MOVIE REVIEW: DESPICABLE ME 4

 

Gru welcomes a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who's intent on tormenting his dad. However, their peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal escapes from prison and vows revenge against Gru.

Director: Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage

Cast:  Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Sofía Vergara, Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman, Stephen Colbert 

Release Date: July 3, 2024

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

Rated PG for action and rude humor.

Runtime: 1h 34m

Review:

Despicable Me 4 is light, colorful and breezy enough to entertain, thanks in large part to Steve Carell and Will Ferrell's voice work, but this entry proves to be far more forgettable.  Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage direct the film at a slightly manic pace by offering an overstuffed roster of characters and storylines which makes the whole story feel scattered.  The animation is still incredibly sleek with its bright, angular look which gives children and adults alike plenty of eye candy throughout.  Story wise the film's a overly busy for no reason which leave each story thread feel uncooked.  The addition of Will Ferrell as Gru's nemesis Maxime Le Mal works incredibly well especially when he and Carrell are throwing barbs back and forth at each out.  Ferrell, using a heavy faux French accent, is clearly having a ball voicing the character and the film would have been smart to make him the primary focus since the film works best when his character is onscreen.  The side story's about Gru's Wife and Poppy the aspiring teen villain next door who blackmails Gru, just aren't all that interesting in spite of Kristen Wiig and Joey King's best efforts.  The much advertised Mega Minion's also prove to be little more than seeding for a future spinoff as opposed to a fully formed storyline.  The standard issue minions are still good for a handful of laughs throughout which keeps the whole thing rolling along at a steady pace.  The Despicable Me franchise was never the deepest around but its always been fun, this fourth entry continues that trend but lacks the focus to be truly memorable.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: MAXXXINE

 

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. However, as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Los Angeles, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Director: Ti West

Cast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon

Release Date: July 5, 2024

Genre: Crime, Horror

Rated R for strong violence, gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug use.

Runtime: 1h 44m

Review:

Ti West closes out his Mia Goth lead horror trilogy with Maxxxine, a film bathed in every bit of imaginable 80's sleaze and clichés found in those low rent VHS thrillers such as 1984's student/hooker flick Angel.  West manages to capture the look and feel of those kinds of films impressively much like he did by recapturing the 70's grindhouse slasher aesthetic in X.  Its over the top but perfectly suited for the story being told as we follow Maxine's fight tooth and nail to survive and be a star.  Baked into the script a playful sense of meta humor as plenty of subtle references to previous films pepper the dialogue and visuals.  Its a clever wink and nod to what the series and its singular star have created in this surprising trilogy.  Sadly, the story isn't quite up to the level of the previous two film as it veers into downright goofy territory, especially in its final act, either intentionally or unintentionally.  At the very, least it brings the character's story full circle and allows to Mia Goth to shine throughout.  This entry isn't as showy as Pearl but Goth manages to communicate the level of dogged determination and her innate ability at self preservation baked into her character's DNA.  This turn is more nuanced and subtle throughout but doesn't make it any less engaging and engrossing.  A handful of familiar faces appear in supporting roles with Kevin Bacon leaving the biggest impression as a New Orleans PI on Maxine's trail.  Bacon gleefully chews up scenery every time he shows up on screen which make his and Goth's scenes together all the better.  Giancarlo Esposito is a bit more reserved as Maxine's agent/lawyer/fixer but he brings just enough of that Gus Fring energy to make you wish the film had utilized him more effectively.  Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Moses Sumney and Lily Collins all are given one dimensional supporting characters which could have been more impactful as well.  Elizabeth Debicki is given a bit more to work with as the horror film director with higher aspirations that serves as a bit of a role model for Goth's Maxine especially once the film comes to a close.   Maxxxine maybe the weakest of the three films but that doesn't keep it from being a well crafted showcase for Goth who made the series something special.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: KINDS OF KINDNESS

Three stories revolve around a man who tries to take control of his own life, a policeman whose wife seems like a different person, and a woman who searches for someone with a special ability.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, Hunter Schafer

Release Date: June 21, 2024

Genre: Comedy, Drama 

Rated R for strong/disturbing violent content, strong sexual content, full nudity and language.

Runtime: 2h 45m

Review:

Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness isn't going to be for everybody with the anthology's trio of twisted tales dissecting a series of overarching themes such as obsession, self actualization, amongst others, with pitch black humor and a bleak worldview.  There's a fairly transparent sense that the cast and crew are well aware they aren't making something for general consumption as the stories veer into decidedly weird areas occasionally done for simple shock value with others presenting something more substantial to the proceedings.  Each segment sets ups a very specific story but the script only provides some scant, basic details to get the audience acclimated to the plots and characters but very little outside detail beyond that.  The abrupt endings give the film a whole disorienting feel throughout as you're given little to no time to digest what you've seen before moving to the next one.  The stories leave plenty of unexplained plot points which are sure to frustrate plenty of people.   At the very least, the film manages to burrow itself into the audience's mind as the cast and crew gives them plenty of leeway to make their own determination about what each section represents.  The core ensemble made up of Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau and Mamoudou Athie are clearly committed to Lanthimos's vision throughout.  Plemons gets the lion’s share of the screen time across all three segments delivering strong work in each as he showcases his versatility.  Emma Stone gets bigger spotlights in the second and third segments with Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley & Hong Chau mostly serving as supporting players across all three.  The group works well together but really is most effective in the middle segment where the performances and oddity of it all coalesces into the film's most effective moments.  Ultimately, Kinds of Kindness is a niche film that could be dissected as easily as its exalted depending on personal taste. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

 

When New York City comes under attack from an alien invasion, a woman and other survivors try to find a way to safety. They soon learn that they must remain absolutely silent as the mysterious creatures are drawn to the slightest sound.

Director: Michael Sarnoski

Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou

Release Date: June 27, 2024

Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for terror and violent content/bloody images.

Runtime: 1h 39m

Review:

A Quiet Place: Day One never provides a tangible reason for its existence since it never expands or explains much we didn't know from the previous film but that doesn't keep it from being a well-crafted thriller, grounded by excellent turns from Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn.  Michael Sarnoski takes over behind the camera for this spin off and proves to be more than capable as he delivers the tension the series is known.  He makes solid use of the Manhattan setting by using evocative imagery that recalls 9-11 paired with not so subtle hints of War of the Worlds both the 1953 and 2005 adaptations.  He effectively sets up the mass chaos and destruction of those initial moments as the creatures rampage through the cityscape.  The linchpin of the previous film's was human element which grounded the story and made it easier to overlook some of the glaring logical holes in the overall concept.  Lupita Nyong'o is the focal point here and she delivers a nuanced performance in the central role.  Nyong'o's character isn't your usual apocalyptic survivor as she's not focused on her survival for the same reason everyone else.  Its makes for a more interesting journey that provides some much needed texture and depth to what could have been a paint by the numbers role.  Joseph Quinn's character isn't as well written and the story provides painfully little about his backstory but to his credit he manages to overcome those shortcoming with an understated and believable turn.  Nyong's and Quinn's strong chemistry, plus an incredibly smart and quiet cat, makes the simple and straightforward narrative engaging enough to carry the film through to the finish line.  Those looking for more backstory on the creatures or won't find much new in A Quiet Place: Day One but as a self contained story it's solid piece of genre filmmaking.  

B 

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BIKERIDERS

Over the course of a decade, a Midwestern motorcycle club evolves from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang, threatening the original group's way of life.

Director: Jeff Nichols

Cast: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reedus

Release Date: June 21, 2024

Genre: Crime, Drama

Rated R for language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Review:

Jeff Nichols' The Bikeriders is an engaging motorcycle drama propelled by strong performances from Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy.  Nichols film is set up like a classic tragedy with an air of nostalgia peppering the film's early acts as we follow the rise of the fictional motorcycle club.  There are plenty of wonderfully framed long shots of motorcycles rumbling across the screen against picturesque backdrops.  The club itself portrayed as a rough and tumble group that still has a sense of a moral code especially early on.  Austin Butler serves as Nichols' idealized version of this long lost era but little more.  Butler looks the part of the rebel without a cause although the story doesn't give him any depth or texture.  His character is central to what amounts to a love triangle but he's a frustrating cypher that the script never really explores in any meaningful way.  Jodie Comer, sporting a heavy Midwest accent, fares far better as the film's entry point.  Comer's character is an independent spitfire who is dragged into this world via an undeniable attraction to Butler's Benny.  Comer does an impressive job leading the film and giving her character an authentic sense of desperation as she tries to maintain her relationship alive in a tug a war between the club and Tom Hardy's Johnny.  Hardy is perfectly suited as the club's grizzled president, bring his distinct intensity to the role.  There's an air of sadness to his performance especially in the final act which brings an impressive amount of depth to his character in what is a fascinating turn.  The supporting cast is made up of a series of familiar faces which sadly serve more as window dressing due to a decidedly light script with only Michael Shannon leaving a lasting impression.  There's no denying that The Bikeriders has a distinct appeal mainly due to a pair of stellar performances but it could have been something truly special with a more nuanced script.

B 

Cindy Prascik's Review of Unfrosted

 

My dear reader(s), this weekend I caught up with Jerry Seinfeld's directoral debut, Unfrosted.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing plot-specific.

In the 1960s, two warring cereal giants race to create a new kind of breakfast pastry.

First, let's be clear: Unfrosted is the Rocketman of breakfast stories, that is, a fantasy loosely based on some things that probably happened not at all the way they're depicted here. Imagination: Yay! Realism: Nay.

Jerry Seinfeld's humor isn't for everyone, but if you're a fan, or not actively anti-Seinfeld, you're likely to enjoy Unfrosted, particularly if you're of a certain age. The movie features familiar faces - indeed, to the smallest role, there's hardly anyone unrecognizable - and nostalgia reigns supreme. Unfrosted is short, moves quickly, and is full of easy humor, absolutely nothing challenging or uncomfortable. It's not the kind of thing that would ever be a critical darling, even when Seinfeld was better regarded, and it never would have been a must-see big-screen release, but I found it enjoyable enough. Also, a random fact: Until I saw this movie, I had NO idea that Thurl Ravenscroft ("You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch") was Tony the Tiger, so I guess it's educational too.

Unfrosted clocks in at a quick 97 minutes amd is rated PG13 for "some suggestive references and language."

Unfrosted takes some well-known faces on a humorous, nostalgic spin through breakfast history. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Unfrosted gets five.

Unfrosted is now streaming on Netflix.

Until next time...