The Other Woman

Movie Name: The Other Woman
Year of Release: 2014
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Don Johnson, Taylor Kinney, Nicki Minaj, Victor Cruz
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
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Synopsis and Review

Actor/writer/producer/director Nick Cassavetes started his directorial career in the 90s with a series of well liked and well received films, which included "Unhook the Stars" (featuring his mother, the stupendous Gena Rowlands), and "She's So Lovely" (in which Sean Penn actually won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival of 1997). "The Other Woman" is definitely more of a mainstream comedy, which coincidentally marked what started as period of directorial inactivity for him (which he has resume in 2023 with the poorly received "God is a Bullet"). "The Other Woman" focuses its narrative on two women, one by the name of Carly Whitten, a successful lawyer who has a strong personality and is unapologetic about pursuing her desires and passions. The other central part of the narrative is Kate King, a housewife whose life is fairly serene though she feels a bit under-challenged. Her husband is a very successful entrepeneur/businessman, who also relies on her savviness and abilities for brainstorming to come up with interesting business venture ideas. Carly has been dating the dashing Mark for a few months, and is ready to take the next step and introduce him to her father, only for him to cancel at the last minute due to a home emergency. When she decides to surprise him at his place, she discovers that the house is actually inhabited by Kate, Mark's wife. While Carly decides to move on from the whole situation, Kate on the other hand is completely devastated, and seeks Carly to get more information on what has been going on. While Carly is initially aghast towards Kate's reactions, she eventually decides to help her out. They soon realize Mark has another woman on the side he's been involved with. Amber, the other focus of Mark's affections, is also unaware of Carly and Kate's existence and the tribulations they've been through as a result. They decide to unite forces and get back at Mark for all the deceiving and illegalities they soon find out he's been up to (which includes embezzling money under Kate's name). 

While this film was originally conceived as an updated take on Hugh Wilson's "The First Wives Club", sadly and notwithstanding Nick Cassavetes' talent, the result is a film that lacks the chemistry, humor or even some of the darkness that made "The First Wives Club" work and resonate as it did (the fact that Hugh Wilson's film starts with a suicide, and how it then proceeds to discuss matters of ageism, and relationship dynamics is still surprising, all wrapped in a somewhat innocuous film comedy). "The Other Woman" places Leslie Mann's character as the clownish character, the one who burdens the awkwardness of being the one being deceived and oblivious to her own husband's lack of character or principles. It's a rather poorly conceived role, one that is meant to come across as ditzy and funny (she even has a dog the size of a horse as a pet, so she can be dragged around by it, hence the lack of authority stemming from her), but instead is borderline offensive and patronizing. Kudos to Leslie Mann and her ability to bring humor and humanity in these underwritten roles she sometimes finds herself in. The film tries to create this semblance of unity and camaraderie between these women, since they obviously have nothing better to do in their lives, other than to get back at the low-life who deceived all of them. The situations are fairly trite, the characters barely have any dimension to them or exist beyond the clichés they're meant to embody (Kate Upton's Amber has no career, no particular motivations in life, aside from looking good on camera in a bikini). What is actually left is the cast who really tries their best to make these characters and situations passable, with highlights going to Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz and Don Johnson, all talented performers with immense charisma who make this endeavor watchable. The cinematography from the fantastic Robert Fraisse is impeccable (he always worked with director Jean-Jacques Annaud, including "The Lover/L'Amant" and "Seven Years in Tibet"), as is the production design from Dan Davis and costumes from Paolo Nieddu. It's a polished and well executed film, just a poorly written one and lacking a point of view or sense of humor. A missed opportunity. 

The Killer

Movie Name: The Killer
Year of Release: 2023
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O'Malley, Sophie Charlotte, Emiliano Pernia, Gabriel Polanco, Sala Baker, Endre Hules
Genre: Thriller, Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

The fantastic David Fincher continues his relationship with streaming giant Netflix, with another release, following his critically acclaimed "Mank" (which I still believe, while impeccably shot and with solid performances, was a film that added nothing much about the writer of "Citizen Kane" and ultimately felt like a vanity project). "The Killer" is an adaptation from a French graphic novel series, authored by Alexis "Matz" Nolent and Luc Jacamon, adapted by Andre Kevin Walker, whom Fincher has previously worked with on "Seven". The film focuses its narrative on a character named "The Killer" who is a hired assassin, currently in Paris stalking his next target. He's immediately described as someone very assured, but also very detailed and process driven. He is meticulous, prepares everything, and leaves nothing unattended. All of his work flows very smoothly as a result of that meticulous preparation, that is until this specific target. He misses the target and hits someone else also present in that same location. He evades the city, and makes his way to the US where he fails to contact his handler, Hodges. He suspects that he is being followed, but manages to evade that person. He makes his way to his residence in the Dominican Republic, only to realize his home has been invaded, and that his girlfriend Magdala has been attacked. Furious at this invasion of his personal space and life, he goes about tracking who did all this. He firstly travels to New Orleans, where he handles Hodges and also his assistant Dolores, not before getting the information regarding the people who hurt Magdala. He then goes to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he has to deal with one of the hired assassins. That turns out to be more of a challenge, but he is undaunted in his quest, and his process further sustains and propels him. 

David Fincher's proficiency in storytelling are at this point undeniable. He has crafted a career, one that much like the central character of this particular film, is permeated by meticulously engineered features, some on topics unexpected, such as his take on social media, one that past that facade, in reality tackles the monstrosity of greed, ambition and voracious need for affirmation that was "The Social Network". "The Killer" may be, in style at least, more akin to his work in "Seven" and even "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo": both these features focus on characters operating outside social norms, and having to deal with brutal and violent situations. However, and unlike those fantastic films, "The Killer" is far more cryptic in establishing who this central character actually is. The fact that this individual holds this function, and is quite good at it, is something that is clearly established and showcased (because being meticulous and organized, is synonym with being efficient). Nothing much is unveiled about this character, nothing that provides a way to further humanize him, aside from the relationship he has with Magdala, which sets him off on his revenge odyssey. And this is where the film tilts in the direction of a polished B-movie (quasi Elmore Leonard inspired), but one where the humor is absent, as are the gears of this narrative which could have been slightly more elaborate (give something else for these additional characters to do). For all the world that David Fincher illustrates, and it is indeed a world viewed through the eyes of this killer, there's very little that gives insight into who this person is (and the fact that he listens to The Smiths hardly qualifies as providing insight into a character), and very little insight is given to the ones who cross paths with him (in whatever capacity that may be). In the end it is a film very much illustrated and viewed as if through the eyes of this killer, but one that could have benefited from a bit more insight, meaningful interactions and actual emotion. The cast is solid, with Michael Fassbender expertly crafting this cypher, but where Tilda Swinton easily swoops in and in a few minutes steals the film almost like a breeze. The production team is fantastic, including the cinematography from Erik Messerschmidt (though I personally miss Jeff Cronenweth's cinematography), score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch, production design from Donald Graham Burt and costumes from Cate Adams. It's a solid, though slightly tepid film from a great storyteller. 

Pompeii

Movie Name: Pompeii
Year of Release: 2014
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Starring: Kit Harrington, Emily Browning, Carrie Anne Moss, Jared Harris, Kiefer Sutherland, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Sasha Roiz, Jessica Lucas, Dalmar Abuzeid
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

In between directing episodes of the "Resident Evil" saga, writer/producer/director Paul W. S. Anderson stretched his skills with other narrative types, tackling with "Pompeii" the sword and sandal type married with catastrophe film. The film focuses its narrative on a young gladiator by the name of Milo. Milo whose family was killed when he was just a boy, is currently a slave, and his owner brings him to Pompeii alongside other gladiators. En route, he accidentally meets Cassia, who is also returning to the city to be with her family after a brief stint living in Rome. While in Pompeii Milo develops a rivalry with another gladiator, but they soon earn each other's trust and become friends. Cassia on the other hand has to deal with the advances of a senator by the name of Corvus, who also pursued her in Rome, and the reason why she left the city. He's the responsible for the deaths of Milo's parents, and threatens Cassia with the same fate for her own, unless she agrees to marry him. During a Gladiator show, Milo and Atticus realize the deceit behind the Romans strategy, and while they manage to defeat their opponents, it's only Cassia's last minute intervention that saves them. As Milo and Proculus, Corvus' immediate underling battle it out, Mount Vesuvius erupts, causing panic across the entire city, whose inhabitants are all frantically trying to escape.

Somewhere in the gestation of this feature, I can personally imagine a few studio executives coming up with the pitch for this concept: "It's Titanic meets Gladiator meets The Day After Tomorrow". A melange of styles, including a love story, of two young lovers from different social backgrounds meeting cute, and defying all odds, vanquishing a creepy villain with vague motivations, but also having to portend with a natural disaster of unimaginable proportions. Oh and doing all this with chiseled looks, great hair and impeccably shot. And it could have worked, had these characters some dimension to them, besides barely there motivations, including the hero seeking to revenge his family, who is nonetheless noble (though he's a gladiator and kills people in the ring), and the central heroine, who is also very strong willed, plucky and immediately enamored with a gladiator who cares for a horse (and has chiseled looks and great hair). Most of the problem with the film doesn't really pertain to Paul W. S. Anderson's take on the material, which oscillates between his typical action oriented material, and some of the catastrophe/end of the world scenario type of work that Rolland Emmerich typically does: it's primarily the fact that the script can't really give these characters much to do, or even discernibly create some motivation for them to exist (well at least until the volcano erupts, upon which it's everyone fending for themselves). Paul W. S. Anderson always manages to give his most successful endeavors a B-movie quality to it, where the characters, though broadly showcased, have sufficient motivation to get from point A to point B (there's an understanding as to what exactly is motivating them, and what their backdrop actually is). The screenwriters in this case tried to squeeze some items from Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" and pepper it with James Cameron's "Titanic", but forgot to make these characters more than just archetypes/puppets. They come across as artificial, bland and instantly forgettable. The cast tries their best with the material, but Kit Harrington and Emily Browning are fairly forgettable, while Carrie Anne Moss and Jared Harris, whose plot-line promised something, quickly get discarded. Kiefer Sutherland, much like Billy Zane in "Titanic" is a paper-thin villain, without much to do, playing the role in the same note through and through. The production crew is solid, including the cinematography from Glen MacPherson, score from Clinton Shorter and production design from Paul D. Austerberry. It's a film that falls trap of a rather pedestrian  script, though it is watchable and quickly forgettable.

Five Nights at Freddy's

Movie Name: Five Nights at Freddy's
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Emma Tammi
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lail, Matthew Lillard, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kat Conner Sterling, David Lind, Christian Stokes, Joseph Poliquin, Grant Feely, Asher Colton Spence, David Huston Doty, Liam Hendrix, Jophielle Love, Tadasay Young, Michael P. Sullivan, Wyatt Parker, Lucas Grant
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
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Synopsis and Review

Another commercially successful release from Blumhouse, "Five Nights at Freddy's" is authored by director Emma Tammi who has previously directed "The Wind" and episodes of the show "Into the Dark". The film focuses its narrative on mall security guard Mike Schmidt, who is fired from his position when he attacks a man who is taking a small child, a situation Mike mistakenly perceives to be a kidnapping (the man is actually the child's father). Mike who is the guardian of his sister, finds himself in a tough situation since he needs a new job in order to keep supporting the household, while his aunt is also trying to get custody of his sister, so she can get the custody's monthly payments. He eventually caves in and takes a job at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, an abandoned family entertainment center, one that requires a security guard  at night in order to avoid squatters and further damage to the building and its contents. Mike falls asleep during his first night at the job, and he has his recurring dream where his brother is taken when he and his family are out camping. He also meets police officer Vanessa Shelly, who gives him some background on the place, including the fact of why it closed down (which was due to the disappearance of 5 children). Mike's aunt decides to cut some corners, and tries to sabotage him by hiring a few people to trash Freddy's. However the animatronic mascots come alive and kill all the hoodlums. Mike in the meantime has to bring his sister Abby to work with him as his babysitter is unavailable. During that night she becomes familiar with the animatronics who befriend her. Mike uncovers that the animatronics are actually possessed by the ghosts of the missing children, but soon finds out they have sinister ambitions and Vanessa herself knows more than she has led on.

Unlike some of the best features previously produced by Jason Blum and released by his Blumhouse, "Five Nights at Freddy's" is rather anemic from a suspense point of view, the same going for humor or even character relevance. Emma Tammi takes her time in slowly revealing Mike's trauma and what his arc is, but for the most part it seems like the character only exists at night, has no actual motivations in his life, or for that matter has any relevant ambitions or even social skills. The interactions that occur between Mike and his sister Abby are repetitive and always depicted in the same note (she's remote, he complains about her and always feels absent minded). Which is to say, all characters in this feature are very roughly illustrated, and ultimately are unsatisfying in terms of actually taking us on a journey, even if in this case the narrative is trying to illustrate the journey of redemption Mike seeks for the loss of his brother. In addition to the limited character development, the animatronics themselves aren't necessarily particularly scary (nor is their utilization particularly effective), nor is the third act reveal, which ultimately feels underwhelming. The cast tries their best with what they have, with the underrated Mary Stuart Masterson creating something of a caricature with the villainous aunt, and Matthew Lillard having a bit of fun with a temp placing professional. The production team is at best uninspired, with the production design sadly not creating a memorable scenario for Freddy's and its animatronics to live in. This is a feature that feels undercooked and somewhat forgettable.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Movie Name: Killers of the Flower Moon
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Scott Shepherd, Louis Cancelmi, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, Janae Collins, Jillian Dion, Jason Isbell, William Belleau, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Talee Redcorn, Tatanka Means, Yancey Red Corn, Everett Waller, Tommy Schultz, Sturgill Simpson, Ty Mitchell, Gary Basaraba, Charlie Musselwhite, Pat Healy, Steve Hitting, Steve Routman, Gene Jones, Michael Abbot Jr., Jack White, JC MacKenzie, Larry Sellers, Barry Corbin, Samuel French, Wally Welch
Genre: Crime, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review

Following the well received "The Irishman", director Martin Scorsese is back with the adaptation of the book by David Grann, which was itself a bestseller. The book is an in-depth investigation of a series of murders which occurred in Osage County, Oklahoma in the 1920s. The primary victims of these murders were Native Americans who lived in the reservation, where a series of oil wells had been found, which had converted many of those inhabitants into wealthy individuals. Though those Native Americans had the rights to the land and to the profits from it, they were still being heavily regulated and treated as second rate citizens or for that matter, as people without full capacity to manage their own wealth. The book also narrates the process by which the FBI became involved in the investigation, including J. Edgar Hoover's direction and assignment of the case.

The narrative of the film focuses on Ernest Burkhart, who arrives in Osage County after being in the first World War, where he suffered some injuries. His brother Byron is already there, and much like him, he is taken under the wing of the charismatic and powerful William Hale, who is their uncle and is also named King, due to his sphere of influence across the area (he is also well known as a benefactor of the Osage County reservation, which includes speaking the native language). Hale tells Burkhart the area is dominated by the affluence of the Native Americans who have become very well off due to the oil wells that were uncovered and are being drilled all over their reservation. He is told to keep an eye out and to try to ingratiate himself with Mollie Kyle, whose family owns oil headrights. Ernest who does some armed robbery with his brother and a few others to feed off his gambling endeavors, eventually connects with Mollie, by driving her around. They fall in love, and much to Hale's content get married. Hale in the interim communicates to Ernest that more fortune and wealth will head his way if more of Mollie's family dies, including her sisters and her frail mother. These deaths start occurring rapidly, commencing with Mollie's sister Minnie, who dies of a mysterious illness. Hale orders Byron to kill Anna, Mollie's other sister, who is a bit hot tempered and has a problem with drinking. As the number of murders continues to escalate, the Osage Council decide to send a representative to D.C. to call out attention to the debacle taking place. He's also murdered, and all of these murders are still yet to be investigated. Even Mollie's attempt at hiring a private investigator goes nowhere. Things finally take a turn after Mollie's last sister is also killed, and the Bureau of Investigation finally sends agents to assess what has been going on. 

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is a lengthy film that does fly by, much of it thanks to the vivid characters that Martin Scorsese and his cast bring to life. While for the majority of the film's duration we witness truly horrifying events taking place, it's nonetheless an interesting and arresting narrative that once again surfaces how greed corrupts everything, and how easily some characters get tainted and influenced to do truly despicable actions. Scorsese focus the narrative on his take of Ernest Burkhart, who is portrayed as someone easily manipulated, but also someone who progressively loses his soul as he continues to do his uncle's bidding, without much thought or consideration for the consequences of his actions. Even if his actions cause pain to the family he has created, including his wife, the steely yet quiet Mollie. It is a film that once again reinforces Scorsese's perspective on family, crime and lead characters that are morally ambiguous, one that doesn't shy away from showcasing the horrific things people will do in order to pursue their own self interests. It's also an epic on a grand scale, covering a variety of occurrences and characters, which at times renders some as footnotes, but the film never loses its direction. The cast is uniformly fantastic, starting with Leonardo DiCaprio who loses himself in this role of a meek individual, who is self serving, but also wants to please his uncle, his wife, and just do what he's told. He truly disappears behind this character who simply doesn't know where to turn, and whose actions are tearing and destroying so much of the lives of those he holds dear. He gets great support from Robert De Niro as the machiavellian William Hale, and Lily Gladstone as the determined but quiet Mollie. The production team is impeccable, including Rodrigo Prieto's cinematography, Jack Fisk's production design, Jacqueline West's costume design and the impeccable editing from Thelma Schoonmaker. A wonderful film not to be missed. 

The Nun II

Movie Name: The Nun II
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Michael Chaves
Starring: Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, Katelyn Rose Downey, Suzanne Bertish, Bonnie Aarons, Leontine d'Oncieu, Anouk Darwin Homewood, Peter Hudson, Tamar Baruch, Natalia Safran, Maxime Elias-Menet, Pascal Aubert, Alexandra Gentil, Viviana Moin
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

Director Michael Chaves continues his dalliances in "The Conjuring" universe, following his previous directorial features, "The Curse of La Llorona" and "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It". This chapter focuses once again on the story of Sister Irene. Following the traumatic events of the first film, Sister Irene has gone back to a convent, only to be informed that the demon she thought she had vanquished, is still loose and making a killing throughout Europe. Through one of her visions, she realizes the demon has taken seize of her friend and savior Maurice. It has been sending him throughout different parts of Europe with the intent of capturing something that Irene  must uncover. While initially reluctant to tackle such a challenge, she decides to do so, this time around without Father Burke, as she's been informed he's passed away. Without anyone's approval, she does get the support of the rebellious Sister Debra, herself questioning her faith and even her place in the world. Maurice in the meantime, and without realizing it, has been guided by the demon and is currently working in an all-girls school in Aix-en-Provence, France. He has stricken a friendship with Schoolteacher Kate and her daughter Sophie, but the demon has its intentions set on retrieving something from that location, and violence and eerie things start occurring, with Sophie in particular witnessing some of them. Sister Irene and Sister Debra through their research realize what the intent of the demon is, and quickly realize they need to be at that school to help all its residents and expunge that creature from existence.

The most obvious thing to "The Nun II" is the level of polish that clearly has taken place when compared with the prior installment. Where Corin Hardy's film was somewhat generic in style and storytelling, Michael Chaves takes a somewhat different approach, creating an ominous environment that is aptly represented through the cinematography, production design, and even visual effects. The film which was shot in France, manages to have this claustrophobic aspect as Sister Irene goes about uncovering the purpose of the entity throughout the streets of Paris. Much like the other films in the series, there's a sleuthing aspect to it, with the Sisters in this case trying to uncover the purpose and intent of the entity. What continues to fail in the Nun series is the attention to who these characters actually are, including the lead Sister Irene, whom we briefly get a sense for where she comes from and some of the family trauma she lives with (and that impacts her investigation itself), although that description is all too brief. These characters are broadly described and thinly characterized, which makes that much more difficult to empathize with: they're fodder for whatever happens. The film has its strongest points in how Michael Chaves brings his point of view to the narrative, creating something gothic and menacing, though the film could have benefited a bit more of the influences from Guillermo Del Toro with his "El Espinazo del Diablo", by suggesting more and relying less on gruesomeness. The cast is competent, led by the talented Taissa Farmiga, who has good support from Storm Reid, Jonas Bloquet, Anna Popplewell and Katelyn Rose Downey. The production team is solidly comprised of Tristan Nyby's cinematography, Marco Beltrami's score, Stéphane Cressend's production design and Agnes Beziers' costumes. It's a fairly watchable film, even if not the most memorable one in the series.  

Pearl

Movie Name: Pearl
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Ti West
Starring: Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland, Emma Jenkins-Purro, Alistair Sewell, Lauren Stewart
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Production on "Pearl" commenced immediately after writer/director Ti West finished production on "X", for which "Pearl" is a prequel of. The narrative focuses on the story of Pearl, who in 1918 during the influenza pandemic lives with her German immigrant parents on a farm in Texas. Pearl's husband Howard has been deployed to serve in World War I. Pearl has some challenges in her life in addition to the absence of her husband: her father is deeply ill and paralyzed, while her mother is suffocating, critical and forces her to work constantly on the farm and assisting with her father's care. She aspires to become a chorus girl, as inspired by all the films she sees. Pearl becomes excited with the prospect of a new life when her sister in law tells her about an audition that is being held in town for a traveling troupe. After a huge fight with her mother, which results in her mother suffering bad burns, Pearl flees to the movie theater where she ends up having sex with the projectionist. When he further refuses to provide more attention or emotional support, Pearl kills him and pushes him and his car to the pond. Pearl is firmly intent on pursuing her plans, and as things don't go according to plan, the darker and more violent her actions become.

Writer/director Ti West who made a name for himself with "The House of the Devil" and "The Innkeepers" before embarking on a lengthy series of directorial jobs for well known TV shows including "Wayward Pines", "The Exorcist" and more recently "Them", has tilted direction back into features with the "X" trilogy, of which "Pearl" is the well received second installment. One of the most interesting aspects about "Pearl" is the fact that the central character is given time to slowly reveal herself to the audience (and also to the other characters in the film). Though the character itself feels a bit roughly illustrated and somewhat like a composite of other serial killers (just enough of some characteristics to elicit understanding and assimilation), it's nonetheless engagingly brought to life thanks to Mia Goth's performance, who towers over the film by composing the character with a mix of naiveté, obsession, resentment and ferocious intent. Ti West smartly manages to let the events unfold, allowing for the bubbling under the surface violence from Pearl to manifest itself in waves that become that much more frequent as she also progressively loses whatever inhibitions she has towards killing and death in general. And while the death scenes are indeed gruesome, the film never feels overtly or gratuitously in the torture porn genre. It's as if Ti West observed what Terrence Malick did with "Badlands" and "Days of Heaven", alongside Peter Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon", and added a layer of horror to it, with a seemingly unexpected serial killer. Mia Goth is of course fantastic, particularly her monologue sequence with her sister in law, and the ending, but the rest of the cast provides good support, in particular Tandi Wright and Emma Jenkins-Purro. The production team is solid, including Eliot Rockett's cinematography, Tom Hammock's production design and Tyler Bates & Tim Williams' score. Worth watching, even if it is indeed a bit rough when it comes to character definition. 

El Conde

Movie Name: El Conde
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Pablo Larrain
Starring: Jaime Vadell, Paula Luchsinger, Alfredo Castro, Gloria Munchmeyer, Stella Gonet, Catalina Guerra, Amparo Noguera, Antonia Zegers, Marcial Tagle, Diego Muñoz, Clemente Rodriguez, Marcelo Alonso, Jaime McManus
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

"El Conde" the newest feature from writer/producer/director Pablo Larrain premiered at the Venice Film Festival of 2023 where it won the award for best screenplay. It follows a string of critically well received features from the director, which includes the high prominent and Academy Awards nominated "Jackie", which featured Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy and "Spencer", which featured Kristen Stewart as Diana Spencer. This time around Larrain tackles the script alongside Guillermo Calderon, his usual collaborator with whom he also wrote "Neruda" and "El Club". Their narrative this time around focuses on Claude Pinoche, who is soon revealed to be a vampire. He witnesses the French Revolution and the execution of queen Marie Antoinette. He fakes his death and flees Europe, eventually finding himself in Chile, where he joins the army under the name of Augusto Pinochet. He overthrows the government of Salvador Allende in 1973 and becomes the de facto dictator of the country, always demanding to be addressed as "The Count". After he leaves office, authorities begin investigating him for his crimes, both humanitarian and financial. He fakes his death and retires to a remote farm with his wife Lucia and his butler Fyodor, whom he turned to a vampire as well. Fyodor in the meantime goes on a gruesome killing spree, using the Count's military uniform. The Pinochet offspring, fearful for the worst, and afraid of losing their inheritance, hire a nun by the name of Carmen, to exorcise and kill their father. However as Carmen goes on her investigation, things take a different turn, which bring into the scene none other than Margaret Thatcher. 

"El Conde" truly is a unique take on the history of Chile, by one of its most celebrated storytellers and film makers. It offers a distinct point of view on the Pinochet character who horrifically marked the history of the country, and who to this day, continues to leave profound marks in terms of the horrors that he inflicted and the wounds that have been left behind. Larrain and Calderon smartly weave this story of this horrific dictator as a Vampire, who after three centuries of destruction has lost the lust and shimmer for life. They create this generational dynamic, where the offspring of this individual, even knowing the monstrosity of what he did and devastation of what he has inflicted on others, still want to benefit from all the financial wealth he has amassed. The director smartly builds these family interactions as very matter of factly greed driven conversations, without ever depicting the family members as ogres or caricatures of monsters. They are petty, they are solely driven by self interest, and in that lies the dark comedy that comes from the film itself. Greed and money surpass the value of life and of the pain their father inflicted on the whole country. Carmen, who is a vessel of virtue in the middle of all that moral corruption, of all those soulless individuals, does bring to the count a glimmer of life, of someone who is unlike anyone else in his life. And while she does fall under his charm and personality, she soon is sacrificed, and in the process so is the sense that humanity's ability for compassion, honesty and for valuing human life, they all fall prey to money and power. The fact that Margaret Thatcher appears in the third act, is another delicious bite to another controversial figure. It's an extremely intelligent film, featuring a solid cast, with highlights going to Jaime Vadell, Alfredo Castro and Paula Luchsinger, with a stunning cinematography from Edward Lachman and art direction by Tatiana Maulen. A solid film worth watching. 

Friday the 13th

Movie Name: Friday the 13th
Year of Release: 2009
Director: Marcus Nispel
Starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, Aaron Yoo, Derek Mears, Jonathan Sadowski, Julianna Guill, Ben Feldman, Arlen Escarpeta, Ryan Hansen, Willa Ford, Nick Mennel, America Olivo, Kyle Davis, Richard Burgi
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 1
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Synopsis and Review

Director Marcus Nispel has a lengthy career as a music video director (much like Jonas Akerlund), and made his transition to direct feature films with the remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", which he followed with "Pathfinder", the latter being met with better reviews than his debut. This remake of Sean S. Cunningham's cult classic "Friday the 13th", was produced by Michael Bay, whose fingerprints can be witnessed a bit throughout the entire film. The film focuses on the character of Clay Miller, who is seeking his sister Whitney who has seemingly disappeared in the Crystal Lake area. Clay crosses paths with Trent, alongside his girlfriend Jenna and an array of their friends, as they're staying at Trent's Summer cabin on the shore of Crystal Lake. And while Clay and Trent don't hit it off, Jenna and Clay do, with her helping him out in his search for his sister. In the meantime Jason starts his killing spree, killing each of Trent and Jenna's friends. While Clay and Jenna try to warn them as to what is happening, they minimize what's happening until the corpses start appearing. Eventually police appears, but Jason also swiftly kills the officer, forcing Clay and Jenna to escape to the old Crystal Lake campgrounds, where they uncover Whitney in an underground area where Jason has been keeping her. It's up to them to figure out a way to escape.

Sadly and unlike Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street", the mythology of Jason and of the "Friday the 13th" film series has always been a rather limited one. Jason has gone through an array of refined background storylines, in order to somewhat justify the fact that he is a somewhat supernatural entity who just wants to kill people who appear in the Summer Camp where he originally died. There's been a variety of sequels to the original 1980 feature, and coincidentally this remake has the most substantial budget of al those prior features. Sadly, and as is characteristic of any Michael Bay produced or directed feature, it's slim in terms of character substance, and in this case of even character motivation. There simply isn't much to say about a film that doesn't bother itself to minimally showcase characters with motivations that go beyond screaming or running or dying a particularly bloody death (though as a Michael Bay trademark, there is plenty of objectification of women throughout the film). The film essentially tries to bring the premise of the 1980 film to the 21st. century, but forgets humor, characters, and even a remotely fresh take on this killer who is apparently unstoppable (it's a fresh coat of paint on a old house, without looking at the foundations). The cast is rather generic, the same going for the production team. It's an unnecessary remake for a series that has never truly featured a remarkable film in all the ones that have been released thus far. 

Final Destination

Movie Name: Final Destination
Year of Release: 2000
Director: James Wong
Starring: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, Kristen Cloke, Daniel Roebuck, Amanda Detmer, Tony Todd, Roger Guenveur Smith, Brendan Fehr, Forbes Angus, Lisa Marie Caruk, Christine Chatelain, Barbara Tyson, Robert Wisden
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review

"Final Destination" from director James Wong marked a first endeavor for many of its team members: for Mr. Wong it was his feature directorial debut, the same going for Jeffrey Reddick who wrote the original story and has since gone on to write other features such as Jeremy Haft's "Tamara" and Phillip Guzman's "Dead Awake". The narrative focuses on the story of Alex Browning who is going to Paris with his high school class. While embarking Alex feels some unease, which is heightened after he sits down on his seat. He has a vision that the plane will explode mid-air killing everyone. He panics and starts announcing his fears, which prompts a fight with one of his classroom colleagues. This behavior results in him and a few others to be escorted out of the plane and prohibited from flying for the time being (including his teacher Valerie, Tod his best friend, Carter his nemesis, alongside Carter's girlfriend Terry, the one who arrived late Billy, and Clear Rivers, who believed Alex's statements and opted to get out). A few minutes later, as the plane takes to the airs, it explodes killing everyone on board, just as Alex's dream had predicted. Everyone is interrogated by the FBI, and Alex in particular is regarded as highly suspicious. A month or so later, a memorial service for the victims is held, and weird accidents start occurring, and claiming the survivor's lives. Firstly, Tod accidentally hangs in his shower. Terry is next on list and suffers another freak accident. They realize the survivors are being killed in the order that their death should have occurred if they had stayed on the plane. Alex tries to explain his theory to his remaining fellow survivors, and hopefully help them escape their fate. However that is not as simple as it seems.

"Final Destination" started a fairly successful franchise, which has produced 5 additional sequels (Chapter 6 is in production and should come out in 2024). The premise has remained somewhat constant throughout the entire series: someone has a prediction of impending doom, manages to avoid it (for themselves and a few others), only for a dark and sinister fate to stalk him/her and all the other survivors and claim their death. It's a rather interesting premise that could potentiate really interesting discussions or some action set pieces, which never seems to be the case. James Wong in this inaugural feature of the franchise establishes much of what the sequels emulate. The character who has the vision is an every day person, who gets that "Vision" and then spends the rest of the narrative trying to save the others who benefited from that same vision (and being many times hated or suspiciously looked at for doing so). The characters themselves are always threadbare in terms of understanding who they are or what their ambitions amount to (in all likelihood, their ambitions are mostly to stay alive during the duration of the feature). What this typically results in is a rather gruesome series of deaths for these characters, all of which reinforce this sense of a supernatural motion that is inescapable, but these set pieces don't really add much to character perspective or narrative development itself. While there's a "Twilight Zone" fingerprint to this premise, sadly the characters are never quite as compelling, since these films eventually chase a disaster porn perspective, more so than why pursuing why these occurrences are happening, or what ties all these characters together. The actors in this feature aren't particularly memorable, the same going for the production values, which are somewhat generic. This doesn't really rise to the level of other horror franchises, even if it has indeed maintained a regular output throughout the years. 

The Meg 2: The Trench

Movie Name: Meg 2: The Trench
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Ben Wheatley
Starring: Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Shuya Sophia Cai, Cliff Curtis, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, Melissanthi Mahut, Whoopie Van Raam, Kiran Sonia Sawar, Sienna Guillory, Felix Mayr, Robin Hill, Tao Guo, Stewart Alexander
Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

Celebrated British writer/director Ben Wheatley once again has confounded audiences, as he has decided to tackle a big budget monster/action film, unlike any of the previous material he adapted or written before ("Sightseers" being one of his most well known features, alongside "A Field in England", "High-Rise" and "Free Fire"). Much like Jon Turteltaub's "The Meg", this feature is an adaptation of a novel by Steve Alten. The narrative once again focuses on Jonas Taylor, who has this time around and since the events of the first film, been involved in fighting environmental crimes, while also continuing to help Mana One in exploring the Mariana Trench where the original Megalodon was found. He has also raising his teenage daughter Meiying, with the help of her her uncle Jiuming, who has also acquired his father's company (alongside a financier by the name of Hillary Driscoll). Jonas and Jiuming go on a submersible exploration to the Trench, but are attacked and have to find a way to escape. They also uncover an illegal mining operation financed by Hillary Driscoll who wants to farm rare earth minerals. Hillary sends Montes, who has a beef with Jonas, to get rid of them. As they manage to miraculously escape, all these different agendas and treasons become apparent, and while Jonas and his team manage to flee unharmed, what is unleashed from the Trench threatens to kill and destroy everything in the area. 

If the previous installment of this franchise was indeed wafer thin in terms of character development, this one doesn't necessarily accomplish much in terms of moving that needle further. The characters are still for the most part forgettable and bluntly described. Their motivations are very cartoonish (the villainous business person who wants to mine rare minerals for billions, the only thing missing being Dr. Evil's laughter), and the henchmen who have a grudge towards the heroic and stoic central hero (grudges are hard to convincingly carry through in films these days, unless it's a film from Takashi Shimizu himself). However this film, much like the first one, has a director who knows this is essentially a big budget B-movie, and one who has smartly peppered the narrative with insightful influences from masterful films which includes John McTiernan's "Die Hard" married with Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" with sprinkles of James Cameron's "The Abyss" and even some Spielberg's "Jurassic Park": essentially, monster film married with high stakes escape thriller. And though the characters and situations themselves are neither finely observed or surprisingly fresh, they're also not so rudely established they prevent the narrative and film from moving forward and remaining watchable. The film benefits from nicely choreographed action sequences, alongside some impressive visual effects. The cast is serviceable even if not very memorable, but the production team is a solid one, including the beautiful cinematography from Haris Zambarloukos (who usually works with actor/writer/producer/director Kenneth Branagh), score from Harry Gregson-Williams, and production design from Chris Lowe (who has an impressive background in Art Direction, including Tim Burton's "Dumbo" and Sam Mendes' "Skyfall"). It is a middling affair, and doesn't necessarily add much to Ben Wheatley's unique career, but it's a watchable feature. 

Scream V

Movie Name: Scream
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Mikey Madison, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Sonia Ammar, Marley Shelton, Dylan Minnette, Skeet Ulrich, Kyle Gallner, Chester Tam, Heather Matarazzo, Reggie Conquest, Brooke Barnhill
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

After the unexpected success of their feature "Ready or Not" (which featured Samara Weaving and Andie MacDowell), the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett got tasked with bringing this new iteration of the franchise to the screen. The script comes courtesy of the underrated James Vanderbilt (who wrote the script for David Fincher's superb "Zodiac", but also the scripts for Marc Webb's take on "Spider Man") and also Guy Busick who worked with the directors previously on "Ready or Not". The narrative takes place twenty-five years after the original killings in Woodsboro. Tara Carpenter, herself a high school student, is home alone when she's attacked by Ghostface, which she barely survives. Her oldest sister Sam, who lives in Modesto, is informed of what happened by one of Tara's friends, and decides to come visit Tara alongside her boyfriend. Sam has an encounter with Ghostface in the hospital when she's visiting Tara. She tells Tara the reason she left town is due to uncovering the truth of who her father actually was, Billy Loomis, one of the original killers. Sam and her boyfriend visit Dewey who has since divorced Gale and is no longer working for the police. They ask for his help which he reluctantly agrees to. The high schoolers friends of Tara, alongside Sam, her boyfriend and Dewey figure out the logic behind Ghostface's approach, and what's the plan for tying this new generation with the original targets of the killing spree. However this understanding doesn't prevent Ghostface from attacking again, this time around killing Dewey. His death brings Sidney back to town, but Ghostface remains undaunted, and as Sam, Tara and Richie attempt to leave town, the last surprises may still be left to be uncovered.

With the passing of Wes Craven, the torch of the "Scream" franchise went to a different creative team, with this film in particular losing a bit of the humor, filmic references, and high school context that have been a staple for the series. This new version of "Scream" ties its DNA to the characters of the original series, but at this point just barely, while weaving a plot that once again places an array of disposable characters at the mercy of a brutal killer who stops at nothing to achieve its goals. While Sidney, Gale and Dewey still bring the depth and gravitas to the series, their presence is now largely supporting to this array of new characters who are once again somewhat truncated in terms of personality and motivation, though some of them are seemingly impervious to the worst punishment you can inflict upon them. The film lacks some of the mix of dark humor and violence Wes Craven was so good at staging, with this particular chapter falling more under a slasher type of feature, more so than any of the previous chapters who referenced that precise type of film genre. It's a film that doesn't necessarily add much to the mythology of the series, and by pushing its central characters to the background, it also removes much of the emotional connection the series actually had with its audience. The cast tries their best at keeping the momentum going, with Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette continuing to bring a layer of maturity and weariness to their characters, while the newest generation sadly does not have quite as much to work with. The production team is solid, in particular Brett Jutkiewicz's cinematography. It's a watchable, though minor installment in the series. 

Scream IV

Movie Name: Scream 4
Year of Release: 2011
Director: Wes Craven
Starring: Neve Campbell, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Alison Brie, Marley Shelton, Mary McDonnell, Nico Tortorella, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody, Gordon Michaels, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Britt Robertson, Shenae Grimes, Lucy Hale, Aimee Teegarden, Marielle Jaffe, John Lepard
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

In what turned out to be his swan song before his sad passing, director Wes Craven went back to one of the series that also showcased his wonderful talent (the other being of course "The Nightmare on Elm Street" series). The narrative picks up after the events of the third chapter. 15 years have passed since the original murders in Woodsboro, and Sidney returns to the city to promote her self-help book with her publicist. During the same time period, two high school students are killed. Sidney's cousin who also lives in town, is dealing with boyfriend issues, and getting threatening phone calls also from Ghostface. Dewey Riley, now the sheriff of the town who is married to Gale Weathers, is investigating the case, as is Gale who has been on a funk. One of Jill's friends is killed, something she witnesses alongside her friend Kirby. Ghostface quickly comes to attack them, as well as Sidney who is in the same house. Upon the return of the police Ghostface manages to quickly escape, but the deaths don't stop. The high school kids theorize that the killings will continue and escalate further, some of them occurring during a party, which one of them is organizing. Gale learning of this decides to crash the party, only to find out Ghostface has anticipated some of her moves. That party soon gets cancelled, and as Jill and Kirby and a few others go back to their homes, Ghostface is trailing them and continuing the killing spree. It's up to Sidney to figure out the solution and stop that figure.

The "Scream" series always privileged the whole meta aspect of its narrative, by placing the characters in this lethal game of cat and mouse with a brutal killer, where the rules of horror films essentially dictate what is happening in the narrative itself. Kevin Williamson the screenwriter who wrote the original film and continued with those duties throughout the sequels, does the same once again with this film. This time around he brings the concept of the undetermined killer(s) to a younger generation, with Sidney's presence still looming as the original victim to all the events, the character who ties it all together. Wes Craven smartly continues to build a quasi claustrophobic environment in this small town, where everyone seemingly knows everyone, which makes the process of uncovering the killer that much more difficult (even if the high schoolers are following and unpacking the rules of the horror film itself). It's a smart, violent and funny film, one where its downfall ends up being the relative slimness of its characters, including the new group of teenagers who are barely defined beyond typical stereotypes. However Wes Craven smartly keeps the flow of the narrative going, always featuring set pieces that are always exciting, even if at first glance they seem rather predictable. The cast is uniformly good, with the underrated Neve Campbell leading the group with solid support from Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Hayden Panettiere, and Alison Brie (who has a small but memorable role). It's a worthy addition to the series and another entertaining feature from the late Wes Craven. 

The Strays

Movie Name: The Strays
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Nathaniel Martello-White
Starring: Ashley Madekwe, Bukky Bakray, Jorden Myrie, Samuel Paul Small, Maria Almeida, Justin Salinger, Lucy Liemann, Tom Andrews, Rob Jarvis, Michael Warburton
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review

"The Strays" is the feature directorial debut of Nathaniel Martello-White, following a substantial acting career and a few shorts that he has since also written and directed. The narrative focuses on Neve, a biracial woman who lives in an affluent British neighborhood. She is married to Ian, a white man, and has two teenage children, Sebastian and Mary. She works at her kids' school as a deputy headmistress, and is planning a fundraising gala to be hosted at her place. Her children in the meantime have made friends with two black teens who appeared out of nowhere, Carl and Dione. Carl gets a job as a janitor at the school, and helps Sebastian with his basketball and getting rid of bullies, whereas Dione takes a job as an assistant in Ian's office and is soon fiends with Mary, even braiding her hair. Both Carl and Dione eventually appear at the fundraiser, addressing Neve as their mother, shocking all the attendees, including of course her family who has no idea of what's going on. After the debacle of the fundraising event, Neve explains to Ian, Sebastian and Mary who Carl and Dione are and why she kept that part of her life hidden. She also goes to meet Carl and Dione, and gives them money to help them get back on their feet while they're in London. However this seemingly new chapter in everyone's life doesn't go as smoothly as expected.

There's something lurking underneath the premise of "The Strays" that is actually quite interesting. A bit of a lingering influence of Michael Haneke's "Funny Games", that never truly materializes, since both Carl and Dione's goals are never quite transparent. Are they looking for retribution or acknowledgement or to terrorize the life of the mother who abandoned them? All these disturbing motivations are hinted at, but in the finished product the goal for these characters is never clearly presented. The same goes for the characters who inhabit this narrative: they're for the most part very secluded in the clichés crafted for them, never going beyond the roles of the average husband, the kids who never stray or do something wrong, and even the disruptors not being given much at all to do. The most conflicting character, Neve, played with nuance by Ashley Madekwe, is the one who holds the key to unlocking the narrative, however her motivations and attitudes are never truly shattering discoveries. She doesn't want to deal with conflict, and therefore she leaves, which seems to be a pattern of hers. It's a film that is at the brink of something, with the writer/director managing to create a ponderous and unease momentum as the narrative unfolds, however the third act doesn't really come together, and neither do any of these characters. The cast tries their best to bring these characters to life, and Ashley Madekwe has good support from Jorden Myrie (who is the revelation of the feature) and Bukky Bakray. The production team is competent, but this is a film that could have gone even further with the questions it poses and the characters that it presents. As a result it feels a bit undercooked, and quite forgettable. 

This Is the End

Movie Name: This Is the End
Year of Release: 2013
Director: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, James Franco, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera, Emma Watson, Mindy Kaling, David Krumholtz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Rihanna, Martin Starr, Paul Rudd, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

Seth Rogen and his creative partner Evan Goldberg's feature directorial debut is a doomsday comedy, one that pokes fun at celebrities and even at Rogen and his friends themselves. The narrative focuses on Jay Baruchel who is in LA to spend time with Seth Rogen. After getting high and doing a bunch of random things around Rogen's house, the latter manages to convince Jay to go to James Franco's party, even if Jay isn't that comfortable with that crowd. Jay manages to convince Seth not to leave him by himself at the party. Soon an earthquake strikes and everyone goes outside to check on what's happening. A bunch of actors and performers get killed, and they soon realize the rapture is upon them. Seth, Jay, James, Jonah Hill and Craig Robinson all get back in the house, and decide to ration whatever food and drinks they have left. However Danny McBride who crashed the party and fell asleep in one of Franco's bathrooms soon destroys their finely arranged set up. As they try to get through the end of the world and figure out how to get away from the hell that LA has turned out to be, all matters of occurrences come their way, including Jonah Hill getting possessed.  They soon realize only by performing a selfless act can they redeem themselves and ascend to heaven. 

"This Is the End" is a surprisingly ingenious and at times quite funny comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Everyone on the film is essentially playing caricatures of themselves, in a quasi-meta type of way, which allows for all of them to poke fun at their own personas, but only so far, since they're all playing with clichés of what actors are perceived to be and behave like (particularly the very successful ones). This ingenuity however is not as acerbic as it can be, since the script does go for some slapstick and the gross-out laugh, failing to actually probe deeper into the narcissism and rampant self-serving aspect that exists to a certain extent in that particular artistic community. Either way, the film smartly references other iconic films such as William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" but in a comedic way, and gives some of these actors an opportunity to create new types of caricatures (Jonah Hill's being of course the most obvious one, followed by the potent cameo of Emma Watson). It's a film that for all its limitations in terms of characters and set up, is nonetheless pretty funny, since it also juggles with people's perceptions of these actors and their image. And while its message is somewhat basic, the journey getting there is nonetheless entertaining and at times quite funny (Jonah Hill's possession is a highlight). The cast is uniformly solid, with highlights going to Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Danny McBride who in particular manages to create someone truly exasperating and unpleasant. The production team is solid, including Henry Jackman's score, Brandon Trost's cinematography and Chris Spellman's production design. Worth watching.