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McCoy on Movies: Once Upon A Time in Hollywood

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Tarantino die-hards best suited to travel back in time for the hodgepodge buddy comedy/crime tale of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

“Hi … We’re also getting paid a ton of money for this!” Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) shakes hands with Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) while Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) looks on in a scene from writer/director Quentin Taratino’s wild and wacky ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. Credit: Andrew Cooper. © 2018 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Dakota Fanning, Timothy Olyphant, Austin Qualley, Margaret Qualley, Damion Herriman, Emile Hirsch, Mike Moh, Lena Dunham, Julia Butters and Kurt Russell with Bruce Dern and Al Pacino

DIRECTOR(S): Quentin Tarantino

THE BACK STORY: Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a man at a crossroads. His TV career isn’t fulfilling him and his last leading role just got canceled, hence the reason he wishes to transition into films … But he’s having trouble doing so. His longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), however, is just at peace with his lot in life, driving Rick to and from set while hanging out with his loyal pooch in his AirStream trailer home. 


But while Rick laments his falling star and Cliff tries to make him realize the sky isn’t falling with it, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) is living the high life as Rick’s new neighbor. Married to hotshot director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha), Sharon is enjoying a budding movie career and life with her husband … And her ex-boyfriend/hairdresser to the stars Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch). 


While Cliff is living his life fairly carefree, things are about to change when he picks up a hippie hitchhiker (Margaret Qualley) who can’t wait for him to meet Squeaky (Dakota Fanning), Tex (Austin Qualley) and Charlie (Damion Herriman). But since Charlie is the leader of a “family” that has a very unique view on the world, things are about to change in a way that only can happen in a Taratino-helmed picture …

THE REVIEW: For a movie that’s 2 hours and 40 minutes-plus in length, you would be inclined to hope Once Upon a Time in Hollywood wouldn’t feel a bit (1) disjointed; (2) incomplete; (3) half-baked and (4) have some focus storytelling flair to match its visuals that are writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s homage to the last “golden era” of Hollywood. Instead, what you have are two movies in one: (1) A buddy comedy about an aging film star (DiCaprio’s Dalton) finding his place in the world and (2) a crime fantasy drama about the Manson family and a stuntman’s interaction with them.If that sounds a bit confusing to you, watching Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will make it clearer how they are connected … Even though you will likely leave the theater with feelings as mixed as the movie itself.

A man who loves to do things brash and big, there is no wonder why Tarantino would love to explore the world of Hollywood in the 1960s. Likewise, given his penchant for crime tales and revisionist history, there is plenty of source material for Tarantino to utilize. Instead, Once Upon feels more like exploiting all of the glitz and glamour before devolving into a live-action cartoon of South Park-level insanity but with Family Guy-like intelligence. (By the way, I like both cartoons, but let’s be honest: One has gone from frathouse humor to a near graduate studies course on modern socio-political issues while the other will throw out a Conway Twitty clip or a chicken fight when there isn’t a more involved punchline.) Once Upon instead is a hodgepodge of everything that Tarantino wants to cram into a movie; problem is, when you try to cram everything in, a lot of those things don’t get the time they need to develop. And when you have a movie that is trying to essentially be two things in one, it often doesn’t work. Once Upon suffers this fate as the true crime aspects – Tarantino’s take features real people, but isn’t exactly based on a true story – at times feel forced and Dalton’s story was worthy of its own movie, not one in which it shares it with another idea.

On a positive note, DiCaprio does DiCaprio things which prove his worth as one of modern Hollywood’s best actors with Pitt smiling and charming his way as only he can through his scenes. Problem is, that’s pretty much all Pitt does save for the film’s twisted final 20 minutes. His interaction with the Manson Family is a bit like a pro wrestling character: You either buy it or you just kinda go “meh.”

The real tragedy may be Robbie’s performance, or rather the lack thereof of it. Robbie does very little as Sharon Tate other than laugh, smile, giggle and hug – that’s it – but it’s not her fault. There’s really not much else to her role nor is she given any opportunity to showcase why she could have been a compelling person other than a tragic footnote in real-life Hollywood history. With so much that could have been done with the character, Tarantino’s tribute to her feels more like a caricature of her, needless to say it does not achieve the desired result.

The main thing that will stick with audiences, however, is that outside of the Dalton tale, the film feels grandiose, long as its runtime and just a really potluck of stories and storytelling. If Tarantino’s plan really is to retire after 10 films, he’s going to need a dynamite exit piece to atone for the Once Upon. For this is the equivalent to New Coke, Kanye West’s 808 & Heartbreaks, the last season of Game of Thrones and LeBron James leaving Cleveland to take his talents to South Beach. Sure, there will be plenty of die-hard Tarantino fans that will laud it as the greatest thing since his last greatest thing, but the causal fan may simply go “I get it … But was it really worth getting?”

For a film that attempts to entertain by celebrating and then exploring Hollywood’s Golden Age, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will be fortunate to settle for anything close to bronze.

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

 

Local Filmmaker Fundraising for Second Season of Hot & Bothered

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Wright State University motion picture production (BFA) graduate Leah Byrd has launched a Kickstarter.com page for the 2nd season of her award-winning LGBTQIA Comedic Web Series “Hot & Bothered,” a show that addresses what it is like to be “black and queer in Midwestern America.” The project has been recognized by Kickstarter.com as one of their “Projects We Love!” and Byrd is hoping local film supporters will love it, too, as she strives to raise $15,000.

The first season of Hot & Bothered was a finalist for the Sundance New Voices Lab, has screened across the country as well as internationally, won Favorite Youth Film at the Philadelphia BlackStar Film Festival in August 2018 and has also been awarded a grant from Cee Smith Media Group, which helps fund LGBT creative enterprises.

Byrd said most LGTBQ characters depicted on TV and in the movies are white, gay males and typically from the East or West coast. Growing up, “I never saw anything that was remotely close to my own experience,” said the Trotwood-raised, Chaminade-Julienne High School graduate.

Years ago, Byrd stumbled onto the website everyoneisgay.com during a time when she was trying to understand the world around her and her place in it. She wanted to affirm for others that there is nothing wrong with being gay and desired to become part of the support community, providing free content available to anyone, particularly queer youth who might not be able to pay or for whom asking parents for access might not be safe.

Byrd said she wanted to provide lighthearted comedy.” She directs and co-stars in the show, as Liz, with Ian Ashwell, a Wright State acting major, playing her best friend Stan, a “white straight dude.” The series follows the life of Liz and her awkward white straight boy best friend as they navigate living, dating, queerness, and race in their hometown of Dayton, and their misadventures as they try to launch “SCZR,” the lesbian version of the app GRINDR.

Byrd said that the app is in part a reaction to the fact that while there are gay bars in Dayton, there are relatively few offerings for lesbians. The 21-year-old said only one of the bars has a “lesbian night.”  She added that she wishes there were alternatives to bars where LGBTQ people could meet. Perhaps that can be the focus of the third season!

McCoy on Movies: Midsommar

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Swiss cult adventure proves gory and weird but ultimately boring in Midsommar

“Oh my – is that how much money Avengers: Endgame has made so far this year?!” Christian (Jack Reynor) and Dani (Florence Pugh) look on in horror in a scene from writer/director Ari Aster’s MIDSOMMAR. Credit: Merie Weismiller Wallace, courtesy of A24. © 2019 A24. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Archie Madekwe, Ellora Torchia, and Will Poulter


DIRECTOR(S): Ari Aster

THE BACK STORY: Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor) are in a relationship. A bad relationship. And they need to break up. But just as Christian’s friend Mark (Will Poulter) – along with Josh (William Jackson Harper), who is getting ready to complete his Ph.D research – convinces him that he should break up with Dani, tragedy strikes. So, not only does Christian NOT break up with Dani, he decides to invite her along on the trip that he, Mark and Josh are to take to Sweden. They are headed to Sweden courtesy of an invite from Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren), a foreign exchange student who has invited them to come just in time for Midsommar, the biggest festival in his village of the year.


But with almost perpetual daylight permeating the village, Dani, Christian and company are about to learn that some nightmares can happen right out in the open.
THE REVIEW: “Maybe it’s just me.”The scariest thing about Midsommar is that it not only got made and some people will enjoy it, but that you can expect yet another piece of schlock to come from writer/director Ari Aster as a result.

You know the expression “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”? Well, it’s a pretty safe bet I won’t be going to see one of Aster’s works for a third time as Midsommar is two hours and 20 minutes of a SLOW, you can see all of this coming gory and freaky “film” that uses his visuals to cover up for a lack of something, you know, good.

As someone who was not a fan of Aster’s previous work, 2018’s Toni Collette-led vehicle Hereditary, I was prepared for what I thought I would be getting with Midsommar. And boy, was I not wrong as the film (1) has a deliberately slow pace intended to build drama that feels like a certain well-known torture technique as scenes play  out drag out needlessly in (2) fake art house cinematic fashion. Throw in (3) Aster’s signature gory, unflinching visuals which are more gross than great art even by many horror movie standards and (4) a story that doesn’t inherently possess any more intrigue than “this is happening to these characters” versus why it’s happening to them. Seriously, outside of Pugh, everyone else is essentially fodder for a body count. The film will likely feel as long for the audience as it does for its characters, which is a shame because it didn’t have to be as devoid of intrigue other than “does this end the way I think it will (it does)” if you’ve been paying attention. At best, Midsommar is the type of film that will make most rational people go “Well … That was … different” when what they really mean is “That was atrocious! At no point was I truly scared, the characters are so one dimensional that you only really care about the one and the story is so morose I guess  I paid money to feel bad because I wanted to and didn’t know it.”

Now, perhaps you are among those that still enjoy watching movies where you are smarter than the characters – who are clearly too stupid to see something is amiss – and movies where weird for the sake of weird is the norm. Maybe you just can’t wait to see the year’s craziest sex scene outside of a Game of Thrones re-run complete with full frontal nudity from both genders. Or perhaps you want to go to a movie just to watch something where you and your hipster friends can revel in the lush landscape shown onscreen while the story, no matter how stunted or familiar – it might FINALLY be time to let Nicolas Cage off the hook for most of those Wicker Man (which this movie borrows from HEAVILY) jokes now – Midsommar is.

The one nice thing I can and will say is that Pugh turns in a very dedicated performance as Dani, making you feel all her anguish, pain and depression at every turn. That in turn does help add to the movie’s overall feel-bad vibe, but save for the big reveal – I’m not going to spoil it for those of you determined to see in spite of this review – but Pugh shows her mettle with a great performance in an otherwise not-so-great movie.

Believe me when I tell you – I hate writing in first person, but with a movie like this, it’s hard not to – that unless you are (1) a fan of those slower, 60s and 70s style horror movies that wanted to be Alfred Hitchcock films but lacked the originality and flair; (2) are the type of person that watches a movie and often finds yourself saying things like “ahh, the subtext” or “oh – a wry homage to …” or (3) just are the type that turns off your brain and completely buys in to the events in a movie, you should probably just stay home. And to all those who would say, “Well, you just didn’t get it,” I would counter with “No, I got it. I just hated it to the point I can’t even look at an IKEA sign and not remember how much I did.”

In other words, unless you really have 140 minutes to dedicate to what equates to a bad trip (metaphorically and literally) and watch a group of people you mostly won’t care about have an experience that isn’t that entertaining as much as it is abnormal, astoundingly aberrant and at times downright asinine, avoid Midsommar for all seasons to come.

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

 


Steven Bognar, Now a Member of The Academy

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has issued 842 invitations to new members, the Oscar-granting body announced today.  And one of those invited to join the entertainment industry’s prestigious list of creatives is Yellow Springs filmmaker Steven Bognar.  Steve shared with us he got an email today about 2:20pm and the subject line read: “Welcome to The Academy Steven Bognar.”

We asked him what it meant to get that invite and here’s what he had to say:

“It’s incredibly meaningful to me, working in documentaries for 35 years, making films for 4o years when I started out  running around Beavercreek with a super 8 camera with my friends.   It’s such a great honor and so many filmmakers who I deeply respect are in The Academy and it’s such an honor to be amongst them.”

The Academy has 17 branches, for the crafts ranging from Actors to Writers, and two categories, Members-at-Large and Associates to accommodate individuals who work in motion picture production but do not fit into one of the branches.  The Academy’s membership process is by sponsorship, not application.  Candidates must be sponsored by two Academy members from the branch to which the candidate seeks admission.  After the two sponsors have completed the online process, the proposed candidate will receive an email requesting additional information. Once completed, the Member Relations and Awards Department will be in touch if any additional information is required.  Each candidate who receives a favorable endorsement from the appropriate Branch Executive Committee is then submitted to the Board of Governors for final approval and invitation to membership.

Adding the class this year will bring the membership to 9,000 artists and professionals who bring the magic of the movies to life. They are the men and women who transport audiences to galaxies far away and to worlds long ago and who create the previously unimagined for the big screen. They are the entertainment industry’s preeminent filmmakers. They are Academy members.  And now Steve joins his filmmaking partner Julia Reichert , as a member of the hallowed Academy.  Ms Reichert became an Academy member in 2010.

Also invited this year is former Wright State Motion Pictures Professor Chinonye Chukwu.  Other Miami Valley members of The Academy include Dave Chapelle, Hannah Beachler and  Allison Janey

For more information and the complete list of new member, click here.

Look for a Dayton debut this August of Bognar and Reichert’s latest film American Factory, which the Tribeca Film Festival describes as “a wry look at what happens when America’s economic vulnerability comes toe-to-toe with a new era of ambitious Chinese expansion.” An award winner at The Sundance Film Festival, the documentary is enjoying rave reviews on the film festival circuit.

McCoy on Movies: Spiderman

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Holland, director/co-writer Watts feel right where they need to be with Spider-Man: Far From Home

“Hi there … We’re getting ready to make a lot of money together for a major Hollywood studio!” Peter Parker (Tom Holland, center) gets introduced to Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal, right) while Nick Fury’s assistant soldier Dmitri (Numan Acar, far left) in a scene from SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME. Credit: Jay Maidment © 2019 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:



KEY CAST MEMBERS: Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jon Favreau, Jacob Balaton, Zendaya, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Angourie Rice, J.B. Smoove, Martin Starr, Tony Revolori, Remy Hii and Marisa Tomei


DIRECTOR(S): Jon Watts

THE BACK STORY: Still reeling from the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home finds Peter Parker (Tom Holland) still attempting to get over the [SPOILER ALERT – BUT YOU’VE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO FIND THIS OUT!] death of his mentor Tony Stark. Now, Tony’s trusted right hand man Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) is trying to help Peter progress and move forward; Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), on the other hand, are hoping to talk to him about the Elementals, a threat that just popped up in Mexico and may be moving in to more spots around the globe. 


Peter, however, has one thing on his mind – well two, if you count his suspicious about what his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) may be up to in her free time – and that’s his upcoming class trip to Europe with Ned (Jacob Balaton), MJ (Zendaya), Flash (Tony Revolori), Betty (Angourie Rice), Brad (Remy Hii) and their science teachers/chaperones Mr. Harrington (Martin Starr) and Mr. Bell (J.B. Smoove). Unfortunately for Peter, (1) Nick Fury isn’t going to take kindly to him trying to ghost his calls; (2) Brad – who grew up quite a bit in the 5 years after “the blip” – has his eyes on MJ, too and (3) It seems like that disturbance in Mexico seems to be heading towards Europe.


But luckily for Peter, he’s about to get some help in form of a soldier from an alternate Earth who has come to fights the Elementals by the name of Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) … Or, as the world will soon come to know him, Mysterio …
THE REVIEW: Given all that happened in the latter movie, many fans were shocked to learn that it would be Spider-Man: Far From Home and not Avengers: Endgame that would wrap up Marvel’s Phase Three plans. It would almost seem that by doing so, Far From Home would have an immense amount of pressure to live up to, especially since a year is slated to pass before Marvel drops another film on the public. But this is Marvel we’re talking about, which means there is no way they were going to let Sony Pictures let one of its most iconic characters go out and make the studio nor Iron Man down.In other words, Far From Home lives up to expectations and then some with a well-crafted story, action sequences, plenty of humor and a game-changing ending worthy of passing the torch from Tony Stark to Peter Parker.

Given that longtime fans of the character have already watched Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield attempt to carve out their own niche as Spider-Man, Holland may now own the mantle as the definitive actor to play him – Far From Home serving as his greatest showcase to date. Exhibiting the classic naiveté of a teenager at times as he still tries to understand of what he is fully capable both as a superhero and a young man with his eye on a girl, Holland also shows all of the classic comic book elements that made Spider-Man such a big deal in the first place in terms of his humor, creativity and strength when he is forced to step up and go to battle. His interactions with his all of co-stars only serve to enhance these facets of the character as his ragtag group of fellow students feels perfectly cast with Balaton, Zendaya, Revolori, Hii and Rice all adding perfectly to the story.

Likewise, the adults more than come through in Far From Home with their respective roles. While you’re never really going to ever go wrong with Jackson doing Jackson-like things for two hours as Nick Fury with Smulders exhibiting a calm cool as his second-in-command, Favreau keeps his comedy contingency high while adding as a bit of diet Stark to whom Holland’s Parker can vent his frustrations. Tomei keeps finding ways to make the cinematic version of Aunt May more interesting she’s ever been and Gyllenhaal expertly exhibits all of the elements of his character ala the way Michael Keaton did in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Director Jon Watts (who co-wrote the film with Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers) proves his previous work with Spider-Man wasn’t a fluke, as Far From Home steps up everything the aforementioned Homecoming does in terms of pacing, humor, peril, general storytelling and visual engagement well. The film never feels as long as its 2 hour, 15 minute running time, no moments feel wasted and his ability to get everything he needs in the moment out of his actors definitely pays dividends with the finished product. In short, Watts and co. have done the thing that is very hard to do with any superhero story, let alone a movie in general: Craft a tale that satisfies every need with a cast that you won’t spend time second-guessing if they were right for the role and a story that contains enough original, organic moments combined “oh – didn’t see that coming!” ones to tie into the larger world (in this case, the Marvel Cinematic Universe / MCU for short) while still being its own unique thing.

So while the character himself may be far from home, the latest Spider-Man movie proves that when it comes to the future of the MCU, he’s definitely found one as long as Holland, Watts and co. can continue to deliver quality stories like this.

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

 


Netflix Sets Release Date for Local Filmmakers Sundance Winning Documentary

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It’s been a busy month for Yellow Springs filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert.  Earlier this month The Museum of Modern Art opened a career retrospective Julia Reichert: 50 Years in Film | MoMA . And just today Netflix announced a Release Date for their latest film, “American Factory.” This eye-popping look at the differences between American and Chinese workers when they come together at a Chinese car-glass factory in Ohio, will open globally in 190 countries on Netflix and in select North American theaters on August 21. Netflix acquired the  non-fiction feature out of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Directing Award for U.S. Documentary and became a top early contender in the 2020 Oscar race.

“We are honored and thrilled that Netflix and Higher Ground are teaming up to bring ‘American Factory’ to the world,” said Reichert and Bognar in a statement. “Their energy and enthusiasm is infectious. We’re excited about the national and global conversations we believe this film can spark.”

Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar

According to a Indie wire, “The Participant Media production focuses on the dramatic culture clash when a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant, hiring two thousand blue-collar Americans. Following its Sundance premiere, the film impressed Barack and Michelle Obama, who launched their Netflix-partnered Higher Ground Productions last spring “to harness the power of storytelling,” as the former U.S. president described it at the time. This marks the first title from Higher Ground to premiere on the streaming service.”

Stay tuned for more information on how the film release will be celebrated locally.

Local Filmmaker Premieres Latest Horror Film

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Daytonian Henrique Couto is an independent filmmaker who has directed 16 feature films.  His trick for cranking out so many low-budget movies is to work quickly, cheaply and with like-minded actors, writers and crew members.  He often writes, produce and directs his own  horror, comedy, family, and western films.

This 33 year old will host the world premiere of his latest film Haunting Inside happens tonight, Friday June 21st at 10pm at the By-Jo Theatre, located at 20 N. Main Street in Germantown.  Doors will open for seating at 9:30pm and tickets are $10. If you can’t make it tonight, you can also catch it on July 13 at 8pm at the Mayflower Arts Center in Troy, Ohio.

Written by Dan Wilder, Haunting Inside follows siblings Sammy and Sylvia after their parents demise,  try to maintain their tenuous relationship as Sylvia falls deeper into her own delusions. Things change when mysterious figures befriend her, but their motives are not as innocent as they appear. Will Sammy lose his sister to the forces that now haunt their lives?

Check out the trailer here:

 

McCoy on Movies: Men In Black International

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“Hey … Is that a green, incredible-looking hulk of a man over there?!” Agent M (Tessa Thompson) and Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) survey their surroundings in Morocco in a scene from director F. Gary Gray’s MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL. Credit: Giles Keyte © 2019 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:



 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Tessa Thompson, Chris Hemsworth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Rafe Spall, Kumail Nanjiani, Rebecca Ferguson and Larry and Laurent Bourgeois DIRECTOR(S): F. Gary Gray

THE BACK STORY: As a child, Molly (Tessa Thompson) and her parents saw an alien creature … But when the two men in black suits showed up to neuralize her mom and dad, they didn’t know she saw the alien, too, so she never forgot it. Fast-forward 20 years later and Molly has spent her whole life preparing to join the mysterious agency that tracks the ultimate foreigners to earth – which is why she jumps at the chance to prove herself to Agent O (Emma Thompson) once she discovers the Men In Black (MIB).For her first assignment, Molly – now known as Agent M – is paired up with Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) at MIB’s London office. Trained by his superior officer/London office head High T (Liam Neeson), Agent H is as reckless as he supposedly is heroic, a man that likes to party as hard as he sometimes works. Tasked with entertaining an alien from a planet that could destroy earth, things take a turn for the worse when two beings that may be from “The Hive,” a shape shifting alien race that can basically crush anything in its collective path, shows up on the scene. And now, to avoid an intergalactic incident, it’s up to a rookie agent and a philandering agent to save us all.

THE REVIEW: Me, before the screening: “You know, watching the trailer, it doesn’t seem like Hemsworth and Thompson have any chemistry in this movie.”Friend who shall remain nameless, looking almost taken aback by my comment as if it were absurd: “They were fine together in Thor: Ragnarok.”

Me, nearly two hours after the credits began to roll: “This is NOT Thor: Ragnarok.”

Friend, looking as bored as I was with disappointment in their eyes: “Yeah.”

Chris Hemsworth is NOT Will Smith nor should he ever try to or desire to be as his career up to this point has been pretty phenomenal all things considered. Likewise, Thompson’s star has seemed to be on the up-and-up in recent memory with hits both inside and out of the Marvel Universe to her credit. However, after witnessing the tedious, boring and “let’s go through the very familiar motions without any real emotion for the most part” affair that is Men In Black International (MIBI for short), both Hemsworth and Thompson might be wise to call up Marvel Studios’ head Kevin Feige and ask if there are any chances to cameo in Disney’s upcoming Loki streaming series. For MIBI is a largely flat, soulless affair that would be better served being left in a galaxy far, far away.

As Thor, Hemsworth has found a great way to portray a powerful individual who can be charming, heroic, serious, focused and at times a childlike jerk that has to be coaxed into doing the right thing/learning how to step up and embrace his destiny. As Agent H, however, he comes off as just a boorish, pretentious, dare I say dumb lout of an individual who you can’t believe in any capacity. H is stale from start to finish, which may not all be Hemsworth’s fault as he isn’t given much at all to work with. It could be worse; Neeson looks to be on site to simply collect a check a’la Michael Caine in Jaws: The Revenge. Tommy Lee Jones (or even Josh Brolin in MIB 3) he is not. To watch Hemsworth and Neeson turn in such poor performances is just mind-numbing, both literally and figuratively.

Thompson, for her part, tries to play things very smart, very smooth and very seriously … Which fails due to an incredibly dull script with plenty of “we’ve been here before!” moments that attempt to capture old magic that just isn’t there. Whereas Smith has moved on to bluer pastures as the scene-stealing genie in the equally underwhelming (but still better) live action remake of Aladdin, Thompson is asked to drive a car down a course we’ve all scene before – this time with a LOT less bells and whistles or even scenery to keep you entertained, or at the very least, distracted.

Sure, her encounter with arms dealer/H’s ex Riza (a very game Rebecca Ferguson) adds a little life to the festivities, but MIBI is loaded with so much bland dialogue and ho-hum action sequences Thompson kind of comes off like the best player on an 0-16 NFL team. Kumail Nanjiani adds some humorous commentary as Pawnee, the helpful little creature that serves as the Frank the Pug to Thompson’s Agent M, but the old “let’s have the cute little creature get involved” routine feels more like a desperation move than essential storytelling. And that’s just it: For a film franchise that pumped out three quality stories, MIBI has zero charm, zero captivating effects and a dearth of heart, emotion or even interesting storytelling to enthrall you.

If it weren’t for Thompson and the small doses of Nanjiani’s character, MIBI might serve as a great cure for insomnia as you could be asleep in the first 40 minutes. Even the nods to the past MIB films feel flat; given how lame the movie is, though, NOT reminding fans about the past is probably for the best. The convoluted, uninspired storytelling under director F. Gary Gray – F. Gary Gray of all people! – is additionally saddening. Why is The Hive so deadly? What is their motivation? How does it tie in to Men In Black? Why aren’t these questions answered better so I can give you a better review?!

You can watch Men In Black: International if you wish … But given how long and tedious it is to build to a very anti-climatic climax you may just wish a neuralizer was real to wipe the movie from your memory as a result.

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

McCoy on Movies: The Dead Don’t Die

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Jim Jarmusch brings art house to the zombie world with inspired(at times) but somewhat tedious The Dead Don’t Die

“You best believe Kylo Ren knows how to swing a wooden lightsaber, buddy!” Officer Ronald Peterson (Adam Driver) in a scene from writer/director Jim Jarmusch’s THE DEAD DON’T DIE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Frederick Elmes / Focus Features © 2019 Image Eleven Productions, Inc.

 

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloë Sevingy, Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Sara Driver, RZA, Carol Kane, Austin Butler, Luka Sabbat, Larry Fessenden, Maya Delmont, Taliyah Whitaker, Jahi Di’Allo Winston and Tom WaitsDIRECTOR(S): Jim Jarmusch

THE BACK STORY: The small town of Centerville, Pennsylvania (population 700 and change) is a quiet burg. Chief of Police Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray) is used to the sleepy little town, as is his second-in-command Officer Ronald Peterson and fellow officer Minerva “Mindy” Morrison (Chloë Sevingy). While he occasionally has to deal with calls from local farmer Frank Miller (Steve Buscemi) about Hermit Bob (Tom Waits), Cliff is able to enjoy his days usually grabbing coffee and donuts at the diner where Fern (Eszter Balint) and Lily (Rosal Colon) work and local hardware store owner Hank (Danny Glover) hangs out, chatting with local motel manager Danny Perkins (Larry Fessenden) driving past the local gas station where Bobby Wiggins (Caleb Landry Jones) can be found reciting horror movie knowledge with Dean (RZA). Then again, the town has plenty to talk about since new mortician Zelda Winston (Tilda Swinton) has proven herself to be quite the character given her style of dress, her voice and … Just about everything else about her. 


But once local news reports start to talk about the possible effects of fracking throwing the earth off its axis, extended periods of daylight become a regular thing and … Oh yeah, people start getting murdered in the most grisly of ways, it seems as if only explanation can be made: The dead are now walking the earth … And they refuse to stay dead.
THE REVIEW: A zombie movie for people who don’t like zombie movies or a movie that zombie movie fans will probably be bored by, The Dead Don’t Die is a satirical take on a genre that has seemingly run its course. Problem is, given its slow pace, extended scenes that don’t need to be anywhere near as long as they are and a few plot points that are either too silly even for a satire or just aren’t explained at all in a way the average moviegoer will appreciate, The Dead Don’t Die will either live or die with each person that sees it.Poking fun at how easily people set themselves up in zombie movies and occasionally breaking the fourth wall with humorous results, The Dead Don’t Die also fails to do anything out of the ordinary, feeling at times like a snarky homage to and the very type of zombie films it looks to skewer. Whereas Murray is the old grizzled veteran that should have quit as time passed him by eons ago, Driver shines as the young “ok, this is how it is now let’s roll” male lead who is smarter than everyone around him. Likewise, Sevingy is the definition of a screaming, scared female character while Swinton delivers on the fearless potential savior/absolute weirdo with a secret that could ONLY exist in a world like this.

Likewise, while some may revel in his apparent message of consumerism, writer/director Jim Jarmusch’s 12th feature-length film does what he traditionally has been known to do: Explore, exploit and ultimately polarize. While some will revel in the various subtle subtext exploration of the zombie genre and the roles actors play within them before suffering their ultimate fates, plenty will simply the see the film as a lot of waiting around for something to happen with a few funny moments … That ultimately ends in the same place as a majority of zombie movies but in less entertaining fashion. Yes, there will be genuinely funny moments … Coupled with a LOT of “seen this before” and “yeah, I get it but … meh” moments.

At 118 minutes in length, one could make a strong argument that cutting at least 20 of them would immensely help the film’s pacing and storytelling to make sure the audience’s enthusiasm for the story doesn’t fade. Then again, that’s not Jarmusch’s style; it’s a take the good with the bland or leave it approach. When it works, it works well to produce laughter and an appreciation for what he is trying to do; at worst, it’s just another zombie movie relying on its actors’ talents to compensate for a lack of storytelling and/or ambitious storytelling that falls short of the mark it aspires to hit. Again, this is Jarmusch’s style, so you’ll either find The Dead Don’t Die to be exactly what the zombie genre has been missing or at the very least appreciate it for what it is … Or absolutely be bored by it as much many Walking Dead fans have been with the show’s latter seasons (or that less inspired Fear the Walking Dead spinoff).

And while The Dead Don’t Die, it certainly seems like this film is ready for the genre to do so – and it’s willing to do its part to make sure that happens sooner than later.

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

 


McCoy on Movies: Shaft

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Shaft utilizes father-son dynamic for laughs to overcome
convoluted story and character’s social shortcomings

“All right, you got me … I DO know Nick Fury but we are NOT from Wakanda!” The film’s namesake (Samuel L. Jackson, center, with hands up) tries to reason with a criminal as his dad (Richard Roundtree, the original John Shaft, right) and his son John Jr. (Jessie T. Usher, left) and his friend (Alexandra Shipp, far left) look on. Credit: Kyle Kaplan © 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher, Alexandra Shipp, Regina Hall, Titus Welliver, Avan Jogia, Luna Lauren Velez, Aaron Dominguez, Matt Lauria and Cliff “Method Man” Smith and Richard Roundtree with Isaach De BankoléDIRECTOR(S): Tim Story

THE BACK STORY: John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) is Harlem’s protector, a detective with a break bones first if necessary, ask questions later style that matches his apparel and his automobile. That’s partially the reason his ex Mya (Regina Hall) left him, taking his young son John Shaft, Jr. in the process (well that and dealing with one shootout too many for her liking). 


Now, 20 years later, John Shaft Jr. – JJ (Jessie T. Usher) for short – is making his own way in the world as a data analyst at the FBI. A graduate of MIT, JJ is good with his hands, even if his sense of style and personality are not traditional in terms of the male Shaft family name. Then JJ’s best friend Karim (Avan Jogia) get killed.


Looking for answers with his other best friend Sasha (Alexandra Shipp), JJ ultimately decides to turn to help from the one person least likely to give it to him: his dad. As you might expect, a two decade gap in his child’s life leads to some serious daddy issues .. But once father and son learn the ins and outs of the case, it might be time for a family reunion if they are going to survive and get to the truth about what happened to Karim.
THE REVIEW: Sometimes, you can get a movie that’s a crowd pleaser because the characters are engaging enough to make up for the film’s flaws that also packs enough humor in it to make you overlook the things that don’t work. Co-written by Kenya Barris of black-ish and grown-ish fame, 2019’s Shaft (not to be confused with 2000’s installment also starring Samuel L. Jackson) is more of a comedy than any previous installments have ever been, which has both positive and negative side effects on the film as a whole.As one might expect, the familiar father/son crime-fighting trope is at times as tired as you’d expect; then again, Jackson and Usher play to their strengths well enough that the whole “old playa tries to teach millennial while millennial tries to make old playa learn the error of most of his social ways” routine feel fresher than it should. Recurring jokes about the younger Shaft’s manhood and sexuality may not likely play well in mainstream America, but urban audiences raised on generations of comedians like 1980s Eddie Murphy and late greats like Robin Harris (who gets some nice screen time in the movie) and Bernie Mac will likely enjoy it in spades. Likewise, the where there are plenty of times the film’s machismo levels spin out of control, they are eventually grounded back to earth enough to keep things moving forward.

Then again, there isn’t too much to worry about moving forward as the plot is pretty much standard action movie fare (someone dies, the simplest answer is too simple and there’s a bigger conspiracy afoot). This is why Jackson’s full-on Sam Jax mode performance coupled with Usher’s fish out of water routine are so critical to the film’s overall entertainment level. Throw in a soundtrack that may make longstanding fans of African-American cinema wish for the days of the 1990s when every hit urban film came with a classic album to boot and Shaft makes up for its shortcomings well-enough to give the people what they want: Samuel Jackson cursing and taking names like no one else can, Hall giving it back to him and enough laughs to go around. It’s far from perfect, but it will please the majority of modern audiences here for a good time (even if it’s not really a great movie as much as it is an okay one).

As the theme song said so many moons ago, you’ll probably be better off just shutting your mouth and accepting it for what it is instead of thinking about what it could have been or should be.

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

McCoy on Movies: Aladdin

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Aladdin live-action remake features a lot of Will Smith, but not much else

“You’ve got to stand back and let me guide this ship if you want ANY shot at a good box office number, buddy!” The genie (Will Smith) gives some advice to his new master (Mena Massoud) in a scene from director Guy Ritchie’s live-action take on ALADDIN. Credit: Courtesy of Disney Pictures. © 2019 Disney Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Nasim Pedrad, Numan Acar and Navid Negahban

DIRECTOR(S): Guy Ritchie 

THE BACK STORY: A live-action remake of the beloved 1992 animation feature film, Aladdin stars Mena Massoud in the title role of as a common street thief who falls in love with Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), the daughter of the Sultan of Agrabah (Navid Negahban). Jasmine, a woman with a heart of gold who greatly cares for the common people of the city, has to marry a prince – which of course makes Aladdin ineligible to win the heart of the lady he inadvertently meets in streets. 


What he doesn’t anticipate, however, is Jafar (Marwan Kenzari). The power hungry head consultant to the Sultan, Jafar convinces Aladdin to unwittingly help him out in a nefarious plot that will help him rise to power. But his plan doesn’t go as well, planned, leaving Aladdin in possession of a lamp that, once rubbed, unleashes a powerful Genie (Will Smith) that grants him three wishes that will forever change his life. 


But, as Aladdin is soon to find out, the old expression “Be careful what you wish for” is about to ring truer to him than it ever has before …

THE REVIEW: “The Fresh Prince of Agrabah …”It’s rare that you can sum up a movie in one sentence, but if you were looking to tell a friend what to make of the 2019 live action version of Aladdin – a made-for-TV quality movie which is essentially ALL about Will Smith save for the last 20 minutes – the previous one would be it. For Aladdin lacks any of the spirit of the animated original for the first of its 2 hours and change run time, feeling more like a watered down (from special effects to performances) money grab than attempt at making something substantial.

Smith fans will love or, depending on if they will find themselves saddened he and Nasim Pedrad – who is very entertaining as Princess Jasmine’s no. 1 handmaiden – are the only things fairly entertaining about the film, loathe – Aladdin as all of his natural charms come shining through. Well, they shine as much as they can in a film where the lead actor feels a bit, there’s no nice way to say it, presented in a fashion to make him acceptable to ALL audiences (the whitewashing controversy surrounding Scott was covered last year by media outlets). Then again, the entire production feels like some executive’s whole pitch was “Bigger! Louder! Will Smith!” and when someone said “What about gripping, nuanced performances with eye-popping visuals?” they were met with a stronger “WILL SMITH!” retort. Smith is the best and worst thing about the movie as you’ll either find him the most engaging thing about it or the most irritating when he becomes bigger than everything – literally and figuratively – around him.

Sadly, the live-action version of Aladdin just doesn’t feel special at all unless you are a die-hard Will Smith fan because the aforementioned effects which only seem to be saved for Smith’s musical numbers, the charisma (which is reserved for Smith and Pedrad) or how Kenzari’s turn as Jafar is as threatening as Massoud’s is underwhelming. Putting Smith in a cast with so many underwhelming performers almost turns the film into a live-action Shrek … With WAY too much focus on Donkey. Be it Massoud’s perfectly coiffed hair and Scott’s “I have a heart of gold; can’t anyone see how much I love everyone?!” routine, Aladdin just feels to be too much of too little to make you buy in as much as you need to enjoy it in full.

The animated version of a movie shouldn’t seem to have more heart and pep than the live-action version, but this – like last year’s “Let’s make another Grinch movie because …. Well … We can!” just feels unnecessary, loud, a bit boorish and save for three musical numbers, overdone to the point of it turning into a meal at Buca Di Beppo that’s intended to serve 3-4 …. But ends up being devoured by one. It’s still filling … But when it causes a stomach ache later, you might be inclined to think if you really needed to stuff yourself with it for the sake of having it available. You can tell everyone tried really hard to make a movie, but you can tell that they are trying – and that makes the ride on this carpet feel far less magical than director Guy Ritchie and company surely hoped it would be.

And that’s a shame – because Aladdin is likely to make you think where is poor Uncle Phil when you need him more than anything else.

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

 

McCoy on Movies: Poms

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Poms a safe Mother’s Day option for the Old Country Buffet audience

“All right ladies … Let’s get to the climatic inspiring dance number or we don’t have a movie!” Martha (Diane Keaton, center in the “M”) leads her fellow retirement community friends in a dance routine in a scene from POMS. Credit: Kyle Bono Kaplan © 2019 STX Financing, LLC. All rights reserved.


WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


KEY CAST MEMBERS: Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Celia Weston and Rhea Perlman 


DIRECTOR(S): Zara Hayes
THE BACK STORY: Martha (Diane Keaton) is a woman coming to grips with her own mortality, which, given her health, makes sense. It’s also why after conducting an estate sale, she’s heading to a seemingly idyllic Sun Springs retirement community in Georgia to spend her final days in peace and quiet.


Then she meets her neighbor Sheryl (Jacki Weaver) and realizes that’s not going to happen.


Forging an unexpected friendship with Sheryl, Martha comes up with an idea – since she’s required to join or create one by her new community’s bylaws – to form a cheerleading club. This leads to Ruby (Carol Sutton), Olive (Pam Grier), Alice (Rhea Perlman), Phyllis (Patricia French), Evelyn (Ginny McCool) and Helen (Phyllis Somerville) joining their aspiring – or is that perspiring? – team, even if it is to the disdain of community activities leader Vicki (Celia Watson). And if Vicki has to pull out Chief Carl (Bruce McGill) to get her way, she will in a heartbeat. 


But after a video of Martha’s makeshift squad goes viral, they are faced with a choice: Give up on their dreams or prove that you’re never too old to show your spirit.
THE REVIEW: Poms isn’t a good movie, per se; it’s a sweet movie with a good heart and a few chuckles along the way. At 91 minutes, it’s short enough to sit through without feeling a strong urge to leave the theater, but it’s nothing you’re going to revel in. It’s nowhere near raunchy by any means to steer into ribald comedy territory, but it has enough anatomy related jokes that will be dirty enough for anyone who regularly dines at an Old Country Buffet or Cracker Barrel. Likewise, the movie’s pacing and story feels like a mix of a too tame for The Golden Girls but too hardcore for Lifetime or CBS, which, given all the sadness it shows in regards to getting older before attempting to salvage a genuinely uplifting, “nice” finale, Poms doesn’t seem to have a specific enough focus to make you feel the way you should.Then again, Poms isn’t really for anyone under the senior circuit – and that’s not a bad thing. It’s perfect palatable celluloid for daughters to take their mothers to or for seniors to enjoy as the characters (especially Weaver as the film’s resident sexpot/free spirit) are exactly like the members of your mom’s bridge or book club that may or may not exist. Poms isn’t trying to re-invent the wheel; it’s just putting a fresh batch of grease on the wheel to give it one last ride.

Weaver steals the show in Poms; Keaton is more or less the straight woman who serves to keep the movie moving forward. Her character mopes, suffers through bouts of vomiting and feels like she’s just a lady you feel sad for and sad to be around for the first half of the film; problem is, once things get going, you don’t care about her as much as you do how she will get the rest of her squad going as they are inherently more interesting … Even though your interest may never peak with a paint-by-numbers script saved only by the cast’s genuine enthusiasm for each other’s company. Alisha Boe and Charlie Tahan add some youthful exuberance to as Martha’s high school cheerleader rival turned coach and Sheryl’s awkward grandson add some much needed youthful exuberance (to the somewhat stale script, NOT the cast), but only in the way a grandparent is proud of them graduating high school.

And ultimately, that’s the main thing that hinders Poms: Instead of going for its full potential with a game-changing break from the routine, it gives you a safe one sure to please audiences who enjoy a nice, simple one they are used to. Poms will occasionally rub your funny bone, but you definitely won’t fall over laughing and will be able to get up and leave the theater easily once it’s done.

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

 

McCoy on Movies: The Intruder

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The Intruder a testament to bad movies that will stand the test of time due to their awfulness!

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good and Joseph Sikora

DIRECTOR(S): Deon Taylor
THE BACK STORY: Imagine being in love and finding your dream home? Well, that’s what’s happening for Annie (Meagan Good) and Scott Russell (Michael Ealy), which is why they can’t wait to move in once the home’s former owner Charlie Peck (Dennis Quaid) is out. Charlie has grown up in the home and as the story develops, it becomes clear that he doesn’t seem to really be ready to no longer be its owner and caretaker, let alone have anyone else fulfill those roles. 

Thus, as Annie and Scott are about to find out, a house is not a home when the previous owner isn’t ready for anyone else to take it over. 

THE REVIEW: Forty-seven minutes in. That’s when I began contemplating should I walk out of The Intruder or not. Which is a problem given that (a) That’s not the thought I’m sure the film’s cast and crew wanted anyone to have watching the movie and because (b) There’s at least another 50 minutes of the movie left from that point.Let me be brief: The Intruder is bad. Like, really bad. I could spend a long time picking apart all the things wrong The Intruder … And since the filmmakers felt compelled to make to put them all out there for the world to see, I might as well break it all down for the world to see as well in hopes they chose NOT to suffer the same fate I did.

In 2019, any man with any common sense is not going to spend time discussing Megan Good’s appearance as even saying that she is an attractive woman seems like a way to open yourself up to a host of criticism. However, watching The Intruder, her character’s sweet, seeing the good in everyone nature comes off as naïve to the point of being well, stupid or, to put it nicely, about as smart as the average non-ethnic teenager in an 80s horror movie. Is this progress that an African-American lead can come off as smart as a woman running in high heels or doing her best Bryce Dallas Howard impression? I don’t know; what I do know is that Good’s character feels like she was stolen from a bad Lifetime movie. I don’t mean the modern ones, I mean the ones that comedians used to make fun of before Lifetime got hip to its own foibles.

Ealy tries his best to come off as the somewhat smarter of the two – which one could argue makes Good’s character look even worse by comparison since her male counterpart is the one “smart” enough to see what’s happening” – but in doing so he comes off looking like exactly what his character fears: The man who can’t keep his lady safe. In an era where beards and tattoos reign supreme, Ealy’s character’s intellect actually comes off as his potential downfall. But that’s only because of the man who makes The Intruder a horribly bad-yet-so-bad-it’s-borderline-comedic-genius of a movie.

Quaid. Dennis Freakin’ Quaid.

There have been plenty of movies that actors have admitted they did for the most ludicrous of reasons. Michael Caine in Jaws 4. Morgan Freeman in London Has Fallen. And the less said about Nicolas Cage’s reported love of dinosaur bones. Hell, Cedric the Entertainer admitted to me in an interview I did for a revered-yet-now-deceased publication that he did the utter-debacle that is The Cleaner because he got to take his family on a nice vacation to Hawaii. While I await the interview where Quaid reveals why in the world he did THIS movie, his performance is so ridiculous that it deserves its own documentary or, at the very least, a mock ESPN 30 for 30.

As it comes to pass in The Intruder, Quaid’s character is given a reason for his bonkers behavior; given the events of the film, one can’t help but wonder if Quaid himself may be suffering from a similar fate for him to be involved with this utter debacle of a film. (Maybe this article could give some possible explanations?) But BOY OH BOY does Quaid go all in as Charlie Peck.

In one of the greatest over-the-top performances not seen since the aforementioned Cage’s turn in that nuclear waste of a remake of The Wicker Man, Quaid’s performance finds him twitching, shaking, clenching his fists … And doing the craziest sexual thing you may ever see him do in a film that could change how his fans see him forever. Let’s just say I’m sure this man approves of a scene that is sure to become a meme or .GIF if not both in the near future. I cannot – repeat, CANNOT – give you enough detail as to how insane Quaid’s performance is. If he’s not a Razzie nominee, he might deserve an Academy Award as he might be the best Marvel villain to never chase after Infinity Stones, Wakanda or try to stop a teenager from thwarting his plans to take over New York City. (You watch the movie and tell me you can’t help but think what Quaid might have done as Venom. Sorry Tom Hardy.)

Throw in a script that could NOT be more predictable with direction that could NOT foreshadow what’s going to happen more unless the director literally told you and The Intruder is the type of film you watch to go talk to the screen. The Intruder‘s best shot for success won’t come in theaters, however, at least not for a while – for director Deon Taylor may have created an experience that, much like Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, needs to be experienced with others to enjoy as you talk, laugh and make fun of it.

If this were an episode of House Hunters, it would definitely be the episode you wouldn’t want to miss. Unfortunately for Good, Ealy and Quaid, it’s supposed to be a thriller – which is why the fact this movie will intrude on audiences’ wallets this weekend is a travesty in and of itself.

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

 

Marvel Studios Delivers Its Genre-Defining Masterpiece with Avengers: Endgame

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WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:


 

 

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson, Mark Ruffalo, Karen Gillan, Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Dania Gurai and Josh Brolin … PLUS A BUNCH OF OTHERS (You want me to spoil it for you?!)


DIRECTOR(S): Anthony and Joe Russo
THE BACK STORY: The last time we saw them, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans),  Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson),  Col. Rhodes aka War Machine (Don Cheadle) and Dr. Bruce Banner aka the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) were dealing with the aftermath of being the last heroes standing after “the mad Titan” Thanos (Josh Brolin) found all six of the Infinity Stones and snapped his fingers, eliminating half of the life in the universe in the process. Now, our heroes have no clue what to do with themselves or how to fix the catastrophe.


Luckily for them, the retired Hawkeye a.k.a. Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) survived the snap, as did Nebula (Karen Gillan), Thanos formerly war-minded adopted daughter, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), who was stuck in The Quantum Realm. And once the pager from a former S.H.I.E.L.D. operative reaches Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), it looks like there may be hope to undo the damage Thanos has caused. It’s just going to require (1) a bunch of time travel, (2) a lot of extremely coordinated teamwork and (3) a wee bit of luck to make everything go right. 


But with the literal fate of the universe hanging in their avenging hands, they’re the best – and only – chance we have …

THE REVIEW: Imagine telling someone a decade ago “Yeah, I heard Marvel Comics is going to form a movie studio and then make 20+ movies that will all tie together with a huge finale featuring 3 hours of action and emotion the likes of which has never been seen on the silver screen.” Given where superhero movies were as a genre before – 2007 gave us Spider-Man 3 a.k.a. the bad one, Ghost Rider and Fantastic Four featuring yup, Chris Evans – you would have a better bet thinking the Cleveland Browns would become Super Bowl champions.Fast-forward to 2019 and Marvel has made money hand over muscular fist to the point that the closing film is set to break records left and right and the only question now remaining is – much like the Avengers own prospects battling the toughest enemy they’ve ever faced – can Endgame live up to its massive hype?

Yes. The answer is a resounding, action-packed, emotionally charged and fitting–ending to the first 10 years of Marvel Studios yes.

Sure, next month’s collaboration with Sony, Spider–Man: Far From Home, is the official ending to Marvel Studios’ Phase 3 plans according to studio head Kevin Feige, but Endgame sure feels like a finale in a lot of ways. With spoilers abound on the Internet as of Tuesday, April 23 (when this review was posted), it’s hard to talk about Endgame in detail without giving away too much.

Thus, here’s a checklist of Marvel-themed .GIFs that will give you information without giving you too much information.

Comedy on the level of Thor: Ragnarok that brings great levity at times?

Plot that feels convoluted but makes sense for the most part?

Fight scenes that will have your adrenaline pumping?

Is there a moment that feels like Destiny’s Child’s “Independent Women” should be playing during it to make it feel complete?

Moments that are pulled from the comics that feel natural enough to set up future cinematic adventures?

Worried about whether you’ll need tissues? Let’s just say I’d expect a lot of people to do this at some point during the movie …

With those non-spoiler spoilers out the way, here’s what I can say: Endgame ties together just about every Marvel movie where it feels like not only a conclusion, but a payoff for sticking with our heroes throughout this journey. We’ve watched them go from not knowing the powers they had or how to use them to maturing and growing with each conflict to now what may or may not be their final and greatest battle to date. The character arcs are executed to perfection, despite its run time, there never feels like any wasted moments and the climax is just about everything you could hope for … Unless you’re a D.C. Comics fan who still has hope Warner Bros. has ANYTHING ready to compete with this. Evans and Downey, Jr. doing the heaviest lifting in the film emotionally (with Hemsworth coming in as the third man quite well) with Renner and Ruffalo – much like their characters – exhibiting strong supporting player performances. To say more would be to ruin the experience, and given how much of an experience Endgame is, that would be a crime against (movie) nature itself.

Superheroes have come and gone over the years; what Endgame showcases, however, is that no matter how much their powers may make them cool or be the things many of us wish we had, its their human traits (yes, even in Rocket’s case) are what keep us watching. Infinity War is arguably the first superhero movie to end on a down note, but Marvel’s heroes have always shown reflected the best and worst parts of the human experience: The desire for power, the need for hope in the face of extreme adversity, the importance of family, you name it – Marvel has covered it and done so in quite spectacular fashion. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo have delivered a masterpiece of a movie, but since we all know comic book movies don’t win major awards, what we have to simply do is admire Marvel’s crowning achievement in all its glory and wait for baited breath to see what comes next.

Even when we’re down, Endgame proves that they are just a snap second from helping us all remember why movies like these give us hope for the future.

 

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

 


 

Whats Happening at The Neon

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After a great weekend celebrating the beloved & ground-breaking Dayton band Brainiac, we’re about to move on to a music icon known as “The Queen of Soul.”  On Friday, we’re excited to open the incredible and soul-stirring documentary with Aretha Franklin – AMAZING GRACE.  We will also hold both THE AFTERMATHand THE PUBLIC for one more week.
Synopsis for AMAZING GRACE: Rated “98% Fresh” on rottentomatoes.com! “A documentary presenting the live recording of Aretha Franklin’s Grammy-winning album AMAZING GRACE at The New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles in January 1972.” This film has never been released…Until Now! Audiences and critics are raving.  THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE wrote, “In AMAZING GRACE, Franklin’s vocals are pristine and elastic, her control of her instrument absolute.”  ROLLING STONE wrote, “The voice of Aretha Franklin is touched by God…They say good things are worth waiting for. This shining light of a film proves it.” And NEW YORK MAGAZINE wrote, “It is a transcendent film.” Click the image below to visit the film’s official site.
On Friday, April 26 at 7:15, McKinley United Methodist Church & Mound Street Academy has rented out our space for a special benefit screening of AMAZING GRACE.  A handful of tickets remain for this screening and can be purchased for $25 each by calling the church at (937)228-1263.  Funds raised will go toward special youth work at the John Moore Center.
“After growing up in the city, Daytonian Joseph Hadlock spent his last high school year learning about organic/sustainable farming at Carriage Hill Farm – where David Vetter ran the farm; his knowledge and passion for organic farming taught and inspired many (including Hadlock). Thus, it’s with great enthusiasm that Hadlock is bringing the new film DREAMING OF A VETTER WORLD to town on Sunday, April 28 at 3:00. Journey to the American heartland in Bonnie Hawthorne’s documentary, which features one visionary Nebraska farm family who understood that modern agriculture was ailing, and found a cure. David Vetter will be at the screening and will have a Q&A after the movie. Tickets are $10 and all the proceeds will go towards increasing the exposure of the movie and there will be free popcorn from the Vetter Farm/The Grain Place.” (taken from press notes) Tickets are on sale now at THE NEON’s box office and via our official ticketing site.
On Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30, Calico TNR is partnering with tugg to bring the film THE CAT RESCUERS to town.  “An estimated half a million feral and abandoned cats prowl the streets, backyards and alleys of New York City, desperate for food and shelter. Meet Sassee, Claire, Tara and Stu, four passionate volunteers in Brooklyn who have come to their rescue because the city can’t. THE CAT RESCUERS shows the skill, resilience and humor they bring to this challenging work, and how their mission to reduce animal suffering, often at great sacrifice to themselves, has made a difference and changed their lives.”  This film is now 100% confirmed to screen.  To reserve your ticket, visit this LINK.
BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY, a special little gem of a documentary, is coming to town for two screenings – Saturday, May 18 at Noon and Sunday, May 19 at 3:00.  This doc has been screening at festivals and winning awards, and it is currently rated “100% Fresh” on Rottentomatoes!  “When he started as a comedy writer for the LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, Steve Young had few interests outside of his day job. But while gathering material for a segment on the show, Steve stumbled onto a few vintage record albums that would change his life forever. Bizarre cast recordings – marked ‘internal use only’ – revealed full-throated Broadway-style musical shows about some of the most recognizable corporations in America: General Electric, McDonald’s, Ford, DuPont, Xerox. Steve didn’t know much about musical theater, but these recordings delighted him in a way that nothing ever had. BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY follows Steve Young on his quest to find all he can about this hidden world…With David Letterman, Chita Rivera, Martin Short, Jello Biafra, Don Bolles, Florence Henderson, Susan Stroman, and more.”  After the Sunday screening on May 19, we will have three special guests holding a talk-back – Joe Deer (head of BFA Musical Theatre Dept. at Wright State), Jack Fiala (a consultant on the film) and Todd Ruel (a contributor to the film).  Take a look at the film’s trailer HERE.  Tickets are now on sale!
“The senior filmmakers of Wright State University’s award-winning Motion Pictures Program premiere their original short films at the 27th Annual BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL on Sunday, May 5 at 5:30 and 8:00. This year’s films explore themes of mortality, religion, domestic abuse, gender, familial relationships, and workspace constructs. The festival features a range of comedy, drama, and animated films, and concludes with a Q&A with the directors.” Tickets, just $9 each, are on sale now.
“On Thursday, May 16 at 8pm, join the Reel Laughs comedians as they face their fiercest foe yet…the original Captain of the Marvel Universe: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. Laugh along as we learn valuable life lessons such as taking performance enhancing drugs is alright just as long you have moxie and you’re doing it with the approval of the federal government and an alcoholic mad scientist. It’s not shallow to fall in love with somebody until after they develop pecs and abs. Also unlike ugly people ,strong and sexy people don’t need training to skydive, wage war or fly experimental aircraft. May 16 at 8:00 pm. Tickets $10-12.”  Tickets available through eventbrite by following this LINK.
And if you like Broadway, mark your calendars…you won’t want to miss this!  On Thursday, June 13 at 7:30, we’ll bring one of my favorite films from this year’s Cleveland International Film Festival – LEONARD SOLOWAY’S BROADWAY.  More details coming soon…but if you can’t wait, check out the trailer HERE.

Neon Movies on Fifth Street

The Neon

130 E 5th St
Dayton, Ohio 45402-2420
(937) 222-7469
THE NEON is Dayton’s independent cinema.

Plaza Theatre Easter Sale

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This Saturday night between 5pm and 8pm you can purchase 7 movie vouchers for the price of 5 at this Miamisburg movie theater.  That’s just $25 to see 7 movies anytime until December 31, 2019.  You’ll need to show up in person to get this deal, they won’t be selling these online or over the phone.

Plaza Theatre
33 S Main St
Miamisburg, Ohio 45342

(937) 247-5980

The Plaza Theatre, located in the heart of historic downtown Miamisburg, reopened on Christmas Day of 2015, thanks to the efforts of the non-profit organization passionate about revitalizing the unique downtown Miamisburg.