Flight Risk is an adequately entertaining action film directed by Mel Gibson. The script came from the computer of Jared Rosenberg. Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace are the main stars of this film.
Michelle Dockery plays a US Marshal taking an important witness to New York from Anchorage on a small plane. Wahlberg plays the pilot who turns out to be on a crime family’s payroll and is hired to make sure that Topher Grace’s Winston doesn’t spill the tea in court. Most of the story takes place on the plane where Wahlberg gets to unleash his inner psycho.
The story is a bit implausible, but the performances are just strong enough to make that somewhat forgivable. Wahlberg actually does a decent job of behaving with terrifying and convincing savagery at times. Grace actually does well as the nervous, sometimes witty, accountant to a mob family who has decided to switch sides. Dockery’s performance as Deputy Madolyn Harris is fine as well.
Really, the writing is a bit of a letdown in this one. The cast members do the best they can, but the film ends not being one of Gibson’s best directorial efforts. There is still some evidence that Gibson retains some of his skills because the movie could have been a lot worse.
It’s a pretty forgettable popcorn flick, but at least it’s not going to be remembered for belonging on a cinematic trash heap.
Wolf Man is an adequate iteration of a common horror film figure directed by Leigh Whannell. Whannell co-wrote this script with Corbett Tuck. It’s a reasonable cinematic distraction and has some suspense, but it’s still unremarkable.
The film stars Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Sam Jaegar, and Matilda Firth. None of the cast appear to be the most recognizable Hollywood names, but they delivered reasonably solid performances. I sort of liked that I was not that familiar with this cast because it did help the film seem somewhat fresher.
We are introduced to the lead character, Blake Lovell, as a child who had a strange encounter in the woods when hunting with his father. The father is a difficult, paranoid man and his behavior left an unfavorable on his son, who has grown up, gotten married, and sired a daughter. Blake gets notice that his father, who had disappeared in the woods sometime, has been declared dead. Blake and his wife, Charlotte, have been enduring a tense marriage and agree that a trip to the Oregon wilderness could help them find some peace. Of course, this is a horror film, and they are stalked by a strange creature that has wounded Blake. Blake begins to undergo a slow transformation into something much more dangerously feral. Charlotte and their daughter are forced to fight for survival with the first beast in the forest, and eventually the husband and father begins to succumb to a new bestial hunger.
The visual effects are fine, and there are a few moments of real suspense. The performances were not noticeably bad. The background of this family was not all that interesting or intriguing. It’s another couple with some marital tension on the verge of likely separation. I found Blake Lovell to be somewhat bland as a family man. I don’t think it’s the fault of the actor. He did as well as he could. There was an interesting method he employed to instill some sense of confidence in his daughter. That relationship was kind of charming. Julia Garner was fine as the overworked journalist wife. There just wasn’t much I found charming enough about her for me to care that much if she got caught by the werewolf and torn to shreds.
The daughter played by Matilda Firth was performed well enough. I may have only cared about her survival because I am not sociopathic enough to really want to see a child become snack food, however.
The location was great; however, I am Oregonian by birth, so that may not be an unbiased opinion.
The visual effects were pretty good, but of course they were going to be.
It’s not a terrible film, but it’s another average, forgettable release that doesn’t leave much of an impression.
Wicked was something I enjoyed more than I expected because fantasy musicals aren’t my usual bag when it comes to my cinematic indulgences. It’s probably not the greatest film I have seen, but there were some great displays of talent and spectacle here. It does the job of being pretty entertaining and interesting.
It’s based on a play, which was in turn based on a novel written by Gregory Maguire. Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox wrote the script with John M. Chu as director.
Cynthia Erivo is in the lead role as the green-skinned Elphaba Thropp, who is to become the legendary, evil Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana Grande is Glinda the Good Witch. Other cast members of note include Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, and Marissa Bode.
This is obviously a prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reveals the histories of Glinda and the Wicked Witch, who is apparently named Elphaba. They come across at a place called Shiz University where one of the courses offered is sorcery. Elphaba reveals that she has a powerful telekinetic ability which she cannot always control. She is convinced to enroll alongside her sister. Elphaba and Glinda have an amusingly rocky start to their friendship. There is some movement against talking animals, and Elphaba decides to rebel against the authorities and rescue a lion cub. This prompts an invitation from the Wizard so she can come visit him. Of course, there are darker motivations behind the generosity. Elphaba begins her journey down a dark path that causes denizens of Oz to fear her.
The visual effects are stunning. The musical numbers were pretty good, although a couple of them dragged on a bit longer than I would have preferred.
I was somewhat surprised by Ariana Grande’s comedic timing at times. She really seemed to be a perfect casting choice for the self-absorbed, sycophantic Glinda. Her character arc was handled pretty well. It was hard to really dislike Glinda in spite of some of her antics, but I rather think that was the point of her character.
Erivo handled her role quite well. I was impressed with her when I saw her in Harriet, so I was less surprised by her performance.
The sets were lavish and beautifully constructed. There is a lot of visual stimulation, but I was more impressed by the imagination and craftmanship than anything.
There were times that I felt the musical numbers got in the way of the story. That’s my only real criticism of this film.
Apparently, there is a second part to this story to be released, and I am hooked enough to see it.
Kraven the Hunter is the latest cinematic offering associated with Marvel Studios, and it’s pretty much a disaster on almost every level. There are a couple of glimmers of something that could be interesting, but they’re pretty hard to detect, and I may just have a hard time admitting that I foolishly wasted my time watching this.
Anyway, J.C. Chandor is the director of this film with three screenwriters bearing the responsibility for this ill-conceived script. Richard Wenk, Art Marcum. and Matt Holloway are the culprits who for some reason sat around and considered this a worthwhile cinematic project to unleash upon the masses.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the pretty boy actor in the lead as the supposed rugged, semi-wild Sergei Kravinoff who becomes better known as Kraven the Hunter. Ariana Debose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, and Russell Crowe are included in the cast.
The film starts off with the two young Kravinoff brothers taken on a hunting trip by their tyrannical father, who is a major crime lord, and played by Russell Crow. Sergei is attacked by a lion and dragged before a young woman who belongs to a family of voodoo practitioners. A girl known as Calypso gives Sergei a serum which not only helps heal his wounds but also provide him with powers similar to the wild predators who he comes to protect from poachers.
Kraven also becomes a vigilante going after arms dealers and other assorted high-powered criminals. He is even more enraged when his younger brother, played by Hechinger, is kidnapped. His estranged father still wants him to take over his empire. in spite of their previous disagreements. Kraven is not without his own allies, and he has a ruthlessness that matches those who cross him and attempt to take one of the few people he actually cares for,
Another Marvel supervillain known as the Rhino also appears and is played by Alessandro Nivola. This version of the Rhino actually undergoes a metamorphosis when he disconnects his IV tube that keeps the beast at bay.
Kraven was one of the rogues’ gallery of criminals who challenged Spider-Man. I found him to one of Spidey’s more interesting foes when I was reading the comics back in the day.
Taylor-Johnson obviously works out and looks great, but he does not have the air of wildness depicted in the source material. His attempts at witty banter with Calypso and his brother fall flat. He just fails to look as terrifying as Kraven would likely be if he was a real person.
Fred Hechinger as the brother, Dmitri Kravinoff, is kind of compelling. Dmitri has quite a talent for mimicry, which becomes rather important toward the end of the film.
Russell Crowe is one of the few bright spots in this film, but even his presence isn’t enough to remove any regret over sitting through this. Crowe has a pretty nice career playing some nasty characters.
The fight scenes were okay at times. The final fight between Kraven and the Rhino seemed rather run-of-the mill.
This may be further proof that movies about the villains are not that interesting unless Spider-Man is directly involved. The writing and plot were still substandard. This film got raked over the coals by the professional critics, and this humble blogger has little reason to disagree.
On the whole, this was a terrible idea, and this film earned every bit of the beating it took in the box office.
Blitz is a World War II era film that is pretty good, if a little disjointed at times, and is written and directed by Steve McQueen. Saoirse Ronan plays a mother who sent her child out of London during the Nazi attacks known as the Blitz. The boy is a recent addition to the slate of child actors named Elliot Heffernan. Paul Weller, Harris Dickinson, and Benjamin Clementine bare included in the castr.
A single mother places her young son on a train to have him taken to safety in hopes that he can avoid the worst of the Blitz. The boy, George, does not quite approve of that decision and jumps off the train and makes a perilous trek back to London. The mother learns that George has not made it to his intended destination and begins her own desperate search for him. The film also deals with the racial tensions of 1940’s England. George is biracial and has occasional run-ins with bigots throughout the journey. He has quite a few obstacles to fight through to get back to his mother’s embrace, but he is determined to get back home and might be quick and clever enough to pull it off.
There are some stunning visual effects and impressive performances from Ronan and Heffernan, but there are some flashbacks that start to feel a little intrusive. The film does not seem to flow all that easily because some of the flashbacks. Ronan was well-chosen in the lead role, and Heffernan manages to put in a convincing performance, so he has a promising start in his acting career. I think my reservations have more to do with the editing than the actual plot or the performances. There are some gorgeous scenes, and the set design was well executed. I am not sure some of the emphasis of the racial insensitivities of the era fits all that well with this particular story. I am aware that sort of racism occurred back then, but how it was included in this particular film felt more like a distraction anything genuine. I actually think that the film would have worked better if George’s father was part of the main story as opposed to a brief appearance in a flashback.’
Anyway, a lot of the overall production works pretty well, but I would have appreciated a more chronological journey to the ending credits. It’s still a good movie overall, even if I would have tightened it up in some areas.
Absolution is a slow-moving, yet interesting crime thriller directed by Hans Petter Moland and written by Tony Gayton. Liam Neeson is in the lead role and is joined by a cast which includes Yolanda Ross, Ron Perlman, and Daniel Diemer.
Neeson plays an aging gangster who learns that he is afflicted with a degenerative brain disease and is motivated to reconnect with his daughter and her son. He also has to dodge other gangsters who want to kill him. He also wants to make some amends for his violent past before he totally loses his mind.
It’s not a terrible film, but I would not call this one of the better additions to Neeson’s credits. It’s kind of slow, but it picks up in the second half when the bodies start piling up. Neeson is compelling enough to make this a little better than watchable. There is a repeated dream sequence with Neeson’s character talking to his deceased father on a boat, which seemed an awkward fit.
Also, this was one of those films where some of the lead characters apparently didn’t have proper names. Yolanda Ross plays someone just credited as Woman. Neeson’s character isn’t named either. I just find that a little distracting and frustrating.
This may be a film I need to watch again in order to appreciate it better. It was just interesting and unique enough for me to revisit eventually, but I suspect there are plenty of legitimate criticisms as well.
Venom: The Last Dance continues a string of mediocrity in the latest comic book films from Marvel. Tom Hardy reprises his role as Eddie Brock/Venom in what is promised to be the final entry into a trilogy. Kelly Marcel wrote the screenplay and serves as director. The cast includes Juno Temple, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rhys Ifan, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, and Andy Serkis.
Basically, some imprisoned tyrant from Venom’s home planet has sent some strange, demonic creatures through these space/time portals to find something called a Codex. They find Earth where Venom has to elude these creatures and the government because he is wanted for murder due to some events in the previous film. There are battles across the country and mountains. Venom and Eddie are bonded, but that connection seems to be the catalyst for impending destruction of Earth.
Hardy is talented and interesting enough to make this at least watchable. The story is not that interesting, probably due to the main villain, a guy named Knull, not being able to move. The special effects were well done, and there were some cool fight scenes. I just don’t find Venom as witty or amusing as the writers intend for him to be. Venom has a hunger for brains but will only eat those of the most despicable of people. All kinds of symbiotes are introduced. Of course, this is what Venom is. He is an alien symbiote who bonds with a host and gives them superpowers. In the comics, Venom was bonded to Peter Parker and had abilities similar to those of Spider-Man. The initial introduction has been ignored in these films.
My reaction to the film was mildly amused, but this was not one of the better of the Marvel output. Comic book films require a lot of grace in order to find some enjoyment, but this one almost stretched my willingness to give that beyond endurance.
It’s not the worst film in the franchise, but I can understand why the enthusiasm and the box office returns have been somewhat lackluster.
Smile 2 is an adequate but forgettable horror film that is a sequel to a Smile which was released in 2022. Parker Finn is the writer and director with Naomi Scott in the lead as a troubled pop star named Skye Riley. The cast includes Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Ray Nicholson, and Dylan Gelula.
The film picks up about six days after the previous entry ended. A police officer is attempting to pass off the curse of the Smile Entity to a couple of notorious drug dealers, but that goes awry when one of their hapless customers gets the brunt. The police officer is killed, and the drug user passes the curse onto pop star, Skye Riley. Skye has a tragic past which involves drug addiction and the horrific death of a boyfriend when they were both in a car accident. Skye’s sanity starts to unravel when she notices the people around her approaching her with the unnerving, fixed smiles that is familiar to those who have seen the previous film.
I will start off and say this film is not that bad for another sequel in the horror genre. There were some genuinely creepy moments. It’s not that great, and we learn nothing all that new about this admittedly interesting entity. I will try not to give too much away, but the conclusion seemed rather pointless and predictable to some extent.
The performances were fairly compelling. The problem, as usual, is in the writing. There were not many characters I cared about ultimately. I didn’t find the main character to be all that sympathetic because a lot of her troubles she brings upon herself. No one seems to have a real chance to defeat this creature. Some of the scenes were just gross in a ridiculous way.
In spite of the numerous flaws, there was still a real effort to create a fairly unique menace. The film was not without some points of interest, but not enough to really warrant much enthusiasm from this viewer.
Joker: Folie à Deux is the musical thriller comic book film that has Joaquin Phoenix reprise his version of one of the most iconic super villains in entertainment. Todd Phillips directed this one and also co-wrote it with Scott Silver. Lady Gaga, Catherine Keener, and Brendan Gleeson are also included in the cast.
It’s five years after the first Joker film, and this sequel picks up a couple of years after Arthur Fleck dons the well-known persona. He has killed six people and is about to face his trial. He is incarcerated at Arkham Asylum, where he meets another patient named Harleen Quinzel, known as Lee, and enjoys a disturbing romance. In his imaginings, he is suddenly breaking out into song, and strange, demented musical numbers commence. Anyway, the Joker has gotten a fanbase due to his disdain for the government and the system which often exacerbates the sufferings of the downtrodden. His lawyer wants him to lean into his delusional tendencies so that she can get him off on an insanity plea. Lee wants to see more of the Joker identity and is encouraging Arthur’s more destructive proclivities. The trial is looming, and Arthur will have to decide whether or not fully embrace the Joker.
This has had a tough opening, and the overall reviews have not been kind. I have to admit I was a bit more drawn to it than I anticipated. Phoenix and Lady Gaga really are compelling together. I do sympathize with the critics in that some of musical interludes were rather distracting. Also, there is not that much action. There is a rather surprising twist at the end, however I recognized that twist from another iteration of the series. Of course, part of the problem is that the Joker really works best when he is actually having to contend with a certain batlike vigilante.
Phillips was going for a rather complicated character study and bring some attention to the failing of the mental health systems.
The charisma of the two leads does a lot to hold my attention in a sometimes rather slow story. It’s an interesting effort from Phillips to add his take on the legendary adversary of Batman.
Even though I can appreciate the efforts to try something rather creative and different, I found myself not entirely disagreeing with the criticisms from the professional reviewers.
Lady Gaga was a good choice as the female lead. She got to display her singing talents, and I have no objection to that. Phoenix seemed to not have any real difficulty picking up where he left off in his portrayal of his take on the Joker.
The film was not a total dud, Phillips would likely have done everyone a favor by letting the previous film stand alone.
Am I Racist? is an effectively satirical documentary starring Matt Walsh as he goes on a journey to see if the DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) teachers have a point. The film is produced by The Daily Wire and directed by Justin Folk. Walsh and Folk writing credit with Brian Hoffman and Dallas Sonnier.
Walsh is a popular conservative commentator who had some success with a previous documentary entitled What is a Woman? which dealt with the topic of transgenderism.
After being ousted from a support group that discussed “white guilt”, Walsh dons a hilariously flimsy disguise and becomes certified to teach DEI himself. He encounters some rather notorious figures on this topic such as Kate Slater and Robin DiAngelo as he attempts to implement what he is learning during various sessions and interviews. He also interviews regular people of various races to get their reactions to these ideas.
One of Walsh’s gifts is his deadpan stoicism as he subjects himself to some of most absurd group situations and tries to relay these ideas to others. The interview with DiAngelo is awkward and hysterically funny as reported.
The film is careful enough to attack an ideology and not necessarily a race of people. Another fascinating interview is with Wilfred Reilly, author of Hate Crime Hoax. Walsh and Reilly would likely be in more agreement if Walsh still wasn’t in character as a DEI guy.
There are a couple of scenes that sort of fell flat for me. The film’s effort to ridicule the Jussie Smollett hoax could have been handled differently. I don’t disagree with mocking Smollett at every opportunity, but the method employed in this film could have taken a bit more consideration.
There are some scenes that seem to go on a little too long, but that was likely to help drive home the point the film was really trying to make.
Most of the major production decisions made in this film work rather well. There were a couple of moments where Walsh actually did some acting that would be convincing if one didn’t know the premise.
This film is not without a few flaws, but it is entertaining and educational.
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