Director: Giacomo Abbruzzese

Writer: Giacomo Abbruzzese

Stars: Franz Rogowski, Laëtitia Ky, Morr Ndiaye

Synopsis: After a painful journey through Europe, Aleksei arrives in Paris to join the Foreign Legion. In the Niger Delta, Jomo struggles against the oil companies threatening his village and the lives of his family. One day, at the head of an armed group, he kidnaps French nationals. A commando of the Foreign Legion intervenes, led by Aleksei. The destinies of Aleksei and Jomo will merge and continue across borders, bodies, life and death.

Giacomo Abbruzzese plays with our notions of war films with his impressive and stylistically distinctive feature-length directorial debut, Disco Boy – a sensory and compelling, albeit slightly messy, tale about two lost intertwining souls that embraces a mystical and physical nature to tackle the geopolitical tension of migration, all led by a trio of great performances in Franz Rogowski, Laëtitia Ky, and Morr Ndiaye.

The Film at Lincoln Center and MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) collaborative festival, New Directors/New Films, has always found intriguing and fresh voices from upcoming filmmakers from across the world. Although most of the features included in this year’s lineup are dramas, there is a lot of variety when it comes to the topics being tackled, as well as a diverse array of techniques and artistic visions – the complex dual views of life and death in Lila Avilés’s Totem, the intersection between hope and sadness in Alexandro Belc’s Metronom, or Sadim Sadiq’s fearless and elegant exploration of repressed desires in Joyland. There’s a great selection of features, but one of them stands out in stylistic terms. That film is Giacomo Abbruzzese’s mesmerizing feature-length debut, Disco Boy. While the film might have some issues connecting its two-intertwining stories, its lead, Franz Rogowski (one of Europe’s most engaging actors working today), holds it together thanks to his acting presence.

Disco Boy introduces itself by showing us a bus full of football fans and tourists attending an international match. Inside, there’s Aleksei (Franz Rogowsk) and his friend, Mikhail (Michał Balicki), who are fleeing their home of Belarus for a better one in Paris. The match is only a facade to cover their getaway, as their Schengen visas are only valid for a one-day trip. They have their hearts set out on this preferable life on the other side of Europe. Tragedy strikes Aleksei’s expedition early on; a river crossing incident causes him to go on that journey alone – Mikhail drowned in the process of their escape, not making it to their final destination. As he recalls his past couple of tragic days, Aleksei still wishes to acquire a French passport. But, the only way he can acquire one is by doing five years of service in the notorious Foreign Legion, a faction in the French national army composed of foreigners. 

Aleksei is considered a promising soldier, completely committed to the training drills, which is why he is selected to be part of an overseas rescue mission in Nigeria. And here’s where the other half of the story comes into play. Meanwhile, all of this is happening on the other side of the world, there’s Jomo (Morr Ndiaye) and his sister, Udoka (Laëtitia Ky), who, like Aleksei and his now passed friend, dream of one day escaping to Europe. They want to dance the night away in the techno clubs and enjoy their lives for once. Yet, they are stuck in the Niger Delta, forced to protect their community against the oil exploitation in their lands. The film divides itself into two separate countries, where the two central characters cross paths with one another once during Aleksei’s first mission, later to distance themselves once again. Though, their respective journeys are related to each’s escapist’s dreams of migrating to a better place and their current political struggles. 

Through Aleksei and Jomo’s experiences, which tear them apart mentally, Abbruzzese explores how war makes people contemplate their feelings of otherness and their respective pasts. The journey they are each currently taking respectively will pave the way for unforeseen destinations. As the days pass, they become less human, hence their search for a getaway into another sanctuary. The more blood is spilled, the closer Aleksei is to getting what he wants. But, will it be all worth it since the institution is stripping him from his self? That’s one of the many aspects Disco Boy wants to explore through its short ninety-minute runtime. Its scope is worth dwelling into, and the director’s ambition is worthwhile. What Disco Boy intends to pull off is not an easy thing. The film wants a clash between two intertwining stories that connect in thematic and metaphorical terms. But, unfortunately, its approach to doing such has some issues along the way. 

The film never explains itself, nor does it feel that it needs to craft scenes with the purpose of dumping exposition onto the audience. The lack of justifications and its occasional structural inarticulateness might frustrate some viewers because the themes don’t tie together cohesively – excessive ambiguity being the film’s main fault. This blend of more than a handful of ideas might have entirely broken another filmmaker’s project. The constant fight with trying to take the necessary time with exploring each concept and topic is seen in numerous ambitious films throughout the years. However, Giacomo Abbruzzese has some tricks up his sleeves to counter his debut film’s shortcomings. One of those tricks is to create a dream-like balancing act that intertwines the stories of two lost souls and their respective countries’ political and military crises, which ends in a very compelling and stylish feat that’s more than an introductory showcase of the Italian filmmaker’s talents and his unique voice. It constantly plays with our notions about what a war film should be. 

Disco Boy doesn’t go on the same path as the most recognizable or acclaimed pictures of said genre, although Abbruzzese manages to sneak in some minor references to Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. As the story travels through the Niger Delta to Paris, the director adds mystical and sensorial elements (mirrorings, ghostly presences, and possessions) into the narrative – slowly curating a wistful atmosphere that fits its melancholic and mournful emotions. Cinematographer Hélène Louvart, who has been on a recent streak of striking features (such as The Lost Daughter, Le Pupille, and Invisible Life), implements two different styles for the different perspectives. In Aleksei’s story, she’s more delicate, often reminiscent of Claire Denis’ masterpiece, Beau Travail. Meanwhile, on Jomo’s side, Hélène is mystical despite shooting landscapes with a sense of impending doom, channeling her inner Werner Herzog. Its look and presentation surely capture the melancholic beauty of the mournful narrative. 

Still, the sound design plays a crucial role in building this feeling from the ground up, with Vitalic’s gloomy and vibrant score (which contains renditions of some recent tracks of his) leading the way. In addition, there are songs added into the film’s narration that help, like  ‘Amoureux Solitaires’ (by Lio) and ‘Je Ne Regrette Rien’ (by Édith Piaf) – two songs that are opposites to one another; the former is about pessimism and the latter about optimism. I’m interested in knowing how the director came up with the idea of choosing these two tracks. They add a layer to the shifting feverish ambiance the film is slowly building up, remaining intact and fully effective throughout its entirety. 

Although everything might not be tied together, both narratively and thematically, Disco Boy remains an intriguing feature debut by a filmmaker with his own voice and style. Its main-genre selection may be war, though Abbruzzese takes bits and pieces from other ones in order to keep diverting our expectations and be in awe of his artistic gifts. It is often odd that a project like this ends up working out as well as Disco Boy does. The movie definitely leaves the viewer outstanding by sheer talent, both on and off screen, straight of vigor, endeavor, ingenuity, and a trance-inducing aura. 

Grade: B+

Director: Jeremy Garelick

Writer: James Vanderbilt

Stars: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Strong

Synopsis: Full-time detectives Nick and Audrey are struggling to get their private eye agency off the ground. They find themselves at the center of international abduction when their friend Maharaja, is kidnapped at his own lavish wedding.

Four years ago, Murder Mystery set sail on Netflix’s streaming waters with the team “Saniston,” establishing one of the dullest comedies in recent memory. Every time well-respected and likable megastars executed a joke, each fell flat. Never before have you yearned for a Rob Schneider cameo to give a comedy some much-needed life, and that’s saying something. The tedious riffs and homage of Clue was a waste of everyone’s time and talent. While Murder Mystery 2 changes course, switching to more of an action couple’s comedy like Date Night, some much-needed improvements are made. Though, you see fewer risks taken and an outcome you easily see coming from a mile away.

 The Binge’s Jeremy Garelick now steps behind the camera while working with another script from Scream VI scribe James Vanderbilt. The story picks up a few years later as Audrey and Nick Spitz (Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler) run a floundering private investigation agency. Sure, some couples may find working together a pathway to strengthening a marriage with deeper bonds with shared interests. However, the Spitz’s are getting on each other’s nerves. Including the former New York City cop ruining an investigation for an insecure spouse (Anni Mumolo) into her suspected cheating husband (Tony Goldwyn). How? By crunching on some salty snacks in her ears equipped with a transmitter out of spite for her wife chomping down a couple of shrimp cocktails.

The Spitzs then receive a much-needed invitation to The Maharajah’s (Adeel Akhtar) wedding to his new wife, Claudette (Mélanie Laurent). They look around at their crumbling business and decide to make this trip a honeymoon they never had. That’s until The Maharajah is taken and a fifty-million-dollar ransom is put on his head. Who is behind this latest version of Happy Madison’s Clue? The gold-digging fiancé? The jealous sister, Saira (The Big Sick’s Kuhoo Verma)? Their old friend, Colonel Ulenga (John Kani)? The Countess Sekou (Jodie-Turner Smith)? Or the international film star who has had over 10,000 lovers, Francisco (Enrique Arce)? While you may put your money on the one who probably has a couple of dozen paternity lawsuits, the Spitzs need help from a Special Air Service officer. His name is Miller (Mark Strong), a renowned hostage crisis expert who wrote a book on the subject. He comes in (or more like swims) to assist Nick and Audrey with their incompetence.

What Murder Mystery 2 does well is blending a handful of comedy and action sequences. I’m unsure if Sandler has picked up a fake gun since 1996’s Bulletproof, but he is not out of place here. The scenes here have nice energy and fold in some enjoyable moments of dark or irreverent humor. Another nice change here is the investigation. The original had most of the suspects in the same room. As the story progresses, suspects pick themselves off left and right in various locations. Now, not all the jokes land, and Vanderbilt’s humor leans towards the two stars riffing into Saturday Night Live Weekend Update’s buddy-buddy nonsensical shtick. Sometimes it works, like Danny Boon’s inappropriate Inspector Delacroix and Jillian Bell’s homage to Sleepless in Seattle’s Annie Reed. Other moments, like Turner-Smith Countess Sekou, are repetitive, dull, and one note.

Also, if you are a fan of this type of film, you will immediately spot the main villain (or one of them, in this case ), which is almost always based on the size of the role and name recognition. Not to mention, the initial beard the script utilizes you’ve seen thousands of times before. You have the second cliché with a flimsy explanation for another bad guy in the shadows. None of this adds to any suspense the action comedy tries to build up. Yet, I’m sure no one has that expectation going into this sequel in the first place.

Obviously, if you are a cinephile, Murder Mystery 2 is a cliched mix of action-buddy comedy tropes. And honestly, the film has them in droves. (Including the classic out-of-shape star who basically kicks a trained mercenary in the shin, and the villain proceeds to do a 360 spin as if their leg was blown off). However, Sandler, Aniston, and company land a few good laughs and enough goodwill to engage the casual movie fan to the finish line. There’s enough fun and effort here to give the unearned sequel a mild recommendation for anyone who enjoys the film’s stars and the genre. This is a date night movie, plain and simple, and an improvement over the original.

 Grade: C-

Director: Jon S. Baird

Writer: Noah Pink

Stars:  Taron Egerton, Nikita Yefremov, Mar Huf

Synopsis: The story of how one of the world’s most popular video games found its way to players around the globe. Businessman Henk Rogers and Tetris inventor Alexey Pajitnov join forces in the USSR, risking it all to bring Tetris to the masses.

Films based on true stories always capture my interest. Whether it’s about a subject matter I know nothing about or an event with significant personal impact, my expectations are always positive because, even if the movie doesn’t manage to escape the formulas and barriers of the respective subgenre, it’s almost always able to add essential information and other details that I was unaware of. Tetris guides us through the origins of one of the most popular video games ever, as well as the birth of the handheld console that contributed so much to its success.

Having been born in 1994, games like Super Mario, Mario Kart, Zelda, Tetris, and many, many others marked my childhood and adolescence in a very memorable way. So much so that every year I get together with my older brothers during Christmas to play Super Mario Bros. on the somehow still-working Nintendo 64. In these moments, when we pick up the robust controls again and blow on the cartridges, we go back to being children and having fun as such. This is the highest compliment I have to give Tetris: it made me reminisce about unforgettable moments from the past.

I’ve never seen a Jon S. Baird flick or experienced a Noah Pink screenplay, but after watching this Apple TV+ film, I’ll be on the lookout for future projects from both of them. Tetris doesn’t avoid the predictability of its narrative structure and feels the need to fill parts of its runtime with personal/family storylines so superficial that, honestly, they could have been removed altogether due to their lack of development. That said, the two hours fly by…

Baird moves through the various narrative points at a brisk pace, contributing to steady levels of entertainment throughout most of the movie. Tetris contains just the right amount of humor and fun, surrounding the film with a sometimes intentionally exaggerated, silly environment. 1980s Soviet Russia is a big part of the story, but like other sensitive topics, it’s handled with care and lightness. After all, it’s a movie about the origins of a videogame.

Tetris also benefits from the superb performances of the entire cast. Taron Egerton stands out with his immense charisma as Henk Rogers, the protagonist and, in parts, the narrator of the story. Rogers has lived all over the world, having a completely different life experience than the game’s creator, Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Yefremov), who never left the same apartment. However, their common passion for Tetris and programming, as well as their honest, humble desire to spread the “perfect game” across all continents, brings together characters who truly deserve a happy ending.

Capitalism, greed, corruption, and politics are themes with a strong presence in the film, and I really appreciate Pink’s care in portraying people and not stereotyping nationalities. Tetris demonstrates that there are people with good and bad intentions, whether they are American, Russian, or from any other country. The constant negotiations and back-and-forth reach a point where they start to become repetitive, but Baird knows when to inject a dose of entertainment through chase sequences or moments of wit.

Personally, I love the pixelated transitions between scenes, as well as the 8-bit renderings of the various locations. Evidently, the iconic video game music can be heard in Tetris, being one of those technical details that, regardless of being something expected, leaves all audiences smiling from ear to ear. I wish they had explored the origins of the famous soundtrack, but the main objective was fulfilled: any viewer will end the movie more knowledgeable than at the beginning.

Tetris offers a fun, informative true story about one of the most popular video games of all time. Filled with delightfully pixelated transitions and just the right amount of humor, as well as the game’s iconic music, it’s a film that makes its two hours go by in no time. It may not feature the most innovative storytelling in the subgenre, nor will it totally blow your mind, but whether you’re a fan of the game or not, it’s a home viewing that I highly recommend!

Grade: B

Director: A.V. Rockwell

Writer: A.V. Rockwell

Stars: Teyana Taylor, Aaron Kingsley Adetola, Josiah Cross

Synopsis: After unapologetic and fiercely loyal Inez kidnaps her son Terry from the foster care system, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City.

You’ll be blown away by A.V. Rockwell’s stirring and deeply felt character study A Thousand and One. It’s coupled with a hair-raising turn by the brilliant Teyana Taylor in a film with a remarkable sense of time, place, and the community as a whole. A Thousand and One is a complex film that takes a sharp look at the intersectionality of its characters. An incisive look at an era of social service systems’ cold and laissez-faire approach to management. However, perhaps most importantly, it focuses on what it means to be part of a family, for better or worse.

The story follows Inez (Taylor), a hustler for life who just walked out of prison and looked for any advantage she could to get ahead on these unrelenting Harlem streets. Inez takes her six-year-old son (Aaron Kingsley Adetola) out of the foster care system without permission. She sees her son, Terry, struggling with his peers and being unsupervised by the staff. This is personal for Inez, who grew up in the same unforgiving New York City child welfare system. She knows all too well the pain of growing up without hope.

While watching the film, it’s clear that Inez is in love with Lucky (Charm City’s Will Catlett, outstanding here). She tells Lucky that he’s the father. Initially, he has trouble accepting it. However, Lucky becomes an undeniable force in his life. As he grows into a man, Terry (now played by Josiah Cross) adores him and gives him the tools as a man to succeed in the world. Inez followed her plan, creating a home, establishing stability, and giving Terry a support system. She is so successful he even begins to earn scholarships to go to college. Now, he has a brighter future than Inez could have ever dreamed.

You may think A Thousand and One is taking a similar route to This Boy’s Life, but the result is much more than what we initially assumed from the first act’s brilliant pensive, and deep-affecting framework. One that views its makeshift family through a lens of how they adapt to an ever-changing community and all-time highs in violent crime and murders was 90s New York City. Not to mention the sky-high unemployment rate that rose two full percent in three years. Then, without warning, writer and director A.V. Rockwell’s delicate script has the ability and raw power to set up the viewer with a knockout punch that is hard to shake long after the film is over.

None of this would be possible without the breakout performance of Teyana Taylor, who is a revelation here. The role of Inez is a fascinating character study of survival. Her blistering and poignant portrayal is audacious, like nothing you’ve ever seen in a film like A Thousand and One. Her performance is brimming with empathy yet heartbreaking temerity. Taylor is simply brilliant here in a role that mirrors the plight of Terry. As an adult, she struggles with her identity in a world that continues pushing against her, even with her honorable intentions. Her memorable performance will likely propel her into an exciting career in the future.

A film like A Thousand and One will be forgotten when awards chatter comes around. However, let’s hope Rockwell’s brilliant script and Taylor’s searing turn stay in Oscar voters’ minds when the time comes. Few studios and filmmakers take the time and have the sensitivity to shine a light on at-risk populations that fall between the cracks. The result is a thematically rich and vivid experience brought to life with staggering purpose.

Grade: A

Director: Jingyi Shao

Writer: Jingyi Shao

Stars: Bloom Li, Ben Wang, Zoe Renee, and Dexter Darden. 

Synopsis: A young Asian-American teen and basketball fanatic who just wants to dunk and get the girl ends up learning much more about himself, his best friends, and his mother.

I am missing the days of Disney sports movies released theatrically. The last one, McFarland, USA, was not that great. Akin Omotoso’s Rise was serviceable, but didn’t reach the heights of films like Cool Runnings, The Mighty Ducks, Remember the Titans, Miracle, and Glory Road. Disney’s latest sports film, Chang Can Dunk, isn’t necessarily about the sport itself (Basketball), but about the artistic process behind creating a public figure. As such, it’s one of Disney’s most exciting films released on Disney+ and should be seen immediately. 

The story is simple: Chang (Bloom Li) is an aspiring basketball player who unfortunately lives under the shadow of a better athlete and former friend, Matt (Chase Liefeld). Their rivalry is as textbook “high-school comedy” as it gets, but that’s not what you should focus on. Chang is great at basketball but can’t dunk. Matt challenges Chang to perform a dunk at a party in eleven weeks. If he does, the winner shaves the opponent’s head and claims either a rare Pokémon card or a framed poster of the late Kobe Bryant’s jersey. 

Chang enlists the help of basketball coach Deandre (Dexter Darden), who will use him to grow subscribers on his YouTube channel with the aid of Chang’s best friend and aspiring filmmaker Bo (Ben Wang), who adopts a Michael Bay aesthetic as he directs videos with a DJI phone Steadicam, a robocam, and a drone. And that’s where Chang Can Dunk truly soars. When you hear the line “You want Michael Bay? I’ll get you Michael Benjamin Bay.” and the movie immediately cuts to a low-angle, desaturated shot of Deandre walking out of his car, with an explosion in the background and fighter jets flying overhead, you know you’re about to watch something incredible. 

When Chang Can Dunk focuses on the sport itself and Chang’s connection with the dunk, it’s not that interesting. The romance involving him and Kristy (Zoe Renee) is incredibly clichéd, just like his relationship with his mother (Mardy Ma) that you’ve all seen before. When the film focuses on filmmaking and experiments with different techniques, including emulating Bayhem, frequently changing aspect ratios to convey emotional weight, and using animation to understand Chang’s transformations from Chang 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0, it’s incredible. 

Rarely do we see a Disney film nowadays with such assured technical skill. Most Disney movies look like corporate-made slop without an ounce of visual creativity behind them. Chang Can Dunk has an ultra-dynamic visual style, and it’s not afraid of crafting intricate visual comedy and scenes that require a true mastery of the camera. More reason why this should’ve been a theatrical release. Would it make as much money as, say, The Little Mermaid? Probably not, but at least it could’ve made a considerable amount and shown younger audiences how fun movies can be when the filmmakers (and actors) are having a blast. 

The middle section of the film is a bit rough, but talking about it would require spoiling the moment of the dunk, which is very exciting. Writer/director Jingyi Shao does a great job visually representing a rather powerful and cathartic moment that is the centerpiece for what’s to come next, though talking about it would rob you of the experience to see it for yourself. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s a total slam dunk. Don’t hesitate on seeing Chang Can Dunk. If there’s one March basketball film to watch this month, it’s this one. 

Grade: A-

Director: Dave Franco

Writers: Dave Franco and Alison Brie

Stars: Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons

Synopsis: On a trip to her hometown, workaholic Ally reminisces with her ex Sean and starts to question everything about the person she’s become. Things only get more confusing when she meets Cassidy, who reminds her of the person she used to be.

Dave Franco’s latest directorial effort, Somebody I Used to Know, has moments of deep affection and earnestness. They come from conversations with its main protagonist, Ally (Alison Brie) and her ex-boyfriend Sean (Jay Ellis), with whom she rekindles a relationship ten years after they break up. Those moments are the film’s best facet, showcasing huge amounts of heart by both leads with incredible chemistry. 

It’s become a rare instance in modern romantic comedies when the leads have palpable chemistry. Recently, Your Place or Mine came out, starring two great actors who had absolutely no chemistry together. That has become a common trait in most algorithmic-driven romantic comedies, but it seems as though Somebody I Used to Know wanted to at least correct that notion. 

It’s just a shame that the rest of the movie falls so flat. When it focuses on Ally and Sean, it more than soars. Brie is at her best when matched with Ellis, or Kiersey Clemons, who plays Sean’s fiancé Cassidy. After Ally and Sean reconnect and almost have sex, Ally goes to Sean’s house to apologize for her behavior. However, Sean’s mother, Jojo (Olga Merediz) sees Ally and forces her to join the family for dinner. She doesn’t know that the family is reuniting to celebrate Sean and Cassidy’s union, and they’re getting married in two days. 

At first, she wants to sabotage the wedding and make Sean have second thoughts about marrying Cassidy. But the more she gets to know the fiancé, the more she wants to convince her to not make the same mistakes she did and follow her dreams before it’s too late, because Cassidy reminds her of “Somebody I used to know” (get it?). Now that’s a brilliant way to subvert traditional romantic comedy tropes, and Franco and Brie’s script goes at great lengths to give the opposite of what audiences expect, but it still doesn’t work. 

Aside from brief instances of passion between Brie/Clemons and Brie/Ellis, the rest of Brie’s performance teeters on the edge of embarrassing and cringeworthy. Too many times the movie goes from sweet and heartfelt to crass and unfunny. For example, beautiful shots of Ally’s hometown are immediately tarnished when she goes back to her mother’s (Julie Hagerty) house and sees her consistently having sex with Ally’s third grade teacher. It becomes a running gag — every time Ally goes back home, her mother is found having sex somewhere in the house. Or how about the bit where Ally’s cat defecates and vomits on an airplane passenger when there’s massive turbulence?

Worse yet, Haley Joel Osment plays Sean’s annoying and immature brother. As much as his performance is extremely self-referential, with his first line being “Somebody call Brendan Fraser ‘cause we got a blast from the past!” it’s filled with annoying one-liners, and a presence that tarnishes any attempt of goodwill at bringing some slapstick comedy into the proceedings. It doesn’t work, and is in a constant tug of war between trying to stay human and compassionate to wanting to make the audience laugh at all costs by having Brie and Clemons run naked on a golf course so a little kid could chase them and then ogle at Ally during dinner. That kind of humor permeates the entire runtime and makes the film a deeply unfunny and embarrassing experience for almost everyone involved. 

And it’s a shame because most of the acting is great. Olga Merediz is an expected show-stealer in her limited, albeit emotional portrayal of Sean’s mother, and Clemons does have a few scenes in which she gets a chance to shine. The film boasts a terrific cast, but the material does not aid some of their performances in any way. I love Danny Pudi, but his character is an endless walking and talking conscience for Ally. How many times does he say, “What are you doing? What do you think is going to happen? You’re going to break somebody’s heart” or a variation of that line to Ally before he gets…punched in the testicles???

Yeah, that’s the general vibe Franco gives for his movie. Moments of heart and genuine emotion immediately hampered by humor involving sensitive bodily parts (or fluids). If you want to make a heartfelt rom-com, stuff like this needs to be on the cutting room floor and not included in the final product. It’s the primary reason Somebody I Used to Know doesn’t work, even if it contained several aspects I enjoyed. Franco needs to go back to the basics before attempting to subvert romantic comedy tropes with bad physical comedy. 

Grade: D+

Director: Zach Braff

Writer: Zach Braff

Stars: Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Celeste O’Connor

Synopsis: Follows Allison, whose life falls apart following her involvement in a fatal accident.

If you were a certain age in 2004, you would have probably nodded along to every word and choice of Zach Braff’s directorial debut, Garden State. You would have absolutely realized he “got you” like no one else could have. Maybe a decade later when you saw it again with fresh eyes and more life experience, you may have cringed. It became easier to dismiss the film and Braff as a filmmaker as the years went on. Yet, there’s something to like about his latest effort, A Good Person.

There are still some of the trappings of the indie sad boy icon, but Braff is a filmmaker much more confident in his story. This story is, like Garden State, about a feeling of being trapped in place, but it’s a far different feeling of finding someone to help you out of it. A Good Person is about learning to ask for help rather than foisting feelings onto another person so that they can solve everything for you with a, shall we say, manic pixie energy. In A Good Person, there strive to be no easy solutions or outs.

There is a split narrative in A Good Person that weaves through the tale of grief. In some ways the pull of focus from one character or another fails the stronger narrative of Allison (Florence Pugh). Though Allison’s story can’t progress without the addition of Daniel (Morgan Freeman),  it’s a tangled web that opens up for cliched generational problems between Daniel, Allison, and Daniel’s granddaughter Ryan (Celeste O’Connor) often played for comedy. The actors make it work for the most part, but there are some tedious bits.

It helps the tedious bits that Braff isn’t an actor in the film. We get his unadorned vision without the distraction of his presence. We can marvel at his and cinematographer Mauro Fiore’s use of light and color. There is a scene that out of context could be snarky evidence against Braff, but in context of the film is rather beautiful. Before it’s horribly upended, Allison is standing alone, amongst others, in a venue listening to music. She lets herself go and Braff and Fiore play the lights off of her and slow the camera down to show a high of a different kind, a high she’s missed as she’s shut herself off from the world. As her thoughts, eyes, and the camera come back into focus, all of her face changes to pull us from the dream back into a frightening reality.

Though, as wonderful as it is to see Braff’s talent come into sharper focus, the true special effect of the film is in Florence Pugh’s performance. She doesn’t ever wallow in the trappings of an addiction drama. Pugh builds her flawed character and makes her three dimensional. She handles the dry delivery of humor like a pro and elevates each tear streaked monologue to high art.

This film can take a long time to grab you. The split narrative can be a bit trying.  In some ways it’s very heavy handed and in many others it’s delicate, or at least lets the characters be people rather than archetypes. Yet, the assuredness in Zach Braff’s ability as a storyteller is there. His approach is intriguing and the film never feels as if it blames the characters or stands in judgment over them. A Good Person is a weepy drama worthy of a trip to the theater even if it is to scrub the sour taste of Garden State from your memory.

Grade: C

Director: David F. Sandberg

Writers: Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan

Stars: Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren

Synopsis: The film continues that story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word “SHAZAM!” is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a perfect example of why casting and endings matter in film. Directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan, Shazam! Fury of the Gods follows Billy’s foster family as they defend Philadelphia from the daughters of Atlas. 

Shazam! is one of my favorite DCEU films from the past decade. It meaningfully explored the consequences of rejection, trauma, and found family. The scene where Billy meets his mom in that film still haunts me to this day. Shazam! isn’t the deepest film, but it was an honest film. Zachary Levi’s performance perfectly heightened Billy’s anger, and still is fun to watch. Shazam! Fury of the Gods doesn’t have a tenth of the nuance and maturity that Shazam! had, and it’s a shame. 

Perhaps the biggest misfire in the film is Billy Batson. Zachary Levi brings back the tongue and cheek present in the first film, and yet it doesn’t come across as charming. The writing isn’t doing any favors in this department, as Billy’s arc through the film is relegated to the sidelines until the third act finale. The film opens with Billy talking to his pediatrician about feeling like an imposter in his super-powered family. He has  taken on the role of being a leader, but the rest of the family seems to be less and less interested in being superheroes compared to him. He has placed his self-worth in being viewed as a hero, because in 5 months’ time, he will age out of the foster system, and may not be able to stay with the Vasquez family. This premise is loaded with dramatic subtext, and it would push Billy to grow. And it’s set up wonderfully in the first 14 minutes of the film. And then, it’s sidelined by the arrival of the Daughters of Atlas, who long to take back the power of Shazam that was stolen from their father by the wizard. And this becomes the primary focus of the film for the next 80 minutes. 

Where the first film placed Billy front and center, even allowing him to go on a journey to find his mom in the second act that had no impact on the plot with Dr. Sivana, Shazam! Fury of the Gods never offers this reprieve to its main character. And it shows because Billy is nearly always seen as the transformed Shazam. Asher Angel, who plays the “real” Billy, has less than 7 minutes of screen time this time around, despite Billy being in nearly every scene. It’s tragic, because Angel really taps into the vulnerable side of Billy in his performance, and it matches the tone of the character arc really well. But the film doesn’t make that character arc its core focus. When the daughters of Atlas show up, Shazam doesn’t have the time to reflect, and instead just becomes a loudmouth, and it doesn’t completely work. It especially doesn’t work when the ending relies on the audience having a reverence for Billy, who has been unlikeable throughout the entire film and wasn’t particularly likeable in the last film. Billy is a fascinating character because we watch him grow and mature, and when that growth is cut so we can worship him as a hero, it doesn’t work. 

This contrasts with the great character work on display with every other member of the Vasquez foster family. Freddy is given his own teenage romance plot, which highlights his own insecurities as a disabled teen. Mary is an adult, and it’s reflected both in the story and in her visual design. Firstly, Mary feels the considerable weight of being the oldest kid still a part of the family, offering advice to Billy, and also talking about finding a way to support the family outside of being a superhero. And from a visual perspective, Grace Caroline Currey portrays both Mary and Super Hero Mary, showing how Mary has grown up to be an adult, whereas the other kids still transform into “adult” superheroes when they shout Shazam. It’s a subtle change, but it highlights the thought that went into each and every member of the family. 

Speaking of performances, each Vasquez family member is empowered by great performances. Jack Dylan Grazer is wonderful in the role of Freddy Freeman, giving the character a loveable performance that doesn’t oversell the nerdy part of Freddy. Ross Butler, Adam Brody, and D.J. Cotrona each capture the behaviors of the kids they play in their superhero adult form. Faithe Herman is once again great as the immediately charming Darla and Meagan Good captures her naïve and outgoing mannerisms seemingly effortlessly as Darla’s superhero form. Marta Millas and Cooper Andrews once again immediately melt hearts as Rosa and Victor Vasquez, the foster parents of the family. The performances of each family member, and the chemistry between them all, enhance the family dynamic that is so often missing from the script this time around. As well, Rachel Zegler is stellar in the role of Anthea, and her chemistry with Jack Dylan Grazer makes for a romance subplot that is cute and believable. The film may struggle with its main plot, but the subplots revolving around Freddy, Anthea, and the Wizard (played by Djimon Hounsou once again) work really well to develop the core themes of the film, while also being very fun to watch. 

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is yet another superhero film to suffer from uneven visual effects. Some effects, like sandstorms, transformations of a location, or the appearance of a dragon, are seamless and fit the film perfectly. There are a plethora of locations created entirely through CGI and thanks to the integration of physical objects in the foreground, you don’t notice the artificial set. The Shazam headquarters is a great example of this, where tables, couches, and random items create a space that feels tangible because it reflects the kids that live there. The blend of CG and production design allows these spaces to feel real. 

Other effects, however, look like plastic and are incorrectly virtually lit. It’s a shame because those uneven effects affect the biggest action sequences the most. But for all the missteps in the visual effects, the direction and editing of these action sequences are great. Sandberg understands the importance of showing civilians in peril and creating the need for a superhero, and it’s something missing from most modern superhero films today. Michel Aller’s editing ensures that the geography of these action sequences is kept clear, and it makes for some exciting battles, especially in the third act. 

Altogether, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a messy superhero film that doesn’t hold up to its predecessor. It’s a fun popcorn flick plagued by a poor script and a poor lead performance that pulls down the rest of the film around it.

Grade: C

Director: Chad Stahelski

Writers: Shay Hatten and Michael Finch

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Ian McShane

Synopsis: John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

Despite having numerous sequences that lean toward a parody of itself, the latest installment in the Keanu Reeves-led guns and blades franchise, John Wick: Chapter 4, is an action-packed, bloody good time that, even though it has gotten bigger in terms of budget and runtime, never abandons its straight-to-DVD conventions. Chad Stahelski’s excellent grasp on the genre makes this beat-em-up picture pave the way for a new, distinctively captivating future for action filmmakers. It is a different beast. 

American stunt coordinator-turned-filmmaker Chad Stahelski and his beloved creation, the John Wick franchise, have changed the action genre for good. Every genre filmmaker that wants to make an action film founded on revenge-thriller roots copies what Stahelski and his team have done since 2014, until now. In recent years, we have gotten the likes of Nobody, Gunpowder Milkshake (great title, boring movie), Kate, Jolt, amongst others that have yet to capture the brilliance of the John Wick franchise. Those films didn’t have a director at the helm with a great grasp on the genre – a person who understands the physicality and brutality of showcasing pain through kicks and punches to the audience. And Chad Stahelski does it again and again. His brilliant self always finds creative ways to combine elements from the past (Bruce Lee pictures, Lady Snowblood, Police Story) with a new stylistic flair for modern viewers. With each new installment, the Keanu Reeves-led franchise gets more extensive and, rather unusually, better. And John Wick: Chapter 4 proves that the adrenaline-fueled beat-em-up isn’t running out of steam. 

Picking up almost immediately after events that transpired during Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 4 begins with a trip to the desert. John Wick (the man himself, Keanu Reeves), who has taken refuge with the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), travels to the desert to visit his “old friend” The Elder (formerly played by Said Taghmaoui, now George Georgiou) – asking for an escape, one last time. But, of course, we all know that what Wick seeks isn’t going to be given to him. The Elder says death is the only way out of his life as an on-call mercenary or rebel with a cause. So, as the bounty on his head rises with each passing day, John Wick sets out to find a way to eradicate the contract attached to his violence-riddled soul and finally get the nefarious High Table off his back. However, a new member of such an organization in power has been given plenty of toys to play with, the Marquis de Gramont (played by an entertainingly tart and scenery-chewing Bill Skarsgård). 

What the Marquis de Gramont wants, in essence, is to end the idea of a black-suited boogeyman – a person who can defy the rules and decrees of the mighty institution that everyone in the movie bows their heads to – by killing Mr. Wick. And he knows it won’t be an easy job. Given carte blanche, with all of the resources imaginable at his disposal, and his desire for control, he hires two new faces into the franchise to hunt Baba Yaga down: Caine (Donnie Yen) and a track later named Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson). They all go from Osaka to Paris in a globetrotting exposition of murderous rampages and violent ballets in search of the titular character. With an almost three-hour runtime, which flies by quickly, and an arrangement of luscious scenarios in its respective window-dressing locations, John Wick: Chapter 4 has Chad Stahelski managing to breathe new life into the franchise – when we all thought it was going nowhere after the third installment – by not only crafting a unique experience while also implementing elements from cinema’s past to curate this brutal, action-packed epic. 

When I first saw the trailer of John Wick: Chapter 4, I was skeptical because it seemed as if the franchise would dismiss what I found intriguing in the first part, its B-movie/straight-to-DVD action-thriller premise and sensibilities. I compared the first two installments in this franchise to Jason Statham’s series of Transporter and Cranked movies. Of course, John Wick leaned more toward a revenge story, but I found them similar in terms of their action and popcorn entertainment. After watching the fourth chapter, I can say that although it is a more robust picture, Chad Stahelski doesn’t lose touch with its B-movie origins. Stahelski has an extensive knowledge of cinema, as he references plenty of films that have inspired him these past couple of years. There are quick references to David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia, Walter Hill’s The Warriors, the Bruce Lee-led Enter the Dragon, and Kill Bill (and, coincidentally, Lady Snowblood) scattered throughout the film, and some of them are easy to miss. The most prominent and beneficial one is Zatoichi, The Blind Swordsman, with Donnie Yen’s character, Caine. 

The stunt coordinator turned filmmaker and cinematographer Dan Laustsen has also found ways to make lengthy fight scenes and shootouts that do not seem repetitive by switching up the camera maneuvers in every set piece, both in sets built and on location. It feels like kitchen-sink filmmaking due to the various amounts of different cinematic techniques the crew is implementing. Yet, it all comes together thrillingly. Most of us will have different favorite scenes, despite our keenness to lean toward the grand ones, but the apartment sequence in Paris during the last act indeed left me impressed and wanting more of those types of shots. One negative thing that arrives with this maximalist approach is conjuring scenes that feel caricature-esque as if it is becoming a parody of itself. It doesn’t get to a Fast & Furious level of ridiculousness, although some scenes make you think that John Wick is a meta-human or has an adamantine spine. “Are you dead, John?”, one character quotes, and everybody in the audience laughs because you are baffled by his potential injuries and highly entertained by everything the film throws at you. 

While I still enjoy the second installment the most, in my opinion, being the best one in the bunch, John Wick: Chapter 4 showcases that neither Keanu nor Stahelski is running out of ideas to implement in the franchise. Many will try to copy what the two of them have done in the past couple of years, but they won’t come close; the scope and visualization of these “back to the basics while still adding a modern spin on them” lengthy action set-pieces that the film crew come up with beat out most of the “spectacle” released today. When you think it is running out of ideas, the film comes back with more blood and bullets raining down the scenery like a genre-piece parade. There are fire-bursting shotguns, bulletproof suits, Frogger-like car chases in the Arc the Triomphe, and Keanu Reeves falling from multiple flights of stairs. If this doesn’t cement John Wick: Chapter 4 as pure hyper-stylized fun, I don’t know what will. 

Sure, a couple of issues in its script and narrative damage the film’s backbone a bit. There are a couple of silly lines, although the actors mostly sell them with their sumptuous presence and scenery-chewing line delivery. In addition, I needed more of Rina Sawayama, who is promising as an action star. But, in the end, the dangerous duo of Stahelski and Reeves keeps delivering one hit after the other the only way they know how. And that’s with guns blazing, blades sharpened, and black suits ironed. It’s ambitious to create an action extravaganza in this varied form because there is the chance of losing what made everyone a fan. Regardless, John Wick: Chapter 4 is effective in every aspect, even when it demonstrates its faults at a full glance. This hit goes out to you, Mr. Wick!

Grade: A-