Extraction 2

By: Andrew Wing

Extraction 2 is a 2023 American action thriller film directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo, based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Fernando León González, and Eric Skillman. It is a sequel to the 2020 film Extraction, and Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Endgame), Golshifteh Farahani (Paterson, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) and Adam Bessa (Hanna) reprise their roles, with Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace, Black Widow), Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick, Logan), Tinatin Dalakishvili and Idris Elba (The Wire, The Suicide Squad) joining the cast.

Tasked with extracting a family who is at the mercy of a Georgian gangster, Tyler Rake (Hemsworth) infiltrates one of the world’s deadliest prisons in order to save them. But when the extraction gets hot, and the gangster dies in the heat of battle, his equally ruthless brother tracks down Rake and his team to Sydney, in order to get revenge.

Extraction 2 was released by Netflix on June 16, 2023.

THE GOOD

Going into 2023 when it came to Netflix original films that were set to be released, there was not a movie I was more excited for than Extraction 2! The first one, Extraction, was such a pleasant surprise that came out in April of 2020, so just about a month into the COVID-19 lockdown that we all have such fond memories of. That said, Extraction made the lockdown and the quarantine just a little bit better because it instantly became one of the best action movies of the past five years. So what did we get with Extraction 2? Was it a step down from the first film, or was this a step up that left us wanting more from this franchise? Keep reading to find out!

It most definitely was the latter! It wasn’t astronomically better than the first film or anything, but for me, there is no denying that this movie was an improvement from the first one. And a big reason why was because of everything the director, Sam Hargrave, did here. Just like the movie itself, Hargrave himself really improved from the first one. With Extraction 2, he dives more into the character elements which I thought added a lot to how I emotionally connected to the film. Also, the first one felt simpler, and while sequels going crazier isn’t always the best thing (just ask the Fast & Furious franchise, sorry Ted), it certainly worked here. It just felt like Hargrave and everyone else that worked on the film understood the setting, the characters, and the story better this time around and it was just fucking awesome from start to finish.

As great as Hargrave was in the director’s chair, the best part of Extraction 2 is the action sequences that he is primarily responsible for. Simply put, the action scenes in this are as good as anything we have gotten in the last ten years. If you’re reading this, I am sure you have heard about the 22-minute long one-take action scene, and allow me to be the one that tells you, it lives up to the hype! I won’t spoil it, but Hemsworth’s character, Tyler Rake was at certain moments on fire, on a train, in a car, hitting people with free weights, and all of it was just so cool. It was one of the most innovative action sequences I have ever seen, and while that definitely takes the cake for the best action sequence in the movie, I cannot forget to mention the fight that takes place on top of a skyscraper which was so so great! I don’t know how they pulled all of it off because it truly is mind-blowing stuff!

But enough about the action sequences, let’s talk about the cast! It is again led by Chris Hemsworth who somehow continues to just look even bigger on screen than he did in his previous movie. Like the first one, Hemsworth was used perfectly here. While his character of Tyler Rake is an absolute beast, he is also extremely charismatic, and this might be a bit of recency bias, but I enjoy him just as much in this role as I do as Thor in the MCU which says A LOT! Aside from Hemsworth, I again really enjoyed Golshifteh Farahani as Nik, and I was blown away by Tornike Gogrichiani who plays the film’s antagonist, Zurab! There is also a pretty awesome cameo in this movie that I won’t spoil, but let me just say the actor fits perfectly into this and it makes me even more excited for the future of this franchise!

THE BAD

I am sorry if this review is too positive, but what can I say, I am a dude who likes action movies! Give me a break! Seriously though, this is a good, if not great action movie. However, there are certainly some aspects that can be picked apart that keep me from saying it is in the same league as the Mission: Impossible and John Wick franchises. The biggest complaint here is just the script. While I did find it to be an improvement over the first one, the script still isn’t great. I am not asking for something from Paul Thomas Anderson or anything, but the story is simple and very generic, and you just know how it is going to play out beat by beat.

That said, I still had a blast, and I will recommend it to anybody. However, something I did not have a blast watching, and I hate to be overly critical of child performances, was Andro Japaridze who plays Sandro. There is no other way to say this, but he just was not good in this movie and I have a hard time believing they couldn’t have found a better actor for this role, but so be it. Lastly, the real travesty when it comes to Extraction 2 actually has nothing to do with the film itself, but rather the fact that we can’t watch this movie in theaters! I appreciate Netflix for giving Hargrave the platform to make this movie in the first place, but it’s just a shame I couldn’t watch this on the big screen.

THE VERDICT

Thanks to truly some of the best action sequences you will ever see, director Sam Hargrave’s Extraction 2 is an improvement over the previous film that makes me incredibly excited to see what is next for what is becoming one of the more reliable action franchises.

What Hargrave pulls off in this movie is nothing short of incredible as he gives you things you’ve never seen before in an action movie, while also giving you a better and more emotional story, and last but not least, another great Chris Hemsworth performance!

TED TAKES RATING - 7.1/10

Extraction 2 is now streaming only on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.

The Flash

The Flash is a 2023 superhero action film directed by Andy Muschietti (IT films, Mama), from a screenplay by Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey, Bumblebee), with a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Spider-Man: Homecoming) and Joby Harold (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Army of the Dead), based on characters from DC. The film is the first standalone film for The Flash character.

Worlds collide when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

The cast includes Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton.

The Flash made its debut in theaters on June 16th, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

THE GOOD

Alright so DC has had its fair share of issues serving up some duds while in pursuit of big brother Marvel, but of course as we got closer to the release of The Flash actor Ezra Miller was like “Hold my beer!”. This dude has so many screws loose it is incredible that his head hasn’t come completely loose from the rest of his body. Miller has been building a solid resume since a prominent role in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), a big role in The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015), and finally his debut as the DC Comics character The Flash in the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Now that movie had issues for so many different reasons, but Miller’s role was seen as a bit of a bright spot. He would go on to appear in Suicide Squad (2016) and Justice League (2017), all as The Flash/Barry Allen, as he cemented himself as a great casting choice for one of DC’s more intriguing superheroes. His biggest impact was felt in 2021 when Zach Snyder’s Justice League was released and he seemed to be on the trajectory as a polarizing new face in DC with an impact similar to Marvel’s Tom Holland as Spider-Man. But, due to seriously erratic and self-destructive behavior from Miller after filming concluded, the release of The Flash was in doubt. Ultimately the studio decided it made sense to release the film which received positive early screenings, and deal with the issues surrounding the star later. Did Miller’s black cloud rain on what has been a highly anticipated release for DC and Warner Bros. Pictures, or was The Flash still the film I was hoping it would be? Keep reading to find out!

Quick answer, I really enjoyed this movie and felt like for the most part, it did live up to my high expectations. I’m not going to sit here and act like everything going on with Ezra Miller wasn’t a distraction, but I will talk more about that later in the review. Bottom line, The Flash is a high-powered superhero film packed to the brim with eye-popping CGI, intense action sequences, the great one-liners we have come to appreciate from big brother Marvel, some incredible cameos, and just an all-around entertaining experience from start to finish. The film was never boring and I thought the story, which really did a nice job tugging at the old heartstrings, was well-executed and immersive.

What intrigued me most about The Flash originally was the “Butterfly Effect” element of the story. Just touching on the basis of the film without spoilers, Barry Allen/The Flash inadvertently discovers that his superpower allows him to time travel. Now needless to say, due to his own tragic past he immediately considers the possibility that he can go back and alter events in the past to in turn create a better future. He shares his ideas with Bruce Wayne/Batman who has his own tragic past, but Wayne is quick to warn Barry about the negative ramifications of altering the past, which would surely create problems they couldn’t even imagine. Barry has proven that he isn’t one to take advice and actually listen, so he takes it upon himself to do what he believes to be the right thing. This is where things start to get interesting, and I thought the story made for a unique layer of intrigue with an emotional element, combined with all of the great superhero action and humor that gets us in the door in the first place. The emotional element hit me pretty hard on a personal level as well which had a lasting effect on me well after leaving the theater so I have to offer up a well-deserved kudos to the writing team for all of their hard work paying dividends.

Just to piggyback off the story a bit, Barry’s superpowers made for some incredible and extremely stimulating CGI. Barry’s unique abilities allow him to move so fast that everything else around him seems frozen in time, making it so he can save the day in a way unlike any of the other superheroes. The film’s opening sequence is an absolute blast giving viewers a heavy dose of what to expect, and I was on the edge of my seat right from the start. Now granted it may seem a bit over the top at times because they really did not hold back on the CGI, but for me, it added something extra making it so The Flash sort of stood out with its own signature in a way. As the film progresses the CGI continues to play a big part and for me, it never disappoints. If you are expecting a more realistic or grounded film, you may want to reconsider seeing this movie. Just saying.

All the drama aside I really liked the cast, including Ezra Miller continuing as Barry Allen/The Flash. Miller was perfect for the role from the beginning as he embodied that unique balance of awkwardness and confidence, and just like he did in the previous films mentioned earlier in the review he delivered yet again. Unfortunately, he is likely out after this film but at the end of the day, he only has himself to blame. Ben Affleck has limited screen time but it worked as it was one of his better performances as Batman, but the cherry on top of the film for me was the legend himself, my man Michael Keaton. Keaton first played the Caped Crusader back in 1989, just think about that for a second, just a year after he blew people away with his role in the 1988 classic film Beetlejuice. With 90 credits according to his IMDb filmography with a few projects in the works, he will go down as one of the greatest and certainly more underappreciated actors ever.

The other Michael, Michael Shannon that is, returns to play villain General Zod. I enjoyed his character but I do wish the writing team would have added a bit more depth. Go ahead and put the earmuffs on the kids because man was I feeling Sasha Calle as Supergirl. I think we can all appreciate a good solid balance of sexy and badass, and she tipped the scales in the right direction for both. But seriously, the actress best known for The Young and the Restless took full advantage of this golden opportunity and I look forward to seeing her in future roles. I enjoyed the supporting cast too, particularly a few awesome cameos that I won’t spoil.

THE BAD

I really enjoyed The Flash and felt like it met my expectations after what I felt were some really awesome trailers prior to its release in theaters. Interestingly enough, some of what I loved most about the film will also be criticized by some viewers, mainly the CGI element. Within the first 5 minutes of the film, you will be well aware of what to expect, and that is some very creative but extremely over the top at times special effects. I was personally impressed with just how great it looked and the film’s willingness to pull out all of the stops, but that won’t be the reaction of every single person who sees this movie. I can confidently say that some people will consider the CGI to be a bit much or maybe even cheesy, and although not a universal outlook I do think the criticism would be warranted. It can feel like a lot at times, so my suggestion would be to go in with that expectation and you will be just fine. As I made very clear earlier in the review the story was a massive bright spot for the film, but it wasn’t perfect. In particular, I would have loved to have seen a bit more backstory for the other characters, but I also understand that some scenes were likely cut to make sure the film wasn’t 3-hours long.

I have to talk about Ezra Miller and the fact that he tried his absolute hardest to make sure this movie never saw the light of day, getting shelved similar to the Batgirl film which was considered “not releasable”, but for entirely different reasons. The Flash was essentially completed when Miller was arrested multiple times in 2022 for various reasons, but he eventually issued a public apology citing mental issues and the motivation to “get better”. It seems like Miller likely burned his bridges when it comes to his role as Barry Allen/The Flash especially considering he clearly can’t be trusted to stay out of trouble, but if he really does clean up his act I’m sure he will get other opportunities in the future. But with all of this being said, the drama surrounding the film was definitely a distraction for me and it did take away from the overall experience.

THE VERDICT

If you can set aside the questionable antics of actor Ezra Miller and focus on the immersive and emotional story, epic cameos, and jaw-dropping CGI, The Flash brings more than enough to the table making for an experience well worth a trip to the theater. I’m actually hoping to see this in theaters at least once more prior to the eventual VOD and streaming release. The CGI may prove to be a little much for some viewers hoping for more of a balance, but for me, it worked. I hope the film does well at the box office because it simply deserves to be seen, but I do feel like the drama surrounding it may keep some people away. If you want an action-packed theater experience to help kick off the summer movie season, The Flash will without a doubt satisfy that craving.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.1/10

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

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

By: Andrew Wing

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a 2023 American computer-animated adventure film based on Nintendo's Mario video game franchise. Produced by Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo, and distributed by Universal, the film was directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and written by Matthew Fogel.

The ensemble voice cast includes Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Infinity War), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, The Menu), Charlie Day (Horrible Bosses, The Lego Movie), Jack Black (School of Rock, Kung Fu Panda), Keegan-Michael Key (Get Out, Toy Story 4), Seth Rogen (Superbad, This Is the End), and Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live, Easy A).

The film features an origin story for the brothers Mario and Luigi, Italian-American plumbers who are transported to an alternate world and become entangled in a battle between the Mushroom Kingdom, led by Princess Peach, and the Koopas, led by Bowser.

After the critical and commercial failure of the live-action film Super Mario Bros. (1993), Nintendo became reluctant to license its intellectual properties for film adaptations. The Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, became interested in developing another film. Through Nintendo's work with Universal Parks & Resorts to create Super Nintendo World, he met with Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri. By 2016, the two were discussing a Mario film and, in January 2018, Nintendo announced that it would produce it with Illumination and Universal. Production was underway by 2020, and the cast was announced in September 2021.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released in the United States on April 5, 2023. The film has grossed $1.3 billion worldwide, setting multiple box-office records, including the biggest worldwide opening weekend for an animated film and the highest-grossing film based on a video game. It became the highest-grossing film of 2023 and the third-highest-grossing animated film of all time.

THE GOOD

While it might not have been on my personal most-anticipated list, there is no denying that going into 2023 The Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of the most anticipated movies of not only 2023 but arguably of this century. Why, though? Well, the answer is easy and that is because Nintendo’s Mario video game franchise has had an unfathomable impact on popular culture for the past four-plus decades. My parents played the games, my brother and I played the games, and I’m sure there are kids today that are playing the games. That said, when it comes to film adaptations of the legendary game, the track record is just about as bad as it gets. The 1993 live-action film Super Mario Bros. is honestly one of the worst movies ever made if you ask me, so you could say this 2023 version and the team behind it had quite a task on their hands. So did they just give us another terrible film like the one thirty years prior or did fans of the Nintendo game finally get the film adaptation they have been waiting so long for? Keep reading to find out!

I can thankfully say that it was the latter! Before getting into it though, I think it’s important to start by saying that this is a kids’ movie through and through so I am not going to dive too deep into it. That said, let’s begin! First things first, I just have to give props to the directors Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath for finally giving the world a quality Mario movie. This is not just good, but a really good kids’ movie. It’s really funny and really entertaining, and I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if kids who see this call it their favorite movie for the next couple of years. All that said, as a 21-year-old man reviewing this film, there is still lots of nostalgia in it and despite it being 99% geared towards children, the movie still has some nice little moments and nods for adults which I greatly appreciated!

But now onto the main selling point when it comes to The Super Mario Bros. Movie which would be an incredible voice cast that is led by none other than Star-Lord himself, Chris Pratt, as the one and only Mario. People online were just losing their minds when the news came out that Pratt was going to be voicing Mario, and the good news is all of those people can shut up and take a chill pill now because Pratt was great as the voice of Mario in my opinion. I thought he brought the character’s charm to life through his voice and I just had no complaints. Aside from Pratt though, really everyone else I thought did a fantastic job like Charlie Day as Luigi and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, but there is no denying that the two stand-outs were Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, and Jack Black as Bowser!

Aside from the voice cast, there were a ton of other elements I enjoyed about The Super Mario Bros. Movie that I wanted to touch on. First, the animation looked great! I continue to be really impressed by Illumination and all of the animated content they put out. The movie was just so colorful making it beautiful to look at, and they crushed all of the things you wanted to see in a Mario movie like the Rainbow Road and Mushroom Kingdom. Second, the music in the movie was so good and I could not stop singing “Peaches”, a song that Jack Black not only sang but also co-wrote, for a solid week after seeing this! Other than that, I just really hope it holds on to be the highest-grossing movie of the year because I am very excited to see what’s next for this franchise!

THE BAD

No surprise, I had a really good time with this movie and I think everyone will, specifically children. That said, it did have its flaws, and its greatest flaw in my opinion was that it was way too short. Apparently, the film’s runtime was 92 minutes but it really felt like it was an hour long. It just never stops to breathe which I didn’t completely hate, but I also didn’t love. I get it. With these kids' movies, you want to get them in and out of the theater, but there just wasn’t enough meat on the bones if you ask me and I definitely wanted more from it.

Another thing I’ll say is that this is certainly not a “great” kids’ movie. That’s fine, but if you’re going in expecting this to be like a Pixar movie full of great life lessons or even Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, one of the best-animated movies of 2022 (see Ted’s full review), you are going to be disappointed because this doesn’t hit those same benchmarks. The last thing I’ll say is just be prepared going into this because some will definitely find it to be overstimulating. The colors are very vibrant and the movie moves incredibly fast, and that all just ties into my main problem which is the movie being way too short. They should’ve just added another fifteen minutes just to let the movie breathe, and hey, maybe the extra fifteen minutes could’ve allowed for some cool easter eggs for fans of the game like myself, but maybe we will get that in the sequel which should be getting announced very soon!

THE VERDICT

Despite leaving some potential on the table with its shorter runtime and just not being everything I wanted it to be, there is no denying that The Super Mario Bros. Movie is perfect for its intended audience. It’s just a good time from start to finish as it is funny, colorful, and full of great vocal performances, and I recommend checking it out with the whole family if you haven’t done so already!

TED TAKES RATING - 6.8/10

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is now available to buy or rent on demand. Check out the film’s final trailer below.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

By: Andrew Wing

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a 2023 American fantasy heist comedy film directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley (directing duo responsible for Vacation and Game Night), who co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Gilio from a story by Chris McKay (director of The Lego Batman Movie, The Tomorrow War, and Renfield) and Gilio.

Based on the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, it is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and has no connections to the previous film trilogy released between 2000 and 2012. The film stars Chris Pine (Star Trek, Wonder Woman), Michelle Rodriguez (Fast & Furious franchise, Avatar), Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton, The Gray Man), Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Pokémon Detective Pikachu), Sophia Lillis (It, It Chapter Two), and Hugh Grant (Love Actually, The Gentlemen).

Production went through various phases in development since 2013, beginning with Warner Bros. Pictures after beating Hasbro and Universal Pictures in a lawsuit over the film rights to the tabletop role-playing game, before moving to Paramount Pictures, each with various writers and directors. Goldstein and Daley were the final writers/directors, using elements from the previous attempt by director Chris McKay and screenwriter Michael Gilio. Filming began in April 2021 in Iceland and later Northern Ireland.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 10, 2023, and was released in the United States on March 31, 2023, by Paramount Pictures. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics and audiences, the film underperformed at the box office, grossing over $208 million worldwide against its $150 million budget.

THE GOOD

I’ll be honest, once I saw the first trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, I was not excited about it. The tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons was I believe the generation before mine, so my only experience with the game is thanks to the huge Netflix series, Stranger Things, because the game plays a big role in that series. All of that said, the initial reviews out of South by Southwest where the film premiered were way better than I expected, so I asked my girlfriend if she wanted to check it out, and she said yes. But was it a good movie date? Or was it like the time I made her watch Blonde (see my full review here) with me and she didn’t talk to me for a week after because of how bad of a movie that was? Keep reading to find out!

Thankfully it was a good movie date! I know I’m not alone in this, but this is without a doubt one of the biggest surprises when it comes to film in 2023! There is no other way of saying this, but the trailers for this movie just were not good. More than that though, I just thought this movie was going to be a box office bomb because it felt like a movie meant for 2003 rather than 2023. It just felt like nobody was asking for this, and while it still underperformed at the box office, it did well enough with critics and audiences that I think we will be getting a sequel! You best believe I’ll be seeing the sequel to this if we get it, and hopefully, both Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley come back to direct because these guys just know how to make fun movies.

As mentioned in the intro, these are the directors who gave us Game Night (read Ted’s full review), which is easily one of the best comedies of the 2010s. It was just so funny and awesome, and it also includes one of the funniest scenes involving Jesse Plemons. As for what they did with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves though, I was really impressed! This movie is definitely made for fans of the game, but thanks to the directing duo, it was also really digestible for people like my girlfriend and I who know nothing about Dungeons & Dragons, and that was great because it didn’t take away from our viewing experience. Continuing with their impressive direction, this movie has a lot of solid action as they do some really unique stuff with the camera work (shoutout to cinematographer Barry Peterson) that made for one hell of a heist scene! And lastly, the film was really funny. The punch-up dialogue is very tongue-in-cheek but that leads to some solid humor and just some really funny and clever scenes.

Aside from Goldstein and Daley, another reason this movie was significantly better than I expected was the tone it set and the amount of charm it had, which was in large part thanks to the cast led by Chris Pine! I’ll touch on some of the other cast members, but Pine was just great in this! He is so likable and charismatic in this as the main character Edgin Darvis, and he is about as good of a pick you can make if you’re looking for someone to be an anchor in a franchise movie. Other than Pine though, Michelle Rodriguez was her typical badass self that she is in everything else, but I never get tired of her, and I know Ted, a huge Fast & Furious fan himself, agrees with me there! Hugh Grant was incredible in this too as Forge Fitzwilliam, an ambitious rogue and con artist. Grant is just perfectly cast as the film’s primary antagonist if you ask me, and I love watching him ham it up as an actor! Oh, and one more thing I liked about Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was the score from Lorne Balfe, who is composing the highly anticipated, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (check out our preview here)!

THE BAD

As I’m sure you can already tell, I really enjoyed this movie! I don’t see anyone even disliking it, but that said, it is far from perfect, and don’t expect it to be getting any Academy Awards. My biggest complaint with this movie is the runtime, which is rare coming from me, someone who regularly watches three-hour films on the Criterion Channel. Maybe it was less about the runtime and more about the film’s pacing, but nevertheless, the film could’ve lost a good fifteen to thirty minutes if you ask me.

Another thing that bothered me when it came to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was the final third of the film. Now I love action sequences, I mean John Wick: Chapter 4 (check out Ted’s full review) is my second favorite movie of 2023 and that entire movie basically is an action sequence, but literally the final forty minutes of this movie is just one loud action sequence full of bad CGI. This was my main complaint a couple of years back with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (read my full review), but I just don’t understand why the people in charge of these movies think we want this. I mean at least make it look good if you are going to give it to us. It was just frustrating with this movie in particular because the practical effects we get in the first half of the film are really good, but the second half is full of some really bad special effects, specifically on Sofina, the Red Wizard.

THE VERDICT

While it might not reinvent the wheel when it comes to big franchise fantasy films of the past, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a fun family movie built for parents and their kids to enjoy that is so much better than it has any right to be!

I don’t know if I’ll ever watch it again, but I’d have a hard time finding someone who won’t enjoy this as much as I did, and I look forward to seeing what is next for this franchise!

P.S. This movie does contain what will undoubtedly be the best and funniest cameo of any film coming out in 2023, so for that reason and that reason alone, do yourself a favor and check this out! You won’t regret it!

TED TAKES RATING - 7.3/10

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is now streaming on Paramount+. Check out the final trailer below.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a 2023 science fiction action film directed by Steven Caple Jr., written by Joby Harold, Darnell Metayer, Josh Peters, Erich Hoeber, and Jon Hoeber, from a story by Joby Harold. Based on Hasbro's Transformers toy-line and primarily influenced by the Beast Wars storyline, it will be the seventh installment in the live-action Transformers film series and the sequel to Bumblebee (2018).

In 1994, a pair of archaeologists from Brooklyn come into an ancient conflict through a globe-trotting adventure that ties in with three factions of Transformers: the Maximals, the Predacons and the Terrorcons.

The cast includes Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, along with a stellar cast of voice actors including Michelle Yeoh, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Pete Davidson, Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez, Peter Cullen, and Cristo Fernández.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts made its debut in theaters June 9th, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

THE GOOD

Lets take a trip back to 2007, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were making history, and Michael Bay was on the cusp of igniting a massive Transformers film franchise. Bay brought his ability to entertain with larger-than-life action sequences together with an engaging storyline and relatable characters. I looked forward to seeing these movies in theaters, and at the end of each movie a Linkin Park song would come through the speakers as the camera panned away and I would be officially ready for the next movie. The Transformers franchise is tailormade for the full theater experience, and Bay made sure that he gave viewers their moneys worth and then some.

The films got a little crazy even for me as they added more action and less storyline, making for an experience that felt like it was missing something even though they were still around 2 1/2 to 3 hours long. The last Michael Bay film in this franchise, Transformers: The Last Night, released in 2017 and to say it was not well received would be an understatement. But, all was not lost as in 2018 the franchise received an official reboot with the origin story of Bumblebee, starring the talented Hailee Steinfeld. The follow-up to that is the shiny and new Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, which attempts to bring the entire Transformers origin story to the forefront. So, is the franchise trending in the right direction or should you stay home and save your money? Keep reading to find out!

In many ways Transformers: Rise of the Beasts felt like a blast from the past, and I mean that in the best way possible. I genuinely enjoyed this movie, and it felt like the Transformers movies that always had me itching to be in the theater on opening day. The smooth balance between story and action is alive and well once again, and the film even found a way to tug at the heart strings a little bit.

I enjoyed the cast lead by Anthony Ramos (In the Heights) as Noah Diaz, and Dominique Fishback as Elena Wallace, who is fantastic in the Apple TV drama series The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey which also stars Samuel L. Jackson. The tandem had solid chemistry and helped to progress the story and keep things interesting. I also thought Dean Scott Vazquez did a really nice job as Noah’s little brother Kris and was a big part of the emotional element of the story. I really liked the mid 90’s era setting that helped to provide a fantastic soundtrack and great overall feel, and I thought director Steven Caple Jr. is worthy of some praise for a movie that begs to be seen in theaters.

I was very pleased with the cast of voice actors which included Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Pinker Dinklage, and Michelle Yeoh to name a few, but the star of the show as far as the voice cast was Pete Davidson. Davidson voices Mirage who is the Transformer who becomes connected to Noah through a sequence of unforeseen events, and I thought he was hilarious. Mirage is the cocky member of the group but in a goofy way, and I thought Davidson nailed it with some great one-liners. My guy Cristo Fernández, the Mexican actor better known as Dani Rojas in the hit comedy drama series Ted Lasso, has a small role as the Transformer Wheeljack but I recognized his voice right away and it immediately put a smile on my face.

Obviously you can’t have a Transformers movie without talking about the action sequences, special effects, or soundtrack, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts brings the heat as expected. This movie has some absolutely gorgeous visuals, and I will likely snag the 4K Blu-ray when it comes out. I thought the action sequences were equally exciting and edge-of-your-seat worthy from start to finish, and one thing this movie will not be accused of being is boring. The soundtrack hits about as hard as a giant pissed off robot colliding face first with a massive building, and it definitely kept my energy level high.

I loved the variety of Transformers we get to see from the traditional vehicle that turns into a giant robot, to what looks like it came straight from a Godzilla vs Kong film. I especially enjoyed Pete Davidson’s Mirage character, who was not only on point with his banter, but also one of the more nimble Transformers making for quite a few high-energy action sequences. The films third act did not disappoint as it had my blood pumping making for a very satisfying finale. Bottom line, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts takes full advantage of the estimated $200,000,000 budget.

THE BAD

I’m sure by now you can tell that ultimately I was very pleased with this film, but it did have its issues. The Transformers films always relied primarily on the action sequences making it so the sometimes goofy dialogue was mostly overlooked, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is no different. I laughed quite a bit throughout the movie, but some of the jokes did fall flat and sort of made for an awkward silence in a way, at least briefly. I was able to overlook these instances for the most part mainly because the last few Transformers films lowered my expectations, but also because it is far from a deal breaker. I also touched on the cast which I was pleased with, but you won’t be getting top-tier acting, nor should you be expecting it. The main cast is talented and definitely pulled their weight, but oftentimes the supporting cast felt left behind or a bit mediocre in comparison.

THE VERDICT

Following in the footsteps of the successful 2018 film Bumblebee with a heartfelt origin story seamlessly blended with plenty of humor and the intense action sequences we crave, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts exceeded my expectations and has me excited for the future of the franchise. My eyes were so glued to the screen for the entire two hours that I ate way more popcorn than I planned to, but that is a me problem. But in all seriousness, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this movie but it checked all of the boxes that mattered to me. If you ever considered yourself to be a fan of this franchise, you will enjoy it. Don’t wait to watch this at home because Transformers: Rise of the Beasts needs to be seen in theaters to be appreciated. Also be sure to stick around for the post-credit scene because big things are on the horizon.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.3/10

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Boogeyman

The Boogeyman is a 2023 supernatural horror film directed by Rob Savage (Host) from a screenplay by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place) and Mark Heyman (Black Swan), based on the 1973 short story of the same name by Stephen King. The film was originally scheduled for a streaming release on Hulu before switching to a theatrical release.

High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.

The film stars Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets), Chris Messina (Birds of Prey), Vivien Lyra Blair (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Marin Ireland (The Umbrella Academy, Madison Hu, LisaGay Hamilton (Vice), and David Dastmalchian (Dune).

The Boogeyman made its debut in theaters on June 2nd, courtesy of 20th Century Studios.

THE GOOD

Ever since the original Pet Sematary traumatized me as a child to the point where I genuinely believed my dead pets would eventually come visit me at night, I have had a unique attachment to anything Stephen King. Plus I am also a native of his home state of Maine. Now in the last several years we have had an abundance of King adaptions make their way to the big-screen, some great, some not so great. But there is no denying the fact that he is a horror mastermind and when something of his gets the big-screen treatment, it is worth a look. Now add in the fact that Rob Savage, director of the terrifying under-the-radar horror film Host (streaming on AMC+), is at the helm for The Boogeyman, I was extra intrigued. So, did it satisfy my thirst for horror or send me home disappointed? Keep reading to find out!

I am pleased to report that The Boogeyman was actually really good, especially considering it is a PG-13 horror movie. Right from the outset I loved the tone as it was ominous and dark from the start, and I also really liked that the core of the story is rooted in real-life trauma which helps to make the story have a layer of depth beyond just having a scary monster lurking in the shadows. In The Boogeyman the monster preys on the vulnerability of those dealing with immense grief, and in this story he latches onto a family that is grieving the sudden loss of a wife and mother. As someone who has suffered a similar loss in my life, I was able to relate to the characters particularly Sophie Thatcher’s character Sadie, who finds herself becoming an outcast among her friends as they are unable to understand or grasp what she is dealing with while also proving to be extremely inconsiderate and harsh towards her. I thought the foundation of the story was very well-executed, and I found myself sympathizing and ultimately caring for these characters pretty much right away.

The majority of viewers are coming to see The Boogeyman because of the source material, which is of course a short story from Stephen King originally published way back in 1978. I made it a point to avoid researching the short story prior to seeing the film, and I also avoided watching the trailers to make sure I was surprised when seeing the movie and I was impressed by the story. My favorite thing about The Boogeyman aside from the effective technical elements was the less is more idea as it relates to the monster. Back in 2015, Robert Eggers directed the horror film The Witch (our review here) which was fantastic by the way, and in an interview, Eggers talked about how with horror movies he believed the monster was often scariest in the shadows, and that really resonated with me.

I felt like The Boogeyman took this approach to heart, and although we do get a good look at the monster by the end, the majority of the film it is just quick glimpses and he is quite literally lurking in the shadows often only revealing his eyes. The story in itself is rather simple and stays true to the overall idea of a boogeyman hiding in the closet or under the bed, but the additional layers to the story and how the monster feeds off grief and trauma put it over the top for me. As far as scare factor, the film has lots of jump scares but the scenes that instill real fear and give you chills really did it for me. I can handle scary with ease and still sleep like a baby, and I thought The Boogeyman did enough to make it easy to recommend to horror fans.

Acting is often overlooked in horror films, but I was genuinely impressed with the performances in The Boogeyman. Sophie Thatcher takes on the lead role in the film and I thought she was fantastic. Thatcher has proven herself to be an extremely versatile actress after her breakout role in the Showtime original series Yellowjackets, which is a fantastic show if you haven’t seen it. Similar to that series, Thatcher’s character is required to carry a heavy emotional weight and you can see the pain and despair in her eyes. So much of the film relies on the believability of her character and I never once questioned her authenticity.

Starring alongside Thatcher is young actress Vivien Lyra Blair as her little sister Sawyer. It can be difficult to find talented young actors who can effectively play a substantial role in a film like The Boogeyman that does rely heavily on the cast, and I feel like Blair has a very bright future. She is often the focal point during the film and I thought she did a great job. Chris Messina, former star of The Mindy Project who has taken on several roles since, plays Will Harper the widowed father of two young girls. I really like Messina as an actor and I thought he was absolutely the right choice for this role. Will Harper is a therapist who sees patients from his home, and the fact that he is dealing with a significant trauma of his own and spends his days talking through his patients issues adds a unique element to the film. I also really liked David Dastmalchian and thought that even though he had a limited amount of screen time he still brought a ton of value to the film.

I was impressed with what The Boogeyman brought to the table as far as technical elements, particularly the unique camera work, the score, and the great use of lighting. As far as the camera work is concerned, the film was able to maintain an intimate feel throughout and that is a big reason why. At one point Blair’s character Sawyer looks under her bed and the camera rotates with her to give viewers a sort of POV perspective of what she is seeing which helps to create a level of suspense. I also thought they did a really nice job with several great emphasis shots whether it be holding to see if something is in fact in that dark corner, or just helping to create the feel of helplessness the characters are experiencing. Director Rob Savage clearly has the right feel for the horror genre, and I hope he continues to get more opportunities in the future.

The score was fantastic from start to finish helping to create an uneasy feel throughout, and for me that is a pivotal piece of what makes for a horror movie that is able to really immerse viewers. Lighting was a big part of The Boogeyman as the darkness was the primary strength of this monster that feeds off the trauma of its victims. Light bulbs would constantly blow leaving viewers staring into the fateful darkness, and I really liked the use of the light ball Sawyer’s character would always have with her due to her fear of the dark. She would often roll the ball toward the darkness to ensure nothing was there, and this was something that helped to create tension throughout the film.

THE BAD

The Boogeyman is a really good horror movie but it’s not perfect, and more than anything else it suffers from the usual horror pitfalls, which is story inconsistencies or the “why the heck would you do that” moments during the film. I am a firm believer that it is impossible for everything the characters do to make sense otherwise every scary movie would include the cast getting far away from whatever monster or killer trying to get them as fast as possible, and that would make for a very, very boring movie. This of course allows viewers the opportunity to shake their heads when a character does something that will almost surely end badly, and that does happen more than a few times here.

It was also interesting that Sawyer’s character, who is very young and would likely be more so under the watchful eye of a parent, is involved in quite a few traumatic incidents where it takes quite some time for anyone to come and check on her. And I’m talking lots of loud banging etc to the point where it would be impossible not to be hear it throughout the house. Now I know it is silly to harp on this because clearly it was important for viewers to feel the sense of helplessness from Sawyer’s character especially being the most vulnerable, but it is just one of those things that you overanalyze without even realizing.

THE VERDICT

An effective and unnerving horror thriller that emphasizes chills over jump scares while still offering a good balance, The Boogeyman thrives with a talented cast and a less is more approach bringing the Stephen King short story to life. I genuinely enjoyed this movie and felt like it earned its place as one of the better King adaptations. I will always feel like a horror movie could be scarier just because I am sick in the head, but The Boogeyman gave me chills more than a few times and kept me on the edge of my seat. As I mentioned I have yet to read the short story the film is based on, but I plan on checking it out soon to see just how accurate the film is. Don’t let the PG-13 rating deter you because all it did was force the film to get creative with the scare factor instead of relying on blood and gore, and that is a plus in my book.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.6/10

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

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a 2023 animated action-adventure superhero film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, from a script by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callaham, based on characters from Stan Lee. It is the sequel to the hit 2018 film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.

The cast includes Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Jason Schwartzman, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Vélez, Greta Lee, Rachel Dratch, Jorma Taccone, Shea Whigham, and Oscar Isaac.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is set to debut in theaters on June 2, 2023, courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

THE GOOD

Things got away from me a bit back in 2018 when Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse hit theaters. I remember I went to see The Mule with Clint Eastwood which came out the same day, but I also just wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this new animated Spider-Man movie. But lo and behold, the movie dominated the box office and created a massive following pretty much immediately. It also had quite a run on Netflix, which yet again I somehow missed, so as we got closer to the sequel releasing in theaters I knew I needed to see this movie.

Instead of renting VOD I decided to buy the 4K Blu-ray and planned a movie night with my wife and two toddlers, and we all loved it! I just couldn’t get enough of the unique animation style, the voice actors were superb, and it was just so action-packed and fun from start to finish. I finally knew why people were next-level excited for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and I was officially on the bandwagon as well. So, does it live up to sky-high expectations after a nearly 5-year wait or should you just hold off until it inevitably becomes available to stream? Keep reading to find out!

Pardon my French, but holy shit was this movie amazing! I’m still trying to gather my thoughts and make sense of it all, but this was without a doubt two and a half hours of audio and video ecstasy. I honestly don’t know how else to explain it. Now I’m not going to sit here and break Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse down from top to bottom, for one because I refuse to spoil anything, but also because I quite simply don’t have the knowledge of the comics or the brainpower to fully comprehend everything that happened in this movie. To say that there was a lot going on would be one heck of an understatement. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has more Easter Eggs than my kid’s Easter baskets after I spent an hour covering the yard for their egg hunt. From a purely cinematic standpoint, as it relates to what a film has to offer visually for a live-action animated film, this really is as good as it gets.

Right from the opening, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse had my eyes damn near popping out of my head, and my ears were equally engaged. The editing team seriously deserves like 30 Oscars, and the entire crew behind the technical elements of the film is all amazing. While I was watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse I just kept thinking about how many hours went into crafting what I was now seeing on screen. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they started working on this movie as soon as the original was released nearly five years ago. A ton of credit to the directing duo of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson for all of their efforts to create this work of art, and Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callaham for a masterful screenplay.

I’m going to try my best to keep this review short and sweet so that I can get people out to theaters to experience it for themselves, but I have to touch on the visuals, editing, and the cast of voice actors. I will start with the star of the show for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse which was without a doubt the animation and the editing. If you watched the original film, you had an idea of what to expect as far as some of the most amazing and unique visuals I have ever seen in a film. It all just looks so, so good, and in some ways, the animation dominates the film because you will find yourself in awe from start to finish. Working in tandem with the animation and the incredible visuals is high-level editing that I cannot even begin to fathom as far as the scale of difficulty. Everything is as smooth as butter, and I was having so much fun I wanted the movie to surpass the two-and-a-half-hour runtime, for a few different reasons but I won’t get into that. Bottom line, when Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releases on 4K Blu-ray, I will be standing in front of Best Buy waiting for the doors to be unlocked and telling them to take my money.

Next, I have to touch on this phenomenal cast of voice actors, and everyone was amazing. First I have to talk about Jamaican-born actor Shameik Moore who has been making a name for himself in Hollywood, but undeniably was given a massive opportunity with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and he has taken full advantage of it. Moore is the voice of Miles Morales, who goes by the nickname Spin in my kid’s favorite show Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends. Fun Fact, the nickname was given in the show so as to not confuse children as the primary characters are Morales (Spin), Peter (Spidey), and Gwen (Ghost-Spider), who are friends and crime fighters. The nickname was also used earlier in the comics. Moore embodies the role of Morales and I honestly couldn’t imagine anyone else taking it on.

Next, I have to touch on the other main piece of the puzzle which is the gorgeous Hailee Steinfeld who voices Gwendolyne Maxine "Gwen" Stacy, who is also known as either Spider-Woman or Ghost Spider, as my kids know her. My 4-year-old is obsessed with her, but that is a story for another day. Steinfeld, who I have loved since her role in the coming-of-age movie Edge of Seventeen, has proven herself to be a very versatile and talented actress, albeit with questionable taste in men as she is reportedly now dating Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Steinfeld is amazing as Gwen, and she really brought to life some of the more emotional scenes in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Jake Johnson aka Nick Miller (New Girl) once again voices Peter Parker, and although he does have a smaller role in this film compared to the original, he is fantastic yet again.

I can’t go on a spiel about everyone who voiced characters in the film got obvious reasons, paramount amongst them my inability to keep a reader’s attention for that long, but this is one of the best casts of voice actors I have ever experienced. Just to go down the list of pure talent, we have Oscar Isaac as Miguel O’Hara, Issa Rae as Jessica Drew, Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis, Daniel Kaluuya as Hobart ‘Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk (he was so damn awesome in this), Taran Killam as Patrick O’Hara/Webslinger, Andy Samberg as Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider, Jason Schwartzman as Jonathan Ohnn/The Spot, Karan Soni as Spider-Man India (love this dude), Amandla Stenberg as Margo Kess/Spider-Byte, Jorma Taccone as Adrian Toomes/The Vulture, and Shea Whigham as George Stacy. Now if that doesn’t sound like the guests at a red carpet Hollywood event I don’t know what does, and they are all incredible.

THE BAD

If you have been paying attention it should come as no surprise that this part of the review will be brief. Bottom line, I loved this movie and honestly have no criticisms. But as a parent of kids who love Spider-Man, I do suggest seeing it yourself before bringing the kids because the nearly two-and-a-half-hour runtime will likely be a bit much for young kids and may result in an early departure from the theater. I plan to offer an unlimited supply of popcorn to mine and hope for the best.

THE VERDICT

With jaw-dropping visuals, a spectacularly satisfying soundtrack, some of the best film editing I have ever seen, and an absolute dream team cast of voice actors, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is everything I wanted it to be and then some. This movie really is that good, and I know for a fact that I will need to see it another few times to fully appreciate everything it has to offer because I know I missed a ton. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is going to obliterate next year’s Academy Awards, and I cannot wait to celebrate along with everyone who worked on this cinematic masterpiece.

If you want to avoid spoilers I’d suggest seeing this movie in theaters ASAP, and I personally hope to see it again very, very soon. Plus, it will likely be not only the best-animated movie you will see all year but one of the best movies in general. Highly recommended.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

About My Father

About My Father is a 2023 comedy directed by Laura Terruso and written by Austen Earl and Sebastian Maniscalco.

Sebastian is encouraged by his fiancée to bring his immigrant, hairdresser father, Salvo, to a weekend get-together with her super-rich and exceedingly eccentric family. The weekend develops into what can only be described as a culture clash, leaving Sebastian and Salvo to discover that the great thing about family is everything about family.

Starring Sebastian Maniscalco, Robert De Niro, Leslie Bibb, Anders Holm, David Rasche, Brett Dier, and Kim Cattrall.

About My Father made its debut in theaters on May 26th, courtesy of Lionsgate.

THE GOOD

I am always game for a good comedy, and although I’m not super familiar with Sebastian Maniscalco and his stand-up comedy, having Robert De Niro in a leading role piqued my interest. Interestingly enough one of the first movies I reviewed for this site was the raunchy comedy Dirty Grandpa (our full review here) from back in January 2016 where De Niro starred alongside Zac Efron. I remember several older people walking out during the first 5-minutes of the movie after they realized it wasn’t quite what they expected. Although it was pretty ridiculous and very over-the-top, I still enjoyed it so I was more than willing to give About My Father a fair shake. Was it a solid easy to recommend good-hearted comedy or just another film trying to bank on the talents of its cast without much going for it otherwise? Keep reading to find out!

I actually really enjoyed this movie, more than I thought I would honestly. It had a simple yet effective story, great chemistry from the cast, tons of great comedic moments, and a smooth runtime of just over an hour and 30 minutes. What stood out to me most was the chemistry between De Niro and Maniscalco as father and son, but I enjoyed the entire cast and thought everyone did a great job. About My Father never feels too over the top, and the underlying message of the film is something we can all relate to.

About My Father utilizes comedy to shed some light on the significant disconnect between working-class families and their wealthy counterparts. The screenplay is simple and will likely feel familiar, but I really liked how they added the additional layer of the family history element which helped to solidify the significance of never forgetting where you come from. The film opens by giving the necessary background on Maniscalco’s character and his Italian roots, while also touching on the dramatic differences between his ancestors and those of the family he hopes to become a part of. As a parent, you want more than anything else to raise your children to become the best version of yourself, and About My Father is the perfect depiction of that.

The characters feel authentic and well-intentioned, and although the film still has a big focus on comedy it doesn’t take away from the broader message it is trying to convey and I personally appreciated the great balance. One particular scene that resonated with me was a lunch at the families country club where De Niro’s character was questioning why the menu didn’t have any prices on them. Let’s be honest for a second, people that order without even considering the price have more money than they should have, and those of us working-class folk just like to know what we are getting ourselves into. I’m from New England and when you go to dinner if you want certain items on the seafood menu like a lobster roll for example, you will see the note “MKT Price or Market Price” meaning the price fluctuates and you won’t know what that is until the bill comes. I am always so tempted to ask what the price is before ordering to try and avoid heart palpitations when the bill comes. I wish I was kidding, but the struggle is real ladies and gentlemen.

The cast is an obvious strength for About My Father, and they more than held their own if you ask me. I thought each and every character was cast perfectly. Just like the families refusing to stray from their roots, the characters themselves never veer from their identity which I thought was important. Robert De Niro was fantastic as always playing the strong-willed but overall well-intentioned Italian father, and comedian Sebastian Maniscalco impressed me as the son attempting to forge his own path much to the dismay of his father. Leslie Bibb stars as Maniscalco’s wife and I thought she was fantastic and provided the perfect balance necessary. Aside from De Niro my favorite casting is easily my guy David Rasche who is lights out as always. The veteran actor who also stars in the HBO drama Succession just has the perfect demeanor for this role, and no matter how wacky things get he always remains even-keeled and is believable throughout. Plus, Rasche is one of those actors who can make you laugh with a simple facial expression. Rounding out the cast is Workaholics actor Anders Holm, Brett Dier, and Kim Cattrall, and they were all great. I am a fan of the comedy series Workaholics so I knew going in I would enjoy Holm in this role.

THE BAD

About My Father is not perfect; it feels a bit slow at times, and not all of the jokes land as well as anticipated. But the good news is none of these issues prove detrimental. The film has a very clear identity from the start not relying solely on the comedic element to keep it going, instead allowing the foundation of the film’s success to be the story and the cast. So yeah, as far as feel-good slightly dysfunctional family comedies go this is pretty damn good in my opinion.

THE VERDICT

A well-written feel-good comedy with relatable characters thanks to great chemistry between leads Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro, About My Father offers plenty of laughs while delivering an impactful underlying message. I really enjoyed this movie and feel like it has plenty of replay value which speaks to the emphasis on the story and characters as opposed to going the route of a potentially throwaway over-the-top comedy. My wife and I bonded over our dysfunctional families and now we have kids of our own that we are trying to not screw up too badly, so admittedly movies like this are extra special for me. Go ahead and grab a crazy family member from each generation and go see About My Father in theaters sooner than later.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.7/10

About My Father is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Fast X

Fast X (also known as Fast & Furious 10) is a 2023 action film directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), and written by Justin Lin (F9) and Dan Mazeau. As the tenth film for the extremely successful Fast & Furious Saga which dates back to my freshman year in high school, we are finally approaching the final chapter.

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved, and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.

The cast includes Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena, and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron. New additions to the already star-studded cast include Oscar® winner Brie Larson, Jason Mamoa, Alan Ritchson (Reacher), Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), and legendary Oscar® winner Rita Moreno.

Fast X made its debut in theaters on May 19th.

THE GOOD

If you called me a Fast and Furious fanboy, you’d be onto something. I talked about it at length during my Fast 9 review so I won’t bore you with the details, but this franchise has held a special place in my heart for over two decades. Now granted the films have become a far cry from street racing on the side streets of Cali, but I’m still here for it. A successful franchise builds a massive fanbase with great characters, edge-of-your-seat action, and if it’s lucky a substantial emotional attachment which has been the case for me with these movies. So, does Fast X keep the fire burning or flame out after such an impressive run? Keep reading to find out!

It certainly didn’t flame out but I do have some mixed thoughts which I will touch on later in the review, but all in all Fast X was the high-octane action thriller we all expected. The action sequences are absolutely bonkers as expected, and although we don’t take a trip to space this time around, the opportunities to defy logic and gravity are still aplenty. Fast X also makes sure to pay homage to the franchise with several scenes that fans will recognize right away, including the opening scene reminiscent of the original 2001 film. Speaking of the original film, the soundtrack is fantastic yet again. This franchise has become synonymous with big-name actors over the years and that is the case yet again, adding another few big players to the mix.

The cast is a big draw yet again and Fast X adds a few new big names to the mix. The biggest addition to the film is Jason Mamoa who plays the film’s primary antagonist. I really like Mamoa a lot as an actor and have always felt he has a unique versatility to him. Not only is he a big and brooding presence, but he also has great on-screen energy and charisma. I will admit I do have mixed thoughts on his character as a whole and I will talk more about that later in the review, but for the most part, I liked his casting and thought he was the man for the job. Following in the footsteps of Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, or John Cena is a big hill to climb, but he makes it look easy. Another big addition is the gorgeous and talented Brie Larson, and she is fantastic as always.

I think the argument can be made that 70% of the budget for these films goes to the special effects, but at this point, if you go into a Fast and Furious movie expecting realism you clearly missed the last 5+ movies. The franchise traded street racing and edge-of-your-seat tractor-trailer heists for explosions, cars flying out of skyscrapers, and oh yeah let’s not forget submarines. The action is aplenty yet again in Fast X, and for that reason, I was entertained from start to finish just waiting to see how far they decide to push things this time around. I do think that F9 pushed things a little further considering a character went to space, I mean that is a high bar, but the amount of Dominic Toretto muscle car goodness put a smile on my face.

THE BAD

I really did enjoy Fast X, but certain things either felt off or didn’t quite meet my expectations. First, I have become especially attached to the emotional element of the films ever since Furious 7 which followed the tragic death of the great Paul Walker. The ending of that film hit me hard, and I even did my own sort of review as to why which you can check out here if you are interested. But bottom line, the loss I have suffered in my own life coupled with my own personal attachment to this franchise from a young age has made these movies special to me.

The films have effectively followed up Furious 7 with plenty of hard-hitting emotional moments, but I just felt like Fast X sort of fell flat in comparison. Now it still made sure to honor Walker’s involvement with the franchise, but it just felt minimal in comparison. Maybe it was because of the fact that the film had a cliffhanger and maybe I should reserve judgment for how things close out in the finale.

The other issue I had with the film was what I felt was a strange balance as far as the overall tone and much of that relates to the film’s villain played by Jason Mamoa. I love Mamoa, and overall I did enjoy his character and what he brought to the film, I just thought that the balance for his character in terms of the comedic and psychotic elements felt unbalanced. Maybe I am overthinking it and that was just the core of his overall character, but it felt sort of all over the place for me especially when compared to other villains in the franchise.

THE VERDICT

Embracing the absolute absurdity of the action sequences for better or for worse, Fast X may not surpass prior entries but still delivers for fans of the franchise an experience made for the big screen. It’s not perfect and certainly could have been better, but if you go in expecting more of what this over-the-top franchise has offered as of late it is well worth the price of admission. Plus, a movie like Fast X simply needs to be seen in theaters,

TED TAKES RATING - 7.1/10

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

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a 2023 science fiction action superhero film written and directed by James Gunn, based on the comics from Dan Abnett, and Andy Lanning. It is the final installment in the Guardians of the Galaxy (GOTG) trilogy.

Our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

The cast includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone, Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji, Daniela Melchior, Michael Rosenbaum, Maria Bakalova, Nico Santos, Dane DiLiegro, and Sarah Alami.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 made its debut in theaters May 5th.

THE GOOD

I vividly remember back in 2014 seeing the first trailer for the original Guardians of the Galaxy and I had zero knowledge of the comics or the impending franchise that would be based on them. I just remember seeing the characters in that first The Usual Suspects style trailer and I was instantly intrigued. I mean first of all it seemed ridiculous mainly because of Groot’s presence, but it looked like a fun movie worth checking out and I was already a big fan of Chris Pratt.

Plus the idea of my guy Bradley Cooper voicing a CGI raccoon seemed like icing on the cake. I loved the movie of course, and have been a GOTG fan ever since. Jump ahead nearly a decade and we have the latest installment, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, poised to continue Phase 5 of the MCU after recently released Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (our full review here). Does it live up to the hype of what is said to be the final film for the GOTG or did they miss the mark this time around? Keep reading to find out!

Man, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 took me by surprise, and I mean that in the best way possible. I expected the usual comic relief which is always welcome and while it was still present for the majority of the time this movie got me in the feels like nobody’s business. Bringing tissues to a Guardians of the Galaxy movie may seem excessive, but trust me when I say you will need them.

This movie was so good for so many reasons. I admit I was a bit critical of the direction the story was heading initially just because it seemed like it would lack the substance I was hoping for, but I was so wrong. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 brings the heat with an amazing cast, incredible special effects, a fire soundtrack, and a screenplay that honestly blew me away. The film clocks in at just over two and a half hours, and I wish it was even longer.

The story is without a doubt the star of the show for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It was everything, and then some. I honestly went in blind not knowing what to expect from the story, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Initially it feels like the carryover of the drama between Starlord and Gamora was going to be the focus of the film but it quickly becomes just part of the story as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 transforms into a gut-wrenching origin story for Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper. I personally always viewed Rocket as this pessimistic vigilante with a tough exterior, but after peeling back the many layers of his life I quickly realized I couldn’t have been more wrong about him.

As much as I want to break down his story I refuse to give anything away, but let me just say Rocket may be the most misunderstood member of the GOTG (which is saying a lot considering they have a tree person who just says his name over and over again), and his character now has a special place in my heart. I damn near sobbed out loud especially during the final act, so kudos to James Gunn for a powerful screenplay. The film also touches on some additional backstory for Starlord that may leave you a bit wet in the eyes.

I know I am making the movie sound like it is a cry fest from start to finish, but it is still hilarious with a ton of great one-liners, and plenty of opportunities for Drax to make an ass out of himself. Plus Sean Gunn, brother of director James Gunn, is hilarious yet again a Kraglin. I was surprised to learn that he also takes on the voice of young Rocket. With that being said, the balance of intense drama and laugh-out-loud humor was impressive.

The GOTG films have been built around a massively talented cast from the very beginning, and that is of course the case once again with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Now aside from mainstays Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, and Pom Klementieff just to name a few, the latest entry in the franchise has a few notable additions. First, Chukwudi Iwuji is incredible in the role of The High Evolutionary, a psychotic villain with a God complex who would likely get along quite well with Thanos. His pure talent as an actor made for some terrifying scenes.

And how about a jacked Will Poulter in the role of Adam Warlock, just a bronzed up beast of a man. And yes it is the same Will Poulter who plays the nerdy teen who gets bit in his man business by a spider in the comedy We’re the Millers. Dude put on some serious muscle and I honestly thought he was fantastic in this role. I have heard some complaints that he didn’t get enough screen time which I don’t necessarily disagree with, but the story was centered on Rocket and the rest of the Guardians. From top to bottom the cast delivered.

Obviously Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 packs a massive punch when it comes to the special effects, but I think they somehow found a way to raise the bar. The variety of characters are as wacky as ever, the environments are vibrant and full of life, and the fight scenes are blast to experience especially during the final act of the film. If it is your dream to see Groot transform into his version of John Wick, look no further.

I was honestly blown away by the quality of the CGI, especially during the flashback scenes related to Rocket’s origin story. You may have a hard time fully appreciating the CGI just because you will be so busy wiping your eyes. Part of why you watch a GOTG movie is the soundtrack, and it does not disappoint. I personally cannot get enough of the 80’s music. James Gunn is a boss, that fact is simply undeniable. As far as writing and directing, Marvel is lucky to have this guy on the payroll and I hope he reminds them every second of every day.

THE BAD

Listen, I loved this movie but it does require some disclaimers. I mean it is slow at times and I was initially skeptical of the overall storyline (unnecessarily I should say), but what viewers need to be warned about is honestly what makes this movie so damn good. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 can be a difficult watch as it is often downright heartbreaking at times, and is especially difficult for the animal lovers of the world. As I mentioned in this review, the movie is by all accounts an origin story for Rocket, and his story is very, very sad, and downright brutal.

Rocket is without a doubt one of my favorite Guardians after watching this movie, but the road he traveled was a brutal one; I will say that. Rocket has dealt with unimaginable trauma, and you will quickly realize that the tough exterior he exhibits throughout this successful franchise may be a front more often than not. CGI or not, adorable and defenseless animals are harmed on-screen in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and you absolutely need to be prepared for that. I say tough it out though because it is so worth it.

THE VERDICT

A truly heartbreaking origin story that still offers up the trademark humor, amazing soundtrack, and groundbreaking special effects the films are known for, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the epic sendoff this franchise deserves. I knew I was going to enjoy this movie but I never expected it to have such a lasting impact on me, and as I mentioned in the review I will never look at Rocket the same again. James Gunn is a damn godsend, and I can’t wait to watch all of the movies again just so I can see his character in a new light.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 absolutely needs to be experienced in theaters, so get out there and see it as soon as possible because if you are anything like me, you will see it at least three times before its all said and done. Highly recommended.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.1/10

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Evil Dead Rise

Evil Dead Rise is a 2023 supernatural horror film written and directed by Lee Cronin. The film serves as the fifth installment in the Evil Dead franchise.

A road-weary Beth pays an overdue visit to her older sister Ellie, who is raising three kids on her own in a cramped L.A. apartment. The sisters' reunion is cut short by the discovery of a mysterious book deep in the bowels of Ellie's building, giving rise to flesh-possessing demons, and thrusting Beth into a primal battle for survival as she is faced with the most nightmarish version of motherhood imaginable.

The film stars Alyssa Sutherland, Lily Sullivan, Gabrielle Echols, Morgan Davies, Nell Fisher, and Mia Challis.

Evil Dead Rise made its debut in theaters on April 21st, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

THE GOOD

While I’m not what you would consider to be a hardcore fan of the Evil Dead franchise necessarily, I am a a devoted horror fan and refuse to miss out on anything that brings value to the genre. Now I have enjoyed all of the films in the franchise, I just tend to gravitate towards slashers like Friday the 13th when it comes down to going the extra mile like having replica movie props etc (I have a handmade and wearable Jason mask for example). But, I fully appreciate this franchise and understand its allure so I was excited for Evil Dead Rise to finally debut in theaters. So, did this satisfy the horror lover in me or do you need to be a dedicated fan to fully appreciate it? Keep reading to find out!

Pardon my French but Evil Dead Rise is not fucking around. If you’re reading this review I dare to say you can deal with a little profanity, and you better be able to stomach that and a lot more if you plan on checking this movie out in theaters. Now by no means is that supposed to deter you, quite the opposite honestly. This movie has it all with legitimately terrifying horror elements, a great score and soundtrack, immersive cinematography, great acting, and all the blood and gore you could possibly need or want. I’m pretty sure that at least 25% of the films budget was spent on blood, not even kidding. Right away I was impressed by the pure horror feel of the film, and the fact that it had a great buildup to what was a wild and extremely entertaining finale.

I think what stood out to me most was the overall story because even though it was fairly run-of-the-mill as far as a demonic possession type storyline, it capitalized on what is at the end of the day the bread and butter of this franchise and Lee Cronin deserves his credit for the screenplay. Evil Dead Rise sets the stage with a mysterious and eerie tone from the start, allowing it to branch out to what would become a terrifying chain of events. Even though I sort of knew what to expect I was still on the edge of my seat the entire time just basking in the horror thriller glory of the film.

Similar to most slashers films, Evil Dead Rise hits the credits with a jolt of energy leaving viewers satisfied but still wanting more. I liked how the film started at the end and backtracked in terms of how the events of the opening unfolded, and it kept me guessing right up until the last 60 seconds of the film. I also really liked all of the fan service with the connections to other spin-offs (Ash vs Evil Dead etc) even though most of it surpassed my knowledge of the franchise.

While acting tends to take a backseat when it comes to the horror genre, I was very impressed with the cast of Evil Dead Rise. The entire cast delivered when their name was called. Australian actress Alyssa Sutherland, who for the record I am not familiar with whatsoever, was incredible. She was just so believable and terrifying once her character went full blown psycho demon killer, and even made some of the more outlandish sequences feel grounded. I really liked the scene that took place mostly throw a peephole, allowing Sutherland the opportunity to try and play mind games with the youngest character. I just kept saying to myself “don’t listen to her it’s a trap!! Just look at her grotesque face!”. So yeah I won’t go in depth on the rest of the cast, but I felt like everyone delivered and helped to make Evil Dead Rise one hell of a horror movie and what I feel is an instant classic for the genre.

We need to give the special effects and make-up team a round of applause or standing ovation or something, like holy shit. Evil Dead Rise is not for the faint of heart, and I know people want to praise the overrated mess that is Terrifier 2 mainly because it went so above and beyond with blood and gore, but that is like a D-movie compared to this. It’s like comparing a drawing from an art major in college to a kindergartner, just another level entirely. This is haunt your dreams blood and gore, like what you would imagine a crime scene to look like if you had the pleasure of taking a tour while the crime was still being committed.

I mean we got kitchen knives, a chainsaw, shotgun, glass eating, wood chippers, and just as the icing on the cake a damn cheese grater. Let me just say I won’t be grating any cheese anytime soon that’s for damn sure. As bloody and gory as it was, it never felt like too much. Now maybe that speaks to the sickness deep inside of me, but it all worked so damn well and for sure made the franchise proud. Also kudos to director Lee Cronin for some fantastic camera work and just a great eye for horror in general.

THE BAD

When it comes to horror films, we tend to let certain things slide like average to below average acting, or maybe even a few plot holes here and there because that really isn’t what gets people in the seats. But with that being said, the horror genre is continuing to evolve with hard-hitting horror films like It Follows (2014), and The Dark and the Wicked (2020). Real nightmare fuel type horror. I’m getting off track a bit but what I am trying to get at is that Evil Dead Rise manages to avoid the typical genre pitfalls, offering up a horror film that simply feels like the full package. Now with that being said, this movie is NOT for everyone. It was scary enough to give most people nightmares for weeks especially if you live in an apartment building, and the blood and gore is about a 15 on a 10 scale. You have been warned.

THE VERDICT

Emphasizing and effectively executing raw horror elements as opposed to the campy feel of prior entries in the franchise, Evil Dead Rise is equally as terrifying as it is gut-wrenching and does not hold back on the trademark blood and gore. I was pleasantly impressed with what I already expected to be a fun movie, but this may be my favorite in the highly-successful franchise. As I mentioned in the review all of the fan service employed may have been over my head the majority of the time, but I could still tell that the feel of Evil Dead Rise was true to the franchise and its hardcore fanbase. If you enjoy these films or are just a horror fan in general, this needs to be seen in theaters like yesterday.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

Evil Dead Rise is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Renfield

Renfield is a 2023 comedy horror film directed by Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie, The Tomorrow War) from a screenplay by Ryan Ridley, based on an original idea by Robert Kirkman, who is best known for creating The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics. It is a reboot of Universal's Dracula series. The film stars Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Menu) as the titular character, alongside Nicolas Cage (Kick-Ass, National Treasure), Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Farwell), Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog, Parks and Recreation), and Adrian Martinez (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty).

Having grown sick and tired of his centuries as Dracula’s (Cage) lackey, Renfield (Hoult) finds a new lease on life — and maybe even redemption — when he falls for feisty, perennially angry traffic cop Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina).

Renfield made its debut in theaters on April 14th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

Renfield snuck up on me, especially considering the fact that it is a comedy horror that features the great Nicolas Cage as Dracula. I mean, I don’t even need to know who else is in the movie, I’m already in. As we got closer to the release and a full-length trailer dropped, I was pretty damn excited. I loved the What We Do in the Shadows vibe, and I was digging the style of the film. Plus considering the talented Nicholas Hoult was co-starring, my expectations were fairly high. So, was Renfield worth a trip to the theater, or should you just wait for the VOD release? Keep reading to find out!

Renfield was a damn blast, plain and simple. I thought the cast was fantastic, the feel of the film kept the energy level high, it was funny throughout, and more than anything else I could not get enough of the style and the action sequences. They were just so much fun, and I really liked the emphasis on the smooth balance between comedy and horror which somehow played homage to two genres simultaneously. At just over an hour and a half long, Renfield flew by and kept me entertained from start to finish. Plus, Nicolas Cage as Dracula, enough said.

The cast was easily the biggest sell for me originally, mainly because at this point and time I will watch anything Nicolas Cage does. Whether it is the incredible artsy drama Pig (Andrew’s full review here) or the groundbreaking action comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (our full review here), the legendary actor continues to churn out quality films. So of course the opportunity to experience him as Count Dracula was something I refused to miss out on, and he did not disappoint. Starring alongside Cage is the talented former Warm Bodies actor Nicholas Hoult, and he was fantastic. Hoult plays a perfect emo character who seeks out a support group for people in abusive relationships because Dracula has whittled him down to a shell of himself.

I thought comedian turned-actress Awkwafina was hilarious alongside her equally ridiculous partner played by Adrian Martinez. I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed Ben Schwartz in the film, who plays the entitled son of a mob family who miraculously gets away with committing every crime in the book thanks to a corrupt police department. I thought his over-the-top character was hilarious and added a ton of value to the film. The entire supporting cast, including everyone in the support group, was great.

Aside from the cast, the special effects and action sequences are the bread and butter of Renfield. The best way I can describe some of these crazy sequences is a John Wick film with a supernatural element blended with a collection of Mortal Kombat finishing move kills. Sounds awesome right?! Trust me, you need to experience it for yourself. Just make sure you don’t have an issue with lots of blood and the constant and brutally violent removal of body parts. I was also blown away by the make-up and costume design in the film, especially Cage early on when he is frail and grotesque as he works his way back to full strength.

The film does such a nice job of establishing a unique identity and running with it, making for a film that is hilarious in a goofy way but not too goofy, and also incredibly violent. That is not an easy balance when you think about effective execution, and to say the kill count is impressive would be an understatement. So yeah, kudos to the special effects team for bringing their A-game, but also a well-deserved shoutout to Marco Beltrami for a banging soundtrack to supplement the non-stop action, and cinematographer Mitchell Amundsen for helping to create this immersive world where Dracula is among us.

Plus for how goofy the film is, they still somehow managed to create a gritty crime thriller vibe which helped to tie everything together. Director Chris McKay, who recently directed the sci-fi action drama The Tomorrow War (2021) (our full review here), deserves his due as well. And even though the overall story is a bit of an afterthought because of the cast and superb special effects, Robert Kirkman of The Walking Dead fame deserves credit for the original idea, along with Ryan Ridley for putting together the screenplay. I mean you can pick and choose what you felt made Renfield as enjoyable as it is, but what matters is it all came together to create a final product that I can’t wait to see again, and again.

THE BAD

I’m not going to sit here and say Renfield is a perfect film, because it is a far cry from anything that you will see taking home an Oscar anytime soon, aside from perhaps make-up and costume design, or special effects of course. The screenplay in itself is ridiculous, feeling in many ways like an extension or spin-off of What We Do in the Shadows, but is that really a bad thing? The story really doesn’t matter here, because if you can’t appreciate the wackiness, over-the-top violence, and blood and gore you will hate the movie either way. Renfield feels like a genre film created to appeal to a fairly specific fanbase while still spreading its genre wings a bit, which is more than okay with me. If you go in expecting anything more, you will be disappointed.

THE VERDICT

An over-the-top action comedy horror that embraces and relishes the absurdity of the great Nicolas Cage as The Prince of Darkness, Renfield is 93 minutes of blood-soaked mayhem and I enjoyed every bit of it. This movie is a ton of fun, simple as that. For me, this is an example of a film that put together a fantastic team, from the director to the cast, right down to the background extras, because at the end of the day, it just works. The action sequences are wild and need to be seen to be appreciated. Renfield is never boring, and I still find myself smiling ear to ear when I think about the movie. Do yourself a favor and check this one out in theaters sooner than later.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.3/10

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