MOVIE REVIEW: TWISTERS

 

Haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado, Kate Cooper gets lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi, to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. She soon crosses paths with Tyler Owens, a charming but reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures. As storm season intensifies, Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves in a fight for their lives as multiple systems converge over central Oklahoma.

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane

Release Date: July 17, 2024

Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language and injury images.

Runtime: 2h 2m

Review:

Lee Isaac Chung’s pseudo sequel to the 90's film, Twisters, brings all the large-scale spectacle and destruction promised to the big screen but even the best efforts of its good-looking leads can't keep it from feeling hollow and soulless.  Chung's film is a good looking blockbuster, taking full advantage of the wide open spaces and vistas as he sets up impressive action sequences.   The digital wizardry has improved by leaps and bounds in the twenty eight years since the original film hit the screens which makes the tornados much more visceral and impactful.  Chung is more conscience to go beyond the thrill ride aspect of the whole thing and take time to show the level of damage and carnage left in the wake of these all too real storms.  It adds some weight to the film that grounds the story in a more realistic way than the original film.  Sadly, the rest of the story is little more than a remix of the original film with it hitting a lot of the same story beats throughout.  There are a handful of callbacks to the original film scattered throughout such as recycled lines of dialogue or Daisy Edgar-Jones sporting an outfit identical to Helen Hunt's.  The appearance of "Dorothy" early on is the only direct connection to the original film although it’s never explained how that equipment made it into the crews hands.  Story wise there's plenty that feels familiar with the F/X and cast left to do the heavy lifting.  Glen Powell's natural screen charisma is used to maximum effect as he leans into his southern roots as the YouTube star storm chaser.   It’s a role that's perfectly suited to his talents and he gives his thrill seeking character an authentic confidence from the moment he hits the screen.  Daisy Edgar-Jones is just as believable as the haunted storm chaser, with her bringing a tangible sense of determination once she’s fully committed again.  The strange thing is Powell and Edgar-Jones just don't share much romantic chemistry together which isn't a huge issue since that angle is more subtle here but it’s still noticeable.  Anthony Ramos is given the thankless task of being the wanna be love interest who just ends up being supportive in the end which seems like a waste of such a talented actor.  There's another motley crew of characters assembled here but none of the corporate or rag tag groups are really given much time to leave an impression.  It’s an issue across the board with none of the characters, even the leads, feeling like three dimensional people.  That's not to say the original was some dramatic masterwork but at least you had a better sense of some of the characters.  Twisters ultimately proves to be a capable redux that delivers the sort of mindless summer blockbuster fun that will fade quickly after the film ends.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: ANYONE BUT YOU

 

Despite an amazing first date, Bea and Ben's initial attraction quickly turns sour. However, when they unexpectedly find themselves at a destination wedding in Australia, they pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances.

Director: Will Gluck

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, Rachel Griffiths

Release Date: December 22, 2023

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Rated R for language throughout, sexual content and brief graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1h 43m

Review:

Anyone but You is a fairly paint by the numbers rom-com that toys with being a raunchier romp before settling into the usual genre clichés that we've seen plenty of times before.  To his credit, Will Gluck delivers a slick looking, breezy film that unabashedly uses Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing as its basic template while occasionally lifting full lines of dialogue from the play.   It’s an interesting choice that never works since those moments are played off as a running joke with the characters stating they just made up the rather robust bit of dialogue lifted from the Bard.  It would have been an interesting approach if they'd leaned into it instead of just sporadically shoehorning it randomly with little pretext or payoff.  The film does something similar with its random forays into raunchy territory while never committing to it.  Paired with the random Shakespearean lines, the film never finds its own flow or rhythm since everything in between is overly familiar and broad.  Gluck has proven capable of making a memorable genre film like Emma Stone's Easy A but this film relies far too heavily on tired tropes.  It’s a shame since the cast seems up for pretty much anything especially the overly attractive onscreen couple.  Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell are clearly having fun with the material which makes the film an easy watch even if decidedly forgettable.  Sweeney and Powell have solid chemistry, but you never buy the fact that the characters supposedly have a certain level of disdain for each other which makes it readily apparent they'll end up together.  The supporting cast is made up of familiar faces like Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths, Michelle Hurd and Bryan Brown but the film doesn't take advantage of the talent instead being mostly satisfied with them delivering broad strokes of comedy.  It all leaves Anyone but You as a passable but forgettable rom-com that could have been far more memorable.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

 

After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Cast: Tom Cruise; Miles Teller; Jennifer Connelly; Jon Hamm; Glen Powell; Lewis Pullman; Ed Harris; Val Kilmer

Release Date: May 24, 2022

Genre: Action, Drama

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some strong language

Runtime: 2h 11m

Review:

Top Gun: Maverick is the rare decades delayed sequel that somehow manages to recapture the magic of the original while standing on its own merits.  Joseph Kosinski's film works on multiple levels as it echoes classic scenes from the original while allowing his movie star to shine in his iconic performances.  It’s a fascinating bit of alchemy that allows him to bring back that feeling of a 80's blockbuster while delivering some insanely updated aerial acrobatics which may leave some people with a serious sense of vertigo.  The script is lean with a straightforward story that doesn't dig too deep into many of the characters even though it does manage to touch on themes of legacy and age.  Some of the dialogue does come off as stilted and old fashion in spots but it’s easy to forgive. Tom Cruise eases back into his iconic role with such gleeful ease that you can feel his deep affection for the character.  He carries the film with tangible energy that comes through the screen as he leads the newcomers of fresh faced up actors.  Miles Teller and Glen Powell get the biggest spotlights in supporting turns with Powell echoing Kilmer's Iceman throughout.  Kilmer himself gets a surprisingly touching sequence with Cruise that works well within the film and as a tribute to both characters and actors.  It's the type of moment that plenty of revived franchises have attempted but never quite nailed, it's a testament to the cast and crew to pull off such a satisfying sequel.  

A-