Review: The Witches (2020)

Review:  I was skeptical about this remake/reimagining of the 1990 classic The Witches, which in it self is based off of the 1983 novel by acclaimed author Roald Dahl. The 1990 original was universally praised by critics, and deservingly so. The film was fantastically dark and witty, and at times grotesque. the fact they were able to get away with doing certain things and maintain a PG rating is truly beyond me. the casting for it was also perfection. Anjelica Huston who played the head witch wowed audiences with her captivating performance. Something she would no doubt repeat less than a year later while portraying Morticia Addams in the 1991 box office hit The Addams Family (1991). Simply put, the 1990 adoption is a true classic, and it’s incredibly hard to not judge any updated adaption without comparing it to it’s predecessor. 

The 2020 reimagining is by no means a terrible film. I mean, it’s definitely watchable, and audiences of a younger age will no doubt find some level of enjoyment out of this updated version. It certainly has quite a few corks and some heartfelt moments that even had my heartstrings tugged at times. And it does follows the novel much closer in certain areas that the 1990 film hadn’t. But, just like 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate, following the source material doesn't necessarily mean a superior product. [SIDE NOTE: I actually loved the Johnny Depp reimagining, just not nearly as much as the 1971 classic starring Gene Wilder]. But I digress. The 2020 reimagining wastes absolutely no time at all as it hits the ground running from the very beginning and doesn't really slow down. It’s bigger, louder and much more flashy with the theatrics. But it’s lacking the spirit of the original. The original was slower in pace, less cartoony, and focused more time fleshing out it’s core characters. In the original there is a story the grandmother tells her grandson about a young girl in her village, who was kidnapped by a witch and imprisoned in a painting that hung in her parents home. The young girl lived her whole life in that painting unable to escape or communicate with her family. This story is incredibly dark and utterly heartbreaking at the same time. This scene in particular is so tragic and disturbing and its always stayed with me growing up. As an adult it horrifies me more than most R-rated horror movies, and that’s saying a lot coming from a horror buff such as myself. The reimagining does have a similar scene in which the grandmother tells her grandson a tragic story about a childhood friend being taken by a witch, but it doesn't carry the same eerie atmosphere as the original and is for the most part pretty forgettable. Later on in the film theres a moment when the missing girl is briefly mentioned and it took me a few minutes to remember it’s the name of the girl from the grandmother’s earlier story. 

The one thing the film does get right at least is the superb acting. I adore Octavia Spencer, she’s a talented actress who really gives it her best in whatever role she takes on, and The Witches is no exception. She breathes a level warmth and sassiness into the role that is genuine to the lighter tone of this adaptation. Honestly, I wish she could be my grandma! Ann Hathaway is also pretty amazing as the head witch as she delivers a very colorful version of the character that is pleasant, and sometimes hilarious to watch, but the one major drawback is that some of her best moments are spoiled by an over-abundance of CGI. Which let me just say, the special effects is arguably the film’s achilles’ heel. There are moments in which it looks half decent and passable, but most of the time it looks dated like something straight from the early 2000’s. Overall it’s pretty bad, and likely could have achieved better results with more practical effects like with the original. The witches in that, especially the head witch, was genuinely hideous looking and creepy. The design in the reimagining looks basic and very unimaginative. 

Final Thoughts: The Witches isn’t a terribly bad movie. It set off to do it’s own thing and should be commended for not going the route previously traveled.  It has it’s moments, and it can be a genuinely fun film for the whole family to watch together on movie night. But it’s a far cry from the superb quality of the original.

Rating: 5/10

Review: Cuties (2020)

 

Review written by Kelsey Zukowski

Starring: Fathia Youssouf, Médina El Aidi-Azouni, Esther Gohourou

Written & Directed by: Maïmouna Doucouré

Rating: 9/10 

Cuties is a multi-faceted coming of age film that tackles the difficult transition from childhood to womanhood with great realism. Through our protagonist we see what that journey of finding one’s femininity looks like amongst conflicting messages from familial upbringing, religion, social media, pop culture, and peers.  

It’s worth noting that the initial shock value promotional material Netflix used wasn’t a proper representation of the film. It got people’s attention for better or worse, which was likely the goal, but this is not the preteen Magic Mike. There is only around 5 minutes of sexy dancing in the entire running time and it is a fairly small focus of the film. The dance competition the characters are in mostly contains adult dancers and is open to all styles of dancing. It’s the protagonist’s fear of being viewed as childish and her desire to impress her new group of friends that influences them to sex up their routine and look. Anytime she is shown using her body in a more adult or flirtatious manner it is very clearly not condoned and even criticized by other characters, especially those who are older.

The film follows 11 year-old Amy (Fathia Youssouf) who is the oldest child in a traditional Muslim family, living in a poor suburb of Paris. A lot of responsibility falls on her to help care for her younger siblings. Amy’s father has recently become engaged to his second wife. This is incredibly difficult for Amy’s mother, but something she is expected to accept and even be supportive of. As Amy sees the pain this causes her mother her resentment towards her father grows. She is already being groomed to become a good, modest, and content wife for a future husband, which is not something she is looking forward to.

Amy takes notice of a group of girls who are in an amateur dance crew and wear more revealing clothes than she is permitted to, which holds an alluring freedom to her. She doesn’t have any friends and begins to yearn to be a part of what this group of girls have. Most of the group is incredibly hostile towards her, but through the dance crew’s leader, Angelica (Médina El Aidi-Azouni), she slowly finds friendship and a chance to dance with them; allowing her to feel more seen. She quickly becomes so desperate for their approval, which sends her on a descent in to rebellion, losing herself along the way.

The acting across the board was phenomenal and really added to the film feeling like a personal and powerful experience. The child actors did a great job of feeling very genuine. The combination of their presence and the directing added wonderful naturalism. The stand outs were our lead, Fathia Youssouf, and Maïmouna Gueye, who played her mother. Both showed incredibly strong emotion and layers, which was often subtle, but always evident. This film offered Youssouf a break out role and she showed that she was up to the challenge, beautifully showcasing her talents and adding a needed vulnerability to let the audience understand and empathize with what the character was going through.

The bond and relationship between Amy and her mother, Mariam, was among the strongest material as well.  The love between both of them, even at the height of Amy’s downward spiral and her mother’s shame and outrage, is clear. They are both struggling and under a lot of strain in their own ways, but there’s deep connection and understanding between them in the end. Mariam’s story shows both her sense of feeling lost and her strength. It acknowledges that even adults don’t necessarily have it all figured out, that this quest of finding who you are as woman, wife, mother, and individual is a lifelong one. The human experience and finding ones’ identity and role is an imperfect art. 

Filmmaker, Maïmouna Doucouré, based the film on her own experiences growing up and her difficulties in discovering what womanhood and feeling stuck between several cultures and stages of adolescence was like.  She interviewed hundreds of young girls for the film, wanting to accurately depict what that challenge of approaching teenagehood looked like today with the influences of social media and heavily sexualized images in media at large.

Cuties is tamer in content than many might expect. There is no nudity, implied nudity, or sexual acts depicted. Many other similar films like Kids, Thirteen, and Mysterious Skin, go further and contain more disturbing material by depicting underage sex, which is not at all present here. The moments of the young characters amplifying their sex appeal are troubling and uncomfortable, but they are meant to be.  The scene that contains the worst of this is portrayed in a completely negative context and serves as the breaking point for Amy, making her realize this is not true to whom she is or who she wants to be.

There are plenty of scenes where the girls on the dance team are being silly, having fun, and essentially savoring being kids in a climate pushing them to grow up. There is going to be an instinct to resist some female roles before them and flock to others. It’s only natural for them to mimic what they see, especially at this age where their bodies are changing and fitting in and feeling validated is huge to a their confidence and happiness. Both sides of these two stages in their growth are present and are an important part of the narrative.

Most powerful art tackles difficult subjects; subjects that we wish weren’t present in our world at all. Even more reason why exploring these things, understanding their temptation and influence, is vital and has value. Looking back to experiences of my own and those of my peers at this age, what is depicted here is not a stretch at all. I also say that as someone who grew up without social media and some of the images, pressures, and messages that it sends to girls today. You can only imagine how hypersexualization in our society and young people feeling this pressure is only becoming more prevalent and damaging. Every artist has the right to tell their story and truth. Doucouré did that with bravery and honesty, creating a film many can relate to, males included, as young boys have their own pressures and stereotypes they face. It addresses concerns that should be exposed and talked about. Some may not be comfortable venturing there with her, but for those who go in with an open mind, it can be a captivating and enlightening experience worth your time.

Mentally Apart (2020)

Review: Mentally Apart is definitely not your every day run of the mill horror movie. It is deep, thought provoking horror full of symbolism and clues, many of which you are likely to miss on a first time viewing. But it is certainly worth multiple revisits. So what is it about? Well, the movie is about the relationship of beautiful couple, Luna (Christine James Walker) and Chuck (Larry Bernardo). As weeks pass into months in their apartment, bizarre things begin to manifest. And dark emotions begin to surface. What happens when the dream becomes a nightmare? And the perfect relationship sours..

I don’t want to divulge too much about the movie because it really boils down to something you must experience for yourself to get the full effect. But I will say that it likely won’t be for everyone. Some will no doubt love it, but by the same token there is going to be others who will likely hate it, or simply find it too bizarrely out there to really formulate an opinion. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Because what that proves is that, Mentally Apart is a thought provoking film with a dash of psychological horror, that, while it might not be horror in a conventional manner, it definitely hits you where it counts. In short, it is a work of artistic brilliance!

In his feature debut, writer/director Joe Pomarico brought the goods with Mentally Apart. He captured the atmosphere and spiritual tone of something straight out of a Lars Von Trier film. It will be very interesting to see what his next feature will be. As for the acting. Christine James Walker was fantastic in the role as Luna. She has a very likable and charismatic personality which perfectly compliments her acting skill. There’s also a classic pinup look about her that fit the atmospheric dream like setting like a fine glove. And her on screen chemistry with Larry Bernardo really makes everything about the film work. I wasn’t too impressed with Larry Bernardo as Chuck at the start of the film. But, by the second act I was easily won over by his solid performance. As a duo, these two work incredibly well, and I hope to see them team up again.

Final Verdict: Mentally Apart is not for every horror fan. But regardless of whether or not you liked the film, you cannot deny the lasting impression it will leave on you. Does it have repeat value? In my Honest opinion, it certainly does.. because upon my second viewing I noticed a bunch little details that really added to the overall quality of the film that I hadn’t noticed in my previous viewing. And when a film manages to give you something new with each repeat viewing, that shows true cinematic quality. I highly recommend!

Rating: 8/10

Review: Taxicab Ride with Jesus (2020)

Review: Imagine if you had a chance to talk to Jesus Christ for 20 minutes. What would you even say in a situation like that? More importantly, would you even believe him? In my honest opinion there is no correct answer to this question because even the most faithful would likely question the legitimacy of a total stranger claiming to be the son of god.

But I digress, from director Dan Brennan, the creative mind behind The Video Guys (2008) and Maggie Marvel (2010) comes Silly Sisters’ latest production Taxicab Ride with Jesus (2020) a short film about Billy (Dan Brennan) a down on his luck cab driver who’s going through a rough time having to balance a growing mountain of bills and medical debt, his wife Clare (Marybeth Paul) stressed and worried, and their daughter Wendy (Juliana Sousa) hospitalized in a coma, and who’s health is rapidly declining. Billy’s latest fare, however, happens to be Jesus Christ (Russ Camarda). Yup, THAT Jesus.

TRWJ is a heartfelt short that teaches one to find the inner courage and faith to take responsibility in life, even in the bleakest of times. Seeing Dan Brennan and Russ Camadra together on screen is always a treat to behold. While both actors are without question fantastic performers on their own, it’s whenever this dual share the screen together that, in my opinion, is when the real magic happens. Dan’s performance as Billy comes off as sympathetic and relating. He delivers an accurate representation of the every day man fighting through the day to day struggles of life. Russ’s take on Jesus is both fresh and to be frank, quite enjoyable. This isn’t the overly praise the lord churchy Jesus. This is a variation who quietly observed humanity in all their flawed ways for the past 2000 years, and quite frankly, have grown somewhat annoyed to see how little we have learned from past mistakes. This iteration of Christ might be viewed as a little controversial to some, sure, but I personally found it to be a welcoming breath of fresh air. Ed Cryer as God was perfection, absolutely perfection! With a cast like this I wouldn’t expect anyone else in the role of the all mighty! I also enjoyed Marybeth Paul performance as Clare, and Juliana Sousa as Wendy. Both did exceptionally well in their respective roles.

Final Verdict: I really enjoyed TRWJ. It’s well shot and well paced with suburb editing done by Russ Camadra himself. I really loved the Taxicab Confessions vibe the film gives off during Billy and Jesus’s conversation. It’s blunt and comes across in a no-bullshit attitude, but also doesn’t come off as too preachy. I also really appreciated the piano score, which in my opinion, added that extra special touch. My only complaint is that, I really wished it were just a tad bit longer than 20 minutes. All in all, TRWJ is a worth watching short, especially now more than ever with content being somewhat limited in availability.

Rating: 8/10

Review: The Invisible Man (2020)

Review: At the start of the early 2010’s Universal Pictures was on track to launch their very own shared cinematic universe aka the DARK UNIVERSE. Which initially would have began with Dracula Untold (2014), followed with The Mummy (2017) and then work it’s way through their catalog of classic monsters movies leading up to the “AVENGERS” event (Monster Mash). However things didn’t quite pan out the way the some had hoped for, and the critical and commercial failure of 2017’s The Mummy was the final nail in the coffin for any future plans for a shared universe in it’s current inception. While the concept of a shared universe can be thrilling and highly enjoyable. 2020’s The Invisible Man proves that not every iconic franchise needs it. In this review I will be breaking down the mentionable things I loved, the things I liked, and the things I, for the lack of a better word, did not.

First off, the opening sequence really sets the tone for Invisible Man with it’s eerie silence. The anticipating build up as Cecilia Kass (Moss) attempts to pack her things up and get the fuck outta dodge while her abusive boyfriend Adrian Griffin (Cohen). The entire fricken opening sequence is unnerving to the core, and really sets the tone for what’s in store. This is largely attributed to The Handmaids Tale star Elizabeth Moss. Who really shows off her range of acting here. There are actors who can act their hearts out when given a good script. And then, there are great actors who can make any roll great through their performance alone. Elizabeth Moss is the latter. Her range of express is near limitless, and no doubt one of the most captivating aspect of any role she takes on. In this regard, in the absence of a physical co-star on screen, Moss’ performance picks up the slack and really amps up every scene. This is further complimented with the film’s beautiful cinematography, which takes these very brilliant wide angled shots that gives each and every scene a real sense purpose, and added atmospheric anxiety. I literally found myself scanning each scene up and down wondering, “where is Adrian? Is he here somewhere?”. The answer is, you don’t know. And that’s what makes it so terrifying. It’s not the scenes where he makes his presence known. It’s when he doesn’t.

This not knowing plays in well with the plot and the developing relationships between Kass, her sister Emily (Dyer), her friend James (Hodge), and his daughter Sydney (Reid). Because Kass suffers from PTSD due to her abusive relationship with Adrian, her motives and reactions are continuously questioned and doubted by all those around her. They think she’s going through a downward spiral into a mental break. And it’s frustrating for you, the viewer, because you know she’s not crazy, but they don’t. And it’s both maddening and brilliant at the same time. I loved the relationship between James, Sydney and Kass. It gave the movie a sense of grounding and a bit of relief from the intense build up. One of my overall favorite aspects of The Invisible Man is message of female empowerment embedded deep within it’s core. It shines light on psychological trauma victims tend to experience during abusive relationships. People typically assume that abuse only comes in the form of the physical, and while this is true to an extent, it also isn’t because its making light of the deep emotional and mental scars abuse leaves on a person. Kass isn’t just beaten. She was belittled and forced to be someone she wasn’t. Adrian got inside her head, it wasn’t bad enough he beat her, he needed to make her think how he wanted her to think, live and sleep how he wanted. Force her to be obedient in every sense of the word. But, when push comes to shove, there is only so much a person can take before they fight back. The movie doesn’t treat feminism like a trope. It’s worked in there quite organically and it works incredibly well thanks to writer/director Leigh Whannell. This is further cemented with the film’s ending, which in my honest opening, is one of the most satisfying movie ending I’ve had the pleasure of viewing in years. It’s the perfect payoff to a slow burn buildup. And it’s such an ingenious note to end the film on.

Final Verdict: So is there anything I hated? Well, I thought about it long and hard, and I honestly can say there isn’t a thing about this movie that I actually hated. There’s some nit picky things I wasn’t wholly satisfied with. But not something I outright hated. I wish we got a deeper look into who Adrain Griffin was, and what his motivations were that made him dangerously obsessive, controlling, and abusive. I certainly wish we had more onscreen time with actor Oliver Jackson-Cohen because he is a really good actor and did a magnificent job in the role. But I also understand that more onscreen time with him would absolutely defeat the purpose of the film’s title. Beyond the minor nit picking, The Invisible Man was near perfect, and had earned the rare top tier rating from me.

Rating: 10/10

Review: Guns Akimbo (2020)

Review: It’s almost like a rite of passage for any child actor to take on a role that is out of the boundaries of what they’re expected. And yeah, for actor Daniel Radcliffe there have been a fair amount of films to cross those boundaries since his Harry Potter days. Films like The Woman in Black (2012), Horns (2013), Swiss Army Man (2016) just to name a few, are all evident of that chapter of sweet innocence coming to a closed in his career. That being said however, none of those films really struck a cored with me. They aren’t trash by any means. But I don’t consider them really “shock” value. That is until I watched Guns Akimbo. Now before I dive into the real meat of this review let me address the elephant in the room. [waves at Bill the wallflower elephant] No but seriously, this film is surrounded by a plethora of controversy. Mostly centered around the film’s director, Jason Lei Howden just prior to the movie’s theatrical release. I won’t go into the details regarding the disturbing controversy because this review isn’t about that, or him for that matter. If you want to know more about that then I suggest you look it up for yourself, which believe me isn’t hard at all to find. and it is quite the doozy of a read. But I digress..

Guns Akimbo is a nut cracking, ultra violent rollercoaster ride that, once the wheels start rolling you’re on a one way psychedelic trip to crazy town, and you forgot to put on some pants, baby! The plot revolves around Miles (Radcliffe) a soft spoken video game developer who divides his free time between secretly obsessing over his ex-girlfriend like a creeper through social media, and being a typical keyboard warrior picking fights with online trolls. That is until he picks a fight with the wrong motherfucker and finds himself in a heap of shit when a notorious organization known as Skizm shows up to bolt two pistols to his hands. Skizm is an entertainment terror group who force’s individuals of different backgrounds (ranging drug dealers, psychos, criminally insane, and your Garden variety bully) to fight each other to the death while millions of viewers watch via the internet and cheer on their favorites. Soon Miles finds himself being hunted by Skizm’s MVP, Nix (Weaving) a murder happy, coke snorting psycho who will stop at nothing to get her target. If there’s one person you don’t want to fuck with, it’s definitely Nix. Guns Akimbo in many ways remind me of Birds of Prey, in that it is a balls to the wall wild, but also super stylish film. Especially with it’s color pallet. It’s almost as if Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, and Shoot ‘Em Up had a coke fueled one night stand, and nine months later Guns Akimbo was the unintended result of not using protection. Yes, it’s that wild in my opinion!

The action sequences are very well choreographed, one scene in particular feels like it could have been ripped right from a John Wick movie. The violence is unforgiving and unrelenting, and is without a doubt pleasing is so many ways because it’s so fucking ridiculous that I could not help but love it! The intense violence is then complimented with a dark sense of humor. This is where Radcliffe truly shines in the film. His ability to hit the mark with comedic timing is so on point and awkwardly funny, that it’s hard not to laugh at the predicament and relate at the same time. But while Radcliffe might be the film’s headliner, the true star of Guns Akimbo that pretty much steals the whole fucking picture is without a doubt Samara Weaving. Her performance as Nix is so off the wall nuts, that at times she reminds me of a little of Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn (minus the colorful outfits and overly done Brooklyn accent, of course). Hands down she is the absolute best part of Guns Akimbo. Not a single scene involving her comes off as dull, or boring in the slightest. Hell, I’d go as far as to say that I’d be willing to pay good money to see a Nix movie starring Samara Weaving! Ned Dennehy does exceptionally well as the film’s main antagonist, Riktor. A villain with an egotistical personality and power complex that is larger than life itself. But to be frank, the character isn’t really fleshed out all too much with backstory or substance to go on. Which unfortunately is a recurring theme for most of the characters in the film. There are so many potential plot points and opportunities for substance that go ignored. Or in some cases, begin, starts to go somewhere interesting, and then flatlines. Never to be brought up again, or have any sort of meaningful conclusion. It’s kinda like the equivalent to taking a massive peanut butter shit and then realizing after the fact that there isn’t any toilet paper in the fucking bathroom. So now you need to wobble your ridiculous ass off the crapper to get a fresh roll hoping above all hope, that no one catches you in such a compromising situation. Yeah, it’s that unsatisfying. Another issue I had was the unrealistic responses from normal every day people while all these fire fights are occurring around town throughout the story’s progression. In one scene two characters unload over a hundred rounds in an apartment with an open window. Yet people are going about their business walking on the sidewalk just outside. One of the characters then encounter a couple of police officers just around the corner. And you’re telling me they didn’t hear all the gunshots fired!? This is only but a single example of multiple occurrences throughout the film in which the loud as fuck gunplay goes completely ignored by passerby’s. Maybe it’s nitpicking. But its a pretty bad oversight that should have been noticed and corrected by the filmmaker.

Now that’s not to say the unfinished plot points, or unrealistic responses fire fights are a deal breaker. Despite the the films multiple issues, or the drug fueled insanity of gunplay that never really stops once the peddle is punched down. There is a much more to Guns Akimbo than meats the eye. Beneath the surface, the movie is a commentary on society at large, and the direction we are in many ways heading. From cyber bullying, toxic mob mentality, to people simply lacking empathy for their fellow man, especially on social media. That’s the ultimate message director Jason Lei Howden was trying to get across with Guns Akimbo. While I do think that message could have been put forward a little better, and the film in general done better. The movie is far from being shit. It can be a bit try hard at times, yes this is true. But it’s nowhere near the level of human waist that Hollywood has shot out from it’s poop shoot over the years.

Final Verdict: All in all. Guns Akimbo is a fun rollercoaster ride of violence and mayhem from start to finish with a corky sense of humor. Is it perfect? Far from it. The pros slightly outweigh the cons. But while it does have it’s problematic issues, the movie is still a pretty cool way to kill a couple of hours. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s got a pretty killer 80’s soundtrack to further compliment it’s over the top action sequences!

Rating: 7/10

Short Review: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Review: Video game adaptations have a horrible track record in cinema. Sure we do get the occasional Resident Evil. But RE is considered the exception as where everything else is the rule. So going in my expectations were low. Like, really low. To my surprise, however. Sonic turned out to be a real treat. Introducing the classic character to a new generation while also paying tribute to its past with callbacks to the classic games. Sonic isn't perfect, it certainly has it’s flaws. But it’s a faithful adaptation fun for the whole family!

Rating: 8/10

Review: Child’s Play (2019)

Review: The original Child’s Play has a very important significance to me. It’s the film that traumatized as a child. To a point that, I developed a paralyzing phobia for dolls. By the time my tween years rolled around my phobia had reached it’s peak level of intensity when being in the same room as a doll would result in extreme hyperventilating, sweating, and the inability to think rationally. Needless to say, I was pretty fucked up thanks to that little fucker. I did, however get over my fear of the movies some time ago and have even learned to appreciate the movies for it’s dark sense of humor along with blood and gore. The fear of dolls is still very much still there mind you, but it’s a slow work in progress.

But I digress. I hold the original Child’s Play, and more importantly the original Chucky up there in high regards. Right next to Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Pinhead, and even Leatherface. but, more specifically to say, much like Freddy and Pinhead, and that there is only one of them. So I was pretty damn skeptical about Orion Pictures’ remake. You can’t just replace the vocal genius of Brad Dourif. Not even if it’s with the likes of another master of the vocal arts such as Mark Hamill. You just don’t! And besides. Remakes are never an easy task to begin with. like any franchise it is incredibly difficult to reinvent that in which has already been established, whether it be the story, or the character itself. And yet somehow against all odds Orion Pictures managed to do just that with it’s 2019 reimagining. Similarly to the ogrinal, the reimagining is a bit of a slow burn in it’s first, and most of it’s second act. Though much dfferently from the original, the 2019 film goes about the story progression in a completely different way. Removing the supernatural aspect of the original, and the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray and replaced with an artificial intelligence made by the Kaslan Corperation (this movie’s universe equivalence to Apple).

After a disgruntled employee from Kaslan tampers with the safety features of one of the compeny’s Buddi dolls. It sets into motion a chain of horrific events. Chucky doesn’t immediately begin as a murderous doll. He actually begins as a sweet and purely innocent toy, and genuinely loves it’s owner Andy. And wants to do anything and everything it can to make his owner happy. For the most part, Chucky means well and bares no ill will towards anyone (at first). But as the story continues and Chucky is exposed to the harsh elements of life, he slowly begins to develope a more murderous side. The movie pays tribute to the original in many ways, but does not fallow in it’s exact footsteps. It carves out it’s own bloody path which on it’s own merits is pretty damn entertaining and creative. However, It is not without it’s flaws to bare. While the first half plays off pretty strongly, the movie does stumble a bit in it’s second half with the big climax feeling a tad bit rushed, which makes you feel somewhat robbed of the the moment to fully appreciate the payoff that the film was building towards. I also wasnt too excited over the design choice for the new Chucky. Don’t get me wrong. Original Chucky looked ugly as fuck just the same. But the new one looks like Ken’s methhead cousin who lives behind the dumpster of a 7-Eleven. The design definitely takes some getting use to (if that’s even possible). Is it a bad movie? Far from it. The remake/reimagining is a fantastic film teeming with loads of ambition and deserves to be given a fair shake. Is it superior to the original? Nope, the original is a classic that cannot be beat.

Final Verdict: Child’s Play (2019) is a bold and fresh new take on a iconic character and I look forward to see what Orion Pictures has planned for it’s future.

Rating: 8/10

Review: Joker (2019)

Review: Joker isn’t quite your average comic book movie. In the sense that, it isn’t really one at all. Remove the name Gotham City, the Waynes, and Arthur Fleck, and what you have is a psychological character peice focused on a troubled man suffering from mental illness brought on from years of abuse (both physical and mental) by his mother, whom also suffers from her own mental issues. The city in which Arthur lives in, is a cold and heartless place completely divoid of empathy and warmth.

There is only the haves and the have not. Gotham’s privileged few, and those trapped in the city’s underbelly. And it’s the privileged who are calling the shots. In Alan Moore’s 1988 masterpiece The Killing Joke, there is a moment in which Batman’s arch nemesis, the Joker, mentions the “One Bad Day” theory, in which the most sanest of men can be driven completely mad through the act of a single bad day. Proving that under the right circumstances anyone can be like the Joker if pushed to their limits. And maybe deep down inside us all, there in lies a hint of what makes the Joker, Joker.. While not exactly the same for Arthur Fleck in terms of a single bad day, Arthur is a man who has battled his own demons his entire life. We witness his fragile state gradually decline into madness over the course of the film. What happens to a man who dances ever so closely on the very edge of sanity in a city that does not care about helping society’s most vulnerable?

Joker is a deeply unsettling and bleak movie that strives to make you feel an unwavering sense of discomfort throughout. Hanger director Todd Philips, delivers a movie that makes you sympathize with it’s title character but only to a degree. There is most certainly a point in Joker where you, the viewer, realizes that Arthur has crossed a line, and is heading down a path in which there is no return from.

Joker is without question an amazing film. But far from perfect. In my opinion, Joker suffers from number of issues. Most noteworthy being a plot that is hardly original. After having seen it I also conclude that it’s also an overly hyped film. It’s not nearly as violent or as some opponents of the film have sited as “dangerous”. This is a huge misconception of Joker. Disturbing? Yes. Unsettling? Oh you betcha! But violently dangerous? Not even close. The odds of this movie inspiring real life violence is as likely as My Little Pony inspiring the next World War. And if that happens then I’ll gladly eat crow (oh please god don’t let me be wrong!). The movie tends to drag on a bit longer for my liking in it’s second act, but to it’s credit that is easily forgiven with Joaquin Phoenix’s fantastic proformence. While I don’t think the movie itself is deserving to “sweep the Oscars”, I do think it will be a damn crime if Phoenix isn’t at least recognized for his bone chilling performance.

The cinematography was something I appreciated. Particularly the way the film goes about it’s color schemes. Some scenes have a notably blueish hue, while other scenes have an almost orange like hue. One thing, however that was a bit of a turn off was the fact a chunk of the plot is centered around the Wayne’s. And that Bruce was used as a plot device at one point. As a long time fan of Batman it has always bugged me when there is an attempt to link Batman’s origin with Joker’s. It’s highly possible for these two individuals, Gotham’s Dark Knight, and it’s Clown Prince of Crime, to be arch nemesis that battle through the ages and not be as strongly linked to each other. Especially Batman. Because in my opinion, it feeds into the whole “Chosen One” narrative. This is something Burton misunderstood about Batman. And despite how amazing his 1989 classic is and how much I adore it, I never fully got onboard with the idea that Joker is somehow responsible for making Batman. This is something Nolan understood right away when making The Dark Knight. And sadly, Todd Phillips did not.

Final Verdict: Overall, while it isn’t perfect. Joker is a pretty engaging film that will stick with you for quite some time. It is worth checking out at least once.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Pet Sematary (2019)

Review: From the moment I heard John Lithgow say “Sometimes death is better” in the trailer, I knew I was going to have issues with the 2019 remake. Which I found very disappointing considering it’s been 30 years since the orginal Pet Sematary was released, and was well within justification for an update. It seemed so promising with the potential of being on the same level of greatness as the IT remake. But alas, the finished product sacrificed everything that made the novel great in the name of cheap jump scares. What made the novel such a great book is that it’s more than your average run of the mill horror, it’s also a tragedy that hit’s you where it counts, and leaves you with questions of morality if put in similar circumstances. This is something lacking in the 2019 remake. It lacks the ability to invest any sort of emotional bond with it’s viewer and thus feels heartless. This, of course could not be more true than in the film’s big twist... By shifting the tragic death of Gage to Ellie, the film robs us of her grief, and how she copes with the loss of a sibling. And turns her into a genric killing machine. This leads me to the other issue. In the novel the series of tragic events is largely due to Louis’s inability to accept the finality of death, and instead continues repeating the vicious cycle out of desperation and hope things will differ this time around. Except they don’t. The story of Pet Sematary is every bit as much a tragedy as it is a horror. And yet, in the 2019 remake, we are deprived of some of the most key elements.

Rating: 2/10

Review: The Irishman (2019)

Review: Netflix’s The Irishman is a depressingly beautiful film about the hard choices we make in life. And the price we pay with those hard choices. The movie has an atmosphere about it that is both deep and impactful. It’s probably one of Scorsese’s best work in years. It also shows that Scorsese has not declined in quality as he ages, but rather improved. Some may argue and debate on who is the true antagonist of The Irishman. But the truth is, time itself is the real villain of this story, as it is in life itself. Death comes for us all sooner or later. There is no avoiding it. What The Irishman leaves us with is, the most importance is what we do with the time we are given, and how it effects those around us.

The new de-aging tech used in this film is a true marvel to behold. It most certainly will open the door for many in Hollywood continue to obtain oppatunities with age. and the acting is phenomenal and top notch. The runtime may be a bit lengthy for some to stomach. And I certainly can understand why some may find it tiring and repetitive. But with a story like this, anything below 3 hours would do the source material a great disservice. I really enjoyed every minute of The Irishman. It’s definitely worth a repeat viewing.

Rating: 10/10

SHORT REVIEW: Underwater (2020)

Review: Underwater wastes absolutely no time as it forgoes backstory set up and dives right into the terror. It isn’t perfect, but it isn’t horrible either. I personally enjoyed it for what it was as it isn’t often to see films of this sub genre now days. Underwater is very reminiscent of films like DeepStar Six, and Leviathan. Which in itself is pretty self explanatory on where Underwater is likely to go critically and financially. But in time will likely find new life as a cult classic.

Rating: 6/10

SHORT REVIEW: Troop Zero (2019)

Review: roop Zero was a real surprise. I didn’t have much expectations going in, but the movie still wow’d me and swooped me off my feet with it’s warmth and oddball charm. All the girls (and boy) of Troop Zero are misfits who don’t really fit in with society. Set in 1977 rural Georgia. Troop Zero is a coming-of-age story about a gifted young girl with an ambitious dream to get her voice recorded for the Voyager Golden Record. Her determination leads her to form a troop of unlikely underdog misfits with the goal of infiltrating the Birdie Jubilee and winning the competition. But through it all, the kids learn the most valuable lesson one can learn in youth. The power of friendships, and forming bonds. Troop Zero has an earnest heart that is bursting with energy and joy, and one cannot watch it without feeling some of that energetic emotion. I’m not crying, YOU ARE!

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: BIRDS OF PREY: AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN (2020)

Review: 2016’s Suicide Squad is probably one of my least liked in the DCEU brand. There were a lot of great ideas behind it, but ultimately it’s potential was wasted with a poorly constructed plot and bad editing. But one thing that truly stood out as a saving grace for the film was without a doubt, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. There is simply no denying that she stole the film with her larger than life performance as the character, which generated major demand for more Harley Quinn in the DC Universe. For a while the potential of a solo Harley Quinn movie seemed very promising, even a Joker/Harley film which would have seen her fabulous emancipation from the clown prince of crime. But alas, none of those panned out quite as hoped. Instead, we got “Birds of Prey: & the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn.” A mouth full, for one, and almost nothing to do with the actual Birds of Prey. But that isn’t to say Birds of Prey is by any means a bad movie. It does have it’s pros and at it’s core, is quite entertaining. However, it is also a very problematic film, which I will elaborate on later in this review. 

Let’s get started by addressing the acting here, which is largely well done! Mary Elizabeth Winstead is amazing as Helena Bertinelli aka Huntress. I would dare to say that her portrayal as the character was perfection. And while at first glance one might argue that she doesn’t dress like her comic book counterpart. Her counterpart from the source material was usually reduced to eye candy outfits that left very little to the imagination as where Winstead’s take has the character donning tracksuit look that comes off as tactical and more combat-like. And overall it just looks amazing as fuck if I may say so. My favorite scene with her happens in the 3rd act during the Funhouse raid. It’s probably one of the best moments in that sequence and it honestly had me thinking “she is one badass motherfucker!”. Winstead owns the role, there is absolutely no debating it. However, it Is somewhat disappointing to see her presence in the film being somewhat small. Initially I had my doubts about Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, but thankfully they were proven wrong. Smollett-Bell brought a new take to the character that was both fun and fresh. And even though she doesn’t wear the character’s signature fishnet stocking, Smollett-Bell totally rocks the gold pants like a freaking badass! I also liked Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain. It took some time warming up to her take on the character, but once I did I enjoyed it a fair bit. 

Moreover to some of the other performances like Ewan McGregor, who I think did a fine job portraying infamous gangster Roman Sionis. Although there is a something done to the character I was kind of furious about, but we’ll get back to that topic later when I point out the things I did not like. But I digress, McGregor really immerses himself into the role and becomes this short tempered, easily set off type of gangster that is determined to get what he believes is his by right. McGregor is a seasoned actor and it’s evident here with the quality he pours into his performance. Margot Robbie once again shines bright like a diamond as Harley Quinn. It’s almost as if the character and herself were destined for each other. The only complaint I have with her performance is that there were a few instances in which she over does the Brooklyn accent. Which was a little annoying, but it’s a minor nitpick that can be easily overlooked. But I digress. Robbie has a lot of fun with Quinn this time around and some of it pretty damn amazing, especially with the choice of color pallets they went with in the cinematography. It’s really colorful like earlier we see Quinn blow up the Ace chemical plant as the ultimate “fuck you!” to the Joker in a drunken rage for dumping her and throwing her out into the streets. This platter of colorful shots is seen again later on in the film during the police station raid, in what I consider the film’s best moment. Harley basically goes in with a teargas gun and it taking on the cops with gas and glitter grenades. The scene is colorful and hilarious, and I adored the slapstick sense of humor that was incorporated into the action sequence. Now I would be doing the film a massive disservice if I didn’t mention the film’s soundtrack, which is pretty amazing. Love or hate the movie, you cannot deny that the soundtrack is on point and kicking all kinds of ass. 

Now that I’ve said everything I loved about Birds of Prey, and it was a lot great stuff to unload. Now I have to talk about the things I did not like. And here is where things may get a tad bit controversial. Some may agree. And some may outright lambast me for saying it. But the film’s overall tone handle’s the topic of toxic masculinity all wrong by painting literally every male character in a negative light. Seriously, you will not find a single male character in BoP that is in any way good towards women. The film portrays all men as sexist, violent towards women, or having violent tendencies. And are untrustworthy towards women. I get what message BoP was trying to get across with this narrative. But the way it went about it was all wrong. Yes showcasing toxic musicality and the violent patriarchal system of misogyny against women is something that is deserving of being told on the big screen. But not all men are trash, which is something the film failed to grasp in it’s plot. A great example of praising feminism and putting patriarchal misogyny on blast is 2017’s hit Wonder Woman, and 2019’s Captain Marvel. Both films showcased the uphill battle women face in a man’s world, but also portrayed male allies. Men who did not look down on the opposite sex, but rather respected them as equals and fought alongside them in the good fight against evil. This is storytelling done right, sadly a memo that BoP must not have received during it’s developmental phase. Which while I’m on the topic of it’s development, whoever chose the title of the film really needs a demotion. “Birds of Prey: & the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn” is simply too long of a title. To be frank, I don’t think the movie should even be called Birds of Prey as none of the Birds are formed together until the very last 15 – 20 mins of the film. Nor do the birds really get ample time to shine since Harley hogs the spotlight from start to finish. A more appropriate title for the film would have been “Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey.” Which is ironically similar to what the studios went with after it’s opening weekend. But to be frank, it’s too little, too late. 

I love actress Rosie Perez, she’s a very talented actress that is highly underrated in my opinion. She  a good match for the role of Renee Montoya. However, the way the plot portray’s the character was irksome. In the movie Montoya is seen as a joke in the GCPD. No male cop respects her. And her own boss basically steals every single bit of credit that rightfully belongs to her. This does the source material of the character a great disservice. In both the comics, novels and even animated series Montoya is viewed as a highly respected member of the GCPD. Often at times she is considered as one of Commissioner Gordon’s right hand LieutenantEven taking charge when Gordon himself is out of commission for whatever reason. Yet, here theres no indication that she and Gordon are even colleagues as she doesn’t work at the main station nor is he even referenced. This is the first time Montoya is given time to shine on the silver screen and her debut is massively botched not by Perez by any stretch, but rather by poor writing. Which is another thing. Early on WB made it clear to fans that BoP would have an LGBT+ presence in a really big way. Yet, moviegoers were queer-baited with a scene so short it lasts for maybe 1.5 seconds. A literal blink and you’ll miss it early on in the movie. And as for Montoya? The only indication made that she is a lesbian is through a voice over done by Margot Robbie as Harley in one scene when referring to Montoya’s ex girlfriend who happens to work in the Gotham City DA’s office. The characters have zero past romantic chemistry between them and the only thing suggesting that they once dated is a the voice over. In my opinion, the studios likely did this to avoid issues in certain markets. Which is honestly a lazy cop-out. Which is a running theme you will notice with BoP. It has a plethora of brilliant ideas but never quite follow through with them to be great. 

Another example of queer-baiting that the film mildly suggests that Victor Zsasz and Roman Sionis might be gay, or bisexual at the very least. But beyond hints and suggestions, just like the Montoya fiasco BoP never quite settles on it. Which is a real shame because it could have worked. But more on Roman Sionis, for those who aren’t aware, he’s a mid tier villain in the Batman rogue gallery and is most notorious for his signature black mask, hence the name Black Mask. But we don’t really get to see him in the mast a whole lot here. In fact, he doesn’t done the mask until midway into the 3rd act, for which he is seen wearing for mere portion of the climatic final battle sequence in the funhouse. After that he, surprise surprise, takes the goddamn mask off! Really? That’s like Bane taking his mask off after wearing it for a mere 5 mins. Or Joker deciding to take a wet wipe to the face because he can’t have all this makeup on before his big showdown. Which while I’m on the topic of Joker. McGregor does a fantastic job as Sionis. But he never quite achieve’s the presence of main villain in the film. Because even though he isn’t at all in the movie. Joker casts a massive shadow over the entirety of the film. From members of the BoP continuously bringing up his name, to Sionis and his gang to the officers of GCPD. Joker is literally everywhere in this movie and at the same time not. And it’s hard to take the threat of a big bad gangster like Sionis seriously when you’re constantly asking “I wonder what Mr. J is doing right now?” Or “Where is the Joker’s gang in all this?”. I’m no fan of Leto’s Joker. To be frank, he’s my least liked incarnation of the character. But considering this film is a direct sequel to Suicide Squad, it’s a damn shame we didn’t true closure to the Harely/Joker arc that began in the former. 

Final Verdict: BoP is a lot of things. It’s wild and full of stylish creativity that it deserves credit for. What it was really trying to be was a fun lighter tone answer to the dark gritty nature of Joker (2019). In some ways it succeeded, while in other ways it failed. I’ve bounced back and forth wether or not I liked or hated BoP. There is no true short answer. Because there is enough stuff in BoP that I absolutely loved, but also there were stuff I really hated. All in all, BoP isn’t a terrible movie, but it isn’t the masterpiece that it could have been. It’s still a watchable film, if you keep expectations at it’s lowest. 

Rating: 6/10