Posts by Jeremy Butler

“There are two kinds of people in this world, Jack. Runners or gunners, which one are you?”

I have to be honest; when I first saw the preview for this movie and saw Stephen Amell in that crazy wig, I expected this movie to be a car wreck. However, like all car wrecks, you can’t look away, so I accepted the fact that I would have to watch Calamity Jane, just to see how much of a car wreck it would be. Funny enough, it was not one at all. I mean, I’m still not over that crazy wig, and there were a few periods of inactivity that could have been skipped, but despite that, Calamity Jane actually turned to be an enjoyable movie experience. As expected, the major thing that it has going for it is the main reason that drew me to it: the opportunity for an Arrow reunion courtesy of Emily Bett Rickards and Stephen Amell. Throwing Wynonna Earp’s Tim Rozon into the mix was just a bonus (speaking of Wynonna Earp, be sure to also check out our review for the continuation movie).

This movie has been the talk of Prime Video, and I just had to see what the fuss was about. I’m no stranger to a Tyler Perry movie, but I can safely say that this movie has moved to the front as one of my favorites. Starring Meagan Good and Cory Hardrict, Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black does not shy away from the ugliness of toxic love. Good plays Ava, a good-natured and faithful woman, while Hardrict plays Dallas, her egotistical and entitled husband. Ava has dedicated her life to trying to be a good wife and please her husband, going so far as to diminish herself. Meanwhile, Dallas does everything in his power to keep Ava down and unaware of her worth. Things come to a head when Dallas leaves Ava heartbroken as he abandons their marriage. I wasn’t expecting to get sucked into the movie the way I did, but it definitely had me leaning in as Good’s character works to rebuild and take back her life in the face of a husband who only seeks to keep her under his thumb.

As I said, I’m no stranger to a Tyler Perry film, so I am very familiar with the formula for his films: a wronged lead character usually with low esteem plus an egotistical and entitled antagonist usually of the husband variety equals a betrayal of some kind, whether it be infidelity or in this case divorce. That is usually the formula, or some variation of that. However, I wouldn’t go as far as to suggest that the formula has become stagnant or outdated. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that everyone either knows someone experiencing this exact circumstance or has experienced it themselves. So, bearing that in mind, I’d say that this film is very much life imitating art, and given what I know of Mr. Perry’s background, he is merely holding up the mirror to the dangers of toxic love and the risks of not knowing your worth.

“You’re taking notes on a criminal conspiracy?”

I think a better name for this movie would have been The Amateurs, because it is very much amateur hour in this heist comedy, but in a good way. Well, it would seem that AppleTV is treating us to two Oceans’ movie reunions this year. Later this year, George Clooney and Brad Pitt will reunite for action comedy about professional fixers forced to work together on a job despite their preference to operate as lone wolves, hence the film’s name Wolves. And now Matt Damon and Casey Affleck reunite in The Instigators, a heist comedy about two robbers who must go on the run with the help of one of their therapists after a theft doesn't go as planned. Interestingly, this film also marks the tenth collaboration between Affleck and Damon, as well as Damon reuniting with director Doug Liman after 22 years (since The Bourne Identity) and Damon reunion with Hong Chau, who he worked with in Downsizing. Lots of reunions are going on in this film.

“The juice is loose.”

Michael Keaton is on quite the reunion tour of reprising his old roles, and for most actors stepping back into the role isn’t always easy. However, for Keaton, it is as if no time has passed whatsoever. Over thirty years since portraying this iconic role, Keaton returns as Beetlejuice, the trickster spirit who attempted to manipulate a marriage to Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz in order to gain a permanent foothold in the living world. Keaton isn’t the only one who returns in this well done addition to the ongoing trend of continuation series; Ryder returns as Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara is back as Delia Deetz, Lydia’s stepmom, and most notably Tim Buron is back in the director’s seat for the sequel. Burton’s return is most pivotal addition in my opinion, as the first film was full of his unique style that would be impossible for another director to emulate. Also joining the franchise are Justin Theroux, Monia Bellucci, Danny Devito, albeit too briefly, and most appreciatively, Jenna Ortega, who previously and actively collaborates with Burton on the Netflix Series Wednesday, whose upcoming season I am anxiously awaiting.

“You don’t run from your fears. You ride ‘em.”

I should caveat this review by stating upfront that this is a standalone sequel. Which means that Twisters, while existing in the same universe as the 1996 film of the same name (minus the “s”), it has little or no narrative connection to its predecessor. And yet, I found many parallels between this film and its predecessor, which gave it the feel of a modern-day retelling rather than a sequel. This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you loved the original film. In that case, these similarities may invoke feelings of nostalgia. Then again, it could also feel like a cut-and-paste job. For me, I err on the side of nostalgia, as while I did detect multiple similar themes, they seem more like homages than reproductions. This film also serves as a good follow-up for Daisy Edgar-Jones after her leading role in Where the Crawdads Sings. Then there is Glenn Powell, who right now is inescapable with notable performances in Top Gun: Maverick, Devotion, Anybody But You, and most recently Hit Man, all films that he’s done in the last two years. Rounding out the cast, we have Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), Kiernan Shipka (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders), and most notably for me, the soon-to-be Superman, David Corenswet in a very un-Clark-Kent-like role.

It’s the little things I supposed. When forced to confront the prospect of your own death, what will you do with the time you have left. Some fight against their own extinction. Some seek help from a higher power. While some cling to the past and seek comfort in their treasured memories. In a Quiet Place: Day One we see a bit of all three. While Day One marks the third installment in the Quiet Place franchise, it serves as the prequel for the series showcasing how the world went silent after sightless aliens with sharp hearing and impenetrable armor plating take over the planet and attack the human population. For me, this is a welcome addition to the franchise because while watching the first two films, one of my recurring thoughts was I would like to see how the world went quiet. Imagine my excitement when I this movie was announced. In my mind, I figured the prequel would continue to follow the Abbott family. However, Day One is comprised of a predominantly new cast, with the exception of Djimon Hounsou, who was introduced in the second film. While I was initially disappointed, I got over it quickly as new blood provides a new opportunity to expand the story rather than restricting yourself. Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, and Alex Wolff represent our new additions to the franchise, and they don’t disappoint.

We’ve seen the result of the invasion. Now see how it began. The film centers around Nyong'o’s character Sam, as she finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. As the central character, Nyong'o is our lens into this situation. A loner type with a pessimistic outlook of the world (there is a justifiable reason for outlook that I won’t spoil for you), she elects to go it alone. Obviously, that won’t do. It is in this vein that we are introduced to Quinn’s character, Eric. While their pairing was inevitable and expected, their endgame was not and leads me back to my opening statement. When faced with the prospect of your own death, what will you value the most. While I can’t fault what Sam and Eric valued, it truly embodies that opening sentence.

“You're my bad boys. Now clear my name.”

Slipping back into their roles as Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett must be as easy as slipping on their favorite jacket for Will Smith and Martin Lawrence at this point. Their chemistry has been what has sustained this nearly thirty-year franchise, and they continue the trend with the latest installment, Bad Boys: Ride or Die. If this is to be the final addition in the franchise, I would be more than satisfied, and Ride or Die would be a very good high note to go out on in my opinion, as it offers a measure of catharsis for both characters. Not to mention paying homage to an O.G. character who was tragically killed (I’m still upset about it) in the previous film. Naturally Smith and Lawrence are the returning vets for the series, but there are also a few other returning faces, such as Paola Nunez, Jacob Scipio, Vanessa Hudgens, and Alex Ludwig, who were introduced in the last film. However, that’s not all, as the film demonstrates excellent character continuity by including characters introduced in the first movie. Characters like Dennis Greene as Reggie, and even better, a surprise cameo from a very tall former criminal that dates to the original film. You’ll know him when you see him. Unfortunately, Theresa Randle (who played Marcus’ wife in the other installments) does not return, due to what I’ve been led to believe were medical concerns. Wishing her a full recovery. Meanwhile, Tasha Smith graciously steps into the role.

“In their time, humans were capable of many great things. They could fly, like eagles fly. They could speak across oceans. But now, it is our time ... and it is my kingdom. We will learn. Apes will learn. I will learn. And I ... will conquer.”

Just as you think that the Planet of the Apes franchise has run out of story to tell, especially following the death of the protagonist in the preceding film, they find a way to bring the story full circle with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the first of a new trilogy of Planet of the Apes films. In the Andy Serkis-led Caesar, we observed apes’ ascendency to becoming the dominant species on the planet. However, with this new franchise, we will get to see if absolute power truly does corrupt absolutely. I have to take my hat off to this franchise, not only for its ten installments, but for its successful execution of long-term storytelling. When the series rebooted back in 2011, I assumed that we were just getting the origin story for the films that came before. Following that logic, I presumed that following apes ascending to the top of the food chain would be the end of the journey. However, that is not the case, as things have been brought full circle, and there is still much story to tell. Caesar’s journey was merely a chapter in a larger story that is still being written. King of the Planet of Apes marks the beginning of that new chapter, and I for one am happy to be along for the ride.