Marry Me

By: Andrew Wing

Marry Me is a 2022 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kat Coiro (fourth feature film), with a screenplay by John Rogers (co-wrote The Core, Catwoman, and co-wrote the story for the film Transformers), Tami Sagher (was a staff writer on How I Met Your Mother), and Harper Dill. It’s based on the graphic novel of the same name by Bobby Crosby, it stars Jennifer Lopez (Selena, The Wedding Planner) as Kat Valdez, a pop star who decides to marry a stranger, Charlie Gilbert, who is played by Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers, Midnight in Paris), holding a “Marry Me” sign after learning that her on-stage partner Bastian, who is played by Maluma (Columbian singer and songwriter), has been having an affair. John Bradley (Game of Thrones, Moonfall), Sarah Silverman (School of Rock, Wreck-It Ralph), and Chloe Coleman also star in supporting roles.

The film was announced in April 2019, with Lopez and Wilson set to star and Coiro joining the project as director. Universal Pictures acquired the film distribution rights in July 2019. Principal photography took place in Manhattan in October and November 2019. A soundtrack album of the same name by Lopez and Maluma was also produced. The lead single, titled “Pa’ Ti”, was released on September 24, 2020, and debuted at number nine on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs, marking Lopez’s highest chart debut in the United States since 2017.

Marry Me premiered in Los Angeles on February 9, 2022, and was released in the United States theatrically and simultaneously available on Peacock Premium on February 11. It was delayed twice from an original February 2021 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

THE GOOD

I won’t lie, when I saw this trailer for the first time, I was shaking my head. One because of its extremely silly premise. And two, because it’s yet another romantic comedy film starring Jennifer Lopez, only this time with one of my favorite actors, Owen Wilson. Yes, he is one of my favorite actors, but I didn’t love the thought of his on-screen chemistry with Lopez. I just didn’t see it working. Add in the fact that it had a February release and that it would be premiering on Peacock the same day, I set the bar very low. Well anyways, I still ended up reviewing it, so keep reading to see if Marry Me was exactly what I thought it would be, or if it was actually something completely different!

So yeah, as I just said, the only thing that got me to press play for this was the inclusion of Owen Wilson. I have just always loved him as he is somebody I grew up watching a lot of. I remember actually watching Wedding Crashers at the young age of seven and instantly saying that it was my favorite movie ever because of how funny it was. And yes, you read that right, my parents let me watch Wedding Crashers at seven, but hey, I’d like to think I turned out okay. Nonetheless, I have continued to love Owen Wilson even more after seeing all of his roles in Wes Anderson’s films, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, and recently as of last year, his role in the Disney+ series Loki. But enough about his past roles, let’s talk about his performance in this. I thought he was really good, to be honest. He plays Charlie Gilbert, a divorced math teacher, and he is just so good at playing a normal, everyday kind of guy. I loved his casting as the math teacher too, mostly because it allowed for some hilarious math puns that made me laugh audibly. He was even solid in some of the more dramatic scenes towards the final third of the film. It was just another above-average performance under his belt and he made the movie for me.

Yes, Owen Wilson is great, but there is no denying this is J.Lo’s movie. It has been a couple of days since I watched this, and I really am having a hard time grading her performance. I think because I can’t tell if she is truly acting or just playing herself because watch the trailer and any joe schmo can tell you that her character in the film, Kat Valdez, is basically just Jennifer Lopez. Despite that, I think she was good overall, and it was definitely one of her better performances that I’ve seen. Definitely wasn’t as good as she was in Hustlers, a 2019 film that I really enjoyed, where she really put her acting skills on full display. But even if it wasn’t her best, it’s okay because J.Lo is certainly a singer first, and her singing in this was superb. For the rest of her acting career, she might as well play characters that sing because it’ll put people in the seats just because of how amazing her voice is.

The music as a whole in Marry Me was top-notch. This was the first I’ve heard of Maluma, the actor that plays Kat Valdez’s partner Bastian, and his voice is phenomenal. I’d be lying if I said his and J.Lo’s song “Marry Me” hasn’t been stuck in my head the past couple of days because of how catchy it is. A couple of other things I liked about Marry Me include pretty much all of the supporting performances, specifically John Bradley and Sarah Silverman. I loved Bradley as Samwell Tarly in Game of Thrones, and he definitely has a future in comedy films like this, and it was just a treat getting to watch him and Owen Wilson go back and forth sometimes. As for Silverman, I am a big fan of hers as she is always able to crack me up. Lastly, I got to give some love to director Kat Coiro and also the screenplay we got here. This film really could’ve been bad, but the people in charge clearly knew what they were doing and they produced one of the better romantic comedies of recent memory.

THE BAD

First things first, this film will not be winning any big awards come awards season, but that’s okay. At least for me, films like this with ridiculous premises tend to have a certain ceiling on them and I would argue they ultimately hit theirs. This film was made for a specific audience and I think most people will be pleased, but with this being “The Bad” section, I just need to highlight some flaws here.

First, I was not a fan of the editing in this. I know we are living in the social media age, but I was getting quite annoyed by every other scene having either an Instagram story or Snapchat story being on the screen so we can see it from whoever is filming’s perspective. Just got tired of it after a while and I don’t think it was necessary. And second, similar to me saying films like this have ceilings as to how good they can be, I also think they should have a limit on how long they can be. This clocks in at just under 2 hours with its 112-minute runtime and I would say it should be right around the 90-minute mark. It definitely dragged at some points and I was checking the time on my phone occasionally, but I was ultimately pleased with the ending so I guess I can’t critique how we got there.

THE VERDICT

Despite my low expectations and its silly premise, Marry Me is actually one of the better romantic comedies of recent memory. It’s such an easy and enjoyable watch as it is light and cheesy, but still harmless and sweet at the same time. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson’s chemistry and charm in this as they both give good performances.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.1/10

Marry Me is now in theaters and available to watch on Peacock. Check out the latest trailer below.

Death on the Nile

Death on the Nile is a 2022 mystery thriller film directed by Kenneth Branagh from a screenplay by Michael Green, based on the 1937 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie. Produced by Branagh, Ridley Scott, Judy Hofflund and Kevin J. Walsh, the film is a follow-up to Murder on the Orient Express (2017).

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot's Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple's idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short.

The cast includes Branagh returning as Hercule Poirot, along with Tom Bateman (also returning from the first film), Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, and Letitia Wright round out the ensemble cast. The film is the third screen adaptation of Christie's novel, following the 1978 film and an episode of the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot broadcast in 2004.

Death on the Nile released in theaters on February 11th, courtesy of 20th Century Studios.

THE GOOD

Okay so I feel like I need to start this review by admitting something that I’m not proud of, when the trailer for Death on the Nile made it’s debut, I really wasn’t all that excited. It had nothing to do with the quality of trailer itself, but instead more to do with the films predecessor, the 2017 crime drama Murder on the Orient Express. I went to see that movie in theaters with high expectations, and I was bored for the most part, even dozed off a few times. So even though several elements of Death on the Nile peaked my interest, I refused to get my hopes up. Were my concerns realized or did the magic of cinema break through?! Keep reading to find out!

Don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging, this was a damn good movie! Death on the Nile was everything I wanted Murder on the Orient Express to be, and then some. I mean, where do I start?! The setting, the story, the cast, it all comes together in such a way that reminds us why we love the movies so much. Kenneth Branagh is a national treasure, and he really brought the larger than life persona of famed detective Hercule Poirot to life. The late Agatha Christie would be proud! Poirot and his unwavering confidence is given a dose of compassion, and the result is sheer perfection. I’m a big murder mystery fan in general, and one of my favorites as of late was the 2019 film Knives Out (full review here), which was nothing short of incredible and I can’t wait for the sequel. Death on the Nile is similar in many ways as it brings together a stellar cast capable of bringing to life this unique and intriguing story.

The story was incredible, as it pulled me in from the start and kept me guessing throughout. I never once thought I knew who the killer was, and the tension continued to build each time we got closer to figuring it out. The characters are so well-developed that anyone could be guilty. I have yet to read the book the film is based on, but from the research I have done the majority of the characters in the film are altered versions of the characters from the novel to make for a smaller overall cast of characters, and in turn a less confusing plot.

I really enjoyed the extra backstory we get on Poirot’s character that allows audiences to really relate to him beyond this persona of his. I felt like his character was a bit flat in Murder on the Orient Express, mainly because we are expected to just know who he is. As someone who does enjoy a good book, I have yet to read a single Agatha Christie novel, so my exposure to the Hercule Poirot character is limited to these films. Death on the Nile added layers to his character, and even though he is unmatched in the world of solving murders, he is still an emotionally fragile human being like the rest of us. He has suffered immense heartbreak in his life, sending him down the path of obsession when it comes to his work which is something that allows viewers the ability to see him in a different lens. The Hercule Poirot we get in Death on the Nile has guaranteed that I will be reading an Agatha Christie novel sooner than later. I will note that in my research I have learned that much of the backstory on Poirot presented in the film was created for the film specifically, and Christie did not dig much into his character’s backstory in her novels.

The cast is without a doubt a selling point for Death on the Nile. I mean, we all know that Kenneth Branagh is going to bring it as Hercule Poirot, but we are treated to many other great performances. Gal Gadot, who really needs no introduction at this point in her career, is fantastic as one of the titular characters in the film. Beautiful and immensely talented, her name alone can fill the seats these days. Gadot shares the screen with Armie Hammer, who has become quite a controversial guy as of late. Weird hobbies aside, Hammer is a great actor and once again earns his keep here. I really enjoyed Tom Bateman’s character, who is also the only character to appear in this film and Murder on the Orient Express. Russell Brand, who is best known for his comedic roles (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek), impressed me with how much he brought to his character. I also really liked Emma Mackey’s performance, who plays a controversial and often misunderstood character. It was great to see Letitia Wright get another opportunity to showcase her acting talents. Sophie Okonedo was awesome as well, and I really liked the unique on-screen chemistry she shared with Branagh.

The costume design was nothing short of excellent, ensuring that the film felt true to the time period. The setting is mesmerizing, and cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, who recently worked on Belfast with Kenneth Branagh, takes full advantage of the Egyptian setting. Pretty much every shot will leave you in awe, especially those that take place on the outside of the boat. I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as visuals, but I got my moneys worth and then some. It was clear that Zambarloukos wants to tell a story with each shot, and he is very successful in doing so. I felt like the setting with the pristine backdrop and what felt like a different world separating those on the shore and the rich aboard this boat, contributed as much to the overall effectiveness of the story as the script and the cast. The music was spot on as well as we are treated to yet another gem from talented composer Patrick Doyle. Just amazing.

THE BAD

I had very few issues with this film, mainly because it far exceeded my expectations. The pacing was great, never once feeling boring or like it was dragging. Each character felt like they belonged, and the ending had the payoff I was hoping for. I mean if you want to try and pick this apart be my guest, but it satisfied my thirst for quality cinema.

THE VERDICT

Packed to the brim with twists and turns, terrific acting, and an immersive feel throughout thanks to stunning cinematography, Death on the Nile is a worthy Agatha Christie adaptation and an absolute treat for fans of famed detective Hercule Poirot. Kenneth Branagh rolled up his sleeves for this one, and he deserves more than a few pats on the back. This is just quality cinema from start to finish, and has me beyond excited for the next epic Poirot adventure. Be sure to see Death on the Nile in theaters sooner than later, you will not be disappointed.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

Death on the Nile is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Kimi

By: Andrew Wing

Kimi (stylized as KIMI) is a 2022 American thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s trilogy and film franchise, Logan Lucky) and written and produced by David Koepp (also wrote Spider-Man and You Should Have Left). The film stars Zoë Kravitz (X-Men: First Class, Mad Max: Fury Road) and Rita Wilson (Sleepless in Seattle, Jingle All the Way). It was released on HBO Max on February 10, 2022.

The film follows Angela Childs (Kravitz), a tech worker with agoraphobia, who discovers recorded evidence of a violent crime, but she is met with resistance when she tries to report it. Seeking justice, she must do the thing she fears the most: she must leave her apartment.

THE GOOD

Believe it or not, Kimi is the first film to be released in 2022 that I have seen. I have been doing a lot of catching up lately on 2021 films I missed, but once I saw the trailer for this, I knew I couldn’t miss it. I mean, it features Zoë Kravitz in the lead role, and I think she is an extremely underrated actress, so I was excited to watch her put her talents on full display. She also puts on display some pretty fresh blue hair if I say so myself. Also, if there is one thing you know going into a Steven Soderbergh film nowadays, it’s that you are going to get an intriguing story that will keep you entertained at the very least, and that was just the case here.

No need to keep you waiting, this movie was well worth the watch. I really like Soderbergh, and I like even more how he just keeps pumping films out left and right. His most recent being No Sudden Move, which came out last year that I actually reviewed (see full review here). But seriously, he is just a prolific filmmaker. His films are so unique as they employ an avant-garde arthouse approach with his unconventional film formats that center on themes of shifting personal identities, vengeance, and many other things that he shows us in Kimi. His direction in this is just top-notch if you ask me, as he somehow combines classic anxiety-driven suspense through the medium that is the agoraphobic character, with relevant topics ranging from surveillance technology (similar to Amazon’s Alexa) to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was just really impressed with this film and it was another pleasant surprise from Soderbergh.

Speaking of things to be impressed by, now is about time to start discussing Zoë Kravitz’s performance in this. I mean it when I say I feel she is underrated. Yes, the majority of her roles so far in her career have been in supporting roles, but I have enjoyed everything I’ve seen of her, and I really think she is about to take off. It helps my case that she is playing Catwoman in Matt Reeves’ upcoming film The Batman, but I believe her performance in this will be the one we look back on years from now when is winning awards. For real though, is just *chef’s kiss* in this role. She is on screen for literally 90% of the film and she dominates every second. It was clear as day when watching that she was laser focused when giving this performance as a person with agoraphobia, because I was absolutely buying it. She had humor in some scenes, and she was solid in the dramatic scenes, but she really shines in the final third when she goes full John Wick mode. I hope that doesn’t spoil anything, but she was a badass. I obviously am looking forward to seeing her play Catwoman, but I am more excited to just see where she goes from here because she shows all of us with this performance that she’s legit.

Another thing I enjoyed about the film was just the overall look and feel of it. It was shot by Soderbergh under his alias “Peter Andrews”, and I don’t know about others, but it had a sort of Hitchcock vibe to it in my opinion. It reminded me a lot of one of all-time favorites Rear Window with the way that Kravitz’s character, because she can’t leave her apartment, is always looking out windows, going through her streams, and just doing the same thing over and over again just like James Stewart’s character does in that. I also liked Rita Wilson’s performance in this, and it was strange to see her play a “bad” character because she is always playing nice/friendly characters, usually opposite her husband Tom Hanks, in most films. Lastly, Derek DelGaudio has a small role in this as the CEO of the Amygdala Corporation, and while I’m sure most don’t know who he is, you should. He has apparently gone into acting now, but he is primarily known for being a performer and a magician, and you should do yourself a favor and go check out a film version of one of his performances, In & Of Itself, which is streaming on Hulu! You won’t regret it.

THE BAD

There is no denying that this film is an overall pretty dang good one. The only thing you could say is that the story might have been aided by a slightly longer runtime than it’s 89 minute one. I wouldn’t have minded seeing more from the bad guys in the film who are trying to keep Angela from reporting the crime, but it checks every box once you get to the end, and the end delivers marvelously. Also, there is a sort of suspension of disbelief going on in the movie with Angela’s agoraphobic character apparently being someone who can kill with no hesitation. That is really where I think a longer runtime might have helped by maybe showing us some of her character’s past/background to know more about why she is the way she is, but I had a blast with this film so I’ll just shut up now.

THE VERDICT

From the acclaimed and prolific filmmaker Steven Soderbergh comes Kimi, a housebound thriller with a 21st century spin that just offers a warm welcome to the digital age. This was just another banger from Soderbergh as he continues to reaffirm why he is one of the best in the game today. It also affirms that Zoë Kravitz is no joke as she gives an outstanding performance that I feel is the first of many for the uber talented young actress. Definitely worth the watch, so go check it out right now on HBO Max.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.6/10

Kimi is now available to watch on HBO Max. Check out the latest trailer below.

Being the Ricardos

By: Andrew Wing

Being the Ricardos is a 2021 American biographical drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game, The Trial of the Chicago 7), about the relationship between I Love Lucy stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!, The Hours, Big Little Lies) and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Skyfall) star as Ball and Arnaz, while J. K. Simmons (Spider-Man films, Whiplash), Nina Arianda (Goliath, Stan & Ollie), Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Veep), Alia Shawkat (Search Party), Jake Lacy (The White Lotus), and Clark Gregg (best known for playing Agent Phil Coulson in the MCU) appear in supporting roles.

The film takes place during one production week of I Love Lucy – from Monday table read through Friday audience taping – all while Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz face a series of personal and professional crises that threaten their show, their careers, and their marriage.

Being the Ricardos received a limited theatrical release by Amazon Studios in the United States on December 10, 2021, prior to streaming worldwide on Prime Video on December 21, 2021. For Kidman’s performance of Lucille Ball, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama. Also, Kidman, Bardem, and Simmons all received Academy Award nominations for their performances.

THE GOOD

Before getting into the review of the film, I have to come clean and say that going into this, I didn’t really know anything about the lives of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. I have obviously heard of I Love Lucy, but I have never watched an episode of the show. With that said, the main selling point here to me was Aaron Sorkin writing and directing and the fact that both Kidman and Bardem were starring in it. Add in the fact that it’s a biopic made to be an awards contender, and I was chomping at the bit. So without further ado, let’s dive into my full review on Being the Ricardos!

With any biopic that gets reviewed, you have to address the elephant in the room first. The elephant is the performances, and the lead performances we got from Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem were equally fantastic. First with Kidman as she plays the star of stars, Lucille Ball. As I said, I am no expert about Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy, but it was extremely clear that Kidman just transformed into Ball for this film, and I found the physical resemblance to be decent if I say so myself. It was less of an impersonation like we see in other biopics, but more of a fully realized characterization. Kidman did well at expressing her humor in ways Ball did for the show that we see in the black-and-white scenes, but I thought Kidman really shined in the more dramatic parts of the film. In the parts of the film where she is dealing with both the personal and professional crises, Kidman is outstanding at reminding us there were not one, but two Lucys. Now Kidman has already won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama, and she has as good a shot as any to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, which would be her second. And while I’d prefer to see Kristen Stewart win for her performance she gave in Spencer (see my full review here), I wouldn’t mind seeing Kidman win as it would be very deserving.

Now onto the performance from Javier Bardem. I have brought this up in past reviews, but I think Bardem is responsible for the single greatest performance in a film ever, and that would be for his portrayal of Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men. That just goes to show how talented I think he is as an actor, and he put his talents on full display in this. Bardem, a native of Spain, plays Desi Arnaz who was a Cuban-American, and while Bardem might not look a lot like Arnaz, he sounded just like him. His accent was flawless to me, and it was extremely impressive. He also did a good job at conveying and capturing Arnaz’ charismatic stage presence, business acumen, and also, his deceptive ways with the ladies. Also, similar to Kidman, he shines in the more dramatic moments, especially at the very end of the film. And with yesterday’s Academy Award nomination announcements, Bardem was nominated for Best Actor and it is obvious why he was after watching him in this. I’d be shocked if he won though because of Will Smith’s performance in King Richard (see my full review here), and also Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog (see my full review here), but anything is possible.

Continuing with more performances, not only do Kidman and Bardem shine in their lead roles, but the entire supporting cast brings something to the film. J. K. Simmons was the best of the bunch though. Similar to Bardem for No Country for Old Men, Simmons is responsible for one of the best supporting performances of all time in the 2014 film Whiplash. He is just unreal in that film and he is just one of the best when it comes to supporting roles and he strengthens his case even more in this. Simmons plays actor William Frawley, who plays the landlord Fred in I Love Lucy, and he was just awesome. His character is really funny with his constant wise comments and facial expressions, and I am very happy that he got nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Tony Hale and Nina Arianda were also great in more dramatic supporting roles, while Alia Shawkat and Jake Lacy brought numerous laughs with their neverending back-and-forth banter with one another.

This is only Aaron Sorkin’s third feature film as a director because he has definitely been a writer first throughout his career. He served as a writer for critically acclaimed films The Social Network, Moneyball, and Steve Jobs, but he is most known for creating and writing The West Wing. And if there’s one thing you know for sure with any film that Sorkin is attached to, it is that it’s going to have a great original screenplay that’s heavy on dialogue, and that is absolutely the case here for Being the Ricardos. I will just never get tired of the fast-paced dialogue and extended monologues that all take place while walking, which are referred to as “walk and talks.” Everything I just mentioned is only aided by the film’s superb editing done by Alan Baumgarten, and I just really liked how Sorkin decided to make the film take place just during one week of the show. I’m honestly shocked his original screenplay didn’t receive an Oscar nomination.

Lastly, just some other things that I enjoyed about the film that are worth mentioning. First, the production design was super cool. I am just a sucker for these films that take you back in time with their production sets, especially when they deal with movie/production studios where the show was shot. It’s production reminded me of the Coen brother’s film Hail, Caesar! that takes place in MGM studios. Second, I loved the original score from Daniel Pemberton. Maybe I’m biased because Pemberton provided the original score for one of my all-time favorites Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but I was just vibing with the score here from start to finish. In closing, I just got to discuss the film ultimately not receiving a Best Picture nomination. Yes, I would’ve liked to see it get nominated because it is deserving, but 2021 was just jam-packed full of amazing films, so it is what it is.

THE BAD

I honestly have a hard time believing that somebody might not enjoy this film. It is a great watch boosted by some incredible performances, but there were definitely some minor flaws. First, and while it is so incredibly minor, Javier Bardem really doesn’t look a lot like Desi Arnaz. It is just a fact, and at least on my end, it looked like they tried some sort of de-aging process in some of the flashback scenes and they just distracted me more than anything. With that said, Bardem still kills his role, and I am happy he was the one to play the character despite no physical resemblance.

Also, the film has a runtime of 131 minutes and it did get slow at times for me. But it is a biopic at the end of the day, and good luck finding a biopic under 2 hours long! Lastly, the end just sort of comes out and smacks you in the face. Again, it is a dramatic biopic and it’s not their fault that Ball and Arnaz’s relationship didn’t have a happy ending, but I just would’ve liked it handled differently. Maybe in a way that would’ve had viewers leaving with smiles on their faces rather than the face I had when the credits began to roll. Despite all that though, it was still a solid film in my book.

THE VERDICT

Being the Ricardos is the third feature film from Aaron Sorkin as a writer-director, and it was just a blast from start to finish as it follows the relationship between I Love Lucy stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz with Sorkin’s trademark fast-paced dialogue. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star as Ball and Arnaz and they both give brilliant performances that were both Oscar-nominated. Speaking of nominations, J. K. Simmons is great again in his supporting role. All in all, it was just an engagingly fun film throughout and I think it is Sorkin’s strongest directorial effort yet!

TED TAKES RATING - 8.5/10

Being the Ricardos is only available on Amazon Prime Video. Check out the latest trailer below.

Moonfall

Moonfall is a 2022 science fiction drama film co-written, directed, and co-produced by Roland Emmerich. Spenser Cohen and Harold Kloser also contributed to the script. Emmerich is a sci-fi legend of sorts, having previously directed Universal Soldier (1992), written and directed Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), and the list goes on.

A mysterious force knocks the Moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we know it. With mere weeks before impact and the world on the brink of annihilation, NASA executive and former astronaut Jo Fowler is convinced she has the key to saving us all – but only one astronaut from her past, Brian Harper and a conspiracy theorist K.C. Houseman believes her.

The cast includes Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Michael Peña, Charlie Plummer, Kelly Yu, and Donald Sutherland. The film was shot in Montreal with a $140 million budget, making it one of the most expensive independently-produced films of all time.

Moonfall made its debut in theaters on February 3rd, courtesy of Lionsgate.

THE GOOD

Moonfall has been shredded by critics for the most part after pre-release screenings, which to be quite honest didn’t necessarily surprise me when the first reviews came out. The trailer reeked of a B-movie box office disaster, and I couldn’t help but think that someone would be losing their their job over this mess of a movie. After a few more reviews began to come out, it started to sound more like a Roland Emmerich movie which of course added some intrigue. As I touched on above, Emmerich knows his way around a movie that is simply meant to be experienced on the big screen. So, was Moonfall the train wreck I initially anticipated it was going to be or did it send me home with a smile on my face? Keep on reading to find out!

Okay so first and foremost, I did not hate this movie. Its been awhile since I have seen a movie from Roland Emmerich, but he definitely has a signature style. He likes outlandish storylines that lead to a massive spectacle of a finale sure to have audiences on the edge of their seat, and Moonfall is no different. For the majority of the film the acting takes a back seat to the CGI and the overall technical elements of the film, but that somehow evens itself out by the end. Emmerich wants to make you think, but he also wants you to be in awe wondering just how far he is wiling to take things. Admittedly his vision requires you to look beyond several flaws, but you will be rewarded for your efforts.

If you are worried that Moonfall will force you to wait until the final 10-minutes for the action to start, you can rest assured that is not the case here. As a director Emmerich is like your toddler who insists on dumping out every single tote of toys as soon as he wakes up as if he is planning on playing with all of them. Before you know it, buildings are collapsing, everything is underwater, and every business is abandoned. This approach ensures audiences will not be bored, offering a ton of disaster movie joy to the just over 2-hour runtime. To be completely honest, I applaud Emmerich for his willingness to make movies that fit his vision, even if they may be met with a great deal of criticism from those who will pick it apart. He is surely a man who goes to the beat of his own drum.

Now I’m not trying to make excuses for Moonfall, but it faced several obstacles during production that may have shelved many movies indefinitely. The COVID-19 pandemic in particular created quite a few issues considering Emmerich began getting the ball rolling for the film in 2019, which of course was pre-pandemic. The cast was impacted as Stanley Tucci was replaced last minute by Michael Peña due to traveling restrictions keeping Tucci from reaching the production site. Filming locations were extremely limited, forcing the construction of over 130 different sets to be utilized on location in Montreal. They were also forced to expedite principal photography because of the pandemic related issues.

It is also worth pointing out that Emmerich made the push for Moonfall to be an independent film as he wanted to have the majority of creative control, heading to Cannes Film Festival for financial backers. Eventually the roughly $140 million budget consisted of contributions from Huayi Brothers, Lionsgate, and Germany. Emmerich got the idea for the film after reading the novel Who Built the Moon?, which debates the possibility that the Moon was artificially constructed. He worked on the script for four years, and apparently actual conspiracy theory exists arguing this is an actual possibility. Who knew.

Although this is a far cry from their best work, Moonfall offers up a very talented cast. I won’t go too deep into their specific performances yet but I will talk about them a bit later in the review. I’m a big fan of the great Halle Berry for obvious reasons (for some reason her role in Swordfish always comes to mind), and she was fantastic in the 2019 crime thriller John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (full review here). I enjoyed her character in this film overall and felt like she was a solid addition to the cast.

I really like Patrick Wilson as an actor who has been investing a good majority of his time in the Conjuring franchise, most recently The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (full review here). Wilson has good chemistry with Berry and the rest of the cast, and in my opinion he earns his spot as a leading man yet again. John Bradley, who is best known for his role as Samwell Tarly in the HBO drama series Game of Thrones, won me over by the end of the film with his character and he also provides the majority of the comic relief, getting quite a few laughs from the audience. I also enjoyed seeing Michael Peña who is an actor that always impresses me in his roles. Charlie Plummer, who was fantastic in the coming of age drama Words on Bathroom Walls (full review here), takes on a small supporting role as the son of Patrick Wilson’s character. He was a bit dull for the majority of the film but I was happy with his character by the end.

THE BAD

Bare with me, this may take a while. I went into the theater knowing what the initial criticisms were but I was more than prepared to form my own opinions. If you follow my reviews I consider myself to be unbiased and willing to appreciate a movie for what it is mean to be. Well, first and foremost, Moonfall is without a doubt riddled with issues, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a horrible movie. I will now do my best to touch on the “cons” of the movie.

Okay, so the first thing I noticed is the acting. Now we are dealing with a cast consisting of some very decent to upper echelon acting talent working today, ranging from Halle Berry, to Patrick Wilson, right on to my guy Michael Peña. Donald Sutherland is in the film as well, but he plays such a limited role I feel wrong even mentioning him. Now I will start with the headliners, Berry and Wilson. Both very solid in their craft no question about that, but in Moonfall they are both just meh. I honestly can’t put my finger on it, but the majority of their lines feel about as flat as a 2-liter of Coca-Cola left out without the cap for a few hours. They just seemed uninspired and bored.

Michael Peña felt the same once he made an appearance, which made me realize these are not isolated incidents. Even Charlie Plummer felt like he was lacking energy. After doing some research on all of the issues the film faced during production which I touched on above, I think it is fair to say that the quality of the acting took the biggest hit. If you are rushing the non-action scenes due to time restrictions, the quality will suffer. Oddly enough, I felt like Game of Thrones actor John Bradley was the most consistent of the bunch. But before I sit here and trash the acting, once the final act comes around, everyone kicks it onto another gear and reminds us of why they are some of the best Hollywood has to offer.

Another odd issue I had with Moonfall was the technical element, specifically the special effects. At one point Patrick Wilson’s character is riding his motorcycle to a speech he is late for and the green screen work is just BRUTAL. I mean, the background isn’t even anything extravagant and it seems like he is riding around in low budget Blade Runner. For some reason or another this happens often throughout the film, where it seems as though the character is in two places at once. Now I understand this is commonplace for a low-budget film, which this really isn’t, but what is most odd is the fact during the hardcore CGI scenes, things are on point for the most part. For example, when we are given a glimpse of what is essentially perceived as the “enemy”, it looks fantastic. And the other big time action sequences and in particular the final act, are a joy to experience. This is part of why it is so hard to fully criticize this film.

THE VERDICT

If you can ignore the more glaring issues especially early on, Moonfall brings enough Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow action to the table to warrant a trip to the theater, while offering a satisfying final act sure to please audiences willing to give it a chance. Is this movie incredibly flawed in all of the most important categories that can make or break a movie? Absolutely. But for all of it’s downfalls which I talked about at length above, this is still an entertaining movie that is best to be seen in theaters. The negatives seem to fade into the background by the end of the movie, and for me, that is a win. With the last month or so lacking in worthwhile theater releases, it may be worth ignoring the consensus from critics and giving Moonfall a try so that you can form own opinion. Just do what I did and go in with tempered expectations.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.3/10

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

Shiva Baby

By: Andrew Wing

Shiva Baby is a 2020 comedy film written and directed by Emma Seligman. An international co-production of the United States and Canada, the film stars Rachel Sennott (Ayo and Rachel Are Single) as Danielle, a directionless young bisexual Jewish woman who attends a shiva with her parents, Joel and Debbie, who are portrayed by Fred Melamed (A Serious Man, Hail, Caesar!) and Polly Draper (mother of young actors Nat and Alex Wolff) respectively. Other attendees include her successful ex-girlfriend Maya, who is played by Molly Gordon (Booksmart, Good Boys), and her sugar daddy Max (Danny Deferrari) with his wife Kim, played by Dianna Agron (I Am Number Four), and their screaming baby. It also features Jackie Hoffman, Deborah Offner, Rita Gardner, and Sondra James in supporting roles.

The events of the film take place almost entirely in real-time and at one location as Danielle explores her romantic and career prospects under the intense watch of her family, friends, and judgmental neighbors.

Adapted from Seligman’s own 2018 short of the same name, Shiva Baby premiered online at the 2020 South by Southwest film festival, while its first public screenings were at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released in theaters and streaming on April 2, 2021.

THE GOOD

Talk about a film that flew under my radar. It was added to HBO Max a few months back and after doing some research and after seeing all the accolades it was receiving from film festivals and critics associations, I went ahead and added it to my list! However, as jam-packed as the last couple months of 2021 were with the awards-contender level films, I didn’t get to it until now, but boy was it worth the wait!

I really enjoyed this film! Right from the start, I was vibing with it as I instantly became a fan of the lead character, Danielle. Maybe it’s because I am around the same age as Danielle is in the film and also because I am starting to go through some of the things her character is enduring in the film. Things such as finishing up college and looking toward life after college, which is pretty stressful, to say the least. Or maybe it’s simply because of the performance we get from Rachel Sennott as Danielle. She absolutely crushed this role and I was blown away by how good she was with this being only her second feature film role. She just brought so much to her character and she made her feel so real. It’s no surprise that she is already getting attached to some bigger projects coming soon, such as an upcoming A24 slasher film titled Bodies, Bodies, Bodies that is currently filming. Let’s just say she has a very bright future ahead of her!

Obviously, Rachel Sennott was the standout in this, but the whole cast was freaking great if you ask me. Danielle’s parents were so funny as they continually made Danielle feel uncomfortable at the shiva by talking about her future and how she has all these great opportunities lined up for, and that just wouldn’t have been the case if it weren’t for the actors portraying them, Fred Melamed and Polly Draper. I was familiar with Melamed, but this was the first time I had ever seen Draper, and I loved her performance in this. Those two were just perfectly cast and they brought so much to the film. Another performance that needs to be mentioned is that of Molly Gordon who plays the ex-girlfriend. She is quickly becoming a name to keep an eye out for when it comes to supporting actresses in comedy films after both Booksmart and Good Boys (two great films), and obviously this. Her comedic delivery is so good and it seems when watching that it just comes so naturally to her. She is another one to keep an eye out for down the road!

The performances in this were fantastic, but the movie would be nothing without the direction from Emma Seligman. It is just bonkers that this is her feature directorial debut. It is even more bonkers when you realize she is only 26! She better win some awards for best first film, that’s all I’ll say. She also wrote the screenplay for the film, and I absolutely loved it! The movie is a comedy, and it definitely delivers some hilarious moments, but it also was very dramatic at times. Seligman did an excellent job at drawing up the tension at key times throughout the film, and that says a lot about the director considering the film takes place almost entirely in real-time at one location. I was just blown away by her direction for this. Period.

Lastly, I loved the film’s representation of both bisexual and Jewish people. It’s great to see the progress being made in the film industry, and hopefully, it keeps moving in the right direction so that things like this just become commonplace. Yes, it represents both of those groups I mentioned, but it is also a very accessible and easy film to watch and enjoy for people like me, who are not a member of said groups. I also can’t forget to shout out the musical score we got here from Ariel Marx. The score almost felt like something you’d get in a horror film as it effectively conveyed this sort-of anxiety-inducing claustrophobia if that makes sense.

THE BAD

I am going to have to stop referring to myself as a critic if I continue to not actually criticize the films I review, but I guess I just keep lucking out with good ones. There is nothing wrong with this film in my opinion. The only, and I mean the only thing you could say is that the film is really short with only a 78-minute runtime. But at the same time, it is most definitely a low-budget indie film and it also didn’t feel rushed at any point throughout. Every storyline wrapped up nicely in my book and I loved the ending to this!

THE VERDICT

Emma Seligman’s feature film debut Shiva Baby is just awesome. It takes place over the course of a single anxiety-filled day and it is both hilarious and extremely tense at the same time. Seligman’s screenplay is strong as it captures the behaviors of all the characters in a short runtime and also shines a light on the bisexual and Jewish communities. Also, all the performances were great, but Rachel Sennott takes the cake as she plays the lead character, Danielle.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

Shiva Baby is now available to watch on HBO Max. Check out the latest trailer below.

Pam & Tommy

Pam & Tommy is a 2022 biographical drama miniseries based on Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee and actress Pamela Anderson’s whirlwind romance that started with them marrying after only knowing each other for 96 hours in 1995. The story centers around a sex tape from the couples honeymoon that is stolen and leaked to the public.

Directed by Craig Gillespie with Robert D. Siegel serving as showrunner, the series is based on the Rolling Stone article Pam and Tommy: The Untold Story of the World’s Most Infamous Sex Tape, from L.A. based journalist Amanda Chicago Lewis, who also serves as a writer for the series.

The cast includes Lily James (Cinderella, Baby Driver) and Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The 355) as Anderson and Lee, and also stars Nick Offerman (Parks and Rec), Seth Rogen, Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black), and Andrew Dice Clay.

Pam & Tommy made its streaming debut on Hulu February 3rd.

THE GOOD

So far Hulu has only released the first three episodes of the new series Pam & Tommy, but I felt inclined to binge them and report back on my thoughts. I mean, in many ways this is my childhood in a nutshell. I can’t even think about Playboy without picturing the great Pamela Anderson. Is she the source of my problematic obsession with blondes? Perhaps, just don’t tell my wife who is a brunette. Okay so what am I liking about this series so far? Keep reading to find out!

Where do I start?! Based on the Rolling Stones article I mentioned above, the screenplay for Pam & Tommy is simply superb. It sets the stage in such a way that viewers are immediately immersed in the story whether you lived it or not. The characters are introduced perfectly and all given an equal amount of depth to give the story enough weight to feel relatable, even though it takes place over 25-years ago (wow, time flies!). If you grew up in the 90’s you were obsessed with either Pamela Anderson or David Hasselhoff, or maybe even both, thanks to the immensely popular drama series, Baywatch.

I can’t get enough of the 90’s era, and just the fact that during this time most people didn’t even know what the internet was! Boy does that sound like a good time. I very vividly remember my own unhealthy obsession with American Online (AOL) during the latter years of my elementary school journey. Kids these days will never appreciate the dial up sounds that opened us up to a world of opportunity. My dad still has an AOL e-mail address, “You’ve got mail!”.

The story of Pam & Tommy is wild in every way, no question about it. During the entire three episodes I bought into every single emotion from the characters, from the despair to the elation, it all felt so real. I loved how certain shots were held a little longer or slowly panned back to carry more weight, specifically right as an episode was ending. I mean everything depicted in this series was monumental as far as how much of a significant impact it had on pop culture back in the 90’s.

As I was watching the show I couldn’t help but think how much the chance encounter of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee literally changed the trajectory of pop culture in so many ways, especially as it relates to the porn industries foray into the World Wide Web. This story has everything you could ever want; endless sex appeal, fame and fortune, drama, crime, and endless intrigue. And as one of my former co-workers during my high school days would always say, sex sells, and boy was he right.

The performances are nothing short of exceptional. Lily James and Sebastian Stan aka The Winter Soldier are unreal in their portrayals of Anderson and Lee. Personally it didn’t take long before I forgot who they were and started to not see beyond the roles they were playing. From their facial expressions to their mannerisms, right down to the way they talked, you could tell they were 110% immersed in these characters. Can you even come close to comprehending a bigger transformation than James going from Cinderella to Pamela Anderson?!

The energy Stan brings to the off-the-rails Tommy Lee is out of this world. I bet he had to take a nap after each one of his scenes, I definitely would have. Seth Rogen takes on another pivotal role in the series as he portrays the character of Rand, a man we are all forever indebted to as he is the reason the infamous sex tape was released.

Rogen has built himself quite a career starring in some of my favorites comedies, as well as one of my all-time favorite comedy drama’s in 50/50, yet he is so good in this I can’t even see beyond his character either. Everything he does feels so authentic, and his character is very relatable as he falls victim to someone who treats him like a lesser because he has fame and fortune. But as the story goes, he gets his revenge. I also have to talk about one of my favorite actors, the underrated and honestly underappreciated Nick Offerman. I mean sure, Parks and Rec fans know him as Ron Swanson and love him for that character, but he has been in a ton of other great films, as well as the Fargo series. Few actors take hold of great dialogue quite like Mr. Offerman, and I will watch anything he is in.

The technical element of Pam & Tommy is surprisingly impressive. They could have easily gotten away with just flaunting a half naked Pam Anderson 90% of the time, or even Tommy Lee running around in his trademark thong, if you’re into that sort of thing, but they did not stop there. First and foremost, the soundtrack is pure 90’s fire. From the 69 Boyz hit Tootsie Roll, to the upbeat Steal My Sunshine from Len, the soundtrack helps to keep the energy for the film fast & furious.

From the start the soundtrack crammed me into a time machine and set the date to the mid-90’s, and I was not mad about it. I was also very pleased with the cinematography, as it blended extremely well with some creative camera work. The scene towards the end of the third episode with a straight 90’s Nick Offerman, fanny pack and all, walking through the airport like a straight boss is part of the reason why I love television and movies. So good!

THE BAD

To be honest I have very few issues with this series, mainly because they did such a great job taking me back in time while providing details that 11-year-old me overlooked thanks to, well, Pam Anderson in Playboy. Now if I had to point out a gripe that I had during the first 3-episodes, it would probably be that the timeline can be confusing at times. I mean we are given the year and all that during some of the more pivotal moments, but certain sequences seem to jump back and forth a bit too “willy nilly” if you catch my drift. A good example would be when we are shown how the relationship between Seth Rogan and Taylor Schilling’s characters developed. I actually had to rewind (nice VHS reference there) to make sure I didn’t miss anything, but maybe its just me.

THE VERDICT

Whether it is the 90’s setting or the burst of nostalgia taking me back to my advantageous journey into puberty compliments of the tantalizing Pamela Anderson, Pam & Tommy is an immersive and thoroughly entertaining series showcasing a defining moment in pop culture. Serving as another opportunity for the great Nick Offerman to put his acting talents on full display, the series is really an acting clinic for the entire main cast. You simply cannot cast a series based on true events better than this, it’s just not possible. Ten minutes into the premiere I knew I wasn’t leaving the couch until I finished all three debut episodes, and it was time very well spent. This series brings to the forefront one of the most defining moments of the 90’s, and if you don’t take the time to experience it for yourself, you’re simply doing life wrong.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.2/10

Pam & Tommy is now streaming on Hulu. Check out the latest trailer below.

Zola

By: Andrew Wing

Zola is a 2020 American black comedy crime film directed by Janicza Bravo (Gregory Go Boom, Lemon) and written by Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris (known for his plays “Daddy” and Slave Play). It is based on a viral Twitter thread from 2015 by Aziah “Zola” King and the resulting Rolling Stone article “Zola Tells All: The Real Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted” by David Kushner.

It stars Taylour Paige (White Boy Rick, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) as Zola, a part-time stripper who is convinced by her new friend Stefani, who is played by Riley Keough (Magic Mike, The Devil All the Time), to travel to Tampa, Florida, in order to earn money, only to get in over her head; Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead, Euphoria, If Beale Street Could Talk), Nicholas Braun (Succession), and Jason Mitchell (portrayed Eazy-E in Straight Outta Compton) also star.

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020, and was released in the United States on June 30, 2021, by A24, following a year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zola received positive reviews from critics, earning nominations in numerous awards shows including seven nods at the 37th Independent Spirit Awards, among them Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

THE GOOD

The main selling point for me when it came to this film was simply the fact that it comes from A24. Also the actors that I liked, but ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you I love everything from A24. I had absolutely no familiarity with this true story about the Twitter thread the film is based on that took place in 2015, but I guess the fact that this film is based off of a Twitter thread is pretty cool and unique. However, was the interesting true story enough to make Zola an overall good film in my opinion? Keep reading to find out!

First things first, I was very impressed with the direction we got in this from Janicza Bravo. It was clear that the director took this opportunity to create a film that is extremely stylish and modern. She did this by incorporating some internet isms, such as the constant Tweet sounds and also a black frame in the edit whenever someone took a selfie. There were just a ton of interesting stylistic choices in the movie with the editing and I thought they did a pretty good job with it. Continuing with Bravo who wrote the film with Jeremy O. Harris, I was a big fan of the screenplay. The screenplay is obviously interesting given the crazy nature of the true story, but it was surprisingly funny too. Ask Ted, I love love love black/dark comedy films and there are plenty of dry humor moments that might make you cringe and I was a fan of all of those. Those moments came thanks in large part to someone who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, Nicholas Braun. His comedic delivery is truly second-to-none and you’re doing yourself a disservice if you haven’t checked out Succession yet because his character Greg in that is legendary.

Onto the performances we got. First with Taylour Paige as she plays the titular character “Zola”. I thought she was good in this film as the only level-headed and calm person in their group. I will get to it later in “The Bad” section, but I wanted more from her character as ultimately there was no character arc with her. Despite that, she is definitely a name to keep an eye out for in the future. Next with Riley Keough, she just dives head first into the crazy nature of the story with her character. Her accent in this is wild and she stole the show for me. She had a role that could’ve come off as over-the-top, and maybe it was, but I felt that she was trying to be a human being at the end of the day with some of the more emotional scenes she had. Also, Colman Domingo is amazing in this. He has this double accent thing that comes out and it was easily one of the funniest things in the movie. But for real, whenever I watch Domingo in anything, I want to see more of him and I predict that he will win an Oscar in the next five years because he is just that good.

I loved the film stylistically as I said earlier, but it can’t go unsaid how great the cinematography is. It was done by Ari Wegner, who actually might win an Oscar this year for Best Cinematography because she shot The Power of the Dog (see my full review here). It has a distinct grainy film texture that I appreciated and all the shots of the pink Florida sunsets we got were pretty. It also contains a solid score from Mica Levi. The score was enticing as it had both organic sounds and also a hypnotic quality with some digital sounds. I look forward to becoming more familiar with her work after I watch two other films she scored that are on my watchlist, Under the Skin and Jackie.

THE BAD

Don’t get me wrong, the events that take place are interesting and the Twitter thread it is based on is bizarre, but it just didn’t overwhelm me as much as I thought. Going into this I thought I was going to have similar feelings when watching as I had when I watched Uncut Gems for the first time. However, I didn’t because none of the more intense scenes moved the needle for me. It kind of felt like an extraordinary story was told in an ordinary way if that makes sense. I also thought the character building was underwhelming given how great the cast was. Maybe that added to the ordinary feel I discussed, but I felt there was something missing. I thought the ending fell flat too and I just never got the big payoff I thought I was going to get with a story as crazy as this one.

Also, here is a spoiler warning: the movie is weird and unique and it carries that A24 vibe that all of their films have. It’s definitely one of the weirdest A24 films I’ve ever seen, probably since The Lighthouse, but I loved that film as it went full throttle into the craziness, where this one didn’t and I think that’s ultimately what held it back.

Lastly, given that the premise of the film is about two strippers who travel to Florida for the weekend to make some extra money, just be prepared for some nude scenes and other inappropriate scenes. Just choose wisely who you watch this around if you end up taking my suggestion to check this out.

THE VERDICT

Despite some underwhelming character building and an ending I thought fell flat, Zola is a bold, stylish, wacky true story that will surely give you some good laughs with its dry humor. I was very impressed with Janicza Bravo’s direction here and I look forward to seeing what she does next. Also, I loved the technical elements too in this and all the performances we got were awesome.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.3/10

Zola is now available to watch on Showtime. Check out the latest trailer below.

Mass

By: Andrew Wing

Mass is a 2021 American drama film written and directed by Fran Kranz (known for having prominent acting roles in The Cabin in the Woods and Much Ado About Nothing) in his directorial debut and starring Reed Birney (Morning Glory, The Hunt), Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale, Hereditary), Jason Isaacs (The Patriot, Harry Potter film series), and Martha Plimpton (The Goonies, The Good Wife).

The film follows two sets of parents: Jay (Isaacs) and Gail Perry (Plimpton) are parents grieving the death of their son, a victim of a school shooting. Richard (Birney) and Linda (Dowd) are the parents of the perpetrator. Six years after the tragedy, both couples agree to meet and talk.

Mass had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021, and was released on October 8, 2021, by Bleecker Street.

THE GOOD

The time has finally come! I have been patiently waiting for Mass ever since I saw how well it did at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival! The trailer hooks you right in with its extremely real and emotionally intense story that is all too familiar given the tragic events of the past 20+ years. With that said, I was just eager to see how this story would be brought to the big screen, so keep reading to find out my thoughts!

As I said earlier, this is the debut film from Fran Kranz. Kranz is an actor who has appeared sporadically with supporting roles in movies, but I got a feeling he will be a household name as a director after this. His screenplay here is phenomenal. The story is ultimately about families that are struggling to find some sort of healing in the wake of a school shooting. I loved how the way he went around dealing with the tragedy didn’t feel forced at any point. He never showed flashbacks to the day which was good because that might have pushed things too far. He made it able for the audience to explore the issue in a way that wasn’t too heavy-handed. It’s a drama about the healing process, and the writing was so great that we got to have all four main characters fleshed out so we got to see them all heal in their own unique way. It’s definitely one of the best screenplays of the past couple of years, and it’d be an atrocity if this didn’t get nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.

Not only is his screenplay deserving of praise, but his overall direction should not be overlooked. I liked how Kranz decided to make this a sort of chamber-piece by having it all take place in one room. Despite it only taking place in one room, it still felt cinematic because you can feel the tension in the room and the details of all the performances. It just felt appropriate and very real. It honestly felt like this had been adapted from a play with the way it is shot, but the editing and cinematography were exceptional, and I can’t say enough for Kranz’s filmmaking here.

Onto the four performances, and I kid you not, they were all extraordinarily strong. I will start with the performances we got from Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton who play Jay and Gail Perry, the parents of the victim. They played characters who have experienced the worst loss imaginable, the loss of a child. We really get a deep sense of who they are and how they have dealt with the tragedy in their first few minutes on screen. Plimpton and Isaacs both gave their career-best performances in my eyes, and their scenes are just stunning and they will most certainly make you cry. They do an excellent job and their performances are so real that you feel everything they feel by watching. They are so good in this that they deserve to both be nominated for every award they can be, and I hope this is just the beginning of seeing them in more leading dramatic roles in the future.

Next when it comes to the performances are Reed Birney and Ann Dowd who play Richard and Linda, the parents of the perpetrator. Ann Dowd is probably the most recognizable name in this film from starring in The Handmaid’s Tale, whereas Reed Birney will be unknown to most audiences as he has really only done Broadway plays. They were both superb in this, and I would say that Dowd gave the best performance of the four, but they were all perfect. Dowd dominates every second she is on the screen, and she is quickly becoming one of the best supporting actresses in the business right now. I would say she is the one most likely to be nominated for awards, and if she doesn’t, I will be floored. As for Birney, he plays the most conservative of the bunch and you don’t think he will break down, but when he does, it just gets you. I hope we see him in more films after this, because the man is very talented.

THE BAD

There is absolutely nothing “bad” about this film. The only thing that stuck out was that it was kind of exhausting at times because of how heavy the subject matter is. The movie is just under 2 hours long, and I think it might have been better suited as a 90 minute one. With that said though, every moment in the film was so impactful and valuable, so I wouldn’t want to take away too many moments from it as a whole.

THE VERDICT

Fran Kranz’s Mass is one of the most powerful and precise examinations of grief and forgiveness that I have ever seen. Kranz’s directorial debut is one of the best of the past few years as he approaches an extremely sensitive issue in a careful, and ultimately cathartic way. It also has some of the best writing and acting of 2021 as the four performances from Martha Plimpton, Jason Isaacs, Ann Dowd, and Reed Birney are all awards worthy.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.2/10

Mass is now available for rental and purchase On-Demand. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Lost Daughter

By: Andrew Wing

The Lost Daughter is a 2021 psychological drama film written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal (older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal) in her feature directorial debut, based on the novel of the same name by Elena Ferrante. The film stars the Academy Award winning Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Father, The Crown) in the lead role, and also features Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades film series, The Peanut Butter Falcon), Jessie Buckley (Fargo series, I’m Thinking of Ending Things), Paul Mescal (Normal People), Dagmara Domińczyk (Succession), Jack Farthing (Spencer - see my full review), Oliver Jackson-Cohen (The Haunting of Hill House, The Invisible Man), with Peter Sarsgaard (Dead Man Walking, An Education) whom is married to director Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Ed Harris (Apollo 13, The Truman Show, Westworld) in supporting roles.

In the film, the lead character, Leda (Colman in the present & Buckley in the past), discloses that she is named for the woman in the W. B. Yeats poem “Leda and the Swan”, which Yeats based on the Leda story of Greek mythology.

The Lost Daughter had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2021, where Gyllenhaal won the Golden Osella Award for Best Screenplay. It began a theatrical limited release in the United States on December 17, 2021, prior to streaming on Netflix on December 31, 2021.

THE GOOD

This movie really snuck up on me. 2021 was just jam-packed full of movies and I just totally forgot that this was hitting Netflix on the final day of 2021. The film has been receiving widespread acclaim from critics obviously praising the three lead actresses in it which is expected, but most of the acclaim has gone to Maggie Gyllenhaal in her directorial debut. Everyone knows her brother Jake who is one of the best actors in the industry today, but Maggie is also a very talented actress in her own right. She is definitely most known for playing Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight opposite Christian Bale, but some other great performances of hers include Secretary, Crazy Heart, Won’t Back Down, and Frank. But now she is in the director’s chair, and keep reading to find out how I think she did in her directorial debut.

I think she did just about as good as a first time director can do. I was very impressed to say the least with every decision she made here. What’s more impressive is the fact that she wrote the screenplay for it too which is adapted from a novel of the same name. As I said earlier, Gyllenhaal won the Golden Osella Award for Best Screenplay at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, and after watching, it made complete sense why she and the film did. The adapted screenplay here is very good. I will discuss more later how I didn't really like the main character, but nonetheless I was impressed that Gyllenhaal was more worried about making the character relatable as opposed to making her likable. There are a ton of films about parenthood out there, but The Lost Daughter is different from anyone I have ever seen. This movie, thanks to its screenplay, tackles the downsides of parenting and the toll that it can take on someone with brutal honesty. It is definitely one of the better screenplays of the year, and I would predict with confidence that Gyllenhaal will get a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

A screenplay is nothing without a talented cast, and this film has three of the bigger actresses from the past few years headlining it and they all showed up and showed out by giving some of the best performances of the year. Starting with Colman because she is the star of the show, she continues to deliver at the peak of her game. She is undoubtedly one of the best actresses in the business right now, and she was just superb in this. What’s most impressive about Colman as an actress is that everything she does feels completely natural. That even goes for when she’s contemplating stuff from her character’s past that might have zero relatability to her personal life. She just knows how to present every emotion on her face and she gives us easily one of the best performances of 2021. You can lock her in for a Best Actress nomination and following the recent surprises in this category from other awards bodies, you never know, she could even win. She’s that good!

As for the supporting women, Dakota Johnson gave what I would say is the best performance of her career. She found a way to be both very subtle yet still extremely expressive which is a hard thing to do and I would love to see her get a Best Supporting Actress nomination. It’d be pretty amazing if she did because just a couple years ago she was constantly tabbed as being one of the worst actresses following the Fifty Shades trilogy. It’s just cool to now see how talented an actress she is after being removed from those terrible films that somehow my mom liked. Anyways, the actress probably more likely to get nominated is Jessie Buckley. She brings a lot of pain, anger, and frustration to her character and her performance really surprised me.

I also really liked the look of the film and how it was shot. I loved how Gyllenhaal used a lot of close ups. The close ups were aided by the film’s aspect ratio so the face just took up the entire screen. I don’t know, it just added another level to the film for me as we got to see these women repressing their sadness through these close-ups. The cinematography by Hélène Louvart was really good too, and it was shot in Greece which is one of the most beautiful places in the world, so I’m sure that helped in terms of visuals!

THE BAD

There is no denying that I liked the film overall. However, there were two things that just kept me from loving it. One, I didn’t really like Colman’s character in the end. Don’t get me wrong, I loved her performance, but the character itself was one that I had a hard time rooting for. It’s weird because the film doesn’t really tell us what to think or feel about her, and the ending doesn’t help us answer that question. Speaking of the ending, I wasn’t in love with how the story was resolved. There is one storyline where Colman’s character does something very odd and I thought for how much time they spent on it, we would’ve got a better resolution to why she did what she did. I know the movie is one of those “show-not-tell” kind of films, but I just wanted a better explanation I guess.

Also, while it was very clear what was at the core of this film, I don’t think I grasped every single thing it was going for just given the fact that it is slower and there are a lot of moving parts. For example, there were some other supporting characters that we spend a lot of time with and we do not get anything close to a payoff or even a conclusive moment that wrapped them up. That said, it just makes me want to watch it again to see if I can pick up on anything I might have missed. This is definitely one of those films that could get even better on subsequent viewings.

THE VERDICT

The directorial debut from Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter, did not disappoint as we got three of the year’s best performances from Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, and Jessie Buckley. I didn’t think the end was the greatest and there were just some other things I wanted resolved a little better, but it is still an extremely thought provoking psychological drama that grapples with some emotionally complex feelings that will warrant another viewing.

It’s pretty crazy saying this, but Maggie Gyllenhaal has already really put herself on the map as somebody to look out for, and I just can’t wait to see where she goes from here!

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

The Lost Daughter is now streaming on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Tragedy of Macbeth

By: Andrew Wing

The Tragedy of Macbeth is a 2021 American historical thriller film written and directed by Joel Coen and based on the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. It is the first film directed by one of the Coen brothers (Fargo, No Country for Old Men) without the other’s involvement. The film stars Denzel Washington (Malcolm X, Training Day, Fences) in the lead role as the titular Macbeth, Frances McDormand (Fargo, Nomadland) who also produced the film alongside her husband Joel Coen, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell (Suburbicon, The Red Sea Diving Resort), Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, In the Heights), Harry Melling (Harry Potter films, The Old Guard), Kathryn Hunter, and Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter films, In Bruges).

The Tragedy of Macbeth had its world premiere at the 2021 New York Film Festival on September 24, 2021. It had a limited theatrical release on December 25, 2021, by A24, before hitting streaming on Apple TV+ on January 14, 2022. It also was named one of the top ten films of 2021 by the National Board of Review and American Film Institute.

THE GOOD

Just a little PSA before getting into this review, I am not and will not pretend to be an expert on Shakespeare. Outside of reading Romeo and Juliet in my sophomore English class and doing a quick SparkNotes read on Macbeth, Shakespeare is foreign to me. Nevertheless, this was easily one of my most anticipated films of the year. Why you might ask? The Coen brothers are probably right up there with Denis Villeneuve as my favorite directors, but this specific project was so enticing because it is the first film directed by one of the Coen brothers (Joel) without the other’s (Ethan) involvement. Also, the two headliners for the film are arguably the best actor and actress living today in Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. So I guess you could say I was pretty pumped for this one, but now let’s find out if it met my high expectations!

There are only one or two Coen brother’s films I have yet to see, but everyone I have seen I have greatly enjoyed. Fargo and No Country of Old Men are two of my all-time favorite movies, and I just love everything they are as filmmakers. It was so crazy to see that the two weren’t going to be working together on this, but with that said, Joel absolutely knocked it out of the park. I loved how he decided to highlight and draw attention to the darker and more surreal aspects of the play unlike other film adaptations I have seen about Macbeth. You could tell instantly by watching that Joel Coen has an immense passion for Shakespeare, so much so that he actually realized Shakespeare’s Macbeth in a more true way than we have ever seen before. Joel Coen just continues to cement his legacy of one of the greatest living filmmakers alive today.

It was very easy to expect greatness from the two big names attached to this in Washington and McDormand, and yes they were great, but their performances were also extremely compelling. Denzel as Lord Macbeth was just very impressive and as an actor, he continues to surpass expectations. He was magnificent here, even in moments I didn’t know exactly what he was saying, I was still compelled by how he was saying things. I really liked how we got to see his character's vulnerability because Macbeth is someone who has a conscience, and we see that after betraying his conscience, it eats him alive. As for McDormand, she was also remarkable in what is her first film role since winning Best Actress for Nomadland (see my full review here). McDormand plays Lady Macbeth as this very down to earth person, but still as fierce as you can imagine. Her screen time wasn’t nearly as much as Washington’s, but she still gives us so much from every little facial expression and every line of dialogue throughout. This movie is definitely a Denzel Washington-Frances McDormand show, and it did not disappoint!

As for the supporting performances, Kathryn Hunter was the one who really stood out as she played the three witches and also an old man. Her voice is just so maniacal and the physicality of her performance was kind of scary. It was just such an odd performance that worked perfectly for this movie and she just steals the show in every scene she is in. Speaking of maniacal voices, Harry Melling was good in this in small bits as he just continues to play characters most viewers aren’t going to like (dating back to Dudley from the Harry Potter films). Corey Hawkins was also good in this as Macduff, but he just doesn’t stand out as much given his limited screen time.

This was one of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen. There was just a lot of cool stuff with the visuals and the film just had its own atmosphere with the flawless black and white cinematography from Bruno Delbonnel. It was absolutely beautiful and the minimalist production design kept me more than engaged from beginning to end. It’s crazy to say that it was minimalist when the set for the film was just massive, but it really is. The lighting also helped the film’s surreal feel and it was just obvious to me as a viewer that this was expertly crafted. I also liked all the use of mist in this movie and how they used mist as transitions into the next scene. Joel Coen and Delbonnel just created their own world in this movie and boy oh boy, was it a beautiful one.

As for this film’s Oscar chances, Denzel Washington is an absolute lock to get nominated for Best Actor, and Frances McDormand could too depending on whether she gets run as lead or supporting. Joel Coen should also get some nominations for both directing and his adapted screenplay given that it is Shakespeare. The cinematography is also locked in to get nominated and I really think it should win. Delbonnel is also very due given his past works that got nominated but came up just short: Amélie, Inside Llewyn Davis, and Darkest Hour. The production design is also quite possible because despite it not being too over the top, it just holds a huge presence in the film and it is the best use of production design I’ve seen this year if I am being honest as it just added so much weight to the film.

The sound in this movie is also brilliant with all the knocking, so maybe it’s possible it could get a sound nomination. Carter Burwell’s score is really good too as they blended the score into the film, but there have just been so many good scores in 2021 that I don’t think it’s possible. In conclusion, I really liked this movie anyway, even in moments where I was kind of lost in what exactly was being said, and I would like to see it sneak in as one of the ten nominees for Best Picture. However, I think it probably misses because Shakespeare isn’t enough people’s “thing” which is unfortunate.

THE BAD

There is nothing “bad” about this movie. It’s got everything from the technical side of things to the biggest names from the film world attached, but at the end of the day, it is hard core Shakespeare. Every line of dialogue in this film is Shakespearean English through and through. A lot of people will have a hard time with that, just as I did, but once you get over that mental block, you will follow the movie very well and realize just how masterful a film it is.

Also, the film is completely shot in black and white, so there is another warning before deciding to check it out. You really should check it out though because it is some of the most incredible cinematography I have ever seen, and that is saying a lot as I have watched way too many movies.

THE VERDICT

Despite the film’s Shakespearean dialogue from start to finish that will come across as a barrier to most viewers, The Tragedy of Macbeth is absolutely worth the trouble! For the first time without the involvement of his brother Ethan, Joel Coen brings Shakespeare’s Macbeth to life in a thrillingly modern and dark way that is a striking cinematic work of art with Bruno Delbonnel’s flawless black & white cinematography.

It also features great performances from two living legends of the film industry in Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. Denzel will most likely be getting his seventh Best Actor nomination as he just commands the screen with anger and torment from start to finish, and McDormand’s fierce portrayal of Lady Macbeth is also nomination-worthy.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.8/10

The Tragedy of Macbeth is now streaming only on Apple TV+. Check out the latest trailer below.

Sing 2

By: Andrew Wing

Sing 2 is a 2021 American computer-animated jukebox musical comedy film produced by Illumination (Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets franchises) and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the sequel to Sing (2016), and the film was written and directed by Garth Jennings, co-directed by Christophe Lourdelet, and stars the ensemble cast consisting of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Peter Serafinowicz, Jennifer Saunders, Nick Offerman, and also the director, Garth Jennings, reprising their roles from the first film.

The sequel also features new characters voiced by Bobby Cannavale, Pharrell Williams, Halsey, Chelsea Peretti, Letitia Wright, Eric André, Adam Buxton, and Bono. Like the previous film, Sing 2 features songs from many artists, most of which are performed diegetically. The story is set after the events of the previous film, where Buster Moon (McConaughey) and his group put on a show in Redshore City while working to impress an entertainment mogul (Cannavale) and enlist a reclusive rock star (Bono) to perform.

Sing 2 had its world premiere at the AFI Fest on November 14, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 22, 2021, in RealD 3D, by Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

Prepare to have your mind blown, but unlike most, I never saw Sing back in 2016. I actually didn’t end up watching it until a few weeks ago just around the time Sing 2 was being released in the U.S.. Nevertheless, I really liked Sing a lot. As anyone who reads my reviews knows, I am a sucker for musicals and Sing had some amazing musical sequences. It also was just a very fun and charming movie with an absolutely loaded cast, so it was just common sense that there would be a sequel considering the original film’s success at the box office and also with critics. With that said, it is now time to find out how the sequel matches up to the original, so keep reading to find out!

Just to get this out of the way, this review isn’t going to be a deep analysis or anything like that because at the end of the day it’s an animated musical comedy film about animals that is trying to put a smile on the faces of all ages. And for me, it did just that! I had a smile on my face throughout the film, and it didn’t take me long to grow attached to all of the characters. All of the main characters are just so easy to root for, and my favorite would probably have to be Johnny the gorilla who is voiced by Taron Egerton. And don’t worry, the film is also a comedy so trust me when I say you will have your fair shares of laughs just as I did while watching. All the characters have numerous funny scenes that will get you, but no character is funnier than Gunter the pig, who is voiced by Nick Kroll. Ask my girlfriend who I saw it with, but literally every line of dialogue Gunter had made me laugh out loud. He is just so funny, and Kroll’s voice just makes the character into a fan favorite.

I was also pretty impressed with the story we get here in the sequel. I don’t think it’s an overall better story than what we got in the original, but it is just about as good a story as you’ll get in a sequel. I really liked how it picks up soon after where we left off in the original, and I was also a big fan of their plan on getting the reclusive rock star to perform again as we get to know more about that character’s emotional past. As for the animation, similar to what I said about Disney’s animation for Encanto (see my full review here), it is just top notch.

Disney has been around much longer than Illumination so they definitely have the edge, but Illumination’s animation hasn’t really missed yet. I was blown away by the animation for Sing 2, in particular the animation of Redshore City (basically comparable to Las Vegas in our world) and just all the vibrant colors that made up the city. Lastly, the music is obviously very good to nobody’s surprise. With it being a jukebox musical, you’ll get a ton of classic songs that you know and love, so those are all great, but the best song I thought was actually an original song, “Your Song Saved My Life”, which should be in contention for an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

In conclusion, I was very pleased with Sing 2 as it was just a really good time. I would love to see it get nominated for Best Animated Feature, but similar to Sing back in 2016, I think it might just miss out due to the competition which is unfortunate.

THE BAD

I hate to break it to you, but I am not going to be that guy who trashes an animated musical comedy movie ultimately made for kids. I wouldn’t even say there was anything “bad” about it, but I will say that was a little slow at times for me anyway and also I would have to say that the original is still the overall better film in my opinion, but not by much.

THE VERDICT

Despite me finding it to be just a hair below the original in terms of score, Sing 2 is still a very enjoyable second installment in the franchise. If you’re looking for some singing, dancing, and animated fun for the whole family, rest assured this will not disappoint as we get the whole gang back together for another fun adventure that will prove endearing to audiences of all ages.

TED TAKES RATING - 8/10

Sing 2 is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Scream

Scream (also informally known as Scream 5) is a 2022 horror slasher that serves as the fifth installment of the Scream franchise. It is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. The film is produced by Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein, and William Sherak, with original screenwriter Kevin Williamson serving as an executive producer. 

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.

Though billed as a relaunch of the franchise, the film is a direct sequel to 2011's Scream 4, and the first in the series not to be directed by Wes Craven, who died in 2015. David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and Roger L. Jackson return to reprise their original roles, while Marley Shelton also reprises her role from the previous film. They are joined by franchise newcomers Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, and Jack Quaid.

Scream released in theaters on January 14th, 2022, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

THE GOOD

First of all, the fact that the last Scream movie came out over a decade ago is pretty crazy in my opinion. The first movie made its debut in the mid-90’s, and it quickly became an iconic franchise. What’s unique about the Scream movies when it comes to slashers is that unlike Friday the 13th or Halloween, the killer is interchangeable. The investment from the audience focuses on the victims and the survivors, as the franchise shifts across generations, which brings us to the 2022 version of Scream.

I could easily get a phone call from one of these fame craving psychos because I am absolutely a horror fanatic. Another interesting element of the Scream franchise is it has always had this quirky trademark feel about it, where it never takes itself too seriously. I mean sure, people are getting murdered left in right in the most gruesome ways, but you can almost always count on a victim using their last breath to crack a joke or unnecessary shout an obscenity. But before I get too far off track all the matters here is whether or not they did things right with this new movie, and don’t worry we get into that next so keep on reading. 

I’ll cut to the chase, Scream was fantastic. I walked in to the theater only to see someone sitting alone wearing all black and donning the Ghostface mask, and at that point I knew I was in for quite an experience. The nostalgia hit me like a freight train, and I honestly enjoyed this movie from start to finish. When a franchise brings a 5th movie to the table, it usually screams (pun intended) desperation and cash grab, but to be honest the slasher genre is damn near immune to that happening. I mean just like Friday the 13th or Halloween, fans flock to the theaters for the abundance of blood, idiotic decision making almost always leading to death, and just something that reminds them of the good ol’ days. I mean, I’m no spring chicken and Ghostface has been pulling the murderous prank call move on beautiful babysitters since back when I was in the 5th grade. And before you even ask, you can bet your lunch money that I was at the movie theater seeing the original in all of its big-screen glory. I am fairly certain my parents brought my brother and I to the theater, purchased our tickets, and sent us on our way. They likely picked us up an hour late as well. Things were just different back then.

I was sucked in from the start, and everyone in the theater damn near started clapping when Gail Weathers and Sidney Prescott appeared on-screen. It was just so much fun seeing all of the original characters back together again. Everything with the movie seemed to come together organically, and even though much of what the Scream franchise does is a bit predictable, it still works. The movie also refers back to the previous films quite a bit, so it will be helpful if you can find a way to re-watch those in advance. I was able to watch Scream 4 at least, which still helped quite a bit. I am thrilled with this unique “Scream Universe” they have been able to create. As a horror lover I just can’t get enough of the talk about what makes a great horror movie, and I also liked how this time around they touched on what is considered to be the next generation of horror, or what they call “elevated horror”. Movies like The Witch, It Follows, The Babadook, The Night House (review and trailer here) and one of my personal favorites, Hereditary (review and trailer here). Horror movies that are often much more rooted in reality, and I mean lets be honest, what is scarier than real life especially these days. Just go to the gas station or the grocery store and look at the prices, you will be scarred for life.

One of the biggest reasons why the latest Scream film works so well and avoids the usual sequel pitfalls is the quality of the overall storyline. Considering this is officially the 5th film in the franchise and a direct sequel to the 2011 film Scream 4, they found a way to make it feel fresh and inventive which is a real credit to writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. I am a horror fan through and through, and have seen all of the Scream movies several times, and this movie has earned its place in the iconic franchise.

Both Vanderbilt and Busick are newcomers to the franchise, expanding on the characters brought to life by Kevin Williamson. Vanderbilt has quite the resume, with writing credits ranging from the hit crime thriller Zodiac, to the Amazing Spider-Man 1 & 2, right on to the hit Netflix comedy Murder Mystery. Busick is a bit wet behind the ears in comparison, but he did deliver us the underrated horror comedy Ready or Not, and is currently in pre-production for the next Final Destination movie. Bottom line, this was an extremely fruitful collaboration and I hope to see these two work together again in the near future.

I have to touch on the acting of course, and if you watched the trailers you know that the majority of the core cast returns for the latest entry. The big three of course consists of Neve Campbell in her role as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers-Riley, and David Arquette as Dewey Riley. As folk heroes to the small town of Woodsboro in many ways, all three were nothing short of fantastic. They built this franchise from the ground up, and you could tell from the beginning they take pride in making sure they did right by the fans. This is far from a few cameos to collect a paycheck. All of the franchise mainstays are exceptional in their roles.

Now Scream manages to bring on some new additions with some acting talent, most notably 13 Reason Why star Dylan Minnette, and The Boys star Jack Quaid. I like Minnette a lot and he is great here even though he has a more limited role, but Quaid steps in to a lead role and is absolutely deserving of the limelight. I didn’t realize how important it was to bring on someone like Quaid, but it for sure paid off. I thought the entire supporting cast was great from top to bottom, most notably Melissa Barrera, Marley Shelton reprising her role from Scream 4, Jenny Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sonia Ammar, Mikey Madison, and Mason Gooding. That is essentially the core of the supporting cast for the film, and they should all be very proud of their collective performances.

On the technical side of things, Scream packs a punch. I would have to say I was most impressed with the cinematography as they made it a point to get some really great shots during some of the more pivotal scenes. This franchise has always felt quirky and borderline goofy, which is fine in the sense that it is an established identity, but they raised the bar a bit here for film fans. A few of the kills had that much needed wow factor and left me satisfied. I also really liked the style points that were earned for the creative kills throughout the film. As expected the soundtrack/score is fantastic and helps to raise the energy level for the film.

THE BAD

Alright so my issues with this 2022 version of Scream are few and far between, believe it or not. I mean this is fan service through and through, and it is so damn good in so many ways for that reason. Some people may complain that it’s not super creative with the storyline, but that’s not really what this franchise does. They stuck with the tried and true formula while still breathing new life into this franchise after a decade long hiatus. I mean lets be honest, few of us expected another movie but I for one am very happy they decided to make one.

THE VERDICT

A fresh and creative approach rooted in a tried-and-true formula, Scream and the iconic Ghostface mask are back with a vengeance giving horror fans everything they didn’t even realize they needed. This is a nostalgic heavy reason to return to the movie theater, and I promise you will be glad you did. Scream does a fantastic job tying in to the previous films, so if you have the time to binge them before heading to the theater, I definitely recommend it. The energy of the opening day crowd was infectious, adding that little extra that you just can’t get from watching a movie at home, and I personally cannot wait to see it again. If fans get their way, we will get yet another sequel and I say bring it on.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

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

Licorice Pizza

By: Andrew Wing

Licorice Pizza is a 2021 American coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, The Master), who also serves as one of the film’s producers and cinematographers. The film stars and introduces first-time actors Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman (son of the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman) in the lead roles and the film follows the two as they grow up, run around and fall in love in the San Fernando Valley in 1973. It also features Sean Penn (Mystic River, Milk), Tom Waits (Seven Psychopaths, The Dead Don’t Die), Benny Safdie (best known for writing and directing Good Time and Uncut Gems with his brother Joshua), and Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, A Star Is Born, Nightmare Alley) in supporting roles.

Licorice Pizza was released in the United States in select theaters on November 26, 2021, and was widely released on December 25, 2021. The film received three awards from the National Board of Review, including Best Film. It was also named one of the best films of 2021 by the American Film Institute and received four nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (lost to West Side Story - see my full review here), along with eight nominations at the 27th Critics’ Choice Awards, including Best Picture.

THE GOOD

Where do I even start? Licorice Pizza has been at the top of my list ever since I heard about it. I mean it is PTA’s (Paul Thomas Anderson) first film since 2017, and PTA is definitely one of my favorite directors as I have seen all of his films. Also, the fact that it features two newcomers to the movie industry in Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman was very exciting and only made me more intrigued. The film has been getting a ton of hype and has received widespread acclaim from critics, so I was very eager to see if my thoughts would fall in line with the rest of the bunch, and boy did they! Keep reading and find out why!

Let’s start with the head of the snake, the director. As I said, PTA is a filmmaker that I admire very much and he really is one of my favorites. His career trajectory has been very interesting to say the least. His past two films Inherent Vice and Phantom Thread were probably two of my least favorites films of his as I thought they were too plot heavy, but he really switched it up for Licorice Pizza and I will just say right now that I think it is definitely a top-3 film of his. This film was just a really damn good time and I had a smile on my face from start to finish. You can tell that this movie was sort of an ode to PTA’s own childhood growing up in California in the 1970s. It was also an ode to just living in the moment and enjoying life I thought too. PTA also writes all of his films and I absolutely loved his original screenplay here. There is just so much heart and soul in every line of dialogue, and trust me when I say there are also numerous lines in the film that will have you cracking up. All in all, I think he has a great shot at being nominated for Best Director, and I also think he has a good chance at not only getting nominated, but winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Not only did PTA write and direct Licorice Pizza, but he also served as one of the film’s cinematographers alongside Michael Bauman, and let me just say, the cinematography in this is really good. It has a very hazy and almost dreamlike quality to it and I liked it a lot. It has this deep contrast look to it and the lighting in every scene is just pitch perfect, and the characters in the shots are always glowing as we get those famous PTA close up shots that we have seen so many times over the years. Every color just pops out of that frame and it is such a vibrant looking movie. The shots of California were just so exquisite that you yourself felt like you were in the 1970s just by watching. The film also has a ton of running scenes and I thought all those were expertly shot. I don’t know if it will get nominated for Best Cinematography just with the level of competition this year, but it was easily some of the best cinematography I’ve seen this year in film.

Don’t get me wrong, PTA was the main attraction here, but now it is time to discuss the incredible performances we got from the first time actors, Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman. Wow just wow. They were both just excellent in this movie and they both felt really comfortable in these roles, which is all the more impressive considering they’ve never been in a feature film before. Acting is clearly in Cooper Hoffman’s genes, and I just totally bought his character as he somehow balances the line of both being a showman, yet still incredibly authentic.

As for Alana Haim, she stole the show for me. It was remarkable how she was able to hit so many different notes throughout the film. Sometimes she comes off as this sweet and innocent girl from Los Angeles, while some other times she comes across very fierce and intimidating. I would love to see her get nominated for Best Actress, but that category is just stacked right now so who knows. I just can’t wait to see what the both of them do next, and the fact that we were watching these people we haven’t seen on screen before just gave the movie this purity that made me fall in love with it.

There were also some other performances worth mentioning that came from the supporting players, the first being the man himself, Bradley Cooper. Cooper plays Jon Peters, an American film producer and former hairdresser who was actually partners was Barbra Streisand for ten years back in the 70s, and he is just freaking awesome in his limited screen time. His character doesn’t do much in terms of moving the plot or anything, but his performance is so outrageous and hilarious that he just might get nominated for Best Supporting Actor which would just be wild considering how little time he is on screen. No surprise here but I also really liked Sean Penn in his small role that was very weird. I also liked both Benny Safdie and Tom Waits, but the two actors that were responsible for the majority of the laughs were Skyler Gisondo (Vacation, Psych) and John Michael Higgins (Pitch Perfect, America Says), and I promise you they will make you laugh out loud. They were honestly so so funny.

Other quick things I want to give some love include the score that comes to us from the man having himself one hell of a year in Jonny Greenwood (Spencer, The Power of the Dog). His score was very nostalgic without going overboard on classic 70s songs and it blended into the unique tone the movie wanted to set in my opinion. The editing too in this is just amazing, and it may seem like this small part of a movie, but the editing makes this movie flow so perfectly and the editor Andy Jurgensen will definitely be getting nominated. Also, I have to shout out the production design. I mean it’s a movie about 1970s Los Angeles County, California, and it just took us back in time in the best possible way.

Lastly, I loved this film. You can lock it in for a Best Picture nomination and I would be overjoyed to see it win. There is just something really special about the film as it is very insightful about relationships and just the way we navigate through life as we are growing up. I just can’t wait to watch it again and again and try to pick up on some of the pieces I may have missed.

THE BAD

Nothing. Honestly nothing. I guess you can critique it for being too long and also you could say it’s a little meandering at times as you don’t know what every scene is going for, but this is an overall fantastic movie at the end of the day.

THE VERDICT

Licorice Pizza is a masterpiece and an instant classic for the coming-of-age genre. The 9th feature film from acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson is definitely one his best and is in my opinion, the best film of 2021. PTA’s light and joyful original screenplay was made with so much love and care and it will just capture your heart. The numerous celebrity cameos in this are fun, especially Bradley Cooper’s, but first-time actors Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim steal the show with their amazing performances and magnetic chemistry.

I would love to see this win Best Picture, and I think it’s got as good a chance as any because we just don’t get films like this anymore. It’s a film devoid of a super strong plot carrying the story forward, and yet you will still be engaged and immersed throughout with how extraordinarily well made it is.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

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

The 355

The 355 is a 2022 spy action drama film directed by Simon Kinberg, with a screenplay by Theresa Rebeck and Kinberg, from a story by Rebeck.

CIA agent Mason "Mace" Brown joins forces with a rival German agent, a cutting-edge computer specialist and a Colombian psychologist when a top-secret weapon falls into the hands of a group of mercenaries. Together, the four women embark on a breakneck mission to save the world while staying one step ahead of a mysterious figure who's tracking their every move.

The cast includes Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong'o, Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger, and Fan Bingbing, Sebastian Stan, and Édgar Ramírez. The title is derived from Agent 355, a female spy for the Patriots during the American Revolution.

The 355 released in theaters on January 7th, 2022, by Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

Once The 355 finally broke free of this never-ending pandemic, I made sure to see it on opening day. So, was it worth the wait? The answer is a bit of a mixed bag but lets first talk about what I enjoyed about this movie. When I sit down to watch a movie that is mean to be a spy thriller, I expect either an immersive and engaging storyline or non-stop action, and if I can get both, well that is the recipe for a damn good movie. Now The 355 may not prove to be the standard, but the action is aplenty. From the start we are introduced to some great characters and are treated to quite a wild ride as some of the most beautiful dangerous actresses in Hollywood fight to save the world from WWIII. Does that sound intriguing? It should.

The story is fairly simple, as it focuses on a piece of technology that could decimate the world we know landing in the wrong hands. Two of the most ruthless female agents in the business are recruited to track down this device, leaving an abundance of collateral damage in their wake. This “device”, feels very similar to the AI that is the focus of the hit series Person of Interest, as it takes advantage of our reliance on technology to cause chaos. It is made very clear from the start that a number of unsavory characters will stop at nothing to get it, leading to a thrilling sequence of events including lots of bullets and the icing of betrayal on top. All of the bad guys involved are driven by money or power, or both, and will do anything to get it.

I really liked the fact that they chose to keep the action front and center throughout the film, ensuring that it never once felt boring. You are given some time to focus on a bit of backstory for the characters, but once things get going, they don’t really stop. The 355 will without a doubt be best enjoyed in theaters where the audio element makes a massive difference. I thought the fight sequences and shootouts were intense and very well choreographed. The final big action scene at the end had my eyes glued to the screen. Bottom line, for the most part the action delivers which proves to be the beating heart for The 355.

Without question the cast is one of the biggest draws for this film. I mean, have you seen a better on-screen Hollywood power couple than Jessica Chastain and Sebastian Stan? That is a tough duo to beat, and it is just the tip of the iceberg with the casting of The 355. I remember when I first saw the trailer and thought wow, can you put together better crew of female bad asses?! I think not. Jessica Chastain has been a favorite of mine since she rocked my world with based on true events crime thriller Zero Dark Thirty, otherwise known as the film that chronicled the demise of that POS Osama Bin Laden. She has been in a ton of movies since, and has proven herself to be an A-lister. Her performance in The 355 is top-notch, and without a doubt one of the best performances in the film. She shares a great deal of screen-time with another terrific big name actor, which would be Sebastian Stan, aka The Winter Soldier. Stan and Chastain have great chemistry, and their performances are some of the primary drivers of the film as far as entertainment value.

Lupita Nyong'o is exceptional as always, and I really enjoyed her character. Penélope Cruz will surely be a fan favorite because well, she is so incredibly gorgeous and talented. She is great at playing the “fish out of water” role as she is a psychologist who is forced into the field. The other two aforementioned “female bad asses” would be Diane Kruger and Fan Bingbing. Kruger’s character evolves quite a bit, and I really enjoyed her backstory and overall intensity. Chinese actress Fan Bingbing is quickly becoming a star, and even though the majority of her screen-time is towards the end of the film, she makes her presence known. Édgar Ramírez, who also starred alongside Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty and was fantastic in the recent Disney blockbuster Jungle Cruise (full review here), has a smaller supporting role but is great as usual. I honestly can’t think of any issues I had with the cast from the leads to the smaller supporting roles.

From a technical standpoint The 355 was on point in many ways. I loved the high-energy and hard hitting soundtrack provided by Junkie XL aka Tom Holkenborg, and it blended seamlessly into the film. He has a great feel for films that rely on action scenes as he previously worked on Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Tomb Raider, and Godzilla vs. Kong, just to name a few. Bottom line, he is a talented guy and you will continue to see his name attached to blockbuster films. I was also impressed with the cinematography, taking full advantage of some amazing filming locations. The ending in particular provided some eye-popping visuals that had me completely engaged.

THE BAD

Admittedly, I had high expectations for this movie when the trailer initially dropped what feels like three years ago now, but the delays certainly tapered expectations a bit which was probably for the best. My biggest and most glaring gripe with The 355 is the writing, which in my opinion failed to take full advantage of such a talented cast. The entire premise felt a bit rudimentary, if I may use such a fancy word, and failed to offer the layers we are accustomed to when it comes to movies like Mission Impossible, or the Bourne films. I mean, we still have a few twists that did catch me by surprise, but you won’t sit back and say “wow, that was crazy!”. Now this surely is not a deal breaker for the film to the point where it is unwatchable, but it does hold it back from being great. Jessica Chastain was the driving force for getting The 355 off the ground with the hopes of starting a female-driven spy thriller franchise, but I would say that odds aren’t great as far as that actually happening.

THE VERDICT

While not quite breaking any new ground in the spy thriller genre, The 355 still packs a punch with a stellar cast and enough non-stop action to keep viewers entertained from the title screen to the end credits. I wish that more than anything that the film had more substance or that “it factor” it seemed to be lacking, but it is what it is. I still had fun with it and that is really all that matters. It isn’t nearly as bad as the majority of critics will lead you to believe, but they are justified in some of their issues as I touched on earlier in the review. I doubt this is the start of a new all-female version of the Jason Bourne films or even a new-era Mission Impossible, but it is still an enjoyable spy thriller that brings together some of the very best actresses working today.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.7/10

The 355 is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

A Journal for Jordan

By: Andrew Wing

A Journal for Jordan is a 2021 American drama film directed by Denzel Washington (also directed films such as Antwone Fisher, The Great Debaters, and Fences) and starring Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther) and Chanté Adams (Roxanne Roxanne, The Photograph). The film is written by Virgil Williams (was a writer for the TV series 24, and also co-wrote Mudbound), and is based on the memoir A Journal for Jordan: A Story of Love and Honor by Dana Canedy (Adams’ character).

The film was released by Sony Pictures Releasing on December 25, 2021.

THE GOOD

This was definitely one of those films that just snuck up on me. This December has been packed with both blockbusters and awards contenders, so I apologize. Needless to say, once I saw the trailer for this movie that is based on an amazing true story along with the names attached, I knew I had to check it out. And although I had my flaws with it, I am still glad I did get the chance to see it.

I won’t waste any time, the main attraction here is Michael B. Jordan. Both because well he is an attractive fella to say the least, but also because he is one of the biggest names in the industry today. Yes, he has got the looks and the body, but the guy is a supremely gifted actor. Find me someone who hasn’t loved the Creed films that he has starred in. I wish you good luck. But he is also responsible for playing one of the best MCU villains of all time as Killmonger in Black Panther.

Enough of that though, let’s get into his performance in A Journal for Jordan. He plays the late 1st Sergeant Charles Monroe King, who after being deployed in Iraq, keeps a journal of love and advice for his infant son, Jordan. I really liked MBJ’s performance in this. It is nowhere near his best work, but I thought he did an excellent job at embodying this hero of a man in the most authentic and best way possible. He also just knows how to put a smile on the viewer’s face as he just has a way with words as an actor. Just another overall very solid performance from MBJ and there is no denying that his future is very very bright!

I was also impressed with the screenplay we got here from Virgil Williams. With this being based on a true story, the screenplay is obviously based on the memoir written by King’s late partner, and Jordan’s mother, Dana Canedy. It is no easy task to adapt a memoir into a feature film, but Virgil Williams did it in a very well-mannered way that was both sweet and dramatic at times. I still need to check out Mudbound, but now I will definitely be moving it up the list after seeing that he was a co-writer for it because I am now a fan of his!

In conclusion, I liked this movie overall. I will get into my problems with it a little later, but this movie did everything I expected it to. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it moved me. I just hope more people will check it out because it really is a beautiful story of a man who keeps a journal full of love and advice for his infant son to read as he grows up while he is off fighting in Iraq.

THE BAD

As I said, I liked this movie overall and I hope my readers do go ahead and check it out if they get the chance, but there are just some glaring flaws that this movie has that are tough to ignore as someone with a critical eye. The first being that the movie is way too damn long. I don’t often critique a film’s run time as this year I have watched movies over 150 minutes long, but unlike this movie (131 minutes long), those movies utilized every minute. I mean I didn’t fall asleep, but there were definitely a couple of times where I checked the time.

A big reason for the movie feeling as long as it did in my opinion ties into Denzel Washington’s direction he took this film in. I am probably the last person on earth who should give the Denzel Washington directorial advice, but it just felt from watching that he didn’t know where he wanted to go with this story. At times it was this dramatic film about war that focused more on Michael B. Jordan and how he handles life in the war vs. life back home, while at other times it really felt like I was watching a corny Lifetime romance movie. No offense to Lifetime movies, but if I wanted that I would have stayed at home and watched one with my mom. The good news is Denzel Washington is still arguably the greatest actor of all-time and this is really his first real misfire of his brief directing career, but his filmmaking simply does nothing to elevate the material here.

Lastly, none of the performances outside of Michael B. Jordan really did anything for me. Chanté Adams was okay I guess, but she is still fairly inexperienced when it comes to being a lead actress in feature films and it showed in some of the film’s more climactic scenes unfortunately.

THE VERDICT

While it had its fair share of flaws due to too long of a runtime and also no clear direction, A Journal for Jordan is still a solid enough moving drama with a good performance from Michael B. Jordan. The film will certainly have you tearing up as it tells the beautiful true story of the late 1st Sergeant Charles Monroe King, a soldier who after being deployed in Iraq, keeps a journal of love and advice for his infant son, Jordan, for him to read as he grows up.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.5/10

A Journal for Jordan is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.