Scary Movie 2

Movie Name: Scary Movie 2
Year of Release: 2001
Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Kathleen Robertson, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Tim Curry, David Cross, Tori Spelling, Chris Elliott, Veronica Cartwright, James Woods, Natasha Lyonne, Andy Richter, Christopher Masterson, James DeBello, Richard Moll
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
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Synopsis and Review

After the huge hit that was "Scary Movie", Dimension Films hurried this sequel, which came out the following year. The creative team was enhanced with the contributions of an array of new writers, and new cast members were also brought in. The spoofing this time around covered films such as "The Exorcist", "Hannibal", "The Haunting", "Charlie's Angels", "Dude Where's My Car?", and even some John Woo mimicry (the Hong Kong director who at the time was well known for recent hits such as "Face/Off" and "Mission: Impossible 2"). The narrative continues to follow the adventures of Cindy Campbell. This time around Cindy is in college, once again with Brenda by her side. They are joined by Theo and Alex, alongside some of their love interests, namely Buddy and Ray, with Shorty continuing his pot smoking excursions. They're all selected to participate in a study that their college professor is running in a haunted mansion (while the professor is interested in academia, his real motivation lies more in the carnality of his female students). The group reunites in the mansion for the weekend, hoping for an easy grade out of the whole ordeal. They meet the quirky caretaker Hanson, but as the weekend progresses and supernatural occurrences start manifesting, they realize they're trapped, and at the mercy of a very angry ghost.

If "Scary Movie" had some issues with taste level, this sequel tosses whatever remained from that fine line, and goes downhill into toilet humor (literally, the initial sequence of this film, a spoof of "The Exorcist", eventually finds James Woods in the bathroom). Most of the issues this film encounters can be directly attributed to what feels like a rushed production, but many of the debatable sketch-like humor that was already in motion for the first film, make a comeback for this one. While some sequences are humorous, namely the satire surrounding "Charlie's Angels", with Anna Faris, Regina Hall, and Kathleen Robertson replacing Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu, with the over the top fight sequences, there's plenty others that just don't play out quite as successful (the "Stomp" sketch hasn't aged very well for instance). It's a film that feels less coherent than the previous one, where the characters have even less to say and do (Tori Spelling's character for instance), and also one where the production team feels to have had 20 dollars for set pieces, props, and costumes. It's even more of a dramatic departure when compared with "Scary Movie 3", which premiered in 2003, and actually felt like a nicely put together feature. What's left for this film, is essentially its lack of pretension, and the realization that everyone has that this film is essentially a series of questionable sketches stitched together, with the intention of making people laugh parodying very serious films. Anna Faris once again manages to hold this film together by herself, with good support from Regina Hall, Kathleen Robertson, Tim Curry, and Chris Elliott. The production team on this film is not very successful - the production design is underwhelming, the same going for the costume design and cinematography. Anna Faris and the cast highlights aside, this chapter can be skipped altogether.  

Scary Movie

Movie Name: Scary Movie
Year of Release: 2000
Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shannon Elizabeth, Lochlyn Munro, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Jon Abrahams, Carmen Electra, Dave Sheridan, Rick Ducommun, Cheri Oteri, Kelly Coffield, Kurt Fuller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review

By the time "Scary Movie" premiered, the spoof genre was quite dormant. What David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker originally did with "Airplane", "Top Secret", and "The Naked Gun" went beyond the typical spoofing of the films that inspired them, they deconstructed the original and put it through their lens that brought out the humor and ridiculousness of the tropes that propelled the original. "Scary Movie" goes in a slightly different direction, inspired by the ZAP troupe, but also Mel Brooks' own spoofs. The film follows the story of high school senior Cindy Campbell. She and her best friends, Brenda and Buffy, alongside their respective boyfriends, Bobby, Ray, and Greg, jointly participated in a cover up of a man they accidentally killed just a year earlier. They all start receiving messages from someone who knows what they did and is menacing them. This unknown individual starts a killing spree of the group of friends, starting with Buffy, followed by Greg, all the while venturing closer and closer to Cindy. Cindy who recently went through a traumatic event in her life, the killing of her mother, suspects someone close to her may actually be the killer. And the hints all point in Bobby's direction who keeps denying any wrong doing. As the killings continue, the more desperate Cindy becomes.

The most obvious target of "Scary Movie" is of course Wes Craven's "Scream" film(s), which is used as the baseline for the core narrative, with many other films layering alongside this one for the spoofing. "I Know What You Did Last Summer", "The Blair Witch Project", "The Sixth Sense", "The Matrix", all get similar treatment, with varying degrees of success. While the premise of "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is an easy target to parody, the same going for "The Blair Witch Project", M. Night Shyamalan's film is not so easy to replicate (though "Signs" does becomes an easy target on "Scary Movie 3"). The level of success of the spoofing becomes more effective as the silliness of the tropes of the original film are on display. The biggest issue with this film, it's not its lack of polish, something that the ZAZ team always primed upon, but its actual intelligence and humor level. Now some may argue one doesn't see a spoof film for its sophistication, but I will disagree with that statement: "Airplane", while not a spoof film per se, was able to intelligently mock the clichés that it observed from all the disaster film series of the 1970s, and did it all with a wink and with a consistent tone that was (and still is) capable to cater to different types of humor. "Scary Movie" does have its good moments, most of them involving Anna Faris or Regina Hall, but other than that it devolves into this quasi-amateurish college level of humor that eventually lowers its success (which is far more visible in "Scary Movie 2"). The cast is game for the nonsense that is happening, but the highlight is Anna Faris, then barely starting her career, who goes along for the ride and reveals a fantastic comic timing in every single frame (she is possibly one of the most underrated and most talented comic performers working these days), with great support from the versatile Regina Hall, who was then also relatively fresh in her career, and has since then become a powerhouse. The production team is competent. With a new sequel about to come out in 2026, it's interesting to witness the high points of this franchise, namely David Zucker's "Scary Movie 3", and its lowest, namely Malcom D. Lee's "Scary Movie 5". This one, that started it all, is worth watching, if anything for Anna Faris and Regina Hall, two wonderful performers commencing their careers. 

Jagged Edge

Movie Name: Jagged Edge
Year of Release: 1985
Director: Richard Marquand
Starring: Glenn Close, Jeff Bridges, Peter Coyote, Robert Loggia, Lance Henriksen, Al Ruscio, Leigh Taylor-Young, Karen Austin, Sanford Jensen, Brandon Call, Christina Hutter
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

These days Richard Marquand is mostly well known as the director of "Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi", but before that he had a long career in TV and tackling documentaries. He sadly also died a few years after the release of "Jagged Edge". The film also marks one of the first produced Joe Eszterhas scripts, who of course became well known for writing "Flashdance", "Basic Instinct", and the infamous "Showgirls".  The film follows the story of Teddy Barnes, a former prosecutor who is now a high-profile lawyer, recently divorced, with two young children. She becomes entangled in a high profile case when she decides to accept the case of Jack Forrester, who is being accused of murdering his wife and their maid. Teddy is facing her former boss, Thomas Krasny, with whom she has unfinished business regarding a case they faced just a few years earlier. Teddy reaches out to Sam Ransom, a private investigator and one of her closest friends, to dig up everything he can about Forrester. Teddy and Jack grow closer, and eventually start a romantic relationship, something Sam warns her against. At the same time she starts receiving anonymous letters with information relevant for the case, all of them leading to the innocence of Forrester. As the trial starts and as witnesses are summoned, Teddy can't help but recognize some of the MO Jack applied on some of the witnesses, is very similar to how their own relationship has evolved. 

Upon watching "Jagged Edge" one can't help but realize how similar the premise of this narrative is with what Joe Ezsterhas wrote for "Basic Instinct". The film in itself can be considered an homage to classic noir films from Hollywood, where a murder trial is taking place, and the identity of the killer is never quite certain, with the suspect at times fitting the profile, while situations that are uncovered suggest otherwise. It's very much a film that falls in place with polished thrillers from that time frame, which included the films "Suspect" from Peter Yates, and even "The Morning After" from Sidney Lumet. Films that featured a strong central female character, who is confronted with ambiguous situations, and eventually get involved with men whose character they can't necessarily vouch for. These films did give women an opportunity to push their narratives beyond the typical damsel in distress, or playing second fiddle for the typical male cop/detective/action hero, which seemed to dominate the screens in the 1980s/1990s (though Sally Field, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Glenn Close, Cher, Sigourney Weaver, Jane Fonda, Kathleen Turner, and a few other great talents did find a way to be a part of more diverse stories). "Jagged Edge" doesn't necessarily have much surprise to it - most of its holding power stems from its cast which is indeed stellar featuring the always remarkable Glenn Close, Jeff Bridges, Peter Coyote, and Robert Loggia all bringing to life these characters with enough charisma and charm to continuously make them believable and genuine. The production team is also top notch, featuring John Barry's score, Matthew F. Leonetti's cinematography, and Ann Roth's costumes. It's a smaller film in the filmography of some of these acting titans, but it's one that is watchable and enjoyable. 

Rough Night

Movie Name: Rough Night
Year of Release: 2017
Director: Lucia Aniello
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, Zoe Kravitz, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer, Paul W. Downs, Ryan Cooper, Ty Burrell, Demi Moore, Enrique Murciano, Dean Winters, Colton Haynes, Eric Andre, Bo Burnham, Hasan Minhaj, Karan Soni, Laura Grey, Patrick Carlyle
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Tubi

Synopsis and Review

The creative team behind the well reviewed show "Hacks" created this feature before that show started. The narrative focuses on a group of college friends, all of whom went their separate ways upon completion of their degree and who have tried to stay in touch ever since with various degrees of success. Jess who is running for office, decides to get married to her longtime love Peter, and the group of friends, headed by Alice, decide to have a bachelorette party in Miami, Florida. The group is soon also joined by Jess' friend from Australia, Pippa. They go to a club in Miami, where they peer pressure each other to do drugs, and Frankie decides to hire a male stripper to entertain Jess. An attractive man shows up at the vacation house, and they assume he's the stripper. He plays along, getting Alice all fired up. She jumps on him, he slips, hits his head on the fireplace and dies instantly. They're all in a state of shock, not knowing what to do, but they eventually decide to get rid of the body. All their attempts fail. In the meantime, Jess had called Peter, but the call dropped, leading Peter to mistakenly perceive Jess' attitude as wanting to cancel the wedding. His friends pump him up to drive all the way to Florida to win Jess back.

When conceiving "Rough Night" I imagine if Paul W. Downs (who plays Peter) and his creative partner Lucia Aniello, pitched the concept as a hybrid of "The Hangover" and "Bridesmaids". If that is indeed the case, the addition of the concept of those two films into "Rough Night" doesn't necessarily come across as a sound strategy and particularly, a great execution. Unlike "Bridesmaids", this group of women who are supposed to be close friends, even if time has distanced themselves from each other, don't seem to have much in common, or for that matter, much desire to spend time together. While Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph genuinely felt like long time friends, in this case, this group seems like a random assortment of people jammed together, pretending to have chemistry or to even care for each other. There simply isn't much of a sense of connection, and some of the performers of the group even seem to be on very different films. Another big issue with the film lies with the overall tone: it oscillates between a quasi depraved and mean spirited scenario (a bunch of women killing a stranger and wanting to get rid of the body), but on the other, it wants to be a romantic comedy where everyone is just quirky, and the happy ending is just around the corner (featuring pratfalls, driving a packed smart cart, engaging in a threesome with an older couple). Ultimately it feels more like a film where story items were selected from a list, in the hopes of making a coherent storyline, more so than an actual narrative with characters who have to face some tough decisions. The cast is all over the place, with Scarlett Johansson clearly miscast, with the only one salvaging the situation being Kate McKinnon who is clearly savoring the role of a chilled Australian. Ty Burrell and Demi Moore (please get them together for another film soon), are cast as an horny version of The Ropers, and they steal every scene in which they show up, but sadly they have very little screen time. The production team is solid but by no means remarkable. This is a film that feels more like a calculated endeavor, sadly it just never gels and ultimately feels like a waste of talent and time for everyone involved. Avoid.

Sirát

Movie Name: Sirát
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Oliver Laxe
Starring: Sergi Lopez, Bruno Nunez Arjona, Stefania Gadda, Joshua Liam Herderson, Richard Bellamy, Tonin Janvier, Jade Oukid, Ahmed Abbou
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Sirát" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival of 2025 to great reviews and eventually won the Jury Prize of that year. The narrative follows Luis who is seeking for his daughter in the company of his young son Esteban. He is seeking for her in the desert around Morocco, specifically on this massive rave that draws people from all over. Luis shows the photo of his daughter all over, but no one has seen her. He is informed there is another rave taking place, further into the desert, and that it may possibly be her destination. The rave in Morocco is disbanded when soldiers show up and the European ravers have to be evacuated. There's an armed conflict taking place, and they want everyone to go back to their own countries. Luis decides to take Esteban and Pipa, their dog, in a minivan alongside a group of ravers who are driving across the area in two massive trucks. They try unsuccessfully to dissuade Luis from coming, claiming his car isn't ready for the journey, the same thing for him and Esteban who is but a child. As they go across Northern Africa the group grows closer, sharing food and fuel, with the ravers even helping Luis cross a river in his car. Things take a darker turn when going across a mountain, the group faces mechanical issues, which escalate to a tragic situation.

This film tracks a journey of a father looking for his daughter, but it also strangely brings to mind the world of George Miller's "Mad Max". Mr. Laxe creates a narrative and a world that is very akin to a demise of civilization, one where violence is everywhere, and the kindness and empathy of humans is the only thing left when it comes to identifying humanity itself. The ravers aren't necessarily brainless hedonists, who are pursuing a hippie like existence, as it turns out, they're individuals with dreams just like everyone else, they simply choose to live an existence that isn't conforming with what everyone might deem acceptable. Their ability to understand Luis' plight, and subsequently his grief and pain, demonstrates how humans can create a bonded community, but also how ultimately we are all a collective, who experience life events very similarly, even if how we expose our emotions can be quite unique and different. This is a film that details a journey inward for all these individuals, geographically but also emotionally, only for them to come out at the other side of this journey bruised and battered, but also with a different view on what it means to be alive. It's a film that flows seamlessly, where Mr. Laxe gives the impression that not much is happening, but that notion is quickly dispelled, not solely for the tragic third act, but also for the tapestry he slowly creates between all these individuals. There are no heroes, no villains, just individuals going their way, helping when needed, smiling, and mourning. The cast is solid, particularly the always excellent Sergi Lopez who makes Luis a kind, funny, and focused man, whose life takes a dramatic turn, and yet has to learn how to continue living. The cinematography from Mauro Herce and score from Kangding Ray are fantastic. It's a unique film worth watching and savoring. 

Parenthood

Movie Name: Parenthood
Year of Release: 1989
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards, Tom Hulce, Rick Moranis, Harley Jane Kozak, Keanu Reeves, Martha Plimpton, Dennis Dugan, Eileen Ryan, Alisan Porter, Ivyann Schwan
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

Director Ron Howard cemented his directorial career in the 1980s, with a string of big commercial hits, including "Splash", "Cocoon", "Gung Ho", "Willow", and "Parenthood". His usual collaborators, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (who wrote "Splash" and "Gung Ho", and who would reunite with him again on "Ed TV") are responsible for the script. The narrative focuses on the life of Gil Buckman, a hard working married man, with a large family, including his siblings Helen, Susan, and the troublesome Larry, his parents Frank and Marilyn, and an array of children. Gil is trying to be supportive to one of his kids who has learning disabilities and suddenly realizes he and his wife have another child on the way, which added to the 3 they already have, creates more money woes on their part. Gil's sister Helen, recently divorced, is trying to do her best with her children. Julie is a rebellious teenager, already dating a young man by the name of Tod, who seems adrift, while her son Garry is going through puberty, is missing his father, and eventually comes to the realization that his father has moved on with his life, has a new family, and doesn't care about him or his sister. Susan is married to Nathan, who is domineering and is creating a sterile childhood for their daughter, while also alienating her in the process. She wants another child, but Nathan disagrees, which creates a massive rift between them. Larry shows up after being astray from the family for quite some time, always involved in quick rich schemes, and suddenly reappears, once again asking for money and with a small child. Gil's parents, Frank and Marilyn, have always bailed Larry out of all situations, much to the dismay of the other siblings. As the family navigates life, more unexpected challenges keep appearing.

If "Parenthood" appears to be a description for a TV Drama, well it eventually did become one (the TV Show lasted between 2010 and 2015). It's a film that illustrates the family dynamics of all these characters quite well, demonstrating the bonds that bring them all together, even if these characters feel at times in very different narratives. They all come across as somewhat stiff stereotypes, though some of these characters have more dimension than others. Steve Martin's Gil gets the lion share of character development, and Mr. Howard manages to give him enough of a stage for him to be both the charismatically funny entertainer, but also the parental figure who is torn between providing for his family and figuring out what his next professional step can be. The character that ends up having some actual depth, in the middle of all the noise created by this soap opera, is actually Dianne Wiest's Helen. She's having to deal with a daughter who is growing too fast, a son who is trying to figure out who he is, and an ex-husband who has no character or regard for his children. She's the one who is also the most humane, attempting to safeguard her children while also realizing that she's not hitting all the right notes. She also is plainly aware that her own personal life and feelings have been put on hold for her children. The film is watchable and plays smoothly like a Pilot for a TV Show - there's nothing particularly dark, even if Tom Hulce's character, Larry, walks closely in that direction. However this script doesn't go into unexpected territories, staying within the confines of the sanitized and acceptable family view. The cast is stacked and features solid performances from Steve Martin, Dianne Wiest, Mary Steenburgen, Jason Robards, Tom Hulce, Joaquin Phoenix, and Keanu Reeves. The production team is competent, including Randy Newman's score, Donald McAlpine's cinematography, and Todd Hallowell's production design. It's watchable and light in content as a feather, but a good opportunity to watch very talented actors working harmoniously.

Personal Shopper

Movie Name: Personal Shopper
Year of Release: 2016
Director: Olivier Assayas
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Sigrid Bouaziz, Anders Danielsen Lie, Ty Olwin, Nora Waldstätten, Hammou Graïa, Benjamin Biolay, Audrey Bonnet, Pascal Rambert, Aurelia Petit
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

After their successful partnership with "Clouds of Sils Maria", writer/director Olivier Assayas and actress Kristen Stewart reunited once again for "Personal Shopper", which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival of 2016 to solid reviews. The film follows the story of Maureen, a 20 something woman living in Paris. She works as a personal shopper for a high profile woman, but also believes herself to be a medium. She's reeling from the recent death of her twin brother, and has stayed in Paris waiting to get a "connection" from his ghost. Her boyfriend is also working abroad, in Muscat, Oman, and invites her come visit him, so she can distance herself from all the pain that Paris sparks in her. While trying to feel or catch any signs of her lost sibling in the house he and his girlfriend shared, Maureen does come across a spirit, but that of a female, which scares her. She also starts getting text messages from an unknown sender who seems to know a lot about her. Her life is thrown into further disarray when her employer is brutally murdered, and Maureen is questioned on how she found her, and the role she played in her life. 

One of the most interesting aspects of "Personal Shopper" is the sentiment of initial disbelief that the writer/director creates towards what is happening in the lead character's life. The film isn't your typical ghost story, nor is it this deambulatory chronicle of a young woman's life in Paris. It marries both those aspects in a way that feels organic and eventually sensical. Yes, Maureen is a personal shopper for someone who is wealthy and lives an opulent lifestyle, but she's also someone who firmly believes her dead twin brother will communicate with her from the after life, and that her "abilities"/sensitivity, will be able to hone in when he does so. These aspects coexist in this narrative, but as the director keeps adding more events, including the anonymous text messages, the death of her employer, all of these aspects while creating a sense of dread, also murky the journey Maureen has been experiencing. What was initially an exploration of grief, and how people at times dehumanize themselves while serving others, becomes a bit more trivial when the writer/director layers them across the narrative (that didn't really need it). Maureen is a bit puzzling herself: she's very sure of herself when performing her tasks, but less assured when addressing her own path in life. And this duality makes her an interesting character, even if we never know much more about who she actually is, and what her ambitions are. This film lives from all these aspects that the audience has to build for themselves, as they witness the story unfold, and where Maureen's experiences lead her. Mr. Assayas does create a vivid universe for these characters to live in, but doesn't really know where to take them, which seems to be a perpetual issue in many of his films. Kristen Stewart does a solid job playing Maureen, and the film lies squarely on her shoulders. The production team is equally solid, particularly Yorick Le Saux's cinematography and François-Renaud Labarthe's production design. It's not an entirely successful film, but one that is enigmatic and well performed to hold one's attention. 

Kimi

Movie Name: Kimi
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Zoe Kravitz, Byron Bowers, Rita Wilson, Devin Ratray, Jacob Vargas, Derek DelGaudio, Sarai Koo, Jaime Camil, George Evans, Robin Givens, India de Beaufort, Charles Halford, David Wain
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Following the well received "No Good Deed", the prolifically talented Steven Soderbergh quickly came back with another release, marking his first collaboration with screenwriter David Koepp (a long time collaborator of Steven Spielberg, for whom he wrote "Jurassic Park", "Lost World", "War of the Worlds", "Indiana Jones 4", and "Disclosure Day"). "Kimi" follows the story of Angela Childs, an agoraphobic tech worker, who has been having troubles going outside for quite some time (a result from an assault she previously experienced), an issue that got substantially worse with the advent of Covid-19. She monitors incoming data streams from the Kimi devices, built and sold by a company that is about to go through an IPO process. She's been dating a neighbor who lives in the building across from her, a lawyer by the name of Terry. Terry has been attempting to get her outside, starting with something as simple as enjoying food from a local food truck, something that is unable to tackle. While going through the daily streams she detects what appears to be a woman being subjected to a violent assault. With the help of a coworker she is able to trace the identity back to a user whose name is Samantha. She uncovers more of that user's recordings, and is horrified to realize that her additional recordings indicate she might have been murdered. She reports the issue to her company, and she's eventually told to come into the office so they can call the FBI and clarify the whole situation. However and while she's waiting, she realizes two individuals are coming to get her, upon which she decides to leave the offices and go to the local FBI offices herself.

David Koepp's scripts are at times hit or miss. His latest collaboration with Steven Soderbergh, the wonderful and criminally underrated "Black Bag" was a perfectly executed thriller, with enough sophistication and character development to warrant multiple viewings. Some of his scripts, including "Secret Window" or even "Premium Rush", which he also directed, just don't work quite as successfully. They are genre films where characters are presented as sketches, and the narrative feels rushed and underdeveloped. Some of those traits are also noticeable on "Kimi", however this film benefits from having Steven Soderbergh at the helm. Mr. Soderbergh has always been able to illustrate the central heroes of his narratives as individuals who have found a unique place for themselves in the world, even if they may come across as borderline anti-conventional (that was the case of James Spader's Graham in "sex, lies, and videotape", Jesse Bradford's Aaron Kurlander in "King of the Hill", or even Julia Roberts' Erin Brockovich, in the film with the same title). Angela may seem at first glance as a modern heroine from a Hitchcock film, or even a distant relation to Sigourney Weaver's Dr. Helen Hudson from Jon Amiel's "Copycat", but as the narrative develops, we get to learn more about what motivates her specific behavior, including her emotional barriers, her relationships with others, and even why is she so intent on reporting what she just captured. The best part of this feature is indeed the way this character comes to life as the narrative develops, even if some of her tribulations with her pursuers diminish the power of his storyline. It would have been interesting if David Koepp had written this film like an updated version of Brian De Palma's "Blow Out", but sadly this script lacks that ambition, and falls a bit too easily into the trappings of a more conventional thriller. Still, even with its script limitations, Steven Soderbergh works his magic defining the claustrophobia of Angela's apartment, as well as the fears she faces when she goes outside. The cast is solid, though it would be interesting to see what Naomi Scott or Jessica Henwick could have done with this part. The production team is solid, since as usual Steven Soderbergh also works as cinematographer, editor, with the addition of the stupendous Cliff Martinez on score (they've been regular collaborators since "sex, lies, and videotape"), and Philip Messina's production design. It's an entertaining and worth watching feature from a very talented film maker. 

Dust Bunny

Movie Name: Dust Bunny
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Bryan Fuller 
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sigourney Weaver, David Dastmalchian, Sheila Atim, Rebecca Henderson, Line Kruse, Caspar Phillipson, Armond Willis, Rea Milla, Tibor Szauervein, Sute Zhao, Tao Jia, Hisham Omer
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

"Dust Bunny" is the feature directorial debut for celebrated writer/producer Bryan Fuller, who has created iconic tv shows in the past including "Wonderfalls", "Dead Like Me", "Pushing Daisies", and more recently "Hannibal". The film had its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in 2025 where it was greeted with solid reviews. The narrative follows the story of Aurora, an 8 year old girl who lives with her foster parents in NY. One night she follows her neighbor from unit 5B to Chinatown, where she witnesses him killing what appears to be an immense dragon (but in reality he kills an entire gang who is hidden under the guise of a dragon dance puppet). Aurora is terrified of the place where she lives, since as she explains to her foster parents, there is an enormous monster underneath her bed (and floor). They don't believe her until one night she hears immense rubble in the place, and the following day her parents are gone and their bedroom is torn to pieces. She decides to hire her neighbor to help her get rid of the monster, and with that in mind she steals the donation tray of the nearest church. When she recounts her story and her purpose to her neighbor, he believes that her parents were mistakenly killed by people trying to kill him. He informs his handler Laverne of the matter. Laverne advises him to get rid of Aurora. That evening two assassins arrive at Aurora's apartment, and while the neighbor tackles one of them, the other mysteriously disappears.

The stylistic world of Bryan Fuller is an immensely enjoyable one. One aspect that has been very evident across all the creative endeavors he has originated, is how thoroughly detailed, and stylistically dazzling they all are. "Dust Bunny" is an interesting film that at first glance may be a marriage of Luc Besson's "The Professional/Leon", with Juan Antonio Bayona's "A Monster Calls", but it eventually goes in the direction and tone that is very much coherent with everything that Bryan Fuller has created thus far. His heroes (and anti-heroes) are always characters who inhabit fairly conventional realities, ones that can tilt to the horrifying and violent, but they always have the ability to view the world in their own special way. They're not outcasts by any means, they live just enough outside of the conventional, and they have a special ability which enables them to see beyond what is typical and commonplace. They're outsiders who can blend in, but still very much special in their own manner, characters who carve their own path no matter the situation in which they find themselves in. Such is the case with Aurora, her neighbor, and even Laverne. It's a universe that is always colorful, with characters that are at times under-developed, but never conventional nor pretentious. "Dust Bunny" which starts with a dose of surreality and as it progresses thrives on it, is a film that may seem like a child-like narrative of a young girl living with fear, but it evolves into something quite different, a narrative about thriving, making connections, and controlling her own destiny. The cast is superb, with Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, and the always great Sigourney Weaver all creating indelible characters. The production team is equally fantastic, particularly Isabella Summers' score, Nicole Hirsch Whitaker's cinematography, Jeremy Reed's production design, and Olivier Beriot and Catherine Leterrier's costumes. It's a film that deserves to find a bigger audience, and one that reveals Bryan Fuller's solid ability to work on a bigger canvas. 

Black Phone 2

Movie Name: Black Phone 2
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Scott Derrickson 
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Demian Bechir, Jeremy Davies, Miguel Mora, Arianna Rivas, Maev Beaty, Graham Abbey, James Ransone, Anna Lore, Simon Webster, Shepherd Munroe, Chase B. Robertson, Dexter Bolduc, Jazlyn Wong-lee, Julien Norman, Jacob Moran
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

Following the success of "Black Phone", co-writer/producer/director Scott Derrickson has returned with a sequel which further establishes the mystique of the main villain, while also clarifying some key points of the past of some of the characters (coincidentally 2025 also saw the release of his Apple produced film, "The Gorge", which featured Anya Taylor-Joy, Miles Teller, and Sigourney Weaver). The narrative takes place in 1982, four years after the events of the first film. Finney is now 17 and is in high school, still experiencing issues relating to others, but protecting those who are bullied. His sister Gwen starts having dreams where she witnesses murders that have happened in a lake camp in 1957. Gwen and Finney's mother also had similar dreams, since she too had similar abilities to Gwen. Gwen convinces Finney and Ernesto, the latter the brother of one of the boys who got killed by the Grabber, to travel to that camp to investigate further. They get stuck at the camp due to a harsh snow storm. The camp is run by Armando and his niece Mustang, alongside two employees Kenneth and Barbara. Finney receives a phone call on the camp's dead payphone from the Grabber. He is intent on seeking revenge and starts doing so by attacking Gwen in her dreams. Everyone in the camp realizes they have to find the bodies from the additional victims of the Grabber, in order for him to lose his powers over the dream world. They realize the bodies are beneath the frozen lake. Armando, Hope (Finney and Gwen's mother), and the Grabber, all knew each other at the camp when they were younger. As it turns out, Hope's death wasn't a suicide after all. Finney and Gwen decide to fight back.

The first "Black Phone" was an interesting ghost story that managed to capture the spirit of the 1970s rather colorfully, even if the characters that populated that story had very little substance. This sequel, once again succeeds in establishing the mood and recreating the time period (kudos to the production design team), but as the nods to Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street" become more pronounced (the killer that attacks you in your dreams, that can lead to lethal consequences), the characters and what makes them more unique falls to the wayside. The film's creative team is more concerned about tone and setting a mood, more so than bringing these characters to life, beyond the bare minimum of what would be passable for them to register as individuals (they let the costumes do much of that work for them, namely with the character named Mustang). Finney spends most of the film answering supernatural calls, whereas Gwen is perpetually falling asleep and either being targeted by the Grabber or witnessing past killings perpetrated by him. The film is not without its good points: Demian Bechir's Armando brings some humanity and intensity to an underwritten role, Ethan Hawke has fun playing a different version of Freddy Kruger, and placing the action in an isolated campground brings to mind all the horror films of the early 1980s (and this is a worthy homage). The cast is solid, led by Ethan Hawke and Demian Bechir, while Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw don't really do much with their characters. The production team is top notch, including Atticus Derrickson's score, Par M. Ekberg's cinematography, and Patti Podesta's production design. Ultimately it's a watchable film, but also one that is slight and unmemorable.

Shadow of the Vampire

Movie Name: Shadow of the Vampire
Year of Release: 2000
Director: E. Elias Merhige
Starring: John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Udo Kier, Cary Elwes, Catherine McCormack, Eddie Izzard, Aden Gillett, Nicholas Elliott, Ronan Vibert, Sophie Langevin
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Shadow of the Vampire" was critically well received when it made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival of 2000. The film is the sophomore directorial effort of E. Elias Merhige, who at the time was well known for directing music videos for the rock band Marilyn Manson. The film follows the narrative of the events behind the shooting of F. W. Murnau's "Nosferatu" in the early 1920s. Murnau who wasn't able to secure the rights to adapt Bram Stoker's Dracula, writes a variation of that novel, and alongside his creative team starts shooting the film. He tells his team he has found an obscure actor by the name of Max Schreck to play the role of the vampire, Count Orlok. He forewarns them all that Schreck stays in character all the time, and that he will only appear alongside the crew when in full makeup and also all his scenes will be shot at night. After filming scenes in a studio with his lead actress, Murnau takes the rest of the cast and crew to Czechoslovakia, to a a remote inn where he removes all crucifixes from the space. Certain episodes with the cameraman Wolfgang Muller start happening, but no one takes them very seriously. Schrek finally makes his appearance, impressing and disturbing everyone. As the shooting continues and Wolfgang's health deteriorates, Murnau threatens Schreck since he's aware that the latter is the one responsible for Wolfgang's poor health. A new cameraman is brought in, Fritz Arno Wagner. Murnau in the meantime goes back to Berlin to appease the financiers of the film, while Schreck's lust for blood continues, something that members of the crew assume to be due to his role immersion. Production moves to the island of Heligoland, difficult to access. Murnau admits to the team that Schrek is an actual vampire, and that he made a deal to give him Greta, the lead actress, in exchange for his performance in the film. However, they all realize they're trapped in a remote island with a bloodthirsty vampire.

There's much to savor in this film that is an ode/homage to F.W. Murnau's classic vampire tale, "Nosferatu". E. Elias Merhige and his creative team were able to bring to life the process of shooting that film in the 1920s, while introducing this subversive character of Max Schreck, who for the sake of this feature is an actual vampire. While the film could have easily fallen into the trappings of something solemn or gratuitously violent, the director manages to leverage the script to both celebrate the art of film making (with some of its clichés), peppered with dark humor, something that Willem Dafoe who is portraying Schreck, mines for all the good that it offers. There isn't much in terms of character definition in this film, they're more postcards than portraits, but Max Schreck in particular comes across as someone who is at odds with the modern world, someone who is puzzled by it, and who questions his own sense of immortality. That role both elevates what is taking place in the film, but also renders most of the supporting narrative as somewhat lackluster - F. W. Murnau in particular doesn't get much in terms of illustrating his geniality and uniqueness. This is indeed a film that lives from that great nugget at the core of the narrative: what if Schreck was an actual Nosferatu/Vampire, and was suddenly in the middle of shooting a film in the 1920s. It's a great premise, one that sadly doesn't go very far, but that does manage to keep one's attention courtesy of Willem Dafoe's great central performance. He makes the character menacing, but also quizzical, and at times quite comical. He gets good support from John Malkovich, Cary Elwes, Catherine McCormack, Eddie Izzard, and of the always wonderful Udo Kier. The production team is solid, particularly Dan Jones' score, Lou Bogue's cinematography, and Assheton Gorton's production design. While it doesn't hit all the right notes, it's still an interesting film worth watching, featuring a great performance from the always fantastic Willem Dafoe. 

Apex

Movie Name: Apex
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Starring: Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, Eric Bana, Matt Whelan, Aaron Pedersen
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Another Netflix production to emerge, once again featuring Charlize Theron, who has been working with the streaming platform for quite some time now (their first joint collaboration was "The Old Guard", which premiered in 2020). "Apex" focuses on the story of Sasha, a woman whom we first encounter alongside her husband attempting to climb the Troll Wall. That attempt has dramatic results, when severe weather impacts their progression, and Tommy dies as a result of an avalanche. Five months later Sasha is in Australia, driving towards Wandarra National Park. She stops at a ranger station and learns of a series of disappearances in the area. She also gets approached by a few men, though the situation is quickly defused when a stranger by the name of Ben intervenes. She continues her journey, and at night while setting up camp notices the same men appear once again. She dismisses the situation, and the following morning she takes her kayak down the rapids. She eventually encounters Ben again, who offers her some food. He quickly reveals that he knows more about her than he led her to believe, and threatens her with a crossbow. He states he will give her a head start, but then he will start hunting her. Sasha desperately tries to evade him, but he seems to know where she is at all times. Ben eventually captures her, and she's horrified by what she discovers.

It's perplexing that an actress with the range and ability of Charlize Theron has spent the last 7 years working with material that can be considered mediocre at best. Sadly "Apex" does not improve her track record, as it is another tepid film that while attempting to marry Curtis Hanson's "The River Wild" with Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity", with some splashes of Danny Boyle's "127 Hours" (I mention "Gravity" because it's a female centric narrative of a survivor trying to escape insurmountable odds), it ends up being a film that lacks any character depth, originality, or even a sense of adventure. For the duration of the film all characters are an enigma, with very little insight into what they do, what their ambitions are, and ultimately who they are as fully rounded individuals. While the film initially suggests some subtlety or something in the neighborhood of what Coralie Fargeat did with "Revenge", who essentially flipped the revenge film on its head, and progressively revealed the darkness behind the characters, Baltasar Kormakur and the screenwriter Jeremy Robbins don't have the skill or interest to subvert anything. "Apex" tries to create the impression of being a "survival thriller", where a serial killer in the woods attempts to capture a traumatized woman who has skills that enable her to be far more resourceful than his typical victims. Sadly the script goes for the shock (or schlock if that is more believable), never demonstrating any particular motivation for Ben, whereas Sasha has considerable financial resources, no family demands, no job to speak of, and miraculous healing powers. Kudos to the creative team behind this film who believed this dreck of a script was actually salvageable. It's a film that has very little to offer, including something for its actors to do, and for the audience who has to sit through something that is so forgettable and poorly written. The production team is competent, particularly Lawrence Sher's cinematography. Hopefully Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton realize they can do better, and start choosing their film roles a bit better. This is nearly the nadir for their careers. Avoid and watch Coralie Fargeat's "Revenge" instead.

Lovely and Amazing

Movie Name: Lovely & Amazing
Year of Release: 2001
Director: Nicole Holofcener
Starring: Catherine Keener, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Le Gros, Dermot Mulroney, Raven Goodwin, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Clark Gregg, Michael Nouri, Lee Garlington, Spencer Garrett
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Tubi

Synopsis and Review

After making a name for herself with her feature directorial debut, "Walking and Talking" (which also featured her usual collaborator, Catherine Keener), writer/director Nicole Holofcener tackled a few TV directorial gigs (such as a few episodes of Darren Star's "Sex and the City" show), before releasing "Lovely & Amazing" her sophomore directorial endeavor. The film follows the story of the Marks family, specifically the matriarch Jane, and her three daughters, Michelle and Elizabeth who are adult, and the youngest Annie, still a child, whom she adopted later in life. Jane feels insecure about her looks, and decides to try a liposuction procedure. What is apparently a routine procedure turns out to be something more serious, as complications arise, resulting in a prolonged hospital stay. Michelle, who is married, focuses her time on crafting different art pieces which she then tries to sell to small businesses, most of the times without much success. This puts a strain on her marriage. Her husband in the meantime, while pretending to be supportive of her choices, is having an affair with her friend Donna. She eventually decides to take a job at a one-hour photo lab, working alongside a 17 year old named Jordan, who is smitten with her. Elizabeth is an aspiring actress, currently in a frustrating relationship. She goes for an audition with a sex symbol, and while they have great chemistry, she is not chosen for the part. She gets feedback that she's not sexy enough, which leaves her very insecure about herself. She starts a tryst with the movie star she auditioned with. Annie in the meantime is having a difficult time adjusting to the fact her mom is in the hospital, and that she's so different than her sisters. 

I admit that I always leave Nicole Holofcener's films feeling a bit underwhelmed. Not because the reviews over-hyper her films, but because I always have the sensation that the narratives she illustrates are wafer thin and eventually the films just run out of potency. It's not that she doesn't have a point of view, the more blatant issue seems to be the fact that the point of view feels too generic to resonate deeper with the audiences (and myself in particular). Of all her films the one that resonated with me the most was actually "Enough Said" with James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, since it tackled the challenges individuals face with attempting a romantic relationship at a certain age in their lives. "Lovely & Amazing" illustrates the lives and challenges of these women in this family unit, in a context that feels very Los Angeles based, meaning everyone is very privileged, comfortable, and experience life in a way that seems quite sheltered. One can say that you don't watch Nicole Holofcener, or Nancy Myers, or even Woody Allen's films for the depiction of the challenges the working class suffers or the pulsating heartbeat of romance: their universes, though quite different from each other, always exists in this bubble of Los Angeles ennui, HGTV middle age porn, and Manhattan intellectual malaise respectively. Meaning: there's nothing necessarily wrong with "Lovely & Amazing", but it's a film that feels vapid and innocuous, where there isn't a strong point being made, where the narrative just captures the lives of these individuals in this moment in time, and that just has to suffice. These characters, whatever we understand of them, don't experience epiphanies, don't become a better version of themselves, and don't necessarily represent an archetype: they're just slight, living in a world that seems neighboring a TV show (not HBO), and by the time the narrative ends, their storyline and the film itself is instantly forgettable. The cast tries their best, particularly Catherine Keener and Emily Mortimer, and it's nice to know that they both went on to do better and more memorable work with other film makers. There's nothing wrong with this film, but there's nothing necessarily great about it either. 

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Movie Name: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Year of Release: 2026
Director: Nia DaCosta
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry, Mirren Mack, Gordon Alexander, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, David Sterne, Elliot Benn, Connor Newall, Maura Bird, Ghazi Al Ruffai, Robert Rhodes, Emma Laird
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

The "28 Days Later" series continues, this time around with a sequel to 2025's "28 Years Later" which reunited director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland in the series which they started in 2002. Following the events of the prior film, Spike finds himself in the midst of the gang Fingers, led by the murderous Jimmy Crystal. In order to stay with the gang, he has to fight one of its members. He accidentally manages to do so, and gets access to the gang, getting a new name in the process (Jimmy). In the interim, Dr. Kelson continues his daily habits, building upon the ossuary, an homage for those who have died from the Rage Virus epidemic. The colossal alpha that is infected, and that he has named Samson, starts visiting him regularly as Dr. Kelson has shot morphine darts into him (to prevent Samson from killing him), and in the process has made him addicted to it. As Samson keeps coming back, his humanity starts shining through, demonstrating glimpses of memory and even regaining other normal functions. The gang in the meantime also continue their carnage, attacking a farm with survivors, killing them in a bloody and horrific sacrifice. Jimmy Crystal who is sensing a low morale amongst his dwindling hordes, decides to visit Dr. Kelson, as he assumes him to be someone else, and they come to an agreement to further convince his group of Crystal's "higher purpose". However not everything goes according to what Crystal had envisioned.

When "28 Days Later" premiered, it was a memorable take on what was the zombie genre, taking a different approach to the rules that still define that genre. It was also a very smart reflection on international politics, and even on the dismantling of society, all with succinctly defined characters, which made the film work on multiple levels (it also was a great showcase for Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, and Brendan Gleeson). If the first sequel took the film in a slightly different direction, the sadly maligned "28 Weeks Later" from director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, the take Alex Garland and Danny Boyle built with "28 Years Later" stripped much of the horror aspects of the series to focus on this post-apocalyptic scenario, one where people have learnt to survive with obstacles generated by a virus that won't go away. If this seems close to what we have experience with Covid 19, that's not very far off indeed. This additional sequel, veers even further off from the original premise, focusing on two characters and how they're coping with the aftermath of this virus. The young Spike, is confronted with the worst of humanity, represented by a gang where its leader uses rhetoric to persuade its members, who then torture and steal from survivors, in essence, stripping away everything that is humane. Dr. Kelson in the meantime, holds on to a semblance of what his life used to be, listening to music, looking through his books, trying to make sense of all the loss. At the same time, he's trying to comprehend what the virus is about, holding a glimmer of hope that even the creatures ravaged by the virus can still have a spark of humanity in them. These opposite experiences clash into each other with painful outcomes, but they solidify the fact & statement that humans are at their best when trying to care for each other, as opposed to exploiting each other. The film successfully brings all these topics together, in a visually compelling manner. The cast is impeccable, with highlights going to the superb Ralph Fiennes (quite possibly one of the best actors working these days), Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Chi Lewis-Parry, and Erin Kellyman. The production team is equally solid, particularly Sean Bobbitt's cinematography and Carson McColl and Gareth Pugh's production design. While some of these characters could benefit from additional attention and detail, this is a solid (and brutal) film worth watching.

The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy

Movie Name: The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
Year of Release: 2000
Director: Greg Berlanti
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Zach Braff, Andrew Keegan, John Mahoney, Ben Weber, Dean Cain, Matt McGrath, Justin Theroux, Billy Porter, Nia Long, Mary McCormack, Chris Payne Gilbert, Jennifer Coolidge, Kerr Smith
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Tubi

Synopsis and Review

These days Greg Berlanti is an omnipresent name on TV, since he's a producer on so many successful shows, and has been the creator of so many shows himself, including "Everwood", "Eli Stone", and even mini-series such as "Political Animals", not to mention all the superhero DC shows that Warner Bros. which had his stamp, namely "Arrow", "The Flash", "Supergirl", and "Superman & Lois". "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy" is Mr. Berlanti's feature directorial debut and follows the story of a group of gay friends in Los Angeles. The anchor element of the group is Dennis, a photographer, who is roommates with Cole, a struggling actor, who leverages his good looks to date multiple men. Benji the youngest of the group is still trying to find his own path, but is dazzled by the chiseled and buff men at the gym. There's also Taylor who is navigating a recent break up, Patrick who is disenchanted with the gay scene and always volunteers a razor sharp criticism about everyone's lives to his friends, Howie who is a psychology student who keeps dangling the possibility of a reconnection with his ex-boyfriend, and Kevin, a recent addition to the group, following a tryst with Cole. All of them are also united by Jack who owns a local restaurant, where some of them work, and who always gets them to play softball against a variety of teams in the area. All of them are trying to make sense of their professional next steps, while also navigating the dating world, which at times creates some challenges even within the group itself. When tragedy hits, it leads them all to reevaluate their priorities and what they want to do in life. 

Much like Jim Fall's "Trick", this feature by Mr. Berlanti comes at the tail end of what constituted the New Queer Cinema movement of the 1990s. However, and unlike Gregg Araki, Tom Kalin, and Todd Hayne's features, Mr. Berlanti's "The Broken Hearts Club" isn't a high concept examination on the lives of gay men in West Hollywood. It plays out like a pilot for a TV show about a bunch of gay male friends, whom we know very little of, and who are growing from their 20s into their 30s and need to figure out where they want to go, both professionally and emotionally. This film plays like a blueprint for what the show "Queer as Folk" would develop much further when it started in the same year this film was released (though the original "Queer as Folk" came out in 1999). The problem with this film in particular, lies with the fact that by wanting to make these gay characters palatable and relatable, they have lost any trace of uniqueness and distinctiveness. There's not much depth to any of these characters, and even the archetypes they fit into, much like William Friedkin's "The Boys in the Band", are rather shallow. What does this ultimately mean for the film: it simply means the film doesn't create an impact, it lives in a reality where everyone is a eunuch or close to it, and ultimately renders all these characters as neutered as the gay characters of "Will and Grace" for instance. This was always a problem at the time (still is to a great extent), where gay characters fall into two brackets: the lead gay character who is typically filled with angst and devoid of any sexual longing, or the supporting gay character who is a collection of clichés, much like the ones illustrated by Rupert Everett in "My Best Friend's Wedding", Roger Bart in "The Stepford Wives" or even Wanda Sykes in "Monster in Law" for instance (the latter doesn't even get to have an identifiable sexual orientation). There are films that break through these clichés, such as Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" or Todd Haynes' stunning "Carol", but those are far in between. The cast is a bit all over the place on this one, but Justin Theroux manages to create a memorable supporting role. The production team is adequate but not particularly memorable. There isn't anything offensive about this film, it's simply forgettable.