Men

By: Andrew Wing

Men is a 2022 British folk horror film written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation). It stars Jessie Buckley (I’m Thinking of Ending Things, The Lost Daughter) as a widowed woman who travels on holiday to a countryside village but becomes disturbed and tormented by the strange men in the village, all portrayed by Rory Kinnear (James Bond films, The Imitation Game).

The film was released in the United States on May 20, 2022, by A24 and in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2022, by Entertainment Film Distributors.

THE GOOD

News flash, but being the crazy sci-fi enthusiast I am, I absolutely love Alex Garland! Ex Machina is one of my favorite films from the past decade, and Annihilation is one of the most underrated movies from the past five years. Anyways, I still need to watch the FX miniseries Devs which he wrote and directed, but once I heard about Men and saw the trailer, I was freaking amped. However, it did get some pretty mixed reviews once it was released in May of last year, but while that may turn some people off from checking a movie out, a highly divisive movie only makes me more eager to check it out, and check it out I did! So what was Men? Was it another sci-fi classic from Garland? Or was it a step down for him? Keep reading to find out!

I mean, it was honestly both if you’re asking me. While Men was nowhere near the likes of Ex Machina and Annihilation, because well those were some of the best sci-fi movies of the past decade, I do think Men does have a chance to be one of those cult classic movies years from now. Why? For starters, like the rest of his movies, the visual storytelling is really strong here from Garland. A lot of the imagery in the film is really striking, and the rest of his filmmaking here was really good I thought. There are some drawn-out silent sequences where we just see the main character, Harper, walking throughout the forest, and because of how Garland decided to shoot those, we actually come away learning a lot about the character. I am just such a big fan of Garland, and I am really looking forward to his next film, Civil War which should hopefully be coming out later this year.

So I watched the movie with my Mom, and I told her going in that Jessie Buckley might be my favorite current actress, and after having watched the movie, I can say that she is. She was just great in this film throughout and thought she was perfectly cast. She was able to convey so many emotions for her character of Harper when she was feeling refreshed or when she was feeling unsettled, which was a lot to say the least. She was phenomenal when it came to showing Harper’s trauma, but at the same time she was able to show the resiliency of her too. All in all, I love Jessie Buckley so I might be biased, but this was another really good performance from her.

As good as Jessie Buckley was, the best performance might’ve belonged to Rory Kinnear. And I should call it performances because he literally plays like ten different characters in this film. All of his roles were good, but my favorite was hands down Geoffrey, the owner of the holiday house Harper rents, and I would love for him to have his own sequel/prequel movie or miniseries but that’ll never happen. Seriously though, his character was inviting but also jittery and creepy and Kinnear should’ve honestly got an Oscar nomination because he was unbelievable in Men, and he made a fan out of me!

I know I already touched on Garland’s visual storytelling, but to continue with the visuals of Men, the movie just looks incredible. The cinematography from Rob Hardy was thoroughly gorgeous. All of the colors were so vibrant, so much so that I was asking myself if grass can really be that green. But as for some of the other technical elements of Men, I loved the score from Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow and I thought it was really cool how they intertwined Jessie Buckley’s own vocals into their unsettling score.

THE BAD

Alright, when it comes to the bad, there is only one thing I want to talk about, and that is the ending. There’s no other way to say it, the ending to this movie was just bonkers. I’m pretty sure my mom gagged about two or three times during the last ten to fifteen minutes of the film because it’s really gross and honestly pretty disgusting so just a heads up, be prepared for some body horror.

To continue with the ending, I was just confused by the film’s message and the narrative approach as a whole. I mean the movie is called “Men”, and while it might just be me oversimplifying things, it felt like Garland just wanted us to know that men are bad. I’m sure there was a broader purpose to the film that I could better understand on a second watch, but I just wanted something more from the film’s conclusion that wasn’t just Alex Garland telling us that he supports women.

THE VERDICT

While it doesn’t reach the same heights as his first two films because of the overall messaging, Alex Garland’s Men is still a very interesting British folk horror film that has undoubtedly the craziest ending of anything 2022 had to offer.

As crazy as it was, I did really like the movie overall. I loved the visuals, the music was awesome, and I was very impressed by the performances of both Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.8/10

Men is now available to stream on Showtime. Check out the latest trailer below.

Aftersun

By: Andrew Wing

Aftersun is a 2022 drama film written and directed by Charlotte Wells in her feature directorial debut. The film stars Paul Mescal (The Lost Daughter, Normal People), Frankie Corio, and Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux).

Set in the early 2000s, the film follows Sophie (Corio), an 11-year-old Scottish girl, as she reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday vacation she took with her father, Calum (Mescal), at a Turkish resort twenty years earlier on the eve of her 31st birthday.

Aftersun was released in the United States on October 21, 2022, by A24 and in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2022, by Mubi. Paul Mescal earned a nomination for Academy Award for Best Actor. It was also named one of the best films of 2022 by the National Board of Review and was awarded top place by Sight and Sound on its poll for the best films of the year.

THE GOOD

Ever since the Cannes International Film Festival, Aftersun has been at the very top of my watchlist. It got great reviews there, and last month I saw this being at the top of almost every critic's best films of 2022 list, including the one and only Sight and Sound list too. Well, it hit VOD last week and the other day I finally had the chance to check out the latest drama from my favorite production company A24. But did it live up to the insane amount of hype? Keep reading to find out!

It really freaking did! The film was written and directed by Charlotte Wells in her feature directorial debut, and if there’s one thing I can say to people after having watched this is to remember her name. Seriously though, Aftersun is stunning and it is just a gem of a movie. The film follows Sophie as she reflects on a holiday vacation she took with her father, Calum and we really just follow them throughout that week and witness their bond, their love, and their connection, and we also observe some of the gaps in their communication and it was just amazing to watch this story unfold. It’s funny because the movie was produced by Barry Jenkins, the man behind the Best Picture-winning film Moonlight and also If Beale Street Could Talk, and it’s crazy to say how many similarities there were between this movie and his movies. I mean this movie was so empathetic, poetic, and human, and it truly is one of the most incredible directing debuts I have ever seen. I don’t want to put too much pressure on Wells, but after this, I don’t think I am alone in saying that she has what it takes to become one of the best writer-directors working today.

As good as Wells' direction and the original screenplay was, this movie is absolutely carried by the two lead performances from Frankie Corio as Sophie and Paul Mescal as Calum. First, with Mescal, he is phenomenal in this and I’m so damn happy he got the Academy Award nomination yesterday for Best Actor. I mean he truly deserves it. He was great at carrying the unspoken and darker qualities of his character because of how he feels about being thrown into fatherhood at a young age, and I don’t know if there’s an actor right now who has a brighter future than Mescal. As for Frankie Corio, she was just amazing as this girl who is coming-of-age and asking her father a ton of questions that he is not ready to answer. It was just fascinating to see how comfortable Corio was with the DVR recorder that was being used throughout the movie, and she just felt so real and so mature in this role. More than that, she was also capable of expressing really complex emotions in a subtle way and it was just one of those child performances that will be talked about for years to come.

As for some of the other elements with Aftersun, it just doesn’t miss. The editing in the movie is super unconventional and a little abstract, but it worked so well and I would’ve loved to have seen this get a Best Editing nomination. More than that though, the movie is just so beautiful visually speaking thanks to Gregory Oke’s cinematography, and also just some of Charlotte Wells’ compositions that will just burn themselves in your mind. Oh and last but not least, I won’t spoil it, but the ending is really great.

THE BAD

As for things I will spoil though, I loved this movie! However, if you’re one of those people who doesn’t want the movie to end before you are ready for it to, this might not be for you. As I said, I loved the ending, but there will definitely be some questions that you don’t get answered, but that’s okay because I think at the end of the day you will still get the release you want and I’d be shocked if it didn’t hit you emotionally.

THE VERDICT

Aftersun is without a doubt one of the best films 2022 has to offer. It is a deeply moving, empathetic, and truly human story that is brought to life behind one of the most impressive debuts of honestly all-time from Charlotte Wells, and also some of the best performances of the year from Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.7/10

Aftersun is now available to rent and own on demand. Check out the latest trailer below.

Skinamarink

Skinamarink is a 2022 Canadian experimental horror film written and directed by Kyle Edward Ball in his feature directorial debut. The film was made on a $15,000 budget and after an initial limited theater release it quickly surpassed $1 million in earnings, allowing for a wide theatrical release.

In 1995, four-year-old Kevin injures himself in what his six-year-old sister Kaylee says is a sleepwalking incident. Sometime later, the two wake up in the middle of the night to find that their father has seemingly disappeared and that the windows, doors, and other objects in their house are gradually vanishing as well.

The cast includes Jaime Hill, Dali Rose Tetreault, Ross Paul, and Lucas Paul.

Skinamarink made its debut in theaters on January 13th and will be available to stream on Shudder on February 2nd, courtesy of IFC Midnight.

THE GOOD

When I started hearing rumblings about this Skinamarink horror movie, I’ll admit I was intrigued. I looked for the trailer and my first thought was that this will likely be a very limited release that I will be forced to watch VOD or when it hits a streaming service. To my surprise, it actually arrived at a few of my local theaters prior to its release on the Shudder streaming service in February, so I was pumped! I’m not ashamed to admit that I really didn’t know what the term ‘experimental horror’ actually meant, which forced me to do a bit of research. In a nutshell, the idea behind this subgenre is to unnerve viewers with a focus on atmosphere and visuals, usually with a seemingly straightforward plot. Most have heard the term elevated horror when talking about films like It Follows or The Babadook, but I’d say that experimental is another layer entirely mainly because it’s even less mainstream. So I made my way over to the theater for Skinamarink the first chance I got, but was it worth my time, or was the anticipation all for nothing? Keep reading to find out! 

Okay, so as I write this review I’m still trying to make sense of what I just watched. But as far as going right out and saying was it worth my time, I’d say definitely. Skinamarink was a very, very unique experience and more than anything else I appreciated the creativity. It never really feels like a low-budget film because of the overall style, which reminded me of watching an old crappy VHS tape on an even crappier TV. Now I understand that sounds about as enticing as an uppercut to the eyeball, but hear me out. The film is very grainy for I’d say about 90% of the time, and the majority of the scenes are very dark without any lights on. Every now and then you will see a bit of light and the picture will seem clearer, but these moments are very brief and before you know it you are right back in grainy image quality. For me, the commitment to this specific look added to the overall impact of the film and its ability to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, but it does require patience.

Now Skinamarkink is about as unnerving as you can get when it comes to horror movies for several reasons. I’m talking about a variety of unique shots where you might be staring at a door or a bare wall, eyes just darting from one side of the screen to the other waiting for something to happen. Oftentimes nothing happens, but needless to say, that is not always the case. This brings me to my next focus as it relates to the scare factor of the film, the jump scares. I’m usually not super vulnerable to traditional jump scares, but I no joke peed a little 3 or 4 times during this movie. The style of the film as far as the lack of music or dialogue sets up for a very hard-hitting element of surprise So yeah, consider that a warning.

Skinamarink often feels like a mix between Poltergeist and Paranormal Activity, and by the end, you get the vibe that something evil may be behind all of the weird shit going on in this house. I won’t give anything away but the elements that reminded me of Paranormal Activity really stood out for me personally, and I’m more so referring to the first film. Plus even though the story is as simple as it can get and the character development is nonexistent, you still feel for these kids and their situation even though you aren’t quite sure what is going on. I’m pretty sure we can all think back to times when we were kids and woke up in the middle of the night terrified with our imaginations running wild.

I remember several nights I’d wake up worried that something was going to happen to my parents even though they were in bed, and I wanted nothing more than for morning time to come. Bottom line, it can be terrifying to be a kid and Skinamarink embodies that feeling. A sense of helplessness and confusion only a child can explain. I also really liked how they took the things that children find comfort in, toys and cartoons for example, and made them part of this seemingly never-ending nightmare. After seeing the film and researching a few theories behind the premise, I am now even more intrigued and need to watch it again to try and piece together this puzzle.

So much of Skinamarink feels like an optical illusion, almost like it is purposefully messing with your eyes, because well, it is. I won’t go too in-depth talking about this aspect of the film because it is without a doubt a big part of the experience and I don’t want to spoil anything but trust me when I say you will be questioning whether or not it is time to finally schedule that visit with the eye doctor that you have been pushing off for years. But seriously, this part of the film was awesome in my opinion, and I personally can’t wait for Andrew to see it so we can discuss our thoughts. Assuming he can get through it, because well, horror doesn’t really agree with him. The camera work plays into the unique identity of the film as you never really see any of the characters or environments at eye level, instead either having a view angled towards the ceiling or sort of a view from the floor. It takes some getting used to for sure but seems to help build up the idea of being disoriented. As far as the acting in the film is concerned, I don’t know how I would even begin to evaluate it. You’ll get what I mean once you see the movie.

THE BAD

I know I’ve said this before, but perhaps not as emphatically as I’ll say here. Skinamarink is not for everyone. This film is unique in pretty much every way, and whether or not you will enjoy or appreciate it fully depends on you accepting its overall approach. The film lives and dies through its creativity and willingness to be different, and I commend that. Did I have a wtf is happening look on my face during 85% of the movie? Damn right I did, but that doesn’t make it a bad movie. Case in point, just because you don’t like a movie, does not make it bad.

With that being said, I’m not at all surprised by the high critic score and relatively low user score for Skinamarink because of its unorthodox nature. You absolutely have to go in expecting a very strange and unnerving experience, and just let things progress from there. I honestly did my best to leave all of my expectations at the door so I could just take it all in. If you are hoping for a normal horror film with an interesting story you’ll be disappointed because Skinamarink does not care about your preconceived notions about horror films.

THE VERDICT

A dare-to-be-different experimental horror film with Poltergeist and Paranormal Activity vibes that will undoubtedly captivate some viewers while sending others for a refund, Skinamarink is a unique experience that is as creative as it is terrifying. I honestly found myself thinking how do you even begin to edit a film like this?! It is just so out there and basically impossible to piece together, for better or for worse. I would love to sit down with the crew to find out how they decided on the final edits. I just have so many questions. Love it or hate it, Skinamarink is a film you won’t soon forget, and I feel like I need to see it again so that I can start unraveling this cinematic mystery.

As I mentioned in the introduction the film will debut on Shudder in a few weeks, but if you want the full experience I suggest seeing it in theaters. If you decide to wait and stream at home instead, be sure to eliminate all distractions and turn off the lights to get the full experience.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.6/10

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

The Whale

By: Andrew Wing

The Whale is a 2022 American drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream) and written by Samuel D. Hunter, based on his 2012 play of the same name. It stars Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, Journey to the Center of the Earth), Sadie Sink (Stranger Things, Fear Street trilogy), Hong Chau (Inherent Vice, Downsizing), Ty Simpkins (Iron Man 3, Jurassic World), and Samantha Morton (Minority Report, Synecdoche, New York).

The film follows Charlie (Fraser), a reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter (Sink) for one last chance at redemption.

The Whale premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2022, and had a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 9, 2022, before a wide release on December 21, by A24. Fraser won Best Actor at the 28th Critics' Choice Awards and earned nominations for Best Actor at the 80th Golden Globe Awards and the 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards. It has so far grossed $11 million against a budget of $3 million.

THE GOOD

I have been eagerly awaiting seeing The Whale for what feels like forever now. Seriously though, for the past year, all I’ve heard from people on social media was that Brendan Fraser was going to make his triumphant return to Hollywood as he was playing a morbidly obese, 600-pound man. But after the film premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in early September of last year and videos began circulating of Fraser receiving a long-standing ovation for giving one of the best performances of the current century, my anticipation for this movie was at an all-time high! Thankfully though, I finally got the chance to see it earlier this week, but did it match my otherworldly expectations? Keep reading to find out!

I don’t know if the film did as a whole, but one part of the movie somehow went above and beyond my already high expectations, and that was Brendan Fraser’s performance as our main character Charlie. Fraser was just unbelievable in this movie. He feels very down to earth here as Charlie. He made this character so easy to care a lot about, and this movie just really hit me emotionally and it was almost entirely because of Fraser’s performance. He just gives so much vulnerability in this role to the point where viewers can somehow feel what he is feeling at any given moment. He goes really big in some scenes and he just pours everything out on screen, and it was just one of those performances where the actor gives everything he has. Every line delivered was flawless and it is hands down the best performance of 2022 in my opinion, and he should be winning Best Actor for this at the upcoming 95th Academy Awards.

There’s no debating that Fraser won the movie, but there are some really good supporting performances in The Whale too. I thought Hong Chau without a doubt had the best supporting performance, and she just continues to make me a really big fan of hers. Her character was very grounded, felt real, and was a very likable person. She is also best friends with Fraser’s character, Charlie, and I thought their chemistry was fantastic. I mean she even had a couple of scenes where she was the standout which says a lot given Fraser’s performance. But with this, and also The Menu (see Ted’s full review here), she had herself one hell of a 2022, and she is looking likely to get an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Oh, and Samantha Morton, like she did in She Said (see my full review here), comes in in one scene and pretty much steals the movie. She just crushed it in every aspect.

But aside from the performances, let’s talk about the director Darren Aronofsky. I’m not the biggest Aronofsky fan, but I love how all of his movies stay with you for a while after you watch them and how they always make you think. Well, this was his first film since his 2017 highly divisive psychological horror film mother!, and I found this to be an improvement over that one. This was much more of a contained drama which is not something I am used to from Aronofsky, but I thought he directed the film really well. That said, with this film we still get that famous Aronofsky maximalism in a different form because of the way he shows this character whose mental health has trapped him in this life.

And as for some of the technical elements of The Whale, I was a big fan of its visual style. The film really takes place in one location, Charlie’s apartment, and I just loved how they shot this movie and what it looked like. Also, this film has a 4:3 aspect ratio, and while that might annoy some other viewers, I was a huge fan of it. It’s done with almost all practical lighting as it is kind of a dim movie and it just felt quite dark which I think added a lot to the movie as a whole because Charlie’s character is also in a dark space himself not only physically speaking, but mentally as well. The makeup was amazing too as Fraser looked so real, and that has to be a huge threat to win the Oscar for Best Makeup & Hairstyling. And last but not least, I really liked Rob Simonsen’s score and I loved when it became really big at moments. It was just a really interesting score that really worked for me.

THE BAD

Now there’s no denying that I liked the film as a whole, but I did have a few problems with it. My first problem would have to be the runtime. The movie clocks in at just under two hours, and while I don’t usually have a problem with longer movies, this movie definitely could’ve been shorter. Maybe it was just the way I was feeling on the day I saw it, but I felt kind of out of it at points, and I think a big reason was because of the screenplay, which is based on Samuel D. Hunter’s play of the same name, feeling a lot well, like a play. It was just very ‘writy’ at times and I just didn’t vibe with it. That said, it will certainly be getting an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay just given the competition for that category.

But to continue with that complaint, you can just feel that throughout the movie. The story never felt restrained, and it just felt pretty obvious at times where we were going and how things were going to end. But aside from that, my last complaint is unfortunately on a performance that was getting a little bit of Oscar buzz a couple of months back and that performance belonged to Sadie Sink. Her character was just needlessly cruel and she had this very abrasive personality. I don’t know, I just didn’t like the character and Sink’s performance because it felt unrealistic to me and it just felt like overacting in my opinion.

THE VERDICT

Behind the best performance of 2022 from Brendan Fraser that could win him the Oscar for Best Actor, The Whale is a powerful, deeply moving drama film from Darren Aronofsky that I was emotionally invested in from start to finish.

I liked Aronofsky’s direction, Hong Chau had a great supporting performance, the camerawork was fantastic, the score was awesome, and I’m just really looking forward to seeing this for a second time!

TED TAKES RATING - 8.2/10

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

A Man Called Otto

A Man Called Otto is a 2022 comedy-drama film directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by David Magee. It is the second film adaptation of the 2012 novel A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, and a remake of the 2015 Swedish film of the same name written and directed by Hannes Holm.

Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.

The film stars Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Cameron Britton.

A Man Called Otto began a limited theatrical release on December 30th, 2022, before a wide release on January 13th, 2023, by Sony Pictures Releasing.

THE GOOD

Let me be honest here, it really didn’t take much convincing for me to check out A Man Called Otto as soon as it hit theaters. First of all, Tom Hanks is a national treasure and has been a favorite of mine ever since his role in the 1988 hit film, Big. Hanks is without a doubt one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood and has attributed to quite a few teary eyes over the years with incredibly powerful films like The Green Mile (1999). After watching the trailer it was clear Hanks was the man for this role, and that notion was just reinforced as I began reading the book the film is based on. So yeah, needless to say, I was excited to check out what looked to be another quality Tom Hanks film. So, was it worth my time? Keep reading to find out!

Let me get this out of the way right now, I loved this movie. First and foremost, I was surprised by just how hard it hit me on an emotional level. I will talk more about the overall writing and story later on in the review but trust me when I say be sure to have tissues handy when you watch it. I knew going in that A Man Called Otto was more than just a dark admittedly quirky comedy, but I had no idea to what extent it went beyond what the trailer or the brief synopsis showed. This film has many layers, and to say that it will leave a mark on viewers is an understatement, and it will surely hit some people harder than others depending on their own personal life experiences. It got me good, I will say that. The writing was great, I really enjoyed each and every character, and I felt like the tone was consistent throughout. You never quite knew what direction the film would go, and I enjoyed the ride we were taken on as viewers. I also felt like the film was very inspiring in terms of what it means to be a positive influence, and a nice reminder not to judge a book by its cover.

Believe it or not, even though Tom Hanks is in the lead role I won’t be talking about the quality of the acting right away. One of my biggest takeaways from A Man Called Otto was just how much more there was to the story than what you’d realize after watching the trailer. As I mentioned I am currently reading the book, usually a chapter or so before bed so admittedly it is taking me a bit, but as far as I can tell so far the film stayed fairly true to the novel it is based on, and David Magee did a heck of a job adapting the screenplay. What I am enjoying most about the book so far, which also happens to be one of my favorite aspects of the film as well, is the flashbacks to the early years of Otto, where we get to learn a bit more about how this seemingly grumpy man came to be. I will focus on the film for obvious reasons but the flashbacks were fantastic, simple as that. They held so much weight, and I never had that I wish they would ease up on the flashbacks feeling I’ve gotten from films in the past.

Now add in the fact that young Otto is played by Hanks’ real-life youngest son Truman, and it really is something special. Now I will admit, I had no idea who this dude was when I saw the movie, and I thought he played his role like a seasoned vet so naturally, I was curious as to who he was. After watching the film and doing a bit of research as I put together my review I found out that not only is he the son of Hanks, but this is also his first role in a film. He doesn’t even have a picture on IMDb, and is primarily credited as working in the camera and electrical department according to his filmography. Just wild. I won’t give anything away, but let me just say that Truman Hanks was so good at playing young Otto that he was easily one of my favorite things about this movie, and a big reason why it tugs at the heartstrings the way it does.

Okay so obviously the acting was great. I talked about Truman Hanks who deserves all of the recognition in the world for coming out of nowhere and delivering a memorable performance, but his dad was fantastic as always. Tom Hanks really becomes his character, and for the majority of the film, I forgot he was just playing this role. Otto is such a unique and layered character that viewers will enjoy unraveling just what makes him tick, and I really liked all of his quirks and his overall view of people and the state of society. Maybe I am just getting old but I actually agreed with him more than I probably should have. As far as the supporting cast, I thought everyone pulled their weight. Aside from little Hanks, I would say Rachel Keller made the biggest impact as Sonya. Keller is best known for her recurring roles in shows including Fargo, Legion, and Dirty John. As far as her performance here I thought she was fantastic. She plays this no-nonsense character who is the perfect person to stand up to Otto and his grumpiness, ultimately forming a unique and genuine bond. I thought she had awesome chemistry with Hanks as well which is really saying something considering his pedigree as an actor. I won’t talk too much more about the cast but I thought everyone was great.

THE BAD

I’m honestly struggling to pick this film apart because I genuinely enjoyed it. Is it perfect? No, I wouldn’t say that, but in my opinion, the final product delivered where it mattered and amounted to a special cinematic experience and I can’t wait to see it again. Now the film does need a few disclaimers because, for one, it deals heavily with the idea of suicide as a means to an end. I will say that such a sensitive subject was handled perfectly and with care, and in no way glorifies it or attempts to stray from its significance. A Man Called Otto is a dark comedy at its core because of the subject matter, but they manage to keep that quirky element throughout without taking away from the overall impact of the film’s message. It also includes other real-life and significant elements of loss and trauma that personally hit me pretty hard, but speaking from my own personal experiences it just made me feel closer to the film and made it matter to me that much more.

THE VERDICT

A compassionate, heartbreaking, and genuinely inspiring story about a complicated and grumpy old man with a story to tell, A Man Called Otto is a beautiful film that impressed me at every turn. I usually go into the theater with at least an idea of what to expect, but this experience was unique. The story pulled me in so many directions, and I kid you not I had a tear running down my face by the end of it. Life is complex, and as human beings, we are often quick to judge, but this film is a perfect example that we have no idea what the person we pass on the street may have been through in their life. It is a reminder that sometimes all that you need to do is try to be kind, no matter how grumpy and unpleasant a person may seem at first. What happens next may surprise you.

Bottom line, A Man Called Otto is a funny, satisfying, and meaningful film that I absolutely recommend people see in theaters.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.3/10

A Man Called Otto is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

M3GAN

M3GAN is a 2023 science fiction horror thriller directed by Gerard Gladstone (Housebound), from a screenplay by Akela Cooper (Malignant, The Nun 2) and a story by horror legend James Wan, the man behind the Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring franchises, and produced by Blumhouse, the production company behind the Halloween films, The Black Phone, and The Invisible Man.

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Get Out’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes a friend and teacher, playmate, and protector, for the child she is bonded to.

When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw from The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems—a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

The cast includes Allison Williams (Girls, Get Out), Violet McGraw (The Haunting of Hill House) Ronny Chieng (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Brian Jordan Alvarez (Will & Grace), Jen Van Epps (Cowboy Bebop), Lori Dungey (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, extended edition) and Stephane Garneau-Monten (Straight Forward).

M3GAN made its debut in theaters on January 6th, 2023, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

When it was first announced that M3GAN was a horror film with the involvement of Jason Blum and Blumhouse, I knew I would be seeing it on day one. When the first trailer was released I was genuinely excited because this looked really good. I couldn’t quite describe the feel initially in terms of whether it would lean more toward horror thriller or more horror comedy, but the premise was intriguing and the overall production value looked pretty damn top-notch. Plus, I was sold on the cast from the jump. So, was M3GAN just yet another run-of-the-mill horror thriller that left me wanting more, or was it able to leave a mark? Keep reading to find out!

Oh, it left a mark alright, this movie was an absolute blast to experience! More than anything else, M3GAN is such a well-rounded film that effectively utilizes elements from a variety of genres. If I had to try and describe the film, I guess I would say it is a horror thriller with a heavy dose of dark comedy, but it also has some unexpected feel-good moments mixed in believe it or not. The pacing is fantastic so I was never bored, and the stage was set pretty early on in terms of the anticipation for what M3GAN would become. I bought into Allison Williams as a genius workaholic engineer from the start, and I also really liked how they put our obsession with technology front and center as well. And to be honest the film somehow managed to be darker and also funnier than I expected, which needless to say took me by surprise in a good way. M3GAN is the perfect protagonist turned antagonist, and she is one heck of a badass not to be messed with. Long story short, similar to my wife, she likes to hold a grudge so best to stay on her good side.

I liked so much about M3GAN, but if I had to try and narrow down what I liked most about it I’d have to say the tone of the film. The premise really could have gone either way, but man they did it right. The writing was great, and believe it or not, balancing comedy and horror/thriller elements really isn’t an easy task. Either you make it clear from the start that things will be a bit ridiculous with the feel of a throwback slasher for example, or you keep the audience guessing. In my opinion, M3GAN accomplished the latter, sprinkling in a comedic tone while staying true to an overall feel that is nothing short of terrifying at its core. I was honestly very impressed by how many times I laughed out loud considering how certain characters meet their demise, but because the tone is so damn effective I didn’t even feel bad about it. That is a big win in my book.

M3GAN expresses herself verbally as well of course, but the scenes where she says nothing are the most intense. This brings me to my next talking point, the technical elements of the film. I was blown away by how amazing M3GAN looked, and just how great of a job they did with her. I did little to no research prior to seeing the film in terms of how they planned to bring her to life on-screen, and the entire time I was in awe of her. Her movements, voice, facial expressions, and mannerisms all came together to create this next best toy in the making turned murderous little psychopath. Trust me when I say you will not sit back and think this film is corny, not for a second. She is unsettling, to say the least. After seeing the film I did some brief research and learned that M3GAN came to fruition using a variety of methods, including VFX, puppetry, and a damn good performance from child actress Amie Donald. The film utilized several puppet versions of M3GAN to successfully accomplish the vibe and tone they were going for in certain scenes, and to say that an insane amount of creativity went into making this film would be a significant understatement, so kudos to everyone who worked on the project.

I knew the cast would be a bright spot for the film and it did not disappoint. Allison Williams is awesome in the lead role, and I have been a fan of hers since the HBO series Girls. Williams has quickly become an actress to watch after she starred in Jordan Peele’s Get Out, and I felt like she once again proved her abilities here as a lead actress. For those of you who don’t know, as a fun fact she is in fact the daughter of NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. I love me a good young actor when it comes to horror films, and man is Violet McGraw quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The 11-year-old McGraw has a real understanding of acting through emotion, and more than anything else she is believable in her emotionally complex role. I am looking forward to watching her career develop. Jenna Davis was fantastic as the voice of M3GAN, and Amie Donald was great actually playing the dangerous A.I.-empowered doll. I actually really enjoyed Ronny Chieng in his over-the-top role as goofy as he was alongside his pushover assistant played by Stephane Garneau-Monten. Both played a big part in keeping with the underlying comedic tone. Also a well-deserved shoutout to Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jan Van Epps, as the friends/co-workers of Williams’ character.

THE BAD

Full disclosure, I have very few issues with M3GAN, but it may not be for everyone. The film is very violent and often pokes fun at death in order to achieve the creative tone it was going for. It also has some very serious depictions of loss which may be difficult for some viewers. The film is rated PG-13, so the blood and gore are kept at a minimum, but they still get their point across with the violence. Plus, if you have an issue with creepy dolls in any form or fashion you may want to skip this one because believe me when I say you will likely be in for a few sleepless nights. With that being said I don’t personally consider the film to be scary, which isn’t a knock on it because that simply is not what they were going for here.

THE VERDICT

A visceral horror thriller infused with a unique and effective balance of dark humor, M3GAN packs a punch that will undoubtedly keep viewers fully immersed and on the edge of their seats. I admit I was nervous initially in terms of whether or not the film would feel too corny or over-the-top, but I felt like they succeeded in getting the most out of its PG-13 rating while staying true to what they were trying to accomplish. The film is a genuine slap-in-the-face wake-up call in terms of our reliance on technology, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I have been much kinder to Alexa since watching the movie. M3GAN was able to keep me entertained from start to finish, and I will continue to trust in just about anything James Wan, Jason Blum, and Blumhouse decide to attach their names to.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.3/10

M3GAN is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Crimes of the Future

By: Andrew Wing

Crimes of the Future is a 2022 science fiction body horror drama film written and directed by David Cronenberg (The Fly, Videodrome). The film stars Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Green Book), Léa Seydoux (The Grand Budapest Hotel, No Time to Die), and Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Saga, Spencer).

It follows a performance artist duo (Mortensen and Seydoux) who perform surgery to audiences, in a future world where human evolution has accelerated for some individuals. Although the film shares its title with Cronenberg's 1970 film of the same name, it is not a remake as the story and concept are unrelated, and there is no connection between the two films whatsoever. The film marked Cronenberg's return to the science fiction and horror genres for the first time since Existenz (1999).

An international co-production of Canadian, French, British, and Greek companies, Crimes of the Future had its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or and received a six-minute standing ovation. The film received a theatrical release in France on May 25, 2022, opened in Canada on June 3, 2022, and had a same-day limited release in the United States.

THE GOOD

You can’t be a cinephile and not know who David Cronenberg is. The Canadian film director is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation, infectious diseases, and the intertwining of the psychological, the physical, and the technological. Furthermore, he is best known for exploring these themes through sci-fi horror films like The Fly and Videodrome. That said, as much as I love sci-fi, I prefer Cronenberg’s drama thriller films such as A History of Violence and Cosmopolis. However, once I saw the trailer for Crimes of the Future, I was immediately hooked and knew that I wasn’t going to want to miss this. So did it live up to my expectations? Keep reading to find out!

It did! As previously mentioned, Cronenberg is the father of the body horror genre, a genre that despite its many challenging aspects has a number of great films, most recently Titane (see my full review here), which was one of the best films of 2021. That said, I was excited to see Cronenberg return to his true genre and he did not disappoint. He created this insane world where significant advances in biotechnology have led to the invention of machines and analog computers that can directly interface with and control bodily functions, and I was just in awe of his wild imagination. I’ll touch on some of the things I thought he could’ve done better later on in the review, but I thought this was a very well-directed film from Cronenberg and it’s great to see him back working in this genre.

As much as I liked the filmmaking from Cronenberg in Crimes of the Future, the thing I enjoyed the most were the performances we got. This was unlike any other performance I’ve seen from Viggo Mortensen before, but it was very good and pretty impressive to see his range. Léa Seydoux was also really good and I’ve just yet to see her give a bad performance. All that said, my favorite performance in this movie belonged to Kristen Stewart. She did this jittery, nervous kind of thing with her character Timlin, who is this weirdo, and I was totally on board with it and I honestly found her to be quite hilarious in the film too.

Aside from the performances though, the movie is visually striking so shout out to cinematographer Douglas Koch. The movie is very darkly lit and shady throughout, so much so that it made me question if it was ever daytime in this future world. Also, all of the interiors are very grimy and industrial looking. All in all, there is just great world-building here from the aesthetic presentation of the world. Oh, and the score by Howard Shore absolutely slaps and is without a doubt one of the best aspects of this movie!

THE BAD

It’s funny, the one complaint I have with the film is what will probably make more general audiences want to watch it, and that was that this movie didn’t deliver on being disgusting. I mean don’t get me wrong, there are a number of gross things that happen in this movie, but there are far crazier and gorier body horror films out there and the film was just a lot tamer than I expected. At the end of the day, I liked it and enjoyed it, but I was just disappointed in the lack of horror from Cronenberg and I thought he relied on exposition a bit too much. And lastly, when it comes to my complaints with Crimes of the Future, the end of this film just felt so abrupt and I really thought we were going to get another fifteen to thirty minutes where things really started to get crazy.

THE VERDICT

Although I wanted the film to be a lot crazier, Crimes of the Future is still a return to form for David Cronenberg. The world building was marvelous, the body horror was unsettling, and the performances from the big three were all amazing in their own different ways.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.5/10

Crimes of the Future is now available on Hulu. Check out the latest trailer below.

All Quiet on the Western Front

By: Andrew Wing

All Quiet on the Western Front (German: Im Westen nichts Neues) is a 2022 epic anti-war film based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque. Directed by Edward Berger, it stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds, Captain America: Civil War), Sebastian Hülk (Red Sparrow, Hanna), Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic, and Devid Striesow.

Set in the closing days of World War I, it follows the life of an idealistic young German soldier named Paul Bäumer (Kammerer). After enlisting in the German Army with his friends, Bäumer finds himself exposed to the realities of war, shattering his early hopes of becoming a hero as he does his best to survive. The film adds a parallel storyline not found in the book, which follows the armistice negotiations to end the war.

All Quiet on the Western Front premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022, and was released to streaming on Netflix on October 28, 2022. In August 2022, the film was announced as Germany's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards and made the December shortlist. It was also named one of the top five international films of 2022 by the National Board of Review.

THE GOOD

Heading into 2022, I was well aware that Netflix was making a remake of the 1930 Academy Award-winning film and the 1979 television film All Quiet on the Western Front. However, after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and got amazing reviews, it certainly moved its way up my most anticipated list. On top of that, it was Germany’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film for the upcoming 95th Academy Awards, and every year I unsuccessfully try to watch all of the films that get shortlisted, and I’m glad to say I finally checked this out! But was it good enough to take home the Oscar for Best International Feature Film? Keep reading to find out!

It most certainly is good enough! Not only is it good enough to win in that category, but this film is so good it might get a Best Picture nomination! I am a fan of both kinds of war movies, both war and anti-war like this one is, as dark and terrifying as they may be, and so is the Academy, and I really think this movie is nearly as good as 1917, the Sam Mendes film that almost won Best Picture back in 2020. Seriously though, this movie is incredible, and call me crazy, but I thought it was better than the 1930 film adaptation that actually won Best Picture.

The director Edward Berger just knocked it out of the park here. I felt like the main purpose of this film was to immerse us in World War I and make it feel real and alive again, and he 100% achieved that. I mean this was some really powerful visceral filmmaking from Berger here that puts us right in the mud with these soldiers and takes us on this very spectacular and enthralling, yet deeply terrifying experience with them. And as an anti-war film, I really don’t think Berger could’ve given us anything better because he makes war look so not fun and miserable, so much so that watching this film will entice anybody to never enter into a draft. All in all, Berger is very deserving of a Best Director nomination and he’s got an outside chance.

Continuing with the filmmaking, Berger and his team of people working on all the technical elements of the film made this movie a technical masterpiece. The movie was stylish, and while it wasn’t super different from the stuff we’ve seen in war films of the past, it was still told in such an immersive way and was more than faithful to the source material’s anti-war message. For real though, this movie is so technically well done. James Friend’s cinematography is so beautiful and is some of the best cinematography I’ve seen in a long time, Volker Bertelmann’s score was big and bombastic, the camera work is extraordinarily smooth, the production design is just absolutely insane, the visual effects are blended perfectly into the environments, the makeup is super impressive and character-driven, and the sound design is just on another level, especially for a war movie.

Aside from all of the aspects that went into the filmmaking, the performances we got from the entire cast were superb. First and foremost though was the performance from Felix Kammerer as the main character Paul Bäumer. He was really amazing in this movie and because of all the subtleties in his performance like his facial expressions and his eyes, I felt deeply connected to his character. It’s also a credit to the writing, but there were some scenes in this movie where we get some intimate moments between Paul and the other soldiers, and that made me care a lot and become emotionally invested. He was just perfect in this role and this looked like such a grueling part to play but he was so committed to it, so much so that it felt like we were really watching this young soldier in World War I.

Continuing with the performances, Helmut Zemo himself from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daniel Brühl, was really good here as a German politician who is seeking to end the war. All of the scenes he was in felt important and I think a lot of that was simply because of Brühl’s acting talents. Albrecht Schuch was also pretty great in All Quiet on the Western Front too as he played Stanislaus "Kat" Katczinsky, an older soldier whom Paul befriends. Schuch has some of the most emotional moments in the film and he just crushed them, and it’s not surprising that he was the only actor from the film to earn a BAFTA nomination.

THE BAD

If you can’t tell yet, I was a huge fan of All Quiet on the Western Front. That said, it certainly won’t be for everybody. With it being an anti-war film that definitely gets its anti-war position across, there is a lot of violence in the film so be warned. It’s just a tough movie to watch if I’m being completely honest. It’s a German film spoken entirely in a foreign language, and more than that, it’s pretty long too at 147 minutes, and as much as I loved this movie, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t drag at some points when we weren’t in combat.

THE VERDICT

I was completely blown away by Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front, which is the third adaptation of the 1929 novel of the same name. The film is the current leader for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, and it should be because this film is a technical masterpiece that is carried by a remarkable lead performance from Felix Kammerer.

At the end of the day, If you liked 1917, you will really like this film as they are quite similar. With both films, you get an immersive experience where the camera work is meant to make you feel like you were there, you get great performances, and you get some unforgettable scenes that show you the soul-destroying horror that was World War I.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.4/10

All Quiet on the Western Front is now streaming on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

She Said

By: Andrew Wing

She Said is a 2022 American biographical drama film directed by Maria Schrader (Unorthodox, I’m Your Man) and written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz (writer for Ida and Small Axe), based on the 2019 book of the same title by reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. The film stars Carey Mulligan (Drive, Promising Young Woman) and Zoe Kazan (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Big Sick) as Twohey and Kantor, respectively, and follows their New York Times investigation that exposed Harvey Weinstein's history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women. Patricia Clarkson (Shutter Island, The Green Mile), Andre Braugher (The Mist, Primal Fear), Jennifer Ehle (The King’s Speech, Contagion), and Samantha Morton (Synecdoche, New York, Minority Report) co-star, with Ashley Judd (Heat, Divergent) appearing as herself.

The book was optioned in 2018, and the film was announced in 2021 as a co-production between Annapurna Pictures and Plan B Entertainment. Filming took place in New York with cinematographer Natasha Braier (The Neon Demon, Honey Boy). During post-production, editing was completed by Hansjörg Weißbrich and the score was composed by Nicholas Britell (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk).

She Said had its world premiere at the 60th New York Film Festival on October 13, 2022, and was released in the United States on November 18, 2022, by Universal Pictures. It was also named one of the best films of 2022 by the American Film Institute.

THE GOOD

As a huge fan of the Oscars and all of the awards shows, She Said has been on my radar for a very long time. Anytime there’s a journalism movie like this, it is usually going to be in the awards conversation. And whenever there’s a movie that deals with the movie industry itself, that is usually going to be in the awards conversation as well. That said, She Said checked both of those boxes as it follows the New York Times investigation that exposed former film producer Harvey Weinstein's history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women that worked in the film industry. Needless to say, I was pretty eager to check this one out, but did it live up to the hype? Keep reading to find out!

I certainly think it did! Now I am a huge fan of journalism movies. From the classics like All the President’s Men to recent ones like Spotlight and Bombshell, and I do not think I’m overreacting when I say that this belongs in near the same realm as those other movies. This movie is more like Spotlight as it is straightforward and faithful to how the story unfolded and I loved it! This movie never felt amped up like some of the other movies in this genre like Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 from a few years ago (a movie that I also loved), and I felt that was the right way for the director Maria Schrader to go about this. This movie really just is the reporters slowly doing this story and I just thought that was a good choice because it was important to see how these two incredible women broke this story and it also still managed to build a lot of tension.

Aside from Schrader’s solid direction, I was really impressed by Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s adapted screenplay. There are so many interesting and great scenes throughout the film, and a lot of those I felt were a credit to the dialogue. For example, there are a number of interviews that take place throughout as the reporters meet different people as they’re in pursuit of writing this piece on Harvey Weinstein and all of the dialogue in all of those scenes is really good and had me absolutely locked in. There are a number of standout moments in the film from the ensemble cast, and I’ll touch on that, but I think these moments worked so well because of Lenkiewicz’s screenplay that is a lock to be nominated for an Oscar and may even win.

But now onto the performances of Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan. I am a fan of both of them, and I really liked both of their performances in this even though they weren’t career-best performances. Kazan played Jodi Kantor and Mulligan played Megan Twohey, and you could tell how immersed they were in these roles. It was really cool seeing the actresses themselves being completely immersed in their work of playing real people who were completely immersed into their work. Does that make sense? Well anyways, I do think Mulligan did have the better performance and I could very well see her getting a Best Supporting Actress nomination that would be well deserved.

As good as the lead performances were from Kazan and Mulligan, the performances that really shined in She Said were the ‘one-sceners’ that played during the interviewees. For starters, Samantha Morton has one scene where she is truly phenomenal, and Jennifer Ehle had a couple of scenes where she really stole the show. Those two were probably my favorite performances here, but I also quite enjoyed Andre Braugher as Dean Baquet, and Peter Friedman as Lanny Davis. All in all, as good as these performances were, part of me wishes we got more of them, but I still really liked the film overall.

In closing, I just wanted to shout out some of the technical elements of She Said. I thought the editing was good which is essential in these journalism movies, the visuals were interesting given all of the different locations we get, and Nicholas Britell’s score was really good. Britell is just great, and he used a lot of cascading pianos and strings in this score and the score as a whole was just super prominent in the film at all the right times.

THE BAD

Now I obviously really enjoyed the film, but I can definitely see some people not liking it as much as I did. As I previously said, this movie is straightforward and it doesn’t fabricate the story, so there aren’t a lot of creative liberties taken to dramatize the story, and I do think that because of that some people will view the movie as being either boring or dry, and I respect that. Also, the two main characters that we follow don’t really get arcs in the film which will be a problem for some people, but at the end of the day, these women are already heroes just for doing their jobs, and despite me knowing how the story ended, I was still emotionally invested in the story and also the characters so I can’t complain too much.

THE VERDICT

Maria Schrader’s She Said is a really good journalism movie that follows the New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and their investigation that exposed Harvey Weinstein’s history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women.

Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan both have good performances as Kantor and Twohey respectively, the story is powerful, the writing is really good, and it’s just an easy movie for me to suggest checking out!

TED TAKES RATING - 8.9/10

She Said is now streaming only on Peacock. Check out the latest trailer below.

White Noise

By: Andrew Wing

White Noise is a 2022 absurdist comedy-drama film, written and directed by Noah Baumbach (Frances Ha, Marriage Story), adapted from the 1985 novel with the same title by Don DeLillo. It is Baumbach's first directed feature not to be based on an original story of his own. The film stars Adam Driver (Marriage Story, Star Wars sequel trilogy), Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha, 20th Century Women), Don Cheadle (Ocean’s Eleven, Avengers: Endgame), Raffey Cassidy (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dark Shadows), Sam Nivola, and May Nivola.

Set in the 1980s, Jack Gladney (Driver), professor of Hitler studies at The-College-on-the-Hill, husband to Babette (Gerwig), and father to four children/stepchildren, is torn asunder by a chemical spill from a rail car that releases an “Airborne Toxic Event”, forcing Jack to confront his biggest fear – his own mortality.

White Noise had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2022, and was released in select cinemas on November 25, 2022, before its streaming release on December 30, by Netflix.

THE GOOD

Going into 2022, there was not a movie I was more excited about than White Noise. Why? Well because it was Noah Baumbach’s first film since Marriage Story, which is one of my all-time favorites, so there was that. But more than that, it was starring my favorite actor, Adam Driver, as a professor of “Hitler studies”, so needless to say I was interested to see what he was going to bring to the table. All that said because it was one of my most anticipated films of 2022, it of course didn’t come out until the second to last day of the year! Regardless, I watched it the first chance I could, but was it worth the wait? Keep reading to find out!

It was! As previously mentioned, I am a huge fan of Baumbach’s, and I was really impressed by what he did in the director’s chair here. This felt like his most daring and ambitious project yet, and while it wasn’t perfect, I still feel like it was an overall success. A lot of the movie is just exploring this strange, heightened world that Baumbach built, and exploring that was honestly one of my favorite parts of the movie. Now this movie is absolutely absurd and everything just feels off and strange, and a lot of that is because of the writing, but it’s also because of the genre-hopping Baumbach does in the movie. At the end of the day, this movie is a dark comedy through and through that is really funny, but at times it felt like a Spielberg adventure movie, while at other times Baumbach does thriller and also noir. I don’t see him getting a Best Director nomination, but nevertheless, I was really impressed by Baumbach’s direction here.

But now to get to what I really want to talk about, and that’s Adam Driver’s performance. Driver plays a man who, like many of us, fears death, and the film follows how he and the other people around him cope with this fear, and I really thought he carried the film. Driver and Baumbach just need to keep making movies together for the rest of eternity because this now marks their fifth movie together and every time Driver just gives another amazing performance so different from the one before. Driver just never allowed me as an audience member to take his character as seriously as the character does himself and he just killed the dry humor in this.

Driver definitely took home the gold here, but all of the other performances were really good too. Baumbach’s wife, Greta Gerwig, plays Babette and I thought she was perfectly cast in this as Babette is this sort of awkward, upbeat, emotional character. Don Cheadle is given some hilarious moments, and I also really liked all of the performances from the actors who played the children in this. I thought they were all very funny and I look forward to seeing what they do down the line.

Aside from the performances though, this movie’s technical elements are just top-notch. I loved the production design here that was just an immaculate feast of 1980s vibes, and as someone who stocks shelves at a supermarket part-time, I was in awe of all the perfectly stocked shelves. Danny Elfman’s score was certainly one of the highlights of the film, Lol Crawley’s vibrant cinematography was remarkable as it felt slightly heightened from our reality, and LCD Soundsystem’s original song “New Body Rhumba” comes on right at the beginning of the end credits and it was just perfectly used and would honestly win the Oscar for Best Original Song if it was up to me.

THE BAD

As good as Baumbach’s direction, the performances, and the techs were, there are just some problems with the film that I had and that most general audiences will have if they watch this. For starters, it feels weird critiquing Baumbach’s writing because he’s one of the best writers working today, but the screenplay just felt inconsistent. Now a lot of that is due to the novel he is adapting into a film being called ‘unadaptable’, but there is just no consistent plot and there are a number of varying tones at play in the film that greatly affected the viewing experience. Also, I think the movie just could’ve been a good fifteen to thirty minutes shorter.

THE VERDICT

Despite its inconsistent plot and the weirdness of it all, White Noise is Noah Baumbach’s most ambitious film yet and I felt it was a true spectacle and an overall success. It’s an absurdist comedy that is really funny throughout and it’s carried by another great Adam Driver performance, and also some stunning cinematography, a fantastic score, and just an awesome original song from LCD Soundsystem!

Now I just need to order the novel right now and get to reading it, so I can rewatch this film and really determine if Baumbach truly adapted the so-called unadaptable.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.2/10

White Noise is now available only on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

By: Andrew Wing

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (titled onscreen as simply Glass Onion) is a 2022 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson (Knives Out, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. It is the sequel to the 2019 film Knives Out, with Daniel Craig (James Bond film series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) reprising his role as master detective Benoit Blanc as he takes on a new case revolving around tech billionaire Miles Bron, who is played by Edward Norton (Fight Club, The Grand Budapest Hotel), and his closest friends. The ensemble cast also includes Janelle Monáe (Moonlight, Hidden Figures), Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision, Step Brothers), Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton, One Night in Miami…), Jessica Henwick (The Matrix Resurrections, The Gray Man), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks, Boy Erased), Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), and Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Dune).

Johnson had considered the idea of several films featuring the Benoit Blanc character prior to the first film's release. A sequel was greenlit by its original distributor Lionsgate in 2020, but in March 2021 Netflix bought the rights to two Knives Out sequels for $469 million. The cast signed on that May. Filming took place with a $40 million budget on the island of Spetses, Greece in June and July 2021, and continued in Belgrade until September 2021.

Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2022, Glass Onion began a one-week limited theatrical release on November 23, 2022, receiving the widest theatrical release ever for a Netflix film and grossing $115 million; Netflix began streaming it on December 23, 2022. It was named one of the top ten films of 2022 by the National Board of Review and received two nominations at the 80th Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Craig.

THE GOOD

The time has finally come! Once I heard that there would be a sequel to the smash hit from 2019, Knives Out, I have been so excited! Knives Out was a top ten movie from 2019 for me, which was just a stacked year when it came to movies, and it is one of my personal favorites. More than that, once I saw the ensemble cast that was headlining the sequel, I knew this movie was just going to be amazing. It finally hit Netflix a couple of weeks ago, but before I could watch it, I just felt like I had to rewatch the original and let’s just say it holds up on a rewatch. That said, I finally got around to checking out Glass Onion, but did it live up to my crazy high expectations? Keep reading to find out!

It most certainly did! I loved Glass Onion! Just like the first one is already considered a murder mystery classic, I really think Glass Onion lives up to the first one in every which way and will likely also become a classic of the murder mystery genre. I know that’s kind of crazy to say, but I really believe that, and a big reason I do is because of Rian Johnson’s abilities as a writer/director which he absolutely put on full display here! I am such a huge fan of Johnson. His sci-fi film Looper from 2012, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis is very underrated and I don’t care what all the psychotic Star Wars fans say, Star Wars: The Last Jedi was a freaking awesome movie. I hate that he got a lot of online hate for what he did in that movie, but I’m glad that he has a chance to shut the haters up soon as he is reportedly going to get to write his own trilogy of Star Wars films down the line and get to direct the first installment which just puts me over the moon!

As for what Rian Johnson does in Glass Onion, he just crushed it in every aspect! I felt like he leveled up as a director honesty with some of the framing in some of the shots we got in Glass Onion. There was truthfully purpose behind every single shot. As for the story, he certainly had a challenge here following up on such a great film, but he freaking did it! The script and the movie itself felt less like a sequel and more like an anthology in my opinion as it felt like a separate movie if that makes sense. That said, Johnson still provided us as an audience with those same delicious pleasures with the comedy and the fun we have unraveling this mystery! It’s truly remarkable to me how he can come up with these stories. I can’t even imagine trying to come up with a murder mystery but he makes it look so easy and you can feel while watching the film the giddiness and enjoyment he got from writing this screenplay. The script is just so masterful as it is filled with so much great dialogue from quirky characters, and also a ton of great social commentary. All in all, I’d say Johnson and Ram Bergman, the man he co-wrote the screenplay with, are locks to get nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.

I won’t lie, Chris Evans’ performance as Ransom was my favorite performance from Knives Out, but Daniel Craig’s character of Benoit Blanc was certainly my favorite from that film. And as much as I loved Blanc in the first film, I really think I came to love him more in this film because he represents the audience in a sense as he is desiring to have a good mystery just like we are as we watch. His character is just so funny and he brings so much joy, unlike any other character I watched on screen this year! As for Craig’s performance as the character in this sequel, he, like Rian Johnson, just did it again! I love Craig as an actor obviously being a huge fan of the James Bond films, but I just can’t get enough of his thick southern accent here. Sure, some will say he is overacting and is cartoonish, but I was just such a huge fan of everything he did here and I wouldn’t mind seeing him get an Oscar nomination for his performance here because it’s unforgettable!

As I previously mentioned, once I heard the ensemble cast that would be alongside Daniel Craig in this one, I almost passed out. Seriously though, the cast is stacked and I just loved getting a whole new colorful cast of characters. And let’s just say, the ensemble cast did not disappoint because they were extremely fun! I won’t touch on all of the members of the ensemble cast, but Janelle Monáe definitely got the largest role and this was just a showcase for her because she is fantastic and more than worthy of a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Kate Hudson is very funny as she gives a very big performance in this and I thought Edward Norton was a huge standout for me as he had one of the best performances as the tech billionaire Miles Bron.

As for some of the technical elements, let’s discuss the cinematography. The cinematography in the original was great and Steve Yedlin beautifully captured the New England region. But with Glass Onion, we get an entirely new location in Greece that was beautifully shot once again by Steve Yedlin. As a whole, the movie is just so stunning to look at. The costumes are awesome and the production design is on another level. The mansion in this film looks incredible and all the props in the mansion felt thematically significant to the film and I really think they deserve an Oscar nomination as well! And last but not least, I really liked the score from Nathan Johnson here as it is definitely one of the best of his career!

THE BAD

I’ll say it again, I loved Glass Onion! That said, I just have to put it a tick below the first. I could maybe even be convinced that it is as good on a second watch, but I just can’t say it’s better. One reason for that is because the story we get in Glass Onion, as much as I enjoyed it, is a far more complicated story than Knives Out. I have seen some critics call the movie an “explainathon” because, for a majority of the movie, you are getting explained what is going on. And sure, it takes a lot of time and maybe that time could have been better spent exploring the characters, but in my opinion, all the explaining was so fun and the big conclusion did not let us down so who cares about how we got there!

THE VERDICT

Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is such a fun movie full of amazing performances from the entire ensemble cast that is once again led by Daniel Craig as the hilarious private detective, Benoit Blanc. The writing is amazing and so fresh, the production design is outstanding, and Nathan Johnson’s score is arguably the best of his career!

As I said earlier in the review, I have this just a tick below Knives Out, but I couldn’t recommend this movie more, so watch it ASAP with family and friends because I guarantee you will have a good time with it!

TED TAKES RATING - 9.3/10

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is now on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

By: Andrew Wing

BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Spanish: BARDO, falsa crónica de unas cuantas verdades), or known simply as Bardo, is a 2022 Mexican drama film co-written, co-composed, edited, produced, and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), The Revenant).

The film stars Daniel Giménez Cacho (Y Tu Mamá También, Cronos) alongside Griselda Siciliani, and follows Silverio (Cacho), a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker who returns to his native country of Mexico and begins having an existential crisis in the form of dreamlike visions. It is Iñárritu's first film to be fully filmed in Mexico since Amores perros in 2000.

BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in competition for the Golden Lion on September 1, 2022, and was released in theaters on November 18, 2022, then streamed on Netflix on December 16, 2022.

THE GOOD

Going into 2022, Bardo was without a doubt one of my most anticipated movies. I love Iñárritu as a director and Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a perfect film in my opinion that is easily one of my favorites. The movie was getting a lot of awards buzz in early 2022, but after it premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, it got very mixed reviews and all the buzz around awards pretty much disappeared. To be completely honest, that only made me more excited to finally check this out once it hit Netflix, and I finally got around to it! So was this another great film in Iñárritu’s catalog, or was it what some are calling his worst film yet? Keep reading to find out!

While I don’t think it was as great as his masterpieces like Birdman or other amazing films of his like Amores perros and Babel, Bardo is still a really good movie in my opinion. It certainly won’t be for everybody and I will touch on that later in the review, but I am always so amazed by what Iñárritu does in the director’s chair. This movie was daring and ambitious and some people will fault the movie and him for that, but I really admired what he did here. He tackled a lot of big ideas here and while he didn’t do it perfectly, I still think he is worthy of a lot of praise. His framing and blocking in every scene were top notch and I am obsessed with the way he uses camera movement in his films. And lastly, I loved all of the comedy in this movie, and it really just makes me want to watch Iñárritu do a dark comedy movie because I think he would crush it.

Aside from Iñárritu’s direction, this movie is carried by a great lead performance from Daniel Giménez Cacho. I have seen Cronos, the 1993 Guillermo del Toro movie he had a supporting role in, but this was only the second performance of his and I was really impressed. He absolutely carries this film on his back as the main character Silverio, who is a stand-in for Iñárritu himself. Cacho conveys a lot of his character’s emotions in the film through his facial expressions, but he has some scenes that are heavy with dialogue too that I thought he crushed. Also, he has a great couple of minutes of dancing too in what was one of my favorite scenes of the film. Aside from Cacho’s lead performance, I do want to give a shout-out to Griselda Siciliani, the beautiful Argentine actress who played Silverio’s wife, Lucía, who I hope following this gets in more stuff!

As good as Iñarritu's direction and the performances were, the best part of Bardo is without a doubt Darius Khondji's cinematography. Khondji has shot some pretty great films in the past like David Fincher’s Se7en, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems, and also earlier this year, James Gray’s Armageddon Time (see my full review here). That said, what Khondji does here is remarkable and it is right up there with some of his best work. There are just so many shots throughout the film that I was in awe of and I put it right up there with Nope (see my full review here) as the film with the best cinematography of 2022. It’ll be a true shame if Khondji doesn’t get nominated for Best Cinematography at this year’s Academy Awards, but I’ll hold out hope that he can get a nom for the next movie he is shooting, Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming sci-fi film Mickey 17 that I just cannot wait for!

THE BAD

As previously mentioned, I thought Bardo was a really good movie, but I totally can see why the movie has gotten such mixed reviews. The writing, and the movie in general, has gotten a lot of flack for being a little too self-indulgent, and I get that. That said, this movie is a deeply personal one from Iñárritu that tackled his identity and his life, and I was just fine with it. That said, and I am not one to complain about long movies, but this movie could’ve lost a whole hour off the final cut, which is crazy to say considering that this cut was 22 minutes shorter than the one screened at Venice and Telluride for critics. The film clocks in at 160 minutes which along with the fact that it is completely in the Spanish language just makes it hard to recommend because that is certainly a commitment.

THE VERDICT

Despite the long runtime, BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths is still a really good, deeply personal drama film from one of my personal favorites, Alejandro González Iñárritu. It is backed by great direction from Iñárritu, good performances from Daniel Giménez Cacho and Griselda Siciliani, and some of the best cinematography of 2022 from Darius Khondji!

TED TAKES RATING - 7.7/10

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

Ticket to Paradise

By: Andrew Wing

Ticket to Paradise is a 2022 romantic comedy film starring George Clooney (Gravity, Ocean’s Eleven) and Julia Roberts (Notting Hill, Pretty Woman) as a divorced couple who team up to sabotage the impending wedding of their daughter in Bali.

The film is directed by Ol Parker (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) and written by Parker and Daniel Pipski, while Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, Dear Evan Hansen), Billie Lourd (Star Wars sequel trilogy, Booksmart), Maxime Bouttier, and Lucas Bravo (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris) also star.

Ticket to Paradise had its world premiere in Barcelona on September 8, 2022, and was released in the United Kingdom on September 20 and in the United States on October 21, by Universal Pictures and Working Title Films. It has grossed $171 million worldwide.

THE GOOD

Ticket to Paradise was nowhere on my radar going into 2022, but once I saw that first initial trailer I knew I had to check this one out. I mean it’s two of the biggest Hollywood stars that are still working today in Julia Roberts and George Clooney in a romantic comedy, and as much as I claim to be a man’s man, I just couldn’t resist. But were these two megastars coming together enough to make for a great romantic comedy? Keep reading to find out!

As much as I enjoyed this movie, I just don’t think I can call it a great romantic comedy, but I’ll dive into why a little later on in the review. But for now, I am going to discuss what I did like about Ticket to Paradise, and what I did like were the performances from the two stars. I mean these two are two of the best to ever do it, so I shouldn’t be surprised, but it was just crazy to see how easy it comes to the two of them. As good as dramatic actors as they are, I was really blown away by their comedic chemistry. I just couldn’t get enough of the bantering and bickering between the two of them, and I hope this isn’t the last time the two of them share the screen together.

As for the other things I liked about Ticket to Paradise, I do want to give some praise to the director Ol Parker who also co-wrote the screenplay with Daniel Pipski. This film isn’t some groundbreaking achievement in direction, but I did think that the film was nicely edited, especially during the comedic scenes and continuing with the comedy, I thought all of the jokes were fantastic and I laughed at every single one of them. Aside from that, the only other thing with Ticket to Paradise that I wanted to shout out was the cinematography that was done by Ole Birkeland, which showed the viewer just how beautiful Bali truly is, and also the score that was composed by one of the best, Lorne Balfe.

THE BAD

Now I know I said how much I enjoyed Ticket to Paradise, and I hate to be a party pooper, but this film was just so generic. I mean at the end of the day, the film is selling Julia Roberts and George Clooney, and they are both great, but I just had some problems with the film. For starters, you just know how the film is going to end from the time you watch the trailer, but if not that, then the first act of the movie. More than that, and this isn’t something I was expecting to complain about with this movie being a romantic comedy, but I did not buy a single second of the film’s romance, whether it was between Roberts and Clooney’s characters, or their daughter and her fiancé and that was really disappointing.

THE VERDICT

Despite being pretty generic and having lackluster romance, Ticket to Paradise is still an enjoyable, easy-to-recommend movie that features good performances from the two megastars, Julia Roberts and George Clooney, whose bickering and bantering alone is worth giving this a watch.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.1/10

Ticket to Paradise is now streaming on Peacock. Check out the latest trailer below.

Avatar: The Way of Water

Avatar: The Way of Water is a 2022 epic science fiction action film from legendary director James Cameron, co-written by Cameron and Josh Friedman, and produced by 20th Century Studios. It is the second film in Cameron's Avatar franchise, following Avatar (2009), and is set more than a decade after the events of the first film. Similar to the trendsetting first film, Cameron, going all out as usual, decided it necessary to develop new technology in order to film performance capture scenes underwater, something never accomplished before, leading to significant delays to allow the crew more time to work on the writing, preproduction, and visual effects.

Jake Sully and Ney'tiri have formed a family and are doing everything to stay together. However, they must leave their home and explore the regions of Pandora. When an ancient threat resurfaces, Jake must fight a difficult war against the humans.

Starring Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, and Kate Winslet.

Avatar: The Way of Water made its debut in theaters and IMAX 3D on December 16th.

THE GOOD

It really is hard to believe that the last time I found myself in an IMAX 3D theater for a Avatar movie was way back in 2009, and to say it was a historic day would be an understatement. I actually drove nearly an hour to a bigger IMAX theater only to be turned away after being told all of the showings were completely sold out. Now this was before the days of reserved seating, so my buddy and I purchased our tickets in advance and planned to show up crazy early the next day to ensure we had good seats. The theater was in a building that also housed a Fudruckers restaurant and a full candy store, so needless to say we had everything we needed. Once the IMAX screen came and went, how I watched movies would never be the same. It was amazing.

Once it was all said and done I saw Avatar in IMAX 3D about 5 times, and I also made sure to purchase a 3D TV before the movie’s Blu-ray release. I bought the 3D Blu-ray the day it released, and was able to relive the joy of Avatar in my home theater complete with a 10” downfiring Klipsche subwoofer (it was a beast) that shook my entire house. It was epic. In many ways this movie was sort of a coming-of-age experience for me as a fan of movies, mainly because it changed the way I viewed the overall theater experience. Jump ahead damn near 15 years and we have our sequel to this groundbreaking film, and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t nearly given up hope that this day would ever come. So here we are, and the big question is was James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water worth the wait?! Keep reading to find out!

Wow, just wow. James Cameron has done it again ladies and gentleman. Avatar: The Way of Water is yet another masterclass of filmmaking when it comes to the overall theater experience, and what I can only describe as something that needs to be seen and heard to be truly appreciated. The visuals are on another level, the story was nothing short of fantastic, and trust me when I say there wasn’t a dry eye in the theater at the end of the film which certainly caught me by surprise. Avatar: The Way of Water builds on the foundation established by the original film, and in my personal opinion the story was a perfect continuation. Nothing about the film felt gimmicky or forced, and if anything I was reminded that you should never doubt the talent of the man, the myth, the legend, James Cameron.

Now we can talk about the bread and butter of the film, the technical elements. Keep in mind that I did see the film in IMAX 3D for my second viewing, so this section of the review will be reflective of both the 2D experience but will of course focus quite a bit on the 3D side for obvious reasons. So, where do I start?! Seriously, Avatar: The Way of Water is just a marvel of filmmaking technology at every turn. Pandora looks incredible once again, but once they make their way to the islands and learn the way of the water, that is when the excitement gets kicked up a notch. Everything is just so vibrant and full of life, I honestly felt like I was there. In typical James Cameron fashion, he went as far as to develop ways to pioneer filming techniques as part of maximizing what he could do with his new film.

Cameron and his crew constructed a new camera system which consists of multiple high-end cameras bolted together, more specifically the Sony Venice cameras, creating a stereoscopic 3D system. He also went as far as finding a way to shoot and do motion capture simultaneously above and below water, which was a massive leap for what he was able to do with Avatar: The Way of Water. I mean, this dude really is something else. I won’t bore you with technical jargon, but the complex process that takes place when Cameron is bringing his visons to life for his Avatar films is nothing short of astonishing. Bottom line, the visuals speak for themselves and nothing can prepare you for the eye candy in this film.

Now moving over to more of the directorial side of Cameron’s job which requires a focus on the camera work and shooting style, similar to the original film it is once again incredible. Avatar: The Way of Water will leave you speechless from the opening scene to the end credits, but each time you start to think you may have seen the coolest or most immersive scene in the film, it is often outdone within minutes. I feel like it is nearly impossible for me to even try to pinpoint my favorite shots or action scenes in the film because it is all so beautiful and the cinematography compliments of Russell Carpenter is amazing, but a few specific scenes really stood out to me in terms of how immersive they were as a viewer.

Right around the third act of the film the humans are hammering around in what I guess you would call mini two-person submarines, and at times they have the camera angle from the view of the pilots and I felt like I was on a ride at Disney. Like seriously, with the 3D effect and the feel of being underwater, this was such a surreal feeling and to be honest a bit terrifying considering we were on the wrong side of the action if you know what I mean. The action scenes throughout the film are unmatched, and so much of that is thanks to a pioneering director like James Cameron who demands perfection at every turn.

The story takes place more than 10 years after the events of the first film, making it feel like the sequel was somehow in real-time which is pretty crazy when you think about it. Jake Sully has made Pandora his home, and now has taken on newfound responsibility with a family of his own. The story kicks off by establishing the importance of family which absolutely resonated for me, and also helped to get viewers once again invested in the characters and their well-being. Similar to the original film the people of Pandora are under attack by the human race hell bent on taking possession of their resources, but now they are more prepared than ever to fight back.

I really enjoyed the story of the original film even though it was fairly straight forward, and Avatar: The Way of Water builds on that premise while raising the stakes as Sully now has his loved ones to protect, something that he makes very clear defines him and his mission in life. One thing that is readily apparent from the very beginning in Avatar: The Way of Water is that the value of human life is paramount, and you are programmed to do whatever it takes to preserve your way of life and protect those you love. The ability to add such a relatable and humanistic feel to the film made a huge difference in my opinion in terms of how much of an impact the story had on me. I won’t go too much into detail as I don’t want to spoil anything, but I loved how they reintroduced a familiar threat and I felt like the overall story arch was absolutely genius and had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The cast for Avatar: The Way of Water is stacked, and everyone does such an incredible job. The hard thing about a film like this even more so than voice actors for animated films, is so much of what goes into it takes a back seat to the visual spectacle. Even though I know for a fact stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Stephen Lang, Jermaine Clement, and Brendan Cowell, just to name a few, were absolutely incredible in their respective roles, it is nearly impossible to see them as anything other than these characters. Even looking at pictures of the actual actors now I am still having a hard time connecting them.

That is of course a testament to the film and how immersive it is, but the CGI really takes on a life of its own and these characters become separate from the actors playing them, if that makes sense at all. For that reason, the cast will likely be overlooked when it comes time to hand out the awards Avatar: The Way of Water will undoubtedly receive, but trust me when I saw they put it all out there to make sure this film became the incredible experience that it is. Additional shoutouts to Jack Champion as Spider, Britain Dalton as Lo’ak, Jamie Flatters as Neteyam, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss as Tuk, and Bailey Bass as Tsireya. Take a minute to look over the entire cast list because they all deserve a great deal of recognition.

Admittedly I am a bit late to the game getting this review posted, but I wanted to make sure I watched Avatar: The Way of Water in standard 2D and also in IMAX 3D before writing a review for the sake of a fair comparison. I watched it in standard 2D first, and I loved it. I thought the visuals were amazing, and the sound still blew me away. But, considering the fact that my experience with the original film was entirely in 3D IMAX as far as theater viewings, I had to get the full effect, and boy oh boy was it worth it. Avatar: The Way of Water is night and day better in IMAX 3D, which should come as no surprise considering that is by design. I understand the overall fad of 3D has sort of run its course, but it is just different with the Avatar movies.

James Cameron is an absolute legend in the world of filmmaking, and more than anything else I felt completely immersed in the film when watching in IMAX 3D. While watching in 2D certain parts throughout the film made me think wow that would look really awesome in 3D, which sort of left me wanting more. I was often distracted by the fact that my jaw was basically on the floor as I attempted to take in the 3 hours of beauty that was on the giant screen in front of me. As I said Avatar: The Way of Water is still fantastic in standard 2D and well worth the trip to the theater, but if you have the ability to see it in IMAX 3D, do yourself a favor and leave no stone unturned. It is well worth it.

THE BAD

Avatar: The Way of Water is an incredible film, simple as that. But, it is not for everyone. As I touched on in my 2D vs 3D comparison, the film truly shines when watched in 3D, IMAX 3D to be more specific, and the reality is not everyone likes 3D movies especially when they are 3 hours long. If you have an issue with 3D or simply don’t enjoy it, this movie clearly is not for you. I will however say that if that is in fact the case, be sure to still see it in standard 2D because you will be amazed. As far as any other issues I had with the film I got nothing, I saw it twice and liked it even better the second time. I guess I could say that you need to see it in theaters, because even though it will be fantastic at home, you need to experience it for the first time on the big screen otherwise it will pale in comparison. Don’t be that person a year down the road that says Avatar: The Way of Water was just okay, after clarifying you didn’t actually see it in theaters. That’s how you get unfollowed on social media.

THE VERDICT

A truly mesmerizing and triumphant sequel to one of the most groundbreaking films ever made, Avatar: The Way of Water will leave you in awe with its jaw-dropping visuals while offering an engaging and emotional story perfectly setting the stage for the next film. This movie blew me away, simple as that. Even at 3 hours long I can’t wait to see it for a 3rd time, which is really saying something. How do you follow-up the highest grossing film of all time? This is how. Not a minute is wasted in terms of action or story, and they even could have made it longer and I wouldn’t have complained, it is just that good.

After the first viewing in standard 2D I wasn’t quite prepared to say this was better than the original, but after seeing it in 3D IMAX I can comfortably say it was. And that isn’t taking anything away from the original film because Avatar: The Way of Water builds on what made that film so great, and just ups the ante in every way. The film will break records for good reason, so don’t be left in the dark and be sure to see it in theaters as soon as possible. Now I just need to dig out my 3D glasses so I can watch the original again in all of its 3D glory.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.5/10

Avatar: The Way of Water is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a 2022 computer-animated adventure directed by Joel Crawford, and co-directed by Januel Mercado. It is a sequel to Puss in Boots (2011), and a spin-off of the Shrek franchise. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, from a screenplay by Paul Fisher and Tommy Swerdlow, based on a story by Swerdlow and the first film's writer Tom Wheeler, with additional screenplay material provided by Etan Cohen.

The voice cast includes Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, as well as Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo, John Mulaney, Wagner Moura, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Anthony Mendez who voice new characters introduced in the film.

Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: he has burned through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish made its debut in theaters on December 21st.

THE GOOD

I remember watching the original Puss in Boots back in 2011 and I really enjoyed it, but because it has been so long I honestly more or less forgot about it. When they began advertising for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish I had that classic what the heck is going on here reaction and was genuinely curious why they would wait so long for a sequel especially considering the success of the original film. As a spin-off of the Shrek franchise, it seems a reboot of that franchise/universe in some form or fashion is the overall goal here. The fact that the franchise centers around a ridiculous cast of voice actors led by Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, I knew I would give this a chance no matter what. So, was Puss in Boots: The Last Wish a simple cash grab or something that will more than likely lead to a Puss in Boots/Shred franchise resurgence? Keep reading to find out!

Wow, just wow. This is such a good movie! From the overall message of the film to the humor, the action, and the visuals, it was all just so damn good. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish feels so genuine from start to finish, and at times I honestly forgot that my primary goal was to keep my kids entertained for an hour and a half. My wife and I take any opportunity we have to bring our two toddlers to the theater when an animated movie is playing, and this seemed like as good an opportunity as any. But this time was different. Usually, I am sort of half-focused on the movie and half-focused on making sure my kids aren’t streaking through the aisles like Frank the Tank in Old School, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. At one point both kids were in my wife’s lap and I had two empty chairs in between them and myself, and even though I knew I would pay dearly for this later, I simply did not care. The movie had my complete attention, and I desperately needed to make sure I was able to get the full experience. And yeah, it was worth each and every death stare I received from her.

As simple as it was, the story is what first hooked me. Assuming you saw the original film, Puss in Boots has a great origin story but in the end, he became someone obsessed with the legend that he became. But with that being said, it was always clear that under that tough (or I suppose fairly soft and hairy) exterior was a big heart and a genuine fear of failure. Puss in Boots wanted to be loved, and he felt that his self-worth was wrapped up in this larger-than-life persona he created over the years. Plus, Puss was always naïve in the fact that he overestimated his own mortality, which is the center of the story of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Puss has finally exhausted 8 of his 9 lives, and for this reason, he can no longer live the way a fearless legend needs to live. Puss stumbles upon an opportunity to regain his sense of immortality and embarks on a journey to regain his identity. Along the way, he crosses paths with an old friend while making a few new ones, and what I loved most about the story was how it focused on what it means to be selfless, and how even though we feel like we have been shorted in life and feel resentful because of it, others out there have truly struggled and somehow still find a way to experience real happiness. It really is a powerful and heartfelt story that really resonated with me.

Okay so on to what else really stood out for me, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish looks incredible. The animation in the film is really on another level, and more often than not my jaw was literally on the floor. It looked great from start to finish, and the action shots were just so unique and eye-catching that I couldn’t help but admire the creativity involved in the film. The animation style reminded me of the animated action comedy The Bad Guys (our full review here), just that much better. The action sequences felt genuinely intense, and the primary antagonist The Big Bad Wolf was just next level each and every time he was on screen even though he did scare the crap out of my kids. Bottom line, the animation style felt so unique and it without a doubt is a big reason why Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was so damn good, but don’t take my word for it, you need to experience it for yourself.

Similar to the original film, the cast of voice actors is stacked yet again with a few very impressive additions. Similar to the first film, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is built on the back of the great Antonio Banderas, who voices the legend himself. I have been a Banderas fan ever since my dad had me watch his 1995 film, Desperado. I would never look at a guitar case the same way again, what a true badass. Returning after a pivotal role in the original film is the ageless and gorgeous Salma Hayek, who plays the role of Kitty Softpaws. I love Hayek in literally anything she does, and the only issue I can honestly say I had with her here was the fact that I couldn’t see her in real life.

The best addition to the film in my mind was Florence Pugh, who has been on quite a tear with Midsommar (2019), Black Widow, and more recently Don’t Worry Darling (our full review here). Pugh, an extremely talented actress, absolutely crushes the role of Goldilocks as the film continues with an amazing focus on classic children’s stories. I loved Harvey Guillén as the adorable and hilarious dog pretending to be a cat Perrito, who was surely a runner-up as my overall favorite character. Guillén is best known, by me anyway, for his role as Guillermo in the FX comedy series What We Do in the Shadows. Other notable supporting cast members include Wagner Moura as the aforementioned The Big Bad Wolf, John Mulaney as Big Jack Horner, Ray Winstone as Papa Bear, Samson Kayo as Baby Bear, Olivia Colman as Mama Bear, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Mama Luna, and last but not least. Anthony Mendez as the Doctor/Barber.

THE BAD

First and foremost, I had zero issues with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. It really was that good in my eyes. But, you can call me crazy which would be fair and very much warranted but as I touched on briefly my wife and I did bring our 2-year-old and almost 4-year-old to see it. With that being said, some of what I loved most about the movie was no bueno for them, which was the primary antagonists and most notably The Big Bad Wolf voiced by Wagner Moura who honestly scared the crap out of my kids. They did such a nice job with the scenes he was involved in, and he was a genuinely terrifying character who I thought added some extremely valuable depth to the story and the Puss in Boots character arc. So yeah, I guess I am pointing this out more as a warning as we did have to reassure our boys that the good guys would prosper in the end, and they did say that they loved the movie once it was all said and done which is all that matters if you ask me.

THE VERDICT

An action-packed, hilarious, and genuinely heartwarming adventure showcasing incredible visuals and an engaging story, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a treat for kids and adults alike and easily one of my favorite animated films in recent memory. This movie was so much fun, and I can’t remember the last time an animated film just hooked me in such a way. The story tugged at my heartstrings, the animation blew me away, and the humor had me laughing out loud an uncomfortable amount considering at the end of the day, it is a movie meant for kids. Bottom line, I really can’t recommend Puss in Boots: The Last Wish enough because this is top-tier cinema, simple as that. So get out there and show your support because I need a 3rd movie.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.4/10

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Prey

By: Andrew Wing

Prey is a 2022 American science fiction action film in the Predator franchise. It is the fifth installment and is a prequel to the first four films. The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) and written by Patrick Aison. It stars Amber Midthunder (Hell or High Water, The Ice Road), Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Michelle Thrush (Dead Man, Pathfinder), Stormee Kipp, Julian Black Antelope, and Bennett Taylor.

The story, being set in the Northern Great Plains in 1719, revolves around Naru (Midthunder), a skilled Comanche warrior, who is striving to prove herself as a hunter. She finds herself having to protect her people from a vicious, humanoid alien that hunts humans for sport, as well as from French fur traders who are destroying the buffalo they rely on for survival.

Development of the film began during the production of The Predator (2018), when producer John Davis was approached by Trachtenberg and Aison, with a concept that they had been developing since 2016. In late 2020, the film's title was revealed to be the codename for the fifth installment in the franchise. Filming took place around Calgary during the summer of 2021, with the entire film shot in English and some sequences shot in Comanche as well. The remaining sequences were dubbed into Comanche by the cast, reprising their roles. The film is the first feature film to have a full Comanche language dub.

Prey premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 21, 2022, and was released by 20th Century Studios as a Hulu original film in the United States and on Disney+ Star internationally on August 5.

THE GOOD

Did somebody say finally? Seriously though, I cannot believe it took me so long to finally check out Prey. Once it hit Hulu in August, the initial buzz for the movie was insane and I immediately added it to my watchlist, but one thing led to another and I wasn’t checking it out until a couple of days before 2023. Needless to say though, I, like most other adult males, am a huge fan of the Predator franchise, and despite the up-and-down nature of the films in the franchise, I was still pumped to check this bad boy out. I mean some people were saying it was the best Predator installment since the first film, so that got pretty stoked. But was it true? Or was it just another junky Predator movie? Keep reading to find out!

Damn right it was true! This movie is without a doubt in my mind the best film in the Predator franchise since the original starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. That said, as big of a fan as I am of the Predator franchise, my favorite part of this film was truly that it felt like you didn’t even need to see those films to enjoy this one. This was a very interesting idea for a franchise film and I respect those in charge for thinking out of the box and doing something different than just putting out the same slop like they did in 2018 with The Predator. A big reason this film worked was mainly because of Dan Trachtenberg’s direction. Funny enough, this wasn’t Trachtenberg’s first time jumping into directing a franchise film because before this he directed the great sci-fi thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane. Seriously though, the similarities between that movie and Prey are plenty, and I am just a huge fan of Trachtenberg’s direction. Everything he did in Prey just felt so grounded and it was nice to be in this completely new world, but at the same time the movie was full of fantastic suspense and a lot of violence.

As for Trachtenberg's visual direction here, I thought he absolutely knocked it out of the park. The action scenes in this movie are simply great. The action was flawlessly paced and it never felt like it repeated itself too much. Continuing with the visuals though, the cinematography in Prey is truly beautiful. It really made me wonder why more action movies don’t look this good. The camera work did a great job of capturing the beauty of the environments, it used natural lighting perfectly, and it changed color palettes from scene to scene in a way that was really compelling. All that said, shout-out to the cinematographer Jeff Cutter.

Now onto the performances from the amazing indigenous cast that was led by Amber Midthunder. Midthunder absolutely crushed it here as she played the main character, Naru, a young Comanche warrior who was really easy to cheer for because of Midthunder’s performance. This wasn’t the first I had seen of Midthunder because she had a cameo in one of my favorite shows right now, Reservation Dogs, but after watching her in this, you can tell she is on the come up. It wasn’t anything that is going to get an Oscar nomination but she really carried this film. Aside from her though, I also quite enjoyed the performances of Dakota Beavers as Taabe, Naru's brother and a skilled hunter, and also Dane DiLiegro who played the actual Predator. All in all, though, the entire indigenous cast was great and I think it’s really cool that this film is the first feature film to have a full Comanche language dub.

THE BAD

Alright, there is no denying that I was a big fan of Prey, but there was just something missing here for me. Maybe it’s because I simply watch too many movies, but I just knew how this movie was going to play out from the very start once I was given the setup of the movie. I don’t know, maybe I’m being harsh, but I just wanted it to go further at some points, but at the end of the day it was a Hulu original film that ultimately delivered on what I came for. Oh and last but not least, and this doesn’t deduct any points from my rating of the film, but why the f**k wasn’t this movie released in theaters! WTF!

THE VERDICT

Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey is without a doubt one of the biggest surprises of 2022. It’s a really compelling action movie with a fresh Comanche perspective that looks and sounds great, and is 100% the best Predator installment since the first film. More than that, it’s thrilling, straightforward, and is carried by an awesome Amber Midthunder performance that is hopefully the first of many for the young actress.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.8/10

Prey is now streaming exclusively on Hulu. Check out the latest trailer below.

Spirited

By: Andrew Wing

Spirited is a 2022 American Christmas musical comedy film directed by Sean Anders (Daddy’s Home, Instant Family), and written and produced by Anders and John Morris (We’re the Millers). It is a modern retelling of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol and a satire of the various adaptations since. The film stars Will Ferrell (Elf, Step Brothers), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, Free Guy), Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water, Ma), Sunita Mani (G.L.O.W, Search Party), Patrick Page (In the Heights), Marlow Barkley (Slumberland), and Tracy Morgan (The Other Guys, Cop Out).

In the film, The Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell) is nearing retirement, which would mean a return to Earth. He sets his sights on an "unredeemable" man named Clint Briggs (Reynolds), who may end up helping the Ghost come to terms with his own past.

Spirited was released in select cinemas on November 11, 2022, before its streaming release on November 18, 2022, by Apple TV+.

THE GOOD

So it was Christmas Eve and my family and I were sitting down to try and find a Christmas movie to watch and we had no idea what to try. We didn’t feel like watching Home Alone for the hundredth time, and I couldn’t talk my mom into watching Die Hard because well, she doesn’t think it’s a Christmas movie. Yes, that’s right, she is one of those people. Anyways, we turned on Apple TV+, and right on the home screen was Spirited, a Christmas movie starring two of the funniest actors working today, Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. Those two guys were too tough to pass on so we said screw it and hit play. But was it better than watching Home Alone for the 101st time? Keep reading to find out!

That’s tough. I don’t know if I ever get tired of Home Alone, but despite some of my problems with the film that I’ll discuss later, I was still happy to check this out. Hands down though the best part of the movie, in my opinion, was the performances we got from Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, and more than that, the chemistry they share. As he said while doing press for this film, Ferrell is no stranger when it comes to Christmas movies because he is Buddy the Elf at the end of the day. I thought Ferrell was the star of the show as he was just so damn funny throughout, and I’ll just never get tired of watching him on TV. As for Reynolds, he just plays the same character in all of his movies pretty much and while I know some people get tired of him from time to time, I thought he was perfect here as the “unredeemable” man named Clint Briggs. That said, these two’s performances carried the film and the chemistry they shared has me hoping that this isn’t the last we see of them together.

As previously mentioned, those two guys’ performances were worth the price of admission for me, but there were also some other things I enjoyed about Spirited. I always love me some Octavia Spencer because she is truly one of the best, and I also was really impressed by Sunita Mani’s small-yet-hilarious side performance as the Ghost of Christmas Past. And last but not least, with this film being a musical comedy, you get a bunch of original songs that are just a blast. My personal favorite original song was “Good Afternoon” which actually has an outside chance of tabbing an Oscar nomination, so fingers crossed there!

THE BAD

I feel bad being a Grinch during the holidays, but there are just a few problems with this movie that keep it from being a Christmas classic. The main problem with the film is that it is the same story we get what really feels like every holiday season. And don’t get me wrong, it’s a classic story that’s entertaining at times, but I was just frustrated with this film’s lack of improvement over previous adaptations of Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. And to tie that into my next problem with the movie, you would think if they were re-telling this story for the umpteenth time, it wouldn’t take so long! I am one who usually has no problem with longer movies, but this movie was just way too overstuffed at the end of the day.

THE VERDICT

Despite it being overstuffed and not too different from the previous adaptations of the famous Christmas carol, Spirited is still a film I would recommend because for one, it’s the holiday season, and two, it’s Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds together and their chemistry is pretty great to be honest.

TED TAKES RATING - 5.8/10

Spirited is now streaming only on Apple TV+. Check out the latest trailer below.

Babylon

By: Andrew Wing

Babylon is a 2022 American epic period comedy-drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land, First Man). The film features an ensemble cast that includes Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Inglourious Basterds), Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood), Diego Calva (Narcos: Mexico), Jean Smart (A Simple Favor, Mare of Easttown), Jovan Adepo (mother!, Overlord), and Li Jun Li (Wu Assassins).

A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, the plot chronicles the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood as it transitions from silent to sound films in the late 1920s.

Chazelle began developing the film in July 2019, with Lionsgate as the frontrunner to acquire the project. It was subsequently announced that Paramount Pictures had acquired worldwide rights in November 2019. Much of the main cast joined the project between January 2020 and August 2021, and filming took place in Los Angeles from July to October 2021.

Babylon premiered in Los Angeles on December 15, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 23, 2022, by Paramount Pictures. It received five nominations at the 80th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and nine nominations at the 28th Critics' Choice Awards, including Best Picture.

THE GOOD

Holy shit, I cannot believe I am finally writing this review! For those who don’t know me, it should be stated that Damien Chazelle is my favorite living director right alongside Denis Villeneuve. I think Whiplash is a perfect film and La La Land is one of my all-time favorites. The 37-year-old New England native is just on another level when it comes to filmmaking and when I heard his next film would be an epic period drama that was about Hollywood transitioning from silent to sound films in the late 1920s, I was f**king ecstatic! Throw in the fact that the film was being headlined by Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, and I knew I was going to have to see this the first chance I had! Well, I did, but did it live up to my otherworldly expectations? Keep reading to find out!

It most definitely did! As previously said, Chazelle is my favorite director working today and what he gave us here just continues to make me love him even more. Everything he does in Babylon is incredible, and there is just nobody on his level right now in my opinion. His detail to all of the crafts here is out of this world and this is one of the most energetic films I’ve ever seen. I was on the edge of my seat for over three hours and that is all credit to Chazelle’s filmmaking skills. There are just so many unforgettable scenes here that are among my favorite scenes of the year and I just continue to be blown away by Chazelle. This movie is insane and crazy and he was trying to make a maximalist comedy that also has great dramatic moments and he delivered without a doubt. That said, he is more than deserving of a Best Director nomination but I’m skeptical if he’ll get it, unfortunately.

The other great thing about Chazelle is that he writes original screenplays for all of his films aside from his 2018 Neil Armstrong biopic First Man, and I was blown away by his screenplay here. I will watch any movie that is actually about the making of movies, but this particular time period in Hollywood when they transitioned from silent films to talkies is so interesting and I love that he focused on that era. The story we got was fantastic and it is one that everyone can connect to as it is mainly about a man who wants to be a part of something bigger that will make him be remembered. All in all, Chazelle gave us amazing dialogue in this, and I hope this can somehow snag a Best Original Screenplay nomination because he is deserving of that too.

Onto the performances in Babylon, we have to start with the star of the show, and that is Margot Robbie. Robbie plays the aspiring actress Nellie LaRoy, and she delivers hands down one of the best performances of the year, and I think the best performance of Robbie’s young but already illustrious career. She does everything you can think of from yelling, crying, screaming, to dancing. She just does things in this movie that I have never seen before and her performance strengthens the case that she is arguably the best actress working right now. You could really make the case that she should win Best Actress for her performance here, but the competition this year is ridiculous, but that said, she still better get nominated, or else I’ll have to riot.

The second-best performance in Babylon belongs to a new face for me, Diego Calva, who gave what can only be called a star-in-the-making performance. As epic and outlandish as this movie was, I felt like whenever we came to Calva’s character, Manny Torres, the movie instantly became more grounded. A lot of that was because of how likable his character was, but I can’t say enough good things about Calva’s performance here. I was just so taken aback by the subtleties of Calva’s performance and how much he as an actor could convey with simply a single glance. All of the character’s emotions were in Calva’s eyes from start to finish and it was truly amazing. That said, I really really want Calva to get a Best Actor nomination, but something tells me even if he doesn’t, he will have more chances down the line.

As for that other dude in the film who you might have heard of, Brad Pitt, well he was pretty damn good too. He plays a character who we have definitely seen before in films like Sunset Boulevard, Singin’ in the Rain, and most recently, The Artist, but I loved Pitt’s performance here. Brad Pitt has some really good scenes in this that stood out and I was a big fan of his character arc throughout the film. Because of it being the one and only Brad Pitt, it was just so easy to connect with his character and want the best for him, and let’s just say Pitt has still got it when it comes to the more emotional scenes. That said, I think Pitt is likely to grab a Best Supporting Actor nomination, but because of the competition in that category and also the recent allegations that came out against him, I don’t see him winning.

Those were definitely the big three when it came to the performances, but I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I didn’t touch on some of the others. I’ll start with Peter Parker himself, Tobey Maguire, who has a small cameo in the third act of the film that while I know other people didn’t get or like, I just loved. He played this incredibly weird mob boss, and I just need Maguire to act more because the man’s range is incredible. I also was a big fan of both Jovan Adepo and Li Jun Li’s performances as two small side characters, and I really look forward to seeing them in more stuff. Other than that, Jean Smart was as great as she usually is, P. J. Byrne was as wild as he usually is, and Spike Jonze kicked ass in a weird cameo role thanks to his remarkable German accent.

Aside from the performances, Babylon is just a stunning movie when it comes to the technical elements at play here. The cinematography from Linus Sandgren is just incredible, and it’s by far the most ambitiously shot film Chazelle has ever done. From the crazy long takes to the camera movement, to the colorful saturated shots, the film is just so gorgeous to look at. Another reason why it is so gorgeous is because of the production design too which is also for lack of a better word, just insane and is going to win the Oscar. And last but not least, the score from Justin Hurwitz is unbelievably great. The film and the score are so united which is another reason why I love Chazelle so much because of how well he integrates music into his projects. I haven’t stopped humming the “Welcome” track from the film since I saw it and Hurwitz is 110% going to win the Oscar for Best Original Score. There’s just no denying it.

Before I get to “The Bad”, I just got to talk about the ending of the film. I really really loved the ending and I’m pretty sure my jaw was dropped for the entire last fifteen minutes. Like the entire movie, the ending is not going to work for everybody as it is this weird experimental outburst of crazy editing and while some people will roll their eyes at it, it somehow allowed me to connect with the movie so much better emotionally. It allowed me to put the pieces together and made me see the purpose behind every scene that came before it. The ending truly is what ultimately made me give this a 5/5 stars rather than a 4.5/5. I think the ending will be studied and discussed, and I can’t wait to watch this for a second and third time just so I can pick up on more stuff that I might’ve missed. Anyways, please Lord let this get nominated for Best Picture for if it doesn’t, the Academy will dearly regret it years from now.

THE BAD

Alright, I’ll be brutally honest here, it really annoys me how poor this movie is doing with critics, but more than that, how bad it is doing with general audiences. The main complaints I’ve seen from critics and audiences are the graphic content and also the runtime, which just gets under my skin. I don’t understand why people get so annoyed with the runtime as long as it is paced and edited well, which this movie 100% is. That said, the movie is 188 minutes long, so be warned, but it flew by for me and I don’t think you’ll regret checking this out. It’s just a blast from start to finish.

Now onto the graphic content, which is somehow more annoying than the runtime complaint. It’s really similar to what we saw from critics and audiences after Martin Scorsese’s 2013 epic The Wolf of Wall Street, which is also a 5-star film for me. Obviously with this movie, if you do any research, you should know that this isn’t a movie you bring your family to see over the holidays. It’s rated R, and it almost garnered an NC-17 rating because there’s a lot of drugs, nudity, and also some good old bathroom humor that you’ll get in the first five minutes. At the end of the day, this movie isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay, but I absolutely loved every second of it and maybe that shows my odd taste in movies, but it is just a shame that it’s rating with critics is hurting its chances in a number of categories for the upcoming Academy Awards.

THE VERDICT

With Babylon, Damien Chazelle swings for the fences with an epic period comedy-drama that serves as both a hate letter to Hollywood and a love letter to cinema, and he absolutely knocked it out of the park. It’s a wild three plus hour ride that contains amazing performances from Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, stunning visuals, the best score of the year from Justin Hurwitz, and a perfect ending that made this an unforgettable moviegoing experience for me.

Yes, the movie is insane and over-the-top and it will certainly lose some people, but I found there to be a point to all the ridiculousness involved and I hope other people do too because this movie is saying something that deserves to be heard and seen.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.5/10

Babylon is now playing at Smitty’s Cinema. Check out the latest trailer below.

Amsterdam

By: Andrew Wing

Amsterdam is a 2022 period comedy thriller film written, directed, and produced by David O. Russell (The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook). Led by Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, The Big Short), Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street, I, Tonya), and John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman, Tenet), the film features an ensemble cast including Chris Rock (Grown Ups, Fargo), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, The Queen’s Gambit), Zoe Saldaña (Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy), Mike Myers (Austin Powers films series, Shrek film series), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals, The Shape of Water), Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Andrea Riseborough (The Death of Stalin, Mandy), Taylor Swift (Valentine’s Day, Cats), Matthias Schoenaerts (The Danish Girl, Red Sparrow), Alessandro Nivola (The Neon Demon, The Mant Saints of Newark), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody, No Time to Die), and Robert De Niro (Raging Bull, Goodfellas).

The story is based on the Business Plot, a 1933 political conspiracy in the US, and follows three friends—a doctor (Bale), a nurse (Robbie), and a lawyer (Washington)—who are caught in the mysterious murder of a retired US general.

Filmed in Los Angeles from January to March 2021, it was Russell's first film since Joy (2015), and it was released in the United States on October 7, 2022, by 20th Century Studios. Despite it being a box office bomb, with estimated losses for the studio reaching $97 million, a sequel titled True Love, which is set to be directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), comes out on October 6, 2023.

THE GOOD

A year ago now, if you were to ask me my top five most anticipated films of 2022, I would have definitely had this movie, which a year ago was called “Canterbury Glass”, in that list. Why you might ask? Well for starters, I am a fan of David O. Russell’s films, specifically The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook, so I was excited to see his first film since 2015. But more than that, this cast is about as stacked as a cast can get. I mean Christian Bale and Margot Robbie are arguably two of the best actors working today, and John David Washington and Anya Taylor-Joy are no joke either. Not to mention Oscar winners Rami Malek and Robert De Niro’s involvement, this cast is just insane! But was the stacked cast enough to make for another great David O. Russell film? Keep reading to find out!

It, unfortunately, was not, but the blame for this movie’s failure does not fall on the cast, because the majority of the cast gave solid performances. First, with the man himself, Christian Bale, who I would say is the best actor working right now since Daniel Day-Lewis retired. In Amsterdam, Bale plays Burt Berendsen, a doctor and war veteran who wears a glass eye. This is a character unlike anything Bale has played before, but I thought he gave a really good performance. I for one actually liked the accent he has in this and I found his character to be pretty funny at the end of the day. It’s a shame the movie wasn’t better, because if it were, I really think Bale would be in the Best Actor race, but nevertheless, he will be there for many more years to come.

Next with Margot Robbie, who is just an insanely talented actress. She, like Bale, also plays a character that I found to be different from anything she has done before as she plays an eccentric nurse who makes art out of shrapnel removed from the soldiers. Nevertheless, I loved every second she was on the screen, and I just haven’t seen Robbie give a bad performance yet in her young illustrious career. That said, I just can’t wait to check out Robbie’s next two films that she will star in, Babylon (see our full preview here) which hits theaters in a couple of weeks, and Barbie (see our full preview here), the huge film from Greta Gerwig that comes to theaters next summer!

Those two definitely stole the show in my opinion, but there were a couple of other performances that I liked, and those were Michael Shannon, Austin Powers himself, Mike Myers, and this other actor you might have heard of, Robert De Niro. Aside from the performances, there, unfortunately, wasn’t a ton more that I loved about Amsterdam. I will say though that the production design was fantastic. The setting was 1920s New York City and because of the impeccable production design and also costume design, it really felt true to that time and place so cheers to that!

THE BAD

Alright, let’s do this. Now I said I’m a fan of David O. Russell’s past films, and I am, and I don’t know if I can definitively say this because I haven’t seen Joy yet, but this has got to be his worst film yet. I am just at a loss for words over this screenplay. The story is just so wacky and exhausting and the plot is just very busy. Seriously though, Russell was trying to say something about race relations and concentration of wealth, while also trying to say something about veterans and fascism and I just think he fumbled the bag. As for his direction, I didn’t think that was all too great either. The editing was bad and the film is way too freaking long, and at the end of the day, there was just a massive lack of vision with this film and it’s quite disappointing, to say the least.

Also, I was pretty let down by some of the other performances we got from the ensemble cast. I thought Anya Taylor-Joy was fine, but her character was strange and we didn’t get nearly enough of her to understand her character. Aside from her, there were two male performers here that I just didn’t like in this film. I’m just not a big fan of Rami Malek, and it still pains me to this day that he won Best Actor for Bohemian Rhapsody over Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born. And last but not least, John David Washington just did nothing for me with his performance in this. I don’t know, maybe I’m alone in thinking that, but I just hope he bounces back in whatever he does next because he is better than this.

THE VERDICT

Despite great performances from Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and a few other cast members, Amsterdam is just a mess and is unfortunately David O. Russell’s worst film to date. From the wacky story to the muddled tone, the movie is just trying to be something that it isn’t and that plus the ridiculous runtime led to this being one of the more exhausting watches of the year.

TED TAKES RATING - 5.9/10

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

RRR

By: Andrew Wing

RRR is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language epic action drama film directed by S. S. Rajamouli, who co-wrote the film with V. Vijayendra Prasad. It was produced by D. V. V. Danayya of DVV Entertainment. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson (Dexter, Black Sails), Alison Doody (A View to a Kill, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), and Olivia Morris.

The film centers around two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Charan) and Komaram Bheem (Rama Rao), their fictional friendship, and their fight against the British Raj. Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.

Rajamouli came across stories about the lives of Rama Raju and Bheem and connected the coincidences between them, imagining what would have happened had they met and been friends. The film was formally announced in March 2018. Principal photography of the film began in November 2018 in Hyderabad and continued until August 2021, owing to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was shot extensively across India, with a few sequences filmed in Ukraine and Bulgaria. The film's soundtrack and background score were composed by M. M. Keeravani, with cinematography by K. K. Senthil Kumar and editing by A. Sreekar Prasad. Sabu Cyril is the film's production designer whilst V. Srinivas Mohan supervised the visual effects.

Made on a budget of ₹550 crore ($72 million), RRR is the most expensive Indian film to date. The film was initially scheduled for theatrical release on July 30, 2020, which was postponed multiple times due to production delays and the pandemic. RRR was released theatrically on March 25, 2022, and it hit the Netflix streaming service on May 20, 2022.

With ₹240 crore (US$30 million) worldwide on its first day, RRR broke the record for the highest opening-day collection earned by an Indian film. RRR emerged as the highest-grossing film in its home market of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, grossing over ₹415 crore (US$52 million) and surpassing Rajamouli's previous film Baahubali 2. The film grossed ₹1,200 crore (US$175.47 million) worldwide, setting several box office records for an Indian film, including the third highest-grossing Indian film and second highest-grossing Telugu film worldwide. It also went on to become the highest-earning Indian film in Japan. RRR became the third Indian film and the first Telugu film to receive nominations at the Golden Globes, nominated in the Best Non-English Language Film Category and for the Best Original Song. It was nominated in three categories at the 47th Saturn Awards and won the Best International Film award. The film was considered to be one of the best films of the year by the National Board of Review, making it only the second non-English film ever to make it to the list.

THE GOOD

The time has finally come! I truly cannot believe that it has been almost seven whole months since RRR hit Netflix and became one of the most talked about films of the year! I added it to my watchlist once I saw how much hype and praise it was getting, but life got in the way as it does and next thing you know it’s almost Christmas and I still haven’t watched the epic action film that has recently been getting some awards nominations and consideration. All that said, earlier this week I had some free time so my brother and I decided that it was officially time to watch RRR! But was it worth the wait? Keep reading to find out!

It most definitely was! I am a huge fan of foreign films, but despite that, this was my first time watching an Indian film aside from The Apu Trilogy from the great Satyajit Ray, but needless to say, RRR is quite different from those films. Nevertheless, I am so happy I checked this out because as my brother said once we finished it, it was just so entertaining from start to finish. I will be giving a lot of praise to this film throughout this review but I have to start by praising the man in charge, the director S. S. Rajamouli, who also co-wrote the film with V. Vijayendra Prasad. Simply put, Rajamouli directed the shit out of this movie. There was so much detail in every scene and the action sequences were just on another level. More than that, the script he wrote here alongside Prasad was such a simple yet beautiful story that allowed me as the viewer to emotionally connect with the characters. All in all, Rajamouli made a fan out of me with this epic action drama film of his that could very well earn him a Best Director nomination at the upcoming Academy Awards.

As good as Rajamouli’s direction, screenplay, and action sequences were, this movie is carried by the amazing performances of the cast, particularly Rama Rao and Charan’s. This was obviously the first I had ever seen of these two actors, but oh my lord, it did not take very long to fall in love with them and their characters! Both of them were just absolute beasts who kicked a whole lot of ass for three hours, and I just loved every second of it! I hope with how much universal acclaim this movie has gotten in the United States that we can see them in some American films in the very near future because they both just carry that movie star quality that doesn’t come around too often.

To continue with my praise for RRR, this film just doesn’t miss on a technical level. The editing done by A. Sreekar Prasad was so awesome! There were so many sick cuts during all the action scenes and while I’m usually not a big fan of slow-motion shots, I loved every single one this movie had to offer! More than that, the cinematography we got here from K. K. Senthil Kumar was awards-worthy! India is just an incredibly beautiful place and Kumar took full advantage of the setting the film took place in. And last but not least, when it comes to the techs, the VFX in RRR are superb! Spoiler alert, there are a ton of wild animals in this movie, specifically tigers, and they looked so damn real, so shoutout to V. Srinivas Mohan, the man who supervised the visual effects.

But despite how good the film looked, RRR sounded even better in my opinion. The background score that was composed by M. M. Keeravani was just terrific! It was just one of those background scores that brought so much to every scene, and let’s just say that I was humming it for the remainder of the day after watching this. As for the soundtrack though, it is truly fantastic. There were so many great songs from the soundtrack, but hands down the best one was "Naatu Naatu" which is I would say pretty much a lock to get a nomination for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards, and it’s so good it might even win!

THE BAD

I don’t know what you want me to say, RRR is just one hell of a fun time from start to finish! That said, there’s no denying that this movie isn’t for everybody. For starters, it’s a foreign film that is spoken entirely in the Telugu language, and on top of that, the film clocks in at just over three hours with a 182-minute runtime. And I’m one that doesn’t really care too much about long run times, but even I’ll admit that this movie is way too long. Aside from that, the movie is pretty absurd at times with the situations our protagonists find themselves in and somehow get out of, but despite all that, the movie is just so freaking entertaining, and for that reason and that reason alone, I urge you to give RRR a try. I have a feeling you won’t regret it!

THE VERDICT

Thanks to incredible action sequences, amazing musical numbers, and some impressive filmmaking from S. S. Rajamouli, RRR is about as epic a movie as you will ever see! The Indian Telugu-language action drama film is entertaining from the 1st minute to the 182nd, and it’s carried by the unforgettable bromance that is N. T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan!

Sure, it has its flaws and it's over the top, but the movie is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and plus, it’s got a legit shot at getting a Best Picture nomination despite India not even submitting it as their entry for Best International Feature Film!

TED TAKES RATING - 8.5/10

RRR is now streaming exclusively on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.