Tag: california

FREAKY TALES – Review

As the big Spring break period approaches its conclusion, there’s still just enough time left for a quick trip via the multiplex. The destination’s not an exotic locale far from our shores, nor the pixel-generated backdrops of this weekend’s big studio flick. This movie “getaway” all takes place on the sunny streets of Oakland, CA. And, more importantly, this is a “time trip” since the “stories” are set in the long-ago Reagan era of 1987. Yes, I said “stories’ as this is an anthology of “twisted” fables with characters dropped in and out of different segments, so it differs from the TALES FROM THE CRYPT or NEW YORK STORIES template, though there’s an off-screen narrator (unlike the Cryptkeeper). So, get your hair teased out, unplug the Walkman, lace up the Reeboks, and set the “Wayback machine” 38 years in reverse to take in some truly FREAKY TALES.

Speaking of that narrator, he provides a bit of a prologue as we’re told of a mysterious green glow, perhaps alien in origin, that affected that gritty West Coast city in 1987. As a TV commercial for a “self-help” style center called “Psytopics” fades out, we’re taken to the outside of a movie theatre playing a quartet of classic 80s flicks for the first story, “The Gilman Strikes Back”. A trio of “New Wave” garbed friends are hassled by a truck full of teenage Neo-Nazi skinheads, who speed away. Ah, but they aren’t done for the night as they invade an underground dance club and destroy the venue and the band’s instruments. A young couple, Tina (Ji-young Yoo) and “Lucid” (Jack Champion) decide, along with the other club regulars and owners, to fight back. Next is “Don’t Fight the Feeling,” in which two young women who work in an ice cream shop decide to pursue their dream of being hip-hop stars. It may come true when Entice (Normani) and Barbie (Dominique Thorne), AKA “Danger Zone”, get a chance to be part of a big concert with rap superstar Too $hort (DeMario Simba Driver). But could it actually be a “set up”? From there we’re dropped into the last days of a loan shark enforcer with the third tale “Born to Mack”, as weary “leg-breaker” Clint (Pedro Pascal) tries to leave the “life’ and settle down with his pregnant partner Grace (Natalia Dominguez). But the ‘sins of the past” catch up to him outise a video rental shop, run by a familar talkative cinefile. The final story is “The Legend of Sleepy Floyd”, which focuses on the title Golden State Warriors superstar (Jay Ellis) who becomes the target of a home invasion committed by a biker gang turned burglars sent out by the crime mastermind known simply as “The Guy” (Ben Mendelsohn). They soon find out that basketball is just one of Floyd’s incredible “skills”.

Now, even though it’s four stories, several of the actors should be lauded since there’s certainly a lot of “cross-over” activity. Its biggest star might be the busiest guy in streaming TV, though he’ll truly stretch (sorry) as Mr. Fantastic this Summer: the internet’s “daddy”, Pedro Pascal. He brings a real gravitas to the haunted Clint, a “working class” mob soldier who’s aching to reach that light at the end of the tunnel, the road to a better future. That’s reachable unless the past grabs him. Yes, he’s fearsome when he confronts his last “gig”, but Pascal can tug on our hearts moments later with his love. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the always terrific Mendelsohn, who is ruthless and brutal with none of the sophistication of previous “baddies” in STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE or READY PLAYER ONE as the sneering, lascivious crimeboss creep. And kudos to him for resisting the temptation to twirl his mustache. The most physical, rather than verbal, of the main roles is “Sleepy,” played with lots of charisma and steely determination by Ellis. He’s gregarious and charming after the big game, but “flips a switch” when responding to the tragedy in a twist on the typical superhero origin story. Also engaging are the BFFS played by Normani and Thorne, who try to escape food service “Hell”, with a chance at hip hop stardom. Their ‘arc” takes a turn when they decide to forge ahead even though they believe their “invite” was merely to put them back in “their place”, mainly as “eye candy” for the men with the mike. And happily we get one last big screen performance by the late Angus Cloud as the main “intel man” for The Guy.

My lack of knowledge about the people behind this film gave an added element of pleasant surprise as the end credits rolled. I had assumed (which is always a “no-no”) that this was made by a film student (or students) fresh from graduation, eager to make their “mark”, and trying to use all the cinematic “toys ” at their disposal. But no, this is from the directing/screenwriting team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who have been making features for twenty years now. Most of their work would be considered “indie”, though their last effort was a stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with CAPTAIN MARVEL. With that film’s late 1990s setting, they were comfortable in going back another decade with this sprightly, grungy, zingy ode to pop culture tropes at he time. Sure, there’s a definite Quentin Tarantino influence, particularly PULP FICTION and especially ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD with the inclusion of several real people (Sleepy and Too $hort), but it also felt as though the story was concocted after a weekend video store rental “binge” during that era. We get nods to everything from SEVEN SAMURAI to the “Lone Wolf and Cub” flicks to REPO MAN and even SCANNERS, with some Bruce Lee tossed in for a bit of spice. Oh, and back to the “toys”, Boden and Fleck make great use of retro special effects, from the practical “gore” of the final battle to the green glow that gives a boost to a city bus (which is a riff on the orb from HEAVY METAL). And there’s some nifty “2D” animation, as sketchy stick folk act out the inner thoughts of Tina and Lucid (naughty boy), and later to illustrate the big basketball game in the style of Saturday morning TV adventure shows. Those cartoon bits may have been “side winks” to underground comix, lurid paperbacks, and the glory days of black and white comic magazines such as “Creepy” and “Eerie”. Boden and Fleck also reward us for paying attention as they return to different locales and offer “blink-and-you ‘miss them” cameos, which add to the fun of the flick. And “fun” is the main “f” word, along with fabulous, flashy, funky, and ferocious, making it the perfect “midnight movie” that can be enjoyed anytime of day at the multiplex, drive-in, or “grindhouse”. So thank you, Oakland, for the perfect quick escape from the 2020s via the talent and imagination of the truly dynamic duo of Boden and Fleck and their FREAKY TALES. Hmm, now I’m in the mood for the tasty hot dogs this curly-haired lanky kid once sold at the A’s games…

3.5 Out of 4

FREAKY TALES is now playing in theatres everywhere

REBUILDING PARADISE – Review

Looking back on the last few months, many (including yours truly, I’ll admit) have indulged in bouts of self-pity, perhaps even despair. “I can’t get a haircut”, “The movie theatres are closed”, “The store’s outta’ TP”, were often heard in conversation or on social media. But at least you could complain in the comfort of your home. What happens when that gets wiped out in minutes, or in this case, an entire town (comprised of long-time residents). This new documentary is not focused on faraway land ravaged by earthquakes or tsunamis. Yes, it’s set in the US of A, where parts of the country get battered by floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, along with some nasty tremors. For this film, the makers zero in the West where fire season looks to replace Fall or Winter for a look at an entire town almost wiped off the map. Oh, that filmmaker is an Oscar winner who’s been part of our pop culture for 60 years. He’s our eyes and ears as lots of determined everyday folks begin REBUILDING PARADISE.

It all ignites (literally) two years ago, early on November 8, 2018, as the fires begin seeping out from Feather Creek Canyon. Their destination: Paradise, California a rustic town of over 25,000 in the Sierra Nevada foothills just above the northeastern San Fernando Valley. Daylight quickly gave way to darkness as the black smoke blocked the sun with the flames providing the only illumination. We hear the police and rescue radios relaying the disaster’s progress. Officials dash into neighborhoods, warning residents to evacuate. Via many home videos (mainly cell phones) we’re riding with those fleeing, trying not to look back at engulfed homes, dodging the flames and downed powerlines, and clogging the roads and streets. Days later, when they’re allowed to return, the horrified (former) homeowners find smoldering vacant lots. And many learn the agonizing fate of missing loved ones. Eighty-five neighbors lost their lives in the inferno. The film then follows a diverse group of Paradise citizens. We meet “Woody” Cullerton who proudly proclaims that he’s the former “town drunk” who sobered and became a former mayor. Then there’s the orange-haired “whirlwind” Michelle John, the superintendent of schools who won’t rest until the students can return, but she’s got to set up temporary facilities and arrange for many to be added to nearby towns like Chico. A fixture at the high school is psychologist/counselor Cary Ingersoll who has to deal with her own trauma as she comforts the kids. For many sequences we’re riding alongside police officer Matt Gates in his squad car, serving his community even after the home he shared with his wife and two young sons was leveled. Along the way, we follow two high-schoolers whose senior year plans are scrapped, in addition to a young couple who debate whether to take their two toddlers and settle elsewhere. The doc plays out over time, showing us the town in a month, two months, six months, nine months, and year from that fateful Fall day.

And just who is the big-time director I mentioned above? Why it’s none other than Ron Howard, no stranger to feature-length documentaries although his previous works were set in the world of music makers (profiles of the Beatles, Pavoratti, and behind the scenes of a big music festival). His involvement might make you believe that this is a true-life BACKDRAFT follow-up, but it’s closer to his first big TV acting gig with Paradise not that far removed from Mayberry. After getting our pulses racing with the “middle of Hell’ opening (kudos to the editing team of M. Watanabe Milmore, and Gladys Murphy for stitching together a real “nail-biter’ with the “found footage”), Howard offers an engaging group of character studies, while showing the sorrow-filled return to “nothing”. He’s said in interviews that the strength of these folks is that they “show up”, which is illustrated with stirring footage of the town memorial ( a touching slideshow tribute to those lost), a restrained tree-lighting ceremony (could that be a relative of Charlie Brown’s tree), and several city council meetings. Aside from the fire, there is a “villain”, namely Pacific Gas and Electric, who, we’re told, did not shut down service at the start of the Camp Fire, and never really upgraded their ancient (1920s) equipment. And where’s there are PG&E troubles, who swoops in like a Marvel superhero? Yup, the “for real” Erin Brokovich speaks at another big town gathering imploring that they hold the utility giant’s “feet to the fire” (maybe she’s more like 007 taking down SPECTRE). This adds extra drama to another gathering in which a PG&E rep (guess he drew the short straw) speaks (and apologizes) at another “filled to the brim” meeting, which extolls the residents’ inspiring civility (no screaming and no big boiling pot of tar waiting for the rep). The big “stunners” occur in the final act as two of the main players are cruelly “blindsided” by fate (one is hit with a profound personal tragedy mere hours after their greatest professional triumph). And other than the earlier named utility, Howard points to other contributors, mainly the inaction on climate change, backed up by a tight montage of extreme events around the globe. All this is given big dramatic heft by the subtle haunting scores of Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe over the superb cinematography of Kelly A. Cook. In these trying times, many viewers should find inspiration from Howard’s ode to the heroes determined and dedicated to REBUILDING PARADISE.

3 Out of 4

REBUILDING PARADISE opens in select theatres on Friday 7/31 and is available as a Digital Download on several streaming apps and platforms.

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM – Review

Here’s a sweet little flick all about a couple who decide (well, nudged, as you’ll see) to follow their dream. For many of us that might involve living in the “lap of luxury’, perhaps a plush estate overlooking the ocean, or a “deluxe apartment in the sky”. That’s not for these folks the cameras follow for several years. They want to return to the land and work the soil. I can barely resist humming that catchy song whose lyrics include “Farminin’ is the life for me”. Sure that premise has been the basis for TV sitcoms from the classic (which spawned that aforementioned tune) “Green Acres” to the more recent (perhaps a month old) “Bless This Mess”, which were inspired by big-screen comedies like THE EGG AND I and FUNNY FARM. And with this true tale, there are a few laughs, but even more frustration, danger, and heartbreak swirling about THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM.

The couple in question is John and Molly Chester, who are having a true “white knuckle” moment as the film begins. Things quickly reverse, or flashback, several years to 2010, when the two shared a tiny apartment in Santa Monica. John’s a nature photographer while Molly is a private chef who delights in using the freshest fruits and veggies. They both imagine a different life but don’t “go for it” until fate steps in, wagging its tail. On a TV assignment, John covers a raid on a “dog hoarder’s” house. One poor pooch catches his eye: a shaggy black-haired beauty he names Todd. Trouble is that Todd barks and howls non-stop for hours when the couple is a gone, leading to an eviction notice. The Chesters hatch a plan to get investors interested in their idea for a traditional (crops and animals)and sustainable farm, a return to nature from the big factory farms. A long forgotten 200-acre farm is available in Moorpark, just about an hour away from LA. But the drought has turned the soil into dusty hard bits of rock. The barren land had been host to lemons and avocados. But the Chesters have bigger plans, and after being jeered by several farming experts, they find an eccentric agriculture “guru” named Alan York, who thinks the land could be fertile (John’s a bit skeptical, though). Soon an irrigation and composting system is set up, and an internet plea for help brings several eager young naturalists. Then the animals begin to arrive: chickens, sheep, cows, and a very pregnant pig. As the years roll on, the Chesters are tested by pests and predators along with the brutality of Mother Nature. Are they up for the constant challenges, or will they pack it in for the city life once more?

Sure, it’s a simple story, but it’s not syrupy sweet with lots of slow-motion running through those “amber waves” on your way to pet some “fur-babies”. This is an emotional roller-coaster, with enough twists and turns (and surprises) to fill several mystery-thrillers. This “back to nature’ parable is modestly told, mostly comprised of the beautiful cinematography of star subject and frequent narrator John Chester (wife Molly chimes in frequently, to great effect). The score by Jeff Beal never overwhelms while the delightful animation (like a moving children’s’ book) by Jason Carpenter adds some needed whimsey that hammers home the harsh realities of rural life. It seems that with every glorious success comes a half dozen agonizing set-backs. John is adamant about not harming the adjacent wildlife until a chicken-slaughtering coyote backs him into a corner in one of the film’s most dramatic sequences (like the old Western gunfighter forced into a shoot-out with a cocky young upstart). But he learns from this and soon John tells us that the coyotes can be beneficial to the whole eco-system. This is driven home in the battle with crop-eating snails. Who knew that ducks gobbled them up (that’s truly daffy)? At times John’s role as farmer seems more like a director or president, as he is bombarded with new situations, brought up by Molly and the staff, that requires a swift decision. Luckily there’s a terrific balance in tone, going from the heartache of having to “put down” beloved stock, to the quirky friendship/romance of the “gi-normous” porcine queen Emma and scraggly exiled rooster Mr. Greasy (how about an animated spin-off, eh Pixar). Like the best documentaries, this a celebration of the human spirit via the determination of the Chester family. They’re the reason why you should spend some time down at Apricot Lanes, THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM that’s full of grit and heart. As that TV theme goes, “…keep Manhatten, just gimme’ that countryside”.

4.5 out of 5

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas and the Hi-Pointe’s Backlot Theatre

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE – Review

So what’s the ideal setting for a story filled with lowlifes and immoral and often illegal activities? You know, where dangerous dames and dudes can just appear, almost at random? Maybe a haunted house or creepy mansion just doesn’t ring true. Well, Hitch knew just the locale nearly fifty years ago. By 1960 the glamorous days of lavish, lush vacation spots were long in the past. And who could really afford a night or two at the GRAND HOTEL or HOLIDAY INN? But a dusty motel just off the road, why Alfred Hitchcock made it the perfect place murder and mayhem in 1960’s iconic PSYCHO. That dangerous destination has carried on through the decades, from the Overlook Hotel in THE SHINING, to FOUR ROOMS, and most recently HOTEL ARTEMIS (a haven/hospital for the criminal class). This week an all-stars cast checks in, but might not check out. And who is their host/concierge? Handing out the keys is the multi-talented Drew Goddard. TV fans have been enthralled by his writing/producing work on acclaimed series ranging from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” to “Lost” and most recently “Daredevil” and “The Good Place”. As for the big screen, he was nominated for his screenplay adaptation of THE MARTIAN and co-wrote and directed the nifty, clever horror satire CABIN IN THE WOODS. Now, Mr. Goddard serves up deceit and dirty deeds, mixed in with the tiny soaps and fresh linens during some extremely BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE.

In the story’s quiet, almost silent flashback sequence, one guest has a really bad time in a room at the El Royale, a hotel that is literally split down the middle by the border seperating California and Nevada. After the title, flash forward to the present day. Well, ten years later is actually the late 1960’s/early 70’s. . The once spectacular vacation mecca has seen much better days. Two guests enter the empty lobby. There’s singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), who wants to rest up in a cheaper place than those in Reno, the site of her next “gig”. The other person looking for lodging is Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges), who is, well, a priest looking for a place to crash. When he slaps a bell at the front desk, another man pops up from behind the bar. He’s not part of the staff, rather he’s vacum-cleaner sales rep Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm). He’s not been able to raise the clerk but warns the two that he’s got “dibs” on the honeymoon suite. Flynn spies a door marked “employees only” and pounds away, It opens to reveal a dazed, unnerved young man in his twenties, front desk clerk, and pretty much the staff, Miles (Lewis Pullman). As he divies up the keys, a car screeches to a halt near the entrance. It’s guest #4, the rough, coarse “hippy chick” Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson). As they gather their luggage, the black and white lobby TV flashes bits from President Nixon’s press conference interrupted by the latest on some bloody murders in the affluent hills of Malibu. Thus begins a long, long night filled with false identities, double crosses, and a raging thunderstorm that arrives moments before the enigmatic drifter Billy Lee (Chris Hemsworth) stides barefoot thorough the front door. No doubt the Royale’s AAA rating will never be the same.

The hotel staff and guests are played by some celebrated screen vets and a couple of relative (in one case) newcomers. As the story’s anchor, there’s the continually grizzled Bridges who tries to float above the sleaze as the calm and collected Father Flynn (perhaps a nod to his role in the cult TRON flicks). His friendly demeanor proves to be as phony as his paper collar, as we notice his eyes dart about the lobby, searching for…something. Now Bridges’s low-watt energy is a stark contrast to the motor-mouthed Hamm, who seems to be attired in own of Don Draper’s more garish West Coast casual sports jackets (hmm, Tron now “Mad Men”). His “go-go” hard-pitching salesman strains to be avuncular while cluelessly offending most everyone in his path. But Hamm’s at his best when he lifts the facade and shows us a man in conflict, torn between his mission and doing what’s right. More single-minded and direct, Johnson shows us that she can be much more interesting than her 50 SHADES damsel in distress (and duress) as the tough-as-nails, chain-smoking femme fatale Emily. She brings the sultry and sexy along with (literal) movie god Hemsworth whose blow-dried charisma, and silky smoothness obscure his true sinister nature. As for the new faces, Ervio is a compelling screen presence as the songbird (really, she’s got terrific “pipes”), who refuses to give in to despair, despite the “guidance” of showbiz gurus. Ms. Sweet has nearly soured, but she remains a smart survivor. Speaking of surviving, Pullman (yes, he’s Bill’s son) is the man in the back who appears to be barely hanging on. Sweaty, twitchy Miles seems to be a prisoner of the place, rather than the employee. Pullman plays the battle-scarred (in more ways than one) man barely past his teens, with lots of energy and grit. Oh, and there’s good supporting work from Cailee Spaeny as a young innocent (?) caught up in the chaos, and indie filmmaker Xavier Dolan as a maniacal music mentor.

Goddard’s dreamed up a terrific setting with that broad, dividing borderline, contrasting the rotting Vegas kitch of this former celeb “sin circus”. Kudos to his art directors, for that and the whole panorama of early 70’s cheese (especially the cars that have clocked many, many miles). And the mysterious quartet are most interesting, especially as they introduce themselves in that first act almost in a much harder, seedier version of CLUE. Then it all kind of “goes off the rails” into Tarantino-like homage (or is it just imitation or over-indulgence). We’re teased with a subplot right out of real-life LA legend, amid bursts of violence meant to shock, but with cartoon consequences (folks pop-up from injuries that should keep them in traction for weeks). And rather than using pop tunes from dusty 45’s, Goddard stops the action for long song medleys by Ervio (she bursts into song nearly as much as Lady Gaga in her current flick), perhaps to cut the tension with humor? In the tradition of Marion Crane one guest checks out far too early, packing up a lot of the story’s high-spirited fun. By the time of Billy Lee’s arrival, the influences shift from QT (the whole stranded in the lobby set-up of THE HATEFUL EIGHT) to the Coen Brothers, as one character lifts the whole “gambling for your life” casual sadism of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN’s Chigurh. And like the old Corman/Price/Poe flicks there’s the cleansing fire unfortunately followed by an epilogue that thumbs its nose at a major plot point (what diagnosis?). What could have been a naughty nostalgic lark degenerates into a goulash of gore and cruelty, a PULP FICTION romp that’s lost its flavor. What began as light-hearted lobby levity truly becomes mean-spirited making for some really BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE.

2.5 Out of 5