ISS

8/10

In ISS, Dr. Kira Foster (the West Side Story remake's Ariana DeBose) becomes the newest crew member of the International Space Station (real thing if you're not familiar), which is manned by Americans and Russians. Nuclear war breaks out between their two countries and the Americans get a private order to take over the station by any means necessary, and they have to wonder if their compatriots got the same order.

This is an idea that makes perfect sense for a closed-space thriller, and I'm surprised no one has ever thought of this before. The movie does jump into the action a little faster than I'd like; would've preferred suspense about and the build up to who will make the first movie. However, once things are rolling, they never get boring. One is left guessing as to what will happen next. Also, helps that all the characters are distinct with differing moral viewpoints.

Fairly good cast. This is one of DeBose's few projects so far that don't involve singing, and she gets to show off her acting chops and why she won the Oscar. DeBose really knows how to become the character.

The look of the interior of the ISS feels authentic. (Course I don't have a lot of memories of space station footage, so what do I know?) Definite thought was put into putting the set together and the weightlessness effects. 

Highly recommended. I know that this isn't getting a lot of buzz or butts in seats, but this is a gripping piece.

Hijack

8/10

In this new British limited series on Apple+, a flight from Dubai to London is hijacked. The show focuses on passenger Sam Nelson (played by Idris Elba), who has to use his wits and skills to keep himself and the others safe. 

Movies about hijacked planes have been done before, but they've never done a show about one to the best of my knowledge. Making this turned out to be a good idea. A longer running length allows more time for details, plotting, and getting to know the characters. But, the showrunners were enough to keep itself to only seven episodes so the whole affair doesn't feel too drawn out. (The Brits are usually good about not overextending.) Though the show doesn't advertise, this is kind of a 24 in that each episode covers one hour of the flight.

What ensues is a truly suspenseful work. The writers do a grand job of surprising the audience. The motivation of the hijackers is actually a mystery, and Hijacked keeps you invested in what exactly is going on.

The show manages to balance a large cast pretty effortlessly as it covers events in the plane and on the ground (everything unfurls and people are introduced at such a natural pace). Idris Elba gives peak Elba. He doesn't really do anything outside his box, but you get what you pay for. To be clear, this mostly isn't an action show. This isn't a situation where Elba's Sam has to rely on muscle. He has to out think the situation, and you want to see what he tries next. They provide a solid background for why he's so good at this.

Elba's the only household name in this, but Hijacked has a fine cast all around including a few faces you might've seen before. Max Beesley is very watchable as Daniel O'Farrell, a cop and the main guy seen dealing with the situation on the ground, who though he doesn't have as much screen time as Sam also has a pretty eventful seven hours. Neil Maskell gives a rather human performance as the hijackers' leader who's trying to maintain his control on the plane.

Show also has an excellent song selection for each of the ending credits. Opening credits are well done.

Probably the show's biggest weak point is that some of the things that happen feel arbitrary and more for the sake of the story and drama than happening realistically. Sam definitely has plot armor on. It gets harder and harder to argue why the hijackers just don't kill him. I also wouldn't have minded a little more to the epilogue.

Highly recommended. If you like thrillers where people are trapped in an area, this is definitely for you.

Knock at the Cabin

 

7/10

In this new M. Night Shyamalyan thriller based on the book The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay, husbands Andrew (played by Ben Aldridge) and Eric (Jonathan Groff) and their daughter Wen (Kristin Cui) are held hostage at a cabin they're staying at by a quartet of people (Dave Bautista, Harry Potter's Rupert Grint, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Abby Quinn). They want the family to decide which one of them will be sacrificed, otherwise they think the entire world will end.

This is a competently directed and scripted film. When things get shocking, they're appropriately shocking. There's are the traditional moments of Shyamalyan character dialogue that doesn't sound natural, but there are also the traditional lines that are also really well written (the talk-heavy opening does feel a little forced, but the movie picks up after the initial few minutes). Again, the director has a very distinctive and very cinematic style to his film. There are a couple of close-ups that didn't work, but overall this is a nice looking film.

The movie is well executed, but is predictable. (It'll probably help if you don't watch the trailers). This isn't one of Shyamalyan's movies that have a twist. You can see where most plot points are and the pacing isn't too slow but isn't too fast either, and I wanted them to hurry things up sometimes. There's nothing wrong with the script, but there's nothing that compels you to rewatch, either. In fairness, I may not be inclined to return to this, because as you probably guessed by the story, this is a pretty dark work to have to sit through. 

Best part of this is the performances by the actors playing the four interlopers, who each have a distinct personality and are dedicated to their mission, but don't like it at all. The actors are able to make even the weaker dialogue work. Bautista is known for the fact that he wants to be an actor's actor and not just an action star, (though he's also realistic about the work he'll usually get based on his build). This is the best performance I've seen him give. He's very unsettling in the way he's both eloquent but menacing in his devotion to his beliefs. I also hope this is a launching point for the careers of Quinn and Amuka-Bird who both deliver, especially the latter. Cui is a very gifted actress for her young age, but that's the problem. Her delivery is too adultish in this, she doesn't feel like a regular kid.

Not particularly recommended or not recommended. Again, this is a well made, quality acted film but might bore people with its predictability. If you don't like when films get unpleasant, this definitely won't be for you.

Missing

8/10

In this sequel to the 2018 John Cho movie Searching, June (A Wrinkle Through Time's Storm Reid) uses the Internet to investigate the disappearance of her mother Grace (Nia Long) and her mother's boyfriend Kevin (Ken Leung) during their vacation in Colombia. (So, basically it's a flip of the first film. Instead of a parent searching for their teen child, a teen is searching for their parent). Like the first entry, the entirety of the film is shown through social media and camera feeds.

I'm a little surprised Searching got a sequel, I thought it was pretty good, but it didn't seem to leave much of an impression on the public. I'm genuinely happy it got a sequel as Missing is as good as the first film. (Though with the lack of advertising for this and being dumped in January, I'm worried this won't get a lot of attention. Although, the attendance at my showing wasn't too shabby.) This film has more surprises and general tension than the first. I didn't know where the story was going as there are some genuinely good twists and turns. (I didn't see the trailer, but I hear it spoils things. Probably best to avoid it.) Having the disappearance happen in an entirely different country and having the main character have to deal with solving the mystery remotely, was a good way to add to the original concept. Admittedly, the movie does stretch disbelief a bit considering how much June is able to accomplish online. Also, the parent-child dynamic may feel too similar to Searching for some. Though, it's only generally similar, there are a lot of differences in the specifics.

Like the first film, visually this is very creative with the directors/screenwriters coming up with new ways to impart information. This continues the trend of online screen films like Unfriended and Searching, by being able to impart the plot or characterization without dialogue through seeing Google searches or messages being scrapped. It's a different way of filmmaking, and this style hasn't inundated the market, yet.

The phone calls in this do feel a little too clear in the audio, and the dialogue doesn't feel like your usual phone calls.

Pretty good casting in this, except for maybe Amy Landecker as a friend of Grace. She isn't a bad actress, she just feels miscast, something about the delivery. Reid was a fine choice as lead as she's able to cover all the emotions. She's no John Cho, but hey, who is.  

Highly recommended. This is a well told and engaging thriller and the equal to Searching. (When it comes to which one's better, Missing is more intricately plotted and thrilling, but Searching had John Cho, so they neutralize each other. It's simple matheChotics.)

Fall

8/10

After a tragic event in her past, mountain climber Becky Connor (played by Shazam's Grace Caroline Currey) is left in a cloud of depression. Hoping to snap her out of it, her friend Shiloh Hunter (Runaways' Virginia Gardner) takes her on a climb up a two thousand foot decommissioned television tower. Things go wrong (naturally, or there wouldn't be a movie) and they end up stuck at the top.

This is one of your basic hero/heroes-are-stuck-in-an-isolated, dangerous-place films, like The Reef and Frozen. (NO, not that Frozen. I'm talking about a film that came a few years earlier. Between that and Descendants, Disney is showing an annoying tendency of stealing movie titles.) I wouldn't say the plot brings anything revolutionary, but it is a very well-made film. People with acrophobia should avoid this at all costs. I have never seen a movie evoke a specific phobia as much as this film. I was kept in constant discomfort, worried for the two women. After constantly seeing them moving about the top of the tower, I was thinking "Why don't they have their hands wrapped around the pole at all times?!" That's how drawn in I'd gotten.

At first, I thought this had to be all done via green screen. (The shots of the ground below are obviously digitally added.) But, I kept asking myself, how are they getting the light to be so natural? It was driving me nuts, so I looked it up. Turns out they filmed a good part of this on an actual hundred foot tower. I applaud the director, because it must've been pretty difficult to film some of the shots in this. I've got nothing but respect for him.

My only big criticism is that this basically copies a plot point from a similar film.

Overall, recommended, again unless it may trigger you. Even if you're a little acrophobic, be wary. This is a well made film. I wouldn't say it's distinct enough to see immediately in theaters, but it's definitely a good suspense flick.

Beast

5/10

Following his wife's death, Dr. Nate Samuels (played by Idris Elba) takes his daughters to visit his friend Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley) at the Mopani Reserve in South Africa, where his wife came from. There they encounter a rogue lion who's killing every human being he finds.

Sadly, the dialogue/human-only scenes in this just aren't that strong. Elba and Copely deliver lackluster performances, especially Elba in the weakest role I've ever seen him do. The two younger actresses actually do better than the established actors, but unfortunately in the first third they've just got very cliched kinda bratty girl dialogue to work with. The movie isn't helped any by the cliched father-trying-to-reconnect-with-his-daughters storyline.

The actual lion/action parts aren't too shabby. They don't break the mold or anything (with the exception of the last fight scene which is surprisingly good). But there are some solid moments and uses of the lion and environment.

Close-ups of the lion don't work that great as it's not composed of the most convincing CGI. This movie has some interesting camera work. There aren't a lot of close- or far-shots; the camera mostly follows behind the characters, evoking a feel of sharing the character's experience. Not saying the camera work is excellent, but it was a choice, and I give the director credit for going with it. Scenery and sets aren't shabby, again not groundbreaking but not shabby.

So yeah, this isn't a particularly good movie, but it's not awful either. Not worth paying money to see, but if you like mindless action films, particularly killer animal, this is the sort of time-waster that'll do it.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies

 7/10

In this dark comedy/thriller, Sophie (played by The Hate You Give's Amandla Stenberg) takes her new girlfriend Bee (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm's Maria Bakalova) to hang her with her friends at her best friend David's parents' huge, lavish house. Soon, things go horribly wrong, emotions start running, and everyone starts becoming suspicious of each other. 

The first act does start out a bit slow and partially weak. Don't get me wrong, there are some good lines and the movie does a good job with Bee of encompassing the awkwardness of being somewhere where you don't know anyone, but it runs a little too long with the whole millenials being kinda toxic/ridiculous. schtick. I think too many lines are given to some characters than needed.

But when things get dark, that's when it starts getting good. The movie does a great job of making you guess what happens next, including one particularly tense scene in particular. (I particularly like how this ends.) This is also when the making-fun-of-millennials humor really pays off. The movie takes a lot of shots at the shallowness of the social media generation.

At first, I didn't like the cinematography in this. It had a sort of art-house quality. I was like, "I get it this is an A24 film. Not all their films have to look like this!" However, I think I understand why they went that way. The style definitely allows color to work. After the second act, a lot of this is shot in the dark, and the cinematographer/lighting person really managed to make light and color work in contrast to the blackness. Seriously, my congratulations to the lighting department; they did an excellent job. Also, I love the house or sets for this film. It is an impressive place.  

Acting's good across the board. (Cast includes Lee Pace and SNL's Peter David.)

Recommended. It's not a perfect film, parts could've been tightened and the spoiled kid dialogue can get a bit basic, but it is an interesting film that does hold your attention in the end.

No Exit

7.5

In this Hulu film based on the book by Taylor Adams, Darby (played by Havana Rose Liu) has to stop at a visitor's center containing four other drivers, in order to wait out a blizzard. While there, she stumbles across something she wasn't supposed to see that puts her in jeopardy. 

I can't say this treads new ground in the world of thrillers, but it is a very solid entry. The suspense is tight with a solid sense of mystery to it. Action and violence are solid, and might take you by surprise. The setting is solid; there isn't a lot to the small visitor center, but it looks nice and feels like a visitor's center. Music is solid, really fits the mood. The cast is solid across the board, including 24's Dennis Haysbert, he of the commanding voice. So in summation, solid, solid, solid, solid. Also, solid.     

Recommended. This is a compelling thriller. 

Last Night in Soho

 

7.5/10

In Last Night in Soho, fresh new design school student Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) rents an apartment in London. Soon she begins to dream about Sandie (Queen's Gambit's Anna Taylor-Joy) a woman from the 60's, Eloise's favorite time period. Though she is initially fascinated with Sandie's life, things soon get darker and dangerous. The movie's got two decent acts followed by a final one that knocks it out of the park. 

LNiS is competently run throughout. It's directed by Edgar Wright and he knows how to bring in the style. The 60's London and paranormal stuff are shot so well, including an excellent use of lighting and colors and just the setup of the dream/ghostly stuff. There are a few scary/action scenes in this that are some of the best looking of the year. The basic messages of the plot, the importance of mental health and how women can be preyed upon by men, are both well handled. (In fact, the latter concept is a great example of how the second Black Christmas should have been handled. It's able to address the message of women's exploitation by men in a way that's done naturally while also telling a good story).   

However, the first two acts may be kinda a drudge for many viewers' taste. I wouldn't say any scene is too slow or boring, but there is a lot of exposition and set up. I could predict where things are going way ahead of time, and then it became the burden of waiting to see things happen. It doesn't help that mean Eloise's fellow fashion student Jocasta (Synnove Karlsen) and her clique are too one dimensional and cliched and Eloise's love interest John (Michael Ajao) feels pretty underdeveloped. 

My issues with the film disappear with the third act. I mean it completely wowed me. It's no longer predictable. Pacing, suspense, and the visuals run at 11/10. Admittedly there is one big plot hole at the end, but I didn't consider it a deal breaker. 

Great casting in this. McKenzie does a very good job playing a character going through a gamut of emotions. We get a couple solid performances from some experienced actors. Terence Stamp plays a man connected to the dreams. From what I've seen at least in his American films, he often plays serious characters, so it's nice to see him play someone more lively: a clever sort whose presence automatically makes the watcher uncomfortable. The late Diana Rigg in what is her last film shines in a smaller role as Eloise's old-fashioned, no-nonsense neighbor.   

Wonderful soundtrack, featuring multiple classic 60's hits.

Overall, I think this is worth watching. It definitely could've been improved but comes from a good place, and when it impresses it impresses. Really nails the classic supernatural thriller formula.

Those Who Wish Me Dead

8/10

In Those Who Wish Me Dead, based on the novel of the same name (and by the way, I love that they kept the title), Hannah (Angelina Jolie), a smokejumper (wildland firefighter), manning a firetower out in the Montana wilderness, ends up having to protect the life of young a young Connor (Finn Little) from two professional hit men (Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen and the X-Men prequels' Nicholas Hoult).

I found this to be a very effective survival thriller. The movie pulls all the right strings when it comes to the action and wondering what the protagonists will have to survive next. The villains are smart and deadly and provide a true threat.

I rather liked the backdrop of the wilderness. Can't remember the last time we've gotten a pure outdoors action film like Cliffhanger. There are a couple of pretty good uses of natural element threats. It did bug me that there was an overuse of digital backgrounds rather than natural scenery.

The characterization is surprisingly good here. It's really easy to root for Hannah. Though Jolie is playing a trope, the hero struggling with a tragic past incident, she plays it really well. However, I did feel that Jon Bernthal's deputy sheriff nver reached full expectations; good character, just wasn't a fan of how he was utilized.

The sociopathic killers, hellbent on completing their mission, are equally frightening and detestable. I mean they are willing to do anything, and I mean anything in order to get the job done. Yet, they are also grotesquely fascinating in their cool, efficient methods and the way they troubleshoot any setbacks.

Be forewarned that this is a darker action film, like the first Jack Reacher. If you're not big on these types of movies going crazy with the blood of the innocent, this may not be for you.

Recommended. This was better than I thought it would be and makes for a suspenseful time.

Rogue

5/10

Rogue is about a gang of mercenaries who rescue hostages from a group of African rebels. Their exit plan falls through and end up having to protect themselves from not just the rebels but also a rogue lioness. This is one of those movies that is just there. Not particularly bad nor particularly memorable.  

I do feel a little guilty that this film wasn't doing it for me. Director and co-writer M.J. Bassett (who helmed Solomon Kane, which I feel is underrated) was definitely making an effort. This was a competently written script that generally flowed well. All the characters had clear personalities and backgrounds, even the lioness had motivations for why she isn't killing just for food. There are a couple scenes that feature some pretty good visual ideas. 

Buuutttt, nothing is knocked out of the park. The script and dialogue is adequate but doesn't stand out. 

The action doesn't stand out. The fight scenes often have way too many quick jumps to close-ups; cinematography is lackluster. This was a low-budget movie and the lioness is fairly cheap-looking. On the plus side, they do manage incorporate an actual lioness for a few shots when practical.

The acting, that's right you guessed it!, doesn't stand out. These are mostly decent actors, but they won't stay with you. It doesn't help that the mercenaries feel a little repetitive of other films about a rag tag team. When I say the actors are "mostly" decent, I am referring to a weak point: lead Megan Fox as the head of the mercenaries. She does alright at times, but falters at the more emotional parts. Also, I just can't buy her as veteran soldier.  

I'm not recommending this as there are so many stronger films out there. Although if you like those low-budget monster/killer animal movies on Sy-Fy, this is up your alley. The script is stronger than a lot of them.

The Alienist: Angel of Darkness (Season 2)

9/10

This second season of The Alienist, which feels more like a sequel and is based on the book sequel Angel of Darkness. Psychiatrist Laszlo Kreizler (played by Daniel Brühl), John Moore (Luke Evans), now a reporter, and Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning), now a private detective, reunite to hunt down a baby killer. I think I liked this more than the first.

The length was cut down from ten episodes to eight and I think that really helped with the pacing. Subplots and the mystery don't feel dragged out like last time did a little. 

Brühl, Evans, and Fanning remain a powerhouse acting triumvirate. The personal subplot of Kreizler, whose storyline last season was wrapped up, feels undercooked. Moore and Howard, whose romantic tension carries over from last season, have a lot more to work with.

The character of former police commissioner Thomas Byrnes is greatly improved here. Ted Levine gave a good performance last time, don't get me wrong, but the character felt a little thin. Here, he's given more to do and is written more nuanced. You understand him more and he's an interesting morally ambiguous character. One of his highpoints this season is his many behind-the-scenes scheming sessions with William Randolph Hearst (Matt Letscher), which is one of the best additions this season.

The antagonist here is more interesting than last time.

The show continues to do a great job working with the historical setting, including the topics of Hearst's yellow journalism and the climate just before the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Visually, the show's depiction of 19th century New York still looks really, really good, especially considering this is for cable television. My hats off to whoever designed Fanning's outfits. They are all so unique and expertly compliment the character and the actress' distinct features.

Be forewarned that like last season, this show goes DARK. Although, I'm pleased that this season didn't feel like it crossed the line and pushed things too hard like they did with that one scene with Moore last time.

I did feel that there were too many "blatantly uncaring establishment" characters shoved in the audience's face. Also, there is an element in the show that is big at first but suddenly feels completely and unsatisfactorily abandoned by the end. 

Overall, if you liked or kind of liked the last one, I recommend this slicker version. 

Retroactive Review: The Mothman Prophecies

6/10

The Mothman Prophecies is a movie, loosely based on the sightings of the urban legend known as the Mothman, with Richard Gere as a Washington Times reporter who ends up in a town where the residents have ran into the creature. This is one of those movies that is hard to rate: it doesn't drop the ball but doesn't make a slam dunk either.

To director Mark Pellington's credit, he had a clear vision for this. He brings a unique visual style featuring a controlled use of the camera and close-ups to tell the story. The movie has an overcast, bleak look to it that really helps push the eeriness and mystery of the whole thing.  

The script is where things get shaky. This is a long movie that is a lot of talking with little action. The first half in particular drags. It helps when we get closer to when the tension starts revving up and we learn and experience more. The dialogue is decent (with the exception of Gere's work friend who is too obviously there for exposition) and the ending is solid, but they may not be solid enough for a lot of viewers to salvage the pacing.

Some of the audio is pretty soft, requiring me to crank the it up hear what's going on. This is pretty story heavy. You have to pay attention. Don't make this a background noise movie.  

This is a supernatural mystery. It's all about exploring the unknowable. Don't expect this to be an outright horror film. If you're expecting a good visual look at Mothman, that's not what this is about. 

Nothing to complain about the acting; solid across the board. Will Patton (the villain from The Postman) is the standout here as one of the witnesses to the Mothman.

This isn't a perfect movie, but has its interesting points. It's not something I'd ever recommend to a group of people if they were trying to think of something to watch. But if you're a fan of Richard Gere or the Mothman, this may be for you.

Blindspot- Season 5 (Final)

9/10

NOTE: There are no spoilers for this season, but there is a brief reference to the events from last season setting off this one.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was one of the best seasons.  

The gang find themselves framed and on the run from the law, taken away from their resources and forced to work off the grid. This total reversal of fortune and raising of the stakes really brought an energy to the show. The characters deal with constant tension as all parties are trying to obtain their goal. Gone are the more episodic stories. To clarify, there are plenty of stand-alone missions, but they all tie into the story.

This season also benefits from being the final one. The show has nothing to lose things can get dark. The lives of all characters, both regular and recurring, are fair game and the show does a good job of keeping you guessing who'll live and die.  

The show's weak spot remains the main villain Madeleine Burke (played by The Abyss' Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). She's used more sparingly and written a little better, but she's still extremely frustrating. She's just in-your-face nasty and too-over-the-top nasty in her actions and not in a love-to-hate-her way. Mastrantonio's lack of facial expressions doesn't help any.  

The finale is really ambitious. The way it ends may tick off a lot of people. However, I give the show credit for going out big and taking chances. 

The cast remains good and all the characters go through some effective emotional wringers. I haven't been the biggest Zapata (Audrey Esparza) fan, but the writers finally found a good groove for her story-wise. Rich Dotcom (Ennis Esmer) remains the MVP, and I'm still so glad they made him a regular last season. Not only does he balance darker elements with some good jokes, he also serves as the most human of the group. Aaron Abrams also continues to do a great job as pragmatic, ladder-rising FBI director Matthew Weitz as he's forced to make difficult moral choices. 

The writers make a really concentrated effort to exploring the characters, including paying attention to the recurring ones. Lab techie Afreen (Amie Sheth), who's mostly just been a background character brought in from time to time when they needed an extra pair of hands, actually gets a subplot and stuff to do.

Despite my issues with Burke, this is just a pretty solid bunch of episodes, and I recommend this to to all Blindspot viewers.