The Unofficial Ongoing Current Movies in Theaters thread

[dookeyXXX]

THE MONKEY
I had high hopes for this film based on director Os Perkins’ previous endeavor, Longlegs.
Sadly, this Stephen King adaptation falls a bit flat.
For starters, the twin schtick (Theo James playing two brothers) wears thin really fast. Furthermore, the film never gains a proper tonal footing. It also felt like Perkins was trying to out Final Destination Final Destination with Rube Goldberg-styled over-the-top-deaths (he fails miserably). Shoddy CG special effects don’t help, either. The film looks great in terms of cinematography, but overall it just never clicked for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=husMGbXEIho

[dookeyXXX]

BLACK BAG
I really enjoyed this slick and stylish spy thriller.
It was a refreshing turn after director Soderbergh and screenwriter Koepp’s mangled and muddled mess from earlier this year, Presence (that movie sucked).
Here the duo redeem themselves by delivering what can only be described as a high brow and modern take on Clue (the board game), but played out with British panache and a side order of matrimonial devotion.
The cast is taut, the pacing even, and David Holmes’ avant jazz score accentuates the drama and tension nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_56L6WzLT8

[dookeyXXX]

<p>
ASH</p>
<p>
This outer space survival film suffers from being a derivative pastiche of other films, specifically Alien, The Thing, and Life. And while director Flying Lotus definitely has visual acumen, a solid understanding of tense pacing, and delivers an immersive score, it is not enough to overcome the script and its reliance on all-too-familiar beats from the aforementioned films, thus rendering the entire exercise rather ho-hum.</p>
<p>
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSY9...cJCdgAo7VqN5tD</p>

[dookeyXXX]

MAGAZINE DREAMS
This film is both frustrating and challenging. At times I found it muddled and hokey and yet it is also jarring and mesmerizing. Part of the film’s problem stems from the broad strokes of storytelling and the often opaque elements of character development.
It’s unclear if the protagonist Killian Maddox (fervently portrayed by Jonathan Majors) has ASD, is intellectually impaired, or just a sad sack incel nut job. As a result of this lack of clarity, it’s hard to emphasize with the character; I spent the film alternating between feeling sorry for him and being appalled at his actions and this back-and-forth kept me ungrounded and on edge for the entirety of the 124-minute run time. Perhaps this was filmmaker Elijah Bynu’s intent, but it made for a most unnerving moviegoing experience.
It’s also unclear how much of the movie is meant to be “reality” and how much is meant to be a “dream”; Major’s character often breaks into voiceover where his voice is different than when his character speaks, thus signaling some kind of disconnect in the story.
Again, this sense of disorientation may very well be intentional and if it is, well it’s as effective as it is annoying.
I’m still not 100% sure if I liked this film, but it kept me glued to my seat and my eyes riveted to the screen, plus I’m still thinking about it a week later.
The other aspect of this film that is unavoidable is that Majors was recently found guilty of assault in real life and the character he plays here is prone to violent outbursts and throughout the film meets with some kind of counselor/therapist to address his rage. This adds a surreal life-imitating-art-imitating-life sheen to the whole affair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imqmeRe46iE

[dookeyXXX]

Seen a few flix in the cineplex in the past few months, but we all know the site has been glitchy so I haven’t been able to post most days.

DEATH OF A UNICORN
Had promise, but went for cliche cartoon comedy instead of going for dark and ominous. Plus the CGI was not that great. And while I generally like Paul Rudd, his sad sack Everyman schtick is starting to wear thin…

FREAKY TALES
This anthology is named after a Too $hort rap, but really had little to do with it.
Great cast and cool interlocking stories based on actual historical events from Oakland, CA.

A WORKING MAN
I love me some Jason Statham, but this entry in his ass-kicking oeuvre fell a little short (I recommend THE BEEKEEPER over this one).


THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND
I enjoyed it, but also felt it was really cliche. I kept wanting to hate it because it felt like 20 other films I’ve seen, but the dialogue and actors kept pulling me back in.
And, yes, I cried at the end.
I felt mildly manipulated by the characters as written, not to mention the story and its overly familiar beats, but the cast was solid and the quirky dialogue is definitely worth a second viewing.

[Supermoon]

I saw Sinners, and holy shit. What a movie. Loved the storytelling, visuals, and all of the actors were perfectly cast. Just brilliant all around.

[dookeyXXX]

THE LEGEND OF OCHI
This film is full of wonder and awe in the vein of ET, GREMLINS, THE NEVERENDING STORY, THE GOONIES, and THE DARK CRYSTAL.
Lushly rendered in a modern fairy tale hue, it is the kind of family film filled with heart and imagination that Disney forgot how to/stopped making decades ago.
The only glitches are a lead actress whose voice sounds like she smoked Marlboro Reds and chugged whisky out the womb and mumbles nearly all her lines and a creature that looks suspiciously like a hairy baby Yoda.
But the practical effects, quick pacing, and nostalgic overtones will win you over.

[dookeyXXX]

WARFARE
Shot in a jarring verite style, this barebones military escapade is unnerving and volatile. Intense and violent scenarios boldly scream “War is not a good thing…”
Incendiary, caustic, and riveting.

[dookeyXXX]

THE ACCOUNTANT2…kinda gets the bozack.
Way more buddy comedy than the first one, more overt, goofy humor than the original, which was much more deadpan and satirical.
The story this time around was both equally vague and convoluted. There was a confusing human trafficking angle (this is the go-to theme with this year’s action films as The Working Man tread similar territory).
They (director/screenwriter/producers) are kind of trying to create an autistic John Wick/James Bond universe that really didn’t work for me.
That said, the chemistry between Affleck and Bernthal is good, but not enough for me to thumbs up the flick. And the few action scene are solid, but more time was spent on lame Rain Man-styled drama when they shoulda had more ass kicking and gun-fu.
I did get misty during a few scenes that went for warm feels and heart tugging, but woulda preferred more smoking guns and bloody noses.

[dookeyXXX]

THE SURFER
Nic Cage’s latest thespian escapade is a delirious fever dream of toxic masculinity backlash, an oh-so-obvious offspring and spiritual successor to the likes of such Oz classics as Wake In Fright and Long Weekend.
Shot in a blistering tone of oranges and reds and auburn flare, it’s a sweltering miasma of unnerving psychosis and quasi psychedelic confusion.
It’s a great companion piece not only to the above mentioned films, but also pairs well with director Lorcan Finnegan’s Vivarium.

[dookeyXXX]

I saw Sinners, and holy shit. What a movie. Loved the storytelling, visuals, and all of the actors were perfectly cast. Just brilliant all around.

I gotta co-sign Supermoon's rec.

SINNERS is good. Really good. While it doesn’t reinvent the vampire genre and borrows heavily from films like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and DEMON KNIGHT, it does those films proud. FWIW, it’s the first Coogler film I’ve really enjoyed from start to finish. I was really worried about MBJ playing twins, but he crushes it. And while I know a lot of CGI was involved, it’s not noticeable and the film has that OG Practical vibe. And the music and sound design are bonkers bueno! Highly recommended. I saw it in IMAX and got my $$$ worth.

[dookeyXXX]

THUNDERBOLTS*
[full disclosure: I did not see Black Widow, Captain America: Brave NewWorld nor any of the numerous TV shows that are “required” prerequisites for watching this film]

The latest MCU endeavor is pretty awesome, except when it isn’t.
The first 2/3 of the film are taut yet brisk with well choreographed fight scenes, snappy dialogue, and some light humorous touches.
The chemistry between all involved is palpable and breezy; Florence Pugh comes especially hard with this sad, deadpan mannerism that is captivating while Wyatt Russell brings the caustic snark something fierce. The rest of the cast is equally solid.
And the thematic throughline about loneliness, isolation, and ennui will no doubt resonate across the board (I was actually surprised that they didn’t include a suicide hotline memo either at the start of the film or during the end credits).
But when the third act unfolds the film drifts back into familiar Marvel territory with a ho-hum smash ‘em up sequence ultimately culminating in what can only be deemed promo mode; the film devolves into what feels an awful lot like a massive plug for the upcoming Fantastic Four film and inevitable next Avengers installment. This product foreshadowing renders the whole film as an empty exercise in cross promotion, a mere toss away story that now feels like a last minute rush job to set up Phase 6, which is a shame because the film starts out as so much more.
I have long since tired of the forced interconnectivity of the MCU ventures, which require viewers to have seen every film and TV series in order to fully comprehend what’s going on. Sadly, my hopes that this film would be more of a standalone endeavor were ultimately crushed by the time the requisite post-credit scene unfolded.
But man, the first hour of the film is gonzo entertaining.
In the end, the first two acts are strong enough to recommend it, but the fizzled third act prevents it from actually being “the best Marvel movie in years.”