Tag: Adaptation

HAPPINESS FOR BEGINNERS (2023)

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Written & Directed By: Vicky Wright 

Based on the novel by: Katherine Center

Cinematography: Daniel Vecchione 

Editor: Suzanne Spangler 

Cast: Ellie Kemper, Luke Grimes, Nico Santos, Blythe Danner, Julia Shiplett, Ben Cook, Shayvawn Webster, Gus Birney 

A year after getting divorced, Helen Carpenter, thirty-two, lets her annoying, ten years younger brother talk her into signing up for a wilderness survival course. It’s supposed to be a chance for her to pull herself together again, but when she discovers that her brother’s even more annoying best friend is also coming on the trip, she can’t imagine how it will be anything other than a disaster.

This has been a trend for Netflix recently releasing romantic movies that seem like they more belong on the hallmark network. That would seem like in the old days the type of TV- movie a network would put all of its show stars into one to win ratings for the night. Not to mention keep their salaries down by making them do the television movie rather than a big screen role that might be a hit and increase their asking price 

This film is simple enough and it’s romantic and heartwarming. So that it has its charms and laughs even though you never are in doubt as to where it is going. 

Happy to see Ellie Kemper in something. Though there are many things here that just nag you in the audience. The characters other than the roads seem to be one-dimensional they get mroe dimensions by the amount of screen time they have.

Most of the cast are good looking at least the ones who are either the romantic leads or might be distractions for them. 

Never quite understand why Kemper’s character would marry a guy who is such an idiot and has no chemistry with him. To set her characters ark and then when it’s obvious who she is supposed to be with they have moderate chemistry but still seem a bit put off. 

Despite the film’s many problems and situational humor. It still has a charm. It’s not impressive but it’s a nice enough viewing.

Grade: C

THE PIANO LESSON (2024)

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Directed By: Malcolm Washington 

Written By: Virgil Williams and Malcolm Washington 

Based on the play by: August Wilson 

Cinematography: Michael Gioulakis 

Editor: Leslie Jones 

Cast: Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins, Stephen James, Erykah Badu, Michael Potts, Pauletta Washington, Skylar Aleece Smith 

Follows the lives of the Charles family as they deal with themes of family legacy and more, in deciding what to do with an heirloom, the family piano.

Based off of August Wilson’s play this film obviously is more theatrical, though it does find ways to have more outdoor scenes and leave the central location of a family’s house.

The cast is all excellent especially Danielle Deadwyler even though the film is more of an ensemble. This is also one of the best performances I have seen John David Washington give in his career so far it might not be as memorable, but he seems a little more open and loose than he usually appears to be in most of his roles, it might be that his brother.  Malcolm Washington is directing him so he has more trust in him as a Director he can be more vulnerable here.

The film has many memorable scenes, especially an impromptu sing-along by the male members of the cast that is infectious and feels like it goes by way too quickly.

The film is filled with sharp visuals, memorable characters, and dialogue. It even manages to get a little supernatural throughout as it focuses on black history and family history, but also black folklore a bit.

The material is informative and a bit more melodramatic, though it’s also historical, which is a rarity to be seen when it comes to African-Americans and family, especially generational dram of legacy inheritance motives, and love.

While one has a limited knowledge of the works of August Wilson, so far out of his place that have been brought to the big screen like fences black bottom this one has the happiest ending and while it involves family drama, there is no doubt that there is love and support of one another so this ends up being one of the happier plays which unfortunately it’s also comes across as maybe not as strong as the other two though at least this one is uplifting.

Just like the object in the center of the piano, it is also well crafted and carries a history all its own, which is why it’s a slow burn but effective

This feels like a prestige production and one of the more obvious Oscar-bait films so it’s still a story worth telling  and watching 

Grade: B

THE BIKERIDERS (2024)

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Written & Directed By: Jeff Nichols

Based on the book by: Danny Lyon

Cinematography: Adam Stone

Editor: Julie Monroe

Cast: Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, Norman Reedus, Emory Cohen, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Beau Knapp, Karl Glusman, Damon Herriman, Toby Wallace, Will Oldham 

After a chance encounter, headstrong Kathy is drawn to Benny, a member of the Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, Benny must choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.

There seems to be so much to say as this film could’ve been epic, but I don’t know if it was budgetary reasons or wanting to stay more abstract that it doesn’t fulfill its own strength and greatness. 

It’s not a bad film but there are still some great flourishes and ideas throughout. it kind of feels a little bit like GOODFELLAS and portrays an era of certain motorcycle gangs not the exact beginning but the beginning in hell over the years it changes. a kind of anthropology lesson. 

How’s the next generation evolved, but also brought down and moratorium from its less than innocent beginnings, there seems to be a purity at the beginning of the gang until it truly became more about being criminals.

Even when the change comes, you know by the name of the gang, the renegades and pretty much losing it when things change more through cheating than anything or one-upmanship

It works as Austin Butler’s performance is more mysterious and cool kind of a ghost, but also a heartthrob and a cipher that everyone wants a piece of and is mystified by.

He’s the cool beautiful loner the mystique most all strive for and what attracts most to the allure 

For some, the audience might be tested between the accent of Tom Hardy, who once again doesn’t really talk much, and Jodie Comer, who creates a believable character as long as you can get past her voice and accent. She is really our entrance to the gang as she gets more and more involved in the gang. She wanders we learn more about them.

It shows the different generations of the club it would help us get more of an update and maybe a little more in-depth into more of their personal lives when not riding and modes of income.  The evolution of the club and how it got more ruthless and less about companionship and about crime and not caring about the camaraderie and  brotherhood 

The film tries to paint a portrait of its own Americana only it needs a stronger and tighter screenplay and. Or seem so random and taking more of a sideline view and watching the character back with no certain direction. Though the film doesn’t have its moments and can pack a punch once in a while 

The film goes for a nostalgic feeling for a lost time while trying to illustrate not only what was lost as the years went by but not only a loss of innocence but of certain morals and decency. Even though it tries to show the good old days had its own set of problems and wasn’t all saccharine. 

It’s own updated western with similar themes of a disappearing horizon, way of life, and type of characters. 

Grade: B

TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN (2024)

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Directed By: Hannah Marks

Written By: Elizabeth Berger and Issac Aptaker

Based On The Novel By: John Green

Cinematography: Brian Burgoyne 

Editor: Andrea Bottigliero

Cast: Isabela Merced, Cree, Judy Reyes, Felix Mollard, Maliq Johnson, J. Smith-Cameron, Poorna Jagannathan, Tim Gooch, Hannah Marks, Debby Ryan 

Aza Holmes. It’s not easy being Aza, but she’s trying… trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, and a good student, all while navigating an endless barrage of invasive, obsessive thoughts that she cannot control. When she reconnects with Davis, her childhood crush, Aza is confronted with fundamental questions about her potential for love, happiness, friendship, and hope in the face of her mental illness.

A nice coming-of-age story that deals with mental health primarily OCD.

Though at times the film does feel a little wish fulfillment It does feel a bit more real emotionally than some of its peers.

What I really enjoyed is that the film starts off introducing the characters and giving us what looks to be a mystery and investigation and uses it as an introduction to take us on a different journey and a different type of film and story and then kind of bring it back to our initial adventure that closure but also further the other story that was in the middle.

It’s refreshing that all of these issues and drama are tackled with a cast. That is the verse, but the main characters are mostly of Hispanic origin so there are more people of color within this film.

One thing I have to credit is that this film is based on the book by John Green and I have not read this book. I have seen most of the film adaptations of his books and each one while summer better than the others. They have all been heart-wrenching and heartbreaking and well done and I feel it because his books are a wealth of material that is easily identifiable and have an everlasting ring of truth in tragedy is still uplifting and romantic.

One has to give Director Hannah Marks great as she is an actress and Director, and for someone so young has knocked it out of the park with the films that she has directed usually our stories are always so well acted quirky, and memorable that she is a great talent that deserves to recognize more.

No, it does show that maybe I’m getting older as the lead character’s best friend I found it continuously annoying and was glad half the time when she wasn’t in scenes, but by the end, her character is so so endearing that I couldn’t imagine the film without her character without her.

As these films used to be catnip for me, and I used to be one of the first people, crying and being emotional over these films and while it still gets to a part of me, I don’t find myself as emotionally invested as I used to. I still these types of films. 

What I appreciate is that there was no big cure at the end there’s an ending that works, but there’s also the truth about the condition and the characters in that it may never be solved. Simply, you have to keep living your life and deal with it as it comes.

It’s also the first time that maybe I’ve noticed where a romantic comedy kind of looks at the male love interest through a female gaze as they’re not the center of the story, but more towards the side and are unbelievably helpful and good-looking and are there to provide moral support and the film goes out of its way to make them just the perfect love interest for the character where they’re tall their good looking they’re rich they give them what any woman would want. 

The only thing in the way is the female character and confidence. So the male here is more in the role of the dream partner in the flesh and willing and waiting. While only having eyes for them.

Grade: B

THE WATCHERS (2024)

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Written & Directed By: Ishana Shyamalan 

Based On the Novel By: A.M. Shine 

Cinematography: Eli Arenson 

Editor: Job Ter Burg 

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olsen Fouere, Oliver Finnegan, Alister Brammer, John Lynch, Siobhan Hewlett 

A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.

This film is disappointing now much will be sad because this film is from the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, Ishana Shyamalan. There have already been calls of nepotism or Nepo baby feeling that she only got a big studio release because of who her father is and the fact that he also produced the film. 

Now the film is in a similar style of being something supernatural and mysterious, and having a twist. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make good on its prints as the trailer for this film intrigued me as you didn’t exactly know what was happening. She also follows him and his more recent footsteps of adapting, a little-known or well-hidden novel for the big screen that if not for some research you would think would be an original script. That would work for her father, as his name comes with a certain pedigree and is bigger than any source material.

Once you watch the film and the story is fully explained there would be less mystery, but the problem isn’t that there is less mystery. It’s that it just doesn’t seem the greatest thought out as the script is barely subtle, and along the way becomes a bit predictable or if not predictable it’s nothing you haven’t seen before and other films so that here it just feels like a hodgepodge of ideas combine together to try and make the story work.

It feels more like a first draft than a fully thought-through and finished story. There seems so much potential in the setup, never quite comes together in a meaningful or sensible way, Which is especially shocking considering it’s based on a novel.

The direction is quite inspired and the cinematography is tight, but the rest of the film feels so empty. It’s one of these films that by the end. You don’t really care. You’re just happy that it’s coming to an end. 

Rarely offers surprises or suspense you watch as it goes along and hope it will get better along the way with its twist and it rarely does.

There is a glimmer of hope and promise here, though tighter scripting and a better follow-through will be needed. Especially to follow either in her father’s footsteps or even the car out an original artistic voice of her own.

Grade: D 

HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE (2023)

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Directed By: Daniel Goldhaber 

Written By: Daniel Goldhaber, Ariela Barer and Jordan Sjol

Based On The Book By: Andreas Malm

Cinematography: Tehillah De Castro

Editor: Daniel Garber 

Cast Sasha Lane, Ariela Barer, Forrest Goodluck, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Jake Weary, Irene Bedard 

A crew of environmental activists plot a daring plan to disrupt an oil pipeline.

This is an interesting little thriller. As it starts off so anonymously. Then turns into an ecological heist movie. It lives up to its title but the strength is in the storytelling 

We see how the plan is all coming together and what everyone’s duties and responsibilities are.

Meanwhile, we get glimpses into the characters’ reasons origins, and what brought them here.

Only in pivotal moments of the storyline. This also shows how the group all came together in the first place. As characters sometimes overlap in these moments.

The film provides plenty of drama, but also plenty of twists, turns, and double-crosses. Even when you think you know what’s going to happen, the film throws either a monkey wrench or what you think will happen but in a different way that you weren’t expecting.

The film is loosely based on the book of the same name which talks about the dilemma and the history of the problem. it is more dramatized and focused on this group of characters and their individual reasons as to why they came together to do this.

The ensemble works as each one is definitely passionate and works well with one another and you are on the edge of your seat plenty of times as this plan goes into effect. Even the aftermath is fascinating. As there is more to tell even during the credits as to the character’s fates. There is still the question was it all worth it?

This film is definitely worth watching even if you’re not necessarily into the politics of the character it works as a heist, film, and as a thriller and a film that examines the issues they are protesting against. Wow, the film provides plenty of suspense.

The film does feel like you are a fly on the wall, including your access to the information as a lot of times the film feels shot on the fly and feels as organic do it yourself and homemade the characters in their plan are. 

Oh, the MVP of the film  is Ariela Barer as she is the producer, writer, and one of the stars of the film. The film is an ensemble actor and character gets their moments to shine.

Grace: B

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (2023)

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Directed By: Andre Ovredal

Written By: Bragi Schut Jr. And Zack Olkewicz

Based on Log Of The Demeter “DRACULA” By Bram Stoker

Cinematography: Tom Stern 

Editor: Julian Clarke, Patrick Larsgaard and Christian Wagner 

Cast: Corey Hawkins, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchain, Aisling Franciosi, Chris Walley, Jon jon Briones, Stefan Kepicic, Martin Furland 

A crew sailing from Varna (Bulgaria) by the Black Sea to England finds that they are carrying very dangerous cargo.

This is not a bad film, but it does feel like a lost opportunity where the audience keeps thinking how much better it could be if it used practical effects so there wasn’t so much CGI. Also if the movie was filmed on actual film and not digital, it wouldn’t look so dark and feel more of the period. And if it had been made in the 1980s, it would feel more like either an adaptation or a surprise filled with more imagination, and a studio would maybe Mohr put its full weight behind it either in theaters or even if it was a movie that was faded to end up straight to home video.

As it stands now, it feels too slick and not quite sincere enough to be a success which it should be. 

This is another film, directed by Andre Ovredal. Who adds a black lead to a supernatural historical tale. Which does add excitement and some color to the proceedings. Though here The film remains predictable.

I have seen some audience members attack the film because of the beginning And readers of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the novel, which lets us know what happens or the fate of the crew and characters, but truthfully, that is what most slasher and horror films are guilty of we watch for the how wise and who’s we most likely what will happen? We just come to see how it happens, though. The same can be true of action films and sequels. Especially with stars and specialized starring in those types of films and playing virtually the same character or the same type. So picking on this film for the same reason feels like low-hanging fruit that you know coming in what it would be like and most likely that would be predictable. 

At least the screenwriters and filmmakers offer to flash out that chapter of the book and use their own imagination to ramp up, not only the characters and suspense but, ultimately their fates also try to create a claustrophobic atmosphere on the ship.

Stay entertaining, filled with characters that could have easily failed as this film obviously has passion and quality behind it.

Unfortunately, it comes off as a well-intentioned B-movie. With competing and battling accents among the actors to see who can be the most authentic to a certain rogue or region.

The film has a cast, and Cory Hawkins deserves more leading roles. As well as Aisling Franciosi who always seems to play characters who are surviving in pain.

Though the film seems to be trying to offer an origin to a franchise. we know unfortunately isn’t coming or the beginning of a fruitless search for justice. It’s a shame as the film has all the right ingredients. It’s just that the meal or main course isn’t as tasty as it should be. 

Grade: C

THE POSSESSED (1965)

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Directed By: Luigi Bazzoni and Franco Rossellini

Written By: Luigi Bazzoni, Franco Rossellini, Giulio Questi and Ernesto Gastoldi 

Based on the novel by: Giovanni Comisso

Cinematography: Leonida Barboni 

Editor: Nino Baragoli

Cast: Peter Baldwin, Salvo Randone, Valentina Cortese, Pia Lindstrom, Pier Giovanni Anchisi, Ennio Balbo, Verna Lisi, Philippe Leroy 

Famous writer Bernard travels to a small lakeside town for an off-season winter vacation. He checks into an old hotel owned by Enrico and his daughter Irma expecting to meet Tilde, the maid he had a crush on the last time he visited the town. However, he discovers that Tilde has committed suicide, and when he meets the local photographer, Bernard learns that she was pregnant. He becomes obsessed with finding out whether she really committed suicide and to guess what really happened. When Enrico’s son Mario and his wife Adriana arrive at the hotel, Bernard has daydreams about Tilde’s fate.

It’s true they don’t make films like these anymore and it’s a shame

This is a film. I have only heard about it recently. It’s a film. I am happy to have discovered it’s based on a true story. It might remind some viewers of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo more for its obsession and mystery aspects than necessarily the filmmaking or direction.

Only here it’s an Italian film and it’s beautiful to look at and the woman at the center of the mystery is pretty though not as haunting as other heroines in this type of film.

Which has the main character, a photographer, and writer comes to town to look up a female whom he had an acquaintance and took pictures of the year before and might be hoping to romance only to find that she is dead and that it was murder. He finds himself obsessed with getting to the bottom of it, aided by the few friends in town who give him hints but never quite the full story. 

It’s a short film you can pretty much guess who the guilty is, though throughout there are plenty of twists and turns and revelations that you don’t quite see coming that even the audience is introduced to that the author has until certain aspects of the story come into play.

This isn’t a very romantic film, but it’s a film shot in black-and-white and looks beautiful and the film does stay haunting even after the ending is revealed and the third act is full of twist. The film isn’t as deep and penetrating as you hope it is quite a surprise for those who don’t know about this film that is worth seeking out.

This isn’t a super sleuth tail, nor is it a tale of unrepentant evil characters. As it unfolds It’s a story that feels all the more human and it fails with characters who are more three dimensional, and ultimately tragedy is a fulfilling film by the end. 

it can only go so many places, especially based on a true story. I can’t say it’s something you’ve never seen before but it is a story that will keep your interest. It not only focuses on the who but also the Y and the aftermath

Grade: B-

CITY HUNTER (1993)

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Written & Directed By: Jin Wong

Based on the Comic By: Tsukasa Hojo

Cast: Jackie Chan, Richard Norton, Gary Daniels, Joey Wang, Kumiko Goto, Ching My Yau, Leon Lai, Paul Sinn, Ken Lo, Tzui-Pin Wei 

A self-indulgent private investigator winds up on a cruise ship full of rich patrons, gorgeous women, murderous terrorists, and scarce food.

This film comes across more as a cartoon with the requisite sound effects and visual effects with over-the-top comic antics even fantasy sequences that at times are supposed to be sexy, but come across as silly.

As it is way more comedic than his usual films.

At least the camera barely stays still for any elongated scenes or pieces of time, though it outdoes shots for so-called style. 

The film feels like an indulgent 1980s fantasy film grounded in reality where the second half plays like the movie under siege, but there are plenty of comedic antics. In both parts

The problem with the film comes from the heart of the film, which is that Jackie Chan’s character is a great detective who seems very clumsy, daydreams a lot, and always seems to be after sexy women. He is helping to take care of his partner’s daughter. At first, it’s like they have more of an uncle-niece relationship at times, it seems like she wants to make him jealous by going on vacation with a cousin so that it may be a romance on her part towards him, but he also seems to show a certain jealousy when other men are interested in her and this seems to be part of the romantic comedy elements were a force of the movie.

it’s made all the more inappropriate seeming as the girl he is taking care of looks like a teenager as well as the girl whose case he is working and he is noticeably older than both of them so seeing him try to romance them in certain scenes feels very uncomfortable.

The film feels more trashy than the star’s usual fare. They will try to maintain innocence and say it’s all in good fun as it is a stupid comedy that’s more physical and less action and more stunts action. There is also more comedy and less stunt work.

There is no nudity but fixated on the female costar’s cleavage and body, and finding funny things to do with them and come across more as character traits than an actual character.  As there are many scenes where he seems, the female characters are groped for comedic effect that comes across as a little bit more exploitative. 

It also makes life seem cheap. As there is tons of abuse towards women played off more as comedic. This is horrible especially when the Supporting female characters here are actually more fun and funny than the main actor.

The film is a screwball comedy without a good script. Even the villains henchman here seem to be wearing uniforms that look like costumes left over from V: THE MINISERIES.

Again, at the halfway point, this movie turns into Under Siege, the dyslexic version. The second half of the film is better than the first half.

This seems like a role less significant for Jackie Chan as it seems or feels like almost anyone could have played it because of physical and comedic skills were why he was called and offered him a chance to play an actual role outside of his usual persona. 

It’s fascinating how ridiculous this film is especially anytime. Visual effects are used that feel more like a live-action comic book. 

It has strange bits of humor like a scene that has a street fighter-themed fight with various characters playing the video game characters. Do video game antics and sound effects. That comes across more as a parody.

Grade: C 

SPACEMAN (2024)

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Directed By: Johan Renck

Written By: Colby Day

Based on The Book “Spaceman Of Bohemia” By Jaroslav Kalfar

Cinematography: Jakob Ihre 

Editor: John Axelrod, Scott Cummings, and Simon Smith 

Cast: Adam Sandler, Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan, Kunal Nayyar, Isabella Rosellini, Lena Olin, Marian Roden, Zuzona Stivinova, Petr Papanek, John Flanders

As an astronaut sent to the edge of the solar system to collect mysterious ancient dust finds his earthly life falling to pieces, he turns to the only voice that can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship.

This is an existential journey, a type of film that deals with loneliness and depression, and even though it takes place in outer space, it’s more about an inner journey than anything else.

So if you’re gonna do a movie that is practically mostly almost a one-man show where you spend time with the lead you’re going to want to cast an entertainer who here is trying to be more of a dramatic actor, but is definitely someone you know the audience is a fan of and identifies with Who they won’t mind spending time with throughout, even if he is not offering his usual type of performance.

Most are coming to this film for its star to see him in a different type of role, more dramatic than he takes from time to time, and not as rarely as before. 

The film like the character sounds downtrodden throughout 

Technically an art film is not bad and is actually impressive. It has plenty of artistic flourishes among the mundane story as the effects are, but this feels more like a Spotlight more focused on the character and his story. 

The film is about heart, but it feels like it lacks it, though Carey Mulligan seems to be the heart of the film and of the character’s existence, they are mainly kept apart most of the film.

As her character stays somewhat unsupported by him. The main problem with the film is that his character seems to be the same from beginning to end, even in the flashback so since she seems to be more lively, we never quite are sure why she fell for him, even though she explains it, but we never quite see it. so that this love story or romance kind of makes no sense as even when we see old pictures of them, it looks awkward and uncomfortable

The film might have been more noteworthy before streaming as it definitely would have probably made it to theaters with high hopes here it just seems like a regular expensive experiment or his yearly release through Netflix, focusing less on his usual type of comedies, yet still rocking his production companies, side project comedies. Shaking it up a bit with films like this.

The film is not as effective as it should be or tries to be it has good, technical filmmaking. It’s very meditative and slow as we live through his trauma

Love the cast, Carey Mulligan, Lena Olin, and Isabella Rossellini, who finally gets a role that is more than a minor one scene, the appearance of Kunal Nayyer. One just wishes they had more to do and a project that utilizes their talents more.

Nothing in particular makes this film noteworthy for all its peculiarities. It still feels oddly familiar as it is never quite warm, even when it wants you to feel something.

The one that makes the film and the characters come alive is a memory of a date at a public swimming pool.

Maybe if the film was more independent production, it would mean more as a project of passion to put all of a vision into, and it would feel like maybe a story that needed to be told. Here it comes across as entertainment that wants to have depth.

The second half of the film offers more heart. The film strives to be philosophical and romantic at heart. And after spending so much time, watching the film. You kind of surrender yourself to its charms, like Stockholm syndrome to make it feel like it was all worth it.

By the end In the film you can identify with him, but never quite feel anything. You wonder Is that the point?

Grade: C+