Multiplex Madness
Sinners
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Horror, Action
Director: Ryan Cooglar
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Donnell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Buddy Guy, Delroy Lindo
After playing around in both the Marvel and Rocky franchises, director Ryan Coogler is in a position where he can make whatever he wants, and he said "I want to make a vampire movie." That's how you know he's a real one. Sinners takes place in 1932 Mississippi, where a pair of twins named Smoke and Stack (both played by longtime Coogler collaborator Michael B. Jordan) open a jukebar for minorities to smoke, drink, dance, and mingle in. Opening night proves problematic when a group of vampires show up at the door and turn the patrons one-by-one. Sinners is at its best when Coogler is creating grindhouse spectacle, with setpieces that toe the line between grimey and beautiful as the film dips in-and-out of being a horror movie, an action movie, a noir, and even a little bit of a musical. The crossbreeding is chaotic but inspires great visual marvel. It's interesting to watch Coogler work the elements in this film, seeing what he pulls back from and what he goes full-throttle on. It also results in a movie that is a little too busy, with several elements that drift nowhere and certain thematic material that the movie sometimes struggles to connect properly into its carnage. However, it's hard to blame Coogler for leaning into the stylish dark entertainer that he's creating, who seems to be just going where the night takes him. Even if Sinners waves off its imperfections, the movie is so electrifying that it makes one eager to see what other original projects Coogler can cook up in the future.
Sneaks
⭐️⭐️
Genre: Comedy, Adventure
Director: Rob Edwards, Chris Jenkins
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Martin Lawrence, Chloe Bailey, Keith David, Lawrence Fishburn
In the tradition of animated movie portraying inanimate objects with sentience that go on adventures, Sneaks is a movie about talking shoes, probably made by people who were traumatized by a certain scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit and dedicated and entire movie to their therapy. Anthony Mackie plays an expensive sneaker who is stolen by a collector, only to be separated with his sister and lost on the streets of New York. The movie seems to be an homage to NYC street culture and brotherhood made by people who want the audience to walk in a character's shoes through the eyes of literal shoes. Where the movie goes wrong is that it's largely a bunch of tropes and plot points that are stolen from, and, frankly, done better by, the Toy Story franchise. Very little about the movie is interesting, even if the animation sometimes charms with its influences from stop-motion and graffiti art (the movie's opening credit sequence is a colorful highlight). The movie's entertainment value is also limited because its comedy isn't clever enough to find inspiration in its premise, with even comedy veteran Martin Lawrence struggling to elevate the script he's given. It's difficult to say exactly how good this movie could have been, but it's also not the best possible version of itself.
The Ugly Stepsister
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Horror, Drama
Director: Emilie Blichfeldt
Starring: Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ann Dahl Torp, Flo Fagerli, Isac Calmroth, Malte Gårdinger
One would be forgiven in assuming that The Ugly Stepsister is one of those slasher movies based on public domain properties that have flooded the market as of late. Those who do would be sorely mistaken, however. The Ugly Stepsister is certainly a dark retelling of the Cinderella story but the lens it views it through offers a fresh perspective that actually casts a light on the tale that makes it seem less wholesome than a Disney cartoon would have you believe. Told through the eyes of the titular "Ugly Stepsister" (the actress playing her is actually quite attractive, but let's not dwell on that), this film sees her invited to a ball where a prince is to choose his virgin bride. As the ball approaches, she indulges in mentally and physically unhealthy lengths to become more beautiful and win his heart, while also facing competition from her fairer stepsister.
The Ugly Stepsister is not so much a fairy tale with a twist, as it's actually interesting at how faithful it is to the traditional story, but rather it recontextualizes it and analyzes certain questionable messages of body image that it puts forth. To call this movie a dark reinterpretation of Cinderella would be understating it because it's also a deeply cynical satire of beauty standards and the longing of an outsider to meet them. Very few films this cynical can weild their cynicism this intelligently, though. The movie is intensely uncomfortable, as almost every character has questionable ethics, with the main character almost turning herself into a Frankenstein's monster in order to be seen the way she wants to be seen. Meanwhile, the Cinderella character herself isn't free of toxic traits, portrayed as a self-absorbed girl who was denied the privilege of going to the ball not because she outshined her sister, but because the ball was under the presumption of virginity and she was caught screwing a stable boy. It's also very much implied that she see doesn't see her stepsister as an equal, denying all attempts at bonding with her and constantly looking at her with a glare of pity and loathing. It's a commentary on the morality at the center of the classic story, where ugly people are seen as awful people and the attractive will always unite to be beautiful together and look down upon them. The movie even questions the "beauty on the inside" metaphor, concluding that even if it were the truth, such people will constantly be treated as outsiders. It's a fascinating movie, if deeply depressing. I can't deny its brilliance, though.
The Wedding Banquet
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director: Andrew Ahn
Starring: Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-chan, Joan Chen, Youn Yuh-jung
I've never been one to be bitter and resentful of remakes for the crime of existing. I think good stories can and should aspire for generational relevance. I'm also realizing that I'm at the age where I'm seeing more and more movies released within my lifetime getting remakes, thinking "But that movie only came out in..." and suddenly realizing it was over thirty years ago and then being angry at the remake because it made me realize how old I am. I haven't seen the original Wedding Banquet, mostly because it's not really easy accessible at this point (it's not streaming anywhere and it's last home media release is on third party market for $700), but it seems to be a pillar in LGBTQ cinema, as well as an early film for Ang Lee, the Oscar winning director of arguably the most iconic gay love story in film history, Brokeback Mountain. The original film was from Taiwan, while this new film is an American production from Korean filmmakers, telling the story of a gay Korean man and a lesbian putting on a sham marriage to placate his disapproving grandparents and stay in America. The film is updated from its original idea, likely in service to the LGBTQ audience, which is in a different place than it was in the 90's, while adding subplots that contemplate the spectrum of identity and how it goes beyond society labels. The characters relationships are strong, tender, and familial, backed up with exceptional performances, which include Oscar nominees Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran, Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jung, and Saturday Night Live performer Bowen Yang. The movie has a lot of spirit and heart, is often very funny, and a lot of fun to watch. I'm not sure if it can or should replace the original, but if one is in the neighborhood for a queer love story, it's one that will enchant.
Art Attack
The Ballad of Wallis Island
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Director: James Griffiths
Starring: Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan
A pair of movies that have been advertised at my Regal cinemas decided not to play at them at all on the same week. This could partially be because my cineplex is going through remodeling, which means several of their theaters are shut down, but it's probably mostly because Minecraft is sucking the air out of the room. Unfortunate as it may be, these smaller productions made their way to my arthouse, so I decided to spend money on them rather than use a subscription pass, so they're getting my money and Minecraft did not. So there.
The first of these movies is a British dramedy about a laid back and offbeat rich man who hires a folk singer for a private event at the island he resides, who also didn't tell him that he also invited his former partner (both professionally and romantically) to play the engagement with him. It's a quirky idea that plays up with awkward interaction and wry British humor, not only at the expense of the main couple but also at the fact that a famed music duo is stuck in a quaint and remote location with very few people who probably have not heard of them. The humor is very rich, often coming from a very human center to ground it even at its most eccentric moments. It doesn't offset how quiet and contemplative the film is, which is centered on people who have lost their passion, are stuck mulling over the past, and rediscovering their spark to help them move forward where hopefully they'll regain it fully in the future. The movie is wise enough to not jump into the safety net of reliving passion through the past, ensuring that life must move forward, whether it's the outcome you want or not. Several aspects are left unresolved as a result but it's perfect for the story it's telling. The conclusion is psychological. You just need to know where to find it.
Bob Trevino Likes It
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Director: Tracie Laymon
Starring: Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart
This dramedy is seemingly based on a real experience that happened to director Tracie Laymon, who reached out to a man named Bob on Facebook wondering if they were related only to become close friends. Whether or not the movie's more heavy subject material is true to her life or not or an inspiration based on the film's theme of chosen family is not something I can say for certain, though Laymon certainly poured her heart into a movie that is overly sentimental but feels perfectly authentic. The film follows a similar idea, centering on a woman who hails from a neglectful family and is down on her luck, finding a father figure in a stranger on Facebook who engages with her posts. While her actions may seem over-the-top or obnoxious to some viewers, the film is actually very authentic to that desperation for positive attention and engagement in the life of someone who has been emotionally abused and is antisocial as a result, and the performance by Barbie Ferreira is quite spot-on and sympathetic. She perfectly encapsulates a desire to rebuild her life from the ground up without an idea as to how and using her relationship with Bob, played by a warm and engaged John Leguizamo, as a foundation for a new life. If there is something that holds the movie back, it's that it skims over and underdevelops some of its more meaningful supporting players, such as Ferreira's father, played by French Stewart. We get the idea that he is a selfish jerk, but if there is any reason he is so bitterly resentful of his daughter, we don't get to hear it. But the primary focus is Ferreira, and she shines in a role that some might find it difficult to understand but the right people will. And this movie will mean everything to those that do.
Warfare ⭐️⭐️⭐️
New To Digital
The Day the Earth Blew Up ⭐️⭐️1/2
Coming Soon!
