It’s hard to pass up an opportunity to go down the proverbial rabbit hole with Kiefer Sutherland, so when Paramount+ dangles a Kiefer carrot in front of you, basically you just want to dive in. As he did in his Emmy-winner turn in 24 and later, in Designated Survivor, Sutherland plays another conflicted character in his new series, Rabbit Hole.
Tetris takes viewers on the dangerous and high-stakes efforts to secure the smash video game's licensing rights in late '80s Moscow. The blocks mostly align in an espionage-styled thriller accompanied by 8-bit visual effects. The narrative progresses through higher levels as the characters, aka players, vie for the lucrative prize. The cloak-and-dagger plotting works in the first two acts before taking a hyperbolic turn. An exaggerated finale feels preposterous. Nonetheless, Tetris succeeds at showing Communism's iron grip of oppression, brutal tactics, and rampant corruption.
Recently dumped strangers make a romantic connection over the course of an eventful day in vibrant London. Rye Lane enchants with imaginative filmmaking, dynamic settings, and hilarious lead actors. Director Raine Allen-Miller astounds in her feature debut, crafting a whimsical journey where polar opposites discover an undeniable magnetic attraction. They learn the value of being appreciated without sacrificing yourself for narcissistic and indulgent partners. True love blooms with acceptance and just the right amount of tension. Your heart will swoon between bouts of raucous laughter in this great new rom-com.
A horror movie actress gets stuck in her hotel's freight elevator with a seemingly shy and reserved camera man in Stalker, an ultra-lean thriller that ebbs and flows with palpable tension. It realizes the frightening scenario of being trapped in a confined space with a creepy stranger. Claustrophobia becomes the least of their problems as the elevator threatens to fall. But something about the situation triggers worse suspicions when prior events come to light. There are twists aplenty as the characters struggle to deal with their predicament and the unknown other. Audiences may see the big reveal coming, but the ride is enjoyable nonetheless.
Bruce Wayne battles an ancient evil while confronting a sinister legacy in the 1920s. Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham adapts Mike Mignola and Richard Pace's classic DC Elseworlds comic book series into a twisted animated tale. The Dark Knight must shed reason and logic to understand a supernatural enemy spawned from the depths of Hell. A lifetime of running away from his parents' murder must be faced with tragic consequences. Demons, monsters, and ghastly mutants abound in this somber Batman narrative. The dots aren't smoothly connected but lead to a shocking climax with an unexpected twist.
Elaborate conspiracy theories about aliens are not a novel concept, nor are conspiracy theories about other people and the way they live, too. It can be heartbreaking to watch a parent, loved one, or friend delve into a realm of things that may seem impossible to others, utilizing these theories to justify certain aspects of their life. When it seems like it’s hurting others and themselves, it becomes a major cause for concern.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves finally gives fans of the beloved role-playing game a superb adaption. And not to worry neophytes, you'll be laughing and cheering along with the die-hard cosplay crowd. A clever script, banner visual effects, and great cast chemistry captures every tenet of a rousing fantasy adventure. The filmmakers wisely avoided missteps that plague the genre and ruined previous efforts. My only minor quibble is the long runtime. Scenes of the characters extensive travels could have been truncated.
Role-playing games have survived the digital age, so it makes sense to bring the OG version to the big screen.
“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” would draw a crowd based on name recognition alone. Add Chris Pine and “Furious” regular Michelle Rodriguez, and the box office battle is almost won.
Sound cynical? Sure, but Hollywood made us that way.
The minds behind “Honor Among Thieves” refused to stop there.
Phew.
The film, while way too long, is consistently witty and wise. The story bounces from a fatherly quest to save a child to lessons about the value of persistence. Add a sweet turn from “Bridgerton” alum Rege-Jean Page and Hugh Grant as a villain so conniving you (almost) want him to win, and you know what happens next?
Sequelization, thou art approved!
Pine and Rodriquez play Edgin and Holga, a thieving duo stuck in a prison for their misdeeds. They comically escape, eager to reunite with Edgin’s pre-teen daughter and their old thieving chums.
They’re not hardened criminals, but life threw them one too many curveballs.
Except they learn their old friend Forge (Grant) installed himself as royalty in their absence. He also cared for Edgin’s daughter like her own pappy, telling lies about Edgin to alienate the two.
Now, Edgin and Holga must rescue the youngster from Forge’s grasp while staying ahead of his sorcerer/bodyguard (given a venomous rage by Daisy Head).
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It won’t be so easy.
They have some quests to tackle, dead bodies to interrogate and internal bickering to sort out. They also recruit a few curious cohorts, including a meek Elven wizard (Justice Jesse Smith) and a shape-shifting teen (“It” standout Sophia Lillis).
Pine is as charismatic as ever, but this time he’s more a schemer than a fighter. Holga picks up that slack, and then some, but she never gives off that aggravating Mary Sue vibe. She’s flawed, all right, but relentlessly brave.
Who better than Rodriguez to wrangle that combination?
“Honor Among Thieves” puts plenty of energy into its comic beats, which roll from start to finish with few breaks in between. Silly bits, running gags and more, it’s all handled adeptly by the large cast.
The film even sneaks in a killer cameo that won’t be spoiled here.
So why must the movie push well past the two-hour mark? Several scenes could be clipped without anyone caring, and the film’s breezy spirit would get a jolt. This kind of adventure should wrap in a tidy fashion, not make us wonder how much longer the good times must roll.
The saga avoids the woke tease supplied by directors Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley, and audiences will savor the positive messaging that never hits us over the head.
Fathers will do anything to protect their daughters, and surrender isn’t an option when you’re fighting for something that matters.
Game devotees will cheer the visuals, via the semi-state of the art CGI, and the various beasties who inhabit this strange realm.
And who isn’t relishing Grant’s career revival? He proved a fascinating rogue in the HBO Max saga “The Undoing,” brightened Guy Ritchie’s “The Gentlemen” and proves a wonderfully nuanced baddie here.
Plus, he was fantastic during that three-second cameo in “Glass Onion!”
Yes, Forge is a monster, but his devotion to Edgin’s daughter is absolute. Hate him at your own risk.
“D&D” could have phoned so much in, but the relentlessly clever script means nearly every scene delivers a smile, a laugh or some derring-do of the highest order.
You don’t have to be a Dungeon Master to think “Honor Among Thieves” is a can’t-miss treat worthy of the franchise treatment.
HiT or Miss: “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” delivers the year’s biggest grins. Now, can we slice and dice 15 minutes out and make it even better?
The post ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Rolls a 20 appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
An African teen immigrant and her adopted little brother are ruthlessly exploited in a Belgian city. Tori and Lokita, winner of the Cannes Film Festival Special 75th Anniversary Award, shows the unvarnished dangers and sexual predation faced by minors seeking legal status. Those on the fringe of society are susceptible to criminals who feed on desperation. They toil in the shadows with no recourse for justice. French auteurs Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne take a searing approach to ugly truths.
Sally Hawkins shines in the incredible true story of an indomitable woman who achieved an extraordinary feat. The Lost King chronicles the discovery of King Richard III's burial site by Philippa Langley; a divorced, chronically ill mother of two who refused to be discounted. She adamantly pursued her dream in the face of derision and insulting academics. The film uses fantasy elements to accompany Philippa on her search. She imagines talking to Richard III when no one else believes in her. Experts aren't infallible. A regular person with guts, intellect, and willpower can prove them wrong.
Last Sentinel takes place in a dystopian future after a catastrophic rise in sea levels. Two continents remain on opposite sides of the world in a battle for dwindling resources. Four soldiers from the South guard an outpost in the middle of a vast ocean. They are the first watch for any impending attack in a war that has gone cold for forty years. The film attempts thoughtful discourse on climate change, humanity's destructive nature, and paranoid xenophobia in a desolate setting. It gets credit for creating a gloomy atmosphere but runs out of steam. The mystery that drives the narrative lingers for too long into a banal finale.
Zach Braff writes and directs a well-acted but overdramatic story that squeezes your eyeballs like oranges. A Good Person will have audiences crying buckets of tears. Florence Pugh stars as a promising young woman whose life is destroyed by a tragic accident. She descends into painkiller addiction and suicidal thoughts after accidentally killing her beloved fiancé's sister and husband. Eventually, she finds an unexpected friend and supportive ally in his father, who's left to care for their orphaned daughter. Fleeting moments of levity somewhat alleviates heavy themes, but the characters' crushing sadness takes an emotional toll during a long runtime.
The Tutor travels to palatial mansions in the New York City suburbs. He makes a good living as a private instructor for wealthy offspring. A dream opportunity for big money is too good to pass up with a pregnant girlfriend, but gets more than he bargained for with an obsessive new student. What begins as a curious fixation transforms into something treacherous and sinister. Past secrets come to light that substantially reframes the narrative. The film suffers from major logic flaws but keeps you hooked to a pulpy climax with a devilish turn.
The “Fast & Furious” saga officially jumped the shark when two “family” members found themselves in outer space in the ninth installment.
C’mon, man!
The “John Wick” franchise hasn’t reached that point. “John Wick: Chapter 4” offers more blistering action, salacious kills and new characters sure to keep fans cheering.
But dear Mr. Wick, played with deadpan panache by Keanu Reeves, is a tad on the indestructible side this time around. That’s not just courtesy of his Kevlar suit which repels bullets with ease.
That unwelcome shift, and a third-act bid for sympathy that falls oddly flat, suggest the next “Wick” adventure may soon go the full “Furious.”
For now, “Chapter 4” is a delirious blast brimming with guilty pleasures, glorious destruction and death.
So. Much. Death.
The “John Wick” films are doing their part to reduce the planet’s population one sick kill at a time.
The story opens with John still adrift from the High Table, the assassin network that turned on him in a big way during “John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum.” Now, he’s scrambling to officially sever ties with the group before it severs him from his ability to breathe.
And, we assume, hit the nearest animal rescue. Dude loves dogs.
That means a reunion with old friends, from Ian McShane’s Winston and his trusty concierge Charon (Lance Reddick, who tragically died days before the film’s release) to newly discovered pals. That includes Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada) and his daughter (singer/actress Rina Sawayama), a skilled fighter who cries out for a spinoff franchise.
Then again, so did Halle Berry in “Parabellum” and we’ve yet to see that happen.
John learns of a tricky path to freedom, but it means joining forces with a Russian clan none too eager to embrace him. And, of course, keeping dozens and dozens of assassins off his scent.
A kindhearted soul, a wonderful human, and a true friend. Be seeing you, Lance Reddick. pic.twitter.com/btBpdjLY5d
— John Wick: Chapter 4 (@JohnWickMovie) March 17, 2023
Two particular killers grab John’s attention (and ours). Donnie Yen plays Caine, a High Table killer tasked with offing his old friend. A job’s a job, but Caine doesn’t have to like it.
Caine is blind, but that hardly slows him down. It’s one of many elements that must be ignored to fully engage with the story. Yen makes that easier, courtesy of the star’s quiet charisma and sly fighting style.
There’s also Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson), another assassin who loves dogs AND is eager to get rich via John’s scalp.
The film’s gargantuan run time must be filled, of course, which means John challenges the High Table’s Marquis (Bill SkarsgÃ¥rd) to a duel. Yes, Skarsgard’s cold-hearted leader adds another sublime character in a series flooded with them.
The most unexpected treat? Meet Killa (an unrecognizable Scott Adkins buried in a fat suit). He’s a mountain of a man, and his presence (and fighting chops) give “Chapter 4” a mid-film NOS boost.
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The latest “Wick” joins the pantheon of, “oh my gosh, is this movie gonna end?” running times. No film of its ilk should flirt with the three-hour mark, but “Wick” rarely leaves us bored. The action sequences are deliberate, intense and robustly fresh.
You’d think director Chad Stahelski would run out of novel ways to kill random thugs. Not even close. Each action smorgasbord serves up inventive chaos amidst production design appropriately multiple cultures with glee.
The 58-year-old Reeves never reveals the passage of time, even if he’s rarely called upon to, you know, act.
You may feel queasy thinking about how numb we’ve become to the corpse stacking up like cordwood courtesy of the “Wick” franchise. And if you try to piece the plot together your brain may start to hurt.
Leave that for another day. We’re here for big-screen adventure, and “Chapter 4” delivers … and delivers … and (well, it is 169 minutes long!).
HiT or Miss: “John Wick: Chapter 4” delivers a spirited ride that demands you let it wash over you without thinking about any one element too long.
The post ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Shows Series Isn’t Dead (Yet) appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
The film industry, whether it is in the United States or Europe, does not have the greatest track record when it comes to taking care of its actors, especially when they are children. Whether it is the Golden Age of Hollywood or the rise of child star shows on family networks in the 2000s, stories about the impacts of the industry on children as they grow up have been far too common. Growing up in such an environment has completely changed some children, leaving them far worse than if they had never stepped foot on a movie set. One new French movie is tackling this subject matter and won one of the biggest awards at the Cannes Film Festival because of it: The Worst Ones, or, as it is known in French, Les Pires.
Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou keeps you guessing with a convoluted period murder mystery that hooks until the final frame. Full River Red tells the origins of a famous poem from the Song Dynasty; where general and national hero, Yue Fei, was betrayed by a traitorous politician who rose to powerful prominence. The film blends dark humor, suspense, and Machiavellian deceptions in a labyrinthine whodunit. There's enough backstabbing here to warrant an extra order of knives. Slick camera work and cinematography keeps the adrenaline pumping when duplicity treads long.
A pair of Canadian high schoolers document their senior year in cinéma vérité fashion. Therapy Dogs takes place in 2019 at Cawthra Park Secondary School in the suburbs of Toronto. Besties Ethan Eng and Justin Morrice use guerilla filmmaking tactics to capture their lives at a pivotal time. The teens blend truth and fantasy in a frenetic, quick edits exploration of burgeoning adulthood. They get style points for creativity but weakly address serious themes. Therapy Dogs can best be described as a ninety-minute TikTok video of partying, drugs, petty vandalism, and infantile behavior. They embody the carefree existence of first-world middle-class youth.
A hot-headed misfit with adrenaline in her veins steals motorcycles for a dirt bike gang but makes enemies along the way. Rodeo, Un Certain Regard winner at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, kicks the throttle in high gear for a mesmerizing street urchin. Julia (Julie Ledru) lives by her own rules and takes whatever she needs to survive. Her reckless endeavors fuel an unyielding desire to ride and be free. But her brazen attitude and raw sexuality stokes different reactions from the machismo-dripping boys club.
DC superhero films take themselves too seriously.
Sometimes that yields epic storytelling, like the “Dark Knight” trilogy while Zack Snyder’s DC yarns cry out for comic relief (and a respite from those steel gray tones).
The “Shazam” franchise provides the universe’s palate cleaner.
It’s sweet to a fault, avoids ambition at all costs and makes for a light, forgettable time at the movies. On all those counts “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is the perfect sequel to the perfectly acceptable 2019 film.
A slick prologue introduces us to two furious gods with bad intentions. Hespera (Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu) steal an ancient weapon from a museum, a sequence that marries the saga’s signature humor with crisp superhero beats.
We’re then reunited with Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and his alter ego, Shazam (Zachary Levi, having oodles of fun). He wants to lead his super heroic clan of adopted children, but they bristle at his commandments.
They happily rally to save citizens trapped on a collapsing bridge, but family bickering seems like their true calling.
That slight subplot fades when the double threat of Hespera and Kalypso emerges. They have designs on an item that will give them enough power to conquer the globe, and it’s up to Family Shazam to stop them.
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Adding intrigue to the story is a new love interest for Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), a teen who has a secret all her own. That’s “West Side Story” alum Rachel Zegler adding even more charm to the proceedings.
It’s all about the charm for the “Shazam!” franchise. The agreeable cast and all-star newbies like Mirren understand the modest stakes at play. Yes, the world is on the brink of collapse, but the story cares more about the foster kids summoning the strength to be a family above all else.
Returning director David F. Sandberg understands the necessary tone and never wavers from it. Even the cool presence of Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard can’t withstand the sweet story in play, pushing yuks over everything else.
The film’s third act brims with old-school monsters like a one-eyed beast who resembles something out of Ray Harryhausen’s imagination. We’re also treated to the most obvious product placement in recent memory, even more blunt than the Reese’s Pieces moments from “E.T.”
“Fury of the Gods” promised a more inclusive story, so we’re told one of the family members is gay via two awkward screen moments that last roughly six seconds. Maybe seven.
Score one for diversity!
Otherwise, “Fury of the Gods” loses some steam mid-film but rallies during its action-packed finale. Plus, we’re treated to a super secret cameo sure to create more online buzz than anything else assembled here.
HiT or Miss: “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is light and easily digested, the kind of superhero froth that makes the genre look small but inviting.
The post ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Keeps the Good Times Rolling appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
Let's face it, true crime stories can be a little gross. There's a kind of 'should I be enjoying this' feeling (that's thrilling for some) when watching Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story on Netflix or listening to the My Favorite Murder podcast. With its 2,720 episodes, Dateline has brought about 2,700 murders to audiences, televising the pain of thousands of victims. The ethical problem of true crime is how to present a real story in an enlightening or entertaining fashion without cheaply exploiting the heartbreak of everyone involved, and most projects honestly fail that test.
Billy Batson and his scrappy foster family test their superheroes' mettle against an ancient threat with a deadly grievance. Shazam! Fury of the Gods brings a much-needed levity, humor, and heart infusion to a comic book genre that's been dour and depressing. Kids grow up and have to face adult problems, but reach their true potential when given the chance. The fun sequel improves on the original by taking the characters to the next logical phase of their development. It's not all chuckles with solid action thrills and just enough darkness to make the villains truly menacing.
The zombie film “Follow the Dead” has more on its mind than just brains.
The Irish comedy marks the latest addition to the over-stuffed genre, but those hungry for clever kills and gore will come away disappointed.
“Follow the Dead” cares more about its deeply flawed heroes and how Millennials might process a city swamped by the undead.
Spoiler alert: They’re not prepared, a point the film makes in a gentle, but impressive fashion.
Robbie (Luke Corcoran) interrupts what appears to be a successful date by sneaking a peek at his Tinder-style app. She glances at her phone and sees video zombie-like creatures attacking people in nearby Dublin.
It’s just a prank, he assures her, setting the film’s Fake News-style commentary in motion. What do we believe these days, and what should be dismissed as an attempt at viral infamy?
Robbie’s mates, one of whom proudly wears a Bernie Sanders T-shirt, are similarly confused by the videos flooding their phones. The local government summons them to a town hall-style meeting that does little to calm their nerves.
Meanwhile, a band of masked-up anarchists uses the distraction for its own purposes.
The film uncorks a subplot involving an immigrant-run bar, a thread that intersects with the societal chaos and grants the story texture. The film’s wry humor, which starts with that doomed date and never relents, flows from its cheeky cast.
Director Adam William Cahill isn’t content to rest on genre staples. His “Dead” examines the cultural reaction to a possible undead outbreak more than serving up B-movie theatrics. His budget may be minuscule, but the film’s ambitions soar beyond the humble production design.
Dark Irish comedy Follow the Dead is an award winning chiller lighting up the festival circuit. We spoke to the films director Adam William Cahill about horror and more: https://t.co/CkXcY2P7v6 pic.twitter.com/VaCSDquMy8
— LoveHorror.co.uk (@LoveHorror) April 10, 2022
The film suffers from pacing problems early on, and viewers may not sense where the story is heading. Soon, Robbie’s man-child past comes into focus, as does his relationship with Kate (Cristina Ryan), a police officer juggling her feelings for him and the zombie threat.
“Shawn of the Dead” also showed a slacker realizing he needs to grow up, and fast if he wants to survive. “Follow the Dead” is more expansive, suggesting Millennials lean on government handouts while their lives, and agency, decay.
That leaves them unprepared for what life has in store for them. A zombie apocalypse is the worst-case scenario, of course, but these young men and women could be swamped by much, much less.
In a way, they already are.
Liv (Marybeth Herron) cares more about her Influencer career than living a fully-realized life. The Chi (Tadhg Devery) has little ambition beyond hanging with his mates. The kind-hearted Jay (Luke Collins) is content to collect government checks.
The zombie film genre continues to deliver in ways we rarely expect. “The Last of Us” is the new “Walking Dead,” and indies like “Follow the Dead” remind us these shuffling ghouls still have plenty to say.
HiT or Miss: “Follow the Dead” is the latest twist to the zombie genre, a droll dissection of Millennial angst.
The post ‘Follow the Dead’ Proves Smarter Than Your Average Zom-Comedy appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
Who doesn't love a heist movie? Righteous Thieves certainly shoots its shot. Steven Soderbergh's reboot trilogy of the original film was so good that it's now getting a Ryan Gosling-led prequel, speaking of. But back to Lionsgate's release, which is now in select theaters, on digital and on demand. The title says it all: a well-meaning ragtag crew of crooks out to put their tricks to work for a good cause.
Suddenly, the Ted Lasso theme song is downright prophetic. In it, Marcus Mumford and Tom Howe croon: “Yeah, it might be all that you get/Yeah, I guess this might well be it.” While there’s no “official” word that season three of Apple TV+’s award-winning hit is its last, creator/star Jason Sudeikis has noted to Entertainment Tonight that, “the idea was to do three years” with the show and the creative team have told the story they needed to tell. Even Brett Goldstein, who plays the crusty Roy Kent, noted that season three would be the series' final bow, telling the Sunday Times last June that, "We are writing it like that. It was planned as three [seasons].”
All the World is Sleeping follows a desperate young mother through a harrowing journey of opiates addiction and generational instability. Chama, brilliantly portrayed by Melisa Barrera, was written as a composite character from the gut-wrenching true stories of seven New Mexico women. Their struggles with pregnancy and drug abuse breathes life into a protagonist crying for help as she spirals out of control. Chama cannot break free of her mother's tragic legacy. She continues on the same path filled with self-loathing and searing guilt for her parental failures. There are no easy answers in a powerfully dramatic film with heavy themes.
To be honest upfront, John Wick: Chapter 4 is not the greatest action movie ever made, because of course it's not. That's a ridiculous expectation to place on any film. Over the past decade, though, the franchise has legitimized the idea; it's been so fantastic that, sure, one could feasibly expect this next installment to be the best action film of all time. Beyond all the history and hype, though, a more realistic and authoritative view emerges — John Wick 4 is excellent. It's silly, a bit repetitive, and overlong at nearly three hours, and yet it is so overstuffed with jaw-dropping perfection (from a single shot to a whole sequence), it's hard to call it anything but incredible from the perspective of an action fan.
Imagine that your whole life has been conditioned and developed so that you'd become one specific type of person, who fits the mold that your family and environment want you to. What happens when you realize that you're a square peg in a round hole, and that everything you've been taught does not correlate with how you feel? Most people repress this and continue on as expected, fighting their identity, boxing the mirror while they live the life others expect them to.
Almost 40 years after the release of the critically acclaimed masterpiece Amadeus, veteran actor F. Murray Abraham (The White Lotus) returns to the Mozart scene — on the big screen, that is. The Magic Flute is now in theaters nationwide and benefits from the backing of Roland Emmerich, who is also working on the upcoming Gladiator film, speaking of. But in the meantime, young musicians and opera lovers can enjoy The Magic Flute, though the rest of the cinema-going population might just turn at the river, as they say.
What role does art have in our survival? That question never gets asked in movies about survival; characters are usually too busy sawing off their own arm or killing a bear and climbing inside its corpse for warmth. And yet, for many people, surviving would be meaningless without art — without writing, storytelling, music, visual arts, films, etc. Art, however one may define it (or refuse to), can be essential for meaning-making.
Spoiler WarningThe Last of Us reaches its season one conclusion by exactly capturing the videogame's shocking ending. Joel (Pedro Pascal) makes a fateful decision. He can either save the world or the life of the surrogate daughter who filled the void in his aching heart. Every parent understands there is no choice. Joel would never let anyone harm Ellie (Bella Ramsey). If only showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann had stuck to the dramatic discipline that made the show's execution flawless to this point. "Look for the Light" plays out like a first-person shooter in the bloody climax. It felt staged and improbable in a series that had portrayed humanity's downfall with such gripping realism.
A detective and professor hunt a murderous witchdoctor who mutilates his victims for a nefarious purpose. The Ritual Killer carves hapless innocents on two continents with law enforcement literally right on his heels. The disjointed narrative poorly connects two awkward storylines while deviating from the point. Strange flashback scenes explain the primary character's internal grief but have no impact on the actual plot. It amounts to unnecessary exposition and filler that strains the pacing for an already lean runtime. Former NFL star Vernon Davis is the only high point as a scarred and merciless antagonist.
A pilot from an advanced civilization and frightened girl try to escape the terrors of Pangean Earth after crash landing. 65 blends Jurassic Park and Alien in a survival story chock-full of nasty critters in a hellish environment. The protagonists face everything from the colossal Tyrannosaurus Rex to prehistoric insects and scalding geysers. All the pieces are present for an engaging sci-fi action-thriller with father-and-daughter themes. But 65 fails to resonate with a predictable storyline and rote delivery. A melodramatic subplot also adds weight that cripples pacing. It's a disappointing outcome for a film that had every element for success.
You won’t find many surprises in the basketball comedy “Champions.”
A down-on-his-luck coach gets a second chance thanks to a team of special needs athletes. The squad coalesces around the coach and finds the will to win.
That’s not a spoiler alert. It’s built into the story’s DNA from the jump (get it?).
What “Champions” demands is a charismatic lead, palpable life lessons and a smidge of romance for good measure.
The film checks all those boxes and goes one step further. The film’s athletes crush their line readings every time, with one player lapping them all.
Woody Harrelson plays Marcus, a minor league basketball coach who can’t control his tongue … or the rest of his body.
He’s canned after an on-court explosion, and one DUI later he’s looking at the hoosegow. His salvation? A judge sentences him to community service coaching a team of special needs players.
He’ll do anything to avoid jail, but this scenario is the ultimate insult for someone who dreams of coaching in the NBA.
Or so he thinks.
Meet Cosentino (Madison Tevlin), Johnny (Kevin Iannucci), and the rest of the Friends. They’re sweet, hard-working and know little about Basketball 101. They quickly connect with Marcus, who understands he’ll need to spend 90 days with them, so he better make the best of it.
The odd coupling works, as does Marcus’ bond with Johnny’s sister, Alex (Kaitlin Olson of “It’s Always Sunny” fame).
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Director Bobby Farrelly, one half of the duo who gave us “Kingpin,” “There’s Something About Mary” and more, brings out the best in his cast (including Cheech Marin and Ernie Hudson). That means Olson’s Alex exemplifies a 40-something woman hiding behind the wall she built around her heart, and Harrelson’s Marcus doesn’t know a good thing when it lands in his lap.
Farrelly’s Friends prove adept at the film’s gentle, consistent humor. The screenplay doesn’t mock the athletes nor ignore their challenges. And the young cast could teach their Hollywood peers a lesson or two in comic timing.
Tevlin, in particular, crushes every line out of the park.
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The feel-good formula is never in jeopardy, but “Champions” still misses some golden opportunities. The relationship between Alex and Johnny, for example, cries out for more nuance. So does the Marcus-Alex romance, which too often cuts corners for narrative purposes.
Otherwise, it’s hard to slam a movie with a big, beautiful heart choreographed by a pro who knows what clicks on screen. Farrelly treads carefully at times, but there’s little to offend here beyond its predictable arc.
Harrelson, the best actor to emerge from the “Cheers” ensemble, is smack dab in his comfort zone. He’s willing to make Marcus unlikeable at times, but the character could use more of that grit for dramatic purposes.
That might risk breaking the formula in play, but the best templates can stand some tinkering.
RELATED: MARLON WAYANS: ‘NO APOLOGIES’ IN COMEDY
Mentally challenged souls often take a licking on social media, with knuckleheads leaving snarky comments beneath their TikTok videos. It’s a depressing part of our digital world.
In that atmosphere, the flawed but kindly “Champions” shines even brighter.
HiT or Miss: “Champions” follows a tried and true Hollywood blueprint, but it does so with humor, heart and an undeniable sense of uplift.
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Ghostface returns to murder horrifically and torment the Carpenter sisters in New York City. Scream VI takes the slasher franchise to the bustling metropolis with a major shift in the overall storyline. Neve Campbell's "Sidney" is no longer the protagonist and absent from a Scream film for the first time. That's not a killer, pardon the pun, as Melissa Barrera's "Sam" and Jenna Ortega's "Tara" are more than capable leads. They're good actresses in a lopsided plot that doesn't nearly match the quality of last year's successful requel.
The “Scream” franchise long since ran out of novel ways to mock horror movies.
Final girls. No sex (or else). Never say, “I’ll be right back.” The franchise “rules” change with every installment, but they’re grasping for bloody straws at this point.
And let’s not pretend the killer reveals ever make sense. “Scooby-Doo!” shorts are more coherent.
Yet audiences clamor for more, more more “Scream,” and by that standard the sixth installment delivers. It’s smart (enough), moves at a solid pace and features a young cast with enough perk and promise to make you root for their survival.
So why didn’t they make better use of the Big Apple setting?
We pick up where the originally titled “Scream” (2022) left off. Young Sam and Tara Carpenter (Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega) left their cursed hometown of Woodsboror for New York City. Tara is in school and seemingly detached from the horrors of the last movie, while Sam isn’t convinced Ghostface is in their past.
Guess who’s right?
Bodies begin piling up around Manhattan, and it’s up to Sam, Tara and the rest of the Core Four (Jasmine Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding) to stop Ghostface once and for all.
As if!
They get help from a dedicated cop (Dermot Mulroney), an old friend from past “Scream” jaunts (Hayden Panettiere) and, of course, intrepid reporter Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox, the only OG cast member).
The “Scream” franchise makes serious coin, but not enough to afford “Scream” mainstay Neve Campbell, apparently.
We mostly know what happens next. Ghostface will stab his way into our hearts anew, the survivors will expound on the latest horror movie “rules” and the ending will go on for-e-ver. They always do.
Yet there’s a briskness to the latest installment missing the last time around. The franchise somehow feels fresh, energetic, and you have to pin some of the blame on the cast. No one stands out, but they collectively capture enough guts, curiosity and heart to win us over.
Yes, that still matters in the horror genre.
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Early on, we’re told horror movies capture the culture in profound ways. So a 1990s installment has a different vibe than a 21st century shocker.
That’s correct, to a point. “Scream VI” somehow dodges the woke factor, another reason to cheer the sequel on. A sub-current regarding conspiracies falls flat on its face, though, through no fault of the film.
How could screenwriters Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt know so many “conspiracies” would come true in short order? The pandemic alone makes that story hook foolish.
Otherwise, the “Scream” saga offers a fine diversion with plenty of head-scratching moments. Like plot holes? You’ll love this chapter of the series. Frustrated by horror movie characters who make dumb decisions?
This is Nirvana.
Hello, NYC. #ScreamVI pic.twitter.com/n3yJgNv7ZS
— Ghostface (@GhostfaceTalks_) March 7, 2023
The opener, often the strongest part of a given “Scream” entry, doesn’t disappoint. It also takes a risk or two that’s sorely needed in an extended franchise.
We’re treated to one chilling sequence set on a NYC subway, but otherwise the Big Apple doesn’t play into the proceedings like it could, or should. This could be any mid-to-large sized city, and New York’s unmistakable flavors aren’t tapped to their full potential.
Oh, well. There’s always “Jason Takes Manhattan.”
HiT or Miss: The “Scream” franchise should be on its last legs, but don’t tell the creative minds behind “Scream VI.” They’re too busy uncorking this guilty pleasure.
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A minor league basketball coach with anger management issues finds his purpose with a scrappy team of intellectually disabled players. Champions has heart and enough humor to keep you chuckling periodically throughout. But it has a few problems that detract from the warm-your-insides intentions. Champions gets downright raunchy and vulgar. There's no nudity but sex and lascivious dialogue aplenty. The characters spend an inordinate amount of time discussing dirty deeds in colorful ways. This focus felt out of place, overdone, and adds an obscene aspect that wasn't needed.
More than 40 years after Moses dropped the three stone tablets of The Fifteen Commandments—"Oy! Ten! Ten commandments for all to obey!"—in History of the World, Part I, Mel Brooks is back for a long-awaited follow-up to his seminal 1981 film. History of the World, Part II, airing on Hulu on March 6-9, arrives in a "woke" America. But for Brooks, anything and anybody is still fair game. Sort of. After more than six years of heightened political and social unrest, dwindling civil rights, and extreme divisiveness in America, many folks seem to be walking around on eggshells. See the comedy of Chris Rock: Selected Outrage or Sebastian Maniscalco’s Is It Me? for reference.
They should have stopped at “Part I.”
The biggest joke behind 1981’s scattershot “History of the World: Part One” was, well, do we even have to spell it out?
Still, people seemed eager to see a sequel even though “History” remains one of Mel Brooks’s lesser films. (let’s pretend “Dracula: Dead and Loving It” never happened).
Yet this critic recalls working at a VHS rental store in the ‘80s where customers insisted “Part II” not only existed but they wanted to rent it then and there.
Now, that crowd can sign up for Hulu and see the bona fide sequel – 40-plus years later. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.
The eight-part “History of the World Part II” boats a trio of creators with Brooks’ blessing – Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes and Ike Barinholtz. The comedy icon is 96 and full of vigor, still, but his ability to pick collaborators has hit a wall.
The Hulu project will be greeted by stone faces for most viewers. The collection of sketches, which bounce around the historical calendar but include several recurring tales, is clever on the surface but rarely inspired.
Laughs? Squint hard and you’ll see a few … at best.
RELATED: WHY WE NEED MEL BROOKS NOW MORE THAN EVER
The first four episodes reviewed cover the life of Jesus Christ, the Russian revolution, Sigmund Freud (a modest highlight thanks to Taika Waititi) and even cavewomen discovering fire. The latter provides the most painful sketch, but it’s blissfully short.
Some bits arrive with promise – a “Good Times’” style sitcom based on the first black Congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm (Sykes).
Others wallow, and we mean wallow, in potty humor without the benefit of laughter. Alexander Graham Bell getting punked by Watson is a prime example. So are WWII soldiers projectile vomiting en route to Normandy.
Kroll works overtime in multiple roles (as do Sykes and Barinholtz), but he brings the most comic zip to the series. It’s rarely in the service of smart writing, alas.
Verbal puns, meta references and other running gags abound, but they never gel into something worth our attention (AKA Funny). Even the most successful bit of the initial episodes, the life of Christ as seen via a “Curb Your Enthusiasm” parody, loses its bite after a spell.
The project’s woke bona fides hardly doom the series, but their presence suggests the creators cared more about scoring culture war points than laughs us. The show takes swipes at Florida, “white guilt,” and echoes Hulu’s factually funny “1619 Project” with this Harriet Tubman quip.
“We built most of the infrastructure of this county,” Sykes’ Tubman cries. Now, is that supposed to be funny or is it merely another woke talking point?
That’s rhetorical.
Standup comedian, writer and producer Nick Kroll has returned to TV as part of the cast of Hulu’s star-studded sequel to the Mel Brooks comedy, “History of the World, Part 2” https://t.co/bYNXlVIDDn pic.twitter.com/VW4h9fqdrB
— CBS Sunday Morning
(@CBSSunday) March 5, 2023
We also get race-swapped casting moves with figures like Jesus Christ (Jay Ellis) and Mary Magdalene (Zazie Beetz), among other figures. Having the great J.B. Smoove play a disciple alongside Kroll’s Judas is perfect, of course, given the “Curb” intentions.
Other bits, like Kumail Nanjiani pitching a Kama-Sutra project that combines sexual positions with soup recipes, is so dead on arrival it’s hard to fathom. Just be grateful it wraps up swiftly.
The series gathers so many recognizable faces, but almost none make an impression. A cast member we’re told not to share seems hemmed in as Stalin, while Pamela Adlon’s Jewish rebel is unpleasant in every scene without generating a smile.
Suffice to say no one can measure up to the original’s Dom DeLuise, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn and Brooks himself.
What’s unforgivable about “History of the World: Part II” is how cheap it looks. The production design resembles an ‘80s or ‘90s TV show, decades before studios pumped serious money into the format. “Part II” makes no effort to hide its tiny budget or drab direction, creating a chasm between it and the source material.
The few musical numbers cry out for a strong visual approach that never arrives.
The opening episode frantically copies Brooks’ broad, sometimes vulgar style, and it’s the most authentic part of this TV sequel.
Otherwise, it’s hard to imagine anyone sticking around for all eight installments.
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A former special forces soldier and his troubled son make poor decisions in the wake of a horrific tragedy. Transfusion blends a deep character drama with murder and theft in the criminal underworld. The film is uneven in this regard but manages to stay afloat with sound performances of emotional, angry, and desperate characters who are struggling to continue with their lives. The violent action elements seem overblown and unrealistic in contrast; less gunplay would have better accompanied the primary storyline and these emotive characters.
It used to take decades for schlocky genre movies to receive the critical analysis and deconstruction that they deserved. It would take decades for classic '50s horror and sci-fi movies like The Blob, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Godzilla to receive credit as brilliant sociopolitical allegories.
Guy Ritchie’s “Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre” is the third in a trilogy I presume he’s calling Movies I Made to Distance Myself from “Aladdin” (2019).
If that doesn’t sound fair, consider how his latest, like “The Gentlemen” (2019) and “Wrath of Man” (2021) remind us that Ritchie made “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” (1998), his masterpiece, and not that one movie where a blue-faced Will Smith rapped his way through “A Friend Like Me.”
I’m not saying that Ritchie shouldn’t have access to a gigantic budget or do studio movies (I like both of Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” installments). However, if that live-action Disney remake fiasco and “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” (2017) are any indication, he works best depicting men of action who don’t need CGI upgrades.
“Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre” is an ensemble action/caper, in which an eclectic team of skilled operatives are assembled to take on a weapons dealer and, essentially, save the world. Among the distinguished cast is Jason Statham as the muscle of the group, Aubrey Plaza as the brains of the operation and Josh Hartnett as a movie star who is brought into the mission because of his connections.
In addition to the off-and-running momentum, the biggest asset is the cast. Plaza is surprisingly good here, never feeling out of place in an “Ocean’s 11”-type vehicle (following her acclaimed work in “Emily the Criminal” last year and her leading turn in Francis Ford Coppola’s forthcoming “Megalopolis,” Plaza is picking some intriguing roles and is clearly here to stay).
RELATED: STATHAM’S ‘WRATH OF MAN’ DELIVERS ACTION, FRUSTRATION
Statham is sharp, playful and at ease working with Ritchie again, though his burly fight scenes are over-edited, which is odd, since he’s clearly the kind of action star who can handle long takes with lots of choreography.
The weak spot is a miscast Hartnett, who isn’t right for the part and pushes too hard; the whole “The Hard Way” (1991) subplot should have been much funnier.
On the other hand, the film is easily stolen by Hugh Grant (who also walked away with Ritchie’s “The Gentlemen”); I think Grant is impersonating Michael Caine here and his slimeball character is the film’s high point. Playing the M equivalent is a perfectly attuned Cary Elwes (at ease and very good here) and an underutilized Bugzy Malone rounds out the supporting cast.
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It helps that “Operation Fortune” takes off immediately, never stops moving and is always fun and fast on its feet. It’s also not as funny as it thinks it is and certainly isn’t the freshest material Ritchie has directed (Ritchie penned the screenplay along with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies).
Nevertheless, the whole thing is so enjoyable, I wouldn’t be opposed to a sequel and, from the looks of things, neither would the cast. This is the kind of good time at the movies that never fully kicks into third gear of movie greatness but never derails and falls flat, either.
If that sounds like a back-handed compliment, perhaps it’s because this is a cool diversion and not a home run. Ritchie can really deliver – remember how good “Snatch” (2000) is, particularly with that wild Brad Pitt performance and the striking boxing scenes?
This isn’t of that caliber, though it’s not “Swept Away” (2002), either, so at least his fanbase can celebrate the arrival of another consistently entertaining Ritchie romp.
Arriving at a weird time in multiplexes, when “M3GAN” the doll and a CGI bear addicted to cocaine are big draws, “Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre” (the movie is much better than that title would indicate) is in that good company of crowd pleasers, as it isn’t high art but knows how to show you a good time.
Two and a Half Stars
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Interspecies friendship, mesmerizing underwater photography, and grounded performances elevate Blueback to something more than might expect it to be. The heartwarming film comes from Australian director Robert Connolly, who made a dent with the international wonder that was The Dry. With Blueback, Connolly also shares screenwriting credit with Tim Winton, who penned the 1997 novella that originally garnered attention. Together, these men take the best of both their mediums—film and books—to create a charming family-friendly film shot in Western Australia’s sublime Bremer Bay.
A divorced woman desperate to have children resorts to drastic measures with help from her enabling friends. The Donor Party takes a raunchy and candid look at female sexuality in modern times. The protagonist is keenly aware of time passing as childbearing years dwindle. Her efforts to find a committed partner has not been born fruit. The idea of random unprotected encounters in one night with men she'll never see again takes shape - all baby, no daddy. I confess to a few chuckles in the cringeworthy plot, but was left somewhat disgusted. The behavior exhibited is dangerous and unethical with rampant STD proliferation.
This episode contains spoilers for season three's first episode of The Mandalorian.The Mandalorian's third season opens with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) seeking to reclaim his lost honor after he removed his helmet during the rescue and eventual adoption of Grogu. Heroics be damned. Mando was expelled from the Watch for the most egregious transgression, and his only salvation in the order is to bathe in the Living Waters of the mines of Mandalore. This is no easy feat when the planet's surface was destroyed by the Empire.
The “Terrifier” franchise reminds us how much can be done with meager resources.
“Hunt Her Kill Her” offers an exclamation mark to that point. The no-budget thriller is set in a spacious, cluttered warehouse. One set. No frills. And, thankfully, tension that never lets up.
It’s a sly retort to anyone who thinks they lack the resource to make a bona fide horror movie. “Hunt Her Kill Her” directors Greg Swinson and Ryan Thiessan know better.
The film opens with a very unKaren-like character named Karen (Natalie Terrazzino) learning about her new nighttime gig. She’s a janitor in an expansive office building/warehouse, and she listens to a crusty advisor as he shows her the ropes.
She’ll be all alone, mop in hand, while a neighbor watches her young daughter.
We’re immediately invested in Karen’s situation. She’s a hard-working single mom doing what she must to provide for her daughter.
The film establishes this with admirable restraint, neither making her a Mary Sue nor a victim. She doesn’t have time for labels, just hard work.
Except she’s not alone on her first night on the job. Hardly.
Genre Studio Welcome Villain Films Lands Survival Thriller ‘Hunt Her, Kill Her’ (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/QDBcGN8fWO
— Variety (@Variety) January 26, 2023
“Hunt Her Kill Her” gets to the meat of the matter fast, and audiences may fear the film won’t be able to sustain its adrenaline rush of a plot once the intruders arrive.
That’s hardly the case.
This is lump-in-your-throat cinema, and Karen’s survival chances seem slender, at best.
She’s a resourceful Final Girl, though, and that’s where the film clicks. Terrazzino’s Karen refuses to give in. She’s handed plenty of natural resources. The warehouse teems with wooden planks, saws and other potentially deadly implements.
It’s her brain that may be her best weapon.
Just don’t expect her to pull a female Rambo routine along the way. She’s outmuscled by her opponents, and “Hunt Her Kill Her” knows any sense of realism would vanish if she found her inner warrior.
The screenplay works efficiently in the first act, but eventually it falls back on, “you better come out … we’re gonna cut ya … you’re only making things worse by running” rants.
The bigger story in play is similarly thin, but it’s just enough to hang the action on. And that’s all you need.
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Swinson and Thiessan make the most of the setting and its limitations. We’re on the ground with Karen, running right behind her as she ducks in and out of the alleyways in search of an escape route. The camera work is inventive, revealing, and without it the film’s gimmick would crumble.
As resourceful as Karen proves, a few moves seem plucked from the “Die Hard” playbook. She’s not a grizzled Big Apple cop but a mom trying to live long enough to reunite with her daughter.
Still, those sequences can’t sever the bond between story and audience once the chase begins. Nothing could.
HiT or Miss: “Hunt Her Kill Her” is as blunt as its title, but it’s just as invigorating for B-movie lovers.
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