JACKPOT! is an outrageous action-comedy about a ‘Grand Lottery’ with a catch: kill the winner before sundown to legally claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot. Awkwafina plays Katie, who mistakenly finds herself with the winning ticket and reluctantly joins forces with amateur lottery protection agent Noel Cassidy, played by John Cena. Noel must protect Katie to sundown in exchange for a piece of her prize.
JACKPOT! introduces audiences to their new favorite comedy duo: Awkwafina and John Cena. Legendary director Paul Feig champions Awkwafina, another great comedienne in an action-packed starring role, following his other beloved action comedies THE HEAT and SPY, among others.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE me some Awkwafina!!
JACKPOT! Premieres Globally on Prime Video August 15, 2024.
This is gonna be awesome!
“I think it’s because you look like a bulldog that, like, a witch cast a spell on and turned into a human. You ever get that?”
“Yes.”
In the near future, a ‘Grand Lottery’ has been newly established in California – the catch: kill the winner before sundown to legally claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot. When Katie Kim (Awkwafina) moves to Los Angeles, she mistakenly finds herself with the winning ticket. Desperate to survive the hordes of jackpot hunters, she reluctantly joins forces with amateur lottery protection agent Noel Cassidy (John Cena) who will do everything in his power to get her to sundown in exchange for a piece of her prize. However, Noel must face off with his slick rival Louis Lewis (Simu Liu), who also seeks to collect Katie’s commission at all costs. JACKPOT! is directed by Paul Feig and written by Rob Yescombe.
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(L-R) Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) meet Rod (John Cena), in Peter Farrelly’s RICKY STANICKY. Courtesy of Amazon/MGM
Peter Farrelly’s RICKY STANICKY is an R-Rated, penis-joke filled bro comedy about three childhood friends who invented a fictional friend to take the blame for a prank gone wrong. Really wrong – they set the guy’s house on fire. Kids might make up something like that to dodge responsibility, but adults buying into the idea that someone named “Ricky Stanicky” is at fault is much more of a stretch.
Yet these three pals use this made-up friend to take the blame all through their childhoods, but then director Peter Farrelly (and the script’s six writers) go further, and have the grown-up friends continue using the fictional Ricky Stanicky as someone to blame into adulthood.
OK, it’s comedy, and disbelief gets suspended, but this silly premise really gets a work out. The real question here is: is it funny? Well, sometimes (largely thanks to John Cena and William H. Macy) but usually not. It’s better than the last Peter Farrelly-Zac Efron collaboration, THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER, but it’s a long way from THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.
Over the years, Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler), the three Rhode Island-based friends, have figured out a whole routine to let them use Ricky Stanicky as an excuse to get out of things, and take off on guys-only trips. When they get last-minute tickets to see a favorite band in Atlantic City, it is time for “Ricky” to call and say he’s in the hospital in Albany, with a return of his cancer. Of course, they have to go see their dear friend, even if it means JT has to miss the baby shower for his pregnant wife Susan (Anja Savcic).
Ricky, of course, is actually Wes, calling on their special “Ricky Stanicky” phone. A lot of work has gone into this scam over the years, and the pals have a whole book of details, which they call “the bible” on Ricky Stanicky so they can keep everything straight. They have routines to prevent discovery and tracking, including switching off their phones before they head to the airport and fly off to Atlantic City.
Once in Atlantic City, the R-Rated part really comes out. The three pals go to a casino bar after the concert, where a drunken local attaches himself to them. They buy him a drink and a meal, and the drunken fellow, Rod Rockhard (John Cena). tells them he is a “trained actor” who is great at doing impressions but right now, he is working at a club where he impersonates various rock stars and sings their famous songs with raunchy new lyrics about masturbation. And we get a little sampling of those squirm-worthy performances, with Cena dressed as Devo, Alice Cooper and more, as he singing their hits with new masturbation-theme lyrics. Eventually, the three friends chase off the inebriated Rod off to continue their evening but Rod still manages to give Dean his business card.
Since their phones are switched off, no one can reach them tell them JT’s wife goes into labor early, but Dean discovers that when he switches on his phone to take a quick photo. The guys rush back but it’s too late for the birth. JT now faces his angry, suspicious mother-in-law, who called every hospital in Albany and found no Ricky Stanicky in any of them. Wes is ready to just tell the truth, and starts to do that, but Dean quickly comes up with a story. But now they will have to produce a real Ricky Stanicky. Calling “trained actor” Rod sounds like the perfect solution.
We’ve all seen this story before – well, farce stories like this. There is the one about the friend who isn’t real that requires ever-more inventive lies, and the one about the person pressed into service to pretend to be someone else – and who turns out to be incredibly good at it. Not much to surprise.
John Cena’s Rod arrives hung over and late to play his part as Ricky Stanicky, but he tells them he is now sober – as of three days ago. A quick shower at Wes’ apartment, which he shares with his boyfriend Keith (Daniel Monks), helps clean Rod up, before “Ricky Stanicky” makes his debut at a party for JT’s baby’s bris, the Jewish circumcision ritual (and an opportunity for more of the movie’s penis jokes). To the three friends’ surprise, Ricky is a big hit, thanks to actor Rod’s research, and he even impresses Dean’s and JT’s boss Ted Summerhayes (William H. Macy). Ricky’s so likable that the crowd doesn’t want him to leave – which leads to the next round of problems.
The plot is far-fetched, to say the least. Like any typical Farrelly comedy, you know the story will have a human heart under all that R-Rated humor, sure to please the inner 13-year-old boy. The best parts of the film are John Cena and William H. Macy. Actually, John Cena looks like he is having a blast and brings a certain goofy charm to his role as Rod/Ricky. Cena is in fine dumb-guy form, as he transforms the drunken guy who does masturbation jokes into a serious actor fully-prepared for his part, having deeply researched every aspect of his fictional character, thanks to the three friends’ extensive “Ricky Stanicky” bible. Cena’s character is sometimes dumb as the proverbial box of rocks but then pivots to rattle off complex factoids memorized from his extensive research, a switch that is rather fun to watch if hard to believe. Cena delivers most of the actual laughs in this messy comedy.
Unsurprisingly, William H. Macy is marvelous, as always, and gives us the second-most laughs, as the boss who starts out a confident, humorless stuffed shirt but then reveals he is secretly more unsure and worried about the possible merger of his East Coast investment firm with a more modern San Francisco firm.
There are three friends but it’s really all about Zac Efron’s character Dean. Andrew Santino’s JT and Jermaine Fowler’s Wes remain underdeveloped ciphers based on being Jewish or Black, respectively. Fowler’s Wes gets a touch more detail for his character, as Wes is gay as well, and someone still finding his purpose in life, with a boyfriend who is getting tired of supporting him, but it is still shallow waters. Santino’s JT is all histrionics, family drama, and his mean mother-in-law. The women in this story are also barely sketched out, although Dean’s girlfriend Erin (Lex Scott Davis) get a bit more, as a sharp TV journalist trying to break out of covering “happy talk” news – like a goose on a golf course trying to incubate a golf ball.
In typical Farrelly comedy style, there is plenty of dumb, rude, guy-style humor but in the end, there is a message about human values. However, apart from John Cena and William H Macy, there is little reason to see RICKY STANICKY unless you are a very determined Farrelly fan.
RICKY STANICKY debuts streaming on Prime Video on Thursday, Mar. 8
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.
THIS WINTER… THE GREATER THE SPY, THE BIGGER THE LIE. FROM THE TWISTED MIND OF MATTHEW VAUGHN, DIRECTOR OF KINGSMAN. UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND APPLE ORIGINAL FILMS PRESENT HENRY CAVILL, BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD, SAM ROCKWELL, BRYAN CRANSTON, CATHERINE O’HARA, DUA LIPA, ARIANA DEBOSE, JON CENA AND SAMUEL L. JACKSON IN ARGYLLE.
Rated PG-13 for strong violence and action and some strong language.
L to R: Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, and John Cena in ARGYLLE, directed by Matthew Vaughn
The greater the spy, the bigger the lie.
From the twisted mind of Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman franchise, Kick-Ass) comes Argylle, a razor-witted, reality-bending, globe-encircling spy thriller.
Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World franchise) is Elly Conway, the reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie. But when the plots of Elly’s fictional books—which center on secret agent Argylle and his mission to unravel a global spy syndicate—begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past.
Accompanied by Aiden (Oscar® winner Sam Rockwell), a cat-allergic spy, Elly (carrying Alfie in her backpack) races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Elly’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur.
The top-flight ensemble cast features Henry Cavill (The Witcher), John Cena (Fast X), Oscar® winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Grammy winning pop superstar Dua Lipa (Barbie), Emmy winner and Oscar® nominee Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Emmy winner and comedy icon Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service), and the legendary Samuel L. Jackson. Alfie is played by Chip, the real-life cat of supermodel Claudia Vaughn (née Schiffer).
Argylle is directed and produced by Matthew Vaughn, from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman). The film is produced by Matthew Vaughn, Adam Bohling (Kingsmanfranchise), Jason Fuchs, and David Reid (Kingsman franchise). The executive producers are Adam Fishbach, Zygi Kamasa, Carlos Peres and Claudia Vaughn.
Apple Original Films presents, in association with MARV, a Cloudy production. Argylle is distributed by Universal Pictures.
Director Matthew Vaughn with Chip the cat (playing Alfie) on the set of ARGYLLE
From the twisted mind of Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman franchise, Kick-Ass) comes ARGYLLE, a razor-witted, reality-bending, globe-encircling spy thriller.
Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World franchise) is Elly Conway, the reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie. But when the plots of Elly’s fictional books—which center on secret agent Argylle and his mission to unravel a global spy syndicate—begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past.
Accompanied by Aiden (Oscar® winner Sam Rockwell), a cat-allergic spy, Elly (carrying Alfie in her backpack) races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Elly’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur.
The top-flight ensemble cast features Henry Cavill (The Witcher), John Cena (Fast X), Oscar®winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Grammy winning pop superstar Dua Lipa (Barbie), Emmy winner and Oscar® nominee Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Emmy winner and comedy icon Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’sCreek), Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service), and the legendary Samuel L. Jackson. Alfie is played by Chip, the real-life cat of supermodel Claudia Vaughn (née Schiffer).
L to R: Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, and John Cena in ARGYLLE, directed by Matthew VaughnL to R: Sam Rockwell as Aiden and Bryce Dallas Howard is Elly Conway in ARGYLLE, directed by Matthew VaughnBryce Dallas Howard is Elly Conway in ARGYLLE, directed by Matthew Vaughn
ARGYLLE is directed and produced by Matthew Vaughn, from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs (I Still See You). The film is produced by Matthew Vaughn, Adam Bohling (Kingsman franchise), Jason Fuchs, and David Reid (Kingsman franchise). The executive producers are Adam Fishbach, ZygiKamasa, Carlos Peres and Claudia Vaughn.
Apple Original Films presents, in association with MARV, a Cloudy production. Argylle is distributed by Universal Pictures.
Argylle will be released in US and UK cinemas on February 2nd.
So, is it too late for a quick “vacay”? Sure, most of the schools are back in session, but since Labor Day is only next weekend, why not? And how about bringing along that wild and crazy couple you met a couple of years ago? Well, that could be trouble, though the main character in this comedy sequel believes he has everything under control. Yeah…right. So just what kind of chaos awaits in the Carribean for that quirky quartet (actually a sextet this time) in VACATION FRIENDS 2? Aside from lots of frequent flyer miles, of course.
This farce actually begins in an airport terminal as Marcus (Lil Rel Howery) and his wife Emily (Yvonne Orji) leave their plane from Chicago to get their connecting flight to the Caribbean. Oh, and they’re meeting up with the wild and wacky Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hanger). And they’re bringing along baby Marcus with his new “manny”, former hotel staffer Maurillio (Carlos Santos). All seems to be going smoothly with Marcus’ master plan. They’re all staying in a plush suite in a fancy resort run by a Korean company. Ron and his crew have a return flight after five days, as they believe that Marcus and Emily need some “alone time” to work on their own offspring. Aha! Marcus just needs them gone in order to meet with the reps from the hotel and get a construction contract for their new deluxe resort in the Windy City. And once they land, all is well until Marcus spots the company reps led by the snippy Yeon (Ronny Chieng) near the pool. It turns out that their boss, Mrs. Kim, needs to push up the meeting…to the day after tomorrow. Marcus thinks he can control his pals at a big “get-together” that evening. And then there’s a “party crasher”…Kyla’s widowed papa Reese (Steve Buscemi), just sprung from San Quentin. Whoa! What was he doing there? And what is he doing here? Of course, he’s getting the foursome into lots of trouble in a search for missing drug loot. Certainly everything can be resolved before the big sales pitch meeting. Oh, that optimistic Marcus…
Oh, and he’s a constant “straight man” in this follow-up once more, squandering the sharp comedic talent of Mr. Howery, who deserves to be more than just the literal “butt” of so many silly slapstick gags (as in makes me want to…). When will his skills match the material, ala’ GET OUT? And Cena is the affable “lunkhead”, though not as aggressively dim as the Peacemaker of the DCEU. Yes, he’s giving every dopey punchline more energy than they deserve, but the character is less focused this time. Speaking of energy, Ms. Hanger’s enthusiastic reciting of flat jokes could power a small town. Such dedication is to be rewarded, but her efforts can’t make the abrasive Kyla more tolerable as she displays almost no impulse control. Who’d want to be anywhere near this offensive potty-mouthed “party girl”? Escaping with some dignity is the dazzling Orji, who is given a rather tepid subplot as she constantly reprimands her hubby. Santos is also putting his best foot forward, though his Maurillio seems wildly out of place as he tends to the baby while looking to “score”. As for the VF “newbies”, Chieng is a sneering boorish foe for Marcus, channeling lots of his surly mojo from his role in M3GAN. And the superb character actor Buscemi is under-utilized as the skeevy conman who is used to “break down” Ron’s sunny persona. His Reese’s main mission is to bring in the explosive mayhem.
Well, at least the locales are pretty, with Hawaii subbing for the Caribbean. For this trip, returning director Clay Tarver worked on the script solo. There’s the old expression about “too many cooks”, well this script “stew” cries out for a few more chiefs. The comic set pieces just fall flat and quickly devolve into shouting matches with jump cuts to try and ‘sell” the manic frenzy, all abetted by a music score that tries hard to be amusing. I’ll admit to a couple of mildly entertaining “bits” in the first installment, but the cliches and clunky dialogue (who talks like Kyla) just make this an endurance test for your patience. So, for the love of movies will someone confiscate their passport to prevent a “hat trick” after the vapid VACATION FRIENDS 2?
.5 Out of 4
VACATION FRIENDS 2 is now streaming exclusively on Hulu
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
L-r, APRIL O’NEIL, DONATELLO, RAPHAEL, MICHELANGELO and LEONARDO in PARAMOUNT PICTURES and NICKELODEON MOVIES Present
A POINT GREY Production “TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM”
Check out the brand new trailer for TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM.
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
This looks like so much fun! Based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, this latest eye-popping movie about how:
Splinter taught them to be ninja teens [ he’s a radical rat ] Teenage mutant ninja turtles Leonardo leads, Donatello does machines [ that’s a fact, Jack ] Teenage mutant ninja turtles Raphael is K00L but rude Michaelangelo is a party dude Teenage mutant ninja turtles Teenage mutant ninja turtles Teenage mutant ninja turtles Heroes in a half shell, turtle power
looks AMAZING!!
The cast includes Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Hannibal Buress, Rose Byrne, Nicolas Cantu, John Cena, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Natasia Demetriou, Ayo Edebiri, Giancarlo Esposito, Post Malone, Brady Noon, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd and Maya Rudolph.
The film is directed by Jeff Rowe, co-directed by Kyler Spears, with a screenplay by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Jeff Rowe, Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit.
See TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM in theaters on August 2.
So, I stated in a review from a couple of weeks ago that the Summer movie season has officially begun with the early May foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And just when does the movie madness kick in, where’s the big action blockbusters? Well, it goes full-throttle right now as we shift (see what I’m doing here) from the MCU to the F&FU (maybe I should leave off that last letter). We can officially call this one of our most enduring film franchises as it’s now well over 21 (so don’t imbibe before sliding into the driver’s seat). This weekend, and for a few weeks thereafter, action enthusiasts will buckle up at the multiplex for FAST X. And man, you can pop your corn on those searing engines.
Just like today’s big streaming release, this one starts with a flashback, to the big stunt set piece from FAST FIVE. That’s when our heroes trekked to Rio in order to literally rip a big armored safe from the wall of the HQ of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida). As radio comic Jerry Cologna said (aging myself here), “Ah, something new’s been added”. Turns out that part of the big chase was Hernan’s son, Dante (Jason Momoa), who took a dip as his pop was offed. And now we’re back to today as Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) hosts a big outdoor feast for his visiting grandmother Abuelita (Rita Moreno). Oh, and it’s also a going away party for the agency-backed mission in Rome lead by, appropriately, Roman (Tyrese Gibson), aided by Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Han (Sung Kang), and, of course, Tej (Ludacris). All seems right until they get a surprise late-night visitor, former enemy Cipher (Charlize Theron), who is badly wounded. Seems that she and her crew were ambushed by Dante and his squad. Dom contacts his man with US intel, Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood) who has no knowledge of the Rome mission. It’s a set-up, a trap! It’s off to Italy for Dom and his wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who arrive just in time for Dante’s frame job. The Toretto crew is thought to have unleashed a big explosive device that almost levels Vatican City. Letty is nabbed, while Dom embarks on a globe-wide hunt for Dante, with the new agency head Aimes (Alan Ritchson) in hot pursuit. Luckily Mr. Nobody’s daughter Tess (Brie Larson) believes in Dom, as does brother Jakob (John Cena) and a reluctant Shaw (Jason Statham).
The action is so, well, F&F, it’s tough to focus on principal performances. Of course, the lead is, once again, Diesel, who is the anchor and father figure to his “famlee”, offering sage advice and mentorship to “little B’, a bit of romance to Letty, and snarling retorts to all the baddies. And the main one this time is the scenery-chewing Momoa, who seems to truly enjoy channeling his “dark side” as the gleefully sadistic Dante. Imagine the crossed DNA of the Joker (one scene actually recreates a bit of the 1989 BATMAN) and Fabio (could this be his audition for DC’s “Lobo”). Although many of the one-liners are “groaners”, nobody can accuse him of “phoning it in” even as he seems too “campy” for a fellow avenging his father. Theron gets to go more villainess in the last act, while MCU sister Larson flexes her martial arts chops while engaging in verbal showdowns with Ritchson. Coming off her recent triumph in the D&D flick, Rodriguez is a full warrior queen. Cena scores some laughs as the affable protector of Dom’s nephew, while Statham flaunts that surly attitude as Shaw. Naturally, we get to see Gibson and Ludacris bicker and squabble in bits that were tiresome three movies ago. And it’s nice to see screen vets Moreno and Helen Mirren even though they have little to do other than lend their still white-hot charisma.
The traffic cop in the director’s chair this time out is Louis Leterrier, who is able to keep the film moving even as it slows down for some exposition that builds to another “can we top this” action set piece. And that’s in between the many locale changes, swiftly going from Rome to LA, to London to Puerto Rico and Portugal, with a side trek through the frozen tundra. What’s truly surprising is that the script, for one scene as Aimes gloms over the history of Dom’s crew, actually goes “meta” even veering into satire as it embraces the absurdity of the stunts (monitors behind Aimes replay clips from previous entries). So, yes they know it’s some goofball…stuff. It’s odd that they start with a sequence from FIVE since that’s the one that perhaps began the “break from reality” along with physics and gravity. And I know these flicks are review-proof since anyone that’s been exposed to the franchise knows what they’re “getting into”, despite what will probably be an irritating final act (at least they’re placated with a nifty mid-credits scene). If you approach this with the proper frame of mind, you’ll enjoy the wonky excess (and I’m including Momoa) of FAST X. For the rest of us, at least it’s well short of three hours. Whew!
Check out this new behind the scenes featurette of FAST X.
The end of the road begins.
Fast X, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, launches the final chapters of one of cinema’s most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began.
Vin Diesel is Dom in FAST X, directed by Louis Leterrier
Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.
In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.
Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.
Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), Fast X stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron.
The film also features an extraordinary new cast including Oscar® winner Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue representative from the Agency; Alan Richtson (Reacher) as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who doesn’t hold the same fondness for Dom’s crew as his predecessor, Mr. Nobody; Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) as a Brazilian street racer with a powerful tie to Dom’s past; and legendary Oscar® winner Rita Moreno as Dom and Mia’s Abuelita Toretto.
Fast X is produced by Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel, Justin Lin, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Samantha Vincent. The executive producers are Joseph M. Caracciolo, Jr., David Cain, Chris Morgan, Amanda Lewis and Mark Bomback. www.thefastsaga.com
