"Cuties" Brings Dancing and Some Serious Controversy to the Table

September 09, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

“Cuties” Film review

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 14, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

Cuties, an Indie that recently premiered on Netflix, has been brewing up quite the controversy lately. It all started with its poster, which showed young girls in particularly revealing outfits, garnering outrage from audiences. Now having hit the streaming service, critics have been raving about it, and audiences have been utterly trashing it. The funny thing is, the movie isn’t actually worth all the fuss. There are some questionable moments, and the subject is inherently uncomfortable, but it’s just a decent movie with good performances.

The director, Maïmouna Doucouré, reportedly received death threats from the marketing of this thing. Arguably, the poster was a bit much, but this director, clearly talented, did not in any way deserve this kind of backlash. Cuties should have been better, to be honest, I’m just lost on the reasoning behind all of this. Fathia Youssouf is Amy, a tween African-French girl living in France. As she hits puberty, she will be forced to marry, obey her husband, and make babies. Messed up, right? Amy, while walking with her two siblings, then notices a group of girls dancing, and spies on them from above. Noticing her, the troupe are quite hostile at first, throwing rocks and yelling insults, misunderstanding her innocent intentions.

From the start, Amy can tell that these girls were troublemakers. From their outfits, to behavior in the schoolyard, they were high-class rebels. The Cuties (their name) is led by Angelica, a gleeful outcast who finds passion in dance, and the one to really accept our heroine. The others are still utter jerks to her, and haven’t quite taken the girl under their wing just yet. Viewers can feel the main character’s urge to be accepted, to be popular, dressing up with crop tops, stealing a man’s phone, and the want to trend on social media. The device opens a whole new world for her, and that’s when a member of their group get’s kicked out. Yasmine, played by Myriam Hamma, has a quarrel, and is banned from the competition they’ve been training for, leaving a spot open for Amy, who’s already taught herself the routines.

You can tell that this movie was the target of a right-wing movement, but as the running times goes on, audiences in their right mind know that it’s no worse than something such as Good Boys. It’s practically the same movie, plopping younger kids in gratuitous situations. This, of course, is a drama, and has the balls to cover these topics. The troublemaking and rebellious girls have wild misconceptions about sex, blow up condoms, chat with boys online, and share sensitive photos. It’s the flawless guinea pig for the backlash that it’s getting, putting 11-year old actresses in this kind of situation, having them wear revealing outfits for the dance sequences, and downright do odd things. Everything I just stated should be written off as a part of growing up, especially for Amy, forced to live a life that she does not care for. These are poor and generally non-white children having to grow up in a completely inappropriate environment.

The premise doesn’t give you much. The movie’s aspirations are actually much deeper than what it looks like. It’s trying to tell a compelling coming-of-age story while tackling issues like identity, and social acceptance. Although, for the most part, this is a poignant look at girlhood, it can also be a bit tedious and, unfortunately, difficult to sympathize for. The actors, especially Youssouf, are all doing a bang-up job, and there’s a certain sense of humor to it, but nothing else feels all-too special. Cuties is an important film to watch, no question, dealing with problems that the world’s fragility closes off, and I can happily argue that this clearly talented director succeeded in showing viewers the hardships of this type of life. Though I wish it’d be extraordinary.

The final opinion is: Cuties features a few fine performances, and a couple quirky elements, making it a movie not good enough to justify its existence, and not bad or disturbing enough to make all the controversy worth it…$TREAM IT

“I’m Thinking of Ending Things” Review: The most confusing movie I’ve ever seen, for better or for worse.

September 04, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

By Quinn Marcus

(2020)

Age: 13+

77/100: Sweet

I’m Thinking of Ending Things was written and directed by Charlie Kaufman and is based upon the book by Iain Reid. There is a plot in this film, that’s for sure. Plus, it’s a movie, all of this I am certain of. However, trying to explain it might just take all the brainpower I have left, so I’ll do so as simply as possible. A young woman (without a name for...reasons) decides to meet her boyfriend’s parents after dating for six weeks. So they go on a very long road trip, arrive, and some weird stuff happens. That’s the best way I can explain this plot without spoiling anything. The truth is, I was debating whether or not I would do this review, afraid that I wouldn’t understand what I was writing. So, I had to rely on my older brother, Keaton to use his Wikipedia knowledge to decipher the film for me. My expectations were pretty high when Keaton told me that it was the “best film of the year,” after watching it himself. Honestly, it was a bit of a letdown in the end. It’s certainly not a film you like or dislike, it’s a film to be fascinated by. All I can say is, Kaufman is an interesting guy, who knows how to craft a film with style. If this review convinces you to watch it, be warned, abandon all theories ye who shall enter here. Seriously though, if you think this movie is going to go a certain way, it’s not. Just like that moment when you think you’re about to drink a sip of water, but then the taste in your mouth just happens to be ketchup. Anyways, what were my flaws?

The length. About 20 minutes before the movie ended, my dad asked: “Is this thing done yet?” I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a very long film, ‘but Quinn, it’s a drama, all dramas are pretty lengthy.’ In many cases, this may be true, but the movie gets you so lost, that it becomes harder for the viewer to stay invested the entire time. I’m not saying that it’s necessarily a boring movie, I found it (mostly) entertaining, just difficult to latch onto. The story. I know many people who have watched this movie are going to slam their cups on the table when reading this, but first, hear me out. The plot of this film takes you in so many different directions, that it becomes a mental rollercoaster. It shakes you left and right, attempting to keep the intrigue going, but it doesn’t fully work. I found the first 30 minutes of the film to be extremely interesting, the middle to be very shaky, and the end to have almost jumped the shark. To be fair, I haven’t read the book, so maybe it’s supposed to be like this, but translating those ideas into movie form came out strange and abnormal for me. It presented a handful of fascinating concepts, but how they were woven together didn’t work all the time. Furthermore, the tone of the film is very depressing and unhappy. There’s not a single moment of joy besides one dance sequence towards the end. The film couldn’t seem to find the beauty within its elements, just the sadness.

When I look in my inbox tomorrow, I know I’m going to get some hate mail for disliking a couple of things about this movie, but maybe explaining what I liked can redeem myself. The cinematography. Watching this film with our projector proved to be a beautiful experience. The aspect ratio I surprisingly really enjoyed and got used to, and the camerawork made me drool. Well, not actually, physically drool but, you get the picture. Lukasz Zai provided compelling imagery that’s meant to be taken seriously. Every single shot was a piece of art, handled with grace and skillful prowess. The script. Both car scenes may have been long, but man did they produce some incredible dialogue. Especially the “young woman’s” poetic monologue about coming home. Each character was unique and added to the bone-chilling atmosphere, mainly Jake’s parents, they may be the creepiest parents I have ever seen on screen. The soundtrack. Both relaxing and pleasantly mellow to hear, I’m Thinking of Ending Things gave us a distinct, harmonious score that both increased the tension, and gently let the audience ease out of it. The directing. After seeing the work Kaufman put into making this utterly insane, mind-bending drama, I can’t wait to see the rest of his filmography. His crazy ideas are brought to the screen with such elegance and passion. Leaving us all with but one question to ask, ‘Kaufman, what goes on inside that brilliant head of yours.’ Oh, and also ‘what was with the naked old man and the talking pig?’ You’ll understand when you see the movie.

The cast including Jesse Plemons (Game Night), Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose), Toni Colette (The Sixth Sense), and David Thewlis (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) all hit it out of the ballpark each providing standout performances. Buckley is an actor I’ve admired for a while now, and this time around, he did not disappoint. Both him and Plemons provided exceptionally powerful performances while boasting impressive chemistry with each other. Not to mention the horrifying relationship that their characters have which was brought to life with undeniable talent. Colette and Thewlis are both a whole other story. Each giving hilarious yet intense performances throughout. A good example would be possibly my favorite scene of the movie when the family has dinner. It was like an awkward, psycho Meet The Parents type scene that was hysterical to watch.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things doesn’t have anything terrible in it, it’s just the frightening tone, and confusing story that keeps it mostly out of reach of tweens. There are some sexual references, an old man strips naked, not a lot of violence. There is a lot of language, uses of fu-k, shi-t, and bullsh-t. Some disturbing imagery and themes. Overall, don’t walk into this film looking for a happy, fun time. Teens should prepare for an intellectual ride that sure will test your mind.

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"I'm Thinking of Endings Things" is a Poignant, Beautiful Trip Into the Mind

September 04, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

film review: “I’m Thinking of Ending things”

Just a reminder, I watched this a week ago, and am still having trouble wrapping my head around it. Charlie Kaufman’s Netflix original I’m Thinking of Ending Things has earned praise from critics, and divided response from audiences who just can’t seem to relate to such a movie. I feel both sides, but in my opinion, this is the best movie of 2020, and the most special piece of cinema I’ve ever witnessed. Wholly original, beautifully shot and composed, filled to the brim with subtle tension, and packed with top-notch performances, this is a journey into the unknown worth watching. In fact, it’s more than just “worth watching”, this is a phenomenal study on the human mind, and disregarding all of its confusing twists, a mesmerizing achievement. I’ll even go as far as saying that it’s harder to follow than Christopher Nolan’s latest brainteaser Tenet, which may come as a warning for some. Otherwise, though, it’s a slow burning masterpiece. Nice one, Kaufman.

One thing I’m Thinking of Ending Things does so darn well with is the tension. I wouldn’t consider this a horror movie, it’s more of a drama with eerie elements. If you were to argue that it was, in fact, a horror movie, Kaufman completely demolishes the genre norms. Today, films of this type (again, horror) usually resort to jumps, loud music and noises to eek out cheap scares from audiences. There’s only a select few that make it to the top, and here, we get little moments that could make you wet your pants. It all begins with a drive, just a simple, cross-country road-trip. It’s between Lucy (Jessie Buckley), and her boyfriend Jake (Jesse Plemons) as they travel to his parents’ house. Because of the little tiny things that evoke fear into us humans peppered all throughout here, the expert direction makes a seemingly generic trip into an uncomfortable, suspenseful ride. There isn’t any monsters, clowns, or anything that usually happens, just some great cinematography, and acting.

Jessie Buckley is a tour de force. She’ll most likely be snubbed at the Oscars this year for some irritating reason, but you will still have the treat of watching her on screen while streaming Netflix. Her performance is nothing less than committed, plus her character has a stellar and intriguing mystery unraveling around her as we get deeper and deeper into the story. The chemistry between Buckley and Plemons in the car ride, and in the entire movie is also excellent, though you’re not ready for what’s to come. The duo finally arrive at this isolated, snowy cabin of sorts, and you know that this is the perfect location to shoot this kind of a film. Then Lucky finally meets the two parents, played by Toni Collette and David Thewlis.

I’m able to sleep tonight knowing who was the standout amongst all the winning performances. It’s Collette, who portrays a freakishly delightful mom that just can’t stop laughing. Seriously, did she audition for a female Joker? Nonetheless, this actress is a force of nature, and when paired with Thewlis, the two are flawless together. Reverting back to that tension aspect, Kaufman evokes more fear into a “meet the parents” dinner scene. Again, this could be written off as a simple, even familiar scene. It’s the way that it’s presented to us. Everything’s shot with such skill, props to cinematographer Łukasz Żal, a true expert. Anyways, we get a delightfully uncomfortable, and perhaps thrilling moment with superb introductions for these mysterious parents.

After this unsettling moment, stuff really begin to go wrong as Lucy, who’s already been having misgivings about her boyfriend, begins to question who she is, who these odd parents are, and reality as she knows it. Ok, ok…It is completely fair to argue that this is just another pretentious piece of cinema thrown out, and to some extent, it is. Deep down inside, though, don’t we all have a little bit of a guilty pleasure for the “Hey! Look what I can do” type movies? The fact is, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is such a fantastic movie that you’ll be too sucked in to think about any issues it may have. Also, be honest, who cares if a film is a bit of a bragger when everything else in it is perfect?

The final opinion is: I’m Thinking of Ending Things is the movie of the year, and because of its sheer originality, score, cinematography, and most importantly: the performances, make it one for the ages.

“Tenet” Review: Nolan, or the god of time? They are one and the same.

September 03, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

By Quinn Marcus

(2020)

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Age: 14+

83/100: Sweet

DISCLAIMER: We managed to find a showtime with zero other people, or COVID managed to wipe out everyone else. Frankly, I’m not so sure.

“Don’t try to understand it. Feel it.” Tenet was written and directed by Christopher Nolan. It tells the story of “The Protagonist” (John David Washington) who sets out to stop the end of the world by traveling forwards, backward, sideways, and inside out throughout time. Oh, and also inversion is something in the film as well. Basically, from your POV, you are moving normally, while everyone else is moving in reverse, when you’re actually going backwards, and everybody else is moving forward. It’s time travel, but then again, maybe it isn’t? The truth is, I don’t know if anything is anything anymore, my brain is about to explode. Honestly, I didn’t think I was going back to the movies any time soon. However, as I desperately searched for a nearby theatre, I just happened to find one, that was an hour away and was open. That led to the inevitability of seeing my most anticipated movie of the year, Tenet. The groundbreaking, insanely complicated Nolan masterpiece with some flaws. If you were to hold up two pictures to a six-year-old child, one was Christopher Nolan, and the other, Kronos, the god of time. And were to ask, “yo kid, spot the difference or you’ll be punished.” The kid would reply nervously, “b-but, they’re the same.” This kid, whoever he/she may be is completely correct. Nolan is a literal time-bending god. While this may not be his best work, it sure is a wild ride. Remember the good old days of Cars, in this simple film, there was a line, “turn right to go left.” This piece of dialogue wasn’t too complicated, and yet it was the movie's own bit of philosophy. Of course, nowadays we are dealing with somehow having a future in the past and freaking inverted bullets. All I can say is, times are changing lads, times are changing. You, the reader, are probably yawning in boredom thinking “just stop the exposition and get on with the f-ing review.” Welp here goes nothing, what were my flaws?

The setup. The first 15-20 minutes or so got me completely confused. I had no idea what was going on, and couldn’t figure out whether these scenes had anything to do with the rest of the story. Also, I was not ready for the sound of those bullets, Jesus Christ! The movie is like Christopher Nolan holding a gigantic speaker up to someone’s face and turning it up all the way while yelling “is this loud enough for you, mate!?” Of course, you get used to the noise later on, but the beginning made me jump in my seat. In addition, there was a little too much exposition. I know exposition is Nolan’s game, but even in films like Inception, there wasn’t as much exposition. However, there is a plus, the characters explain the movie very well, making Tenet slightly more understandable. But it simply felt like every line of dialogue was plain exposition. There were also some instances in the middle of the film where I felt bored, pretty much the whole setup to the final act felt slow. I would have liked to have seen 15 minutes shaved off the runtime, but that’s not how things played out.

Christopher Nolan is my favorite director by far, that means I have high expectations for each film that he creates. While Tenet didn’t exceed all of them, I sure have a lot of positives. The action is unlike anything Nolan has done before. We have cars moving backwards, buildings reconstructing themselves, a plane crashing into a building. Backwards hand to hand combat. All of this was done with practical effects. The production is truly a visual spectacle, from the intense hallway fight scene, to the excellent car chase, it seems that Nolan has well out Nolan-ed himself, if that’s even possible. And that final battle, man, was that an epic showdown. The landscape was absolutely incredible, the cinematography done at a masterful level, and the score by Ludwig Göransson, the whole movie's soundtrack was utterly brilliant and fierce. Although clogged with exposition, the writing offered up clever explanations for a puzzle that the audience needs to solve. The magic of each Nolan film is that no matter what, if you want to further understand the movie, you need to see it again and again (I’ve seen Inception four times now). Most likely, you’ll never figure it out, but you can certainly try.

I’ve noticed critics criticizing the lack of comedy and emotional characters. For example IndieWire called it a “humorless disappointment.” Oh, I’m sorry, did I miss the part that states Nolan is about making comedies? However, the film actually had a few decent laughs, and the whole point of Nolan’s characters isn’t to make you feel sentimental, it’s to carry out information to the audience. The story can be very confusing at times, but is overall highly entertaining. The interesting thing about all of his films is that while the quality always varies, his concept of bending time and reality is always being enhanced. If you look at his career from Following to The Dark Knight and now Tenet, you can tell that his filmmaking style has drastically changed over the years. He’s a true inspiration for all the young filmmakers out there, with ideas just waiting to be written on the page. I really want to see a director’s nomination at the Oscars for Nolan, he has gone above and beyond making an imperfect, sleek, dazzling, philosophical, relentlessly intelligent action movie told with undeniable skill and talent. If you take this film too seriously, you’re going to have a problem with it, all I can say is, go with the flow man, go with the flow.

The cast including John David Washington, Elizabeth Debicki, Robert Pattinson and Kenneth Branagh have all instantly proven to be committed action stars. However, Branagh’s performance is the one that surprised me the most. Andrei Sator is an undeniably frightening villain, and Branagh’s performance was suitably chilling and deliciously over the top enough for the role. In scenes like the one where he yells at Debicki in their hotel room, you can feel the terror within his lively performance. Washington also provided an excellent performance as “The Protagonist” (Nolan, if you’re reading this, why doesn’t he have a name? If you don’t tell me, I may lose my mind). His level of badass acting and stunt work are showcased at the maximum level of awesomeness. He’s truly an action gem with a future that I can’t wait to see. Also, shoutout to Michael Cain, who...um, is playing the same role...again. He was great as always, even with a small part.

Tenet is action-packed, gunshots, some blood, stabbing, hand to hand combat, explosions. There is some language, occasional uses of sh-t and fu-k. There’s not much romance in the film, some flirting, a bit of kissing. Each character is brave, resilient, independent and shows great teamwork with each other. Overall, if you’re a teen who’s been given the a-okay to go to the cinema, see Tenet on the biggest screen possible. If not, wait for it to come on Amazon, it’ll be worth the patience.

$KIP IT, $TREAM IT OR $PLURGE IT?

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"Tenet" is a Confusing, Dazzling Puzzle for Christopher Nolan Fans

September 03, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

“tenet” film review

DISCLAIMER: OUR PAPA BOUGHT THE 50% CAPACITY FOR THE THEATER SO WE COULD SEE THE MOVIE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT

By: Keaton Marcus

Christopher Nolan is finally here to save cinema from the Covid-19 pandemic with his new hotly anticipated espionage thriller Tenet, but does he do it? Will the filmmaker who defies blockbuster tropes really bring a steady stream of moviegoers back? I guess. This is his most confusing film by far, and at a lengthy 2 hours 30 minutes, audiences are left in the dark for about half an hour. Then the puzzle starts to really come together as viewers get more answers to its almost tediously fast-paced start. Due to the fine cast, especially John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, and the consistently impressive action sequences and set pieces, we get what we want: a convoluted, yet entertaining and heart-pounding adventure. I didn’t even understand half of the thing, but the good thing is: you don’t need to, it just requires a lot of focus, perhaps too much.

Right from the get-go you’re plunged into a nuts adventure with The Protagonist (Washington). That’s right, our hero isn’t even given a name. The movie rapidly starts with a terrorist attack on an opera house in Kyiv, where one of the assumed attackers ends up being Washington’s CIA agent in disguise, who’s come to save an asset. Then a curious thing occurs: a bullet, fired by an unknown ally, reverses out of a nearby seat. It leaves our Protagonist, and audiences, completely confused. The character is quickly educated on the term “inversion”, the movie’s term for a process where an object’s entropy can be reversed — making it appear backwards to us moving forward in time. Trying to keep up? Don’t.

His new inversion-related mission leads him to Neil (Pattinson), a fixer of sorts, useful for his field experience and master’s in physics. Then he’s plunged into India to find a Mumbai arms dealer (Dimple Kapadia), whose literal fortress of an apartment can only be scaled with a bungee jump. That scene gives us some magnificent stunt-work by Pattinson and Washington where they are sling-shotted off one building to another. Finally, the duo get to the real deal, the mastermind behind the villainous “inversion”: rich Ukrainian Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh), who can only be accessed by his wife Kat (Elizabeth Debicki), a miserable, controlled arts dealer. There is a lot more happening in this massive, messy film that I’m explaining to you, and that is because I want readers to experience this on the big screen, not read everything there is to know on a computer.

My contorted plot explanation covers some of the basic plot points leading up to the real climax, but it only scratches the surface. What I can say, however, is that this film is technically groundbreaking. From Hoyte van Hoytema’s intensity in the cinematography, Jennifer Lame’s excellent editing skills, to the pulse-pounding score from Black Panther’s Ludwig Goransson. Occasionally, the soundtrack and sound mixing are so loud and bombastic that it’s nearly impossible to hear certain lines of dialogue, but generally, it really works. Christopher Nolan once again plays with booming noises almost assaulting your ear drums, he messed with it in Interstellar, and most recently WW2 epic Dunkirk. The thing is, Nolan knows how to make it effective, unlike a certain somebody (Michael cough Bay cough).

Me, my dad and brother drove two hours just to see this thing. Maybe it wasn’t incredible, but for the first movie in the cinema I’m seeing since Disney’s Onward, it was a total blast. I was thrilled to be experiencing something on the big screen once again, a bit tired of seeing all these would-be theatrical releases going straight to VOD. That was a nice gimmick back in March, maybe April…but us moviegoers need a movie we can truly feel, and there’s no better way to do it then head to the cinema to see a Christopher Nolan film in 70mm. This isn’t a flawless ride, none of Nolan’s works are, though folks cannot argue against the fact that this guy has revolutionized the run-of-the-mill action blockbuster, and turned it into a smart, if impossible to follow affair.

Speaking of issues I have with the movie, there is a few. First of all, Elizabeth Debecki, clearly a capable actress, was disappointingly underused on a character that didn’t deserve her undeniably committed performance. Nolan is clearly trying to put a little bit of emotional spark into an otherwise emotionless film, and it doesn’t fit in unfortunately. Oh, then there’s those exposition dumps. A whole chunk of the first act really falls flat, largely due to the attempts to explain some stuff audiences didn’t catch on to with expository dialogue, a massively lame way to help us grasp the concept of it all compared to some other awe-worthy moments we’re seeing on-screen. As mentioned, the mixing can get a little irritating, but it’ll also get you sucked right in to the world of Tenet.

Fortunately, there are much more factors to praise than criticize. The action sequences are absolutely gorgeous, epic in scale, and high on ingenious “how did they do that?” moments. Because of the heavy use of practical effects, and solid work behind the camera, everything looks unusually realistic for something that costs 225 million dollars. With objects moving backwards, forwards, inverted, this creates a big wow factor during the best scenes of the movie, and proves Nolan to be one of the best directors working today. John David Washington is a total star, Pattinson and Branagh have a total blast with their roles, and this cerebral puzzle has enough dazzling moments to make it another successful project to come out of the most twisted mind of Christopher Nolan.

The final opinion is: Though complex to a fault, Tenet is an otherwise visually impressive puzzle with fine performances, impressively filmed, entertaining action, and a masterfully-crafted puzzle at its core for viewers to unlock…$PLURGE IT

"Get Duked!" is Fast, Funny, and Doesn't Have Much on the Mind

August 28, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

film review: “get duked!”

By: Keaton Marcus

With theaters beginning to open up again, you may not think it’s all too safe to head back just yet, and that’s why we have stuff like Get Duked! The scatalogical comedy from first-time director Ninian Doff is just funny enough to entertain the folks that want to stick with the streaming services. Although its hyperactive and zany approach to the movie’s clever premise may not be for everyone, select groups that love fast-paced storytelling will consider this a wet-dream. Doff pulls no punches, and fuels this comedy-thriller combo with a fresh, young cast of likable characters, and a plot that’s disappointingly simple, but doesn’t drag. Occasionally, the movie is hit-or-miss in terms of the humor, which does lose a bit of steam towards the end of its quick 86 minutes, and the storytelling becomes so scattershot that you’ll find it hard to understand. I’ll tell you one thing, though, you will always be entertained.

Mentioned vaguely before, it’s these characters, these four teens, that keep things afloat during the low spots of the film. DJ Beatroot, Dean, and Duncan, the troublemakers, head to the Scottish highlands for a self-improvement course, but the other is a total nerd. That’s Ian, who is just there to have fun. The four are plunged right into danger, struggling to make it to their first camp before running into two mysterious hunters that want them dead. This is when the movie begins to tap into its thriller/horror side, but the half-assed attempts to make it a cohesive blend of both don’t always work out. Plenty of laughs hit you during the first 40 minutes, and the entire mystery is quite endearing, I just dislike the tonal shifts, which are, unfortunately, quite abrupt.

If it weren’t for the cast, if it weren’t for Viraj Junjea, Rian Gordon, Samuel Bottomley and Lewis Gribben, the movie would have succumbed to these flaws. These appealing actors do an excellent job, committing to the stereotypes of their wonderfully written characters. You’re compelled to watch them fight off these two masked villains, and that’s what matters most. Props to Mr. Doff, I’m officially invested in the protagonists of the movie. So these teens are attempting to win the Duke of Edinburgh award, “a laminated certificate”, boasts Ian. However, the two antagonists of this thing may or may not bear similarities with the Duke and Duchess. Don’t worry, I won’t go far enough as it spoil anything big.

What I also enjoy is the total embracing of the film’s R-rating. We get profanity and violence galore, so if you’re not a fan of some good old fashioned gore, stay away from this one. But if comfortable, watch the heck out of it! Accompanied by the movie’s dark humor, the violence is more than welcomed when necessary. The landscapes are also quite beautiful, and while it is spoiled a bit by all the foul language, you get several nice grasslands and hills to look at throughout. A perfect filming location, gleefully remote.

The issues lie with the thinness of it all. Doff has a clear vision, but doesn’t do anything extra. He plops his characters in the setting with landscape beauty, interrupted occasionally by violence and offensive (but welcome) laughs, and expressionistic music videos on acid trips. He attempts to poke fun at stereotypes once in a while, though his political and more earnest aspirations never hit consistently. You should be able to excuse such things in a comedy like this, but Doff appears to have a desire to tackle something heavier while providing laugh-out-loud moments.

Overall, I liked the film, it was an enjoyable, perfectly well-acted Amazon original supercharged with rote laughs that proves Doff a capable filmmaker. If you’re willing to take in all the violence and offensiveness, everything will be just OK. Sadly, once you see past the fast-paced gags, there’s not much there. Thankfully, it’ll work as a nice movie night with your friends, but, if you can, don’t be too attentive, the experience won’t be as fun. Turning your brain off will make it a great time, and may even distract you from the flaws.

The final opinion is: Though Get Duked! skims past some of the more thought-provoking ideas director Ninian Doff introduces, the oddity of its premise, solid performances and consistent laughs make it a time worth spending…$TREAM IT

Project Power

August 14, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

By Quinn Marcus

Project Power

(2020)

Age: 14+

50/100: Sour

Watch on Netflix

“So the question is, what’s your power? Could be good, could be bad. No one knows.” Project Power was directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, directors of Paranormal Activity 3 and Paranormal Activity 4. What would you do with five minutes of pure power? When a pill that gives you unpredictable superpowers for five minutes hits the streets of New Orleans. An ex-soldier must team up with a teen dealer and a cop to take it down. What a cool concept, am I right? I had some expectations for this movie and came out disappointed in what it had to offer. Project Power is a film that takes itself very seriously, but it’s actually pretty ridiculous, my flaws?

1. The script and story. As I said before, the concept is very interesting, but the way it was handled was pretty crappy. Sure it had a few decently written scenes, but overall the dialogue sounded like gibberish I didn’t care about. I didn’t feel much for pretty much any of the characters in the movie. And the story felt like an incomplete project that needed more time to develop. Maybe it could have been a better tv show instead, it would have been given a bigger chance to develop its characters and storyline. 2. The action. While many might disagree with this point, I found the action scenes, especially with the powers, to be disturbing and at times a little chaotic. Action scenes should have me glued to my seat, unable to blink afraid of missing something. During the action sequences, I was thinking about when the movie would end. However, there was one specific fight that I thought was glorious, (we’ll get to that later). 3. Some of the CGI. While there were moments I liked from the special effects, there were many instances where it looked pretty damn awkward. Especially when that bad guy turned into that troll, goblin, ugly ass thingy. 4. The villain. To create a good villain you need what he/she wants and his/her motivation for wanting this. The villain in the movie clearly expressed what she wanted, to sell the drug in multiple cities, but her motivation is because superpowers are cool I guess. The villain should be interesting, the polar opposite of our hero, it’s too bad that the main villain had like five minutes of screen time. Those were my main issues, I have one mixed point to discuss before we get into the positives. 1. Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I love this actor, absolutely love him. Inception introduced me to him, and his performance was entertaining and had character. He was okay in this film, I guess. Maybe it was because his character had the likability of a block of wood, but I found his performance to be a bit bland. To be fair, he did have some funny scenes with Dominique Fishback, but I wanted more from him.

Alright, here’s what I liked about the film. 1. The cinematography. This is where the film truly shined. The cinematographer, Michael Simmonds deserves some recognition for his use of color, some pretty unique and stylish shots, plus clear skill for the job. 2. That one epic action scene. See, told you I’d get to this. When Jamie Foxx takes the pill towards the end and shows his explosive shockwave abilities, it looks freaking awesome. The CGI team really outdid themselves for the 20 seconds of pure epicness. 3. The directing. Although clearly not able to execute a tension-filled action scene, I thought that directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman did a pretty good job. The film is brought together well, and they obviously had a point A and B, just not the proper script to get there.

Overall, Project Power boasts impressive cinematography, solid directing, (mostly) cool CGI. But a terrible villain, some chaotic action and a script and story in the middle of a tug of war, not quite knowing what it wants to be.

The cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception), Jamie Foxx (Ray), and Dominique Fishback (The Hate u Give) all had very good performances, well two of em anyway. I already discussed Mr. Gordon-Levitt, so let’s move to Jamie Foxx. His character had charisma and was entertaining, and Foxx’s performance was as good as ever, providing some great chemistry with Dominique Fishback whose performance was the best of all of them. Fishback’s character was obviously the one the writer’s focused on the most. She was the most fun to watch on screen, having all the best scenes, providing some solid comedy and top-notch rapping skills.

Project Power is a more gory superhero flick. People are stabbed, shot, damaged. There are some intense power morphing scenes that are disturbing. A large amount of blood, explosions, and some language. There is no romance in the film. The one positive message, hugs not drugs kids, hugs not drugs.

"Project Power" is Well-Acted, Dazzling, and Disappointingly OK

August 14, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

film review: “Project Power”

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 14, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

By: Keaton Marcus

After the success of The Old Guard, Netflix gave the streaming platform another superhero flick. But this time it’s Project Power, about a hot new street drug that hits New Orleans with a bang. Don’t take this for any old pill, though. You eat this thing, you get a random superpower for five minutes with a bit of a catch, the user is oblivious to how him/her body will react to it. Talk about an interesting premise, huh? This streaming service just keeps getting better and better with how to eek in another installment to an overpopulated genre without making it too familiar. But sadly, this Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt vehicle gives us a good looking movie without solid execution, sacrificing its unique ideas for big, CGI action sequences. It isn’t a bad film per say, with suitable performances, including a stand-out, star-making one from newcomer Dominique Fishback, the romp just settles for a mediocre plot and script. As the saying goes, I’m not mad, just disappointed.

This delightfully weird premise was cooked up in a Cafe by first-time screenwriter Mattson Tomlin in 2016 at age 25, and now after having his first big break with PP, is an in-demand screenwriter who’s working on The Batman (that’s the Robert Pattinson one). Not only that, but this guy’s got adaptations for video-game Mega Man and comic-book series Memetic. Unfortunately, the screenplay is most likely the weakest factor in this meh-fest, and giving Tomlin all these high-profile projects may not be the best idea, but to hell with it. Right? Well, you could argue that this does scratch our summer blockbuster itch with a passing grade, as the movie is full of explosions, slick action and a brutally fast-paced storyline. The problem is that it is really nothing more than a decent, watchable summer blockbuster, it’s just COVID-19 friendly.

With Foxx, Levitt, and directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schuman, what really went wrong here? Well instead of exploring Tomlin’s solid idea with depth, Joost and Schuman go through all the genre cliches. There’s a big, shady corporation called Teleios, who made the pill, and will do anything to evolve the human race. Not generic enough? Well, don’t worry, Jamie Foxx is on a bit of a personal quest, going through the whole Taken revenge story, squandering a potentially interesting character with a mediocre arc. Levitt’s character isn’t anything special either, and you could even argue that he’s just there to give this film some more star-power, despite a perfectly fine performance. Fishback is terrific, but her character is rendered completely useless at the end, I’ll tell you why later. Ok, ok…you want more details?

Foxx plays Art, aka “Major”, an ex-soldier who the feds think is behind the whole superpower-drug cluster fuck. The Oscar-winner is actually trying to find his daughter, Tracy, for pretty much the entire movie. I won’t get into major details, but a certain evil corporation with a plan took her. Shhhh. All I can really say is that a good performance is wasted on a character that doesn’t deserve the screen-time. The screenplay gives Levitt the role of a New Orleans-bred cop named Frank (he even wears a Saints jersey to let you know) that is looking to arrest Foxx’s Art, but ends up working with him to stop Teleios. I’m actually having a mental dilemma on Fischback at the moment, her performance, and chemistry with Foxx is total dynamite, but her whole father-figure storyline with Art just doesn’t correlate with his agenda of finding his actual daughter. Plenty goes wrong in this movie, but thankfully, a lot goes right.

Joost and Schuman may not of been able to stick the landing with ease, but they’ve supercharged the first two acts of Project Power with blistering intensity in the action sequences, from an excellent building chase scene to a rumble in the streets of New Orleans. They bring a certain heart to the violence, at least when a couple CG shots aren’t ruining it. Everything in this movie moves at such a fast pace, much like their previous movie, Nerve, which is both positive and negative. Fortunately, this movie doesn’t drag, and it keeps a consistent tone and pace throughout, which does help it achieve its watchability status. Also, Foxx and Fishback, two African-Americans, leading a potential franchise is totally needed, especially considering their work in the movie.

It’s also got visual razzle-dazzle, credits to cinematographer Michael Simmonds. The directors lay off CGI whenever they can, which makes for a rather smashing moment when Frank samples the pill himself, making his skin bulletproof. The scene shows a thug shooting a bullet point-blank to his head; while filming this, they made a prop gun that shot high-pressure air onto Levitt’s skin to create the ripple effect. On a whole, actually, the movie looks fantastic, every shot is crisp, but it can’t quite save the movie from mediocrity. If you want a fun action thriller to cure your summer needs, be my guest…Otherwise, there are better films to watch. Though for pure popcorn entertainment, you could do worse.

The final opinion is: Project Power has slick visuals, fast-paced action and a trio of impressive performances, but the generic execution of an intriguing idea and dull characters make it settle for too little…$KIP IT

"Palm Springs" is a Never-Ending Party That's Even Crazier Than Its Premise

July 10, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 16, YOU SHOULD ASK A PARENT IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

ca-times.brightspotcdn.jpg — 80/100 “sweet”

By: Keaton Marcus

The genre of comedy has been overdone for a long time now, and most of them end up tired cash-grabbers, but there's always a special one to catch your attention. 2020's diamond in the ruff is Palm Springs, the new movie about two people, played by Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, who get stuck in an infinite time loop. While there are cliches here and there, both performances are absolutely hilarious, and the laugh-out-loud moments rarely stop. It does take a bit of time before it truly realizes the absurdity of its premise, but as the film goes on, it ends up sticking the landing. What's most impressive is that it's from first-time director Max Barbakow and newbie screenwriter Andy Siara. Kudos to the two who have made a better movie than many experienced directors. The entire idea of this thing is already hard to grasp onto, but wait until you actually see the real thing!

Nyles (played by Samberg), is the guy you can relate to during the entire ride. His need to bust out of the same day is actually painful to watch, but he's pretty much given up and settled for the bar open at the posh wedding in Palm Springs. That's when Nyles meets Sarah (Milioti), the older sister of the bride (Camila Mendes from Riverdale), and get into the trouble that fuels the flick. After saving her from making a drunk toast as the Maid of Honor, they go off together on the beach, and well, do what people do. They're already attracted to each other, but Nyles doesn't really know much about love.

He's currently in a relationship with Misty (Meredith Hagner), but its mainly for the sex...viewing her as a soulless hottie. And he's soon gonna find out that she's been cheating on him for a while now in an awkwardly enjoyable moment. However, when he meets Sarah, his life kinda changes, he comes to a realization that he needed to end it with Misty. And boy do they play the break-up moment a lot in the time loop. Though that's when he and Sarah take that little walk to the beach, attempt to have sex, but then get interrupted, by, well, J.K. Simmons with a bow-and-arrow.

That's right, the mean old drum teacher from Whiplash is trying to kill Detective Peralta right now, and I love it. This is when the film starts to fire on all cylinders, and when Sarah follows Nyles to a glowing red cave and joins him in the loop. Now she's stuck with who she calls later "a pretentious sad boy" for eternity. Yep, living out that same wedding day. The movie is at its funniest here, despite all the genre cliches of being reckless in the time loop.

We've seen it through some great stuff like Groundhog Day, Looper, Edge of Tomorrow, and Netflix's Russian Doll. So does the fact that it has been done before render this one as completely out of imagination. Nope. And it's a good thing that Palm Springs also has enough creative juice to stand out in the genre because otherwise, it would have been another soulless rip-off (that's you, Happy Death Day).

It's truly Andy Samberg's best performance on-screen in his career. And this guy knows how to make people laugh, whether he's a pop-star in a mockumentary, or a wisecracking detective in his claim-to-fame, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But the chemistry between Samberg and Milioti is truly excellent. The fun never stops with these two, and that's when the movie completely goes off the rails. They go through a total existential crisis at one point, ramming their car into a truck, randomly coming into a bar to put on a little show for the patrons, and messing with the cops. "Suck my d..k, Officer Bitch", Milioti says.

What the creators really get right is how to end this thing. It's hard to finish such a movie, but Mr. Barbakow knows how to stick it satisfyingly and smoothly. It takes baby steps towards this neat conclusion, but don't worry, I won't spoil anything. All I can say is that it's a crazy movie that puts dinosaurs, a Fournier hair mist, a goat donning explosives, and an earthquake into play. It may be a film that suggests that repetition can kill sex drives and marriages, but it doesn't lose heart. Palm Springs is also a movie that will leave you chuckling appreciatively at what you'll do for love.

The final opinion is: Though it takes a little while for the movie to get going, Andy Samberg's perpetual Palm Springs party is a fun ride that rarely stops moving...$PLURGE IT

watch on hulu

Rated: R (for sexual content, language throughout, drug use and some violence)

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes

Directed By: Max Barbakow

"The Old Guard" Starts a Superhero Franchise With a Thoughtful, Action-Packed Film

July 10, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 15, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

By: Keaton Marcus

Where have you been hiding these films, Netflix?

The streaming giant has bestowed upon us today a little quality action during the quarantine. They've hired the badass of all actresses, Charlize Theron, to head this straight-to-streaming, comic-book based franchise starter. And it's damn good. From the surprisingly character-driven story to the knockout action sequences, this is a total success. It's filled with rock-solid performances, over-the-top fun, and gloriously choreographed violence. This is above the average genre movie, with enough twists, turns, and smarts to set a new high standard for these types of films. It's also got a ruthlessly good fast-paced plot that supercharges its likable characters and infinitely entertaining storytelling. There's a few nitpicks in there, obviously, but any flaws are mostly drowned out by the immense fun you're going to have while watching this film. Theron has pretty much marked herself as a venerable action heroine, and it truly shows here. It shines.

Based on the popular comic-book series, The Old Guard is about a team of four immortal super soldiers named Andy (Theron), Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli). Although they were born at different periods, they live forever, literally. When they come across a potential new recruit named Nile (Kiki Layne), they must work together to fight against Dr. Merrick (Harry Melling) and CIA agent Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who want to monetize and take control of their abilities. It's also a very sophisticated take on the superhero genre, not relying too much on cartoonish characters, and having just the right amount of silly fun to balance it out. A job well done, director Gina Prince-Bythewood.

Charlize Theron has seldom had a bad performance, starring recently in Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, and Bombshell. All three outings were heavily praised, and the latter even got her a Best Actress Oscar nomination last year. She's proven herself as both a capable action star and a truly magnetic actress overall. Heck, she even got a role in the F&F franchise with The Fate of the Furious. But her performance in this flick is more than her typical role. You can feel the agony of her character having to live forever, and it’s painful but beautiful to watch. Newcomer Kiki Layne, known for If Beale Street Could Talk, rises magnificently to the challenge of becoming the next ass-kicker to the team. She’s incredible in the action sequences, and there’s no shortage of entertainment watching her and Theron completely tear some thugs apart.

Gina Prince-Bythewood, the chief among the movie's assets, does a wonderful job of bringing honesty and intimacy into the usually tongue-in-cheek genre. It is not just the gorgeously-filmed action scenes or the sly humor that elevates the movie, but it's the realism in the romance and the massive amount of smarts that truly make it worth seeing. This female-driven thriller goes above-and-beyond because it ends a more mature vision. The whole set-up and origins of the characters are all well-done too, and those scenes are the greatest moments in the 120-minute film. All the hints to a sequel, especially a powerhouse post-credit scene are also particularly strong. The showcase of character-building, the pain of what it would be like to live forever, and strong amount of diversity (actors of color, LGBTQ+ characters, strong female roles) make it worth watching.

The final opinion is: Though flawed, The Old Guard is a more contemplative, mature take on the superhero genre that features dazzling action scenes led by Charlize Theron and kickstarts a potential franchise...$PLURGE IT

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Rated: R (for sequences of graphic violence, and language)

Genre: Action/Adventure

Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes

Directed By: Gina Prince-Bythewood

"Irresistible" Sees Jon Stewart Hitting Wide of the Bullseye in His Area of Expertise

June 26, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 14, YOU SHOULD ASK A PARENT IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

By: Keaton Marcus

Comedian Jon Stewart has come to direct this new political satire Irresistible starring Steve Carell and Rose Byrne that went straight to home video June 26th. It's a surprisingly soft, and weirdly unfunny affair that has its moments but never really takes off. Especially with the powerhouse cast behind it. Carell, as always, is a likable guy. We've come to enjoy his screen presence mainly because of his iconic performance as Michael Scott in The Office, and he once again gives a suitable outing. The cast is all doing a fine job, and the premise is actually quite interesting. Too bad they don't do anything special with it, settling for a mildly entertaining comedy that plays it way too safe. It doesn't attack enough at either the right or left wing of the US. In fact, it rarely even picks a political side, leaving audiences to wonder what the intention was. There are laughs, but this thing has no meaning. The result: a decent, but painfully mediocre film.

The movie is about a Democratic political consultant named Gary Zimmer (Steve Carell), who after facing an unimaginable loss with Hillary Clinton for the 2016 presidential election, is a bit stuck in life. However, when he views a viral video of an ex-Marine hero, Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) standing up against the Wisconsin board, he finds the perfect candidate. Zimmer proposes to Hastings to run as the Democratic candidate for the mayor of Deernaken, Wisconsin. After he reluctantly agrees, they go on a journey to give the state its first blue mayor since the 70s, despite the ruthless Republican consultant Faith Brewster (Rose Byrne) standing against them. Again, the plot is really intriguing, but it doesn't pull enough satirical punches to succeed.

Steve Carell is a great actor, and lately, he's had some good movies like Beautiful Boy and Last Flag Flying, but he didn't have the same success with Welcome to Marven. He even tried to get back into the TV gig by leading Netflix's Space Force, a popular, but critically panned show. The latest installment to the Despicable Me franchise wasn't even charming. My point is that Carell needs another incredibly hilarious performance, he's a funny guy when given the right screenplay, but in terms of comedies, there is not much to find. His boy-scouts attitude in this film really does work, though too bad Stewart wasn't capable enough. Rose Byrne was a bit wasted in my opinion, not given enough stuff to do. Still, I enjoyed both her and Chris Cooper's performances respectively.

This movie was made to please all of America in the time of the pandemic, in the last few months of Donald Trump's reign over the States (hopefully). The thing is, what the hell, Mr. Stewart. This is your area of expertise, and you’ve missed your chance at creating some smart satire. Terrible things are happening in the country politically, and your next move is to glorify both sides! I was expecting a comedy that played hard, completely tearing apart the system of the US, but what we got as a whole was a little present wrapped in the warm arms of familiarity. It didn't try anything new, instead, it took the time to make sure that it didn't receive backlash from the president. It's the movie that the United States of America does not need at the moment. We need a satire that challenges everything that our country stands for right now. And this film didn't do that for me.

The final opinion is: Though kept slightly afloat by decent performances and a few solid laughs, Irresistible flounders by failing to give much satirical or political bite...$KIP IT

Buy on Amazon

Rated: R (for language including sexual references)

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes

Directed By: Jon Stewart

"You Should Have Left" is a Familiar, but Fun Haunted House Thriller

June 19, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

By: Keaton Marcus

David Koepp is back in the director's chair with his new horror-thriller You Should Have Left starring Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried. To be frank, I was disappointed in this movie...From the look of the trailer and the premise, it could have been another smashing success for Blumhouse. However, what remains is an entertaining, but only mildly scary affair. Some intriguing ideas hint at a genuinely terrifying experience, but Koepp never truly delves into them enough. The screenplay doesn't quite make a consistent whole either however viewers looking for some good fun will find much to offer. The thing is...the scares take too long to really set in, audiences will have to wait about 50 minutes for any real tension to arise. To be very honest, this movie would have worked more as a drama than a horror movie, with more emotional elements than scares. It's really a hit-or-miss, and it will certainly test audiences' patience.

The movie is about a screenwriter named Theo Conroy (Kevin Bacon), haunted by his past and now married to the much-younger actress Susanna (Amanda Seyfried) with their child Ella (Avery Essex). When they both realize that their relationship is bursting by the seams, Theo decides to take them to a gorgeous remote home in England, only to find that nothing is as it seems. It's definitely an intriguing premise, and it constantly dives into the haunted house genre, but it's disappointing that the movie doesn't use its full potential. Hopefully, however, you will forgive its cheap scares with some solid performances and appropriately isolated setting.

As mentioned, Kevin Bacon heads the cast as a troubled father and screenwriter with his mysterious past (no spoilers) catching up with him as he goes to the seemingly innocent home. This is actually a reunion of sorts between director David Koepp and Bacon, who worked together in Stir of Echoes, a well-received movie. Bacon is also exceptionally good in this film, naturally talented as usual. In both the emotionally-fueled scenes and the spooky ones, he is excellent, which doesn't happen frequently. His co-star, Amanda Seyfried, isn't as good but has her moments. While both actors are doing a solid job, I'm just not as interested in the characters as I should be, and I didn't really care for them towards the end. Their personalities are a tad stale even though Bacon and Seyfried act well together.

David Koepp has had a mixed bag of a career, with some ups, downs, in-betweens. Basically, he's all over the place, and a bit of a gamble to hire as a director or screenwriter. He became famous for writing Steven Spielberg classic Jurassic Park and is also known for working on Mission: Impossible, The Lost World, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, Panic Room, and Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Despite all those terrific flicks, he's been on a bit of a slump lately. He recently wrote the atrocious Inferno, plus Tom Cruise's awful The Mummy remake and Mortdecai. Ouch. While his direction and writing aren't as fresh as some of his older movies, I would consider it a welcome return to his horror roots. Nobody said this movie was going to be The Shining, but it's a familiar, yet enjoyable and disposable piece of yarn.

The final opinion is: You Should Have Left doesn't have enough good jumps, and it takes too long to set-up, but Kevin Bacon's lead performance and some fun make it decent enough...$TREAM IT

Buy on Amazon

Rated: R (for some violence, disturbing images, sexual content and language)

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Runtime: 1 hour 33 minutes

Directed By: David Koepp

THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND

June 12, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

By Quinn Marcus

(2020)

Pete Davidson in The King of Staten Island — Pete Davidson in *The King of Staten Island*

Age: 15+

82/100: Sweet

So What’s The Story?

Scott Carlin, an unaccomplished young man whose life has been trapped in limbo ever since his firefighter dad died when he was young. His days are spent smoking weed, doing drugs, and trying to become a better tattoo artist. His dream is to open a tattoo restaurant, a remarkable place where you can eat and get a tattoo at the same time! That’s everyone’s dream, right? However, with a little push from the people that care about him the most, he might just take his first steps to live a good life.

Is It Worth Your While?

This was a real film. Now you might be thinking: ‘yes Quinn, we know its a real film because you can watch it.’ While that is accurate, that’s not exactly what I mean. Let me explain what “real” really means to me for this film. Every year, we get about 600 movies in the cinema per year. We don’t watch them all, in fact, we view a very small fraction of that number. Out of the films I see each year, there are a few gems, a few “real” films. While The King of Staten Island wasn’t exactly a diamond in the rough, its a film worth watching. For movies “real” can mean many things. A film like this could be honest, have relatable characters, scenarios, something that makes the audience more invested in the experience. The King of Staten Island has all of these things and more.

First off, let’s get into the positives. 1. Judd Apatow’s directing and co-writing was impeccable. As my first Apatow film, I was very impressed by how he managed to blend drama and outrageous moments of comedy together which can be extremely difficult to do. As I get older, I look forward to seeing more of his work. 2. The story got more and more intense as it went forward, but you just go along with it because you care so much about the characters and their decisions. Even if a scene is tough to watch emotionally, the movie finds a way to give you a good laugh after the drama stops. 3. The cast is just pretty incredible (we’ll get to that later). 4. Everything about the film feels natural and not forced. Every scene is placed specially designed to make you feel like all of this could happen in real life. Now for my negatives. 1. The film is a little too long for a comedy. I know Judd Apatow likes to make lengthy comedy movies, but I think there could have been like 15-20mins taken off the runtime. 2. A few scenes felt rushed. At times I felt like there were scenes that didn’t work entirely, that could have taken there time a little more. That’s it, overall a top-notch cast, flawless writing, and directing plus intriguing characters make Judd Apatow’s latest a long, but great dramedy worth the watch in quarantine.

How Was The Cast?

The film features expertly chosen cast members who all worked perfectly together. First of all, we have Pete Davidson as Scott Carlin. Pete Davidson is a big SNL actor having been on 123 episodes, he has also worked with Judd Apatow before on a film called Trainwreck (2015, no score yet). He is truly the star of the movie, funny, likable, and clearly expressed his commitment to the film with his performance. Next, we have Marisa Tomei, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017, 85% sweet), and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019, 75% Sweet). Although I have not seen many of her films, Marisa Tomei seems to be great in everything. Her chemistry with Pete Davidson and the rest of the cast was spot on. She had some emotional scenes, all of which she did well acting in. The rest of the cast including Bill Burr, Bel Powley, and Luke David Blumm all fit right in with natural, funny, and emotional performances.

Aging ‘Staten Island’

There is a ton of drug usage in the movie, people smoke weed, vape, etc. There’s not a ton of violence. A group of friends robs a pharmacy which consequently gets one of them shot. People fight, but it’s mostly comedic. There is a lot of bad language, in fact, each scene includes at least a few swear words. There are brief discussions about sex and a couple of scenes with sex. The film has a strong message about overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals in life. The characters care for each other and help each other whenever needed.

"The King of Staten Island" is a Bit Long, but It's a Funny and Real Judd Apatow Movie

June 12, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 15, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

By: Keaton Marcus

If you can believe it, Judd Apatow is finally back in the director's chair with his new Pete Davidson-starring comedy The King of Staten Island. As you were most likely expecting, Apatow's running time is once again pretty darn bloated, running at 2 hours 17 minutes. However, this dramedy is actually really touching, and you connect with all the characters. The mesh of drama and comedy is fantastic and there's plenty of terrific laughs. It took me back to Apatow's greatest hits, the films that are relatable and hilarious. The acting is superb, Davidson is off the charts, and the supporting cast is also excellent. The tonal shifts don't always go with each other, but if you want a good comedy, you'll get that...And more. This is also one of the best films of 2020, and it's so worth watching with friends or family for just 20 bucks. Hey, it's cheaper than heading to the theater with a group of people.

This thing tells the story of Scott Carlin (Pete Davidson) whose firefighter father died when he was only seven. He's now in his mid-20's, hasn't accomplished much, and does not know what he's going to end up doing in life. Truly in a case of arrested development, Scott is still living in his mother's (Marisa Tomei) house and is an aspiring tattoo artist. You get why I complained about the running time now, don't you? The entire plot is about a total loser trying to figure his stuff out. It tells a story that could have been made into a 90-minute film in 137 minutes. But this is Judd Apatow, all of his comedies are over two hours. That may not be enough to completely forgive this indulgent amount of time, but there are not many other flaws to nitpick at.

Pete Davidson made his bones in SNL, and besides that, he's had small roles in Trainwreck (also directed by Apatow), and the popular NBC show Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He's a funny guy, of course, but I really did connect with his character, Scott, and Davidson is just damn good in the movie. It's also quite nice to say that his performance in both the dramatic and comedic scenes are both equally solid. And because the screenwriting by both Davidson and Apatow is so clever, you can truly relate to a young man who doesn't know what the hell he's doing. The stand-out performance, however, is no doubt comedian Bill Bur who plays Scott's step-father of sorts. He's absolutely hilarious, and despite shaping up to be a bit of a jerk, in the beginning, Apatow truly develops his character. Marisa Tomei, who plays Margie Carlin, is also splendid in her role, and again, since she's given such a well-written part, it's no challenge.

The King of Staten Island is undeniably flawed, there's no arguing against that. It's overlong, and there are good chunks of the movie that feel too sentimental, and sadly, contrived. However, there are too many positives to truly dislike the film. The acting is exceptional, the direction and screenwriting sharp, and don't forget the plentiful amount of laughs. Apatow was never a perfect director (here's looking at you, This is 40), but he always, and I mean always finds some realism in his work, and I respect that. His stories are always worth telling, his characters are investing and he has always set a standard for comedies. There are barely any films in his career that I wouldn't consider above-average for the genre. And taking a look at Staten Island, it's another one to add to that list.

The final opinion is: Judd Apatow is back and better than ever in the chair with The King of Staten Island, crafting an overlong, but real and hilarious dramedy that's filled with compelling performances..$PLURGE IT

Buy on Amazon

Rated: R (for language and drug use throughout, sexual content and some violence/bloody images)

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes

Directed By: Judd Apatow

"Da Five Bloods" is a Celebration of Spike Lee's Grand Talents

June 12, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 15, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

By: Keaton Marcus

Spike Lee's newest joint has arrived on streaming giant Netflix, and it's a weird one, albeit an excellent one. Da Five Bloods is an epic drama filled with superb performances, stylish camera-work, and a story very worth telling. As entertaining as it may be, this movie is also important to watch, and I'm glad Mr. Lee made this thing. The commentary on the Vietnam war, as well as racism, is truly magnificent. And the lengthy running time of about 155 minutes goes by like a flash because of all the laughs. There's also a surprising amount of action sequences. Lee is truly in command of his craft here, and his distinct directorial style undoubtedly shows, and it's glorious. Most likely one of the best films all year at the moment, you must watch this movie, especially considering what's going on in the United States at the moment. Trust me, it's worth it.

This movie is about four African-American Vietnam War named Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.). Who, after over 50 years, return to Vietnam. They are in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader Norman (Chadwick Boseman), and the promise of gold they buried back in the war. They confront their haunting past as well as the deadly jungle that lies there. The movie meshes together a treasure hunt, an anti-war story, and American Ugliness in one-two and a half-hour film. And Lee does it almost seamlessly, creating an enjoyable romp, and a vastly important social commentary for the world to see.

The cast isn't even the best part of this movie, and they are absolutely phenomenal. In particular, Delroy Lindo, who portrays the PTSD-stricken Paul, is the shining star of the movie. Not only is this guy Oscar-worthy, but he plays his character so realistically it can scare you sometimes. When he starts his downfall to insanity and begins to break the fourth wall, audiences really feel his pain inside, all bottled up. He's terribly haunted by the war, and the greatest bit about his performance is the fact that you understand all of it. Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. are also excellent in their respective roles despite not having as much to do as Lindo. And finally, Chadwick Boseman, who made his bones with 2018's Black Panther, plays a very supporting character. However, his natural talent for acting overshadows his lack of dialogue, especially when it comes to his emotional heft.

But then it all comes down to Spike Lee. His various different joints are all over the place, from Da Sweet Blood of Jesus to Inside Man, and BlakKklansman a couple years ago! This guy has made a vampire tale, a heist flick, and a film tackling the Ku Klux Klan. It just proves how flexible a director he is, perhaps making him one of the greatest multi-genre filmmakers ever. This topic is basically made for him to tell a story about, it combines exciting action, comedy, and drama all in one. It certainly feels like a bit of a celebration of his career, which for some can seem a bit overwhelming, but for fans of Lee, it's paradise.

The final opinion is: Spike Lee's Da Five Bloods is a well-made, superbly acted and emotionally intact drama that has a tale worth telling...$PLURGE IT

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Rated: R (for strong violence, grisly images, and pervasive language)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

Directed By: Spike Lee

Me, my brother and dad watched this movie on the official holiday Juneteenth, which is a day celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. This is an important movie to watch!

"The Last Days of American Crime" Ain't Worth Your Time...Trust Me!

June 05, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 16, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

I was truly excited about this. Netflix adapting a highly-acclaimed graphic novel with a killer premise. What if the US government ended crime? When I saw the trailers, I became less and less enthralled with the whole project, especially since Oliver Megaton was helming this thing. But what I didn't expect was this film to be one of the worst things I've ever seen! The acting is awful, it's overlong, the characters are uninteresting, and the action is horribly edited. It was extremely hard to find many positive things to say about this hunk of junk. And besides a decent musical score, I cannot recommend enough that you skip this movie. Megaton's The Last Days of American Crime has a plot that could have been squeezed into 80 minutes...Instead, we got about 2 hours and 30 minutes of pure crap. Not only is this movie absolutely atrocious, but it's also derivative. Megaton borrows off of so many other, better pictures that the filmmaker forgot his own vision.

This adaptation takes place in the near future where the American government is planning to send out a signal that stops any US citizen from knowingly committing an unlawful act. The Last Days of American Crime focus on Graham (Edgar Ramirez) who gets an offer from gangster Kevin Cash (Michael Pitt) and black-market hacker Shelby Dupree (Anna Brewster) to commit the last great heist in history. The idea of it all is fairly intriguing, it is the content that really tanks this movie. They fill this thing with pointless subplots, supporting characters, and a whole lot of incompetent dialogue. The actors all seem solidly capable on the outside, but once you peel the onion a bit, all to see is some attractive people in a garbage movie.

The cast is led by Edgar Ramirez, who's had roles in The Bourne Ultimatum and Zero Dark Thirty among other terrific films. He's just so wasted in this preposterous, idiotic movie with some of the most lowlife writing you could ever witness. Ramirez himself tries his best, he truly does, but that determination clearly isn't enough. Anna Brewster just doesn't have enough experience to save this movie, and her chemistry with Michael Pitt proves that. The criminally underrated actor and filmmaker Sharlto Copley are also left in the dust as a pointless side character that doesn't really get to do much. To be very frank, the cast was really appalling, but the worst thing is: it's not their fault.

You know who is? The guy who actually made this trash. Oliver Megaton, director of some of the worst action movies ever helmed the project. Megaton is known for directing the second and third Taken movies, Columbiana and Transporter 3. All are known for their choppy editing and ugly action sequences. It is sadly the same case here. If you're going to adapt a terrific, action-packed graphic novel, actually hire a solid director. I would recommend the likes of David Leitch or even Chad Stahelski. Perhaps Mission: Impossible Fallout's Christopher McQuarrie would do. If you want a recent, batshit crazy action flick streaming on Netflix, watch the hell out of Extraction. At least Sam Hargrave knew how to direct some violence. Megaton has made some shaky-cam bull crap.

The final opinion is: Unless you are going nuts during quarantine, The Last Days of American Crime is an awful crime thriller that suffers from poor writing, B-movie type performances and a lack of thrilling action...$KIP IT

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Rated: NR

Genre: Action/Crime

Runtime: 2 hours 29 minutes

Directed By: Oliver Megaton

"The Lovebirds" is a Forgettable, but Entertaining and Laugh-Out-Loud Worthy Comedy

May 22, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 14, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

Netflix's newest original comedy movie has arrived during quarantine, and thank god it's not nearly as bad as most are! Dubbed The Lovebirds, this mesh of action and rom-com succeeds with some terrific laughs, loads of fun, and a simplistic, easy-to-follow plot. It only clocks at about 86 minutes, it's always fast-paced enough to entertain and the chemistry between Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae is fabulous. There are some absurd scenes, and it can feel like the run-of-the-mill film in the genre, but overall, audiences should have a solid time. And best-of-all, this thing's for free! What stood out for me the most was how diverse this film was, casting two leads of color isn't common at the moment, and this breaks new ground in that respect. Hey, I'm not saying that this has any chance of becoming a classic in the distant future, but at the moment, don't we all need some dumb giggles?

Jibran (Nanjiani) and Leilani (Rae) are a new couple who are struggling with the occasional argument. However, one day when they are driving to a party they seemingly become framed for a murder they didn't commit. With the cops on their tail, the two of them must put aside personal issues to solve the crime and clear their names. There's nothing exactly wrong with the plot, but it does seem pretty conventional for an action-comedy. And in some ways, you can compare it to the better Game Night, which doesn't help. Still, I didn't have a big issue with it, and the comic relief often overwhelms the film's flaws.

The cast is no question, the shining star of the movie, and likely one of the few things that kept me on board. Kumail Ninjiani continues to let the world know that he is one of the funniest people alive today, bringing plenty of good fun to his leading role once again. He received loads of praise for his performance in The Big Sick and has made small appearances in many other movies. Hell, I even enjoyed the guy in Stuber, which, to be very honest, was little more than a guilty pleasure. Issa Rae as well is truly a rising star, and has an upcoming major horror film, Antebellum, which looks damn creepy. Otherwise, she stars in HBO's Insecure, #BlackAF, and has stand-out performances in The Photograph and The Hate U Give. She's no different in this, again proving she can hold her own in a comedy.

I was a little let-down by the fact that this is the director of the legendary film The Big Sick! Filmmaker Michael Showalter is a little auto-pilot here, going through the motions solidly, though not as well as he did with his other big flick. But this is different. The movie wasn't trying to be a smart, innovative achievement in cinema; it was plainly going for some entertainment. And in that respect, it worked. The back-and-forth banter between the two well-matched leads, and the breezily enjoyable premise makes it worth watching, not the fact that it's the film of the year. Sometimes, I think we need something of this caliber, nothing life-changing, but serviceable and fun.

The final opinion is: The Lovebirds is certainly forgettable, but the well-matched leads, constant laughs, and fast-pace make it worth a view...$TREAM IT

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Rated: R (for sexual content, language throughout and some violence)

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes

Directed By: Michael Showalter

"Capone" is a Snoozefest Gangster Flick That Could Use a Little More Kick

May 12, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

DISCLAIMER: IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 15, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO, IT MEANS NO!

By: Keaton Marcus

Who wants to see notorious gangster Al Capone living out the last of his days wearing adult diapers and drooling all over the place? No one. Not one single soul, I guarantee you, has a desire to see the toughest criminal around at his most vulnerable. With Josh Trank's Capone, we get a sneak peek of what Al's life was like after his mobster days, living the last year of his life in Florida with his family under government watch. The film is terrible, a snoozefest gangster flick with only Tom Hardy's committed performance as the title character to save it from being a total disaster. What's quite awful is the editing, done by Trank himself, and the many unnecessary dream sequences that plague the film. And what is with the poop? Capone wears a diaper and constantly poops himself. I get that this was a part of his later life, but did they really need to show it with such detail? To say one thing about it: it was gross.

Like I briefly explained up there, this film does not take place in Al's criminal times. The movie tells the story after, with Capone's brain rotting from dementia as he lives out the rest of his days in Florida with his wife (an underused Linda Cardellini) and family. However, it's under one condition: he must be under surveillance by the government, who suspects that he's tucked away 10 million dollars. As Al forgets almost everything about his life, he begins to have frightful memories about his brutal past and criminal life. I mean it does sound a little intriguing, but when I heard they were making a Capone biopic starring Tom Hardy, I got excited about a no-holds-barred, Godfather-type flick, instead, we got a dull drama that rarely entertains.

The cast, fortunately, was solid enough. Tom Hardy, who's completely flawless for the role, does a fantastic job as America's most notorious gangster. He nails every guttural growl and croaky sentence coming out of his mouth. In fact, Mr. Hardy is so excellent that it makes your throat hurt. That's quite similar to what Joaquin Phoenix's laugh did to you in Joker, but at least that film knew how to keep an audience invested. If only Hardy's performance was in a better movie. The talented and criminally underrated Linda Cardellini plays Capone's wife, Mae, and while her role had serious potential, it never panned out well enough. Unfortunately, despite decent acting, a big problem I had was the lack of brutality, not enough gore for this kind of film.

There was some weird stuff in the movie, but compared to more superior installments in the genre, this was an R-rated gangster movie on training wheels. In fact, the only time Hardy's Capone actually got to shoot anybody was in a dream sequence. But to make it unintentionally hilarious was him wearing a diaper and firing with a golden Tommy gun. Tacky, and uncomfortable to watch. Yes, I know this was supposed to be a calmer, more psychological movie, but the film didn't even do that for me. Capone is completely devoid of the tension, and suspense that would have kept me on board. To put it in perspective, the flick clocks at just 103 minutes, but it feels longer than The Irishman. And that was 250 minutes long. You'll suffer from boredom about 40 minutes through this tired exercise, and though it's far from the worst you've seen, it ain't worth watching. Not even during the quarantine.

The final opinion is: Capone features a solid performance from Tom Hardy, but this boredom-laden crime biopic suffers from uneven execution and a lack of tension.

Buy on Amazon

Rated: R (for strong/bloody violence, pervasive language and some sexuality)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes

Directed By: Josh Trank

The Half of It

May 01, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

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By Quinn Marcus

The Half of It

(2020)

Age: 13+

80/100: Sweet

“Love isn’t patient and kind and humble. Love is messy, and horrible, and selfish, and bold.” The Half of It was written and directed by Alice Wu, director of Saving Face. In a Roxanne type of love story, cash-strapped but brilliant teen Ellie Chu agrees to help write a love letter to a girl a charming jock named Paul Munsky likes. But as soon as writing a single letter becomes helping Paul learn everything about this girl, they form a friendship, a deeper understanding of each other. However, what Ellie didn’t expect was falling for his crush in the process.

I decided to watch this one rainy afternoon on another lovely day of quarantine after realizing that I hadn’t seen all the films 2020 had to offer. Also, it was the only one of my 30-second search online I could find that had positive reviews and was free to watch on Netflix. I must say, I was truly impressed with what this film had to offer. I’m not exactly the romantic film kinda guy. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love movies like Notting Hill and A Star Is Born (2018). But if I had to pick my least favorite genre, I might have to pick this. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the genre, I just can’t say it’s one of my favorites. Anyways, you probably want me to just get to the point and tell you what I thought, well you’re about to get your wish. Here are my main flaws.

1. The construction of the story sometimes was a little iffy. At times, I felt that the way that the story was woven together didn’t always work, but I still loved the concept. 2. There were a couple of characters that I believe could have had more screen time to develop. Ellie’s dad and her teacher seemed like they could have been excellent characters, but they just weren’t given enough time on screen. If you take a film like The Edge of Seventeen, the main character, Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) has a teacher (Woody Harrelson). His character is just so well done. The Half of It had a chance to have supporting characters like that but only took that opportunity halfway. Those were my flaws with the film, now here are my positives. 1. The story. I know I said before that the story wasn’t perfect, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t great overall. It was dramatic when it needed to be, and comedic when it wanted to be. And besides not being executed without fail. I found The Half of Its story to be a (mostly) bold new take on the genre. 2. The script and (main) characters. Although having weaker supporting characters, the big three, Ellie, Paul, and Aster were handled expertly and had incredible character development throughout. The script may have had some inconsistencies plotwise, but I thought it was relentlessly intelligent and entertaining, just like the protagonist. 3. The directing by Alice Wu. She hasn’t directed a film in 16 years. But I have to say, she obviously has skill with this genre. Alice Wu managed to craft a brilliant, bold, flawed yet fun romantic dramedy that stands out in the crowded genre.

The cast including Leah Lewis (Nancy Drew), Daniel Diemer (Bloody Blacksmith), and Alexxis Lemire (The Art of Murder) all had committed and deep performances. All of them were able to portray their well-established characters with ease. Providing beautiful, comedic, and brave moments of character as well as proving to be natural actors with a definite bright future.

The Half of It is a perfect teen film. It has its fill of language, uses of sh-t, and fu-k. There is some drinking at a high school party. Ellie drinks too much and vomits afterward. There are a couple of minor conversations about being gay, a possible lesbian couple emerges. However, the film deeply explores its multilayered themes about friendship, love, and sticking up for each other, and accepting each other’s differences.

"Extraction" is a Mind-Numbing Action Thriller With Stunning Stunts and Action

April 24, 2020 by Kipp Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 16, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

By: Keaton Marcus

Stunt-coordinator Sam Hargrave and the Russo brothers have teamed up once again with MCU alumni Chris Hemsworth for a no-holds-barred action thriller with an electric lead performance, excellent stunt work, and a complete lack of intelligence. But who needs films with actual logic during this time of crisis, I mean seriously, if you want to sit down, relax and enjoy Hemsworth putting bullets in some heads, by all means, go for it. The film's called Extraction, which is pretty appropriate, considering the plot and benefits from some spectacular action sequences, though it is still a little overlong and takes itself too seriously. Hemsworth, like always, gives a rock-solid performance despite being a bit of a waste of his comedic talents. Still, it's an extremely watchable thriller that will satisfy audiences looking for something exciting to watch during the quarantine. Just don't look for anything too above the bar of the typical action movie.

The movie focuses on Tyler Rake (Hemsworth), a mercenary, who years after he's lost his son in an accident, is called back to work to help a drug lord's son named Ovi (Rudhraksh Jaiswal) who's been kidnapped by an international crime lord in India. However, after Tyler finds out that it was all a set-up, he must decide whether to abandon or save the boy from death with the police and criminals on his tail. It's got the familiar plot of a typical chase movie, and it's still reasonably exciting, largely because of the stunning action. The stunt-work is damn good, though still doesn't quite reach the heights of the brilliant John Wick trilogy which can drag it down. However, you'll still be extremely impressed.

The performances are most likely the best thing about the film, with Chris Hemsworth taking the lead role and delivering on nearly every turn. The script, written by Jeff Russo, isn't anything special, though Hemsworth does what he could with it. What's a little disappointing is that Hargrave didn't give the talented actor many jokes to work with which he's stellar at (Fat Thor in Endgame). Still, for this type of movie, Hemsworth's acting was impeccable and he had solid chemistry with Jaiswal, though I would have liked to see better development with the characters. Hemsworth is still a delight in almost every one of his movies, whether it's the Avengers franchise, or horror-comedy The Cabin in the Woods, and that already should be enough to make it worth watching. Nabbing a supporting role was Stranger Things star David Harbour who portrays Gaspar, one of Tyler's buds who shouldn't be trusted. Though it was too small to really be effective.

One recurring issue is: Sam Hargrave isn't really a director, he's a terrific stunt-coordinator, but he just doesn't have the experience to make a film truly intact. Still, there are some really well-directed moments and the most impressively-shot sequence in the film, the 11-minute, thrilling car-chase in "one-take". That, ladies and gentlemen, is enough to blow minds even after seeing Sam Mendes' 1917 do that for nearly two hours. The camera-work, especially during the action, is spectacular and definitely deserves a note. The thing is, Hargrave, stretches an 80-90 minute plot into about 117 minutes of running time. Comparatively, a similar movie, the Liam Neeson-starring Taken was only about 92 minutes long. Just saying. Though for most of the bombastic experience, you will find yourself very, very entertained.

The final opinion is: Though it's overlong and too serious, Extraction benefits from Chris Hemsworth's brawny charisma, spectacular stunt-work, action sequences, and high entertainment value...$TREAM IT (it's a Netflix film anyways).

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Rated: R (for strong bloody violence throughout, language and brief drug use)

Genre: Action/Thriller

Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes

Directed By: Sam Hargrave

"Cuties" Brings Dancing and Some Serious Controversy to the Table

“Cuties” Film review

IN THIS ARTICLE:

“I’m Thinking of Ending Things” Review: The most confusing movie I’ve ever seen, for better or for worse.

$KIP IT, $TREAM IT OR $PLURGE IT?

I SAY…$PLURGE IT!

"I'm Thinking of Endings Things" is a Poignant, Beautiful Trip Into the Mind

film review: “I’m Thinking of Ending things”

IN THIS ARTICLE:

“Tenet” Review: Nolan, or the god of time? They are one and the same.

$KIP IT, $TREAM IT OR $PLURGE IT?

I SAY…$PLURGE IT!

"Tenet" is a Confusing, Dazzling Puzzle for Christopher Nolan Fans

“tenet” film review

IN THIS ARTICLE:

"Get Duked!" is Fast, Funny, and Doesn't Have Much on the Mind

film review: “get duked!”

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Project Power

"Project Power" is Well-Acted, Dazzling, and Disappointingly OK

film review: “Project Power”

IN THIS ARTICLE:

"Palm Springs" is a Never-Ending Party That's Even Crazier Than Its Premise

"The Old Guard" Starts a Superhero Franchise With a Thoughtful, Action-Packed Film

"Irresistible" Sees Jon Stewart Hitting Wide of the Bullseye in His Area of Expertise

"You Should Have Left" is a Familiar, but Fun Haunted House Thriller

THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND

"The King of Staten Island" is a Bit Long, but It's a Funny and Real Judd Apatow Movie

"Da Five Bloods" is a Celebration of Spike Lee's Grand Talents

"The Last Days of American Crime" Ain't Worth Your Time...Trust Me!

"The Lovebirds" is a Forgettable, but Entertaining and Laugh-Out-Loud Worthy Comedy

"Capone" is a Snoozefest Gangster Flick That Could Use a Little More Kick

The Half of It

"Extraction" is a Mind-Numbing Action Thriller With Stunning Stunts and Action