MOVIE REVIEW: VIOLENT NIGHT

 

An elite team of mercenaries breaks into a family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone hostage inside. However, they aren't prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus is on the grounds, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint.

Director: Tommy Wirkola

Cast:  David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Edi Patterson, Cam Gigandet, Leah Brady, Beverly D'Angelo

Release Date: December 2, 2022

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout and some sexual references

Runtime: 1h 52m

Violent Night is a bloody bit of Christmas camp that answers the question, what would happen if you threw Die Hard, Miracle on 34th Street and Home Alone into a blender.  Tommy Wirkola's film tries to balance over the top bloody action with some Christmas magic, only partially succeeding in frenzied spots before hitting noticeable lulls.  The film embraces it’s over the top violence which are what most people are coming for but it also takes long periods of time to try and set up a Christmas magic type subplot which just kills it's forward momentum.  The film would have been better served if those sequences were trimmed down allowing it to lean into the goofy Christmas mayhem.  David Harbour deserves a lion share of the credit for making this film work with an incredibly fun performance as an apathetic, disillusioned Kris Kringle.  Harbour is a generally likable performer which works well for him here as the Viking berserker turned Santa Claus, seriously, and child confidant.  His ability to switch between ferocity and heartfelt sincerity is rather impressive.  John Leguizamo serves as the film's villain, a role he's clearly having a ball playing.  It’s an over the top performance but it works perfectly with the film overall.  Beverly D'Angelo and Edi Patterson make the most of their limited screen time, it’s a shame the film didn't make better use of their talents.  Violent Night is a choppy affair but when it embraces its violent B-movie camp it’s a lot of fun.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE MENU

 

A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

Director: Mark Mylod

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Judith Light, John Leguizamo

Release Date: November 18, 2022

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong/disturbing violent content, language throughout and some sexual references.

Runtime: 1h 46m

The Menu is a glossy, sharply written satire that delivers some devilishly dark comedy that touches on themes of class warfare but never delves too deep into them.  Mark Mylod's film is directed with a steady hand as he sets up the setting on the island and high end restaurant.  The entire film has a slick modernist visual that echoes David Fincher's unappreciated The Game from the late 90s.  This film is never as subversive or surprising as Fincher's mind trip since it lays its cards out on the table fairly early on.  The script doesn't provide multilayered characters instead everyone is a type with only the smallest sprinkling of background details to flesh them out.  There's very little depth to them with the film relying on the performer’s talent and charisma.  Thankfully, the film is blessed with a excellent cast of actors who elevate the film with a fun, committed performances.  Ralph Fiennes serves as the film's lifeblood with his turn as the Chef who both measured and menacing at the same time.  In lesser hands, this character would have come off as some sort of cinematic Soup Nazi but Fiennes is able add so much more than what's on the page to make him far more fascinating.  Anya Taylor-Joy gets the lion share of the screen time and she's dependable as usual.  She gives the character a believable sense of self reliance and underlying toughness that's clearly out of place among the assorted upper crust.  The rest of the supporting cast all make the most of their limited screen time with Hong Chau, Judith Light and John Leguizamo making you wish their roles were just a bit larger and fleshed out.  The Menu is the kind of film that works in spite of itself, a credit to its cast and director but you get the sense it could have been something really special.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: ENCANTO

 

The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift -- every child except Mirabel. However, she soon may be the Madrigals last hope when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is now in danger.

Director: Byron Howard, Jared Bush

Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitán, Diane Guerrero, Wilmer Valderrama

Release Date: November 24, 2021

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

Rated PG for some thematic elements and mild peril.

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

Encanto walks that fine balances between being a colorful animated musical that'll keep children entertained while also being thematically dense and engaging enough for adults to enjoy.  Byron Howard and Jared Bush's film displays vibrancy right from the start as the lush animation and catchy songs take hold.  The overall animation design looks simplistic at first but as the film goes on you can't help but appreciate the level of detail and artistry on display.  When the animation is paired with musical numbers from Lin-Manuel Miranda the film envelopes you with its effervescent energy that's hard to ignore.  That alone would probably make for a passable family film but Encanto's story makes it memorable and touching.  Themes of family, legacy and self-affirmation stream throughout the film as we follow Mirabel, voiced by a wonderfully earnest Stephanie Beatriz, on her journey.  The script touches on some deep and thoughtful ideas with impressive care and subtly.  The cast all feel perfectly suited for their roles with Stephanie Beatriz, John Leguizamo and María Cecilia Botero, who plays the Madrigal's matriarch, leaving the biggest impression.  Encanto is a multilayered family film that can be enjoyed from multiple levels.  

A

MOVIE REVIEW: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2

Legendary hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is once again called out of retirement, this time by a former colleague (Riccardo Scamarcio) who wants him to repay a debt by killing an Italian crime lord (Claudia Gerini). But when the attempted assassination goes awry, Wick finds himself hunted by an international cabal of killers, and his only hope for survival might be a shadowy figure known as the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). Director Chad Stahelski and screenwriter Derek Kolstad return for this sequel to their 2014 cult action hit. Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo, Common, Lance Reddick, and Bridget Moynahan co-star. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Chad Stahelski

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Common, John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynahan, Laurence Fishburne

Release Date: Feb 10, 2017

Rated R for Strong Violence Throughout, Some Language and Brief Nudity

Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

John Wick: Chapter 2 does everything a sequel should do by upping the action and expanding the world from the first film.  Chad Stahelski seems to have a firm understanding of what worked from the first film.  As such, we are treated to a virtual ballet of bullets during some impressively choreographed sequences.  The story opens up the network of hitmen and support system which is fun even though it’s ludicrous anyway you cut it.  Still, it’s a fun bit of world building that gives the story a neat frame work which introduces us to a wide variety of characters.  Keanu Reeves does his best work during the action sequences which is hardly a surprise.  Reeves has never been an acting powerhouse so it’s the film benefit that he’s got limited requirements as Wick.  The supporting players like Ian McShane, Common and Laurence Fishburne give the film a bit more body than it probably deserves.  The biggest stretch for the film is Ruby Rose who never really fits in.  It might have something to do with the fact that she looks more like a female Justin Bieber than any sort of menacing badass.  It’s not a major drawback because there are so many people trying to kill John Wick, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle especially since nearly 90% of the population of New York is trained hitmen.  At certain points, the film does begin to suffer from attrition simply because there’s so much going on in the final act.  John Wick: Chapter 2 sets up the 3^rd entry nicely which should make for a fun capper to the series.  

B

MOVIE REVIEW: SISTERS

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunite for "Sisters," a new film from "Pitch Perfect" director Jason Moore about two disconnected sisters summoned home to clean out their childhood bedroom before their parents sell the family house. Looking to recapture their glory days, they throw one final high-school-style party for their classmates, which turns into the cathartic rager that a bunch of ground-down adults really need. Fey produces the comedy alongside Jay Roach ("Meet the Parents" series), and Poehler executive produces from a script by Paula Pell (TV’s "Saturday Night Live," "30 Rock").

Director: Jason Moore

Cast: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz, John Leguizamo

Release Date: Dec 18, 2015

Rated R for crude Sexual Content and Language Throughout, and For Drug Use.

Runtime: 1 hr. 58 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Sisters lives and dies by the chemistry of its two leads.  Tina Fey and Amy Poehler take a recycled plot and keep it engaging enough to make it watchable and fairly enjoyable.  The comedy is fairly broad and leans more on the vulgar side especially coming from these two.  The film moves along at a steady pace with a sharp script keeping the whole thing from falling into too many dead zones, even though there are a few here and there.  When the film works it really work, resulting in some seriously laugh out loud moments.  Even when it’s not landing the way it should its likable enough because of the leads.  Tina Fey plays against type and does surprisingly well.  Poehler is a bit more predictable with her character coming off as a variation of Leslie Knope.  The supporting cast is a whose who of SNL cast mates with Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, and Bobby Moynihan leaving the best impressions.  Sisters isn’t a classic but it’s strong enough to have you leaving the theater grinning especially if your fans of the films two stars.

B

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of American Ultra & Hitman: Agent 47

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to the pictures for a pair of shoot-em-up flicks, American Ultra and Hitman: Agent 47.

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

This week's first kudos go not to either movie, but to the schedule maker(s) at Marquee Cinemas, who receive a full nine Weasleys for two 90-minute films with 30 minutes in between. Perfection!

First up on that ideal schedule: American Ultra.

All is not as it seems with a pair of stoners in a (made-up) little West Virginia town.
American Ultra is one of those movies that has the potential to be accidentally awesome. It doesn't look like anything special, but all the pieces are there so it *could* be, you know? It isn't quite awesome, but it's still pretty solid.

Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart share an awkward chemistry that serves them well as a couple pretty awkward people. Eisenberg moves effortlessly from mellow to panicked to deadpan to badass, always believable and sympathetic.

Stewart is often accused of being expressionless, but she's solid here as well. The supporting cast is uniformly decent, for as much as they need to be (what a waste of Bill Pullman!), but basically, if you don't like Eisenberg and/or Stewart, that's going to be an almost insurmountable hurdle with this movie. American Ultra has plenty of twists and turns, with fast, brutal, bloody action, and a dry wit that holds it all together.

American Ultra clocks in at 95 minutes and is rated R for "strong bloody violence, language throughout, drug use, and some sexual content."

American Ultra is missing that *something* that would have made it exceptional, but I still found it smart, exciting, and entertaining.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, American Ultra gets six and a half.

Next on the agenda, Hitman: Agent 47.

A woman reluctantly teams with a super assassin to unravel the mysteries of her past.

Dear reader(s), there's no sugar-coating it: Agent 47 is a real snooze-fest, and, if not for my mad crush on Zachary Quinto, I might have nodded off. There's not a hint of genuine emotion or excitement to be found anywhere in Agent 47. Nicely-designed stunts are blandly executed, and the leads are as dry as my lawn invariably is 'round about this time of the year. Hannah Ware has all the expression of the freshly-Botoxed, and Rupert Friend looks like a perpetually-annoyed Orlando Bloom. Ciaran Hinds gets the job done, but he doesn't turn up until it's far too late to salvage anything. It's quite a feat for a movie this short to wear out its welcome, but that seems to be the one area where Hitman: Agent 47 actually succeeds.

Hitman: Agent 47 runs 96 minutes and is rated R for "sequences of strong violence, and some language."

Agent 47 is so dull I was hardly even annoyed when the guy next to me played on his iPad the whole time.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hitman: Agent 47 gets two.

Until next time...

Curiously, this is also how my homecooked Sunday dinners usually turn out!

MOVIE REVIEW: RIDE ALONG

A motor-mouthed high-school security guard joins his prospective brother-in-law, a decorated police detective, on a shift along the mean streets of Atlanta and learns that life on the force is no picnic in this action comedy from director Tim Story (Fantastic Four, Think Like a Man). Ben (Kevin Hart) longs to marry his gorgeous girlfriend Angela (Tika Sumpter), but before he can propose he must first get the approval of her tough-as-nails brother James (Ice Cube), a top detective in the Atlanta Police Department. John Leguizamo and Laurence Fishburne co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Tim Story

Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, Bryan Callen

Release Date: Jan 17, 2014

Rated PG-13 Sequences of violence, sexual content and brief strong language.

Runtime: 1 hr. 39 min

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy

Review:

I went into Ride Along willing to give it a fair shot and off the strength of a funny trailer I was slightly hopeful. Personally I like Kevin Hart and Ice Cube has done some funny movies, even if we a few decades removed from them. On the good side, Hart is funny is spots and shares good chemistry with Cube. The biggest problem is that the movie is incredibly lazy in every way possible. The script is full of hackneyed tropes and jokes at every stop with Ice Cube winking at the camera while making some incredibly unfunny meta jokes, unwittingly at his own expensive. Kevin Hart, aka that squirrel on a Red Bull IV, is talented enough to pull some laughs out of a bone dry script. Saying that John Leguizamo and Laurence Fishburne are slumming it doesn’t even begin to cover their appearance in this film. At a little over an hour and a half, it’s the kind of movie that you’ll be seeing none stop on TBS or FX followed by another Cube classic Are We There Yet.

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: KICK ASS 2

His heroic antics having inspired a citywide wave of masked vigilantes, Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) joins their ranks to help clean up the streets, only to face a formidable challenge when the vengeful Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) transforms himself into the world's first super villain in this sequel written and directed by Jeff Wadlow (Never Back Down). John Leguizamo, Donald Faison, Morris Chestnut, and Robert Emms co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Jeff Wadlow

Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jim Carrey, John Leguizamo, Donald Faison

Release Date: Aug 16, 2013

Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and brief nudity

Runtime: 1 hr. 47 min.

Genres: Superhero, Action/Adventure, Comedy

Review:

The first Kick Ass film was always going to be a tough act to follow. That’s not to say that there isn’t plenty to like in this serviceable sequel. Actually there’s a lot to like actually, especially for fans but watching the sequel you jhave a sense that there’s something missing. It provides the over the top violence and witty dialogue from the first but lacks some of the punch. It has a strange over the top but neutered softer feel throughout. There are big tonal shifts throughout which exasperates the issue. Another issue is that Hit Girl is sidelined for big chucks of the film. Chloë Grace Moretz is mostly relegated to dealing with mean girl instead of kicking ass. When she’s in costume, Moretz brings the same kind of spark and energy she did in the original, something this sequel sorely needed. That being said, Moretz’s subplot achieves a rather poignant moment of vulnerability in the third act, really showing off her range. Aaron Taylor-Johnson isn’t as impressive but he’s solid throughout. He brings the same goofy aloof earnestness to the titular character. Johnson is adequately wide eye throughout but it’s a tougher to believe that he’s an actual high school senior this time around. The remaining supporting cast is fun but most are underused and underdeveloped. Jim Carrey in particular is underused even though he shines in his limited scenes. He brings the wacky energy that Nic Cage did in the original and I wish there was more of him. Donald Faison has a small role as an overly caffeinated hero; it’s a fun little role which also could have done with a tad more screen time. The rest of the heroes are kind of background noise even Kick Ass’s new love interest played by the lovely Lindy Booth. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is a bit of a mixed bag as the villain. He’s never menacing enough to be taken seriously. The script doesn’t do him any favors with some clunky dialogue. To Mintz-Plasse’s credit he does provide some funny moments. So is this a worthy sequel to Kick Ass? It works more than it doesn’t but it never reaches the heights of original. Fans of the original, like myself, will find plenty to like here. Just don’t expect to be blown away.

B-