After working magic together in 2013, with their film Captain Phillips, it was no surprise when it was announced that Tom Hanks and director Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday, The Bourne Supremacy) were teaming up again for News of the World. It makes total sense that they would reunite, as Captain Phillips, was nominated for six Academy Awards and features one of Tom Hanks finest onscreen moments.
As expected, News of the World is another successful production for Hanks and Greengrass, and it makes me happy that Gold Derby is predicting that it will be nominated for Best Picture.
News of the World focuses on traveling newsreader Captain Kidd (Hanks), a former soldier who makes his money in post-Civil War Texas by reading the news of the world to the denizens of small towns. He reads his newspapers word-for-word to packed audiences who either can’t read, or have no time (or energy) to read the incredibly small font that the newspapers used to pack in as many words as possible. His nomadic existence is interrupted when he tasks himself to take a young girl named Johanna (Helena Zengel) to her aunt and uncle after her carriage is ambushed, and its driver is lynched by a group of racist Texans. The problem is, Johanna was taken from her family when she was little, by the Kiowa people, and now she only speaks their language, and has no plans of being returned to her German aunt and uncle who are living deep in the wilderness of Texas. What follows can best be described as an “Action Western Drama” that features gunfights, news reading, and deadly money.
As expected, Tom Hanks is excellent in the role, as he comes across as a likable man who can defeat bandits in gunfights, and become a father figure to a traumatized child whose parents AND adoptive parents were killed. After Saving Private Ryan, Road to Perdition, Cast Away, Forrest Gump, and Captain Phillips, Hanks has proven himself to be an excellent physical performer, who is as comfortable in gun fights and horse chases, as he is in moments involving him being super nice. Also, since it’s a Paul Greengrass film, he’s placed in highly stressful situations that require creative thinking, nerves of steel, and assistance from young kids who know what happens when you place coins in a shotgun barrel.
The cinematography by Dariusz Wolski (Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Prometheus, Dark City, The Crow, Crimson Tide) captures the beauty of the Texas expanse, while also letting us know that it’s a dangerous place full of dark corners, and murderous rogues. His cinematography during the hill-top gun fight is wonderful, as the battle for high-ground proves itself to have the utmost importance. Also, kudos to editor (Greengrass loves good editors) William Goldenberg (Argo, The Long Kiss Goodnight, National Treasure) for allowing the action scenes room to breathe, which allows Hanks to showcase his “Action Hanks” skills.
The major surprise of the film is the performance by Helena Zengel, who is tasked with acting alongside Hanks, and being a three-dimensional child who is slightly feral, and super industrious. I loved watching the evolution of her character, and the relationship she forms with Captain Kidd feels lived-in and real.
News of the World is a solid western thriller that features confident direction, nerve-wracking action and another excellent performance from Tom Hanks. Watch it!
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 335: The Long Kiss Goodnight, Renny Harlin, and Ice Skating
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
The MFF podcast is back, and this week we’re talking about the 1996 action film The Long Kiss Goodnight. Directed by Renny Harlin (Listen to Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast), and starring Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, this underappreciated film focuses on what happens when a badass assassin regains her memory (lots of people are killed). We’re big fans of Renny Harlin, and couldn’t wait to talk about this movie so we could promote the glorious action and witty Shane Black script. In this episode, we discuss ice skating, kitchen fights, and the excellence of Geena Davis. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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John’s Horror Corner: Demonia (1990), Lucio Fulci’s clunky Italian nunsploitation is sort of an “unshiny” blood-stained hidden gem.
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MY CALL: Another clunky Italian horror boasting enough chunky gore to earn its hidden gem status despite being otherwise nearly incomprehensible (which is par for the Fulcian course). A fun a watch for gorehounds, and a gem for a legendary “splitting” death scene. MORE MOVIES LIKE Demonia: Fans of Fulcian gore may continue with City of the Living Dead (1980; aka Paura nella città dei morti viventi, The Gates of Hell), The Beyond (1981) and The House by the Cemetery (1981), which form Fulci’s Gates of Hell trilogy; and then Zombie (1979). Despite featuring more nuns behaving badly, I’d skip The Other Hell (1981).
We open in 1486 Italy, as a gaggle of struggling manhandled nuns are dragged into a monastery basement to be crucified. Then we skip to 1980 Canada when a séance connects a young woman (Liza) to the horrid execution of the nuns, which happened to transpire precisely where she will soon be on an archeological expedition on a team led by Professor Evans (Brett Halsey; The Black Cat, The Devil’s Honey). During this trip, Liza stumbles upon the actual site of the crucifixion with the nuns’ remains still affixed to the crosses.
For about thirty minutes I was pleasantly surprised and even relieved at how surprisingly coherent this Fulci film was unfolding. But then, of course, something off-the-wall random pulls the rug out from under me as a completely out of place laughing topless ghost shoots an archaeologist with a spear gun on a boat. Then some drunk guys fall into a pit of spikes… because apparently there are Indiana Jones booby traps in this monastery.
The random Fulciness now blossoms with sweaty nun sex scenes complete with mid-coital murder and bastard babies of lecherous nuns being burned alive in braziers. But you know you’ve gone “Full Fulci” when the cat attack happens. Not since Dario Argento’s Inferno (1980) do I recall such a silly cat scene. And it comes complete with fake cats being literally shaken in front of the camera and a chunky gored eyeball being pulled from its socket. Good stuff.
Of course, the major gorehound selling point of this film is the from-the-crotch body-splitting death scene. Fans of this scene would no doubt also appreciate Bone Tomahawk (2015) and Terrifier (2016), to name some others capitalizing on the same exploitatively entrail-rich gag. We see the abdomen rupture with robust intestines as the body is pulled asunder. Truly, I sought this movie just for that scene! Was it worth it…? Yeah, probably so.
In the end, writer and director Lucio Fulci (Manhattan Baby, Aenigma) finished this film as incomprehensibly as so many others. You’ll surely scratch your head at the narrative decisions being made. But truly, fans of zany clunky Italian horror may find this to be more a gem than a lump of coal for Fulci’s relentless appreciation of wincingly palpable gory death scenes.
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John’s Horror Corner: All the Creatures were Stirring (2018), a Christmas horror-comedy anthology that is not worth your time.
MY CALL: I recommend a hard pass even you if love Christmas horror or anthology horror. Very boring. This film fails to deliver… everything. MOVIES LIKE All the Creatures were Stirring: For more (and much better) Christmas horror try Black Christmas (1974, 2006 remake, 2019), Await Further Instructions (2018), Holidays (2016; Christmas), A Christmas Horror Story (2015), Krampus (2015), Better Watch Out (2016), Tales from the Crypt Season 1 (1989; And All Through the House), Silent Night Deadly Night (1984), Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) Gremlins (1984), and Tales from the Crypt (1972; And All Through the House). Skip The Oracle (1985).
In this particularly dry horror anthology, Jenna (Ashley Clements; Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party) and Max meet up on a Christmas Eve date for an awkward theatrical performance that serves as our wraparound anthology tale. The quality of this opening segment sets the bumpy, uneventfully phoned-in pace for this collection of stories.
At her “mandatory” office Christmas party Alissa (Jocelin Donahue; Doctor Sleep, Insidious: Chapter 2, The House of the Devil), Scott (Matt Mercer; Contracted, Bliss, Beyond the Gates) and colleagues find a surprise while opening their perfunctory Secret Santa gift exchange when someone is literally killed by their gift. It seems that a poor man’s Jigsaw has rigged a holiday game of death for these office workers. It doesn’t lead to anything interesting or fun or shocking… and you should be prepared for more of the same if you continue watching this movie.
Our second story finds a man locked out of his car in a mall parking lot after gift shopping on Christmas Eve and a helpful but weird stranger (Katie Parker; Absentia, The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor) lends him her phone. Cursed and bound to a bloodthirsty evil, they find themselves in a strange conundrum. This was a very dumb segment and, as previously warned, get ready for some more. The stories don’t get any better as we suffer an awful Christmas Carol Scrooge experience that makes me hate this movie. Then a motorist kills a reindeer on the road and is hunted for his crime.
Finally came the short that led me to watch this in the first place by virtue of its star. Not wanting her boyfriend to spend Christmas alone, Gabby (Constance Wu; Hustlers, Crazy Rich Asians) surprises Steve but finds a very strange surprise of her own. This is very Twilight Zone-ish and darkly funny. Probably the best segment of the movie… but still very bad.
The writing, visuals and delivery was just plain weak. The acting and editing range from rough to proficient (at times), but well shy of anything polished in experience. And the clearly ultra-low budget special effects are nothing special. This movie felt like it was made by people who didn’t even want to make it.
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Wonder Woman 1984: A Worthy Sequel That Isn’t Afraid to Change Things Up
After the critical and financial success of Wonder Woman in 2017, Writer/director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot had their work cut out for them as they had to make a sequel that satisfied impossible expectations, while being visually and stylistically different. After watching Wonder Woman 1984, it’s safe to say that they succeeded in their goal, as they’ve made a film that allows Diana Prince to grow as a superhero, while placing her in the neon-drenched and brightly-lit world of the1980s, which differs greatly from the first movie.
In the decades following her exploits during World War I, Diana has kept up a low-key existence that involves occasionally beating up thieves in shopping malls and working as an anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.. Her quiet life is interrupted when she meets archaeologist Barbara Minever (Kristen Wiig), the newest member of the Smithsonian team, who is tasked with researching a relic that recently arrived. The relic is actually called the Dreamstone, and it grants people one wish – with a hidden cost (there’s always a cost with magic). Barbara wishes to become more like Diana, and Diane wishes that Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) return from the dead (he does, it’s fun). Things get more exciting when shadier-than-shady TV personality Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) shows up and steals the Dreamstone, so he can pay off his debts AND inadvertently threaten the entire world with destruction.
The neat thing about Wonder Woman 1984 is how it largely avoids being a retread of its predecessor. The tone is more comedic as Steve adjusts to the 1980s and discovers the joy of fanny packs. Also, since every wish has a price, Diana powers wane, which becomes a liability during the various car chases and fist fights. This stands in a neat contrast to the first film where Diana learns how to become Wonder Woman by fully realizing her powers. It’s refreshing to see a sequel that isn’t afraid of changing things up, and not simply repeating the greatest hits that made it so popular. An added bonus is that since it’s directed by Patty Jenkins, the characters are treated respectfully and not exploited like Gadot was in Justice League. The treatment of women is refreshing as the camera doesn’t have a lingering eye that takes the agency away from the characters.
There have been complaints about the lack of action (the final CGI fight is not good), but Wonder Woman 1984 is packed with crowd pleasing moments that build upon Wonder Woman’s lore, and give fans something to cheer for. Also, it’s packed with humanity as Gadot brings a welcome warmth and likability to her character who is trying to stop the end of the world by making very personal choices that will deeply affect her.
Wonder Woman 1984 is a much different film from its predecessor, and I love that. Watch it!
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 334: Die Hard, Hans Gruber and Candy Bars
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
The MFF podcast is back, and this week we’re talking about the Christmas classic Die Hard. We love this film, and despite it being covered by every other movie podcast (ever), we found some unique aspects to tackle to make sure you’re hearing something new. In this episode, we discuss candy selection, gun fights and dangerous rose bushes. We also draft our favorite action films, cast a Con Air sequel, and discuss our favorite moments.
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast – Episode 25: A+ B Movies, 1990s Action Cinema, and Strategic Shadows
You can listen to Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Spotify, Tunein, Podcast Addict, Amazon, Google Podcasts, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts. Also, make sure to like our Facebook page!
Please make sure to rate, review, share, and subscribe!
Jay and Mark are joined Brian Raftery (@BrianRaftery on Twitter), the man who made Deep Blue Sea fans very happy in 2016, when he wrote a Wired article entitled “Forget Jaws. The Real Shark Movie to Beat is Deep Blue Sea.” It might be the greatest DBS piece ever written, and it helped people realize that DBS is actually an A+B movie. In this episode, we discuss “Brothers Never Make It” the 25th chapter on the Deep Blue Sea DVD. We also talk about Howie Long, Chill Factor, and movie shadows. Enjoy!
Make sure to follow Brian on Twitter, and buy his excellent book Best. Movie. Year. Ever. How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen wherever you buy books (buy four or five copies…why not).
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John’s Horror Corner: Black Christmas (2019), the second reimagining of the 1974 classic slasher Christmas horror.
MY CALL: Another remake of the 1974 original, but borrowing little from it. This remake is very light and feisty, best suited for an audience of teenagers or viewers who can’t handle mean, brutal, shocking horror movies. MOVIES LIKE Black Christmas: The closest choice would be. For more Christmas horror try Black Christmas (1974, 2006 remake), Await Further Instructions (2018), Holidays (2016; Christmas), A Christmas Horror Story (2015), Krampus (2015), Better Watch Out (2016), Tales from the Crypt Season 1 (1989; And All Through the House), Silent Night Deadly Night (1984), Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) Gremlins (1984), and Tales from the Crypt (1972; And All Through the House). Skip The Oracle (1985) and All the Creatures were Stirring (2018).
This film opens with familiar beats; tropes yes, but executed well. A young college student departing campus for the holiday break is stalked by a mysterious hooded assailant. Everything swiftly goes wrong for this poor girl and her demise is as much cliché as it is graceful, rich with wintery themes. And with the close of our cold open, we fast forward to another winter break sometime in the near future.
As we’re introduced to our Hawthorne College sorority girls, we find they are thoughtfully written and likewise acted in lived-in, credible fashion. I’m reminded of the high-quality characters of Happy Death Day (2017) even though the tones of these two films differ a bit. We meet some who are gawky and awkward, shy, activistic and the like, and all of them feel like real people saying real things instead of some “this is what I do” canned cast introductions. Barring the ‘higher film’ attempts in horror (e.g., Get Out, Us, Hereditary, Midsommar) we seldom expect such natural writing in the genre—especially not for a second remake/reimagining. There are times in this first act that I completely forgot I was watching a horror movie, and that’s a big compliment.
When we meet Professor Gelson (Cary Elwes; Saw, The Bride, Bram Stoker’s Dracula), he seems everything we expect from a well-scripted (if still typical) college movie. He’s charismatic, a bit arrogant, and has an adversarial relationship with key players of the story. Again I’ll say it: tropes yes, but executed well.
The proficient employment of classic writing/movie tropes effects a sense of familiarity with this movie. Another strength of the film: the winterscape campus shots are a snowy stark sight. And while the photography is nothing epic and rarely wide-angled, the snow-caked buildings taunt the eye. Director and co-writer Sophia Takal (Always Shine) made an entertaining movie for those who have had enough brutal or high-brow horror fare lately, and Imogen Poots (Fright Night, Vivarium, Green Room) serves the film well as the lead.
I enjoyed the film overall as a low stakes popcorn flick, and appreciate the general filmmaking. But the shots of our hooded slasher (along with his actions) tend not to impress. The killer is the weakest component of the movie. Maybe it’s the PG-13-ness of it all, but it just feels sooooo Horror-LITE. Not only that, but we see very little provocative violence happen on-screen. The brutality is almost all off-screen and after the fact. What does happen on-screen tends to lack any punch or shock. The weakest “horror” of it all was the finale, which felt just plain stupid to an almost angering degree. All of the thoughtful writing was thrown out the window for this “children’s horror movie finale” display. Moreover I found the ending to be meaningless. The last 20-30 minutes of the film were a disappointing departure from the wonderful foundation of the first 60.
This remake feels nothing like the original. Not in tone or intensity, or even a scintilla of development. This is a completely unique product which essentially only shares the premise that “a group sorority girls are stalked and murdered on campus during Christmas break.” What’s good about that is that there is nothing to compare (or complain) about regarding the 1974 classic. The downside is that it hardly feels worthy of the iconic name Black Christmas, despite being a very well-made PG-13 horror-LITE movie.
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Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast – Episode 24: Leg Twitches, Police Academy, and Stair Scenes
You can listen to Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Spotify, Tunein, Podcast Addict, Amazon, Google Podcasts, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts. Also, make sure to like our Facebook page!
Please make sure to rate, review, share, and subscribe!
Jay and Mark are joined by Todd Liebenow (of the @ForgottenFilmz and @WaltSentMePod podcasts) to discuss “Thumbs Up, Man Down,” the 24th chapter on the Deep Blue Sea DVD. In this episode, they discuss DJ TJ Scoggs, Police Academy, Tremors, A League of Their Own, Musical Numbers and Legs twitching. Enjoy!
Please follow Todd on Twitter and listen to the Forgotten Filmcast and Walt Sent Me. Thanks!
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 333: Stargate, Alien Technology, and Sand
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome!
The MFF podcast is back, and this week we’re talking about Stargate, another excellent Kurt Russell film. Directed and written by Roland Emmerich, and starring Kurt Russell and James Spader, this science fiction film tells the story of what happens when interplanetary travelers are forced to battle a justifiably angry alien. We love the Stargate, and had a great time talking about how breezy it is, and how the practical effects keep it looking great 26 years after its release. In this episode, we discuss Roland Emmerich movies, sand, and alien technology.
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions so we can do our best to not answer them correctly. We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
Movies, Films & Flix 