The NYC Movie Guru: Reviews from a Movie Buff


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Highly Recommended Films




 

       On Valentine's Day, the notorious Heart Eyes Killer mistakes Ally (Olivia Holt) and her co-worker, Jay (Mason Gooding), for a couple and hunts them down in Heart Eyes. The screenplay by co-writers Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon and Michael Kennedy is witty, smart and wickedly funny. The plot doesn't score any points for originality, but that's not an issue because it's more important how a film goes about its plot and where it takes its ideas to. Director Josh Ruben knows how to maintain the darkly comedic tone from the hilarious prologue to the very end while offering some surprises along the way. Everyone gets a chance to shine, even those in supporting roles like Devon Sawa as Detective Hobbs, Jordana Brewster as Detective Shaw and Michael Watkins as Ally and Jay's boss. Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding are very well-cast and have palpable chemistry together.

       Sometimes, horror comedies tend to run out of steam and get repetitive, but that doesn't happen in Heart Eyes because the dialogue brims with tongue-in-cheek humor and quips, and there are enough surprises to keep the plot feeling fresh and exciting. The film references His Girl Friday, Notting Hill and other romcoms that it unashamedly pokes a lot of fun at. Moreover, it's refreshing that Ally and Jay are each given lively personalities and backstories that humanizes them, i.e. that Ally dropped out of Med School because of her fear of blood. Speaking of which, Heart Eyes doesn't hold back on the gory violence with some hilarious and over-the-top kills, so it definitely earns its R-rating. The tone remains consistently off-kilter, though, so it's the violence that will keep audiences entertained without making them feel disgusted. At 1 hour and 37 minutes, Heart Eyes opens nationwide on February 7th, 2025 via Screen Gems. It deserves to become a new horror comedy classic.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

      Josh (Jack Quaid) takes his girlfriend, Iris (Sophie Thatcher), to a weekend getaway with his friends, Eli (Harvey Guillén), Kat (Megan Suri) and Patrick (Lukas Gage) at the large lakeside cabin belonging to Sergey (Rupert Friend), a very wealthy man, in  Companion. The less you know about Companion's plot beforehand, the better. Don't watch the trailer or read anything beyond a brief synopsis. The screenplay writer/director Drew Hancock is clever, witty and full of surprises. Sometimes a filmmaker has an interesting and innovative premise, but doesn't know what to do with it and the film runs out of steam and ideas. That's not the case here. Once the plot reveals its first twists within the first ten minutes, there are more twists that keep the plot feeling engaging while keeping the audience at the edge of the seats. Small details, like two words that Josh says to Iris in the car on the way to the cabin, become more significant later on.  Kudos to Hancock for seeing and treating the characters as complex human beings and for not being afraid to explore the darker side of human nature.  

     Companion's greatest strength is that it deftly combines thriller, sci-fi, comedy, psychological horror and campiness without tonal unevenness or tonal whiplash. It also does an effective job of incorporating just enough exposition without confusing the audience. Hancock knows when and how to withhold key information from the audience and when to reveal it.  Sure, some suspension of disbelief would probably help to fully enjoy it, but that can be said about most films. Beyond that, Companion has a lot to say about topics like individuality, freedom and autonomy without becoming preachy. It's rare and refreshing to find a Hollywood blockbuster that actually has a heart, mind and soul. In other words, writer/director Drew Hancock finds just the right balance between Truth and Spectacle and manages to find plenty of Truths within all of the Spectacle.  The use of music is lively and well-chosen, especially the song during the end credits. Prepare for a roller coaster ride full of twists and turns. It also boasts a star-making performances by Sophie Thatcher who's somewhat reminiscent of Fairuza Balk from The Craft with a sprinkle of Aubrey Plaza. Jack Quaid, Harvey Guillén and Lukas Gage also get the chance to shine.  Companion is ultimately a wildly entertaining, smart and wickedly funny crowd pleaser that's destined to become a cult classic. At 1 hour and 37 minutes, it's now playing nationwide via Warner Bros. Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

      Robbie Williams portrays himself in the form of a CGI monkey in Better Man, a musical biopic unlike anything you've seen before. The screenplay by writer/director Michael Gracey and his co-writers, Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole, follows Robbie from his childhood until his adult years as he rose to fame as a pop singer. It goes beyond a by-the-numbers biopic by delving into his troubled relationship with his father, Peter (Steve Pemberton), which grounds the film in poignancy while concurrently helping the audience to understand what's going on inside of Robbie on a psychological level. Kudos to the filmmakers for designing a window into his heart, mind and soul. The emotionally engrossing moments feel organic and well-earned, especially during the hard-hitting third act which might bring tears to your eyes. There's also some surprisingly surreal and dark scenes that invigorate the film without leading to clunkiness. The same can be said about the comic relief which there's just enough of to counterbalance the heavier themes of self-discovery and loneliness. On top of that, the music and dance sequences are very well-choreographed and exuberant. To be fair, it takes about 10 minutes to get used to watching Robbie disguised as a CGI monkey, so please keep in mind that your patience will be rewarded. Raechelle Banno plays Robbie's girlfriend, Nicole, and Alison Steadman, Mike Leigh's ex-wife and the co-star of the cult classic Shirley Valentine, portrays Robbie's grandmother, Betty. At a running time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, Better Man is bold, exhilarating and genuinely heartfelt. Now playing in select theaters nationwide via Paramount Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1







      In September 5 Geoffrey (John Magaro), Marvin (Ben Chaplin) and Roon (Peter Sarsgaard) play his direct superior Marvin Bader and the big boss Roon Arledge leads an American sports broadcasting crew as they capture the hostage crisis at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The screenplay by writer/director Tim Fehlbaum and his co-writers, Moritz Binder and Alex David, wastes no time by keeping the plot lean and focused on the experiences of the TV crew at the Olympics while the crisis unfolds, so you're with them throughout their ordeal from start to finish. Exposition remains at a bare minimum and there's little to no padding. September 5 opts for a procedural format to tell its story like the films of Alan J. Pakula, but it avoids becoming dull or monotonous. The performances by the entire ensemble cast are all superb, even those in supporting roles like Leonie Benesch who's just as terrific in last year's gripping thriller The Teachers' Lounge. It's one of the most powerful, taut and spellbinding thrillers since Argo. Kudos to the filmmakers for understanding the concept of "less is more" by keeping the running time below 2 hours. That alone is quite a major feat. At a 1 hour and 35 minutes, September 5 is now playing in select theaters nationwide before via Paramount Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1







      Tiemei (Song Jia), a single mother, moves with her young daughter, Moli (Isabella Zeng), into a new apartment where she befriends her timid neighbor, Xiaoye (Zhong Chuxi), despite that their personalities often clash in Her Story. Writer/director Yihui Shao has made an empowering, genuinely heartfelt and honest story brimming with warmth, tenderness and humor. Although both Tiemei and Xiaoye pursue romantic interests, those subplots aren't the main focus; Tiemei and Xiaoye friendship with each other and their own emotional journeys toward self discovery are primary focal points. So, yes, this wonderful and wise film passes the Bechdel test much like Barbie and Shirley Valentine which it would pair well with. It's much like a Chinese version of an Eric Rohmer film with just the right balance of wit and perceptive observations about relationships and gender roles in modern society. At 1 hour and 32 minutes, it's now playing at AMC Empire 25 via Tiger Pictures Entertainment.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

       Terry (Jude Law), an FBI agent, teams up with Jamie (Tye Sheridan), a police officer, to investigate a series of bank robberies and armored car heists that might be linked to a white supremacist group led by Bob (Nicholas Hoult) and Richard (Victor Slezak) in The Order. Based on a true story and on the novel The Silent Brotherhood by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt, screenwriter Zach Baylin and director Justin Kurzel have made a spellbinding, taut and gritty crime thriller.

      The filmmakers do an impeccable job of grabbing the audience's attention within the first ten minutes and, more importantly, maintaining the suspense as Terry begins to suspect the existence of a domestic terrorist group. Others downplay his concerns, but he sticks to his guns with the help of Jamie. Although the story takes place back in 1983, it feels very timely because of the current rise of white supremacists. That makes the film all the more terrifying, especially when the plot changes to the perspective of the terrorists. Bob, like Oliver Lang in Arlington Road, has a wife, Debbie (Alison Oliver) and son, Clinton (Huxley Fisher). He also has a mistress, Zillah (Odessa Young ), so he leads a double or even triple life and wears many different masks, so-to-speak. What's his true self life beneath all of his hatred? How introspective is he? He doesn't seem like he has any introspection at all. How did he end up so cruel? Perhaps he has some self-hatred. Either way, the screenplay avoids the pitfall of turning him into a one-dimensional villain. He's complex and in some ways he's even ordinary.

       There's a particularly nerve-wracking scene where Bob and Terry cross paths by a lake during which the audience can feel the palpable tension and psychological thrills because something dark and disturbing could happen at any given moment if Bob were to suddenly snap. Imagination is quite a powerful tool. The Order does some action sequences and chases, but not too many and they're well-shot. The pace moves at a medium-burning speed, so it's not too fast nor too slow nor do any scenes drag or feel like unnecessary filler. The filmmakers should also be commended for handling exposition effectively without over-explaining or confusing the audience. Jude Law, Nicholas and Tye Sheridan are all well cast and give terrific performances as does Jurnee Smollett in a supporting role as an FBI agent. At a running time of 1 hour and 54 minutes, The Order opens nationwide on December 6th, 2024 via Vertical. It's the most exhilarating crime thrillers since Hell or High Water, and the most chilling and provocative one since Arlington Road.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

       In Regarding Us, Veronica (Alexandra Grey), a trans woman, spirals into a state of depression and feels suicidal after getting fired from her job as a Catholic school teacher. When she meets Denny (David Beck) and befriends his young daughter, Isabel (Andrea Rosa Guzman), while babysitting her, they both impact each other's lives. Isabel suspects that her new classmate, Kyle (Hudson Paul), might be trans, so she encourages him to feel comfortable about crossdressing and putting on makeup which angers his mother, Constance (Abigail Hawk), and his abusive, transphobic older brother, Matt (Jacob Moran). Meanwhile, Denny has broken up with his boyfriend, Adrian (Eliud Garcia), and lies to Isabel that he's currently overseas in France for work.

      The premise sounds like it could lead to yet another overstuffed and undercooked drama because of so many characters and subplots. However, the screenplay by writers/directors David Beck and Jennifer Bobbi assembles the characters and subplots in a way that feels honest, captivating and genuinely heartfelt without making the audience feel the wheels of the screenplay turning. Veronica comes across as a smart, compassionate and strong trans woman who has clearly experienced a lot of emotional pain and trauma. She had a rocky relationship with her recently deceased estranged father which means that she's grieving him as well as the father that she never had concurrently. She gradually heals from her own trauma while bonding with Isabel, Denny and Kyle each of whom is going through his or her own struggles as well.

      Kudos to Beck and Bobbi for seeing and treating everyone as complex human beings which makes them more relatable. Most importantly, they should be commended for finding the right balance between Truth and Spectacle while finding plenty of Spectacle within the film's many Truths. Movies don't need car chases, explosions, gun fights or an abundance of CGI effects to be entertaining. There are no villains, melodrama or schmaltz, so Regarding Us remains refreshingly un-Hollywood. It's sweet without being cloying, poignant without being emotionally devastating or maudlin, uplifting without being cheesy, and wise without being preachy or heavy-handed.

      Within despair, there's always hope. As poet Pablo Neruda once wrote, "They can cut all of the flowers, but they can't stop the spring from coming." It's inspiring to watch how Veronica changes innately as the garden of her soul starts to blossom throughout the film. She experiences epiphanies that make her stronger because she's learning to love true herself, warts-and-all. In a way, Regarding Us can be seen as a love story about a trans woman who learns how to romance herself. Her full character arc feels truly earned. Moreover, the performances by the ensemble cast are all superb, especially Alexandra Grey and the child actors, Andrea Rosa Guzman, Hudson Paul and Jacob Moran. At a running time of 1 hour and 38 minutes, Regarding Us opens on December 6th, 2024 at Cinema Village via Gravitas Ventures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1







      After quitting his job as a barista, Khalid (Derrick B. Harden) travels from Brooklyn to a small coastal town in Bulgaria to meet an older woman who hires him for sex work in The Black Sea. She dies before he arrives and his passport ends up stolen, so he's now stranded in Bulgaria. Soon enough, he befriends and romances Ina (Irmena Chichikova), a travel agent who helps him to find a job before he gathers enough money to open his own shop with her selling macha and toasted sandwiches. Co-writers/directors Crystal Moselle and Derrick B. Harden have woven a captivating, funny and heartfelt story brimming with warmth, tenderness and wit. Sure, most of the plot can be easily predicted and requires some suspension of disbelief because of a few contrived events, i.e. how quickly Khalid bonds with the townspeople and charms them. Those are forgivable flaws, though. At its core, The Black Sea is about a man who conquers adversity through his determination, lively personality and compassion for others. It's uplifting to watch as he finds a sense of community in the small town and makes the most out of his tough financial situation.

      Derrick B. Harden and Irmena Chichikova have palpable chemistry together which makes you want to root for Khalid and Ina to be together as a romantic couple. Moreover, the scenery is often picturesque with a few instances of visual poetry. The town eventually becomes a character in itself. Will Kalid want to return to the US or stay in Bulgaria? The ending won't be spoiled here, but it's worth mentioning that it's satisfying and sweet without being schmaltzy. At a running time of only 1 hour and 36 minutes, The Black Sea opens on November 22nd, 2024 at Metrograph via Metrograph Pictures. It's better than Anora while dealing with the topics of culture clash, class, love and happiness with much more depth.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1







      A cat seeks shelter when a giant flood displaces it in Flow. Throughout its desperate struggle to survive, it meets a dog, a capybara, a lemur and a crane. Writer/director Gints Zilbalodis and co-writer Matiss Kaza have made a bold, heartwarming, poetic and exhilarating journey without one single line of dialogue. Instead of words, the filmmakers provide the audience with facial expressions and music to convey and capture many different emotions. The deceptively simple story becomes increasingly complex and like a roller-coaster ride of emotions in the sense that the audience experiences joy, sadness, despair and hope just like the cat on-screen does. If you're a cat-lover, that's an added bonus, but there's also a dog which will please dog-lovers, so hopefully you're either one or the other or, better yet, both. Exposition is kept at a very bare minimum without a sense of where the cat is within the world and how or why the giant flood occurs. The CGI animation looks dazzling albeit not always photo-realistic; at times it looks more like painted CGI. There are many sequences that are so awe-inspiring that they transcend beyond words and might even bring you tears of sadness and joy. That's a testament to the film's power and, above all, to its palpable humanism, a truly special effect. At a running time of only 1 hour and 24 minutes, Flow opens November 22nd, 2024 at Angelika Film Center via Sideshow and Janus Films.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

      In Memoir of a Snail, Gracie (voice of Sarah Snook) recalls the memories of her childhood to her beloved pet snail, Sylvia. She talks about how she formed an emotional bond with her supportive twin brother, Gilbert (voice of Kodi Smit-McPhee), how they ended up separated and how she met her elderly friends, Pinky (voice of Jacki Weaver). The screenplay by writer/director Adam Elliot is a refreshingly witty, poignant and empowering story about self-discovery, conquering adversity and embracing life. Gracie has suffered through a lot including bullying and an abusive relationship while dealing with loneliness and low self esteem. She's eccentric, candid and maintains a dry, occasionally darkly comedic sense of humor. Memoir of a Snail gets darker and darker as it progresses, but it also gets increasingly profound. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions that's full of surprises and aphorisms that you'll be able to apply to your own life. Beyond that, it's also beautifully animated in claymation and includes some provocative symbolism. At a running time of only 1 hour and 34 minutes, Memoir of a Snail is now playing at IFC Center and other select theaters via IFC Films. It would be a great double feature with Pixar's Up.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1







      In The Wild Robot, Rozzum Unit 7134, a.k.a. Roz (voice of Lupita Nyong'o), a robot, ends up stranded on an island after a shipwreck and believes that her directive is to teach a young orphaned goose, Brightbill (voice of Kit Connor) how to eat, swim and fly. Fink (voice of Pedro Pascal), a fox, helps her to complete her tasks. Writer/director Chris Sanders has managed to create an exhilarating, wise, funny, poignant and uplifting adventure well worth taking. The first fifteen minutes or so are hilarious as you're introduced to Roz who's searching for the one who requested her services only to be rejected by every animal including a squirrel. An egg hatches, Brightbill emerges, and now she has a client. Teaching him how to eat, swim and fly becomes difficult tasks, though.

      The Wild Robot, based on the book by Peter Brown, has a deceptively simple, easy-to-follow plot, but that's just on the surface. Beneath the surface, there's a warm, beating heart and profound, inspirational messages that might remind you of animated classics like The Iron Giant and Wall-E. It avoids turning into a schmaltzy, preachy, heavy-handed, tedious or dull experience, though. The dialogue and even some of the sight gags sparkle with wit without catering to the lowest common denominator or pandering to younger audiences. In other words, The Wild Robot entertains adults and children equally. Interestingly, the animation style appears to be a combo of photo-realistic CGI and painted CGI, like in the character design of Fink the fox. The use of music is also worth mentioning, especially the song "Kiss the Sky" by Maren Morris which deserves to be nominated for Best Original Song. At a running time of 1 hours and 41 minutes, The Wild Robot is destined to become an animated classic. It's now playing nationwide via Universal Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1







      Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), an aging Hollywood actress whose stardom has faded, gets fired from hosting an aerobics show in The Substance. She decides to secretly take a mysterious substance that creates a younger version of herself named Sue (Margaret Qualley) which ejects from her back. There are a few rules that she has to abide by, such as going back to her older body every 7 days, feeding the older body intravenously, and to remember that her younger and older self are one and the same. Meanwhile, Harvey (Dennis Quaid), the smarmy producer of Elizabeth's show, wants to replace her with Sue. Little does Elizabeth know that the substance is a Faustian bargain. Writer/director Coralie Fargeat has created a wickedly funny, audacious, razor-sharp and poetic blend of horror, dark comedy and satire. The Substance manages to be a thoroughly entertaining, refreshingly unpredictable and electrifying ride. It's blunt, grotesque, shocking, disturbing, unflinchingly honest and scathing in its commentary on beauty, aging and fame. Poetry is often a form of protest which makes The Substance a loud, indignant and powerful protest against shallowness, and a protest for recognizing the intrinsic value of one's inner beauty and self worth in a world's that's dehumanizing, materialistic and misogynistic.

      Demi Moore shines in a bravura, Oscar-worthy performance, the best performance of her entire career. She sinks her teeth into Elizabeth's strengths and her vulnerabilities lurking beneath the surface. Margaret Qualley is also superb while Dennis Quaid hams it up with his somewhat campy, over-the-top performance. The cinematography adds plenty of visual style which becomes parts of the film's substance starting with the foreboding opening shot of an egg being injected by the titular substance before a smaller yolk ejects from the yolk. The pacing, use of music, editing, costume and set designs are also exceptional. If you can imagine the sardonic humor and wit of Triangle of Sadness with the creepiness of The Fly, the brilliance and craziness of Being John Malkovich, and the depth of Sunset Boulevard, you'll get a sense of what it's like to watch The Substance. At a running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes, The Substance is now playing nationwide via MUBI.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

      In Red Rooms, Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariépy), a young woman, obsesses over the trial of Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos), a man accused of being a serial killer who kidnaps, sexually abuses and tortures his underage victims. She takes the investigation into her own hands by going into the dark web to find a key piece of missing evidence that could prove his guilt or exonerate him. Writer/director Pascal Plante has made one of the most spellbinding, taut and provocative crime thrillers since The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He begins with both the prosecutor and the defense stating their sides of the case. The prosecutor claims that there's enough evidence that incriminates Ludovic while the defense urges the jury to keep an open mind for reasonable doubt. Suddenly, the plot focuses on Kelly-Anne and her determination to find important evidence, a tape of the death of one of the serial killer's victims. She uses her computer skills to try to find the missing tape and figure out what happened to it with her detective skills.  It's great to watch a movie with an intelligent, brave female protagonist who's a critical thinker. Kelly-Anne also comes across as somewhat unhinged and unpredictable. She's cut from the same cloth as Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Red Rooms doesn't judge her, though, nor does it ask the audience to judge her. The deeper she goes into the dark web, the more she puts her life in jeopardy. Kudos to writer/director Pascal Plante for trusting the audience's imagination and intelligence without dumbing the film down by spoon-feeding the audience. He grasps that true horror can be found inside the audience's mind. There's no blood or gore to be found throughout the film, surprisingly, so Plante wisely chooses not to rely on shocking and disturbing the audience to entertain them like most movies about serial killers tend to do----yes, I'm looking at you, Seven and Zodiac. At a running time of 1 hour and 58 minutes, Red Rooms is now on VOD via Utopia.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

      In Longlegs, Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), an FBI agent with psychic abilities, joins Agent Carter (Blair Underwood), to investigate serial killings that are linked to a mysterious killer who goes by the name of Longlegs (Nicolas Cage).  Meanwhile, she deals with her emotionally abusive mother, Ruth (Alicia Witt), who's very religious. The less you know about the plot of Longlegs beforehand, the better, because it's best watching it going in cold so that the beats land more strongly during its twists and turns. If you haven't watched the trailer yet, don't. It gives too much away. Writer/director Oz Perkins does an impeccable job of maintaining suspense and intrigue from the very first scene, a brief prologue that flashes back to Lee's childhood. It's a scene that sets the film's foreboding tone without giving away too much. Perkins should also be commended for knowing how and when to incorporate exposition while allowing the audience to be on the same page as Lee. Is there something supernatural going on? What's Longleg's motive? Could someone be helping him? Those are among the provocative questions that you'll ponder along with Lee. She's an interesting character because she's intelligent and brave, yet vulnerable and flawed. Maika Monroe gives a heartfelt and raw performance. It's the best performance of her career. Nicolas Cage is barely recognizable behind a lot of prosthetics and makeup that, along with Cage's wild performance, makes Longlegs look effectively creepy and unhinged.

      The cinematography offers plenty of style in terms of the camera work, lighting, and use of color which, together with the sound design and production design, becomes an integral part of the film's substance concurrently. A seemingly simple scene like Lee sitting in a room with a red carpet brims with visual poetry while contributing to the eerie atmosphere. There are some very grisly images and violent scenes, but some of the graphic violence actually remains off-screen. The third act, refreshingly, doesn't tie everything up neatly in a bow and leaves room for interpretation. So, kudos to writer/director Oz Perkins for trusting the audience's intelligence. At a running time of 1 hour and 41 minutes, Longlegs is a spellbinding, taut and intriguing psychological horror thriller. It's now streaming on VOD via NEON. 

Number of times I checked my watch: 1





 

       Colman Domingo, one of the best actors of our time, gives yet another Oscar-worthy performance in Sing Sing. He portrays Divine G., an innocent man who's wrongfully imprisoned in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. While repeatedly trying to appeal his conviction, he joins a theater group where he writes plays and stars with his fellow inmates. The theater group is part of a program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). Writer/director Greg Kwedar and co-writer Clint Bentley have created a genuinely engrossing, understated and inspirational emotional journey with just the right amount of poignancy and levity while avoiding clunkiness and an uneven tone. Much of the film will make you feel like you're watching a documentary because the camera merely follows Diving G. and his theater group with little to no music score. The raw, convincingly moving and nuanced performances and the natural dialogue help to further ground the film in authenticity. Not a single scene feels contrived, maudlin or heavy-handed. Most of the inmates in the theater group are actually played by the real-life members of the group who were formerly incarcerated. Paul Raci rounds out the cast as Brent, who serves as the programs advisor/director.

      Interestingly, Sing Sing doesn't spend too much time on what led to Divine G.'s wrongful imprisonment or on his struggles to prove his innocence. There are no flashbacks and very little exposition about his past, but just enough to humanize him. Much of the film's emotional resonance come from Colman Domingo's bravura performance. He manages to find the emotional truth of his role and to open the window into Divine G.'s heart, mind and soul from start to finish. At a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, Sing Sing, based on a true story, is now playing in select theaters nationwide via A24 before expanding to more theaters. It would be a great double feature with Ghostlight.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1






Sting

Directed by Kiah Roache-Turner




      12-year-old Charlotte (Alyla Browne) lives with her mother, Heather (Penelope Mitchell), stepfather, Ethan (Ryan Corr), in an NYC apartment. One night, she finds a small spider, names it Sting, and keeps it as her pet. Little does she know that the more she feeds it, the more it'll grow into a giant deadly spider that terrorizes the residents of the apartment building.

      Writer/director Kiah Roache-Turner has made an enormously entertaining crowd-pleaser with a perfect blend of horror, comedy and thrills. In the prologue, an exterminator, Frank (Jermaine Fowler), arrives to investigate the source of loud noises in the walls of the apartment building. A mysterious creature soon drags him before the film flashes back to the moment when a  spider egg falls from outer space and crashes through a window in Charlotte's apartment building. The hatches, Charlotte finds it and keeps it in her room while feeding it cockroaches. Where did the spider egg come from? How is it able to make sounds that mimic Charlotte like a parrot? Why does Charlotte choose "Sting" out of all other possible names for the spider? Those questions aren't answered, but that's fine. The screenplay remains lean and light on exposition which is beneficial because it allows the plot to remain tight, focused and uncomplicated. Kiah Roache-Turner does an effective job of establishing the bond between Charlotte and Sting as well as her rocky relationship with her stepfather. Those scenes are surprisingly moving without being cloying or clunky.

      As Hitchcock once wisely observed, logic is dull; imagination is more important than logic. Fortunately, Sting doesn't run out of neither imagination nor ideas as it presents different ways for the spider to scare and excite the audience including it crawling on the ceiling like in the film's theatrical poster. Arachnophobic audience members need not worry, though, because the spider isn't so scary that they'll be shielding their eyes. There are some very intense scenes, though, especially one that will be talked about and referenced because of how it pushes the envelope while tipping its hat to Alien. Erik (Danny Kim), a scientist who lives in the building, and the exterminator, Frank, provide some much-needed comic relief. Some jump scares are used in amusing ways. One of Frank's zingers, which involves the mention of sex with a blender to describe what he's seeing, is laugh-out-loud funny. The third act escalates the action and thrills without becoming exhausting or tedious.  

      Sting has pretty solid performances, especially from Alyla Browne who gives a breakthrough performance. Everyone from the major roles to the supporting roles, like Helga (Noni Hazlehurst), Heather's mother, is well-cast. The film also boasts a very clever and creative opening credits sequence with a well-chosen song that sets the tone. A song with very appropriate lyrics that plays over the end credits is unexpected which makes it all the more refreshing. Hint: it's the same song that plays over the opening credits of the underrated 90's cult classic Blast From the Past. The production design makes the most out of the low budget without looking cheap. There are actually some very well-shot sequences with practical effects and not too much CGI. The spider's design looks much less scary than Hanus, the giant spider from Spaceman. Sting doesn't rely heavily on blood and gore, but when those moments do arrive, they're quite shocking, so audiences looking for some cool kills will be pleased and might even exclaim, "Holy shit!" during one particular kill. The pace moves briskly enough, and the film doesn't overstay its welcome at a running time of 1 hour and 31 minutes. Ultimately, Sting is scary, funny and suspenseful.  It’s one of the best horror comedies films in years, and it's destined to become a cult classic.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Released by Well Go USA.
Now on VOD.





Love Lies Bleeding

Directed by Rose Glass




      Lou (Kristen Stewart) lives in a small town in New Mexico and manages a local gym which her estranged father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), owns. One night, Jackie (Katy O’Brian), a drifter from Oklahoma, arrives in town on her way to a bodybuilding competition in Las Vegas. She and Lou hit it off, but they get into trouble when Jackie takes matters into her own hands after JJ (Dave Franco) physically abuses his wife, Lou's sister, Beth (Jena Malone).

      If you take Blood Simple and cross it with <Bound an Killer Joe, it would look something like Love Lies Bleeding. The screenplay by writer/director Rose Glass and co-writer Weronika Tofilska doesn't score points for originality, but it compensates for that as a taut and compelling crime thriller that's afraid to take risks and to get into dark territory. To say that Lou comes from a dysfunctional family would be an understatement. Her father is corrupt, domineering, violent, menacing and intimidating. Lou's sister, Beth, ended up marrying a man who's just as toxic as her father. When the audience first meets JJ, he's having sex with Jackie in his car. It's only a few minutes later that you'll learn that he's married to Beth and that Lou will fall in love with Jackie. Beth gets hospitalized when JJ beats her up. Did she try to fight back? Interestingly, the filmmakers choose to not show him beating her up or a scene that shows what caused him to beat her up, so the audience is expected to connect the dots on their own and to use their imagination, a powerful tool. There's a wonderful scene where Lou, Jackie, Beth and JJ are eating at a Chinese restaurant together while neither Jackie nor JJ talk about the elephant in the room: the fact that they had sex earlier. However, the audience can tell by the way that JJ behaves that he's very nervous.

      Elsewhere, though, Love Lies Bleeding very little to the imagination as Lou tries to help Jackie from covering up a crime that she commits. They also try to frame Lou Sr. for it. The plot gets increasingly complicated and twisted when Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov) claims to have witnessed their crime, so she blackmails Lou. The filmmakers should be commended for writing characters who are quite unlikable and deeply flawed, yet complex human beings. Lou and Jackie cross legal boundaries, but they have somewhat of a conscience. Whether or not they're introspective is a whole other matter. One of the film's most revealing and surprisingly tender scenes is when Lou sits down with Jackie when they first meet at the gym as they talk about their traumatic past. It's wonderful that beneath all of the grittiness, darkness and violence, Love Lies Bleeding actually has a beating heart.

      Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian give raw as well as emotionally resonating performances. They both have palpable chemistry together. Ed Harris is very-well cast as Lou's father who's also a sick and twisted crime boss. In terms of sex and violence, there's plenty of it, although not much nudity. The violent scenes are very graphic, though, and push the envelope with the unflinching gore. Other ways that the film tries to be shocking and disturbing include a scene where Lou Sr. devours a live beetle whole. Love Lies Bleeding also has some surprisingly surreal sequences which are darkly comedic. On top of that, the music score is superb along with the stylish cinematography and lighting. The film's visual style and use of music often become a part of its substance. At a running time of 1 hour and 44 minutes, Love Lies Bleeding is a sizzling, suspenseful, and electrifying crime thriller.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Released by A24.
Now on VOD.





Dune: Part Two

Directed by Denis Villeneuve




     Paul (Timothée Chalamet) has joined the Fremen tribe and chooses to be given the name Muad’Dib while promising to bring paradise to the Freman as their messiah. Meanwhile, he joins fellow warrior Chani (Zendaya) in a war against the Harkonnens, led by the nefarious Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) and his nephew, Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler).

      Based on the novel by Frank Herbert, the screenplay by writer/director Denis Villeneuve and co-writer Jon Spaihts is more heartfelt than Dune: Part One's screenplay which spends too much time treading water with clunky exposition. Dune: Part One does have some exposition and introduces new characters, but it's not dull or convoluted. The film takes its time to develop Paul as a boy who's becoming a man and must face his future and the Fremen tribe's expectations of him. There's a lot on the line for him, especially with the war going on with the Harkonnens who desperately want to take over Arakis. Feyd-Rautha is a very terrifying and ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to win the war, so Paul and the Fremen warriors have many tough challenges ahead of them that put their lives at risk. Dune: Part Two also focuses a little on the relationship between Paul and his mother, Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), which ground the film in emotionally resonating scenes. His bond with Chani, which could be something more, also feels engrossing while humanizing Paul. So, this isn't just a big, loud and action-packed spectacle; it actually has a beating heart beneath the surface that allows the audience to empathize with its heroic protagonist. In other words, it has just the right balance of truth, or humanity, and spectacle.

     Dune: Part Two is a mesmerizing display of CGI effects combining with set designs, costume designs and cinematography to provide plenty of visual style and spectacle which becomes part of the film's substance concurrently. It's not only a spectacle for the eyes, but also for the ears thanks to the terrific music score by Hans Zimmer. The action sequences, particularly with the giant worms, are thrilling and awe-inspiring to behold on the big screen. Much like with most blockbusters, watching the film on the small screen would diminish the power of its visuals and sounds. Once again, Timothée Chalamet gives a solid performance as does Zendeya. The stand-out here, though, is Austin Butler who chews the scenery as Feyd-Rautha. Christopher Walken briefly shows up as Emperor Shaddam IV, and Florence Pugh plays the emperor's daughter, Princess Irulan. At a running time of 2 hours and 46 minutes, Dune: Part Two is a rousing, heartfelt and breathtaking spectacle.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2
Released by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Now on VOD.



Io Capitano

Directed by Matteo Garrone




      16-year-old Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and his cousin, Moussa (Moustapha Fall) embark on a dangerous journey from Senegal to Italy in search of a better life despite the disapproval of Seydou's mother (Khady Sy).

      Writer/director Matteo Garrone and his co-writers, Massimo Ceccherini, Massimo Gaudioso and Andrea Tagliaferri introduce Seydou and Moussa as they live in poverty in Senegal while dreaming of fleeing abroad. Their wish comes true when they save enough money to make the arduous voyage from Senegal to Italy by foot, vehicle and boat. Their journey takes them through a desert where they must hide their money or else it will be stolen and they'll get into trouble. They both put their lives at risk, but at least they have each other. Garrone and his fellow screenwriters capture the palpable bond between Seydou and Moussa, so the emotional beats land during the right moments when something happens to one of them. . Moreover, it avoids becoming maudlin, clunky or wallowing in Seydou and Moussa's suffering. Garrone knows what to leave to the audience's imagination and when to leave it without spoon-feeding the audience or dumbing anything down. He also knows when and how to trust the audience's intelligence. There are even some surprising moments of coming relief and surrealism which provide levity. So, Garrone also has a great command of the film's tone which is no easy task. Although Io Capitano maintains its suspense as it focuses on their long trek by land and sea, it also remains poignant and warm, so it finds just the right balance between Truth and Spectacle.

      Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall both give raw, convincingly moving performances that help to further ground the film in authenticity. Everything from the cinematography to music score to the editing and breathtaking scenery are exquisite while contributing style and substance concurrently. Io Capitano feels epic in scope, yet firmly grounded in humanity from start to finish. It never becomes exhausting, tedious or lethargic. Moreover, you never feel the weight of its lengthy running time which is a testament to how truly engrossing it is. At 2 hours, Io Capitano is an exhilarating, captivating and genuinely heartfelt emotional journey brimming with warmth and tenderness.

      Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews), an applejack salesman, must fight hundreds of beavers who destroy his wooden barrels filled with applejack. To win over a young woman (Olivia Graves), he must bring hundreds of beavers to her father, a merchant (Doug Mancheski).

      Hundreds of Beavers is a delightfully zany, exuberant and outrageously funny slice of comedy heaven. The screenplay by writer/director Mike Cheslik and co-writer Ryland Brickson Cole Tews takes a simple concept and turns it into an enormously entertaining slapstick comedy reminiscent of the classic comedies of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. It has the same madcap energy found in Looney Tunes and the offbeat humor found in A Town Called Panic. Fortunately, it never runs out of steam and gets increasingly bizarre without being exhausting or tedious. There are many clever surprises, big and small, along the way which makes this a rewatchable film to catch all of the details and jokes.

      In terms of its plot, logic and reason are thrown out the window, but that's okay because, as Hitchock once wisely observed, there's something more important than logic: imagination. Hundreds of Beavers has plenty of imagination from start to finish. It's also visually stylish while making the most out of its limited budget with animation that's charming, like Ray Harryhausen's animation. The black-and-white cinematography and the fact that it's silent will make you feel like you're watching a film from the Golden Age of American Cinema. You can laugh with it or at it. You can still enjoy it whether you watch it sober, intoxicated or high. It's best to see it with a large crowd, though. At 1 hour and 48 minutes, Hundreds of Beavers deserves to become a cult classic. Now playing in select theaters nationwide.


Number of times I checked my watch: 4
Released by Cohen Media Group.
Now on VOD.

Driving Madeleine

Directed by Christian Carion




      Charles (Dany Boon), a cab driver, develops a friendship with his passenger Madeleine (Line Renaud), a 92-year-old woman who's moving into a nursing home.

      The screenplay by writer/director Christian Carion and his co-writer, Cyril Gely, is an engrossing story brimming with warmth, tenderness and joie de vivre. Fundamentally, it's a platonic love story between two broken souls who connect during a long cab ride. Charles has hit a rough patch with his wife, struggles to make ends meet, and will lose his license if he receives another traffic ticket. When Madeleine first enters his cab, she seems content as the two of them have light conversations. When she asks him to stop by the place she grew up in and tells him about her past, that's when Driving Madeleine delves into darker and more tragic territory. There's much more to Madeleine than meets the eye. The film flashes back to Madeleine as a young woman (Alice Isaaz) who falls in love with Raymond (Jérémie Laheurte). She vividly recalls their first kiss. A lot more happens in Madeleine's past that won't be revealed here, but it does change the way you look at Madeleine because of her actions. However, bravo to the filmmakers for not judging her nor for asking the audience to judge her; instead, they ask you to experience her, warts and all. Madeleine, like the film itself, is like a beautiful rose with a few prickly thorns. It doesn't dwell on its darker themes, but it doesn't shy away from them either. Most importantly, though, it's sweet without being schmaltzy, and dialogue sounds natural with just the right amount of wit and gentle comic relief.

      Line Renaud shines in a warm, charismatic and radiant performance. She's just as great of an actress as Judi Dench. Dany Boon is also terrific and has a palpable chemistry with Renaud. They both breathe life into their roles, so the film's poignancy mostly comes from their moving performances. The flashbacks are somewhat clunky, but that's a minor, systematic issue that doesn't take away from the narrative momentum. The film moves at just the right pace without feeling rushed or too slow. No, nobody stares off into the distance for 10 minutes. Impressively, director Christian Carion grasps the concept of restraint and that less is more by keeping the running time under 2 hours. At just 1 hour and 31 minutes, Driving Madeleine is a captivating, wise and genuinely heartfelt journey well worth taking. It would make for a great double feature with Philomena.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Released by Cohen Media Group.
Now on VOD.






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