FILM JOY

NOW AT FILMJOYREVIEWS The film and television blog of Rotten Tomatoes Certified critic Amanda Mazzillo featuring film/tv reviews, personal film/tv essays, and plenty of screwball comedy and horror (ask for main tumblr) 💖💜💙 Support me on Patreon & Ko-fi Feature Categories include: • FILM REVIEWS • TV REVIEWS • EMOTIONAL FILM REACTIONS

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Blog Moved - filmjoyreviews

Hello!

I moved this blog to @filmjoyreviews

@amandamazzillo was a sideblog of my personal tumblr account and I wanted to create a separate space for my film/tv critic blog.

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REVIEW: Linoleum - Surrealist Sci-Fi Meets Heartfelt Family Drama

Colin West's Linoleum builds a unique world imbued with nostalgia and its influences are felt, but never become overpowering--creating a wholly unique experience through its perfect blend of mystery, sci-fi, and heartfelt human drama.

Linoleum tells the tale of Cameron (Jim Gaffigan), a middle-aged scientist who hosts children's science show Above and Beyond, but dreams of something bigger. As a rocket crashes in his backyard, Cameron's life comes sharply into focus. Cameron spent his life wanting to be an astronaut, and now even his TV show is being taken away from him. Even worse, his replacement is Kent Armstrong (Jim Gaffigan), a retired astronaut who bears an uncanny resemblance to Cameron.

In addition to dreaming of being an astronaut, rather than an astronomer, Cameron's wife Erin (Rhea Seehorn) wants to get a divorce--and the film explores their changing relationship especially well through segments of his show.

Exploring concepts of regret and trying to live our dreams, when they feel so far away from our current lives. Erin can't seem to remember what she once dreamed of doing, but it isn't her present job working at an air and space museum. When a chance comes to try and rediscover what she once loved about science--and in turn, what she once loved about her husband--we see Erin juggling between her heart and her head.

Rhea Seehorn's performance is nuanced and subtle, allowing small moments to speak volumes of her character's internal dilemmas and questioning of life and time.

Jim Gaffigan gives one of his best performances playing both the distant and awkward Cameron as well as his slick, somewhat menacing doppelganger Kent. As the film progresses, Gaffigan plays each part, building these two complex and extremely different characters. One moment which especially sticks out is an uncomfortable moment between Kent and his son Marc (Gabriel Rush).

Linoleum poses interesting questions about sexuality that are not often explored in film, especially related to bisexuality. The moments between Kent's son Marc and Cameron's daughter Nora (Katelyn Nacon) are some of the most memorable in the film, crafting a sweet dynamic that feels natural and introspective.

Marc and Nora are both outcasts at school, and as they bond, their conversations about sexualities and identity are surprisingly thoughtful.

The unique tone of Linoleum builds from a world which feels both absurd and surreal, while staying extremely grounded in reality. The relationships and problems facing the central characters feeling so real makes the more surreal moments pack even more of an emotional punch.

Linoleum is a beautiful and strange exploration of the mind and the human idea to always compare ourselves to everyone else, rather than enjoying the unique beauty of our lives. Linoleum is a heartfelt and uplifting film with dark undertones, expressing to everyone that our own universe--and the people who make up our world--are worth more than we could ever imagine.

The tone of Linoleum shifts--taking the audience on a mysterious journey that sometimes drifts into unsettling territories with images such as a lone woman far off in the frame, a cracked astronaut helmet, and a shadow-filled street. The cinematography of Linoleum crafts a unique world which feels both timeless and filled with nostalgia.

Linoleum's blend of surrealism with family drama and dark comedic moments brings to mind Dave Holstein's series Kidding--with its focus on an extremely realistic failing marriage amid a surreal, darkly comedic world. Like Kidding, Linoleum utilizes its surrealist visuals to build a world that feels natural and emotionally poignant, especially when exploring the changes Cameron and Erin's marriage has experienced over time.

Gaffigan and Seehorn's performances perfectly capture the chasm erupting between their memories co-hosting Above and Beyond together and their challenging present life. The difference between the Erin in these TV segments and her present life--far removed from the dreams she once held--is apparent.

Linoleum is a unique blend of science fiction and heartfelt dramady, brought to life through poignant performances, especially from Jim Gaffigan and Rhea Seehorn. The visual style crafts an unforgettable exploration of what it means to be human.

Linoleum released in select theaters February 24th by Shout!

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW: You Season 4 Part 1- A Welcome Twist on the Narrative While Maintaining its Darkly Humorous Satire

Season Four Part One of You, created by Sera Gamble and Greg Berlanti, adapted from Caroline Kepnes series of novels--just landed on Netflix, and you don't want to miss it.

You twists the focus of its story in a new direction, which explores literature tropes and Joe's dislike of being trapped in a whodunnit--a genre he feels is below him. While maintaining its focus on satirizing the rich, academia, and literature itself with wit and complexity, You explores how Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) reacts to going from the stalker to the stalked.

Twisting the Formula and The Series' Essential Satire

What truly sets You season four apart is how the series made massive changes to the formula, while still perfectly maintaining the tone of the series and its well-developed characters.

With season four, we see Joe finding himself the victim of a stalker and caught in the middle of a whodunnit. Joe, once again, finds himself in a new city and a new group of 'friends' who personify what he hates the most--rich, intitled, pretentious people. But as usual, Joe's self-awareness makes it so he doesn't recognize these traits in himself--making the darkly humorous satire of the series that much funnier and pointed.

The satire in You has always been one of the most important aspects of the series, giving You its unique tone and mixture of thriller and dark comedy. The best satirical moments come when Joe tries to paint himself as different and outside the groups he looks down upon.

Season four points its satire again at rich people, but also subverts specific tropes and genres of literature. Like season one pointed toward rom-com tropes distilled to explore just how creepy they are, season four looks toward the tropes of the whodunnit and the nature of redemption arcs.

Putting Joe in the middle of a murder mystery allows the show a chance to breathe and evolve, and find new, exciting avenues to explore. This next installment of You is a blast to watch as this mystery gets unfolded, and we learn more about each new character.

New Characters, New Stories, Strong Performances

With so many new characters, it's easy to be overwhelmed, but the first episodes of season four introduce everyone seamlessly, and some of these new additions are especially complex, well-written characters that we can't help but love.

Each new character has their own mysteries and secrets--making the central whodunnit of the season that much more involved and captivating. And with this new cast of characters, we are provided some truly shocking and dramatic moments that you won't believe until you see them.

Season four introduces us to so many new characters, but a few of them really stand out in their complexity, charm, and down-right absurdity (this is a compliment of the highest "screwball comedy, socioeconomic class differences" order).

Out of all the new characters, Kate (Charlotte Ritchie), Lady Phoebe (Tilly Keeper), and Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman) stand out.

Kate is one of the most interesting characters to join You in season four and Charlotte Ritchie's performance is quietly discerning and wonderfully charming. She's a mysterious, complex character and it is a joy to see Ritchie's performance evolve throughout the season, as more layers of Kate's personality come bubbling to the surface with each new episode.

Tilly Keeper's performance perfectly captures Phoebe's underlying anxiety hidden beneath her bubbly and friendly personality. Keeper plays Phoebe so well, displaying the character's complexities and electric charm.

Amy-Leigh Hickman's Nadia--a student in Joe's/Professor Moore's class--is a strong, opinionated character with her own thoughts about literature, especially the aforementioned whodunnit, and she is not afraid to speak her mind.

Nadia is a great character that is always a delight to see throughout season four, especially her conversations with Penn Badgley's Joe where she stands up for her literary opinions, no matter what. Amy-Leigh Hickman gives a great performance, making Nadia one of the stand-out characters.

Penn Badgley's performance this season explores a new side of Joe, while maintaining the vital creepiness of the character. Seeing Joe becoming the one being stalked is interesting, and Badgley plays Joe's surprise and exasperated confusion well, while making sure we know Joe's crucial lack of self-awareness is intact.

Suspense, Pacing, Cinematography

You season four part one is a suspenseful journey that does not let up. With each episode, we learn more about the central mystery, piece by tantalizing piece, but with each answered question, twice as many take its place.

This makes for a wonderfully engaging experience where you can't help but start the next episode to figure out what's going to happen, which characters will grow closer, and who might find themselves the victim of this unidentified murderer.

This season of You is well-paced and always keeps you on the edge of your seat, while maintaining a quiet, introspective humor with each new episode and each new detail we learn about this new cast of characters.

You is a dark, chilling series with moments of humor that should be given more credit in the world of horror television.

The agonizing moments of suspense paired with haunting atmospheric music, and dark, muted locales give You a captivating tone befitting a space among the best of horror/thriller TV.

The cinematography of this season perfectly establishes its new setting and new group of characters for Joe to tear down in his blunt narrations. The subdued neutral shades work wonderfully to capture the menace hiding among the sparkly dresses and rainbow coats of London's elite--exploring how everything isn't always what it seems.

The costume design this season does a wonderful job showing us the differences between Joe and his new 'friends', creating memorable moments where Joe is thrown into the deep end and tries to fit into this world that he doesn't really want to be a part of. Sam Perry--costume designer who previously worked on Killing Eve, Flowers, and Sandition among others--joins You for season four to create captivating looks that will become iconic parts of the You world.

University Setting

One aspect of season four that could have been stronger is its use of the university setting. With Joe living as Professor Jonathan Moore, the season could have used more scenes showing Joe's job as a professor and his interactions with students and colleagues.

Viewers hoping for a season heavily steeped in the darkness of academia might be disappointed in how little time we spend inside the university's walls and Joe's classroom. But these scant moments are memorable and this darkly academic tone becomes imprinted on the season, even when we venture away from the physical university buildings.

Using the university setting to jumpstart the season's focus on whodunnit tropes works especially well, and the series does a great job of connecting these worlds and showing how Joe found his way into this new circle of elitist friends that leads him down an ever-bending pathway to find answers.

Conclusion

You Season 4 Part 1 takes the captivating thriller series in a new direction--trapping Joe in his own whodunnit--with darkly humorous satire and captivating performances--especially from Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, Amy-Leigh Hickman, and Tilly Keeper.

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW: Mythic Quest S3 - Hilarious, Heartfelt, Human

Mythic Quest–created by Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, and Rob McElhenney–is a hilarious workplace comedy following the inner workings of a video game design company.

Season two ended with some major shake ups that takes the series in a new direction for its third season. Season two ended with Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney), Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao), Dana Bryant (Imani Hakim), and Rachel (Ashly Burch) leaving Mythic Quest and Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi) going to prison–leaving David Brittlesbee (David Hornsby) to run Mythic Quest with Jo (Jessie Ennis) back as his assistant. 

Complex Characters, Compelling Stories, and Captivating Performances

Mythic Quest S3 picks up on all these new developments, and tells a compelling story across different characters–all trying to survive on their new paths. The choice to have David–now outside of Poppy and Ian’s shadow–being extremely successful at running Mythic Quest works perfectly. With how this character has been the one at his lowest point when season two ended, seeing these shake ups lead to him finally catching a break is cathartic and allows the season to explore another side of the character, which David Hornsby wonderfully plays throughout the season. He balances the anxious side of his character with newfound confidence that comes with being appreciated for his work rather than treated as a footnote.

Mythic Quest thrives with its ability to bring out the most interesting and exciting elements of every character through both familiar and unexpected relationship dynamics.

This season brought us some absolutely delightful moments between Jo, Poppy, and Rachel by allowing the brilliant Jessie Ennis, Charlotte Nicdao, and Ashly Burch to bounce off each other, creating unique dynamics between the trio that feel lived-in while also being a new and exciting friendship for the series to explore.

The Mythic Quest writers understand their characters so deeply that every moment feels perfect and resonates with the audience.

The codependency between Poppy and Ian catapults the series to be one of the most interesting shows on television right now. The dynamic between these two is heart wrenching, emotional, and cathartic.

And season three does not shy away from fully exploring their complex relationship, especially their codependency, and how it impacts everyone around them in some of the best episodes of television this year. 

Charlotte Nicdao and Rob McElhenney's performances leap off the screen showing us just how much these characters hurt and strive to be better, even if they believe it isn't possible. And their chemistry is captivating, especially in the moments showing the extent of Poppy and Ian's challenging relationship.

One of the best dynamics this season has been between David and Jo. Seeing Jo back as his assistant again has been delightfuly, especially seeing how their relationship has evolved since the first time they were in this position. We see Jo really wanting to help David overcome his fears and rebuild his confidence.

Jessie Ennis and David Hornsby work so well together and their performances are amazing each week, exploring the complex dynamic between their characters. Jessie Ennis masterfully finds the perfect balance between Jo’s eccentricities and her heart. 

The glimpses into Jo’s life outside Mythic Quest and her attempts at building friendships with Poppy and Rachel this season have been amazing and I cannot wait to see more exploration of Jo’s character–especially how she connects with other characters in future seasons. Their brunch adventure and tank crushing will be remembered as one of the best moments this season. 

Balance and Creativity

Mythic Quest wonderfully balances its sardonic and witty humor with darker, more emotional story beats. The first episode blends the loss of C.W. perfectly with the exploration of new beginnings and the importance of friendship and connection that permeates throughout the season. 

Mythic Quest always succeeds in how it balances its present day and its backstory episodes–"Dark Quiet Death" in season one, "Backstory" in season two, and "Sarian" in season three. These are some of the best, most emotionally resonate, episodes, which connect us to the world of MQ with a different tone than the surrounding episodes.

Some audiences talk about how they wish the entire series was like these episodes, but what makes these forays into the backstory of MQ and its employees so powerful is that they are morsels blended perfectly within the series. Mythic Quest is a wonderful workplace sitcom with complex characters, hilarious situations, and captivating performances–and stepping away from the workplace to revel in the unexpected for one episode a season helps create a perfect blend of emotion and comedic brilliance. 

The backstory episode this season, "Sarian", is a wonderful, poignant exploration of the importance of creativity and being yourself. The episode tells the story of young Poppy and Ian, worlds apart, going through similar struggles of fitting in with their unique views of the world. 

Isla Rose Hall as Young Poppy and Judah Prehn as Young Ian are wonderful and perfectly capture the mannerisms we have come to know from their adult counterparts. "Sarian" also brought us a compelling and challenging performance from Lindsey Kraft as Ian’s mom Sarah.

"Sarian" is a celebration of all the kids who felt they saw the world differently than everyone else–and how this should be nurtured rather than neglected. 

Hilarious, Topical Commentary

Mythic Quest does a great job at balancing real issues within the gaming world with realistic humor that can be appreciated by both people inside that community and someone who has never played a video game before. 

Season three weaves NFTs into the story, without feeling overwhelming in bringing these current topics into the show. We see how Ian has jumped fully into the NFT trend, and this is perfectly fitting of his character.

Showing how easily Ian adapts to this new NFT world expresses how much he wants to be seen as the pinnacle of early tech adoption. This is also hilariously represented in his design of the GrimPop office having no lines whatsoever. No matter how bad of a decision this was, he won’t give up his desire to set himself apart from everyone else. 

Season three also explores the world of video game adaptations in wonderfully funny ways as we see David and Jo work to bring a Mythic Quest movie to life–with Joe Manganiello as the Masked Man. One of the funniest scenes this season comes when Jo has to meet with Joe without David–and her conservative views and distaste of Hollywood come to the surface.

Jessie Ennis plays Jo’s nervous energy perfectly. The frantic energy of David feeding lines to Jo–while also on the phone with Phil from the MQ art department–gives the scene an electric screwball comedy quality brought to life through the amazing performances, especially Jessie Ennis and David Hornsby. 

This season also explores the culture of figurehead positions and the desire to make real change from a position built to make the company look better without any real responsibilities. Carol's (Naomi Ekperigin) storyline this season feels especially connected to real work culture and Ekperigin is hilarious in every scene.

The dynamic between Carol, Brad, and Rachel is especially funny. Naomi Ekperigin, Danny Pudi, and Ashly Burch work so wonderfully off each other.

Conclusion

Every season of Mythic Quest is funnier and more heartfelt than the last, as we fall in love with every character–the more flawed the better. Mythic Quest is both cynical and heartwarmingly sincere, reflecting the flawed nature of humanity and quest to find where we belong.

[amandamazzillo]

BLOOD RELATIVES: A Heartfelt, Hilarious, and Bloody Character Study

Blood Relatives--written, directed by, and starring Noah Segan--is one of the most entertaining films I have seen all year. This is the kind of movie I am always on the lookout for. It's charming, unique, and heartfelt--while still firmly fitting into the horror genre.

Blood Relatives follows Francis (Noah Segan)--a Yiddish vampire who has been traveling the backroads of American alone--until he meets Jane (Victoria Moroles), his daughter. He must decide if he can change his ways and be a true father for Jane--while also helping her to handle her vampire tendencies.

Heartfelt Horror

It takes so much skill to create something that is both wholly unique and wears its influences on its sleeve--loud and proud. Blood Relatives is a film that truly sings as a perfect amalgamation of Paper Moon with vampires and Jewish culture.

This combination is something I never expected, but it works so well together. Segan's script finds the humanity and humor in its supernatural characters--exploring relatable moments between this father and daughter duo that are also wholly connected to their uniquely vampire problems.

Blood Relatives is a beautiful coming-of-age story--centered around Jane learning why she has a penchant for rare burgers. Jane is on a journey to discover how to be a vampire and a teenage girl.

The unlikely duo of Jane and Francis leads to some delightful comedic moments and wonderful performances from Noah Segan and Victoria Moroles--highlighting the differences and similarities between this father and daughter pair.

Strong Story and Performances

For Francis, it's difficult to accept that his life is forever changing, and much like Paper Moon, the film thrives when the worlds of 'vampire' and 'dad' are the most connected. Some of the funniest--and most heartfelt-- moments in Blood Relatives tell familiar coming-of-age stories with the twist of their peculiar, bloody affliction.

Segan's decision to write his lead character as a Jewish vampire is delightful--and the best part: this aspect of the character is completely felt throughout the entire film and Segan's performance captures the heart of Francis and is a beautiful depiction of the journey one takes into fatherhood.

Combining horror with other genres can be tricky--and what makes Blood Relatives so good is how present those other genres are within this memorable film. Blood Relatives is a coming-of-age film and a character study of its two complex, extremely well-developed characters--showing how both Francis and Jane grow throughout their road trip.

Blood Relatives is heartwarming and relatable, as well as being hilarious. The comedy works so well, especially when it comes from classic Vampire lore and how Francis and Jane fit in with these established tropes.

Noah Segan and Victoria Moroles bring the already funny material up a notch with their performances. Segan's inflection and movements create a wonderful, funny dissonance with the typical brooding vampire.

Francis might wear the leather jacket, but his personality is more of a goofy, lovable dad--even before meeting Jane. And this makes the early moments in the film such a delight to watch.

Francis is a lone wolf, but one closer to Lenny Kosnowski. And that makes Francis such a wonderful character and Noah Segan's performance so good, capturing the character's personality that is equally distant, cool vampire, and dad who thinks he's a distant and cool vampire.

Victoria Moroles gives a great performance as Jane, and the moments where she is working through her recently discovered vampire traits and bonding with her newfound dad.

Beautiful, Striking Cinematography

As well as being a cute, heartfelt tale of family--and finding where we belong, no matter how much we feel we don't quite fit in--Blood Relatives also boasts striking cinematography.

The cinematography of Blood Relatives perfectly captures the beauty of small towns, road trips, and the unfamiliar--secluded roads, seedy bars, the fog coming off bright, neon lights.

Throughout most of the film, the nighttime is lit up with a pulsating energy. The cinematography reflects the film and the journey of its protagonists. In one moment--where the future of Jane and Francis' unconventional family is up in the air--the film takes on a dim, faded appearance.

But once Jane leans into her vampire tendencies, the color starts to become more vivid--highlighting the beauty of the sunset and the world at night.

Conclusion

Noah Segan's debut as writer/director offers a unique, heartfelt and hilarious take on classic vampire lore and the journey of fatherhood. Noah Segan and Victoria Moroles shine as the unlikely father and daughter duo.

Blood Relatives is a Shudder/AMC + Original and was released November 22nd on both platforms.

[amandamazzillo]

Christmas With You: Heartwarming Christmas Film With a Focus on Family

Christmas With You–directed by Gabriela Tagliavini–is Netflix’s latest Christmas romance, along the same lines as your go-to Hallmark or Lifetime films during this time of the year. Netflix is becoming a staple in the holiday movie landscape, and Christmas With You is an exciting new addition which balances heartfelt family moments, Latin American culture, and sweet romantic moments. 

Christmas With You follows a budding romance between music teacher and single father Miguel (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and struggling pop star Angelina (Aimee Garcia). The pair come together when Miguel’s daughter Cristina (Deja Monique Cruz) records a cover of one of Angelina’s songs. This leads the pop star to grant Cristina’s Christmas wish to meet Angelina.  

Focus on Family and Traditions

What sets Christmas With You apart from other similar Christmas films is how the focus is not entirely on the upcoming holiday. Christmas is an important aspect of the film–and we see glimpses into how the family’s culture impacts their holiday traditions. 

Christmas With You does not shy away from the Latin American culture of its characters, and always feel like their unique experiences are the central focus of the film, rather than hidden. Seeing Freddie Prinze Jr. play a Latino character is a nice change from what we got used to seeing. It is always welcome to see actors be able to bring their own culture to the screen, and Christmas With You let Freddie Prinze Jr. speak Spanish on screen. 

In addition to Christmas celebrations, Christmas With You is also about Cristina’s quinceanera and how this milestone in her journey is impacted by the recent loss of her mother. Christmas With You creates an emotional balance of the sadness of the past with the hope for the future.

Having the film leading up to Cristina’s quinceanera as well as Christmas makes Christmas With You a unique experience in the world of holiday films. Having the focus not entirely on the romance allows for natural moments showcasing the father-daughter relationship between Miguel and Cristina.

Freddie Prinze Jr. gives a great performance, especially in scenes showcasing Miguel as a sometimes conflicted, confused, and proud father to Cristina. Some of the best comedic moments in Christmas With You are between Miguel and the various members of his family including his daughter as well as his mother. The family scenes–both before and after they have a pop star come to visit–have a perfectly natural energy filled with the awkward moments that can only happen with your family. 

Christmas With You handles emotional experiences with a heartwarming hopefulness, but makes sure the emotions ring true and are never ignored or forgotten. Among all the Christmas cheer, the loss of Cristina’s mother and Miguel’s wife, is always in their hearts, never ignored for a quick romantic solution. 

Heartwarming Romance

The romance at the heart of Christmas With You is warm and inviting, and shows how both Miguel and Angelina change over the course of the film, helping each other realize their fears and how to overcome them.

The way romantic moments develop in Christmas With You feels natural. Some more family-oriented romances do not let the love interests develop a natural attraction and charm, but with Christmas With You, the romance builds up through small moments such as stolen glances–and the quiet intimacy of helping each other make tamales. 

Their romantic attraction bubbles to the surface with a natural and exciting chemistry between Freddie Prinze Jr and Aimee Garcia. For an audience who grew up watching Freddie Prinze Jr in movies like She’s All That, seeing him return to the world of the rom-com is exciting and offers a warm nostalgia–which perfectly fits with the Christmas season. 

At times, the drama between Miguel and Angelina–especially focusing around Angelina’s ex boyfriend Ricardo (Gabriel Sloyer) feels out of place among the rest of the movie, but these moments work to explore how the music industry has made Angelina lose a little bit of herself. 

Christmas With You tells a nice story of getting away from the hustle and bustle of a too-demanding job, and even though Angelina is not physically returning to her own hometown, we see Angelina reconnect with her own cultural roots and bond with Miguel as well as his family, finding what she misses in her new life.

And what works so well in this romance, is how much Miguel also learns about himself in the process. Too often, films like this are about a career’ woman discovering she needs a small town, with her love interest not having any sort of change in himself. The balance in Christmas With You makes the romance more realistic and rewarding. Miguel discovers his own regrets and fears, and these moments are told with a real understanding of how difficult it is to leave what you’ve known–including fears–behind. 

Conclusion

Christmas With You tells a sweet romance with great chemistry between Freddie Prinze Jr and Aimee Garcia, but what sets this romcom apart is its focus on family and the importance of embracing culture with its focus on Cristina’s quinceanera, and how this brings everyone closer together. 

[amandamazzillo]

HALLOWEEN ENDS: Satisfying, Complex Conclusion to the Halloween Saga

With David Gordon Green's Halloween Ends--the story which began in 1978 with the release of John Carpenter’s terrifying, suspenseful Halloween--comes to a satisfying conclusion. 

The end of the revitalized Halloween trilogy which began in 2018 with the new sequel to the original film, explores Laurie Strode’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) journey to live her life away from the constant fear of Michael’s inevitable return time and time again. 

Halloween Ends examines how the presence of evil lived within Michael now roams free and permeates every corner of Haddonfield–living in the subconscious of every resident, leading to disastrous accidents sparked by the fear of Michael being around every corner. The evil spreads its way through the town, impacting how everyone lives with the constant fear of the boogeyman's return. 

Halloween Ends is a great conclusion to this story of Laura and the evil she fights against throughout her life. The film asks: Will Laurie finally find some peace and quite–some time to truly live her life? 

Complex, Believable Performances 

Halloween Ends gives us everything we could hope for in this final installment. We see glimpses of our favorite final girl having a moment to catch her breath. Jamie Lee Curtis gives an amazing performance which explores how Laurie has grown as a person. 

Seeing a character we have watched throughout the Halloween franchise fight for her life–and the lives of her loved ones–stand up and let pent up emotions out in the open, is cathartic and freeing. Jamie Lee Curtis's performance is exhilarating as a character who finally has had enough and releases all the emotions she has been keeping inside. 

Halloween Ends boasts challenging, captivating performances of complex, well-written characters who question their life as well as the history and overpowering pull toward evil in their hometown.

Andi Matichak returns as Allyson–who now lives with her grandmother Laurie Strode. Halloween Ends explores her character more intimately–examining how growing up in this family–and Haddonfield–has impacted who she is and what she wants out of her life. 

One of the standout performances in Halloween Ends is Rohan Campbell as Corey Cunningham–a young Haddonfield resident- who comes under fire from the town after a mysterious and deadly night. 

Campbell brings the complexity of his character to the foreground. We see Corey as an awkward, but well-meaning kid, trying desperately to deal with how the evil of Haddonfield permeated his subconscious during that fateful night. Corey’s accident, which begins the film, highlights how Haddonfield residents are always looking over their shoulder, waiting for the worst to happen–waiting for Michael’s return, even when he’s nowhere to be seen. 

Throughout the film, Corey tries to handle the outcome of that night, leading to a complex and challenging role which Rohan Campbell portrays perfectly from every angle. 

Gore and Creative Kill Scenes

Halloween Ends does not skimp on gory and intense kill scenes which harken back to the suspense which made us all fall in love with this iconic horror franchise with Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic. 

The horror of Halloween Ends erupts beautifully from well-crafted suspense and a dark, gritty atmosphere capturing how evil seeps into Haddonfield. 

The cinematography throughout Halloween Ends captures both the darkness of the holiday along with the joy of costume parties–and the warm, yet menacing glow of jack o' lanterns. 

The visual world of Halloween Ends all bursts from one central location–which helps create a lived-in and scary world where we expect to see Michael Myers emerge from the shadows at any moment. The bridge–which was filmed in Sylvania, Ga–used within the film acts as a hub for the town’s evil as well as the film’s strong visual tone. 

Halloween Ends builds suspense beautifully from its opening scene and continues throughout all of its kill scenes–which are both brutal and creative. Every moment of gore builds from an overwhelming sense of suspense, and utilizes the atmosphere and location of each moment well to create unique scenes that are both terrifying and unique. 

Halloween Ends maintains a strong visual style throughout the film both in its most horrific scenes as well as in its scenes which capture the bright lights and excitement of the holiday. Neon lights, motorcycle rides, and the dark, open road recall juvenile delinquent films of the 1950s–brought to even more through the performances of Rohan Campbell and Andi Matichak during these moments. 

Conclusion

Halloween Ends is a perfect conclusion to the Halloween franchise and is a fun, suspenseful trip inside the haunting world of Michael Myers and Haddonfield. Halloween Ends is a wonderful celebration of the season–both its tricks and treats–giving us spooky atmospheres, complex performances–especially from Jamie Lee Curtis, Rohan Campbell, and Andi Matichak–and an amazing cameo horror fans are sure to love.

[amandamazzillo]

TICKET TO PARADISE: Lighthearted and Fun -- A Welcome Return of the Rom-Com

Ticket to Paradise--directed by Ol Parker--is a welcome return of the romantic comedy to theaters, highlighted by the wonderful chemistry between George Clooney and Julia Roberts, who portray divorced couple David and Georgia, who reunite to stop their daughter Lily's (Kaitlyn Dever) upcoming marriage to Gede (Maxime Bouttier)--who she just met while on vacation in Bali.

Screwball Romantic Comedy Traditions

The story in Ticket to Paradise brings to mind classic screwball--especially 'Comedy of Remarriage' films--focusing on divorced couples rekindling their romance after years apart, filled to the brim with banter and bickering.

Ticket to Paradise is its best when it leans into this tradition of banter--and George Clooney and Julia Roberts play these moments perfectly. Their chemistry is electric, especially in the earliest moments, when we see the most intense arguments between the divorced couple.

If you--like so many of us--have been longing for new romantic comedies--especially of the big, theatrical style--Ticket to Paradise is a breath of fresh air. We are in a rom-com resurgence and Ticket to Paradise is a wonderful addition--and hopefully we have more to come in the future.

Ticket to Paradise hits rom-com tropes, bringing this genre back to us in full-force with strong performances and memorable comedic moments.

The dialogue is fast-paced and energetic, but sometimes these moments do not pack the right comedic punch, even though we have the essence of the screwball comedy hitting us in waves.

Billie Lourd stands out--but she is not well-utilized within the film. Her moments as Lily's best friend Wren are great, but few and far between. When she comes on screen, you know you are about to see some of the funniest moments Ticket to Paradise has to offer.

Heartwarming Moments

Ticket to Paradise explores concepts of finding joy in unlikely places--for both of its central love stories. The theme of the film is represented well across its different characters, allowing each romantic story to find its own interpretation of this theme, while exploring the similarities.

Ticket to Paradise is a light romantic comedy with witty dialogue, memorable romantic moments, and a much-needed heartwarming tone. For those of us looking for an escape, Ticket to Paradise offers this both in its beautiful locations and its uplifting romances.

Ticket to Paradise is a nice piece of escapist cinema that thrives through its performances--especially the captivating chemistry between George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

Ticket to Paradise also includes wonderful moments of friendship between Lily and Wren. Kaitlyn Dever and Billie Lourd play wonderfully off each other and their friendship is a realistic representation of how our friends are not always exactly like us, but those friendships sometimes mean the most.

Division of Stories

Both central romances in Ticket to Paradise have their own strengths and are heartfelt in extremely distinct ways, but at times the film seems to focus too much on Lily's romance with Gede.

Instead of feeling like a romcom about Georgia and David's rekindling romance with the backdrop of their daughter's wedding, the movie feels like the divorced parents coming back together is the real backdrop.

David and Georgia's story has many extremely memorable scenes--especially their banter and more frantic moments--reminiscent of the classic screwball, but I was left wanting more.

The effervescent chemistry between George Clooney and Julia Roberts makes the audience want to be pulled back to their story, and at times, it takes longer than it should to return to their sharp wordplay and emotional moments of reminiscing.

Conclusion

Ticket to Paradise brings back the style of big, splashy romantic comedies we have been sorely lacking with Clooney and Roberts' strong chemistry, quick-paced witty comedy, and beautiful locales that are sure to capture any audience.

[amandamazzillo]

FROM SCRATCH: Captivating, But Overlong Romantic Drama with Strong Performances

From Scratch is a romantic drama limited series coming to Netflix October 21st. The series follows Amy (Zoe Saldana) as she meets and falls in love with the Sicilian Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea) while studying abroad in Italy.

Structure and Story

What sets From Scratch apart from similar romantic stories is how the series explores what comes next after the whirlwind romance between Amy and Lino. We get to see all the wonderful romcom moments before diving into their love story across many years--and how relationships and people evolve over time.

The performances in From Scratch help bring this entertaining story to life. Zoe Saldana and Eugenio Mastrandrea are wonderful and bring beautiful chemistry between Lino and Amy. We feel in touch with these characters and want to see what comes next in their romance.

With its structure of exploring a relationship across a large period of time, From Scratch has a lot of potential story to tell, but sometimes, the time doesn't feel well-used. At times, you wonder if the romance between Amy and Lino would have been better as a two-hour movie rather than an eight episode series.

Balance of Genres

From Scratch does a good job of showing the realistic elements of a relationship, while also exploring the drama we come to expect from a story such as this one. And amid all of this, the series still has a sense of humor and much-appreciated moments of levity.

From Scratch balances its comedic moments with heartfelt scenes that feel even more real because the performances add another layer to these complex and intriguing characters.

But, there are a few times where the dreams of the main characters get lost amid the drama. From Scratch is about Amy--an artist--falling in love with Lino--a chef--as she studies art in Florence, but as the series progresses, we see less and less of their professions. Story wise, it makes sense that relationships stifle their creative passions, but it would be nice to be reminded of their hopes and dreams more often across the eight episode series.

Cinematography and Location

From Scratch looks beautiful, especially when its showcasing the beauty found across the world. We see Italy through the eyes of a tourist as well as locals, showcasing different aspects of the culture and unique world.

The series also explores Los Angeles and how Amy finds beauty where she never expected it--and rekindling her love of art.

From Scratch does not spend enough time in Italy, but the moments in Italy are beautiful and will definitely appeal to anyone watching the series for its location.

Cultural Differences

From Scratch offers some interesting introspection into cultural and racial differences. Both Lino and Amy expect backlash from their families about who they choose to date. Amy is Black and her family is from Texas. Lino is Sicilian and he expresses that his mother wouldn't want him to date someone who is Black, an American, and not Catholic.

The series does a good job of showing how Amy is in unfamiliar territory with Lino in Italy. And it also explores how Lino doesn't quite fit in when he's in America. Both Amy and Lino experience cultural differences--and From Scratch explores how these differences impact their romance--both negatively and positively--as they grow closer together.

From Scratch also does a great job of showcasing parental relationships, the good and the bad, and offer heartwarming moments of reconciliation that are some of the most memorable scenes throughout the series.

From Scratch is a beautiful story about learning to accept yourself and find someone who will prop you up just as much as you prop them up. It's refreshing to see relationships where both partners want the other to follow their dreams.

Conclusion

From Scratch tells a familiar fish-out-of-water romance in a unique, but overlong, way--exploring how relationships can change over time. The chemistry between Zoe Saldana and Eugenio Mastandrea makes for a memorable romantic tale.

[raimissance]

https://www.filminquiry.com/better-call-saul-screwball-comedy/

I wrote this article about Jimmy & Kim’s relationship and the screwball comedy influences throughout their story. Don’t read if you haven’t watched the full series. This contains spoilers for the whole series, especially the final season.

“throughout the seasons, Jimmy and Kim’s romance has explored the passion and love found in Classic screwball comedies like His Girl Friday, The Lady Eve, The Palm Beach Story, and The Philadelphia Story.”

[amandamazzillo]

My latest article—published on Film Inquiry

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW - Goodbye, Petrushka: Whimsical Yet Realistic Coming-of-Age Delight

Goodbye Petrushka–directed and written by Nicola Rose–follows Claire (Lizzie Kehoe) as she makes the impulsive decision to move to Paris, hoping her puppetry dreams come true. During this journey, she meets Thibaut (Thomas Vieljeux), a recently retired figure skater, who also feels stuck in his own life. 

Goodbye, Petrushka is a beautiful coming-of-age film showing Claire’s growth as she makes the decision to follow her dreams, while also establishing that we should not grow up too fast. One of the most captivating aspects of the film is its innocence and whimsical nature paired with realistic storytelling, which shows what women, especially younger women finding themselves, go through and how to decide to put yourself first.

The romance within the film is charming and a joy to watch, but the film never loses sight that the real story is Claire’s decisions to find her own value and appreciate her vision, even if those around her don’t quite get it. 

Goodbye, Petrushka blends wonderful romantic comedy moments with comedic beats that ring especially true to the world of writing workshops. Introducing Claire through showing the audience her unique personality and whimsy gives us the chance to get to know her and want her to succeed. 

Showing Claire in film classes–where her puppetry works are dismissed by her peers–establishes her doubts well and builds up the film’s exploration of the whimsical nature of Claire’s personality. Goodbye, Petrushka explores the importance of not giving up and not trying to change who you are to fit what is expected. Claire’s ideas of art are different from her peers and Goodbye, Petrushka shows the good in embracing what makes you different.

Visually, Goodbye, Petrushka is an exciting and inventive film, balancing the use of animation and intense framing to bring each moment to life. When Claire fantasies, we see these visuals as animated sequences, which feels fitting for the character–like we are seeing exactly what she does within her fantasies. 

When Claire interacts with the family for which she is a nanny, there is an intensity to the shots, framing each member of the family as a threat. Watching these scenes feels like we are seeing these new–and not very friendly people–from Claire’s point-of-view.

They are bombarding her space, questioning her skills, and covering up their insecurities. And we see these scenes with angled and close shots, emulating the way Claire feels thrown into this unfamiliar environment. 

Goodbye, Petrushka is a wonderfully strange coming-of-age comedy that slowly allows us to become closer and closer to Claire, as she also begins to learn more about herself and possibly what she wants out of life. Nicola Rose’s writing and directing wonderfully establishes Claire with a familiar innocence fitting a character of this age–which comes together beautifully with Lizzie Kehoe’s performance and the film's stellar production design--and puppet design. 

Goodbye, Petrushka takes time to make sure the audience knows who Claire is before her first line is spoken. We see her room and her whimsical and creative personality is represented so clearly and perfectly. Lizzie Kehoe gives a great performance which highlights the innocence of her character, especially in the moments after she first meets Thibaut and is shown falling into a classic crush–including the smiles that Claire tries to unsuccessfully hide from herself.

Some of the comedy works great–especially the reused actress popping up throughout the film when Claire is finding opposition toward her goals. But at times, the jokes do not work quite as well.

There is always this feeling of whimsy and absurdity to the film, especially in scenes between Claire and her best friend Julia (Casey Landman). With these moments, the more absurd they are, the better. A few times, these conversations fell flat, but they worked often enough that the eccentricity builds the film’s unique tone. 

Goodbye, Petrushka adds warmth and humor with adorable and expressive puppet design. Some of the most memorable moments of comedy for me come from shots of Claire’s puppets, especially quick cuts to their expressive faces. 

Goodbye, Petrushka’s romantic moments are wonderfully shot and show great chemistry between Lizzie Kehoe as Claire and Thomas Vieljeux as Thibaut. Goodbye, Petrushka is a delight to watch and it is easy to root for Claire’s self-discovery and seeing how her crush on Thibaut develops as the film progresses.

The realism of Claire’s story works so well in contrast to the whimsical and absurdist aspects of the film. Coming-of-age stories can feel far-fetched, but Goodbye, Petrushka balances its tone with moments about relationships and how life goes that feel realistic and familiar. 

Conclusion

Goodbye, Petrushka is a delightful coming-of-age story that balances realism with fantastical elements, creating a unique experience. Nicola Rose does great work-as writer and director-and I look forward to seeing her unique voice in the years to come.

[amandamazzillo]

1950s & 1960s Influences of Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar: The Retro Kitsch of The Florida Tourist Aesthetic

Examining modern cinema to find films inspired by the classics can lead to unexpected conversations. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig explores a past era of film–The 1950s and 1960s– while crafting its unique comedic tone and Floridian style. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar bares similarities with multiple genres from the 50s and 60s, primarily musicals, sex comedies, and B Science Fiction. 

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a delightfully absurd comedy which shares both plot similarities as well as thematic ones with classic films from the 50s and 60s. 

Romantic/Sex Comedy Similarities

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar shares many similarities with the 50s and 60s sex comedy, especially those starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson, including bright color palettes, stories of hidden and mistaken identities, and innuendo-filled comedy that bordered on the absurd. 

The sex comedies starring Doris Day were especially concerned with her representation as an innocent woman who is often surprised by her leading men’s focus on sex, but when we look under the surface, her characters make as many innuendo jokes and she frequently notices the sexual reference within the conversations. 

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a story of discovering our worth and learning not to view ourselves in negative lights. This is both represented in Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig) as it is in the more villainous characters, especially Sharon (Kristen Wiig), the film’s main antagonist. 

Similarly to how Doris Day’s various characters in films like Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, and Send Me No Flowers had to work hard to reclaim their sexuality, Barb and Star must learn that just because they are middle-aged characters doesn’t mean they have left their ‘shimmer’ and sexuality behind in the past. 

Throughout the film, Barb and Star doubt themselves and think it impossible that others might be interested in them. The pair have a remarkably memorable night together with Edgar (Jamie Dornan). Barb’s husband died years ago, and she has been a shell of her former self ever since, while Star’s husband left her, leading to Star’s self-deprecation, viewing herself as unworthy of love. 

Another similarity comes within the relationship Star and Edgar develop throughout the film. In a similar fashion to Pillow Talk (1959), Sex and the Single Girl (1964), and many more 1950s and 1960s sex comedies, the relationship between Star and Edgar begins from a place of deception. Even though Edgar does not outright try to act like a completely different person, he keeps his identity and position within Sharon’s evil mission to himself. This leads to awkward moments between Edgar, Barb, and Star throughout the film. 

In Pillow Talk, Brad–in hopes of getting closer to Jan, who hates him–pretends to be Texan rancher Rex. In Barb & Star, Edgar does not put on a separate persona, but he allows his emotional side to come through around Barb and Star, which he often keeps bottled up when working with Sharon on her evil plans. As the film progresses, we learn more and more about the depths of Edgar’s feelings and begin to see his ‘evil’ persona as the fake one. 

Another connection between Barb & Star and 1950s/60s sex comedies is the absurdity of its comedy and the amount of innuendo-laden scenes. 

In Pillow Talk, there is an overarching plotline of people thinking Brad is pregnant and trying to figure out how it is possible. This is a background story exploring the absurdity often found in films during this time. In Lover Come Back, the film deals with advertising executives and the candy they are promoting turns out to be alcoholic with the effect of a “triple martini” in each piece. This leads to characters getting drunk from eating candy. 

What makes these films memorable is how the world of the film embraces the absurdity of every situation, taking everything extremely seriously. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar does the same thing and it is refreshing to see in a modern film. 

When Barb and Star are on the plane to Florida, they spend the entire flight making up a story about a woman named Trish who becomes a spirit in the water, and the film actually brings this back and makes it true in its finale. 

In a perfect visual moment, Edgar reads a book with an extremely specific title: “How to Know The Person You Love Loves You Even Though They Don’t Act Like It Most of the Time” while the object of his affections reads another book by the same author titled “How to Convince Someone You Love Them When You Don’t To Get Them To Do What You Want”. 

Every moment throughout Barb and Star builds the absurdity of its world and creates a wholly unique atmosphere and comedic tone. In addition to this tone of its comedy that is reminiscent of classic 50s and 60s comedies, the visual style of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar reflects filmmaking of the past.

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar utilizes absurdly bright shades, especially pink and blue. These bring us back to the vividly bright world of CinemaScope and the perfectly matched outfits found in every single Doris Day comedy. 

The visual style of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is retro in the best way, recalling the 50s and 60s, while also showcasing a uniquely middle-aged Florida aesthetic. The over-the-top shell jewelry, bright floral prints, and culottes of the main characters perfectly represent this unique aesthetic that often feels reminiscent of the style in 50s and 60s films, even down to the shorter and poofier hairstyles that resemble the classic Doris Day coif. 

These visual moments are especially present within the film’s musical numbers, which brings us to the next 50s and 60s genre from which Barb and Star draws inspiration. 

Inspiration from Movie Musicals 

Within the multiple musical numbers in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, we see visually engaging choreography which utilizes bright colors and synchronicity, which recalls the water-centric musical numbers of films like the musical starring Esther Williams: Million Dollar Mermaid. 

In the 50s and 60s, it was common to see comedy films which were also musicals, especially in Danny Kaye’s starring vehicles like The Court Jester (1956) and On the Double (1961) among many more. 

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar brings us back to this idea of exploring musical numbers within a comedy through its tropes and aesthetic.

The musical numbers in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar explore the comedy through the music through absurdity and humor within the lyrics. The choreography also builds an over-the-top unique world where only these characters could live. 

The song which introduces Barb and Star to the wonders of Vista Del Mar plays up the comedy of the town as a paradise for the middle-aged with lines such as “endless macaroni salad at the all you can eat buffet.” 

With the song, Edgar’s Prayer, the comedy comes through in the story being told, but also in the specific way the song is written. The song explores Edgar’s internal conflict of his relationship with Sharon. The song highlights the film’s absurdist humor with lines such as, “I'm going up a palm tree, like a cat up a palm tree who's decided to go up a palm tree.”

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar explores how music can be used within comedy to enhance the story, as well as adding to the delightful comedic tone of the film. The use of music recalls these 50s and 60s movie musicals as well as the use of theme songs, often sung by the stars, in romance-centric films of the same time. This brings us back to the Doris Day films, which often had an introductory song such as this to set the lighthearted and bright tone of the film. This same tone is represented within Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar and becomes even stronger with its perfect musical numbers. 

B Science Fiction Similarities

The next 50s and 60s genre which helps build the world within Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is B Sci-Fi. This genre is especially relevant to the villain plot of the film. 

Often in B Sci-Fi films, there is a villain, usually a mad scientist of sorts creating a device that will kill people in an extremely ridiculous manner. One of the most famous B movies, Plan 9 From Outer Space follows aliens who plan to reanimate corpses by restarting their brains with lasers. And the title also implies this is the ninth time these aliens have tried to take over Earth. 

The 1958 film Attack of the Puppet People follows a doll shop owner who decides the only way to cure his loneliness is to shrink people down to the size of dolls, so he sets out to make a machine to do just this! 

In Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, we see Sharon’s plan for destruction of the small coastal town, Vista Del Mar. It too centers around wanting to find a cure for her loneliness and sadness. Sharon has a disorder where her skin is pale and she cannot be out in the sun. 

After having to move to Florida, this causes her even more grief. The climate of her new home forces her to stay inside or wear elaborate clothes to hide her delicate skin. This causes other students to make fun of her, but she finally finds one friend, who shortly after gets eaten by an alligator. 

Instead of devising a plan to go after the alligator that stole her friend, she decides to kill everyone in this town where she never truly felt welcome. Reminiscent of 50s and 60s B Sci-Fi and horror, her plan is ridiculous and reflects on Florida with its details. She wants to kill everyone in the town by creating  a special deadly breed of mosquitoes that will kill with a single bite and unleash them upon everyone in the town. In real life, mosquitoes already are a major problem in Florida, so using this insect within her plan is especially fitting. 

Double Duty Performances

Another aspect of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar which increases the absurdity and its connection to the 1960s is found within the performance of the villain role. Kristen Wiig plays both Star and Sharon in the film, allowing her to explore both villainous and heroic character traits within the same movie. 

This double duty casting has been mostly done within comedies, showing the talents of the performers to bring to life these extremely different characters. By playing both the hero and the villain, Kristen Wiig once again brought the film more in conversation with the 1950s and 60s, as well as more modern, yet classic inspired films such as Austin Powers. 

The most relevant example of a dual performance comes in the form of Peter Sellers in the satirical comedy Dr. Strangelove where he played Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley, as well as Dr. Strangelove. 

But this idea of comedians playing multiple roles was present in other films in the 60s as well, leading to the retro tone that comes from this casting decision. In the 1960s, Jerry Lewis played multiple roles in his films The Nutty Professor, The Family Jewels, and The Big Mouth. Jack Lemmon played two roles in the 1965 comedy The Great Race. 

Even though modern comedies have explored actors playing multiple parts, these are often films exploring a retro tone. Austin Powers has Mike Myers playing both hero and villain and the film is set in the 1960s. Eddie Murphy plays multiple parts in numerous films, but some of the most known come in his remake of the 1963 Jerry Lewis film The Nutty Professor. 

Conclusion

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar stands as a memorable example of a film inspired by the classics through its connections to the cinema of the 1950s and 1960s. Exploring the past through modern moviemaking is a wonderful way to remember what came before while creating something wholly new and unique.

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW: The Pentaverate Season 1 - Delightful, Absurd Comedy Best When Outside its Secret Society

The Pentaverate is Mike Myers' new comedy televisions series inspired by a single conversation in So I Married an Axe Murderer suggesting the world is run by a group of five rich people, where Myers plays all five.

This new show explores this premise through one Canadian Journalist's journey to uncover this secret society, all while also following the members of the society as they deal with their own issues leading up to their annual meeting The Meadows.

Basing a new project on a line from an almost thirty year old film has a certain charm which understands the nostalgia associated with Mike Myers' return.

The Pentaverate is an often charming and funny series that sometimes feels overwhelmed by its central plot, when its most memorable and hilarious moments happen in between the secret society storyline.

Local TV Charm

When the first episode started, I was not immediately drawn in from the introduction of the secret society, The Pentaverate, but once that ended and we were thrown into a local Canadian news broadcast filmed like we're watching public access, I was delighted and charmed.

The moments following local Canadian journalist and news anchor Ken Scarborough are some of the best this series has to offer. Watching him cover the Toronto Sportsman Show is a perfect introduction to the character and naturally tells us how he will end up in the world of conspiracy theories leading to his plan to uncover the Pentaverate.

When Ken and camera operator Reilly Clayton (Lydia West) cover the Canada Conspiracy Convention, this is the perfect representation of what this show can be. I loved these moments satirizing conspiracy theories from two great characters with strong personalities that exist far outside the conspiracy world.

Watching these two team up with a conspiracy theorist to expose the Pentaverate works to create a fish-out-of-water serial story throughout the series, but I still wished instead the series followed Ken and Reilly attending different ridiculous conventions around the world, satirizing something new each episode.

The series as it is still has a nice comedic sense and uses these characters well in each episode, weaving together their characters with the larger Pentaverate-focused world and story, but we need more focus on this trio.

Blend of Comedic Styles and Comedy Through Cinematography

The Pentaverate has a blend of comedic sensibilities, some more nostalgic and others more modern, creating a unique comedic experience.

Most of the best moments exist outside the Pentaverate headquarters, but some jokes within the secret society land better than others, especially when they focus on the unexpected. We all think a secret society would operate in a specific way, and The Pentaverate explores a fun twist on our expectations. The main aspect of this is the show's idea to make their secret group of influential people nice rather than dark and overly mysterious.

The first episode introduces a supercomputer that has a soul, and instead of making this soul buttoned-up and stiff, we are greeted with a Boston accent cracking jokes in the midst of its calculations.

The Pentaverate has fun wordplay humor and absurdism that works so well, especially within the trio of Ken, Reilly, and Anthony Lansdowne--a conspiracy theorist helping them uncover the Pentaverate.

One of the most memorable moments starts with a conspiracy that Canada has lower image quality than the United States. The ending of the first episode uses its cinematography to go from the local tv quality of Ken and Reilly in Canada to the crisp, and more modern visuals once they enter the US.

The Pentaverate has a lot going for it, and this is especially true when the aim of its satire is its own network. Yes, these moments of satire cannot be too hard-hitting, but these moments more satirize censorship and network involvement in general.

While watching, I recalled a memorable moment in Myers' earlier work. Watching The Pentaverate comment on network involvement through 'censored' scenes which are more suggestive than the originals would have been brings us back to the product placement scene in Wayne's World.

These moments in The Pentaverate were great and brought a playful innuendo-laden energy to the series that is much appreciated.

When The Pentaverate works, it really works and is a delightful blend of absurd humor, wordplay, and satire, but at times, the series becomes too bogged down with its secret society, but these moments become increasingly more interesting as the season progresses and the worlds intersect.

Ken making his way closer to the Pentaverate adds more life and heart to this aspect of the story, and the humor within moments of him unsure how things work far from his comforting Canada are wonderful.

The Pentaverate has wonderful moments of absurdity throughout the series, including a sasquatch roaming the halls, Mike Myers playing a man in a Shrek costume rescuing another character played by Myers, and Maria Menounous playing herself as the Pentaverate's own news anchor. Moments like these made this series a delight to behold and had me hoping that more might come in the future.

Performances

The Pentaverate has Mike Myers playing eight different characters each with very unique personality traits and each character has some stand-out moments throughout the series.

His performance captures what drives each of these characters and allows us to feel drawn in by the story, not constantly thinking about who is behind the prosthetics.

Myers' performance as Ken stands out, perfectly capturing this character's true kindness against the Pentaverate members. There's a difference between being a person with a big heart and being nice-for-a-secret-society and this comes across perfectly.

Lydia West's performance as Reilly is amazing and instantly made me love her character and want to see more. West did a great job embodying this humorously exaggerated Canadian persona.

Conclusion

The Pentaverate is a funny satire of secret societies/conspiracies and great return to form for Mike Myers who plays 8 characters, all of which have moments to shine and are never overpowering. Lydia West expresses wonderful comedic talent every episode. 

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW: Playdurizm - Hauntingly Original & Visually Stunning Examination of Trauma

Playdurizm, directed by Gem Deger and written by Morris Stuttard, is a haunting fever dream where reality and fantasy collide in unique and visually stunning ways, while telling a dark and uncomfortable story. 

Playdurizm follows Demir (Gem Deger) teenager who enters into a fantasy world with his movie idol, played by Austin Chunn. The film explores how Demir ended up in this world and explores his complex feelings about living in this new reality as he learns more and more about how he got there and what this world signifies for him. 

Unique Visual Style and Surrealism

Playdurizm tells a dark and devastating story with a unique visual style, showing the dangers hidden behind glitzy fantasies. The moments in Playdurizm which work the best capture the dissonance between fantasy and reality through moments of horror. When Demir’s fantasy world is at its brightest or most technicolor, the darkest of questions hide just beneath the surface. 

Playdurizm is about a teenager inside a fantasy world, shown through glitches and dreamy color schemes, and the directing, production design, and cinematography work wonders to capture this aspect of the plot. As a viewer, we feel thrown into this fantasy world, zapped into a world that feels both futuristic and retro. 

The visual style and surrealism of the fantasy world remind me of the absurd surrealism and life hidden under layers in Casper Kelly’s short films Final Deployment 4: Queen Battle Walkthrough and Too Many Cooks. Like these surreal short films, Playdurizm captures the surrealism of dreams and creates a unique experience. 

One of my favorite moments in the film expresses a unique sense of the world. We see a movie trailer representing what we have been seeing, but without Demir’s presence. This moment pushes the film in a wonderfully absurd direction, while leading to more questions about this unraveling mystery of Demir’s world. 

Visually, Playdurizm is captivating and perfectly represents the film’s questions about reality and obsession. The visual representations of the edges of this fantasy world add a hauntingly beautiful quality to the film, and allow the devastating moments of the story to have a truly lasting emotional impact and be difficult to watch, especially surrounded by production design mixing dark kitsch with Barbie’s dreamhouse. 

Playdurizm utilizes neon colors–especially pink, purple, and blue–creating a world that feels like a piece of art. When Demir first wakes up in this unfamiliar bedroom, living with Andrew (Austin Chunn) and Drew (Issy Stewart), he has no memories of this living arrangement, but feels a pull toward Andrew and a desire to have a more intimate relationship with the other man. 

The floor of the bedroom is covered in blue-purple balloons, creating an environment that feels like a party–bright, inviting, and a little bit surreal. 

As the film progresses, the colors grow darker, the pinks and purples still present, but as colorful lights reflecting off the darkness by which they are surrounded. Playdurizm utilizes this trend of neon to show how Demir’s fantasy grows darker and more violent as the film progresses. 

Originality of Story

Playdurizm is a wholly unique experience tackling extremely difficult topics with mystery and surrealism befitting a fantasy. The fantastical aspects of Playdurizm constantly have a feeling that something dark and difficult to watch is just under the surface. 

As I watched, I felt Demir's uneasiness. We know there is darkness under every surface and we see glimpses into the dark reality of the story as these glitches occur. 

Playdurizm affectionately expresses its influences while creating a completely unique experience. As I watched this film, I was constantly in awe, unsure what would happen next and how far the film would go and how the character’s would react to every development. 

Playdurizm’s tone feels lighthearted and glitzy, creating a palpable dissonance with the film’s darker themes, expressing the action of trying to cover up our worst memories through returning to the familiar and getting lost inside our fantasies.

Playdurizm brought to mind the wonderful Horror Express focused Creepshow episode Night of the Living Late Show, which showed a fan putting himself in the world of his favorite movie. Playdurizm wonderfully explores this idea as a means to escape the trauma of real life, creating a blend of visual styles and tones, highlighting the darkness as well as the false happiness of our fantasies. 

Performances

Playdurizm’s dark surrealism works wonderfully to create a unique world that feels both dangerous and beautiful. In addition to a captivating visual style, the performances in Playdurizm allow us to fall even further into this glitchy fantasy world. 

The film’s director Gem Deger stars as Demir and plays the part perfectly, exploring the innocence of this teenager caught in a challenging and violent fantasy world. 

Deger’s performance highlight’s Demir’s inquisitive personality and innocence while navigating the complexities of desire and obsession. 

Austin Chunn’s performance as Andrew highlights a unique time and style in film, bringing to mind the Cronenberg and De Palma films from which this film draws inspiration. 

Conclusion 

Playdurizm is a unique and surreal exploration of traumatic experiences following a complex queer character played wonderfully by Gem Deger, the film’s director. Playdurizm thrives in its performances, captivating visual style, and meta moments.

Playdurizm is available on blu-ray and dvd from Kino Lorber

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: Sam Raimi's Return to Marvel is a Beautiful Blend of Superhero and Horror

Sitting down to watch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I kept thinking, "I'm finally watching a new Sam Raimi movie again." So many were anxiously awaiting Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, some for the possibilities of a cameo-filled adventure made of fan-favorite moments strung together across the multiverse, but for others, myself included, we were awaiting Sam Raimi's return--both to Marvel and to directing feature films.

As I sat watching Marvel's first real foray into horror, I was happy. The film has its problems, mainly with its writing, especially related to introducing characters to the MCU audience, but the film beautifully delivers on its promise of blending the superhero genre with horror.

Does Multiverse of Madness Succeed With its Horror Moments?

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a Sam Raimi movie first and an MCU installment second. Marvel fully let Raimi bring his own unique visual style and horror sensibility to this tale of multiversal travel and world-saving.

Throughout the film, I was continuously surprised by how far they went in terms of blood, jump scares, and darkness. Many standout moments show the beauty of horror while staying within the realm of the 'superhero' genre. One especially remarkable scene creates suspense and fear through reflections.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has well-crafted moments of horror, but the film never feels overly gory for its audience. The horror comes through more in surprising ways which the plot moves and the frantic, possessed energy Raimi creates through his use of POV shots and dutch angles among other techniques which we view as trademarks of his captivating directorial style.

Even when Marvel originally announced Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would have a horror tone, I never expected it would go as far as it does. Raimi fully utilizes his horror sensibility and techniques here to create a captivating film grounded within its performances, especially Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness looks and feels like a comic book come to life, giving equal stake to the darkest and the most unexpected and ridiculous moments. But, we are not given enough of these more fantastical and whimsical moments. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does not give us enough madness, yet leaves us wanting more with its glimpses into the absurd possibilities the multiverse has to offer.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has surprisingly violent kill scenes that please my horror-loving heart. Even though the moments aren't full-on gory, they provide the same kind of horror charm that we know and love.

Thematic Focus

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness works the best in its moments that explore the varying levels of grief within its main characters.

Elizabeth Olsen's performance as Wanda Maximoff catapults from her Wandavision story, exploring her grief in relation to herself and those around her.

Benedict Cumberbatch gives a strong performance, highlighting the best and worst aspects of Doctor Strange in a cathartic exploration of grief and regret.

With America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) the film does not explore her own past with enough importance, and the one moment we see is rushed and feels insincere, made even more prominent with the speech which follows. Her character and backstory deserved a more genuine and with more care.

Cameos and Character

One of my biggest worries about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was that it would be an overfull homage to MARVEL with constant cameos at every moment. The film has a few moments focused on these 'fan service' cameos. But in a way, the cameos remind me of the product placement in Josie and the Pussycats. Not in the way of it being overstuffed, but in a way where I'm left asking, "Is Marvel laughing at the fans who desperately wanted a stream of cameos?"

Personally, I loved the absurdity of the cameo moments, happy that they did not take over the film and add some moments of pure madness befitting the title.

In commenting on the Marvel cameos, I can't ignore the actual most important cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This moment is a perfect blend of Three Stooges slapstick that will remind viewers of a specific iconic scene from Raimi's repertoire.

Once again, the chemistry and banter between Doctor Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong) is wonderful, especially the moments referring to Wong's position as sorcerer supreme. Benedict Wong is perfect in this role and I wish we saw more of his character in this installment. The moments we do get are great, and I loved that we saw Wong in the middle of the action, expertly using his magic.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does almost nothing with America Chavez's character. She is written as a plot device, a means of traveling the multiverse, rather than an actual character with her own personality. I honestly felt no hints of the personality she has in the comics within this movie.

There are glimpses into the potential of the character, but these do not amount to much of anything.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does a good job exploring the characters who have already been present in the MCU for years but falters when tasked to bring the beloved character America to life for the MCU audience. Maybe there is hope for her future appearances.

Creating Tone Through Score

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness comes to life with a hauntingly beautiful score composed by Danny Elfman.

The score perfectly captures the film, going between hauntingly beautiful moments to create a chilling atmosphere for the film's more horror-focused moments and sprawling epic tones for the film's epic and heroic moments.

Music is an important aspect of creating the right tone for a film and that is done to perfection in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The score works to add a haunting quality to make its moments of horror that much more tense and frightening. The music also wonderfully scores epic superhero moments with the grand scope befitting those scenes.

Music also played a major part in an especially inventive action scene, which might leave some audiences asking, "Doctor Strange can do that with his powers?" The scene has a wonderful whimsical nature but still works as a fight scene.

Part of the charm in this, and other displays of power from Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff, is the absurdity and unexpected nature. Seeing powers that I never knew these characters had added to the film's sense of comic-book wonder.

Conclusion

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a beautiful blend of the superhero and horror genres brought to life through Sam Raimi's skilled direction, a hauntingly beautiful score, and memorable performances, especially from Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Cumberbatch.

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW: Hard Cell - Catherine Tate's Prison Comedy Blends Tropes of Sketch and Sitcom in a Sometimes Delightful, Sometimes Dated First Season

Hard Cell, Catherine Tate’s new comedy centered in a women’s prison, blends elements and tropes of sketch comedy with those of the workplace sitcom, creating a unique and sometimes wonderfully absurd comedy series. 

Blend of Modern and Nostalgic Humor

Hard Cell creates a shell of modern workplace humor wrapped around the style of sketch humor we remember from Catherine Tate’s previous television shows. At times, this works great and provides moments of nostalgia along with nice bites of more traditional workplace humor. What makes the series especially memorable is that the administrative/office humor is sometimes even more absurd than the central inmate humor, where Catherine Tate plays various characters. 

The humor within the office scenes works well and establishes ridiculous and engaging banter that recalls the underlying similarities between people who seemingly hate each other. Watching these moments, I was brought back to how great Catherine Tate was as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.

She does wonderful work thrown into a banter-heavy relationship with Dean (Christian Brassington) that draws us into wondering just where it will lead, and hoping more seasons are to come in the future.  Tate and Brassington play off each other wonderfully in these scenes.

When Hard Cell veers into more absurdist moments of comedy, it really lands, creating a comedic landscape that brings me back to some of my favorite sketch comedies and sitcoms. 

Ensemble of Characters

Hard Cell works well with its blend of characters, both those played by a talented ensemble and Catherine Tate’s various characters on display, but at times, the focus on showing her own variety of characters exploring her sketch comedy experience takes away from the exceptionally memorable character she does not play. 

When watching, I wondered if the show could be even stronger if she only played 2-3 characters rather than 6, allowing the other strong characters more time to shine. But, there are delightful memorable moments with all of her characters. 

Hard Cell thrives with its memorable performances from its ensemble as well as its ensemble of Catherine Tates. Tate plays each of her characters well, bringing their unique personalities and traits to life. Most notable is her performance of Ange, exploring the supposed innocence of the character.

As Laura, the prison governor, Tate gives a great performance that highlights the ineptitude and heart of the character. She brings to life a delightful version of the friendly and inviting boss with a signature banter. She means well, but doesn’t always have the common sense on lock. Catherine Tate brings Laura to life with especially delightful comedic moments, becoming one of the most memorable characters of the series. 

Throughout the series, I was especially drawn to the characters Cal (Lorna Brown), Sal (Caroline Harding), and Charlee (Jola Olajide). Throughout Hard Cell, I appreciated how many great jokes came from the talented ensemble working alongside Catherine Tate, and bringing out the best in her various performances as well.

Hard Cell does a good job of making sure every character, no matter how little we see them, is memorable in their own right.

Plot Throughout the Series

As a sitcom, Hard Cell takes a little too long to connect its gags and characters together with its plot, but when it does all come together, there’s a sense that these emotional beats hit even harder because we are not expecting them in a show like this one.

For some, the overarching plot of the season of “Will this rag-tag group of inmates get to put on their musical?” might not be enough, but for me, it’s the right amount of absurdity for this show and the world it has created.

Watching these characters care so much about something that the audience watching might see as trivial adds to its screwball charm. The inmates and prison staff, well at least governor Laura, take this musical production so seriously, that we get swept up in the story, wanting the musical to succeed without a hitch.

Hard Cell does not always work, but as the series progressed, I became more connected to the characters and wanted to see their success.

The relationship between Cal and Sal is especially memorable, and even with the jokes about being gay for the stay, the characters and their love for each other feels genuine, and the repeated joke feels more like the characters are trying to tell themselves they still feel that way, when it’s apparent their love is real.

Repetition in Hard Cell

With Hard Cell, Catherine Tate works to blend the worlds of sketch comedy and sitcoms, and sometimes this works great, but other times, the reliance on repeated jokes and catchphrase style lines takes away from the characters and the story.

But this does not mean the use of repetition always falls flat. One of the best jokes is the repeated reactions to Cheryl Fergison, playing a version of herself that coaches the inmates to stage a musical. The inmates all refer to her as her Eastenders character Heather Trott, leading to some especially memorable reactions showing just how tired she is of being seen as only one character throughout her career.

But another reaction to Cheryl is even funnier than the fan-worship of the inmates. Throughout the series, Laura mistakes Cheryl for one of the inmates and each time, the bit gets better and better.

Repetition is an important aspect of comedy, but sometimes it is especially difficult to find that sweet spot. Some repeated motifs and lines fall flat as we hear them for the fifth time in Hard Cell, but others lead to a joke slowly inching itself into our brain. Even though we know it will come, we welcome it with open arms. Hard Cell has some moments of repetition that don’t work, but when these moments work, they really work.

Another example of a repeated joke that works well is the inmates playing a game called “I’ve Got a New Business”. Sometimes the simplest of puns lead to the biggest laughs, and watching the inmates bond over telling these jokes gives us a chance to see the inmates bond while also enjoying the puns they create. The joke also leads to an especially memorable and romantic moment between Cal and Sal.

Conclusion

Hard Cell is a sometimes dated, but sometimes delightful blend of sketch and sitcom tropes that utilizes Catherine Tate's many comedic talents along with a talented ensemble bringing this women's prison and all of its inmates to life.

★★★/5

[amandamazzillo]

REVIEW: Morbius - It's Matt Smith's World, Jared Leto Just Lives In It

Morbius, directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless, is the next installment in Sony's Marvel universe.

The film follows Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) as he works to uncover a cure for him and his best friend since childhood Milo (Matt Smith), but this discovery leads to dangerous consequences in the form of a newfound thirst for blood along that comes along with their new power and strength.

There is a brief glimmer of a fun, sometimes campy, adventure with tones of horror within Morbius, but this never fully comes to fruition.

Pacing and Performances

Morbius spends time establishing the world and its characters, which does add depth to the story, but also allows the audience to know that Morbius as a character, especially performed by Jared Leto is not as interesting as we would like.

The main feeling I had throughout watching Morbius is how my attention shifted when Milo was introduced again in the present day, played by Matt Smith. There was much-appreciated energy to his performance.

I could understand from earlier moments how he would become the villain of the film, but still seeing the remnants of the boy we were introduced to in the beginning of the film. There was a charm, while also showcasing a glimmer of hatred and anger within the character.

When Milo takes matters into his own hands, ignoring the consequences, it does not feel out of place, and leads to some wonderfully campy and bright moments of Milo exploring his new powers. The energy Matt Smith brings to the role is captivating and kept me engaged throughout, while other aspects of the film hindered from complete enjoyment.

Adria Arjona is not given much time to explore her character Martine Bancroft, who is underwritten and underutilized. Martine is not explored much outside her relationship with Morbius, and even this does not get much focus within the film. She is a doctor and we have a few moments of her interacting with patients, but for most of the film, she is largely pushed aside.

Effects and Horror Tone

Some of the moments of horror within Morbius really land and build suspense in a natural and exciting way, but these moments are too few and too far apart, leading to most of the action within the film to feel more relegated to the 'superhero' zone.

Even so, some of the visuals within those more superpower-focused fights were fun, especially when the film really played with color instead of focusing on white, grey, and black smoky tendrils. The moments where bolder colors such as blue, purple, and orange were used gave life to these action-centric moments.

The horror within the film worked well--when it was present. We could blame the rating and say the PG-13 hindered the horror, and maybe that has something to do with it, but that somewhat does a disservice to the wonderfully gory and memorable PG-13 horror films that have been made before this.

One aspect of the horror that did not land well for me comes in the depiction of Morbius. With a film exploring morality and showcasing characters who are not seen as fully heroes or villains, it is important that both characters--the seemingly good and bad--need to have similar moments of menace.

I personally never felt any danger coming off Morbius outside his first transformation. There are so many ways the film could have explored his dilemma more, his moments of blacking out.

Personally, I feel more menace from Chicklet not knowing what she's done in Psycho Beach Party. Morbius does not explore the full potential of the character and his reluctant, uneasy connection with this new, dangerous part of himself.

Visuals and Music

Morbius has some visual moments that work well and recall an earlier decade of horror and the superhero, especially the moment in the hospital hallway.

The film has standout moments, but overall, the visual style is underwhelming--I couldn't tell if the top of the screen was messed up, or if one corner of the frame was always tinted teal.

With the music, I enjoyed how it pulsating with the action scenes. But the music seemed to be at this very high, harsh level throughout most of the movie.

This intensity of sound would have worked better if regulated to specific moments of action rather than used throughout the film for any moment with even the semblance of tension.

Conclusion

Morbius sometimes works great, but these memorable moments are spaced too sporadically throughout the film. It's worth watching to see the delightful performance from Matt Smith, who perfectly balances the campiest moments with the most emotionally resonant.