Val (2021) – Review – Val is a Refreshingly Raw Documentary That Makes You Want to Go Back and Watch Every Single Val Kilmer Movie Again
Quick Thoughts – Grade – B+ – Val is a refreshingly raw documentary that makes you want to go back and watch every single Val Kilmer movie again
The only complaint about Val is that it makes it seem like Top Secret! isn’t a comedy classic loaded with inspired gags, skeet surfing, underwater fights, and cows. Aside from that, the documentary is an intimate look into Val Kilmer’s 37-year acting career. The documentary features footage from Kilmer, who has been documenting his life ever since he could get his hands on a camera. It’s neat seeing a young Val and his brothers making home movies, as their love of cinema and creativity is clearly evident and was fostered by their parents. The documentary covers his acting career, time at Julliard, love life, parenthood, and battle with throat cancer, which has left his vocal cords permanently damaged.
We get to see footage from Top Gun, Willow, The Saint, Batman Forever, and most importantly, The Island of Dr. Moreau, which went through a historically troubled production. Kilmer shares footage from the set, which showcases Marlon Brando on a hammock (amazing), and John Frankenheimer struggling to control a hectic production that was circling the drain. It’s interesting knowing that Kilmer was uncomfortable playing Batman in Batman Forever, as the cape and cowl prevented him from hearing anything, and he felt like he was on an uncreative island, and only his chin was needed for the role. It would’ve been nice to see more behind the scenes footage, but it’s also enlightening seeing how Kilmer is dealing with life nowadays, as he can’t act because of his damaged vocal cords, so he travels to Tombstone screenings and signs autographs at conventions to make extra money (I worked for Wizard World from 2010-2016, and Kilmer was at one of the conventions, he was totally cool).
The major complaint around the internet is that Val doesn’t explore why Kilmer was considered to be a “difficult” actor. This complaint is lazy, as the doc clearly shows why he was considered to be tough on set. Kilmer struggles with roles and directors that don’t allow him to flex his creativity, or are disorganized and unorderly. Kilmer could’ve chosen to not make them more difficult, but his neediness, and desire to give 100% to each role, prevented him from being an ideal team player. For instance, in Tombstone, he chose to lay on a pile of ice for his death scene, so he would look suitably blue and cold. His performance in Tombstone is legendary because he was listened to and respected. On The Island of Dr. Moreau, and Red Planet, he’s seen struggling with a lack of direction, and it’s obvious that the directors weren’t interested in his creative input. Once again, he could’ve been a team player, but, obviously the producers knew about his method, and decided to hire him and ignore his contributions (which lead to trouble). On the DVD commentaries for Mindhunters and MacGruber, Renny Harlin, and Jorma Taccone praise Kilmer for his work and contributions, and both mention that he was a treat to have on set. It’s clear that Kilmer wants to be heard, and when directors realize this, they are better off.
The documentary is narrated by Val’s son Jack, and the two seem to have a close bond. We also get to meet his daughter Mercedes, who lives next door to him. Both of his children seem to respect his oddities, and it’s neat seeing them interact and deal with their peculiar father who has gone through a lot since 2016. In the end, Val is a welcome look into the actor’s life, and the 93% Tomatometer score, and 7.7 IMDb User Score is proof that people are appreciating it.
Final Thoughts – If you are a fan of Val Kilmer, watch this documentary.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 388: Cold Pursuit, Dark Comedy, and Snow Plows
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).
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Mark, Megan and Adam Hodgins (of the GoFigure YouTube show) discuss the 2019 action comedy Cold Pursuit. Directed by Hans Petter Moland (who directed the original 2014 film), and starring Liam Neeson, Emmy Rossum, and Tom Bateman, the movie focuses on what happens when drug dealers mess with the wrong snow plow driver. In this episode, they discuss dark comedy, snow plows, and likable villains. 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.
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Star Wars: Visions (2021) – Series Review: A Welcome Expansion of the Star Wars World That Features Some Cool New Heroes and Villains
Quick Thoughts – Grade – A – The first season of Star Wars: Visions is a thrilling look into an expanding galaxy. The animated short films all offer something unique, and their short running times guarantee that they never overstay their welcome.
Created by seven of Japan’s popular anime studios (Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), TRIGGER, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production I.G.), Star Wars: Visions, features nine standalone short films that feature beautiful animation, wild battles, musical performances, and welcome diversity to the galaxy. Starting with an epic duel in The Duel, and ending with tragedy in The Ninth Jedi, there’s a wild amount of variance amongst the stories. The one connecting thread is that they all feature familiar aspects of the Star Wars world, such as tie fighters, star destroyers, and familiar alien faces that ground the short film in the Star Wars lore.
What’s great about the nine short films is how they introduce the world to a new crop of heroes and villains who all offer something unique and fun. Episodes such as The Elder, and The Twins introduce audiences to legitimately cool villains who are either wildly evil, or supremely angry (Alison Brie does some excellent voice work). TO-B1, and The Village Bride introduce cool heroes, who are often outnumbered, but always down for a fight. Since the episodes are so short, you’re left wanting to see more of their exploits as many of the episodes kick off larger adventures that we’ll never get to see.
During a recent panel (Thank you Starwars.com), executive producer Jame Waugh said “We really wanted to give these creators a wide creative berth to explore all the imaginative potential of the Star Wars galaxy through the unique lens of anime. We realized we wanted these to be as authentic as possible to the studios and creators who are making them, made through their unique process, in a medium they’re such experts at. So the idea was, this is their vision riffing off all the elements of the Star Wars galaxy that inspired them — hopefully to make a really incredible anthology series, unlike anything we’ve seen before in the Star Wars galaxy.”
In the end, it looks like Waugh succeeded at bringing together a bunch of Star Wars fans who created some excellent love letters to the franchise. Try your best to avoid spoilers, and watch these fun short films with fresh eyes. If you love the Star Wars franchise, you will appreciate these creative and unique visions.
Final Thoughts – It would be great to see more.
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John’s Horror Corner: Malignant (2021), Bughuul meets John Wick in James Wan’s truly wild Upgrade-esque (2018) horror-action movie. [some SPOILERS]
MY CALL: This movie begins somewhat confusingly, but rounds its way to a satisfyingly wacky horror-action flick that is way more crazy than expected. MORE MOVIES LIKE Malignant: It’s truly difficult to advise… but I’ve got it! If you like Malignant, you need to see Upgrade (2018)!!!!!
IMDB summary—“Madison (Annabelle Wallis; Annabelle, The Mummy) is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.”
The first half of this movie struck me that writer/director James Wan (Saw, Insidious 1-2, Dead Silence, The Conjuring 1-2) couldn’t decide between an Insidious demon and a slasher as his villain. Instead we seem to have a mash-up of both and I was struggling to get into it. But what it seemed to lack in cohesiveness it more than made up for in style, especially the visually mind-melding transitions from our protagonist’s perspective. Much as the case with the villain, we are left wondering what these trippy transitions mean. Perhaps some sort of psychic connection with the killer or a supernatural premonition.
Reminding me of The Ring’s (2002) rickety, unnerving movement patterns of Samara and the innumerable copycat spirits we’ve seen in movies since, some of the killer’s funky movements almost feel like time-reverse action from Tenet (2020). The awkward movements include high speed crab-walking and almost impossibly odd geometric angles of arm movements during bloody assaults.
Despite being well made, for the longest time I found this movie rather questionable as I feared this wonky, stanky-legged fiend would never provide any explanation for its sprayed-roach skitterbang stylings. Not only that, but I found the “horror” of the film a bit low despite some quick, very violent death scenes. I just didn’t really understand what the heck was going on with whatever the heck this killer was.
However, in the final act we learn what the killer is and it’s actually pretty cool! That doesn’t completely make up for the previous 80 minutes of this film, but it definitely afforded a lot of understanding. Ever still, the reveal was provocatively looney and explained a lot to a weird, satisfying degree. I know that most horror finds its best footing in the last 30 minutes, where filmmakers often blow their budgetary load on monster effects, action and provocative gore. But this shifted into a high-octane gear that I didn’t even know was possible. Like, imagine if you took Sinister’s (2012) Bughuul and dropped him into a John Wick (2014-2022) action sequence. Or, more appropriately, it’s a lot like Upgrade (2018)… but with a more inherently evil entity.
The bone-breaking, head-stomping brutality in the final act was quite appreciated as our brachiating action movie killer skitters like a backwards jangly man (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) executing Matrix choreography between devastating stabbery shenanigans.
Once we are all in on what’s going on, the stunt work and violent bloody action is so much more pleasing… because we understand what’s happening before our eyes. The majority of the finale scenes play out like an incredibly bloody and brutal action movie. Broken bone shards erupt through flesh on multiple occasions and I just kept gasping in happy disbelief at what was transpiring before my incredulous eyes.
Pretty cool, James Wan. Pretty damn cool! Want a second opinion? Here’s another review that says this movie is awesome: CLICK HERE.
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Kate (2021) – Review: A Decent Action Film That Lacks a Personality
Quick Thoughts – Grade C – Kate is an entertaining action film that lacks a personality. It’s cool seeing Mary Elizabeth Winstead wipe people out (there’s a lot of gore), but everything feels too familiar, and the tone pinballs all over as the movie bounces between serious and wildly stylish.
Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan (The Huntsman: Winter War), Kate tells the story an assassin named Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who is recruited by a handler named Varrick (Woody Harrelson), and trained to murder high-level targets with a massive sniper rifle. During a routine mission, she murders a yakuza syndicate member in front of a child, and this pushes her to retire after one more job. During her final job, she’s poisoned, and only has 24 hours to kill all the people who were dumb enough to poison her. Her night/day of mayhem brings her across Yakuza killers, crime bosses who enjoy fish pedicures, and a kid named Ani (Miku Martineau) who she uses to lure out Yakuza boss Kijima (Jun Kunimura). Through the course of her bloody rampage, she bonds with Ani, and she goes from using her as bait, to being her protector as they travel further through the violent Japanese underground loaded with neon lights and J-Pop,
What keeps Kate from being special is that it feels like Crank, 24 Hours to Live, Gunpowder Milkshake, The Professional and John Wick got together, and blended themselves into a movie that features an assassin/thief finding trouble during their last job. There’s nothing wrong with paying homage to other films, and films have been borrowing from each other since movies existed, however, the most successful copiers have been confident in their tone, and played like a singular film. There are highly stylized moments (slow motion walking while wearing cheeky white sunglasses) that stick out like a sore thumb, and don’t feel organic to the movie because the movie’s tone isn’t stylish. It’s not like Gunpowder Milkshake, Netflix’s much better 2021 action film, which takes place in a highly-stylized world full of pink cardigans, bowling jackets and brutal murder. Gunpowder Milkshake gets away with its creative violence because it takes place in an alternate reality where the stylish violence makes sense.
As a Netflix action film, Kate is fine, but if you are looking for a singular vision that feels unique and new, stay away from Kate. There is no joy in the violence, and the film wastes an interesting performance from Winstead, who plays Kate like an old version of the T-800 (she’s called the Terminator in the movie), that is falling apart as her ultraviolent sprees cause her to lose teeth, get stabbed, and puke a lot. Let’s hope that another director sees this movie, and puts Winstead in an action film that is less clunky and serious.
Final thoughts – Kate is worth watching for the central performance, and the insane amount of gore, but it will most likely remind you of much better movies.
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Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast – Episode 63: Cutthroat Island, Renny Harlin, and Lots of Explosions
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!
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Jay and Mark are joined by Jeanette Ward (@jeanette_y_ward) to discuss the 1995 action film Cutthroat Island. Directed Renny Harlin, and starring Geena Davis, Matthew Modine, and Frank Langella, the movie focuses on a group of pirates who blow stuff up, and hunt for treasure. In this episode, they discuss torture eels, sword dancing, and badass sleeveless leather pirates. Enjoy!
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John’s Horror Corner: The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), an occult adventure movie starring Bill Pullman versus Voodoo.
MY CALL: This was way less exciting than I recall, but every bit as interesting as I remembered; more like an occult adventure movie like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). Cool movie still, but much more about story than gore or shock or scares. MORE MOVIES LIKE The Serpent and the Rainbow: For more thoughtful movies investigating the occult, try Angel Heart (1987) or Lord of Illusions (1995). If it’s voodoo/Hudu you seek, try The Kiss (1988), The Skeleton Key (2005) and Spell (2020).
Specializing in exploring indigenous mysticism, anthropologist Dennis Alan (Bill Pullman; Brain Dead, The Grudge) is hired by a biotech company to investigate the phenomenon of zombification in Haiti. More specifically, Dennis must find out how a man verified to have been dead and buried seven years ago is walking the streets today.
Collaborating with a local doctor Marielle (Cathy Tyson), Dennis is introduced to disturbed individuals who have allegedly died and been discovered alive (but not so well) years after, as well as the more influential members of the mystic community. And whereas he is warned of the black magician Dargent (Zakes Mokae; Dust Devil, Vampire in Brooklyn), really it is the entire voodoo community that has him watching his back during his investigation.
This is probably director Wes Craven’s (The Hills Have Eyes, Scream, Cursed, Deadly Friend, Deadly Blessing, A Nightmare on Elm Street) most plotty horror film. The story is rich and feels as much like an occult adventure like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) as it does a horror movie. Likewise, the monsters in this horror film are the humans, not those risen from the dead with clops of putrefied flesh sloughing from their bodies. So if you came for a fright-filled gorefest, you might have come to the wrong place. This film is more concerned with the integrity of its narrative and the horrors of man than it is with fitting the typical horror mold. Still, there is no shortage of creepy horrific scenes. That is, until the final scenes when things get a bit more crazy (like bonkerstastic crazy).
The finale feels like a completely different movie in terms of content. A man tears off his own head and throws it at someone! Sure we’ve already seen severed heads and visions of a corpse bride, but things are more amped-up now. A hallway of oddly long zombie arms reaching for you, a body bursting into flames, a spiritually hammered nail to the groin… it gets zany.
Overall, this classic remains an interesting watch. It may lack the body count or death scenes we expect from 80s horror. But this is a more thoughtful, storytelling film. Great for a rainy Sunday afternoon viewing.
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Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021) – Review: A Delightfully Odd Sequel That Features Domhnall Gleeson Rolling Down a Hill
Quick thoughts: Grade – B+ – Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is a delightfully weird sequel that features offbeat humor, committed performances, and Domhnall Gleeson rolling down a hill.
If you’re looking for a film that features dried fruit heists, jogging foxes, and a rabbit getting totally blasted on Jelly Beans, it doesn’t get any better than Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. What’s beautiful about the sequel is that it sticks to the madcap vibe of its 2018 predecessor, and doesn’t lose track of why the first movie was such a success (boths films are insane). People watching the original in 2018 were treated to a gonzo PG-rated film that featured a subplot about a rabbit delightfully breaking its ribs, while still managing to feature character development and a wild amount of comical violence done to poor Domhnall Gleeson. The sequel essentially turns everything up to 11, but it still doesn’t leave behind the character moments that make these movies unique. The credit goes to returning director/writer Will Gluck, who expands the world, and managed to bring back the majority of the voice and acting talent who made the first film so fun (Daisy Ridley is missed this time around though).
Peter Rabbit 2 focuses on two separate subplots involving the success of Bea’s (Rose Byrne) Peter Rabbit books, and Peter (James Corden) dealing with being labeled a “bad seed” because of them. The success of the books puts Bea and Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) in the sites of book publisher (and pugilist) Nigel Basil-Jones (David Oyelowo), who wants to put a modern spin the characters, which will guarantee massive sales, but will eliminate the souls of the characters. The problem with the popularity of the books is that they paint Peter in a negative light, which leads him to meeting an unscrupulous rabbit named Barnabas (Lennie James), who convinces Peter, Flopsy (Margot Robbie), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), Cotton-tail (Aimee Horne) and Benjamin (Colin Moody) to rob a farmer’s market loaded with dried fruit and expensive bath bombs. Eventually, the two stories intertwine, and it leads to a cheeky rescue mission that features a deer and a parachute.
What makes the franchise so endearing is how it embraces odd humor and self-awareness. Whether it’s Gleeson rolling down a hill, or a lovable rabbit almost becoming stew, the movies aren’t afraid to polarize with offbeat humor that allows Corden to wonder if his voice really is annoying (WHAAAAAAATTT!!!). This is what sets the franchise apart from other PG-rated properties, because it rarely plays it totally safe, and it’s never afraid to be silly.
Final thoughts – Make sure to listen to the epic podcast episode we recorded about the 2018 film. Stay tuned for another epic episode about Peter Rabbit 2.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 387: Freaky, Mystical Daggers, and Christopher Landon
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 Zanandi (@ZaNandi on Twitter) discuss the 2020 horror comedy Freaky. Directed by Christopher Landon, and starring Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn, the movie focuses on what happens when a burly serial killer swaps bodies with a high school student. In this episode, they discuss tennis racket kills, mystical daggers, and kitchen fights. 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.
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Malignant (2021) – Review: A Fun Horror Film That Should Be Embraced
Quick thoughts – Grade B+ – Malignant is insane. James Wan has created one of the oddest horror films I’ve ever seen, and I love it.
Movies like Malignant don’t come around very often, and they should be embraced. After directing Aquman, Furious 7, and The Conjuring 1 & 2, James Wan seems to have been given free reign to create whatever he wanted. The end product is something that is almost impossible to explain, because it’s nuts. It belongs with The Happening and Jupiter Ascending (I love both of them) as movies that swung big and created experiences that people will talk about for a long time. If you are looking for a truly original film, watch Malignant now.
Directed by James Wan, and starring Annabelle Wallis (Annabelle, The Mummy), Maddie Hasson (check out We Summon the Darkness), George Young, and Michole Briana White, Malignant tells the story of a woman named Madison (Wallis), who starts seeing visions of a mysterious supernatural creature, who is killing people in Seattle. Her visions put her on the radar of Detectives Kekoa Shaw (Young), and Regina Moss (Briana White), who are investigating a series of wildly bloody murders. Together, they team up to solve the mystery, and engage in some fun cat-and-mouse games with the mysterious murderer.
What’s great about Malignant is how insane it is. There hasn’t been a more strange wide release horror film in years. It would be a shame to spoil anything because it’s best to know nothing about the twists and turns before, just be prepared for an incredible amount of insanity and gore. Also, the cinematography by Michel Burgess (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Annabelle Comes Home) is beautiful, and loaded with wide shots, roaming steadicam work, and overhead shots that are a sight to behold. The camera is a character in Malignant, and it’s great seeing a horror film with wildly ambitious camerawork. The production design by Desma Murphy (Art Director on Aquaman, Furious 7 and The Suicide Squad) is also excellent, as the interiors are suitably gloomy, and the Seattle underground looks like a nightmare factory.
Other highlights are Maddie Hasson who was also a lot of fun in We Summon the Darkness. Her character defies many tropes, and also gets herself involved in some bonkers moments that will leave you cringing (in a good way). Finally, make sure to keep your eye out for the greatest chair throw since The Wolfman (2010)
Final thoughts – Malignant is insane, and I love every second of it.
Movies, Films & Flix 