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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Causeway (2022) in Movies
Feb 10, 2023
Strong Performances
Welcome back, Jennifer Lawrence, the movies missed you.
Shot to stardom early - a 3x Oscar Nominee by the age of 23 (winning once for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) and the top paid actress in 2015, 2016 - Jennifer Lawrence took a hiatus from filmmaking right before the pandemic.
With the lowkey, PTSD character study CAUSEWAY, let’s hope that Lawrence is back for good.
Directed by Lila Neugebauer (ROOM 104), Causeway tells the tale of Lynsey (played by Lawrence) who returns home after suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury while serving overseas. Once home, she forms an unlikely friendship with James (an Oscar Nominated Brian Tyree Henry) who also has some trauma to work through.
It is a low-key, pensive film about friendship, recovery and dealing with loss/pain. Most of the film is the 2 lead characters talking and in order for it to succeed, the 2 main characters better be performed by 2 charismatic, interesting actors.
And fortunately for CAUSEWAY, it is.
Starting with Lawrence. She is a unique acting talent in that one can see what she is thinking and feeling with a minimum of facial gestures. She draws the audience into her portrayal of Lynsey - making her a person to empathize with (but not pity). Lynsey is strong, fearful, focused and damaged and the audience sees every part of this in Lawrence’s performance. It is a wonderfully understated performance and it’s a shame that she, too, was not nominated for an Oscar.
But, of course, with a talk-y, two character piece, BOTH performances better be Oscar caliber to keep the audience engaged and with the surprising strong and vulnerable performance of here-to-fore known as comedy performer Henry (BULLET TRAIN) Causeway has the 2nd anchor to this film.
When James (Henry’s character) is first introduced, the audience gets the impression that he is the funny, affable, friendly rock that Lynsey needs to get back on her feet, but as the film progresses and we peel back the layers of James’ onion, we find out that he is just as damaged - and as real - as she is. Henry embodies James with the same strength and vulnerability that Lawrence shows as Lynsey - and Henry is a well-deserved Oscar nominee for his work.
Creidt, of course, for this paring - and the performances therein - lies with Director Neugebauer who lets her camera linger on the performances and the emotions that are laid raw in front of the viewer.
Not the fastest paced film, Causeway is a marvelous unlikely pairing of 2 damaged souls portrayed, strongly, by 2 fine actors.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10)
Shot to stardom early - a 3x Oscar Nominee by the age of 23 (winning once for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) and the top paid actress in 2015, 2016 - Jennifer Lawrence took a hiatus from filmmaking right before the pandemic.
With the lowkey, PTSD character study CAUSEWAY, let’s hope that Lawrence is back for good.
Directed by Lila Neugebauer (ROOM 104), Causeway tells the tale of Lynsey (played by Lawrence) who returns home after suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury while serving overseas. Once home, she forms an unlikely friendship with James (an Oscar Nominated Brian Tyree Henry) who also has some trauma to work through.
It is a low-key, pensive film about friendship, recovery and dealing with loss/pain. Most of the film is the 2 lead characters talking and in order for it to succeed, the 2 main characters better be performed by 2 charismatic, interesting actors.
And fortunately for CAUSEWAY, it is.
Starting with Lawrence. She is a unique acting talent in that one can see what she is thinking and feeling with a minimum of facial gestures. She draws the audience into her portrayal of Lynsey - making her a person to empathize with (but not pity). Lynsey is strong, fearful, focused and damaged and the audience sees every part of this in Lawrence’s performance. It is a wonderfully understated performance and it’s a shame that she, too, was not nominated for an Oscar.
But, of course, with a talk-y, two character piece, BOTH performances better be Oscar caliber to keep the audience engaged and with the surprising strong and vulnerable performance of here-to-fore known as comedy performer Henry (BULLET TRAIN) Causeway has the 2nd anchor to this film.
When James (Henry’s character) is first introduced, the audience gets the impression that he is the funny, affable, friendly rock that Lynsey needs to get back on her feet, but as the film progresses and we peel back the layers of James’ onion, we find out that he is just as damaged - and as real - as she is. Henry embodies James with the same strength and vulnerability that Lawrence shows as Lynsey - and Henry is a well-deserved Oscar nominee for his work.
Creidt, of course, for this paring - and the performances therein - lies with Director Neugebauer who lets her camera linger on the performances and the emotions that are laid raw in front of the viewer.
Not the fastest paced film, Causeway is a marvelous unlikely pairing of 2 damaged souls portrayed, strongly, by 2 fine actors.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10)
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Child's Play (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Predictably Gruesome, But Entertaining
Child's Play is a 2019 slasher/horror movie directed by Lars Klevberg and written by Tyler Burton Smith. It was produced by Orion Pictures, KatzSmith Productions, and BRON Creative and distributed by United Artists Releasing. The film stars Aubrey Plaza, Gabriel Bateman, Brian Tyree Henry, and Mark Hamill.
A revolutionary line of high-tech dolls, designed to be life-long companions to their owners, called Buddi, is launched by the Kaslan Corporation. Buddi dolls learn from their surroundings and act accordingly by connecting and operating other Kaslan products making it a success with children world wide. Before committing suicide after being fired at a Buddi assembly plant in Vietnam, an employee disables all of the doll's safety protocols on the doll he is assembling. In Chicago, Karen Barclay (Aubrey Plaza), a retail clerk, encourages her son, Andy (Gabriel Bateman), to make new friends as she prepares for his upcoming birthday. She blackmails her boss to procure a Buddi doll as an early birthday gift but once Andy activates it, the doll begins to display violent tendencies.
This movie was pretty good, and that goes for remakes/reboots. I think everyone has seen a bad Chucky movie and this is not one. I really didn't like the redesign or new look of the Chucky doll but it grew on me as the movie progressed. Also I guess I'm just so used to his voice being different, that I also didn't think Mark Hamill's voice fit either, until the movie progressed further. I agree with certain critics that complained about the inconsistent tone, and how it lacked the principal's perverse originality. It definitely didn't have the me vibe of the original but I like how it made it, its own thing. But I think this was a very successful remake. The acting from Gabriel Bateman was really good and I wound up really liking Mark Hamill's performance as well. He actually made me feel sorry for the doll. I give this movie a 7/10. And I say you should definitely check it out, especially if you are a fan of the Child's Play movies.
A revolutionary line of high-tech dolls, designed to be life-long companions to their owners, called Buddi, is launched by the Kaslan Corporation. Buddi dolls learn from their surroundings and act accordingly by connecting and operating other Kaslan products making it a success with children world wide. Before committing suicide after being fired at a Buddi assembly plant in Vietnam, an employee disables all of the doll's safety protocols on the doll he is assembling. In Chicago, Karen Barclay (Aubrey Plaza), a retail clerk, encourages her son, Andy (Gabriel Bateman), to make new friends as she prepares for his upcoming birthday. She blackmails her boss to procure a Buddi doll as an early birthday gift but once Andy activates it, the doll begins to display violent tendencies.
This movie was pretty good, and that goes for remakes/reboots. I think everyone has seen a bad Chucky movie and this is not one. I really didn't like the redesign or new look of the Chucky doll but it grew on me as the movie progressed. Also I guess I'm just so used to his voice being different, that I also didn't think Mark Hamill's voice fit either, until the movie progressed further. I agree with certain critics that complained about the inconsistent tone, and how it lacked the principal's perverse originality. It definitely didn't have the me vibe of the original but I like how it made it, its own thing. But I think this was a very successful remake. The acting from Gabriel Bateman was really good and I wound up really liking Mark Hamill's performance as well. He actually made me feel sorry for the doll. I give this movie a 7/10. And I say you should definitely check it out, especially if you are a fan of the Child's Play movies.
Gareth von Kallenbach (962 KP) rated Bullet Train (2022) in Movies
Aug 6, 2022
I first got an extended look at “Bullet Train” during Cinemacon when a reel of the film was shown during the Sony showcase to an enthusiastic crowd. The footage mixed action and humor with quirky and dysfunctional characters and became a must-see film for me based on the teased footage.
The film is based on a book by Kotaro Isaka and stars Brad Pitt as an operative named Ladybug. He is called at the last minute as a replacement and given instructions to board a Bullet Train and snatch a case in one of the passenger areas before exiting at the next station.
Having gone through a recent crisis, Ladybug is awash in various philosophical and new age ideas as he attempts to find his inner peace and a new path in life, as such he does not take a gun with him when he boards despite being instructed to do so by his handler.
The train is filled with various killers and dangerous people who are there to accomplish various goals and most of whom fail frequently in violent and hysterical manners which further complicate their agendas as well as that of the others and often puts them into conflict with one another as the story unfolds.
It would be difficult to go into further detail on the various characters without spoiling some of the reveals and twists along the way but suffice it to say that Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry as Tangerine and Lemon are great and their banter, as well as capers, is a frequent highlight.
There are some surprise cameos in the film which add to the fun and Joey King is as great as perhaps one of the more complicated characters in the film. Pitt is clearly the star but the film allows him as well as his supporting cast plenty of moments to shine and the humor flies fast and frequent as does the action which creates a very engaging and stylistic hybrid of western and Asian cinema.
The film does drag slightly late before leading to the finale but thanks to the great cast and action it comes through in the end.
Director David Leitch has worked on films such as “Deadpool 2”, “Atomic Blonde”, and “John Wick: and you can see that he has a knack for directing action and comedy as this is a very fun and engaging film that has some great action and humor and one that you will not want to miss.
4 stars out of 5.
The film is based on a book by Kotaro Isaka and stars Brad Pitt as an operative named Ladybug. He is called at the last minute as a replacement and given instructions to board a Bullet Train and snatch a case in one of the passenger areas before exiting at the next station.
Having gone through a recent crisis, Ladybug is awash in various philosophical and new age ideas as he attempts to find his inner peace and a new path in life, as such he does not take a gun with him when he boards despite being instructed to do so by his handler.
The train is filled with various killers and dangerous people who are there to accomplish various goals and most of whom fail frequently in violent and hysterical manners which further complicate their agendas as well as that of the others and often puts them into conflict with one another as the story unfolds.
It would be difficult to go into further detail on the various characters without spoiling some of the reveals and twists along the way but suffice it to say that Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry as Tangerine and Lemon are great and their banter, as well as capers, is a frequent highlight.
There are some surprise cameos in the film which add to the fun and Joey King is as great as perhaps one of the more complicated characters in the film. Pitt is clearly the star but the film allows him as well as his supporting cast plenty of moments to shine and the humor flies fast and frequent as does the action which creates a very engaging and stylistic hybrid of western and Asian cinema.
The film does drag slightly late before leading to the finale but thanks to the great cast and action it comes through in the end.
Director David Leitch has worked on films such as “Deadpool 2”, “Atomic Blonde”, and “John Wick: and you can see that he has a knack for directing action and comedy as this is a very fun and engaging film that has some great action and humor and one that you will not want to miss.
4 stars out of 5.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
Jul 3, 2020
Amazingly Spectacular Again - 9/10
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a computer animated superhero film based off of the Spider-Man comics and movie franchise focusing on the Miles Morales/Spider-Man. Produced by Colombia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, it's set in a shared multiverse, which has alternate universes, called, the "Spider-Verse". The movie was directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman from a screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman and story by Phil Lord. Starring Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfield, and Mahershala Ali.
Miles Morales, (Shameik Moore) is a normal regular teenager from Brooklyn, whose parents, police officer Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry) and nurse Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Velez); have enrolled him in a new school. He visits his estranged Uncle Aaron Davis (Mahershala Ali) to vent and deal with pressures of living up to his parents expectations and making friends at a new school. His Uncle Aaron takes him to blow off steam to an abandoned subway station where he can paint graffiti and Miles is unknowingly bitten by "the Spider-Man" spider. After discovering his new powers, he returns to the subway searching for the spider and uncovers a secret lab where Spider-Man is in battle with the Green Goblin and the Prowler. Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin, is using the lab to test a particle accelerator which Spider-Man says could destroy the city. During the battle Spider-Man finds Miles hiding and entrusts him with a USB drive, when things don't go as planned. And that's just the beginning.
This movie is a must see. If you haven't seen this movie you are definitely missing out. My only complaints would be some of the Spider-Man felt unnecessary; also the style of movie was very dynamic and hard to adjust to, particularly the opening/intro. Once you get past that it's totally fine. The writers created a clear and captivating plot that truly encompasses the struggle of the "Spider-Man" character; such as dealing with normal problems like school, girls, parents, and hero problems like adjusting to powers, bad guys, and saving the city. This movie was rated PG so was made for kids but has a message and themes where it can be enjoyed by all ages and doesn't feel like a kid movie. This movie has quite a few entertaining characters including some of the alternate version spider men like, Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfield), Peter Porker/Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), and Peter Parker/Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage). Although light hearted and funny, this movie definitely touched on more serious issues like loss, death, betrayal, responsibility and finding one's self. Probably the best Spider-Man movie, undoubtedly the best since Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man. I give it a 9/10.
Miles Morales, (Shameik Moore) is a normal regular teenager from Brooklyn, whose parents, police officer Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry) and nurse Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Velez); have enrolled him in a new school. He visits his estranged Uncle Aaron Davis (Mahershala Ali) to vent and deal with pressures of living up to his parents expectations and making friends at a new school. His Uncle Aaron takes him to blow off steam to an abandoned subway station where he can paint graffiti and Miles is unknowingly bitten by "the Spider-Man" spider. After discovering his new powers, he returns to the subway searching for the spider and uncovers a secret lab where Spider-Man is in battle with the Green Goblin and the Prowler. Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin, is using the lab to test a particle accelerator which Spider-Man says could destroy the city. During the battle Spider-Man finds Miles hiding and entrusts him with a USB drive, when things don't go as planned. And that's just the beginning.
This movie is a must see. If you haven't seen this movie you are definitely missing out. My only complaints would be some of the Spider-Man felt unnecessary; also the style of movie was very dynamic and hard to adjust to, particularly the opening/intro. Once you get past that it's totally fine. The writers created a clear and captivating plot that truly encompasses the struggle of the "Spider-Man" character; such as dealing with normal problems like school, girls, parents, and hero problems like adjusting to powers, bad guys, and saving the city. This movie was rated PG so was made for kids but has a message and themes where it can be enjoyed by all ages and doesn't feel like a kid movie. This movie has quite a few entertaining characters including some of the alternate version spider men like, Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfield), Peter Porker/Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), and Peter Parker/Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage). Although light hearted and funny, this movie definitely touched on more serious issues like loss, death, betrayal, responsibility and finding one's self. Probably the best Spider-Man movie, undoubtedly the best since Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man. I give it a 9/10.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Woman in the Window (2021) in Movies
May 24, 2021
It is NOT Rear Window
A piece of advice for you when you start to watch the “Alfred Hitchcock-esque” thriller, THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. If you are at all a Hitchcock fan, you will be spending the first part of this film comparing it to the 1954 classic REAR WINDOW and this would be a disservice to this film.
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Eternals (2021) in Movies
Nov 5, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
Fair warning - I'm going to be briefly discussing some major spoilers down below...
Straight up, Eternals is extremely close to being a perfect movie (in my opinion of course, I understand that it's proving to be divisive).
For starters, the narrative is wonderfully crafted. As expected, it jumps all over different time periods, from anywhere between 5000 BC to present day, and manages to not feel jarring. It's pacing is a little slow within the first half an hour or so, but it's forgivable considering the whole host of new faces being introduced. It's impressive then, that each character gets a decent amount of development, you know exactly what everyone is about in a pretty swift manor. The bonds that these characters share make for some genuinely emotional moments throughout a film that frequently feels like an odyssey.
The cast is solid as hell. Gemma Chan is the closest to a lead character, and she's great as always. LAST SPOILER WARNING Richard Madden manages to be a suitable leader, and then ruthless, convincing, and cold when he takes a more villanous turn. Gave me some semi Homelander vibes. It's wonderful to see the likes of Ma Dong-Seok and Lauren Ridloff make the jump into blockbuster territory. Barry Keoghan continues to be generally awesome in everything he's in. Brian Tyree Henry, Lia McHugh, and Kumail Nanjiani are all great as well, and the heavy hitters, Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek, are left shy of the spotlight but still feel important. I was surprised to see Bill Skarsgård's name during the credits and can't help but feel he was a little wasted as CGI villain Kro. I would have liked to have seen more of Kit Harrington but I understand that he essentially a big tease for future projects (forever keeping my fingers crossed for a Midnight Sons movie...)
It's important to celebrate how visually breathtaking Eternals is from start to finish. There are of course some familiar Marvel aesthetics here and there, but Chloé Zhao has really laid down her own stamp. Even the fight scenes look unique, the Eternals powers always looking elegant. The climactic showdown is a particular highlight. This is all complimented by what is arguably the best music score in the MCU yet, with Game of Thrones veteran Ramin Djawadi coming through with something truly special.
In terms of wider MCU connection, Eternals very much feels like it's own thing, which works well with its unique feel. I am excited however to see some of these characters interact with other properties in the future. The proper introduction of Celestials is an exciting prospect, and that one shot near the end (you know the one), shows that technology is ready for the likes of Galactus to show up in the near future.
Eternals is yet another bold step for the MCU in a new phase. A movie with a hell of an ambitious scope that manages to stick the landing. I entered the cinema with slight trepidation due to it's early critical reception, and I left thinking that it's one of the best MCU entries so far, and I continue to be hyped for the future of the franchise.
Straight up, Eternals is extremely close to being a perfect movie (in my opinion of course, I understand that it's proving to be divisive).
For starters, the narrative is wonderfully crafted. As expected, it jumps all over different time periods, from anywhere between 5000 BC to present day, and manages to not feel jarring. It's pacing is a little slow within the first half an hour or so, but it's forgivable considering the whole host of new faces being introduced. It's impressive then, that each character gets a decent amount of development, you know exactly what everyone is about in a pretty swift manor. The bonds that these characters share make for some genuinely emotional moments throughout a film that frequently feels like an odyssey.
The cast is solid as hell. Gemma Chan is the closest to a lead character, and she's great as always. LAST SPOILER WARNING Richard Madden manages to be a suitable leader, and then ruthless, convincing, and cold when he takes a more villanous turn. Gave me some semi Homelander vibes. It's wonderful to see the likes of Ma Dong-Seok and Lauren Ridloff make the jump into blockbuster territory. Barry Keoghan continues to be generally awesome in everything he's in. Brian Tyree Henry, Lia McHugh, and Kumail Nanjiani are all great as well, and the heavy hitters, Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek, are left shy of the spotlight but still feel important. I was surprised to see Bill Skarsgård's name during the credits and can't help but feel he was a little wasted as CGI villain Kro. I would have liked to have seen more of Kit Harrington but I understand that he essentially a big tease for future projects (forever keeping my fingers crossed for a Midnight Sons movie...)
It's important to celebrate how visually breathtaking Eternals is from start to finish. There are of course some familiar Marvel aesthetics here and there, but Chloé Zhao has really laid down her own stamp. Even the fight scenes look unique, the Eternals powers always looking elegant. The climactic showdown is a particular highlight. This is all complimented by what is arguably the best music score in the MCU yet, with Game of Thrones veteran Ramin Djawadi coming through with something truly special.
In terms of wider MCU connection, Eternals very much feels like it's own thing, which works well with its unique feel. I am excited however to see some of these characters interact with other properties in the future. The proper introduction of Celestials is an exciting prospect, and that one shot near the end (you know the one), shows that technology is ready for the likes of Galactus to show up in the near future.
Eternals is yet another bold step for the MCU in a new phase. A movie with a hell of an ambitious scope that manages to stick the landing. I entered the cinema with slight trepidation due to it's early critical reception, and I left thinking that it's one of the best MCU entries so far, and I continue to be hyped for the future of the franchise.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Bullet Train (2022) in Movies
Aug 10, 2022
Ultra-Violent...and a TON of Fun!
Early conversations surrounding the new Brad Pitt action flick BULLET TRAIN label this film as “Ultra-Violent”.
They say this as if it is a bad thing.
Directed by David Leitch (DEADPOOL 2) with a screenplay by Zak Olkewicz (FEAR STREET: PART TWO) and based on the book Kotaro Isaka, BULLET TRAIN is (no arguing here) an Ultra-Violent action flick in every sense of the term, set on the famed titular Japanese Bullet Train and follows an operative by the codename Ladybug (played by Pitt who you know from such gentle fair as FIGHT CLUB and INGLORIOUS BASTERDS) who’s easy “snatch and grab” job is nothing easy thanks to the appearance of various other nefarious individuals who also are looking for that case.
Following in the footsteps of such similarily-violent flicks as NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRAINING DAY, FARGO and just about anything Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Director Leitch uses the violence, mayhem and bloodshed to ADD to the story (which all of the aforementioned films also did with great affect) and not “just” to be violent. And that’s an important distinction here. If the ultra-violence is fun and important to moving the story and plot along (and not just there to be gratuitous), then the movie can succeed quite well - and this one does.
What also makes these types of movies succeed is the plotting - which is sharp by writer Okewicz - and the twists and turns that you do not see coming - but make sense along the way (and will reward the viewer upon repeated viewing) and Bullet Train does this as well. It is a smartly made film that is crisply directed with some terrific action sequences (though, if I’m being fair, at times the CGI is not as good as it could/should be), but it is entertaining as all get out.
Leading us through this mayhem is the always charming and charismatic Pitt who parlays the “goofball” personae of a person in just a little over his head but comes out on top due to luck (or skill) - you be the judge. Pitt is the perfect performer for the audience to become invested in as he is the one that you need to be rooting for throughout - and you do from just about the beginning.
Leitch, wisely then, surrounded Pitt with some terrific character actors in this venture. From Aaron Taylor-Johnson (KICK-ASS) to Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) to Joey King (THE CONJURING) to the always terrific Hiroyuki Sanada (MORTAL COMBAT) and a host of others who do extended cameos - and to name them would be to spoil the fun of them. They all understand what type of film they are in and all seem to be having a good time going along with it all.
And why not? Bullet Train is a delight in the cinema - for those of you who like action and violence that is pretty spectacular and over the top. It is a heckuva lotta fun.
Letter Grade: A-
8 Stars (Out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
They say this as if it is a bad thing.
Directed by David Leitch (DEADPOOL 2) with a screenplay by Zak Olkewicz (FEAR STREET: PART TWO) and based on the book Kotaro Isaka, BULLET TRAIN is (no arguing here) an Ultra-Violent action flick in every sense of the term, set on the famed titular Japanese Bullet Train and follows an operative by the codename Ladybug (played by Pitt who you know from such gentle fair as FIGHT CLUB and INGLORIOUS BASTERDS) who’s easy “snatch and grab” job is nothing easy thanks to the appearance of various other nefarious individuals who also are looking for that case.
Following in the footsteps of such similarily-violent flicks as NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRAINING DAY, FARGO and just about anything Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Director Leitch uses the violence, mayhem and bloodshed to ADD to the story (which all of the aforementioned films also did with great affect) and not “just” to be violent. And that’s an important distinction here. If the ultra-violence is fun and important to moving the story and plot along (and not just there to be gratuitous), then the movie can succeed quite well - and this one does.
What also makes these types of movies succeed is the plotting - which is sharp by writer Okewicz - and the twists and turns that you do not see coming - but make sense along the way (and will reward the viewer upon repeated viewing) and Bullet Train does this as well. It is a smartly made film that is crisply directed with some terrific action sequences (though, if I’m being fair, at times the CGI is not as good as it could/should be), but it is entertaining as all get out.
Leading us through this mayhem is the always charming and charismatic Pitt who parlays the “goofball” personae of a person in just a little over his head but comes out on top due to luck (or skill) - you be the judge. Pitt is the perfect performer for the audience to become invested in as he is the one that you need to be rooting for throughout - and you do from just about the beginning.
Leitch, wisely then, surrounded Pitt with some terrific character actors in this venture. From Aaron Taylor-Johnson (KICK-ASS) to Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) to Joey King (THE CONJURING) to the always terrific Hiroyuki Sanada (MORTAL COMBAT) and a host of others who do extended cameos - and to name them would be to spoil the fun of them. They all understand what type of film they are in and all seem to be having a good time going along with it all.
And why not? Bullet Train is a delight in the cinema - for those of you who like action and violence that is pretty spectacular and over the top. It is a heckuva lotta fun.
Letter Grade: A-
8 Stars (Out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) in Movies
Jun 8, 2023
A Feast for the Eyes and the Heart
In 2018, Producer/Writers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (THE LEGO MOVIE) presented the animated film SPIDER-MAN INTO THE SPIDERVERSE to unsuspecting audiences and this film burst onto the scene - and into our senses - with a visual cornucopia of comic-book styles that ushered in a new way to present a comic-book movie. In this film, multiple Spider-Mans from different “SpiderVerses” came to the home universe of the lead Spiderman (in this Universe, Spiderman is NOT Peter Parker, but rather Miles Morales), and they kept the comic book styles of their own universes while in the home universe of Miles.
Get it? If not, hang onto your hats, for these two just took it to a whole new level.
In SPIDER-MAN ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, our hero, Miles Morales (voiced again by Shameik Moore) leaves his home universe and travels TO multiple other Spider-verses with multiple other animated styles - as well as meeting a plethora of other Spider-folk.
The result of this is a visual feast that should be seen on the big screen. The artistry at work here is “next level” as the differing styles blend seamlessly with each other without becoming head-ache inducing. It is a master class of “Going for it” but wisely knowing how to “not go too far” and the filmmakers of this animated gem thread that the needle expertly.
But…that isn’t the best part of this film.
There is an underlying storyline that sets Miles off on his adventure and this part of the film is built upon relationships, love, duty and devotion. This film delves deeper into Miles’ relationship with his parents (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, off of his Oscar Nominated role in CAUSEWAY and Luna Lauren Velez best known as Lt. LaGuerta on DEXTER) and this gives the film some heart.
But…that isn’t the best part of the film.
The best part of this film is Miles’ relationship with another Spider-person, Spider Gwen (Stacy) - voiced by Hailee Steinfeld (THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN), this film wisely (there’s that word again) decide to have 1/2 of this film shown from her perspective and the depth of performance of love, loss and longing from Steinfeld is surprisingly deep and moving for an animated film and it is THIS relationship that really cements this film as something special.
Oh…and did I fail to mention the wonderful voice work by Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya and Oscar Isaac (amongst many, many others)? They all brought their “A” game to what is a tremendous movie going experience.
One does not need to see the first SPIDERVERSE film to enjoy this one - but it does help and one very much will need to see this film to enjoy the NEXT one (the 3rd film of the trilogy, SPIDER-MAN BEYOND THE SPIDERVERSE is set to be released next year), so if one is going to invest in these films, one should probably go “all-in”.
The filmmakers certainly did that - and the audience is the winner for their efforts.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Get it? If not, hang onto your hats, for these two just took it to a whole new level.
In SPIDER-MAN ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, our hero, Miles Morales (voiced again by Shameik Moore) leaves his home universe and travels TO multiple other Spider-verses with multiple other animated styles - as well as meeting a plethora of other Spider-folk.
The result of this is a visual feast that should be seen on the big screen. The artistry at work here is “next level” as the differing styles blend seamlessly with each other without becoming head-ache inducing. It is a master class of “Going for it” but wisely knowing how to “not go too far” and the filmmakers of this animated gem thread that the needle expertly.
But…that isn’t the best part of this film.
There is an underlying storyline that sets Miles off on his adventure and this part of the film is built upon relationships, love, duty and devotion. This film delves deeper into Miles’ relationship with his parents (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, off of his Oscar Nominated role in CAUSEWAY and Luna Lauren Velez best known as Lt. LaGuerta on DEXTER) and this gives the film some heart.
But…that isn’t the best part of the film.
The best part of this film is Miles’ relationship with another Spider-person, Spider Gwen (Stacy) - voiced by Hailee Steinfeld (THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN), this film wisely (there’s that word again) decide to have 1/2 of this film shown from her perspective and the depth of performance of love, loss and longing from Steinfeld is surprisingly deep and moving for an animated film and it is THIS relationship that really cements this film as something special.
Oh…and did I fail to mention the wonderful voice work by Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya and Oscar Isaac (amongst many, many others)? They all brought their “A” game to what is a tremendous movie going experience.
One does not need to see the first SPIDERVERSE film to enjoy this one - but it does help and one very much will need to see this film to enjoy the NEXT one (the 3rd film of the trilogy, SPIDER-MAN BEYOND THE SPIDERVERSE is set to be released next year), so if one is going to invest in these films, one should probably go “all-in”.
The filmmakers certainly did that - and the audience is the winner for their efforts.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Hotel Artemis (2018) in Movies
Feb 10, 2019
Not as interesting as it wanted to be
On my airplane ride from Mpls to San Diego I was able to catch up with gritty, action-noir thriller BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE and was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it. So, I was excited to see that another gritty,, action-noir film, HOTEL ARTEMIS was showing on the flight back.
Well...HOTEL ARTEMIS is no EL ROYALE and maybe that's not fair to Artemis, for I was constantly comparing the two films, so let me see if I can separate the 2 and hold HOTEL ARTEMIS up to it's own scrutiny.
Telling the tale of a JOHN WICK-type world where - instead of a safehouse Hotel for crooks, the HOTEL ARTEMIS is a safehouse HOSPITAL for crooks where the rules are that the crooks cannot hurt each other on the premises. When a riot breaks out in downtown Los Angeles, the rules go out the window and mayhem - and violence - ensue.
Well...this film is no JOHN WICK either. Oh shoot, I've done it again. I've compared this film to another film.
And that's the problem with HOTEL ARTEMIS, it treads ground that has been trod better - and with more style - before. So this film, no matter how well intention-ed, falls short in originality, style and substance. I was still entertained, but not as entertained as I was by JOHN WICK or EL ROYALE.
Jodie Foster (in her first acting role since 2013's ELYSIUM) stars as the person who runs the Artemis. She has a mysterious background (of course) and runs the Artemis with an emotional-less efficiency. Her performance is quirky and interesting and almost holds the film together - almost. She is joined by Sterling K. Brown, Charlie Day, Brian Tyree Henry and Sofia Boutella as patients in the Hotel - none of which were interesting or unusual. They all were playing variants of the characters they usually play, almost as if Director/Writer Drew Pearce said "Get my a Charlie Day-type and a Sterling K. Brown-type", and the Casting Director thought they "scored" by getting the original person - each of whom looks like they are coasting through this film at about 70% output.
Only Dave Bautista shines as the "Health Care Professional" who works with Foster. He brings an interesting charisma to his character and was almost the high point in the film.
Almost. All of the performances pale in comparison to the Mob Boss who shows up about 2/3 of the way through the film. This character is talked about in reverential and scary terms throughout the film. The build-up was huge for this character and I was prepared for the inevitable let down when the mob boss finally shows up, but when the elevator door opens up and I saw that is was Jeff Goldblum in "full Goldblum" mode, I was thrilled and he did not disappoint. He commanded the screen at a time that the film was getting tiresome and he wound up the characters, the energy of the film and the action to help it ride to its inevitable, bloody conclusion.
Ultimately, Pearce delivered a solid B- film, one that has moments of quirk and interest, but set against a backdrop - and supporting actors - that are subdued and not memorable. This is a cardinal sin for this kind of film, instead of subduing those parts, Pearce needed to enhance those and he just plainly did not.
If you want to see a good, stylized, gritty action film, with interesting locales and supporting players, check out JOHN WICK or BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE. If you've seen these, HOTEL ARTEMIS is fine, but the other two do it better.
Letter Grade: B-
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Well...HOTEL ARTEMIS is no EL ROYALE and maybe that's not fair to Artemis, for I was constantly comparing the two films, so let me see if I can separate the 2 and hold HOTEL ARTEMIS up to it's own scrutiny.
Telling the tale of a JOHN WICK-type world where - instead of a safehouse Hotel for crooks, the HOTEL ARTEMIS is a safehouse HOSPITAL for crooks where the rules are that the crooks cannot hurt each other on the premises. When a riot breaks out in downtown Los Angeles, the rules go out the window and mayhem - and violence - ensue.
Well...this film is no JOHN WICK either. Oh shoot, I've done it again. I've compared this film to another film.
And that's the problem with HOTEL ARTEMIS, it treads ground that has been trod better - and with more style - before. So this film, no matter how well intention-ed, falls short in originality, style and substance. I was still entertained, but not as entertained as I was by JOHN WICK or EL ROYALE.
Jodie Foster (in her first acting role since 2013's ELYSIUM) stars as the person who runs the Artemis. She has a mysterious background (of course) and runs the Artemis with an emotional-less efficiency. Her performance is quirky and interesting and almost holds the film together - almost. She is joined by Sterling K. Brown, Charlie Day, Brian Tyree Henry and Sofia Boutella as patients in the Hotel - none of which were interesting or unusual. They all were playing variants of the characters they usually play, almost as if Director/Writer Drew Pearce said "Get my a Charlie Day-type and a Sterling K. Brown-type", and the Casting Director thought they "scored" by getting the original person - each of whom looks like they are coasting through this film at about 70% output.
Only Dave Bautista shines as the "Health Care Professional" who works with Foster. He brings an interesting charisma to his character and was almost the high point in the film.
Almost. All of the performances pale in comparison to the Mob Boss who shows up about 2/3 of the way through the film. This character is talked about in reverential and scary terms throughout the film. The build-up was huge for this character and I was prepared for the inevitable let down when the mob boss finally shows up, but when the elevator door opens up and I saw that is was Jeff Goldblum in "full Goldblum" mode, I was thrilled and he did not disappoint. He commanded the screen at a time that the film was getting tiresome and he wound up the characters, the energy of the film and the action to help it ride to its inevitable, bloody conclusion.
Ultimately, Pearce delivered a solid B- film, one that has moments of quirk and interest, but set against a backdrop - and supporting actors - that are subdued and not memorable. This is a cardinal sin for this kind of film, instead of subduing those parts, Pearce needed to enhance those and he just plainly did not.
If you want to see a good, stylized, gritty action film, with interesting locales and supporting players, check out JOHN WICK or BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE. If you've seen these, HOTEL ARTEMIS is fine, but the other two do it better.
Letter Grade: B-
6 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Darren (1599 KP) rated Child's Play (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019
Thoughts on Child’s Play
Characters – Andy is a young teenager that has just moved to a new city with his mother, he hasn’t made any friends, turning to his phone to keep him busy, he does have a hearing aid, but it is never clear how bad his hearing is, he gets a Buddi doll that will keep him company as he starts to become friends with the doll. Once he learns of the evil inside the doll, he does all he can to make sure his loved ones are safe, as he starts to make friends away from the doll, he never seems to go to school though. Karen is the single mother that is working double shifts to keep Andy happy, she starts dating a new man, which doesn’t please Andy and does all she can to put Andy first when things start getting out of hand. Chucky is the Buddi doll that has been unleashed from his safety restrictions, he is constantly learning from watching people, which brings out his violent side, which will see him going on a killing spree targeting anyone that hurts or tries to replace him as a friend to Andy. Detective Norris visits the apartment building where his mother lives for dinner once a week, he does notice Andy around the apartment building making sure he is safe.
Performances – Aubrey Plaza as the single mother is strong in her role, she does bring added character to a character that could have come off plain. Gabriel Bateman is great too because he shows us the isolation that he is going through during the film. Mark Hamill does voice the character of Chucky well giving us an entertaining character that get plenty of laughs. Brian Tyree Henry does bring comedy to his role, which is usually a more uptight figure in the film.
Story – The story here follows a boy that given a Buddi doll which soon starts to go on a killing rampage after learning from the technology around him. I do have conflicting feelings about this story, on one side I am disappointed we have scrapped the serial killer trying to get his soul into another body, which I feel is the main part of the franchise. On the positive side we do get to dive into the world where people are letting themselves are being controlled by technology, connecting everything to one source where an error could break everything. seeing Chucky learn is interesting to see too because we see how he processing each clip, line and environmental side of the world. it does borrow from a lot of different films from the past which can be picked up on. This des come off very fun, only it could have been its own new doll instead of just using Chucky showing the lack of originality coming out of the Hollywood.
Horror – The horror in the film is mostly slasher material, we see Chucky getting kills with plenty of blood splatter, with some original kills along the way.
Settings – The film keeps the settings looking very similar with the apartment building showing how hard up the family is, the department store does bring us a great showdown location too.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are strong with the Chucky doll being both creepy and moving in a robotic motion which seems nature.
Scene of the Movie – Chucky has a present for Andy.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – No Serial Killer side.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun horror that does get laughs and blood splatter, it does frustrate though by having to use the Chucky doll for what is a completely original idea.
Overall: Blood Splattering fun.
Characters – Andy is a young teenager that has just moved to a new city with his mother, he hasn’t made any friends, turning to his phone to keep him busy, he does have a hearing aid, but it is never clear how bad his hearing is, he gets a Buddi doll that will keep him company as he starts to become friends with the doll. Once he learns of the evil inside the doll, he does all he can to make sure his loved ones are safe, as he starts to make friends away from the doll, he never seems to go to school though. Karen is the single mother that is working double shifts to keep Andy happy, she starts dating a new man, which doesn’t please Andy and does all she can to put Andy first when things start getting out of hand. Chucky is the Buddi doll that has been unleashed from his safety restrictions, he is constantly learning from watching people, which brings out his violent side, which will see him going on a killing spree targeting anyone that hurts or tries to replace him as a friend to Andy. Detective Norris visits the apartment building where his mother lives for dinner once a week, he does notice Andy around the apartment building making sure he is safe.
Performances – Aubrey Plaza as the single mother is strong in her role, she does bring added character to a character that could have come off plain. Gabriel Bateman is great too because he shows us the isolation that he is going through during the film. Mark Hamill does voice the character of Chucky well giving us an entertaining character that get plenty of laughs. Brian Tyree Henry does bring comedy to his role, which is usually a more uptight figure in the film.
Story – The story here follows a boy that given a Buddi doll which soon starts to go on a killing rampage after learning from the technology around him. I do have conflicting feelings about this story, on one side I am disappointed we have scrapped the serial killer trying to get his soul into another body, which I feel is the main part of the franchise. On the positive side we do get to dive into the world where people are letting themselves are being controlled by technology, connecting everything to one source where an error could break everything. seeing Chucky learn is interesting to see too because we see how he processing each clip, line and environmental side of the world. it does borrow from a lot of different films from the past which can be picked up on. This des come off very fun, only it could have been its own new doll instead of just using Chucky showing the lack of originality coming out of the Hollywood.
Horror – The horror in the film is mostly slasher material, we see Chucky getting kills with plenty of blood splatter, with some original kills along the way.
Settings – The film keeps the settings looking very similar with the apartment building showing how hard up the family is, the department store does bring us a great showdown location too.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are strong with the Chucky doll being both creepy and moving in a robotic motion which seems nature.
Scene of the Movie – Chucky has a present for Andy.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – No Serial Killer side.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun horror that does get laughs and blood splatter, it does frustrate though by having to use the Chucky doll for what is a completely original idea.
Overall: Blood Splattering fun.