MOVIE REVIEW: MIGRATION

 

A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

Director: Benjamin Renner

Cast:  Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell, Carol Kane, Caspar Jennings, Tresi Gazal, Danny DeVito

Release Date: December 22, 2023

Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Rated PG for action/peril and mild rude humor.

Runtime: 1h 31m

Migration, Illumination's newest animated offering, might not be the studio most memorable film but it does deliver a light, family friendly adventure which is easy for children and adults to enjoy.  Benjamin Renner's film is energetically fun, throwing splashy visuals and gags at the screen in quick succession which keeps the film from hitting too many dead spots.  A series of well constructed sequences offer up a fun bit of variety from dingy swamps populated by decrepit herons to a colorfully manic fly through Manhattan keeps the story moving along at a steady almost frenetic pace.  The colorful character designs provide the film with a visual pop that makes the entire film easy on the eyes.  Paired with excellent performances from the film's voice cast makes the film a fizzy sort of family adventure which is sure to appeal to multiple age groups.  Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks make for a fun pair as the central parents with both being given enough time to shine.  They share fun exchanges throughout while also establishing a believably loving relationship as they face their fears together.  Caspar Jennings and Tresi Gazal also turn in fun roles as the pairs children with Gazal stealing scenes with perfectly timed line readings.  Danny DeVito rounds out the central family, an older gruff but loving uncle.  Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key provide the voices for supporting characters with each bringing their own brand of humor to their roles.  The film and overall story suffers slightly from its central villain, a trendy chef who becomes obsessed with the mallard family.  His character doesn't register much outside of his outsized, tattooed body but in terms of actual characterization there's little to none there.  As is, Migration sits a level under Despicable Me or Sing films leaving it a fun but disposable bit of family entertainment.  

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Renfield

My dear reader(s), this weekend I had the opportunity to catch up with the Dracula-adjacent movie Renfield.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

The eternal sidekick embarks on a journey of self-improvement, putting him at odds with his dark master.

Renfield is a solid horror comedy that's heavy on gore and fairly light on lore. Laughs take the lead, with a beautifully over-the-top Nicolas Cage camping it up as the immortal Angel of Death, and Nicholas Hoult as his downtrodden sidekick. Awkwafina nearly steals the show as an incorruptible police officer whose own quest for vengeance intersects with Renfield's mission. The original premise is its own reward here, but the movie also benefits from nice special effects, well placed humor, and an efficient runtime.

Renfield clocks in at 93 minutes and is rated R for "bloody violence, some gore, language throughout, and some drug use."

If you can stomach a lot (a LOT) of blood and you're in the mood for a new take on an old tale, Renfield is the flick for you. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Renfield gets eight.

Renfield is now streaming on Peacock.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LITTLE MERMAID

 

The youngest of King Triton's daughters, Ariel is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. Longing to find out more about the world beyond the sea, Ariel visits the surface and falls for the dashing Prince Eric. Following her heart, she makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience life on land.

Director: Rob Marshall

Cast: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy

Release Date: May 26, 2023 

Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance

Rated PG for action/peril and some scary images

Runtime: 2h 15m

Rob Marshall's live action The Little Mermaid is a colorful and lively remake that's elevated by a strong cast and lavish visuals.  This newest entry into Disney's live action remake cash cow isn't as inventive as 2021 Cruella instead it hews closely to the original which gives it an old fashion feel throughout.  There is a matter of changes like the much talked about change in the main characters race and a larger variety of ethnic diversity all around in addition to some lyrical tweaks, song deletions and additions.  Unless you are a diehard traditionalist these changes don't really affect the central story much, if at all, and are far less distracting than the realistic versions of Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle which takes some getting used to.  Changes aside, the film doesn't take long to hit its stride with wonderfully staged versions of classic songs like Part of Your World and Under the Sea which allows Marshall to splash a kaleidoscope of color and energetic camera moves that make those moments pop.  Ursula's Poor Unfortunate Souls already has hints of Chicago's When You're Good to Mama built into the song which perfectly pairs with Marshall's repertoire.  The songs and staging are excellent, and the cast is led by luminous Halle Bailey in what is sure to be a star making role.  Bailey possesses a natural onscreen presence which makes her performance undeniably likeable, especially once she starts belting out those classic songs.  She keeps your attention throughout, even in the film's latter half which starts to drag noticeably.  Jonah Hauer-King isn't able to match Bailey's turn as he comes off as bland and forgettable even with a solo song.  Melissa McCarthy is scenery chewing machine as Ursula with the aforementioned Poor Unfortunate Souls serving as her showcase.  Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina turn in solid voice work as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle even though the random rap added for the latter feels a little out of place.  Javier Bardem isn't tasked to do much outside of sound stern and fatherly which does with general ease.  Together the cast keeps the film entertaining even though it loses steam as it moves into its final act which makes its extended runtime even more of headscratcher.  A bit of editing would have helped this film keep its energy going from start to finish.  That being said this live action redo of The Little Mermaid stands above most of the other adaptations due in large part to a well matched director and actors.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: RENFIELD

 

Renfield, the tortured aide to his narcissistic boss, Dracula, is forced to procure his master's prey and do his every bidding. However, after centuries of servitude, he's ready to see if there's a life outside the shadow of the Prince of Darkness.

Director: Chris McKay

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Adrian Martinez, Shohreh Aghdashloo

Release Date: April 14, 2023

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror

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

Runtime: 1h 33m

Review:

Chris McKay's Renfield is a goofy and bloody romp that plays like a weird mash up of John Wick by way of Tim Burton.  The film has an undeniably cartoonish charm that makes it easy to enjoy from the start.  McKay film has a kinetic sort of energy with flourishes of style highlighted early on with a clever use of classic Dracula footage used to give the Cliff's Notes version of Renfied's backstory.  Nicholas Hoult as the titular star is a likable lead as the sad sack that's been in a toxic relationship for centuries.  Hoult's performance is endearing enough to make you care about his predicament which also keeps him from being totally out shone by Nicolas Cage's performance as Dracula.  Cage is entirely in his element in this role as he's given free reign to do whatever outlandish thing he wants to do.  It’s a crazy mixture of just about every iteration of the character condensed into a singular, hilarious performance.  The film works best when it focuses on Cage and Hoult's characters and the gonzo action sequences peppered throughout.  It hits some speedbumps when it falls back on its rather thin plot and romantic subplot.  Awkwafina brings a certain sort of energy which works in small bits, and it would have been more effective if the script had just cut the romantic overtones especially since she and Hoult just don't have that sort of chemistry together.  Ultimately, it keeps Renfield from maintaining its comedic energy consistently enough to make it truly memorable.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

 

Martial-arts master Shang-Chi confronts the past he thought he left behind when he's drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.

Director:  Destin Daniel Cretton

Cast: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng'er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, Ben Kingsley, Tony Leung

Release Date: September 3, 2021

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and language

Runtime: 2h 12min

Review:

Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, much like Black Panther, expands Marvel's ethnic make by delivering a fun and colorful comic book exploration of heritage, destiny and legacy.  Director Destin Daniel Cretton film is a kinetic experience right from the start pausing only here and there for quieter character moments.  His action set pieces are wonderfully staged and choregraphed allowing you to see every bit of the impressive action.  Those moments, especially in the first two acts, are the highlights of the film.  Cretton uses inspiration from old school Kung Fu films while adding his own modern sensibilities.  Simu Liu leads the almost exclusively Asian cast with relative ease.  Liu is instantly likeable and magnetic even amongst the coordinated comic madness around him.  He and Awkwafina make for a fun onscreen duo since they share excellent comic chemistry.   Meng'er Zhang though is the scene stealer as Shang's sister, so much so that you wished the film spent a bit more time with her.  Asian acting legends Michelle Yeoh & Tony Leung add just the right amount of gravitas to the proceedings with each getting ample time to leave their mark on the film.  While the film works on visceral level the story does feel like it's lifted from the original Star Wars in that inside all the fantastical elements, it's ultimately a family drama between siblings and their father whose chosen the wrong path.  As such, there aren't a ton of surprises in store with each beat being fairly predictable.  Additionally, those who have complained about superhero films turning into CGI fest in their final acts will have the same issues here as this film turns heavily into fantasy action to the point of attrition.  Small complaints asides, Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is one of the more enjoyable cinematic entries in the Marvel monolith that actually brings something new to the table.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: OCEAN’S 8

Five years, eight months, 12 days and counting -- that's how long Debbie Ocean has been devising the biggest heist of her life. She knows what it's going to take -- a team of the best people in the field, starting with her partner-in-crime Lou Miller. Together, they recruit a crew of specialists, including jeweler Amita, street con Constance, suburban mom Tammy, hacker Nine Ball, and fashion designer Rose. Their target -- a necklace that's worth more than $150 million.

Director: Gary Ross

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter

Release Date: June 8, 2018

Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime

Rated PG-13 for language, drug use, and some suggestive content

Runtime: 1h 50min

Review:

Ocean’s 8, the female centeric continuation of the Ocean franchise, is an enjoyable but safe reboot.  Gary Ross tries his best to capture that cool vibe and spirit of the original film.  He delivers a glossy fizzy film that that’s about as lightweight as they come.  Sandra Bullock leads the film ably even if her Debbie Ocean is a far call from Clooney’s Danny Ocean.  Bullock performance is fine but the film undersells its lead without much characterization, leaving her a bit of a cipher throughout.  Cate Blanchett, ever the chameleon, is lots of fun as Bullock’s partner in crime.  Blanchett and Bullock have some solid chemistry together and their plenty of fun when they’re plotting or interacting.  The remaining members of the crew are all good fun in varying degrees of effectiveness.  Anne Hathaway leaves the biggest impression with her self parody performance that people will either love or hate.  Ocean’s 8 is never boring or uninteresting but it’s all so inconsequential that you’ll probably never think about it again.

B-