..uh, yeah. How does that look anything like this?
Now, I'll be honest, I actually wouldn't mind this costume if this was a different character. Redesigns are cool and all, to a point where there are some that end up being superior than the original design; but, there comes a time where its so drastic, that its almost unrecognizable from what a character was originally supposed to be. Ultimately, I'm not surprised at how this turned out. After all, the Marvel movies coming from Fox have not had a good track record for comic-accurate costumes outside of the first Deadpool and (shockingly enough) the Tim Story Fantastic Four movies.
Whatever, there's a decent chance Zazie Beetz will be good (if not great) here; but, for now, this and other reasons I'll get to in a separate post are putting me in a very skeptical position on Deadpool 2.
On the surface, the setup for The Belko Experiment is little more than an excuse for some quick cheap thrills and you'd be pretty much right. That statement may seem pointless; yet, its really the first (and possibly only) step to realizing whether or not you're going to like this movie. Well, there's that and if you're able/willing to get over the fact that the premise isn't entirely original. That critic quote you've been seeing calling this flick "OFFICE SPACE meets BATTLE ROYALE" might as well be a back handed compliment.
Acting-wise, this isn't anything special. John Gallagher Jr. manages to do an admirable job of keeping his head above water (or would it be blood?) amongst all the insanity. Tony Goldwyn is remarkably despicable as what might be the worst boss in existence. Even Sean Gunn is a lot of fun as the smartest person in the entire building, which is especially funny when you see how his character introduced.
Underneath all the carnage, there is some clever satire about the corporate machine and the dark side of human nature. Granted, the subtextual nature of that previously mentioned satire doesn't elevate this stuff to the level of the original RoboCop*; but, its enough to make sure the chaos isn't entirely mindless.
Speaking of the violence, oh me oh my is this film creative with its splatter. Almost everything under the sun is used as a weapon: tables, tape dispensers, staplers, pens, you name it. Alongside all of that and some idiosyncratic covers of famous songs, there's a wicked sense of humor that keeps it from getting outright miserable or too abrasive.
Just imagine someone remaking Office Space with every character being about as mentally unhinged as D-FENS from Falling Down and buckets upon buckets of blood being splattered all over the place, all capped off with a seriously sick sense of humor. The Belko Experiment certainly isn't for everyone; but, I got a kick out of it. Plus, if you want a lean, mean bit of modern day exploitation cinema, you can do a lot worse than this.
THE BELKO EXPERIMENT gets a... BLOODY GOOD TIME out of TEN
*Incidentally, its kind of great to know that old production companies like Orion Pictures are coming back. :)
"The Emoji Movie comes out later this summer; so, plan accordingly (lock your doors, set the alarms, and hug your family). Something that shouldn't exist finally does and we're all the lesser for it. The doomsday clock is ticking faster and faster while I sit here counting every spiteful second that goes by. Cheers!"
That was how I ended my critique of the trailer for The Emoji Movie (which you can go read by clicking here). Some may have taken issue with my admittedly hyperbolic response to that cringeworthy piece of marketing or maybe you all took it as the scathing bit of semi-satire that it was supposed to be. Now, I'll admit I was with everyone else and treated this flick like a punching bag; however, what I couldn't have predicted....
...was that it was going to be THIS bad.
I mean, oh my....
In all my years as a film fan, I cannot say for the life of me that I've seen a film this mainstream get this harsh a reception. Then again, I probably should've predicted it was going to get this savaged by critics because of the basic idea behind this movie. The best we can all hope for is that this thing flops finanially as much as it has critically. And, for the curious among you all, here are the some of the most entertaining reviews that I've seen so far.* So, grab some popcorn, stay home and get comfortable. Because I get the feeling we're going roasting this disaster for a long, LONG time.
*Before I go off to do something more meaningful with my life, I wanted to say that Matinee Everyday will not be reviewing this garbage. Why? Because that would mean I'd have to get up, go to my car, drive to the theater, look another grown adult in the eye saying "One adult for the Emoji Movie", shell out over ten well-earned dollar bills and sit down for 86 minutes to witness this catastrophic disgrace to the art of cinema. Frankly, I don't have the lack of inhibition or disrespect towards all of you to do that. I hope not giving this film money will teach Sony a lesson about hubris or something.
As many who know me can vouch for, Zack Snyder's Justice League is my most anticipated movie of the year. Yes, I'm even more excited for this than I am for The Last Jedi. I've been waiting to see the greatest team of superheroes in the history of comics up on screen since I was a little kid. And, oh boy, this trailer knocked it right out of the park. Thankfully, this lengthy trailer manages to keep a good chunk of the plot details under wraps while still giving a more than sufficient amount of awesome moments. From the fight sequences to the back-and-forth banter between the League's various members to the background details like the design of the Parademons and the red skies, everything about this feels like a dream come true for a DC fan like myself. Plus, that bit at the end with Alfred was a perfect way to tease Superman's return. I don't care how many other blogs are running numerous thinkpieces on who he's talking to. There is almost zero chance that isn't Supes.
Anyway, I think saying anything else would be pointless droning on. This movie looks dank and here's hoping I'm right.
First things first, let me just say that the smarmy dismissal of this film just from the trailer is both confusing and rather depressing. Not only because this is a film from living legend Steven Spielberg, but also because the actual trailer is pretty darned cool if you ask me. If this exact same trailer came out when I was eight years old, I would've prematurely declared it as the greatest thing put to celluloid. Aside from the whole Tron meets Borderlands aesthetic, there's a whole bunch of cool bits and pieces scattered throughout this teaser. This is worth it just to know that there is a movie with Freddy Kruger, The Iron Giant, The DeLorean, T.J. Miller and Simon Pegg. This looks and feels like something I would (probably will) absolutely adore. We'll find out if I'm right next March. Plus, a trailer that uses Rush's "Tom Sawyer" for futuristic action scenes is going to be awesome. SIDE NOTE:This bit right here is a little overblown and probably the only cringeworthy thing about this trailer.
My initial thoughts on the first teaser for IT were a little mixed. Now that some time has passed, its grown on me and I'm legitimately confident that this is going to be a good film (probably better than the original made-for-television flick starring Tim Curry). With this new trailer, I'm still thinking that.
One of the things I've picked up on in the leadup to this flick is so how choosing to divide Stephen King's lengthy source material into two movies. Part of this could have been out of necessity and a desire for double the potential profits; yet, I think its because it work better as two movies. Plus, if this is good but doesn't do well enough to justify a sequel, there will still be a film that focuses on the more interesting/meaty aspect of the story.
Let's get to the nitty-gritty and talk about what's the iconic aspect of this story: Pennywise. From the skin-crawling voice to that ghoulish laugh, Bill Skarsgård seems to have brought a real physical presence to the role that I can't help but find extremely unsettling. Aside from the clown himself, there's plenty of great creepy imagery (especially with whats inside that spooky looking house). Plus, it looks like they did a solid job of casting the Loser's Club.
Overall, this is a great trailer that will hopefully lead to a great movie. Maybe, it'll float 🎈
Okay, I'll be frank here: I have no familiarity with the book this film is based on. With that said, its a name I've heard thrown around in various conversations over the years and, from what I've gathered, it has a special place in the hearts of many people. Not much else to say except that I'm digging the trippy visuals promised by this teaser.
THE DISASTER ARTIST
Honestly, I'm shocked this movie is only coming out now instead of coming out a few years ago. Whatever, we've finally got a movie based around the comprehension-defying so-bad-its-good cult classic The Room. This teaser doesn't give away much plotwise; but, it looks like James Franco and his cronies are delivering a film that's both hilarious and sincere. Plus, the buzz for this coming out SXSW back in March is killer.
BLADE RUNNER 2049
I, like most cinephiles, was very skeptical when they announced production of a sequel to the ethereal sci-fi classic Blade Runner (seriously, if you've never seen it, go track down the Final Cut and watch it on the biggest screen in your possession); however, considering the talent involved and how stunning the last trailer was, I'd say there's a good chance of this being a pretty stellar film in its own right. Plus, this trailer is also gang-busters. There's certainly interesting things in this trailer that have A) been covered extensively elsewhere and B) constitute for spoilers for both films. Will it better than the original? Of course not; yet, I'm relatively confident that should be a treat once October rolls around.
THE SHAPE OF WATER
There are many filmmakers working today for which I can say each new work from them is a cause for celebration. Without a shadow of a doubt, Guillermo del Toro is one of those directors and it looks like he has another winner on his hands. The Cold War setting looks like its lended to some exquisite production design and the cast is pretty solid. Also, it's got Doug Jones treading familiar waters* playing a fish man. I'm all for it!
*pun intended.
Stay tuned for a couple more trailer reviews coming in the very near future.
Adaptations of anything are a hard nut to crack, mainly because of what needs to be added and taken away in the translation to the screen; thus, this problem is magnified when its an adaptation of a real historical event. Oftentimes, the best films taking inspiration from true events try not to perfectly nail each little detail of that moment; instead, they attempt to capture the spirit and/or essence of it. Dunkirk does so and succeeds on multiple levels.
Some have complained about a supposed lack of character development and I have a simple rebuttal to that: this movie really isn't about the characters (at least, in a traditional sense). Sure, every cast member shows up and brings their A-game (plus, there's plenty of lovely visual storytelling involving Mark Rylance and company); however, director extraordinaire Christopher Nolan's main goal is plant the audience firmly in the hellish experience of those who lost their lives during this infamous battle. On that note, this film is a remarkable accomplishment. Even with a PG-13 rating, Nolan delivers a film that'll have you on edge from the very first frame.
Technically speaking, this is a filmmaker's film. Everything from the editing to the pacing to the cinematography is absolute gangbusters; yet, my favorite thing about it on the technical side is the score from Hans Zimmer. His compositions for Dunkirk add an extra layer of pure intensity to scenes that are already pretty suspenseful.
Is this the crown jewel of Christopher Nolan's filmography like many are claiming it to be? Its hard to say truthfully. What I can say with confidence is that Dunkirk is one of the most exhilarating, immersive and intense experiences you'll have at the movies this year.
DUNKIRK gets an... EXCEPTIONAL out of TEN
While I couldn't vouch for this personally, I'd highly recommend seeing in this in 70mm or IMAX if you have that opportunity.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is the first time I've thoroughly enjoyed a Spider-Man movie since Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 all the way back in 2007. I'm also delighted to report that its in the upper echelon of the sixteen films that populate the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The perfomances are all knockouts. Tom Holland finds the perfect balance between being convincingly nerdy as Peter Parker and endearingly snarky as Spider-Man (in many ways, he's even better than Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield when you remember how both actors could only ever truly nail one side of the character). Michael Keaton does a bangup job as the Vulture, bringing an equal level of humanity and menace to the character (both of which manifest in a genuinely surprising turn of events when the third act comes around). There's even a potential, probably unintentional, bit of subtext as to his character's grudge against Stark being symbolic of how Marvel's essentially one-upped DC at their own game (after all, I doubt many would disagree when I say Batman is Keaton's most famous role). All of his classmates are also pretty good (especially the kid who played this new version of Flash Thompson). Marisa Tomei brings a certain sweetness and humor to the role of Aunt May that's unfamiliar but certainly welcome. Even Donald Glover has a fun cameo near the middle.
Ever since Doctor Strange came out last November, I've had a nagging feeling I'd end wanting Michael Giacchino to provide the score for every Marvel movie from here on out. His work here confirms . Giacchino's compositions for Homecoming are absolutely perfect for a character like Spider-Man. It's playful, suspenseful and overall fun to listen too. Plus, that orchestral reworking of the classic '60s cartoon theme is just plain awesome.
Outside of the spectacular action sequences, director Jon Watts doesn't pull off anything spectacular; but, he does bring a refreshing low-key feel to the proceedings. One of my favorite things about this flick is how well it captures what high school is like in this day and age. From how bullies are more like creeps than meatheads to the poorly-produced daily newscasts to the minor everyday struggles, I'm geniunely impressed with how much of it feels, well...genuine. Something like that, even if its a fairly minor background detail, deserves a lot of credit in my book.
Ultimately, this film feels like the first time I've watched a superhero movie that wasn't trying to mimic another genre and just felt comfortable with being a small-scale superhero flick. Aside from Tony Stark popping up as Spidey's consistently abesnt mentor and a prologue setting up Vulture's motivations, there are little to no ties to the rest of the MCU. It just feels like a much-needed breath of fresh air.
SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING gets a...
BADA$$ out of TEN
One last thing, this has what is easily the funniest post-credits scene since the first Guardians of the Galaxy.
Alright, it's been a year since it came out and the dust has finally settled. I think it's now okay to talk about that Ghostbusters reboot. Full disclosure: I really liked this movie when I first saw it in theaters. The whole audience I had went along with it and I couldn't help but join in and have a decent laugh. Then, I rewatched it when it hit home video and I can say with absolute certainty... that this not a good film. No, its not because it has female leads or whatever else is fueling the hyperbolic childish nature of Internet reactionaries. With that in mind, let's see why I'm not too fond of this reboot.
For the most part, it's not particularly funny or engaging. There are a few funny lines, here and there; but, for the most part, a lot of this movie is incredibly awkward and cringeworthy. In regards to the engaging part, this is also a boring movie from a filmmaking perspective. Ignoring his smarmy and childish response to pre-release criticism, Paul Feig was not the right choice to bring this franchise into the 21st century. Feig is by no means a terrible director; however, he's very much in the vein of other modern comedy directors. The basic technical problems with Ghostbusters 2016 are similar to the problems of every other mainstream comedy out there nowadays (i.e. the direction and cinematography is flat and not particularly dynamic, the music's generic and the editing is paint-by-numbers). Except for the surprisingly fun climax, this flick looks shockingly cheap. Another problem that this shares with other modern comedies is an over-reliance on improvisation. Improvisation is always kind of a crapshoot. I'll just say this to sum up my issue with its use here and other movies: dear filmmakers, just because you hire funny people to be in your movie doesn't automatically mean your movie will be funny if you don't have the writing to back it up. My final major issue with this movie is the villain. For the sake of fairness, I do think that the idea of making the worst aspect of fandom is a clever idea...that Star Wars: The Force Awakens did first and better.
Are there positive things to say about this movie? Sure. Again, the climax is a lot of fun (especially when all the new gadgets are put to good use and, oh yeah, Slimer steals the Ecto-1 and takes it for a joy ride. Plus, some of the ghost designs are kind of nifty. Other than that, Ghostbusters 2016 is just a forgettable, two-star mess that ultimately wasn't worth all of the ink that it generated.
I'll end this with the following statement: you know its a bad sign when your reboot of a beloved 1980s comedy is one of the most politically divisive topics of discussion in one of the most heated election years in recent memory. Good job, Sony!*
Hey, would you look at that? Our talented guest critic Dillon Humphrey has returned with some more of his thoughts on films, both new and old.
SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING
So I went to see Spider-Man Homecoming not realizing it came out only yesterday. That's irrelevant though.. This movie was great and exceeded my expectations by a TON. It made all the difference in the world that Marvel didn't try to make Peter Parker act like some adult that was super mature. Because he was anything but fully mature for half the movie due to his age, so that was a great detail. Though the villain in my opinion seemed a bit... Strange for the movie. Maybe even had a lack of characterization, but it wasn't that bad. I was also super shocked by that plot twist sometime near the end! Anyway, I thought the movie was spectacular and I cannot wait for a sequel! Also, that very final post credit scene was to die for! If you ever intend to see this movie, watch it all the way through the very last text in the credits, and I promise you will not regret it!
THE INCREDIBLES
It's unbelievable how much of the plot I had forgotten since the last time I watched this movie. I was young though so I have an excuse. After rewatching it though I've come to enjoy it and like it as the great movie it is, since I'm now actually at an age where I can understand things. I sincerely hope that Incredibles 2 can be as good or maybe even better than this one, cuz I would be so happy. I'm excited for the next installment. "Honey? Where's my super suit?"
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
I haven't seen this since I was like 6 or 7, and so I decided to take a look back and watch the first four Pirates of the Caribbean movies before I see Dead Men Tell No Tales. Let me start by saying that the soundtrack to this movie is great. I don't normally pay attention to those, but this time was an exception because I was hooked by the two most well-known pieces of the track (in my opinion). Those would be "The Medallion Calls" and "He's a Pirate". Also, Johnny Depp does an outright amazing job playing the whacky pirate captain, Jack Sparrow. I'm glad I came back to watch this movie. Such a grand piece of my childhood had to be remembered, and at the time I wasn't old enough to remember what movies I'd watched. Hopefully I can get to the other two movies before I see the new one.
If you would like to read more of Dillon's reviews, check out his Letterboxd page by clicking here.
Well, we're already five or six days into July; so, you know what that means! Forced pseudo-best of the year lists cranked out to appease a perpetually content-starved audience. All joking aside, I've actually been a bit curious about doing one of these for quite some time. So, let's stop wasting time and get the ball rolling.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER TWO
While it may not have the same WOW! factor that the first film had (as is the case with most sequels), that doesn't stop John Wick: Chapter 2 from firing on all cylinders in every other respect. Even though he's in his fifties, Keanu Reeves still retains the skill to assert himself as one of Hollywood's best action stars. Also, that mirror sequence still totally owns! This bit might seem shorter than the rest of these entries; but, I feel that's only appropriate. If you really think about it, these movies are less about the words being said, but rather the bullets being fired and I wouldn't have it any other way.
KONG: SKULL ISLAND
In light of the mild disappointment that greeted (and still haunts) Legendary Pictures' attempt at a new Godzilla movie back in 2014, what better way to combat a film that seemed almost ashamed of it's monster movie roots than to follow it up with an even bigger film that dives deep hogwild into the gonzo, B-movie camp that has endeared people to cinematic junk food like this for decades. Well, that and smashing it together with all those great movies about the Vietnam War. Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts managed to put together the craziest monster movie I've seen since Lord knows when.
LOGAN
Comic book pictures seemed to be driving themselves into a creative ditch lately (what with their priorities shifting from giving us memorable stories/characters to expanding the already somewhat bloated cinematic universe). Thankfully, a movie like Logan came around to prove that this genre is still finding new ways to evolve and adapt in a ever-changing world (namely by avoiding more recent superhero tropes and going back to earlier drawing boards of other beloved categories of iconic cinema). James Mangold draws from a deep and rich well of reverence for the classic Western and the film is all the better for it.
WONDER WOMAN
At this point, I'm sure what else needs to be said about Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot is ethereal and immensely charming in the title role. We finally have a good female superhero flick, as well as a picture that's finally given the DCEU some much-needed goodwill from critics and moviegoers alike. That "No Man's Land" scene is going to go down as an all-time stunner. It's only been a month since it first hit the multiplexes and it already seems to be analyzed to death. One could say that level of coverage would hurt this film (and, in a different situation, I'd be more inclined to agree); however, I think that only goes to show how great this flick is. All the world was waiting for her to finally come to the big screen and she didn't disappoint.
BABY DRIVER
I highly doubt that there's going to be a movie where the experience of watching it is as visceral, entertaining, and eclectic as auteur filmmaker Edgar Wright's latest and greatest cinematic creation. With astonishingly kinetic action and a soundtrack to end all other soundtracks, Baby Driver is one for the ages. A true-blue, stunner that I predict will age like only the finest of wines. Saying anymore would be doing it a disservice. Run out and see it if you haven't already or even if you have.
Okay, that's my list. Bare in mind, I will be doing a bigger, potentially far different, list come the end of December. Speaking of which, the months that have passed since my Top Ten of the Year list for 2016 and I've had some time to reflect. With that said, keep your eyes peeled for a piece coming very soon about the flicks I wish I included in that list (consider it a sort of alternative list for that year). Also, yes, I'm aware of how much I raved about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2; don't worry, it'll probably make my end of the year list.
So, I sit here at my laptop, an hour or two after seeing Baby Driver, faced with a rather curious predicament: How do I write a coherent review for this film that isn't just me raving about all the awesomeness that's been unleashed before my eyeballs like a hyperactive ten-year-old. Granted, I'm not one to pretend that I'm some unsung genius in the already densely populated realm of online film criticism What I will say first and foremost is that this flick is an absolute must-see (both as a visionary, adrenaline-fueled cinematic experience and as a rare work of original filmmaking).
When I saw The World's End way back in the long forgotten days of 2013, I had a comforting feeling that a movie like this would come from Edgar Wright anytime soon considering how his ability to curate a soundtrack that's simultaneously eclectic, joyously obscure and uncannily relevant to the events that unfold in his flicks. As you can probably guess, Baby Driver is no exception. If anything, it takes that well-established trick of his and cranks it up to eleven. It's use of music is as intelligent as it is seamless. The way one track would blend into another kind of reminded me of how Birdman used clever editing to make it all look like one continuous shot. If there's one thing I'd say you shouldn't look too deep into, its definitely the music. Going into the film knowing little to nothing about what tracks Wright drops in here does carry a delightful sense of surprise that adds more to the overall experience.
How about the acting? Personally, Ansel Elgort is a revelation here as the musically-inclined getaway driver described so elegantly in the title. While the trailers do properly sell the coolness of his character, Elgort brings a lot of personality to the role just from his body language and an admirable amount of charming physicality. Lily James is sweet enough to effectively pull off the whole love interest schtick while also being capable enough to not be your run-of-the-mill damsel in distress. Kevin Spacey basically just plays Kevin Spacey here; but, that certainly isn't a bad thing. Jamie Foxx is gloriously sleazy and disgustingly unlikable as "Bats". Jon Hamm and Eiza Gonzales are wonderful as this film's Bonnie and Clyde (especially Jon Hamm once the third act kicks into high gear). Even minor players like Jon Bernthal, Flea and even Paul Williams are fun when they pop up throughout the 113 minute running time.
And then, there's the action. Where do I begin to talk about the action? Call me crazy if you will; but, I'd say this film is almost on par with Mad Max: Fury Road when it comes to car chase action flicks. Aside from the relief of knowing what's happening on-screen is old-school practical stuntwork, this film is also a textbook example of what is one of the best tricks that director Edgar Wright has up his sleeve: editing. The action here (as is the case with everything else here) is so well-edited, you could practically teach a class on how to masterfully edit a film for the sake of pacing and pure entertainment.
In the end, I find myself going back to a quote from Doug Walker ("It's a movie so good, I'm jealous of it."). With its memorable characters/dialogue and instantly iconic action sequences, its the kind of movie that's the reason I love the art of cinema as much as I do.
BABY DRIVER gets my brand-spanking-new rating of... ALL-TIME CLASSIC out of TEN
DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE, FOLKS! I know there's a ton of new blockbusters flowing into the multiplexes every week or so (most of which are probably fantastic); but, it's still important support original flicks like this that aren't based off comic books or sequels, especially when they're as close to perfect as this movie is. Seriously, I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. Don't be shocked if this ends up being my favorite movie of the year. Give it a watch or two! See you all around!
