BAD HOMBRES (2024)

January 25, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. January releases are always a bit of a gamble – not just for filmmakers, but also for viewers. A few gems are often buried in the indie dump, so an open mind is especially beneficial and necessary this time of year. Landing somewhere in between the hidden gems and the muck is this B-movie crime thriller from writer-director John Stalberg Jr, and his co-writers Rex New and Nick Turner.

Like so many immigrants to the United States, Felix (Diego Tinoco) is a bright-eyed man, desperate to work and save enough money to relocate his family from Ecuador. At a local convenience store one morning, Donnie (Luke Hemsworth) offers a job (digging a hole in the desert) to Felix and another day-laborer named Alfonso (Hemky Madera, “Queen of the South”). While Felix seems eager and friendly, Alfonso is grumpy and hardened, but it’s Donnie and his cohort who turn out to be psychopaths and criminals. Things turn violent with a blast of gunfire and a pickax to the chest. Felix and Alfonso find themselves knee deep in a botched drug deal and are forced to become partners in order to survive.

Alfonso’s secret past as ‘God Killer’ works to their advantage, and soon enough he has called in a favor from a skittish scumbag (Thomas Jane) who runs a junk lot with a car crusher. He also has a contact for a local veterinarian (Nick Cassavetes) who is on-call for, um, non-pet medical emergencies. On their tail is a fixer (Tyrese Gibson) who works for the “gringos” on one side of the drug deal gone wrong. Working to the film’s advantage is that the actors are all fully engaged and never distract from a situation that most of us can’t exactly relate to (thank goodness).

Felix has a dream of bringing his family to the states and opening a restaurant that features his specialty: chicken with pumpkin. While I will likely never try his signature dish, I found this little movie surprisingly easy to watch – despite the violence and low budget (and inconsistencies with Hemsworth’s arm).

Opening in select theaters and VOD on January 26, 2024

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2 Comments | Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE (2023, Germany)

January 24, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. The intensity and stress of everyday life and of everyday people are on full display in this film from writer-director Iler Catak and co-writer Johannes Duncker. They have brilliantly crafted a terrific suspense thriller from the most unexpected setting and group of characters … a junior high school and the faculty and students.

Teacher Carla Nowak (Leone Benesch, THE WHITE RIBBON, “Babylon Berlin”) is new to the school, originally hailing from Poland. She’s the type of teacher who motivates students by having them think creatively and from different perspectives. We can immediately tell she’s as idealistic as she is passionate about her profession. When one of her students is accused of stealing money, she’s at odds with school principal Dr Bohm (Anne-Kathrin Gummich) on the interrogation of students, as well as the conference with the accused student’s parents.

It turns out there is quite an epidemic of theft and dishonesty at the school, and it extends to the titular teachers’ lounge where Carla herself witnesses an occurrence. Carla decides to set a trap using her laptop’s camera and her unattended wallet. When the camera ‘catches’ the sleeve of an unusual blouse print, Carla confronts the ‘obvious’ culprit, school administrator Ms. Kuhn (Eva Lobau), who adamantly denies the accusation. Further complicating matters, Carla shows the video to Dr Bohm, who promptly suspends Ms. Kuhn, who also happens to be the mother of Carla’s favorite student, Oskar (Leonard Stettnisch).

Carla’s best intentions seem to backfire at every turn. She believes in right and wrong, and also in forgiveness and second chances (especially for kids). Her anxiety heightens at each misstep, whether by her, the administration, or students. Soon, even Oskar is lashing out and threatening her, despite Carla’s attempt to shield him. Many find Carla’s use of the laptop camera more offensive than the actual theft, and the student newspaper journalists seize on this opportunity to incite rebellion and independence.

Much of what we witness on screen is the result of actions taken out of our sightline – we are left to make assumptions right alongside Carla. Film Editor Gesa Jager deserves special recognition for keeping us just a bit off balance. Emptying the teacher’s coffee fund, cheating on a test, defying the truth … all of these (and more) actions are used by filmmaker Catak in delivering a snapshot of a society where we no longer trust one another. Morality, integrity, misplaced concern, racism, classism … these all play a role here in delivering the message. Leone Benesch is exceptional in the lead role, and Eva Lobau goes full throttle in her attempts to show she was wronged. It’s a Rubik’s Cube that serves up our final message, as well as providing some hope that good intentions do sometimes pay off. Yesterday, it was announced that the film has been Oscar nominated for Best International Feature Film. A well-deserved honor.

Opens in theaters on January 26, 2024

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3 Comments | Drama, Thriller, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

DRIVING MADELEINE (2024, France)

January 19, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. This film surprised me with two clear and valuable reminders. First, with a bit of effort, we can always have a positive impact on others – sometimes to the degree that we change their life. Second, everyone has a life story, and we only learn it if we take the time to ask and listen. Writer-director Christian Carion is known for THE GIRL FROM PARIS (2001) and the superb Oscar nominated JOYEUX NOEL (2005). With co-writer Cyril Gely, Carion delivers a heartfelt story of two people with seemingly nothing in common, crossing paths and making a difference.

Charles (Dany Boon) is a Paris-based taxi driver who feels his life crumbling ever so quickly. His marriage is on the rocks. His financial woes seem insurmountable. He’s one more traffic violation from losing his driver’s license, which means no driving a taxi, and of course, more money problems. His dispatcher calls and offers him a fare that would take him cross-town. At first Charles balks, but quickly remembers he needs the cash. Extremely annoyed when he arrives, Charles repeatedly honks his horn until an elderly lady assures him that she’s ready for the ride. In fact, it’s to be Madeleine’s (Line Renaud) final ride. A trip to the nursing home to live out her final days.

Appearing years short of her 92-year age, Madeleine requests Charles to drive her through the areas that were key to her life. It’s a life that has a shocking past and one that slowly emerges as her charms and warmth thaw Charles’ previously irritated demeanor. It’s fascinating to watch a bond … even a friendship … formed from this unusual day trip around the city. These two should share little common ground, but what we find is that people tend to respond to kindness and listening and sincerity. These two help each other in ways neither could have imagined.

Comparisons to Best Picture Oscar winner DRIVING MISS DAISY (1989) are understandable, yet Madeleine and Charles carve out their own movie niche, and we find ourselves liking each of them. Dany Boone starred in director Carion’s history-based JOYEUX NOEL (2005), and although he is best known for his comedic work, that film and this one proves his dramatic chops. Line Renaud began performing in the 1940’s and is a well-known singer in France. As a ‘sometime’ actress, she lights up the screen here as our beloved and spirited Madeleine. The ending may be a bit of a stretch (even though we see it coming), but the real joy here is watching these two connect as flawed human beings.

Progressive theatrical openings on January 12, 19, 26, February 2, 2024

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3 Comments | Comedy, Drama, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

MEAN GIRLS (2024, musical)

January 11, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. High School is a challenging time. High School girls can be mean, especially to each other. Those two points were made quite clearly in the 2004 film MEAN GIRLS, written by the brilliant Tina Fey and directed by Mark Waters. The film struck a chord with that generation both emotionally and through vocabulary. Society has seen many changes since 2004, but evidently High School is still challenging, and High School girls are still often mean. That film was adapted for a musical stage production in 2017, and now that Broadway musical has been adapted back to the big screen for a new generation. Tina Faye returns as screenwriter (and as math teacher Ms. Norbury), and the new film is co-directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr.

This is my first sojourn into MEAN GIRLS territory. Of course, I have come across ‘mean’ girls in real life, but I have not watched the 2004 film, the 2011 sequel (a TV movie), or the live musical production. Angourie Rice (THE NICE GUYS, “Mare of Easttown”) plays Cady Heron, the home-schooled girl who transfers to North Shore High when she and her mother (Jenna Fisher) relocate from Kenya. Excited for her new adventure, yet uncomfortable as the new kid, Cady is schooled on the social hierarchies (cliques) by artsy Janis (Auli’I Cravahlo, the voice of MOANA) and proud gay Damian (a talented Jaquel Spivey). Most of the education revolves around “The Plastics”, a trio of snooty girls: the not smart Karen Shetty (Avantika), the desperate to be seen Gretchen Wieners (Bebe Wood), and their leader and school villain, wealthy diva Regina George (Renee Rapp in the role made famous by Rachel McAdams).

Regina takes an interest in Cady (a near clone of Amy Adams) and high school life devolves into the mess that it too often is. Cady falls for hot boy and fellow Calculus classmate Aaron (Christopher Briney, DALILAND). This immediately changes the dynamics since Aaron is Regina’s ex. Petty jealousies intensify and personalities shift wreaking more havoc on relationships that were never very deep. Brief supporting roles are covered by Jon Hamm as the clueless coach and health teacher, Ashley Park (“Beef”) as a teacher, an over-the-top Bijou Phillips as Regina’s mom, and Tim Meadows as the fed-up Principal. Meadows is the only actor to appear in all three MEAN GIRLS movies, and he and Tina Fey each nail a couple of zingers. And yes, you can expect a couple of cameos.

The intended message is valuable and delivered clearly, however, for a musical, it’s the songs that often seem weak and sometimes forced. A couple of the songs land, but most miss the mark. Renee Rapp nails her song at the Halloween Party, and Auli’I Cravahlo is truly a standout when she gets the opportunity to showcase that voice. “Gruel” and “fetch” are recycled here for effect, and though the songs are a bit disappointing, we do hope the message is received by a new generation (even if most of these actors look like they should be out of college, rather than clunking through high school).

Opens nationwide in theaters on January 12, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE BEEKEEPER (2024)

January 11, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. For those who take pride in their ability to keep track of body counts in movies, I can only say, best of luck with this one. Boom. Bang. Punch. Kick. Stab. Choke. Flip. Our hero, acting alone, uses every available attack to neutralize armies, SWAT teams, trained security teams, and greedy scumbags … all in the name of “protecting the hive”. OK, it’s mostly for revenge for causing the death of “the only person who took care of me.”

Director David Ayer (END OF WATCH 2012, SUICIDE SQUAD 2016) and screenwriter Kurt Wimmer (SALT, 2010) are very much at home in the action-violence genre, and adding the king of cinematic hand-to-hand combat, Jason Statham, to the mix can only mean more action and more fighting and more violence. There is no reason to critique a movie that delivers exactly what it sets out to deliver to an audience that expects exactly that.

Statham is in prime form as Adam Clay, a beekeeper on a farm owned by retired teacher Elise Parker (Phylicia Rashad, CREED). When a phishing scam drains her bank accounts, including that of the non-profit she administers, Clay reacts to the subsequent tragedy by tracking down the culprits of the scheme. Tech fraudsters are easy targets because we all despise them, and the film plays that up by exaggerating the obnoxious nature of those involved. A miscast Josh Hutcherson (THE HUNGER GAMES) plays Derek Danforth, an entitled little bleep who skateboards in the office to his next massage and wears outlandish outfits befitting a person desperate for attention. Adding to the psychological drama is FBI Agent Verona Parker (Emmy Raver-Lampman, “The Umbrella Academy”), the daughter of Elise, the woman who put Clay on his mission of reckoning.

Additional supporting roles include Bobby Naderi as Verona’s FBI partner, Jemma Redgrave as the President, a brief appearance by Minnie Driver as the FBI director (she takes three quick phone calls), and Oscar winner Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld, the retired agent charged with keeping douchey Derek safe. The hook here is that beekeeper Clay is actually a retired secret agent known as “the Beekeeper”, and in one of the oddest sequences, his replacement (a wild character inspired by Prince?) brings a Gatling gun to try and end Clay once and for all. The film is silly and absurd, and right up the alley of those who embrace Statham’s stoic bulldozer of a man.

Opens in theaters on January 12, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

ROLE PLAY (2024)

January 11, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. The spouse living a double life is territory covered many times by many movies over many years. When done well, it’s an intriguing premise and fertile ground for a fascinating character – one who can flip the switch between a ‘normal’ family life and one of intense danger. What’s rare is for the oblivious spouse to be the more interesting character, yet that’s exactly what happens in this film from director Thomas Vincent and screenwriter Seth W Owen.

Kaley Cuoco stars as Emma Brackett, and David Oyelowo co-stars as her husband, Dave. Ms. Cuoco shot to fame with her role as Penny on the long-running TV series “The Big Bang Theory”, which she followed up with leading roles in “The Flight Attendant” and “Harley Quinn”. This is her latest shot at establishing herself as a movie actress. Mr. Oyelowo is best known for his dramatic turns in SELMA (2014) and THE MIDNIGHT SKY (2020), and the new series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves”.

Emma is a contract assassin who works all over the world using disguises (mostly wigs) and aliases, while telling Dave, the nicest, most trusting man on Earth, that she is off to yet another generic work conference in Nebraska or some other unexciting locale. When home, Emma is a good mother to their two kids, and clearly enjoys their life in suburban New Jersey. When work beckons, Dave unwittingly accepts her reason for travel, having no clue that she’ll return with blood on her hands.

On their seventh anniversary, Dave suggests they spice things up a bit with some role play. Their planned ‘happenstance’ meeting as strangers at a hotel bar goes sideways thanks to the intrusion of an unwelcome third wheel named Bob Kellerman. The always fabulous Bill Nighy plays Kellerman, and we find ourselves wishing he had more screen time. It turns out, this encounter leads to Emma being outed, which sends Dave into emotional turmoil (a terrific scene) … and an ill-advised meetup at her latest job.

Additional support work is provided by Connie Nielsen as the demented woman who raised and trained Emma, and their final meeting provides the impetus for the third act. Other than Bill Nighy’s too-brief role, the best part of the film is seeing rare comedic chops from David Oyelowo. It’s a joy to see such a well-respected and talented actor show yet another side on screen. Kaley Cuoco doesn’t fare quite as well, as her TV sitcom approach defies believability. For those in search of some mindless entertainment with a side dose of action, the movie should work just fine.

Opens nationwide in theaters on January 12, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE ETERNAL MEMORY (2023, doc)

January 5, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Augusto and Paulina are a real couple facing real challenges in the real world. Their challenges aren’t related to where to head for dinner or whether Augusto will leave the toilet seat up or down. No, their daily challenges are whether Augusto will wake up and recognize his wife, or even know his own name. Chilean Documentarian Maite Alberti climbs inside this relationship to show us the real impact of Alzheimer’s Disease, and does so expertly and intimately.

Augusto Gongora was a professional News Reporter/Journalist during the Pinochet regime, and Paulina Urrutia was a successful actor … both well known in their country. We even see clips and archival newsreels of Augusto’s work. However, filmed during COVID, almost the entirety of the film is focused on these two people taking each day as it comes … the good days and the not-so-good days. And perhaps ‘moments’ is a better measure than days, as this cruel disease can shift quickly. Paulina handled much of the camera work so the director and crew could keep safe distance during the pandemic, and the result is a few blurry shots, none of which detract from what we are meant to see.

Paulina helps Augusto with his memory of work and kids. She helps him take a shower. She reads to him when they take walks, and she cringes as he rides a bicycle. She helps him with his eye protection as they view the eclipse. They even treasure the time they can dance together. There are many times they share a laugh, and there are times Paulina cries alone or Augusto appears lost. Mostly they have their tender moments which define the relationship that they so want to hold on to … all while surrounded by Augusto’s lifelong collection of books that fill the house – most of which he can no longer read.

Theirs is a love story. And it’s real.

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6 Comments | Documentary, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

NIGHT SWIM (2024)

January 4, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Over the years, there have been many movies reinforcing why we should “be afraid of going in the water.” This includes CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954), DEEP SEA BLUE (1999), OPEN WATER (2003), and of course, the all-time classic, JAWS (1975). Beyond the ocean, swimming pools always create a level of anxiety for parents, because most kids can’t imagine something that’s so much fun carrying any type of danger. Thanks to horror producers Jason Blum and James Wan, writer-director Bryce McGuire and co-writer Rob Blackhurst have expanded their 4-minute 2014 short film and try their darndest to make a backyard pool the source of supernatural evil.

Fresh off her Oscar nomination for THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (2022), Kerry Condon stars as Eve Waller, and Wyatt Russell (EVERYBODY WANTS SOME, 2016) co-stars as her husband Ray, whose major league baseball career has been cut short due to the early onset of a degenerative disease. The family finds a spacious home with a swimming pool in the backyard, and the kids, 15-year-old Izzy (Amelie Hoeferle, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES) and her younger brother Elliot (Gavin Warren, “Fear the Walking Dead”) are thrilled to leave the gypsy life of baseball behind and finally settle down and make friends. As viewers, we know something the family doesn’t. The opening scene (expertly filmed) shows us a tragic event that occurred in this same pool a few years back. Nothing is given away, but it’s an ominous start featuring some fuzzy bunny slippers.

Once the Wallers move in, each of them have their own encounters while swimming. Eve, Izzy, and Elliot each get spooked, while Ray immediately begins to feel better and more energetic. Ben Sinclair (SPIN ME ROUND, 2022) adds a dose of humor as the pool servicer, while also informing the family that it’s a natural spring-fed pool. For some unknown reason, Sinclair’s character only gets one scene – a definite flaw in the filmmaking. The Wallers throw a neighborhood party and, no surprise, it goes sideways. From here, things get progressively worse (and sillier) as a supernatural entity or demon is clearly having its way with the family.

Cinematographer Charlie Sarroff (SMILE, 2022) does nice work with the pool, especially the underwater scenes at night … although the night isn’t the only time bad stuff happens. Other than the kinda funny idea that a swimming pool can possess evil, the film clunks along by touching on numerous ideas, some of which are creative, only to leave us hanging on most. The backstory of the house and swimming pool is investigated by Eve, and that alone could have injected a heavy dose of drama and creepiness. Instead, we get a couple of glimpses of a hokey looking presence … and we can’t help but wonder why this family keeps sticking their hands in every skimmer and drain opening – much less why they insist on swimming alone at night.

It feels like a pretty intense and more complete story is lurking just beneath the surface here … as there are some good ideas, as well as believable performances from Condon, Russell (who nails a couple of punchlines), Hoeferle, and Warren. Similarities to the horror classic POLTERGEIST (1982) are evident, and that’s a pretty lofty goal. Producers Jason Blum and James Wan have recently finalized the merger of their two production studios, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, so we can expect regular releases of horror films from the group. The expectation is there will be more hits than misses.

Opens nationwide in theaters on January 5, 2023

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1 Comment | Horror | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

FERRARI (2023)

December 31, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Since there was no early screening of this for Dallas-Ft Worth critics and it hit theaters on Christmas Day, this review is a bit tardy, yet I find myself not caring too much – kind of how I feel about the movie itself. Rossa corsa is the official name of the red color used by Italian automaker Ferrari on their racing cars. Of course, most just refer to it as ‘Ferrari red’. It’s as distinctive as the familiar roar of Ferrari engines, and director Michael Mann takes advantage of both in his latest film. If only the story were half as interesting as the racing scenes.

The original script was written by the late Troy Kennedy Martin, who also wrote the two film versions of THE ITALIAN JOB (1969, 2003). He adapted the 1991 book, “Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine” written by the late Brock Yates. Mr. Yates is also (unfortunately) remembered for THE CANNONBALL RUN (1981). Rather than a biopic, the film focuses on a very specific and limited period of time when Enzo Ferrari was staring down trouble in both his personal and professional lives … ho-hum subjects that draw attention from the spectacular racing scenes.

Adam Driver stars as Enzo Ferrari, putting to use the Italian accent he worked on for the recent HOUSE OF GUCCI (2021). His wife Laura is played by Penelope Cruz, and his long-time mistress Lina is played by Shailene Woodley. Driver is on screen for much of the film, but it’s Cruz who delivers the two or three off-track scenes worth watching. As for Woodley, it’s a mystery why she even took the role. Given nothing to sink her acting claws into, we can only hope/assume that something of interest was edited out for time. She is far too talented to be wasted in such a throwaway role.

When one thinks of “Ferrari”, it’s not the icon in sunglasses strutting through life that comes to mind. No, it’s the cars. The red cars. And director Mann has built his career by giving us what we want in films such as THE INSIDER (1999), HEAT (1995), and THIEF (1981). The film soars when the cars are on screen. They are works of art and are a sight to behold whether zipping around the practice track or sharp-cornering the city streets of the tragic 1957 Mille Miglia (yes, that horrendous accident actually occurred). Ferrari’s financial woes, marital strife, and emotional burden of two sons, never successfully draw us in to his personal drama, leaving much of the movie feeling quite flat. It’s the cars that roar, not the people.

Opened nationally in theaters on December 25, 2023

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2 Comments | Drama | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

Best of 2023

December 29, 2023

This may be the first time I’ve beaten the calendar in a race towards year end! All that means is my BEST OF 2023 … the Top 10 list plus many other bonus categories … has posted. Feel free to check it out and share it, and let me know how it compares to yours. 2023 was such an interesting year for movies!

David’s BEST OF 2023

5 Comments | Articles | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

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