Bryan Caron's Blog, page 2

Movie Mayhem – Voyagers

Voyagers — 2021; Directed by Neil Burger; Starring Tye Sheridan, Lily Rose Depp, Fionn Whitehead and Colin Farrell

Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the… wait. Sorry. Wrong Voyager. This Voyagers is not about a team of explorers navigating the vastness of space, but instead a group of kids, manufactured and raised to take an 86-year journey to another planet that they know nothing about except for the fact that it has oxygen and water. These types of films always make me question why we, as a human race, are so arrogant as to believe these types of planets are uninhabited and ripe for the taking. Just because we once did the same in America does not make us entitled to expand to wherever we want – as if populating another planet won’t go horribly wrong, even if it is uninhabited by another thinking, feeling race of beings.

Then again, in the film, those on Earth may never even know if what they believe will ever become realty, as not only will the journey take 86 years, but any messages will take years to transmit through space, and that’s if the crew can even call Earth due to issues they encounter mid-flight that take out all communications. I guess what I’m saying is the plan Richard (Colin Farrell) and his team come up with to save the human race isn’t as well-thought out as they may want to believe.

This truth arrives with a vengeance when a couple of the kids, whom have been genetically processed from the best of the best — the smartest and prettiest of us all — and raised from birth in a “ship-like” environment so as to avoid any chance that they’ll miss things like air, sun and plants once the mission is a go, use their high IQs to discover that they are being lied to and manipulated, and take the necessary steps to correct this malfeasance.

Ten years into the journey, all of the good-looking, fit young adults robotically go through the motions on a daily basis — eat your rations, do your job, listen to music, go to sleep. One outlier, Zac (Fionn Whitehead) mixes things up on occassion by tripping up the stairs or blasting his music, but nothing so obvious that it sparks Richard’s curiosity. In fact, Richard is too focused on taking Sela (Lily-Rose Depp), the ship’s chief medical officer, under his wing by using their private mental health sessions to show her all different types of things he brought with him from Earth, to really notice — or care.

When Zac and his friend, Christopher (Tye Sheridan), discover a drug that suppresses emotions and sensations is being administered through a blue liquid the crew is required to take every day, they decide to stop taking it, leading them to finally understand what anger, jealousy and of course, lust and love feel like. As they start to navigate these new emotions, the two get into trouble, especially around Sela, with whom both begin to see as more than just a friend and colleague.

The crew, after others also stop taking “the blue”, soon begin to grow paranoid that there’s an alien hanging out around the ship, causing a series of noises that Richard has explained away as being the ships systems contracting and expanding as different systems are turned on and off. However, Zac and his followers don’t believe him, not after all of his (and the mission’s) other lies begin to come too light, including a secret room. This paranoia leads to a fracturing of the kids and turns them into exactly what Richard feared they might become.

By how I’ve described the film thus far, it doesn’t seem like I enjoyed the film, but even though the plot is very simple, and some of the ideas don’t seem they’ve been thought out very well, the film itself is a very interesting look at how the human experience can be infected by an abundance of lies, emotion, and manipulation. The latter is what takes center stage, as it becomes evident that several characters attempt to manipulate others, even if they don’t understand that’s what they’re doing.

Sheridan and Depp are very compelling as the pair that fully understand what’s happening and fight to keep everything under control when things become insane. They provide just the right amount of guidance, fear, loyalty and intelligence to contradict the other side of the equation. Speaking of which, Whitehead provides the right amount of emotional turmoil to keep you invested in how he’s able to draw others to his side in a way that all of the kids would follow him.

It’s also a good study of how suppressing certain parts of human nature can lead to unexpected circumstances. By attempting to suppress the cravings of these kids in order to control food rations and the population of the ship, it’s inevitable that an outburst of aggression would occur once that suppression is no longer feasible. Because these kids were never able to experience these emotions or concepts before, when they finally encounter them, it becomes a flood of consequences that could have been avoided had they been taught how to control them.

I may be looking a little too deep into a space opera that doesn’t truly dive as far as it could into the bigger picture (the end sends us into a bit of a rosy future that I’m not sure I buy), but I had fun watching this specific group of young adults learn how to “become human” and where that might lead into the future once they arrive at their destination, even if that home might not be very kind to them. We may never truly know, but as far as these Voyagers go, they kept my interest with some good ideas and a charismatic cast.

My Grade: A-

Bonus Reviews:

It may start out nicely, but because Ben Falcone allows Melissa McCarthy to improve a little too much, Thunder Force quickly devolves into a mess of scenes that go on for way too long, a series of annoying character sequences, and unintentionally noticeable wire-work. Listen to my (Spoiler) review of Godzilla vs Kong on Ramblin’ Reviews. B–

Concrete Cowboy is a very quiet love letter to the cowboys that roam the streets of Philadelphia, providing some of the real Fletcher Street Stable Ranchers to be part of the cast, showcasing what these stables mean to this group of cowboys and how much the group care for these glorious animals, all through the lens of a young boy (Caleb McLaughlin) attempting to reconnect with his estranged father (Idris Elba). A

Kevin Sorbo plays the usual skeptic who has an enlightened moment of faith as in most of his faith-based films, and though the script and the characterizations in The Girl Who Believes In Miracles can be a bit hokey at times, in the end the film does what it sets out to do with a strong message of hope and faith that we all seem to need right now. B+

Next week, new movies include Voyagers and Thunder Force (Netflix). If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – The Unholy

The Unholy — 2021; Directed by Evan Spiliotopoulos; Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, William Sadler, Katie Aselton, Cricket Brown, Christine Adams and Cary Elwes

When dealing in any genre, there are a typical set of rules that must be adhered to in order to create a story that everyone can easily follow, relate to, and understand. When done well, viewers generally will not notice this design; when done poorly, the model sticks out like a sore thumb. This is especially true in the supernatural horror genre, which is one of the easiest to emulate, but the hardest to appear original. There’s also a high expectation level for the effects, whether CGI or practical, to integrate seamlessly into the story so as not to hinder the overall enjoyment of what is usually a simple, routine story. In the case of The Unholy, the plot and character elements are all in tact as they should be, but some of the direction leaves many of the necessary scares wanting.

Gerry Fenn (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is a down-on-his-luck freelance journalist desperate to find a story he can use to dig his way out of the hole he buried himself in after being caught fabricating stories to earn notoriety. During a despondent trip to a rural town to check out a mark that suddenly appeared on the rear of a cow, Gerry finds a chained doll inside the hollow of a tree. Attempting to salvage his trip with a somewhat interesting spin, he breaks the doll and makes it seem like a local found it like that.

That night, Gerry almost runs over Alice (Cricket Brown), a deaf girl who suddenly speaks. This turn of events intrigues Gerry enough to stick around, even though no one believes what he heard, including the girl’s uncle and local pastor (William Sadler). The next day, his story is confirmed when Alice walks out to the tree the doll was found and begins telling everyone that someone (or something) named Mary (Marina Mazepa) wants them all to believe in her miracle.

This incident, as well as the healing of a crippled boy, lead the arch diocese to send a Bishop (an almost unrecognizable Cary Elwes) to legitimize the miracle. Gerry takes the lead in the investigation when it’s clear that Alice won’t talk to anyone but him about her experiences, all of which push Gerry to eventually uncover the truth of what’s really happening in this small little town.

Morgan does a good job limiting his performance, taking a welcome step back from the The Walking Dead persona that has nearly infected every performance since he first appeared on the show. By doing so, he helps draw the viewer into the story and emotionally connect us with the other supporting characters. His journey isn’t anything new and every step he takes is right in line with what you’d expect in this type of film. As stated before, this isn’t a bad thing; it’s comfortable. It’s all of the other elements that surround him that hinders the movie’s ability to find its core strength.

To begin, Mary’s backstory isn’t given enough time to breathe. Not only that, but where she came from and why she was imprinted into the doll is more intriguing than the actual story. On the plus side, the characters we’re following in the present are much more interesting than the characters we are introduced to in the past, who all tend to be more rote and stock than the ones in the present.

This may be one of the byproducts of the budget, which from what we see visually, wasn’t enough to create the fear and anxiety needed to effectively pull off a supernatural horror. Most of the CGI and makeup effects were given enough love, but when it comes to the scenes that are meant to frighten you to your core and send shivers up your spine, director Evan Spiliotopoulos subdues their inherent nature with odd and confusing camera angles, cuts and effects. Instead of getting your heart racing, it all simply leaves you confused and a little bored. I’m not one who cares much for jump scares, but even they were unsure of themselves.

What ultimately sells the movie is the solid relationship between Morgan and Brown. Each of them give quiet performances that blend well to give power to the secrets that are ultimately uncovered. Because of this main pair’s ability to capture our attention, we’re able to believe in what’s happening and care about the fate of Gerry’s eventual growth.

If their bond didn’t work, the entire movie would have fallen apart, as very few of the other characters had enough power to keep your attention. Elwes does what he can with his laughably villainous character, one whose priorities are all over the map. You never really get a feel for his beliefs or why he does what he does throughout the film. He’s basically there simply to be a foil that doesn’t really mean anything in the long run. Even Sadler, who is usually a strong presence, was a bit weak here.

The Unholy isn’t a perfect film; there are some issues that probably could only be rectified with a higher budget or a better eye and style. But because of Morgan and Brown, and a script that does its due-diligence in graciously following all of the rules, the film ends up being better than expected, if not a bit of a forgettable entry into the supernatural horror genre.

My Grade: B+

Bonus Reviews:

The special effects and the fight sequences are amazing in Godzilla vs Kong, all of which lead to one delightful death sequence and a surprise cameo that will get fans giddy in the third act. The problem is, everything else, including the development of almost every character and the explanations, explorations and execution behind a lot of the science created for the film, are mediocre or non-existent. Listen to my (Spoiler) review of Godzilla vs Kong on Ramblin’ Reviews. A-

You can always rely on Benedict Cumberbatch to be a strong force in whatever role he’s given, and that is definitely true in The Courier, the true story of Greville Wynn, an English salesman who’s tasked by MI6 and the CIA to become a courier for Russian documents at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, a task that begins relatively effortless, but quickly spirals out of control. B+

Next week, new movies include Voyagers and Thunder Force (Netflix). If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Nobody

Nobody — 2021; Directed by Ilya Naishuller; Starring Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielson, Christopher Lloyd, RZA and Michael Ironside

When I first saw the trailer for Nobody, my first thought (as it was for probably many others) was that it was going to be a not-so-subtle mix of John Wick and Taken, with maybe a little bit of Falling Down thrown in for good measure. After all, based on the trailer, the movie was going to be about an ordinary man with extraordinary skills who finally snaps after living a fruitless, mundane life. Last week I reviewed Cosmic Sin, which I deemed too unimaginative to be anything more than a ripoff of a whole lot of different films. Does that mean Nobody was going to fall into that same trap? Fortunately, it doesn’t. Although the summary I wrote above isn’t too far off from the actual plot of the film, there is more going on here than simply retreading what’s come before.

First and foremost, unlike John Wick, Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is your typical family man. He goes to the same boring job, always seems to forget to put the trash out on Tuesdays, eats dinner and goes to bed. Unlike Bryan MIlls, Hutch is still married, though his love life has taken a downward spiral in recent years, prompting his wife (Connie Nielsen) to place a barricade of pillows between her and her husband while they sleep. One night, things change for the worse(?) when some desperate criminals break into Hutch’s house. Even though he is eventually able to get the upper hand when his son (Gage Munroe) tackles one of the burglars, he decides to let them get away with the few dollars he had on hand.

After a litany of people give their two cents over whether he did the right thing or not and his daughter (Paisley Cadorath) is concerned about a necklace that may have also been stolen, Hutch makes the decision to take matters into his own hands and hunt down the perpetrators. With a quick visit to his ex-FBI father (Christopher Lloyd), he hunts the criminals down. At one point during his excursion, a gaggle of drunk, rich idiots get on the bus he’s on and start to harass a young girl. He has no choice, then, but to use them as a way to vent his frustration and utter disappointment. What he doesn’t realize is that one of the drunks is the well-to-do brother of a Russian mobster (Aleksey Serebryakov), who swiftly seeks revenge upon the man that would dare hurt his family.

The key to believing that Hutch would slowly progress from a simple family man into a warrior relies heavily on Odenkirk, and he does not disappoint. The careful way Odenkirk utilizes his body language to show the subtle evolution of Hutch’s abilities is perfectly executed, as is the way he mixes Hutch’s desire to keep his secret past locked away and his desperation to break free from the “prison” he built for himself, at times even praying for a return to a life he left behind long ago.

At the same time, this isn’t a man whose skills are readily available. From the first fight he forces himself into, it’s clear he knows more than he’s letting on, but his skills are a bit rusty. It’s a lot like riding a bike for the first time in twenty years; you may stumble a few times as your muscle memory reactivates, but once it does, you become an unstoppable force.

I also liked seeing Christoper Lloyd back on screen, especially when he’s able to jump into the action. Too bad they couldn’t somehow find a way to integrate Michael Ironside, who plays Hutch’s wife’s father, to also join the final action sequence. It may have been a little much if they had, but Ironside jumping in to kick some tail is always worth the price of admission.

When it comes to the Russian mafia, gangsters, or whatever they are, that is where the film begins to falter. The actors hired to portray them are a little flat in their style and delivery, and I never truly felt they were as threatening as they probably should have been. They were weak in a way that makes them nothing more than fodder for the hero. The upside to them being nothing more than a nameless rabble of victims is it gives director Ilya Naishuller a chance to come up with some creative ways to dispatch of the minions. Naishuller was never afraid to go after people without hesitation. There was no need for monologueing in any of the kinetic action pieces.

On the surface, Nobody feels like it might be a boring or uninspired retread of several different films that would be much more suited for Liam Neeson, but once you get into the nitty-gritty of what’s happening, and we move past the obvious homages to those other films, you find there’s more meat on these bones than the advertising campaign provides. In other words, Nobody goes all out to navigate a style and a theme that we have seen before but carve out its own little niche in the process, one that stays true to itself while giving credit where credit is due.

My Grade: A-

Bonus Reviews:

It takes a little bit of time for Netflix’s new coming-of-age musical, A Week Away, to find its footing, but once it does, the film turns into a sweet, fun, enjoyable afternoon delight with a few decent musical performances, some good acting, and a vibe that’s very reminiscent of High School Musical. Listen to my (Spoiler) review of A Week Away on Ramblin’ Reviews. A-

The Seventh Day isn’t as scary as it should be, but it does bring a new twist to the exorcism genre as we watch a man who witnessed a horrific exorcism when he was younger train a new recruit, all leading to an ending that will make you wonder… in a good way. B+

Next week, new movies include Godzilla vs Kong, French Exit and Concrete Cowboy (Netflix). If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Cosmic Sin

Cosmic Sin — 2021; Directed by Edward Drake; Starring Frank Grillo, Bruce Willis, Brandon Thomas Lee, Corey Large, C.J. Perry and Perrey Reeves

It has been a bit of a running joke that Bruce Willis has all but checked out. Not from acting, but from caring. Much like Nicolas Cage, Willis works feverishly, starring in multiple films every year that go straight to DVD, on-demand or streaming services. Unlike Cage, who puts every ounce of passion into each project no matter how horrible it ends up being, Willis tends to provide laid-back, tired performances that hint at his only being there for the paycheck.

This tendency for laziness doesn’t stop at actors. It’s also found in filmmakers, directors and of course writers. Just like an actors performance, if the writing is lazy, it can upset you, aggravate you. Not because the film was bad or you wasted a couple of hours on predictable, unimaginative drivel, but because you know there’s more there that could have been done and that there are plenty of people willing to work much harder to create a great product, despite whether or not it ultimately turns out a horrible mess. That’s what I see in Willis’s new film, Cosmic Sin, where it doesn’t seem anyone involved cared much about creating anything but a passable science-fiction facsimile.

At no point in Sin‘s short run time does the film ever do anything to even pretend it’s original. I take that back; they do make some attempts to be original, but it all fails, mainly because of a breakdown in the writing process that provides a meandering plot and characters that are so stock and bland, there’s hardly anything to connect to. At times, the film even seems to have chunks of missing material that doesn’t seem to have ever been there (instead of naively winding up on the cutting room floor). It’s because of this characters say and do things that don’t add up or go absolutely nowhere, and what should be dramatically tense moments that would normally strike an emotional cord with viewers fall flat because we have no reason to care about the underdeveloped relationships.

If Willis seems a bit out of tune with the rest of the film, it might be because the man gets second billing to Frank Grillo, even though Grillo goes MIA for what seems like the entirety of the second act. Meanwhile, Willis does try at least to show some interest in what’s happening as James Ford (even the names aren’t original!), an ex-military man who was stripped of his rank and service after obliterating a world against orders. Apparently, he’s very important as Grillo’s military leader, General Ryle, immediately requests his presence when a first contact with a new species goes awry. However, after a deadly firefight ensues at the base where the alien species have infiltrated human bodies, Ford’s presence is immediately questioned — by Ryle.

There are plenty of contradictions and pointless plot maneuvers like this that occur throughout the movie. For example, upon arrival at the planet for which the first contact occurred, Ford and Ryle get separated from the rest of their team. Why? Dramatic tension? For different people to gather different information that will lead to them banding together in the third act to defeat the evil? No. None of that. In actuality, there really isn’t a reason for them to be split up at all as the crew eventually find one another or end up in the same place within ten minutes of being separated. It may not be a big deal, but for me, it simply felt unnecessary in the full scope of what’s happening.

Imagination also seems to have gone out the window. The film takes place in the twenty-sixth century, and yet the technology doesn’t feel at all advanced enough. I understand that we can’t really predict what will happen in the future, but even the original Star Trek series had more ingenuity with its limited availability of effects. With what we are able to do now, you’d expect there to be some great strides in technology, especially since the majority of the effects used in the film were on the higher end of the effects department. Yet, most of the characters say and do things that are very 21st century, and, other than a couple of decent things (such as being able to transport to another planet light years away in an instant) are very modern to today’s world and don’t feel futuristic enough for the time period. Had this been set in the 22nd century, maybe; but the 26th? I don’t buy it.

Going beyond that, everything technological feels like a retread of something that has come before. The soldier’s gear feels like rejected concepts from Edge of Tomorrow, the evil aliens build a star gate, er, space wheel to travel long distances, and even the transport the humans use to get to the planet has been done before in Galaxy Quest. The most ingenuity in the film is the concept behind the title, and even that is a bit confusing on its face. Even one of the movie’s posters was all but stolen from the official poster for Live Free or Die Hard. What does that tell you?

Suffice it to say, Willis, Grillo and the rest of the cast — who aren’t even worth talking about as they are all so bland, and in some cases, completely irrelevant — weren’t given a whole lot to chew on. It’s hard to argue that the material was a train wreck from the minute the writers slapped on THE END; why someone of Willis’s caliber (and even Grillo’s caliber for that matter) would sign on for somthing like this is a mystery we may never know. But hey, at least Willis’s weary performance fits in with the plot of Cosmic Sin, which is itself a sin to the writing process. At least the effects were good!

My Grade: D+

Bonus Review:

There’s an interesting story hidden under all of the debauchery in Last Call, a film that spends way too much time on a B-story involving the lead character’s best friends playing a sex game and not enough time on the conflicts between a man (Jeremy Piven) who comes back to help the community he grew up in only to watch that community be torn down by the very people that pay his salary. B

Next week, new movies include Nobody, The Seventh Day and A Week Away (Netflix). If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Chaos Walking/Cherry

Chaos Walking — 2021; Directed by Doug Liman; Starring Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Mads Mikkelsen and Demién Bachir
Cherry — 2021; Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo; Starring Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jeff Wahlberg and Jack Reynor

Not many knew of Tom Holland before he arrived on the scene as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. Since then, Holland has become a household name, yet he hasn’t seen a whole lot of screen time outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and some voice-work in high-profile movies like Spies In Disguise and Onward. In every such case, Holland has built a reputation for playing nervous, geeky-tech kids who are more anxious about asking out the pretty girl in school than confronting the evil that wrecks havoc in his life. Chaos Walking and Cherry, two films that premiered over the last couple of weeks, give Holland a chance to break from that stereotype and prove that he has the chops to live outside of the fun-loving, nerdy persona.

In Chaos Walking, Holland stars as Todd, a young man born on a planet with the unique property of outwardly displaying the thoughts of all of the men. Because of this, all women have been eradicated by the planet’s native alien species. That is until a colony transport from Earth arrives to check on the progress of the previous colony and verify its habitability. The only surviving member of the transport after it crashes is Viola (Daisy Ridley), who’s immediately hunted by the colony’s Mayor (Mads Mikkelsen). Todd takes it upon himself to help Viola get to a second colony in order for her to contact her ship, all while hiding from his own townspeople (who do not want the colony ship to arrive) and the planet’s native species.

The concept of Walking is definitely interesting and the execution on a surface level is strong, even as it does seem to take liberties in its own rules. For example, as a way to keep from having the thoughts of specific characters revealed to others is explained away as some having more control over their thoughts. This type of thing feels like a bit of a cop-out, as the characters who can control their thoughts would have been tarred and feathered a long time ago, and those who can’t reveal secrets necessary to move the plot forward. However, when it comes to depicting Todd’s thoughts, each is delivered in a manner that not only makes sense, but provides an authentic manner of speaking within one’s own mind.

On a deeper level, things don’t ever seem complete. There isn’t a whole lot to the plot and some of the concepts that are introduced aren’t fully developed. However, the chemistry between Holland (who remains closer to his Peter Parker persona here) and Ridley help raise the overall concept above another throwaway sci-fi adventure and the way the filmmakers portray the character’s thoughts is also well done. In the end, even though the film was in development for some time, it’s interesting and engrossing enough to keep your attention, even after you realize there could have been so much more had the script been honed a little further to explore the larger concepts in more refined detail.

Where Holland is given a chance to break free of his normal persona is in Cherry, where he becomes an enigma of camouflage in a film that relishes in the banality of the ordinary. Holland plays what is credited as Cherry, as I’m not certain they ever say his real name, the first indication that Cherry himself is nothing but a ghost in a world of billions. He’s just an average college kid who sometimes does recreational drugs and hangs out with his friends.

In the first moments of the film’s first chapter, Cherry meets Emily (Ciara Bravo), an attractive student who he has an instant connection with on a profound level. After a loving relationship that bonds them beyond time, Cherry tells Emily that he loves her. This scares her into moving to Canada for school, igniting an incredibly intense downward spiral, beginning with his enlistment in the army. This, then, culminates into severe PTSD, which leads to heavy use of Xanax and Oxycontin and a dangerous addiction that find him and Emily in dire straits for years on end.

Holland dives into this role with all of his soul, completely hiding in plain site, both literally and figuratively. Looking like a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt at the start of the film and Milo Ventimiglia’s younger brother by the end, the whole movie is based on the idea that Cherry, much like many other military veterans, are unrecognizable in the eyes of the neighborhood, the government and the world at large. So much so that Cherry can get away with pretty much anything because no one truly sees him or his pain. No one except Emily, who becomes locked into his destruction and refuses to let go, an addiction in itself hidden under the allusion of love.

It’s clear that directors Anthony and Joe Russo are digging into the idea of Cherry as a forgotten soul by naming the banks with non-descript monikers like “The Bank” or “Credit None” or by naming a VA doctor “Dr. Whatever.” In so doing, the Russo’s make it clear that not only is no one trying to help Cherry survive, but Cherry’s life is so mundane, simple and pointless, that he himself can’t even remember the names of things that don’t matter. (It’s also a not-so-subtle dig at the unresponsiveness and corruption of the banking and military services).

There are a few moments that focus on Cherry specifically remembering certain names and images (sometimes in a bit too artsy way for my taste) that invoke a sense of desire for hope that things will change, that in some way they will get better if he simply latches onto something that is completely out of his control. The only love he understands is the one he knows he is harming the most, and that in and of itself, pushes his own mental destruction until it becomes clear the only way to find happiness is to sacrifice himself to protect that love.

It’s in this performance (and in Bravo’s stellar performance as well) that allows Cherry to pull you into the nightmare of a life that has slipped through the cracks of bureaucracy and a world that many of us will never truly understand. It also proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that once Holland has left behind the MCU, he has a long, healthy career ahead of him that won’t be full of the same intelligent high-tech nerds in tights.

My Grades: Chaos Walking: B+; Cherry: A

Bonus Reviews:

Aside from a trio of secondary characters that take their roles a little too far outside of the tone of the rest of the film, Jennifer Garner’s new Netflix film, Yes Day, is a fun family comedy with a terrific family dynamic and some really strong performances by a trio of kids who take great advantage of their parents’ agreement to abstain from saying no for twenty-four hours. Listen to the full (Spoiler) review of Yes Day on Ramblin’ Reviews. A-

The comedy isn’t as sharp and the plot is a little weak, but Coming 2 America does provide its audience with some good moments of nostalgia and a few good moments that help guide you through to the finale; if only they had altered the reason for returning to Queens, New York, focused more on the Akeem’s (Eddie Murphy) daughter’s place in the royal lineage, and let go of its political correctness, the film might have risen to the same level as its classic predecessor. B

Next week, new movies include Courier, Food Club and Phobias. If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Boogie

Boogie — 2021; Directed by Eddie Huang; Starring Taylor Takahashi, Taylour Paige, Pop Smoke, Pamelyn Chee, Perry Yung, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., and Mike Moh

When you think of sports movies, whether baseball, football, basketball, hockey or even golf, there is one word they all have in common — inspirational. Sports films deal in inspiration like a stockbroker deals in cash. A player learning a valuable lesson, a coach going through a mid-life crisis, or a team of misfits overcoming their insecurities to win the big game against the “better” athletes, it doesn’t matter; sports films make it their purpose to give those who are essentially broken a chance to prove themselves and become a winner. Unfortunately, the new sports drama Boogie plays into none of that, essentially stripping its story of anything inspirational and washing the whole thing in the sour nectar of gloom.

Alfred “Boogie” Chin (Taylor Takahashi) is a star Asian basketball player whose parents transfer him to a preparatory school so that he might shine on a team with no other stars, all to showcase his skills against another formidable player named Monk (Pop Smoke). I point out that Boogie is Asian because the movie spends a lot of time making sure we don’t forget that he’s Asian. His parents have raised him to understand his Asian heritage and make sure that his Asian identity is always the first thing that people know about him. The opportunity to play, and eventually beat Monk will hopefully win him a scholarship to a top-tier university, which will them propell the Asian into the NBA. When plenty of universities offer a walk-on spot, but no scholarship, Boogie’s Asian mother (Pamelyn Chee) and Asian father (Perry Yung) go to war with each other over how best to get their Asian son into the NBA.

I’m sorry to say, but no one in this film is at all likeable. Every character is either brash, conceited, malicious or downright mean. Correction, all characters but one — Boogie’s best friend and fellow teammate Richie (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) is the only bright spot in the film. It’s too bad he’s only there to be a wing-man for Boogie’s sexual advances toward their classmate, Eleanor (Taylour Paige), and offer up the speeches that are meant to inspire Boogie to be a better man. The words, though, always seem to simply go in one ear and out the other as Boogie never changes. His conceit runs rampant throughout the movie, even during the final game when all mandatory tropes are suddenly thrown into the pot to stir up some favor in the audience.

The toxic relationship between Boogie’s mother and father doesn’t help. Its only purpose seems to be to inform the audience of what Boogie’s own relationship will become with Eleanor, who spends the first act of the film berating and despising Boogie because of his constant stalker-gazing and awkward sexualization of her figure only to start dating him at the turn of a dime as if the first act never happened. I couldn’t see how this relationship would last one week, much less across continents, as neither character gives the other any reason to change their better-than-though personas. Maybe that’s the point. Boogie grew up surrounded by a toxic relationship; maybe that’s all the world has in store for him.

It turns out that toxicity is all this movie has going for it. Breaking away from a standard storytelling device can be a breath of fresh air when done honestly and with purpose. From where I’m sitting, I didn’t see any purpose for straying away from the tried-and-true formula that makes sports films what they are. This is especially noticeable in the final act when we finally get to see Boogie face off against his imagined nemesis. (Imagined because we never truly get to see the reason either Boogie or Monk would be at odds with one another except for their own bloated egos.) Writer/director Eddie Huang had the perfect opportunity to jump into a strong, exciting and inspired-filled finale, turning all of what’s come before on its head and give Boogie everything he wants. Instead, he tears that opportunity to shreds and then throws us a bone like we’re supposed to care one iota for what happens next. The shift is too abrupt and doesn’t make much sense for why it’s done the way it’s done.

All of this stems mostly from the heavy-handed way Huang pushes the culture’s ideology, which is wrapped around the film like a python. There’s nothing wrong whatsoever in exploring and paying respect to someone’s culture, and there are some scenes in this movie that do so quite nicely. However, because of the sheer nastiness that overwhelms the core of the film, most of this ideological pandering tends to feel rotted out and only there to spread propaganda instead of showcasing the heart of what makes the culture breathe.

Boogie tries very hard to connect us with its title character, his culture and everyone around him by ham-handedly relating them all with literature, but even that falls flat. The good news is, the basketball sequences (as little as there are) are done well, and as I mentioned before, Richie is a fun character that I wish would’ve been given more to do. Outside of these very minor aspects, though, Boogie just can’t seem to find any strength within the sport, the culture or in family to warrant any type of inspiration.

My Grade: C-

Bonus Reviews:

There are some very good sequences in Hulu’s new time-loop action film, Boss Level, but because the filmmakers waste the casting of both Mel Gibson and Michelle Yeoh, skimp on the special effects budget, and pass over several missed opportunities, we’re left with a film with so much potential just waiting to get to the next level. Listen to the full (Spoiler) Review of Boss Level on Ramblin’ Reviews. B+

Disney continues its animation resurgence with Raya and the Last Dragon, a terrific film with a strong voice cast, visually stunning set pieces, some nicely choreographed battle sequences, and a story that captures your imagination while doing what Boogie couldn’t — deliver inspiration with a resilient message of hope and trust. A

If you cobbled together bits and pieces from films such as Over the Hedge, Harry and the Hendersons, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and The Incredibles and then threw a heavy level of environmentalism into the mix you’d get Bigfoot Family, a kids film that uses this processing of recycling, I guess, to try and prove its overbearing message. B-

Next week, new movies include Cherry (AppleTV+) and Yes Day (Netflix). If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Blithe Spirit

Blithe Spirit — 2021; Directed by Edward Hall; Starring Dan Stevens, Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann and Judi Dench

As a writer, I gravitate toward films about writers. Part of the reason is because most of them deal with how writers deal with the challenges of writer’s block and how they overcome it. Whether it’s a comedy like Throw Momma From the Train, or existential meta-fiction like Adaptation, the heroes journey for these characters is finding their muse and getting out of their own way in order to write that next great novel. It’s in all writers who struggle to find words to fill those terrifying blank pages and away from the mountain of procrastination we tend to build around us in order to avoid it all together. Blithe Spirit is the second film to come out this month that dives into the turmoil of the writer as he (or she) discovers their muse in an unorthodox way.

Based on the play (and the 1945 film) of the same name by Noël Coward, Spirit follows Charles Condomine (Dan Stevens), a well-renowned writer who has been commissioned to write the screenplay for his first novel. No matter how hard he tries, the words just won’t come to him. It isn’t until he and his second wife, Ruth (Isla Fisher), go to a show featuring a medium (Dame Judi Dench) that Charles is able to gain some inspiration for his grand idea. He decides to invite the medium over for a seance so he can discover the inner workings of the craft and use it as the catalyst for his screenplay. What he initially believes is a complete fraud actually turns out to be real when she accidentally conjures the spirit of Charles’s first wife, Elvira (Leslie Mann), who has been dead for five years.

After the initial shock of Elvira’s sudden reappearance wears off, Charles finds the words he’s been desperately looking for. It turns out that Elvira was his muse the whole time he was publishing best-selling book after best-selling book. Without her, he had nothing left in the proverbial tank. As he spends more and more time with Elvira as he writes his screenplay, Ruth does all she can to find a way to get rid of the home-wrecking tramp spirit.

All three main leads are great in their respective roles, especially as more comes out behind the truth to Charles’s writing and his connection with Elvira. Mann brings a nice touch of bitchiness while Fisher spends most of her time as a reluctant second fiddle. In the middle of it all is Stevens, who brings just enough quirk to the bumbling writer to make the sudden “outbursts” he exhibits when asking Elvira to leave him alone in various ways fit right into the world that’s being developed. Anytime Charles and Elvira squabble whilst in the presence of other people, in fact, is the best way for writers Nick Moorcraft, Meg Leonard and Piers Ashworth to play with some light and gleeful banter while adding just enough character to each one as to keep them grounded in reality.

Where the movie lacked a bit was in explaining Elvira’s abilities. For the majority of the movie, she is able to move objects around, play the piano, and even drive a car, but the ability to touch Charles is essentially off-limits. I do believe they explain this phenomenon at one point, but it feels more as if it’s in passing as opposed to something we should be aware of, and that hurts the credibility of everything else Elvira is able to accomplish throughout the film. I also felt that Dench was a bit underutilized as the disgraced medium, whose own powers and abilities are also used for comic effect instead of giving them true purpose.

I wasn’t quite sure where the movie was headed by the time it reached the end of the second act, and as Charles might say, the second act turn (otherwise known as the shift into the third act) is a bit abrupt; at least it does take a dramatic turn I didn’t see coming. This would have been more shocking and fit even better had the third act itself took itself as “seriously” as the rest of the movie. By that I mean, there is some terrific comic tension in the first two-thirds of the film with some great comic timing, but by the time we reach the third act, we’ve somehow devolved into a piece of slapstick silliness.

Unlike The Right One, which felt more degrading and tactless in the way the writer finds her muse, Blithe Spirit has a lot of fun with a writer dealing with writer’s block and using the supernatural to find his muse. If the third act would have matched the tone of the first two thirds of the film, the movie would have been in perfect tune with the lighthearted fantasy of the script.

My Grade: B+

Bonus Reviews:

Tom and Jerry may have been better if it didn’t feel as if the title characters were nothing but guest stars in their own movie; Chloe Grace Moretz is once again great as a grifter who worms her way into a hotel job, but as this plot takes more screen time than anything to do with the cat and mouse duo, I have to wonder if this wasn’t a completely different script that someone adapted to include Tom, Jerry and all of their cartoon animal friends. Listen to my full (SPOILER) review of Tom and Jerry on Ramblin’ Reviews: B+

Next week, new movies include Raya and the Last Dragon, Chaos Walking, Boogie and Coming 2 America (Amazon Prime). If you would like to see a review for one of these, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – I Care a Lot

I Care a Lot — 2021; Directed by J Blakeson; Starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza Gonzalez, Chris Messina, and Dianne Weist

When did it become required to saddle evil masterminds with dimwitted associates? One reason this might have happened is because it gives the antagonist an Achilles heal of sorts that the protagonist can exploit in order to thwart their plans of world domination. This phenomenon doesn’t just happen in superhero movies, either. It can be found in plenty of dramas, comedies and and even romantic fluff. What happens, then, when the film is about nothing but “villains”? In Netflix’s new original film, I Care a Lot, both the protagonist and antagonist are criminals in different ways— one has confident, intellectual assistance, the other has the requisite loyal fools.

A lot of actors will say they like playing the villain in a film. It’s pretty much the same with any art form (I wrote a blog about why writing villains is so much fun) because it allows the actor, writer, artist or dancer a bit more freedom to explore different levels of intensity that portraying the hero doesn’t allow. I Care a Lot brings together two exceptional actors who are more than ready to chew the scenery with eccentric passion that remains grounded as much as the bedlam soars.

Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) is an intelligent, conniving thief who has her hooks in the nursing home industry so deep that she easily forces seniors into nursing homes under false pretenses so she can become their legal, state-appointed guardian. This allows her to legally claim their assets as her own, selling everything to “pay” for their “necessary” care. Every move she makes is precisely calculated and she remains cool under pressure, even as she is threatened by family members of patients who see right through her malevolent scheme. It’s the perfect ruse… until she traps Jennifer Peterson (a wonderful Dianne Wiest) in her web of deceit.

Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage) is a snarling, pastry-loving, smoothie-slurping philanthropist who carries every ounce of sadism on his shoulders. Everything he does is done through emotional distress. The film never states outright what Roman does to make his millions, but it is alluded to that at least one of his trades is in human trafficking. That’s not important. What is important is when Roman finds out that not only Jennifer but his precious stash of diamonds she was holding for him have gone missing. This puts a craw in Roman’s back and he won’t stop until he takes care of those who would dare cross him.

Writer/Director J Blakeson does a terrific job of creating these characters and allowing Pike and Dinklage to make them into fully-fleshed-out individuals. We aren’t necessarily supposed to be rooting for either character, as they are both filthy monsters, but each one brings so much depth, we can’t help but feel emotionally tied to their desires and their missions of becoming, and/or staying rich no matter the cost. So who are we rooting for overall to win in the end? Because the story revolves around Marla and her girlfriend’s (Eiza González) push to become rich and powerful, Roman and his motley crew of bumbling fools consequentially becomes the antagonist to Marla’s protagonist.

Where the film loses a bit of steam is in the middle of the muddled second act, where it’s clear that Dinklage’s associates are too ludicrously dumb to be believable. This includes his lawyer (Chris Messina), who based on the development of the character, should be much more cunning than Marla, but comes off as a guppy to her dasterdly shark. Pike and Dinklage are so good in comparison, that this inauspicious idiocy hinders the film from reaching the potential these two stalwarts demand. Because of their tremendous presence, the shenanigans that occur whenever Roman’s cohorts are on screen brings the film’s maturity level down a notch.

It’s not just that; the second act also grows weary as the cat-and-mouse game between Marla and Roman simmers in tangled escapades that don’t necessarily have all that much weight to them. There is an electricity when Pike and Dinklage do get to share screen time together, though, so that does make up for the slip into more irrational ideas. I would also have liked to have seen more depth built in and around the inner workings and ramifications of both trafficking and medical kidnapping. The idea that these two people are one-in-the same is intriguing. They are both working in the same dark waters, one is just doing so legally. Getting to explore that more would have elevated this film beyond just another villainous thriller.

By the time the third act rolls around and we see the cruel games played between the two characters come to an end, the ultimate finality is a bit predictable and I’m not sure the last few moments hit home the way it was intended. Nevertheless, because of Pike and Dinklage, I Care a Lot has a lot of power and gravitas (and some nice dark humor) to it, even as we are rooting for both characters to eventually get their comeuppance.

My Grade: A-

Bonus Reviews:

Flora and Ulysses falls into the trap that many children’s films fall into — talking down to their young audience. This silly, throwaway look into finding super-heroic characteristics in even the smallest and least likely of entities to help us cope with reality has some nice touches, but includes too many scenes of loony characters doing off-the-wall cartoon antics, keeping it from becoming a true, authentic adventure. Listen to my full (SPOILER) review of Flora & Ulysses on Ramblin’ Reviews: B

Though it has a top-tier cast that includes Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch, The Mauritanian splits its time between the prisoner’s (Tahar Rahim) experiences in Guantanamo Bay and the fight to get his name cleared so erratically that it doesn’t resonate as either a legal drama or a prisoner drama; both sides felt as if they were missing something, and that’s where the film ultimately fails to convey a compelling story. B

Next week, new movies include Tom and Jerry and The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu). If you would like to see a review for this, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Willy’s Wonderland

Willy’s Wonderland — 2021; Directed by Kevin Lewis; Starring Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, Beth Grant and Ric Reitz

I’ve seen some odd and interesting movies over the last few months. With COVID-19 still wrecking havoc on the blockbuster movie schedule, many small, independent films have taken over the cineplexes, a lot of which can only be described as oddly unique. Then there’s Nicolas Cage, who, aside for the occasional voice stint, hasn’t made a major blockbuster film since 2014’s Left Behind, still has over two-dozen films to his name since. Most of these films have gone straight to DVD and/or VOD, but with his reputation, you know no matter what format it ends up in, the film is going to be one wild, crazy ride. Combine these two things together and you get Willy’s Wonderland, a bizarre film that would be wildly hysterical if it didn’t try to take itself so seriously.

Take the synopsis, for instance. Cage plays The Janitor, a silent drifter in a hot product placement Camaro. When he accidentally blows out his tires driving over conveniently-placed spike strips, he agrees to clean a rundown Chuck-E-Cheese-style entertainment center to pay for the cost of fixing his car. Little does he know that the scary animatronic mascots have been possessed by serial killers and are out for blood.

The only thing that makes this synopsis even crazier is Cage being basically mute. Not sure why director Kevin Lewis chose to do that, as it would have been a hoot to see Cage quipping at all these possessed creatures as he takes them out one by one in the only way Cage could. However, even though Cage isn’t given one word of dialogue, he still manages to create an intriguing otherworldly character, infusing the Janitor with his typical unbridled performance that is devoid of fear in all sense of the word. As the creatures haunt the Janitor, Cage plays his role as if this type of supernatural occurrence happens every day, so he might as well just go with the flow.

With his penchant to duct tape all of his wounds, change out his 80s-style Willy’s Wonderland T-shirt every time it gets sprayed with black motor oil goo, and the man’s deliberate insistence to take his self-appointed breaks on time, Cage creates a character with levels of depth you wouldn’t otherwise have believed based on the material he’s given.

So-much-so that if it wasn’t for Cage’s straight-laced, yet crazy performance, the movie would have been a complete dud. The script, written by G.O. Parsons, doesn’t have anything to say beyond killing a bunch of teenage kids that have no reason being in the film. (Remove the kids and you basically have the same movie.) Parsons tries desperately to make them relevant in every scene, but we all know they’re only around so we can see some bloody carnage.

Liv (Emily Tosta) is a survivor of a past attack by these possessed animatronic characters and was taken in by the town sheriff (Beth Grant). We first meet her as she is about to burn down the entertainment center. The sheriff catches her and locks her to a radiator at her home. Why, we’re never quite sure, as she’s quickly freed by her friends, who then return to the center to again burn it down. That’s about as far as the character depth goes for these group of kids. Even Liv’s weird father-daughter bond that grows between her and the Janitor isn’t strong enough to warrant her existence.

Beyond the typical teenage slasher film cliches (character’s getting picked off one-by-one, a pair of sex-crazed kids run off to get their jollies off, the backwood hick townsfolk with a big secret), watching Nicolas Cage go crazy without ever flinching drives the film to it’s slim 88-minute run-time. For all intents and purposes, Willy’s Wonderland would have made a perfect short film — keep the gritty, dirty cinematography, drop the kids and let Nicolas Cage be Nicolas Cage in all of his Nicolas Cage glory. Unfortunately, by stretching the film into a feature, it deadens the aspects that do make it a unique horror film. If you like Cage and a little bit of bizarre horror, catch this one on late night cable when you’re about ready to fall asleep.

My Grade: B-

Bonus Reviews:

Judas and the Black Messiah, based on the true story revolving around Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton and the FBI’s push to arrest him, showcases a ton of parallels to a lot of what’s happening in politics and society today, however, the film has a lot of substance but no depth, leaving the audience a bit cold with a lack of a truly emotional core. Listen to my full (SPOILER) review of Judas and the Black Messiah on Ramblin’ Reviews: B+

Next week, new movies include Nomadland, Flora and Ulysses (Disney+) and I Care A Lot (Netflix). If you would like to see a review for this, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.

Movie Mayhem – Palmer

Palmer — 2021; Directed by Fisher Stevens; Starring Justin Timberlake, Ryder Allen, Alisha Wainwright, Juno Temple and June Squibb

Because a lot of movie theaters are either closed or open in limited capacities, major studios are still delaying the majority of their films in hopes that the mess created over the last year will soon subside. Until that happens, it’s understandable that the majority of new “major” films are currently premiering on-demand or on streaming services. With many people still concerned about COVID-19 or strictly locked down by state governments, television is the only way they can get fresh content. Personally, I have no issues going to the cinemas, but with so little offerings out there, jumping on these streaming services is an appropriate alternative. Since August, when I reviewed Artemis Fowl, I’ve only caught a dozen or so new movies on these services, but you can probably expect to see quite a few more streaming reviews (for the next few months at the very least), starting with Apple TV+’s new film, Palmer.

Palmer takes place in a small-town burg with all level of residents from decent to degenerate. When Palmer (Justin Timberlake) arrives back in town after getting early parole for a crime he committed several years earlier, he is immediately greeted by his friends from both law enforcement and the wrong side of the tracks. Palmer moves back in with his grandmother (June Squibb) and the only job he can find is as a janitor at an elementary school. Little does Palmer know that he will soon be forced to become a father figure to Sam (Ryder Allen) after the boy’s mother (Juno Temple) splits town. Palmer’s grandmother accepts the boy into her care only to pass away in her sleep a few days later.

Actor Fisher Stevens has worked behind the camera for years in many different formats, and here it’s clear he desperately wants to make this film matter. Stevens has a hundred acting credits to his name and it shows in how well he’s able to direct his fellow actors throughout the film. He also understands the mechanics of directing a quiet film about redemption and standing up for those who are “different.” The problem manifests itself in the execution of the script, which comes of as a bit pandering to a select group as opposed to hitting the mark of true redemption that can be universally experienced.

On the one hand, you have all of the fundamental tropes of a redemption story: a young man with a past learns through the eyes of a child that he is being held back from the person he truly can be by not only his so-called friends but by his own feelings of guilt. To rise above these things, the child will inadvertently show him what a real hero can be just by standing up for the child and being there when they need them the most. However, embedded throughout these story parameters are plot threads that don’t seem to add up to anything outside of a simple attempt to be “woke.”

Timberlake plays Palmer as the epitome of masculine — a hardened criminal who drinks, smokes and beds whatever woman that even looks at him. Sam is the exact opposite — his favorite show is a cartoon about princesses, he plays with dolls and loves going to his friend’s house to have tea parties and play dress up. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this; however, there is no reason for this dichotomy to be at play within the confines of the story being told.

I like that Sam knows who he is and isn’t afraid to be different or flaunt his love for what most would deem inappropriate for boys. After all, if this was a little girl who likes to play inherently boys things, no one would bat an eye. So this aspect of who Sam is works to a certain degree without feeling forced or shoved down our throats. However, I would have appreciated this much more had it played into how the two characters learn from one another on a grander scale.

For the character dynamic to truly work the way it’s intended, Palmer would have to be the opposite of how he’s displayed throughout the film. One one level, Palmer never truly disapproves of Sam’s decisions. There are a few brief instances where Palmer questions his choices, such as attempting to steer Sam to buy a boys costume for Halloween instead of the princess fairy costume. But even these moments are so subdued, that Palmer’s character arc is flattened to the point that his transformation is all but neutered.

On another level, you might expect Sam’s willingness to be who he is despite being bullied or having others look at him differently would help Palmer understand that he himself needs to find his own truth and live comfortably with himself. But at no point does Palmer ever try to deny his past. He is just as accepting of who he is and who he was as Sam is from the start, so there’s nowhere for Palmer to go emotionally. They try to provide a roadmap, but it’s nothing more than surface level ideologies. To put it mildly, instead of bringing these two together and allowing Palmer to strengthen Sam and Sam to soften Palmer, both characters are pretty much exactly the same at the end as they were at the beginning, leaving behind the question for why they chose to go in the direction they did with Sam’s character.

That being said, Timberlake and Allen work well together and add to a string of good performances that enrich the overall essence of the film. This includes the secondary relationship between Palmer and Sam’s teacher, Maggie (Alisha Wainwright), which never strays from the core story arc. Maggie is the perfect teacher, not only for Sam but for Palmer, as she does more to give Palmer a reason to soften his hard exterior than Sam does.

Outside of these core dynamics, there isn’t a lot of closure in a lot of the subplots. From the kids who bully Sam at school, or the principal who doesn’t care for Palmer, they fit into what the film is trying to say, but never completely fulfill their purpose. For example, one scene spends several minutes watching Sam’s principal (J.D. Evermore) interrogate Sam to find dirt of Palmer. After this scene, though, we never again here about this character, much less the accusations of abuse that he tries to force out of Sam. It’s things like this that refrain digging deep enough or manifest into anything other than stereotypes that diminish the capacity of the film’s underlying ideas.

I get where Stevens was going with all of this, I just don’t think he did enough to warrant the presence of many of the pieces that are included. I give him credit for attempting a few different ways of telling a tried-and-true story, but with the relationship between Palmer and Sam feeling more pedantic than it does genuine, Palmer doesn’t quite latch onto the heartstrings the way a film like this is usually able to accomplish.

My Grade: B

Bonus Reviews:

Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto are masters at work in The Little Things, an authentic nourish thriller that follows a small town cop teaming with a green detective to hunt down a serial killer, all of which leads to an ending that could reveal many different theories as to what the final minutes actually mean in the overall scheme of the precisely-directed narrative. Listen to my full (SPOILER) review of The Little Things on Ramblin’ Reviews: A

Next week, new movies include Malcolm and Marie (Netflix) and The Reckoning. If you would like to see a review for this, or any other film out next week, please respond in the comments below.