Tag: Jacob Vargas

KIMI (2022)

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Directed By: Steven Soderbergh 
Written By: David Koepp
Cinematography: Peter Andrews
Editor: Mary Ann Bernard 

Cast: Zoe Kravitz, Byron Bowers, Devin Ratray, Robin Givens, Rita Wilson, Derek Delgaudio, Erika Christensen, Charlie Halford, Jacob Vargas, David Wain, Andy Daly 

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Seattle, an agoraphobic tech worker discovers evidence of a violent crime while reviewing a data stream, and is met with resistance and bureaucracy when she tries reporting it to her company. To get involved, she realizes she must face her greatest fear by venturing out of her apartment and into the city streets, which are filled with protestors after the city council passes a law restricting the movements of the homeless population.

For a Steven Soderbergh film, especially a thriller he doesn’t really really execute as much visual panache as usual.

The film is a fine thriller that feels a little bland and straightforward at times. Even as it is partially inspired by films such as BLOW OUT, BLOW UP and even the conversation, that seems to only count in characters and story. As the visual style is direct and more clinical.

It feels like a modern-day Brian De Palma-inspired film only without the visual dynamics but the conspiracy thriller elements still in there. 

Zoe Kravitz is what really shines throughout. As she is finally given a lead role in which to flourish and show her talents after so many supporting roles in other films. She even has an interesting walk/run that fits her character and seems cute. It is also a little funny. 

The look they give her sets her apart and makes the viewer especially focus on her as the backgrounds are usually dull color-wise and she is so colorful that your eyes immediately focus on her. Her beauty also helps shine Through.

The film’s first half makes you believe this will be more of a contained thriller and is a little slow but that is to set up the characters and the story. When it comes to the second half we venture outside more and the plot comes more to the forefront but isn’t as layers as in the first half 

Luckily in the first half though we are more contained. The film expands the space of her apartment so that it feels luxurious.

In the end, the film is fairly predictable but will keep your interest. Don’t know if it was always meant to be so small scale or if it was more due to covid but it makes it work for it.

Grade: C+

NEXT FRIDAY (2000)

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Directed By: Steve Carr
Written By: Ice Cube
Based On Characters Created By: Ice Cube & DJ Pooh
Cinematography By: Christopher Baffa
Editor: Elena Maganini

CAST: Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Sticky Fingaz, Don D.C. Curry, Tamala Jones, Lisa Rodriguez, Amy Hill, Clifton Powell, Kym Whitley, Jacob Vargas, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Michael Rappaport 

This time the film follows Craig, as he is sent to live with his uncle in the suburbs. Who has just won the lottery after his nemesis from the first film breaks out of prison to look for him. 

The problem with this film is that there seems to be a void with this film compared to the original. Half the cast is gone. The new cast seems to give it their all but comes up very short. Since most of the cast are comedians. It seems like they are improvising their routines in the context of their scenes. Where the first film had original and inspired comedic characters. This one seems to wallow in stereotypes. It is occasionally humorous but not hilarious. 

The Standout is the character of Pinky Played By Clifton Powell and the female lead Played by Lisa Rodriguez, who is so gorgeous and talented that I am shocked she never went on to bigger and better. Not even smaller roles in big films or indie films. 

 John Witherspoon seems to be being punished for being In this film as he spends most of it running around with dog shit stuck to him. Why? It’s not funny nor does it have anything to further the story along. 

 The film tries but lacks a certain energy that the first film had it tries here to replace it with enthusiasm but it doesn’t work. It was the combined talent used in the first film that made it such a winning success here. Ice Cube loses the original director and Co-star. Who obviously make the crucial difference between the two films.

This is a nice attempt but maybe Ice Cube should have refined it a little before making it. Instead of just taking a first draft and assuming the masses will take what they can get from the franchise. He was partially correct as the film was a hit. Especially with a stoner audience that doesn’t ask too much for the quality, but for regular fans that is a big problem.

The film lacks quality which makes it an empty enterprise. I just don’t find Mike Epps that engaging actor or that funny. So he is a sub-par replacement for the charismatic Chris Tucker as a Sidekick.

The film has its moments but never quite measures up and wise seems more like it is pandering. As it has a good set-up but takes the main characters and leaves them as fish out of water but also cleansing half the characters that made the original great and somewhat identifiable here the characters feel more like caricatures then anything purely there for jokes that don’t work

GRADE: D+

MI VIDA LOCA (1993)

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Written & Directed By: Allison Anders  Cinematography: Rodrigo Garcia  Editor: Richard Chew, Tracy Granger & Kathryn Himoff

Cast: Angel Aviles, Seidy Lopez, Jacob Vargas, Christina Solis, Neilda Lopez, Arthur Esquar, Jesse Borrego, Monica Lutton, Salma Hayek, Eddie Perez, Guy Boyd, Spike Jonze, Jason Lee, Kurt Voss, Nicole Holfcener 

Mousie and Sad Girl are childhood best friends in a contemporary Los Angeles poor Hispanic neighborhood. But when Sad Girl becomes pregnant by Mousie’s boyfriend, a drug dealer named Ernesto, the two become bitter enemies. While their dispute escalates towards violence, the violence of the world around them soon also impacts their lives.

This is not The movie I expected. I give Alison Anders a lot of love and props for This film. As it is not what one would expect as a follow-up to her debut GAS, FOOD, AND LODGING. 

This film takes a look at gang life in California more from a female point of view. Taken from anecdotes of real female gang members.

The film Humanizes the characters more about personal lives. Not so sensationalistic in depicting crime and violence. Whereas when it does happen more treated as tragic and surprising than everyday 

The film is more a slice of life looking at the characters and their culture. As it works as an ensemble where we see different points of view of those in that life. But we also see different stories.

More of a look at a culture and community. Where you want to see more of the stories continue. An ensemble plus more from a female point of view. 

The film offers Hispanic/Mexican representation though focused on gang life. It doesn’t speak down to the audience or the characters. Doesn’t make any judgments. Not so much stereotypical gang life, it is more in the background. Not so much matter of fact. It explores the neighborhood and might not be the film some are looking for 

Even if the first half revolves mainly around two characters who are best friends and the troubles in their friendship and how it gets destroyed over a guy. Where it almost comes to them killing one another.

The characters aren’t Painted as one. Not as usually shown in cinematic depictions. Here they are more nuanced, recognizable, and identifiable. 

Some might be disappointed the true film isn’t your typical life in the streets gang film. Choosing instead to focus on characters and emotions. It might even seem a bit melodramatic at first like a soap opera. 

You have characters like Whisper who you want to see more of and learn more about. As she is used more as a connection and a recurring character. Who is more in the lifestyle as it is more natural and part of survival

More on the female sides of the fence was raised in this environment.  It is exactly cut out for the normal 9 – 5. 

The film does focus a bit on characters, not in the life, more related to the main characters but unfortunately still violence and the streets affect them. The film offers some cinema verite. As some of the actors and extras are real gang members.

What is remarkable about the film is that it’s not a film that aims to be downtrodden or condemn the life of the characters. It more humanizes them and shows their trials and tribulations. Just as any other.

There is no overarching narrative about saving anyone or trying to get themselves out of their life. They are dealing with what they have always known and will always be around as at this point it is more comfortable than anything else.

It might not be the film you are looking for but it is the film you need. 

GRADE: B-

DEATH RACE (2008)

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Written & Directed By: Paul W.S. Anderson 
Based on an original story by: lb Melchior & Original Screenplay By Charles Griffith & Robert Thom Cinematography By: Scott Kevan 
Editor: Niven Howie 

 Cast: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson, Jacob Vargas, Natalie Martinez, Ian McShane, Frederick Koehler 

Each year we are given Jason Statham in at least 2 new action films sometimes he makes up for the lackluster ones with a good movie like THE BANK JOB, but then to make the money and please the action fans we get him starring in movies like this. 

I like to think of Jason Statham as the British Bruce Willis and about every three films that he appears in he makes a good one (Crank, The Transporter) the others run from decent (This) to downright horrible (Dungeon Siege)  This film while really being loosely based on the original film DEATH RACE 2000 doesn’t embarrass itself completely. It has a good cast and good action sequences. It reminds me more of THE RUNNING MAN with the falsely imprisoned man the satire of future audiences being entertained by prisoners killing each other in competitions and it being mostly about money and interestingly enough a sexy Spanish female sidekick. Both films starring foreigners. 

From this film and Paul W.S. Anderson’s career pretty much after his original films SOLDIER and EVENT HORIZON didn’t exactly light up the box office. It seems now that he prefers to either make his mark in the ongoing film series Aliens Vs. Predator or film movies that have been well established as video games or remaking movies that he uses heavy influences from another. Now having said that, He isn’t a hack but a decent commercial director. 

This film is good popcorn entertainment never boring but you can tell where it is going every minute. It is loud and action-filled. It’s rude and crude with nothing really original to say. It has its decadent indulgences like in the middle of the race a big bulldozer of a truck that takes out half the competition that has been presented as such a huge obstacle is taken out so fast you wonder if it was really needed in the first place. 

If you’re just looking for something entertaining without thinking too much this is the film. It’s very violent but with enough eye candy to smooth that over. Even with its dank surroundings. 

The film takes place in the future where corporations run the penal colonies since the unemployment rate is at an all-time high. Which causes crime to soar and prison overcrowding. The prisons are now run death races on pay-per-view to raise revenue and take out the prison population. 

So when reigning champion Frankenstein is killed there is a replacement needed and it just so happens a new prisoner is recruited to replace him as a former race driver on the outside. He is thereafter being falsely accused of killing his wife and promised freedom if he wins the death race. He just has to survive especially against Frankenstein’s rival Machine Gun Joe and a sadistic warden. 

Interesting how it almost ties into the current situation the world is finding itself in. Joan Allen is obviously slumming but unfortunately in Hollywood, as an actress gets older the harder it is to find worthwhile roles so at least if your name isn’t Meryl Streep, Glenn Close or Susan Sarandon. 

Ms. Allen relishes her role and sinks her teeth in as the main villain. This at least brings the movie up another level towards respectability. 

One must give mention to Natalie Martinez who is just so fine and who I look forward to seeing in better roles that at least really give her a part to play but at least here she is a nice part of the eye candy. 

 GRADE: C+

PLAN B (2021)

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Directed By: Natalie Morales 
Written By: Joshua Levy & Prathiksha Srinivasan
Cinematography: Sandra Valde-Hansen 
Editor: Nathan Orloff 

Cast: Kuhoo Verma, Victoria Moroles, Michael Provost, Mason Cook, Jolly Abraham, Jacob Vargas, Myha’la Herrold, Rachel Dratch, Edi Patterson, Moses storm, Gus Birney, Jay Chandrasekhar, Timothy Granaderis 

Follows a straight-laced high school student and her slacker best friend who, after a regrettable first sexual encounter, have 24 hours to hunt down a Plan B pill in America’s heartland.

Will say that this is one of the better films that I have seen this year so far and definitely one that has made me laugh the hardest and most constantly.

While the film doesn’t reinvent the wheel it does offer a different point of view and protagonists that we rarely ever get to see in this kind of film.

While the characters are part of a certain culture more defined by their parents they are individuals and characters of their own. Though one of the funnier running gags is the paranoia of the Indian mafia (which is a network of Indian characters who all seem to know one another in some way and feed each other news or gossip)

The film is hilarious a lot of times but also exposes a lot of heart and while the main characters keep making a bunch of mistakes the film doesn’t portray them as dumb. They are just teenagers so that while they play it cool and like smart know it all they are more naive than anything.

It’s also a more female-focused and centered teen comedy that doesn’t make all the male characters into villains 

The film has a dirty side but also an innocence that has a few things to say. That luckily has an openness where it’s allowed to be funny and even when it does have something to say it is more subtle and doesn’t feel preachy.

The main characters being people of color is noteworthy but doesn’t take over the film. If anything it offers the audience a chance to see some of the usual hijinks From a different perspective and allows members of the audience to see themselves represented a bit more while also showing most of us to have the same problems and hang-ups. 

No characters in this film are flawless if anything the fact that most of them are flawed is what makes them more relatable and entertaining.

Even the more romantic chances for the characters are not what you would expect or go where you expect them to go. Leaving the film to be a little familiar but luckily a breath of fresh air. 

This is actress Natalie Morales’ directorial debut. She also wrote the script and with such a good debut i for one can’t wait to see more films from her in The future 

Grade: B+