The Boys in the Band OK/G
I admit to never knowing about this film before seeing it
mentioned in a recent Entertainment Weekly article. I’m surprised it’s not mentioned much
considering how groundbreaking it must’ve been in 1970. Interestingly, the same director (William
Friedkin) helmed The Exorcist just
three years later. The movie involves a
bunch of gay men in the city throwing a birthday party for one of their friends
at one of their apartments. The host has
a college buddy arrive unexpectedly who happens to be straight and seemingly
very uncomfortable with homosexuals (it was 1970 after all, although people
still harbor a more reserved homophobia today).
Tensions arise as you can imagine, not just between the hetero and
homos, but amongst the gay men themselves which is still a relevant issue
pertaining to prejudice within the community.
This is a simplistic movie very much like 12 Angry Men in its use of one primary location with a bunch of men going
at it while learning more about each other and themselves in the process. It’s a bit long but I didn’t realize how much
I enjoyed most of their company until after it was over. 3/28/2018
The Executioners B
Four pretty white girls go to a house by a lake for some
r&r. Three dudes with different
colored face paint invade the home and subject the girls to physical and
emotional torment. The girls eventually
overpower them and dole out similar torture.
The tired scenario may sound effective theoretically, but the filmed
result consists of atrocious acting and lackadaisical execution. I hated it.
3/27/2018
Ferdinand OK
The titular character, voiced by John Cena, is a bull from
Spain without a desire to fight. How
many times have we seen a movie about being yourself and not what others
expect? Probably countless but you have
to take into consideration that babies are born everyday and this may be the first
“inspirational” film an impressionable youngster happens to see. Studios should also consider the parents aware
of these stories forced to tag-along with their impressionable youngsters. They also have to consider those without spawn
that watch lots of movies (like yours truly).
This animated movie is funny at times, especially the goat, but it’s
nothing more than ordinary, making it forgettable for everyone but the
impressionable youngsters seeing it before all the better entries of
yesteryear. 3/29/2018
Happy Hunting OK/G
A man escapes drug dealers before ending up in an isolated
desert town near the Mexican border during a time the townsfolk conduct a
rather sinister annual tradition. The
premise does wear thin and is absolutely unoriginal, plus it’s predictable at
times, but I liked it more than hated it.
I doubt I’ll ever watch it again though.
3/26/2018
I, Tonya G
“Truth is bullshit and everyone has their own version of
it.” That’s the gist of what was uttered
by Margot Robbie here portraying Tonya Harding, the notorious Olympic skater
made infamous for the 1994 incident involving Nancy Kerrigan. There’s always more than one side to every
story and several sides are given here.
That being said, I’d be interested in seeing a companion piece entitled I, Nancy. I remember hearing about what happened but I
was turning 12 at the time and could’ve cared less about anything involving the
Olympics. I still don’t care 24 years
later. I can honestly say I never knew
the specifics so I went in blind to this the same way as someone hearing about
it for the first time. Mentioning truth
and its subjective nature above, this film was allegedly based on interviews
with Tonya and her husband at the time, Jeff, so I just had to take their words
for it. It actually works as a biopic
laced with instances of characters “future selves” breaking the fourth wall and
debunking what the media said. The scene
involving the incident was presented
in such a far-fetched manner, I was expecting someone to tell us that’s not
what really happened before showing us what really did. Like always, I only care if the movie I’m
watching is good or not, fact or fiction be damned. I knew basically nothing about Aileen Wuornos
before watching Monster and it was very
good in addition to being illuminating. According
to this film, Tonya didn’t exactly live the most glamorous life without the
scandal, having a real “c-word” for a mother and she being a self-proclaimed
redneck making a living as a waitress when not skating. The film isn’t perfect by any stretch, but
for not giving two shits about the material, it succeeds at being a
compellingly depressing story about a girl beginning and ending with nothing
despite making a name for herself in between.
3/24/2018
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle OK/G
Like the newest Power
Rangers movie, this sequel begins like a Breakfast Club teen movie with different cliques (a jock, a nerd, a
princess, an insecure unpopular girl) serving detention together before the
intended action. Ironically, the
original Power Rangers movie was
released the same year as Jumanji. I remember thinking Jumanji was fun but also thinking the special effects (even then)
were rather goofy. They haven’t improved
much after 22 years but perhaps I shouldn’t completely fault them since they’re
part of a game and game graphics aren’t exactly realistic (most of the
time). Instead of the game coming to the
players, this time the players are transported into the game as avatars they picked. Since they were actually in the jungle this
time, I expected more wild animal encounters, but like I mentioned above about unconvincing
graphics, more likely might’ve been too much.
I have my reservations but this sequel was actually fun, funny, and
undeniably ingenious. I’ll likely recommend
this if asked, but I think Zathura is
a better movie involving board games come to life, which is funny considering
I’m not a fan of space movies but am of wild animals. 3/21/2018
Killing Ground OK
One thing many movies from Australia have taught me is that
it’s a very beautiful continent but not a very safe place to be. This film initially alternates between three
interconnected storylines. There aren’t
too many original ways to tell these survival horror stories anymore, so
altering techniques and overall presentation are the only ways to attempt
differentiation. It does work at first,
instilling a palpable sense of unease before all hell inevitably breaks loose,
and the film might be disturbing in hindsight, but Killing Ground is familiar
ground treaded on many times before in not just Australia. 3/24/2018
On My Block: Season One OK
Lauren Iungerich, a lady white as can be, said she wanted to
present a coming-of-age series where non-white characters were the
“heroes.” Or something like that. It’s definitely apparent in this Netflix
series centering on black and Latino teenagers in a town resembling South
Central. I’m always up for a good
coming-of-age story regardless of demographics and location. This is a diverse world, especially in
America, and I believe all people should be represented. Sometimes a different perspective can make an
overdone storyline somewhat more appealing (Fresh
off the Boat would likely be an ordinary sitcom if it didn’t involve an
Asian-American family). Speaking of
diversity, homosexuals still seem to be a marginalized group in
entertainment. Not a single gay
character was portrayed in this “inclusive” series despite being a universal
trait, even in black and Latino communities.
I don’t expect gay characters to outnumber straight ones nor do I expect
a gay character to be the main one, but if today’s world is to be reflected
properly, all groups (race, gender,
sexuality) should be included. Anyway, the
young teens beginning high school experience similar situations presented many
times in “exclusive” entertainment, which I guess works to show kids deal with
the same issues regardless of where they live.
Even in the ‘hood, people seem to eventually end up with their crushes. They do live in a rough area, but the gang material
generally takes a backseat to growing up.
At one point they even make light of guessing what type of gun they hear
close-by. Things get a bit interesting
when a treasure hunt is involved, but it doesn’t start until episode 8 of 10. There’s no happy ending to the season resulting
from one character’s previous decision in which a fatal consequence should’ve
been foreseen. Unless season two is
released within a month or two, I’m not sure if I’ll care to continue. 3/24/2018
The Sandman EH/OK
The eponymous creature actually isn’t too bad-looking, kinda
phat, considering I expected worse. He’s
just in the wrong movie. Beginning as a formulaic
body count movie lacking any suspense, it also tries incorporating elements of The Mummy, Carrie, Firestarter, Species, and contains what I think might’ve
been a nod to The Exorcist. Unlucky for us, a post-credits sequence suggests
a possible sequel. I say the mythical
creature should put any future ideas to sleep unless he’s placed in a better
movie! 3/26/2018
A Series of
Unfortunate Events: Season One G
I have read all 13 books by Lemony Snicket in which this
Netflix series is based. It’s been a
little over a decade, but I remember them being diverting, easy-to-read, and
slightly educational for younger or uneducated readers by introducing big words
and defining them. I didn’t like them as
much as Goosebumps or any other R.L. Stine series, but they were fun and
forced me to keep checking them out from my local library until completion. I don’t remember being a huge fan of the
movie starring Jim Carrey, but I also remember it only covered mostly the first
two books in the series. This show is
the better idea by allowing more room for each story. Each episode is roughly between 45 minutes to
an hour and this first season contains 8 episodes (2 per book) for the first
four entries (The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, The Wide
Window, The Miserable Mill). Initially,
I thought the appearance of Lemony Snicket (played by Patrick Warburton)
narrating the series amongst the action would be a distraction, but he
gradually just blends in with the narrative as the show goes on. Plus, I recall him narrating the books so it
doesn’t deviate from the source material.
I think I was more annoyed by Neil Patrick Harris’ character as Count
Olaf more than anything which I believe was the intention to make him
deplorable. The series isn’t great (like
the source material) but it’s momentarily entertaining (like the source
material) and far from uplifting which is always refreshing to see in
children’s entertainment. It is called A Series of Unfortunate Events after all,
and the narrator, here as well as in the books, continuously informs you to
stop watching or reading if you like happy stories. I wanted to keep watching at the end of the
last episode so that’s always a good sign.
Incidentally, the second season is beginning shortly. 3/21/2018
Small Town Crime OK/G
An independent film with John Hawkes, an actor with a face more
recognizable than name, that’s slightly Tarantino-esque while coming off as a forgotten
Coen Brothers project (ironically two other brothers were at the helm). I actually liked John Hawkes here (I don’t
recall ever particularly caring before) and there’s a considerable body count,
but I felt unsatisfied by films end like more was missing. John Hawkes proved he can act though, thereby
elevating him above no-name status. 3/24/2018
The Strange Ones G
Two brothers flee in a car after a house is shown burning. Obviously they’re running from something or
someone. Things are kept interesting by
continuously changing locations and some disturbing revelations are eventually
revealed. Far from great but doesn’t
overstay its welcome. 3/28/2018
Unsane OK/G
This film isn’t exactly groundbreaking and doesn’t
amount to much, but like his other film Bubble,
Steven Soderbergh managed to take simplistic material, here involving a mental
institution and a stalker, and make it relatively involving (I liked Bubble better though). I don’t think it’s worth seeing in the theater
unless you have a gift card and there’s nothing else playing. Do check out Bubble if you haven’t already though. 3/26/2018
Victor Crowley B/EH
Hatchet was a
worthy throwback to gory, simplistic slasher films from the ‘80’s. Hatchet
II and III were unnecessary but
watchable sequels. Hatchet III was supposed to be the last one. I know such things are never set in stone,
especially with horror franchises, but it damn well should’ve been judging by
this fourth entry! I’m surprised the
original creator, Adam Green, whom is actually a worthy post-millennial
filmmaker, was behind this (part three was the only one he wasn’t). This film felt like a parody of the
franchise, not in the Scream sense
but more in the Scary Movie vein
(which itself was a parody of the former).
The series has always been sort of tongue-in-cheek to a point but never
as unbearably apparent as here. I hated
every single character. The only thing
going for it is the expected gore and the scant barely 80-minute runtime (the
former barely making it worthwhile and the latter not necessarily being a
compliment). One particular standout is
a rather gruesome demise befalling a certain Sleepaway Camp alumni. My
suggestion for gorehounds would be to either fast-forward to each death or hope
Adam Green will be nice enough to make a special feature showcasing only the
death sequences (some body count DVD/Blu-Rays do have that feature). I would say this sequel is for Hatchet fans only, but even they might
deem it unnecessary like I surely did, therefore not befitting anyone. Mr. Green, I think it’s time you bury this
hatchet (!) for good. 3/24/2018
---Sean O.
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