MOVIE REVIEW: MADAME WEB

 

Cassandra Webb is a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead.

Director: S.J. Clarkson

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott

Release Date: February 14, 2024 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for violence/action and language.

Runtime: 1h 54m

Review:

Madame Web arrives onscreen barely registering a pulse thanks to a bland script and a cast that's as disinterested as the audience.  S.J. Clarkson does her best to give this low rent version of Edge of Tomorrow some life early on but using inventive angles and shots during some of the action sequences.  There are small slivers of energy, especially early, but once the film goes into an endless cycle of repetition which kills any sense of momentum or entertainment.  Those hoping for some mindless superhero action will be sorely disappointed since the majority of that occurs in a flash forward which the film never occurs in the actual film, leaving this film as nothing more than set up for a future installment.  Instead, the film follows Dakota Johnson's Cassandra Webb kidnap/rescue the trio of Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor and Isabela Merced and chaperon them around before abandoning them for an impromptu day trip to Peru.  It’s all rather nonsensical and illogical which might be goofy if any of the cast put any sort of effort into their performances.  Johnson leads the cast with one of the more uninspired performances in a big budget film in recent memory.  Her consistently monotone line delivery makes it feel like we are watching rehearsal footage instead of the final cut.  That energy runs across her supporting cast  who are saddled with the most generic clichés of early 2000's teenage girls.  It’s so painfully bad that you wouldn't be surprised if they randomly started singing Spice Girls song just to drive the point home about the live action Brats dolls assembled.  Tahar Rahim doesn't fair much better as the film's sort of evil Spider-man from the dollar store with his stilted delivery that makes Johnson look inspired in comparison.  Madame Web is a mess of a film that commits a variety of sins which would be forgivable if it wasn't so incredibly boring.

D-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HIGH NOTE

Set in the dazzling world of the LA music scene comes the story of Grace Davis, a superstar whose talent, and ego, have reached unbelievable heights. Maggie is Grace's overworked personal assistant who's stuck running errands, but still aspires to her childhood dream of becoming a music producer. When Grace's manager presents her with a choice that could alter the course of her career, Maggie and Grace come up with a plan that could change their lives forever.

Director: Nisha Ganatra

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Bill Pullman

Release Date: May 29, 2020

Drama, Music, Romance

Rated PG-13 for some strong language, and suggestive references

Runtime: 1h 53m

Review:

The High Note is a romantic comedy that doesn’t aspire to any great heights but as a serviceable low rent version of The Devil Wears Prada it works.  Nisha Ganatra delivers a glossy looking film that looks slightly like a Nancy Meyers film set in the music industry.  Still, it’s decently paced with a nice sweet tone throughout even if it only brushes on bigger subjects but never engages them.  Instead it’s content with the basic rom-com plot points.  As is, the film works well enough to keep it entertaining mainly due to the film keeping a light easy going feel for the length of the film.  Dakota Johnson is fine in the lead even though she’s about as vanilla as they come and her character is written to take advantage of her blandness.  She’s never annoying or really all that interesting but she keeps the film moving.  Thankfully Johnson and Kelvin Harrison Jr share some solid screen chemistry which makes their love story thread better than it should be.  The film does perk up noticeably when Tracee Ellis Ross is on screen, she’s tailor suited to playing a legendary songstress and she’s got the pipes to back it up.  Her character deserved more nuance and depth than the film gives her which is a shame since it would have made the whole thing more impactful.  Ice Cube has a smaller supporting role and it’s good to see him play a different type of character here.  The High Note isn’t a perfect film and could have used a bit of trimming here and there but still an enjoyable watch even if doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: SUSPIRIA

Young American dancer Susie Bannion arrives in 1970s Berlin to audition for the world-renowned Helena Markos Dance Co. When she vaults to the role of lead dancer, the woman she replaces breaks down and accuses the company's female directors of witchcraft. Meanwhile, an inquisitive psychotherapist and a member of the troupe uncover dark and sinister secrets as they probe the depths of the studio's hidden underground chambers.

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Chloë Grace Moretz, Angela Winkler, Renée Soutendijk, Ingrid Caven, Sylvie Testud

Rated R for horror violence, disturbing images, language, drug use and brief graphic nudity

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery

Runtime: 2h 32min

Review:

Remaking Suspiria was an interesting choice and one that could have gone terribly wrong.  The fact that a high end director like Luca Guadagnino decided to undertake the task made the idea of a remake interesting to say the least.  Luca Guadagnino decision to reimagine as oppose to simply remake it was a wise one.  Fans of the original techincolor fever dream may not enjoy this version for a variety of reasons.  Guadagnino ditches the highly stylized visuals and delivers a dense Polanski type horror film.  It’s engaging and always interesting but it feels overly complex and obsessed with itself at the same time.  There are plenty of sequences that will leave a lasting impression such as an early dance sequence which is beautiful, brutal and vicious.   Guadagnino talent as a director is on full display but at times it does seem to lack forward momentum.  To say it’s a slow moving film is a bit of an understatement, the film moves at a glacial pace and it feels every bit of a it’s 2 and half hour run time.  It can be a detriment but there is so much to appreciate in terms of craftsmanship that you can enjoy it multiple levels especially once the final reveal uncorks an insane sequence.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE

The El Royale is run-down hotel that sits on the border between California and Nevada. It soon becomes a seedy battleground when seven strangers -- a cleric, a soul singer, a traveling salesman, two sisters, the manager and the mysterious Billy Lee -- converge on a fateful night for one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.

Director: Drew Goddard

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, Nick Offerman, Chris Hemsworth

Release Date: October 12, 2018

Genres: Mystery , Thriller

Rated R for horror violence, and language including some sexual references

Runtime: 2h 21min

Review:

Bad Times at the El Royale is a solid twisty thriller from Drew Goddard.  You’d be remiss if you didn’t feel some very strong Tarantino vibes throughout mixed together with some Agatha Christie as each individual story plays out.  The film is stylish and engrossing even if the ultimate payoff is bit of a letdown.  Goddard cast is made up of strong performers and a bevy of recognizable faces but Broadway star Cynthia Erivo really leaves an impressive mark.  Jeff Bridges centers the whole thing with a tangible sense of heart with healthy shades of grey.  Jon Hamm does solid work in a limited role and the film is lesser for taking him off the board as early as it does.  A perpetually shirtless Chris Hemsworth is clearly having a blast hamming it up as the cult leader that brings all the plot threads together.  For all the strong performances and stories, you d start to get the sense that Drew Goddard fell in love with his own creation as the film starts to meander towards the end.  There’s really no reason for the film to be nearly 2 and half hours and the film suffers since this type of pulpy fare is best in short doses.  

B