A Lure

In the dream
I look down at my arm
and a hook is protruding

I grasp it and pull

slowly and painfully it comes

and keeps coming

with more hooks

and shiny metal disks

its an oversized fishing lure

I awake

disconcerted

what does it mean?

I need to pee.

'Grand Theft Hamlet' A Review

Grand Theft Hamlet is a documentary about two UK out-of-work actors who attempt to stage a production of Hamlet within GTA during lockdown.

"Shot" entirely within the game with audio of the various players talking to each other via headsets the film follows Sam and Mark as they come up with the idea of putting on Hamlet, cast, stage, and eventually perform it. More so than the production itself it's a meditation on the pandemic, isolation, creativity, community, and the enduring nature of art and its ability to restore(or at least distract).

Even at its short runtime the film at times feels claustrophobic(which is fitting) we, like the subjects, yearn for some actual human faces from time to time, but that's apt not a criticism. Its rich with theme and humanity and illustrates, along with last year's The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, the potential power and depth of digital fellowship.

A scrappy, utterly singular, piece of cinema with an ultimate message of hope and connection.

Currently streaming on MUBI.

See It.

'The Monkey' A Review

The Monkey is a horror comedy about a magically murderous monkey that haunts a family over decades.

Theo James in a twin role is effective as Hal, the lead, who also narrates, deploying some versatile emotion with some genuine depth. As Bill, the other twin, he is kind of uninspired, not particularly scary or interesting and James wears his wig and costume poorly. The supporting cast is pretty stacked but many of them are seen too briefly- Tatiana Maslany as Lois Hal and Bill's mom in flashbacks, Elijah Wood as Ted the stepdad of Hal's son, Adam Scott as Petey Hal and Bill's dad in flashbacks, Sarah Levy as Ida Hal and Bill's aunt. They're all perfectly cast but only get a scene or two each which lessons their impact. The bigger issue isn't the cast it's the unique but inconsistent tone and thematic confusion.

Writer/director Osgood Perkins has style, at this point that's inarguable, the film looks great with wild and funny gory deaths, immaculate set design, visually the film is inspired. The soundtrack and score weave together thrillingly but the script is just a bit thin and a bit confused as to its intent. The gross out comedy moments are really effective there's just not quite enough of them, at the same time there are feints made at actually trying to say something- about death, familial trauma, parental responsibility etc.- but those two objectives, as deployed in the film, come across as incongruous. As a result, much like Osgood's 2024 offering Longlegs, it stumbles in the third act, fails to finish, and kind of muddies the whole as a result.

Ambitious, intriguing, at times thrilling, but lacks cohesion. Perkins clearly has a great film in him but we haven't seen it yet.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Rent It.

'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' A Review

Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) is a documentary about the life, career, and legacy of the members of Sly and the Family Stone with particular focus on the band's front man Sly Stone.

Through talking-head interviews, concert footage, archival interviews with Sly, archival news, and some animation the band, its members, but more importantly the music are explored and celebrated. An overdue look at a great and influential figure and band. The best parts are when one of their songs is broken down in an animation sequence and when two talking-heads breakdown their sample of one of their songs. Basically the shop talk is excellent and the film is patient and generous in exploring the band's discography. The investigation into Sly himself, the burden of his Black Genius, as well as his addiction is compassionate and thoughtful if not ultimately particularly deep. But that's OK because it's the music, the sound that is really elevated and focused on, its a music doc not a biography. As an aside it is interesting that this film and many others like it, when discussing artists or public figures with addiction, fail to understand a most fundamental fact about the disease, which is, it can happen to anyone. We all have within us a certain threshold when it comes to substance use, for some its very high, for some(like myself) its very low, but there is a point beyond which the disease is triggered, like a circuit breaker. Sly may have started using for various reasons and circumstances(which the film discusses) but the disease, once active, renders those things relatively moot and the addict is solely focused on the acquisition and ingestion of the preferred substance.

An inspiring rumination on a legendary band with moments of transcendence propelled by the music. Should have had a theatrical release.

Currently streaming on Hulu.

Don't Miss It.

Chicago Pride

Despite the difficulties

crime, inflation, the political machine
despite civic complications

CTA, property tax, CPS

there is no where I'd rather be

than as a denizen of our fair city

its people characterized(generally speaking)

by determined work ethic

and cautious kindness

visiting the DMV today

I was struck

not by frustration, irritation, and malice

as is the cliché

but by a profound sense

of belonging

of community

orderly queuing

prompt and affable treatment

all of us

together

civic responsibility on one side

civil service on the other

all of us Chicagoans

(or presumably Cook County residents)

in acceptance of the day

and its necessities

in pursuit of accomplishment

however minor

and in this efficiency and mundanity

life

in all its depth and complexity

in all its richness

we are here

in the City of Big Shoulders

and we move forward

pride fills my chest

and eyes water in gratitude

joyful in our shared purpose

however fleeting

'The Gorge' A Review

The Gorge is a scifi action romance about two world class snipers stationed at either side of a mysterious gorge that contains mysterious monsters.

Anya Taylor-Joy brings her patented magnetism and commitment and makes something out of this not-much of a character in this convoluted story. She's charming, charismatic, and proves again and again that she's got talent. She brings the same level of intense commitment to her roles regardless of their quality(and good for her!). Unfortunately her wattage isn't really enough to bring the movie out of it's nose dive. Teller doesn't fair as well and uses a less-is-less approach, he hasn't really capitalized on the promise shown in his break out Whiplash partly because of the roles he's had but also perhaps because that was just one of those stars-aligning type of films and he simply doesn't have top-of-the-call-sheet type juice. He's not bad but he's not particularly interesting and the wild swings in tone don't do either actor any favors.

The movie looks cheap, shot mostly on soundstages with extensive greenscreen/CGI it looks fake and there is some uncanny valley effects as a result. The sound mix is atrocious with the oppressive score ten times louder than the (minimal) dialogue track. The biggest issue though is the script. Written on spec, it seems clear that screenwriter Zach Dean's intent was to use this to get his foot in the door not actually have it produced(he's also the scribe of the profoundly unwatchable The Tomorrow War). The Gorge was on the 2020 Black List of "best" unproduced scripts which is kind of baffling and makes you wonder if the script readers at studios actually watch movies. Having just returned from LA I can say it is shocking how many people there who want to work in show business(or do) but don't watch much of the actual product(and seem proud of this fact). Tonally it attempts to mash science fiction, action, and romance but simply switches between the genres scene-to-scene and doesn't meld them which makes you feel like your getting a ride from someone with a stick shift who doesn't know how do it. The dialogue is pretty cringe and there are so many ludicrous plot holes and inconsistencies its virtually impossible to invest in anything that's happening.

Straight-to-streaming mediocrity.

Currently streaming on Apple TV+.

Don't See It.

Domesticity

There's a lot to navigate
logistics, compromise, food

it's noisy, chaotic

but gratifying

the texture of it

the depth

easy to get lost in

the labyrinthine obligation

sometimes it's good

to disappear

in service to others

Ozempic (GLP-1s)

At risk
of stating the obvious
BAD IDEA

Masking

No fault
to those

where it's necessity

but here in LA

it seems

it is simply

cultural norm

to deceive

to lie

to equivocate

to hedge

"we should hang out"

"lets see how we feel"

"lets collaborate"

obfuscation and artifice

as the standard mode

of communication

I may be

a simple midwestern man

with what some might see

as a lack of ambition

a lack of drive

no interest in power or position or perception

but

I'll say this for myself

with pride

I say what I mean and I mean what I say

Direct. Simple.

It seems to me

the better way.

Canter's

bread. meat. mustard. pickle.
simple.
perfect.
Sandwich.

Travel

I've become less and less interested
in other places
and more and more interested
in my own
its trials and textures
its problems and peoples
for first and foremost
I must know myself
and keep my house in order

our capacity to influence

has not grown

with our ability to know

Schwa

And trust
and commonality
and understanding
and community
and united purpose

within this circle of protection

these confines

safety

boundless freedom

'Love Hurts' A Review

Love Hurts is an action romcom about Marvin(Ke Huy Quan) a retired hitman turned real estate agent who is pulled back into his former life on Valentine's Day by the return of the woman he was meant to have killed as his final assignment Rose(Ariana DeBose).

Quan is his usual charismatic self and deploy's his martial expertise to great effect but the script isn't really on par with his talent and he valiant tries but mostly fails in resting anything coherent from it. DeBose is miscast, the twenty year age difference between her and Quan is apparent and makes the feints at romance between the two particularly cringe. She's a bit lost in the role and has yet to really meet the promise she showed in West Side Story. The rest of the supporting cast is pretty stacked- Sean Astin shows up and it's wonderful to see the two Goonies share the screen again, Mustafa Shakir as Raven a rival hitman, Lio Tipton as Ashley Marvin's co-worker going through an existential crisis(and who has an actually engaging romantic subplot with Shakir's character), boba tea slurping villain Daniel Wu- other than DeBose it's great casting and they all do something with their roles but both the direction and the script prevent any of them from really soaring.

Shot in Winnipeg the "Milwaukee" setting is kind of insulting, it looks like nameless, faceless suburbia rather than any actual place. The action sequences are thrillingly choregraphed and occasionally extremely graphic which is great but it's also pretty incongruous with the other attempted themes. Tonally it's ambitious, you have to give it that, but it's not successful, part John Wick part Gross Pointe Blank, it careens from heartfelt to broad comedy to brutal gore with little to no management, control, or intent. As a result all the genre's they attempt to meld come up short. There are little islands of great scenes but what surrounds them just frustrates. Despite the considerable powers of Quan it never really takes flight.

Destined to underperform in theaters and become a "hit" once streaming.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Stream It.

The Cost

What they don't tell you
is that sobriety

requires sacrifice

desire, ambition, righteousness

these must

be subordinate

to staying clean

every day

day after day

in perpetuity

they don't tell you

because they don't need to

whatever the cost

it's cheap

'Kinda Pregnant' A Review

Kinda Pregnant is a romcom about Lainy(Amy Schumer) a teacher who becomes jealous of her best friend Kate's(Jillian Bell) pregnancy after she breaks up with her long term boyfriend. She begins to wear a pregnancy belly for the attention but when she meets Josh(Will Forte) while wearing it and sparks fly she has to keeps up the lie.

Schumer is off her game, it's been several years since I Feel Pretty and Trainwreck, and she just doesn't have the same kind of presence, magnetism, or comedic timing here. Jillian Bell is pitch perfect and in the scenes they share it's clear Bell would have been better cast as the lead. Urzila Carlson brings a lot of energy and effort, props to her, but it just doesn't work and you can't help but think she was the third choice after Rebel Wilson and Rachel House declined. Will Forte is great, Alex Moffat brings some heat in too brief a role, Brianne Howey works well with what she has and Lizze Broadway is a welcome jolt of electricity any time she's on screen but overall it just feels like a hodgepodge cast, none of them totally sure what movie they are in, each doing there own thing to varying degrees of success. Some of the fault is on the script which oscillates wildly from broad blue and physical humor to attempts at genuine commentary about pregnancy in the modern age, and as esteemable as the intent may be those two objectivities really clash in the execution. Not to mention the central conceit is an astronomical hurdle, like what Lainy does is pathological, and the movie never really acknowledges that.

Director Tyler Spindel has some talent in this space(straight to Netflix comedies), The Wrong Missy and The Out-Laws weren't great but they were entertaining, this is a step below that. He's never had a particularly strong aesthetic, his movies pretty generic in how they look and are shot, and the script from Schumer and Julie Paiva doesn't give him much to stand on, it feels if not out-of-touch exactly than at least dated. Like it's a script Schumer had laying around from her sketch show days ten years ago that she reworked. Babes from last year which is very similar, although by no means a homerun, is much more successful at getting at the same themes. For that film's faults at least it feels modern. This feels retro in bad way, like Enchanted 2.

Part of the self-fulfilling prophecy of comedy films not getting theatrical releases.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Don't See It.

'Companion' A Review

Companion is a scifi thriller about Iris(Sophie Thatcher) a companion robot who's taken to a secluded weekend away by her "boyfriend" Josh(Jack Quaid) but things are not what they seem and danger is on the horizon!

Thatcher's star continues to rise and her performance is by far the most compelling element of the movie, she gives Iris incredible depth and dimension, executes the action panache, and translates some of the deeper themes as best as can be expected with the uneven script. Quaid is serviceable but other than The Boys has yet to show he's got the talent or range to be at the top of the call sheet, he's not able to really play any levels here, his 'turn' is profoundly unsurprising, the character is flat and he doesn't do much to bring it to life. The limited supporting cast have talent, it's especially great to see Harvey Guillén playing against type, but they don't have enough to do.

Visually the film looks good, shot mostly at one location, it's slick, evocative, and mostly effective. The soundtrack is uneven and at times serves to undermine or work against the established tone, there are a couple diegetic needle drop moments which clearly intend to be impactful but oddly fall flat. But mostly the problems stem from the script, discordantly paced the movie either needs more action or more AI philosophizing, as is the momentum starts and stops and allows the audience to easily get ahead of what's happening. The whole idea is relatively derivative(Ex Machina being the closest cousin) and ultimately there's just not enough new or fresh about this to hold that much interest. There's a good movie in here but as is it's relatively rote and feels more like a bloated Black Mirror episode rather than a feature.

A consummate Thatcher can't quite elevate this middling fare.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Stream It.