One Movie Punch

Hi everyone!

Here’s the first of two Netflix Original releases this week, the latest from the director with one of the stranger monikers, McG. It follows up his previous Netflix film, 2017’s “The Babysitter”, an over-the-top horror comedy that seemed to either hit or miss with genre fans. Will his second feature for Netflix fare any better? I’ll let you know in a bit, but for a few other teen-driven Netflix Original films on the lighter side, check out “Dude” (Episode #111), “Candy Jar” (Episode #118), “The Kissing Booth” (Episode #132), “Alex Strangelove” (Episode #160), “The Package” (Episode #226), “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” (Episode #230), and “Sierra Burgess is a Loser” (Episode #251).

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Here we go! 

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Today’s movie is “Rim Of The World”, the Netflix Original teen adventure film directed by McG and written for the screen by Zack Stentz. The film follows four teenagers left behind at Rim of the World summer camp, who find themselves in possession of the key to fighting back an alien invasion. They must work together to travel ninety miles to Pasadena to deliver the key, avoiding aliens and looters in the process. 

No spoilers.

A film usually can’t be everything a writer or director would like it to be, at least not without great cost and effort, and very patient producers and investors. Too many films have been produced that have attempted to meld together too many genres or themes, none of which ever seems to get their due. Without the right blending, a film loses connectivity within its composition, and the result never seems to land well with fans of any particular aspect of the film. So, I’m not sure what was expected when McG tried to combine a deadly serious alien invasion race against time with a comedic teenage coming of age story interspersed between action scenes, but I’m pretty sure “Rim of the World” wasn’t the goal.

To be blunt, the film doesn’t hold together very well. The first thirty minutes is all summer camp tropes, gradually introducing each character with their backstories, and maneuvering them into place for the beginning of the alien invasion. Aside from a thriller cold opening to set a somewhat menacing tone, the comedy is all slapstick and teenage cajoling, with characters that often cross the line from character into caricature. Suddenly, we’re jarred into the invasion, and a series of well-rendered action scenes permeate the remaining run-time, with the occasional break for clumsy teenage interactions that are clear setups for character growth of sorts. It’s hard to appreciate the comedy with all the intense and deadly action. It’s hard to appreciate the action with all the completely out of step comedic and drama undertones. The film really needed to pick a lane in order to be more effective.

Instead, we get a film that feels as clumsy as its protagonists. For what it’s worth, I think the four leads, including Jack Gore as a reclusive white kid with a traumatic past, Miya Cech as a Chinese runaway flying into LAX, Benjamin Flores Jr as a rich black kid whose family is being investigated, and Alessio Scalzotto as a runaway from a juvenille detention center, do as well as the script and tone allows. They did much better with the comedy portions rather than the action portions, often struggling against forced comedic relief during intense action scenes. They also had to struggle against some questionable humor and language within the script, most of which was not essential to the plot. I think each of them would excel with a better script and role, and I hope this film can serve as a base for that.

“Rim Of The World” is an action comedy invasion film, that never really captures a consistent tone or theme for the entire film. While the four leads do well for the roles they were given, they were also undercut by trying to do too much with a single film. The film is entertaining enough, and good for a few forgiving laughs and a few well-rendered action scenes, but lacks any cohesiveness to make it memorable. Fans of McG, or action comedies, should probably check out this film, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 20%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 5.6/10

“Rim Of The World” (2019) is rated TV-14 and is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for another review for a currently playing feature, which did not land well with the critics. But will it land well with a die-hard Godzilla fan? I’ll let you know in a minute, but for a few other films, definitely check out the animated Godzilla trilogy on Netflix, which includes “Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters” (Episode #340), “Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle” (Episode #341), and “Godzilla: The Planet Eater” (Episode #377). The opening for the final film of the trilogy contains one of the trippiest visuals I’ve ever seen. 

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Here we go! 

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Today’s movie is “Godzilla: King Of The Monsters”, the sequel to 2014’s “Godzilla” and 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island”. The film is directed by Michael Dougherty, and written for the screen in collaboration with Zach Shields, based on a story developed by Dougherty, Shields, and Max Borenstein. In the wake of “Godzilla” and after the mission in “Kong: Skull Island”, the cryptozoological organization known as Monarch faces multiple new threats, as more giant monsters are awakening, and have begun roaming the earth, destroying everything in their path. But does Godzilla, once our most feared enemy, actually hold the key to our salvation?

No spoilers. 

I’m not going to lie. I was really worried heading into the theater for today’s movie, as a lifelong Godzilla fan, especially seeing the less than positive reviews. Okay, the bad reviews. The many bad reviews. I was really impressed and surprised by Gareth Edwards’ “Godzilla”, and equally impressed by “Kong: Skull Island”, which taken together promise an incredible showdown in the forthcoming “Godzilla vs. Kong”. Both films were Certified Fresh, but the early reviews for “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” were not looking good. It wouldn’t be the first franchise film to find a dip, especially considering last year’s giant species film, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” (Episode #176). And unfortunately, the critics are right. The question is how did they get this wrong?

For me, there’s only two ways to approach a giant creature film, and it has everything to do with perspective. The first approach is to tell the story at the creature level, and adapting the human characters to nothing more than supporting roles. Disasters in the wake of massive power have a way of bringing people together as something greater than individual characters. The second approach is to tell the story at the human level, and adapting the giant creature as a background character, or more akin to an unstoppable force. The first approach was done very well in 2014’s “Godzilla”. The second approach was done very well in 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island”. Today’s film tries to do both, and never does either very well. 

This conflict in perspective causes all sorts of problems with the film. The biggest strength of “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” are the many kaiju battles, especially the final boss battle well worth the price of admission. However, these epic scenes are often undercut by intrusive editing, often with multiple, nausea-inducing camera shaking jump cuts back to the human level of the story. I was quite upset more than once in the first half of the film with this editing. It would be one thing if the human level of the story was any good, but it’s almost categorically bad.

What’s so bad about it? I’m glad you asked. While we do see the return of Ken Watanabe as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa, head of Monarch, and Sally Hawkins as Dr. Vivienne Graham, we’re also introduced to a host of new characters, including another family in conflict, and an almost obnoxious conspiracy theorist named Dr. Rick Stanton (Bradley Whitford), whose comic relief often tainted scenes that spoke well enough for themselves. Kyle Chandler plays Mark Russell, an “I Told You So” biologist, who has separated himself from his wife, Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) who is working with Monarch on studying the titans, with their daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown). The family conflict acts as a metaphor for the larger conflict caused by the titans awakening across the world, and it feels forced by everyone involved, with the exception of Millie Bobby Brown. 

Bad human characters. Intrusive editing. Is that all? Nope. On top of trying to tell two separate, yet interconnected stories, this film really layers in the worldbuilding for the larger franchise. The number of references to “Kong: Skull Island” throughout the film are noticeable, along with introducing all the other monsters and their purpose to the larger ecosystem of the planet, and a few more new age theories layered into the larger world. I enjoyed this part of everything, and really kind of wish the film was just kaiju battles and lore, which would have made for a much tighter film with the right focus. However, I also think the worldbuilding was excessive for a franchise that may not have more than one more film left. We don’t just get another titan, but just about every single Godzilla foe ever imagined, along with a few new ones. We have classic monsters showing up and being eliminated in a single film. And it honestly sets the final showdown expected in “Godzilla vs. Kong” as almost a letdown compared to the multiple battles throughout this film. I’m still willing to be surprised, and luckily, we’re getting that film no matter what happens with this one at the box office. And I sincerely hope it’s well enough to keep the franchise going, because now that this film has taken all the toys out of the box, it would be a shame not to play with them.

“Godzilla: King Of The Monsters” is the first disappointment within the Monsterverse universe, shoehorning multiple kaiju battles and expansive worldbuilding with an almost categorically bad human-level story. The kaiju battles are well worth the price of admission, but you’ll have to suffer through quite a bit in between battles to get there. Godzilla fans have already seen this film, but fans of giant monster battles from “Pacific Rim”, “Colossal”, or the “Jurassic” franchise will also love this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 39%

Metacritic: 48

One Movie Punch: 6.5/10

“Godzilla: King Of The Monsters” (2019) is rated PG-13and is currently playing in theaters.

Hi everyone!

So, we’ll start the review in a little bit. I’m just waiting for One Movie Spouse to show up to share a few thoughts. I told her what time we were recording but... What... what’s that? Is that? Oh. Oh no. Not again...

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One Movie Spouse: Picture this! Here’s a pair of lips! Gotta give a kiss! I am kitsch! I will give some LOVE to Make a Wish!

Joseph: Pretty sure those aren’t the lyrics, but I approve. Ready for the intro?

One Movie Spouse: Wasn’t that it?

Joseph: Good point. Anyway, if you haven’t seen today’s movie, and you’re looking for a laugh out loud comedy that’s definitely not safe for work, then you really, really, REALLY need to get to a theater and support this film. It’s definitely in my top ten this year. Probably top five. 

One Movie Spouse: I really identified with the characters, and they felt very real to me, showing the richness and complexity of female friendship and adolescence. I also felt the film captured the excitement and uncertainty in transitions to adulthood.

One Movie Spouse: For a few other movies in the same crazy vein, but not nearly as good, check out “Blockers” (Episode #360), “Game Night” (Episode #355), and “The Package” (Episode #226), although maybe less so. And for a film in the same emotional vein, check out “Eighth Grade” (Episode #218) and “Lady Bird” (Episode #161), along with “Dude” (Episode #111). 

Joseph: Subscribe to stay current with the latest releases. Connect with us over social media to continue the conversation. Here we go!

Joseph: Thanks for your help! 

One Movie Spouse: You’re welcome! I just wish I wasn’t so busy with the school year ending! Ack! By the way, who said you could be this handsome?

Joseph: What do you mean? I might pass out right now, because you’re taking my breath away! 

One Movie Spouse: We better stop. I can hear the groans already.

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Today’s movie is “Booksmart”, the Annapurna Pictures production directed by Olivia Wilde, her feature-length directorial debut, and written for the screen by Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, and Katie Silberman. The film follows two lifelong friends, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein), as they navigate their final day of high school. When Molly realizes she hasn’t had nearly enough fun, she drags Amy out in search of a graduation party, and along the way, they have some hilarious adventures. 

No spoilers. 

What is a perfect movie? It’s an important question, especially in a world of movie criticism based on ranking systems, forced comparisons between movies and actors, directors and writers, genres and franchises, top 10 lists by a variety of metrics, and winner take all award ceremonies. We have this insane compulsion to judge films against one another, as if when all the films are made, there will be a definitive list of movies in a perfect ranking. Sure, we might have our personal favorites, which have meaning to us, but in general, we should try to judge each film based on its own merits, not always in relation to other films, and not just on technical quality, or box office, or cultural impact.

So, what’s a perfect movie? For me, a perfect movie manifests in a number of different ways. Sometimes a film will take a genre to new heights, like “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse” (Episode #381) did with animation and comic book hero storytelling, or “Avengers: Endgame” (Episode #469) did with the media franchise. Sometimes a film will bring new perspectives, like “Get Out” (Episode #448) and “Us” (Episode #449), or revisit historical moments like “If Beale Street Could Talk” (Episode #465) or “Roma” (Episode #352) which capture moments in time. And sometimes, you get a film like “Booksmart”, which takes a seemingly well-trodden premise, but brings exciting and missing new perspectives while also capturing the modern time. And if that’s not a perfect film, I’m not sure what is.

“Booksmart” is a coming of age comedy film, specifically in the sub-genre of graduation-focused films. For most of the United States, this moment in time serves as a crossroads into adulthood, which attaches a lot of readily available meaning and themes into the story. What this sub-genre lacks, however, are long-missing perspectives, in particular female and lesbian adolescence, which aren’t caught up in the high school coming of age films from the 1980s and 1990s, where most of the girls are idealistically pining away for love, rarely talking about sexual matters outside of kissing and heavy petting. The 2000s and 2010s loosened up the genre a little more, and in the last five years, we’ve seen three incredibly frank and modern takes on female adolescence, in 2016’s “The Edge of Seventeen” (Episode forthcoming), 2017’s “Lady Bird” (Episode #161), and 2018’s “Eighth Grade” (Episode #218).

In fact, my new favorite conspiracy theory was recently suggested by Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture, that these three films, in addition to “Booksmart”, may exist in a shared universe. It makes a lot of sense, thematically speaking. “Booksmart” is the logical extension of these incredible films, maintaining the emotional themes from the other films, but driving the experience firmly into the comedy genre, and covering head-on so many once taboo topics about female adolescence. However, rather than making “the female version of Superbad” (which is probably the worst, yet easiest comparison for this film), the writing team gives us a buddy comedy with two genuine and relatable female characters, exploring two separate paths after graduation that will affect their friendship, all packed into a larger quest-driven story arc to find self-transformation. And along the way, the writing team drops the bottom out from underneath common tropes of the genre, with the right mix of story plants and call backs, and riding the line of good taste that will challenge the audience in healthy ways. 

Especially the notion that we shouldn’t judge other people against everyone else, or assume that the same evaluation criteria can be applied equally across everyone. You know, like how I was talking about films earlier.

The script is fantastic, but that’s not enough to make a great film. Wilde’s impressive feature-length directorial debut exceeds any and all expectations. I felt a strong and positive relationship between Wilde and the two leads, as they worked together to capture the right angles and takes for every scene, and in such a way where everyone looked and felt comfortable in their roles, even if their characters were less than comfortable. No scene ever overstays its welcome, and nothing seems superfluous. It all has a consistent look and feel from start to finish, and a great, accelerating pace right up to the very end. Spectacular camera work all around.

But the real stars are Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. They embodied their roles so well that I never doubted their performances, becoming fully invested in their stories, and with each conflict, I could see and feel the changes happening to each character. They both were able to genuinely express that adolescent mixture of supreme self-confidence with shocking blind spots in their awareness, summed up wonderfully in their hilarious affirmation exchanges to overcome their doubts, and their tear-jerking efforts to build each other up after their losses. And they do it all while capturing the middle class liberated high school mindset and experiences of modern suburbia and exurbia.

“Booksmart” is hilarious, from start to finish, but also ends up being subversively heartwarming about the female adolescent experience. Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein are perfect, realistically and genuinely driving the film, with expert direction from Olivia Wilde, and based on a script from a brilliant team of writers. Fans of coming of age films, who aren’t offended by frank conversation about sexual topics, must absolutely see this film, along with any adolescent teenager, male or female. You may even learn a new, mask-like hairstyle in the process. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 84 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 10/10 

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

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for another week of reviews. We only have two more weeks of reviews before our next two week break. This week we’ll have two currently playing films, one of which you must absolutely see, and two Netflix Original films, with one serving as double duty for Andrew Campbell’s Fantastic Friday selection. We also have the return of Garrett Wright from the Two Views Movies podcast, back from a small mini-tour of other podcasts, with a review for a documentary about the Apollo 11 mission.

Which is what makes today’s throwback film a perfect choice. Last year, one of the most highly anticipated movies was Damien Chazelle’s “First Man”, his follow up to “La La Land” in 2017. And while it never seemed to take off (see what I did there?) at the box office, it had a special place in the hearts of critics and viewers alike. The film follows both the Gemini and Apollo space programs, leading up the amazing Apollo 11 mission, along with the quiet life of Neil Armstrong.

“First Man” currently sits at an 87% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 84 Must See rating on Metacritic. It is currently available for rent or purchase from major digital outlets, and works best on a great screen and sound system. 

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Here we go!

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Today’s movie is “First Man” (2018), the Universal Pictures film directed by Damien Chazelle and written by Josh Singer. The film follows the life of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), covering the years 1961 to 1969, as he enters the Gemini and Apollo program in order to place a man on the moon. The film marks the reunion of Damien Chazelle and Ryan Gosling since the smash hit “La La Land” in 2016.

Spoilers ahead. 

Back in 2014, if you had told me that Damien Chazelle would be making an Oscar-winning musical about entertainers in Los Angeles, I would have wondered who you were talking about. And even as “La La Land” was heading into theaters, and the massive love started buzzing about it, I would do a quick search and think, you mean the writer of “10 Cloverfield Lane”? And when “First Man” was announced as his next film, a historical dramatization of the moon landing through the lens of Neil Armstrong, I wouldn’t have believed you. And I’m not sure who you are, telling me all these things, but I should probably start listening to you, because “First Man” is spectacular.

Josh Singer’s script is extremely well crafted, telling a story over a very specific timeline, but delving more into the personal life of Neil Armstrong. It opens strong with an immediate humanization of Armstrong, then unfolds the events all driving towards the walk on the moon. It obviously can’t tell the entire story, even over two hours and twenty minutes, but it does hit many of the meaningful events, especially those events which affected Armstrong the most. Ryan Gosling is incredible as Neil Armstrong, not just nailing the look, but also the mannerisms of a notoriously private person. The entire cast is amazing, each providing support for Armstrong’s journey. Chazelle keeps mostly great pacing, with just a few dips over the extensive running time, but that’s more than made up by great composition, amazing first-person scenes and editing effects, and effective transitions. It’s so well done, and with all the right elements.

In fact, my favorite transition was the look at the reasoned arguments against the space program, especially given its high cost. Gil Scott-Heron’s “Whitey on the Moon” plays as multiple interviews and headlines begin to question the Apollo program. It was a bold inclusion, especially given the racial politics of the time. Oh, let me also say I find the whole fake controversy over the lack of a flag-planting scene on the moon to be ridiculous. I don’t think it would have added anything to Neil’s story, nor does it take away from the amazing efforts of so many people to make that accomplishment possible. 

“First Man” (2018) is simply astonishing, an incredible look at Neil Armstrong’s journey to the moon. Josh Singer and Damien Chazelle, along with an incredible cast and excellent effects, recreate the journey, with nearly perfect pacing for such a long movie. Fans of space history, or fans of just about anyone involved with this film, should definitely check it out while it’s in theaters.

Hi everyone! 

Closing out the week with another review from One Movie Spouse, from one of her favorite creators, in what looks to be a fun film. Amy will be up in a moment with her review, but be sure to check out her other reviews for “On the Basis of Sex” (Episode #396), “Pick of the Litter” (Episode #410), “Free Solo” (Episode #414), “The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” (Episode #440), “Unicorn Store” (Episode #481), and her latest review for “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” (Episode #488). Oh yeah, check out her joint review with yours truly for “Captain Marvel” (Episode #435) and her important message before this week’s throwback review for “Reversing Roe” (Episode #496).

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Take it away, Amy!

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Hello, it’s me Amy, aka One Movie Spouse. ::Mmmwwah!::

With just two weeks of the school year left, I needed today’s film for some laughs and quick escape from my laundry list of to-do’s to close out the school year. Hopefully once in summer mode, you’ll hear from me weekly, or at least more often than you have over the past several months.

Today’s movie is “Wine Country” (2019), the comedy film directed by Amy Poehler and written for the screen by Liz Cackowski and Emily Spivey. This film captures a girls’ weekend away celebrating friendship despite life’s hiccups. 

No spoilers!

I’m always eager to check any project that have Amy Poehler’s name attached to them, because she is one funny chick! I loved watching her on the television series “Parks and Recreation”, the films “Baby Mama” and “Sisters”, as well as her sketch comedy featured on Saturday Night Live!  Here is the spoiler-free synopsis of today’s film: Imagine Leslie Knope’s character running a jam-packed weekend of activities - What could possibly go wrong with this scenario if things don’t go exactly as planned?

This film has a super entertaining cast of really funny gals! In addition to Poehler, there’s Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph, and Paula Pell! You’ve seen some of these gals together on “Saturday Night Live”, “Parks and Recreation”, and appearances in several other films with Amy Poehler and/or Tina Fey. It truly is a fun little reunion seeing them on screen together. This cast really compliments each other well. In the film, each of these life-long friends has very different personalities, and as a woman I could find myself identifying with their friend group or see some of my friends reflected in these characters. You will laugh out loud and maybe even cry a little too!

This comedy doesn’t really add anything new to the girls’ getaway subgenre of films. It was light-hearted and an enjoyable Friday evening “chillax movie”, especially if you need a mini vacation but cannot get away. It reminds us to not take ourselves too seriously, to laugh a little (or a LOT) at our mistakes, and the value of friendship no matter how busy life gets.

“Wine Country” is your chance to travel on a mini-vacay with these funny gals! It may just be the time away you need without needing to pack your suitcase. Fans of girls trip movies, or getaways in general, should definitely check out this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 69%

Metacritic: 56

One Movie Punch: 7/10 

“Wine Country” (2019) is rated (R) and is available on Netflix!

Hi everyone!

It’s Friday, so that means it’s time for another Fantastic Fest feature from our good friend Andrew Campbell. Really hoping today’s film pulls him out of the depression that comes from a lackluster follow up from a beloved director in last week’s “Under the Silver Lake” (Episode #494). Today’s film is also our first film from the United Arab Emirates, who were only tangentially involved with “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” (Episode #082), and our first from the Kingdom of Jordan. And judging from the score, seems like today’s film was just the thing for Andrew.

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Here we go!

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Hello film fans!

Andrew here - back this week with a crime thriller imported from the United Arab Emirates. Never seen a film from the UAE? Can’t even name one?  Me neither and you could do a lot worse than making this your first. A big part of Fantastic Fest, and the reason for my weekly reviews here on One Movie Punch, is about broadening my horizons. The festival’s film curators do an incredible job sourcing films the world over, selecting the very best, and persuading them to premiere at a 9-room theater secreted behind an apartment building in south Austin. If my review scores are generally pretty high, it’s because they provide so many great films to choose from.

Today’s movie is “Rattle the Cage”, a mysterious single-location thriller written for the screen by Lane and Ruckus Skye, and directed by Majid Al Ansari. “Rattle the Cage” made its world premiere at the 2015 Fantastic Fest as “Zinzana” (Arabic for “cage”) before premiering on Netflix the following year. “Rattle the Cage” sprints out of the gate with our protagonist Talal (Saleh Bakri) waking up in a dusty jailhouse, having been in a bar brawl the night before. After the man with whom he had the altercation is bailed out of the neighboring cell, Talal converses with his jailer, and convinces the man to allow Talal to place a call to his ex-wife, giving us a glimpse into his life. At the stroke of noon, an officer from another town, Dabaan (Ali Suliman), pays a call to the jailhouse. Dabaan is a frenetic wildcard, who looks a lot like Sacha Baron Cohen and could almost be one his characters. With Dabaan’s arrival, the day is about to go off the rails.

“Rattle the Cage” puts forth a cat-and-mouse game told through a black comedy. Dabaan is a sociopath who oscillates between brutal violence and being a charming conman. Opposite Dabaan, Saleh Bakri is electric in the lead role, and the opposing tones of these two men are what keep this film so exciting. The film sets up this dichotomy pretty early on and leaves the viewer with no real clues as to where the story is going. The only thing that is clear is that the camera is never leaving this jailhouse and the fact the story remains so unpredictable and tension-filled means that it ranks with some of the best single-setting films out there.

My only minor criticism of the film is that the side characters that come and go are a bit flat compared to the two contrasted leads. The film feels sort of like a play or an old-school sitcom where the script simply swaps in and out whoever is needed to make a scene work. It can feel a little manufactured, but what works in this case is that we are held prisoner along with Talal, in the dark and picking up the clues at the same time he does.

What makes “Rattle the Cage” fantastic?

Behind the gimmicky premise and one really memorable character is a tight suspense film that keeps its cards close to the vest until the very end. Even though it’s a clear good guy / bad guy tale, and we feel like we know who is going to win in the end, the path we take to get there is never dull. The climactic moment actually drew an audible cheer from me, which almost never happens when I watch a film alone.

“Rattle the Cage” (2015) is a biting thriller, one that could benefit from a low-budget English remake if they can cast the two lead roles well. Fans of cat-and-mouse mystery stories like Silence of the Lambs or The Usual Suspects will enjoy this film; as will those who appreciate a movie with a smiling, sadistic villain on par with the Inglorious Basterds’ Hans Landa.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.6/10 

“Rattle the Cage” (2015) is not rated and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Speaking of Netflix, come back next week and we’ll discuss Netflix-acquisition “The Perfection”, a 2018 Fantastic Fest world premiere about a pair of cello prodigies that goes to some shocking extremes. Allison Williams’ last film role was a devious performance in 2017’s “Get Out” and I’m excited to see what she can bring to another horror film. I’ll see you then.

Hi everyone!

500 Episodes? Is that correct? It is even possible? A huge thanks to everyone for their support this past year and a half. We have more subscribers than ever, and our team of critics here continues to grow and expand. And don’t worry, we’ll have 500 more episodes to come!

To celebrate, we’re taking a quick break from Netflix Originals to look at a Netflix exclusive distribution. At the time of recording this introduction, today’s film is the third highest grossing film internationally for 2019, and likely a film you haven’t heard about. The great news is that you can catch it on Netflix. The bad news is that finding it on a larger screen will be more challenging. For a few other films from the Chinese film scene, check out “Manhunt” (Episode #133), “Us and Them” (Episode #178), “Duck Duck Goose” (Episode #210), “Flavours of Youth” (Episode #224), and “Next Gen” (Episode #252).

Subscribe to stay current with the latest releases.

Connect with us over social media to continue the conversation.

Here we go!

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Today’s movie is “The Wandering Earth”, the Chinese science fiction action film directed by Frant Gwo, and written for the screen in collaboration with Gong Geer, Junce Ye, Yan Dongxu, Yang Zhixue, and Ruchang Ye, based on a story by Cixin Liu. The film follows the efforts of the human race in the wake of our Sun beginning to expand, soon to engulf the orbit of our planet. Major countries have united to construct giant engines to move the planet towards another star 4.5 light years away. However, as they attempt to use Jupiter’s gravity as an assist for the planet, they find themselves stuck in its gravitational field, and humanity must come together to save the planet from disintegrating into Jupiter.

No spoilers.

I don’t think enough people pay attention to the international box office. Sure, it’s convenient when we’re playing comparison games with the multiple Hollywood projects that continue to net billions domestically and overseas. But when I got back into movies, I was curious to see what films were the moneymakers, and as expected, more than one Chinese film is in the top 20 every year, most of which never see wide release in the United States. In 2016, “Mei Ren Yu” made $554M at the international box office. In 2017, there was “Wolf Warrior 2” which made $858M. And in 2018, there was “Operation Red Sea” ($576M), “Detective Chinatown 2” ($544M), and “Wo Bi Shi Yao Shen” ($451M). All of these films received very minimal releases in the United States, in any screens, and I think we’re all worse off because of it. And it’s especially troubling for “The Wandering Earth”, which has made an impressive $700M so far this year, which absolutely deserves to be seen on a big screen.

“The Wandering Earth” is a meditation on how humanity might unite in the face of larger dangers to our species. In today’s film, the natural disaster we’re facing is the death of our star, the process of which begins by expanding in size and cooling to a relatively lower temperature, and which scientists believe will engulf our orbit, and which the movie’s scientists state will engulf the entire solar system. Either way, this cosmic natural disaster can easily be a metaphor for today’s fight against climate collapse, which will require the same kind of scale and cooperation as building giant engines to move the planet to another star. Rather than the last chance, alpha male heroes of “Armageddon”, in “The Wandering Earth” we get a company of protagonists thrown together by circumstance, and representing a small slice of a similar story playing out across the planet as it nears Jupiter. No one person is essential, and each person has a piece of the puzzle to saving humanity, and a role to play in that solution. 

I really enjoy these kinds of collectivist narratives, not just because they provide a counterpoint to the hyper-individualist, star-driven narratives of Hollywood, but also because they tap into some deeply entrenched ideas of community and cooperation that seems all but gone from the United States. Individualists often adopt a speculative either/or thinking when they consider collectivist narratives, believing that being part of something greater than ourselves necessarily removes our individual identities, or exists within some impossible utopia, but today’s film also gives us a glimpse into how a collectivist society might operate, outside of the need for immediate collective action. 

“The Wandering Earth” is definitely a space epic, told on a truly cosmic scale. I don’t think I’ve seen a science-fiction film on this kind of scale for quite some time. I haven’t seen a story that considers moving an entire planet-size object since the That’s-No-Moon Death Star of the “Star Wars” franchise, and haven’t read anything in print since Larry Niven’s Puppeteers from his “Fleet of Worlds” and “Ringworld” sagas. And as you might expect, there are incredible scenes of cinematography that are shown absolutely no justice on my meager home screen. It’s my major complaint about the film, but it’s an issue with the technology on my end, not with the creation or skills on the filmmaker’s end.

My other complaint, although it could satiated by any number of prequels or sequels, is that the world which gets developed is much bigger than the story being told. I was completely enamored with all the visuals and the action, and was left wanting more of every aspect of this story. I wanted prequels that tell and show more than the introductory montage or the relatively few flashbacks we’re given. I wanted to see how other countries were faring in their regions. I wanted to see the dark side of the Earth, and more of the space station. All great for exciting an audience, but also a struggle for the content hungry. I’ll definitely be picking up the original written works, that’s for sure.

“The Wandering Earth” is a truly epic and unique science-fiction thriller, that considers a collectivist response to a global cosmic threat. While the film is widely available on Netflix, it deserves to be seen on a large screen, or with high resolution, to appreciate the impressive detail added to all aspects of the film. Science fiction fans, and fans of collectivist responses to common problems, should definitely check out this film. On as large a screen as possible. Everyone else, if you don’t mind subtitles, then you’ll love this multi-lingual film. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 72%

Metacritic: 57

One Movie Punch: 8.6/10

“The Wandering Earth” (2019) is rated TV-MA and is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone! 

Want more Netflix Originals? Good thing you’re here! Keith Lyons, aka Philly Film Fan, is back with a French thriller, despite the Arabian Nights allusion in the title. Be sure to check out Keith’s other reviews, including “Shoplifters” (Episode #394), “The Wife” (Episode #403), “Mirai” (Episode #408), “Capernaum” (Episode #416), “Never Look Away” (Episode #431), “The Photographer of Mauthausen” (Episode #437), “River’s Edge” (Episode #443), “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” (Episode #452), and “The Legend of Cocaine Island” (Episode #486). So incredibly jealous at the films he can access. 

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Take it away, Keith!

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Hi, Philly Film Fan here with another review for One Movie Punch. You can follow me on Twitter @PhillyFilmFan.

Today’s movie is “Shéhérazade”, the film directed by Jean-Bernard Marlin and co-written by Catherine Paillé and the director. “Shéhérazade” takes us to France, where we see the struggles of juvenile delinquents in love.

No spoilers.

I have some issues with “Shéhérazade”, but let's start with the stuff I liked. This is Marlin’s first feature and I think he shows a lot of promise as a director. For starters, despite its gritty setting, this film looks beautiful. And it's not just the two gorgeous leads cast as the young lovers: Zachary (Dylan Robert) and Shéhérazade (Kenza Fortas). Marlin grew up in Marseille and he knows how to find the beauty in its ramshackle neighborhoods. He also knows how to coax authentic performances out of his cast of non-professional actors.

Zachary is ostensibly our hero and it's clear that we're meant to sympathize with his plight. The film begins with a montage of old photographs, showing the history of North Africans in France, leading up to Zachary's release from juvie. We understand that, as a Muslim in a Western country, he has faced discrimination from society. And when we learn that his own mother can’t be bothered to pick him up, we see that he is not only an outcast from society, but he has also been rejected from his own family. All of this builds up a lot of audience sympathy for Zachary, who promptly squanders all of it by his words and actions.

Zachary is a self-centered, violent misogynist, who constantly misgenders a woman, despite repeated corrections. Early in the film he hits the streets looking for a sex worker and finds Shéhérazade. He hires her, and when he gets her alone, he shows a clear contempt for her and her occupation. The hypocrisy of a boy who would disrespect someone for engaging in sex work, that he hired her for, is astounding. Shéhérazade wisely sees this, promptly steals his money, and flees. It’s a great start for her character, but somehow, she winds up falling in love with him, and the movie is all downhill from there.

“Shéhérazade” does a great job of creating a naturalistic urban environment, that feels like an authentic look at people living on the margins of society. The character of Zachary is supposed to be our guide through this world as an audience surrogate. In order to do that, we need to see ourselves in him, but his repugnant behavior makes that impossible.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% (with only 5 reviews)

Metacritic: 68

One Movie Punch: 6.0/10

“Shéhérazade” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.

This jawn was brought to you by Philly Film Fan. For more movie reviews, follow me on Twitter at PhillyFilmFan where I’m participating in the #365Movies challenge. That’s P-H-I-L-L-Y-F-I-L-M-F-A-N. Thanks for listening!

Hi everyone!

We’re continuing the Netflix Original reviews with the latest Spike Lee production, following up three spectacular 2018 films, including the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace” (Episode forthcoming), the runaway Oscar hit “BlacKkKlansman” (Episode #225), and the sneak attack filmed stage show “Pass Over” (Episode #114). We’re always up for another Spike Lee production. Can’t wait to tell you my thoughts on today’s film in a bit. And for one more film in the same vein, check out “Sleight” (Episode #359).

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Here we go!

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Today’s movie is “See You Yesterday”, the Netflix Original Spike Lee production directed by Stefon Bristol and written for the screen in collaboration with Fredrica Bailey. The film follows child prodigy Claudette “CJ” Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) and her best friend Sebastian J. Thomas (Dante Crichlow), in the wake of the tragic death of CJ’s older brother Calvin (Astro). Unable to accept his death, the two use a time machine to go back and prevent the death from happening, but things don’t always go as planned.

No spoilers.

Time travel is always a fun concept for a story. It can be an uber-technical look at time travel, as in the case of indie favorite “Primer”, or it can be a simple plot device within a larger story, as in the “Back to the Future” trilogy for comedy, “The Time Traveler’s Wife” for romance, and any number of science-fiction thrillers and mysteries, beginning with H.G. Wells’ novel “The Time Machine” and continuing in the present era with today’s film. It can be as confusing as all hell, or as simplistic as necessary to serve a function. And I enjoy all of them on some level.

I love to contemplate the various paradoxes, impossibilities, and potentialities that come with time travel, especially on the big screen. But perhaps just as fascinating to me are the social implications of time travel, how it affects the larger community or world, and how it affects each individual character. That’s a huge role for science fiction, to consider the social implications of technologies and concepts outside our reach. I think it’s also infinitely more interesting than getting the science exactly right, although I’ve complained more than enough when the science has been excessively wrong. And today’s film brings a different kind of perspective to a common time travel plotline: saving someone from death.

“See You Yesterday” rides the line thematically between lighthearted discovery and grounded realism. On the one hand, we have CJ and Sebastian who could easily be classmates of Peter Parker in “Spider-Man: Homecoming”, operating well outside their expected capabilities, and not quite understanding the power in their experiments. On the other hand, we have the frank realism of black lives being gunned down by blue lives, which adds another layer to the story. Sure, it would be easy to dismiss this as a black version in a different setting of the same time travel story, but it would be even easier to identify that as a form of white privilege.

It would also miss the great interplay between the two themes. CJ and Sebastian make multiple attempts to prevent Calvin’s death, with disastrous results each time. The film gives a sense of the seeming inevitability of black folks losing either their own life or the life of someone they love, just as the space-time continuum seems unchangeable. It’s also important to note that, unlike Biff in “Back to the Future 2” who could only think of profiting himself with the power of time travel, CJ and Sebastian want to use the power to fight against the unjust deaths within the community, along with the occasional slushie shower for former lovers. It speaks volumes about what each demographic might do with the power in their hands.

Eden Duncan-Smith and Dante Crichlow are great and believable as male-female best friends, keeping their relationship strictly platonic and above board. I really appreciated not having one person secretly pining for the other, even if the adults around the pair often suggested such a relationship. Both actors are able to match the tone for each scene, easily moving from playful explorers to determined avengers to horrified citizens.

My major complaint for the film is that it doesn’t finish the story, leaving us wondering just how things might work out. It might work as a larger metaphor for continuing to fight against what might seem inevitable, and the seeming never-ending story of black lives being murdered by police and others. However, it also wreaks havoc on telling a complete story, and might leave viewers unfulfilled. For those worried about the TV-MA rating, it is entirely because of the language used in the film, which might be make white suburban ears burn, but is accurate for the inner city and never overdone.

“See You Yesterday” is a high school time travel thriller, which alternates between the joyous optimism of discovery and the overwhelming realism of social circumstances. The lead roles are played quite well by Eden Duncan-Smith and Dante Crichlow, but the film never finishes the story it starts, which may leave the viewer feeling adrift. Time travel fans, or fans of socially conscious thrillers should definitely check out this film, along with fans of high-school dramas.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%

Metacritic: 74

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

“See You Yesterday” (2019) is rated TV-MA and is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for another review. Yesterday’s documentary focused on one of the many issues facing society today, but today’s documentary gives us one of the many solutions to addressing those issues head on. For a few other politically inspiring documentaries, check out “Seeing Allred” (Episode #041), “Mercury 13” (Episode #116), “RBG” (Episode #200), “Reversing Roe” (Episode #496), and “Feminists: What Were They Thinking?” (Episode #291).

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Here we go!

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Today’s movie is “Knock Down The House”, the Netflix Original documentary directed by Rachel Lears and written in collaboration with Robin Blotnick. The film follows four women during the 2018 Congressional Election, including Amy Vilela, Paula Jean Swearengin, Cori Bush, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Each woman decided to jump into politics, despite varying experience levels, and end up with unexpected results.

No spoilers.

I have a troubled relationship with electoral politics, especially of the entrenched variety and especially living in California. When it comes to voting for President, the makeup of the Electoral College and the way that California apportions its votes means that my vote nearly always ends up counting for the Democratic candidate. It’s what you call a “safe state” when it comes to the quadrennial horse race, and it effectively renders non-Democratic voters meaningless. When it comes to voting for offices besides president, however, we now have a new Open Primary law. This law creates a single primary ballot for all voters, allowing everyone to vote for someone regardless of party. The hope was that it would diversify candidates across parties. The reality is that voters feel pressured to vote for each party’s frontrunner, aside from the few single party general elections that have occurred. Which means my ultimate vote is between two candidates that don’t really look a lot different from the choices I had before, and now I can’t even cast a protest vote.

Why am I going on so much about electoral politics? Because they matter more than ever right now, and especially at the local level. It’s no secret that I don’t hold a lot of faith for political change at the federal level, despite the focus of today’s documentary. I don’t know if what our federal government has become can be the change we’ll need to face the challenges of climate change, military imperialism, and the immense wealth disparity that prevents us from accomplishing so much. But I do know how our federal government was supposed to work, and I do know how I would like it to work, and “Knock Down The House” shows us a glimpse of the kind of campaigns and representatives we need to change the discussion in Washington. And even if my faith in federal politics is quite poor, I believe the electoral organizing and political principles in this film can be a model for the much more accessible and powerful state, county, city, and neighborhood offices.

“Knock Down The House” follows four challengers to long-standing Democratic incumbents. As mentioned in the documentary, after the 2016 election which brought Trump into office, against all polling data and mainstream analysis, the old playbooks and indicators no longer seemed to matter. This kind of political chaos creates a lot of opportunities, especially when a much more progressive base invigorated in part by the Sanders campaign brought more educated, and demanding, activists into the Democratic Party. Activists and grassroots leaders who were asking tough questions not just of the new administration, but also within their own party. 

All four candidates fall into this latter group of activists, inspired by radical, yet sensible policies like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, like sensible (instead of draconian) immigration policy, and like holding banks and corporations accountable for their actions. Policies that established incumbents have either denounced or dismissed, like those challenged by each candidate. Established incumbents who outside of electoral success, have overseen the steady decline of the working class for the last thirty years. It’s hard to run on experience when the record is now easily accessible and speaks quite well for itself.

Lears and Blotnick use a pretty standard timeline-driven narrative for “Knock Down The House”, following each candidate from qualifying for the ballot through to their primary elections, and selecting material and interviews that tied together and reinforced the main themes very well. The documentary focuses not just on each candidate, but their shared experience as women running for office, and the double standards that come from the media and some voters. It also focuses on their incredibly human and genuine stories, like those of everyday Americans, who actually understand what it’s like to have systems fail you, or to live under economic hardship. Not folks who have multiple homes, six-figure speaking fees, and receive most of their campaign money from corporations and billionaires. We get their political lives and their personal lives, because the political is personal and the personal is political. 

Of course, just because we fight doesn’t mean that we always win. The film is definitely weighted towards Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and her surprise victory over incumbent Joe Crowley. Her story is so inspiring and genuine that even a cynic like me recognizes the hope and promise within it. I definitely found myself moved more than once, even knowing the outcome. The other candidates may not fare as well, but they do pull in impressive vote percentages, and end up opening up opportunities to continue pushing for change, without losing their humanity or their principles. Each challenger represents another test to the establishment, and now that one has broken through to shake up a government, it is inevitable that more and more will come forward. I may not have a lot of hope for federal electoral politics, but I had hope watching this documentary, and that is probably the highest praise I can give.

“Knock Down The House” is a glimpse into the kind of political change we’ll need at all levels to meet the coming challenges. Lears and Blotnick deliver a timeline-driven story from quality source material, which elevates the standard documentary structure with its four inspiring stories. Fans of political documentaries, or folks who love to see the system work for a change, should definitely check out this film. And then get involved in your local politics, where you can have the most, and the best, influence.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 80

One Movie Punch: 9.0/10

“Knock Down The House” (2019) is rated PG and is currently playing on Netflix.