The Adam Project

The Adam Project is a 2022 science fiction thriller film directed by Shawn Levy, and written by Jonathan Tropper, T.S. Nowlin, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin. Levy is a very talented and accomplished director, known for Date Night, The Internship, This Is Where I Leave You, and the latest action comedy Free Guy (our full review here) also starring Ryan Reynolds. Levy is set to direct Deadpool 3 as well.

A time-traveling pilot teams up with his younger self and his late father to come to terms with his past while saving the future.

The cast includes Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Walker Scobell, Catherine Keener, and Zoe Saldana.

The Adam Project made its debut on Netflix March 11th.

THE GOOD

Similar to many direct-to-streaming films that seem to come out of nowhere when they are announced, The Adam Project snuck up on me. After watching the first trailer I was sold, and all it really took if I’m being honest was Ryan Reynolds. At this point and time I will watch anything he is in. The rest of the cast and Shawn Levy’s involvement was just the icing on the cake. So of course I made sure to check it out as soon as it dropped on Netflix, so is it worth your time? Keep reading to find out!

The Adam Project is a very enjoyable movie with a little bit of everything to satisfy the majority of viewers, whether you are looking for comedy, action, a sci-fi element, or just a really good overall story. We have all seen more films or shows that deal with time travel than we can count, but luckily the screenplay still feels fresh and creative. I loved the overarching coming-of-age feel of the film as I am a sucker for that genre, and I was impressed with how emotional it was. I felt like the pacing was great as it never feels long even though it is just shy of the 2-hour mark. The film has a ton of substance all things considered, and also offers up an ending that I felt was more than satisfying, even if a little bittersweet.

The star-studded cast is surely one of the biggest draws for people in terms of what will have them taking the time out to watch The Adam Project. Ryan Reynolds, who is quite simply a national treasure, is fantastic as expected. His comedic delivery and on-screen presence shines throughout, and he is a big reason why this film works so well. What surprised me most about The Adam Project as far as acting is concerned is young Walker Scobell, who plays the younger version of Reynolds’ character. In his acting debut, Scobell has great on screen chemistry with Reynolds, and more than anything else he feels like a natural. He took full advantage of his screen-time, and we will surely be seeing more of him in the future.

Jennifer Garner plays the mom, and I really enjoyed her character. It never feels like she is mailing it in, and it was obvious from the start that she made sure to have a genuine connection with Scobell’s character which was a big part of why the story worked so well. Mark Ruffalo, who was next level amazing in the HBO drama series I Know This Much Is True (full review here) plays a pivotal supporting role in the film. He plays the father, and the genius mind behind how time travel came to be. Ruffalo was great as expected and I have nothing bad to say about his performance. Zoe Saldana, who always reminds me of Avatar, is fantastic in her role as the primary love interest. Somehow she always feels right at home with sci-fi action films. Catherine Keener, who in my opinion is best known for her role in the comedy classic The 40-Year-Old Virgin, is great as the films antagonist. Keener more than holds her own alongside this talented cast.

On the technical side of things, The Adam Project does everything pretty well overall. The action sequences are fun and exciting, the CGI is effective and never takes away from the overall feel, and the soundtrack brings with it lots of energy. The cinematography while not a focal point, still offers up plenty for viewers to appreciate showing off some of the beautiful sights Vancouver has to offer. And even though the sci-fi part of the film is prevalent throughout, it never feels overly corny which was a big thing for me.

THE BAD

The Adam Project is not perfect. At the end of the day, it is a direct-to-streaming film that may skimp on budget and take the occasional shortcut. The CGI is good but not great, the acting isn’t perfect or Oscar worthy (in air quotes, of course), and the production feels fairly limited when it’s all said and done. But with all of that considered, this is still a very enjoyable movie that still does pretty much everything right. Bottom line, I can’t sit here and criticize a film that feels so unapologetically true to itself, so I won’t. Feel free to make your own judgments, but odds are you will enjoy The Adam Project just as much as I did.

THE VERDICT

A fun and infectious sci-fi action comedy rooted in the chemistry between the great Ryan Reynolds and young Walker Scobell in his debut role, The Adam Project will satisfy genre fans while offering a genuinely heartfelt story. More than anything else I enjoyed this movie and felt like it was a great use of my time, and at the end of the day, what more can you ask for? It was clear and obvious from the start that this incredibly talented cast enjoyed making this movie, and I personally welcome any experience that feels so authentic and well-intentioned. Plus, the more time director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds spend together, the better Deadpool 3 will be. Can’t wait!

TED TAKES RATING - 7.3/10

The Adam Project is now streaming on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

Drive My Car

By: Andrew Wing

Drive My Car (Japanese: ドライブ・マイ・カー, Hepburn: Doraibu mai kā) is a 2021 Japanese drama film co-written and directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. It is primarily based on Haruki Murakami’s short story of the same name from his 2014 collection Men Without Women while taking inspiration from other stories in it. The film follows Yūsuke Kafuku (played by Hidetoshi Nishijima) as he directs a multilingual production of Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima and grapples with the death of his wife, Oto.

Drive My Car had its world premiere at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d’Or (lost to Titane - see full review) and won three awards, including Best Screenplay. The film received widespread critical acclaim, with many declaring it one of the best films of 2021. It earned four nominations at the 94th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Feature Film, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is the first Japanese film nominated for Best Picture. Also, at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, the film won Best Foreign Language Film.

THE GOOD

I know I have brought it up in some of my past reviews, but I think Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 film Parasite is one of the best movies ever made. It is one of my all-time favorites and I truly think it’s a perfect film. In 2020, Parasite won Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards, becoming the first non-English language film to win the award. Parasite was the first foreign film I ever watched, and it really sparked my interest in film, but also a deeper appreciation for foreign films. With all that said, it’s only fitting that I review Drive My Car, a film that has been surging the past few months that’s also trying to become the second non-English language film to win the Best Picture after getting nominated in the category back on February 8, 2022. I literally started jumping up and down when I saw that it was coming to HBO Max in March, and I wasted no time in checking it out. So without further ado, let’s dive into this review and find out if one of 2021’s most critically acclaimed and talked about films is actually worth all the hype it’s been getting!

First things first, I honestly loved everything about this movie! It’s a slow burn type of movie that is this sort of epic mysterious drama with a ton of layers to unpack. It is a whopping three hours long, and although the three hours is a pretty substantial investment of time to give to a film, I felt like the attention given to it paid off greatly in the end. It certainly felt like a three-hour-long movie with it being a slow-burning drama, but I never felt like it was dragging at any moment as it kept finding new conflicts to explore and new characters to dive into. It never felt stagnant, as it was just always developing, and it never stopped evolving from start to finish.

So as I said in the introduction, the film got nominated for four Academy Awards, with one being Best Adapted Screenplay. I also mentioned in the intro my love for foreign films, and one of the best ones from the past five years is hands down the 2018 South Korean film Burning. I only bring this up because it turns out that Drive My Car is adapted from a short story from the writer of the short story that Burning was adapted off of, so I thought that was a cool tidbit of information. Anyways though, this screenplay is masterful. To put the plot vaguely so I don’t spoil anything, the film is about a stage actor and director who is putting together a play, but at the same time, he is grappling with the relationship he has with his wife. In my opinion, the strongest element of this movie is without a doubt the writing and watching this honestly felt like reading a good novel that you didn’t want to put down with how dense the film is. I’d be surprised to see it win the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay because of the other stronger contenders, but I sure am glad it received a nomination because it was more than deserving!

Another award the film got nominated for was Best Director for Ryusuke Hamaguchi. It was so evident from the very beginning that Hamaguchi as a director wasn’t worried about having a shorter runtime, but rather truly serving the script. It’s obviously a very dialogue heavy film, and while some might not say that that requires a lot of “direction” so to speak, I would disagree. I would because with this movie ultimately being about the way people communicate and perform, I think Hamaguchi was brilliant by having the film be a medium to showcase that. Aside from that though, there were other things I loved about his direction. One being how he chose to hold on certain shots where characters are delivering monologues. I appreciated it because it allowed what was happening to kind of burn in our brains as we watched. Also, the slow-burn atmosphere the movie develops as it continues works really well for it because it is an extremely thoughtful movie that demands that we think about it. The pacing too allows us to never feel lost in it as we constantly get that little bit of space we need to try and digest and think about what’s happening.

All the characters in Drive My Car are mysterious human beings that communicate intimate things about themselves in indirect ways. The film recognizes human beings as having trouble communicating directly with each other, and all of this was made possible and put on the forefront thanks to the performances we got. The main performance that is worthy of praise is Hidetoshi Nishijima as he plays the main character, Yūsuke Kafuku. He was simply incredible in this film, and it was one of my favorite performances of the year for sure. The range of emotions he puts on display throughout the film is fascinating and it all culminates at the very end of the film when he shows how broken his character is deep down. He also does this thing while riding in his car where he recites his own lines for his play from an audiotape, and it went to show how bought into his character he was. All in all, I loved him and it was a gut-wrenching performance that I will never forget.

In conclusion, Drive My Car is a profound and beautiful movie, but it is also an extremely thought-provoking film, and there was a lot that I took away from it. It is ultimately a drama about art and grief that will resonate with you for a long time as it shows us that if we want to better understand people, all we have to do is really try to listen. Hamaguchi shows us as viewers that somebody being there to listen to someone has an incredible power that we often forget. The film was certainly a moving one and I cannot wait to tune into the Oscars on Sunday, March 27th, and watch it do well at the awards as it will most definitely be winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

THE BAD

If you can’t tell yet, I loved Drive My Car and have it easily as one of the best films of 2021. However, this movie definitely is not for everybody. It is one of those movies where the most that somebody will get out of it will come from analyzing it and picking it apart and then attempting to figure out what it’s trying to say underneath the surface. So with that said, if you’re someone who doesn’t really find yourself enjoying that analysis part of a movie, you are not going to be into this at all. 

Also, as I mentioned earlier, this film is basically three hours long, coming in at a runtime of 179 minutes. That is a lot. The movie surely registers a little bit more like a text with all the dialogue and the written word more than it does as this cinematic experience you’d get from a film like The Batman (see Ted’s full review here). I’m not saying that Drive My Car isn’t a cinematic experience because it certainly was for me, but it’s just very reliant on one aspect of that as opposed to many. And lastly, it is a foreign film spoken entirely in Japanese, so if you don’t rock with subtitles then you are going to have to pass on this one, unfortunately.

THE VERDICT

Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car is an epic slow-burning drama that is one of the best films 2021 has to offer. The season’s most unlikely Oscar smash that has just about already locked up the Best Foreign Language Film award is the very definition of thought-provoking cinema, as it offers so many insightful ideas about human psychology. Also loved the lead performance by Hidetoshi Nishijima and the screenplay is a masterpiece.

Its 3-hour runtime is no joke and it is definitely a movie for critics rather than most general audiences, but nevertheless, it is a movie very ripe for repeat viewings so I can try and get a better grasp on it and hopefully take more away from it.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

Drive My Car is now available to watch on HBO Max. Check out the latest trailer below.

Fresh

Fresh is a 2022 horror comedy film directed by Mimi Cave, in her directorial debut, from a screenplay by Lauryn Kahn. Adam McKay produced the film alongside Kevin J. Messick and Maeve Cullinane. Fresh premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20th, 2022, where it was acquired by Searchlight Pictures. Searchlight Pictures, originally Fox Searchlight, was acquired by Disney back in 2019 and eventually dropped the “Fox” from the name altogether. Due to so much uncertainty brought on by the seemingly never-ending pandemic, Searchlight Pictures has opted to release the majority of its 2022 slate direct-to-streaming, deciding to take that route with Fresh having it debut on the Disney owned streaming service, Hulu.

The horrors of modern dating seen through one young woman's defiant battle to survive her new boyfriend's unusual appetites.

The cast includes Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, Jojo T. Gibbs, Dayo Okeniyi, Charlotte Le Bon, and Andrea Bang.

Fresh premiered on Hulu March 4th, courtesy of Hulu and Searchlight Pictures.

THE GOOD

Fresh landed on my radar only a few months ago, just one of those films that sort of caught me by surprise once the trailer released, but the fact that Sebastian Stan was in a lead role had me sold right away. Plus, the film made quite an impression at the Sundance Film Festival where it was acquired by Hulu, and that is always a good sign if you ask me. But with it being a directorial debut film that went straight to streaming, I planned to keep my expectations in check just in case. So, is Fresh worth a few hours of your time? Keep reading to find out!

Long story short, this movie was fantastic and an all-around pleasant surprise. After first watching the trailer and reading up on the premise I was expecting something more along the lines of Julia Ducournau’s indie horror thriller Raw (preview and trailer here), which is now streaming on Netflix, in terms of the overall shock factor and general subject matter. I would’ve kept watching even if it was more in that ballpark, but Fresh caught me completely off guard as it was entirely different movie compared to what I was expecting. And I mean that in the best way possible. The film has such an organic feel to it from the start, diving right into the real horrors of the modern world which is of course, dating. Now for anyone who has been down the rabbit hole of dating apps where you swipe right or left until your head hurts, its brutal.

The lead character Noa, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, feels stuck as in her mind she needs to escape the single life but ends up going on dates that serve as little more than a good story. Like the very granola guy who lets her know in advance that the restaurant they are meeting at for the first time is cash only. Brutal, but trust me when I say these things happen. I had a girl once tell me that the guy she went for a date with told her mid-dinner that his account was overdrawn and he would need her to pay the bill, needless to say that made me feel so much better about myself back in my earlier days. To her surprise, she somehow organically meets someone in the grocery store, the charming and charismatic Steve, played by Sebastian Stan. I won’t give anything away in terms of why I was caught so off guard by the direction the film would take as I think that is part of what makes it so good, but let me just say that by the time these two met I was invested to the point of no return, and could not wait to see what happened next.

I touched on it a bit already, but the driving force for Fresh is without a doubt the collaboration between director Mimi Cave and the screenplay from Laura Kahn, coupled with the performances which I will touch on a bit later in the review. Cave, a Los Angeles native, is primarily known for her work on music videos and short films, but she hits the ground running with her feature-film debut. Kahn, who got her start behind the scenes on a few Adam McKay films including Step Brothers and The Other Guys, previously saw her debut feature-film script come to fruition in 2018 with the Netflix comedy drama, Ibiza. Her vision was apparent from the start, and even with a runtime of just under 2-hours, Fresh never once felt boring. The subject matter may be tough to swallow for most viewers, pun intended, but the delivery is so smooth and authentic that the film is extremely watchable all things considered and even has replay value. It felt like cautionary tale meets character study, and I can guarantee you that the film will stick with you long after you finish it.

I was not expecting powerhouse performances from a direct-to-streaming film, but boy was I wrong. The acting in Fresh is nothing short of exceptional, and I won’t be able to get Sebastian Stan’s character out of my head for weeks. I’m not surprised in the slightest that Hulu snatched this up at Sundance, and I personally feel like Stan’s character deserves some awards consideration. Unfortunately for Stan, Fresh did not receive the required limited release in theaters. His character has an infectious personality that masks the darkness in such a way that he will be toying with your emotions during the majority of the film. I knew something felt eerily familiar about his character, and once I read that in preparation for the film Stan Stan worked with a famous Ted Bundy expert, it all made sense. Somehow Stan portrays the best Ted Bundy, without actually playing Bundy at all. Go figure. I don’t want to give anything away, but he is one of the most genuinely friendly and energetic sociopaths I have ever seen in film. Stan sort of combines Ted Bundy and Christian Bale’s Trevor Reznik character from The Machinist. Talk about quite the combo, just hope you never cross paths with this guy in the produce section of your local grocery store.

Next I have to talk about the performance from Daisy Edgar-Jones, who takes on the other lead role and is actually the primary character in the film. First and foremost, her chemistry with Stan is just perfection. Even as their relationship develops like a roller-coaster ride, the chemistry always feels genuine helping viewers get the most out of the story. Edgar-Jones reminds me of a cross between Dakota Johnson and another actress I can literally picture but for some reason I can’t recall the name of or what she has been in and it is driving me insane. But yeah, ignoring whether or not I am slowly losing my mind, the 23-year-old actress who grew up in London is very talented and has an extremely bright career ahead of her. Her ability to display a number of complex emotions and match the acting abilities of a veteran like Stan impressed me a ton, and I could see right away why she was offered this role. I was genuinely surprised to learn that Fresh is only her second film appearance, working primarily in television up until 2018. Mark my words, we will see more from her sooner than later. The supporting cast consisting primarily of Jojo T. Gibbs, Dayo Okeniyi, and Charlotte Le Bon, were all great as well.

Similar to the acting, the technical elements of the film defy what you’d expect from a streaming film. The attention to detail and just how intentional each shot feels just makes for an experience that feels far-reaching, yet somehow grounded in reality. Director Mimi Cave flexes an eye for detail as well as what seems to be a very deliberate and signature style which I am excited to see more of. Cinematography is an element of filmmaking that is often underappreciated this day and age if you ask me, but lucky for me Fresh does a fantastic job of reminding us exactly why it matters. We are treated to some great exterior shots making sure that each environment has that lived-in feel which I thought was important, but what stood out most to be was how immersive the film felt once we landed in what would be the films primary location. I wasn’t sure why the cinematography felt so familiar to me until I realized it was the work of cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski, the talented mind behind Hereditary (full review here), Midsommar (full review here), and Nobody (full review here). Pogorzelski’s ability to blend genre’s in a way that only he is capable of was a big reason why Fresh hits so many highs, and so few lows.

THE BAD

I have very little to say about this film as far as negatives. First of all it exceeded my expectations, but it also wasn’t nearly as cringeworthy or reliant on the shock factor as I expected it to be. But with that being said, the subject matter will likely be too much for some viewers which could make Fresh one that you should skip, but that’s entirely up to you. I can’t really think of a film I would compare it to, but because it never really goes down the “I need to cover my eyes” rabbit hole, everyone should at least give it a try otherwise you’ll be missing out. Think cannibalism, but the upper-class black tie version if that makes any sense at all.

THE VERDICT

A shockingly effective genre-defining horror comedy brought to life by exceptional performances from Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones, Fresh is one of the more impressive directorial debuts in recent memory and a great reason to keep an eye on Mimi Cave. I really enjoyed this film, from the story to the performances, right down to what I felt was a very satisfying ending. More than anything else, Fresh felt like nothing I have seen in quite some time, and that in itself is quite a rarity. If you are looking for what is conceivably a rare blend of horror and comedy with a dash of mystery at its core, and much more immersive than you could ever begin to imagine, this without a doubt checks all of the boxes and is something I have no issue recommending.

Bottom line, Fresh takes the horrors of dating to another level entirely, and will likely leave viewers that are currently single swearing off relationships altogether. I mean seriously, if I was single and went on a date after watching this movie, I’d lock myself in my bedroom and order takeout for the foreseeable future. Be sure to give this a watch sooner than later and keep an eye out for what’s to come next from Mimi Cave.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

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

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

By: Andrew Wing

The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a 2021 American biographical drama film directed by Michael Showalter (he directed the critically acclaimed The Big Sick), based on the 2000 documentary of the same name by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato of World of Wonder. 

The film tells the story of Tammy Faye Bakker, who is played by Jessica Chastain (The Help, Zero Dark Thirty, Molly’s Game), from her humble beginnings growing up in International Falls, Minnesota through the rise and fall of her televangelism career and marriage to Jim Bakker, who is played by Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge, Silence, Tick, Tick… Boom!). Cherry Jones (The Village, Succession) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Full Metal Jacket, Daredevil) also star. The screenplay is written by Abe Sylvia, while Chastain is also one of the film’s producers.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2021 and was released on September 17, 2021, by Searchlight Pictures. The film became a box office bomb, grossing $2.7 million after its initial release in theatres. Regardless of that, for her role in the film, Chastain won a SAG Award and received nominations for the Golden Globe Award and Critics Choice Award. The film received two Academy Award nominations, for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Actress.

THE GOOD

Wow, the time has finally come. Despite only being a month or two, it feels like The Eyes of Tammy Faye has been on my list forever ever since I saw that it was streaming on HBO Max. Being a big fan of the Oscars and other notable award shows I knew that I had to check this film out and review it for one reason, and one reason only, and that was the performance of Jessica Chastain. She has been getting nominated for almost every acting award one can get nominated for her performance in this, and with how crazy the Best Actress category has been, she has as good a chance as any to take the cake at the Academy Awards later this month. With all that said, was Chastain’s performance alone enough to make this an overall good film? Keep reading to find out!

Both of the lead performances we get here from Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield are absolutely what I would call going-for-it. Director Michael Showalter just let them have the floor to themselves for two hours and it did not disappoint. They were both so committed to these weird characters, but it’s only right that we start with the star of the show, Jessica Chastain. She is simply the main reason to see this movie and maybe even the main reason it even got any Oscar nominations. Chastain is absolutely extraordinary in this, and it might be her best performance ever which says a lot. It might feel like it’s over-the-top, but I was just eating it up and I didn’t think for a second that it was too much. Her portrayal here was perfect as she shows how extroverted and effusive Tammy Faye was. I also loved how Chastain pays tribute to Tammy rather than make fun of her. She did such a good job that she somehow makes us like a character that I felt conflicted with at times, but that’s ultimately the actor’s job, to make us sympathize with any character, and Chastain aced it. Her performance alone moved me to tears at a couple of different parts of the film as she was incredibly powerful at times. She just played her character with so much empathy and compassion, and not a single note of it ever felt disingenuous.

Continuing with Chastain, this is definitely what you would call a transformative performance. She fully-humanized Tammy Faye Bakker as she dived so deeply into her as a character by always giving so much energy and soaking everything up. Now let’s get into the fun part, her Oscar chances. This movie and her performance in it is top-tier Oscar bait as the entire movie felt like an Oscar clip for her. Part of me really wants Kristen Stewart to win for her role in Spencer (see my full review here), but I have no problem with Chastain winning. She deserves it because her performance is honestly the most acting I’ve ever seen. She cries, has both a funny and weird laugh, has a funny voice, sings pretty damn good, and she wears pounds on top of pounds of makeup. She just does everything in this performance that you need to do to win an Oscar and I think she will. I mean I just don’t know how she doesn’t win for this, and she also has all the momentum after winning the SAG. It really is such a close race though, and it’s very fun and exciting, and I can’t wait to see who wins the Oscar come March 27th.

Next up when it comes to performances is the man who had himself one hell of a year in 2021, and that is Andrew Garfield. He had this obviously, he had Tick, Tick… Boom! (see my full review here) for which he got nominated for Best Actor, and he also put the red spandex back on again in Spider-Man: No Way Home (see our full review here). Wow. But back to The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Garfield was freaking excellent in this. I had no idea how much I was going to like his character in this just with him being listed as a supporting performance, but he is basically a secondary lead in this and I loved it. He is downright hilarious in this film and he goes so far with his performance. I completely bought him as he played Jim Bakker, and I bought it about as much as I bought Chastain and that says a ton. His character Jim Bakker is the one who really gets put on the hot seat here, more than Tammy Faye, and he puts his wide range of emotions on full display. I really think this is one of Garfield’s best performances also, and I have a hard time swallowing the fact that he didn’t get nominated for Best Supporting Actor. WTF!

Since we are talking about Oscar nominations, we might as well discuss the film’s second category it got nominated for aside from Best Actress, and that would be for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. I mean I knew from the second I saw this trailer that it was a lock to get nominated, but after seeing it, I think it could win. The cheeks on both lead characters were prevalent, but they were just absolutely wild on Chastain. They were sticking far out and it was very very well done. More than the cheeks though, they also did an incredible job at aging from the graying of the hair to just the wrinkles in their skin. It all looked super real, so overall the makeup was really effective.

Other things I liked in The Eyes of Tammy Faye include the production design, the supporting performances from both Cherry Jones and Vincent D’Onofrio, and also the inclusion and modern spin on all of the old archival footage. In conclusion, this movie was just a good time. It was an easy movie to enjoy and digest, thanks in large part due to the funny and extremely weird tone it had. All of the accents were crazy, and it was honestly cool too because we don’t get characters like this in film often because they are inherently unlikable to most audiences, but if this film tells us one thing, it is that these characters were quite likable.

THE BAD

As enjoyable as this film was, there was one problem that held it back, and that would be the screenplay. The biggest problem with the screenplay was that it kind of lets the character of Tammy Faye off the hook too easily considering all the terrible things she and her husband did back then while they were televangelists. More than that though, I just think this film could have gone further into some bigger issues at play during all of this such as the sort of Christian Capitalism and also how all of this intertwined into politics. I just would have liked to see these issues more on center stage. This isn’t to say that this film is never critical of her because they are, but the film is ultimately a portrayal of her personality rather than her misdeeds, and it dares to celebrate the qualities of Tammy Faye.

Another critique here is that it definitely falls into some of the trappings and tropes of biopics. It had this more funny and campy tone to it. It was also overlong as it dragged at times, and it just felt for the last thirty minutes of the film like it needed to wrap up faster than it did. And I say all that despite its really good ending. Other than that, I thought the direction here was pretty standard as the story didn’t go that deep as I have already discussed, but I had a good time with this overall, and that’s what matters most.

THE VERDICT

Thanks to a potentially Oscar-winning, deeply committed lead performance from Jessica Chastain that takes the film to another level, The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a really enjoyable and occasionally moving biopic on the rise and fall of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker and her husband Jim. The makeup and hairstyling here are second to none, and Andrew Garfield’s performance as Jim Bakker only adds to the entertaining and engaging feel of the film that made it endlessly watchable.

My only quip with the film is that it was maybe a little too innocent when it came to how it portrayed the broader problems at play here such as Christian televangelism among other issues. The movie just leaves you more interested in the character rather than the terrible economic practices that actually happened during this time period, and while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it definitely took some points off on my end.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.6/10

The Eyes of Tammy Faye is now available to watch on HBO Max. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Batman

The Batman is a 2022 superhero film based on the iconic DC Comics character Batman. Produced by DC Films, 6th & Idaho, and Dylan Clark Productions, and set for distribution by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is a reboot of the Batman film franchise. The film is directed by Matt Reeves, who wrote the screenplay with Peter Craig based on the characters from Bob Kane. Reeves, the man who brought us Cloverfield (2008), Let Me In (2010), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), has been quoted as saying this will be the scariest Batman film yet, and that it could even be considered a horror movie in many ways.

When the Riddler, a sadistic serial killer, begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's involvement.

The cast includes Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne / Batman, alongside Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell.

Ben Affleck, who portrayed Batman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), was set to direct, produce, co-write, and star in The Batman in 2014, but in 2017 he chose not to write or direct due to his dissatisfaction with the script. Reeves was hired to take over and reworked Affleck's story to focus on a younger Batman. He sought to emphasize the detective side of the character to a greater extent than previous Batman films and was inspired by the comic books "Year One" (1987), The Long Halloween (1996–1997), and "Ego" (2000). The story is said to be a gritty detective story, described in many ways as a crime thriller with a dark overtone. Two sequels are planned, and two spin-off television series are also in development for HBO Max.

The Batman is set to make its official debut in theaters on March 4th, courtesy of DC Comics and Warner Bros. Pictures.

THE GOOD

I consider myself to be a huge fan of most superhero content, movies and shows included. I’m not a comic book guy so I guess you could say I’m not hardcore in that sense. So for that reason, you won’t catch me criticizing a storyline in one of these superhero films or shows just because they stray from the original stories. As we all know, Marvel has been sticking it to DC Comics as of late, in large part thanks to the Avengers films, as well as the stand-alone Spider-Man movies since Tom Holland started wearing red spandex. But, as far as DC is concerned, Batman is another story altogether. Speaking of DC content, I’m also currently obsessed with the James Gunn HBO Max series Peacemaker starring John Cena, but that is a story for another day.

Batman first made an appearance on-screen in 1943 thanks to late actor Lewis Wilson, followed by Robert Lowery in 1949, and Adam West in 1966. After a 17-year hiatus, Michael Keaton stepped into the role as Batman from 1989 to 1992, in the capable hands of the talented director Tim Burton. Three years later in 1995, Val Kilmer took a crack at the role, with the legendary actor George Clooney throwing his hat into the ring in 1997. I realize most of this background may seem like pointless babbling, but it also may be interesting to those who want to learn more about the origin of Batman.

I graciously offer this history lesson for one reason, and one reason alone, so that I can talk about my guy Christopher Nolan. Nolan is undeniably one of the most talented directors working today, and his decision to give Christian Bale an opportunity to lead the way was just perfect. Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012) were without question the best versions of Batman, hands down. Nolan’s Batman was dark, gritty, and hard-hitting in every way. I mean, this is a character who witnessed his parents getting brutally murdered as a kid, and decides it is up to him to clean up the city of Gotham. He is a vigilante hero fueled by anger and disdain for those who prey on the weak and innocent. This brings me to the latest deep dive into Gotham City from director Matt Reeves, with actor Robert Pattinson stepping into the role as Bruce Wayne for the very first time. Needless to say, expectations couldn’t be any higher, especially after the epic trailers for the film.

With all that said, I of course had to see The Batman at the early release Fan First Premiere showing at my local IMAX theater, but was it worth the massive amount of hype?! Keep reading to find out!

You know that feeling when sky-high expectations come to fruition? It’s a great feeling, right? Yeah, well that basically sums up The Batman for me. I was beyond ready as I sat down in my powered recliner staring at that massive IMAX screen, and the next 3-hours were worth the price of admission, and then some. From the opening scene, I could tell this was going to be a different sort of Batman movie, and I mean that in the best way possible. From the camera work to the emphasis placed on the soundtrack/score, right down to the cinematography, Matt Reeves’ vision quickly took hold as Gotham city came to life. Once we were officially introduced to the imposing new and improved Batman, I was basically giddy in my seat.

As the Dark Knight made quick work of the cities hoodlums, I just wanted to clap after each brutal punch. It was nothing short of fantastic. From a badass-looking suit to an intense gaze sure to intimidate the most hardened criminals, Batman looked the part. The movie itself also has a rough around the edges feel to it, never seeming to be very bright which is fitting. Plus, people seem to forget that Batman is very much a detective with an eye for details, and this movie reminds us of that element of his character.

The story is undoubtedly a driving force for The Batman, as it should be. I talked a little bit about the cinematic history of the character earlier in the review, but the fact of the matter is he has been portrayed in a bunch of different ways. When you sit down and really think about the origin of the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman, the story itself is rooted in trauma and heartbreak. This is ultimately a kid who witnessed the senseless murder of his parents. I mean sure, the Wayne family was incredibly wealthy and his father, Thomas Wayne, was a prominent political figure, but it is still tragic. So I ask, why would we be surprised that the story would be dark and gritty? Well, we shouldn’t be because, at the end of the day, the legacy of Bruce Wayne/Batman is dark and gritty.

He didn’t join the fight against crime and corruption in the city of Gotham just to feel like he was making a difference, although that is certainly part of it. He did it as his way of giving some sense of worth to his existence, being more than just the lost soul he seems to be deep down. Matt Reeves made it clear that he wanted to add layers of depth to this character well beyond anything we have seen in the past. Every little detail matters, for example, Batman has eye black around his eyes underneath the mask to help conceal his identity, but in prior films when he removed his mask it was always gone. Reeves thought changing that would be a small thing that would make a big difference and I love little details like that. At one point during the film, and I promise this is not a spoiler, Batman removes his mask and has this eye black running down his face and I swear he reminded me of Brandon Lee in The Crow. Such a powerful image. That is just one of the many nuanced details that make The Batman so unique and really put it in a league of its own.

One specific scene at the beginning of the film hit me like a ton of bricks emotionally and had me entirely invested in this new Batman and his quest for vengeance right away. I don’t want to give anything away so I will speak vaguely, but this was such a powerful moment in the film that connects Batman to exactly why he puts on the mask in the first place. It exposes all of the pain and anger that he has built up over twenty years in a matter of 30 seconds. It was honestly surreal as I felt like this scene stood still somehow. The Nirvana song “Something In The Way” is playing during this specific scene, and this song in many ways serves as the heart of the soundtrack for The Batman. I can’t wait to see this movie again just so I can experience this moment one more time.

The Batman is very much a true character study of the iconic caped crusader. It’s a deep dive into the psychological toll the tragedy in his life has had on him. As Batman, he is confident, resourceful, and dangerous. As Bruce Wayne, he is reserved, antisocial, and honestly just sad. In many ways, he thrives as his alter ego, and is a shell of himself when he takes off the mask. It’s not like he took the time to sit down with a therapist and work through his issues, instead, he buried that pain deep down inside and took on the moniker of vengeance, which is of course fitting for many reasons.

I personally loved his character because it felt raw and real, he was never anything but himself. He refused to put on a show to please others, even if he was viewed as a freak or an outsider. After watching The Batman, I feel like I understand the character better than I ever have before, and that is really saying something. I also really liked how they took the approach of having Bruce Wayne/Batman narrate the story, which for me added another intimate layer to the film.

I keep hearing people talk about the fact that there was no way Robert Pattinson could play Batman, mostly because all people would see is his role as Edward Cullen in the popular Twilight franchise. But if you can’t separate an actor from a franchise that ended a decade ago, that sounds a little bit like a YOU problem. I mean really, Pattinson has been in a ton since that franchise concluded, most recently starring in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, as well as the Netflix thriller The Devil All the Time, just to name a few projects.

But, a movie of his that seems to fly under the radar is the 2017 crime thriller Good Time, where Pattinson stars alongside Benny Safdie and Jennifer Jason Leigh. For me, this was the defining career moment for Pattinson, where he proved he can play that gritty and complex role that not every actor is capable of taking on. Interestingly enough, director Matt Reeves was quoted as saying that film (Good Time) was a big reason why Pattinson quickly became the frontrunner for him to get the role of Batman in his mind. He said that his character in Good Time fit the mold as far as what he was looking for, which was an actor who can play a character filled with rage and violence but is also able to display a wide range of emotions. He also felt like Pattinson had that Kurt Cobain feel to him, meaning he looked like a rockstar but beneath it all he kept to himself.

Pattinson’s Batman is everything we want the character to be; physically imposing, extremely angry, and relentless. He is bigger than everyone else, and he is stronger than everyone else. During the more intense fight scenes, the bad guys aren’t attacking one at a time, they are coming all at once with weapons and guns, but Batman holds his own. During several scenes, he makes his appearance slowly as he comes out of the shadows, starting with viewers hearing only his footsteps until he enters the frame which is some incredible foreshadowing. The film also has it raining during a number of scenes, and they take full advantage of those scenes as well by having Batman walk with such force through the pounding rain. I guarantee you that if you had any reservations about Pattinson prior to watching The Batman, you will be singing a different tune once you reach the end credits.

Zoë Kravitz is the best Selina Kyle/Catwoman to date, and that is just not up for debate. Kravitz, who is currently dating my man Channing Tatum, is an amazing actress in general, and I applaud her for her willingness to take on roles in indie films, as well as big-time blockbusters like The Batman. One of which is the just-released HBO Max original film Kimi, which Andrew actually did a review for which you can find here, and the 2014 drama thriller Good Kill, alongside Ethan Hawke. It’s crazy to think her acting career started in 2007 with the romantic comedy No Reservations, and the intense crime drama The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster.

The fact that Kravitz began her career with two films that are such opposite genres is fitting for someone who has developed into such a versatile actress. Her portrayal of Catwoman is just perfection, from the look to the way she carries herself, she added so much value to the film. I also really liked how she fit into the story, and appreciated the fact that compared to prior actresses who took on this role, she was much more even-keeled and down to earth in terms of her personality. Also, the chemistry she had with Pattinson was massive. Even though she is crucial to the story, her character arch never feels overpowering and works more in tandem with the events unfolding in the film. Reeves actually said one reason why he chose Kravitz was because she already had an established relationship with Pattinson and knew they would work well together, and to say the two shared some very intense scenes would be an understatement.

Colin Farrell is unrecognizable in his role as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin. Unless you went into the movie knowing it was him, there’s zero chance you’d piece it together on your own. From the “fat suit” to everything they did with his face, he looks and sounds like a different person. I read that in between scenes Reeves would have conversations with Farrell, who would stay in full character during the interactions, which didn’t surprise me at all considering Farrell’s pedigree and commitment as an actor. I just can’t say enough amazing things about his performance. It just came across so natural and easy for him. I really enjoyed his character, and one particular scene towards the end of the film was extra enjoyable (no spoilers, of course). John Turturro was also amazing in his role as Carmine Falcone, which really should surprise nobody. The man who once starred as Jesus Quintana in the cult classic The Big Lebowski, is a hell of an actor which is why he plays a very important role in The Batman. I can’t picture anyone else playing this role better, and he just plays off the other characters extremely well.

Paul Dano is next level intense in his role as The Riddler, and like Turturro, I honestly can’t think of anyone who would have played that role better. As an actor Dano is extremely underrated, but after the world sees him in this role, he will become a household name. Dano actually has quite an impressive filmography despite being just known for supporting roles. He did have a gut wrenching performance in the film Prisoners. One of his films that always stands out for me is the very unique comedy drama Swiss Army Man, where he stars alongside Daniel Radcliffe. It will likely be one of the weirdest movies you have ever seen, but it is very much worth a watch. It is available On-Demand and is streaming on Showtime. Back on track, Dano is exceptional in his role as The Riddler and he couldn’t have been more believable. The dark elements of the film start with him, and boy oh boy does he deliver. I don’t want to put my foot in my mouth or anything, but his character is the only thing that comes close to Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight. Reeves actually said that his character was partly inspired by the infamous serial killer Zodiac.

It is crazy think that this is the first time The Riddler and the Penguin have been on-screen in a live-action capacity in quite some time, with the Riddler last appearing in Batman Forever (1995) in the form of Jim Carrey, and the Penguin last appearing in Batman Returns (1992) in the form of Danny DeVito.

I am a big fan of actor Jeffrey Wright, who was amazing in the HBO series Westworld. In The Batman he takes on the pivotal role of James Gordon, Batman’s ally and direct link to the Gotham Police Department. I felt like Wright was really good in this role and was able to effectively translate how important of a character Gordon is to the story. His chemistry with Pattinson was great, and you really felt like he was one of the only people that believed in what Batman was doing and understood him which was why he entrusted him on cases. I did read that Reeves had considered Mahershala Ali for the role of James Gordon, and although admittedly I may have preferred him just in terms of his overall abilities as an actor, Wright is still an asset to this film.

Andy Serkis was also awesome as usual. This guy is great in pretty much any role he takes on, whether it’s the Planet of the Apes films, or his incredible portrayal of Ulysses Klaue in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther. He is just a stud. In The Batman he plays Bruce Wayne/Batman’s trusted confidant Alfred Pennyworth, who has been by his side since the beginning. After the murder of his parents, Alfred stepped in as Wayne’s only remaining family, meaning he also served as a reminder of everything he lost. He has been a constant in all of the Batman films proving his value and the simple fact that you cannot have a Batman film without his character. I was pleased that they chose Serkis, who is one of the more youthful actors to play Alfred which will be helpful going forward with what should be another couple of films at least.

Director Matt Reeves is truly talented and deserves his credit for the success of The Batman. He was very clear in terms of the direction he wanted to take things from the outset, from who he wanted to cast right down the overall feel and inspiration for the film, and everything seemed to fit together seamlessly. You never once felt like he was borrowing ideas from Christopher Nolan or anyone else for that matter. His willingness to essentially start from scratch as far as how he viewed Batman was risky, to say the least and the fact that the studio gave him so much creative control speaks to their trust in him. Prior to Ben Affleck leaving the project as he was originally going to direct and star in the film, he had a script that the studio liked and Reeves himself admitted to liking it as well, comparing it to the feel of a James Bond-style of Batman film. But when it was all said and done, Reeves decided he wanted to go with more of a noir detective-driven story. He made this movie his own, and he should be damn proud of the final product.

On the technical side of things, oh man where do I start?! Seriously, they went all out with this movie. I will try and touch on each element the best I can without digging too deep into either one, but there’s lots of meat on this bone, let me just say that.

What stood out to me right from the jump was the camera work, and the in-your-face feel that you will be treated with throughout the film. During one particular sequence that in many ways sets the tone for the film, we are following James Gordon along a hallway seemingly to a crime scene as each police officer he passes looks back at us in a POV (point of view) that made the audience feel like the focal point. We soon realize that the camera is from the view of Batman who immediately draws the attention of every person he crosses paths with. During various scenes when Batman was on his motorcycle the camera was either attached to the side or attached to his helmet, giving viewers the feel of actually being on that motorcycle with him.

The cinematography was exceptional and was without a doubt a centerpiece for this film. Greig Fraser, who recently worked on Dune (check out our full review here), is a true talent. Right from the beginning I was in awe of the noir look and feel, and just the great shots of Batman and the city of Gotham. As with many other Batman films, he is constantly meeting James Gordon when he sees the bat signal in the sky, and they made great use of this aspect in the film. They meet at a spot high above the city with the camera looking over Gotham with Batman and Gordon sharing the frame, and each time I just wanted to take in the look and feel of the scene. Later in the film, we get a few similar shots with Batman and Catwoman, and they are equally as amazing. For me, The Batman is in another galaxy when it comes to cinematography compared to other Batman films, and I honestly feel like it deserves a few nominations.

I am a sucker for a good soundtrack and score, and The Batman brings down the house when it comes to that. Composer Michael Giacchino is credited with the music as he teams up with Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, and Lorne Balfe as composers. All three have composed for both the Batman franchise and the Mission: Impossible franchise, and all but Balfe have composed Spider-Man films as well. The action scenes and the more emotional scenes are fueled by the soundtrack and the score, and it just felt like such a crucial element of the film from start to finish. You just can’t achieve that truly gritty feel with a combination of effective soundtrack and score, and similar to the cinematography, I feel like a few nominations are in order.

THE BAD

I’ll be honest with you, this is a difficult film to criticize. Before going to see The Batman, I was back and forth on whether or not I should watch some of the previous films to get me ready. Personally, I am a huge fan of the Christopher Nolan trilogy, consisting of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, with The Dark Knight easily being my favorite (RIP Heath Ledger aka The Joker). But I came to the conclusion that I should just hold off as it was likely that director Matt Reeves was going with something unique in more ways than one, and I was right.

Some people may criticize certain elements of the film out of preference, most notably the shift from Playboy Bruce Wayne to more of the introverted reclusive version, but for me, it fit the overall feel of the film. This is sort of a weird thing to complain about, but Batman is such a beast in his suit but when he is Bruce Wayne, he just seems a bit frail in comparison. I mean they tried their best to make him look muscular with some creative camera work, but at the end of the day, that is just not Robert Pattinson. Again a small knock on the film itself, but still worth mentioning. In conclusion, this is a new take on Batman showing a willingness to take some chances, and I applaud Matt Reeves for doing just that as he really knocked it out of the park.

THE VERDICT

A dark and gritty noir detective story that brings director Matt Reeves’ unique vision and propensity for character-driven storytelling to life, The Batman is an immersive and raw look at the caped crusader now known as vengeance, and you will never look at him the same way again. Batman has never been so vulnerable yet so dangerous, so resourceful yet so reliant on his allies and those close to him. The world that is created within The Batman feels real to the point where you can’t help but be invested in everything that happens. This movie just has it all, a great story, incredible acting, stellar cinematography, and a soundtrack and score that brings it all together. Another very important takeaway I should also mention is this does not feel like a 3-hour movie, as everything flows exactly the way it is supposed to. I honestly never thought I would say that a director not named Christopher Nolan made a superior Batman film, but that is exactly what happened.

The energy at the sold-out IMAX theater for the exclusive Fan First screening was infectious, and the entire theater clapping as soon as the screen went black was absolutely the icing on the cake. I will be seeing The Batman again in the next few days and will see it in theaters at least three times when it’s all said and done. Robert Pattinson signed on to do three movies, so fingers crossed we get our trilogy and I personally cannot wait for what’s to come next. Be sure to see The Batman for yourself as soon as possible so that you can feel as giddy as I do.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.2/10

The Batman will debut on March 4th only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Flee

By: Andrew Wing

Flee (Danis: Flugt) is a 2021 Danish animated docudrama film directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen. It follows the story of a man named Amin Nawabi, who shares his hidden past of fleeing his country for the first time. Riz Ahmed (Venom, Sound of Metal) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones, Shot Caller) serve as executive producers.

The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2021. It was released in theaters in the United States on December 3, 2021, by Neon and Participant.

The film was selected as the Danish entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, where it received a nomination, along with nominations in the Best Documentary Feature and Best Animated Feature categories, becoming the first film to be nominated in all three major categories, simultaneously.

THE GOOD

Flee is one of those films that has been on my radar for a long time. It premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival where it got great reviews, and as I say in the intro, it also had an excellent turnout at the Academy Awards. Ever since getting big into movies a couple of years ago, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for both documentaries and animated films, and Flee is both. Aside from the incredible true story that gets hinted at in the trailer, the main selling point for Flee with me was how unique of a film it is being a documentary that uses animation. With that said, I was ecstatic when I saw it was streaming on Hulu so I immediately checked it out. But now it’s time to find out if it was as groundbreaking as people are making it out to be, so let’s get into the review!

First things first, this story is incredible. It tells the story of Amin, a refugee from Afghanistan, who eventually ended up in Denmark. It’s a harrowing, gripping, thrilling journey from beginning to end. It’s a first hand account from Amin, and we follow him from his early life to where he is now. This film will have a lasting impact on you as it has on me, and it really makes you think about how different certain countries treat refugees and how we could all handle this crisis differently. This movie just shows how these refugees ultimately want somewhere they can call a home, rather than always having that ripped away from them and constantly having to worry about where to go next to keep from being murdered in their own country. There was just so much to take away from this, and I have a hard time thinking anybody won’t come away enthralled by Amin’s journey.

The animation is unbelievable here. It is used to literally illustrate the story for you. For the most part, the animation in this is stylized in a way that really tries to hone in on the emotional experience Amin is on and the intensity of every situation. We got a little bit of archival footage of certain times and places to help paint the picture too which I thought was a nice touch. All in all though, it’s content is thematic and the animation was an incredibly effective way to tell the story, and I’m extremely glad it got nominated for Best Animated Feature Film. It likely won’t win though with Disney’s Encanto (see my full review here) being the heavy favorite, but it’s really remarkable to have a foreign documentary film even nominated for that category.

In conclusion, just a round of applause for the director Jonas Poher Rasmussen. He truly gives us a piece of art that expertly discusses it’s very prevalent subject matter. I’m very happy for him and the fact that he will forever be attached to the first film that broke barriers by collecting those three Oscar nominations simultaneously. Also, I need to honestly say thank you to Amin Nawabi (who uses an alias for protection) for having the courage to share his story. He allowed us to get a piece of him as he tells us everything through narration. Amin is very open and honest about how this experience impacted him as an individual. Flee also has great LGBT representation as Amin, a homosexual man, had to hide his identity every time he became a citizen of another place, and so he shares how he grappled with all of that in the film. Lastly, Flee made me feel incredibly grateful that I’ve never even come close to dealing with something like this. It made me fully aware and thankful of the privilege that citizenship gives us, and it took a film like this for me to fully realize that.

THE BAD

There is absolutely nothing “bad” about this film. It’s hard to critique a documentary just because of what they are, but the only critical thing I can say about this is that I wanted more time focused on a certain storyline. It carries a lot of weight early on in the film, and then you don’t hear much about it until right before the end credits roll. Also, and I’m putting this out not as a critique but rather a warning to anyone that’s going to watch this, the film is Danish, so the entire film is in subtitles. Other than that though, this was just an amazing film that I think everybody should check out.

THE VERDICT

Flee is an incredibly powerful true story of one refugee’s life that perfectly blends animation and documentary filmmaking. It’s no surprise that this is the first film to be nominated at the Academy Awards for the three major categories simultaneously: Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature and Best Animated Feature, as it is just a groundbreaking and unforgettable feat of storytelling that had me completely blown away.

TED TAKES RATING - 9/10

Flee is now available to watch on Hulu. Check out the latest trailer below.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2022 horror slasher film, directed by David Blue Garcia, with a screenplay by Chris Thomas Devlin, from an original story co-written by Fede Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues. It is a sequel to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and the ninth installment of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (TCM) franchise.

After nearly 50 years of hiding, Leatherface returns to terrorize a group of idealistic young friends who accidentally disrupt his carefully shielded world in a remote Texas town.

The cast includes Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Nell Hudson, Mark Burnham, Jacob Latimore, Moe Dunford, Olwen Fouéré, Alice Krige, and Jessica Allain.

After the release of Leatherface in 2017, Lionsgate had plans for five more films in the franchise. However, the studio lost the rights due to the time it took to release it. Legendary acquired the franchise's rights, with Álvarez and Sayagues serving as producers alongside Pat Cassidy, Ian Henkel, and Kim Henkel who co-wrote the original film.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre released on Netflix February 18th.

THE GOOD

Whether it be Friday the 13th, which is my all-time favorite slasher franchise, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, or Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I am what you would consider to be a slasher fanatic. I love the genre and all of it’s campy glory, and I would be lying if I didn’t say that the attractive clothing optional females helped lead me to the promise land early on in life. I have been watching slashers for as long as I can remember, and I currently have quite the collection of Blu-rays including the full Friday the 13th set, not to mention the authentic Jason mask I have in my closet. Not weird at all. I even appreciate the lesser known stuff like the Hatchet films for example, which is essentially the story of Leatherface living on the bayou. So yeah, this genre is my bread and butter so I was excited to hear that the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre was coming to Netflix. I refused to let my expectations get away from me and anxiously awaited February 18th. So, was it a waste of my time or a solid entry in a storied slasher franchise? Keep reading to find out!

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a fun visit from the legendary Leatherface, well at least its fun for those of us watching from the safety of our couch. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, but instead concerns itself with massively gory kills and a killer we can root for. Plus, at just under an hour and a half, this is a very easy watch that moves along nicely once things get going.

You will watch this movie to see Leatherface do what he does best, which is murder annoying Austin, Texas bred hipsters in rapid succession. That is one of the unique things about slashers, even though the killer is very clearly the bad guy, you still root for them. Growing up watching the Friday the 13th franchise I was never scared of the movies because I looked at Jason as a badass, and in my mind if you stayed away from Camp Crystal Lake you were safe. It wasn’t his fault these idiots wouldn’t leave him to spend time with his mother’s severed head in peace. Sorry if that’s a spoiler. So yeah, you will for sure root for Leatherface throughout the film, and will even have a smile on your face during some of the more brutally violent scenes, especially a scene that takes place on a bus and involved social media and cancel culture. It might be my twisted sense of enjoyment but I was smiling ear to ear during that scene, and felt like that alone is worth the price of subscription. Streaming pun, you’re welcome.

From a technical standpoint, I was genuinely impressed with the cinematography. Early on it was very meh, but once we encounter Leatherface in all of his wearing someones face as a mask glory, things really get going. I loved the shot where we are staring at a field and suddenly he appears, and proceeds to walk through the frame as we get a great shot of the field and the sky. He is the focal point throughout the film as expected, and I just thought that they included so many powerful shots to really please fans. Plus, the look was absolutely spot on. He looked the part right from the start, and for me that was huge. The makeup and special effects team deserve a ton of credit. All of the kills were fantastic and very creative which was huge for me. Not to give anything away, but the first unlucky contestant on the Leatherface gameshow is murdered by his own fractured wrist. To be fair, he did grab his hand in a very forceful manner and we know he does not like that. But seriously, the kills were great and he puts his trademark chainsaw to good use as well. For a 70+ year old hillbilly who walks like he could die at any moment, he is pretty damn deadly.

THE BAD

Okay so where do I start, first things first, Texas Chainsaw Massacre does not live up to its billing as far as franchise expectations. Sure its a sequel and you can’t expect it to be groundbreaking, but it just misses the mark more often than it should have. The biggest and most glaring issue is the screenplay as it relates to the overall storyline and the characters. I mean, I get that they wanted to make it feel cool and hip and current blah blah, but in the process the final product was basically trash. Plus the story is full of holes and inconsistencies that hardcore fans will pick up on right away, plus the timeline is a mess. It just felt lazy and too much like the easy route to take, almost like they didn’t care about the story and instead wanted to focus on the gore, which does show up in a big way. Now all is not lost and the movie is still worth watching, but if you are expecting some sort of eye-opening experience to carry the legend of Leatherface forward, you will be very disappointed.

The acting is mediocre at best for the most part, but when you’re casting for a slasher you are less concerned with traditional acting ability. You are more concerned with how good these people are at getting brutally murdered, or how attractive they might be, ideally both of those things. Which brings me to my next point which in my mind is absolutely a knock on the film and a ridiculous misstep. Now I’m not sure how to say this without sounding like a complete douche, so I will just come right out and say it, the cast was lacking that key slasher element which is a very attractive character, male or female. I mean this is a must, even if they die right away which they often do, you still need this character to exist. The babe or hunk if you will, someone that really gets that fire burning.

Look at the most recent Friday the 13th film for example, pretty much that entire cast is straight from a GQ photo shoot. Are they great actors? Not quite, but they are good enough, and the fact that they are so easy on the eyes helps make it so viewers will overlook certain things they might not otherwise. The cast of Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a C at best when it comes to level of attractiveness, and it hurts the movie. Simple. Nell Hudson (pictured above) deserves an honorable mention, but she’s no Julianna Guill of Friday the 13th (2009) fame. Plus, I couldn’t get over how much Sarah Yarkin looks like Arrested Development and Search Party star Alia Shawkat’s stunt double. For some reason, that really annoyed me.

THE VERDICT

Although lacking in quality storytelling or characters with any substance whatsoever, Texas Chainsaw Massacre still kicks it into high gear with lots of exciting kills and unlimited gore delivering to fans the Leatherface they know and love. Much of the first half hour was a cringeworthy lesson of “woke” culture, but once bodies start to drop the slasher feel is in full force. Fans will be frustrated that Texas Chainsaw Massacre could have and should have been so much better, but I still enjoyed it and felt satisfied by the ending that is sure to bring with it a follow-up film. Plus, at less than an hour and a half, it is a quick watch by todays standards.

Bottom line, when it comes to this new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie, the good outweighs the bad as far as entertainment value, and that’s really all you can ask for. This is just straight forward slasher fun with any semblance of story placed on the backburner, yet I plan to watch it again. Honestly, I had a hard time scoring this movie, mostly because I try to rate based on genre and the slasher genre is unique in many ways. Plus, this has me really wanting another Friday the 13th movie which I will hopefully get at some point in my lifetime. Its been 13 years already, so I won’t hold my breath.

TED TAKES RATING - 5.9/10

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is now streaming on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

Home Team

By: Andrew Wing

Home Team is a 2022 American sports comedy film directed by Charles and Daniel Kinnane, written by Chris Titone and Keith Blum, and starring Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Grown Ups), Taylor Lautner (The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, The Twilight Saga film series), Rob Schneider (The Animal, The Benchwarmers), Jackie Sandler (Adam Sandler’s wife who frequently stars in Happy Madison films), and Tait Blum.

The film, although a comedy, is inspired by actual events, the film tells the story of New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton who coached his 12-year-old son’s football team during his one-year suspension from the NFL due to his involvement in the Bountygate scandal.

Home Team was produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions and Kevin James’s Hey Eddie Productions and filmed in Edgard, Louisiana from May to June 2021. It was released on January 28, 2022, by Netflix.

THE GOOD

Where do I start? When I saw this trailer for the first time I was just left in disbelief. I love me some Kevin James, there is no debating that. He is a comedy legend having played Paul Blart, but he also showed with one of his more recent films, Becky, that he can also legitimately act as he plays a Neo-Nazi in that action thriller film. But despite my fandom, I would be lying if I said I was pumped to see him play longtime NFL head coach Sean Payton. Nevertheless, I put all those terrible reviews for this film I’ve been seeing on the back burner for an hour and a half and went ahead and pressed play, so now it’s time to see if this movie was really as bad as some are making it out to be, or if it’s actually worth the watch. Keep reading and find out!

We might as well start with the head of the snake here and address Kevin James’s performance here. Quick spoiler, but I will get to his actual portrayal of Payton in the bad section, but just to discuss James’s acting here, I don’t think it’s really that bad. I mean it’s Kevin James. The man is funny, and anybody who says he isn’t in this film is just lying to you. There were multiple times when he cracked me up with jokes and banter with all the 12-year-old kids on the football team he is coaching. Throughout the film, he also has these running gags with Rob Schneider’s character and also Adam Sandler’s nephew Jared, who plays this dumb clerk that works at the hotel where Payton is staying and those are pretty good. I don’t know if I’ll ever get tired of Kevin James and Rob Schneider going back and forth, it’s just a treat.

Now onto the other big name attached here, Taylor Lautner, who plays Troy Lambert, the head coach of the middle-school football team. Seeing Lautner in this trailer was easily the best part of it, at least for me. Being someone who grew up watching The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl literally every night before going to bed, I am just a fan of his. And I hate to admit, but I was also Team Jacob during the dark days of cinema with The Twilight Saga film series. Enough of that though, I honestly think this is the best performance of his career. Now his filmography isn’t very long and there isn’t a ton of competition when it comes to his past performances, but I was really impressed with what we got from him here. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s getting older and might only have a six-pack of abs rather than a shredded eight-pack, but it was nice to see his acting skills on display here and I hope we see more of him in the future!

Before getting to the bad, there are a couple of other things that I liked about the film worth mentioning. One, and their acting wasn’t particularly great, but I was overall pleased with the group of kids that play on the middle-school team here. They did a good job at highlighting a few of the kids and giving them backstories, and they certainly all have their own unique personalities. And second, it’s sort of becoming second nature when it comes to Sandler's Happy Madison films, but there are a couple of great cameos in Home Team that will surely put a smile on your face and give you a good laugh.

THE BAD

Alright, here we go. I think it is easy to tell if you just watch the trailer, but the biggest problem here is the fact that Kevin James doesn’t resemble Sean Payton in the slightest. Not only does James not look like Payton in the face, but the accent he tries here and the mannerisms he uses are just bad. But what is worse than all of that is the fact that those in charge of the film aren’t even trying to make it a bit, they are legitimately trying to have Kevin James portray Payton as much as possible and it just gets a big fat F from me. Now I still had a little fun with it and I laughed a decent amount, but whenever I remembered that what I was watching was based on a true story and that James was playing Payton, I just got more annoyed and it definitely took some points off.

Another thing that was frustrating here was just me trying to wrap my head around why this movie got made. Now don’t get me wrong, this is a really cool story about how Payton spent his time during his one-year suspension and I can see how it translates to the big screen, but why did it need to be a comedy? For example, I honestly think this story would’ve been better served if it took the American Underdog (see Ted’s full review here) route. Because in that, we see Kurt Warner’s amazing true story brought to life on the big screen, and I think it would’ve been cool to see how Payton spent his one-year suspension coaching a middle-school football team, but more importantly how he developed and strengthened his bond with his child during what was, I’m sure, a very stressful time in his life.

There were a couple of other things that were tough to ignore when it came to Home Team. The first is that I was not a fan of the performance we got from Tait Blum as Payton’s son, Connor. His character is given some of the more dramatic moments in the film as Connor and his father have a rocky relationship, but they just didn’t do it for me, and I was pretty disappointed in his performance. Second, and this is small, but why do Rob Schneider’s characters in films always have to be such oddballs who are incredibly weird? I am just curious. And last but most definitely least, the projectile vomiting scene in this that is shown in the trailer is just so stupid. Like that is so outdated and not funny, and I really am lost trying to find a reason why anyone involved in this thought that would be a good scene to include.

THE VERDICT

While it most definitely won’t be winning any prestigious awards, Home Team will be making some noise at the Golden Raspberry Awards, which if you are unaware, is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. There is just a lot wrong with this movie from Kevin James’s portrayal of Sean Payton, its mixed-messaging, to its god-awful projectile vomiting scene. Nevertheless, it’s still a comedy film featuring Kevin James if you are looking for a laugh, and it also features a surprisingly solid performance from Taylor Lautner in his return to film after taking a six-year hiatus.

TED TAKES RATING - 3/10

Home Team is now available to watch on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.