'Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass' A Review

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is a comedy about the titular Gail(Zoey Deutch) a hairdresser and Kansas who embarks on a trip to LA to sleep with her celebrity crush Jon Hamm after her fiancé hooks up with his.

Deutch is an energetic, committed, effervescent lead but doesn't have a particular facility for comedy or at least the kind of broad bordering-on-surrealist style deployed here. The supporting cast is chock full of talent, notably Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang, and John Slattery(playing himself) along with other mainstays of writer/director David Wain. But the cast isn't given anything to do beyond the surface level, it all just feels like empty calories.

The production is decent, for a comedy it looks pretty good, there are some decent effects and one or two fun and funny fight scenes, but overall you get the feeling that money and time were tight. Everything feels truncated, abridged. Any emotional development or depth seems to have ended up on the cutting room floor, all that's left is a streamlined plot and jokes. It's diverting enough and nice to see Wain come out with a new picture but you can actually feel how difficult it was to get the movie made and get it in theaters. It's nice to see a straight-up comedy in theaters but this, unfortunately, fails in justifying a full fledged release. It feels like it was made for streaming.

Noble effort but lacking much impact.

Currently in theaters.

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'Jackass: Best and Last' A Review

Jackass: Best and Last is a reality comedy, the fifth feature arising from the stunt/prank MTV show.

Jackass Forever came out in 2022, in the latter days of the pandemic with a fervor and necessity, revisiting the gang at that time(with all new stunts and gags) felt if not revelatory by any means but vital in some odd way- if Knoxville and the gang can continue so can we- it also elicited, bizarrely, a nostalgia for a simpler better time. Here, it's great to see everyone, a lot of the new gags are poop and butt centric which is pretty gross(no shade on them as they all probably have CTE) but there is no captivating stunt set piece and most of the bits aren't particularly physical in nature. The footage is also probably about half or more archival footage. This is more a greatest hits, a victory lap(not undeserved), rather than a new creative endeavor.

Which is all well and good. It's a relatively fun watch particularly in a theater with a decent sized audience. However it doesn't have the same urgency as it's predecessor or the experimentation of Bad Grandpa. It's a coda.

Currently in theaters.

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'I Love Boosters' A Review

I Love Boosters is a surrealist comedy about a group of high-end retail shoplifters(aka Boosters) that resale their stolen goods at a discount to make ends meet, led by aspiring fashion designer Corvette(Keke Palmer). This eventually comes to the attention of owner/designer Christie Smith(Demi Moore) who goes after "those urban bitches". 

Palmer continues to make interesting choices in her career and excel within them. She's wonderful here, emotive and magnetic, and is able to weave together and focus a lot of the disparate elements as the lead(a very complicated plot, social commentary, expressionistic design, and emotion). Naomi Ackie and Taylour Paige are equally compelling and round out the heart of the film with humor and an effortless chemistry that grounds all the chaos swirling around them. Paige inparticular it's great to see, after an astonishing debut lead in Zola she's been in some decent movies since but hasn't really had an opportunity to stretch. Moore is delicious as the heavy, Don Cheadle as a MLM leader, Will Poulter as a snobby manager, LaKeith Stanfield as a literal incubus- the supporting cast are all really evocative, know what movie they're in, and are having a ball.

Visually the film is kaleidoscopic running a clinic in what you can accomplish on a lower budget with inspired production design. The monochromatic sets and outfits, ALL the inspired costume design, the repeating thrumming score. Every element of the design is brimming with ideas and art and all work in conjunction with each other to create a compelling, vibrant piece of cinema.

It may be overly plotted but the sheer energy and momentum of the film(along with its charismatic leads) overcome that easily and what you're left with is this thrilling, moving, electric art piece.

An ecstatic surrealist comedy, timely satire on the plight of class and celebratory of those same workers.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

'The Sheep Detectives' A Review

The Sheep Detectives is a mystery/comedy based on the 2005 novel Three Bags Full about an isolated shepherd, George(Hugh Jackman), in the English countryside who dies untimely. His sheep, who are well versed in the who-dun-it having been read numerous murder mysteries by George set out to solve the case.

Jackman isn't in the film except for the prologue but his presence gives some star-power and emotional weight to lay down a great foundation to launch from. The voice cast- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, to name a few- are all spectacular bringing comedy, playfulness, and a sincerity that is really the secret sauce of the film, putting it on par with the likes of Babe and Paddington. All-in-all just a stellar cast.

Filmed mostly on location in the English countryside with extensive but pretty seamless CGI for the animals. The score is unobtrusive but potent and the script just really soars, producing laughs, a breezy but still engaging mystery, and a ton of heart.

The best live-action family film since Paddington 2.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

'Devil Wears Prada 2' A Review

Devil Wears Prada 2 is a comedy, a sequel to the 2006 original picking up 20 years after the events of the first film. Andy(Anne Hathaway) is now a successful investigative journalist but she's laid off propelling her once again to work for Miranda(Meryl Streep) as the features editor for Runway in an effort to rebound the brand after a sweatshop scandal. She reunites with fashion editor Nigel(Stanley Tucci) and former frenemy Emily(Emily Blunt) now working for Dior as well as some new faces.

Streep slips back into Miranda like a glove and it's delicious to see her return here with the same prickliness and professionalism but also a kind of put-upon bafflement about developments in the culture. Hathaway too seems effortless in getting back into the character after 20 years, she's funny, she's relatable, she's a bit more competent than she was in the original and her chemistry with Streep(and Blunt and Tucci) is wonderful. It's great to see Blunt and Tucci back in their roles. Overall it's just really nice and fun and compelling to see the core four return to their roles(even if the plotting has a couple problems) this is perhaps the most successful legacy sequel to-date in recalling the original and providing and equally(if somewhat too similar) experience. Tracie Thoms doesn't have a tone of screen time but it's great to see her back too. The new supporting cast are mostly all wonderful- Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, Rachel Bloom, and Simone Ashley are all wonderful, it's incredible to see Lucy Liu although she was clearly only on set for a day or two. The downsides are B. J. Novak who is miscast and just doesn't make much of an impression and Patrick Brammall as Andy's love interest who isn't particularly interesting and whose inclusion seems more obligator than anything else. Justin Theroux as a Jeff Bezos stand-in is pretty funny and biting but not altogether successful.

Filmed, seemingly, mostly on location in the NYC area as well as in Milan the production design is pitch perfect and evocative, it feels like real places that real humans exist in. And the costume and set design are beautiful bordering on transcendent, if nothing else it's worth a watch just for the outfits.

The plotting is a bit hit or miss and needlessly retreads the outline of the original. It doesn't really track that Andy as a 40 year old and 20 year veteran journalist would transform into the bumbling aw-shucks kid she was in the original(but that's kinda part of her arc). Some of the conflict in the last third is needlessly complicated and feels somewhat contrived. Blunt has a heel turn that feels pretty silly. None of it is particularly egregious but the result all taken together is that the movie's momentum suffers, this is a near perfect 100 minute movie that is 120 minutes. Nonetheless entertaining.

A standout legacy sequel with a great cast energized to return and, no surprise, inspired costuming.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

'Pizza Movie' A Review

Pizza Movie is a stoner college comedy about two college roommates, Jack(Gaten Matarazzo) and Montgomery(Sean Giambrone), who find a mysterious and potent drug in their dorm room, take it, and must venture down to the lobby to pick up a pizza.

Matarazzo and Giambrone have charm and a certain chemistry but neither really has the experience to be leading men. Previously part of popular ensemble TV shows(Stranger Things and The Goldbergs respectively) they put in a valiant effort here and mine some laughs but they don't really provide much in the way of emotion or character to lock in to. The supporting cast is stronger- Lulu Wilson, Caleb Hearon, and Sarah Sherman- but despite energy and effort can't really elevate the somewhat slap-dash narrative.

The production is relatively straightforward but the drug sequences are fun with animation, practical effects, and some CGI. Those are basically the main selling point and where the movie gets creative. Ultimately though the story is a bit too muddled, the leads(although enthusiastic) a bit miscast, to really get this flick on the level of a PCU or Harold & Kumar.

An intriguing premise fails to come to full fruition.

Currently streaming on Disney+/Hulu.

Stream It.

'Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie' A Review

Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie is a time travel/parody/mocumentary about aspiring musicians Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol(playing versions of themselves) attempts to play at Toronto venue the Rivoli which inadvertently sends them back in time.

Based on/a continuation of their TV show and web series the style is pretty niche, reminiscent of last years Pavements, I'm not sure anyone not already fans have much to actually enjoy here. As a novice, Johnson is relentlessly insufferable and McCarrol seems to do virtually nothing. The Back To The Future element is less parody than it is just direct recreation and reference. The hidden camera/on-the-street elements are somewhat impressive in that they're able to stitch together a narrative but other than constraints of budget that element doesn't bring anything to the movie or serve much purpose.

For fans of the duo presumably a real hit, for the uninitiated not much to offer beyond the mediocre. Hot Tub Time Machine did a better Back To The Future spoof, Bad Trip did a more inventive narrative and was funnier at using guerilla/prank style shooting.

NTBTSTM isn't bad it's just not particularly lively or original. It's a pastiche of better films and ideas.

Currently available to rent on most VOD platforms.

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'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice' A Review

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a scifi action/comedy about Mike(James Marsden) who's fallen in love with his boss Nick's(Vince Vaughn)wife Alice(Eiza González) the both of whom want to flee the criminal underworld they inhabit. But Nick's future self has come back on this evening in particular because Mike's life is in danger.

The cast is stacked with talent both Vaughn and Marsden have buckets of charm and humor they deploy throughout, González doesn't have much to do but her innate watchability makes it work. The supporting cast has some fun surprises- Keith David(legend), Jimmy Tatro, Stephen Root, and Dolph Lundgren- are all fun and funny. There's a scrappiness about the production and the cast that translates to low key fun.

The script is overly plotted, the title is unnecessarily cumbersome, and some sequences employ some pretty dated(and cheap looking) filmmaking techniques. BUT. Overall it's a mostly effective fun action/comedy with a scifi twist that allows Vaughn to do a double role(pretty well!).

Entertaining if not spectacular.

Currently streaming on Hulu.

Rent It.

'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.

'Anaconda' A Review

Anaconda is an action comedy a reboot/meta-sequel to the franchise. Doug(Jack Black) a wedding videographer and Griff(Paul Rudd) a struggling actor together with their friends Kenny(Steve Zahn) and Clarie(Thandie Newton) decide to pursue their dormant dream of making a movie and travel to the Amazon to reboot the 1997 cult classic Anaconda.

Black is as magnetic as ever and wills this into being an agreeable, fun adventure by shear charisma and energy alone. Rudd is decent but is a bit uninspired, he's seems to lost a bit of his spark in recent years, but both Zahn and Newton make up for it completing the foursome with enough chemistry and electricity to make this enjoyable. The supporting cast is pretty limited with Selton Mello(who is inspired) and Daniela Melchior(good in a mostly thankless role) being the most notable. All in all it's a solid ensemble.

Visually the film is relatively straight-forward with some action and comedy sequences being the most involved(and effective), the soundtrack catchy. The script, overall, is a bit thin but nonetheless it's entertaining, a solid popcorn flick in a time when depressing Oscar bait is flooding theaters. Good counter-programing.

A relatively fresh take on IP is bolstered by the indefatigable Black and Newton clearly relishing operating in the comedy space. Hampered by somewhat predictable emotional arcs.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

'No Other Choice' A Review

No Other Choice is a black comedy/thriller about Man-su(Lee Byung-hun) a papermaking expert who is laid off, struggles to find employment, then hatches a plan to murder various other candidates in order to secure a coveted position.

Lee is a solid lead, balancing absurdity and slapstick with sincere emotional vulnerability. Son Ye-jin as Lee Mi-ri, Man-su's wife though really steals the show and brings some much needed sympathy and reality to the narrative. The support cast are all solid and maintain the kind of unreal tone. Does that tone work though? It's consistent but feels, at least from a US perspective, dated. It's the same kind of corporate satire of the excellent American Psycho or the much less successful Wolf Of Wall Street. It feels somewhat irrelevant and the purpose of it all is unclear.

Visually the film is compelling with some cool artistic flourishes and short abstract sequences, but again, to what end? Corporations are bad? Capitalism destroys people? No shit. On top of the overall theme being pretty 80's 101 Man-su as written is a selfish, inarticulate, buffoon. We have absolutely no reason to care about this idiot so whether he succeeds in killing other selfish idiots or his life is dismantled as a result of his own pride and ineffectuality doesn't really matter. All in, the film feels like there are materially no stakes other than like, how much will Mi-ri put up with?

A big theme of recent years seems to be movies about selfish men being selfish but most(if not all) of them are uninteresting and given the current state of the world men like these are getting more than enough air time in the news and positions of power. 

Not a bad movie but seemingly has nothing to tell us about our current time that we don't already thoroughly know. Seems only interested in highlighting the absurdity of the current human condition but stops there.

Currently in theaters.

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'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues' A Review

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is a mocumentary, a sequel to the 1984 cult classic This Is Spinal Tap. 40 years after the first film Marty DiBergi(Rob Reiner) is making a documentary about an official Spinal Tap reunion. 

As far as story it's pretty straight-forward and uncomplicated but it's a joy to see Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer back in character and although much older they don't really miss a step. Their characters are just as alive as ever and jokes are jam packed into the dialogue and they bounce off both returning characters, new characters notably drummer Didi(Valerie Franco), and a series of high-profile and playful cameos.

The cinematography is uncomplicated and effective, in keeping with the mocumentary style, a genre that kind of took off in wake of the first film but has in the past ten years mostly disappeared(the last notable entrant being 2015's What We Do In The Shadows). The music is great(no surprise) and there's quite a bit of it, the costumes are inspired. In short, the gang still rocks!

Fun, funny, surprising, and a well deserved(and successful) victory lap for the Tap.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

See It.

'Freakier Friday' A Review

 Freakier Friday is a body-swap comedy, a sequel to 2003's Freaky Friday based on the novel. 22 years after the events of the first movie Anna(Lindsay Lohan) is a music producer and single mother with the help of her psychologist mother Tess(Jamie Lee Curtis). Anna strikes up a romance with Eric(Manny Jacinto) but their daughters Harper(Julia Butters) and Lily(Sophia Hammons) are vehemently opposed to the match, thus initiates the body-swap between Anna, Tess, Harper, and Lily.

Lohan and Curtis are clearly delighted to be back and go even bigger and have even more fun than the original. Butters and Hammons are good but are featured less and without the history there part of the narrative isn't quite as engaging. The supporting cast is stacked with talent, not only Jacinto but Vanessa Bayer, X Mayo, Chloe Fineman as well as a lot of returning cast from the original. All in all it's just fun, funny, and has heart and the entire cast is locked in tonally.

Visually somewhat reserved but with a lot of physical comedy and sight gags to give it a thrum of energy. The soundtrack is catchy and the costume design is delicious. It's an object lesson in how to do one of these legacy sequels, probably the most successful of it's type to-date, the biggest key is letting it actually be a sequel i.e. Lohan and Curtis are the undisputed stars but there's enough freshness, enough new elements, but at the same time still feels of-a-piece.

Playful, effective, family fun.

Currently streaming on Disney+.

Rent It.

'M3GAN 2.0' A Review

 

M3gan 2.0 is an scifi action/comedy a sequel to the 2023 horror/comedy. The movie opens during a military operation where the Army is showing off it's latest weapon, a robot assassin AMELIA(Ivanna Sakhno), but, no surprise, things go wrong and she goes rogue! And it looks like she's headed for our heroes from M3GAN Gemma(Allison Williams) and her niece Cady(Violet McGraw), oh no! Luckily the Bitch Is Back, M3GAN has been hiding in the ether and only needs a new body to do what she does best, protect Cady and slay!

Williams has a bit meatier of a part here as does McGraw and they're both great and have more fun. M3GAN, body by Amie Donald voiced by Jenna Davis, is equally turned up and it's honestly great to see the psycho again. Sakhno is a nice addition and brings some weird Terminator type energy to it. The big surprise is Aristotle Athari as Christian Gemma's boyfriend who's really funny and has a real electric and easy presence, he really shines. The supporting cast are all solid but the above are who have most of the action.

It looks slick, with a bit bigger of a budget than the original it just has a bit more life and movement, it's more ambitious and includes, of course, a dance sequence and a song from the titular villain-come-hero. Sound track is catchy, the pacing is clipped, it's a solid popcorn flick and honestly better than the first one.

She's back and actually kinda better!

Currently streaming on Peacock.

See It.

'The Roses' A Review

 

The Roses is a black comedy, a remake of the 1989 film The War of the Roses, itself an adaptation of the novel. Repressed, out of touch, wealthy couple Ivy(Olivia Colman) and Theo(Benedict Cumberbatch) find their unhealthy and doomed marriage slowly disintegrating after they switch roles in the household.

Colman and Cumberbatch are no doubt fine actors but neither is able to really give a performance here that is grounded in any kind of dramatic or comedic reality. Cumberbatch in particular struggles with the comedy and what were left with is just two ugly characters being ugly and cruel to each other. This confusion extends to the supporting cast. Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon seem to be in a totally different movie and appear to be mostly improvising. Sunita Mani and Ncuti Gatwa are woefully underutilized and their presence smacks of tokenism. Jamie Demetriou and Zoë Chao seem to serve no purpose. The casting itself, not half bad, but the script is so dead, the tone so mismanaged it's a shame anyone signed up for this.

Visually the film is clunky, obviously shot in the UK(as a stand in for Northern California) with some extensive and transparent greenscreen work it just looks unprofessional and unfinished. The soundtrack is full of some treacly covers and serves to exacerbate the convoluted and ineffective tone.

Dated, regressive, unfunny, overly(unintentionally) serious. A nihilist, sad, profoundly uninteresting look at marriage at least 30 years out of date.

Currently in theaters.

Don't See It.

'The Naked Gun' A Review

The Naked Gun is an action comedy, a reboot/sequel of the Leslie Nielsen franchise this time with Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. The movie opens on the heist of a literal P.L.O.T. device and the antics go from there. There's slapstick, visual gags, word play, some goof action, and a pretty stacked cast of fully committed actors having a blast.

Neeson is a delight, his gravely deadpan delivery and absolute commitment to the absurd not only makes the comedy work but it's infections and the tone he sets permeates the entire cast and the movie. Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport is a great foil to Neeson, the two have wonderful chemistry, and it's just the right kind of tone for her, she's able to play and have fun. A wonderful follow up to her ambitious if somewhat underrealized turn in The Last Showgirl. Danny Huston as the heavy is having a ball and it's great to see him in not only a comedy but something this broad where he's able to let loose. CCH Pounder is not cast against type exactly but she plays the bizzarro absurd version of the various law enforcement and government officials she's played over her long career. Similarly Kevin Durand returns to the villainous henchman role he's played before but is able to be funny and kinda comment on it. Overall just solid casting and clearly director Akiva Schaffer set a fun, playful tone that trickled down.

In some ways the way it's shot its relatively conventional, as most comedies are, but every couple scenes there would be a real inspired physical comedy set piece culminating in a fight scene with Neeson set to 'Fergalicious'. The soundtrack/score is effective but most of the credit goes to a pretty air tight inspired script, a talented cast all-in, and an assured director in Schaffer who had a clear vision. It's refreshing that this exists and was released in theaters, an adult comedy(of which we get few-to-none), that doesn't try to hit every demo, there are many references people under 30 would not get. But even then I think there's appeal to a younger crowd just based the infectious exuberance of the whole thing.

A light-hearted, unserious blast. Guaranteed to make you lol.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

'Happy Gilmore 2' A Review

Happy Gilmore 2 is a sports comedy a sequel to 1996's Happy Gilmore. After tragedy strikes Happy(Adam Sandler) gives up golf and limps along working at a grocery store trying to take care of his four sons and daughter. After his daughter gets in to a prestigious dance program Happy reluctantly returns to golf to make money for tuition.

Sandler returns to the role with surprising ease, bringing all the manic slapstick gags from the original but also an odd but effecting pathos, indicative of his whole career but particularly the last ten years where it seems he's been better able to balance his creative ambition and penchant for scatological. The tone is surprisingly dark but never not funny with emotional beats that hit alongside truly incredible Three Stooges level physical comedy. It's quite a feat. The supporting cast is absolutely stuffed and at a certain point it becomes a case of diminishing returns but it takes quite awhile to get to that point and a lot of the characters that pop up along the way are a real hoot. The big stand out though is the return of Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, dude absolutely explodes onto the screen, relishing the broadness of the comedy and heights he can go to, it's really a treat to see.

The production has an authentic feel, relatively workman-like and understated, evoking the first film but updating it. The big inspiration, where the designers get to have some fun is in the Maxi Golf finale. The soundtrack works, costumes are effective with a couple characters being really fun and inspired. All-in-all it's kind of a clinic from director Kyle Newacheck and the Sandler team in how to do a legacy sequel, a genre that unfortunately doesn't seem to be going anywhere but that all Hollywood hasn't quite figured out yet. The theory is to do the same thing but different and they certainly achieve that here. It's a bit darker, it's more grown up, but the beats and the arc feel familiar and the humor is the same if not the jokes. And there's a certain amount of ecstatic joy about seeing Sandler return to the role, older, more grizzled, but still able to deliver.

For anyone that grew up with Happy Gilmore this is for you.

Currently streaming on Netflix(should have been released theatrically, Netflix continues there ill-advised strategy not to figure out some middle ground with exhibition, with this movie they're leaving hundreds of millions in box office on the table, no matter how you slice it bad for business, bad for creatives)

See It.

'The Ugly Stepsister' A Review

The Ugly Stepsister is a dark comedy/body horror an inversion/adaptation of Cinderella. After their new stepfather's untimely death all financial pressures of the family are put on Elvira(Lea Myren). Through Elvira's own self hatred and her mother Rebekka's(Ane Dahl Torp) prodding she subjects herself to increasing tortures and humiliations in order to become beautiful and compete for the Prince's affections with her conventionally attractive stepsister Agnes(Thea Sofie Loch Næss).

Myren gives a full-on, everything-she's-got performance, leaving it all on the screen. The performance is incredibly brave, vulnerable, and fully realized. The character, with her compromises and complicity, is complicated and Myren lays it all bare. Torp is effective and appealing as the severe and avarious evil stepmother and Loch Næss is good as the supporting Cinderella. The other stepsister Alma played by Flo Fagerli brings much needed contextualization and eccentricity to it. The rest of the supporting cast are all really effective save for the men who are, deliberately and justly, two dimensional.

Visually the film is brimming with style, the shot composition beautiful and meticulous. The body horror sequences pretty difficult to stomach(ie effective). And there's a really interesting blend of the pastoral and the grotesque. The score isn't quite as effective, plays a bit immature at times sounding a bit like stock scoring or 8-bit video game tracks. Overall though the production helmed by first time writer/director Emilie Blichfeldt is brimming with ambition and talent. Perhaps doesn't quite hit as hard coming just a year after The Substance which if a very different movie but goes after very similar themes. Where it falls a bit short is that it doesn't quite come together, ultimately isn't super potent, more idea and premise than effecting narrative.

Not quite equal to the sum of it's parts.

Currently available to rent on most VOD platforms.

Rent It.

'Paddington In Peru' A Review

Paddington In Peru is an adventure-comedy movie, the third in the Paddington series. Paddington returns to his home in Peru, with the Browns in toe, worried about his Aunt Lucy.

Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington maintains his affable charm but doesn't bring anything particularly new. The same is true of the returning cast save for the, kind of jarring, casting swap of Sally Hawkins for Emily Mortimer, Hawkins evidently wanted to move on but her presence is missed here. As with the previous two Paddington films the real fun is had by the A-list guest stars in this case Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas, who both give it 100% and are having a blast. A solid cast if lacking some of the spontaneity and spark of the predecessors.

The production is solid but there's more CGI here and less of an opportunity for the fun, intricate set pieces which made Paddington and Paddington 2 great. The script is successful, the journey has a continuity of style and feeling with the 'franchise' but it all just feels like a bit of a reach, a bit forced. It's not bad by any means, it's fun and entertaining and plucks at the heart strings but with how good the series has been so far this definitely does not top in anyway what has gone before. Maybe that's an unfair yardstick to measure this by but it's impossible not to compare.

Pleasant, pleasing, but perhaps too formulaic and in the shadow of its own success.

Currently in theaters.

Rent 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.