One Movie Punch

Hi everyone!

This week, One Movie Punch takes a giant step forward in podcasting. Not all podcasting, just for us within podcasting. On Monday, we’ll have our first, but by no means our last, Tarantino review for “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”, which is already in the running for best picture. Tuesday we’ll have a new Takeover Tuesday participant with a review of a hit-or-miss horror movie. After those films will be our very first interview and review episodes, for 2018’s “Bullitt County” on Wednesday with writer/director/actor David McCracken, and for 2016’s “The Chair” on Thursday with actor/producer Kyle Hester. We’ll round out the week with another Fantastic Fest feature from our good friend Andrew Campbell and another uplifting review from One Movie Spouse. 

Sundays around here sometimes turn into Sponsor Sundays, most recently with “Raw” (Episode #517), at the persistent insistence of Andrew Campbell. For more details, head over to patreon.com/onemoviepunch and consider giving monthly. While this week we’ll include segments from our interviews, the full interviews will be available as Patreon exclusives, along with special reviews, and other ideas in development. All funds go to help us grow with our audience. And for a new logo. Got any ideas about that as well? Hit us up over social media.

Today’s throwback review is an animated film like no other. “Loving Vincent” is a moving historical drama investigating the death of Vincent Van Gogh in an attempt to deliver a letter. However, the entire film is animated by a gigantic team of impressionist artists painting and repainting each frame. Earlier this year, “Loving Vincent: The Impossible Dream” documented the amazing process for this film, which earned “Loving Vincent” a Best Animated Film nomination at the 2018 Oscars and Golden Globes. You’ll see why when you check it out. It sits at an 85% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 62 at Metacritic. If nothing else, you’ll be impressed by the technical execution.

And before we get started with the review, we’ll be running the latest promo from our good friends Garrett and Carson at the Two Views Movies podcast, who have been incredibly productive lately. While Garrett does spoiler-free reviews here, you can find longer written versions at their website, as well as their incredible spoiler-filled podcast. Definitely check out their latest episode, debuting later this week, and catch their recent crossover episode on “Crawl” (Episode #102) with the Who The Hell Is This For? Podcast. It’s a lot of laughs.

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Here we go! 

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TWO VIEWS PROMO

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Today’s movie is “Loving Vincent” (2017), the ambitious animated feature directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, and written for the screen in collaboration with Jacek Dehnel. The film follows Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth), whose father Postman Joseph Roulin (Chris O’Dowd) gives him a letter from Vincent Van Gogh (Robert Gulaczyk) to be delivered posthumously to his brother. Over 100 artists brought each frame to life using oil paints or charcoal and Van Gogh’s own paintings as a base. The results are nothing short of stunning. 

Spoilers ahead.

As animation becomes more and more computerized, it’s important to remember that the first animated features were individual cells, hand-drawn with stationary backgrounds, and a little later, stop-motion animation. It takes a lot of labor, but also produces some of the most incredible animations. One ends up being more expensive, but that doesn’t always mean it ends up better. Don Hertzfeldt and Travis Knight have produced animations I would place next to Pixar and Dreamworks any day.

“Loving Vincent” takes animation to a whole other level, really pushing the notion of a concept film. Van Gogh’s life can best be called a tragedy, someone whose incredible talent went mostly unappreciated in his lifetime. The film begins as a quest to deliver a letter, but also to give an overview of Van Gogh’s family and life. However, it switches to a detective story, investigating his life after entering treatment with Doctor Gachet (Jerome Flynn) and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his apparent suicide. And each segment is expertly animated based upon Van Gogh’s immense library of work.

I can’t even imagine how this film must have been pitched, especially given the number of skilled painters needed. I highly recommend checking out their website at lovingvincent.com for more information on the production and animation process. So many amazing people poured a great deal of time and talent into this film. I wonder what neat tricks and techniques they learned along the way, which could hopefully be recycled into another effort for another artist. Imagine a surrealistic Dali film or a pointillist Seurat short or even a guided effort by Mark Ryden. So many possibilities with this format.

“Loving Vincent” (2017) is literally a work of art, comprised of over 65,000 frames hand painted by artists, woven together with a story about Van Gogh’s tragic life and death. Sure, the story can be slow in one or two places, and maybe every question isn’t answered, but these concerns are petty when set against the sheer effort. Fans of animation or fans of visual art should definitely check out this film, then dig around a little bit about how they did it, and be amazed all over again.

Hi everyone!

Man, what a week here at One Movie Punch. New friends joined us, old friends returned, and that Disney movie... just when it was out of your head, huh? And there’s no better way to cap off another week of reviews than one from Amy Dobzynski, aka One Movie Spouse. Funny story: Amy texted me a picture of her movie ticket for today’s film while she was out running errands while our daughter was at work. I was happy for her, then told her she would need to write a review. She gladly accepted, but only if we promoted her to Senior Bollywood, Romantic Comedy, and Uplifting Film Correspondent. Seemed fair after saving me from the Big Heads Media Takeover (Episodes #517 through #523). And saving me from the Skrulls in the review for “Captain Marvel” (Episode #435). Maybe she should be the host, come to think of it.

Subscribe to stay current with the latest releases.

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Here we go! 

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Hi there, it’s me Amy, AKA One Movie Spouse. ::MWAH::

Keep those summer vibes rolling, One Movie Punch Fans! In addition to binge watching my favorite TV shows and catching summer flicks with the family, I am teaching English and American culture to international high school students visiting California. This week is the halfway mark of this teaching assignment and plenty of new students will be rolling in this week. It has been such a JOY working with students from Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Israel, France, and Spain. I am learning so much from them as we discuss our different interests and cultures. I was fortunate enough to have a day off in my schedule last week to catch “Late Night”.

ENJOY!

Today’s movie is “Late Night” (2019), the Amazon Studios dramedy directed by Nisha Ganatra and written for the screen by Mindy Kaling.The film follows superstar Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson), host of a comedy television show called “The Late Night”, which has run for decades. With declining ratings, the network threatens to find a new host for the show. Katherine demands the writing team come up with new material, jokes, and sketches to increase ratings and to be more relevant with a changing demographic of viewers.

No spoilers!

Anything that has Mindy Kaling’s name attached to it, I simply HAVE to check out. As a loyal fan of “The Mindy Project”, I was eager to see this film. My initial impression was that this film would be “The Devil Wears Prada” meets “Ugly Betty” with a splash of the fashion and comedy found in “The Mindy Project”. High power executives and assistants eager to please their bosses (and change the world) are upended by the arrival of Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling). Molly immediately begins challenging the status quo within the workplace environment, and it had me cheering for her right from the start.

With an all white and all male writing team for “The Late Night”, Molly shakes things up as the only woman and person of color on the team. She often calls out her male colleagues on their sexist and racist thoughts, and is not afraid to voice her opinions, even when they are unpopular. It was not something I was expecting from this comedy, but WOW, I am sure glad it is present! Viewers will find themselves reflecting on and discussing the issues and messages woven through the film, like the reality of being a “diversity hire” for women and/or people of color in a workplace, where they remain minorities within the group, and issues related to ageism and ableism. Kaling’s character embraces it and her passion for change is evident. I hope this inspires others to pursue their dreams as well.

The strength of Kaling’s script is her ability to weave so many important themes about inclusion, while willing to shift between comedy and drama as needed to move the story along. In addition to the social themes, the film also explores how one evaluates their personal and professional success, within entertainment and within life in general. Katherine’s husband, Walter Lovell (John Lithgow) is super supportive of his wife, offering subtle, yet powerful perspective on measuring success and happiness outside of the entertainment spotlight, even as he struggles with his own difficulties. “Late Night” is filled with moments like this that will make you laugh out loud or cry. Or sometimes both.

Emma Thompson succeeds in showcasing the 30-year career of a beloved, successful female comedian. Kaling gives a great performance with the perfect blend of optimism and freedom of expression, playing one truly witty gal! Together they are a dynamic on-screen duo. Bravo, ladies! Keep the comedy coming! Fans of comedy television shows, stand-up comedians, and feel good films should enjoy this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 80% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 71

One Movie Punch: 8.0/10

“Late Night” (2019) is rated R and is currently playing in theaters.

Hi everyone!

Fridays are always fantastic around here at One Movie Punch, because our good friend Andrew Campbell always brings us another Fantastic Fest feature review. And from the looks of things this week, he’s definitely heading into some fantastic territory. I don’t want to say much about today’s film other than that it comes from the Hungarian film scene, which tends to have more surrealistic films. Don’t believe me? Check out reviews for “On Body and Soul” (Episode #038) and “White God” (Episode #073), then you might see what I mean.

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Take it away, Andrew!

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Hello film fans! 

Andrew here - back this week with a blast from Fantastic Fest past - we’re going way back to 2015. I put out a call to the Fantastic Fest Fiends, a Facebook fan-group of festival devotees, for something a little different... and they did not let me down. Most films from the festival can be lumped into a few major categories: horror of all kinds, insane action films, twisty thrillers, and the wildly absurd. This particular movie fits that last category to a tee.

Today’s movie is “Liza the Fox-Fairy”, the Hungarian black comedy written and directed by Károly Ujj Mészáros. “Liza the Fox-Fairy” debuted at the 2015 Fantastic Fest earning 2ndPlace in the Audience Award behind Jeremy Saulnier’s “Green Room” (Episode #054). The film centers around Liza (Monika Balsai), a youthful live-in nurse in 1970s Hungary, who is a bit of a shut-in after 12 years of caring for Marta, a widow with an affinity for Japanese culture. When Marta passes away, she gifts Liza her apartment and urges her to get out and make friends for herself lest she grow old alone. Fortunately, Liza has a friend no one else can see: Tomy Tani (David Sakurai), the ghost of a Japanese pop singer. Unfortunately, Tomy does not engage Liza in actual conversation, but he does lurk about creating mischief and busting out lounge music.

Some light spoilers ahead, but hey, it’s a comedy. 

As Liza searches for love, Tomy Tani wreaks havoc on every man who lusts after Liza - and there is no shortage. We are treated to a number of whimsical deaths, mostly in Liza’s inherited apartment, where the tape-outlines of fallen suitors begin to mount, throwing suspicion on Liza. The film grows a little repetitive in the middle, but every time Tomy Tani brings on the old song and dance and murder routine - it’s a real delight.

Recurring throughout the film are images of revolting dinners eaten by slovenly men who aren’t afraid to let their bodies show how much their bellies appreciate a good meal. While reading an issue of Cosmopolitan, Liza becomes convinced she will meet the man of her dreams at what I hope is a fictional Hungarian fast food joint with the apt name of Mekk Burger. At home, she treats a widower to a smorgasbord of nasty culinary delights, culminating in an entrée of “carp with syrup” until a fishbone lodges in his throat. The story builds to a satisfying ending as we learn Tomy Tani’s true motive and gain insight into his power.

What makes “Liza the Fox-Fairy” fantastic?Though this film was not my personal cup of tea, it is certainly memorable, and I can see why others enjoyed it greatly. It’s just your run-of-the-mill Hungarian romance told through the lens of Japanese folklore, bookended by a police investigation and held together by a singing phantom.

“Liza the Fox-Fairy” (2015) is a clever bit of escapism, with art direction and set design worthy of Wes Anderson. Fans of “Amelie” who are willing to trade the coquettish cuteness for malevolent mischief will enjoy this film. 

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 7.6/10

“Liza the Fox-Fairy” (2015) is not rated and is currently streaming on… Tubi? Joseph, what the heck is Tubi? JOSEPH: It’s an ad-driven streaming service available on multiple platforms. Like watching afternoon movies on the old syndicated channels, but getting to choose what movie you want from what’s available. Some films have a few ads. Some have quite a lot. But that’s the price of free in the streaming world. Back to you, Andrew!

Next week, we’ll take on a film that just hit Hulu a few weeks ago – “Lords of Chaos”. The film stars Rory Culkin as the lead singer of a Norwegian black metal band in a violent thriller loosely based on the story of the band Mayhem. Sounds like a nice change of pace. I’ll see you then.

Hi everyone! 

It’s a special episode here at One Movie Punch as One Movie Spouse and I are celebrating eighteen years of nearly perfect marital bliss. Amy’s constant encouragement and flexibility helped make launching this podcast possible, and now with her semi-regular reviews, helps make this show what it is today. Thank you so much everything, for the podcast and the past eighteen years. We have a special joint review for today’s film, but it won’t be the first time we’ve co-authored a review. Hearken back to our first joint review for “Captain Marvel” (Episode #435), where Amy saves the podcast from being taken over by Skrulls.

And in the spirit of today’s film, be sure to check out reviews for “Lady Bird” (Episode #161), our recent re-run of “Eighth Grade” (Episode #539), and our review earlier this year for “Booksmart” (Episode #504). All three are absolutely excellent and followed in the footsteps of today’s film.

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Here we go!

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JOSEPH: Today’s movie is “The Edge Of Seventeen”, the coming-of-age dramedy written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. The film follows Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), a high school student whose life begins falling apart when her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) begins dating her older brother Darian (Blake Jenner). Heartfelt and hilarious feelings follow.

No spoilers.

JOSEPH: Last year, I reviewed “The Breakfast Club” (Episode #257), while looking for a classic film still available on streaming services. One of my major points in the review was how well John Hughes captured white suburban high school life in stereotypical characters on the screen, and by doing so, influenced the same stereotypes within the same demographic for decades to come. The success of the film, and the rest of the Hughes catalog, would also influence coming of age filmmaking as well, a genre made easier to produce, but deceptively difficult to pull off effectively. Which is what makes “The Edge of Seventeen” such a treat.

AMY: “The Edge of Seventeen” is an excellent coming of age story! I am so pleased when I can see a coming-of-age story that doesn’t feel trapped by clichés and stereotypes. This film, along with “Lady Bird”, “Eighth Grade”, and “Booksmart”, represent a series of films that focus on the suburban female adolescent experience. And rather than give stereotypes to fit, each role provides an opportunity for young women to see themselves reflected while maintaining their own sense of identity. Also, I can’t believe “The Breakfast Club” is now a classic!

JOSEPH: I know, right?

AMY: “The Edge of Seventeen” is filled with self-discovery, friendship, drama, crushes, and heartbreak. Kelly Fremon Craig’s script is well written, delivering a very realistic glimpse of teenage life with all its ups and downs, and never compromising on the dialogue, especially when it comes to sexual matters. While following Nadine navigating what seems like the worst two weeks of her life, we get a glimpse into the contemporary social politics of sex and relationships. We also get a glimpse of the timeless quests of adolescents finding their identity, often by rejecting what’s around them. Steinfeld does amazing work with the character. It would earn her a Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy nomination at the 2017 Golden Globes.

JOSEPH: Nadine is surrounded by a mostly great supporting cast. Haley Lu Richardson plays a mostly background role as Krista, once the initial conflict is set. Hayden Szeto plays slightly nerdy film student and hopeful suitor Erwin, who Nadine has placed firmly in the friendzone, despite understanding his intentions and leaning on him when she needs help. Kyra Sedgwick plays Nadine’s mother, and plays her best when interacting with Blake Jenner as Nadine’s brother, especially one climactic scene about two-thirds in, although otherwise they are probably the weakest support in the film. Jenner was particularly flat and disappointing.

JOSEPH: The strongest supporting performance, however, was Woody Harrelson as Mr. Bruner. His portrayal as a wry teacher with a soft spot for Nadine is perfect, transforming hilarious dialogue into comedy through deadpan delivery. While it can be initially off-putting, his character perfectly captures any adult who works extensively with teenagers, and in a very meaningful way, serves as a father figure for Nadine, filling the void left by her father’s death, and allowing Nadine’s mother Mona to effectively play the flawed, but well-meaning parent. It should have earned him at least a Best Supporting Actor nomination, although the competition in 2017 was pretty tough.

AMY: Speaking of Nadine’s father, another rough point for the film was how underdeveloped this part of the story felt in relation to the rest of the story. While obviously a huge part of developing Nadine’s character, it only seems to resurface in order to move along the family part of the drama. I’m not sure how it could have been done better, but it was something I noticed.

JOSEPH: Before we wrap up, this film also reminded me of last year’s “The Kissing Booth” (Episode #132), except they switched out Nadine for Lee, and told the story from Krista/Shelly’s perspective about the “forbidden fruit” of your friend’s relatives.

AMY: I thought that movie was cute. Did you know they’re making a sequel?

JOSEPH: I can see it now – The Kissing Booth 2: Mononucleosis.

AMY: Eww.

AMY: “The Edge Of Seventeen” is an excellent coming of age story, based on a great script with excellent dialogue, that explores the modern female suburban adolescent, whose success and style paved the way for many other features in the same blossoming genre. Teens will find the story relatable. Parents will find the story insightful and perhaps leaving them nostalgic. Everyone should find it hilarious.

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 77

One Movie Punch: 9.5/10

“The Edge Of Seventeen” (2016) is rated R and is currently playing on Netflix and VUDU.

Hi everyone!

Today we welcome back Ryan L. Terry to the podcast, with a review for an international LGBTQ horror period piece starring actor, model and singer Vanessa Paradis. Both Ryan and I were waiting for this film to become available on streaming services, and it turns out Shudder had our back, finally. What did Ryan think about the film? He’ll let you know in a minute, but for a few other reviews from Ryan here at One Movie Punch, check out his first review for “Fried Green Tomatoes” (Episode #275) which was also one of our earliest Takeover Tuesdays, his review of the Netflix Original “Velvet Buzzsaw” (Episode #407), and his most recent review for a soon-to-be cult classic, “Office Killer” (Episode #512). And as always, we’ll run his promo before the review. 

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Here we go!

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RYAN’S PROMO 

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Today’s movie is “Knife + Heart”, the 2019 French film starring Vanessa Paradis, Kate Moran, and Nicolas Maury, written and directed by Yann Gonzalez. Nominated for the Palme d’Or, Best Actress, and more at Cannes 2019.

It’s Paris, summer of 1979, and gay porn producer Anne finds herself suddenly single when her editor and lover Lois leaves her. To win her back, Anne sets out to produce her most ambitious film yet with her assistant producer, the flamboyant Archibald. Following the brutal murder of one of Anne’s stars, she gets caught up in a bizarre “Black Dahlia” like investigation that turns her life upside-down. When more and more of her stars wind up victims of the sadistic killer, she finds herself in a whodunit of cinematic proportions.

At the center of this film is one poignant message of social commentary: the panic of being gay in a potentially hostile world. This film has been characterized as the cinematic offspring of Brian de Palma’s “Dressed to Kill” and William Friedkin’s “Cruising”. Throw in a splash of “Black Christmas” and the concept of dealing with the heartbreak of loss, and you have this spectacularly haunting slasher. To the casual observer, this film might seem like an auteur’s masturbatory dream, but upon closer examination, the many layers to the story reveal a motion picture that is just as concerned with its messages as it is the medium through which it expresses the narrative.

There is also a time capsule of sorts in this film as it takes place in 1979, just before the AIDS crisis, much like “Cruising.” But this — what could have so easily been simple a throwback gay exploitation horror film — is a comprehensive motion picture that uses the setting of Paris 1979 to reflect upon the present state of affairs for the queer community, and the world in which they live today. As the content of this film is extremely dark, there was need to inject some comedic relief into it in order for it not to become too heavy. So while you may be cringing at the kills, especially the first few ones, you will have moments of levity that keep the emotional rollercoaster going. Moments of comedy are very important to a horror film. If a heavy horror film lacks moments that make you laugh, then it becomes too heavy and off putting. 

Clearly inspired by the films of Argento, de Palma, and Kubrick, Gonzalez shows a command of the screen and the power of the moving image coupled with emotion communicated through colors, shapes, and angles. Despite being made in the 21st century, the film has an exquisitely recreated vintage sound, look, and feel. The dream-like colors, horror tropes, and synth score composed by M83 work together to create a film that is truly “dressed to kill”. In terms of the screenwriting, the film’s opening is extremely strong and expertly hooks the audience. Following the shocking opening, the plot and characters seem to take a backseat to the imagery, emotion, messages, and directorial style.

Gonzalez may look similar to de Palma and Friedkin, but he lacks their emphasis on a narrative that showcased exemplary character drive supported by the action plot. Evidence of this lack of direction and plot can be witnessed in the film’s repetitive scenes in acts two and three. After such a terrific first act, the second and third acts don’t play out as effectively, and often feel like they’re in a holding pattern. Even the kills eventually lose shock value because the uniqueness fades after a while. While the film successfully depicts the horrors of being gay in a world that wants to see you dead, the plot feels thinly stretched. 

However, holding the film together, and keeping it gripping, is the character of Anne, because her performance is outstanding. We may not fully buy into why she does what she does, because so much seems to be so unrealistic even for that time; but she definitely comes across as a real person through whom we connect to the story. We’ve all been heartbroken, so we can identify with her trauma following being dumped by Lois.

In short, “Knife + Heart” does so many things very well, but the plot is not executed with the same caliber as the film’s visuals. Perhaps it is due to having bits and pieces of so many different genres and even plots. Essentially, Gonzalez tries to balance a tormented lesbian love story against a homophobic serial killer movie. Both point to the message of being gay in a hostile world; but had the focus been on one or the other, instead of both, then narratively, the film would have worked better. Thankfully, the artistic achievement of this film works to compensate for the lack of proper pacing and plot development. For fans of immersive artistic horror or erotic whodunit films like the original “Suspiria”, “The Black Dahlia”, “Cruising”, or “Mulholland Drive”, this is definitely one to check out. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 82% (Certified Fresh)

Metacritic: 69

IMDb: 6.3

One Movie Punch: 6.0/10

You can find “Knife + Heart” included with Shudder (highly recommended for horror fiends like me) or available for rent on Amazon Prime.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to our first Takeover Tuesday of the third quarter, with the return of our good friends Julie and Kathleen from the How I Met Your Friends Podcast. Well, we’re good friends now, after a little group therapy over the minor little island invasion a few weeks back. First, we went to Central Perk for coffee, then to MacLaren’s Pub from there, and by the time we got through about 22 minutes of solid comedy with a hint of drama, everything turned out well for everyone. Oh yeah, about that island invasion, check out Episode #516 (“Grass is Greener”) for the start of the recent Big Heads Media Takeover, and especially Julie’s review for Episode #518 (“The Craft”). Julie and Kathleen are back together to start a semi-regular review of movies involving actors from either “Friends” or “How I Met Your Mother”, and after some brief negotiations, we came up with the perfect first feature for them to review.

If you’d like to join the fun for Takeover Tuesday, reach out to One Movie Punch on social media or using the website form at onemoviepunch.com. Please bear with us as we’re moving sites. We have a few openings left in August and we’re also looking for folks to review horror movies for October. You can find more information at onemoviepunch.com/takeover-tuesday. Every reviewer not only gets access to our audience, but their promo run right before the review, as we’re about to hear for the ladies of How I Met Your Friends. Come join the fun!

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Here we go!

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HOW I MET YOUR FRIENDS PROMO

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Today’s movie is “Murder Mystery,” rated PG-13, the Netflix original from Happy Madison Productions, screenplay by James Vanderbilt, directed by Kyle Newachek, and starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. This is a reteaming of Aniston and Sandler after 2011’s “Just Go With It.” They play married couple Nick and Audrey Spitz, who after 15 years of marriage have never been on a honeymoon. When Audrey reaches her breaking point, Nick surprises… heh, “surprises” her with a trip to Europe, which includes sightseeing on a crowded tour bus, a la “National Lampoon’s European Vacation”.

Enter Charles Cavendish (Luke Evans), who upon knowing Audrey for all of five minutes, invites her and Nick to his billionaire uncle’s yacht for a weekend getaway. Once Nick and Audrey compare that to the tour bus, they unsurprisingly pick the yacht.

What ensues is nothing short of a “Clue”/”Orient Express”/murder dinner party extravaganza, including a plethora of eccentric guests: an actress, a colonel, a Russian bodyguard, a billionaire, a viscount, an unemployed son, a maharajah, a ski instructor, a race car driver, and a French detective.

After billionaire Malcolm Quince is murdered while disinheriting his entire family, except his new wife, including son Tobey, nephew Charles Cavendish, godson Juan Carlos, and various life-long friends, who believed they would inherit a portion of his $70 BILLION estate, everyone on the yacht is sequestered to their staterooms.

Audrey, already obsessed with murder mystery novels, sees plots from books in the situation and wants to solve the murders. Nick, a police officer who strives to be a detective, wants her to take it more seriously, but agrees to help her find the “killer.” More people are killed, with Nick and Audrey becoming prime suspects. 

Throughout the investigation, Nick and Audrey visit well-known European cities like Monaco, France, and Lake Como, Italy, though they don’t get to enjoy them with people shooting at them. There is even the quintessential car chase, where Audrey gets to drive a Ferrari Testarossa instead of Nick (who was very excited that his mustache made him Magnum PI in the car).

Both Aniston and Sandler are funny, and their marital strain and bickering play well into the confusion of amateur detectives caught in an international hunt for a murderer. However, at times it feels like they are a completely mismatched married couple.

Sandler’s Nick can be cringe-inducing, often saying the thing most people would keep in their head. He’s also obsessed with food and when dinner will be served, going so far as to take entire platters of food--one of shrimp cocktail and one of French macarons.

(Side note: Julie almost launched herself into the TV to see what colors/flavors those macarons might be).

On the flip side, Aniston’s Audrey seems to care a lot about what other people think of her husband, his job, and the things that fly out of his mouth. Of the two characters, Audrey is the more likable. We promise we aren’t biased toward Jennifer Aniston.

This movie isn’t changing lives or the genre, but is an amusing way to spend a Wednesday night with pizza and a beer. Especially if you are fans of Aniston and Sandler.

And, of course, we are.

Rotten Tomatoes: 46

Metacritic: 38

IMDB: 6/10

Julie’s Rating: 7.5/10

Kathleen’s Rating: 7.0/10

Murder Mystery is rated PG-13 and is available only on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

There’s a meme floating around right now that lists the movies currently in the theaters, and asking politely if we’ve moved back to the 1990s. And it’s a legitimate question, because I am totally living my middle school and high school years right now between Aladdin, Men in Black, and today’s remake of “The Lion King”. Disney’s latest string of exquisitely animated reboots of their classic titles have had mixed success with the critics, partly because it is hard to improve upon the original films and partly because the areas for improvement are largely individual in nature. Where did I come down on today’s film? I’ll let you know in a minute, but for a couple other Disney films, check out reviews for the 2017 live-action remake of “Beauty And The Beast” (Episode #030) and One Movie Spouse’s review for “Mary Poppins Returns” (Episode #380). 

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Connect with us over social media to continue the conversation.

Here we go!

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Today’s movie is “The Lion King”, the Walt Disney Pictures reboot of the classic 1994 animated film, directed by Jon Favreau and written for the screen by Jeff Nathanson, based on a story by Brenda Chapman and characters by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The film follows Simba (voiced by JD McCrary as a young cub, and Donald Glover as an adult), who flees his kingdom when his father Mufasa (reprised by James Earl Jones) is killed by his uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor). With the help of some unlikely friends, he finds the strength he needs to return and challenge his uncle for the throne.

No spoilers.

What’s the point of a remake or a reboot? Generally they come down to three driving factors: (1) To improve upon an original that had more potential than how it was executed; (2) To explore a new take on the same story or update it for the modern era; and/or (3) to correct outdated language or actions from the original work. Well, let’s be honest, there’s also a fourth reason, which is all about that box office haul, something Disney knows very well right now with Marvel, Pixar, and this latest string of live-action remakes. “The Lion King” is already on track to set another box office record for July. Aside from the money, however, and outside the incredible animation, this year’s “The Lion King” has little new to offer audiences. And that’s what makes it a disappointment. It doesn’t mean folks won’t enjoy “The Lion King”, nor that it won’t succeed at the box office, nor that it won’t become another timeless classic for Disney fans. But it is a disappointment. 

Jon Favreau was the natural choice to direct this reboot, after his excellent work on “The Jungle Book” reboot in 2016. Disney animators leveraged a great deal of the animation done for “The Jungle Book” reboot into “The Lion King” reboot, recycling and enhancing the exquisite details brought to the animals. Favreau really knows how to direct the action scenes within today’s film, sometimes with almost too much happening on the screen for the viewer. However, all this detail and realism comes at a cost to the viewer. The 1994 version, with the characters cartoon animated and anthropomorphized for the screen, makes it very easy to suspend belief to accept a story about talking animals in an idyllic African grassland. The scenes of danger and peril work very well in this respect, when the hyenas corner young Simba and Nala (voiced by Shahadi Wright Joseph as a child, and Queen Bey as an adult), or the impressive final fight scenes. However, this year’s reboot is so realistic that other parts of the story seem much less plausible. Cartoon Simba can be friends with Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumba (Seth Rogen) without any dissonance. Exquisitely animated and heavily detailed Simba should be calmly eating Pumba while Timon watches in horror. 

Perhaps the worst part about the film is just how boring it is. Yes, boring. Once your brain adjusts to the new animation style, the rest of the film is almost exactly the same as the original. The songs, the scenes, the framing, almost exact replicas, admittedly great for the side-by-side comparisons. However, what was a perfect ninety-minute story in the 1994 version, happens over an extra thirty minutes, often taken up in transition scenes, or lingering sometimes too long on the replicated scenes. I was checking the time about two-thirds in, wondering how much longer we’d have to wait for the next song, or the next decent action scene, or for the very few bits of new material. 

And for $250 million dollars, I can only think of how many excellent independent features could have been made with the same money. Now I know what you’re thinking. Oh sure, Mr. Nose In The Air Critic, you want more features you like. But did One Movie Spouse feel the same way? Amy?

AMY: *SIGH* Hakuna Matata. Ah, forget it.

Look what you’ve done, Disney! LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE DONE!

“The Lion King” is an almost too faithful remake of the 1994 animated classic, rebuilding the previous story and characters in exquisite animation, but also losing some of that Disney storytelling magic in the process. The two-hour running time feels stretched out, over-focusing on the spectacle to stretch out the previous ninety minute story. Disney fans, and fans of animation, will definitely like this film, but folks looking for more from the remake will be disappointed. And possibly bored. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 59%

Metacritic: 56

One Movie Punch: 5.0/10

“The Lion King” (2019) is rated PG and is currently playing in theaters.

Hi everyone!

Things have sure been busy here at One Movie Punch. Just before the break, we received a number of collaboration offers, from fellow podcasters, and to my surprise, some people in the actual film business. We have nearly a full slate of Takeover Tuesday reviews through September, beginning this week with the return of the How I Met Your Friends podcast with a new series of reviews for the show. We have the return of Ryan L. Terry with a feature that’s finally available on Shudder, another Fantastic Fest feature from Andrew Campbell, and an excellent comedy review from One Movie Spouse. Oh yeah, and a Disney animated film that has everyone doing their best and worst singing.

Sundays around here sometimes turn into Sponsor Sundays, most recently with “Raw” (Episode #517), at the persistent insistence of Andrew Campbell. For more details, head over to patreon.com/onemoviepunch and consider giving at any level. Starting in August 2019, we’ll begin having exclusive content, including full film business interviews, special reviews, and other ideas in development. All funds go to help us grow with our audience. And for a new logo. Got any ideas about that? Hit us up over social media.

Later this week, One Movie Spouse and I will be co-reviewing “The Edge of Seventeen” (2016) to complete our tour of the recent string of excellent features about female adolescence, which includes today’s film, “Eighth Grade”. Bo Burnham’s debut feature caught everyone by storm last summer, and made for a funny, if awkward viewing with our recently graduated from eighth grade daughter. It presented an impressively honest and hilarious look at the innocence and careless cruelty of suburban youth experience. The film currently sits at an impressive and well deserved 99% Certified Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, and an equally impressive 89 Must See rating at Metacritic. Elsie Fisher earned a Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy nomination at the Golden Globes earlier this year.

And before we get started, we’re running a brand new promo for our friends at the Moviedrone Podcast, which includes a regular feature known as Marc’s Movie Impressions. As some of you know, I am the founding member of the Marc’s Movie Impressions Preservation Society, which you can also check out on their feed. Enjoy the new promo, and let them, and us, know what you think!

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Here we go!

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Today’s movie is “Eighth Grade” (2018), the debut feature-length film written and directed by Bo Burnham. The film was produced and distributed by A24. The story follows Kayla (Elsie Fisher), a thirteen-year-old suburban girl during her last week of eighth grade, struggling to understand herself and the expanding world around her, firmly entrenched in today’s suburban environment.

Spoilers ahead.

I had someone ask online whether this film would be appropriate for their teen daughter to see. It’s a tough question to answer, though, because each parent really determines what limitations or restrictions they have for their child, and as a father who took his similarly aged daughter twice to see “Deadpool 2” (Episode #141), I might not be the best judge. But when it comes to the restrictions that parents place on their children, the only meaningful question to ask is why. When it comes to this movie, however, I think every young suburban girl should see it with their parents, because while it may make everyone uncomfortable, I also think the film is incredibly honest and can serve as a gateway to discuss one of the more difficult transitions in life, especially in modern suburbia.

Bo Burnham crafts an emotional and effective story about the empowering journey of female adolescence, and in particular, the transition to high school, when suburban adolescents begin to form smaller friend groups and the hormones and social media saturation accelerate sexual desires. Parents have a variety of methods for dealing with this transition, everything from a head in the sand to almost overly inquisitive helpfulness. It’s also a lot different from my adolescence, not just because I am biologically male, but also because I didn’t have access to the Internet, which has radically changed adolescence, in both good and bad ways. 

Elsie Fisher is superb as Kayla, always believable and nailing the subtler aspects of the character in the dialogue and the unscripted nature of her videos. You really develop empathy with her right away, even when she lacks a lot of empathy for others in the way suburban adolescents can be, especially with their parents. You laugh for Kayla and hold tension with Kayla and even experience incredible fear for Kayla, following her emotional journey and embracing her epiphanies even though it was exactly what her father was trying to tell her throughout the entire film. Bo Burnham accentuates the entire journey with great scoring, excellent sets and costumes, and nearly perfect editing, with just a few rougher blended video scenes that didn’t land with me.

“Eighth Grade” (2018) is an incredible film about female adolescence, and the transition to high school, very likely to score more than one Oscar nomination this year, if there is any justice. More importantly, though, I really believe this film will be important for its honest and loving portrayal of suburban adolescent girls, with all its confusion and contradictions. Fans of coming of age films, and especially parents of adolescent girls should definitely see this film. I can’t recommend it enough.

Hi everyone! 

Saturdays are always made better with another review from One Movie Spouse. We put today’s feature on hold after cleansing the palette last week from “Midsommar” with “Toy Story 4”. I have a stack of Bollywood films for Amy to review, and today feels like a good place to start. It’s a favorite genre of hers, and who am I to complain? For a few other Bollywood films, check out Andrew Campbell’s review for “Tumbbad” (Episode #432), “15 August” (Episode #495), and our recent re-run of “Lust Stories” (Episode #532). I promise you we’ll get to all the ones we’ve missed lately!

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Here we go!

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Hi there, it’s me Amy, AKA One Movie Spouse. ::MWAH:: It must be summer vacation because I have had time to indulge in watching two films this week! Stay tuned for a preview of next week’s film after the review!

Today’s movie is “The Music Teacher” (2019), a Netflix Original drama written and directed by Sarthak Dasgupta with dialogue written by Guarav Sharma. The film follows the story of Beni Madhav Singh (Manav Kaul), a music teacher in a hillside area, and Jyotsna Ray (Amrita Bagchi), his former student turned Bollywood star. With her return impending, Beni has much to come to terms in his own life and his former relationship to Jyotsna. 

No spoilers.

Full disclosure: I absolutely LOVE Bollywood films! I jump at every opportunity to watch them when they appear on Netflix or other streaming services. I can’t pinpoint the exact films that started my love for Bollywood, but it was likely in Denver, CO at our local Blockbuster, circa 2001, as my hubby and I were newly married looking for something to watch together. Second disclosure: I am in NO WAY an expert on Bollywood films! I simply enjoy watching them for a glimpse of Indian music, culture, and life. Be sure to watch this film in Hindi with English subtitles. It will take you out of your living room and right into the film.

The first third of this film is told in present day, before flashing back to when Jyotsna’s parents hire Beni to be her music teacher. The film then moves between the two timelines, telling a strong story, adding tension to the plot, and helping the audience to understand Beni’s conflicted, and often lacking, emotions. Beni struggles with his family duties to his sister Urmi (Niharika Lyra Dutt), an arranged marriage following the death of their father. He reflects often on his life’s choices, especially after Jyotsna’s hometown concert is announced. We learn more about her rise to stardom and their complex relationship. In particular, his dialogues with his mother Madhavi (Neena Gupta) force him to understand his own dreams and path to happiness in his own life. One particular moment of dialogue really stood out to me, when she says as Beni feels stuck, “Sometimes you just need to get things done and they don’t need to be done perfectly.”

The costumes, set design, and extensive outdoor scenes make you feel very connected to the characters and storyline. During Urmi’s wedding scene, the traditional ceremony and rituals invite you in to be part of the family celebration in a house overflowing with guests. Beni’s many contemplative scenes have him at scenic overlooks and outdoors among the green hillsides and overcast skies, all adding to the tone to the film. The music is amazing. Jyotsna has an amazing voice and a graceful stage presence. It’s easy to believe how the small town would be very proud of her return.

Overall, this story is beautifully told. I have intentionally left out key details to preserve the initial viewing experience. I did not find this film to be predictable, and enjoyed watching the plot unfold right up to its final moments.

“The Music Teacher” is a bittersweet film about relationships and achieving your dreams. It features great characters, beautiful scenery and amazing music. Bollywood fans, and fans of drama reflecting on life’s choices, will enjoy this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.0/10 

“The Music Teacher” (2019) is rated TV-14 and is available on Netflix.

Tune in to One Movie Punch next Saturday for my review of “Late Night” starring, Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson, two brilliant women in one very funny comedy. See you then! ::MWAH::

Hi everyone!

It’s Friday, so it’s time to hand the reins over to Andrew Campbell for our weekly Fantastic Fest review. I’m really hoping this week’s review pulls him out of a slump of mediocre to meh reviews, and being our fifth Certified Fresh film this week, the other critics suggest this is the case. Andrew will let us know his thoughts in a bit, but for a few more recent reviews from Andrew, check out “The Nightshifter” (Episode #515), “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” (Episode #523), and “Hagazussa” (Episode #530). 

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Here we go! 

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Hello film fans!

Andrew here, back this week with an indie crime thriller that might have been a better fit for Cannes or SXSW, but I’m glad it came to Fantastic Fest. James Badge Dale takes the lead in this one. He’s an actor in his early forties and if you don’t know his name, you would certainly recognize his face. Dale had a busy year at the festival, appearing in 3 of the 80 or so films in the program. “Donnybrook” garnered mixed to unfavorable reviews and features Dale in a smaller role, centering around Frank Grillo and Jamie Bell as bare-knuckle boxers. “Hold the Dark” (Episode #272, scoring 9.6/10) featured Dale as a cop in pursuit of a killer on the Alaskan frontier in a violent masterpiece from Jeremy Saulnier that, thanks to Netflix, never got the theatrical release it richly deserved.

Today’s film is “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek”, the feature film debut of writer/director Henry Dunham. James Badge Dale stars as Gannon, an ex-cop who has joined a local militia – a group of men that have banded together, pooling weapons and prepping should they one day need to stand up for themselves against the government. Growing up in Michigan where this film is set, I can confirm that such militias are real. Their membership peaked in the 90s around 10,000, but a few chapters remain to this day. After news reports come in of a shooting at a police funeral, all seven militia members assemble at a lumberyard only to find armaments missing from a stash to which only they had access. They must root out the killer among them before the police locate them and they all go down. 

No spoilers.

This screenplay is tight and the sub-ninety-minute runtime is rife with suspense. On one hand it’s an Agatha Christie whodunit, with seven suspects locked down in one place trying to solve a different sort of murder mystery. The militia members all have their own motivations for being part of the group and they appear to keep their personal lives separate from their militant hobby. Though they are not all criminals per se, their darker natures give the film a Tarantino vibe, similar to “Reservoir Dogs”. At the same time, the snappy dialogue and the simple blocking involved in the dozen or so scenes make the film feel like it could be a David Mamet play. The outside influences on this first-time director are clear, but the product they yield is unique unto itself.

In a film with lots of crime talk and very little action, the casting of these seven characters is paramount to keeping the audience engaged. Surrounding James Badge Dale is an exceptional group of character actors, most of whom I recognized from other films, though none of whom could I name. They bring the perfect level of authenticity and anonymity to propel this film forward through some wild twists along the way. Each character gets his moment to show his true self, yet they all manage to hang onto their own secrets.

What makes “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek” fantastic? The central mystery turns on its head multiple times in this film and it never feels forced. Writer/director Dunham turns in a stellar debut making a memorable film the old-fashioned way: with a brilliant script, a committed cast, and a minimal budget. The payoff is picture perfect and I never saw it coming.

“The Standoff at Sparrow Creek” (2018) is a modern mystery told in a way you have not seen executed this well before. It requires one’s full attention for 90 minutes and represents the start of a brilliant career for director Dunham. Fans of the aforementioned “Reservoir Dogs” or “The Usual Suspects” will enjoy this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 76% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 62

One Movie Punch: 9.0/10

“The Standoff at Sparrow Creek” (2018) is not rated and currently streaming on Hulu.

And now for something completely different... come back next week and we’ll get a little weird with “Liza, The Fox-Fairy” (2015), just your run of the mill Hungarian black comedy about a young woman who may be cursed and her one friend, Tomy, the ghost of a 1950s Japanese lounge singer. 

I’ll see you then.