Yeah, yeah. I haven't put out a lot of content over the past couple months. I'll be getting reviews of Incredibles 2 and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom out to you fine ladies and gentlemen when I can. For now, please enjoy some coverage of other films new and old.
OCEAN'S 8
While it doesn’t reach the heights of Steven Soderbergh’s iconic trilogy, Ocean’s 8 is a fun summertime distraction with a likable cast and enough energy to keep things humming along smoothly. The editing’s slick (if a tad distracting at times), it runs at a good clip, the soundtrack is surprisingly excellent and everyone involved seems to be having a blast with the material. By no means is it a classic; but, you could do a lot worse than this.
[RATING: 3.5 Fake Jewels out of 5]
HAPPY DEATH DAY
Unlikable protagonist and glacially paced first act aside, there’s some creative flourishes to what could have been just another run-of-the-mill slasher flick. It’s got some fun editing, memorable kills, some good tongue-in-cheek humor, a decent score and a great premise; but, it’s also got those flaws I mentioned earlier coupled with annoying jump scares, a moronic twist in the third act and a desperate need to be a lot scuzzier than it actually is (seriously, an R rating would make this a lot more fun). Still, what we have here is certainly watchable and it’s upcoming sequel has plenty of potential to be better.
[RATING: 3 Poisoned Cupcakes out of 5]
A FUTILE AND STUPID GESTURE
I’m far from the first person to point this out; but, for a biopic about one of the most unique comedic institutions of the twentieth century, this is a pretty conventional flick. That being said, it’s still a pretty well-done picture with enough good jokes and decent acting to get it by on charm. If nothing else, it’s one of the better Netflix productions. Here’s hoping this is a sign of progress towards more consistently good releases.
[RATING: 3.5 Fourth Wall Breaks out of 5]
PHANTASM
Genre legend Don Coscerali’s debut initially feels like something of a Ray Bradbury-riff (weird comparison I know, but this did remind me a bit of Something Wicked This Way Comes) for adults and eventually morphs into something far stranger, darker and more interesting. It builds a rich sense of atmosphere that it sustains throughout the entire running time, thanks to some great directing and music. A total dream all in all.
[RATING: 4.5 Chrome Balls of Death out of 5]
HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES
Valley Girl if it was directed by Alex Cox. A choppy and inconsistent but incredibly sweet and charming (occasionally kaleidoscopic) romance between two young misfits. Incredibly strange and refusing to conform in any conceivable way, it’s a sight to behold for those with the acquired taste for it. It’s a movie so strange yet so laidback and charming that you can’t tell what’s stranger. The alien society that Elle Fanning’s character comes from? Or Nicole Kidman’s perplexing Labyrinth-era David Bowie impression (speaking of sights to behold)? Did I mention that the soundtrack totally owns? Because it owns and owns hard.
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