Longlegs

Movie Name: Longlegs
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Oz Perkins
Starring: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Kiernan Shipka, Blair Underwood, Michelle Choi-Lee, Dakota Daulby, Lauren Acala, Jason William Day, Lisa Chandler, Ava Kelders, Carmel Amit
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Oz Perkins is back, following the well received "Gretel & Hansel", released in 2020. "Longlegs" takes place in the early 1990s, and follows the story of Lee Harker, a newly recruited FBI agent who is possessed of a special intuition and ability to perceive details that many others don't focus on. In one of her first assignments she manages to detect where an assassin is, and eventually captures him, even if her partner fails to survive the ordeal. She then gets assigned a case that has been with the bureau for decades, one that has been designated "Longlegs", since each crime scene is left with a letter that is signed with that authorship. It's been a series of murder-suicides, and in each of those situations, the father murders the wife and children, before taking his own life. Those signed letters are found at the crime scenes, with Satanic coding, though the handwriting doesn't belong to any of the victims and there's no evidence of home invasion. Lee eventually understands the pattern surrounding all the victims, and the connection between all the dates in which the killings occur. She and her supervisor, Carter, uncover a doll buried in one of the crime scenes, and within the doll, a metal orb that emits high energy, despite being empty. Carter suspects that there's a connection between Longlegs, Lee and her mother Ruth, and encourages Lee to converse with her mother. Ruth, who seemingly lives like a hoarder, tells Lee she remembers nothing from her 9th birthday, but also tells her that she has kept everything in her room as it was since she was a child. While looking through polaroids she took when she was 9, she identifies a pale-faced looking man, and she realizes that it is Longlegs, and that he visited her when she was a child. After he is taken into custody, Lee finally speaks with him, and realizes there's more to his plan and that he hasn't been operating individually through his perfectly realized plan.

"Longlegs" is one of those rare features, that while displaying some of its filmic influences, it manages to create its own identity. In this particular case, there are obvious hints at the beginning of the narrative, that tie "Longlegs" with Jonathan Demme's "The Silence of the Lambs", particularly in some of the similarities of the treatment of the characters Lee and Clarice Starling, but as "Longlegs" continues to reveal its narrative, the film goes in a different direction than what Thomas Harris' adaptation focused on. While Jonathan Demme's feature is both a procedural, but also the narrative of someone overcoming her fears and traumas, thanks to the relationship she establishes with a dangerous psychopath, in "Longlegs" the environment and the unsettling aspect of what is being depicted suggests a more horrifying scenario at hand, particularly for its central character. Another particularly arresting aspect about this feature, is the attention to detail and the styling Oz Perkins and his team bring to the narrative at hand (it situates the action in a specific time period, but it also hints at the 1970s and 1980s). The environment and atmosphere he manages to conjure is perpetually menacing, particularly for Lee, since no space seems safe or secure. While the level of detail for the characters is somewhat underdeveloped, the interactions that occur between them still resonate and feel authentically depicted. The cast is uniformly strong, with particular highlights going to Nicolas Cage who is truly unrecognizable, Alicia Witt who nearly walks away with the entire film, and Kiernan Shipka who has a small, but powerful part. The production team is impeccable, with highlights going to Andres Arochi's cinematography, Elvis Perkins' score, and Danny Vermette's production design. A very well crafted and worth watching film. 

Abigail

Movie Name: Abigail
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, William Catlett, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The directing duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, keep their prolific output going, following their back to back features "Scream" and "Scream VI", which came out in 2022 and 2023. "Abigail" follows the story of a group of strangers who are brought together to kidnap a young girl, whom they know nothing about. These 6 individuals, all with specific skills, are led by someone named Lambert, who informs them that in 24 hours they'll have a collective stash of 50 million dollars to divide amongst themselves. They all use fake names to address each other, and the group is comprised of Joey, a former Army medic and recovering drug addict, Frank, who is a former detective, Sammy, a well-off thrill-seeking hacker, Rickles, a former Marine sniper, Peter, a slightly intellectually challenged mob enforcer, and Dean, a sociopathic driver. Joey is tasked with overseeing the care of Abigail, the young girl who has been kidnapped, and they soon realize she's the daughter of Kristof Lazaar, a powerful crime lord. That scares them all, as they've heard stories of the brutality of his crimes and enforcements. When Dean is killed they suspect that one of Lazaar's killers is in the house, but much to their surprise, they discover that the killer is in reality Abigail, who is a vampire, and has been toying with them all along. They all decide to battle her in the hopes they can make it till dawn, so they can get out of the house in which they secluded her. 

The premise for "Abigail" is rather straightforward: a kidnap story that goes awry when the group realizes the victim is actually a ruthless predator, and turns out the abductors are set to become victims to the one they were originally terrorizing. The twist here is the fact that the victim turns out to be a vampire, and the group is comprised of very different personalities, all of which have their own agendas, scruples (or lack of), and ambitions. The concept reads very much like a B-movie, where these characters are briefly described, with their motivations very clearly outlined from the beginning. The filmmakers smartly avoid pretension, and recognize the silliness of the premise, walking a rather tasteful fine line, never falling into the silly carnage of Robert Rodriguez's "From Dusk Till Dawn", but also not diving into the interesting and layered environment (and atmosphere) that Tomas Alfredson's "Let the Right One In" perfectly conveyed. It's a film that is polished in its execution, with a cast that is invested in bringing these characters to life, but where everyone is also clearly aware that this isn't the most memorable endeavor they've ever been on. As such, the surprises are few, but the filmmakers manage to keep the narrative compelling and the interactions between this group of characters minimally engaging. It would have been nice to devote some additional time to Abigail and her father, but that wasn't the case for this film, which is ultimately more interested in the blood fest that dominates the third act. Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, and Kevin Durand are the highlights of the cast, alongside the scary cameo from Matthew Goode. The production team is solid, including Brian Tyler's score, Aaron Morton's score, and Susie Cullen's production design (the dilapidated mansion has great details to it). It's watchable, but ultimately forgettable.  

Glass

Movie Name: Glass
Year of Release: 2019
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark, Charlayne Woodard, Luke Kirby, Adam David Thompson, M. Night Shyamalan, Shannon Destiny Ryan, Diana Silvers, Nina Wisner, Kyli Zion, Serge Didenko
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

M. Night Shyamalan has assuredly been carving the career for himself that is governed by his tastes and strategy, as opposed to fitting into what the cinematic/film media was at some point trying to box him into (the new Steven Spielberg paradigm at some point). Since going back to the roots of lower budget features with "The Visit", Mr. Shyamalan has been able to film the stories he wants, with "Glass" being the closure of a trilogy he started with the underrated "Unbreakable" in 2000, which he followed with "Split" in 2016. The narrative focuses on the convergence of three characters, the multi-personality Dennis/Patricia/Hedwig and all the others contained in that body (or The Horde), David Dunn (or The Overseer), and Elijah Price (or Mr. Glass). The all find themselves confined to Raven Hill Memorial, where Dr. Ellie Staple wants to prove that they're all delusional thinking they are possessed of super human powers. David's son, Joseph, alongside Elijah's mother, Mrs. Price, and Casey Cook, who survived The Horde's captivity, all try to convince Dr. Staple that they are indeed possessed of superhuman abilities, but the Dr. seemingly debunks all their scenarios/explanations. While Elijah seems to be apparently catatonic, he has secretly been conducting additional research on David and The Horde, and has plans to escape the institute. Not only that, he also has plans to reveal humans with extraordinary abilities, by making The Horde and David fight at the opening of the Osaka Tower, a new skyscraper in Philadelphia. However as his plans start to take shape, some things also happen that fall outside of what he had predicted, including Dr. Staple who isn't everything she's been leading them all to believe.  

After the well received "Split" where Mr. Shyamalan went back to the narrative he introduced with "Unbreakable", "Glass" is the film where all the plot-points converge, and where the writer/producer/director finally exposes his vision of what superheroes consist of, at least in his own universe. Of all three films "Unbreakable" continues to be the most interesting one, since the director creates a progressive disclosure of what is taking place, and of how these characters are finding out who they are, much like the audience is. In the first film we also get to understand much of the characters' family dynamics, and why they are the way they are, and why they've always felt slightly off-kilter in whatever environment they found themselves in. "Glass" piggybacks quite a bit on what the prior films have established, and introduces the catalyst for their convergence in the shape of Dr. Staple. Sadly she isn't give quite as much dimension, or for that matter, attention as the prior films did for their central characters. She's an under-developed catalyst, since the director continues to focus on the three superhuman individuals, but now does so more in a superficial manner, as they're collected types who exist with the purpose of fitting into a different scheme (which initially seems to be Elijah's, only to be revealed another more sinister one). That's possibly where the film feels most underbaked or undercooked. The sinister organization at play in the hospital where they're all gathered, gets very little attention, and feels shallow and inconsequential. The cast is uniformly fantastic, with James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark, and Charlayne Woodard, all creating solid interpretations of their characters. The production team is equally solid, with highlights going to Mike Gioulakis' cinematography, West Dylan Thordson's score, and Chris Trujillo's production design. The film remains watchable thanks to the commitment of this remarkable cast, but could have benefited of a refined character perspective. 

Freaks

Movie Name: Freaks
Year of Release: 2018
Director: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Lexy Kolker, Grace Park, Amanda Crew, Ava Telek, Michelle Harrison, Matty Finochio, Aleks Paunovic
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

The writing/directing team of Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein have made a career for themselves tackling a variety of genre material, including the fairly recent project of bringing "Kim Possible" to life in a TV movie. "Freaks" had its debut at the Toronto Film Festival of 2018, followed by a series of other film festivals, before premiering in the Fall of 2019. The narrative focuses on seven year old Chloe who has spent all her life in a somewhat decrepit house with her father Henry. Henry trains Chloe on how to deal with situations from the outside, including questions from strangers, but also keeps warning her of the dangers that lie outside their doors, with people who want to kill them both. Chloe in the meantime longs to go outside and misses her mom. She eventually learns of people on the outside who have superhuman abilities, who are named "abnormals", and also learns they're hunted by the government and sent to a containment facility under Madoc Mountain. Even though her father warns her not to go outside, while he's out Chloe ventures and explores, since she's wanting to get some ice cream from an ice cream truck that comes around. Turns out the ice cream truck driver, whose name is Alan, is in reality her grandfather, and her mother is still alive (something even her father does not know), but being held against her will at Madoc Mountain. Both Henry and Alan are revealed to be abnormals, as is the case for Chloe, who has the ability to control people's minds. As Henry discovers more about Chloe's adventures and the situation surrounding Mary, his partner and Chloe's mother (that he believed to be dead), they set out a plan to save her, however government agents are quickly catching up.

"Freaks" which bears the same title as Tod Browning's 1932 classic, has a tone that reminds Jeff Nichols' "Midnight Special", in the sense that it opts to minimize the whole aspect of the supernatural traits the lead characters possess. The writer/directors opt to progressively disclose what is prompting for this nuclear family to hide from the outside world, initially positioning the father character as someone whom we don't really know if he is telling the entire truth or not about how truly life threatening their situation is. As the narrative evolves, the more we understand about the context in which these characters live, though the characters themselves sadly remain very briefly illustrated, including some backdrop on how their supernatural abilities came about. Character details aside, the film manages to illustrate the fear/terror in which Henry, the father figure, lives that himself and his daughter are chased, persecuted and killed, solely for the fact that they are who they are (there's also many parallels to WWII and the extermination of minorities during that War). While the film also has traces of Stephen King's "Firestarter", it definitely goes in a different direction, as it becomes a quest to bring a family unit together. The leading cast is solid, featuring good performances from Emile Hirsch and Bruce Dern, with Lexy Kolker also creating a solid central performance as Chloe. The production team also performs solidly, including Stirling Bancroft's cinematography, and Moe Curtin's production design (even as one can clearly tell the modest budget that was involved in the creation of this feature). It's an inventive take on the super hero genre that is worth watching.

Awake

Movie Name: Awake
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Mark Raso
Starring: Gina Rodriguez, Ariana Greenblatt, Lucius Hoyos, Shamier Anderson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Frances Fisher, Finn Jones, Gil Bellows, Barry Pepper
Genre: Drama, Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Neflix

Synopsis and Review

Mark Raso made a name for himself with his first two features, "Copenhagen" and "Kodachrome", before tackling "Awake", which is definitely more genre specific than his prior features. The film focuses its narrative on Jill Adams, a former US Army medic, who is also a recovering addict. She currently works as a security guard at a local college where she steals drugs from the research lab and sells around the area. She has two kids, teenarger Noah and the younger Matilda, both of whom live with their grandmother. On the day of their pickup to stay with her for the day, Jill's car loses power and is hit by another car, which sends them into the bottom of a nearby lake. While Jill and Noah manage to get themselves out, the young Matilda drowns, but is revived by a police officer which saw what had happened and came to their rescue. He informs them that something has happened which has made all electricity stop working. At the hospital they realize a lot of accidents seemed to have occurred, and people are no longer able to sleep, and even those who were in a coma, suddenly reawaken. The psychiatrist Dr. Murphy, whom Jill works with, tells her that people seem to have lost the ability to fall asleep, and they will soon start dying from sleep deprivation. The only person who still seems to be able to sleep is a woman who is being studied at a compound by the name of The Hub. As it turns out, Matilda is also able to sleep, and her and Noah upon learning about The Hub want to go there for safety. Things start getting out of control very quickly, which forces Jill and her kids to find a way to get to The Hub. 

Another Netflix original film, Mark Raso's "Awake" is a quasi post-apocalyptic type of film, that plays in the tropes of that genre, but doesn't go fully overboard with the whole end of the planet and massive paranoia that some films tend to tackle and illustrate. The director smartly focuses the narrative on a nuclear family that is somewhat fractured, and how this unexpected and massively traumatic occurrence in a way becomes the catalyst for this family to have a new opportunity to reshape their relationships. For the most part this angle is successful, since Jill's attempts to redeem herself feel heartfelt and sincere, though the issue becomes the lack of information that is provided about any of the characters who have some focus in the narrative. Their introductory cue cards are very succinct, almost too succinct, leaving very little room to better understand some of their motivations and why some of the actions they perform take place. As much as the B-movie angle is welcomed, once again there isn't enough detail on central characters to fully make them more palpably realized, even if the actors themselves try their best in bringing them to life. As a result, the film flows rather straightforwardly but not entirely unexpected, including the final chapter where we finally understand a bit more about what has happened, and what may be the solution for the problem they're all tackling. The cast is solid, led by Gina Rodriguez who has great support from Ariana Greenblatt, Frances Fisher, Jennifer Jason Leigh (who is sorely underused), Gil Bellows and Barry Pepper. The production team is competent, but also unremarkable. It's a watchable but also quickly forgettable endeavor. 

Problemista

Movie Name: Problemista
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Julio Torres
Starring: Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, RZA, Isabella Rossellini, Catalina Saavedra, James Scully, Laith Nakli, Greta Lee, Larry Owens, Kelly McCormack, Eudora Peterson, Greta Titelman, Shakina
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Problemista" is Julio Torres' feature directorial debut, following a considerable lengthy experience as a writer for "Saturday Night Live", alongside other tv-shows he's also written throughout his career. The film focuses its narrative on Alejandro, a young man from El Salvador who dreams of becoming a toy designer for Hasbro. His mom is herself an artist who has always supported Alejandro's dreams, and he currently shares a small apartment in Bushwick, while applying for the Hasbro intern program with various ideas/concepts, which aren't really going anywhere. He perseveres nonetheless, and keeps a journal with him at all times, where he documents all sorts of toy concepts that cross his mind. He works at a company that cryogenically freezes people, in order to reawaken them in the future, but is fired, and as a result his status in the US is in jeopardy as he needs a work sponsor in order to stay in the country. Alejandro is told by his immigration attorney he needs someone who can sponsor him immediately, and also needs to get some money coming, even if he can't be taking any money unless he has a sponsor. An unexpected and possible solution comes in the shape of Elizabeth, the wife of a cryogenically frozen artist by the name of Bobby, who is having issues paying for his continued frozen maintenance. Elizabeth hires Alejandro as a freelance, with the promise of a sponsorship, if they can get Bobby's work collected and properly curated, and eventually have an exhibit around his work. Since Alejandro needs some additional cash, he starts taking random Craigslist jobs, which prove more challenging than he expected, the same going for Elizabeth herself.

"Problemista" is an interesting feature, one that mixes just enough dosage of realism with dashes of surrealistic metaphors, that keep it always interesting and unexpected. It's a combination of Michel Gondry/Charlie Kaufman's universe with a bit of Terry Gilliam tossed in for good measure. It is also very ostensibly queer sensitive, which makes it that much more diverse and closer to the lead actor/writer/director himself. The narrative itself has traces of Martin Scorsese's "After Hours", particularly as the situations in which Alejandro finds himself get progressively more complicated, only "Problemista" doesn't revolve around one single night, but more around a timeline in which Alejandro has to solve his immigration issues, and also address his dream job situation. It's a film that smartly plays with the archetypes of certain characters, namely Elizabeth's "difficult" personality which can to a certain extent be associated with the typical cliché of the New Yorker embodiment, and the supporting characters, all of whom fit the poseur/artsy vibe, and are just sufficiently flakey, self centered, and likable, even if they're teetering towards the obnoxious. Julio Torres smartly makes the situations a hybrid flow of realism and his surrealistic impressions/interpretations, which makes the film that much more interesting visually (and stylistically). The cast, largely dominated by Torres and the stupendous Tilda Swinton, with the additional narration of Isabella Rossellini are on point, with Swinton in particular creating a character unlike any of the ones she has previously embodied. She's in equal measures chaotic, neurotic, forceful, and also almost endearing in a rather warped way. The production team is solid, in particular the cinematography from Fredrik Wenzel, production design from Katie Byron, and costumes by Catherine George. It's a really interesting feature worth watching. 

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Movie Name: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Tom Gormican
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan, Tiffany Haddish, Paco Leon, Neil Patrick Harris, Ike Barinholtz, Lily Mo Sheen, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, Katrin Vankova, David Gordon Green
Genre: Action, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" is Tom Gormican's sophomore directorial feature, following his poorly received "That Awkward Moment", which featured Zac Effron, Miles Teller, and Michael B. Jordan in the cast. The narrative focuses on Nicolas Cage who is the midst of attempting a restart of his career, though he keeps telling everyone he never went anywhere, and has continued to work very steadily. A promising conversation with director David Gordon Green seems to lift his hopes that a big role is coming his way, but that turns out not to be the case. His agent Richard mentions to him that there's a well paid booking just awaiting his decision: a 1 million dollars to meet one of his biggest fans in Mallorca, the playboy Javi Gutierrez, who is celebrating his birthday. As Cage is in the middle of an emotional turmoil with his daughter and his ex-wife, he agrees to the meeting, after being reassured that nothing creepy or awkward is being prepared by Javi. The two men eventually bond over a mutual love of a few films, but Cage is soon approached by two CIA agents who inform him that Javi is a crime lord, and has in fact kidnapped the daughter of a Catalan anti-crime politician. They ask Cage for help, in the hopes he can indeed confirm that the young woman is in the compound. However Cage soon realizes not everyone on Javi's entourage is who they claim to be. 

This whole aspect of poking fun at himself and the path his career has taken, is actually the most compelling aspect to this film that is for all intended purposes a celebration of the talent and charisma of Nicolas Cage. And while he does indeed have plenty of both, this film while at times funny and entertaining, fails to capitalize on his whole persona, and also fails to take the narrative to another level. This film isn't as layered as Spike Jonze's "Being John Malkovich", it doesn't really deconstructs the ego of the actor, or surface the insecurities or fears Nicolas Cage actually has. It's a bit of a celebration with the mix of an actual action plot that by the epilogue seems to spark his energy once again. A slight variation on the unjustly maligned "The Last Action Hero" from John McTiernan, only in this case, the supposed real life is being rendered just like a Nicolas Cage action film. The film benefits from the exchanges and interactions between Cage and the always great Pedro Pascal, the same going for the underrated Sharon Horgan, however as the action set piece comes into play, the film also moves into more generic territory, and it becomes a bit of a less exciting parody, undermining all the winks at the films that have already been mentioned from Nicolas Cage's filmography. It ultimately lives from the persona of Nicolas Cage the actor/character, leaving very little room for anything else, though the supporting cast does add some solid work, including Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan, Ike Barinholtz, and Neil Patrick Harris. The score from Mark Isham is solid, the same going for Nigel Buck's cinematography. It's a fairly watchable film, but once again one that could have gone so much further. 

Gozilla X Kong: The New Empire

Movie Name: Gozilla X Kong: The New Empire
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Adam Wingard
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Brian Tyree Henry, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, Fala Chen, Rachel House, Ron Smyck, Chantelle Jamieson, Greg Hatton, Kevin Copeland
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Warner Brothers' Monsterverse continues, with another sequel to Godzilla versus Kong, this time around with the two titans coming together to vanquish another foe. This is the fifth film in the series, which started with Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" in 2014, followed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts' "Kong: Skull Island" in 2017, Michael Dougherty's "Godzilla: King of Monsters" in 2019, and the more recent "Godzilla Vs. Kong" also from Adam Wingard (from 2021). The plot picks up three years after the battle between Kong and the Mechagodzilla. Kong is now living in a territory known as Hollow Earth, where he seeks for others of his species, while still staying friendly with his human partners. On the Earth's surface, Godzilla keeps an eye for other Titans which may attack the planet. A signal is sent from Hollow Earth, which sets Godzilla in motion, as he senses an impending threat. Close to the gateway to Hollow Earth, Dr. Ilene Andrews realizes that her adoptive daughter Jia is also sensing something, as she is in fact that last known survivor of the Iwi tribe from Skull Island. Kong unexpectedly uncovers another one of his species, a little cub, and follows him to where others are living. He realizes they're living under the rulings of the Skar King, who controls a Titan by leveraging an ancient crystal. As Dr. Andrews and her team go to Hollow Earth to figure out where that signal is coming from, Godzilla is packing on more and more energy to battle the treat that is coming. Andrews realizes that there are more Iwi living in the Hollow Earth area, and that the Skar King wants to conquer the surface world leveraging its Titan. She also uncovers that Jia has a part to play in reawakening Mothra, and that Morthra will be essential to defeat that enormous threat. 

One of the biggest challenges in making monster films lies in telling a story that doesn't solely focus on the mayhem and destruction brought on by these immense creatures, but that somehow also has an interesting human element to it. Peter Jackson's "King Kong" was admirable since it did manage to create both an epic action feature, but one that was also about the connection between this creature and the woman he cared for. There was enough of these characters for that film in particular not to fall into the trappings of supporting characters simply being crushed by monsters. Adam Wingard's "Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire" isn't quite as nuanced as Peter Jackson's opus. The human characters in this film do fall into the embodiment of your regular chichés, including the intellectual, slightly affected beautiful lead doctor, the romantic rebellious love interest who is also a genius, the comic relief who is also a genius, but can't totally function in the real world (and therefore is "quirky" and "funny"), and the young daughter/precocious child who is possessed of a special sense or vibe, which enables her to connect with the monsters. None of these characters in reality make this film particularly memorable or that compellingly watchable, even if Dan Stevens is indeed a chameleon. This film manages to make itself watchable by relying on superbly crafted visual effects, which render these monstrous characters with a realism and detail that is quite stunning to behold. Part of the challenge for this type of film as well, is how the writing never truly addresses the fact that while these creatures wreak havoc on these cities, one would assume millions of people would die in the wake of their carnage, but that is a topic that is always left out. This film in particular manages to have some successful aspects in the definition of the different worlds in which these characters navigate, at times going back even to Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, but the characters and their relationships are never particularly convincing  and they're ultimately not an anchor for this storytelling. And as lovely as good special effects are, bits and bytes can't really replace the adventurous aspect of say, Indiana Jones, or even Ellen Ripley, as they battle some epic foes. The cast is competent, but doesn't have much to do, though Dan Stevens is always great in anything he does, the same going for Brian Tyree Henry. The production team is excellent, with highlights going to Ben Seresin's cinematography, Tom Hammock's production design, Tom Holkenborg and Antonio Di Iorio's score, and the special effects teams. It's watchable, but also quickly forgettable. 

The Beekeeper

Movie Name: The Beekeeper
Year of Release: 2024
Director: David Ayer
Starring: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, David Witts, Michael Epp, Taylor James, Don Gilet, Megan Le, Dan Li, Georgia Goodman, Derek Siow
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Director David Ayer is back, after back to back poorly received films, namely the Netflix original "Bright" (which was a big hit for the streamer, bad reviews aside) and the barely seen "The Tax Collector". "The Beekeeper" is based on an original script by Kurt Wimmer, who has made a name for himself both as a writer and director with films that have not fared particularly well, namely "Equilibrium" and "Ultraviolet", though he has written a variety of high profile features, including Phillip Noyce's "Salt", John McTiernan's "The Thomas Crown Affair" and also Len Wiseman's "Total Recall" remake. "The Beekeeper" follows the story of Adam Clay who lives a quiet life as a beekeeper in rural MA. He rents a barn from a retired school teacher by the name of Eloise Parker. Eloise falls for a cyber scam, that strips her from all her savings, and from a charity whose bank account she also managed. Desperate, she commits suicide, which leaves her daughter Verona shocked and enraged. Verona is an FBI agent, and while she initially suspects Adam, he is soon released, as he had nothing to do with Eloise's death. Turns out Adam is also more than anyone anticipated, he is in reality a Beekeeper, part of a specialized and highly trained program of operatives. Though he retired, Eloise's shocking death brings him back from his self-imposed retirement, and he goes on a vengeance journey, one that puts him on a track towards Derek Danforth, who has direct ties with the President of the country. And no one is able to stop him. 

While watching "The Beekeeper" I couldn't help but think of some of Michael Winner's films with Charles Bronson, including "The Mechanic" (which Jason Statham also starred in a remake dated 2011), and of course the "Death Wish" series. That is to say, "The Beekeeper" works best when it assumes the mantle and legacy of a slick B-movie, where characters are swiftly described, and most of them also swiftly dispatched by the unstoppable Adam Clay/Jason Statham. While succinct/limited character definition can be at times a big issue when it comes to understanding the exchanges/relationships between characters, David Ayer manages to bypass these issues by making the film keep a steady momentum, where the lead character doesn't really exist beyond its intent to seek revenge. There isn't much that is known about his background, or what he has been through, he's an instinctual character who is reacting to an extreme situation. This of course has its own limitations in terms of making these characters more than just paper thin clichés, but thankfully the film doesn't take itself very seriously, though it does make some interesting political insinuations/allusions. Alongside some character dimension, the film could also have benefited from some additional humor, but overall, it's a film that moves at a good pace, never filling itself with fluff, even if some of the "Wolf of Wall Street" inspired sequences don't necessarily add much uniqueness to what is being staged onscreen. The cast is uniformly solid, with Jason Statham having great support from the always excellent Jeremy Irons, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, and even Josh Hutcherson, who is playing against type. The production team is solid, including Gabriel Beristain's cinematography and Ben Munro's production design. It's a fairly watchable film, even if it is ultimately a forgettable endeavor. 

Shadow in the Cloud

Movie Name: Shadow in the Cloud
Year of Release: 2020
Director: Roseanne Liang
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Beulah Koale, Taylor John Smith, Callan Mulvey, Benedict Wall, Byron Coll, Joe Witkowski
Genre: Action, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Shadow in the Cloud" had a fairly infamous start, as one of the credited writers of the script is Max Landis, who has been involved in all matters of bad conduct towards women since 2017, and whose name at least in the producing aspect of this feature was removed, as everyone tried to distance themselves from those issues. The film takes place in 1943 and focuses on RAF Pilot Officer Maude Garrett, who is assigned to travel with a top secret package from Auckland to Samoa. The team on the plane she's in treats her harshly and she soon finds herself in the ball turret for the takeoff. She refuses to separate herself from her package but has no other option. Maude notices a few things while in her confined space, firstly Japanese aircrafts, and secondly a winged creature, a gremlin of sorts that is clinging to one of the bomber's wing. She reports all of this but no one takes her seriously, and are extra vicious towards her. As it turns out, the Japanese aircrafts do attack, and Maude has to open fire in order to defend the bomber. She also drops her fake identity, and reveals herself to be American, while the cargo she's carrying is an unexpected one for everyone on the plane. However the gremlin attacks are not done, and the crew is soon fighting for their lives.

The script for this film tries to be a lot of things, a mix of monster film with WWII war traces, all wrapped in a feminist type of narrative, which makes for a concoction that is everything but coherent. Part of the problem is the fact that the film's tone is undecided, since while seemingly aiming for tense thriller vibes, it almost plays itself as a "Grindhouse" type of feature. The co-writer and director Roseanne Liang, mentioned she was inspired by James Cameron's "Aliens". And while both films do have a female central character, that's where all similarities end. "Shadow in the Cloud" is populated by an array of characters who actually have no discernible traits, and at some point most of the crew just feels like a big roaring misogynistic loudmouth of sorts. As for the central heroine, aside from the veil of secrecy she initially carries, once that is dropped, there isn't much to her. Her transition from wannabe Keira Knightley damsel to MacGyver of the air, to finally Rambo on land, is nonsensical and feels completely gratuitous. There isn't anything wrong with films playing to certain narrative extremes in order to elicit a response from their audiences, but this film tries to hit all the keys that is playing in the highest note possible, and eventually what happens is that everything becomes noise. Chloe Grace Moretz a talented actress who typically chooses interesting material, tries her best to create this wartime version of Ripley, but she feels trapped in the wrong film, whereas the supporting cast has basically nothing to do. The production team is fairly solid, with highlights going to Kit Fraser's cinematography, Gary Mackay's production design, and Kristin Seth's costume design. It's one of those features that is best to just ignore. 

Nowhere

Movie Name: Nowhere
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Albert Pintó
Starring: Anna Castillo, Tamar Novas, Tony Corvillo, Mariam Torres, Irina Bravo, Victoria Teijeiro
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Another week, another exclusive Netflix release, this time around a Spanish thriller, from director Albert Pintó, who made a name for himself firstly with a series of shorts, before moving to full features with the well received "Matar a Dios/Killing God". This time around, the narrative focuses on Mia and Nico, a couple who is looking to escape a totalitarian regime, one that has brought nothing but imprisonment, torture, and chaos to the country they live in. That regime has also been responsible for the death of their young daughter Uma, and Mia is pregnant with another girl. They embark on a daring escape, paying an underground ring for the opportunity to be smuggled in cargo containers on a ship. However as they're making their way in the containers, the organizers of the smuggling divide them both, and worst of all, Mia's container gets uncovered by policing and everyone on it gets murdered as a result. She ends up all alone on her container, hidden and meager rations. As the ship sets on its way, it encounters a rough storm, which results in many of the containers being dropped off into the ocean, including Mia's. While she loses her senses as a result of the storm and being tossed around in the container, she also realizes fairly quickly she needs to figure out some way to survive, as one of the other containers also containing people sank to the bottom of the ocean. To make matters worst, her baby seems intent on being born at the most inconvenient of times. 

Claustrophobic thrillers, much like any thriller really, can go either direction when it comes to effectiveness of the storytelling. There's quite a few iconic takes on the genre, including David Fincher's "Panic Room" and even Rodrigo Cortés' "Buried". Albert Pintó's take on the genre is quite smart, particularly as the narrative unfolds and we get to witness Mia's resourcefulness tackling the challenges she's in. It's less well accomplished when looking beyond the predicament of the situation itself, since we never really get much of an understanding for who Mia actually is, aside from the trauma in her life provoked by the regime she's fleeing from, and the fact that she was a teacher at some point. Her relationship with her husband/partner Nico is briefly illustrated, and her mother figure appears as a static photo she presents to her baby during her time of storytelling. They're brief glimpses, ones that beg for a bit more development of the character itself, which sadly never materializes. However, the core of the situation, and how the director illustrates it is indeed quite successful, as the dangers in which Mia finds herself are portrayed in a very authentic and even visceral manner. It makes for a compelling view, since the director anchors his point of view on the talents of Anna Castillo, who is very effective as Mia, who goes across a range of emotions in this film, including sheer panic, exhilaration, and exhaustion. The production team is equally effective, including Unax Mendia's cinematography, Dídac Bono's production design and Miguel Burgos' editing. A fairly tense and watchable thriller. 

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Movie Name: Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Yusuke Ishida
Starring: Eiji Akaso, Mai Shiraishi, Shuntarô Yanagi, Yui Ichikawa, Kazuki Kitamura, Mayo Kawasaki, Akari Hayami, Miwako Kakei
Genre: Action, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Another Netflix exclusive, "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" is an adaptation of a popular Japanese Manga Series, which has already been adapted to an animated Manga series (also available on Netflix).

The story focuses on Akira Tendo, a young professional who has just joined a Marketing firm. Initially filled with joy and optimism, the environment in which he works and the way he is treated, starts taking away all sense of happiness he has in life. After three years of this constant abuse he's nothing but a shell of his prior self. Everything takes a turn when a zombie apocalypse strikes Tokyo. Akira's initially surprised, but then decides to enjoy life to the fullest. He decides to create a bucket list of everything he has always wanted to do, before himself becomes a zombie. In the meantime, he also tries to help some of the people who always treated him well, and while he fails to save one of his co-workers, he does manage to reach and save Kenichiro, his college buddy. The two of them are eventually joined by Shizuka, a woman who has a much more pragmatic approach to life in the zombie universe, and who initially only looks out for herself. As they set on a journey to leave Tokyo and seek another place without as many zombies, they encounter unexpected challenges.

I did not know this manga series or its various adaptations, before watching this feature film, which is in fact, Yusuke Ishida's feature directorial debut. While I was initially expecting something similar to Il Cho's "#Alive", this film definitely took a different direction. "Zom 100" definitely focuses its attention on the partnership between these central characters, and how they collectively decide to embrace what they think are their last moments alive (before becoming zombies). However this narrative is also illustrated in a way that's almost infantile or juvenile: Akira is a rather underdeveloped character, in the sense that he still feels very much a prisoner of his accomplishments in University, but also hasn't really matured much in terms of who he actually is as an individual (and that includes even his personal relationships, which are almost non-existent). The tone of the film is also a bit of this odd pairing, since it includes some graphic zombie gore and lore, and yet that also coexists with this rather naive stance that Akira perpetually seems to have. As the narrative continues to develop, and his nemesis eventually appears once again, the sudden shifts in characters' motivation seems drastic and not entirely well resolved (or even understandable). It's ultimately an interesting premise that is undone by a series of characters that are not particularly well developed (and Akira's nemesis in particular is a cardboard bully without any substance), and situations that are also puzzling and borderline surreal (the scenes with the shark are insane). There's nothing much to highlight on this cast, the same going for the production team. There really isn't much to commend on this feature. 

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Movie Name: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Year of Release: 2008
Director: Rob Cohen
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, Michelle Yeoh, John Hannah, Luke Ford, Isabella Leong, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Russell Wong, Liam Cunningham, David Calder, Tian Liang, Albert Kwan, Jing Wu, Jessey Meng, Jing Guo
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Producer/director Rob Cohen rebounded from the poorly received "Stealth", by tackling a new chapter in the "Mummy" franchise, which Stephen Sommers guided to considerable success in the prior chapters, released respectively in 1999 and 2001 (Chuck Russell directed the less successful "The Scorpion King" in 2002 with Dwayne Johnson, but that one was an offshoot of the series). The narrative once again focuses on the lives of couple Rick and Evelyn O'Connell. The year is now 1946 (Rick and Evelyn originally met in 1926), and the couple is living quite comfortably by the English countryside. The British government sends a representative asking the couple for their help in one last mission, which involves taking a precious gemstone by the name of Eye of Shangri-La to China. In the meantime, their fully adult son Alex has uncovered the tomb for the Dragon Emperor. This Emperor, before his demise, had swarthy ambitions of ruling the world, and wanted to leverage ancient sorcery to give him eternal life. Turns out Alex's archeological findings have been funded by a rogue military faction who is intent on bringing the Emperor back to life. They manage to do so leveraging the stone Rick and Evelyn brought with them. The Emperor is brought back to life, but still needs the mystical waters of Shangri-La to fully recover his form and powers. Rick and his group realize that they need to travel to the Himalayas in order to try to stop the revived Emperor before its too late, but the battle is far more arduous and difficult than they anticipated, even if they now have the additional help of Zi Yuan (the original sorcerer who challenged the Emperor) and her daughter Lin. 

Rob Cohen has made a name for himself firstly as a producer of interesting material, including features such as Hector Babenco's "Ironweed", George Miller's "The Witches of Eastwick", and his collaborations with John Badham, "Bird on a Wire" and "The Hard Way", before starting his feature directorial career with the well received "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story". His career since then has been steadily declining in terms of quality of output, though he has an additional claim to fame, as the director who started "The Fast and the Furious" franchise. His take on "The Mummy" fails to capture much of the sense of humor that Stephen Sommers' previous installments had. Chapters one and two never took themselves too seriously, which is what always made them watchable, even if the characters were close to non-existent. Stephen Sommers knew he was piggybacking on what Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Philip Kaufman did with "Indiana Jones", and took his characters and narrative into over the top scenarios, relying on humor and charisma of the characters (and actors), to keep his films watchable. This chapter however tries to anchor itself on a more serious note, upping the action angle, and ends up missing the point about these films, which essentially is the silliness of the situations in which these characters find themselves in (chasing these mummies that are apparently unbeatable), and the whole fish out of water that is represented by both Evelyn and her brother Jonathan. Another aspect of this film that doesn't entirely work is the fact that Rick and Evelyn, are somehow parents to a mid 20s man, when they themselves seem like older siblings of that same character, and sadly Jonathan's character who was always the comedic value of the series, is relegated to a footnote on this one. The cast is a bit uneven on this chapter, with Brendan Fraser once again leading the group, but this time around missing the chemistry and talent of Rachel Weisz to provide a solid back and forth. While Maria Bello is a talented performer on her own terms, the film lacks the spark and vivacity Rachel Weisz was able to bring to the role. The luminous Michelle Yeoh is always fantastic, while John Hannah sadly has little to do. The production team is a solid one, featuring the cinematography of Simon Duggan, score from Randy Edelman, production design from the tremendously talented Nigel Phelps (he worked on Jean Pierre Jeunet's "Alien Resurrection" and Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy" to name but a few), and costumes by Sanja Milkovic Hays. It's a less successful episode from this series. 

The Grudge

Movie Name: The Grudge
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Nicolas Pesce
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Demian Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin, Lin Shaye, Frankie Faison, Jacki Weaver, William Sadler, Tara Westwood, Zoe Fish, Joel Marsh Garland, John Hansen, Stephanie Sy, Steven Ratzlaff, Bradley Sawatzky
Genre: Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Nicolas Pesce made a name for himself with his first two directorial endeavors, namely "The Eyes of My Mother" and in particular with "Piercing", the latter of which featured two solid performances from Christopher Abbott and Mia Wasikowska. This new version of "The Grudge", is once again produced by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert, much like the prior one that was released in 2004, from director Takashi Shimizu, which featured Sarah Michelle Gellar in the lead role. This time around the narrative focuses on the story of Detective Muldoon, who has just moved in to a new city with her young son, following the painful death of her husband. She and her veteran partner by the name of Goodman, are soon assigned a case of a strange death of a woman who is found inside a car off from a road that has very little traffic. The investigation leads them to a house, where Muldoon soon finds there's a lot of story to it, and one where Goodman refuses to set foot in. Turns out the house used to belong to a couple comprised of Fiona and Sam Landers. Fiona had been a nurse in Tokyo, and moved back to the US following some strange occurrences in the residence in which she was in. Turns out she brought with her whatever was haunting that residence, and herself and her family are killed as a result, something that spreads as well to the realtors who were working with the Landers'. As Muldoon sets foot in the house, she uncovers Faith Matheson's presence alongside the decomposing body of her late husband, William. As it turns out, they bought the house following the deaths of the Landers' and Faith, who suffers from dementia, became the next victim for that entity. As Muldoon continues the investigation, she also starts experiencing strange occurrences. She soon realizes why Goodman is both close to the cases, and why he refuses to go in the house.

This new version of "The Grudge" manages to slowly peel away the layers of disturbance that the supernatural entity slowly and gradually brings to the specific residence at the core of the narrative, and everyone who sets foot in it. The film smartly jumps through different timelines, but illustrates the pervasiveness of that entity, and the destruction that it starts bringing into all these characters' lives. While most of these characters are thinly realized, they're still brought to life with some success courtesy of the very talented cast that has been assembled. The director realizes that some of the situations themselves may not be the most original ones, particularly when it comes to horror film scenarios, but he does take his time in building all the threads that eventually connect all these characters. And that's where the film actually builds its scares, from the notion that this entity is unavoidable, unmissable, no matter what happens, and wherever these characters eventually go, and whatever tribulations they have, this figure won't let them go. The definition of this atmosphere is particularly successful, making the film that much more intriguing, the same going for the cast who is truly fantastic, starting with the always underrated Andrea Riseborough, who has great support from Demian Bichir, John Cho, Lin Shaye, Jackie Weaver, Frankie Faison and the always great William Sadler (all impeccable performers). The production team is equally solid, including Zack Galler's cinematography, Jean-Andre Carriere's production design, and The Newton Brothers' score. While some character aspects beg for some expansion and development, overall this is still a watchable film from an interesting director. 

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny

Movie Name: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny
Year of Release: 2016
Director: Woo-Ping Yuen
Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen, Harry Shum Jr., Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jason Scott Lee, Eugenia Yuan, Roger Yuan, JuJu Chan Szeto, Chris Pang, Woon Young Park, Darryl Quon, Veronica Ngo, Gary Young, Andrew Stehlin, Trevor Sai Louie, Angela Chan, Jermaine Yee, Shuya Chang
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Director Woo-Ping Yuen has a very lengthy career, both as a film director, but just as importantly, as a stunt coordinator/action director. He was responsible for the stunts on Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol.2" and Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle", to name but two features from 72 credits he has on his IMDB. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" is a sequel to Ang Lee's celebrated and award winning film from 2000, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", with the only remaining character and performer returning being the luminously talented Michelle Yeoh. The narrative focuses on Yu Shu Lien, who after the events of the prior film, still mourns the death of her partner Li Mubai. The legendary Green Destiny sword is being protected by a family and group whom Li Mubai trusted. However, a warlod by the name of Hades Dai has aspirations on the sword, and his counselors who themselves have an hidden agenda behind it, urge him to seize it. He leverages his power over a young man by the name of Wei Fang to retrieve the sword for him, but both Shu Lien, and a young woman by the name of Snow Vase prevent him from doing so. In the meantime, another well known warrior with whom Shu Lien also has a past with, by the name of Silent Wolf, gets involved in the situation, as he is informed that his rival Hades Dai wants to attack the locale where the sword is being held. He arranges for a series of skilled warriors to join him, and they head out to support Shu Lien. They realize they're outnumbered, but are determined not to let the sword fall into Hades' hands.  

What was so unique about Ang Lee's film was his ability to tell a story, which much like the best stories that are told, had multiple layers upon which it could be enjoyed. There was a perfect illustration of a kung-fu film with elaborately constructed fight scenes, married with an insightful and historical perspective on clans and rivalries in ancient China, multiple romances with diverse characters, and also a very relevant take on women's roles. There was also a lyricism and poetry to the scenes, that made the film that much more memorable and unique. This sequel does not try to emulate that style or concept. For that matter, it also doesn't try to illustrate the main characters in a fully rounded perspective. Meaning: the intent to this storyline is very clearly the protection of the sword, and preventing a vicious and villainous individual from getting it and wreaking havoc on everyone. The film isn't an array of fight scenes, there are indeed discussions on the honor of warriors, what truly means to be a master, lost romantic attachments that suddenly surface once more, but as far as the characters themselves are concerned, there really isn't much to them beyond what can be considered a footnote of motivation. While bite-sized type of characters can at times be interesting, in this film it ends up not entirely working, since the filmmaker is trying to tie it with its predecessor, which sadly can't really stand up to. In the end, it's not really an all out action film, and it's not a dramatic vehicle, it's something of a hybrid, that works better in its well conceived fight/action scenes, more so than in its dramatic moments. The cast is solid, with highlights going for the always fantastic Michelle Yeoh, who gets good support from Donnie Yen, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo. The production team is solid, including Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography, Grant Major's production design, and Ngila Dickson's costumes. While not as memorable as its predecessor, it's still a fairly watchable film. 

The First Omen

Movie Name: The First Omen
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Arkasha Stevenson
Starring: Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga, Tawfeek Barhom, Maria Caballero, Charles Dance, Bill Nighy, Nicole Sorace, Ishtar Currie-Wilson, Andrea Arcangeli, Guido Quaglione, Dora Romano, Anton Alexander, Mia McGovern Zaini, Eugenia Delbue
Genre: Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"The First Omen" is Arkasha Stevenson's feature directorial debut, following a few directing assignments for some shows as "Brand New Cherry Flavor" and "Legion". The film belongs to the series the late Richard Donner started in 1976, "The Omen" which starred Gregory Peck and Lee Remick. The film takes place in Rome, in 1971, and follows the story of Margaret Daino, who is an American novitiate who arrives in the city to help and work at a local orphanage. Cardinal Lawrence who has long been a benefactor of hers picks her up, and she soon meets a slew of people at the orphanage, including Father Gabriel, Abess Sister Silva, nun Anjelica, and her roommate and also another novitiate, Luz. Luz who is more worldly, invites her out, and they eventually find themselves at a Disco, where Margaret dances with a man by the name of Paolo, before blacking out. She wakes up with no recollection of what happened the prior evening. She is approached by Father Brennan, who reveals to her that there's a conspiracy happening within the church, aiming to bring the Antichrist to life, so that propels people back into the arms of faith and religion. He also explains to her that there's been attempts at spawning that entity for quite some time. Margaret suspects one of the girls in the orphanage has been a chosen one to be the vessel for that ritual. She uncovers hidden files documenting all the offspring that have been generated throughout the years in order to make the ritual work, many of which have not survived, save for Carlita, the young girl at the orphanage. And there's also another young girl who survived. As Margaret explores further, she is horrified to discover what's in store for her.

Richard Donner was a deft filmmaker who understood how to craft narratives that always had a high quota of entertainment, independently of the topic he was tackling. That was the case with "Superman" and "Ladyhawke" to name but a few. His original take on "The Omen" was also a smartly crafted suspenseful tonal piece, that had influences from William Friedkin's "The Exorcist", but was decidedly not as disturbing nor as dark as that horror watermark. It had more parallels with Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby", more so than Friedkin's feature. Arkasha Stevenson's film is a worthy follow up to Richard Donner's piece, mostly in the suspenseful and progressive disclosure it makes of the events taking place, particularly the ones experienced by Margaret, the lead. Since it is indeed a prequel, we already know what's the eventuality of the events taking place, but witnessing the lead character's journey to get there, is nonetheless where this director manages to make her mark. And for the most part, the suspenseful, and unsettling environment she manages to create is quite effective. Where the film falters lies in its ability to have compelling characters that make this journey that much more vivid and horrific. Ari Aster managed to take us on a disturbing journey with "Hereditary", not because the horrific events were totally unexpected, but primarily because he managed to create palpable and very vivid characters in the family that is at the center of the drama that is being unveiled. Margaret, Luz, Sister Silva, and even Fathers Gabriel and Brennan, are never more than just barely defined characters, which is sadly where this film could have gone a bit further. The tone is right, the characters just need extra sprinkles of veracity in them to make them palpably memorable to the audience. The cast is a bit uneven, with solid turns in supporting roles for Sonia Braga, the always stupendous Bill Nighy, Ralph Ineson, and Charles Dance, but with Nell Tiger Free failing to bring a consistent feverish energy to that character. The production team is solid, including Aaron Morton's cinematography, Mark Korven's score, Paco Delgado's costumes, and Eve Stewart's impeccable production design. It's a watchable feature debut for this director, in a series that has had its heyday decades ago.