Interview with the star of the new film Colorblind, Chantel Riley. She discusses how she got into acting and answers the world-famous seven questions.
Available in video and audio-only podcast.
VIDEO
Interview with the star of the new film Colorblind, Chantel Riley. She discusses how she got into acting and answers the world-famous seven questions.
Available in video and audio-only podcast.
VIDEO
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
PG ‧ Action Adventure ‧ 1 Hours 32 Minutes
Written by Matthew Fogel
Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
THE CAST
THE STORY
(In their own words). With help from Princess Peach, Mario gets ready to square off against the all-powerful Bowser to stop his plans from conquering the world.
THE BEST
The BEST things about the film
THE WORST
The WORST things about the Film
THE COMMENTS
I think when the first trailer dropped for this movie, I was so distracted by the casting of Chris Pratt, but I didn’t really think much about what else could go wrong with the film.
I also didn’t really think about how much of a kids movie they would be making. Because Hollywood is making a lot of money right now by making movies on intellectual properties that appeal to my Gen X peers. And we are a group of individuals that have strong nostalgia toward our childhood, and are at an age where we can start to afford to see the movies, buy the merchandise and visit the theme parks with our kids. So, I thought they would attempt to make this movie appeal to us. In the sense that they filmed the movie full of Nintendo game nostalgia and include a nihilist perky star, I supposed they did. Gen X loves nihilist characters (or does everyone). But in the sense that the plot really being very simplistic and at times boring, lending itself to a Neftlix original kids movie, it wasn’t for us.
Was I expecting it to be Oscar worthy? I don’t know, with competing animation studios doing some pretty awesome animated films now. Disney has done some rather amazing films lately that appeal to all ages and I shouldn’t only expect that from them. This film would have ended up making a lot more money if it spent less time trying to be cute and more time on the basics of moviemaking. And if you are spending the money to put big movie stars in the film, why wouldn’t you attempt to get adults on board who are more apt to spend lots of money on it, if they enjoy it also?
THE LESSON
Together, anything is possible.
AFTER CREDIT SCENES
Two. Stay for them both.
IS IT REWATCHABLE
Maybe with your kids.
THE FINAL WORD
I think when the first trailer of the movie came out I was so focused on the poor casting choice of Chris Pratt as Mario that I didn’t realize he was the red herring to lure my complaints to somewhere else. Visually, its animation is fantastic. It’s like watching a Mario video game on the biggest screen imaginable. And it gives you a chance to smile, yet rarely laugh, at all the nostalgia Nintendo can provide you, as you are reminded throughout the film of all the different video games you’ve played over the years. It is a cute movie at times, but done at the expense of just focusing on creating an engaging story. They had the plot points that should have made a really good film, but the writers failed to add character development to the hero’s stories. At times I was actually bored, but the second half picked it up a bit for me. Jack Black is a stand out performer voicing Bowser. I didn’t hate this film, as I expected I would a week ago, but I can’t say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do think my kids will really have a fun time watching it.
THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It.
I give it a “Like Minus”. If you miss it on the big screen, I would rather just play a mario game than watch the movie.
THE TRAILER
THE MEME REVIEW
THE AUDIO REVIEW
https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8276209/embed/hero#?secret=HO5nHXYDQMTHE VIDEO REVIEW
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.
Podcast Recap and Review of Emerald City Comicon 2022. Silas sat down with a fellow member of the press, blogger from Frankie’s Comics, Angela Rairden to discuss this years ECCC, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Also, I promised on the podcast, a photo gallery of the photos I took at comicon. I’m having trouble with the gallery and the photos loading. So until I figure that out, below is a video of the pictures I would have put up.
I
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
THE WORST
The WORST things about the Film
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
Prey (2022)
R ‧ Scifi/Action – 1 hour 39 Minutes
Written by Patrick Aison
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg
THE CAST
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
THE BEST
The BEST things about the film
THE WORST
The WORST things about the Film
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.
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
Zora Iman Crews comes on to talk about her upcoming Mockumentary The Daphne Project.
This week, Silas is joined by director Dan Chen and two people who were subjects for his premiere documentary Accepted, Isaac and Aighty. This documentary focuses on a K-12 school in Louisiana with a 100% college acceptance rate and a 33% Ivy League school acceptance rate. But something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Listen up and then watch the film coming out this July 1st.
Jurassic World Dominion
PG-13 ‧ Adventure/Sci-fi ‧ 2h 26m
Screenplay by Emily Carmichael and Colin Trevorrow
Story by Derek Connolly
Directed by Colin Trevorrow
THE CAST
Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, BD Wong, Omar Sy
THE STORY
(In their own words) Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live–and hunt–alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures in a new Era.
THE REVIEW
If this movie was a dinosaur, it would be a Funasaurus Rex.
This is the sixth film in the Jurassic park/world franchise. The original was a masterpiece, in part because it was the first time we saw dinosaurs on screen at that quality of animatronics with touches of CGI, and it was the first time exploring this universe. Not to mention it being directed by Steven Spielberg who is a master storyteller. At this point in the franchise, there are just naturally going to be less mystery and less surprises about this universe. One of the biggest mistakes sequels make is trying to recapture the former glory by repeating the same tricks, by following the exact same formula. Also, with CGI becoming so much cheaper and studios wanting to utilize it, I think it hurts franchises like this. The limitations of CGI actually help in creating mystery and with story telling. I am of the strong opinion that limitations are great for storytelling.
Where this film exceeds is in its special effects and the storytelling.
The special effects; at times it’s hard to tell which is a practical animatronic dinosaur and when it’s CGI, the biggest give away is when it does “too much.” But also, the CGI itself is pretty incredible. There are times I had to tell myself “dinosaurs aren’t real, this is just a story, breath, Silas. In through the nose, out through your mouth.”
Storytelling; I liked that it managed to tell a somewhat new story within this established universe. Are they stories I’ve never seen? Not really, but I loved the way it was told and that they put them in this world. The story is split in the first two-thirds between two narratives – one following the original Jurassic Park stars and the second by the Jurassic World stars, until they inevitably meet up. This isn’t a spoiler because you know this is something that has to happen.
Let me say this though, if you are coming to a film about dinosaurs walking modern day earth as a result of cloning technology and the complete breakdown of the amusement park they were built for, you need to be watching this film with a very open mind. You need to be watching this for the fun of it, for the wild entertainment, to enjoy it like an amusement park ride. This is not meant to be Shakespeare, we know we are not watching a serious academy award contender. This is not going to be a Million Dollar Baby with dinosaurs.
Do I wanna see crap? No. Do I expect crap? No. Not at these ticket prices. What I want is to be swept away into a fun story that doesn’t make me think too much, and plays within its own defined laws of physics, science, and stretched believability. I think Jurassic World Dominion does that.
Two people behind me thought it was hard to follow the story because it jumped around so much. I think maybe they are idiots and I guess they don’t like subplots. It followed the story telling technique of something like Empire Strikes Back, which while I love it, isn’t exactly rocket science.
THE BEST
Three BEST things about the film
THE WORST
The three WORST things about the Film
THE LESSON
There are actually many lessons from this film.
1. Biotech companies that alter food are nearly always questionable
2. Our desire to mess with natural law will lead to our deaths.
3. Humans tend to fail to learn from their mistakes when there’s money to be made.
THE FINAL WORD
This movie is a thrill ride for your soul, not for your brain. Grab some popcorn but not a big drink because the runtime is so long.
THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It.
I give Jurassic World Dominion a Love it, because it is something I definitely want to see again.
THE TRAILER
THE REVIEWER
ABOUT SILAS LINDENSTEIN
When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.
Review by Silas Lindenstein
The Batman (2022)
PG-13 ‧ Action/Adventure ‧ 2h 56m
Written by Matt Reeves, Peter Craig
Directed by Matt Reeves
THE CAST
Robert Pattinson as Batman
Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle (Catwoman)
Paul Dano as Riddler
Colin Farrell as Penguin
Jeffrey Wright as James Gordeon
Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennywise
THE STORY
(In their own words) When the Riddler, a sadistic serial killer, begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city’s hidden corruption and question his family’s involvement.
THE REVIEW
Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of Batman films and a lot of portrayal of Batman in live action films. I really didn’t think there was any new way I could see Batman presented. I am so excited that I was wrong.
The newest incarnation brings us Robert Pattinson donning the role of Gotham’s caped crusader in the Matt Reeve’s directed film The Batman. The film doesn’t take much time in introducing what this film is about and how the tone will be set. There has been a murder and the police are at a loss. So Detective Gordon (Jeffery Wright) brings in the vigilante Batman to take a look, because he seems to spot things others don’t. This is the first Batman film to acknowledge Batman as a great detective, the comics always referred to him as the world’s greatest detective but it has always been lost on the screen adaptations. This was wonderful to see him working the clues of the case.
The setting is year two of Batman. So it’s a young Batman, one gaining experience and learning his place in Gotham. Initial reaction of Pattinson being cast in the role was generally mixed. Pattinson’s performance will definitely create some great discussion as he completely owns the characters and breathes fresh life into the character. This may well be the greatest Batman we’ve seen yet. He is steady, nuanced, and is able to deliver the most emotion we’ve seen from a Batman while wearing a mask.
In this version, we see Bruce Wayne as Batman for most of the film. The few times he isn’t in costume, he does a fine job showing us how lonely Bruce Wayne is. Most films discuss how Batman is a loner, but then he’s constantly surrounded by people, this is a lonely Bruce and lonely Batman.
The other stand out element of the film was how genuinely thrilling the story is. I literally found myself moving forward during the movie because I was enthralled trying to figure out the mystery they presented with the murders. I felt thrilled the entire story. Not because of surprises or twists, but because the story was engaging. That has never happened to me during a Batman film before.
Let’s also not forget the rest of the cast. It is a stellar performance from top to bottom. Paul Dano’s Riddler is possibly the creepiest Batman foe we have seen yet. The makeup artistry to change Colin Farrell into The Penguin must be remembered for award season next year.
The tone, the style, the story, Matt Reeves gets it all right for this film. I feel confident that critics and audiences alike will be raving about this film. It’s the perfect blend of artistry and entertainment.
THE BEST
BEST things about the film
THE WORST
WORST things about the Film
THE LESSON
Vengeance is two sided.
THE FINAL WORD
This is the Batman I didn’t know I needed to see. A gritty Batman that all fans must see.
THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It.
The Batman gets a Love It.
THE TRAILER
ABOUT SILAS
When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.