Category Archives: Comedy

The Drama

The Drama          3 stars

When I saw the trailer for The Drama, I became curious about the premise behind this movie, directed by Kristoffer Borgli (2023’s Dream Scenario): A young couple meet, hit it off, get engaged, then just before the wedding she reveals the worst thing she ever did, and this changes the whole dynamic of the relationship. In the movie we first find Charlie (Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17, The Batman)) meeting Emma (Zendaya (Dune, Challengers and Spider-Man: No Way Home)) in a café by pretending that he is familiar with the novel that she is reading. After fumbling his way through the encounter, the pair succeed in staying together for two years and get engaged. Then in the pivotal scene before the wedding, Charlie and Emma are having dinner with their married friends in common Mike (Mamoudou Athie (By Design, Kinds of Kindness and Elemental)) and Rachel (Alana Haim of the pop-rock group Haim) where Rachel asks the group to share what’s the worst thing they have ever done. Each tells something from their past that is funny but relatively harmless. That is until it’s Emma’s turn to tell something and when she does the tone of the conversation takes a sudden dark turn. Rachel has the worst reaction, but Charlie tries to be understanding about it at first. Now, I am going to follow the example of the trailer and not tell you what Emma’s deed was so that you can be just as surprised as I was when I heard it. But I can say that Emma is the definite winner of this game. The whole movie takes a dramatic turn at this point from comedy to something much more troubling. The relationship between the two couples changes with Mike and Rachel not believing they can trust Emma anymore. Charlie isn’t sure what to make of the situation and tries to imagine Emma as the person he thought he knew, while harboring doubts at the same time. Emma becomes more withdrawn when seeing how her friends react as she remembers the challenges she was going through in her younger years. Charlie gets increasingly confused about the whole situation, while getting a coworker involved that only escalates the problem. Ultimately, we get to the wedding reception where things blow up with some of the most backhanded wedding speeches ever heard. Things are, shall we say awkward and go from bad to worse in a hurry. Borgli is definitely going for shock value like he did before in Dream Scenario, but falls short of the level of dark comedy in that movie. It’s hard to accept Charlie’s reactions to events, given the weird roles that Pattinson has had before. Charlie is supposed to be a relatively normal person here but doesn’t really seem to be. Zendaya though is an expert at displaying the array of emotions of her character. (Remember her performance in Challengers!) This uneven movie is not so much about drama as it is about how people react to unexpected events. It would be interesting to find out how others react to the film. At least I satisfied my own curiosity. Look for Zendaya in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Look for both Zendaya and Pattinson in the upcoming The Odyssey and in Dune: Part 3.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri             5 stars

I finally got around to seeing Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri a full year and a half after it was released and now that I have I can say that it is the movie that should have won Best Picture for 2017.  The movie stars Francis McDormand as Mildred Hayes who has lost patience with the local law enforcement’s failure to find any suspects in her daughter’s murder, to the point that she puts up a message on three billboard near her home to bring attention to the case.  This move is not appreciated by the local sheriff (Woody Harrelson) and his second in command racist deputy (Sam Rockwell).  All three lead performances are superb in this complex story about loss, anger and reconciliation as the characters rage against one another and eventually come to see one another’s points of view.  Not only is the story interesting, but the filmmaker, Martin McDonagh seems to have gotten the perfect blend of drama and humor.  The most impressive aspect of the movie to me was how each of the actors were able to display the pain and anguish that each was going through.  I only wish I would have seen this gem much earlier when it was getting so much attention.

The Dead Don’t Die

The Dead Don’t Die         3 stars

The Dead Don’t Die by Jim Jarmusch puts a new comedic twist on an old genre, the zombie movie.  This light but bloody comedy brings together a very talented cast that includes Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Danny Glover, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Selena Gomez, Carol Kane and Tom Waits.  With this group of actors you wonder how could this film possibly miss.  The movie has more hits than misses so has some moments that don’t hit the mark.  The premise is that polar fracking being done by corporations has caused the earth to move off of its axis leading to strange events throughout the world.  Of course this includes the dead rising from the graves to seek out human flesh to satisfy their appetite which is completely logical, right?  Much of the comedy is delivered by Murray and Driver who both give their lines in the most deadpan manner imaginable.  (Remember, the way to stop a zombie is to Kill the Head.)  Also making a significant contribution is Buscemi as Farmer Miller, the white racist whose accusations have little basis in reality.  There is an ongoing gag involving a new country song that bears the title from the movie.  Tilda Swinton has a most unusual role as the Irish undertaker, a new comer to the small town of Centerville.  It is a very strange role that only Swinton could deliver on.  It being a Jarmusch film, it wanders into the ridiculous at a couple of times that detracted from the overall feel of the movie.  The Dead Don’t Die is not the funniest Zombie movie I’ve seen, but if you are a zombie movie fan you should not miss this one.

Late Night

Late Night           4 stars

Late Night, starring Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling, (some of my favorite actresses) is a very amusing comedy about a female British talk show host, Katherine Newberry (Thompson) who when threatened with losing her show hires an unknown woman writer (Kaling) onto her otherwise all male writing staff.  The movie tackles sexism in the workplace issues with some biting comedy and some really engaging wit especially from the intelligent and witty Thompson.  Kaling of The Office and The Mindy Project contributes greatly to the telling of the story as both writer and as co-star.  The Newberry character is forced to deal with her staff in a more human fashion as lower ratings threaten her show and Molly, (Kaling’s character) has to deal with the sexism of the staff as she tries to gain acceptance as a capable writer.  This movie was very well received at Sundance this year and was picked up for distribution with a very high bid I have read.  Fans of The Mindy Project will recognize the actor who played Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) from the show.  Also recognizable is Paul Walter Houser who played the idiot body guard in I, Tonya last year.  I finally got to see Late Night in the theaters, having missed my chance at the film festival.  This film is among the best comedies so far this year.

Toy Story 4

Toy Story 4          5 stars

The movie that is currently killing at the box office and will be the best animated movie of the year is Toy Story 4, the 4th (obviously) installment of the Toy Story franchise from Pixar that features the adventures of Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and many others.  This time around the gang of toys are in the possession of Bonnie, a little girl who loves her toys only some more than others.  Woody is apparently not among the favorites.  Bonnie creates a new toy out of the trash at Kindergarten, a spork called Forky (Tony Hale) who seems to have a complex about being trash accompanied by a desire to throw himself back in the trash basket.  It then becomes Woody’s mission to get Forky to realize that he is a toy who is loved by little Bonnie.  Of course things get much more complicated than that when the family along with the toys go on a trip to an RV park.  A whole new adventure is to be had at an amusement park and an antique shop that involves a talking girl doll, Gabby (Christina Hendricks) who has designs on Woody’s voicebox to restore her own damaged voice.  Adding plenty of color and amusement to the story are Ducky and Bunny (Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele) two stuffed amusement park prize animals.  I have not seen all of the Toy Story movies but I venture to say this one must be near the top of the series.  It is well suited for young audiences and adults alike.  Look for it to win Best Animated Movie Oscar next year.

Forbidden Fruits

Forbidden Fruits               1 ½ stars

The new film Forbidden Fruits by first time director Meredith Alloway at first looks like it could be the new witchcraft movie of our present age, like a modernized The Craft or Heathers. Filmed entirely in a shopping mall in Texas, it seems like a satire on consumerism or a commentary on female friendship, but it eventually devolves into bloody horror. The four main characters, led by Apple (Lili Reinhart of Riverdale as Betty Cooper) all work in a mall clothing store, but after hours they gather in their coven to perform rituals and scheme against their enemies they term as the snake. The other members are Cherry (Victoria Pedretti), a sexed up blonde bimbo, Fig (Alexandra Shipp), the smart girl and Pumpkin (Lola Tung), the newcomer from a pretzel stand who may have her own agenda. Apple is very controlling of the others who are usually all too willing to go along to win her approval. They must participate in a strange ritual of confessing their shortcomings to Marilyn Monroe when alone in a dressing room. We soon get the idea that Apple has a past she is hiding involving the death of her father. Then there is a mysterious death in the mall of a former coven member named Pickle (Emma Chamberlain) that Apple may be responsible for. Eventually all the melodrama comes to a climax with accusations and threats and recordings made using a hidden camera in a Barbie doll. And then there happens to be a tornado hitting the mall at a critical moment. The film has a few amusing moments from some of the characters, but in the end the movie was lacking in coherence or a payoff. The music was only lackluster and could have been a way to generate a little more excitement. Forbidden Fruits is definitely a movie not worth your attention. Hopefully, I can find something more interesting next time.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse      4 ½ stars

Later this year we will have the newest Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day in theaters. So, I took this opportunity to see the second film of the Spider-Verse series, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, made is 2023. While related, the Spider-Verse series has its own take on the web shooting super-hero. The creators, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have made a universe with a multitude of Earth timelines where superheroes and supervillains can freely travel between them, and each has its own unique Spider-Man. (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller also were the directors of Project Hail Mary.) This new film took a trio of directors to create it: Joachim Do Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson. In the previous Academy Award winning film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse our Earth’s Spider-Man, teenager Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) battled supervillains and met Spider-Woman Gwen Stacey (Hailey Steinfeld) from one of the other Spider-Verses. But now Gwen has been chosen by an elite squad of Spidey’s to help in the battle against a menacing supervillain called The Vulture, but first she returns to Miles’ Earth to help Miles with a troubling situation. Both superheroes are struggling with their crime fighting roles while keeping their secrets from each of their parents. Miles’ Spider-Man has had to deal with The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), an annoying villain who creates black holes at will, using them for his own type of crime. The Spot says that Spider-Man is his nemesis and is out to get even with him for destroying his life. Despite being grounded by his police officer father (Brian Tyree Henry) and mother (Luna Lauren Velez) for so many unexplained absences, young Miles ventures into the Spider-Verse to join the hundreds of other Spider-Men to track down and defeat The Vulture. Unfortunately, Miles learns that things are a lot more complicated in the Spider-Verse since as we know, in a multi-verse (or a time traveling situation) there is a space-time continuum and if it is upset, disaster can ensue. You cannot mess with a canon event! And poor Miles is at the center of it all. One of the attractions of the series is the fluidic nature of the animation that uses a fuzzy, colorful fast-moving appearance during the action sequences, and there is plenty of action to be sure. The characters constantly swing among the buildings of NYC rescuing the inhabitants while somehow not sustaining injuries despite getting beaten and falling from great heights. The movie also features voice performances from the likes of Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Shea Whigham, Daniel Kaluuya and Jake Johnson (as Peter Parker, but with a baby girl with Spidey powers). Despite the movie being 2 hours and 20 minutes long, it turns out to have a cliffhanger ending. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse was planned for a 2024 release date, but that has been delayed until 2027. So, there is still plenty more Spider-Man to come!

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Can You Ever Forgive Me?            4 ½ stars

Last year’s fascinating “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” tells us the true story of Lee Israel, a down on her luck celebrity biographer who upon losing her job embarks on a new career of fabricating personal letters of notable writers like Dorothy Parker and Noel Coward.  Written by Nicole Holofcener, directed by Marielle Heller and starring usually comic actress Melissa McCarthy, this dark comedy drama has some of the best writing I have seen in years.  McCarthy plays Israel like a woman that you love to hate.  The character speaks with some very sharp in that comes from a place of rudeness and a bad temper like I have never seen.  The best scenes are those that she shares with her friend in crime Jack played by Richard Grant.  The two of them can trade insults like masters of the craft.  You get the feeling that McCarthy really is Israel including the fact that she is never really repentant about the crimes she has committed.  Melissa McCarthy received a well-deserved Best Actress Academy Award nomination for this one.  Good for her.  The movie also was nominated for best Adapted Screenplay as the movie is based on Lee Israel’s book.

Sword of Trust

Sword of Trust                                   4 stars

One of the most original comedies of the year has to be Sword of Trust by writer director Lynn Shelton.  This is a low budget character driven comedy based on a most unusual premise.  Cynthia and Mary (Jillian Bell and Michaela Watkins), a married lesbian couple arrive at Cynthia’s grandfather’s house who has recently passed away.  They are there to collect on Cynthia’s inheritance, but she is alarmed to find out that the only thing left to her is an antique Union sword from the Civil War that her grandfather treasured.  Accompanying the sword are documents “authenticating” it as proof that it was surrendered by a Union general or Field marshal? To the Confederate army making it proof that in truth the South had won the Civil War.  Not being sure what they have, the couple then take the sword to a local pawn shop in Birmingham, Alabama to see what they can get for it.  The owner of the pawn shop, Mel (country song writer Marc Maron) is not too impressed by the story and dismisses them.  His assistant, Nathaniel (Jon Bass) then looks on line and discovers that there are people who believe this “truth” and are willing to pay big bucks for artifacts that prove that the South actually did win the Civil War.  This group of four then decides to put their differences aside and pursue a transaction with this racist redneck organization and see where it takes them.  To do this they have to be locked up in the back of a truck driven by a guy named “Hog Jaws”. All of this is done in a very comedic way, but the story about the sword is really just a mechanism to bring these people together and allow us to hear their stories of broken relationships and damaged souls.  We get the feeling that these are real people that have gone through difficult times.  Two other films I have seen by Shelton, Your Sister’s Sister and Laggies do much the same kind of thing.  But it’s also a lot of fun to see how the adventure with the sword and the redneck ranch turn out.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood                                5 stars

One of the most highly anticipated movies of the summer has to be Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  This two hour and forty minute marathon is classic Tarantino all the way.  Set in 1969 Hollywood, we follow former TV western star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), whose star power is fading, and his longtime stunt double Cliff (Brad Pitt).  As we follow their dealings with Hollywood producers and directors and other stunt people, we are bombarded by an overwhelming amount of references to sixties TV shows, movies, commercials and other aspects of the pop culture of the time.  This is all out of the mind of Tarantino who makes no secret of what he is thinking.  We also get plenty of exposure to the hippie culture in the form of the Charles Manson family and this just happens to be in the year of one of the most horrific crimes in the history of Hollywood.  We also get a glimpse of the life of actress Sharon Tate (a delightful Margot Robbie) and her friends as she just happens to be the next door neighbor of Dalton.  Besides all the culture, the director treats us to many humorous moments such as the fight between Cliff and an arrogant Bruce Lee (Mike Moh).  There are plenty of other well known actors sprinkled throughout including Al Pacino, Luke Perry, Dakota Fanning, Damien Lewis (as Steve McQueen), Kurt Russell, Emile Hirsch and Bruce Dern.  I could go on, but please treat yourself to one of the best movies of Tarantino’s career.  And don’t be too shocked by the violent ending.  It may not go exactly like you expect.