Tag Archives: Action-Comedy

MAYDAY (2026) – Review

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This weekend’s big streaming premiere harkens back to a movie staple of the 1980s, the “mis-matched” buddy action comedy. And, appropriately enough, it is set in the 1980s. Another exercise in nostalgia, you’d think. Well, it’s a bit more complex than that since a big chunk of it deals with the then still “very frigid” Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union (a bit like that 81′ classic STRIPES). As for the “buddies”, we get a most unusual pairing of actors (and acting “styles”). Toss in much of the main plot of 2001’s BEHIND ENEMY LINES, chill, and then cool off with an irreverent road trip that starts with a frantic distress call of MAYDAY.

It is 1987, the last couple of Cold War years, when we meet Navy fighter pilot and “hot shot”, Troy “Assassin” Kelly (Ryan Reynolds). After helping out another pilot when his jet malfunctions, Troy stops off to visit his ailing papa Harold (David Morse). Troy wants to spend the evening with him, but Dad insists that he join his flyer pals for a night on the town. Their revelry is cut short when they run into their C.O. (Clark Johnson), who wants a private “word” with Troy. He’s going to be the “second seat” or co-pilot on a “hush hush” trek into Russia to snap some photos of a “secret operations base”. However, things go “sideways” when enemy jets attack. The Air Force’s main pilot is killed, and Troy must eject when the “spy plane” is destroyed. Flaming debris rips his chute, causing him to plummet into a snowy Russian forest. Before he blacks out, Troy sees an approaching man with a rifle. When Troy comes to, he’s tied to a bed inside a cabin. His wounds have been treated by his “rescuer”, ex-KGB Nikolai Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh). Ah, but he’s not going to take Troy to the military or the police. It seems that “Nick” adores everything about the ole’ US of A, with posters adorning his walls and a very illegal VHS “bootleg” of TOP GUN always playing on his TV. The place is warm and cozy, but Troy wants to get home. Nick insists that his former comrades are on the hunt for him, so Troy’s best escape plan is to steal an “untappable” airwave telephone and contact the US Embassy in Moscow, many miles away. But he can’t do it alone. Can these two former foes work together to escape the quickly advancing agents of the USSR and avoid an “international incident” that could heat up the COLD WAR?

And so how are these two “action buddies”? Surprisingly good, it turns out. Who’d ‘thunk it? Maybe it’s because they both “eased” a touch out of their “comfort zones”. That’s certainly the case with Reynolds as he softens his motor-mouthed wiseguy persona and makes us really connect to Troy’s plight. He’s the ultimate “fish out of water’ and that’s near the boiling point. Still, Reynolds’ Troy is steadfast, determined, and caring, particularly in the opening scenes with his hospitalized Pop. And Reynolds shows us that Troy gradually warms to his “enemy/healer/guide” Nick, subtly played by the talented Branagh. In past roles, he’s often overwhelmed his roles with bombast and bravado. Here, he shows us the quiet intensity and intelligence of a man hoping to atone for his past while reaching for a brighter new life in that utopian ideal of America (he so wants a Big Mac). Branagh also stuns in the complex “close quarters” combat sequences (can he really be in his 60s?). The film provides him with a great arch-nemesis in the current KGB overlord Volkov, played by Marcin Dorocinski with a constant menacing sneer. He’s disgusted by the warming relations with the US, and sees the capture of Kelly as a way to get Russia “back on track”. Opposing him is Nick’s estranged daughter Anna, played by “Borat’s daughter”, the compelling Maria Bakalova (also great in THE APPRENTICE as the first wife of DJT). She doesn’t hesitate to help Troy in his escape plan, but still questions her papa’s motives, while we see her yearning to reconnect with him. Morse is solid as Kelly senior, as is Johnson’s Troy’s military patriarch. Kudos also to Louis Cancelmi as the humorless Air Force “a-hole” and the hilarious Jacob Hanlon as Gorgo, the lad with the frozen “sour and sinister gaze”.

This is another solid entertainment from the writing and directing duo of Jonathan Go;dstein and John Francis Daly (forever Sam Weir on the one-season TV classic “Freaks and Geeks”). After their last flick, the “better-than-it-deserved-to-be” 2023 Dungeons and Dragons reboot, the team has returned to a more grounded reality with this action-character-driven comedy. And the action is indeed very good, going from the amazing aerial acrobatics in the first act (“Maverick”-worthy), with a nail-biting sky attack, to a dazzling barroom brawl, and a harrowing chase aboard a moving train. Sure, we’ve seen these types of set pieces before, but there’s a terrific vitality to this new “take” mainly thanks to Reynolds and especially Branagh. The Cold War paranoia is expertly recreated, down to a brief ideology debate between Troy and Nick. The film has some great location work, with Canada and Hungary seemingly subbing for Russia. So much of this is truly engaging, though a trip into 80’s action fantasy-overkill involving a big parade just doesn’t mesh with the deft blending of thrills and laughs in the earlier segments. Still, this remains a solid, briskly paced, well-acted nostalgic ride filled with engaging twists and turns that deserved a slot at the multiplex. You’ll give your big-screen home streaming set-up a terrific workout and a cinema showcase for the often marvelous MAYDAY.

3 Out of 4

MAYDAY streams exclusively on Apple TV on Friday, September 4, 2026

ANORA – Review

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Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan, in ANORA. Courtesy of NEON

Cannes’ Palme d’Or winner ANORA follows a Brooklyn exotic dancer who marries the son of a Russian oligarch and the wild series of events after the oligarch finds out and sets out to annul the marriage. Director Sean Baker wowed audiences with his breakout FLORIDA PROJECT, which told the story of little girl living in a Florida motel converted to cheap weekly rental apartments, but Baker’s other films, often sly comedies set in a world of sex workers and people at the lowest economic rung, are not for everyone. Although there is some of that in ANORA, this one is also a deeply human film about dreams and human connections that takes unexpected turns as it shifts from comedic to touchingly human drama.

Mikey Madison stars are Anora, a Russian American who goes by Ani and works as an exotic dancer at a upscale gentleman’s club in New York. Ani is a fun-loving young woman who parties with her friends from work but lives with her older sister in a tiny house situated under the elevated subway tracks. Ani speaks some Russian, because her beloved Russian grandmother never learned English, so her boss goes to her when a client asks for someone who speaks the language, pulling her off her meal break.

Grumbling, Ani nonetheless go to the table to entertain the young son of a Russian oligarch. Ivan Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn) speaks some English but is more comfortable with Russian, which Ani understands better than she speaks. The two seems to hit it off, partly because of the common language difficulties. Ivan tells her he is 21 but he looks, and acts, much younger. He also tells her his father is a billionaire arms dealer, a scary person, and he’s avoiding him in America. Very taken with Ani, he asks if he can see her outside work, and she agrees.

“Outside work” means sex for money, of course. Ani is very business-like about it but the young Russian heaps her with compliments and is more than willing to pay whatever she asks. The two actually have fun together, besides plenty of sex,, and Ivan asks Ani to be his “girlfriend” for a week, paid of course. They go to parties, hang out with his friends where she seems accepted as Ivan’s girlfriend.

On a trip to Las Vegas, he starts talking about getting married so he can stay in America. When he proposes to her, Ani scolds him, telling him not to kid about that kind of thing. He insists he means it, and they skip off to a little Vegas wedding chapel.

Both Ivan and Ani are euphoric after the wedding, and the film takes on a romantic tone as they seem very much a couple in love. Her new husband heaps praise, and furs and jewelry, on her, and the formerly cynical Ani changes her view of the world as she settles into life in Ivan’s mansion. She even talks of looking forward to meeting his parents, and imaging becoming part of the family they way she has already become part of his circle of friends.

But then the parents find out about the marriage, and they are outraged. The oligarch sends his American representative, an Armenian named Toros (Karren Karagulian), who is supposed to be keeping an eye on his son, to get the marriage annulled and straighten things out. To do that, Toros shows up at Ivan’s mansion (which really belongs to his parents), along with two more guys as muscle, his regular Armenian henchman Garnick (Armenian actor and comedian Vache Tovmaysan) and a new guy, a Russian named Igor (Yura Borisov, who was so excellent in the Finnish romantic drama COMPARTMENT NO. 6), just hired for this job. The trio all expect this to be an easy job but Ani quickly changes that, proving to be a fierce fighter, both objecting to suggestions they are not really married, to efforts to annul the marriage, and even insisting she meet her husband’s parents, her new in-laws. Everything descends into chaos and comedy as this little woman fights back furiously when the two guys brought along as muscle try to manhandle her, impressing particularly the Russian, Igor, a guy who is not looking to join the Armenians crime underworld, and later reveals a fondness for his immigrant grandma.

Stylishly shot and with a compelling pace, ANORA transforms again and again. A trio of thugs show up determined to carry out Ivan’s parents’ demand to break up the couple with an annulment but set off a shift to action and comedy, with a wild chase and plenty of plot twists, when the son goes on the run and the thugs hang onto Ani to find him. A film that starts out like a Cinderella story, morphs into a comic crime chase, but later into a human drama as people and circumstances continue to change.

As Ani proves a resourceful fighter and the thugs search for the runaway Russian son, the film leans into comedy but the characters are also evolving as those action scenes entertain us. Nothing is as straightforward as they, or the audience, thought. Ani in particular goes through self-reflection and changes, as her view of her world shifts again and dreams seem to evaporate. The changes are touching, sometimes heartbreaking, transforming the film into something different than we expected.

The final scene, beautifully acted by Mikey Madison and Borisov, is particularly powerful, and unexpected moment of searing human feeling, a scene that will stay with you and creates a final shift of the film, as Ani becomes Anora, who lingers in our mind.

Both the acting and the writing are strong in this surprising film, as director Sean Baker firmly steers the film, and the audience, though all its character and tonal shifts. The film’s early more comic sections are highly entertaining but it is the character transformation that stay with us, particularly as Ani, then Anora, goes though that moving ending scene that elevates the film into a new level of human feeling.

Sean Baker’s skill as a director is undeniable in all his films but turning that talent to this story about a young woman being transformed by experiences to reach a truer self is breathtaking. It is no mystery why this tale was a big winner at Cannes, or that ANORA has gone on to other awards buzz.

ANORA opens Friday, Nov. 1, in theaters.

RATING: 3.5 out of 4 stars

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE – Review

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Wow, can you believe, true believers, that it’s been over eight months since our last multiplex trek into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)? Really! Sure, there have been a few Disney+ shows, and a Sony “Spidey spin-off” (the infamous MADAME WEB, inspiring so many memes), but it’s nothing like sitting down with your popcorn for a real MCU journey. Aside from the long “lead time” this one is pretty unique as it takes a “side road’ to include the “Fox Marvel movie-verse”. You see before there was a Marvel Studios, the comics giant licensed several of their characters to the established movie studios. After years of legal entanglements, Sony got Spidey (and partnered with Marvel for the Tom Holland trilogy). But the main home for many Marvel stars was 20th Century Fox. They produced three FANTASTIC FOUR features, DAREDEVIL and its spin-off ELEKTRA, and the X-MEN franchise including THE WOLVERINE solo flicks, and the NEW MUTANTS. Oh, I almost forgot the “Merc with a Mouth” DEADPOOL. Well, thanks to a big corporate acquisition five years ago, Disney got Fox and all its various properties. So now the “mutant misfits” are joining the MCU, with brief cameos in the second DR. STRANGE adventure and THE MARVELS. And now comes the ultimate “plunge”, a titanic team-up (and the first “R-rated” MCU movie) of DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Are film fans ready for the “snikt” (the sound effect of Logan’s claws) and the snark (from you-know-who)?

After that familiar logo, we plunge back into the madness of the “multiverse” as Wade Wilson AKA Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) visits the scene of a recent franchise finale. After a brutal battle (set to a breezy pop tune), the story jumps back in time (and to another reality) as Wade deals with a disastrous job interview. From there we pop over to an alternate Wade over on Earth-10005, where he’s a burned-out used car salesman with his old superheroing buddy Peter (Rob Delaney). When they head back to Wade’s pad, his friends are gathered there for a big surprise birthday party. The group includes his ex Vanessa (Morena Baccarin)…awkward. Wade’s relieved when he answers a knock at the door. But it’s a squad of enforcers from the TVA (Time Variance Authority from the “Loki” Disney+ miniseries). After a brief scuffle he’s whisked via a portal to a TVA branch run by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen), who scolds Wade for traveling the timeline, but offers him a new “home” as his new device (almost completed), the “Time Ripper” will prune (obliterate) 10005 since they’ve lost the “anchor”, Logan Howlett AKA Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Wade springs into action, grabbing his TemPad ( a “controller’ that opens “portals”) and traveling through various universes to find a suitable Wolverine. Finally, he finds one ( a pretty surly, violent one, ‘natch) and takes him back to the TVA. Paradox regains the upper hand and informs Wade that this “variant” failed his heroic duties and destroyed his Earth. He then dispatches the duo to the barren hellscape known as the Void, a “dumping ground” for failed “multiverse variations”. Oh, its “ruler” is the powerful cruel Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), the twin sister of Charles Xavier, who leads an army of super-beings. Can Wade and Logan defeat her and find a way back to his Earth and thwart Paradox’s plans in order to save Deadpool’s crew?

In his third solo outing in the (co-) title role, Reynolds brings that manic motor-mouthed energy while also giving us a good bit of pathos. Deadpool’s mission is to save his pals and also himself, to prove that he matters and has real value. Plus there’s that unrequited affection for Vanessa to deal with as always. This proves to be a great counterpoint to the greatest “wiseguy” super fella around, who decimates the baddies and the “fourth wall”. And though they’re often at odds (to say the least), Reynolds is a great comedy/action partner to Jackman’s morose mutant. It’s amazing that he’s been with this “berzeker” fr nearly a quarter of a century, and still brings new aspects to the role. Though he gave one variant an emotional send-off this version is weighed down by enormous guilt, and like Wade, he sees this new “quest’ as a redemption. And while Reynolds delivers swift verbal ‘stings”, Jackman growls and pummels with his insults that slice deeper than those shiny claws. it’s interesting that this duo faces off against a villainous twosome. Macfayden is prickly and pompous as an “office overseer” with god-like aspirations. And like many bad guys, his “power play” blasts the doors open for an even greater threat in Corrin as the sadistic desert queen who desires new worlds to subjugate and demolish. With her gleaming pate and wide expressive eyes, she seems to thrive on sliding her slender fingers inside her victim’s skulls. She might be the best MCU menace since Thanos. Kudos must also go out to the comic support work from the devilishly dweeby Delaney as Wade’s fellow “wage slave’ who really misses the “spandex life’ and to the “force of funny nature’ that is the superb Leslie Uggams (hey I recall her CBS variety show that was replaced by the Smothers Brothers) as Wade’s forever cranky and foul-mouthed roommate “Blind” Al. I’d single out some more cast members, but we’d be diving into “spoiler-land”.

(L-R): Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

And that’s the problem with trying to urge your friends to see this (although most have had their advance tickets for some time). You don’t want to accidentally reveal the movie’s many surprises and delights. As I mentioned earlier, that “fourth wall” is torn down early on, to make way for a virtual skyscraper of witty riffs on the movie biz in general and the MCU in particular (not just biting the “hand” but making a full meal of it). The pace is nearly unrelenting thanks to the expert comic/action direction by Shawn Levy (who also made the great FREE GUY with Reynolds) and the silly-smart script he co-wrote with Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Welles (this “stew” needed these cooks). Unlike many superhero epics (especially those from the “guys down the street” as Wade says) this mixes its comic book origins with classic slapstick animation. Because of their healing powers, the title duo are almost beefy, “long-underwear” spins on Tom and Jerry, and all those Looney Tunes adversaries. They are dazed for a few seconds, the wounds close and the fight resumes. The laughs are so rapid and plentiful that the audience is nearly exhausted, but Levy then knows when to “shift down’ and get into the emotional core of the heroes and villains. As said earlier, the dramatics is unexpected, but the big stunner is the finale which is a somewhat sweet “s’long” to that whole “Fox-verse” that began with the new century. And aside from saving their friends, this dynamic duo is also defeating the cliche of “superhero fatigue” as they show us that there’s lots of life left in the recently maligned genre. Perhaps a big part of that is that there’s real affection between the two men, since there’s no “versus” in the title ( or “v” or “vs”, as with many monsters along with the two DC titans), but rather a simple (though pretty smart at times) DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE.

3.5 Out of 4

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is now playing in theatres everywhere

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

ARGYLLE – Review

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L to R: Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, and John Cena in ARGYLLE, directed by Matthew Vaughn

It feels as though there are one, or two, films that want to “push” against the standard movie-releasing rules as January slowly (with those recent temps it feels like crawling) gives way to February. The big splashy noisy action blockbusters are supposed to be waiting in the wings for the warmer times, but since this is from “Marv maverick” Matthew Vaughn, of course it’s not going to adhere to anyone’s rules. The guiding force behind the KINGSMAN and KING’S MAN franchises (and a pivotal entry in the X_MEN multiverse) attempts to get another series going by mixing in a bit more comedy and even a touch of romance and fantasy as he hopes we will be swept up in the world of ARGYLLE.


And just what does the title mean? In the first few minutes we learn that it’s the moniker of a globe-trotting “super-spy” (Henry Cavill), who favors a velvet suit rather than the patterned sweaters. When we meet him, he’s trying to capture a sultry blonde assassin, Lagrange (Dua Lipa). And with the help of his “muscle” Wyatt (John Cena) and computer whiz Kiera (Ariana DeBose), it’s “mission accomplished”, until they learn that their target was actually working with their boss in “the agency’. But then Argylle’s narrative voice segues into a woman’s voice, that of Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) who is reading the last line of her newest espionage thriller (the fifth in a series of best sellers) at her local bookstore in Colorado. From there it’s back to her quiet country home on the lake, buffeted by the mountains, as she finishes the sixth book, aided by her constant companion, a Scottish Fold cat named Alfie. The still night is interrupted by a “face-time” call from Elly’s mom Ruth (Catherine O’Hara) who isn’t pleased with the draft of the new tome. Agreeing that it needs a new chapter for a better ending, Ruth says that she’ll fly out for a visit. But Elly throws her a curve by boarding a Chicago-bound train. As the train departs, she’s joined by an off-putting scraggly fan named Aidan (Sam Rockwell) who explains that he’s a real spy and that Elly’s books have real-life counterparts. Elly scoffs until Aidan saves her from the countless skilled killers in the passenger car. As they escape, Aidan tells her that she must finish the new story, in order to thwart the forces that want to silence the duo forever. Somehow Elly’s creations are indeed true, and the reclusive writer must call upon her inner agent Argylle to survive.

As the timid and awkward “future cat lady” Elly, Howard displays the full range of her acting prowess, jumping right from comic annoyance to stark skittish terror to reluctant daredevil (hey she could wear high heels and evade dinosaurs in a recent trilogy) as the “normal” plunged into this “netherworld”. She’s certainly the heart of this flick as the vulnerable author turned adventurer. It helps that her guide is the ultra-cool and wacky Aidan played with “loosey-goosey” charm to spare by the always interesting “wild card” Rockwell, a nice “switcheroo” on the cliffhanging hero. More like the cliche is Cavill as the “fictional” gentleman agent who seems to have everything under control, especially his razor-sharp “buzz” haircut. He’s a fun parody in the opening sequences and it’s always a treat to see him “pop in” for a few seconds to assure Elly as she sees him in a mirror before “blinking” him back into her brain. Bryan Cranston appears to be having lots of fun putting his own spin on the arch-enemy “mastermind” role of Ritter, head of the “Division”. O’Hara flexes her considerable comic “chops”‘ as Elly’s “hovering” and way too helpful mother (a twist on her HOME ALONE icon). Though they’re featured heavily in the marketing, Lipa (who sizzles on screen), DeBose, and Cena really have slightly elongated “cameos’ as the novel’s femme fatale, and sidekicks, respectfully. Much the same can be said of Sofia Boutella as the “Keeper of Secrets” and particularly Samuel L. Jackson in a role that’s an affable, amiable “Nick Fury-lite”.

Vaughn gives the opening Bondian set-piece a real “sugar rush” jolt of giddy energy pouring on his hyper-stylized campy stunt flourishes. It almost makes us wish that he could bring that wild whimsey to a full-on spy satire ala the OSS-117 series (or another try at GET SMART). Then he switches gears into a manic spin on ROMANCING THE STONE with Elly and Aidan having a definitely deadly “meet cute”. Unfortunately, the script from Jason Fuchs begins piling on the double and triple crosses, attempting to dazzle us with its clever twists, but often coming off as illogical with characters changing behaviors “willy nilly”, with situations triggering responses that should’ve occurred earlier (not wanting to spoil). It wears us down long before the big third act stunt-heavy finale (paired with lotsa’ pop tunes) that has nearly five near-conclusions with a truly colorful showdown that would be sumptuous at a couple of minutes but comes off as self-indulgent “showboating” at nearly ten minutes. Luckily Vaughn (who has been de-clawed much like Alfie in order to get a more all-ages friendly PG-13 rating) keeps the comic close-ups of the obviously CGI kitty cat limited (it seemed like the trailers were “pushing’ it relentlessly), but the whole thing feels incredibly bloated at 139 minutes (didn’t FAST X teach us anything about action’thriller editing being needed). A dreary mid-credits bonus scene teases a follow-up, but this initial effort’s exhausting pacing and cliched “master plan” may make this the first and final mission for the mildly amusing agent ARGYLLE.

2 Out of 4

ARGYLLE is now playing in theatres everywhere

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM – Review

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All right, perhaps this unifying theme for the 2023 Summer movie season is nostalgia. Sure, the multiplex is usually filled with sequels and reboots this time of year, but at this moment the studios appear to be trying to exploit the treasured properties of our youth, over several different generations. Last weekend it was a beloved ride/attraction which has been a staple at the happiest place(s) on Earth for over fifty years. However the box office (and WB record-breaker) for the last couple of weeks stretches back another ten years to engulf theatre lobbies in a title wave of pink (“This BARBIE’s gonna’ bust a billion bucks at the box office”). Now, this Wednesday’s (gettin’ a jump on the weekend) new release also has a toy connection, but that merch arrived well after the characters’ comic book debut in 1984 (which spawned a TV cartoon a couple of years later). Oh, and it’s their seventh theatrical feature film (quite a few straight-to-home video and streaming flicks), and like the 2007 entry, it’s fully animated (no “mo-cap CGI” or big rubber suits). Time to return to those NYC sewers with TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM. Cowabunga!

For this retelling, the film is indeed back in the Big Apple for a flashback in the secret lab of scientist Baxter Stockman (voice of Giancarlo Esposito) who is testing his weird glowing ooze on several animals. Well, until his grungy “crib” is invaded by the forces of TCRI, under orders from Cynthia Utrom (Maya Rudolph). Ah, surprisingly some of the enhanced creatures fight back. Flash forward to now as the TMNT quartet, Donatello (Micah Abbey), Raphael (Brady Noon), Michaelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), and the leader, Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu) go on a nighttime grocery run for their “papa”/mentor Splinter (Jackie Chan). Of course, things go awry when Leonardo is outvoted and the guys try to join the crowd at an outdoor movie screening in the park. Naturally, Splinter is furious at their late return and retells the story of how he found them as infants, raised them, trained them in martial arts, and how the humans above nearly destroyed them. Promising to be more careful, they go for another supply run and are spotted by the high school student and aspiring reporter April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri). She is looking into a series of daring high-tech robberies that have spawned a curfew that may cancel the school prom. A smitten Leonardo decides that they should help out by thwarting the next big heist. Oh, but this puts the quartet in conflict with a nastier group of mutated critters, led by the powerful Superfly (Ice Cube). Can the teen turtles stop them and keep “under the radar”? More importantly, can they spring into action without angering Master Splinter?

Well, this witty retelling is certainly one of this year’s pleasant surprises. That may be due in large part to the new producers/handlers of this feature franchise, none other than the SUPERBAD duo of Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogan, along with James Weaver. And Evan and Seth were also part of the writing team adapting the creations of Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman (who get a couple of nice background visual “nods”). It’s obvious that the team has a great deal of affection for the source material, though they indulge in a few playful “tweaks” at the “mythology”. A big part of the “re-energizing” is the decision to have the teen turtles actually voiced by teenage actors (a couple of them have since aged past 18), giving the film a distinct sound as if we’re listening in on kids at a party “cracking wise” and “goofing” on each other. But Rogan also joins in on the fun as the voice of one of the “meanie mutants” along with screen vets Rose Byrne, Paul Rudd, and Hannibal Buress. The biggest “standouts” and scene stealers may be the two opposing “leaders”. We can imagine Ice Cube’s sneer (and see a bit in the rendering) as the swaggering Superfly. And could anyone be more “spot on” than Chan as the worrying, stern but sweet Master Splinter? Of course, all of that talent at the “mike” would be a really swell audiobook without the superb look and movement of the animation. Director Jeff Rowe (fresh off THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES, which isn’t as polished as this) with co-director Kyler Spears have taken a bit of inspiration from the first SPIDER-VERSE movie, to give the computer animation a real loose “sketchy” look. The outlines are constantly moving, often ‘sliding off” the mass of the figures as though they were scribbled by a pre-teen in the margins of his spiral notebook with colored markers or ballpoint pens. And inside those wriggling lines, the characters, mainly the turtles, have the look of clay models, especially when the light saturates them. It’s not as gorgeous as Miles and his pals, but it feels right for this urban adventure. As for that character design, the turtles don’t have the same standard body proportions even though they retain the identifying mask and belt colors. The same unique design works for O’Neil, though I wish they had eased up on the scenes of her panic “hurling” (c’mon we’re not back in BABYLON). I was tickled by the “free-standing” silver eyebrows of Splinter, while the Superfly crew looked equally fearsome and funny (loved SF’s torso claws). The pace is smooth, even as it gives in to the popular trend of having too many “endings” in the third act. It’s a minor quibble as this 2023 edition is a splendid revisit/restart that reminds us of the wacky exploits from nearly 40 years ago. Hopefully, the concession stand will be well stocked with pizza when the fans return to revel in TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM. Welcome back you “heroes on a half-shell”.


3 Out of 4


TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM begins playing in theatres everywhere on Wednesday, August 2, 2023

VIOLENT NIGHT – Review

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Are you wondering about the perfect holiday movie night present for that action-thriller adrenaline fanatic? Oh but those big, loud, shoot-em-up “thrill-rides” aren’t really invading the multiplex for several months. Well, here’s one that “fits the bill” on both counts cause it’s fight-filled yuletide stunt/explosion spectacular. So just who’s the new action hero at its center? None other than that jolly old whiskered icon himself. And he’s got more than a lump o’ coal for those on his naughty list. Yes, it’s a white Christmas splattered with lotsa’ dripping red on this very noisy VIOLENT NIGHT. As you might think, all is not calm.


Although it’s a pretty mellow Christmas Eve in a British pub as a hard-working red-clad temp “bellies” up to the bar. A few pints ahead of him is a slumped-over Santa (David Harbour). He grumbles a bit about today’s kids being so damn greedy before lurching toward the exit. The barmaid realizes he’s headed to the roof access, but by the time she’s at the top of the stairs, her patron is gone. Plus she spies a flying sled pulled by eight reindeer. Could he have been the “real deal”? Cut to Connecticut, USA for a holiday reunion between Jason Lightstone (Alex Hassell) and his wife Linda (Alexis Louder). They want to share the holiday with their precious six-year-old daughter Trudy (Leah Brody) at his mother’s house. Now Grandma Lightstone’s place isn’t a cozy cottage, but a lavish estate with lots of security and hired caterers serving egg nog and such. Jason is first greeted by greedy older sis Alva (Edi Patterson), brat teen son Burt (Alexander Elliott), and her new “trophy” hubby, “B” (maybe “C”) movie action star Morgan (Cam Gigandet). Finally Granny arrives, the foul-mouthed business tycoon Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo). As the bickering begins, Santa magically zips in through the fireplace upstairs. He relishes the cookies handmaid by lil’ Trudy (she believes) but dumps the milk in favor of the “good stuff” at the bar. As he enjoys his treat while seated in a massage chair, he hears…gunshots. It appears that the wait staff is actually an armed group of mercenaries led by (code name) “Mr. Scrooge” (John Leguizamo) who want some “undeclared” cash ($300 mil) in a big secret vault there. Santa tries to leave, but the noise has sent the reindeer skyward. And the magic nose touch that sends him up the chimney is on the fritz. So could the defender of the Lightstone family be the jolly old elf himself?

At the center of the story, and prominently featured in all the marketing, is the glowering, rather than jolly, grin of Harbour (looking forward to his reprising of the Red Guardian in the THUNDERBOLTS MCU flick) as the gift-giver turned butt-kicker. Sure he delivers the snark and cynicism we’d expect, but he also shows his tender side as he tries to comfort the sweet Trudy. Which in turn triggers his brutal “human” days. This is a nice contrast to his sweaty panic as the baddies just seem endless and he must “make do” with what’s at hand. Harbour’s got a worthy adversary in Leguizamo, who “Scrooge” really does despise St. Nick and everything Christmas. He’s hilariously single-minded as he lusts for the green while offering a logical explanation (“wires and pulleys”) for any bit of holiday magic. Louder and Hassell have us rooting for the couple to “patch things” up before the dark forces can squelch the beaming smile of Brady who reflects all the childhood wonder of the yuletide. And there are plenty of laughs provided by Gigandet as a wannabe John McClane, Patterson as the greediest of one-percenters, Elliott as her social media-obsessed spawn, and the delightful D’Angelo (a true Christmas movie icon herself) as one big, bawdy Granny whose heart only melts for her “grand-baby”.

Action movie vet director Tommy Wirkola transfers those sensibilities to this seasonal satire, never scrimping on the gore and bone-crunching combat. Much of the parody comes from the script by Josh Miller and Pat Casey (who penned the SONIC flicks), and it works well for the first third or so. Of course, the opening pub sequence, and home delivery montage, owe much to the BAD SANTA comedies, minus the sexy stuff but double the scatology (those reindeer). Unfortunately by the halfway mark, the film hits the “comedy lull” early, getting too somber with the family dynamic and the “backstory” to the Kringle (a hammer-wielding barbarian). Oh, and there’s the whole use of magic powers, which only “kick on” when needed for an “easy out”. Santa’s whole “I don’t understand ’em” doesn’t really give the filmmakers a “pass”. Then, to “juice up” the sagging second act, a painful riff on HOME ALONE booby traps reeks of dramatic desperation, going for easy “gross-out” gags. This really makes the hug-filled heart-warming finale seem like a cliche from so many cable TV holiday fodder. Seeing the trailer I recalled the great satiric TV promo for “The Day the Reindeer Died” in the superior SCROOGED from over 30 years ago (miss you, Dick Donner). Perhaps this is a nice SNL filmed sketch that can’t really be stretched to feature length. Harbour’s fun, but otherwise it’s a fairly vapid VIOLENT NIGHT. Ho-ho-hum.

2 Out of 4

VIOLENT NIGHT opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, December 2, 2022

CONFESS, FLETCH – Review

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Yes, it’s a bit late for a flick based on a “beach book’ (usually a paperback you’d read while getting your tan near the water’s edge), so how about something more suited to Autumn, perhaps a movie based on a mystery one would read while enjoying a warm beverage next to a fireplace? Oh, I forgot to mention that this particular film is part of a literary series featuring a much-beloved sleuth. Now, we just had a visit from Hercule Poirot a few months ago, so his mustache is “in mothballs” for the moment. Anyway, this character is not known as a detective or a “consultant” (like the fellow at 221B Baker Str.). The title “hero” of this tale is an investigative reporter, or at least he was (he’s telling everyone that he’s “retired”). And he’s been absent from the screen for 33 years now. Oh, there are police detectives aplenty as this “man of leisure” gets involved with art heists, forgery, kidnapping, and murder. And, of course, the cops are imploring him to CONFESS, FLETCH.

It all starts (maybe “kicks into high gear”) on a warm Boston evening. In a “high-end” urban neighborhood Irwin Maurice “Fletch” Fletcher (Jon Hamm) unlocks the front door of the rental home where he’ll be staying during his latest “research trip”. In the lobby is a welcome note under a wine bottle. And several feet away from that is the lifeless body of a twenty-something blonde woman. Fletch calls the police (the general number, not 9-11), and soon opens his door to the homicide squad led by Detective “slo-mo” Monroe (Roy Wood Jr.) and his aide, Detective Griz (Ayden Mayeri). During questioning, Fletch explains how this “west-coater” came to be there…via Italy. He insists that he’s “retired” from Investigative journalism, but a hefty”retainer” prompted him to fly to Venice to meet with an heiress named Angela AKA “Andy” (Lorenza Izzo), who’s looking to locate several very pricey paintings from her father’s collection. Andy suspects that her snooty stepmother, who insists on being called “The Countess” (Marcia Gay Harden), had a gloved, jeweled hand in it. To complicate things further, Andy’s pop, the Count, has been kidnapped. The ransom: a multi-million dollar original Picasso. The pot is “sweetened” for Fletch when he begins an affair with Andy leading to their engagement. But he leaves her for “Beantown” where all leads point to an established art dealer, and EDM fan (Kyle MacLachlan). The police release Fletch as a “person of interest”, so he’s got to “shake them” to find the art and the reason why somebody would “set him up” on a murder charge. Over the next few days, Fletch, using several aliases, discovers several suspects including the rental home’s owner Owen (John Behlmann), his soon-to-be-ex-wife (Lucy Punch), and their spacy hippie neighbor Eve (Annie Mumolo) while dodging Monroe and Griz. But what happens when his new fiancee is added to that roster? Can Fletch’s former boss, newspaper editor Frank (John Slattery) point him toward the real “perps” before the “frame sticks”?


The role of the “snarky sleuth” feels like a near-perfect fit for Hamm as he tries to go from an iconic TV role (Don Draper) into leading man roles in feature films (he scored recently with his supporting role in TOP GUN: MAVERICK). While he makes good use of his “matinee idol” looks (we don’t question the quick pairing with Andy), Hamm finally gets a chance to showcase his superb comic skills that we’ve seen on TV (great hosting gigs on SNL, and a recurring role on “30 Rock”). And whether tossing off an effortless one-liner or a blistering “burn”, or going “all in” as a zany phony expert, Hamm puts his distinctive mark on the beloved “righteous rascal”. He may be at his “best” when verbally sparring with Wood as the laconic Monroe, whose “laid-back” style lulls many into letting their guards down. Fletch may think that he can charm his way around him, but Wood can “throw down” with him when needed. Though he flummoxes his co-workers, particularly the often exasperated Griz, played with a perfect “slow burn” by Mayeri. And it’s great to see Hamm back with his old “Mad Men” co-star Slattery as they share a warm rapport as two pals who know each other’s “MO”. Much as in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, Izzo is a stunning Italian femme fatale, who pushes Fletch until he needs to push back. Screen vets Hardin, MacLachlan, Punch, and Mumolo also score big laughs as the loopy “red herrings”. Or are they?

So, after countless attempts to bring the character back to the big screen (from Jason Lee to Zach Braff to Joshua Jackson, among others), director/co-screenwriter Greg Mottola (who adapted Gregory McDonald’s 1976 novel with Zev Borow) is the one to “reboot’ (and maybe “revamp”) the wiseacre sleuth. So, can he move out of the shadow of Chevy Chase’s late 1980s efforts? Yes, I’d say that it strives to be “its own animal” and largely succeeds thanks to Hamm (who was part of Mottola’s last film KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES). and his supporting ensemble. Unfortunately, the new entry has the same problems as its legacy in that the central mystery is, well, almost as stale as Colombo’s cigars. Twists and turns, along with double and triple crosses are tossed in with some “floating” a long, long time before their “payback”. But, like the earlier mentioned Poirot movies, are you that concerned over “pinched” paintings, although the murder “set up” gives it a bit of much-needed urgency (and yet, there’s still that “lull” around the one-hour mark). Nope, this is merely an excuse for our hero to pelt the dense and pompous with insults and try and bluff his way out when a ruse starts to crack. So is this the start of a new movie franchise? Well, probably not though it would be an entertaining occasional cable or streaming feature. So, unless you’re a diehard Chase devotee, you’ll chuckle many times as those in charge try to compel IMF to CONFESS, FLETCH.

3 Out of 4

CONFESS, FLETCH is now playing in select theatres and is streaming as a video-on-demand via most services.

THE SUICIDE SQUAD – Review

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As we enter the final weeks of Summer, the multiplex presents a new entry in the film adaptations of the (as they used to say in their comic books) “Distinguished Competition” to Marvel (sounds nicer than their other label, “Brand Ecchh”). Yes, the MCU made its return to the cinemas several weeks ago with BLACK WIDOW, which continues on the smaller screens (and its behind-the-scenes” conflicts are played out in the entertainment news venues), so it was only a matter of time before Warners shot back with a film based on its DC properties. And yes, it’s a sequel, with several characters from the 2016 original coming back, but it’s also kind-of-a-reboot since one of the Marvel “guiding lights” has “jumped the fence” to serve up a new take on the “high-concept” “revolving door” comic series. Perhaps that’s why the title sports a “proper article’ rather than a number two (or II). So. let’s strap in for a new movie mission for the misfits known as THE SUICIDE SQUAD.

So, did you need to see the David Ayers-directed original before viewing this? Not really, as the film begins with a zippy retelling of its basic premise. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) , the head of a “hush-hush” deep underground government agency is still “recruiting” imprisoned”super-villains” for clandestine projects. She explains to the “newbie”, that a microchip will be planted at the base of his skull, and if he deviates from the “errand”, like say trying to run away, she’ll press a button at the monitoring center and the chip will explode his noggin. But if all goes well, he’ll be released from jail. Soon we’re onboard a stealth flying craft as several agents jump into the dark murky ocean waters off the coast of a South American island nation known as “Corto Maltese”. And though several SS vets are there, including military liason Col. Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman) and the Joker’s ex Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), things go “sideways” and those two are scooped up in the surrounding jungle. Luckily there’s another crew on a deserted nearby beach. Their releuctant leader is the skilled super-assassin “Bloodsport” (Idris Elba), who’s only there because Waller threated his teen daughter with an “adult’ prison sentence. But also claiming to be the “boss” is the stubborn and deadly vigilante known as “The Peacemaker” (John Cena). Either way, they’ve got to keep tabs on the others: “Ratcatcher 2” (Daniela Melchoir) who can command the rodents, “Polka-Dot Man” (David Dastmalchian), a twitched guy with extreme “mother issues” who shoots destructibe multi-colored “balls” from his body, and “King Shark” (voice of Slyvester Stallone), a powerful hulking man-shark metahuman with a near-insatialble appetite for…anybody. So, can these squabbling cons join forces to free Harley and Quinn, in addition to completing their task of destroying a secret lab that’s trying to harness a deadly captured alien entity? If they don’t liqiidate each other, then …maybe.

Of this motley squad, the most prominent, this time around is played by Elba, who makes a good “straight man”, or “sounding board” for the more outrageous and wacky characters. He’s a weary, jaded “everyman” who only wants to keep his head down (often scrubbing toilets) and get through his “time”. Then we see his rage begin to emerge as the threats from Waller make his cold blood begin to boil. He makes us wish for a “prequel” in order to see Bloodsport in his element. That’s hinted at during his frequent verbal and sometimes physical stand-offs with Peacemaker, played with fervent comic glee by an energized Cena, tossing off his glowering villain role in the recent F9. In his shiny helmet, Cena is a beacon of pure confidence, deluding himself into believing he’s an indestructible hero, that even society can’t see it. Robbie as Harley has a smaller, though still vital role in this outing, As opposed to that 2016 original and the BIRDS OF PREY follow-up, Harley is often part of a “cutaway” “B” plot, but her dangerous unpredictability makes her a most compelling “wild card”. I was most delightfully surprised by the addition of Dastmalchian, a scene-stealer from the MCU’s ANT-MAN series, who brings unexpected pathos to the seemingly silly “gimmick” anti-hero Polka-Dot man. We can see by the sadness in his eyes that he’s been a hapless Patsy” for most of his life, thanks to his super-scientist matriarch. Stallone generates lots of laughs as the child-like King Shark, though he often comes off as a mix of Groot and Drax from the GUARDIANS flicks. Fans of TV’s “Doctor Who” may be bummed that Peter Capaldi, a recent “time lord”, has little to do as the arrogant Thinker. He’s more of a human “MacGuffin” who mainly warns the heroes and baddies that they don’t comprehend the powerful forces only he can control, all the while he resembles a human virus with his bald head sporting multi-colored tubes. Kinnaman is once again the stalwart, stoic soldier who can still keep up with these “weirdos”. And Davis builds on the ruthless Waller, even as she’s kept within the confines of the monitoring station (the “lady behind the desk” ala the recent SPIDER-MAN flicks), making her the ultimate screeching, spewing “boss from Hell”. Her counterpoint might be Melchoir who brings a sweet vulnerability to the often emotional fragile Ratcatcher, especially as she thinks back to her childhood years with RC 1, played by Taika Waititi in fuzzy, fairytale-like flashbacks.

So, who’s the filmmaker playing “both sides” of the comic book movie battlefield. None other than James Gunn, who changed “sides” after a social media scandal (all’s resolved now as he’s working on his last film in the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY trilogy). A big incentive for him might have been the lifting of the “PG-13” restraints as Warners continues their pursuit of that “R” rating box office that the DEADPOOL series unleashed (that last SS flick had the tamer rating). Without Kevin Feige and the MCU masterminds, to watch over him, Gunn lets his Troma Studio (the TOXIC AVENGER exploitation house gave him his early movie “breaks”) roots show. There’s a barrage of “F-bombs” that is almost matched in volume for the gallons of gore and exploding bodies. When the baddies (and a lot of the semi-reformed, now “goodies”) take a hail of bullets, the blood splatters the camera lens (wonder how that looks in 3D, if that version’s being provided) with lingering corpse close-ups. Though it may be catering to the “first shooter” gaming fanatics, it becomes quite numbing after a while despite some of Gunn’s directorial “flourishes”. During a long Harley blitzkrieg, animated flowers and birds cover much of the carnage (perhaps to show her indifference, but I’m thinking to may have been done to steer the rating board away from an “NC-17′ box-office dooming label). Oh, and later we view much of a brutal hand-to-hand fight in the reflection of Peacekeeper’s shiny helmet (perhaps this should’ve been trimmed) Ditto for the often cloying “chapter headings” As the script’s sole screenwriter Gunn sometimes goes to the “schtick” well a couple of times too many (another “everybody is Mom” mirage), but much of the humor does “stick”, especially as he has some fun at the expense of many second…no…third-rate supervillains like Nathan Fillon’s T.D.K. and the man-sized furball known as Weasel (who we’re told is the killer of dozens of kids). Yes, the lil’ ones are not off-limits as collateral damage, along with with some cute feathered friends (don’t get me started with the way-too-frequent tobacco usage). And while Corto Maltese and its residents seem to have wandered in from a 60s spy flick, Gunn literally demolishes the cliche with an inspired tribute to the lumbering giant monster flicks of that same era (and featuring a “Silver Age” comics creature that will delight the pulp fans). Oh, if you’re wondering if this is better than the 2016 flick, well that’s an enthusiastic yes, despite the obligatory multiple ending (if only there were a movie bartender who’d yell “Cut ’em off!”). So if you can handle your comic heroes and villains with blood and brains staining those nice latex and kevlar super suits, then you’ll want to “blow s#*t up real good” with THE SUICIDE SQUAD.

3 Out of 5

THE SUICIDE SQUAD opens in theatres everywhere and is streaming for the next 30 days on HBO Max.