KPop Demon Hunters

So, Jethro, when did you get into KPop?

I haven’t, Buck. I am, however, into KPop Demon Hunters, whose very title speaks for itself. I bet you want some elaboration, do you?

I sure do, Jethro!

Conceived by co-director Maggie Kang, the backstory sees the evil demon lord Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-Hun) and his minions hunt humanity for their souls. They're opposed by demon hunters who moonlight as girl groups. In this generation, our heroines are HUNTR/X (or Huntrix), consisting of Rumi (Arden Cho), their leader; Mira (May Hong), the tough one; and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), the peppy one. As with their ancestors, HUNTR/X maintains the Honmoon, the barrier between the human and demon worlds, with their popularity. Once it turns gold, the Honmoon will keep the demons vanquished forever.

One of Gwi-Ma’s followers, Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop), pitches the idea of a new boy band to steal HUNTR/X’s popularity, and with it, their fans’ souls. Jinu and a few other demons take to the surface as the “Saja Boys” and become Korea’s next big thing. Our heroines see through the act and plot to upstage them. Rumi, however, is part-demon, and starts doubting her mission. She falls for Jinu, who also has a dark secret, but how long can she keep her band mates in the dark?

I don’t know, Jethro! You tell me!

You figure it out as I discuss the music. The songs, which are composed by too many people to name, are all pretty nifty, whether they’re sung on stage or during battle. A particular highlight is Golden, the ballad central to our heroines’ golden mission. It’s pretty dramatic when Rumi sings it by herself, revealing the tell-tale markings of her demonic heritage. The fact that none of the cast sings for themselves doesn’t diminish the impact. However, I’m a bit bemused that Lea Salonga was cast as the singing voice of the girls’ mentor, Celine (Yunjin Kim), and she’s barely in it. 

What did you think of the cast?

Our heroines are quite likable, even when they're wildly immature over things like the Saja Boys' popularity. Rumi is pretty much the main character, and she gets a compelling arc as she comes to terms with her demonic heritage. It's hard to feel nothing when she's hit with the "all is lost moment." Of course, it makes it all the better when she bounces back in the finale. Her demonic heritage, meanwhile, isn't thoroughly elaborated on, as if the filmmakers were saving it for a sequel (which they should make). Zoey and Mira, meanwhile, have their backstories largely delegated to the opening. A little more focus could have intensified the finale, but it's still good. 

Now we get to the villains. Gwi-Ma's casually sardonic sense of humor is pretty refreshing for a Big Bad. But the film never forgets to remind you how evil he is, particularly near the end. Jinu, the film's other main character, tells Rumi and the audience a decently tragic backstory early on. While one may sympathize with him then, they'll really sympathize when he tells her the truth. Let's just say he's had a lot of time to think about what he's done. His fellow Saja Boys are just there to look handsome, even as demons, and nothing else. They have less personalities than Jinu's sidekicks, a demonic magpie and tiger, the latter of whom is quite the neat freak.

And the technical stuff?

As with the Spiderverse films, KPop Demon Hunters is a frenetic blend of 3D and 2D animation styles. Our heroines frequently emote like anime characters, usually when they're at their most immature. The visual gags are weirdly amusing, such as a bit where popcorn comes out of nowhere. The battles are just as energetic as the soundtrack, which also includes a pretty good score by Marcelo Zarvos. We also get some appealing character designs for both the humans and the demons. Both the demon and human realms look nice thanks to some equally impressive production design.

Well then, it's off to the cinema for ---

No, Baxter, KPop Demon Hunters is on Netflix. Did I not mention that?

No ...

Don't worry, this will make for another memorable home matinee. It's infectious fun watching our heroines bust a beat as they bust some demons. While its story isn't thorough, what we get is enough to make one interested in its unique lore, as well as Korean mythology. I'm pretty interested in a sequel, whenever that is, and the filmmakers have already said they have ideas. Hopefully, with enough time, those ideas will develop into something great. I think I said enough.

Elio

As with Mickey 17, the theatrical release of Pixar's latest film, Elio, was held up a year by the double strikes. However, the film also had its writer & director, Adrian Molina, suddenly depart the project, which got slightly revised by new directors Domee Shi & Madeline Sharafian. Molina has since been reassigned to Coco 2, which is supposed to come out in a few years. But let's look at the film we have now.

Ever since his parents died, Elio Solis (Yonas Kibreab) has felt alone in the universe. Sure, he now lives with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña), an Air Force Major, but their relationship isn't that great. He spends his days trying to get himself abducted by aliens, whomever they are. One night, Olga's base is contacted by an unknown intelligence responding to the Voyager 1 space probe, and Elio sneaks in a reply. It takes a while, but the intelligence finally beams Elio up in the nick of time (more context later).

Elio is taken to the meet the Communiverse, a society representing every race in the universe, under the assumption that he is the leader of "uh, Earth." Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), the actual warlord of the insectoid Hylurgians, is rejected for membership at the same time. When Grigon threatens war, Elio decides to bluff his way to get the big bully to leave everyone alone. It gets a bit easier when Elio makes friends with Grigon's son, Glordon (Remy Edgerly), who doesn't want to be an intergalactic conqueror. Elio's bluffing makes things worse, but they eventually get better. 

Julia Cho, who co-wrote the screen story with the directors, wrote the actual screenplay with Mike Jones & Mark Hammer. It's not that narratively complex a story, but its heart is in the right place. Early on, Elio accidentally antagonizes two older boys, Bryce & Caleb (Dylan Gilmer & Jake Getman), who later attempt revenge just as the Communiverse shows up. At the climax, Elio contacts Bryce by ham radio, and they both apologize for their animosity. It's so much greater than letting one side take all the blame, that's for sure. Not only that, but Grigon later reveals that he is not as villainous as he seems. If there's a message besides "you're not alone in the universe," it's that "you can easily befriend your enemies." Who would hate a message like that?

The audacious sense of humor that made Turning Red fun is also present here. Elio's enthusiastically calling out to the stars is both concerning and goofy, especially when they finally respond. There's some good humor as Elio realizes he's in way over his head over the Grigon issue. On Earth, Elio is tagged in for a clone, "Other Elio," who's quite chipper and prone to body horror. It's quite silly, rather than grotesque, when Other Elio emerges from the cloning machine as a misshapen mess before he finally normalizes. It's no big deal for Other Elio has he gets injured or even destabilize in the climax. Still, it's amusingly charming when normal Elio thanks his clone for his service at the end. I think you might too.

Needless to say, I find Elio a likable and sympathetic character. We can easily understand his loneliness in the opening, where he loses himself at a Voyager 1 exhibit. Him accidentally antagonizing Bryce & Caleb is pretty understandable given it was out of nervousness. Glordon, meanwhile, is simply the cuddliest space-bug you will ever see. The friendship between the two kids is enjoyable, and it's hard to feel nothing when Glordon nearly dies of hypothermia in the climax. Olga, who was initially conceived as Elio's mom (America Ferrera), is also quite sympathetic as she struggles with her new responsibility. It doesn't dwell too much on Elio's parents, not even explaining how they died, which results in a few missed opportunities. What we see of Elio and Olga's relationship is mostly good, but it gets great near the end. I think I already said enough about Grigon, so let's move on.

There's so much to love about its depiction of space. One can easily lose themselves among the stars, near Jupiter and Mars, at the aforementioned Voyager 1 exhibit. The Communiverse headquarters, spaceships and even their gadgets, are luminescent wonders. The other ambassadors are a fascinatingly eclectic bunch of creatures, even if the only discernable names among them are Ambassadors Helix & Questa (Brandon Moon & Jameela Jamil). OOOOO (Shirley Henderson), Elio's shapeshifting supercomputer, has no trouble standing out in this cast. Meanwhile, the Hylurgian spaceships and mechanized & weaponized carapaces are imposing, but they're no less fascinating. All of the splendor, melancholy and excitement of it all is accentuated wonderfully by Rob Simonsen's score.

So, what do I think of Elio now that it's finally on Earth? I think it's one of Pixar's most enjoyable films of recent years, right up there with - no surprise - Turning Red! You'll barely sees signs of its production issues as you gaze upon the screen for its 99 minutes. Any narrative blind spots are made up with its overall charm and sincerity. Give this film a chance and you'll be in for a stellar matinee, or beyond.

Onward to the next review.

Oshi no Ko - The Final Act

 By far, one of the biggest manga smashes in recent years is Oshi no Ko, a collaboration between manga creators Aka Akasaka (Kaguya-Sama: Love is War) and Mengo Yokoyari (Scum’s Wish). How big? When the first season of its anime debuted in 2023, its theme song Idol was featured in an act on America’s Got Talent.

Last November, a live-action series debuted on Amazon Prime, shortly after the manga wrapped up its story. A live-action movie, Oshi no Ko - The Final Act, wrapped up the show’s story in December. That movie is ready to watch stateside on Amazon Prime. Sit back, because the story is wild.

Dr. Goro Amamiya (Ryo Narita) and his recently deceased patient, Sarina Tendoji (Kurumi Inagaki), bonded over superstar Ai Hoshino (Asuka Saito) of the J-Pop band B-Komachi. One day, Goro gets the shock of his life when Ai turns out to be his next patient. Ai’s having twins, which could seriously jeopardize her career if word got out. Goro agrees to help her deliver in secret, but a loony fan (Kazuto Mokudai) kills him the night it happens. 

Goro finds himself reborn as Ai’s son, Aqua (Kaito Sakurai). His new twin-sister, Ruby (Nagisa Saito), is eventually revealed to be a reborn Sarina. All’s well and good for the new family until the same fan kills Ai at her apartment. Suspecting that his new “father” doxxed Ai to the killer, Aqua decides to get into acting so that he may lure out the old man and eventually kill him. All of this is summed up within the first fifty minutes.

By the time act two begins, Aqua has revealed his and Ruby's maternal secret to the press, much to her outrage. He has also figured out that fellow actor Hikaru Kamiki (Kazunari Ninomiya) is the culprit. So, he decides to get his revenge the only way he knows how: by making Ai’s biopic, The 15-Year Lie. If you’ve seen Hamlet, you’ll understand Aqua’s logic for the plan. Anyway, Aqua casts himself as Hikaru, while Ruby, who is now a J-Pop star herself, lobbies to play Ai. It’s now just a matter of getting it made. Still, Hikaru, who’s also a serial killer, might not take the plan lying down…

Everybody got that? There might be a quiz later.

What we have here works as a good summary of the source material, which even edits a few scenes from the show, but it misses a few key steps in adaptation. You may have asked, upon reading my summary, why Aqua doesn’t take revenge on the loony fan. The show, unlike the movie, properly explains that said fan killed himself after the crime. In fact, most of the missing plot points are covered in the show. The biggest exception is the climax, which reworks the circumstances, but not the outcome, of the manga’s extremely contentious climax. In it, a random proxy of Hikaru’s shows up to crash the movie-within-this-movie’s premiere. Who is she? No time for that! 

The first act is buoyed by the stellar performances of Narita, Inagaki and especially Asuka Saito. Goro and Sarina's chemistry is quite moving, and it's hard to feel nothing when Sarina finally passes away. On a lighter side, Goro has an over-the-top freakout when he realizes who his next patient is. He still proves himself a stand-up guy as he bonds with Ai. Meanwhile, we see Ai's unhappy childhood, and her being scouted by her manager, Mr. Saitou (Kotaro Yoshida). Ai, who basically lives by "fake it until you make it," struggles under the weight of her dual identity a few times. Still, her radiance shines through whenever she's allowed to be happy. Although Ai doesn't live long, her presence is felt with her poignant video wills to her kids.

Now for the second act. Although Aqua and Ruby's relationship isn't as sweet as that of their former selves, we do see that he cares in his own, yet somewhat harsh way. It's unambiguously nice, though, when they finally mend their relationship after he reveals his former identity to her. There's plenty of intrigue as Aqua puts his movie plot in motion, especially when he interviews Hikaru. Hikaru is quite unnerving during his fairly limited screentime, even when he seemingly agrees to turn himself in, though he does have hints of a sympathetic backstory. It's quite uncanny as the film blurs the lines between a flashback and a recreation; it's hard to tell which scenes are which. 

Who else do we have here? Ruby gets some great moral support from her bandmate, Kana Arima (Nanoka Hara), who eventually retires from the act. Their bandmate, a YouTuber named Mem-Cho (Ano), is mostly just there, but she gets a nice coda. Another major supporting character, the young method actress Akane Kurokawa (Mizuki Kayashina), gets her best scene when she and Ruby audition for Ai. Mr. Saitou is a great father-figure for not only Ai, but her twins, and that's matched by his wife, Miyako (Kana Kurashina). The Saitous' reunion is well-acted, even if you have to watch the show for context. We also have Nobuaki Kaneko as Aqua's filmmaker friend, Taishi Gotanda, and Moemi Katayama as Airi Himekawa, a major figure in Hikaru's backstory. While Taishi is decently likable, Airi is anything but that.

Despite some story issues, Oshi no Ko - The Final Act, much like its source material, spins a compelling drama out of a fairly loony premise. Indeed, it gets pretty goofy when babies Aqua and Ruby are shown talking. But you'll pretty much forget the silliness once it gets to the revenge plot. That's how I experienced the franchise as I followed its story up until its conclusion. Its finale is perfectly dramatic even as it stretches plausibility to entertaining lengths. This might keep fans entertained until the third season of the anime debuts next year, even if that might stick closer to the story. I'll be waiting, either way.

How to Train Your Dragon

 When Roger Ebert reviewed the 2011 remake of Footloose, he observed that the film was so similar to its 1984 original that he was tempted to just reprint his original review. "But that would be wrong," he said.

Let's go back a year earlier. How to Train Your Dragon was the last new theatrical release I saw before Clash of the Titans, whose review kicked off this very blog, so I could have reviewed it. This new remake sticks so closely to the original that it might make an older review redundant. If its upcoming sequel, and yes, they are already making it, is that close to How to Train Your Dragon 2, I wonder if that review will be redundant.

Even then, let's put in some work in reviewing this movie, any sequels, or even Disney's too-soon Moana remake. So, let's train some movie dragons.

So, in case you need reminding, we have a Viking village on the Isle of Berk that has a dragon problem. As in, dragons show up at night to steal livestock and burn everything. Hiccup (Mason Thames), son of the Viking Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, back from the animated trilogy), tries to be as formidable a dragon killer as the adults. But his inventions leave a lot to be desired. Still, during the opening attack, he accidentally strikes down the rarest dragon of them all, a Night Fury. Later on, Hiccup tracks down the wounded dragon, but he spares the creature, while the dragon doesn't kill him.

Hiccup starts sneaking out of the village to study the Night Fury, whom he names Toothless. His findings help him get by in Gobber the Belch's (Nick Frost) dragon-hunting class. He also realizes that dragons aren't as bad as their reputation suggests. Meanwhile, Stoick and his warriors are hunting for the dragons' hidden nest. Hiccup has to get Stoick to listen to reason so that no more lives, Viking or dragon, will be lost.

As with the animated sequels, Dean DeBlois takes on the writing & directing credits that he shared with Chris Sanders on the first film. It runs nearly a half-hour longer than the first film, partially thanks to some added story material for Hiccup's dragon-hunting classmates. But it recreates so much of its predecessor shot-for-shot and nearly line-for-line that even people who haven't seen it in ages might notice. I'm one of those people, and I noticed how tangentially familiar this "new plot" is, even down to Hiccup's opening narration. One major new plot point is that the supposed death of Valka, Hiccup's mother, lingers heavily on his and Stoick's relationship. It's pretty suspenseless considering that she shows up in the sequels (though, I wonder if they'll bring back Cate Blanchett next time).

I'd be lying if I said this was a total wash. The photorealistic renderings of the dragons, from the two-headed Hideous Zippleback to the demonic Monstrous Nightmare, are all appealing, but none more so than Toothless. He barely looks any different than his already cuddly animated counterpart. The film really sparks when he and Hiccup interact, whether it's in hostility or in friendship. It's hard to feel nothing when Toothless and Hiccup take to the air, accentuated by John Powell's returning score. After a while, you might forget that the dragons are all digital creatures; the integration is just that good. It's quite seamless when the film switches to animatronics a few times.

What else does it have? There are a ton of practical sets, visualized by production designer Dominic Watkins, to visualize Berk. A few particular highlights include the dragon-hunting arena, the dragons' nest, and Toothless's grotto. Any CGI-enhancements, or even CGI sets, are as seamless as the dragons. It helps to have a great cinematographer in Bill Pope, whose credits include Spider-Man. Costume Designer Lindsay Pugh does a decent job recreating the cast's animated wardrobes, though her most striking design is that of the mute Elder Gothi (Naomi Wirthner), who is unrecognizable in live action. A bit more recognizable is Butler's Stoick, who is just as bombastic here, for better or worse, as he was in cartoon form. Hiccup's dragon hunting classmates are fine, but none are as memorable as Astrid (Nico Parker), who gets a few great moments with him.

I don't hate How to Train Your Dragon, far from it, but I am perplexed on how to conclude this review. On one hand, if you've seen the first film, then you'll have seen this one already. On the other hand, it's a good incentive to check out the first film, even if it's just for comparison purposes or to embrace Powell's Oscar-nominated Score. What do I make of it all? Despite its rigid adherence to its predecessor, it's still got some spirit compared to something like the remakes of The Lion King or Psycho. It's a harmless matinee, and that's fine. I think I said enough.

Cells at Work!

Last December saw the release of Cells at Work!, the film version of Akane Shimizu's massively popular edutainment manga, in Japanese theatres. It debuted stateside on Netflix this past weekend, and I must say the wait was mostly worth it. Let's see if I can explain why.

On the surface level, this follows highschooler Niko Urushizaki (Mana Ashida) and her father Shigeru (Sadao Abe). Niko tries to keep her messy father healthy, while she pines for her upperclassman Shin Takeda (Seishiro Kato). But she's suddenly diagnosed with leukemia just as things look up for her ...

Meanwhile, the real action goes on inside her body. The trillions of cells navigating her circulatory system are represented by color-coded people running around a Disneyland-esque city. The Red Blood Cells are couriers, the White Blood Cells are soldiers, the Killer T Cells are essentially SWAT, the Helper T Cells are mission control, etc. A Red Blood Cell, designated AE3803 (Mei Nagano), has a terrible sense of direction, but she also has an ally in a White Blood Cell, designated U-1146 (Takeru Satoh). He mostly bails her out from attacks by several villainous maladies, but they must work together if Niko is to survive Leukemia (Satoshi Fukase).

What kind of visual metaphors can we expect here? U-1146 and his fellow cells fight over-the-top battles with the maladies, who are depicted as freaky and colorful supervillains. One bacterium, Pneumococcus (Ainosuke Kataoka), is expelled by an exploding sneeze rocket! Niko getting flustered results in a sudden dance number! The influenza virus is represented by a zombie apocalypse. We also see inside Shigeru, which is a dystopian society of junk and squalor. At one point, Shigeru is afflicted with the trots, which results in one of the tensest and grossest action scenes you'll ever see. This is still a visually appealing science class, thanks to some excellent production values and the kindly Macrophage's (Wakana Matsumoto) handy exposition. 

One of the best things that director Hideki Takeuchi and writer Yuichi Tokunaga did was to create Niko's storyline. The manga, as well as its countless spin-offs, only concerned itself with the inner world of a nameless body. Every malady was just as monster of the week, and if Niko existed, we wouldn't know it. All of these episodic lessons, both from the manga and its first spin-off Code Black, flow nicely in this new vessel. When Niko comes down with leukemia, not only will you feel badly for her, but for the cells trying to fight it off. Shigeru's laziness maybe funny, but he proves himself a spectacular dad when Niko needs it most. Takeda, meanwhile, is decently likable, but that's good enough. 

How about we meet some of these cells at work. Amongst the trillions, we have two likable co-leads with AE3803 and U-1146. Both of them have great personalities, which makes it fun to watch them interact, and it's quite compelling when they step up during the leukemia apocalypse. Meanwhile, the leader of the Killer T Cells (Koji Yamamoto) is not only a blowhard, but he's a good guy. An NK Cell (Riisa Naka), represented as a lone wolf monster hunter, might be the coolest character in the film. She has competition with the Macrophage, who proves quite handy with a cleaver. Another Red Blood Cell, designated AA2153 (Rihito Itagaki), is the protagonist of Shigeru's body, and is just as likable as our main heroine. The Platelets, represented by a bunch of little kids, are the film's biggest one-scene wonders.

This now brings me to Leukemia himself. In his villain origin story, he was just a youngling White Blood Cell until the big guys judged him defective. Then, he turned older and bad. It's quite a sympathetic backstory, but the film doesn't dwell on sympathy for him, even if his defeat is practically a mercy killing. He's even sympathetic when he embraces his villainy during his final battle with U-1146. This has been a point-of-contention in the manga for years, and I kind of understand why here. He, as well as the other cellular actors, do such a great job personifying their characters that it makes the ending a bittersweet pill to swallow. Let's just say it involves lots of chemotherapy. 

Still, a bittersweet pill is better than a dour tablespoon. Cells at Work! runs the gamut from goofy, to charming and emotional, which makes it a memorable Netflix experience. Who knows if it's entirely medically accurate, but it's absolutely edutaining, which makes it a good springboard to check its notes. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone and everyone curious. It's an absolute crowd-pleaser, as long as you don't let the ending bother you too much. See it soon to see what I mean.

As for me, I got to prepare for a few other reviews, which might even include another live-action anime film. Wait for it.

The Phoenician Scheme

By now, you should know what to expect from a Wes Anderson production. What else can you expect when you see his massive ensemble of quirky characters enact The Phoenician Scheme. Let's see if I can explain it.

Dateline: 1950. Anatole "Zsa-Zsa" Korda (Benicio Del Toro), a world-class tycoon, narrowly survives his sixth assassination attempt by plane crash. After this attempt, Korda starts seeing God (Bill Murray) and His heavenly court (including Willem Dafoe as his heavenly attorney). So, he decides to mend his relationship with his novitiate daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton), which includes naming her as his heir. He also decides to enact a scheme to renovate the infrastructure of the Middle Eastern region of Modern Greater Independent Phoenicia. Sounds well and good, but it does involve slave labor and famine.

Spurred on by his big business rivals, Korda heads off to get his big business allies to help foot the bill. He's joined by Liesl and Prof. Bjørn (Michael Cera), who is ostensibly the tutor of Liesl's nine younger brothers. Anyway, they travel the world meeting these potential investors, which include Leland & Reagan (Tom Hanks & Bryan Cranston), Marty (Jeffrey Wright), and Marseille Bob (Mathieu Amalric), as well as Korda's cousin Hilda (Scarlett Johansson) and estranged half-brother Uncle Nubar (Benedict Cumberbatch). Will Korda complete the scheme? Or will his survival habit finally expire?

It makes quite an impression with its opening scenes. It seems like a normal flight for Korda, Alexandre Desplat's intense score notwithstanding, until an unlucky dude (Truman Hanks) pops like a balloon and takes some of the plane with him. Korda ejects the unlucky pilot (Stephen Park) and takes the controls himself. We're treated to some delightfully cheesy effects for everything but impact, which happens off-screen. That scene is enough to get one anticipating the next crash. 

By contrast, the opening credits gives us an eloquent birds-eye view of Korda taking a bath (as filmed by Bruno Delbonnel). The marble floor, which sometimes blends in with each name, is quite a sight. A few more great locales include Korda's estate, Reagan & Leland's tunnel, the Heavenly Court and Uncle Nubar's palace. Once again, Adam Stockhausen has helped Anderson envision a cinematic world that's just as fascinating to watch as it is to read about.

Once we get to the scheme, it becomes episodic as Korda and company meet their investors. Anderson and Roman Coppola pack their screen-story with some enjoyable running gags in each meeting. A few highlights include Korda politely offering a hand grenade to an investor, their inevitable shouting match, and a host of familiar assassins. They're tied together by a few good plot threads, which include Korda and Liesl's strained relationship; Prof. Bjørn's big secret; Korda's heavenly visions; and the impending confrontation with Uncle Nubar. It's actually quite easy to follow this plot, even if one major plot point has a convolutedly deadpan explanation.

Korda, as played by Del Toro, isn't really a nice guy at the start. He uses slave labor, which is pretty bad, but according to his enemies, he's a robber baron "who provokes war, as well as peace." He gradually shows his softer side, even accidentally taking a bullet for Marseille Bob, throughout the film. He eventually completes the scheme with a surprisingly selfless act. He's matched perfectly by Threapleton as Liesl, especially as their first conversation rises with deadpan tension. Cera is delightfully awkward as Bjørn, even after his big secret is revealed. 

Amongst the supporting cast, we also have Riz Ahmed as Phoenician Prince Farouk; Richard Aoyade as Sergio the Communist Guerilla; and Hope Davis as Liesl's Mother Superior. The investors are mostly entertaining cameos, though Johansson's Hilda has a bit more plot relevance as Korda's prospective wife. She's still good, though. The same goes for the Heavenly Court, especially with Murray's God, who has to tell Korda straight up that slavery is wrong. The film perfectly builds up Uncle Nubar's "Biblical" presence each time the investors' percentages increase. Cumberbatch's subtly unhinged performance makes it all worth the wait.

I'll admit, much of the intricacies of The Phoenician Scheme's story didn't click with me at first. All the deadpan dialogue, while funny, kept me distant from the depths of Korda's character. At least the visuals were good, as always. But after some thought, I've come to appreciate how good it is. I don't know if this will replace The Grand Budapest Hotel as my favorite Wes Anderson film, but it's still a good time. So, you should definitely scheme to make it to your nearest showtime whenever it's around. It's quite worth it.

That's it for now. 

Predator: Killer of Killers

Who's ready to go on another hunt with the Predator? 

How about two?

Since Prey did pretty good on Hulu, Disney brought back Dan Trachtenberg to helm not one, but two follow-up features. While Predator: Badlands hits theatres in November, Predator: Killer of Killers is already on Hulu now. So, what can you expect from the franchise's first animated feature?

Trachtenberg and Micho Robert Rutare write three historical scenarios for the Predators to hunt in. The finale sees the Predators' human opponents fight and team up on the Predators' home world. If anyone imagined what a film adaptation of the RPG Live A Live would look like, this might be it. Let's take a look at these scenarios.

I. The Shield: Ursa (Lindsay LaVanchy) is a Viking Chieftain in 9th-Century Scandinavia. As a child, the evil Krivich warlord Zoran (Andrew Morgado) forced her to kill her father. Now, she and her warband, which includes her son Anders (Damien Haas), are out for vengeance. A Predator shows up just as they succeed.

Throughout Ursa's story, she not only fights physical opponents, but a lifetime of mental trauma that's plain as day when she confronts Zoran. Despite this, she's still a good mother to Anders, as well as a respectable Chieftain to her band. In other words, she maybe brutal, but she won't lash out on her kin. She proves her mettle during her fight with the "Grendel," as well as in her last stand. Who wouldn't want to follow her into battle? 

II. The Sword: It's now 1609 Japan. Kenji (Louis Ozawa), the disgraced son of a deceased Shogun, returns home as a ninja to fight his brother Kyoshi (also Ozawa) for the right to succeed the old man. A ninja Predator - who kind of looks like Dek, the main Predator in Badlands - ruins the fun. The intruder, however, spurs the brothers to reconcile.

This segment mostly eschews dialogue for some stylish action. Kenji spends the first half on a beeline for his brother, taking out the guards with quick ninjutsu (smoke bombs, poison darts, kunai, etc.). You don't need much to understand Kenji's resentment with Kiyoshi when they have their duel. Still, one could easily have wildly different interpretations of the events on-screen. I almost thought that the brothers' final blow for the Ninja Predator was meant for each other. But that's quickly resolved. It's quite profound when they finally talk, for the first and last time, after their duel.

III. The Bullet: It's now 1942, and the Battle of the Atlantic is underway. John J. Torres (Rick Gonzalez), a fighter pilot and aspiring mechanic, realizes that his unit isn't just fighting the Axis. A Predator Starship is literally fishing for fighter pilots, and it's up to Torres and his rust bucket plane, the Bullet, to take down the pilot before all hands are lost. 

Torres is a likable underdog, stuck with paltry weaponry, but doing his best to survive. He's got some good comradery with his squad, including CO Vandy (Michael Biehn), even if they doubt his warrior skills. But he proves his mettle during his main segment, and the finale. As cool as the seasoned warriors Ursa and Kenji are, it's just as cool to see him outwit and outlast his opponents. He even survives certain death as monster food during the Gladiator Games. I'll just have to let you see how.

Imagine a de-saturated Spiderverse movie and you have this movie's art style. We have some wonderfully exaggerated Predator designs, including the hulking Warlord Predator, as well as some stylish kills by both them and the heroes. The Viking Raids in The Shield, as well as Ursa's pivotal flashback, are appropriately nightmarish and brutal. Our heroes literally fade into Predator captivity, which is quite inventive to see. The only flaw is that the dogfight in The Bullet is a bit hard to follow. It's hard to tell who Torres's fellow pilots are, save for Vandy, when they fall. But maybe a second viewing can help. These visuals are accentuated with another good Benjamin Wallfisch score, which features some stylish renditions of Alan Silvestri's famous theme.

At 90 minutes, Predator: Killer of Killers will give you some quick action thrice. Its three main segments will never bore you thanks to their fast pace and stylish action. They come together nicely in the finale, which has a twist that puts the previous films in a rather dark perspective. Will it be addressed in Predator: Badlands, or even another sequel? I don't know, but I'm ready for both options. 

That's it for now.

Karate Kid: Legends

The Karate Kid remake was one of the first films I reviewed on this blog. It did pretty well, better than most movie remakes, but it didn't get the franchise on its feet right away. It's ready to fight once again with Karate Kid: Legends, which marks the directorial debut of TV producer and director Jonathan Entwistle. Let's get to it.

In what is perhaps a novel twist, the screenplay by Ron Lieber refactors the aforementioned remake into the continuity of the previous films. It turns out, as explained in a flashback to The Karate Kid: Part Two, Mr. Miyagi's (Pat Morita) brand of Karate has its roots in Kung Fu. As we officially open the film, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), the Mr. Miyagi of the "remake," continues teaching Kung Fu in China. One of his students is his grandnephew, Li Fong (Ben Wang), who gets dragged off to New York when his doctor mother (Ming-Na Wen) gets a job there. Li immediately befriends Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley), daughter of local pizzeria owner Victor (Joshua Jackson). All's good, right?

Unfortunately, Li also meets Mia's ex, Connor Day (Aramis Knight), an unhinged martial arts champion. Connor's instructor, Mr. O'Shea (Tim Rozon) is a loan shark who wants Victor to pay up or else. One night, Li fights off some of O'Shea's goons, which gets Victor, a former fighter himself, to ask Li to be his Mr. Miyagi. That's admittedly an interesting twist on the franchise's well-established formula. But eventually, circumstances force Li to get into the ring himself in an upcoming martial arts tournament, The Five Burroughs. Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), the original Karate Kid himself, show up to train Li for the tournament. That's pretty much it.

So, when do the Shifu and the Sensei team-up? At least half-way through this 94-minute movie. It's kind of a long wait considering that's the selling point of the advertisements. They rush through Li into the formula in its remaining minutes; it could've been better if one or both was present at the start. They could've helped develop the conflict between Li and his mom over his taking up martial arts again. Instead, she accepts it off-screen; I'll explain the conflict a little further down. Even worse, it ends so quickly that Mr. O'Shea becomes a Karma Houdini, unless he becomes the new John Kreese in a sequel. It's not a perfect plot, but there's plenty to admire and enjoy about it.

One such aspect is the new Karate Kid himself. Throughout the movie, Li is haunted by the death of his brother, a Kung Fu champion who got murdered by an angry rival and his gang. That incident is why his mother doesn't want him taking up martial arts again. His PTSD is palpable before the reveal, and the audience can easily sympathize with his reluctant hero status. You can't blame him when he freezes up after Victor's comeback fight goes horribly wrong; neither can you blame Mia, for that matter, for being mad at him. Of course, all of that makes it spectacular when he beats the odds in the final round. 

So, who's in this new Karate Kid's corner? Well, Mr. Han proves that Jackie Chan is just as spry in his seventies as he was in his thirties. He proves that much when he breaks into Li's apartment and gives him a sudden sparing lesson. He's just as eccentric as he was in the "remake," and all the more delightful for it. His best scene is when he consoles Li over his failure to help Victor. His co-Sensei, Daniel, is quite moving when he speaks of the late Mr. Miyagi with reverence (even if it's played for laughs in the epilogue, which has a surprise cameo). Both legacy characters are great together, even if it's not for the whole movie. Li has great chemistry with not only the Lipanis, but Alan (Wyat Oleff), his student-tutor, wingman and unofficial third sensei.

This brings me to the bad guys. Connor is the type of villain whose very presence will unnerve you. What does he do to deserve that reputation? He's excessively violent to his sparring partners, punches Li on the subway and even attacks a referee or two. He barely tries to pretend to be nice; one exception leads to the subway punch. I wasn't kidding when I called him unhinged earlier. Mr. O'Shea, meanwhile, isn't nice either, which he proves when he gets Victor nearly killed at his comeback match. Unfortunately, he's out of focus for most of the film. But both he and Connor continue the series' proud tradition of villains you can't believe weren't already in jail. Again, it's still beyond satisfying when Li knocks down Connor at the end.

It doesn't disappoint with the fight scenes, even if some of them are slightly over-edited. Li saving Victor from O'Shea's goons deserves a special mention, as that one has Li swing from a fire-escape for a kick! Li's decisive move is another spectacular kick, which he practices on a subway turnstile in a very funny montage. It's beyond obvious who the mysterious intruder attacking Li is, but it's still entertaining to watch it play out. Let's not forget the tournament, even those fights just there in a montage. These fights are accentuated quite nicely by Dominic Lewis's score. The graphics used to illustrate the countdown to the tournament and its point-system were pretty nifty, too.

It has some writing issues, but at least its callbacks to the previous films aren't so intrusive. You might need some familiarity with them, but you don't need to binge them beforehand. Its new Karate Kid is so compelling that you might want to break into applause at the end (my screening did). I'm sure this might get one to check out the previous films, or even the sequel series Cobra Kai, but I've had plenty of fun with its recent video game, The Karate Kid: Street Rumble. It's a bit hard in places, but it's spectacularly entertaining, much like this film. I definitely recommend you check out both. 

That's it for now.

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise and his super-spy alter-ego, Ethan Hunt, are back, perhaps for their last Mission Impossible. For a number of reasons, what one would’ve assumed would be Dead Reckoning: Part Two is now The Final Reckoning. Let’s see if you should accept this mission.

When we last Ethan and his Impossible Mission Force, they had just grabbed the key to The Entity, that evil AI, from its now-former favorite human, Gabriel (Esai Morales). As we open this mission, The Entity is messing around with international politics with fake videos (yes, really). As if that wasn’t enough, The Entity starts hijacking all the world’s nuclear weapon systems. Erica Sloane (Angela Bassett), previously the CIA director in Fallout and now the President, wants Ethan to give the key to the US Government. Ethan, instead, asks Sloane to let him extract The Entity’s source code from the sunken submarine Sevastopol. Sloane agrees.

Ethan brings along his usual spies, Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), Luther Stickwell (Ving Rhames), newbie Grace (Hayley Atwell) and previous antagonists, Paris (Pom Klementieff) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis), to the mission. Meanwhile, the US Government and Gabriel engage in a convoluted struggle for The Entity. As usual, not everyone on the team isn’t going to make it out alive. That’s pretty much it.

Cruise’s favorite writer/director, Christopher McQuarrie, once again calls the shots on this mission. McQuarrie and his co-writer, Erik Jendersen, not only load the story with plenty of dynamic set-pieces, but callbacks upon callbacks to the previous films. Among the most prominent is Donloe (Rolf Saxon), a minor character from the first movie, who joins the team an hour or so in. These callbacks are relatively easy to digest, unlike the cavalcade of factions antagonizing Team Ethan. A few other plot threads, such as that concerning Agent Briggs (Shea Wigham), are either left partially explained or not explained at all. This is despite the fact the film runs a rather fitting 169-minutes. 

Still, the mission isn't a complete failure at all. Ethan, Benji and Luther are still a pretty good trio after all this time. Sure, Ethan gets the best stunts, which I'll discuss later, but Benji gets some of the best lines. Luther, meanwhile, gets a rather meaningful final speech. Donloe and his wife, Tapeesa (Lucy Tulugarjuk), are both likable and are welcome additions to the crew. It's quite pleasing that Paris survived Dead Reckoning because she gets plenty of great action scenes and meaningful chemistry with Benji here. Sloane is pretty sympathetic as her cabinet pressures her to make a first strike. Out of all the power playing, a surprise hero emerges in General Sidney (Nick Offerman), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In short, I think the acting team is pretty good here.

Now let's talk about the action. Its most highly publicized stunt is Ethan and Gabriel's long biplane chase in the climax. Yes, much of it was shot on real biplanes, but I doubt that Gabriel's hilariously humiliating demise was done for real. Meanwhile, Benji and the others fight to hack The Entity, while Sloane and her cabinet argue. Earlier than that, Ethan makes his way through the Sevastopol just as the submarine decides to sink even further. Not only that, but he's forced to surface without his diving suit! These set-pieces, as well as The Entity's gradual nuclear hacking, are masterfully constructed by editor Eddie Hamilton. Sure, an important scene involving Luther is a bit hard to follow, but the rest of it works wonders. Anyone looking for great action wont be disappointed here.

What else can I say about it? I almost thought the famous theme wouldn't show up, but it actually kicks in at 23-minutes. I re-checked Dead Reckoning just now, and it actually kicks in there at almost thirty-minutes. And yet, I didn't notice that delay last time. Weird, huh? A scene where Ethan gets inside Gabriel's personal sensory deprivation chamber is just as overwhelming to the audience as it is to him. All the flashing lights there aren't a pleasant sight, that's for sure. It's pretty heavy-handed when our heroes have a few conversations that boil down to "The Entity wants you to be irrational. Be rational." But they're still fine. Above all, it's pretty fun when you realize that the plot boils down to the IMF trying to stop Skynet from doing Judgment Day. Will there be robots in a next film, too?

But seriously, I wonder what a prospective follow-up would be like. What kind of crazy action scenes will it have? Who will they assemble for the mission? Like Ethan and Gabriel in the climax, the future is up in the air. But for now, accept this latest Mission Impossible if you want another good time at the movies. You'll just have to see the biplane climax for itself; there's a lot I haven't discussed in this review. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds ...

Or not.

Lilo and Stitch

It hasn't been long since Snow White slept at the box-office. I'll reiterate that it's a flawed movie, but much like that Ghostbusters redo, it's not worth starting World War III over. In any case, it's clear that nobody slept on Disney's latest live-action redo, Lilo and Stitch. Here's why you shouldn't sleep on it, either.

Chris Sanders, the co-director of the original film, once again voices Stitch, whom Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis) created as Experiment 626. Stitch is sentenced to exile by the United Galactic Federation for being a feral troublemaker, but he escapes for Earth, specifically Kaua'i. The Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Widdingham) forces Jumba to join with "Earth Expert" Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) to get Stitch back.

On Earth, Stitch ends up at the animal shelter, where orphaned local girl Lilo Pelekai (Maia Kealoha) adopts him as her new "dog." Her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) isn't happy, but Lilo is certainly happy with her new friend. Meanwhile, the sisters are threatened with separation by CPS, embodied by social worker Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere, animated Nani herself). Also, meanwhile, the Grand Councilwoman's patience for Jumba and Pleakley is wearing thin. Will there be a happy ending for this 'ohana?

The writers deviate from the original film in several key areas (how the CPS subplot is resolved may break the ending for some). But I think that it's pretty close to the original without going shot-for-shot. I haven't seen the original in quite a while, but I still remember a few scenes and dialogue recreated here. It's hard to feel nothing, for example, when Stitch tells the Grand Councilwoman of his new family at the end. The revised climax, where Stitch nearly drowns, is quite moving too even if it's obvious he won't bite it. On a lighter note, we get some great new laughs, such as a trigger-happy Federation crewmember and a portal gun loop.

It helps that we have a great cast here. Kealoha, in her first movie, is quite likable as Lilo, even when she acts out. You'll easily sympathize with Agudong's Nani as she runs herself ragged trying to keep their 'ohana together. The sisters have great chemistry together; part of the reason why the ending didn't break me is because of a certain loophole, which might just leave you smiling. Amy Hill, who voiced shopkeeper Mrs. Hasagawa in the animated entries, is excellent as the Pelekais' grandmotherly neighbor Tutu, whose grandson is Nani's co-worker David (Kaipo Dudoit). Courtney B. Vance is pretty good as CIA agent Cobra Bubbles, who "partners" with Mrs. Kekoa as a "fellow social worker." As for the aliens, the Grand Councilwoman has an enjoyable sardonism; the more overtly villainous Jumba is fine; and Pleakely is just enjoyable.

Now we get to the technical stuff. The aliens, especially Stitch and Pleakley, perfectly recreate their 2D counterparts without trying too hard, and are rather easy on the eyes. Their gadgets and spaceships, such as the aforementioned portal gun, are pretty nifty designs too. Despite some minor cracks, they're a lot more tangible than a certain set of dwarfs tried to be. Yes, The Legend of Ochi did wonders for puppeteering, but this Stitch feels real just the same. That tangibility helps make the revised climax especially moving. The Hawaiian sights, as filmed by cinematographer Nigel Bluck, are more exquisite when they're paired with Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu's retained songs, Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride and He Mele No Lilo. The rest of the soundtrack is filled by a pretty good score by Dan Romer and a sparse selection of Elvis songs.

I'm sure that Disney will consider a sequel or two after its stellar numbers. I'm kind of curious to see where they and director Dean Fleischer-Camp will take the material next. Will they reverse some of the more controversial story changes next time? Who knows, but at least this current movie is pretty good. Those who disagree can check out the original film, and its follow-ups, on Disney+ anytime. I think I should too, just to remind myself why the first film was great. But that's it for now.

Night of the Zoopocalypse

 Are you ready for Baby’s First Barker?

Clive Barker isn’t known for family-friendly works. At all. But a few months ago, one of the rare exceptions, the short story ZOOmbies, became the animated film Night of the Zoopocalypse, which barely had a theatrical release. It’s ready to stream on your favorite VOD service, and it’s got such sights to show you.

One night, a meteor crashes into the gigantic Colepepper Zoo. One bunny, credited as Bunny Zero (Bryn McAuley), eats a piece and mutates into a “Gum-Beast” zombie. Pretty soon, Bunny Zero infects most of the zoo. The only survivors are Gracie the Wolf (Gabbi Kosmidis), Dan the Zoo’s new Mountain Lion (David Harbour), Xavier the Lemur (Pierre Simpson), Ash the Ostrich (Scott Thompson), Felix the Monkey (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), Frida the Capybara (Heather Loreto) and Poot the Pygmy Hippo (Christina Nova). They’ll have to figure out how to reverse the mutations before they’re next. That’s basically it, but there’s more.

This is a horror film made for those too young or too squeamish for the likes of Hellraiser. That much is obvious when you meet the monsters. Sure, the Gum-Beasts are grotesque, but they’re also surprisingly cuddly. It’s more amusing than terrifying when they lose a body part or two. One of them, a gorilla, not only falls apart, but struggles to put himself together correctly. Another gag, involving Gracie’s gumbied granny, will shock you until the punchline. The final boss, a mammoth chimera, is the creepiest of the monsters, but Barker has written and shown us much worse, so you’ll be fine. Those who have seen Mars Attacks! or Attack of the Killer Tomatoes will smirk when our heroes discover how to cure the Gum-Beasts.

Let’s introduce you to the pack. Felix’s pompous speciesm makes him hard to like, and he does nothing to change that opinion. You’ll be begging for him to get gumbied by his first scene. Still, it’s quite funny seeing him frustrated by a MacGuffin card-key just before that. Xavier is the movie nerd, constantly making references to his favorite films and their plot structures. I kind of wish we actually saw some of those films, even those made-up for this one, but I digress. He, Frida and Ash are much more tolerable than Felix, and they all shine during the penultimate battle. Poot, however, is a hoot, thanks to her cuddly design and ditzy personality. Finally, our two leads, Gracie and Dan, aren't innovative characters, but they have a good dynamic. You'll especially be riveted when Dan gets gumbied for a spell and attacks Gracie.

What else do we have? We do get an annoying use of the conflict ball just after Gracie and Dan encounter her gumbied pack. Fortunately, that lasts for a spell before the Gum-Beasts intervene. It's more fortunate that it's the only really annoying part of the writing; even Gracie and Dan's act two fallout is understandable. On the technical side, we get a striking purple and green color scheme, as well as some impressive battles with the Gum-Beasts. The character designs for the normal animals are quirky, while the overly cutesy animals adorning the zoo's sign are unnerving. Dan Levy, of the defunct band The Dø, gives us an entertaining soundtrack that would fit right in with the best 80's horror soundtracks. 

Whether you want to call it Baby's First Barker, or Baby's First Horror Film, Night of the Zoopocalypse makes for a nice and spooky 91-minutes. Its writing is a bit simplistic, and a few characters were annoying, but I never found myself bored with it. Give it a go and you might be pleasantly surprised. I'll leave it to you to introduce your kids to Barker's other cinematic monsters at your own time. Take your time.

That's it for now.

The Legend of Ochi

The Legend of Ochi, the debut film of longtime music video director Isaiah Saxon, actually ran locally at the tail-end of April. But, for a number of reasons, I decided to wait until its second run, which began on Friday, to check it out. Let’s see what I missed.

Over on the island of Carpathia, Maxim (Willem Dafoe) leads the local lads, and his daughter Yuri (Helena Zengel), on nightly hunts for the Ochi, the local cryptid monkeys. One day, Yuri encounters a baby Ochi, its foot ensnared in a trap. After she heals it, she decides to return the critter to its community. She’s pursued by Maxim and his Junior Hunters (including Finn Wolfhard as Maxim’s adopted son, Petro), and is dissuaded by her long-lost mother, Dasha (Emily Watson). Is any of that going to stop her?

Sure, the film stars a few humans, and all of them are fine, but they’re outclassed by the Ochi. These creatures are more Gizmo from Gremlins than the chupacabra in personality and design. In what must seem like a novelty these days, the Ochi were realized with puppetry and animatronics. Whatever CGI is used is mainly to erase the seven puppeteers controlling baby Ochi. The end result seems too good to be true - some erroneous reports stated AI was used on the film - but it is. It's even more outstanding when you discover that the Ochi's chirping voice was vocalized by a human, Paul "The Birdman" Manalatos. This helps make Ochi and Yuri's chemistry all the more compelling, especially when she learns how to chirp Ochi.

It does repeatedly trip on its own tone, though. It starts off perfectly grim as Maxim and his Junior Hunters attack the Ochi in a nighttime raid. Later on, it tugs at the heart strings as we see the ensnared baby Ochi. But then it gets a bit silly, such as Maxim dressing for his raids like a gladiator goalie, like it's a serious Wes Anderson film. A scene at a supermarket, which has a surprisingly thorough anti-Ochi protocol, ends with Yuri accidentally getting bitten. Yuri and Ochi escape the supermarket by stealing a car in the middle of a tire change (it ends as you might expect). Later on, we see the infected arm, and while it's excellent makeup work, it's also way gruesome. When Dasha enters, she implies that a certain bat is responsible for the livestock deaths attributed to the Ochi. But the film ends too abruptly for that and other points to register.

What else does it have? There's some vibrant scenery in Carpathia, visualized either through matte paintings or through location filming in Romania. A few memorable locations include the aforementioned supermarket, Dasha's hut and especially the Ochi's habitat. Overall, cinematographer Evan Prosofsky and production designer Jason Kisvarday are both worth a consideration for next year's Oscars. Their work is accentuated by David Longstreth's majestic score; just wait until you hear the opening theme. Not bad for a total price tag of $10 million.

The storytelling isn't perfect, but it's hard to doubt the appeal of The Legend of Ochi's titular creature. Whether it's in the technical craft, or the cuddliness, it's worth seeing the film just for the Ochi alone. Distributor A24 might have just found itself a new mascot, or at least a worthy competitor with Marcel the Shell. It's already on VOD, as well as theatres, so you've got quite a few ways to check it out. If you're not interested, I've got a few other options for the whole family. One of them is coming up next.

Thunderbolts*

Let's see if I can get to a thousand more reviews.

It might take a decade or more to get there, but let's begin with Thunderbolts*, which assembles some of the MCU's finest anti-heroes into one team. Jake Schreier, who hasn't directed a film since 2015's Paper Towns, proves more than capable of assembling this ensemble. Now, to distill this plot:

First, let's catch up with former Black Widow Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). These days, Yelena has thrown herself into black ops work for corrupt CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss). Valentina sends Yelena on a suicide mission along with Ava Starr/The Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen); John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell); and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), who isn't long for this movie. Everyone with me so far?

The survivors escape with Bob (Lewis Pullman), an ordinary dude who's basically Marvel's answer to Superman. Here, he's called The Sentry, and he gained his powers by being Valentina's guinea pig. Valentina's goons take him away, so our anti-heroes go after them with Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Congressman Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). They have to hurry because Valentina's experiments have not only empowered Bob, but his dark side, "The Void." Yeah, I think that's pretty much it.

Unlike Brave New World, this is a plot that doesn't require too much homework. Sure, its characters span multiple movies and TV shows, but the screenplay by Eric Pearson & Joanna Calo is mostly comprehensible on its own. Its overall plot is quite intriguing as the Thunderbolts* - and yes, the asterisk is there for a reason - learn more about Valentina's "Project Sentry" and Bob's Big Secret. Each revelation helps build-up the anticipation for The Void's debut, and he doesn't disappoint. Meanwhile, our anti-heroes confront major emotional baggage, sometimes with sarcasm, before they deal with Bob's. The one plot thread that lost me was O.X.E. Group, Valentina's shadowy organization, which was apparently a big deal in The Falcon and Winter Soldier (which I haven't watched), but not even mentioned in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The story offered nothing to help my bewilderment.

At least it has a pretty good cast. Pugh and Harbour were already good in Black Widow, but here, they're great. As Yelena, Pugh mines plenty of sympathy and hilarity in her opening narration, as she describes her malaise. "There is something wrong with me." she says, "Or, maybe I'm just bored." As Alexei, Harbour is not only still funny, but he's excellent moral support. Their best scene together comes late in the movie, where he comforts her during an emotional breakdown. Yelena coming to terms with her depression later helps save the world from The Void. John, who was introduced in F & WS as an anti-hero Captain America, is decently compelling as he becomes a better hero; Ava and Bucky are fine, while Taskmaster is unfortunately wasted after one scene. Faring a lot better is Geraldine Viswanathan, who's quite likable as Valentina's beleaguered assistant, Mel.

The visual style is a good place to talk about the antagonists. Valentina makes a better impression here than she did in Wakanda Forever; as much as she wants to be in control, her best scenes come when she realizes she's out of her depth. Bob, much like Yelena, spends the movie dealing with depression, and Pullman, the visual effects team and cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo, do an excellent job in getting us in his head. The Void can flatten people into shadows as he transports them to his realm, where his victims watch their worst memories on loop. It's just as haunting as it is alluring. The Void, a walking silhouette with glowing eyes, is a visually marvelous villain. The final battle, where the Thunderbolts essentially defeat The Void with kindness, isn't a big punch-up like in The Avengers, but it gets the job done.

I should probably mention the composers, the band Son Lux, primarily because I never mentioned them when I reviewed Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. That film got them an Oscar nomination, and they do an equally impressive job here, too. A few highlights include their darker remix of The Avengers theme and The Void's haunting theme. It's an appropriate score for what is, overall, one of the darkest MCU films, and it's one of the franchise's best since the Black Panther films. On a lighter side, the end credit scene gives us a cool preview of Michael Giacchino's theme for the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. As if I wasn't motivated to check out that film.

But what will motivate you to see Thunderbolts*? Perhaps it's the entertaining chemistry between its disparate misfits. Perhaps it's the more serious storyline? Maybe it's the visually impressive final boss? Or maybe, for those who haven't been spoiled already, it's to see why there's an asterisk in the title. Whatever the case, check out this movie for a marvelous start to the summer movie season. Let's hope that there's plenty more goodness to come.

The Rose of Versailles

When Netflix announced it would stream this movie beginning today, I knew what the subject of my one-thousandth review would be. 

The Rose of Versailles is the first anime movie of Riyoko Ikeda's beyond iconic manga series. It was previously adapted as an equally iconic anime series in 1979, as well as a line of stage musicals by the revered all-female Takarazuka Revue. Jacques Demy adapted it into a live-action movie, Lady Oscar, also in 1979, while another anime movie was announced in 2007, but it never got off the ground. That's quite a pedigree, there. Let's see how this iteration is.

In May 1770, Princess Marie Antoinette of Austria arrives in Paris to meet her future husband, the eventual King Louis XVI. On her arrival, she also meets her bodyguard Oscar François de Jarjayes, the Captain of the Royal Guards. It's an open secret that Oscar is actually a girl raised as a boy. See, her general dad wanted a son, but after so many daughters, decided to make do with her. That plot point isn't elaborated on in this movie. Anyway, everyone's fine with Oscar being Captain, so all's good right?

Nope. Once the Dauphin and Dauphine ascend, their extravagant lifestyles, especially Marie-Antoinette's, bankrupt the common folks. Despite her luxuries, Marie-Antoinette feels lonely, and mingles with a visiting Swedish Count, Hans Von Fersen. Needless to say, that affair only craters her reputation further. Oscar, who sympathizes with the peasantry, unsuccessfully tries to get the Queen to listen to reason. Meanwhile, Oscar contends with her growing feelings for her childhood friend, Andre Grandier. She and Andre join the French Guards Regiment, where they both become key players in the French Revolution. Is that it?

It's also a musical, too. The songs, all composed by Hiroyuki Sawano with several lyricists, are mostly presented as music video style montages. They remind me of a typical anime intro, only without any on-screen credits, even during its own intro song. A few other songs are just background music and are often overwhelmed by the foreground sounds. The first crowd song, set at the masquerade ball where Marie-Antoinette meets Hans, is just as catchy as the similar scene in The Phantom of the Opera, even if the singing is a bit quiet. Firebrand Reporter Bernard Châtelet's song is quite memorable because it is the only time, during the entire 115 minutes, that we see a named character break into song on-screen! It's quite a shock, especially since it's right near the end.

The film skims through so much of the manga's story in its runtime. This becomes a problem when Marie-Antoinette brings up her lonely childhood, and her even lonelier marriage, to essentially guilt-trip Oscar. During the first 40 minutes, we see not even a flashback to her previous life, while her French royal life is skimmed during an admittedly catchy song. The Affair of the Necklace is even skimmed over during another montage. King Louis XVI is barely even an entity during that point. Unsurprisingly, I reacted to her story with a simple "ok." All that skimming makes her descent to snobbish royal a bit less tragic. Still, she's not the worse royal in the movie, with that honor going to the real-life Henri de Guéméné. 

It gets better once Oscar becomes the focus of the film. Although she also loses some plot details, her stalwart personality and struggles with gender norms make her a compelling character. As it turns out, not everyone is fine with her status, particularly the French Guards, who take quite a while to respect her. In due time, their sexist attitudes dissipate, and they're more than willing to follow her into battle. It's quite cool to see her earn their respect, particularly when she bests the snooty Alain de Soissons in combat. She and Andre have the film's most compelling relationship, by far. It's often melodramatic, but it's still moving when they affirm their love before the final battles, where they fall. Her arranged fiancé, the Count of Girodelle, is pleasantly gracious when he lets her be with Andre after she makes her feelings known. Those unfamiliar with the franchise can easily surmise how and why Oscar became such an iconic character.

Marie gets some nice scenes before she descends into full snobbish royal. First, she advocates for sparing Andre for indirectly nearly getting her killed horseback riding. In another, she affirms her love for Louis XVI when her affair is discovered. That scene is where Louis is first depicted as a character, rather than filler, and he's quite sympathetic there. Both scenes help spare Marie from being the worst royal in the film, even if somewhat. Hans, in case you're wondering, hushes out of the story midway through. Amongst their supporting cast, the best of them is Andre's Grandma, who provides some fun comic relief.

The animation by MAPPA does right for the codifier of manga melodrama. The splendor of pre-revolutionary France is recreated in all of its opulent glory with magnificent production and costume designs. The Masquerade number is not only marvelous to listen to, but it's also marvelous to look at with these visuals. Marie-Antoinette's entrance into Paris is greeted with a glowing welcome parade. Later on, the downcast skies outside Versailles excellently metaphorize the country's declining morality. A few extravagant touches turn Hans and Marie-Antoinette's affair into full-tilt melodrama. It's often goofy, but it's still weirdly captivating all the same. I can go on, but I'd rather you see it for yourself.

I've seen some of Lady Oscar, via YouTube, which I remember being visually meh but dramatically fine. At least one review compared it to Barry Lyndon, but that had some exquisite cinematography. By contrast, The Rose of Versailles is visually spectacular and dramatically good. Its story and musical numbers could have used some work, but we still get some compelling plot points in its narrative. I was interested in enough to stay for the credits, which spells out the fates of the survivors, fictional and real-life. I think it's worth chilling with this unique historical drama. The original series is readily available on streaming and Blu-Ray; why don't you check it out too?

That's it for now.

Cheech & Chong's Last Movie

Hey, man. What's happenin'?

Oh, hey Vance. Long time no see!

What do ya' mean, "long time no see?!" I guest-starred in that review about the TV glowing, man! That was in August!

Again, long time. Listen, I got a new documentary to talk about.

Okay, what's it about?

None other than that ultimate stoner act, Cheech & Chong. According to the title, this is their Last Movie, so let's approach this with some reverence.

Or we can make it funny.

That too.

Anyway, Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong are driving to meet Dave at "The Joint." It doesn't take much to infer that this is the director, David L. Bushell, who's got an impressive resume as a producer (Sling Blade, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Dallas Buyer's Club). Along the way, they reminisce about their lives and careers, especially what led them to break up in the mid-eighties. At least, how they interpreted what happened. All the while, you'd be wondering if they're still pals.

Oh, by the way, Dave's not here (on camera).

So, what ya' think of it, man?!

I went in knowing little about them, other than their reputation, and went out impressed. You'll learn, among other things, about their backgrounds, how they met, and how producer Lou Adler (The Rocky Horror Picture Show guy) helped them get famous. Cheech, in particular, recalls how he grew up in South Central L.A. with an angry father and eventually fled to Canada to avoid the draft. I won't forget the gunshot sound effect that opens one montage in his story, that's for sure. Tommy, meanwhile, is from Canada, and was in several soul bands before he turned to comedy. They found each other in an improv group and the rest is history.

It's quite interesting to learn about their careers. You'll see them record a few of their famous skits and songs, and even how they got their personas. Tommy, in particular, modeled his persona on a hippie named Strawberry, who not only worked the sound at Tommy's club, but inspired a character in their first movie, Up In Smoke. Speaking of which, Adler low-balled them for what became a blockbuster back in the day, which they subsequently joked about. But their subsequent films, which Tommy directed, had diminishing returns and a brutal clash of egos behind the scenes. There's some resentment between them, as hinted at their individual interviews, but it's quite nice to see Cheech shoulder Tommy near the end.

Can I break this act, man?

Go ahead.

Finally!

It's not only a documentary, but it's a weird trip. Cheech and Tommy pick up a few surprise cameos on their way to The Joint. Theoretically, the most surprising is Adler himself, who's actually on good terms with them despite the low-balling. He respectfully gets out when it gets to that point. When Tommy claims that his then-wife, Maxine Sneed, was accepting of his affair with his now-wife, Shelby, Maxine pops up in the backseat to refute that. You'll just have to see it in context. Shelby, by the way, is the third guest star, and she has her own amusing stories to tell. The Guys smash the fourth wall when their climactic argument kicks in; again, you'll have to see it in context.

What else do we have? We get a nice selection of stock footage to illustrate their highs and lows. A few highlights include a Johnny Carson joke and Siskel & Ebert's scathing review of Nice Dreams. The latter moment is when you'll finally notice the diminishing returns. A few animated segments perfectly illustrate whatever the stock footage could not. In one segment, you'll feel for Cheech when he, as a young boy, is snubbed from a birthday party, which he watches from his window. It's quite compelling to see how he and Tommy used their life experiences to shape their routines. It's particularly interesting to hear about the production of Cheech's first solo movie, Born in East L.A., as well as its real-life inspirations. That movie seems quite relevant now.

Cheech & Chong's Last Movie is slightly overlong at two hours, but it's still good stuff. A few potentially interesting anecdotes aren't mentioned, like how Cheech & Chong were considered for The Lion King (Chong's part was rewritten for Whoopi Goldberg), but I digress. Their longtime fans will get a kick out of this documentary, while neophytes are sure to be amazed by the guys' life stories. I certainly was. Check it out for a good time. Do it soon, before it's crowded out by all the big movies.

Peace.

George A. Romero's Resident Evil

We now go from a horror film that is to a horror film that could have been.

Capcom’s horror video game franchise, Resident Evil, was in part inspired by the works of George A. Romero. So, it seemed that the director of Night of the Living Dead was the natural choice to adapt the property for the big screen. But that didn’t happen. Brandon Salisbury hopes to explain why in his documentary, George A. Romero’s Resident Evil.

Basically, Romero was hired after he directed a commercial for Resident Evil 2 in 1997. His screenplay recreated the game in movie form, albeit with some creative liberties, and we eventually hear a beat-by-beat summary of his treatment. But for some reason, Capcom and production company Constantin Film didn’t like it, and that was it. Eventually, Paul W.S. Anderson was hired instead, and his film debuted in 2002. Anderson’s film, and its sequels, were anything but the game in movie form. A few talking heads muse what could have been.

Most of the time, however, these talking heads discuss Romero’s life and legacy. They go into length about how Night of the Living Dead influenced future horror films with its modern definition of a zombie and its unprecedented violence. They discuss, even if for a second, some of his less famous films, like 1977’s Martin. They highlight his creative process through the filming of the RE2 commercial, and what it was like filming with him. You’d be surprised to learn how much of a cool guy he was, as George Demick found out when he met Romero at a convention. It’s quite nice to hear how Romero cast Demick as a zombie in Day of the Dead as a birthday present. It's quite profound when Demick, and a few others, relate how they learned of Romero's death in 2017.

So, what about the main thesis? Why was the film rejected? According to the documentary, the producers rejected the film due to concerns of violence and budget. Yes, it may sound weird how squeamish the producers were about zombie violence, but keep in mind that Romero's films were beyond graphic. X-Rated, if he had them submitted to the MPAA. During the beat-by-beat analysis, the speaker exposits that some of the script's dialogue was weak, but fixable on account of being a first draft. Romero was quoted, "I feel like I'm ripping myself off," while filming the commercial, which hints at some reservations. Other than that, the documentary doesn't delve into his perspective, or why he was fired. What I'm getting at is that he moved on, so did the franchise, and that was that. Okay.

What else does the documentary have? There are some nifty scenes, which I assume are recreating moments from the games, presented in glorious HD by cinematographer Tom Rebenolt. A highlight is the opening scene, where a soldier narrowly escapes death by zombie dog. The interviews with several personnel from the first game, such as writer Kenichi Iwao and actor Charlie Kraslavsky, are quite interesting to hear. Speaking of which, the documentary is narrated by Pablo Kuntz, the first game's voice of the franchise's Big Bad Albert Wesker. His voice is quite memorable even if you don't recognize it at first glance. It's especially memorable when he narrates how a movie tie-in game, Sweet Home, led to the existence of the franchise. 

A lot of the anecdotes about Romero would suit a documentary about the man himself. The unrealized film at the center of George A. Romero's Resident Evil is just a thing that happened in his life. Who knows if it would have been the first great video game movie, but the script analysis presents a decently interesting project. This documentary will definitely captivate fans of the franchise and perhaps entice new fans of the franchise. I've never played the games, and only watched the third film, Resident Evil Extinction, but I'm now more interested in playing the games after this documentary. I liked what I saw, even if it wasn't a perfect movie. Maybe you will too.

That's it for now.

Sinners

 Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s highly anticipated vampire film, premiered this past Easter weekend. Does it live up to the hype? Well, given the director’s past track record, of course it does. Let’s explain.

It’s 1932. After a lifetime of violence, twins Smoke & Stack Moore (both Michael B. Jordan) have come home to Clarksdale, Mississippi. Today, they plan to open their own joint, Club Juke, funded by a fortune they stole from their previous employers: Capone’s outfit. They spend the day hiring some talent, including their cousin Sammie (Miles Caton) as a guitarist; fieldworker “Cornbread” (Omar Benson Miller) as a bouncer; shopkeepers Grace & Bo Chow (Li Jun Yi & Yao) as suppliers; Smoke’s wife Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) as the cook; singer Pearline (Jayme Lawson); and pianist Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo). With a crew like that, opening night is an assured success. 

Meanwhile, Irish vampire Remmick (Jack O’Connell) recruits a Klan-couple, Joan & Bert (Lola Kirke & Peter Dreimanis) into his undead ranks. Sammie’s uncanny musical abilities draw the trio to Club Juke. They then spend the night recruiting unlucky patrons into their ranks. It doesn’t take long for the survivors to realize they’re dealing with the undead, and they prepare for battle. But not everyone will make it to see the next sunrise.

It was recently announced that the Best Cinematography Oscar will start using shortlists. I'd be really shocked if Autumn Durald Arkapaw not only misses the shortlist, but the nomination itself. Much hype has been made of her using 65 mm film, and some showings are said to have changing aspect ratios. I had a consistent aspect ratio, but I was still impressed with what I saw. Early on, there are some unbelievable oners; the first of which takes us between the Chows' stores, and the second is an extremely surreal musical sequence. Later on, the film haunts its viewers with Remmick and his vampirized coven performing an Irish folk song in the dead of night. Her Delta Gothic aesthetic creates a weary world, haunted by evil, and I'm not just talking about the Nosferatu.

A few more names in Coogler's production posse - composer Ludwig Göransson, production designer Hannah Bleacher, and editor Michael Shawver - are also deserving of recognition. The bluesy score explodes with ferocity during the battle scenes, while the musical numbers are exquisite. Its recreation of Clarksdale feels like an actual town and not some movie set in New Orleans (which it was). The sawmill that becomes Club Juke, in particular, looks great before and after the renovations. The battle scenes are as great as the jump scares; both benefit from some excellent sound design. The technical goodness is further exemplified by its excellent makeup and visual effects work. This is a film that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

Another marvel comes from Jordan's double-act. His performances make it easy to forget that we're watching visual effects at play. The twins' brotherly bond, especially during his final fight, is that compelling. Stack gets one of the more substantial plotlines as he reconnects with his old girlfriend, Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), a bi-racial woman. It's a pretty good subplot made more potent when she turns vampire. Smoke, meanwhile, is rather ruthless, as shown by how he deals with two loiterers. But he's also an inherently good man haunted by his violent past; the finale lets him go out in a spectacular blaze of glory. It was sometimes easy to forget which was which, though their wardrobes by Ruth E. Carter helped out a lot. But I think you'll figure it out by the end.

What makes Remmick a more ghoulish villain is how alluring he is. Sure, he maybe a violent monster, but he's so believable when he speaks of racial tolerance in his coven. You won't forget how villainous he is, particularly when he turns outwardly monstrous close to sunrise. It takes quite a while before he shows up at Club Juke, but it's worth the wait. What helps that wait is the outstanding ensemble of actors surrounding Jordan, particularly Caton (in his film debut), Miller, and Lindo. It really accentuates the dread when some of them go vampire during the night. David Maldonado is also quite good as Hogwood, the treacherous businessman who sells the twins the sawmill. I can go on, but I won't.

Instead, I'll implore you to see Sinners as soon as possible. Believe it or not, there's quite a bit I had to leave out of this review. I left during the mid-credits, but I'm told there's something after the credits too. I won't tell you what it is, either. You need to see and hear these surprises for yourselves. I'm working on my next review, so I'll leave it with this: Sinners is just Great. 

Drop

The poster of 1981’s The Amateur promised that “The first 11 minutes will absolutely shock you. The last 11 minutes will rivet you to your seat.” As for the recent film's weekend rival, Drop, I can promise something better: "You'll hang on for dear life until the end credits." Let's see if I can elaborate.

A few years after her abusive husband Blake's suicide, therapist Violet Gates (Meghann Fahy) is ready to date again. She's met a nice guy, Henry Campbell (Brandon Skelnar), on her favorite app, DigiDrop, and they've booked the nicest restaurant in Chicago, Palate. She leaves her young son, Toby (Jacob Robinson), in the care of her sister, Jen (Violett Beane), and heads off. 

Everything seems fine until someone slides into her DMs with some creepy memes. The User, as I'll call them, has a nifty little game for Violet called "Kill Henry or your Family Dies." The User's masked accomplice has invaded Violet's home, and unless she slips Henry some poison, Toby and Jen will get it. Whoever it is, they're in the restaurant, and they're watching Violet through the security system. They won't let her tell anyone about their twisted game. So, how will she get out of this one?

Director Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day) and his writers, Chris Roach & Jillian Jacobs, waste not a second in this movie. It takes little time to get going, and once it does, The User's omniscience puts us on edge along with Violet. Each time she tries to outwit The User, the villain taunts her on her DMs. The User's words loom over her on-screen; they'll know if Violet tries anything covert. What makes it more unnerving is that practically everyone, other than our main couple, is a plausible suspect. The most obvious of them all turns out to be another victim. The actual villain goes all in on their villainy once they're exposed. And then, there's the matter of the masked accomplice. Talk about stakes.

Whatever nitpicks I have about the story aren't that big, but here goes. The film tries to make it a mystery whether Violet actually killed Blake or not. The film opens up with her being attacked, which is picked up by additional flashbacks. It's quite easy to guess the truth by the second flashback, which is partially why I revealed it a few paragraphs ago. The User's masterplan hinges on exploiting her "murderous past," even if the cited evidence is beyond circumstantial. That's pretty much it.

These nitpicks are easy to ignore because Fahy's performance is that compelling. It doesn't take long to sympathize with her troubled past, her first date jitters, or even her being spammed when "the game" begins. Her desperation is palpable each time she has to awkwardly stall for time. You'll be right with her whenever she zeroes in - or even thinks she has - on her tormentor. Her final battle with The User and their masked accomplice makes for one spectacularly over-the-top climax. Her endearing chemistry with her co-stars, especially during the last scene, provides some levity here. There's some further levity provided by Matt (Jeffery Self), our main couple's waiter, who gets a few zingers as the night goes on.

What else do we have here? The production design is quite impressive, especially since there are only about three locations in the entire film. Palate, in particular, is quite an appealing restaurant, and I'm not talking about the menu. The cinematography by Marc Spicer helps accentuate its architectural marvels. He and the visual effects crew try their best to disguise Dublin, of all places, as Chicago. I didn't catch on, but a few tell-tale signs might give it away. Still, the nighttime city photography is nice to look at. The suspense is made better by editor Ben Baudhuin & composer Bear McCreary's delightfully thrilling work.

Drop in for 95-minutes you'll never forget. Its efficient storytelling will have you on edge until the credits finally roll. Of course, the final scene promises that Violet's troubles aren't over ... for two seconds. But after this movie, I'm interested to see whatever project Landon has in mind. Hopefully, whatever it is will Drop in at due time. Onwards to the next review.

The Amateur

 When you can’t get a professional for your mission, try an amateur. He’ll get the job done! Eventually.

The Amateur is actually the second film version of Robert Littell’s novel, the first of which debuted along with the novel in 1981. Will this film escape its predecessor’s fate of cinematic obscurity? Let’s find out.

Our amateur hero is Charlie Heller (Rami Malek), a CIA cryptographer with an adoring wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan). Thanks to a source codenamed Inquiline, Charlie discovers that his superiors have committed drone-assisted false-flag attacks. Meanwhile, Sarah is on a business trip in London when she is killed in a sudden terrorist attack. Charlie blackmails his boss, Director Moore (Holt McCallany), into getting the training needed to take down the terrorists.

Charlie is assigned Col. Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) as his trainer. Try as he might, “Hendo” can’t make a killer out of our meek hero. At least, not a direct one, for Charlie is actually good at making death traps. So, Charlie goes off to make his wife’s killers pay. Meanwhile, the CIA bigwigs send Henderson to deal with Charlie. That’s pretty much it.

As Charlie, Malek is quite sympathetic as he processes his grief. You can especially feel his rage when he realizes that Moore is basically in cahoots with his wife’s killers. What we see of his relationship with Sarah - by the way, she pops up in his mind’s eye a few times - is pretty likable. Unfortunately, the script he’s assigned with is the wrong kind of perplexing. It takes nearly an hour before he goes hunting, and the story skips several key steps in his progression. Still, the spy stuff is enjoyable, such as him consulting YouTube for lock-picking early on. 

With the exception of Schiller (Michael Stuhlbarg), the leader and Sarah’s direct killer, the terrorists are pretty bland. Sure, that they killed Sarah makes them bad guys, but what else do they have? Not much else. If you swap their locations in the plot, nothing will change. The only things memorable about them are how they die, especially in that sky-high swimming pool! Then again, they’re basically extensions of Moore, but their villainy is impacted by the pacing issues. It even makes Charlie’s plan for Schiller a bit anti-climactic. 

What else do we have here? Fishburne’s Col. Henderson is quite stern, but he’s much better when he shows sympathy for Charlie’s loss. He’s still likable even as he’s sent after Charlie. Jon Bernthal shows up as “The Bear,” a professional agent who’s mostly just there, but he does have a decent last scene with Charlie. Inquiline, who shows up played by Caitríona Balfe, is quite compelling as she and Charlie bond over their bereavements. Among the technical agents, the best work comes from the nifty location shooting by Martin Ruhe and the moody score by Volker Bertelmann. 

Overall, The Amateur's set-up is pretty interesting, but its execution could have been better. It feels longer than its 123-minutes, but they all lead to a nice resolution for our unlikely hero. I never really paid attention to the original novel and film, but its existence got me to check out both; I'm still interested in both even now. Perplexing, but true. Anyway, I have a much better thriller I want to talk about next time. That review will Drop pretty soon ...

A Minecraft Movie

I lacked a system for any of Mojang's Minecraft video games until I got a Switch in 2022. And when the first trailer came out for its film adaptation, A Minecraft Movie, I still wasn't interested in it. But with my one thousandth - yes, one thousandth - review approaching, I needed some material. So, I decided to give it a shot.

This is a film that shouldn't work. It has a barebones plot and character dynamics that you've probably seen better done in other movies. It also has way too many cooks in the kitchen with six credited writers. But it surprisingly works, most of the time, thanks to its enthusiastic silliness. That much is evident when we're introduced to Steve (Jack Black), who delivers the rather lengthy opening exposition.

It's quite an entertaining yarn as we listen to him wanting to mine his local mine for reasons, which he finally does as an adult. There, he finds two MacGuffins ("This thingy and that cool thingy") that send him to the blocky Overworld. The Overworld lets him build anything he wants, so he builds himself his own town. All is good until he finds the Nether, which is populated by the evil Piglins and their ruler, Malgosha (Rachel House), who hates creativity. She wants the thingies, but Steve sends his loyal wolf, Dennis, to hide them in the real world.

The thingies wind up with has-been gamer Garrett Garrison (Jason Momoa), who ends up in the Overworld with siblings Natalie (Emma Myers) & Henry (Sebastian Hansen) and their realtor Dawn (Danielle Brooks). One of the thingies breaks, but they can find a replacement with Steve's help. Meanwhile, Malgosha sets out to reclaim the thingies so she can conquer the Overworld. Our heroes can't let her do that. Yeah, that's kind of it.

Along the way, Henry & Natalie quarrel & make up; Garrett learns not to be a greedy jerk (but with his game shop getting foreclosed, can you blame him?); and Dawn is mostly there, but she uses her Petting Zoo "side-hustle" during the final battle. What about Steve? Well, Malgosha wants him to retrieve the thingies, so you'd think that he'd turn against our heroes. That never happens, which is kind of a waste. It's all typical stuff, but it's rarely boring thanks to its sense of humor. Director Jared Hess's creative voice is quite strong in this film.

Now for a few other points. It's little surprise that, when Garrett pulls of a heroic sacrifice midway through, that it won't stick. It's quite a surprise, however, to see how he survives it. Black and Momoa go all out with their line deliveries, turning the most basic lines into memorable quotes. Hess, as the Piglin General Chungus, gets the film's funniest lines thanks to his character's laidback personality. Malgosha's last stand is so pitiful that she's almost pitiable. Almost. About the only plot point that annoyed me was a lack of karma for a pair of school bullies. They just slink into the background after they sabotage Henry's makeshift jetpack. Nothing? Okay. 

I didn't know what to make of its aesthetics when I first saw that trailer. The realistic renderings of the game's blocky world looked odd, which was one reason I wasn't interested in it. But the aesthetics not only grew on me by the time I saw the film, but they made sense. Sure, the NPCs, or "Mobs," are bizarre, but some of them are meant to be bizarre, even creepy. Some elements, like chickens getting cooked into whole rotisseries in lava, are rendered hilarious instead of horrifying. It makes sense considering that this is a game world. By the end, I was amazed with the locales, even if the chroma keying wasn't perfect.

What else do we have here? What we see of its in-universe games, particularly Garrett's favorite brawler Hunk City Rampage, might entice one to play them now. The soundtrack features a marvelous score by Mark Mothersbaugh, some bits of original game music, and even a few goofy musical numbers sung by Black. A "pointless" subplot between Henry's Vice-Principal Marlene (Jennifer Coolidge) and the NPC Nitwit is actually amusing. Its adaptation of the crafting mechanics is quite intriguing, even if, as I've heard, it's not accurate to the game. You won't be lost amongst the game references if you've never played the game; one particular easter egg, however, will hit a lot harder if you get it.

Judging by the box-office, I think that A Minecraft Movie has found its audience well. I'm not sure if I have the time for the game, but I'm a bit more mildly curious about it now after this movie. Come check it out to see what all the fuss is about. Hopefully, even if you find it boring, your audience will let you watch it in peace. I'm not sure if it's worth the pandemonium making the news. Time and place, people!

That's it for now.

Death of a Unicorn

What can you expect from a title this straightforward?

Well, everything it has to offer begins on a plane. On this Air Canada flight are the Kintners, Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega), as they wait to get off to get going. Their destination is the Leopold Estate, whose ailing patriarch Odell (Richard E. Grant), looks to make Elliot his new proxy. Elliot, recently widowed, looks to use Ridley for sympathy points. But, first, Elliot needs to look at the road or else ...

(Bump)

Too late.

Elliot runs over an actual unicorn foal on the way there. The Kintners and their hosts soon realize that the unicorn's purple blood, as well as its horn, can cure anything. So, a freshly invigorated Odell gets his best scientists to work to synthesize the magical ingredients. While the adults see dollar signs, Ridley, who earlier bonded with the dying unicorn, sees it as a bad idea. The unicorn, as it turns out, isn't truly dead, but its larger and angrier parents have ways to permanently kill off everyone on the premises. It's up to Ridley to soothe the unusually savage beasts.

Alex Scharfman, a producer of several short films, makes his feature directorial debut here. It's essentially a slasher film whose killers are the most docile mythological creatures imaginable. It's a great hook, but it takes almost halfway there to get to that point. Its biggest tension during the first act comes from waiting for the inciting incident to happen. Once it does, and boy howdy, watching the unicorn agonize for so long is unbelievably uncomfortable. It's still weirdly funny when it briefly resurrects and thrashes around in Elliot's rental car. The unicorn killers help invigorate the film, but some of their kills are a bit needlessly cruel. Well, maybe not that of Odell's son Shepard (Will Poulter), who gets kicked in the head, but a few comparatively nicer others get worse deaths.

At least the cast gives it there all. The Leopolds maybe unlikeable, but they are weirdly entertaining. It's fun to watch Odell and Shepard ham it up once they partake in unicorn dust. Shepard, in particular, becomes a functional addict, whose swings between insanity and sanity are astounding. Matriarch Belinda (Tea Leoni) is extremely vapid, but she gets some good lines, while her own death is perhaps the cruelest of them all. It does remind you that they're jerks by refusing to allow Ridley to hand over the foal to its parents. Dr. Song (Steve Park), one of their scientists, is overly sesquipedalian, but he's not as callous as his employers. The best character here is Griff (Anthony Carrigan), the family butler and the most sensible man on the entire estate.

Oh wait, I kind of forgot about the Kintners. Ridley, by far, is the most compelling character as she struggles with her mother's recent death and her dad's workaholism. A major subplot has her, an art major, research The Unicorn Tapestries, whose events parallel those of the killing spree. She's understandably frustrated when her findings fall on deaf ears, at least until near the end (and by the wrong person). It doesn't take long to sympathize with her, unlike her oblivious dad, who only redeems himself at the end. It's quite nice to see them reconcile, which gives the audience hope after its ambiguous ending plays out.

The CGI for the unicorns is sometimes too obvious, particularly when we see them in daylight, but it still doesn't detract from the agonizing aftermath of the inciting incident. On the plus side, there's some impressive CGI for the cosmic phenomena the film shows us and the Kintners. There's some pretty good tension once it switches to horror, which is perfectly accentuated by Dan Romer & Giosuè Greco's score. Odell's death, in particular, was easily telegraphed, but it was no less surprising. Those uninterested in deaths by unicorn may find themselves wowed by the Leopolds' impressive estate, or the location filming in the Hungarian wilderness (standing in for Canada). You can thank production designer Amy Williams, and cinematographer Larry Fong, for these artistic creations.

So, what else can I say about Death of a Unicorn? It’s worth seeing at least once just to see its oft-kilter premise in action. It gets a while to get going, but it once it gets going, it goes rather well. It's not an instant horror classic, but it's still a decent matinee. If anything, it's an interesting incentive to learn about The Unicorn Tapestries, even if their history is partially fictionalized here. You'll be impressed with what you'll learn from that research; I was.

But that's it for now.