Category: Film Review

There are many talented individuals contributing to the making of “Brothers,” yet the film, shot three years ago, goes wrong in a hundred different ways. Chief among the professionals is director Max Barbakow, who acquired a lot of industry and viewer goodwill with his 2020 time-travel romantic comedy, “Palm Springs.” Much of it is burned off in his latest effort, which tracks the itchy relationship of twin brothers returning to a life of crime they once shared. Perhaps it’s meant to be a Coen Brothers-type of offering, as screenwriter Macon Blair certainly pushes hard on silliness and strangeness. What “Brothers” truly becomes is a mighty test of patience, as Barbakow seems to be making a live-action cartoon with the endeavor, while Blair attempts to add some emotional weight to relationships. Nothing connects as it should in the movie, and it quickly snowballs into one dud scene after another. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Classified” is a superspy thriller that will likely qualify as one of the most uneventful films of 2024. It’s unclear what kind of screenplay was originally submitted by Bob DeRosa, but he delivers a strange game of stillness and feeble turns of plot to fuel this actioner, which features very little in the way of physical entanglements. Director Roel Reine isn’t known for refined work (previous offerings include “Hard Target 2,” “The Condemned 2,” and “The Man with the Iron Fists 2”), but he’s positively asleep on this production, barely making an effort to move things along as the characters sit and contemplate their next moves. And they don’t have next moves. “Classified” is meant to be a hard study of confusion and survival, but it doesn’t go anywhere of interest, also taking a hit with casting, finding leads Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin sharing zero chemistry as they’re forced to make sense of a picture that has no creative gas. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2017, Hallie Meyers-Shyer made her directorial debut with “Home Again.” The daughter of filmmakers Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers, Meyers-Shyer elected to follow the family way, making a droopy romantic comedy. There was room to grow, to develop her own voice as a helmer, but she returns to the same vibe in “Goodrich,” which details the life of a workaholic getting a full gulp of fatherhood for the very first time at an advanced age. Meyers-Shyer (who also scripts) has star Michael Keaton, who does a magnificent job communicating a range of feelings as his character is hit from all sides by life. Those expecting something of a sequel to “Mr. Mom” are sure to be disappointed with “Goodrich,” but Shyer-Meyers doesn’t have any distinct vision for the material, once again trying to mimic movies made by her parents, unable to make the material feel real in the process. A true Jack Butler reunion would be more appealing. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Only in the strange film year of 2024 would a story about an assortment of cardinals in Rome gathering to vote on the next pope become one of the most suspenseful movies of the year. Of course, “Conclave” has help, as it is an adaptation of a popular 2016 novel by author Robert Harris, who labored for over 400 pages to create a charged situation populated with stubborn and secretive characters. The material also has the benefit of exploring the little-seen world of Vatican hierarchy and power plays, making it unique to a certain degree. Director Edward Berger, following up his breakthrough hit, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and screenwriter Peter Straughan (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) create an icy yet riveting understanding of conflict in the feature, boosting Harris’s plotting through exceptional technical credits and some of the best ensemble acting of the year. “Conclave” surprises with its potency, and it has a few ideas to share about the human condition and the state of God’s influence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2022’s “Smile” has an interesting release history. Originally created for streaming audiences, the movie managed to knock ‘em dead at test screenings, forcing the suits at Paramount Pictures to take the feature seriously, granting it a theatrical release. “Smile” went on to become the third highest grossing film of the year for the studio. Naturally, now there’s “Smile 2,” with writer/director Parker Finn and his production team returning to see if there’s truly franchise life in the brand name. The helmer doesn’t take any bold creative risks with the follow-up, committing to what’s essentially a remake of the previous offering, returning to the creeping madness of a young woman encountering a force of evil she doesn’t understand, ruining her life in the process. “Smile 2” is much too long and repetitive, quickly becoming a series of jump scares in need of a better script. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Anna Kendrick has certainly made an effort to try different things in recent years. She pays the bills in movies about singing and dancing trolls, but she’s also branching out dramatically, giving one of her finest performances in 2022’s “Alice, Darling,” a tale of domestic abuse, and she returns to the dangers of predatory men in “Woman of the Hour.” Kendrick assumes control of the endeavor, making her directorial debut with this tale of serial killer Rodney Alcala and his obsession with making his female victims suffer. It’s a true crime tale given many interesting angles in Ian McDonald’s screenplay, while Kendrick offers a confident study of unusual menace and Female Experience frustration, doing particularly well during moments of suspense. “Woman of the Hour” isn’t graphic, but it’s strong stuff, summoning genuine cinematic horror as it details the real-world tale of a vicious man and his smooth-talking ways. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Experimental filmmaker Guy Maddin has spent his career creating peculiar movies for art-house audiences. He’s in love with the dreamlike possibilities of cinema, maintaining a sense of humor and bold visuals to bring his creations to life. He’s been away from screens for quite some time (2017’s “The Green Fog” was his last project), and he returns with perhaps his most accessible undertaking yet in “Rumours,” examining the strangeness of an apocalyptic event occurring during the G7 gathering of world leaders. Maddin doesn’t come alone, joined by collaborators Evan and Galen Johnson, and the trio is out to craft a disorienting journey into ego, power, and panic with the effort, which also aims to be a comedy, at least for the most part. “Rumours” is a little bit of everything, and while it does get a tad fatigued, it remains a periodically hilarious and fantastically performed offering of oddity from a helmer who just loves the stuff. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There have been several cinematic examinations of fraternity life over the last decade (including “Haze,” “Goat,” “Pledge” and “Burning Sands”), with most putting emphasis on the violence of hazing and how it connects to the college experience for some intimately involved in the process. “The Line” inspects such ugliness and physical harm, but there’s more to the endeavor than a simple show of cruelty in the name of brotherhood. Co-writer/director Ethan Berger looks to delve a little deeper into frat house life, following one young man’s experience with routine and isolation as he tries to achieve a brighter future through connections, not necessarily relationships. “The Line” doesn’t go to expected places until the final act, leaving the rest of the feature an intense, interesting character study about denial, supported by a cast immersing themselves in complex parts. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There are zombie movies for every occasion, and writer/director Lowell Dean is taking his shot with “Die Alone,” mixing elements of pandemic life and a depiction of a monstrous threat. Dean is the mastermind behind the “WolfCop” saga, but he sobers up in his latest endeavor, shying away from any kind of silliness. Instead, it’s a dire tale of desperation set in a ruined world, becoming a sort of “Memento”-ish take on memory and confusion, and a little horror is periodically tossed into the mix. “Die Alone” gets a bit too wrapped up in its mystery of clarity, leading to some storytelling inertia, but Dean is generally dedicated to landing his overall idea. There’s a satisfying payoff for all the bewilderment that comes along during the viewing experience, which helps the picture capture emotions and provide answers while the helmer toys with the details of this mixed up sense of reality. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Ant Timpson delivered a charmingly oddball picture in 2019’s “Come to Daddy,” willing to explore dark material and a sense of humor, also giving star Elijah Wood something to play in a particularly anxious character. Timpson and Wood reteam for “Bookworm,” which is more of a family film that tries very hard to avoid becoming a Taika Waititi production despite sharing many similar qualities and quirks with the “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” helmer. The movie offers a mild adventure instead, with Timpson and screenwriter Toby Harvard setting up a hunting mission for the main players, spending more time exploring their emotional states and the strengthening of their bond, and that doesn’t always result in the most engrossing study of understanding. “Bookworm” has its charms, and a few turns of plot are welcome, but it’s not a lively examination of connection, as Timpson is content to bring the endeavor to a slow boil instead. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While primarily valued for her work in intense dramas, Laura Dern gets a chance to enjoy her time with cinematic fluff in “Lonely Planet.” It’s the new film from writer/director Susannah Grant, who hasn’t made a movie since 2006’s middling “Catch and Release,” and she’s not taking on a major creative challenge with the feature. It’s vacation destination time for the cast and crew, with the material exploring the magical ways of Morocco, which carries a special influence over the lead characters as they engage in the slow simmer of mutual attraction. There’s little in “Lonely Planet” that thrills, with Grant going for an easy lay-up with the picture, as it primarily deals with easily solvable problems facing people who seem to lack basic human understanding at times. But there’s Dern, who tries to bring some feeling to the endeavor, and her effort is appreciable in an otherwise bland offering of romance and pretty views. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Brad Anderson has made some interesting pictures during his career, collecting a cineaste following with his work on 2004’s “The Machinist” and 2001’s “Session 9.” He’s known for more thoughtful storytelling with heavy emphasis on mood, but Anderson goes the B-movie route with “The Silent Hour,” which borrows elements from “Die Hard” to explore a panicky afternoon for a cop and the witness he’s trying to protect. It’s a study of survival that almost entirely takes place in an empty apartment building, and the screenplay by Dan Hall offers something a little different, adding hearing impaired characters to the situation. Anderson and Hall provide a blessedly simple take on chase cinema with “The Silent Hour,” and it scores with moments of suspense and intimidation. Acting is also strong, with leads Sandra Mae Frank and Joel Kinnaman (who played a mute man in last year’s “Silent Night”) delivering intense performances to help sell the pressure of the violent hunt. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Apprentice” is trying to create some noise during an already noisy election season, but one has to ask: who is this film really for? It’s reminiscent of the first few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when moviemakers were determined to create tales of sickness and woe when viewers already had plenty of that in their lives. Is there anything left about the world of Donald Trump that needs illumination? For screenwriter Gabriel Sherman (“Independence Day: Resurgence”), the answer is yes, working with director Ali Abbasi (“Holy Spider”) to create a portrait of Trump’s formative years in the 1980s, where, under the tutelage of lawyer Roy Cohn, he went from a pushover man of business to a show of force as a celebrity and real estate overlord. The details aren’t new, as Trump has enjoyed sustained media coverage for the last 45 years, but the execution is a little wobbly. “The Apprentice” is a bizarre picture, and not a particularly inviting viewing experience, with Abbasi teetering on the edge of making a “Saturday Night Live” short with the endeavor, though he is supported by committed performances from the cast. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There’s a quick way to describe what kind of viewing experience “Caddo Lake” provides: it’s produced by M. Night Shyamalan. A filmmaker with a profound love for twists, turns, and behavioral oddity is here to support writer/directors Celine Held and Logan George as they attempt to generate their own journey into the knotted ways of time. The story follows two characters as they fight to understand a different sense of reality found in local swampland, and the helmers are surprisingly patient while building this world of relationships and private pain. It takes some time for the material to find its way to its first major disorientation challenge, slowly creating a sense of time and space before attempting to rattle viewer minds. The reward for such patience is a decently compelling ride of panic and mystery, with “Caddo Lake” (which was shot three years ago) certainly attempting to generate a brain-bleeder with a bit more emotional pressure than what’s usually found in this type of tale. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Mr. Crocket” is Halloween entertainment that uses the world of children’s television from the 1980s and ‘90s to inspire a special kind of creepy for the spooky season. Co-writer/director Brandon Espy has an idea for something wicked with the material, looking to twist the innocence of such VHS distractions into something malevolent, and with an ample backstory. “Mr. Crocket” has its highlights, including some displays of puppetry, animation, and gore, and there’s a demented performance from Elvis Nolasco as the eponymous character to give the endeavor something to sink its teeth into. It’s the rest of the feature that’s not as energized, as Espy struggles with pacing issues and plotting, running out of steam about halfway through the picture. The movie only really comes alive periodically, leaving viewers with a half-baked understanding of VCR-powered horror and messages on the state of parenting. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director J.C. Lee makes his debut with “Bad Genius,” which shares a story about a grand plan for test cheating organized by a handful of students caught between their own vision for a future and tough parental expectations. It’s not handed the solemn treatment, getting into the desperation required to pull off such a scheme and how such troublemaking is processed along the journey. Lee and co-writer Julius Onah try to turn the story into a heist thriller, giving the material an “Ocean’s Eleven” spin as the characters deal with near-misses and high pressure, even indulging in a few chases along the way. “Bad Genius” is far from perfect, and Lee doesn’t exactly know how to get out of the feature smoothly, but he has a sharp lead in Callina Liang, who delivers a fascinating take on desperation and academic authority, carrying the picture through some iffy turns of plot. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Heather Graham has been acting since 1984, and she’s worked with plenty of talented directors. She’s made movies with David Lynch, Paul Thomas Anderson, Gus Van Sant, and Frank Oz, so one would think Graham would push a little harder when it comes to her own helming efforts. She did okay with 2018’s “Half Magic,” finding a bit of fun with the cast while dealing with some thematic reach. For her follow-up, Graham goes right to Hallmark Channel territory with “Chosen Family,” which contains no style and very little substance. It’s a messy film about one woman’s quest for love, finding herself in competition with a handsome man’s daughter for his attention, and while the premise is ready for silliness, Graham’s screenplay can’t decide if it wants to be wacky or sincere. There are incredibly dark feelings in play in “Chosen Family,” making the lighter touch of the endeavor extremely confusing, creating a disappointing viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“It’s What’s Inside” is a brain-bleeder from writer/director Greg Jardin. It’s a puzzle about personalities and identity, also dealing with the sharp edges of relationships that have exhausted their purpose, carrying on out of habit and a little bit of cowardice. It’s also a sci-fi tale of sorts, eventually becoming a game of “Guess Who” in a way, making for an interesting cinematic stew Jardin looks to spice up with tributes to his favorite filmmakers, including Stanley Kubrick and Gaspar Noe. It’s a wild ride for the most part, with the writing throwing viewers into hostile territory featuring characters gathering for a celebratory wedding weekend, only to be confronted by a chance to exit their bodies, generating all new opportunities for mischief and self-destruction. “It’s What’s Inside” has its storytelling issues, especially in the final act, but it remains a memorable depiction of chaos as experienced by people who welcome danger. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As “Saturday Night Live” enters its 50th season, co-writer/director Jason Reitman wants to take viewers back to the beginning of television history. Although the authenticity of the story remains in question, the sheer energy of the pre-show event seems about right in “Saturday Night,” which depicts the 90-minute countdown leading to the first broadcast of the iconic show in 1975. Reitman focuses on kinetic movement of people and places, recreating the hectic activity inside Studio 8H, and the viewing experience is certainly a rush, following speeding cameras as they chase a large assortment of cast and crew, spending little bits of time on thoughts and fears. “Saturday Night” gets a little too caught up in some ill-defined relationships, but the overall thrust of the endeavor is thrilling to watch. The film also scores with its recreation of early “SNL” nerves and attitude, making for a wildly entertaining sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2014’s “The Lego Movie” was an enormous hit, surprising many with its hefty box office take and strong reviews. The feature inspired a gold rush of sorts with the toy brand, with additional offerings made in Lego-inspired animation quickly pushed into production. However, audiences weren’t as welcoming, and by the time 2019’s “The Lego Movie 2” was released, viewers moved on to other matinee options. It’s been five years since a Lego picture was produced, making “Piece by Piece” all the weirder, as it isn’t a grand adventure with big characters and master builder action, but a documentary on the life of Pharrell Williams, directed by Morgan Neville (“STEVE! (martin) a Documentary in 2 Pieces,” “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”). It’s a bizarre idea, turning the days of a producer and performer into Lego-vision, offering a PG take on an R-rated life. “Piece by Piece” takes some getting used to, but there are spirited moments in the effort, and artful visuals help to support a sanitized version of the Williams experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com