RICKY STANICKY (2024)

March 7, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Honesty is the best policy. At least that’s the lesson we were taught growing up. What we learn as we get older is that very few adhere consistently to that policy, and in fact, many pride themselves on an ability to mislead. On “Seinfeld”, George Costanza stated quite succinctly, “It’s not a lie if you believe it.” Sadly, far too many are able to believe the web of lies they spread. But then, this film is from writer/director/producer Peter Farrelly, a double Oscar winner for GREEN BOOK (2020), and best known for the zany comedies he co-directed with his brother Bobby, including DUMB AND DUMBER (1994) and THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY (1998). If any filmmaker can make lying funny, it should be a Farrelly brother.

The film starts where it should … by showing us the childhood prank that led to the recurring lie. It’s Halloween night and three buddies decide to prank the house that never gives out candy. The prank goes terribly wrong, and the imaginary Ricky Stanicky gets blamed, allowing our three young heroes to escape their first mess and setting the stage for 20 years of alibis. As adults, Dean (Zac Efron, fresh off his superb turn in THE IRON CLAW), JT (Andrew Santino), and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) continue to use their make-believe friend as a reason to take yet another boys’ trip away from wives and partners and jobs and responsibilities. To ensure their stories stay straight, the men update “the bible”, which is a chronology of the Stanicky  lies they crafted over the years.

The latest Stanicky tall tale involves cancer and a trip to Atlantic City for a concert … a trip that allows JT to skip the baby shower his wife has planned. Circumstances being what they are, the trip is cut short, but before they leave, their paths cross with a hard-raunch celebrity impersonator with the stage name Rock Hard Rod (John Cena).  Soon, the boys are calling Rod to play the role of Ricky Stanicky so that friends and family can meet the legend in the flesh. The rest of the movie involves the sometimes hilarious, sometimes not, shenanigans of Rod becoming Ricky Stanicky. As with most lies, things get more complicated and convoluted with each passing moment.

“The best friend we never had” becomes a complex challenge that threatens to ruin all relationships and careers. William H Macy plays Summerhayes, an old school businessman and boss to Dean and JT. Macy plays it straight here, but his ‘air guitar’ with an unfortunate Farrelly twist makes for a comical segment – as does Summerhayes’ evolving thoughts on Stanicky, who by this time, has charmed (and tricked) all whom he’s met and even cleverly overstepped at the Bris for JT’s baby. Dean’s wife Erin (Lex Scott Davis) is a reporter and sees Stanicky as her ticket to a better gig. It’s a bit sad that Ms. Davis has the only female role with any substance here.

Sir Walter Scott wisely commented, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave.” Director Farrelly, working with a throwback comedy script from too many writers to name here, manages to find the humor in serial dishonesty, while also pointing out that the above-mentioned web is almost certain to nab the perpetrator(s) in the end. Farrelly also manages to check most of the PC boxes, while also showering us with his trademark inappropriateness. However, it’s John Cena’s energetic performance that shines here and keeps the film clicking along after a somewhat slow start. Cena proves he can carry a comedy.

Available on Prime Video beginning March 7, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM (2023)

August 1, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. You may or may not be surprised that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles date back almost 40 years to the mid-1980’s when co-creators Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman published the comic and then signed on for the original TV cartoon series. This was followed by the first live-action film in 1990 (with Elias Koteas, Judith Hoag, Corey Feldman, Sam Rockwell, Josh Pais). Since then, there have been various TV series, as well as animated and live-action movies … the most recent being the poorly received films in 2014 and 2016. Along comes co-writers and co-producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, together with other credited writers Jeff Rowe, Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, and Brendan O’Brien to deliver a contemporary and re-imagined look at the born-from-ooze Turtles. It’s co-directed by Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears, previous collaborators on THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES (2021).

The first thing we notice is the animation. It’s a different look than what we are accustomed to, and Mikros Animation has blended traditional Anime with a harsher, more vibrant look to complement the heavy dose of action this film delivers. The style takes a bit to get comfortable with, but once you do, the effects are easy to appreciate. Since this is a next-generation TMNT, we also get a new origin story in the opening sequence. The same green ooze flows into the sewer, and there is an emphasis on the work of scientist Baxter Stockman (voiced by Giancarlo Esposito, of “Breaking Bad” fame).

Soon enough, we flash forward 15 years to the teenage years. Leonardo (Nicholas Cantu), Rafael (Brady Noon), Donatello (Micah Abbey), and Michealangelo (Shannon Brown Jr) have been raised and trained by Master Splinter/Dad (Jackie Chan). Their big outings are to the grocery store with strict instructions to not be seen. The individual personalities begin to surface, and it’s made clear these boys dream of being accepted in the outside world and attending high school. And we all know what happens when an overprotective parent clashes with teenagers seeking independence … a tale as old as time.

When the turtles cross paths with April O’Neill (Ayo Edibiri), aka April O’Puke due her extreme camera shyness, their hopes of becoming heroes mesh nicely with her desire to break a big story for the school newspaper. The timing couldn’t be better for all involved as an evil menace is preparing to take over the world. Nope, it’s not Shredder, but rather Superfly (an amazing Ice Cube) and his own band of mutants. Superfly’s plan involves turning all Earthly animals into mutants in order to rule the humans. The Turtles must decide if bonding with fellow mutants is more desirable than allowing Superfly to destroy the world of humans and their new friend April.

The rest of the voice cast is outstanding, and includes: Rose Byrne (Leatherhead), John Cena (Rocksteady), Seth Rogen (BeBop), Paul Rudd (Mondo Gecko), Maya Rudolph (Cynthia Utrom), Post Malone (Ray Fillet), Hannibal Burress (Genghis Frog), and Natasia Demetriou (Wingnut). Action fills the screen through much of the run time, and the action sequences are huge spectacles for animation. However, it’s the sheer volume of action that is my only real issue. It feels like the teamwork and camaraderie that played such a big part in Turtle lore gets shortchanged here. There simply isn’t enough time spent with four Turtles cracking wise – a surprise given the comedic roots of Rogen and Goldberg.

Plenty of pizza and ooze are present, and the heavy dose of hip-hop classics adds to the contemporary vision. The Turtle van is quickly shown, although it’s little more than a stolen pizza delivery truck, and the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross plays well here. No “Cowabunga” exists in this re-boot, leaving some history behind, yet overall, we should be pleased that Turtle Power is back with our favorite heroes in a half-shell.

Opens in theaters on August 2, 2023

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3 Comments | Action, Animation, Comedy, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

BARBIE (2023)

July 30, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. A reasonable assumption could be made that a movie based on a doll so popular with pre-adolescent girls would be geared towards that audience. However, this is the era of comic book movies targeting “grown-ups”, and since we know, based on her previous work (the exceptional LADY BIRD, 2017), Greta Gerwig is an intelligent filmmaker, a more reasonable assumption is that she purposefully aimed the movie at women who once played with Barbie dolls and now fill their days with work, family, and adulting. This strategy has proven to be box office gold, and the heavy dose of cosplay at screenings proves the lasting impact this plastic doll has had on many women who lined up for tickets.

Ms. Gerwig co-wrote the screenplay with her real-life spouse and fellow filmmaker, Noah Baumbach (MARRIAGE STORY, 2019), and it’s fascinating to see what they have produced. Whether you find the film entertaining is another matter altogether, yet we tip our cap to the strange, visually-stimulating, and thought-provoking end result. Many will go in-depth on analyzing the gender politics and feminist approach to the story; however, I’m just here to discuss this as a movie, not a movement.

Two-time Oscar nominee Margot Robbie stuns in the opening sequence (a tribute to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) as the original 1959 Barbie. In fact, Ms. Robbie is terrific throughout in this more-challenging-than-expected role. She’s so much more than a pretty face in high heels, as she’s previously proven in a risk-taking career featuring memorable turns in such films as THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013), SUICIDE SQUAD (2016), I, TONYA (2017), as Sharon Tate in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019), and last year’s underappreciated BABYLON (2022). This time she portrays ‘Stereotypical’ Barbie, whose everyday is perfect in Barbieland. It’s here where we meet a diverse group of Barbies featuring Issa Rae, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Sharon Rooney, Dua Lipa, and others. We are also introduced to Ken (two-time Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling, terrific here), whose mood for the day is totally dependent on whether Barbie acknowledges him. An equally diverse group of Kens features Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, John Cena, Ncuti Gatwa, and others.

Barbie’s paradise is rocked one day when she begins wondering about death. A trip to “Weird Barbie” (a kooky Kate McKinnon) lets her know that the only cure for this existential crisis is a visit to the human world, where a sad girl is playing with her doll. It’s really an imaginative hook to allow the two worlds to collide. Unfortunately, only bits and pieces of the human world clicked for me (loved the rollerblading at Venice Beach). It makes sense that Barbie is shocked to discover the misogyny and patriarchy ruling the human world, but there are three other elements at play here: Ken discovering that men don’t take a backseat to women in this world, and in fact, they dominate; the corporate office of Mattel plays like a slapstick cartoon with Will Ferrell as a nonsensical CEO; and the mother-daughter duo of America Ferrera as Gloria and Ariana Greenblat as Sasha. The big twist occurs in that latter sequence, and it’s Ms. Ferrera who dishes out the gut punch soliloquy about what’s expected of women and how they are viewed. This monologue is the lesson director Gerwig wants viewers to leave with.

Barbie’s return to a much-changed Barbieland finds Ken and other Kens treating the Dreamhouse like a Frat house. See, the boys have learned how to run things their way … and at its core, that’s my main issue with the movie’s theme. Empowering women is a good thing, but why did Ms. Gerwig feel the need to make everything either a win for the women or a win for the men? I have always thought equality was the goal, not dominance. It’s this approach that gives the film a serious and dark undertone in a quite heavy-handed manner. Sure women enjoy having power. So do men. That’s no great mystery solved, and in fact makes these obvious points somehow more obvious.

Let’s talk about a few other less ominous topics. Helen Mirren delivers an admirable voiceover as the narrator, and a depressed Barbie and Ken’s affinity for horses are nice touches. Two of my favorite segments are Barbie’s first interaction in the human world … a “beautiful” woman on a park bench played by Oscar winner Ann Roth (a renowned Costume Designer who did not handle the costumes for this film), and a conversation with Barbie inventor Ruth Handler (played by Rhea Perlman), who named the doll after her daughter. While I hold firm on my belief that the film is not especially entertaining/fun, I’ll also admit the song and dance around the “I’m Just Ken” number was a hoot. Other than performances from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the star here is the Production Design from six-time Oscar nominee Sarah Greenwood. The film looks amazing, even if you might get your fill of pink by the end. Barbieland is quite a sight – it’s a shame the rest of the movie didn’t deliver this much fun, and instead pitted men against women.

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Posted by David Ferguson

BLOCKERS (2018)

April 5, 2018

 Greetings again from the darkness. Teen sex comedies exploring new boundaries are a Hollywood tradition. ANIMAL HOUSE (1978), PORKY’S (1981), AMERICAN PIE (1999), and SUPERBAD (2007) all pushed the limits of decency for their era, and provided varying levels of laughter while doing so. In her directorial debut, Tina Fey protégé Kay Cannon (“30 Rock”, PITCH PERFECT franchise), offers up what has been called the first “Feminist teen comedy”, and the risqué humor is far more extreme than that of its predecessors noted above.

We have become quite accustomed to the all-too-common male-centric perspective in these types of movies, so kudos to director Cannon for taking a look from the other side: a Female-centric teen sex comedy. Co-writers Brian and Jim Kehoe unfortunately try to cram too much into what should mostly be a laugh-a-thon. We get the #SexPact2018 from 3 high school senior best friends who agree to lose their virginity on prom night. We get the far-too-involved parents trying to prevent that from happening. We get those same parents dealing with the pending empty nest syndrome, while those three friends are immersed in drugs, alcohol and sex talk. If that’s not quite enough, there is also a sexual identity awakening and a hotel party more extreme than you would find in Las Vegas.

Leslie Mann plays Lisa, the helicopter single mom to Julie (Kathryn Newton). WWE star John Cena is Mitchell, the overprotective dad and life coach to Kayla (an outstanding Geraldine Viswanathan); and comedian Ike Barinholtz (“The Mindy Project”) is Hunter, the estranged/absentee/banished dad to Sam (Gideon Adlon). Julie envisions the perfect romantic encounter, while Kayla just wants to be done with it, and Sam is still trying to figure out why she isn’t so attracted to boys.

Riffing off of the “one wild and crazy night” theme, prom night is chosen by the three amigas, and what follows is outrageous and periodically hilarious. Most of the humor comes courtesy of the parents on the ill-fated ‘blocking’ mission. The story bounces from heartfelt emotions of parents to ‘butt-chugging’ at a party. There is also a car explosion, felony breaking and entering, and projectile vomiting. Perhaps there is an overuse of hulking John Cena crying, but that’s less cringe-inducing than the role-playing of Gary Cole and Gina Gershon (parents of one of the girl’s dates).

Setting the story in Chicago allows the filmmakers to take on the conservative Midwestern attitudes toward sex, while also providing a teenager with the “I’m getting as far away as possible” (UCLA) comeback. It makes sense that SUPERBAD co-writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are Producers, as this film often feels like the female cousin to that 2007 film. Hannibal Buress has a small memorable role, as does Jimmy Bellinger, as fedora wearing Chad. The real standouts here are relative newcomer Geraldine Viswanathan, and John Cena, who previously has excelled with less screen time (DADDYS HOME 2, TRAINWRECK). Many will be offended on numerous occasions, and certainly most parents will be uncomfortable with the drug use and sexcapades of teenagers. However, the theater was often filled with boisterous laughter, proving that this is what constitutes contemporary cinematic comedy. Only you can decide if you are OK with that.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

DADDY’S HOME 2 (2017)

November 9, 2017

 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s rare for a sequel to be a better film than the original, and we are entering unicorn territory when dealing with comedy sequels improving on the first film. So hearing that most of the original cast is back for material from the same creative team – director Sean Anders and his co-writers Brian Burns and John Morris – well, expectations would normally be pretty low. However, all of that changes when we learn of two cast/character additions: Mel Gibson and John Lithgow.

After the fierce daddy competition between Brad (Will Ferrell) and Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) in the original two years ago, this film picks up with what looks to be a very healthy co-dad environment for all involved. In comedy-based cinema, the best way to disrupt a happy family synergy is to introduce the Christmas season and the sure-to-follow family turmoil. Enter Mel Gibson as Dusty’s estranged dad, and John Lithgow as Brad’s so-close-it’s-too-close dad … and let the holiday escapades begin.

At its core, this is an observational comedy about the contrast between old school and contemporary fatherhood – machismo vs emotionally open. Mel Gibson is key to the story working on multiple levels, and his performance is a reminder of his immense screen talent (in spite his personal life issues). His character’s idea of being a father has been around for many generations. Toughen up the kids and make sure they are strong and independent. Keep those emotions close to the vest. On the other side is John Lithgow and his over-hugging and blubbering true feelings approach.

The familiar supporting cast holds up their end admirably. Linda Cardellini and Alessandra Ambrosio are back as Brad’s and Dusty’s wives, respectively. Scarlett Estevez, Owen Vaccaro, and Didi Costine are back as the kids – each with their own quirks and growing pains. Even John Cena returns as Adrianna’s biological father, and to deliver one of the film’s best punchlines, as well as a bit that might forever ruin Christmas caroling for you.

The trailer, as with most comedies these days, gives away too many of the funny moments, so don’t expect any additional spoilers here. There is some comedy brilliance mixed in with the cheesy, over-the-top slapstick (a snowblower scene that could have easily worked in CHRISTMAS VACATION almost 30 years ago). The brilliant moments are often the quieter ones, and they focus on parenting, family, and the challenges of childhood. There is a surprising and unusual cameo near the end, and the movie is well executed to satisfy its built-in audience, while also capitalizing on those who enjoy (and/or need) a good, clean comedy at Christmas time.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE WALL (2017)

May 11, 2017

 Greetings again from the darkness. When a director’s filmography includes “big” action movies like Edge of Tomorrow, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and The Bourne Identity (the original), the last thing we expect is a stripped-down war movie whose camera focuses on a single character for most of the run time. Director Doug Liman certainly understands how to use the camera in creating tension and stress, yet while he and writer Dwain Worrell seem so intent on proving the confusion and futility of war, they seem to forget that a thriller needs either a hero to cheer or a villain to jeer.

It’s late 2007, and the war is winding down as rebuilding efforts are underway. Hulking Staff Sergeant Matthews (John Cena) and his fellow soldier Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) have been perched and camouflaged on the side a hill for more than 20 hours as they carry out reconnaissance on the site of an under-construction oil pipeline. All they have seen is the remains of a massacre – 8 bodies with no signs of life. Peering through his malfunctioning scope that once belonged to a now-dead friend, Isaac (known as “Ize” – get it?) and his training thinks something doesn’t seem right. When Matthews deems the site safe, he heads down to check it out. Of course, all heck breaks out and soon enough, an injured Isaac takes shelter behind a teetering stone wall. It turns out a sniper, more patient than the American soldiers, had been biding time for the moment.

The first eight bodies are construction contractors and a security detail … none of which matters to the sniper. The hook here is that the sniper hacks into Isaac’s radio and seemingly wants to chat it up, rather than finish him off. We never see the sniper, and neither do Matthews or Isaac … but we do hear him plenty. Laith Nakli voices Juba – known to American soldiers as the Angel of Death, responsible for dozens of US casualties. The film spirals into a psychological game of chess – or, more fittingly, the torture of Isaac. This isn’t the war we’ve come to expect in movies. Isaac’s situation seems hopeless, and banter with the man responsible never strikes him as a worthwhile pursuit.

The biggest issue here is that Juba seems the most interesting character, and not only are we never provided a way to connect with/hate him, we don’t even get enough backstory to bond with Isaac. Plenty of obstacles are thrown at Isaac: blowing sand, lack of drinking water, skittles for sustenance, blazing sun/heat, radio issues, and a brutally painful knee wound courtesy of Juba. The success of the movie depends on two things: Aaron Taylor-Johnson selling us on Isaac’s predicament, and the radio dialogue between he and Juba. The former is fine, but the latter falls short.

Better sniper movies include American Sniper and Enemy at the Gates, while more effective (mostly) one-character thrillers include Locke, Buried, and 127 Hours. The film makes excellent use of sound, but the little jabs at American ideals grows old quickly (such as asking who is the real terrorist). A different approach to a familiar topic deserves a chance, but while Juba only misses on purpose, the efforts of Mr. Liman and Mr. Worrell miss the mark by not engaging the viewer with the character(s).

watch the trailer:

 

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson