The Reel World

Ever since I saw the Demon House documentary in 2018 I’ve kind of been obsessed with this story. It is one of the best documented stories of the paranormal out there with a number of witnesses, many of whom are government officials, and people who you would consider reliable. It was inevitable that a film would be done about this house, and it seems Lee Daniels (Precious and The Butler) is the guy who got the job. This story is one that took a while to bring to the screen, and what kind of blows my mind when it comes to bringing these “true stories” to life is that they find these fascinating stories and then decide to just change things and make them more “Hollywood”, and for the most part that is never a decision that improves the story (like was it necessary to change the location from Indiana to Pennsylvania?). So I’m going to just say that if you want the “true” story, check out the documentary. It is at least a nice companion to the film … As for my review of the film, I’m just going to focus as much as I can on the film and ignore the true story.

Ebony (Andra Day) is a single mother trying to raise her three kids while also trying to help out her mother, Alberta (Glenn Close), who is going through chemo treatments. Ebony is dealing with a drinking problem and some abuse towards her children and has Cynthia (Mo’Nique), a DCS officer, looking in on her. The first half of this film for the most part is about the family dynamic, their struggles to get along under the same roof and deal with their finances. Ebony is far from a likeable character. It is clear her intentions are good, but she is on the brink of falling apart … and then the paranormal stuff kicks in.

"Welcome to the MCU. You're joining at a bit of a low point."

When Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, the Marvel fanbase was instantly overflowing with questions. Of course, Fox held the film rights to a ton of Marvel characters and stories. So we were immediately trying to figure out how The MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) was going to integrate these characters into the one big beautiful world.  The first bit of news concerned The Fantastic Four. We had a couple of pretty good films, but the last one was absolutely horrible. Now we have a cast and release date, so we're all eager to see how that's going to come together. What other Marvel staples will be included? The same is true of The X-Men and to a lesser extent characters like Blade, which so far looks like a huge mess in the making. For me the biggest question was, what about Deadpool? I mean, this potty-mouthed anti-hero does not fit in with the kind of films or reputation of parent company Walt Disney. Surely Deadpool was truly dead. If they did bring him back, there was no way they'd greenlight an R film loaded with F-bombs, bloody gore, and a lot of potshots at the company itself. No freakin' way! Guess what? WAY.

“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.

"Change of plans. Now that we know the whole world will be watching, we need a backup plan."

I went into Fly Me To The Moon expecting something like Capricorn One, and I ended up seeing a film that reminded me more of Wag The Dog. The Woody Harrelson role might have been the clincher here. The change was actually a fortuitous one, and in spite of my relative loathing for rom-com syrup, I ended up having a pretty good time and liking the sleeper film more than I had any right to expect. It's not perfect, and I don't expect that it will climb on anyone's classic lists in the next decade or so. But the mishmash film presentation ends up having a pretty wide appeal, and you could do worse than spend a couple of hours here amid what's been an overall rather disappointing slate of films for 2024. There's a little something for everyone here. You have the requisite rom-com essentials, pieces of a rather nice political thriller, and a trip down memory lane for all of us who are old enough to remember that hot summer day in 1969 when everything changed. At least they did for a certain 8-year-old. But what if there had been a contingency plan?

We are living in the era of the “legacy sequel”, it seems all sorts of properties that began in the late 70s or 80s are getting sequels and for the most part they have been rather successful at the box office. This is the part that frustrates me with streaming services, a film like Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F has been gestating for years, it even went to becoming an a TV series that failed to take off but after the success of Top Gun: Maverick, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and the Creed films it seems Hollywood execs have decided maybe a new Beverly Hills Cop film might be a good idea after all. Then factor that this summer isn’t all that stacked with tent-pole films you’d think Netflix would take a chance and give Axel Foley his time on the big screen like he deserves, but nope this new film is exclusive to Netflix and while I get their motivations, I still think they are stupid for missing out on the potential added income, just like they’ll most likely forego releasing the film on physical media. It is an interesting time in film and I don’t feel it is a good thing, streaming may be huge but most of the films that are direct to streaming whether it is Netflix, Prime, Apple and so on…most of these films just are not very good and unfortunately it seems audiences are fine with settling for mediocrity. Sure there have been a few gems that are good but this reminds me of the days on VHS with the straight to video market, sure some were good but the majority of the films were crap. So where does this new adventure with Axel Foley land? Well sort of in the middle.

The film opens up with Axel (Eddie Murphy) some how still employed with the Detroit PD and he is on an undercover operation at a hockey game and it should come as no surprise that things go wrong. We get a car chase with Murphy in a snowplow causing havoc as some familiar songs from the earlier films play as though to remind us what franchise we are watching. I got to address how this just didn’t work for me, as much as I love the classic songs it just felt forced and I immediately started to worry if this is how the rest of the film would go. It was great seeing Paul Reiser reprising his role now as Deputy Chief Friedman. Man this had me missing Gilbert Hill chewing out Foley, it seems so minor but he was part of the dynamic that made the previous films fun (at least the portions in Detroit) but I wasn’t ready to throw in the towel on the film yet.

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.

"Seems like a nice day for a swim."

Walt Disney Studios has struggled of late. It's been a while since they've had much of a hit, and that includes their Marvel and Pixar components. In the years just before the pandemic the studio was outperforming anyone in the industry. One Disney executive once said that actually printing money would be less profitable than the billions the studio was raking in. But something changed around the pandemic, and it had little to do with a virus. The studio started to flex its muscles in the political arena, and those elements started to dominate the on-screen product. It doesn't really matter if one agrees with them or not. I think it's tricky when a part of the entertainment industry starts to get too involved with a particular social ideology. Just ask the Dixie Chicks. The who? That's my point. It's cost the studio a considerable sum and an over 50% plunge in their stock value over three years or so. Why would you alienate half of the prospective audience? Forget politics. It's just not good business. So this was the backdrop in which I attended our screening of Young Woman Of The Sea. If ever there was a film that looked to really pile on, that sure sounded like the title to me. To my surprise, the film appears to avoid all of that and ends up being the best Disney film I've seen in a few years.

My favorite food has always been lasagna.  All those special noodles, layers of cheese and ricotta, beef, sausage, sauce, and more cheese into an absolutely perfect dish.  Furthermore, if you let the dish sit overnight in the refrigerator, it was somehow even better than the day before.  Unfortunately, lack of true gluten-free options for lasagna noodles (Barilla makes one, but they are hard to find) and nobody to really make it for beside myself (my wife and son are lactose intolerant) have created a situation where I haven't had a true lasagna in years.  But perhaps with today's film review of Garfield, I can find the inspiration to recreate my favorite dish.  Let's take a look at the movie.

For a lot of cat owners, I'm sure their realized horror is their feline learning how to use a cell phone.  Apparently Garfield (voiced by Chris Pratt) has this down pat, as he uses it to order Mamma Leoni's via drone delivery.  Meanwhile, Odie (voiced by Gregg Berger) barks for a treat, which he quickly receives.  In a few moments, a drone arrives with a pizza for Garfield.  Several seconds later, the pizza is eaten as if Garfield was a paper shredder.   That should tide him over until breakfast.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Start your engines.”

Back in 2015 when Mad Max: Fury Road was released, it was a film that I don’t think anyone expected audiences to respond to as they did. It was 30 years since audiences had last been to the Australian Wasteland when they previously saw Max, then played by Mel Gibson, play the title hero in a dystopian trilogy that has a very loyal fan base. Fury Road managed to exceed expectations as it delivered on having over-the-top chases through the desert wasteland, spectacular stunts, a great score, and then there was the character of Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron, as a one-armed badass who managed to steal the film from Tom Hardy, who was now starring in the title role of Max. While I do love Fury Road, my major gripe was with the over-simplicity of the film. Basically it is nothing more than one large chase where our heroes spend 2/3 heading in one direction and then in the final portion decide to turn around and continue their chase. I have nothing against a great car chase; after all, I still think Vanishing Point is hands down the ultimate car film with the best chases put to celluloid, but considering George Miller had 30 years to brainstorm ideas and come up with a script, I would have hoped for a better story. Now we have Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, this time only nine years in the making. Expectations are pretty high, and with the summer box office looking pretty bleak, theater chains are in need of a hero, and it looks like Furiosa could fit the bill. Does the film succeed in being everything audiences could hope for and need, or is this just another dumpster-fire cash grab by the studios just churning out a sequel hoping it will stay in theaters longer than a few weeks before hitting VOD?