And The Walls Came Tumbling Down... - Babylon film review

Imagine Singin' in the Rain sans musical numbers, mashed together with The Artist and Nickelodeon, then re-imagined by Quentin Tarantino. Well, Babylon is slightly more batshit bonkers than that.

While writer/director Damien Chapel continues to mine his unabashed love for the spectacle and grandeur of the great Hollywood musicals, especially the aforementioned Gene Kelly classic, here he seriously flips the script and instead of an upbeat love story he chooses instead to expose the soft white underbelly of Tinsel Town.

The opening pre-title sequence bursts out the gate with such over-the-top bravado as to surpass the gooey gross-out moments of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Stand By Me, The Exorcist, and Triangle of Sadness all combined; the sheer gag inducing reflex here is damn near unparalleled. The rest of the film is liberally peppered with sex, drugs, and big band revelry; Chazelle's longtime musical cohort, Justin Hurwitz, delivers a deliriously whiz-bang of a score.

On the surface, the film is both a sprawling love story and an examination of the decline of a matinee idol. These two main storylines are intermingled with a bit of behind-the-scenes Hollywood excess and a pointed commentary on the racism of the time, specifically how actors and musicians of color had to endure being admired as exotic curios rather than talented human beings. The rest of the film peeps back the allure of the Silver Screen to reveal debaucherous bacchanalia with such unabashed glee and hubris that you often don't know whether to laugh, cry, scream or squirm (I did all four regularly).

Sadly, the film seriously stumbles in the final 10-minutes with a terribly misguided ode to 2001: A Space Odyssey, almost as if Chazelle fell into a refractory coma after prolonging his orgasmic insanity for the previous 2 hours and 59-minutes. That said, what a joyously demented top is lavished upon us up until those closing moments.

Memory is the diary... - The Fabelmans film review

 Steven Spielberg's latest effort is a multi-layers affair.

On the surface it's about filmmaking and the pure love of the escapist aspect of the movies. But it's also about a dysfunctional family, nostalgia, and most potently it's about memories and how, why, and what we choose to remember from our past.

Because of this thematic hodgepodge, it can at times. feel disjointed, but then that's what memories are: disjointed recollections of the past that continue to change over time.

To label this film "heartwarming" might be a slight disservice, but it may very well make you smile, cry, and feel a broad range of emotions depending on what your family was like growing up and based on your own personal connection to the movies.

One thing is for sure: The Fabelmans will make you realize that Spielberge is a gifted and diverse director who has always drawn upon his family's rich and eccentric history in regards to the films he has made.

Side Order of Herring, Extra Red - Glass Onion film review

Agatha Christie is either smiling broadly or rolling over in her grave right about now. The latest Knives Out entry is no less than the fourth whodunnit to be released in theaters since August, all of them owing no small debt to the grand dame of murder mysteries.

Anywho, I really enjoyed the original Benoit Blanc endeavor from 2019. This venture took a little more time for me to warm up to it. 

I chock my initial lukewarm reaction up to the ADHD-styled exposition, wind whipped pacing, and paper thin characters. But by the advent of the third act I realized that all of those perceived shortcomings were merely writer/director Rian Johnson’s sneakily excellent means of misdirection and distraction. 

I fell for all the sleights and feints and red herrings and never guessed who the villain was, even though they were hiding in plain sight the entire time. The third act and conclusion are delightfully delicious as all the puzzle pieces fit together just so. Heck, even the predictable reveals still manage to come off as clever and elicited smiles and a few laughs from my oral cavity.

While definitely not as tightly woven as the first film, it is still a richly engaging endeavor all around. That said, I may have liked See How They Run just a smidge better...

All You Can Eat... - Bones and All film review

This film joins the ranks of such fare as Raw and Ginger Snaps, in that it is a totally f$&ked-up coming of age story. Or, to put it another way, it’s pretty much an after school romance special gone off the rails, with a road trip, a search for birth parents, and a sapient tartare sub-plot.

Teeming with lottsa disturbing supporting characters, the film teeters between twee forbidden romance and unnerving psychological and physical trauma. The grue is thick and the violence is harrowing , mostly because it comes out of nowhere or after long bouts of rose colored lens affected romance and drama.

And, yes, while the finale isn’t much of a surprise, those involved did a decent enough job of delivering some quasi-misdirection that keep you second-guessing up until the final moments of the third act.  

Prior to watching this film I haven’t really understood all the hype about the Chalemet kid, but he is pretty damn bueno in this film. And Michael Stuhlbarg and Mark Rylance are insanely creepy, stealing their scenes like professional criminals.

Check Please... - The Menu film review

Prepare yourself for an ambrosial outing which delivers piquantly skewered satire aimed squarely at those who have elevated eating to an unaffordable luxury. Borrowing elements of Agatha Christie and Richard Connell, plus well-aimed digs at entitled pseudo connoisseurs, the film manages to offer up some nice and twisted moments. Though devoid of any sweet surprises, the plot fits together like a well-oiled jigsaw puzzle that’ll make you smile when it all comes together. The cast is stellar, making good with largely stock characterizations (douchey tech bros, the washed-up actor, the self-righteous critic and her pandering editor, etc.), but there are some rich turns from Nicholas Hoult, Ralph Fiennes, and Anya Taylor-Joy tucked in between the amuse bouche and dessert.

FWIW, this film would make a great pairing with Flux Gourmet, Triangle of Sadness, or Don’t Worry Darling.

Bardon My Existence - Bardo, A Chronicle of a Handful of Truths film review

A week ago an acquaintance explained the concept of bardo to me after I showed him the trailer to this film. I was hitherto unfamiliar with the term before this. I also stopped listening to his lengthy and winded exposition, one because I got bored, but two because I feared it might ruin my movie going experience.

Personally, I feel the less you know about the Buddhist theory going into Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s latest effort, the more enjoyable and mindfuckingly good it will be to experience. That said, when the end of the film came I remembered what that acquaintance had been blabbering about and it made the previous 159 minutes make a bit more sense.

Whether you go into it with ignorance or armed with basic Buddhist bravado, Bardo is a visual feast best viewed on the largest screen possible. It is a whirlwind story about life, death, identity, art, commerce, social media, memory, the past, the present, commerce, history, elitism, genocide, racism, as well as being an arty rumination on mid-life crises. It’s also a wonderfully giant puzzle with myriad pieces floating around and around, that when they finally find their place make for a richly layered story worth repeated viewing.

There Is Only a Finger's Difference Between a Wise Man and a Fool - The Banshees of Inisherin film review

This is easily the quietest film writer/director Martin McDonagh has crafted to date. But it is also a smoldering one, one which understatedly revels in multiple layers of complexity.

It’s at times a devilishly dark and fractured fairy tale, an anti-war film masquerading as a swervedriving comedic drama, and a scathing indictment of how routine can kill one’s mental—particularly philosophical—growth. It’s also a movie about loneliness, isolation, and the dissolution of friendship. Or perhaps it’s just a quirky yarn about two blokes living on an island off the coast of Ireland. The joy of this film is that you can make of it what you want. At times absurdist and other times achingly poignant, it moves along at a gentle pace, slowly building tension, but never wasting well-timed comedic inserts either. 

Set against the backdrop of the Irish Civil War circa 1923 there’s a cleverly subdued riff about the futility and folly of conflict, war, and revenge that weaves its thematic thread through an seemingly simplistic story about nice men living simple lives. But as with any good melodrama worth its weight in salt, there’s a dark underbelly lurking just beneath the surface of the idyllic landscape and regular visits to the pub for a pint. Oh, and there’s a witch, a village idiot, and a policeman who enjoys a good wank in his living room most evenings. 

Those familiar with McDonagh’s previous works, both in cinema and the stage (The Pillowman, In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) will relish in his rich dialogue and snaky plot structure. And the thespian turns from both Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are beyond stellar. Supporting work from Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan (damn, this dude is chameleonic as hell) balance things out. Additionally, the score from Carter Burwell (best known for his longtime collaborations with the brothers Coen) sets a wonderful tone that wavers between the whimsical and calamitous and lends the whole affair an air of the Bros. Grimm.

Obtuse Melancholy or The Savage Social Strata - Triangle of Sadness film review

To say that I was initially hesitant about this film is somewhat of an understatement. The reason for my skepticism was that I had not enjoyed the writer/director's 2014 effort Force Majeure, mostly because the characters in the film were despicable and shallow, and highly unrelatable (at least to me). I know that was the point of the film, but it made it really hard to watch.

Despite my reluctancy, this film piqued my interest when it won the Palm d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival. While I don't usually give much credence to festival awards, at least the French have a respectable track record for often times choosing weird, polarizing, and just plain challenging films for the premiere awards at Cannes (think last year's Titane, for example).

But I digress.

In a nutshell, ToS is a brilliantly scathing black comedy, expertly and wryly taking the piss out of gender equality (or inequality as is often the case here), entitled wealth, class structure, social standing, the vapidy of advertising and influencing, and the general cluelessness people have about those around them, especially those dwelling in alternate financial realms (i.e. rich man/poor man). 

The film is told in three parts that feel like absurdist takes on Zoolander, The Poseidon Adventure (albeit by way of Monty Python), and Lord of the Flies. Sure, I'm being smidge facetious with those comparisons, mind you, but they are spot on more than you would think. Left field comparisons aside, the  film is it's own biting, gnawing, satirical entity, taking mundane situations--fighting over who pays the dinner bill--to topical world matters--open sea piracy, distribution of wealth, social and economic hierarchy, and much, much more--and skewering them with smirking aplomb.

I laughed out loud on more than one occasion, had to choke down some serious gagging reflexes a few other times, and found myself perplexed and overjoyed at the insanely ambiguous ending.

In short terms, this film is mondo entertaining and just the right amount of thought provoking.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 31

THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI

Figured I'd end the month with a classic of early cinema. And, surprisingly enough, I'd never seen it before.

While I would hesitate to call it a true horror film, it does contain a lot of the core elements of the genre. 

But it's essentially a macabre looking murder mystery with a few twists and turns that have become de rigueur in modern cinema. 

A feat of German Expressionism, it's the look of the film, much more than the story, that creates a sense of abstract horror: buildings are slanted, authority figures are either lanky or stout and shrunken and sit on insanely high chairs in crowded offices, and everybody wears scary make-up (yes, I know this is the style of the time and a holdover from stage productions that used elaborate and heavily caked make-up so that the folks in the back rows could see the facial expressions, but it's still unnerving and weird looking by today's standards). Suffice it to say, one would be hard pressed not to notice the obvious influence this film had on folks like Tim Burton and Joe Dante, amongst others.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 30

STARRY EYES

This film is an unabashed homage to Dario Argento's Susperia, albeit with less emphasis on rich colors and set design. But it keeps all the eerie and off-putting elements intact, often ratcheting them up to 11.

It's also a pretty damn bueno critique on the Hollywood mystique and people's continued quest for fame and adoration. And it presents a genuinely creepy view of casting calls that predates the Harvey Weinstein MeToo revelations of 2017 by a good three years.

Essentially unfolding as a descent into madness, the film follows the ambitions of wannabe star Sarah, who slums at a fast food restaurant between attending auditions. She's surrounded by other like-minded individuals, all grasping for the elusive Tinseltown Dream. The cattiness displayed between the competing actresses, the lechery and power plays of low-level management, and the seedy underbelly lurking beneath the Silver Screen are all delivered with vim, vigor, and tremendous verve. 

The ending is a bit hammy, but the journey there is so taut and teeming with sinister undertones that it's worth the trip.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 29

HIS HOUSE

This entry, which was much heralded when it screened at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, starts out promisingly enough, but ultimately succumbs to trite and tedious tropes.

In the first act we are introduced to a refugee couple who have escaped from an unnamed African nation mired in civil war violence. It is presumed that they are seeking asylum in England, though we never know which city. They are given a rundown apartment in a dilapidated housing project as they await their fate in regards to citizenship.

There are some genuine creepy moments and a few solid jump scares one they being getting settled in their new home, but from there it devolves into "seen it all before" territory.

There is one really freaky sequence where the wife ventures out of the house and gets lost; it effectively captures the whole "stranger in a strange land" vibe. Plus there's a nice twist reveal just before the third act.

Ultimately, however, the film becomes a rote exercise in people who have committed an immoral act being punished and tormented by demons, both real and imagined. While it does draw upon some unfamiliar (to me, at least) African folklore, it's still a story that has been told umpteen times before in a similar manner.

Methinks the bulk of critics who applauded this film succumbed to "exotic bias," which I myself have been know to exhibit. Here, though, the routine nature of the story ends up bogging the film down. 

TAR(red) and Feathered - TAR film review

Sit back, relax, and prepare to be riveted and nonchalantly repulsed by the story of a high profile maestro who is haunted, hindered, humiliated, and possibly humbled--though this last state is up for debate depending on your interpretation of the film's bonkers ending--by her hubris. Portraying the titular character, Cate Blanchett goes quietly off-the-rails in this darkly veined examination of the cult of personality.

The pacing is slowburn and deliberate, the plot is a percolating melange of arthouse melodrama, but delivered in a brooding and low-key manner. Underneath the surface is a strange air of mystery, which may very well be due to the minimal exposition; key elements of our protagonist's life are doled out sparingly over the 2 hour and 38 minute run time, keeping us in the dark as to her true self.

The film is perhaps unexpectedly prescient, too, given how it mirrors the current unravelling and cancellation of (Kan)Ye. It also tackles MeToo, albeit more as a tertiary element to the core story of an ego unchecked. There are other underlying themes floating about such as the separation of an artist's private life and their art, social media and its increasing role in dictating public opinion, political correctness, and free speech.

Blanchett is riveting and the supporting cast manages to keep their heads above the maelstrom she creates.

If you dig high drama delivered with smoldering intensity and keen camera sense, then this will be right up your alley.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 28

BRAIN FREEZE

I had high hopes for this Quebecer zombie film based on the fact that the last undead oriented endeavor to come across the border—2017’s Ravenous—was pretty damn bueno.

Sadly, this effort starts out mildly promising and then just deteriorates into a hodge lodge of tired tropes. It doesn’t help matters much that it gets bogged down in long, drawn out sequences where literally nothing happens. That and the gore is sparse, as are the thrills and any modicum of tension. And never mind that the film borrows liberally from the likes of Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Z Nation, without bringing much newness to the proverbial table.

To top it all off, there’s an uninspired through line of nationalism (i.e. racism), classicism, and corporate greed, all of which are meant to be thoughtful social-political commentary, but come off as lazy and rote, instead.

The editing is uneven, there are interesting subplots that are brought up, but never followed through, and even the film’s twist ending is lame, predictable, and has been done before. 

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 27

THE ENTITY

Think 1 part The Exorcist, 1 part Ghostbusters, and 1 part Prince of Darkness and you’ll kinda nail the vibe of this overlooked 1982 jewel. Although, this film is based on the 1978 novel which fictionalized a real 1974 parapsychology case, so perhaps it actually influenced the latter two films mentioned above.

Regardless, this is a thrilling and disturbing endeavor, one which expertly utilizes all the patented horror film tricks to great effect.

There’s discordant music, jump scares, and Dutch tilts up the ass. Such techniques could easily have come off gimmicky, but here they work wonderfully, creating unease, confusion, and terror. And while the blood and gore is beyond minimal, the violence portrayed  is palpable and unnerving.

Sure, it dips into hokey territory at times, but the pacing and the use of all the aforementioned techniques make this a brisk and entertaining edge-of-your-seat experience.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 26

RABIES

At first glance the title of this Israeli film (billed as the country's first horror film, btw) seems incredibly incongruous. I mean there are no slavering Saint Bernards or rabid raccoons attacking the protagonists anywhere in the film. But once the sardonically wry ending unfolds you realize that the title is incredibly apropos; the core theme of the film is rage, violence, and erratic behavior.

To this end we are greeted with a diverse ensemble cast consisting of incompetent map readers, incestual siblings, creepy cops, jealous lovers, serial killers, and innocent accidental participants. Toss in some rusty bear traps, forgotten land mines, and peeing in the woods and you've got yourself one helluva comedy of terrors.

Those are just some of the things bubbling through the insanely bugged out plot of this 2010 release. In short, Rabies is a strange melange of genre tropes, yet despite its familiarity it resonates with a fresh sense of off-kilter consternation. 

The best thing about this film is that you never know just exactly where it’s headed; it starts going one way and then veers precariously into a completely different direction. Keeping the audience on their toes and constantly guessing is its major strength. That and a wonderfully weird sense of macabre humor.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 25

 THE CURSED (aka EIGHT FOR SILVER) - streaming on Hulu and Kanopy[/B]

Holy hairballs and gnarly fingernails!

Despite an ever-so-brief theatrical run, this film has largely flown under the radar, which is a shame because it’s a nicely made little neo-gothic horror gem.

Dripping with moody atmosphere (copious amounts of fog and shadows, plus some great camera angles and shots), well-paced action and drama, and containing some solid thespian turns (all you Yellowstone fanboys can rejoice at seeing Beth Dutton gussied up in 1882 French couture), the film delivers on the chills and thrills.

The only slight is the debatable CGI, but thankfully it is used sparingly; the film definitely would have been better served with more practical FX, though.

Still, it has this opulent Hammer-esque sense of production design, great period costumes, and a keen air of suspense. 

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 24

THE EYES OF MY MOTHER

Borrowing a page or two from the Ed Gein mythos by way of Psycho and the likes of Polanski’s Repulsion, writer/director Nicolas Pesce’s debut feature presents a good case against home schooling.

Filmed in crisp black & white, it’s a steadily paced descent into supreme dysfunctional family fallout. Pesce does a fantastic job with alluded to gore and grue and keeps the macabre musings moving along with enough cringe worthy moments to keep you unnerved. 

Sure, most of the plot points are old hat, but the cinematography, pacing, and acting insure that things feel just fresh enough.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 23

HOUSE

This 1977 Japanese flick is a trip. Imagine if Hanna, Barbera, and Sid & Marty Krofft had collaborated on a horror film. Yeah, it’s that wacky and weird, plus it’s a bugged out mind-fugg to boot.

The insane blend of pure strangeness, tilted humor, and off-kilter horror obviously rubbed off on cats like Sam Raimi (specifically Evil Dead II), Tim Burton (mainly Beetlejuice), and Sion Sono (Tokyo Vampire Hotel). Heck, you can even see this film’s influence on the similarly titled 1985 American horror comedy starring The Greatest American Hero and Norm.

But enough of those ruminations. Nobuhiko Obayashi’s film is off-the-nuts entertaining. While not particularly scary, it is creepy and eerie and the sheer manic absurdity is near brilliant.

It’s the type of film one wishes they could see in a packed midnight screening or at the drive-in with a large crew and a keg of brew.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 22

DEAD OF NIGHT

This 1945 anthology is a veritable Old School horror film, relying more on creepy atmosphere and supernatural allusion than jump scares and gratuitous gore. Produced by Ealing Studios (the oldest continuously operating movie studio in the world) it was apparently a rarity for the time as Britain had banned the production of horror movies during WWII. Additionally, it has been name-checked by Martin Scorsese in interviews.

While not particularly scary, it does resonate with a strange eeiriness and is definitely a precursor to things like The Twilight Zone and Final Destination.

The wraparound story is particularly cool and a delicious bit of a mindf@$k.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 21

POSSUM

Best described as “psychological horror,” this British export is disturbing and unnerving. There is a sinister undertone that runs at a constant velocity leaving you wondering exactly what in the hell is going on. The exposition is left to an almost nonexistent bare minimum, requiring the viewer to fill in the blanks. This is a tricky tactic that actually ends up working, as it helps to create an even more oppressive sense of  eerie dread. 

I’m not even gonna talk about the titular character; it’s harrowing and nightmare inducing, to say the least. And Sean Harris is brilliant as the ostracized loner who may or may not be crazy.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 20

THE MIND’S EYE

Certainly not a great movie by any stretch, it is at least, in many ways, it is the true spiritual sequel to Scanners, as it’s heads and tails better than either Scanners II or Scanners III.

Director/screenwriter Joe Begos inserts a few interesting elements into his story about people with super acute mental powers and his antagonist is promising. The film flounders, however, by not making the villain dastardly enough and by not taking the effects and gore to more creative levels; Begos, who is known for his over-the-top splatter effects, keeps things rather tame here. Plus he more or less sticks to the blueprint devised by Cronenberg. The one stand-out is the sound design (the film even begins with the prompt: "This Film Needs To Be Played LOUD”), which is intensely immersive.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 19

TERRIFIER

Part stalker, part slasher, part torture porn, and part supernatural injected evil entity, this 2016 low-budget effort owes a huge debt to Halloween and Friday the 13th, amongst other like-minded horror outings.

While the gore is splatterific, there just seems to be an inherent meanness to the film. The antagonist, Art the Clown, is creepy AF—imagine Marcel Marceau as a demonic butcher—but he’s also sadistic beyond reproach and comes off even more empty and evil than Michael Meyers, if you can believe that. The film definitely would have benefited from a bit more humor as much of the action just feels callous.  

That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the acting, the production value is pretty damn bueno for such a cheaply made film, and the pre-title intro is wickedly weird (and voraciously violent in a packed-out 70s Italian horror kinda way).

Ultimately, however, this film is aimed squarely at gore hounds who favor violent onscreen kills over story and character development.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 18

BLACK MAGIC 2

While the Shaw Brothers first Black Magic film was lacking, this not-quite sequel goes full gonzo.

We’re talking man-eating alligators, hopping zombies, empty eyed ghouls, breastfeeding evil sorcerers, slutty living dead escorts, grave robbing, worm and writing maggot infested wounds, melting faces, and blistering skin. There’s a bit of clunky kung fu tossed in for good measure, too.

Imagine a Hammer horror film gone awry, then crossed with voodoo and The Devil’s Rain and you’ve only just scratched the surface.

This is pure midnight movie madness.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 17

SHREDDER - Netflix DVD mail order subscription

If you shred, you’re dead! *

Somebody is killing off all the obnoxious snowboarders poaching the closed (and possibly haunted, or so the locals claim) Rocky Summit ski resort.

Welcome to the world of Shredder, where being a snowboarder is hazardous to your health.

Snowsports are sorely underrepresented in horror movies. Sadly, this effort doesn’t up the ante all that much.

A veritable paint-by-numbers slasher affair teeming with mediocre acting, lots of over ethusiastic use of outdated slang, beyond stereotyped stoner boarders, and ho-hum kill scenes are intermingled with okay riding and skiing sequences (this ain’t no Aspen Extreme or Hot Dog, though).

The major takeaway: KNOW THE CODE!!!

*(BTW, the producers really dropped the (snow)ball by not using that as the tagline in the trailer).

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 16

THE SADNESS - streaming on Shudder and AMC+

This Taiwanese update on the inner city zombie outbreak is a strange, uneven, yet relentless beast of a film. Definitely not for the faint of heart as the gore is insanely gruesome and stomach churning. I have a pretty high threshold when it comes to cinematic violence and I found myself wincing more than once; the bloodletting is in that video nasty grindhouse vein a la I Spit On Your Grave and makes Tom Savini’s work look like amateur hour.

I mentioned the film is uneven and that’s due to stop-and-go pacing, which initially is kind of frustrating. There are bouts of intense violence followed by seemingly long stretches of dialogue that feels like needless mansplaining exposition. This technique also made it predictable as to when crazy stuff was going to jump off. It was distracting until I realized that it may very well have been intended to mimic the actions of the zombies. 

The film manages to mix in Covid hysteria, politics, and conspiracies rather nicely, too. As for the ending, at first it feels like a complete cop-out. But when you realize the subtle nastiness of it, it becomes quite brilliant.

Oh yeah, stalwart horror geeks should no doubt recognize the obvious homage to films like Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Comet, and The Crazies (though I recently learned that it may have been influenced by Crossed, a comic book written by Garth Ennis (The Boys)--yeah, I may be slippin').

Who's The Boss? - The Good Boss film review

Javier Bardem delivers a delicious turn as a narcissistic owner/boss of an industrial scale company in this delightfully subdued dark comedrama.

Unfolding like a mellow telenovela, the story is teeming with undercurrents of lust, egotistical illusion, infidelity, and touches on such cornerstone heavy topics as classism, racism, and integrity.

It’s got some wonderfully unassuming callbacks that resonate with quiet punches to both the guy and the brain, plus Javier B delivers a powerhouse performance.

While my main experience with Spanish cinema has been through the films of Almodovar, this effort is leaner and meaner, but no less captivating.

* [screening at select theaters (in Spanish w/subtitles)]

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 15

SEANCE - streaming on Shudder and AMC+

Simon Barrett, best known for penning two of my favorite genre flicks from the past decade—You’re Next and The Guest—steps behind the camera for this slick and entertaining swipe at late 90s/early oughts ensemble horror films.

Mixing Mean Girls-styled melodrama with ghost stories, Ouija boards, masked killers, and a tale of revenge, Seance tweaks tired tropes just enough to keep things interesting. Sure, a large chunk of the ending is utterly predictable, but there’s decent enough red herrings swimming throughout, a passable double-twist, and a well choreographed boffo brawl to even things out.

Some (clueless) critics complained that the film was a convoluted jumble. They obviously missed the fact that it's a nifty genre mash-up, much like Barrett's other films (i.e. The Guest) and the riffs on these various genres is what makes it fun and entertaining.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 14

SHE WILL - streaming on AMC+ and Shudder

Cabin in the woods? Check.

Weird folk horror trappings? Check.

Creepy score? Check.

Witches? Check.

Owing an obvious debt to Dario Argento (who just so happens to have produced this effort), Charlotte Colbert’s debut feature is a dreamy, art-house horror offering that slides by the eyes with lush imagery and an eerie tone of feminine vengeance and nature’s immense power. A little uneven at times (there’s a somewhat incongruous comedic performance from Rupert Everett, for example, plus some overt #MeToo allusions), the film is beautifully shot, has fantastic sound design, and the preternatural elements stir up enough unease and tension to make it thoroughly engaging, not to mention just a tad thought provoking.

The concepts of transformation and revenge are as old as the horror genre itself, but here they are unleashed with such visual flair as to make them seem sufficiently fresh. 

 

31 Days 0f Horror (Films) - Day 13

SOLE SURVIVOR - streaming on AMC+ and Shudder

Written and directed by Thom Eberhardt (best known for his cult classic Night of the Comet), this 1983 slow burn horror thriller is the undisputed spiritual precursor to the Final Destination franchise.

Granted, it’s not as gonzo or gory as those films, but it still packs a decent amount of creepy tension.

The acting isn’t terribly great and the cinematography has that 1980s made-for-tv look, but the story is intriguing and quite a lot of the shots of an empty Los Angeles at night are unsettlingly cool.

In the grand scheme of things it’s very much like an extended The Twilight Zone episode.

31 Days 0f Horror (Films) - Day 12

BLOOD VESSEL - streaming on AMC+ and Shudder

Naziferatu.

That was gonna be my pithy, one word review of this film.

As clever as I thought it was, I decided to double check the webz to see if it had already been used.

Fudge me like a day old brownie, cuz some nerd bro used it in his review back in 2020.

My initial thought was “great minds think alike,” but then I realized I can’t vouch for that other guy.

Any way, this is a nazi vampire action film that unquestionably would be a few nods better if seen at a midnight movie with a rowdy crowd hopped up on brew and booze.

Sober, it’s mildly entertaining, if a bit predictable.

31 Days 0f Horror (Films) - Day 11

 HOUSE ON WILLOW STREET - streaming on AMC+

This multi-genre mash-up has its moments, but overall ends up just being ho-hum.

The practical effects are pretty decent, but sadly are marred by some seriously cheesy digital components (what the hell is the fascination with long, saliva drenched tongues writhing around like snakes in horror films?).

The story, centered around a kidnapping, starts out promisingly enough, but soon gets bogged down with murky, half-assed exposition (or lack thereof) and underdeveloped and well-worn tropes.

Then again, if you dig low-budget, SyFy Channel styled action horror, this might be in your wheelhouse…

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 10

BEYOND THE GATES - streaming on AMC+

Third time's a charm...

So, I started the day off watching a film called Proxy. While entertaining and coming out the gate strong, ultimately I felt it was more of a Lifetime-styled psycho thriller (albeit one jacked up on meth) than a horror movie. 

Next I checked out Francis Ford Coppola's first official feature film, Dementia 13. While dripping with gothic overtones and a rabid killer vibe, I thought it was more mystery/psycho drama than horror.

Not one to be daunted, I queued up a third film, Beyond the Gates, and scored a winner!

This flick is like a bugged out mash-up of House, Phantasm, and Jumanji. Comin' in hot on the low-budget tip like a 1980's direcct-to-VHS jammy, it’s creepy, funny, and weird. While it can bog down at times with some meandering "dramatic" exposition, the quirk factor is high enough to keep you watching for the duration. Plus it stars that cool kid from John Dies at the End, the one who played Dave. Here he's like the uber nerd-hip, sad sack stoner bro.

Also, how the hell did I miss out on VHS board games? The crux of this film's story hinges on a bugged out “interactive” Ouija type game.

Oh, and as an added bonus, cult scream queen Barbara Crampton injects some wonderfully campy and macabre ambiance to the whole proceedings. Oh, and there’s some pretty decent practical splatter gore to keep things appropriately ewwy and gooey.

If you spent any time in the 80s and 90s pouring over the faded covers of horror films at your local video store (we're talking pre-Blockbuster, yo!), then this jam's for you.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 9

PYEWACKET - streaming on AMC+

This is a prime example of how just because a film screened at a prestigious festival doesn’t always mean that it’s good. To wit, I really had high hopes for this endeavor since it premiered at TIFF a few years back, plus the trailer made it look cool and promising.

Sadly, it’s a run-of-the-mill teen angst and emotionally distraught parent story, albeit wrapped up in supernatural undertones. To make matters worse, all of the characters are one-dimensional, the plot is pretty predictable (the ending terribly so), and the lack of necessary exposition just seems lazy.

On the one hand the slow-burn pacing does create a certain sense of apprehensive dread, the accompanying score adds a nice, creepy vibe, and the woodsy locale, while kind of trite, is still creep. Alas, when the insanely rote “twist” ending comes, it all seems for nought.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 8

FEAR(S) OF THE DARK  (In French with subtitles) - streaming on AMC+ and IFC

Rendered in black and white and heavily relying on shadow and light, this is a dark, moody, and downright eerie animated anthology.

Rabid dogs, swamp beasts, dead samurai, creepy crawly insects, malevolent ghosts, and a disembodied voice scared of philosophy and ideology inhabit the various vignettes that unfold before your eyes in a rich variety of illustrated styles ranging from ligne claire to aquatints, and big eyes inflected anime.

Each of the stories adeptly conjure up feelings of dread, claustrophobia, paranoia, and in some cases mild revulsion, the end result being a satisfying cavalcade of chilling cartoons.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 7

 BLACK MAGIC - via Netflix DVD Mail Order

This Shaw Brothers production is an odd duck of a film. Looking like a cheap cross between a Hammer horror flick, an early Mario Bava effort, and a weird riff on Fantasy Island (or perhaps a bugged out episode of Love, American Style), it’s injected with some soft-core eroticism and hokey creepiness. 

The story is essentially a tale of misguided love (aka infatuation), dueling practitioners of black magic, and spiteful lovers. Sadly, the scare factor is dismally low and there are zero bouts of kung fu craziness. 

Believe it or not, they made a sequel (which is next up in my queue, although I am not expecting much based on this film).

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 6

THE PERFECTION -streaming on Netflix

This is a jarring mash of revenge fantasy, body horror, and Lifetime styled lesbian love affair, with some additional heavy nods to MeToo.

For about the first 20-odd minutes I thought I’d been duped as nothing much happened other that some minor projectile vomiting and a low level lovemaking montage. But then it gets kinda bonkers and eventually kinda creepy, and not in the scary way, but in that creepy, cringey way.

While the gore and jump scares are minimal, it’s the odd twists and turns that really make this an interesting and entertaining effort.

Well I'll Be Amsterdammed! - Amsterdam Film Review

 In the context of the film, "Amsterdam" is a metaphor for an idyllic utopia where racial equality and artistic freedom are the norm. Sadly, like most romantic ideals, it's not something likely to be long lasting if ever fully realized, which ultimately makes this largely comedic romp all the more sad and somber in the end.

Part war buddy bromance, part mystery, part conspiracy theory David O. Russell's latest effort chugs along like a streamlined and less whimsical Wes Anderson ensemble piece. While largely light and breezy with a number of great comedic turns from those involved, it does get bogged down with slightly heavy-handed socio-political commentary in the third act. This nefarious revelation draws an all-too-obvious correlation to the current state of American affairs and almost renders the brevity of the previous two acts moot. Thankfully, the sheer chutzpah of all involved saves the day.

The cast here is stellar. Bale, Washington, and Robbie are supported with a veritable roll call of thespian luminaries, some recognizable, others lurking under wonderful make-up and elaborate costumes. 

And the story? It's like a vintage Hitchcockian thriller with it's twists and turns and everyday people thrust behind the cloak and dagger curtain. But it's also funny, too. I laughed out loud more than once. I swear.

Unbeknownst to me, the film is actually based on a somewhat obscure and alleged conspiracy event called "The Wall Street Putsch," which occurred in 1933 (look it up because it's fascinating and crazy enough to make even the most stalwart intellectual consider the existence of myriad other conspiracy theories).

For some reason the film is getting slagged by the critics. Not sure if they all saw a different cut than me, but I was thoroughly entertained by it. A former colleague of mine recently remarked that the sign of a good movie is one that makes you forget that you're sitting in a strange chair in an unfamiliar dark room that's not in your house. If you squirm, fidget, or feel the need to get up numerous times to go to the bathroom or get a snack, then the film sucks. I was glued firmly to my seat all the way through the final credits. 

So, yeah, I enjoyed it. 

But YMMV.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 5

 V/H/S/94 - streaming on Shudder

Sewer rats, the living dead, cyborgs, and vampires, oh my!!!

This 2022 reboot of the V/H/S anthology franchise is more or less a gonzo good time rife with splatter gore, jump scares, and twisted tales from the warped minds of Simon Barrett, Timo Tjahjanto, Ryan Prows, and Chloe Okuno.

Really the only weak link is the wraparound story by Jennifer Reed, which is convoluted and confusing, both in its editing and story. The rest of the vignettes, however, more than make up for it.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 4

DACHRA - streaming on Shudder and Kanopy

There’s quite a bit to like about this Tunisian horror film. There’s also quite a lot to be frustrated about. 

On the positive side, the direction is crisp and cool with lots of wonderfully composed shots that help to instill a sense of unease and dread. The acting is solid, too. But damn if this isn’t one derivative endeavor. 

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a group of college kids decide to go investigate a strange patient at a creepy insane asylum and film the interview for their journalism senior project. Naturally, they uncover a mystery and end up in the woods “enjoying” the hospitality of a strange community. Witchcraft and demons may be involved. Furthermore, our protagonist is an orphan who has been experiencing menacing nightmares.

 Culling familiar elements from The Blair Witch Project (and dozens of other like-minded films that followed in its wake), the “Lady In Black” mythos, and of course the whole creepy backwoods locals schtick really hurts the story, especially since it embraces so many worn-out tropes without really giving them a new shine.

 I am cutting the film a little bit of slack due to “exotic bias,” as the Tunisian locales were stunning and weird and the language (a mixture of Arabic and French) is mellifluous to the ears.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 3

BENNY LOVES YOU - streaming on Showtime

Imagine Elmo on a killing spree.

That’s the gist of this Brit horror comedy.

This is a bonafide red eye matinee, best viewed through an alcohol and psychedelics fueled haze with a loud crowd of like-minded viewers.

Sadly, I am off the sauce and on the wagon and I watched at home alone, so a lot of the purile humor fell flat.

In many ways the film owes a debt to Edgar Wright, but it lacked any of his snappy wit and brilliant staging.

The bits with Benny (is he a bear or a rabbit?) are pretty hilarious as it looks like the director just moved him around with his hands like he was playing with a stuffy with his kids and then edited out his hands; Benny isn’t articulated or animated, he just bounces around with his ears and arms and legs flopping. Sure, that shit is kinda funny, but after awhile, especially if you are sober, it wears thin. Additionally, the blood and gore and practical effects are super cheap.

In the end Benny Loves You kinda flails at it’s intended mash-up of comedy, horror, and nostalgia. That said, I know if I had seen this at at Midnite Matinee hopped up on brew and bud with a raucous crowd I’d be giving it 5 stars…instead I’mma go 2.5.

Heineken? F$%k that sh!t! Pabst Blue Ribbon!!! - The Greatest Beer Run Ever Review

Anti-war film in the vein of Platoon? Military comedy a la Stripes? Heroic action film? Peter Farrelly’s latest effort is all of these, with some coming-of-age/journey-of-self discovery elements tossed in for good measure.

The problem, however, is that it is ALL of those things, resulting in the overall tone of the film being incredibly uneven. It can’t seem to make up it’s mind if it wants to be a ribald comedy, a somber socio-political commentary, or a gonzo war picture. In short it shifts tones so frequently that it leaves the viewer dizzy. I found myself laughing hysterically at a scene only to be slapped in the face by some ardent message while I was still mid guffaw. Or I found myself tearing up during an emotional moment only to have an ill-timed belly laugh thrown at me. The film is a veritable roller coaster, which becomes erratic and jolting.

Ups and downs aside, the story is anchored by a bravura turn from Zac Efron. Honestly, I’ve never paid much attention to this dude as I always (unfairly) remember him for his early Disney dancing and singing days. While I never watched any of the High School Musical films, that image of Efron is indelibly etched in my mind. Heck, I can only recall two other films that I’ve seen him in: Me and Orson Welles and The Beach Bum. I don’t remember much about him in the former, but he all but saved the latter with a hilariously over-the-top turn as a drug addict. Here he maneuvers the rocky tonal shifts with aplomb, delivering some nice comedic moments, some solid dramatic flair, and based on how he dodges gunfire and grenades, he might actually make a good action hero someday. The supporting cast, consisting largely of unknowns (to me, at least) is strong and the two high profile cameos—Murray and Crowe—are put to good use. 

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is a conflicting film, one that never really finds its voice or footing. In many ways it is a mirror reflection of the war that it depicts: chaotic and confusing, but also exciting (at times) and emotionally charged.

Bottomline: No need to head out to the cineplex to see it. If you have AppleTV, just stream it instead.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 2

 WRONG TURN (aka THE FOUNDATION) (2021) - streaming on Showtime

I had been vaguely aware that they had turned the 2003 Wrong Turn into a franchise, but had no idea that this 2020 "reboot" was the seventh(!) entry in the series. I think I saw bits & pieces of WT 2: Dead End on the SyFy Channel late one night, but all I remember about it is that Henry Rollins was in it. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the Wrong Turn concept, it basically took The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes, mashed the key elements of both together, moved the actions to West Virginia, and BAM! called it a new movie. The original film was enjoyable, if predictable and trope/cliche ridden fare. It certainly didn't warrant 6 sequels, though.

Despite the incessant hyperbole displayed by most horror enthusiasts online, I decided to give this effort a go. I am not sure why they decided to use the Wrong Turn name (although the script here is penned by Alan B. McElroy, who wrote the first film and is returning to the franchise after 18 years) as this film shares very little in common with its predecessors. Sure, an annoying group of spoiled city kids get lost in the woods and all hell breaks loose, but everything else is just enough different that it really should have been a standalone film; we didn't really need a reboot of a mediocre franchise is what I'm saying.

Unnecessary attachment to the "Wrong Turn" title aside, this is an entertaining, if derivative bit of action horror.  As for changes, they are subtle: the action has been moved from West Virginia to Virginia and our protagonists get lost on the Appalachian Trail rather than on some backwoods road. The antagonists have changed a bit, too, but to talk about them would spoil the new slants to the familiar story. Speaking of which, the plot ticks off all the requisite tropes and cliches, starting with annoying and mostly unlikeable characters (except for Matthew Modine's father character; I love how he is becoming a horror icon in this part of his career!), creepy locals, and the like.

The acting is decent enough and the pacing, while starting off slow, ends up being pretty quick. The director knows when to amp things up and the action sequences are pretty intense, especially the opening act tumble down a hillside and the third act bravura finale. The "reveal"/twist to the original Wrong Turn is a little tepid, a little confusing, and meant to make some sort of socio-political statement, but what exactly, I'm not sure.

This film definitely falls squarely into the B-movie category and as such it provides some chills and thrills, but overall isn't terribly spectacular (though that hill tumble sequence and the finale are pretty sweet and there's a fair bit of solid practical gore sprinkled throughout). Sadly, the specter of the horrible Wrong Turn films (2-6) hangs over this endeavor. Personally, I woulda called it Appalachian Terror or just The Foundation. But what do I know?

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Day 1

WEREWOLVES WITHIN - streaming on Showtime

In the pantheon of werewolf movies only four readily come to my mind as approaching greatness: An American Werewolf In London, The Howling, The Company Of Wolves, and Ginger Snaps. While Werewolves Within doesn’t come close, it is a breezy and often entertaining entry in the genre. Rather low on gore and scares, it’s a mildly campy effort which unfolds like an Agatha Christie whodunnit. While I was sufficiently distracted as to who the werewolf was—via classic bait-and-switch and countless red herrings—when the reveal came I wasn’t at all surprised. Sadly, the werewolf FX were a bit lame and some of the humor and stereotypical characters were a bit thin. Yet despite the lack of horror, gore, and the rather mediocre werewolf effects, this was a fairly enjoyable effort.

31 Days of Horror (Films) - Commitment

So I decided somewhat last minute that I would attempt to watch a horror movie a day for the entirety of the month of October.

Thusly, I present to you "31 Days of Horror (Films)."

Last year I dove into “Noirvember,” where I watched a noir film for every day of November.

Yet, in all my years, I’ve never attempted the “31 Horror Films In October” challenge (i.e. watching a horror film a day leading up to Halloween).

Figured this year is as good as any to give it a go.

Lottsa offerings on the various streaming sites, so there is no shortage of (hopefully) terrifying fare.

We shall see.

Daydream Believer - Moonage Daydream film review

 Wow.

Just saw this on the IMAX screen in Sparks, NV.

My ears are still ringing.

Less a documentary than it is a mind-melting melee of sound and vision; it mixes archival footage, animation, and voiceovers into a blazing assault on the senses.

While more or less unfolding in a linear narrative, it is by no means comprehensive, starting at Bowie’s Ziggy period and then zig-zagging loosely through some of his other personas and career milestones.

For the most part it is largely intense and engaging, yet it does tend to drag in spots. However, the slow moments are easily overshadowed by numerous chill inducing bouts of emotional bliss.

Highly recommended.

The Best Laid Schemes...See How They Run film review

Evoking Hitchcock by way of DePalma, Woody Allen by way of Wes Anderson, and embracing Agatha Christie with both reverence and tongue-in-cheek, this is a deliciously delightful romp that is a film lover's wet dream. 

It's a slick and snarky whodunnit brimming with a wonderful ensemble cast, punchy dialogue, a fantastic score, and lots of cinematic chicanery.

Above all else, it's just a fun film.

RIYL:  Knives Out; Bullet Train

At The Gates: Barbarian film review

 As with both X and Bodies Bodies Bodies, this is a horror movie that is fast, furious, and fun, though not terribly original.

Astute horror fans will quickly discover that writer/director Zach Cregger has judiciously borrowed ideas from a number of other films, most notably People Under The Stairs, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre by way of House of 1000 Corpses, and Don’t Breathe (and perhaps just a smidge of The Collector), just to name a few of the obvious influences.

While Barbarian certainly looks and feels like a compendium of other films, it’s smart enough to keep the story moving at a breakneck pace. On top of that it saturates the visuals with throbbing and disconcerting sonic ambiance and packs in just enough jump scares and WTF moments to keep you enthralled for its hour-and-43-minute duration. 

Sure, the #MeToo and Blue Lives Matter commentary is a bit heavy handed and the reliance on so many familiar tropes without really tweaking them is a bit frustrating, but as a calling card for Cregger’s continued career as a genre director it’s not too shabby (it’s worth noting that prior to this film the bulk of Cregger’s work has been in comedy).

Three Thousand Years of Longing film review

I went and saw this at a Wednesday afternoon matinee with my 89 y/o dad. He knew absolutely nothing about it going in. And he enjoyed it (I did, too, btw), commenting on the walk back to the car after the screening that it was “an adult fairy tale.”

That pretty much sums up the film.

If you go in expecting some Mad Max mayhem, given George Miller's best known cinematic pedigree, well you’re gonna be disappointed; it has more in common with The Princess Bride than Fury Road.

As for me, I dug it. The narrative structure is really cool, the acting from Swinton and Elba is solid, the pacing is even, and the direction is artfully restrained.

While arguments could be made that it succumbs to the “magical negro” trope, one could just as easily say it embraces the “white savior” trope, too. If such is the case, those two tropes pretty much cancel each other out. Personally, I didn’t feel that the film’s story succumbed to either.

Honestly, the film is more of a veiled “chick flick” bathed in neo macho accoutrements.

So, if you enjoy rich romantic fantasies with a dark and mysterious edge, then this will be right up your alley.

P.S.

I have not read the source material, so no clue as to how faithful it is…

RIYL: The Princess Bride; The Fall; 300; The Brothers Grimm

In Motion: Bodies Bodies Bodies film review

Imagine Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None crossed with Bret Easton Ellis’s Less Than Zero, yet teeming with blaring electro rap and aimed squarely at Millennials and Gen-Zers weened on social media.

That pretty much sums up B3.

Which isn’t to say an aging Gen-Xer can’t have fun watching it. Just don’t expect it to reinvent the slasher as an uber meta self-referential masterpiece a la Scream.

On the whole this is a fast paced murder mystery that effectively uses music to create moods of tension and unease (props to the score by Disasterpiece, who oh so obviously ripped a few pages out of John Carpenter’s sonic playbook).

The only glitches come in the form of a groan worthy plot device that’s on par with the rusty nail in A Quiet Place and the fact that the satire isn’t mean and nasty enough; the digs at TikTok shackled youth of the world are pretty tame and could have done with a bit more barb (pro tip: watch Annihilation Nation for an example of sharp social commentary and aggressive triggers).

Perhaps not on par with A24’s other horror fare—Hereditary, Midsommar, Men, etc.—but it’s a fun end-of-summer diversion.

No. Just No. The Nope film review

The title says it all.

As in:

You The Movie Loving Public: “Hey Spence, is Nope worth seeing?”

Me: “Nope.”

Further elaboration:

In regards to writer/director Jordan Peele, I thought Get Out was okay. I really dug Us.

Nope, however, is all over the place with too many unfinished ideas, thin characters, and a weak reveal that is neither scary, horrifying, or gory.

There are several scenes meant to be scary that look like people playing in a jump house or doing interpretive dance with parachutes (if you've seen the cult film The Death Bed, well the effects are on part with the silk sheets of suffocation...).

It’s like a kid with ADHD watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Super 8 and said “I can do better,” but then didn’t.

The underlying theme is that animals can’t be tamed, but it fails to even really elaborate on that with any semblance of creativity, let alone horror.

Peele might be this generation’s M. Night…And the internet pundit (oh, my bad, "critic") who exclaimed that Jordan Peele is the greatest horror director ever is an idiot who obviously hasn’t seen enough horror films.

You know a film is crap when even the presence of Keith David and Michael Wincott (!) can’t save it. 

Rage in the Cage - The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent film review

This movie is stupid.

And by that I mean stupid(ly) entertaining.

It's smart in all the right places and hilariously dumb in all the other right places.

While the whole meta action hero shtick is nothing new--Arnie kind of gave it a go in The Last Action Hero and Jean-Claude Van Damme was ahead of the trend with the sublime JCVD--Nic F$%king Cage pretty much goes hellbent for leather and then some here.

The director and screenwriters keep things light and breezy and moving at a breakneck pace. As for Cage? Well, he's firing on all cylinders (and that's something of an understatement).

The plot is ripped straight outta the era when Sly, Bruce, and Arnie (and to a certain extent Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude, and Chuck Norris) ruled the Box Office and Nic gave 'em all a run for their $$$ with Con Air, The Rock, and Face Off. But there's also a heaping dose of ribald comedy a la Leaving Arizona, present here, too.

I laughed, I was thrilled, and now I wanna watch Paddington 2 and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (you will, too, after viewing this flick).

Viva Nic F$%king Cage!

RIYL: Lethal Weapon; Romancing The Stone; Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle; Dude, Where's My Car; JCVD