Tag: Jessica Rothe

BOY KILLS WORLD – Review

Whew, it’s not even May, and the cinematic “body count” rises up considerably with another lone, determined warrior facing nearly insurmountable odds. I suppose this is more of the “JOHN WICK” effect, as filmmakers try to “up the ante” and deliver a flick with near wall-to-wall frenetic action. So far this year we’ve gone from the spy showdowns of ARGYLE to the avenger of the elderly THE BEEKEEPER, and winding up a couple of weeks ago with the manic MONKEY MAN (not to mention the ballistic ballerina ABIGAIL and THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, which wasn’t shown to the press). For this week’s thriller we’re sent to a near future time in an exotic foreign land as, in a nod either to old Variety newspaper headlines or the beloved ABC TGIF sitcom, BOY KILLS WORLD.

And it is a nasty dystopian world for the preteen boy (Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti), who is being trained in the jungle by the surly, “slave-driving” Shaman (Yayan Ruhian). And just what is he being trained for? Revenge, natch’, against the leader (mayor, or perhaps president) of the nearby city-state Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen). It seems there’s been an annual event during her 25 years in office, a big ceremony/celebration known as “The Culling”. Basically, her thug army rounds up a dozen or so troublemakers for a public execution. Recently Hilda took out the boy’s kid sister Mina and their underground rebel mother. Somehow the Shaman whisked the boy into the woods and deprived him of his hearing and speech before the mentoring began. The years pass and the lad becomes an adult (Bill Skarsgard). He and the Shaman head to the city’s market on “Culling Eve” and witness an attack on the populace by Hilda’s forces led by her flashy, sleazy spokesman son-in-law Gideon (Sharlito Copley) and her speech-writing son Glen (Bret Gelman). During the melee, the “Boy” breaks from the Shaman and makes his way to a secret hidden weapons factory. After a furious battle, he teams with an enslaved worker, Basho (Andrew Koji) and the last of the “resistance” Benny (Isaiah Mustafa) to infiltrate the Van Der Koy mansion. But do they stand a chance against the minions commanded by daughter Melanie (Michelle Dockery) and spearheaded by the mysterious, savage June 27 (Jessica Rothe)? Maybe, if the boy can ignore the taunts of the ghost of his kid sister Mina (Quinn Copeland) and heed his inner voice (H. Jon Benjamin)…

After terrifying audiences as the child-killing clown Pennywise in the recent pair of IT flicks, Skarsgard puts those expressive dark eyes to good use as the film’s silent “wrecking ball”. And he communicates thoroughly whether he’s filled with adrenaline prior to battle, or must quickly formulate a new plan as things inevitably go awry. Most importantly Skarsgard conveys Boy’s sadness and his yearning for a time before the violence and the heartbreaking loss. We see that in his scenes with Copeland who goes from cute to snarky to coldly savage as the ghostly kid sister Mina (perhaps a nod to the Dracula heroine). The actors having the most fun might be the crew playing members of the Van Der Koy dynasty. Dockery is pure unbridled ambition as the calculating Melanie. Gelman is an erudite murderous “poison pen” as the pompous scribe Glen, a great sparring partner with the equally arrogant “showboat” Gideon. But none are more chilling than Mama played as an unpredictable unhinged “hair-trigger” by the aloof, slinky Janssen. Though he’s teaching and aiding the boy in his quest for justice, Ruhian could also be considered a “bad guy” as he appears to delight in his tasks of torture and agony. Rothe makes a compelling enforcer (with standards) as the enigmatic 6/27. And I must single out the snarky narration of Benjamin, mixing the Boy’s sense of wonder with the bravado of an old-style action hero.

Director Moritz Mohr, who co-wrote the film based upon his previous self-tittled short, has a kinetic frenetic visual style, which may be what attracted producer Sam Raimi (I’m sure his EVIL DEAD trilogy was an inspiration). He puts you right in the thick of the action as the camera seems to dance about the combatants, weaving in and out, leaving the viewer nearly spent after a big stunt sequence. Yes, the energy is up, but it becomes somewhat repetitive after a bit, even to the point of (sorry) “overkill”. Maybe it’s too soon after the superior MONKEY MAN, but the story seems to lurch between the big battle sequences. Yes, there are some very clever ideas, with “The Culling” mixing elements of THE HUNGER GAMES, THE PURGE, and a touch of THE RUNNING MAN and the visor on the helmet of June 27 projecting digital messages (“Back away”, “No kids” and, of course “F#$* you”). It adds to the casual inhuman cruelty of the Van Der Koys, who also seem to stand in for many despised “one-percenters”. And there are a few amusing “call-backs”, particularly Boy’s inability to read the lips of Benny, resulting in a strange deluge of nonsense words. But just as the script shows a bit of wit, we’re soon drowning in a sea of gore (the CGI plasma bursts quickly became stale), perhaps hitting its zenith with a tribute to the Black Night of MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (I kept waiting for the drug-fueled goon to shout, “None shall pass!”). Mohr tries to dazzle us with some third-act plot twists and reveals, but we’re too pummeled by the body count to really care. Even action flick junkies may feel as though they’ve been “over-served” by the indulgences and excess of BOY KILLS WORLD.


2.5 Out of 4

BOY KILLS WORLD is now playing in theatres everywhere

Here’s the New Trailer for BODY BROKERS Starring Frank Grillo and Melissa Leo

BODYBROKERSwhichis directed and written byJohn Swab (Run with the Hunted, Let Me Make You a Martyr) and stars Frank Grillo (The Purge franchise, Captain America franchise, The Grey), Melissa Leo (Prisoners, The Fighter, Frozen River), Jack Kilmer (The Nice Guys, Palo Alto), Michael K. Williams (12 Years a Slave, “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Wire”), Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day franchise), and Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures, Ginger & Rosa). Check out the trailer:

One of the key takeaways from the film is that unfortunately, drug treatment facilities are organized as a multi-billion dollar insurance scandal rather than a center created to help individuals with addiction.  
Director John Swab saw this first hand, which inspired him to create the film.

Utah and Opal are junkies living on the streets of rural Ohio until a seemingly chance encounter with the enigmatic Wood (Michael Kenneth Williams) brings them to Los Angeles for treatment. While Utah finds sobriety with the help of the treatment center shrink (Academy Award®-Winner Melissa Leo), he soon learns that rehab is not about helping people—it’s merely a cover scheme for a multibillion dollar fraud operation, enlisting addicts to recruit other addicts. Seduced by the money, but troubled by the hypocrisy, Utah must decide between what will make him rich, and what will save Opal.

BODY BROKERS stars Jack Kilmer, Michael K. Williams, Jessica Rothe, Alice Englert, Peter Greene, Owen Campbell, Sam Quartin, Thomas Dekker, with Frank Grillo and Melissa Leo

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U – Review

(from left) Jessica Rothe as Tree Gelbman, Israel Broussard as Carter and Phi Vu as Ryan in “Happy Death Day 2U,” written and directed by Christopher Landon. Photo Credit: Michele K. Short/Universal Pictures. © 2019 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

In time for Valentine’s Day comes HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, a sequel to the 2017 horror/comedy HAPPY DEATH DAY. College student Tree (Jessica Rothe) is back for another day of repeated deaths, but this time it is someone else stuck in the loop of a repeated day. Nonetheless, it is still fierce sorority girl Tree, who went through this before, who must solve the mystery and stop the murderous loop.

Audiences don’t really have to have seen the original to follow the story in the sequel, as HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U provides a quick little recap of the first film, as Tree explains the situation to the new guy caught in the death day time loop. Briefly, in the first film, Tree keeps waking up on her birthday, in the dorm room of a guy she met at a party the night before but does not remember. The rude, self-centered Tree makes her way back to her sorority and goes through her day, only to be killed by someone in a demon baby mask (the college’s weird sports mascot) on the way to another party. But then, like in the Bill Murray comedy GROUNDHOG DAY, she wakes up again on the morning of her birthday and relives the day. The premise, of course, is that Tree has to solve her own murder and prevent it, to get to the next day.

This time the victim is Ryan (Phi Vu), the roommate of Carter (Israel Broussard), in whose dorm room Tree kept waking up in the first film. We quickly learn Ryan is part of a trio of students working on science project that caused his troubles as well as Tree’s. Naturally, the relentless Tree sets out the solve the mystery, with the help of Carter and Ryan.

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U is placed firmly in the long genre tradition of horror comedy films, and seems aimed mostly at a younger audience with a taste for horror films as date movies. As a sequel, it is not as inventive as the first one but it is not bad either. As genre stuff, it does not offer much for more sophisticated audiences but for those looking for basic popcorn entertainment, it works well enough.

Christopher Landon directed both films, which are from Blumhouse, the studio that gave us GLASS, THE PURGE and GET OUT. While neither HAPPY DEATH DAY films are anywhere near the same league as GET OUT by any means, the first film was a hit and it was rather clever, recycling the idea behind GROUNDHOG DAY while playing with horror film tropes. The best twist was the sorority girl character at the center of it, who, instead of being a screaming victim, is a don’t-mess-with-me hellion.

There is plenty of death and violence in both films but not a lot of blood and gore, with even less in the sequel. HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U adds a new film reference to the GROUNDHOG DAY idea, mixing it with BACK TO THE FUTURE. With the help of Ryan and his nerdy science major friends, Tree time-travels back to her own death day to try to fix the problem, needing more than one trip. The time travel means some scenes from the original are repeated, but instead of re-shooting them from a new point of view, the sequel just lifts the scenes from the first film, both a clever idea and a cost-saving one.

Jessica Rothe reprises her role, and the cast of the first film returns as well, with new characters added. Rothe again does a nice job as the relentless Tree. Like the Bill Murray character, Rothe’s character goes from a jerk to a better person in the first film, and builds on that growth in the sequel, becoming even more resourceful. Broussard is likable again as Carter, with Phi Vu fine as Ryan, as are Suraj Sharma and Sarah Yarkin as his comically nerdy friends. Rachel Matthews is even more obnoxious as sorority president Danielle, Ruby Modine remains mysterious as Tree’s mismatched roommate Lori, and Charles Aitken is even ickier as Prof. Gregory.

For those looking for a scary/funny movie for Valentine’ Day date, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U would do nicely. HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U opens Wednesday, Feb. 13, at multiple area theaters.

RATING: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

FOREVER MY GIRL – Review

 

Though the day of cupid’s arrow is still a month away, that doesn’t stop the studios from trying to heat up these frigid Winter nights (and matinees). And, for at least this February 14, the holiday is claimed by Christian Gray and company (add joke about restraining cherubs). As foretold by its PG rating, this romance is pretty gentle, though it’s also based on a literary “heart-tugger”. Plus it’s got a “mighty strong” country kick with its locale and music (soundtrack and setting). so Hollywood’s hoping for a “long term relationship” rather than a one night (or single viewing) stand with FOREVER MY GIRL.

The little town of St. Augustine, Louisiana is all abuzz on this sunny warm afternoon. Home town boy Liam Page’s first CD is climbing the charts (everyone’s heard his hit song on the radio). And today he’s marrying his high school sweetheart Josie (Jessica Rothe). But as she adjusts her veil, the best man pays a visit to the bridal prep station. Seems that Liam has left word that he’ll not attend. Of course, Josie is devastated. Flash forward eight years to the present day, and Liam (Alex Roe) is a superstar, selling out huge concert venues. He’s a music sensation, and a handful for his manager Sam (Peter Cambor). Late the next morning Liam finally rises from his booze and groupie-fueled stupor. In his limo ride, the TV news report informs him of the car crash death of his hometown “best bud’ (and almost best man). Braking from his “handlers”, Liam bribes his driver to take him back to his little birth home. He arrives mid funeral service, much to the chagrin of his widowed father, Pastor Brian (John Benjamin Hickey) and shocks Josie. Crashing at his old home, Liam has Sam overnight his charge cards (and send a rental car). While he “gets his head together”, Liam tracks down the very angry Josie. Still single, she has taken over a local flower shop. On a visit there, Liam is surprised to meet Josie’s seven year-old daughter Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson), named after Liam’s late mom. Could she be his offspring? While Sam and Liam’s publicist Doris (Gillian Vigman) fret about Liam’s musical commitments, he leaves the fast lane to spent time with Billy and perhaps mend fences with her mama. But is it too late? Can the over-indulgent pampered singer finally become a responsible adult, let alone a daddy?

 

Despite his absence from the opening flashback sequence (he’s a runaway groom), Roe’s Liam is the film’s main focus, though he seems to be more at ease as the hard-partyin’ “honky-tonker” in his first scenes. But he does, as they say, “clean up nice”, when he returns to his roots (all the stage “sweat” is overdone, reminding us of the “on air” Albert Brooks in BROADCAST NEWS), though his discomfort never fully erodes away. Perhaps this stems from the huge hurdle he must clear in order to get us on his side, the hurdle being his big bail eight years previous. The victim of the incredibly selfish act, Josie immediately gains our sympathies, thanks to the work of rising star Rothe (one of the roomies in LA LA LAND, who also delighted us last year with her energetic lead role in HAPPY DEATH DAY). Upon his return, Rothe gives Roe a look that would destroy him a thousand times over (I imagined the eye beams from X-MEN’s Cyclops reducing him to ashes). Luckily her character warms, and Rothe shows us soaring joy as her heart finally heals. Here’s wishing her more opportunities that showcase her talents in more worthy material. Fortson is, of course, unstoppably adorable as lil’ Billy (hey, she’s the daughter of ANT-MAN, so maybe that’s a super-power), even as she’s burdened with all too mature, precious bits of dialogue (this seven year-old talks like a thirty year-old sitcom writer). Hickey is humble and sincere as the preacher papa, projecting a quiet dignity and strength, while Cambor is full of exasperation and perspiration as Liam’s show-biz daddy (rather than the cliché “woman on the phone” we’ve got the male counterpart).

 

Director Bethany Ashton Wolf also wrote the screenplay adaptation of Heidi McLaughlin’s best seller, keeping a tight rein on the movie’s narrative. Not having read the original novel, I’m wondering if the story meanders as much as this retelling. There are long lingering shots of the gorgeous Louisiana countryside (the tourism board must be delighted) that help establish the mood, as the plot clumsily attempts to hit the dramatic beats as it marches toward its inevitable “life is grand” final clinch. It appears that the marketing folks are going after the audience that somehow still flock to the Nicholas Sparks-inspired schlock. Unfortunately GIRL has none of the camp excesses of those flicks. I mean, there’s no real villain, no outside force scheming to keep the lovers apart, other than Josie’s too protective older brother who delivers a stern lecture to Liam. Plus there’s no big dramatic bit of action that puts the duo in jeopardy. A chaotic cook-out can’t compete with gale force wind and rain. I’m also wondering if the characters were simplified for the screen, as Josie seems far too quick to forgive and forget, even indulging in a showy “50 Shades”-style date (no chains, just a big helicopter getaway) And, as mentioned earlier, Billy’s “beyond her years” speech patterns and references (invoking RAIN MAN and JERRY MAGUIRE’s Jonathan Lipnicki) don’t work. The whole things plays out like a sub par basic cable movie, its PG rating ensuring that it won’t offend or shock. Thanks to that, FOREVER MY GIRL certainly feels like an eternity.

1 Out of 5

 

HAPPY DEATH DAY – Review

There are certain stereotypes and tropes that have existed in the horror genre for decades. In the 80s, the slasher genre made popular the idea of a masked killer stalking a group of teenagers. As often was the case, a “final girl” was left as the killer’s last victim, being forced to do battle and reveal to the audience who has been picking off her friends one by one.

Sure, it’s formulaic, but the concept spawned hundreds of films and continues to inspire modern filmmakers to put their own spin on the sub-genre. Powerhouse production company Blumhouse has hired Christopher Landon (PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES) to breathe life into their own clever take on the slasher film with HAPPY DEATH DAY. Instead of a group of kids each facing their individual demise, you have one girl standing in the place of them all. How, do you ask? It’s never fully explained, but Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) ends each day being killed by a baby mask-wearing killer and then wakes up to face it over and over and over again. And before you say it… yes, the film is very much aware of the classic comedy that they are borrowing the concept from.

This familiar structure works because the film plays around with slasher film motifs. Everyone who grew up with the sub-genre loves the staging of a good kill. While she may be living out the same day over and over again, Tree learns from each misstep which leads to a new and creative way for the killer to get her the next day. The deaths are fun without a focus on the blood and guts, even adding a tongue-in-cheek factor in some cases (an escape to the bedroom from a frat party takes a funny and disastrous turn).

Jessica Rothe’s character sort of embodies several female horror stereotypes all rolled into one, and I mean this in a good way. You have the bad girl that has a wild side, the comedic jester that farts and jokes with friends, and you even have the strong and determined final girl that outsmarts the killer, all packed into one character. She’s filled with gumption, but Rothe goes a little overboard with the delivery.

While the film embraces the nonsensical absurdity for two-thirds of its 96 min. duration, the last third amplifies it to parody-level theatrics. You almost expect the Mystery Science Theater 3000  hosts to pop in towards the end to riff on some of the nauseating moments, including one where our lead has a sequence of “self-discovery” moments. At that point though, the film had me mostly sold on its blend of self-aware and serious horror, even if the balance was a little uneven.

Many fans will be quick to point out that it’s not particularly scary. To that point, I would 100% agree. Sure, the mask is creepy – what 80s horror kid doesn’t love a good scary mask – however, the scariest element is the real-life horror insinuated by Tree questioning the men and women in her life. Like any good whodunnit, there’s always a question of who’s the killer. Director Christopher Landon emphasizes the personal players in her life. Despite his often pedestrian approach to staging the thrilling sequences, he does a fine job at putting the audience in her shoes. The threat is all around her and could be anyone in her life. So, while this specific paralyzing feeling might be creepy, horror fans might be more amused by the presence of “Death” instead of being actually afraid of it. HAPPY DEATH DAY is a film to moderately enjoy today, but not something that you will relive or remember tomorrow.

 

Overall score: 2.5 out of 5

HAPPY DEATH DAY opens in theaters Friday, October 13th

Watch The Delightful Trailer For Damien Chazelle’s LA LA LAND Starring Ryan Gosling And Emma Stone

la la land

Lionsgate has released a wonderful first trailer for LA LA LAND. Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Damien Chazelle (WHIPLASH), check out this first look at the film below.

LA LA LAND tells the story of Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.

Original musicals are a tough sell, but combined with A-list actors Stone and Gosling, helmed by Chazelle and a Los Angeles setting, AMPAS voters will flip for this type of film.

The movie also features John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, Finn Wittrock, Callie Hernandez, Sonoya Mizuno, Jessica Rothe, Josh Pence and Tom Everett Scott.

LA LA LAND opens for an awards season qualifying run December 2, 2016 (LA & NY), December 9, 2016 (Limited) and December 16, 2016 (Wide).

Download the new song “City of Stars” featuring Ryan Gosling: http://smarturl.it/CityOfStars

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'City of Stars' - Cover Art