Top Ten Favorite Films / Video Games Of 2019

Can't believe it's that time again already....the end of the year and this time the end of the decade (woah we're in the future!!).... Time to see how the decade closer did...as ever if something seems obviously missing I may not have experienced it at all or enough yet...or it just truly is wrong! Here it goes:



Top Ten Films Of 2019

1.) KEVIEWS FILM OF THE YEAR AWARD 2019: Avengers 4: Endgame: For ending, and being, perhaps the greatest superhero...and even overall blockbuster.... franchise in Hollywood history so incredibly near-perfectly with everything the fans would want...ASSEMBLE!

2.) Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: For incredible Tarantino direction of a retro time machine and Pitt/ Leo’s performances amongst others.

3.) Joker: For Phoenix’s performance and its dark gritty take on the icon....for being the most Nolan since Nolan.

4.) The Lighthouse: For its suffocatingly dark mysterious atmosphere and fantastic Dafoe / Pattinson performances.

5.) Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker: For ending off the Skywalker Saga in its good parts...for the spectacle and Kylo and Lando and Palpatine and space and feelings.

6.) Marriage Story: For the impeccable performances of Driver and Scarjo...for the music and direction.

7.) The Irishman: For Scorcsese returning to mobster form...for De Niro, Pesci, but so shining-ly most of all Pacino.

8.) Parasite: For its direction, performances, and surprising twisting plot...even in Korean.

9.) Knives Out: For its direction, performances, and surprising twisting plot...even in Southern.

10.) Uncut Gems: For its serious Sandler performance and its unique soundtrack and atmosphere.

Honorable Mentions 11-13’s :
11.) Us (INTENSE!)

12.) John Wick Chapter Three - Parabellum (ACTION!)

13.) Toy Story 4 (EMOTION!) Unique Mention:
- El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie ( more of a new TV episode really)

Top Ten Video Games Of 2019

1.) KEVIEWS GAME OF THE YEAR AWARD 2019: Devil May Cry 5 : For being absolutely, totally craaaazzzyy with exciting boss encounters and wonderfully cheesy melodramatic plot beats / music feeling right out of the mid-00s glory days.

2.) Luigi's Mansion 3: For its spooky-tastic atmosphere, wonderful visuals, and interesting variety of areas / bosses....with some seriously loaded narrative for a Mario game!

3.) The Outer Worlds: For being the best Fallout game since the Fallout games before 76....for having a true Obsidian touch and choices with great game-play in every possible regard.

4.) Gears 5: For its eye-popping visuals, epic story, and experiments with open world design done decently.

5.) Death Stranding: For Norman Reedus and his funky fetus memes...before and after...for being so totally unique and cinematic social networking if a different kind of not very “game”.

6.) Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: For bringing Souls to the more general Star Wars audience...for being a shiny fun intricate single player experience in the modern era.

7.) Kingdom Hearts III: For concluding the epic generations long saga at last....for its beautiful visuals and music and manic non-sensical combat along with long-wanted Disney worlds being made.

8.) Super Mario Maker 2: For being infinitely loaded with content and possibilities.... again. For having a story and multiplayer and new items on top of what already worked.

9.) Trover Saves The Universe: For, to a Rick and Morty true fan, being so hilariously weird and colorful and surprising.

10.) Yoshi's Crafted World: For being so adorable and inventive in its level design and music....again and shinier than ever.

Honorable Mention 11-13’s :

11.) Untitled Goose Game(HONK!)

12.) Control(TRIPPY!)

13.) Pokemon Sword and Shield Versions(SWITCH!)

Unique Mentions:

( - The Jackbox Party Pack 6 ( duh I put my heart and soul into this more than ever longer than ever and am proud! )

(- Telltale’s The Walking Dead Final Season (4) Episodes 3 and 4 (Really more dlc / episodic thing doesn’t really count but oh my the feels ) Onwards to the next year (and...decade!)....

Uncut Gems Review

Uncut Gems
Director: The Safdie Brothers
Cast Headliners: Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox, Lakeith Stanfield, Eric Bogosian, Kevin Garnett
Original Release Date: December 13th, 2019(limited)

    One may not necessarily think of Adam Sandler as one who excels in the area of the drama. He is synonymous with silly juvenile comedies for the family that have gotten sillier with each passing iteration. However in the right hands he can be fantastic with a quality dramatic script. The Safdie Brothers, Josh and Benny Safdie, are known on the indie circuit for their distinct gritty style. Uncut Gems marries this two vastly-potential filled ingredients into something wonderful and weird. It's a movie that's like little else out there which will both delight but possibly unnerve the viewer.
       After a very trippy opening sequence which sets this distinct surreal atmosphere the film shows its setting of 2012 New York City where Howard Ratner(Adam Sandler) is an extremely mysterious Jewish jewelry shop owner with some debts to be paid and shady deals to be made. He balances  arrangements with customers of all types including literal NBA player Kevin Garnett(as himself) aided by associates in street life knowing Demany(Lakeith Stanfield) or his mistress / worker Julia(Julia Fox). He also struggles with a failing marriage with his wife Dinah(Idina Menzel) and a bounty on him by his brother-in-law Arno(Eric Bogosian).
     The movie has a script which manages to elevate mostly every actor involved from known to unknown (even surreal bit parts of The Weeknd and Wayne Diamond). Sandler's Howard is fantastic. It's such a different role for him from the lovable goof he's usually been on screen. Here he's more of a hatable goof. A goof in such a way , with dark rimmed glasses and garish gems of his own, it makes him that much more convincingly cunning and threatening. Sandler manages to crack a joke at times but it smartly comes off as more like uncomfortable attempts at breaking tension that it does pure laughs. One will fascinated at the depths this character will both go to and place layer upon layer of bets within.
   The other cast has some great chemistry, or stark hatred-filled lack thereof, within the piece. Menzel's Dinah isn't much explored but has her skilled dramatic moments. Stanfield's Demany moreso delivers exposition than anything but has his face-offs. Fox's Julia is a charming adultery partner to Howard with her own arc to play that improves as the film goes on. It's amazing how good KG is as an actor and one would hope for him to be in more. Bogosian's Arno is threatening, and his creepy thugs even moreso, althoug hall come off as too mysterious in their own ways at times or if not that a bit generically menacing in parts.
    However this is a film so much more about "style" over "substance" in an impressive way. Dialogue is best when its chaotically layered over itself in narrow jeweler's shops or narrow hallways. Contrastingly, action and chases are are their best when there's not much being said at all. The Safdies direction is fantastic whether as close as can be or with more sweeping shorts of New York (or rarely, elsewhere). The lighting has distinct neon touches in moments that give it a strong vibe helped so incredibly much by the music.
    The musical score by Daniel Lopatin is almost worth the price of admission on its own. The weird mix of retro synths and sometimes choir-like vocals gives the experience the true "experiential" aspect. This distinct vibe is so strong and these electronics are what make it in a fitting way for Howard's card shuffle of a life. Some decent pop / rap song usage happens as well.
       It's an experience worth having for oneself if they're willing to be uncomfortably on the edge of their seat in this trippy dramatic time where things are one wrong move away from totally collapsing at any given moment. Some things are repeated or don't erupt as much as they could or should but its identity is worth checking if one seems like its dark grit is appealing. Keep it up , both to mr-now-dramatic-sandler as too to the Safdies. 8.75 out of 10
 

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Review

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Director : JJ Abrams
Cast Headliners: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver , John Boyega , Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher , Chewie, 3PO, R2 , Palpatine etc nearly everyone Star Wars ever
Original Release Date: December 20, 2019

   It's hard to believe that so soon already Disney's sequel trilogy is at its end.. Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker is not just a close for the past 4 years of adventuring for these new heroes but also in a way ends the Skywalker Saga started decades ago by George Lucas. There was once a time he wanted to get this far and most thought we never would...but we have . It's of course hard to pull off a pleasing ending especially amidst a fandom caught up in division . However truly for a fan, despite some critics or otherwise expected , the movie has bright highs which shine just as one would expect, want, and deserve.
   It's a bit too quick to the punchline in that about a year after the events of 2017's Episode 8 : The Last Jedi the galaxy already knows of the return of classic Star Wars evil Sith overlord Emperor Palpatine (Ian Mcdiarmid) sending out a threatening message across the stars.  Kylo Ren / Ben Solo( Adam Driver) has a quest of his own as he seems answers about this while maintaining control of his imperial First Order as Supreme Leader along the likes of Generals Hux( Domnhall Gleeson) and Pryde( Richard E Grant ) ever followed by the long awaited return of the dark warriors the  Knights of Ren .
   Elsewhere Rey(Daisy Ridley) is now on her way to be a master Jedi as she trains under General Princess  Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher in her final posthumous role). Fellow Resistance members Poe(Oscar Isaac), Finn( John Boyega), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo ), C-3PO(Anthony Daniels ) and small droids  BB-8 and R2-D2 have a quest of their own to take down the First Order , and possibly Palpatine if he's really what he says, once and for all. 
  It's a film of of course bombastic spectacle and high stakes that attempts to close out established lore while adding so much new of it's own . This juggling act is evident in director Abrams visual approach . Some things are presented in a slightly more jumpy style than his peers and of course there's a lense flare or too. However he once again , after his last effort in 2015's The Force Awakens , has great skill in wild battles and exciting sequences. Masterful use of scenery occurs and there's actually more variety in color for the alien worlds and various ships / troopers although it's all from the same by now expected pool. It tends towards a bit of the prequels ridiculousness and that's fine and even helps things feel more fitting for the nine part close.
   As it has been in the past the shining stars are Rey and Kylo Ren . Their story , carrying on the force bond of the past , reaches it's excitingly dramatic and surprising conclusion as their fate balances between good and evil. It's great to see Ridley take on her most mature , Jedi trained version of Rey yet as she deals with the temptations of the dark side as many heroes before her have. Driver's Kylo, here with the promise of the noble "Ben Solo" side more than ever, brings his character's arc to an exciting if too swift conclusion. Driver / Ridley chemistry is old news but it works.
     It's a relief to see that, if too late by the end too, Isaac's Poe, Boyega's Finn, and other such droids and furry creatures get to be one cohesive whole. Poe especially has some of his biggest true involvement after he spent the other films of this period on the sidelines. He brings his charm and humor along with backstory and action set-piece involvement. It's a bit of a shame that , while going to some decent places (especially compared to The Last Jedi), Finn's arc doesn't quite end up what it should be. As an ensemble whole its the funnest family yet but examine some corners with a microscope and cracks show.
    These cracks are sometimes news things. There's new characters like the bow-wielding Jannah(Naomi Ackie), bounty hunter Zorri Bliss(Keri Russell), or Resistance soldier Beaumont Kin(Dominic Monaghan) given little more than some shots to fire or expansionary dialogue. It's a bit of a shame that alumni too carry this role at times like heroic Rose Tico(Kelly Marie Tran) and Maz Kanata(Lupita Nyong'o) or villainous side from Hux(at least a bit more to him than a punchline) even upstaged by the new Pryde replacement.
   This is what defines the Disney era: a tug of war between the plans of JJ Abrams, who did Episode 7 before 9, and Rian Johnson who did Episode 8. Aside from the mentioned instances there's several times that contradictory characterizations or plot elements happen. Even some quips happen at The Last Jedi's expense. As silly as they were at least the prequels had George Lucas' overall combined vision.
     This rapid retconning also happens around how Palpatine becomes involved to play\. Without spoiling too much, some extremely rapid revelations and information happen (which really is par for course compared to the other Disney films..compare The Force Awaken's "Han is Kylo's dad" reveal to The Empire Strikes Back's "No, I am your father' moment for an example). With JJ's jumpy editing style some objective discomfort could be found. However, this also adds to its distinct identity as well and especially the action. Luckily, with assuming that he does say at least a word or two somehow, McDiarmid's Sith Lord is as gloriously evil and the right kind of cheesy as ever if a bit more of a "been there" and darker approach than his last time in the prequels.
    On returning characters, it's fortunate that everyone else is as fantastic as ever. It's an impressive technical feat that Leia is even involved in the first place after the tragic passing of Fisher. Her scenes are mostly taken from not just a bit of Episode 8 but moreso reworked content from 7. The contrast can be at times unnaturally jarring but they manage to find a way that it works. Yes a certain groovy Lando Calrissian(Billy Dee Williams) may show up and he's surprisingly, and perfectly, as energetic and suave as ever in in his distinguished age for a bit of a short appearance time. The mystery of if Luke Skywalker(Mark Hamill) has one last thing to say must be seen firsthand as well but is done pretty well if not perfectly.
       The action is nicely pulse-pounding in a straightforward way. People get to places, a situation happens in a shiny (if mostly typical, darkness worlds and ruins aside) location, some quips and blasts are traded and so on. It was perhaps best that things were classically iconic for the end. JJ Abrams is good at delivering things people want if maybe not in ways they didn't expect it and for things to look as exactly as they'd expect but not much more. Big kudos to the duels and space combat (especially a bit of an insane finale) however it's all over only just a bit after it gets great with a couple of exceptions.  Score by John Williams is as iconic as ever if mostly pulling from what's come before.  The Knight Of Ren look cool but don't do much...there's a statement summarizing it all .
     That's what ultimately what not just this film is but what the Disney era as a whole is / was (main three films aside, check things like The Mandalorian or Rogue One for how smaller can be better and fresher...or Solo for how it couldn';t be).... enough, but maybe could have been more. It was always going to be hard to end this iconic franchise's main story and we're lucky that it's at least expected. If only just a little bit more was done here or there it could have been perfect. However, the fantastic is undeniably good whether it makes one cheer, laugh, cry, or fear. Star Wars has never been perfect but that's what makes it special. Whether we loved it for being great or being a meme it was sure memorable. This film mixes the great, the bad , the wants and the surprises in a way that it should be even if its just a few inches short of the gold finish line....but what a race it was whether it was in first or last...we had fun.  Till next time , and please show us what a new car and tourney looks like, may the force be with us always. 9 out of 10

Multireview Mania: The Irishman on Netflix/Knives Out/Marriage Story on Netflix/A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood/Marriage Story on Netflix/ Parasite

Multireview Mania: The Irishman on Netflix/Knives Out/Marriage Story on Netflix/A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood/Marriage Story on Netflix/ Parasite aka the best of the rest I've been busy !:

- The Irishman (Netflix Exclusive)
Director : Martin Scorsese
Cast Headliners : Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, Ray Romano, Harvey Keitel, Bobby Cannavale, others
Original Release Date : November 27th, 2019 ( Netflix Access )

     A great return to form for the master mobster flick maker Scorsese. Very much like his other classics but especially Goodfellas and Casino in a generational time jumping tale like The Godfather. It's very , very lonnnng and slow but the directing and acting is powerful. Especially by Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa and De Niro / Pesci in their roles ...with some effective if at times uncanny CGI de-aging.. Some brutal kills in parts and to me new Kennedy history . One must know what they're getting into but the slow burn worth it....8.76 out of 10

- Knives Out
Director : Rian Johnson
Cast Headliners : Daniel Craig , Lakeith Stanfield, Ana De Armas , Jamie Lee Curtis,  Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, Others
Original Release Date : November 27th, 2019

   Director Rian Johnson is back in his mystery element ...a twisting turning narrative packed with foreshadowing , call backs, and meta references although less politically bold than some have claimed. The plot and it's unreliable narration is the highlight here with Johnson's close style being a perfect match even more than Star Wars .... the swampy manor as much a character as anyone. Of course on those characters amazing performances abound especially in Evans, Curtis, Johnson, and zsjannon with decent kudos to Armas. Craig gives a bit of a cheesily hammy southern accented role but it works ....  at times a slow burn of its own but all comes together in the end . .. 8. 7 out of 10


Marriage Story (Netflix Exclusive)
Director: Noah Bambauch
Cast Headliners : Adam Driver , Scarlet Johansson , Laura Dern, Alan Aida , Ray Liotta
Original Release Date : December 6th, 2019

    A bit overly sappy a bit overly melancholic in moments . However this tale of a marriage falling apart and the divorce thereafter slowly but surely gets even better and dramatic .. Incredibly amazing performance by Adam Driver who proves to be as inspiring , or broken, are ever through drama and fatherly moments . Kudos to Johansson as well with her own heartbreaking angle ... Dern , Aida, and Liotta bring contrasting kindness and legal spitfire through some intense court scenes. However one scene between Driver / Johansson makes it all worth it . 8.9 out of 10

A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood
Director : Marielle Heller
Cast Headliners: Tom Hanks , Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper, Susan Kelechi Watson, etc
Original Release Date : November 22, 2019
Seen : December 2019

     This one is only in part about the Mr.Rogers himself . Tom Hanks is really solid in the role when he does show up. However it's more about Rhys as the reporter's drama in his own life with Watson as his wife and Cooper as his father . However all of the above pale in comparison to Hanks' Fred with some bizarre moments happening in the script. There's some heartwarming bits, toylike visuals and piano music but they're surrounded by a film of mixed results. 7.8 out of 10

Parasite
Director : Boong Joon-Ho
Cast Headliners:  Song Kang-ho
Sun-kyun
Cho Yeo-jeong
Choi Woo-shik
Park So-dam
Original Release Date: May 2019 (Korea) , October 2019 (USA)
Seen : December 2019
    While not in English the whole cast gives quality performances especially Kang-ho. Where this film excels is its darkly comedic twisting plot ....filled with masterful conning , twisty turns and close calls . There's some suspensions of disbelief needed and perhaps appreciation for nuances of Korean culture but it's dark surprises, and laughs, are worth it to anyone. 8.6 out of 10
   

Frozen 2 Review

Frozen II
Directors: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
Cast Headliners: Idina Menzel, Kirsten Bell, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, wacky elements
Original Release Date: November 22nd, 2019

If 2013's Frozen was a typical Walt Disney Animation Studios main film with some really nice flourishes then Frozen II is a typical Disney sequel with some flourishes of its own. However it's rare that these get released on something more than direct to video at a theatrical level. The effort of the film is felt giving a colorful, emotional, attempted epic story once again however for everything it does well again it falls short in areas the first did. But maybe one can “let its flaws go”.
Knowledge of the first film is key to the events of this one with it taking place after the changed situation of that. In the lush oranges of a fall autumn the kingdom of Arrendelle has it new ruling generation in the friendly reunion of sisters kind-hearted Anna(Kirsten Bell) and ice-gifted Elsa(Idina Menzel) along with Anna's simple goofy boyfriend Kristoff(Jonathan Groff) along with reindeer Sven and living snowman Olaf(Josh Gad).
Their sing-song-y idyllic lives are interrupted by a legacy from their past as seen in flashbacks from their parents Agnarr(Alfred Molina) and Iduna(Evan Rachel Wood). Legends speak of mysterious river of memories in the Enchanted Forest where things such as the wild out of alighnment elements, rock giants, the Northulda people led by Yelena(Martha Plimpton) and a group of knights led by Lietunanent Matthias(Sterling K Brown).
It's a movie that ends up with some mixed delivery but some things must be praised. The CGI animated visuals are incredible with Disney itself even surpassing the best of Pixar to levels of realism perhaps never seen before especially in the backgrounds. The natural scenery is breathtaking and people / critters are so smooth even if it trends towards the “cute”.  Some impressive use of scale makes things feel fresh or darker when needed. Solid kudos again to directors Christopher Buck and Jennifer Lee as they return.
Of course the music is a key part of the experience. The orchestral score by returners Robert and Kristan Anderson Lopez is lush with some new usage of things like guitars, drums, and even retro-70s keyboards to give it a nuanced experimental feeling.  On the songs well...it's some mixed bag. Great in effort and composition to perhaps new heights but their usage is not the best. They're more of them but they seem to pop up at times odd intervals without the emotional context or fall into the trope of “explain everything”.  They have more layers and emotional but lack the right punch at times or aren't as catchily iconic as “Let It Go”. Some exceptions apply however in both epic and even self-aware humor. The Olaf number seems oddly familiar however.
On Olaf, he's a stand-out character again in new if even more ridiculous ways that may trend towards a comedic overload.  The script is full of a lot of heart and laugh worthy moments mostly from him but at times the sisters, Kristoff, or Sven. Bell's Anna seems to have slightly regressed as a character but has her depth and charming moments although not as quite where the first one was. This actually leads to Groff's Kristoff having some more stuff with her in his established relationship and proposal goals. Menzel's Elsa has an amazing singing voice of course but so too again has some decent character growth with extra emotion this time although once again it seems she goes away from the main plot for long stretches. Newcomers like Brown's soldier or the Northuldrans offer little more than exposition in the tapestry with one wanting some more of their various new cultures explained.
What it succeeds in audio-visuals it unfortunately finds itself confused in narrative. There's very rare moments of excitement and drama but really the plot is so frustratingly simple in comparison to the past. There's not really a true antagonist or challenges to overcome. There's moments almost like these but they're glossed over quickly like many things. Questions are raised that are never really answered and somehow even with a bigger scope things feel smaller. One wishes some more time was spent on certain revelations or the meaning of the non-ice elements but nothing ever does.
However that's since it is a Disney movie and those at times are not so much about the “plot”. The best of their like however do have some substance and here everything just scratches at the surface. It's another slice of family weather-related fun but try to keep the bar of the first at home. 7.6 out of 10

Doctor Sleep Review

Doctor Sleep
Director: Mike Flanagan
Cast Headliners: Ewan McGregor, Kyliegh Curran,Rebecca Ferguson, Cliff Curtis, many minds and ghosts
Original Release Date: November 8th, 2019

   Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining is one of the most iconic films of all time. Author's note that it was a firsthand watch in full in the past few weeks but it holds up incredibly, amazingly well. How can anyone possibly follow it up and why. Well Stephen King himself stepped up to the plate with a 2013 novel Doctor Sleep. Now it's become a film but is it really The Shining 2 . It's a mix of very much being one, too much at being one, and it's own frontier.
Some (seldom little!) usage of the old theme song takes audiences back to the 80s where a young Danny Torrance is being raised  in Florida by his mother Wendy after the horrific events of the Overlook. They're played by Roger Dale Floyd  and Alex Essoe rather than their originals... part of several old characters who show up again who never quite match the original but at least go for an attempt at looking like them such as a dcent Shelly Duvall or a slightly mediocre Jack Nicholson. This includes Danny being haunted by ghostly visions whether the evil old woman (what a 2019 of those) or the helpful Halloran(Carl Lumbly). He learns to master his mental powers a little more which is more what this film is about than horror.
In present day in multiple jumps of time Danny is now a drunken loser of an adult(Ewan McGregor) who is still haunted but by much more realistic demons. He finds himself on the east coast befriending Billy Freeman(Cliff Curtis) in a small town.  Elsewhere a young girl named Abra Stone(Kyliegh Curran) makes contact with him with her own telekinetic powers. They attract the attention of a murderous cult of energy-vampires the True Knot led by Rose the Hat(Rebecca Ferguson). Various adventures, deaths, close calls, and magical revelations occur in the saga of shining-mind versus shining-mind.
That's an important thing to know of this film as mentioned. It's definitely spooky with some jump scares and an overall dark ambiance (thank director Mike Flanagan for that as the influence of The Haunting Of Hill House is felt in mood and ghostly reveals). However it truly dives deeper into the lore of these mind powers. There's some fascinating sequences of mental astro projection almost like Doctor Strange or Inception or something as these gifted individuals compete with each other. Some pulse pounding and or creepy music by the Newton Brothers aids this fantastical atmosphere. There's even such contrast features as a gun fight but it ends up working. 
The new cast is decent if nothing mind-blowing like the original. McGregor's adult “Dan” is of course hard to compare to the child version but that lets him be something new. He's a bit typical but carries his tortured addicted mental state with his capacity for heroism with some slight humor at times. Curran's Abra makes for a great pair with him and she has some solid young potential. Curtis's Billy has some generic kindness and this appears through most the other  family / neighbor characters like other King works. 
Ferguson's Rose is the most solid of all with a bit of an ancient Celtic accent hinting at her true origin. Her vampire partners, henchmen, and lovers have this unique Cajun-esque odd sensibiility to them that makes them distinct. Her number two and lover Crow Daddy(Zahn McClarnon) and newcomer Snakebate Andi(Emily Alyn Lind) makes some particular fierce impact. 
All of this could be a movie on its own and it really is a loose connection to the original. However of course they try to include some connections to the Overlook Hotel (as there was in the original novel). This time elements of the Doctor Sleep novel , the Shining novel's alternate ending, ad the mini-series remake are all mixed into having an excuse to go back to that snowy mountain. This part of the film is what truly is like “shining 2” and it's interesting to see other characters react to it. Some impressive efforts are made to re-create certain sets and visuals although some of this has shaky CGI. The lore doesn't quite make sense and some truly questionable choices happen in the climax but it manages to be both silly and deliver on what viewers of the first film would want to see for a sense of closure. 

It's a long movie, almost too much at times, with some room possibly having been gotten from cutting down on some character development. There's a few mistakes made but the emotion, scares, and atmosphere do a decent job of bringing back the legend. It's an epic mind saga when it does it right. 8 out of 10 

Terminator: Dark Fate Review

Terminator: Dark Fate
Director:Tim Miller
Cast Headliners: Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna, Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Original Release Date: November 1st, 2019

The Terminator film franchise is much like its apocalyptic future in that things were, are, and will be messy. Sequels to the iconic first two films have been extremely mixed bags with each attempting to start its own era of stories only to be swept away. What sets Terminator: Dark Fate, the sixth film overall, apart is that even more of the DNA of those first two films is present. Not only does Arnold Schwarzenegger as a T-800 return again but so does Sarah Connor, Linda Hamilton, herself. James Cameron also helped produce and craft a story that is set in a time-line canon only to the first two films. One might think this is sure to work but only in a mixed way.
A short prologue actually explains this timeline divergence. With some incredible de-aging CGI used to show the 1990s again a young John Connor is killed by another (apparently many ) T-800 in a move very reminiscent of Cameron's choice in Alien 3. This sets the future up for a new and unknown world ahead.
Jumping to 2019 Mexico is the world to which cyborg human-terminator hybrid soldier Grace(Mackenzie Davis) is sent back. Of course naked and afraid she at first only reacts to this strange time with no context or civility. Soon she realizes that her mission is to protect Dani Ramos(Natalia Reyes) from a Rev-9 terminator robot(Gabriel Luna) on their trails. There's some other new characters but none of them really make an impact aside from a moment. Even the new heroes and villains are pretty generic with Reyes being like a younger new Sarah Connor / John Connor fusion with much less of both the charisma and aptitude. Davis' Grace and Luna's Rev-9 have some fierceness to them but like so many in this franchise are generic while being better at action scenes. It's also questionable if it needed to really be “Legion” and “Rev-9's” instead of Skynet again since its the same plots but with the nouns swapped out.
What gives the movie its most authentic charm is the presence of the legacy characters used better than ever. It's so great to have Hamilton back as the older Sarah Connor. She's maybe even tougher than ever with great combat prowess and some funny quips. It's as if she never left and the character arc feels very much true to her past.  Schwarzenegger's older “Carl”, who's connections to the past must be seen firsthand, is also really good. Much like Genisys he's able to bring a humorous angle to things although here more robotic and reserved to fit a more accurate dark tone. It all works so well and it's a bit of a shame that they come in late to the picture (Sarah around 1/3 in and Carl for the last 25% respectively). The absolute best stuff is their rivalry with each other which brings both laughs and emotional feels. However it's understood that, like so many soft-reboots these days, these are precious connections whose minimal usage makes feel that much better.
  The gritty 80s tone is mostly successfully brought into the modern day. It's helped by the pounding metallic soundtrack, including the iconic theme, by Junkie XL although the synths are interspersed with generic orchestrations. James Cameron's lore touch and some tone is felt although he actually didn't direct it this time. This was done by Deadpool 1's Tim Miller. Through this a slight lower budget CGI cheese is felt but his frenetic style is felt (as if it was Wade Wilson versus foes but in a more grim way). Things tend towards larger than life movements which work with Rev-9's splitting-into-two-halves angle with liquid effects that remind one of T2(why does everything try to be T2....it was a legend of course). Things become a bit better when realistic gritty car chases and gunfights occur since they're more practical. It can be at times rough with the movement but it entertains.
That's what this film is... it's nothing too new but it entertains. Some of the ingredients help bring it up slightly from the muck of its franchise past but what isn't working still isn't working that well. However it acts as a bit of a nice closed loop for the series(with its box office this may be the end forever)  and worth it for either big fans or those looking for some silly robotic time-jumping fun. 7.35 out of 10.

The Lighthouse Review

The Lighthouse
Director: Robert Eggers
Cast Headliners: Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, you'll have to see
Original Release Date: October 18th, 2019(limited)

  With 2015's The Witch (or technically to some, The VVItch with to v's) Robert Eggers proved he's an incredibly unique director for both the horror genre and films as a whole. His style is already so distinct in ambiance and darkness with delicate use of period-centric dialogue and audio. The Lighthouse ramps up that atmosphere tenfold to offer a chilling but more dramatic psychological look into the despair of two men in the void of the sea.
Sometime in the 1800s (and after one of the few glimpses into the outside world of other people) a rookie lighthouse keeping “wickie” Ephraim Winslow(Robert Pattinson) settles in the far ocean under the employ of salty seadog veteran Thomas Wake(Willem Dafoe). The two men must contend with an unforgiving environment, arduous tasks, illusions and tales of monsters, but most of all the biggest trial: each other.
This is as mentioned a film with such little quantity in terms of location or characters but it makes up for it in complexity and quality. There's some seagulls and an indeterminately illusory mermaid (Valeriia Karaman)  but otherwise its these two sea-men and their watery, rocky surroundings.
This isolated context makes the script and acting so key to the experience upon which the film delivers quite well. Each is a masterful highlight in their own way. Dafoe's Wake takes most of the spoken screentime and he's packed with all kinds of quotable intense moments. Acting far beyond his age he's as saltily grumpy as they can be with a mad look and a gloriously dirty large bird. He manages to be so absurd that its at times comical (on purpose) between his stern fearsomeness.  Conversely, Pattinson proves his acting talent as Winslow. He seldom speaks but carries so much power in his take whether it is through stressed outbursts or the cold lack of any emotion forged in his locale. It's unrecognizable from anything he's ever done and makes a strong, total immersion case for anything he does like the greats. Together these two have such an intricate relationship that will cause questions and introspection for years to come even if it at times becomes repetitive.
Aiding this dramatic stress is the aesthetic chosen by director Robert Eggers. The movie is entirely in black and white which brings to mind both the bygone era but also such visceral works such as Eraserhead and the Elephan Man by David Lynch. This greyscale gives mind an old-timey photograph in motion (aided by the set design and dialogue) while also adding to the cosmic horror nihilism at play. Mark Korven's eerie scratchy score also adds to this wonderfully. Some surreal, weird, disturbing images pop up at times which makes it seem more like a work of art than “joyful entertainment” but the combination of all these dark factors makes for something incredibly memorable.
It's a very long and slow burn to the pulse pounding thrills but it's one worth the wait for one willing to embrace what it's going for. The performances here, like the context of the film, mark actors with a career nearer to its end and one just beginning. So too is this yarn just another accomplishment by Eggers and one can't wait to see what he does next if it builds even further upon this atmosphere.  8.6 out of 10

Zombieland: Double Tap Review

Zombieland: Double Tap
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast Headliners: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigal Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Rosario Dawson
Original Release Date: October 18th, 2019

     It can be difficult to create any kind of comedy sequel much less a zombie themed one and especially after over a decade has passed. 2009's Zombieland was a quirky unique thing that existed before a decade of zombies revival and the likes of such things as The Walking Dead and Z-Nation on television. Zombieland (2): Double Tap attempts to be a worthy sequel but has some ups and dows. However as with then there's definitely aspects which set it apart. For better(for the fans) or for worse it brings more of that same silly oddness to the present film scene even if it's nothing too deep.
Somehow after a decade the oddball family of  nervous tip/rules-making Columbus(Jesse Eisenberg), ridiculously skilled and powerful Tallahassee(Woody Harrelson), straight to the point realist Wichita(Emma Stone), and her sister in the now young adult Little Rock(Abigail Breslin) are still roaming the post-apocalyptic zombie-afflicted world without a home. Some humorously inane rules declaring voiceovers scenes right out of the 2009 film give some context for the different types of zombies who seemed to have learned such as slow-moving “homers” or intelligent “einsteins”. A new threat eventually arises in the self-healing “T-1800”(think Terminator in one of the film's fun pop culture allusions) complicates their situation further.
Events transpire to where this family does find a home in Washington D.C but for different reasons Little Rock and Wichita split off from the men when it comes to their relationships. They must brave the ever more dangerous wilderness to find them as well deal with potential new survivors as well. Of course things don't go easily and of course too are there many quips and bloody kills along the way.
The film succeeds best at being a funny comedy than anything else. What's decently commendable is how the old cast is able to slip right back into their old characters for the most part. This is particularly true of Eisenberg, Harrelson, and Stone. Columbus weaves between geeky incompetence and a newfound confidence with kills and women. Tallahassee's Twinkie obsession is swapped out for cheesy love of Elvis, big weaponry/equipment, and a  supposed Native American heritage.  Witchita goes for a slightly more dramatic bent as she deals with her boyfriend and sister but has some fun dry comebacks especially to the new situations they find. With so much time passed Little Rock is a little more rebellious than before and feels detached from her family but she has her occasional quips. The humor packs a lot of heart but it's nothing that wasn't done too much the first time however that's not a bad thing.
Some of these new situations show what the movie surprisingly becomes in part: a zombie-romantic comedy. Nearly everyone gets a new potential love interest to deal with that complicates things. Columbus has to contend with the most stereo-typically dumb blonde ever in Madison(Zoey Deutch). Her extremely stark peppy contrast to the dark world around her leads to some great laughs (especially with Tallahassee and Wichita) however in time the joke gets stupidly played out. There's also the mysteriously suave fellow Elvis fan Nevada(Rosario Dawson) and hippie Berkeley(Avan Jogia) who ultimately don't do much more than drive the plot forward along other random strangers.
Like the first film(as has been implied many things are just a parallel) some great even more bit cameo roles show up. Trailers have hinted at Bill Murray's appearance as Bill Murray himself again so be sure to stick around after the credits for that one even if it's pointless. Some rival zombie slayers in Albuquerque(Luke Wilson) and Flagstaff(Thomas Middleditch) surreal-ly resemble Tallahassee and Columbus respectively in their dress and mannerisms. Each gives such a great little comedic performance but unfortunately it's very late into the act and they fall by the way-side of the plot. Keep on the look out for some funny verbal smack-talk battles of the year however.  These remind what makes the Zombieland films so unique in their meta-ness and usage of pop-culture like famous objects and tongue-in-cheek self awareness. One wishes more zombie media took this route when possible but maybe it works more since its a comedy.
Director Ruben Fleischer returns as well from the original. The movie manages to capture that same mix of darkness and slight comic-book color unreality. Some of the CGI effects are even more suspect compared to modern blockbusters but it gets the job done. The rules and “zombie kill of the year” cutaways are some of the best shots since it gives an excuse to glimpse far off lands such as an icy city and Italy. There's actually not that much overall action in the movie but when it does appear it's some bloody silly fun and stakes when they do appear. David Sardy's score isn't anything to write home about but a couple of pop / rock songs are used very well.  It's all what it should be.
That's the film in essence in that it's exactly what one would expect and not much more. Viewers willing to embrace these characters again or for the first time will definitely have some laughs and bloody “ooh” moments. The new elements mix things up just a bit even if it far never reaches the originals. Still the heartwarming is heartwarming and it's not a bad way to spend a spooky autumn afternoon, again. 7.4 out of 10

Joker Review

Joker
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast Headliners: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen
Original Release Date: October 4th, 2019

     The thing this Joker film wants us to know is that, as the great George Costanza once said we're living in a society.  DC Comics have had a history that's longer and more tumultuous than many. They have attempted at a longer plan but have also started to focus more on sub-worlds of characters ignoring that plan yet sometimes not ignoring that plan. Batman and Joker have shown up in this world but that's not this Joker. This is something wholly removed from the DCEU entirely and that's for its best. It's an attempt to take a gritty, grounded look at how someone could become the Joker, a Joker, his own Joker in a dark dramatic tale not concerned that much with the future ahead or whatever other multiversal copies may exist of him. It's viscerally its own thing.
The film is set in an indeterminate retro past that is said to be the 1980s but this is of course in Gotham City where everything seems to be eternally stuck in a grey gothic take on the roaring 20s(this time with some meets 60s or 70s). Arthur Fleck(Joaquin Phoenix) is our future Joker who at first doesn't really remind one of the future menace at all. He's a loser who works as a roadside clown(ah) who is frequently beaten up and mocked by strangers and his co-workers including Randall(Glenn Fleshler) and Gary(Leigh Gill).   He lives with his bed-ridden elderly mother Penny(Frances Conroy) as he depressingly comes home to empty mailboxes and attempts at joke writing.  He attempts to be a stand-up comedian writing and telling jokes but unfortunately his mental conditions cause him to both not understand societal norms nor curb his frequent bursts of inappropriate laughter. Lurking below poor Arthur's exterior is a ticking time bomb of powerful, yet at times even justified, villainy.
It was with great excitement that Joaquin Phoenix's casting as the eventual Clown Prince Of Crime Joker was received and luckily he delivers incredibly. He's the soaring standout of the film from an acting perspective. Absolutely, incredibly amazing in his transformation for the role. It's not a surprise for those who know of his larger repertoire that he immerses himself to an intense degree. With his unkempt hair and sickly so-skinny-he-might-break physical state its something that reminds of someone who may very well the Joker even if his skin isn't whitened yet. Every movement, often every look, every facial movement carries an unstable insanity with it that manages to terrorize when it needs to yet even cause sympathies when it needs to too. One will be impressed by the accuracy, they'll feel on the edge of their seat in the face of darkness, and yes they'll even at rare times laugh and cheer. It's a bit of a letdown that his true colorful costumed, mentally snapped beyond the point of no return green-haired and face pointed form isn't in much of the film at all. However once it is there Phoenix is so effective at that side as well for what this take on the Joker from his pathetic abused context. The sulking of sorrow becomes the dance of dark victory. It's a transformation to be remembered.
The rest of the cast is pretty good as well with no one ever reaching the heights of the titular star although a strong script is present in most things. Conroy's role as Arthur's mother has some exposition and emotion in her similar frail poor state. The co-workers tend to be bit token punching bags for exposition much like police officers(Shea Wigham and Bill Camp) who get involved in violence Arthur finds himself apart of that starts the villainous downfall. Other parts of the relatively small  cast include a love interest of a neighbor Sophie(Zazzie Beetz), a clerk Carl(Brian Tyree Henry), and an assistant Gene(Marc Maron ever likeable and witty with sadly just two or three lines) to someone important all have their important moments in the pre-Joker's life but are just momentary exposition chess pieces in the coming evil checkmate.
That important player who has that assistant is talk show host Murray(Robert De Niro). He gives one of the film's other great performances in his kind-hearted show business self right out of something like Ed Sullivan. He's a bit cheesy but it's in an archetypical way that leads to some powerful lines both inspirational and accusatory to Arthur who's dream it is to be on this inspiration's show. The film actually has frequent Martin Scorese co-producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff involved so De Niro's presence and delivery make it feel even more like a gritty crime drama than a larger than life comic book movie. The influence of the equation's antihero progenitor's Taxi Driver and The King Of Comedy is definitely felt.
However while the movie may have its differences for its Joker and relatively smaller stakes plot there's definite Batman vibes going on. The setting of Gotham is as sinister and moody as ever with more daytime than usual which may reflect the metaphor of what's occurring. A very young child Bruce Wayne, the future Batman, shows up although Dante Pereira-Olson understandably doesn't say a word at all (he'll get his chance someday). It's his father Thomas Wayne(Brett Cullen) who does the most talking whether it be class rhetoric as he runs for mayor or threats as he makes an enemy out of Arthur. He's an effectively threatening white collar take if  a bit hammingly stereotypical in his own way. One might get tired seeing the inevitable outcome of his family's outing to theaters and alley's but it shows the ties to the classic world this film has even if the setup will not result in a movie sequel.
The visual splendor is handled quite well by director Todd Phillips. Almost as its main actor star he's completely unrecognizable from his silly comedy or war satire film past. Fantastic direction and cinematography exists in locations big and small.  Everything has a depressing, surreal dark tone to it. Blood and gore is seldom appearing but shockingly R-rated when it does which may remind of the director's dark comedic leanings. An incredible music score by Hildur Gubnadottir aids much to proceedings that helps to create this atmosphere whether somber or psychotic along with some period fitting jazz / rock pieces the rare times they do show up. The stakes never really give a chance for these artists to draw their brushes in elaborate strokes but for the scale it is it's nigh-beautifully done.
Much of the film is this slow, depressing burn but there's even times, rare times, where the excitement meeting insanity with what music and shots used reminded of the masterpiece Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy. It definitely doesn't surpass those leagues but it's the closest thing to remind of them since then which is good. The film however is best at being its own first to the world thing among the homages. It's the sad, chilling tale if at times straightforward portrayal of what was found in the classic piece of media this takes the most from in Batman: The Killing Joke “one bad day”. It's a bad day to be remembered an commended. The fall down and the rise up of an evil legend. 8.73 out of 10

Ad Astra Review

Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Cast Headliners: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, Liv Tyler, Ruth Negga
Original Release Date: September 20th, 2019

Science fiction is a dime a dozen yet it also can be masterpiece a dime a dozen due to the literal infinity of our real space. Ad Astra on its surface may appear to be a generic 2001 or Interstellar copycat but it isn't. It certainly wears its influences on its sleeve but also has some fresh ideas presently kind of wonderfully. Brad Pitt in galactic Apocalypse Now is the slightly more apt comparison even if it never reaches the peaks of either of those claims.
In some unknown time into Earth's future humanity has established a moon-and-planet spanning network of space stations and antenna's. Major Roy McBride(Brad Pitt) is a pilot / officer veteran of the Space Command who almost loses his life in a space antenna energy “Surge”-related incident. Dark secrets come to light when its revealed to him by his superiors that not only is his long lost father Clifford McBride(Tommy Lee Jones) alive on the distant alien-seeking Lima Project but may be sending out Surge rays from an anti-matter weapon on Neptune. Roy is tasked with finding his father and if need be even taking him down.

The concepts of the film are an absolute highlight whether its from a world-building or philosophical perspective. As mentioned there's cosmic rays being used as potential weapons across the solar system so that's a pretty epic scope in itself. There's also moon commercial flights, moon pirates, Mars bases, floating monkey research stations, and more shown or referenced. It can be a very, very slow burn but the occasional twists and surprises excite while they provoke thought.

In the vacuum of space some human performances slightly shine through. Pitt's Roy isn't a highlight of his career but he's decently determined in his mix of level-headed charisma and personal haunting. Much of his dialogue is actually delivered as narration / inner monologue which is an uncommon technique but carries mostly depth in its script however this does bring some of the pacing down or confrontations down. He's joined for a certain majority of the voyage by rotating crew members including the ever-reliable (but often same) Donald Sutherland as Colonel Pruitt, base commander Helen(Ruth Negga, or the crew of the Cephaeus shuttle who don't quite differentiate from each other but are skilled and or friendly enough. He also remembers flashbacks or views recordings of his wife Eve(Liv Tyler) who doesn't say much in the film either.

The person with the most and important recordings is of course Lee Jones' mysterious Clifford. The Coppolla comparisons come from both the narrative yet also in his late-game introduction and insanity. He's broken, wise, and even heartfelt. It can trend towards generically boilerplate but the skill of him and Pitt make for a worthy complementary duo for what they mean towards each other.

The entity who performs the most of all is perhaps the director James Gray playing with the cosmos. This at times is an incredibly beautiful film. Interiors of spaceships and installations, Earth's atmosphere, the Moon, Mars, Neptune's atmosphere and more as mentioned feel so real yet so properly otherworldly. Wide pans, retro colors, and special effects give everything a breathtaking sheen. Some effects are less commendable than others holding it back from true excellence but what works works well. Some inventive action happens especially unique to space like the moon pirates projectile weapons in the silence of the cratered surface leading to such a special chase sequence or other quarrels in believable zero-g. A score by Max Richter is often typical strings but some dips into relaxing electronica add to the spacy wonder.

Some of its concepts never really go as deep as they should with the plot having an exciting journey with a possibly questionable end for its partly sluggish runtime. However for lovers of hard sci-fi it may likely scratch the itch one would want from something like this. There's some notable components and sequences which make it a fun heady ride even if its been done before. 8.05 out of 10

Rambo: Last Blood Review

Rambo V: Last Blood
Director: Adrian Grunberg
Cast Headliner: Sylvester Stallone really all its ever been right?
Original Release Date: September 20th, 2019

 When it comes to Syvester Stallone's iconic franchises the Rambo series may as well be second most recognizable after Rocky. However due to its decades long journey and “evolution” to be relevant to whatever times it released in it may as well be the Fast and the Furious. It's been a long time since the last entry in this gritty action / drama series. Rambo: Last Blood is the fifth in this legacy and has a bit of a concerning political timing with its tale of Mexican cartels and borders. However there's much more action than preaching luckily.

In the long period since the last film veteran hero John Rambo(Sylvester Stallone) has taken over his father's horse ranch of which it is fine for anyone but Rambo purists to have forgotten. Between cheesy ranching scenes he lives with old family friend Maria(Adriana Barraza) and her grandniece Gabriela(Yvette Monreal). Very little of the context of all this is actually explained in the film but what matters is the present.

Gabriela's desire to meet her father Miguel(Rick Zingale) makes her leave home, against paranoid Rambo's wishes of course(as he tends to his homemade traps in on-the-nose foreshadowing), to go to Mexico to visit her friend Gizelle(Fennessa Pineda). Big shock but things do not go well as she finds herself sold into the sex trade of a dangerous cartel run by the Martinez brothers Victor(Oscar Jaenada) and Hugo(Sergio Peris-Menchata). Rambo gets on the case with the help of local journalist Carmen(Paz Vega).

Suffice to say that this is not a very smart movie. The franchise has never really been smart since First Blood but at least Rambo 4 brought back a bit of dark nuance. Most of that nuance is lost in this film. Its interestingly funny how each film reflects its era in not just antagonists but style as well with the antihero piece of the 70s contrasting the shlock shoot-em-ups of the 80s being combined in 4 to now being a generic vigilante justice thriller. Of course that's what one may seek out of Rambo.

Rambo is definitely what one gets from the man himself. Stallone is of course much older than his past self but still manages to kick a ton of bad guy booty. His age brings a bit of emotional nuance in a manner slightly like his past few Rockies but again there's not the emotional nostalgia from the audience. He's fierce (if at times hard-to-understandably gruff) and determined. One will likely actually smile at HOW tough he is as he creates charisma through ludicrously violent slaughters and bone snaps.

Of course the rest of the cast is at an even lesser bar than he is with several relatively no-name actors. Monreal's Gabriela is alright mixing teenage cool-kidism with her dark past that leads to some slightly humorous and or important banter with Rambo but due to the narrative it disappears into generic melodrama on her journies with others. The other women of the film such as Vega's Carmen or Barraza's Maria offer little more than exposition. The villains are fearsome to be sure but other than Victor being the “crazy one” and Hugo being the “cool fancy one” they're about as generic as any antagonist in this franchise has been since the 80s.

Luckily the melodrama eventually gives way to pure action and slaughter in a brisk runtime. The last 20 to 25 minutes or so of the film is a pulse pounding showdown between Rambo and the Cartel that truly feels like it could be the end of the road for our muscle-headed hero. Seldom director Adrian Grunberg even pulls off a nice sweeping and or close-knit shot or two after all the mundane ones.

This is an incredibly gory film. There's the literal bone snaps as mentioned along with much blood, explosions, and gore. People are sliced, diced, stabbed, eviscerated, shot and so on. This at times is shocking but that just adds to the entertainment. It's to a little lesser extent than one may want from the series but the down-and-gritty chases and home defense mixes old and new.

World context and movie cheese aside, this movie entertains. One will either be on the edge of the seat for its excitement laughing at some of its attempted quips or maybe its for how cheesily “meh” it is. There's some attempt to bring this to a close with dramatic feels at times. Maybe that should mark this chapter as a close but if it doesn't there's definitely some more reading, and watching of its past self, to be done. One thing is for sure Stallone always Stallone as he intends to. 6.4 out of 10 

Villains Review

Villians
Director: Dan Berk / Robert Olsen
Cast Headliners: Bill Skarsgard, Maika Monroe, Jeffrey Donovan, Kyra Sedgwick
Original Release Date: September 20th, 2019 (very limited)

Here's a fun little one which is especially little as its currently a Regal theaters exclusive that's not even listed on Wikipedia or IMDB. Villains, an independent film directed by first timers Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. A couple of its cast members make it of note but really its premiere and execution deliver upon it moreso.

Bank robbing deeply in love criminal couple Mickey(Bill Skarsgard) and Jules(Maika Monroe) hold up a convenience store but soon find themselves out of gas deep in the wilderness. They break into a nice mountain home to find supplies yet also find the chilling sight of a young child Sweetiepie(Blake Baumgartner) locked up in the basement. The homes owners George(Jeffrey Donovan) and Gloria(Kyra Sedgwick) come home to confront them. If the little girl didn't give it away these people are not just anyone but a pair of insane serial killers. It's criminal versus criminal with the black comedy-thriller fusion that follows.

It's a film that can be brutally bloody and scarily intense yet its presented much more as a dramatic character study and humorous comedy due to the small cast / location list involved. The whole thing carries this wacky, quirky vibe to proceedings with things rarely erupting into more than momentary violence.

The cast list may be filled with relative unknowns but the performances are strong. Skarsgard comes off quite a thriller month although Mickey is very different to Pennywise. Here he's much more of a nice person that wavers between cockily brave and neurotically wimpy with some quips at play. It's not quite a highlight and perhaps one maybe would want more menace from him but he's ok. More likeable is girlfriend of the duo Jules. Monroe has her noble intentions amidst some stupidity (that they both have) but proves herself with some retaliations and ideas with an even more sincere side. Together they're a lovingly fun pair emphasis on loving.

These two seem so nice in comparison to the much more wicked foes they face. The absolute performance highlight is Donovan's George. With a distinct mustache and fancy sweatered look he's like an evil southern Mr.Rogers. He brings a smile with a dark secret underneath but treats everything as if he's a gentlemen from 1950s high class retro America. Hidden angers occasionally burst forth which makes his reserved other self that much more complementary. Sedgwick's Gloria is delightfully insane as well pairing nicely with him with her own sick insanities and even slight sympathies. As said this is a movie that trends towards humorous and absurd then scary with these two making for the best of it. Little other cast appears with the exceptions of Sweetie's silent victimhood and a brief police officer played by Danny Johnson who's look and charisma would make you swear he's Danny Glover.

For first-timers the Berk / Olsen team does decently well with their camera work. Whether the grey forest outside or the retro-styled house interior everything feels distinct. Some pop songs (especially in dream sequences) and otherwise orchestral music by composer Andrew Hewitt adds some momentary spice. It's all presented very snappily over its relatively brief but intensely fun runtime.

This movie won't blow one's mind but it has the solid aspects mentioned. A darkly charming indie darling that's been done before but offers a fun twist and surprise filled ride of evil-versus-eviler. Check it on home release for anyone interested in the talent involved or premise knowing its constraints. 7.8 out of 10

Three From Hell Review

3 From Hell
Director: Rob Zombie
Cast Headliners: Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, Richard Brake, Sid Haig, who really knows
Original Release Date: September 16th, 2019(limited)

Musician Rob Zombie's work is hard to objectively call “good” whether its his electro-grooving metal music or his films. His body of work can certainly be called “aesthetically distinct” however. His dark twisted world of murderers and monsters has manifested in multiple forms but most famous for his early 2000's work House Of 1,000 Corpses which was a bloody niche genre piece that felt like a long form of one his music videos. The sequel The Devil's Rejects a few years later dropped almost all of the supernatural elements to gain a darker and bloodier grit in new ways while still keeping that (whether purposeful or not) shlock. Many years have passed to where this 3 From Hell acts as both a follow-up to that offering more of the same yet expanding the series in new (if still silly) ways.

In a retcon (understandably) from the end of the last film this movie takes the ridiculous outcome that the titular murderous psycho redneck anti-heroes survived their closing “Freebird” shoot-out from the last film to become incarcerated for a long period. This includes a barely minutes long appearance of ringleader Cutter “Captain Spaulding”(Sid Haig who unfortunately passed away just days after the release of this....one can tell in this his pronounced aging since the last film although it's good that he could make one last appearance at all with an attempted decent delivery of lines) as well as his Firefly family proteges Otis(Bill Moseley) and Baby(Sheri Moon Zombie). Quickly Otis finds himself freed by the third “Three” in newly introduced half-brother Foxy “Wolfman” Coltrane(Richard Brake).

In a matter unlike the last two movies(where these legacy characters where occasional villians in the first and mostly-together-dark-progtagonists in the second) they're more seperated than ever as well as having the film divided into multiple distinct parts varying in narrative and even vibe. For the first half of the film or so Otis and Wolfman terrorize the backwoods and eventually the suburban household of prison warden Harper(Jeff Daniel Phillips in a cheesily 70s mustache token villian) in sequences that feel almost carbon copy from The Devil's Rejects' gas station motel and surrounding parts. Elsewhere Baby contends with violent abuse in her prison from fellow inmates and sadistic prison guard Greta(Dee Wallace who is far better than this material also in her own stereotypical token way). Gratuitously violent torture and escape sequences follow.

One wishes Captain Spaulding was well enough to join in but the performances of the other Fireflies make up for that. Moseley's Otis and Sheri Moon's Baby are as lovably sickly insane as ever in their own cheesy way. Even moreso Otis is a bit weathered this time bringing a touch of compassion and cool leadership in with his murderous insanity. So too does Sheri Moon bring in a slight nuance especially as she finds herself ironically contained in a prison. Now this is “nuance” as they play maniacal kill happy killers but its that mix of terror and even some laughs that always drew audiences to them. Richard Brake's Wolfman is a mostly perfect addition to the titular trio. His take is very unrecognizable from his other roles as he mixes hillbilly were-wolf-ish hollering (and cleanliness) between combat skill and sly quips. This makes him especially fun when paired with Otis. Together for the brief chunk of the film where the trio is actually side by side it makes for a devilishy charming combination to the extent it can be enjoyable ( “or quality).

However for its last half or third or so the movie takes an almost drastic genre shift. However this shift is not drastic when considering director Rob Zombie's interests and backlog as a whole but the gang takes a trip to Mexico to avoid the law. There they run afoul of the luchadore mask wearing Black Satans gang who is led by Rondo(Danny Trejo who briefly shows up again although DDP is missed!)'s son Aquarius(Emilio Rivera). They also meet strange characters such as an eye-patch wearing little person and innkeeper Carlos at a Day Of The Dead festival which brings back a bit of the spookiness of the first film.

It's a genre shift because where before the movie was torture porn / a renegade recnexploitation road trip it becomes an action movie(with some exceptions). Rob Zombie's never really dealth with much gun versus gun shoot-outs before but he's able to make things enjoyable in his own way. Of course some of the camera work is still shoddy and music(some 1970s pop songs aside) / sounds are ironically and unfortunately of mixed quality but it has its fun when it does. Its fitting that if this is the end of the insane series it goes down in carnage and flames.

         As a whole this movie is recommendable only to those who know exactly what they're going for and especially who have seen the other two prior. It's bloody, gruesome, dark, and intense yet also cheesy, stupid, and ridiculous. Each one has kind of upper both of those sides of its aspects but its good it could reach this form of culmination. For its experiments one may wonder if it should be stopped now or if Rob Zombie should build on his experimentation even further. 7.1 out of 10

It: Chapter Two Review

It: Chapter Two
Director: Andy Muschietti
Cast Headliners: James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, James Ransone, Bill Skarsgard, their friends and child forms           
Original Release Date: September 6th, 2019 


      2017's It (or retroactively It: Chapter One by now) delivered mostly quite swell on remaking Stephen King's classic clown-demon-alien-ghost versus kids horror epic. It: Chapter Two both brings the main arc of the story of the kids to a close while also having the task of introducing the adult versions of the characters after the time jump. It's thus both more of the same while also being something very new so far that some results may vary. There's of course some  many scares between the drama, laughs, and feels.
After an incredibly brutal (perhaps uncomfortably so, but it is exactly in the source material) the Loser's Club is brought together again in 2016 after a 27 year time jump. Both kid and adult versions of the squad do end up appearing with some of these being more believable than others. This is everyone of brother of Georgie stuttering leader Bill( James McAvoy as an adult with Jaeden Lieberher Martell as a youth) is now a famous novelist, the dark past woman of the group Bev(Jessica Chastain as an adult and Sophia Lillis as a youth) a famous fashion designer in an unfortunate parallel of an abusive marriage, comedic relief Richie(Bill Hader as an adult and Finn Wolfhard as a youth) a fitting stand-up comedian, former shy fat new kid now strong Ben(Jay Ryan as an adult and Jeremy Ray Taylor as a youth) a successful architect, nervous hypochondriac Eddie(James Ransome as an adult and  Jack Dylan Grazer as a youth) a risk assessor of questionable success with a nagging wife much like his mother(even played by the same actress) , and the brief appearance of a fearful Stanley(Andy Bean as an adult and Wyatt Oleff as a youth) in an unknown profession. It's wise Mike(Isaiah Mustafa as an adult and Chosen Jacobs as a youth) who has become a town library historian and knowledge of the monstrous Pennywise the Dancing Clown/ It(Bill Skarsgard) who brings them back together for revenge once and for all.
That's what makes this story one of the more special Stephen King tales. It's a dark thrill ride of spookiness but it also is one of human heart and drama. Nearly all of the new casting choices carry the perfect chemistry and young-at-heart silliness of their past-set forms which makes one care for them. There's extra kudos to be given to Hader's Richie and Ransome's Eddie. They both manage to not only deliver just as many laughs as their kid counterparts but have important growth arcs and new demons(both internal and literal) to face. McAvoy's Bill and Chastain's Bev both carry the charisma and courage of their past selves as leading roles as well although the casting is just a touch off. This goes even moreso for Mustafa's Mike and to a bit further extent to Ryan's Ben and Bean's Stanley but their kindness and sincerity is felt. The script is mostly solid although at times as just the slight bit of (perhaps wanted) cheese..especially when it tries to be more romantic than funny or dramatic.   The kid counterparts are a delight to see again in the rare spots they do show up and it becomes more-number-one in a good way with them getting the slight edge overall for quality. Both eras heroes are actually mostly separated (with the past smartly taking place in a small time jump from the first film) from each other due to narrative reasons so the group dynamic only shows up in some parts more than others but strengthens when it does.
The other part of the It experience other than the laughs and human drama is of course, the scares. The movie has plenty to spare (once again aided by director Andy Muschietti's dark directing) although as a whole one would have to say that it treads some mostly familiar ground and has a slight less of a scare than the first as things become more epic action than on-the-run existential paranoia. Expect many, but not too many, jump scares and creepy trippy illusions. Skarsgard's titual villian Pennywise is once again great. His makeup and outfit look is as effective as ever along with his monstrous forms and servants in new ways although at times there's some slight CGI cheese. He carries more of a personal vengeance grudge this time which helps make him even more of a taunting jerk in the sporadic times he isn't illusion-terrifying or eating people.  Secondary antagonist insane bully Henry (Teach Grant as an adult and Nicolas Hamilton as a youth) brings his own creepiness but with an increase in insanity comes even further sliding into generic minion and a mullet that just doesn't work at all although there's some bloody satisfying showdowns.
This movie , for the most part, delivers more background on what It....is . Alot more is taken from the original novel and greater King-multiverse although it doesn't quite go fully novel-accurate but takes it in its own spin. This metacosmic lore may put off some viewers expecting pure scares or preferring not to know but it allows for more context and meaning. Some changes are disappointing but other changes make sense. It must be noted that this movie is almost 3 hours long so the length of the TV miniseries is contested although it misses a few beats along the way.  In the end it makes it worth it (aside from some odd closing scenes)
This movie is recommended with the first one as a must but that's almost an obvious given.  It delivers more of the wanted same although perhaps in direct comparison missing something from the simpler first time. Perhaps that's symbolic of being young and being older... the netherworld is scarier then but at times our world is scarier now. As a whole putting these two together its an overall modern duology that King and Tim Curry should be proud of. 8 out of 10

Blinded By The Light Review

Blinded By The Light
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Cast Headliners: Viveik Kalra, Kuvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra, Hayley Atwell
Original Release Date: August 16th, 2019 (USA / Limited....saw bit early!)

          Who doesn't know the music of Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen. Blinded By The Light perhaps answers that question while also exploring the drama of the lives of a Muslim British-Pakistani teenager in the United Kingdom who both finds escape from his music as well as deals with the events of his life around him in 1980.
This movie is inspired by the life of BBC journalist Sarfraz Manzoor but here is given the fictional name of Javed Khan(Viveik Kalra). In the small English town of Luton he lives with the rst of the Khan family including strict traditionalist father Malik(Kuvinder Ghir), hard working mother Noor (Meera Ganatra) and his sisters Yasmeen(Tara Divina) and Shazia(Nikita Mehta). Javed struggles with the demands of a father who wants him to be more Pakistani than British and a high school (college as they call it across the pond) where he's trying to find friends and love.
He finds some solace in those outside his family in Luton including childhood white friend Matt(Dean-Charles Chapman) and his father(Rob Brydon in a nice comedic role) as well as at his school in love interest Eliza(Nell Williams),  encouraging kind teacher Ms.Clay(Hayley Atwell) and sikh music enthusiast Roops(Aaron Phagura).
It's through Roops that Javed discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen and where the film proper begins. Javed is dismissive at first but soon finds himself incredibly enthralled by the lyrics of the New Jerseyian. It inspires him as the poetic writer he is and helps him escape a stressful life.
This is the two main aspects of what makes up the entertainment of the film. There's the Bruce side of things of course. The soundtrack is rocking if one is a Bruce fan. So many of his famous songs are used in scenes very effectively (with even a new lost song in the credits). At times this can be a bit of an artsy musical approach as lyrics are shown on-screen an the characters sing the songs.  It can definitely be cheesy.  Some other choice period music is used but Bruce takes the majority. It helps inform the other side of the plot as well in a mostly interesting (if never too deep) manner. Some alright direction by Gurinder Chadha adds to the greyness of  small town life and spaces in the UK although it's typical.
          So much of the film is about Javed's relationship with his family and moreso his father. Most of the performances in the film are nothing to write home about (with just some quips and exposition) but the main pair of Kalra's Javed and Ghir's Malik have some dramatic scenes. Its a great story for anyone who's had to deal with the expectations of strict parental goals or the immigrant experience. One will be laughing or rocking at other scenes but will be feeling stressed or crying from the emotion of these two. Its a very rocky road but it tells a bit of a solid (if seen many times before) tale of the family. There's some harrowing scenes with the racist NF residents of the town as well that add further occasional terror and depression when the film isn't being heartwarmingly charming. This range is what the film does best aside the occasional melodramatic cheese.
Hardcore Bruce fans will probably be checking this film out anyways but it's recommendable for some of its acting and drama. This may be the best use of “Born To Run” on film in awhile as the teens run through the streets. Something to make us smile and inspired at times in the world of today. 7.3 out of 10

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Review

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
Director: Andre Ovredal
Cast Headliners: Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza,  Gabriel Rush,  Austin Zajur,  Dean Norris
Original Release Date: August 9th, 2019



  There's two ways to look at Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark. One is as a total outsider where it appears to be an interesting teen-centric horror tale of stories coming to life. However to this writer there's the real world ties of this. This was a pretty popular novel series of childrens horror stories that were found in elementary schools. It was like R.L Stine's Goosebumps but brought to a next level of terror and gore. It's really surprising this was allowed on shelves of schools across the USA especially with their incredibly grim / grotesque artwork. This unique identity would perhaps make for a bit hard to adapt film but this manages to do it more or less.
There's a bit of a unique ambiance to the film as its set during a Halloween night in 1968 bringing in vibes both retro and fall-like spooky in the heat of the summer release season. Horror and prankster loving outsiders Stella(Zoe Collettii), Auggie(Gabriel Rush), and Chuck(Austin Zajur) mix their costumed hijinx with running from bully Tommy(Austin Abrams) and his jock friends. They soon meet outsider on the run Ramon(Michael Garza) and find themselves investigating a haunted mansion with a cursed past.  
A semi-major consideration of the film is that its rated PG-13. This makes it something that can be enjoyed by all ages but also it holds itself back just a bit in terms of gore yet depth too. The script is often juvenile but it can be funny and the leads have chemistry and humor in a play to perhaps be like IT / Stranger Things (particularly Colletti's Stella, Zajur's Chuck, and Garza's Ramon). They mainly have laughs but there's some occasional emotional depth as well especially Stella with her father Roy(Dean Norris in a rare friendly loving role next to his usual gruffness) as they discuss an absent mother. Some other roles around town include Chuck's sister Ruth(Natalie Ganzhorn) , mysterious old Lou Lou(Lorraine Toussaint), and Chief of Police Turnet(Gil Bellows) but most of these exist to just be victims of the spookiness at play. 
Which it must be noted there definitely is much terror to be had despite its rating. The film has the aforementioned effective ambiance with some nice scenery by main director Andre Ovredal. Some of the horror comes from the bit lazy jump scare or pulse pounding variety but there's some decent messed up qualities about what happens at play with the book shtick. For the curse of the mansion is that there's a book and the curse of the book is that its stories come to life. 
This format leads to what is a bit of an anthology without being a anthology. It's “monster of the week” but in “monster of the act” as various fearsome tales become true as the book's ghostly host Sarah Bellows messes with the world the teens find themselves in. It's through these creatures that the touch of producer Gueillermo Del Toro is felt. While often times in film “produced by” doesn't mean much creatively with Del Toro it very often means he has some craft and effort put into the process. The use of practical effects is his trademark and the designs of Harold the living scarecrow, the Pale Lady, and the Jangly Man all feel like both something from the original novel's illustrations as well as other works in the Del Toro repertoire. One almost wishes for a little more than what appears(ignoring some bit silly sequel setup) but there's some inventive spooky sequences aside from some occasional cheese or mundaneness.  Frequent Del Toro music friend Marco Beltrami makes a haunting and at times alrightly beautiful score alongside Anna Drubich as well that helps set the dark mood.

The plot itself and film as a whole won't be remembered in any legends of its own but it provides some simple summer, more even better for a Halloween rewatch, scares. It's a bit unique while also a bit stupid but still the good makes it better than some things out there. One intrigued by the premise should get what they want if they don't mind turning back the clock and rating a bit. Strap in for the scares. 7.74 out of 10