Cindy Prascik's Review of Reminiscence, Woodstock 99 & Beckett

My dear reader(s), this weekend I had the opportunity to catch a triple feature without ever leaving home...a state of affairs that is as troubling as it is comforting. First on my agenda: Reminiscence.

A machine that allows people to relive their memories leads its operator to obsession.

With its fantastical premise and its core cast of Hugh Jackman, Thandiwe Newton, and Rebecca Ferguson, Reminiscence is the kind of movie I used to love seeing on the big screen. Sadly, hokey twists, broadly-drawn characters, and wooden performances make this one a real drag. The narration sets an awkward tone from the outset, and there's a weird undercurrent of climate-change warning that — no matter how essential — is a poor fit. The pace does pick up somewhat about the midway point, Ramin Djawadi's score is pretty nifty, and an unintentional (I guess?) homage to the great 80s comedy Top Secret! is actually quite funny, but there's just no saving this one.

Reminiscence clocks in at 116 minutes and is rated PG13 for "strong violence, drug material throughout, sexual content, and some strong language."

Reminiscence is a memory you won't care to revisit. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Reminiscence gets three.

Reminiscence is now playing in theaters worldwide, and streaming on HBO Max through mid-September.

Next on the docket: Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage.

A documentary showcasing the dark side of the third Woodstock festival.

Woodstock 99, the concert, booked talent that clearly indicated it wasn't aiming for the mellow hippie vibe of its predecessors. Woodstock 99, the film, wants you to believe only one outcome ever was possible, and it doesn't mind throwing a little shade at Woodstock 69 and Woodstock 94 along the way. Horror stories abound: Rioting, sexual assaults, even deaths. Attendees are generalized as angry white fratboys, and organizers come across as woefully out of touch. A testosterone-fueled lineup, featuring acts such as Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Korn, and Limp Bizkit, is rightfully painted as aggressive, with the only three women on the bill — Jewel, Sheryl Crow, and Alanis Morissette — portrayed as all sunshine and lollipops. Morissette, in particular, writes some pretty angry music, but here she's featured simpering her way through the idiotic "Ironic." While there's no denying some very bad things happened at this festival — some due to poor planning and others due to uncontrollable factors like the weather — I daresay there are thousands who enjoyed themselves and remember the event fondly. This film is interested only in tales of terror.

Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage runs 110 minutes and is rated TVMA for pervasive language, nudity, violence, and alcohol and drug use.

Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage is a riveting watch, even if it presents just half the story. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Woodstock 99 gets seven.

Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage is now streaming on HBO Max.

The final picture on my weekend agenda was Beckett.

Following a deadly car crash, an American tourist in Greece finds himself on the run from dangerous and powerful people.

Beckett is one of those films that probably seemed like a good idea on paper, but the execution is so poor it's hard to imagine anyone ever thought so. This movie is so slow and dull it almost stopped me calling Reminiscence slow and dull. The plot is both jumbled and eye-rollingly predictable, with its sole constant being, "How much can we physically abuse our lead?" John David Washington and Alicia Vikander are the most annoying on-screen couple in recent memory. They're among the top actors of their generation, but they've got zero chemistry and they've phoned it in here. Someone, somewhere, determined it wasn't necessary to caption the Greek dialogue, but there's enough that it's a little too easy to zone out a little too often. Mostly, though, poorly written characters and bland performances make it impossible to invest in anyone. The end seems a long time coming, and by the time you get there, you won't care what happens to any of them.

Beckett clocks in at 110 minutes (feels like about six hours) and is rated TVMA for moderate violence, profanity, and frightening/intense scenes. And because I haven't written anything nearly this funny, here's my favorite user-posted content warning from IMDB, totally more entertaining than the film itself: "Film starts off with a prolonged sex scene with limited thrusting." Kindly beware the "limited thrusting."

I desperately wanted to like Beckett. I didn't. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Beckett gets two.

Beckett is now streaming on Netflix.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: REMINISCENCE

 

A scientist discovers a way to relive your past and uses the technology to search for his long lost love. Whilst a private investigator uncovers a conspiracy while helping his clients recover lost memories.

Director: Lisa Joy

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis, Marina de Tavira, Daniel Wu

Rated PG-13 for strong violence, drug material throughout, sexual content and some strong language

Release Date: August 20, 2021

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Runtime: 1h 56min

Review:

Writer, director Lisa Joy's Reminiscence is a sci-fi noir thriller that's sweeping and ambitious with a A List cast.  The strange thing about the entire affair is that during it's ambitious world building it forgot to create a story that's as engaging as the concepts presented.  Joy's visuals evoke memories of Blade Runner and dashes of Alex Proyas' Dark City if you bought them from a dollar store.  Hugh Jackman leads the film with relative ease even though he feels miscast for the role and doesn't ask much from him outside of acting sad and angry. Jackman is typically a magnetic performer but this role just doesn't seem to fit him the way it should, the odd voiceover throughout the film doesn't help.  Likewise, Rebecca Ferguson is usually an engaging performer but in this film she's stiff and bland throughout.  Cliff Curtis is the primary villain who pops up in the third act and he chews up his screen time with weird out of place monologues that scream of overkill.  Thandiwe Newton is the lone bright spot who comes out unscathed with a strong performance which the film doesn't take full advantage of.  Reminiscence ends up feeling like a missed opportunity with ideas that needed more time to marinate and mature.  As is, it ends up being another forgettable sci-fi film that feels more like a middle of the road tv show than a big budget film. 

C

MOVIE REVIEW: THE NIGHT HOUSE

 

Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep together-but then the dreams come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house call to her, beckoning with a ghostly allure. But the harsh light of day washes away any proof of a haunting. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into his belongings, yearning for answers.

Director: David Bruckner

Cast: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Evan Jonigkeit, Stacy Martin, Vondie Curtis-Hall

Rated R for some violence/disturbing images, and language including some sexual references

Release Date: August 20, 2021

Genres: Horror, Thriller

Runtime: 1h 48min

Review:

David Bruckner's The Night House is the best type of psychological horror because it works both as a straightforward horror film and on a deep more emotional level.  Bruckner's film is visually impressive and impactful throughout as he builds an unsettling atmospheric tension which only lets up with well time dark humor.  He sets the stage wonderfully to showcase the endless talents of Rebecca Hall.  Hall is a master of playing damaged women, see the criminally underseen 2016 film Christine, dealing with trauma.  This film gives her a perfect showcase to display her acting prowess.  She has an incredible ability to subtly move her emotions from mournful to a simmer rage without breaking a sweat.  The film's heady script is bendy but a serious approach on how we deal with the trauma of loss.  It's an adults horror film that doesn't rely on cheap scares instead it uses atmosphere and tension to great effect.  The plot isn't straightforward and it may leave some people scratching their head especially those expecting a paint by the numbers ghost story.  This is the type of film that will stay with you after you leave the theater much like the other great horror film of 2021 Saint Maude.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE PROTEGE

 

Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody, Anna is the world's most skilled contract killer. However, when Moody is brutally killed, she vows revenge for the man who taught her everything she knows. As Anna becomes entangled with an enigmatic killer, their confrontation turns deadly, and the loose ends of a life spent killing weave themselves ever tighter.

Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Malahide, David Rintoul, Ori Pfeffer, Ray Fearon, Caroline Loncq, Robert Patrick

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

Release Date: August 20, 2021

Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller

Runtime: 1h 49min

Review:

The Protégé plays like a hybrid between Mr. & Mrs. Smith and La Femme Nikita.  The latter fits perfectly for the film's star, Maggie Q, who led the underseen and underappreciated  2010 series Nikita.  Needless to say, she's perfectly in her comfort zone here.  Martin Campbell brings his directorial clout having helmed two well regarded Bond films.  Together they should make for a match in heaven but a hackneyed muddled script hampers what should have been a slam dunk.  Thankfully the action sequences well staged and engaging with Q doing the majority of her own stunts.  In addition to being incredibly adept at the physicality needed for the role but she's equally capable as an actress.  She has the ability to go from stone cold stoic to vulnerable with an impressive subtly.  Samuel L. Jackson, who plays her adoptive father, is more subdued than his recent turn in The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard instead he seems to be channeling Jules from Pulp Fiction which is a nice change of pace.  Michael Keaton makes the biggest impression in a supporting roles as he works the sort of wry world weary charm and intensity that worked so well for him in Burton's Batman.  Keaton and Q make for a strange May December pairing since they don't share any tangible romantic chemistry.  Even though their relationship isn't believable both performers are able to make each of their interactions the high points of the film.  So why doesn't the whole thing work better as a cohesive whole?  The script doesn't do any favors for the cast and director as they try their hardest to overcome the inherent limitations in terms of story and dialogue.  Thankfully, The Protégé is able to overcome this and still deliver a fun spy thriller even if its not as good as it could have been.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: FREE GUY

 

When a bank teller discovers he's actually a background player in an open-world video game, he decides to become the hero of his own story -- one that he can rewrite himself. In a world where there's no limits, he's determined to save the day his way before it's too late, and maybe find a little romance with the coder who conceived him.

Director: Shawn Levy

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Taika Waititi, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Joe Keery

Rated PG-13 for strong fantasy violence throughout, language and crude/suggestive references

Release Date: August 13, 2021

Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Runtime: 1h 55 min

Review:

In a strange world The Lego Movie and John Carpenter’s They Live got married and had baby which grew up to be Free Guy.  Shawn Levy’s video game film is fun romp which isn’t nearly as clever as it thinks it is but manages to maintain an undeniable energy that makes the whole thing enjoyable.  Ryan Reynold’s uses his endless charm to great extent to make the film work.  He’s pretty much the lifeblood of the film but Killing Eve star Jodie Comer ends up being the film’s beating heart.  Together they make a fun onscreen couple among all the insanity that pulls heavily from the Grand Theft Auto video game series.  The supporting cast help make the film work through the predictable story.  Lil Rel Howery is incredibly earnest as Guy’s best friend, so much so that a moment near the end is surprisingly moving.  Taika Waititi though makes the biggest impression with his natural comedic talents.  Waititi’s character is incredibly over the top but so much fun as he spoofs the worse version of video game company owners.  Free Guy is a fun film but you can’t help but think that you’ve already seen much better versions of the same story. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: RESPECT

 

Following the rise of Aretha Franklin's career -- from a child singing in her father's church choir to her international superstardom -- it's the remarkable true story of the music icon's journey to find her voice.

Director: Liesl Tommy

Cast: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, Mary J. Blige

Release Date: August 13, 2021

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, strong language including racial epithets, violence, suggestive material, and smoking

Runtime: 2h 25min

Review:

Aretha Franklin was a seminal star whose impact on the musical world still reverberates through the musical world.  Unfortunately, Liesl Tommy’s biopic is a paint by the numbers affair that plays more like a high end Lifetime film with better actors.  The film’s structure is a painfully predictable with melodramatic moments that will make most have flashback of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.  The film’s saving grace is it’s cast with Jennifer Hudson leading the way with her spectacular voice making the musical sequences the highlight of the film.  Hudson is ready made for these types of roles which highlight her voice over her acting ability.  She’s a capable actress but the script isn’t interested in any sort of deep dive into what made Aretha tick as it only scratches the surface of her trouble upbringing and relationships with men.  Still, she’s able to shine in the moment where she belts out Franklin’s songs.  The film stages those moment with the type of loving affection that they deserve.  The supporting cast do solid work with Forest Whitaker making the biggest impression.  Whitaker is the type of performer that can take small moment and imbue them with emotions that range from menace to tenderness.  When he and Hudson share the screen the movie pops in a significant way that makes the rest off the film feel like a bit of a letdown since it never maintains that type of quality.  Respect, sadly, ends up being a run of the mill biopic that doesn’t do anything truly meaningful deserving of it’s subject.

C+