The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reboot in the works...As a DRAMA

It has been confirmed that a reboot of the hit comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is in the works, which is of course exciting news. What may come as a bit of a surprise is the fact that unlike the original, this reboot will be a drama. Interesting choice, right? My thoughts exactly.

Now they are currently shopping this around to networks and streaming platforms hoping to get picked up, most notably HBO Max, and the series will be based on Morgan Cooper’s concept trailer which went viral after it was posted last year, re-imagining the NBC comedy series as a hard-hitting drama. The trailer reached over 5 million viewers, and that was just on YouTube. Cooper is attached to co-write and direct the series, and will also serve as co-executive producer. Will Smith will also serve as an executive producer.

Now unless you have been living under a rock since the early 90’s, you know that The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran for 6 season (1990 - 1996) consisting of nearly 150 episodes, and helped to launch a behemoth of a film career for actor Will Smith. The show is hilarious and a comedy through and through, but it does touch on some serious issues during its 6-year run as many sitcoms often do.

Now I am fully on board with the rebooting of a series as popular as this, if done right of course, but the decision to make this a drama is interesting to me, to say the least. Don’t we all have enough drama in our lives already?! We will keep you posted on any new developments on this.

Check out the trailer the new series will be based on below and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Disney+ Remaking 1987 Comedy Three Men and a Baby

With a stellar cast lead by Tom Sellick, Ted Dansen, and Steve Guttenberg, Three Men and a Baby released in 1987 and was a massive hit for Disney, bringing in $167 million at the box office. Needless to say that was a damn good haul back then.

Fast forward to today and Disney is again reminding us that cash is king ($30 for Mulan?!) and has decided that they will remake the film as an exclusive to their Disney+ streaming service. So far they have locked in Zac Efron to play a lead role in the remake but that is as far as they have gotten.

How do you feel about this remake? Personally, I am fine with it as long as they cast it properly and get a decent director on board (Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy directed the original), and I think Efron is a good place to start. He has proven himself as a quality comedic actor in recent films like the Baywatch remake, Neighbors alongside Seth Rogen, and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. We will keep you posted on any additional news as it becomes available.

In the meantime, check out a pretty funny clip from the original.

An American Pickle

Director Brandon Trost

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook, Sean Whalen, Jorma Taccone

Rating PG-13

Release Date August 6th, 2020 (HBO Max)

“An immigrant worker at a pickle factory is accidentally preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern day Brooklyn.”

Directed by Brandon Trost (This is the End, Neighbors) and based on Simon Rich’s New Yorker novella, An American Pickle tells the story of an immigrant worker who falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. The brine preserves him perfectly, and when he emerges in present day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasn't aged a day.

An American Pickle starts out feeling a lot like a direct-to-streaming movie, but before long it get it’s legs and tells a great story regardless of how absolutely insane it may be. The premise itself is ridiculous of course but that is part of the charm of the film as a whole, setting a certain tone that it sticks with throughout. I mean think about it, if you met your great grandfather who lived life in the 1900’s and dug ditches for a living just to make ends meet, what would he think of you and the life you lead? He would first tell you that you’re soft as baby sh*t as Craig Robinson would say (This is The End reference of course), and quickly move on to wondering what in the hell happened to society as a whole. We are soft, and I will be the first to admit it. I mean sure plenty has changed for the better, but wearing a winter hat during the summer still rubs me the wrong way. I love that the idea for An American Pickle came from this exact potential interaction and for me it plays out in the film perfectly.

I’m a big Seth Rogen guy so it was a treat getting to see him x2 in this film. I thought he did a great job taking on multiple roles and I felt like he really immersed himself in both characters. An American Pickle is a generational clash at its core, but it digs deeper than that and proves that regardless of how different we may seem on the surface (or under our weird choices for outfits), our core values are more similar than we realize.

Loaded with light-hearted social commentary, An American Pickle pokes fun at today’s political climate but in the end proves its heart is in the right place. A sense of humor is a necessity this day and age and a film like this helps to bring us back to earth a bit if you ask me.

At just under an hour and 30 minutes of total runtime, An American Pickle is an easy watch that you certainly won’t regret. Recommended.

Relic

Director Natalie Erika James

Genre Drama | Horror

Cast Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, Robyn Nevin, Chris Bunton

Rating R

Release Date July 10th, 2020 (Limited & On-Demand)

“A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home.”

After an entire bowl of popcorn and half a pack of Haribo gummies, I finally had the chance to watch the new horror film Relic, an IFC Midnight release produced by The Russo Brothers and Jake Gyllenhaal – so was it worth my time?

Historically horror movies are all over the damn place and that's okay, what matters is the film sticks to a specific formula and drives it home. For example, I love the old-school slasher genre of horror films but I'm not bringing up my obsession with the Friday the 13th franchise when talking about movies that I personally consider scary. Halloween, maybe only because those films mess with your head as much as they are in your face slashers. Same idea with the Child's Play films, admittedly that damn doll literally scared me enough to piss my pants as a kid but as an adult, I now realize it’s a stupid doll that I can kick across the living room if need be.

Now fast forward to how the horror genre has evolved in the last 5 years or so and you have horror films like The Witch, Goodnight Mommy, Hereditary, and the recently released, The Lodge. What these films have in common is they are rooted in the scariest thing you can possibly focus on which is… reality. The most effective way to instill fear in viewers is to reach them on a very personal and emotional level, to focus on themes that they may have dealt with personally or at least something they know is very much something that could be waiting around the corner for them – and this is the sweet spot Relic exposes from start to finish as it is purely rooted in past and present trauma.

This film is the perfect length at only an hour and a half, it's paced well and never overstays it's welcome. One thing I will say is that it doesn't really take advantage of the score as much as a film like Hereditary. Instead, it focuses on eerie quiet and sound effects. The film actually goes as far as to utilize sound effects to mimic sensorial and memory loss described by dementia patients.

The directorial debut for Natalie Erika James, who also co-wrote the script with Christian White, Relic tells the story of a daughter, mother, and grandmother who are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family home. Edna is in her 80's and living alone in the picturesque countryside, but one day turns up missing prompting her daughter and granddaughter to come out to the home to try and track her down. The very first feature film for James who has only worked on shorts leading up to this, she has displayed an obvious fascination with the horror genre leading back to her 2017 horror short film Creswick, which has a very similar premise to Relic. One of my favorite horror films in the last 5 years which I actually watched in theaters three times is Ari Aster's Hereditary, which was so damn traumatizing I just couldn't get enough. It's hard to ignore the similarities between Relic and Hereditary and I actually found out that James and co-writer Christian White had to change part of the script for the film after watching Hereditary due to a spot on similarity between the main antagonists in the films.

The first 30 seconds of Relic is more terrifying than the majority of the trash releasing as of late claiming to be horror. I won't give anything away because I want you to have the opportunity to actually watch it for yourself if this review intrigues you enough to shell out $6.99 of your hard-earned cash, but I will say that Natalie Erika James has an eye for horror and she has a successful career ahead of her if she continues down the path she is on. After watching Relic, it seems James draws inspiration from directors Robert Eggers and Ari Aster, The Witch and Hereditary respectively. Eggers was quoted previously as saying the monster is scariest in the shadows and I whole-heartedly agree with that. And to say that following in the footsteps of these two would be a great career move for her is an understatement. The Witch was very under-the-radar and Hereditary luckily found itself receiving a fairly mainstream release, but horror films like this are often overlooked. They are truly scary and not the jump scare trash wannabe horror fans eat up and for that reason, they often go under appreciated as well. Relic finds itself in that company resorting to slow-burn horror rooted in reality and magnified by believable characters and what feels like a claustrophobic setting – and it works extremely well. From just a visuals standpoint James definitely understands how to make a horror movie, ensuring viewers are left with images that will surely be ingrained in their heads for days.

Relic is not going to spoon-feed the audience and includes a number of underlying meanings that will require some in-depth discussion but for me, that is what makes this movie so good – this tends to piss off casual viewers who as I mentioned before just want a bunch of cheesy jump scares and simply don't want to think too much. For this reason, horror movies like Relic will never get the praise they rightfully deserve but for my money, they are the lifeblood of the genre. To be honest it annoys me on a personal level knowing that we see fewer horror movies like this because of people who are incapable of appreciating genuine horror.

Thought-provoking, visually terrifying, and rooted in our darkest realities, Relic is a tremendous debut film for writer-director Natalie Erika James. If you consider yourself a genuine horror fan, do yourself a favor and check this out sooner than later and be sure to put James on your list of up-and-coming talent. Also, feel free to reach out to me once you've seen it because I would love to have that “what the fu** just happened?!” discussion.

The Lovebirds

Director Michael Showalter

Genre Comedy | Crime | Drama

Cast Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Anna Camp, Paul Sparks

Rating R

Release Date May 22nd, 2020 (Netflix)

“A couple experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery.”

From director Michael Showalter, the man behind The Big Sick and the extremely addictive series Search Party, The Lovebirds tells the story of a young couple who find themselves pulled into a bizarre (and hilarious) murder mystery. Working to clear their names and solve the case, they need to figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.

As soon as the trailer for The Lovebirds dropped I was already planning ahead to make sure I was at the theater on opening night. I understand that oftentimes trailers have all of the best parts and once you see the movie it is a letdown, but rarely can trailer have me laughing out loud nearly 5 times so I was ready to take the risk. Plus I am a huge fan of comedian turned actor Kumil Nanjiani, who I first became familiar with on the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley which is a must-watch for those of you who haven’t seen it. Add in the fact that Issa Rae, the co-creator and star of the HBO comedy series Insecure, is his co-star and you absolutely have something worth a trip to your local cinema.

Now fast forward multiple months and we have this damn pandemic which has shut down movie theaters and threatened the livelihood of businesses everywhere, but more importantly it threw a wrench into my grand plans to grab some beers, eat some wings and go see The Lovebirds on April 3rd. But lo and behold the movie gods heard my cries for help, and since we are all stuck confined to our homes like a wild animal at Big Cat Rescue, so the bigwigs at Paramount made a deal for multiple suitcases of cash to allow us the opportunity to enjoy the film in all of it’s glory from the comfort of our couch via the streaming service Netflix - so is The Lovebirds worth an hour and a half of your valuable time (let’s be real we all have literally nothing going on) or is this yet another over-hyped comedy with a really good trailer? Find out below!

All things considered The Lovebirds held up it’s end of the bargain, this is a comedy with a great cast, a simple yet effective premise, and enough to keep audiences engaged from start to finish. Does it cement itself as a must-watch comedy that stands above all others? Not quite, but if you’re seeking an enjoyable hour and 30 minutes with plenty of replay value look no further.

As I mentioned before I intended to see The Lovebirds in theaters opening night, and even after seeing it on Netflix from the comfort of my living room I still would have followed through on that commitment. On one hand the film suffers from the “all of the funny scenes are in the trailer” miscue, but all is not lost. Even though I knew that one of the funniest scenes in the film was from the trailer I still couldn’t help but watch with a big smirk on my face and I credit that to the hilarious facial expressions star Kumail Nanjiani is capable of - the guy is hilarious. If you have yet to see him in the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, you’re missing out. From start to finish I enjoyed Nanjiani and Issa Rae as they navigated a crazy chain reaction of events completely out of their control and surely amplified from one bad decision after another made by a couple on the brink of breaking up. The chemistry between the two leads is the key to what makes this movie work and they truly could not have done a better job with the casting. Would I have preferred a few more surprises that the trailer didn’t prepare me for? Sure, but at the end of the day this is a very funny comedy that will stand the test of time.

The Lovebirds is a very funny, engaging, and absolutely over-the-top comedy which basically sums up just what the doctor (or therapist) ordered when you’re looking for a worthwhile date night movie. Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae will continue to rise as comedians turned actors, and rightfully so as they both shine. If you are looking for a Netflix movie that will not only hold your attention but will likely have you coming back for more, The Lovebirds is the movie for you. Just tell them Ted from Ted Takes sent you, trust me. Recommended.

The Lodge

Director Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala

Genre Drama | Horror | Thriller

Cast Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Alicia Silverstone, Lia McHugh

Rating R

Release Date May 5th, 2020 (Hulu)

“A soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé’s two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place.”

From directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala who helmed the under-the-radar horror film Goodnight Mommy, The Lodge tells the story of a soon-to-be stepmom who is snowed in with her fiancé's two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place.

The Lodge has been on my radar for over a year after it made quite an impression at the Sundance Film Festival where it made its premiere on January 25th, 2019. As a self-proclaimed horror fanatic, I am always drawn to the indie horrors as they tend to be more raw and unfiltered compared to the major studio garbage we have been force fed as of late, including the barely watchable Rings, which was such a missed opportunity it still makes my stomach hurt.

Films like It Follows and Hereditary, to name a few, tend to hit the mark but rarely snag as much of the spotlight as they deserve. Hereditary was unique in the sense that it was able to reach a much larger audience than most indie horror films, which definitely benefited from a a few known names in the cast including Toni Collette and Alex Wolff. I also really enjoyed the very dark and twisted horror film Goodnight Mommy, which I am sure most of you have never seen or maybe even heard of. So now on to what matters, were my high expectations for The Lodge immature? Find out below.

I finally had the opportunity to watch the indie horror film The Lodge as it made its highly anticipated debut on Hulu, and all things considered I was impressed with it. I should probably start by pointing out the fact that I have an unusually high tolerance for horror (I have issues) so it takes some doing to really get under my skin - so as far as scare factor goes I would say The Lodge was just above middle of the road for me. I made it a point to turn off all of the lights and watch the movie solo as any true horror fan would, and even though I felt uneasy during pretty much the entire movie I never got the tingling chills feeling I was hoping for. Now that doesn’t necessarily take away from the effectiveness of The Lodge as a horror film, it just failed to deliver on certain elements - but all is not lost.

As far as horror films go The Lodge is still top-tier as it has fantastic cinematography, a chilling score, and most notably high quality acting lead by Jaeden Martell and Riley Keough. The setting of an isolated cabin was perfect, and you’d be hard pressed to find anything optimistic about the film as the tone is pretty much set very early on. I really enjoyed the feel of unease and the shots focusing on seemingly random corners of a room causing the viewer to sit and wait to see if something was going to happen. I found myself wondering if I missed something quite a few times which to me speaks to the quality of camera work as it provided more questions than answers.

The script taps into the necessary horror elements combining real-life with something more sinister, and for me that is always the best way to make sure a horror film resonates with viewers. I do feel that the pacing of the film was a little slow but the payoff is well worth it, leaving you with the classic “did that really just happen” look on your face just as the credits begin to roll.

The Lodge blends horror elements from classics like The Shining and newer films like Hereditary, going the route of dark and ominous leaving humor out altogether making for a unique viewing experience. I will say that my expectations were probably unreasonably high for The Lodge, and although it wasn’t quite everything I was hoping it would be, it is still a damn good horror movie that I would be happy to check out again. Recommended.

The Lodge is now streaming on Hulu - check out an exclusive preview and the latest trailers here.

Defending Jacob - Is The New Apple TV+ Drama Worth Checking Out?

So if you’re here you are wondering one thing, is the new Apple TV+ original drama series Defending Jacob worth a watch? Well, the short answer is you can bet your softer than usual quarantined ass it is! This is edge-of-your-seat drama in it’s finest form, complete with stellar acting, great writing, gorgeous cinematography, and a score that is absolute perfection. I have yet to find time to read the novel the series is based on (I plan to once I have watched the entire thing), but the show is just too good. I won’t give anything away for those of you unfamiliar with the series, because well that would be a real a-hole move. Aside from the basic premise which is below.

Andy Barber is a successful Boston area prosecutor played by none other than the man himself Chris Evans, aka Captain America. By all accounts Barber has it made, a successful career and a beautiful family living in a nice suburban neighborhood, but in an instant everything changes for him. If it isn’t bad enough that he is called to the grisly murder scene just blocks from his home to find one of his son’s classmates dead at the bottom of an embankment stabbed to death, soon he will learn that the prime suspect is none other than his only son, Jacob, played by the talented Jaeden Martell. Martell is formerly known as Jaeden Lieberher, but decided to officially change his last name to his mother’s maiden name as he was raised by her. I’m also pretty sure he got sick of people not being able to pronounce his last name, myself included. He is best known most recently for his work in the remakes of Stephen King’s It films in the lead role of Bill Denbrough as a kid. He was also fantastic along Bill Murray in the 2014 film St. Vincent. Michelle Dockery, best known for Downton Abbey, plays the role of Andy’s wife and Jacob’s mother, Laurie Barber. Once Jacob is named as the prime suspect in the murder that has shaken the entire community, life will never be the same for the Barber family.

Watching this family fall apart right before your eyes is both mesmerizing and heartbreaking, which is admittedly a unique balance. Andy’s professional life collides with his personal life in such a way that it is almost hard to comprehend, and the many layers that brings to the surface is just extremely fascinating to me. As I watch the show I can’t help but think of the inner-turmoil he is dealing with, and I just feel horrible for the guy, it really is the absolute worst case scenario. Just trying to imagine how you would react if you were faced with similar circumstances is enough to make this show worth watching. We have watched 4 episodes so far, the initial 3 and the 4th that dropped last Friday, with episode 5 dropping tomorrow, May 8th. The other unique element with which Apple TV+ is releasing Defending Jacob is the fact that the synopsis for each episode yet to be released is completely blank both online and on the streaming service itself, so you are left to guess what will happen next. I am absolutely hooked and can’t wait to see where this show goes.

Now as I mentioned Apple TV+ aired 3 episodes of the total 8 once the show made its official debut on April 24th, and continues to air one episode a week each Friday until the series concludes on the final Friday of May which is the 29th. I know you may be hesitant to sign-up for yet another streaming service (I felt the same way), but trust me when I say Defending Jacob is ABSOLUTELY worth it! You can also snag a week trial of Apple TV+ here.

Ted Takes Defending Jacob Exclusive Preview

Enjoy!!

Fantasy Island

Director Jeff Wadlow

Genre Adventure | Comedy | Horror

Cast Lucy Hale, Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Portia Doubleday

Rating PG-13

Release Date February 14th, 2020

“A horror adaptation of the popular ‘70s TV show about a magical island resort.A horror adaptation of the popular ‘70s TV show about a magical island resort.”

The poster points out that Fantasy Island is from the producer of Get Out and Halloween which is true, but what they fail to mention is the writers are also responsible for the POS horror film Truth or Dare, which is also from Blumhouse. Hmm…

Yet another sad and pathetic excuse for a horror movie, Fantasy Island is about as scary as the sanitation worker episode of Sesame Street, "but where does all of the trash go?!". Well we now have the answer to that question, all of the trash found its way to the script for this movie. For the love of creative expression, I hope the excuse is that the talentless studio heads stepped in and wrecked this script because if the writers are fully responsible for this dribble, they deserve to be banished from Hollywood forever. Director Jeff Wadlow, who is also responsible for Never Back Down and Kick-Ass 2, both of which I enjoyed, seems to have forgotten how to direct.

The television series the film is based on, also titled Fantasy Island, ran from 1977-1984, totaling 154 episodes when it was all said and done. Now that is pretty damn impressive if you ask me, and certainly provides a plethora of source material to work with. I was born the year the show concluded so I can't say I have any memory of it, but I can say with a certain level of certainty that if the show was even a tenth as bad as the movie, it wouldn’t have survived a single season. The shows creator Gene Levitt, who passed away in 1999 at the age of 79 (RIP), is likely working on a way to come back to life long enough to murder everyone responsible for trashing the last thing he worked on before hanging up the typewriter. But I will say that this, the movie version of Fantasy Island has me wanting to actually watch the show to get this bad taste out of my mouth, so I guess that's a positive. They also made an interesting decision not to cast one of the most important roles from the show, which is that of the character Tattoo, Mr. Rourke’s right-hand man, played by Paris born actor Hervé Villechaize (seen below alongside the original Mr. Rourke, actor Ricardo Montalban). Where is the controversy surrounding a decision to essentially take away an opportunity for an actor with dwarfism to be in the film? I guess we are too busy praising Parasite for it’s groundbreaking look at the issues of social class.

I usually try and touch on the quality of the acting, but every now and again it is so dramatically overshadowed by the poor writing and directing that you can’t tell which way is up. Now I love me some Michael Peña, but who doesn't right? I imagine he was out on a yacht somewhere 6 or 7 pina colada's deep and received a phone call asking if he wanted to be in this movie and he agreed without actually taking a look at a script. Studio probably figured we pay him a healthy sum to get some name recognition and throw in a few actors willing to work for fairly cheap and who look good on the screen to round out the cast. Some will certainly argue that Maggie Q is a talented actress, and sure she has a decent resume and is a nice balance of sexy and badass, but aside from her role as Nikita she's not exactly lighting the big-screen on fire especially when it comes to feature films. Lucy Hale was fine and nice to look at as usual. I did enjoy the roles played by a few of my favorite television actors including Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy), Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead), and Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley). But again, I place the majority if not all of the blame on the writing and directing because mediocre acting can be easily ignored in a horror movie and this has been proven time and time again.

Now the word on the street is Fantasy Island was originally slated to be an R-rated film, until some gentrified focus group watched it and said it made them upset (this is a guess of course, but it's an educated guess). Tale as old as time right? Sure is. I mean how many times will Hollywood allow this to happen? Like do they not understand that a large population of avid movie fans still want to see gore, violence, and you guessed it, nudity, or am I crazy and did the 90's not actually happen? Fantasy Island is what's wrong with the film industry when it comes to horror movies, yet we continue to hear that studios are reluctant to invest money in a horror movie for fear of losing money so we have to scratch and claw to get our hands on these indie gems that are 10 times better than movies like this. Someone needs to slap these idiots across the face and say stop making piece of crap horror movies and perhaps the genre will begin to pay dividends once again. We may get lucky and the R-rated cut of the Blu-ray release is substantially better, but we will see (although the bar has been set pretty low).

I think I veered off track a bit but did I mention Fantasy Island sucked and isn't worth your money? Okay good, maybe once it hits Netflix or gets a run late night on FXX you can check it out. (the below image is actual footage of the cast getting as far away from this movie as possible after realizing how bad the writing and directing was going to be).

Sonic the Hedgehog

Director Jeff Fowler

Genre Animation | Action | Adventure

Cast James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter

Rating PG

Release Date February 14th, 2020

“After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog, a small-town police officer must help it defeat an evil genius who wants to do experiments on it.”

DISCLAIMER: If you’re disgusted by family friendly movies or missed out on the joy of playing video games as a kid, you should probably skip this review. Instead, check out our Knives Out review, an instant classic from director Rian Johnson. For the rest of you still reading, here we go…

Sonic the Hedgehog is, and will forever be, ingrained in the memories of my childhood. That lightning fast bright blue hedgehog chasing his gold rings really brings me back to the care-free days of my childhood. So, it goes without saying, I was ready to see this movie as soon as it was announced for development.

Sonic the Hedgehog had an interesting journey before it finally hit theaters, running head on into a ton of criticism from fans after the first trailer premiered. Long story short, the CGI technology used for Sonic was horrendous. It was almost laughable how bad he looked, making you legitimately question if the movie was meant to be a spoof (or maybe another SB commercial disguised as a movie). Luckily, they took the hint and went back to the drawing board, returning a few months later with something dramatically better.

Luckily, the movie God’s were watching over me on this chilly New England afternoon. Whether or not that whole ordeal lowered my expectations I can’t say for sure, but I was genuinely impressed with the final product. Sonic looked like what I would have put on paper if I had any semblance of artistic talent, which I don’t. It was simply a seamless live-action hour and a half of un-adulterated entertainment that kept me hooked from start to finish. I really liked how Sonic's origin story played out, making it feel as "realistic" as possible considering we are technically talking about an alien with supernatural powers. Also, I’ll be damned if that blue CGI hedgehog didn’t tug on my heart strings more than a few times – we all need friends Sonic!

The casting decisions were spot on in my humble opinion (or IMHO as social media says), matching up James Marsden as the protagonist and the beloved Jim Carrey as the antagonist sealed the deal for me. I’m a huge Jim Carrey fan, I mean who isn’t, and I’m not sure any other actor could have taken on the role of the very strange and over-the-top Dr. Ivo Robotnik in the way he did. As ridiculous as his character was, it felt genuine because, well, it was Jim Carrey. He had me cracking up plenty that’s all I know, and I especially enjoyed the line "ever wonder where your tax dollars go?" as he goes after Sonic with his top-of-the-line weaponry. I'm a huge fan of James Marsden as an actor, whether it's HBO's Westworld or a movie like this, he’s just an easy guy to root for. These two leads were hilarious together, keeping the laughs coming from start to finish. I enjoyed Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic as well mainly because instead of picturing the actor I only associated the voice with what I was watching. Although he had a limited role, comedic actor Adam Pally was a nice addition to the cast as well sprinkling in a few silly one-liners here and there.

Bottom line, Sonic the Hedgehog put a smile on this toddler dad’s face and for me, that’s worth more than just the price of admission. I only wish my son was a little older so I could bring him to see it. The film successfully caters to the needs of kids and adults, delivering on a message rooted in the strength of family and friendship – something we can all stand to focus more on.

This is easily one of the better video game adaptations you'll come across, so do yourself a favor and get the kids loaded up in the minivan and check this one out while it’s in theaters because it just might be the brief escape from real-life you didn’t realize you needed (fingers crossed we get a sequel!).

Want a refresher by seeing the trailer? Check it out here.

Birds of Prey

Director Cathy Yan

Genre Action | Adventure | Crime

Cast Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Rating R

Release Date February 7th, 2020

“After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.”

From director Cathy Yan, Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn finally brings the sociopathic head-turner to the forefront. After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.

It is no secret that DC has struggled to introduce films that have satisfied fans at even half the level of what Marvel has been churning out time and time again, but they have gotten lucky a few times with Wonder Woman and the Oscar darling Joker starring Joquin Phoenix, or even to a less extent Jason Mamoa’s Aquaman. I might be in the minority but I actually enjoyed Suicide Squad, but do agree that they cut the film down too much to get that damn PG-13 rating which was absolutely a mistake. Nonetheless, Birds of Prey is more or less a sequel to Suicide Squad following Harley Quinn’s character after her split with Mr. J, as she calls Joker. Margot Robbie is a legit actress, that is a fact, so locking her in for this role was a huge move on DC’s part and all the reason I needed to plant my behind in a comfy theater seat on opening night. But was it worth the price of admission?

Let me just ease your concerns right out of the gate and say yes, yes it was. Birds of Prey was actually better than I hoped it would be, going in sort of expecting Harley Quinn’s ridiculous accent to wear on me after awhile, but I am pleased to report it was actually the opposite. The film got better during the just under 2 hours, laying one heck of a foundation for this band of misfits out to make the world a better place or just get rich, depending on who you focus on. The balance of action and comedy is about as good as you could hope, the stunts are extremely impressive, and even though some of the CGI is admittedly over the top (we all saw the Hyena in the bathtub in the trailer), it still worked. I will point out that Birds of Prey absolutely stole a few tricks from Deadpool, but to say that films are made on a foundation of originality this day and age would be a comment as ridiculous as well, a Hyena in a bathtub. From the soundtrack, to the cinematography, right down to the ever so important smooth and never boring pacing, this is a film that understands what fans want.

The cast is absolutely fantastic, and I really can’t say enough about the performances of Ewan McGregor and Chris Messina, the primary antagonists in the film. With your usual run-of-the-mill good guys vs bad guys movies (which I know this blurs the lines as Harley Quinn isn’t really a good guy/girl), you tend to have the fun parts of the movie followed by a scene with the bad guy that is supposed to build him or her up as scary or dangerous or whatever. I know I’m simplifying things but you get what I mean. Instead, I couldn’t wait for the scenes involving McGregor’s Roman Sionis (the Batman villain Black Mask) and his right hand man Messina, as Victor Zsasz. These two were so absolutely ridiculous and hilarious together, I’m pretty sure I laughed during every scene they were in - which I will note made me feel a little strange as they had a few pretty dark moments together in the film as well. Whether it was the chemistry they had together or their mannerisms, they were a blast. I actually barely recognized Messina, who most will remember from The Mindy Project, as he looks completely different in this role.

Margot Robbie was great as expected with top-notch comedic delivery and just an absolute immersion into her character, although I will say that they made the crazy hot balance closer to 70/30 this time around, with hot getting the short end of things. She’s much more attractive in Suicide Squad, but this is post-breakup so I guess it makes sense. Either way, I plan to re-watch The Wolf of Wall Street ASAP to balance out the universe. I really enjoyed Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, but no matter what when I see her on-screen I always think of her role in White Men Can’t Jump even though that movie came out nearly 30 years ago - I just keep hearing that very distinct voice of hers yelling at Woody Harrelson to get his act together and stop getting hustled on the basketball court. Jurnee Smollett-Bell was great as Black Canary, and she tipped the hot scale in the right direction thankfully. I will say that I was probably least pleased with Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s role as The Huntress, but I also understand what they were trying to go for as far as the character dynamic. Either way, kudos to the casting team behind Birds of Prey because they crushed it.

Birds of Prey is exactly what I hoped it would be and more - an over-the-top R-rated vulgar language and violence infused two-hours of escapism in Gotham City. This is why we go to the movies in the first place folks, to be entertained. Harley Quinn steps outside the shadow of The Joker and proves “she don’t need no man”. Birds of Prey is the perfect example of balancing an R-rating with still somewhat of a light “don’t take yourself too seriously” mood that is prevalent throughout the film, and it really works. I’m hoping to check this out at least once more in theaters, and I will absolutely be snagging the 4K-UHD Blu-ray version when it releases for the inevitable extended edition of the film. Highly recommended.

Knives Out

Director Rian Johnson

Genre Comedy | Crime | Drama

Cast Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis

Rating PG-13

Release Date November 27th, 2019

“A detective investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.”

Written and directed by the talented Rian Johnson (Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Knives Out is a comedy drama “whodunit” that follows a detective as he investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family. Securing $40 million funding at TIFF in September 2018, Knives Out garnered widespread critical acclaim immediately and was able to get a well deserved wide release. With a well-known director and a cast loaded with A-list talent, this quickly became the must-see movie to cap off 20199. Now I know you’re just dying to know, what did we think?

First and foremost I would like to point at that at first glimpse the trailer for Knives Out may remind you of the 2017 murder mystery Murder on the Orient Express from director Kenneth Branagh (at least it did for me), but trust me when I say this is much, much better. I mean that film was fine, but personally I found it boring and anti-climactic, basically the opposite of Knives Out. Now when you have a loaded cast as both films do, it can be easy to get lost in all of the talent at your disposal, but Rian Johnson does a fantastic job with Knives Out ensuring that each character is able to stand on their own two feet and have an identity of their own. I can pick out multiple characters that I really enjoyed, and honestly none of which that annoyed me which is rare nowadays.

The script felt fresh and inventive, which is no surprise considering the film was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2020 Academy Awards. The audience is only given bits and pieces through flashbacks and character background/interactions leaving you guessing pretty much up until the very end. I also really enjoyed the overall tone of the film, which granted it was fairly over-the-top the majority of the time, it all seemed to fit within that dysfunctional and greedy family dynamic present throughout. I was engaged from start to finish and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times, but even better than that I had a smile on my face the entire time. I’ve heard arguments that the film would have benefited from a R rating as opposed to being PG-13, but I don’t think it was necessary.

Knives Out is fairly described as a “whodunit” comedy murder mystery style film, but to take it one step further this is just a really fun movie going experience. This is a buy your popcorn and let the movie take you away from reality for the next 2+ hours, and that for me was exactly what I needed. Sometimes it can be hard to get out of your own head when you go to the theater, especially when a film has such sky high expectations, but I felt like I spent a few hours with the eccentric and absolutely ridiculous Thrombey family, and it was a blast. It is rare to become so immersed in the characters that you almost stop caring about the actual storyline, but that happened for me more than a few times.

Chris Evans was fantastic as the Black Sheep of the family, Daniel Craig was great even though he did have an exaggerated southern drawl of an accent which I personally had no issue with, and the ageless Don Johnson once again managed to make his presence felt in a supporting role. The always gorgeous Ana de Armas takes on a role a little different, and more pivotal to the film, than what she’s used to but she absolutely delivers (if you want to see one of her more “risque” performances see Eli Roth’s Knock Knock). I left the theater feeling fulfilled and entertained, and wanting to see Knives Out again to make sure I am able to fully appreciate each and every little moment of cinematic satisfaction.

Now it may sound like I am gushing, because well I am, but Knives Out is a damn good film and I can’t wait to add it to my Blu-ray collection as soon as it releases - which won’t be long as the Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD is set to release on February 25th. Best Buy will have a special edition SteelBook version that I have my eyes on. Highly recommended.

The Shining

Director Stanley Kubrick

Genre Drama | Horror

Cast Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers

Rating R

Release Date June 13th, 1980

“A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.”

In the 2nd installment of the Throwback Movie Reviews series, we stay in the horror genre and take things back four decades… 

Fast approaching it's 40-year anniversary, which seems absolutely insane, The Shining is the sort of film that never leaves you and is usually what film fanatics refer to when discussing horror films that set the benchmark. A New York City native, the late director Stanley Kubrick is a legend in the film industry - he is basically the Bill Belichick of filmmaking. But the interesting thing about Kubrick, who sadly passed away in 1999 at the age of 70, is the fact that he only took on projects that he truly believed in, hence his rather short filmography as a director, which ended at 16 with the film Eyes Wide Shut. Now granted I firmly believe he would have continued directing films if not for his early departure from this world, but what he left us with will live on forever. Kubrick capped off his career with 3 incredible films, the aforementioned The Shining in 1980, Full Metal Jacket in 1987, and lastly the provocative thriller Eyes Wide Shut which released in 1999, the final year of his life.

I mean think about this for a second, someone says to you hey what's the best horror film you can think of? Okay, The Shining, right? Now what is the best and most intense depiction of war you can think of, hmm how about Full Metal Jacket, I mean seriously?! Kubrick directed and wrote the screenplay for both (The Shining is of course based on a Stephen King Novel), and both films have performances that are unmatched and honestly rarely seen in film today. Whether it be Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, or Danny Lloyd in The Shining, or Vincent D'Onofrio's soul crushing performance in Full Metal Jacket, it's just top-notch. I mean D'Onofrio is a prime example, now he primarily plays a ton of goofy supporting roles in movies and television, but if you look at a few of the screenshots from his Pvt. Pyle character in Full Metal Jacket you won't recognize him. Also, let's not forget the late R. Lee Ermey in his role as role as the relentlessly intense Gny. Sgt. Hartman, which certainly rivaled his performance in Saving Silverman (that's a joke obviously, although he was hilarious in that goofy comedy). Kubrick was a man of many talents who was seemingly a perfectionist when it came to his work, and he made everyone else around him better, hence my Bill Belichick reference (you're welcome).

I touched on it a bit earlier during my rant about Stanley Kubrick's amazing accomplishments, but the performances in The Shining are just amazing. Whether intentional or not, the cast somehow looks right through you with soul-crushing eyes. Nicholson is known for his intense and unnerving delivery, and he leaves it all out on the field so to speak in this film, contributing to some of the most iconic scenes in film history. Shelley Duvall was the perfect actress to play the role alongside Nicholson, creating an uneasy dynamic throughout the film. Young Danny Lloyd was great as well, and some would argue that his interactions with Nicholson are what had the most impact. I mean you could just feel the unease he felt around his father, and it increased organically right up to the climax. Any way you look at it, The Shining has great performances from top to bottom. 

One thing Kubrick believed in which seems to be forgotten about in the new age of film, is the importance of a quality score. Now I'm not referring to a soundtrack, but the sounds that accompany an intense scene, or maybe even a scene with little to no dialogue that feels intense because of the sounds in the background. To better understand what a film score is, the definition is as follows: 

A film score is the music composed specifically for the movie to serve and enhance the story. It is usually instrumental only so as not to compete with dialog. It is also called underscore (a term I, as a composer, find ever so slightly belittling) or even incidental music (that one makes me bristle a bit).

To me the above is a perfect definition for what I view the film score as, which at the end of the day is something composed or mixed for a specific film. Film scores are still utilized today of course, but I just feel like they are underutilized when it comes to modern filmmaking. One of the greats that comes to mind would be the late composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, who most recently contributed to Sicario and the sci-fi thriller Arrival, to name a few. Jóhannsson sadly passed away last year at the age of 48, and his talents will be missed. Back on track, the score for The Shining has been referred to as "Hauntological", which seems to mean unsettling and perfectly placed within each moment of the film. Although Kubrick brought in composers Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind, very little of their work made it into the final cut of the film. Instead it is widely noted that Kubrick returned to his sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, borrowing from the score for that film to help create the spine-tingling sounds of The Shining – described by some as the "Sonic landscape at the Overlook Hotel." Either way, the fact remains that from the opening scene of a picturesque winding road, the score sets the tone for the film.

If you have yet to see The Shining, you either live under a rock, or are too much of a wuss to watch a horror film. Regardless of the reason, trust me when I say you're missing out. And if you're like me and wanted to dive back in before seeing the upcoming sequel, Doctor Sleep, which follows an adult Danny Torrence, revisiting this masterpiece is a must. You can also purchase the Blu-ray like I did. Plus the film has so many small easter eggs that you need to pay close attention to the point where you could watch it 10 times and interpret it differently each and every time, theories and hidden meanings that are discussed thoroughly in the documentary Room 237, which is available On-Demand and also through Amazon. So many that you very likely picked up on some while watching the film over and over or perhaps when you thought something just didn't look right. You were likely correct either way, because there is in fact so many things that don't look right that if you didn't notice them, once seeing Room 237 you'll think yourself an oblivious fool. Kubrick had such a twisted and genius mind. There are so many layers of meanings and so many "what a pervert" moments. Room 237 will literally change you, how you view The Shining, and for the better. I won't throw in any spoilers though I really want to, just see it yourself.  

Bottom line, with one of the greatest directors to ever live and a stellar cast this film is the epitome of replay-ability and still holds up to any film that has released in the last 40 years, and that is quite an accomplishment. A timeless horror classic in every sense of the word, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining will live on as a work of art that every filmmaker will aspire to, and every true film fanatic will undoubtedly add to their collection. Highly recommended.

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

Director Tom McLoughlin

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Thom Mathews, Jennifer Cooke, David Kagen, C.J. Graham

Rating R

Release Date August 1st, 1986

“Tommy Jarvis goes to the graveyard to get rid of Jason Voorhees’ body once and for all, but inadvertently brings him back to life instead. The newly revived killer once again seeks revenge, and Tommy may be the only one who can defeat him.”

In an effort to mix things up a little we decided to integrate random Throwback Movie Reviews into our site content, because well, why not? Plus when you own as many Blu-ray’s as I do, replay value takes on a life of it’s own. And in honor of the fact that we will have a Friday the 13th in December this year (yupp, you read that right) as well as the fact that today is Halloween, we chose to start with a movie from our favorite slasher franchise, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. The poster’s tagline, “Kill or Be Killed”? How about we change it to “try and kill Jason (again) yet failing miserably, and getting yourself killed instead”.

This certainly isn’t the highest rated film in the franchise or the lowest for that matter, but it is one of my favorites for a few reasons. First of all, I absolutely love the opening sequence. Nothing better than Tommy Jarvis and his buddy fresh from the loony bin (are we still allowed to refer to it as that in 2019?) on a road trip to finally kill Jason once and for all. This is also a great PSA for not giving in to peer pressure because Tommy’s buddy wasn’t super pumped about this adventure to begin with, and of course once Tommy botches the entire thing, Jason wakes up and the buddy ends up getting murdered and that slippery Tommy Jarvis gets away. Typical.

Things really get going from here because let me just say, the only thing Jason hates more than that little bastard Tommy Jarvis is getting murdered over and over again only to come back to life more pissed off than the last time. I mean seriously, he really hates this blond-haired jean jacket wearing smart ass and he will do anything to exact his revenge. Now Tommy had what he thought was a good plan, go to the cemetery where Jason is buried and not bothering anyone might I add, and make sure he is finally dead for good this time. Meanwhile, Camp Crystal Lake has finally reopened for the next generation of bright eyed kids and horny lazy counselors. Unfortunately the grand re-opening is ruined because, yeah you guessed it, idiot Tommy leads Jason right to the camp so Jason figured he’ll murder some other unsuspecting victims along the way because well, that’s how he rolls. Now if this wasn’t enough, Tommy decides he’ll make moves on the local sheriff’s young and clearly “hell-bent on doing things to piss daddy off” daughter. I’m not sure that’s the best way to make sure law enforcement will protect you from the masked murdered on your trail Tommy but hey, worth a shot right?

Things move along as expected, the oblivious counselors get picked off one by one because apparently they prefer it that way and haven’t heard of the buddy system. You also have a pretty cool scene with the kids hiding under a bed but escaping unscathed because Jason prefers that his victims hit puberty before he murders them, which if you think about it that’s certainly one of his better qualities. The film is somewhat lacking in the “eye candy” category compared to others in the franchise, but things move along fast enough to where you can let it slide. Now after all of this commotion, Tommy takes some time to brainstorm how he could possibly piss Jason off even more. “Hmmm, I think i’ll go out on the lake in this little boat and try to recreate Jason’s childhood death which was basically the domino effect that started this entire Camp Crystal Lake nightmare”. Yet another great plan from Mr. Jarvis. Now he somehow pulls this off because Jason is basically seeing red at this point and too pissed off to think clearly, and because of that he gets a front row seat to the bottom of the lake. But as it goes with the Friday the 13th films, just as you start to accept a somewhat happy ending with at least 2 survivors, by the time the screen fades to black you know that you haven’t seen the last of Jason. One thing is for sure, Tommy better get his ass out of dodge fast because you know damn well that lake ain’t holding Jason for long.

I think it goes without saying that this was more of a funny play-by play than it was an actual review, but give me a break this movie came out 33 years ago which is well beyond the spoiler statute of limitations. Either way, this is one of my favorites in the iconic franchise so find some time to check out Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives this Halloween or any day for that matter, it’s worth it. You can even make it into a drinking game, take a shot every time Tommy does something to make things worse for everyone else. Good luck with that!

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich

Director Sonny Laguna, Tommy Wiklund

Genre Horror

Cast Thomas Lennon, Barbara Crampton, Michael Paré, Charlyne Yi

Rating Unrated

Release Date August 17th, 2018 (Limited & On-Demand)

“All hell breaks loose when a strange force animates the puppets up for auction at a convention, setting them on a bloody killing spree that’s motivated by an evil as old as time.”

From directors Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is the latest from the cult horror franchise that burst onto the scene in 1989 with the original Puppet Master (burst may be a strong word, but it sounds kinda cool). Now these movies are FAR from perfect, but they are a guilty pleasure for fans of B-movie horror and I have always enjoyed them. It took awhile but I finally ponied up the $9.99 + tax and bought the film on Blu-ray so that I could try and relive my teenage years or whenever the hell I discovered these films (I honestly can’t remember). I will say that I do own the others in the form of a cheapo DVD collection I stumbled upon one Halloween.

First of all, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is not scary, I mean not at all. If the intention was for this movie to be scary, they messed up big. But with that being said, I’m not naive enough to think that was actually the intention considering the over-the-top nature of the film as a whole as well as the cast consisting mostly of actors known only for their comedic roles. As a fan of the original films, I went into this one knowing the premise and I felt like they did a good job tying in the backstory to sort of bring things full-circle. Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich essentially starts more or less at the beginning and then takes it to present day, skipping over the events of the other films for the most part, so it’s not necessarily a remake as much as it is a let’s all go see what these creepy puppets are up to even though deep down we know damn well the little bastards will likely eat your face off if given the chance.

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is honestly a solid film for what it is and I was pleased with it for the most part. I sort of knew what to expect so how ridiculous it was at times didn’t surprise me, but I will say it did have a few slow parts. It does stray somewhat from the formula of the other films which are darker and more on the horror spectrum, albeit corny at times due to the vast majority of no-name actors. The films are in the realm of traditional slashers, offering up an unnecessary mix of nudity (which is appreciated) and ultra-violent and gory deaths. Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich is also from the producers of Bone Tomahawk and The Meg, contributing to how absolutely ridiculous the kills can be at times. You will also find yourself laughing at some of the ridiculous puppets that were added to the lineup for this film and the way that they end the lives of their victims. The humor is also prevalent throughout keeping the tone light aside from the excessive gore factor.

I also feel the need to point out that Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich absolutely loves the beheading kills with at least 3 or more in the film if my memory serves me, one of which where the poor bastard is taking a piss only to have his head land in the toilet while somehow his body continues peeing - makes sense. Nobody is safe in this film, including children and pregnant women so proceed with caution. I was a bit disappointed that the drill head puppets didn’t come into play until the tail end, they were always one of my favorites. Overall I found Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich to be entertaining although I do prefer the creepier original films that can make your skin crawl at times. Bottom line, if you enjoy B-movie horrors, you could do much worse. It’s also worth noting that the film is rated on the “you pretty much know what to expect from it” rating scale so keep the expectations relatively grounded and you’ll be fine.

Head Count

Director Elle Callahan

Genre Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Ashleigh Morghan, Isaac Jay, Bevin Bru, Tory Freeth

Rating Unrated

Release Date June 14th, 2019 (Limited)

“A group of college students on a weekend getaway accidentally summon a supernatural entity intent on using them for its deadly ritual.”

Co-written and directed by former sound editor Elle Callahan, her feature film debut, Head Count is a horror thriller that tells the story of a weekend getaway to Joshua Tree desert where some teenagers find themselves under mental and physical assault from a supernatural entity that mimics their appearances as it completes an ancient ritual. First dropping as a limited release film in select theaters, Head Count eventually made it’s way to a much broader audience via the streaming giant Netflix so I was finally able to check it out.

I must say overall I really enjoyed Head Count, putting it more in the category of slow-burn horror films that put the emphasis on the psychological element. An often overlooked aspect of horror films is quality of acting, but this style of film will easily crash and burn without it - and I am pleased to say the acting is pretty solid overall. I’m not overly familiar with the majority of the cast and one of the stars, Isaac Gray, has appeared only in short films before this. As far as I can tell most of the stars have experience on TV and in short films as well. The setting is simple yet picturesque, and I felt like the suspicious dynamic between the characters kept things interesting.

Head Count is a heck of a debut for director Elle Callahan, who has made her way into movies through the sound-editing profession. She utilizes veteran camerawork techniques throughout the film and certainly has a knack for messing with the heads of viewers a bit. I can only assume she had a hand in the sound mixing of the film itself as well as that was top notch throughout the film. She’ll better as she continues to build her resume, and according to her IMDb page she is working on another horror film about witches, so keep an eye out for that.

Head Count isn’t groundbreaking or uniquely terrifying, but it is a well-made horror film that combines tone and atmosphere to make for a some very unsettling scenes. At times it felt like The Invitation, though not quite as good, but it made you look again to make sure you actually did see what you thought you saw. I also felt that the film was paced for well and not overly long, allowing things to unfold naturally and not losing the attention of viewers. it could have been better and I was hoping it would be scarier, but if you’re looking for something dark and well made all things considered, Head Count is a solid option currently streaming on Netflix. Recommended.

Joker

Director Todd Phillips

Genre Crime | Drama | Thriller

Cast Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, Bryan Callen

Rating R

Release Date October 4th, 2019

“A failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and becomes a psychopathic murderer.”

Co-written and directed by Todd Phillips, best known for Old School, The Hangover, and War Dogs, Joker is a dark origin story of the iconic villain not seen before on the big screen. It is a gritty character study of Arthur Fleck, a man disregarded by society, and a broader cautionary tale. The bar was set VERY high by Christopher Nolan and the late Heath Ledger, so my fingers were crossed hoping this movie was able to hold up. Obviously my ass was in the theater seat opening night, so what did I think? Well let me get into that.

Joker is no joke (witty or obnoxious?), but seriously, this is a hard-hitting entry in the DC universe and as many parents learned the hard way, this is a “leave the kids at home” theater experience. Unless of course you intend to raise your kids similar to the way I was raised, complete with a blatant disregard for banning R-rated and sometimes outright unrated films, leading to a life of questionable morals and/or values (I wish I was kidding). Joker is extremely dark, and so well-acted that it is pretty much impossible to leave the theater without taking it home with you. Director Todd Phillips is given the opportunity to work with a stellar cast, and he takes full advantage of it. Joaquin Phoenix is unreal in his role as Joker, I’m talking a Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club type of performance, and not just because they both looked like Christian Bale in The Machinest.

Like most origin stories, things unfold rather slowly as you get to know the man who is essentially a protagonist and antagonist, causing audiences to root for someone who we know becomes a bad guy, but is clearly battling mental illness and has been essentially kicked to the curb over and over again by society. It really is a tug of war over how you feel about him and that speaks to the effectiveness of the writing. The film is also set in the 90’s allowing for a much more intimate feel than you would get if it were present day Gotham City (which is more or less New York, I guess). Joker is an emotional roller coaster that will keep you guessing right up until the end credits, leaving you teetering on whether you are team Joker or team Batman.

Joker reminded me of something that deep down I already knew, and that is the simple fact that Joaquin Phoenix is an incredible actor. At the very least he deserves a nomination for his performance come Oscar season, but taking one home will be tough considering the controversial content of the film. I mean I am having a hard time finding anything wrong with this movie, from the acting, to the directing, right to the score and the cinematography, it really does have it all. I felt uncomfortable during most of the pivotal scenes, by design of course, and I left the theater feeling like I sat through an experience more than just a 2-hour movie. I need to try and see this a second time sooner than later because of the fact that the depth of the emotion expressed by Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker is almost too much to take in the first time around. This is quality filmmaking.

I’m getting off topic for a second but I feel like it needs to be said, the pre-release backlash over the films violent content is an absolute joke, simple as that. It is nothing more than a group of pathetic losers (most of which are probably jobless with nothing better to do) throwing a hissy fit because violence makes them uncomfortable. Well guess what? WHO CARES!! I mean seriously, find a hobby like maybe knitting or bracelet making and stop trying to sabotage the film industry. You are unhappy with your lives blah blah we get it, but stop trying to take away our fun.

Above all else, Joker is the epitome of a gritty origin story, depressing and dark as all hell but an origin story nonetheless, and will send viewers home from the theater chomping at the bit to throw on Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins as a buildup to the incredible Dark Knight films. Sadly we won’t be getting a sequel, and not just because Todd Phillips absolutely sucks at making sequels (imagine a world where we only had one The Hangover movie…), but because it’s just not necessary. Joker is absolute origin story gold and should become the benchmark for other films that dare to blend real-life issues and fantasy. Once you see this movie, you will be properly introduced to the tortured soul that is Arhur Fleck, AKA Joker. Highly Recommended.

FUN FACT: Director Todd Phillips, who broke out with the film Road Trip nearly two-decades ago and followed that up with the comedic masterpiece Old School, has made a few cameos in his films. Most will remember him as the guy who knocks on the front door in the beginning of Old School after Luke Wilson stumbles upon his wife’s infidelity, and as Wilson opens the door Phillips mutters the iconic words “I’m here for the gang bang”. Classic.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Director André Øvredal

Genre Horror

Cast Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Austin Zajur, Gabriel Rush

Rating PG-13

Release Date August 9th, 2019

“A group of teens face their fears in order to save their lives.”

From director André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is the feature-film adaptation of the horror children’s book series from the 1980’s. I have a vivid recollection of these books, and from the actual stories to the illustrations i always thought it was extremely creepy. My home from the jump has been that this movie would do the books justice, but it is certainly a fine line to balance considering the source material. I did really enjoy director André Øvredal’s horror film The Autopsy of Jane Doe, was he able to make me a believer yet again?!

Scary Stories to tell in the Dark was able to meet my expectations and in some ways even exceed them. I knew limitations would exist due to the PG-13 rating (it is based on “children’s books” after all), but it made the most of it. The bread and butter of the film is the costume design and the CGI, which tends to be the case in anything that Guillermo Del Toro attaches his name to. The acting is solid and most importantly it doesn’t do anything to take away from the overall value of the film.

Scary Stories to tell in the Dark is about as good as you can get when it comes to PG-13 horror movies, especially when they are based around a younger cast. Producer Guillermo Del Toro’s creativity is felt throughout which really helps the film come alive for fans of the books. The “monsters” are detailed and pretty damn scary, even though CGI is working overtime with most of them. I personally had plenty of nostalgic moments remembering a collection of books that continues to creep me out to this day. I was a little disappointed that the story that resonates with me most wasn’t in the film. I remember a story about a woman on a park bench that wore some soft of scarf or handkerchief tied around her neck. She ends up meeting someone who sits next to her and chats with her for awhile, eventually they ask her why she has that tied around her neck and she slowly begins to remove it and bam, her head falls right off her shoulders. Well I certainly wasn’t expecting that! Now sure that story wouldn’t have fit in the theme of the film necessarily, but I still wish I had seen it on the big screen. Instead the writers stuck with the stories that fit the general theme of the film and it worked.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a very effective horror film that should appeal to fans of the books as well as newcomers. Will you have nightmares for weeks to come? Probably not, but you will leave the theater satisfied and with a newfound appreciation for what was once considered a collection of children’s books. Also dare I say the collection of children’s books are much creepier than the movie because well, they are. Still, this is about as good an adaptation as fans could hope for. And people have a hard time figuring out why my generation is so screwed up, yet the writing is on the wall that’s all I am saying. Oh and it took a few days to get the face of Harold the scarecrow out of my head, that is one damn creepy ass scarecrow!! Recommended.

IT: Chapter Two

Director Andy Muschietti

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader

Rating R

Release Date September 6th, 2019

“Twenty-seven years later, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.”

After two long years IT: Chapter Two is finally here, and back in the directors chair is Andy Muschietti who made his presence known in the world of horror with his 2013 film Mama based on his 2008 short film. Now we all know that the real mastermind behind this terrifying clown is the man himself, author Stephen King, and he deserves all of the praise in the world. King has been absolutely dominating the horror landscape as of late, with the IT remakes as well as Pet Sematary, now we have Doctor Sleep, the sequel to the Shining, right around the corner. So with a star-studded cast was IT: Chapter Two able to reach the very high bar set by the first film? Well let’s find out shall we.

Admittedly I was nervous about the lengthy runtime as I made my way to the theater (partly due to the fact that we have an 8-month old baby and i really didn’t want to be that guy who fell asleep during the movie) but the reality is that this day and age movies nearing the 3-hour mark is pretty common. Plus people seem to forget that the original IT was considering a miniseries clocking in at just over 3-hours. Either way, it was a non-factor so you can stop worrying about that. Right from the beginning like most of you I was bordeline giddy with the casting decisions for this film, from Jessica Chastain to James McAvoy (although admittedly I kept hearing his many characters from Split/Glass whenever he talked), down to Bill Hader, this was a stacked cast. IT: Chapter Two picks up years after the original, 27 to be exact, and brings us back to a familiar and eery Derry. A member of “The Losers” stayed behind and uncovers what he believes to be the return of the evil they thought they defeated when they were kids, enter Pennywise.

The transition from the first film to the 2nd chapter is seamless, and it helps to have the benefit of the flashbacks as well. The story continues to be engaging and emotionally driven due to the perfectly setup backstory for each character. Once again production value and the ability to set the mood is top-notch thanks to director Andy Muschietti’s eye for horror. Similar to the first film humor can be found in between the most terrifying scenes, and sometimes even taking place simultaneously. The characters each have depth to them whether we are watching a flashback to their childhood or the now adult versions of themselves. But as it should be, the real star of the show is Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise. His mannerisms combined with the next-level make-up work and a dash of CGI is just incredible. Bringing him on to this project a few years ago was a huge win that has certainly paid off.

But let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the latest film adaptation of the genius that is Stephen King, which is whether or not it’s ACTUALLY scary because I know that’s why you are here. To summarize, yes, yes it is. Now if you have read any of my reviews for horror films in the last few years (it’s a long list) you’ll know that I have become somewhat numb to horror films in general, so it is rare that a movie is able to actually scare me. With that being said, IT: Chapter Two got me pretty good and managed to cause a slight jump in my seat followed by a few legitimate chills (don’t worry, I played it cool). The film is chock full of perfectly setup scenes specifically designed to have this effect on viewers, and it will be successful more often than not. But it is also worth noting that those of you who can’t stomach real horror, if you enjoyed the first film you’ll enjoy this one as well mainly due to the humor element that provides a nice balance. But I didn’t say that once your head hits that pillow Pennywise won’t be haunting your dreams, because he will. Sleep tight.

Simply put, IT: Chapter Two was damn good. It was as about as scary as you could hope for and it was very, very funny. I think my favorite performance was given by Bill Hader, who has become an actor to watch for me since his breakout work in the HBO series Barry. Jessica Chastain took on a very important role as Beverly and she crushed it. I have hard time saying it was better than Chapter 1 from two years ago, but one film couldn’t really exist without the other so I guess it’s a pointless argument.

IT: Chapter Two is long, but it’s far from boring and that’s what matters most here. The performances are exceptional, the humor once again prevalent and well-balanced, and the talented Bill Skarsgård has somehow merged his identity with that of Pennywise the clown, and that my friends is what nightmares are made of. Get out to the theater for this one, it’s worth it. Highly recommended.

Midsommar

Director Ari Aster

Genre Drama | Horror | Mystery

Cast Florence Pugh, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper, Jack Reynor

Rating R

Release Date July 3rd, 2019

“A young woman who reluctantly joins her boyfriend on a summer trip where things quickly go awry.”

Written and directed by Ari Aster, the man who brought us the horror hit Hereditary, Midsommar is a horror drama that tells the story of a couple who travel to Sweden to visit a rural hometown's fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult. The film is described as a summer road-trip movie enjoyed by a young woman and her boyfriend until they fall prey to a local pagan cult in Sweden.

By now the secret is out, talented writer and director Ari Aster probably pays out thousands of dollars a month on therapy (or at least he should). But, he is an extremely talented sick individual who has an eye for quality film making and the unique ability to produce a script sure to get underneath the audiences skin. Aster’s 2018 horror thriller Hereditary gave me actual chills (and still does when I think about it) and I left the theater with an uncomfortable feeling that I simply could not shake, and that is not easy to do. Due to the success of Hereditary he was able to deliver his next film Midsommar to the masses with expectations nearly through the roof. So, is he able to deliver yet again?

First and foremost, Midsommar is extremely well made and absolutely leaves an impression, but for me Hereditary was just a superior film overall. Aster was able to showcase his directorial skills with a number or gorgeous shots thanks to the films sitting, but at the end of the day he simply didn’t have as much to work with. Plus I think an advantage Hereditary had is it felt so close to home, whereas during Midsommar most of us are thinking no F’n way am I going anywhere near these maniacs (I know I was thinking that). This doesn’t mean the film is unable to get under your skin or make you feel genuinely uncomfortable (clearly a staple in this guys work), because it does. This Pagan cult BS is no joke, and I’m sure something like this is happening as I write this.

Ari Aster has something going on in that head of his and I don’t think anyone would debate that, I mean if you told me he grew up in some sort of a Pagan cult environment I would believe it. It would simply make sense. I went to see Midsommar with my lofty expectations thanks to Hereditary and I overall I was pleased, but not blown away. Similar to Hereditary things take some time to unfold, and the journey itself can feel a bit empty and boring at times, but always strange and unsettling. I was never quite sold on the relationship of the lead characters played by Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, but I think the strain between them helps to energize the storyline as things move along. Once we get to the latter half of the film things really come together and start to put the exclamation mark on the tensions that had been boiling over for 2 hours or so and you will be thinking WTF just happened?! The payoff is strong, you just need to have patience. With that being said, don’t expect an ending with a nice bow on it either. The scene with the guy towards the end (no spoilers, don’t worry) made me legitimately appreciate the fact that I am no longer in my 20’s and playing the dating game. Nope, i’m good.

To summarize, Ari Aster is a sick minded yet uniquely talented individual and I will continue to support any project he puts his name on. Although it may not seem like it I really enjoyed Midsommar and admit it is a very well made film, I just think that the high expectations of Hereditary and the 2 1/2 hour runtime that is about 30 minutes too long, kept it from being great. But at the same time this gives me one more reason to make better decisions as far as who I decide to hang out with, or just to simply avoid any large group of people who decide that everyone wearing white is a good idea (I’ve seen The Leftovers, I know better). Either way, I’m looking forward to what Ari Aster has for us next time. Reccomended.

(Check out our review for Ari Aster’s Hereditary here http://tedtakes.com/brooklyn/2018/6/12/hereditary)

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

Director Chad Stahelski

Genre Action | Crime | Thriller

Cast Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Jason Mantzoukas, Ian McShane

Rating R

Release Date  May 17th, 2019

“Super-Assassin John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin’s guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head - he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.”

From director Chad Stahelski, the man who brought us John Wick 1 & 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum brings us even deeper into the world of assassins as John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin's guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head - he is the target of hit men and women everywhere. I have genuinely enjoyed these films with their stylistic approach and amazing stunts so can’t wait for the next chapter.

I read somewhere recently that in 3 movies John Wick has tallied a higher body count than Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers throughout their epic run - just let that sink in. John Wick is the ultimate badass, and people seem to keep forgetting that if you have an issue with him, it may be best to just walk away. Sure some may consider that a punk move, but at least it’s better than ending up with a perfectly placed bullet in your forehead. Ever since that idiot had the nerve to murder his dog in the first film Wick has been on the defensive, and to say he is resourceful would be a severe understatement. In John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum the hitman that just can’t stay retired finds himself on the run from pretty much anyone with a gun as they try to collect the price on his head.

John Wick is incredibly resourceful and he is forced to call in every last favor to try and make it out alive. The film picks up right where Chapter 2 left off and highlights action much more than actual storyline, so it is far from boring. The knife throwing scene in the beginning is absolutely jaw dropping and sets the tone for a wild ride. When it comes to the John Wick films the fight scenes and stunt work are unmatched, and somehow they seem to get better with each sequel. Between that and the great casting choices, John Wick continues to be the perfect movie for the guys to see after crushing a few beers and some hot wings - in that order.

I really enjoyed John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and felt like I got my money’s worth, and then some. I could watch this dude drop bodies all night and sleep like a baby knowing that it is all to avenge that cute puppy his wife gave him as her dying gift. Keanu Reeves as a person has been replaced by this character, and I think he is okay with that. Judging by the ending and the success of the latest film I knew a 4th entry was a given and it has since been officially greenlit for a May 2021 release. Also Starz is working on a spinoff series for John Wick called The Continental, and early chatter is that it takes place much earlier than the films. Hopefully it’ll give us a glimpse into Wick’s career before retirement. Whether you see it in theaters or snatch this up On-Demand or on Blu-ray, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is a must-see. Highly recommended.