Tag: Toni Collette

Geekscape Movie Review: Knives Out

by MCDave

Once upon a time, Rian Johnson went from being a uniquely-voiced and rapidly-emerging filmmaker to instantly becoming the man who ruined the Star Wars saga (for me, at least). Needless to say, I didn’t (and still don’t) have a favorable view of Johnson’s The Last Jedi. But what a difference two years can make, as the stains of Johnson’s past can hardly be noticed courtesy of a brand-new, briskly-paced whodunit mystery that reminds us all just how brilliant of a writer and director he can be.

Knives Out tells the perversely entertaining and fictional story of beloved crime novelist, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), who shockingly dies on the evening of his 85th birthday celebration. With a massively wealthy estate and a host of friends and relatives at the residence, each with their own motives and agendas, everyone must be considered a suspect. Thankfully, the witty and astute detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) has been mysteriously hired to unmask the truth behind Thombley’s unexpected death.

Rian Johnson’s cleverly crafted screenplay serves as the backbone to this unpredictable and amusing whodunit film. Knives Out cycles through a series of suspects and motives all while purposely tipping its hand quite a bit. Yet, as we soon find out, there are many mysteries buried within the veins of this story. And all throughout this creative and original script rests a healthy dose of humor and a diverse collection of notable characters, each of whom add a unique element to the overlying mystery. These characters come to life superbly thanks to one of 2019’s finest ensembles. Along with the aforementioned Daniel Craig and Christopher Plummer, co-stars Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, LaKeith Stanfield and Don Johnson all deliver well-rounded performances that play off one another perfectly. Yet, it’s the underdog of the cast, up-and comer Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049), who truly steals the show with a deeply committed and soulful turn of her own. Knives Out has all the makings of an Original Screenplay Oscar contender, the script really is that good. If you’re in search of an energetic mystery that’s guaranteed to keep you guessing, Rian Johnson’s page-turning new effort not only has what you’re looking for, it’s one of the best films of year.

GRADE: 4/5

Geekscape Movie Review: Midsommar

by MCDave

You never forget how the great films made you feel when you experienced them for the first time. It’s a unique ability that transcends the standard norms of filmmaking.  And one contemporary visionary who has mastered this skill is Ari Aster, a new generational voice in the psychological horror genre with a knack for capturing a quiet sense of Hitchcock-ian suspense throughout his works. Aster first astonished us with last year’s Hereditary, a spine-chilling examination of a family with sinister bloodlines that even stirred some rumblings of an Oscar Nomination for the film’s leading star, Toni Collette. It was quite a debut, but Aster wastes no time jumping right back into the director’s chair for his indescribable new psychological thriller, Midsommar, another hypnotic effort that’s quickly cementing Ari Aster’s reputation within the horror community.

Following a traumatic and devastating event, a young American couple travel to a remote Swedish commune with a group of friends to experience the local’s once-in-a-lifetime mid-summer festivities. But as they all become more and more immersed in the community’s bizarre rituals, the couple’s relationship becomes tested and their friendships become strained. Yet, things only get worse from there as this once culturally rich experience slowly evolves into a hellish nightmare at the hands of a pagan cult.


Let me be clear, Midsommar isn’t a horror film in the commercialized sense of the word. Instead, writer and director Ari Aster shapes an unnerving and terrifying journey into the human psyche. Florence Pugh stars as Dani, a love-starved young woman desperately holding onto a failing relationship with her boyfriend of four years, Christian (Jack Reynor), after suffering a horrible personal tragedy. The film explores the darkest depths of human connection in such a beautifully shot and viscerally engrossing demeanor. Midsommar stands as a slow-dance of macabre, meant to be savored and digested through sustained periods of intense imagery and a spine-tingling use of sounds. In fact, Ari Aster’s profound use of music and sounds elevates his craft to a whole new level and helps elicit a variety of emotions, it’s truly remarkable. And outside of the film’s apparent technical achievements and majestic cinematography, Midsommar also boasts an impressively detailed and absorbing script. Aster’s story is fully outstretched to what some viewers will complain is a tiresome two-and-a-half-hour affair, especially after the end goal begins to reveal itself about halfway in. Yet, I found this crawling transformation to be mightily impactful with each and every step along the way. Furthermore, another common criticism will be aimed at the film’s silly elements of dark humor. There are numerous scenes which are odd and seemingly over-the-top, but the deeper purpose of these moments is to appropriately illustrate the insidious cult’s desire to bond through empathy. They laugh together, love together, cry together and experience pain and heartache together. All of which align perfectly with Aster’s intended end result. Midsommar is a beautiful and poetic psychological horror that ventures far beyond the superficial norms of its genre and shakes you to the core. It’s one of 2019’s standout features and an experience that’s certainly worth the ride. 

GRADE: 4/5

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SXSW Movie Review: Hereditary

by MCDave

It happens nearly every year. A horror title bursts onto the scene during the early calendar months at either Sundance or SXSW, generating enormous buzz and swirling hope for the next great genre hit. Sometimes these films meet the enthusiastic hype head-on and rise to the occasion, while other times they crack and crumble under the heavy pressure of desired greatness. 2018 is no exception as Ari Aster’s new terrifying descent into madness, Hereditary, proudly steals this “horror darling” label and meets its audiences with visceral unease and heart-pounding fright that proves the hype is real.

The movie opens with the passing of Ellen Graham, the matriarch of her family, whose loss casts a wide net over her surviving kin. And as her haunting death continues to escalate in intensity and bring turmoil and tragedy to her daughter Annie’s family (Toni Collette) family, they slowly begin to unlock dark and cryptic ancestral secrets that extend far beyond their control. And the more they discover, the further they are dragged into this hellish reality.

Hereditary’s strengths are vast and plentiful as the effort burns with cinematic artistry, burrows deep into the human psyche, and delivers well-timed and escalating scares. You know that a horror film has succeeded when something as trivial as a childish sound can become a fearful symbol of impending doom that haunts at every turn. It’s carefully calculated and beautifully orchestrated writing and direction from first-time filmmaker, Ari Aster, whose terrorizing vision slowly peels in lock-step, but never feels long in the tooth or boring. This happens, despite a lengthy running time of over 2 hours, because the suspense and tension are absolutely relentless, giving the audience time to breathe but never allowing them to feel settled. Aster’s attention to detail clearly plays a vital role in the film’s mastery of the genre, also evident by the director’s clear knowledge and understanding of the horror classics that preceded him, but enough can’t be said about Toni Collette’s earth-shattering performance. Her character’s psychological plunge is subtle and brilliant, as it becomes difficult to pinpoint the exact moment she “loses it” because the transformation is so gradual and fluid. Also the work of supporting actor and rising star Alex Wolff deserves recognition as well, seeing that his character is the bloodline of the film in many ways. Hereditary does squander its finale a bit, rushing around to make sense of all the haunting insanity it worked so well to create, but the mildly bitter taste isn’t enough to discredit the sheer creepiness and disturbing aura that surrounds this winning horror entry.

GRADE: 4/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: ‘Hector and the Search for Happiness’

by Dennis Finocchiaro

Hector and the Search for Happiness is a film that sees Simon Pegg in a much more serious role, and he delivers.

Hector is a psychiatrist in need of some inspiration. His clients are boring him, he feels as though he is making no difference in life, and while he loves his girlfriend, he feels the need to explore the world for happiness. So he goes on a quest to ask people the question: What makes you happy?

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His trip takes him all over the world, starting in China, where he meets a wealthy banker (played by Stellan Skarsgard) who shows him a night on the town. He visits Africa, where he meets up with an old friend and tries to help the poor, and has fantastic adventures. From there he visits an old flame, played by Toni Collette, and an old professor, played by Christopher Plummer.

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What attracted me to this movie, first off, was that I read the book, and of course actor Simon Pegg. But if you’re expecting Shaun of the Dead kind of humor, you will be disappointed. It’s much more of a dramady. The casting also drew me to the movie, and the stars did not disappoint. Besides Pegg, Plummer and Collette, the film also included Jean Reno (The Professional, Mission Impossible) as a drug dealer in Africa and Rosamund Pike (Jack Reacher, Surrogates) as Hector’s girlfriend.

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Overall, the film had its funny moments, of course, but was also quite deep and touching. If you’re in the mood for a feel-good film with a bit of comedy and adventure thrown in, this is your movie.

4/5 stars.

Hector and the Search for Happiness opens in theaters this Friday, September 26th. Here is the trailer:

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Way, Way Back

by MCDave

Things aren’t usually better the second time around. Looking at real world examples like Hollywood remakes, cover songs and leftovers from last night’s dinner, it becomes a pretty difficult notion to refute. Therefore, when I heard about the back story surrounding this summer’s release, The Way, Way Back, I justifiably became a bit skeptical. From the same producers and featuring many of the same stars as the 2006 indie sensation, The Way, Way Back has been unfairly labeled as “the next Little Miss Sunshine“. While in actuality, The Way, Way Back stands tall enough on its own.

Duncan (played by Liam James) is an awkward and lonely teenager “forced” to spend the summer months at his mom’s boyfriend’s shore house. As Duncan’s mom (Toni Collette) appears blind to Trent’s (Steve Carell) harsh belittling of him, the teenager ventures off to be as far away from her boyfriend as possible. Duncan eventually stumbles across a water park and sparks a unique friendship with the manager, Owen (Sam Rockwell). Owen senses the youngster’s loneliness and offers him a summer job at the park. It’s there where Duncan finally learns how to open up and be his true self.

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The Way, Way Back represents yet another fine indie selection from this year’s exceptional Sundance Film Festival class. While it’s inevitable to pit this effort against its festival foe, The Kings of Summer, The Way, Way Back is an overall small step down, but clearly a delightful film all on its own. The heart and soul of the feature resides in the role-model relationship built between Sam Rockwell’s and Liam James’ characters. The vastly underrated Rockwell once again shows why he belongs in the same conversation as Hollywood’s best actors. He delivers his one-liners with remarkably-timed precision and his dramatic moments with profound tenderness. Through the use of his affable see-through “cool guy” exterior, Rockwell commands the screen and demonstrates that he can just about do it all. Furthermore, the always respectable Steve Carell goes against the grain and shows some versatility as a despicable and unforgivable confidence-crusher to the film’s teenage protagonist. Having grown accustom to Carell as an often-lovable character, he is regrettably convincing and most likely setting the stage for his Oscar-bound role in this 2013’s late-year release, Foxcatcher. Although I could continue to go on-and-on in detail about all of the other fine performances in the film, instead I will couple them together by reaffirming that The Way, Way Back is a wonderfully acted and heartfelt coming-of-age film suitable for just about any viewer.

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Despite the picture’s all-around winning vibe, there are a few blemishes to discuss. For starters, many of the film’s characters feel like completely overblown and animated caricatures. While the “good” are VERY good and the “bad” are VERY bad, The Way, Way Back suffers from a black and white approach to its onscreen roles. Therefore, expressing its characters in such a way creates an inauthentic and disingenuous feel. In addition, the feature opens in a very unusual manner. Although the first act fails to adequately hook the audience, it does serve a unique purpose to the film’s bigger picture. But when all is said and done, The Way, Way Back hurdles these faults and offers laugh-out-loud humor and an assortment of endearing characters.

While The Way, Way Back comes close to, but never quite reaches, the heights of 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine and its festival competitor The Kings of Summer, it’s still a praiseworthy coming-of-age tale all on its own. And since the jokes are abundant and the performances are stellar, there’s plenty to enjoy. When The Way, Way Back reaches theatres nationwide in July, you won’t be disappointed by catching another indie gem such as this one.

GRADE: 4/5

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