Disenchanted

Last night I saw the much talked about sequel, “Disenchanted,” which came out on Disney+ last week. For a movie that was in talks and fell into development for a decade, how does it fare out compared to the first movie? Let’s find out.

Peter Gray started his review by saying, “With Hocus Pocus 2 proving a sizeable success, The Princess Diaries 3 now officially in the works, and both Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan discussing their interest in a Freaky Friday sequel, the House of Mouse is more than proving itself in the business of revisiting original titles for the sake of nostalgia, fan demand, monetary possibilities, or a combination of all of the above.”

Joining the list is “Enchanted.”

Gray said, “15 years on from Kevin Lima’s expectation-exceeding musical comedy – the very one that arguably catapulted Amy Adams to global stardom – Disenchanted comes along to dispel the fairy-tale cliché of “Happy ever after”, and present its forever-optimistic princess Giselle (Adams, effortlessly slipping back into the character) in a life removed from the magic of both her homeland and her newfound oasis; respectively, the animated land of Andalasia and the concrete jungle of New York City.”

Gray continued, “Whilst much of the appeal of Enchanted was that Giselle, the perfect encapsulation of a goodie-two-shoes princess, was a fish-out-of-water in a big city.” It makes sense that screenwriter Brigitte Hales would look at the story of what comes after happily ever after. Gray mentioned, “The reality isn’t nearly as appealing for a Disney audience though (or Disney+ in this case), so Giselle, silver fox beau Robert (Patrick Dempsey, not looking entirely engaged throughout), their young baby daughter, and Robert’s now-teenaged daughter Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino, replacing Rachel Covey from the original) uproot their Manhattan digs for a fresh start in Monroeville, a fictional town that appeals to Giselle’s eye due to its seeming fairy-tale aesthetic.”

Moving into a larger home that’s in need of a good repair – nothing a little song-and-dance won’t fix – and immediately starting on the backfoot when it comes to Monroeville’s queen bee Malvina, played by Maya Rudolph (enjoying eating the scenery), Giselle is worried the fairy-tale she wanted is more a nightmare. Isn’t just her day then that Giselle’s former prince lover, now king, Edward (James Marsden) and his bride, Nancy (Idina Menzel, thankfully given the chance to let out a tune this time), come for a visit and bring a magical wishing wand as a gift. Do you think that the wishing wand will seriously be a part of this story?

Wanting a fairy-tale land resembling Andalasia means Giselle’s wish turns Monroeville into a fairy-tale land, turning Malvina into the traditional evil queen of the Maleficent type, and Giselle into the evil stepmother she’s always made sure she never became. This decision to put two villainesses against each other is full of possibilities, and Adams is having a lot of fun when she leans into the eviler side of Giselle – her movements and vocal pattern change instantly – but this story only ever feels half-done, with “Disenchanted” apparently too focused on its song numbers.

Gray noted, “Whereas the first film only lightly peppered musical numbers to enhance its magical elements, Disenchanted is practically a full-blown musical of sorts, churning out nearly a dozen songs over the course of its 118 minutes; none of which prove remotely memorable.  Longing for the absolute joy that was such a number as the first film’s Central Park ditty :That’s How You Know”, the closest Disenchanted comes to any type of magic is in the campy battle of who’s more evil of Giselle and Malvina when they duet on “Badder”, a midway set-piece that truly livens up a sequel that’s arrived a few years too late.”

Despite there being a type of joy held when watching “Disenchanted” because of how precious Amy Adams is in her role, and films such as this is there to simply entertain on the safest area are always welcome feed for parents wondering what to let their children watch, it’s that Adam Shankman’s film fails to leave an impact that truly becomes a disappointment. The magic in happily ever after is nowhere to be found here. This makes it, literally, disenchanting.

As you may have thought, this film is not as good as the first one. I had heard rumors of this sequel for a long time, and it kept getting delayed because of the pandemic, and I feel they could have worked on this film to make it better. This is just a stereotypical Disney trope sequel that is not as good. Check it out if you want, but you will not like it compared to the first one. At least it is on Disney+, so you don’t have to worry about wasting your money.

Thank you for joining in on my review today. Look out next month to see what I will end the year off with.

Sin City

With every bloody, stylishly seductive moment, “Sin City,” released in 2005, goes through standard comic book movie pacts to get through the screen as a fascinating and charming crowd-pleaser.

The film is a series of vignettes based on three “Sin City” comic book stories: The Hard Goodbye, Sin City Volume 4, and Sin City, Vol 3 written and drawn by comics legend Frank Miller.

Jeffrey Lyles said in his review, “Miller teams with co-director/co-screenwriter Robert Rodriguez (Once Upon a Time in Mexico [Blu-ray]) for a movie-going experience unlike anything you’ve seen in years thanks to slavish devotion to retaining the gritty, film noir look and feel of its comic book source material.”

Mickey Rourke stars as Marv, a nearly indestructible bodyguard trying to avenge the murder of his girlfriend, Goldie, played by Jamie King.

Lyles notes, “On his path of vengeance, Marv smashes through armed police officers and their cars, dives off rooftops with ease as his trench coat billows in the wind all with a maniacal gleam in his eye.” Rourke is electric in the role and he’s dynamic even with the heavy makeup that makes him look really close to his comic book counterpart.

Taking the spotlight for the other two stories are Bruce Willis as soon-to-be retired detective Hardigan who tries to save Nancy (Jessica Alba, but Alexa Vega’s younger sister, Makenzie Vega plays Nancy at age 11), a stripper who a senator’s (Power Boothe) crazy son (Nick Stahl) is obsessed with, and Clive Owen as Dwight, a person who went to prison twice and turns his life around even as problems appear to find him.

The most interesting of the vignettes is Dwight’s story as he gets on the wrong side of a gangster, played by Benicio Del Toro, and has to rely on his Old Town friends – a gang of women dressed more as superheroes in ninja, punk rock and cowboys than prostitutes led by his old girlfriend Gail, played by Rosario Dawon. Owen is brilliant. Lyles credited, “While Rourke is so much fun whirling around like a Tasmanian devil, Owen is smooth, calculated and as cool as every guy wants to be when they have an inner monologue.”

Miller’s comic was black and white with the occasional color accent – like scarlet lipstick of a damsel in distress. Lyles noted, “The film mirrors that look with minimal color. Combined with digitally rendered backgrounds, Sin City features a vivid, striking visual that fondly looks back at the 1940s film noir style while embracing modern technology.”

Lyles continued, “Sin City boasts an embarrassing riches of talent to the point that any three or five actors could carry their own movie, but have glorified cameos.” This is evidently an area where this top-notch talent (Brittany Murphy, Powers Boothe, Rutger Hauer, Carla Gugino, etc.) wanted in on the film no matter how small their role.

Lyles said, “Still, it would have been nice for Del Toro, the 2001 Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner for Traffic to have more screen time.” Josh Hartnett also has a great role that is a bit small.

Lyles noted, “Rodriguez has never been a filmmaker to stage action with any trace of reality, yet he reins in his regular tendencies to make the violence extreme, but not absurd — for the most part.”

Lyles continued, “Rodriguez’s regular collaborator, Quentin Tarantino, fills in to direct the most violent of the vignettes, which features blood geysers, decapitations and even the ridiculous shot of a guy slipping on his dismembered hand as if it was a banana peel. It’s silly and goofy, but in the context of the film’s dark humor, it’s effective.”

“Sin City” is persistent, brutal and revolutionary in its method of making the 2D comic book image jump on the big screen in unprecedented fashion. It’s not for everyone, but for those willing to like the unique style of insanity, it’s one of 2005’s most pleasant and welcome surprises.

This review would not be complete without talking about the sequel, even though Benicio Del Toro is not in it.

If you were a fan of Frank Miller’s 2005 film “Sin City,” there’s a pretty good chance that you’re going to enjoy “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” released in 2014.  Shot pretty much the same way as the first film, “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” doesn’t have the same impact the first film had mostly because it has that feel of “I’ve seen it before.”

Richard Propes said in his review, “While it's not likely to win too many new converts to Frank Miller's world, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For still dazzles as long as you can surrender yourself to its hyper-stylized world where extreme violence and nudity is abundant and unapologetic.” This film has many of the same characters as the first film, some played by new actors, and there are a few new characters who mix things up in a great way.

The film has four story segments – three are prequels to the first film, while one takes place after what transpired in “Sin City.”

Marv, reprised by Mickey Rourke, is back and starts the film off with intensity with a story based on Miller’s “Just Another Saturday Night.” Propes noted, “The barrel-chested Marv finds himself in a spot of trouble after a go-around with a bunch of punks and places it upon himself to inflict some good ole' fashioned vigilante justice with the help of the citizens of Old Town.”

From a newer Miller story titled “The Long Bad Night,” Johnny, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a gambler by nature who never loses a game of chance. For the most part, that’s worked well for him. Then, he makes what might just be a mistake by winning big at a game of poker controlled over by Senator Roarke, played by Powers Boothe, who doesn’t take losing lightly. He really doesn’t take losing lightly.

Dwight (Josh Brolin) has a soft spot for Ava (Eva Green), a soft spot that Evan takes full advantage of and, well, you’ll just have to see the rest from a 1993 Miller work. Propes said, “Brolin, taking over for Clive Owen, is an absolute natural in this kind of noirish pulp.”

Finally, the beautiful stripper Nancy (Jessica Alba) is back in another new Miller story, “Nancy’s Last Dance, and ready to seek revenge on Senator Roarke for his murder of Hartigan (Bruce Willis).

Stylistically, “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” is very similar to the first film where it’s filmed mostly in black-and-white with splashes of color. The film’s frequent look of blood are filmed in bold expressions of red with occasional white, while there’s an awesome added look with Eva Green that just has to satisfy viewers. Propes ended his review by saying, “Some of the supporting newcomers, I'm thinking of Dennis Haysbert and Jeremy Piven in particular, are welcome additions and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For becomes an impressive summer sequel. While it may seem like this immersive world is made for the 3-D experience, I personally didn't find that the 3-D imagery added much to the equation.”

If you haven’t seen these films yet, you shouldn’t even be reading this review. You need to go out and see these films. The first one is great, hands down, but the sequel, despite it not being as good as the first, is still an enjoyment. The middle story goes on for a bit, but overall, I liked these films a lot. These are two of the best comic book adaptations ever, and you need to see it to know what I mean.

Thank you for joining in on “Benicio Del Toro Month.” I hoped everyone enjoyed it. Look out next month to see what I will end the year off with.

A Christmas Story Christmas

Tonight, I checked out “A Christmas Story Christmas,” which was released on HBO Max last week. I know everyone is wondering why I’m watching this on Thanksgiving, but I’m off from work, and I wanted to watch something to relax myself. Now, I will let everyone know what I thought about this. Is it any good compared to the first one and the horrendous sequel?

Richard Roeper started his review by saying, “If Hollywood delivered a decades-later sequel titled “It’s Still a Wonderful Life” that picked up the story of Zuzu Bailey as a middle-aged florist undergoing her own existential crisis, or “Another Miracle on 34th Street,” with Susan Walker all grown up and having forgotten she once believed in Kris Kringle, you wouldn’t expect either to be great, right?” You might even wonder why the makers would even try to make a sequel.

Roeper said, “That’s how I felt when I heard about “A Christmas Story Christmas,” the long discussed and finally realized sequel to the 1983 cultural touchstone.” Was it smart to see the life of the adult Ralphie Parker decades later? Isn’t there something magical about Ralphie and the Old Man and Flick and Schwartz and everyone that are now a part of nostalgia?

Roeper noted, “Remember or not, we actually did get a sequel to “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the forgettable and regrettable 1990 Family Channel movie “Clarence,” with Robert Carradine (!) as the angel Clarence Odbody, and there WAS a sequel of sorts to “A Christmas Story” in “A Christmas Story 2” (2012), a straight-to-DVD release set six years after the events of “A Christmas Story.” with a young fellow named Braeden Lemasters as a teenage Ralphie and Daniel Stern as the Old Man. Still, it’s as if “A Christmas Story 2” never existed for 99.9% of the population.”

Now comes a real sequel: “A Christmas Story Christmas,” directed by Clay Kaytis and based on the characters and writings of Jean Shepherd. You won’t be surprised to hear it’s nowhere near being equal to the original, but it succeeds as a sweet, family-friendly sequel, with the welcome return of Peter Billingsley as Ralph and so many of the other actors back in their memorable roles. Roeper compared, “It’s a bit like attending a 40-year reunion and telling old stories while trying to re-create a few of those crazy adventures from days gone by.”

The exact year of “A Christmas Story” was never told (it’s either 1940 or 1941), but the kitchen calendar tells us the sequel is set in December 1973, with Billingsley’s Ralphie Parker being the narrator, telling audiences they’re at “our humble abode on the South Side of (Chicago), just like I remember in all of its yellow, orange and avocado green glory.” Ralphie is married to the lovely and kind Sandy (Erinn Hayes), and they have two adorable children, Mark (River Drosche) and Julie (Julianna Layne), who are very excited for Christmas, which will really go in full throttle when Ralphie’s parents arrive in Chicago in a few days. Meanwhile, Ralphie is desperately trying to sell his first novel, a 2,000-page sci-fi story Neptune’s Oblivion, which has been rejected by more than a dozen publishers. (If only Ralphie would consider writing about experiences closer to home)

Then Ralphie’s mom calls and lets her know the Old Man has passed.

Ralphie, Sandy and the kids drive to Ralphie’s hometown of Hohman, Indiana, where they’ll spend the holidays with Ralphie’s mom, played by Julie Hagerty, in “our old house on Cleveland Street (that) looked like it had been frozen in time.”

Indeed, it does. However, since the Old Man has passed, doesn’t that mean Christmas will be put on hold for a memorial service? The script deals with that by having Ralphie’s mom say, “all that can wait. Your father was so excited about Christmas. If he saw us moping around, he’d throw a fit.” This gives the family the ability to go on a series of adventures that consists of snowball fights, fights with some local bullies, the journey for the perfect toys, a couple of slapstick injuries, and inevitably, a visit to Higbee’s Department Store, with its amazing window displays, and a Santa Claus who still sits way up high and a helper elf who pushes kids down a dangerous slide.

Roeper noted, “Director Kaytis indulges in a few fun stylistic flourishes, e.g., a snowball fight is filmed like a shootout in a Spaghetti Western, but for the most part, “A Christmas Story Christmas” is rendered in a low-key, straightforward style, as Ralphie struggles with the loss of his father, his flailing writing career and a number of setbacks to his plans for a perfect Christmas.” Along the way, he reunites with important people from his childhood, including Flick (Scott Schwartz), who has inherited Flick’s Tavern from his father, Schwartz (R.D. Robb), who famously triple-dog dared Flick to stick his tongue on that frozen pole and these days is running up a huge tab at Flick’s Tavern and living with his mom, and the infamous Scott “Scut” Farkus (Zack Ward), and you just have to see the movie to see what happened to Farkus. (Ralphie’s younger brother Randy, best remembered for being reduced immobile by too many layers of winter clothing, also makes an appearance, with Ian Petrella reprising the role.)

“A Christmas Story Christmas” has occasional quick clip from the first film, and the closing credits remind everyone of just how many scenes in the sequel mirror events from the original. If watching “A Christmas Story” is a part of your annual holiday tradition, you might want to make time to see the sequel. It’ll make for another treat to Christmas nostalgia.

For another surprising sequel to “A Christmas Story,” I have to say this one is very well done. It doesn’t try to copy the first one in any way or redo the same story, it tells another story that really gives you the right emotions. You feel so good, you will laugh, and I wouldn’t be surprised if certain moments that will make you cry. Check this out if you have an HBO Max because you will love it. Forget about “A Christmas Story 2,” that didn’t exist. See the first movie, then play this on HBO Max, this is a true sequel.

Thank you for joining in on this review tonight. Stay tuned tomorrow for the conclusion of “Benicio Del Toro Month.”

The War at Home

“The War at Home,” released in 1996, is a gripping and revealing film about the effects of the Vietnam War on American families even after it was over.

Jeremy, played by Emilio Estevez, returns home as a decorated veteran in 1972. However, he’s unable to put behind the torture of his war experiences that he keeps reliving. Jeremy’s father Bob, played by Martin Sheen, a car dealer, wants him to get a job. His suburban mom, played by Kathy Bates, insists on treating him like a ten-year-old who needs some discipline. His sister Karen, played by Kimberly Williams, criticizes his selfishness and calls him a “weirdo.” On top of all of this, Jeremy’s girlfriend, played by Carla Gugino, lets him know that she’s living with another person.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat noted in their review, “Emilio Estevez does a fine job directing The War at Home which has been adapted from a play by James Duff.” The family just doesn’t have the patience, compassion, and understanding to live with the reality of their son who suffered PTSD in a senseless war. Ironically, the meltdown which separates Jeremy from his parents and sister takes place on Thanksgiving.

I remember seeing a little bit of this movie a long time ago on TV. I was shocked at how the son was acting to his family and I was thinking he had a serious drinking issue, since we do see Jeremy drinking in the movie. Then, years later, I looked up on the internet what the movie was. I remembered Martin Sheen was in it, but I didn’t know that he had starred in it along with his son, Emilio Estevez. Yesterday, I ended up watching the entire movie and it was quite an emotional movie.

For a movie that is supposed to be Thanksgiving themed, this is one movie that will really hit you in the feels. Even though Martin Sheen and Charlie Sheen had starred in movies that took place during the Vietnam War (Apocalypse Now and Platoon, respectively), this movie is a very underrated film. Even though the other two are more famous and better recognized, “The War at Home” should not be swept under the rug. You should definitely see it because it will really show you the effects of PTSD and how people couldn’t deal with it back then. I only need to see this once and never again because of how emotional it is, but if you end up watching this again after one time, you have more willpower than I do.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope everyone will have a blessed dinner and spending some time with the family, as I know it is something we all need. Just be safe and enjoy a holiday that I feel is continuously being overlooked, which it shouldn’t be.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the finale of “Benicio Del Toro Month.”

The Way of the Gun

The first scene in “The Way of the Gun,” released in 2000, has the two protagonists, Parker (Ryan Phillippe) and Longbaugh (Benicio Del Toro), outside a nightclub, casually sitting on a guy’s car and setting the alarm off. When the guy (Paul Angel Flores), escorted by his profanity-using girlfriend (Sarah Silverman), yells at them to get off the car, a fight starts. However, Parker and Longbaugh go first for the one who provoked them the most, used the most profanity, and was just mainly most deserving of a beating: the girlfriend. Fun fact: Ryan Phillippe accidentally punched Sarah Silverman that she was knocked out, and when she woke up, he was standing over her almost in tears. The makeup department used fake blood, and the lump on her chin was a continuity bonus. Phillippe apologized for a week.

Eric D. Snider said in his review, “While I certainly don’t advocate violence toward women and think very little of a man who would hit one, this scene is outrageously funny, and indicative of the black-as-night humor and violence that will pervade the film.

This also warns views what the protagonists are like: lawless, despicable nasty thugs and occasional murderers who are not restricted by such ideas as “justice.” That’s one of the film’s themes that there’s often no such thing as justice. Despite this shocking reality, we usually expect movies to show the villains being punished and the protagonists winning. However, as Parker says in a voice-over, “We didn’t come for absolution. We didn’t ask to be redeemed.”

Besides, it’s hart to punish the villains when everyone in the world has a secret reason.

While trying to make money as sperm donors (“Have you ever killed anyone?” and “Would you have sex with a dead person?” are two questions Longbaugh thinks should be asked), the two overhear an interesting fact: Rich businessman Hale Chidduck (Scott Wilson) is paying a girl named Robin (Juliette Lewis) a large amount of money to be a surrogate mother to his child. Chidduck’s trophy wife Francesca, played by Kristin Lehman, is completely able to have one herself, but the social climber can’t be bothered with these things.

Parker and Longbaugh (Snider noted, “yeah, those were the real names of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, if that gives you any indication where this is going to wind up”) make a plan. They’ll kidnap Robin and hold her and her to be born baby for ransom. They get her away from her somewhat skilled bodyguards, played by Taye Diggs and Nicky Katt, in a huge gunfire (one of several huge gunfire in the movie) and drive off to Mexico.

Turns out, this was an even better idea than they thought, as most of Chidduck’s money is of the money-laundering type, which means he can’t involve the police int eh negotiations.

Robin’s doctor, Allen Painter, played by Dylan Kussman, is brought in to help deliver the baby, if needed, but he’s got secret reasons for being so interested. So does Chidduck’s long-time bagman Sarno (the late James Caan), so do the bodyguards, even Sarno’s assistant Abner (Geoffrey Lewis) has secrets.

Snider credited, “Phillippe and Del Toro are appropriately only sort of likable as the main characters, both acting their parts well, particularly Phillippe, with his swallowed, Stanley Kowalski-style delivery.”

McQuarrie’s directing is stylish but not stylized. That is, you can tell a director was involved – extended shots where the camera just sits there while people try to commit suicide, talk, or kill each other – but he doesn’t draw attention to himself or his craft.

Snider credited, “The plot is as delightfully twisted as the humor, but that “look how many plot twists I can come up with” method is occasionally to the film’s detriment.” Sometimes secrets are overheard by people who shouldn’t hear them – and then nothing ever results. Most of the loose ends are resolved, however, usually by shooting a gun, and while it’s hard to feel anything looking uplifting or happy at the film, it’s hands down an adrenaline-blast edge-of-your-seat of a movie.

I remember my brother talking about this movie sometime when I was a teenager. I had never heard of it, but then I decided to check it out about a decade ago on Netflix when I was exercising. I really loved this movie, and I think everyone will too. If you can find this somewhere, check it out. You will know what I am talking about. Critics didn’t seem to like this movie, but audiences loved it. Just see it and judge for yourself.

Alright, next week I will be looking at a certain Thanksgiving movie that is actually emotional along with a noir film based on a comic book/graphic novel in the finale of “Benicio Del Toro Month.”

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The subtitle “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” Hunter S. Thompson’s classic work of Gonzo Journalism is “A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream,” and that’s the key to appreciating both the book and Terry Gilliam’s astonishing 1998 film version. Rob Gonsalves said in his review, “The surface reading of the “story” would be that of two guys wandering around Vegas getting loaded and having a variety of progressively insane misadventures. Its true subject, though, is the sea-to-shining-sea derangement of America, its uneasy mix of forbidding Puritanism and greedhead capitalism, its straight-arrows who seem weirder than the weirdos, the “normal” recreational activities so bizarre they render drug hallucinations redundant.”

Gonsalves continued, “The great rebel Terry Gilliam is ideal for this material, and he approaches Fear and Loathing as a sort of extension of the odd little cut-out animations he used to do for Monty Python. This is his best work since Brazil, and very likely the most vivid and mesmerizing American comedy of the ’90s.” (Typically, the reviews were savage.) Working with cinematographer Nicola Pecorini, and shooting for the first time in Panavision (which heightens his famous wide-angle alterations), Gilliams makes a beautiful/ugly visual poem, a nervous, straight-faced exercise in fiery red and aqua blue and paranoid green – the American dream as mescaline nightmare.

Johnny Depp submerges himself in the role of “Raoul Duke” (i.e., Thompson), a sportswriter who goes to Vegas to cover the Mint 400 (a desert race for motorcycle and dune buggies). Joining him is “Dr. Gonzo,” played by Benicio Del Toro, a crazy Samoan attorney inspired by Thompson’s friend Oscar Acosta. Gonsalves noted, “Their rented red Chevy convertible is a drugstore on wheels — the movie could be retitled Apothecary Now.” The men are always snorting or smoking one drug or another, falling around casinos while completely intoxicated on ether or acid. Strangely, intercourse doesn’t play much of a role, except for an artistic runaway stray, played by Christina Ricci, the attorney picks up. Duke is as neutral as the lizards he hallucinates.

Which could be part of the point. “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is about the ways American men direct desperation – through idiotic, punishing sports, or firearm worship, or fascism (Duke also – hysterically – covers a narc convention). Gonsalves mentioned, “Despite the occasional threats and knife-waving, our anti-heroes are as close as soldiers in a foxhole, and Depp and Del Toro bring out the best in each other. Del Toro, packing an added 40 pounds, does his most lucid and comprehensible work (amazing, considering the wacked-out loon he’s playing), and Depp doesn’t just imitate Thompson — he channels the man’s rubbery outlaw spirit.” Funny and disgusting, obnoxious yet in some ways miserable, Depp’s performance should kill, once and for all, whatever good-looking image he still has left.

Gonsalves noted, “Gilliam wisely uses Thompson’s writing as narration, and the script — which he cowrote with Tony Grisoni, reworking an early attempt by Alex Cox (Sid & Nancy) and Tod Davies — is scrupulously faithful to the book. Yet Gilliam doesn’t let Thompson off the hook — the movie isn’t just a jokey celebration of weirdness.” In scenes like the one with Ellen Barkin as a waitress pestered by the knife-waving attorney, Gilliam measures the human cost of his protagonist’s insanity. Those who complain that the film glorifies its heroes just aren’t paying attention. Duke and his attorney make themselves crazy outsiders, but they’re just as much a part of purgatory America as the demons they meet. Actually, they’re more: living it up, ruining classy hotel rooms, getting away with everything short of murder, they embody the American dream in their own confused, dirty way – a nightmare of extra and drinking.

Gonsalves said, “That’s the true horror and comedy of the book, and Gilliam gets every bit of it onto the screen. Thompson’s book has endured for 27 years, and not just because of its drug-induced strangeness: like William Burroughs’ Naked Lunch, it uses hallucinatory states as a funhouse mirror on the sordid, ugly face of humanity.” Gilliam’s film will likewise tolerate, and outlive the short-sighted critical criticizing. Years from now, it will be checked as a misunderstood masterpiece. Actually, I think it is now being thought about that currently, but I’m not quite sure.

Be careful, this is one crazy movie. For me, I only need to see this movie once and I never have to see it again. Then again, I guess that’s the whole point to the film where it shows the insanity of the American dream and what’s it like to be addicted. This is categorized as a “Black Comedy,” which I believe it was when I looked up the film. Check it out if you’d like, but just be forewarned that this movie can get insane.

Check in next week for the next review in “Benicio Del Toro Month” where I look at a classic movie that should be seen by everyone.

Black Adam

Tonight, I went out with a friend to see “Black Adam,” which came out a little over two weeks ago and this has been slammed by critics. However, audiences love this movie, so let’s find out how this is.

The latest installment from the DCEU looks at the darkness that anyone can experience when they get betrayed, grief, anger or anything else that triggers from traumatic events or happenings in life. With the right people to help and openness, even those experiences can hold rays of hope. That is the story of “Black Adam.”

Let’s tell the truth from the beginning. Teth Adam, played by Dwayne Johnson, as he’s told throughout the film, is not a hero, he’s an anti-hero – with hero potential. He’s shown, not as evil, but as livid and the anger makes him do some really horrendous actions.

Welcome to Kahndaq, Black Adam’s home. Imagine a Middle Eastern-like country that has been under oppression for centuries. The people suffering have been in rebellion against their oppressors for the same amount of time.

Flash forward to today, the rebellion is led by Adrianna, played by Sarah Shahi, a Tomb Raider-like who wants the find the crown of Eternium, made by an evil king from long ago. The crown and saying “Shazam!” will summon a century-prisoned warrior. What she gets is Teth Adam, filled with rage at his 5,000-year exile who immediately starts murdering everyone he sees with his lightning bolts, like Raiden.

In comes the Justice Society of America (JSA), whose mission is to keep people like Teth Adam in check. Ordered to go to Kahndaq are Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Queintessa Swindell), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan). Fate and Hawkman have been around for years and are very close friends. Cyclone and Atom Smasher are the new recruits. Atom Smasher is literally putting on his superhero suit for the very first time. His mistakes at being a superhero give some laughs in this dark story.

Hosea Rupprecht said in her review, “For a believing audience, the ethics of this film present a quandry.” Adrianna’s son, Amon, played by Bodhi Sabongui, worships Adam. Why not, he’s supposed to be the hero the people have been waiting for. Meanwhile, Hawkman is trying to get through to Adam that heroes don’t kill people. However, Adam won’t listen to him, wanting only to cause chaos on the current enemies of his home country, Intergang and their leader Ishmael, played by Marwan Kenzari. However, the JSA doesn’t stop, helping the fight against Intergang but without killing anyone.

Rupprecht mentioned, “Casting someone as physically daunting as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in the role of Black Adam was a stroke of genius but the script gives him little to do but scowl and look menacing. Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate provides the best performance, looking debonaire and put together, even as he struggles to convince Adam that he can become the champion that his people need, that he can transform from seeking revenge to serving his people rather than himself.”

Be prepared to know that this film is not meant for children. Rupprecht said, “There's quite a body count while Black Adam tries to get his priorities straight and in the pre-historic preamble to the film a boy gets stabbed and thrown off a cliff. Not pretty.” If you decide to let older children see the film, it gives a great chance to have a conversation about what it means to look up to someone for their mistakes and what it is that can attract us to such people. After all, nobody is completely negated of mistakes in their lives.

We all have had moments of anger, grief, betrayal that have come from painful or traumatic events. What we do with those memories is up to us. Just know that in the bad times there are always rays of hope, people or thoughts we can hold onto to get us through the bad times. Rupprecht ended her review by saying, “For us believers, the glimmers that keep us going are gifts from our loving God who always holds us in the palm of his hand, leading us from darkness into light.”

Spoiler alert: the mid-credits scene shows Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) calling Adam and warns him against leaving Khandaq, before Superman (Henry Cavill) arrives and says they need to talk.

Personally, I think this is one of the darker DCEU movies that we have gotten in a while. However, as a spin-off of “Shazam,” it’s good. I liked it a lot and I think everyone should see it. Go to the theaters and watch it because you will like it, I promise. Even though there might be moments that remind you of Raiden, Doctor Strange, or even Transformers, I still think it is good.

Thank you for joining in on today’s review. Stay tuned this Friday for the next review in “Benicio Del Toro Month.”

The Usual Suspects

For the month of November, I thought I would like at all the movies that I have seen with one of the nicest actors ever, Benicio Del Toro. Let’s start off this month with one of the greatest movies ever that I saw a few months back, “The Usual Suspects,” released in 1995.

Jack Kroll started his review by noting, “In an age when all movie genres are being subverted, postmodernized, de-constructed, film noir is a tough genre to mess around with. For many true movie fiends, noir is the key American movie type, and the most fun when it's done right.” “The Usual Suspects” is done right. Here’s a smart movie, with no special effects, no juvenile fakes of violence, released during the summer splash season.

Kroll noted, “You have to pay close attention to this film, to listen hard to its cross-fires of dialogue. Writer Christopher McQuarrie and director Bryan Singer are talented movie-makers who've made one previous film, "Public Access," which shared the Grand Jury Prize at the 1993 Sundance Festival.” “The Usual Suspects” is a huge leap forward for this team. It’s a hard movie about five tough guys who first meet in a jail cell where they’ve been brought as suspects in a heist. They are Keaton (the great Gabriel Byrne), who was a corrupt cop but is not trying to possibly go straight, McManus (Stephen Baldwin), a short-fused break-in master, Hockney (Kevin Pollak) a hardware specialist, Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), a weirdo who, as Kroll described, “mumbles like a crook in a Dick Tracy comic,” and “Verbal” Kint (Kevin Spacey), a con man with cerebral palsy.

Kroll noted, ‘The collision of these five felons sets off a story line that's the most convoluted since Humphrey Bogart's classic "The Big Sleep."” Out of jail, the five crooks are recruited by the evil Kobayashi, played by Pete Postlethwaite. He’s working for Keyser Soze, a Hungarian crime lord whose murderous cruelty has made him a person of horrifying legend. His mission for the five is to stop a rival crime boss’s $91 million drug deal. Kroll mentioned, “The collision of these five felons sets off a story line that's the most convoluted since Humphrey Bogart's classic "The Big Sleep."” The story is told in flashbacks, as it’s told by Verbal, the possible sole survivor of the five, in an arrogant interrogation by Ku-jan, played by Chazz Palminteri, a federal agent obsessed by the vague Soze.

Kroll compared, “"The Usual Suspects" has a surface resemblance to Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs." But where Tarantino was out to deconstruct the film noir, to create the ultimate parody of the metaphysical gangster film, Bryan Singer wants to respect its classical form. He and McQuarrie do so, using fusillades of language that are as brutal as the movie's bullets and bombs. Newton Thomas Sigel's succulent photography and the double-duty gifts of John Ottman, who supplied both the triphammer editing and the mordant musical score, add to the seductive mood and narrative fascination.” However, what’s most compelling is the brilliant acting by an amazing ensemble: the refined yet vicious Byrne, the elaborate Pestlethwaite, the relentless Palminter and the strangely quiet Spacey. Kroll credited, “"The Usual Suspects" is the best, most stylish crime movie since Stephen Frears's 1990 "The Grifters."” Movies still look great in basic noir.

This is one of the best action thrillers ever. I had been meaning to check this film out for a long time, and I finally did. I was hooked from the beginning to see this mystery unfold, and when the twist occurred at the end, I was shocked and surprised. You might be able to tell early on what the twist will be, but everyone has to agree that when the twist is revealed, it is one of the best ever. See it if you haven’t because you are missing out. I was able to find this on Amazon Prime, and if it is still on there, check it out. A twist this amazing never happened again until “The Sixth Sense.” Nowadays, this type of twist is done a lot that it is looking old, tired, and boring, especially with Shyamalan constantly doing it, but when this film came out, everyone was shocked. I can’t do this film justice. See it and know what I mean.

Check in next week when I look at a very strange film in “Benicio Del Toro Month.”