'Slingshot' A Review

Slingshot is a scifi movie about a space mission to Saturn's moon Titan. John(Casey Affleck) awakens from a hibernation cycle experiencing adverse effects, as does his crewmates Nash(Tomer Capone) and Captain Frank(Laurence Fishburne) to varying degrees. As their mental states deteriorate so does the prospect of the mission. 

Affleck is adrift in the lead role, his delivery is stilted, he's a negative space of charm, with his only really acting choice being a distant somnambulist lethargy. It doesn't work and its intensely boring. There are numerous flashbacks with Emily Beecham as his ex Zoe that he seems to be uncomfortable and confused in, as their relationship is intended to be an emotional touchstone its failure renders a lot of the stakes moot. Capone fairs somewhat better but is unable to really create a believable person, he just firehoses fear and paranoia. Fishburne is the only one who seems like an actual human that exists. His presence is a relief and he calmly but firmly, almost solely from his own talent, asserts a reality for the story to be in. 

The production design is limited but competent, the real issue is the script. The dialogue, across the board, is bad, the characterizations non-existent, but the biggest problem is in the derivative and over-stuffed plot. It smashes together a lot of scifi doomed mission tropes seemingly with the perspective more-is-more but nothing is particularly surprising or interesting and the ending, when it comes, lands like the leadest of balloons. Its also kind of odd casting Fishburne given his presence somewhat recalls his turn in the far superior Event Horizon.

There's a decent idea in here but the result is an unquestionable failure.

Currently in theaters.

Don't See It.

Honey Pot

It would be nice
to live in a world
without deception

Where cruelty

and avarice

did not exist

Until then

best to be aware

and go prepared

'Strange Darling' A Review

Strange Darling is a horror/thriller about the final crimes of a serial killer. Set in Oregon and cut into non-sequential chapters it follows the enmity between The Lady(Willa Fitzgerald) and The Demon(Kyle Gallner).

Fitzgerald, clearly relishing the lead position, goes big. Its a full, almost over-brimming, performance, full of ticks, digressions, and a wide range of emotion. Its impressive but at times incongruous or distracting, its busyness occasionally clashes with character coherence. Gallner ultimately has the easier job, on the page he is more contained, but his stolidness pairs well with Fitzgerald's more baroque approach. The supporting cast is so small as to have very little impact but Barbara Hershey and Ed Begley Jr. are absolutely delightful in a brief interlude.

The production bursts with ambition and ideas, there's a couple scenes with saturated monochrome lighting, the shot composition and cutting meld well with the non-linear structure. The soundtrack and score are effective with one diegetic song that's really effective. The bloodwork and action, seemingly all practical, gives it a bit of a 90's grindhouse feel that works. All in all its solid and feels if not totally unique(the influences are very clear almost glaring) at least fresh especially this year with a release schedule so abbreviated and homogenous.

There is an eagerness and excitement that's contagious in the film from writer/director JT Mollner and in total he shows a lot of promise but there are some missteps like the title card loudly proclaiming "Shot in 35 mm" which comes across as pretty gauche as well as the unnecessary true crime lay on that doesn't really work. But the bigger issue is in the messaging, there's a turn about 2/3rds of the way through, a twist/reveal, that recontextualizes what's happening(the non-linear structure is in service mostly to this), and the implications of that are, at best, muddled. It doesn't seem deliberate but an unintended consequence of being overly enamored with this particular plot turn. Regardless of the reason it leaves a bit of a bitter taste in the mouth and undercuts some of the impact.

An energetic, rich, bloody thriller whose reach ultimately exceeds its grasp.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

Gilbert

Walking through
the remanence of a life

the dust

the mold

the memories

what reveals itself

is a story

complicated, circuitous

a myriad of aborted interests

gifts bought but not given

posturing, projects

a world in and of itself

cubbies and corners filled

but empty

the cost of cruelty

a history of regret.

But in the clutter

the mess

the dirt

lies 

an opportunity

for those that remain

to move beyond it.

'Blink Twice' A Review

Blink Twice is a psychological thriller about Frida(Naomi Ackie) and her friend Jess(Alia Shawkat) who meet tech bro billionaire Slater(Channing Tatum) while they are catering his annual gala and go with him and a group of others to his private island.

Visually sharp and occasionally audacious the colors, the cutting, the framing work in perfect tandem with the soundtrack and the incredibly effective sound mix. The production design is bursting with ideas and courage. From this standpoint the film is an absolute success and feels more unique and cinematic than almost anything else released so far this year. The story unfortunately doesn't meet its artistic ambition, it feels more like a protracted situation rather than a narrative, if not derivative exactly more like a pastiche of influences that doesn't quite come together. As a result some of the themes get muddled, its unclear what the message is other than sexual assault (and more broadly subjugation) is bad. But power, wealth, autonomy, authenticity, avarice these are kind of brought up but not really refined.

The cast is full of talent but unfortunately none of the characters feel particularly three dimensional and their motivations and interiority remain frustratingly distant. Ackie imparticular is a wonderful actor but she, at least in the beginning, seems to be solely motivated by a greed and consumerist envy that is really off putting. That may be only what we see on the surface but the script doesn't allow us(or her for that matter) to go any deeper. All that being said it is just kinda great to see Christian Slater, Geena Davis, Haley Joel Osment, Adria Arjona, and Shawkat on screen in this bizarre situation.

A promising debut from director/co-writer Zoë Kravitz, not perfect but bold and worth a watch.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

'Daughters' A Review

Daughters is a documentary that follows four young girls and their incarcerated fathers as they prepare for a Father/Daughter dance as part of a unique program at a DC prison. Through casual interviews, fly-on-the-wall footage, and clips from home movies humanity, hope, and struggle are explored.

The cinematography is at once lyric and incredibly evocative, there's a sense of weaving together artistic imagery with incredibly vulnerable and true emotion. The visuals work in concert with the subtle but potent score to kind of mainline the complicated and beautiful themes. Its extremely potent, at times transcendental. Reminiscent in feel, if not in concept or execution, to Netflix's 2021 best-of-the-year doc Procession in that it has it all- honesty, pathos, hope, compassion- and manages not to be brutal or depressing but modestly uplifting even celebratory, not at the cost of the realities or the socio-political messaging but in spotlighting the absolute beauty and endurance of the human spirit, in the inspiring and inevitable way we as humans connect and move forward despite unavoidable hardship. That struggle and challenge, accepted and faced and moved through, is how we grow and become.

A passionate and poignant must see, a denunciation of fear.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Don't Miss It.

Identity

We eat, sleep, breathe, shit
because we must

it is required

by our constitution

for our continuation

so it is with creation

with making

it is foundational

this impulse

to form out of nothingness

to grapple with meaning

to translate and express

what we think, feel, and believe

to say

I made this and it is myself

to tip our head back

glare into the open sky

and scream

I Am Me

in all my contradictions

to make our mark, however small

we do this not for return

for money or prestige

(no shade on those in fame's pursuit)

not for outcome

but for the doing

because it is who we are

because we must

we toss our work upon the crashing waves of this world

because we are here.