'The Wrecking Crew' A Review

The Wrecking Crew is an action/comedy about two estranged brothers brought together by the mysterious death of their father.

Dave Bautista brings his steely, grounded presence and Jason Momoa brings his Peter Pan charm and in general, it really works. The two have great chemistry, the comedy works, the emotional beats(occasionally a bit rote) mostly work too. It's a great riff on the buddy cop subgenre that has mostly been languishing since the 90's. The supporting cast are all talents and having fun- Temuera Morrison, Jacob Batalon(Ned from Spider-Man), Frankie Adams, Miyavi, Morena Baccarin, Roimata Fox, on and on- all-in just great casting and other than the two leads mostly regular working actor types which just really enhances the ensemble.

As far as the look, the mix of on-location and green screen/CGI mostly works, some of the more complicated action sequences are, thankfully, actually lit but the CGI car crashes and destruction of property isn't as effective as the more practical effects, what really shines is the fight sequences which are all long shots, perfectly choregraphed and shot from a remove where you can actually see what is happening. That more than anything really puts this flick a cut above. If there's a detraction it's just the needless collateral damage, a hallmark of contemporary action pictures, it's great when the bad guys get their due but do we need so much destruction of public property and innocent bystanders?

Two charismatic leads(and an impeccable cast) elevate a relatively pedestrian buddy cop treatment.

Currently streaming on Prime.

Rent It.

'Wuthering Heights' A Review

Wuthering Heights is a gothic romance about the tortured relationship between Cathy(Margot Robbie) and Healthcliff(Jacob Elordi).

Although populated by talented actors the casting here is off from the jump. In the source material Cathy, Healthcliff, and Nelly(played by the criminally underused Hong Chau) are supposed to be in their late teens and the main three are all too old for the roles and the chemistry between Robbie and Elordi is spotty. That on top of the melodramatic machinations of the plotting make much of it, including the central romantic connection, hard to buy into.

The production design is ambitious, with some wonderful costuming and an appropriately mournful score, but it's tonally inconsistent, it's not period but it's not-not period so ultimately a lot of the choices seem unmotivated or at least seem to be driven by- is x cool? There's some BDSM stuff but that's not fully explored, some agency and relationship stuff that's not fully explored, thematically a lot is just left on the table and it's unclear if there's anything unifying behind any of it.

Maybe this is true of the source material(I haven't read the novel) but here, everyone is kind of a selfish scumbag so none of it really has any stakes. Whoever ends up with who, whoever dies, whatever the cost of any of the choices being made, none of it really has any narrative weight. And it's too long. The tragic ending leaves you relieved not effected.

Talent and ability desperately in search of coherent vision.

Currently in theatres.

Don't See It.

False Spring

I overhear commuters

relishing the warmth

bidding adieu

to winter

romanticizing
the 'last' snow

I laugh

at the hubris

the ignorance

as this is but a feint

a tease

a brief reprieve

from the trials ahead

soon comes March

in all its bleakness

the freezing mud

and the floods

and the gloom

the real test

of any Midwestern spirit.

'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die!' A Review

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die is a scifi movie about a man from the future(Sam Rockwell) who arrives at a diner in LA to gather a group of people to save the world from a malevolent AI.

Rockwell brings his patented fast-talking humor and charm and it's deployed here almost entirely appropriately. The supporting cast is filled with some ringers-Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Juno Temple, and Haley Lu Richardson. Richardson has the most to do and has great chemistry with Rockwell and does what she does best, brings some much needed grounding and emotional sincerity which balances some of the more bonkers antics.

Shot conservatively and in limited locations the film has a real sense of place and texture, the CGI is limited, and whatever can be done practically is. It's not Brazil, although clearly it's an inspiration, but the production elements all work in concert to give the film a particular look and feel, an identity, which is refreshing given the ongoing homogenization of movie aesthetics.

Plot wise, it's a bit bloated but ambitious. Modern themes(Big Tech, AI, school shootings etc.) are explored if not sophisticatedly at least directly. And even if there's nothing particularly satisfying about the commentary it feels of-the-moment, feels like it's engaging with now. There's ultimately just a little too much fat, at 135 minutes, it drags, it slogs, it looses the interest it very cleverly cultivates.

A great 100 minute movie.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

'By Design' A Review

By Design is a dramedy about Camille(Juliette Lewis) a woman seeking deeper meaning in her life. When her and her two pals(Samantha Mathis and Robin Tunney) go shopping after their regular lunch Camille is struck by the beauty and simplicity of a designer chair whom she trades places with.

Lewis, no surprise, is wonderful here absolutely locked in to the playful expressionistic tone conveying yearning, vulnerability, and a subtle exploration of identity. Mathis and Tunney are great to see and great in this, providing some humor and further bolstering the unique and engaging vibe. Melanie Griffith is a pitch perfect narrator and Mamoudou Athie as Olivier who becomes enraptured with Camille-as-chair is equally effective. All-in-all a stellar cast all focused and working together in service of this quirky yet stirring vision, gliding from drama to comedy to quiet poignancy with an assured deftness.

Visually the film is understated but expressive, with some dream sequences, magical realism, and symbolic editing that isn't flashy but is singular and archetypal. The costuming is stellar and razor sharp and the score is minimal and eerie. Writer/director Amanda Kramer's vision is clear and fully realized, given the small scale she's able to actualize one of the best films of the year.

Women becomes chair: a meditation on the nature of being.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

Water Won't Save You

Over the last decade

the water bottle

has become

ubiquitous

everyone

everywhere

carrying their Owala

their Yeti

their S'well

fixated

focused

on hitting

their daily liter goal

as if

this nominal achievement

will prevent

the tumult and toil

of existing

in this world

'Queen Of Chess' A Review

Queen Of Chess is a documentary about Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgár. Through talking head interviews, archival footage, and some chess match reenactments her life and career are explored.

Polgár and her sisters were an 'experiment' by their father, attempting to create genius from intense study from an early age. As her chess prowess grew so did her ambition becoming a trail blazer in crossing over to men's chess and climbing the rankings. The film loosely revolves around her various games with then world champion Kasparov.

Visually the film is relatively pedestrian but the content is so engaging it doesn't particularly matter and ultimately the subject doesn't necessitate any formal invention. It's nice to see somewhat of a classic documentary in form that simply engages thoroughly with a captivating subject.

Stirring in content if somewhat conventional in form.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

See It.