Your opinion of “Argylle” may vary from scene to scene, revelation to revelation.

And, of course, it helps if you’re a cat person.

The bloated spy comedy starts strong and features a mostly nimble cast, but director Matthew Vaughn can’t leave well enough alone.

What might have been a breezy romp that doubled as an empowerment tale becomes a film you just wish would end.

Please.

“Argylle” opens with a spectacular set piece featuring Argylle (Henry Cavill), a super spy in the James Bond mold. He escapes a near-death encounter, rides a motorized cart over a hilltop and grabs the assassin who set him up.

It’s all from the mind of Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), a spy novelist whose idea of adventure is spending the night alone with her loyal, mostly CGI cat. We see her novels spring to life, a clever device letting us watch Cavill, co-star John Cena (barely used) and even Dua Lipa as a mystery woman run through their 007 paces.

Elly’s humdrum life gets upended when her stories grab the attention of a criminal outfit run by Bryan Cranston’s villain. A bearded spy played by the great Sam Rockwell comes to her rescue, but can Elly trust any spy with a license to kill?

Describing “Argylle” in full would fill up too much of your screen. Just know everything we’re told one moment is upended the next. And the next. Screenwriter Jason Fuchs takes care to balance all the reveals and misdirections, but it still leaves the viewer woozy.

Why should we care again?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That disconnect gets worse as the story marches on. What might have been a frothy lark overstays its welcome well past the two-hour mark.

The running time becomes a character in the film. Another villain, to be more accurate.

Rockwell takes it upon himself to enliven the film’s many dead spots, either with a fanciful jig or just sheer charisma. The screenplay needs every calorie he burns, burdened by action-movie cliches that come off as limp, not meta.

Howard connects with the mousy Elly, but when she’s pressed to save her own skin she’s far less convincing. She’s also replaced by a digital avatar late in the film, a sequence that desperately needed to be trimmed.

And it’s hardly alone.

A new clip from ‘ARGYLLE’ has been released.

Releasing in theaters this Friday. pic.twitter.com/ByZBdDYTcC

— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) January 31, 2024

Cavill is game and stoic, but he doesn’t get enough screen time to register. The same holds true for Samuel L. Jackson, once again coasting on his movie star presence. Can someone write him a three-dimensional role… stat?

Nothing in “Argylle” is meant to be taken seriously, and that escapist glee powers the first act.

The more we know about Elly, the forces aligned against her and her oddball family (Catherine O’Hara clicks as her doting Ma) the less we care about the outcome.

“Argylle,” like Brad Pitt’s “Bullet Train,” doesn’t know know when to quit. Audiences will swallow larger-than-life adventures whole, but you need a beating heart somewhere on screen as our true north.

Mock the “Furious” franchise’s talk of family, but that sentiment grounds the saga’s outlandish tics.

It’s a lesson Vaughn and his “Argylle” collaborators should take to heart.

HiT or Miss: “Argylle” is clever, cute and imaginative, but the story wants us to invest in our heroine’s plight, too. Thanks, but no thanks.

The post ‘Argylle’ Is Great, Terrible, Funny, Confusing and Way Too Long appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

One of the many problems plaguing woke films is predictability. 

Audiences often know what to expect given how Hollywood progressives view the world.

It’s one reason “Bad Hombres” is both fresh and relentlessly surprising. 

The thriller follows an illegal immigrant who becomes enmeshed in a world of violence and revenge. The film follows essential B-movie beats but upends expectations on more than a few occasions.

Diego Tinoco stars as Felix, an Ecuadorian who just entered America through the porous southern border. He’s eager to bring his family along with him.

For now, he has to learn how to find work, and fast.

He takes a job digging holes for a local loudmouth (Luke Hemsworth) and his silent partner (Paul Johansson), joining forces with a fellow immigrant named Alfonso (Hemky Madera) in the process. Alfonso has a truck and a surly attitude, but a gig’s a gig.

The assignment proves more treacherous than Felix expected, and suddenly he’s part of a larger, violent game that could end his immigrant dreams in a hurry.

We’ll say no more to let audiences experience the sharp twists on their own. Just know the story expands to include the reliable Thomas Jane as a man with mysterious connections and too little screen time for “Furious” regular Tyrese Gibson.

It’s really about Felix and Alfonso’s survival instincts.

New poster for ‘Bad Hombres’, starring Hemky Madera, Luke Hemsworth, Tyrese Gibson and Thomas Jane.

In Theaters and On-Demand January 26th! pic.twitter.com/hFHUNYxydc

— Movie Coverage (@MovieCoverage_) January 18, 2024

Director John Stalberg, Jr. (“Muzzle“) dabbles in Tarantino-like tones, but he never leans on style over substance. A few sequences are shot from intriguing angles, an approach that draws us in without calling attention to itself.

One scene follows a killer stalking his prey through a small house, but the camera remains still while the monster moves about the rooms. The sounds flesh out what’s happening, but there’s something sinister about not seeing it all go down.

Screenwriters Nick Turner and Rex New have fun with our sensitive age without being preachy or predictable. Hemsworth character isn’t to be trifled with, but he takes great pains not to offend those around him.

It’s a neat tic for a larger-than-life goon.

Turner and New also won’t turn the immigrant characters into noble souls, demanding our sympathy from the jump. Alfonso is willing to bare his teeth as often as necessary. Felix’s pluck is admirable, but his character develops a thicker skin the deeper he drowns in the muck.

“Bad Hombres” is patient to a fault. That means some sequences take time to play out, but we’re so invested in the characters’ journey that we’ll go along with the ride. The rewards are palpable, including several twists you won’t see coming.

Jane’s character may be too connected for the story’s own good, but he brings an earthy spirit to every film he touches. Gibson’s character gets a great introduction that lacks the follow-up it deserves, a victim of the movie’s otherwise crisp run time.

“Bad Hombres” shows the harsh realities behind illegal immigration without judgment. It is what it is, and let the politicians and pundits squabble over the matter. The situation remains ripe for storytellers, at least ones looking well past Hollywood’s conventional wisdom.

HiT or Miss: “Bad Hombres” has a laconic style that takes some getting used to, but the jolts of creative violence make it more than worth your while.

The post ‘Bad Hombres’ Jolts B-Movie Template appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Meg Ryan deserved better than the reception “What Happens Later” received.

The film hit theaters, oh so briefly, near the end of 2023 and got little press, marketing attention or box office glory.

(This critic attempted to snag a screening link for the film and was ignored. That rarely happens for indie projects)

Ryan, who does double duty as director and star, is synonymous with big-screen romance. Co-star David Duchovny’s comedic chops rarely get a workout. Together, they patch over the story’s flaws and remind us that screen romances don’t start, and end, in your 30s.

Willa (Ryan) and Bill (Duchovny) seriously dated more than two decades ago, and they have a not-so-meet-cute reunion at a snow-bound airport.

She’s never been married and is still a free spirit in almost every way. He’s stuck in a failing marriage and scrambling to connect with his teen daughter.

The former lovers struggle to connect at first, falling back on the dreaded “small talk.” Soon, thanks to a series of magical flight delays, they rediscover why they worked so well the first time around.

Is it enough to spark a reconciliation?

“What Happens Later” is all talk. Seriously. 

The film’s spare budget is obvious, and so is the story’s theatrical roots. It’s based on the stage play  “Shooting Star” by Steven Dietz, but that production didn’t have stars of this caliber.

Ryan’s Willa gets bogged down in clothes from the Annie Hall collection, but her spirit is impossible to contain. Duchovny’s dry humor is perfect for Bill, a man whose love for rock music is blunted by modern-day anxieties.

The two don’t click immediately on screen. That may be by design, but a swift spark would have helped the film. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The film’s threadbare budget isn’t a problem, but it’s still surprising given the talent involved. The airport in question is emptier than any seen since the COVID-19 era, but that, too, is by design.

Director Ryan leans into some magic realism for her tale, meaning the overhead announcements often collide with the actions on screen. Plus, the former lovers see snippets of their courtship in monitors throughout the airport.

Ryan doesn’t handle the fantastical elements nearly as well as the fractured romance in play.

It helps that she’s directing the unofficial queen of screen romance, and Ryan the actress hasn’t lost a step. Her Willa is strong-willed and uncertain, optimistic yet wary of another emotional upper-cut.

Each holds a secret, of course, but the screenplay lets them play out in a satisfying fashion.

Meg Ryan's romcom "What Happens Later" debuted in 9th place with a tepid $1.5 million from 1,492 theaters. https://t.co/Jhtc9kztne pic.twitter.com/Qu8xvyKJal

— Variety (@Variety) November 5, 2023

The reasons this happy couple splintered offers something for Red State audiences. No spoilers here, but like most successful rom-coms the tale’s traditional trappings are never far from the surface.

Ryan wisely leans into that sentiment, treating it with care, not disdain.

Bill’s eagerness to repair his bond with his daughter similarly speaks to solid, American values. Once again, the screenplay applies humor and tenderness in a near-perfect ratio.

The third act offers something resembling closure, but the will-they or won’t-they metric is partially fumbled. “What Happens Later” must “sell” that question, and it comes up short.

Hollywood rarely focuses on older couples falling in and out of love. When it does, we get movies like “Ticket to Paradise” featuring stars who defy their age.

Ryan and Duchovny aren’t kids anymore, and it shows. Their age is the most compelling element in play, making Ryan’s rom-com return an imperfect treat.

HiT or Miss: “What Happens Later” isn’t a return to rom-com form for star Meg Ryan. Instead, it’s a soulful look at love, loss and the chances for a happier ending.

The post ‘What Happens Later’ Leans on Conservative Rom-Com Appeal appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” begins with a family sitting by a stream, enjoying an idyllic day.

We observe how the family is close-knit, lives in a beautiful home and, in a jarring reveal, that their house is right next to the Auschwitz death camps. We’ve been watching the family of a highly-ranked Nazi and, when he walks out the door in his SS uniform, he’s on his way to instill torture, misery and death to those inside the camp.

We are in the presence of evil.

Glazer films this with a watchful, painterly eye, as there’s no ironic detachment, little music and very little plot. This is a clinical, observant and slow film, in which the audience gets to share space with a vile man, who we only see when he’s off duty.

He’s played by Christian Friedel and his wife is played by Sandra Huller, both of whom find moments to demonstrate how inwardly vile they are without playing their roles as outright villains.

As we watch the children play, the housekeepers clean up and the meals being prepared, we hear the distant pop of guns being fired and the smokestacks of the camp loosening into the sky. There’s one brief moment where we hear but do not see what goes on in the camp.

Otherwise, this is entirely outside of the death camps, as we only see the rise and practice of Nazism in either a boardroom or the interior of the domestic setting.

"The Zone of Interest" star Christian Friedel on playing an evil Nazi: “I hate Rudolf Höss. I cannot say I understand his actions. But he was a human being, and all these characters were human beings, and I think it’s important to tell these stories.” https://t.co/Qqz8SlYIKE

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) January 15, 2024

A chilling scene depicts a room of Nazis marveling at how the cooling and heating system of the extermination oven in the camp works. Another jolt comes from a quick reveal of a soldier using a garden hose to wash off the blood from the bottom of his boots.

The whole film is like that, suggesting the horrors that are just out of view, as a family lives their lives and never discusses what daddy does for a profession.

The third act takes the focus away from the house, and it’s not as effective. There’s also the final scene, which is bold in conception and offers powerful imagery but still doesn’t work.

FAST FACT: “The Zone of Interest” is based on the 2014 book of the same name by author Martin Amis.

Steven Spielberg had a similar problem with how to properly conclude “Schindler’s List” (1993). How does one end such a harrowing meditation on such a grotesque portion of the 20th century? Neither Spielberg nor Glazer have figured it out for their films.

Nevertheless, in its unsettling depiction of the horrors of WWII, Glazer’s film is unique and worth seeing at least once.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Glazer’s “Birth” (2004) and “Under the Skin” (2013) were equally challenging, strange in their presentation and worked best for audiences willing to endure a demanding experience. As if the film weren’t already hard to take, Glazer opens and closes the film in total darkness for minutes.

Glazer makes art films, and some of “The Zone of Interest” would work best as an art installation. During many scenes in the first and second act, I found myself staring at the furniture, looking closely at the faces of the family members, and really considering what it must be like to be in a place so wrong, so hideous and yet, so seemingly normal and homey.

The home life of the Nazi and his family isn’t an illusion of normalcy but a hideous example of how he and his brood can disassociate themselves entirely from the crimes taking place over the wall. If you’re willing and interested in gazing at the homelife of a monster, Glazer offers us a you-are-there chance to gaze upon the demons of human history.

Three and a Half Stars

The post ‘Zone of Interest’ Offers Unflinching Portrait of Evil appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” is an audacious epic about where the root of racism lies, how it has continued to manifest itself for centuries and why we have a responsibility to recognize and not allow it to continue.

Based on “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent” the 2020 bestselling book by Isabel Wilkerson, this film adaptation stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Wilkerson and is about the creation of the book and the forming of her thesis.

The story begins with the killing of Trayvon Martin, though the incident ultimately becomes a smaller part of the narrative’s overall design. Wilkerson is introduced as a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who is urged by a colleague (an always welcome Blair Underwood) to write about the Martin case.

It spurs Wilkerson to not only dig far beneath the surface of the incident but to investigate the historical connection of how caste systems, ranging from the U.S. to Germany and India, have created environments where outsiders are controlled and deemed lesser than by those around them.

We watch as Wilkerson journeys far outside of her comfort zone to learn the backbone of her thesis (she travels alone to distant lands while her personal life at home is in a fragile state).

Ava DuVernay has been disappointed that "Origin" and its star Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor haven't been recognized during Hollywood's awards season so far, but says: "Time will reward the film for its merits." pic.twitter.com/YqnrV5wDmP

— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) January 18, 2024

I’ve come full circle with how I feel about DuVernay, whose 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. historical drama, “Selma,” was a masterpiece (and under-promoted by its studio). Showcasing a terrific lead performance by David Oyelowo as Dr King and directed with confidence and fire by DuVernay, it wound up one of the last films to sneak into its calendar year and emerged a potent, engrossing look at its subject.

Unfortunately, DuVernay followed it up with the awful “A Wrinkle in Time” (2018), an oversized failure that just didn’t work.

“Origin” is another massive undertaking, and it certainly works. As a filmmaker, DuVernay has once again put all her cards on the table and made a work that demands to be discussed and pondered.

The temptation I wrestled with for much of the film was to dismiss it as overly didactic and self-congratulatory. “Origin” is a lot to take in and will be too much for some.

Since the film is so dialog and idea driven, I wondered why DuVernay didn’t simply make the subject into a documentary?

Considering DuVernay’s impactful prior documentary “13th”(released in 2018 and exploring prison systems), the format may have provided an easier means of compartmentalizing all of Wilkerson’s insights and discoveries.

In addition to flashbacks portraying key moments from Wilkerson’s life, there’s also scenes depicting segregation in the south, the rise of Nazism in Europe and current human horrors taking place in India.

A lengthy discussion is had comparing the suffering of African-American slaves to Jews during the Holocaust. There’s also a montage with graphic, horrifying reenactments of an African slave ship interspersed with the Holocaust.

There’s a moment where a woman explains how revealing her name resulted in a painful exchange – why wasn’t this depicted? There are times when the multiple flashbacks look less than vivid reenactments and scenes from movies – a Nazi book burning looks oddly like a similar scene from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989).

On the other hand, a sequence involving a little league team finding one of its teammates enduring inexcusable behavior in broad daylight is harrowing.

An inspired touch was having Harvard scholar Dr. Suraj Yengde play himself. The central plotline of Wilkerson’s journey gets a lot of mileage not just from Ellis-Taylor’s impressive performance but from successfully depicting her romance with her husband Brett (a scene-stealing Jon Bernthal).

On the other hand, a single scene with Nick Offerman as a MAGA hat wearing plumber gets points for not going the way one would expect, but does the movie really need it? Isn’t the film already overloaded with provocative topics and material?

As a film exploring the pain inflicted by racism and the hope that a new generation can rise above it, this reminded me a little of Lawrence Kasdan’s insightful, messy “Grand Canyon” (1991).

“Origin” is sometimes like sitting next to a scholar at a coffee shop while they verbalize a lengthy thesis statement. Everything comes together compellingly in the third act, and I concluded the film engrossed and exhausted by what it has to say.

Is it entertaining? Indeed, it is, as well as made with passion and urgency. DuVernay’s film can be frustrating and overwhelming, but I found it a challenge worth taking and discussing at length afterward.

Three Stars

The post ‘Origin’ Lets Ava DuVernay Explore Racism, Hope appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Erik Bloomquist’s “Founders Day” is a terrible new teen slasher movie, the kind of junk Eli Roth’s “Thanksgiving” successfully lampooned just weeks ago.

Feeling like a middling early-ought horror movie (like “Soul Survivors” or “Halloween Resurrection”) and featuring some of the worst dialog to be heard in a theatrical release, this stinker will be remembered at year’s end, if at all, as one of 2024’s lousiest films.

A series of murders shakes up close-knit town preparing for a local election. The presence of a serial killer elevates the desperation of the local politicians and the teens who just want to work at a local movie theater, graduate high school and make out atop their least favorite teacher’s desk (you know, like all teenagers).

Playing a high school English instructor (and, apparently, the only teacher in the entire school) is veteran character actor William Russ, who gives, by far, the best performance in this. The rest of the actors are unable to rise above the material, and no one is playing a character with any depth.

It’s not unusual for the audience to root for the killer in films like this. I just wanted the movie to get on with it – the big set pieces are separated by long bouts of melodrama, politicians discussing their campaigns, father/daughter chats, classroom scenes and characters behaving suspiciously to throw off the audience.

It feels like a Lifetime TV movie with violent murder scenes thrown in.

RELATED: ‘TEENAGE SLASHER’ BRINGS THE GORE, NEEDS MORE

The production values are surprisingly strong, serving a screenplay that needed, for starters, a few more drafts before the start of filming. Many scenes just lay there, devoid of life, purpose or enthusiasm.

There’s no political angle explored here: A town politician has a campaign slogan of “consistency,” which amounts to nothing. The masked killer, sporting a Founding Father-style wig and a gavel as a weapon, is flavorless. Imagine “Urban Legend” minus the style, satire and energy and you have this movie.

David Arquette’s killer-in-a-President-Reagan-mask slasher, “The Tripper” (2006), already has this covered.

Admittedly, there’s a second-act murder that takes place in a movie theater that is nasty enough to merit a cocktail clap from Fangoria subscribers. Likewise, a scene where arguably the most irritating character is vividly sliced into ribbons deserves a mention.

Otherwise, this barely leaves an impression. Even “Sleepaway Camp” had more going for it.

Come to think of it, the movie this resembles the most is Wes Craven’s “My Soul to Take.” Again, I’m not being complimentary.

There’s a campiness here that is odd when it’s unintentional, and later it’s irritating when its clearly on purpose. Characters that are intended to provide comic relief are especially unlikable, while the big dramatic moments feel like send ups of Oscar clips. It would help if this was so-bad-it’s-good, but it’s not.

There are dozens of examples to cite in which characters utter sentences that don’t sound plausible, let alone human. If it turns out Tommy Wiseau was an uncredited script doctor, please remember I was the first to suggest this as a possibility.

Don't look under the bed in our exclusive clip from the upcoming political slasher, 'Founders Day'. https://t.co/swvaeqw3tN

— Dread Central (@DreadCentral) January 17, 2024

The ending is flush with twists, false conclusions and still more false reveals. I can admire an attempt to take the audience off guard and generate surprise, but this is one step too far.

If you think about what we’re finally told about who the killer is and how this individual accomplished what we see, it doesn’t make any sense. Neither do the wrap-up scenes, setting up a follow up that suggests an unearned optimism by the filmmakers.

“Founders Day” forces and wastes its holiday-themed horror angle. I love teen slasher movies, but this one reeks. Perhaps, instead of a sequel, the creators should just plan a remake?

One Star

The post ‘Founders Day’ Murders the Slasher Genre (Not a Compliment) appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Peter Webb’s “Give My Regards to Broad Street” (1984) was seen as a major misstep and commercial setback for its star, writer and producer, Paul McCartney.

In fact, nearly every biography on the former Beatle cites the film as a blunder and describes it as though it were “Cats.” While McCartney’s film may not have given fans and film lovers what they expected (and, to be sure, the film comes up short in several ways), it doesn’t deserve its long-held reputation as a disaster.

Webb directed the film on a $6.8 million budget, though would later state that the result was less a motion picture suitable for theaters than “Paul McCartney’s home movie.”

McCartney plays himself, a musician whose master recording tapes of a new album have gone missing. A revolving door of characters enter and exit the film, aiding McCartney in his search for what must have been a whopper of a good album.

Along the way, musical numbers break out and they are always a welcome touch, as there’s no suspense or character development.

The title is taken from the Broad Street train station in the city of London – it closed in 1984, to make for Broadgate office development. Or, one could get on the film’s bandwagon of naysayers and declare that even the location of the title failed to withstand the film’s release.

Taking it at face value, the film is too laid back, self-satisfied and, despite the intrigue of the stolen tape, flimsy in its plotting. That makes it less than “A Hard Days Night” and “Yellow Submarine” but really, the easy-going nature of the project isn’t a deal killer and shouldn’t be for McCartney’s fans.

Yes, this is among the most lightweight mysteries I can think of and the plot should have been developed before the start of filming. However, it’s also never pretentious or heavy handed.

What we know: McCartney had planned to make the film for years.

FAST FACT: “Give My Regards to Broad Street” earned an anemic $1.3 million at the global box office.

It was originally planned as an anti-war film based on McCartney’s “Tug of War” and written by Tom Stoppard (!). Eventually, the anti-war theme was dropped for the faux doc angle.

McCartney wrote a 22-page screenplay (since one page equals a minute of screen time, McCartney’s initial draft hardly suggests a fully developed film, let alone a substantial running time). Weber claims that McCartney didn’t want to make a movie but a one-hour TV special and that, in essence. there was no script.

The soundtrack, unlike the film, was a blockbuster, with the hit (and still wonderful) “No More Lonely Nights” allegedly written by McCartney over a weekend (“Ballroom Dancing” and “Wanderlust” are also on the soundtrack but were recently published songs).

I’m not entirely clear on the ending – was the whole thing a dream? Maybe so, perhaps an indication of how overly laid back the whole thing is.

"Give My Regards to Broad Street", the 5th studio album by Paul McCartney was released today in 1984. The album reached #1 on the UK chart. #80s #80smusic #1980s pic.twitter.com/PnbnOB4dXn

— LandOfThe80s (@landofthe80s) October 22, 2023

There are some curious touches, like the elaborate dance scene where a massive brawl breaks out – look for the Michael Jackson lookalike mime (a reference to the “Say Say Say” music video?) who steals one number.

McCartney’s puppy-dog good looks and what-me-worry performance are an innocuous put-on. Rarely has such a genius, let alone the star of a movie, appeared so carefree.

Yet, as much as this doesn’t connect, the music is terrific. Watching McCarthy and Ringo Starr in the recording studio together is always a treat. So is seeing early work from Bryan Brown and Tracey Ullman, who make strong impressions, but little comes of their characters.

In his final film role, the great Sir Ralph Richardson appears as a landlord… feeding his pet monkey.

When it’s just performance footage, “Give My Regards to Broad Street” delivers for McCartney’s fans. I love “No More Lonely Nights” (and even the dance remix that plays over the end credits), but the terrific MTV video that accompanied the film’s release served it better than the actual movie.

On the other hand, the famous sketch puppet TV series, “Spitting Image” featured a waiter delivering a film can to McCartney’s table and stating, “Your turkey, sir.”

Had the plot been given as much attention as the music, this could have been truly special. Considering it’s a race-against-time mystery, there’s no suspense and the wrap up is lazy. If the intent was to make a “one-man Hard Day’s Night,” then it comes up short.

Still, when the songs take center stage, it works.

Oddly enough, the scenes where McCartney is, for some reason, in a Jack the Ripper period piece are the most promising – McCartney looks right for the part.

Books on McCartney describe the film as “unwatchable” and “excremental.” One critic in Florida deemed the film “safer than sleeping pills and cheaper than a lobotomy.”

Oh please.

First of all, even as a vanity project, “Give My Regards to Broad Street” is entertaining and certainly has appeal for McCartney’s fans. Also, if we’re going to compare it to other pop musicals of that era that failed, Webb’s film is worlds better than “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Can’t Stop the Music,” “Xanadu,” “Grease 2,” and “The Apple,” all of which range from an embarrassing folly to truly embarrassing.

An element of the film that most agreed on at the time (aside from the success of the soundtrack album) is the inclusion of the “Rupert Bear and the Frog Song” cartoon, the Paul and Linda project that can be traced back to ’68 and The Beatles’ dream to create art for children.

Sir Paul McCartney and Rupert Bear during the recording of the frog song-1980’s#photography #yeolde #musician #beatles #paulmccartney pic.twitter.com/N8zHgmPeXk

— Henry Söderlund (@henrysoderlund) September 28, 2019

Yes, it’s self-indulgent, too silly to take seriously as a thriller and doesn’t have enough narrative structure to fully pull us into its paper-thin story.

As a reflection of the then-new MTV era, it’s a fine music video, albeit one with story angles and cool moments that fade away in a dreamlike haze. “Give My Regards to Broad Street” is too loose and precious to defend as a great movie, but even a trifle like this has its entertainment value.

McCartney didn’t find an ideal vehicle here, but he came close.

The post Why ‘Give My Regards to Broad Street’ Got a Bad Rap appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Jason Statham’s character in “The Beekeeper” takes his gig literally.

He’s a retired military asset who once worked for a secret group of spies dubbed the Beekeepers.

And, in his spare time, he’s a beekeeper.

If literal action movies are your bag, Statham’s latest is Manna from Heaven. Everyone else will wish the film’s poetic opening didn’t get fumigated so quickly.

Statham stars as Adam Clay, a hulking figure who tends to his bees with a delicate touch. He’s been taken in by an older woman named Eloise (Phylicia Rashad), whose kindness isn’t lost on Adam.

They don’t share much screen time, but the actors make those seconds count.

Eloise is quickly ensnared in a phishing scheme, and when she loses every penny of her life savings she takes her own life. That brings Eloise’s daughter (Emmy Raver-Lampman) to the scene. She’s a dedicated FBI agent who wants to know who robbed her poor mother and if they’re doing the same with other seniors.

Adam wants answers, too, except the culprits are so secretive it could take years to follow their trail. Adam’s old military-style contacts suss the scammers out in minutes.

Yeah, it’s that kind of a movie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Turns out Adam is a former “beekeeper,” an assassin of sorts tasked with keeping the “hive” AKA the U.S. government in order. 

“The Beekeeper” opens with such tenderness you think Statham had finally ditched his inner “Meg.” Too often the British star glowers through his films, making us forget he can carry a scene without a “Crocodile Dundee”-sized knife in hand.

We’re reminded in short order.

The rest is a mess, from plot threads that go nowhere (sorry, Minnie Driver) to great actors forced to say the silliest lines possible (et tu, Jeremy Irons?)

Josh Hutcherson gives the film a jolt as Derek, an entitled brat who oversees several scam outfits. Derek has connections, the kind that would protect almost anyone from harm.

Tell that to … The Beekeeper!

If Derek reminds you of someone it may not be coincidental. Derek snorts coke in the White House, drops serious cash on prostitutes and runs to his mother (Jemma Redgrave), the President of the United States, for cover.

Sound like anyone we know?

“To convince the authorities of such an emergency, they can deploy a fake caller ID or a call spoofing software to conceal their location.” https://t.co/fV40TC5JPG

— Katrina Ski (@MtRushmore2016) January 4, 2024

Statham’s character is darn near invincible once more, which means “The Beekeeper” lacks the kind of stakes that elevate generic action films.

The bee metaphors prove as relentless as our hero and could make a great drinking game depending on the player’s liver. Bee careful.

Director David Ayer (“End of Watch,” “Sabotage”) knows how to choreograph bone-crunching action, and even horror fans might flinch when the Beekeeper buzzes through an army of foes.

The first act shows the cruelty of the various scam centers, led by charismatic goons who watched too many infomercials in their youth. That sense of outrage eventually fades, and suddenly we’re wondering why our Beekeeper is slaughtering people who aren’t evil and are just doing their jobs.

Hmmm.

“The Beekeeper’ is a lark, albeit one that never takes itself seriously. Adding some WWE-style villains for Adam to stare down in the third act is a hoot, even if the film doesn’t take full advantage of their appearance.

The story does land differently than it might have a decade ago.

We’ve seen such chronic malfeasance from the modern FBI and White House that Adam’s vigilante work feels more timely than ever. He’s exposing corruption at the highest levels, and as crude as Kurt Wimmer’s screenplay might be, there’s a cathartic kick to Adam’s handiwork.

In real life, the bad guys get away with almost everything. Not on the Beekeeper’s watch.

HiT or Miss: “The Beekeeper” is another dumb, frantic Jason Statham adventure begging to become a film franchise.

The post ‘Beekeeper’ Takes Out the Trash (Including Hunter Biden?) appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Did we really need another “Mean Girls?”

Yes, the Broadway musical inspired by the 2004 film made waves, and that toe-tapping music is part of the new “Mean Girls” remake.

Update? Reboot?? Does the label matter?

Still, the original holds up so well as a teen angst X-ray that this arrives without purpose. 

Adding TikTok filters and references to “ally-ship” hardly demands a fresh update. What’s left? A film that charms thanks to the undeniably smart DNA and stars who lean into the material.

Angourie Rice steps in for Lindsay Lohan as Cady, the new girl at school brimming with home-schooled knowledge.

Returning co-star/writer Tina Fey both applauds home-schoolers and notes their impact on teacher’s unions. Fey may be a liberal, but she knows tapping both sides of an issue offers more comic potential.

Cady strikes up a friendship with fellow outcasts Janis and Damian (Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey), but she also catches the eye of the meanest girl at school.

That’s Regina (Reneé Rapp), the head of the Plastics clique who strikes fear in, well, everyone. The two’s unlikely bond powers the film and reveals all the socially awkward parts of high school.

Why bother explaining the rest? Chances are the 2004 “Mean Girls” is still fresh in mind, and the update does little to tweak the formula. We even get punchlines and sight gags stripped from the source material plus a new attempt to make “fetch” happen.

The musical numbers are often invigorating, especially the opening sequence following Cady into her new school. Directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. lean heavily on fast, clever editing to tell their tale, and it often works given the subject matter (and attention spans of the targeted demo).

It’s a shame Rice’s voice is so wispy, although the vocal duties are dispersed across the cast. That’s not the case with Cravalho or Rappe. Their musical closeups scorch the screen, especially when Rappe finds a lower register to capture Regina’s cruel streak.

Cravalho’s screen presence makes you wish the film broke the “Mean Girls” formula and gave her more to do.

The same holds for “Mean Girls” veterans like Fey and Tim Meadows. The film hints at something special about their characters but doesn’t do much with that information. And why cast Jon Hamm, who brings serious comedy chops as the handsome sex ed instructor when you give him just one scene of consequence and it’s over in a snap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Mean Girls” could have gone woke, pushing aside the core concept for another “Patriarchy” lecture. Fey and co. respect the source material too much to let that happen beyond a few throwaway woke lines.

That said, plenty has changed about teen culture since 2004, and treating social media like the only cultural earthquake over that time is another missed opportunity.

The original “Mean Girls” is funnier and structurally tighter than the new version. Still, this version boasts a game cast, a snappy visual style and a reminder that, like the John Hughes movies, getting teen angst right matters more than everything else.

HiT or Miss: “Mean Girls” delivers MTV-worthy music videos and a talented cast, but the sense of been there, seen that is hard to shake by the third act.

The post ‘Mean Girls’ Works Best as Nostalgia Blast appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Farai Richmond’s “Kangaroo Kids” is a new family film that had a small premiere at the end of 2023 but is finding an audience online.

Written and directed by Richmond and billed in the end credits as A Richmond Family Films Production, the result was a labor of love.

It opens with a slickly made and slapstick-enhanced heist, which was not what I was expecting. The villains introduced are wacky enough for a children’s film, but the scale of the movie is clearly bigger than the promotional materials indicated.

Josefina Baeza stars as Johnny, a young girl who works with her mother overseeing a poorly attended zoo. The arrival of Molly the kangaroo presents the possible financial windfall for the zoo, and Johnny bonds with Molly immediately. When the three criminals from the introductory sequence are hired to kidnap the kangaroo, Johnny and a swirl of characters unite to either protect Molly or her from her habitat.

“Kangaroo Kids” is presumably going for the same audience as “Finding Ohana,” the 2021 blockbuster Netflix family drama that was a major hit during the Pandemic and starred Branscombe Richmond (who plays the head of the three moronic antagonists).

The screenplay is by Ryan Lieske, Farai and Branscombe Richmond. In the narrative and editing, this needed tightening. There’s too much of everything, as the establishing scenes of the first act are overextended. The movie is about Johnny and her kinship with Molly the kangaroo, as well as the three villains who are sent to kidnap the marsupial.

That’s more than enough.

You also get a subplot with an ill child, a gold digger who schemes the kidnapping plot, a biker gang, the bullies at Johnny’s school and a villainess who resembles Black Widow. The trailer clearly lays out the plot elements, but there’s so much in the front end that the scene of Johnny and Molly meeting one another doesn’t arrive until 40 minutes in.

Hear yesterday's Tomorrow Will Be Televised episode with Sunn Stream president Garrett Sutton and Kangaroo Kids makers Branscombe and Fairai Richmond at https://t.co/hd9FC3Wr6j and podcast platforms from Fountain to Goodpods!

— Simon Applebaum (@UBCSimonTWBT) January 6, 2024

There are too many villains, as the Branscombe Richmond-led trio of dimwitted bad guys (call them The Dry Bandits) is all the film needs. Despite being overstuffed, with a jaw-dropping running time of 140 minutes (90-100 minutes would have been perfect), the elements for a good family film are here.

Fairai Richmond gets maximum value from his Kentucky locations, provides sweeping aerial footage, and especially excels at action sequences. There’s an ambitious, “E.T.”-inspired bike chase at the climax.

All the showmanship would be lost without Baeza giving a plucky lead performance. Branscombe Richmond can always be counted on to give a robust turn, no matter what the role, and he delivers; in fact, Branscombe nails the climactic monolog, which could have stopped the film cold, but instead hits the emotional peaks intended.

I also liked Mike Perl as Steve the cop, who provides a nice romance for Johnny’s mom. In fact, Melissa Lugo is excellent in the role.

In addition to a quick in-joke referencing Sunn Stream Solar (the same name of the streaming site where the film can be found), there’s also a quick shout out to Hawaii, via a license plate, and even a reference to “The Wizard of Oz.”

There’s lots of talent pouring out of the Richmond family – Fairai’s growing body of work is impressive (check out his short film, “The Tree”) while his father, Branscombe, is among the most recognizable, hardworking and charismatic character actors I can think of.

If this is the maiden voyage of the Richmond Family Films Production, then their initial production indicates a promising road ahead.

(Available on Sunn Stream, at sunnstream.vhx.tv)

The post ‘Kangaroo Kids’ Offers Embarrassment of Family-Friendly Riches appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

The daffy animators at Illumination have made a (just-barely) Minion-free CGI animated comedy  about a flock of ducks who are initially hesitant to join the others as they migrate.

“Migration” follows Mack Mallard (Kumail Nanjiani), the father duck who urges his family of four to stay put and not behave like conformists. His wife Pam (Elizabeth Banks) disagrees, as do his kids, who feel like their father is too afraid of seeking adventure and possibilities outside of their pond.

Mack finally gives in, and the ducks find unexpected struggles and complications by traveling so far outside of their comfort zone.

This slight, mild Illumination comedy takes the DNA of “Finding Nemo” (Dad is too afraid of everything) and “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (we need to get out of our comfort zone) and turns it into a bird story.

The flying scenes are thrilling, and the music score by John Powell is wonderful. If only the entire film could have consisted of this! Or, even better, one could stay home and watch “Winged Migration” (this movie without the duck chatter) and “Fly Away Home” (still amazing after all these years).

Nanjiani is yet another great stand-up comic with an unsteady film career – if “The Big Sick” was the highpoint, then this is somewhere in the middle, while “Stuber” and that new “Twilight Zone” episode at the very bottom.

Banks does what the role requires but nothing here is ever as funny as a single scene in her “Cocaine Bear.”

Danny DeVito (a veteran at providing vocal performances for animated films) has the most amusing character and is the biggest standout among the cast. Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key should have stolen this, but both are on auto pilot here.

“Migration” is hit and miss the whole way, with laugh-free stretches, sitcom-level jokes (at best) and a strange, episodic plot. Screenwriter Mike White makes the weird decision to satirize yoga culture and backwoods horror movies, hardly topics the film’s intended audience will be familiar with.

Who is this for, again?

It was an intriguing idea to bring in the author of “Chuck and Buck” and “School of Rock” to write a children’s film, but the end result is odd and neutered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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With “Wonka,” “The Boy and the Heron” and “Robot Dreams” currently in theaters, “Migration” seems especially frivolous. There are better options currently playing.

However, in full disclosure – I took my grade school-age daughter to see this and she thought it was “awesome,” particularly DeVito’s Uncle Dan character. On the other hand, I keep hearing from parents that the villainous Chef character, who pursues the ducks, actually scared some of the young kids in attendance.

The crass, stupid Minions-led animated short that opens this is more on brand than the film itself. Illumination has produced an uneven, wildly popular body of work, most of which are frantic, low-brow babysitters. Outside of “The Secret Life of Pets 2,” there’s nothing in their output that I prefer over the best of Pixar.

Their latest has exquisite animation but, when it isn’t headed in the wrong direction, “Migration” is entirely formulaic.

Two Stars

The post ‘Migration’ Never Fully Takes Flight appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Michel Franco’s “Memory” examines how our ability to recall the chapters of our lives is everything, as we make sense of what we’ve lost and gained, as well as garner a perception of who we are.

Hearing that Franco wrote and directed the film gave me a sense of dread – I still remember his disturbing, punishing “New Order” (2020) and wondered if his new film would also leave me feeling like I’ve been kicked in the teeth.

Thankfully, the artistic goals and design of “Memory” are far more compassionate.

It’s about two people- a man named Saul (Peter Sarsgaard), a widow suffering from dementia, and a lonely single mother named Sylvia (Jessica Chastain), who hasn’t touched alcohol in 13 years but still attends her weekly meetings.

One night, Saul discovers Sylvia at a party and follows her home. We’re unsure if Saul is a stalker or someone from Sylvia’s past. The next day, Sylvia takes pity on Saul and slowly becomes a part of his life, though their tortured pasts make every day a struggle.

Sarsgaard plays his role without any Oscar-bait histrionics or showy demonstrations of his craft. Actually, he’s rarely been more still.

The actor finds ways to make Saul relatable and surprisingly sweet. This is one of my favorite performances Sarsgaard has given. Chastain has been consistently terrific for years, even in films that don’t deserve her, but here, she captures a deeply complex and fascinating woman who is determined not to derail her journey of daily self-improvement.

Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard reflect on the gray areas of 'Memory' https://t.co/XZwFkUkQRc

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 4, 2024

Franco’s screenplay and directorial approach can best be described as observant; the narrative never rushes into contrived incidents or feels determined by any kind of formula. Instead, Franco allows the camera to gaze at some scenes for such an extended amount of time, it’s possible to forget you’re watching a movie.

All of the actors here are so natural, “Memory” resembles something in between a documentary, or a Robert Altman drama. Because the acting is so real, a sense of voyeurism creeps in, which only happens if the performances are this extraordinary.

In addition to the two leads, a special mention goes to Jessica Harper, the veteran character actress who once starred in “Suspiria,” “Phantom of Paradise” and “Pennies from Heaven.” Harper plays Chastain’s mother and gives a ferocious performance.

Woody Allen & Jessica Harper
Stardust Memories, 1980 pic.twitter.com/CYpkgi4TtP

— Zuk (@pohhuy) August 23, 2020

Her final scene is unforgettable, an acting powerhouse that, like everything else in Franco’s film, is stunning but not dramatically forced.

Franco wants his audience to consider the long-term effects of trauma, as well as whether the love story that evolves is even appropriate, let alone possible. There are no easy answers here, but lots of truthful portraits and scenes that hit very hard.

While there aren’t a lot of big moments in “Memory,” it’s a stunning film that you won’t be able to get ahead of.

Three and a Half Stars

The post ‘Memory’s’ Gentle Approach Makes It Unforgettable appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

“Jaws” made us afraid of the beach.

“Night Swim” wants to do the same for the deep end of your swimming pool.

Good luck.

The latest Blumhouse shocker delivers PG:13 thrills, the kind that can’t make us squirm in our seats. The upside? The film’s capable cast taps into real-world fears that go beyond the haunted pool.

And, at a tidy 98-minute running time, there’s little fat to be trimmed from this modest thriller. 

Ray and Eve Waller (Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon) just bought a new home with a swimming pool that hasn’t been used in years.

Maybe decades.

It’ll still come in handy. Ray, a former third basement for the Milwaukee Brewers, has early-stage MS and could use a daily dose of aqua therapy.

Their cute kids love to swim, too, but the pool’s lights flicker at night and strange images appear near the deck.

Is this pool haunted? It wouldn’t be a Blumhouse Production if it wasn’t.

“Night Swim” serves up an original spin on the haunted house genre, even if it cribs from “It’s” sewer grate sequence in the process. Also familiar? The expository “reveal” that kicks off the third act.

Still, the story boasts an internal logic that grounds the occasionally silly beats. Mostly. Plus, is this the best house a modern athlete can afford? What about those multi-million dollar contracts?

Russell and Condon make for a believable couple grappling with an illness that could change their family dynamic in profound ways. The screenplay provides welcome depth here, understanding how the health of one family member impacts everyone.

One interesting twist to the story? Ray’s symptoms fade shortly after buying their new home.

Hmmmm.

RELATED: MORE OVER, CHUCKY. HERE COMES ‘M3GAN’ 

“Night Swim” celebrates the critical role fathers play in our lives without short-changing Condon’s character. The newly-christened Oscar nominee (“The Banshees of Iniserhin“) gets plenty of screen time and provides a nurturing maternal strength.

There’s not a whiff of woke to be found, which isn’t always the case with Blumhouse joints.

Writer/director Bryce McGuire knows his story won’t work if we aren’t invested in the Wallers, and he takes great care to ensure that happens early in the first act. His screenplay also delivers a few sly treats, like a real estate agent who can’t stop putting her foot in her mouth and a spaced-out pool tech.

McGuire cares more about establishing the family beats than their horror sequences, but when they arrive they’re framed for maximum unease. The FX load is light, but McGuire’s camera makes the most of every encounter.

(The film is based on a 2014 short film co-directed by McGuire and Rod Blackhurst)

A quick note: Amélie Hoeferle’s Izzy, the Waller’s oldest child, signs up with her school’s Christian swim team early in the film, in part because she’s crushing on one of the male swimmers. Given Hollywood’s tense relationship with faith, you expect a spiritual sucker punch is looming.

Nope. It’s treated as an ordinary part of her school experience, with her friends briefly teasing her after she kissed the boy in question.

That’s not scary. It’s refreshing.

HiT or Miss: “Night Swim” might make you giggle more than cry out in fright, but its attention to detail separates it from many horror romps.

The post ‘Night Swim’ Offers an Unexpected Surprise appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

“American Fiction” is a blistering takedown of Identity Politics that keeps getting interrupted by a lesser story it cares too much about.

Jeffrey Wright plays a black professor who can’t find a publisher for his latest novel. So he goes the lowest common denominator route with shocking results.

It’s as sharply realized as the trailer (and early buzz) suggest, but first-time writer/director Cord Jefferson lacks faith in this concept.

Thelonius “Monk” Ellison (Wright) is struggling to fit in with today’s literary world. He’s got talent to burn, but publishers keep rejecting his latest novel. It’s too high brow for today’s consumer, they sniff.

So Monk tries to follow in the footsteps of a fellow black author (Issa Rae) who struck it rich with a story straight from the ‘hood. Guns. Drugs. Baby mamas. Every negative black stereotype you can imagine, and then some.

It’s demeaning, Monk says, one reason he quickly pens a similar tale called, “My Pafology.” It’s his way of flipping the literary world the bird and letting his anger out at the same time.

To Monk’s shock, a bidding war over the book ensues.

• Will Monk officially sell out and use the money to pay for his elderly mother’s nursing home?
• Could his newfound fame impact his romance with a smart, attractive neighbor (Erika Alexander)?
• Or will the film set this fascinating story aside for a deep, perfunctory dive into the Ellison clan?

Winner, winner chicken dinner!

The film opens with Monk arguing over the “n-word” with a progressive white student in class – the subject? Flannery O’Conner’s “The Artificial N-Word.”

“I got over it, I’m pretty sure you can, too,” he says to his wounded student.

Guess who wins that battle? That’s rhetorical.

The story abruptly shifts from academia gone woke to the inner workings of Monk’s clan. That folds Sterling K. Brown and Tracee Ellis Ross into the tale, never a bad thing for a feature film. It still diverts attention from the film’s satirical targets – woke whites who virtue signal their way through the arts community.

Jefferson lands some satirical uppercuts early on, suggesting the best is yet to come.

“American Fiction” has Monk assuming a thuggish persona for his hit novel, complete with a pseudonym and dangerous backstory. That generates a fair share of laughs, but Jefferson doesn’t overplay his hand.

It’s also fun to watch progressive literary types (agents, marketers, etc.) fawn over “My Pafology” as if it were Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man.”

Phonies, the lot of them.

So why does the story keep going back to Monk’s dysfunctional family?

We rarely stay in the more fascinating and vital part of “American Fiction” for long. We’re even invited to the wedding of two very minor characters for no good reason whatsoever.

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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You could argue Jefferson is making a point by showcasing the kind of middle-class black family storytellers and, by extension, publishers ignore.

Understood. So why belabor it for the film’s two-hour running time?

It leaves “American Fiction,” based on the 2001 novel by Percival Everett, a maddening awards season gambit. It’s the closest thing to an attack on woke overreach we’ll see from mainstream Hollywood, and it hails from the progressive Left. It’s smart and biting in fair measures, and it has its perfect conduit in Wright, who knows precisely what tone to play from scene to scene.

The sprawling narrative short changes more than the film’s signature howl. What about poor Caroline, depicted as a near-perfect girlfriend type without an inner life of her own?

Why obsess over Monk’s brother and his gay lifestyle? Monk isn’t a homophobe, and the main storyline doesn’t deserve yet another narrative detour to get lost in.

The satirical side of “American Fiction” deserves our full attention, something the film can’t always provide.

HiT or Miss: “American Fiction” skewers liberal hypocrisy like few recent films, but its insistence on expanding its storytelling canvas hurts more than it helps.

The post Why ‘American Fiction’ Misses Instant Classic Status by Inches appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.