Director: David Ayer
Writers: David Ayer
Stars: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis

Synopsis: A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency.

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I was always intrigued with the Suicide Squad comics because the idea of villains teaming up and doing good makes for great entertainment. Once I knew Suicide Squad was coming to the big screen, I had several concerns. The biggest question mark surrounded around which members Warner Bros. would choose to represent the Suicide Squad in their universe. The most recognized member is Harley Quinn and I believe her insertion in this film was simply for marketing and the same goes for Joker as well. I am not a fan of how Harley Quinn has changed over the years to be more of a sex symbol than anything else and sadly that is the type of Harley Quinn we get in David Ayers’ Suicide Squad. Jared Leto’s Joker was good but I think he would have been best reserved for a solo Batman film or a movie where he is the primary antagonist. This review was hard to write but I have to be honest and not let the fanboy in me affect my decision.

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) decides to assemble a team of dangerous, incarcerated supervillains for a top-secret mission. The U.S. government enlists Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Diablo (Jay Hernandez) to take on dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency and saving the world from an unknown but powerful threat.
Every character needs to be introduced into the DC universe and the characters are introduced to us through an infographic followed by a few clips that provide a back story to the characters. This is a great way to introduce those who may not be as familiar with other members of the Suicide Squad, but the film gives very little scenes to a few of the characters. The problem with these ensemble films such as Avengers and Justice League is that the most recognizable names will get more screen-time than the others because after all, it’s about selling tickets and not pleasing the comic book masses. Understanding this you will see why characters like Harley Quinn and Joker get more screen-time than Killer Croc and Captain Boomerang. As I alluded to earlier, I personally did not like Harley Quinn and Joker in this movie, and see them more as a marketing ploy than anything else. Margot Robbie is a perfect Dr. Harleen Quinzel and has the potential to be a great Harley Quinn in a full-length film where she is the focus.

One of the reasons I enjoy reading Suicide Squad comics is that despite being villains they are motivated by the same things that heroes are, which makes the Suicide Squad that much more likable. David Ayer and crew effectively make psycho-or-sociopaths relatable by touching on various subject matter that we all relate to. Deadshot wants to do right by his daughter; Diablo’s family drives his need for redemption.

Let’s talk about villains. Since this is a superhero movie there is obviously a threat that needs to be neutralized. Both Warner Bros and Disney have a villain problem and Suicide Squad continues that same trend. No one is more of a victim of Suicide Squad’s editing than the big baddie, who shall remain nameless, but it should be obvious who it is from the trailer. David Ayer is smart and knows that the strengths of this film severely outweigh the negatives, one of which is the villain. The most noticeable issue with this film is that there appears to be several scenes missing, the way the film jumps around it feels like there are huge gaps that are left unfilled.

Will Smith is the star of this film and I am glad that they kept Deadshot as the leader. In Smith’s performance, we are treated to the old summer blockbuster version of Will Smith, and what a treat it is. Much credit may not be giving to Viola Davis as Amanda Waller but she kicks ass in this movie and is not wasted for a second. The cast as a whole is solid and you can tell that the bonding they did before the film makes their chemistry believable and natural.

DC has always been criticized for being too dark and not funny enough by Marvel fanboys, but in Suicide Squad there are jokes aplenty, as the crew like taking shots at each other. Suicide Squad is a character driven film more than it is an action driven film, so you’ve been warned.

As it stands, Suicide Squad is better than Batman Vs. Superman but in order to really make this movie one of the best superhero films, a few things should have been changed. The biggest change I would have made was to the lineup. My team would consist of Deadshot, Deathstroke, Harley Quinn, King Shark, Captain Boomerang and Blackfire. The film would also need to be rated “R” to fully allow Harley Quinn and Deathstroke to develop. Warner Bros. needs to let the creative juices flow and have fun. Warner Bros. is in a good position to gamble because no matter what, people will watch these types of films despite critic reviews, so why hold back?

Suicide Squad is not for everybody, but it is a great movie that fits in nicely with the DC cinematic universe that Warner Bros. is setting up. Warner Bros. and DC are definitely behind Disney/Marvel, but I think their formula is working for them as they are not afraid to be themselves, and I think Marvel will always be held back, since they are under Disney’s control. Don’t get me wrong, Marvel movies are great and I like that we have both Marvel and DC movies and this makes it a great time to be a comic book reader.

Although my rating does not show it, Suicide Squad is an entertaining movie that is worth seeing. The cast and their chemistry together is worth the price of admission, but only in 2D.

Overall Grade: B

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Hear our full review on Episode 181, coming soon.

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Director: Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Writers: Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Stars: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Synopsis: A hopeless man stranded in the wilderness befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.

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If you don’t see Swiss Army Man, you haven’t seen s***.

While the above quote from the film is specifically in regards to Jurassic Park, it still couldn’t be truer. In a world dominated by “sequelitis”, Swiss Army Man emerges as the unique outlier, a truly original film unlike any other. Though something we have all come to expect, original doesn’t always mean good, and Swiss Army Man will have its equal share of supporters and detractors. For me personally, first time directors Daniels (specifically Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) have crafted one of the most beautiful films of the year, and yes, it involves lots of flatulence and masturbation jokes.

Dubbed as the “farting corpse movie” after its premiere, Swiss Army Man tells the adventurous tale of Hank (Paul Dano), stranded on a deserted island ready to hang himself. Only he stops himself, when he notices a body wash up on shore (Daniel Radcliffe). Even though he is dead, this body has the ability to do all sorts of things; he can fart, turn into a jet ski using said farts, spit out fresh drinking water, and eventually learn to talk. He becomes Hank’s human Swiss army knife (get it?). Let’s just get it out of the way and talk about Daniel Radcliffe.

Daniel Radcliffe gives one of the year’s best supporting performances, one that will probably go ignored come awards season unfortunately. Manny asks many questions, about life, death, love, and masturbation, and as silly as it all is (and trust me, it is), it’s all surprisingly profound and authentic. It’s a balance that on paper should not work, and somehow it does. “If my best friend hides his farts from me then what else is he hiding from me, and why does that make me feel so alone?” I dare you to find any falsity in that. And credit must also go to the Daniels’s script; it is anything but subtle, but it makes up for its obviousness by being so incredibly honest and true. Sometimes things need to be blunt in order to prove a harsh point, hence is the case with Swiss Army Man, and it’s well earned.

With Radcliffe’s performance said, coupled with the Daniels’s bizarre script and direction, it should be known for how moving and profound this movie is, it doesn’t forget that humor is equally as important in fulfilling life. In other words, this movie is hilarious. And as hilarious and profound Radcliffe’s performance is, many of the film’s best laughs are due to Paul Dano’s Hank, whose awkward insecurity makes for the most perfect responses to Manny’s bizarre questions. At the same time, Hank is arguably the one with the naïve outlook on life, one who has much to learn; this leads to the film’s most profound nature.

For a movie about a man who has no idea how to live, it takes teaching a dead man the value and triumphs of life to show yourself what you’ve been missing out on. In the end, just like we keep so many of our inner most feelings bottled up inside (yes, farts can equate to symbolism), we must learn to overcome our insecurity and confront the demons that hold us back, and that’s how we grow up. There’s a lot of well-earned ambiguity in the film’s spectacular climax, and the outcome strikes that perfect balance between the profound and the bizarre. And watching Manny actually grow as a character (a dead character, mind you) is key to this film’s success.

I can’t speak for everyone when I say that Swiss Army Man is one of my favorite films of 2016, some of you may even hate it (reports during its premiere stated that almost half of the audience walked out before the film had reached its midpoint). If you were one of those people, perhaps you can learn a little something from Manny. I just hope you aren’t dead inside.

Overall Grade: A

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Hear our full review on a previous Extra Film:

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Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writers: Nicolas Winding Refn
Stars: Elle Fanning, Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote, Jena Malone, Keanu Reeves

Synopsis: When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality quickly gains the attention of others leading to some rather unexpected circumstances.

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If one were to look up Nicolas Winding Refn in the dictionary, more than likely you’ll come across the words “acquired taste”; his films blister with loud and colorful pompousness, you either love him or hate him. Is it possible to fall on both ends of that spectrum? I know I do. Films such as Only God Forgives reek of selfish, inconsistent, and unnecessary narcissism, while Drive still remains as my favorite film of the 2010’s thus far. I can’t help but feel fascinated by Refn’s work, even when it fails, but when it works it certainly rewards, even when those rewards are not that rewarding.

Hence is the case with The Neon Demon, a modern horror fairytale about the inner workings of the Los Angeles modeling industry, a film whose arduous ambitions feel more than welcome and well-earned. We follow innocent 16-year old Jesse (Elle Fanning in a terrific performance), a sort-of L.A. runaway with desires of becoming a top model herself. Jesse functions as the princess of this fairytale, much like her very own Cinderella, and like those central figures she has a lot of growing up to do.  Unfortunately, Jesse’s growth may not quite lead to her prince charming (or does it?).

Throughout her adventure, Jesse meets Ruby, Gigi, and Sarah (Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, and Abbey Lee respectively), a makeup artist and two models who may have an agenda of their own. Their dreams of grandeur become further rooted in jealousy, anger, loneliness, and most importantly, narcissism. Their view of Jesse, a young nobody from out of nowhere, whose undeniable beauty and talent sweeps up the competition without ever having to even compete, is at the root of their lust for permanent beauty. This raises the important question of what one is willing to do to be beautiful, and stay beautiful in the view of the public eye; this task becomes even more complicated when your first audience member to please is yourself, hence the film’s central theme of narcissism and self-importance.

The intrigue is how this changes Jesse herself, and soon our heroine becomes a little less Cinderella and a little more Little Red Riding Hood (as if the lingering shots of the full moon weren’t a dead giveaway). Jesse was innocent and lacked confidence, that is until she realized what she truly had, beauty that everyone else wanted. Her transformation (visualized magnificently in a neurotic strobe-lit sequence) brings her down to Ruby, Gigi, and Sarah’s level, arguably no better than them by this point, yet Fanning’s performance maintains a surprising depth and even heartbreak as her innocence slowly diminishes and her narcissistic wolf begins to howl.

But the biggest narcissist of them all is never directly shown on screen, even though his techniques light up every single frame. I’m of course talking about Nicolas Winding Refn himself, whose filmmaking (loud and full of itself as it may be) becomes almost symbolic in nature. Refn is intentionally calling attention to himself, even amplifying Cliff Martinez’s haunting electronic score in any way he can (thankfully, the score is magnificent). But unlike Only God Forgives, there is consistency with the way The Neon Demon is shot, nor does it sacrifice dramatic or thematic resonance in favor of its directorial pride. It’s all incredibly self-important and over the top (even going as far as to create specific yet obvious jabs at the modeling industry itself, so on the nose it can’t even be called satire), but it is also recognizably attempting to be self-important for a specific reason, and I can’t argue against it here.

In case you couldn’t tell, I quite loved this movie, and it’s possible my affection for it was unclear amidst this narcissistic review I have just written (and that was the point, hopefully Refn would be proud). Granted, this is not for everyone, and as a warning there are incredibly arduous scenes that are going to put many viewers off (a chaotic strobe-lit dance act sure to cause epilepsy, a near vomit-inducing act committed by Jena Malone’s character, and a third act that truly veers into horror territory). The Neon Demon is not perfect, as much of its symbolism and satire is so on the nose it could be seen as self-parody by some, but Refn is not going for subtle; this is a world that is anything but subtle, and to approach this material in any other way would have defeated the purpose. Take that for what you will, just don’t sue me for saying that I thought this was a great film.

Overall Grade: A-

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Hear our full review on Episode 176:

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