Monday, October 28th, 2024

EZRA - Paramount+ w/Showtime

What we like:

• We’ve always loved Tony Goldwyn as an actor, whether he was playing a slimeball or a heartthrob. But we’re happy to see him direct another feature, his first since 2006’s The Last Kiss. His directorial debut, 1999’s A Walk on the Moon, still holds up spectacularly.

• This family comedy/drama was inspired by writer Tony Spiridakis’ relationship with his autistic son, and the break-up of his marriage during his son’s teenage years.

• 15 year-old William Fitzgerald, who is on the autism spectrum, won the lead role after sending in an audition tape. The film also had multiple autistic crew members on set to ensure its authenticity.

What we don’t like:

• The film received mixed reviews from critics and didn’t attract much of an audience in theaters (<$3M at the domestic box-office).

TREASURE - Paramount+ w/Showtime

What we like:

• German filmmaker Julia von Heinz’s tragicomedy is based on the 1999 novel Too Many Men by Lily Brett, and stars Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry.

• Set in 1990, it tells the story of an American journalist Ruth (Dunham) who travels to Poland with her father Edek (Fry) to visit his childhood places. But Edek, a Holocaust survivor, resists reliving his trauma and sabotages the trip creating unintentionally funny situations.

What we don’t like:

• With mostly poor reviews, the film did minimal business at the US box-office, grossing less than $1M.

Tuesday, October 29th, 2024

THE CRITIC - $8.99 Sale / TBD Rental

What we like:

• Acting legend Sir Ian McKellen gets a meaty lead role, here playing Jimmy Erskine, an infamous drama critic whose caustic reviews can make or break careers. When his authority is challenged by his newspaper’s new owner, David Brooke (Mark Strong), Erskine weaves a vengeful plot involving Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), a rising actress eager to please him, which leads to complex relationships marked by manipulation, blackmail, and ultimately, murder.

• The film’s screenplay was written by Patrick Marber, who in 2006 was nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for the very entertaining Notes on a Scandal.

What we don’t like:

• After screening at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, the film reportedly underwent re-shoots to make the ending more palatable to audiences. Unfortunately, reviews were still mixed.

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• Hmmm…give us a minute….

• The concept of a making the Joker sequel a musical is a bold and exciting prospect. We applaud Todd Phillips for antagonizing the very audience who latched on to the first film and took the protagonists persona to heart. A very Joker-like move!

• Lady Gaga is a movie star. Yes, she has try-hard theater kid energy. But frankly, we find that endearing. We loved her in A Star is Born and House of Gucci, but she’s under-utilized here. She’ll be back.

What we don’t like:

• If you’re gonna make a musical…make a musical. Talk-singing pleases no one. You have one of the greatest voices alive, and you don’t turn her loose and sing with full-throated gusto? Dumb.

• We love courtroom dramas. We’re excited to see Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2! But having your sequel just re-litigate (literally) the plot of the first film is incredibly dull. It didn’t work for the Seinfeld finale, and it doesn’t work here.

PIECE BY PIECE - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• Pharrell Williams! Morgan Neville’s film merges biographical storytelling with vibrant Lego animation, presenting Pharrell's journey from his early days to becoming a celebrated musician, producer, and cultural icon. 

• The film features a voice cast that includes frequent collaborators such as Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay-Z.

What we don’t like:

• If we measure it as a documentary, it’s one of the top box-office performers of the year at $8M! But if we measure it as a Lego movie…well…it really should have done better.

Wednesday, October 30th, 2024

THE EXORCISM - Shudder, AMC+

What we like:

• Writer-director Joshua John Miller is exorcism-related royalty. His father is Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jason Miller, who memorably portrayed Father Damien Karras in the 1973 horror classic The Exorcist.

• Nice to see Frasier’s David Hyde Pierce pop up in a movie! Let’s get him more film work.

What we don’t like:

• Last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist, while not being very good, at least delivered some campy thrills and Russell Crowe on a Vespa. The Exorcism did not seem to engender the same goodwill from critics, who panned the film when it hit theaters.

MARTHA - Netflix

What we like:

• RJ Cutler’s film covers Martha Stewart's transformation from a working-class background to becoming a pioneering businesswoman and cultural icon. It highlights her early career in modeling, her time as a stockbroker, and her eventual rise as a lifestyle expert and media mogul.

• The film doesn’t shy away from discussing her highly publicized insider trading scandal in 2004, which led to her conviction and a five-month prison sentence. Stewart reflects on this turning point, presenting it as part of a larger narrative of resilience and reinvention.

What we don’t like:

• No matter how great this doc turns out to be, it won’t be able to top Rosie O’Donnell recounting her visit to Martha Stewart in prison. ‘The flavor of lemon.’

TIME CUT - Netflix

What we like:

• Directed by Hannah MacPherson and co-written with Michael Kennedy, this time-travel slasher starring Madison Bailey and Antonia Gentry has been described as a cross between Back to the Future and Scream.

• According to the Netflix press materials, the film leans heavily in to early 2000s nostalgia, referencing Pokémon cards, Britney Spears, low-rise jeans, and N’Sync. So I guess we’re doing that again!

What we don’t like:

• Well…the plot sounds a lot like last year’s Totally Killer. That one time-traveled back to the 80s, so we suppose they’re not too much alike.

Thursday, October 31st, 2024

DESPICABLE ME 4 - Peacock

What we like:

• Illumination recovers from its Migration misstep, delivering a big fat summer hit to theaters. The film hit $960M at the worldwide box-office.

• We love that The White Lotus auteur Mike White is a credited screenwriter on this one. The writer behind Chuck & Buck, School of Rock, and Beatriz at Dinner is putting dialogue in Gru’s mouth.

What we don’t like:

• We have to admit we prefer the Minions movies to the Despicable Me movies. Those Minions are hilarious, and to us, everything else is just a distraction. We’re happy Minions 3 is coming to theaters in 2027!

HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON - Netflix

What we like:

• A live-action/animated adaptation of Crockett Johnson's classic children's book, directed by Carlos Saldanha, the film reimagines the story by aging Harold (played by Zachary Levi) into adulthood and presenting his adventures with the magical crayon that brings his drawings to life. 

• As reported by Bloomberg, in the wake of a challenging theatrical environment, Sony tried to sell the film to Netflix outright, but the streamer declined. And now that they have the Pay-1 window for Sony titles, Netflix gets it anyway (at a presumably greatly reduced price). Netflix wins again.

What we don’t like:

• Zachary Levi. Sure we don’t share his politics, but there are plenty of artists we disagree with and still can enjoy their work (did we mention we’re looking forward to Juror #2?!). But the shit he pulled this week is just disgusting. Excuse our French: Fuck him.

THE SUBSTANCE - MUBI US

What we like:

• Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror comedy was a buzzy hit when it premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, winning the director a screenplay prize, and earning stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley praise for their gonzo performances.

• Demi Moore is back! We’ve always loved the actress, even when her films didn’t measure up to her talent. We highly recommend This Had Oscar Buzz host Joe Reid’s podcast Demi, Myself, & I, in which he examines each film in Moore’s filmography.

• Hats off to MUBI for taking a big bet on this one. The streamer has been making a bigger push here in the US, and this reported $12M acquisition was their priciest buy yet. And it’s paid off, already earning $14M at the domestic box-office.

What we don’t like:

• We’re skeptical Moore can snag an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. The film’s extreme gore will likely put-off a number of Academy members, which is a shame. Calling a performance ‘brave’ is so cliche. But Moore goes for it here, we’ll call it gutsy. And we’d love her (she’s never been nominated!) to be recognized.

THE APPRENTICE - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• Ali Abbasi’s film is a dramatic exploration of Donald Trump’s rise in business, primarily focusing on his mentorship by attorney Roy Cohn during the 1970s and 80s. Abbasi’s last film, Holy Spider, explored the hunt for a serial killer in Iran, which was based on a real-life case.

• Sebastian Stan (as Trump) and Jeremy Strong (as Cohn) both give strong performances here. Stan has the tough job of embodying one of the most famous men in the world, and he wisely avoids caricature. Strong also acquits himself nicely, especially since he stands in the shadow of Al Pacino, who iconically portrayed Cohn in Mike Nichols’ Angels in America.

What we don’t like:

• With only a little more than a week before the US elections, this is not exactly a comfort watch. Anxiety and tension levels are off the charts. We’ll probably opt to watch something more soothing to take our minds off politics. Something like The Substance.

THE DEAD DON’T HURT - Paramount+ w/Showtime

What we like:

• Viggo Mortensen directs a Western that centers the woman’s perspective, something that rarely happens in the genre. Vicky Krieps plays Vivienne Le Coudy, who embarks on a journey with Danish immigrant Holger Olsen (Mortensen), attempting to forge a life together in the dusty town of Elk Flats, Nevada. When Holger decides to go fight for the Union in the burgeoning Civil War, Vivienne must fend for herself, which isn't easy in a town controlled by a corrupt mayor.

• Mortensen assembles a terrific supporting cast, including Garret Dillahunt, Solly McLeod, Danny Huston, and Ray McKinnon.

What we don’t like:

• Mortensen not only directs, writes, produces and stars in The Dead Don’t Hurt, but he also composed the film’s score. All that while being 66 years-old and still looking smokin’ hot. Let’s just say he makes us feel…inadequate.

DOC OF CHUCKY - Shudder, AMC+

What we like:

• Directed by Thommy Hutson, known for comprehensive horror documentaries on Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, this documentary offers an in-depth look at the Child's Play horror franchise and its iconic villain, Chucky.

• When they say comprehensive, they mean comprehensive. The doc runs a few minutes shy of 5 hours. Settle in!

What we don’t like:

• We love Chucky and the Child’s Play movies and series. But nothing has haunted our dreams more than the 2022 photos of a real life Chucky roaming the streets of Albertville, Alabama. If we saw this, we would crap our pants.

JANET PLANET - Max

What we like:

• Directed by celebrated playwright Annie Baker, the film is an introspective coming-of-age drama set in 1991, focusing on the unique bond between eleven-year-old Lacy (Zoe Ziegler) and her mother, Janet (Julianne Nicholson).

• The film’s intimate portrayal of a young girl growing up amid adult complexities has drawn comparisons to Aftersun for its similarly nuanced take on parent-child dynamics.

• Fantastic supporting cast here: Elias Koteas, Will Patton, and Sophie Okonedo all shine.

What we don’t like:

• After knocking people out at last year’s Telluride Film Festival, A24 opted to hold off the theatrical release until June of this year. The disappointing box-office (less than $1M) has likely muted the film’s Oscar prospects, which is a shame. We hope Baker, Nicholson, and Ziegler at least get some love from the Indie Spirit Awards.

MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS - Disney+

What we like:

• We throw around words like legendary and iconic a lot here. We’re generous! But let’s be honest: John Williams is the gold standard. His filmography is mind-boggling: (Deep breath) Valley of the Dolls, The Poseidon Adventure, Jaws, Star Wars (all of ‘em), Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman (all of ‘em), Raiders of the Lost Ark (all of ‘em), E.T., Born on the Fourth of July, Home Alone, Jurassic Park (all of ‘em), Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Harry Potter (all of ‘em), Catch Me If You Can, Lincoln. That’s not even all of them. Incredible.

• Director Laurent Bouzereau previously directed this year’s Faye Dunaway doc Faye, the Natalie Wood doc Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, and the terrific Five Came Back, which is based on Mark Harris’ Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War. The man knows his way around a showbiz doc.

What we don’t like:

• Of course John Williams deserves a doc highlighting his career accomplishments. But at 105 minutes, much of his output is sure to get short-changed. Can’t we get the man a Doc of Chucky-length retrospective?!! We’d watch at least 5 hours!

WHITE BIRD - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• Marc Forster’s film revisits the universe of Wonder, centering on Julian (again played by Bryce Gheisar), the bully from the original story. After his actions lead to expulsion, Julian's grandmother Sara (Helen Mirren) shares her harrowing experience of being hidden by a classmate’s family in Nazi-occupied France during WWII. 

• The film earned mixed/positive reviews from critics, but audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average "A+" grade.

What we don’t like:

• The film sat on the shelf for nearly three years, and despite that A+ CinemaScore, has earned only $4.1M at the domestic box-office.

Happy Streaming Everyone!

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