Author: MCDave

For nearly a decade and a half, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has built a spectacular brand, one that not only delivers with action-packed thrills and unforgettable humor, but one that’s also developed multidimensional characters and hearty storylines. As a result, the MCU has impacted countless moviegoers, evident by Marvel’s continued box office dominance. Yet, in 2020, nothing hit MCU fans harder than the shocking, unexpected passing of the uber-talented Black Panther star, Chadwick Boseman. Fans everywhere felt this loss and what better way to connect with audiences than to make this heartbreaking reality a driving force behind the newly released sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The film opens with a small taste of non-fiction as somewhere offscreen King T’Challa is laying on his death bed, fighting a relentless illness as his sister, Shuri (played by Letitia Wright), unsuccessfully scrambles around her science lab trying to conjure up a way to save his life. The loss of T’Challa is devastating but Wakanda must persevere as Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) assumes the throne. In doing so, she rebels against the world’s desire for Wakanda to share their precious and powerful resource, Vibranium, only to discover that it also exists within a hidden world in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

Ryan Coogler’s follow-up entry is even more bold than its predecessor. The filmmaker tackles the difficult challenge of expanding the construct of the MCU all while creating an emotionally-layered cinematic experience. Where Doctor Strange 2 saw Sam Raimi pull-off an innovative superhero/horror mashup, Wakanda Forever serves as Coogler’s attempt at a heavy-hitting drama with a superhero backdrop. The film’s characters, especially Shuri and Ramonda, are greatly expanded by a central story that marinates in the realities of the grieving process. Wakanda Forever’s earnest dramatics are clearly in the driver’s seat as they fit to both the royal family’s crushing loss, as well as a whole new world of Marvel characters. But despite this marked difference to the standard MCU formula, Coogler still manages to stay true to the core essence of these comic book heroes by allowing scientific prowess to be the difference-maker in defeating their foe.

Wakanda Forever should be lauded for its ambition and heralded for its execution. The film addresses a wide variety of emotions and introduces another sympathetic antagonist that should impact the MCU both in the present and the future. We’ve been gifted a true epic, and one that’s felt for the entirety of its necessary two-and-a-half hour running time. Coogler’s latest pushes well beyond the traditional superhero entry and stands as both a beautifully crafted homage to Chadwick Boseman and a refreshingly strong effort for Phase Four of the MCU.

GRADE: 4 stars out of 5

Comedic songwriter Weird Al Yankovic has enjoyed a musical career that’s spanned more than four decades. Getting his first taste of mainstream exposure in 1979 with “My Bologna”, his clever reworking of The Knack’s hit single “My Sharona”, Yankovic quickly emerged as a singular voice in the music industry. Fast forward to present day, more than 42 years since Weird Al’s introduction to the masses, and now he’s giving Hollywood a makeover with his groundbreaking parody to the modern and overdone biopic formula, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.

A young Alfred Yankovic (played mostly by Daniel Radcliffe) struggles to find his personal identity in a household hellbent on shunning him from a life of Polka music. His accordion-hating father (Toby Huss) and ultra-obedient mother (Julianne Nicholson) create a suffocating home atmosphere that forces Al to move out and shack up with some friends. It’s in this apartment where Al discovers his ultimate destiny: to make up new words to songs that already exist.

Weird’s unapologetically over-the-top and insanely inaccurate recreation of the musical icon’s life is what makes it so amazing. The film plays as if you took the “Restaurant Scene” from the Farrelly brother’s comedy classic, Dumb and Dumber, and stretched it out for over an hour and a half. This biopic spoof transcends genre labels as it shoehorns laugh-out-loud humor, insane action and thrilling dramatics into this historically inaccurate examination of Weird Al’s life. It’s witty, wild and remarkably well done.

Daniel Radcliffe gives a fully-committed turn as the beloved polka pop parody artist while the audience navigates Weird Al’s unconventional life as a niche musical icon. Although Radcliffe’s performance probably won’t land him in the award’s season discussion, his work is of exceptionally high quality and undeniably essential to the film’s success. In addition, there are cameos abound, as everyone from Lin-Manuel Miranda to Conan O’Brien can be found mostly standing in for various cultural icons throughout the decades of Yankovic’s prominence. Their inclusion in this absurdly exaggerated tale of one man’s rise to stardom is both hysterical and imaginative. Weird will make you want to let your freak-flag-fly as not only an anthem for personal pride and acceptance, but also as one of 2022’s most unforgettable movie experiences.

GRADE: 4 out of 5

Ti West knows a thing or two about horror. The filmmaker has established a loyal cult following within the ranks of hardcore genre fans. But with West’s latest effort, the SXSW selection X, the director appears on the verge of breaking into the mainstream horror scene once and for all.

Set in 1979 Texas, the film follows a group of destined stars-to-be embarking on a mission to make the next great adult film, “The Farmer’s Daughters”. With bold aspirations and a tight budget, they shack up in a tiny barn house on the property of a creepy elderly couple and try to roll their cameras in secret. But as the old couple slowly figures out what’s going on in their barn house, it awakens repressed feelings that turn this production into the greatest porn never seen.

Ti West’s X works as a solid blend of explosive gore and brutality with a more commercial appeal. West develops a strong collection of well-written characters with big personalities. It all starts with the financier and man in charge, Wayne (played by Martin Henderson), who is an “alright, alright, alright” away from nailing his Matthew McConaughey impersonation. He sees something uniquely special in Maxine (Mia Goth), an “X-factor” as he calls it, but he isn’t the only one. Without spoiling West’s cleverly scripted motive for murder on this remote Texas ranch, one that explores original ideas and visually disgusts by bringing them to life, I will say that X delivers ample amounts of sex, drugs and violence while maintaining a timeless Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe.

In addition to the film’s creative script and nostalgic dedication to the genre, X boasts terrific performances from its entire cast. The aforementioned Martin Henderson and Mia Goth both deliver stellar turns themselves, especially Goth who shines in a dual role as Maxine and the elderly wife, Pearl, but the most memorable onscreen work comes from Pitch Perfect’s Brittany Snow and rapper-turned-actor, Kid Cudi. The rapper’s transition to the big screen goes as smooth as possible as he displays a natural talent for acting. By crafting such an affable collection of characters, it puts significantly more at stake for the audience when things eventually take a deadly turn for the worse. I say with confidence that after more than a decade as an emerging voice and visionary within the genre, X stands as writer and director Ti West’s most complete horror offering to date and one of the best horror films of 2022.

GRADE: 4/5

SXSW audiences love a good party, making it no surprise whatsoever that Halina Reijn’s brand-spanking-new, murder-mystery-comedy, Bodies Bodies Bodies, brought down the house at last night’s world premiere. With an endless supply of laughs and enough gore to satisfy slasher-flick fans, this film is the Clue meets Scream mash-up that Xennials and Generation Z so desperately need.

Passion is felt in the opening make-out scene between Sophie (The Hate You Give’s Amandla Stenberg) and her new-ish girlfriend Bee (Borat 2’s Maria Bakalova). Their sweet honeymoon-phase romance is about to take the next step as Sophie brings Bee along to a Hurricane Party with a group of her lifelong friends. Everything begins to unfold according to plan until one of the friends ends up bloody and dead, sending a lethal shockwave of suspicion, paranoia and unearthed secrets to all of the attendees.

Bodies Bodies Bodies breeds energy thanks to a well-paced story, quality performances and sharply written jokes. From early on we can detect the hidden tension between friends and, in some cases, you keep your enemies closer, right? Sophie hasn’t seen her old gang for quite some time, but a desperately needed stint in rehab will do that. Now sober and so outwardly in love with Bee, Sophie tries to fit right back in like the olden days, but it doesn’t fly with everyone. These deep, personal vendettas set the stage for an unpredictable and fun whodunit mystery where the deadliest thing isn’t what you know, but what you don’t know.

The film’s greatest upside rests in its perfectly-timed humor. While SNL cast member Pete Davidson might be the most expected source of laughter, he’s certainly fine and memorable with his onscreen opportunities, but it’s Shiva Baby’s Rachel Sennott who wins the Class Clown award with her unthinkably neurotic one-liners. Bodies will easily find a home with younger audiences, as the reckless party backdrop will surely entice teenage crowds, but it’s not an overly elaborate or matured murder mystery. Silliness resides everywhere, right up until the final moments where everyone’s true colors have been revealed and all questions are answered.

Halina Reijn hasn’t broken any barriers with her second directorial feature, but what she has done is craft an entertaining and hilarious experience that pulsates with energy. Amandla Stenberg and Maria Bakalova’s refined performances bring a much needed dramatic and personal facet to the story that elevates Bodies Bodies Bodies beyond your run-of-mill fatal party anthem to what could be a generational movie staple.

GRADE: 3.5/5

The horror genre has officially evolved. In what the latest 2022 Scream film popularized by dubbing a new brand of “elevated horror”, the transformation has been a long time coming. More thought-provoking and dramatic horror films like The Babadook (2014), Get Out (2017) and Midsommar (2019) have paved the way by centering their terrifying stories on personal and social fears rather than the straightforward gore and ghost tales that dominated the genre in decades past. Fresh new voices such as Chloe Okuna and Zack Ford, whose Sundance and SXSW selected debut feature, Watcher, fits the “elevated horror” billing, are showing audiences that, sometimes, the greatest fears come from within.

Julia (Maika Monroe) and Francis (Karl Glusman) are a young couple who relocate to Romania for a job opportunity. In an unfamiliar environment, where they speak an unknown language and a fiancé who’s busy at work all day, Julia’s initial and understandable loneliness soon morphs into paranoia as she notices a shadowy figure watching her from an apartment window across the street. News of a murderer roaming free in the city only deepens her concerns and Julia’s psyche begins to crack as she starts to feel this looming presence everywhere she goes. Is it all in her head, or is she the next target of a sadistic serial killer?

Director and co-writer Chloe Okuna’s Watcher tramples over the typical first-feature with a seasoned approach to filmmaking and storytelling. She forces the viewer to immerse themselves into Julia’s character, seeing what she sees, experiencing what she experiences, and watching the person who’s watching her. It’s an uncommon but effective tactic that plays on this theme of voyeurism and sheds a whole new light on the aspect of perspective in film.

Watcher is the type of movie that makes you want to peek inside every closet door and check under all the beds. Its pace is relaxed but calculated, building the tension in a slow and deliberate crescendo that erupts like a symphony of sound during the film’s explosive finale. And through every step of the journey, discomfort becomes normalized. Okuna’s blunt-force methods of finding fear in every subtle movement or turning glance are a revelation and instantly show her maturity as a director. She capitalizes on every tiny detail, many of which are small and simple things, but their collective value makes for a truly enriched horror experience.

As for the cast, is it even a question anymore? Maika Monroe is the new “Scream Queen”. She’s transformed into an established genre-icon for a younger generation of horror fans. Her admired work in films like It Follows, The Guest and Villains somehow pales in comparison to her elite-level turn in Watcher. Monroe demands the audience to experience Julia’s struggles vicariously through her performance. Julia’s torment becomes our own torment, and her suffering becomes our suffering. It’s a firm character-audience connection that’s rarely found in the genre, and one that’s a testament to Monroe’s blossomed talents. With all of the youthful writing, acting and directing skills evident throughout Watcher, I think it’s safe to say that the future of horror is in great hands.

GRADE: 4/5

Most modestly-budgeted indie films come to SXSW with hopes of securing a lucrative distribution deal that will allow the movie to reach as many viewers as possible. For many, this culminates as a swing-and-miss pipedream as the offers never come. But for writer and director Beth de Araújo, she arrived in Austin eager to unveil her tense new racial thriller, Soft & Quiet, without a dark cloud of uncertainty looming overhead. That’s because Blumhouse, perhaps the most iconic horror-centric production company of the 21^st century, discovered something in Araújo’s work that they needed to have, and news of their distribution deal just days prior to the beginning of the festival immediately thrusted Soft & Quiet into the “must see” status of SXSW’s robust film slate.

The movie opens on an elementary school where the audience is introduced to Emily (played by Stefanie Estes), a kindergarten teacher whose influential impact over the school’s children is felt instantly. But the dangers of Emily’s inner beliefs aren’t fully understood until she hosts a small get-together of other like-minded women who vocalize their frustrations with America’s evolution into a multicultural society. With a Swastika carved into the top crusting of a baked cherry pie and a sign that reads “Daughters for Aryan Unity” resting neatly behind them, there’s no sugarcoating their agenda. And the horrors of their feelings and actions continue to manifest themselves throughout the day, where Emily is confronted by a person from her past.

There’s no joy or comfort in sitting though Blumhouse’s latest acquisition, Soft & Quiet. The experience is a viscerally appalling snapshot of racism and its continued stranglehold over pockets of American society. And to take a step back and consider the ramifications of a school teacher with this mindset indirectly imposing her world views on impressionable children, it’s about as terrifying as it gets. However, this is the extent to which Soft & Quiet becomes meaningful. What unravels after this disturbing meeting between women quickly flies off the rails. As Emily and her friends embark on a quest of retribution against a pair of local Asian sisters that they encounter, the characters begin to act without any semblance of reason or rationality. The film’s hyperbolic dialogue becomes matched by outrageous, over-the-top behaviors that begin to question the movie’s scope and authenticity.

At its best, Soft & Quiet works as a frightening reminder of the deep-rooted, racial vitriol that’s permeated throughout the country for centuries, and how it can be found in the unlikeliest of places. Impressively shot in real-time, a feat that has been mastered by many at this point, but is still astonishing to experience, Beth de Araújo’s crisp direction also serves as a bright spot to the feature. She’s clearly a talented visionary who’s capable of achieving technical greatness. Yet, at its worst, Soft & Quiet’s hasty downward spiral into the frustrating world of unmotivated actions and reactions boils into a looming presence that makes the film more of a politically-charged clickbait headline than a genuinely insightful news story.

GRADE: 2.5/5

It’s been three years since Austin’s beloved SXSW festival screened a film. And to mark the momentous occasion, they had to return with an unforgettable Opening Night film. One that would dare to push boundaries but still command the quintessential audience energy that makes SXSW such a unique haven for World Premiere screenings. Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert delivered that, and so much more, with the uproariously funny and brilliantly absurd action-adventure, Everything Everywhere All at Once.

No one captures the true essence of fantasy and surrealism like the directing duo of Kwan and Scheinert, who often refer to themselves as the “Daniels”. It was first evident with their spectacularly original 2016 debut, Swiss Army Man, and tonight’s head-spinning journey into a bizarre multiverse tale, that’s filled with both heart and hilarity, makes this proclamation official.

The film follows Evelyn Wang (played by Crazy Rich Asians’ Michelle Yeoh), an aging laundromat owner whose mundane marriage to her husband (The Goonies’ Ke Huy Quan) and fractured relationship with her daughter (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Stephanie Hsu) are set on a collision course of insanity when the family business gets audited by a cantankerous IRS Agent (Jamie Lee Curtis). As if dealing with her taxes and familial issues aren’t enough, Evelyn soon discovers the existence of a multiverse and learns that all of these planes of existence face a dire threat that only she can stop. Evelyn must carefully navigate through her own original reality and countless others to defeat a familiar foe and save her family in the process.

To try and explain the so aptly titled, Everything Everywhere All at Once, is to try and describe the indescribable. On its surface, the Daniels deliver a beautiful and messy sci-fi extravaganza. One that’s meticulously crafted to the tiniest speck and molded to tell an earnest story of familial struggles that run generations deep through an ultra-comedic and action-packed lens. The humor is relentless, the fight sequences are superbly choreographed and the absurdity works on such a high level, making Everything Everywhere All at Once a truly original, once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

Not everything comes and goes without a hitch. Clocking in at nearly 140 minutes, there is a long windedness to the film that’s occasionally felt but never suffocating. Many wouldn’t think twice about sitting through a Marvel movie of that length, and Everything Everywhere All at Once has the entertainment value and hilarity to go toe-to-toe with the biggest of blockbusters. Yet, most impressive is the hearty core for which this multiverse serves as a delightfully penned metaphor.

The entire ensemble amazes with their dedication and commitment to this singular vision, and perhaps none more than the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis who really lets it all fly. But it’s Michelle Yeoh who dazzles with emotion and astonishes with her stunts, offering a memorable performance in an unforgettable film. Everything Everywhere All at Once is destined to attract the fanboy crowd and build a solid cult following, but the Daniels’ latest endeavor stands as creative surrealism at its finest and one that should be savored by the masses. The 2022 SXSW film festival started off with a bang and what a ride it was.

GRADE: 4/5

Perhaps the most iconic superhero of all time, DC’s Batman has gone through countless iterations. It will forever be difficult to top Christopher Nolan’s epic Dark Knight Trilogy, one that birthed unforeseen levels of darkness to this comic book legend. Yet, director Matt Reeves cranks the gritty darkness up to eleven with his ambitious, three-hour-long reimagination of Gotham’s caped crusader. And while Reeves’ The Batman fails to supplant Nolan’s trilogy from its comfortable perch atop the tallest skyscrapers of Gotham City, the film develops a new and interesting DC universe that is well worth continued exploration.

The story begins two years after an emotionally tormented Bruce Wayne (played by Robert Pattinson) dons his black suit for the first time, dead-set on turning the criminal tide within Gotham through a personal oath of vengeance. But with drugs and crime on the rise since his emergence, Bruce begins to question his process. That is, until a smart and devious madman who calls himself “The Riddler” (Paul Dano) crafts a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with Batman and officer James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), in order to expose deep-rooted corruption within the city’s largest institutions.

This latest examination of Bruce Wayne and his nighttime vigilante alter ego is unlike any superhero movie you’ve ever experienced. The Batman boldly embarks on genre-bending territory, mashing its darkly-themed superhero tale with a crime-noir mystery that’s set against the backdrop of a Se7en-esque psychopathic backdrop. And if all of that sounds like a hodgepodge of insanity, well that’s because it is. Yet, co-writer and director Matt Reeves masters the “it’s so crazy, it just might work” level of commitment necessary to see this enormous task through to the end.

The Batman doesn’t come without its bumps in the road, mainly a sluggish second act that fails to capture the dramatic impact it hopes to, but Reeves’ endeavor barrels over these roadblocks with remarkable ease thanks to the film’s brilliantly crafted and elaborate villain. Every scene involving Paul Dano’s Riddler serves as a showcase for carefully calculated screenwriting whose craftiness acts as the driving force to this crazy genre-mashup. The Riddler’s sinister intellect and clever games illustrate a chess match of wits between he and Batman, which lands as a spectacular ode to the title character’s “World’s Greatest Detective” comic book moniker. In addition, Zoë Kravitz’s turn as Selina Kyle (AKA Catwoman) is a pleasant surprise that’s worthy or singling out. I had my reservations about the film including all of The Riddler, Penguin and Catwoman, but Reeves and his co-writers do a phenomenal job of allowing all these characters to naturally fit into the bigger picture.

Although The Batman stands as an imperfect final product, boasting a sometimes messy and overworked story that questions the need for three hours of screen time, it’s also an impressively original twist to what’s become a boring and formulaic superhero movie mold. And if Matt Reeves continues to take us down this unpaved journey with future installments of The Batman saga, I’m all in for that ride.

GRADE: 4/5

Everything has become politicized. From professional sports to the movies and television shows that we love to watch, there’s no escaping personal agendas anymore. And ever since Anchorman director, Adam McKay, seamlessly transitioned to awards-caliber filmmaking with his universally praised, Oscar winning effort, The Big Short, he’s thrown his hat into the ring of polarization and politicization. If you thought McKay’s follow-up Best Picture nominee, Vice, was a targeted shot at former GOP politician Dick Cheney and conservatism in general, then you haven’t seen anything yet. The director’s latest awards season contender, Don’t Look Up, stands as a pointed missile of anger and vitriol aimed at the Trump-Era Republican party and what McKay views as their attempt to cripple society’s trust in the scientific process.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence star as Dr. Randall Mindy and Kate Dibiasky, a Michigan State Astronomy professor and his doctorial student who discover a mammoth comet that’s 99.7% likely to strike Earth and eliminate all of humanity in a little over 6 months. However, when they try to alert the President (played by Meryl Streep) and her Chief of Staff son (Jonah Hill), their findings are ignored for political reasons. This alarming response sends Mindy and Dibiasky on a media tour where they’re desperate to get the message out about Earth’s impending doom, even if people are too stupid to believe it.

Make no mistake about it, if McKay is at the helm, a heavy dose of humor is to be expected. Like clockwork, Don’t Look Up relies on a dark comedic tone to tell the film’s bleak and unnerving tale that sadly, but accurately, captures the true essence of society’s divided political landscape. Yet, rather than examine this bitter reality through an objective lens, McKay unapologetically plants his flag on the side of liberalism by showing an utter mockery of former President Donald Trump and his powerful influence over half of America’s population. You don’t have to look any further than the scripted jokes of Jonah Hill’s character talking about the sexiness of his own mother, the President in the film, which is an obvious jab at Trump’s uncomfortable and repeated claims of his daughter Ivanka’s attractiveness. Art imitating life certainly doesn’t end there as McKay delivers a multitude of other real-life similarities throughout this outstretched endeavor.

Don’t Look Up proudly shouts its intentions, which are to stand behind the reliability of math and science and to combat those eager to muddy the waters of truth and reason. With its deliberate use of single-frame imagery involving nature and wildlife peppered into the film, McKay’s latest offering serves as an allegory for climate change and the destruction of our planet at the expense of making the rich even richer. And to its benefit, Don’t Look Up impressively depicts just how easy it is to get swept up in all of this fame and fortune by showing the vulnerability of its lead character, played exceptionally well by Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s during this midsection of the movie where the plot appears to reach a stalemate and the minutes slowly mount, but McKay’s shift to the moral flaws of the film’s main character is purposeful although not particularly entertaining.

Don’t Look Up eventually regains its footing and culminates in a truly impactful fashion thanks to stellar onscreen work from DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and the rest of the cast. The film is far from Adam McKay at his best, and it’s the type of movie that’s guaranteed to divide audiences, but Don’t Look Up also provides an important overlying message that will regrettably go unnoticed by those who need to hear it the most.

GRADE: 3/5

Waiting your turn can often be a prerequisite for capturing Oscar gold. Look no further than Tinseltown immortals like Paul Newman and Leonardo DiCaprio, both of whom waited multiple decades that spanned a handful of nominations before finally receiving their statues from the academy. Likewise, many would describe the meticulous filmmaker, Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA), as an iconic storyteller long overdue for his first Oscar speech. Incredible works such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood are merely a snippet of his career achievements, and all are worthy awards-season contenders that fell short of the big prize. But after eight nominations without hearing his name called, perhaps PTA’s latest film, Licorice Pizza, will finally be the one to shatter this heartbreaking streak.

Cooper Hoffman stars as Gary Cooper, a struggling teenage actor living in California during the early 1970s. From the moment Gary first lays eyes on the attractive and fiery Alana (played by Alana Haim), he knows she’s the girl he’s going to marry. Alana is clearly drawn to Gary, but the fact that she’s older than him and slightly more mature causes a natural imbalance that repeatedly pumps the brakes on escalating their relationship beyond anything more than a flirty friendship. And through all the crazy shenanigans and hustles they pull along the way, Alana and Gary know that they’ll always be there for each other.

Comedic energy pulses through the veins of Licorice Pizza’s romanticized coming-of-age tale. The film boasts a powerful mix of humor and nostalgia that merge into an easy and enjoyable viewing experience that naturally demands human connection. PTA conjures up a stirring story of first-love through the lens of two naïve young adults who believe they are far more mature than their actions suggest. Gary and Alana’s romance is symbolic and eternal, a time-leaping reminder of just how deep-rooted, passionate and unforgiving young love can be.

Licorice Pizza also avoids the commercial appeal of casting beautiful, big-screen celebrities by throwing its creative voice behind newcomers Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman. Haim is simply electrifying, putting her character’s strong personality on full display with a host of unforgettable onscreen moments. Her Type-A personality is wonderfully balanced by Gary’s smooth and relaxed demeanor. Consequently, there’s a quiet and reserved tone behind Cooper Hoffman’s performance, but that doesn’t make his acting debut any less impressive than Haim’s more outspoken and attention-grabbing turn. PTA’s decision to rely on unfamiliar lead stars helps provide an aura of realism and grounded authenticity behind the film’s central love story, something that proves invaluable in Licorice Pizza’s quest to separate itself from an often-derivative genre.

In addition to the film’s refreshing and surprising lead performances, Bradley Cooper’s supporting work is brief but undeniably impactful. He infuses laugh-out-loud humor into his high-strung celebrity character, delivering the most memorable sequence of the movie. This speaks volumes, considering that Licorice Pizza stands as yet another timeless effort from an outstanding writer and director. PTA serves up a slice of wildly entertaining and uproariously hilarious cinema that screams, “his time is now”.

GRADE: 4.5/5

Perhaps no other filmmaker captures the every day realities of poor and impoverished Americans like the rising star, Sean Baker. The director possesses a unique ability to immerse his and decade-long writing partner, Chris Bergoch’s, stories into the souls of the downtrodden. This rare perspective expands the mind and commands empathy by shining a light on the darkest shadows of society. Baker and Bergoch return with another deep dive into the vortex of the forgotten with their festival hit, Red Rocket.

The film opens with former porn star Mikey Saber (played by former MTV VJ, Simon Rex) returning to his hometown of Texas City, Texas broke and jobless, begging his estranged wife of many years, Lexi (Bree Elrod), for a place to stay. Promising to help around their tiny, beaten-down house and pay rent, Lexi and her mom agree to let Mikey sleep on the couch. As he slowly works to regain their trust, Mikey meets a beautiful, young 17 year-old girl named Strawberry (Suzanna Son) who ignites a spark in him to return to an industry that’s bled him dry.

Red Rocket stands on the shoulders of Simon Rex’s fascinating and infectious lead character, Mikey, whose appeal becomes unavoidable despite his many indiscretions. Sean Baker and co-writer, Chris Bergoch, employ the brilliant tactic of introducing the audience to Mikey when he’s at his most desperate, subconsciously forging a rooting interest in the minds of the viewers. Then, through the slow and meticulous development of his character, Simon Rex opens your eyes to who Mikey truly is as a person. His motives are almost uniformly impure and selfish, but often carried out masterfully through Mikey’s expertise at manipulation. This gradual revelation of the character’s narcissistic essence emerges crisply from a spectacular performance by Simon Rex, a former real-life comedian and porno actor, ironically, who has transformed himself into an indie standout overnight. Without Rex’s natural comedic flair and boundless charisma, Red Rocket probably wouldn’t work as well as it does.

Bursting onto the scene as the prominent filmmaker behind critically acclaimed works like Tangerine and The Florida Project, Sean Baker has proven his ability to craft interesting characters lost in the forgotten parts of America. Baker continues this trend once again but shows an added level of maturity through his exceptional construction of the anti-hero Mikey. He leaves a wake of destruction wherever he goes, both figuratively and literally. And while the audience should turn their backs on him at any of his countless despicable actions, instead we watch with bated breath, completely wrapped around the fingers of Baker and Rex as they take us on a truly wild ride. Red Rocket tackles an admittedly uncomfortable subject matter, but it does so with a humorous and energetic edge that makes it one of the year’s most unforgettable films.

GRADE: 4.5/5

Ever since the overwhelming success of Ivan Reitman’s original 1984 hit Ghostbusters, the franchise has failed to produce a meaningful continuation to its saga. Middling reviews and audience scores plagued both Reitman’s 1989 sequel and the 2016 all-female reboot. Yet, 37 years after the franchise’s inception, Juno and Up in the Air director, Jason Reitman, takes over the reins for his father with the highly anticipated follow-up, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Jason Reitman’s quest to recapture the nerdy and childish allure of the original goes far too literal with his Ghostbusters meets Stranger Things mashup that pits a new crew of youngsters against a familiar paranormal threat.

Carrie Coon stars as Callie, a broke single-mother who uproots her two children, Trevor (Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), from New York City to a small town in Oklahoma where her estranged father has passed away and left her his run-down farmhouse. As Trevor and Phoebe try to ingratiate themselves with the locals, they also discover that there’s something strange in the neighborhood. And when a nerdy Science teacher (Paul Rudd) helps them connect the dots between past and present, the kids are forced to battle a demonic invasion.

Afterlife adequately assumes the genre-morphing qualities of its source material by dancing across multiple elements of horror, comedy and action. However, the film’s bold deviation from this trifecta hits a snag when it stumbles over its added coming-of-age storylines that do very little to enrich the experience. Jason Reitman’s new installment is destined for polarization. Fanboys of the original films, the animated television show spinoff and the Ghostbusters video game will marvel at all the continuous “Easter eggs” splashed across the movie screen. Yet, it’s this same overreliance on throwbacks and nostalgia that saddles Afterlife with an odor of unoriginality, especially throughout the film’s often unbearable third act. Jason Reitman ultimately settles for the low-hanging fruit, clinging to the recognizable and familiar and failing to forge his own path in the saga. With wasteful, paper-thin characters for talented performers like Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd, Afterlife lacks depth and prominence across the board. Jason Reitman does deliver a few gratifying onscreen moments, but the overwhelming majority of this two-hour long endeavor is spent mired in mediocrity.

GRADE: 2.5/5

There wasn’t an open seat to be found at the 30^th annual Philadelphia Film Festival’s Centerpiece screening of Reinaldo Marcus Green’s upcoming Oscar-destined biopic, King Richard. The city flocked in masses to support their native son, leading star Will Smith, in his role as Richard Williams, the strict and demanding father of sibling tennis legends Venus and Serena. While it’s admittedly odd to be given a film centered on the patriarch of this famed family before the star athletes themselves, Smith delivers a career-best performance that masks this fleeting thought from the moment he appears on screen.

Richard (Smith) and Brandi Williams (Aunjanue Ellis) have shown their five daughters that family is everything by raising them to be academic and athletic standouts despite growing up on the mean streets of Compton in the early 90s. These close-knit sisters are pushed extremely hard by their father, sometimes to point of concern by not only their neighbors, but their mother as well. Yet, through it all, Richard only piles on these strong young women what their able to bear, determined to help his budding tennis stars, Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton), earn the respect and adoration of a world that never believed in him.

Reinaldo Marcus Green captures a fantastic blend of commercial appeal and crisp filmmaking, a combination that will go a long way in King Richard’s quest for Best Picture. It all begins and ends with Will Smith’s dynamic turn, one that spans the entire emotional universe with true sincerity. It’s no secret that tennis has long been a sport for the privileged and wealthy, which is a sadly cryptic way of saying it’s a sport mostly dominated by Caucasian men and women. African American trailblazers such as Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe helped pave the way for Venus and Serena’s ascension into stardom decades earlier, yet it’s impossible to ignore the cultural impact made by these young women of color. This racial underdog element serves as an emotional lifeline for the film and provides a handful of moments for Will Smith to shine brilliantly. And while Smith has no trouble delivering the sentimental goods, he’s equally as effective in his lighter and more charismatic scenes. Richard Williams proves to be an infectious and alluring character despite his many flaws. Smith miraculously manifests this human complexity onscreen in a superbly well-acted performance that could very well land him his first Oscar statue. Despite being a “safe” and restrained endeavor by failing to ever push the envelope artistically, King Richard stands as an entertaining and enjoyable examination of a family’s unbelievable quest to change the world of sports.

GRADE: 4/5

Sir Kenneth Branagh has spent over three decades proving that he is more than just a thespian. Having trained at London’s Royal Academy of the Dramatic Art, where he eventually took over as President of the institution in 2015, Branagh has earned a trio of acting nominations from the Academy Awards, most recently for his spectacular supporting turn in 2011’s overlooked gem, My Week with Marilyn. Those familiar with Branagh tend to recognize him for his acting and understandably so. In fact, it’s been 33 years since he’s earned a Best Director Nomination for his debut film Henry V, and a quarter-century since his only screenwriting nomination for 1996’s Hamlet. Yet, it appears as though Branagh is determined to remind us all of his robust artistic skillset with this year’s early Best Picture frontrunner, Belfast. In this upcoming awards season juggernaut, Branagh turns the lens inward with a semi-autobiographical account of his late-1960s childhood in the Northern Ireland capital where his family finds itself caught in the middle of civil unrest.

11-year-old newcomer Jude Hill stars as Buddy, a young Protestant boy growing up on a close-knit and predominantly Catholic street in 1969 Belfast. With his father (Jamie Dornan) away most of the time working in the U.K., Buddy’s mother (Caitriona Balfe) is tasked with watching over the boy and his older brother Will (Lewis McAskie). Before long, a violent religious war finds its way to the family’s doorstep when a Protestant militia warns them to either join in their crusade of forcing the Catholics out of Belfast, or face dire consequences.

Every year, all eyes pay close attention to the announcement of the TIFF People’s Choice Award winner. It’s a crowning achievement that’s guaranteed to bring with it some serious Oscar clout. After garnering the coveted award at this year’s festival, Belfast was thrusted to the top of the awards season mountain. Unfortunately, though, Kenneth Branagh’s latest endeavor fails to fill its enormous shoes. Boasting a mere 97-minute running time, a rarity for typical Best Picture contenders, Belfast suffers from a serious lack of development across all of its plotlines. What you see is what you get, it’s a rather superficial endeavor that lacks any real surprises or spontaneity. This is one of those unique instances where a film would have benefited from a beefier running time.

Despite an inability to live up to its massive hype, Belfast is by no means a big-screen slouch. Branagh’s latest provides enough memorable moments to stay relevant. Most notably from Caitriona Balfe, Buddy’s mom, who delivers in a painfully emotional and earnest Oscar-worthy scene where she faces the reality of possibly fleeing the only home that she’s ever known in order to keep her family safe. And in addition to a collection of impactful performances, Belfast also does a stellar job of incorporating music into the film. Toe-tapping along to the cadence of the movie makes for a smooth and easy ride. Sir Kenneth Branagh’s career work speaks for itself as a lengthy catalog filled with solid titles spanning more than three decades. While Belfast stands alongside Branagh’s greatest cinematic accomplishments, it’s also an imperfect film that’s unable to shed any new insight into the religious tensions that continue to plague Northern Ireland to this day.

GRADE: 3.5/5

Kristen Stewart has come a long way from her forgetful beginnings as Bella Swan, the central character of the Twilight trilogy. It took years for Stewart to break free from her type-casted perception as a one-dimensional actress. Noteworthy performances in indie films like Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper paved the way for her inevitable ascension into awards season chatter by playing Princess Diana in Pablo Larraín’s latest biopic, Spencer. While the director has already helped catapult Natalie Portman to a Best Actress nomination with his previous female-centered biopic, Jackie, Larraín and Stewart are going for gold this year with a superior film and a superior performance which are helping keep that Oscar statue well within reach.

Set briefly during a three-day period over the Christmas holiday in 1991, Diana (Stewart) arrives late to the royal family’s intimate gathering. Emotionally distraught over her husband’s (Jack Farthing) publicly-known infidelity, she displays a complete disregard for the royal family’s many rules and a lack of respect for their lofty expectations. And as Diana’s crumbling marriage finally turns to dust, she decides to break free from this stranglehold by the British monarchy once and for all. 

Spencer stands as a deeply engrossing and brutally intimate immersion into the fragile psyche of the late Princess of Wales. From the opening moments of the film, it’s clear that Diana is a wild horse, untamed and rebellious against the traditions bestowed upon her as a member of the royal family. She finds herself more in tune with the common folk, finding friendship and human connection with her closest servant (Sally Hawkins) and the head chef (Sean Harris) of the estate, both of whom she sees on the rarest of occasions. Outside of her love for being a mother, loneliness and depression clearly consume Diana’s life. Kristen Stewart beautifully captures this challenging balance of elegance and melancholy with remarkable ease. All throughout her Oscar-destined turn, Stewart loses herself in the role and settles into Diana’s skin, nailing both the late Princess’ look and her forthright persona.

Equally as electrifying as Stewart’s performance is Jonny Greenwood’s score. The Phantom Thread composer delivers an always mood-appropriate soundtrack that brilliantly sets the tone for each and every scene of the film. And not only is Spencer strongly acted and wonderfully scored, the feature is superbly complemented by Pablo Larraín’s direction and Steven Knight’s script. Its story is caked and decorated with metaphors galore, some less subtle than others, but all of which combine to assist in Larraín’s determined quest of depicting Diana’s intolerable suffocation from the duties of her role in the British monarchy. All things considered, Spencer subverts the typical biopic structure en route to becoming one of year’s most memorable and accomplished films.

GRADE: 4/5

Before this whole Covid nonsense, David Gordon Green reintroduced the world to the knife-wielding, sister-killing slasher, Michael Myers, with his 2018 direct sequel to John Carpenter’s 1978 horror masterpiece, Halloween. Gordon Green admitted early on that he always envisioned a sequel trilogy when he took on the project, and he was given the green light after an enormous global box office of more than $250 million. With critics, audiences, and box office numbers all in agreement that Gordon Green’s effort was an overwhelming success, excitement grew for the next installment and interest has remained sky-high even through repeated delays due to Covid. But after waiting far longer than we all would have liked, Gordon Green’s highly anticipated sequel, Halloween Kills, has finally arrived. And for this devoted fan of the many different Michael Myers universes that have been created over the past 40+ years, Halloween Kills is a devastating and soul-crushing disappointment.

After successfully trapping Michael Myers and leaving him for dead inside of Laurie Strode’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) burning house, a collection of firefighters quickly learn that no good deed goes unpunished when their rescue efforts prove to be a death wish. Myers slaughters more than a dozen first responders and continues his deadly reign over Haddonfield, Illinois on Halloween night. Meanwhile, local townspeople traumatized by Myers’ first escape 40 years ago stir up an angry mob of hometown vigilantes that band together to hunt down the killer and put an end to evil once and for all.

There aren’t enough words in the English language to fully capture the extent of my displeasure with Halloween Kills. In a lot of ways, the film diverges greatly from what you would expect. And without spoiling too much, who would have ever guessed that nearly a third of the film would take place on Halloween night in 1978, when Myers first escaped Smith’s Grove Sanitarium? All of this flashback is just the beginning of Halloween Kills’ swift downward spiral into disarray. Co-writer and director David Gordon Green makes a grossly ambitious attempt at infusing more story and plotlines into this follow-up film than should have ever been considered. The result is a messy, plot-hole-filled endeavor that successfully lives up to its name with an abundance of gore and violence, but fails miserably in every other respect. From the terrible decision to depict the fear and chaos lurking in Haddonfield in tandem with the “other” escaped patient that’s still on the loose, to the unfathomable actions of adults and parents taking teenagers to the doorstep of a violent murderer, there is a serious lack of thought and reason throughout the film. I understand that poor decisions and terrible gunfire-aim can be staples in horror films, but Gordon Green and company take these natural annoyances of the genre and crank them up to unacceptable levels. But despite an unflattering amount of melodrama (especially in the flashbacks) and terrible dialogue that’s littered throughout the script, Halloween Kills does manage to include some decent acting and well-shot direction. David Gordon Green is certainly a talented visionary, that fact can’t be denied, but this second installment in his sequel trilogy has squandered a brilliant beginning and leaves a feeling of hopelessness for its final chapter which arrives in theaters next October.

GRADE: 2.5/5

Few directors are as prolific as Ridley Scott, a filmmaker intent on creating something epic every time he steps behind a camera. And while Scott’s film catalog speaks for itself with widely acclaimed hits like Gladiator, The Martian, Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, etc … (we could go on for days), he’s also a visionary that’s spent his entire career reliant on the words provided by the many gifted screenwriters he’s collaborated with for all of his films. This time around, Scott finds himself immersed in yet another epic period piece, The Last Duel, which is penned by the trio of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who are joining writing forces for the first time since their Oscar-winning script for Good Will Hunting, and the talented Nicole Holofcener (Can You Ever Forgive Me?). With so many stars involved in every facet of the film, expectations should be high and, thankfully, Scott and company do not disappoint.

Set throughout the late-1300s, The Last Duel follows a pair of French soldiers and friends, Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), who return from battle only to have their lives diverge on very different paths. Carrouges struggles financially and is forced to earn money by repeatedly fighting for his King Charles VI. Conversely, Le Gris cozies up with the King’s cousin, Lord Pierre (Ben Affleck), becoming his trusty sidekick and immediately living a bourgeois lifestyle. As Le Gris does the bidding of his Lord, which often comes at the expense of his friendship with Carrouges, tensions between the two men finally reach a boiling point when Carrouges’ wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Le Gris of rape. The medieval response is to have these two men duel to the death, with the belief that God would only allow the person telling the truth to win the battle.

Ridley Scott’s latest epic utilizes a three-chapter narrative structure, each of which follows a different character’s unique perspective of the film’s events. Such an approach can cloud the truth for audiences, as subtle differences in each person’s recollection inevitably cast themselves in the best light possible. This can often be a frustrating method of storytelling in certain instances, but The Last Duel’s three scribes, Damon, Affleck and Holofcener, keep the inconsistencies small and make their vision clear enough to easily enjoy this format. In fact, The Last Duel grows more interesting with each new vantage point, easing what could have otherwise been a strenuous running time that journeys north of two-and-a-half hours. Consequently, the film is at its finest during Holofcener’s powerful third act, which is told from the perspective of our victim, Marguerite de Carrouges, and one that Scott purposefully captions as “the truth”. It’s here where you’ll catch yourself playfully laughing-off the outdated discussions of 14^th century beliefs regarding women and “science”. Yet, this mocking tone shifts quickly to a cringe-worthy realization of just how little progress we have made as a society in our attitudes to women in general and especially as victims. Scott and his trio of writers brilliantly show a scarred woman whose life rests in the hands of the same two men who have contributed to these physical, emotional and psychological wounds, and all she can do is sit idly by as a spectator in a man’s world. The Last Duel offers no shortage of poignant social insight without being overly preachy, serving as a true testament to the great value found within Scott’s latest effort.

GRADE: 4/5

As the late-great rocker Tom Petty once sang, “the waiting is the hardest part”. These sweet and melodic lyrics perfectly sum up the SXSW selection Violet, a film that I was eager to catch following its 2020 acceptance into the festival. Yet, SXSW’s cancellation ruined those plans but, surprisingly, the former Family Ties star and writer-director, Justine Bateman, kept the film shelved for over a year in order to premiere during the festival’s 2021 return. Selected in the Visions category at SXSW, a classification bestowed upon the most innovative of titles to play at the festival, Violet oozes with originality and creativity in its earnest examination of severe anxiety and the catastrophic control it can hold over an individual’s mental well-being.

The film’s title character (Olivia Munn) is a thirty-something film executive whose career ambitions have transformed her into a respected force within the movie industry. Yet, despite all of Violet’s lofty aspirations and successes along the way, self-doubt has loomed over her like an umbrella in the form of a nasty and demanding inner-voice (Justin Theroux) that has steered her every decision for a lifetime. But one day, Violet decides to revolt against this dictatorial voice inside her head and finally begins living the life that she’s always wanted.

Mental health awareness is an ever-growing phenomenon in our society, and Justine Bateman’s Violet tackles the daily grind of dealing with anxiety in such a unique and gripping manner. She not only injects the burdensome inner struggles of this disorder into Olivia Munn’s title character, Bateman actually transforms them into their own central character of the film with such a cutting-edge style. And coupling this creative ingenuity with a formidable cast that’s headlined wonderfully by Newsroom’s Olivia Munn, Violet effortlessly separates itself from the pack. Munn dives right into her character’s psyche with an impressive and natural ease, something that she maintains brilliantly throughout the film. In fact, there’s a lot to enjoy here as Violet and its empowering message culminate into a wonderful directorial debut for Justine Bateman, whose lifelong experience within the film industry paints a brutally accurate portrait of what it’s like for a woman to withstand a career in Hollywood. However, it also feels that beyond the surface of this somewhat gimmicky and groundbreaking narrative structure, very little exists. And while Violet certainly captures the true essence of how it feels to live with an anxiety disorder, it’s themes and subplots are shallow and lacking. Although it may not be the complete package, there’s still plenty of strengths surrounding this worthwhile first feature from Justine Bateman.

Grade: 3/5

It’s been nearly three and a half years since we lost the legendary rock icon, Tom Petty, to a sad and tragic drug overdose in October of 2017. To simply call me a fan of the singer-songwriter is to drastically understate my admiration and adoration for his musical brilliance. But before his unexpected passing at the age of 66, Petty would often recount his (not so) solo album Wildflowers as the greatest achievement of his career. The 1994 album went Triple Platinum, selling over three-million copies and cementing itself into rock lore. Interestingly enough, though, Petty had actually tracked 25 songs with the intention of making Wildflowers a double-record, but the Warner Bros. music executive Lenny Waronker insisted it was too long. Thankfully, Petty’s family and former bandmates dug up the old recordings and issued a re-release in 2020 of Wildflowers and All the Rest which included all 25 tracks, just as Petty had intended. What was also unearthed during this search for the lost songs was hours of video footage following Petty, his fellow musicians, and producer Rick Rubin inside the studio as history was being made. This never-before-seen footage, along with intimate present-day interviews of the other men involved in the recording, sets the stage for Mary Wharton’s SXSW-Headlining documentary, Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free.

Prior to embarking on a “solo” project in 1993, tensions had reached a boiling point between Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers drummer, Stan Lynch. Petty informed the band that he was going to take some time to step away and write some of his own material. It’s around this time that Petty began discussing the idea with the music producer Rick Rubin, who wanted in on the project immediately. What began as a slow immersion into the writing and recording of Wildflowers, eventually became a soul-searching experience for the singer-songwriter. Mary Wharton’s documentary skirts much of the drama surrounding Petty’s struggles with bandmate Stan Lynch, who would never go on to play for the Heartbreakers again, and his crumbling marriage at the time of the recording. Instead, the film dedicates its attention to the clear intimacy between Petty and all of the 25 tracks that he recorded for the album.

Many hours of blood, sweat and tears were put into the studio sessions for Wildflowers and the documentary presents the audience with a central figure that’s funny and carefree on the exterior, but also torn and fractured on the inside. These mixed emotions and feelings spill into Petty’s music and lyrics like ink onto paper, creating a rangy and beautifully-flowing assortment of songs. Wharton’s film takes its time cycling through the many classics of the album, as well as the deepest unknown gems that remained unheard until the album’s 2020 re-release. This slow and deliberate in-depth dive into each track operates as an eye-opening examination of the songwriting and recording process. Consequently, Somewhere You Feel Free stands as a superb showcase for not only Tom Petty fans, but for lovers of instrumentation and music in general. The story is mostly bare and there isn’t much narrative direction at work here, yet Wharton’s documentary still unfolds as a delightful journey into the mind and soul of a true musical icon.

Grade: 3.5/5

The teen comedy genre is one that resonates with everyone, as we’re forced to harken back to our awkward years of growing up and planting the seeds that would ultimately help us bloom into the people we’ve become. And for those of us who are younger and still in the midst of this messy and complicated phase of life, Carpe Diem. Your first-hand connection to these cinematic coming-of-age staples is otherworldly and incapable of being replicated at any other moment in life. Truly, the teen comedy genre is a special one, and it’s one that Mei Makino’s Inbetween Girl pours its heart and soul into enhancing in so many ways.

Angie Chen (Emma Galbraith) is a quiet teen artist who is hardly recognized at her local high school. But as friendly chatter at soccer practice quickly evolves into rides home from the cute and athletic Liam (William Magnuson), Angie begins to fall for him despite the fact that he’s dating the most popular girl in school, Sheryl (Emily Garrett). Their friendship soon turns physical and Angie finds herself entangled in a love triangle that forces her to decide on the person she wants to become.

What separates Inbetween Girl from the typical coming-of-age film are its carefully calculated characters. While building a brilliant story that takes Angie on a self-reflective journey that introduces her to the complexities of life, Mei Makino injects a huge dose of reality into the characters. Each action and decision symbolic of our own weaknesses, desires, and quests for redemption. We witness the good and the ugliness of all these flawed characters, including Angie, as Inbetween Girl reminds us of the many shades of gray in life. The story and script are not only enriched by a genuine passion from their scribe, they’re also masterfully brought to life by a superb cast of mostly unknown faces. Emma Galbraith radiates with talent and maturity in her leading role, while Magnuson and Garrett each deliver well-rounded performances in their own right. This terrific ensemble works in tandem with Makino’s tightly wound coming-of-age tale to deliver a spectacular film that transcends the traditional teen-comedy tropes. Inbetween Girl isn’t just one of the best films from this year’s SXSW festival, it’s one of the best films of 2021, period.

GRADE: 4/5

What a year it’s been. Industries all across the globe have been forced to adapt to these societal changes at a moment’s notice. Hollywood is no different. With an overwhelming majority of film productions ordered to close their doors for the better part of a year, writers and directors have had to get more creative than usual, especially those independent filmmakers working on paper-thin budgets. And while this year’s SXSW festival was littered with “isolationist” films involving minimal characters and limited set locations, the multi-talented Natalie Morales (Netflix’s Dead to Me and Santa Clarita Diet) found a way to take this required minimalist philosophy and turn it into something spectacular with her directorial debut, Language Lessons.

The movie opens with an unsuspecting Adam (Mark Duplass) who is shocked to discover that his husband Will has gifted him one-on-one Spanish lessons with a private instructor named Cariño (Morales) who lives in Costa Rica. Their video-chat lessons begin well as Cariño helps Adam rediscover his lost affection for conversing in Spanish. However, tragedy soon strikes and their weekly online meetings begin to grow far more personal as a deeper friendship blossoms between these two strangers who live a world apart.

With such a limited scope for social and financial reasons, Language Lessons serves as a showcase for its two leading actors and the heartwarming story that they’ve crafted. Morales and Duplass not only steal the film with their superb onscreen performances, but the creative duo worked in tandem to pen this charming script. The pair provide such detailed precision to their story-building and writing. For example, the decision to make Adam homosexual in the film is both brilliant and essential, erasing any ulterior motive that could exist in their developing relationship. You see, the true beauty of Language Lessons resides in the strong bond that is formed between these two scarred individuals, bravely reminding the audience of the power of human connection. Together, Morales and Duplass mold a film that is delightfully sweet, soulfully uplifting, and everything that the world could use a little more of right now. Even some of the most beloved filmmakers would crumble under the harsh restraints placed upon Morales and Duplass. Yet, these two skilled writers, actors and directors are able to create a funny and unforgettably pleasing viewing experience that is, without question, one of SXSW’s finest offerings.

GRADE: 4/5

Although the social camaraderie that makes SXSW such a fun and alluring event was certainly missing from this year’s online festival, the entire programming team put their best efforts into acquiring the finest work that independent filmmaking has to offer. Following a year where film productions were halted all across the globe, this unprecedented phenomenon definitely impacted 2021’s SXSW film catalog. One rare occurrence being the announcement of two documentaries serving as the festival’s Opening and Closing Night selections.

Admittedly, my prior knowledge of pop star Demi Lovato was limited solely to the familiarity of her name. I couldn’t identify a song she sings or a show she’s been in. However, I still found myself quite invested in Michael D. Ratner’s festival-headlining docuseries, Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil. Throughout this four-part series, Lovato and her closest friends, associates and family members provide unrestrained insight into the singer’s continuous battle with sobriety, and the highly publicized drug overdose that nearly took her life in 2018.

Lovato and those closest to her are undeniably candid with their thoughts, opinions and recollections of the pop star. Following a celebration of her 6^th year sober, Lovato’s inner demons reunited the singer with her former drug dealer. This hidden relapse came quick and thunderous as Demi found herself indulging in painkillers and heroin from the onset. Lovato managed to shield her return to drug use from everyone in her inner circle, as her friends and family openly admit the shockwave that ran through them when Demi was found unresponsive in her bedroom on the morning of July 24^th, 2018.

Keeping secrets is something Lovato has mastered throughout her life in the spotlight. Not only was she able to completely conceal her months-long drug use prior to 2018’s near-fatal overdose, Lovato has kept a tight lip regarding a dark moment in her childhood on the set of a Disney production. Demi admits to having been in a relationship with an undisclosed co-worker, but she also says she was stern and clear with her stance that she was a virgin unwilling to engage in her first sexual encounter. Yet, her wishes were ignored as Lovato recalls being raped as a young teenager during this traumatic experience. To make matters worse, she was forced to see her assailant on set every day and the torment became virtually unbearable. This forced Lovato to cope in many different ways which have resulted in her ongoing battles with eating disorders and substance abuse.

The pain in Demi Lovato’s soul still shows itself even through her remarkable smile. There are cuts so deep that they may never heal. But through her own immense bravery and a wonderful support system of family and friends that remain by her side, we can only hope that Lovato will continue to show her strength and overcome these haunting demons that lie within.

GRADE: 3.5/5

All you have to do is turn on the news or venture onto social media for a matter of seconds to recognize the turbulent and tumultuous time in which we find ourselves. But these political, social and economic divides are far from uncharted territory for an entire generation of Americans, those who lived through the daily vitriol and violence displayed throughout the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Shaka King’s captivating new drama, Judas and the Black Messiah, transports the audience to the boiling point of these tensions where political activist and Black Panther leader, Fred Hampton, became a central target of the U.S. government.

Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) is a scrappy young man who runs a clever game of impersonating a police officer in order to steal cars on the mean streets of Chicago in 1968. But once he’s finally caught by the authorities, FBI Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) gives O’Neal an ultimatum: Spend more than five years in federal prison, or go undercover and infiltrate the local Black Panther Party. Without hesitation, O’Neal becomes an FBI informant and immediately maneuvers his way up the Black Panther ranks by developing a close relationship with their charismatic leader, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). This leads to a deep and complex inner struggle as O’Neal is forced to balance his own fears of being outed, his shame in being disloyal to Fred, and constant pressure coming from an aspiring Agent Mitchell.

Judas and the Black Messiah is a hypnotic blend of Martin Scorsese’s The Departed and Mike Newell’s Donnie Brasco. The film is at its best when it focuses on the torn psyche of informant Bill O’Neal. What begins as a decision to save his own skin, quickly transforms into torment and regret as he grows fond of Hampton and his political message. And while some may be quick to mislabel Shaka King’s work as a divisive story about racial history in this country, the truth is Judas and the Black Messiah is a tale of oppression, no matter the color or creed. According to Hampton, the only way to stop oppression is to unite to fight against the tyrannical forces that perpetuate it, such as law enforcement and the U.S. government. This alluring message to the poor and disenfranchised masses made Hampton the leader of a revolution, and one that the government felt a desperate need to silence. These circumstances culminate in an explosive and unnerving finale that’s jam-packed with feelings of anger, sadness and remorse that beautifully encapsulate this timely work.

Many have lauded Daniel Kaluuya’s performance and donned it Oscar-worthy, mainly for his fantastic characterization of Hampton. He nails everything from the political activist’s energetic speaking-style to his posture and mannerisms with detailed precision. However, the more interesting and complex characters are clearly O’Neal and Agent Mitchell, both of whom experience the film’s main arcs as the minutes mount. It’s here where themes of ambition and regret are illustrated masterfully. Watching LaKeith Stanfield and Jesse Plemons wallow in these roles is truly a sight to behold. Meanwhile, up-and-coming writer/director Shaka King does a wonderful job of letting his talented cast and gripping story carry the weight of the film. The director picks his moments to impress behind the camera but never over-reaches. This is the true sign of a developed filmmaker, one who isn’t afraid to check his ego at the door. Judas and the Black Messiah is guaranteed to polarize audiences, evident by the fact that we’re still fighting many of the same battles more than 50 years later. But make no mistake about it, Shaka King’s historical drama is a powerhouse entry that’s destined to catch the attention of Oscar voters and deservedly so.

GRADE: 4/5