One Movie Punch

Welcome back to Matinee Mondays! We’re heading into the near future today with another Blumhouse Productions, the company that was founded on the “Paranormal Activity”, “Insidious” and “The Purge” franchises, which has allowed them to fund excellent independent films like “The Belko Experiment” and a little film from last year called “Get Out”, which I believe was last year’s best film. Got a favorite Blumhouse Production you want me to review? Head over to onemoviepunch.com and use our contact form to let us know, or reach out to us on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll see if we can review more of their releases later this year.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Upgrade” (2018), the science-fiction revenge thriller written and directed by Leigh Whannell. The film follows Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), a quasi-luddite whose wife is murdered in an attack on the street. The attack leaves him paralyzed from the neck down, until a new secretive technological implant gives him the ability to walk again, and he begins hunting down his wife’s attackers. However, a smart detective named Cortez (Betty Gabriel) begins to suspect Grey is behind the deaths and begins her own investigation. 

Spoilers ahead.

We used to call a film a b-movie whenever it had a low budget, a reference to the old double features at both the drive-in and brick and mortar theaters. You could really tell the difference back in the days before special effects, as practical effects cost a great deal of time, and by extension, money. As such, the b-movie genre, if it can be called that, became a fertile ground of new ideas, even as, inevitably, they were poorly executed. But now we live in a time where production quality isn’t always measured by investment, and with digital film, there’s less pressure to get each take right to cut down on film costs, which leaves us asking, “What exactly is a b-movie?” The answer is easy: b-movies never really existed, but were a classist distinction made among films to drive viewers to the major motion pictures. It doesn’t mean that so-called b-movies couldn’t be bad, but many of them could have been a lot better with financial investment back then, or the production tools available today.

“Upgrade” reminds me of one of those rare b-movies, one that has a great idea with a relatively tiny budget, but also a great deal of innovative film-making using the tools available today. Leigh Whannell tells a straight-ahead revenge tale, utilizing low-tech science fiction through reserved practical and special effects, and benefiting from today’s production tools, not to mention the advances in fight choreography. Of course, you can tear apart the film if you look close enough, but I found while I was watching it that it carried me along, and you could feel some of the influence from his work as a writer on both the “Saw” and “Insidious” franchises.

Logan Marshall-Green does all right for Grey Trace, running the gambit of emotions through the loss of his wife, Asha (Melanie Vallejo) through his revenge rampage with Stem, and right up to the incredibly dark ending, one that carries the potential for a sequel and future franchise, as most Blumhouse Productions do. Betty Gabriel returns from “Get Out” with another great performance, although Detective Cortez as a character was more suited for a police procedural show than a feature film. And Simon Maiden as the voice of Stem really helps define the character, even while being slightly derivative of other computer-generated voices. 

“Upgrade” (2018) is a great independent science-fiction thriller, taking a neat concept and executing it with a low-budget, but without too much of a b-movie feel. Leigh Whannell brings to life another potential franchise for expansion and development, more action-based than horror-based, at least for now. Fans of low-budget genre films and near-future speculative films will definitely enjoy this film, but be ready for some pretty graphic carnage, which you can sample for yourself in the red band trailer linked in the blog post.

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%

Metacritic: 65

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

“Upgrade” (2018) is rated R and is currently playing in theaters.

Today’s movie is “I, Tonya” (2017), the brutal Neon biopic of the infamous Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) that tracks her rise and fall as one of the world’s best figure skaters. The film was written by Steven Rogers and directed for the screen by Craig Gillespie. Margot Robbie was nominated for Best Leading Actress at the Oscars, along with Tatiana S. Riegel for Best Film Editing. But Allison Janney took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as LaVona Golden, Tonya’s mother.

Also, a warning before we go any further. The story of Tonya Harding is one that involves domestic abuse. If that’s a trigger for anyone, then take a hard pass on this film and this review. I won’t mind at all, as long as you tune in tomorrow. For the broadcast audience, come back in a few minutes.

Spoilers ahead.

I love biopics that change my mind about the subject, which is exceedingly rare. Normally, a biopic is chosen either for its notoriety or its obscurity, which means you’re either getting a faithful adaptation or a first impression. However, the story of Tonya Harding was unavoidable in 1994, since everyone got their news mostly from the television or the newspapers, both of which were fascinated by the story and the theories surrounding it. And if you didn’t watch the news, you heard about it from everyone else, who more than likely had some key part about the story wrong. Some documentaries have helped untangle the mess after the fact, but I never would have imagined a biopic, and not one that works so well.

Rogers developed a script that holds up a twisted mirror to the perverse media culture and its judgmental audience, using a documentary format that tells the whole story not just the scandal involving Nancy Kerrigan, and about the abusive household and marriage she had, not just her dedication to figure skating. Gillespie delivers on the script in an impressive way, pitting dark humor against very real domestic abuse scenes, using period-perfect technologies and styles and especially the soundtrack. I felt like I was back in 1994 all over again, but much wiser about everything, so when Tonya accuses the audience of also abusing her, I know she’s right, and I went from not caring about her story to being deeply invested, and seeing it through an entirely new perspective.

The cast is amazing. Allison Janney, from the get go, establishes LaVona Golden as a character, as we watch a young Tonya played by McKennna Grace, who I loved in last year’s “Gifted”, setting the stage in a whirlwind montage of milestones, and reinforcing the character every step of the way. A truly Oscar-worthy performance, especially for a supporting actor. Sebastian Stan, who plays Tonya’s husband Jeff, is also excellent, playing an almost excessively real domestic abuser. And Margot Robbie is truly incredible, telling Tonya’s story effectively through her solo scenes and through her relationships with the other characters.

“I, Tonya” (2017) is a brilliant biopic, telling the story *of* Tonya Harding while also criticizing the story *about* Tonya Harding, with a razor sharp script, great direction, and excellent performances. The film will not just tell you her story, but may also change your mind about what happened, and how you remember it. Fans of biopics should not miss this film, but only if you are ready for some brutal scenes of domestic abuse. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% (CERTIFIED)

Metacritic: 77

One Movie Punch: 9.4/10

“I, Tonya” (2017) is rated R and is currently streaming on Hulu.

Welcome back to Streaming Saturday. Believe it or not, Netflix didn’t have an original film debuting yesterday, which is particularly strange given their commitment to release over 1,000 new shows and films this year. However, it was also the first of the month, so there was an avalanche of new streaming content released by all the major players. And given the freedom to do whatever film I wanted, there was really only one choice for today. 

And now...

Today’s movie is “The Disaster Artist” (2017), the biographical dramedy about Tommy Wiseau and the making of his first feature film, “The Room” (2003). The film was directed by James Franco and written for the screen by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, based on the book “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made” by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. The film topped multiple best of 2017 lists, with James Franco winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical, along with an Oscar nomination for Best Adapated Screenplay.

Spoilers ahead.

There is so much to like about this film, which is why it was a smart distribution pickup for A24. Biopics have picked up in the past few years, and their success relies on having an interesting character with an engaging story that has larger themes to explore. Generally, most biopics hit only some of those criteria, but “The Disaster Artist” manages to hit all three really well, finding in Tommy Wiseau and the production of “The Room” a story about following your dreams and the meaning of friendship in Hollywood.

James Franco has put in a lot of work in the past 13 years, garnering 38 directing credits and 67 production credits. I admire his willingness to take almost any project that catches his interest, but it means that sometimes he makes some average to bad films, which folks love to mock. But in a strange way all that experience prepared him for “The Disaster Artist”, able to channel Tommy Wiseau authentically. The side-by-sides at the end of the film are hilarious, not to mention the stinger scene.

James Franco also excels behind the camera, though, finding multiple layers of meta film-making. Wiseau shot the film on two formats, plus had a documentarian, which is all placed in front of the Franco’s camera making a film about filming another film, and suddenly my brain exploded. Add an enormous cast of supporting actors with multiple roles or cameos, including both Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, and the result is an excellent self-referential film. I actually feel that had Franco not been embroiled with multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations after the Golden Globes that the film would have fared better at the Oscars, even as I fully support everyone speaking out about the bad behavior permeating Hollywood.

“The Disaster Artist” (2017) is an amazing biopic about one of the worst films ever made, but one that has attained cult status and is turning more of a profit now than ever before. James Franco brings Tommy Wiseau to life in front or and behind the camera, with the help of a smart screenplay and an incredible supporting cast. Fans of biopics and ensemble casts should definitely check out this film, and if you get the chance, check out “The Room”, preferably in a theatre with a large audience.

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (CERTIFIED)

Metacritic: 76

One Movie Punch: 8.8/10

“The Disaster Artist” (2017) is rated R and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Welcome back to Film Buff Fridays. Today, I’m going to review the first-ever zombie film, starring none other than the infamous Bela Legosi. While more “Serpent and the Rainbow” than “The Walking Dead”, it influenced multiple zombie films to follow. If you want to hear some of my previous reviews of zombie films, check out Episode #066 (“Ravenous”), Episode #139 (“Cargo”), and Episode #140 (“Day of the Dead: Bloodline”). I’ll be reviewing plenty more, I can assure you.

And now... 

Today’s movie is “White Zombie” (1932), the pre-code horror movie directed by Victor Halperin and written for the screen by Garnett Weston, based on a novel by William B. Seabrook. The film follows Murder Legendre (Bela Legosi), who has harnessed the power of Haitian voodoo to raise the dead for nefarious purposes, and has targeted Madeline Short Parker (Madge Bellamy). The film is widely recognized as the first zombie movie ever produced, for better or worse.

Spoilers ahead.

Before we dive into the movie itself, I figure I should give some of you a little primer on zombies. Before the berserker zoombies, before Kirkman’s walkers, before Romero’s living dead, the term “zombie” existed and was linked to Haitian voodoo practices that could allow a person to reanimate the dead through supernatural means, and control their actions. William B. Seabrook recorded the practices in “The Magic Island”, which became a heavy influence on “White Zombie”. It was also the same process by which Wes Craven transformed and fictionalized Wade Davis’ own exploration of zombie practices entitled “Serpent and the Rainbow” (1988), which you can expect to be featured in an upcoming Film Buff Friday.

“White Zombie” (1932) is really only an okay film, despite how influential it has been on the voodoo zombie genre. I think it would be presumptuous to say, however, that without this film that zombies wouldn’t haven’t made their way into popular culture. Eventually, some occult-minded person would have developed a script based on Seabrook’s book, or through their own study of Haitian voodoo. Which is why I think that in the rush to capitalize on the concept and to get something to print in the pre-code era, this film takes all the right ingredients through a mediocre story, and one that absorbs some of the racial prejudices towards Haiti in the process, particularly given that the United States was occupying Haiti during the film’s release.

Halperin crafts a somewhat hokey film, working with the simplistic, contextually racist script from Garnett Weston. The film includes a few split-screen shots that are reminiscent of silent films, but also includes some horrible screen edits, including jump cuts within the same frame. Bela Lugosi is on point, but seems like a derivative of his Dracula performance. Madge Bellamy’s performance is mostly vacant. Everyone else seems like every other protagonist from the time: big on bravery, short on smarts. It’s not bad, by any means, but it’s not all that great, either.

“White Zombie” (1932) is more a curiosity within the zombie genre rather than the bedrock on which a genre was formed. It tells a classic gothic horror story using a questionable account of actual religious practices. Fans of classic horror films should definitely check out this film, along with anyone else who wants to see a modest milestone in an ever-expanding zombie genre.

Rotten Tomatoes: 89%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 7.6/10

“White Zombie” (1932) is not rated and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Welcome back to Documentary Thursdays. Today, I’m reviewing the second documentary about the refugee crisis, this time from an Italian perspective. If you want to learn more about the plight of refugees coming to the European continent, check out Episode #074 (“Human Flow”) by Ai Wei Wei. Learning about the crisis is only the first step, though, so if you are moved, find a way to take action and be the change in the world.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Fire at Sea” (2016), the Italian documentary directed by Gianfranco Rosi based on an idea from Carla Cattani. The documentary follows the lives of the refugees on Lampedusa, a small Italian island near the coast of Tunisia, which has become a way station and sometimes home to refugees fleeing to Europe. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary in 2017.

“Fire at Sea” is actually two documentaries. One documentary follows the very real and deadly refugee crisis in Lampedusa, with overcrowded ships bringing refugees fleeing war zones and famines and corrupt governments. Another documentary follows the equally real, but incredibly contrasting story of a young boy and his family who are residents of Lampedusa. For Rosi, however, it’s not two stories, but a single story being told from two very different perspectives, illuminating not just each story’s plight, but how they relate to each other and more importantly, how they could never relate to each other.

Rosi almost exclusively lets each story speak for itself, with very few noticeable prompts, quite a few intentionally awkward shots, and great use of turning b-roll into key storytelling segments. Rosi also juxtaposes the two narratives, asking questions with each transition, so that the viewer is moved to wonder, “What kind of world do we live in when the refugee children aren’t as carefree as the residents?” or “What kind of world do we live in when the residents have adapted almost too easily to the crisis unfolding before their eyes?”

Rather than pitting the stories against one another, however, I found myself asking not who is to blame, but how can we solve the problem, or at least alleviate the suffering. The documentary is a startling counterpoint to how some anti-immigrant and anti-refugee pundits characterize the effect of refugees and immigrants within their own countries, normally overblown and dangerously nationalistic. The film’s magnificence comes from avoiding that paradigm altogether, instead showing a less confrontational, yet more complicated perspective on the refugee crisis.

“Fire at Sea” (2016) is a surprising documentary, weaving two perspectives on the refugee crisis unfolding at Lampedusa, allowing the stories to tell themselves and to ask questions of each other. Gianfranco Rosi turns in a truly Oscar-level film that says a lot more than it tells, and feels more than it says. If you want a less confrontational look at the refugee crisis, that treats the material with respect and without sensationalism, then you should definitely check out this film, and more importantly, get involved to help aid those fleeing their homes and ultimately, to end the refugee crisis. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (CERTIFIED)

Metacritic: 87

One Movie Punch: 9.0/10

“Fire at Sea” (2016) is not rated and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Welcome back to Worldwide Wednesdays. Today’s film will be our third film from Spain, following in the footsteps of Episode #080 (“Verónica”), a demonic possession period piece, and Episode #101 (“Orbiter 9”), a near future science-fiction thriller. In fact, “Orbiter 9” also starred Belén Rueda as Silvia in a supporting role. Check out both episodes, and stick around for this one, to get a full range of films coming from Spain in the past few years.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Sara’s Notebook” (2018), the Spanish thriller written by Jorge Guerricaechevarría and directed by Norberto López Amado. The film follows Laura Alonso (Belén Rueda), a Madrid lawyer who travels to the Democratic Republic of the Congo via Uganda in search of her sister and medical doctor Sara (Marian Álvarez), based on a photo taken two years after she disappeared. Along the way she enlists the help of two very different men: Jamir (Iván Mendes), a Congolese native, and Sergio (Manolo Cardona), a suspicious aid worker with ulterior motives.

Spoilers ahead.

There’s a lot to like about this film, but also a few things that are almost ready-made for negative comments, mostly by creating the circumstances surrounding Laura’s journey to the DRC. It’s a pretty privileged journey at that, walking away from her law practice, selling off part of her wealth, and journeying to a region of the word where Spanish is not anyone’s first language unless they are a part of the UN. But once you get past *how* she arrives in those circumstances, you can enjoy Laura dealing *with* those circumstances, and the film begins to pick up. Even the contrived reasons and motivations for Laura to finish her journey, and the intended to be heart-breaking ending don’t take away from this core journey.

“Sara’s Notebook” isn’t just about Laura’s sister, however, but also a dramatic overview of the very real situation in the DRC. Laura’s journey allows us to peek into all sides of the conflict, from the surrounding countries, to the affected communities, within the United Nations compound and straight into the heart of a rebel camp and the barbaric practices of rearing child soldiers. Her two guides, in different ways, give their own perspectives on the situation as well, even as we primarily join Laura as the viewer in her quest of discovery. Ultimately, we can appreciate the comparison between Laura, who is only beginning to understand the situation in the DRC, and Sara, who has discarded her privilege to continue helping those within the chaos, taking simple notions and complicating them exponentially.

Norberto López Amado’s direction is great, making the war-time shots feel chaotic and unexpected, and moving the rest of the story along despite its flaws. The scenes in Kampala were well chosen, along with the costumes and effects. The rest of the cast is pretty great, with a huge nod to Iván Mendes as Jamir, doing a great job with a subdued performance, especially given his past. The film might feel long with a two hour running time, but only in a few scenes, and the final act moves quite quickly.

“Sara’s Notebook” (2018) is a decent political thriller with some script flaws, overcome by a great cast and good direction. While not intended to be an authoritative look at child soldiers in the DRC, it does provide both new and old perspectives on the situation in an engaging manner. Fans of political thrillers or those curious about just how bad it is in the DRC should definitely check out this film, but be advised that there are plenty of trigger warnings for violence, child abuse, and sexual assault.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 7.0/10

“Sara’s Notebook” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Today’s movie is “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” (2017), the psychological thriller directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written in collaboration with Efthymis Filippou, based on the play “Iphigenia at Aulis” by Euripides. The film follows Martin (Barry Keoghan), a troubled young man who lost his father on the operating table under Dr. Stephen Murphy (Colin Farrell). Blaming the doctor for his father’s death, Martin places a curse on Dr. Murphy’s family, including Anna (Nicole Kidman), Kim (Raffey Cassidy), and Bob (Sunny Sulijic), which will slowly kill them all if the doctor doesn’t kill one of them first. 

Spoilers ahead.

This film won the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, which shows the power and timelessness of Greek tragedies, and their influence on first the stage, then the screen. In fact, the title itself, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” is a reference to a supposed final act of “Iphigenia at Aulis”, where instead of sacrificing Agamemnon’s daughter, a sacred deer is instead offered up. And, in a sense, that’s exactly how this movie plays out, replacing an offering to the gods with a mysterious curse that medical science cannot explain. Which means nowadays, rather than epic fantasies and sanitized morality tales, Greek tragedy may have more in common with the horror and thriller genres.

I was really impressed by Lanthimos and Filippou’s script, especially its ability to tell a straight-ahead story that blends well with Lanthimos’ distinctive direction and composition, not to mention the excellent cast bringing the characters to life. The combination builds the tension slowly, turning the mundane into the menacing, remaining uncompromising in the curse’s steady progression. Every line has a purpose, but never feels forced, even the final rationalizations by Stephen and Anna as they ultimately decide which sacred deer to sacrifice.

The cast is quite amazing. Colin Farrell’s second run with Lanthimos shows the promise of a long-standing relationship. Nicole Kidman is rather reserved in her role, even with a slightly disturbing information-gathering scene. Raffey Cassidy’s character has quite a few turns, which she manages well. But Barry Keoghan’s Martin is a weird combination of sinister and unassuming, cutting like a knife when needed, and unafraid of whatever consequences may come.

“The Killing of a Sacred Deer” (2017) is not an easy movie for folks to watch, but reinterprets a classic Greek tragedy for the modern era within the psychological thriller genre. The film follows Lanthimos’ success with “The Lobster”, and will hopefully open the gates to more films from Lanthimos, and perhaps a few more based on classic Greek tragedy. Fans of psychological thrillers should definitely see this film, but be ready for classic tragedy, not the usual series of twists and turns you might be used to.

Rotten Tomatoes: 80% (CERTIFIED)

Metacritic: 73

One Movie Punch: 8.4/10 

“The Killing of a Sacred Deer” (2017) is rated R and is streaming on Amazon Prime.

Welcome back to Matinee Mondays. Some weeks you just know which film you want to see at the theaters, like last week’s Episode #141 (“Deadpool 2”), and today’s jaunt back into the Star Wars Universe. Thank you to everyone who took the silly Twitter poll and expect one every week. I will definitely need your help next week. Keep a lookout in the next couple of days, and let me know.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018), the origin story of Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich), beloved rogue of the Star Wars Universe, written for the screen by Lawrence Kasdan and his son, Jonathan Kasdan, and directed by Ron Howard. The film follows the adventure that initially brought Han together with Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover), along with the rest of the criminal underworld. 

Spoilers ahead. 

I hate walking out of a theater feeling dissatisfied. I’ve been hella spoiled lately with “A Quiet Place” (Episode #127), “Avengers: Infinity War” (Episode #120), and “Deadpool 2” (Episode #141). But I had high hopes for this film after being quite impressed with “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016). And I think it’s important to make some comparisons between the films, because they offer two potential paths for these anthology films. One path is telling new stories within the framework of the old canon. The other path is to tell old stories within the framework of the new canon.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) is taking the latter path, trying to shoehorn every random line of dialogue from the original trilogy with every unanswered question about Han Solo, including the ultimate retcon of making sense of the famous Kessel Run quote. I certainly agree the film had to integrate with the rest of the canon, but I don’t like that nearly everything happened on this one adventure, and the rest of it is conveniently foreshadowed as a sequel. A sequel that will have direct ties to “Rebels” if the stinger reveal is any indication.

I thought the cast was all right, with big nods to Donald Glover as Lando, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, and another great droid role for Phoebe Waller-Bridge as L3-37. I thought Alden Ehrenreich was all right as Han Solo, but there is still some room to grow. Overall, I liked the direction, although some of the filters and lighting were too dark and too gritty. And sadly, while both the practical and special effects were above average, I actually thought all three Marvel films this year had better effects by far.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) is a perfectly adequate Star Wars film, with a slightly contrived script that will either hit or miss with the audience. It struggles with canon integration at times, but it delivers a decent adventure within an amazing universe, and leaves room for sequels, depending on how well this one lands. Fans of the Star Wars franchise should definitely see this film, but temper your expectations to maximize your enjoyment. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 70%

Metacritic: 63

One Movie Punch: 6.6/10

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) is rated PG-13 and is currently playing in theatres.

Today’s movie is “The Vanishing of Sidney Hall” (2017), the A24 drama directed by Shawn Christensen and written for the screen in collaboration with Jason Dolan. The film follows Sidney Hall (Logan Lerman), who finds incredible success with his first novel, then disappears, until one man known as The Searcher (Kyle Chandler) decides to investigate what happened.

Spoilers ahead. 

Movies about novelists are tricky matters, because choice of medium matters when telling a story. It also matters whether the novelist is real or fictional, because how much story you need to tell is directly related to how well known (or unknown) the novelist is. It matters whether you can leverage pop culture or some other part of the zeitgeist, or whether you can presume some basic knowledge about the novelist. And if you are working with a completely fictional novelist, then you need to tell two stories: the story about the novelist and the story that made the novelist a novelist.

Which is where we find ourselves with “The Vanishing of Sidney Hall”, whom we are to believe is a high school dropout author whose first novel is not only a best seller, but is nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. We are told his story spread out across three separate time periods, which includes the story of his first novel, the tragedy of his success, and the wandering journey his life becomes. We’re never told the entirety of any story until the end, which creates anticipation that, frankly, doesn’t deliver.

It also doesn’t help that Logan Lerman has troubles carrying Sidney Hall as a character, partially because of Christensen’s storytelling style, but mostly because he never seems like he’s actually experienced any of the storylines, and not in a good way. I did enjoy his three separate looks for each storyline, but he’s nowhere near the amalgamation of every disturbed suburban novelist, despite an impressive supporting cast.

“The Vanishing of Sidney Hall” (2017) is a film about an uncompromising writer told in a complicated fashion, ultimately failing to deliver any message at all. Christensen and Dolan craft a script that’s too clever, gambling on a finished product that has obvious flaws. Ironically, fans of uncompromising writers will probably not like this film, but I suspect it will find its own small fan base, and perhaps even attain its own cult status. Only time will tell.

Rotten Tomatoes: 9%

Metacritic: 18

One Movie Punch: 6.4/10

“The Vanishing of Sidney Hall” (2017) is rated R and is streaming on Amazon Prime.

It’s Streaming Saturday and that means another Netflix Original movie. To be honest, most of the Netflix comedies this year haven’t been great, but today’s movie is actually pretty good. If you are looking for some other Netflix Original comedies from this year, check out Episode #013 (“The Polka King”), Episode #027 (“A Futile and Stupid Gesture”), and Episode #111 (“Dude”). You can check out all our Netflix Original reviews at the website onemoviepunch.com by clicking on the Netflix Original blog tag. Happy hunting!

And now...

Today’s movie is “Ibiza” (2018), the Netflix Original comedy written by Lauryn Kahn and directed by Alex Richanbach. The film follows Harper (Gillian Jacobs), who is going on a business trip to Barcelona to close a deal with a sangria company. Her friends Nikki (Vanessa Bayer) and Leah (Phoebe Robinson) crash the trip, and begin a series of adventures, including Harper meeting Leo (Richard Madden), a shy club DJ, whose next gig is in Ibiza.

Spoilers ahead.

Girls trips have been all the rage at the theatres, including most recently “Girls Trip” and “Rough Night”, which have been their own versions of the magic seen in “The Hangover” trilogy. I wasn’t sure if this film would be affected by industry burnout behind the premise, but “Ibiza” (2018) turned out all right. And compared to some of the other Netflix Original comedies this year, that’s doing really well.

The chemistry between Gillian Jacobs, Phoebe Robinson, and Vanessa Bayer is great, which helps carry the fairy tale like script along. The worst thing that happens with unlimited access to drugs and sex is someone with a knife chasing the trio out of a mansion party. The film is very much about the journey, told as a blend of romantic and sketch comedy, with Harper the only character undergoing growth, while the other two are clearly along for the ride. And once the journey is over, the film comes to a close, even though there is clearly more story to tell and a not-so-subtle possible second film in Tokyo.

I have a few criticisms, though. Leo is a pretty vapid character, a shy superstar DJ/Unicorn that feels more like a plot device than a character. I feel like aside from a short beach scene that Ibiza was under-utilized, with mostly interior shots, whether a club, a hotel, a penthouse or a cab. It is probably the actual experience for most tourists, but I guess I was just hoping for more.

“Ibiza” (2018) is a modern fairy tale, almost like Cinderella with cool step-sisters. The lead ladies all turn in fun, easygoing performances in a low stakes environment, and strong enough to pull off a sequel if they want it. Fans of comedic journey films will definitely enjoy this film, but don’t expect to see much of exterior Ibiza.

Rotten Tomatoes: 78%

Metacritic: 54

One Movie Punch: 6.8/10

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