Dangerous Animals (2025)

Even if I hadn't seen the trailer for this, something that sold me on it immediately, and even if I didn't know it was the third feature directed by Sean Byrne, I would have eventually made time for Dangerous Animals based on the fact that it's a shark-centric film written by a man with the surname Lepard. Hey, everyone knows how easily amused I am by now. That tickled me.

A bearded and scruffy-looking Jai Courtney plays Bruce Tucker, a man happy to take tourists out on his boat to give them a chance to encounter some sharks. Unfortunately for the tourists, their idea of a shark experience is very different from Tucker's idea. He's a very dangerous man, and he likes nothing better than making very particular home movies. He has Heather (Ella Newton) held captive on his boat, and she's soon joined by Zephyr (Hassie Harrison). Apparently the kind of loner who nobody will notice has disappeared, Zephyr may well be grateful for the fact that she just spent a night connecting with the now-smitten Moses (Josh Heuston). Moses suspects something is wrong when he sees Zephyr's van (which was also her mobile home) being towed.  

This might be the first full feature written by Nick Lepard, but he doesn't make too many amateur errors. Helped by a fantastic, but small, cast, and a career-best turn from Courtney, Lepard manages to add just enough to his screenplay to offer a variety of different possible third act scenarios without making it feel bloated or much more implausible. Oh, don't get me wrong, it certainly gets unbelievable on a few occasions, but those moments happen once you've already settled in and grown comfortable with the genre staples being used.

Byrne handles the material well, managing to keep things nicely balanced between the grim and the bloody and the somewhat fun. The actual shark appearances also impress, with a variety of tricks and deliberate filming choices being used to keep the menacing predators feeling like a very real threat. While things may end in quite a predictable way, the pleasure comes from the inventive ways that both Byrne and Lepard keep viewers on their toes until it is time for the very last scenes.

Harrison is a decent plucky heroine, and very easy to cheer on as she keeps trying to hold her nerve in the face of ever-increasing peril. Newton may not be playing someone as courageous, but she is just as good in her role. Courtney is the star of the show though, giving a performance that puts him right alongside some of the most infamous cinematic serial killers. At least one moment might be a bit too obvious in homaging one of the best-known scenes of someone revelling in their macabre hobby, but I was happy to let that slide. I also have to praise Heuston, who starts the film seeming very disposable, deliberately so, and then becomes someone else that you want to see somehow make it through to the end credits, despite the odds being stacked against him. It’s good writing, but it’s also sold by a winning performance from Heuston.

It’s hard to think of Byrne ever giving us another film as good as his feature debut, The Loved Ones (still a firm favourite of mine). This doesn’t manage it. But there are times when it comes bloody close.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Prime Time: Shortcut To Happiness (2007)

AKA The Devil And Daniel Webster.

Based on a story by Stephen Vincent Benet, which was subsequently adapted into a play, "Scratch", by Archibald Macleish, Shortcut To Happiness (known in some other territories as The Devil And Daniel Webster) shows how strange and mesmerising it can be when life imitates art. The production history of this film, which was due to premiere in 2001 before financial issues and investors being investigated for bank fraud delayed things by a number of years, and led to Alec Baldwin removing his name as the director of a film that he claims was taken away from him in post-production, is more interesting than anything onscreen. But considering the plot is all about someone who wants success, and then finds that getting what he wants doesn't really make him happy, it's hard to hear about the troubles of this feature and not think of it as the end result of someone slightly tempting fate.

Because it's clear that Baldwin wasn't ready to direct a feature. Look, to be fair, maybe there's a better version of this with the right money in place and the right editing of the footage, but it's hard to see it as anything other than a huge disappointment, only of note because of some of the supporting players. It adds nothing to a familiar Faustian tale, doesn't ever get the tone right, and has a lead character that is hard to root for.

Baldwin plays Jabez Stone, a writer who isn't having much luck. He continues to write, but has yet to make any progress when it comes to getting actual sales and readers. That looks set to change when he meets The Devil (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt, who at least has a twinkle in her eye missing from many others onscreen). As his success builds, other things fall by the wayside. Things like friendship, good company, and his reputation. Julius Jensen (Dan Aykroyd) is a fellow writer and friend, but The Devil decides he must take a fall in order for Jabez to climb higher. The same goes for Mike (Barry Miller), albeit in a different way. Molly (Amy Poehler) seems to remain quite neutral, but even she states that she isn't as big a fan of the new Jabez as she was of the old version. Can anything be done to make the deal with the devil null and void? If it can be done, Daniel Webster (Anthony Hopkins) is the man for the job. Considering he's not a complete stranger to The Devil. 

Pete Dexter and Nancy Cassaro may be unfamiliar writers to me, but I'm astonished that Bill Condon joined them for this project and was unable to salvage it. The whole thing is a messy mix of teenage-level philosophy conversations and utter smugness, livened up by the occasional scene that allows Hewitt to have fun. While some of the cast members can save individual moments, none of them can make up for the awfulness of Baldwin in the main role. Maybe he should stick to his strengths, considering how great he can be when he delivers cameo performances that allow him to almost steal entire movies away from featured cast members.

Aside from Baldwin, just bad, and Hewitt, who I wish was given this role in a far better movie, you have Aykroyd being a bit of a boor (which he does well enough), Miller being quite the downer (which HE does well enough), and Poehler being, well, barely present. Hopkins does a decent Hopkins turn, although it needed to be a bit MORE full-on Hopkins, not something I say often, and there's a disappointing waste of both Bobby Cannavale and Kim Cattrall.

There are times when everything about this seems designed to repel viewers, particularly an ending that presents the viewer with absolutely nothing worth mulling over as the credits roll. It's not clever, nor is it thought-provoking. It's just a final middle finger from a film that has already spent 106 minutes insulting anyone who continued to watch it in the hope that it would get any better.

3/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

Although they've never been my personal favourite superheroes, The Fantastic Four certainly hold a special place in the hearts of many comic book fans. They are, after all, often referred to as the "first family" of Marvel, and many other characters made their first appearances in Fantastic Four adventures. They've been ill-served at the movies though. In fact, most people can agree that the best Fantastic Four movie to date is actually The Incredibles. The Fantastic Four: First Steps hopes to change that though. It wants to be a fun slice of retro sci-fi adventure, establishing the main characters as new key members of the MCU.

So it's a shame that I left the cinema feeling more like shrugging than rushing to tell others to get along and see it. 

It's quite a familiar set-up, behind the camera anyway. The writing team (Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer) has a mix of old hands and newcomers. Director Matt Shakman has no other movies under his belt, but he has been honing his skills in the land of TV, and has clearly shown something that made him seem to be a good fit for this property. Maybe his handling of the family relationships explored in WandaVision.

There's no need to give a plot summary, but I will nonetheless. Marvel tries to pretend that we're not getting any origin story here, with a lot of the background related by Ted Gilbert (Mark Gatiss) on his TV show, but it still very much feels like one, considering the standard structure about our heroes coming growing into their roles as they face a new and major threat. The threat this time is the planet-destroyer known as Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson), and his coming is heralded by the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). The timing of this encounter would never be good, but it couldn't be worse as Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) prepares to give birth to a baby. Not only is Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) worried about the fate of the world, he gets very anxious as he tries to baby-proof their home. That means smoke alarms that go off whenever Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) flies by and safety gates that are far too easily broken by Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach).

There's nothing really wrong with this movie. The cast are generally good, and a good fit for their roles (although I suspect Joseph Quinn must say a prayer every single day for the Duffer brothers taking his career to a whole other level thanks to his Stranger Things character), the retro look and feel is appropriate and sweet, and the grand plan is played out well enough. It just doesn't ever really impress. Maybe it's a case of superhero fatigue, although I didn't have that feeling with the other big superhero movie released this month, or maybe the central quartet are just a bit too bland in comparison to so many other options we've had in recent decades.

Pascal, Kirby, and Moss-Bachrach are wonderful casting choices. Quinn does okay, but is arguably the weakest Johnny Storm onscreen yet (and, yes, I am including the Corman-produced film from 1994). Ineson and Garner are both brilliant, and there are also fine moments for Gatiss, Sarah Niles, Natasha Lyonne, and Paul Walter Hauser. Oh, and there's a cute little robot named H.E.R.B.I.E. Unfortunately, you get the usual tease during the credits, which is perhaps another reason for me leaving the cinema without the spring in my step that I have had after some other big movies from this year. 

There's a suitably fantastic score from Michael Giacchino, a smattering of humour that felt a step removed from the winking punchlines that became the MCU standard for a while, and some genuinely impressive spectacle in the second half, leading to a super-sized finale. There are no surprises though, and no risks. Marvel wants to recalibrate, to get fans back on board with their cinematic outings, and this feels like a very safe and tame way to do that. I have no major complaints, but nor do I have any major compliments. 

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Mubi Monday: Parthenope (2024)

Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino is someone I always think I am more familiar with. I have seen a few films from him, but I am missing a couple of his more celebrated features. I think I am aware of the themes that he tends to explore though. Faith and religion are sometimes a focus, but he spends more time looking at how people change as they age, how things are reframed as individuals look back (either examining their own lives or examining the lives of others), and the inherent beauty and power of things that somehow don't change as the years fly by. I'm very open to being corrected on this, but I don't think I am speaking out of turn.

Parthenope is in line with certain things I have just mentioned. Ostensibly about a beautiful young woman named Parthenope (played mainly by Celeste Dalla Porta), the tragedy interspersed throughout her life somehow keeping her on a path that ensures she keeps making others happy while struggling to fully settle her own doubts and worries. Parthenope almost feels as if she is making it her purpose to facilitate the dreams and fantasies of others, even for people she is warned away from, but maybe she knows that helping others become happy will lead to her own eventual happiness.

While I am not always won over by the words written by Sorrentino, I am absolutely in awe of his vision and the fact that he tackles some weighty and thoughtful themes with a lightness of touch that makes them much easier to digest. He's helped here by Daria D'Antonio's cinematography, but arguably more so by his cast.

Dalla Porta makes a very strong impression in what is her first film role of any real substance. Parthenope has to be a figure both placed on a pedestal and dragged down to lower levels by those wanting to help or harm her spirit, and Dalla Porta moves through the film in a way that gives her a sense of being impervious to so much of the pushing and pulling on her. Silvio Orlando, playing Professor Devoto Marotta, is similarly cool to most of the people around him, but his connection to our main character, who impresses him with her knowledge and inquisitive nature, provides a perfect balance to the whole thing. Luisa Ranieri portrays someone who could so easily be a future incarnation of Parthenope, as envied as she is beloved by those wanting something from her, and there are very good supporting turns from Dario Aita, Daniele Rienzo (not onscreen for long, but arguably the most important figure in Parthenope's life), Peppe Lanzetta, and a handful of others.

There are a few other films I could mention alongside this one, but nothing that feels exactly like it. That's a very good thing. Parthenope feels familiar at times, but remains a unique, and ultimately uplifting, experience. Much like the titular character. The worst things happen when people start to judge (themselves or others), and I suspect that at least part of the messaging from Sorrentino on this occasion is to do with casting judgments aside. It doesn't often help you, and it certainly doesn't help you to connect with, and learn from, others. Unless they're really bad people, of course. Like, say, those who use their phones in the cinema once the film has started playing. In that case, feel free to judge away.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Netflix And Chill: BlackBerry (2023)

Some technology stays with us for what seems like forever. Some of it comes and goes, having a shining moment before becoming an obscure novelty, and becoming the modern version of a tech antique within just a few years. Show someone a portable CD player nowadays and explain it to them. In fact, show someone the Sega Mega-CD. Remember that? My old flatmate had one. I'm not sure anyone else did. The world of the mobile phone is littered with other prime examples. Models that were once so ubiquitous, but are no longer around (unless re-released to appeal to nostalgia). The sturdy Nokia 3310 is one example. The Motorola Razr V3i is another. And there's the BlackBerry, the first device that I saw sold as letting you have the power of a computer in your pocket. I never had one, but I used to view all mobile communication devices as nothing more than accessories for yuppies and/or wankers.

Speaking of those kinds of people, here we are with a movie that tells us about the incredible rise, and just as incredible fall, of the device. Directed by, co-written by, and starring Matt Johnson, it shows how a couple of men (Mike, played by Jay Baruchel, and Doug, played by Johnson) were able to make their mark on the world once they allowed a wolf (Jim, played by Glenn Howerton) into their metaphorical hen-house.  

Based on a book, "Losing The Signal", written by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, BlackBerry benefits from a great script co-written by Johnson and Matthew Miller, and a trio of fantastic lead performances from Baruchel, Johnson, and Howerton, the latter an absolute bulldog in human form. There's also the inherent nostalgia factor, of course, and it helps that the true story has enough fascinating twists and turns to build a movie around.

Howerton is the individual overshadowing all others here, and his constant aggression is very entertaining, mainly because of how others struggle to deal with him. While there are elements of the character that you know would appeal to Howerton, it also forces him to leave any comedic instincts at the door as he depicts someone so strong-willed and single-minded that he becomes quite monstrous. Baruchel does his usual slightly awkward schtick, but also convinces as his character ages up and loses most of his innocence and naivete. Johnson might give himself the role of the most sensible one of the three, but that also allows him to stay present throughout most of the runtime without usually being the focus of any one scene, which may have helped him to focus on his role behind the camera. Martin Donovan turns up for a scene or two, as do Saul Rubinek, Cary Elwes, Michael Ironside, and Rich Sommer, and everyone else does what is necessary to make the environment onscreen feel as busy as it needs to be.

I didn't think I would enjoy this, despite hearing some good word about it when it was released a couple of years ago. Considering my own views of the BlackBerry device, I wasn't sure what the film would offer me. It turns out that it's a bittersweet look at people trying to maintain some integrity and optimism in a world that only holds those values for as long as the profit margins remain high enough. BlackBerry celebrates innovation and the blood, sweat, and tears that workers put into a product they had faith in, but it also makes clear from the earliest scenes that innovators and hard workers need someone to get out there and negotiate with businesses, and sell the product, to make it a real success. It's a great shame that everyone can't share the same principles, but maybe that's why certain products crash down so low after such unexpeted highs.

Anyway, I'm off to use an online game emulator to play Snake. Because some days I am reminded of how much I used to enjoy playing Snake on my Nokia 3310. 

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share

Shudder Saturday: Opera (1987)

It's been a while since I've seen Opera. It's been a while since I have watched, or rewatched (more often than not), ANY Dario Argento movie. I was moved to revisit this particular feature after mentioning it to someone who was just starting to explore Argento's filmography. I have always had a soft spot for it, although I was initially confused when I once thought I was revisiting it before pressing play on Dario Argento's The Phantom Of The Opera (a film made a decade later, and one that isn't half as good as this).

This IS a riff on the classic Gaston Leroux tale, considering it's all about a mysterious figure who takes an unhealthy interest in a stage starlet (Betty, played by Cristina Marsillach). Not content with watching her from the wings though, this "phantom" likes to catch Betty, use some needles and tape to ensure she cannot close her eyes, and make her watch as he kills various people in front of her. You get deadly set-pieces, a killer who stays hidden for most of the runtime, and an absolute overdose of style. Peak Argento giallo, in other words.

As well as directing, Argento is also credited here for co-writing the screenplay with Franco Ferrini. It may not be the best screenplay, but it's also far from the worst, especially in comparison to other giallo and slasher films of this era. It's just a shame that Argento tries to give characters emotionally-loaded dialogue to match his swooping and gliding camerawork when the ideal approach would be a near-silent tale told through the gorgeous visuals.

Marsillach is fine in the role of Betty, and this is a cast that also has room for Daria Nicolodi (a friend named Mira), Coralina Cataldi Tassoni (a costumier named Giulia), Ian Charleson, Urbano Barberini, and Antonella Vitale, all potential victims or a potential killer, as well as a fun cameo from Michele Soavi (uncredited), but the real pleasure comes from Argento setting up one audacious sequence after another in a way that blends the traditional with the modern more effectively than some of his other work.

Even compared to other Argento delights, and I'm sure some will argue with me on this point, Opera feels dizzying and dazzling in a way that underlines his mastery of fluid camera movement, inventive and gory deaths, and the seriously macabre juxtaposed alongside entertaining absurdity. While not his very best film, I would nominate Opera as his best technical work. And I know it has some stiff competition.

If you haven't seen this one by now then do make it a priority. Okay, start elsewhere if you're completely new to Argento (Deep Red is always a winner, even if it's arguably the high point of his career), but you don't need to be an expert in his filmography to recognise his tricks and flourishes packed into every main scene here. 

9/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Karate Kid: Legends (2025)

Really? We're at a stage now in the Karate Kid universe where Ralph Macchio is able to show a thing or two to Jackie Chan? If you can accept that then you might be able to have some fun with Karate Kid: Legends. I'll admit that the whole thing was a struggle for me.

Ben Wang plays Li Fong, a young man who movies to New York with his mother (Dr. Fong, played by Ming-Na Wen). Li has made a promise to his mother that means he cannot fight, but the rest of New York isn't aware of that. Things start to look up when Li meets Mia (Sadie Stanley) and her father, Victor (Joshua Jackson). He even starts training Victor for an upcoming boxing match, but gets on the wrong side of Mia's ex-boyfriend, Conor (Aramis Knight). Things soon go from bad to worse. If only there was some upcoming fighting competition that could let Li prove his skills, especially after some time spent being trained by Mr. Han (Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Macchio).

What you have here is a mixtape with some visual accompanying the music. I really don't mean that as a compliment. Writer Rob Lieber doesn't have too many features under his belt, while director Jonathan Entwistle is making his cinematic directorial debut here, and it's clear that they have been asked to put together something absolutely formulaic that can be overstuffed with annoyingly uncatchy soundtrack choices. Seriously, this soundtrack, and how songs are used, is one of the worst I have experienced in some time. Not necessarily because of the song choices, but because of the inability to let most scenes play out in a less obnoxious manner.

I have seen people praise young Ben Wang for his performance in the lead role. Sorry, I disagree with the majority on this one. Wang has the physical prowess, and he's certainly not awful, but he didn't ever fully win me over. Jackson and Stanley are much better, with the latter a particularly good choice for a main supporting/co-lead role. Knight is a decent baddie, and Tim Rozon does well as the determined adult helping youngsters to make bad choices in service of a "strong" reputation, and both Chan and Macchio bring some fun by bringing along their legacies (all legacies being equal, but some legacies being more equal than others). Wen is wasted, sadly, but does what is asked of her.

There's nothing inherently wrong with films that work with a proven formula, and Karate Kid: Legends has some good moments. It just doesn't get the mix quite right. Having Li train Victor is a fun twist on things, compared to previous entries in the series, but the third act montage moments serve as a reminder of just what viewers tune in for. It feels like the kind of entertaining stretching of body and spirit that feels essential to the "root for the underdog" martial arts movie designed to be satisfying family entertainment. 

I would still recommend this to those after something light and easygoing, but it's not a patch on the originals. It's a bit more brash, a bit louder, and makes use of some videogame aesthetics in the final fight. None of those things actually make it a better film. They just make it feel as if it is constantly straining to connect with kids who can still find joy in the simple pleasures of a film that made everyone smile with the words "wax on, wax off". 

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Ballerina (2025)

From the world of John Wick, that's what we were all sold on here. Okay, there's also the draw of Ana de Armas kicking ass while looking damn fine doing it, but this film definitely wants to please fans of Wick. Does it succeed?

After some scenes showing a girl called Eve having her childhood interrupted by the execution of her father, and then being given a home within the Ruska Roma organization, Ballerina starts to show the training and maturation of a skilled killer (De Armas). She wants revenge though, and that isn't allowed. The Director (Anjelica Huston) explains that the man who murdered her father is the head of a large group that they just tend to leave to their own devices. That doesn't satisfy Eve, however, and she soon embarks on a journey of vengeance that will only end in the death of The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne) or her own demise. And her own demise might be facilitated by John Wick himself.

Apparently directed by Len Wiseman, but with extensive reshoots overseen by Chad Stahelski, Ballerina is a bit of a mess, but it's a hell of an entertaining one. The visual style and onscreen world-building keeps it nicely within the "Wick-verse", but writer Shay Hatten can't do enough to make anything feel truly consequential. A number of the action sequences feel shoehorned in because they needed to make the 124-minute runtime bearable (and even then, it's disappointing that one great moment isn't shown, the film making use of the aftermath for some humour and explanation of how skilled our lead now is). 

The best thing that this film has going for it is De Armas, a star who still deserves a real blockbuster success built around her. She can handle the action, and also deals with the breadcrumbs of emotional baggage given to her character. Huston also does well, reprising her role from previous movies and being just as strict and severe as ever. Byrne is a decent villain, but really only powerful enough because of how many people he can mobilise and control to attack one enemy, and Ian McShane adds his usual suave greatness as the constant calm presence of Winston. Catalina Sandino Moreno is wasted, and don't even start me on the third act moment that is delivered without any care or impact, Norman Reedus also doesn't really register, and it's a sad truth to say that any time we get Keanu Reeves making a cameo just serves as a reminder of how much better the Wick movies are. Robert Maaser is an impressive henchman, particularly in the jaw-dropping moments that involve some powerful flamethrowers, and Ava McCarthy is convincingly vulnerable and sweet as Ella, a young girl who ends up in the clutches of the baddies, which gives an extra motivation to our deadly lead.

All of the action is staged well, and it's all enjoyable enough, but things only feel truly inspired in an extended third act that makes great use of an interesting setting and a whole swathe of enemy combatants to deliver the kind of unique and inventive fights that have been a hallmark of this franchise. It's also good to be invested in something that feels as if, either way, there will be a consequential resolution to everything.

I enjoyed Ballerina, despite how it may seem from what I have said here. While there are things I have misgivings about, there's a consistency in the gorgeous cinematography, the excellent score, and the choreography and composition all working to keep De Armas framed as the star that she is. I just wanted it to be a bit better, and maybe there will be a step up in quality if we ever get a sequel to this. I'll rewatch this in the meantime, but I'll only after I have rewatched the superior John Wick movies first.

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Prime Time: Mannequin (1987)

I used to love Mannequin. I'm not ashamed to say it. I could happily rewatch it many times over one weekend. I was young. I was more innocent. I was stupid. Watching it nowadays, after a verrrrrrrry long gap, it soon becomes clear that Mannequin is a bit rubbish. There are still some things to like about it, but you really have to sift through a lot of dirt to find the tiniest little grains of gold.

Andrew McCarthy is Jonathan Switcher, a young man who ends up being unable to hold down a job. He's not being lazy or unrealistic, oh no. He's just an artist, and he needs to do something that helps to fulfil his artistic soul. This is frustrating for his girlfriend, Roxie (Carole Davis). Things change, however, when Switcher saves Claire Timkin (Estelle Getty) from a falling sign outside a department store. It's basically her department store, and she offers Switcher a job. He starts off as a stockroom worker, but eventually meets a mannequin (Emmy, played by Kim Cattrall) that comes alive at night and helps him become a celebrated window dresser. This pleases the flamboyant Hollywood (Meshach Taylor), but displeases the greasy and gurning Richards (James Spader). It also displeases B. J. Wert (Stephen Vinovich), the owner of a rival department store who was ready to buy his ailing competitor at a bargain price.

It's unsurprising to see that this was actually the first theatrical feature for director Michael Gottlieb, who also co-wrote the screenplay with fellow newbie Edward Rugoff. It's a bit more surprising to note the few punchlines that still work though. For example, there's the typical '80s horndog (Armand, played by Christopher Maher) who thinks he is about to have his dreams come true at one point . . . only for his night to fall a bit flat. He may then immediately seek to blame someone else, but it's good to see this being the end of a series of "gags" that were all based on his constant harassment of a woman he wanted to sleep with. Then there are the moments of physical comedy supplied by G. W. Bailey, playing a security guard not a million miles removed from the character her portrayed in the Police Academy movies. Mind you, the gags that work are still not good enough to distract you from the fact that Emmy was "made" by Switcher (a mannequin he worked on for a long time before inevitably being fired), and does everything she can in order to support him and improve his life. She resorts to her unmoving mannequin state when anyone else is around, and seems content to be kept in stasis in between nights she can spend with our leading man.

McCarthy is, just like this movie, someone I used to like a lot in the 1980s. I still like some of his performances, but he's unable to do enough here to make his character as appealing as he should be. He has a few character quirks (drives a motorbike, wears trainers with his trousers, etc.), but there's nothing about him that feels truly special. Cattrall, on the other hand, is wonderful, and does her best in a role that surely didn't seem as good on the page. Her character works so well because of the combination of beauty, energy, and fun that Cattrall tends to carry into everything. Taylor isn't very good, but he definitely makes an impression, and the third act allows him to show how supportive and open-minded good friends should be with one another. Getty is perfectly fine, Davis does well, even if she just has to be the girlfriend who is viewed with disdain for, ummmmm, being successful and responsible, and Vinovich is a decent enough big bad boss ordering his minions to use dirty tricks. It's Spader and Bailey who stand out though, the former giving a performance up there with the greasiest and smarmiest of the decade, which is really seeing something. Replace his character with Jeffrey Combs from The Frighteners and you don't change the film much, that is how entertainingly over the top he plays it. Bailey is helped by the fact that he's accompanied by a, hmmm, "beloved" dog for most of his screentime, but he's an enjoyably inept menace throughout, even if, or perhaps because, his performance doesn't well with the tone of the rest of the movie.

You get a bit of "My Girl" on the soundtrack, and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (performed by Starship) plays over the end credits, but the other songs featured here are very forgettable, even when used for the expected montage moments. The department store setting is shot impressively for a few decent scenes, but a lot of the film feels thrown together, without any thought for real texture or plausibility (e.g. the apartment that McCarthy seems to live quite comfortably in, despite his poor record when it comes to employment). Can you ignore all of the ridiculousness to find some enjoyment here? I think so, especially if you're a fan of Cattrall. It's difficult though, and weird to watch this nowadays and think of it being a decent box office success (it certainly did well enough to help Starship have a hit song on their hands). Still . . . I can't hate it. And I could probably rewatch it, if forced. Although how knows if I will still be thinking that way when I finally get around to watching the sequel.

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

The Rebrand (2025)

I went into The Rebrand wanting to like it, having heard it was a darkly comedic thriller about an online lifestyle influencer couple. Thankfully, I did like it. It was a close call though, and I'm disappointed that I didn't like it more, especially considering the wonderfully unhinged performance from Nancy Webb that carries the whole thing.

Webb also co-wrote this with director Kaye Adelaide, which perhaps explains why she ends up having the most fun. It's all about Blair (Andi E McQueen) and Thistle (Webb), the couple who hire a videographer (Nicole, played by Naomi Silver-Vézina) to help document what is supposed to be a triumphant redemption arc after their recent fall from grace. Nicole is also heavily pregnant, and bisexual, both traits that seem to provide occasional distractions for Blair and Thistle, although it sometimes seems as if they are more interested in the videographer than they are in the actual films being created.

There are a lot of individual moments here that are brilliant, particularly when playing around with the kind of tropes we see in thriller and horror movies. One scene having a couple of characters trying to escape in a car is hilarious and unnerving in equal measure, and I wanted more scenes like it. Unfortunately, The Rebrand doesn't have quite enough consistency, and a lot of other scenes just feel like filler. That wouldn't be such a bad thing if the filler felt honest to the characters, but there are far too many incidents that have the leads making the kind of amateur errors you just know aren't committed by those used to the online influencer life (even if they're not holding on to all of the marbles they may have once had).

McQueen is fine, as is Silver-Vézina, but it's Webb who walks away with the film. Everything else in it feels as if it is struggling to be just above average. Webb feels as if she starts at a 10/10, maintains that throughout, and ends at just the same level. Her performance is so great that her reappearance after any scenes without her presence always provides a much-needed shot of energy.

I don't want to take anything away from Adelaide, who does very good helming her first feature, but it will be very interesting to see what she does next, and how effective it is if she doesn't have such a strong personality to collaborate with. I'll look forward to that, but I'm even more eager to see what comes next from Webb, whether behind or in front of the camera (or both). 

If I have any influence at all then I hope that others make time for The Rebrand. It's likely to work for some people better than it worked for me . . . and maybe that's just a sign of how determined I am to keep my life as far away from the insidious stealth-ads/negging of social media influencers as possible.

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Mubi Monday: Calm With Horses (2019)

Let's be completely honest from the start here, Calm With Horses is nothing that we haven't already seen done, and done well, in dozens of other dramas from the UK and Ireland. Thankfully, this has atmosphere and performances that make it very much worth your time.

Cosmo Jarvis plays Arm, an ex-boxer who now works as the muscle for a notorious local family. He's often alongside Dympna (Barry Keoghan), and the family appreciates that he will do whatever is asked of him. Until he becomes hesitant about dealing with Flannigan (Liam Carney), a man accused of a transgression that gives him a death sentence. Stuck between his employers and his own morality, Arm is also struggling to be a good father, and trying to accept that his ex-partner, Ursula (Niamh Algar), is ready to move away from the area to somewhere that could be much better for their young son.

While I have seen Jarvis in a number of different movies over the years, I have not singled him out for praise, although he was been consistently good, and great in Lady Macbeth. This is probably his best performance yet though, strong and ready for violence, but also aware of how much better life can be when people can be softer and peaceful with one another. Everyone else here is very good (Keoghan and Algar just as you'd expect, and Carney, David Wilmot, Ned Dennehy, and Anthony Welsh all perfect in their respective roles, whether they're acting scared, scary, or slightly oblivious to the violent world that is just one side-step away from them), but the film belongs to Jarvis.

This might be the first feature directed by Nick Rowland, but he helps himself enormously by trusting Joe Murtaugh to adapt Colin Barrett's short story, as well as assembling a cast of superb talent. Getting Jarvis in place was probably the most important part, a solid anchor point that everything else can be attached to, but everything is treated with due care and a faith in the material.

It may not be the most cinematic work, and there isn't anything I want to highlight, but everything is in service of the script and the acting in a way that is reassuring. Everyone behind the camera has done their job in a way that doesn't call attention to their valuable contributions, and that is sometimes a lot harder to do than it might seem.

Grim stuff, but not without a fleeting ray of sunshine breaking through the gathering clouds, Calm With Horses is a film I would happily recommend to anyone after something moving and powerful. There are one or two moments that come close to being too uncomfortable to sit through, but Murtaugh and Rowland know just how far to take things, and how to keep the central character riveting as he tries to hold in the anger that is constantly beating him up internally.

9/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Netflix And Chill: Dead Talents Society (2024)

It's not easy being dead. This has been shown in a variety of movies, and in a variety of ways. You'd think that it would just be, well, nothing. The big sleep. A change of energy without any further pain or trouble. But, according to many movies, it can be a very difficult transition. You have to first accept the idea that you've died. You have to learn the rules governing your existence. And then, sometimes, you have to figure out what to do in order to avoid a secondary kind of death that affects those already dead. That might require some magic, it might require doing some harm to others, or it may just need you to ensure that you live on in the memory of those who inadvertently keep you "alive" in their thoughts.

Dead Talents Society is all about spirits needing to be remembered to maintain their existence. They need to figure out a good enough gimmick though, a way to become a popular urban legend. If a ghost has been busy ensuring that one hotel room is infamously haunted then that ghost has nothing to worry about. The same goes for anyone who may appear in some strange video recordings. You get the idea. Catherine (Sandrine Pinna) was once the queen of such stuff, but her star has faded over time, and she's been superseded by her own protégé, Jessica (Eleven Yao). Catherine is still helped by her manager, Makoto (Chen Bolin), and tensions arise when Makoto also decides to help out "The Rookie" (Gingle Wang), a young woman who wants to stick around in the afterlife, but doesn't have any apparent talent. All she has is her one friend, Camilla (Bai Bai AKA Ching-I Pai), and a strong will to avoid permanent non-existence. The clock is ticking, and it's up to Makoto and co. to turn The Rookie from a shy and quiet spirit into an effectively memorable haunter.

My biggest worry when reviewing Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean et al. films is always tied to getting the names right. Many performers have different names, and those different names can also be mistakenly credited in an incorrect format. So I take a bit more time when reviewing these movies, and I tend to do that more when it's a film that I strongly believe others should check out. Dead Talents Society is one that everyone should make time for. In fact, I'd go one step further. Director John Hsu, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Kun-lin Tsai, is someone that everyone should make time for. I know that I'll be working through a few of his other films (one features and a number of shorts) in the next few weeks.

Hsu and Tsai deliver a wonderful mix of central characters, set up the rules and main premise with fun and clarity, and find a way to go from start to finish with one eye on the potential of the supernatural shenanigans and one eye on the emotional heart of everything. This is a film about a ghost learning to be a proper ghost in an environment where she is surrounded by others who are already settled into their roles, but it's equally in line with many other films about youngsters developing confidence, skills, and the emotional maturity to process experiences that they used to have framed in very different ways.

Wang is a wonderful lead, although she gets to share that responsibility with both Pinna and Bolin, who are both fantastic. They all feel nicely poised between energised and exasperated, depending on how any one moment plays out for them. Yao is hilariously assured and unshakable as the young spirit who has positioned herself as the new gold standard in haunting hijinks. And Bai Bai does a very good job as the supportive friend, although she has to make room for the mentors who might also form some kind of friendship with our lead. 

There may not be any actual scares here, but the horror imagery if spot on, which makes it easier to remember that this is a world of spirits and frights. The comedy works, the effects are impressive, thanks in no small part to a mix of practical work and CGI that doesn't make any of the big moments feel over-stuffed, and there's no one aspect, from the score to the supporting performances, that I could single out for criticism. Aside from a bit of time spent tying things up neatly in some of the final scenes, this is a near-perfect supernatural comedy. And I'll just say it . . . this is the film you should watch instead of the disappointing Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

9/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Shudder Saturday: Push (2024)

I don't know how it happened, but I have now spent two weeks in a row watching films about pregnant women in peril. This time around it's Natalie (Alicia Sanz), a realtor who is at the end of a long day hosting an open house when she is approached by "the client" (Raúl Castillo). Natalie has some tragic backstory, tied to the father of her unborn child (of course), but that gets pushed aside when the film focuses on the horrible scenario of her trying to keep away from someone who seems intent on killing both her and her baby.

Co-written and co-directed by David Charbonier and Justin Douglas Powell, this is the kind of slim premise that needs a whole lot of confidence and style, or maybe even just great tension and/or gore, to make it worth your time. Sadly, it has none of those things. If these film-makers have confidence in their own abilities, it is sorely misplaced. While I wasn't a big fan of one of their previous efforts, The Boy Behind The Door, that at least had a bit more to think about, as well as a bit more visual style. This is a step down. The lean script isn't effective, the tension isn't sustained due to an inability to make viewers believe how credible the threat to our leading lady is, and the whole thing just feels flat in every way.

Sanz and Castillo aren't bad, but they're not given any opportunity to be very good either. They do what is asked of them, which means the former spends a lot of the time acting nervous and afraid while the latter stays menacing and pretty unstoppable. There's one scene that has Castillo blurting out a savage statement of intent in a way that makes you think everything is about to step up a notch, but then it's back to the standard flat level of everything else.

There's some obvious commentary here if you want to read it, but it feels unintentional, a lucky side-effect of the main premise being about a man trying to forcibly end the life of a soon-to-be mother. This could have been improved immensely by, for example, making our villain less of a mystery. Although I am all for films that don't feel the need to explain everything, and killers without obvious motivations or triggers are often the most disturbing, I think this could have been reworked to create a connection between the leads that would have given us even more, or at least a little, substance to chew on.

I feel as if I should try to praise someone, anyone else, here. I can't though. That doesn't mean that they haven't done any good work. It just wasn't good enough to make up for the disappointment of the writing and direction. 

3/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Friendship (2024)

Paul Rudd is someone I would like to be friends with. I've thought that for decades, but it was a notion strengthened by his turn in the wonderful I Love You, Man. Despite the turns taken here, Friendship is a film in line with my way of thinking. In fact, the heart of the whole thing is best summed up by asking yourself how far you would go to make things right if you became firm friends with Paul Rudd for a brief time before awkwardly spoiling the whole thing.

The feature debut of writer-director Andre DeYoung, Friendship is arguably more about the main star, Tim Robinson, who deserves to have a major moment after the brilliant and inspired lunacy of his sketch show, "I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson". Robinson does surrealism, he delivers brilliant commentary on modern life, and he isn't afraid to make things awkward. If you are familiar with his style then Friendship is not going to disappoint you. DeYoung may be in charge behind the camera, but it all feels tailored to the unique talents of Robinson.

Craig (Robinson) is a man who doesn't really do much. You would think that his wife, Tami (Kate Mara), recovering from a battle with cancer would give him a bit of oomph, but no. Craig doesn't seem to have any friends, doesn't really have any hobbies, and doesn't spend too much time outside his own headspace. That all changes when he meets Austin (Paul Rudd), a friendly neighbour who starts to show Craig some ways to start enjoying his life. But the friendship doesn't last too long, it's ended after Craig makes a bit of a fool of himself after enjoying an evening with Austin and others. Much like any sudden break-up though, someone doesn't want things to end. Not without one last chance to make amends anyway.

Brilliantly in line with the other recent work of Robinson, Friendship is both a perfect examination of the madness that affects those who suddenly find their feelings of affection/friendship/love not reciprocated and an exploration of self-confidence, masculinity, and the effort it takes to maintain a strong and enduring relationship. It IS about friendship, particularly the struggle to deal with that slightly childish concept once you're a man of a certain age, but it's also a look at how easy it can be to slide into, and become mired in, laziness and bad habits, as well as the lengths that some people will go to in order to avoid/make up for some awkward social interactions.

Brilliantly awkward and goofy, Robinson is perfect in the lead role. He's so easy to laugh that it's only much later in the movie that the neglect/mistreatment of his wife becomes crystal clear. He may not mean to cause harm, but his need to keep extinguishing his own flame ends up darkening the living space for someone who desperately needs some more light and warmth. Rudd is equally good, very much at ease playing his easygoing character with a hint of smugness and smarm that comes out more once he tries to put an end to his latest friendship. And he DOES make things clear, interestingly enough, which allows the film to focus on the escalating actions of someone suddenly spurned, as opposed to the more farcical slice of "hide and seek" it could have been. Everyone else onscreen does good work, especially considering how they have to play things fairly straight while Robinson is being consistently hilarious, but the other two I will mention are Jack Dylan Grazer (as Steven, Kate's teenage son) and Billy Bryk (a young mobile phone store worker, who also has access to some good drugs), both getting a chance to shine in a couple of scenes that have them being a bit more mature and a bit wiser than the male adult standing in front of them.

From the soundtrack choices to the editing, the production design to the lead up to various punchlines, everything here is designed to keep you on edge, but also keep you ready to laugh. If you don't like the opening scenes then you're not going to have a good time. But if you're a fan of Robinson's work . . . I cannot imagine you coming away from this disappointed. It's everything you could want, and then some.  

9/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Binary (2024)

Although only running for 42 minutes, there's more packed into Binary than you can find in a hundred other movies from last year. I decided to review it here for two reasons. One, the content makes it the kind of film I will now go out of my way to include in conversations that push back against the ongoing attempts to erase trans people. Two, it was so good that I figured I would do what little I could to promote the direction of David-Jan Bronsgeest and writing of Tim Koomen.

Binary is all about Nisha (Inaya Zarakhel), a trans woman feeling tense as she prepares herself for upcoming gender-affirming surgery. She's unsure about exactly how things will go, but equally unsure about how everything else in her life, considering the very mixed reactions she gets from others as she enjoys some nightlife with a friend. Oh, there are also some demons here. They may not seem to be real, but demons never seem that way until it's too late to fix your misconception.

Anchored by the excellent performance of Zarakhel, who identifies as a Hijra/transgender woman (according to my very small amount of online research), Binary manages to be both grittily realistic and vibrantly fantastical in equal measure, with neither aspect negatively affecting the other. The visuals and energy are wrapped around a core of authenticity, all thanks to the writing, direction, and acting. 

Aside from Zarakhel, Charlie Chan Dagelet is also a compelling onscreen presence, and the two work very well together as they encounter a number of men who may or may not wish to enjoy their company. Due to the core cast being so small, I'll mention those men here - Yannick Jozefzoon, Bram Klappe, Hugo Koolschijn, and Stephen Rutayishire - and give them due credit for their portrayal of typical people who can play nice until one perceived deception turns them into something mean and dangerous.

Thought-provoking and confrontational, but (unlike some of the characters onscreen) not in an aggressive way, Binary serves as a reminder that those who experience gender dysphoria are not usually making any of their decisions lightly. They are not after a quick fix, although that may often stem from knowing how impossible that is, not trying to be trendy, and not able to move around any central anchor point within themselves as waves of differing thoughts and doubts continually try to dash them to the ground and drown them in a sea of their own insecurities.

Bronsgeest and Koomen also worked together on a feature, Jimmy, in the same year that they collaborated on this, and I hope that shows them fulfilling the great amount of potential they both display here. If I can access it, and if it's as good as this, then I'll do my bit to help get it on everyone's radar.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Prime Time: Alpha House (2014)

Having recently enjoyed Incoming, a teen comedy made with the kind of intelligence and attitude needed to make something that is both hilarious and fairly unproblematic, I made a bad decision. I decided to scour my viewing options online and find something that might deliver some laughs without any consideration for the more progressive attitudes many of us try to prioritise nowadays. If you're wanting a teen comedy with bad gags and lots of gratuitous nudity then The Asylum, that production company best known for their mockbusters and creature features, has you covered. 

The plot is simple. An all-male campus frat house is forced to start sharing their accommodation with a number of young women. Nobody wants the situation to stay that way though, which leads to a battle of the sexes, with the victor hoping to return the house to a unisex state.

I've not seen any other films from director Jacob Coooney, who also co-wrote this puerile screenplay with Brandon Trenz, and I don't think I'll be rushing to check out anything else he decides to do. Alpha House is pretty dire, although those who somehow can't figure out how to see nudity on the internet may be easily pleased by the many moments designed to get young women naked. There aren't any characters worth rooting for though, none of the alleged jokes are even slightly amusing, and the slim plot is almost insultingly dumb.

I don't even want to name any of the men who starred in this thing. They have already been rewarded enough by being in a film that allows them to live out a number of teen fantasy scenarios. It's the women who deserve any praise, and I'll say that at least Heather Paige Cohn, Sam Aotaki, Audrey Ellis Fox, and Mindy Robinson all had more screen presence than any of their male co-stars. That's partially to do with their attractiveness, but it's just as much to do with them being able to do more than snigger and act as over-stimulated as a 17th-century monk glimpsing a woman's bare ankle.

There will be an audience for this, but I would encourage even the target demographic to seek out something better. There are comedies out there that are much funnier. There are titillating movies that have much better titillation. If you want something smarter and more in line with modern sensibilities then I can point you towards a few different options (although this was made just over ten years ago, it feels as if it was made back in the early 1990s . . . and I don't mean that in a good way). And if you want something decidedly non-modern then please feel free to go further back in film history to the likes of National Lampoon's Animal House, Screwballs, or even Porky's. At least they all feel like films made by people who did more than the bare minimum required to string together the set-pieces and wardrobe malfunctions.

2/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Superman (2025)

I'm not interested in comparing this incarnation of Superman to other recent onscreen incarnations. Mainly because this film blows away almost every other film outing for the man of steel, but also because there's no need. I will say that I did enjoy a cinematic exchange between Superman and Batman that had the latter refining a definition of what constitutes bravery. It's a shame that the movies didn't really dive much further into those kind of considerate diversions more often, particularly when you see how effective it is in this movie.

As beloved as the character of Superman is, he's always been a bit tricky for some to get a handle on. It's difficult to create tension and fun around someone so seemingly-invulnerable and full of noble intention. There are only so many times that we can see him being felled by a piece of kryptonite.

Writer-director James Gunn tackles this problem head on, giving us a Superman movie in which our hero is often, to put it bluntly, on the end of a major bloody hiding. Things start in the middle of one such encounter, with Superman (David Corenswet) having just been defeated in a fight for the very first time. It's a bad defeat, particularly for someone not used to the concept. Thankfully, a fortress of solitude and some helpful robots soon get Supes back in the air. That means that he can soon get back to his usual schedule of maintaining his Clark Kent disguise alongside Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and co. at the Daily Planet, keeping the people of Metropolis safe from the many strange invaders that keep trying to smoosh them, and being monitored and plotted against by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). 

Christopher Reeve remains my favourite Superman. He is the high benchmark against which all others are measured, although it must be said that everyone given an opportunity to don the suit and cape on cinema screens has had a bloody good go at truly embodying the character for a new generation. Nobody gets everything right though. Cavill was fantastic as Superman, but I found him less believable in the few times we saw him as Clark Kent. Brandon Routh found himself stuck in a film that ensured he could never avoid being overshadowed. Corenswet is very good here, although he doesn't get too much time mixing with people in his normal "human" mode, but I have to say that he has the advantage of being the star of what is now my favourite Superman movie. I still love many of the others, but Gunn shows just how much he knows, and believes in, this hero.

There's nothing subtle here, but nobody really expects subtlety from a Superman film. Still, considering the fact that you have scenes with someone taking a stand against a genocidal government that makes them unpopular, a moment depicting busy online trolls in the best possible way, a busy plot that makes room for some deliberately old-fashioned and vital investigative journalism, and an entire plot revolving around someone good becoming demonised by others simply because of the circumstances that led to their arrival in America . . . this puts our hero in a world that is both a beautifully-realised Metropolis and also something not too dissimilar to our own.

Intentionally or not, and it has to be the former (let's be honest), Gunn gives audiences a much brighter and apparently lighter take on the hero that we've seen mired in some grimdark fare for a decade or so now. That doesn't mean the film is full of sunshine and rainbows though. There are big themes dealt with here, and the main characters are sketched out so well that a few major moments in the third act had me getting all misty-eyed in the cinema. In fact, there's a speech here that, while not unlike dialogue we have heard from various other movie characters throughout the years, is incredibly moving simply BECAUSE it is being said by Superman, and he's portrayed as someone that we know absolutely means every word of it. That's what this film has that other recent Superman outings have lacked - heart. There's also some humour, of course, but it's not the same kind one-note witticisms that have started to become an issue with many other blockbusters recently.

Neva Howell and Pruitt Taylor Vince are a wonderful and warm new set of foster parents (aka Ma Kent and Pa Kent), Skyler Gisondo is a good fit for the role of Jimmy Olsen, and María Gabriela de Faría, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, and Isabela Merced all have fun as, respectively, The Engineer, Mr. Terrific, Guy Gardner, and Hawkgirl. Wendell Pierce is an excellent Perry White, Sara Sampaio eventually gets a scene or two in which to shine as Eve Teschmacher, and, if you've seen any of the pre-release advertising, you should already be prepared for Krypto to steal the show/slightly irritate you, depending on how you feel about very cute dogs wearing capes. Everything relies on a central trio though, and I cannot find fault with Corenswet, Brosnahan, or Hoult. They're given enough room to step into some big shoes and try to make each role their own, and I'm going to say that they succeed more than I had thought possible. I didn't spend any of my time watching this film comparing their characters against past portrayals. I quite simply rooted for Superman, waited for Lex Luthor to come unstuck, and enjoyed the intelligence and tenacity of a Lois Lane who wields her journalism skills as her very own super-power.

Superman will, like all of the best super-heroes, mean so many different things to so many different people. But this Superman is probably the hero we need right now. And it's only one or two very minor criticisms that have stopped me from rating this as a perfect film. Hell, the final scene made me smile so much that I might even add that one extra point whenever I get around to rewatching it, and I am definitely aiming to rewatch it ASAP.                   

9/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Mubi Monday: Super Happy Forever (2024)

Although I have seen one other film from director Kohei Igarashi (the very enjoyable The Night I Swam), I cannot say that I picked this film based on their input. No, I just picked this film, yet again, on a completely random basis. I'm glad I did though, and I can now recommend it to others.

Everything begins with a sequence that appears to make the title seem ironic. Sano (Hiroki Sano) and Miyata (Yoshinori Miyata) are two friends who are spending time at a resort hotel. Sano is desperate to find a red baseball cap that was left there years ago, something that is now more precious to him after the recent death of his wife, Nagi (Nairu Yamamoto). Some more time is spent showing us Sano looking for the hat, as well as mourning his loss, but then we jump back about five years. This presents us with the first meeting of Sano and Nagi, an encounter that we know won't lead to them being super happy forever, but maybe they'll think it's possible for a while.

Co-written by Igarashi and Kochi Kubodera, this is one of those films I am going to annoyingly refer to as beautiful and delicate. It starts off like something that may be hard to stick with, but the time jump allows for a relief from the dark clouds, and a number of seemingly minor moments help to recontextualise everything that was shown in the opening act. It may not be the most quotable film, nor is it the most beautiful or technically audacious work, but it works brilliantly because of the sweet and believable chemistry between Sano and Yamamoto, making it very easy to understand the highs and lows that the main character goes through.

Without forcing viewers to stay right in between the leads, Igarashi makes use of their infectious happiness and easygoing rapport to convey the strong connection obviously developing between them. As they walk through the onscreen environment, things feel brighter and more alive, another benefit of having seen those same places viewed through a haze of grief.

Sano has a bit more to do with his performance, showing the bad and the good, and he does very well, but Yamamoto handles the more important pivotal role. She's believably sweet and lovely, making you retro-actively feel that void you didn't initially realise was so prevalent throughout the start of the film. Miyata does fine in support, but the other person I have to mention is Hoàng Nhu Quýnh, playing a Vietnamese chambermaid who emphasises the carelessness anyone can have when inadvertently affecting the lives of others, in even the smallest "butterfly effect" way.

The pacing is perfect, the tone blossoms into something truly wonderful with every subsequent scene, and there are emotional arrows fired that should pierce even the stoniest heart. It may be forgotten soon enough, considering the sheer number of movies that are all vying for your attention every week nowadays, but I hope one or two people, like myself, keep doing their bit to remind others to check it out.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Netflix And Chill: Incoming (2024)

The bad thing about being connected with so many film fans from all over the world is that it can become exhausting, and quite expensive, to try and keep up with the many recommendations you can receive. The good far outweighs the bad though, and one upside is remembering some of those titles when you're after a particular kind of title for your latest viewing choice. I had started watching Incoming a few weeks ago, but general life stuff had interrupted my movie time, which meant I gave up on it and didn't think it worth rushing back to. Then I heard it recommended by a good friend of mine on a podcast that he co-hosts. So I figured I would trust him (and that isn't always advisable, but this time around I am glad that I did).

Mason Thames is Benj Nielsen. He's about to start his first year of being at high school, which means he has to do something to redefine his personality as he wades through some dangerous freshman waters. He has some good friends in Connor (Raphael Alejandro) and Eddie (Ramon Reed), but the trio have to split up when a party thrown by the older brother of their mutual friend, Danah (Bardia Seiri), only has room for one of them to get in the mix with the older guests. Benj sees it as a chance to really shoot his shot with Bailey (Isabella Ferreira), but that's complicated by the fact that she's both a) a bit older than him, and b) a good friend of his sister, Alyssa (Ali Gallo). Meanwhile, Connor and Eddie end up unwillingly driving around Katrina (Loren Gray), a young woman who has partied far too hard and won't tell them where she lives until they first get along to a Taco Bell.

The feature directorial debut for brothers Dave Chernin and John Chernin, who have done some excellent work on the small screen with a couple of shows called It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and The Mick, Incoming is another near-perfect example of how to deliver a great teen comedy for audiences who can't be served up the same kind of gags and gratuitous nudity that used to be a staple of the sub-genre, but would now be considered ugly and problematic viewed through a more modern and progressive lens. There are some gags and moments here that would work at any time, but one or two moments feel all the better for the feeling that some kind of balance is being redressed (the car scenes, for example, feel very much like a much more amusing and updated riff on a story strand in Sixteen Candles that has not aged well). The Chernin brothers are smart enough to update some tropes without feeling as if they're neutering them, and they're smart enough to know that a lot of the laughs can come from a good mix of characters, portrayed by cast members who feel just right in their roles.

Thames is a strong lead, naive and vulnerable enough to root for, even as he mistakenly changes himself for the benefit of approval from people he shouldn't care about. Alejandro and Reed are equally good, and both get to be involved in one of the funniest set-pieces in the entire film. Both Feirreira and Gallo have fun in their roles, the former being very cool and coveted by young Benj, the latter being quick to cut down anyone around her as she rolls her eyes and pretends to be cool about her ex-partner being in a new relationship, and Loren Gray deserves some praise for her commitment to a seriously unflattering role. Seiri is amusingly smooth/sneaky, Kayvan Shai is entertaining as his older brother, and someone who is keen to use violence whenever possible, and there are superb contributions from Thomas Barbusca (a stoner causing some trouble), Bobby Cannavale (a teacher trying to stay cool with the kids, but hoping to not go too far overboard), Scott MacArthur (an inconsiderate man who happens to be dating Eddie's mother), and Kaitlin Olson (who essentially bookends the film to advise/chastise her children).

It starts off a bit sedate and mild, and you may think (as I did) that it's not going to be worth your time, but give this a chance and you'll find yourself letting out some big laughs as things escalate. The momentum builds nicely, there's a fine soundtrack accompanying the many party scenes, it doesn't outstay its welcome (the runtime is a pretty perfect 91 minutes), and there's a finale that is as smile-inducing and satisfying as it is wonderfully cheesy. Just fantastic fun all around.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share