Page not found – Rotund Reviews https://rotundreviews.com A Fat Man's Musings on Pop Culture Mon, 30 Oct 2023 21:13:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.3 https://rotundreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cropped-43629453_263925247597305_6262018650635501568_n-32x32.png Page not found – Rotund Reviews https://rotundreviews.com 32 32 Suitable Flesh https://rotundreviews.com/suitable-flesh Mon, 30 Oct 2023 21:13:34 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3209 [...]]]> This is the second time that I’ve reviewed a film based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft from RLJE Films. The previous film was Color Out of Space and it was definitely weird, but the performances were amazing. I definitely enjoyed Suitable Flesh more but I do have one or two complaints that we’ll dive into.

Suitable Flesh is an interesting concept and I rather enjoyed the story. In the film, we have a take on Lovecraft’s The Thing on the Doorstep with the gender roles reversed.

Seeing two older men toil in a triangle of sorts with Asa Waite, the young female victim/ antagonist in the middle, was something I felt we had seen numerous times in the past. Maybe not THIS story per se, but there was something a little “old fashioned” about the approach. Swapping the genders of the lead protagonists gave an opportunity for a female character to have the same kinds of crises of the heart and body that male characters have had more of for years. Why is it an older man can be accepted as a sexual being in a cautionary tale like this (see FATAL ATTRACTION, BASIC INSTINCT or pretty much any Michael Douglas movie in the 80’s/90’s!) but a woman can’t? That approach to Lovecraft’s work immediately made the material more exciting, provocative and yet still true to his themes of fate — and dancing with the unknown.

Joe Lynch, director

Heather Graham leads the cast as psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby. She’s joined on screen by Jonathon Schaech as her husband, Edward Derby, Judah Lewis as a young man seeking psychiatric help named Asa Waite, and Bruce Davison playing Asa’s father Ephraim. The final cast member is horror icon Barbara Crampton playing Elizabeth’s friend, fellow psychiatrist Daniella Upton. These five individuals give us incredible performances. I wasn’t expecting much going into the film, but at the same time the casting along with the fact that the film played at Toronto After Dark this year, gave me high hopes. The story and the performance made for a great combination that made it easy to watch the film without feeling the need for distraction. That is to say, the film holds your attention from start to finish.

Finding an actress for the leading role who could manage the serious and fun aspects of the part in equal measure was important to us all. Heather Graham is well known for her lively comedic roles. But we don’t see her as often in super serious parts or a part where she’d play four roles in one, the entity, Asa, Beth and my part of Danny as well. I thought it could be a juicy role that would be attractive to her. We asked the casting director to send her an offer. Her response was very positive to the role and to the material. We were thrilled to have her.

Barbara Crampton, actor & producer

In the film, we meet a demon who can take control of another person’s body, trapping them in his previous body. There are rules and caveats that accompany this, as there usually are, but the interesting aspect of the movie to me is that we don’t see the demon. We meet the demon while already within a body and never get a sense of where the story started or how we go to this point. I think that I enjoyed that this was a point in time snapshot of the story. This wasn’t an origin and it wasn’t the conclusion. It was part of a larger story and that’s something we rarely get with films. They always tell the complete story from start to finish or from start to open ending (although I’d rather not talk about those types of films). While this film may tell the story of certain characters, it does not tell us the complete story of everyone involved and the door is definitely left open for a sequel.

As I said, I do have some complaints and they are mostly minor – audio issues, special effects – things that could be done better in a higher budget film, but that were well done for the type of film this was. There were a few bad choices made by characters, but those are choices that needed to be made to get us to the conclusion and they were completely out of left field. I’m also still not sure I understand two of the characters that were introduced. They were minor characters and I suppose they helped ramp up the tension slightly, but they were so trivial that I’m not sure they truly added value. My big complaint, however, was the cinematography. While 95% of the film was great and I enjoyed a lot of the shots, there was an unnecessary camera rotation that was used that detracted from the film. It was one of those techniques that you only see in low budget films and it definitely reminded you that you weren’t watching a blockbuster. Without that out of place camera movement, I was completely enthralled and drawn in by the film, but the introduction of that movement wrenched me out of the experience. It was disappointing after how much they accomplished. However, if that’s my biggest complaint then the movie was still clearly worth watching.

Suitable Flesh was released in theatres and everywhere you rent movies on Friday, October 27.

Suitable Flesh

Movie title: Suitable Flesh

Movie description: Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient suffering extreme personality disorder. But it leads her into dark occult danger as she tries to escape a horrific fate.

Date published: 2023-10-27

Director(s): Joe Lynch

Actor(s): Heather Graham, Judah Lewis, Bruce Davidson, Johnathan Schaech, Barbara Crampton

Genre: Horror

Overall
4
  • Overall
  • White Knuckle Flick
]]>
Dress Code https://rotundreviews.com/dress-code Wed, 23 Aug 2023 21:17:08 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3197 [...]]]> When I started writing movie reviews, I simply reviewed whatever movie I watched and, for a while, that was fun. The problem, however, is that getting press kits (quotes, images, and posters) can be difficult. As I reached out to get these items, a few different things happened – in some cases, I ended up on mailing lists for PR firms and ended up getting real screeners; in other cases, I ended up being told that I wasn’t even important enough to have access to press kits. As this happened, I shifted away from major studios and started reviewing a lot more indie films. This prompted some indie filmmakers to start reaching out directly via my website. Sometimes, these are student projects that are so painfully bad, that I don’t review them because I don’t have anything nice to say, other times, they blow my mind and I’m amazed that they pulled it off. That’s how Dress Code ended up in my email – actor/producer Gerard Garilli reached out months ago with the film.

I watched the trailer and my initial thought was, “Oh… another low budget crime film… I’ll throw it on the pile if I have time.” For some reason, and I don’t know why, most low-budget indie films fall into one of two categories – crime or horror. I honestly, would have likely forgotten the film, and honestly I did once or twice, because the trailer wasn’t anything special. However, Garilli was persistent and reached out a few times to remind me about the film. I respected this and made sure to make a note to review the film when I had time. I finally had the chance to sit down and watch the film and I think that this is a clear cut case of a film having a bad trailer.

Movie trailers of the last 10-15 years have been horrible in general. In the past, a trailer would setup the basic premise of the film and leave you wondering what will happen. Today, major blockbusters spoil themselves and reveal way too much in the trailer. People are often perplexed when I say that I haven’t seen the trailers for upcoming films and typically that’s because they ruin the movie. The current audience needs a straight forward story without nuance and without any real intrigue. People hate mystery… that’s why films like Knives Out, which didn’t contain a single original idea and instead simply stole from what every previous mystery film had done, are so popular today. Other times, trailers are put together in a way that doesn’t even contain a hook. They go too far in the opposite direction. Sometimes, they are playing on star power, and it works. Other times, particularly with indie films, they are just doing themselves a disservice. That’s why trailer editing, much like sound editing, is something that a production should not skimp on.

This was a huge issue for Dress Code. I would love to take the film and cut my own trailer. I feel like I would have been eager and excited to see Dress Code with a slightly better trailer cut. Instead, I thought I was getting a film that’s been done a million times because the hook was completely excluded from the trailer. Here’s the kicker, the film has a big hook… it’s big and shiny and really catches your attention. So, here we are, at the length of my typical review and I’ve barely discussed the film because I was legitimately upset at the disservice that the trailer did to this film.

So, without more ranting from yours truly, let’s talk about Dress Code. The first thing we should talk about is the casting, but we need to discuss the basic premise of the film before we venture down that path. The film follows Bobby Russo (played, as an adult, by Gerard Garilli and, as a child, by Nicholas Giordano) whose family is tied up with organized crime in a big way. We get to see present day as well as glimpses of his childhood. Let’s talk about the teens in the film first, as they appear in the flashback sequences. They are, nearly universally, not good actors. While Giordano is decent as a young Bobby Russo, the other actors who share scenes with him cannot act and bring down his performance. When Giordano performs with adult actors, he can definitely hold his own. Do not let the awful acting in the first 10-15 minutes of the film turn you away from watching the movie. The adult actors, however, are fantastic. It was completely unexpected that I would get such believable performances in such a low budget film. I’m not going to lie, there were definitely times where I wondered if the entire thing was a mob film and that’s why all of the performances were so credible.

While the performances are great, where the film really struggles is the cinematography. While the image quality is there (sometimes low budget films feel like they were shot on an old flip phone camera), the lighting and framing were less than ideal. While we tend to idolize actors, directors, and, rarely, script writers… there’s a lot that goes into filmmaking and the process is a lot like Jenga… if any piece is flawed or jostled, it can topple the entire product. We don’t give everyone else involved the proper credit because we only notice when things go poorly and we tend to just say, that film had poor production quality. That isn’t the case here… there are so many pieces that go well and then you just get weird shots or poor lighting and start to wonder why that was selected.

This is a film where the writer deserves to be recognized. Peter Panagos wrote the script and he gave us a twist on the mob genre that nobody saw coming… he gave us the hook that makes this film so unique. Unfortunately, that hook was completely excluded from the trailer and the film’s synopsis. Since this was clearly a conscious decision made by the film’s creators, I’m going to respect that and not reveal it here. However, I think a lot of people will overlook this film because the hook is hidden. This is not a plot twist that should come out of left field in my opinion, it is a correct aspect of the film that should be put on display, discussed, and respected. Sadly, it is not and you need to just trust me that the film is unlike any mob movie that you’ve seen before and definitely worthy of watching.

To quote Martin Scorsese’s classic ‘Goodfellas’- “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”. Well, I didn’t really want to be a gangster, but from my earliest memories, I knew I wanted to tell gangster stories. When Gerard approached me with this project, I jumped at the opportunity to take a shot (no pun intended) at a genre that has meant so much to so many people. The most difficult part of creating a mob film in 2023 is giving the audience something they have not seen before. While all gangster films have to hit certain notes, and follow familiar beats, I truly believe we created something that can both expand the genre to newer audiences, as well as provide nostalgia for those of us who grew up obsessed with these stories.

Joseph Pupello, director

I think that Pupello was on to something with this quote. They created something that I’ve never seen before and, in the moment that I saw it, I was excited to see it. I, however, am in a unique position because I watch movies – good or bad – in order to write and publish these reviews. The typical viewer needs to be pulled into a movie before they see it. Like I said, most modern films go too far and reveal too much, but, in this case, the trailer doesn’t go far enough and it needs to give the viewer a taste of what is to come. The audience that I think would appreciate this film isn’t going to know to appreciate it because the trailer gives us a generic film, but reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

The film’s conclusion was a little lacking for me… I felt like I missed something that prevented it from all coming together cleanly. I know where they were going and why they had to get there to complete the story, but I think that they rushed things a little bit, preventing us from fully understanding why things end the way they do. Other than some bad lighting, a bit of bad framing, and a not so great teen actors, I think that’s all I could possibly complain about. At the end of the day, the film is worth giving a chance simply to experience the unique twist they provided on a relatively well known genre.

Dress Code

Movie title: Dress Code

Movie description: Bobby Russo was born into a life of organized crime. From early on, he learned many lessons from his family including: Loyalty, Respect, and Honor. He learned secrets can be dangerous. All grown up, Bobby now realizes that the most dangerous secrets are his own.

Director(s): Joseph Pupello

Actor(s): Gerard Garilli, Freddie Maas, Frank Osso, Maria Marinaro, Alex Di Trolio, Nicholas Giordano

Genre: Crime

Overall
3.5
  • Overall
  • Cerebral Cinema
  • White Knuckle Flick
]]>
The Passenger https://rotundreviews.com/the-passenger Sun, 13 Aug 2023 19:54:25 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3183 [...]]]> There’s one fantastic reason to watch The Passenger and that is Liza Weil aka Paris Geller from Gilmore Girls. If you’re a fan of Shondaland, then you’ve had plenty of opportunities to see her, but if, like me, you detest those shows, this is a rare occasion to see her on screen and she was, just as she was in Gilmore Girls, amazing. Unrelated, but does anyone else like to imagine that somehow Paris Geller is related to Monica and Ross Geller? I think that would create an interesting universe. However, we’re here to discuss The Passenger and not my wild fan theories.

The Passenger is a mediocre thriller that provides some entertainment value, but it’s definitely nothing special. Normally, I would leave this until the end of my review, but I might as well state it up front. If you come across the film on a streaming service and are a fan of thrillers, you should 100% check it out. If you are prompted to pay more than $5.99 to watch the film, you should probably pass. The reason I wanted to put this out there up front is because I want to talk specifically about where I saw value in this film and where it was desperately lacking.

The film is about as typical as you can get from a plot standpoint. If I were to sum the film up in three words, it would be ‘revenge via surrogate’ or ‘horrible murder logic.’ When I pay for a film, especially when I pay $6.99 or more, I’m paying for the story or a specific cast member. I’ll always spend money to watch The Rock in a cheesy action movie and I’ll always pay for a laugh out loud funny comedy. I need escapism or entertainment value in order to pay. Where I find myself less likely to pay is complex character development. While I enjoy these films, I enjoy them in a different way and I have difficulty paying for that type of character study because I just don’t get my money’s worth. Those are the films where I’ll wait for a $0.99 rental or a $4.99 iTunes special.

This is what we find ourselves getting with The Passenger. Randy (Johnny Berchtold) and Benson (Kyle Gallner) are very interesting characters and both actors play them incredibly well. I actually really enjoyed watching them clash and balance against each other. Sadly, that amazing character development is undermined by a weak story. So, what is The Passenger about? Randy and Benson work together at a burger joint. Randy is shy, introverted, and a real pushover. Benson is stereotypical redneck trash. The film pops off when another co-worker bullies Randy, who just takes it and Benson decides to intervene. This is where I start to have issues with the plot. There’s a lot going on with Benson and none of it is ever truly explained. It would appear that Benson woke up and chose violence, but we have no indication of why. We get glimpses of a potentially crappy home life and possible abuse at school, but we never get any true confirmation… just Benson’s actions and whose to say if those are the actions of someone who has been wronged or someone who is batshit crazy.

At the same time, Randy goes along with Benson’s actions. At times, it appears it is against his will, but sometimes it feels like he’s a lost puppy just happy to have someone to follow. As Benson spends the day rampaging, Randy has plenty of opportunities to get away from this madman or turn the tables on him, but he choses not to… he choses, in my eyes, to be an accomplice, yet he never pays for his transgressions. This is why the story falls apart for me and why I struggle. Benson and Randy are both interesting characters with a lot of potential and are brilliantly portrayed by the actors and expertly guided by the director. They were, however, let down by bad writing. We are left to guess at every corner about their intentions. While I dislike when films shove every detail down my throat because they expect a lack of intelligence in the audience, I also dislike when a film leaves things too open to interpretation without any real semblance of a plan.

Watching as Benson goes around righting the wrongs Randy has experienced, it’s impossible to know if Benson is a wounded dog who has been kicked too many times, a troubled young man who simply wants to help someone else from become the life long loser that he clearly is, or a psychopath looking to have a little fun. At the same time, you have to wonder if Randy is neurodivergent, coddled at home, a shy kid, or simply a coward. While there are attempts to provide insight into their mindsets, there’s never any clarification around the motivations that drive the two men. Randy does get a bit more of a clear explanation, but the explanation does not feel like it sufficiently explains his behaviours.

I wanted to like this movie because of the casting, and I loved the way that the characters were portrayed. The film flows well and does enough to keep you interested from end to end, but, ultimately, the writing on this one falls apart and leaves us wanting more depth of story. That being said, there are worse films out there and you can find entertainment value in the film… but this is definitely not a film worthy of breaking the bank to see it as soon as possible.

The Passenger was released on digital and on demand on August 4, and will be coming to MGM+ later this year.

The Passenger

Movie title: The Passenger

Movie description: Randy (Johnny Berchtold) is perfectly content fading into the background. But when his coworker Benson (Kyle Gallner) goes on a sudden and violent rampage leaving a trail of destruction in his wake, Randy is forced to face his fears and confront his troubled past to survive.

Date published: 2023-08-04

Director(s): Carter Smith

Actor(s): Kyle Gallner, Johnny Berchtold, Liza Weil

Genre: Thriller

Overall
3
  • Overall
  • White Knuckle Flick
]]>
Fear the Night https://rotundreviews.com/fear-the-night Sat, 29 Jul 2023 13:03:25 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3174 [...]]]> Maggie Q is a force of nature. I’m always absolutely enthralled when I see her on screen, and her performance in Fear the Night did not disappoint. I’m not naive. RotundReviews will never get me screeners for Hollywood blockbusters and it doesn’t get me invites to film festivals… it doesn’t even qualify me for digital press passes for 99% of them. It does, however, get me a wide variety of indie films that I’ve grown to love over the years. In every genre, and many sub-genres, I have films that I recommend based on reviews that I’ve done on this site. Films that most people have never heard of, that exist because of the passion of the creators and performers involved. Fear the Night is now one of those films.

The premise is quite simple. A group of unlikely individuals are forced to defend against a home invasion. There are dozens of films in this genre, and hundreds more with a similar premise, where the location, attackers, or victims change slightly. Yet, somehow, Fear the Night stands out for me. It held my focus from start to finish for a number of reasons. The most obvious one, however, was Maggie Q’s performance as Tess. She was completely believable from start to finish, with one exception… a choice that was made at the end of the film is the only reason why this otherwise 5-star film, only gets 4.5-stars.

You see, Tess is a veteran. She was wounded in combat and has struggled since returning stateside. While she has her shit together at the moment, she has struggled with alcoholism and it is revealed in the moments prior to the action kicking off, that she has maintained her sobriety for more than 6 months. I thought this was admirable and a nice touch of realism to add to the film. In the film, we see her struggle with social interactions and consider drinking, but she perseveres and refrains from drinking… until the end of the film, when the dust settles, Tess has a drink and, in my eyes, that diminished the character and everything that she accomplished. For me, it was the single weak point in an otherwise stellar film.

We also have to talk about Kat Foster and Ito Aghayere, who play Beth and Noelle respectively. However, to explain their roles, we need to talk a bit more about the story. In the film, Rose (Highdee Kuan) is getting married and her sister, Beth (Foster), is throwing her a bachelorette at their parent’s vacation home. That’s how these eight women find themselves in a home, in the middle of no where, without phone service, when the invasion happens. Tess is Rose and Beth’s sister, but she isn’t a part of the group. The tension between Tess and Beth is palpable and that comes across so well because of how gifted Maggie Q is, but also because of how well Kat Foster plays Beth. I don’t think that I’ve ever come across a character on screen that I disliked as quickly as I disliked Beth. It was one of those roles where the actor does such an impressive job that you start to feel anger toward the person behind the character and need to remind yourself that they are simply doing their job and, given the feelings you have, they are clearly doing it well.

Similarly, Ito Aghayere is a powerhouse in the film. I was already a fan after she played Guinan on Star Trek: Picard, but the way she carried herself in this film was impressive. While she doesn’t have a huge role, there is a moment, and you’ll know it when you see it, where she steals the show. She is completely captivating and holds the attention of everyone, on screen and off. That scene culminates when she delivers one of my favorite lines in the film… a line that I won’t share in order to avoid any spoilers.

Fear the Night takes a simple premise and delivers. It is like when you visit a restaurant and see your favourite dish. Sure, it is simple and every restaurant serves it, but you know that you’ll order it and love it just because of what it is. Then, the dish arrives, and you’re blown away. The structure is the same as it is every time you order it. The ingredients and recipe have little variation, yet somehow, this restaurant, has elevated the dish and made it something memorable. That’s what Fear the Night did for me with the basic home invasion thrill. It made it memorable.

Do yourself a favour and check out this film as soon as possible… you’ll enjoy it.

Fear the Night was released on July 21.

Fear the Night

Movie title: Fear the Night

Movie description: Eight women attend a bachelorette party at a remote farmhouse in the California hills. They are interrupted by the arrival of masked intruders who surround the place and begin shooting arrows at the home and the guests. One partygoer—Tess, a military veteran who is fighting her addictions and her difficulty at fitting in with other people—leads the women in making a stand against the attackers as they fight back in an effort to save themselves over the course of a single dark night.

Date published: 2023-07-21

Director(s): Neil LaBute

Actor(s): Maggie Q, Kat Foster, Travis Hammer, Gia Crovatin, Ito Aghayere, Highdee Kuan, Kirstin Leigh, Brenda Meaney, Roshni Shukla

Genre: Thriller

Overall
4.5
  • Overall
  • White Knuckle Flick
]]>
Sympathy for the Devil https://rotundreviews.com/sympathy-for-the-devil Fri, 28 Jul 2023 20:51:24 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3167 [...]]]> Is Sympathy for the Devil Nic Cage’s best work? Definitely not. Is it his worst? Not even close. Sympathy for the Devil is a decent thriller that reminds us that you don’t need a large cast to create a great film. Cage is one of those special actors for me… the type of actor that, when you see their name in the credits, you know you are going to watch the film. As such, my reviews of his performances will always be biased, but I think that my rating for this film is dead on… even if part of me wanted to up it to 3.5-stars.

Sympathy for the Devil is a conversation between two characters. It isn’t a pleasant conversation over dinner or a cup of coffee, it’s a cage match between two men – The Passenger (Cage) and The Driver (Joel Kinnaman). The Driver drops his son off with the boy’s grandmother and drives to the hospital, where his wife is pregnant and in labour. In the opening scene, we also establish that The Driver and his wife had previously lost a child. Upon arrival at the hospital, we get our first glimpse of The Passenger who takes The Driver at gunpoint, forces him back into the car, and tells him to drive. This is where the story really starts.

The film does a great job of building tension with dialogue and the limited actions available within the vehicle. In fact, when the film finished, my wife/editor, looked at me and said, “Well, that film gave me nothing but anxiety.” You are on the edge of your seat for the majority of the film and it completely holds your attention. The main reason for this is the dichotomy between The Driver and The Passenger. Kinnaman plays a very quiet and reserved figure, terrified by the situation he has found himself in and seeking clarification on why these things are happening to him. Cage, on the other hand, brings The Passenger to life in a way that only Nic Cage can. The character is over-the-top, outlandish, and highly entertaining. With every line of dialogue and every facial expression, you can tell that Cage is carefully and deliberately bringing this character to life.

Throughout the film, you can’t help but feel bad for The Driver. You see his loving conversation with his son, the way he caringly talks to his wife, and his desire to be present for the birth. He has been abducted at gunpoint and forced to drive out of the city, taking emotional, verbal, and physical abuse from a maniacal madman with red hair and a red suit. The Passenger is convinced that he knows The Driver and he seems to be genuinely crazy. Then, you start to wonder why the film is called Sympathy for the Devil. Are we going to feel sympathetic for The Passenger before the end of the film? Is the Driver actually the devil, which means we’ve misplaced our sympathy? At this point, the film’s direction and title have telegraphed a twist, but it simply isn’t possible to know where the twist is heading.

By the time you figure out the twist, you’ve passed the point of no return and you need to see the film play out. The conclusion of the film definitely lives up to the name and it is interesting to watch as things get wrapped up. With that said, it is worth noting that the film’s conclusion is one of the main reasons why I knocked down the review a notch. While the acting was great, the direction was good, and the story was decent, the conclusion was weak and left me with an empty feeling. I didn’t get the closure that I wanted.

The other reason that this film didn’t rate higher was an issue that I had with one of the scenes. At one point, The Driver and The Passenger are in a diner and The Driver has been handcuffed to the table leg. The leg is bolted to the floor more securely than any table leg that I’ve ever seen (the first problem). The Driver then continually kicks at the bottom of the table leg instead of the top and there’s just no way that the diner table top was solid enough to hold up to being kicked from underneath. It felt very unrealistic and was the thing that most pulled me out of my movie watching experience.

So, there you have it. If you want a great pair of actors doing what they do best, check out the film… just understand the film’s shortcomings – a weak ending, an unrealistic scene, and a telegraphed twist. I still enjoyed watching Nic Cage on screen and that’s why I recommend this film… Cage is just always a joy to watch.

Sympathy for the Devil will be released in theatres on July 28.

Sympathy for the Devil

Movie title: Sympathy for the Devil

Movie description: After being forced to drive a mysterious passenger at gunpoint, a man finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse where it becomes clear that not everything is at it seems.

Date published: 2023-07-28

Director(s): Yuval Adler

Actor(s): Nicolas Cage, Joel Kinnaman

Genre: Thriller

Overall
3
  • Overall
  • White Knuckle Flick
]]>
The Wrath of Becky https://rotundreviews.com/the-wrath-of-becky Sun, 28 May 2023 20:35:52 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3139 [...]]]> I loved Becky. It was just a ton of fun and was one of the films that I recommended to everyone I talked to when it came out. I never expected a sequel to the film, so I was incredibly happy to see The Wrath of Becky show up in my inbox. Lulu Wilson is a fantastic actor and won me over in the first film. It was a shame that ABC didn’t pick up the pilot for Valley Trash, a pilot that stared Wilson alongside Jason Lee, the same year that Becky was released. However, thanks to The Wrath of Becky, we get more Becky and Wilson… the best of both worlds.

The Wrath of Becky features Wilson in titular role a couple of years after the original film. Becky hasn’t done well in the various foster homes that she’s found herself in and ends up on her own, living with Elena (Denise Burse) and working at a diner. Things are going well until members of a far-right group, known as the “Noble Men”, show up at the diner and butt heads with Becky. After she humiliates them, they want a little revenge and follow her home. There, they attack Becky and Elena, and take Diego, Becky’s dog. From this point on, there are definite John Wick vibes, since Becky is driven, in part, by her desire to get her dog back.

While Becky definitely felt like an R-rated Home Alone thriller, this film feels a little more like an action flick. Some of the cinematography definitely reminded me of moments from old Schwarzenegger and Stallone flicks. If they ever wanted to do a female-driven Rambo reboot, I’d be excited to see Wilson as John Rambo. The action, particularly the death sequences, were highly entertaining and should not be overlooked. I particularly like a scene that occurred outside a barn… but that’s all I’m going to share, you’ll need to watch it for yourself to see what I mean.

The original film featured Kevin James as the villain in a role that was completely outside the characters we expect to see him play and he was fantastic. Here, we stick with a known comedy actor filling the primary villain role with Seann William Scott stepping in and doing a fantastic job. I always enjoy watching actors who are known for a specific genre step outside their comfort zone and do something different and I feel like Scott’s Darryl was just as creepy and unexpected as James’s Dominick in the first film.

Films like this one are just fun. Plain and simple, they are a joy to watch and you know that you’ll be highly entertained. For that reason, I don’t want to tell you too much, you get the idea – blood, gore, violence, and comedy. So, let’s just leave it at the fact that Becky and The Wrath of Becky are both must watch films and I eagerly await another film from this franchise. There’s a lot of places they could go and I’m really hopeful that we get the chance to see them explored on screen.

The Wrath of Becky was released in theatres on May 26.

The Wrath of Becky

Movie title: The Wrath of Becky

Movie description: Two years after she escaped a violent attack on her family, Becky attempts to rebuild her life in the care of an older woman - a kindred spirit named Elena. But when a group known as the “Noble Men” break into their home, attack them, and take her beloved dog, Diego, Becky must return to her old ways to protect herself and her loved ones.

Date published: 2023-05-26

Director(s): Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote

Actor(s): Lulu Wilson, Seann William Scott, Denise Burse, Jill Larson, Courtney Gains, Michael Sirow, Aaron Dalla Villa, Matt Angel, Kate Siegel

Genre: Thriller

Overall
5
  • Overall
  • Self Checkout
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Assassin Club https://rotundreviews.com/assassin-club Thu, 25 May 2023 13:00:29 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3147 [...]]]> “Hey! Want to watch an action movie with Snake Eyes from Snake Eyes, Ratcatcher 2 from The Suicide Squad, Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Haitian from Heroes, and Alan Grant from Jurassic Park?” Who could possibly say no to that? It sounds like a fantastic film. You turn on the film and you’re shocked to find that the production quality is up there… this film doesn’t look low budget at all, it is quite polished. This is going to be great! Then you have to watch the film.

While this isn’t the worst review that I’ve given, it is one of the worst films that I’ve reviewed. The casting and production quality are the only things that save it from being the worst film that I’ve seen. I think the problem was that the script was written by an untalented writer… the plot just doesn’t make sense and the way that the story is woven together makes about as much sense as a hyperactive toddler telling you about their day at an amusement park. Mix the horrible writing with an unknown director and you have all the makings of an awful film. Director Camille Delamarre’s big claim to fame is The Transporter Refueled, the one without Jason Statham.

In the film, Henry Golding plays an assassin trying to balance a personal life and a professional life. Unfortunately for him, someone has taken out a hit on the world’s top assassins, including him! That’s it… that’s the entire plot. It is basic enough to have potential, but it is so poorly written and horribly directed that it was actually painful to watch. There is little done to tie aspects of the film together. It felt like they just tossed everything at the board and waited to see what would stick. None of the characters were well developed, instead they were all caricatures of real people. The only interesting character was Sam Neill’s role as an agent to the assassins. I’m not sure what his exact title was, but he was the one who lined their jobs up for them.

The film does look good and the audio quality is good (usually my biggest complaint with films). There’s just no substance. Half the time you don’t know what is going on and, the other half the time, you just don’t want to. We’re talking about an all out war of assassins and the film has a two good scenes. The first involves our star, Golding, walking with his girlfriend through a tunnel. The second involves Golding again, this time at the farm house of a former assassin. Those two scenes are worth seeing… the rest of the film is underwhelming and disappointing.

I’m not sure I have much else to say because I simply can’t recommend the film. Unless you need background noise or you’re a completionist who must see everything from one of these actors, it is unlikely that you’ll find a reason to watch this movie. However, if you want to… the film is available.

Assassin Club was released on Digital on May 16 and will be available on DVD and Blu-ray on June 6.

Assassin Club

Movie title: Assassin Club

Movie description: Henry Golding (G.I. JOE: SNAKE EYES) stars in this highly entertaining, globe-trotting action thriller. The hunter becomes the hunted when an elite assassin (Golding) is given his final contract: to kill six people around the world - only to discover the targets are equally skilled assassins hired to kill him. His only shot to survive is to uncover the mysterious mastermind behind the deadly plot before it's too late. Also starring Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), and Noomi Rapace (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan).

Date published: 2023-05-16

Director(s): Camille Delamarre

Actor(s): Henry Golding, Daniela Melchior, Jimmy-Jean Louis, Noomi Rapace, Sam Neill

Genre: Action

Overall
1.5
  • Overall
  • Self Checkout
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Fool’s Paradise https://rotundreviews.com/fools-paradise Thu, 11 May 2023 13:00:16 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3158 [...]]]> The cast list of Fool’s Paradise is a who’s who of fantastic actors and I’m a fan of so many of them. I was not, however, a fan of the story in Fool’s Paradise. I’m not sure what it was about it, but it just didn’t resonate with me. Sure, I laughed watching it… again look at the cast list, how could you watch this film and not laugh. I just didn’t enjoy it. I’m not sure if I can put my finger on the reason for this, but I think that it ultimately came down to the fact that I didn’t see a reason for this film to exist. Typically, a film will entertain, tell a story, or evoke emotion – this film didn’t really do any of that… It exists and is occasionally funny, but that’s all that it was.

What I did enjoy about the film, and the reason why it got the rating I gave it, is that the cast is amazing. Charlie Day is a comedic genius and he played his silent character perfectly. As far as I can tell, Charlie Day wrote and directed this film simply to showcase how amazing he is as a comedic actor.

I knew when the time came for me to direct my first film, I would make it in the style and tone of what I’ve done with Fool’s Paradise. My initial inspiration was simple: I love movies like Being There. I felt as though they were never going to be made again, and I wouldn’t be given a chance to perform in a movie like that so I had to make one. Fool’s Paradise borrows a bit from an older style of movie like Airplane or Being There. Writing in that style and tone and then directing and acting in it made complete sense.

Charlie Day, writer/director/actor

I think where the film really lost me is that it is over the top, but it pulls back and reins itself in. Had the film fully embraced the style of Airplane, it would have been a slam dunk in my eyes. Instead, that concept is abandoned and that’s where I start to feel lost. I don’t want to see something done halfway.

I started out trying to make a biting satire about fame, fortune and celebrity because it seems to be our highest form of American currency. I wound up ditching that for a story more centrally-focused on how having a meaningful connection with another human being is life’s most valuable currency.

Charlie Day, writer/director/actor

I disagree with Day that he wound up ditching it. The majority of the film is satire around that concept with brilliant actors like Jason Sudeikis, Jillian Bell, and Edie Falco really lending themselves to that idea. However, the film then drags, losing the satire and becoming very muddled. When we come out the other end, we get the concept that Day describes with a focus on meaningful human connection, but that gets lost after spending so much time looking at a satirical view of Hollywood.

While the actors all delivered exactly what was required of them, the film doesn’t come together in the way that I feel Day wanted it to. Something was lost along the way and that loss definitely hurts the film. He had all the pieces – a great cast, the budget, and a great story – and then decided to pivot the story in a way that makes you feel like you’re watching two distinct movies. A completely satirical view about Hollywood and stardom and the fickle nature of the industry that starts out on high notes, and a buddy comedy about finding someone that you can truly be yourself with and connect with that lacks any formal conclusion or wrap-up.

That’s my take… I went in expecting what the trailer described and walked away disappointed and I think my review reflects that. The cast were all excellent and I cannot fault them at all, I just didn’t get what I wanted out of this experience and I found that to be very disappointing.

Fool’s Paradise will be released in theatres on May 12.

Fool's Paradise

Movie title: Fool's Paradise

Movie description: A satirical comedy about a down on his luck publicist, Lenny, who gets his lucky break when he discovers a man recently released from a mental health facility looks just like a method actor who refuses to leave his trailer. With the help of a powerful producer, Lenny helps the man become a huge star, and even marry his beautiful leading lady. Their adventures lead them to cross paths with drunken costars, irreverent unhoused action heroes, unpredictable directors, a super agent, and power mad moguls. Fame and fortune are not all they are cracked up to be, and the two men must fight their way back to the things that matter the most.

Date published: 2023-05-12

Director(s): Charlie Day

Actor(s): Charlie Day, Ken Jeong, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Jason Sudeikis, Edie Falco, Jason Bateman, Common, Jillian Bell, Dean Morris, Jimmi Simpson, Ray Liotta, John Malkovich

Genre: Comedy

Overall
2.5
  • Overall
  • Giggles & Grins
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The Best Man https://rotundreviews.com/the-best-man Mon, 08 May 2023 02:56:53 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3121 [...]]]> I’ve said it before, but I’ll continue to say it when reviewing films. The action films of the late 80s and early 90s will always have a special place in my heart. I’ll always have great memories of watching them with my dad when I was younger, and I love any chance to take a trip down nostalgia lane. Sadly, the action movies from then aren’t as popular as they once were, but we do have a new genre of action flicks that are equally good, yet somehow different today. Where we do get the action flicks that remind me of those days is in the world of low-budget, indie action movies. So, I enjoyed The Best Man simply because that’s what it is a low-budget action film with recognizable names.

One of those names is Dolph Lundgren, one of the great names to come out of 80s action. He was accompanied on this wild ride by Luke Wilson and Brendan Fehr. Luke Wilson may not be the most popular of the Wilsons, but who doesn’t enjoy seeing him on screen? He’s just done so many great films over the years. As for Fehr, he may be less recognizable to many, but he was great on Roswell (the real one, not that horrible reboot) and Night Shift. The cast was rounded out with Scout Taylor-Compton, who I didn’t recognize, but upon reviewing her IMDB, she has been in a few films that I’ve seen and Nicky Whelan who was in the film Maneater that I reviewed last year.

The cast did the great job and clearly had a lot of fun making the film. They all worked well together and shared a lot of on-screen chemistry. Lundgren, Wilson, and Fehr all held their own as action stars and, as director Shane Dax Taylor points out in his director’s notes, this was Wilson’s first action role. Holding his own alongside Lundgren is that much more impressive when you consider that. The script is just fun. The film is set in a casino resort and does a great job of making the facility (The Mescalero Apache Tribe’s Inn of the Mountain Gods) another character in the film. So much of what happens is dependant on the location providing the perfect sets to make it happen. It would be hard to imagine this film working as well shot in a different location with a different layout.

While I was watching the film, my wife was playing on her phone in the room. She dislikes action films and, generally, dislikes indie films… so this definitely wasn’t her cup of tea. Occasionally, she’d look up and make remarks like, “Wow, this looks cheap.” or “That doesn’t look believable.” and then return to her phone without any real context around what was just happening. I could see how someone not familiar with the action genre might think that. I, however, was very impressed the entire way through. The film was exactly what I wanted out of a throwback to the late 80s. It had tons of action, awesome fight scenes, and corny dialogue. Sure, it isn’t a Hollywood blockbuster, but it was enjoyable to watch and a lot of fun.

Since this was a basic action movie, there’s not a lot to describe here, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch it. This is the type of movie where you settle in for the night with a big bowl of popcorn and watch mindless action because mindless action is one of the best ways to checkout, forget your worries, and relax. That’s what this movie was… it was relaxation. That might sound odd if you’re not a fan of the genre, but for me… it was the exact thing that I needed. At a time when I was feeling burnt out, this movie was comfort. It helped me destress and unwind like only an action flick can.

The Best Man was released in theatres and on VOD and Digital on April 21.

The Best Man

Movie title: The Best Man

Movie description: Luke Wilson (3:10 to Yuma) and Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables) star in this pulse-pounding, action-packed thriller. When a team of ruthless mercenaries violently seize control of a remote resort hotel, former Special Ops soldiers attending their best friend's wedding must rely only on their wits and training to combat the terrorists and save the hostages held for ransom.

Date published: 2023-04-21

Director(s): Shane Dax Taylor

Actor(s): Brendan Fehr, Nicky Whelan, Scout Taylor Compton, Scott Martin, Dolph Lundgren, Luke Wilson

Genre: Action

Overall
3
  • Overall
  • Self Checkout
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Double Life https://rotundreviews.com/double-life Fri, 05 May 2023 13:00:26 +0000 https://rotundreviews.com/?p=3126 [...]]]> Sometimes, you go into a movie not expecting much. You expect it to be bad. This is common when a film appears to be low budget and lacks any recognizable names. When there’s no money and no celebrity, you never know what you’re going to get, so I find it is better to lower expectations. I’ve done this frequently since I started reviewing movies and it has paid off time and time again. Many of my favourite films fit into that category and they are fantastic. This is what happened with Double Life. I was pleasantly surprised while watching the movie.

Double Life gets everything right given what they had to work with. The story is simple – A man dies under mysterious circumstances and his widow and mistress meet at this grave, realizing that they may know something about what happened if they work together. The writers – Michael Hurst and Chris Sivertson – wrote something special. This is the type of script that with a Hollywood blockbuster budget, a known director, and recognizable, star-powered names could have been one of the biggest films of the year. That isn’t to knock the wonderful film that was put together, I just think that it’s important to realize that the script had a lot of room to grow and that’s a real credit to the writers behind it.

The film was shot in Vancouver but was one of those typical this isn’t Canada films. That doesn’t mean that you don’t get to enjoy some beautiful shots of the city, particularly at the start of the film. The rest of the film suffers from some weird cinematography at times and this is where it lost marks with me. Director Martin Wood has an impressive resume under his belt, but it is predominantly television and Christmas movies. In fact, he has worked on a lot of my favourite SciFi television over the years. That doesn’t translate well to shooting a thriller… at least it didn’t in this case. There are common elements in most thrillers that make the viewer feel on edge and this film definitely lacks that sense of urgency in its shots. It’s not poorly put together, it’s just that the style was detrimental to the idea that this was a thriller.

The weak performance in that area was, however, compensated for by the two leadings actors. Javicia Leslie and Pascale Hutton were absolutely brilliant as Jo and Sharon. While both women have had some claim to fame – Leslie in Batwoman and God Friended Me and Hutton in Arctic Air and When Calls the Heart – neither of them are well known and recognized names. It turns out, however, that they are both fantastic actors. Leslie, in particularly, steals the show and carries the film on her shoulders in a way that is hard to describe. I’ve become a fan of hers and I’ll be seeking out her films in the future. She absolutely kicks ass in the film, but I also really love the relationship that forms between Jo and Sharon. The idea of a woman befriending her dead husband’s mistress in order to figure out who murdered him is very interesting, and both women bring everything to their characters, truly bringing them to life. This might be where Wood deserves some credit, depending on how much direction he provided to these women.

This film also does a great job of reminding us that low budget (and I can only assume it was a low budget film) doesn’t mean cheap. Everything is well put together and it feels reasonably well polished. Honestly, with a bit more polish and better shooting in a few of the scenes, this could have easily been a 4 or maybe even a 4.5-star film. Pay particular attention near the end of the film to the warehouse scenes… I was not a fan of the camera work and editing here… something, and I can’t quite say what it was, but something felt off. I will say, however, that we need to go back to the script once again and talk about how great the story was. Taking two women who should hate each other and letting them naturally build a relationship while going through the worst moments of their lives gave the film a real dramatic twist that I wasn’t expecting and it did a lot to improve the overall quality of storytelling. Again, props to Hurst and Sivertson for writing something so special.

At the end of the day, this film was well done. I miss when rentals had variable pricing and could range between $3.99 and $6.99. I wouldn’t see this in theatres and I don’t think that it is a $6.99 rental… but I could definitely see renting this for $3.99 if I was looking for something to watch. I think it’s definitely worth adding to your wish list to watch for it as a $0.99 rental or checking it out if you see it on streaming. Taking a thriller and telling the story as a friendship builds was definitely an interesting approach.

Double Life was released in Theatres and on Digital on May 5, and will be on Demand on May 19.

Double Life

Movie title: Double Life

Movie description: A grieving widow learns from her late husband’s mistress that his death was no accident. The two women will form an unlikely alliance to uncover the truth behind his murder and unmask the man they both loved.

Date published: 2023-05-05

Director(s): Martin Wood

Actor(s): Javicia Leslie, Pascale Hutton, John Cassini, Vincent Gale, Aaron Douglas, Niall Matter, Carmen Moore, William MacDonald, Alex Stines

Genre: Thriller

Overall
3.5
  • Overall
  • White Knuckle Flick
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