MOVIE REVIEW: GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE

 

Godzilla and the almighty Kong face a colossal threat hidden deep within the planet, challenging their very existence and the survival of the human race.

Director: Adam Wingard

Cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, Fala Chen

Release Date: March 29, 2024

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for creature violence and action.

Runtime: 1h 54m

Review:

Adam Wingard's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire brings a massive amount of kaiju action to the big screen in a big dumb, popcorn film that keeps the focus on the central monsters.  Those looking for any sort of deep story from the human side of the film will likely be disappointed with them serving as little more than afterthoughts primarily used for exposition dumps.  Rebecca Hall, returning from the previous entry, does what she can with her paper thin character.  Hall, to her credit, doesn't phone it in as she clearly enjoying herself throughout regardless of how ridiculous the dialogue or action is while also managing to squeezing out every bit of emotional connection possible with Kaylee Hottle.  Brian Tyree Henry also returns as the chatter box conspiracy podcaster taking care of most of the comic relief along with Dan Stevens.  Stevens brings his charismatic energy from the moment he pops up on screen, chewing up scenery with impressive enthusiasm.  Of course this is all secondary to the monster mayhem Wingard unleashes onscreen as he creates his version of 1968's Destroy All Monsters battle royal.  He delivers a series of expansive and inventive battles for the titan's conflict with a weightless kaiju battle in the film's final act leaving an impression.  This entry is focused more on Kong's side of the story as he searches for a community after his extended isolation.  He's joined by an adopted mini Kong for large spurts of the film and they manage to create a surprisingly enduring relationship even in the mist of all the CGI action.  Those looking for more Godzilla action might be a little disappointed since he's more of a secondary character here even though he gets to dole out his fair share of destruction.  The action isn't concerned with collateral damage in anyway shape or form as cities are destroyed left and right throughout.  Wingard is fully aware of what kind of film he's making with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and those looking for epic kaiju battles are sure to leave happy.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: ROAD HOUSE

 

Ex-UFC fighter Dalton takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Conor McGregor, J. D. Pardo, Arturo Castro, Billy Magnussen, Joaquim de Almeida

Release Date: March 21, 2024

Genre: Action, Thriller

Rated R for violence throughout, pervasive language and some nudity.

Runtime: 1h 54m

Review:

Doug Liman's remake of the 80's cult classic, Road House, is entertaining in spurts thanks to some fun action sequences and solid turn from Jake Gyllenhaal but it doesn't do anything memorable enough to make the redux necessary.  Liman's film uses the basic plot of the original as the scaffolding for this update while only making cosmetic changes to the setting, characters and motivations.  It makes the entire thing feel strangely familiar but missing that 80s goofiness that only feathered mullets and karate kicks can bring about.  It’s replaced by a glossy sort of sweaty griminess that makes you feel every bit of that pre storm humidity throughout the film.  Liman makes great use of the scenery to deliver some visually impressive sequences such as Dalton & Ellie's date on a sandbar or some hyper kinetic fight sequences that border on cartoonish even by the original's standards.  Those action sequences are aggressively brutal and edited like they are trying to keep a caffeinated squirrel's attention.  Some of these sequences work better than others but they could all use some judicious trimming to avoid the pervading sense of overkill that takes over.  There are the ingredients of a fun, mindless, beat 'em up but the film lacks the sort of streamlined efficiency to make it all work with multiple dead spots killing most of the film's forward momentum.  Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a workmanlike, understated performance in the central role as he tries to give the character more depth and nuance than what's on page.  Unfortunately, all the other characters are one note at best with Arturo Castro and Billy Magnussen being the lone standouts who at least have fun with their roles.  Conor McGregor's cinematic debut is an embarrassingly over the top performance, puffed out chest and all, that's more likely to elicit unintentional laughter than anything else.  Daniela Melchior and Joaquim de Almeida both deliver professional if uninspired turns to round out the supporting cast.  When it's all said and done this version of Road House isn't likely to leave much of an impression and will probably be forgotten shortly after the credits roll.

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: IMMACULATE

 

An American nun embarks on a new journey when she joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, her warm welcome quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbours a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

Director: Michael Mohan

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giorgio Colangeli, Simona Tabasco

Release Date: March 22, 2024

Genre: Horror

Rated R for strong and bloody violent content, grisly images, nudity and some language.

Runtime: 1h 29m

Review:

Michael Mohan's Immaculate borrows bits and pieces from a variety of sources such as Suspiria and Rosemary's Baby to create something that's initially moody before turning into something that's as nutty as it is darkly funny.  Mohan's direction is confident, and self assured with his film carrying a specific look and feel which takes full advantage of the setting and iconography of a Catholic nunnery in the Italian country side.  He creates a disconcerting, isolated setting that could serve as its own character in the grand scheme of the film's story.  Against that backdrop, Sydney Sweeney's wide eyed, naïve Cecilia enters an alien environment with sinister machinations at play.  Sweeney does some heavy lifting here as she carry's the film from start to finish as we follow her character's twisted journey.  She gives you a tangible sense of her character's lack of control over what's happening to her as things get progressively more dire.  There's an understated, restraint to her performance until the film hits its blood soaked final act where she takes a more active control over her destiny.  There's an abundance of themes you can pick through varying from religious to gender issues making it a film ready made to be dissected with think pieces.  That being said, the script relies on both sides of the board.  It’s an issue that extends to Sweeney's Cecilia who is little more than a cobbled together persona tethered together by a traumatic childhood event.  Immaculate's cathartic, finale recalls the closing moments of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with it's bloodied, primal release but you're left feeling that it would have been even more impactful if the film has more well rounded characters.     

B

MOVIE REVIEW: LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL

 

In 1977 a live television broadcast goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation's living rooms.

Director: Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes

Cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri

Release Date: March 22, 2024

Genre: Horror

Rated R for violent content, some gore, and language including a sexual reference.

Runtime:1h 26m

Review:

Late Night with The Devil is a wonderful mash up of Network and 70s era Satanic hysteria in the form of a found footage horror film.  Directors Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes love for every portion of the film's subject matter seeps through the screen from the 70s/80s late night talk shows nuttiness of that era’s fascination with the paranormal.  They manage to recreate the look and feel particularly those shows that lived outside of the mainstream and moved into more fringe subject matter.  The film works best during the "masters' portion” which is supposed to be the show as it aired during that fateful night.  An opening narration explains that there were recently recovered "behind the scenes" footage which is spliced in between show segments providing plenty of exposition for character motivations but its overly produced feel breaks up the main footage's overall vibe.  Personally, I would have preferred narration explaining some of the behind the scenes drama as things spiral out of control while doing a better job of keeping the found footage schtick slightly more plausible.  It’s a minor issue overall especially since the film moves at a rather brisk pace from start to finish aided by inspired performances from its cast, led by David Dastmalchian.  Dastmalchian has been a capable character actor for years but here he's able to shine with the central spotlight focused on him.  He's subtly able to balance the character's TV persona with a sense of his simmering sadness and desperation.  The supporting cast are given showier, more cartoonish roles but he manages to anchor the whole thing.  Ian Bliss and Fayssal Bazzi are clearly having a ball playing a skeptic and psychic respectively with Rhys Auteri making you feel for long suffering side kick Gus.  Ingrid Torelli delivers a memorable performance as the possessed girl with an appropriately creepy, unsettling turn which leaves you wishing they'd given her more screen time overall especially before the creature effects take over in the final act.  That last act does make the story stumble as it tries to stick the landing with the final sequence being a prime example of less is more.  Late hiccups aside, Late Night with The Devil seems destined to become a cult favorite with plenty of midnight screenings in its future. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

 

The Spengler family returns to the iconic New York City firehouse where the original Ghostbusters have taken ghost-busting to the next level. When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must unite to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.

Director: Gil Kenan

Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Celeste O'Connor, Logan Kim, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt

Release Date: March 22, 2024

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references.

Runtime: 1h 55m

Review:

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is an overly busy movie that tries to juggle the new, legacy and expansion aspects of the franchise with mixed results.  Gil Kenan is perfectly capable of matching the feel of the original film but the tone is strangely uneven.  There are portions that channel the original's goofy charm aided by appearances from some of the original characters.  Unfortunately, it never maintains that sort of comedic energy instead veering into a more serious tone which feels off for this franchise.  The rather large cast is game throughout but the overabundance of characters makes it difficult for the film to maintain any sort of focus.  Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon have fun while they're onscreen providing an appropriate level of parent energy as their family unit has taken over the Ghostbusters.  Rudd's goofy charm is perfectly suited for this role and he's clearly having a ball playing in this sandbox.  He and Coon have solid chemistry together but the film doesn't spend nearly enough time with them or their kids, played by Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace, which is a strange choice since they were the main characters in the 2021 refresh.  Grace is still able to channel Harold Ramis's Spengler energy but she's given a rather silly subplot considering the character's general intelligence.  Wolfhard's character doesn't fare much better with a rather clichéd storyline.  Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson have significant roles here but the script never bothers to give their characters any sort of background about how they ended up as a supernatural trader and Men in Black style director of a Ghostbusters R&D department.  Annie Potts and Bill Murray both pop up but they aren't asked to do much except provide a few quips here and there with the script more concerned with overlong exposition dumps about the central villain.  In the end, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire feels like a missed opportunity that forgets that these film are supposed to be fun more than anything else something it doesn't do nearly often enough. 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: LOVE LIES BLEEDING

 

Lou is a reclusive gym manager who falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder who's heading to Las Vegas to pursue her dream. Their love soon leads to violence as they get pulled deep into the web of Lou's criminal family.

Director: Rose Glass

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Jena Malone, Anna Baryshnikov, Dave Franco, Ed Harris

Release Date: March 8, 2024

Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Mystery, Romance, Thriller

Rated R for violence and grisly images, sexual content, nudity, language throughout and drug use.

Runtime:1h 44m

Review:

Rose Glass's sophomore feature, a grimy 80s set crime drama/love story, again shows off her talent as a visual storyteller and an ability to get inside the minds of her characters.  Her film is sweaty and burly in a very specific way almost serving as a counter point to the overly manly action films of the 80s.  There's a tangible energy emanating from the screen from the start and Glass manages to maintain it for nearly the entire runtime.  She splashes visual flourishes sporadically through the film's earlier acts before moving to something more abstract which works for the themes she's addressing but makes the actual story slightly more disjointed, especially in the final reel.  By that point, though, the story has it hooks in you thanks to Glass's direction and impressive turns from the film's central duo of Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian.  Both bring a palpable sense of authenticity to their characters that makes their story and relationship engaging throughout.  Kristen Stewart gives her character a sense of aimless, hopelessness early on before finding a sliver of salvation in Katy O'Brian's Jackie.  O'Brian's imposing frame makes an immediate impression, but she pairs it with a sweet, naivety that makes her character likeable before moving into a more delusional obsession which leads to a series of bad choices.  Both performances have subtle hints of raw vulnerability simmering underneath which makes their bloody and darkly funny trek all that more entertaining.  Their supporting cast is a made up of familiar faces like Ed Harris, Dave Franco and Jena Malone who all make the most of their screen time with Harris proving he can still be imitating even when he's sporting a fake hippy length wig paired with his bald head.  Anna Baryshnikov has a minor but pivotal role in the back half of the film, and she manages to leave a noticeable impression.  Love Lies Bleeding fumbles a bit in the home stretch, but it doesn't take away from another strong outing from Rose Glass, proving she's hardly a flash in the pan as a writer and director.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: DAMSEL

 

A young woman agrees to marry a handsome prince -- only to discover it was all a trap. She is thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon and must rely solely on her wits and will to survive.

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Angela Bassett, Robin Wright

Release Date: March 8, 2024

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong creature violence, action, and bloody images.

Runtime: 1h 47m

Review:

Damsel takes an interesting approach to the fairy tale genre by delivering something darker and more interesting even though it only skims the surface of the concept.  Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, director of the underappreciated 28 Weeks Later, directs his film with a steady hand, setting up a colorful Disney approved kingdom before revealing the story's more sinister side.  He makes solid use of stark visuals throughout which are sadly hampered by uneven F/X that fluctuate from solid to early 2000's Sci-Fi channel bad with the open sequence serving as a prime example of the bad.  It’s noticeably choppy throughout which sadly takes you out of the film at various points during its runtime.  F/X issues aside, Fresnadillo moves the film at a steady pace especially once the story moves into the dragon's lair with the focus centering on Millie Bobby Brown's character.  Brown is slowly making a career of these sort of self reliant characters and this role is right in her wheelhouse.  She's tasked with carrying the story alone for the better part of the film with her working against digital backgrounds and Shohreh Aghdashloo's excellent voice work as the dragon.  Sadly, the script never gives her anything really substantial to really sink her teeth into with only surface level characterization.  It doesn't help that the script continually stretches credibility at multiple moments, even for fantasy film, such as Princess Elodie's rather impressive rock and rope climbing skills or her ability to sneak up on a dragon just to name a few.  Brown, to her credit, does the best she can with material even though you get the feeling there's a better story in there somewhere.  Her supporting cast is made up of strong performers such as Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett and Robin Wright but the film never takes full advantage of them.  Robin Wright in particular is just begging for more screen time as the villainous queen.  It’s a consistent issue for the film since there are plenty of opportunities to make Damsel some truly special.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: RICKY STANICKY

 

Twenty years after creating the imaginary Ricky Stanicky, three childhood friends still use the nonexistent pal as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. When their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet him, the guilty trio decides to hire washed-up actor Rod to bring him to life. However, when Rod takes his role of a lifetime a little too far, they begin to wish they never invented Ricky in the first place.

Director: Peter Farrelly

Cast: Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, Lex Scott Davis, Anja Savcic, Jeff Ross, William H. Macy, John Cena

Release Date: March 8, 2024

Genre: Comedy

Rated R for sexual material, language throughout and some drug content.

Runtime: 1h 53m

Review:

Ricky Stanicky's silly setup should be perfectly suited for Peter Farrelly's talents especially with game cast but its never as consistently funny as it should be.  Farrelly's film feels familiar from the start with its goofy, over the top comedy and occasional gross outs paired with some choppy sentimentality.  The best Farrelly brother’s film's worked because the comedy bits tended to make it easier to overlook some of the film's shortcomings.  Peter's solo films have never reached the heights of his collaborations with his brother from the late 90's and early 2000's, a trend that continues here.  There are bits that work mostly thanks to a game cast highlighted by John Cena who does the majority of the heavy lifting.  The biggest issue is the film can never maintain the comedic energy since there are a handful of moments that fall flat which makes the whole thing feel longer than it actually is.  Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino and Cena all do their best, but the comedic dead spots highlight how thinly scripted the whole thing is.  The cast seems to be begging for better material to work with Efron making for a great straight man to the assorted zaniness happening around him.  Likewise, Fowler and Santino's comedic talents feel underutilized throughout which is a shame.  The result is a passable but easily forgettable comedy that feels like it could have been much better.    

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: IMAGINARY

 

When Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter, Alice, finds a stuffed bear named Chauncey. As Alice's behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize that Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.

Director: Jeff Wadlow

Cast: DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcón, Betty Buckley

Release Date: March 8, 2024

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some violent content, drug material and language.

Runtime: 1h 44m

Review:

Imaginary is a predictable, run of the mill horror movie that relies on jump scare to do the heavy lifting even as it toys with campiness before fully embracing it in its final act. Jeff Wadlow's film borrows freely from other, better films like The Shining, Coraline or Pan's Labyrinth which is all fine and well if he'd crafted something engaging.  Sadly, there are only a few well staged scares early on but very little in the way of tension of atmosphere. It doesn't help that the cast of characters are thinly drawn genre clichés that don't make you care about anything that's happening.  DeWanda Wise goes through the motions in the lead role with a sort of wide eye detachment for the better part of the film's runtime.  Pyper Braun is tasked with the central child role and does a decent job all things considered.  Braun is given a healthy amount of screen time and she's subtly funny, especially when some of the situations get more extreme.  Taegen Burns does solid work as the older sister even if she isn't given much to do besides being bratty to her stepmother until she comes around.  Betty Buckley, who plays the requisite neighbor who knows more than she lets on, is really the only person who knows what kind of film she's in.  Buckley's character and performance is campy fun especially as the film veers into its goofier and more inventive final act that doesn't make much sense but has the common sense to be fun at least.  You're ultimately left wondering why the film's first two acts were so serious instead of leaning into the campiness much like last year’s M3GAN.  It’s ultimately too little too late to make Imaginary anything other than another easily forgettable horror film.

D+

MOVIE REVIEW: DUNE PART TWO

 

Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux

Release Date: March 1, 2024

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language.

Runtime: 2h 46m

Review:

Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part Two is a sci-fi epic in every sense of the word filled with mesmerizing visuals, a stellar cast and a beefier story than you'd expect from a blockbuster of this size.  Villeneuve, now free of the first film's exposition dump, moves his film at a steadier pace delivering massive action set pieces that are impressively staged and far more engaging than the first film's offers.  Paul's first ride on a sandworm is wonderfully set up and executed to create a thrilling and visceral experience, something the battle sequences can't quite match.  Visually, you can see Villeneuve pulling inspiration from other legendary sci-fi films such as 2001 or Star Wars for Arrakis and contrasting it with the Harkonnen's which clearly draws inspiration from H.R. Giger early work from Jodorowsky’s failed attempt to bring the film to the screen in the 70's.  There are a bevy of shots that are sure to join the pantheon of the memorable shots in cinematic history.  Overall, the film and story move at a brisker pace with the full scale of the story's themes and relationships unfurling at steady pace leaving very few dead spots throughout the film’s hefty runtime.  The film's ensemble cast shines throughout with each delivering strong performances regardless of screen time.  Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya get the lion's share of the screen time with both doing fine work albeit their romantic chemistry isn't quite as strong as it should be likely due to their romance being rushed thru in the opening act.  It’s a minor issue especially with the amount of story they have to work through and both still deliver the goods on the dramatic sides.  Rebecca Ferguson gets a meatier role here as her character takes a darker more ominous tone which she's more than capable of conveying.  Javier Bardem also gets more to do this go around after his extended cameo in the first film.  Bardem is fun every time he's onscreen thanks to his general charisma which works for his character's unwavering zealotry.  Austin Butler proves he doesn't have to be Elvis in everything with an impressive about face as the psychotic Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.  Florence Pugh does well in her limited screen time even though the character is mainly used for exposition dumps, but you get the sense there's more on the horizon if a third film comes to fruition.  Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin and Charlotte Rampling return from the first film with much smaller but important roles with each making those small moments far more impactful.  It’s a testament to the scale of Dune Two that these actors serve as garnish to its cinematic cornucopia which delivers on multiple fronts while leaving you wanting to see the story's final act.   

A