MOVIE REVIEW: SMILE 2

 

About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins to experience increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and pressures of fame, she must face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

Director: Parker Finn

Cast: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, Dylan Gelula, Ray Nicholson, Kyle Gallner

Release Date: October 18, 2024

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violent content, grisly images, language throughout and drug use.

Runtime: 2h 12m

Review:

Parker Finn's Smile 2 is gorier and devilishly funnier than its predecessor as focus shifts to a damaged pop star played by a stellar Naomi Scott.  Finn's second turn, immediately feels more confident and elegantly eerie as we follow Skye Riley's decent into madness.  He still relies on jump scares a tad too much for my taste but its hard to hate it too much when he sets up those moments up so effectively.  A handful of sequences are anxiety inducing and set up with impressive visual panache such as a gloriously nightmarish where Skye's smiling back up dancers chasing her around her apartment.  There are a handful of moments like that which leaves a noticeable impact with each leaving you wonder what's real and what's not as things get increasingly out of control.  This all doesn't work nearly as well as it does if not for a instantly engaging turn from Naomi Scott.  Scott is fully committed from the start by bringing a believable sense of mental fraying from the onset.  Her Skye is damaged and isolated before the madness begins due to a horrific event that's left her traumatized beforehand.  Scott conveys that sense of isolation and self hate with a natural ease that's incredibly impressive.  As things get more dire and her character starts to fall apart at the seams there's an exasperated terror to her as she starts to lose her grip on reality and she becomes an increasingly unreliable narrator.  Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley and Dylan Gelula are solid in supporting roles but this is Scott's showcase and she is the most fascinating performer onscreen throughout the entire film.  Given the amount of celebrities we've seen go off the rails there's something that feels slightly more realistic about this setup than the original which makes it one of the few horror films to earn its two hour runtime.  Smile 2 proves to be one of the rare horror sequels that improves on the original by taking in a slightly different sphere to deliver a mash up of The Ring and Nightmare on Elm Street which leaves me eager to see where the series goes next.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: V/H/S/ BEYOND

Six bloodcurdling tapes unleash horror in a sci-fi-inspired hellscape, pushing the boundaries of fear and suspense.

Director: Jay Cheel, Jordan Downey, Virat Pal, Justin Martinez, Christian Long, Justin Long, Kate Siegel

Cast: Alanah Pearce, Braedyn Bruner, Dane DiLiegro, Mike Ferguson, Mitch Horowitz, Jolene Andersen, Thom Hallum, Phillip Andre Botello, Bobby Slaski, Skip Howland, Libby Letlow, Bix Krieger

Release Date: October 4, 2024

Genre: Horror

Unrated 

Runtime: 1h 54m

Review:

The seventh entry in the long running horror anthology is another splatter filled trek through assorted shorts which, much like previous entries offer some impressive and creative gems paired with more forgettable entries.  "Abduction/Adduction," written and directed by Jay Cheel, serves the film's framing narrative with a pseudo documentary about alien abduction and it proves to be one of the more confusing entries in the film.  It’s a baffling decision to use this short as the bridge in between segments since it doesn't really tie anything together and the payoff that it's building towards the entire film feels utterly underwhelming especially since it closes out the entire film.  "Stork," Directed by Jordan Downey, is the first proper full fledged sequence which is energetic and chaotic enough to make it easier to overlook some of the low rent FX and performances on display.  The first person perspective makes the whole thing feel like a mash up of Call of Duty and Resident Evil which is fun even if it doesn't stick the landing.  "Dream Girl," Directed by Virat Pal, presents a solid concept but the execution just fails its underlying message about fame with a mindless splatter fest.  "Live and Let Dive," Directed by Justin Martinez, is the kind of gem that pops up in each of these entries with some strong creativity on display.  Martinez gives his short a strong sense of immediacy that becomes more pronounced as things spin wildly out of control.  The skydiving set up and orange grove pursuit gives the film a solid jolt of gory fun and energy that the other entries never match.  "Fur Babies," written and directed by Christian Long and Justin Long feels like a retread of 2014's Tusk which Justin starred in.  Its got a low rent goofy energy even though it’s a rather confusing homage to a movie nobody asked for.  "Stowaway," Directed by Kate Siegel and written by Mike Flanagan is the most straightforward initially, before it takes a decidedly Cronenberg turn in its final act.  There seems to be more simmering underneath the surface but the short doesn't have enough time to truly explore the generational alien abduction idea.  V/H/S Beyond proves the franchise is still a solid showcase for micro horror shorts that allow for the kind of wild swings that wouldn't be possible in feature length films for better or worse.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: SATURDAY NIGHT

 

Tensions run high as producer Lorne Michaels and a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers prepare for the first broadcast of "Saturday Night Live" on Oct. 11, 1975.

Director: Jason Reitman

Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O'Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Braun, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber, Tommy Dewey, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, J. K. Simmons

Release Date: October 11, 2024

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, History

Rated R for language throughout, sexual references, some drug use and brief graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1h 49m

Review:

Jason Reitman's manic Saturday Night captures the frenetic vibe that must have permeated that first show told in a manner that feels more like mythmaking than actual reality.  Reitman manages to create a pulsating energy from the start as we get a sense of how much of a highwire act the entire process of putting on a live show especially doing it for the first time.  Sure the story weaves together a rather convenient series of events and encounters that may or may have not happened as presented but for the film it works to recreate the feel of that faithful night.  The ensemble cast lead by Gabriel LaBelle's anxiety ridden, endlessly stressed out Lorne Michaels is a joy to watch from start to finish.  LaBelle's performance is the film's beating heart as he rushes from one crisis to another with a dogged determination that's easy to root for.  He's surrounded by a collection of strong supporting performances that do an impressive job of emulating their real life counterparts.  Cory Michael Smith gets the biggest spotlight as a young Chevy Chase and he delivers a fascinating performance that captures his comedic timing and brimming sense of ego and self importance.  Smith is always the most interesting performer onscreen particularly when J. K. Simmons' Milton Berle dresses him down in a particularly effective scene.  Ella Hunt gets less screentime but she does the most with her time as she gives Gilda Radner a soulful, live in the moment appreciation that feels like a tribute to the late comedian.  Lamorne Morris isn't quite as lucky with Garrett Morris who's underserved by the script which has him questioning why he was cast while never delving into the possible reasons with any seriousness.   Matt Wood, Emily Fairn, Dylan O'Brien, Kim Matula all get small spots to deliver spot on turns as John Belushi, Laraine Newman, Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin.  They are small but impactful moments with O'Brien's Aykroyd screaming for more screentime just like Matthew Rhys all to brief appearance as George Carlin.  Nicholas Braun pulls double duty as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson but much like his costars the movie doesn't give them enough time to really settle in as little more than glorified caricatures.  Rachel Sennott's Rosie Shuster, Michael's ex wife, also begs for a bit more fleshing out but the film moves at a frenetic pace that you get the sense large chucks were excised like many a skit from the show's master wall.  That doesn't lessen Saturday Night's impressive cinematic energy that's sure to please long time fans of the show.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX

 

Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital.

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey

Release Date: October 4, 2024

Genre: Crime, Drama, Musical, Thriller

Rated R for some strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality, and brief full nudity.

Runtime: 2h 19m

Review:

Joker: Folie à Deux is a strange sequel that brings excellent production values and strong performances but its oddly listless and uneven throughout.  Todd Phillips brings back the oppressive sense of depression and desperation albeit in a more claustrophobic setting.  The visuals leave an immediate impression with its stark imaginary of the dank interiors of Arkham that an emaciated Arthur Fleck inhabits.  It connects easily with the first film's sensibilities until the musical numbers slowly start to kick in as delusional disconnects from reality.  They maintain a very 70s aesthetic which fits the film's real world setting but Phillips fails to take advantage of going full bore into fantasy.  As a result some sequences feel far more mundane than they should with a Sonny and Cher inspired sequence working best overall.  Joaquin Phoenix easily slips back into the central role with a physical transformation that echoes Christian Bale's in 2004 The Machinist.  Phoenix brings a tortured authenticity to the character with a measured turn that displays the depth of despair he lives in for large swathes of time.  He's always the most interesting performer onscreen even with the addition of Lady Gaga as Lee.  Gaga is equally impressive but her character is underserved by the script that gives her very little to do.  Its a huge missed opportunity since this iteration of Quinn seems ripe for exploration outside of being a serial killer groupie by way of the Manson Family.  The story overall deals with the dangers of martyrdom and demagoguery and movements that spring out of them but it never engages with the topic in a serious or meaningful manner.  This leaves Joker: Folie à Deux feel like a weird mashup of Natural Born Killers and Chicago with far less sequins.  

C

MOVIE REVIEW: APARTMENT 7A

 

An ambitious young dancer, Terry Gionoffrio, dreams of fame and fortune in New York City. But, after suffering a devastating injury, an older, wealthy couple welcomes her into their home in the luxury apartment building, the Bramford. 

Director: Natalie Erika James

Cast: Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest, Jim Sturgess, Kevin McNally

Release Date: September 27, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for some violent content and drug use.

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

Apartment 7A works better than it should as a companion piece to Rosemary's Baby, albeit unnecessary, thanks to competent and efficient direction and a strong turn from Julia Garner.  Natalie Erika James does her best to recreate the creepiness of the original while avoiding outright mimicry of Roman Polanski's original with a few fascinating flourishes that stand on their own.  She would have been better served to pave her own path more often throughout the film's brisk runtime in order for this entry to stand on its own.  There are just too many checkbox moments where the original's events or people are referenced even if it doesn't serve this particular story.   The set up is different enough to give this story a different angle but it never takes full advantage of it before it starts down its final, predetermined path.  It feels like a missed opportunity especially since the cast is more than up to the task.  Julia Garner brings a level of ambitious paired with trepidation to her character that makes her performance incredibly watchable throughout.  Garner's talent is on full display as her character goes through subtle, emotional turns as her plight gets more precarious.  It’s a solid performance that mostly avoids any Mia Farrow imitations outside of a late stage moment that the film could have done without.  Kevin McNally and Dianne Wiest turn in their best impressions of Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon as the Castevets.  McNally does a great job of capturing Blackmer's appearance and intonation in his line delivery.  Likewise, Wiest captures the distinctive voice from Ruth Gordon's Oscar winning turn as Minnie while giving her performance more of an outright menacing quality.  They'll never measure up to the original performance, but they are competent enough to work within the context of this film.  The same could be said for the film as whole since it’s well crafted and acted but never does enough to make it required viewing.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE WILD ROBOT

 

Shipwrecked on a deserted island, a robot named Roz must learn to adapt to its new surroundings. Building relationships with the native animals, Roz soon develops a parental bond with an orphaned gosling.

Director: Chris Sanders

Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames

Release Date: September 27, 2024

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for action/peril and thematic elements.

Runtime: 1h 42m

Review:

The Wild Robot is simplistic in its storytelling, but its eye-catching visuals and emotional punch makes it one of the most impressive, animated film from Dreamworks in a longtime.  Chris Sanders' film has a dreamlike look to it thanks to an impressionist animation style for the backgrounds and non robot characters.  Its visually impactful throughout as there's nary an inch wasted onscreen as the island vibrantly brought to life.  There's an impressive efficiency to it all as he gives you a sense of the geography as we're introduced to the colorful cast of anthropomorphized animals.  The character designs are naturalistic which serve in contrast to the shipwrecked robot at the center of the story Roz.  Her slinky arm and legs give the character a fun sense of motion, particularly as she emulates the varied wildlife she encounters.  Her large camera lens eyes paired with wonderful voice work from Lupita Nyong'o really make the character live and breathe.  Nyong'o has an ability to bring a sense of humanity and authenticity to all her performances and it serves this film as the beating heart of story.  It makes the character's emotional arch as a surrogate mother even more impactful which makes certain moments, especially in the final act, primed to elicit waterworks from even the most cynical viewer.  The supporting cast is solid, particularly Pedro Pascal, but its Nyong'o that holds it all together from start to finish.  It helps that the story is unafraid to show all aspects of the circle of life in an honest way that doesn't pander the way some animated films.  There are hints of Wall-E, especially as we are exposed the futuristic human world that exist outside of the island.  Much like that film, there's an elegance to The Wild Robot's story and overall production that set it a cut above most animated family films.  

A