MOVIE REVIEW: AMERICAN FICTION

 

Monk is a frustrated novelist who's fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

Director: Cord Jefferson

Cast:  Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Keith David

Release Date: September 8, 2023

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated R for language throughout, some drug use, sexual references and brief violence.

Runtime: 1h 57m

Cord Jefferson's big screen debut, American Fiction, is a wonderfully nuanced satire led by a multifaceted performance from Jeffrey Wright.  Jefferson, who also wrote the script, shows a steady, confident hand behind the camera as he delivers a film that's easy to enjoy even as it covers some expansive racial issues and themes.  He allows his actors to shine by giving them plenty of quieter character moments that gives the film and story an impressive level of depth.  His cast is more than up for the task led by Jeffrey Wright who's never been better.  Wright is the kind of actor that's always brings a certain kind of authentic intelligence and pathos to his roles which is tailor made for playing this role.  Wright adds so much nuance and layers playing an incredibly intelligent man who's seething with resentment over his talents being overlooked.  In the hands of a lesser performer, the character could have come off more one dimensional and one note, but Wright is able to make him a complicated, living breathing human being while still deftly handling the more comedic moments.  The supporting cast is no less impressive with each leaving a noticeable impression on the film with stand out performances from Erika Alexander with an endearing turn as the love interest and Sterling K. Brown playing against type as Monk's chaotic and equally complicated brother.  There is a natural chemistry together from the cast as a whole which makes the story and film as a whole connect on another level.  The pacing that hit a slight hiccup in its final act which is I suspect is intentional in order to reflect the complexity of the racial discussions at play which has no easy or straight forward answers much like the film's conclusion.  American Fiction proves to be the kind of film that works on multiple levels either as comedy, drama or dissection of social issues thanks to the collective talent assembled.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: READY OR NOT

Grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. There's just one catch -- she must now hide from midnight until dawn while her new in-laws hunt her with guns, crossbows and other weapons.

Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett

Cast: Samara Weaving, Mark O'Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Release Date: August 21, 2019

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for violence, bloody images, language throughout, and some drug use

Runtime: 1 h 35 min

Review:

Ready or Not is one of those film’s that just comes out of nowhere and just surprises in multiple ways.  It’s a great black comedy that’s consistently entertaining from start to finish.  While the basic premise seems incredibly basic, you can find plenty of nuance and texture in it’s dissection of the 1% and gender politics.  It’s never overly didactic because first and foremost it aims to entertain with over the top set pieces and genuine shocks.  Director’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett crafted a lean efficient thrill ride that’s incredibly fun.  Australian actress Samara Weaving delivers a star making turn as grace.  It would have been easy to play the character as a one dimensional but she adds multiple layers to her which makes her all the more engaging as she goes from frighten to fighting back.  The supporting cast is made up of a bevy familiar character actors along with Andie MacDowell being the biggest name in the whole thing.  Ready or Not feels like a mash up of Your Next and Clue while becoming a crazy special thing of it’s own.


A

MOVIE REVIEW: SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

Steve Carell and Keira Knightley star in this apocalyptic comedy following two neighbors who set out for one last road trip after learning that a massive asteroid will wipe out all life on Earth in just three weeks. Dodge (Carell) and Penny (Knightly) are both having a very bad day. This mismatched pair spend their time on the road together, their journey takes on a new meaning -- one that neither could have ever seen coming, but which both sense was the way things were meant to be. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Lorene Scafaria

Cast: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Connie Britton, Adam Brody, Rob Corddry.

Release Date: Jun 22, 2012

Rated R for language including sexual references, some drug use and brief violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 41 min.

Genres: Romance

Review:

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a tonally uneven film that goes from one extreme to another. While the cast is committed to their roles and both bring some verifiable heart to the roles and story, you wouldn’t be the only to feel like you are watching 2 different films. During the first half of the film it works well as a dark comedy dealing with all the extremes that seem plausible in the face of impending doom. The 2nd half plays more like a romantic comedy with a heady philosophical slant. The shift is clunky and noticeable occurring as soon as the musical cues become more and more pronounced. Lorene Scafaria, who directed the underrated Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, seems to have a lot on her mind here and there’s some strong themes and ideas at work but she never seems to finds a steady cohesive flow for it all. Carrell and Knightley seem incredibly mismatched at first glance but as the film moves on they find a certain rhythm together, sharing some impressive yet subtle scenes together. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a strange film that could have worked had it picked a direction and stuck with it. That being said, if you prep yourself for a massive shift in tone, you may find plenty to like here.

B-

Movie Reviews: JENNIFER’S BODY

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Movie Reviews: JENNIFER’S BODY
IN THEATERS

JENNIFER’S BODY

From the production team behind "Juno" is a new film about one teenager's uncontrollable appetite for teenager boys. When a demon takes possession of her, high-school hottie Jennifer (Megan Fox) turns a hungry eye on guys who never stood a chance with her before. While evil Jennifer satisfies her appetite for human flesh with the school's male population, her nerdy friend, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), learns what's happening and vows to put an end to the carnage.


Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris


Director: Karyn Kusama


Opened ..September 18, 2009..


Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.


Rated R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use.


Genres: Horror Comedy, Horror


Review:





Jennifer’s Body is a fun little horror comedy that delivers more laughs than scares but it isn’t without its flaws. Written by Diablo Cody, who also penned Juno, the script is pepper with plenty of overly complicated dialogue which you’ll either enjoy of despise. Personally I find it enjoyable even if it’s removes any semblance of realism but then again this film doesn’t really need it. Cody borrow or pays homage, depending on how you look at it, to plenty of classic horror conceits but give them a nice shot of estrogen which is a refreshing turn. Director Karyn Kusama moves her film along as a brisk pace but she does throw in some visual flourishes that make this stand out versus other generic horror films. Megan Fox doesn’t have to try to hard here as she’s isn’t asked to do anything but look incredibly hot and occasionally utter a few lines of dialogue. Fox is shot like she’s starting in some classic 80’s horror fest. Amanda Seyfried does the majority of acting and is good fun as the nerdy best friend who has to deal with her friend’s demonic turn. Both have some good scenes together but their relationship doesn’t feel authentic. It’s a fairly prevalent issue because there’s a disconnect with the characters throughout, as if each is in their own little world. While Cody’s flower dialogue is fun it does make the characters feel robotic and unnatural. As the film heads towards it’s finale it begins to drag a bit and we given a few scenes that feel like the end but they aren’t. It’s mildly bothersome but doesn’t detract from the overall enjoy in store for genre fans.





B-