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Tabari McCoy

McCoy on Movies: Old Dad

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Bill Burr’s directorial debut for Netflix delivers laughs despite uneven storytelling

 
The poster for the new Netflix comedy OLD DADS. Credit: Netflix © 2023 Netflix. All rights reserved. 

 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 

 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Bill Burr, Bobby Cannavale, Bokeem Woodbine, Katie Aselton, Rachael Harris, Jackie Tohn, Katrina Bowden, Reign Edwards, Miles Robbins and Josh Brener

DIRECTOR: Bill Burr

THE BACK STORY: Directed and co-written by Bill Burr, OLD DADS stars the comedian as Jack, a man who has a young son (Dash McCloud), loving wife in Leah (Katie Asleton) and two great friends in Connor (Bobby Canavale) and Mike (Bokeem Woodbine). Jack, Connor and Mike are also the co-owners of a throwback sports apparel company and are about to cash out in hopes of living the good life.

They are also in their very late 40s/early 50s, don’t like change and have some anger management/maturity issues. In Jack’s and Connor’s respective cases, they are also fathers of young children – and Mike? Well, more on that later …

Unfortunately for the trio, they are also struggling to stay in touch with today’s modern world, its trends and most of all, its sensitivities. So, be it the holier-than-thou attitude of his son’s kindergarten principal Dr. L (Rachael Harris), his new 28 year-old boss Aspen Bell (Miles Robbins), Connor’s overbearing wife (Jackie Tohn) and/or his miscreant son (Dominic Grey Gonzalez), Jack is nearing a breaking point. 

And as you might expect, when Jack and his friends break, a lot of feelings – and possibly some bones – are going to get hurt.

THE REVIEW: Burr has well-documented his journey as both an older father in real life and coming out of a traditional nuclear family in 1970s Massachusetts throughout his career. It’s served as fodder for many of his stand-up routines, his Monday Morning Podcast (and its Thursday follow-up) as well as his previous Netflix effort, the animated F is for Family. Thus, for those familiar with his work, OLD DADS will feel familiar with many jokes aimed at pointing out the hypocrisy and silliness (at times) of modern culture wars and aging … In a way that is likely to almost infuriate the very people who won’t see the humor in what is being criticized given the film’s language, viewpoints and nudity. (Yup, there’s nudity)

That notwithstanding, OLD DADS is a lot like parenthood itself: Entertaining at best, uneven and a little dystopian at its worst while in general doing a decent enough job at presenting its story. Some scenes feel to drag on unnecessarily while others feel inserted for the sake of being a funny moment rather than a moment that helps progress the story along. 

What does work, however, is that it is clear that as a director, Burr understands how a story arc should work, involves his characters so that their interactions don’t feel forced or ludicrous (even though some of their scenes togethers do) and how to deliver jokes that don’t feel recycled. It will be interesting to see what his next effort produces as OLD DADS shows he has come strong potential as a feature filmmaker … Even if that may come with a lot of not-so-safe for work – or millennials – content. 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: THE BURIAL

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Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones show spirited life in crowd-pleasing
Amazon Studios inspired by true events

“When I move, you move – just like that!” Willie Gay (Jamie Foxx, center) and Mike Allred (Alan Ruck, to the immediate left of Foxx) prepare for war a.k.a. litigation against Ray Loewen’s massive funeral empire in a scene from THE BURIAL. Credit: Skip Bolen © Amazon Content Services. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Mamoudou Athie, Jurnee Smollett, Alan Ruck, Bill Camp, Pamela Reed, Dorian Missick and Amanda Warren
THE BACK STORY: Inspired by true events, THE BURIAL stars Jamie Foxx as Willie Gay. Who is Willie Gay? Well, he’s a self-made man, the son of sharecroppers in Florida who has created his own mini legal empire. A superstar lawyer, Willie hasn’t lost a case in 12 years, which is why he has a 50-room mansion, luxury cars and the “Wings of Justice,” his own private plane.
By comparison, Jeremiah “Jerry” O’Keefe is a fairly simple man to say the least. The owner of eight funeral homes in Southern Mississippi, he’s hoping to leave the family business (which he inherited from his father) to his extended family. Given that he’s got double digit children of his own and even more grandchildren, that legacy is one he takes very seriously. Unfortunately, some bad business deals have left Jerry needing income quickly – which is why he decides to take the advice of his longtime lawyer and friend Mike Allred (Alan Ruck) and sell three of his funeral homes. The buyer? Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), the billionaire owner of Loewen Corp, the funeral industry giant with more locations than Willie has jewelry … And Willie has a lot of jewelry.
But when the handshake deal between Loewen and Jeremiah goes south, Jerry’s young apprentice lawyer seemingly in training Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) assesses the situation and comes to a realization: Given the demographics of the county where Jerry’s lawsuit has been filed, having a lawyer that is both talented and that the jury will likely identify with is going to be crucial to winning the case. That lawyer? Yup, you guessed it, Willie Gay.
Apprehensive to take the case at first, Willie eventually relents and begins preparing. But Loewen has deep pockets and hires an extremely talented legal team of his own that is also well-suited for the jury. It’s leader? Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett). And as Willie is about to find out, Downes is nicknamed “The Python” for a reason.
So … What happens in this David vs. Goliath legal tale for the ages that delves into everything from contracts to family to shady business and even African-American history that Ron DeSantis and Sarah Huckabee Sanders will hate? You’ll have to get Amazon Prime to find out.
THE REVIEW: THE BURIAL is entertaining for many reasons. It’s not just because Foxx and Jones are accomplished actors who can convey a broad range of emotions, have a great chemistry and are able to take their characters’ contrasts and transcend them into appeal that cuts across demographics. Likewise, it’s not because the film hits all the standard courtroom drama beats without feeling like a song that has been played to death (no pun intended).
No, it’s not even because Athie may be the greatest actor alive at playing “the sky is falling and what are we going to do” black guy in ages. (The fact he is smiling in his imdb.com picture feels shocking given his on screen presence.) What makes THE BURIAL work so well is the interplay between the characters that makes their relationships interesting.
Jones and Foxx characters exhibit an onscreen bond that makes their friendship feel as genuine as it was in real life. Likewise, the competitive yet professional respectfully battle between Foxx and Smollett heightens drama to the situation without ever feeling corny or superficial. As a character driven film, both situations are crucial to the film’s enjoyability; otherwise it could play out like your average TV drama. Instead, the film has a bit of the same vibe as AIR, both exploring how their situations are far more important and deeper than the subject matter would originally have you believe. Every character learns a lesson without feeling preachy or superficial, another facet of the film director Maggie Betts deserves kudos for execution-wise.
A film that is the definition of an audience pleaser without feeling sappy or superficial (save for some outrageous courtroom moments), THE BURIAL proves that Jones’ and Foxx’ respective careers are very much alive.
If nothing else, you will never listen to Toni, Tony, Toné the same ever again.

 

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: STRAYS.

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“The audience might be as high as we are if they find this entertaining!” (From left): Bug (Jamie Foxx) Reggie (Will Ferrell), Maggie (Isla Fisher) and Hunter (Randall Park) prepare to have a snack – with unexpected consequences – in a scene from STRAYS. Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Universal Pictures © 2023 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

 
DIRECTOR: Josh Greenbaum

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Will Forte, Brett Gelman, and the voices of Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Josh Gad, Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Jamie Demetriou and Sofia Vergara

THE STORY: Brought to you (in)famously by the team behind Cocaine Bear and 21 Jump Street, STRAYS centers on Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), a naive, optimistic Border Terrier who doesn’t realize his owner Doug (Will Forte), hates him. Like, really hates him. That’s why when Doug finally is able to ditch him on the streets of the Pacific Northwest, he has no idea what’s going on.
Bug, a Boston Terrier (voiced by Jamie Foxx) with a literal love of couches, however, does. That’s why he decides its best to hip Reggie to what’s happening alongside his crew of Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher), an Australian Shepherd and Hunter, a stressed out Great Dane (voiced by Russell Park) who doesn’t want to stop wearing his protective cone. Once Reggie realizes what’s happened, he decides his time to take revenge against Doug by biting off his favorite toy (and TRUST ME, it AIN’T a toy!).
But will Reggie get his revenge? There’s only way to find out …
THE REVIEW: Let me be brief: I liked Cocaine Bear. I own 21 Jump Street on Blu-Ray.  STRAYS, however, shouldn’t be adopted by movie audiences.
In fact, for neutering comedy the ways it does, it should be put down with extreme prejudice.
There are essentially three joke subjects in strays: Feces, sex/bodily fluids and anatomy. That’s about it. And they are worn out to death in the dumbest, grossest fashion possibly for 90+ minutes. As a stand-up comedian, I know that when used well, profanity can be of the highest verbal linguistics (see Pryor, Richard and Carlin, George for proof). STRAYS, however, uses profanity (along with the aforementioned three other subjects) so gratuitously that it becomes as ineffective as it is offensive. And it’s plenty offensive simply for how much it wears out those three tropes.
I for one am extremely happy Jamie Foxx is doing better after his recent health episode not only for his own well-being, but for the fact this hopefully won’t be his last theatrical release. The film tries to break free from its 14 year-old boy juvenile nature in its last act … Only to have that derailed by more silliness before the eventual “I guess I’m still watching this” ending. Forte is a shoo-in for a Golden Raspberry nomination, which might be the only endorsement PETA or the SPCA might give this gross-out trainwreck of a comedy. I mean, the long-forgotten The Happytime Murders was FAR more entertaining than this even though you knew it was wrong (and Jim Henson Studios HATED what it did to puppets), but STRAYS …. Not so much. When you find yourself asking “How did this get made?!” and “How much money was wasted on this?!” you probably won’t be thinking “sequel!”
They say all dogs go to heaven – but as STRAYS proves, there really are some bad dogs in this world and this movie is full of them.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Barbie: The Movie

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The beloved children’s doll comes to life in a perfect for adults comedy/musical/drama that will entertain, inspire

“Where’s Allan and Skipper? Oh don’t worry – they’re around!” Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) as seen in the official poster for director/co-writer Greta Gerwig’s comedy/drama/musical BARBIE. © 2023 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

 
DIRECTOR: Greta Gerwig

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, Michael Cera, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rhea Perlman and the voice of Helen Mirren

THE BACK STORY: Inspired by the iconic doll of the same name, Barbie stars Margot Robbie in the titular role as a stereotypical Barbie doll living in Barbieland. She is stereotypical in that she walks with arched feet perfect for her high heels, every day is the best day ever and she spends most of her time hanging out with her fellow Barbies like President Barbie (Issa Rae), Mermaid Barbie (Dua Lipa) and other more career-minded versions of herself. Also propagating Barbieland are the Kens, including her boyfriend (Ryan Gosling) and his top rival (Simu Liu). There’s also Ken’s sidekick Allan (Michael Cera), but no one pays any attention to him.
Things start to take a turn for our golden girl, however, when she begins having thoughts about death and her feet flatten out unexpectedly. This leads her to seek out the wisdom of the abused but resilient Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), who explains what’s happening: A very sad girl in the real world – yes, the Barbies know there is a difference between them and humans – is playing with her and altering her existence in Barbieland. Thus, she must travel the mystical space from Barbieland to the real world and help make her sad real world owner happy again.
Also tagging along for the ride? Well, her boyfriend Ken of course. Arriving in Los Angeles, Barbie and Ken discover that real world is nothing like either of them thought … Which leads to some very precarious situations. And once the head of Mattel (Will Ferrell) finds out, the desire to literally put stereotypical Barbie back in her box becomes paramount.
But how do a simple receptionist (America Ferrera) and her estranged daughter (Ariana Greenblatt) fit into helping Barbie get back home, restore Barbieland and prevent a potential disaster that could alter both of their worlds forever? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out!
THE REVIEW: How do you take a beloved yet controversial children’s toy and make a two-hour opus of comedy, music and drama that is funny, poignant and – dare it be said – inspiring? You do what director/co-writer Greta Gerwig and her script partner Noah Baumbach have done with BARBIE.
 
Barbie – which is probably best left in the viewing pleasure of those 16 and up so they can catch all the cultural references and homages to decades of the character’s history – features a perfect mix of self-awareness, irreverence and heart. With Robbie and Gosling leading the way under Gerwig’s watchful eye, the film acknowledges all of the factors that have made her a staple of many children’s childhood while at the same time having fun with all of the things it has been criticized for throughout its history.
The twist, however, is that while it acknowledges those flaws, the film uses them as opportunity to talk about change in a way that shows how BARBIE is really just a reflection of the society in which she exists. This leads to moments of self-discovery for Barbie (and thus the audience), realization and empowerment in a way that genuinely may lead to inspire women of all ages.
That being said, the BARBIE experience is a phenomenal ride of comedy, music and sentiment thanks to the aforementioned stellar performances of Robbie, Gosling and their cast mates. The skill with which they bring their characters – none of whom are exactly known for their verbal history – to life is a masterclass in acting. Whereas Robbie gets to look pretty (she is Barbie, after all), she brings a score of humanity to a toy that has been criticized for the plastic nature – pun intended – of her supposed existence and affect on little girls worldwide.
This in turn makes her journey of self-discovery one that is not about a toy, but coming to grips with reality and finding your place in the world in which you live. That, of course, is just one of the messages that is delivered without being preachy or forced, making the film’s rather dramatic final 40 minutes a perfect compliment to the lighthearted 80 that precedes it.
Gosling’s performance is pretty much everything you could want out of playing the most famous fake boyfriend of all-time. Aloof and goofy to perfection while showing his character’s desire to just be respected, it feels like Gosling is channeling Terry Crews’ President Camacho from Idiocracy (which sadly feels more like a documentary than comedy at this point) with his comedic timing. His singing, dancing and rivalry moments with Liu’s character are just as outstanding, proving that his La La Land work wasn’t just a fling.
The same can be said for the rest of the cast, be it Cera’s perfect “This is what Michael Cera excels at” turn as all-around good guy Allan or Rae’s encapsulation of President Barbie. Whereas McKinnon’s excellent portrayal as the Barbie little girls mangle is hits every beat about the reality of what being a Barbie can be, Ferrell’s portrayal as a man who profits off of a woman’s idea but is (mostly) self-aware of it are both uproarious. Add Ferrera’s and Rhea Pearlman’s characters to the mix as older, wiser women who know just how special Barbie can be and it’s easy to understand how she became an iconic figure long before she hit the big screen.
Performances aside, there are just so many details that Gerwig places into the film that significantly impact the audience’s enjoyment of the film in a positive way. This includes everything from a masterful use of Barbie’s signature color palette to life-size constructions of notable toys and wardrobes to breaking the fourth wall and playing on the idea of what would Barbie really say and do if she were alive. From “what did they just say?!” moments to homages to classic Barbie fare, the film never really misses anytime it swings since the cast and crew are all committed.
Make no mistake: In the wrong hands or with a different vision, BARBIE could easily become a mess of a film that feels cartoonish, a half-baked money grab or just unnecessary. Instead, Mattel’s ability to step back and allow Gerwig and company to virtually have no limits on their creativity has created a film that will likely be viewed as classic as the doll that inspired it.
In short, BARBIE features a girl living in a Barbie world – and we would all be better off if we could live in it, too.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Asteroid City

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Wes Anderson’s latest film lands with a crater-like thud of jumbled, unfulfilling quirks and boring execution and familiarity

“Hello? Otto? I don’t know A Man Called Otto – this is a entirely different cinematic story, sir!” Auggie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) chats with the father (Tom Hanks) of his now-deceased wife about his current plight in the mysterious desert town of ASTEROID CITY. Credit: © Courtesy of Pop.87 Productions/Focus Features 

 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

 
DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jason Schwarzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffery Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Ethan Josh Lee, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan and Jeff Goldblum

THE BACK STORY: A story within a story, ASTEROID CITY begins with a narrator (Bryan Cranston) who introduces us to Conrad Earp (Ed Norton), a 1950s-era playwright in the throes of his latest work: “Asteroid City,” a desert town somewhere in between California, Nevada and New Mexico (presumably near Route 66) famous for its asteroid crater. A group of high school geniuses is about to converge on the one gas station, one diner and 10-spot motel town (population 87) for the awarding of a scholarship, which will be presented by General Grif Gibson (Jeffrey Wright).
Driving one of the geniuses is Auggie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman), a man accompanied by his three aspiring witch elementary school age daughters named after constellations and Woodrow (Jake Ryan), his eldest child that has already figured out what his dad needs to tell the family: Their mother died three weeks ago. But once their car breaks down and the town mechanic (Matt Dillon) says it’s gone for good, that prompts Auggie to call his father in law Stanley (Tom Hanks) to pick up the girls while his son attends the high school event.
Also attending the gathering? Film actress Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) with her estranged genius daughter (Maya Hawke), Roger Cho (Steven Park) with his school newspaper genius son Ricky (Ethan Josh Lee) and J.J. Kellogg (Liv Schreiber) with his “someone dare me” son Clifford (Aristou Meehan).
Outside the pages of “Asteroid City,” however, the production team has its own issues as its director (Adrien Brody) is going through a personal turmoil and Earp is having trouble getting his story to progress.

 

THE REVIEW: I am going to open this in the tone and pace of a standard Wes Anderson character.
At 6:30 p.m., the screening started.
At 6:36 p.m., I checked my watch as I knew I was in for a long cinematic experience.
At 6:52 p.m., I contemplated leaving the theater and acting as if I had achieved something in true Wed Anderson character fashion, knowing I would be exposed by my fellow critics would not let me get away with my actions.
At 7:06 p.m., I nearly fell asleep until I felt my body slump in my non-reclined Barcalounger
At around 7:50 p.m., something interesting happened. There was also a moment of nudity that, while unnecessary, broke up the monotony of the pretentious, self-indulgent, quirky for the sake of quirky characters with dialogue that is supposed to feel artistic and stylish but in reality is overwrought if not also often nonsensical.
At about 8:10 p.m., I began preparing for the eventual summation scenes that, despite so much build up, will have hardly any true resolution and the film will just end awkwardly.
By 8:30 p.m., my nightmare was over, serving as a reminder to never give it to the temptation to watch another Wes Anderson film again only to realize I will somehow likely be suckered back in this vicious cycle yet again.
Wes Anderson aren’t about anything but Wes Anderson. The characters are always the same. The may vary in terms of age, ethnicity or sexual orientation, but THEY. ARE. ALL. THE SAME. They speak in ways no human being would ever speak, both in terms of vocabulary, sentence structure or the way they interact with one another, from their clipped, hushed tones to the robotic, emotionally unavailable yet wishing they could be mannerisms.
There is always a child that is smarter than an adult (a staple of an Anderson composition). There is always a person trying to control something that is not in their control (in this instance, it’s Wright as a general trying to keep order in a small desert town, Schwartzman as a new widow and Hanks as his estranged father in law) … And there is always a woman who or two that is beautiful but is very self-aware of how their physical presence is harmful to themselves or others (see Johansson’s character as a mother) … There’s also always Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton.That’s just a fact.
Asteroid City isn’t just bloated by the staples of Anderson’s films. It’s also got the story within a story thing happening and one is far more interesting than the other, which simply seems to serve no purpose than to find a way for Cranston to provide his best Rod Serling imitation while Norton channels his best Truman Capote. It’s never feels like an homage, however – it just exists. And therein lies the problem.
As is the case with so many of Anderson’s films – The Fantastic Mr. Fox standing out as exception more and more with each new release – these stories just exist. There is nothing captivating, enthralling, enticing, exploratory or exciting. They just take up space on the screen like the characters often do in each other’s realities. That’s before you get into the whole discussion of how the story-within-a-story doesn’t work one iota, instead becoming a jumbled ensemble (an Anderson staple on steroids in ASTEROID CITY) with characters just taking up time and energy that should have been devoted to focusing on just a few to make a better film. (I don’t know what it is that makes actors go “I can have four lines for a non-memorable character in a 2-hour Wes Anderson movie?! I’ll take it!” but given that he repeatedly can find big names that will do it, I’m just happy he directs movies instead of political campaigns.)
It’s like being in a coffee shop with a hipster who is annoyed with other hipsters trying to be the ultimate hipster to establish their dominance … Only for those hipsters to be attempting the exact same thing to the chagrin of everyone else in the room who just wanted fresh java to start their day. Wes Anderson movies are only for people who like complaining about people who don’t “get” Wes Anderson movies, which reinforces Wes Anderson’s want and desire to make them regardless of whether he actually should.
In the end, the reality of Anderson’s latest work is this: 20+ plus years of watching the same movie has left this reviewer with a strong desire for an asteroid to obliterate whatever scripts he has waiting in the wings.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: THE BLACKENING.

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“Wait … Is that Tucker Carlson at a Kanye West concert?!” A group of old college friends – King (Melvin Gregg), Allison (Grace Byers), Lisa (Antoinette Robinson), Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), Clifton (Jermaine Fowler), Dewayne (Dewayne Perkins) and Shanika (Xochitl “x” Mayo) in THE BLACKENING. Credit: Glen Wilson © 2023 Lionsgate Publicity
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 
 
DIRECTOR: Tim Story

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Melvin Gregg, Grace Byers, Antoinette Robinson, Sinqua Walls, Jermaine Fowler, Dewayne Perkins and Xochitl “x” Mayo with Deidrich Bader, Yvonne Orji and Jay Pharoah

 

THE BACK STORY: A group of young Black friends decide to meet up at a cabin in the woods to relive their college party days. This includes former thug turned reformed married man King (Melvin Gregg), the biracial Allison (Grace Byers), the lawyer with a penchant for molly (the drug, not a person) Lisa (Antoinette Robinson), Lisa’s old college flame Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), the nerdy Clifton (Jermaine Fowler), Lisa’s gay best friend Dewayne (Dewayne Perkins) and the always ready to get down for a good Shanika (Xochitl “x” Mayo). Also set to join the party are Morgan (Yvonne Orji) and Shawn (Jay Pharoah)
Problem is, once the gang arrives, they discover very quickly that something is wrong. That’s when they find themselves locked in a room being forced by a terrifying voice coming from a Sambo figure from “The Blackening:” A board game that challenges their knowledge of black history and culture. And once a TV cuts on showing one of their friends in an extremely compromising position, they know just how serious their situation is.

So, what happens when the group is forced to confront their own hypocrisies, idiosyncrasies and culture to ensure they can stay alive? A lot – and since they all can’t die first, a lot of hilarity is set to follow.

THE REVIEW: While it’s not a pure classic (there are some moments that feel like missed opportunities to go even deeper on certain subjects), THE BLACKENING is sure to become a certified ‘hood classic among African Americans. Additionally, the film also carries the potential for a Friday-like following among all those who enjoy African American culture. For with THE BLACKENING, audiences are treated to a look into race (both in terms of what it means to be Black in America and in the eyes of other Black people) set against a cleverly-composed story with enough twists and turns to work on both a horror and comedy level.
In other words, it’s really entertaining and far more poignant than it should be for a 96-minute movie with a largely unknown cast.
Feeling a lot like the best work of Key & Peele within a horror movie context, The Blackening explores familiar territory – politics, what it means to be black, colorism and homophobia within the black community, etc. It does so, however, in a way that is entertaining, smart and multi-faceted, going out of its way to showcase how black people don’t exist as a monolith. In doing so, it also presents opportunities for the audience to examine how they think and act regarding those issues through laughter without being preachy, heavy-handed or depressing.
This wouldn’t be possible, of course, without the cast’s chemistry and the management of director Tim Story (Ride Along, Barbershop and the first two Fantastic Four films). Making fun of the horror movie format while working within it can go terribly wrong if not done properly, as can trying to use humor to make good points. Fortunately the cast passes its vibe check in spades (pun intended given the significant of the popular Black card game to the plot), making the film move at a crisp, suspenseful pace.
What could be better? Well, each character could get a chance to serve as a reflection of the different cross sections of society and the repeated use of the n-word could have sparked a great discussion among the characters. Likewise, some of the film’s subject matter feels a little late to the party in lieu of the fabled work of Chappelle’s Show, the aforementioned Key & Peele and Saturday Night Live‘s phenomenal “Black Jeopardy” sketches starring the late Chadwick Boseman and Tom Hanks. Alas, it’s hard to cram everything into just one movie and projecting the things one would love to see versus what the filmmakers gives will always leave room for a little disappointment.
Still, while it won’t reach Get Out levels of cultural discussion or impact, THE BLACKENING will add to our nation’s ongoing conversation about race, but will do so with a bunch of laughs along the way. It would be very interesting to see a non-black audience watch the film with a black audience watching them and vice-versa as that inherently would spur some great conversations. (I can only imagine the puzzlement of some leading conservatives asking what exactly “the cookout” is and the significance of an invite.)
All that notwithstanding, THE BLACKENING is one hell of a good time at the movies and welcome addition to a cinematic world where far too often the only thing black is the first victim.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: The Flash

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“All right … Let’s get out there and revive a cinematic universe!” Credit: © 2023 Warner Bros. Pictures
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 
 
DIRECTOR: Andy Muschietti

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Ron Livington, Michael Shannon, Sasha Calle, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Ben Affleck … And some other special guests.

 

THE BACK STORY: Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) is a member of the Justice League, the super-powered team of heroes consisting of himself, the cybernetic Victor Stone a.k.a. Cyborg, Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman, Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman, Arthur Curry a.k.a. the Atlean known as Aquaman and Clark Kent a.k.a. Kal-El a.k.a Superman. While each has suffered their own traumas, they have each respectively come to accept it, move on and help save the world from numerous threats.
But what would the world be like if they could undo that trauma? Well, in the case of Barry, he discovers that he just might be able to do so.
You see, while in the middle of another superhero quest, Allen discovers that, when fully charged, he can run so fast he can actually travel back in time. That gives the opportunity he’s always wanted: To save his deceased mom (Maribel Verdú) from her murder/fatal accident (it’s never really explained what happened, but you can draw your own conclusion) and clear his father (Ron Livingston) in the process.
Unfortunately for Barry, he is about to learn that messing with the space-time continuum comes with some serious consequences just like Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) warned him … And his adventure with Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) – and Barry Allen (Miller again) is about to prove with dire consequences.
 

 

THE REVIEW: Warner Bros., the parent company of DC Comics, has had one heck of a time getting there superhero universe off the ground. For every one good movie or TV show they make – Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn & The Birds of Prey, Peacemaker, for example – they seem to make another – Black Adam, Batman vs. Superman, the original cut of Justice League that eradicates any momentum they have. Throw in the fact six actors have played Batman since 1989 (Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Affleck and Robert Pattison) and they’ve all existed in their own worlds (until now) and the lack of a comprehensive plan has made a mess of things. In turn, it’s allowed the competition – Marvel, for those who aren’t good at reading between the lines – to repeatedly do this to them with every release.
What THE FLASH does well, however, is what many of its DC predecessors have not: (1) Develop its lead character (who admittedly at times almost does feel like he is playing second fiddle in their own movie); (2) Tell a story that is compelling due to its depth with visuals that mostly enhance versus detract away from it and (3) Find its emotional center without forcing or shoehorning it in as an afterthought. In turn, the supporting characters actually help enhance the overall quality as opposed to taking away from it and being better than the lead (see Brosnan, Pierce in the aforementioned Black Adam).
Love or hate Ezra Miller for its somewhat polarizing performance in Justice League and/or all his away from a movie set antics, about 25/30 minutes or so into the film, everything just seems to click. He is able to make all of the character’s antics transition and make you forget about him and instead focus on the character, his motivations, flaws and strengths. While fans can (and likely will) continue to debate whether or not he should be recast in future films, this performance is one Miller can truly call their own (Note: Miller uses the they/them/theirs pronouns). Warner Bros. has done a very clever campaign by minimizing Miller in the trailers leading up to the film, but it’s likely that once people see it, most of the harsh fan boy population will just be happy with the finished result enough to cool down.
Is the film perfect? No. Keaton owns all of his moments as the film at times feels more like “The Flash and the Justice League” and is a definite way to set up future DC Multiverse films since the previous ones have, well, failed to do so. Likewise, some of the CGI sequences are very noticeable for their enhancements; if you had a problem with the last two to three Marvel live action releases, be prepared to be taken out of scenes with some of the motions here. That notwithstanding, director Andy Muschietti does bring a visual style that is (1) effective and (2) much needed to make the film work as a whole. Likewise, he and his team are able to provide just the right amount of humor true to what Miller’s take on the character does without being too corny too often and he is able to center the story to keep it from feeling like a series of random events.
Where the DC Cinematic Universe goes from here remains to be seen; if THE FLASH is any indication, however, it seems to finally be finding its footing to go alongside aforementioned The Peacemaker HBO series in moving away from cartoon-ish pulp to grittier fare. They still need to find some villains other than Lex Luthor, Joker, Penguin and General Zod to beef up and raise the stakes, but again, THE FLASH shows things are improving. And in a world where Wonder Woman 1984 exists, that is a very good thing indeed.
The final verdict? Despite a star that has been as problematic as the entire DC Comics cinematic universe has been to date, THE FLASH is the most complete Warner Bros. comic book-based adventure in quite some time. Hopefully, it is a quick step in the right direction … And not a flash in the superhero pan.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

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Director Steven Caple, Jr., Anthony Ramos and Pete Davidson finally help Transformers franchise rise to the occasion with latest entry

“PETA is gonna have problem with this, right?!” Cheetor (voiced by Tongayi Chirisa) gets up close and personal with Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson) as Arcee (voiced by Liza Koshy) looks on in a scene from TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS. Credit: © 2023 Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. 
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 
 
DIRECTOR: Steven Caple, Jr.

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Pete Davidson, Colman Domingo, Luna Lauren Velez, Dean Scott Vazquez and the voices of Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Liza Koshy, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez,  Cristo Fernández, Tobe Nwigwe and Tongayi Chirisa 

 

THE BACK STORY: Set in 1994 long before Shia LeBeouf’s Sam Witwicky would ever enter the picture, TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS finds former U.S. Army private Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) trying his best to do right by his family. His hardworking mother (Luna Lauren Velez) is doing the best she can to provide while his 11 year-old brother (Dean Scott Vazquez), whose sickle cell anemia is causing him all sorts of complications.
Not finding opportunities to make the money – or C.R.E.A.M. in accordance with the film’s hip-hop heavy soundtrack – necessary legally, Noah takes a gig to steal a Porsche from a local parking garage. But this is no ordinary Porsche.
That Porsche is Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson), one of several Autobots living on Earth after the destruction of their home planet Cybertron. Led by Optimus Prime, (voiced by longtime Transformers mainstay Peter Cullen) the Autobots are stuck with no way home since the one thing they need – a key – has been lost forever … Or so they think.
You see, that key was taken and hidden centuries ago by robot gorilla Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman), leader of the Maximals, robots who took on animal form instead of cars like the Autobots. But like the Autobots, the Maximals have a natural enemy: The Predacons, a race of robots led by the aptly-named Scourge (voiced by Peter Dinklage) that answer to Omnicron (voiced by Colman Domingo of Fear the Walking Dead fame). Why is that important? Because Omnicron is the Transformers equivalent of the Death Star in Star Wars and Galactus in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: A massive villain who consumes planets – like the Maximals home world – to sustain himself.
So … What happens when aspiring museum intern Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) inadvertently makes a discovery that threatens life on Earth and every other planet in the galaxy? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out.
THE REVIEW: As a kid, I LOVED Transformers as an animated series. I LOVED original animated adventure, The Transformers: The Movie. I had several of the toys – I have never gotten over my Optimus Prime getting broken in elementary school by another kid nor never getting the Dinobots – comic books and more. So, in 2007, when I heard they were making a live action Transformers movie, I was excited.
Then I saw it … And it absolutely sucked. As did the first sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with the two hip-hop robots I joked about on my second stand-up album, Remarkable. And if you think I had similar thoughts about the 2011 sequel Transformers: Dark of the Moon, you’d be right. That’s when I tapped out. Sure, I caught a few minutes of the latter sequels on cable in recent years, but I couldn’t bring myself to watch them.
Needless to say, I walked into the latest sequel – which is actually a prequel to the first live-action film but a sequel to 2018’s prequel Bumblebee (that film was set in 1987, FYI) – with the lowest of low expectations. I came prepared to hate it, to talk about Michael Bay’s love of explosions, the corny jokes and dumb human characters that are inconsequential to all the Battlebots-style goofy sequences on the screen in front of me.
Well, I hate to admit this, but here it goes … I actually liked TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS … And many audiences will, too.
It only took them several tries, but Paramount Pictures has finally turned out a Transformers movie where the story mostly makes sense, the jokes aren’t cringe-inducing (and dare I say, in a few instances, smart) and the human characters are actually interesting. Even more astounding? The action sequences work and there are is a BIG surprise that could signal the fix of something else much maligned 1980s kids will likely let out an audible gasp in response to it.
I’m not saying RISE is perfect. What I am saying, however, is that this film is enjoyable as everything pretty much works more than it doesn’t. Why? The film inserts the things that many of the others were lacking: Some intelligence and genuine emotion combined with visuals that pop and sequences that bring it all home.
Love him or hate him, Davidson has figured out who he is and is a perfect fit as Mirage and a much-needed balance from the wet blanket of a leader that has defined Optimus Prime throughout the series. Perlman, however, is able to bring some less-depressing leadership qualities to Optimus Primal, teaching the Autobot he was named after a thing or two in the process.
Likewise, Ramos and Fishback bring some much needed humanity (pun intended) to their roles, a quality that has been so forced throughout the Transformers live action franchise it’s not even funny (because it never was). Ramos is infinitely relatable as a character, which makes his journey interesting, a promise he delivers on with a solid performance. Likewise, Fishback’s character is smart but not too smart for the room to the point it’s annoying or silly, just effective and inspiration since the majority of women in this series well … Haven’t exactly been the given the best roles.
While one would be tempted to give credit to Michael Bay for stepping out of the director’s chair and focusing on actors right for the roles instead of familiar names and/or pretty faces, that would simply be too easy and frankly rude. For in the case of director Steven Caple, Jr., you can tell he was like many youths growing up in the 80s and 90s: An actual Transformers fan who saw great potential for the lack action films but knew how important it was to finally do them justice, striking the right balance between humorous and heartfelt as well as intense and interesting.
Given the implications of the film, it remains to be seen where exactly the franchise goes from here. But in much the same fashion that Warner Bros./D.C. is hoping James Gunn can get its comic book movie franchise finally headed in the right, consistent direction, if this is any indication of what’s next, there might be hope yet this series might finally deliver more than meets the eye since what had been previously seen wasn’t worth it.
But for those craving an entertaining Transformers movie, RISE OF THE BEASTS is far more fun than you’d ever expect.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

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“Hey girl … Just hangin’ out???” Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) checks in on his surprise visitor Spider-Gwen a.k.a. Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) in a scene from SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE. Credit: © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 
DIRECTOR: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni with Daniel Kaluuya and Oscar Isaac

 
THE BACK STORY: Fifteen year-old Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) has a lot going on for him. He’s already getting chances like attending Princeton University, his father (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry) is on the verge of getting promoted to police captain, his mother (Luna Lauren Velez) loves him to death and oh yeah – he’s spent the last year+ serving as Brooklyn’s own friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Unfortunately, that last part is about to cause him – and a bunch of other people – a LOT of trouble. Why? Because the incident that saved his universe the last time he was facing someone with villainous plans has created a new, more dangerous villain: The Spot (voiced by Jason Schwartzman), a man who, thanks to that super collider that blew up, has turned to a life of crime and seeks revenge on Miles for what he inadvertently made him.
But while Miles may think of The Spot as a “villain of the week,” there’s another group of people – Spider-powered people, as it turns out – that know he is a dangerous anomaly that needs to be stopped. So when Miles old friend Spider-Gwen (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) shows up out of the blue, he quickly learns that it’s not just a social visit.
It’s time to go Across the Spider-Verse.
THE REVIEW: In short, to use a phrase the young people say, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, is “dope AF (and NO, I shan’t explain those last two letters, nor the word ‘shan’t!).
The animation in the film is unlike anything you’ve ever seen and truly brings the characters to life, which is no small feat considering the fact that save for some very smart exceptions, all of them are animated. The Spider-Verse comes alive in each setting the film travels across in its 2 hour and 15 minute runtime, which feels short when the film gets to its Avengers: Infinity War-like ending.
The fact the film is visually stimulating is enhanced by the stellar vocal performances of the film’s cast and smart, engaging pacing/storytelling presented by its trio of directors. Like the film that proceeded it, ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE tells engaging stories of parents and children, responsibility, the struggle to deal with loss and grief and accepting your fate versus defining it for one’s self. Throw in the fact the film is able to hit measures of diversity, equity and inclusion in a way that is: (1) Respectful of the various cultures it showcases in a way that is (2) Smart (3) Engaging and (4) Funny in such a way it’s (5) sure to upset the “anti-woke”/keep superheroes male and white crowd and you have an early contender for not only Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards – an honor it’s predecessor has already taken home – but Best Picture, period.
With so many Spider-Man movies already existing in the 21 years Sony Pictures has owned the cinematic rights to the character, one could be forgiven for thinking there’s not possibly anything left that could be compelling enough to see on screen. ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE proves that idea wrong in spades, owning the screen as its own unique-yet-stil-connected-to-everything-else-Marvel entity in the process. From the Easter eggs hidden for long-standing Spider-Man fans, cameo appearances to incorporation of other adventures in the character’s two decades’ plus on screen, the film is both homage to those that have come before it and its own being. That is no easy feat to pull off but one the film does excellently from start to finish much to what most certainly will be Spider-Man fans’ delight.
To say more would be to spoil all the fun – and ACROS THE SPIDER-VERSE might just be the most fun you’ll have at the movies all summer.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

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Childhood adolescence shines in cinematic adaptation of Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

“Just think – in 50 years from now, parents are going to be worried about their kids twerking!” Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Forston, far left) hangs with her new friends Janie Loomis (Amari Price), Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham) and Gretchen Potter (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) in a scene from director Kelly Fremon Craig’s take on the classic – and controversial – children’s book ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET. Credit: Dana Hawley / Lionsgate © All Rights Reserved.
DIRECTORS: Kelly Fremon Craig

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Bennie Safdie, Kathy Bates, Aidan Wojtak-Hissong, Elle Graham, Amari Alexis Price, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Kate MacCluggage, Echo Kellum and Isol Young

WEB SITE: https://www.itsmemargaret.movie/

THE BACK STORY: Based on the Judy Blume book of the same name that is likely once again a candidate for a ban, ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET stars Abby Ryder Forston as Margaret Simon. Living in New York City, 11 year-old Margaret finds her life suddenly turned upside down when her mother Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and father Herb (Benny Safdie) tell her they are moving to New Jersey following his promotion. The news isn’t exactly welcomed by Margaret nor Herb’s mother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates). (Margaret has no idea how her mother’s very devout Christian parents feel about the movie, however, since she hasn’t spoken to them in over a decade since Barbara decided to marry Herb, who is Jewish.)
Arriving in her new town, Margaret begins to make some new friends, all of whom have their own distinct personalities, so whether she’s hanging with the seemingly way too mature for her age Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham), the more level-headed Gretchen Potter (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) or Janie Loomis (Amari Alexis Price), a.k.a. the black friend, Margaret quickly learn junior high school in a new environment is going to bring a ton of new experiences.
Along with those new experiences are the ones that hit home on a more personal level, such as maturity, waiting on herself and her friends to … to put it mildly, “become women” physically and finding out what religion she ultimately wants to be when she is older. And thanks to a classroom assignment by her new teacher Mr. Benedict (Echo Kellum), she’s going to likely find an answer to that question sooner than later.
It’s definitely going to be quite the year for young Margaret, her friends and family … Especially if she never gets any answers from the all-powerful being she’s constantly asking questions of …

 

THE REVIEW: Coming of age tales are classic source material for movies – and for good reason: Everyone who is an adult was once a child and that former time period is so critical to shaping the latter that it’s something to which everyone can relate. The 1970s may serve as the setting, but ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … proves itself to be a timeless tale from childhood into adolescence that should help bridge gaps between generations.
A film like this does not work without its young stars being (1) interesting and (2) compelling to make the story feel like both to its audience. Forston does a spectacular job at Margaret, conveying every insecurity, anxiety and ultimately, revelation in a fashion that is exciting, confusing and memorable as childhood itself. This isn’t a role defined by its complexity; it’s a role that is complex because of it’s seeming simplicity – yet to pull it off successfully, Forston must strike a balance between episodes of maturity and innocence as well as precociousness and brattiness.
While Fortson pulls them all off, it is worth mentioning how well she not only plays against her older, adult counterparts but also alongside her youthful castmates. Watching the interplay among them brings all the complexities of that super-awkward time in life front and center … Which makes the moments when they come to their own realizations or force the adults in their lives to do so all the better.
That, in fact, is one of the most telling things about what makes ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … So entertaining. A friend of mine attended the premiere with me; at one point, I could tell she was having a visceral reaction to a major plot point. Asking her why after the film was over, she said it’s because it made her, a 40 year-old woman, feel vulnerable. When the actions of children on screen can take you right back to a similar moment in your youth, you know the film is connecting with its target audience. (As was the case with my friend, there are several moments in the film that one may find intense not for what it depicts but for their ability to make the audience recall similar embarrassing moments in their own life.) That’s not to suggest the film is only for mothers and daughters, however. Men would stand to learn a lot on how to converse with the women in their life – or at the very least, help rightfully remove the stigmas associated with certain aspects of womanhood.
ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … seeks to de-mystify some of the most (or seemingly at the time young women experience them) mysterious times of youth and instead show them as a natural part of life. In today’s climate, however, that likely will make it the subject of fodder for pundits and traditionalists to debate what audiences it is and is not well-suited for. (My friend did say she felt the film was ‘too real’ at a certain point, so take that for what you will …)
Those issues notwithstanding, ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … may find its main character seeking the guidance of a higher power, but it definitely should help entertain – and educate – its audience to be a little more mature.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

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Video game movie adaptations level-up with stellar and fun The Super Mario Bros. Movie

“Sega Ge-ne-who?” Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt), Princess Peach (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) in a scene from Nintendo and Illumination’s THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. © 2023 Nintendo and Universal Studios.
DIRECTORS: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Keegan-Michael Key, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Kevin Michael Richardson and Sebastian Maniscalco 

WEB SITE: https://www.thesupermariobros.movie/

THE BACK STORY: Inspired by the longstanding series of best-selling video games, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE finds Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and his younger brother Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day) trying to get their small plumbing business off the ground. Their old boss Spike (voiced by Sebastian Maniscalco), however, keeps giving them guff about it and the rest of their family doesn’t seem to be as supportive as they would hope for, either.
Then, in a magical series of events, Mario and Luigi slip – quite literally – down into a pipe only to discover they are no longer in Brooklyn anymore. While Mario has entered the Mushroom Kingdom ruled by the benevolent Princess Peach, Luigi has found himself in a much darker world where the monstrous Bowser (voiced by Jack Black). Making matters worse is the fact that Bowser wants to marry Princess Peach, who wants nothing to do with him … So when he discovers that Luigi is the brother of the man that may foil his plans for world domination, Bowser is determined to take out the competition.
With the Mushroom Kingdom doomed without a hero, his brother in need of rescuing and a desire to prove himself, Mario – along with a help from a few friends that should be familiar to longstanding gamers – is ready to level up.

 

THE REVIEW: THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE is good. In fact, it’s far better than you would likely expect it to ever be and capable of being in the first place. Why? Because thanks to a clever script, voice cast that nails their respective roles and visuals that pay tribute to the games that inspired them and bring them to living digital life, MARIO BROS. delivers a film that is enjoyable across generations without needing a cheat code to entertain.
Taking elements from the Super Mario games as well as Donkey Kong Country, Super Smash Bros., Luigi’s Mansion, Mario Kart and Diddy Kong Racing,  MARIO BROS. cleverly blends various games together to create an enjoyable, engaging story that’s fun for adults and children alike. Those who grew up running through pipes, dodging fireballs and seeking power-ups will appreciate the way they are woven into the fabric of the Mario Bros.’ world, as they will certain homages to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and other prominent titles of that system’s era.
Similarly, younger fans will enjoy the adorable nature of Toad and his fellow toadstools, the classic villain who wants to be loved as perfectly played by Jack Black and Mario’s relatable nature as a small guy that comes up big when it counts. While fans of Charles Martinet may be sad the original voice of Mario isn’t featured more prominently in the film (yes, he’s in there), there’s no need to fear. Say what you want about Pratt, but he does an extremely commendable job giving life to everyone’s favorite digital plumber with Charlie Day doing the same for his green hatted brother.
In a role it seems like he was born to voice, Seth Rogen makes Donkey Kong a very fun ape to be around; Fred Armisen likewise does a nice job voicing the Larry David-like Cranky Kong with veteran cartoon voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson giving a perfect voice to the Emperor Palpatine-like sidekick to Bowser.
Throw in some well-constructed humor – Black really does play Bowser perfectly – action sequences that are perfect tributes to the games that inspired them without feeling forced and a perfect run time (the film is barely over 90 minutes with credits and it’s nearly perfect. Will that inspire a sequel? Probably – and if/when it does, it will have a lot to live up to for certain.
Fortunately, Nintendo’s and Illumination’s partnership shows that when someone puts care into a video game film adaptation, it won’t leave audiences looking to pull the plug and restart their cinematic console.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: AIR: Courting a Legend

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“Man, I’m telling you – one day we will sign and then end our business relationship with a rapper from Chicago and both moves will be great for business!” Howard White (Chris Tucker, pictured) discusses the basketball shoe game with Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) in a scene from AIR: Courting a Legend. Credit: Ana Carballosa © Amazon Content Services LLC.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: 
DIRECTOR: Ben Affleck

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Matthew Maher, Viola Davis with Marlon Wayans and Matthew Maher

 

 

THE BACK STORY: Long before Nike was the worldwide leader in all things athletic apparel, the Beaverton, Ore. based company was known for running shoes … And not much else. For in the basketball shoe market, Adidas was king with Converse running a close second. In 1984, the era of Reaganomics, revolutionary technology, sitcoms and the explosion of pop music icons, third place meant being last to the point that if something didn’t change, Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) was faced with the prospect of shutting down his company’s basketball division altogether.
Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), however, believed there was one athlete that could change the company’s fate if they could just get him to sign with the company. Who was that man? None other than the man who would eventually go on to be known as “His Airness” – and in the eyes of meany, the greatest competitive athlete of all time, Michael Jeffrey Jordan (played by Damian Delano Young).
Problem is, everybody knows that Jordan is not going to sign with Nike. His intentions are to sign with German-based Adidas despite the loss of its founder and namesake Adolf Dassler. And not only does Jordan’s agent David Falk (Chris Messina) know it, so does Nike Basketball exec Howard White (Chris Tucker), Head of Basketball Marketing Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), Jordan’s former USA Basketball coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) and Jordan’s mother, Deloris (Viola Davis).
But since he’s a gambling man and believes that Jordan is the future of not only Nike, but basketball itself, Vaccaro isn’t ready to take “no” for an answer, what is about to transpire is going to change the sneaker industry forever … As long as he can find a way to get Jordan to sign on the dotted line …
THE REVIEW: Ask any dedicated sneakerhead what is the most important sneaker of all-time is and the odds are beyond good that it will be one with the famous “Jumpman” logo. For as AIR illustrates in great, gripping detail, one man can in fact change the world – and the efforts Vaccaro and company went through to get him is as an American story as sneakers are an industry.
With an all-star ensemble cast, you’d expect each actor in AIR to, much like a basketball team itself, play their positions well en route to trying to achieve their championship aspirations. AIR‘s squad does so on an all-star level from start to finish, each role meaning something no matter how big or small it may be.
Whereas Damon’s Vaccaro is the point guard keeping everything moving and functioning, Tucker comes in with flash and scores in bunches when he uses his charisma and quick wit. As shark-like agent David Falk, Messina’s interactions with Damon’s character likewise play out like intense one-on-one scrimmages.
Affleck’s portrayal of Knight captures all of the Nike head man’s famous (alleged) quirks expertly with Bateman coming in to play the veteran teammate that tries to keep things calm but knows he can’t stop Damon’s character from doing what he’s going to do, so he’s willing to sacrifice to do what’s best for all involved. Add in Davis’ strong performance as Jordan’s mother and the cast is a delight to watch.
Kudos must also be given, however, to the painstaking detail with which Affleck crafts AIR. Every 80s homage – from the fashion and music to the technology involved (remember when having a car phone was a big deal?) serves to enhance the film’s aesthetic as much as its storytelling. In re-creating that world so well, it really showcases the 80s entrepreneurial spirit that was so crucial to Nike’s growth so well in addition to setting up all the dominos that would fall following its historic deal.
In short, those looking for a great film with equal parts of comedy and drama, inspiration and inspired storytelling, AIR is worth lacing up your sneakers for and heading to the theater this spring.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Creed III

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Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut has flash but lacks true punch to be a true title contender

“This is my Wakan, er, ring!” Titular character Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) raises his fists in a scene from Jordan’s directorial debut CREED III. Credit: Eli Ade © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. All rights reserved.
 WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
DIRECTOR: Michael B. Jordan

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson, Mila Kent, Wood Harris, Thaddeus J. Mixon, Spence Moore II, Florian Munteanu and Phylicia Rashad

 

THE BACK STORY: The third installment in the Rocky spin-off franchise, Creed III finds titular character Adonis “Donnie” Creed enjoying the good life. He’s retired, his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) has become a gold record earning music producer and their daughter Amira (Mila Kent), save for one would-be bully at school, is seemingly happy.
But it wasn’t always this way.
You see, back in his troubled youth (portrayed by Thaddeus J. Mixon), Adonis had issues at a group home where he was living with his best friend Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors, played as a youth by Spence Moore II). Dame was an aspiring Golden Gloves champion … And then came the fateful night where everything changed. Fast-forward 18 years later and Dame, thanks in part to a decision made that aforementioned night and one later made by Adonis’ mother (Phylicia Rashad), isn’t remembered at all.
He will be, however – which is why he’s ready to show Adonis that while he may be the champ, there’s no nemesis like an old friend …

 

THE REVIEW:
As Jordan’s directorial debut, the positives about Creed III are that the film looks good visually, there are some  … interesting sequences (one in particular) and the action sequences are fine by the previous films’ standards.
Then there’s the actual movie itself as a story … And that’s when things seem to feel a bit punch-drunk.
Look, Rocky and Creed films are never going to be great with certain logic points, but there is one plot point that – if you think about it – derails the storyline and plot points for the latter half of the film. (The logic the characters exercise or, more often, don’t, makes turning your brain off necessary to get through it.) Likewise, there hasn’t been good defense by a boxer in a Rocky movie since, well, ever and the referees make the ones in the WWE (or, depending on your favorite football team, a certain spots league) look competent by comparison.
Those complaints aside, the main problem with Creed III is that despite some opportunities to maybe explore some topics that could have made the film feel unique or even poignant – the idea of black rage, misguided youth, the impact of parents on children among them. Unfortunately, Creed III instead comes across as another so-so Rocky movie (think Rocky V). This wouldn’t be the case, of course, if the characters’ had better logic. Seriously, the decisions the characters make often seem ludicrous at best with reasoning that feels just as silly as the choices themselves. That makes it hard to buy into much of the film itself, which, given the nature of the average Rocky/Creed film, is essential.
Let me put it another way. As a four decade (and counting) fan of “sports entertainment,” a.k.a. professional wrestling, the key to the enjoyment is (1) appreciating the athleticism of the performers that (2) makes it able for you to suspend your disbelief that the outcomes aren’t pre-determined. These are live action movies unfolding before your eyes. With Creed III, the film never reaches a point where you are able to do the latter. Sure, Jordan, Majors and co. are in phenomenal shape and look the part, but the film lacks an element that makes you go “all in” and buy completely into the story. On a positive note, Mila Kent is precocious as Amira and does a great job throughout the film all the way to setting up her own movie one day(?).
With Creed III, Michael B. Jordan shows he knows what a movie should look like, how a first, second and third act are supposed to work and how to add visual style to the final product. Unfortunately, the story is so … familiar and logically flawed that it’s just hard to want to go the distance with it. Again, there are points raised that could have developed into something more than the standard boxing fare. The film looks good stylistically, Jordan shows he has potential to deliver a good product … But the film just lacks the punch – pun intended – to deliver the knockout blow you would hope it would.
Creed III comes in with all the hype of a title contender … But in the end, the franchise’s championship days – however short they may have been – are behind it.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Cocaine Bear

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Elizabeth Banks’ horror/dark comedy delivers exactly what it promises to uproarious, unadulterated fun

“This is what happens when you party in the woods in the 1980s!” The titular character lets loose with a little bit of snowfall in a scene from Elizabeth Banks’ inspired by true events dark comedy/horror COCAINE BEAR. Credit: © 2023 Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.
 WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Banks

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Kristofer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra, Leo Hanna, J.B. Moore, Aaron Holliday, Ayoola Smart, Kahyun Kim, Margo Martindale and the late Ray Liotta

 
THE BACK STORY: Inspired by true events – but definitely taking them to previously unforeseen highs (pun intended) – Cocaine Bear takes place in 1985 in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Why? Because that’s where a drug dealer (and millions of dollars of pure, uncut cocaine) crash landed. That’s a problem for Daveed (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.) and Syd (Ray Liotta), a pair of southern drug dealers who cannot afford to upset their Latin American connections by letting all those drugs go missing. That prompts Syd to order Daveed to find Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) – a.k.a. Daveed’s trying to-go-straight partner and Syd’s son – to leave St. Louis and head towards Chattachoochee.
Syd, Eddie and Daveed won’t be alone in their hunt, however, for the forest happens to be roaming with colorful characters on this particular day. There’s Olaf (Kristopher Hivju) and Elsa (Hannah Hoekstra), an engaged couple hiking their way through the forest, animal specialist Peter (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Liz (Margo Martindale) the park ranger who fancies him and the teenage gang of the ponytail (Leo Hanna), the guy in the vest (J.B. Moore) and their leader (Aaron Holiday).
Also in the woods are thirteen year-old duo Dee Dee (Brooklyn Prince) and Henry (Christian Convery), who are about to learn that skipping school was the worst decision they could have made that day. Why? Not just because Dee Dee’s mom Sari (Keri Russell) is going to be very upset with them, but because a black bear has just found massive amounts of cocaine.
If you can’t imagine what’s going to happen next, you should probably look at the title of this movie again and get prepared for a journey unlike anything else you may see in 2023 … Or ever again.

THE REVIEW: In an era full of sequels, re-treads, dystopian futures and superheroes, Cocaine Bear carves out a niche for itself by delivering EXACTLY what its title promises: A 500-pound apex predator coked out of its mind running crazy in the middle of a forest causing hilarious – and at times, gory – chaos.

The bear is obviously the star attraction; what makes director Elizabeth Banks’ film entertaining and not an erratic mess, however, is the work of all the humans around it. The story is easy to follow, the actors deliver solid performances by playing things straight and Banks’ pacing keeps things snapping along so that nothing drags except the victims once the star sinks her claws in them. The laughs happen naturally, the shock moments are effective and not gory for the sake of being gory and the characters are likable enough and more developed than one would expect going in to the film.
Make no mistake, however: Cocaine Bear isn’t trying to be an Academy Award-winning film by any stretch of the imagination. However, it takes a wild concept and makes it an entertaining one from start to finish. Prince and Convery are great young stars to carry the film, Russell is completely believable and Martindale is a hoot as the park ranger. (If only Whitlock, Jr. had found a to work in his trademark catchphrase from The Wire, everything would be complete.)
While the world doesn’t need a sequel, it definitely can have a great time partying down with Cocaine Bear – just make sure the only snorting you’re doing is from laughing and everything should work out just fine.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: TILL

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Academy Award contender is unflinching, unapologetic in its depiction of a definitive American tragedy, turning point

“This is one of the few smiles that anyone watching this film will see given the gripping, emotional impact of this film.” Mamie Till Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler, left) prepares to send her son Emmitt (Jalyn Hall, right) on his ill-fated trip to visit family in Mississippi in a scene from TILL, directed by Chinonye Chukwu, released by Orion Pictures. Credit: © 2022 ORION RELEASING LLC. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

DIRECTOR: Chinonye Chukwu

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Sean Patrick Thomas, John Douglas Thompson, Kevin Carroll, Tosin Cole, Whoopi Goldberg, Roger Guenveur Smith, Frankie Faison and Haley Bennett

 

THE BACK STORY: Based on one of the most infamous incidents of lynching in American if not world history, TILL stars Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till Mobley. Living happily in Chicago, she has her own apartment, a good job and a loving son in Emmitt (Jalyn Hall), a happy-go-lucky as can be 14 year-old excited to soon visit his cousins in Mississippi. 
 

Arriving down south, Emmitt is not accustomed to the dangers of being black in 1955. That all changes, however, when he inadvertently whistles at Carolyn Bryant (Haley Bennett), a store owner who doesn’t take kindly to his “You look like a movie star” compliment. Want to know who else didn’t take it as a compliment? The white lynch mob that brutalized Emmitt to the point a closed casket funeral was recommended after his body was found in the Tallahatchie River.

Mamie, however, wanted the world to see what hate did to her only child. And oh would the world ever see …

THE REVIEW: Emmitt Till. Martin Luther King, Jr. Medgar Evers. Tamir Rice. Phillip Pernell. Yusef Hawkins. Eric Garner. The Tulsa, Okla. massacre of “Black Wall Street.” Amadou Diallo. Michael Brown. Philando Castile. Trayvon Martin. Ahmaud Arbery. And despite what Kanye West and others like him think, George Floyd. And these are just the names I can name off the top of my head in my 40+ years on earth. All assassinated, lynched and/or killed in – and this is as loosely as the word can be used – “controversial” circumstances. All black men.
Like me.
According to the NAACP, nearly 5,000 lynchings occurred in the United States between 1882-1968. And those are just the known instances. In TILL, the audience receives brutal reminders for the latter 80 minutes of the film of the savagery, brutality, frustration, exhaustion, pain and injustice that continue – albeit less overtly and fortunately nowhere near as frequently – to this day. Unfortunately, the film’s unflinching portrayals of one of the most societally impactful events in modern American history, through no fault of its own, inadvertently result in a problem the film cannot fix. For in showcasing all the aforementioned savagery, brutality, frustration, exhaustion, pain and injustice, the film inherently runs into problems: (1) The risk of feeling like 2 hours of cinematic torture for African Americans and (2) making white audiences at the very least leaving feeling guilty and, at the very worst, invoking all the common privileged responses (“That was decades ago,” “We don’t have lynchings today,” “Movies like this just make things worse,” etc.”) one might expect.
When reviewing films, I try to leave myself out of analysis as much as possible. With TILL, I can’t deny just how inherently connected my world is to his some 67 years after his murder. My parents were children at the same time Emmitt Till was alive. Like Till’s mother, my mother worries every time I travel to a different city where she isn’t there to protect me. Like Till’s would-be adoptive father, my own dad worries whenever I jog in a neighborhood where the main demographics don’t match mine. (And we won’t even get into dating in a post O.J. Simpson world.) And like Emmitt, I am my parents’ only child and they both know they can’t protect me from the world at large, despite how much they try.
TILL is one of those type of films where you wish the people that need to see it the most (self-destructive African-Americans falling into the trappings of a system where they are behind the proverbial 8-ball in far too many circumstances; whites who deny what I just wrote to justify their position or deny a societal advantage). Instead, the audiences most likely to see are older blacks who for whom the Civil Rights movement is not part of a potentially-banned textbook, but their own history and liberal whites who want to actually understand and avoid repeating history. Then again, watching the film and realizing – as it details after the final haunting frame – that the Emmitt Till Antilynching Act DID NOT BECOME LAW UNTIL THIS MARCH may have the reverse effect of the inspiration it seeks to provide.
With apologies to the film’s cast and crew, TILL is a beautifully directed, emotionally gripping film that I cannot and will not ever be able to watch again. Deadwyler will be a deserving Academy Award nominee for her performance and Chukwu should receive Best Director consideration as well.
However, given America’s history of being built on the the backs of and benefitting from black pain, I just don’t have it in me to sit through another screening of TILL. For after years of important yet heartbreaking experiences watching (and not watching) so many films of its ilk, I don’t have any more grief I can afford to expend for the sake of my mental health.
In a world where stories like this, this and this are still happening today, I just can’t. TILL is an excellent movie I can’t watch because the instances of life imitating art imitating life are simply too much to bear. Throw in the fact Till’s murderers got away with it and then ADMITTED THEY DID IT LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER HIS DEATH and Carolyn Bryant will likely NEVER have to face the music for her role in Till’s death and I just can’t take it. At the screening I was at, there was nary a dry eye in the house (for the most part). I, however, felt myself beginning to tear up and then stopped. I just don’t have any more black grief I can expend.
Then again, maybe I should apologize to the memory of Ms. Till. After all, my mother and father still have their son and I am living in a world poor Emmitt’s death (I pray) has been made better as a result of his tragedy.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: HALLOWEEN ENDS

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Horror franchise delivers most definitive chapter yet to finally bring closure to the story of Laurie Strode and Michael Myers

“This is not the yoga class I signed up for!” Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) battles her longstanding nemesis Michael Myers a.k.a. “The Shape” (James Jude Courtney) in a scene from co-writer/producer/director David Gordon Green’s final(?) installment in his trilogy, HALLOWEEN ENDS. Credit: Ryan Green/Universal Pictures © 2022 Universal Pictures

 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 

 

DIRECTOR: David Gordon Green

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jamie Lee Curtis, James Jude Courtney, Rohan Campbell, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, Michael Barbieri, Marteen, Destiny Mone, Joey Harris, Keraun Harris and Nick Castle

 

THE BACK STORY: Over the course of 40+ years, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has been obsessed with one man: Michael Myers (a.k.a. “The Shape,” portrayed by both James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle), who has been killing people left and right in their (thankfully fictional) Haddonfield, Ill since the 70s.
Editor’s note: Halloween started in the late 70s and it’s now the early 2020s … But he’s only been killing people for 40+ years … The math does pan out.
Now, Michael hasn’t been seen since escaping from a mental facility and going on a murder spree where he LITERALLY WHOOPS AN ENTIRE TOWN’S COLLECTIVE *** as seen in Halloween Ends. But while Michael’s rampage became the biggest story in Haddonfield since his original one, the shattered town seemingly has needed a new boogeyman to take his place to direct their hate.

Enter Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell).

Babysitting Halloween night in 2019 for a local rich couple, an accident occurs that forever changes his life. Now, in Michael’s absence and Laurie’s lack of activity – she is writing a book and trying to move on with her life – Corey’s unfortunately become the town pariah, except to everyone but one person: Allyson (Andi Matichak), Laurie’s granddaughter that she has taken in following the murder of her parents by – you guessed it – Michael.

But as Allyson and Corey get closer, Laurie starts to notice a darkness in the latter that makes her fearful of what’s to come. But since Michael hasn’t been seen in an olympics and Halloween is approaching, she might want to be a little more concerned about a man who has gone through more kitchen knives than a season of Top Chef …

 

THE REVIEW: If you’ve ever seen me do stand-up in the month of October, there’s a chance you’ve seen me eviscerate just how silly the previous installments of the modern Halloween trilogy is. From the over-the-top characters, bad foreshadowing dialogue and ridiculous yet gory kills and plots, the first two installments were for die-hard fans only.
Now, with Halloween Ends, we get an unexpected story-rich tale that is still loaded with over-the-top characters, gory/zany kills … And what may be the most definitive chapter of the series … to date.
Look, when you walk into a Halloween movie, it’s best to turn off the logical part of your brain. Halloween Kills, however, does a little to acknowledge how some of the past films have been a bit wild (to say the least), really trying to build up the idea of what makes someone evil (there are two types of evil as Laurie narrates for the audience). Likewise, the character development is unusually strong for a Halloween movie, which is weird since at least 9 out of 10 people that will be watching are coming to watch Michael fight Laurie (or vice-versa) and see who wins and/or survives (if either does).
But all those things aside, make no mistake: While Halloween Ends is the easily the best of the modern trilogy, it’s best-served for the die hards that love Halloween (either the movie or this film series), the Michael Myers character (there’s no real re-inventing the wheel there), Jamie Lee Curtis or just have to find closure after seeing the first two movies. Will all of them like it? Will all of them hate it? The answer remains to be seen – but there is definitely an ending.
Otherwise, the best thing about Halloween Ends is that it ends – and it is a definitive ending as you can have for a horror movie and a franchise that should by all accounts be over once its namesake holiday passes.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):