The Lost Bus

I don't think I was aware that The Lost Bus was driving to theatres this month. If I had been aware at one point, I completely forgot about it until I saw the trailer with The Roses at the top of the month. Don't let it pass you by, even if you wait until it premieres on Apple TV + this Friday. Let's get to it.

On November 7, 2018, Kevin McCay (Matthew McConaughey) is just a regular bus driver for the Paradise Unified School District. His family life is spent with his disabled mom, Sherry; his resentful son, Shaun, who is also sick with stomach flu (both played by actual McConaugheys Kay McCabe and Levi); the recent death of his estranged father; and a sick dog he puts to sleep that night. While some might scoff at the trauma conga line, it actually generally lines up with what Lizzie Johnson chronicled in her book, Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, which director Paul Greengrass & Brad Inglesby used for their screenplay.

As the Camp Fire erupts the following morning, Kevin rushes to deal with his family crises instead of to the bus depot. This makes him available to swing by Ponderosa Elementary School and help evacuate 23 stranded students (actually 22; one lucky kid's parents showed up in time). Kevin gets teacher Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera) to come aboard to help out. The mission is complicated when the fire spreads beyond everyone's expectations, forcing them to go further to the town of Chico. Kevin is naturally worried for his own family, but he has a mission to do.

Besides the trauma conga line, the build-up to Kevin literally answering the call is a long one. Before his fateful drive, he argues with his supervisor Ruby (Ashlie Atkinson) over his work ethic, argues with his ex over the state of his life, and is told by Sherry that Shaun really wants to leave. It's practically an eternity before he finally notices that gigantic smoke cloud. That long build up was the only thing that tested my patience in this 130-minute movie. That first half hour or so is pretty long, but it's still thematically appropriate.

Still, that first half-hour is quite suspenseful as we see the Camp Fire become an apocalyptic threat. Even if it takes Kevin too long to notice it, you'll feel it as Cal Fire Chief Martinez (Yul Vasquez) and his crew start fighting it. The Cal Fire crew get a substantial B-Plot, in which they contend with the environment, inadequate procedures and the incompetence that started it all; none of it is intrusive. Kevin and his charges face an ever-escalating series of complications, all of which make for perfectly intense set pieces. Mary hunting for water at a soon-to-explode campsite, an armed looter attacking the bus, and a heat-exhausted Kevin getting his second wind, easily justify a potential Editing Oscar for its three editors (including past winner William Goldberg).

Any technical nitpicks you might have become irrelevant as the drive gets underway. Besides the editors, the film also benefits from spectacular sound design, visual effects and cinematography by Pal Ulvik Rokseth. As the characters drive through blustering winds, smoke, flames and orange-tinted skies, it feels like they're driving through Hell on Earth, rather than Hollywood Magic. It makes it all the more cathartic when Kevin finally drives out of the inferno. James Newton Howard's score especially shines during that climactic drive. Whatever budget they had, it was worth it.

The characters themselves are mostly fine. The kids, save one, barely receive individuality, while Kevin's family barely appears on-screen. But the circumstances are dire enough that you'll still be invested in their safety. Kevin, Mary and Ruby are pretty likable and sympathetic, for the most part. Kevin and Mary's heroism, along with Ruby's diligence, will make you like them even more. Chief Martinez is quite engaging as he deals with the aforementioned complications. They all make a good ensemble, but I'm wondering why they left out Abbie Davis, the other teacher aboard the bus. Was it simplicity? 

What else can I say about it? I was kind of apathetic about boarding The Lost Bus; I stepped off surprisingly refreshed. I suspect it might be a hidden gem in later years, especially due to its minimal advertising. So, here's my way of telling you that one of the best thrillers and disaster movies in recent years exists. See it however you can. 

That's it for now.

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

Over the years, there have been many films that I have considered reviewing here. A few years ago, a few such films included the melancholic sci-fi drama After Yang, and the culinary horror comedy The Menu. This year, the director of the former film (Kogonada) and the writer of the latter (Seth Reiss), team up to present A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. Let's see if it lives up to its title.

David's (Colin Farrell) car gets booted on the day of a big wedding. It’s not his wedding, but somebody whom the film isn’t interested in elaborating on. Anyway, a convenient dealership, The Car Rental Agency, shows up in a back alley. Its two clerks, The Cashier and the Mechanic (Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Kevin Kline), run the place like a casting agency (they have David’s headshots, for reasons), and The Cashier casts David as a Saturn driver (because that's all they have).

David meets Sarah (Margot Robbie) at the wedding, but nothing happens between them. On the drive home, David's talking GPS (Jodie Turner-Smith), who has a very familiar interface, asks him if he wants to go on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. He agrees, and he gets redirected to Sarah at a gas station Burger King. Sarah, who also rented from the TCRA, gets car trouble, so she hitches a ride with David.

The GPS redirects them to magical doors that take them to specific points in their lives. For instance, David gets to relive the night he crushed it in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which is also when his crush crushed his heart. Everyone sees David as he was, but we see him as he is now. The same goes for Sarah in her door worlds. Their past hangups threaten to tear them apart, but there's a happy ending for them.

Did everybody get all that? 

Because this isn't a film that explains much. In fact, its world-building is often done with proudly vague and generalized dialogue. David and Sarah's romantic flakiness is exposited with outlines, not dialogue. Stuff like the TCRA and the unnamed city is like a genre savvy movie parody. Yet, the film also wants to be a serious romantic drama. One minute, Sarah is ready to pump the breaks on their relationship because David doesn't really know her, or something. The next, they get in car trouble and stay at the "Timely Inn" (which is an admittedly amusing detour). We get vague hints of the TCRA's true purpose, but we have no real idea who they are. Even Big, which factors into Sarah's past, has hints of something bigger with its unplugged fortune teller machine. What I'm getting at is that the tonal confusion makes it a little hard to get invested in the central relationship.

It's a little easier to get into Kogonada's directing flourishes. The cinematography by Benjamin Loeb gives us some pretty scenery, both real and fantastical. The sky adorning the couple's first stop, a lighthouse, is overly romantic and nice to look at. Farrell's musical prowess in How to Succeed's opening number is a pleasant surprise; between that and the staging, here's hoping he and Kogonada do more musicals. Its sweet, sentimental score is nice to listen to, but the fact that it is by Studio Ghibli's favorite composer, Joe Hisaishi, in his first American film, is the film's biggest surprise. 

Amongst the supporting cast, a few highlights are actual couple Hamish Linklater & Lily Rabe, who play David's dad and Sarah's mom. They each get a scene where their respective kids talk to them in the door worlds. David gives his dad some needed moral support in his door world, and Sarah's mom gives her some in hers. Granted, the circumstances confuse an already confused plot, but the two of them make the most of their moments. Another confusing, yet decent moment, is when David suddenly becomes his dad and consoles himself (Yuvi Hecht) in another door world. I can go on, but I can't.

If you think this movie is for you, feel free to go on A Big Beautiful Journey to your local cineplex. You should probably hurry before it gets crowded out. Late in act two, David and Sarah, on a "break" from their journey, hike up to the moon (because, of course). Both comment that the experience is "beautifully strange," and "strangely beautiful;" either way they phrase it, that's what I think of this movie. 

The Long Walk

 Stephen King may have started his published career with Carrie, but he actually wrote another novel, The Long Walk, almost a decade earlier. It was eventually published in 1979 under his short-lived pseudonym, Richard Bachman, who also has another novel with a film on the way. But let's walk on over to the film out now.

Instead of yet another crummy future, we have a crummy past. In it, a second Civil War has led to a second Great Depression and a Totalitarian United States. Every year, fifty boys, one from each state, are chosen by lottery for The Long Walk, the nation's biggest sporting event. Supervised by a sinister Major (Mark Hamill), the contestants walk hundreds of miles until only one remains. The winner gets a huge cash prize and whatever else he wants; the losers, particularly those who can't keep up the pace after three warnings, get "ticketed" by their military convoy.

At the starting line, we find the likes of Raymond Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), Peter McVries (David Jonsson), Hank Olson (Ben Wang), Billy Stebbins (Garrett Wareing), Arthur Baker (Tut Nyuot), and Collie Parker (Joshua Odjick). Ray, who has it out for the Major, bonds with Peter, the idealist. How long can they keep up the pace?

Francis Lawrence, with his work on The Hunger Games franchise, is quite an appropriate director. Indeed, your mind might veer to Panem once the radio exposition establishes its bleak world. It might not have a huge budget to fully visualize its world, but the desolate landscapes filmed by Jo Willems more than suffice. There's barely any life on the beaten path, as if the Dust Bowl never ended. That's how bad it is. A particular highlight is when the walkers pass by two parked cars - a police car and a burning car. You'll be wondering what happened there.

You may also wonder how a film like this can be engaging. Well, Lawrence and screenwriter JT Mollner accomplishes that with their cast. It's quite compelling to watch Ray and Peter bond with each other and their fellow walkers. You'll want to keep up with these "musketeers" as they help each other keep up the pace. The tension is high whenever the convoy starts issuing warnings. The walkers just narrowly avoid getting ticketed multiple times, and it's never redundant by the time they finally get it.  What makes the convoy really cruel is how they keep warning obviously unfit contestants (one comes down with epilepsy, another suffers the worse broken ankle you'll ever see). The long-delayed mercy kills are nowhere near a relief.

Let's discuss a few characters. One walker, Gary Barkovitch (Charlie Plummer), gets on everyone's bad side - on-screen and off - when he gets another walker ticketed. His flippant behavior does little to change that opinion, but after a while, we fully understand how broken he is. We eventually pity him when he ends his own life. The Major isn't a nice man, to say the least, but he surprisingly takes it in stride when the walkers shout treason (or something like it). And finally, we have Judy Greer as Ray's mom Ginnie, who mostly just weeps hysterically. Considering the situation, you won't blame her too much. In fact, it's because of her presence that the film's ending, which is significantly tweaked from the novel, takes on a bit of a sour note. 

 Those that walk on by will get themselves a masterful dystopian thriller. You'll be surprised how funny most of the movie is, at least until the final stretch. At face value, the ending is rather bleak, but it's still interesting to think about. Of course, if The Long Walk doesn't suit your speed, then that other movie surely will. You bet that I'll run on by that film once it hits on November. That's it for this one.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

 In 1984, moviegoers were introduced - if they hadn't watched The T.V. Show in 1979 - to the most famous fictional rock band of all time in the most famous musical mockumentary of all time. They are Spinal Tap, stars of This Is Spinal Tap, and this is Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.

Rob Reiner, and his cinematic alter-ego Marty DiBergi, tell us what the band has been up to since the first movie. Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), the lead guitarist, has a guitar-and-cheese shop in Ireland. David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), the lead singer, now composes for true crime podcasts. Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), the bassist, now runs a glue museum. Fifteen years earlier, the band tapped out because of tensions between Nigel & David. It turns out they're contractually obligated to play one last show, which they'll do in New Orleans. Marty and his crew film the band as they prepare for showtime. That's basically it.

I admit that I'm not much of a "taphead," being only vaguely familiar with a few of their jokes (like their speakers that go up to eleven, and the high turnover rate of their drummers) and their guest spot on The Simpsons. That said, I found plenty of delightful silliness packed into 83 minutes. Their new manager, Simon Howler (Chris Addison), is tone deaf in more ways than one. They lodge in a "ghost house" haunted by living tour groups. They get some weird auditionees for drummer, none more so than somebody from the Blue Man Group. We also get Nigel's weird fixation with cheese, an unfortunate incident at Derek's museum, and a pretty entertaining set list (mostly oldies).

What can I say about the characters? Well, for starters, Nigel & David have the only compelling story thread. As the concert nears, we’re told that something happened between these lifelong friends. Well, we find out why late into the film, and it's quite the Act Two bombshell. You'll have to find out for yourself what it is, but they do have a nice reconciliation afterwards. Derek's fine, but it's pretty fun to hear Shearer break into his Otto voice from The Simpsons in live action. A few supporting players return with their own humorous anecdotes. One of them, Jeanine Pettibone (June Chadwick), figures into the big bombshell, though I didn't realize the connection until after the movie. Did I spoil too much?

Who knows if Spinal Tap II: The End Continues will raise your afternoon up to eleven? But I think its brand of silliness will make your afternoon interesting. You might get the most mileage out of its story if you've already watched the first film. Those who haven't, like me, will have a lot to catch up to. If you want to see it big, see it now, for the end might end sooner than you think. Don't believe me? My local theater plans to demote it to a single nighttime showing starting Monday! Will it be around next weekend? Stay tuned ...

... Or not.

A Samurai in Time

A Samurai in Time was self-financed by filmmaker Jun’ichi Yasuda for 26 million yen. When it opened in Japan last year, it eventually made a billion yen, and won Japan’s equivalent of the Best Picture Oscar, the Japan Academy Film Prize for Picture of the Year. I say that’s a pretty good investment.

And now, if you want to see what the fuss is about, you can stream it on your favorite service. Let’s get to it.

In 1867, during the Bakumatsu era, Shinzaemon Kosaka (Makiya Yamaguchi) was just a regular samurai for the Aizu clan. One stormy night, he encounters Hikokuro Yamagata (Ken Shonozaki), a rival samurai, and they duel. Suddenly, Kosaka gets struck by lightning and awakens on a Jidaigeki (period drama) set in 2007. Just about everyone, including assistant director Yuko Yamamoto (Yuno Sakura), mistakes him for a dazed extra. Yuko helps him move in with a local priest (Yoshiharu Fukuda), and his wife, Setsuko (Manko Kurenai).

When an extra falls ill, Yuko helps Kosaka fill in. Pretty soon, Kosaka becomes a regular Jidaigeki kirareyaku (essentially a jobber). Eventually, acclaimed actor Kyoichiro Kazami (Norimasa Fuke), formerly a Jidaigeki star, announces his return to the genre and handpicks Kosaka as his co-star. Kyoichiro is actually an older Yamagata, who wishes to settle things once and for all. Kosaka, while initially reluctant, eventually comes around with a pretty drastic plan for the finale.

It would be easy to play Kosaka's temporal fish-out-of-water antics completely for laughs. Indeed, it's pretty funny as Kosaka discovers things like prop fish and a vacuum. It's also endearing to see him moved to tears after he watches his first Jidaigeki, and when he's offered some cake (when only the nobles of his time were allowed sweets). We laugh with Kosaka, not with him, as he encounters the intricacies of modern life. We even sympathize with him, particularly when he discovers the historical fate of his clan. It's quite tense when he and Yamagata film their final battle, in more ways than one. 

Kosaka is surrounded by a good supporting cast. There's his sword fighting instructor, Mr. Sekimoto (Rantaro Mine), whose stories as a kirareyaku are quite compelling. Yuko, Setsuko and The Priest are quite likable as they help Kosaka adjust to 2007 (they never learn the truth!). One scene in particular, which probably helped Yasuda win the Japan Academy's Film Editing Award, has the trio try to console Kosaka after he's seemingly rejected by Sekimoto. Of course, if he was rejected, there'd be no movie, but it's still fun watching it play out. Kyoichiro being Yamagata is a clever plot twist; surprising yet natural. Kyoichiro and Kosaka have great chemistry, which plays out wonderfully during the final battle. Tsutomu Tamura makes quite an impression as Kyotaro Nishiki, the star of the Jidaigeki Kosaka stumbles upon; what little we see of him shows him as a cool dude.

Now, for a bit of meta discussion. It was mostly filmed on Toei Kyoto Studio Park, a major filming location for Jidaigeki productions. When Toei's superheroes time travel, their adventures are filmed there too. It got me thinking of how Jidaigeki (and Kabuki) tropes evolved into those of Kamen Rider and Super Sentai (including those installments which overtly homage the genre).  Yuko, at one point, tells Kosaka of how she grew up watching Jidaigeki shows, and how much they mean to her. It's another compelling character moment. Overall, I was left with some more respect for the Jidaigeki genre. Avid fans of Japanese superheroes, or even casual film watchers, might gain some too.

I'm sure an American equivalent of this premise would be an Old West gunman getting a job on Western movies. It might give us a comparison between Hollywood's Wild West and the actual Days of Yesteryear. That would make for a great movie, too. But please see A Samurai in Time before someone gets that remake idea. I think that its unique fish-out-of-water story is well worth your time. What more can I say about it?

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle

 Who’s ready to slay the box-office? Again?

Tanjiro Kamado, that’s who!

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Castle is, by far, the most anticipated anime film of the year, and it has the box-office to prove it. It starts off a film trilogy which is set to conclude the story of Koyoharu Gotoge’s manga by 2029. That’s quite a ways away, so let’s sum up the film we have now. And this time, we're going by the English dub.

When we last left Tanjiro (Zach Aguiler) on TV, he and his fellow Demon Slayers were having their final battle with supreme demon Muzan Kibutsuji (Greg Chun). But Muzan changed the locale to his stronghold, the Escher-esque Infinity Castle. Now, the elite Hashira and the rank-and-file Slayers have to fight their way through Muzan’s demonic legions to get to him. The film follows groups of Slayers around the castle, but it concerns most of its massive 155-minutes with three fights:

1. Shinobu Kocho (Erika Harlacher), the Insect Hashira, fights Doma (Stephen Fu), the demon who slew her sister and predecessor Kanae (Bridget Hoffman) in combat. It doesn’t end well for her.

2. Zenitsu (Aleks Le), hardly a wimp anymore, fights Kaigaku (Alejandro Saab), his treacherous training partner who is now one of Muzan’s Upper Ranks.

3.Tanjiro and his Hashira mentor, Giyu Tomioka (Johnny Yong Bosch), fight Akaza (Lucien Dodge), who slew fan-favorite Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku all the way back in Mugen Train. Akaza refuses to let decapitation get in his way, but a few flashbacks might help the Slayers.

And by few, I mean a lot. The film devotes a lot of time to the backstories of its main combatants. In particular, we're meant to sympathize, even if somewhat, with the villainous demons (which I've noted in the last few movies). Doma's backstory, as the figurehead of a scam cult, emphasizes the "somewhat" part, as he still comes across as a condescending creep. Kaigaku fairs a little better, as we understand his jealousy and resentment towards Zenitsu. It still doesn't absolve him, but it's progress. Akaza's fight and backstory is so long that it could be its own standalone feature; it's also, by far, the most compelling of the main bouts. It's surprising how much time zips by as you watch everything play out; still, some might think the flashbacks slow down the film too much.

Akaza's flashbacks introduce us to Keizo, his foster father and sensei. This easygoing man communicates tough love with his fists, while rarely breaking his smile. He and his daughter, Koyuki, give Akaza some much needed positivity up until their tragic ends. Nobody expected somebody like Channing Tatum would be cast in the role, up until his casting was announced last month. But his stoic voice gives Keizo a welcome cool dad vibe, fitting since he took the role for "cool dad points." Rebecca Wang, who dubs Koyuki, makes her a sympathetic and warm presence.

By now, you should probably know what to expect from the technical departments. The crisp animation, color palette and flashy sword effects, are still exquisitely done. A consequence of its extended length is that its flashy effects are somewhat overwhelming, which is partially why I didn't mind the flashback breaks. The production design fares a lot better on the eyes. Yes, I know the Infinity Castle has been around since the first season, but it's still an amazing locale, especially when we see it shift around to confound the Slayers. Series composers Yuki Kaijura and Go Shiina still churn out some impressive work. 

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Castle is a pretty satisfying start to this unorthodox series finale; the Akaza portions alone make its extended runtime worth it. Those uninitiated with the franchise need to catch up; the Mugen Train has well and truly left the station. Thankfully, the flashbacks provide some context for those just now hopping in. I'll leave it to you to decide when and where to see it. Here's hoping the momentum is still strong when the sequels pull in.

A few more things. It's kind of weird hearing Kiriya Ubuyashiki, the new leader of the Slayers, refer to the titular locale as "Infinite Castle" before he calls it "Infinity Castle" in the finale. What little we see of the non-mains are a few good character moments; Tanjiro and Giyu even get a surprisingly funny one at the start. Yeah, that's pretty much it.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Ten years ago, the Crawleys of Downton Abbey ended their television days on their sixth season. A few films later, they're finally ready to say goodbye with the aptly named Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. So, what can you expect from the Crawleys this time?

As usual, you can expect a lot.

Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) has finally divorced her husband Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode, who's been absent since the first film). The Crawleys find themselves mostly exiled from high society due to the "scandal." Lady Mary's American uncle Harold (Paul Giamatti, back from season 4's Christmas episode) returns with a new acquaintance, Gus (Alessandro Nivola). According to Harold, Gus saved most of Harold and Countess Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) late mother's (Shirley MacLaine in the series) wealth from the collapsing stock market. But then Harold squandered it anyway on bad investments. He might, perhaps, get out of debt by investing in Downton.

Meanwhile, Lord Robert (Hugh Bonneville) bequeaths Downton to Mary as he plans to move out. Mary gets tapped to judge at the county fair, much to chairman Sir Hector Moreland's (Simon Russell Beale) objections. Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) is finally ready to retire, for real this time, as the butler. And finally, no less than Noel Coward (Arty Froushan) plans to visit Downton with star Guy Baxter (Dominic West) and his "assistant," Thomas (Robert James-Collier). So, yeah, there's quite a lot to unfurl.

You should probably know what to expect by now. And thankfully, everyone from series creator Jullian Fellowes, composer John Lunn and the technical crew, maintain their consistently excellent work. Its acidic wit is still accounted for, even if Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith), is no longer around to deliver it. Its huge ensemble is still compelling, as are their multiple subplots. Its visual splendor is showcased in DP Ben Smithard's long oner, which takes us on a tour across Picadilly Square, all the way to - and around - Coward's Bitter Sweet. This time, it takes quite longer to get to Downton and Lunn's theme. The wait is worth it.

Anything new to expect? Froushan is pretty entertaining and likable as the famously flamboyant Coward. He's especially likable when he recognizes Mr. Moseley (Kevin Doyle) for his screenwriting in the last film and compliments him. It's quite amusing to see Coward's mingling with the Crawleys inspire a few of his future stage hits (Private Lives & Cavalcade). Harold's fine, even sympathetic when he learns that Gus actually scammed him of his wealth. Gus, meanwhile, is initially a charming rogue, but he gradually reveals himself as so detestable that you'll wish for karma yesterday. Even if it only comes in the form of Mary's sister, Marchioness Edith (Laura Carmichael), telling him off. 

Its presentation, however, almost derailed the film experience. I don't know why, but two magnetized lines ran down the screen during my showing. It was quite distracting to say the least; fortunately, more than enough of the film made the distortions unnoticeable. A bit more noticeable was the audio mixing problem during the opening. The musical number in Bitter Sweet had its music track overwhelm the vocals exponentially. Shouldn't both tracks be equal? I hope you won't run into any problems like that if you see it.

Anyway, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, gives its cast a good last hurrah. It's still surprising how much information I've retained from the previous films. Indeed, it’s hard to feel nothing during its bittersweet finale, particularly when it focuses on Violet and Dame Maggie. Its calm sea of continuity makes it a surprisingly good introduction to the franchise in case someone decides to start here. They, and those avid fans, will still see the same entertaining costume drama. I'll leave it to you to decide when and where to see it. 

The End.

On to the next review.

The Roses

 So, what do you think of when I bring up The War of the Roses?

Do you think of that one war between two English Royal Houses? Do you think of that one movie that Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner did with Danny DeVito in 1989? Or do you think of that one novel by Warren Adler that sourced the aforementioned movie?

I'll bet when you watch Jay Roach's take on the novel, simply titled The Roses, you'll think of the older movie. Is Tony McNamara's loose adaptation just as funny as Michael J. Leeson's faithful approach for the 1989 film? Is it funny, period? Let's take a look.

Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch) & Ivy Rose (Olivia Colman) are the couple that most would envy. He's a successful architect, and she's an aspiring chef who's also a successful stay-at-home mom. He eventually buys her a lot for a restaurant, which she calls We've Got Crabs! Everything changes when the storm of the century hits; his dream Nautical Museum falls pathetically to pieces, while her restaurant hits it big thanks to a visiting food critic (Caroline Partridge).

A few years later, he's the stay-at-home dad and she's the breadwinner. This new arrangement slowly, but surely, drives them apart with resentment. They try to hide it with playful banter, but everyone immediately sees the writing on the wall. It takes a memorable jog before Theo finally decides to divorce Ivy. Problem is, neither of them want to part with their smart house. Will someone blink in this War of the Roses, or will they destroy each other? I'll bet you know the answer already.

But you'll have to wait a while for the "festivities." It's 102-minutes long, and the war officially kicks off about an hour in. Theo & Ivy partake in childish pranks, most of which are told in a montage. Their attorneys, Barry (Adam Samberg) & Eleanor (Allison Janey), have an entertaining verbal sparring session. It gets pretty nasty in the climax, when both sides resort to all-out attempted murder. The last few seconds all but spells out their fate, a memorable "oops" moment if I've ever seen one. All the fun of the older movie in this one's last half-hour. "Where's the fun in that?" you might ask.

An answer might be how it eviscerates the whole "till death you part" thing. Their friends, including the aforementioned Barry and his wife Amy (Kate McKinnon), point out the obvious tensions. Their marriage counselor, Janice (Belinda Bromilow), deems their marriage unsalvageable after one session. Their kids, Hattie & Roy (Hala Finley & Wells Rappaport), applaud them for finally pulling the plug. Naturally, the film doesn't think highly of obviously contentious couples. If divorce is a parachute, then the Roses should hurry up and use it yesterday. I mean, they had their chance. Several, actually...

The Roses start off as pretty good parents and partners. As the film went on, however, I found myself siding with Ivy way more than Theo. She, at least, tries to be sympathetic to him, but he counters with needlessly cruel jabs (particularly when he finally starts the divorce). We can sympathize with him - when we're not laughing profusely - when the museum collapse goes viral. We can also slightly sympathize with him when Ivy slanders him with AI. But his climactic attempt to kill Ivy with food allergies renders their reconciliation a little flat. It's admittedly fun to watch Cumberbatch act like a petulant brat, though. He and Colman get some marvelous insults, so there's some levity there.

What else do we have here? Ivy's skills in pastry architecture are nothing less than outstanding. You got to see her house cake, at least until she throws it around during a contentious dinner party. I don't know who actually made the dishes, whether it was Colman or someone else on the staff, but they were appealing (ignore some "extra" ingredients). Their smart house looks pretty nice, thanks to production designer Mark Ricker. Its opening credits, set to a cover of Happy Together, are visually imaginative. Finally, Theodore Shapiro adds to the soundscape with an exquisite score.

It's an amusing deconstruction of marriage, even if it's not as vicious as its predecessor (I don't miss the older film's dinnertime surprise, though). I think some of the film's new gags are pretty good. I don't think the film's pathos is proficient, but it has some moments. Overall, it might be worth seeing this peculiar film even once. If it gets you to look at the older versions, then it's done something right.

The Toxic Avenger

 A few years after its festival run, The Toxic Avenger, Macon Blair's reinvention of Troma Entertainment's signature superhero, has finally started playing at theatres near us. Should we dump it back in the sewers? Or should we let it rise? Let's find out.

Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage) is a janitor trying to live a simple life Tromaville (St. Roma's Village). That life ends when he's diagnosed with a brain tumor, and his insurance won't cover him. He tries appealing to his employer, CEO Bob Garbinger (Kevin Bacon) of the BTH company, for help. Unbeknownst to Winston, BTH is a snake-oil company, and is singularly responsible for the town's poor health. Unsurprisingly, Bob and his henchwoman Kissy (Julia Davis) throw him out. 

Winston then tries corporate burglary, only to run into crusading reporter J.J. (Taylour Paige), and a murderous rock band called The Killer Nutz. The Nutz throw him into toxic waste, which mutates him into a creature nicknamed Toxie (Luisa Guerreiro, with Dinklage voicing the part). As Toxie bloodily cleans-up crime, Bob's benefactors at the mob start breathing down his neck. So, he concocts a scheme to extract Toxie's blood for scientific reasons (like superpowers). In the midst of this, Toxie has to reconnect with his stepson, Wade (Jacob Tremblay).

Everyone with me so far? 

The hardest thing to analyze is its sense of humor. It's unapologetically vulgar and gleefully gruesome, but then again, so are the Deadpool movies. What novelty is there when ultra-violent superhero media is now more common? Sure, it purports to be unrated, but it's actually rated R, released as the director intended. Oh, I think I explained the joke ...

Still, much like Deadpool, it still has fun stomping on cliches. Various parts of Tromaville are introduced with ridiculously gloomy names; some characters don't instantly die violently; an angry mob immediately forms after Toxie; Wade's appeal to Toxie's better nature - during the final battle - quickly falls apart. Its gruesomeness is admittedly still amusing; one particularly vulgar gag actually saves the day. I could go on, but that would ruin some of the fun. Indeed, it's all fun to watch, but I think it works best if you're watching with a crowd (I was the only one there!). 

Winston's plight is played for laughs as much as good taste allows. On one hand, his initial diagnosis is drowned out by an inconvenient construction crew. On the other, his talk with an uncaring insurance rep (Jane Levy) is hilariously maddening. His literal Save the Cat moment, even as onlookers ruthlessly mock him, gets us on his side right away. It's quite nice when he's celebrated as a hero by grateful onlookers at the end (including his creator, Lloyd Kaufman). Nothing seems amiss when Dinklage is switched out with Guerreiro; the suit work and dubbing are flawless. Toxie's makeup job, as well as those for his rogue's gallery, is perfectly freaky.

That rogue's gallery is perfectly headlined by Bob, who's so entertainingly, bombastically evil that he literally turns into the devil later on. Now, I made the mistake a few folks assumed with Toxie and thought it was Bacon underneath that makeup. That's actually Spencer Wilding (who also doubles as the Punk chicken masked Him Under the Hood), and he nails Bacon's mannerisms perfectly. Kissy, who seems to flip-flop between reluctant and willingly villainous, is all-out entertaining when she embraces evil. Fritz (Elijah Wood), Bob's brother, is a pitiable enough sad sack who turns good. Finally, we have Thad Barkabus (Jonny Coyne), the head mob guy, who doesn't add much for a secondary big bad.

J.J., in any other movie, would just be the deuteragonist. She's that, and the film's straight man, and it's quite amusing to see her confront the strangeness. She and Wade get a nice scene together as they bond over their recent bereavements (her sister, his mom). Wade, meanwhile, is decently likable, and is equally sympathetic in his strained relationship with Winston. Sean Dooley has a memorable cameo as J.J.'s boss, Mel Furd (the same name as Toxie's previous civilian identity), who gets one of the aforementioned prolonged deaths. The biggest supporting star, however, is David Yow, as Guthrie Stockings the Wise Hobo, Toxie's heroic mentor.

Now for the technical stuff. It gets pretty obvious whenever it utilizes CGI gore. Some might complain, but I'll let it slide considering this film's delightful unreality, which unless I'm mistaken, is also consistent with the Troma style. Practical effects aren't completely abandoned; there's an animatronic mutant bird who pops up for a few gags. Excellent production and costume designs further help visualize this unreality.

This movie, much like Troma's filmography, isn't for everyone. It's not only crass and violent, but Toxie doesn't show up until about thirty-minutes in. If you can tolerate that, you'll find yourself with a delightfully bizarre matinee. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's still messy fun. That's it for now.