LaBute mastered the cinematic art of sexual politics long before “Me Too” entered the lexicon.
LaBute’s “In the Company of Men,” followed by the nasty “Your Friends & Neighbors,” defined his early career until clunkers like “The Wicker Man” remake and the unseen “Dirty Weekend” slowed his roll.
So it makes sense his latest project, “House of Darkness,” revisits his early themes through a MeToo-approved filter.
What’s missing? A story eager to grab us and a central character worth our disdain.
Meet Hap (Justin Long). He met a gorgeous woman at a bar named Mina (Kate Bosworth), and he graciously gave her a ride home. Chivalry isn’t dead.
Even better for him? She doesn’t want the night to end there.
She all but drags him into her spacious home, or rather castle. That’s important for several reasons we won’t spoil here.
Hap and Mina drink and flirt and flirt some more, but why does he keep seeing images out of the corner of his eyes?
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Let’s be clear. LaBute couldn’t make “In the Company of Men” today … unless The Daily Wire or another unwoke company forked up the cash. So he reverse engineered the sexual dynamics to fit Hollywood’s new agenda.
Cowardly? Perhaps. Then again, why would LaBute revisit his greatest hits? Been there, crushed that.
What’s clear is “House of Darkness” is a slog with a finale that, while shocking, doesn’t justify the wait. The film’s restrictive settings – much of the story happens in a single room – hardly help. Nor does endless banter that feels like it’s playing on a condescending loop.
It’s interesting to hear LaBute reveal the new dating rules, from Hap’s overly accommodating mien to the wolf lurking below the surface. The director is plugged into today’s dating culture, but it doesn’t make “House of Darkness” any more engaging.
We get the cut of Hap’s jib early on, so every new line proves disposable. Except Hap’s shtick is meant to carry the movie.
House of Darkness, 2022: Official poster
“A man is invited to a mysterious woman’s home for a nightcap after meeting at a local bar, but the evening doesn’t follow the usual path toward seduction once they step through her front door.”
Starring Justin Long and Kate Bosworth. pic.twitter.com/Mvk4DUj9tv
— Fear Catalogue (@FearCatalogue) July 27, 2022
Long’s casting presents both an opportunity and a problem. The actor’s puppy dog demeanor, think likable Joes in “Jeepers Creepers” and “Drag Me to Hell,” makes audiences rally by his side. Hap is so wildly insincere, though, that he quickly loses our trust.
Fine. Good. That’s partially the point. Now, you’re stuck with a deeply unpleasant character tasked with carrying the film. You’ll wish Jason, Freddy or Pinhead would take him out, stat.
Instead, we get even more unctuous dialogue, all devised to make himself sound like the good guy.
He’s not a monster, just a fraud. Nor does he post a threat to Mina, but if she leads him on he’ll gladly oblige.
Harvey Weinstein, he ain’t.
That dynamic, plus a near complete lack of surprise, sinks “House of Darkness.” There’s little to be alarmed about beyond one neat jump scare. And the film’s resolution hardly merits the protracted build-up even though the running time is, on paper, a crisp 90 minutes.
Equally murky? The power dynamic favors Mina, who has control over every aspect of their potential one-night stand. Her beauty, and orchestrated mystery, keep Hap off balance from the very first exchange.
That connects to superior films like “Promising Young Woman,” which also assumed men were potential savages. That film boasted a strong turn from Carey Mulligan and some intriguing twists.
“House of Darkness” has just one card up its sleeve, and anyone who can’t take an educated guess at it just isn’t trying.
HIT or Miss: Neil LaBute’s knack for exploring sexual politics fails him in the flat genre exercise “House of Darkness.” It also packs the most generic title in recent memory.
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Watch Brendan Fraser’s Emotional Reaction As His Comeback Movie The Whale Receives A Standing Ovation
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Here’s How James Caan Stole ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’
The recent loss of James Caan at the age 82 inspired hundreds of articles recalling his work in “The Godfather” (1972), “Rollerball” (1975), “Thief” (1981) and “Misery” (1990).
To that astonishing list of achievements, I’d add “The Rain People” (1969), “For the Boys” (1991) and “Flesh and Bone” (1993). Nevertheless, as we review Caan’s long list of great works, few ever note that, in addition to being such a dynamic dramatic actor, he was also really funny.
Case in point: “Honeymoon in Vegas,” where he essentially got to play Sonny Corleone, his iconic character from “The Godfather,” in a comic setting. It’s the same way Marlon Brando got to send up Vito Corleone in “The Freshmen” (1990).
Both “The Freshman” and “Honeymoon in Vegas” were both written and directed by Andrew Bergman, an underrated comic maestro.
Bergman’s “Honeymoon in Vegas” (1992) begins like a melodrama, then immediately shifts into a deadpan farce. We meet our hangdog protagonist, Jack, played by Nicolas Cage, who is at the bedside of his dying mother (the late, always great Anne Bancroft).
A genuinely dramatic moment becomes cartoonish when Bancroft’s controlling mother demands her son remain single forever, then dies. Cage bellows, “I promise I won’t get married!” It’s not the last time Cage screams his punchlines.
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The opening credits are a cartoon, a popular touch at the time. Think “Ruthless People” (1986), “Mannequin” (1987), “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” (1989) and the Peter Sellers-less Pink Panther installments.
Jack eventually flies Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) to Las Vegas, where he assures her that he’ll marry her, but he drags his feet throughout the day. Betsy senses this and encourages Jack to partake in a friendly poker game being held by a professional gambler named Tommy Korman (Caan).
Jack plays poker while Betsy is outside in the pool for such a long time, you’d assume she’s suffered a heat stroke.
We know Korman has fixed the game and is trapping Jack into letting him “borrow” Betsy for a weekend. Before we get into the dubious premise, lets discuss the colorful supporting cast.
There’s a running gag with a character whose intro line is, “My wife is having an affair with Mike Tyson.” He’s played by Robert Costanzo, (he was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s work buddy in “Total Recall.”
These scenes are a cracked spin on the Jack Nicholson/Burt Young opener of “Chinatown.”
John Capodice (a character actor I grew up knowing as the face of Poli-O string cheese) plays a dedicated dentist. “Niko” is Danny Kamekona, Sato of “The Karate Kid Part II” (1986) and the character is a nice response to the stereotypical expectations we assume the role would bring.
Ditto Pat Morita’s hilarious turn, playing a con man who pretends to be a clueless local to stump Jack’s attempts to reunite with Betsy. Morita is speaking pidgin English and racks up the laughs but without resorting to stereotypical tropes.
“Mahi” is sharp – I would have welcomed an entire movie of Cage and Morita.
Yes, that’s Bruno Mars in a cameo – it was unforgettable in 1992 and now is, oddly, the least interesting thing he’s accomplished in his amazing career. Then there’s Caan, who never plays any of this for a laugh, which is why he’s so funny.
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The Kauai portion is exquisite, with the camera flying to the shore while Willie Nelson’s ravishing “Blue Hawaii” plays. Arriving in theaters during July/August of 1992, the Kauai portion created nervous, unintentional laughter in the Maui movie theater where I saw this on opening night, as Hurricane Iniki (which famously trashed the island and interrupted the filming of “Jurassic Park”) was going on.
“Honeymoon in Vegas” mocks the outsider/mainlander perspective towards Hawaii. Cage’s line, “There’s sections of Kauai” speaks to the tourist ignorance of a fleeting awareness of Hawaii not being anything like “Gilligan’s Island” or the setting of an Elvis movie.
Then Peter Boyle shows up and ruins how much I love this portion of the movie. His “Chief Orman” is a puzzle to me – is the character another grifter who was hired to take Jack’s time, an insane white man who thinks he’s a Hawaiian chief living in a shack or does Boyle think he’s playing a Polynesian?
I don’t know. I hate this part of the movie.
FAST FACT: “Honeymoon in Vegas” snared a respectable $35 million at the U.S. box office in 1992. The year’s biggest smash? “Batman Returns ($162 million).
As for the iffy premise, it’s chaste, at least until the moment when Korman tells Betsy, “I like you better au naturale.” Is he saying that to be cute or did they recently sleep together, and the movie just isn’t showing or telling us?
Except for this moment, Bergman’s screenplay wisely voices what the audience is thinking. When Parker cries, “You took me to Vegas and turned me into a whore,” the line hits because, yes, it’s funny, but she’s also right.
Adrian Lyne’s slick “Indecent Proposal” (1993) arrived just months later. That film took this premise seriously and managed to romanticize the concept.
Here, we’re obviously rooting for Jack to get his act together and rescue Betsy from Korman, who doesn’t reveal himself to be a truly rotten creep until his final minutes of screen time.
“Indecent Proposal,” on the other hand, presented Demi Moore having to choose between her husband, played by Woody Harrelson, or the millionaire who offers a $1 million for a night with her, played by Robert Redford; in that film, we’re rooting for the latter, as he’s suave, sophisticated upgrade from her husband.
“Honeymoon in Vegas” may be a comedy but, unlike “Indecent Proposal,” it’s not a complete fantasy.
This arrived during the time the U.S. was still deep into their Elvis mania (which has been somewhat reignited, thanks to Baz Luhrman’s recent “Elvis”).
“Honeymoon in Vegas” was in the company of the highly rated TV movie “Elvis and Me,” the “Elvis” TV series (with Michael St. Gerard as The King), the Elvis postage stamp and the nonstop reports from the cover of grocery store scandal magazines of Elvis sightings.
Nicolas Cage runs off with Laura Dern while doing his best Elvis impression: an appreciation of ‘Wild at Heart.’ https://t.co/IoZ66bvaww
— Film School Rejects (@rejectnation) May 31, 2022
If you count “Wild At Heart” (1990), then this is Cage’s second film as Elvis. Also, the scene of Cage running down the Vegas strip is a strange precursor to “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995) and, weirdly, even “Con Air” (1997).
There’s an odd synergy to many of Cage’s films.
The biggest contrivance here is one I caught even the first time I saw this – how on Earth does the announcer at the Vegas show (it sounds like Don Pardo) know to call Jack’s name, let alone at a perfectly timed moment, when Betsy and Korman can hear it?
It doesn’t matter, as it at least gives us one of the funniest lines, as Jack reunited with Betsy, who is dressed like a Vegas showgirl (for reasons too contrived to explain) and Jack innocently asks, “Did you get a job here?”
As Cage eras go, this was an interesting time for him. His stint as a quirky character actor (“Birdy,” “Raising Arizona,” “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “Wild At Heart”) gave way to his romantic comedy phase (this movie and “It Could Happen to You” and the cutesy “Guarding Tess”).
He then embraced his serious side (his Oscar-winning turn in “Leaving Las Vegas”) before a sudden immersion into big action movies (“Con Air,” “The Rock” and “Face/Off”).
He managed a few prestige dramas in between.
It says much about Cage’s career that he once made a movie where he jumped out of a plane dressed as Elvis Presley, wearing a jump suit full of Christmas lights, and it’s among the most mainstream films of his career.
Bruno Mars played Little Elvis in HONEYMOON IN VEGAS. pic.twitter.com/RTpaKcU3dl
— Isaac Feldberg (@isaacfeldberg) March 27, 2021
Caan, on the other hand, made other comedies, like the unfortunate “Mickey Blue Eyes” (1999) and the holiday classic “Elf” (2003); the latter performance works because Caan isn’t playing for laughs but naturally connects to what makes the character funny.
It’s the same reason he’s so good in “Honeymoon in Vegas” and among the reasons this looney treasure allows Caan’s no-nonsense performance to give it some real comic bite.
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