Author: FilmNerd

Blood Diner (1987)

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As I mentioned in my review of Evil Dead II, horror-comedies can be a tricky balance, where sometimes they stray a bit too far into either direction. That being said, the 1980’s seemed to be a great time for horror-comedies given the number of them that came out. Films like An American Werewolf in London, Gremlins, and Ghostbusters have gone on to become certified classics. Then, there are films like Student Bodies, Night of the Creeps, and TerrorVision that, while not as popular, still have become cult favorites. One that is often overlooked that deserves more attention is a little gem from 1987 called Blood Diner. Originally conceived as a pseudo-sequel to the 1963 splatter film Blood Feast, Blood Diner is so outrageous and so over-the-top that once you see it, you’ll never be able to forget it.

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We follow two brothers, Georgie and Mikey, who witness their Uncle Anwar (Drew Godderis) being gunned by cops as children. Years later, the two grow up to start their own restaurant. However, it turns out the brothers are cannibals who are serving human meat to their customers disguised as health food. Georgie (Carl Crew) works as the chef, while Mikey (Rick Burks) works the floor. While Georgie is very socially awkward and neurotic, Mikey is very charismatic and a bit of a ladies man. One night, the brothers dig up their uncle’s grave to retrieve his brain and bring it back to life. Once restored, their uncle tells them to prepare a blood buffet and a body to resurrect the goddess Sheetar. The brothers go about killing various women and taking their body parts. Meanwhile, officers Mark Shepard (Roger Dauer) and Sheba Jackson (LaNette La France) are on the trail.

To say that this film is pretty silly would be massively underselling it. This movie is flat-out ridiculous from beginning to end. Between the brain resurrection, the brothers serving human flesh to customers, and them trying to summon an ancient goddess, this is one crazy flick. What makes the movie work especially well are the brothers and the chemistry they have together. Carl Crew plays George with such manic energy and off-the-wall ferocity that it’s fun to see just how crazy he gets. One highlight is when he goes into the ring to fight famed wrestler Jimmy Hitler (yes, seriously). Rick Burks as Mikey, on the other hand, has such a suave charm and personality that you buy how he can have such an effect on women. While not as memorable as Carl Crew, Rick Burks is still fun to watch and he helps balance out Crew’s insanity.

The rest of the cast is also enjoyable, especially Roger Dauer and LaNette La France as Officers Shepard and Jackson. They work well off each other, between Dauer’s blatant chauvinism and La France’s badass take-no-crap attitude. Drew Godderis, though his screen time is limited, is pretty memorable as Uncle Anwar. When he’s on screen, he’s insanely creepy and has a menacing presence to him. When it’s him as the voice of the brain, he’s very funny and sarcastic, especially when he insults his nephews. The movie has so many crazy and memorable moments that I can’t list them all since it would take some of the fun out of discovering it for yourself. Suffice it to say, this movie has topless aerobics, a naked kung-fu chick, zombies, and a stomach vagina that eats people. If none of that entices you, I don’t know what will.

What might be surprising is that the film was directed by a woman, specifically Jackie Kong. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have many directing credits to her name. Including this, she also directed The Being, Night Patrol, and The Under Achievers. Even with a small body of work, her direction is impressive here, and it’s unfortunate she hasn’t done much else. Also, I’d be remiss without mentioning that Rick Burks died two years after the movie in a car accident. While primarily a musician, he still gave a solid performance, and it’s sad what happened to him. Still, the cast and crew have nothing but nice things to say and tell stories about how great he was. Overall, Blood Diner is a true gem in the horror-comedy genre that more people should be made aware of.

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July 31, 2018
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”2_3,1_3″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Regardless of how you may feel about Tom Cruise, you can’t deny his star power. Having made it big with 80s hits Risky Business and Top Gun, Cruise has become one of the biggest actors today. Why else would 2017’s The Mummy be such a big hit in China? Regardless, he is still beloved for his charming personality, boundless energy, and willingness to do tons of crazy stunts. Since the mid-90s, Cruise has enjoyed a lot of success thanks to the Mission: Impossible franchise. In spite of the franchise’s fluctuating quality, it’s still a very popular and profitable franchise. Fast forward to 2018, 22 years since Brian De Palma (Sisters) crafted the original spy thriller. The sixth film in the franchise, Mission: Impossible – Fallout reunites much of the cast we’re used to, as well as some new ones, to bring us one of the most action-packed spectacles of the year.
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Synopsis

Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is tasked with retrieving three plutonium cores before a terrorist group called The Apostles get them. This group plans on using them to create nuclear weapons to, as they put it, tear down the old world. Hunt brings in his regular teammates, Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg), but he is also assigned a new team member, CIA agent Walker (Henry Cavill). He’s been assigned to keep an eye on Hunt and his team after a mission gone wrong. Along the way, they also run into former MI6 agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who may or may not be on Hunt’s side. In the midst of this is anarchist Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) who has a personal vendetta against Hunt. What follows are car chases, motorcycle chases, on-foot chases, and a helicopter fight as our heroes race against time to save the world once again.

Review

Compared to the many other action films this year, this one gives many of those a run for their money. Everything in this movie works so well. For one, Cruise is awesome as always and proves why he’s still a force to be reckoned with. Half of the fun of this movie is just seeing all the crazy stunts he performs. Plus, it’s great seeing him, Rhames, and Pegg working off each other and having a good time. You really get a sense of the camaraderie these guys have given their history together. Cavill is also memorable as a tall and broad-shouldered guy who can easily go toe-to-toe with Cruise. Ferguson is also great as a conflicted agent torn between her feelings for Hunt and her mission. Another stand-out is Vanessa Kirby as The White Widow, who has a very femme fatale quality, but also has great comedic timing.

What can really make or break a movie like this are the action sequences, and this does not disappoint. The movie is filled with tons of intense action set-pieces that are well-filmed and well-choreographed. As mentioned earlier, many of the stunts on display here are real. For instance, Cruise really does pilot a helicopter, run for miles across rooftops, and drive a motorcycle through traffic. It’s just amazing to see how they top themselves between movies. But of course, the action sequences don’t really matter unless you like the characters or the story isn’t interesting. Like I said before, the acting is phenomenal across the board, and there is so much going on that you’re never bored. The plot will make you guess and question what’s happening, but not in a way that leaves you confused. If you’re smart and pay attention, you’ll be able to follow along just fine.

Normally, this is where I’d get into the negatives I have with the movie. Thing is, unless something comes to me, I really can’t think of anything wrong with this movie. I guess maybe some of the villains aren’t very well-developed and maybe the plot is a bit convoluted. Honestly, many of those are nitpicks that absolutely do not take anything away from this movie. This is still a really fun, exciting, and intense action spy thriller. Even if you’ve never seen the previous films, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is still one of the best action movies in years, and it reminds us how to properly do big summer blockbusters.

Buy Mission: Impossible – Fallout from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4oFFILe.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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Where to watch Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

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July 27, 2018
Cherry 2000 (1987)

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”2_3,1_3″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]In 1987, Orion Pictures released the sci-fi action classic film Robocop. However, that same year, there was another sci-fi action movie they released called Cherry 2000. Directed by Steve De Jarnatt, who previously wrote Strange Brew, this film has an interesting history. For years, he was trying to get his pet project Miracle Mile off the ground. Around this time, he was given the script for Cherry 2000 from Orion after they were having trouble finding a director. After some things fell through, he decided to take the script and work on the film. It was filmed in 1985 and was supposed to come out in ’86, but for whatever reason, it only got a theatrical release in Europe. It wasn’t until ’88 when the film was released direct-to-video in the US. The film has since developed a cult following, so let’s see why people are devoted to Cherry 2000.
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Synopsis

Set in the far future of 2017, the film features David Andrews as Sam Treadwell, a mild-mannered businessman living with his wife Cherry. Played by the late Pamela Gidley, Cherry is actually a robot, and she ends up shorting out during a make-out session involving dish suds and bubbles. He tries taking her in for repairs, but unfortunately the repairman says that the Cherry 2000 model is no longer being manufactured anymore. However, the repairman tells him that there are leftover Cherry 2000’s in Zone 7, which is a lawless area full of dangerous bandits and scoundrels. Treadwell decides to take the chance and he hires a tracker named E. Johnson, played by Melanie Griffith. While making their way through the zone, they run into gang leader Lester (Tim Thomerson). Turns out he doesn’t take too kindly to trackers, and soon Treadwell and Johnson are on the run.

Review

One of the things that makes this movie work so well is the fantastic cast. David Andrews does a great job playing a mild-mannered working man whose world is changed once out of his home. When he leaves his futuristic city and is thrown into the desert, he sees what life is really like. Pamela Gidley, though her screen time is limited, is very stunning and fun as Cherry. The movie also has some great character actors in the mix. Some of note include Harry Carey Jr., Brion James, Ben Johnson, Tim Thomerson, and Robert Z’Dar. Thomerson, in particular, is very memorable as the eccentric Lester, who is very intense but also enjoyable to watch. Also noteworthy is Cameron Milzer as Sam’s ex-girlfriend Elaine who’s renamed to Ginger and is with Lester. She is very funny with great comedic timing and has some of the best lines in the movie.

The real stand-out, of course, is Melanie Griffith, despite what she may think of the movie. Not only is she stunningly gorgeous, but she is also an awesome badass here. She’s arguably more of the hero here than Sam is. She kills tons of guys, spouts out tons of one-liners, and does some pretty impressive car stunts. One particularly memorable one has her car dangling hundreds of feet in the air while being fired at with rocket launchers. The direction and set design are on-point, and the score from Basil Poledouris is excellent. The movie also has some relevant themes, such as the idea of love and relations being made a business. Plus, the idea of robots taking the place of real people for companionship and how robots can never replace a real human. Also, watch out for a small appearance by Laurence Fishburne.

If there are any issues I have here, one is the lack of chemistry between Andrews and Griffith. They work well as partners but not so much as love interests. Eventually, they warm up to each other, but it still feels a bit far-fetched that they’d end up together. Also, when they find the new Cherry 2000, she acts like a child, which is odd considering how the original acts like an adult. And while you do get a sense of the world the movie takes place in, the movie doesn’t really explore the world they created. Flaws aside, I still think this is a fun and entertaining gem that is worth a watch. With a great cast, fun action, and some relevant themes, Cherry 2000 is an underrated gem of a movie.

Buy Cherry 2000 from Amazon: https://amzn.to/47xjvsO.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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Where to watch Cherry 2000 (1987)

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July 26, 2018
The Apple (1980)

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After the massive success of Saturday Night Fever, various movies were made to capitalize on its success. Some of these included Thank God It’s Friday, Skatetown USA, and Roller Boogie. But then, there was Can’t Stop the Music, which bombed at the box office and led to the creation of the Razzies. Alongside it was Xanadu, which was a financial disappointment, but it has spawned a cult following. Around the same time, there was The Apple. Directed by Menahem Golan of The Cannon Group, this was to be his big hit. Golan planned on having this film be the next big thing, hoping that this would be his big break in the American film industry. Sadly, this wasn’t the case as the film was destroyed by critics and audiences. Overtime, it found its audience and now has a new appreciation. So what is it that makes The Apple so special?

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Set in the far-off (at the time) future of 1994, the film takes place in a world dominated by BIM. BIM, which stands for Boogalow International Music, is a major record label that more or less runs the world. At the Worldvision Song Festival, BIM is showcasing their two latest stars, Pandi and Dandi. Things change when a young couple, Alphie and Bibi, show up to perform. While hated at first, the crowd starts to love them. Mr. Boogalow ends up sabotaging them, but still wants to sign them for a contract. While Bibi agrees to sign, Alphie realizes this isn’t right and refuses. Unfortunately, Alphie is thrown out and living in a flophouse while Bibi is a major superstar. As time goes on, Bibi realizes how evil BIM is, and she manages to get out of the contract and reunites with Alphie at a hippy commune.

To say that this movie is crazy would only be scratching the surface of just how ludicrous this movie is. There are musical numbers almost every five minutes. It’s very colorful, it has elaborately designed costumes, and the set design is amazingly weird. Being the feature film debut of Catherine Mary Stewart, she’s pretty decent and really does come across as a young naive woman. While she does lip sync, it’s done so well that you actually believe she’s singing. George Gilmour who plays Alphie isn’t terrible, but it does feel like acting isn’t really for him. Grace Kennedy and Allan Love, who play Pandi and Dandi respectively, are a lot of fun to watch. Vladek Sheybal completely owns his role as Mr. Boogalow, and he’s clearly having a blast here. Also of note is Ray Shell as Boogalow’s assistant Snake, who is so wild and over-the-top, he is wonderful.

While I do love this movie, I can totally understand why people wouldn’t like the film. It’s very ridiculous, nonsensical, and very loud and bombastic. The movie is very weird, it’s out there, and it has one of the biggest deus ex machina endings ever. Audiences in 1980 were not very kind to this movie. At the premiere, guests were given free copies of the soundtrack, and they hated the movie so much, they started throwing the soundtracks at the screen. Golan was so distraught by how much hate the movie got, he almost jumped off a balcony to his death. Luckily, his business partner saved him, and he may have gone a bit too far, but it’s very understandable. Here was a movie he put his heart and soul into, and people are booing it and throwing things at the screen.

However, as time went on, a cult following started to develop and people started liking it. There are people who love it ironically, but there are those who legitimately love it. Personally, the movie is so much fun to watch that it’s hard for me to hate the movie. It’s so crazy, weird, and out there, but The Apple is the kind of movie that is too much fun to hate.

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July 23, 2018
8 Million Ways to Die (1986)

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After the release of Bonnie & Clyde, The Graduate, and Easy Rider, there was a major shift in filmmaking called the New Hollywood Movement. Throughout the 70s, many prominent directors made films that challenged social norms and taboos. Among those directors, including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Francis Ford Coppola, was Hal Ashby. Ashby was an editor on The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming and In the Heat of the Night. He then transitioned to directing his first film The Landlord in 1970. He also made other notable films like Harold & Maude, Shampoo, and Being There. While many directors went on to continued success in the 80s, others couldn’t reach the same heights as before. With Ashby, his later films either had a troubled production or were commercial/critical failures. This came to a head in what was his last film, 1986’s 8 Million Ways to Die.

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Based on the Lawrence Block book, the follows Matthew Scudder (Jeff Bridges), an ex-cop turned private detective who struggles with alcoholism, which gets him fired, divorced, and distanced from his daughter. After an A.A. meeting, he’s invited to a club run by Chance Walker (Randy Brooks). There he meets a call girl named Sunny (Alexandra Paul), who goes back to his place. Failing to seduce him, she confides in him her fear of Chance and asks Scudder to convince Chance to let her go. After Scudder is told that Chance treats the girls well, Sunny ends up kidnapped, murdered, and thrown off a bridge. Soon, Scudder is convinced that a local drug dealer/crime boss known as Angel Moldonado (Andy Garcia) is responsible. Digging even deeper into the investigation, Scudder uncovers a plot by Moldonado to deal drugs through Chance’s legitimate businesses.

Getting into what really works, the cast in this movie is phenomenal. Jeff Bridges does a great job playing a former alcoholic struggling with his demons trying to redeem himself. Rosanna Arquette, on top of being gorgeous, is also great as a call-girl who overtime develops a relationship with Scudder. Andy Garcia absolutely steals the show as Angel, always bursting with manic energy and going toe-to-toe with Scudder. While she has a smaller role, Alexandra Paul is quite gorgeous and is what starts the conflict. Randy Brooks is also fun as Chance who, while he is a crime boss, does have a set of ethics. Also, be sure to look out for James Avery, aka Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as a D.A. The score by James Newton Howard is great, who uses mostly synth music that gives it that gritty 80s vibe.

Unfortunately, this movie was quite the problematic production. For one, the script, originally written by Oliver Stone, was heavily rewritten by R. Lance Hill. Hill was actually hired after Ashby wrote 50 pages of a potential script, which the producers actually liked. Ashby stopped upon finding out the studio hired Hill for rewrites, not helped by Hill only reporting to the producers. Then, Hill’s version of the script was heavily rewritten by Robert Towne, under the pseudonym David Lee Henry. Honestly, you can tell since there are some plot points that are dropped and some things don’t make sense. Also, the editing in the film is very choppy, feeling almost haphazard. There are scenes that just happen without much explanation, as if scenes leading up to them were cut out. A large part of this is due to Ashby being fired after principal photography ended and the studio took over.

Sadly, the movie was a massive flop when it came out, making only $500,000 against an $18 million budget. While it was not liked by critics at the time, it has gone on to something of a cult following. There are people who love it and people who hate it, both sides of which I can understand. But in spite of the movie’s flaws, I still actually enjoyed it. While the movie could’ve been better had the producers not interfered, what is there is still a well-done crime thriller. The cast is great, the performances are memorable, the action sequences are fun, and it has a solid 80s vibe. Overall, 8 Million Ways to Die is a flawed but well-made and underrated crime thriller.

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July 20, 2018
Skyscraper (2018)

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Movies set in a high-rise building are not necessarily a new concept. There have been many films over the years set in a tall building, whether it’s silent films like Safety Last! and Metropolis, action classics like The Towering Inferno or Die Hard, and more recent favorites like Land of the Dead and Dredd. Hell, there have even been horror movies set in a high-rise, such as Poltergeist III and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. For whatever reason, Hollywood really likes to use high-rise buildings as a setting for just about any type of film. This year, we’ve got another one to add to the list, Skyscraper. Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, the director of Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, We’re The Millers, and Central Intelligence, this is a major departure since this is his first non-comedy movie. So, with this being his first straight-up action film, does this movie rise to the top of other high-rise movies, or does it come crashing down in smoldering ruins?

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The film opens at a snowy cabin where the police, SWAT teams, and FBI have surrounded the area after receiving a domestic disturbance call. A group of soldiers led by Will Sawyer, played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is sent in to deal with the situation, which results in the abusive father blowing himself up with a vest bomb. While the explosion left Will horribly scarred and without his left leg, it does lead to him meeting Sarah, played by Neve Campbell, a military nurse who ends up being his wife. Ten years later, Will has moved on to working as a security consultant and is hired by multi-billionaire Zhao Long Ji, played by Chin Han, to evaluate the security systems of his new skyscraper known as The Pearl, which is being touted as the tallest building in the world. Things seem to be going well until a group of terrorists invade the building and start a massive fire that engulfs the top half of the building. Will finds himself being framed for the attack, and he must find a way to clear his name, stop the terrorists, and save his family who are still trapped in the burning building.

Obviously, when you look at the plot of this film, it doesn’t exactly read as something original or something that’s never really been done before. The movie borrows elements from a lot of much better action movies, mostly Die Hard and The Towering Inferno, with some taken from The Fugitive, namely how the hero is trying to clear his name while a police officer is trying to capture him. Of course, just because a movie takes elements from other films doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. What it comes down to is how the filmmakers handle the material and if they can make it work. For the most part, it does work here, largely due to the cast they’ve assembled and some of the action set pieces on display. Regardless of how you may feel about a lot of the movies he’s done, Dwayne Johnson is so likable and so charismatic that you can’t help but get behind him and want to see him win. In this, he is an insanely likable guy, who actually takes a few hits in the film and has some more human/vulnerable scenes throughout. Much like Die Hard, his character does go through the ringer and gets beaten and bruised quite a bit, and the fact that he has to do many of these scenes with a prosthetic leg makes him somewhat more relatable. Neve Campbell, known mostly for her role as Sidney Prescott from the Scream franchise, is also a stand-out here. She actually gets to kick some ass in the film and get really into some of the bigger action sequences, which is refreshing to see in such a big movie with a larger-than-life actor like Johnson. The child actors who play their kids, McKenna Roberts and Noah Cottrell, are not too bad here, not overly annoying like most child actors can be and are actually pretty competent throughout. The rest of the cast, while not necessarily amazing in their roles, still do a serviceable job here as well. The action scenes, while obviously done digitally for the most part, are a fun spectacle to watch, especially a scene where Dwayne Johnson makes a long jump off a multi-story crane into the building, as well as a scene where Neve Campbell and the kids run through a park in the building as it’s going up in flames.

Now comes the part where I have to get into what doesn’t really work about the movie. With a movie like this, it might seem pointless to talk about the flaws and the things that don’t make sense here, but as someone who cares about film and like to examine movies beyond just what’s on screen, I feel that I should, or else I wouldn’t be doing my job very well. For one, Will’s son has asthma that really only acts up when the script calls for it. Also, the movie is full of action movie cliches, whether it’s the villain who just keeps talking and talking while one of the good characters is taking the time to get a shot off on them, the main character having a tragic backstory that makes them promise never to do something only to do that thing later on, or the main character having a best friend who ends up betraying them at some point. Of course, a lot of these are nothing new, but it is both funny/annoying when these cliches pop up. As I mentioned before, Dwayne Johnson is supposed to be more of an everyman who gets beaten, bruised, and takes several hits in the movie, much like John McClane in Die Hard. But what made it work in Die Hard was that Bruce Willis, unlike many other action heroes of the time, wasn’t built like a brick house with tons of muscle. He really just looked like a regular guy who was stuck in a horrible situation and just had to make the most of it. Here, because Dwayne Johnson is so shredded and incredibly buff, it makes it somewhat laughable that he’s supposed to be scared of doing some of the crazier stuff his character does. The movie also has a lot of conveniences throughout, where a seemingly impossible-to-solve situation is resolved by something so simple. I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot for anyone who goes to see it, but when you see it, you’ll know what I mean. Lastly, when you find out why the terrorists are doing what they’re doing, you stop and wonder how and why something like this would happen.

Flaws aside, I still think this is an enjoyable if wildly predictable film. Largely thanks to a likable and talented cast and some pretty fun action sequences throughout, Skyscraper doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to action movies and doesn’t rise to the top like similar films, but it is still a fun movie to watch when you need something to put on for 90 minutes that you don’t have to think about too much and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

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July 12, 2018
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Ant-Man, originally also known as Dr. Hank Pym, was created by legendary comic book writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciler Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 in 1962. Soon after, Lee and Kirby, alongside comic book writer/artist Ernie Hart created Ant-Man’s partner in crime-fighting known as The Wasp, originally Janet van Dyne, who debuted in Tales to Astonish #44 in 1963. Having been founding members of the original Avengers, the two had the unique ability to shrink down in size, giving them enhanced strength and speed. Pym was eventually replaced by ex-convict and electronics expert Scott Lang, who was created by David Michelinie and John Byrne, and he first became the new Ant-Man in Marvel Premiere #47 in 1979. He was soon followed by Hope Pym, aka Hope van Dyne, who was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz initially as the super-villain Red Queen debuting in A-Next #7 in 1999. Flash forward to many years later when, in 2015, Marvel Studios released Ant-Man as part of their Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starring Paul Rudd as the titular character, as well as featuring Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym, the film was an enjoyable superhero movie, if somewhat middle-of-the-road when compared to Iron Man, Captain American: The First Avenger, and The Winter Soldier, and The Avengers. Nonetheless, much like the other films in the MCU, Ant-Man was a hit with both critics and audiences and, in 2018, we’ve been given a sequel called Ant-Man and The Wasp.

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Synopsis

Taking place two years after the events of Captain America: Civil War, we find Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) now under house arrest following his encounter with the Avengers and teaming up with Captain America. Because of this, ties between him, Hope (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Pym (Michael Douglas) have all but ceased. That all changes when Lang starts having visions of Hope’s mother Janet, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who has been trapped in the Quantum Realm for years. Believing this to be a message of her still being alive, Hope kidnaps Lang and wants to use him to help her and Pym find and bring Janet back once the two have finished working on a tunnel that will allow them to safely travel to the Quantum Realm. At the same time, there’s a new villain in town known only as Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) who has the ability to shift in and out of the Quantum Realm following an experiment gone horribly wrong. There’s also the black market dealer Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins) who’s after Hope after he learns of the tech that she and her father possesses. Along the way, Lang, Hope, and Pym also try to get help from Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) who was a former partner of Pym’s until he was fired for his own reasons. As Ant-Man and The Wasp, they must fight off Ghost and Burch who are after the technology that Hope and Pym have, while also working to try to find and rescue Janet before it’s too late.

Review

Once again directed by Peyton Reed and with much of the original cast returning, this movie has a lot of the same charm that made the first one enjoyable. As Ant-Man, Paul Rudd is still just as funny and charismatic as he’s ever been. Evangeline Lilly, who was more of a supporting character in the first film, really shines in this one, as she gets to fight alongside Rudd and really kick some ass as The Wasp. Michael Douglas, while again playing a supporting character in this, has a lot more to do and also has moments of intensity that remind you of how Douglas is an Oscar-winning actor. Also returning are the main comic relief characters, including Michael Peña as Luis, Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris as Dave, and David Dastmalchian as Kurt. They more or less have the same shtick as the first one, so whether or not you liked them before, you’ll feel the same way about them here. Talking about the newcomers to this franchise, Michelle Pfeiffer is terrific as Janet van Dyne, Laurence Fishburne kills it as he always does, and it’s fun to see Walton Goggins pop up in this. Plus, major kudos to Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, who is kind of a villain, but is also weirdly sympathetic once you learn about her backstory. She’s probably one of the only villains in the MCU who actually turns good by the end of the movie, which is actually quite refreshing.

Of course, with this being an action movie, this movie should have thrilling action sequences, and it definitely has those, and then some. Given how this movie, like the previous one, plays with the concept of changing size, they use it quite a bit here, including a fight scene where a salt shaker is enlarged and used as a blockade, as well as a chase scene where a giant PEZ dispenser stops a guy on a motorcycle. Also of note are the sequences in the Quantum Realm, which reminded me of some of the other fantastical locations in the MCU, such as Dormamu’s realm in Doctor Strange or some of the weirder worlds of Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s a spectacle to look at, even if a lot of it is obvious CGI and green screen. The movie also has a lot of heart to it, especially when it comes to the family dynamics, whether it’s Lang’s relationship with his daughter Cassie, or the relationship between Hope and Dr. Pym. While the movie is certainly a fun thrill ride, it also can hit you in the feels a little bit.

Getting into the negatives with this one, while I thought the villain(s) was certainly more memorable than the villain of the previous film, Ghost, unfortunately, doesn’t hold a candle to Loki, Killmonger, Ultron, or even Thanos. Also, as much as the comedy in this one works, there are a few places where the comedy does fall flat. Plus, when it comes to characters like Foster or Ghost, we don’t really know a whole lot about them, and we’re only given vague exposition about their backstories. Even with that said, I still really enjoyed this movie and had a blast watching it.

After how dark and dire the previous film, Avengers: Infinity War, was, people were hoping that the next film Marvel had to offer would be a nice palette cleanser before the next big movie. In that respect, this movie more than succeeds at being just that: a fun and entertaining superhero movie that leaves you in a good mood. Overall, Ant-Man and The Wasp, like the previous film, is another filler Marvel movie, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good time.

Buy Ant-Man and The Wasp on Amazon: https://amzn.to/40qveWY.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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July 10, 2018
The First Purge (2018)

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In 2013, Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes released The Purge. Taking place in a future USA where all crime, including murder, is made legal for twelve hours one night a year, the film had an interesting concept, but used said concept to create a standard home invasion movie. Nevertheless, the movie was a major hit, making over $89 million against a $3 million budget, so inevitably a sequel was made. So, in 2014, The Purge: Anarchy was released, and it was surprisingly better than the first, using its concept to tell a story that showed what happened on Purge Night across different parts of Los Angeles. Being an even bigger hit than the previous film ($111 million on a $9 million budget), another sequel was released soon after. The Purge: Election Year was released two years later, and while not as a good as the previous film, it still used a very similar premise and was just as insane, if not more so, than the previous film. Once again, the film was a hit, making over $118 million on a $10 million budget, so while we were going to get another film, this time we get a prequel to the previous three films. All that said, how does The First Purge compare to what came before?

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Taking place several years before the events of The Purge, the film showcases a version of the USA where unemployment and poverty are on the rise, there are rioters on the streets, and the government is in total political turmoil. Then, a new political party known as The New Founding Fathers of America have emerged to replace the Democratic and Republican parties with the promise of a brighter future. Part of their plan is a new social experiment they’re proposing called The Purge, where for twelve hours, citizens are allowed to commit whatever crimes they want to in order to release their anger and frustration guilt-free. The brainchild of Dr. Updale, played by Marisa Tomei, the party decides to stage the first Purge on Staten Island, and they have incentivized the citizens by promising them $5,000 to stay in their homes, as well as some extra money if they participate. At the same time, we are also introduced to Nya, played by Lex Scott Davis, who is leading protestors against the Purge, as well as her brother Isaiah, played by Joivan Wade, and drug dealer/gang leader Dmitri, played by Y’lan Noel. As night rolls around and the first Purge is underway, how are the people of Staten Island going to survive and will they succumb to their primal instincts are start killing each other like the NFFA wants?

As I alluded to, I was not a huge fan of the first film. While the idea ludicrous and would never fly in the real world, it’s still an interesting concept that you could do a lot with. Unfortunately, they chose to use that concept as the backdrop for a very bland home invasion film, and I hated it. That said, when the second film came out, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and then again with the third one. So, with the new one that just came out at the time of writing this, I was interested to see it, especially with it being a prequel since I was genuinely curious just how such a ridiculous idea could get off the ground. Getting into what I liked about the movie, I thought the main characters were mostly likable and easy to get behind. While Isaiah does get involved in some bad stuff, like trying to deal drugs and even wanting to participate in the Purge, you do get a sense that this is just a kid who wants to prove that he’s tough and that he can take of himself but can’t. Nya is a strong female lead, between rallying people against the Purge and trying to protect as many of them as possible. Dmitri, while not as awesome as Frank Grillo was in the previous two films, is still probably the most interesting character, especially when it gets into the third act and he steps up to be the hero. Also, when the action and violence start ramping up in the second half, it does get more entertaining as it goes along.

Unfortunately, that’s really where many of the positives I have for this movie end, as this movie really isn’t very good. First off, this movie is a narrative mess. While the last two had different stories going on, they were at least handled well and were able to converge and come together. In this, it feels like a new plot-line starts up every 20 minutes or so. One minute, there’s a rave party going on where people are partying it up, doing drugs, and probably contracting more than a few STDs. The next, the government starts sending out mercenaries disguised as people participating in the Purge to kill people to make it seem like more people are purging then there actually are. Then, there’s a gang rivalry going where gang members are betraying one another and trying to take control from the other guy. Sure, these plots do intersect and converge with each other eventually, but it’s so scatterbrained and all over the place that it can be hard to keep track of everything. In addition, the movie is not that well-made, as there are clearly times where they use tons of CGI blood and obvious green screen, the latter also being a good indication that they only had some of the cast members available for a few days. And while the other movies certainly weren’t very subtle in their political commentary, this one practically hits you over the head with a brick with its symbolism. Hell, the final shot of the movie is a pan-up shot of an American flag. I realize that asking for subtlety in a Purge movie is asking a bit much, but the last two were more subtle in their commentary than this was.

When I saw this movie, I obviously wasn’t expecting high-art or something that would change the landscape of cinema, but I was at least expecting something entertaining. And while it has its moments and has hints of what made the last two movies a lot of fun, The First Purge is so sloppily put together and full of itself that it’s honestly more infuriating than anything and just makes you wish you were watching the previous two movies. Hell, just watch The Purge instead!

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July 10, 2018
Jaws (1975)

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″][et_pb_video _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” src=”https://youtu.be/_SVmV1ydVQA” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_video][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]In the early 70s, while working various odd jobs to make ends meet, writer Peter Benchley started working on the novel that would be his crowning jewel, Jaws. Inspired by stories Benchley had heard about great whites being reported and caught off the beaches of Long Island and Block Island in the 60s, the novel attracted the attention of producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown, who purchased the film rights in 1973, a year before the book was even published. After trying to find a director and removing one they had locked down because he kept referring to the shark as a whale, they ended up hiring a then relatively unknown Steven Spielberg, who had just finished his first theatrical film, The Sugarland Express, which Zanuck and Brown had produced. What followed was a very tumultuous production: the script was being rewritten constantly, casting was all over the place, and, most famously, the shark was not working. Despite all these problems, Jaws managed to become one of the most successful and critically-acclaimed movies, not just of the 1970s, but of all time.

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Synopsis

The setup is pretty basic, but it works in its simplicity. At the small coastal town of Amity Island, everything is peaceful as the townsfolk prepare for the 4th of July. That is, until a giant man-eating great white shark starts wreaking havoc and devouring skinny dippers and even small children. While Sheriff Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is trying to close the beaches and keep the people safe, the town’s mayor (Murray Hamilton) wants to keep the beaches open since the town relies on the tourism revenue they get around the 4th of July. Eventually, it becomes clear that this whole shark situation is too much to handle, so the town puts out a call for people to hunt and kill the shark. A shark expert known as Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) arrives and, even though a group of hunters managed to find and kill a shark, he’s unsure if it’s the same shark that’s been terrorizing Amity Island. Turns out he was right, since shortly after, the shark comes back and almost kills Brody’s kids, which leads to the town enlisting the help of local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw) to take out the shark. Having said goodbye to his wife, Ellen (Lorraine Gary), Brody, along with Hooper and Quint, go out into the ocean to hunt down and ultimately kill the shark.

Review

To say that this is a great movie would not be doing this film justice. This film is an absolute masterpiece of filmmaking, which is especially remarkable considering the numerous issues they encountered during production. While the movie differs significantly from the original novel, I believe that many of the changes made were for the better. For instance, in the book, Hooper was more of a ladies’ man and had an affair with Ellen Brody, creating a love triangle between Sheriff Brody, Matt Hooper, and Ellen Brody. Additionally, the novel featured a subplot where the mayor owed money to the mafia, providing a more compelling reason why the mayor would not want the beaches closed. Honestly, their removal from the movie was for the best, as adding those subplots would have detracted from the movie’s overall quality. Pretty much everything in this movie works: the performances are great, the effects are excellent, there is tons of suspense and dread throughout the film as you’re waiting to see the shark, and the score by John Williams is legendary. What’s funny is how the point-of-view shots of the shark are one of the many things in this movie that work, considering how the animatronic shark wasn’t working, and the filmmakers intended to show it in the film more prominently. The fact that you don’t see the complete shark until the last act of the movie helps ramp up the tension until the finale.

Roy Scheider shines as the reluctant hero Sheriff Brody, a simple family man who wants to keep the townspeople safe and protect his family from the shark despite the mayor getting in his way. As much as people talk about some of his bigger moments, mainly when he kills the shark at the end, he also has a lot of great, quieter moments in the film. One instance is when he’s at home, frustrated, and his son starts mimicking his actions. It may seem insignificant, but it shows how he cares about his family and is just a regular guy at the end of the day. Richard Dreyfuss as Hooper makes for a great partner to go along with Scheider’s Sheriff Brody, but it’s Robert Shaw as the salty sea dog Quint that steals the show. His USS Indianapolis speech is probably one of the scariest monologues ever in a movie, and Shaw delivers it so well that you believe that he went through all of that. It’s also interesting to see how Hooper and Quint disagree and are at odds with one another, revealing a dichotomy between the old ways and the new. While it’d be easy to completely hate Murray Hamilton as the mayor because of how he’s more concerned about tourism revenue than the lives of innocent people, he does come around and become sympathetic when he finally decides to do something about it. Honestly, there are no weak spots in the film, though it is somewhat funny to see the animatronic shark propped on top of the boat at the end and Shaw pushing his way into the shark’s mouth.

If I spoiled the movie for you, I take no responsibility for spoiling a 40+ year old film that you could have and should have seen by now. Even if you’re not a horror movie fan, this is an essential film that everyone should see, especially if you’re looking for something to watch on the 4th of July. With some terrific performances, an iconic score, and tons of suspense that leads to a thrilling climax, Jaws is not only a well-crafted film that helped usher in the age of the summer blockbuster, but it is probably one of the greatest and most important films ever made!

You’re gonna need a bigger boat!

Buy Jaws from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FB693z.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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July 5, 2018
The Breakfast Club (1985)

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John Hughes is a name that has become synonymous with growing up as a teenager in the 1980s. Having started as a writer for National Lampoon, he wrote two of the most seminal comedies of the decade, namely National Lampoon’s Vacation and Mr. Mom, both released in 1983. Then, in 1984, Hughes not only wrote but also directed Sixteen Candles, which was a hit with both critics and audiences, and is still regarded as a classic of its time. Since it was much more of a lighthearted comedy and slightly more inline with some of the other screwball teen comedies of the early 80s like Porky’s, Screwballs, and, to an extent, The Last American Virgin, Hughes decided to follow it up with a film that took a closer examination of what life was like for the average teen in high school. Tackling issues like figuring out how you fit in, being locked down into a specific clique, and the pressures teens are put upon by their parents and their fellow students, that film would go on to be one of the most important and beloved films of the 1980s, The Breakfast Club.

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Our film starts off on a Saturday morning at Shermer High School, where we have five students from different social classes and school cliques who are forced to come in for detention. These students include the nerdy kid Brian Johnson, played by Anthony Michael Hall, the athletic Andrew Clarke, played by Emilio Estevez, the reclusive and strange Allison Reynolds, played by Ally Sheedy, the popular young socialite Claire Standish, played by Molly Ringwald, and the reckless criminal John Bender, played by Judd Nelson. Under the watchful eye of Principal Vernon, played by Paul Gleason, the five are there for their own reasons that are revealed as the movie goes along, and they spend the day eventually getting to know one another and finding out that they’re not as different as they think. Truths are shared, secrets are revealed, friendships/relationships are formed, and they all grow as young people trying to find their place in the world.

The setup really can’t be any simpler than that: five teens stuck in detention spend the day eventually learning about who they really are. As simple as it is, it really works, and there’s a lot more that goes on besides that. What makes this film truly special is that despite it obviously being in the 80s (the music, the clothes, the hairstyles, etc), this is a really timeless film as the issues it addresses are still applicable to young people today. All of us who have been through high school have experienced at least some of the same things as these kids, whether it’s how Andrew feels pressured to be #1 all the time because of his overbearing father, Brian being upset that he got an F on a shop assignment and how it will affect his grades, or even Claire’s having to always maintain her image and go along with everything her friends say. Each of the five characters is relatable in their own way to how we were in high school. Given that John Hughes was in his 30s when he wrote this, it’s amazing how he perfectly captures how teens think and act, almost as if he’s still a teenager himself, but in the body of a fully-grown adult.

The five leads all fit into their characters perfectly. Anthony Michael Hall, who’s best known for being the nerdy kid in movies like Sixteen Candles and Weird Science, really gets to shine as Brian, who’s arguably the most relatable one of the group. Emilio Estevez, while seeming a bit bland at times, is still great as Andrew, especially in some of his more emotional scenes such as when he tells the story of what he did to get into detention and why he did it. Molly Ringwald, though initially a bit stand-offish, does become both likable and sympathetic as the movie goes on, and she even tells some truths that, while painful, are pretty true of how certain cliques interact with each other in high school. Ally Sheedy, though largely quiet in the first act, does grow as a character once she does talk, and she’s probably the second most relatable character next to Brian since at least some of us have felt like an outcast at that time. And of course, there’s Judd Nelson, who absolutely steals the show as John Bender, as he has so much manic energy and says so many quotable lines that it’s hard not to love the guy, especially in the scenes where he’s telling off the principal. Gleason is also fun as the principal, who tries to maintain his authority figure status despite some of the more ridiculous stuff that happens to him, and a special mention goes to John Kapelos as Carl, the janitor who probably understands the kids more than they know themselves.

If I did have any complaints about the film (and it’s so minor that it probably doesn’t really matter), it’s that the movie doesn’t necessarily have a straightforward plot. A lot of the film is kind of a series of events strung together, almost feeling episodic. Like one scene, they’re running around the school trying to get to Bender’s locker without being caught. Then, Andrew and Brian are chatting when Allison joins in and dumps her purse out to them, essentially dumping all her problems on them. Granted, there is a narrative to these scenes, and it does really capture the feeling of being stuck at this school with the five of them just trying to find a way to pass the time while also growing closer together. All in all, this is an absolute wonder of a film that’s still just as relevant now as it was back then. Every one of us has been a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal at some point in our lives, and The Breakfast Club is a great examination of how each of us embodies each of those characteristics all at once.

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July 2, 2018