One Movie Punch

Hi everyone!

Nicolas Cage. The man. The myth. The legend. The actor who will take any role, no matter what it seems, which leads to a huge spectrum of quality in his output. We’ve only covered two other Nicolas Cage films on the podcast so far, “Mom and Dad” (Episode #126) and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (Episode #381), but would be open to any and all suggestions from you all at onemoviepunch.com or by reaching out over social media.

Okay, you ready for the review Andrew? Andrew? Come on, you said you would review it. That’s it! That’s the spirit!

Take it away, Andrew! 

///// 

Hello film fans!

Andrew here - back this week with a film that was practically engineered for Fantastic Fest audiences... and maybe no one else. The critic score on Rotten Tomatoes clocks in at just 32% on this one. The audience score? Well that’s another story. A robust 94% of the 500+ users that rated the film gave it a thumbs-up. So it makes perfect sense that this film stars a one-time A-lister who pumps out film after film reviled by critics and beloved by his fans, none other than Nicolas Cage. Take a journey through his IMDb credits over the last 10 years and you’re likely to find a dozen or more films you’ve never heard of.

Lately, Cage has been on somewhat of a hot streak with the campy terror of “Mom and Dad”, the cult-hit juggernaut “Mandy” (which admittedly did nothing for me), and most recently lending his voice to Spider-man Noir in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse.” Given the sheer number of horrendous Nic Cage vehicles produced over the last decade with more than half a dozen currently filming or in post-production, I had to ask “Should I give this film a shot? Is Cage making nothing but great films these days?”

Sorry, Morgan Freeman, I no longer trust your judgment.

Today’s movie is “Between Worlds”, the English-language film produced in Spain by writer/director Maria Pulera. “Between Worlds” made its world premiere at the 2018 Fantastic Fest (where I avoided seeing it) purportedly to a standing ovation during the credits. The film stars Cage as down-on-his luck truck driver, Joe. (Don’t confuse this with Cage’s role as down-on-his luck forester Joe in the 2013 film called, um, “Joe”.)  Joe rescues Julia, a woman with a connection to the spirit world played by Franka Potente, who enlists him to save the soul of her comatose daughter Billie (Penelope Mitchell). Unfortunately, a mishap occurs and they end up reviving Billie with the spirit of Joe’s deceased wife in control of her body.

We learn a couple of things very early on in this film: (1) Joe’s wife and daughter are deceased and (2) evidenced by the way he explains this fact to Julie minutes after meeting her, Cage was clearly given carte blanche to deliver his lines however he felt like.

Let’s have a listen.

She’s right. It is terrible. The story that follows makes about as much sense as that script reading. Obviously, Julie and Joe begin to fall for one another, but his wife, now possessing the body of Julie’s daughter, is jealous of this fact and a bizarre love triangle ensues. The film has inevitably drawn comparisons to David Lynch films with its tone and a cast of oddball characters, not to mention the music composed by Angelo Badalementi who scored “Twin Peaks” and “Mulholland Drive” for Lynch. Unfortunately, there is nothing enjoyable in this nonsense world. There are a number of scenes that will make you squirm, but not in a fun way.

What makes “Between Worlds” fantastic?

Nothing. It’s not. The core concept is ill-explained and the script is abysmal. The bowels of Netflix and Amazon Prime are full of junk like this film. The only difference is this production forked over a few extra bucks bringing in Cage to act crazy for a few weeks to secure wider distribution than it ever should have gotten.

“Between Worlds” (2018) is a trashy, otherworldly, psychosexual, supernatural thriller. Fans of “The Humanity Bureau”, “USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage”, and “Vengeance: A Love Story” (all of which are actual Nic Cage films that came out in the last 3 years) are sure to love this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 32%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 4.2/10 

“Between Worlds” (2018) is rated R and is currently available on DVD and video-on-demand.

Come back next week when I’ll be reviewing “The Guilty”, the Danish thriller that just hit Hulu. In January, Jake Gyllenhaal was announced to star in the American remake of this film whose hook is that the entirety of the film is set in an emergency call center where a lone police officer must work to thwart a kidnapping. Come back next week and I’ll give you the 411 on this 911 story. I cannot believe I just said that. “Between Worlds” has broken my brain. I’m outta here.

Hi everyone!

We’re back with our third and final Netflix Original film for the week, this time an action thriller. Garrett will be up in a few moments with his review, but for a few other Netflix Original action thrillers, of varying quality, check out “Psychokinesis” (Episode #124), “Manhunt” (Episode #133), “The Night Comes For Us” (Episode #295), “Close” (Episode #387), and “Polar” (Episode #412). And if you have any suggestions, let us know at onemoviepunch.com or reach out over social media.

Take it away, Garrett!

/////

My name is Garrett Wright and I co-host Two Views Movies podcast along with my friend Carson Graff. We are a spoiler-filled podcast by two guys who love watching movies almost as much as we love arguing about them. Our weekly podcast features reviews of new releases, retro reviews of older favorites, obscure top 5 lists, and our two views of all things movies. You can find our podcast on all major platforms and at TwoViewsMovies.com where you can also find spoiler-free written reviews of the movies we watch. I’m thrilled to be the guest for today’s episode. You can follow me on Twitter at @TwoViewsGarrett and the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at the username @TwoViewsMovies

/////

Today’s movie is “Triple Frontier” (2019), the Netflix original action-adventure-thriller directed by J.C. Chandor and co-written by Chandor and Mark Boal. “Triple Frontier” follows 5 ex special forces soldiers who are struggling to make ends meet. They reunite and plan a high-stakes heist: steal $75 million from a South American cocaine drug lord. Problems arise after the plan is initiated. 

All hostile spoilers have been eliminated, so keep on listening.

“Triple Frontier” is the first Netflix film that feels made for the big screen. While most movies in the Netflix catalog seem destined to languish in the purgatory of made-for-TV and low-budget films, this J.C. Chandor directed thriller appears different. Featuring an ensemble cast, large-scale set pieces, and a reputable filmmaking pedigree, “Triple Frontier” has all of the ingredients of a wide theatrical release experience. But having the ingredients and using them to cook up a high-quality movie are two entirely different things. And Chandor, along with writing partner Mark Boal, struggles a bit in the kitchen with this film.

It is almost impossible to begin a conversation about “Triple Frontier” without first discussing the cast. It is the first thing most viewers probably noticed about the movie even during the marketing phase. For Netflix to release a movie with a lineup consisting of Oscar Isaac, Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, and Garrett Hedlund is unprecedented. The star power alone immediately lends itself to the idea that this is not a normal Netflix movie and thus has the chance to escape from the aforementioned average movie purgatory. To their credit, the actors come across as a true team in the sense that there doesn’t appear to be any pecking order of star power and no real lead performance. If a lead needed to be identified, it would probably go to Oscar Isaac, but purely from the perspective that his character serves as the driving force behind the mission. Their performances are maximized within the confines of the script they are given, but none are able to overcome the lack of development that renders each as a shallow, soldier of fortune retread found in many similar films.

Perhaps subverting expectations to a degree, “Triple Frontier” is less an action movie and more of a combination heist and thriller. More of the Tom Clancy variety than, say, “Sicario” though. The action scenes are used sparingly and with the precision of a military surgical strike. This leaves a significant portion of the two-hour runtime to be filled with something other than gunfire and explosions. Which is what makes the lack of character development all the more head-scratching. We learn almost all we will ever learn about each character before the heist takes place. While there are conflicts and stumbling blocks post-heist, these moments are never used to deepen our understanding of the characters. Rather they are simply used to try to add some tension and suspense to an otherwise straightforward story. This is especially infuriating since the primary source of conflict in the movie isn’t good guys versus bad guys. It is the good guys versus their own stupidity — which is often fueled by greed. Instead of using this to examine our team’s descent from an elite squad of soldiers with unparalleled skills and discipline into a group of guys making a series of foolish mistakes, we instead get, well, a series of foolish mistakes designed to keep the plot interesting. It is a missed opportunity that could have moved the story in a more character-driven direction as opposed to a generic heist and getaway scenario.

Despite leaving a lot on the table, “Triple Frontier” is still a cut above most of its Netflix predecessors. The directing is of a caliber seldom seen from Netflix original films and the cast is easily the most star power to date for the streaming film studio. It lacks the tautness of an edge-of-your-seat thriller. A stronger second and third act could have kept it from feeling like it is on cruise control. It is a slight misfire but doesn’t totally miss its target. It is an entertaining film that will keep your attention while watching from the comfort of your couch. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 73%

Metacritic: 62

One Movie Punch: 6.3/10

“Triple Frontier” was released via Netflix on March 13, 2019, is rated R, and is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Thanks for listening to my review here at One Movie Punch. If you like what you heard – or didn’t – reach out to me on Twitter at @TwoViewsGarrett and let me know. I’ll be back soon with more reviews on One Movie Punch, but you can always find me on the Two Views Movies podcast.

I will catch you next time.

Hi everyone!

Well, today’s another special review for the podcast, as it is my 41st birthday. I figure there’s no greater time to watch a film I want to watch rather than trying to keep up with all the great films in the theaters and showing up on streaming services. And so, today I have chosen a film that has sat in my watchlist for months looking for an opportunity to see another film in the hit or miss world of Lovecraftian adaptations. For a few other films with a Lovecraftian feel, definitely check out this past Sunday’s classic review for “The Endless” (Episode #441), “A Dark Song” (Episode #033), “The Ritual” (Episode #045), “The Ornithologist” (Episode #182), “The City of the Dead” (Episode #250), “Apostle” (Episode #287), and “Annihilation” (Episode #400). As you can tell, I have a thing for these films.

Here we go!

/////

Today’s movie is “Cthulhu” (2007), the Lovecraftian horror film directed by Dan Gildark and written for the screen in collaboration with Grant Cogswell, Douglas Light, and Jason Cottle, based on the works of the Cthulhu Mythos and “Dagon” by H.P. Lovecraft. The film follows Russell Marsh (Jason Cottle), a Seattle history professor who returns to his Oregon coast home to attend to his late mother’s estate. While catching up with childhood and family friends, he also discovers a dark history within his own family, and its relationship to the crumbling world around him. 

No spoilers. 

I am a huge fan of popular, pulp and genre fiction, having ingested a healthy diet of mystery in the form of Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of crime thrillers in the form of Dashell Hammett, of science fiction like Edgar Rice Burroughs, of fantasy like Robert E. Howard, and of horror, like H.P. Lovecraft. I saw their work first on screens, between Masterpiece Theater and syndicated noir and popular films growing up, and later discovered their source material and rapidly gobbling that up. It wasn’t until a transitional summer I worked before my first consulting job out of college that I finally broke down and picked up an H.P. Lovecraft reader. I sampled his early fiction and segments from his later larger works, surprised at how forward-thinking he was, and how well he could weave a tale that dragged the reader slowly, but persistently into madness. I’ve made it a goal to read his entire body of work chronologically, and I’m about two-thirds of the way, having just recently finished reading “The Whisperer in Darkness”.

Reading his work as shown me just what a subtle influence he has had on horror in general, but also on ideas of monster design, and founding a whole genre of cosmic horror, a term that can only be called Lovecraftian. And it came out of a historical time period where our reliance on myths and legends was waning, and our understanding of science was accelerating, transforming previous notions of ancient polytheistic pantheons of ancient civilizations into more plausible alien horrors, either horrifically fascinated with our planet, or carelessly destructive about the wake of their passing. This intersection of space and science and technology and myth and pure, madness-induced horror is, in many ways, a metaphor for our own individual confusion. This kind of theme can be carried forward in time and recreated under different conditions, and I listed quite a few Lovecraftian films that find that same mix earlier.

The question remains, though, is whether you can create a modern retelling of a classic Lovecraft story. Nearly every modern-day adaptation of Lovecraft’s work seems unable to capture the same kind of historically contextual dread from the time period in which they were originally set. Our incredible modern advancements in technology override the limitations of technology as a recurring theme in Lovecraft’s work. Our access to information and knowledge severely restricts the ideas of hidden knowledge as another recurring theme. I think the film medium itself also presents some challenges, as Lovecraft’s written work takes you on a journey of madness or adventure (or both) over hours, slowly eroding your faith in technology and your security in knowledge, manipulating your imagination, and leaving enough vagueness to allow the reader to fill in the gaps. A film has to show everything, which brings us to today’s film.

To be honest, I really liked the opening sequence of “Cthulhu”, as Russell Marsh receives the news of his mother’s passing, and he begins his journey back home, accompanied by various news reports suggesting the world is a lot further along towards climate collapse and sea level rise, an excellent way to link back to the proto-Cthulhu short story “Dagon”. It’s a good start to a story that will descend into madness, as Russell takes some nostalgic walks around his hometown and runs into relatives and friends, including a male friend named Mike (Scott Patrick Green), with whom he shared some sexually experimental experiences when growing up. Gildark and Cogswell have spoken about their choice for a gay lead character, and using the film as a vehicle to explore the alienation of a gay man returning to a conservative hometown. It’s a bold move, especially since sexuality of any sort rarely factors in to any of Lovecraft’s work, having been characterized more than once as asexual. It certainly plays with the idea of “the alien” in different ways, representing the alienation of LGBTQ people in society, and the alien quality of the horror of the Old Ones like Cthulhu. But I also think the themes clash more often than not, as we have to waste time building a relationship between Russell and Mike instead of focusing on Russell’s descent into madness.

The film’s main weakness is its cast, a mixed group of working actors like Jason Cottle and Cara Buono turning in inconsistent performances, along with forced caricatures like Dennis Kleinsmith’s Steve Jobs inspired look as cult leader Reverend Marsh (Russell’s disapproving dad) and Tori Spelling’s over the top hypersexualized role of Susan, who is uncharacteristically eager to get Russell in bed, his sexuality and consent be damned. Characters often talk over one another, often with major sound issues making things unintelligible, or need to advance their characters faster than reasonable to meet the reduced storytelling time. It ends up being kind of a mess, but not in a non-Euclidean Lovecraftian kind of way. 

However, the film also has some extremely well done scenes. For every roughly cut scene, there’s an equally inspired camera angle or set decoration that makes up for it. For every minute I struggled with the underground chase scene getting too experimental, there is an excellent montage or dream sequence that cuts right to the chase. I certainly have my criticisms of the film, especially the very abrupt ending, but I also had parts of it I really enjoyed and thought were well above average. A script doctor and a slightly better cast could remake this film into something really amazing, and that seemingly unattainable holy grail of bringing a Lovecraft story effectively into the modern age might be within our grasp.

“Cthulhu” (2007) is an attempt of bringing the Cthulhu mythos into the modern age, that struggles with an overly complex story and a mediocre cast, but also shines in unexpected ways. While I don’t think it quite succeeds in modernizing Lovecraft, I think it has come closer than many other attempts I have seen. Fans of the Cthulhu mythos should definitely check out the film, along with fans of cult-based horror thrillers. Everyone else, just know the quality will be inconsistent, and the story perhaps hard to follow for those outside Lovecraft fandom. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 62%

Metacritic: 41

One Movie Punch: 6.4/10

“Cthulhu” (2007) is rated Rand is currently playing on Amazon Prime.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast with our second Netflix Original review this week, this time for a Japanese teenage crime drama. Keith will be up in a minute with his thoughts, but for a few other Japanese dramas, check out our reviews for “After the Storm” (Episode #392), “Oh Lucy!” (Episode #219), and Keith’s review for “Shoplifters” (Episode #394). And if you have any favorites, let us know at onemoviepunch.com or reach out over social media.

Take it away, Keith!

/////

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

Today’s movie is “River’s Edge”, a film about a corpse on a river bank and the high school students who know about it. No, I’m not talking about the 1986 film featuring Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and Ione Skye. This is a new film directed by Isao Yukisada, written by Misaki Setoyama, and based on the manga by Kyôko Okazaki.

No spoilers.

“River’s Edge” revolves around a group of high school students who are all suffering from a terrible case of ennui. The film opens with the only semi-likable character, Wakakusa (Fumi Nikaido) discovering one of her fellow students trapped in a locker. Yamada (Ryo Yoshizawa) has been targeted for bullying because of his sexuality. Normally a character like Yamada would have our sympathies but it’s clear that the abuse he’s suffered has taken its toll on him and warped him in some way. Yamada is not as awful as his tormentors but he is insufferable in his own way. 

As “River’s Edge” progresses we are introduced to a parade of typical high school drama. This student is ignoring that student, this student is keeping secrets from that student, this student is spreading rumors about that student, this student is cheating on that student, this student has low self-esteem and an eating disorder, and on and on and on it goes. But the problem here isn’t that we’re taken through a tour of high school cliches, the problem is that everyone is so miserable along the way. It feels like society is decaying from the inside out and it fills everyone with a sense of existential dread.

To the extent that “River’s Edge” has a plot, it centers on a rotting corpse, which is pretty appropriate. Everything about this film is gross. The way people eat is gross, the way they have sex is gross, the vomiting is gross, the way the characters treat each other is gross, and that putrid corpse is gross. It makes viewing the film a thoroughly unpleasant experience. At one point Yamada declares “I want to see something totally different from reality appear” and that’s exactly how I felt watching this. I wanted anything other than this grim reality.

I found “River’s Edge” to be unrelentingly bleak and that made getting to the end feel like a chore. However, it’s not a poorly made film. The filmmakers clearly intended to make a film this sour. I’m just not sure why they wanted to. 

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 4.0/10

“River’s Edge” (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.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to a review for the first of three Netflix Originals this week. Keith and Garrett will be back later in the week for the other two, but today we have a Spanish and French vengeance thriller. For a few other films in this vein, check out “The Warning” (Episode #213), “Perdida” (Episode #227), “Gun City” (Episode #311), and “When Angels Sleep” (Episode #364). And if you have any favorites, let us know at onemoviepunch.com or reach out over social media.

Here we go! 

/////

Today’s movie is “Your Son”, the Netflix Original thriller directed by Miguel Ángel Vivas and written for the screen in collaboration with Alberto Marini. The film follows Jaime Jiménez (Jose Coronado), a Sevillian doctor who receives a call that his son, Marcos (Pol Monen), was beaten into a coma and is currently at the hospital. Now Jaime begins his own investigation into the attack, and uncovers way more than he bargained for.

No spoilers.

But a massive, massive trigger warning to anyone who wants to see this film. It involves some pretty brutal violence, and a graphic scene of sexual assault. One that made me very uncomfortable. So, while I won’t be referencing that scene in the review, please be aware before watching the film. 

I’m not sure what to make about films that emphasize dark realism. Horror films make great use of dark realism, everything from realistic slasher films to a wide array of torture porn, all driven by taking dark ideas to an extreme. Dark realism was also a huge staple of film noir, especially before the production code was established, but also with revivals in the 1970s and 1980s, for instance Polanski’s infamous “Chinatown” (Episode #271), and a few other more recent examples like the Scottish highlands thriller “Calibre” (Episode #189) and the recent Spanish neo-noir thriller “When Angels Sleep” (Episode #364). And the key to all forms of dark realism is how the viewer answers the question, “How much are you willing to take?”. And the answer for me with today’s film was “not that much”.

The story begins like any other revenge thriller, although Jaime is by no means a Charles Bronson or Liam Neeson type of character. Jaime is a surgeon that works long hours and struggles with a smoking habit, whose life gets turned upside down after his son’s attack. Naturally, he wants answers, and details, especially since no one comes forward with any leads. His emotional and psychological states continue to deteriorate, with what turns into obsessive behavior in his search for the truth, which puts him in legal, and later mortal jeopardy. His greatest flaw, though, is only asking what happened and who did it, not the more important question of why. And when that question gets answered, the film takes an even darker turn, one so dark that I had to tap out. I’m willing to endure a lot of darkness if there’s a larger point to be made because of it, but here, the stakes were simultaneously too high on a personal level and too pedestrian on a social level to make the journey worth it.

Jose Coronado does a decent job with Jaime’s story, such as it is, putting a lot of emotion into the perhaps too many solo scenes. The film is produced pretty well overall, but didn’t always come together. Many scenes were accompanied by sparsely composed jazz segments, intending to bring a neo-noir feel to Jaime’s story, but also clashing with the scenes driven by overwhelming club music. I did appreciate the use of mobile technology and videos, and the ways in which they were edited into the film, but had a hard time believing such evidence would exist in the first place. I also felt, given the ending, that the audience ends up being emotionally manipulated, and while that can be a sign of effective filmmaking, it can also lead to some pretty hard feelings with the wrong audience. 

“Your Son” is a depressing downward spiral of one man’s quest for vengeance over his son’s beating-induced coma. The film drifts ever darker, until the moment everything comes to be known, and then we’re taken into some incredibly dark places. Viewers with strong stomachs and a high tolerance for dark realism may want to check out this film, but I would strongly advise against most viewers making the effort, as it ultimately ends up in a very disappointing and disturbing place. 

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 4.8/10

“Your Son” (2018) is rated TV-MAand is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to another week of reviews, this time with a couple of Netflix Original reviews from Keith Lyons and Garrett Wright, plus one from me; Andrew Campbell returns with another Fantastic Fest feature; and Shane Hyde will be reviewing a film that asks the question, “Do you want to know more?” An exciting lineup for the week, but not the only excitement. On Wednesday, I’ll be celebrating my 41st birthday, with a guilty indulgence review for a favorite genre of mine.

And to get ready for that review, I’ve selected a favorite film of mine from last year in the same Lovecraftian vein. “The Endless” is the most recent collaboration by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, and acts as a quasi-sequel to their first feature film, “Resolution”, and may possibly be connected to their upcoming collaboration, “Synchronic”. Or not. Predictability is not a word I would use to describe their work, even if today’s film is all about predictability... in a sense. It currently stands at a 93% Certified Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 80 at Metacritic. You can check it out on Netflix and Hoopla.

Here we go!

/////

Today’s movie is “The Endless” (2017), the science fiction thriller written by Justin Benson and directed in collaboration with Aaron Moorhead. The film follows two brothers, Aaron (Aaron Moorhead) and Justin (Justin Benson), who escaped a UFO death cult years ago. However, a mysterious videotape encourages them to check back in on the group, and the journey contains unexplained phenomena that begin to challenge their beliefs.

Spoilers ahead.

People throw around the word Lovecraftian a lot. And when most people use the term, they mean there’s a monster that is akin to one of the many Lovecraftian gods, or more generally speaking, any supernatural horror tale involving madness, almost exclusively focused on the Cthulhu mythos. However, H.P. also wrote some dream-like, reflective, surrealistic works that bordered on the sublime. And, since we’re being honest, some pretty direct racism in more than a few works. But it wasn’t just the ideas that made Lovecraft a literary figurehead. His writing has a way that affects you emotionally, deep in terror while reading from the Cthulhu mythos, or sheer astonishment in his lighter writings. “The Endless” is probably the first Lovecraftian film that fits not just some, but all of the criteria, and for a Lovecraft fan like me, that’s amazing. 

“The Endless” is a modern Lovecraftian story, using modern science fantasy themes like UFOs, death cults, time loops, and multiple dimensional barriers to tell a deceptively emotional story. I mean, they even put a quote in the opening credits. Aaron and Justin are guided by a mysterious videotape that arrives with a message from their former commune, and it makes them react very differently as folks who have gone through deprogramming. One doesn’t see their current “modern” life as better than what they had in the commune. The other simply doesn’t want to deal with any of it, and here we have one videotape creating a conflict which lasts the rest of the film. So much complexity in a setup, and the beauty of the writing is that almost every detail in the beginning has a callback at some point in the film, especially as the madness is unfolding around them. And much like Lovecraft’s characters, instead of trying to reject what they see, they have to embrace and push through the madness if they hope to survive.

The film’s dialogue is chock full of big ideas, everything from one’s purpose in life, to the effect each supernatural or science fantasy idea has on their reality, ethics and identity. It’s definitely a thinking film, and there’s no doubt that will turn away some viewers. The subtle special effects, like the three moons in the sky, land a lot better than some of the larger effects. And the final scenes have some rough dialogue, which for an unengaged viewer might be a reason to give it a thumbs down. As for me, though, I was more than willing to forgive the flaws, especially because the rest of the film is incredible and truly Lovercraftian. They have a giant evil space god and everything!

“The Endless” (2017) is a philosophical science-fantasy film clearly and intentionally influenced by H.P. Lovecraft. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, along with a great supporting cast, deliver a refreshingly unique film that opens up many more possibilities. Fans of Lovecraft, and I’m talking the folks who’ve read the material, should definitely check out this film. Everyone else, just know going in that it’s going to get weird and there are going to be a LOT of big ideas, and if neither of those are dealbreakers, then queue it up and prepare to have your mind blown.

Hi everyone! 

Full disclosure. I watched this film with Amy last weekend, and I gotta say, I really loved it, so much so that I’m a little jealous not to review it. However, One Movie Spouse has a lot to say about the film, so let me just say that you should check out this film at your earliest convenience, streaming on Netflix. And then check out “Doctor Strange” (Episode #092) and “Come Sunday” (Episode #104) for a couple other Chiwetel Ejiofor films.

Take it away, Amy!

/////

It’s me Amy, aka One Movie Spouse, back for my second review this week.  That’s a new record! Mmmmmmwwwwah! Today’s film resonates with me. It involves some real “out of the box thinking” to resolve a community crisis. I love seeing young people show us the way with new ideas, designs, and solutions to tackle our common issues. You can find me on Twitter: @BriteWhen and we can chat about films or you can see what else I am up when I am not busy as a spouse-mother-educator.

Today’s movie is “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” (2019), the debut feature film directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor and written for the screen with the man who lived the story, William Kamkwamba. Based on the true story of William Kamkwamba (Maxwell Simba), struggling during a nationwide famine during the mid-2000s in Malawi, who believes he has a solution to survive the famine.

No spoilers!

In his directorial debut, Chiwetel Ejiofor does a phenomenal job both in front of and behind the camera. Behind the camera, Ejiofor was able to film in Malawi, despite some investor concerns, introducing us to Wimbe, a small village near Kasungu, among other locations throughout the country. With quality direction, he brings the viewer back to the conditions just before the widespread famine of the early 2000s, with the country on the brink of political unrest. As the famine spreads and intensifies, we watch families torn apart, difficulties with growing, and the desperation of starving people. In front the camera, Ejiofor plays William’s father Trywell, who struggles and sacrifices to find the right path forward, no longer able to rely on the systems failing around him.

The real hero, however, is William, tinkering with radios and other scraps, excited to discover how science and technology works at the local school, to help solve problems around the village. As the famine progresses, and their situation deteriorates, he has to drop out of school, but continues learning at the school library while helping his family find enough food to survive. One particular scene that left me breathless was William escaping a riot at a food distribution center, when so many were starving. Maxwell Simba does an excellent job capturing the curiosity, the wonder, the fear, the struggles, and the successes of William and his story.

The relationship between William and his father represents so many great themes. It is a story of how parents want what’s best for their children and to have the opportunities they might not have had. It is also a story of how children come of age and the difficulty of parents letting go. And it is also a story about the older generation yielding to newer generations, as Trywell struggles to believe in William’s windmill, wanting instead to rely on his traditional approaches. It all leads to the moment when William’s triumph as he does harness the wind to save their village from starvation. As a parent and an educator, I recognize the need for today’s young people to bring forward innovative ideas, especially as we face the global issues of climate change and resource allocation. We will need dreamers, designers, and innovators to make real change, just as William did, and this film does a great, if somewhat predictable job of telling his story.

“The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” is a visually stunning debut for Chiwetel Ejiofor, that demonstrates ingenuity in the face of adversity. Maxwell Simba guides us as a young William on his quest to solve his problem. The film is recommended for fans of heartwarming films, and all of today’s dreamers, designers, and inventors. Especially the younger ones.

Rotten Tomatoes: 84%(CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 68

One Movie Punch: 8.0/10

“The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” (2019) is rated TV-14and is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Taking a quick break in Netflix Original reviews for another Fantastic Fest review from Andrew Campbell. I feel like I’ve seen this film before. Maybe a few times. But I haven’t. Or have I? I should watch it again, just to make sure.

For a few other Fantastic Fest reviews, check out “Mid90s” (Episode #411), “Suspiria” (Episode #418), “Anna and the Apocalypse” (Episode #425) with One Fantastic Spouse, and “Tumbbad” (Episode #432).

Here we go! Again!

/////

 Hello film fans!

Andrew here - back this week with a time-traveling curiosity out of Mexico that illustrates how awesome low-budget sci-fi can be. OK, quick confession: time-travel may very well be my favorite subgenre. Any film that decently deploys the manipulation of time through any means gets a few extra points in my book. As a child of the 80s, this infatuation began with “Flight of the Navigator”, the first “Bill & Ted”, and the “Back to the Future” franchise. Over the last decade-plus, some of my favorite films in every genre have had a time-bending element: from ultra-low budget indies like “Primer” to big-budget action films like “Edge of Tomorrow”; and from the horror of “Timecrimes” to the woefully underrated romantic film, “About Time”. Any movie that revolves around a unique take on the concept of time has my interest.

Today’s movie is “The Incident”, the Spanish language film written and directed by Isaac Ezban. “The Incident” made its North American debut at the 2014 Fantastic Fest. Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that it’s best to go into this film blind. That means “no trailer”, “no plot synopsis”, heck, pause time, go check this one out and come on back. I’ll wait…

The film features two seemingly unconnected stories that share several common themes. Marco (Raul Mendez), a police officer, has two brothers who are suspected of robbery pinned down in the stairwell of a nine-story apartment building. Elsewhere, Daniel (Gabriel Santoyo) is a young boy on a family car trip through the desolate Mexican desert who is about to see his day go off the rails. Both mysteries begin to deepen as we explore a new reality.

The film starts with a police officer visiting our two crooks in an apartment in a pedestrian scene that would be a great red herring if no one watched trailers or listened to this review. The men become locked in a stairwell and then… well, that’s as far as I can go. Insert time-bending device here. Through some simple yet stunning imagery, the director reveals what’s occurring in this claustrophobic space. We then switch to an entirely different story of a family experiencing their own eerie circumstances out on a dusty, rural highway. The film alternates between both tales beautifully and, over time, inevitably reveals the connective tissue between the two.

The conceit of this film is so much fun that its issues really don’t crop up until the final minutes. The way the stories are eventually connected somehow manages to be both heavy-handed and indecipherable. There’s an extended scene where it all comes together and perhaps it’s the translation from Spanish or my confusion with some of the characters, but I had to go check Wikipedia afterward to fill in my gaps of understanding. This confusion underscores the film’s other weakness: the characters are one-dimensional. The audience really isn’t given much to root for and the characters don’t have much of an arc. So where the ending didn’t really land for me, I did enjoy the journey and that’s mostly what I find worthwhile in tales like this one.

What makes “The Incident” fantastic? 

Low-budget time-manipulation flicks, and there’s no shortage of them on Netflix, often have a cool concept, but they look like a student film or the acting is atrocious or they completely lose steam after 30 minutes; or some combination of the three. “The Incident” offers up a unique take on time and reality without falling into the traps that plague similar indie films. This story is primed for an English-language remake that can provide more clarity to the plot and more depth to the characters. Until then, I was excited to learn that writer/director Isaac Ezban has another film streaming on Netflix called “The Similars” and is making the festival circuit now with a film called “Parallel”, both of which sound like they are playing in the same sandbox.

“The Incident” (2014) is a high-concept sci-fi thinker that went under the radar five years ago. Fans of time-travel and alternate universes who have enjoyed any of the films I already mentioned absolutely must add this one to their watchlist.

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.4/10

“The Incident” (2014) is not rated and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Come back next week when I’ll be reviewing “Between Worlds”, because 2018 Fantastic Fest would not have been complete without an insane performance from Nic Cage on the heels of the highly-praised “Mandy”. I’ll let you know if the Nic-Cage-aissance is in full swing or if this one lines up with the straight-to-streaming B-movie trash he’s been blessing us with multiple times each year. I’ll see you then.

Hi everyone!

Just me again today, with another French film, although this time a comedy and in collaboration with Belgium. For a few films from the Belgian film scene, check out “Nocturama” (Episode #184), “The Insult” (Episode #196), “Let The Sunshine In” (Episode #318), and “Nothing to Hide” (Episode #336).

Here we go! 

/////

Today’s movie is “Budapest”, the Netflix Original comedy directed by Xavier Gens and written for the screen by Simon Moutairou and Manu Payet. The film follows Vincent (Manu Payet) and Arnaud (Jonathan Cohen), best friends who decide to go into business as professional bachelor party planners in Budapest, and predictably, get involved in quite a few misadventures. 

No spoilers!

Predictability and indulgence are two words I would use to describe today’s film. Neither is a bad way for a film to be described, because in many ways, the best films provide both for the widest audiences, unlike films made for niche audiences like “Paris Is Us” (Episode #436). Most comedy, including today’s film, requires liberal helpings of both, often using incredible scenarios that either depict indulgent acts or allow the audience to indulge in their misfortune. “Budapest” smashes both together, into a film about planning bachelor parties, an excellent metaphor for the desire for predictable indulgence, but with a surprising amount of effective drama as well.

The strength of the film lies with its cast. Manu Payet and Jonathan Cohen make an excellent, if privileged duo that guide us through a mythical world where folks can quit their jobs to curate stag parties in consequence-free environments, all with the financial and emotional support of their wives, Cécile (Alice Belaïdi) and Audrey (Alix Poisson). Well, eventually, anyway, whether they like it or not. There’s also the duo’s contact in Budapest, Georgio (Monsieur Poulpe), and his wife and we’ll say business partner, Suzanna (Henrietta Edvi). The chemistry among the entire cast is a lot of fun, once you know how wild a ride to expect.

The overall execution of the film, though, has some noticeable flaws. Great edits, like the climb to success montage and the VIP club sequences, struggle against more drawn out comedic and dramatic sequences, killing pace for what should be an indulgent film. Characters feel forced to radically change to set up the ending, and it feels like we’re a bit shortchanged at the end, much like most bachelor parties feel, I imagine. I wouldn’t know; I never really had a bachelor party. Also, I felt a little icky about the level of worker and class exploitation throughout the film needed to provide that indulgence. Much like the few bachelor parties I’ve attended.

“Budapest” (2018) is a predictable romp into a world where anything goes, driven by sex, drugs, alcohol, and any other vice you could imagine, even the most dangerous game. Well, sort of. It provides a lot of laughs, but with a few noticeable flaws. Fans of indulgent, vice-fueled comedies should definitely check out this film. Everyone else, avoid the figs.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 7.2/10

“Budapest” (2018) is rated TV-MAand is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Keith Lyons is back with another film involving Nazis, probably too soon after his review last week for “Never Look Away” (Episode #431). I really hope we can find a heartwarming film for him to review here at some point. Be sure to check out his other reviews for “Shoplifters” (Episode #394), “The Wife” (Episode #403), “Mirai” (Episode #408), and “Capernaum” (Episode #416).

Here we go!

/////

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

Today’s movie is “The Photographer of Mauthausen”, the film directed by Mar Targarona and written by Roger Danès and Alfred Pérez Fargas. It is a docudrama about Spanish refugees who were imprisoned in a concentration camp and their attempts to document Nazi atrocities. 

No spoilers. 

During the Spanish Civil War the Second Spanish Republic was overthrown by General Franco’s Nationalist forces with aid from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. After his victory, Franco expelled many of the Republicans who opposed him, along with their Anarchist and Communist allies. “The Photographer of Mauthausen” is about a group of these refugees who settled in France in 1939, only to be captured by the Nazis after the German invasion. These Communists were taken to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria where they were used as slave labor, particularly in a nearby granite quarry.

Mario Casas plays Francisco Boix, a Spanish Communist who is put to work in a photography lab within the concentration camp. There he serves under Paul Ricken (Richard van Weyden), an SS officer who uses his position to explore his photography hobby. Ricken seems to pride himself on treating the prisoners better than his fellow SS officers, but the film offers him no absolution for this token effort. As the war comes to a close, Commandant Franz Ziereis (Stefan Weinert) orders that all photographs of Nazi war crimes be destroyed, lest they fall into Allied hands. Francisco learns of this plot and decides that he must find a way to preserve the evidence of the atrocities that were committed at Mauthausen, even if it means risking his life and the lives of his friends.

Mauthausen was the last concentration camp to be liberated. Hitler had already been dead for five days by the time Allied forces arrived at its gates. Today, much of the camp is still standing and the Mauthausen Museum serves as a memorial to the victims of the Nazi regime. When I was in Austria, I was able to visit the site and it was a powerful experience. I learned things that I can never forget such as how, before the gas chamber was built, SS officers would load prisoners into the back of a truck, attach a tube from the exhaust pipe to the backend, and then drive around until all the prisoners had asphyxiated. This is a detail that is featured in the film but it doesn’t quite convey the horror of the situation.

There are a lot of great films about the Holocaust and many more not so great movies about the Holocaust. “The Photographer of Mauthausen” is competently made and tells a story most people won’t be familiar with, but it falls short of being a masterpiece. If you’re interested in learning about history, “The Photographer of Mauthausen” offers a compelling story you probably haven’t heard before. But, ultimately, this film lacks the emotional resonance that the subject deserves.

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 6.0/10 

“The Photographer of Mauthausen” (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.