McEnroe (2022) – Review
Quick Thoughts – McEnroe (2022) – Grade B+ – Fans of tennis legend John McEnroe will love revisiting some of his best/worst moments, while McEnroe newbies will appreciate learning all about the tennis legend who was dubbed “Superbrat” by the press.
I grew up playing tennis in Florida, and I remember watching Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf, Michael Chang, and Boris Becker battling it out all around the world. Tennis was a huge deal for me – I played in summer camps and made it to states during my junior and senior year in high school (not bragging, there is a point to this). Since I was born in 1982, I wasn’t able to witness McEnroe’s meteoric rise as he won NCAA championships while at Stanford and made it all the way to the Wimbledon semifinals where he lost to Jimmy Connors (another notorious hothead). I was too young to watch his rise to the top, but his highlights and outbursts were always being played on television which led to me feeling a sort of kinship with the hothead who was able to deal with pressure and mind games in a way that I never could. During particularly tough matchups I would frequently yell “You cannot be serious!” and despite having about 1/1000 of the skill and not being a serve-and-volley player, was able to occasionally use my frustration and stubbornness to win some big games (on a much smaller level).
Having read McEnroe’s 2002 autobiography You Cannot Be Serious, I was already familiar with his upbringing, relationship with Tatum O’Neill and his marriage to Patty Smyth. However, it’s cool seeing these stories unfold visually and the Barney Douglas directed documentary showcases loads of unseen archived footage that make his documentary a must watch for McEnroe fans. Narrated by McEnroe, and featuring interviews with his family, friends, and fellow competitors, the documentary is fine with showing McEnroe’s darker side while explaining his outbursts and feisty “intensity that radiates off your body,” style that annoyed or thrilled millions of people. It also does its best to showcase that McEnroe rose to fame during the wild years of tennis that featured iconic players such as Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Ilie Nastase, Guillermo Vilas and Vitas Gerulaitis lighting up the tennis courts with their charismatic presences and varying styles. McEnroe explained these years by saying “it felt like the inmates were running the asylum,” and these inmates provided some of the most entertaining matches ever.
Some of the best moments of the documentary feature McEnroe, who was born in Queens, New York dealing with the All England Club, a stuffy establishment that couldn’t handle McEnroe’s boisterous nature. What’s interesting about the documentary is that McEnroe never saw himself as a “superbrat,” however, after years of being labeled as such he began to buy into the persona and it cost him dearly. His anger issues and divorce with Tatum ONeil forced him into years of therapy and self-reflection, and what we have now is one of the most respected commentators in the game. His current wife Patty Smyth says “I married a bad boy who became a really good man,” and it’s neat seeing McEnroe evolve during the 104-minute documentary.
Final thoughts – McEnroe is a solid documentary that’s a must watch for fans of sports docs or tennis. If you aren’t into tennis it’s worth a watch because it captures a snapshot of a time when tennis players were rock stars who played with unrivaled intensity and passion (they also broke like thousands of tennis rackets).
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Burial (2022) – Review
Quick thoughts – Burial (2002) – Grade – C+ – Burial tells a unique story about Russians attempting to take Hitler’s remains back to Stalin during the waning days of World War 2, but it’s much too dour to leave a lasting impression. The cinematography by Rein Kotov is the best aspect of the movie as Kotov does a fine job capturing the beauty and dense forests of Estonia.
Set during the last days of WWII, Burial focuses on the dangerous journey of a handful of Russian Soldiers who’ve been tasked with a mission that involves transporting Hitler’s corpse and battling German “Werwolves” who want to bury the body to ensure that Hitler’s corpse doesn’t make it to Stalin. Due to the secrecy of the mission, the Russian crew are forced to transport Hitler’s coffin without the usage of trains or planes which might put too many eyes on the cargo. Instead, Brana Vasilyeva (Charlotte Vega) and several other soldiers load the coffin onto a truck and embark on a days long backroads journey from Berlin to Moscow. Every night they are forced to bury the coffin to protect its location, and the violence kicks off when a German sniper attacks the convoy which leads to the Russian’s abandoning their vehicle and embarking on a journey through dense wooded areas that are loaded with “Werwolves.” On the surface, Burial sounds like a super fun movie that tells a fictional story influenced by the fact that there were actual German “Werwolf”units (describe as “old men and Hitler youth who won’t give up the fight” in the movie) that went behind enemy lines to cause chaos by using mind games, guerilla tactics and propaganda to strike fear in the Allied army ranks. Also, Soviet troops were the first to make it to Hitler’s bunker, so the idea behind Burial is sound and makes for a great jumping off point for a fictional thriller that is told through the narration of veteran actor Harriet Walter (Killing Eve, Succession, The Last Duel, The Crown, Downton Abbey, Mindhorn, Rocketman and many other excellent movies and TV shows)
The biggest problem with Burial is that it is super dour and never lets itself have an ounce of fun. Unlike Overlord (2018), which embraced gore, violence, and mayhem to tell its revisionist B-movie war story, Burial doesn’t open up and let loose. Part of this is because of the small budget which limits special effects, explosions and locations, and part of it is the script by Ben Parker that is more focused on the psychological aspects of war and the fact that the Russians need to avoid conflict and create as little waves as possible. It’s a bit unfair to compare Burial to the bonkers Overlord, as they both tackle World War 2 stories differently. However, the idea of Russian soldiers and German “Werwolves” fighting for Hitler’s corpse is ripe for some over the top moments, and they never come.
The unique premise and beautiful filming locations should’ve created a fun and claustrophobic experience that feels like Dog Soldiers met up with The 13th Warrior (which features monsters who are actually men) and formed a fun World War 2 B-movie. However, both the German and Russians soldiers are never given much personality, and we’re stuck with watching people shooting at each other in credible action scenes. It is nice watching Charlotte Vegas and Tom Felton do what they can with their characters, and they both find ways to become likable and believable as they fight off the Germans who don’t want Hitler being delivered to Russia.
Final thoughts – The performances, cinematography and direction are all fine, but Burial lacks personality and only works because the actors are committed and the action scenes featured real and deadly stakes
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 445: Memento, Christopher Nolan, and Polaroids
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Mark and Phil discuss the 2000 neo-noir thriller Memento. Directed by Christopher Nolan, and starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano and a bunch of tattoos, the movie focuses on what happens when a maniac named Leonard goes on an epic quest for revenge. In this episode, they also talk about bathroom fights, chase scenes, and the excellence of Guy Pearce
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 444: Nightbreed, Clive Barker, and Director’s Cuts
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Mark and John Leavengood (@MFFHorrorCorner on Twitter) discuss the 1990 fantasy horror film Nightbreed. Directed by Clive Barker, and starring Craig, Sheffer, Anne Bobby, David Cronenberg, and some rampaging berserkers, the movie focuses on what happens when a monster utopia named Midian is attacked by a deadly serial killer and a group of dumb humans. In this episode, they also talk about movie monsters, director’s cuts, and Clive Barker. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
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John’s Horror Corner: Moloch (2022), a sleepy Scandinavian folk horror about the whispers of a long dead bog witch.
MY CALL: This film is slow and interesting, but more boring than slowburn as it never quite musters the degree of dread desired for an effective horror experience. Not bad, but not necessarily recommended unless you are all about folk or folklore horror. IF YOU LIKE THIS WATCH: Frankly, I think you all should just go watch The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) instead. And for the folk vibes you were looking for, go for The Apostle (2018).
This patient film introduces us to Betriek (Sallie Harmsen) and her quirky family, which includes her daughter, husband, and elderly parents. Their rural Netherlands home resides near a bog, where two recent events transpire within a day—the unearthing of a well-preserved but long dead woman, and the death by hypothermia of a local homeless man in hole he had curiously dug nearby.
As some locals begin acting strangely (including a strange home invasion and attack on Betriek’s family), a visiting investigator (Alexandre Willaume; Deliver Us from Evil, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets) is taught the local superstition—folklore about “whispers” from the bog and the legend of Feike, a witch.
An hour into this film and nothing has happened. It’s not uninteresting, but it’s becoming boring. And no, I don’t think it fair to defend this as an intriguing slowburn; it’s not, it’s just slow. When they finally drop the big conceptual reveal in our lap, it feels impotent. I didn’t necessarily know what was going to happen, but the delivery was accompanied by zero shock, dread, impression or terror. Truly, I don’t think I felt a strong sense of dread or tension throughout the entire film, and this is the very style of film which relies on just that. The actions that transpire amounted to a watered down Hereditary (2018) finale with a couple visually satisfying moments, but nothing more.
For his first feature film, director Nico van den Brink has proficiently made a film that desires much more in the way of tension, dread and probably budget (in terms of special effects). As unexciting as this film was, it was definitely not bad. It simply lacked the elements of horror (or degrees of those elements) I consider critical, despite good storytelling and photography in this sleepy horror folklore film. I’d definitely be interested in whatever Nico van den Brink does next.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 443: Old (2021), M. Night Shyamalan, and Magic Beaches
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Mark and Norbert (@eddiecaine on Twitter) discuss the 2021 thriller Old (AKA Magic Beach). Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and starring Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, and some rusted cutlery, the movie focuses on what happens when a group of tourists are stuck on a magic beach. In this episode, they also talk about mid-sized sedans, committed performances, and the excellence of M. Night Shyamalan. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
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John’s Horror Corner: As Above, So Below (2014), an Indiana Jones adventure movie spliced with a found footage dark supernatural horror.
MY CALL: An adventure-horror movie? Yes please! While higher budget among its subgenre, this is definitely one of the better found-footage horrors on the market in my opinion, but more for its style, genre-crossing and concepts than its horror filmy-ness. MORE MOVIES LIKE As Above, So Below: For more archeology in horror, consider Dolly Dearest (1991), The Lair of the White Worm (1988), Inseminoid (1982), and then the Egyptian archaeology fare of Manhattan Baby (1982), Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) and The Pyramid (2014) . Also consider The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), which swaps an archaeologist for an anthropologist. The Deep House (2021), The Cave (2005) and The Descent (2005) also spring to mind for obvious exploratory reasons.
Director and co-writer John Erick Dowdle (The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Devil, Quarantine) clearly adored the Indiana Jones (1981-1989) and National Treasure movies (2004, 2007), and he wears this adoration proudly on his sleeve as archeology professor Scarlett (Perdita Weeks; Penny Dreadful, Prowl) is joined by tinkering rogue and fellow adventurer George (Ben Feldman; Friday the 13th), her cameraman Benji (Edwin Hodge; The Purge 1-3) and renegade catacomb spelunker Papillon (François Civil) in their pursuit of the Philosopher’s Stone, an artifact sought for its arcane powers of alchemy. They investigate relics in cathedrals, translate dead languages to solve riddles, uncover clues leading to more sleuthing and yet more clues, all just to bring them to the doors of their adventure.
Guided by Papillon’s cave-diving team, they illegally “break in” to parts of the catacombs no longer meant for human navigation, traversing parts long forgotten and unknown. Strange people and superstition abound the catacombs as readily as wayward cultists and lost souls. Very early into their journey things begin to go wrong. Cave-ins trap and redirect them, crevices lead to impossible locations where perhaps impossible things have happened, and secret doors enable their passage through this ancient pyramid-like Labyrinth. Scarlett’s once-tidy plan unravels and her team is faced with a curio of encounters that feel as if they are spelunking their own subconsciouses, if not their own purgatory, as they wander yet deeper into the catacombs encountering riddle after ancient booby trap after secret corridor and yet new clue. To escape: “the only way out is down.”
The first hour of this movie is all dark but lively adventure and practically no horror. Although the next 30 minutes shift gears strongly. There are some brief brutal scenes, macabre curiosities, and a hallucinatory menagerie of personal demons.
Kind of strange: when I first saw this movie, I was unimpressed and somehow managed to remain completely unenamored by the Ford-Cage adventurer-sleuthing honorarium before me in the horror genre. Yet now, I just… adore that aspect of it! It’s not the best horror film out there, but it strives to be different in its genre while exploring some cool history and concepts. Consider Mark’s movie review, which addresses the abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score. I guess I get it… since upon my first watch, I didn’t get it as much. But I think it’s worthy of a “lower-end fresh” on RT. If for no more than its novelty, I strongly recommend this film. If you read this far and still remain on the fence, check out this podcast discussion (which will include spoilers).
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Quick Thoughts – Grade B+ – The first four episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law are a delight. Ignore all the complaints about the VFX (which aren’t great) and just embrace a Marvel Cinematic Universe show that embraces comedy and feels like an actual television show. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) is a blast, and the weekly court cases will put a smile on your face.
What I like about She-Hulk; Attorney at Law is that it’s in on the joke and knows it’s a show about a lawyer named Jennifer Walters (Maslany) who turns into a “She-Hulk” when she and her cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) get into a car accident and his blood spills onto her and seeps into a cut on her arm. What’s nice about She-Hulk is that she doesn’t have to go on a soul-searching journey to figure out if she belongs because she already knows what she wants and is way better at keeping her temper than her cousin Bruce. Jennifer has no interest in being a superhero, and is more concerned with working cases with her friend/paralegal Nikki Ramos (Ginger Gonzaga) . The problem is, during one particular case, she is forced to “Hulk out” when the courtroom is attacked by a villain-influencer named Titania (Jameela Jamil). Her heroic outburst, which saves several jurors from being smushed, gets her fired from her job and forces her to figure out her life/work balance when it comes to being a human being who can turn into a large green giant capable of throwing boulders with ease.
The show is at its best when it focuses on Jennifer’s dating life, or plays up the influence of John Byrne’s and Dan Slott’s comics (bright colors, cheeky humor). The comedy gives the show much needed distance from its other Phase Four properties and allows it to be a television show about a lawyer (which is nice). It’s also nice that She-Hulk’s origin story is quick, simple and dealt with in a manner that it’s not totally life changing. The first episode is dedicated to figuring out Jennifer’s new abilities, and then it’s on her trying to find a new job while worrying about her school loans. Throughout the episodes Jennifer isn’t saving the world (yet), or dealing with gods (yet), she’s more interested in breaking the fourth wall, arguing with fan-favorite Dr. Strange 1 & 2 alum Wong (Benedict Wong), and hanging out at a How I Met Your Mother-esque bar where she works on getting Abomination (Tim Roth – very good) out of jail.
The four episodes fly by and I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises because I knew nothing about the show before watching it and I really enjoyed the twists and turns. What can you expect? You can expect rock throwing, dangerous portals, Sopranos references, funny Minnesota bits, and Tatianna Maslany stealing the show. It’s a lot of fun.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 442: Waterworld, Sea Monsters, and Jet Skis
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!
Mark and Adam (of the GoFigure YouTube show) discuss the 1995 aquatic action film Waterworld. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, and starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn and dozens of jet skis, the big budget movie focuses on the battle between a mutant named the Mariner and a cigarette-loving villain named Deacon (who is basically Dennis Hopper having a great time). In this episode, they also talk about sea monsters, smokers, and the infamous toy line.
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). 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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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 441 – The Thor Franchise, Rock Monsters, and Loki
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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!
Mark and Jack Austin (of the Alter Ego Podcast) discuss the rank the four Thor movies released since 2012 (Thor, The Dark World, Ragnarok, and Love and Thunder). The results will shock you (not really, but it’s always fun to write stuff like that). They also talk about rock monsters, small towns, and put together their ultimate Avengers squads. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). 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 