TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews: Direct-to-Streaming

Showing posts with label Direct-to-Streaming. Show all posts

Sunday, October 6, 2024

Review: Max's "'SALEM'S LOT" 2024 is Scary a Lot

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 44 of 2024 (No. 1988) by Leroy Douresseaux

'Salem's Lot (2024)

Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)

MPA – R for bloody violence and language

DIRECTOR: Gary Dauberman

WRITER: Gary Dauberman (based on the novel by Stephen King)

PRODUCERS: Michael Clear, Roy Lee, James Wan, and Mark Wolper

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Burgess (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Luke Ciarrocchi

COMPOSERS: Nathan Barr and Lisbeth Scott

HORROR

Starring: Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Jordan Preston Carter, Alfre Woodard, Bill Camp, John Benjamin Hickey, Nicholas Crovetti, Spencer Great Clark, Pilou Asbaek, and Alexander Ward

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

-- Although it lacks big names stars, “'Salem's Lot” 2024 has big scares, as writer-director Gary Dauberman spins a number of some blood-curdling and bone-chilling scenes that are beautifully shot by cinematographer Michael Burgess

-- The movie does lack the character depth of early television versions, it is fairly faithful in some ways to its source material, Stephen King's 1975 novel of the same name

-- I highly recommend the new “'Salem's Lot” to fans of vampire horror films

'Salem's Lot is a 2024 American vampire horror film from writer-director Gary Dauberman. The film is based on the 1975 novel, 'Salem's Lot, from author Stephen King. 'Salem's Lot the movie focuses on an author who returns to his childhood home in search of inspiration for his next novel and discovers that the town is being taken over by vampires.

'Salem's Lot introduces author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman). He has returned to his childhood home of Jerusalem's Lot, also known as “'Salem's Lot” or “The Lot,” seeking inspiration for his next novel. He meets and begins a relationship with Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh), a young woman studying to get her real estate license. Their relationship sets tongues a-wagging in the small town.

Also new to the town is the antiques business, “Barlow and Straker Fine Furnishings.” So far, only Richard Straker (Pilou Asbaek) has arrived, but Straker promises that his partner, Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward), will soon arrive. The problem is that Barlow is a vampire, and before long, he is preying on the Lot, and this town of 1710 starts to find that its living population is shrinking. Now, a teacher, Matthew Burke (Bill Camp); a boy who is a horror fan, Mark Petrie (Jordan Preston Carter); a local physician, Dr. Cody (Alfre Woodard); and a broken down alcoholic priest, Father Callahan (John Benjamin Hickey), join Ben and Susan to form a rag tag team of heroes determined to stop Barlow. As their circle grows smaller, however, can they really take on a town full of vampires?

'Salems's Lot” was author Stephen King's second published novel (following his publishing debut, 1974's Carrie), and it is apparently his favorite of his works. The popular novel was first adapted as a two-part television miniseries that was originally broadcast by CBS in November 1979 (although I remember its length and release date differently). It was again adapted as a two-part television miniseries, broadcast by the TNT cable network in June 2004. I enjoyed both versions, but prefer the 1979 which turned out to be a influence on such vampire films as Fright Night (1985) and The Lost Boys (1987).

I watched the new 'Salem's Lot film to the end of its credits, and the copyright date is listed as the year 2022. Yes, this new 'Salem's Lot has had at least two years of changing theatrical release dates. Outside of a film festival premiere, 'Salem's Lot the movie finally found a home on the streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max). Is 'Salem's Lot good enough to have received a full theatrical release? The answer is yes, but good movies aren't always box office hits. Besides Warner Bros., the movie studio behind 'Salem's Lot, very likely had no idea that the recent sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, would be such a blockbuster hit. It is a crap-shoot, and, in the case of 'Salem's Lot, is now a moot point.

'Salem's Lot's main problem may be that it has no big name actors starring in it, although the lead, Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears, had a supporting role in the 2022 mega-hit, Top Gun: Maverick. Pullman plays Ben Mears as cool-headed and steady-handed, which is an interesting take. And the rest of the cast of 'Salem's Lot is equally good. Alfre Woodard is always a top notch performer whose unique film presence and acting personality always gives a movie some “oomph.” Jordan Preston Carter is a surprising and scene-stealing little hero as Mark Petrie. John Benjamin Hickey and Bill Camp give strong character performances in their respective roles.

Still, I must reiterate that 'Salem's Lot 2024 is a really entertaining and thoroughly scary vampire horror movie. Sure, it lacks the emotional and character drama depth of the early adaptations of King's novel. I also take issue with the fact that even after the heroes learn what they need to fight vampires, they are often caught without them or trapped with too few of them.

However, Michael Burgess' lovely cinematography and Nathan Barr and Lisbeth Scott's eerie film music power-up writer-director Gary Dauberman's most bone-chilling moments and blood-curdling scenes. I don't want to fill this review with spoilers, but what would a 'Salem's Lot” TV or film be without a vampire boy at the window?...

Who knows how 'Salem's Lot would have performed in a crowded Halloween season theatrical release schedule? Still, both summer movie nights and October fright fests have a new visitor, a horror movie hungry to get to you, dear readers. And as always, 'Salem's Lot is thirsty for your blood.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, October 5, 2024

----------------------------

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Review: Netflix's "UGLIES" is Ernest, Lightweight Entertainment

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 43 of 2024 (No. 1987) by Leroy Douresseaux

Uglies (2024)

Running time: 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for some violence and action, and brief strong language

DIRECTOR: McG

WRITERS: Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, and Whit Anderson (based on the novel by Scott Westerfeld)

PRODUCERS: John David, Jordan Davis, McG, Robyn Meisinger, Dan Spilo, and Mary Viola

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Xiaolong Liu

EDITORS: Martin Bernfeld and Brad Besser

COMPOSER: Edward Shearmur

SCI-FI/DRAMA/ACTION

Starring: Joey King, Brianne Tju, Keith Powers, Chase Stokes, Laverne Cox, Charmin Lee, Jay DeVon Johnson, Jan Luis Castellanos, Zamani Wilder, Joseph Echavarria, Gabriella Garcia, Ash Maeda, Jordan Sherley, Sarah Vattano, and Ashton Essex Bright

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

Uglies is an entertaining and good, but not great science fiction film, but unlike The Hunger Games films, Uglies leans more towards teen viewers than it does towards a general adult audience

The film has high production values, which really show in the scenes that take place in “The City”

Although it leans towards younger viewers, Uglies makes points about conformity and individuality as fiercely as grown-up science fiction films

-----------------

Uglies is a 2024 American science fiction-drama film from director McG. The film is based on the 2005 novel, Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld. Uglies is a Netflix Original and debuted on the Netflix streaming service September 13, 2024. Uglies the movie is set in a futuristic society in which everyone is considered “ugly” until the receive the compulsory operation that makes them “pretty,” and it focuses on a teen girl who begins to have doubts about the surgery.

Uglies opens in a world that once saw civilization fall apart. In the future, humanity exhausts the planet of all its natural resources. The result is chaos, war, and destruction. Eventually, science creates a new energy source and also develops a surgery that makes everyone “pretty.” This new society believes that if everyone is perfect and thinks alike, then, there won't be any conflict. Everyone gets the surgery which transforms them into one of the “Pretties” at the age of 16.

When the story begins, Tally Youngblood (Joey King) is three months away from her 16th birthday and her surgery. She lives in a dorm with all the other kids who have not had the surgery and who are known as “Uglies.” However, her friend, Peris (Chase Stokes), is about to have the surgery that will make him pretty. Tally and Peris promise to keep in touch after he moves to “the City” where all the “Pretties” live, but things don't work out as they planned.

Tally befriends fellow “ugly,” Shay (Brianne Tju), and Shay has a secret. There is a place outside the City called “The Smoke.” It is a land of freedom and nature, and the people there have not had the surgery. The community is lead by the mysterious David (Keith Powers). Tally is intrigued, but she is caught in the middle. One part of her wants to be independent and different, but another part of her wants to have the surgery, become pretty, and look like everyone else. The decision Tally makes will change the lives of people both in the City and in the Smoke.

I have not read the novel, Uglies, or its sequels. However, I became familiar with the series through a pair of paperback original graphic novels based on the books, Uglies: Shay's Story and Uglies: Cutters, both released in 2012.

I don't see Uglies the movie as being similar to other films based on young adult (YA) dystopian science fiction novels, such as The Hunger Games (2012) and Divergent (2014). Uglies has me thinking about another dystopian science fiction film adapted from a novel. That would be the 1976 film, Logan's Run, based on the 1967 novel, Logan's Run, which was written by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. I recently watch Logan's Run on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) cable network, and I thought of it as I watched Uglies. Both stories deal with characters forced to decide whether it is better to live in a safe, clean, and conformist, though macabre dystopian society or in the great wide and wild open.

Beyond similarities to the aforementioned films, Uglies deals with themes of change, both emotional and physical. Yes, Uglies can seem superficial at times. The film's special visual effects turn the City into a shining and gleaming Oz of non-stop parties under a sky lit up pyrotechnic fireworks. Behind the prettiness, however, is Joey King as Tally doing her best to convey the internal struggles inside the girl. King delivers a strong performance that sells the world of Uglies the film because it would crumble without a strong dramatic lead, which King is here. King makes Tally's conflicts seem genuine, and I often found myself confused by her motivations and actions because they felt like the result of an internal struggle. As slight as the film feels, King makes Tally feel like a real young woman struggling with a decision that will change her in ways she may not like, but a change she believes she has to accept.

The Uglies novel is the first in a series, so Uglies the movie could have a sequel. While it is good, but not great, Uglies is still a dystopian sci-fi film that the family can enjoy together.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

Sunday, September 22, 2024

------------------------------

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Review: Netflix's "THE UNION" is Weak Spy Thriller Tea

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 40 of 2024 (No. 1984) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Union (2024)

Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, suggestive material and some strong language

DIRECTOR: Julian Farino

WRITERS: Joe Barton and David Guggenheim; from a story by David Guggenheim

PRODUCERS: Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, and Jeff G. Waxman

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alan Stewart (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Pia Di Ciaula

COMPOSER: Rupert Gregson-Williams

ACTION/COMEDY/ROMANCE and SPY/THRILLER

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry, J.K. Simmons, Mike Colter, Alice Lee, Jessica De Gouw, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jackie Earle Haley, Lucy Cork, Stephen Campbell Moore

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

If you are a fan of Mark Wahlberg and/or Halle Berry, you may want to watch this film

Although it does have some good moments and some good production values, “The Union,” comes across as a big-budget made-for-television spy movie or maybe even a straight-to-DVD spy movie

As a romantic comedy, Wahlberg and Berry have good screen chemistry, but the violence in “The Union” makes it hard to be a romantic-comedy

The film ultimately comes across as an average hodge-podge of genres that is only worth your time when you have time to waste

The Union is a 2024 American spy-thriller and action-romantic-comedy from director Julian Farino. Starring Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry, the film is a “Netflix Original,” and began streaming on Netflix August 16, 2024. The Union focuses on a down-to earth construction worker who is thrust into the world of spies and secret agents by his high school sweetheart, who is a secret agent.

The Union introduces, “the Union,” a covert agency whose agents work behind the scenes as everyday blue collar workers such as road crews, construction workers, garbage collectors, and water and wastewater treatment operators, to name a few. The film opens in the Grand Hotel Castelletto in Trieste, Italy, where the Union prepares to bring in CIA turncoat, Derek Mitchell. However, the mission is botched, and only veteran agent, Roxanne Hall (Halle Berry), survives, but she has a plan.

Roxanne returns to her hometown of Paterson, New Jersey, where she recruits her high school sweetheart, Michael “Mike” McKenna (Mark Wahlberg), a construction worker, into the Union. Despite the protestations of her boss, Tom Brennan (J.K. Simmons), Roxanne convinces Mike to join the Union. Before long, Roxanne and Mike are on a mission, but once again, things go awry. Now, the former lovers have to straighten out this mess and recover some sensitive government intelligence that, if sold on the black market, will endanger the lives of every American spy and secret agent.

Comic book writer, artist, and publisher, Jimmy Palmiotti (DC Comics' Harley Quinn and Radical Publisher's Time Bomb), suggested via Twitter that the 2010 Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz film, Knight and Day, offers something similar to The Union, but is much better at it. I've been putting off seeing Knight and Day for 14 years, and after trudging through The Union, I think it's time I did the damn thing and saw it.

I like Mark Wahlberg, and Halle Berry is one of my favorite Hollywood people of all time. I really wanted to watch The Union because of them, and I found their screen chemistry sometimes sweet and charming. However, I found The Union to be a slog that took me over a week to watch, as I mostly viewed it in bits and pieces. Sometimes, I had to do something, and other times, I stopped simply because I was bored.

However, the film is not a total loss. It is at times, pleasingly pleasant, although had I watched it in an actual movie theater, I would have not found it pleasant at all. Still, there is about a third of a good action movie here. The Union is for serious fans of Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry. That's all I can say. That's all I should say, lest I say worse, and this review comes back to haunt me.

5 of 10

C+

★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, September 1, 2024

-----------------------------

Monday, July 15, 2024

Review: "THEY CLONED TYRONE" Digs in the Past to Raise Hell Today

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 30 of 2024 (No. 1974) by Leroy Douresseaux

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

Running time: 119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)

MPA – R for pervasive language, violence, some sexual material and drug use

DIRECTOR: Juel Taylor

WRITERS: Tony Rettenmaier and Juel Taylor

PRODUCERS: Jamie Foxx, Charles D. King, Stephen “Dr.” Love, Tony Rettenmaier, Juel Taylor, and Datari Turner

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ken Seng (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Saira Haider

COMPOSERS: Pierre Charles and Desmond Murray

SCI-FI/COMEDY/DRAMA and MYSTERY/THRILLER

Starring: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, David Alan Grier, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Tamberla Perry, Eric B. Robinson Jr., Trayce Malachi, Leon Lamar, Joshua Mikel, and Keifer Sutherland and Jamie Foxx

They Cloned Tyrone is a 2023 American science fiction comedy-drama and mystery-thriller from director Juel Taylor. After receiving a limited theatrical release, the film began streaming on Netflix on July 21, 2023 as a “Netflix Original.” The film focuses on a drug dealer, a pimp, and sex worker, who must uncover a bizarre mystery that seems to originate from an underground facility beneath their predominantly Black neighborhood.

They Cloned Tyrone focuses on Fontaine (John Boyega), a drug dealer living and slanging in the predominantly African-American, poverty-stricken, and crime ridden suburban neighborhood called “the Glen.” One night, Fontaine arrives at the hotel hideaway of the pimp, Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), to get money owed to him. Slick freaks out when he sees Fontaine, who apparently had visited him the previous night just before being gunned down by Isaac (Eric B. Robinson Jr.), a rival drug dealer.

Fontaine does not remember the previous night's events, so Slick takes him to one of his ho's, Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris), in order to confirm his claims of Fontaine's death. Yo-Yo does just that, but later, a series of eerie events thrusts the three onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy. But can a drug dealer, a pimp, and a ho really solve a mind-bending mystery that threatens not only their own neighborhood, but Black neighborhoods everywhere?

They Cloned Tyrone got lost in the glare of two of 2023's mega-box office hits, the movies Barbie and Oppenheimer. This month – specifically July 14th – is the one year anniversary of its limited theatrical release. I had been putting off seeing They Cloned Tyrone, so I thought now was a good time to do so.

In They Cloned Tyrone, co-writer-director Juel Taylor and co-writer Tony Rettenmaier make many references to American popular storytelling via the characters dialogue. However, the film's plot and narrative reference numerous previous Black speculative and genre films. They Cloned Tyrone's conspiracy around consumer products recalls the blaxploitation homage and spoof films, Undercover Brother (2002) and Black Dynamite (2009). Director Jordan Peele's Get Out (2017) and Us (2019) are spectral presences in They Cloned Tyrone's narrative, and I also see a passing resemblance to elements from Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You (2018). The essences of two landmark 1971 films, A Clockwork Orange and Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song, as well as that of the 1988 cult classic, They Live, are in pungent evidence here.

Still, They Cloned Tyrone is an original. It is a gleeful comedy and satire of America. It also manages to be a bolder and more imaginative science fiction film than the pew-pew-pew, space opera epics that pass for modern sci-fi cinematic storytelling. Taylor and Rettenmaier are correct. The Founding Father's of the United States of America came up with some high ideals, but then, died and left us with the messy reality of a fractured disunited state of affairs. These two writers are among the few to plainly state via metaphor and allegory that for too long, Black people have carried the weight of fixing that mess and trying to make the experiment called America an actual thing.

The film has great production values all around, from cinematography and editing to art direction, costume design, and score. You might, dear readers, miss that because They Cloned Tyrone is such an engaging, crazy, lovable story driven by powerhouse performances. John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris give killer performances, and if they were nepo babies, at least one of them (likely Foxx) would have received Oscar nominations for his or her performance here. Parris clearly has leading lady chops, which she wields in this film to make herself a co-lead rather than a supporting player. Foxx balances pathos and absurdity in making Slick Charles a wonderfully engaging and exceedingly likable character.

But John Boyega: let's be honest. His career in America has not exploded like that of his Star Wars sequel trilogy co-star, Adam Driver... and we know why. Boyega is every bit as good as everything that passes for the young Hollywood's A-list. Boyega disappears inside Fontaine and makes him not so much a tragic figure or even criminal for that matter. Fontaine's is the hero's journey even if he is not fair of hair and skin. Boyega has moments here that are most poignant and dramatic and that only an actor both talented and skilled can pull off.

Boyega makes They Cloned Tyrone more than satire, blaxploitation, horror, science fiction, and absurdist comedy. Boyega gives the film dramatic heft and weight. They Cloned Tyrone is memorable and is also one of 2023's very best films because John Boyega is one of a kind.

10 of 10

Monday, July 15, 2024

NOTES:

2024 NAACP Image Awards: 9 nominations: “Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (John Boyega), “Outstanding Breakthrough Creative-Motion Picture” (Juel Taylor), “Cinematography in a Motion Picture” (Ken Seng), “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Jamie Foxx), “Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture” (Juel Taylor), “Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture” (Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier), and “Outstanding Stunt Ensemble-Television or Film”

2024 Black Reel Awards: 8 nominations: “Outstanding Lead Performance” (John Boyega), “Outstanding Supporting Performance” (Jamie Foxx), “Outstanding Screenplay” (Tony Rettenmaier and Juel Taylor), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Kim Coleman), “Outstanding Emerging Director” (Juel Taylor), “Outstanding Score” (Desmond Murray and Pierre Charles), “Outstanding Costume Design” (Francine Jamison-Tanchuck), and “Outstanding Editing” (Saira Haider)

------------------------------------

-------------------------------------

Monday, July 8, 2024

Review: Netflix's "BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F" is a Delightful Surprise

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 29 of 2024 (No. 1973) by Leroy Douresseaux

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)

Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)

MPA – R for language throughout, violence and brief drug use

DIRECTOR: Mark Molloy

WRITERS: Will Beall and Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten; from a story by Will Beall (based on characters created by Daniel Petrie, Jr. and Danilo Bach)

PRODUCERS: Jerry Bruckheimer, Eddie Murphy, and Chad Oman

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Eduard Grau (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Dan Lebental

COMPOSER: Lorne Balfe

COMEDY/ACTION/CRIME

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, Damien Diaz, Kyle S. More, Luiz Guzman, and Kevin Bacon

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

--Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is probably the closest in spirit and tone to the 1984 original film. It is one of Eddie Murphy's better recent efforts.

--The members of the original cast that manage a return in this new film work quite well and don't seem to be hear for nostalgic purposes.

--The new characters are quite good and are worthy of returning

--Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is surprisingly really good and certainly worth a original fan's time and viewers new to franchise may end up wanting to go back and discover the original after this film.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is a 2024 American buddy-cop film and action-comedy directed by Mark Molloy and starring Eddie Murphy. It is the fourth entry in the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise, and it began streaming July 3, 2024 on Netflix as a “Netflix Original.” Axel F finds Axel Foley returning to Beverly Hills after his estranged daughter's life is threatened.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F opens in Detroit, Michigan. After more than four decades on the job, Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) of the Detroit Police Department is still wrecking cars and tearing up the city via his maniacal car chases in his bid to capture criminals. He has managed to remain on the job under the supervision of his friend, Deputy Chief Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser). Axel's latest antics, however, leads to Jeffrey's retirement.

As Axel contemplates this situation, he gets a call from his old friend, Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), former Beverly Hills Police Department detective turned private investigator. Axel has a daughter, Jane Saunders (Taylour Paige), from whom he is estranged. She has taken on the case of a young drug dealer, Samuel Enriquez (Damien Diaz), who has been accused of murdering an undercover cop. Billy informs Axel that Jane is in grave danger

Axel flies to Beverly Hills, but he quickly discovers that Jane doesn't want to have anything to do with him. He also learns that the young policeman, Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), investigating the Enriquez case, also has a complicated relationship with Jane. Although Axel's other old BHPD buddy, former detective and now, Chief John Taggart (John Ashton), is happy to see him, Taggart is reluctant to take on the Enriquez case. He seems to have deferred most of it to Captain Cade Grant (Kevin Bacon), a well-dressed cop who acts mighty suspiciously. It will take a mix of old pals and new friends to help Axel Foley unravel a dangerous conspiracy, but will Axel do more harm than good?

This year (2024) is the 40th anniversary of the original theatrical release of Beverly Hills Cop (1984), which I recently watched for the first time in over thirty years. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F succeeds where the other sequels came up short, but it successfully replicates the best moments from the original film. There are four spectacular car chases that hold the viewer's attention and don't at all seem contrived or desperate to capture the spirit of what came before it. Plus, the “Axel F” theme (composed by Harold Faltermeyer) dominates the film's soundtrack in so many different ways that I could not help but think of the original film, which usually makes me feel good.

Director Mark Molloy gets the best out of the supporting cast, even the old guys, who look really old forty years after their debut in the original film. Still, the script gives the classic characters much to do so that they don't seem extraneous. Kevin Bacon is Kevin Bacon, and that usually means something quite good, as it does here. The new characters – Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Bobby Abbott and Taylour Paige's Jane Saunders – are good enough to carry a fifth film – if that becomes a necessity.

Of course, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is about Axel Foley, and that means Eddie Murphy, who doesn't need a director to tell him how to be him. Still, I think Mark Molly helps. Eddie was Eddie in the Coming to America (1988) sequel, 2021's Coming 2 America (which originally streamed on Amazon Prime Video), and that time, Eddie being Eddie yielded tepid comedic results. So I'm giving credit to the director and the screenwriters, Will Beall, Tom Gormican, and Kevin Etten, for making Axel F something more than just another nostalgic sequel.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is surprisingly entertaining and delightful. It is way better than I thought it would be, and I must say that I won't wait thirty years to watch it again. I have never attempted to watch Beverly Hills Cop III (1984), of which I've heard bad things, but Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F makes this third shot at a sequel a charm.

B+

7 of 10

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, July 7, 2024

----------------------------

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Review: "MEA CULPA" May Be Tyler Perry's Craziest Movie... Yet

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 19 of 2024 (No. 1963) by Leroy Douresseaux

Mea Culpa (2024)

Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)

MPA – R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language, some violence and drug use

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tyler Perry

PRODUCERS: Will Areu, Tyler Perry, Angi Bones, and Kelly Rowland

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Cody Burmester (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Larry Sexton

COMPOSERS: Amanda Delores and Patricia Jones

DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring: Kelly Rowland, Trevante Rhodes, Nick Sagar, Sean Sagar, RonReaco Lee, Shannon Thornton, Kerry O'Malley, Arianna Barron, Connor Weil, Maria Gabriela Gonzalez, Paul Ryden, Ava Hill, and Angela Robinson

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

--Tyler Perry's Mea Culpa could be titled Tyler Perry's I Want to Screw My Client

--The first half of the film is a slow-burn (slightly dull) romantic thriller; the second half is an explosion of WTF moments

--Despite poorly developed and under-utilized characters and middling dialogue, Mea Culpa is a typical shameless Tyler Perry guilty pleasure – that I found somewhat pleasurable.

Mea Culpa is a 2024 drama and legal thriller from writer-director Tyler Perry. The film is a “Netflix Original,” Perry's fourth for the streamer (as of this writing), and it began streaming on Netflix February 23, 2024. Mea Culpa follows an ambitious criminal defense attorney who takes on the case of an artist accused of murder, which only further complicates her own dysfunctional marriage.

Mea Culpa introduces Chicago-based defense attorney, Mea Harper (Kelly Rowland). She and her husband, Kal Harper (Sean Sagar), are having marital difficulties, made worse by Kal's overbearing and interfering white mother, Azalia (Kerry O'Malley). Forced to financially support the two of them because of Kal's professional and personal problems, Mea decides to take on the defense of an accused murderer. Acclaimed portrait painter, Zyair Malloy (Trevante Rhodes), has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Hydie (Maria Gabriela Gonzalez). Her body is missing, but there is enough blood evidence in Zyair's loft, where he lives and paints, to get him charged with murder.

The problem is that Mea's brother-in-law and Kal's older brother, Raymond “Ray” Harper (Nick Sagar), is the assistant district attorney who is prosecuting Zyair's murder case. Also complicating matters is that Zyair does not respect boundaries and wants to f**k Mea. Eventually, Mea will have to admit “mea culpa,” but that might not save her from the myriad conspiracies that surround Zyair Malloy and this case.

Mea culpa is a Latin phrase that means “my fault” or “my mistake,” and it is also an acknowledgment of having done wrong, a wrong that could have been avoided. It's my fault that I love Tyler Perry's work so much because otherwise, I would not have watched Mea Culpa. Make no mistake, however; loving Tyler Perry films, no matter how crazy they are, is not a wrong. Mea Culpa may be Perry's craziest non-Madea film to date, being even wackier than Temptations: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013).

Mea Culpa is quite enjoyable, especially the second hour of the film. Critics tend to fault Perry's screenwriting, but the plot for Mea Culpa isn't any more nonsensical than a host of legal and erotic thrillers from the past five decades. I'm thinking of Body Heat (1981), Presumed Innocent (1990), and Primal Fear (1996), to name a few. If Mea Culpa had been released around a quarter-century ago, it would have been considered a clone of the classic erotic thriller, Basic Instinct (1992).

Where Perry's writing shows weakness is the dialogue and character development. If the actors in this film seem average or mediocre to you, dear readers, I would bet it is because they are trying to build convincing characters while mouthing stiff, unimaginative dialogue. The film's actual plot and action is not anywhere near as bland as the dialogue. In fact, when this film finally explodes in the second half, even bad dialogue can't keep Mea Culpa's cheesy, shameless melodrama and violence from being its trashiest and most glorious self. The shame of it is that there are some very interesting characters who are not fully realized and who would have made much the action in this film seem plausible, at the very least. Perhaps, Mea Culpa should have been a miniseries instead of a film.

I must say that Mea Culpa may be Tyler Perry's most beautifully photographed film; kudos to director of photography, Cody Burmester. The cinematography captures Kelly Rowland's unappreciated beauty, and when she gets nude, the camera celebrates her fineness. Yes, Trevante Rhodes as Zyair Malloy is also fine, and the camera suggests that his big muscular body also comes with... an impressive endowment. Yeah, the sex scene between Mea and Zyair is kinda funny, but they look so good pumping and bumping and grinding.

With Mea Culpa, Tyler Perry does unleash “strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language, some violence and drug use” as the “R” rating declares. However, Perry's first almost NC-17 makes me love his work even more, and it makes me hope for future movies like Mea Culpa or even better. I'll say “mea culpa” if I'm wrong and be happy about it.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

Thursday, April 18, 2024

----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Review: DreamWorks' "ORION AND THE DARK" Takes on Childhood Fears

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 of 2024 (No. 1956) by Leroy Douresseaux

Orion and the Dark (2024)

Running time: 93 minutes (1 hour, 33 minutes)

MPA – not rated

DIRECTOR: Sean Charmatz

WRITERS: Charlie Kaufman (based on the book by Emma Yarlett)

PRODUCER: Peter McCown

EDITOR: Kevin Sukho Lee

COMPOSERS: Kevin Lax and Robert Lydecker

ANIMATION/FANTASY/ADVENTURE and COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring: (voices): Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Colin Hanks, Mia Akemi Brown, Ike Barinholtz, Nat Faxon, Golda Rosheuvel, Natasia Demetriou, Aparna Nancherla, Carla Gugino, Matt Dellapina, Nick Kishiyama, Shino Nakamichi, Werner Herzog, and Angela Bassett

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

Orion and the Dark is a unique animated film that is about a child learning to accept fear as a part of life without letting it control him.

Orion and the Dark has an eclectic cast full of surprising characters, but Orion and Dark are this film's winning pair.

Orion and the Dark is a good family film, especially for parents and for children who are of middle grade age and younger. I find it to be too deep in its feelies, but it will tug on the heartstrings of its intended audience.

Orion and the Dark is a 2024 animated fantasy-adventure and comedy-drama film directed by Sean Charmatz and produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film is animated by French production company, Mikros Animation, and is also a “Netflix Original” that began streaming on Netflix February 2, 2024.

Orion and the Dark is based on the 2015 children's book, Orion and the Dark, from author Emma Yarlett. Orion and the Dark the movie focuses on a boy whose active imagination causes him to be scared of everything and on the entity that takes him on an incredible journey.

Orion and the Dark introduces 11-year-old Orion Mendelson (Jacob Tremblay). He is a severely anxious child with a long list of irrational fears. He is a schoolboy with a fear of speaking in front of class, being bullied, ending up in a toilet, and a fear of speaking to Sally (Shino Nakamichi), the girl of his dreams, of course. Outside of school, he also has a bunch of fears, including the fear of getting eaten by a shark, but at home its is worse.

Orion is afraid of the night, especially of the dark and of all the dark places in his bedroom. Orion's father (Matt Dellapina) and mother (Carla Gugino) have a difficult time getting him to bed. One night a giant, smiling creature slithers into his room. He introduces himself as “Dark,” the embodiment of Orion's worst fear, the dark. Tired of hearing Orion's constant complaints about him (the dark), Dark takes the 11-year-old on an adventure to help him overcome his fears and to appreciate the benefits of nighttime and of the dark. But there are plenty of dangers along the way, including Dark's rival, “Light” (Ike Barinholtz), and Orion's own deep-seated fears.

Orion and the Dark is a beautifully animated film with simple, but evocative character and concept design. It took me awhile to remember that Orion and the Dark reminds me of the 2014 DreamWorks Animation film, Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Both films share a visual aesthetic, possibly because artist and designer, Timothy Lamb, served as the production designer on the two films. Both films also convey their fantastical settings and surreal environments via eye-appealing art and design that have a children's picture book quality.

I do have one gripe about Orion and the Dark. The film does have a heart – a center – which is that both Orion and Dark have to learn something about themselves and to overcome self-doubt. The film, however, also has sentiment, and it is, at times, exceedingly sentimental, which can be both heartwarming and saccharine. Orion and the Dark is sometimes too much in its emotions and feelies, so much so that by the end, I thought the film was trying to give me an insulin attack. Orion and the Dark pounds on its parent-child themes and dynamics with schmaltzy consistency.

I want to avoid spoilers. Still, I will say that Orion and the Dark does have a time-travel subplot courtesy of screenwriter, Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind), who is known for creating elaborate, twisty, meta screenplays. Orion and the Dark has several interesting supporting characters, especially Dark's fellow “Night Entities,” so many so that I could see it becoming an animated television series. Orion and the Dark is unique and quite well made, and many may find its heartwarming insistence just what we need in these dark times.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

----------------------------

-----------------------------

Friday, February 9, 2024

Review: "A MADEA HOMECOMING" Doesn't Come Out Quite Right

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 of 2024 (No. 1950) by Leroy Douresseaux

A Madea Homecoming (2022)

Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for crude sexual content, language, and drug references throughout

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tyler Perry

PRODUCERS: Will Areu and Mark E. Swinton

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Taylor Randall (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Larry Sexton

COMPOSER: Philip White

COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring: Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, David Mann, Tamela J. Mann, Gabrielle Dennis, Brendan O'Carroll, Jennifer Gibney, Brandon Black, Isha Blaaker, Candace Maxwell, Geneva Maccarone, and Amani Atkinson

A Madea Homecoming is a 2022 African-American comedy-drama from writer-director Tyler Perry. It is the 12th film in the Madea film series. The film is a Netflix original and was released to the streaming service on February 25, 2022. In A Madea Homecoming, family drama erupts and secrets are revealed during the celebration of Madea's great-grandson's college graduation.

A Madea Homecoming opens in Atlanta, Georgia. Mabel “Madea” Simmons (Tyler Perry) is preparing for the arrival of her extended family. Uncle Joe (Tyler Perry) is criticizing people, and Mr. Brown (David Mann) is about to set himself afire while preparing the barbecue pit. It is a special time for Madea's daughter, Cora Simmons (Tamela J. Mann), because of the impending arrival of her daughters, Laura (Gabrielle Dennis) and Ellie (Candace Maxwell). Laura's son, Timothy “Tim” Marshall (Brandon Black), is graduating from college. He is traveling to Madea's house with his best friend and fellow graduate, Davi O'Malley (Isha Blaaker), for a large family dinner before graduation day.

But there are some surprises arriving, also. Tim has a secret to tell his family. Laura has a secret. Laura's divorce attorney, Sylvia (Geneva Maccarone), has a secret. Richard (Amani Atkinson), Laura's ex and Tim's father, has a secret to tell, although Madea doesn't want him at her house. Davi has a secret. Davi's great-aunt, Agnes Brown (Brendan O'Carroll), and Agnes' daughter and David's cousin, Cathy Brown (Jennifer Gibney), have a secret. They're coming to Madea's, but they weren't invited. And it isn't a secret that Betty Ann Murphy a.k.a. “Aunt Bam” (Cassi Davis) is usually high, and everyone else may have to get high to make it through the family drama that is about to erupt.

2019's A Madea Family Funeral was supposed to be the final film in the Madea film series, but I ain't complaining. A Madea Homecoming is similar to A Madea Family Funeral in that it features a large cast of new extended family members that many of us didn't know that Madea had. Unfortunately, the 2019 film is better put together than A Madea Homecoming.

First, it should be noted that A Madea Homecoming is a crossover with British-Irish sitcom, “Mrs. Brown's Boys,” which is headlined by the character, “Agnes Brown,” played by Irish actor, Brendan O'Carroll. Agnes Brown has been called the “Irish Madea,” but because this is my first encounter with O'Carroll and his character, I can't say otherwise. Truthfully, neither the Agnes nor Cathy characters really add that much to A Madea Homecoming, but they are a pleasant addition, at least.

A Madea Homecoming has many, many very funny moments, but the film seems too long and too much of a rehash of scandals that have appeared in earlier films in the series. The main plot and subplot feel more flat and dry than lively and funny. The most consistently funny part of this movie is Madea Beyoncé parody that runs over the end credits, and Madea in a blonde Beyoncé wig singing off-key with the “Marcella Band” is delightful.

When I reviewed A Madea Family Funeral in 2021, I said that if it were indeed the final Madea film, I could say that the series went out on a relatively high note. Madea returns on an off-key note with A Madea Homecoming, and it isn't the final Madea film. Coming sometime in the future is Madea's Destination Wedding.

5 of 10

C+

★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, February 9, 2024

---------------------------

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Review: Prime Video's "THE UNDERDOGGS" is Vulgar, Funny and Holds The Titty

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 5 of 2024 (No. 1949) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Underdoggs (2024)

Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)

MPA – R for pervasive language, sexual references, drug use, and some underage drinking

DIRECTOR: Charles Stone III

WRITERS: Danny Segal and Isaac Schamis

PRODUCERS: Kenya Barris, Mychelle Deschamps, Jonathan Glickman, Constance Schwartz-Morini, and Calvin Broadus (Snoop Dogg)

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mitchell Amundsen (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Paul Millspaugh

COMPOSER: Joseph Shirley

COMEDY/SPORT

Starring: Snoop Dogg, Tika Sumpter, Mike Epps, Elias Ferguson, Jonigan Booth, Caleb Cm Dixon, Adan James Carrillo, Alexander Michael Gordon, Kylah Davila, Andrew Schulz, Thom Scott II, Kal Penn, Kandi Burruss, Tony Gonzalez, Terry Bradshaw, and George Lopez

---------------------

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

--Snopp Dogg is excellent is this truly funny sports comedy.

--This film has a lot of profanity and bad behavior, and their reference to sex acts and sex organs is plentiful. It's family comedy that is not appropriate for viewing, unless the family is a bit daring.

--The Underdogg's scatological tale of a washed up, arrogant coach and a group of kids who know mostly disappointment does not come across as corny or phony. The Underdoggs keeps it real, perhaps, too real sometimes.

-----------------------

The Underdoggs is a 2024 sports comedy film from director Charles Stone III. The film is an Amazon “Prime Original” that began streaming on “Prime Video” January 26, 2024. The Underdoggs follows a washed-up former professional football player who decides to coach a peewee football team as way to regain his fame only to learn some important live lessons.

The Underdoggs opens at the “California High School State Championship 1997.” Jaycen "Two J's" Jennings (Elias Ferguson) is the star wide receiver at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, and by catching the “Hail Mary” pass thrown his way, he wins the state championship for his school. Jaycen goes on to be a star professional football player, but his ego eventually gets him tossed from the professional ranks.

Now, Jaycen Jennings (Snopp Dogg) is a washed-up ex-professional football star – an arrogant washed up former football star, and the days of being “Two J's” are behind him. Still, he is desperately trying to hang onto fame, hopefully by landing a plum gig hosting his own Fox Sports TV show. However, Jaycen hits rock bottom when he is sentenced to community service after an accident.

Eventually, he finds his way to the Los Angeles County Community Outreach Program, where he decides to coach a peewee football squad, a group of poor kids known as “the Green Team.” Jaycen, however, sees this as a chance to get what he wants, but will he be forced to really give these kids what they need – a coach that cares?

I am shocked by how much I really like The Underdoggs. Of course, the screenplay by Danny Segal and Isaac Schamis (from a pitch by Snoop Dogg and fellow producer, Constance Schwartz-Morini) revisits familiar territory. The tale of a fallen coach, mentor, or role model and his team of poor kids, outcasts, and assorted misfits has played out in such films as The Bad News Bears (1976) and Role Models (2008). The Mighty Ducks (1992), which is referenced in The Underdoggs, is apparently a similar film, but I have never seen it (nor have I ever wanted to).

I have been a long-time fan of Snopp Dogg, and perhaps because of serendipity, he is perfect as an actor is this story of underdogs. I like that the film allows Jaycen to stay true to himself while also evolving, but the children also keep it real while learning to take pride in themselves and in their efforts. In this way, The Underdoggs is a perfect, lesson-heavy, family film, but...

The Underdoggs is rated “R” by the MPA for “pervasive language, sexual references, drug use, and some underage drinking,” and alla' that shit is actually in the film, sometimes in large quantities. There is even a funny “disclaimer” at the beginning of The Underdoggs that basically says that today's children use the same profane words spoken in the film. Perhaps, the filmmakers' argument is this is indeed a thoroughly modern family-friendly film. I think the “F-bomb” is said in The Underdoggs seemingly more than one hundred times. So its appropriateness will vary from family to family, respective of decorum and personal tastes. I have to admit that I was uncomfortable with the amount of profanity and bad behavior in this film, but...

I still laughed a lot. The Underdoggs is uproariously funny. I think Mike Epps as Kareem, Jaycen's friend who becomes his assistant coach, and Tika Sumpter as Cherise Porter, who was Jaycen's high school girlfriend, make the best of characters that are not that well written. Epps is always a scene-stealer in everything from comedy to action to horror, and he grabs all he can here. Sumpter makes Cherise an effective moral check on Jaycen's selfishness.

In the end, I feel totally comfortable recommending The Underdoggs to adult and older teen viewers. It is one of the funniest films of the new year, so far. I think some young viewers will be crazy about The Underdoggs, whether their parents approve or not.

A-

7 of 10

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

-------------------------

--------------------------

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Review: Prime Video's "ROLE PLAY" Offers an Odd Couple

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 4 of 2024 (No. 1948) by Leroy Douresseaux

Role Play (2024)

Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)

MPA – R for violence and language

DIRECTOR: Thomas Vincent

WRITER: Seth Owen

PRODUCERS: Kaley Cuoco, Alex Heinenman, and Andrew Rona

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Maxime Alexandre (ASC)

EDITOR: Gareth C. Scales

COMPOSER: Rael Jones

ACTION/THRILLER/COMEDY

Starring: Kaley Cuoco, David Oyelowo, Connie Nielsen, Rudi Dharmalingam, Lucia Aliu, Regan Bryan-Gudgeon, Jade-Eleena Dregorius, Stephanie Levi-John, and Bill Nighy

---------------------------

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

--Role Play is somewhat similar to the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), which was a big-budget action-comedy. Role Play is a smaller scale action-thriller with darker, edgier humor.

--Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo are an odd pairing, and for at least half of this film, they seem miscast in their roles.

--Role Play is an average, entertaining film that is better suited for Prime Video than it is for the big screens of a local movie theater. Still, the last half hour of the film really intensifies.

---------------------------

Role Play is a 2024 action-thriller and black comedy film from director Thomas Vincent. The film is an Amazon “Prime Original” that began streaming on “Prime Video” January 12, 2024. Role Play focuses on an assassin whose secret life intrudes on her life as a suburban wife and mother.

Role Play introduces Emma Brackett (Kaley Cuoco). She is married to Dave Brackett (David Oyelowo) and is now the mother to his son from his first marriage, Wyatt (Regan Bryan-Gudgeon), and is mother to the daughter, Caroline (Lucia Aliu), she had with Dave. Emma and Dave have been married seven years and are living in New Jersey. But Emma has forgotten their anniversary because she was busy overseas killing someone and not in Nebraska, as she told her husband.

To make up for forgetting their anniversary, Emma suggests that they spice things up by engaging in some romantic role play at “the Royal Grand” hotel in New York City. The fun, however, is interrupted by Robert “Bob” Kitterman (Bill Nighy), who is actually a rival assassin out to claim a bounty placed on Emma by her former agency, Sovereign. Emma is forced to reveal her real self – Anna Peller, professional killer. Now, her past has returned to reclaim her.

Dear readers, as soon as you read Role Play's synopsis, you will likely think of the hit 2005 film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Directed by Doug Liman, the action-comedy film stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They play a bored upper middle class couple, but both are actually assassins working for competing agencies. One day, they are assigned to kill each other.

Role Play is described as an action-comedy, but it is truthfully an action-thriller and dark comedy. The film does have a comic undertone; there are some genuinely funny moments; and the film's musical score by Rael Jones is action-comedy pitch perfect. Role Play, however, features several violent fight scenes and brutal killings, in addition to its offbeat sensibility.

One reason is the casting. Kaley Cuoco is best known for playing the role of “Penny” on CBS's long-running, former sitcom, “The Big Bang Theory” (2007-19). I found it a little difficult to picture her as an assassin or professional killer. David Oyelowo is known for his serious dramatic roles in such films as Red Tails (2012) and Selma (2014), as well as for his role in the recent Paramount+ Western television miniseries, Lawmen: Bass Reeves (2023). For about the first hour of the film, I did not find him convincing as the clueless suburban husband.

However, once Anna Peller's cover as Emma is blown, Cuoco is forced to give it her all trying to convince the audience that she is a killer, and suddenly sitcom Penny seems quite dark, indeed. Also, it is then that Oyelowo can drop the hubby routine and become the spousal partner-in-crime. In the last half hour to 40 minutes of the film, Emma and Dave actually become funnier characters. Then, Role Play takes on its action-thriller aspects with gusto.

Director Thomas Vincent makes the most of the film's more intense moments, giving Seth Owen's screenplay, which probably had more juice on the printed page, a jolt. Role Play is the kind of easy-going film that could not make it as a theatrical release, but it makes for an entertaining streaming film, especially once the leads really start to... play their roles.

B-

5 of 10

★★½ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

----------------------------

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Review: "PREY" is the Best "Predator" Sequel to Date

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 55 of 2023 (No. 1944) by Leroy Douresseaux

Prey (2022)

Running time: 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)

MPAA – R for strong bloody violence

DIRECTOR: Dan Trachtenberg

WRITERS: Patrick Aison; from a story by Patrick Aison and Dan Trachtenberg (based on the characters created by Jim Thomas and John Thomas)

PRODUCERS: John Davis, Marty Ewing, and Jhane Myers,

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jeff Cutter (D.o.P.)

EDITORS: Claudia Castello and Angela M. Catanzaro

COMPOSER: Sarah Schachner

SCI-FI/THRILLER

Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope, Stefany Mathias, Bennett Taylor, and Mike Paterson

----------------------------------

REVIEW SUMMARY:

--Prey is by far the best Predator sequel, and it is one of 2022's best films.

--The Canadian landscape where this movie was filmed is an equal character in the story while offering magnificent vistas and breathtaking beauty.

--The first half of the film is a tense suspense thriller that builds a sense of mystery similar to that of the original Predator film.

--The second half of the film is an explosion of brutal violence and heart-stopping duels that leads to a showstopping finale. I highly-recommend it.

------------------------------------

Prey is a 2022 science fiction thriller film directed by Dan Trachtenberg. It is the fifth film in the main Predator film franchise, which began with the 1987 film, Predator, and the seventh in the overall franchise (when the “AvP” films are counted). Prey is a prequel to the four main Predator movies, and it is a direct-to-streaming film that was released as a “Hulu original film.” Prey is set in the early 18th century and pits a young Comanche woman who wants to prove that she is a warrior by taking on a mysterious creature that slaughters everything in its path.

Prey opens in the Northern Great Plains in September 1719. Naru (Amber Midthunder), a young Comanche woman, has trained as a healer, but she wants to be a hunter like her older brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers). To that end, Naru wants to embark on a “kühtaamia,” which requires her to hunt something that is hunting her.

While tracking deer, Naru witnesses strange lights in the sky, which she believes to be a “Thunderbird,” the legendary creature of Native American folklore. However, the strange lights are actually an alien ship dropping a Predator (Dane DiLiegro), something her people have never encountered. Now, Naru, Taabe, and their tribe's other hunters must take on a Predator that is the ultimate hunter. If she cannot defeat the Predator, she will lose her life and her tribe will fall as well.

I have been interested in seeing Prey since I first heard about it, but I wasn't subscribing to Hulu when it debuted, nor do I currently subscribe to it. However, my friend and collaborator, Carter Allen, an illustrator, concept designer, and comic book creator, sent me a copy of the 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray edition via Amazon.

Now, having seen it, I think it is a shame that Prey did not receive a theatrical release. It's cinematography captures the beautiful vast forest locations outside Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where this movie was shot, in a way that should be seen on a big screen. The landscape is an equal character in the film, even more so than it has been in previous Predator films. Prey's director, Dan Trachtenberg, uses the landscape to make his film feel real and to have weight and depth and not come across as if it were some kind of action or video game fantasy.

Prey is the best sequel to 1987's Predator, easily surpassing what I think is the previous best sequel, 2010's Predators. In some ways, the combatants in Prey seem more authentic and the action more visceral than in the first film. The fights are brutal and up-close-and-personal. Flesh is slashed and chopped into raw meat, and bodies are pierced, penetrated, and ruptured with artistic precision. Heads are lopped off, and limbs aren't far behind. The Predator of Prey does not kill from on high, shooting death rays as the original Predator did. In Prey, the Predator moves in for the kill in a way that is similar to what Logan/Wolverine did to the mercenaries in the X-Men film, X2 (2003). Also, the costume and creature design for Prey's Predator is as much horror movie killer as it is sci-fi monster. In some ways, he seems garbed as a super-villain.

Amber Midthunder as Naru and Dakota Beavers as Taabe give outstanding performances. Their characters are well written, and Patrick Aison's script is ambitious enough to give the actors the opportunity to explore their characters, which they do. Midthunder is mesmerizing and fierce as Naru, and she makes me care about her journey every step of the way.

I'm surprised. Prey easily exceeded my expectations. I hope that future Predator films are as ambitious as this one. In the meantime, I pray for a sequel to Prey.

9 of 10

A+

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

You can buy a copy of the PREY Blu-ray at AMAZON.

Discover Carter Allen's latest graphic novel, Ectyron vs. Des Moines here.

------------------------------------

-------------------------------------

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Review: Prime Video's "CANDY CANE LANE" is an Unexpected Delight

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 52 of 2023 (No. 1941) by Leroy Douresseaux

Candy Cane Lane (2023)

Running time: 117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)

MPA – PG for language throughout and some suggestive references

DIRECTOR: Reginald Hudlin

WRITER: Kelly Younger

PRODUCERS: Brian Grazer, Charisse M. Hewitt, Karen Lunder, and Eddie Murphy

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Newton Thomas Sigel (ASC)

EDITORS: Kenny G. Krauss and Jim May

COMPOSER: Marcus Miller

COMEDY/FANTASY

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Madison Thomas, Nick Offerman, Chris Redd, Robin Thede, David Alan Grier, Ken Marino, Timothy Simons, Danielle Pinnock, and D.C. Young Fly

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

I watched “Candy Cane Lane” on a lark, and I did not expect much from it. Boy, am I surprised. It is so shockingly charming and endearing that this must be some kind of Christmas magic.

Eddie Murphy is quite good in family-oriented films, and even his fans who don't ordinarily like Murphy's family films will probably find something to like in “Candy Cane Lane”

The story is ridiculous at times, but “Candy Cane Lane” is the best Christmas movie I have seen in a long time. I recommend it without reservation.

Candy Cane Lane is a 2023 comedy, fantasy, and Christmas film directed by Reginald Hudlin and starring Eddie Murphy. The film is an Amazon “Prime Original” that began streaming December 1, 2023. Candy Cane Lane focuses on a man who is so determined to win the neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest that he makes an unwise pact with a rogue elf.

Candy Cane Lane introduces Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy), a husband and father who crafts his own hand-carved Christmas decorations. Every year, a local television station hosts the “Candy Cane Lane Spectacular,” a contest to judge the best decorated house. Chris has never won, and he is jealous of his neighbor, Bruce (Ken Marino), who has won several times.

Shortly before Christmas, Chris' employer, the industrial plastics firm, Sydel Twain, lays him off. When Chris learns that this year's Candy Cane Lane prize is $100,000, he becomes desperate to win the money for his family, although he wife, Carol Carver (Tracee Ellis Ross), has a very good job. Chris is also oblivious to the lives of his two older children, Joy (Genneya Walton), a high school senior and track star, and Nick (Thaddeus J. Mixson), a tuba player and budding musician.

Looking for Christmas decorations and supplies, Chris and his youngest child, daughter Holly (Madison Thomas), stumble across “Kringle's,” a mysterious Christmas shop filled with all kinds of beautiful decorations, including model buildings, ceramic figures, and a strange Christmas tree. Chris is so enchanted by all that he sees, believing that these decorations could help him win Candy Cane Lane. He unwarily signs a deal with Kringle's eccentric shopkeeper, Pepper (Jillian Bell). However, Pepper is more than she seems, and so is the receipt Chris signs. Soon, he will need all the help he can get from his family and from a trio of diminutive new friends in order to keep himself out of Pepper's clutches. And he also has some Christmas lessons to learn.

Audiences first came to know and love Eddie Murphy from his stand-up comedy career; his stint as a cast member of “Saturday Night Live” (1980-84); and his R-rated comedy films, such as 48 Hrs (1982), Trading Places (1983), and Beverly Hills Cop (1983). Much to the chagrin of the those fans, Murphy's film career as an A-list star eventually led him to make innocuous family-friends films, especially Dr. Doolittle (1998), Shrek (2001), and Daddy Day Care (2003).

Those fans will not be pleased with Candy Cane Lane. It is a family movie, an absurd fantasy film, and a Christmas movie full of holiday lessons to learn. For me, Candy Cane Lane is one of the best absurd movies that I have ever seen. Its concepts and ideas are as imaginative and as inventive as they are ridiculous and preposterous, yet I find the film endlessly lovable. Every time I tried to dismiss it, I found myself drawn ever deeper into its delicious, addictive fluffiness. Candy Cane Lane is a true feel-good movie. It shouldn't work, yet it works to perfection. Considering director Reginald Hudlin's past directorial efforts, I was (and still am) shocked that he could pull of this kind of Christmas movie, which is, for the most part, a warm cup of cocoa. If anything, Candy Cane Lane suggests that screenwriter Kelly Younger is certainly inventive.

Nick Offerman, Chris Redd, and Robin Thede are a delight in their voice roles, and David Alan Grier is sly and smooth in his surprise role. Jillian Bell is nearly perfect as Pepper, except for a few moments that are too over the top. I think Madison Thomas needed more screen time as Holly Carver, and Timothy Simons and Danielle Pinnock are a winning pair as TV co-hosts, Emerson and Kit.

Eddie Murphy barely breaks a sweat as Chris Carver, and neither does Tracee Ellis Ross as Carol Carver. Still, they work well together as a screen couple at the center of this delightful family fare. Despite what some fans may think, Eddie Murphy has the magic touch when it comes to family films. Murphy passes on the lessons that Chris has to learn with a knowing wink and a nudge, and I was willing to buy it all. I think I'll be watching Candy Cane Lane again, if only because, for two hours, it made me believe in that Hollywood bullshit called “Christmas magic.”

B+

7 of 10

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, December 10, 2023

----------------------------------

-----------------------------------

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Review: "HONK FOR JESUS. SAVE YOUR SOUL." is Both Funny and Ruthless

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 2 of 2023 (No. 1891) by Leroy Douresseaux

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (2022)

Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)

MPA – R for language and some sexual content

DIRECTOR: Adamma Ebo

WRITER: Adamma Ebo (based on her short film)

PRODUCERS: Sterling K. Brown, Jessamine Burgum, Matthew R. Cooper, Amandla Crichlow, Kara Durrett, Adanne Ebo, Regina Hall, Daniel Kaluuya, and Rowan Riley

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alan Gwizdowski

EDITORS: Ali Greer and Stacy Moon

COMPOSER: Marcus Norris

COMEDY/RELIGION

Starring: Regina Hall, Sterling K. Brown, Nicole Beharie, Conphidance, Austin Crute, Dever Rogers, Robert Yatta, Greta Glenn, and Selah Kimbro Jones

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is a 2022 comedy-drama and mockumentary (mock documentary) film from writer-director Adamma Ebo. The film is Ebo's directorial debut and is also a feature-length adaptation of Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul, her 2018 short film. Oscar-winner Jordan Peele is one of the film's executive producers. Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. the film focuses on the first lady of a megachurch as she attempts to help the pastor of the church rebuild his congregation in the wake of a scandal.

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is largely set in and around Wander to Greater Paths Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. The film introduces Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown) and his wife, the church's “First Lady,” Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall). Lee-Curtis preaches the “prosperity gospel,” and he and his wife live a lavish lifestyle that is a big as their megachurch.

Once upon a time, Wander to Greater Paths (WGP) had about 25,000 congregants, but Pastor Lee-Curtis became embroiled in a notorious scandal that involves multiple sexual misconduct allegations. Lee-Curtis and Trinitie were forced to close the church after backlash and a mass exodus of congregants.

Now, a year later, the Childs plan to reopen the church in one month on Easter Sunday. They have also hired a documentary film crew to chronicle their lives and the preparation during the run-up to the reopening. However, Trinitie finds the crew and its director, Anita Bonet, to be intrusive. Also, the Childs struggle to get people interested in their return, so Lee-Curtis comes up with an idea for a roadside ministry, entitled “Honk for Jesus.” Will that scheme save the church … and the couple's marriage?

Some of you, dear readers, are familiar Pentecostal televangelist (television evangelist), Jimmy Swaggart. Beginning in 1988, a series of scandals, two of them involving Swaggart's relationship with prostitutes, caused him to lose a significant number of congregants at his megachurch, Family Worship Center, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His Jimmy Swaggart Bible College also saw a drastic drop in enrollment, largely in part to his 1988 sex scandal.

A former coworker of mine was a devout Christian, and he considered Swaggart to be a hypocrite because of his scandals. I told him that I did not quite see it that way. I argued that the most successful evangelical preachers were probably intimately familiar with sin, especially related to sexual activity. I said that what made Swaggart a hypocrite wasn't him sneaking around for some kind of sexual contact with a prostitute, but rather that he frequently condemned people who were engaged in sexual activity of which he did not approve. He insisted that other sinners pay a price for sexual improprieties that he clearly did not expect to pay himself.

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is not the greatest mockumentary (which is still This is Spinal Tap), but it is a very good comedy about characters that are difficult when laid bare. Honk for Jesus. Save You Soul. makes it clear that the Childs, especially Pastor Lee-Curtis, are oblivious and lack self-awareness. Lee-Curtis condemns those engaged in the same kind of sexual activity which brought him down, and his behavior is also predatory. It is not just the nature of his sin; it is also that he betrayed the trust of the people who relied on him for help.

Sterling K. Brown shines as Pastor Lee-Curtis, depicting him not as evil, but as narcissistic, vain, and material. His faith, God, the Bible, and his success are about himself and not about salvation or about “saving souls.” He collects “saving souls” and congregants seemingly the same way he collects Italian suits and clothing, jewelry, and cars. Brown deftly conveys to the audience that the reopening of Wander to Great Paths is all about shining on Lee-Curtis and not necessarily on God.

I think the film really turns on Regina Hall's performance, a mixture of comedy, drama, and pathos. From start to finish, Hall's performance chronicles the difficulty that is Trinitie's mission to save their church. Although she is known for comedy, Hall shows serious dramatic chops in conveying the ultimate futility of the couple's quest, especially in those painful scenes in which she faces either their detractors or Lee-Curtis' victims.

Mock or faux documentary films are generally comedies, although they have dramatic and poignant moments. Writer-director Adamma Ebo pulls off the trick of producing a mockumentary that is more drama than comedy. Getting a great performance from her cast, especially Regina Hall, is what makes Ebo's film highly original and even more substantive than mockumentary films generally are. My take is that Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is both a portrayal of a corrupted megachurch pastor and first lady and also a commentary on the megachurches that pedal the prosperity gospel.

Mockumentary films generally always seem to be a tad bit longer than they need to be, and they are at their best in their first acts. The best energy in Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is in its second half, especially its last act.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

------------------------