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The Substance (2024)
Has impressed many with its outrageousness, but not much 'substance' underneath
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is an early morning fitness instructor on a national TV station, who's reached an age where she no longer fits the image of what the network chief, Harvey (Dennis Quaid) thinks the public want to see. When she learns of a mysterious serum called The Substance, she is given a number to phone and a place to go. After getting hold of the serum and injecting it, Elisabeth endures a supernatural transition into Sue (Margaret Qualley), a younger version of herself who takes over her spot on the morning fitness programme. Gradually, Sue takes over Elisabeth's life in a way she can't control.
There was a time, in the 90's, where Demi Moore and her willingness to bare herself on camera caused quite a stir. Comedian Paul Kaye, in the form of his comic persona Denis Penis, once memorably cornered her on the red carpet with the question: "Under any circumstances, if it wasn't gratuitous and was tastefully done, would you consider keeping your clothes on in a movie?" And now, after many years, she bares herself considerably again, in this wildly outlandish piece from writer/director Coralie Fargeat, that has gained some rave reviews for its wild outrageousness. But I have a feeling it's going to divide opinion.
The overriding theme seems to be of ageism in the world of the TV industry, and how women especially are made to suffer at the whim of always appearing young and appealing. The film also delves into the issue of the 'male gaze', with the key male characters appearing in close up through the lens of Moore's lead character. As the central character of the film, you just wish there was more depth to her beyond her surface level of 'wanting to look young again.' In his supporting role, Quaid (in a role intended for Ray Liotta before his passing) is a cartoonish obnoxious chauvinist, at times reminiscent of J. K. Simmons in Spider-Man. Qualley as her younger off-spawn feels the most natural, even in a fairly typical vacuous airhead role.
When the end (eventually) comes, it's all become a big far fetched mess, overlong and over-indulgent, with nods in set design and effects to horror classics like Hellraiser and The Shining, with arthouse pretensions to the likes of David Cronenberg. Its sheer outrageousness seems to have endeared it to many, but I think I need something with a little more 'substance.' **
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Starts with promise, but veers off course slightly
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Former soldier Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) arrives in a small town to pay his imprisoned cousin's bail, only to find himself stopped and arrested by the local police, headed by sh!tkicker Chief Sandy Burne (Don Johnson), and his cash seized under civil forfeiture, on trumped up charges. He finds a mutual ally in secretary Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), who has her own personal demons to fight, and together they fight to bring down the corrupt local cops.
The theme of young black men and their contentious relations with law enforcement has been explored many times, and here writer/director Jeremy Saulnier rehashes the well worn set up of the traffic stop to kickstart the story. Initially, it gives off the vibe of being a sort of First Blood for the social justice age, and there's definitely an intriguing angle to how the plot will develop, and while it's not a complete failure, the payoff isn't quite as satisfying as it could have been.
It all works out fairly well until the third act, when the pace starts to sag, not helped much by the overlong two hour runtime, that allows the plot to veer off course and develop into more than it needs to be. Performances wise, in the lead role, Pierre has an imposing presence as the leading action man, with a relieving air of vulnerability to balance it all out, while Johnson is decently slimy and unscrupulous as the villain. Robb is also enthusiastic in a significant supporting role.
Saulnier's film is possibly overindulgent, when if it had just been a little more restrained it could have been a truly superior, suspenseful thriller. But it's still a decent, encouraging effort worthy of a watch. ***
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Enjoyable but clearly flawed belated sequel
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
After her colourful childhood, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) now presents her own paranormal themed TV show centred around the existence of ghosts. However, things are put in a spin when her mother, Delia (Catherine O'Hara) returns on the scene, with the sad news of her father's passing in a plane crash. This throws Lydia's own angsty daughter, Astrid (Jenny Ortega) back into her life, as well as her mother's untrustworthy new partner, Rory (Justin Theroux.) After a bust up with her mother, Astrid comes on a collision course with Jeremy (Arthur Conti), who introduces her to the sinister titular ghost (Michael Keaton), who has his own battles to contend with.
To be honest, the original Beetlejuice was a film that never left much of a lasting impression on me either way, pretty much a film I could give or take. And so, the thought of a sequel was one that never really appealed much to me, much less one that has arrived no less than thirty six years after the original film, before which many this new film is aimed at would even have been born. However, obviously my sentiments are not shared among the majority, with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice breaking box office records on its opening weekend. And, while it's not entirely unjustified, the flaws are clear to see.
Not only has this sequel arrived belatedly, but the original lead star and director have also returned, and so the original style (not that I would remember that much) has been fairly retained. But a Tim Burton film is always a pretty distinctive experience, and his trademark style is stamped all over this. The problem is too much stuff has been crammed into the plot line, and so it all becomes jumbled and incoherent, with even the titular lead character not appearing until two thirds of the way in, along with all the wacky effects he brings along with him.
Performances wise, Keaton still has presence as the wisecracking ghoul, even though he's a little older and creakier now, while the eternally youthful Ryder is hard to accept as a mother to a teenage child, even if her performance is committed. The most curious appearance is from Monica Belluci as Beetlejuice's vengeance fuelled former wife, who plays an integral role in BJ's segment, but disappears for a long stretch, reducing her relevance in proceedings. Supporting roles from the likes of Willem Dafoe and cameos from the likes of Danny DeVito further add to the overstuffed pie. Ultimately, my review has become as overstuffed as the film, so that should tell you everything. It's still quite fun, though. ***
The Deliverance (2024)
Misfiring urban horror thriller
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Ebony Jackson (Andra Day) is a recovering drug addict single mother, living with her children and her cancer ridden mother, Alberta (Glenn Close), in a run down, inner city neighbourhood. Constantly at the mercy of social worker, Cynthia (Monique), there is a constantly tense vibe in the household that is always felt. Then, suddenly, mysterious forces start to emerge around the house that cause Ebony's children to behave in a disturbing manner, and draw them all into a terrifying final battle.
With the success of black horror films of recent times, with the likes of Jordan Peele establishing their own brand of horror staples, Netflix have now added their own offering, in the shape of this claustrophobic chiller from director Lee Daniels. Once again choosing to focus affairs in an urban setting, themes of poverty and isolation are present, but hardly explored, in this misfiring, unaffecting effort.
We have a fairly unlikeable lead character, with a foul mouth and abusive personality, who is also a recovering alcoholic, so it's possible the intention may not have been to like her, but at least understand her as a human with flaws, but the story on its own isn't strong enough to support it. There is an intriguing and unsettling story here, but it never manages to be truly scary in any way, and by the end has become unintentionally hilarious, ironically when it was trying to be scary.
In the final reveal, we learn it's actually based on a true story, and that various similar events have occurred at the same house over a number of years. Maybe another story of what went on could be done with a more successful result. **
The Union (2024)
Absolutely nothing you haven't seen before and better
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Construction worker Mike McKenna (Mark Wahlberg) suddenly finds his old high school girlfriend, Roxanne Hall (Halle Berry) back in his life, and before he knows it, he's woken up in London. He is asked to go undercover with Roxanne's team, called The Union, including her boss, Tom (J. K. Simmons) and Nick (Mike Colter), to stop a briefcase containing the identities of federal agents around the world, from being auctioned to the highest bidder. Along the way, numerous old conflicts and dormant issues arise.
And so we have yet another entry from former rap star turned actor Mark Wahlberg, after the recent canine drama Arthur the King, this time an action comedy effort from feature length debut director Julian Farino. With a lead performance from the lead star that is as fittingly bland as the source material, Wahlberg grunts and grimaces his way through yet another action comedy that does nothing you haven't seen many times before.
Wahlberg is one of a whole all star cast that are wasted, most notably co star Berry, doing her usual tough, no nonsense action chick supporting role, but there's also the likes of Simmons, Colter, as well as the likes of Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Jackie Earle Haley, all not used like anything close to their full potential. Billed as an action comedy, the humour is the least successful component as it's simply never funny, whilst there are some exhilarating action sequences (especially towards the end), all building up to a predictable twist you'll see coming a mile away.
At best, it'll do if you need something to dose off to, or if you're in an especially undemanding mood, even with all the slick cinematography and alluring filming locations. **
Arthur the King (2024)
Largely movie of the week stuff, but stirring enough
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg) is a failed former sports star, who's determined to assemble a team of fellow athletes, including model Liam (Simu Liu), Chik (Ali Suliman) and Helen (Juliet Rylance), to compete in the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. As they brave the elements, an indefatigable dog named Arthur makes his presence known, and inspires Michael and his team to make it to the end.
The relationship between man and beast is a common theme that's been the driving force of many a Hollywood drama, including the likes of Marley and Me and numerous others, but as director Simon Cellan Jones portrays in this drama, it's even the basis for real life stories, which Arthur the King falls right into the category of. While it ultimately feels as perfunctory as real life, it ultimately inspires you through to the end.
For the first half, it's a pretty uninvolving, by the numbers affair, with a standard huffy, grunting lead performance from lead star Wahlberg, propped up by a supporting cast including Liu, Suliman, and Rylance, who fade into the ether. Arthur the dog (or king, if you go by the title) takes his time to make his presence felt, and feels underdeveloped in the early stages. Yet when the race is finished, and the aftermath comes in effect, it is emotionally stirring and you do care for Arthur's outcome, proving that the script has hit some of the right nerves.
In addition, there's some thrilling outdoor adventure sequences, which fit in with the theme of the Racing Championship plot. It just about succeeds in spite of its weaknesses, even if it doesn't completely overcome them, so take it for what it is. ***
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
Noisy, flashy but ultimately empty wartime romp
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Britain, 1941. At the height of World War 2, Hitler's armies are advancing towards Britain, determined to attack her critical infrastructure. Sensing the desperation, Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear), assembles a group of ragtag, unconventional soldiers, led by Admiral Phillips (Henry Cavill) to infiltrate a key Nazi stronghold, and sink two U boats critical to the assault. But things, naturally, don't go to plan.
Having made his name putting his unique spin on the British crime caper, director Guy Ritchie has since branched out, and moved into more mainstream fare, which may have escaped the fan base he'd established with the genre he became famous for. Having put his spin on the Sherlock Holmes staple, we now have this chaotic, flashy wartime thriller, that at least maintains the frenetic style that became his signature trademark.
An all star cast, headed by Cavill, and including the likes of Alan Ritschson, Alex Pettyfer, Eliza Gonzalez and Cary Elwes, are all overshadowed by a script that doesn't give you any time or space to care about them, moving as frenetically and haphazardly as it does. As Churchill, Kinnear has a natural presence and commanding authority, but is underutilised in the role. In amongst all the noise and chaos, there are niggling anachronisms that get under your skin, most uncomfortably that Eton at the time would have such a distinguished black alumni, that seems to be the film's woke point card.
It's engaging enough, with a fairly worthwhile plot line, but it's too much style over substance, an intricate wartime plot, designed for those with a short attention span. I don't think there'll be a sequel, though (but you never know these days.) **
Trap (2024)
An inspired idea that ends up hammering your intelligence
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Cooper (Josh Hartnett), an anonymous man who works as a fire fighter, takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donaghue), to a pop concert by flavour-of-the-month superstar Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan) as a reward for good grades at school. However, unbeknownst to him, the entire show is a ruse to trap him, because he leads a double life as a serial killer. As a team of SWAT commandos patrol the arena trying to catch him, he tries to evade their clutches, while a man he has captive is at the mercy of deadly toxic gas.
However underwhelming his output becomes, M Night Shyamalan always manages to come up with one more inspired, original idea that intrigues you enough to see what's behind it. Following on from 2021's disappointing Old, with Trap we hone in on a singular character, and move in a fairly real time pace. This is definitely an individual idea, with a different central protagonist with a perversely unique point of view, but while it's an interesting watch, the end result ends up a bit of a preposterous mess.
Performances wise, in the lead role, Hartnett is effectively unsettling as a man trying to keep a lid on things as the pressure mounts, while creating an uneasy effect on Donaghue as his daughter. I only just found out on IMDb that none other than Shyamalan's own daughter, Saleeka, plays the pop star, which leaves a not indiscernible taste of nepotism in the mouth. Jonathan Langdon co stars as a friendly, trusting merchandise seller, who ends up providing some out of place comic relief over the end credits that feels out of place with all the intense drama that preceded it.
But the central driving force is the story, which while initially intriguing, in the third act descends into a far fetched, outlandish and completely nonsensical mess that hammers your intelligence into submission, with an overstretched ending that should have wrapped things up much sooner instead of letting everything drag into a muddy abyss. ** and a half.
Abigail (2024)
Convoluted, uneven horror film with an interesting premise
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
A group of criminals, led by the cynical, calculating Frank (Dan Stevens), orchestrate a plan to kidnap Abigail (Alisha Weir), the nine year old daughter of a powerful criminal underworld figure, who not all of them seem aware of. She is attended to by Joey (Mellissa Barrera), a former soldier who developed a drug addiction, who is the most empathetic of the group. But as events progress, it becomes clear that Abigail is a supernatural force to be reckoned with, ready to take down her captors one by one.
In the age of Blumhouse horror and various other franchises, a series of similarly themed offerings have spring up here and there, such as this fairly lengthy yarn, an uneven balancing act of dark horror and trashy comedy, that at least opens with an interesting premise. Kids have always been an effective tool in establishing a sense of creepiness, from films such as Village of the Damned to Children of the Corn, and luckily it's not a premise that has been 'done to death', as it were, and so there's still potential for it to work again, but Abigail doesn't quite get the best result.
It appears to be a foreign import of sorts, with some iffy production values, and characters who appear to be dubbed, though it doesn't significantly detract from the overall experience in any way. It has a decent opening, that establishes a foundation for something meatier, but it emerges as a slow moving piece, that uncomfortably shifts from straight horror flick to outrageous comedy, about two thirds of the way in, where it's already started to overstay its welcome a bit.
It's still a fairly fun experience, increasingly excessive and outrageous as it goes along, that will certainly please gore hounds in the audience, but it's ultimately too lengthy and disjointed to work. I can't even see a sequel coming. ** and a half.
Douglas Is Cancelled (2024)
Inspired, topical four part drama
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Douglas Bellowes (Hugh Bonneville) is a high flying, primetime TV presenter, presenting opposite Madeleine (Karen Gillan), his striking new co presenter, whose star also seems to be on the rise. Suddenly, his career is thrown into turmoil, when a physical recording of him telling an off the cuff joke about Madeleine goes viral. Instead of understanding and support from his former colleague, he finds himself plunged into a spiralling into a whirlwind of condemnation and disposability, that turns out to have deeper connection than he could have imagined.
Living, as we are, in the age of so called 'cancel culture', which has more or less of an actual grounding in reality depending on how people react to what you say, director Ben Palmer delivers a relevant, worthwhile drama for our times, that has more going on beneath the surface than it seems. All rolling in at a succinct, manageable four episodes, it's genuinely inspired and original, and genuinely leaves you wondering how it will play out.
It's all played out in a surprisingly campy, theatrical manner, with some witty, whimsical dialogue, played for laughs as much as drama, but never straying away from its central theme, before building up to a shattering end reveal that touches on deeper issues of male domination and complicity. Performances wise, Bonneville is ideally suited in the lead role, firm and commanding and firmly convincing, as a Piers Morgan alike, caught up in a situation spiralling out of control. He is complimented by Gillan in the supporting role, as an apparently spiteful and manipulative figure, who has a deeper motive than it seems. A fuller supporting cast, including Alex Kingston and Ben Miles, add to the mixing pot.
It's not preachy or condescending in any way, indeed it's quite a light hearted romp, that gets its message across in just the right way while remembering to entertain, bringing the issue of gender politics to the forefront. ****
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
A fun, fulfilling romp that should entertain more than the masses
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has put his alter-ego Deadpool behind him, and has now settled into a quiet life working at a home convenience superstore, along with the rest of his 'X Force' crew. However, one night, at a raucous house party, he finds himself rounded up by soldiers working on behalf of the zany Mr. Paradox (Matthew MacFadyan), who wants to create a time shift that will wipe out Wade's universe. His only hope is to locate his old adversary, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) whose universe suffered the same fate, and form an unstoppable fighting team.
In the world of the Marvel Comics Universe, and DC Comics, which have an unstoppable grip on the box office which shows no sign of abatement, it's easy to get burnt out with the lack of distinction between them all, a mass churning out of the same thing, as long as it all pleases the fanboys. And so, Deadpool is an all the more refreshing character, an anti-hero who doesn't play by the rules, and with all the character flaws not present in traditional action heroes. And Wolverine, of the X-Men, serves as a perfect foil, and they now have a long awaited collaboration that should please those who've been waiting for it.
What could have been a self indulgent, self congratulating borefest is instead quite evenly balanced, and successfully pulls off what it wants to do very well. Reynolds occupies the first half, with Deadpool's story told in reverse, and delivers the goods, with Deadpool as his wise-cracking, pop culture referencing best. Wolverine doesn't enter the proceedings until about two thirds of the way in, but when he does, they form a snappy dynamic, with Jackman injecting his grunting, volatile take on Wolverine. Support wise, MacFadyan hams it up as the mysterious villain, while there are surprise cameos from Jennifer Garner (Elektra), Wesley Snipes (Blade) and Chris Evans (Captain America), in their respective superhero roles, as well as appearances from Channing Tatum, Henry Cavill and Wunmi Mosaku.
In what appears to be a farewell to the characters, director Shawn Levy has crafted a loud, fun, riotous romp that pays a more than respectful homage to its two central characters, and leaves fans, either casual or obsessive. ****
Presumed Innocent (2024)
Solid, compelling courtroom drama
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a hotshot member of the Chicago Prosecuting Office, who's hiding an uncomfortable truth, in the shape of an affair with Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Rensve), an employee where he works. But things take a shattering turn when Carolyn is found brutally murdered, after an apparent sex fantasy gone wrong, and all the evidence seems to point to Rusty. As he battles to prove his innocence, and save his home life with wife, Barbara (Ruth Negga) and his kids, he must also contend with an internal battle between serving DA Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp) and flashy contender Nico Della Guardia (G. T. Fagbenie.)
Apple TV presents the latest remake (or reboot, if you will), in the shape of this eight part adaptation of an original feature film from 1990, starring Harrison Ford, which I haven't seen, awkwardly enough. I wasn't aware it had left enough of a mark on the world of film to warrant one. Alas, I can view it with a fresh perspective, and with a modern slant on the proceedings, and the result, however it fares against the original, is still a stirring, superior piece of television that manages to keep you on edge throughout.
Gyllenhaal is certainly becoming the king of the remakes, after this, Road House earlier this year, and 2021's The Guilty, but as long as he's on dynamic form, it still works, and he injects his lead role with a passion and intensity that makes you more invested in him as a performer. He's backed by a solid supporting cast, including Camp and Fagbenie as the opposing public prosecutors, Negga, Chase Infiniti and Kingston Rumi Southwick as Sabich's family, as well as the likes of Peter Sarsgaard as the dodgy prosecution council.
Apple TV has taken what could be considered a forgotten hit, and given it a polished modern transformation, that fires on all cylinders and secures a pretty solid hit. ****
Twisters (2024)
Serviceable belated summer blockbuster sequel
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Several years after one of her team was killed during a storm, extreme weather chaser Kate (Daisy Edgar Jones), has a new life in New York City. But one day, she is approached by former teammate, Javi (Anthony Ramos), as another major storm is due in the Southern Midwest. She is swayed into taking part, but finds herself usurped by loudmouth city slicker, Tyler (Glen Powell), but as events progress, they form a tighter bond as the stakes grow higher.
The more films I can remember going to see when I was a kid, the older I really start to feel. And one of those films would be the original Twister from 1996, which director Lee Isaac Chung has delivered a sequel to twenty eight years after that film. None of the original stars are present, including Helen Hunt and, of course, Bill Paxton, who's sadly passed since. Obviously the studio thinks there's a loyal fan base of the original film.
You would think, in the current climate, there would be a chance for some topical commentary, given the plot line, with climate change and extreme weather events featuring prominently in the news, but there's no such commentary. And it's not as if there's anything of great substance to compensate for it, with some thinly written characters and sketchy writing. But it delivers where it matters, namely the effects, with some, erm, stirring storm special effects/tornado sequences, especially in an IMAX theatre, which gives the full experience.
Ultimately, it delivers in much the same way as the not especially memorable original, hence the huge delay in its arrival. But, as such, it's the experience it is, for a new generation, and hopefully will deliver the goods in the right way. ***
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
Fair reboot of popular action comedy franchise
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Loud mouthed, wise cracking Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back and up to his old antics in modern times. But then his old friend and former partner, Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) calls him back to Detroit, to help get on top of a situation, where his estranged legal eagle daughter, Jane (Taylor Paige) is threatened into dropping a case against a jailed suspect. Forced to work with modern man Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), the pair close in on a police corruption ring, leading all the way to hotshot Captain Cade Grant (Kevin Bacon.)
In an age where any sort of franchise can be resurrected if it has any sort of flickering flame in the cultural consciousness, the fourth Beverly Hills Cop film has arrived, no less than thirty years after the last film, which left a bad impression with the film-going public. Even a film franchise from the 1980's, when lead star Eddie Murphy was at the height, has the potential to be resurrected in present times. But can it hack a modern audience?
Director Mark Malloy has tried to inject his project with the same light hearted, tongue in cheek merriment, that defined the original trilogy, rather than trying to create something with the modern trappings that are the trademark of action films released today. As such, it's more at home with a Netflix release, rather than a theatrical one, and so maybe the franchise isn't as popular and fresh as it once was. The original gang, or, at least, mismatched, wise cracking double act Murphy and Reinhold, here joined by relative newcomer Gordon-Hewitt and fellow 80's hotshot Bacon, relishing his dodgy agent role with more meat than it has on the bone.
It's ultimately nothing more than average, with a standard plot line and slightly overlong, but it's refreshingly old school, with some funny one liners and decent action sequences. A perfectly satisfying piece of throwback fun. ***
Longlegs (2024)
Offbeat horror thriller, that's likely to divide opinion in many ways
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Rookie FBI Agent Lee Harper (Maika Monroe) is assigned to investigate a series of murder-suicides in family homes, that stretch all the way back to the 1970's. The only consistent clue is that each of the murders is the inclusion of a nine year old girl born on the fourteenth of each month. There's an uneasy involvement on her own part in the murders, following a sinister visit from a man called Longlegs (Nicolas Cage), when she was a young girl, building up to a present day collision course involving her mother, Ruth (Alicia Watt.)
After a prolonged period in the wilderness, making those ineffectual straight to DVD films to cover all that gambling debt he got into, Nicolas Cage seems to be experiencing something of a silent resurgence, even with more of a supporting role, such as this curious psychological horror thriller, which has the potential to become one of his more signature roles. It's one of those zanier, more unhinged roles that he is known for, one which I happened to find more off-putting and annoying, but you may disagree.
Writer/director Oz Perkins seems to have his own distinct vision of the film he's trying to create, with an eerie, uneasy score, and a dark, foreboding sense of isolation and agoraphobia. He even attempts to apply a creepy edge to T-Rex's 1971 hit Get It On, in respective ways at the beginning and end. But perhaps in trying to be so unique, he's wound up with a somewhat convoluted plot, that ends up trying to mesh a standard serial killer plot, with a supernatural element, but the result is a film that leaves the viewer baffled and frustrated.
The film appears to have divided opinion, and the good stuff is quite notable. But whether it translates to the masses will be another matter. As a woman in front of me in the cinema forthrightly blurted out when the end credits started rolling: "I've seen some sh!te in my time, but that took the biscuit!" Could that set the standard?!? **
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal (2024)
Interesting enough expose of notorious website
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In 2001, the website "Ashley Madison" was launched, during the "dot com boom" era. It was a dating site with a twist, in that rather than being the standard 'singles dating' website, it actively encouraged those already married or in relationships to have an affair behind their partner's backs, on the pretext that this is what most people who use conventional dating sites are actually doing anyway. Years passed, and the users moved on with their lives, only for the site to get hacked, and all of their personal details revealed to the public, leading to a wave of devastation.
Like a lot of things, I'd never heard of Ashley Madison until I saw it featured on an episode of The Simpsons. The only website I used with any great regularity around that time was (and still is)...only you, wonderful IMDb. But it was interesting, if nothing else, to learn of the background of the site, and the history behind it, and the moral furore it generated (inevitably) at the time. It was definitely a reflection of the times, and of capitalism showing its ugly grip on the cyber world.
It's a succinct, three part offering, that has to cram a lot into its cramped perimeters, from the conception of the website, to the moral outrage it stirred up among members of the public, to the individual stories of the members, and how their separate lives were affected by the data breach, many years after the site was at the height of its zenith. Most prominent of all is the young, Christian couple, with the young family, whom your tolerance level for will dictate how much you ultimately react to the show.
It's an interesting expose of a social experiment gone wrong, revealing the seedy thoughts and desires underneath even the most seemingly idyllic of couples and families. Interesting is the level it gets too, though, and not much above it. ***
The Bikeriders (2023)
Well made, but never really rises above average
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In 1960's America, Kathy (Jodie Comer) is a young woman trapped in a relationship that's growing increasingly volatile. She starts to get noticed by Benny (Austin Butler), a young buck hoping to make it big in The Vandals, a notorious biker gang, led by Johnny (Tom Hardy), a cool, calculated character who sees promise in Benny. When Kathy and Benny become an item, his commitment to her and his loyalties to The Vandals become dangerously inter-wined, coming to a head when young buck, Sonny (Norman Reedus) offers some credible rivalry with his gang, The Renegades.
The 'biker gang' has always held a magnetic sway with that contingent of movie-goers that relate to the appeal of belonging to a gang, most notably the 1969 film Easy Rider, and various other incarnations over the years. With The Bikeriders, writer/director Jeff Nichols, attempts to compartmentalise the format into an autobiographical, true life account of life in that world, taken from true life accounts from the 50's/60's period. An idea with great potential, that sadly never feels fully realised here.
Comer's strong, improvised Brooklyn accent over the voiceovers, combined with the oldies 50's/60's soundtrack and the 'freeze frame' interludes, give the film, as a few other reviewers have noted, a Goodfellas lite kind of feel, albeit switched from the Italian mafia to a biker gang, but with the same basic set up and characters. Performances wise, Butler has presence as the dreamboat young pretender, while Hardy manages his trademark intense persona, as the mean, moody head boy, while fellow big screen tough guy Michael Shannon makes a surprise return in a lesser role as a grizzled old timer, whose brain's so fried he no longer makes any sense.
There's an all star cast in dynamic, promising roles. But while there's enough to make you care about these characters and their outcomes, all-together it's ultimately a by-the-numbers, workmanlike effort that doesn't really offer anything surprising or new. Could have been explosive, is sadly only a blast while it lasts. ***
Sleeping Dogs (2024)
A standard detective thriller stretched beyond its welcome
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Detective Roy Freeman (Russell Crowe) has left active service, on account of developing Altzeimer's. Isaac Samuel (Pacharo Zmembe), a man on death row with limited time, gets in touch with him, protesting his innocence over the murder of Dr. Joseph Wieder (Martin Csokas.) Since Freeman was one of the interrogating officers on the original case, along with his partner Remis (Tommy Flanagan), he feels obliged to delve into the case, much to Remis's objection. As he looks deeper into the case, he learns of a connection with two young lovers (Karen Gillan and Harry Greenwood), before some shocking revelations from his own past emerge.
Russell Crowe is reemerging as an elder statesman figure in his new, more portly demeanour, his brooding pin-up days now quite a distant memory, and so in-fitting with the role of a grizzled, hard bitten detective, in writer/director Adam Cooper's peculiarly conceived detective thriller. With a clear nod to Christopher Nolan's 2000 classic Memento, it comes off as an inferior knock off of that film, trotting out the various cliches of the genre, with predictable plotting and characters, that seems to want to be more than it is.
It's going through the motions, ticking off the boxes as it does, before deciding in the third act that it wants to introduce some secondary characters to stir the proceedings up a bit, and liven up the otherwise dull and unremarkable events in the central plot. And rather than settle with a standard resolution, Cooper decides to convolute the ending by introducing some bizarre twists to it, further extending a plot that's already worn out its welcome by a good twenty minutes or so when it should have wrapped things up before it all gets convoluted.
They say Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, which the title is derived from, but you may have died from boredom rather than just have nodded off if you stick with Cooper's overcooked, overlong creation all the way to the end. **
Dopesick (2021)
A more humanised, real depiction of the opioid crisis
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In a small mining town in Virginia, where industrial accidents occur at a disproportionate rate, pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma aggressively markets their miracle drug OxyContin, a powerful opioid drug that has effective results in managing pain. However, a succession of rebranding, and repression of the truth, leads to an horrific addiction crisis. A compassionate local doctor (Michael Keaton), a conscientious OC sales high riser (Will Poulter) and a determined federal agent (Rosario Dawson) come together to try and seek some justice and accountability.
Having seen Netflix's Painkiller last year, finding the subject matter somewhat morbidly interesting, I was surprised by some of the less than admirable reviews from other IMDb users, in spite of having been fairly impressed with it myself. However, they made me aware of this earlier dramatisation of the opioid crisis in America, which Painkiller inevitably drew comparisons with. With a similarly, arguably bigger name cast at hand, I've finally had a chance to see it myself, with its rerun on BBC IPlayer.
In contrast to the bombastically and flamboyance of Painkiller, Dopesick has a more centred and humanised approach to the events it is conveying, honing in microscopically on the subjects it is portraying, getting under their skin and truly revealing their inner turmoil, including Kaitlyn Dever as a young miner who becomes trapped in a cycle of addiction while battling with her own internal demons, and Keaton's grizzled small town doctor, who also becomes addicted after a car accident. It's a terrible indictment of human tragedy being exploited by unfettered capitalism with the most ugly and dehumanising results.
It lacks the direct personal touch Painkiller had with the actual relatives of victims giving their input, and a somewhat abrupt ending detracts from the overall emotional impact, but this is undoubtedly still a more analytical and recognisably human portrayal of the crisis. ****
Darkness of Man (2024)
Van Damme keeps chugging on, with minimal results
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Interpol operative Russell Hatch (Jean Claude Van Damme), is left burnt out after a raid, in which informant Esther (Chika Kinamoto) is killed. His only resolution is to act as a father figure of sorts to Jayden (Emerson Min), her estranged son, who is being eyed for recruitment by local gang leader Hyun (Peter Jae.) This is just as an all out gang war is brewing between them and a rival Russian faction, led by Lazar (Andrey Ivchenko.) Hatch must draw on all his resources to prevent a bloodbath of terrifying proportions.
Although his star power has waned somewhat since his heyday, it would seem Van Damme still has the capacity to churn out new movies of sorts. And why not, since he's still in fairly good shape, albeit noticeably a bit podgier than of years gone by. But in writer/director James Cullen Brassack's straight to DVD action thriller, the action is notably sparing, and the one martial arts fight scene he seems to pull off is filmed from inside a car, with what seems like a stand-in doing the fighting.
There doesn't seem to be a notable plot as such, and what there is seems to be hurdled along by VD's drawling, slurry voiceovers, spouting pseudo philosophical wisdom, and trying to give the plot more substance than it really has. For a plot so piecemeal, and with action so infrequent, it doesn't help having a length that could have been trimmed by about at least ten minutes. VD's surviving fan base must have a familiar formula that still keeps them coming, but this is just clutching at straws.
It's a nostalgic experience to see a new Van Damme film, and obviously he still has some sort of drawing power, but this is a threadbare, dull effort, that even his most ardent fan will struggle to remember. **
Arcadian (2024)
Misfiring attempt at centred horror tale
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In a post apocalyptic world, Paul (Nicolas Cage) and his twin teenage sons, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins) are holed up in their remote farmhouse, trying to survive and avoid the clutches of the sinister creatures that now inhabit their space. When one of the boys fails to return home on time, and Paul becomes invalid, a bond with a fellow farmhouse not far away, where fellow teenager Charlotte (Sadie Sotherall) resides, becomes their only hope.
Nicolas Cage became a notable figure, when his status dropped from being a huge box office draw to churning out a series of low budget, straight to DVD films in order to deal with a huge debt. This little publicised horror/sci-fi effort, from writer Mike Nilon and director Benjamin Brewer, has the presentation and feel of one such film, that experiments with a number of different camera styles, in order to create a distinctive style, but this is a film that fails to work.
It's a fairly familiar and interesting concept, with only a handful of characters crammed into a condensed running time, watching them go through the motions and try and maintain their sanity. Sadly, the complete lack of any effective character development on display here, leads to an inability to care about the fate of any of these people, and the outlandish, far fetched predicament they find themselves in. As easily the most recognisable face in the cast, in the lead role, Cage is assertive and commanding, but unable to shine at his eccentric, zany best.
With the imminent release of the highly publicised A Quiet Place: Part One just around the corner, this just feels like a cheap cash in to get some extra bums on seats. Since it's just a lowbrow knock off of those films, that's what will shine through. **
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
Offbeat true life drama that fits its subject perfectly
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
'Weird' Al Yankovic (Daniel Radcliffe) was a shy young man growing up in small town America, whose only outlet for expression was his accordion. His dad thought his only prospect in life was to work down the local pit, like generations of his family had before. However, nothing could diminish his love of writing and performing his parodies of popular songs (with his accordion, of course) and after being convinced to send his tapes into Dr. Demento (Rainn Wilson) to be played on his popular radio show, is launched on a wild rollercoaster ride of fame, with wild highs and lows (half of which probably didn't happen!)
As I was a young(er) man, growing up and developing my taste in comedy, the spoof film was still a fairly popular box office draw, and many (considered hit and miss by most), still got released in movie theatres, with Leslie Nielsen often in the lead. So movies were still sorted out, but there wasn't much in the way of people doing spoof songs, except for a guy called 'Weird' Al Yankovic, who could always be relied on to send up popular songs that were around at the time to generally successful effect. Here, director Eric Appel attempts to dramatise his life, in a true life biography (of sorts), that could only befit its subject.
What we're actually presented with is a complete subversion of the traditional true life biography, and we have a mangled, Frankenstein's monster of an effort, that portrays genuinely true life events from Yankovic's life, most notably his fraught relationship with his father to more, shall we say, ambiguous plot points, involving his relationship with Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood), and dealings with a Colombian drug cartel. It's a combination of touching, true life events and more wacky, offbeat events that could befit only Yankovic himself. Radcliffe captures his mannerisms and personality quite well, with strong support from Wilson as the guy who launched his career, and who I'd only heard about before on an episode of The Simpsons.
The off-kilter style will work with some, and put off others, possibly even Yankovic aficionados, but it certainly makes it stand out a bit, and most of his back catalogue, including his debut Another One Rides the Bus, followed by the likes of Like a Surgeon, Eat It (allegedly spoofed by Michael Jackson!) and a more modern favourite in the shape of Amish Paradise, which can only make it more appealing. ***
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)
Delivers what it says on the tin, and can't be accused of anything more
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Smooth, stylish Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and comic sidekick Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are each facing midlife obstacles, with Mike getting married, before Marcus suffers a health scare that forces him to reconsider his life choices. But both the guys are forced back into action, when renegade Agent McGraph (Eric Dane) sets a chain of events in motion where their late Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) is framed as a dirty cop. As the only man who can identify who ordered Howard's death, Mike's estranged, imprisoned son, and Howard's killer, Armando (Jacob Scipio) is released to assist Marcus and Mike, plunging them all into a deadly game of cat and mouse.
They say three is the magic number, but movies are a commercial business, and obviously the 'Bad Boys' franchise, despite incredibly stretching nearly thirty years despite only four films actually having been made, has a massive following, especially, I would wager, among the urban market . At least this latest offering from directors Adil El Asbi and Bilall Fallah, has arrived in comparatively recent succession from the last film, unlike the over decade long wait between the last film and the one before it, and certainly follows on accurately from the events last time around.
To be fair, there is a fairly coherent plot, and subplot, to match all the noise and explosions, of which there is much of. It's a capitalist product, designed to target a market it's fully aware of, and its main objective is to deliver the goods, but thankfully it doesn't treat its audience like complete morons. The odd thing is how the most comedic elements of the earlier films have become the source of the heaviest drama this time around, in the shape of Marcus's health concerns, and the spirit of Captain Howard visiting the boys to spur them on.
It is what it is, it knows its market perfectly well, and it's almost certainly going to make a lot of money. It's ultimately nothing more than that, but it delivers the goods, and should satisfy its target audience (like me.) I can see Bad Boys 5 round the corner. ***
Hit Man (2023)
Pleasantly surprising off-beat adventure
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is a high school teacher, with a side hustle helping the police on the side. One day, he is selected to work in a series of undercover sting operations, getting wire-tapped confessions from those planning on arranging contract killings. But things take a misfiring turn, when he ends up falling for one of his assignments, in the shape of Madison (Adria Arjona), a young woman at the behest of her abusive ex, only for things to take a massive turn when crooked agent Jasper (Austin Amelio) gets in on their arrangement.
There was a film from 1997 called Grosse Pointe Blank, that received some critical acclaim at the time despite a limit in much of the way of a wide release. Writer/director Richard Linklater's film would seem to owe much of its inspiration to this source, and seems to be another well received subversive take on the 'hitman' genre, spinning conventional wisdom of the standard tropes of films featuring these characters on their head at one point, with a colourful montage of past films from this genre, from some of the oldest ones to more modern stuff like 2008's In Bruges.
Linklater's film seems a confusing jumble of genres, with elements of action, comedy and thriller thrown into the mix, but somehow keeps you engaged with everything that's going on, an original, engaging film, with its sly, wise-cracking script never letting up, and never letting the pace sag. It helps that the cast are all relatively unknown, and so no one overshadows the script or film in itself. That said, lead stars Powell and Arjona are perfectly up to the job, Powell curiously convincing as a man who can alternate between mild mannered lecturer and guy caught up in the criminal underworld, whilst Arjona is a sultry seductress who serves as a perfect foil to everyone's plans.
It's an unsteady combination of different genres, and as a result it sometimes comes off weirdly, most notably with a morally iffy ending that could leave you feeling funny. But somehow, it all works, and you're left with one of the most original and worthwhile efforts in a while. ****
Passenger (2024)
Thoroughly uninvolving attempt a UK version of Fargo
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Detective Riya Ajunwa (Wunmi Mosaku) lives in the small town of Cheddar Vale in Lancashire, getting under her superior's skin and waiting for that one big break that will make her career. Teenager Katie Wells (Rowan Robinson) goes missing after getting in a row with her boyfriend, John (Jack James Ryan), only to miraculously turn up unharmed. The return of her wayward father, Eddie (Barry Sloane), much to the chagrin of local resident Jim (David Threfall) who says he ruined his life. As Detective Ajunwa slewthes around, she discovers more unexplainable events that point to something more sinister.
ITVX's latest several part thriller arrived under a shower of publicity. Seemingly an attempt at a UK version of the 'sleepy small town' drama that's quite popular over there, there's little touches to it that hint at trying something different, most notably the 'fade away' shots between scenes, instead of the usual quick cut shots. As another reviewer has already noted, it doesn't work as well in the UK, a smaller, more easily accessible country than it does in the USA, but it's just one of a few problems in this Frankenstein's monster of a show, that opens with elements of dark comedy, before shifting full gear into supernatural thriller mode.
A lot of it will depend on your take on the Lancashire dialect, which is not one I personally warm to very much, especially not when it's spoken as harshly and aggressively as it is here, with foul language around the corner at every turn. None of the characters are especially likeable, especially the lead detective played by Wunmi Mosaku, whose conduct at certain stages would almost certainly be up for reprimand. What makes it worse is the 'drama school' acting from most of the cast, and the incomprehensible plot that doesn't fixedly go anywhere, and is rounded off with the most far fetched, nonsensical resolution you can imagine.
You get the feeling something different is being attempted here, and you can't blame anyone for trying something different. But if interest is expected to be sustained over six episodes, you need something a bit more coherent and polished than this. * and a half.