Tag: Jimmy Warden

BORDERLINE (2025)

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Written & Directed By: Jimmy Warden 

Cinematography: Michael Alden Lloyd 

Editor: Joe Galdo 

Cast: Samara Weaving, Ray Nicholson, Eric Dane, Alba Baptista, Jimmie Fails, Patrick Cox, Yasmeen Kelders, Catherne Lough Hoggquist, April Cameron 

A world-famous pop star is taken hostage in her Los Angeles home by an obsessed fan who believes they are destined to marry. As he transforms her house into a twisted wedding venue, she must rely on her bodyguard to escape before it’s too late.

This film is frustrating for everything that makes it interesting and entertaining 

This film has it’s moments and you need the connective tissue between them that helps them stand out all the 

More, but getting there is can be a chore at times

As the film does have  the goods but for every strength there is an equal weakness that disturbs the vibe and flow of the film. it seems like it needed to be worked on a bit more.

So that it becomes a film Of scenes that stand out, but you however suffer to get there through the Mundane. Though written and directed by Samara weaving’s husband, Jimmy Warden. It seems like the film is meant to showcase her and his filmmaking skills the only people who this film truly showcases is Alba Baptista and Ray Nicholson as the villains perse.

They unfortunately are the only interesting characters who make the material and characters come alive. As weaving’s character becomes more a background character that this is all Done for and then we find it not necessarily as she becomes a symbol. As she might not exactly be his obsession or focus.

Even throughout the film She Has only been presented as basic and real not so glamourous. You can tell that this is loosely based on Madonna as even having an athlete boyfriend who seems to cross dress and wear makeup is obviously based on Dennis Rodman. So it offers little clues as to the real life story that it’s based on while making the characters their own but familiar.

Though in truth this kind of role seems to be Ray Nicholson’s Bread and butter these days crazy ex’s and boyfriends 

The film has all the right music ques and the soundtrack is very good. Which helps create the vibe for the film and especially certain scenes and performances. 

As it constantly Tries to save itself but it comes across as confused chaos. 

There is So much potential for a dark comedy  that feels familiar and doesn’t  Cover any new bases but offers a different view and outlook. That comes across with a few scenes meant to

Shock. Though tries to be quirky throughout it’ cynical attitude. 

it’s Disjointed when it wants timckem across as

Planned, with style over substance in its own ways of short hand, making something easily to describe in a single sentence or statement, you could easily go into what we mean by that as we sometimes have to explain ourselves, but sometimes the product in which you’re watching isn’t worthy necessarily of explanation or it’s not that it’s not worthy you just don’t wanna go put that much energy into why you say it, though most will understand sometimes that extra energy is put in there to help explain as you want to go into detail of its virtues as they are worth it but also wanna warn about its weaknesses

in the end, the film seems undercooked in certain places, but then in other places, it’s overcooked so that it never matches itself when it comes to coming all together or completion. so that it could never truly be all that satisfying for the audience. As the overcooked parts seem to be trying to make up for the undercooked parts or both need to be brought together in a middle ground that keeps them on each other‘s wavelength at least. It’s a nice attempt.

This is a film only  can see be discussed at length. Especially as it finds more of an audience. Some will love it, some will hate it. It reminds one of a kind of passion project that could have been made in the 80’s or 90’s more then modern times. Where it feels already a little outdated. 

At least it’ not a film trying to say something about fame. 

Grade: C

COCAINE BEAR (2023()

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Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Written By: Jimmy Warden
Cinematography: John Guleserian
Editor: Joel Negron 

Cast: Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ayoola Smart, Brooklynn Prince, Matthew Rhys 

An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge on a Georgia forest where a huge black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine.

This isn’t Another SNAKES ON A PLANE.  where the title not only says it all but is more built on hype than story. As this is partially based on a true story. What It revels in are shocks and more shocking humor.

A dark comedy that some might consider a bit macabre. 

As going along with the title the film seeks to have a need to push things as far as they can with characters who represent a different part of the audience. Though In the end a lot of them come across more as caricatures set up for impending doom.

The film is more built on sensationalism. As that is what you feel as you watch it as it is more, check your brain at the door. 

The bear is a beast that seems to be like jaws as it shows up from time to time with no rhyme or reason except the script needs it to on its hint for more drugs that seem to drive it to be more aggressive than in the final act throws a curveball as to why it should be spared 

More of an ensemble than expected. As we see the reasons why some of them are there to either survive. We root for or see their demise in inventive ways. Either way, before long l we get to know them To some capacity excellent and bad 

The film Calls itself a horror comedy and while it has violent gore and jump scares it comes across as a  Violent comedy with surprises and thrills. That is meant to be fun more than anything. 

It thoroughly Exploits its Set time period of the 1980s overly but overtly 

For what it does offer there always seems to be the feeling that something is missing. It should be a bigger film or story. Though that might be personal for this reviewer. As it certainly provides enough for a cinematic experience and audience expectations.

As it goes the places you expect, there seems to be so much more that could have been done but too grandiose as this works better as more of a contained story. 

While you are still on the edge of your seat you never truly consider most of this believable. Like Jurassic park, it’s an animal world of nature. They know it as they live it. The characters just inhabit it and struggle to survive. As they were the ones to disturb it and throw it off-center.

Its strength stays in the attack sequences that are more like set pieces. The ranger’s cabin, The Ambulance sequence, and The Tree Climb, they are both massacres but also memorable comedic sequences that go over the top.

Cocaine bear is an example of a movie that promises to go balls to the wall but only

Goes so far. It’s when a film tries too hard to be campy and misses what makes most films campy in the first place. Just believing it knows. It’s more mainstream reaching to be more out there but not knowing exactly how

Grade: C+

THE BABYSITTER: KILLER QUEEN (2020)

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Directed By: McG
Written by: Dan Laguna, McG, Brad Morris & Jimmy Warden
Based on characters created by: Brian Duffield
Cinematography: Scott Henriksen 
Editor: Martin Bernfield

Cast: Judah Lewis, Jenna Ortega, Emily Alyn Lind, Bella Thorne, Andrew Bachelor, Robbie Amell, Hana Mae Lee, Ken Marino, Chris Wylde, Leslie Bibb, Samara Weaving, 

Two years after Cole survived a satanic blood cult, he’s living another nightmare: high school. And the demons from his past? Still making his life hell.

I was wasn’t expecting this but there was a part of me that was expecting this movie. Now while I enjoyed the first film in this franchise a lot more than expected. I didn’t know if it really had legs for more sequels.

This film is just as fun as the first film but a lot dumber than the first film. This film seems to know what type of film it is and goes full tilt with its own distractions and humor. No matter how stupid or illogical it could be.

If you are a fan of these types of films and want to have a good time and be entertained then this film is for you. As it seems to continue In Director McG’s wheelhouse of horror and sci-fi films for Netflix that have teenagers or preteens at the center of everything. Though this film and the first babysitter film feel more money he works or inspired by director Joseph Kahn(DETENTION)(BODIED) who has more of visual flair and quicker cuts when it comes to editing.

As this film seems to be missing a certain element. Maybe the dynamic of having Samara weaving on screen more made the film a little more believable and watchable if even just for her charisma in the role.

Here it is almost a repeat of the first film only at a different and bigger location and a twist in the story that seems there to make room for a new character and leading lady for the main character. Though we have the same characters returning from the dead to try to sacrifice the main character for a blood ritual that will make them Immortal.

This is an interesting premise, but as they return they are just as easy to kill as in the first film. So again they are dispatched in a similar manner only here more gruesome and grotesque.

The new main villain is just as close as the babysitter was int he first film and the film tries to also sex her up more in tight and revealing clothes which is the first amongst other clues in the film before the big reveal that they have become evil. What is interesting is that at least they kept the new leading lady Jenna Ortega cute but dressed normally and sarcastic but a hard ass. So she is the opposite of the villain though has the dirtier look.

We see How the original crew was recruited which offers a distraction. Visually but seems like they were recruited in the 1980s more even as the film and the last one was more modern. This just seems out there as a stylistic choice but then also disrupts the continuity of what we know from the original film, but then again this isn’t the type of film to take seriously.

Though most of the cast from the original returns. It is actually nice to see them and their characters. As they remain hilarious and it is nice to catch up with them and learn a little more about them and their pasts.

The film never takes itself seriously and doesn’t expect the audience to either. As the film constantly shows or uses inspiration from the past or other movies to power scenes and the soundtrack. 

This movie feels lien CRANK 2 where it takes all that was from the first film And cranks it up as more for a spectacle that while not going to make any cinematic elitist lists is a fun time and a proper guilty pleasure. That you wish was just a bit better though that might take away the charm. 

The film tries but doesn’t come close because it seems to kind of pander to what it believes the audience wants more of rather than have more of a clear plan and structure. 

So it becomes kind of what it is parodying. Where you can tell when someone is trying to be something or someone that they aren’t to try and impress and while it’s entertaining at first it becomes sad and obvious quickly. Whereas if maybe it was itself from the get-go the audience would come and get to k ow it and appreciate it for it’s sincerity and truths. Though if you are a fan of splatter and gore in your horror. You have come to the right place.

Samara weaving does return for this film in more of an extended cameo. The film needed more of her. As whenever she comes on screen she seems so smooth and takes over her scenes. That when she is gone it only exposes how hard others are trying to just be as good and memorable.

It seems like in most teen horror films I see Bella Thorne always has a death scene. It would be nice to see her survive in a horror film. As here yet again she seems typecast.

The title seems to imply there is a queen when in fact it just seems to have that title as either claiming Samara Weaving’s character is a queen of the kill or tied into the and Queen’s recent popularity or trying to imply that this film is full of campiness. While the film is full of humor, sarcasm, and cynicism. Nothing is truly campy in this film 

Grade: C