Review: Rye Lane

Rye Lane(2023)
PG-13  ‧ Romantic Comedy ‧ 1 Hours 22 Minutes

Written by Nathan Byron and Tom Melia 

Directed by Raine Allen-Miller 

THE CAST

Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson

THE STORY

David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah in RYE LANE. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

(In their own words). Yas (Vivian Oparah) and Dom (David Jonsson), two twenty-somethings both reeling from bad break-ups, connect over the course of an eventful day in South London – helping each other deal with their nightmare exes, and potentially restoring their faith in romance.

THE BEST

Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson in RYE LANE. Photo by Chris Harris. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.


The BEST things about the film

  1. Moment of Brilliance – The karaoke scene in this film where Yas and Dom sing Salt And Peppa’s Shoop together….is probably my single favorite scene of the last year. It’s an absolutely adorable scene that makes the movie for me. 
  2. The Creativity – This film elevates a seemingly simple romcom to a work of art through a bold color pallet, fun cinematography, and very clever writing. Interesting movies are less about the story they are telling and more about how they tell the story. This story is told in a very creative and wonderful way. 
  3. The humor – It’s a very funny romcom. The writing is clever, the actors delivery honest and fun performances that fit into this comedic world.
  4. Black Excellence – I don’t even want to talk about it because it really doesn’t have much to do with the film…but I feel like I would be remiss to not mention all the Black excellence in this film. This is a Black love story. It is full of wonderfully written Black characters, written by at least one Black Writer, Nathan Byron. To be honest, I couldn’t figure out if Tom Melia was Black as well (it’s very hard to find pictures of writers). The director, Raine Allen-Miller, is Black and is making an outstanding feature debut with this film. From head to toe, this film is pouring with Black excellence. 

THE WORST

David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah in RYE LANE. Photo by Chris Harris. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

The WORST things about the film

  1. While it is a super creative film, it does fall into the traps of many romcoms in making a clumsy ending wrap up the story. 

THE COMMENTS

While it is a romantic comedy, a big part of me want to tell you that this is a film about healing. I was once told that a breakup is kind of like a death. There is normally grieving from at least one party and it can be really difficult to learn how to move forward from after this change in your life. I think this film does a great job of exploring how these characters try to cope after a break up. 

THE LESSON

Breakups are hard. How you react to a breakup doesn’t necessarily define you as a person.

IS IT REWATCHABLE

Yes

THE FINAL WORD

David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah in RYE LANE. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

Rye Lane is a very special film. It is a very creative, British romantic comedy film that takes us through the lives of two people trying to process their recent breakups. The film features some wonderful writing, cinematography, and acting. It contains possibly my single favorite scene of the last year or so. Featuring a mostly Black cast, this film shows some wonderful promise from first time director Raine Allen-Miller. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Rye Lane gets a very strong Like It. 

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming exclusively on Hulu

THE TRAILER

THE MEME REVIEW

Review: Scream VI

SCREAM VI (2023)
R  ‧ Slasher Horror ‧ Hours Minutes

Written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick

Directed by Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin

THE CAST

Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere, and Courteney Cox.

Ghostface in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream VI.”

THE STORY

(In their own words). Four survivors of the Ghostface murders leave Woodsboro behind for a fresh start in New York City. However, they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a bloody rampage.

THE PREFACE

Okay, I have to make a confession before I start this review. I have only seen Scream 1 & 2, and to be completely honest I don’t even remember Scream 2 much. I also have a vague recollection that in some film in the franchise they started doing a thing where they were making a movie about the events in Scream but it was a fictional world within the fictional universe of Scream. But I didn’t know how it went. So I went into this film not knowing a lot of what is going on. I thought,  “A good film should stand on its own and make me just want to go see the films I missed. 

Jenna Ortega (“Tara Carpenter”), left, and Melissa Barrera (“Sam Carpenter” star in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream VI.”

THE BEST


The BEST things about the film

  1. The thrills. I was thrilled the entire movie. It was just super exciting. I don’t know if it’s because I was in the dark from the past movies, or if it was repetitive, or if there were swerves from the last film that I wasn’t picking on. All I know is that I was fully engaged and riveted the entire film. It works on its own. Having not known about a majority of the cast, I never felt lost. There were times I figured I should know more, but I think they did a great job of keeping the film self-contained while bringing in information that we need to know.
  2. The humor. I was honestly shocked to go back and look and see that none of the previous films are labeled horror comedies.  There’s this element of self awareness and meta humor within it that I was sure it was also a comedy. The creators just identify each of the films as a slasher horror, but this film I really do think has enough humor to get the horror comedy label.
  3. The ensemble. I think this is a pretty terrific ensemble of friends that we get to watch in this film. The acting between each other is nice, they come off as truly having a long term friendship that works well together. The acting across the board is pretty good.
L-r, Mason Gooding (“Chad Meeks-Martin”), Jenna Ortega (“Tara Carpenter”), Jasmin Savoy Brown (“Mindy Meeks-Martin”), Devyn Nekoda (“Anika Kayoko”) and Melissa Barrera (“Sam Carpenter”) star in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream VI.”

THE WORST

The WORST things about the film

  1. This is pure entertainment. I think the best horrors, the best comedies, the best of filmmaking happens when there is a social commentary being made. To say that this film is trying to get out a message  would be a paper thin argument.
  2. There’s some real twisting of laws of physics and common sense that needs to happen in order to make a lot of points of the film move forward. Suspension of disbelief needs to be pushed really far for this. 
Ghostface in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream VI.”

THE COMMENTS

I don’t know how this ranks in the series. I need to see the rest of the series. I have no idea how much this film repeats itself from other films. All I know is that what was presented to me was pretty exciting. This film has made me want to go back, watch the original, then see all the ones I missed.

THE LESSON
The past comes back to you. 

IS IT REWATCHABLE

Yes. In fact, I want very much just to see how well the ending works/makes sense. And I will rewatch as I go back to view the whole series.  

Ghostface in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream VI.”

THE FINAL WORD

A thoroughly entertaining thrill ride. I have not seen the last three films in this series and it made me want to run out and watch them all. It’s a pretty exciting film with a really terrific ensemble of actors. While it certainly has the violence for a slasher label, the film is full of really funny moments. In fact, there are elements that seem so absurd, I was a little surprised to discover it isn’t labeled a horror comedy. I could never have predicted the sixth installment of any horror film would be something I’d have been happy to have seen. But this one got me, it really got me. You scream, I scream, we all scream for Scream VI. 

. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Scream VI gets a strong Like It. 

THE TRAILER

THE MEME REVIEW

Review: Champions

Champions (2023)
PG-13  ‧ Comedy ‧ 2 Hours 3 Minutes
Written by Bobby Farrelly
Directed by Mark Rizzo

THE CAST

  • Woody Harrelson as Marcus, a disgraced G-league basketball coach
  • Kaitlin Olson as Alex, Johnny’s sister and Marcus’ love interest
  • Matt Cook as Sonny, an assistant coach
  • Ernie Hudson as Phil Perretti, a fellow coach and Marcus’ friend
  • Cheech Marin as Julio, the manager of the rec center where the Friends practic
  • Mike Smith as Attorney McGurk
  • Scott Van Pelt as himself
  • Jalen Rose as himself

THE STORY

(In their own words) A former minor-league basketball coach receives a court order to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. Despite his doubts, he soon realizes that together they can go further than they ever imagined.

THE BEST
The BEST things about the film;

  1. All of the intellectually disabled actors are played actors with those disabilities and they do a fantastic job. 
  2. This movie made me smile the entire time. It was just such an enjoyable movie to watch. Touching, poignant, funny…it really hit all the right notes for me. 
  3. Woody Harrelson does a wonderful job acting and working with all of the actors/players and brings a level of prestige to a film.

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film;

  1. The writing isn’t the best. It borders on an after-school special level. It’s not intolerable, but that is I believe in large part due to the actors bringing more to the script than is there.
  2. While mostly really respectful to the  actors with the disabilities, there was one female character where I didn’t think the jokes worked because the humor may have been more directed at her than with her. 

THE COMMENTS

  1. This is an English-language remake of the 2018 Spanish film Campeones directed by Javier.
  2. This is a film that is elevated by the actors. The script itself is a bit predictable, mildly preachy, and razor this with its premise believability. But the actors elevate this out of what it could have been. 
  3. My biggest fear about the film would be the misuse of the intellectually disabled actors and would be them making a lot of jokes at their expense. But that isn’t what happened. The film is very respectful. 
  4. I think casting Woody Harrelson in the coach position was perfect because of my knowledge of him as a person made me feel okay watching it. I assumed that he wouldn’t do a film that made fun of the players. Also, in my personal universe the film would take place in the same universe as White Men Can’t Jump.

THE LESSON

Being a champion has nothing to do with outcome, it’s a way of living. 

IS IT REWATCHABLE

Absolutely.

THE FINAL WORD

Watching Champions is giving yourself an opportunity to smile for two hours. Heartwarming story and performances that elevate the script made it a solid sports-comedy film. The actors in the players in the film are in real life part of the intellectually disabled community and it was fantastic to see them have an opportunity to show a story with respectful portrayals and fully developed characters.  Give yourself an opportunity to be happy and see this film. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Champions gets a Like It. 

THE TRAILER

THE MEME REVIEW

Review: The Menu

The Menu  (2022)
R‧ Horror Comedy ‧ 1 Hour 46 Minutes

Written by Seth Reiss, Will Tracy
Directed by ‎Mark Mylod

THE CAST

  • Ralph Fiennes as Julian Slowik
  • Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot
  • Nicholas Hoult as Tyler
  • Hong Chau as Elsa
  • Janet McTeer as Lillian Bloom
  • Judith Light as Anne
  • John Leguizamo as Movie Star
  • Reed Birney as Richard Liebbrandt
  • Paul Adelstein as Ted. Lillian’s editor
  • Aimee Carrero as Felicity
  • Arturo Castro as Soren
  • Mark St. Cyr as Dave
  • Rob Yang as Bryce
  • Rebecca Koon as Linda
  • Peter Grosz as Sommelier
(From L-R): Judith Light, Reed Birney, Paul Adelstein, Janet McTeer, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo, Aimee Carrero, Rob Yang, Arturo Castro, and Mark St. Cyr in the film THE MENU. Photo by Eric Zachanowich. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

THE STORY

“Young couple Margot and Tyler travel to a remote island to eat at Hawthorne, an exclusive restaurant run by celebrity chef Julian Slowik, who has prepared a lavish molecular gastronomy menu where food is treated as conceptual art, although his approach to cuisine has some shocking surprises for the wealthy guests.”

MORE DETAILED STORY

(In their own words) A couple, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), travel to a coastal island in the Pacific Northwest to eat at an exclusive restaurant, Hawthorn, where the reclusive, globally celebrated Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish tasting menu for select special guests. Joining the couple are three young, already inebriated tech bros, Bryce (Rob Yang), Soren (Arturo Castro) and Dave (Mark St. Cyr), an older wealthy couple and repeat clients, Anne and Richard (Judith Light and Reed Birney), renowned restaurant critic Lillian Bloom (Janet McTeer) and her slavish magazine editor Ted (Paul Adelstein), and a famous middle-aged movie star (John Leguizamo) with his assistant Felicity (Aimee Carrero). Hosted by the immaculately dressed front of house staff led by general Elsa (Hong Chau), the evening unfolds with increasing tension at each of the guest tables as secrets are revealed and unexpected courses are served. With wild and violent events occurring, Slowik’s motivation begins to rattle the diners as it becomes increasingly apparent that his elaborate menu is designed to catalyze to a shocking finale.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes in the film THE MENU. Photo by Eric Zachanowich. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

THE BEST


The BEST things about the film

  1. The story – It’s a very creative story, one that I don’t think I’ve heard before. It’s suspenseful, thrilling, really funny, and you have trouble predicting where it’s going to go. Wonderful satire.
  2. The themes – There are just so many wonderful themes about class warfare. Rich vs Poor, Have vs Have Nots, Givers vs Takers. There are so many underlying themes, the more you talk about it, the more you see. 
  3. The writing – This is a really well written film. Subtle, great dialogue, and layers upon layer of meaning behind everything. 

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film

  1. More backstory of most of the cooks would have really helped understand more.
The cast of the film THE MENU. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

THE LESSON

The rich don’t deserve bread. 

THE FINAL WORD

This is a film that the audience should really devour. It is a tasting menu of satire, horror, comedy, thrills, and terror. Wonderfully written and speaks volumes about the role of class and the divide between the rich and the poor. This is not just another horror movie, it’s a warning that there is a breaking point and a message to the servant class about the power of saying ‘No.” Ralph Fiennes is a stand out as the celebrity chef Julian Slowik.

THE VERDICT

My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

The Menu gets a ‘Love It”

A course from the film THE MENU. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

THE MEME REVIEW

THE TRAILER

Episode #208: The Cast of The Umbrella Men

This week Silas got to sit down with the Cast of The Umbrella Man, a new South African action/comedy/heist film, while they were in attendance at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Review: Bodies Bodies Bodies

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022)
R ‧ Horror Comedy ‧ 1 Hour 35 Minutes


Screenplay by Sarah DeLappe
Story by Kristen Roupenian

Directed by ‎Halina Reijn

THE CAST

 Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace, and Pete Davidson.

THE STORY

(In their own words) 

When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game turns deadly in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong.

THE BEST

The BEST things about the film

  1. The comedy – very funny film. Possibly now a current favorite horror comedy. 
  2. The suspense – Trying to figure out who the killer is, waiting for twists, waiting for the next death, trying to figure the whole thing out, was amazingly exciting. 
  3. The satire. The satire of the film to me seemed to be a commentary on the juxtaposition of the starring generation. This is a generation that is really in touch with their emotions and aware how their words can harm other people. Yet at the same time they feel empty. 

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film

  1. It’s definitely a film of convenience. Set up too perfectly. 
  2. Some exposition to explain dumb things people did, seemed unnecessary. 
  3. My lack of a time machine to go back in time and watch this again for the first time.

THE REVIEW

After every screening I see, I’m supposed to give notes to the PR firm holding the screening, let me share with you what I said to the things I told them:

“A refreshingly and surprisingly wonderfully done horror comedy, with an emphasis on the comedy. 

Honest performances, never over the top, played for keeps never for laughs, but the laughs kept coming. 

Pete Davidson is fantastic. 

Wonderful ensemble! Acting, chemistry, they did it all so wonderfully. 

Can’t wait to see it again. 

It is the “do-not-miss horror of the year.” 

Spot-on satire of a generation that has amazing levels of empathy and understanding of other people’s difficulties yet can’t find their own purpose.”

That should give you a sense of how I felt about this film. 

They say it is a lot harder to write a review of a film you like than to write one for a film you hate.  It’s really hard for me to write this review. I just want to gush over how much I enjoyed this. 

I feel like I watch a lot of TV and film, and I just couldn’t predict this film. It’s horror, but it wasn’t as gory as I was afraid it would be. It showed it was also a comedy, but it was WAY funnier than I predicted. I thought I knew who the killer was, then I thought I knew who they were trying to make me think the killer was, then I thought I knew the red herring, cause it’s actually this other person….I was never right. I could just never predict what would happen. And that is absolutely exhilarating. 

I don’t think the film will be considered a film to “change the genre” but it at minimum should set a bar of excellence because this film is truly wonderful.  The writing is wonderful. The script is witty, the characters are fully developed, they are driven with clear motivations, they reveal things at just the right times, there are wonderfully developed social commentaries throughout the film, which is so wonderful to see in a horror comedy. 

The acting is surprisingly awesome. Pete Davidson was just terrific and it makes me want to go watch his other films to see if I’ve been missing something.  

THE LESSON

This movie is stacked full of lessons! It really is!

Lessons in white privilege, in ableism, in understanding the hardships others experience and trying to be an ally. But ultimately I came away with this:

Being an ally is great….but making yourself empty inside is horrible. 

REWATCHABLE?

Absolutely. One of the first movies in a while that I can’t wait to watch again. 

THE FINAL WORD

If you want a great laugh and scream movie, Bodies Bodies Bodies is it. It definitely has the blood and guts of a horror film. But it’s comedy makes me forget all that. This is close to the most fun I’ve had in a theater this year. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Bodies Bodies Bodies gets a Love It

THE TRAILER

Review: Prey (2022)

Prey  (2022)
R ‧ Scifi/Action – 1 hour 39 Minutes


Written by Patrick Aison

Directed by ‎Dan Trachtenberg

THE CAST

  • Amber Midthunder as Naru, a young Comanche warrior who protects her tribe against a Predator
  • Dakota Beavers as Taabe
  • Dane DiLiegro as the Predator
  • Stormee Kipp
  • Michelle Thrush
  • Julian Black Antelope

THE STORY

(In their own words) In the Comanche Nation in 1717, a fierce and highly skilled warrior named Naru learns the prey she is stalking is a highly evolved alien with a technologically advanced arsenal

(L-R): Amber Midthunder as Naru and Dane DeLiegro as the Predator in 20th Century Studios’ PREY, exclusively on Hulu. Photo by David Bukach. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

THE BEST


The BEST things about the film

  1. It’s a really cool addition to the franchise. Love the setting in the Native American world. 
  2. They are releasing the film in a full Comanche language dubbing. This is the first time ever for a feature film. 
  3. Love seeing an action film with a really strong female lead. 

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film

  1. The special effects of a bear are really bad. For a movie with this kind of budget….come on. Really?
  2. The lack of consistency with using Native American language and “English” and accent or no accent.  
  3. Unlike the original, there doesn’t seem to be much of a deeper underlying message to the film. It’s just there for fun. 
Amber Midthunder as Naru in 20th Century Studios’ PREY, exclusively on Hulu. Photo by David Bukach. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

THE REVIEW

I will admit, I rolled my eyes when I heard they were coming out with a fifth installment of the Predator franchise called Prey. Like, haven’t we mined this franchise for enough material yet? However, once I learned about the premise I became intrigued.  This installment is technically a prequel to the others, set long ago in Native American land in 1717. From the trailer it was unclear if the Predator was the one hunting the members of the Comanche Nation or if it was the other way around. Which actually is kind of an accurate question even during the film. 

The story centers around a young female warrior, Naru (Amber Midthunder)  who’s trying to earn the respect of her fellow tribemates, when suddenly The Predator shows up.  Seemingly, the Predator seems like he’s just there to find prey to hunt. To her, it’s a sign from the gods that she’s ready to be a hunter and she’s ready to capture him. But things don’t go as easily as she hoped. 

Midhunter does a wonderful job in the lead role, showing herself to be a formidable opponent of the predator and someone who deserves the respect of it and her peers. 

At this point, the success of the film and to an extent. really comes down to whether the story they tell with the Predator is a good one. We aren’t expecting surprises, we know what the Predator’s people can do…so it is really about did they come up with a good story and execute it well. I feel like they did on both counts.

The film was full of captivating drama and action, it gave us enough of a sense to not really know how it would end throughout. We didn’t know how these folks with less technology would stand a chance against the predator. 

Dane DiLiegro as the Predator in 20th Century Studios’ PREY, exclusively on Hulu. Photo by David Bukach. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

I enjoyed this film a lot. I’m not entirely in love with it, but it is probably the best entry into the Predator franchise since the original. I really enjoyed seeing the intersection of scifi/fantasy and the old technology living of the Comanche Nation. 

This is a great popcorn film. 

THE LESSON

Never underestimate your opponent. 

If you won’t fight back, you may not be worth it.

THE FINAL WORD

The fifth installment of the Predator franchise is probably the best one in decades. Intense, action packed, and a creative 1717 Comanche Nation setting.

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Prey gets a Like It

WHERE TO WATCH

Prey will be streaming on Hulu in the U.S. on Friday, August 5.

THE TRAILER

Review: Gone In The Night

Gone In The Night (2022)
Rating ‧ Thriller/Mystery‧ 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Written by Matthew Derby and Eli Horowitz

Directed by ‎Eli Horowitz

THE CAST

Winona Ryder, Dermot Mulroney, Dustin Ingram, John Gallagher Jr., And Brianne Tju

THE STORY

(In their own words) Upon arriving at a remote cabin for a getaway, a woman and her boyfriend discover another couple already staying there. They decide to share the rental for the night, but the boyfriend’s disappearance sparks a race for answers.

THE BEST
The BEST things about the film

  1. Winona Ryder – I will really watch anything she does. She definitely delivers and carries the film. Her performance is so nuanced, like early on in the film she does little things in the rearview mirror, subtle looks that later end up being very important.
  2. Editing – The way they edited the film in a non-linear framework really made the mystery compelling. They also really tightly edited the film, it was nice and short and didn’t have extra fluff in the film. Kept the story direct and focused.
  3. The suspense – The film is certainly suspenseful. Director Eli Horowitz definitely hit the tone of the film well. The first half of the film is especially intriguing.

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film

  1. The main premise, the inciting incident of Kath (Winona Ryder) agreeing to stay overnight with a couple strangers was just kind of preposterous. I had a hard time getting over the fact that I didn’t believe she would be willing to stay. And then so easily accept the explanation for why her boyfriend disappears…fundamental foundation problems.
  2. Predictability – The mystery didn’t take too long to start figuring out that something else happened than initially presented and we get a good guess on where it’s going. I can’t say I had a prediction for the end of the film, but with a smaller cast you know too quick who all the players will be.
  3. The third act – The third act of the film is a bit of a head scratcher. Bizarre and possibly unearned. The film deserved better than the ending that we get. 

THE REVIEW

The film feels like a late night movie you catch repeating on HBO a bunch so you finally watch it and wonder…”I thought Winona was doing pretty well at this point in her career, I wonder why she did this film. “ Winona Ryder is certainly the draw to the film and her acting is quite wonderful and nuanced…she didn’t need to do this film, but the film definitely needed her.  She really does a wonderful job in the film. She is the source of making every seen engaging, mysterious, and you want her to solve the mystery. The film simply wouldn’t have worked without her cast in the film. 

That being said, the rest of the cast does a really good job in their respective roles. Brianne Tju has a really interesting quality to her that brings an air of mystery. You always get the sense that there’s something she isn’t saying. She certainly has that “it” factor. 

What the film does well is tone. It does a really good job of creating an intriguing atmosphere that while watching, you can somewhat go along with the story. But it’s one of those films that the more you think about it, the film starts to unravel. 

THE LESSON

Learn to be okay within your own skin.

THE FINAL WORD

Winona Ryder is outstanding in this mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat for the first half of the film and then scratching your head for the last third. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Gone In The Night gets a Like It.

THE TRAILER

Review: Bullet Train

Bullet Train  (2022)
R  ‧  Action Comedy Thriller ‧ 2  Hour 6 Minutes

Directed by ‎David Leitch

Screenplay by Zak Olkewicz. Based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle (published in English as Bullet Train) by Kōtarō Isaka.

THE CAST

Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio, and Sandra Bullock.

THE STORY

(In their own words) Five assassins find themselves on a fast moving bullet train from Tokyo to Morioka with only a few stops in between. They discover their missions are not unrelated to each other.

THE BEST
Three BEST things about the film

  1. The story – Very compelling story and I really like the way it was presented. 
  2. The comedy – really funny film. Impeccable comedy and funny characters. 
  3. Brad Pitt – Such an enjoyable performance. You could tell he was having fun with the role so it was fun for us to watch. He plays an  “Assassin” who is trying to change himself and not kill people anymore. He’s been doing a lot of therapy and  he just wants to do “grab and go” jobs now. He also thinks he is bad luck now, because people around him tend to die, even if they aren’t connected to the job he’s doing. 

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film

  1. Honestly, I don’t have many complaints about this film. My major issue is probably that we somehow filled this Japanese story set in Japan with a bunch of people who aren’t Japanese. I’m nearly positive that in the original book, they weren’t a bunch of American and British people in the story. However, there is also something to be said that this film likely wouldn’t have gotten viewed by many if it didn’t have a big star attached to it like Brad Pitt. Further, to a degree the race of the people doesn’t matter. It’s not like they cast white people in roles that really relied on being part of Japanese culture.
  2. Violence. There’s a lot of violence in the film. If you are shy to violence, this may not be for you. Much of it is done in a comical way, but it’s still there. Is it gorey? Not exactly, but there is a level of exaggeration. Not as bad as The Kingsmen or Kill Bill, but there is a level of it that you have to be able to deal with. 
  3. I love Sandra Bullock and was looking forward to some Sandra Bullock physical comedy, however that’s not the role she has for this. She serves mostly as a voice actor for this film.

THE REVIEW

Bullet Train is a high speed adventure with surprisingly well rounded characters. In this kind of

action film, you don’t expect the arch of the film to take you through so much character building. We end up with some really fleshed out characters that make you root for them throughout. 

The film is an exaggeration. That’s the “world of the play.” When looking and examining a film like this you can’t judge the action sequences by the terms of a realistic drama, you have to look at the world that is created for the audience. Does the movie stay within the laws and world framework that they establish early on. While Bullet Train is in an absurd world.
It is in a world of exaggerated violence, characters, and therefore it is not a stretch when the world of physics get pushed to their max, and beyond. There are people who will judge this film based on how realistic it is and that simply isn’t fair.  If the film breaks its rules it has established, it is jarring and the audience can feel it, that never happens in the film. 

Bullet Train is my kind of action film. It is smartly written, full of comedy, suspenseful all the way until the end, and has some hidden lessons. In this film it comes from Brad Pitt’s character, Ladybug, who is  about teaching yourself to have a good mindset. 

To me, the film is less of a “who dunnit, and more of a “who DIDN’T do it.” It is full of twists and callbacks to earlier actions, people, and items, so you really have to pay attention during the film. 

Bullet Train is easily one of my favorite action films of the year. 

THE LESSON

Thomas The Train can really teach you to know people.

THE FINAL WORD

Bullet Train is funny, suspenseful, and full of exaggerated displays of violence. One of Brad Pitt’s most entertaining roles in quite a while. Bullet Train is a fun ride that doesn’t disappoint.  One of my favorite action films of the year. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Bullet Train gets a Love It. 

THE TRAILER

Review: DC League of Super-pets

DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
PG ‧ Animated Action Adventure ‧ 106 minutes


Written by John Whittington

Directed by ‎Jared Stern

THE CAST

Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, and Keanu Reeves.

THE STORY

(In their own words) Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime side by side in Metropolis. However, when the Man of Steel and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a ragtag group of animals to master their own newfound powers for a rescue mission

THE BEST


The BEST things about the film

  1. Humor, lots of animated physical comedy. I watched it with two of my kids, one six and one four, and they both laughed a lot during it.  Especially in the first 20 minutes. 
  2. There are some touching moments such as when Krpyto (Dwayne Johnson) and Ace (Kevin Hart) connect over Ace’s traumatic moment that led to him being sent to a rescue.
  3. Really nice family friendly superhero story you can bring kids to so they can enjoy super-heroes in the theater.  
  4. Fun characters. 

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film

  1. As much as it’s being advertised as a buddy comedy between Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, We know since it is an animated film, we know that they record their voices separately. You aren’t going to feel this chemistry between them.  That is marketing. For some reason, this film more than others you don’t get a sense of chemistry between characters. And I’m honestly not sure why I get that feeling. 
  2. There’s not a lot memorable about the film.  
  3. I find animated films a bit hard to connect with overall, but this one truly didn’t spend the time in making a strong connection and relatability with the audience.

THE REVIEW

I wanted to like this. I really did. I’m a big DC fanboy. I like a lot of the films in the DC universe that most people don’t. It was lighthearted, but unmemorable. It had some fun characters like the evil bald guinea pig hellbent on world domination, but we really don’t care enough about them to emotionally invest. The main protagonist Krypto, played by the charismatic Dwayne Johnson, somehow wasn’t very likable. And I love Dwayne John. Too bad dogs can’t do the People’s Eyebrow. 

I did laugh out loud a few times with my kids. I will admit that. But 90% of my enjoyment of the film was based on their reaction. It’s a kid’s cartoon. Which is okay. I get a lot of enjoyment watching my kid’s enjoy movies. I hope this spurns a love of movies for them. 

THE LESSON

Love isn’t about spending every moment together, but rather what you would do for the person you love. 

THE FINAL WORD

A less than memorable animated film that may be better suited for a night out with kids. Yet, still better than Justice League. Maybe the grown up superhero films need more pets. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

I give this a Lose It for Adults but A Like It for children. 

THE TRAILER