Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

By: Andrew Wing

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a 2022 British sex comedy-drama film directed by Sophie Hyde (also directed 52 Tuesdays and Animals) and written by Katy Brand (known for her ITV2 series Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show and for Comedy Lab Slap on Channel 4). The film stars Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Stranger than Fiction) and Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders, Pixie).

The film follows Nancy Stokes (Thompson), a retired school teacher who is yearning for some adventure, and some sex. And she has a plan, which involves hiring a young sex worker named Leo Grande (McCormack).

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2022, and was theatrically released on June 17, 2022, in the United Kingdom by Lionsgate, and digitally in the United States by Searchlight Pictures as a Hulu original film.

THE GOOD

I consider myself to be someone who has pretty good knowledge when it comes to movies that are coming out, but if you had asked me a couple of months ago about this film, I wouldn’t have known anything at all about it. It wasn’t until I saw it on someone’s list of their favorite movies from the first half of 2022 that I became interested in this movie with a very unique title. So I did some digging, saw that it premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was most people’s favorite film right up there with Cha Cha Real Smooth (see my full review here) from Sundance. And then, by the grace of the good Lord himself, I was watching something on Hulu, and I saw it right on their home screen under the “Just Added” catalog, and I was thrilled! You bet your a** I watched it the first thing I could, but was it really as good as some people are saying it is? Keep reading to find out!

I won’t keep you waiting, it was. I don’t know what it is with this year’s films from Sundance, but I’m just eating them right up, because this, like Cha Cha Real Smooth, is definitely one of my favorites of 2022 thus far. It’s a film about a woman who two years after her husband passes away hires a sex worker to try things she has never experienced, and this woman, Nancy Stokes, who is played by Emma Thompson, is the last person in the world you’d expect to be doing this, and that’s what makes the movie fun.

The director of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande was Sophie Hyde, a woman I’d never heard of before. Despite that, Hyde gave us what really feels like an instant classic when it comes to this sex comedy genre of film. Maybe that’s a big statement to make, but all of her directorial choices were flawless here, somehow making every moment feel different despite the majority of the film taking place in a hotel room. And because of that, she was able to make a very enjoyable film that also sends a message that there’s nothing wrong with working in this industry and that we as a public shouldn’t be quick to judge how someone makes a living.

So yeah, Sophie Hyde nailed it as director, but Katy Brand gave us what will without a doubt be one of the best original screenplays of this year. The movie is almost like a play due to Brand’s dialogue-heavy script that takes place in one location, and while usually that might be boring, it was quite the opposite with Brand at the helm. I loved everything about her script. It was funny as there were a handful of jokes, but the best parts of the script were when the two people, Nancy and Leo, got to know each other. A lot of the movie was just a showcase for the writing and the poppy dialogue I’ve mentioned. The characters were always finding something new to talk about and that gave the movie this very fresh feel which I greatly appreciated.

Now onto the entree of the full course meal that was Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, and that were the performances we got from the two leads. First with the Academy-Award-winning actress Emma Thompson because she was amazing. At the start of the film, her character, someone who has never done anything like this before, is pretty prudish and very shy about sex in general, and Thompson made us fully believe everything she was selling. Her performance allowed us as viewers to see that not only did she feel this unadventurous about sex, but her life in general. Her performance was basically perfect here. She really elevates every line of dialogue and she was super funny too. I don’t know, I’ll say it again but I just really bought her character and everything that came with her from her nerves to her insecurities. It’s far-fetched just with this basically being an indie film, but I don’t see why she couldn’t be in the discussion for Best Actress. I mean she’s on camera for over 90% of the movie and trust me when I say we’ve seen actresses win in the past despite having smaller impacts on the film as a whole.

I can’t believe I’m saying this because we are talking about one of the top-tier actresses of the past thirty years in Emma Thompson, but Daryl McCormack gave us an equally as good if not better performance. He and Thompson had really good and unlikely chemistry together. His character, Leo Grande, is at first extremely charming and McCormack had no problem doing that because well, he's charming himself and just an attractive-looking guy. However, as the film goes on we come to learn that his character has something he needs to open up about as well and we got to know him a little bit better. We got so many great scenes from McCormack, and he really shines in the third act of the film as we see him become deeply emotional for a good chunk. Seeing that he had a role in Peaky Blinders makes me want to start that even more so than I did before seeing this, and I really can’t wait to see what McCormack does next because I feel like we got ourselves a star in the making.

There really isn’t much more to address other than the direction, writing, and the two lead performances, but I’ll just say without spoiling that the end of this film was marvelous. Being a sex-comedy drama, I thought they had played it safe for a good chunk, but they went there and I’m glad that they did. All in all, there was just a lot to take away from this movie, and it’s a movie that might make you come out wanting to try something new in life, and that doesn’t mean in the bathroom necessarily.

THE BAD

I had a blast with this film if you couldn’t tell. That said, there were some small areas where I knocked some points off. First, there’s a reason I review films and don’t make them because trying to have your film give this underlying message without being over the top has to be incredibly difficult. That said, I am a critic so I will critique, and I know I said I liked the film’s message overall, there were some exchanges about sex work that just felt like those in charge were explicitly stating what they feel should be the right attitude society should have towards it. And I’m not saying I disagree with the envelope they were pushing and it did come up organically for the most part, but it still was just too on the nose at times and I think they should’ve just trusted the audience to come up with that way of thinking on their own rather than force-feeding it to them.

Continuing with that, I’ll just give you a warning, but if you don’t agree with the movie’s message about sex work and all that jazz before going in, maybe this isn’t for you, but I would still urge you to give it a shot. You never know, you may come away with a new outlook on that industry and everyone involved in it.

THE VERDICT

From director Sophie Hyde and writer Katy Brand, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a British sex comedy-drama film that features some unbelievable performances from the award-winning Emma Thompson and newcomer Daryl McCormack.

It’s a great comedy-drama as we get a perfect amount of both of those things, and it’s just a really enjoyable, charming movie with a beautiful message! I highly recommend checking it out!

TED TAKES RATING - 8.4/10

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is now streaming exclusively on Hulu. Check out the latest trailer below.

Blue Bayou

By: Andrew Wing

Blue Bayou is a 2021 American drama film written and directed by Justin Chon (also directed Gook and Ms. Purple). The film stars Chon (The Twilight Saga, 21 & Over), Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl), Mark O’Brien (Ready or Not), Linh Dan Pham (Ninja Assassin), Sydney Kowalske, Vondie Curtis-Hall (Chicago Hope, Daredevil) and Emory Cohen (The Place Beyond the Pines, Brooklyn).

Inspired by true events, the film tells a moving and timely story that follows a uniquely American family fighting for their future. Antonio LeBlanc (Chon), a Korean adoptee raised in a small town in the Louisiana bayou, is married to the love of his life Kathy (Vikander), and stepdad to their beloved daughter Jessie (Kowalske). Struggling to make a better life for his family, he must confront the ghosts of his past when he discovers that he could be deported from the only country he has ever called home.

Blue Bayou had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 13, 2021, and was released in the United States on September 17, 2021, by Focus Features.

THE GOOD

I know I said a couple of months back that I was done reviewing films that were released last year, but there have just been a couple of films from 2021 that have taken what feels like years to get to streaming. For example, take a review I did last week in The Card Counter (see my full review here), another film that was distributed by Focus Features that just didn’t make it to any theaters in Maine that were near me. With Blue Bayou, I have been eagerly awaiting to check this out and review it ever since it premiered at Cannes almost a full year ago. I didn’t know much about Justin Chon going in, but I absolutely love Alicia Vikander in everything she is in, and I was also excited to see a film like this that dives deeper into a very serious problem in our country that doesn’t get enough attention when it comes to the number of adopted people that face deportation. That said, was this film worth the long wait, and did its intriguing premise make for an overall solid film? Keep reading to find out!

As I said earlier, I didn’t know much about Justin Chon going into this movie. He’s an indie filmmaker, but what little I know of him is more from his early acting days in the early 2010s. All that said, I will surely not forget Justin Chon after seeing this, that is for damn sure. First of all, he directed the shit out of this. From the film’s unique aspect ratio he decided on, to the long takes, to some of the other decisions he made, this was just some great direction from the young Chon and I am anxious for what he will put out next because he clearly knows how to make a very empathetic film. Also, he wrote an incredible screenplay here that contains a sort of call to action about both immigration and the United States Justice System. More than that, the script was so good that he was able to do both that and also find an identity as a character study for Chon’s character in the film, Antonio LeBlanc.

His character is a guy who has had a very rough past from growing up in a number of foster homes, to getting adopted by an abusive family, to having criminal activity stealing bikes. He is grappling with how he should carry forward and move on to become a better person, and Chon just gave us an amazing performance. There’s really no other way to put it. You really felt like this was all happening, and when the conflict of him potentially being deported arises in the film, Chon’s performance gets even better as we see his tensions go to another level and also see his relationship with Alicia Vikander’s character and her daughter start to rapidly change. All in all, I’m shocked that Chon didn’t get more buzz when it came to getting a Best Actor nomination last year because he was playing a character that doesn’t always make the right choices, but he still made us root for him as we saw that he was trying his best thanks to Chon’s dedication and that is worthy of some awards consideration, no doubt.

Justin Chon’s performance was excellent, but Alicia Vikander might’ve had the best as she was extremely good as Antonio’s girlfriend, Kathy, who is just trying to keep their family together. Both of their performances were very heavy, there were lots of heightened emotions at play, and their chemistry was off the charts. In those more dramatic scenes though, Vikander absolutely crushed it, and while writing this, I can think of at least five scenes off the top of my head that could’ve been used for her “Oscar clip” had she been nominated. Similar to Chon, I don’t know how she didn’t even get talked about, because I’d put her performance in this right up with her Academy-Award winning performance she gave in Tom Hooper’s 2015 romantic drama, The Danish Girl.

Aside from those big things, there was still a lot to like about Blue Bayou. For starters, I absolutely loved the cinematography in this movie. It was shot on 16 mm and it gives it a very homemade feel. There were also a lot of scenes that used natural lighting really beautifully. Also, I was blown away by the young Sydney Kowalske’s performance as the little girl Jessie, and I also enjoyed Mark O’Brien’s performance mainly because of his solid southern accent. In conclusion, the movie had a really strong resonant message about choosing your family and choosing to give yourself to others and they hit the political message they were going for right out of the park if you ask me. Don’t believe me? Just wait until you see the very emotional ending that provided a massive gut punch and almost moved me to tears.

THE BAD

There is no denying that this is a quality film. However, I did have a few complaints about the film. One is that it is definitely a little melodramatic, but the bigger one is that it is just really heavy-handed. Yes, the performances are great and the film deals with a heavy subject matter, but there are just some moments where the movie was a little too direct in its messaging I thought. Also, in some of the more dramatic moments, the music sort of swells as it is really really loud, and I just thought that was all a little bit too much.

The heavy-handedness I brought up definitely played a big part in the second half of the film, and I don’t know, I also just felt like the movie got a tad lost in some of the side conflicts because I really thought the central story of a man trying to keep his family together was good enough. One of those side conflicts dealt with the clear antagonist that was Emory Cohen’s asshole police officer character. Cohen had a solid performance, but I just didn’t think we needed that subplot there because the film as a whole already had its big antagonist, that being the U.S. immigration system as a whole.

THE VERDICT

Written, directed, and starring Justin Chon, Blue Bayou is an incredibly moving, well-acted story of a Korean man, Antonio LeBlanc, who was adopted and raised in a small town in the Louisiana bayou but is facing deportation from the only country he has ever called home.

I’m still shocked how this film didn’t get enough love when it came to last year’s awards season because it had great performances, especially from Alicia Vikander, powerful messaging, and just how it was able to hit you right in the feels. That’s in the past though, so if you want to give this film the love and notoriety it so rightfully deserves, go check it out now on the HBO Max streaming service!

TED TAKES RATING - 7.9/10

Blue Bayou is now streaming only on HBO Max. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Black Phone

The Black Phone is a 2022 horror thriller directed by Scott Derrickson and produced by Jason Blum. Written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, it is an adaptation of the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill, the son of famed horror author Stephen King. The Black Phone had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 25th, 2021.

Just for some quick background on director Scott Derrickson, the guy is already a fixture in the film industry after his debut film The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Sinister (2012), and a dabbling with the behemoth that is Marvel as he directed Doctor Strange (2016). Derrickson has proven that even though he is flexible as an artist, he undoubtedly feels most comfortable with the horror genre.

Finney, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer's previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn't happen to Finney.

The cast includes Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Jeremy Davies.

The Black Phone made it’s debut only in theaters on June 24th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

I feel like it’s been years since the first trailer for The Black Phone released, and to say that I was excited would be a severe understatement. I am a horror fan through and through, and I love my guy Ethan Hawke so this had the makings of a day one viewing for me no matter what if I’m being honest. Now as we all know quality horror films tend to be a dime a dozen, but with director Scott Dickinson at the helm and Blumhouse Productions and Universal Pictures backing the project, something told me we may have something special on our hands. I waited, and waited, and waited (I hate you COVID!!), until this film finally made it’s debut in theaters with anticipation like you wouldn’t believe. So, did The Black Phone live up to my clearly unrealistic and admittedly unhealthy expectations?! Keep reading to find out!

Please excuse my language, but The Black Phone was fucking FANTASTIC! I promise you the profanity was necessary just to express my deep appreciation for this film, which I will do my best to discuss more in depth during this review (with less profanity, hopefully). The new and improved opening sequence for Blumhouse Productions is absolute fire, and kicks things off for one hell of an achievement in quality filmmaking. The Black Phone appealed to my strong appreciation for a variety of genres mainly because it effectively weaves the feel of top-tier horror and intense crime thriller seamlessly. For obvious reasons the overall effectiveness of the film hinged on the films primary antagonist, and the way that they set the stage for the feared child killer, known as The Grabber, was nothing short of amazing. I won’t give anything away but they take the very effective less is more approach as we are given just subtle glimpses of the man terrifying this small town and leaving detectives with no leads whatsoever. The overall feel of the film, the screenplay, the acting, it was all so ambitious yet so well-executed. Keep reading to find out more about why I loved The Black Phone so much as I touch on some of the finer points of the film.

The jumping off point that began the chain reaction resulting in the amazing film that is The Black Phone was undoubtedly the screenplay. Director Scott Derrickson co-wrote the screenplay along with his creative partner C. Robert Cargill. The two previously collaborated on Sinister (2012), Sinister 2 (2015), and Doctor Strange (2016). They have a fantastic working relationship which is proven yet again as they bring this immersive and terrifying film to life. But as I touched on briefly in the introduction, it all starts with author Joe Hill as he penned the short story way back in 2007, surely without thinking it would reach the big screen as a feature film no less. As the son of famed author Stephen King who changed his pen name to Hill in an effort to try and make his own way, it is undeniable that like his father, he has a pedigree for horror.

The story of The Black Phone is both terrifying and engaging, making it no surprise why it was made into a film. Derrickson and Cargill collaborated with Hill and kept the core of his story intact only making a few changes including changing the antagonist from a part-time clown to a part-time magician, and adding more victims to the story as the film was set to be about twice as long as the short story. Derrickson and Cargill filled in the gaps incredibly well, not wasting a second of the films one hour and forty two minute run-time. I was and still am infatuated with the story because it just includes so many great elements that made me a fan of film in the first place. Two of my favorite genres, horror and crime thriller, blend together to make for a film that will elicit every emotion from viewers while making for one heck of an entertaining ride. I loved every element of the story and commend all involved for a job well done.

It is truly terrifying how well Ethan Hawke plays the sadistic child murderer known as The Grabber, a man who lurks in the shadows and has become an urban legend of sorts for the kids in this small Denver suburb. I am a MASSIVE Hawke fan, and I wasn’t surprised in the slightest to see him playing a pivotal role in such a highly anticipated horror film, especially considering his connection to director Scott Dickinson after the 2012 horror film Sinister. He was sooooooo damn good in Sinister, but Hawke is arguably one of the most multi-talented actors working today. His performance in this without a doubt makes the film, and will leave viewers with a lingering sense of pure dread as they exit the theater. I can almost guarantee the majority of average film fans haven’t even seen a ton of the fantastic films he has appeared in mainly because the guy is willing to focus his talents on indie films which I greatly appreciate. Whether it be the 2017 horror thriller First Reformed, The Phenom (2016), Good Kill (2014), Predestination (2014), or the unique coming-of-age film Boyhood from Richard Linklater, the guy can do it all. I am a Ethan Hawke fan through and through, and seeing him just dominate such a difficult role with The Black Phone was incredibly satisfying for me. If his performance isn’t mentioned come awards time, I will be smashing some windows you can bet on that.

Right from the jump I knew the young Mason Thames was the real deal, he just exuded a certain on-screen confidence from the opening scene that only got stronger as the film progressed. Thames portrays the films main character, a 13-year-old boy named Finney. A bit of an outcast as he doesn’t quite fit into the popular crowd, Finney is a smart kid who has earned the respect of the toughest kid in school who is a bit of an outcast himself. Finney is also on the baseball team, and seems to be quite the pitcher. I realize I am getting off track a bit but I felt like Thames was nothing short of amazing, and a huge reason why this film worked as well as it did. The fact that this is the feature-film debut for Thames sort of blows my mind if I am being honest. This kid has a bright future so I suggest keeping an eye on him. He has another film in post-production called Boys of Summer where he stars alongside the great Mel Gibson, and I’m looking forward to checking that out.

Madeleine McGraw played a crucial role as she plays Finney’s sister Gwen who seemingly has dreams that allow her to see things, a trait she inherited from her late mother. Prior to Finney’s disappearance, detectives show up to her school asking questions as she seemingly has information they had never released to the public. Her reaction to the detectives is hilarious, and her character actually provides the limited comic relief for the film. The chemistry between Finney and Gwen is without a doubt a driving force for the film and helped me to get invested from the start. Right from the outset I felt their sibling bond and as I awaited the dreaded but expected abduction of Finney, Gwen’s inevitable reaction kept me on edge. When she knew her brother was taken and stormed out of the door of her friends house, I felt the panic she was feeling. The young actress who voiced Bonnie in Toy Story 4 left an immediate impact on me, and you can bet your ass she is going places in her career. After what she showed me in The Black Phone, I will support her here on out.

One of the biggest strengths of The Black Phone is it’s ability to get viewers invested in supporting characters who have very limited screen-time, which is no easy thing to do. As a credit to the screenplay and the actors taking on these roles, I loved all of the characters including each of the prior victims of The Grabber. I have to give credit to a very solid supporting cast as well with a great performance from Justified actor Jeremy Davies as the troubled alcoholic father of Finney and his sister Gwen. I like Davies a lot and will never question his involvement in a dramatic film or series. James Ransome, who plays a unique role in the film which I won’t give away, is one of those actors you recognize but can’t quite figure out why. He played a small role in the horror film Sinister I touched on earlier, but he has been etched in my brain ever since his role in the HBO series Generation Kill. An incredible series chronicling the first wave of the American-led assault on Baghdad back in 2003, Ransome’s sometimes annoying but often infectious role is very memorable. He also played a role in the 2019 horror film It Chapter Two. I loved Miguel Cazarez Mora in his first role as Robin, the toughest kid in school who takes a liking to Finney. I liked Mora from the outset and his character, however limited in the grand scheme of things, was crucial to the success of the film. I also really enjoyed E. Roger Mitchell as Detective Wright, and Troy Rudeseal as Detective Miller, the two men working all hours to solve these seemingly heinous crimes.

The Black Phone puts on an absolute clinic on the technical side of things, with everything working in perfect harmony to ensure the film had the dark and somber tone it was going for. First I have to talk about the incredible score and soundtrack delivered by Mark Korven, who previously scored The Witch and The Lighthouse. Korven is a master at setting the tone and the more tense scenes that involve The Grabber will definitely have you on the edge of your seat. He also threw in some great music to get viewers in the true feel of the late 70’s. I am huge on score and soundtrack and it was nice to see that they out a premium on this aspect of the film for The Black Phone. Cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz absolutely kills it, pun intended. This guy knows how to make sure every single shot matters, and the way he was able to help create this larger than life evil character known as The Grabber, was truly something special to experience. He helped to ensure the film felt immersive, and kept viewers filled with a feeling of dread as to what might happen next. I won’t get too much into detail, but at times I got a real It/Pennywise feeling during some of the films more artistic sequences, and it gave me chills. I also loved how they decided to shoot the film a really unique flashback style as well as a focus on the late 70’s era to give the film more what I felt was a more convincing element to the story.

I knew there was a reason why I loved the masks worn by The Grabber so much, and that is because of the legendary artist that is Tom Savini. Savini contributed to epic horror franchises including the Evil Dead franchise and one of my personal favorites, the Friday the 13th franchise. People may not realize this but the masks Ethan Hawke’s character would wear were viewed as a critical element of the film. The short story the film is based on gave the team a starting point but they reached out to five different companies before settling on Savini’s company, Callosum Studios. Savini himself invested a ton of time collaborating with director Scott Derrickson to make sure the masks were perfect, knowing that they would be the primary marketing tool for the film. If the masks weren’t convincing, it simply wouldn’t work. Derrickson was adamant that the masks had to have large holes for the eyes to ensure Hawke could still use his eyes as part of his performance. Plus, they realized that you don’t cast a talented actor like Hawke and just put him in a mask for an entire film. The various versions of the mask that they settled on were nothing short of exceptional and extremely terrifying, becoming a big part of The Grabber’s identity. Each mask worn seems to be specific to his mood at that time as it relates to the sick and twisted plans he had for his victims, whether it be a terrifying grin, a chilling sad face, or even a face with no mouth at all.

THE BAD

Listen, if you have been paying attention at all you surely don’t expect me to talk about much in this section of the review. The Black Phone is an exceptional film, but I suppose it does warrant some disclaimers. First of all, the films antagonist abducts and murders children, which is a sensitive subject for obvious reasons. Although I will say they keep things pretty classy all things considered in terms of the violence and the gore. But with that being said, the sheer terrifying elements of the film as viewers come face to face with a sadistic masked killer with his fair share of issues is enough to strike fear in even the most seasoned horror enthusiasts. So yeah, if you decide to watch you can thank Joe Hill and Ethan Hawke for the forthcoming nightmares. I also consider being traumatized a positive, so I guess I have altogether lost control of this review. Oh well.

THE VERDICT

A brilliant albeit terrifying realization of author Joe Hill’s masterful short story, The Black Phone is a generational horror thriller anchored by breakout performances from the legendary Ethan Hawke and newcomer Mason Thames. I loved everything about this movie, and I honestly can’t think of a single thing I would change. The overall feel was next-level thanks to a brilliant score and amazing cinematography, the acting was phenomenal, and the screenplay and source material was original and superbly satisfying. From director/co-writer Scott Derrickson, to writer C. Robert Cargill, to the entire cast and right down to every last person who worked on The Black Phone, this is one of those films that I personally considered to be an instant classic before I even left the theater. I talked about it quite a bit during the review but it’s worth revisiting, you don’t have to be a horror fan to appreciate everything this film has to offer.

Early on I was worried The Black Phone would get a limited release due to studios and their hesitancy to put too much stock in horror films these days, but Blumhouse Productions and Universal Pictures teamed up to make sure we had an opportunity to experience quality filmmaking on the big screen, and I personally couldn’t be more appreciative - it really was a long time coming. Please return the favor and see this work of art in theaters as soon as possible, you can thank me later.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.6/10

The Black Phone is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Brian and Charles

Brian and Charles is a 2022 comedy-drama directed by Jim Archer, from a screenplay by David Earl and Chris Hayward. Earl and Hayward also star in the film. The rights were acquired by Focus Features at the Sundance Film Festival where it was a 2022 Official Selection. Archer, in his directorial debut also edited, developed and co-funded the film with Film4 and the BFI. He got his start shooting comedy sketches with friends before writing and directing several short films which resulted in winning gold at the Young Director Awards in Cannes for the short film version of Brian and Charles.

Brian, a lonely inventor in rural Wales, spends his days building quirky, unconventional contraptions that seldom work. Undeterred by his lack of success, Brian attempts his biggest project yet. Three days, a washing machine, and various spare parts later, he's invented Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and has an obsession with cabbages. What follows is a humorous and entirely heartwarming story about friendship, family, finding love, and letting go.

In addition to screenwriters David Earl and Chris Hayward, the cast also includes Louise Brealey, Jamie Michie, and Nina Sosanya.

Brian and Charles made it’s debut in select theaters on June 17th, courtesy of Focus Features.

THE GOOD

I am a complete sucker for a good indie film, especially when it manages to snag an official selection at the crem de la crem of film festivals, The Sundance Film Festival, which is no easy feat. Aside from the fact that as a fan of film I like to support the genuine creativity that tends to come into play within the indie film circuit, I also appreciate original ideas which can be tough to come by in the modern era of filmmaking. When I first started hearing rumblings about Brian and Charles after its debut at Sundance, I couldn’t wait for the trailer to drop. Once it did, the infectious feel of the film as well as the fantastic setting of rural Wales had me rearing and ready to go. All I could do was hope that the film found its way to a theater near me, and I was pumped to find out that it would release opening day in a theater nearby known for indie films that I hadn’t visited in years. I blocked off a day to go and see Brian and Charles, but was it worth the annoyance of $15 parking and the hustle and bustle of the “big city”?! Keep reading to find out!

I am pleased to report that I really and genuinely enjoyed Brian and Charles. To say that it is a unique film would be a severe understatement, but I mean that in the best way possible. The film opens with what essentially feels like a meet and greet of sorts with the oddly charismatic and highly unsuccessful inventor Brian, who lives a very lonely and isolated life in rural Wales. Because a good portion of the film includes just Brian, especially in the beginning, he narrates and sets the stage for the film in a very The Office sort of way. Brian welcomes viewers into his home and his makeshift cow shed turned into a workshop, and proceeds to show off his rather ridiculous inventions, from a pine cone bag which he is quick to explain is just a bag with pine cones glued on it, to his egg belt, which is you guessed it, a belt that holds eggs. When he has an idea, he makes that idea a reality, no matter how ridiculous that idea may seem, and if you ask me there is something inspirational in that. Brian’s willingness to keep on keepin’ on after so many failed inventions is what leads him to creating what will soon become his very best friend, a robot with a washing machine body that seems to like the name Charles.

Things start out a bit slow at first but the fun really starts once Charles comes into the picture. Not only is his body made from scratch, literally, so is everything else about him so he must be taught everything. Although I still for the life of me can’t figure out how he actually consumed food, Charles seemed to really enjoy cabbage. I like me some cabbage in a boiled ham dinner, but the train stops there. Sorry, I’m getting off track. My favorite thing about the movie is watching this unique relationship between Brain and Charles develop, it is really something special. Any parent will relate right away to Charles and his innate infatuation with disobedience especially when he isn’t getting his way, but that part of the relationship is overshadowed by the special bond that forms between man and robot. Brian has been quite lonely for a long time and it almost feels surreal that he finally has a companion to the point where he is too scared to expose Charles to the rest of his small town, worried someone may take him away. Brian does his best to protect Charles while teaching him all about the world, and even doing his best to reassure him when Charles develops a fear of birds. But seriously, their relationship and the ups and downs that they navigate feels so well-intentioned and real, and I just enjoyed watching it all unfold. I was drawn to Brian from the start as he is just someone you can’t help but root for, so watching him finally find what he has been looking for in his life feels pretty damn good.

Bottom line, without the inspired performances from the leads in Brian and Charles, this film would simply fall on its face. Everything and I mean everything, runs through the performances from David Earl and Chris Hayward. Whether it be the back and forth banter between the two or the combination of Charles’ robot voice and hilarious mannerisms, it was all just so good. Earl offers up one of the most charismatic and wholesome performances I have seen in quite a long time, and he won me over immediately. Even though he plays this lonely and quite honestly very odd guy, you can’t help but feed off his energy and relentless positivity. He is that friend you want to be around just because they have such an infectious personality, plus you also know it is okay to laugh at them from time to time because they will be laughing right along with you. Once Hayward joins the party as the fun-loving and sometimes rebellious robot, things really take off. The relationship between Brian and Charles is without a doubt the driving force for the entire message of the film, and it absolutely hit home for me. I thought Earl and Hayward were magical together, and I cannot wait to see what they do next. I also really liked Louise Brealey in an important supporting role as she had great chemistry with Earl, and also enjoyed Jamie Michie as the film’s primary antagonist. Lynn Hunter was a very sweet supporting character as well.

The technical elements of Brian and Charles are surprisingly impressive, especially for such a small-scale indie film. I thought the camera work and cinematography were fantastic, taking full advantage of the rural Wales setting. Each shot felt very well-intentioned, from the aerial driving shots to the intimate close-ups that made viewers feel like they were involved with what was happening on-screen. I was also very pleased with the score and soundtrack which for me was a massive driving force for the film. Brian and Charles is all about that offbeat tone and it all comes together so well here. All and all, a very solid technical package.

THE BAD

Okay so bottom line, Brian and Charles is not for everyone, and that’s okay. You won’t find me bashing this film but I also want to keep expectations in check for people who are considering giving it a shot. It is a comedy-drama that really is a pretty even balance of both, and even though there is plenty of laughs and giggles to be had, they mostly come from a dry sense of humor. The overall identity of the film is pretty clear from the start so you’ll know if it’s something you can get into within the first 5-minutes. It is also a very small-scale film in terms of the cast as well as the filming location. With that being said I also can’t see anyone justifying this as a “bad film”, even if it maybe isn’t something that is entertaining for them on a personal level. Brian and Charles, like filmmaking in general, is a well-crafted piece of art that thrives on its unique sensibilities and authentic feel.

THE VERDICT

A quirky indie comedy-drama that explores the unique friendship between a lonely inventor and his newly-built robot companion, Brian and Charles is a sweet and in many ways inspirational story that will surely leave its mark on viewers who embark on this special journey. David Earl and Chris Hayward are unique talents who deserve to be celebrated. The film reminds us to appreciate the little things in life and to always be on the lookout for something incredible in the unlikeliest of places. I keep catching myself wanting to use the word quirky over and over again when I describe this film but it really is the best word to use. Quirky in the sense that it is unique, imaginative, simple yet well-rounded, and just an experience that viewers who are willing to give it a chance will absolutely appreciate by the time the end credits hit the screen. I felt very satisfied with Brian and Charles and judging by the fact that the majority of the other people in the theater remained seated during the first half of the credits, I would say they felt the same way. If you can find it playing somewhere near you, I would take the time to check it out.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.6/10

Brian and Charles is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

I Want You Back

By: Andrew Wing

I Want You Back is a 2022 American romantic comedy film directed by Jason Orley from a screenplay written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger. The film stars Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Horrible Bosses), and Jenny Slate (Bob’s Burgers, Parks and Recreation) in the lead roles, while Gina Rodriguez (Annihilation, Jane the Virgin), Scott Eastwood (The Fate of the Furious, The Outpost), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place, Bad Times at the El Royale), Clark Backo (Letterkenny, The Handmaid’s Tale), and Mason Gooding (Booksmart, Scream) also star.

The film follows Peter (Day) and Emma (Slate) as two recently dumped strangers who team up to sabotage the new relationships of their exes (Rodriguez and Eastwood).

It was digitally released on February 11, 2022, by Amazon Studios.

THE GOOD

I Want You Back has been at the very top of my watchlist ever since I originally saw the trailer for it at the beginning of the year, but one thing led to another, and I didn’t watch it until June. The reason I had it so high on my watchlist was for one, I love me some Charlie Day and I don’t know why I haven’t started It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia yet because everyone says it’s the best comedy show on television. Aside from Day being hilarious, I also quite enjoy Jenny Slate, and I’m not afraid to admit that while the rom-com isn’t my favorite movie genre, I still enjoy a solid rom-com every now and then, most recently Cha Cha Real Smooth (see my full review here). But was this a solid one, or was it another in a long list of terrible rom-coms? Keep reading to find out!

THIS. WAS. SOLID. Very solid to be exact. I had a feeling it would be good after I initially saw the trailer but I never expected it to be one of my favorite movies of the year thus far. But boy oh boy was I wrong. The performances were amazing and I’ll be sure to touch on them later in the review, but this was such a great film from start to finish! I had never heard of the director or either of the writer’s names before, but I will be sure to not forget them after this. Jason Orley’s direction, while it wasn’t Oscar-level good, it didn’t need to be. His direction here was simple but it got the job done, and I cannot wait to see what he does next! As for the writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, I really thought that they knocked it out of the park here. It’s super hard to come up with something original when it comes to making a rom-com, but they somehow did it and I’m sure their phones have been blowing up for future projects ever since this hit Amazon Prime.

Alright, enough waiting, let’s get to the lead performances we get from Charlie Day and Jenny Slate! They were both fantastic! First and foremost, the chemistry these two shared was marvelous and I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time these two have been in a feature film together and that is shocking because their chemistry was that good. They are both known for their comedic roles, usually in supporting roles, but together they were amazing as the leads here. First, with Day, he is just so damn funny and a lot of it is simply because of his iconic voice. The way he yells and raises his voice is hilarious and he had a good amount of those in I Want You Back. As for Slate, I would probably say she had the best performance of the bunch here. She is equally as funny as Day, but I also thought she nailed all of the more dramatic scenes in the film too. Call me crazy, but if Slate takes the right role, I could definitely see her getting some awards love.

Now the great thing about I Want You Back is that it wasn’t just the lead performances that were good, it was the performances of the entire cast. They all made the film as good as it was and more than that, the entire cast had chemistry so good you’d think that they were shooting this project for years! The best of the bunch when it came to the supporting cast for me was Scott Eastwood. Now Eastwood might never become as good as an actor as his father, a guy by the name of Clint Eastwood, let me know if you’ve ever heard of him, but I would say after this that he is already a better comedic actor than his old man. Granted, Clint wasn’t known for comedy as much as is known for spaghetti westerns, but I was extremely impressed by what Scott gave us comedically here. I think he’s a very underrated actor, and I just can’t wait to see how big he gets in the next couple of years because he has got what it takes.

Other than that, there were so many other things I appreciated about I Want You Back. Gina Rodriguez, Manny Jacinto, Clark Backo, and Mason Gooding all were excellent. The movie was very well-paced and a lot of that is a credit to the editing that was done by Jonathan Schwartz. It had a simple score that Goldspot did, and Brian Burgoyne’s cinematography just brought another layer to an already very well-put-together movie. One more thing, whoever’s idea it was to have the middle school student’s drama play be Little Shop of Horrors was genius, but at the same time, I want your contact info because I can’t stop singing “Suddenly, Seymour”, and I’m sorry, but that’s your fault.

THE BAD

If you couldn’t tell by me already saying that this is one of my favorite movies of the year, I don’t have a lot of negative things to say about I Want You Back. It’s enjoyable from start to finish and the acting was superb! I will say though, that there were some minor quips I had. First, some of the jokes didn’t land, but that just comes with the territory. Second, and this was the bigger problem I had and the big overall problem I have with rom-coms was that you know how the film is going to end from the second you press play. I don’t know, I still liked the ending, but it’d just be nice one time to not know how a rom-com is going to end because I love to be surprised.

THE VERDICT

Behind some fantastic acting from the entire cast that was led by Charlie Day and Jenny Slate, I Want You Back is one of the better rom-coms of the past few years, and it’s one of my favorites from the first half of 2022. Day and Slate were hilarious and their chemistry was perfect, and Scott Eastwood shined in his supporting role as he showed he’s got some comedic skills to go with his good looks.

All in all, this is such an easy movie to recommend as I can’t see anyone not enjoying it as much as I did, so go check it out now on Prime Video!

TED TAKES RATING - 8.8/10

I Want You Back is now available exclusively on Prime Video. Check out the latest trailer below.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

By: Andrew Wing

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a 2022 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics featuring the character Doctor Strange. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Doctor Strange (2016) and the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy, Evil Dead franchise), written by Michael Waldron (Rick and Morty, Loki), and stars Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game, Sherlock) as Stephen Strange, alongside Elizabeth Olsen (Wind River, WandaVision), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, The Martian), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: No Way Home), Xochitl Gomez (The Baby-Sitters Club), Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man, Fargo), and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Mean Girls). In the film, Strange protects America Chavez (Gomez), a teenager capable of traveling the multiverse, from Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch (Olsen).

Doctor Strange director and co-writer Scott Derrickson had plans for a sequel by October 2016. He signed to return as director in December 2018, when Cumberbatch was confirmed to return. The film's title was announced in July 2019 along with Olsen's involvement, while Jade Halley Bartlett was hired to write the film that October. Derrickson stepped down as director in January 2020, citing creative differences. Waldron and Raimi joined the following month and started over, adding elements of the horror genre that Raimi had worked with previously and making Maximoff the villain of the film, continuing her story from the series WandaVision (2021). Filming began in November 2020 in London but was put on hold in January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production resumed by March 2021 and concluded in mid-April in Somerset. Shooting also occurred in Surrey and Los Angeles.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on May 2, 2022, and was released in the United States on May 6, as part of Phase Four of the MCU. It was eventually released on Disney+ on June 22, 2022. It grossed over $944 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 2022 thus far.

THE GOOD

About damn time! Anyone reading this who might be asking themselves “didn’t this movie come out like a month and a half ago?”, yes it did. But Ted is a busy man and so am I to a lesser extent because I don’t have kids of my own yet. Nevertheless, with it hitting Disney+ today, I figured today would be the perfect time to post a review for what was the 28th film in the iconic Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. To provide some more context though, I remember being worried how this film would fare after Derrickson stepped down, but once I heard that the legendary director Sam Raimi would be stepping in, all of my fears went goodbye. Also, the combination of this being the first true Marvel movie to combat the multiverse if you don’t count Spider-Man: No Way Home (see our full review here) and the fact that the first trailer for it was arguably one of the best trailers ever, my expectations were through the roof. But did it match my expectations? Keep reading to find out!

That’s tough to answer because my expectations were literally sky high and I was projecting this to be easily a top 10 MCU film, and while I don’t know if it hit that bar, this movie was still great. It was genuinely entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. A big reason why I did so much was just because of how creative and unique it was, and the main reason was because of the man that was in charge, the one and only Sam Raimi. Before I dive into Raimi’s direction, I just need to commend Kevin Feige for allowing Raimi to basically have full creative freedom over this project because this is a great example of what can happen when you let this man do his thing.

Now to Raimi, this is absolutely a Sam Raimi film. No doubt about it. I am a huge fan of the Evil Dead franchise despite not being a big horror guy, and I grew up on his Spider-Man trilogy, so I love the dude. But yeah with me being familiar with his filmography, it didn’t take me very long to see his style and technique stamped all over this movie. He somehow brought both his expertise of the superhero genre and also the horror genre, and used both of them to make MCU’s first true horror film and easily the MCU’s darkest film yet as it really pushed that PG-13 boundary. I mean there were moments in this movie that genuinely startled me and made me gasp. At the end of the day, Raimi crushed this and I hope Feige brings him back for future MCU projects because he is a creative genius and he made this film unforgettable.

And because of the horror elements Raimi plastered all over this film, we not only got a great overall film, but it also allowed us to get one of the best individual performances the MCU has ever had from Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch. For starters, Olsen as an actress must’ve been so excited once she got the script from writer Michael Waldron because her character in this is so different from the Wanda we are used to seeing, because in this she’s literally a demon. She was phenomenal here as the film’s antagonist and it was another great step in the right direction following her tremendous performance in the Disney+ miniseries WandaVision. You could feel everything her character was feeling and her performance was so good that she made you as an audience member feel like everything she was doing was justifiable even though it wasn’t. I was just so impressed with Olsen here and I cannot wait to see what she does next!

Now Olsen stole the show for me here, but Benedict Cumberbatch was amazing as always as Doctor Stephen Strange. Doctor Strange is honestly one of my favorite superheroes and a big reason why is just because of how Cumberbatch portrays him. Also, I just love Cumberbatch as an actor and I’m still pissed he didn’t win the Best Actor Academy Award this year over Will Smith (#TeamChrisRock) for his performance in The Power of the Dog (see my full review here). Back to his portrayal of Strange in this though, he just continued to solidify the fact that he is the perfect casting for this character as he just comes off as intelligent, but also has a great sense of humor and can be intimidating when he needs to be.

This shouldn’t be a news flash because it’s a Marvel film, but the visuals we got here were stunning. More than that, with this being a multiverse movie, we got so many fantastic visuals. Sure there were some moments that had some questionable CGI like every superhero movie, but overall I thought this movie’s visual portrayal of the multiverse was fascinating and it was entertaining to watch, to say the least. 

Those were the main things I liked the most about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but can’t forget to touch on the other small things I appreciated. Benedict Wong was as awesome as he always is, Xochitl Gomez quickly proved that she will make a great addition to the MCU, and it was also great to see some familiar faces return in both Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rachel McAdams. Also, the music that was done by Danny Elfman was one of my favorites of all the MCU films as it went hand and hand with Raimi’s directorial tone. And lastly, we got some great post credit scenes like we always do and I won’t spoil it, but we got some outstanding fan service in this bad boy! That’s all I’ll say.

THE BAD

I love superhero films, especially those of the MCU, and I had a blast with this from start to finish, but with that said, the film is not without its flaws. Like I said, it’s not a top tier Marvel movie. Sure I had some problems with the script but I have a lot of respect for Waldron coming in and taking the bull by the horn with this multiversal movie that I’m sure was incredibly challenging to write. But more than that, the biggest problem with this movie for me was the runtime. 

This movie clocks in at just over two hours, which compared to previous MCU movies is on the shorter side. And in those two hours, they packed a whole hell of a lot into and it was non-stop from the start, and sure maybe they wanted to stay true to the film’s title by having it be utter madness, but it just made the movie feel a little bit rushed to me and I wish there was a little more time to flesh out this wild story because I think that this could have been a top-tier Marvel movie if they didn’t try and pack so much in just two hours.

THE VERDICT

Easily the darkest Marvel film yet thanks to the influence of director Sam Raimi, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness effectively blends action and horror with eye-popping CGI making for one heck of a wild ride. Also, Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen both gave their best performances yet as members of the MCU.

Sure, I had some minor problems with the plot, but at the end of the day, it was unique, creative, and a hell of a lot of fun to watch, so what more do you need?

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Card Counter

By: Andrew Wing

The Card Counter is a 2021 American drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader (who earned his first Academy Award nomination back in 2017 for the dramatic thriller First Reformed). It stars Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, Star Wars sequel trilogy), Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip, Night School), Tye Sheridan (Mud, Ready Player One), and Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project, The Lighthouse). Legendary director Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, The Departed) serves as an executive producer.

The film tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler, William Tell (Isaac), who during his eight-year stint is not only haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions but also learns how to count cards. And following his release from prison, a meeting with a past acquaintance from the gambling world, La Linda (Haddish), shows him that all he wants to do is count cards, but on the casino trail, that dream of his is shattered once he meets Cirk (Sheridan), a vulnerable and angry young man who is seeking to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel (Dafoe).

It had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2021. It was released on September 10, 2021, by Focus Features.

THE GOOD

One word. Finally! I could be wrong here, but I’m 99% sure I saw the first trailer for The Card Counter over a year ago, and I have been waiting on pins and needles ever since to check this out and review it. Yes, a big reason for my excitement was this absolutely stacked cast that was led by the man who had himself arguably the best 2021 out of anyone in the industry in Oscar Isaac who starred in not only the HBO drama miniseries Scenes from a Marriage alongside Best Actress winner Jessica Chastain, but also the sci-fi epic Dune (see my full review here) that brought home more awards than any other film at this year’s 94th Academy Awards. But yeah, I think Isaac is one of the best actors working today, so once this film finally came to the HBO Max streaming service a couple of weeks back, I knew I had to check it out first thing. But was it worth the wait? Keep reading to find out!

You’ll just have to wait a little longer before that question is answered, but to get the ball rolling, The Card Counter was good. For someone like myself who has never played real poker, I have always been intrigued by the sport, to say the least. I also have enjoyed almost every film that revolves around poker from Molly’s Game in 2017, to the 1998 classic Rounders, to even Daniel Craig’s first outing as the famous James Bond in Casino Royale. There is just something I like about movies that involve poker, and I can say that The Card Counter is a solid entry to that list. But aside from my weird fascination with poker movies, the movie was good because of the two main men who were in charge: Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese.

Now Scorsese only served as an executive producer here, but still, anything with his name attached is going to be good, and that was exactly the case here. For Schrader though, he is definitely less of a household name compared to Scorsese, but the man wrote or co-wrote screenplays for four Scorsese films, with two of them being some of Scorsese’s best works in Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. Also, Schrader’s last directorial outing was First Reformed in 2017, a movie I find to be severely underrated that features an incredible lead performance from Ethan Hawke. And now since you know that, you won’t be surprised why this movie was a good one. Sure, there were some things with Schrader’s direction that I think would’ve made the film stronger, but the man knows how to write a film and direct it in a way that showcases the lead actors skills, because that is just what he did with Oscar Isaac here.

All of the performances were good here, specifically Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe, and I will talk more about them later on in the review, but despite those stars being in the film, Oscar Isaac outshined them all just as I had hoped and expected he would. Now a year back once I had originally watched the trailer for the first time, I instantly thought this was going to be a Best Actor-contending Oscar kind of role, and while maybe it wasn’t on that level, it was still incredible and it didn’t get discussed nearly as much as it should have. His performance here was one that had me glued to the screen every time he was on it. It was both mysteriously slick on the outside just like his character’s hair but also tormented on the inside sort of performance that gave the film life. All in all, maybe it wasn’t his best work which I still think is Inside Llewlyn Davis from the Coen brothers, but it was good enough to make me feel even more confident that his first Oscar-winning performance is coming very very soon.

Aside from all of that, there were a couple of other small things that I liked about the film. The production design was great with all of the casinos they were running through, and while the cinematography from Alexander Dynan wasn’t eye-popping or anything like that, it was more laid back and reserved with hints of the color gray and I think it matched the film’s tone. Also, the music was pretty good too so shoutout to Robert Levon Been and Giancarlo Vulcano.

THE BAD

Back to my original question I started the review off with whether or not this film was worth the ridiculously long wait to see it, my answer is unfortunately no. It just wasn’t, and maybe that’s my fault because the longer I waited the more excited I became. I mean how could I not? It’s a movie that was produced by the GOAT Martin Scorsese that featured one of the hottest actors on the planet right now in Oscar Isaac. It also didn’t help either that Schrader’s last outing was freaking incredible, but this was a significant step back for the director if you ask me.

I don’t know, it just felt like we got a mixed effort from Paul Schrader. Now the man knows how to write and direct a film, I’m not questioning that, but at the same time it felt like as the plot began to unwind in The Card Counter, he just didn’t know how to bring this baby home, and it’s a real shame because there was a lot of potential with this. But again, back to First Reformed, that film was building towards an epic finale and it absolutely paid off, and with this, I kind of hated the ending to be brutally honest.

And lastly, when I saw there was a lot of potential with this project, I meant it because it’s not every day that you get a cast this stacked. And while I said the performances we got from Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe were good, I really think Schrader severely underutilized them. Maybe not Haddish’s character so much because I feel like there wasn’t much to her character in the first place, but hey I love me some Tiffany Haddish, so forgive me for wanting more of her on-screen. For me though, it was what we got from Tye Sheridan and Willem Dafoe that really left me wanting more because the way both of their character’s stories wrap up was quite frustrating, to say the least.

THE VERDICT

Despite this being a significant step back from his previous work due to a forgettable second half and the fact that he underutilized an all-star level cast, Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter is still a serviceable drama film that features an above-average performance from one of the best in the business right now in Oscar Isaac.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.2/10

The Card Counter is now streaming exclusively on HBO Max. Check out the latest trailer below.

Cha Cha Real Smooth

By: Andrew Wing

Cha Cha Real Smooth is a 2022 American comedy-drama film written, directed, and produced by Cooper Raiff (best known for his debut feature film Shithouse, in which he starred, directed, wrote, produced, and co-edited). Similar to his first film, Raiff also stars in this, with a supporting cast that includes Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades film series, The Peanut Butter Falcon), Evan Assante, Vanessa Burghardt, Leslie Mann (This Is 40, Blockers), Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond, Fargo), and Raúl Castillo (Looking, We the Animals).

The plot follows the 22-year-old Andrew (Raiff) who’s fresh out of college and stuck at his New Jersey home without a clear path forward. But when he begins working as a party starter for bar/bat mitzvahs, he strikes up a unique friendship with a young mom (Johnson) and her teenage daughter (Burghardt).

It premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2022. It was released in limited theaters and on Apple TV+ on June 17, 2022.

THE GOOD

I am extremely happy to finally be writing this review because ever since Cha Cha Real Smooth premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, all I have heard is great things. And usually, when it comes to films that do very well at the festivals, we don’t get to see them until the end of the year as their distributors are expecting them to be Oscar contenders. But with this, the comedy-drama film from Cooper Raiff that Apple bought for $15 million, we got to get it on the Apple TV+ streaming service just in time for summer! With that said, I checked it out the first day I could, but did it live up to the hype? Keep reading to find out!

I’ll just get right to the point, it did and it honestly exceeded my expectations. And the main reason it did is Cooper Raiff. I still need to watch his debut feature Shithouse, and after seeing this it will definitely be moving up my watchlist because he absolutely crushed it here as he directed, wrote, and starred in his own film. I’m going to address everything Raiff did here, but I’ll begin with his direction because I loved it. It was just so sensitive and I appreciated how he made the film so funny and sweet, yet very relatable. It was extremely relatable to me especially as a 21-year-old aspiring writer because Raiff’s character Andrew is this recent college graduate struggling to figure out how he is supposed to live his early 20s which I already know is a time in life where you can be kind of desperate for some sort of shape to take form. At the end of the day, it was just so real as he made it a point to dive into the character more and explore what this film was really about.

Next with Raiff’s writing because it was superb. His character Andrew was so charismatic, like arguably one of the most charismatic characters I’ve seen in a film in a long long time. The level of likability his character had was sonridiculous that it had me wishing that I had his ability to just charm everybody I'm around with such ease. But truthfully, it was weird how much I liked admiring the main character of this movie because that’s not the main reason why I watch movies in the first place, but there was just something about this character’s willingness to put themselves out there in such a way, and it was all a credit to how Raiff wrote the character.

So now since I’ve touched on Raiff’s direction and his writing, there is only one thing left to touch on, and that is his acting. I’ve already discussed how much I loved his character Andrew as he just made him so likable and easy to root for, but what really made the film for me was Raiff’s unbelievably natural on-screen chemistry with Dakota Johnson. The romantic tension between the two was undeniable and I just wanted it for them so bad once they met each other. I won’t spoil it when it comes to how their relationship unfolds, but once you as a viewer realize what their relationship means to these characters, you will have no problem with how this film finishes.

But to continue, I have to highlight the other half of that dynamic duo in Dakota Johnson. She was freaking great here and this is right up there as one of her best roles ever with her previous performance in The Lost Daughter (see my full review here). The chemistry she had with Raiff was off the charts, but aside from that, I was buying everything she was selling from start to finish. Johnson definitely had the best supporting performance if you ask me, but to be honest the whole cast was great, from Evan Assante and Vanessa Burghardt in what I think was each of their feature film debuts, to the amazing on-screen couple that was Leslie Mann and Brad Garrett.

In closing, Cooper Raiff stole the show, Dakota Johnson was the best of an all-around fantastic supporting cast, and the film had a great message. It also was beautifully shot by Cristina Dunlap and it had a killer soundtrack. The last thing I will say, and while it’s unlikely, I would love to see this film kind of play out similar to CODA (see my full review here), another film that premiered at Sundance and was eventually purchased by Apple and went on to win Best Picture at this year’s 94th Academy Awards. Now I’ll be honest, I don’t see it winning Best Picture for a number of reasons, but I would love to see it stay relevant for the rest of this year and maybe be in contention for one of the ten Best Picture nominations slots, and also so it can get some support in categories like original screenplay, supporting actress for Dakota Johnson, and definitely lead actor in my opinion for Cooper Raiff, but we will just have to wait and see!

THE BAD

Do your best to keep your emotions in check as I am about to shock you, but I really have nothing bad to say about this film. While it maybe didn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to rom-coms, I never felt for a second that it was retreading any of the territory we’ve seen in past rom-coms. Also, if you’re someone who isn’t a fan of hyper-charismatic protagonists then this isn’t the film for you because that is exactly what Cooper Raiff is in Cha Cha Real Smooth. But despite him taking the risky move by having his personality have so much of a hold over the entire picture, it totally paid off as he was perfect for the role as only he could’ve played the character of Andrew.

THE VERDICT

In just his second outing as a writer-director, Cooper Raiff cements his place as a major new voice in the movie industry that we aren’t soon going to forget with his comedy-drama film Cha Cha Real Smooth that I would say is the perfect modern rom-com. Raiff also starred in the film and he showed that he is just as good of a dramatic and comedic actor as he is a filmmaker as his confident portrayal of the character was super infectious and incredibly magnetic from beginning to end.

Dakota Johnson also gave arguably the best performance of her young career, and all in all, this is a very charming, wholesome, and feel-good film that had me beaming right from the start, and it never faltered in that respect. I’ll shut up now because I could go on for days, but it is such an easy movie to fall in love with, and with that and also the fact that there are a lot of different things one can take away from it, I think it’s endlessly rewatchable.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.1/10

Cha Cha Real Smooth is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. Check out the latest trailer below.

Lightyear

By: Ted Trafton & Andrew Wing

Lightyear is a 2022 American computer-animated science-fiction action-adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film, a spin-off of the Toy Story film series (serving as an origin story for the fictional test pilot/astronaut character who the Buzz Lightyear toy/action figure featured in the main films was inspired by), was co-written and directed by Angus MacLane (he also co-directed Finding Dory) and produced by Galyn Susman, and stars Chris Evans (played Steve Rogers / Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) as the voice of the title character, with Keke Palmer (Jump In!, True Jackson, VP), Peter Sohn (voiced Emile in Ratatouille, and Squishy in Monsters University), James Brolin (father of Josh Brolin, who starred in the television series Hotel), Taika Waititi (best known for directing Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit), Dale Soules (The Messenger, Orange Is the New Black), Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black), Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite) and Isiah Whitlock Jr. (The Wire) in supporting roles.

Lightyear tells the story of young astronaut Buzz Lightyear, who, after being marooned on a hostile planet with his commander and crew, tries to find a way back home while confronting a threat in the form of the Emperor Zurg. Initially, the source material for Buzz Lightyear was introduced in the 2000 direct-to-video film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins, which was the pilot to a spin-off television series, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000-01). After finishing work on Finding Dory (2016), MacLane, a science fiction fan, pitched the idea of making a film about Buzz Lightyear at Pixar. To evoke the science fiction films the director grew up watching, the animators wanted to give the film a "cinematic" and "chunky" look. The animation and visual process were done remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Michael Giacchino (Up, The Batman) composed the film’s scores.

Lightyear had its world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on June 8, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 17 in RealD 3D, 4DX, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX formats. This was the first Pixar film to be filmed in IMAX.

THE GOOD

From Ted’s perspective…

First things first, the Toy Story franchise provides a ton of great nostalgia for me. Few songs have been engrained in my brain quite like Randy Newman’s “You've Got a Friend in Me”, and I wasn’t mad about it. That song was simply fire and fit the debut film in the franchise so well. The original Toy Story made it’s debut back in 1995, which seems crazy if I’m being honest considering how well it holds up today. The film remains nearly blemish free when it comes to critics, and pulled in an impressive $363 million in the box office. The 4th film in the franchise released just a few years ago in 2019. Realizing that Andrew had yet to be born when the original released makes me want to swan dive off the roof of my house, but that is a story for another day. The bread and butter of the franchise has always been the message at it’s core which is the powerful bond of family and friendship, and what it means to feel forgotten or left behind. At the end of the day, as human beings (or toys that come to life) we all need to feel wanted or valued in one way or another.

Back in November of 1995, life was good for a gun-slingin’ cowboy toy named Woody. He was the apple of his owner’s eye, a joyous and wholesome young boy named Andy. He even had Andy’s name quite haphazardly written on the bottom of his boot with sharpie as a nice reminder. But, all great things must come to an end at some point, right? All of the toys in Andy’s room are tightly wound as the little boys birthday has arrived yet again. Each toy fears the worst, being replaced. In comes Andy’s newest and highly sought after toy, the shiny Space Ranger known as Buzz Lightyear, complete with a wing suit, laser, and a quite an ego. When Buzz first comes to life, he doesn’t realize he is a toy. He thinks he is the real Buzz Lightyear, a character in one of Andy’s favorite movies which is why he asks for the toy for his birthday. Buzz is certain he has landed on yet another uninhabitable planet as he searches for signs of intelligent life, only to encounter Woody and the rest of Andy’s toys who proceed to convince him that he is in fact, just a toy. So, what about the “real” Buzz Lightyear?! I’m glad you asked! Andrew and I were beyond pumped when Lightyear made it’s debut in theaters, and knew we would be there on opening day. We decided to do a blended review considering we both have a different generational perspective when it comes to the Toy Story franchise. So what did we think? Keep reading to find out!

I’ll go first, I absolutely loved Lightyear! The film opened with several trademark Buzz Lightyear lines, and I damn near fell out of my seat I was so excited. Seeing this larger-than-life version of the toy I have grown to love just felt surreal to me in so many ways, and the 2022 animation advancements courtesy of Disney and Pixar Animation Studios was pure eye candy. I was drawn to each and every character outside of the titular Buzz Lightyear, which again, is a given, and I thought each character had great depth and fit the story perfectly. The writing team brings the heat yet again with a screenplay packed to the brim with exciting action sequences, a ton of emotional moments, and the power of family and friendship the Toy Story franchise is known for. Lightyear accomplished something I didn’t think was possible, which made me appreciate Buzz Lightyear more than I already did. I won’t go as far as to say that this is the best film in the franchise, counting the four Toy Story films of course, but it is a worthy and heartfelt addition that will hopefully serve as a springboard for more Toy Story movies. If they announce a Woody origin story, I might pass out. I wish I was kidding.

As far as the screenplay is concerned, it was actually much more elaborate that the trailer would lead you to believe. The trailer definitely puts you on the right track, but its one of those situations where they cut the trailer a certain way to avoid revealing the primary backstory of the film which I thought was a nice touch. The origin story of Buzz Lightyear is intriguing for several reasons, with the obvious and primary reason being the toy that was a huge factor in the success of the Disney-Pixar Toy Story film franchise. Buzz Lightyear and his “To Infinity and Beyond!” catchphrase has been rattling around the brains of kids and adults for decades, and we were finally afforded the opportunity to see why Andy wanted him for his birthday, and it wasn’t just the shiny and awesome suit.

Buzz is a man of the people, someone who is supremely confident but also terrified of failure. More than just failure, Buzz worries about letting the people who count on him down. There is no more prestigious position than that of a Space Ranger, and it is a role Buzz takes very seriously. The fate of mankind rests in the hands of Buzz and his co-pilot Alisha Hawthorne, and when a failed mission put everything they have worked for in jeopardy, Buzz is willing to sacrifice himself to save those he cares about most. This is the driving factor of the Lightyear story, and everything about it from the time travel element to the humor and emotional moments, I was engaged from start to finish.

As far as the voice actors are concerned, it should come as no surprise that they hit a home run with Lightyear. Chris Evans, who is attempting to transition to new projects after a phenomenal run as a Marvel mainstay, absolutely crushes it as Buzz Lightyear. I mean, who better to voice the real-life (sort of) space ranger than Captain American himself?! He just felt like such a natural in the role from the start, and I never once questioned his ability to really make this character come to life. His voice just fit everything that Buzz Lightyear embodied from the start and that had me fully invested. Uzo Aduba has a smaller but pivotal role as the voice of Alisha Hawthorne, but she was fantastic. Veteran actress Keke Palmer voices Hawthorne’s granddaughter Izzy, and I thought she was perfect for this role. Palmer, who recently starred in the 2019 comedy drama Hustlers, also has a lead role in the upcoming Jordan Peele horror thriller Nope, set to debut in theaters this summer (preview and trailer here). Palmer complimented Evans exceptionally well and the two had genuinely impactful chemistry in terms of the emotional element of the film.

The only thing that even came close to matching my excitement for the film in general or the fact that Chris Evans was voicing the great Buzz Lightyear, was the addition of my guy Taika Waititi, who yet again offers up his comedic chops for the greater good. The New Zealand native voices Mo Morrison, the poor oblivious “Space Ranger in Training” who stumbles upon a dangerous mission he couldn’t have been less interested in embarking on. But to the pure enjoyment of the audience, he didn’t have a choice. How I measure his performances may not be fair because his accent just kills me, but Waititi is hilarious in this with his well-timed punch lines and the fact that he just can’t seem to stop messing things up. I also really liked how they modeled his character to look exactly like real-life Taika Waititi, and that just made it even funnier for me. “My superpower is ingenuity!”

Oh, and for the people ready to boycott the film over the refusal to cast Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear you might want to take a few deep breaths and think about this for a second. This is the Buzz Lightyear the toy is based on, and Allen voices the toy. Would it make sense for the “real” Buzz Lightyear and the toy version of him to be voiced by the same person? I don’t think so. Maybe eventually we will get a Woody origin story, and we’ll see who they can find to fill the shoes of the great Tom Hanks.

On the technical side of things the animation is spectacular as expected. I mean let’s be honest for a second, when you sit down to watch a film with Disney-Pixar attached to it, you know it is going to incredible and just top-notch in every conceivable way. Nearly every scene left me in awe, from the characters facial expressions to how realistic and disgusting the inside out vending machine sandwiches looked, it was just eye candy throughout. The film was fairly limited in terms of visuals at its disposal because of the setting, but they made the most of it and created a world that felt very much lived in and alive. Also having seen the amazing film that is Top Gun: Maverick ( our full review here) recently, I couldn’t help but appreciate the glorious flying sequences that Lightyear had to offer. I was also very pleased with the soundtrack/score as it helped a ton setting the tone for the film especially during the more emotional scenes. I just realized I have been rambling for quite some time, so now I’ll give Andrew an opportunity to give us his thoughts on the film.

From Andrew’s Perspective…

It goes without saying that Lightyear was one of my most anticipated films of 2022. I’m sure 99% of the United States will say the same thing too because Buzz Lightyear is one of the biggest and most notable movie characters of all time, live-action or animated. I mean I grew up watching all of the Toy Story films and once I heard that this film was being made, I was just through the roof. More than that, the fact that the one and only Chris Evans, who was Captain America for the past decade, was going to voice the iconic character, I was on cloud nine. And because of my unhealthy anticipation, I just had to see this on opening night, so without further ado, did Lightyear live up to my otherworldly expectations, or did it prove that Disney and Pixar need to focus more on new stories rather than continuing off existing IP? Keep reading to find out!

Lightyear has everything you’d expect from a Pixar film and I will touch on all of those elements later in the review, but what I’ll talk about first is what was the most surprising thing about Lightyear, and that's how strong all of the science fiction elements were. That is in large part because of the director Angus MacLane, who made a sci-fi extravaganza with action worthy of the Star Wars films and ideas worthy of the genius Christopher Nolan. The story we got here was so good and I loved how character-driven it was. We really got to see how Buzz is at first this very self-absorbed person who gets off on feeling competent and in control, and the movie was constantly examining and challenging his shortcomings and I thought that was a nice touch. With all of that said, the film remained faithful to the spirit of the Toy Story movies while still being its own entity, so I give a big round of applause to director Angus MacLane, and I can’t wait to see what he does next!

Alright, I’ve waited long enough, it’s time to address Chris Evans’ voice performance as the titular character, Buzz Lightyear. His take on Buzz was amazing and it’s illegal to say that it’s as good or better than Tim Allen’s was because he made the character, but it was about as good as it could’ve been to me. Evans captured the character’s personality without doing a Tim Allen impression, and I was so impressed by Evans’ performance. The man can truly do no wrong, whether it’s kicking ass in that tight suit as Captain America or as the antagonist in the 2019 mystery film Knives Out (see Ted’s full review here), and I cannot wait to see him go toe to toe with another one of my favorite actors in Ryan Gosling in just over a month in the upcoming Netflix action thriller The Gray Man (see our preview here), which is directed by the Russo brothers.

Another great thing about Lightyear was its humor throughout. It is definitely a more inspired kind of humor and the fan-favorite when it came to who got the most laughs was the Sox character that’s voiced by Peter Sohn. I mean you just knew there was going to be a great comic relief character with it being a Pixar film. Aside from Sox though, all of the supporting characters were great from Taika Waititi’s Mo Morrison character to Bill Hader’s Featheringhamstan. They were all fantastic and provided a ton of laughs. James Brolin was awesome too as he voiced Emperor Zurg and Keke Palmer crushed it in her voice role as Izzy Hawthorne. Palmer is going to have herself quite the summer because not only is she in this, but she is set to star alongside Daniel Kaluuya in Jordan Peele’s upcoming science fiction horror film Nope (see our preview here).

There were so many other things I liked about Lightyear. First with the animation, and I know I use this word a lot, but it was truly stunning. I mean we know what to expect when it comes to Pixar, but they just continue to get better and better when it comes to their animation. I think a big reason I liked it so much though was because of all of the scenes in outer space and some of the longer takes we got in space that resembled Alfonso Cuarón’s 2013 science-fiction epic Gravity which won Cuarón his first of two Best Director Academy Awards. Other than that, the sound design was fantastic, the visual effects were top-notch, and it was extremely well-paced. Oh, and one more thing, Michael Giacchino’s score was amazing and it brought so much to the film as a whole. As good as his score here was, it still isn’t even his best score of 2022, because that my friends is the score he did for the DC superhero film, The Batman (see Ted’s full review here).

In closing, the film has a lot of heart and it’s emotional too as we see Buzz learn the value of teamwork and the importance of accepting mistakes along the way. This may be a small spoiler, but there is at least one moment that will get you teary-eyed so just be prepared. All in all, I was just so impressed with how well put together this film was. A Buzz Lightyear origin story could have misfired in so many ways, but this film goes to infinity and beyond. I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist, but in all seriousness, I will be rooting for this film to take home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature film at the 95th Academy Awards, because it is very deserving.

THE BAD

From Andrew’s Perspective…

Despite my love for this film, there were just a few minor things I thought they could’ve done better. The first was that the film was very predictable at times despite the interesting story we were given. At the end of the day though it’s a Pixar film, and I feel like most of them are quite predictable. I will say though that I think a longer runtime might’ve helped solve that problem a little bit just by maybe throwing some more stuff in there because this film is only just over an hour and a half if you take out the credits. With that said, it’s a kid’s movie so they really can’t make it 2 hours plus, or else you’d either have kids falling asleep or just no longer paying attention. Finally, this is definitely a nice addition to the Disney Pixar catalog, but because of the film feeling a little obvious at times, I just can’t put it in the upper echelon of Pixar movies because I think the best Pixar movies get their point across in more indirect ways like for example, in Inside Out which I truly think is not only arguably the best Pixar film ever made, but one of the best animated movies ever made.

One more thing and I feel this needs to be addressed, but the main critique that I have seen from other critics when it comes to Lightyear is that it is another example of a soulless way to profit off of existing IP like the Toy Story franchise, but that is just such an old and annoying argument that really doesn’t work. This definitely wasn’t the worst way to use the IP, and if we are going to be totally transparent, everything is based on a previous work and I’m down for any space adventure that Pixar wants to give us.

From Ted’s Perspective…

It made sense to let Andrew jump into his criticisms of the film first considering I knew it would be easier for him to take out the critical microscope if you will, and to be honest I agree with all of his points. Even though I score the film a bit higher, which you will see in the verdict section, Lightyear is not perfect, and surely isn’t the best Toy Story film either for that matter. That honor of course is reserved for the original film. But yeah, the plot is predictable as Andrew mentioned and surely limited by the fairly short run time, but I appreciate that as a dad who is at the mercy of kids and their notoriously short attention spans. I wouldn’t go as far as to necessarily criticize the decision to go this route mainly because the primary objective was to bring the iconic Buzz Lightyear to life, and I felt like they accomplished that goal. But at the same time Andrew mentions the incredible film Inside Out as an example, and even though Lightyear has a ton going for it, that is just in another league in terms of the whole package.

THE VERDICT

From Ted’s Perspective…

Top-tier voice acting matched only by the stunning visuals, laugh-out-loud humor, and the heartfelt moments the Toy Story franchise is so proudly known for, Lightyear is an origin story of epic proportions that put an ear-to-ear smile on my face and brought out my inner-child. To infinity, and beyond!! I ended up seeing the movie twice as I took my 3-year-old son the very next day, and it was even better the second time around. He loved it as well, of course, and couldn’t take his eyes off the screen. Which is saying something considering he had a plate of chicken fingers, waffle fries, and a full basket of popcorn in front of him. I really can’t put a price on a movie that makes me feel like a kid again while allowing me the opportunity to share something so special with my own son. It’s really a feeling I can’t even begin to describe. Bottom line, Lightyear is so much more than a cash-grab and I personally cannot wait to see it for a third time. Get the family together and head out to the theater sooner than later.

TED’s RATING - 9.1/10

From Andrew’s Perspective…

Lightyear, the latest film from the famous duo that is Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, is a really solid adventure film with amazing science fiction elements, and it is also surprisingly thought-provoking at times as it serves as a sort of character study on the iconic Buzz Lightyear.

I was so impressed with the direction and story we got from Angus MacLane as he gave us some sci-fi elements we’ve never gotten from a Pixar film, and Chris Evans absolutely killed it as the voice of Buzz Lightyear as he brought new depth to the legendary character. Other than that, the film had everything you could ask for when it comes to a Disney Pixar film from the stunning animation, heart, humor, lovable side characters, and an unforgettable comic relief character, this one being the robotic cat that serves as Buzz’s companion, Sox.

Andrew’s RATING - 8.5/10

Lightyear is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Jurassic World Dominion

Jurassic World Dominion is a 2022 science fiction adventure film directed by Colin Trevorrow, who wrote the screenplay with Emily Carmichael, based on a story by Trevorrow and his writing partner, Derek Connolly. It is the sequel to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), the sixth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise, and the third film in the Jurassic World trilogy. As with its predecessors, Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley will produce the film, with Trevorrow and Jurassic Park (1993) director Steven Spielberg acting as executive producers.

Four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed, dinosaurs now live—and hunt—alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.

The film stars an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Daniella Pineda, Isabella Sermon, Justice Smith, Omar Sy, and BD Wong reprising their roles from previous films in the franchise, and they are joined by Mamoudou Athie, Scott Haze, Dichen Lachman, Campbell Scott, and DeWanda Wise.

Jurassic World Dominion made it’s debut in theaters and IMAX on June 10th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

I’m a Jurassic Park fan through and through, and although I wouldn’t necessarily say that I am a hardcore fan considering I don’t have a t-shirt in my closet or anything like that, these films still are absolutely pure nostalgia for me. I always think of the army green jeep with Jurassic Park written on the side, man that would be a cool summer vehicle. If you go all the way back to the original film, they always felt larger-than-life and ahead of their time. Dinosaurs really are the ultimate trigger of curiosity, I mean just look at the recently released docu-series Prehistoric Planet (see our preview here) which is incredible by the way. Okay so to get back on track a bit, I knew I would be seeing the latest film in the storied franchise, Jurassic World Dominion, as soon as it hit theaters. As I made my way to my super comfortable seat with warm delicious buttery popcorn and ice-cold soda in hand, was it worth my time? Keep reading to find out!

I had so much fun with Jurassic World Dominion. The movie delivered on the promise of edge-of-your-seat entertainment and genuine nostalgia as it managed to still feel like an authentic Jurassic Park movie. Bringing together the new age cast and the original cast for one final Jurassic World hoorah was a fantastic idea and they made the most of the opportunity. As expected, Jurassic World Dominion takes full advantage of the advancements in CGI technology, serving up some incredibly realistic and oftentimes downright terrifying dinosaurs. Don’t worry, we also get some cute ones that you would happily bring into your home as a pet. I was smiling for the better part of the film and really enjoyed seeing some of my favorite characters grace the big screen again. As far as the characters, the writing team put extra effort into ensuring the original characters felt like they had been living separate lives since the original film and subsequent sequels instead of it feeling like they just showed up.

The technical elements of Jurassic World Dominion take center stage as expected, and I don’t think many viewers will complain about that. At the end of the day, there is something reassuring about knowing you’ll have an unlimited supply of eye candy when you head to the theater to see a Jurassic Park film. Instead of going the route of feeling like a Transformers movie with one epic action sequence after another, which they easily could have, they opted for a nice balance to ensure the action helped to move the story along. The first few acts of the film are built around some of the more moderately sized yet still extremely dangerous dinosaurs as they are more popular in the underground black market scene for obvious reasons. I mean, you can’t exactly transport and conceal a T-Rex as much as you might want to.

We get some fantastic white-knuckle scenes including an awesome scene with Chris Pratt’s character on the run for his life on a motorcycle, as well as a few fantastic flying sequences. Plus our favorite characters are constantly in danger which had my blood pressure through the roof. When it comes to building tension, Jurassic World Dominion gets high marks from me. As far as the visuals are concerned, they really thrive in the finale when the humans step aside and let these amazing creatures fight it out. One scene, in particular, stood out to me and had a little bit of a Godzilla vs. Kong vibe. In my opinion, the film built things up like a great 4th of July fireworks display with a finale well worth the price of admission. So satisfying!

Aside from the visuals, the obvious bread and butter of Jurassic World Dominion is this fantastic and very well-rounded cast. The core Jurassic World crew is back led by Chris Pratt and the beautiful Bryce Dallas Howard. Pratt is great yet again as expected, and it was great to see how much his character has grown since the first Jurassic World film. If you were creating a list of jaw-dropping redheads, you better have Bryce Dallas Howard at the top of that list. The daughter of actor turned accomplished director Ron Howard, I just cannot seem to get enough of her. She is sort of like a more attractive but not quite as talented Jessica Chastain, and I mean that as a compliment. I love her in this role and her relationship with Pratt’s character is a big driving force for me. A big part of the film’s story is built around the Maisie Lockwood character played by Isabella Sermon, who made her debut in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Even though she is very inexperienced as an actress with this being her second acting credit, I thought she was great and definitely an asset to the film.

Jurassic World Dominion introduced a few newcomers as pivotal characters within the story, Mamoudou Athie, DeWanda Wise, and Dichen Lachman. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that it took me much longer than it should have to realize why Athie looked so familiar. The Mauritanian-American actor has some quality acting credits on his resume, but his role in the Netflix drama-thriller series Archive 81 is likely to be fresh in the minds of most viewers. I loved his character and the intrigue he brought to the storyline, and I think he was easily the best new addition as far as the cast. Wise, who has been making quite a name for herself including a solid role in the Netflix film The Harder They Fall (our full review here), was just a badass in this. I really liked her former military-always-willing-to-do-the-right-thing-no-matter-the-consequences character, and she really upped the fun factor of the film.

I also really liked Lachman’s character as she took on the role of the mysterious antagonist, Sonoya Santos. Born in Kathmandu, Nepal, Lachman is known for her role as Frankie in the hit series Animal Kingdom, as well as a supporting role in the incredible Apple TV+ drama series Severance. The versatile actress is obviously talented and continues to make her presence felt in film and television series roles. I did really like Campbell Scott as the film’s primary antagonist as he played the extremely intelligent and socially awkward Lewis Dodgson. His character is hard to get a read on but you can tell from the start something isn’t right about him. I also really liked my guy BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu. His character is conflicted as he finds himself in the middle of a global disaster, and I really liked the story arch for his character.

Okay so I will do my best to keep it brief as I have already rambled quite a bit, but I have to talk about the OG cast that helped to build the Jurassic Park franchise from the ground up. That would of course be the dynamic trio consisting of Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and the man, the myth, the legend, Jeff Goldblum. This is random but even though Goldblum has enjoyed an illustrious career as an actor, when I see him now I somehow can’t help but think about the Seth Rogen scene from Pineapple Express when he mentions his girlfriend’s attractive high school friend he is jealous of and the fact that he is so funny with his great Jeff Goldblum impressions, to which James Franco’s character responds “F**K Jeff Goldblum, Man!”. So funny!!

So yeah, I can’t understate how much I love me some Jeff Goldblum, the guy is just always on point. Someone needs to give Taika Waititi a high five for casting him in Thor: Ragnarok. It blows my mind to think that his career began in 1974 in the Charles Bronson crime thriller Death Wish, as the titular character, Freak #1. But seriously, he is one of the greatest. I enjoyed so many of the characters in Jurassic World Dominion, but I think his iconic Ian Malcolm character was my favorite. It was just classic Goldblum as he managed to play more than one character for the sake of deception while remaining hilarious as always no matter what. Okay so back to Sam Neill and Laura Dern, it was amazing to get the two of them back on-screen again in a Jurassic Park movie. Their reunion held the most weight without a doubt, and I really liked what the writers did with them and how their relationship developed. So yeah, bringing back the original characters for Jurassic World Dominion was a slam dunk.

THE BAD

As far as movies that are just meant to be seen in theaters, Jurassic World Dominion is an absolute blast. But, it’s not perfect. For me, it starts off a little slow which is an issue considering the long run time and the fact that this is the 3rd film in the “Jurassic World” franchise. I just felt like they could have gotten things going a bit quicker to allow for more of the exciting stuff in the rest of the film. Although I did enjoy the story, especially how it all comes together at the end, they really played it safe here making it so this felt oddly similar to 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. We did get a few solid twists and the return of the original characters made up for a lot of the writing deficiencies. I will say though, that I’m honestly not sure why so many critics seem to have such an issue with this film, calling it dull and uninspired. It almost feels like they watched the beginning of the movie, made up their mind, and started giving an opinion. Which if I’m being honest, really wouldn’t surprise me.

THE VERDICT

Although the decision to play it safe with the screenplay limits its overall potential, Jurassic World Dominion still packs a hefty punch with exciting action sequences and stunning visuals, a satisfying reunion with the original cast, and an epic finale that serves as a great sendoff for the franchise. So much of this film is fan service, which is more than okay with me and most of you heading out to the theater. The original film was released way back in 1993, and it was so cool to see a few fathers and grandfathers taking the opportunity to share a special experience with their children and grandchildren. Jurassic World Dominion isn’t perfect as I talked about earlier in the review, but the pros far outweigh the cons, and the fact that this movie simply NEEDS to be seen in theaters seems obvious. Take what the majority of critics are saying with a grain of salt as for some reason they seem to be comparing this to the magical cinematic treat that is Top Gun: Maverick (our full review here). So yeah, kick off the summer movie season with the dinosaurs that have been entertaining us for nearly 30 years, you won’t regret it.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.3/10

Jurassic World Dominion is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Emergency

Emergency is a 2022 comedy drama film directed by Carey Williams from a screenplay by KD Dávila. It is a feature-length adaptation of Williams and Dávila's 2018 short film of the same name. The short film won the Special Jury Prize at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2018 SXSW. Dávila's screenplay also made the 2020 Black List of most popular un-produced scripts from up-and-coming screenwriters. Emergency premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival where Dávila won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.

Ready for a night of legendary partying, three college students must weigh the pros and cons of calling the police when faced with an unexpected situation.

The cast includes RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins, Sabrina Carpenter, Sebastian Chacon, Maddie Nichols, Madison Thompson, Diego Abraham, and Melanie Jeffcoat.

Emergency made it’s debut in limited theaters on May 20th, and became available to stream on Prime Video May 27th.

THE GOOD

Emergency sort of snuck up on me when the trailer was first released, but once I saw that it had the one-two punch of a massive debut at the crème de la crème of film festivals, that being the Sundance Film Festival of course, as well as the underrated and frankly underappreciated RJ Cyler in a leading role. And with that, like a stone-faced poker player, I was ALL IN. The initial critic response to the film was insane, and you were hard-pressed to find anything negative about it. Plus considering the fact that it would be available to stream on Prime Video only a week after a limited theatrical release for awards consideration, the anticipation was building by the day. Was it worth the excitement? Keep reading to find out!

Bottom line, Emergency was fantastic, and is an absolute cinematic treat. I was laughing hysterically within the first few minutes of the film, and right away I could sense the creative direction it planned to take and I was excited to be along for the ride. I won’t give anything away, but the opening scene is by far the most entertaining and hilarious take on racism in recent memory. Try not to get hung up on the fact that it does shine a bright light on several issues that absolutely exist within our society, because it does so in such a way to avoid excluding anyone. Perhaps tasteful is the right word, but somehow they manage to make a powerful message extremely entertaining while still getting the point across. I wouldn’t even refer to it as social commentary because it just all feels so authentic and grounded. Plus, somehow Emergency finds a way to never take itself too seriously which is a huge benefit in terms of the overall entertainment value. I never once glanced at my phone and was fully immersed in the film from start to finish. Plus, the film absolutely left a lasting impression on me.

I like to give credit where credit is due, and without question, the primary strengths of Emergency are the writing and the acting. Considering it is the foundation of the film, I’ll start with the writing and what I felt was a masterful screenplay from Mexican-American screenwriter K.D. Dávila. Everything about the story feels very intentional and genuine for a reason thanks to the fact that the film is based on Dávila’s 2018 short film of the same name, which netted director Carey Williams several awards at various film festivals including the Special Jury Price Short Filmmaking Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Fast forward to the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and Dávila took home the Waldo Scott Screenwriting Award for a U.S. Dramatic film. It is undeniable the impact Williams has had behind the camera, but for the feature-film version to work so well the screenplay had to take center stage.

You really have to experience it for yourself, but the tone is just so, so good. I’m not quite sure how they were able to find such a great balance, but Emergency never feels too funny, too serious, or too anything really, just like one of the many fantastic jokes during the film, it feels just right (Goldilocks and the Three Bears reference, obviously). But seriously, I laughed a ton, and when it was necessary I sat back and just took in the power of the moment. Nothing felt forced which is often a difficult balance with a film that touches on serious societal issues, and everything resonated with me. During one scene a very suburban “white” couple, and I can say that because I am very white myself, come out of their house and begin filming with their phones what they perceive as drug dealers on their property while yelling at them to leave before they call the cops. Once they leave the couple retreats to their home, seemingly satisfied, as they pass by their Black Lives Matter sign. I mean, hypocrisy at its finest.

Now it is time to talk about the acting and my guy RJ Cyler, as well as the rest of this fantastic cast. Cyler won me over after his role in the 2015 coming-of-age comedy-drama Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and because of that incredible film, I will always refer to him as Earl (I hope that’s okay with him). I’ve seen that movie easily 15 times, and it just gets better with every viewing, just be prepared to shed a few tears. I am a huge fan of a well-made coming-of-age film regardless, but it also has a deeper layer for lovers of the history of film, and I really appreciated that as well. Now I mentioned the fact that as an actor, Cyler is underrated and underappreciated, which I do firmly believe because let’s be honest, before reading this did YOU know his real name? Anyway, he has been getting his fair share of quality roles with the 2017 Power Rangers re-boot which I reviewed previously (our full review here), still waiting on a sequel, as well as the hard-hitting Netflix original film The Harder They Fall, which Andrew reviewed a few months ago (full review here). Cyler has a great on-screen presence and has proven he can play comedic and more serious roles with the best of them, while surely striving when he can do a little bit of both. Needless to say, he provided the majority of the comedic relief for Emergency while also handling the more dramatic roles perfectly. Cyler also has another film that looks really good, a historic drama called Freedom’s Path which should be available at some point soon, just waiting on news of a release date.

I know I have a problem talking about my appreciation for RJ Cyler, but he wasn’t alone when it came to this great cast. The other lead role was played by Donald Elise Watkins, who I thought was fantastic as well. His chemistry with Cyler was next-level, and the two played off of each other extremely well. With a film like this that relies on that nerdy “I care too much” role and the freewheeling “show up to class when I feel like it” role, both of these characters need to be believable otherwise the film quickly falls apart. Watkins, who admittedly I did not know much about prior to Emergency, has played a number of small supporting or very limited “background character” type roles, in films like Pitch Perfect (2012), Get on Up (2014), and Free State of Jones (2016). For me this is very much a breakout role for him as he is a big reason why the film works as well as it does.

He gets just as much screen time as Cyler, and arguably has a bigger impact on the film in terms of the dramatic element during the final act. In what is arguably the most powerful scene in the film, Watkins finds himself facedown on pavement with a single tear running down his face. This moment hit hard, and was really the culmination for the film and it’s underlying message. So yeah, he was great. The supporting cast did an incredible job as well, most notably Sebastian Chacon who plays Cyler and Watkins’ fanny pack wearing and pot smoking roommate. His chemistry with Cyler and Watkins was the icing on the cake for me, and the film simply wouldn’t be quite as good without him. I have nothing negative to say about the rest of the supporting cast consisting of Sabrina Carpenter, Diego Abraham, Gillian Rabin. Maddie Nichols, and Summer Madison. Just a great job all around.

THE BAD

I figured I would be able to easily speak to some of the negatives of Emergency when it comes to the social commentary etc, but I stand corrected. KD Dávila’s effective yet relatable screenplay simply works wonders with this cast, ensuring the entertainment value is prevalent from start to finish. The film feels authentic in terms of the overall goal of the story, and not a single scene or moment is wasted. I suppose you could argue that the comedic element takes a back seat during the film’s final act, but that is of course by design and surely not a flaw of the film. Bottom line, Emergency delivers on all fronts and is a movie with high replay value as well.

THE VERDICT

As hilarious and engaging as it is raw and purposeful thanks to breakout performances from RJ Cyler and Donald Elise Watkins, Emergency is a rare comedy drama that shines a light on a serious problem within our society without feeling overly political or one-sided. Rarely taking itself too seriously, the film manages to avoid limiting its reach and instead finds a way to appeal to all audiences thanks to a versatile mix of genres, and that is one of its biggest strengths. Director Carey Williams and screenwriter KD Dávila continue to develop their strong working relationship on the big screen, and I can’t wait to see what the duo comes up with next. Hollywood needs to take notice and start giving my guy RJ Cyler more opportunities because he always delivers. A Power Rangers sequel would be nice as well. Be sure to check out Emergency sooner than later.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.4/10

Emergency is now playing in select theaters and streaming on Prime Video. Check out the latest trailer below.

Dual

By: Andrew Wing

Dual is a 2022 American satirical science fiction thriller film written, directed, and produced by Riley Stearns (also directed Faults and The Art of Self-Defense). It stars Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Endgame), Beulah Koale (Hawaii Five-0), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Westworld), and Theo James (The Divergent Series film trilogy, Archive).

The plot follows a woman (Gillan) who has to fight a clone of herself to the death after she unexpectedly recovers from a terminal illness.

The film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2022. It was released in the United States on April 15, 2022, by RLJE Films.

THE GOOD

I’ll be honest, I did not think I was going to have the privilege of checking this movie out and reviewing it this soon. The reason being that it just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and despite its pretty good reviews, I wasn’t expecting it to be widely released not even a full three months after Sundance. Nevertheless, it came to the AMC+ streaming service which I have in May, and I quickly added it to the list. I mean we got Karen Gillan in a dual role playing both herself and her clone just a year after we saw Mahershala Ali do the same thing in Swan Song (see my full review here). So without further ado, was Gillan’s performance enough to make for a quality film? Keep reading to find out!

I won’t waste any time. I’ll get right into the main reason I checked this out, and that was seeing Karen Gillan’s dual performance. First things first, I just got to say that Gillan is a perfect match for this director’s style as she just totally understood the assignment. I thought her performance here was amazing and probably the best of her young career. She just did a fantastic job with her deadpan delivery and she was able to give so many different emotions to both her original character and her clone which truly is unfathomable to just a guy like me who watches a lot of movies. At the end of the day, she crushed this role and her performance alone made the film a very solid one.

Aside from Gillan who definitely gave the best performance, the next best performance belonged to Aaron Paul in his supporting role. He comes into this film about halfway through and he gets a lot of screen time and I just had a lot of fun with his character. There were a lot of enjoyable moments with his character, but there was one in particular where he and Gillan’s original character are slow-motion fighting and narrating their every single move, and it was so hilarious. All in all, I thought Paul nailed this role, and similar to Gillan, his acting style is a perfect match for the director.

And when it comes to the director Riley Stearns, his direction here was just great. I still need to watch his previous film The Art of Self-Defense which is currently streaming on Hulu starring Jesse Eisenberg, because apparently, his style is similar in both that and this. But when it comes to his style, I already love it after seeing just one of his films. Through his direction, he was able to create this very surreal world with this very odd and dry sense of humor where all the characters are slightly more robotic than people are in real life as they deliver everything very dry and weird. He just understands his style in his own way and I can’t wait to see what he does next because I’m already a fan.

Continuing with Stearns, not only did he direct, but he wrote the film as well and this writing was impressive. Dual takes place in a world where you can clone yourself with the intention of the original personal dying, but when that doesn’t go through like in this, the clones are forced to duel to the death in a public spectacle televised event. I mean come on…who comes up with this stuff? I mean I loved this premise despite its absurdity and I had a lot of fun indulging in this premise. Also, continuing with the writing, it’s a really funny movie. I laughed a lot at the dialogue as the humor was just totally up my alley.

THE BAD

I really enjoyed this film, but unfortunately, I can see most people not liking it. A big reason why is this film just makes you ask a lot of questions that you just shouldn’t ask. Questions like why these characters don’t elicit normal human emotions, and many many more. I would totally understand people not liking this, but what I would suggest is to just not look at the big picture and just try to enjoy the dark dry comedy that’s right in front of you.

Also, if you’re looking for a movie where you can emotionally connect to the characters, this is absolutely not it. But the director knew that from the start and he really didn't care. But that is just what makes this movie an experience as this film really gets to the heart of emptiness and nothingness. Need proof? Just wait until you see the end of Dual, which I didn’t love to be completely honest, but it still made me appreciate the director’s work as he was trying to show us the bigger picture of the world he was painting.

THE VERDICT

Behind a career-best performance from Karen Gillan in a double role, Dual is a satirical science fiction thriller that shows Riley Stearns is already one of the most unique writer-directors working today. It’s off-beat, absurd, and emotionally hollow, but Gillan’s deadpan delivery, Stearns’ dark humor, and a great supporting performance from Aaron Paul that provided a lot of laughs made this film really work for me, and I can’t wait to see what Riley Stearns does next.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.9/10

Dual is now streaming exclusively on AMC+. Check out the latest trailer below.

Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick is a 2022 action drama from director Joseph Kosinski, the man who brought us TRON: Legacy and Only the Brave, from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie, and a story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks. It is the highly anticipated follow-up to the 1986 hit film, Top Gun.

After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.

The cast includes Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Bashir Salahuddin, and Ed Harris.

Top Gun: Maverick made it’s theatrical release on May 27th, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

THE GOOD

I mean, where do I start? The original Top Gun, which made it’s theatrical debut when I was still doing #1 and #2 in a diaper and eating dirt for no logical reason, is an absolute classic and one of the most quotable films in recent memory. You’ve surely heard the “Maverick” or “Goose” reference, even if you pretended to know what it meant but in actuality had no idea. Either way, Top Gun is one of those films that found a way to reverberate through the film industry for decades, and that is quite an accomplishment. I made it a point to re-watch the original film right before I made my way to the theater to see Top Gun: Maverick, and I am glad I did. Keep reading to find out why!

Boy oh boy, Top Gun: Maverick brings the heat, and then some. I went in with what I considered to be sky-high expectations thanks to all of the early screening feedback, and my expectations were met, and exceeded. I mean sure, it wasn’t like they reinvented the wheel or tried to get extra crazy with a new elaborate story, they just offered up a quality product serving as a continuation of the original, and in the process giving fans everything they wanted, and more. I loved so much about this movie, but my favorite thing about it would have to be how it felt like a passionate extension of the original film. Top Gun: Maverick opens with a mirror image to the opening sequence of the original film, and I thought that was such a nice touch. I was sitting close to an older couple who was probably in their late 20’s/early 30’s when the first Top Gun released, and the joy they were experiencing throughout the film was a big part of what makes movies so special if you ask me. The team behind the making of the film seemed to value one of my favorite sayings which is, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Seems simple enough, right? Back in 1986 Top Gun blew the top off the film industry for a reason, and the recipe for success was simple.

Tom Cruise riding his motorcycle with that awesome jacket of his and those slick aviators, I mean he was James Dean level cool (dated reference, but you get it). And some great flying sequences with a nice love story mixed in for good measure, as well as a bit of an emotional element. Speaking of Cruise, I have to attribute much of the success of the film to his involvement as he clearly cared about doing the original justice. When Top Gun: Maverick started and he put on that original jacket and jumped on that same motorcycle, I was giddy. Cruise as a person may have some questionable outlooks on life in general, but you just can’t deny his commitment to his craft, the guy is a generational talent. I firmly believe that without his involvement in the project and what seemed to be a certain level of creative freedom for him in terms of the story, Top Gun: Maverick wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. But, more on him later when I touch on my thoughts on the cast as a whole. Bottom line, the nostalgic element of the film was huge for me.

As I talked about already, the story in itself was a strength for Top Gun: Maverick, as it follows a similar recipe to the original with the “new generation” spin. Taking place over 30 years after the events of the original film, we find Tom Cruise and his Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell character working as a testing pilot for the Navy. Mitchell, who has always been a bit of a headache to his superiors, hasn’t changed one bit. Mitchell bites off more than he can chew once again, and even has another love interest to offer up just enough of a distraction from his work.

Top Gun: Maverick does begin with more of a purpose as the top pilots are brought in specifically to train for an intense and extremely dangerous mission, so the build-up is surely an advantage. I also noticed right away the comedic element was a bit more of a focus, especially considering they had lots to work with using the events of the original film as a reference point. They even paid homage to the iconic volleyball scene, and did an awesome job with that as well. The story also has more weight to it as far as the emotional element thanks to the strained relationship between Maverick, and his former co-pilot’s son Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, played by Miles Teller. I loved the story as I was engaged from start to finish and even wanted to stand and clap a few times, and don’t tell anyone but my eyes may have gotten a little teary a few times as well. Damn allergies.

As far as the acting is concerned, from the stars to the supporting cast I can honestly say I can’t think of any issues I had with it. First I have to talk about the man himself, Tom Cruise. Now watching the original film which showcased a handsome and charismatic then 25-year-old Cruise, and now seeing him in the sequel 34-years later, I can’t help but be blown away. I mean, look at this guy, he is definitely drinking from the fountain of youth and taking huge gulps. It is undeniable that Cruise is one of the best and most accomplished actors in the history of film, but some may not realize just how multi-talented this guy really is. His commitment to his craft is second to none as he is also a pilot in real-life, and always insists on doing his own stunts. In fact, the World War II P-51 Mustang that appears early on in the film, is owned by Cruise. Pretty cool if you ask me.

It was just so cool watching him in the original film, and seeing the leaps he has made as an actor in Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise has been acting for so long you’d almost immediately assume he has 100+ acting credits, I know I did, but he is actually at an even 50, which includes Part 1 and Part 2 of the not yet released Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (check out the preview and trailer for Part 1 here), as well as the currently filming and untitled “SpaceX Project”, and the rumored sequel to Edge of Tomorrow, which I really, really, really hope comes to fruition. Sorry to get distracted with his upcoming projects, but the moral of the story is that when Cruise agrees to a role, he makes sure it is going to be worth doing.

I was very confused initially by the character Penny Benjamin played by Jennifer Connelly, who serves as the on again off again love interest for Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick. In the original film, Mitchell rides off into the sunset with his newfound love interest Top Gun instructor Charlie, played by Kelly McGillis. I don’t want to sound like an a-hole here, but a quick Google search makes it very clear why McGillis was not going to return to star alongside Cruise. It reminds me of Leslie Mann in This Is 40, where she complains about how Paul Rudd’s character seemingly doesn’t age yet she can’t seem to get into a night club because she looks like a really old mom. So yeah, in steps Connelly. Now as I mentioned early on, I made it a point to re-watch the original film right before seeing Top Gun: Maverick, but like a dummy I was still confused.

After doing a bit of light research a few lightbulbs went off in my head. Connelly’s character Penny Benjamin was mentioned on two separate occasions during the original film, once by Goose when he was razzing Mitchell about his “sexual escapades”, and next when Goose’s wife, played by Meg Ryan, brings up Mitchell’s wild history with Benjamin in front of Charlie, so I applaud the writing team for the audible and bringing in Connelly who was fantastic by the way. Not only is she beautiful and just seemed to own her role, her chemistry with Cruise felt genuine, and was a big reason for why the film worked so well. I hate to say it, but I absolutely prefer Penny over Charlie #TeamPenny.

The best addition to the cast in my opinion which was also the most impactful, is without a doubt Miles Teller, who I personally love as an actor. Teller takes on the role of Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, the son of the Goose character from the first film, played by Anthony Edwards. Teller’s contribution to the story cannot be understated as his relationship with Cruise’s character was the driving force of the film. He had fantastic chemistry with Cruise, and once again proved why he is one of the better next generation of actors. Not only does he look the part with Goose’s signature mustache, he also has enough of a resemblance which helped with the believability as well. Plus like Goose he is taller than Cruise, but I mean, who isn’t. Sorry, unnecessary jab and I apologize just in case the man himself is reading this. The complex relationship between Cruise and Teller that develops throughout the film will be one of the biggest takeaways for viewers, I know it was for me. So yeah, massive casting decision.

As far as the supporting cast is concerned, Val Kilmer made his return as his iconic Tom “Iceman” Kazansky character, and even though he plays a very small part this time around, he is still a big contributing factor within the story. I really liked how they respectfully involved the legendary actor who has been battling throat cancer, making sure he was still an integral part of the film. Jon Hamm was another huge addition as Beau ‘Cyclone’ Simpson, a former Top Gun alum and Maverick’s new boss as he takes on his role back at the Top Gun academy. The former star of the hit series Mad Men, Hamm is an incredible actor so he was able to match Cruise in some of the more dramatic scenes, and I really liked how the relationship between their two characters developed. Charles Barnell did a really nice job as Solomon ‘Warlock’ Bates, the other authority figure alongside Simpson. I enjoyed their dynamic as Bates seemed to have a bit of a soft spot for Mitchell compared to Simpson, who seems to look forward to what he feels is inevitable failure.

Ed Harris was great as expected, but he played a very limited role. I really liked Bashir Salahuddin in his role as Bernie ‘Hondo’ Coleman, as he helped with the comedic element of the film. The new generation of pilots, aside from Teller of course, consists of Glen Powell as Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin, who was essentially the new Iceman. His competitive relationship with Teller is very similar to the Maverick vs Iceman battle in the original film. As I said before I thought everyone was really good, so I have to give a shout out to the rest of the supporting cast of Top Gun pilots including Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman (yes, the son of talented veteran actor Bull Pullman), Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Jack Schumacher, Manny Jacinto, Kara Wang, Greg Tarzan Davis (awesome middle name), Jake Picking, and last but not least, Raymond Lee. Everyone I mentioned deserves a ton of credit for appearing in such an incredible film.

I was genuinely impressed with director Joseph Kosinski, and felt like he handled everything pretty much as well as he could have. From his unique camera work during the action sequences to his commitment to ensuring Top Gun: Maverick paid tribute to the original, he was just on fire. During each takeoff you could almost feel the adrenaline the pilots were feeling thanks to Kosinski. I can’t wait for his next film, the Netflix original sci-fi drama Spiderhead (preview and trailer here), starring Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller, set to release next month. Considering his directorial debut was the massive 2010 film TRON: Legacy, Kosinski is making a name for himself when it comes to big time action films.

As you can tell from the trailer, the flying sequences are incredible. It really is one white-knuckle scene after another, starting with the first five minutes of the film. Tom Cruise insisted Top Gun: Maverick prioritize actual stunts and real flying over CGI, and it really shows. The film uses minimal CGI and green screen effects, and even the cockpit shots are taken during actual in-flight sequences. For this to be possible, much of the cast had to take extensive G-Force training sessions to ensure they would withstand the physical elements of the G-Force pressure during flights.

If I wasn’t eating my popcorn or enjoying my ice cold soda, my mouth was wide open during every single one of these intense scenes. They were just so, so good. In fact, I keep going back and re-watching the trailer to get my fix. Another calling card for Top Gun: Maverick is the score and soundtrack, which was nothing short of top notch thanks to talented composer Lorne Balfe. He recently handled the music for the Michael Bay action thriller Ambulance which I reviewed just over a month ago (full review here), as well as the Prime Video sci-fi thriller, The Tomorrow War. His contribution to the film really helped to ramp up the feeling of nostalgia. I also really liked the commitment to quality cinematography this time around thanks to great work from cinematographer Claudio Miranda, known for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, TRON: Legacy, and Life of Pi.

THE BAD

Admittedly, I’m still riding the high of Top Gun: Maverick to the point where I can’t seem to identify any weaknesses for the film. Or perhaps they just don’t exist. I suppose I could say the fact that it took over two years to finally release, but that is more of a pandemic issue and I refuse to go down that rabbit hole. Everything about the film just felt so intentional and authentic without a single scene that seemed slow or out of place. Plus, even at two hours and 10 minutes, it absolutely flew by. The ending may seem a bit predictable, but it still had me smiling ear to ear and left me feeling extremely satisfied. So yeah, I’m going to chalk up the negatives as a big “Goose” egg, pun intended of course.

THE VERDICT

A tour de force of epic proportions when it comes to quality filmmaking and effective sequels, Top Gun: Maverick embodies everything that made the original film an instant classic, while adding more humor, a higher bar for thrilling edge of your seat action sequences, and a few not so subtle tugs on the old heart strings. Director Joseph Kosinski really hit it out of the park. From the identical intro to Maverick’s iconic jacket, this is how you give fans what they want while ensuring newcomers have more than enough to sink their teeth into. Simply referring to Top Gun: Maverick as a superior sequel is a disservice to both films which are such seamless continuations of each other, and I honestly couldn’t imagine a more perfect ending. As soon as the credits hit the screen, I was looking forward to seeing it again. Do yourself a favor and see Top Gun: Maverick in theaters as soon as possible so you can “feel the need for speed!” You can thank me later.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

Top Gun: Maverick is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

By: Andrew Wing

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is a 2022 American live-action/animated action-adventure comedy film based on the characters Chip and Dale and a continuation of the animated TV series of the same name. Directed by Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) and written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, the film stars John Mulaney (Big Mouth, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Palm Springs) as the voices of the titular pair, respectively, with Will Arnett (Arrested Development, Lego Movie franchise), Eric Bana (Hulk, Munich), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele, The Prom), Seth Rogen (Superbad, Pineapple Express), J.K. Simmons (Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Whiplash), and KiKi Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk, The Old Guard).

It is a co-production between Walt Disney Pictures, producers David Hoberman (produced the 2010 sports drama The Fighter) and Todd Lieberman’s Mandeville Films (co-produced the 2017 live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures), and The Lonely Island (which Schaffer and Samberg are a part of).

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers premiered in Orlando on May 16, 2022, and was released in the United States on May 20, 2022, via streaming on Disney+ as an original film.

THE GOOD

I won’t lie, as the calendar turned from 2021 to 2022, when it came to upcoming movies, the Chip ‘n Dale reboot film was nowhere near the top of my list. However, after hearing all of the good reviews it was getting from critics and also coming out from the rock I was clearly living under to find out that comedy legends John Mulaney and Andy Samberg were voicing the titular characters, my excitement level went from 0 to 100. I absolutely love Andy Samberg as I probably listened to the inappropriate songs he did as a member of The Lonely Island, and for the past couple of years, I, like the rest of the world, have really taken a liking to John Mulaney, thanks in large part to his voice acting work as Andrew Glouberman in the Netflix original animated show Big Mouth. So now that I’ve given you some context, let’s see if those two comedy legends did enough to make this the surprise film of the year, or if they made it yet another in the long list of failed reboot movies. Keep reading to find out!

I won’t waste any time before I answer that question, this movie is easily the most pleasant surprise of the year for me, it is super funny, it is original in its own way, and it is just incredibly charming from beginning to end. I loved the way those in charge went about this reboot, and that’s because they knew their primary target audience was adults. I mean sure, kids can enjoy this too, but they made it knowing the adults now are the same ones who grew up watching the original animated series. I’ll touch on the director Akiva Schaffer and the writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand more so later in the review when it comes to what I liked the most about this, but just to state the obvious, they did an amazing job with Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

Alright, now I said the main reason I checked this out in the first place was because of the inclusion of both John Mulaney and Andy Samberg, and hands down, they were the best part of this. The movie had great voice work from everyone, but Mulaney and Sandberg absolutely crushed it. Their chemistry was off the charts and I’d be shocked if we don’t see them work together again in an animated movie, and hopefully, it is a sequel for this. First, with Mulaney, his voice is just perfect for animation. He was amazing as Chip, and he just did such a great job at showing how Chip is the mature and optimistic leader of the Rescue Rangers with a strong moral standard by just using his voice. As for Samberg, I mean what can I say, I absolutely loved everything he brought to the table here and he is the perfect actor to voice Dale. Similar to Mulaney, Samberg was somehow able to convey that Dale is this happy-go-lucky character who usually acts before thinking with just his voice, and I really can’t say enough about their voice acting in this. It was that good.

Now to touch on some of the supporting voice performances. J.K. Simmons probably had the best voice work when it came to the supporting crew. You could just tell that he was so committed to this like he is for all his other projects and he was just hilarious as his voice is so recognizable. Seth Rogen was awesome too in his voice role and I loved how the movie made a reference to the fact that Rogen has voiced so many animated characters in his career. Lastly, Will Arnett, Eric Bana, and Keegan-Michael Key also were great in their small supporting roles, but Tim Robinson stole the show in his cameo voice appearance as the infamous Ugly Sonic.

This movie is labeled as a comedy, and I’ll get it out of the way right now if you were wondering, it is so so funny. Every couple of minutes there was something that happened that made me laugh out loud. Sure, a lot of that is thanks to the voice actors, but the majority of credit belongs to the director Akiva Schaffer and the writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand for what they created here because this movie is extremely clever. The meta-commentary in this was perfect and I really think this movie showed everyone what meta-humor should be. In the past couple of years, we have seen meta-humor used a lot more in movies and we have seen it used so terribly. But thankfully with this, we got what meta-humor should be because they took self-referential humor and intertwined it into the story in a way that was organic, functional, unique, and most importantly, funny. From the Ugly Sonic joke, the dumping on Alvin and the Chipmunks, to the references to the 2019 film Cats which is maybe the worst movie ever, there were so many amazing jokes that will make it endlessly entertaining for years to come.

I know I’ve already spoken a lot about John Mulaney already, but this isn’t his first time starring in an animated film. He was in what I think is the greatest animated movie ever back in 2018 with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and aside from all of the awesomeness that film had, its best aspect was its animation style. Since watching that, I have slowly gotten more into anime, and after watching Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, I can certainly say that their animation was very good. It was really cool to see the blend of different animation styles they worked throughout the movie and I can’t imagine what the animators had to do to make that work. But whatever they did, it looked great and I hope that come next year’s Academy Awards, they have the chance to bring home some hardware for what they accomplished.

THE BAD

There is no denying that this movie is a freaking blast from start to finish, and as I have already said, it is the surprise movie of the year for me. Sure, there are some jokes that don’t land like all comedies and I could’ve gone without the KiKi Layne human character because I don’t think it brought much to the story, but in Layne’s defense, it cannot be easy acting with air which is what she had to do in this because the movie is primarily full of animated characters. At the end of the day though, that is about all I can say negatively about Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, so with that said, it’s undeniably a very good movie.

THE VERDICT

After exceeding all of my expectations, I can say without a doubt that Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is the surprise movie of the year as it has everything you could ask for. It’s genuinely funny as it has got great meta-humor that is full of lots of funny references, and it also has solid animation and some incredible voice acting from the entire cast that is led by John Mulaney and Andy Samberg.

I really loved this movie. It is a lot of fun, it is very honest, it is sincerely made, it is adorable, and it is just a well-put-together film. It is super accessible to many different audiences which is why I think it is the perfect family movie, so if you’re looking for a movie to watch with your kids, this is the one.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. Check out the latest trailer below.

Operation Mincemeat

By: Andrew Wing

Operation Mincemeat is a 2021 British war drama film directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel). It is based upon Ben Macintyre’s book on the British Operation Mincemeat during the Second World War. The film stars Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Mamma Mia!), Kelly Macdonald (Trainspotting, Boardwalk Empire), Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice, Succession), Penelope Wilton (Shaun of the Dead, Match Point), Johnny Flynn (Lovesick, Stardust), and Jason Isaacs (Peter Pan, The Death of Stalin).

The film’s plot begins in 1943 during the war and follows two British intelligence officers (Firth and Macfadyen) who concoct Operation Mincemeat, wherein their plan to drop a corpse with false papers off the coast of Spain would fool Nazi spies into believing the Allied forces were planning to attack by way of Greece rather than Sicily.

The film had its world premiere in 2021 at the British Film Festival in Australia and was released in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2022, by Warner Bros. Pictures, before it was released on Netflix in North American and Latin American countries on May 11, 2022.

THE GOOD

Where do I start? Operation Mincemeat definitely snuck up on me, which is all the more surprising since I’d say I keep pretty good tabs on films that premiere at festivals, but I let this one fall by the wayside. Despite that, once I saw the trailer a week or two back and saw the two biggest names attached to the film in Firth and Macfadyen, I knew I was going to have to check it out once it hit Netflix. And that is just what I did. But did it match my expectations? Well, there is only one way to know that, so keep reading to find out!

I don’t know if I can say it matched my expectations, but Operation Mincemeat is a good film nonetheless. I went into this with fair expectations. I wasn’t expecting to be watching the next Saving Private Ryan or 1917 level of war film, and because of that, I enjoyed it. That said, the best part of this movie was hands down the story. The story in this movie rules so props to Michelle Ashford for writing an amazing script that is adapted from Ben Macintyre’s book on the British Operation. It is a legitimately great story and it was so bizarre that it reminded me a lot of the Best Picture-winning film Argo, which was also based on a true story. But yeah, it was super cool to hear about this operation that played a big role in the Allied forces winning the Second World War that I had never previously heard about.

Continuing with the story, I got to bring this up because we see it so much with war movies, but I liked that Operation Mincemeat served as a very realistic take on a very real operation. Sure, it takes some creative liberties like most of these films do, but not so much that I had to drop some points off for it. Honestly, I thought it was a more accurate representation of what spycraft truly is as it is more sitting at a desk going through things rather than halo jumping out of planes or jumping from building to building like Tom Cruise does as Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible film series that I absolutely love. Seriously though, nothing felt over-dramatized in Operation Mincemeat which I appreciated, and that did the film wonders in my opinion.

Now I already mentioned why I watched this movie in the first place, and that was because of the inclusion of both Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen. Firth is an Academy Award-winning actor thanks to his unbelievable performance in The King’s Speech, and Macfadyen is just a legend mostly thanks to portraying the character Tom Wambsgams in the HBO drama series Succession. But when it comes to their performances in Operation Mincemeat, I thought both of them were solid. It wasn’t the best performance of their careers or anything, but I liked how both the film itself and their performances showed the audiences that they weren’t these superheroes without flaws. Rather, they were these valuable people working during the Second World War who were at times unsure of themselves as they didn’t know if what they were doing was right, and both of them made that feel so real and that was the best thing they brought to this film.

They were the stars of the show, but there were also some good side performances here as well. It was weird because both Johnny Flynn and Simon Russell Beale were in this and I watched it directly after watching The Outfit (see my full review here), a movie I recently reviewed. They were both good in that, and they were both just as good here although they had much smaller roles. Beale played a great Winston Churchill and Flynn played the famous Ian Fleming, whose most notable work includes only writing the most famous spy novels of all time, the James Bond series. Seriously though, I liked how they included Ian Fleming in this, and while I knew he was responsible for writing James Bond books, I had no idea he was a British naval intelligence officer during the war, so them adding that small tidbit was sick.

Lastly, when it comes to Operation Mincemeat, I absolutely loved this movie on the technical side of things. I really liked the production value of it. It looked great thanks to Sebastian Blenkov’s cinematography and its look really put me into that specific setting of the 1940s. I also liked the way they presented the timeline too and it helped me never feel lost or confused in the complex story.

THE BAD

Alright, as I’ve said, Operation Mincemeat is a good film, but there are a couple of big problems with it in my opinion. First, it just felt so slow which is never what you want out of a war film. Granted, it’s not a typical war film as it takes place more on the spy side of things rather than being out on the battlefield, but still it just felt slowly paced. It also felt very dry at times, and I just really think it could’ve used a better director than John Madden. I’ll be honest, I have never been a big fan of the legendary director that is John Madden, and I still to this day cannot fathom how his most notable film Shakespeare in Love beat out Saving Private Ryan at the 71st Academy Awards, like WTF!

A bigger problem than that though was what really hurt the film a grand amount. And that would be the love triangle side plot. Yes, there was this side plot in the movie revolving around a love triangle between Firth, Macfadyen, and Macdonald’s characters, and it was honestly pointless. It took time away from the movie and it was just such a colossal waste of time. It definitely makes the pacing issues of the movie hurt worse, and I just don’t know why they decided to add it to the film. Also tied with that, I didn’t like Kelly Macdonald’s performance here, and with her being a talented actress, I found them to waste her talent with this one unfortunately.

THE VERDICT

Despite it being a bit dry and having a pointless side plot that bogged it down, Operation Mincemeat is still a respectable war drama film that tells the true story of the British Operation that played a crucial role in the Allies defeating the Axis powers in the Second World War. It is great technically speaking and it also features two awesome performances from big-time actors Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen in their lead roles.

For me, undeniably the best part of this film was the story. Yes, they took some creative liberties with it as all historical movies do, but they told the story in such a realistic way that helped it tremendously so I have to give credit to Michelle Ashford for writing a fantastic adapted screenplay.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.3/10

Operation Mincemeat is now streaming only on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Survivor

By: Andrew Wing

The Survivor is a 2021 biographical drama film, directed by Barry Levinson (Good Morning, Vietnam, Rain Man), from a screenplay by Justine Juel Gillmer. Ben Foster (Hell or High Water, Leave No Trace) stars as Harry Haft, a real-life survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he boxed fellow inmates to survive. Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread, Old), Billy Magnussen (Game Night, Aladdin), Peter Sarsgaard (Flightplan, An Education), John Leguizamo (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!), and Danny DeVito (Batman Returns, Deck the Halls) co-star.

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2021 and was released on HBO on April 27, 2022.

THE GOOD

I have been looking forward to reviewing The Survivor for a long time now ever since I first heard about it. It was the first film from the legendary director Barry Levinson since 2015, and it was starring one of my favorite actors working currently in Ben Foster as Harry Haft, so I was pumped. Obviously, I was eager to learn more about this incredible true story that I had surprisingly never heard about before, but I’d be lying if I said anything got me as excited as Foster’s inclusion in this project. I mean, this has Academy Award Best Actor potential written all over it, and with my obsession with the Academy Awards, I knew I couldn’t miss this once it came out. And a long seven months after premiering at Toronto, The Survivor hit HBO Max, and you are damn right I checked it out first thing. But with all that said, was Ben Foster’s inclusion enough to have this film not only be a great film but live up to my incredibly high expectations for it? Keep reading to find out!

Well, unfortunately, the film didn’t, and I will talk more about why it didn’t work in the bad section, but there was one thing that exceeded my expectations. And that one thing was Ben Foster’s performance as Harry Haft. As I said, I had never heard about Harry Haft and his incredible true story, but Foster clearly did his research and he made a point of emphasis in his acting to show the toll it took on Haft as he went through these impossible challenges. Those in charge of this film really don’t sugarcoat anything, which I liked, and Foster went through the wringer (pun intended) in this film. On the same note, when discussing Foster’s performance, he truly gave us some beautiful things about the character, and those were the moral ambiguities that both he and we are faced with throughout the film. All in all, Foster undoubtedly honorably serves the man he is portraying and nothing is more important than that as an actor when playing a real person.

Continuing with Foster, I don’t know if he will be eligible for the 95th Academy Awards with this being a 2021 release, but I would love to see him tab his first Best Actor nomination for this because he damn well deserves it. For starters, the film covers three decades of Harry Haft’s life, starting with him before WW2, then going to him in the concentration camps, then after the war in New York when he is boxing, to ultimately a man in his 50s, and all of those four different timelines required Foster to give a completely different performance which is insanely impressive. Another thing was you could tell this wasn’t an impression to Foster like most other biopic performances are, but rather, Foster found the man inside himself. He showed that Haft was a man who wasn’t able to get away from his past, and he also did a great job at portraying the war fatigue that Haft dealt with. And lastly, Foster went as far as he physically could to inform the rest of Haft’s life by losing as much as 62 pounds to get to his recorded weight when he was in the concentration camps, and also put on 50 pounds after that for when he portrayed Haft in the boxing ring. I mean case closed honestly, with that alone Foster is deserving of a nomination and I really hope he can get it.

Now that I have addressed the best part of the film which was easily Foster’s performance, let’s hit on some of the other things I liked about The Survivor. First, I really liked Justine Juel Gillmer’s screenplay. I feel like some people will say it’s easier to write a biographical screenplay as opposed to any other screenplay, but it’s still super challenging to do because it can’t be easy determining which parts of someone’s life you want to write about the most. And with that said, Gillmer did a great job in my mind. I loved the dialogue she provided for later in Harry’s life as I found it to be super emotional and moving, and most importantly, I liked how she made it a point of emphasis to show that hope alone can get you through these tough times, and just how important it is to never lose hope.

Also, when it comes to things I liked about The Survivor, we got to address some of the other performances from the supporting cast. I wasn’t a fan of all of them, but I did enjoy what we got from both John Leguizamo and Danny DeVito. We see them only during the time when Harry is boxing, but they played their roles perfectly and I would love to see both of them have another role in the future where they are either a boxer’s trainer or mentor. They were good, but when it comes to the supporting performances, Billy Magnussen absolutely stole the show as he played the Nazi general at Auschwitz. I’d guarantee that this won’t be the last time we see him play a Nazi in a film because he crushed his role and his accent was flawless too.

Lastly, if you have been paying attention to the pictures throughout this review, the film is in color in Haft’s life after Auschwitz, and in black and white for both his time before the camps and while he was in the concentration camps. And you know I’m a sucker for some black and white cinematography, so I got to give a shout-out to the cinematographer George Steel. This was the first I’ve seen of him, but it was so well done and I look forward to seeing what he does next. Also, the editing that was done by Douglas Crise for this was really really good. I liked how well shot the boxing scenes were as we didn’t get too much of a shaky-cam, and after looking through his past work, I shouldn’t have been surprised that I liked his editing as he was the editor for the 2014 Best Picture-winning film Birdman that is one of my all-time favorites. And just one more thing, Hans Zimmer’s score was as great as you would expect any Zimmer score to be as he is the GOAT composer in my eyes.

THE BAD

When it comes to The Survivor, there is no debating that it is a good film, but it wasn’t the great film I was expecting it to be. Now it wasn’t due to Foster’s performance that I feel that way as I have already addressed, but I really think it falls on director Barry Levinson. Now Levinson is now eighty years old and there is no denying that he is a legendary director, but this will probably be one of his more forgettable pieces of work despite Foster’s amazing performance. Now I said I liked Gillmer’s screenplay and I did, but the inclusion of and Levinson’s decision to hop around from different timelines in Haft’s life hurt the film a little I think. It wasn’t terrible, but I think it made the film feel uneven if that makes sense, and I think their decision to do that also resulted in the film running too long.

Aside from the film’s uneven feel and long runtime, there was nothing else that really dragged the film down for me. I will say though that I wasn’t extremely pleased with what we got from both Vicky Krieps and Peter Sarsgaard. Now Sarsgaard’s character had a small role in the film, but I just felt like we got nothing out of it which was unfortunate as he is a very good actor. As with Krieps, and maybe I’m an outlier here, but I just wasn’t buying what she was selling. I’m surprised that I am saying that because she is a fabulous actress that I loved in Phantom Thread, but for all the emotional scenes towards the end with her character and Foster’s, Foster carried as I thought she didn’t bring enough emotion to her performance.

THE VERDICT

Behind a transformative performance from Ben Foster that is arguably the best of his career, The Survivor is a solid biographical drama that tells the story of Harry Haft, a real-life survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he boxed fellow inmates to survive.

Foster’s physical and emotional commitment to the role makes me think it is the best of his career. The story we got from Justine Juel Gillmer was powerful and the film was very nicely crafted thanks to Douglas Crise’s editing, George Steel’s stunning cinematography, and Hans Zimmer’s score, but some of the directorial choices made by Barry Levinson gave the film an uneven feeling and a long runtime that left more to be desired.

TED TAKES RATING - 8/10

The Survivor is available only on HBO and the HBO Max streaming service. Check out the latest trailer below.

Firestarter

Firestarter is a 2022 horror thriller film directed by Keith Thomas (The Vigil), from a screenplay by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills) based on the novel by Stephen King, and is produced by Jason Blum (Halloween, The Invisible Man) for Blumhouse and Oscar® winner Akiva Goldsman (I Am Legend, Constantine) for Weed Road Pictures. It is a reboot of the 1984 film of the same name.

A girl with extraordinary pyrokinetic powers fights to protect her family and herself from sinister forces that seek to capture and control her. For more than a decade, parents Andy and Vicky have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction.

The cast includes Zac Efron, Sydney Lemmon, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Michael Greyeyes, Kurtwood Smith, John Beasley, and Gloria Reuben.

Firestarter made its debut in theaters and on the Peacock streaming service on May 13th.

THE GOOD

Put your hand up if you’ve seen the original Firestarter starring Drew Barrymore. Anyone? Anyone? Obviously, I can’t see you right now and have no idea if you have your hand up or not, but I am going to assume most of you kept your hands down. For one, the original came out back in 1984, and secondly, it just wasn’t very good. The film came out two years after the instant cult classic I assume most have seen, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and talk about a regression. Luckily Barrymore’s career remained intact as she beat out the “child actor curse”, many others weren’t quite as lucky. To get back on track, they decided to remake the film and put my guy Zac Efron in a leading role which was sure to at least garner some interest. I for one was intrigued and willing to give it a chance so I did, hoping for the best of course. Was Efron able to help Firestarter get re-ignited for a new generation?! Keep reading to find out!

Nope, not even a little bit. The flame fizzled out in the first five minutes of the film as audiences will quickly realize how ridiculous this premise is, causing them to lose interest pretty fast. Now I talked about Efron being a draw for the film and he was, but his performance isn’t exactly keeping people around until the end credits and I will touch on that more later in the review. The score is on the shortlist of positives as the duties were handled by horror legend John Carpenter and his fellow Halloween franchise composers Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. Umm so yeah, I wish I had more good things to say about Firestarter but I just don’t. I guess if you watch it sarcastically you might enjoy it more, but the fact that they technically consider this to be horror, well that in itself is pretty damn hilarious.

THE BAD

Remakes can be tough, I get that, but usually, the remake has an uphill battle due to the fact that the original was usually really good. I mean, why else are we remaking a movie if that’s not the case. Well, someone decided that remaking a mediocre Stephen King adaptation from 1984 was a good idea, and I would love to give that person a nice slap aside the old noggin’. All jokes aside, the original film which starred a young Drew Barrymore, was watchable but not much beyond that. Fast forward to 2022, and as if we don’t have enough bumps in the road in the last few years, here comes a remake with an entirely new cast, and I could honestly spend all day talking about why this movie shouldn’t have been made.

First of all, I am a big Stephen King guy. As far as book-to-film adaptations, even though a few have been less than great, he has knocked it out of the park more often than not. I often think back to Pet Sematary, which was actually recently remade as well. The original terrified me as a kid to the point where I thought any of our pets that passed away were going to walk into my room in the middle of the night. So yeah, not the recipe for a restful night’s sleep when you are 5-years old. And as far as the remake goes, I really enjoyed it all things considered. It all comes down to the story, and as long as you focus on the meat of the story, you have something to work with. But, with Firestarter, we have a little girl who shoots fire out of her hands and makes dishes fall off the dinner table. So yeah, not really much to work with. This brings me back to my original question, WHY are we remaking this movie?!

When you start with what I consider to be a poor concept, bad writing is sure to follow, right? Scott Teems, the man who wrote the screenplay sure didn’t have much to work with. Teems, who looks like he could star in a Rob Zombie film, is starting to carve out a career for himself as a horror writer after last year’s Halloween Kills, with two projects in post-production where he shares writing duties including another remake with The Exorcist, and Insidious 5. But I have to be honest here, I am far from sold on Teems and his ability to put together a script with any substance. I mean sure with Halloween Kills it is what it is, and although the story was pretty ridiculous more often than not, it scratched that slasher itch for fans of the franchise.

With Firestarter, the memo had to be clear, do something to make this movie not suck. Work with King and come up with some cool ideas. Did he do that? Nope, not even a little bit. But even worse than that, he managed to serve up dialogue that had me thinking Zac Efron, who played famed serial killer Ted Bundy recently let’s not forget, might need to go back to the Disney Channel. Seriously, the dialogue was trash, often felt forced, and was just cheesier than a well-made grilled cheese sandwich (apologies for the dad joke, couldn’t help myself). Fingers crossed this was just a misstep for Teems and his upcoming projects are worth watching, because if he pulls this crap again, he will find himself on my screenwriter blacklist (which I will create just for him).

This seems like a nice segue (anyone else think that was spelled “Segway” or am I the only idiot?) into the acting that was served up in Firestarter. Perhaps we can blame the casting team because they basically said hey Zac feel like starring in a movie surrounded by a mediocre cast? I imagine he was like sure I have nothing else going on, I’ll film my scenes in one weekend. Seriously, I like Efron as a actor and feel like he has proven his versatility time and time again, so I know this isn’t on him. With that being said, at times it honestly felt like he was having a hard time keeping a straight face during the more “dramatic” scenes. I can picture him laughing when he read over the script.

Efron stars alongside Sydney Lemmon, who plays his wife in the film. Lemmon fits the bill for someone I would consider to be an unknown actress who proved she isn’t yet ready for the bright lights of feature-films. She just wasn’t very convincing. I did find it funny that the marketing team referenced her role in HBO’s hit series Succession when promoting the film, but she was in one episode. Now she’s not horrible here, and she is gorgeous (just sayin’), but she really falters when she has to be a bit more serious and clearly struggles with that. Maybe she’ll get there, time will tell. Michael Greyeyes takes on the role of Rainbird, who is essentially the man who also has some abilities of his own and is hired to bring this little girl in. He was fine as far as his role in general, and probably a bright spot as far as the acting to be honest.

Gloria Reuben, who takes on the role of the diabolical Captain Hollister, tasked with acquiring the girl at all costs leading her to bringing Rainbird out of retirement, was brutal at times in my opinion. One scene in particular during the middle of the film she goes to see Dr. Wanless played by Kurtwood Smith to make him aware of the dire circumstances surrounding this dangerous little girl, and to say that her acting was cringeworthy might be generous. It was just downright silly, and she couldn’t have been less believable in this role.

I will save you the headache and not go too much in depth on the dialogue choices, but they are pretty bad. I mean, with such a ridiculous premise you either have to have a little bit of slapstick humor to balance things out, or find a way to make things really, really dark. Unfortunately the tone is just uncomfortable from start to finish, which ties in nicely with what I consider to be bargain-basement special effects. I mentioned how it seemed like Efron was trying to keep a straight face during the majority of his dramatic scenes, and one scene in particular stood out to me. Cover your ears, or eyes I suppose, if you are a big time cat lover because the scene I am referencing involves a cat getting barbecued “accidentally”. Basically it scratched the wrong little girl and burst into flames, I mean, these things happen right? Anyway, this cat is toast, literally, and Efron quickly reassures his daughter that it’s okay and they have a little burial for her in the back of this random parking lot. Efron decides to say a few nice words because he is a great guy after all, and as he is referring to the cat he refers to it as either a she or a he because of course he has no idea, and even throws in the “they” at the end just for good measure. Now I’m not sure if this was a knock on the current climate or a futile effort to seem with the current times, but if it is the latter I like the film a little bit more. So yeah, just picture the scene it sums up the movie pretty well.

THE VERDICT

An extremely unnecessary remake where the bad acting and special effects make it feel more like a spoof film than a horror thriller, Firestarter overstays it’s welcome pretty quickly and puts into question why this film was made in the first place. I can’t help but question screenwriter Scott Teems and his ability to come up with a screenplay with any substance or dialogue that isn’t cringeworthy, or even just an original idea or two. But this isn’t all on Teems, and to be honest every single person that worked on this film has some explaining to do. If I am Zac Efron, I am chalking this up as a fun exercise in what it’s like to star in a really, really bad movie. Can’t wait to see him in the Three Men and a Baby remake to get this bad taste out of my mouth.

TED TAKES RATING - 2/10

Firestarter is now playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock. Check out the latest trailer below.

Vendetta

Vendetta is a 2022 crime thriller written and directed by Jared Cohen, who is no stranger to the genre.

After the murders of his wife and young daughter at the hands of a ruthless crime family, an ex-marine seeks revenge by picking off members of the gang one by one until he completes his mission, even if it costs him his own life in the process.

The cast includes Clive Standen, Theo Rossi, Bruce Willis, Thomas Jane, and Mike Tyson.

Vendetta was released in limited theaters, VOD, and direct to Blu-ray and DVD on May 17th, courtesy of Vertical Entertainment and Redbox Entertainment.

THE GOOD

Like most people, I was shocked and just sad when I heard about the cognitive issues actor Bruce Willis was dealing with, essentially forcing him into retirement. We all had our opinions in terms of his decision to star in a ton of low-budget films, but we never expected that he was just trying to get in as many roles as he could before his illustrious career came to a close. The talented actor has just shy of 145 acting credits, with 20 of those coming in just the last few years. He is most often thought of as a guy starring in some kind of action/crime thriller film, and he has a great feel for revenge films. I personally thought he was fantastic in the 2018 remake of the Charles Bronson film Death Wish, which I reviewed back when it came out (find the full review here). The film was unfairly shredded by the majority of critics but is absolutely worth a watch for fans of revenge thrillers. So, when I find out one of Willis’ final films, Vendetta, was slated to come out in mid-March, I had to check it out and give it a fair assessment. So, does it hold up to Death Wish? Keep reading to find out!

I am sad to say the answer is a resounding no, which is a huge bummer because I was expecting so much more. I will get into my issues with the film, and the list is long, later in the review, but for now I will try and touch on some of the positives. Vendetta is your classic revenge thriller, borrowing basically the exact premise from the 2007 James Wan film Death Sentence that offers up a pissed-off Kevin Bacon on a path for revenge. Spoiler alert, that is much, much better. The basic premise behind Vendetta is family man William Duncan, played by Clive Standen, experiences the worst thing in the world as his young daughter is murdered as part of a gang initiation. If that isn’t bad enough, the broken justice system proves to be of no help even though they have the killer in custody, forcing Duncan to resort to vigilante justice. Lucky for him, and unlucky for the gang who had his daughter killed, he is a decorated veteran who is no stranger to death. Duncan embarks on his mission for revenge with little care for his own well-being, deciding early on that seeing those responsible suffer is enough.

I enjoyed the film’s opening sequence which did a nice job setting the tone for what was to come, and I have to say I was a bit too giddy when the gang members showed up wearing Jason masks. Even though things went a bit sideways soon after, the opening was pretty good. I also enjoyed certain elements of the film’s conclusion and the overall finale which had a nice high-energy feel to it. The ending was pretty good as well all things considered. Even though his character was about as out of place as a stripper in church thanks to zero explanation as to who the heck he even was, I enjoyed Thomas Jane’s role as Dante. His pipe smoking, Budweiser drinking, and rambling on about nonsense character was fun and added some element of comic relief. Speaking of comic relief, even though he is on the poster Mike Tyson is on-screen for all of five minutes, I liked his role as it felt like more of a cameo. In my opinion, Tyson earned the right to play in any movie he wants after knocking Ed Helms into next week in The Hangover, and we get to see him throw a mean right hook in this role as well.

THE BAD

Let me be clear, I’m not going to write a film off just because it is a low-budget straight to VOD and Blu-ray/DVD release. It’s entirely possible for films like this to actually be pretty good, plus as I mentioned before I made it a point to check out what is likely one of the last times we will see Bruce Willis on-screen. But, with that being said, I can think of several revenge thrillers that are so much better than Vendetta. I already mentioned Death Wish and Death Sentence, Law Abiding Citizen is amazing, The Brave One is fantastic, The Foreigner is one of the better revenge thrillers you’ll watch, and I’ll even add in Peppermint which sends mom jeans-wearing Julia Garner on a streak for vigilante justice. Bottom line, even though the premise for the films I mentioned are as simple as it gets, execution is key. Not only did Vendetta miss the mark on execution, but they also couldn’t even spell the word if their life depended on it.

The writing is just so bad, like cringe-worthy at times. Just as an example, the film is of course built on the gang initiation that ends up killing the daughter of the main character. That scene in itself was pretty awesome honestly as I touched on a bit above, where the gang members essentially overtake this poor girl sitting in the car waiting for her dad who is grabbing dinner. The father hears gunshots and comes out to find his daughter dead, and the idiot is too slow to get out of there before the cops arrive so he ends up arrested. But because of certain events that unfold, he ends up getting released. And I’ll ignore the ridiculous nature of this scenario for the sake of making my other point, but as the gang greets him upon his release, they tell him how proud they are and that he is a man know who is capable of “running the world”. Okay so did I miss something, or did this idiot not only botch his initiation, he killed a girl in broad daylight and stuck around for the police to arrive. This is exactly when I realized logic has no place in Vendetta.

At one point Clive Standen’s character is barely making his way down the hallway in the hospital with crutches and the help of a nurse, but in the next scene he walks out the front door right into a slow-mo “power scene” as he embarks on his second (yes, second) mission for revenge. And this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as plot holes go, just think about that for a second. This is silly but at one point during his training montage, if you want to call it that, for some reason, he continues to wear his hospital gown as he is working out. Lie huh? I can’t, I just can’t. I didn’t think you needed a big budget for common sense storytelling, but I guess I was wrong. This feels like as good a time as any to touch on the dialogue, and it is BRUTAL. So many scenes felt downright uncomfortable, and if I’m being honest a 4th grader could have given the cast more to work with. The acting, in general, isn’t great and at times is pretty rough, most of which I think we can blame on the script, but I was pleased with how they handled Bruce Willis and his limitations, keeping his lines short and effective. Oh and the technical elements are mostly atrocious, although the soundtrack is okay, I just don’t have the energy to get into it. The editing is so bad that it’s honestly nonsensical at times, like to the point where they either pulled crucial scenes that helped to weave together the story or just threw scenes together in random order just for the fun of it. Like somehow Standen’s character knew where one of the men in the gang lived, but had no clue about the gang’s hideout which was a strip club he had previously cased as part of his revenge mission.

THE VERDICT

A paint-by-numbers revenge thriller weighed down by a predictable plot and a frustrating lack of creativity, Vendetta may be watchable with a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit but is ultimately a disservice to Bruce Willis in one of his final roles. I went in knowing what to expect thanks to director Jared Cohen’s lackluster resume, but I still held out hope that perhaps he had a gem in the making. But long story short, all writing duties in the foreseeable future should be taken away from Cohen, for his own good and the good of the viewing public. Also, perhaps hiring an editing team with half of a brain between them is a good start as well. I know I sound bitter, and it’s because I am. I love this genre and I just hate when films take a big crap on it assuming viewers are too stupid to notice.

TED TAKES RATING - 3.2/10

Vendetta is now available VOD and for rental and purchase on Blu-ray and DVD. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Outfit

By: Andrew Wing

The Outfit is a 2022 American crime drama film directed by Graham Moore (best known for writing the screenplay for The Imitation Game) in his directorial debut from a screenplay by Moore and Johnathan McClain (who wrote multiple episodes of the AMC television series Mad Men). The film stars an ensemble cast including Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies, Dunkirk), Zoey Deutch (Why Him?, Zombieland: Double Tap), Johnny Flynn (Lovesick, Stardust), Dylan O’Brien (Maze Runner trilogy, Love and Monsters), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Avenue 5, The Personal History of David Copperfield), and Simon Russell Beale (Into the Woods, The Death of Stalin).

The plot centers around an English tailor, or, as he prefers to be called, a “cutter”, (Rylance) in Chicago whose primary customers are a family of vicious gangsters.

The film had its world premiere at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival on February 14, 2022, and was released in the United States on March 18, 2022, by Focus Features.

THE GOOD

I’ll be honest, I was not with the majority when the first trailer for The Outfit came out. I don’t know why, given all the big names that I liked that were attached, but maybe it’s just the fact that there have been some bad crime drama films over the past couple of years. Anyways, once The Outfit hit theaters, it was getting generally favorable reviews everywhere, so I started to get more excited about it. I unfortunately never got around to seeing it in theaters, but once I saw that it was coming to the Peacock streaming service, I knew I had to check it out ASAP and write a review for it. So with all that said, was The Outfit yet another in the long list of failed crime drama films over the past couple of years, or was it a surprisingly good addition to the legendary genre of film? Keep reading to find out!

Let’s not waste any time, The Outfit was awesome. Sure it had its quips that I’ll touch on later in the review, but it was such a breath of fresh air for the genre and it honestly felt like something we haven’t seen before. Yes, it takes place in Chicago in the 1950s with all the typical mobs and crime bosses we’ve grown accustomed to, but all the surrounding elements were unique to me. And a big reason for that was what we got here from Graham Moore in his directorial debut. I was super impressed by Moore, and it says a lot about him as a director and a writer that he was able to make a movie that literally takes place entirely in a tailor shop for 106 minutes, and still have it be a good product at the end of the day. His direction here was great, but his writing alongside co-writer Johnathan McClain was even better. I’ll talk about some problems I had with the script, but it was still solid. Every time I thought I had this film figured out, it kept turning the tables on me and kept me in suspense, and I don’t know about you, but that's what I truly want from a script, to not know what is going to happen next, and they executed that.

As good as the direction and the writing is in The Outfit, it is undoubtedly carried by the performances. I’ll touch on all of them, but we need to start with the star of the show, and that is Mark Rylance. Rylance is an Oscar-winning actor thanks to his unforgettable performance in Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, and I honestly thought he should’ve garnered another nomination last year after his downright hilarious performance in Adam McKay’s comedy Don’t Look Up (see Ted’s full review here). In this though, Rylance plays a more subtle and laid-back character with a lot hiding underneath the surface. Despite that, he conveyed all of his emotions just as you would expect an actor of his caliber to do before the final third of the film where he captivates you by releasing everything he has been keeping on the inside. Simply put, the man is a legend and he continues to kill it.

The second-best performance in The Outfit and definitely the most impressive for me was Johnny Flynn’s. I had never even heard of or seen this guy before watching this, but man did he make it so I won’t forget him. His character is a badass, and his accent was pretty sick too, but yeah I thought he really stole the show here. I also really liked Zoey Deutch’s performance here as the shop receptionist, Mable, and it was weird to see her not being in a comedy film like she often is, but she definitely showed her wide range of skills as an actress. 

Continuing with the performances, I just need to highlight both Dylan O’Brien and Simon Russell Beale who play father and son in this. First, with O’Brien, I know he caught a lot of crap after the Maze Runner trilogy even though I thought he was fine in them, but after last year’s surprisingly fantastic Love and Monsters, and now this, I think he is back on the right track and I’m sure he will start giving us more great performances. Now with Beale, he was so good in this as the Irish Mob boss. I mean he is certainly intimidating given his stature, but he was such a nice addition to the already awesome cast. Side note, speaking of Beale, if you haven’t seen The Death of Stalin, go do yourself a favor and watch that. His performance in that is freaking phenomenal and the movie itself is hilarious, and it’s easily one of my favorite films from the last decade.

Lastly, you know I had to touch on a couple of the technical elements when it comes to The Outfit. First, I loved both the production design and the costume design. As I said, the film takes place entirely in the tailor shop, but I was totally fine with it as it looked very nice and it really put us in the film’s setting. Also, to add to the feeling of being in the setting, the costumes were fantastic and I mean if they weren’t that would’ve been a problem given the film follows a tailor. And finally, the score for the film was superb. It was composed by Alexandre Desplat, so I am not surprised at all that I loved it as he is arguably one of the best film composers of all time thanks to his legendary scores for films like The King’s Speech, Argo, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The Shape of Water.

THE BAD

There is no denying that this film is a good one. It’s a great addition to the crime drama genre of movies as I already mentioned and I would recommend it to anybody. However, there are just a couple of things that held it back from reaching that truly upper echelon of crime drama films. Its biggest flaw in my opinion and I hinted at it when discussing the screenplay, was I think its overabundance and overreliance on twists. It was a great asset in spots, but I also found it to be its biggest problem. Now I know I just mentioned I like scripts that keep me guessing and keep me on my toes, but this overdid it because it pushed my suspension of disbelief past a certain point if that makes sense.

Two other small things that took some points off of the film were first, its slow pacing in the first third. I don’t know, I was into the story at the very beginning, but it stayed pretty slow for the first 25 to 30 minutes, but it eventually got going and it was worth the wait. And two, I would’ve liked to see Zoey Deutch’s character either have a more prominent role in the film or just more screen time. It would’ve been tough given that the film was already 106 minutes long and it shouldn’t have been any longer than that, but I just liked her character and I thought she could have brought more to the film.

THE VERDICT

Graham Moore’s directorial debut, The Outfit, is a smart and gripping crime thriller that is a worthy addition to the crime-drama genre that has been weak for the past couple of years. Moore’s screenplay will most definitely keep you guessing, sometimes to a fault, but there is no debating that the film is carried by some awesome performances, its brought-to-life 1950s setting thanks to the production design and costumes, and a marvelous score from the legendary Alexandre Desplat.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

The Outfit is now streaming exclusively on Peacock. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Fallout

By: Andrew Wing

The Fallout is a 2021 American teen drama film written and directed by Megan Park (most known for her role in the television series The Secret Life of the American Teenager). The film stars Jenna Ortega (Jane the Virgin, You), Maddie Ziegler (The Book of Henry, Music), Julie Bowen (Modern Family, Happy Gilmore), John Ortiz (Fast & Furious, Fast & Furious 6, Bumblebee), Niles Fitch (St. Vincent, This Is Us), Will Ropp (The Way Back, Silk Road), and Shailene Woodley (The Fault in Our Stars, The Divergent Series). The score is composed by American musician and actor Finneas O’Connell (Billie Eilish’s brother).

The film follows Vada Cavell (Ortega), a high school student who deals with significant emotional trauma following a school shooting which she experienced in a bathroom stall alongside Mia (Ziegler) and Quinton (Fitch). Together, the three form a unique and dynamic bond as they navigate the never linear, often confusing journey to healing in a world that feels forever changed.

The Fallout had its premiere at South by Southwest on March 17, 2021, where it was awarded the Grand Jury Prize in the Narrative Feature Film Competition, the Audience Choice Award in the Narrative Feature Competition, and the Brightcove Illumination Award. It was released on January 27, 2022, on HBO Max by Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema.

THE GOOD

The hype surrounding The Fallout has been very hard to miss, to say the least. I remember a little about it after it premiered at South by Southwest last year, but once it came to HBO Max in late January, the buzz surrounding the film was insane. With that said, you are probably wondering why I am just now reviewing it in mid-May. Well, I am too, but after a busy semester of college, I have finally gotten some free time and The Fallout was right at the top of my watchlist so I checked it out. So was it worth the wait? Did it live up to my expectations and was all the hype real? Well, there’s only one way to know, so keep reading to find out!

So yeah, aside from having a busy semester that kept watching and reviewing this film on the back burner, when it came out, I had just recently watched and review another film that touched on the same topic of the after-effects of a school shooting, and that film was Fran Kranz’s Mass (see my full review here) that is now streaming on Hulu, and all jokes aside, I didn’t want to watch another heavy film with difficult subject matter like this right away. So months later I did, and to get right into the review, the way actor-turned-director Megan Park wrote and directed this film in her feature film debut was remarkable.

As I said in the introduction, The Fallout is a film about high school students that have to deal with a recent school tragedy that was a school shooting. And with that said, this movie is extremely emotional as it deals with a very difficult subject matter and thanks to Park’s direction and screenplay, it goes about it with a ton of empathy and sensitivity and in both an honestly raw and an incredibly sincere way. With her direction, it was all great, but a couple of her choices really stood out to me. Things like how she would let certain scenes sit for a while so you could get all of the underlying emotions that were being conveyed and I also liked all of the texting scenes going on between Vada and Mia as they silently packed a punch. 

Next with her writing, I loved how she made a point with her screenplay to show audiences that people deal with tragic events like this in their own way and grieve in their own way, and that there is no “right” way to grieve, and we should all be understanding of that. Also, despite the difficult subject matter at hand, Park still added humor to the script and I thought she did it perfectly. All in all, Park’s directorial debut was impressive and it is easily one of the most daring debuts in recent years as she tackled complex emotions tied to a terrible trauma through the eyes of a high school teenager.

And that certain high school teenager was portrayed by Jenna Ortega. Now, all of the performances across the board were astonishing, but Ortega absolutely stole the show. Before diving into her performance, it just needs to be said that Ortega is about to blow up, if she hasn’t already after having quite the year with both this and the A24 slasher film X from Ti West that Ted reviewed (see his full review here). But for real, she is an amazing actress at the young age of nineteen and I see a lot of awards in her very near future. But in this specifically, Ortega was phenomenal and her range of emotion was utterly ridiculous. It was hard to fathom how believable her performance was and I know it won’t, but she should really get looked at at next year’s Academy Awards when it comes to the Best Actress category because she was that good and her performance made the film unforgettable.

Aside from Ortega though, as I said, all of the performances were astonishing. First, with Maddie Ziegler, she was really good and as another nineteen-year-old like Ortega, she has a very bright future. Next with both Julie Bowen and John Ortiz as they played Vada’s parents, Patricia and Carlos Cavell. They were both so good, and Ortiz in particular had an “Oscar” scene towards the end that had me on the verge of tears. Niles Fitch was great as well and it was weird to see him in something that wasn’t This Is Us, Will Ropp was very funny as Vada’s best friend Nick, and Shailene Woodley made the most of her smaller role as Vada’s therapist, Anna.

Last but not least, the film’s score that was composed by Billie Eilish’s brother and collaborator Finneas O’Connell was nothing short of perfect. The score was brutal and sombering and it just added to the brutality of this movie that was sad, and as I already mentioned, very emotional. We just saw Billie Eilish and him win the Academy Award for Best Original Song with “No Time to Die” from No Time to Die (see Ted’s full review here), and I know it’s a long shot, but I could see O’Connell getting a Best Score nomination at next year’s Academy Awards thanks to his score here.

THE BAD

If you haven’t got the memo yet, The Fallout was a truly incredible film that I don’t have a lot bad to say about. One thing I will say though is that in certain scenes, I felt like they were trying to lay some emotional bait if that makes sense which I could’ve gone without, but at the end of the day, it’s a movie and they are dramatic and try to pull on your emotional heartstrings, so enough said. Also before closing, and I say this as more of a warning before you go ahead and check this out, this movie portrays issues of trauma resulting from an act of violence, so viewer discretion is obviously advised.

THE VERDICT

Behind one of the most impressive directorial debuts in recent memory from Megan Park, The Fallout is a daring film that tackles the complex emotions a high school teenager faces after being a part of a school shooting. As I said, Park’s direction was great, her screenplay was fantastic, it had a sombering score from Finneas O’Connell, and it was backed by incredible performances, most notably Jenna Ortega.

All in all, The Fallout is a really really solid movie, and I implore you to check it out. It’s a movie that deals with a very difficult subject matter in an honest, mature, and appropriate way.

From Ted’s Perspective

A powerful and moving film that handles an extremely difficult subject with a delicate touch, The Fallout is at its core a film about the importance of human connection in the midst of unthinkable tragedy within a disconnected generation. Everything about this movie impressed me, from the acting to the soundtrack, it was just so easy to fall in love with everything about it.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.1/10

The Fallout is now available only on HBO Max. Check out the latest trailer below.