The Trap is not one of the better films to feature Charlie Chan, as played by the late Sidney Toler. Howard Bretherton directed this film which was written by Miriam Kissinger. The character was first created by the late Earl Derr Biggers, who was also given some writing credit. Biggers died in 1933, so he probably didn’t have much to do with this bit of tragic cinema.
Victor Sen Yung, Barbara Jean Wong, Mantan Moreland, and Tanis Chandler are also included in the cast.
It’s kind of a classic murder mystery set-up where a where a theatrical ensemble is staying at a beach house where scandal and blackmail are ruining the camaraderie among the showgirls. When one of the showgirls is murdered, a pair of them fall under suspicion. San Toy happens to know the son of the great detective, Charlie Chan, and reaches out for some help. Jimmy Chan starts his own investigation; however, the big man turns up when he receives some information that Jimmy himself had been murdered. Charlie devises a trap to ensnare a murderer who has claimed a second victim as he discovers the secrets held by the performers.
There isn’t much about this particular film that works. Charlie Chan isn’t all that involved in the story as expected. I did a little research here and learned that Toler had been coping with a severe cancer diagnosis at the time of production. In fact, he died the following year. The story was not that interesting. Well, it did follow the basic tropes of the genre and the other films in the series, but it was not executed all that well. It felt rushed and a bit incoherent. Now that I am aware of Toler’s condition during filming, it does seem the studio was rather ruthlessly trying to make as much money as possible from a star who was terribly sick.
I do think the Charlie Chan movies themselves are worth some viewing time due to the cultural impact at the time of release, but I also believe this particular film deserves a pass. The actors did their best, but the script did little to help.
Apartment 7A is a mildly interesting horror film which I just read was supposed to be some prequel to the classic film, Rosemary’s Baby. The film is directed by Natalie Erika James, who co-wrote the film alongside Christian White and Skylar James. Julia Garner is in the lead as aspiring stage dancer, Terry Gionoffrio. Other cast members include Dianne Weist, Jim Sturgess, Kevin McNally, and Marli Siu.
Terry Gionoffrio is a dancer who was seriously injured in a fall onstage and is having some difficulty getting booked for other Broadway gigs. She meets an elderly couple who befriend her and offer a rent-free apartment in a lavish old complex. Of course, Terry starts having strange dreams and hallucinations. She does have a seemingly convenient fling with a Broadway producer which could lead to her desired fame on the stage. In the midst of these strange circumstances, Terry learns that she is pregnant, but there is something odd about the developing child. It turns out that Terry has been ensnared by some dedicated Satanists eager to bring forth a manifestation of the one they worship.
The film hits some of the right notes that engage my interest. It takes place in the 1960’s in New York. There is a rather spooky apartment, although we’re not really confined there with Terry. Terry does get to leave and figure out what kind of situation keeps her on the edge of hysteria. I have no real complaint about the cast. Garner is a pretty good actress. Wiest is kind of a legend and is easily able to pull off the part of a strange old woman who can be deadlier than she first appears.
The script is okay. There is nothing really that unique about setup or plot. Geriatric Satanists seems like an interesting idea, but I just ultimately found it to be kind of hammy. Some of the imagery of the devil was kind of clever, but nothing too jarring or unique.
I don’t think I have gotten around to seeing Rosemary’s Baby. Even though I may eventually be curious enough to see it, this film didn’t really kickstart my interest that much.
Apartment 7A is not a bad film on the whole and does have some merit in the horror genre, but there isn’t much that’s unique and will likely be considered another unnecessary prequel that has a tenuous connection to the film that inspired it.
Holland is a psychological thriller that has a few moments of almost being interesting but just couldn’t quite get there. Mimi Cave is the director of this mediocre cinematic effort, which was written by Andrew Sodroski. Nicole Kidman has the lead role and is accompanied by a cast which includes Matthew Macfadyen, Gael Garcia Bernal, Jude Hill, and Rachel Sennott.
Nancy Vandergroot is a teacher in the small town of Holland, Michigan, which is rather proud of its Dutch American roots. She is quite happy with her family until she starts to wonder if her husband, who travels a lot for work, is having an affair. She enlists the help of a friend and colleague to help her confirm her suspicions; however, the truth is something that is far worse.
The film does have some elements that are somewhat interesting, but somehow the end result is still rather hollow. The exploration of Dutch American roots is something not commonly displayed in movies, so I thought that was a decent start. I think that I had a hard time really caring about any of the main characters. Kidman is usually a solid casting choice, and she does fine with this role, but there is nothing all compelling about her character. I had a hard time being all that interested in her plight that starts to unfold.
The plot of a seemingly dutiful husband’s double life is somewhat overdone even if the setting in this film was a little eccentric and unique.
The performances were not terrible, which was helpful, but also nothing was all that memorable. The town did seem to have some charm.
Although it’s hard to have any real criticism of the film’s technical elements, I just found that it was missing something that should have made it more gripping.
The Life of Chuck us in the running to become one of the best movies of 2025, in my humble opinion. Mike Flanagan is the screenwriter and director of this piece, which is adapted from a novella written by a not-so-new writer named Stephen King. Tom Hiddleston is in the lead role alongside the child actors portraying the younger versions of Charles Krantz. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Mark Hamill, and Annalise Basso are part of the formidable cast.
The story unfolds from the end when Ejiofor’s character, Marty Anderson, notices some strange sights in the world around him. There is a serious increase in natural disasters, and the internet has completely collapsed. There are some peculiar advertisements cropping up depicting a picture of a man named Chuck Krantz, a seemingly normal accountant. As Chuck lies near death from a terminal brain tumor, the stars are blinking out, and the universe seems to be just shutting down.
Then, the story moves earlier in the Chuck’s life to a strange but uplifting impromptu dance performance before a street drummer. Then, Chuck’s childhood is laid out. All of this is helped by a narrator, Nick Offerman, who does a fantastic job of guiding the audience on this strange journey.
The novella is part of a collection by Stephen King entitled If It Bleeds. The film probably follows the source material pretty closely. There are some interesting twists and a few surprises throughout the film
The performances were solid and believable. The significant cast members were well-chosen. There was a kind of interesting subtlety to some of the performances during some of the more emotionally charged moments of the movie.
The film does seem to have a bit of a slow start, but it gets more engaging as it unfolds in its unconventional timeline. The three kids who played Chuck’s adolescent years did a great job as well. Flanagan has done quite a few adaptations of King’s works and seems to be pretty reliable. I do not recall being disappointed in some of his other works.
I have not read the novella, but I imagine that it is an example of how King actually demonstrates some variety in his writings.
I will also admit that I did not really recognize Mark Hamill as Chuck’s grandfather until the end credits came up. I thought he was familiar, but I was not sure why. Hamill is not someone who I consider to be a stellar actor, but he did quite well in this one. Maybe, he has actually gotten better in immersing himself in a role over the years, and I just failed to appreciate it.
Anyway, this film does deserve the acclaim it has received. It is certainly better than most of the nonsense coming out of Hollywood these days.
The Amateur just manages to be one of the better films to be released early in 2025 with Rami Malek putting forth a heartfelt performance as CIA cryptographer Charlie Heller, who launches a campaign to avenge the murder of his wife, which will lead him to acquire a different set of abilities. James Hawes is the director of this film, which was written by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli. It is based on a novel written in 1981 by Robert Littell.
The cast is a formidable one that includes Laurence Fishburne, Rachel Brosnahan, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, and Caitriona Balfe.
Charlie Heller is a mild-mannered, ingenious, and somewhat socially awkward CIA nerd who somehow managed to snag a beautiful, charming wife played quite convincingly by Brosnahan, who is about to leave for London on a business trip. Sarah Heller is gunned down in a terrorist attack, which prompts the grieving Charlie to use his smarts to identify the murderers. He is more than a little disappointed when he finds that his colleagues aren’t too willing to move on the information he has provided. He decides to take matter into his own hands and gain the training he needs to accomplish his lethal desire for justice. The point is driven home that he does not quite have the necessary fortitude to be a stone-cold killer. He does have other skills and knowledge that could be of use, however. The superiors in the agency have still misjudged Heller’s determination and talents, and they may eventually regret now working with him. Heller has four suspects to hunt down and is on a dangerous path to confront the man who pulled the trigger.
I thought this was a pretty good film even if the plot seems as old as Time itself. Malek’s performance did evoke more than a little sympathy for his character’s loss, but I am a bit of a sucker for a good revenge plot.
The film does have some great scenery throughout since Heller has quite a bit of traveling to do. There is not much time devoted to clearly explain how Heller was able to get his hands on some of the utensils he acquired to pull off his plan. Still, some of these plot holes are not significant enough to keep me from finding enjoyment in this release.
Malek is a talented actor and appears to be a solid casting choice for this role. I have no real criticism of any of the performances themselves, so that’s a plus.
I had some issues with the editing, which I am finding to be a more common observation in the recent movies I have viewed. The shifts in scenery were a bit jarring at times.
The plot is implausible and relies on a few annoying coincidences, but again it manages to not seem too over the top.
The movie is not the greatest spy thriller of all time, but it’s a long way from the bottom of the barrel and worth the time to kick back with a favorite snack and see how far Charlie will go for vengeance.
Afraid is a science fiction horror film that almost is the epitome of mediocre filmmaking. Chris Weitz wrote and directed this movie which stars John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, and Keith Carradine among others.
The story centers on a perfectly respectable, charming family who are talked into testing a new artificial intelligence device designed to help households run more efficiently. AIA is the name of this computer on the verge of something resembling a psychotic break or something. It starts off, predictably, as being a blessing, but something more manipulative and dangerous starts to emerge. The patriarch, played by Cho, works for the computer engineering company testing the program. Also, two people wearing unusual masks start stalking the family as well. AIA may be of some help, but the family may have to pay a steep price to keep it on their side.
Cho and Waterston are pretty good as the well-meaning couple. The performances are almost enough to forgive the predictable plot. Havana Rose Liu, who voices the computer, alternates between soothing and chilling quite effectively. The cast was well selected. The problem is that the script just wasn’t that interesting. The family characterizations weren’t all that creative. We have seen these parents and kids before. I just had a hard time caring what happened to them.
The movie just felt like a place holder on the movie schedule. Crazy computers have just been a little overused in the past several decades, and this one just doesn’t stand out.
It’s just another forgettable movie that doesn’t quite the reach the level of being flat-out terrible, but it hovers pretty close to that black hole.
Longlegs is a horror film that has an interesting plot idea but somehow manages to miss the mark in keeping this viewer engaged. Osgood Perkins is the writer and director, so he can shoulder most of the blame for this film’s downfalls.
Maika Monroe plays the lead role in the shape of FBI agent Lee Harker. Nicholas Cage, Blair Underwood, and Alicia Witt are included in the cast, so there isn’t a lack of experienced performers. Cage plays the demonic killer known as Longlegs, and he delivers his usual distinctively manic performance.
Lee Harker displays a peculiar intuition concerning a series of similar murders that involve the father inexplicably slaughtering his family before taking his own life. There are strange letters being sent to Harker, and she finds that her own past may play a part in these atrocities that are connected to Satanic rituals as well. There are plenty of dark aspects to give Harker some disturbing dreams and memories.
The revelation as to how Longlegs operated is kind of interesting. As I mentioned, the basic plot is actually not that bad. The problem is that I didn’t really like anyone. Lee Harker as a character is just not that interesting in spite of her mysterious, troubled past. Cage was just too weird, and I found myself wondering how he eluded capture for decades in spite of his distinctive facial deformities and bizarre behavior. I suppose since he was getting some guidance from Satan, apparently, that could have helped him avoid the attentions of law enforcement.
I don’t usually bring in what the professional reviewers note in this film, but I was somewhat surprised that the critical score was higher than I would have thought. The audience seems to have a much more tepid reaction. I think I will have to agree with the general audience here.
Anyway, the idea has some potential, but there isn’t much more merit beyond that.
Lady Ballers is a comedy film that is produced by The Daily Wire and is directed by Jeremy Boreing, who also co-wrote the script alongside Brain Hoffman and Nick Sheehan. Much of the cast and cameos consist of Daily Wire personalities such as Boreing himself, the guys from Crain & Company, Matt Walsh, Michael Knowles, and Brett Cooper. Other cast members include Tyler Fischer, Daniel Consadine, Billie Rae Brandt, and Lexie Contursi.
Boering is in the lead as a hapless basketball coach who was once quite successful and finds himself missing the days when he could have a reliably winning team. Coach Rob is fired for being too coaching his latest high school team too aggressively and has been unable to navigate some of the new inclusive expectations mandated by the school system. In other words, Coach Rob just isn’t “woke” enough. Rob ends up accidentally employed at a drag bar where he encounters a former star player, played by Consadine. Since the athletic administrations have broadened the qualifications for competing in women’s sports, Coach Rob convinces the perpetually puzzled Alex to proclaim himself to be transgender and compete in women’s track events. An unscrupulous reported named Gwen convinces Coach Rob to take this further, which leads to the reunion of his star basketball team from fifteen years prior. Then, the absurdity kicks into overdrive when the team members branch into other local women’s sports leagues while being lauded for their bravery as they stop their way through victory after victory.
So, the point of this film is to highlight and mock the absurdity of men competing in women’s sports, which at times gets a little too obvious. That means not all of the jokes land with pointed precision. That’s not the say that I never laughed out loud. The overall film is a little uneven at times, but The Daily Wire is still pretty new at this type of content, and I am in agreement with the intended message, so I am willing to view this with a little more forgiveness in my admittedly cold, biased heart.
In spite of some elements not quite working as smoothly as I would have wanted, some of the performances were surprisingly effective because much of the cast had no acting experience. Jake Crain, Blain Crain, and David Cone are The Daily Wire sports commentators in real life and have an onscreen chemistry that translated pretty effectively in this endeavor. The Crain brothers got a little too hammy at times, but that is probably to be expected considering the genre of this film. Matt Walsh, who played the very affectionate boyfriend of Coach Rob’s wife, actually was a little better than I expected. Now some of the praise he has received from colleagues and other viewers may be overselling it a little, but her did threaten to steal the scene a few times. Also, it almost never fails to have someone play a character who is well-known to be the polar opposite of tbe performer’s real persona. In short, Walsh pulls it off here.
Ben Shapiro as a very ambivalent and short-tempered referee was also pretty amusing. There quite a few inside Daily Wire jokes, but they knew this would not have a typical mass release, so most of those worked.
There were times when the film falls into the same trap as others trying to promote an obvious political or social agenda as in coming across as a little too heavy-handed at times. Also, the writers took some swipes at other social concerns The Daily Wire often comments on, and not all of those efforts fit easily into the film. They did sneak in an advertisement for a new line of women’s products from Jeremy’s Razors that was pretty funny.
Comedy is one of the most unreliably subjective things in human existence. There has to be an acceptance that any effort in this space is not going to appeal to everyone in spite of someone’s overall popularity. In a film, it can work almost all of the way through, have a few high notes, or just faceplant hard. In my not so humble opinion, Lady Ballers doesn’t work perfectly, but it also doesn’t fail miserably. In spite of some fairly glaring missteps, I did find some enjoyment in this film and applaud The Daily Wire for taking the risk in broaching this subject and giving the proponents of having men compete in women’s sports the mockery they so profoundly deserve.
Reviews, Musings, and Other Things... 