Tag: Comedy

LISA FRANKENSTEIN (2024)

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Directed by: Zelda Williams 
Written By: Diablo Cody
Cinematography: Paula Huidobro 
Editor: Brad Turner

Cast: Kathryn Newton, Cole Spouse, Liza Soberano, Joey Harris, Carla Gugino, Charlie Talbert, Henry Eikenberry, Bryce Romero, Joey Chrest 

A coming of RAGE love story about a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse. After a set of horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a journey to find love, happiness – and a few missing body parts.

The film offers an original vision. That proves itself more than just stylish it actually has depth. So that in itself it is like a teenager or the mentality and mood of one.

It’s as if Tim Burton made a teenage girl film As it fits into his style and type of character, but not as much on a grand scale. Which makes you end up liking it more than I expected to. 

The film feels definitely like an 80s film and when they mentioned later in the film that the year 1989 it fits perfectly wish it had come out at that time though this also works as a kind of nostalgic throwback. While it’s set in suburbia the film also achieves making its own world that seems separate yet so close to our own with a lot more color coding. That calls to mind screenwriter Diablo Cody’s previous film JENNIFER’S BODY 

Very camping at times over the top, but yet has an odd comfort level to it all.It’s a good film for its target audience that actually fits even at times when it can be risky 

As at times it’s Right on the precipice of macabre strangely, it works and has its own innocence. At Times it can feel like a wacky comedy, but also fits in with the Heathers crowd the PG-13, it is a little risque 

even for its more violent and even some sexual scenes, it’s a little bit more suggested and creative in the ways that it presents it that are not exploited, but actually seem more creative at times. This feels like a rather expensive student film, though that is what is part of its charm and luckily written by Diablo Cody, making a comeback 

This is Zelda Williams making her directorial debut, and it feels that way, but it gets stronger and more focused as it goes along 

It’s a love story, at heart where all the feelings seem misdirected towards what you view as your ideal and are blinded to their red flags and the people who actually care about you and love you. You take for granted or fail To see the obvious.

Katheryn Newton is winning as the lead character with all of her issues and psychosis, yet is sweet, crazy, and hilarious.

This is one twisted film in romance whose wavelength works totally fits

GRADE: B 

BLOOD RELATIVES (2022)

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Written & Directed By: Noah Segan

Cinematography: Andrew Baird 

Editor: Patrick Lawrence

Cast: Noah Segan, Victoria Moroles, Akasha Villalobos, C.L. Simpson, Tracie Thomas, Doug Benson, Ammie Masterson, Jones Proudstar, Josh Ruben 

A vampire’s loner lifestyle is thrown into disarray when a teenager shows up claiming to be his daughter, and she’s got the fangs to prove it. On a road trip across America’s blacktops, they decide how to sink their teeth into family life.

This film is more comedy with horror movie or monster movie elements.

As it tries to stay in a certain reality, showing the modern-day problems with being a vampire, and just generally getting older, it also opens up the world for other supernatural mysteries, while dealing with its own central father-daughter storyline.

Dealing with the clips of what might be your own life for being the center of it and having to sacrifice for another.

As the film is built more around the character’s relationship with one another and find little adventures or distractions for them to go on to strengthen their bond and test their limits.

Nice to see Victoria Moroles in another film after she was so memorable in the comedy PLAN B 

Here she is in another comedy, and while not as distinct, she definitely is memorable as she is pretty much like that film star here, With a different look.

This is star, Noah Segen’s feature film, directorial debut and it’s not bad. It’s a cute little film that places character over story, plot, action, or visuals and by the end, it feels like a good time though not necessarily special it does have its own voice.

It’s a film with steaks where not too much happens and feels kind of laid-back. It’s cute to spend some time with though it will certainly not rock your world.

Grade: C+

RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (1995)

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Directed By: Stanley Tong

Written By: Edward Tang and Fibe Ma

Cinematography: Jingle Ma

Editor: Peter Cheung 

Cast: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Francoise Yip, Bill Tung, Marc Akerstream, Garvin Cross, Morgan Lam, Alien Sit

A young man visiting and helping his uncle in New York City finds himself forced to fight a street gang and the mob with his martial arts skills.

This is the first movie I saw Jackie Chan starring in. Though I remember him in the CANNONBALL RUN movies. This was another temp for him to break in Hollywood after the previous film mentioned, and THE PROTECTOR with Danny Aiello.

Only this time he had more momentum as Quentin Tarantino had hyped him up and his films after a lifetime achievement award at the MTV awards when they were at the height of cool. Showing clips of all his films and detailing his injuries from doing all his acrobatic stunts.

Had a younger generation mesmerized and salivating over his work. Having him be a well-known foreign secret this was the first released film after.

The trailer showcased more action scenes than the stunts and didn’t include any of the more comedic elements.

The film is pretty run-of-the-mill only here. Most of his enemies are Caucasian.  The film does show him struggling with the English dialogue so still eternally a nice guy and helping out a kid and his older sister, who had first set him up, and provides the film with some eye candy, but not a romantic one.

This has  what is typical in his film’s build-up of him being impressive and early scenes, yet being defeated, then the finale and over-the-top action fighting extravaganza, where he is like Hulk Hogan in his prime beaten now feels no pain in his nonstop as now he is truly angry and fed up

The film feels more like something from the 1980s and Chan is a little too old to be quite believable as the character and his circumstances.

Luckily, this is less comedic and family-friendly than his films would eventually become in America, so this film does retain some edge.

Though the pharmacy supposed to take place in the Bronx is obviously filmed in Canada and is not as exciting as the title.

Grade: C+

POLICE STORY 2 (1988)

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Directed By: Jackie Chan

Written By: Jackie Chan & Edward Tang, Paul E. Clay

Cinematography: Yiu-Tsou Cheung and Yu-Tang Li

Editor: Peter Cheung 

Cast: Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Yuen Chor, Bill Tung, Kwok-Hung Lam, Charlie Cho, Keung-Kuen Lai, John Cheung, Ben Lam, Chi-fai Chan

Despite his success at apprehending criminals, Kevin Chan’s unorthodox approach to his work as a police officer sees him demoted to the traffic branch. Despite this, the man he put behind bars is now out of prison, and has vowed to make his life a misery. While this crime boss is harassing Kevin and his girlfriend, the police are contemplating reinstating Kevin to help them fight a group of bombers attempting to extort $10 million from building owners.

I will admit this film had some big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite rise to the challenge.

The film comes off as bigger, and it takes a little longer to get started, which might be why this is a longer movie. The film feels a bit bloated.

The stunts try to be bigger, heavier, and longer with a bigger budget, but in actuality, they feel like there are fewer of them or not a special, not as deifying, except for the final fight in the third act.

The film begins by bringing the audience up to speed with highlights from the first film. As there will be returning characters.

The action takes a while at the beginning between action scenes, though the fight scenes are bigger, to a degree. The film lives off of a building up to them. Unfortunately, they don’t quite measure up. 

Jackie Chan sports a better wardrobe, and this time around gives the returning cast more to do even as his character ultimately feels less comedic and more serious.

Though he still maintains being the center of attention, he lets others do some of the work.

This film at least has more of a story and its crime syndicate tail. Even the more minor moves feel dangerous and impressive at times.

Ultimately, this film feels like a disappointment

Grade: C 

POLICE STORY (1985)

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Directed By: Jackie Chan and Chi-Hwa Chen

Written By: Jackie Chan & Edward Tang

Cinematography: Yiu-Tsou Cheung

Editor: Peter Cheung

Cast: Jackie Chan, Brigette Lin, Maggie Cheung, Yuen Chor, Bill Tung, Chun-Yip Tong, Kwok-Hung Lam, Chi-Wing Lau, Charlie Cho, Hung-You Ham 

Kevin Chan is a Hong Kong cop, who scores his first big hit by virtually single-handedly capturing and arresting a big drug- lord. Of course, the drug lord isn’t too happy about this and frames Kevin with the murder of another cop. Kevin has to clear his name, whilst keeping himself from getting killed or arrested and keeping his girlfriend from leaving him.

One of the joys of watching early Jackie Chan movies is watching him in his element. like classic silent movie, comedians. That is hard to mimic, and all managed to have their own signature style. where his appeal is all about his physicality here he does his own stunts as usual, but also manages to add into that element badass fights.

So he is dangerous, as well as silly instead of as in his leader films, more silly than dangerous. it’s an element missing from his Hollywood American movies, as the action is not as impressive in those it was more about the stunts, as he was still doing them himself, but usually paired with an up star or comedic star for a comedy, and then, even in the fight scenes, not usually working with his team the fights are stuntman looked like in a musical obvious and waiting for their turn in the spotlight and making it look obvious staged, except for THE FOREIGNER that film is totally balls to the wall, it’s not a comedy

The choreography of the fight scenes is so impressive that he even has a moment in this film to work in a moonwalk scene because it was popular at the time

Part of his fandom is the fact of how hard he works, and that he is willing to put his life and body on the line, not only to get the right shot but to entertain his audience. To impress even being a perfectionist on smaller details at times.

What is the reason this film is considered a classic is that it showcases his appeal and comedy and action and a perfect mix. funny, but the sequences and situations are enough to cause worry while being amazed at the stunts and his physical skills, physically. He truly is in control and comes into his own here. (which is why the film has many sequels.)

He has a lot of purely comedic scenes to himself to show off his comedy skills physically will say he is more impressive with a dance partner, so to speak. As when he uses props the film has weapons, but they’re never truly used. Usually, they are only as threats or for use by others by the villains.

The hand-in-hand combat, at least reminds you of classic kung fu movies, only more modern and crime rate and visual comedy.

No, he doesn’t really allow anyone else to shine in this film just join in the festivities as they are needed. 

The film doesn’t offer anything new to add story though I love interest is there the film offers no love story, but pretty distractions. There are the usual cops and criminals and double-crosses.

The car chase scene through a shantytown seems to have inspired an action sequence from Director Michael Bay’s BAD BOYS 2. 

One scene to show off the impression a stunt near the end has him show it three times at different angles, though then it just ends suddenly after beating up the villain.

Believe the hype, check it out as soon as you can

Grade: B+

101 REYKJAVIK (2000)

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Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur 

Written by: Baltasar Kormakur and Hallgrimur Helgason 

Based on the Novel By: Hallgrimur Helgason 

Cinematography: Peter Steuger 

Editor: Skul E. Eriksen and Sigvaldi J. Karason 

Cast: Victoria Abril, Hilmir Snaer Guonason, Hanna Maria Karlsdottir, Baltasar Kormakur, Pruour Vihjalmsdottir, Olafur Dari Olafsson, Prostur Leo Gunnarsson, Eyvindur Erlandsson, Halladora Bjorn Sdottir 

Will the 30-year-old, Hlynur ever move out of his mother’s apartment in Reykjavík? Social welfare keeps him passive but things change when his mother’s Spanish friend, Lola, arrives and stays through Xmas and New Year’s Eve.

Before going off to make more action-oriented Hollywood films. Director Balatasar Kormakur (2 GUNS, BEAST, EVEREST, CONTRABAND) came through with this very visual erotic coming-of-age story of late maturity and being in a love triangle with your mother.  

I would like to say this film can be easily categorized, but this film is one you can never quite take too seriously. So that one minute It’s a romance then it seems like an aimless character study. Then it seems like a woe-is-me for a character we can never quite feel sorry for. So if anything we can say this film is a quirky comedy. 

There isn’t much substance to the material. A kind of love and lust triangle between a son, mother, and lodger. So that it ultimately becomes a film about relationships or connections.

A lodger is a free sprint and flamenco teacher played by Victoria Abril. Whose performance full of life, charisma, vitality, grace, and spirit is what saves the film.  Not to mention her obvious beauty. She truly saves the film and is the only reason to watch it. It’s what got me to watch. As when she isn’t in the film it drags. You wonder was the character written around her or was she cast perfectly and it worked out? 

Only wish she was in a better film that matched her talents and made her just her own thing to admire and love about the film. Rather than the only thing.

The main character is an unlikeable selfish jerk, but he is our guide. So when he gets his comeuppance. We aren’t as upset as it is expected.  The film tries to come off as a foreign Woody Allen-inspired film. Only less artistic and more aimless. 

His mother finally found a relationship and forced him to grow up. The downfall of his responsibility. Though originally seemed like it might focus on a lesbian relationship. It ultimately adheres to the male gaze and sexual fantasies and actions of straight sex.

The film is pretty open-minded for its time and has a liberal openness as it offers no judgments on anyone. It ultimately becomes about a young man learning to grow and become responsible. Learn how to truly have an adult relationship. So in certain moments is a relationship comedy. 

Which leads to the increasingly complicated situations he finds himself in. That proves to be his downfall and maybe his saving grace.

The film is a time waster and has some good ideas and tries to twist it so that instead of playing the victim the main character is almost a villain at times, but learns to grow up somewhat. Though none of it Is compelling enough to keep a major interest. 

Grade: C 

TOTALLY KILLER (2023)

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Directed By: Nahnatchka Khan 

Written By: David Matalon, Sasha Perl-Raver and Jen D’Angelo

Story By: David Matalon and Sasha Perl-Raver

Cinematography: Judd Overton

Editor: Jeremy Cohen 

Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Lochlyn Munro, Julie Bowen, Randall Park, Charlie Gillespie, Troy L. Johnson, Liana Liberto, Kelcey Mawama, Stephi Chin-Salvo 

When the infamous “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns 35 years after his first murder spree to claim another victim, 17-year-old Jamie accidentally travels back in time to 1987, determined to stop the killer before he can start.

A movie that one can easily see why there is a comparison with the film FINAL GIRLS. Both involve trying to save mothers from a killer having a serial killer who seems unstoppable and being sent into a different period of world.

Though Totally Killer has its own identity and a mystery more at its heart as well as back to the future time travel element.

This movie really makes no sense but it also doesn’t try too hard to. It’s silly and funny as well as fun. This by the end comes across as a guilty pleasure. It is a horror film but feels more like a comedic send-up of slasher films as well as time travel films with some graphic violence.

It’s simplistic but half the humor Is having a character with modern sensibilities dealing with the less politically correct attitude of the past. As well as the movie is a bit tongue-in-cheek and has a sense of humor about itself. Though staying on the ball when it comes to the story and plot. As well as characters.

Kiernan Shipka is good in the lead role being equally dramatic and comedic when need be. It’s also nice to see a film that is more diverse when it comes to casting and not making it a big deal or obvious. 

Director Nahnatchka Chan’s second movie after the surprise hit ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE also brings along that film’s star and co-screenwriter Randall Park to play a small, pivotal supporting role in the film. 

This plays more like a teen comedy and is a film you have to experience to get the most out of it. Talking or reading about it doesn’t do it full justice. It has the right campy attitude with enough rebelliousness and inside jokes from the culture of that era and movies.

In the end, it is a mystery that has you guessing. Though when all is revealed it doesn’t feel like it matters as much as it should. 

Grade: B- 

LIMBO (2020)

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Written & Directed By: Ben Sharrock

Cinematography: Nick Cooke

Editor: Karel Dolak and Lucia Zucchetti 

Cast: Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Ola Orebiyi, Kwabena Ansah, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Kenneth Collard, Sanjeev Kohli, Cameron Fulton

Omar is a promising young musician. Separated from his Syrian family, he is stuck on a remote Scottish island awaiting the fate of his asylum request.

This is not going to be a movie for everybody. As the film takes its time and makes its way. 

At first, it feels like a movie that is styled like a Wes Anderson film. Just as offbeat as even the trailers make it come off that way. It only stays within that deadpan style for the first act of the film.

After that, the film maintains an eye and framing similar to that style. It gets deeper and more dramatic. The film still tries to communicate with Less dialogue and stays deadpan 

It finds it can say much with very few words and letting the still camera make every scene look like a painting and find beauty in the landscape. It also works almost Like a comic strip.

It also shows the absurdity of immigrant life. As they are being taught the customs of their new homeland. The lessons are condescending and humorous without the instructors fully realizing almost how insulting they are.

We get to meet and learn about all the various immigrants staying at this location and how the townsfolk react and treat them, but we mainly stay with Omar, who is usually unsmiling and quite serious.

As with many films about displacement and settling. The film offers some dry light humor and droll observations about all the cultures involved 

The film is constantly surprising but does move at its own pace. Once you get on its wavelength you are appreciative of Its style and story and eventually actually manages to affect you out of nowhere but you oddly knew it was coming. Which is similar to the plight of these characters.

This is a film that seems Like it’s not doing much but is telling a strong story. That might seem individual but can be universal. It feels quirky but uses that quality to let your guard down and let it in. Then it gives you heartbreak and drama. That lies in its heart. Luckily the ending gives us hope. 

Grade: B

THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE (2019)

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Written & Directed By: Riley Stearns

Cinematography: Michael Ragen

Editor: Sarah Beth Shapiro

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots, Steve Terada, David Zellner, Philip Andre Botello, Jason Burkey, Mike Brooks, CJ Rush

One night, Casey, a scrawny, bookish accountant, is beaten up for no apparent reason by a motorcycle gang. Traumatized, he sets out to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Then he stumbles across a karate school. He joins but progress is slow. Then the teacher starts to force him to be more aggressive.

This Seems more like an existential comedy of various tones that stay at a certain level no matter the emotion. 

How someone can get lost in a leader, hobby, or subculture that accepts you or makes you feel confident. How martial arts can have that hold on you and what happens if you take it too seriously and corn under the influence of a charismatic leader.

The film at times is homoerotic and misogynistic. As we watch an alpha must defeat before can move forward. The film keeps changing at first inspirational leader become a kind of enemy. Who by the end epitomizes the main character’s fear.

The characters all seem to some degree lost and lonely. Where it seems martial arts gives them not only purpose but a place to belong. Not To mention a discipline to follow that they lack. 

The film is an absurdist comedy that starts off in a recognizable reality but gets looser and crazier the longer it goes along.

The power of influence and what some people will do to stay in power to have that strength and feeling. As they might fail in other places. So that this is all they may have. 

Not to mention what it means to be an alpha in a society that seems to want most to be beta’s through that lust and desire to be the leader and it seems to control your own destiny. 

This is also a bone-dry comedy that gets outlandish but you follow it especially. As it always keeps its Composure and stays within its tone.

A very dry film that feels more like a cult novel than a natural film. As it all Comes together at first feels so distant and you want to know more about the characters. 

Grade: B- 

CAT PERSON (2023)

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Directed By: Susanna Fogel

Written By: Michelle Ashford

Based on the Short Story by: Kristen Roupenian

Cinematography: Manuel Billeter

Editor: Jacob Craycroft

Cast: Emilia Jones, Nicholas Braun, Geraldine Viswanathan, Isabella Rossellini, Hope Davis, Christopher Shyer, Liza Koshy, Fred Melamed, Donald Elise Watkins, Michael Gandolfini

When Margot, a college sophomore goes on a date with the older Robert, she finds that IRL Robert doesn’t live up to the Robert she has been flirting with over texts. A razor-sharp exploration of the horrors of dating.

Well, I am a big fan of the short story and the book it’s part of I was looking forward to this film, and it’s no surprise, that your pails and comparison, and is ultimately a disappointment compared to the original short story, which is more ambiguous, and might be one of the short story strength or as this film it’s hard to be ambiguous, totally and keep the audience interested and engaged not saying it’s impossibleit’s just that that quality was not expressed.

In the third act, it seems like the filmmaker and film decided to make a thriller or add thriller elements to the film kind of making all the paranoia and awkwardness she felt before come true but also since it’s based on a short story, the first half of the film is based on that actual story, and this is more where the filmmaker decided to go, maybe as a narrative choice, or to start to make the film, seem conventional, taking some sort of inspiration from the movie adaptation, wherein the third act it’s questionable but it becomes more conventional

As before this, the film seems more like an alien, awkward romance between two awkward people, one just beginning their adult and one well in the middle of it, and not seeming to have any anchors 

This film, a modern generation film, that certainly could open up many conversations, especially in a battle of the sexes and dating would’ve been a bit more interesting, and a third act tries to break up the monotony of that, but feels right and wrong at the same time 

As you can see, both sides of the story, though it doesn’t allow itself to get there. Some of the behavior is so extreme that you can’t truly forgive it or give the character credit.

There is a challenging and interesting movie very deep inside here. Fortunately, it just doesn’t seem to be well. Translated as the film is kind of a chore at times to sit through as you feel it length throughout.

Some scenes do work, but they’re also scenes that you look forward to and should be highlights that seem to fall short the intimate evening, for instance, is one of them.

While it tries to be moody. It also seems to decide to be one-sided and then in the end broaden up its view but onto with a few details and still Makes her justified in her beliefs. 

The film delves into the paranoia and boundaries of modern dating from a woman’s perspective. Especially for a young woman who is not as seasoned making her way through the world. 

Though watching it, I kept thinking how much different or even better it might have been if this was made by a director like Todd Solodnz as it has a kind of coldness to it, but then again a sense of belonging or wouldn’t have been seen differently if Geraldine Viswanathan who plays the main characters best friend, had played the main role. Would the film then explore not only different sexes but also different cultures?

Isabella Rossellini doesn’t even really need to be in this movie. As her role comes off as a cameo and maybe a star name to add to the cast for a bigger budget. 

This could have been a defining movie though unfortunately it does itself in and sells itself short. As it dulls any sharpness it might have and makes the proceedings dull all around for the most part. 

Grace:  C-