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Review: The Meg Isn’t Entirely Toothless

(Minor Spoilers Ahead)

The Blockbuster has become a cultural pillar of Summer; as essential as ice cream and the beach.  Heavy on explosions and usually light on plot, these fast paced films have been an American pastime starting with the 1975 premier of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws.

Since then, we have been delighted and frightened by stories of monsters from the deep that have a taste for swimmers and sun bathers. This year, Jon Turteltaub brings us perhaps the biggest and hungriest of all these sharks with The Meg. The story was based on a novel by Steve Alten published in 1997. The film follows Jonas (Jason Statham), a loner ex- deep sea rescue diver, washed up after the tragic, watery deaths of his crew years before. He must return to aid a crew of scientists in a futuristic underwater research station. He is pushed into the unknown depths of the Mariana Trench to recover a submarine crew including his ex-wife, and there they unwittingly incur the prehistoric wrath of the Megalodon. 

Statham’s character is your typical antihero type, reluctant and snarky with a soft underbelly capable of learning a moral lesson. He carries some surprisingly good chemistry with scientist Suyin (Li BingBing) that would have been more compelling had it not been forced into an unnecessary romantic subplot. Suyin’s daughter Maiying (Shuya Sophia Cai) also has some adorable exchanges with Statham that perfectly melt his gruff attitude. Beyond them, The Meg features a large cast that verges on feeling too busy at times. Though each delivers a good performance, it is inevitable that when you put that many people in one room, trying to flesh out their characters becomes a challenge. Their interconnected baggage isn’t so necessary when the majority of them end up shark bait.

The Meg benefits from being a joint American and Chinese effort, which is made clear in its casting, environmental design, and high budget. With such a grandiose titular creature, one stumbling block the film faces is its conceptualization of space. The most memorable giant monster films (Pacific Rim, Godzilla (2014)) always keep the shots at human eye level or use diegetic lighting and angles that drive home the enormity of the subject. They simply cannot be contained in a single frame. It allows the viewer to feel small in comparison and put themselves in relation with the protagonists. The overhead and disembodied camera shots detract from this particular effect and the audience’s immersion. 

It is much more worthwhile to compare the film’s themes to Jurassic Park than to Jaws, despite many critics’ efforts. It’s a story of humanity overstepping its bounds, seeking the forbidden fruit of knowledge, and winding up the prey of prehistoric megafauna. The hubris of man masquerading as scientific pursuit serves as the initial trespass, with the funding of clueless billionaire (Rainn Wilson). The Meg, in her own right, is a worthy star. As blunt and instinctual as a T Rex, she needs no cunning or intellect to carry out her feeding frenzy. The visual effects folks have done their job well, and it is impossible to take your eyes off this magnificent force of nature. The Meg optimizes the amount of time it takes to build suspense between satisfying attacks, each more intense than the previous. However, as Jon Turteltaub discussed in an interview with Bloody Disgusting, we can only imagine how glorious the carnage would’ve been without a PG13 categorization, as an unrated cut was too cost prohibitive to make. The film never forgets how entertainingly ridiculous it is, but some of its dark humor must’ve been jettisoned with the gnarliest of the violence. The film’s advertising plays its self-awareness up more so than the whole feature, with the superb use of Bobby Darin’s rendition of ‘Beyond the Sea’. It seems that part of a letdown felt by some is not a fault of the film itself, but rather due the difficulty of living up to such stellar marketing. 

In total, The Meg is undoubtedly a solid creature feature that fits well into the summertime monster canon. The term “dumb” can only be used as a compliment in this situation, as the film leans into its absurdity.  Make no mistake of what you’re getting yourself into, The Meg functions as nothing more than a noncommittal action flick that doesn’t over stay its welcome and will put you in the mood for a day at the beach. And despite its shortcomings, there is still plenty of blood in the water and fun to be had. And if this is right up your alley, may I also recommend Deep Blue Sea as an extremely fun follow up. The plot is no less convoluted and ridiculous, though The Meg is sadly lacking the musical stylings of LL Cool J.

Rating: 3.25/5

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Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post Presents Unflinching and Earnest Queerness

This film was seen at the 44th Seattle International Film Festival. The film is now in wide release in Seattle.

“Maybe you’re supposed to feel disgusted at yourself when you’re a teenager.”

This is not your average coming of age or moody YA drama. Desiree Akhavan, a bisexual Iranian-American woman, accomplishes the daunting task of provoking a dialogue about identity politics within the structures of well-built film. The Miseducation of Cameron Post surprises with the blackest of humor and seamlessly transitions into heartache. The film masters the waver between hope and devastation.

Cameron (Chloë Grace Moretz) is sent to God’s Promise, a Christian conversion camp founded on repetitive and mind-numbing prayer and encouraging self-hate. From its exterior, it could be mistaken for any summer camp setting, but by the first encounter with Psychologist Dr. Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) and her “ex gay” brother Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr.), the institutional psychological abuse is laid bare. The sheer absurdity of such an idea as praying away ones’ sexuality drives home how dangerous a sect of religion can become when it forgets its message of acceptance. It is a cult, and a place for ashamed evangelical parents to make their children invisible to the world. And it is still a reality for queer children in this country, with the people who run them being responsible for the psychological suffering of children. It pushes us to hold figures of authority accountable, both internally and externally.

However, it is the very bleakness of these circumstances that allow the resilience and sincerity of the young cast to shine through. Comradery becomes synonymous with survival. The friendships that Cameron forms with Jane (portrayed by rising star Sasha Lane) and Adam (a Lakota two-spirit boy played by Forrest Goodluck) are galvanized by similar stories of rejection by society, and through this, they come to serve as each other’s’ only touchstone for sanity and solace. The film takes its time working in fragments of each of their memories to fill out their identities and pasts, avoiding clunky exposition and filling it in as the narrative progresses.

The kids’ characters are all fully realized, and even young actors in supporting roles begin to outshine the less compelling adults. Ultimately all the kids are deeply sympathetic individuals. They are truly victims of the institution, and while they sometimes experience conflict, they are not ever made out to be rivals or enemies among themselves. They do their best surviving together as they become rebellious and self-determined in the face of institutional powers. It showcases their abilities to adapt to the adults’ games, while staying fully aware of the insidious methodology. It becomes a collective coming of age story, and the end of the film is less of a conclusion than it is a jumping off point into an unknown and indifferent world; through the very last shot, all you can be sure of is their resilience and togetherness.

In a Q&A at the film’s SIFF premiere, Goodluck explained succinctly what made him and the other teens so convincing in their roles and described how Akhavan gave the actors the space to breathe and exist as the kids after a period of research for the sake of properly representing specific identities. It’s responsible, meaningful filmmaking in a situation where any less nuance could have spiraled into exploitation. This film is ultimately about visibility; this kind of representation in media is unprecedented and desperately needed. Akhavan takes great care with a multiplicity of intersectional identities without calling attention to itself or asking for a pat on the back. The film portrays these teens knowing people in the audience will hang on to them in a media landscape dominated by white, cis, and heterosexual narratives. It resonates with those coming to terms with their own being and searching for validation in their identities and experiences. The film also inhabits a space that challenges the perspectives of those who have never lived a day in their life fearing any sort of prejudice due to their sexuality. It is eye-opening to see that kids are still shipped off by their families to these places, and are being taught to destroy themselves in the name of religion.

While the tired trope of the unhappy queer woman pervades the media, Akhavan ensures that it is never gratuitous. Her camera treats the characters with respect, an instruction for the audience to do the same. Lesbian intimacy on screen is for once not a product of the male gaze. This is proof why it is so essential to have film made by actual queer women of color who can lend their perspective. Cameron and the others aren’t simple martyrs; they are survivors that refuse to be dehumanized or forgotten. Overall, the film goes beyond a fresh narrative to absolutely raw at moments, well balanced with unexpected and biting humor. Don’t pass on this one just because the subject material is so dark, because the depth and resonance of the young characters and moments they can be genuinely themselves more than make up for it.

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Review: Mission: Impossible – Fallout Delivers Across the Board

Action. Emotion. Stakes. Three elements that are at the core of Mission: Impossible – Fallout,  a remarkably well-crafted, intricate, and sublime action film that puts itself at the top of the modern blockbuster heap. In the driver seats are Tom Cruise and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie who deliver on the long awaited promise of the franchise and shatter the barrier that has limited past installments to create a truly marvelous film. This being the only film in the franchise where the director hasn’t been swapped out, McQuarrie is able to continue the momentum set out in Rogue Nation and move it above and beyond expectations.  Top to bottom, Fallout is a blitz on the senses that delivers across the board and will leave you in utter amazement.

Fallout picks up where Rogue Nation left off. With the Syndicate dismantled, a subsect of their followers called the Apostles is on the rise led by Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) and a mystery man named John Lark. Looking to create unity through suffering, the terrorist group seeks out plutonium cores to create three nuclear bombs. After failing to secure the cores, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), his IMF crew, and a cavalier CIA agent August Walker (Henry Cavil) must go on a globe trotting adventure to stop the Apostles and prevent nuclear destruction.

Never forced and never out of place, the film operates like a well tuned symphony of action and reprieve, pausing only enough for you to take a breather and then resuming organically to create a constantly balanced ebb and flow across six set pieces. It’s a chaotic rush against time to prevent nuclear destruction and the pace of the film moves quickly, elegantly, and without a single hitch. Narratively, the story  is complex, but easily understood if you hone in (though having seen Mission Impossible 3 through 5 really helps in understanding off hand comments, relations, and characters), and even though it fits the bill for your cliche action movie plot — that being a terrorist trying to detonate a bomb — the film’s injection of Hunt’s morality helps elevate the stakes.

And stakes are what make this installment so immaculate. From the opening moments you know what is at risk, what our characters stand for, and what they stand to lose, perfectly establishing the looming threat that envelops the entire film and making every action scene matter. Unlike the Marvel goop that is churned out, action is meaningful and carries a significance; Hunt is not just fighting for the sake of inserting action into the film, he’s fighting to save the world, those around him, and uphold his standard of morality. 

Whereas past installments had one or two sequences that really flexed their might, this one has six, all of which have their own perks and highlights. An early on HALO jump only lasts about a minute and a half, but exudes so much technical mastery and cinematic tension, you might feel like it lasts for twice that. A sequence in a Paris night club has a hefty bathroom brawl that’ll make you feel every punch and kick thanks to superb editing and sound design. A motorcycle chase that has a firm grasp on delivering high octane speed while maintaining the clarity of it all. And a helicopter finale that leverages time constraints and parallel editing to generate a white knuckle experience. constantly moving forward and never doddling, every set piece is well realized and every set piece has something to gain or lose that matters to our characters and plot.

Hunt himself is a notable step up from past iterations. In the past, we’ve always seen Hunt as the spy who was one step ahead of everyone and someone who had a moral compass, and in this one, it is really emphasizes those traits through intelligent twists and meaningful moments of morality. Throughout you get the sense that Hunt isn’t just blindly pulling the trigger, but rather, cautiously calculating the value of life, seen not only through his pursuit to save millions from terrorism, but also through his camaraderie with teammates Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and Isla (Rebecca Fergusson). It’s multidimensional, meaningful, and naturally impacts the narrative at hand.

Cruise deserves special accolades for the sheer extremities he’s going through on screen. When we talk about actors going the distance for their performance, no one is coming close to the ‘method’ he is achieving. A long purveyor of doing his own stunts, Cruise is literally doing multiple death defying stunts all on his own. When you see him jump out of a plane at 25,000 feet, he’s doing that. When you see him jump a 20 foot gap between buildings and BREAK HIS ANKLE, he’s doing that. When you see him fly a helicopter into a cork screw nose dive all by himself, he’s doing that. It’s really a baffling notion to think about, and if anything, it only adds to the jaw dropping ‘WOW’ factor of the film.

Tonally, the film is spot on. The franchise has a history of being a fun action spy romp, and this film continues that legacy, but this time with a greater sense of urgency, seriousness, and conviction. This film is fun in all the right ways, knowing when to crack a well timed joke and knowing when to hold in order to maintain the tension at hand and continue the suspense. Aesthetically, the film is also a standout. The score carries an ominous and fast-paced tone that is conveyed with high tempo stings and momentous drums. When listening to past installments, the music is banal, orchestral passivity, but Fallout’s score makes active engagements to heighten what’s on screen; it’s a score where you can really feel when action takes place. Visually, the film looks much better than past installments. In the last two , you’ve had a very clean, bright images that made better for a network TV show, but here you have various color grades. Everything is a little darker, a little more contrasty, and a little more cinematic. The culmination is a film that looks and sounds as every bit impressive as the action taking place on screen.

Not only is this film the clear front runner in the series by a wide margin, but the film is down right marvelous. It’s stupendous. A bonafide achievement in the action genre. From the continual ante of set pieces to the injection of meaningful stakes to its effective theme on the value of life, Fallout fires on all cylinders. Cruise, McQuarrie, and the rest of the crew have made something that is truly an edge of the seat blockbuster for the ages. The consensus in the Twittersphere is that Mission: Impossible – Fallout is the best action film since Mad Max: Fury Road, and after seeing it, it’s hard to disagree.

Score: 5/5

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Review: Eighth Grade Radiates Affirmation and Authenticity

This film was seen at the 44th Seattle International International Film Festival. The film is now in wide release in Seattle. You can read our interview with director Bo Burnham and lead Elsie Fisher here.

To no one’s surprise, A24 has done it again. They have put their name on one of the most original, earnest, and memorable films of the year. This is Eighth Grade, Bo Burnham’s directorial debut. It follows Kayla (Elsie Fisher) through her last week of middle school as she endeavors to break out of her “quiet girl” image. As she grows, she shares her advice with her YouTube audience of one or two, a sort of visual diary. Burnham himself began his career in comedy and music on YouTube over ten years ago; since then taking to Vine, to Comedy specials, and now exploring a new chapter. It is apparent he hasn’t forgotten where he came from, with a loving look at humble beginnings. Kayla’s objective is to find and share confidence and self-love. He has found his creative match in Fisher, who is so endearing we don’t even realize how exacting and purposeful she is in her portrayal. Bearing witness to her life is familiar yet anxiety inducing, as she radiates a nervous energy that Burnham and Fisher have said comes naturally to them.

I had the privilege of attending Eighth Grade’s screenings at SIFF, standing with Burnham and Fisher at the back of the theater as we watched the first five minutes to make sure everything was up to his standards. He requested the already bombastic audio be turned up to an overwhelming and immersive degree so that everyone could feel just how Kayla felt. In that moment, it drove home how involved he was with his direction. It is clear throughout the film how effective sound design, production design, editing, and everything else can be with such intentionality. 

Burnham also takes his young lead very seriously, and it rings true. The movie isn’t out to make Kayla seem small or silly, rather it convinces us to relate to her and believe her circumstances are important. Her journey has real stakes with the tiniest of victories, like singing karaoke in front of a birthday party and talking to the cutest boy at school. We shrink into our seats as we watch the situations she finds herself in, but she is never the butt of any joke. I’m personally sick of movies that make fun of how kids and teenagers (specifically girls) behave and what they enjoy, teaching internalized misogyny from a young age. None of Kayla’s emotions or reactions are trivialized or written off as ‘cringe’ or immature. The film seriously deals with the idea that people can be affected with anxiety from a young age, perfectly describing the feeling. 

Eighth Grade intentionally dates itself as a 2018 film, not a film about nostalgia for a past childhood. Though some experiences like crushes and bothersome parents are almost universally relatable, this is the Gen Z telling of that reality.  It lives in the here and now, even politically. It carefully dissects what contemporary middle schoolers are facing, from fixation on social media to school shootings. The film also conceptualizes social media at least as successfully as last year’s Ingrid Goes West. It is authentic to the current online landscape, playing with memes and fads that have come with Gen Z flocking to Instagram and snapchat. Burnham realizes we don’t have to understand what eighth graders talk about because half the time they don’t understand it themselves. He lets these kids be kids in their own language. These kids move at a breakneck pace, and it is impossible to keep up with them, and far more fun to have our sense of humor taken for a ride. The film’s R rating is dismaying, as I am fascinated by the idea of eighth graders’ reactions to seeing themselves in this mirror. 

And while the film reaches moments when you cannot help but laugh out loud, it remains in balance with times when there is nothing to do but cry for Kayla. Her relationship with her father Mark (Josh Hamilton) is a true highlight of the film, as they push and pull on each other in a tumultuous period of her life. He is helpless to keep his daughter from being miserable, unsure how even to begin to relate to her. Alongside him, our hearts shatter for Kayla when she is anxious and hurt, because we can do nothing but watch. Again Eight Grade brushes close with reality, as it confronts the expectation that teenage girls are forced to grow up too fast. They are pushed to appeal to adult beauty standards and become sexual entities. They are told to change who and what they are for others; messages reinforced by the media. Fisher herself said she had planned to take a break from acting because of her acne. In any other film this actor, who is well on her way to becoming a young phenom, may have been overlooked in favor of an unrealistic, fantasized idea of what a middle school girl should look like. She is living and breathing proof that authentic casting is far more rewarding than putting a twenty-something in the role. 

Overall, Eighth Grade is heartfelt and fun as simply a Bo Burnham film, but Elsie Fisher is what makes it extraordinary. She commands attention and sympathy because we all have been in her place, in some manner or another. Her vulnerability is powerful as she attempts to conquer her fears and not only that, but then have the humanity to turn her experiences into advice for others. And she doesn’t stop even if her videos only get a couple views. She is an icon for everyone who doesn’t want to be the quiet girl anymore, which is immeasurably valuable for a time like middle school when expressing individuality can be utterly terrifying. I am thrilled for Fisher’s future, and for all the teenage girls who would watch this and hopefully learn to love themselves a little bit more. Because being yourself can be really hard. 

Gucci! 👌

Score: 5 / 5 

Want more? You can read (or listen to) to our interview with Bo Burnham and Elsie Fisher that we conducted at this year’s SIFF and hear their thoughts on the film, defining the term ‘YEET’, and Dungeons & Dragons.

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Review: Strong Performances Lead the Way In Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot

This film was seen at the 44th Seattle International International Film Festival. The film is now in wide release in Seattle. You can read our interview with director Gus Van Sant and actor Beth Ditto here.

After a critical misstep in Sea of Trees, Gus Van Sant returns with Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot (DWHWGFOF). The film has long been on the back burner for Van Sant who started it in the early 2000s with the late Robin Williams originally attached to star, but after a series of untimely set backs, was ultimately delayed. Now, in his first written and directed work since Paranoid Park in 2007, Van Sant has picked the project back up with a new set of stars and an aim to tell the story of a man seeking sobriety. The result is a film with terrific performances that make the film worth the watch, but which are complicated by the nonlinear narrative Van Sant strings together.

Our story follows John Callahan (Joaquin Phoenix): a struggling alcoholic who gets into a car accident that leaves him paralyzed. In an effort to save himself from his destructive behavior, he joins an AA group to help cure him of his addiction. Stubborn and persistent, Callahan finds the road to recover to be much harder than he anticipated, but finds an outlet in drawing cartoons that soon find a place in a local paper. 

The film takes a nonlinear approach to its story telling. Cutting between various pre- and post-accident moments, we get to see alternating portraits of Callahan: one of him suffering from his affliction and the other of him trying to recover from it. The back and forth is the most jarring aspect of the film as it can often disorient the viewer; at times, it can feel as if you are continuing a sequence only to learn via continuity that the film is now jumping in time. Perhaps done to replicate the haziness of Callahan’s life, perhaps done to as a stylistic choice, but nonetheless, a jarring effect.

The film is largely carried by terrific performances across the board. After an award worthy performance in You Were Never Really Here, Joaquin Phoenix delivers another well-acted performance as John Callahan; showing the frustrations of addiction, the turbulence of recovery, and the acceptance in moving forward, it is a multifaceted performance that provides the back bone of the film. In supporting roles, we have Jonah Hill, Jack Black, and Rooney Mara — the former two being terrific while the later unnecessary. Hill plays Callahan’s sponsor and carries a smart and light persona that is underscored by his own personal issues. It’s a career best performance that can only be rivaled by his role as Donnie in The Wolf of Wallstreet.  Black on the other hand plays a very minor role — so small that he only appears in three scenes —, but, even its minuteness, he still fires on all cylinders; Black plays Callahan’s acquaintance who causes the paralyzing accident and serves as a step in Callahan’s recovery process. While small, his third and final scene is the best three minutes of Jack Black the world has even seen, as we see a man freed from a decade of guilt in the course of forty-five seconds.

On the short end is Mara who’s role is questionable in the film. Serving as a love interest, Mara plays a nurse who starts out as an aide for Callahan, but during a later encounter, they start becoming romantically involved. This romance could be described as nothing short of a stint as her involvement comes and goes quickly, acting as a brief moment in Callahan’s recovery process. It has aspects of contributing to Callahan’s overall character, but it’s rather minor, and could be omitted from the film without question. It’s an unfortunate waste of talent.

These performances really are at the heart of DWHWGFOF. Callahan and the characters around him embody the multidimensional themes found on the road to recovery, and even though the film’s structure up ends some of what they accomplish, it can be appreciated for the incredible performances that are true standouts. If you are ok with piecing together the narrative, you can find solace in performances that move the emotional needle above the norm.

Score 3.75/5

 

Want more? Read our brief interview with director Gus Van Sant and actor Beth Ditto.

Review: Pass the Time with Antman and the Wasp

Like the original film, Scott Lang and crew has the tough task of following in the footsteps of the latest Avengers film, and this time, its no easy feat. With the release of Avengers: Infinity War (a film which you can read about here and here), Antman and the Wasp has rather large shoes to fill, but Marvel aficionados are lucky because this film does the same shtick on a different day. Fans of by-the-number plot lines, light-hearted tone, and flat motives should rejoice as the latest Marvel film does just that and does what all Marvel films do the best: pass the time and service passive entertainment value.

Continue reading “Review: Pass the Time with Antman and the Wasp” →

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Review: Sicario Day of the Soldado is an Ok Script that Lacks Direction

Sometimes films are made to commentate an existing social issue. Others times they are made in reaction to an event. And sometimes films are lucky enough to have their release and subject matter line up with the current news cycle. Sicario: Day of the Soldado is that film. From the opening scene, the film doesn’t hold back on its subject matter as you are set up for a dark and intriguing look at border policy and illegal immigration, but it is unfortunate that a film which directly hits on the issues being debated in real time can’t make anything of itself. Instead, we get a film whose script is par for the course and whose direction does little in the way of elevating the narrative to anything more than a film that lives in the shadow of its predecessor. 

Following one of the best films of 2015, Sicario: Day of the Soldado starts with the Mexican drug cartel smuggling terrorists over United States border. Tasked with solving this problem is returning FBI agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) who is given clearance to solve the problem by any means, even if that means breaking federal law. To do so, he enlists Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro) to help concoct a war between rival cartels with the hopes that infighting disrupts operations. Operating in secrecy, the agency decides that kidnapping Isabel Reyes — the daughter of a cartel leader played by Isabela Moner — will stir the pot, but things get FUBAR-ed and soon find themselves questioning their motives as the US government tries to hide all traces.

“Day of the Soldado” is also one of the more topically relevant films to come to mind in recent years. Where films like The Post were made in a reaction to current events, this film is relevant because the news cycle happened to coincide with its release. As mentioned before, the film’s premise is about cartels sneaking terrorists across the border, and if you’ve been online for the last three weeks, you know how caustic immigration policy is right now. Scenes of crossing immigrants being used as a front for contraband is sure way to validate and embolden certain federal policies, but it is important to note though that the film is not taking sides. The first film in the series is about the moral boundaries that are broken to achieve an individuals own sense of justice, and in this film, it is the US government’s willingness, and subsequent regret, to get ‘dirty’ in order to achieve a goal that is put under a microscope. The film even makes heavy handed allusions to the US government being its own form of terrorism when they literally define the word ‘terrorism’, clueing audiences in to what the theme of the film will be. Admittedly though, the coincidence of news and theme did make for a more meta experience and a great deal of critical thinking about the film’s construction and approach to such delicate subject matter.

That being said, the script one of Sheridan’s weaker scripts (if not the weakest). While his work on Hell or High Water, Sicario, and Wind River are considered some of the best neowesterns this decade, “Day of the Soldado” is undeniably a step down from pervious works. This outing decides to unhinge itself from a single perspective and focus on Graver’s and Gillick’s willingness to participate in dismantling cartels. The film’s predecessor benefited by locking itself to Emily Blunt’s character perspective, but with this there is an unnatural diffusion of focus. By that, the film chooses to not align itself with anyone and you get the sense that you are just watching events play out. The lack of a moral anchor would aide in navigating this inhospitable world, and while the characters are brought around by the inclusion of Isabel, the script lacks any degree of character dictation, letting the audience’s own moralities navigate the vague and unclear ones set forth. Sheridan is undoubtably a man of the modern western, but this outing doesn’t show it.

The neutral script is not aided by the poor directing either. To a certain extent, Sheridan’s prior scripted works could lend much of their success to their directors. Sicario in particular is a primary example of this as Denis Villeneuve took Sheridan’s script and directed the hell out of it, making it a case study in direction and establishing Villeneuve as one of the most talented Hollywood directors working right now. This film has little to compare to the original as Stefano Sollima (a prominent television director) takes the helm with the sequel. Moments of tension that made the original so memorable are all but lost in the sequel as stunted action displaces suspenseful set pieces. Notably, two sequences in this film that try to replicate the infamous border crossing scene in the original, and neither come close to the direction and skill on display in the first. This shortfall envelops the entire film and nearly every scene has a sense of improvement that can be made with better editing or shot selection. Sollima’s sensibilities are just not the same as Villeneuve’s, and while that is not inherently a bad thing, it makes for a more amateurish outing than the first.

Score: 2.5/5 Stars

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Review: The Devil’s Doorway Knows Found Footage Isn’t Dead Yet

This film was seen at the 44th Seattle International Film Festival where it made its world premiere. Both dates for this film have passed, and it will hopefully get a release later this year.

Found footage is a subgenre of horror film that has become mostly tired and gimmicky since the viral success of the Blair Witch Project. That market has been saturated, and quality has fallen off. However, in The Devil’s Doorway, director Aislinn Clarke manages to breathe a little freshness into the exhausted tropes. Set in Northern Ireland the 60s, the footage is meant to be that of a young Catholic Father John Thornton (Ciaran Flynn) sent with his elder Father Thomas Riley (Lalor Roddy) to a Magdalene Laundry to investigate and document a supposed miracle. The Laundry is convent housing “fallen women;” prostitutes, unwed mothers, victims of rape, the mentally disabled, and the like. Historically, these asylums put women to work doing laundry for no pay, and often subjected them to abuse. The minute the Fathers arrive it is clear that the nuns are brutalizing the women, and that they are hiding a supernatural force at play that is far from divine. They discover a pregnant 16-year-old girl, Kathleen (Lauren Coe) who has been locked up for showing signs of a possession.

While it is deeply reminiscent of The Exorcist in content, the medium the film takes place on sets this narrative apart. It utilizes a 16mm camera and is projected in 1.37 ratio which is accurate to the time period and also holds significance beyond the visual aesthetics. It demonstrates the nature of recording technology in the 60s, manipulating the separation of video and audio tracks to a noticeable degree. The human voice becomes uncanny and haunting when there is video of the physical audio track playing, or when it is played over the stony faces of nuns. And the haunting doesn’t end there. It takes advantage of the medium’s inherent properties, putting the audience in a position to feel the first-person fear of Father John, peeking around corners and descending into dark tunnels beneath the convent. Here it makes use of claustrophobia (the tunnels some of the film was shot in are real locations and that’s probably the worst news you’ll hear all day). It works especially when you don’t know what or who you are sharing a dark space with.

The Devil’s Doorway is thoroughly postmodern horror, with thinly veiled social critique at play. Clarke taps into the societal anxieties that gives horror film power over us. I was lucky enough to attend the world premiere of the film at midnight during SIFF, with Clarke in attendance. The screening took place auspiciously on the same night as the repeal of the ban on abortion in Northern Ireland. This sparks a very interesting conversation on the feminist influences in the film, especially a woman’s right to the procedure. The woman’s body isn’t just the site of monstrosity, it is also the subject of a political conversation. This is loaded on top of the dialogue around some traditional Catholic ideals, and the film raises the question if Kathleen is worse off in the hands of a demon, or the nuns or who are supposed to take care of her. Clarke herself brought up the story of Tuam, a Magdalene Laundry open until the ‘60s where a mass grave of babies and children was discovered in 2017 after the film was written. Clarke serves a biting critique of the religious authority and institutional policing of bodies. Clarke herself is political in her role, as she is the first woman to direct a horror film in Northern Ireland.

When it came to the characters themselves, the actors all felt at the top of their game. Lalor Roddy is a dynamic lead as Father Thomas, a man genuinely trying to save the souls of the Laundry’s girls and hold the nuns accountable. His role is what sells much of the investigation of the Laundry, as he squares off with the convincingly creepy Mother Superior (Helena Bereen).  The film knows its own terms and strengths well, but occasionally is too eager to show its hand. The film’s one major shortcoming is the frontloading of reveals that diminish those later in the film. Had it teased out more, the fear would have had a greater impact. Certain jump scares early in the film lessen the impact of those later on instead of building up to a more satisfying and terrifying climax. Cutting some of those moments would also have alleviated the film’s lengthiness.

As a whole, The Devil’s Doorway makes competent use of the found footage style while provoking a larger conversation about women’s rights. And it packs in a couple gut wrenching sequences along the way.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Update: The film has been picked up by IFC and will be getting a limited and digital release on July 13th.

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Review: Low Brow Entertainment in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

We are well deep into the franchise wars. Of all the major studios, Universal seems to be the only one that can produce a billion dollar film that can match Disney. Though their success is limited to three franchises: the Fast and the Furious, Despicable Me, and Jurassic Park. With the collapse of their ‘Dark Universe’ and the high likelihood that they get bid out by Disney for FOX, the studio is banking on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom more than ever. When director J.A. Bayona stepped in, there was a shimmer of hope for the project, but unfortunately, it fits right in with all the other amateurish blockbusters we see all too often.

Set after the events of the first Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom sees society deciding what to do with the remaining dinosaurs on Isla Nublar. When the government ultimately decides to let nature take its course with a volcanic eruption, a private company decides to take action and save the dinosaurs themselves. They enlist the help of Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) to gain access to the island and track the illusive raptor, Blue. However, once on the island, all hell breaks loose as the eruption starts, and they soon realize that extinction might be the least of their concerns. 

There is nothing particularly wrong with the direction or pacing of the film, but the script is quite baffling. Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow (yes, the same man who wrote The Book of Henry, got removed from Star Wars 9 because of it, and is now slated to direct Jurassic World 3 — I WANT TO DIE) wrote this script and produced nothing short of a head scratcher. The first half is an action adventure film where Owen, Claire, and the cohort of paramilitary troops try to prevent dinosaur extinction, and the second half is a horror action film that relegates itself to a mansion in Northern California. One we are familiar with, and the other is reminiscent of The Lost World’s San Diego set piece, though this time it is more limited and narrowly located. 

While the film feels pretty evenly split, the first half is a head above the second, which seemingly saved most of its eyebrow-raising moments for the end. Revelations in particular draw the most ire as require a certain amount of suspended disbelief in order to settle with audiences, and the nature of the second half calls into question, “What connotes a Jurassic Park film?” To question the franchise itself isn’t inherently a bad change, but it can be hard to grapple with, and I’m not sure I one hundred percent agree with the take or direction.

Then there are the political undertones which are under baked and serve as a means of justifying film’s events. Near the start, politicians debate whether to take action and save the dinosaurs, but decide not to, causing a private company to take action. Making overt allusions to political inaction, this scene acts as a catalyst for character motivation, but it barely rears its thematic head during the film’s length and only pops back up in a closing monolog. If the first Jurassic Park is about man’s ignorance, The Lost World about domestication, and Jurassic World about unchecked corporations, then this film aims to be about the negative effects of political indolence, but again, you wouldn’t know until the film bookended itself with Jeff Goldblum monologues.

This doesn’t seem to be any fault of J.A. Bayona, but rather a sourced problem of the industrialized script. The film’s ending acts on this underdeveloped notion of political inaction, but the result is quite underwhelming and it really makes you question the industry’s incessant need for sequels. You can only go back to Jurassic Park so many times before you tread the same ideas, so it makes sense to end the film in this way so you can evolve the franchise, but you can’t help but feel cheated on the premise they are selling you, as if the actions by characters can’t justify the the political and thematic undertones they are trying to convey.

Then again, this is dinosaur movie, and while I felt wronged by the film’s script, seeing dinosaurs duke it out made for some low brow entertainment, if only passively. The long promised extinction that has populated the film’s marketing is every bit as grand as you would expect, and the second half with the ‘Indoraptor’ is kinda cool, I guess, but you have to look past the script to find any enjoyment. There is undoubtably some submissive value to it, but beyond that, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything worth a second viewing. 

Score: 2.25/5 Stars

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Review: Finding Human Connections in Nancy

Nancy is small film with intricate notions of what it means to connect with others. At its heart, we have protagonist Nancy who feels alienated from the world, but also compelled to connect with people in the shadow of her rejection, and to do so, she creates fake personas. Director Christina Choe dials in on the longing for emotional bonds and writes a narrative that is empathetic while also disturbing. Part drama and part mystery thriller, Nancy depicts the necessity for human connections through the lies that become reality for the titular character.

The film follows the Nancy (Andrea Riseborough), a struggling thirty something living in the cracks of America. She takes care of her demanding mother and works as a temp in a dentist office while she awaits any news on the publication of her writing. To escape her life, she lives online, writing an alternative existence on her blog and creating a faux reality for herself. However, the lies she weaves online transfer into the real world as she often lies to her coworkers and plays people she is not. When she sees a news report about a child who has been missing for 30 years, she reaches out to the parents (played by Ann Dowd and Steve Buscemi) and beings to have a connection with them in spite of the fact she may not even be related to them.

Core to this film is Nancy herself. On the back of Andrea Riseborough’s great performance, Nancy has an enigmatic feel. From her looks to her prior actions, the audience has no reason to believe her, yet the resemblance to Steve Buschemi, her own testimony, and her prior life provide enough credence to believe the case. As Nancy begins to believe the lie she makes for herself, so does the audience. Nancy’s affliction to lie is a byproduct for her circumstances and we feel for her even though she is catfishing people into believing that she is indeed their missing daughter.

The dynamic between the parents and Nancy plays out like a dance. At times, we don’t know if she is or isn’t the daughter, so we swing back and forth on moods and emotions. Different scenes take on different contexts when viewing under a different pretexts; if we believe the lie, then there is sentimentality to the relationship, but if we have a degree of doubt, then we see Nancy for the cruelty of her behavior. Buscemi and Dowd embody the two sides of this mood as the audience takes the role of Nancy. Buscemi expresses doubt and has a reluctance to Nancy as a character while Dowd goes all in and believes Nancy for her long lost daughter. Choe placates the audience so that we are never angry towards Nancy, but rather sympathetic to her situation.

This dance is not perfect though. Occasionally the film gets vague and certain scenes don’t mesh with the idea above. A scene where a hunter is shot in the forest or when Nancy’s cat goes missing stand out as minute moments that are distracting to the overall message of the film, but have a character-driven dimension to them. Then when the film reaches its peak —that being a DNA test to determine blood relation— it never goes towards confrontation. Instead of playing through the fallout, the film reserves itself from something the audience has been hoping for.

The importance of human connections is what drives Nancy. Choe presents an empathetic look at the universal desire to connect with others and the lengths we go to feel wanted. Through Riseborough’s strong performance and Choe’s assured direction, audiences will be treated to a unique dramatic thriller that can sometimes feel opaque, but whose message translates easily enough to have more than an impact.

Score: 3.5/5