MOVIE REVIEW: THE BLACKENING

 

Seven friends go away for the weekend, only to find themselves trapped in a cabin with a killer who has a vendetta. They must pit their street smarts and knowledge of horror movies against the murderer to stay alive.

Director: Tim Story

Cast: Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, Yvonne Orji

Release Date: June 16, 2023

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for pervasive language, violence and drug use

Runtime: 1h 36m

The Blackening is a funny and a surprisingly effective skewering of racial stereotypes and clichés from the horror genre.  Tim Story gives his film a playful tone that never goes into full parody even if it does lean dangerously close to it.  He uses beats from Scary Movie, Clue and Saw for the overall structure of the film which gives it a familiar feel especially for horror fans.  The script and director are clearly fans of the genre but they don't rely on self referential Easter eggs to carry the film.  The script is sharply written, providing plenty of solid laughs as most of the jokes land thanks in large part to an excellent cast. The ensemble cast has a natural chemistry together which makes the whole thing work.  Their characters are mostly written as types but the cast is clearly having such a great time playing them that their comedic energy shines  through the screen.  Each member is given plenty of screen time to show off their impressive comedic timing, X Mayo's Shanika is a real screen stealer, especially as they bounce off each other as the situations get more dire and silly at the same time.  The set ups and comedy is all well done even though looking for some surprises or actual scares might be a little disappointed.  The film loses a little steam in its final act with a predictable reveal that leaves you wishing they'd gone for something a bit more surprising.  Even though it stumbles a bit as it heads towards the finish line, The Blackening is the kind of horror comedy that's sure to be a cult classic in the coming years.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: ALL MY LIFE

 

Jennifer Carter and Solomon Chau are a sweet, fun-loving, newly engaged couple who are ready to start their lives together. But when Solomon is diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, their hopes for a summer wedding become impossible. With time running out, their friends and families soon devise an inspirational plan to help Jennifer and Solomon realize their dream wedding.

Director: Marc Meyers

Cast: Jessica Rothe, Harry Shum Jr., Kyle Allen, Chrissie Fit, Jay Pharoah, Marielle Scott, Keala Settle

Release Date: December 4, 2020

Genres: Drama, Romance

Rated PG-13 for brief language

Runtime: 1h 33min

Review:

All My Life won’t win any prizes for realism or depth but it works because of the charisma and chemistry of its two leads.  Marc Meyers directs the film with a generally rose tinted hue even when the film hits some of its more tragic notes.  As such some people might be disappointed the film didn’t delve into the pain of cancer with a bit more realism in fact Harry Shum Jr.’s Sol never displays any sort of physical decline during the course of the film.  It feels like the film would have packed a bit more of a punch had given that aspect of the story a more realistic arch.  That issue aside Jessica Rothe & Harry Shum Jr. make the film far more watchable than it deserves to be because it’s schmaltzy with a clear intention to pull at your heart strings.  As a light breezey romantic comedy / tragedy hybrid it works because Rothe & Shum are incredibly easy to like and they both give their character more depth than what’s actually written on the page.  They make you care about their story and journey even though the film itself is a step up from a Lifetime movie of that week.  That being said, once you reach the finale nearly everyone will be reaching for the tissues over this glossy retelling of love story cut tragically short, 

B