tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4441823026085368522024-03-18T20:19:54.590-04:00The Artful CriticMovie Reviews by Jeremy KiblerJeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.comBlogger2208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-2398924248474872992024-03-17T08:00:00.050-04:002024-03-17T08:00:00.127-04:00"Imaginary" has more unintentional giggles than scares or imagination<p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp06VkVmnwyt6LQAqe7MWJ__ZzkJDZCq7acMkYsI1H5-lgIlJcHcPDLcpE1ZxieCPs5RRSzWNLQMXJOtpm1bVt_qQZRjF7aVw63cAMIyWV8vA6vlResG3elXcsENJzuMaiDmEzztE-XN7PHDIFyAF5o2S4cJjmsOtyT0BiZHn5W6B07M5kVhD1WaS-C4/s755/imaginary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp06VkVmnwyt6LQAqe7MWJ__ZzkJDZCq7acMkYsI1H5-lgIlJcHcPDLcpE1ZxieCPs5RRSzWNLQMXJOtpm1bVt_qQZRjF7aVw63cAMIyWV8vA6vlResG3elXcsENJzuMaiDmEzztE-XN7PHDIFyAF5o2S4cJjmsOtyT0BiZHn5W6B07M5kVhD1WaS-C4/s320/imaginary.jpg" width="209" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Imaginary (2024)<br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPQl7kc_8wT9dT6_nzIAwFN-mrS1xK_CYCwDg8KsWb5y1GCzNeljxoPlkYx1y-Gsd2PqEkHznH8bmA0sXV_iWUwx5GvM_QoCQ8nJfDDaLoGBUYb5mLl-2OWp8SF1wh4HfLfVI_d6qL6GSaTKDFT6VXyg8XKh7TGutOxMEFIpuZ4Ga2RlZHToPKeaInA0/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPQl7kc_8wT9dT6_nzIAwFN-mrS1xK_CYCwDg8KsWb5y1GCzNeljxoPlkYx1y-Gsd2PqEkHznH8bmA0sXV_iWUwx5GvM_QoCQ8nJfDDaLoGBUYb5mLl-2OWp8SF1wh4HfLfVI_d6qL6GSaTKDFT6VXyg8XKh7TGutOxMEFIpuZ4Ga2RlZHToPKeaInA0/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">There is a solid framework here for a horror movie about a malevolent imaginary friend — or even a killer plush toy. It’s too bad that director Jeff Wadlow’s "Imaginary"<i> </i>is done few favors in the mostly flat execution by not being playfully malevolent enough.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBx7xOBTeIG2q93S7FwziOuVJbT8nRgBMFQQFEksGMRoLEuJAeFFIhpeSnEbN2AuZdgZQ3wkx0t_45cy2y_VpV6kYdLyC9QHnEEQtepcDHvlpvROmnWkVu64awTs2EUGyNgBGgMCzOGSb9mkKh4JdLmP0lWVrb5WI4vzRtvCbWz_eTzBWLjT47qv0vuA/s1758/Imaginary%20IMDB.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1758" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBx7xOBTeIG2q93S7FwziOuVJbT8nRgBMFQQFEksGMRoLEuJAeFFIhpeSnEbN2AuZdgZQ3wkx0t_45cy2y_VpV6kYdLyC9QHnEEQtepcDHvlpvROmnWkVu64awTs2EUGyNgBGgMCzOGSb9mkKh4JdLmP0lWVrb5WI4vzRtvCbWz_eTzBWLjT47qv0vuA/s320/Imaginary%20IMDB.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">DeWanda Wise is warm and charismatic as Jess, a successful children’s book illustrator who moves back into her family home on Elm Street with her new husband, musician Max (Tom Payne), and two stepdaughters, teenage Taylor (Taegen Burns) and 8-year-old Alice (a very precocious Pyper Braun). When Max leaves to go on tour, Jess is left with the girls for some much-needed stepmommy time. The youngest, Alice, finds a stuffed bear named Chauncey behind a small door in the basement and quickly develops an attachment, which ends up jogging Jess’ repressed memories of her own childhood trauma. Unfortunately, Chauncey is always “hungry,” likes scavenger hunts, and makes Alice do bad things.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DNI0KScuJJnv3HB2e-oJXdh27oZ6WI3oB8JycV709ztDuDD_HPlys31SHL0yOPGtJI6XF5JLgLBtNt9fHBw7MMzrDbMzyhaTjwMjUr-Wdy3zgtXCg53-MaMAXyEaVLd1E_B6qcw9qBjpBRMOUUblxFWEQVC1z9B3169BNR9huK_81lFTPVphVaOjA7k/s1846/Screenshot%202024-03-14%20at%207.56.29%E2%80%AFPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1846" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DNI0KScuJJnv3HB2e-oJXdh27oZ6WI3oB8JycV709ztDuDD_HPlys31SHL0yOPGtJI6XF5JLgLBtNt9fHBw7MMzrDbMzyhaTjwMjUr-Wdy3zgtXCg53-MaMAXyEaVLd1E_B6qcw9qBjpBRMOUUblxFWEQVC1z9B3169BNR9huK_81lFTPVphVaOjA7k/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-14%20at%207.56.29%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Glimmers of the gateway-horror effort that this could have and should have been come through here and there, waiting to break free and really go nuts. For starters, DeWanda Wise instills Jess with rooting interest and can elevate even some of the stiffest dialogue. Her makeup is also always spot-on in every scene, but who said you can’t look radiant when being scared by an imaginary pal? It’s always nice to see Betty Buckley show up, classing up the role of nosy neighbor Gloria, even when she has to convince us of some laughable exposition and character motivations. This is the only movie in which you’ll ever hear a veteran actress say, “Bing Bong” (as in the imaginary friend from Pixar’s "Inside Out"). <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/imaginary-movie-review-no-genuine-scares-included" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>C -</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Lionsgate released "Imaginary" (104 min.) in theaters on March 8, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-42332121467159983602024-03-16T07:00:00.002-04:002024-03-16T07:00:00.127-04:00"Arthur the King" is emotionally manipulative but still a worthwhile crowd-pleaser<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPIgG3wm-LSuEWZrO3ps7KdUckRKM3mq_fw4UyHQCuNOpR5KhfWJZP_gtWYUea89KqRHuAYULc-KO6LFRlv92tZzaH6plJkt3RInmyL1DyyRHyZhcS1H89-QwYgS51D2ZsFzdCOgU_dCDfa_J7GfMYpGvC9l3fUvPgxMJg_hXTUfYXK3igDqQoKl6rQQ/s800/akng-27x40-1sht-rgb-v5_proxy_md.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="519" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPIgG3wm-LSuEWZrO3ps7KdUckRKM3mq_fw4UyHQCuNOpR5KhfWJZP_gtWYUea89KqRHuAYULc-KO6LFRlv92tZzaH6plJkt3RInmyL1DyyRHyZhcS1H89-QwYgS51D2ZsFzdCOgU_dCDfa_J7GfMYpGvC9l3fUvPgxMJg_hXTUfYXK3igDqQoKl6rQQ/s320/akng-27x40-1sht-rgb-v5_proxy_md.jpg" width="208" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">Arthur the King (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVZW8AGuVfxOT8SNq-Kkc_YUUEFJo1f-RNtxnn6peelvnKfBDaHSsonv0DOtQ6rhBZ0MnQcXpDRwLF1fu6Y1erts6jBrIDydXjjxq3K8aSe4RY7tihZvVvj7iTTgQBDSlusO-gI7euzathcnXjPIeVeGjYS2U3UsmjkoflWnZ_cxCbSZpMdAsQNYIqOA/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVZW8AGuVfxOT8SNq-Kkc_YUUEFJo1f-RNtxnn6peelvnKfBDaHSsonv0DOtQ6rhBZ0MnQcXpDRwLF1fu6Y1erts6jBrIDydXjjxq3K8aSe4RY7tihZvVvj7iTTgQBDSlusO-gI7euzathcnXjPIeVeGjYS2U3UsmjkoflWnZ_cxCbSZpMdAsQNYIqOA/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It’s part of the human experience to cry when a dog dies, in a movie or not. That’s not to say that the dog, the titular Arthur, in "Arthur the King" doesn’t make it, but “does the dog live?” becomes the ultimate question. Since this is based on a true story, a simple Google search (and the film’s very own marketing) can help in that department to relieve audiences. A masochistic entertainment, maybe, but "Arthur the King"<i> </i>is a worthwhile reminder that dogs are better and more loyal than humans.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMRN1Hq4JsGFe8Ze0H0hLQQAwj4jcFZOm58mCQGcnda7NprXUKxjt0g-J19wRbxeu9EgMdcD7DdloUNTc9fW-tYhn4wwKr_ezj1P1Bfk3OnRsia0L2kVNJxlvPFrOTsQ5ZC2OaIJFDM-BmeWkHCEjRmkdHcKcmqhYNy82hvPhPAG3dI4zJanRFEvvsG8/s800/Arthur%20the%20King%20Lionsgate.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMRN1Hq4JsGFe8Ze0H0hLQQAwj4jcFZOm58mCQGcnda7NprXUKxjt0g-J19wRbxeu9EgMdcD7DdloUNTc9fW-tYhn4wwKr_ezj1P1Bfk3OnRsia0L2kVNJxlvPFrOTsQ5ZC2OaIJFDM-BmeWkHCEjRmkdHcKcmqhYNy82hvPhPAG3dI4zJanRFEvvsG8/s320/Arthur%20the%20King%20Lionsgate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Based upon Mikael Lindnord’s 2017 book <i>Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home, </i>the film stars Mark Wahlberg as a non-Swedish version of Mikael: extreme athlete Michael Light. Three years after a 2015 adventure race in Costa Rica, Michael resides in Colorado with his wife and daughter. He joins his father’s real estate team, but Michael knows his real calling, and it’s convincing sponsors to back him and a team of athletes to compete in the ten-day Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. His team includes two former teammates, social media model Leo (Simu Liu) and Chik (Ali Suliman), and climber Olivia (the always-appealing Nathalie Emmanuel). While in Santo Domingo, Michael feeds meatballs to a stray dog. Well, in three days across 200 miles, that same dog ends up following Michael and his team in the jungle without any of them noticing. Michael dubs the dog “Arthur,” and along their journey of terrain cycling, hiking, and kayaking, that loyal furry companion becomes more than a mascot but one of their own. Do you want to cry now or later?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6ozCTEvwWretV5eCFmW2voPRS39TuX8yBc6h-uDN2fWC5bvZK5gCBun2Rx51ttfPMxxr2LSuJk5R5x_kXM-EqEcGzrsr8raGx_eDmwEoWmPnLUJBCi7BTCSu-_EJnRaAu2pj75O5O5_qhWXHljLHMcBmz_a9u4ubgngIc-BfEPZCYSfQKo66Yvys2H0/s800/ATK_01912RC_proxy_md.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6ozCTEvwWretV5eCFmW2voPRS39TuX8yBc6h-uDN2fWC5bvZK5gCBun2Rx51ttfPMxxr2LSuJk5R5x_kXM-EqEcGzrsr8raGx_eDmwEoWmPnLUJBCi7BTCSu-_EJnRaAu2pj75O5O5_qhWXHljLHMcBmz_a9u4ubgngIc-BfEPZCYSfQKo66Yvys2H0/s320/ATK_01912RC_proxy_md.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">"Arthur the King"<i> </i>is a case of emotional manipulation, but it is a crowd-pleaser through and through. Writer Michael Brandt and director Simon Cellan Jones (<a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-family-plan-hums-along-as-stale.html" target="_blank">"The Family Plan"</a>) do make us wait a bit too long until Arthur intersects with Michael and his team. In these scenes without the dog, the film compels just enough with sufficient character work (Michael and Leo learn to set aside their egos and bury the hatchet, Olivia has personal reasons why she decided to join, and Chik has a bad knee from last time). There’s some standard in-fighting in the rain during a significant moment, of course, and plenty of awesome pep talks, but we’re mainly here for the pooch.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/arthur-the-king-movie-review-incredible-journey-is-shameless-but-effective" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B -</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Lionsgate released "Arthur the King" (90 min.) in theaters on March 15, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-27349203108128310942024-03-09T08:00:00.001-05:002024-03-09T08:00:00.129-05:00"Ricky Stanicky" is not a return to form for one Farrelly brother<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUOqfv9atHn5RnFHA9dS1Z5KFZnkd7EIjyp_OWUupXQ3B6z-uYAIljuKZlrfrq9hQ_04dKt0CMNQzZFl2jThyphenhyphenLwTjPDtQng6ofmNAvsWq4YWHRDo2buYTILb5pefxu3oCH2odHqo5uQSlNKk212doy9V8-4BLsYI4SJqlbIpyNqkWWawQgJCRCn77xS8/s1481/MV5BOTMyYjg2NzMtNmQzZS00YzMxLTkzNDItMTIwODJhZDI1MmY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDM2NDM2MQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUOqfv9atHn5RnFHA9dS1Z5KFZnkd7EIjyp_OWUupXQ3B6z-uYAIljuKZlrfrq9hQ_04dKt0CMNQzZFl2jThyphenhyphenLwTjPDtQng6ofmNAvsWq4YWHRDo2buYTILb5pefxu3oCH2odHqo5uQSlNKk212doy9V8-4BLsYI4SJqlbIpyNqkWWawQgJCRCn77xS8/s320/MV5BOTMyYjg2NzMtNmQzZS00YzMxLTkzNDItMTIwODJhZDI1MmY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDM2NDM2MQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" width="216" /></a><br /><b style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;">Ricky Stanicky (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnhmtOrmF539gmq3TYs5Nbdwk9-cr-FfxHoFODqRbiTvfn7_IdwNeaq9xbgzAJMNHcRSmbA3iO0oyXeLnpm4bqnn6gc3X-EHecArOKxT6h8s2uQw3PMMFJI8m6T2pSniMTHZN1arrJUStYk8GuBjIabBzojO5wTU6gWdIq19364OjootXWbVmdjMznQE/s22/Rated%20R.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnhmtOrmF539gmq3TYs5Nbdwk9-cr-FfxHoFODqRbiTvfn7_IdwNeaq9xbgzAJMNHcRSmbA3iO0oyXeLnpm4bqnn6gc3X-EHecArOKxT6h8s2uQw3PMMFJI8m6T2pSniMTHZN1arrJUStYk8GuBjIabBzojO5wTU6gWdIq19364OjootXWbVmdjMznQE/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></div></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It seems like only two weeks ago that <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2024/02/drive-away-dolls-is-slight-but-zippy.html" target="_blank">another duo of filmmaking brothers</a> branched off for one of them to make a solo project. Peter Farrelly may have made two other movies ("Green Book" and "The Greatest Beer Run Ever") without Bobby Farrelly, but "Ricky Stanicky"<i> </i>is clearly supposed to be his own return to the Farrelly Brothers' comedic brand of smartly stupid and sweet. Without a memorable comic gag or an underlying sweetness that actually feels earned, "Ricky Stanicky" is an imbecilic, mean-spirited misfire that almost has the power to make you hate the human race.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lRo9KRiDLtbQZS4lfeVYlHn6vA-fNUwl9f106Hvc-1E4mq1zl1C11s6_9wgBmo3TAKyJFhOl0W4E2ip8Mo5dKsnvpdGI7bpxczsGp_BP3CcFisRtdjQ3c0GFWD4BCoeUN_JjSHZ6dzc9f0LL3BPOc8ZeYA-FxsA0-anhjBUC5zLRoVLCIc02jfj2IbM/s1728/Screenshot%202024-03-06%20at%204.34.06%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1728" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lRo9KRiDLtbQZS4lfeVYlHn6vA-fNUwl9f106Hvc-1E4mq1zl1C11s6_9wgBmo3TAKyJFhOl0W4E2ip8Mo5dKsnvpdGI7bpxczsGp_BP3CcFisRtdjQ3c0GFWD4BCoeUN_JjSHZ6dzc9f0LL3BPOc8ZeYA-FxsA0-anhjBUC5zLRoVLCIc02jfj2IbM/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-06%20at%204.34.06%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler play Dean, JT, and Wes, childhood best friends who have seemingly never grown up. Whenever they pulled a prank (like lighting shit on fire on someone’s porch), they blamed it on “Ricky Stanicky,” their nonexistent fourth friend whom they make up on the fly. Even 25 years later, as these adult men are in committed relationships and one of them is about to have their first child, they always have an alibi to get out of certain commitments. For instance, JT gets out of his own baby shower and hightails it to Atlantic City because Ricky’s cancer is back and he needs an emergency surgery in Albany. Naturally, as the wives (and a demanding mother-in-law) demand to finally meet Ricky, the trio hires “Rock Hard” Ron (John Cena), an alcoholic actor and one-man musical act of jerk-off jams. Do you think this fraud will become a hanger-on and not leave?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3un31GM1RRtoGMEaBEhsyD1Na0JeEIjo6wq83qHkZK5UF1P_H_aSlq6P9RTfpQfymWWLAG01jHKF8FNOGr4NgMF_Durn3OxlT6z5lrTC7JVYW69KXp-o3ZUNL3zyV7IyArkp0Wk3z3vwBog2NwV0Or84LlNQMSM3CNLL49QTp9o1liCApcAsotuuWKPU/s1200/Ricky%20Stanicky%20Amazon%20MGM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3un31GM1RRtoGMEaBEhsyD1Na0JeEIjo6wq83qHkZK5UF1P_H_aSlq6P9RTfpQfymWWLAG01jHKF8FNOGr4NgMF_Durn3OxlT6z5lrTC7JVYW69KXp-o3ZUNL3zyV7IyArkp0Wk3z3vwBog2NwV0Or84LlNQMSM3CNLL49QTp9o1liCApcAsotuuWKPU/s320/Ricky%20Stanicky%20Amazon%20MGM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It’d be one thing if "Ricky Stanicky" was proudly R-rated <i>and</i> funny, but Peter Farrelly seems pretty presumptuous about the latter. It doesn’t help that the screenplay by Jeff Bushell and Brian Jarvis & James Lee Freeman & Peter Farrelly & Pete Jones & Mike Cerrone (that’s six, count ‘em, six writers) has no trouble making Dean, JT, and Wes a trio of frustrating dumbasses. Of course, the characters’ constant refusal to accept any responsibility in their lives has to exist in order to make the premise work, but overlooking that doesn’t make these guys any easier to get on board with.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/ricky-stanicky-movie-review-farrelly-brother-comedy-is-dead-on-arrival" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>D</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Amazon MGM released "Ricky Stanicky" (112 min.) on Prime Video on March 7, 2024. </i></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-89812280446376673682024-03-03T08:00:00.000-05:002024-03-03T08:00:00.251-05:00"Spaceman" is a strangely moving swing for both Sandler and Netflix<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0RkIW18Kjq15G0AUSkWZVfAhzDQ7LPrzNIBGd0d_rXcZaQIMJZl_L-_j6RFw2Ntq4aTeZHn5fs3iFDfLW4MqhIJ0F2YsKl1TDK0pr3B_LUuku19F3cxqsbvzRpPGsQlEWwUjN-sjjEn3PrjkvVNm7qTUImikOU0LG0YxhZVDyiMKjr5KZT9UcnRPY-4/s755/spaceman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0RkIW18Kjq15G0AUSkWZVfAhzDQ7LPrzNIBGd0d_rXcZaQIMJZl_L-_j6RFw2Ntq4aTeZHn5fs3iFDfLW4MqhIJ0F2YsKl1TDK0pr3B_LUuku19F3cxqsbvzRpPGsQlEWwUjN-sjjEn3PrjkvVNm7qTUImikOU0LG0YxhZVDyiMKjr5KZT9UcnRPY-4/s320/spaceman.jpg" width="256" /></a><br /></span><b style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: xx-large; text-align: justify;">Spaceman (2024)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yosYVytr_Yp5jyalcNZPR4UF2JDAUR4N1kk5ugjTe8xC9vdRFzdh77dDLrdWpJWxnSYRLWphzYzG2qCy_-ziQ43zy4AbyxT8RQO3C2fJHAqNOli0rXiw-qPaK61IFlGwl_-4BTVc0Akzx_FKhhDUxqT7Z_UhuiW9-F4GxQD5yiIBNXUHBAG8aOlQwak/s22/Rated%20R.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yosYVytr_Yp5jyalcNZPR4UF2JDAUR4N1kk5ugjTe8xC9vdRFzdh77dDLrdWpJWxnSYRLWphzYzG2qCy_-ziQ43zy4AbyxT8RQO3C2fJHAqNOli0rXiw-qPaK61IFlGwl_-4BTVc0Akzx_FKhhDUxqT7Z_UhuiW9-F4GxQD5yiIBNXUHBAG8aOlQwak/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">If A24 made a film with Adam Sandler talking to a giant spider in space, it might look something like the strangely moving and thoughtful "Spaceman<i>." </i>That will be either be a bug or a feature to audiences expecting a certain kind of delivery system from the Sandman, but there’s no denying that this is a big swing, particularly for Netflix.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQSBYh9gnUX5dIF5FkQWHXyVeqBrtDIAfaL35x23iMUe-hr_cEJ9Np1c8qsJVSM_OJ7C8RheTa9nFnCXz-7RgvdE34faJDvxui34YfpD8U5hHQRxwX_m-rMlJbHvgCvM1cQVkYElA3EMcfq96FA1TUNjuWJ43j_ewRaLal56UcAc5VE6I53N83fjt9lWM/s7200/Spaceman_n_00_35_40_12_R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3068" data-original-width="7200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQSBYh9gnUX5dIF5FkQWHXyVeqBrtDIAfaL35x23iMUe-hr_cEJ9Np1c8qsJVSM_OJ7C8RheTa9nFnCXz-7RgvdE34faJDvxui34YfpD8U5hHQRxwX_m-rMlJbHvgCvM1cQVkYElA3EMcfq96FA1TUNjuWJ43j_ewRaLal56UcAc5VE6I53N83fjt9lWM/s320/Spaceman_n_00_35_40_12_R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Six months into his solo journey, Czech cosmonaut Commander Jakub Prochazka (Sandler) is headed toward Jupiter and the Chopra cloud in hopes of unraveling the mysteries of the universe. His pregnant wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), is back on Earth, and while Jakub has not heard from her, she has already left him a message, telling Jakub that she is leaving him. The higher-ups on the ground, however, have decided not to pass the message along. In a state of cabin fever and isolation, Jakub finds a giant spider locked in the bowels of his ship. He panics, thinking he has lost his mind, but the spider means him no harm. It<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>calls him “Skinny Human” and hopes that its presence can lessen his solitude.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPc0x5vsQmOh0j8Y3t03Z56yx3FESPofTeO6OgsqWK69o_E57wk3EMEaQCcNnmm0a0_kCQzT5VOAIFcObs0wGNdUE219y-GAuujWx-0BJ0ZbZ7lhb4oLg5JWUpDyMGaSAgT65s_H8GYoeaynt1DCqGGfiexyAmtn3uZo1a8N4eEj-WIEt7WQ7wDMQqeY/s7200/Spaceman_n_01_04_45_09_R%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3068" data-original-width="7200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPc0x5vsQmOh0j8Y3t03Z56yx3FESPofTeO6OgsqWK69o_E57wk3EMEaQCcNnmm0a0_kCQzT5VOAIFcObs0wGNdUE219y-GAuujWx-0BJ0ZbZ7lhb4oLg5JWUpDyMGaSAgT65s_H8GYoeaynt1DCqGGfiexyAmtn3uZo1a8N4eEj-WIEt7WQ7wDMQqeY/s320/Spaceman_n_01_04_45_09_R%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">As written by Colby Day (based on Jaroslav Kalfar’s book "Spaceman of Bohemia") and directed by Johan Renck, "Spaceman"<i> </i>is not a traditional space saga or even science fiction per se, but a journey of self. Somber and melancholy, this is more of a ruminative character study that just happens to be primarily set on a spacecraft, exploring loneliness and self-examination. Despite not taking on a Czech accent (and it was probably for the best), Sandler is restrained and stripped-down in a beautifully fine-tuned performance as the loneliest man in the world. Rather than acting with himself and only himself à la Matt Damon in "The Martian," Sandler gets to play opposite an animated spider. As soothingly voiced by Paul Dano, the spider (which Jakub later names “Hanuš”) is eventually unthreatening. For a leggy, six-eyed creature (and the visual effects are quite tactile), Hanuš actually looks awfully cuddly with Dano’s gentle voice and a big jar of Czech-branded Nutella. <span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/spaceman-movie-review-adam-sandler-and-a-spider-chitchat-in-moving-space-drama" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B +</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Netflix released "Spaceman" (108 min.) in select theaters on February 23, 2024, followed by a streaming release on March 1, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-7939425124809034732024-02-25T08:00:00.021-05:002024-02-25T08:00:00.134-05:00"Drive-Away Dolls" is slight but a zippy, bawdy, and silly goof<p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z1ZBW0bmXS6sqqJbXhFNMGYhbmB-AyWIxrgaMbEVjX4Es2tEwmyDF6k-IdRbDCGUl_c5bAIpszO9CGJnnkqxcbRh4pNhWGnsE4bGBrsaBk8V4i3a9KxSOctxkBQRz5ZnzAiUKIdf4Q28Qdn2gI7XMK_DUBAMiJvDxqEuFN8NTaG5etSBFnzbMrPf2tg/s2880/DAD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="1944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z1ZBW0bmXS6sqqJbXhFNMGYhbmB-AyWIxrgaMbEVjX4Es2tEwmyDF6k-IdRbDCGUl_c5bAIpszO9CGJnnkqxcbRh4pNhWGnsE4bGBrsaBk8V4i3a9KxSOctxkBQRz5ZnzAiUKIdf4Q28Qdn2gI7XMK_DUBAMiJvDxqEuFN8NTaG5etSBFnzbMrPf2tg/s320/DAD.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Drive-Away Dolls (2024)<br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisIQWsNmgITzxIf3U48TYI8Uq9t1TkyIdvK2aYGVJ7jOrpNJxaJ_Ymg8ElA-h6TFpiFVegfyes7jbdAB0km6YbZhMD3RG3kl-idq2jgP9jhVKcVIIq2Vh5PtSdWeZ3SmRc4yNHmXT77DKM2qpLog3vxhte5nuRyraJpDReYTCR6mMxjR0xPbVbBk7QwI/s22/Rated%20R.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisIQWsNmgITzxIf3U48TYI8Uq9t1TkyIdvK2aYGVJ7jOrpNJxaJ_Ymg8ElA-h6TFpiFVegfyes7jbdAB0km6YbZhMD3RG3kl-idq2jgP9jhVKcVIIq2Vh5PtSdWeZ3SmRc4yNHmXT77DKM2qpLog3vxhte5nuRyraJpDReYTCR6mMxjR0xPbVbBk7QwI/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">"Drive-Away Dolls" is a very Coen brother-y movie with only one brother attached. Ethan Coen, the other Coen who didn’t make "The Tragedy of Macbeth," goes solo this time with queer wife, co-writer, and editor Tricia Cooke in what is their lesbian road movie. From screwball comedy to crime-caper thriller, "Drive-Away Dolls" swerves between genres in lively fashion, and it’s a slight but zippy, bawdy, and chaotically silly goof.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP2xxHySCKrL9pBAKN12fBk4UOkoRZMK1raIqq7cOn8_efAAkDDLaDLLuJBqL97p9r6ll6ppT6jR5JRLKrLhO3Pdpxn-ArjtmGBHVGgqoxZJDnFAHb_tuBT3b7-HRtjk_mOxdVhZOEZQq_mN5HaHh3tEPCEkB5ZAbKfx4D6M4zPOT97KVSqFYQmUJ4qo/s800/Drive%20Away%20Dolls%20Focus%20Features.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP2xxHySCKrL9pBAKN12fBk4UOkoRZMK1raIqq7cOn8_efAAkDDLaDLLuJBqL97p9r6ll6ppT6jR5JRLKrLhO3Pdpxn-ArjtmGBHVGgqoxZJDnFAHb_tuBT3b7-HRtjk_mOxdVhZOEZQq_mN5HaHh3tEPCEkB5ZAbKfx4D6M4zPOT97KVSqFYQmUJ4qo/s320/Drive%20Away%20Dolls%20Focus%20Features.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Set in pre-Y2K 1999, the film begins with an “important” case that will eventually get into the wrong hands. From there, we meet two Philadelphia friends who are lesbians but platonic: the uptight pencil-pusher Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) and coarse thrill-seeker Jamie (Margaret Qualley). After Jamie cheats on her cop girlfriend Sukie (a fiercely funny Beanie Feldstein), she decides to get out of town, and Marian is going with her. En route to Tallahassee, they purchase a drive-away car, but wouldn’t you know it, that special case is in the trunk of this Dodge Aries and some bad men want it back. Even if the goons don’t find the goods from these broads, at least Jamie and Marian have explored every dyke bar along the way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP6Nw1wJ-03qG3B7yKU55p0K4jO9-dXwIl9Meb3dbQpwauSm27d0Z54-zg8wBOFjNe2Z-Y074wyiAiOVa5MHvy-Wm6oHkFckpyXgSqGtQ0lTvqfDYw6RTRszs8AurrrSsvwmIZWtp5dSdizOWgg5MKp_7OKz1IxRschALimm5zw_mPIOERtsjyRjkScw/s1950/Screenshot%202024-02-24%20at%2010.08.27%E2%80%AFAM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1950" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP6Nw1wJ-03qG3B7yKU55p0K4jO9-dXwIl9Meb3dbQpwauSm27d0Z54-zg8wBOFjNe2Z-Y074wyiAiOVa5MHvy-Wm6oHkFckpyXgSqGtQ0lTvqfDYw6RTRszs8AurrrSsvwmIZWtp5dSdizOWgg5MKp_7OKz1IxRschALimm5zw_mPIOERtsjyRjkScw/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-24%20at%2010.08.27%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A shaggy-dog yarn with an offbeat, absurdist energy, "Drive-Away Dolls" may not mean much in the morning, but it’s a helluva lot of fun—and often very funny—while it’s happening. Coen’s solo direction is exuberant with groovy, unpredictable scene transitions (wipes, dissolves, you name it) and psychedelic flourishes (some involving Miley Cyrus) with a payoff that should just be discovered.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rxxE37J4i-yl6UaVsJ_82J8NoX7aKnFcTPaG-bg5R74nWQ7-jChvfpAb3klMEix4CqQ9K4HLU8lO-u_OrGeEvRGpU-Nfpaafh7MJ-rGhVNhfym-gtF7dHtwdEex74P-lL8t7HDeK2rECQMOaMIbF65OfmRR9DSOirHOvdaMLMjYAWc5cSrbY3JKmHmw/s1720/Screenshot%202024-02-24%20at%2010.08.16%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="1720" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rxxE37J4i-yl6UaVsJ_82J8NoX7aKnFcTPaG-bg5R74nWQ7-jChvfpAb3klMEix4CqQ9K4HLU8lO-u_OrGeEvRGpU-Nfpaafh7MJ-rGhVNhfym-gtF7dHtwdEex74P-lL8t7HDeK2rECQMOaMIbF65OfmRR9DSOirHOvdaMLMjYAWc5cSrbY3JKmHmw/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-24%20at%2010.08.16%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">How wonderful that we finally live in a world where Margaret Qualley leads a major film release. Compared to her other performances (particularly her tremendous TV work in "The Leftovers" and "Maid"), this is a broad comic performance controlled with sharp timing, and Qualley is fully committed to let the character of Jamie just be Jamie. Pairing Qualley with the expertly deadpan Geraldine Viswanathan turns out to be a real treat. Everyone is game, but even the supporting cast is unimpeachable—Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon, Colman Domingo, and Bill Camp—even if some roles are fleeting. </span><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/drive-away-dolls-movie-review-coen-brother-and-wifes-screwball-caper-is-a-slight-goof" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Focus Features released "Drive-Away Dolls" (84 min.) in theaters on February 23, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-49702037871571833232024-02-24T09:56:00.003-05:002024-02-24T10:02:50.787-05:00"Ordinary Angels" should be mawkish but it's sincere and persuasively acted<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeSjYWODMb96kMRF6HsfT8qtD6avUZi0rH_KXLtGJT3LYHSyv0NIH47ohKrGIcgtYLhQSV1b6yvjfRCULebikpREinOeE9-F9ca2BQF5CO8X5N4Tb1jyJn0oc5YahEnBzQFYZaJerJ9laMitPxsXISchOqxBYna78XSLzJIlDd3Hvyv0gEGScY-zKfy4/s800/OrdinaryAngels_2000x3000_proxy_md.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeSjYWODMb96kMRF6HsfT8qtD6avUZi0rH_KXLtGJT3LYHSyv0NIH47ohKrGIcgtYLhQSV1b6yvjfRCULebikpREinOeE9-F9ca2BQF5CO8X5N4Tb1jyJn0oc5YahEnBzQFYZaJerJ9laMitPxsXISchOqxBYna78XSLzJIlDd3Hvyv0gEGScY-zKfy4/s320/OrdinaryAngels_2000x3000_proxy_md.jpg" width="213" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">Ordinary Angels (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlHAxB1DOYNInLYmaQZ6jJAb0H9Z7yhKpTsdr6A6PrE8AL93ryX4WN1mTx-dlulxlSAHPYY6HNjQneJ7xi5QGwFChP5YWgIrjEbLRY8Jldv0t95OBu-NSjgNRYpVMfRRjmAggefZ4p175eN8vNDwKUIQlvY3YBUp-Q06rFUBPd7Y82xpRPDEvUwTPGi8/s31/Rated%20PG.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="19" data-original-width="31" height="19" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlHAxB1DOYNInLYmaQZ6jJAb0H9Z7yhKpTsdr6A6PrE8AL93ryX4WN1mTx-dlulxlSAHPYY6HNjQneJ7xi5QGwFChP5YWgIrjEbLRY8Jldv0t95OBu-NSjgNRYpVMfRRjmAggefZ4p175eN8vNDwKUIQlvY3YBUp-Q06rFUBPd7Y82xpRPDEvUwTPGi8/s1600/Rated%20PG.png" width="31" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Released under the Erwin brothers’ faith-based production company Kingdom Story Company, "Ordinary Angels"<i> </i>is less Christian propaganda than it is a persuasively told true story. Not just about keeping faith, it’s even more so about human kindness, a community rallying together with an average Erin Brockovich type leading the charge. It sounds mawkish beyond belief, and while it is simplistic in places, "Ordinary Angels"<i> </i>is always sincere and never preachy.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKtaykt3rqEQ7Owi0AwEa8XAjR12L5P5Z-2pwE3OZASYlcJmvSPIJYqcvPQOFGc6NOTdz9QEsjTAL9sWVb6pOC9nyfNb724lSaZnRlhztVq217sLrSw50Pkjez7PObX7y5Ute0lfay50WesIfqs-QKo5uRSN4MoPFVO6Adw9Oz5w6q4hWNS3rSUnhpQY/s3000/Ordinary%20Angels%20Lionsgate.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKtaykt3rqEQ7Owi0AwEa8XAjR12L5P5Z-2pwE3OZASYlcJmvSPIJYqcvPQOFGc6NOTdz9QEsjTAL9sWVb6pOC9nyfNb724lSaZnRlhztVq217sLrSw50Pkjez7PObX7y5Ute0lfay50WesIfqs-QKo5uRSN4MoPFVO6Adw9Oz5w6q4hWNS3rSUnhpQY/s320/Ordinary%20Angels%20Lionsgate.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In Louisville, Kentucky, 1993, blue-collar roofer and girl dad Ed Schmitt (Alan Ritchson) has lost his wife Theresa (Amy Acker) to the rare Wegener’s disease. Now, he’s forced to raise his two daughters, Ashley (Skywalker Hughes), and 5-year-old Michelle (Emily Mitchell), who’s just been diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a congenital liver disease where a liver transplant is her only hope. To make matters worse, Ed doesn’t have health insurance, and the emergency room bills just keep piling up. An unlikely angel on Earth emerges in the form of hairdresser Sharon Stevens (Hilary Swank), a bleary-eyed alcoholic in denial. When Sharon sees the newspaper headline about the Schmitt family’s circumstances, she decides to help and makes this her purpose.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrA1hlHJ98cV2ahxgWksgiw_3y9zu-i0M8xbU0lkIxry8rPmyUTIKX5bPNu6363-nhTsDucKtDVaveUasq5VFdcBGyxPBDy0_CrNjWeJcgIEOMmFBxCiAYbJrWMY8odRHkzi_hmSbFFX1WYR4HG7XyCfuei-Nh7W4BbS4YZ2N7-EApX9yC0a20yj7sNWI/s3000/ordangel-unit-220505-00772r.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrA1hlHJ98cV2ahxgWksgiw_3y9zu-i0M8xbU0lkIxry8rPmyUTIKX5bPNu6363-nhTsDucKtDVaveUasq5VFdcBGyxPBDy0_CrNjWeJcgIEOMmFBxCiAYbJrWMY8odRHkzi_hmSbFFX1WYR4HG7XyCfuei-Nh7W4BbS4YZ2N7-EApX9yC0a20yj7sNWI/s320/ordangel-unit-220505-00772r.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Lighting up every scene with a gaudy, sparkly array of skirts and heels, the ever-reliable Hilary Swank is a force as Sharon. A real go-getter, she is brash, pushy, and no-nonsense, and yet not without a big heart, and Swank cannily makes the character arc work. Initially, the viewer just has to take a leap of faith that Sharon finds it in her heart that she’s supposed to help the Schmitt family pay off their debt in hospital bills and begin a fundraiser out of her shop. We do eventually come to see what makes Sharon tick, and her flawed nature gives the character enough of an edge to not be merely a saintly figure. <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/ordinary-angels-movie-review-hilary-swank-is-very-persuasive-in-life-affirming-true-story" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B -</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Lionsgate released "Ordinary Angels" (116 min.) in theaters on February 23, 2024.</b></i></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-24821656609575539972024-02-16T07:45:00.001-05:002024-02-16T07:45:35.716-05:00"Players" is a snappy hook-up comedy that's hard to hate<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0fSgjBgYs0bxoxAi7dI0239-lnT0qACLSjw-nWPs-GY9SrL3yEA2to2iij-jFGqXDQvL5xZerI91kFhwtunccMcDuCrVu4Yq4rs5aGrd_90OtC-F1F6vQ83RO2uWlWSbcPk74RU7xGF0QrizQBLpbGhdpzkmJs-NOqXDbWRK0GsIBUqhyphenhyphens9Ypq5KGJU/s2223/EN-US_PLAYERS_Main_Vertical_27x40_sRGB_PRE.jpg,EN-US_PLAYERS_Main_Vertical_27x40_sRGB_PRE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2223" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0fSgjBgYs0bxoxAi7dI0239-lnT0qACLSjw-nWPs-GY9SrL3yEA2to2iij-jFGqXDQvL5xZerI91kFhwtunccMcDuCrVu4Yq4rs5aGrd_90OtC-F1F6vQ83RO2uWlWSbcPk74RU7xGF0QrizQBLpbGhdpzkmJs-NOqXDbWRK0GsIBUqhyphenhyphens9Ypq5KGJU/s320/EN-US_PLAYERS_Main_Vertical_27x40_sRGB_PRE.jpg,EN-US_PLAYERS_Main_Vertical_27x40_sRGB_PRE.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;">Players (2024)<br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58aPsMpA1Hstdz328N3eD0jdNjOrMwXVrye6fO1buQ-_Ekt3IJRxAHRh73-Yk7RvYDYTsxg9_U44rp1bTWLPaTTEa1Xt4gEMsq65caUyrjenlerEj8Z1vgUPuAVWsuOqVL6ZEOQfnM3xZ3H6ivcYkwgZ87wqws0YWNt8HNcYue8J5tz-5vxw94kj7GHQ/s1004/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-13%20at%2012.11.30%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1004" height="31" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58aPsMpA1Hstdz328N3eD0jdNjOrMwXVrye6fO1buQ-_Ekt3IJRxAHRh73-Yk7RvYDYTsxg9_U44rp1bTWLPaTTEa1Xt4gEMsq65caUyrjenlerEj8Z1vgUPuAVWsuOqVL6ZEOQfnM3xZ3H6ivcYkwgZ87wqws0YWNt8HNcYue8J5tz-5vxw94kj7GHQ/w40-h31/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-13%20at%2012.11.30%20AM.png" width="40" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">When you get right down to it, "Players" is a romantic comedy about scheming liars — not unlike "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" or "Failure to Launch." When taken as a lightly entertaining heist movie, it actually gets away with us not hating these players, even if their games are borderline sociopathic. Making a difference is that first-time writer Whit Andersen and director Trish Sie (<a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/09/sitting-in-bars-with-cake-is-more-than.html" target="_blank">"Sitting in Bars with Cake"</a>) are blessed with the appealing likes of Gina Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr., Augustus Prew, Joel Courtney, and Liza Koshy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHokYDbbF63LyIpwpSErq7NtsIQB5bzRSpfeVDmD_9A_B0cqdmsA9VeZ_U_ud3rllteeid_UZqKAo85zLSgAx_I0zCxXDxQyZKMSgjtUUNWp9YOF2IlI8xv3yJps3iayiTgIHHmwtRRinuangE5KLyyXH_U99aasZEMVDMG_aDNpWqepOB_K90WmdwrNg/s7200/Players%20Netflix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4800" data-original-width="7200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHokYDbbF63LyIpwpSErq7NtsIQB5bzRSpfeVDmD_9A_B0cqdmsA9VeZ_U_ud3rllteeid_UZqKAo85zLSgAx_I0zCxXDxQyZKMSgjtUUNWp9YOF2IlI8xv3yJps3iayiTgIHHmwtRRinuangE5KLyyXH_U99aasZEMVDMG_aDNpWqepOB_K90WmdwrNg/s320/Players%20Netflix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Rodriguez is so magnetic and charismatic as ever in playing Mack, a thirtysomething New York sportswriter at a dying newspaper, <i>The Brooklyn Ace</i>. When she isn’t covering ping pong and turtle racing, she masterminds “plays” to scheme her way into bed with people she meets in bars. Mack doesn’t do this alone but with longtime colleague/friend Adam (Wayans Jr.), the paper’s visuals editor, as well as bisexual obituarist Brannagan (Prew) and his unemployed little brother Ryan (Courtney), whom they all call “Little.” Mack is the first to realize that she’s tired of all of the one-night stands and may actually want a mature relationship with another adult. Enter hot eligible bachelor Nick Russel (Tom Ellis), a reputable reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist who’s working on his new book and happens to know Mack, Adam, and Brannagan’s boss. Can Mack parlay a hookup with Nick into something more?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWv1Z-Dz7r_myuDmOZhvNBqgIjysI3XsfAUlySt8aRBzYBmGGEKj35wRfyH6bJc7MATIfaKu5i2BLrWbF3O9FQrQT97gAmyuXQwB6hmp8_6ghQSHHr_ojDAq4KanK1pT2a63qzqsg_PigHNbL7GbhVIvj-JVglUJwU9ZDa2LoCOjFWugIjprfWoM12tA/s7200/P_20210726_Unit_00420_R2.jpg,P_20210726_Unit_00420_R2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4800" data-original-width="7200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWv1Z-Dz7r_myuDmOZhvNBqgIjysI3XsfAUlySt8aRBzYBmGGEKj35wRfyH6bJc7MATIfaKu5i2BLrWbF3O9FQrQT97gAmyuXQwB6hmp8_6ghQSHHr_ojDAq4KanK1pT2a63qzqsg_PigHNbL7GbhVIvj-JVglUJwU9ZDa2LoCOjFWugIjprfWoM12tA/s320/P_20210726_Unit_00420_R2.jpg,P_20210726_Unit_00420_R2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">On the page, no one would seem like a catch. It’s even surprising that these guys do find time to sometimes talk about more than just the mechanics of dating. For characters who spend their free time devising games to sleep with other people, it helps that these players are played by innately likable actors who make good company.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Besides Gina Rodriguez being the definition of effervescence, Damon Wayans Jr. is a charmer, and Augustus Prew and Joel Courtney are amusing in rounding out the gregarious friend group. Social-media personality turned actress Liza Koshy is also a ball of energy as Ashley, a secretary at the paper who becomes a cog in Mack’s plays. Even though her live-wire character only really serves Mack and company, Koshy commits to every bit, showcasing her facially expressive shtick and knack for physical comedy. <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/players-movie-review-appealing-cast-makes-hook-up-comedy-hard-to-hate" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade:<b> B -</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><i>Netflix released "Players" (105 min.) on February 14, 2024. </i></b></span></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-30692987775607291872024-02-13T07:47:00.000-05:002024-02-13T07:47:18.744-05:00"Fitting In" is a teen sex comedy with a fresh angle<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8aWKMgu1kV7UyO_zWvEn23FkS-nJocWuLzDM1lfji_6wjHo5RBxkzN9p9uo4m5rFIALYDzgz1D8Nv6iHGsY6UBStMNBB8N0oByvN9qrpNFVX80vnrQuW7XWi6jT8DnQNLZ2OLc1cxXYKI11SAyUcN8Tvqws8t0trfzet3djoC3NaPPxmo5NJ2GRjsmTg/s755/fitting_in_ver2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="453" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8aWKMgu1kV7UyO_zWvEn23FkS-nJocWuLzDM1lfji_6wjHo5RBxkzN9p9uo4m5rFIALYDzgz1D8Nv6iHGsY6UBStMNBB8N0oByvN9qrpNFVX80vnrQuW7XWi6jT8DnQNLZ2OLc1cxXYKI11SAyUcN8Tvqws8t0trfzet3djoC3NaPPxmo5NJ2GRjsmTg/s320/fitting_in_ver2.jpg" width="192" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">Fitting In (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-O8S59SEnLXGsP8jarKRhYfIVDFYfM-VhqfYev9FE124QZCTBOPsO8qAuKUyFMnETcWa30XhzDHG9q12sN07LQ2HFeYhthfnrG1-e1FoqRzW6Po48qWLepnFW0OfoOjVlu1gZMpwB1FZT9NG_eKqrrirFbgNox-NbQW3-x5pFaz4KeXx7wr-mSH1fZ0w/s22/Rated%20R.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-O8S59SEnLXGsP8jarKRhYfIVDFYfM-VhqfYev9FE124QZCTBOPsO8qAuKUyFMnETcWa30XhzDHG9q12sN07LQ2HFeYhthfnrG1-e1FoqRzW6Po48qWLepnFW0OfoOjVlu1gZMpwB1FZT9NG_eKqrrirFbgNox-NbQW3-x5pFaz4KeXx7wr-mSH1fZ0w/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Molly McGlynn’s "Fitting In"<i> </i>is more than just an “Afterschool Special” for teens wanting to have sex for the first time. It’s a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story from writer-director McGlynn that wants to normalize personal disclosures as far as reproductive systems are concerned. After opening quotes from Simone De Beauvoir and Diablo Cody, the film proceeds to take on sensitive subject matter with a refreshing candidness, humor, and understanding.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv_LhPN-Pu1c2wlsf0n9YWlLfbN7jp-jQDB8oaDEqrdQ0btLHwOa1n4kDq0mY6FQlxPhzX4P2ySwgahXDVwTbdZPFkxhfqh7UZe-IMbLV-39pq1jPN_7z-DuuZ7O-tpkkX4bCi13w_Li2kV9M7I4VF1Xd0wSbW7Ky_qgv29PkAoRfsd5KIw5ogAVz2Uw/s2146/Screenshot%202024-02-10%20at%2011.46.14%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="2146" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv_LhPN-Pu1c2wlsf0n9YWlLfbN7jp-jQDB8oaDEqrdQ0btLHwOa1n4kDq0mY6FQlxPhzX4P2ySwgahXDVwTbdZPFkxhfqh7UZe-IMbLV-39pq1jPN_7z-DuuZ7O-tpkkX4bCi13w_Li2kV9M7I4VF1Xd0wSbW7Ky_qgv29PkAoRfsd5KIw5ogAVz2Uw/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-10%20at%2011.46.14%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">16-year-old track-and-field athlete Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) just wants to have sex with skater boyfriend Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai). When she goes to a health clinic to get on birth control, she understands why she hasn’t had her period yet, unlike best friend Vivian (a vivacious Djouliet Amara) or any other girl her age. Lindy is diagnosed with MRKH syndrome, a rare congenital disorder where she was born with ovaries but not a uterus, cervix, and vaginal canal (or at least much of one). Her unhelpful gynecologist gives her a box of vaginal dilators to stretch herself out for three to eighteen months. Lindy also tries attending an inclusive LGBT+ peer support group. She doesn’t know how to tell anyone—not that she needs to—and hides her truth to feel “normal.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7K5SB5eS-_8t5A6dDlfa4Fqvtu3MAIbpu8B35bY5MXB11yHl5MiYq3K6s1aPiw8-xQUH5jO7tCujEv9Zuk614DMXtGaZK8mPNnJ-psw_aO5032MGC4QDQk44ro8uGN8Lj-XBonuE9fPHo-1zMJT24bP3kaE85zcinUpNwpI6KqVNDWKRqCU1AFqxCxU/s2048/Fitting%20In%20Blue%20Fox%20Entertainment.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7K5SB5eS-_8t5A6dDlfa4Fqvtu3MAIbpu8B35bY5MXB11yHl5MiYq3K6s1aPiw8-xQUH5jO7tCujEv9Zuk614DMXtGaZK8mPNnJ-psw_aO5032MGC4QDQk44ro8uGN8Lj-XBonuE9fPHo-1zMJT24bP3kaE85zcinUpNwpI6KqVNDWKRqCU1AFqxCxU/s320/Fitting%20In%20Blue%20Fox%20Entertainment.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">"Fitting In" tells a story that’s worth telling and doesn’t just feel like the live version of an “eat your vegetables” health pamphlet. If Sia’s misguided directorial debut "Music"<i> </i>was not the right fit, this decidedly showcases Maddie Ziegler’s emotional depth as a dramatic performer. She has an inviting presence already, but Ziegler gets the chance to dig a little deeper. As Lindy, she has to navigate not only a teen’s universal insecurities but also a medical diagnosis that biologically seals her child-rearing fate.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/fitting-in-movie-review-a-sensitive-candid-coming-of-age-story-with-a-difference" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><i>Blue Fox Entertainment released "Fitting In" (105 min.) in theaters on February 2, 2024. </i></b></span></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-33543279776014835142024-02-12T11:30:00.002-05:002024-02-12T23:22:25.853-05:00"Suncoast" is a familiar coming-of-ager with personal touches<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT12ByyDe9Ko2wGgeGAwfwad7TIZnB10Sk9F7NG1Bgtl-HX-mOWLHjctGDVfEM4Y7JRXzyqWSW5RPpdKB5vbWbhaH4BN8UZ-QnUCHUtm6ppUoWeBkcx7LQWoKko-1zjbJFm1sUCiUNI0ZX7c2rJpurldvpbvs1SKllcaDzFBfDPAZm6_ezrpzPMgv69-c/s6000/SUN_KEY_001_Searchlight_type_layout.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT12ByyDe9Ko2wGgeGAwfwad7TIZnB10Sk9F7NG1Bgtl-HX-mOWLHjctGDVfEM4Y7JRXzyqWSW5RPpdKB5vbWbhaH4BN8UZ-QnUCHUtm6ppUoWeBkcx7LQWoKko-1zjbJFm1sUCiUNI0ZX7c2rJpurldvpbvs1SKllcaDzFBfDPAZm6_ezrpzPMgv69-c/s320/SUN_KEY_001_Searchlight_type_layout.jpg" width="216" /></a><br /><b style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;">Suncoast (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n1y1DzU8PgBZKFdEt7Swc71VvXfpWCLn_jw85FlMR-Itm6MR68QgWxViidoclcfdnH8Aulkr7TzWfLllrEla4d04RzotbGngfQUDW1ft6d9I0zV9Q7ILBV-imOk145BKZ79rEy9gO7TxGKyrxHOkvkgObmm6CWL7doCvjpG9-35lwFdHzwfQ5vk-1No/s22/Rated%20R.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n1y1DzU8PgBZKFdEt7Swc71VvXfpWCLn_jw85FlMR-Itm6MR68QgWxViidoclcfdnH8Aulkr7TzWfLllrEla4d04RzotbGngfQUDW1ft6d9I0zV9Q7ILBV-imOk145BKZ79rEy9gO7TxGKyrxHOkvkgObmm6CWL7doCvjpG9-35lwFdHzwfQ5vk-1No/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></div></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Inevitably, the joke will be that "Suncoast" should have been called “Sundance: The Movie” instead. That would be pretty facile and a glib insult to this sometimes quirky but mostly charming and sobering indie. For her semi-autobiographical feature debut, writer-director Laura Chinn takes personal inspiration from her own life during 2005 where the entire right-to-die debate involving Terri Schiavo is a bit more than just a backdrop. Nicely acted and naturally written, "Suncoast"<i> </i>is directed with a light touch without making light of death and grief.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwb4jTpFSxjxxUWe1e7esnGqypOQHl-fZmnd4JEzxAVghQsEcrPcgRvyoVQvUZhxBOreDa81nJhkpZD9ziQp-kcmCMTwSRBWn2YdCq1q6CzTdoT5MZxqs3x1ZW53LSuUkNW80RqNsBNUf-8GJyzeduRI1baveBUDY_RuFiMs-eez19UaHl4ScaM8n7-k/s2431/034_826A8145.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1621" data-original-width="2431" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwb4jTpFSxjxxUWe1e7esnGqypOQHl-fZmnd4JEzxAVghQsEcrPcgRvyoVQvUZhxBOreDa81nJhkpZD9ziQp-kcmCMTwSRBWn2YdCq1q6CzTdoT5MZxqs3x1ZW53LSuUkNW80RqNsBNUf-8GJyzeduRI1baveBUDY_RuFiMs-eez19UaHl4ScaM8n7-k/s320/034_826A8145.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The film centers on Doris (Nico Parker), a teenager in Clearwater, Florida. She lives with her high-strung, often-insensitive waitress mother, Kristine (Laura Linney), and lives to take care of her comatose brother Max (Cree Kara), who’s blind and dying of brain cancer. They move him to Suncoast Hospice, the same center where Terri Schiavo resides in a vegetative state with a storm of protestors and journalists right outside. Meanwhile, as Kristine decides to sleep on a mattress next to her son at Suncoast, Doris is left to her own devices at home. Just as she falls in with the group of popular kids at her private high school, Doris opens her empty home to them as a place to party.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha87vbyhhHI1ZnC_4rqU5iYlCMuXrIEJ0ikeMJAhL77RAGl7Ixsi9BFuGM3Uq9_QP_xl-np62Zp4kWf06ALhwcdhn3z4iMg9Q-k3aRnLm61Ma6p1MbhQFzSSbJ_NxHl5XlhnqiwtAjFq-DeCaq1SqlZs5O6tRyByNQmTz-qa7RxE9o0xsLyj7WAwVe7Eg/s2000/Suncoast%20Searchlight%20Pictures.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha87vbyhhHI1ZnC_4rqU5iYlCMuXrIEJ0ikeMJAhL77RAGl7Ixsi9BFuGM3Uq9_QP_xl-np62Zp4kWf06ALhwcdhn3z4iMg9Q-k3aRnLm61Ma6p1MbhQFzSSbJ_NxHl5XlhnqiwtAjFq-DeCaq1SqlZs5O6tRyByNQmTz-qa7RxE9o0xsLyj7WAwVe7Eg/s320/Suncoast%20Searchlight%20Pictures.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Between Doris coming out of her shell and putting the mournful situation with her sibling in the background, the film also introduces Paul (Woody Harrelson). He’s a widower who starts protesting outside Suncoast. After a conversation over death in a diner, Doris strikes up a friendship with an older man. It’s never creepy, but rather warm and funny, thanks to the writing and Harrelson, who can’t help but be likable with his Southern drawl. One does wish Chinn’s script had pruned some of Doris’ interactions with her new friends and their fake IDs in exchange for more time with Paul. He already feels like a real person, but more scenes may have made him even more of a well-rounded character than a magical sounding board for wisdom about life being precious. Nico Parker, a spitting image of mother Thandiwe Newton, is incredibly natural and moving as Doris, a seemingly invisible young woman who still stands up for herself. Parker stole our hearts in the first episode of "The Last of Us<i>," </i>and she does it again here for an entire film. <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/suncoast-movie-review-a-charming-indie-about-grief" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><i>Searchlight Pictures released "Suncoast" (109 min.) on Hulu on February 9, 2024. </i></b></span></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-77102897668946658652024-02-10T08:00:00.002-05:002024-02-12T23:21:28.633-05:00"Lisa Frankenstein" is a goofy, sweet, often inspired rom-horror-com<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjEVGobZ8kb5tYfWWRb-1U1hKkrhqf5XMvS_jDU33BsK6b_7N3rMwTu-3Nrjj7Nne_f24gP7QLAXLuZ_DAy2p6l8dshFCVV3fDo9kle6xyggqLHHNEy660IiH-292TVijZxdnB0LH69Mx3YGcIc_KnHjsZ2nMGv61034NGiyi7jgozP3YK1b9pUeqC70/s755/lisa_frankenstein_ver2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjEVGobZ8kb5tYfWWRb-1U1hKkrhqf5XMvS_jDU33BsK6b_7N3rMwTu-3Nrjj7Nne_f24gP7QLAXLuZ_DAy2p6l8dshFCVV3fDo9kle6xyggqLHHNEy660IiH-292TVijZxdnB0LH69Mx3YGcIc_KnHjsZ2nMGv61034NGiyi7jgozP3YK1b9pUeqC70/s320/lisa_frankenstein_ver2.jpg" width="216" /></a><br /></span><b style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: xx-large; text-align: justify;">Lisa Frankenstein (2024)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wD1tZlOrzr1Jp2GwJSxhfZyF0qcBvoBQwJrdlg35scxi3fv72umbGgIy8XwBKgWjC53e3U4gNJ26zuDhcyST8l-fo5Hm-P2ntAzzHnxMKkb7rm4-PBVbD_LCN8CR2l2NNnxe_o-J4Uzp5OdIJSBv8RnO46stmMepwHlZ3EZQppVkP1oVBfxbl57mS1A/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wD1tZlOrzr1Jp2GwJSxhfZyF0qcBvoBQwJrdlg35scxi3fv72umbGgIy8XwBKgWjC53e3U4gNJ26zuDhcyST8l-fo5Hm-P2ntAzzHnxMKkb7rm4-PBVbD_LCN8CR2l2NNnxe_o-J4Uzp5OdIJSBv8RnO46stmMepwHlZ3EZQppVkP1oVBfxbl57mS1A/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">"Lisa Frankenstein" might just be the most adorable romantic comedy about “when corpse meets girl.” It’s morbid but goofy, weird, and sweet, so it must be from the delightful penmanship of Diablo Cody ("Juno," <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2010/08/jennifers-body-snaps-from-diablo-codys.html" target="_blank">"Jennifer's Body"</a>). Director Zelda Williams (Robin’s daughter) makes her auspicious feature debut, bringing Cody’s tonally specific and verbally witty script to life and fusing comedy, horror, and romance. The blending of tones can be a difficult rope to walk, but it makes for a much more special brew. "Heathers" meets "Weird Science"<i> </i>(only with a smelly-teared stud from the 1800s), "Lisa Frankenstein"<i> </i>is one of a kind.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ_Zees2j_pjtXR37YZFUvrx3BgE_t5XovU1ifClHWoxhGuWDCROQRfxzENLEHPAzuWZr0h1z6cRc9-hE7JTGpAYQFFFoWajohdNspZGiiRfhfw1i3nl8Ktzx-O9l5JGKsmAnmf-1sjCcE2QzRF-oKpHPNXmL3ywOnSfQSmlPRosuQTvSwhgfRAkXp24/s4500/4208_D001_00030_R.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ_Zees2j_pjtXR37YZFUvrx3BgE_t5XovU1ifClHWoxhGuWDCROQRfxzENLEHPAzuWZr0h1z6cRc9-hE7JTGpAYQFFFoWajohdNspZGiiRfhfw1i3nl8Ktzx-O9l5JGKsmAnmf-1sjCcE2QzRF-oKpHPNXmL3ywOnSfQSmlPRosuQTvSwhgfRAkXp24/s320/4208_D001_00030_R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">After her mother’s murder and her dad remarrying, teenage outcast Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) is most comfortable when hanging out in Bachelor’s Grove, the local cemetery. The only boy she has eyes on happens to live there, and he’s a piano-playing Victorian man (Cole Sprouse). When she tends his grave, Lisa wishes to be with him. Sure enough, a bolt of lightning strikes the deceased man’s tombstone and reanimates him. Lisa keeps her new man under wraps from her family, including stepsister Taffy (Liza Soberano) and horrible stepmom Janet (Carla Gugino). With a little help from a tanning bed in the garage, Lisa then tries giving this corpse a makeover with . . . body parts from others who won’t be missed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OqqTmQQClkHXvhtPeolVkbZKlksBa4y4tTQcFALMjA0XCjdF36etLL4CfX0xs8GAj-5YfpaVNETSulyAVHt95W0oyC5BdUOoBkuiea-kyBeSC8gxYO0AQdC4tlA15574uaxblIbvD5qiv2pewNoMCeci61CRE3BR7pmfdkyMyGDHhOlATVjBf8xg72s/s4500/4208_D023_00173_R.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OqqTmQQClkHXvhtPeolVkbZKlksBa4y4tTQcFALMjA0XCjdF36etLL4CfX0xs8GAj-5YfpaVNETSulyAVHt95W0oyC5BdUOoBkuiea-kyBeSC8gxYO0AQdC4tlA15574uaxblIbvD5qiv2pewNoMCeci61CRE3BR7pmfdkyMyGDHhOlATVjBf8xg72s/s320/4208_D023_00173_R.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">With an earnestness rather than an ironic nudge and wink, "Lisa Frankenstein" not only captures the fads of big-haired 1989. It also feels like a high-concept ‘80s-style comedy, complete with a clothing montage, in the way Lisa keeps “Creature” (as the corpse is credited) hidden in her closet. Cody’s script, however, is not so cookie-cutter and runs with a darkly funny, dementedly romantic twinkle in its eye.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/lisa-frankenstein-movie-review-when-corpse-meets-girl-romance-gets-goofy-weird-and-sweet" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B +</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Focus Features released "Lisa Frankenstein" (101 min.) in theaters on February 9, 2024. </span></i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-65656245289189797882024-02-08T07:00:00.000-05:002024-02-08T07:00:00.348-05:00"Departing Seniors" makes for a solid, likable slasher with a "Dead Zone" twist<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgca09zlQNz9YYb83u9B4GhFd2hXbZ8PpwD9kEKxHF3TPv3Qu8aSctlQpcBtQZ8L0cWjRqahC8_K3LoebqFtuwObZy6EPROmQnK07lZjEaV12CX8GferhgzwVeQzoLRYfrkk6P_nau01xZ-m6FY4XXHvb9BcW7uC6YxXuAivRQf8mChpt4huVJGQr5Gs0s/s11964/Departing%20Seniors%20Theatrical%20Poster%20-%20300dpi%20RGB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11964" data-original-width="8080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgca09zlQNz9YYb83u9B4GhFd2hXbZ8PpwD9kEKxHF3TPv3Qu8aSctlQpcBtQZ8L0cWjRqahC8_K3LoebqFtuwObZy6EPROmQnK07lZjEaV12CX8GferhgzwVeQzoLRYfrkk6P_nau01xZ-m6FY4XXHvb9BcW7uC6YxXuAivRQf8mChpt4huVJGQr5Gs0s/s320/Departing%20Seniors%20Theatrical%20Poster%20-%20300dpi%20RGB.jpg" width="216" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">Departing Seniors (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGwIvUhwZW2JuAfUnFl7KEheRUObnaj7Ov2eFoEuVn1o3Wq6LUWn3jXDky2w78IxaZVQhzAobxZP2D_H9zPdb1L-HchpGfQZcSr6arUaz7AabIBAB4x5EGbAsSC5KE1Q7VqxnsP-WLpITGF-PPZGFzfnYxqxxSKrgoIpHs2Qk3zU9w27fg5hwlw3sNPo/s45/Not%20Rated.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="24" data-original-width="45" height="24" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGwIvUhwZW2JuAfUnFl7KEheRUObnaj7Ov2eFoEuVn1o3Wq6LUWn3jXDky2w78IxaZVQhzAobxZP2D_H9zPdb1L-HchpGfQZcSr6arUaz7AabIBAB4x5EGbAsSC5KE1Q7VqxnsP-WLpITGF-PPZGFzfnYxqxxSKrgoIpHs2Qk3zU9w27fg5hwlw3sNPo/s1600/Not%20Rated.png" width="45" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Many humor-laced slasher films today have cleverly mashed together a killer-on-the-loose plot with a familiar high-concept hook. Instead of body-swapping or time travel this time, "Departing Seniors" is a high school slasher by way of "The Dead Zone" (and maybe a little "Final Destination"), in which our hero is suddenly able to see a person’s future with a mere touch. Debuting director Clare Cooney and writer Jose Nateras make do with a 16-day shooting schedule and a very modest budget to pull off such an ambitious premise with likable performances and actual concern for their characters.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FF1auorXfS8U9jkVl9LaWKRXjA8Hyxfl9yNH1kTIo3_eacgarktUVhUwRYrv_2s0PYBhZvZdjfcSegpm7dV0oN9wSYdHTMbefOigM_7hHJ5Z7dguZN61WeNEaP0KH_KPvuY1y3xGAK0XDUAts3m8ud2vlH3ezpRwcpJeSwbzRXZNLCLzzyNuQ8yZnkQ/s1596/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20at%203.43.00%E2%80%AFPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1596" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FF1auorXfS8U9jkVl9LaWKRXjA8Hyxfl9yNH1kTIo3_eacgarktUVhUwRYrv_2s0PYBhZvZdjfcSegpm7dV0oN9wSYdHTMbefOigM_7hHJ5Z7dguZN61WeNEaP0KH_KPvuY1y3xGAK0XDUAts3m8ud2vlH3ezpRwcpJeSwbzRXZNLCLzzyNuQ8yZnkQ/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20at%203.43.00%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The senior class of 2019 at Springhurst High is slowly diminishing. After a star swimmer dies in an apparent suicide (but it was actually murder by a killer in a drama club theater mask), it’s just the start of entitled jocks getting taken out. Good riddance, at least for Javier (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio), an openly gay photographer for the school newspaper. He only has seven more days until graduation, but that doesn’t stop the bullies. His biggest allies are movie-fan best friend Bianca (Ireon Roach) and their AP English teacher, Mr. Arda (Yani Gellman, or for all of the fellow "Lizzie McGuire Movie"<i> </i>fans out there, Paolo). Otherwise, preppy class president/valedictorian perfectionist Ginny (Maisie Merlock) is the meanest of all, complicit even when her letterman-jacket boyfriend Trevor (Cameron Scott Roberts) and his closeted friend Brad (Sasha Kuznetsov) are the ones intimidating Javier. After a near-death prank that sends him to the hospital, Javier discovers he can see memories and premonitions. With these new powers, maybe he can solve who’s slashing his classmates?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqXJM2gLNUDBVjkV5QOILRORTa6bcN_yhxVdozKhe_NnIETFpP4i_FlLxwyK93rNv3W8iXjZvOSLeBvxWQjmA2R6fveGIIg47MW2S3KsbT4LwqAdgqaqRsEufgW64AaP5-x5cSQ333mMRJK41_Gq1KrIwipdLJNtKyqWh07WtMCXfkFMb9gc0R_eOCWI/s1778/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20at%203.43.38%E2%80%AFPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1778" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqXJM2gLNUDBVjkV5QOILRORTa6bcN_yhxVdozKhe_NnIETFpP4i_FlLxwyK93rNv3W8iXjZvOSLeBvxWQjmA2R6fveGIIg47MW2S3KsbT4LwqAdgqaqRsEufgW64AaP5-x5cSQ333mMRJK41_Gq1KrIwipdLJNtKyqWh07WtMCXfkFMb9gc0R_eOCWI/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20at%203.43.38%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">"Departing Seniors"<i> </i>doesn’t just turn its characters into blank meat puppets on a chopping block, but gives us two empathetic lead characters we want to see live <i>and </i>characters that maybe don’t deserve to live as long (like a student who’s called “a bitch” even by her teacher). Ignacio Diaz-Silverio makes for a lovably witty, self-confident Javier, and the engaging Ireon Roach, as his ride-or-die Bianca, couldn’t be a more perfect match.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/departing-seniors-movie-review-anti-bullying-slasher-underwhelms-with-whodunit-but-offers-likable-characters" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B -</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Dark Sky Films released "Departing Seniors" (85 min.) in select theaters and on streaming platforms on February 2, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-52930228842734281172024-02-05T08:00:00.005-05:002024-02-05T08:00:00.145-05:00"Argylle" is an outlandishly fun mixed bag of too many plot reveals and inspired set-pieces<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrJEZluh4is2m8jjxwWRwk2l8xxdKntUwh57EiswDqTCMBaE1dD9kEIUljpkTqaggnqLQrPvT3zHf7pTiP644nUe6xqBRS6zjtt9A2eoxBTpmU_V_LZxVYejBzqcO4EUgpWZf8bCEPOIRJDEVKnc27E0ZXbGlYlSJw4QlxvyMJlq-nJ_WEeYJ2bxnRTM/s755/argylle_ver2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="477" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrJEZluh4is2m8jjxwWRwk2l8xxdKntUwh57EiswDqTCMBaE1dD9kEIUljpkTqaggnqLQrPvT3zHf7pTiP644nUe6xqBRS6zjtt9A2eoxBTpmU_V_LZxVYejBzqcO4EUgpWZf8bCEPOIRJDEVKnc27E0ZXbGlYlSJw4QlxvyMJlq-nJ_WEeYJ2bxnRTM/s320/argylle_ver2.jpg" width="202" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">Argylle (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_n9q2Jdy_44do-kHSeTlP5Hoq3BfdlF8X0IZImby-HeDol-9nIiRQaZ72dnNj9K09XnOBGq0A62hcq8JYhv_x6v88QRj9ywn74GJe_2FGuU1FZtPSC8pXGeax1KgIRfub2YJxyhGhtL6StR7mRFt4-Zk2hnEfzVzsJo2RISXs3ElEWW-F0Wg55AuVxo/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_n9q2Jdy_44do-kHSeTlP5Hoq3BfdlF8X0IZImby-HeDol-9nIiRQaZ72dnNj9K09XnOBGq0A62hcq8JYhv_x6v88QRj9ywn74GJe_2FGuU1FZtPSC8pXGeax1KgIRfub2YJxyhGhtL6StR7mRFt4-Zk2hnEfzVzsJo2RISXs3ElEWW-F0Wg55AuVxo/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">If the <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-spy-who-winked-kingsman-cheeky.html" target="_blank">"Kingsman"</a><i> </i>movies turned the dapper, sophisticated spy movie on its head, director Matthew Vaughn’s "Argylle" is very much cut from the same slick-suit cloth. This time, the cloak-and-dagger plot takes on a "Romancing the Stone"/<a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-lost-city-fitfully-amusing-entirely.html" target="_blank">"The Lost City"</a><i> </i>setup with an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach that’s eager to please. There can be a fine line between a movie being clever and a movie being smug, and "Argylle"<i> </i>constantly rides that line’s ass to the finish. The unabashedly ridiculous fun factor, however, does win out.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5cYJtkNRozZG6mUpWC2ZyOpx0upMEn3ozr5k5sFY7-mKf7aTglrEut2dmQqXND19lqupLt7JSyxRfHXxioS0G5qmEORqZhE4rq0DAFVKxBCdq3UrGb6YU7TtW3TN2VCnkCmWFre3Ln_YAIlpABrIhF0srg2EQDU7Y3kPh7Nx3Fx1xwI3c_xZ07cGP7o/s1610/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20at%208.47.49%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1610" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5cYJtkNRozZG6mUpWC2ZyOpx0upMEn3ozr5k5sFY7-mKf7aTglrEut2dmQqXND19lqupLt7JSyxRfHXxioS0G5qmEORqZhE4rq0DAFVKxBCdq3UrGb6YU7TtW3TN2VCnkCmWFre3Ln_YAIlpABrIhF0srg2EQDU7Y3kPh7Nx3Fx1xwI3c_xZ07cGP7o/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20at%208.47.49%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Bryce Dallas Howard is exactly where she should be, front and center as Elly Conway, a timid, anxiety-ridden author of “Argylle,” a best-selling series of espionage novels. She’s single and resides in Colorado with her cat Alfie and a bad case of writer’s block for her next literary installment. But soon, Elly (and Alfie in a travel backpack with a window seat) gets thrust into the real espionage world with Aidan (Sam Rockwell), a real spy who informs Elly that her books have actually been used to predict real-world events. Of course, nothing is what it seems.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQRTY3wcRa6S6PHPrWcYSWrwYQrrUeF0jAbqaT7WGaIodSYz4dYEw6FwkK3auc0gbxHi4OQqM68GcEx6iOCNNyWBnuKABE-OaqAk388C6XV4mauBIPsrCwlrVzziKiQC3Y654YvndSSWNhL6C6M5n0rD_Be4zTa9PGwPPLd1HYpiD9WRlMwe9JfoI_wY/s1454/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20at%208.47.59%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1454" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQRTY3wcRa6S6PHPrWcYSWrwYQrrUeF0jAbqaT7WGaIodSYz4dYEw6FwkK3auc0gbxHi4OQqM68GcEx6iOCNNyWBnuKABE-OaqAk388C6XV4mauBIPsrCwlrVzziKiQC3Y654YvndSSWNhL6C6M5n0rD_Be4zTa9PGwPPLd1HYpiD9WRlMwe9JfoI_wY/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20at%208.47.59%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">When the film opens, it’s clear we’re in a heightened version of Elly’s espionage story on the written page, where the green screen and CGI are overt, but that’s part of the fun. It’s all very sexy and stylish and aware of how over-the-top it is, as Argylle (played straight by a square-jawed, flat-topped Henry Cavill) is sent to Greece to capture seductive villainess LaGrange (Dua Lipa). John Cena, Ariana DeBose, and Richard E. Grant even turn up as members of Argylle’s team. Once the fantasy—everything in Elly’s creative brain concerning Argylle—bleeds into this movie’s reality, there is a playful editing device where real spy Aidan becomes book spy Argylle every time Elly blinks.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmInpCN6o5xAf6UL5xTqBZOJ_UGUD9RgjsWcT1WIOAerHQLhDdqsr5BJOMY48Gsi3jxyuoi68NG7IOGs5ZuCLfF-Wey_Q2aztvy2l1lmumT0fjbxrqlI58nN0lNsVyLPlBeN6qwnRJZgfMUQvGZPSy-_nglkfbREb3BTMrjbiTcVFxxjLfiH_XnS_XR14/s1624/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20at%208.48.07%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1624" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmInpCN6o5xAf6UL5xTqBZOJ_UGUD9RgjsWcT1WIOAerHQLhDdqsr5BJOMY48Gsi3jxyuoi68NG7IOGs5ZuCLfF-Wey_Q2aztvy2l1lmumT0fjbxrqlI58nN0lNsVyLPlBeN6qwnRJZgfMUQvGZPSy-_nglkfbREb3BTMrjbiTcVFxxjLfiH_XnS_XR14/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20at%208.48.07%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Then screenwriter Jason Fuchs (<a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2015/10/flying-second-class-bonkers-touches.html" target="_blank">"Pan"</a>) changes course and toys with expectations. There is a lot to like about "Argylle<i>," </i>but there is such thing as too much of a good thing at 139 minutes. It ends up being too clever by half with a preposterous, if self-aware, reveal on top of another reveal; maybe one less rabbit out of the hat would have sufficed. If there’s one thing director Vaughn does not fall short with, it’s in several of the thrilling set-pieces, some of which reach levels of sublime ridiculousness that one hasn’t really seen before. The most giddily entertaining highlights include a fight-turned-dance in colorful clouds of knockout gas and the most graceful showdown by way of ice-skating on an oil slick (just shut up and go with it). <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/argylle-movie-review-espionage-ride-is-too-clever-by-half-but-still-outlandish-fun" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B -</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Universal Pictures released "Argylle" (139 min.) in theaters on February 2, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-36867435692038217292024-02-02T07:51:00.003-05:002024-02-02T07:52:23.182-05:00"Scrambled" is a funny, warm, insightful slice of life about egg-freezing<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiF9G1uGirzRkqqqhQueh2FGRtYqFZ1U93TYuyvBx2UuIObx58CM1_ott5gVS_JGUp11I26UtpWVZDLsMRshgPYeC0AMVmfmdNytRoUC8Ls8yOCHcoUP7kH1utk0kbcB4e2tLsUWlLfBqXXmk-NCFVi5xpDkMzEUMJidOhCT51zo7-HqQhXfdvWCiw6Z4/s3000/ScrambledPoster_2000x3000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiF9G1uGirzRkqqqhQueh2FGRtYqFZ1U93TYuyvBx2UuIObx58CM1_ott5gVS_JGUp11I26UtpWVZDLsMRshgPYeC0AMVmfmdNytRoUC8Ls8yOCHcoUP7kH1utk0kbcB4e2tLsUWlLfBqXXmk-NCFVi5xpDkMzEUMJidOhCT51zo7-HqQhXfdvWCiw6Z4/s320/ScrambledPoster_2000x3000.jpg" width="213" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">Scrambled (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LO967d11aP9LMqVNX7t3zYxjxQbUpldAleCkemR1FHfHnJc7xv7zYnkPXyH0kKFgKck62-9p3UZgqHU7S3SUC6VTJZ0SzMQpPmlhVXLNwnwwEwHR0WztsvXDDHnQ5Hjw3pR8bmCMXgrbeKf1qMvDI7VnmJVA60DzWhpSE8Iqx26w_mcwwP1mbzoROFQ/s22/Rated%20R.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LO967d11aP9LMqVNX7t3zYxjxQbUpldAleCkemR1FHfHnJc7xv7zYnkPXyH0kKFgKck62-9p3UZgqHU7S3SUC6VTJZ0SzMQpPmlhVXLNwnwwEwHR0WztsvXDDHnQ5Hjw3pR8bmCMXgrbeKf1qMvDI7VnmJVA60DzWhpSE8Iqx26w_mcwwP1mbzoROFQ/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Comedies about fertility and pregnancy have practically become a genre unto itself. Finding a fresh way into familiar material, “Scrambled” successfully destigmatizes being in your thirties and not having children, let alone knowing if you want them. On the surface, it is another arrested-development story told from a female perspective, but here, it’s worth repeating. Writer-director-star Leah McKendrick makes her one-woman show, her directorial debut, into a perceptive, warm, and often very funny slice of life.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKxPntF4oDTr7QXzQ9OrpCy3kzy3TUHj3znLnPnF-1T2ItEeQlUH_-IIZ25t_btDNhwiyKd-h1qydUJv5-pY3ZMR1NK0tRzgGZc1Sbu78B7eOENYMcQMeMWCVxS5z8xVUCUFfRMTJ58yR1A2QEPWPyjZEzQ2twlZQHOjunc-FS8t0bA-9nh8SPkz5dWk/s3600/Scrambled%20Lionsgate.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1794" data-original-width="3600" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKxPntF4oDTr7QXzQ9OrpCy3kzy3TUHj3znLnPnF-1T2ItEeQlUH_-IIZ25t_btDNhwiyKd-h1qydUJv5-pY3ZMR1NK0tRzgGZc1Sbu78B7eOENYMcQMeMWCVxS5z8xVUCUFfRMTJ58yR1A2QEPWPyjZEzQ2twlZQHOjunc-FS8t0bA-9nh8SPkz5dWk/s320/Scrambled%20Lionsgate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">McKendrick plays Nellie Robinson, a 34-year-old Los Angeleno who designs jewelry and sells it on Etsy. She’s always a bridesmaid and always invited to baby showers, and everyone sees her as a good time. Nellie is still on her family’s Verizon plan and just ended a relationship with her longtime boyfriend who wanted children when she wasn’t ready. Nellie still isn’t ready for children (“I’ve seen <i>Euphoria,” </i>she tells her gynecologist), but between the pressure of her father (Clancy Brown) to give him grandchildren and having a “diminished ovary reserve,” she buys herself more time by freezing her eggs. After borrowing cash from her finance bro brother (Andrew Santino), Nellie begins her journey of trigger shots to the abdomen — men or no men.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgp_kAM5vBm7Mv0KfX7OwxHQ8jKWIpLDKj0SI8jfqYhknlpLMSbg40s8pjACrLS0sMz0O6uLt93yT1xHntql3EEvNLj9AB6l62AWdKdxteQ-ELgfloJ4Luix23uVdT6Ja-TTiF1JkUACrOBmodRFBkVojI7IXBptjqGxZNL3JJUhcrFaqf1T_RslKx-c/s1866/Screenshot%202024-02-02%20at%207.49.00%E2%80%AFAM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1866" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgp_kAM5vBm7Mv0KfX7OwxHQ8jKWIpLDKj0SI8jfqYhknlpLMSbg40s8pjACrLS0sMz0O6uLt93yT1xHntql3EEvNLj9AB6l62AWdKdxteQ-ELgfloJ4Luix23uVdT6Ja-TTiF1JkUACrOBmodRFBkVojI7IXBptjqGxZNL3JJUhcrFaqf1T_RslKx-c/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-02%20at%207.49.00%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">After writing the script for 2017’s rape-revenger "M.F.A."<i> </i>and making a huge impression in a supporting role<i>, </i>Leah McKendrick really gets to show her stuff in a lead role. She lets it all hang out (literally and figuratively) as Nelly, who’s a mess but a likable and relatable mess whom you want to see find happiness. McKendrick is direct and naturally funny but also has the chops to be vulnerable. She gets two big monologues, one being a scene where Nellie accompanies her friend (but ends up going solo) at a therapy group with mothers who have experienced a miscarriage. <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/scrambled-movie-review-leah-mckendrick-makes-egg-freezing-funny-and-perceptive" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Lionsgate released "Scrambled" (97 min.) in theaters on February 2, 2024.</i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-77401933923818964122024-01-29T08:00:00.001-05:002024-01-30T10:11:29.927-05:00Jenna Ortega beguiles but "Miller's Girl" is full of tedious, flowery self-importance <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZI8HI_vda95eT5qz7bHRNocVdymUStCD2As38fGY9AXc2UjIi8ffdZxdtdj0e7NqhTNZXVqvfyd_dPgQcZerasjJgGRn-p1cA_2eo3H1Kx53dvk6ovE1API1wrRnQwYkAQqcSWjg7eF_Bl46l4E2tbKOtuHYWtO8t2Pz6i1PytEj3SVmweEDLgeFjXc/s1800/unnamed%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZI8HI_vda95eT5qz7bHRNocVdymUStCD2As38fGY9AXc2UjIi8ffdZxdtdj0e7NqhTNZXVqvfyd_dPgQcZerasjJgGRn-p1cA_2eo3H1Kx53dvk6ovE1API1wrRnQwYkAQqcSWjg7eF_Bl46l4E2tbKOtuHYWtO8t2Pz6i1PytEj3SVmweEDLgeFjXc/s320/unnamed%20(1).jpg" width="213" /></a><br /></span></span><b style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: xx-large; text-align: justify;">Miller's Girl (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYYsvy7ntJeYNSNKgjPgH24waYMJgbL76f8oS0yAdP7Q5sZcaVLRpt4jhDBdfAUHtz2H-isy7BuqGSb5caly_Tezk5hJ8mwrsaOAnZz0-KHM-LQSjPT8Oen1KyAQWq7Hl7GnWls68AnYoF4hQA3ky6b9l4AvafVIokBmUttcsflRu1WpzknZ2gCycmfI/s22/Rated%20R.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYYsvy7ntJeYNSNKgjPgH24waYMJgbL76f8oS0yAdP7Q5sZcaVLRpt4jhDBdfAUHtz2H-isy7BuqGSb5caly_Tezk5hJ8mwrsaOAnZz0-KHM-LQSjPT8Oen1KyAQWq7Hl7GnWls68AnYoF4hQA3ky6b9l4AvafVIokBmUttcsflRu1WpzknZ2gCycmfI/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">At first blush, "Miller’s Girl" seems like another variation on "Poison Ivy," "The Crush," or "Chloe" with a beguiling Jenna Ortega<i>.</i> In a way, it could be “The Hand That Rocks the Curriculum,” only filled with flowery prose and pointless ambiguity cluttering up an erotic drama. Writer-director Jade Halley Bartlett’s film debut does cook up a lurid tension within its Southern Gothic setting with actors who are willing to take chances with thematically provocative material. Unfortunately, those chances don’t really pay off with this well-photographed but tedious hokum that doesn’t seem to have a handle on its takeaway. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr-tsNqotDuPe96bnmFKvhVxi2D54r-mZzuJnLDj4vz-tfc_AEvo5FKWBy5nDLqEcOCt7POkiAlXnMM8DsFezbC1XgxdZ9ijx5gT0EQey42w1UlQ9aN9-KYD3d1IxSTeFPKuxsQdTzex3Vj6L8QvpungZY_Fvi-8dkn-iZ5Osz7N65d3UdHbU-1qVmsU/s1200/unnamed.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr-tsNqotDuPe96bnmFKvhVxi2D54r-mZzuJnLDj4vz-tfc_AEvo5FKWBy5nDLqEcOCt7POkiAlXnMM8DsFezbC1XgxdZ9ijx5gT0EQey42w1UlQ9aN9-KYD3d1IxSTeFPKuxsQdTzex3Vj6L8QvpungZY_Fvi-8dkn-iZ5Osz7N65d3UdHbU-1qVmsU/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Living by herself in Tennessee while her parents are permanently abroad, 18-year-old student Cairo Sweet (Ortega) is clearly wise beyond her years in an intellectual sense. She’s already read the long list of suggested books before school even starts, which goes a long way toward impressing her English teacher, Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman), a washed-up writer who hasn’t written anything recently. Cairo and Mr. Miller do develop a friendship off-campus, but it’s more of a mentorship, plus the occasional sharing of a cigarette. When Mr. Miller gives Cairo a head start on a mid-term assignment that calls for her to write a short story in the style of her favorite author, Cairo chooses the sexually candid Henry Miller. Mr. Miller is, however, not prepared for her taboo, increasingly pornographic story that could very well be about him. Was there an actual seduction that took place, or is Cairo’s short story just a fantasy? Has he crossed a line? Has Cairo made him cross it? </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Uiifhpj6zVsEzguppa6KsXmVg5FPaSlypVlcSjeZqvW-BjbLJVEMoKbVMLUSjrTaBnVy10HeVJcqz-cva3nwQqMNVuH7hJZrIcbcFI77TCWeb8ZVlBdglkSl8VNK2tjhqCDAM36fhr7LFPXNNl0RGi19nkTfdTyJnJytoQ-ZAB3jZKxdaAkYLlpnAfo/s3600/Miller's%20Girl%20Lionsgate.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Uiifhpj6zVsEzguppa6KsXmVg5FPaSlypVlcSjeZqvW-BjbLJVEMoKbVMLUSjrTaBnVy10HeVJcqz-cva3nwQqMNVuH7hJZrIcbcFI77TCWeb8ZVlBdglkSl8VNK2tjhqCDAM36fhr7LFPXNNl0RGi19nkTfdTyJnJytoQ-ZAB3jZKxdaAkYLlpnAfo/s320/Miller's%20Girl%20Lionsgate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">This all reads like the summary of a Lifetime Original Movie — or, maybe now, it’s a movie made by Marvista Entertainment. But “Miller’s Girl” seems to have loftier pretenses, blurring the line between truth and writing assignment, as well as between victim and villain. Just by her clunky voice-over, Cairo waxes philosophical to an obnoxiously overwritten extreme: “Lonely girl longs to be meaningful. Lonely girl longs to be loved. Books make longing seem romantic, but it’s awful. It’s greedy. And I wear longing like a fucking veil.” Now, just imagine characters speaking like this all of the time as if trying to impress an acclaimed writer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/millers-girl-movie-review-jenna-ortega-beguiles-but-hot-for-teacher-drama-is-too-self-important" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>C -</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Lionsgate released "Miller's Girl" (93 min.) in select theaters on January 26, 2024. </span></i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-19256163539756624752024-01-28T08:00:00.000-05:002024-01-28T08:00:00.131-05:00"The Underdoggs" is "The Bad News Bears" with blunts and more swears but no actual laughs<p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjiAeLWdCSRj9Y3XmMXte0_YBSVhGksa0clSKhixslE7PzS5uMjhud4JpTuqmWwLEWYDOsBjd9ImBe6CyMvbAYRhRPQLb2n98a89PBcAHZ1xdXeFan50nGmgFRbSDR4Olp5WYwT8zT3uxmGzuYSwcDXXwtb3xQN75CzhNChlJKaOqRpwehCNcDB9yNyE/s755/underdoggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjiAeLWdCSRj9Y3XmMXte0_YBSVhGksa0clSKhixslE7PzS5uMjhud4JpTuqmWwLEWYDOsBjd9ImBe6CyMvbAYRhRPQLb2n98a89PBcAHZ1xdXeFan50nGmgFRbSDR4Olp5WYwT8zT3uxmGzuYSwcDXXwtb3xQN75CzhNChlJKaOqRpwehCNcDB9yNyE/s320/underdoggs.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Underdoggs (2024)<br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZUJRadwz2Iqbs1UMV370vr6P7DRMtQxB-ncQp4o2dIPl8NPTH5ZVCFvtNZEgY67G1nbZ8BeD1iVkbVs6LHiPjxdZL_Zc26yjBSr7bUMbZZVptGEVEUglpjveZe-ePAr7qbIANqMOd2gs5p6sKtDJb4xixaw5T7kYYkl5kOYjQojxNcbg12YJJ7m0Oig/s22/Rated%20R.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZUJRadwz2Iqbs1UMV370vr6P7DRMtQxB-ncQp4o2dIPl8NPTH5ZVCFvtNZEgY67G1nbZ8BeD1iVkbVs6LHiPjxdZL_Zc26yjBSr7bUMbZZVptGEVEUglpjveZe-ePAr7qbIANqMOd2gs5p6sKtDJb4xixaw5T7kYYkl5kOYjQojxNcbg12YJJ7m0Oig/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">"The Underdoggs" is basically "The Bad News Bears" (or "The Mighty Ducks" or "Little Giants," take your pick) with Snoop Dogg saying “motherfucker” a whole lot. It’s an underdog sports comedy with a foul mouth but no actual laughs, and that’s the real bad news bears. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXj1Uwfm_BosOUM6UpT0iARxUBLrAa6kocZjXya4MpEstZKbVQrkqxFDdwuVdUsLc5MOXMKeOvdNOWyWF0-0_ZWV_8bUwXnZj_jIj7wZxZICPWF67QTE4hCY5UGodjwjJTn6adXbZr7fbGe_V4UOmzyMr4Akvi__8rf5kimuZIiGdV8itT2M36JZNPFtI/s1644/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%208.57.29%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1644" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXj1Uwfm_BosOUM6UpT0iARxUBLrAa6kocZjXya4MpEstZKbVQrkqxFDdwuVdUsLc5MOXMKeOvdNOWyWF0-0_ZWV_8bUwXnZj_jIj7wZxZICPWF67QTE4hCY5UGodjwjJTn6adXbZr7fbGe_V4UOmzyMr4Akvi__8rf5kimuZIiGdV8itT2M36JZNPFtI/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%208.57.29%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Dogg plays Jaycen ‘2 Js’ Jennings, a football legend once upon a time in high school before becoming an outstanding wide receiver with a championship ring. A bad attitude and an inflated ego later, Jaycen tarnishes his cereal-box public image and can’t even get his own agent (Kal Penn) to return his calls. Speeding off in a huff and causing damage of city property, he’s ordered to his old neighborhood of Long Beach to complete 300 hours of community service. Instead, the has-been ends up coaching a ragtag peewee football team, and hilarity should ensue. Right? Bueller?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQb0hkMkDp9JE1BVlEe8VpYSeV7qbeMYnUHSP3ftzjjyXBMAjS0GE9LKK8jA2icUs26UvilW1fQ6RhW1Muv4SFRzyG3ou3mwWpt0l5jglDHbT95wh3PYwF9n1-mhhtlgAFcwsVMzvf58zdbIeIopUfnqeFsbySAmWQSL8sUHT5qsg6JQBQYJMFT48c0I/s800/The%20Underdoggs%20Amazon%20MGM%20Studios.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQb0hkMkDp9JE1BVlEe8VpYSeV7qbeMYnUHSP3ftzjjyXBMAjS0GE9LKK8jA2icUs26UvilW1fQ6RhW1Muv4SFRzyG3ou3mwWpt0l5jglDHbT95wh3PYwF9n1-mhhtlgAFcwsVMzvf58zdbIeIopUfnqeFsbySAmWQSL8sUHT5qsg6JQBQYJMFT48c0I/s320/The%20Underdoggs%20Amazon%20MGM%20Studios.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A crass, expletive-filled disclaimer is very funny, and then the actual movie begins. America may love an underdog (no matter the number of Gs), but “The Underdoggs” is so by-the-numbers and instantly forgettable that it’s bound to go up in a puff of ganja smoke. Director Charles Stone III and writers Isaac Schamis & Danny Segal seem to have relied wholly on the mere presence of Snoop Dogg because every underdog sports movie cliché gets checked off without any clever tweaks or surprises. Will Jaycen reconnect with his former flame, Cherise (Tika Sumpter), who just so happens to be the mom to one of the players? Will Jaycen learn to be less selfish and become a leader for these kids? Is water wet? <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/the-underdoggs-movie-review-snoops-laugh-free-underdog-comedy-goes-up-in-a-puff-of-smoke" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>D +</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><i>Amazon MGM Studios released "The Underdoggs" (101 min.) to Prime Video on January 26, 2024. </i></b></span></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-85030097248279986832024-01-21T11:01:00.001-05:002024-01-21T11:01:00.135-05:00"I.S.S." milks tension out of human conflict in space<p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCDYS2Jx6pVppbsTpsokTMnZ48ztBmMAM4LwVyBo7LNgq8gEs3NGLTSvoDze6URlFpiMNqoJefCxrwl2EhUdC0Lrr5W6bqfQvRHIwDmJv6PlRFuKXLSL9uJo48vv1SjVJ9MI5vfIpq_WpZTtnsjw2d2d95BWIuoWp3Ycl51qz4jxRtZXHIr1MIPSRiSg/s755/iss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="521" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCDYS2Jx6pVppbsTpsokTMnZ48ztBmMAM4LwVyBo7LNgq8gEs3NGLTSvoDze6URlFpiMNqoJefCxrwl2EhUdC0Lrr5W6bqfQvRHIwDmJv6PlRFuKXLSL9uJo48vv1SjVJ9MI5vfIpq_WpZTtnsjw2d2d95BWIuoWp3Ycl51qz4jxRtZXHIr1MIPSRiSg/s320/iss.jpg" width="221" /></a><br /></b><b style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I.S.S. (2024)</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZJvnyDKJs0macuLvQNFWxGJ81FgnbxpLFPkMtwehyphenhyphenXUZDCuOrGklzwe6JTEEOAH0aaZby468KHkgR7qJloexOc8wucoIrBohGOMIyj2YRDJ1sA7D-BQrNEElA70HTeuPdWxiU_yz_rV87ycwTnhj2qNRuZft-_Q22Z8imGGFR9OYnkUuCdwRifyiu9E/s22/Rated%20R.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZJvnyDKJs0macuLvQNFWxGJ81FgnbxpLFPkMtwehyphenhyphenXUZDCuOrGklzwe6JTEEOAH0aaZby468KHkgR7qJloexOc8wucoIrBohGOMIyj2YRDJ1sA7D-BQrNEElA70HTeuPdWxiU_yz_rV87ycwTnhj2qNRuZft-_Q22Z8imGGFR9OYnkUuCdwRifyiu9E/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">There have certainly been exceptions, but in the movies, bad things always happen in space. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite (whose harrowing 2013 SeaWorld documentary "Blackfish" made way for narrative films) moves more into genre with "I.S.S.," a well-made space thriller that milks more than enough tension out of a mission without extraterrestrial beings. Human decisions are scary enough.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99TIRnuM59GHFvsS9JZ80Vhtx9A6trTEXLFvAjaUvhYZO0wJTNvwyAlJE-M_5bLd1PLZsSTbFMuDPs19zgfJ24pKGh7ImFtNktO0_tGH4p9bOQBhyphenhyphenPl5ke-e_qL8OVnNH4xjN_vILiisGonfILnKSg5Rw_Ili9L9boIFDUiHB3dTa_NRviKQvt55UmzU/s2064/Screenshot%202024-01-19%20at%2011.04.52%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="2064" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99TIRnuM59GHFvsS9JZ80Vhtx9A6trTEXLFvAjaUvhYZO0wJTNvwyAlJE-M_5bLd1PLZsSTbFMuDPs19zgfJ24pKGh7ImFtNktO0_tGH4p9bOQBhyphenhyphenPl5ke-e_qL8OVnNH4xjN_vILiisGonfILnKSg5Rw_Ili9L9boIFDUiHB3dTa_NRviKQvt55UmzU/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-19%20at%2011.04.52%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Ariana DeBose leads the film as American astronaut Dr. Kira Foster, who along with colleague Christian Campbell (John Gallagher Jr.), boards the International Space Station. Symbolic of the United States and Russian collaboration after the Cold War, the I.S.S. is used as a research facility where the crew makes advancements in medicine, tech and space exploration. They’re welcomed by American commander Gordon Barrett (Chris Messina) and their shipmates, Russian cosmonauts Weronika Petrov (Masha Mashkova), Nicholai Pulov (Costa Ronin), and Alexey Pulov (Pilou Asbæk). When a worldwide disaster happens on Earth, both groups receive separate orders to abort their missions and take control of the station by any means necessary. No matter whose side you’re on, we have a problem.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenJXBAbGhwEKwdWAZyPzq3jVelmW-xjne45H-NrT76tmYyvUVjcu7wK5D6PPOOuC76chFe2ZeT2Ka_Um7Pg0gxbHHOYMnIHY6FdAojdOBDbOWFCsAGRUuOF3l8R1L1nIuGkIJSLzXNyBy5x7I8xBtAUhpWCjPT3py3cGayMMu_bMNcYidLW3bDESTG-8/s2020/I.S.S.%20IMDB.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="2020" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenJXBAbGhwEKwdWAZyPzq3jVelmW-xjne45H-NrT76tmYyvUVjcu7wK5D6PPOOuC76chFe2ZeT2Ka_Um7Pg0gxbHHOYMnIHY6FdAojdOBDbOWFCsAGRUuOF3l8R1L1nIuGkIJSLzXNyBy5x7I8xBtAUhpWCjPT3py3cGayMMu_bMNcYidLW3bDESTG-8/s320/I.S.S.%20IMDB.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Pared down to the essentials, "I.S.S." is a good-looking B-movie with a few A-list actors and polished production values. Now, we don’t get a backstory for all six characters or learn their hobbies and social security numbers. But where it counts, Nick Shafir’s script efficiently establishes these people through their actions and dynamics before the high-pressure scenario gets underway. It also doesn’t hurt that the actors are all strong and bring emotional weight; the charismatic DeBose may not get to carry a tune here, but she remains compelling when dialing it back as Kira.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/iss-movie-review-space-thriller-ratchets-up-human-based-tension" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Bleecker Street released "I.S.S." (95 min.) in theaters on January 19, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-31135977698169321172024-01-19T07:00:00.008-05:002024-01-21T15:40:25.778-05:00"Founders Day" loses race in becoming the next annual holiday slasher <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe01_R6YjHCUFgnTzBbRkoWeXsahbIwN8I88BhnTrzLRzbSY7LacTyrz_BvwvwSUVwuigjKpQwioVfF4USb8cOASyuM4pJRZT36dmdBNrhwzX2TuEg5ZgusfiFUHCU9ZabFGrb4JttDTw5NaKUJkooYdIYJkqtusGFST2v1IM329ka_4ujkEK_4ID6Cg/s2955/8U_HegGs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe01_R6YjHCUFgnTzBbRkoWeXsahbIwN8I88BhnTrzLRzbSY7LacTyrz_BvwvwSUVwuigjKpQwioVfF4USb8cOASyuM4pJRZT36dmdBNrhwzX2TuEg5ZgusfiFUHCU9ZabFGrb4JttDTw5NaKUJkooYdIYJkqtusGFST2v1IM329ka_4ujkEK_4ID6Cg/s320/8U_HegGs.jpg" width="217" /></a><br /></span><b style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: xx-large; text-align: justify;">Founders Day (2024)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15W8Y-qQy7wpnFti8XPX6AQtNrkdQvcj2UvzSiUrhL5BTzMdFMATq39wvhPzZNu8WqaRdY44li4307h_mk8RrBrxZmIfQyOnS22eOLoltITAH1jJiTLcKKOTYB33SjcF24T-uhl3zTOhM2QS1S8gSKTIwY5wxpeciUV5ydtW3pcgsLUNYHTqyYpWHIzs/s22/Rated%20R.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15W8Y-qQy7wpnFti8XPX6AQtNrkdQvcj2UvzSiUrhL5BTzMdFMATq39wvhPzZNu8WqaRdY44li4307h_mk8RrBrxZmIfQyOnS22eOLoltITAH1jJiTLcKKOTYB33SjcF24T-uhl3zTOhM2QS1S8gSKTIwY5wxpeciUV5ydtW3pcgsLUNYHTqyYpWHIzs/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">There’s never been a holiday slasher set around a small town’s tricentennial celebration. Writer-director-editor Erik Bloomquist and brother/co-writer/co-editor Carson Bloomquist (“She Came from the Woods”) take care of that with “Founders Day,” a political slasher flick with a sizable ensemble. After the ‘90s-inspired <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/11/a-new-holiday-slasher-favorite-is.html" target="_blank">“Thanksgiving,”</a> it must have been wishful thinking that this could have been the next entry in a new slasher boom. Alas, the result is an also-ran with little to recommend it outside of a few gnarly kills.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7mjYsOIjAaoYkeOM-l46EaIBTlge3S2w_QNL-X1X642FSVTi4fy63ZgAxia_iGNagOFgT6vgqlPKMxjw71OU3VD0kb1PTxrXkKNxexLBUFhk3mKbJn74sbzBecc7q36DnKa5_jiUghl84_socxM2uv1QmzIISLa14ySPbd0K0jnOJPMVvzhd8c5cqF8/s1810/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%206.10.42%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1810" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7mjYsOIjAaoYkeOM-l46EaIBTlge3S2w_QNL-X1X642FSVTi4fy63ZgAxia_iGNagOFgT6vgqlPKMxjw71OU3VD0kb1PTxrXkKNxexLBUFhk3mKbJn74sbzBecc7q36DnKa5_jiUghl84_socxM2uv1QmzIISLa14ySPbd0K0jnOJPMVvzhd8c5cqF8/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%206.10.42%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Leading up to a heated mayoral election, the New England town of Fairwood is rocked by the overnight disappearance of teenager Melissa (Olivia Nikkanen), the daughter of change-promoting political candidate Harold Faulkner (Jayce Bartok). That night, Melissa’s girlfriend, Allison (Naomi Grace), was about to leave town for North Carolina before witnessing Melissa being attacked on a bridge by a masked killer in a powdered wig and wielding a double-edged gavel. Meanwhile, incumbent Mayor Blair Gladwell (Amy Hargreaves) is running for re-election against Faulkner and trying to keep Fairwood alert but encourage them to make the right choice. Faulker’s son Adam (Devin Druid) also manages the local movie theater, where Allison used to work, and has been recently jilted by Lilly Gladwell (Emilia McCarthy), the mayor’s daughter, who’s now seeing a Billy Loomis-type bad boy (Tyler James White). Finally, high school government teacher Mr. Jackson (William Russ aka Cory and Eric Matthews’ dad) is there for everyone but remains neutral. With a killer out there, both parties’ campaigns are on the line and the body count is just beginning.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZji0uIdB0nnbUuBV0E2dv9SKyQRuclWXLXvb18TPJyZhsG49YPJjpYAH42xi2sRPZC5uqyPS4QK5VAMyQEv8aD2xrU3BEPzGKy7fXl4tMjjiMdVVbLGBFZhCdP7Biq3pjWacCi9iLgqiBXnAt9mi18P3fbI6oBzbYpLd60Lz20eSkRtYhW5wTWqrV_k8/s1872/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%206.10.55%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1872" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZji0uIdB0nnbUuBV0E2dv9SKyQRuclWXLXvb18TPJyZhsG49YPJjpYAH42xi2sRPZC5uqyPS4QK5VAMyQEv8aD2xrU3BEPzGKy7fXl4tMjjiMdVVbLGBFZhCdP7Biq3pjWacCi9iLgqiBXnAt9mi18P3fbI6oBzbYpLd60Lz20eSkRtYhW5wTWqrV_k8/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%206.10.55%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">First, the good. “Founders Day” is a small production, well-shot and solidly assembled. The killer’s mask itself is effectively creepy. A kill in a movie theater is well-staged and nasty, and you can’t wait to see the worst, most troublemaking couple, Tyler (Dylan Slade) and Britt (Kate Edmonds), get dispatched after they foolishly decide to have sex in high school detention. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The murderous use of a campaign sign is also wickedly amusing. </span>The bad? Nearly everything else. The Bloomquist brothers’ script actually seems concerned about the characters, but it’s so overcrowded with teenage romances and other tumultuous dynamics that it can’t really balance them all and make us care enough about a single one. The performances—oh, the performances—either consist of soapy, lip-quivering or shouty scenery-chewing. Sure, the hypocrisy of politics is being satirized here and laid on with a gavel, but that’s hardly a pass for a scene with the most overbaked drunk acting in recent memory. <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/founders-day-movie-review-this-political-slasher-misses-the-mark" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>C</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b><i>Dark Sky Films is releasing "Founders Day" (106 min.) in theaters on January 19, 2024. </i></b></span></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-5085261330991025642024-01-17T00:00:00.001-05:002024-01-17T00:00:00.127-05:00"Role Play" has Cuoco and Oyelowo but could have been more <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAS8l90_Pg54QKAKjIhMBwd5Pr8FbHkF2sYxJAn8gLcikM-R5HuLcaarvfcbzLIPoho5BSYj-BMjB30RHZS86GwmwqTQRuzPTXWHATpj5Vf4md5fKnguJ4EGyt_tAp6NKOU1-V-WqradWTS2jqcvvwYKovAWxtWYyjccrEwt6X1Iqn4SPA2YnMhleS30/s1778/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1778" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAS8l90_Pg54QKAKjIhMBwd5Pr8FbHkF2sYxJAn8gLcikM-R5HuLcaarvfcbzLIPoho5BSYj-BMjB30RHZS86GwmwqTQRuzPTXWHATpj5Vf4md5fKnguJ4EGyt_tAp6NKOU1-V-WqradWTS2jqcvvwYKovAWxtWYyjccrEwt6X1Iqn4SPA2YnMhleS30/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;">Role Play (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P65kxpopVjny1MsKtNk6FIONcvS2mKv_sCPQC7ohbdkigLPY71D1kh7wFWpRs5MzGPWrswv3yrvaMV2WtcitXaB7ek2Jly2j7Gp3l3_HGqD_E3GPYyFTo370VXf0TMlIYeL627RgvI08V38ZjU20_c583wixPyEm5-QAeBxfvCHXRO8bFes0sVQNEnY/s22/Rated%20R.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P65kxpopVjny1MsKtNk6FIONcvS2mKv_sCPQC7ohbdkigLPY71D1kh7wFWpRs5MzGPWrswv3yrvaMV2WtcitXaB7ek2Jly2j7Gp3l3_HGqD_E3GPYyFTo370VXf0TMlIYeL627RgvI08V38ZjU20_c583wixPyEm5-QAeBxfvCHXRO8bFes0sVQNEnY/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></div></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: one-half of a seemingly ordinary married couple secretly moonlights as a trained assassin! Oh, the deception! Once again (not even a full month after <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-family-plan-hums-along-as-stale.html" target="_blank">“The Family Plan”</a>), “Role Play” plays that same old “So I Married a [Fill in the Blank]” chestnut, but at least Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, as well as two notable (if underutilized) supporting players, try and elevate an exceedingly dull script. Just imagine if “True Lies” relied entirely on Arnold Schwarzenegger to be funny without giving him funny things to say.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><b></b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx7zU-kiYbKsJ2h1QDgYUlVDRIEPv8_AXoOsEjRiBw7Et1QHgp6UbOq9cDYAHCV9xU2Gre1mRIiS_eui6jPKhyphenhyphenOepd0RXFwMWpqN9GF8pplxz8fkId1fXZF40_QryfVi79kq6WSp5NVdx4P8w-ag9D1Qt5fyQb-OGNdXj9zfjr1BSh6hpbuJwRothJWw/s800/Role%20Play%20Prime%20Video.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx7zU-kiYbKsJ2h1QDgYUlVDRIEPv8_AXoOsEjRiBw7Et1QHgp6UbOq9cDYAHCV9xU2Gre1mRIiS_eui6jPKhyphenhyphenOepd0RXFwMWpqN9GF8pplxz8fkId1fXZF40_QryfVi79kq6WSp5NVdx4P8w-ag9D1Qt5fyQb-OGNdXj9zfjr1BSh6hpbuJwRothJWw/s320/Role%20Play%20Prime%20Video.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Though married for seven years, Dave Brackett (Oyelowo) might not actually know his wife, Emma (Cuoco), as well as he thinks (or even her real name). They live happily with two kids in New Jersey, but when Emma is out of town in Nebraska on business as a marketeer, she’s actually assigned to kill someone somewhere around the globe for money. Those double-life jobs must really pay the bills. To spice things up (and for Emma to make up for forgetting their wedding anniversary), the couple decides to check into a luxury Manhattan hotel and role-play. Instead, Dave is late, while Emma sits at the bar, only to get hit on by Bob Kellerman (Bill Nighy), who turns out to be her bounty hunter. One dead body later, Emma must race to Europe and settle up with a secret organization, all while keeping Dave and her kids safe. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjgVTFMFI4KHxwqLgXQQ87wyoY0gPP77wmojuCwDt_aP_cVr7sReTyCkOHEeSwXxh9MYPXECRqR-VGpfcVooVd2heUNpCseqMtAPNNj0gpCqzIVjpLrzf9kQdfRIaZOhmDClABBgNhYtoBHDbbbGACBph_0bpuygANG7bfF_uwbxHiP6ZKcmKMVCOfXg/s800/RP_2_proxy_md.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjgVTFMFI4KHxwqLgXQQ87wyoY0gPP77wmojuCwDt_aP_cVr7sReTyCkOHEeSwXxh9MYPXECRqR-VGpfcVooVd2heUNpCseqMtAPNNj0gpCqzIVjpLrzf9kQdfRIaZOhmDClABBgNhYtoBHDbbbGACBph_0bpuygANG7bfF_uwbxHiP6ZKcmKMVCOfXg/s320/RP_2_proxy_md.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Written by Seth Owen and directed by Thomas Vincent, “Role Play” begins as a surprisingly decent, never-too-wacky action-thriller/domestic drama hybrid until succumbing to the routine. This is another one of those competently made but minimum-effort projects where the leads are forced to prop up an underwhelming script that almost but ultimately doesn’t take many risks. Cuoco and Oyelowo are likable together, and it’s nice to see both actors playing more against type; she slits throats in Germany when she’s not making blueberry pancakes back in Jersey and he’s a sweetly aloof everyman grilling pineapple chicken for the fam.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1hwqqS3VKgEGBc1iLpRK9RYr1zC4adrbWHIbDNaZDNtPb9Cj-yZwvwGG1aFhvaes2Gr2cygc3jKXbiVsnPsklWtj_vdyjRI0NU6cIIV2UZdlexsDC0FqnyAudNw9r9gE2bXriqqXgUkKlAE2naSjX-GgGh_ilnxpUVeTMAIN56zPk4DzWpPYxgaRME4/s1778/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%205.48.05%E2%80%AFPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1778" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1hwqqS3VKgEGBc1iLpRK9RYr1zC4adrbWHIbDNaZDNtPb9Cj-yZwvwGG1aFhvaes2Gr2cygc3jKXbiVsnPsklWtj_vdyjRI0NU6cIIV2UZdlexsDC0FqnyAudNw9r9gE2bXriqqXgUkKlAE2naSjX-GgGh_ilnxpUVeTMAIN56zPk4DzWpPYxgaRME4/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%205.48.05%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">If you’ve followed Cuoco’s TV work in both “The Big Bang Theory” and “The Flight Attendant,” you know she contains multitudes, and here, she is charismatic and equipped to play a capable assassin posing as a mother and wife. This is like her “Red Sparrow” sans “whore school” or the Natasha Fatale accent. Oyelowo, always an excellent actor with undeniable gravitas, even sells the appropriate emotions when Dave discovers his wife’s true profession. When getting to act overwhelmed and incredulous, he’s pretty amusing in an understated way (“Then take a class!” he says to Emma when she drops the bomb on him and complains how she doesn’t know how to do anything else). <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/role-play-movie-review-cuoco-and-oyelowo-do-what-they-can-with-risk-averse-material" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>C +</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Amazon MGM Studios released "Role Play" (101 min.) on Prime Video on January 12, 2024. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-29916395170304427232024-01-15T07:43:00.001-05:002024-01-20T09:31:21.084-05:00"Mean Girls" sits pretty as a fun, energetic musical version of 2004 comedy<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0JfWNUoS1R4eHkV-DnVapYYDFD1bNKMV8ZUU3qbUEJaJprr-Qn7CX93g61wep-bvpZ6xtNGHtwkcQPG5LEZVW94_bGH53A0NrhFcYrn3GACFMH-nX1moW_FLfatmDih_5Ej3mtWzgM2KSMaRj6yP6LXkluhMM67-kYN43LKMYvYy-2ta3QIhUS4iTPg/s755/mean_girls_ver13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0JfWNUoS1R4eHkV-DnVapYYDFD1bNKMV8ZUU3qbUEJaJprr-Qn7CX93g61wep-bvpZ6xtNGHtwkcQPG5LEZVW94_bGH53A0NrhFcYrn3GACFMH-nX1moW_FLfatmDih_5Ej3mtWzgM2KSMaRj6yP6LXkluhMM67-kYN43LKMYvYy-2ta3QIhUS4iTPg/s320/mean_girls_ver13.jpg" width="233" /></a><br /><b style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;">Mean Girls (2024)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYW9O4fkyGO07ztyWv9qKiVqVRzuRGclG5GCbE1Xhyphenhyphen08dyQ3BkBfvWzHPJuUQdHIutpK1-9NARVC-AxGylbySpMguClQaqUBix7JNX1KstVQYDFDkmeDv41Cy-DspQfgo2rZrBL8FuyafJH07ae-iUFP6zKytIY5uOAfNe5NO6ZmZCU2tzvWNLmV59Ho/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYW9O4fkyGO07ztyWv9qKiVqVRzuRGclG5GCbE1Xhyphenhyphen08dyQ3BkBfvWzHPJuUQdHIutpK1-9NARVC-AxGylbySpMguClQaqUBix7JNX1KstVQYDFDkmeDv41Cy-DspQfgo2rZrBL8FuyafJH07ae-iUFP6zKytIY5uOAfNe5NO6ZmZCU2tzvWNLmV59Ho/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></div></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Don’t call it a basic-bitch remake! 2024’s "Mean Girls" is a big-screen version of the 2017 stage musical, itself based on 2004’s justifiably adored Mark Waters-directed, Tina Fey-scripted comedy, itself based on Rosalind Wiseman’s book “Queen Bees and Wannabes.” (There’s even a musical note in the title card, just so we’re clear that people sing and dance.)<b> </b>The Lindsay Lohan-Rachel McAdams vehicle is so sharp and has made such a cultural imprint, but like all movies, it’s not above getting a welcome update for another generation. This “other” "Mean Girls" is fun enough, energetic enough, and gosh darn it, you can like both!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pxLAgda_x-sLQlwhcEiVga_TSi4Eyu3RVJSgiu9xL-vZp0v0cnISlrSeqVumU-7sNvAthU2X15dVVKhdu2wLgj8huKP2XszXYHqKGsWvPRIG-XJSWxp0FPCd2Jl6tz_Nk_M8LaNNexb9V4yYk-NBW58qD0eRnv1zcC3hAK-3Nj9leBMdoa7iqwjsF5k/s1636/Screenshot%202024-01-11%20at%208.36.12%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1636" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pxLAgda_x-sLQlwhcEiVga_TSi4Eyu3RVJSgiu9xL-vZp0v0cnISlrSeqVumU-7sNvAthU2X15dVVKhdu2wLgj8huKP2XszXYHqKGsWvPRIG-XJSWxp0FPCd2Jl6tz_Nk_M8LaNNexb9V4yYk-NBW58qD0eRnv1zcC3hAK-3Nj9leBMdoa7iqwjsF5k/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-11%20at%208.36.12%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Angourie Rice makes for an adorable and intelligent Cady Heron, a formerly home-schooled math whiz whose zoologist mother (a wonderfully cast Jenna Fischer) has moved them from the jungle of Kenya to the suburbs of Chicago. North Shore High School has its own food chain, as introduced by her two new friends, free-spirited artist Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and “too gay to function” Damian (Jaquel Spivey). Of course, Cady gets adopted by the Plastics, led by fearsome queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp), and crushes hard on Regina’s recent ex, the dreamy Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney). You know the rest, except this time, TikTok and musical numbers!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYnZVHkVuCTQJ93o6-3KJWFAO_3HTd1wPLi-cYezfUDue02Z4qmkWEo8TBmXn4HzynNYckqiqoDSf7RaPsW4nne9QM4sC-RP2hA0sj173Zw0xK9-z_hGMhUyRrzWjEMEuwI_0l0S_3Clx_6DeQzbU_SLYckm5Yi0e_KFfJ8elUc3_RJRJTcRJzpehoGs/s1674/Screenshot%202024-01-11%20at%208.36.22%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1674" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYnZVHkVuCTQJ93o6-3KJWFAO_3HTd1wPLi-cYezfUDue02Z4qmkWEo8TBmXn4HzynNYckqiqoDSf7RaPsW4nne9QM4sC-RP2hA0sj173Zw0xK9-z_hGMhUyRrzWjEMEuwI_0l0S_3Clx_6DeQzbU_SLYckm5Yi0e_KFfJ8elUc3_RJRJTcRJzpehoGs/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-11%20at%208.36.22%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The just-go-for-it energy of directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr.’s vision and their entire ensemble bursts through every frame. Once again, Tina Fey writes the script, which generally retains all of the narrative beats (the Plastics’ Winter Talent Show performance goes down a little differently) and many (but not all) of the signature lines from her original script. Above all, the film thematically underlines how young women need to support one another instead of stab each other in the back or be cruel in a “Burn Book.”</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJVeeiPLVIZMBg4a_NDemOb58VwUfwAxzKA6nxCdUauP5XMvqUsv0yms_vI0p3dBFGXyZFJAeU_60Y0mji5OM3tB84YkynRTxfwf8LCCa8qOSzbCyidkFgASXt6EEQITg0K4jwZqZTQtdEXqSP6qRptiukotmnVhmcp-X4pi9_YjOVsBgFYjckcSqDnU/s1726/Mean%20Girls%20IMDB.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1726" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJVeeiPLVIZMBg4a_NDemOb58VwUfwAxzKA6nxCdUauP5XMvqUsv0yms_vI0p3dBFGXyZFJAeU_60Y0mji5OM3tB84YkynRTxfwf8LCCa8qOSzbCyidkFgASXt6EEQITg0K4jwZqZTQtdEXqSP6qRptiukotmnVhmcp-X4pi9_YjOVsBgFYjckcSqDnU/s320/Mean%20Girls%20IMDB.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The 2004 film may have been perfectly cast, but this "Mean Girls"<i> </i>also excels in the casting and performances. If anyone could fill Rachel McAdams’ pink heels as Regina George, her name is Reneé Rapp, and she is a dazzling superstar with powerhouse vocals. Having played the character on Broadway, Rapp is fully comfortable on screen and relishing the deliciously nasty part; she’s so fierce, self-assured, and full of edge and attitude that you don’t even want to blink when Rapp is on-screen.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/mean-girls-movie-review-magnetic-rene-rapp-leads-talented-ensemble-in-fun-musical-version" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Paramount Pictures released "Mean Girls" (112 min.) in theaters on January 12, 2024. </b></i></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-17713567314599373762024-01-07T18:21:00.000-05:002024-01-07T18:21:49.399-05:00Don't run to see "Night Swim"<p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKN_xJC_A5zGbLHfnCpJtmOZ9v9oZZL7y6GWWKydo0uaZWdQfMzv_VKzLp5fU2c-wJko4OMpyRNrEZ1aTw9G3Nv7fi2ju6jk16hZgI_jrzCqJ48-owfoB3LBXtKoSdKLfkS9aKft31ENHK3dK5PtVvXYAKQI9k1ZpwHtEJ-Vks9Vp0OjUADV5BreB3-9U/s755/night_swim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="477" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKN_xJC_A5zGbLHfnCpJtmOZ9v9oZZL7y6GWWKydo0uaZWdQfMzv_VKzLp5fU2c-wJko4OMpyRNrEZ1aTw9G3Nv7fi2ju6jk16hZgI_jrzCqJ48-owfoB3LBXtKoSdKLfkS9aKft31ENHK3dK5PtVvXYAKQI9k1ZpwHtEJ-Vks9Vp0OjUADV5BreB3-9U/s320/night_swim.jpg" width="202" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Night Swim (2024)<br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtwvSJJdsnNmJEECfL8nOmmWvU1Z57idqjBPbNqp2pFa5nQKEkSYmZzK0URbBMTAqTlFlZJ9dhXnLgfTdq8q5hVsqVXqaBYjZfwzRx6_zcdbHZU3JOswPe86Si2YQ6qjM0X97PjpI04fNsocBH-zVKz_xUn-LHsbN0vvd-Z0P6u4gOyW0l7uC-BX4eSw/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtwvSJJdsnNmJEECfL8nOmmWvU1Z57idqjBPbNqp2pFa5nQKEkSYmZzK0URbBMTAqTlFlZJ9dhXnLgfTdq8q5hVsqVXqaBYjZfwzRx6_zcdbHZU3JOswPe86Si2YQ6qjM0X97PjpI04fNsocBH-zVKz_xUn-LHsbN0vvd-Z0P6u4gOyW0l7uC-BX4eSw/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Blumhouse’s modest-budget model has proven to be effective time and time again, but not every idea can be a winner. A haunted swimming pool is a solid start for a high-concept horror feature that started as a 2014 short film from Rod Blackhurst and Bryce McGuire. What makes this expansion all the more disappointing is that it’s McGuire’s feature writing-directing debut. The water is not so fine, and neither is “Night Swim.”</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fulzBxCfo-p3kLwg1Bmls9WO1ZKYbOmZiEVD9TxbvAqC6LuPlxckbvFveiVAJx0ExxZtfqUzdoiQcPgxN8Sb4sf8U2nwiX3oyVUAsULqywGkYj7CYyPV2klPc88JbenXtNGzviEEoCw1pezb4nAAl5xnhHLTYDx_FYin99GWkUcoXB2HrkgvR95rG_k/s1926/Night%20Swim%20Universal.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1926" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fulzBxCfo-p3kLwg1Bmls9WO1ZKYbOmZiEVD9TxbvAqC6LuPlxckbvFveiVAJx0ExxZtfqUzdoiQcPgxN8Sb4sf8U2nwiX3oyVUAsULqywGkYj7CYyPV2klPc88JbenXtNGzviEEoCw1pezb4nAAl5xnhHLTYDx_FYin99GWkUcoXB2HrkgvR95rG_k/s320/Night%20Swim%20Universal.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Whereas the three-odd-minute short involved a young woman (Megalyn Echikunwoke) taking an actual night swim in her own pool, here we have the Waller family moving into a new house, complete with an in-ground swimming pool that comes with a past. It’s great physical therapy for husband and father Ray (Wyatt Russell), a former major league baseball player who’s forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness. To the surprise of both his wife, Eve (Kerry Condon), and his doctor, Ray’s health dramatically improves, and the kids, teenage daughter Izzy (Amélie Hoeferle) and younger son Elliot (Gavin Warren), love the pool! But before you can say, “Get out of the water!” and “Don’t stick your hand in there!” or give any other direction to the screen, there is something definitely wrong with that pool.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQAPzZ4O7iiYSCNo42j6xJKQ-dxjXDrnqntJiDhotUsk3G-LtsFHxQtys5rhRiNdhoNzXPgmg5vH05glbX0hQpLoZXp0k5zAAlGPVDXYBKoRydP3mxgzhZTjDCeNT9jaNXORejIRwJHzyXeqwRdPaF0koWedp4hYL889c4YQO46Y4Pqjwzz0kN-5VcAs/s2206/Screenshot%202024-01-04%20at%208.34.16%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="2206" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQAPzZ4O7iiYSCNo42j6xJKQ-dxjXDrnqntJiDhotUsk3G-LtsFHxQtys5rhRiNdhoNzXPgmg5vH05glbX0hQpLoZXp0k5zAAlGPVDXYBKoRydP3mxgzhZTjDCeNT9jaNXORejIRwJHzyXeqwRdPaF0koWedp4hYL889c4YQO46Y4Pqjwzz0kN-5VcAs/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-04%20at%208.34.16%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Being a swimmer myself, the water has still always come with an irrational fear of the unknown below. Writer-director McGuire certainly gets some mileage out of those fears lurking in the deep end. Right off the top in a 1992-set prologue, the filmmaker clearly pays homage to “Jaws” with a drowning. Shots from a swimmer’s point-of-view, breathing between each stroke, are effective, as are a few moments where the camera is half-surface and half-underwater, and a nightly game of Marco Polo between daughter Izzy and her crush nicely builds some apprehension. Mostly, though, the film falls short in how it fills out the rest of its runtime as an inferior rehash of a certain 1979 haunted-house oldie (just add a scary pool!). <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/night-swim-movie-review-the-water-is-not-fine-and-neither-is-blumhouses-latest" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>C</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Universal Pictures released "Night Swim" (98 min.) in theaters on January 5, 2023. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-78032837302630180262024-01-02T07:00:00.001-05:002024-01-19T22:01:44.334-05:00"Anyone But You" is much ado about hot, charming stars<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4mO8_Ad5fFa6xcjTrJg7Ggrr1AjXrFJ-kjYFA5WjkHPv_TRZjSUHfwTF7Rtq2cIIp0d6z5xQWlF3uOUBASgQTeFJeifl2UbQ7ZD6fi7g5rMxfRpdiWbafggBGQmQz1ENmDa2zLtaxEWXecbjqKfP2CwkVooqVSf4zatsbUuuDn5wX1gxJe6aG2Aqq44/s755/anyone_but_you.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4mO8_Ad5fFa6xcjTrJg7Ggrr1AjXrFJ-kjYFA5WjkHPv_TRZjSUHfwTF7Rtq2cIIp0d6z5xQWlF3uOUBASgQTeFJeifl2UbQ7ZD6fi7g5rMxfRpdiWbafggBGQmQz1ENmDa2zLtaxEWXecbjqKfP2CwkVooqVSf4zatsbUuuDn5wX1gxJe6aG2Aqq44/s320/anyone_but_you.jpg" width="216" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">Anyone But You (2023)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwz8eAhDbckoTCZoIyxqpYM3oxHF7iulRPeil1kqA1uKtf7Qtv-BGfByyW487IcDp-as9mgyCluXTtoDefhQDKyAXQPHInmgxEJ3mMkX9pdTctXxp_-iPo7gdiYxT40Hu07LVFrLebc4YBXlrKzkbeVMqI0QTgyWrw4wZwQ0oqYeOUO_a9YMWH45XWfy4/s22/Rated%20R.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="22" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwz8eAhDbckoTCZoIyxqpYM3oxHF7iulRPeil1kqA1uKtf7Qtv-BGfByyW487IcDp-as9mgyCluXTtoDefhQDKyAXQPHInmgxEJ3mMkX9pdTctXxp_-iPo7gdiYxT40Hu07LVFrLebc4YBXlrKzkbeVMqI0QTgyWrw4wZwQ0oqYeOUO_a9YMWH45XWfy4/s1600/Rated%20R.gif" width="22" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In the light-as-air, refreshingly R-rated romantic comedy “Anyone But You,” nothing goes better with William Shakespeare than hot people. The impossibly attractive Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney pretend to be impossibly attractive people who hate each other and then pretend to be in love before actually falling in love for real — got it? Writer-director Will Gluck (<a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2010/09/easy-has-more-wit-than-standard.html" target="_blank">"Easy A,"</a> <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/jt-and-kunis-bring-sexy-and-smart-back.html" target="_blank">"Friends with Benefits"</a>) and co-writer Ilana Wolpert aren’t quite up to the standards of “10 Things I Hate About You” (or even the under-seen “Get Over It” and “Deliver Us From Eva”) with their contemporary Bard revamp, but it all boils down to likable leads carrying the day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KcFHQEu40OM-cDbPzOvc5pCm7M29kx5lEVcaSrGc_SaRN7Bir828iPcTQJTz8Ytj2lIzZFbIZ9GmJuqShL0Ff6LNPmCwRC41XYYvOUSLqufUVWQdvJoLmBwr8E9Zh26uEc2XzgHrUdHcw6Jvuie91bnl8jhDM5fNIiQ8Y0FBnp-Kezy0DwbuwIJ-Epw/s1912/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%204.10.19%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1912" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KcFHQEu40OM-cDbPzOvc5pCm7M29kx5lEVcaSrGc_SaRN7Bir828iPcTQJTz8Ytj2lIzZFbIZ9GmJuqShL0Ff6LNPmCwRC41XYYvOUSLqufUVWQdvJoLmBwr8E9Zh26uEc2XzgHrUdHcw6Jvuie91bnl8jhDM5fNIiQ8Y0FBnp-Kezy0DwbuwIJ-Epw/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%204.10.19%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Ben (Powell) is a hot finance bro, and Bea (Sweeney) is a hot law student. After a meet-cute at a coffee shop that leads to a great evening of eating grilled cheese, talking, and falling asleep in each other’s arms with their belt buckles untouched, a misunderstanding pits these two against one another. With this being a movie—and a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”—Ben and Bea (much like Benedick and Beatrice) must both attend a destination wedding in Sydney, Australia; he’s best friends with the bride, Claudia (Alexandra Shipp), and her sister, Halle (Hadley Robinson), is the other bride. As Movie Contrivance would have it, Bea’s meddlesome parents (Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths) have invited her hot ex-fiancé, Jonathan (Darren Barnet), and Ben’s hot Aussie ex, Margaret (Charlee Fraser), is a bridesmaid. The families think Ben and Bea have chemistry, so they try playing Cupid, and Ben and Bea decide to play along. A “skirmish of wit” ensues!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToKS3Yv8u1lKxQKNFHZlU2sWa_dHA5EY6281WPxTOhucGu9ooAjiMreBlRvJvZTy9BTIzLDEJoAimcFcMzUba_v34jxK3zFx8WSgbG_xpWGbb5o-zj3d1f-bHliEHFi0W7v7oBFuR8ebDf2RDrsWqLmPqF0EPlXXI94Wnr6WBg5i15q2_Y9CB0wHbTZo/s1870/Anyone%20But%20You%20IMDB.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1870" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToKS3Yv8u1lKxQKNFHZlU2sWa_dHA5EY6281WPxTOhucGu9ooAjiMreBlRvJvZTy9BTIzLDEJoAimcFcMzUba_v34jxK3zFx8WSgbG_xpWGbb5o-zj3d1f-bHliEHFi0W7v7oBFuR8ebDf2RDrsWqLmPqF0EPlXXI94Wnr6WBg5i15q2_Y9CB0wHbTZo/s320/Anyone%20But%20You%20IMDB.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">For the better, “Anyone But You” does feel like a throwback to the romantic comedies of the early aughts, and its success has much ado about the stars, individually and as an on-screen pair. Powell could come across as smarmy with that toothsome grin, but he’s extremely charming, and Sweeney is charismatic with an untapped knack for physical comedy (her hijinks with a bathroom hand dryer and in an airplane seat are both nimbly played). There’s only a little to each of these characters—Ben’s mother died, and Bea doesn’t really want to be a lawyer and doesn’t know how to let a grilled cheese cool down before taking a bite—but they do have a tart, snappy banter (not in iambic pentameter) and an instant heat between them. The problem is, the conflicts are mighty flimsy, and there isn’t much tension or chemistry between Ben and Bea and their respective exes. We always know that our good-looking leads will be getting together, no questions asked, and that’s okay.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/anyone-but-you-movie-review-much-ado-about-hot-charming-stars" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade:<b> B -<br /><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 18px;"><i>Sony Pictures Releasing released "Anyone But You" (103 min.) in theaters on December 26, 2023. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-38265793567447436262023-12-31T15:08:00.007-05:002024-01-01T16:04:14.886-05:00The Worst Films of 2023<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBv2ATbLKfpHGK7RRkftTZ3yZ10ctgj2BqKii1LbIVMX4nft_nDq7N2e_-piyaFo26dTfYCjMsplKwMJowydxALQncn5iQVgbx636xanqQwT5Ca8O9ZcXS6K65lKm_n_vDDV7o7-JaM7yqKNQAc9cWeTf2CVK3_kYSrYn6U7LMZ64wK3xO27-jBUQWFI/s1244/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%203.56.16%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1244" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBv2ATbLKfpHGK7RRkftTZ3yZ10ctgj2BqKii1LbIVMX4nft_nDq7N2e_-piyaFo26dTfYCjMsplKwMJowydxALQncn5iQVgbx636xanqQwT5Ca8O9ZcXS6K65lKm_n_vDDV7o7-JaM7yqKNQAc9cWeTf2CVK3_kYSrYn6U7LMZ64wK3xO27-jBUQWFI/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%203.56.16%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit by Joe Peltzer</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Originally Posted at <a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/the-10-worst-films-of-2023-opinion">GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;">There seems to be a stigma against writing “Worst Movies of the Year” list, but with the good, we do get the bad. We’ll make this short and not so sweet.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; text-align: justify;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcGWLcu0ONxxEAehJ5kYAWn2FDIzVI9DTPobnc3Jbt35cvC0aOytRVvjhdadG3C0z00FxdE0oPhUoNGcKIOmZNY7Ol9Y0mhTIYbzmaAdzz_gA_oaI1uSaNrpoGzPMYrICwLGOEkklqEdmwygEi8LXjSrBCRN9pJAgjmC220DUSr1uXmuplJL_ePA244s/s755/meg_two_the_trench.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcGWLcu0ONxxEAehJ5kYAWn2FDIzVI9DTPobnc3Jbt35cvC0aOytRVvjhdadG3C0z00FxdE0oPhUoNGcKIOmZNY7Ol9Y0mhTIYbzmaAdzz_gA_oaI1uSaNrpoGzPMYrICwLGOEkklqEdmwygEi8LXjSrBCRN9pJAgjmC220DUSr1uXmuplJL_ePA244s/w114-h169/meg_two_the_trench.jpg" width="114" /></a></div><b>10. Meg 2: The Trench </b>- I’ll all for a big, dumb, fun shark movie (I rather enjoyed “The Meg”), but “Meg 2: The Trench” was a huge bummer. If you came to this place to see beautifully bald zaddy Jason Statham in a wet suit fending off sea monsters, get ready to wait until the last half hour. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/08/meg-2-trench-bigger-dumber-sequel-thats.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uty7nOK73LFvYrDDwypcDmCOJhqcM-mbOc6V9yqc9ha29iq9ZoiMwWf5q_P3_4EeWN_JN4Wu-lhaWvi-k-pVF1J84zLiw8tKRh5tEu_brpI3VlDAbmGW2CwNBT2EiuF67VgVkZPGDrXNorX_Tmg405ZFRHvUcO632BwZKDhT-mhiuYdNmiGz3Ia6xr4/s755/freelance.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uty7nOK73LFvYrDDwypcDmCOJhqcM-mbOc6V9yqc9ha29iq9ZoiMwWf5q_P3_4EeWN_JN4Wu-lhaWvi-k-pVF1J84zLiw8tKRh5tEu_brpI3VlDAbmGW2CwNBT2EiuF67VgVkZPGDrXNorX_Tmg405ZFRHvUcO632BwZKDhT-mhiuYdNmiGz3Ia6xr4/w115-h170/freelance.jpg" width="115" /></a></div><b>9. Freelance</b> - John Cena and Alison Brie were directed by “Taken” director Pierre Morel in this lame, perfunctory geopolitical action-comedy. I saw this dud at one of Regal’s Mystery Movies for $5, and once I realized it was “Freelance,” I only stayed because I’m extremely committed. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/10/freelance-wastes-two-reliable-stars-in.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnFFFpw07vCU1kE__QIzgMSR-E_q8ySNOkXyMatqxg9TaW_K9IrRDNS1lJlPvV_nYNDwOXeVMg5IHqKJOtkXx1gA9XgvLQYqERd9iXSLJJms_6E06z3KsAdV65GdpRwIoGrgPWe5Yri3A74c6k4RcPtvmFamzesa2q6cSo_y2j0h5WYu3o68KbfdcCmk/s755/maybe_i_do.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnFFFpw07vCU1kE__QIzgMSR-E_q8ySNOkXyMatqxg9TaW_K9IrRDNS1lJlPvV_nYNDwOXeVMg5IHqKJOtkXx1gA9XgvLQYqERd9iXSLJJms_6E06z3KsAdV65GdpRwIoGrgPWe5Yri3A74c6k4RcPtvmFamzesa2q6cSo_y2j0h5WYu3o68KbfdcCmk/w112-h167/maybe_i_do.jpg" width="112" /></a></div><b>8. Maybe I Do</b> - Here’s a reminder that awkward direction and a vapid script can happen to a great (and very overqualified) cast. Not Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Emma Roberts, or William H. Macy can make this beige, annoyingly overwritten romantic dramedy less depressing. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/01/maybe-i-do-beige-overwritten-contrived.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_v-ivtim8lW0hUEqJ4kBEqJPjvK6C5dAV59yc7ntsGFE3sW7RSAKW2x9JSxg2eWKFvxN_xIxUaW_elWeIFFrzfmqopdK8yzQHuednXsNBKbZ9zGJVgSH0dBq6hzK2LX7GlBm8fMT2_bUs9611G6m-SthO7ncjvQNgKJW16RGOvfBZFj03pSpAbeu8S0k/s1234/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%203.41.23%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="882" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_v-ivtim8lW0hUEqJ4kBEqJPjvK6C5dAV59yc7ntsGFE3sW7RSAKW2x9JSxg2eWKFvxN_xIxUaW_elWeIFFrzfmqopdK8yzQHuednXsNBKbZ9zGJVgSH0dBq6hzK2LX7GlBm8fMT2_bUs9611G6m-SthO7ncjvQNgKJW16RGOvfBZFj03pSpAbeu8S0k/w118-h165/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%203.41.23%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="118" /></a></b></div><b>7. Sick Girl</b> - Nina Dobrev pretends to have cancer so her friends will hang out with her more in this unintentionally irresponsible, terminally unfunny comedy. See the excellent Norwegian black comedy “Sick of Myself” instead. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/10/sick-girl-is-irresponsible-and.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZhcKGWri7EnMEWN6yV0iOekTzJtPShU8LWO3bgo9BHqegZh_vpPYzXbAKYmDsbNb-lw1J-i5tlaNAGiUfILSU3Xfs_QWSn8mUPhSXC5W8gOFc544ZHiHQ01BTSGLser_s8nvJp9Q2v9VW_kwTvmCVyQ3g5dkyug32-EZG4PUMy_BIbEYCd52OvAqxiA/s755/til_death_do_us_part.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZhcKGWri7EnMEWN6yV0iOekTzJtPShU8LWO3bgo9BHqegZh_vpPYzXbAKYmDsbNb-lw1J-i5tlaNAGiUfILSU3Xfs_QWSn8mUPhSXC5W8gOFc544ZHiHQ01BTSGLser_s8nvJp9Q2v9VW_kwTvmCVyQ3g5dkyug32-EZG4PUMy_BIbEYCd52OvAqxiA/w120-h178/til_death_do_us_part.jpg" width="120" /></a></b></div><b>6. Til Death Do Us Part </b>- I loved this movie when it was called “Ready or Not,” where a bride had to fight for her life. I do admire the stuntwork that goes into an action movie, but this genre exercise needed a more emotive lead and a less-terrible script. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/08/til-death-do-us-part-interminable-sub.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN_Vre-B9sDlGbvqf3aDfRE5mxkEhyA5KcRSTFzrm_ggGY4yAa-S1ec54FAXKYWaMiOLqeDELAhBgRRWA7rMZjYKc2NvSSIaWzT_2VKFusY0qBPLhzqxOzvAR17Ky0orJ1L1HkMMwIOMfCTKiXrMcjFd1VygyzHihQq819Z2w5DgyYS_Qp5Xv6sJJmkI/s755/fear.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN_Vre-B9sDlGbvqf3aDfRE5mxkEhyA5KcRSTFzrm_ggGY4yAa-S1ec54FAXKYWaMiOLqeDELAhBgRRWA7rMZjYKc2NvSSIaWzT_2VKFusY0qBPLhzqxOzvAR17Ky0orJ1L1HkMMwIOMfCTKiXrMcjFd1VygyzHihQq819Z2w5DgyYS_Qp5Xv6sJJmkI/w123-h183/fear.jpg" width="123" /></a></b></div><b>5. Fear </b>- Pandemic horror, so fun. This mid-budget thriller has a promising nugget of idea, but then it’s unevenly acted, poorly paced, visually muddy, and never scary, not even in a lazy jump-scare sort of way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/04/fear-should-have-feared-itself-and-not.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1weOudabPgeZzXsl3DxSEcjJZbAJPCFWomJGb7dQiZ8SZFv37d8kcTM2BMJMGIgjdkaWv_zwIAfG0EIkF_i5SH1JlADMyHqPKrcfE_rjc8KayV57L4Cl8vsXAT1ISz3o78i3xQlxG9lAcL61yz_gscwTxjc5sAvIwTdiBDxGoia63Cv9WUdlgn7ymb-s/s755/children_of_the_corn_ver2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1weOudabPgeZzXsl3DxSEcjJZbAJPCFWomJGb7dQiZ8SZFv37d8kcTM2BMJMGIgjdkaWv_zwIAfG0EIkF_i5SH1JlADMyHqPKrcfE_rjc8KayV57L4Cl8vsXAT1ISz3o78i3xQlxG9lAcL61yz_gscwTxjc5sAvIwTdiBDxGoia63Cv9WUdlgn7ymb-s/w122-h181/children_of_the_corn_ver2.jpg" width="122" /></a></b></div><b>4. Children of the Corn</b> - Yes, they made another one of these, and whoever asked for it needs to pay. It’s kind of depressing when this 2023 incarnation doesn’t add a darn thing to a long-running horror series that never really rose above mediocre.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/02/new-unimproved-children-of-corn-can.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENAogyqa05RfhtygMmBc9LtybDpXgyyiJCQEXPqxNB5BsQxGdfyODfuReYdupVpc8sN8wY7-II3Cg1FFSHV0gGwWWov2UUe7hUvvPH9TotB6B8tJ5lwbvAn-qrdclzkngdC66ZAJcWRy8Ad1Ytkt-P1OcQyyiuPt9yC0w7RE3R5SPyn6KJMJknNdFJlY/s1188/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%203.39.20%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="866" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENAogyqa05RfhtygMmBc9LtybDpXgyyiJCQEXPqxNB5BsQxGdfyODfuReYdupVpc8sN8wY7-II3Cg1FFSHV0gGwWWov2UUe7hUvvPH9TotB6B8tJ5lwbvAn-qrdclzkngdC66ZAJcWRy8Ad1Ytkt-P1OcQyyiuPt9yC0w7RE3R5SPyn6KJMJknNdFJlY/w126-h173/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%203.39.20%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="126" /></a></b></div><b>3. Last Call for Istanbul</b> - “What is this movie?” you may ask. Well, my parents chose it on Netflix over Thanksgiving, so I have them to thank. It’s a Turkish romance that actually turns out to be something else, and the performances are as stiff as the writing is completely artificial. A true turkey.<p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGH3UbLtJsh9b1G7ffBzHH1yEE21iTwL5L1RNecaUJm_Mve_jezu5QmQLY2Eehg82_9FgqYR-mXHFIGDTtOK2b8AzTz0DbLS_ujAMTSPJFZ-r4xAm4gBvQPZPjOfNScC_NKSWOwLQz2aFNJEyrenc7xTY6FwhgslibJ-oRWYVOb2BRgZHtp6GVB4AgtA/s755/winniethepooh_blood_and_honey.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="534" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGH3UbLtJsh9b1G7ffBzHH1yEE21iTwL5L1RNecaUJm_Mve_jezu5QmQLY2Eehg82_9FgqYR-mXHFIGDTtOK2b8AzTz0DbLS_ujAMTSPJFZ-r4xAm4gBvQPZPjOfNScC_NKSWOwLQz2aFNJEyrenc7xTY6FwhgslibJ-oRWYVOb2BRgZHtp6GVB4AgtA/w125-h178/winniethepooh_blood_and_honey.jpg" width="125" /></a></b></div><b>2. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey -</b> Slasher movies can be fun, but this stalk-and-slash take on Christopher Robin’s woodland pals killing a bunch of young women with no real personality and no actual names isn’t even sleazy fun. It’s only 84 minutes, but it felt like an entire day.<p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49rpzcOy__9F_VAAC7WH2Z6zoRvLg2hplM_0WShJ4mTsf_poOhkx-SDTSYTJtkasFwhLOvYqdqKpcaDVcdEOsQJKTi66Ag7QEuJJkmk6ZRN4PbZxJhhSCPH8YpCMT3XVMhJix_9a0osM1MP9a8rN7oakkWICx5m3F8LShSzVJFB8d53mNWZfHdLeYeSs/s755/flood.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="507" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49rpzcOy__9F_VAAC7WH2Z6zoRvLg2hplM_0WShJ4mTsf_poOhkx-SDTSYTJtkasFwhLOvYqdqKpcaDVcdEOsQJKTi66Ag7QEuJJkmk6ZRN4PbZxJhhSCPH8YpCMT3XVMhJix_9a0osM1MP9a8rN7oakkWICx5m3F8LShSzVJFB8d53mNWZfHdLeYeSs/w126-h188/flood.jpg" width="126" /></a></b></div><b>1. The Flood </b>- SyFy Channel movies can be a lot of fun when you take them on their terms, but this isn’t even a SyFy Channel original. Cops and convicts running afoul of alligators in a police station during a raging hurricane should be a total hoot. This was a stunningly dull and inept waste of time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-flood-is-spectacularly-stupid-but.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b></span><p></p><div><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-converted-space"><b>And there you have it: the 10 worst movies of 2023. Avoid them and cheers to a 2024 that's free of any bad movies!</b></span></div>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-50352164955191236702023-12-29T08:00:00.004-05:002023-12-29T09:32:58.525-05:00The Best Films of 2023<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsHYn9RbpEks5WwK6hgQ40-_mM_3t9tMQkWPUaC9H_zzEg_QtQ6oVV9QdH6f_DMUEGiRTcEs1yslRmlKJbbpsGxMjC12qO7k8vy09MilnfBD1Cs6bWiZaEE5L6fFtrxn0cpYrFg6urNEzaa1tDrYu3aM41hkUuakmgMXpBXNtUXLVpkCUV_SdE3pG5PA/s1236/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%209.48.21%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1236" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsHYn9RbpEks5WwK6hgQ40-_mM_3t9tMQkWPUaC9H_zzEg_QtQ6oVV9QdH6f_DMUEGiRTcEs1yslRmlKJbbpsGxMjC12qO7k8vy09MilnfBD1Cs6bWiZaEE5L6fFtrxn0cpYrFg6urNEzaa1tDrYu3aM41hkUuakmgMXpBXNtUXLVpkCUV_SdE3pG5PA/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%209.48.21%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit by Jeff Nelson</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"><b><i>Originally Posted at <a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/jeremys-top-10-films-of-2023">GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></i></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;">End-of-the-year lists — they’re both fun and exciting to make, and the bane of my existence! How can one choose only ten films? How can one possibly see everything (and I saw 200 2023 releases)? Keeping in mind that taste is always subjective and the art of film criticism is anything but scientific, here are what I believe to be the 10 best films of 2023 after a slew of other films that could continue the list:</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"><u>Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):</u> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"><b>American Fiction, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/07/barbie-fun-dazzling-party-with-substance.html" target="_blank">Barbie</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/09/bottoms-punches-nice-high-school.html" target="_blank">Bottoms</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/06/brooklyn-45-works-beautifully-as.html">Brooklyn 45</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-color-purple-makes-for-stirring.html" target="_blank">The Color Purple</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/11/dream-scenario-philadelphia-film.html">Dream Scenario</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/03/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves-is.html" target="_blank">Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/04/evil-dead-rise-lean-bloody-ride-set-to.html" target="_blank">Evil Dead Rise</a>, Infinity Pool, The Killer, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/02/knock-at-cabin-chillingly-tense-thought.html" target="_blank">Knock at the Cabin</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/12/leave-world-behind-is-startling.html" target="_blank">Leave the World Behind</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/11/may-december-showcases-todd-haynes.html" target="_blank">May December</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/01/missing-excels-as-smart-engrossing.html" target="_blank">Missing</a>, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/07/oppenheimer-engrosses-and-impresses-as.html" target="_blank">Oppenheimer</a>, Our Son, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-outwaters-is-effective-as-fuck.html" target="_blank">The Outwaters</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/03/rye-lane-hyperactive-before-sunrise.html" target="_blank">Rye Lane</a>, The Royal Hotel, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/03/scream-vi-ups-ante-as-relentlessly.html" target="_blank">Scream VI</a>, Sharper, Sick of Myself, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/07/talk-to-me-wicked-nerve-rattler-that.html" target="_blank">Talk to Me</a>, <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/11/a-new-holiday-slasher-favorite-is.html" target="_blank">Thanksgiving</a>, A Thousand and One</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></b><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9DtJfoaHlo1cs20MpbV9LNUsV8do2MdV6LQcsxh6NptOgquRv83S4RyAH42D3t_opbI_WTptum0VKDu7GzY7RsbIpPyUBAgNPtTVRX-PX-we-WG4HjmvjxprBDrE8xFOwZS6eJ4spVatTOuKW4t03aID3GrNzYY2ney4YJgT2VZWmqlGnlNg6KgMcWM/s2048/MV5BYTkyNGViMmQtODgxZS00MDg3LWI2YWUtNzQ3YWNlYTFiMWMyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAyMjQ3NzQ1._V1_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1383" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9DtJfoaHlo1cs20MpbV9LNUsV8do2MdV6LQcsxh6NptOgquRv83S4RyAH42D3t_opbI_WTptum0VKDu7GzY7RsbIpPyUBAgNPtTVRX-PX-we-WG4HjmvjxprBDrE8xFOwZS6eJ4spVatTOuKW4t03aID3GrNzYY2ney4YJgT2VZWmqlGnlNg6KgMcWM/w114-h169/MV5BYTkyNGViMmQtODgxZS00MDg3LWI2YWUtNzQ3YWNlYTFiMWMyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAyMjQ3NzQ1._V1_.jpg" width="114" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>10. Fair Play -</b> A precisely crafted, increasingly tense thriller set in the finance world, Chloe Domont’s writing-directing debut kept me riveted throughout. Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich are both spectacular to watch as two stock analysts at a cutthroat Wall Street investment firm; they’re also a couple who has to hide their relationship, and things just erupt from there. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/10/fair-play-fires-on-all-cylinders-as.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxveR4_IUQrEyvz1NoXbGCOZ6pDng1rpbPdyJUfvZ3Yn-fC-mXVerNkBH56HHjSrn8ZiNWermSlCnsGxSZJoqR89XYWfAK1EFM_d1SPCKe6aEWQrRSZ3j9ZhxO8oQGd6rWbpchXKAhXO-KqMin4FvBwf-u2RvKpMZeHqXb2t2bzVgI7eHq2bIxhTiUNlo/s1481/MV5BMDNkNTRmMzEtYmEzNC00MTI5LWI5Y2QtZWM4Y2FkNzY5YjM1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAxNzQ1NzI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxveR4_IUQrEyvz1NoXbGCOZ6pDng1rpbPdyJUfvZ3Yn-fC-mXVerNkBH56HHjSrn8ZiNWermSlCnsGxSZJoqR89XYWfAK1EFM_d1SPCKe6aEWQrRSZ3j9ZhxO8oQGd6rWbpchXKAhXO-KqMin4FvBwf-u2RvKpMZeHqXb2t2bzVgI7eHq2bIxhTiUNlo/w118-h174/MV5BMDNkNTRmMzEtYmEzNC00MTI5LWI5Y2QtZWM4Y2FkNzY5YjM1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAxNzQ1NzI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" width="118" /></a></b></div><b>9. Of An Age </b><span style="font-weight: bold;">- </span>Goran Stolveski is a filmmaker I seem to already connect with, and this gay coming-of-age love story is only his second film. It’s romantic yet very bittersweet, often making us feel like we’re the only ones watching Elias Anton’s Kol and Thom Green’s Adam meet and then reconnect eleven years later. “Of An Age” may be another story about first love and what-ifs, but you won’t forget it. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/02/of-age-is-quietly-heartbreaking-gem.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b><p></p></span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDreV6XJqGOvzXz114sPBH5vJJuVwxqXfBQiC-FGpVOWyRy3YP_uHPnCjm3orx9YAk-E3eL1SpzMPY-_HnLdv13hdhnIKCp3E7BdiXjJEuVA3aQP7oeLY20EtNxjR_FRD9CW3UK7wZPyb2lkaPOsPgBWC_H2MswoHlYQaCc0FxHHw9pe1E5Hn3jffd-x0/s755/are_you_there_god_its_me_margaret.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="490" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDreV6XJqGOvzXz114sPBH5vJJuVwxqXfBQiC-FGpVOWyRy3YP_uHPnCjm3orx9YAk-E3eL1SpzMPY-_HnLdv13hdhnIKCp3E7BdiXjJEuVA3aQP7oeLY20EtNxjR_FRD9CW3UK7wZPyb2lkaPOsPgBWC_H2MswoHlYQaCc0FxHHw9pe1E5Hn3jffd-x0/w118-h182/are_you_there_god_its_me_margaret.jpg" width="118" /></a></b></div><b style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;">8. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. -</b><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;">Judy Blume’s book came out in 1970, but this screen adaptation feels as deceptively groundbreaking and astute as the source. Abby Ryder Fortson is winning and authentic as the titular 11-year-old who’s waiting for her period, but Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, and especially Rachel McAdams also bring so much life, humor, and wisdom to their parts as Margaret’s family. This treasure of a movie is a quintessential guide for young and old, and it wouldn’t be hyperbole to call it an “instant classic,” either. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/04/are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret-is-so.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorZJwX5M7mVXBTBXdhCkq0RLsK6jwWqu5OsY5RVUroMLeS6npYc_dKm9PxIuKNAEHWzmuH2pFDCRIjYo0ErgxNNkN8VXqtL_hly1WyJfNxA9ikmMvjpCWmOQ7EptkMFkBLkH4xC4AKLtlItwlaM0HvnQNB-aygGeqI43bxQ8UiC_T_FJ_0JV7zo6X2zo/s755/past_lives_ver2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorZJwX5M7mVXBTBXdhCkq0RLsK6jwWqu5OsY5RVUroMLeS6npYc_dKm9PxIuKNAEHWzmuH2pFDCRIjYo0ErgxNNkN8VXqtL_hly1WyJfNxA9ikmMvjpCWmOQ7EptkMFkBLkH4xC4AKLtlItwlaM0HvnQNB-aygGeqI43bxQ8UiC_T_FJ_0JV7zo6X2zo/w121-h180/past_lives_ver2.jpg" width="121" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>7. Past Lives - </b>“Assured” is always a film critic-y word, but it’s decidedly one word to describe Celine Song’s feature directional debut “Past Lives.” The acclaim was fully earned, as this indie captures the what-ifs in life when two South Korean childhood friends catch up later in life after one of them emigrated to New York City. All three performances—Greta Lee’s Nora, Teo Yoo’s Hae Sung, and John Magaro’s Arthur, Nora’s understanding husband—are just perfect, and there isn’t a false moment or a wasted shot composition that couldn’t be hung up on a wall. It’s so quiet and understated, yet its delicate flow is exquisitely executed with grace and emotional resonance. </span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF-Wfv_w1Iqof4QdNwa1-QMcX0F5r9h5Jkw-qtJrKirJ7QcWPsjPndQ0M324q-RSODjLWXahR1OPp513NFmsqco5TIz6_iGmqYRlJt8JX1rld7hCuyHiMhNsfo_S97EBsqPlffjgPEZJS3S91am3qToJzJW4HMB3jXY3ExhL2bK53BJGJrpobcNMNwww/s755/saltburn_ver3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF-Wfv_w1Iqof4QdNwa1-QMcX0F5r9h5Jkw-qtJrKirJ7QcWPsjPndQ0M324q-RSODjLWXahR1OPp513NFmsqco5TIz6_iGmqYRlJt8JX1rld7hCuyHiMhNsfo_S97EBsqPlffjgPEZJS3S91am3qToJzJW4HMB3jXY3ExhL2bK53BJGJrpobcNMNwww/w123-h182/saltburn_ver3.jpg" width="123" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>6. Saltburn - </b>Apparently a divisive movie for audiences, “Saltburn” is the wilder, kinkier, even more delectably twisted sibling to “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Emerald Fennell somehow only knows how to make great, biting, stylish films, and Barry Keoghan’s Oliver keeps us guessing as to how much this Oxford scholarship boy is actually capable of when getting invited to his hot new friend’s estate. And Rosamund Pike has never been funnier! There are so many images that have not left my brain since, and the cumulative effect of this cynically pitch-black comedy is a shocking, darkly hilarious trip. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/11/saltburn-philadelphia-film-festival.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b></span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPMllG-U8fBOrldoeafWgmWmJES1ACevYvwjTe5MfrwxP6qpFUGQ_XcfykY2Lq3P_Sk7fsi_ddKDn11bt8ozjring0ar2-9Ixq1sVolid6KJqI0hFlPmvMUKfPg1vC3ZNS1lOAgu4y6qGF5ahhyphenhyphenTsmkNn9cN803-s8B1dyUnY-WLnYLD8IVqTQApTHa8/s755/you_hurt_my_feelings.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPMllG-U8fBOrldoeafWgmWmJES1ACevYvwjTe5MfrwxP6qpFUGQ_XcfykY2Lq3P_Sk7fsi_ddKDn11bt8ozjring0ar2-9Ixq1sVolid6KJqI0hFlPmvMUKfPg1vC3ZNS1lOAgu4y6qGF5ahhyphenhyphenTsmkNn9cN803-s8B1dyUnY-WLnYLD8IVqTQApTHa8/w122-h181/you_hurt_my_feelings.jpg" width="122" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>5. You Hurt My Feelings -</b> The only thing that hurts my feelings about my #5 is that writer-director Nicole Holofcener hasn’t made more than seven features in three decades. This funny, smart, painfully honest slice-of-life has all of the sharp insight you want from her films, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus just keeps proving she’s a national treasure who can handle comedy and drama in the same breath. I recognized so many uncomfortable truths here about relationships and the little white lies we tell our partners that feel like momentous acts of betrayal. Another winner from all involved, including production company A24. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/05/you-hurt-my-feelings-funny-smart.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b></span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAKLwwmZ1YQrJxaAOY4XUvVDeBKLzte98RiFWDE5YoTFMfwbZxAZe-gGLoNp6nn8r_81v5oV882XevBd5YEhzx9-58DT2J05KSTHTAHkMpdzQBe35RjXAezAVdjqAEzLpVFkN_dlBYsSiD7lhKnvhxeIiSj2w2YH4aKYqeur9SNh0nnWtFIvMP9PP6C4/s755/holdovers.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAKLwwmZ1YQrJxaAOY4XUvVDeBKLzte98RiFWDE5YoTFMfwbZxAZe-gGLoNp6nn8r_81v5oV882XevBd5YEhzx9-58DT2J05KSTHTAHkMpdzQBe35RjXAezAVdjqAEzLpVFkN_dlBYsSiD7lhKnvhxeIiSj2w2YH4aKYqeur9SNh0nnWtFIvMP9PP6C4/w121-h179/holdovers.jpg" width="121" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>4. The Holdovers - </b>Alexander Payne’s latest is like putting on your favorite sweater. It feels retro and cozy, but then again, it has some new stitching that makes it special. Paul Giamatti has played his share of curmudgeons—and he’s always a memorable presence—but his performance as New England prep school professor Paul Hunham might be his most wonderfully complex work in ages. Da’Vine Joy Randolph also puts in beautiful work as kitchen head Mary Lamb, as does revelatory newcomer Dominic Sessa as the student Paul gets stuck with taking care of during Christmas break. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;">This “chosen family” dramedy follows the template of “Dead Poet’s Society” and “The Emperor’s Club,” but it’s in the character details and the sharpness of the writing that nothing ever feels hackneyed or pat. Instead of coming across as script constructs, these characters feel like they have lives before and after the film ends. Impeccably made, crisply photographed, warm and tender but still prickly enough without losing its edge, this formula picture is carried out so well that it stops feeling formulaic.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7yR3feKjJ7XNUJCXY5zikbAkQOrSlJWqvXsHu107LIcp1b6AlpBvzLoRzO7YS67G8arcmTDYyKuxgVr5OzY0EDRSCmfa7WKZbLmxeBQQD6gJP-WERzwgaX3Xi8_Iv4SuMijU1UfltbFlzsnPxvGSCCP3RSCc1HYDx3aabVqbALVmrHmEJiqEPRhQUNo/s755/all_of_us_strangers.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="504" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7yR3feKjJ7XNUJCXY5zikbAkQOrSlJWqvXsHu107LIcp1b6AlpBvzLoRzO7YS67G8arcmTDYyKuxgVr5OzY0EDRSCmfa7WKZbLmxeBQQD6gJP-WERzwgaX3Xi8_Iv4SuMijU1UfltbFlzsnPxvGSCCP3RSCc1HYDx3aabVqbALVmrHmEJiqEPRhQUNo/w126-h187/all_of_us_strangers.jpg" width="126" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>3. All of Us Strangers</b> - Go into Andrew Haigh’s latest knowing as little as possible and you won’t be prepared for its aching tenderness. Andrew Scott plays Harry, a closed-off screenwriter living in a London high-rise where it seems like nobody else lives there. One night, he gets a knock on the door by Adam (Paul Mescal), a guy on a lower floor. Their awkward encounter sparks something in Harry to go visit his childhood suburban home, where his parents (Jamie Bell and Claire Foy) still seem to reside and look the same as if suspended in time. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;">Based on a 1987 novel “Strangers” by Taichi Yamada, the film captures a specific but universal feeling of wanting to say or share something with parents after they’re already gone. Scott is especially heartbreaking, and he and Mescal have a sexy but also tender chemistry. The use of needle drops by Pet Shop Boys and Frankie Goes to Hollywood are also inspired. Even as the narrative takes on a tricky, more surreal bent, it’s almost always understated and relatable with pangs of truth and a mood of dreaminess and melancholy. Beautifully written and stunningly acted, this is one of the most deeply felt films about loneliness and finding closure. </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJ6-xL23AHn9ERjwnL9eeS224KLbVk6Y89Y0KJKHq0QD7EmhXkvygEo1gOkiqVI3E_Pm7zILNEwQBJsItjGfXklXkr07JwkZtxO8QiSXJlu1FnMahzmTo4dj7Ne75RdIUIqMaaPQDjafK25B_dpxJriprvaAt4QNkwLfh1-UAwsWik9QxSI991jQ_O8s/s755/poor_things_ver3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJ6-xL23AHn9ERjwnL9eeS224KLbVk6Y89Y0KJKHq0QD7EmhXkvygEo1gOkiqVI3E_Pm7zILNEwQBJsItjGfXklXkr07JwkZtxO8QiSXJlu1FnMahzmTo4dj7Ne75RdIUIqMaaPQDjafK25B_dpxJriprvaAt4QNkwLfh1-UAwsWik9QxSI991jQ_O8s/w132-h194/poor_things_ver3.jpg" width="132" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>2. Poor Things -</b> I was already in the bag for anything made by Yorgos Lanthimos — everything he’s made since “Dogtooth” is strange, daring, and fascinating. Based upon a novel by Alasdair Gray, “Poor Things” is, of course, quite bizarre, but it’s also horny, offbeat, loopy, and visually extravagant. In a way, it’s an absurd mash-up of “Frankenstein” and “My Fair Lady” that will reward the most adventurous viewer. Emma Stone, back with director Lanthimos and writer Tony McNamara after “The Favorite,” is extraordinary here, fearlessly going for it and being extremely funny in both big and small ways as Bella Baxter, a living, breathing experiment reanimated by scientist Dr. Godwin “God” Baxter (Willem Dafoe) in London. She looks like an adult, but her mind is that of a child, and the film is a discovery of so much more as Bella evolves as a woman living in a polite society. She ends up going on an adventure to Paris with a buffoonish cad, played by Mark Ruffalo, who commits without ever trying to sweeten him, and that’s part of what makes him so funny. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;">What Stone is doing really shouldn’t be underestimated; there’s an evolution to Bella, from infancy to adulthood, that always makes sense and feels finely tuned, depending on the given situation in which she finds herself. Visually, this is Lanthimos’ most majestic-looking and transporting piece of work, with a fish-eye lens and a lot of steampunk inspiration, and Jerkin Fendrix’s first score is evocative of Mica Levi’s work in “Under the Skin” but suits its own twinkly rhythms. Unexpectedly sweet and profound, “Poor Things” gives Bella the ending (and the liberation) she deserves, and not just from “furious jumping.” </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRzihniKUj8TFayX4dJxNorTTTfhcG2kREAypvoSZ8yhMXG6sB3lgQRHm35B_IobQXI54B5N4ka1Q1lQF0vDNH4KZYY2y-PVvV4Cz5txOHM7VqAsVsmSLYFAKFywo2tbsXdD-HpMr4bQPAKXPISkT-rVkcRpb-lDc9NLWFdqYofetvdv3IVBbjdI7-FM/s755/beau_is_afraid_ver2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRzihniKUj8TFayX4dJxNorTTTfhcG2kREAypvoSZ8yhMXG6sB3lgQRHm35B_IobQXI54B5N4ka1Q1lQF0vDNH4KZYY2y-PVvV4Cz5txOHM7VqAsVsmSLYFAKFywo2tbsXdD-HpMr4bQPAKXPISkT-rVkcRpb-lDc9NLWFdqYofetvdv3IVBbjdI7-FM/w140-h208/beau_is_afraid_ver2.jpg" width="140" /></a></b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>1. Beau Is Afraid -</b> Ari Aster is clearly incapable of making films that aren’t bold or challenging or feel like blank checks written by A24. This deliriously surreal, absurdly funny Freudian odyssey is 179 minutes, and enthralling for every minute as it keeps reinventing itself. Joaquin Phoenix is superb as the titular Beau, who is afraid of everything, and you can’t really blame him after this sprawling journey with the genetics of Homer and Charlie Kaufman shows us a penis monster, the most inspired use of Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby,” and gives Patti LuPone, Zoe Lister-Jones, Parker Posey, Amy Ryan, and Nathan Lane juicy, juicy parts to play. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px;">This is certainly the kind of film that’s destined to be divisive and won’t leave any viewer feeling indifferent. Aster will have to foot my therapy bill, but this is the kind of moviemaking swing I wish I could see more of every year. <b><a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/04/beau-is-afraid-marks-another-bold.html" target="_blank">Full review</a></b></span><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-91508678143562798972023-12-22T06:47:00.004-05:002023-12-22T06:47:00.139-05:00"The Color Purple" makes for a stirring movie-musical adaptation<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMfYT1qpGfZtDxG5AbaXhwmIbJon3r1vLQvZ_6D2esPfxVP4T16XFTABQ9raHvNN3aJUyhip5G704o0_VmGYUKq5TFdDgEXfxLggy7lySe4vDMz0RBAKR4mC9AWnyPqYEfHyV0L68CZbWmI9T9Z9b8qDOIsSbOobiyVNHjRUMl_L3cJ9NFy6N9vGrV9c/s755/color_purple_ver2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMfYT1qpGfZtDxG5AbaXhwmIbJon3r1vLQvZ_6D2esPfxVP4T16XFTABQ9raHvNN3aJUyhip5G704o0_VmGYUKq5TFdDgEXfxLggy7lySe4vDMz0RBAKR4mC9AWnyPqYEfHyV0L68CZbWmI9T9Z9b8qDOIsSbOobiyVNHjRUMl_L3cJ9NFy6N9vGrV9c/s320/color_purple_ver2.jpg" width="216" /></a><br /><b style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: justify;">The Color Purple (2023)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHvl_xBz4pOp_7N_HwbBnp3DWNAJOr8-70iJr2vvDGpuET8zl72Ke6-4WPIcebgd1-M7k57BWCSgNJf_6tdlf60e6f43nlVx4XEA7kAMmSIDD9yG8XAJxZUtrqqTKE9IcgyM6oOIbKAGmj3InxeLf4OuQDC60bJ6Ptj67h0TreOaVUCZgv5ZpD3BGz_0/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHvl_xBz4pOp_7N_HwbBnp3DWNAJOr8-70iJr2vvDGpuET8zl72Ke6-4WPIcebgd1-M7k57BWCSgNJf_6tdlf60e6f43nlVx4XEA7kAMmSIDD9yG8XAJxZUtrqqTKE9IcgyM6oOIbKAGmj3InxeLf4OuQDC60bJ6Ptj67h0TreOaVUCZgv5ZpD3BGz_0/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></div></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It’s not unreasonable to feel doubt about a Steven Spielberg film being remade, but 2023’s “The Color Purple” fell into the right hands. To be fair, this is more of an adaptation of the Broadway musical, itself based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel and Spielberg’s tough, affecting 1985 film. In telling this story, set in Georgia and spanning 1909 to 1947, for the second time on screen, director Blitz Bazawule (who previously co-directed Beyoncé’s visual album “Black Is King”) finds the right tonality between dramatically heavy material and the music. It also doesn’t hurt that Bazawule is blessed with an exceptional ensemble of actors who can sing and singers who can act.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iSQN0yE4GhPPhhMkoTKAHdeh880hjpZoh1vQ38swKXfZOUvVznB5nUw1iwivSVFZm5o4P9f9g7QyI9ZyTyHMPhW7ydPZjtOsyXZwqFUm7gsH-l6Da7YFbqoujctL2YhCqwIKIikiDFCAZCAoF4fS7LXyLfdM3CCDuSqHxFSUBnOJkI-bwP4t91ICpJk/s2132/Screenshot%202023-12-20%20at%206.42.36%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2132" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iSQN0yE4GhPPhhMkoTKAHdeh880hjpZoh1vQ38swKXfZOUvVznB5nUw1iwivSVFZm5o4P9f9g7QyI9ZyTyHMPhW7ydPZjtOsyXZwqFUm7gsH-l6Da7YFbqoujctL2YhCqwIKIikiDFCAZCAoF4fS7LXyLfdM3CCDuSqHxFSUBnOJkI-bwP4t91ICpJk/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-20%20at%206.42.36%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Having played the same role on Broadway from 2007 to 2008, early “American Idol” season winner Fantasia Barrino is truly heartbreaking as the put-upon Celie, who was molested and impregnated by her father as a teenager. Her two children were “given away to God” before Celie was then married off to the abusive Albert/Mister (Colman Domingo) and separated from the only person who showed her love — her sister, Nettie (played by Halle Bailey and then, in the finale, Ciara). Any letter that Nettie wrote and mailed to her beloved sister would be hidden by Mister. It’s not until Mister’s lover, brassy Memphis singer Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson), comes to stay in Celie’s home that Celie steps closer to gaining her agency and freedom.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhI4N-UkF7bIv0y7mXJrPT6XeQ8RLLT-2VGE1wJ1xQVtwTwgIzQ9qd8m4BLvPGGRbMPpM8UL_O8cvkCbUt5ky4ntqhfizUf4mKTXg_MDuA93MwBCLGWCURTkAwSrfIaqpOf1_tS6Z1gE0H1l6SCcGhj9HPgFgcmebY6WTwg6g9lD5sqEZr2NTGJIRHmT0/s2262/Screenshot%202023-12-20%20at%206.42.22%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="2262" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhI4N-UkF7bIv0y7mXJrPT6XeQ8RLLT-2VGE1wJ1xQVtwTwgIzQ9qd8m4BLvPGGRbMPpM8UL_O8cvkCbUt5ky4ntqhfizUf4mKTXg_MDuA93MwBCLGWCURTkAwSrfIaqpOf1_tS6Z1gE0H1l6SCcGhj9HPgFgcmebY6WTwg6g9lD5sqEZr2NTGJIRHmT0/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-20%20at%206.42.22%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“The Color Purple” is faithful to the story beats of its non-musical predecessor but quite special in its own right with songs and lyrics. The musical numbers all soar and are dynamically staged in long shots to let Fatima Robinson’s intricate dance choreography breathe. “Hell No!” and “Shug Avery” feel the most like big Broadway numbers, while “Dear God - Shug” is realized with the most magical realism, as a starstruck Celie bathes Shug in a tub on an oversized turntable. Set on a stage, “What About Love?” is a lovely duet between new friends Celie and Shug. Henson also tears it up in her solo, “Push Da Button,” and Barrino’s climactic show-stopper “I’m Here” is powerful enough to induce full-body chills. <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/the-color-purple-movie-review-an-emotionally-stirring-musical-with-electric-performances" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>B +</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Warner Bros. is releasing "The Color Purple" (140 min.) in theaters on December 25, 2023. </i></b></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-444182302608536852.post-51763979271941035262023-12-18T11:55:00.002-05:002023-12-21T14:08:52.130-05:00"The Family Plan" hums along as stale content with Michelle Monaghan a bright spot<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqAyJmd9mIItgYWzT5vd4JXUJhWQzae6VhMxsWKfl2n_M7zUfqCoFad7_P-NckCIrj0RfrK9kzNOnNzRg-yqdiNnlL-ogPIudFXtznOqCXrFG-MlpfyzLpes-Zfuhil5moKpvehRM0eevUw-0esVCHpfOrEkYVfdkbOSxBWJdFBihm1OYoJ1RfQGI5MM/s755/family_plan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="503" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqAyJmd9mIItgYWzT5vd4JXUJhWQzae6VhMxsWKfl2n_M7zUfqCoFad7_P-NckCIrj0RfrK9kzNOnNzRg-yqdiNnlL-ogPIudFXtznOqCXrFG-MlpfyzLpes-Zfuhil5moKpvehRM0eevUw-0esVCHpfOrEkYVfdkbOSxBWJdFBihm1OYoJ1RfQGI5MM/s320/family_plan.jpg" width="213" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia;">The Family Plan (2023)<br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTygPU5etJ1SP_CVxLUN3yUqBWtf9x6359L1hljdi7yCjAryTSpBCQZeld90P_u1P546viDHZW6NszUq0sFKj8P6c-nnguem0Sq4K5F7VNJ01X5NLJoyFdLuZjGqdRMuywwiKdPVvlOyXLq7LnRDZewCQng1YKqcfXmmzqUz1YqYgCOIolQTHSy46K1xA/s52/Rated%20PG-13.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="21" data-original-width="52" height="21" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTygPU5etJ1SP_CVxLUN3yUqBWtf9x6359L1hljdi7yCjAryTSpBCQZeld90P_u1P546viDHZW6NszUq0sFKj8P6c-nnguem0Sq4K5F7VNJ01X5NLJoyFdLuZjGqdRMuywwiKdPVvlOyXLq7LnRDZewCQng1YKqcfXmmzqUz1YqYgCOIolQTHSy46K1xA/s1600/Rated%20PG-13.gif" width="52" /></a></div></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Perhaps it’s time we finally put the kibosh on action-comedies about assassins or secret agents who try living normal lives. It was once a novel premise that has now grown stale, no matter the talent involved. Already this year, we had the instantly forgettable <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2023/05/ghosted-perfunctory-action-comedy.html" target="_blank">“Ghosted”</a> (also from streamer Apple TV+), where Chris Evans’ girlfriend (Ana de Armas) turned out to be—get this—an international spy for the CIA! Similarly, “The Family Plan” is content as filmmaking. It evaporates as you watch it, but it’s marginally better (and a little less lame) if one sets dirt-low expectations.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG9fepwaAf3E1O1pbG0PdTkPyTwTWtyPgNzgO355Ifx6tXgpmKnArxQWVps2wGc55rEi10cJpxWweQ_T6pEP073_hFwyGuEXhpFQgo-cFKYy4WuEeLdDqcaPQZKujqguQkGgjhvx6s_QS7iQksQTG0PSbcDa93pHIpso5erBBRwuaj-9QnZmODyb0xNw/s800/TheFamilyPlan_Feature_F00285F_proxy_md.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="800" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG9fepwaAf3E1O1pbG0PdTkPyTwTWtyPgNzgO355Ifx6tXgpmKnArxQWVps2wGc55rEi10cJpxWweQ_T6pEP073_hFwyGuEXhpFQgo-cFKYy4WuEeLdDqcaPQZKujqguQkGgjhvx6s_QS7iQksQTG0PSbcDa93pHIpso5erBBRwuaj-9QnZmODyb0xNw/s320/TheFamilyPlan_Feature_F00285F_proxy_md.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Mark Wahlberg stars as “Dan Morgan,” a successful car salesman in Buffalo, New York. He’s a predictable but good husband to physical therapist wife Jessica (Michelle Monaghan) and father of two teens—angsty, college-bound Nina (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and pro-gamer Kyle (Van Crosby)—and a 10-month-old baby. Their life is so safe and content: they never travel, tacos are scheduled every Wednesday for dinner, and Dan and Jessica only have sex on Thursdays. Truth is, Dan has been living a lie for 18 years: he’s actually a covert assassin! And his name isn’t even Dan! Can you believe it? When Dan realizes his old colleagues (including Ciarán Hinds) have found him and are out for blood, an impromptu (and device-free) road trip to Las Vegas leads to Dan finally coming clean to his family and hopefully keeping them alive.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-r2sDOGg_NlQM9PoAUQWs0j2GXLYDYQhVPzwc9xG3-0ULuP-eWyRTKiq3OvAXHmFsDgdsNgK91DMOzPn14BA_wJEREXO7_MkiB57wFgv9sq1XgjHzMjmRL5_H_Gce8nNUEUQPG4NNlP9sILOfDLXFO95w5M4t1CpuSYcW9kR5Distx1VEMeaPK-8XWU/s800/The%20Family%20Plan%20Apple%20TV+.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-r2sDOGg_NlQM9PoAUQWs0j2GXLYDYQhVPzwc9xG3-0ULuP-eWyRTKiq3OvAXHmFsDgdsNgK91DMOzPn14BA_wJEREXO7_MkiB57wFgv9sq1XgjHzMjmRL5_H_Gce8nNUEUQPG4NNlP9sILOfDLXFO95w5M4t1CpuSYcW9kR5Distx1VEMeaPK-8XWU/s320/The%20Family%20Plan%20Apple%20TV+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">With “The Family Plan,” director Simon Cellan Jones and writer David Coggeshall (who wrote the surprisingly just-as-bonkers prequel <a href="https://kibsreviews.blogspot.com/2022/08/orphan-first-kill-campy-bonkers-hoot-of.html" target="_blank">“Orphan: First Kill”</a>) have made a product that feels concocted by Chat GPT. Structurally, yes, the script is pretty sound by always paying off a plot point it introduces, whether it’s the son’s gaming skills or Mom’s track-and-field athleticism. Otherwise, it’s up to the reliable cast to keep things humming along at a breezy clip with few to no surprises.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <b><a href="https://www.guyatthemovies.com/gatmhome/the-family-plan-movie-review-michelle-monaghan-almost-saves-slick-but-stale-action-comedy" target="_blank">Read the full review at GuyAtTheMovies.com</a></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grade: <b>C</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Georgia; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Apple TV+ released "The Family Plan" (118 min.) on December 15, 2023. </b></i></p>Jeremy Kiblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16753834806814847508noreply@blogger.com0