A martial artist-in-training believes she must save her older sister from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, she tries to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.
Polite Society is a wild ride and it’s definitely a very interesting one that I’ve been quite curious about.
The acting in particular is very strong here Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya have excellent chemistry between one another, director Nida Manzoor does a beautiful job of capturing this sister bond the two have with one another. Manzoor also manages to make it surprisingly raw and touching in a lot of areas, I say surprising because on the surface the movie seem like just a highly energized action comedy film. But there is so much more than that in fact that doesn’t even begin to describe how much character is in the film.
The film does a fantastic job of mixing the coming of age story genre and the action genre with some comedy thrown in as well, action and coming of age are two genres that you don’t often see mix in film but Manzoor combines them in such an interesting way. She gives these characters so much determination take for example the main character Rita Khan (played by Priya Kansara) she wants to be a stuntwoman, so Manzoor works the action genre into that idea and creates some beautifully done action scenes.
The action scenes are electrifying and really grab the viewer’s attention quickly, there’s a lot of character to them and are overall very entertaining to watch. The film does get a bit more bizarre as it goes on and even then Nida Manzoor still holds on to the film and introduces these bizarre scenes sparingly.
Lastly Polite Society has a ton of heart that really does get the viewer to feel for these characters, it’s a very fast paced journey that you honestly don’t want to stop at all. Be sure to check this one out!
Carl Nargle, a local treasure with a soothing whisper of a voice, hosts his own painting show on Vermont public television. His art has attracted the attention of many women over the years, especially those who work at the station. However, when a new painter gets hired to revitalize the channel, Carl’s own fears regarding his talents as an artist are brought to the forefront.
If you don’t know a single thing about Paint and you just heard about it you would think that it’s trying to be a biopic about Bob Ross the famous painter who had a very highly viewed TV show, however that’s not the case. It’s a biopic about a man named Carl Nargle who happens to be a lot like Bob Ross. However that ultimately starts to confuse the viewer as it is quite clear that they have Owen Wilson try to do a Bob Ross impression.
Honestly Paint could be summed up as a 90 minute SNL skit that is incredibly unfunny, the best thing I can really say is Owen Wilson can be enjoyable at times and I don’t think the rest of the cast are particularly bad either. It’s mainly the script that is filled to the brim with unfunny jokes is what wrecks this movies.
A lot of it is so tonally inconsistent either and wants to claim it’s about a guy named Carl but also wants to be this parody of Bob Ross, the switch in tones from trying to have dramatic moments with dry humor that doesn’t blend well at all turns this movie into a gigantic mess that refuses to come together.
Paint could have been interesting if it had far better writing and actually had focus on what it truly wanted to be, instead of going for the throwing ideas at a wall and seeing what sticks approach.
Two ballers, opposites who are seemingly miles apart, find they might have more in common than they imagined possible.
Remember how earlier this month I talked about Cube (2021) being a very pointless remake that is barely different from the original? Well here’s another remake that follows from some of the exact same problems (only worse) White Men Can’t Jump is a remake of the 1992 film of the same name. Even if I’m not that huge on the original I still think it’s a solid movie that had a lot of great chemistry that was genuinely funny, Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson had fantastic chemistry that really felt natural so it would be very hard to try and capture that sort of chemistry again.
White Men Can’t Jump (2023) suffers from a lot of issues and a lot of them have to do with the script and the very lacking chemistry between Jack Harlow and Sinqua Walls, Harlow and Walls are definitely at least trying to make the bond between the two work. But unfortunately it doesn’t quite work outside of a few moments that are admittedly some of the best parts about the movie.
Their chemistry just doesn’t capture the same sort of magic that Snipes and Harrelson had in the original, as I said earlier the chemistry in the original felt natural while with this one is a lot more manufactured and really does not come together at all. As far as writing goes while it’s fine to try and not be an exact copy of the original, the changes in the script they went with are very questionable.
Having pop culture references such as Tiktok really doesn’t fit here at all and once again comes off as wanting someone who’s watching to point their finger and say “they said Tiktok” the script also wraps up like a Disney channel original movie, such as talking about very half baked morals that if you took them out wouldn’t change a thing.
Lastly there’s the trash talk which the original did have, but at least the original’s trash talk was executed in a somewhat raw way so the viewer could feel the impact. But here while the lines may seem harsh the viewer doesn’t feel anything due to it being executed so poorly, the power, confidence and intimidation is just not there at all to make these lines work at all.
Overall White Men Can’t Jump (2023) is yet another example of a remake that did not need to be made, the main question when the credits rolled in my head was “why was this made?” I know it’s a cliched question to ask with a lot of bad remakes, but I think it fits appropriately here considering that this is absolutely a remake that nobody asked for.
A womanizer and a gold digger team up to pursue two robot versions of themselves.
I really don’t have much to say here, Robots had a lot of potential to be interesting but sadly it doesn’t amount to much.
Shailene Woodley is definitely trying here and the movie itself at least looks decently made, there’s a few shots here that are nice to look at. But that’s where the positives end.
Somehow the movie makes the concept of Robots taking over incredibly dull, with a very tacked on political message that really does not come together at all. The movie quickly turns into a mess, the road to get to the end of the movie is a rough one. I absolutely hate using this word in my reviews but Robots is about as boring as watching paint dry, there is very little going on and none of the characters are given proper development.
Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. If the mission is not completely successful, it could possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the final film of the Guardians Of The Galaxy trilogy. The discussion about superhero fatigue or the superhero genre itself putting mediocrity or flat out terrible movies is still a very relevant. Especially given with what we got so far this year, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania outside of a few performances was a horrible start to phase five and Shazam: Fury Of The Gods suffered very identical problems that Quantumania did and just sort of came and went.
However Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is what happens when you focus on far more than just building a cinematic universe, random cameos and actually have very interesting themes with strong writing. The Guardians Of The Galaxy films I consider to be the best of the MCU and a lot of it has to do with how beautifully well written the characters are and James Gunn’s direction which are both very present here.
For starters the character’s are once again incredibly well written here, the film completes a lot of the arcs the characters have went through from the last several years, Chris Pratt once again kills it as Peter Quill, while he doesn’t get as much development here as he did in the previous movies he really doesn’t need to. The last film really wrapped up a lot of his story and in this one it tied up some loose ends which does lead to a very emotional touching end for his journey, it’s one that’s been hinted at for awhile and to see him accomplish it is truly satisfying.
Bradley Cooper is at his absolute best here as Rocket as the trailers and information about the film has said, the film takes a look at Rocket’s backstory which is quite dark, that’s one thing I should mention Vol. 3 is the darkest of the trilogy (heck this might be the darkest film of the MCU if we are going to be honest.) the backstory really does a fantastic job of building Rocket’s character, there’s so many emotions and really makes Rocket one of the most interesting characters of the MCU. There’s so much pain and sadness in the many flashbacks that truly do make you cry, Rocket’s backstory is among some of the best the MCU has ever done and it’s truly beautiful to see his arc be completed.
Dave Bautista as Drax actually goes through quite a lot of development here, he’s shown in the previous films that he really cares about the team, but here you can absolutely see the result of that. It helps that Bautista gives a phenomenal performance and really puts so much heart into the role, it always did seem like he was having a blast playing Drax whenever he was on screen and that shows here.
Karen Gillan as Nebula is yet another highlight performance of the film, while yes Gillan has always killed as Nebula but I would argue she takes the performance to a different level in this one. Not only does her arc complete in this film but it’s such a beautiful end to it as well, especially during one particularly moment at the end that has everyone together, Nebula is by far one of the most developed characters of the MCU and truly one of the most interesting as well.
Chukwudi Iwuji plays the villain High Evolutionary and it’s quite refreshing to see a villain who isn’t sympathetic at all, one of the problems a lot of people have had with some recent MCU villains is they are always either given a sympathetic backstory or make arguments where someone can say “they are right” while yes that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but when you constantly do it film after film (or show) it starts to become very old. High Evolutionary is straight up evil, he wants to commit genocide and torture creatures he sees as “not perfect” Iwuji’s performance is so unhinged that it’s to the point where it’s quite brilliant. Iwuji says that some inspirations for his performance was William Shakespeare and that really shows, he balances a lot of absolutely unhinged moments with some calm and collected moments.
James Gunn’s direction much like the previous two films is absolutely brilliant, there’s a beautiful blend of comedy and dramatic moments that help the film move along at very steady pace. It tells a beautiful story while making some very hilarious jokes, the music is once against fantastic as well. One scene in particular towards the end uses “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine and it’s truly a brilliant use of it, the scene really puts a nice closing on an incredible journey we have had with these characters.
Lastly there’s the film itself and it’s everything that the end of a trilogy should be, it completes the many character arcs while introducing a few new elements that add to the overall themes and characters.
I know it may look like I went on a lot about the characters, but that’s honestly the main source of power in the Guardians Of The Galaxy Trilogy…the characters, since 2014 we have been on a journey with these characters that are quite unique when it comes to the writing style, the team is arguably the characters who went through the most development out of all the characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I believe the reason why these characters and films are so fantastic is mainly development, the characters loving each other like a family and the overall charm.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is the perfect closer to the trilogy and is among one of the very best films so far this year!
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is playing in theaters.
After an unexpected breakup, a travel executive accepts an assignment to go under cover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam. Along the way, she finds adventure and romance with her Vietnamese expat tour guide.
When it comes to original films Netflix has been having a very rough year so far, a lot of the movies have ranged from being flat out bad to painfully below average and sadly that also applies to A Tourist’s Guide to Love.
A Tourist’s Guide to Love does have it’s positives such as the performances from Rachel Leigh Cook and Scott Ly who really do try their hardest with what they are given, plus the chemistry between the two is admittedly very charming and there’s plenty of cute moments in there as well. There’s some decent looking shots here which is mainly due to the Vietnam setting.
Everything else however is about as predictable as you can get with a romantic comedy, the movie mainly focuses on getting to the finish line and calling it a day. You have a lot of the usual story beats that have been done better in other films, honestly the worst offense of the movie is that it’s just very forgettable. It’s one of those Netflix Originals where you will forget about it as soon as you finish watching it, mainly due to it feeling like every other Netflix romantic comedy film.
A Tourist’s Guide To Love is available on Netflix.
Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic, Kafkaesque odyssey back home.
Ari Aster has very quickly made a name for himself over the last few years, both Hereditary and Midsommar being both some of the best films from the 2010s it was only natural that I would be really excited to see what he does next, Beau is Afraid is a very different film, it throws a lot of curveballs that you wouldn’t really expect but knowing that Aster does something completely different with his films it was wonderful to see.
Let’s get the performances out of the way, they are all truly fantastic some being very intimidating right out the gate Joaquin Phoenix is quite fantastic. Phoenix has always been an actor who shows how much range he really has an actor and he continues to show that here. The journey his character Beau Wassermann goes throughout the film is truly fascinating, there’s a lot of character moments where we get glimpses inside his head and what he’s thinking especially when the film gets to one particular long scene that is truly some of the best moments Ari Aster has ever done. Patti LuPone is another standout who gives quite a scary performance that while she doesn’t show up until way later in the film you can still strangely feel her presence.
The atmosphere of the film is anxiety inducing there’s always this feeling that Beau is being watched or not completely alone in certain scenes it really builds tension and horror masterfully, the many different locations that Beau travels to is truly beautiful yet haunting. There’s so much attention to detail with each of the locations and with some of the more haunting moments. Between an apartment in the city, a house with a family, a forest and finally his mother’s house they each set up their own story. My favorite being the forest as I hinted at earlier there’s a long scene that is truly some of Aster’s best, it’s animated scene that is truly beautiful and really brings in more of the “what the hell am I watching” atmosphere to the film. Sure bizarre moments did happen before but this is where the film kicks it up a notch.
The third act is very divisive among a lot of people, some people absolutely love it some absolutely hate it, however I really loved it! The final act wraps everything up quite well and really shows a lot of Beau’s character in the final moments in particular where we see his character completely break and everything comes crashing down. There’s also one particular scene that is very bizarre but the symbolism is quite clever as well.
Overall Beau is Afraid is another masterful film from Ari Aster, he continues to show that he brings new ideas to the table and executes them perfectly. I truly can’t wait to see what he does next!
When her family moves from the city to the suburbs, 11-year-old Margaret navigates new friends, feelings, and the beginning of adolescence.
Kelly Fremon Craig who previously directed The Edge Of Seventeen is back with another coming of age film called Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, I didn’t know what to really expect going into the film. I haven’t read the book so the only knowledge I really had was Kelly Fremon Craig was directing and I loved The Edge Of Seventeen so I gave this one a go and wow this is definitely a fantastic film.
I can’t really put into words how incredible the acting is in the film, it’s truly some of the best acting so far this year there’s so many standouts that truly nail each and every scene. Abby Ryder Fortson is truly incredible, she’s a star who’s going to go really far in her career and the film really shows that. She gives such a raw and nostalgic performance, what I mean by that is she truly feels like a childhood friend you might have known. If you remember the days where you had a big neighborhood when you were a kid and several other kids were there, you use to go outside and hangout together, go to each other’s houses and such. It’s such a rare type of performance that I truly appreciate, Fortson also really does capture the spirit of the coming of age film, through her character the film explores womanhood and change which the film does masterfully.
Kathy Bates is as fantastic as always, she’s always been one of my favorite actresses and here is no exception, she absolutely captures the spirit of a grandparent who absolutely loves their grandkid, yet can be a bit too pushy when it comes to wanting their grandkid to become something. She obviously means well but it’s a very real flaw that we don’t often see depicted in films (or done well at least). Finally there’s Rachel McAdams who gives one of the best performances of the year, she completely captures a mother who’s daughter is changing, she does everything to support her daughter all while having a few struggles of her own. There’s so much power to her performance especially with her interactions with the other characters is truly phenomenal.
Which leads into my next point the interactions between the characters, it’s very real and is incredibly down to earth. The way Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) interacts with her friends and family is truly fantastic, there’s comedic moments, there’s serious moments, there’s quiet moments you name it. There’s so much balance between them all that it really paints such a beautiful picture.
Finally there’s the direction from Kelly Fremon Craig who once again nails the coming of age genre, it’s a genre that a lot of attempted some more successful than others. But Kelly Fremon Craig is one of those successes by far, much like she did with The Edge Of Seventeen she creates a very realistic picture that many people can relate to, it combines so many ideas and elements that all blend together to create something truly honest and special. This is an absolute must see.
Are You There God? It’s Margaret is available in theaters.
Cole falls head over heels for enigmatic Sadie, but then makes the shocking discovery that she’s a secret agent. Before they can decide on a second date, Cole and Sadie are swept away on an international adventure to save the world.
I said in my review for You People (2023) that over the years I’ve been much more positive when it comes to bad movies especially in my reviews. And I still stand by that (even if that was just a few months ago) I can recognize that there was some level of attempt in a lot of movies that I reviewed not favorably…however Ghosted is one of those movies where it truly breaks the camel’s back because this is quite honestly one of the worst looking movies I’ve seen in a very long time.
Let’s start with the acting Ana de Armas and Chris Evans have no chemistry at all, it’s completely dull has no personality to it, tries way too hard to balance some serious moments and comedy but completely falls flat on it’s face. The performances are not good either Chris Evan’s is for whatever reason trying to be Ryan Reynolds 2.0 and Ana de Armas is given very poor material to work with.
The writing absolutely does feel like it was written by an AI, it honestly baffles me that someone read the script and gave the okay, there’s cameos that are incredibly pointless, humor that insults the viewer’s intelligence and a bunch of plot points that have been done far better elsewhere. What really kills this movie however is the action scenes and the camerawork, there’s so many unconvincing shots of Ana de Armas and Chris Evans together it truly looks like they weren’t on set together at all. The level of just not caring is truly incredible with this movie, heck the fact this was directed by Dexter Fletcher director of Rocketman is truly beyond parody.
Ghosted goes through every single predictable plot point you can think of and executes them in the worst way you can think of, what makes this even worse is that the movie itself is incredibly dull and devoid of any personality. At least with some bad movies they do have a personality where you can somewhat be entertained by them, but here? Nothing at all!
Renfield, the tortured aide to his narcissistic boss, Dracula, is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding. However, after centuries of servitude, he’s ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of the Prince of Darkness.
Renfield immediately got me very excited once I saw that Nicolas Cage was casted as Dracula a role in which he was born to do, but how does the overall movie fair?
Well let’s start with the positives, as I hinted at earlier Nicolas Cage knocks it out of the park as Dracula. While his screentime could have been a lot more whenever he absolutely takes advantage the role when he shows up, it’s classic Nicolas Cage at his finest and his performance honestly shows why he’s such a fun actor to watch on the big screen.
The same can be really said for Nicholas Hoult like Cage he’s a lot of fun and when you combine the interactions between Hoult and Cage you truly do get some entertaining results, the Mortal Kombat like kills are quite incredible as well. They were quite unexpected given that the trailer made the movie come off as just another horror comedy, but there are actually some quite brutal kills here that are quite exciting and combine it with some really solid action scenes as well.
With that said the movie does have it’s flaws that do ultimately hurt it, the humor mostly just doesn’t work here unfortunately. There’s a lot of parts with Cage that work well but just about everything else especially with Awkwafina who gives a very forgettable performance doesn’t quite work. The chemistry between Hoult and Awkwafina is just not there at all, they really tried to shoehorn this whole love interest subplot that really doesn’t fit well at all here.
That also leads into the main problem with Renfield as the movie goes on it starts to become a mess, there’s a lot of ideas floating around that the movie barely touches on or does absolutely nothing with. There’s this whole family plot with Camille Chen’s character Kate and Awkwafina’s character Rebecca that once again is just sort of there, a lot of the third act throws stuff at the wall to see what sticks.
Despite the review sounding negative I did have fun with Renfield, it’s a fun movie for what it is. It just could have been a whole lot better had the script been much more focused.
Jerome Reviews... 