Month: August 2021

“Nailed it!” —Grady

Today’s quick review: The Midnight Man. Grady (Will Kemp), an assassin who can’t feel pain, takes an important job for his boss Ezekiel (Brent Spiner), agreeing to kill four informants in one night. But when an unknown foe drugs Grady, Grady gains sensation for the first time in his life. Off his game and unsure of who set him up, Grady kidnaps Zan (Brinna Kelly), a rookie paramedic, to keep him in fighting shape as he checks off his targets.

The Midnight Man is a black crime comedy about a mouthy assassin facing the worst night of his career. Will Kemp stars as Grady, whose numbness to pain gives him a leg up in his violent profession. Brinna Kelly co-stars as Zan, Grady’s only hope of making it through the night alive. Sharp dialogue, a skilled lead, and a novel premise are enough to make The Midnight Man a fun watch. However, it’s hurt by hit-or-miss humor and a loose plot.

The Midnight Man’s best feature is its humor. Grady’s quick wit and immunity to pain make him a sarcastic, unflappable protagonist. His quips hit the mark more often than not, a mixture of black comedy, absurdity, and wordplay that gives the film much of its energy. Will Kemp is an excellent pick for the role. Doug Jones also carries a portion of the movie in his late-game appearance as Vick, a polite sadist who wants to take a crack at Grady.

The problem with The Midnight Man is that it doesn’t capitalize on its strengths. In spite of a promising setup, the script tapers off near the middle, devolving into a disjointed string of encounters with Grady’s targets. The plot has a few too many twists to have a satisfying ending. The dialogue relies too heavily on sarcasm, especially once Zan shows up. The acting is also splotchy, and the movie makes limited use of its few big-name actors.

The Midnight Man is a fun, albeit modest, crime comedy that has more potential than it knows what to do with. The combination of a well-cast lead and clever dialogue put the movie off to a good start, but errors in its plot, acting, and balance of humor keep it from coming together as a whole. Those with the right sense of humor will find The Midnight Man to be a diamond in the rough. Those with higher standards will find that it falls short.

For another crime comedy with a mouthy protagonist, try Lucky Number Slevin. For a romantic black comedy about a witty assassin, try Mr. Right. For one with a lower budget and more subdued humor, try Love Shot. For a black comedy with more consistent writing and a tongue-in-cheek setup, try Dead in a Week (or Your Money Back). For a budget crime movie with a similar romantic pairing, try Love Shot.

5.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for strong humor let down by inconsistent execution.

Today’s quick review: The Core. Following a series of bizarre disturbances in the Earth’s electromagnetic field, Dr. Joshua Keyes (Aaron Eckhart) makes a shocking discovery: the planet’s core has stopped spinning, threatening to wipe out modern civilization in a matter of months. With the full backing of the United States government, Dr. Keyes and a team of specialists mount a subterranean expedition to plant a bomb that will kick-start the core.

The Core is a sci-fi action movie about a desperate mission to the center of the Earth aboard an experimental vessel designed to resist the heat and pressure. The premise is far-fetched but makes for a good story hook, kicking off a perilous journey to accomplish the impossible. The Core sticks to a predictable formula, but it has all the pieces it needs to make it work. The result is a shallow but reasonably fun popcorn watch.

The Core fits comfortably into the subgenre of science fiction that involves hazardous journeys to remote locations. Once it gets moving, the plot is a linear stream of obstacles and heroics. The center of the Earth ends up being a decent pick, justifying not only a fair amount of setup while Keyes and the others determine what’s going on but some unique challenges for the crew to overcome. However, the plot doesn’t have much to offer beyond the basics.

More broadly, The Core is missing what it needs to stand out. The script serves the movie’s purposes, but it doesn’t have any iconic lines or shocking twists to truly capture the audience’s attention. The characters are middle-of-the-road: enjoyable to spend time with, but not given enough development to get attached to. The Core also gets clumsy in a few key places, such as the pacing of the ending or the drama bout the mission at the command center.

In spite of its shortcomings, The Core is a reasonable watch for anyone in the mood for a sci-fi adventure. The movie packs no real surprises, but it has competent enough execution to satisfy casual viewers simply looking for some popcorn. However, it lacks the craftsmanship or originality to match other movies that play in the same space. Those looking for actual tension, emotional potency, or anything resembling real science should look elsewhere.

For a more dramatic take on a similar premise, try Sunshine. For a sci-fi action movie with a similar setup, a star-studded cast, and greater emotional impact, try Armageddon. For other science fiction journeys that follow a similar trajectory, check out Red Planet or Interstellar.

5.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for basic but enjoyable science fiction.

Today’s quick review: Time Trap. When an archaeology professor (Andrew Wilson) goes missing on an expedition, his assistants Taylor (Reiley McClendon) and Jackie (Brianne Howey) set out to rescue him with help from Taylor’s friend Cara (Cassidy Gifford), her little sister Veeves (Olivia Draguicevich), and Veeves’ friend Furby (Max Wright). What they find defies rational explanation: a cave where time flows much slower than the outside world.

Time Trap is a budget science fiction movie about a temporal distortion and the people unfortunate enough to get caught in it. Questions about the nature of the cave, how to escape, and why the professor went there in the first place make Time Trap an effective mystery. Taylor and his friends are a little slow on the uptake, but the steps they have to take to unravel the secrets of the cave are enough to turn a simple premise into a viable plot.

However, Time Trap’s ending is a slight step down from its setup. The movie has to resort to contrivances to keep the plot moving forward, including artificial danger and a couple of absurdly lucky breaks to keep its heroes in the game. Past a certain point, the movie also stops providing concrete answers. Time Trap explains enough not to feel like a cop-out, but the late-game developments are much shakier than the film’s careful opening movies.

Time Trap is a decent pick for those interested in science fiction for its own sake. Its modest scope is well-suited to the resources it has at its disposal. Its characters are just likable enough to be worth spending time with. Its mystery unfolds at the right pace and answers the important questions, even if it does leave a few loose ends. Fans of the genre will enjoy what Time Trap has to offer; others should steer clear.

For a tighter budget thriller about time travel, try ARQ or Primer. For darker sci-fi in a similar vein, try OtherLife. For another budget sci-fi movie about ordinary college students trapped in an unfamiliar place, try Signal. For a less coherent, far-future take on a similar premise, try Alien Arrival.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for an intriguing premise, competent execution, and mixed payoff.

Today’s quick review: 21 Bridges. After a late-night cocaine robbery that leaves eight police officers dead, Detective Andre Davis (Chadwick Boseman) of the NYPD orders the island of Manhattan sealed off to trap suspects Michael (Stephan James) and Ray (Taylor Kitsch). Davis has less than four hours to lead a borough-wide manhunt before the island opens up for the morning commute, even as his fellow cops pressure him to shoot the suspects on sight.

21 Bridges is a crime thriller about a robbery that spirals out of control, resulting in a high-stakes manhunt for two criminals who are in over their heads by a city of cops who want their blood. Chadwick Boseman stars as Andre Davis, a detective with a strong moral compass and the only one willing to let Michael and Ray come in peacefully. His attempts to arrest the killers and avoid further tragedy form the basis of a tidy crime thriller plot.

21 Bridges has just the right pieces to tell its story. Chadwick Boseman makes for a capable lead and has the calm presence needed to counterbalance Andre’s hotheaded fellow officers. The plot has a good setup for a thriller. The twists aren’t entirely unexpected, but the movie handles them well. Finally, the question of whether to kill Michael and Ray or bring them in alive adds an extra moral dimension to the usual race against time.

Still, 21 Bridges is too focused for its own good. The tight deadline for the manhunt is a double-edged sword. The time pressure keeps the tension high and the story moving, but the short time frame makes the events of the film seem rushed. There simply aren’t enough hours in the story to make it feel like the long night it was meant to be. 21 Bridges also opts for a linear plot with few subplots, missing the chance to flesh out its story more.

21 Bridges is a solid pick for anyone in the mood for a crime movie. Its premise isn’t groundbreaking and its narrow scope keeps it from being as robust a movie as some of its competition. But its strong lead and well-constructed plot make it a worthwhile watch all the same, and anyone who enjoys the crime thriller template will appreciate 21 Bridges’ take on it. Skip it if you’re looking for a story that’s deeper or more intricate.

For a character-heavy crime thriller about crooked cops, try 16 Blocks. For other crime dramas in the same vein, try Street Kings, Pride and Glory, Brooklyn’s Finest, or Triple 9. For one with a sprawling plot and a historical setting, try L.A. Confidential.

6.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for being a tightly plotted thriller that sticks to the basics.

“You’re not much of a detective, are you?” —Marta Cabrera

Today’s quick review: Knives Out. When crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) dies under suspicious circumstances, world-famous detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is hired to determine whether his death was a suicide or the result of foul play. As Benoit investigates Thrombey’s family, he finds plenty of motives but no definitive clues—at least until he talks to the person who was closest to Thrombey: his nurse Marta (Ana de Armas).

Knives Out is a crime comedy and murder mystery written and directed by Rian Johnson. The movie opens with a classic whodunit setup: a canny detective, a death that doesn’t add up, an ornate mansion, a bevy of suspects, and a $60 million inheritance. From there it sets out in its own direction, playing on the conventions of the genre to tell its own story. Knives Out has the skilled cast, consistent humor, and satisfying mystery it needs to succeed.

Knives Out puts a couple of clever twists on the whodunit genre. Chief among these is shifting the focus from the detective to one of the suspects. The shift serves several purposes. For one, it lets the mystery unfold in a new direction, not bound by the usual formula. For another, Marta makes for a great perspective character, a kind young woman caught in a precarious situation. Finally, the shift frees up Blanc to be more of a comedic figure.

For all that it tinkers with the formula, Knives Out doesn’t sacrifice the essentials. Knives Out is still a whodunit at heart. Even if there are a few detours along the way, it’s an engaging mystery with unusual puzzle pieces. The clues feed into the comedy quite nicely; both the main plot and the incidental jokes reward the audience for paying attention and making connections. The result is a film that’s light, enjoyable, and inventive.

Knives Out is worth a watch for anyone in the mood for a witty comedy. Not everyone will like what it has to offer, in particular its drive-by takes on modern culture, its specific sense of humor, or its changes to the whodunit formula. But these are relatively minor issues in a movie that, on the whole, executes its vision quite well.

For an even sillier whodunit parody, try Murder by Death or Clue. For a straight take on the whodunit genre, try Murder on the Orient Express. For a dry comedy about a rich, dysfunctional family, try The Royal Tenenbaums. For a con man comedy from the same director, try The Brothers Bloom.

8.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for a clever script and solid execution.

Today’s quick review: Parasite. Kim Ki-Woo (Choi Woo Shik) strikes gold when a friend gets him a referral to work as an English tutor for a wealthy family. Through clever planning and a bit of fraud, Ki-Woo manages to land jobs for the rest of his family as well: his father Ki-Taek (Song Kang Ho), his mother Chung-Sook (Chang Hyae Jin), and his sister Ki-Jung (Park So Dam). But their ambitions soon spiral out of control, threatening disaster.

Parasite is a Korean black comedy and thriller from director Bong Joon Ho. The film follows the Kims, a destitute but crafty family, as they worm their way into the lives of the Parks (Lee Sun Kyun and Cho Yeo Jeong), a family that’s rich and happy, but gullible. The Kims’ elaborate schemes, a clever script, and well-drawn characters form the basis of an entertaining comedy. But Parasite also builds to a conflict that’s much darker than its beginning.

Parasite goes far on the strength of its characters, situations, and dialogue. The film strikes a sensible balance between grounded observations about daily life and more outrageous setups that could only be found in a comedy. The Kims embody this balance: believable characters with a larger-than-life plan for scamming the Parks. Parasite takes a targeted approach to its comedy, taking its time and delivering its jokes where they’re most effective.

Parasite handles its thriller side with similar skill. The tone shifts from upbeat to unsettling at the drop of a hat, swapping from harmless hijinks to a looming sense of danger. Parasite skews towards comedy for the early part of the film, and it’s careful about when it finally pulls the trigger on its darker elements. Parasite doesn’t go as far as dedicated thrillers, but it picks its battles well and leaves the audience with some haunting scenes.

Parasite is a carefully crafted film that’s well worth a watch for anyone interested in what it has to offer. The dark, violent places it goes will be a turn-off for anyone expecting a pure, uplifting comedy. The long and fairly light opening may bore those looking for something truly gut-wrenching. But those willing to take the emotional highs with the emotional lows will find Parasite to be a sharp and original experience.

For a more upbeat Korean comedy about a change of material circumstance, try Luck-Key. For an even darker look at class conflict, try High-Rise or Snowpiercer. For a dry comedy that takes a similarly dark turn, try The Art of Self-Defense. For a more consistently bleak psychological thriller, try The Machinist.

8.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for an interesting premise and strong craftsmanship.

Today’s quick review: The Good Liar. When Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) and Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) meet each other on a dating site for elderly singles, they find that they are a perfect match. There’s only one catch: Roy is actually a con man more interested in Betty’s money than her company. But to get what he wants, Roy will have to not only win her confidence but outwit her grandson Stephen (Russell Tovey) before he can dig into Roy’s past.

The Good Liar is a crime drama about a con artist, his innocent mark, and a dark secret from his past. The Good Liar begins as an ordinary con movie, peppered with light humor and more dramatic glimpses into Roy’s true nature. As the story progresses, it shifts direction to become something closer to a mystery, ending in a very different place than where it started. Its unusual story and talented acting make The Good Liar a fascinating watch.

The Good Liar walks a fine line with its story and its tone. The interactions between Roy and Betty are typically light and sweet, although the film never quite tips over into comedy. The dramatic teasers are vivid enough to hint at what’s to come without leaving too sour an impression. The puzzle comes together through a series of careful developments and revelations, culminating in a peculiar ending that’s nevertheless worth the build-up.

There are a few places where The Good Liar’s gambles may not pay off for some viewers. The writing and setup are fairly sedate and won’t be enough to hook audiences who are used to higher stakes and bigger thrills. The balance of levity and menace makes The Good Liar hard to classify; not everyone will appreciate the tonal ambiguity. It also has to weave together several disparate threads to tell its story, a difficult feat to pull off.

The Good Liar is a worthwhile pick for those looking for something cerebral. It takes the classic con movie foundation and pushes it in a different direction. The compromises it makes along the way lead to an unusual story, but the strength of its script, acting, and ideas are enough to hold the movie together. Those hoping for a taste of something dark should look no farther. Those hoping for an outright thriller may want to skip it.

For another crime drama about a man trying to outrun his past, try The Statement. For another movie about a confidence scheme, try The Sting, Matchstick Men, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, or Paper Moon. For a more uplifting crime comedy with an elderly cast, try Going in Style or The Old Man & the Gun.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a low-key plot that goes in fairly interesting directions.

Today’s quick review: Close. For her latest job, bodyguard Sam Carlson (Noomi Rapace) must babysit Zoe Tanner (Sophie Nelisse), a troublesome heiress, and deliver her to a safehouse in Zambia, where her stepmother Rima Hassine (Indira Varma) is trying to negotiate a major deal for the family’s mining company. But when assailants attack the safehouse and kill the rest of the security detail, it falls to Sam to save Zoe’s life and get her to safety.

Close is an action thriller about a closed-off bodyguard and the sheltered teenager she’s tasked with protecting. Close drops Sam and Zoe in a foreign country with no resources, no backup, and enemies who are willing to kill to get their hands on Zoe. The movie lands on the semi-realistic side of the action genre, with messy, personal combat and a genuine sense of peril. However, its plot and characters aren’t rich enough to take the movie farther.

Close’s greatest strength is its semblance of realism. The fights are dirty rather than extravagant. The situation has all the inconveniences and unknowns that a botched kidnapping attempt would entail. Sam makes for a more credible heroine than most, with a sharp mind and a useful skill set, but human limitations and vulnerabilities. None of these aspects are enough to make the movie outstanding, but they do give it a solid base to work with.

But Close doesn’t have the tools it needs to capitalize on its strengths. Sam and Zoe have the makings of nuanced characters, but their arcs don’t go anywhere interesting. The plot suffers from the lack of a clear villain, making it hard to track Sam and Zoe’s progress. There are a couple of decent plot twists, but Close has to rely on lucky breaks and weak leads to keep Sam and Zoe in the game. The plot also ends up being fairly bare-bones.

Close is a decent pick for action fans looking for something on the serious side of the genre. The movie has some subtle strengths that its flashier competition tends to miss out on, but ultimately it’s lacking the qualities that help an action movie stand out in a crowded field. Those looking for something impressive should pass. For another thriller starring Noomi Rapace, try Unlocked. For a more memorable take on a similar premise, try Taken.

5.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for modest thrills without the depth or originality to do more.

Today’s quick review: Locke. Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy), a construction foreman, makes an evening drive to London for the birth of his illegitimate child. As he drives, he makes a series of phone calls to hold together the pieces of his life: comforting the mother of the child (Olivia Colman), managing a crucial stage of construction remotely through his subordinate (Andrew Scott), and confessing his infidelity to his wife (Ruth Wilson).

Locke is a minimalistic drama about an honest man trying to make amends for a costly mistake. Tom Hardy stars as Ivan Locke, whose one instance of infidelity comes back to bite him at the worst possible time for his marriage and his career. Determined to be there for the birth of his child, Ivan puts everything on the line to live up to his obligations. Hardy’s organic dialogue and earnest performance is the chief draw of the movie.

Locke gambles with an unusual setup and gets mixed results. The entire movie takes place in Ivan’s car as he juggles between phone calls on his way to London. On the one hand, this lets the movie focus on its strengths: Hardy’s acting, the sympathetic character of Ivan, and the gradual unraveling of his life. On the other hand, it makes Locke visually repetitive and utterly mundane, something closer to an audio play than a traditional movie.

Locke is a movie with niche appeal. Its believability sets it apart from other movies with broader ambitions, while its personal stakes and quiet atmosphere let it focus solely on Ivan and his troubles. However, although Locke realizes its vision, the risks it takes are enough to severely limit its audience. Most viewers will find either its story or its setting too limited to get into, making it a pick for a very particular type of drama fan.

For a more conventional crime thriller that also takes place inside a single car, try Wheelman.

7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for mundane but effective drama with a minimalistic style.

Today’s quick review: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. When a ship carrying a Predator-Xenomorph hybrid crashes near a small Colorado town, an elite Predator warrior follows the hybrid to Earth to kill it. As the two aliens square off in the woods around the town, the townsfolk struggle to make sense of the ensuing carnage, and it falls to ex-convict Dallas (Steven Pasquale) and police officer Morales (John Ortiz) to keep the survivors safe.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is a sci-fi horror movie and a loose sequel to Alien vs. Predator. Requiem opts for a darker tone than its predecessor, focusing more on horror and less on action. To that end, the sequel is set in the woods of Colorado, the perfect hunting ground for the aliens at the center of the plot. However, Requiem’s execution falls well short of the mark thanks to muddy visuals, flimsy characters, and an aimless story.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem has significant problems with its visuals. The movie tries to build a sense of atmosphere by sticking to dark environments and only rarely showing its creatures. But it takes this strategy too far, making it difficult to tell what characters or creatures are on-screen, let alone what they’re doing. The extra effort needed to decipher its scenes makes Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem a hard movie to get immersed in.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem also suffers from issues with its story. The most significant one is that the human characters have no clue what they’re up against. Since there’s no opportunity for the characters to fight back or escape, the early encounters with the aliens lack tension. Even when the survivors get their act together, their plan is unfocused. The nail in the coffin is that the characters themselves are unappealing and forgettable.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem attempts to stitch together a tense horror movie from two well-known sci-fi series, but its weak execution leaves it well short of its goal. The movie earns some points for a reasonable setup and its attempts to build atmosphere, but it never gets any real traction. The movie has little to offer in the way of suspense, action, or story, making it a niche pick at best.

For a survival horror movie with better atmosphere, try A Quiet Place. For better takes on the same creatures, try Alien, Predator, or Aliens. For a more action-oriented take on the same crossover, try Alien vs. Predator.

4.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for poor cinematography and low tension.