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BOY KILLS WORLD – Review

Whew, it’s not even May, and the cinematic “body count” rises up considerably with another lone, determined warrior facing nearly insurmountable odds. I suppose this is more of the “JOHN WICK” effect, as filmmakers try to “up the ante” and deliver a flick with near wall-to-wall frenetic action. So far this year we’ve gone from the spy showdowns of ARGYLE to the avenger of the elderly THE BEEKEEPER, and winding up a couple of weeks ago with the manic MONKEY MAN (not to mention the ballistic ballerina ABIGAIL and THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, which wasn’t shown to the press). For this week’s thriller we’re sent to a near future time in an exotic foreign land as, in a nod either to old Variety newspaper headlines or the beloved ABC TGIF sitcom, BOY KILLS WORLD.

And it is a nasty dystopian world for the preteen boy (Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti), who is being trained in the jungle by the surly, “slave-driving” Shaman (Yayan Ruhian). And just what is he being trained for? Revenge, natch’, against the leader (mayor, or perhaps president) of the nearby city-state Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen). It seems there’s been an annual event during her 25 years in office, a big ceremony/celebration known as “The Culling”. Basically, her thug army rounds up a dozen or so troublemakers for a public execution. Recently Hilda took out the boy’s kid sister Mina and their underground rebel mother. Somehow the Shaman whisked the boy into the woods and deprived him of his hearing and speech before the mentoring began. The years pass and the lad becomes an adult (Bill Skarsgard). He and the Shaman head to the city’s market on “Culling Eve” and witness an attack on the populace by Hilda’s forces led by her flashy, sleazy spokesman son-in-law Gideon (Sharlito Copley) and her speech-writing son Glen (Bret Gelman). During the melee, the “Boy” breaks from the Shaman and makes his way to a secret hidden weapons factory. After a furious battle, he teams with an enslaved worker, Basho (Andrew Koji) and the last of the “resistance” Benny (Isaiah Mustafa) to infiltrate the Van Der Koy mansion. But do they stand a chance against the minions commanded by daughter Melanie (Michelle Dockery) and spearheaded by the mysterious, savage June 27 (Jessica Rothe)? Maybe, if the boy can ignore the taunts of the ghost of his kid sister Mina (Quinn Copeland) and heed his inner voice (H. Jon Benjamin)…

After terrifying audiences as the child-killing clown Pennywise in the recent pair of IT flicks, Skarsgard puts those expressive dark eyes to good use as the film’s silent “wrecking ball”. And he communicates thoroughly whether he’s filled with adrenaline prior to battle, or must quickly formulate a new plan as things inevitably go awry. Most importantly Skarsgard conveys Boy’s sadness and his yearning for a time before the violence and the heartbreaking loss. We see that in his scenes with Copeland who goes from cute to snarky to coldly savage as the ghostly kid sister Mina (perhaps a nod to the Dracula heroine). The actors having the most fun might be the crew playing members of the Van Der Koy dynasty. Dockery is pure unbridled ambition as the calculating Melanie. Gelman is an erudite murderous “poison pen” as the pompous scribe Glen, a great sparring partner with the equally arrogant “showboat” Gideon. But none are more chilling than Mama played as an unpredictable unhinged “hair-trigger” by the aloof, slinky Janssen. Though he’s teaching and aiding the boy in his quest for justice, Ruhian could also be considered a “bad guy” as he appears to delight in his tasks of torture and agony. Rothe makes a compelling enforcer (with standards) as the enigmatic 6/27. And I must single out the snarky narration of Benjamin, mixing the Boy’s sense of wonder with the bravado of an old-style action hero.

Director Moritz Mohr, who co-wrote the film based upon his previous self-tittled short, has a kinetic frenetic visual style, which may be what attracted producer Sam Raimi (I’m sure his EVIL DEAD trilogy was an inspiration). He puts you right in the thick of the action as the camera seems to dance about the combatants, weaving in and out, leaving the viewer nearly spent after a big stunt sequence. Yes, the energy is up, but it becomes somewhat repetitive after a bit, even to the point of (sorry) “overkill”. Maybe it’s too soon after the superior MONKEY MAN, but the story seems to lurch between the big battle sequences. Yes, there are some very clever ideas, with “The Culling” mixing elements of THE HUNGER GAMES, THE PURGE, and a touch of THE RUNNING MAN and the visor on the helmet of June 27 projecting digital messages (“Back away”, “No kids” and, of course “F#$* you”). It adds to the casual inhuman cruelty of the Van Der Koys, who also seem to stand in for many despised “one-percenters”. And there are a few amusing “call-backs”, particularly Boy’s inability to read the lips of Benny, resulting in a strange deluge of nonsense words. But just as the script shows a bit of wit, we’re soon drowning in a sea of gore (the CGI plasma bursts quickly became stale), perhaps hitting its zenith with a tribute to the Black Night of MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (I kept waiting for the drug-fueled goon to shout, “None shall pass!”). Mohr tries to dazzle us with some third-act plot twists and reveals, but we’re too pummeled by the body count to really care. Even action flick junkies may feel as though they’ve been “over-served” by the indulgences and excess of BOY KILLS WORLD.


2.5 Out of 4

BOY KILLS WORLD is now playing in theatres everywhere

STRAYS (2023) – Review

This Summer the multiplex has been filled with superheroes, supercars, giant robots, dolls, atom bombs, and secret agents. So, where’s “man’s best friend”? How about a sweet family-friendly flick about those angelic “fur babies”? This weekend that request is addressed…sorta’. Yes, it’s full of cute, cuddly (mostly) live-action canines, but it is far from family-friendly as you can tell by the poster with one of the pups tearing into an “R” rating insert. Yes, there are a few sweet moments, but these mutts are behaving like, well, real mutts, engaging in all manner of crude activities (hence that rating). and this cursing pack of pooches would growl at being called “fur babies” as they prefer flaunting their “street cred” as STRAYS.


The first of them we meet, actually the story’s narrator, is a fuzzy naive border terrier named Reggie (voice of Will Ferrell). Oh, but his human owner calls him by a variety of nasty nicknames. That’s the slacker stoner Doug (Will Forte). who had acquired Reg for a long-departed girlfriend (smart lady). And now Doug wants to be rid of him, although Reggie thinks it’s a new fun version of “fetch”. Doug drives him to a desolate field or forest and tosses Reggie’s beloved ratty tennis ball. And the dog brings it back to their dingy shack every time. Then Doug decides to really “go for it”. The two drive two hours away from rural Oakwood to a scary big city. Poor Reggie is now truly lost. Just as it looks like he’ll be a “chew toy” for some bigger brutal dogs, he’s befriended by the self-proclaimed “street king”, a Boston terrier named Bug (VO: Jamie Foxx). While showing Reg the “ropes” he introduces him to a couple of pals. Maggie (VO: Isla Fisher) is a lovely Australian Shephard with a keen sense of smell, whose master ignores her in favor of a cute new puppy. And there’s the timid, lumbering Hunter (VO: Randall Park) a service Great Dane who won’t take off his “healing cone”.The quartet bonds and hatches a plan. Going by Reggie’s memory of “landmarks” (“a giant mouse-wheel, a huge cone, and the devil in the sky”). they’ll travel back to Doug for some very painful “payback”. But can they survive the long journey or will they end up in that fabled “farm up north”?

Careful, this is NSFW!!

Well since the title named ‘strays” are the main focus of the film, we should discuss the vocal performances of several movie comedy vets. Ferrell makes Reggie a furry canine cousin to Buddy the ELF with his sunny outlook and bouncy energetic innocence. But Ferrell is also able to convey his frightened panic and Reggie’s near-boundless joy. Foxx gives Bug a very different energy, one of (sorry) alpha-dog swagger and aggressive determination. His wall of macho is finally chipped away by Reggie when he reveals his own past heartbreak with a human. Fisher exudes pluck and spunk as the lone lady who’s usually several steps ahead of the boys when the stakes are high. The biggest laughs (his “howling” got me every time) might be those garnered by the endearing Park who makes the looming giant Hunter into a sympathetic and emotionally vulnerable hero, though full of self-esteem issues (he can’t tap into his “BDM” energy). Along the trail, the quartet encounters a surly intimidating German Shephard police dog voiced by the gregarious Rob Riggle. As for the “people”, Forte somehow upstages those adorable pups as the cruel but somehow entertaining lowlife Doug, making him more than a nasty one-note villain. There’s also a scene showcasing the terrific comic actor Bret Gelman, but his skills are squandered in a sequence that makes little sense and seems to be a way to indulge in some scatological gags (honestly).

So despite the marketing campaign that makes the R-rated content clear, even taking a cue from the “red backdrop” poster from 2019’s GOOD BOYS, some folks still think this is a fun-filled all-ages furry romp. Which it certainly is not. So, does it deliver what it promises? Yes, there are indeed more laughs than in the funny “red band” trailers from the last couple of months. And somehow the script from Dan Perrault does include some heart-tugging moments as the strays try to deal with their need to be free and the yearning for a “people parent”.Director Josh Greenbaum, in his follow-feature to the underrated gem BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, keeps the pace fairly taut at a brisk 93-minutes though the dreaded lull rears its head before the final showdown. Oh, the effects are splendid harkening back to the “Dogville” comedy shorts 90 years ago. They used classic 2D animation to make the mutts’ mouths move, while slick CGI keeps the pups chattering away, and enables them to perform all manner of dangerous slapstick (the highlight may be a sight gag about the “invisible fence”). Sure it’s crude with the doggies indulging their “animal impulses”, but if you’re in the mood for some “low-bred” laughs then you may want to join this pack of STRAYS. So “sit”, “stay” and put away that phone (“bad viewer!”).

2.5 Out of 4

STRAYS is now playing in theatres everywhere

NYCC 2011: Saturday Recap

My second day at NYCC started off with a 25-minute wait on a line that wrapped almost entirely around the Javits Center. I later found out there was a separate press / VIP entrance I could have used but the volunteer I asked apparently did not know about it either. The line wasn’t too bad though considering how many people in awesome costumes I got to see while I waited.

Once inside the convention, I saw the reason for the massive lines. The place was packed. Some aisles on the show floor were impossible to navigate and even the press rooms were full. I knew Saturday would be the biggest day at the con but I just was not prepared. The massive amount of foot traffic made taking decent pictures of people in costumes much more difficult but I still managed some decent shots.

After a quick hello with some fellow press, I began wandering the show floor aimlessly. Eventually I did fall into a little bit of a schedule based on a few booths and panels I wanted to check out. On my way to the BOY WONDER booth, I passed Magnet Releasing and noticed that writer/director/actor Ti West was signing posters. Being a fan of his work, I waited to meet him. We talked horror movies for a few minutes and he gave me some advice on a script I recently finished.

From there I headed over to my interview with Michael Morrissey, writer & director of BOY WONDER. We discussed the origins of the film, what it is like promoting it at conventions and more. I will post the full interview soon but here is a trailer for the film.

Following the interview, I made my way to a booth that actually has very little to do with movies but I want to mention anyway. IAmAStuffedAnimal.com is a website that makes a custom “little buddy” which look like the stuffed wrestling dolls I used to have as a kid. For a pretty reasonable fee considering all the personalization, they make these really cool stuffed dolls of anyone or anything you want. They first came to my attention when actress Felicia Day was posting pics with her buddy that they made for her. I found them on twitter (@StuffYourself) and saw they made custom buddies of a lot of the celebrities at the convention. In fact, the doll Seth Green & Macaulay Culkin were posing with in my video on Friday was from these guys. I loved that promotional idea and stopped by to do a quick interview with them. Check it out:

After the interview, I made my way to the EAGLEHEART panel at the other end of the building. This was a strange one. For anyone who has seen the show, you know how insane and hilarious it is. If you haven’t, the show is essentially a WALKER TEXAS RANGER parody with some of the most absurd humor you will ever see. Obviously, it is part of the Adult Swim lineup. The show stars Chris Elliott, Brett Gelman and Maria Thayer, who were all on the panel along with creators Michael Kolman and Andrew Weinberg. So why was the panel so strange? Well I guess such a crazy show deserves crazy fans. I taped the entire panel (except the preview clips) for you to check out. My favorite questions are the ones involving Brett Gelman’s beard. Yes, there were several questions just about his beard. Enjoy!

Because of this panel, it was impossible to get into the WALKING DEAD or AVENGERS panels. On my way to EAGLEHEART, I had to pass by the IGN Theater. No one was leaving in between panels there and the standby line to get in was massive. In fact, to get through the crowd I had to follow a man with a life-size fully functional R2D2 as if he was my police escort. I didn’t feel like spending all my time on a line anyway and going to the other panel gave me a chance to catch up with Chris Elliott for a few minutes. We have been friends for a few years but it has been a while since we last saw each other. They had to clear out the room pretty quickly but it was great seeing him again.

Missing the AVENGERS panel also opened up my schedule to go explore the convention center some more. I discovered the reason I couldn’t find any of the celebrity autograph tables was because it was in an entirely different section of the Javits Center with literally only one sign advertising it. It was an open space with much smaller crowds than any other section of NYCC. In addition to the signings, there were a lot of sections for kids, as well as an area for photos with the Delorean from BACK TO THE FUTURE & two different Batmobiles. There was also a small Quidditch field where I witnessed the last 20 seconds of what was surely an epic match between Batman and a Stormtrooper.

Walking through the signing area, I learned one very important fact. Mark Hamil is the king of convention signings and he truly cleans up. It was $100 for a ticket to meet him and at least 100 people were waiting on line when I passed by. That is damn impressive. Unfortunately both Eliza Dushku and Felicia Day were not at their tables when I checked. However, I did get to see Brian O’Halloran, who is best known as Dante from CLERKS. I actually met him a few years ago at a special event in Red Bank, NJ. He signed my Mooby’s Funployee nametag & even wrote in Dante. That year I wore it on my Funployee shirt and went as Dante to a Halloween party. I did not tell Brian this though because I did not want to creep him out. He was kind enough to grant me an impromptu interview that I will post very soon. After the interview I stuck around his table another 20 minutes chatting with him and some more fans who stopped by. He is extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. He offered some great advice and it really was a pleasure talking with him. I hope that we keep in touch because I would love to work with him someday.

I pretty much ended my day on that high note. I did pass by the Troma Entertainment booth on my way out just to thank Lloyd Kaufman for the quick interview from Friday and to find out how the Graham Chapman panel went since I was unable to attend it. Completely exhausted, I made my way home and passed out immediately on my bed. The interviews and photos will be posted soon.

Jerry Cavallaro – www.JerryCavallaro.com