One Movie Punch

Hi everyone!

It's Friday, so it's time for another Fantastic Fest feature from Andrew Campbell. After completely missing the mark on the subject matter for last week's COME TO DADDY (Episode #709), Andrew gave me some bullet points for the film, which he's assured me is not a documentary about the famous end of school year anthem. So, on this Valentine's Day, this romantic comedy concerns a group of honors students... who gather together as their teacher... oh. Oh my. Definitely letting Andrew handle this one. Don't miss his other recent reviews for THE LODGE (Episode #702) and COLOR OUT OF SPACE (Episode #695). Yeesh!

Before the review, we'll have a promo from our good friends at the How I Met Your Friends podcast. Every episode, Julie and Kathleen examine one episode of each hit sitcom, exploring the hidden connections and easter eggs within each episode. Don't miss their recent guest review for CATS (Episode #699), along with the reason they got stuck with the review. You can find them on Twitter @himyfriendspod,and on Facebook and Instagram @howimetyourfriendspod.

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Hello film fans!

Andrew here, back today with a simmering French drama that feels a bit out of step with the typical genre fare that Fantastic Fest espouses, forgivable because it's just so darn good. The closest comparison I can draw to today's film is Paul Verhoeven's 2016 film ELLE which highlighted a fearless performance from Isabelle Huppert. That French drama centered around a traumatic event and followed Elle through a shifting narrative that never really let the audience anticipate where the story was headed. Today's film has much the same vibe.

Today's movie is SCHOOL'S OUT(2018), the French thriller written by Christophe Dufossé, Elise Griffon & Sébastien Marnier, and directed by Marnier. SCHOOL'S OUT made its North American premiere at last year's Fantastic Fest - Marnier's sophomore directorial effort following up on 2016's FAULTLESS, which also opened at the festival.

The film stars Laurent Lafitte as Pierre Hoffman, a self-assured yet inexperienced teacher given the unenviable task of taking over a class after the death of a teacher. The school is an elite secondary institution, and this is the gifted class. Within the class exists a small group of friends, mature beyond their years, that have trouble relating to their peers within the school. When Mr. Hoffman tries to pick up where their beloved teacher left off, he encounters resistance, growing suspicious of his students as he tries to understand what makes them different.

No spoilers.

Well, I lied, a little spoiler, lifted directly out of the one-sentence plot summary and the very first scene of the film: their teacher didn't die of natural causes. After politely waiting for the opening title cards to wrap up, the teacher calmly opens up the third story classroom window in the middle of a test and walks out. It's a distressing opener that sets the tone for a tense film, staged in a way that it does not sensationalize the violence, instead capturing a genuine reaction to the shocking event.

SCHOOL'S OUT is a slow-burn but stick with me. When I hear a film described that way, it's generally a bit of turn off. I mean, I barely watched 200 films last year. I don't have time for slow-burns; I need action! But with SCHOOL'S OUT, director Marnier has crafted a film with such intrigue that everyday moments like choir practice and teachers' meetings feel like they contain clues to solve a mystery. Better still, the audience is never really certain exactly what mystery we're trying to solve. The kids aren't alright, but we don't know why.

One other thing SCHOOL'S OUT has in common with ELLE is lead actor Laurent Lafitte, who played a key role in ELLE. Laurent is a veteran French actor yet to break into the Hollywood film scene and he commands attention here. His frustrations with the cabal of brilliant teens within the gifted class begin to grow and he struggles mightily to understand them as he begins to witness increasingly unsettling behavior. Lafitte's not-so-quiet intensity builds to a boiling point and never do the cultural differences nor subtitles get in the way of appreciating his performance. Though he does much of the heavy lifting, the young adults playing Mr. Hoffman's students are also quite compelling.

What makes SCHOOL'S OUT fantastic? As I mentioned at the top, this one really didn't feel like a genre film would appeal to the Fantastic Fest programming team. However, upon repeat viewing, I was able to key in on some of the more subtle (and less subtle) clues that ultimately paid off in what I consider a picture perfect ending. It's far easier to sustain an enigmatic story through the first two acts of a film than it is to bring it all together in the finale, but SCHOOL'S OUT succeeds on all fronts.

SCHOOL'S OUT is DEAD POET'S SOCIETY through the nihilistic lens of FIGHT CLUB. Fans of films full of existential dread such DONNIE DARKO, MULHOLLAND DRIVE or MELANCHOLIA will enjoy this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

SCHOOL'S OUT (2018) is not rated and is streaming now on Amazon Prime video.

Come back next week for something completely different - a nightmarish descent into Hell set against a drug-fueled LA art scene. BLISS is the spiritual successor to Nic Cage's MANDY - an 80-minute acid trip that just hit Shudder. Let's find out if it's worth the ride.

See you then!

Hi everyone!

We're continuing our Oscar cleanup week with a review from Keith Lyons, aka Philly Film Fan, covering HONEYLAND, a nominee for Best Documentary Feature, all the way from Macedonia. He'll be up in a minute with his thoughts, but don't miss his recent reviews for LES MISERABLES (Episode #680), ATLANTICS (Episode #669), and I LOST MY BODY (Episode #646). I should probably get him an English-language film to watch here at some point.

Before the review, we'll have a promo from the Top 5 from Fighting podcast. Every episode, Greg and Mike discuss a wide range of topics, and when they disagree, you know they're gonna fight about it! Always fun, but always contentious, you don't want to miss a single episode. You can find them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @Top5forFighting. They have been some of our biggest supporters from last year. Shout out to their Marketing Angel. You know who you are!

Oh yeah, speaking of that Marketing Angel, One Movie Spouse and I will be guesting on the Honey, You Should Watch This podcast. We're recording this weekend, covering easily the best new to me film I saw last year, and made my family sit through twice afterwards. More on that via social media as details emerge.

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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 HONEYLAND(2019), the film directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov. It is an extraordinary film that has already made history by becoming the first film nominated for both Best Documentary and Best International feature at the Oscars. These are also the first two Oscar nominations ever to go to a Macedonian film.

Mild spoilers ahead but this isn't the kind of film you can ruin with spoilers.

HONEYLAND introduces us to Hatidze Muratova, a woman who seems to be displaced in time. She lives less than 35 miles from the capital of Macedonia but she may as well be living in another century. She shares a small hovel with her elderly mother, Nazife, who is nearly blind. They have no electricity or running water and providing basic amenities, such as light and heat, seems like a monumental task for Hatidze. Her only source of income is the sale of wild honey, which requires her to make an arduous journey to her customers in the capital. All of this is captured by the filmmakers in beautiful shots, unencumbered by narration, which gives us the illusion that we are right there with them.

Clumsy documentaries often feel like propaganda. They use narration or talking heads to make an explicit argument that the filmmaker wants to convey. But the best documentaries feel like they're showing you the truth without trying to convince you of anything. Of course, every film has a point of view, but the great ones allow you the space to come to your own conclusions. HONEYLAND doesn't need to make any bold statements about how short-sighted industrialization is depleting our planet of limited resources and poisoning the land to make those resources even more rare. It only needs to show us an old woman scaling a treacherous cliff to access a wild beehive and, once there, proclaiming her philosophy of "Take half, leave half." This is how she has always survived, taking only what she needs while leaving enough for the bees to survive the winter and produce a new batch next year.

Unfortunately, Hatidze's message of sustainability is completely lost on her new neighbor. Hussein is a father of seven and clearly struggling to provide for his family. He needs money now and sees an opportunity in honey. Hatidze warns him to only take half of the hive's honey, leaving the other half for the bees to feed on. But Hussein is a stubborn chauvinist and he ignores the advice of a woman. His actions will end up threatening both of their livelihoods, as well as the survival of the bees.

If this was a fictional film, I'd probably complain that this conflict was a too "on the nose" metaphor for industrialization and climate change. But this is just a documentary capturing a small-scale example of a much larger trend. The whole situation would feel hopeless if it wasn't for Muzafer, Hussein's sensitive son. He is fond of helping Hatidze and listens reverently as she imparts her wisdom. Watching his face, you can tell that he will be a different man than his father. And that is reason enough to be optimistic.

HONEYLAND is a beautifully photographed documentary that tells one story about little people, but its narrative deals with universal themes. It's a quiet film that not everyone will have the patience for, but if you're able to sink into its rhythms, you're in for a transcendent experience.

Rotten Tomatoes: 99% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 86 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 9.0/10

HONEYLAND (2019) is unrated and currently streaming on Hulu.

This jawn was brought to you by Philly Film Fan. For more movie reviews, follow me on Twitter @PhillyFilmFan where I'm participating in the #366Movies challenge. That's P-H-I-L-L-Y-F-I-L-M-F-A-N.

Thanks for listening!

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for another Indie Wednesday. I thought that I would receive a flood of requests for film reviews from low-budget and independent distributors after starting this segment. Granted, we're only a few weeks into the year, but I know whenever the requests stop flooding in that Amazon Prime has my back for finding low budget films out there, as part of their Prime Video Direct agreement. You can peruse literally thousands of films, all looking for their audience. And with today's low-budget adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story, I am definitely a part of the audience for today's film.

Before the review, we'll have a promo from our good friends at the Moviedrone podcast. Every week, Steve & Marc focus on one feature film, assign each other homework, interact with the audience, and of course, the incredible stylings of Marc's Movie Impressions. You can find them on Twitter and Instagram @movie_drone and on Facebook @Moviedronepod. Be sure to like, retweet, share, follow, and most importantly, subscribe!

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Today's movie is THE DARK SLEEP (2012), the cosmic horror film written and directed by Brett Piper, based in part on the short story "Dreams in the Witch House" by H.P. Lovecraft. After a particularly bad divorce, writer Nancy Peterson (Ashley Galloway) comes to a financial arrangement with her ex-husband Pete (Steve Diasparra). Nancy forgoes alimony in exchange for a house with a strange stipulation in the deed, which requires a strange artwork in the basement from being painted over, which also contains a gateway to a strange, maddening dream realm.

No spoilers.

With the rising success of COLOR OUT OF SPACE, and its spiritual ancestor MANDY, Hollywood is finally turning their attention to the immense work of H.P. Lovecraft. There are many reasons for this, but here are two very big ones. First, Lovecraft's works are nearly all in the public domain now, despite some varied legal challenges, which means literally anyone can adapt the works for other media, or even print the original stories. Today's film is a testament to that ability. And second, we're finally getting to a point where the special effects on the screen are catching up with the special effects in Lovecraft's mind. Today's film is NOT a testament to that aspect, but it definitely swings for the fences.

It's also an adaptation of "Dreams in the Witch House", which is a short story that bridges two distinct phases in Lovecraft's fiction. First, it is a story firmly entrenched in the popular Cthulhu Mythos, really during the golden age of his work, playing with his bizarre melding of technology, fantasy, cosmic, and gothic horror. But second, it also hearkens back to his earlier short story work, as part of his so-called Dream Cycle works, heavily influenced by Edward Plunkett, known in the literary world as Lord Dunsany. He is one of the forgotten proto-fantasy writers, who wrote these elaborate dream stories that Lovecraft first mimicked, and then reconsidered through the darker lens of cosmic horror. And today's film manages that... pretty well.

Writer/director Brett Piper has been an unstoppable force of nature within the low-budget science-fiction world, having written and directed productions all the way back to 1982, when special effects were mostly stop-motion and practically-based. If there's anything I admire as much as tackling this particular Lovecraft story, it's the inclusion of the old stop-motion models in many of the dream sequences, blended roughly with more advanced green screen techniques. Compared to the multi-million dollars special effects companies of today, the effects in THE DARK SLEEP would be considered barely passable, but as I said in my review for 1984's DUNE (episode #704), older science fiction fans are willing to forgive a lot, and Brett Piper has made a modest living because of that, despite the criminally low budgets. And if that's a deal breaker for you, then steer very clear of his entire filmography.

For the rest of us, especially fans of low-budget cinema, there's nothing more exhilarating to watch than a writer/director swing for the stars. Granted, it does create a lot of opportunity for ridicule, as seen in more than one of his films getting lampooned by Mystery Science Theater 3000 or RiffTrax. But it also nearly always provides a lesson on filmmaking within constraints, which is endlessly fascinating to me, especially as the major equipment hurdles towards filmmaking are rapidly disintegrating. It also makes me wonder what he could do with a few million, and a larger team, because honestly, I suspect it could go either way. Piper has a niche, and we all get to explore it.

The casting for THE DARK SLEEP is pretty great. Ashley Galloway, by design, has to carry nearly the entire film as Nancy Peterson, playing a particularly unlikeable character in a modern adaptation of Lovecraft. Lovecraft was not an inclusive author by any means, sometimes outright racist, so casting a woman in the role, and including a lot of perspective from women is a welcome shift. However, as with many of Lovecraft's stories, some elements don't play as well when taken out of the turn of the century context, like inserting today's complicated legalese that feels more Kafka than Lovecraft, or attempting to have a Miskatonic University character like Walter Gilman (Ken Van Sant). We don't get a lot of growth in Nancy's character, but we do get a consistent performance from Galloway, and that smooths over plenty of the rougher edges. I'm not going to say this is a great film, but it is fun to watch and admirable in its attempt, and Lovecraft fans are going to enjoy it.

So are fans of the stock sounds included with Garageband and Final Cut Pro. Perhaps the most hilarious part of watching this film was when I started hearing the same stock sounds I use for this podcast. So, if you're wondering why I've been manipulating the background sound, it's because each of these were used in the film. And for a Lovecraft fan, who starts hearing very familiar sounds late at night, wondering if he's going mad, well, Mr. Piper, to you I say, "Well played, sir. Well played." Piper may not have a wide audience, but I am happy to count myself among it, warts and all. So, be ready for another Brett Piper production on this segment next quarter. Hell, maybe I can even get Piper on the phone.

THE DARK SLEEP is a low-budget, present day adaptation of one of H.P. Lovecraft's later works, bridging the Cthulhu Mythos and the Dream Cycle in exciting ways. The low-budget is stretched the furthest it can be in the hands of Brett Piper, and the film is carried along the way by a strong performance from Ashley Galloway. Low-budget cinema fans, or Lovecraft fans, should definitely give this one a watch. Everyone else, just know the quality is radically lower than your average film, and enjoy it for what it is.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 5.0/10

THE DARK SLEEP (2012) is not rated and is currently playing on Amazon Prime.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for the second review this month from Jon-David, aka the Mafia Hairdresser, who is picking up today's review for Oscar nominee MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL as part of our cleanup week. Check social media to see if they took home the gold, as this episode was pre-produced before the ceremony. And regardless of whether it wins, Jon-David will be up in a minute with thoughts, along with a promo for his serial podcast The Mafia Hairdresser Chronicles. Don't miss his previous two reviews for One Movie Punch, including RICHARD JEWELL (Episode #692) and last week's review for THE CAVE (Episode #706).

Speaking of Takeover Tuesday, do you think you have what it takes to guest on One Movie Punch? Head over to onemoviepunch.com/takeover-tuesday and learn more about how you can guest here at One Movie Punch. We still have three (3) slots available this quarter for aspiring and established film critics to take the reins for an episode. We'll run your promo before the review and will place it in regular rotation for the quarter. If it sounds like something interesting to you, reach out to us over social media.

Subscribe to stay current with the latest releases.

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JOSEPH: "And now, in Recording Room 26 at One Movie Punch Tower..."

JON-DAVID: "Hello, this Jon-David aka Mafia Hairdresser, the writer and performer of the podcast "The Mafia Hairdresser Chronicles", a campy crime comedy based on my time as a celebrity hairdresser in Hollywood in the 1980s. But, enough about my fairy tale, let's talk about the Disney Film, MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL."

JOSEPH: "Sorry, Jon-David. It's MALEFICENT. Let's take it from the top."

AMY: "He seems agitated today."

JOSEPH: "Yeah, I know. Keeps looking at his phone, too."

JON-DAVID: "Today's movie review is the more sensationally titled sequel MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL. Released in 2019, this fantasy family action film was directed by Joachim Rønning, and written for the screen by Linda Woolverton, who also wrote MALEFICENT."

JOSEPH: "Jon-David. MALEFICENT."

AMY: "Should I go talk to him, or...?"

JOSEPH: "No, he seems fine..."

JOSEPH: "Wait, where did he go?"

AMY: "He was just there a minute ago!"

JOSEPH: "Wait a minute..."

AMY: "Is it a new sponsor?!"

JOSEPH: "No. A text from Jon-David."

JOSEPH: "Dear Joseph. Sorry for bailing like that. I was hoping to finish recording, but some guy who paints houses needed me to cut some hair. Will be back as soon as I can. Jon-David."

JOSEPH: "He put paint houses and cut some hair in quotes. Not sure what that's all about."

AMY: "Umm, don't you remember in THE IRISHMAN..."

JOSEPH: "Why should I remember THE IRISHMAN? The Academy sure didn't."

JOSEPH: "Thank you, I'll be here all night! Recording Jon-David's review for him. Should have never agreed to the hair-cutting clause in our extensive contract. Can you get things set up to record?"

AMY: "Sure thing."

AMY: "And, go!"

JOSEPH: "But, enough about his fairy tale, let's talk about the Disney Film, MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL."

AMY: "Joseph. MALEFICENT."

JOSEPH: "Now he's got me doing it... FROM THE TOP!"

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Quick Note: I'm Joseph Dobzynski, Jr., reading for Jon-David, who was actually pulled away at the last moment and couldn't finish recording the review. He did send me the written review, though, for MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL and his dulcet tones will be back later in the month with a review for the Oscar-nominated PAIN AND GLORY.

Without further ado...

Today's movie review is for MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL, the more sensationally titled sequel to 2014's MALEFICENT. Released in 2019, this fantasy family action film was directed by Joachim Rønning, and written for the screen by Linda Woolverton, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, and Noah Harpster. All characters are based on Charles Perrault's short story, "La Belle Au Bois Dormant". That's right, Sleeping Beauty, in 1903.

No spoilers.

Hopefully you've heard the tale of Sleeping Beauty, the story of Princess Aurora who pricked her finger on an enchanted spindle which put her entire kingdom to sleep - until a prince rescued her. Maybe you've seen the Walt Disney Pictures classic animated film? Agh, no matter.

Disney made a semi-reboot of this family friendly story starring Angelina Jolie as a powerful horned fairy, with spikey CGI wings and extreme cheekbones, and she's the creature who actually created the sleeping curse and then bonded with the princess, which ultimately begot love and peace between humans and fairies, for a while. That film was 2014's MALEFICENT. It had a decent box office of $758.5 million against its roughly $200 million budget. Disney's MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL did not do nearly as well, box office-wise, as its predecessor, probably because it came out nearly five years after the original hit. When a studio waits that long to stoke the fire, the flames may have died down a bit.

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL was a nice tale and a pretty film, and yet, I thought, it could have been a little bit darker. In this film, there were battles between fairies and humans, but they wrapped up very quickly, with no epic battles with the big visual wow we are used to seeing in other films. At least Disney's latest STAR WARS release, THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (Episode #672), had that visual ocean battle to draw people in, but this film had no such scenes.

There was nothing particularly eerie, creepy, or spine-tingling about this film, unlike BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Episode #030). It stayed too light. In fact, I wish that they geeked out a little bit more on the fantasy stuff. Maleficent finds "her people", so to speak, and where she might have originated from. That would have been an interesting storyline to pursue, if not base the entire film on. Instead, this plotline was relegated only to illuminate the man-versus-nature theme that ran throughout the film. This film glossed over Maleficent's special powers, how she got them, and her special relationship with her own kind. And the film, in my opinion, threw away a great new charismatic fairy character, introduced as Conall, played by Academy Award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor.

I do love the casting of Elle Fanning as Aurora and Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. Opposites in every way and the scenes with these two have great tension in them due to Fanning's unwavering hope and confidence that her mother, Jolie, will do the right thing when called to do so. Both actors fight each other hard and yet the love for each other is palpable and redeeming. Michelle Pfeiffer as Queen Ingrith is evilicious! I just wish this film could have been about the big battle between Queen Ingrith and Maleficent. That would have made me happier. Perhaps, having too many writers on this film and utilizing three or four good storylines watered down this film's greatness potential for me

I do recommend this film because it's a feel-good movie. And the special effects and CGI... they're fine, just fine. Especially when applied to the scenes Jolie are in. It's an enjoyable film to watch. There's the CGI kingdom and the CGI forest. I remember that MALEFICENT came out in 3D. And personally, I know the man who did that film's 3D for Sony. (So, I know, "stuff.") But I didn't see MISTRESS OF EVIL in 3D, and I think it might have been a better film in 3D, because this film was brighter than the darker-colored 2014 predecessor, meaning, not gray tones, which seems to be better for 3D movie watching.

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL is the story of Sleeping Beauty's much maligned adoptive mother, a powerful fairy bent on seeking revenge on the humans who continually threaten the life and beauty of her forest realm. This is a fun family film. I enjoyed it. And so did many others, with a Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score of 95%. Just not so great with the critics.

Rotten Tomatoes: 40%

Metacritic: 43

One Movie Punch: 6.5/10

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL (2019) is rated PG and is currently is available in limited theaters and on VOD.

Hi everyone!

It's another catchup week here at One Movie Punch, especially in the wake of the 92nd Academy Awards yesterday evening. Most of our episodes went into pre-production before the ceremony, so I can't tell you right now whether today's film, BREAKTHROUGH, won the award for Best Original Song, after being nominated seemingly out of nowhere. So, in lieu of Matinee Monday, and with BIRDS OF PREY being covered by the lovely folks at the Comics in Motion Podcast during next week's Takeover Tuesday, I figure this is my opportunity to check this one out for all of you.

Before the review, we'll have a promo from our good friends at the Cinema Recall podcast. Every episode, The Vern takes a look at iconic scenes in classic movies. You can find them on Twitter and Instagram @cinema_recall, and also subscribe to their podcast at anchor.fm/cinemarecall. Don't miss a single episode!

Subscribe to stay current with the latest releases.

Contribute at Patreon for exclusive content.

Connect with us over social media to continue the conversation.

Here we go!

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Today's movie is BREAKTHROUGH(2019), the religious drama directed by Roxann Dawson and written for the screen by Grant Nieporte, based upon the book by Joyce Smith. The film follows the tragic story of John Smith (Marcel Ruiz), who falls into a frozen lake and is rushed to a hospital, pronounced dead. When his adopted mother Joyce Smith (Chrissy Metz) whispers a prayer over his inert body, his heartbeat suddenly returns, putting the faith of the community to the test.

No spoilers.

I'll be honest; I was really hoping someone else would pick up today's film for review. I don't have a great track record when it comes to evangelical Christianity, whether that's dealing with preachers screaming at students and telling them that they're going to hell, or the gross alliance between the so-called Moral Majority and the Republican Party which re-launched the culture wars, or any number of horrific incidents with the more strident members of that particular sect of Christianity. Opinions are one thing. Actions are another. And quite often the two are in conflict with that particular. Granted, I know some of that criticism is very personal, but some of it is also very public, especially when megachurch owners accumulate massive funds, which go to the actual oppression of the LGBTQ community.

The same wealth has been used to fund and distribute a growing library of evangelical Christian pictures, from companies like veteran Pure Flix and up-and-coming Kingdom Studios. There's definitely money to be made, especially on the backs of the best-selling Left Behind series, which gave evangelical Christians their own post-apocalyptic world to explore, and two attempts at a film franchise, based around an esoteric idea of The Rapture. It's not just about the money, however, but also the belief that these films are meant to be evangelical efforts, not just telling a good story, but delivering the good news, and to help grow their ranks. And it's this evangelical component that generally gets in the way of what could otherwise be a decent film.

Films with an evangelical bent are trying to convert you, generally by either proving to you the power of God in our everyday lives, or by presenting a community that will accept you should you wish to change your life. The films also adhere to strict Christian principles, staying away from obscene language, sexual themes outside of abstinence, and nearly any competing viewpoints, unless they are to be disproven, as in the GOD'S NOT DEAD franchise. We're not getting the full realism of our everyday lives, but a sanitized version of reality, which means while the films might be intended as a form of evangelization, they generally only appeal to other evangelical Christians, which can be seen in both the critical and the audience scores.

BREAKTHROUGH, as such, did not appeal to me in the least bit. I found the film to be almost consistently ham-handed when talking about God, trying too hard to emphasize how much of a miracle John's recovery is, or how strong of a faith his mother has, or how important the church is within their community. God is clearly the focus in the film, both thematically and story-wise, as personified in Joyce's adherence to her faith and examination of her own flaws. Chrissy Metz is easily the best thing about this film, turning in a convincing performance that elevates key scenes from the usual dramatic sequences into tear-jerking experiences. But with God being overtly inserted all the time, each small faith lesson short-circuits the other stories that are attempting to be told.

Thematic content aside, the film also suffers from feeling too much like a television show, or a made-for-television movie. Director Roxann Dawson crosses over from her most recent career as a television director for her first feature with BREAKTHROUGH, and her extensive television experience shows in the pacing and framing. Over two hours, we get a lot of great scenes for television, when time generally needs to be filled, but take away from the overall pacing of John's recovery story. However, there are also some incredible shots that work well for the film, particularly the more artistic underwater shots and the overall composition of the community's visit to the hospital. Not bad for someone who found their break as B'Elanna Torres on "Star Trek: Voyager"!

I also think that Grant Nieporte's adaptation of the source material has a lot to do with the overbearing themes and pacing issues. Joyce Smith's account of her son's drowning and recovery, in book form, can take the time to talk about her son's life, and his unique circumstances, and his challenges at school and home, along with her own struggles with faith. Adaptations generally need to make choices, and BREAKTHROUGH doesn't make enough of them. We shouldn't have to wait roughly forty minutes to get to the major conflict, nor should we try to set up multiple focal points for the film. We should focus either on Joyce's faith, or John's recovery, or the community as a whole, and leave loose ends like adoption, haircuts, and sign-up sheets for a limited series or television format. It works, and it will land with the evangelical audience, but it will fail as an evangelical piece, because the same parts that attract their core audience will be turn away their target audience.

BREAKTHROUGH is an evangelical drama that tells the story of a young man who miraculously survived drowning. While the film will delight those already evangelized, it will frustrate non-evangelical viewers with its ham-handed approach to God and its lack of thematic focus throughout. Fans of heartwarming dramas, or evangelical pictures, will definitely appreciate this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 61%

Metacritic: 46

One Movie Punch: 5.5/10

BREAKTHROUGH (2019) is rated PG and is currently playing on HBO.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for another week of reviews!

Tonight's the big night! The 92nd Academy Awards will be held today at 5:00pm PST, and we'll see just how the Academy distributes their praise. We're also catching up on a number of Oscar nominees this week, including today's review for one of the more insightful documentaries from last year, and an Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Feature. I'll be up in a minute with my thoughts on 2019's THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY.

Be sure to stay tuned with us all week! Tomorrow I'll be reviewing perhaps the most unknown of the nominees, 2019's BREAKTHROUGH, which is not my usual cup of tea. On Tuesday, Jon-David returns with his review of 2019's MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL. On Wednesday, I'll be reviewing a low-budget adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story, in a film titled THE DARK SLEEP. On Thursday, Keith Lyons returns with his review of Oscar nominee HONEYLAND. On Friday, Andrew has another Fantastic Fest offering, this time a challenging and thought-provoking French film. And on Saturday, I'll be reviewing TO DUST, a dark comedy about dealing with loss, as part of our Under the Kanopy series.

Over on our Patreon page, at patreon.com/onemoviepunch, we just put up our full interview with writer/director Alex Goldberg, where we discuss his low-budget daytime noir film CLOSURE (2019), starring his spouse Catia Ojeda. We also talk about his extensive work as a playwright and what it's like working with your spouse. The interview will be publicly available for a limited time, but you can maintain access by contributing to One Movie Punch at any level. All contributors become eligible for Sponsor Sundays, where you can force me to review a film for the podcast, as long as we haven't reviewed it, with just a few exceptions. Check back next week for a Sponsor Sunday episode reviewing 2008's THE DARK KNIGHT, thanks to the generosity of the Ocho Duro Parlay Hour. A promo for Sponsor Sundays will run before the review.

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Today's movie is THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY(2019), the political documentary directed by documentarian Petra Costa, and written for the screen in collaboration with Carol Pires, David Barker, and Moara Passoni. The film reviews the rise and the current fall of Brazilian democracy, looking at how media moguls divided the population in two, which allowed a far-right government to take power, all from Costa's unique perspective and with her unique access to top government officials.

No spoilers.

About a year ago, I had to stop taking in the daily news. I used to listen to two plus hours of news, mostly Democracy Now and The Intercept, along with a handful of commentary shows, and a couple anarcho-communist podcasts specifically about community organization and resistance. I was a political animal, tracking elections, major news stories, evaluating sources, and coming to three very clear conclusions: (1) we spend way too much on the military and not enough on social programs; (2) massive wealth inequality, if not addressed, will become a massive social flashpoint; and (3) if we don't address the impending climate collapse in due time, our entire civilization will be put at risk.

All of these conclusions come from a combination of scientific consensus and common sense, but this reality-based outlook has been under assault by the billionaires who control most of our media. And most people are media illiterate, generally believing that media literacy is hearing a bunch of different opinions and making up your own mind. Very few people will take the time to consider the sources, sift through rhetoric, examine data, and all the other parts of media literacy. Very few people also acknowledge that their favorite news programs have billionaire-driven agendas, or at the very least, advertising-driven agendas.

Cable news is a for-profit venture, and we should all be careful, regardless of political persuasion. Once you realize that, listening to the stories their channels choose to cover becomes nauseating, across the spectrum. Especially when they unjustly stoke the flames of social unrest through creating divisions. It's why I still mostly rely on the fact-based journalism of Democracy Now and The Intercept, both of which are featured heavily in today's documentary, even if they have a so-called "left-leaning slant". It's also why watching THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY is so important, because Petra Costa documents the very destructive power of the media in Brazil, which could easily be a template for similar governmental takeovers.

I came into THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY with a distinct advantage over most people, given my past media consumption. Costa calmly lays out all the major events, from the first fights for democracy by her parents under the US-backed military dictatorship, all the way to the present day. Most of the major events featured in the documentary were stories I heard live on Democracy Now as they happened. And each of those major events, at the time, came with a host of political analysis from journalists and pundits, most of which are arguing comfortably from studios for a mostly myopic audience. Each event is generally taken out of its important context, and abstracted into some argument about "liberty" or "freedom", usually with more than a few lies from the more deceptive news outlets.

The real value of Costa's work is that it places all of these individual events back into their necessary context. Lula isn't reduced to some alleged criminal politician, but also a long-time labor organizer who brought in Brazil's great economic prosperity through sensible policies. Dilma Rouseff isn't just another alleged criminal politician, but a former revolutionary who endured torture at the hands of the military dictatorship. We don't get the headlines that shocked the populace and the world; we get the actual trumped-up charges and corrupt actions of politicians and judges. We get a full, complete, and consistent story – which completely shreds nearly all the mainstream political analysis in the United States. THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY may not be able to stop the rapid descent into Brazilian fascism, but it will serve as an important addition to the historical record.

THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY should also serve as a warning tale for our own political situation in the United States. Just as media literacy requires much more than evaluating opinions, media criticism needs to be a lot more than simply calling things "fake news". I am most definitely an advocate for both freedom of speech and freedom of the press, but I am not an advocate for the ability to lie, whether directly or by omission. The United States used to have a fairness doctrine in place for the media, but that was mostly revoked under Reagan, which gave rise to the cable news of today. They yield enormous power, can drive public opinion, and receive regular injections of capital every four years from our election process. I don't want to disband the press, or censor anyone, but a re-instatement of the fairness doctrine would be a good first step towards bringing sanity back to our new media.

Towards the end of THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY, and as we get closer to the present day, we see the full force of the Brazilian media begin demanding that corruption is rooted out from the Brazilian government. We see their readership rise and their pundits get more air time, and government officials compromising themselves and their colleagues to survive the bloodletting. We see the same kind of political power of the press in the United States, because conflict sells. We also see the power of billionaires buying advertisements on those same stations and papers, which lead to stories attacking progressive populist candidate Bernie Sanders. And rest assured, those same media outlets will attempt to have a field day with Sanders should he win the presidency, likely using the same tactics documented in THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY, because his policies run counter to their bottom lines. We need to be literate and critical if we want to prevent what happened in Brazil from happening here, assuming it's not already too late.

THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY is a powerful documentary that documents the rise and near collapse of Brazilian democracy, from the revolution against the dictatorship through the present rise of the far-right fascist government. While expertly placing each major event into a consistent context, the film also serves as a warning tale for other media-driven societies, and a plea for real media literacy and criticism. Documentary fans, or folks who want a succinct, if depressing look at recent Brazilian politics, should definitely check out this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 97%

Metacritic: 81

One Movie Punch: 8.5/10

THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY (2019) is rated TV-14 and is currently playing on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

We're closing out the week with another entry in our series, Under the Kanopy. Kanopy is a library and university funded streaming service that grants card holders six free streams a month, featuring a combination of classic, mainstream, independent, and international films. They currently have streaming deals with some of our favorite distributors, like A24 and Kino Lorber, which offer the critically acclaimed, if not commercially successful films. Today's film was initially produced by the CBC and distributed by Gravitas Ventures, and follows the touching story of transgender powerlifter Janae Kroczaleski, while also showing just how far we have to go in society for fuller transgender acceptance. My review will be up in a minute.

Before the review, we'll have a promo from our good friends at the Book of Lies Podcast. Every week, Brandi Fleeks and Sunni Hepburn take a look at a fraud case or famous con artist, breaking down the methods, the signals, and how to spot similar scams in your life. You can find them on Twitter @Bookofliespod and on Facebook and Instagram @bookofliespodcast. Be sure to like, retweet, share, review, and subscribe!

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Today's movie is TRANSFORMER(2017), the documentary directed by Michael Del Monte and written for the screen in collaboration with Samuel Fussell and Paul Kemp. The film follows the true story of Janae Marie Kroczaleski, as she manages her transition in the wake of being outed as transgender in 2015. In the face of direct and subtle discrimination, she reflects on her past, present, and future in a rapidly changing world, in an effort to ultimately find herself. One day.

No spoilers.

I can remember the first time I saw a transgender character on the big screen, and it wasn't a good one – 1994's ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE. One of the main characters is a transgender woman, who kisses Ace Ventura, and Ace's reaction upon learning she is transgender is to go through an elaborate comedic take on THE CRYING GAME, another less than desirable portrayal of transgender women. In fact, nearly every portrayal of transgender women in Hollywood perpetuates one or more common stereotypes: either the helpless victim, or the sexual deviant, or the comic relief, or the flamboyant cross-dresser. Thankfully, it was also around this time that there were more positive, realistic roles about transgender characters, especially 1996's THE BIRDCAGE, one of my favorite films not just for excellent performances by Williams and Lane, but because it was the first film that challenged me directly to reconsider my notions of the LGBTQ community.

I mention these films because they are the same portrayals of transgender women that were most prominent while Janae, then Matt, was serving in the Marines and participated in powerlifting tournaments, while struggling with her identity. And it wasn't just on the big screen, but multiple unflattering portrayals and outright mockery on the small screen, within stand-up comedian sets, along with the very real violence against transgender women in the news that most folks overlooked. Janae talks a lot about her own struggles, but also the social pressures her three sons might face. No one but the transgender community understands this feeling, but Janae's story in TRANSFORMER will help the cis community to understand it a little bit more, especially in our rapidly changing world.

I'd like to believe we can all live in a society where people are free to be who they want to be, as long as it isn't hurting anyone else. I know we don't live in that pluralistic utopia, but we have come a long way towards it compared to a hundred years ago. It doesn't stop me from still believing we can't get there fast enough. Movies and television shows have done a lot to help with this acceptance, not just featuring more realistic and complex depictions of transgender characters, but also more normalized depictions that blend in rather than stand out. We're also getting a lot more of the unvarnished history of the transgender experience, with multiple documentaries about Stonewall, including THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON (2017), and the New York drag scene in 1990's PARIS IS BURNING.

TRANSFORMER takes us into another corner of the transgender experience, with a mixture of elements common to many transgender stories, along with the unique experiences that Janae has. In her own words, she describes being pulled between training as a bulked-up powerlifter and wanting to feel comfortable with herself as a woman, a seemingly impossible mix. Not because there isn't a transgender powerlifting scene; we're actually introduced to that community in parts of this documentary. It's seemingly impossible because other people still have trouble accepting her life, which ultimately makes it hard for Janae to accept herself. It doesn't matter if that's Janae's physique that puts some women off, or if that's cis powerlifters laughing uncomfortably while stumbling over pronouns. Or how members of her own family treat her, including her two ex-wives. We may have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.

Perhaps the worst part about Janae's story is what became part of the impetus for this very project. In 2015, Janae was outed in an internet video which was doing side-by-sides of photos of Matt and photos of an Instagram account Janae was using privately. Janae used the admission to come out, but it was overshadowed by the media storm surrounding Caitlin Jenner's coming out, which also brought all the thinly-veiled transphobic stereotypes back out. Outing someone is probably the worst thing you can do for someone in the LGBTQ community, because it's not just the person you affect, but their family and possibly their friends, and that's doubly so for someone who is transgender. I'm glad to see Janae take control of her story, even as she struggles to understand it, which ultimately ends up being a positive affirmation.

Technically speaking, TRANSFORMER is a nice combination of archived footage and naturally filmed interviews with Janae, her family, and her friends. Some of the captured scenes can feel staged, especially filming Janae out on the town with friends, or when they visit Jane's family to learn about their feelings, but that comes with the territory of similar documentaries which shadow their subjects. Director Del Monte also captures some classic lifting shots, often used for transitions between segments, and some important shots about transitioning, like doctor's appointments and surgeries. When it all comes together, it succeeds in telling Janae's story, and when it's all over, I couldn't help but want to give her a big hug, just to let her know she's loved and accepted for who she is, wherever that journey takes her.

TRANSFORMER is a powerful documentary about transgender powerlifter Janae Marie Kroczaleski, produced in the wake of being outed in 2015. We learn about Janae's history, her current joys and struggles, and her hopes and fears for the future. Her story is both similar to other transgender experiences, and unique to her particular experiences. Documentary fans, or folks looking to understand the transgender experience, should definitely check out this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Metacritic: 78

One Movie Punch: 8.0/10

TRANSFORMER (2017) is not rated and is currently streaming on Kanopy and Netflix.

Hi everyone!

It's Friday, and Andrew's bringing the Fantastic Fest fire with today's film, a behind-the-scenes documentary into the origins of Aphex Twin's 1997 album, "Come to Daddy". We'll get everything from the influences behind the composition, along with the cult music video, which... What's that? This is a comedy horror film starring Elijah Wood? But influenced by the album, right? No? Right, well, I don't know what today's film is about, but Andrew does, and he'll be up in a minute. I guess I can just shelve this thirty-minute spoken word audio tribute I had ready to go. Oh yeah, be sure to check out Andrew's recent reviews for THE LODGE (Episode #702), COLOR OUT OF SPACE (Episode #695), and STARFISH (Episode #688).

Before the review, we'll have a promo from our friends at the Pop Pour Review podcast! Every week, the PPR crew review a film, then craft a cocktail based on the movie. I don't drink myself, but I know a few people that do, and every recipe fits in surprising ways. You can find them on Twitter and Instagram @poppourreview, or by searching for Pop! Pour! Review Podcast on Facebook. Thanks for all your support last year!

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Hello film fans!

Andrew here, back today with the book-end to last week's review of THE LODGE. I've got another film that takes place almost entirely in a remote home that's much too large and far too well-appointed to be called a cabin. THE LODGE opens wide today, an incredibly dark and humorless tale. As a counterpoint, today's film also opens wide today and is also incredibly dark, but... it does have a bit of humor. Incredibly dark humor. Let's get to it.

Today's movie is COME TO DADDY(2019), written by Toby Harvard and Ant Timpson and directed by Timpson. The film made its Texas Premiere at the 2019 Fantastic Fest, marking the directorial debut of Timpson as well as the second feature film screenwriting Harvard, following up on 2016's THE GREASY STRANGLER. (I've seen THE GREASY STRANGLER. Do not watch THE GREASY STRANGLER.)

COME TO DADDY stars Fantastic Fest mascot Elijah Wood as Norval Greenwood, a man in his mid-30s who has been summoned out of the blue by a handwritten letter to reconnect with his long-estranged father at a remote Oregon home overlooking a lake. After his father walked out when he was five, Norval's mother raised him alone in Beverly Hills. Norval has largely failed to capitalize on his privileged beginnings, living the life of an unsuccessful musician, still residing with his mother and, perhaps most egregiously, sporting a catastrophically bad haircut. Norval is readily willing to bury three decades of deep resentment for a chance to connect with the father he never knew, but soon learns that time does not heal all wounds. Problems ensue.

The trailer for COME TO DADDY does the film a severe injustice, which is unfortunate as this was a great experience to enter blind. (Of course, I mean after you've listened to my review a handful of times.) A LOT happens in this movie - twists and turns that turn the plot on its head multiple times - early and often. The trailer doesn't overtly spoil any of what's about to unfold in the film, but it does set your brain up to anticipate how certain scenes will come to play out. Its sheer unpredictability is what I loved most about the film. The writers took the kitchen sink approach to the script, "yes, and"-ing themselves into a wild story. The way in which the trailer (perhaps necessarily) reveals images of what's to come after a few of the key plot pivots also make the film look a bit pedestrian, when in reality it is unique unto itself.

Elijah Wood is as charming as ever as the lovable loser about to go off the deep end. It's been nearly twenty years since the end of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and over that time period he has become more and more immersed in genre films that appeal to his personal tastes. Perhaps he sparked the trend that saw other young franchise stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson make their millions on big studio properties and transition into more interesting roles. Elijah Wood's even been quietly involved as producer on perhaps Nic Cage's only decent films of the last five years, COLOR OUT OF SPACE (Episode #695) and MANDY (Joseph, when are we getting your take on Mandy already?).

JOSEPH: "First of all, you are forgetting the delightful MOM AND DAD (Episode #475). And second, see patreon.com/onemoviepunch for details about Sponsor Sundays, where you can force me to review a movie. MANDY wouldn't feel like much of a force, though, to be honest."

Wood's commitment to this role in his out-there film that he has to carry for all 90 minutes is obvious at every second. Earnest Norval could have just as easily stepped out of a character drama, with Wood wearing every bit of his insecurities and bitterness on his sleeve even as his surrounding story grows chaotic.

What makes COME TO DADDY fantastic? The film just never lets up. If anything, the only knock on COME TO DADDY is that it can be a bit of a punishing sit. There is levity throughout the film, but overall it's fraught with such unyielding tension and had me pulled in so deeply, that I found it an exhausting experience. However, like with all films, you only get one chance to see them for the first time and you may or may not be in the perfect headspace at that moment. I think that's the case here... and no I don't think I can survive it again.

COME TO DADDYis a blackly comic, scattershot riot that becomes a brand-new film every 15 minutes. Fans of chaotic and unpredictable films such as GREEN ROOM (Episode #054), BLUE RUIN (Episode #456), or Elijah Wood's I DON'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE will enjoy this film.

JOSEPH: "There's another one I wouldn't feel forced to review!"

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

Metacritic: 61

One Movie Punch: 7.8/10

COME TO DADDY (2019) is rated Rand is available today in theaters and on VOD.

Come back next week for a riveting film that you've never heard of. I'll be covering SCHOOL'S OUT, a French film that was given a horrible English title translation that makes it sound like a 1980s slapstick teen comedy. In fact, it's actually a mysterious daytime noir set in an honors classroom after a devoted teacher jumps from the third-story window. I'll see you then.

Hi everyone!

Christina's back today with a look at one of the more unlikely nominees for Best Animated Feature, 2019's KLAUS. It's always nice when a film gets recognition that's not from one of the ginormous animation houses. But I ask you, is a tagline like "Welcome to the Jingle" really what you think of when you think of an Oscar film? While that might have deterred me, it did not deter Christina, who will be up in a moment with her review. Don't miss her debut review at One Movie Punch for WEATHERING WITH YOU (Episode #687), distributed to the United States by GKIDS. She'll be back with their most recent import, RIDE YOUR WAVE, later in the month.

Before the review, we'll have a quick promo from our good friend Kolby Told Me, one of our biggest supporters of the podcast last year, as demonstrated by his near domination of the Follow Friday boards. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @kolbytoldme. And if you take up one of his recommendations, let everyone know that Kolby Told Me!

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Hello, everyone!

This is Christina Eldridge with Durara Reviews (a part of One Movie Punch), and I'm back with another review. Since my first review of WEATHERING WITH YOU (2019), I've been trying to promote myself and One Movie Punch by social media presence, so if you're not following my Twitter, @durarareview, or @OneMoviePunch, please go give us a follow!

Today's movie is KLAUS (2019), which was written by Sergio Pablos and co-written by Zach Lewis and Jim Mohoney.

KLAUS (2019) is an alternative origin story of Santa Claus, set in a fantasy world that resembles a gloomy 19thcentury. A chance meeting by a spoiled son of a postmaster and a hermit woodsman gives life to a town plagued by a feud and begins the Christmas tradition.

This review is spoiler free.

This light-hearted comedy is the Spanish animated directorial debut of Sergio Pablos, who is best known for his work in Disney's animation department. He has worked on such hits as HERCULES (1997), TARZAN (1999), SMALLFOOT (2018) and is probably known best for creating the entire DESPICABLE ME universe.

KLAUS (2019) was produced by Sergio Pablos Animation Studios and is currently distributed in the United States by Netflix. The film was animated electronically, but Pablos used his experience at Disney to make 2D look more 3D. His work paid off with an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Featured film.

Jesper Johansson (Jason Schwartzman) is the son of a highly successful and wealthy postmaster. He has no aspirations other than to leach off the family wealth. Jesper is forced to enroll in the Royal Postal Academy and purposely tries to fail so he can go back home to his pampered life. Instead, it is decided that he will become postmaster of Smeerensburg, a Northern island town, and will be tasked with posting 6,000 letters in one year's time or he will be cut out of the family estate. Jesper meets a ferryman in town named Mogens (Norm MacDonald), who quickly introduces Jesper to Smeerensburg's forever feud perpetuated by two families: the Krums and the Ellingboes. Because of the feud, no one writes letters or even goes to school, as explained by the teacher turned fishmonger, Alva (Rashida Jones). After countless attempts to get anyone to mail anything, Jesper decides to try the only person left in town he hasn't talked to: the lonely woodsman to the East, Klaus (J.K. Simmons). After a misunderstanding related to perception of character, he and Jesper set out to improve the town, which secretly will help Jesper fulfill his mission.

Even though KLAUS (2019) is based on the tired trope of family feuds in the Hatfield/McCoy tradition, the story is charming enough to keep it from feeling stale. The friendship that evolves between Jesper and Klaus and their determination to make the children in town happy is touching, entertaining and powerful.

I did have two issues with this movie, starting with its predictability. From the start, you can guess exactly how it will end. Since this is a family movie, and children probably can't follow complicated plot lines, I didn't let it spoil my experience. My second issue is Jason Schwartman's voice acting attempt. It felt a little over done and like he can maybe use another voice acting class or two, but it sort of works for a family film.

KLAUS is the tale of a long con perpetrated by a sheltered brat that turned into a character-building life lesson. His motto goes from, "Everyone's out to get something" to "A true selfless act always sparks another". Everyone should watch it with their family at least once, and possibly add it to the holiday movie list if the kids are into it.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 64

One Movie Punch: 8/10 (Posted Letters)

KLAUS (2019) is rated PG and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Thank you, everyone! Keep an eye out for my upcoming review, RIDE YOUR WAVE (2019), coming next month.

Until next time!

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for another Indie Wednesday spotlight. One Movie Punch continues to extend our network with today's segment, allowing both myself and our audience a taste of the microbudget and independent features being produced. Sometimes we find hidden gems. Sometimes we find films that have problems. Today's film is a daytime noir that definitely sits in the former category, especially if you live in, or like to make fun of, Los Angeles and its quirkier denizens.

Even better, I had a chance to speak with writer/director Alex Goldberg about the film, which stars his spouse, Catia Ojeda, in the lead role. We talk about the film itself, what it's like to work with your spouse, Los Angeles, and a whole lot more. I'll be interspersing segments from that interview throughout the review. In lieu of running a promo, we'll be playing the full trailer audio beforehand for CLOSURE (2019).

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Today's movie is CLOSURE (2019), the daytime comedy noir film written and directed by Alex Goldberg. After making a promise to her dying mother, and in the midst of the fallout of her long-term relationship, Nina (Catia Ojeda) has flown out to Los Angeles in search of her estranged sister to deliver the news. But when she learns from her former roommate Yasmina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) that her sister's been missing for weeks, Nina begins a search around Los Angeles, which leads her to some dark and funny places.

No spoilers.

I can remember the first time I landed in Los Angeles. It was a very busy time in my life, having just graduated college and accepted a job at a consulting firm, with a project based in the San Fernando Valley. I arrived late at night, and after arguing with the car rental place over my age, started driving in one of the largest cities in the world. This was before GPS was really a thing for consumer use, or even before you could get directions printed off the Internet, so I ended up driving around lost for about two hours, getting more and more frustrated, and scared, and not finding help from just about anywhere I stopped. I remember checking into the hotel, passing out from exhaustion, and very little of the orientation the next day.

It was the first major culture shock of my life, where I was all alone in a completely new place. I was just twenty-three years old, and it was a mess of emotions. I spent the entire first week learning the highways, finding places to eat, discovering the huge diversity in radio stations, and learning about the people around me. And they were... different.

ALEX: "Well, the inspiration was when my wife, Catia Ojeda, and I had moved to Los Angeles. We had been working in New York, and we came to LA, and there's a bit of a culture shock. Not as dramatic as say... I mean, New York is a big metropolis, as is Los Angeles. In our field, we found a lot of people who were really self-driven and you'd meet them and they would talk a lot about themselves. I wanted to spin a tale where someone needs to solve a mystery, and no one is not only helping them out, but doesn't particularly care."

I don't mean different in a bad way, but compared to my mostly monochromatic upbringing, in Los Angeles, I was being exposed to new people and lifestyles at a very rapid pace, doing my best to adapt while not offending anyone. My experience is why I connected so much with Catia Ojeda's excellent fish out of water performance as Nina. I've seen plenty of films where actors have clearly forgotten those initial, tumultuous feelings, but Ojeda nails that combination of uneasiness and excitement in an accessible, genuine way. Her reactions to those around her, as she's introduced to spiritual practices, alternative diets, and open relationships, feels very authentic, probably because Alex and Catia have lived it.

ALEX: "Here's a big story, actually. So, when we came to LA, we brought my play 'It is Done', which she starred in. So, we did a production in Hollywood. It got great reviews. We did well. She started working and the play got optioned into a movie. So, when I signed the option agreement, I realized a couple of things. One, they could fire me at any time. That's normal. It's my idea, but they could take me off it. And there's really no shot she would get to play the part, let alone audition for it. And that's standard. So, I'm getting some work going on over here. She's getting work over there, and we're like, let's try to create something where we can work together on something. So, that's why I wrote it with her in mind."

Surrounding Nina is a host of unique characters, including: her sister's current roommate, Yasmina, a pan-spiritualist actor/model; her sister's neighbors, the ironically named Prudence (Milena Govich) and her probably over-tolerant boyfriend Jack (John Sloan); and eventually, Hugo (Tom Choi) a rich man looking for a long-term relationship using a bizarre method. Tom Choi is one of the hardest working actors in the business, with a filmography that is a CVS receipt long, and he was perfect for the character.

ALEX: "He's awesome. There's a couple things about Tom. One is, yeah, he was perfect for the role, because he's got these rugged, leading man looks, but he also projects a nice guy and a funny guy, which is important because after all of these characters, in this particular venue, when she meets this guy, you don't want him to be sleazy, at least not at first. You want him to be someone that oh, maybe she can trust this guy. And for the most part, he is trustworthy and it comes across that way."

A great story and a great cast are paired with some very excellent musical selections. CLOSURE's soundtrack is a combination of straight-ahead jazz scoring and more contemporary, groovier, even electronic jazz of today. Noir works best with jazz, but modern noir needs modern sounds, and this particular pairing is the result of two key individuals involved with the project.

ALEX: "I met a guy named Zak Shelby-Szyszko, who is big in the modern jazz world. He works for a couple of labels and the Angel City Jazz Festival. And I brought him the script, and I said, 'Do you think you can help me find contemporary artists: (1) who would be interested in this, and (2) who would work on our very limited budget?' He was able to pull a bunch of names. Some very well known in the jazz circle. Some up and coming. So, we had a lot of choices to work from. The other person is Jamie Christopherson, who is our composer. And he came to us through our producer. And he liked the vibe we were doing. He had already heard some of the pieces that Zak had brought in, and said, 'Let's... I can score around this.' So a lot of the more traditional jazz elements were his pieces, including that trumpet you mentioned, which is so great.

Are there any drawbacks to CLOSURE? Not any more than other low-budget and independent productions. That's doubly so around Los Angeles, where permitting is some of the most tedious and most expensive to acquire. It was also shot over twelve days, due to the competing schedules of the principle cast, which makes the final output quite remarkable. CLOSURE might lack a great deal of the polish that can only come from massive budgets and exclusive schedules, but it more than makes up for it between Goldberg's excellent story and Ojeda's authentic performance. So, how much did this incredible daytime noir cost?

ALEX: "I don't have the exact number. We're in the $100,000 range, so between $100,000 and $200,000. I know people are making movies for $7,000 and $10,000. That's ultra. That's super low-budget. I mean, we had a crew, and that's how you do it in twelve days. You have a DP who's awesome, who brings in her own camera people she trusts. Our art department... department in quotes, it's a small group... they were like, 'Let me bring in my people so we can move quickly.' Yeah, twelve days is tough. So, it was two six-day weeks of principle photography, then we had three splinter days where we had really limited crew. The second and third splinter day, we didn't have audio. We just shot MOS."

Sometimes producers like to hide budget numbers, especially in an age of box office comparisons, but I'll just say that you won't find many other modern films being made for $200,000 that are this well put together. Especially in Los Angeles. Kudos to the whole team involved in this picture.

CLOSURE (2019) is a daytime noir picture about a woman searching for her lost sister in the City of Angels, with the mostly unhelpful assistance of those around her. Catia Ojeda plays an excellent fish out of water, as her character moves between mystery and comedy, all accompanied by an excellent jazz score and soundtrack. If you are looking for a fun and engaging film, that pokes fun at the quirkier sides of Los Angeles, absolutely look no further. You won't regret spending ninety minutes on this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.1/10

CLOSURE (2019) is not rated and is currently available on VOD and with ads on Tubi.