MOVIE REVIEW: LONGLEGS

 

FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Director: Oz Perkins

Cast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood, Kiernan Shipka

Release Date: July 12, 2024

Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for bloody violence, disturbing images and some language.

Runtime: 1h 41m

Review:

Oz Perkins' latest film, Longlegs, is an atmospheric amalgam of The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en lead by a strong, tortured turn from Maika Monroe and utterly unrestrained performance from Nicolas Cage.  Perkins film is beautifully shot with each sequence carefully constructed so as to illicit a foreboding sense of dread and unease even during the most mundane moments.  He again displays his innate ability to create a consistent and almost oppressive sense of tension throughout his films which he does in spades here.  The tension builds at a steady rate with only a few missteps here and there, less Nicolas Cage would have served the film better, to break the overall mood.  Cage is effectively creepy when he pops up, aided by heavy make up and prosthetics, and it’s clear that Perkins gave him carte blanche to do whatever he wants.  The result is a mixed bag since there are moments that take you out of the overall mood when Cage's unrestrained nuttiness is unleashed for tad too long.  This is a perfect case of less is more especially as the film spends so much time establishing a pervasive, uncomfortable mood as it delivers a series of nightmarish images that are sure to linger after the film ends.  Maika Monroe guides us through it all with an impressive, understated performance that might be one of the best of her career.  Her character is a tortured savant with barely functioning people skills that is like a mix of Clarice Starling and Dustin Hoffman's Rain Man.  It’s a nuanced measured turn that makes her the most interesting performer onscreen for the majority of the film.  The moments she shares with Alicia Witt, who's just as creepy as Cage but more measured, are just as disquieting as anything the film throws at you.  Blair Underwood is solid in a supporting role as Harker's boss and Kiernan Shipka leaves a noticeable impression in a small role.  Those looking for logical story progression might be left a little frustrated since it doesn't hold up on closer inspection and it doesn't provide any surprises that aren't telegraphed beforehand.  They are minor issues but enough to keep Longlegs from being something truly special.   

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: 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: THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT

 

Unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, actor Nick Cage accepts a $1 million offer to attend a wealthy fan's birthday party. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when a CIA operative recruits Cage for an unusual mission. Taking on the role of a lifetime, he soon finds himself channeling his most iconic and beloved characters to save himself and his loved ones.

Director: Tom Gormican

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, Neil Patrick Harris, Tiffany Haddish

Release Date: April 15, 2022 

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller

Rated R for language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and violence.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a treasure trove of Nicolas Cage career Easter Eggs and meta humor, packaged in fun self aware film.  Tom Gormican's film has a light tongue in cheek vibe to it from the start.  He takes a hands off approach by simply moving along the plot with very few visual flourish to distract from the performances on display.  He knows that Nicolas Cage is the central attraction who is more than game poking fun at his persona and career.  There are plenty of references to a bevy of his film's with some references being more overt while more subtle are peppered throughout the film.  Cage playing an outsized version of himself might sound like a lot but he plays it with a measured hand, a de-aged imaginary version of a Wild At Heart era Cage lets him really let loose, for the better part of the film.  The real treat here though is his chemistry with Pedro Pascal who steals multiple scenes throughout the film. Pascal is incredibly versatile actor and with this role he shows off another side of himself by playing a nebbish Cage fanboy who might also be a huge arms dealer. The bromance that grows between Cage and Pascal's characters make up the backbone of the film with both clearly having a ball playing off each other.  The script occasionally veers into super meta territory, you might be left wondering if any of the events in the film actually happened by the end, while never fully embracing it with more inspired flourishes like Cage's imaginary Cage.  As is, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is the kind of film that's easy to enjoy due to its stars and meta concept.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE CROODS: A NEW AGE

 

Searching for a safer habitat, the prehistoric Crood family discovers an idyllic, walled-in paradise that meets all of its needs. Unfortunately, they must also learn to live with the Bettermans -- a family that's a couple of steps above the Croods on the evolutionary ladder. As tensions between the new neighbors start to rise, a new threat soon propels both clans on an epic adventure that forces them to embrace their differences, draw strength from one another, and survive together.

Director: Joel Crawford

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, Cloris Leachman, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann, Kelly Marie Tran

Release Date: November 25, 2020

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Rated PG for peril, action and rude humor.

Runtime: 1 h 35 min

Review:

The Croods: A New Age which randomly appears 7 years after the original is more unfocused than the first film but still a fun family film.  The story in this sequel is more straightforward but it allows Joel Crawford to move the story into weird and surprisingly psychedelic areas.  Crawford moves the story along a steady pace getting into the story fairly quickly introducing the new characters/cast.  The returning cast easily gets back into their characters and have great chemistry with newcomers Peter Dinklage and Leslie Mann.  Dinklage and Mann play great foils to the Croods as the hipster Bettermans who are slightly more evolved.  Dinklage and Cage in particular seem to be having a ball throughout the film with it all climaxing with a great Punch Monkey finale.  Stone, Keener, Leachman, Mann & Tran also get their time to shine with a strong girl power story thread that has them all saving the day.  Its message is sweet but it’s not anything revelatory like some of the prestige Pixar films.  This sequel isn’t as consistent as the original but it’s still a lot of fun in parts but be warned some sequences might be a bit too intense or scary for very small children. 

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Dearest Blog: After rather a long hiatus, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Spoiler level here will be...uh...you know what, we're five weeks in and I never did see a trailer for this, so let's just say read on and take your chances.

Many Spideys from many dimensions join forces to fight a common threat.

Dear reader(s), the week Spider-Verse was released, we had five new movies opening locally. As the busy holiday season left me time for only two and I am prone to poor life choices, I opted for The Mule and Mortal Engines. Yesterday was my first opportunity to catch up with Spider-Verse, and, while I normally wouldn't bother reviewing a movie this late in its run*, Spider-Verse is so extraordinary that if I can convince even one person to get out and see it while it's still on the big screen, it's my civic duty to do that.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a terrific film, sans genre qualifier. The story is clever and layered without being muddled, and it explains itself well enough that even those not well-versed  in the multi-verse should have no trouble keeping up. Glorious visuals could pass for pages pulled directly from a comic; in fact, there's more than one panel I'm pretty sure *was* pulled directly from a comic. Your enjoyment may ebb and flow depending on the amount of time "your" Spidey spends on screen (I'm a Peter Parker girl myself), but the movie is at its best when all the Spideys share scenes together. A familiar stable of villains lends a comfortable feel to the proceedings, but a great sense of humor and multiple focal points keep the picture moving at pretty frantic pace. Daniel Pemberton's fantastic score and a positive, empowering message wrap up the heroic proceedings with a neat little bow.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse clocks in at 117 minutes and is rated PG for "frenetic scenes of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild language."

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an exceptional movie that stands out among a glut of super-hero movies and sets a new standard for animation.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse gets nine.

Until next time...

*Feel free to laugh at this remark when my next review is of a movie that turns 15 years old this summer.

MOVIE REVIEW: SPIDERMAN INTO THE SPIDERVERSE

Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that there are many others who share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.

Director: Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., Rodney Rothman

Cast: Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna 

Lauren Velez, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage, Liev Schreiber

Rated PG for frenetic sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild 

language

Genres: Animation, Action, Adventure

Runtime: 1h 57min

Review:

Spiderman into the Spiderverse is one of those animated films that is instantly striking due to it’s visual style and energy.  The visual style is so striking that it takes a little while to adjust to it in action.  Once you settle into it it’s a cornucopia of visual delights.  The character designs and lush backgrounds make for a beautifully vivid film.  Thankfully the story is just as strong as the visual.  The story is a fun superhero tome filled with great messages for kids and adults alike.  The voice cast all fit their characters perfectly with Shameik Moore and Jake Johnson sharing great chemistry.  Hailee Steinfeld as a SpiderGwen has spinoff written all over it but it’s not nearly as fun as John Mulany as Spider Ham and Nicholas Cage as Spiderman Noir.  Ultimately, Spiderman into the Spiderverse is a fun film which offers a fresh version of animation which makes it pop.

B

Cindy Prascik’s Movie Review : The Croods / Olympus Has Fallen

Dearest Blog, yesterday I set out for the cinema, hoping two highly-anticipated offerings would meet expectations.
Spoiler level here is mild, limited to things you'd know from the trailers.

First on my agenda: DreamWorks Animation's The Croods.


A prehistoric family are forced to flee their cave after it's destroyed by a disaster that threatens to change their lives forever in this animated adventure featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone. As a protective caveman father leads his family out of harm's way, the clan crosses paths with a resourceful teen named Guy (voice of Ryan Reynolds), who offers to help them reach a distant land where they'll be safe from an impending catastrophe that will soon alter the entire world. Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman round out the cast of vocal performers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Kirk De Micco

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman.

Release Date: Mar 22, 2013

Rated PG for some scary action

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Animated, Family


Much to the dismay of a rebellious daughter (Emma Stone), the patriarch (Nicolas Cage) of a pre-historic family believes the only way to keep them safe is to stay within the dark and gloomy confines of their cave home. His theory, as well as his ability to protect his family, are put to the test when the cave is destroyed.

Not gonna lie, dear Blog, I have a ridiculous amount of faith in DreamWorks Animation. Think it's got something to do with How to Train Your Dragon being...oh...only the best animated feature ever. I'm pleased to report that, despite a sluggish start, The Croods does not find my faith misplaced.

The Croods looks magnificent. No words could possibly describe just how gorgeous this film is; you have to see it. I was moved to tears a time or two by its physical beauty alone. Take Oz: The Great and Powerful, and multiply that by about a hundred. Full marks to the artistic and technical staff.

If The Croods' father/daughter tale is a little familiar, and if you see some things coming a mile or so out, that's easy enough to forgive in such a sweet and genuine picture. The voice cast is spot-on, with Cage and Stone joined by Ryan Reynolds, Cloris Leachman, and Catherine Keener.

The Croods does start out somewhat slow, and for 20 minutes or so, I feared I had another Oz on my hands; that is, I'd be left loving the look and nothing else. Once it gets moving, though, the movie's filled with action, laugh-out-loud moments, and a sincere and touching family tale.

The Croods runs 98 minutes, and is rated PG for "some scary action." It's no How to Train Your Dragon, but, of a possible nine Weasleys, it easily earns seven.

Next up was the action/thriller Olympus Has Fallen.

An ex-Special Forces operative and former presidential bodyguard must fight to take back the White House from terrorists who have kidnapped the Commander in Chief in this high-stakes action thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter) and starring Gerard Butler. Melissa Leo, Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, and Radha Mitchell co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo.

Release Date: Mar 22, 2013 Rated R for Strong Violence and Language Throughout

Runtime: 2 hr. 0 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller


When terrorists overrun the White House, taking President Harvey Dent, erm, I mean Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) and his top staff hostage, it's left to Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), an ex-Secret Service agent, to save the President...and the nation.
Olympus Has Fallen is extremely well cast; every actor is a perfect fit for his role.

Aaron Eckhart is very leaderly as a young-ish Commander in Chief. Gerard Butler has never been a favorite of mine. I've softened considerably towards him since he became Stoic the Vast, but think I'm still holding a grudge over Phantom of the Opera!

Yet I found him surprisingly watchable in Olympus, and I think he plays the tormented hero well. Angela Bassett is a bit too hard-ass for my taste as Director of the Secret Service; for some reason, she seemed like a comical police chief on a 70s TV cop drama. My favorite actress and best girl crush Melissa Leo is as lovely and tough as ever as the Secretary of Defense.

Morgan Freeman makes a predictably solid turn as Speaker of the House, forced to take charge as both the President and Vice-President are in the terrorists' grasp. If I had to trust the world's safety to any one individual, I admit I'd be entirely comfortable if that individual were Morgan Freeman. The rest of the cast is up to snuff, the one exception being Radha Mitchell, whose teary-eyed close-ups got old pretty quickly.

Olympus Has Fallen features maximum carnage.

The body count is so extreme that even I grew tired of it, and it's not that sort-of cartoonish massacre you get with a GI Joe or super-hero movie.

As a result, any chest-thumping 'Murica! sentiment the filmmakers hoped to achieve is somewhat deflated. The effects are good, and the trashing of the White House and other DC landmarks is chillingly realistic.

Olympus Has Fallen clocks in at 120 minutes, and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout." If I liked it less than I'd hoped, I attribute that partially to my feeling that nobody makes a Big Baddie quite like Russia did back in the day, and partially to the movie's having precious little of that feel-good cowboy vibe (think Die Hard) I kind of expected from the trailers.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Olympus Has Fallen gets six.

Our next question, dear Blog, is how many cinema trips can one individual fit into a long weekend that also includes three home hockey games, a midday hair cut n' color, and one full day of enforced family time (ugh). Time will tell!

Until next time...




Is it twisted that I'd totally do this cartoon person??

MOVIE REVIEW: THE CROODS

A prehistoric family are forced to flee their cave after it's destroyed by a disaster that threatens to change their lives forever in this animated adventure featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone. As a protective caveman father leads his family out of harm's way, the clan crosses paths with a resourceful teen named Guy (voice of Ryan Reynolds), who offers to help them reach a distant land where they'll be safe from an impending catastrophe that will soon alter the entire world. Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman round out the cast of vocal performers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Kirk De Micco

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman

Release Date: Mar 22, 2013

Rated PG for some scary action

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Animated, Family

Review:

The Croods is the type of animated family film that made for everyone to enjoy. Working from a simplistic and tried and true formula its script brims with enough energy to every keep it from being tedious. It’s funny and touching throughout. Kirk De Micco’s direction is deft; he keeps our attention with a lush virtual cornucopia while ably handling the family dynamics at play. De Micco has a strong track record going for him, (Lilo and Stich, How To Train Your Dragon) so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his film has some tangible heart in between all the action set pieces and gags. The voice work by the assembled talent is all great with Cage, Stone and Reynolds deserving specific praise. Cage and Reynolds really seem comfortable doing voice work as both have distinctive voices and personalities that lend itself to this kind of film. Throw in some wonderful character designs and fun 3D and you have a family film that enjoyable for everyone.

B

MOVIE REVIEWS: KICK ASS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

IN THEATERS

KICK ASS



Adapted from Mark Millar's hyper-violent comic book of the same name, director Matthew Vaughn's (Layer Cake) vigilante superhero film tells the tale of an average New York teenager who decides to don a costume and fight crime. Comic book geek Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) may not have good coordination or special powers, but that doesn't mean he isn't a fully capable crime fighter. After purchasing a flashy wet suit on the Internet, Dave starts busting up baddies with nothing but brute force. He calls himself Kick-Ass, and he can take a beating as good as he can dish one out. Before long, Kick-Ass has become a local sensation, and others are following his lead. Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) are a father-daughter crime-fighting duo who have set their sights on local mob heavy Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong). They're doing a decent job of dismantling Frank's sizable underworld empire when Kick-Ass gets drawn into the fray. But Frank's men play rough, and his son, Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), is about to become Kick-Ass' very first arch nemesis. When Chris assumes the persona of Red Mist, the stage is set for a superhero showdown that could spell the end of Kick-Ass once and for all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong.

Release Date: Apr 16, 2010

Rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use -- some involving children

Runtime: 1 hr. 57 min.

Genres: Action

Review:

Matthew Vaughn’s Kick Ass lives up to its name at various times throughout it hyper violent run but its change in tone is so drastic you start to wonder if Vaughn might destroy the clutch on this film. Vaughn gives this film an impressive visual style throughout that keeps your eyes and mind entertained throughout by a wonderful use of smart edits during some of the more drawn out action sequences. In the lead role Aaron Johnson gives the titular Kick Ass a decent blend of nerdiness, naiveté and earnestness in the role. He does fine work throughout but the role doesn’t give him much chance to shine and it’s easy for him to disappear into the background. This is especially true once Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz show up. Nicolas Cage fits into his role so well you can sense his glee every time he’s on screen. Chloe Moretz is equally strong as the psychopathic foul mouthed Hit Girl. She’s got some of the strongest comedic and emotional moments in the entire film. Christopher Mintz-Plasse & Mark Strong both deliver strong if generic performances in underwritten roles. Cage and Moretz’s are by far the most interesting characters in the film and make the other story lines look like placeholders until they hit screen again. This choppiness in story and tone becomes more jarring as the film head to its conclusion. Kick Ass shifts from satire to shoot em up to standard comic book movie throughout. Having not read the original comic I don’t know if it’s an issue that inherent to story or if it was something that occurred in the transition. Even with its imperfections, Kick Ass is funny and engaging enough to make for an enjoyable experience for comic book movie fans.

B-