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Jay and Mark are joined by Kim Morrison (@wickedsister69 on Twitter) to discuss the ninth chapter of the Deep Blue Sea 2 DVD. In this episode, they talk about secret explosives, back-to-back flare shooting, and gentle bites. Enjoy!
Please follow Kim on Twitter, and check out her wonderful horror articles at Ghouls Magazine (@GhoulsMagazine)
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Quick thoughts – C – Army of the Dead starts off wonderfully, but too many subplots, lots of meandering, and odd decisions make it a slog to watch.
On paper, Netflix giving Zack Snyder $70-$90 million to make a zombie epic was something to be thrilled about. Why? Since it’s a Netflix film, Snyder would have the final cut, and space to make the movie that he wanted to make. Also, Snyder kicked off his feature film directing career with 2004’s Dawn of the Dead, a fun remake of George Romero’s classic that featured a killer soundtrack, solid cast and fast zombies who added new wrinkles to the zombie genre. The 101-minute film is lean and mean, and it’s so good that it made fans of Snyder’s work super excited about a new zombie movie.
Army of the Dead focuses on what happens when the payload of a military convery escapes, and turns Las Vegas into a zombie-ridden hellscape full of smart zombies, tiger zombies, and slow zombies. Viva Las Vegas it ain’t, and the opening 15(ish) minutes of the film showcase thrilling action scenes involving Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), Maria Cruz (Ana de la Reguera) and Vanderhoe (a scene stealing Omari Hardwick), escaping the initial outbreak and laying waste to any zombies that are foolish enough to step in their way. Their heroics end with them saving a high ranking military official, which puts them in the crosshairs of billionaire mogul Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada). With the city about to be hit by a nuclear strike in a couple days, Tanaka offers Ward $50 million to enter the city and grab the $200 million that Tanaka has sitting in one of his casinos.
Army of the Dead, starts off with a bang, and continues with a fun montage featuring Ward and Cruz putting together a team of zombie fighters who will help them sneak in Las Vegas, crack a safe, carry thousands of pounds of cash to the roof of the hotel, and fly away in a helicopter that will fit everything (big plot hole). The final team includes Marianne Peters (Tig Notaro), Lilly the Coyote (Nora Arnezeder), Burt Cummings (Theo Rossi), Mikey Guzman (Raùl Castillo), Chambers (Samantha Win) and Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer), a German safecracker who provides many of the films best lines. They are also joined by Ward’s daughter Kate (Ella Purnell), who has an agenda that will bring chaos on the team, and create an overly long subplot about her relationship with her dad. The final team member is Martin (Garret Dilahunt), one of Tanaka’s men, who clearly has an agenda that will inevitably bring more chaos down on the team of zombie killers. Basically, death is certain, as there are hidden agendas, zombie tigers, and a group of super zombies who aren’t fans of several decisions that are made.
This is a totally earnest observation that hopefully doesn’t sound too pithy, but it would be neat to see a 100-minute cut of Army of the Dead. The 148-minute film could easily lose 48 minutes, as the screenplay by Snyder, Shay Hatten, and Joby Harold features unnecessary subplots (parental issues etc..) and meandering moments that put a halt to any momentum. This could’ve been a gnarly heist film, as the cast is game, and the idea of super zombies is fun, but, there are too many plot holes, and the fact that nobody was like “there’s only one helicopter to carry 10+ people and thousands of pounds of cash?,” isn’t cool.
The cinematography by Zack Snyder is a lot of fun, and the production design and costumes by Julie Berghoff (Saw, The Conjuring) and Stephanie Portnoy Porter (Sucker Punch, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice) are excellent, as each character looks unique, and Las Vegas looks believably gross and barren. You can definitely see every cent of the large budget on the screen, and it’s nice knowing that so much money was spent on a zombie heist film.
Final Thoughts – Army of the Dead starts off hot, and cools off quickly. Check it out if you love zombie films, or are a Snyder completist.
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Quick thoughts – Solos is a fun experiment that allows Anthony Mackie, Constance Wu, Helen Mirren and others to flex their acting chops in unique science fiction environments.
This is a non-spoiler review, I knew nothing about the show when I watched it, and I think that adds to the experience.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, creator David Weil, said “a lot of the inspiration for [it] came from things I’m not allowed to do as a writer, in film and television, you’re really not allowed to have a 30-minute monologue, though I would love to in every episode of something I write.” Luckily for Weil, who also created Hunters for Amazon Prime, Solos was his opportunity to tell seven solo stories that revolve around a form of grounded science fiction. In the seven episodes, actors Anne Hathaway, Nicole Beharie, Helen Mirren, Uzo Aduba, Anthony Mackie, Constance Wu, Dan Stevens, and Morgan Freeman all do excellent work and they command the screen alone, or together (Stevens and Freeman are a double act in their episode).
The highlights of the seven episodes are the Anthony Mackie (Tom) and Constance Wu (Jenny) episodes that focus on revolutionary technology and a long wait in a waiting room. Both actors are superb, as they deliver 10-30 minute monologues that showcase their ability to balance anger, humor, sadness and hope within one well-written monologue. It’s nice seeing Mackie away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it makes me want to see him in more non-superhero movie cinema (watch Synchronic now!). Also, the episodes reminded me again how excellent Constance Wu is. Her performance in “Jenny” is a highlight of the show, and she’s asked to do a lot inside throughout the course of her episode. She handles humor with heartbreak expertly, and I’d love to see her get some award recognition for her performance.
The seven different stories all feature inspired production design by Ruth Ammon (The Alienist, Jack Ryan) and fun direction from David Weil, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Tiffany Johnson and Zach Braff. Telling visually interesting stories with just one actor, in one location is not an easy task, yet each episode is visually distinct, and the sets all cater perfectly to each story. Some of the actors are allowed more free range in their episodes as they have an office, basement lab, or simulation to move around in. Others, such as Helen Mirren, spends her episode strapped into a chair while traveling in to space. Cinematographer William Rexer (Hunters, Sneaky Pete, The Tick) had his work cut out for him, and he managed to find dozens (if not more) of angles and shots to keep each episode looking fresh and thrilling. It would’ve been neat to be a fly-on-the-wall for these shoots, because they must’ve been intimate and kind of thrilling.
Final thoughts – Watching Solos was a lot of fun, and you can tell the actors loved the experience of carrying their episodes. I’d love to see more.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast -Episode 364 – Ronin, Robert De Niro, and Rocket Launchers
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 Norbert discuss the 1998 action film Ronin. Directed by John Frankenheimer, and starring Robert De Niro, Stellan Skarsgård, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Sean Bean, and Jonathan Pryce, the film focuses on a group of mercenaries who love driving. In this episode, they talk about rocket launchers, car chases, and coffee traps. 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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MY CALL: I love this flick! There’s nothing groundbreaking here, but it’s still a solid movie. We have an awesome cast giving good performances in a well-directed, deliciously gory killer plant movie. What more did you want? MORE MOVIES LIKE The Ruins: Well, for more killer plant movies I’d aim for Splinter (2008), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Seed People (1992) and The Girl with All the Gifts (2016). I’d skip The Crawlers (1993). For more Central American horror, consider Dolly Dearest (1991) and Indigenous (2014). I’d also strongly recommend Cabin Fever (2002, 2016).
Approaching the end of their vacation in Mexico, a rather likable group of college students (two couples) meet two European tourists who lead them to an off-the-maps archaeological dig site deep in the jungle by a Mayan village. Off-grid in the wilderness of southern Mexico… wandering down some hidden path… to a site not on any maps… what could possibly go wrong?
Our tourists are played by Jonathan Tucker (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Jena Malone (The Neon Demon), Laura Ramsey (The Covenant, Venom), Shawn Ashmore (The Day, Mother’s Day), Joe Anderson (The Crazies) and Dimitri Baveas. The entire cast serves the film well with their performances.
The adventure proves worth it when they approach the Mayan ruins: a vine-enshrouded pyramid. Facing a significant language barrier, the Mayan villagers are enraged when the tourists get too close to the structure, threatening to kill them by gun or arrow and forcing their retreat to the top of the ruins. Now marooned atop the structure where they find a dead body cocooned in vines, the tourists are besieged by the armed villagers who clearly will not let them leave.
A gunshot tearing off a jaw-dropping chunk of someone’s head kicks off our gore expectations for the movie well. But there is still much fun to come! Our tourists come to learn their exposure to the plants has contaminated them. And when idle (or sleeping), the vines will parasitize flesh wounds and grow into their victim flesh! One guy’s broken legs get gnarly-rooted up!
And as for surprises, I love the part with the cell phone! THAT I won’t spoil. And then there’s the medical “amputation” scene, which seems heavily inspired by From Beyond (1986) and Cabin Fever (2002, 2016) in combination! Just gloriously gory and shocking! There is, in fact, another surgery scene that is very different but still satisfyingly gross! These vines are full of surprises, they attack to murder slowly and quietly, but most of the time they just keep to themselves lying in wait. It’s very satisfying (and sort of impishly feisty) when the vines drag human remains into their masses. We also enjoy some very bloody gashed-up self-mutilation—a typical trope of infection movies.
And while nothing groundbreaking in concept, I really enjoyed the simple execution of the ending. It’s really nice when horror finishes well as feisty vines drag body parts and cadavers deep into their freshly fertilized brambles. Strong recommendation for fans of Cabin Fever (2002, 2016) and Splinter (2008).
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Quick Thoughts – Filmed in July 2020, The Alexandre Aja (Crawl, High Tension, Piranha 3D) directed film is a visually impressive experience that features an excellent performance from Mélanie Laurent. Also, the script by Christie LeBlanc is constantly entertaining, and does a fine job of adding constant tension
Oxygen centers around what happens when a woman named Elizabeth Hansen (Laurent) wakes up in a medical cryo unit, and realizes she only has 42-72 minutes of oxygen left in her claustrophobic medical tube. To make matters worse, her memory is foggy from the cryo-sleep, so she has to waste valuable time remembering who she is, and why the heck she is stuck in a cryo unit. Her only companion is M.I.L.O. (voiced by Mathieu Amalric), the unit’s AI who is extremely literal, and doesn’t give her much in the way of information. What follows is a thrilling 90 minutes as Hansen makes frantic calls, gets electrocuted, and slowly regains her memory which leads to some fun revelations.
The film which has been in development since 2017, and originally had Anne Hathaway, then Noomi Rapace (also an executive producer) set to star, is worth a watch because of the way Aja and cinematographer Maxime Alexandre (Crawl, Maniac, Shazam!, The Crazies) found ways to keep the film visually impressive, despite having a tiny spot to work with. The amount of camera set ups seems uncountable, and that makes Laurent’s performance more impressive as she had to keep up a frantic and scared appearance while stuck in a box. After Inglourious Basterds, Beginners, Enemy, and 6 Underground, it’s neat seeing Laurent in a popular Netflix film where millions can see how great she is. As an actor, it must’ve been a welcome challenge for Laurent, and now she joins the ranks of Ryan Reynolds (Buried), Tom Hardy (Locke), Blake Lively (The Shallows), Colin Farrel (Phone Booth), Sam Rockwell (Moon), Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Robert Redford (All is Lost) who have been in similar films that showcase them as performers.
Hopefully, Oxygen will get more eyes on Alexandre Aja, who has been making quality films since 1999. If you haven’t watched High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D, Crawl or Horns yet, do it now, as they are all fun films that were made on relatively low budgets. It’s still shocking that Crawl (Listen to the podcast episode we recorded for it!)was made for only $13 million, as it looks wonderful, and features A+ acting, production design and visual effects.
Final thoughts – Oxygen is an excellent showcase for Aja and Laurent, and I hope this film gets more eyes on their prior work
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Quick Thoughts – B+ – The Taylor Sheridan directed Those Who Wish Me Dead is welcome counterprogramming to the action films released today. The action is grounded, the stakes are real, and it’s driven mostly by characters (not bombastic action).
Taylor Sheridan (Sicario, Hell or High Water, Yellowstone, Without Remorse, Wind River) is one of the most consistent writers/directors working today. The films/television shows that he either writes or directs, take place in wide-open expanses, and focus on capable people engaging in wildly violent affairs that leave many dead. Those Who Wish Me Dead, is a perfect example of what Sheridan loves
Those Who Wish Me Dead focuses on a wild manhunt that leaves many dead or injured in its wake. The film starts off with two hitmen named Jack (Aidan Gillen) and Patrick (Nicholas Hoult) blowing up the house of a district attorney who is about to share some wildly damning news that will have ripple effects across the United States. When word of the explosion hits the news, Owen (Jake Webber), the man who figured out the corruption, grabs his son Connor (Finn Little) and drives from Florida to Montana, so they can stay at his brother-in-law’s ranch. Before they can reach the home of Allison (Medina Senghore) and Ethan (Jon Bernthal), Owen is killed by the hitmen, and Connor escapes and enters the Montana wilderness in search of help. This leads him to Hannah (Angelina Jolie), a firefighter who is spending time at a fire watchtower after a tragic event that took place during a forest fire.
With all the chess pieces set, the action kicks off and goes to some brutal and tragic places (the fireplace scene…). What makes the film work so well are the capable characters who are really good at murder, or are really good at avoiding being killed. Jack and Patrick are intriguing characters because they are all about the job, and there is very little drama between them. They just really want to accomplish their mission, and get the heck out of Montana before too much attention is thrust upon them. It’s nice that Sheridan uses Nicholas Hoult’s tall 6’3 frame to his advantage, and he towers above his shorter costars, which adds menace to his character. Hannah is an interesting character as well, and it’s cool seeing Jolie back in the action genre. The character is clearly struggling with PTSD, but she’s extremely capable, which makes her being sidelined to the tower seem both unjust and logical.
The cinematography by Ben Richardson (Wind River, Yellowstone) does a fine job capturing the wide open vistas of New Mexico (Standing in for Montana), and the costume design and production design by Kari Perkins (Everybody Wants Some!! Mud, Wind River) and Neil Spisak (Wind River, Spider-Man, Face/Off) feels authentic and lived in (lots of carhartt). Also, the screenplay by Sheridan, Charles Leavitt, and Michael Koryta (who also wrote the 2019 book) does a fine job of giving each character moments to shine as Jolie, Hoult, and Connor all have standout moments.
Final thoughts –Those Who Wish Me Dead is a welcome throwback thriller that features likable heroes and villains killing each other.
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Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast: Episode 45: Pinballing Sharks, Blinding Flashlights, and Deep Blue Space
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 returning guest Megan H. to discuss the eighth chapter of the Deep Blue Sea 2 DVD. In this episode, they discuss survivable shark scenarios, blinding flashlights, and sharks in space. Enjoy!
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Quick Thoughts: Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is wonderful. It’s inventive, daring and beautifully odd. Writers/stars Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo have created a cult classic that hopefully will amass a large following. Also, I really hope that it somehow, someway, gets nominated for about 40 Academy Awards (they can make up the awards, it’s cool). It deserves it.
The Josh Greenbaum directed Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar tells the story of a likable duo named Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig) who travel to Vista Del Mar, Florida after they lose their jobs at the hottest spot in their town (Jennifer’s Convertibles) of Soft Rock, Nebraska. The two roommates, who are either divorced or widowed (Barb’s husband was trampled to death during a Black Friday melee), end up staying at the Vista Del Mar Hotel, a sun-drenched resort full of swinging couples, talking crabs, and gigantic alcoholic beverages that lead to wild nights.
Unbeknownst to them, they put themselves into the crosshairs of the Bond-esque villain Sharon Gordon Fisherman (Kristen Wiig again) and her henchman Yo-Yo (Reyn Doi), after Star falls in love with Edgar Pagét (Jamie Dornan), one of Sharon Gordon Fisherman’s henchmen, who really wants to be in an “official” relationship with characters played by Kristen Wiig. The relationship could be a problem, as Sharon Gordon Fisherman (I have to write the full name every time, it’s wonderful), plans to kill thousands during an annual festival, and she needs Edgar (or Edgarrr) to be the person who places a beacon on the main stage that will draw thousands of deadly mosquitos to the festival. It would be a disservice to reveal more, so, just know that the rest of the movie features terrible spies named Darlie Bunkle (Damon Wayans Jr.), jet ski chases, banana boats, Tommy Bahama, and magical culottes.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a breath of fresh air, as it’s never mean, and it’s wholly unique. Kristen Wiig pitched it as “Airplane meets Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,” and that’s pretty much what you get. There are memorable quotes, costumes, and characters who make the 107-minute running time fly by, and the gag reel that plays over the credits is a joy. If you get a chance, pick up the Blu-ray and check out all the extras and commentaries. The commentary with Wiig, Mumolo and Greenbaum is fun and insightful, and it showcases the chemistry between the filmmakers.
Final thoughts: Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is the “Trish” of movies. Watch it, buy it, tell people about it.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 363: Battleship, Burritos, and Board Games
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 Tom discuss the 2012 film Battleship. Directed by Peter Berg, and starring Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna, and Jesse Plemons, the film focuses on what happens when pugnacious aliens meet the USS Missouri battleship. In this episode, they talk about Peter Berg, alien fistfights, and the massive scale of the film. 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 