August Film Review Round-Up

 

(Images and videos courtesy of imdb.com and youtube.com)

The month of August has always offered a mixed bag of movies. We can get pleasant surprises or complete misfires. This August has offered a unique combination of mostly smaller films. Each title below is either a direct-to-streaming release or a film made by a lesser-known studio. From a business perspective, this month is a dumping ground before the awards season. The following films are incredibly varied, with some being delightful and others being lazy and bland. Be sure to read below which films are delightful and dreadful




     Diane Keaton has entered a rather interesting point in her acting career with recent roles like “Book Club” and “Poms.” Roles like these show she is not focused on the quality of the material.  “Mack & Rita” adds another misstep into a once-promising career of an on-screen legend. Our story follows a struggling 30-year-old writer (Elizabeth Lall) who has a wild weekend in Palm Springs. After a visit with a quirky “health guru” (Simon Rex), Lall finds herself transformed into a 70-year-old woman (Diane Keaton).  That premise is much like a quirky 90s screwball comedy. The problem here is that this comedy feels so incredibly tiresome and out of place in 2022. All of the jokes are dated and unfunny without any genuine emotion about the situation. “Mack & Rita” should deliver a story that is heartwarming, but ends up being bland and unmemorable. 



Kevin Hart comedies can either be pleasant delights (“Central Intelligence,” “Jumanji”) or unfunny slogs (“The Man from Toronto”). “Me Time” is one of Hart's films that resides in a not terrible, but forgettable middle ground. A stay-at-home Dad (Hart) gets a weekend alone for the first time in years when his wife (Regina Hall) takes the kids away for a weekend. Hart decides to call up an old friend (Wahlberg) for a wild weekend. Nothing in the story of  “Me Time” offers real surprises. You can predict the story's outcome by simply watching the two-and-a-half-minute trailer on the web.  What is undeniable about “Me Time,” is that it succeeds in letting Wahlberg and Hart deliver unfiltered performances. These laughs were just enough for me to not feel dread while watching. You will forget most of the movie once the credits roll, but there is enough banter between our leads for a Netflix viewing. 



A24 is one of my favorite film studios in the business today for one reason. No matter the story, they offer upcoming directors a chance to share their talent. “Bodies Bodies Bodies” follows a group of 20-year-olds (Mia Bakalova, Amandla Stenberg, Pete Davidson) who plan a “Hurricane Party” at a remote family mansion. When a party game turns deadly, the group of friends must find out who the killer is amongst them. What is surprising about “Bodies Bodies Bodies” is the clever amount of social satire on display. There is some unpredictable twists that lead to a jaw-dropping destination. At a 94-minute running time, this fills the category of “should-see” viewing. 




“Get Away If You Can” is one of the more unique films I have seen in 2022. Our story follows a troubled married couple (Dominique Braun, and Terence Martin) as they attempt to mend their relationship by sailing across the open ocean. Tensions reach a breaking point when one of them refuses to explore a deserted island. Starring Braun, Martin, and Ed Harris, the finished result is a bit of an enigma. There are great ideas about familial bonds and toxic masculinity explored throughout. Similar to the filmmaking of Werner Herzog, there is a hypnotic and dreamlike quality on display. While being consistently engaging, the story does not lead to a satisfying result. Such capable filmmaking by Braun and Martin shows promise, even if the ingredients are better than the finished product.




Sylvester Stallone is a household name in the entertainment industry. When one of his movies is released, you usually know what to expect. Now streaming on Prime Video, "Samaritan" attempts to offer surprises to the typical Stallone film formula. The story follows a young boy, (Javon "Wanna" Walton) who discovers that a superhero (Stallone) who mysteriously disappeared after a battle 20 years ago, may still be around. What we end up with is a superhero story that has actual twists. At 76 years old, Stallone can still deliver consistent action and narrative surprises in his films. None of these surprises are revelatory but are enjoyable thanks to the 100-minute running time. Seeing Stallone do his "tough guy" persona was a perfect fit for the superhero world. Nothing is necessarily groundbreaking but "Samaritan" delivers on what audiences always expect from the actor. For a Title directly on streaming, these campy and fun moments are more than enough to recommend this superhero outing.

    







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Should you be Streaming?

Image
As summer movies are winding down, some slip through the cracks. While I have seen plenty, that does not mean everything could be reviewed.  To make up for lost content this article will be breaking down several digital releases.  This behemoth will also break down the bonus features included, and if they are worth your time. Happy reading! Elemental You can read my review of Pixar’s latest film here . The story tells of the world of Element City and the inhabitants of different sections. It’s a story that some deemed as overly simplistic, and not up to Pixar’s standard. In actuality, its simple message makes it deliver one of the studio's deepest films to date.  Wade (Mamoudou Athie) and Ember (Leah Lewis) are the equivalent of star-crossed lovers. Both are mutually attracted to each other but have the pressure to live up to their family's ambitions.  The characters remain heartfelt, but it's the special features that won me over in this film.  The featurette...
Read more

Film Review: "Nimona"

Image
Nimona is one of the biggest surprises I have seen in 2023 thus far. Originally a production of Blue Sky Studios, and now picked up by Annapurna Pictures, the film will be on Netflix this Friday. Set in a futuristic world, the story follows Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) who is framed for a crime he did not commit. The only person who can prove his innocence is a magical shapeshifter named Nimona (Chloe Grace Moretz). The only catch is that Ballister was sworn to destroy those of her kind. What follows is a cyberpunk meets medieval times adventure with universally relevant messages.  Nimona’s biggest success is in the relationship between Nimona and Ballister. Both characters are outsiders. Each one has been cast aside (both literally and figuratively) and they find harmony in being together. Ahmed and Moretz deliver two nuanced and relatable voice performances. With the message being something as simple as “it’s ok to be different,” there is a fear that it could be underwhelming....
Read more

Film Review: "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One"

Image
The Mission: Impossible franchise has had an interesting trajectory over the years. Starting in 1996, the films have evolved from a strictly espionage series to an Americanized take on James Bond. Since Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol , the series has reinvented itself for modern audiences. Each film has upped the action, story, and spectacle in ways that demand to be seen on the big screen.  Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One takes the franchise up another level. The story follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), his team (Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, and Simon Pegg), and their mission to keep a dangerous Artificial Intelligence system from the wrong hands.  Plots in Mission Impossible films teeter between being slightly intelligent and majorly convoluted.  The story of Dead Reckoning has eerily relatable similarities to the modern world. Our reliance on A. I and technology in general is an interesting idea for a villain in one of these films. That is because t...
Read more