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: FLAMIN' HOT

 

Richard Montanez, the son of a Mexican immigrant, was a janitor at Frito Lay when he came up with the idea for Flamin' Hot Cheetos. His creation, inspired by the flavours of his community, revitalises Frito-Lay and disrupts the food industry.

Director: Eva Longoria

Cast: Jesse Garcia, Annie Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Emilio Rivera, Matt Walsh

Release Date: June 9, 2023

Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and brief drug material

Runtime: 1h 39m

Eva Longoria's directorial debut, Flamin' Hot, is engaging even as the story hits a lot of familiar beats from the underdog genre.  There's a hazy area as to how much is real and embellished but the film and story works onscreen due to some fun direction and likable performances from its central cast.  It works best as a fact based fable, similar to 1993's Rudy, where the true story isn't nearly as fun as the legend that's grown out of the myth.  Longoria manages to avoid some of more the clichéd pitfalls by delivering an efficient film that's easy to like because it manages to maintain an air of authenticity that grounds the entire thing.  Jesse Garcia does the lion's share of the heavy lifting with a performance that’s fun but surprisingly layered especially when the story explores his difficult upbringing and relationship with his wife played well by Annie Gonzalez.  Garcia and Gonzalez share a believable chemistry together which makes it easy to root for both of their characters.  The supporting cast is made up of strong character actors such as Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Matt Walsh and Emilio Rivera who each give their characters more depth than the script provides. It does feel like a missed opportunity not to give Shalhoub and Haysbert meatier roles but it’s a testament to their talent that they're able to leave their mark on the film.  Their characters function more as archetypes that fully formed characters and the film follows a predictable path but the cast and crew make Flamin' Hot far more enjoyable than it would have been in lesser hands.

B

Cindy Prascik's Marvel (Streaming) Double-Feature

My dear reader(s), last week I indulged in a rare Saturday in front of my television, allowing me to catch up on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Ant-Man: Quantumania (2023).

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

First on my home-viewing docket: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The people of Wakanda must face new threats even as they mourn the loss of their king.

Chadwick Boseman was a singular talent, and movie fans joined the fictional residents of Wakanda in mourning the man and his alter-ego. The funeral for King T'Challa is as devastating as if it were real, and this sequel suffers greatly for having lost an irreplaceable screen presence. The franchise still has its share of engaging talent in Winston Duke (M'Baku), Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia), and Danai Gurira (Okoye), but it chooses to shift focus to Letitia Wright (Shuri), whose tepid magnetism wilts under the weight of this tentpole.

Wakanda Forever retains many of the things that made the original Black Panther so special: a fantastic score, glorious costumes, and majestic sets/locations. Action sequences are well done, if overlong, and there's enough humor to keep the undercurrent of sadness from overwhelming the movie's mood. Some wonky CGI provides unintentional laughs. In the mix with Gurira, Nyong'o, and Duke, the reliably entertaining Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the magnificent Angela Bassett (chewing it up like mid-90s Gary Oldman) keep the movie mostly watchable, but ultimately it can't surmount a weak lead and an entirely insufferable run time.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever clocks in at a bloated 161 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of strong violence, action, and some language."

Overcoming the loss of Chadwick Boseman probably would be impossible for even a great movie, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is not a great movie. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever gets four.

Next on last weekend's agenda: Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. 

Scott Lang and company are dragged into the Quantum Realm, where they face a new super-villain.

Quantumania is the movie equivalent of when it's two days before payday and you have to try making a meal out of whatever's left in the 'fridge. It throws everything at the screen in hopes of making something worth consuming, but you really just wish you had something fresh. 

If Wakanda Forever suffers for the loss of Chadwick Boseman, Quantumania survives almost exclusively because it's impossible to dislike Paul Rudd. I never could imagine that many people were clamoring to bring Ant-Man to the big screen, but Rudd's charisma makes it easy to excuse the low-rent hero. Having Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer along for the ride doesn't hurt, either. Quantumania's story is a jumble, struggling with the same issue as all multi-verse/timeline stories: Why should anyone care what happens, when it's just going to UN-happen the minute it becomes inconvenient to the cinematic universe or detrimental to the studio's bottom line? Much like the Thor movies, the Ant-Man franchise is more like a comedy that's heavy on action than a super hero movie that's funny sometimes, and its humor is its salvation. Like all Marvel product, it fails to earn its runtime, but after Wakanda Forever it seems pretty doggone short. Given that the story's such a mess and the Quantum Realm looks like a high-school production of Star Wars, it's very little on which to hang one's super-hero helmet, but it'll have to do. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania runs 124 minutes and is rated PG13 for "violence/action and language."

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a car crash, watchable only thanks to a terrific lead who keeps things light and entertaining. Credit where credit is due, it also features the most inspirational line I've ever heard in a film: "It's never too late to stop being a dick." Of a possible nine Weasleys, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania gets five.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

 

Optimus Prime and the Autobots take on their biggest challenge yet. When a new threat capable of destroying the entire planet emerges, they must team up with a powerful faction of Transformers known as the Maximals to save Earth.

Director: Steven Caple Jr.

Cast:  Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Liza Koshy, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Pete Davidson, Peter Cullen, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov

Release Date: June 9, 2023

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language

Runtime: 2h 7m

Transformers: Rise of the Beast, the seventh installment in the franchise, is an admirable attempt to bring the original cartoon to life.  Its story is significantly larger in scope than 2018's Bumblebee which delivered a much-needed reset from Michael Bay's orgy of metallic explosions, undercooked characters and plots which rarely focused on the titular robots.  This film expands on the groundwork Bumblebee in just about every way and it gives some of the Transformers, Prime and Mirage in particular, real character arches to work with. Those story arches aren't incredibly nuanced, but they do give the characters even footing with their human counterparts something that Bay only gave passing consideration.  As a result, this is the first film that allows Peter Cullen's Optimus Prime to come to the screen with some noticeable depth.  Pete Davidson is surprisingly good as the voice of Mirage, who plays more like a hybrid of Jazz and Cliffjumper from the original series than his namesake aside from his ability to project holograms.  Davidson's performance is fun but also heartfelt in parts which makes the character more likable than if he was solely used for comic relief.  Michelle Yeoh manages to add some gravitas to her character even if it is a bit funny to hear her voice coming out of a giant robot hawk.  Sadly, the rest of voice cast isn't given much to do outside of deliver exposition.  

Ron Perlman and Peter Dinklage in particular get the short end of the stick with paper thin characters that could have been much more memorable.  Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback make up the human side of the cast with mixed results.  Ramos seems perfectly at ease working with the greenscreen madness as he's clearly having a ball throughout which makes him a likable lead.  Fishback on the other hand comes off a bit more lost and plays her character a bit too broad in spots.  That being said, they are fun together especially in a Peru set action set piece as they chase the movie's McGuffin which leads to the final act.  Steven Caple Jr. energetic direction keeps everything moving at a steady pace and delivers some well choregraphed and coherent action sequences even if they still rely on a bit too much slow motion for my taste. He smartly uses the 90's setting to his advantage with a fun soundtrack that sure to make people of a certain age smile.  The overall plot does set up a major villain and possible crossover which gives you the impression that this film is setting up an even larger follow up.  Transformers: Rise of the Beast does plenty right especially for people who grew up with the cartoon and it works well as a big budget blockbuster that the whole family can enjoy.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BOOGEYMAN

 

High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister, Sawyer, are still reeling from the recent death of their mother. They're not getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who's dealing with his own intense pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their house seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.

Director: Rob Savage

Cast:  Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, David Dastmalchian, LisaGay Hamilton, Marin Ireland, Madison Hu

Release Date: June 2, 2023

Genre: Horror, Mystery,Thriller

Rated PG-13 for terror, violent content, teen drug use and some strong language

Runtime: 1h 38m

The Boogeyman is a solidly crafted, well acted horror film which never takes full advantage of either by leaning too much on old school tropes.  Rob Savage's direction is more than capable of establishing mood and setting up scares throughout.  Those looking for a direct adaptation of King's original short story will likely be disappointed since the film only uses a small bit of it as a jumping off point before turning into a fairly predictable monster film that's been done plenty of times beforehand.  It's a shame since the original story was effectively unnerving and delivered a memorable ending that would have made this film something special.  Instead, the script uses increasingly predictable tropes and beats ultimately wasting a pair of strong performances from Sophie Thatcher and Vivien Lyra Blair.  Thatcher's turn in particular is deeply committed that you just wish she had better material to work with.  The Boogeyman isn't a terrible film by any stretch of the imagination but its definitely a forgettable experience that never lives up to its potential.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: SPIDER-MAN ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

 

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. However, when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders. He must soon redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.

Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson

Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, Oscar Isaac

Release Date: June 2, 2023

Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements

Runtime: 2h 20m

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the kind of sequel that ups the ante on pretty much everything that made the original so special.  The fact that it manages to do so with incredible ease while never losing touch with its emotional center is an impressive feat.  Visually, it’s an aggressive hodgepodge of animations styles thrown at the screen with reckless abandon.  It’s an optic assault on the senses which makes every shot and sequence impossible to fully appreciate on a single viewing due the level of detail and depth contained in every frame.  The action is kinetic and frenzied in its own way with each new set piece and character offering a very specific sort of visual style and approach.  Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson could have leaned on the visuals and delivered a middling story, but they manage to keep the story grounded with its character and their relationships.  Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld make up the film's emotional core with both delivering stellar voicework throughout.  Moore's voice gives Miles a believable and relatable tenor to his interactions something that really shines in the quieter moments with Lauren Vélez and Brian Tyree Henry who play his parents.  Steinfeld's character is given a bit more depth this go around with the added pathos making her far more interesting.  The supporting spiders are all given their moments to shine but Karan Soni as Spider-Man India and Daniel Kaluuya as Spider Punk leave the biggest impression.  Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099 and Issa Rae Spider-Woman both have important roles, but you get the sense that both characters will get a bigger focus in the third entry which this film sets up with a tantalizing cliffhanger that'll give people of certain age flashbacks of Empire Strikes Back or Star Trek The Next Generation's The Best of Both Worlds so be forewarned.  

A