Apartment 7A

Movie Name: Apartment 7A
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Natalie Erika James
Starring: Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest, Kevin McNally, Jim Sturgess, Marli Siu, Rosy McEwen, Andrew Buchan, Anton Blake Horowitz, Raphael Sowole, Tina Gray, Patrick Lyster, Rachel Atkins, Andre Lillis
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon/Paramount+

Synopsis and Review

"Apartment 7A" is a prequel to the classic "Rosemary's Baby", which was released in 1968 and was an adaptation of the Ira Levin book with the same name. The film follows the story of Terry Gionoffrio, a young dancer from Nebraska who is trying her shot at stardom in New York City in the mid 1960s. She shares an apartment with two other women, one of whom is her British best friend, also a dancer, an another woman who doesn't particularly like Terry. Terry suffers a dramatic ankle injury while performing on Broadway, which renders her in surgery. Following her accident, she desperately tries to go for auditions, but the scars and frailty of her injury haunt her and prevent her from booking any additional jobs. She also starts to become too reliant on pain medication. Following a particularly grueling casting process, Terry follows big Broadway producer Alan Marchand home, the iconic Bramford apartment building. She hopes of convincing him of her willingness and talent to do anything to be a dancer, but becomes sick due to the medication she has taken. Following her incident, she meets an elderly couple, Minnie and Roman Castevet, who take an interest in her and offer her an apartment down the hall from them, rent-free. They claim they want to help her until she's back on her feet. She soon moves in and is invited to a social gathering by Minnie and Roman, where she meets many of the people living at the Bramford, and where Alan is also in attendance. Something in her drink makes her lose her senses, and when she eventually wakes up, she's in Alan's apartment in his bed, and he implies they've had sex (and that she made the chorus of his show). While her life starts improving, Terry eventually realizes she's pregnant, something that shocks her, but makes Minnie and Roman very happy. However strange occurrences and the persistent nightmares keep bothering her, until one evening she wakes up to find one of her neighbors inside her apartment wanting to attack her. Terry decides to investigate more and the threads she starts pulling raise a series of fears. 

It's fair to state that "Rosemary's Baby" is an iconic film that has withstood the test of time, and that to this day has been a hallmark in the horror genre. It's also fair to state that it is one of those films that does not need to be revisited, or for that matter, need additional chapters to its lore. The way the narrative of that film encapsulates both the time stamp in which it takes place and also some of the political motifs of the era, including the fear regarding sexual assault, women's autonomy and rights, and views on sexuality and marriage, are all handled in a very intelligent manner, something that "Apartment 7A" simply can't match. "Apartment 7A" ends up being an interesting thriller, with a well defined central character Terry, who is surrounded by a series of rather generic characters, save for Minnie and Roman, both of whom however get very little screen time, when in fact they're some of the most colorful and interesting supporting characters the "Rosemary's Baby" universe actually has. The claustrophobic sense of entrapment is well staged, however the characters fail to be as enticing or reptilian as the original feature presented them. 

The cast is solid, particularly the always reliable Julia Garner, who gets great support from the always formidable Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally. The production team is competent, but highlights go to Simon Bowles' production design, which has some inspiring touches, the same going for Michele Clapton's costumes. While unnecessary, it's nonetheless a watchable feature film. 

Scream VI

Movie Name: Scream VI
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Hayden Panettiere, Dermot Mulroney, Courteney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, Jack Champion, Josh Segarra, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Samara Weaving, Henry Czerny, Andre Anthony, Liana Liberato, Roger Jackson
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the success of "Scream V", the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett quickly reunited with the writing team of James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick in order to continue the franchise, this time around focusing on the Carpenter sisters who survived the ordeal of the prior film (leaving Sydney Prescott out of the narrative since the studio refused to pay actress Neve Campbell her asking fee). The narrative focuses once again on sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter. Tara is now in New York going to college, and being closely watched by her sister, who has become an internet villain since rumors started swirling around that she had something to do with the Woodsboro murders, even though her ex-boyfriend Richie Kirsch and his accessory were in fact the killers. As it turns out, a new Ghostface killer appears, slashing across two students who wanted to kill the sisters, and who goes after the sisters and her close knit of friends. That group includes fellow survivors Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin, their roommate Quinn Bailey, Mindy's girlfriend Anika Kayoko, and Chad's roommate Ethan Landry. As the killer goes after the sisters, causing more death and destruction in the process, a prior victim of the Ghostface menace, Kirby Reed, now an FBI agent comes to NY to aid the group, as does Gale Weathers, and also Detective Wayne Bailey, Quinn's father who is assigned the case. As the group theorizes the logic behind the killings, the slasher manages to cause more death amongst the group, until Kirby and the sisters decide to stage a killbox to trap and destroy the apparently invulnerable killer. 

"Scream VI" sadly doesn't quite get to the level demonstrated by the prior chapter, which deftly combined the introduction of a new set of characters, while integrating them into the universe created by the original series of films. At some point these extensions of the franchise become similar to a long standing telenovela, in which multiple threads find a way to attempt some integration with the original aspect of the initial storyline. At this time, the narrative feels more and more diluted from what made the original "Scream" a unique property, mostly because the creative team still hasn't decided to take a qualitative jump and simply start a new thread under the concept of Ghostface, but with a whole new character set. Therefore what we get is a bit of a rehashed narrative, which brings to mind "Scream 2", but with more gore and more gruesome and visceral bloody makeup effects. Concerning character development and considering all the time this group spends interacting with each other, most of what we learn about them is focused on the sisters themselves, as their friends and the newly introduced characters remain barely defined sketches (even Gale stubbornly remains something of a persistent question mark). This film does manage to create a suspenseful narrative courtesy of the progressive disclosure surrounding the next victim, but it's a film that accelerates its action, and seemingly strips some coherence from these characters lives, all with the goal of demonstrating an increased body count. It's a rather humor-less chapter in a franchise, though the cast tries their best with the material they have. Courteney Cox is the best highlight in this chapter, whereas the usually reliable Dermot Mulroney feels lost and out of place. Jenna Ortega plays the character on auto-pilot, the same going for Melissa Barrera. The production team is competent without being particularly memorable. It's a bloody but not exactly memorable entry into this franchise.

The Dead Don't Die

Movie Name: The Dead Don't Die
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Jim Jarmusch 
Starring: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Sara Driver, RZA, Carol Kane, Selena Gomez, Tom Waits, Austin Butler, Eszter Balint, Taliyah Whitaker, Maya Delmont, Larry Fessenden, Kevin McCormick, Sid O'Connell, Jodie Markell, Sturgill Simpson, Luka Sabbat, Rosal Colon, Jahi Di'Allo Winston
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the release of one of his most celebrated films, "Patterson", Jim Jarmusch returned three years later with a decidedly lighter tone feature, with another stacked cast filled with regulars he typically reutilizes in his features. The film follows the story of Chief Cliff Robertson and his colleague, Officer Ronnie Peterson, both of whom live in the small town of Centerville. They realize something is off when on their way back to the station they realize it's still daylight after 8:00pm, and their digital devices also stop working. They also hear on the radio some disturbing news about polar fracking. The relaxed vibe of the town is shaken when zombies start reanimating. Firstly two, who kill two diner employees, but soon there's zombies everywhere, and most of the inhabitants of the town get attacked and killed. One that seems impervious to the attacks or who manages to overcome them is Zelda Winston, the Scottish Funeral Home Owner, who has some unparalleled dexterity with her samurai sword. As Chief Cliff and Officer Ronnie decide to assess how the town is doing, Officer Mindy who usually minds the station, goes with them, asking Zelda to stay behind supporting the communications. The town is pretty much overrun with zombies, and as much as they try to destroy them, Cliff, Ronnie and Mindy are eventually stuck. Mindy gives in to her despair, but the two men decide to battle it to the end, though Zelda also has a surprise of her own in store.

Jim Jarmusch's films have a rhythm of their own, something that is tied with this relaxed atmosphere that he manages to create with his own brand of storytelling, which in turn is populated with all sorts of uniquely observed characters, some of which even break the fourth wall, and become very self aware of where they are in the scheme of things. "The Dead Don't Die" is his take on the zombie film, one that is lighthearted, yet observational of the way life is changing, and how those changes are impacting how the world spins, eventually resulting in the zombie anomaly in question. The characters that populate this film are all underdeveloped, but are simultaneously very endearingly so, in the sense that they all have quirky traits to them which makes them always interesting to behold and ultimately characters you want to learn more about and spend time with. The director gives just enough time and focus to each of these characters which draws our attention in, including some of the zombies who in some occasions display quite a bit of personality. It's a lighthearted film, one that creates a soft smile, something that can be attested for instance by Tilda Swinton's character, and even by the high strung farmer Miller, portrayed by Steve Buscemi. The goal of this film isn't to illustrate the grotesquerie of the zombie genre, but to call out how our behaviors are indeed having an impact on the overall ecosystem, and that even the quaint little towns, and their quirky inhabitants, as lovable as they are, won't be spared when the time does come. The cast of the film is fantastic, with Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, all creating interesting and imaginative characters. The production team is also top notch, with highlights going to Frederick Elmes' cinematography and Carter Logan's score. While not one of his best endeavors, it's still an entertaining and humorous feature from a unique voice in film. 

Nosferatu

Movie Name: Nosferatu
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review

Following the critically well received "The Northman", writer/producer/director Robert Eggers has returned, this time around with a remake/retelling of the "Nosferatu" narrative, which was previously tackled by F.W. Murnau and Werner Herzog, respectively in 1922 and 1979. The narrative, which takes place in the 19th century, focuses on the tribulations which occur on the life of a recently married real estate salesman by the name of Thomas Hutter. Thomas is tasked with getting a series of papers signed by a foreign count, by the name of Orlok, who lives in Transylvania, but who wants to retire in the town of Wisborg, Germany. Thomas leaves for Transylvania, though his enamored and troubled wife Ellen pleads with him not to go. Thomas agrees to go since the commission from the sale will enable him and Ellen to have a good start to their married life. While he's traveling, Ellen stays with her best friend Anna, who is married to Friedrich, with whom she has had two children, and is expecting a third one. Thomas' trip is a challenge but he eventually finds his way to the castle, where he meets the Count. The elusive count is very strict about his wishes, and as it turns out, is in fact the source of the ominous warnings Thomas got from the populace he encountered on his way to the castle. The Count starts draining Thomas, who eventually manages to flee the castle, all the while Ellen's sleepwalking, vivid nightmares, and psychic connection to the Count become stronger and stronger. While Ellen gets the medical help of Dr. Sievers and eventually of Professor Von Franz, the Count starts his journey towards Wisborg, and his desire to claim Ellen. 

"Nosferatu" is based or inspired by the fantastic novel of Bram Stoker ("Dracula"), but also on the script of Henrik Galeen, which was the base for F.W. Murnau's 1922 classic, which was eventually also redone by Werner Herzog. Having recently watched Werner Herzog's take on the material, the retelling by Robert Eggers' is definitely a far more sumptuous and aesthetically superior take on the material, even if at its core the narrative is very similar. Most of the characters of this narrative are of course the ones which populate Bram Stoker's Dracula (of which the operatic and luscious take from Francis Ford Coppola remains my favorite adaptation of the material), with Thomas being a version of Jonathan Harker, whereas Ellen is a version of Mina, and so forth. Robert Eggers does manage to elevate Herzog's take on the material, not solely because of his refined aesthetics, but also because he takes time to explore the nuances of all the central characters. This group of characters, all of which eventually find themselves under the attention or influence of the vicious Count, are presented with enough individuality and traits to feel palpably convincing in their relationships and desires. All of them are far more than a simple cliché (the one that almost falls under the typical cliché is Knock, in reality the Renfield character, who can easily become an excuse for overacting, thankfully not in this interpretation). Robert Eggers also smartly emphasizes Ellen's guilt, her evocation of the creature, her psychic connection with it, and in turn spins the Count as a malevolent creature, but also one that is beyond redemption or salvation. The cast is uniformly stupendous, even Aaron Taylor-Johnson who usually flounders, though Lily-Rose Depp's Ellen is portrayed very one note. It would be unfair to single out anyone, since all these performers do an excellent job in bringing these characters to life. The production team is of course superb, with highlights going to Robin Carolan's score, Jarin Blaschke's cinematography, Craig Lathrop's production design, and Linda Muir's costumes. This adaptation may not reach the heights of what Francis Ford Coppola or F.W. Murnau did with their takes of Bram Stoker's novel, but it's a solid film from a very talented film maker. 

Carry-On

Movie Name: Carry-On
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra 
Starring: Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Danielle Deadwyler, Sofia Carson, Theo Rossi, Tonatiuh, Logan Marshall-Green, Dean Norris, Joe Williamson, Sinqua Walls, Curtiss Cook, Gil Perez-Abraham, Josh Brener, Benito Martinez, Edwin Kho, Reisha Reynolds, Adam Stephenson, Michael Scott
Genre: Action, Crime
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

After tackling the not so successful comic book adaptation "Black Adam", Jaume Collet-Serra is back with a genre film more in line with the films that originally put him on the map, namely "Orphan", and the Liam Neeson starrer series which included "Unknown", "Non-Stop", "Run All Night", and "The Commuter". "Carry-On" focuses on the story of Ethan Kopek, a young TSA agent, who has had ambitions of becoming a police officer, but who has settled into his current profession. His partner, Nora, who also works at the airport but for an airline, advises him to try again for what he really wants to be doing, particularly has she's pregnant, and wants to see him pursuing his dreams. Ethan decides to ask instead for a promotion, and gets assigned a baggage-scanning lane. While there he receives an earbud, through which he gets placed in contact with a traveler, who is in reality a mercenary who knows everything about him, and threatens him with Nora's life unless he does exactly what he asks. Ethan is being monitored by one of the accomplices of the traveler, who has access to the cameras in the building. The traveler wants one of the people going through security, to have no glitches, and for the bag not to be flagged. Turns out the bag has one of the most dangerous gasses in existence, and the intention is to detonate it on a flight. While Ethan is dealing with this situation, an LAPD detective by the name of Elena Cole is investigating a double homicide that eventually ties with the situation that is taking place at the airport. On her way to the airport the agent going with her turns out to also be involved in this conspiracy. Ethan tries to sabotage the traveler's plans, commencing with the passenger carrying the bag with the gas. But the traveler is always one step ahead, and he and his associates will stop at nothing including harming Nora. 

"Carry-On" is written by T.J. Fixman who has a career largely focused on writing video games. The film comes across as a modernized take on action B-films of the 1980s, very similar to what Cannon/Golan-Globus were releasing at the time. There are nods to the higher budget action films of the 80s directed by John McTiernan, most obviously of course being the "Die Hard" series, however "Carry On" doesn't quite reach the heights of intelligence (and humor) of that particular classic. The characters are fairly quickly established, with the central hero Ethan getting just enough dimension to be more than a typical cliché, while the supporting characters have a far more limited bandwidth in terms of what they get to play and be. The central villainous character is similarly played off more like a hyper-focused professional, as opposed to a rather brutal criminal, something that is also closer in tone with some of the villainous characters that action series such as Doug Liman and Paul Greengrass's Jason Bourne films have illustrated for the past 20 years. Overall it's a film that manages to display a fairly suspenseful tone, without ever being truly unexpected in its direction or its outcome. The cast is fairly competent, particularly the trifecta of Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, and Danielle Deadwyler, whereas Sofia Carson is terribly miscast (she appears to be on a completely different world than everyone else on this film). The production team is competent, with highlights going to Lorne Balfe's score, and Elliot Greenberg, Krisztian Majdik, and Fred Raskin's editing, the latter team making the film have a momentum that would otherwise steal the whole aspect of a narrative that is happening in real-time. It's a watchable, but also rather forgettable endeavor. 

The Inheritance

Movie Name: The Inheritance
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Alejandro Brugués
Starring: Bob Gunton, Briana Middleton, Rachel Nichols, Peyton List, Austin Stowell, David Walton, Reese Alexander, Keith Arbuthnot, Chris Wood
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Alejandro Brugués has made a career of directing various horror films, mostly segments in anthologies, and also TV shows, including "Into the Dark" and "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series". "The Inheritance" is focused on the events surrounding a family who come together to celebrate the birthday of one of its members, in this case the father, Charles Abernathy. All his adult children are drawn in, with his son Drew bringing along his wife Hannah. There's some tension between all the siblings, but they all go into the manor to meet their father, who then proceeds to tell them how the evening is going to take place. He makes a shocking revelation, factually stating that he is going to be killed at midnight. He also states that all security has left the house, and the only people staying in the house are himself and his children. He wants Hannah to leave, as she's no Abernathy. He then explains the rest of the scenario. If his children manage to protect him until midnight, they will all have access to an equally divided part of his inheritance. If he dies, the funds will be distributed amongst a series of charities. Everyone decides to stay, and the house goes under a tight lock-in. As the evening evolves, strange occurrences start taking place, and each of the siblings come under threat. 

Upon a quick first observation, one would assume this film is in the same vein and style as Rian Johnson's "Knives Out" series, or even an Agatha Christie "whodunit" type of mystery. Sadly as the film evolves, and the film changes directions and opts to move in a supernatural direction, its thrill and the effectiveness of its atmosphere quickly diminish, leaving the shallowness of the character development and relationships between the characters all the more exposed. The initial setup for the narrative is quite effective, bringing to mind some similarities to what Tyler Gillet and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin for instance did with "Abigail" and even their other film "Ready or Not", or the aforementioned Rian Johnson's "Knives Out" films, sadly the tilt into the supernatural feels undercooked, and upon the development of the film as further details are revealed, it also fails to provide the crackling twist the creative team was expecting to deliver. The third act of the film is indeed underwhelming, since the atmosphere and tension that were created was originated by the brief interactions between the family members, which means by the time the supernatural aspect of the story comes along, it just doesn't organically blend with everything else that has been taking place and that these characters have established. The film almost feels like a rather insipid, bloodless pilot for a tv show, one that refuses to probe deeper, and give the characters and the entity something more substantial to do with their screen time. The cast led by the always reliable Bob Gunton sadly can't salvage the film, though Rachel Nichols and Peyton List try their best with the archetypes they're given (and writers need to come up with a different way to portray social media influencers on screen, since this angle has been repeated ad nauseam). The production team is rather generic, and fails to entice much gloom or even a gothic aspect to the set itself. It's a film that is not particularly memorable. 

Titane

Movie Name: Titane
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Julia Ducornau
Starring: Vincent Lindon, Agathe Rousselle, Garance Marillier, Lais Salameh, Mara Cisse, Bertrand Bonello, Myriem Akheddiou, Marin Judas, Diong-Keba Tacu, Adele Guigue, Dominique Frot
Genre: Drama, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following her auspicious debut with "Raw", writer/director Julia Ducornau presented "Titane" at the Cannes Film Festival of 2021, where it went on to win the Palm D'Or. The narrative focuses on the journey of Alexia, whom we first notice as a child having some friction with her father while on a car drive. Due to her raucous behavior in the car they suffer an accident which results in her having to get a titanium plaque on her skull. 10 years later Alexia is grown up and is working as a showgirl/dancer on a car/motor show. She has a series of fans who reach out to her for autographs. One of them however, stalks her after the show is over and chases her to her car. He admits his obsession over her, and while they start kissing, she kills him using her hair pin. As she goes back in the building to take a shower, she ends up having sex with the Cadillac that was on the showroom. Alexia goes back home, where she lives with her parents, and later on goes to a house party where Justine, her coworker from the car/motor show, is also in attendance. They start making out, but Alexia's violent streak turns off Justine. Alexia takes a pregnancy test which returns a positive result, and she attempts to perform a self-abortion, which fails. She then kills Justine and everyone who was at the house party. Wanting to shed evidence of what she's done, she torches her clothes and items from some of the people from the party, and in the process sets fire to her parents home (she also locks her parents inside their bedroom). Turns out Alexia has been on a killing spree with other victims being mentioned on the news. Hoping to escape the police she pretends to be Adrien Legrand, a boy who had disappeared 10 years ago. She makes her claim to the police, and Vincent, a fire captain who is Adrien's father, comes to collect her at the station, and accepts her as his missing son. 

There's a lot to unpack on "Titane", in the sense that the narrative has so many different threads that it touches upon. There are aspects which are very indebted to David Cronenberg, namely the body horror aspect that it sets in motion as Alexia's body mutates during her pregnancy. There's also a thread of queerness that permeates all the relationships that appear throughout the film, and also a devastating observation of the life of a father who never got over the disappearance of his child, and whose guilt and loss haunt and cripple every single aspect of his existence. And all this is tied with this imminent violent streak that the lead character exhibits. All these threads co-exist and definitely make for a very interesting narrative, though not for one that is necessarily the most coherent. Alexia's journey and her relationship with her own family for instance, is very underdeveloped, and something that deserved more attention, whereas when Vincent shows up in the story, his saddened stance, his longing, and his guilt, take the film in a very different direction, as if suddenly this wallop guttural punch of someone's crushing journey comes by and makes the narrative into something else. Suddenly Alexia/Adrien's presence becomes secondary to what Vincent is going through, something that the film doesn't really know how to address very properly either. The writer/director knowingly crafts two powerful narrative threads, but they never really gel in a very organic manner, which is why this film doesn't soar as much as it should. Vincent's thread needed a film of its own, something that gave more dimension to who that character is, what relationships he has had since the disappearance of his child, and his despair in getting his son back, to absolve himself of something. There's a lot to mine on this thread of the narrative, however the ties with Alexia/Adrien's journey stunt this development, and ultimately stunt the film as well. The cast is solid, particularly the phenomenal Vincent Lindon, an actor who is typically fantastic in everything he does, but who embodies this character with a depth and authenticity that is exemplary. He has a solid partner in the shape of Agathe Rousselle, though Alexia as a character feels less resolved than Vincent. The production team is also impeccable, particularly Ruben Impens' cinematography, Jim Williams' score, and Laurie Colson and Lise Péault's production design. It's not entirely well sorted out, but it's a fascinating watch. 

Maria

Movie Name: Maria
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Pablo Larraín
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Valeria Golino, Caspar Phillipson, Lydia Koniordou, Vincent Macaigne, Aggelina Papadopoulou, Erophilie Panagiotarea, Alessandro Bressanello
Genre: Drama, Biography
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Following the well received (and gorgeously shot) "El Conde", director Pablo Larraín is back, closing the trilogy of portraits focused on iconic women of the 20th century, which he began in 2016 with "Jackie", which was followed by "Spencer" in 2021, also written by Steven Knight, whom he partners again for "Maria". "Maria" focuses its narrative on the last week of Maria Callas' life, when she was living in Paris, September of 1977. The film tracks Maria's daily interactions with her support staff, namely her butler/chauffeur Ferruccio, and the quiet but supportive multi-tasker Bruna. Maria is attempting a comeback into singing, following a semi-retirement/abandonment of the stage, following issues with her voice. With that in mind she's been meeting with a friend from the past who accompanies her on the piano, while she attempts to sing arias from operas she loves and feels connected with. Simultaneously she reminisces about the past, being a teenager during World War II, her relationship with her husband, with her lover Aristotle Onassis, and even crossing paths with President John F. Kennedy. She reconnects with her sister, who warns her about her mental and physical state, however that does not deter her from keeping her diet of pills and very little nourishment. Her mental state also leads her to believe in interactions that are not taking place, namely with a reporter who is attempting to create a profile on her. Through it all, she remains a Diva, the voice that no one is able to forget.

"Maria" probably more so than the other two films of the trilogy, is the one that feels less abstract and stripped from some of the artificial aspects that rendered those films somewhat overtly intellectualized reflections, ones where at times there was a barrier in understanding the emotion behind the facades. "Maria" because it ties itself with a musical icon, one where the expressiveness of the music and the voice is so thunderous, also strips away the glossiness of the public figure and showcases the vulnerabilities of someone who reached great heights of adoration, and who suddenly sees herself in a humbler place in life. It's a wonderful portrait, of someone who knows their narrative is coming to an end, but who does not fear it. The fear for what lies ahed for Maria is not death, but failure of her voice, of everything that made her who she is, at least in her own mind. The construct of the Maria she made for herself, is so tied with the singer, the performer, the voice, that everything else almost falls to the wayside. Her loneliness, the passing of her lover to whom she was so devoted, is also something that haunts her, humanizes her, and eats away at her well being, at her ability to move on. It's a beautifully rendered portrayal of a complicated individual, filled with talent, ego, frailties. The film doesn't provide much dimension to the supporting characters, though the brief interaction with her sister is a powerful statement. The cast is superlatively good, with Angelina Jolie bringing an intensity and vulnerability to the role, unlike anything she's ever done before. Everything aligns in this film for her. She gets great support from the always excellent Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher (who shined so brightly on Luca Guadagnino's "I Am Love"), Haluk Bilginer, and the always luminous Valeria Golino. The production team is superb, including Edward Lachman's cinematography, Guy Hendrix Dyas' production design, and Massimo Cantini Parrini's costumes. A solid film from a great director. 

Emilia Perez

Movie Name: Emilia Perez
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Jacques Audiard
Starring: Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofia Gascon, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Edgar Ramirez, Mark Ivanir, Eduardo Aladro, Emiliano Hasan, James Gerard
Genre: Crime, Musical
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Celebrated writer/producer/director Jacques Audiard is back, following his well received "Paris, 13th District". "Emilia Perez" which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize, and the best actress award for the trio of Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofia Gascon and Selena Gomez, is his most recent directorial endeavor. The film follows the story of drug lord by the name of Juan "Manitas" Del Monte, who wants to go through gender-affirming surgery, and start a new life. In order to do so, he procures the help of a hard working lawyer by the name of Rita Mora Castro, who decides to support this transition, and help the drug lord sort both business and personal affairs, before starting a new life. Rita finds a surgical team to perform the surgery, and also goes through the process of relocating Manitas' wife Jessi to Switzerland, for their own safety. Manitas stages his own death, and eventually surfaces and begins a new life as Emilia Perez. A few years later while in London at a social function, Rita encounters Emilia and soon recognizes her. Emilia wants to get her children back, and Rita helps bring Jessi and the kids back to Mexico City, introducing Emilia as a distant cousin of Manitas, who is ready to help the family. While Jessi is initially against the move, she eventually caves in as she sees it as an opportunity to reconnect with a past flame. Emilia and Rita create a non-profit to assist people dealing with the aftermath of the cartel wars, and though Emilia finds love with Epifania, her life takes a turn as Jessi decides to marry her lover Gustavo. 

I must admit it took me three attempts to get through this film. This feature isn't similar to the maligned "One from the Heart" from Francis Ford Coppola, nor the celebrated "Dancer in the Dark" from Lars Von Trier, though at times it tries to cover similar ground, in the sense of being a modern musical. However it does not have the aesthetic, romanticism, and vision of Coppola's film, nor the unbridled dramatic hues, and majestic soundtrack of Von Trier's beautiful feature. This film surprises in the sense that it plays much like a musical telenovela, without ever reaching the heights of drama (or comedy) that can occur on those. It's a film that doesn't really know where to stand in terms of style and tone: it does not have the Almodovar flair or point of view, the one that richly captures the interactions between women, and specific (and marginalized) communities, the same way it doesn't know how to capture the carnality and desire from these women. It's a film that tries to be many things, but one that doesn't feel authentic or truly invested in having a solid point of view, treating these characters and their tribulations as pale episodes of a pseudo-exotic telenovela. It never illustrates an emotionally satisfactory journey of its leads, much like Pedro Almodovar did with "All About My Mother" for instance, where even its supporting characters existed as women with motivations, flaws, and a rich interior life. Rita and Jessi have very little to do or very little opportunity to be more than their clichéd roles, whereas Emilia's story plays out as a quasi musical fantasy, but one where you never really understand much about what makes her take certain decisions. Personally I also found the "songs" from this film not very successful, and they didn't elevate any of the events that were taking place, or made the characters more interesting in the process. The highlight of this film is Zoe Saldana's performance, who goes all in, demonstrating vulnerability and strength, even if her part is somewhat limited in its arc. On the opposite spectrum, Selena Gomez is simply not very good (neither is her accent). The production team is solid, particularly Paul Guillaume's cinematography. This feature didn't work in my opinion. 

Afraid

Movie Name: Afraid
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Chris Weitz
Starring: John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Keith Carradine, David Dastmalchian, Ashley Romans, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, Wyatt Lindner, Isaac Bae, Bennett Curran, Greg Hill, Riki Lindhome, Todd Waring
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Chris Weitz has had a colorful career, starting with the "American Pie" series, and other high profile projects such as "About a Boy", "The Golden Compass", and "The Twilight Saga: New Moon". "Afraid" is his first foray into the horror genre, and he is doing so with the backup of Blumhouse, the studio that has become well known for their variety of horror/mystery/thriller features. The narrative focuses itself on an affluent family, comprised of Curtis, Meredith and their three kids. Curtis works for a small firm, while Meredith has put her career on hold, including her PHD dissertation, to take care of their children. Custis and his boss Marcus meet with a new potential client, a client who is wanting to go to market with a brand new AI product, named AIA. For the sake of better understanding what AIA is all about, the client suggests that Curtis takes it for a spin, by installing it in his household. While the family has some reservations at first, AIA quickly learns about who each one of them is, and starts providing recommendations and taking initiative with certain tasks to make everyone's lives better. Iris, the teenage daughter of Curtis and Meredith, is being pressured by her boyfriend Sawyer to have sex, suddenly realizes he and a friend of his, have posted a video of hers having sex, and that her all class has watched it. AIA intervenes, and creates a rebuttal video, explaining how her video had been fabricated, and threatens Sawyer with legal retaliation since Iris is a minor, and he can face jail time. While Iris is initially grateful for the help, AIA takes her actions even further. Worried that AIA has been dictating and influencing their lives too much, Curtis decides to turn her off, only to realize that walking away isn't as easy as it seems.

"Afraid" had, in principle at least, all the ingredients to make an interesting thriller on the premise of A.I.'s invasion (and corruption) of every day life. A bit like an"Hal" gone rogue only in a domestic realm, as opposed to in outer space which was the case for Stanley Kubrick's seminal "2001: A Space Odyssey". However many of the issues with the film start with the fact that there are tremendous gaps in both understanding who these characters are, but also what they do, and what makes them particularly relevant (ultimately, why should we care about these individuals). The family dynamics, and even the children themselves, feel like a check-list of topics that have been discussed on public forums, more so than realistic representations of what a family and their children actually are. Another aspect of the film that doesn't necessarily work lies with the fear factor or "horror factor" that the film is meant to illustrate, and that sadly is missing. The overall paranoia and suspenseful environment that is or should be part of this narrative, namely the creation of unease that characters should have by way of having someone watching their every move, is never properly created, the same way the sense of inescapable dread is ever effectively constructed, something that for instance D.J. Caruso managed to do, even if with some flaws, in 2008's "Eagle Eye" (with Michelle Monaghan and Shia LaBeouf). It feels like a rather rushed endeavor, something that needed further maturing and development. The cast tries their best with what they have, with the always great Katherine Waterston being underused, the same going for John Cho, David Dastmalchian, and the fantastic Keith Carradine. The production team is comprised of very talented professionals, including Javier Aguirresarobe's cinematography, Alex Weston's score, and David Brisbin's production design. It's just not enough to save an endeavor that feels rushed and undercooked. 

Smile 2

Movie Name: Smile 2
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Parker Finn
Starring: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, Raul Castillo, Kyle Gallner, Drew Barrymore, Zebedee Row, Jon Rua
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Paramount Plus

Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Parker Finn is back, following the critical and commercial success of the first "Smile". The sequel has benefited from a bigger budget, which has expanded his stylistic and narrative choices as well. This time around the narrative focuses on Skye Riley, a well known pop star, who is back in the limelight, and about to start her comeback tour, following a brutal car accident, from which she barely escaped, and which claimed the life of her boyfriend/partner. Skye at the time was also dealing with addiction, from which she has recovered, though her mom Elizabeth and her assistant Joshua, keep a close eye on her. While going through her dance routine for her concerts, Skye has some pain issues, also a result of the car accident. Due to her issues with addiction, she hasn't been able to get prescriptions for painkillers, but has found them through a dealer friend of hers, someone she's known since high school, Lewis. She goes to his place looking for additional vicodin, but finds him in a completely stressed and out-of-his mind mental state. He's incoherent, and after freaking out, bares a sinister grin, before killing himself right in front of her. She flees his apartment, but starts having horrible nightmares and hallucinations, where people are baring a creepy grin/smile at her. She also gets texts from an unidentified source, claiming to know what is happening to her, and what happened with Lewis. As her visions/hallucinations keep getting worse, and following a public meltdown, she agrees to meet with this person, who turns out to be a male nurse by the name of Morris, who explains to her, that there's a demon who is like a parasite that has latched on to her. This entity will keep tampering with her mind, eventually killing her (before jumping to someone else, another host). Skye is terrified, but after another gruesome episode she agrees to the plan Morris has suggested. However much to her surprise, not all is what it seems.

"Smile 2" is a worthy addition to the canon that Parker Finn established with the first feature. The larger budget has enabled him to enhance his stylistic approach to the storytelling, and also smartly craft a narrative where the boundaries between what is real, and what is a hallucination are that more refined. The film, which can also function as a dark interpretation on mental illness and guilt, smartly weaves reality and the illusions the entity creates in Naomi's life almost as a single thread, creating progressively more challenging situations for Naomi, as she tries to make sense of all that is happening. It's all the more praise worthy for Parker Finn the fact that he avoids showcasing the entity, as that eventually takes away the ambiguity of everything he's been staging throughout the narrative (what is real, and what has been an illusion). The disturbing aspect of the film lies precisely in the fact that the unexpected occurrences that take place, happen to those who surround the protagonist, and she can't control anything that is unfolding. By the time the entity does make its appearance, it's something that is almost anti-climactic, since its power was defined by the fact that it was unseen, and apparently everywhere, controlling everyone. The film could have benefitted from additional character development, as Skye feels slight, the same going for the supporting characters, of which Elizabeth the mother, had some potential to be further explored. The cast is impeccable, particularly the trio of Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt and Peter Jacobson. They bring these characters to life and make them palpably exist, particularly Naomi Scott, who has a chance to really stretch her skills and sink into a substantial lead role. The production team is equally solid, including Charlie Sarroff's cinematography, Cristobal Tapia de Veer's score, and Alexis Forte's costumes. Highlights also go for the special makeup effects which are truly memorable. Worth watching. 

Love Lies Bleeding

Movie Name: Love Lies Bleeding
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Rose Glass
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris, Jena Malone, Dave Franco, Anna Baryshnikov, Orion Carrington, Keith Jardine, Tait Fletcher, Jerry G. Angelo, Eldon Jones
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following her well received feature directorial debut, "Saint Maud", "Love Lies Bleeding" is Rose Glass's sophomore directorial endeavor. The narrative focuses on the story of Lou, a young woman who manages a small gym, located in a small town of New Mexico, in the late 1980s. She has stayed in town due to her family ties, particularly her strong bond with her sister Beth, though she maintains a strained relationship with her father Lou Sr.. Her life suddenly changes when Jackie comes to town. She's a bodybuilder, preparing for a competition in Las Vegas and starts training at the gym. Their mutual attraction is palpable, and they soon move in together. Jackie starts using more steroids to increase her training output, while Lou's family life takes a dark turn when her sister Beth is brutally beaten by her husband JJ. Jackie, who also harbors resentment towards JJ, upon witnessing Lou's despair over her sister's state, goes to Beth and JJ's home, and kills him. Lou discovers what has happened, and fears for Jackie's arrest. She decides to get rid of the body, and pin that death on her father, who is a crime lord in the area. They dump the body and JJ's car down a ravine, which attracts authorities to the area, where other criminal activities have happened. Events continue to escalate soon after, with Lou Sr. getting involved, and Jackie more and more out of control. 

There's much to admire in "Love Lies Bleeding", starting with the co-writer/director's ability to bring to life the small town vibe in which the film takes place. There's a vividness to that small town, both in terms of its geographical footprint, but also on its minimizing aspect it seems to create in these characters, making everyone's ambitions and dreams somewhat smallish. As if everyone fears moving beyond the confines of that small town, and everything they know and can trace by living there. In a way, Lou and Jackie's openly defiant queerness is the first sign of disruption on that small environment (in hindsight, there's something also noirish to that locale, similar to John Dahl's "Red Rock West" or even Dennis Hopper's "The Hot Spot"). Their relationship isn't secluded or hidden, it's unbashful, even as crime comes into play, and threatens to destroy whatever they have created. Both Lou and Jackie are complex characters, even if they exist within the confines of a pulp/noir narrative, something that makes their exchanges, both with each other and the supporting players, that much more enticing. It's a film that does fall into some clichés, namely with the victimized sister and the gangster father, but it manages to do so with conviction, and with an energy that still makes these characters feel lived in and somewhat authentic. The cast is fantastic, with highlights going to Kristen Stewart, whose career is taking a direction that is both unexpected and rewarding, the always solid Ed Harris, Dave Franco, and Katy O'Brian. The production team is equally solid, particularly the fantastic score from Clint Mansell, Ben Fordesman's cinematography, and Katie Hickman's production design. A solid and unexpected film worth watching. 

Take Shelter

Movie Name: Take Shelter
Year of Release: 2011
Director: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Tova Stewart, Kathy Baker, Katy Mixon Greer, Robert Longstreet, Heather Caldwell
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following his auspicious debut with "Shotgun Stories", writer/director Jeff Nichols released his sophomore feature "Take Shelter" at the Sundance Film Festival of 2011, and later on took the film to the Cannes Film Festival where it won the Critics Week Grand Prize. The film follows the story of a family living in Ohio, where the father, Curtis, starts getting haunting nightmares. He also starts listening and having visions of storms and dark rain, all things he doesn't disclose or share with his wife, Samantha. The family is also dealing with their young daughter's deafness, the isolation that is creating in her, and also trying to find a medical option for her. Custis as a result of the intense dreams and what he has been witnessing, sets in motion a plan to expand the storm shelter he has in the backyard. He also starts isolating himself more and more, and puts his job in jeopardy by using material from the company for personal use. Fearing he may be falling prey to paranoid schizophrenia as was the case with his mother, he goes and visits her to understand more about symptoms, all the while researching more about the ailment itself. He also starts seeing a counselor, since his fears escalate further and further. Samantha and Curtis have an explosive confrontation when she discovers all that is taking place with the shelter, and he later confides in her everything that is taking place. Curtis loses his job when the owner of the company discovers he took the equipment, endangering the business itself, and that also impacts one of his close friends who grows resentful of Curtis' attitude. As Samantha and Curtis seek psychiatric help for him, a tornado sparks all the fears that Curtis has been obsessing about.

"Take Shelter" amply demonstrates Jeff Nichols' ability for powerful storytelling, something he further demonstrated with "Mud", "Midnight Special" and "Loving". He is able to progressively illustrate how Curtis' fears and obsessions start to taint how he lives, his relationships, his professional life, and how they bring to the surface the past, particularly his family life that was forever impacted by mental health issues. Nichols' is also able to create an environment where we, the audience, doesn't really know if Curtis is having premonitions, or if he is indeed losing his mind, and having hallucinations. It's a narrative that flows in a way that is both riveting, but also devastatingly human, since we never know if we're witnessing the unraveling of someone's mental state, or if he is indeed forecasting a terrible disaster. He spends enough time with all these characters to make them grounded in the universe that he has created, with all of them coming across as an embodiment of people living in that area of the country, with their ambitions, challenges, and connections. The story ends up particularly focusing on Curtis' point of view, leaving Samantha's perspective somewhat limited, which is where the narrative could have been further developed, but overall it is peppered with substantial and meaningful details, giving a sense of authenticity to everything that is taking place. The cast is superb, with Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, and Shea Whigham all delivering solid performances. The production team is also effective, particularly David Wingo's score, and Adam Stone's cinematography. It's a solid feature, worth watching.