Tag: 2023

Aftersun (2022) | REVIEW

Frankie Corioo (L) and Paul Mescal (R) in Charlotte Wells’ AFTERSUN — PHOTO: A24.

Directed by Charlotte Wells — Screenplay by Charlotte Wells.

There is no getting around the fact that I am extremely late to the party when it comes to Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun. Frankly, there are two reasons for that. Firstly, the 2022 film was released in February of 2023 in my region, so I would always be late to the party for this film which was first released at the Cannes Film Festival in May of last year (and which was already one of the most celebrated films in critics’ circles long before Danes would even get the chance to see it). Secondly, its local release back in February was inconvenient for me, as it came out at a time when I was preparing myself for something quite time-consuming (and potentially draining) in the first half of the year, as well as the fact that I was also scrambling to cover new 2023 releases at that time. I was, honestly, overwhelmed at that time — both in my daily life and by the hype that had snowballed rapidly for months with no end in sight. 

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NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU (2023) | REVIEW

Kaitlyn Dever hiding from an Alien in NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU — PHOTO: 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Brian Duffield — Screenplay by Brian Duffield.

It is possible to sometimes find true hidden gems in the vast library of streaming services. Frankly, sometimes studios opt to dump strong films onto streaming services, even though the film in question possesses a clear and obvious theatrical release potential. This is one of those occasions. Brian Duffield’s NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU is the kind of horror science-fiction film that knows exactly what it is and how it can carve out its own place among the many inspirations that will probably be clear for most people to see. It’s exactly the kind of film that I would go crazy for in theaters, but which we have been provided with from the comfort of our own homes. Subscribers of Hulu (or Disney+ depending on your location) have been given a special little science-fiction invasion film about alienation and a specific alien home invasion. 

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A Haunting in Venice (2023) | REVIEW

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in A HAUNTING IN VENICE — PHOTO: 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh — Screenplay by Michael Green.

Trying to play an iconic character that has been portrayed by a litany of actors is a challenge. The challenge is more than doubled when you’re also the chief creative involvement shepherding the entire production. Such is the case for Kenneth Branagh with his Agatha Christie adaptation film series, in which he plays her mustachioed Belgian star detective, Hercule Poirot. After two so-so or at best lukewarm entries with his versions of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, Branagh has taken a far less well-known story and adapted it for his third attempt. So, is the third time the charm for Branagh’s Poirot? Well, I’ll say this, it is by far the most interesting of his three Poirot whodunnit adaptations thus far, even though it’s not without issues.

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The Nun II (2023) | REVIEW

Taissa Farmiga standing in front of a mysteriously unguarded newsstand at night in THE NUN II — PHOTO: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Directed by Michael Chaves — Story by Akela Cooper (Hell Fest)– Screenplay by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and Akela Cooper.

Even though DC films have relentlessly tried to catch up to Marvel, the only cinematic universe that I think even comes close to being as much of a widely enjoyed success is that of The Conjuring. Since James Wan’s The Conjuring was first released to critical acclaim in 2013, two sequels and five spin-offs have been released. Although James Wan has moved on to different projects, the horror-centered cinematic universe is still chugging along. The Nun II is the ninth film in the series, and it has been directed by Michael Chaves, whose three feature films as a director all exist in this universe. As such, you could say that Chaves is the heir apparent to Wan. However, I should also say that I have not been entirely happy with his entries thus far. His debut The Curse of La Llorona was wholly forgettable and I was merely lukewarm on his The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Although The Nun II hasn’t completely turned things around for Chaves, in my opinion, I do think The Nun II is significantly better than the original The Nun spin-off.

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Infinity Pool (2023) | REVIEW

Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth with grotesque masks on their faces in Brandon Cronenberg’s INFINITY POOL — PHOTO: NEON / UNIVERSAL.

Directed by Brandon Cronenberg — Screenplay by Brandon Cronenberg.

“I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters,” former U.S. President Donald Trump said at a campaign rally in 2016. With what has happened since then — such as his supporters’ January 6th, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, or the unyielding support that Trump still receives even after having been indicted (checks notes) 4 times — I think it would be fair to say that he’s probably right, even though it absolutely should not be true. Some people are just gobsmackingly blind to what is really going on — and once they find out who people really are, it is sometimes too late. Anyway, why am I mentioning this? Well, this idea that the uber-privileged have no relationship with consequences is something that has stuck with me ever since I first saw Infinity Pool, which is not at all about Trump but definitely is about who people are behind the masks that they hide behind in their outward-facing daily lives.

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Influencer (2023) | REVIEW

Emily Tennant (Left) and Cassandra Naud (Right) in INFLUENCER — PHOTO: Jackrabbit Media.

Directed by Kurtis David Harder — Screenplay by Tesh Guttikonda and Kurtis David Harder.

Kurtis David Harder’s Influencer takes place in Thailand where we meet Madison (played by Emily Tennant), the titular influencer, who is documenting her journey through the country as a way to promote her profile as an influencer. In Thailand, she meets CW (played by Cassandra Naud), a young American woman, who Madison befriends. CW excitedly shows Madison the local hotspots and they hit it off, with Madison trusting CW enough to open up about her own frustrations with her boyfriend, Ryan (played by Rory J. Saber), who was supposed to be there with her. One day, Madison returns to her hotel in Thailand to find that it has been broken into and her passport has been stolen. Madison has to stay for a few additional days, so she decides to hang out with CW more. CW decides to sail them to a remote, deserted island with no cellphone coverage. Here Madison gets back in touch with nature, but she is also about to find out how dangerous it can be to be disconnected from the online life she has built for herself.

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Vacation Friends 2 (2023) | REVIEW

Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji, Meredith Hagner, and John Cena in VACATION FRIENDS 2 — PHOTO: Katrina Marcinowski / 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Clay Tarver — Screenplay by Clay Tarver.

Two years ago, Vacation Friends was released on Hulu, Disney+, or one of the other international Disney-owned streaming services. It boasted a relatively strong main cast, and it was a solid and charming enough comedy flick that I enjoyed much more than I expected to. Back then, I found that John Cena’s excitable comedic energy elevated what was essentially a passable but definitely enjoyable streaming comedy. Parts of that first film felt disposable, but there was enough good there for me to remember the so-so original comedy fondly. Now, two years later, Clay Tarver and 20th Century Studios have gotten the original cast back together for a direct sequel hoping to recapture that same magic. Tarver doesn’t fully succeed, even though there are moments here that do work (and some that work better on paper than as it has been carried out on screen).

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Strays (2023) | REVIEW

Bug, Reggie, Maggie, and Hunter are considering whether they should eat the mushrooms in front of them. — PHOTO: UNIVERSAL PICTURES.

Directed by Josh Greenbaum — Screenplay by Dan Perrault.

Recently, Adam Devine blamed superhero films for comedies failing in theaters (or not even being given a theatrical release). I’ve opined elsewhere that I don’t think that tells the full story. I think the Adam Sandler-Netflix comedy deal, which sent several Sandler-led or produced comedies straight to the streaming service, has changed the landscape for the genre by changing where audiences expect to see comedies. With that deal, I suspect audiences have been trained to think that the comedy genre’s biggest stars call streaming services their home. With the state of modern theatrically released comedies being what it is, I absolutely would love to champion the latest of the bunch to go with a familiar concept and take it in a direction that you haven’t seen before. Strays (or Doggy Style as it is called in certain territories, including mine) is essentially a modern retelling of Homeward Bound but with the kind of R-rated comedy that worked wonderfully for films like Ted but not so much for Sausage Party. Unfortunately, I can’t fully support Strays. Because even though it does have its moments here and there, it’s ultimately just the kind of repetitive and immature raunchy comedy that made me ponder who exactly it was made for in the first place. Frankly, its repetitive comedy would probably be a better fit — and be easier to excuse — on, well, a streaming service.

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Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) | REVIEW

(L-R) Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Chase Sui Wonders, and Rachel Sennott in BODIES BODIES BODIES — PHOTO: A24.

Directed by Halina Reijn — Screenplay by Sarah DeLappe — Story by Kristen Roupenian.

This summer I’ve been trying to catch up on specific releases that I may have missed from last year. One of these catch-up releases is Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies, which piqued my interest last year but which I never got the chance to see. Until now, that is. Bodies Bodies Bodies follows Bee (played by Maria Bakalova), a young Eastern European woman, and her girlfriend Sophie (played by Amandla Stenberg), as they travel to a mansion owned by one of Sophie’s friends — David (played by Pete Davidson). Upon arrival, it becomes clear that Bee’s inclusion in the so-called ‘hurricane party’ that Sophie’s friend group — which, other than David, also includes Jordan (played by Chase Sui Wonders), Alice (played by Rachel Sennott), Jordan (played by Myha’la Herrold), and Greg (played by Lee Pace) — has set up has not been OK’d beforehand. After a round of introductions, they partake in alcohol and drugs before they decide to play a party game called — you guessed it — ‘bodies bodies bodies,’ which is a ‘murder in the dark’ whodunnit type game in which they have to figure out who the murderer in their midst is. Later, as the storm worsens, the power goes out, and they soon find one of them actually dead. Now it appears to be all real. They now have to figure out — as the saying goes — who’s done it.

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Extraction 2 (2023) | REVIEW

Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake in EXTRACTION 2 — PHOTO: Jasin Boland / Netflix.

Directed by Sam Hargrave (Extraction) — Screenplay by Joe Russo (The Gray Man; Avengers: Endgame).

Sam Hargrave’s Extraction 2 takes place nine months after the events of the first film. The so-called ‘myth of Mumbai,’ Tyler Rake (played by Chris Hemsworth) has opted to retire from his time as a mercenary to live a quiet life in Austria and recover. That’s until a stranger (played by Idris Elba) approaches him with another extraction mission. Ketevan (played by Tinatin Dalakishvili), the sister of Rake’s ex-wife, has alongside her two children been locked up by her incarcerated Georgian crime boss husband, who abuses and manipulates his family. It is Rake’s job to get Ketevan and her children out alive, and, in the process, take on a crime syndicate and an entire prison in the process.

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