Drive-Away Dolls

8/10

In Drive-Away Dolls, during the 90's lesbian friends, uptight, serious Marian (played by Miracle Workers' Geraldine Viswanathan) and southern twanged free spirit Jamie (Margaret Qualley, the hitchhiker from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) go on a trip to Tallahassee, not knowing that there's been a mix-up and that the car they're dropping off is carrying a package that some dangerous people want.

This is the first solo film directed by Cohen brother Ethan. Whereas Joel showed that he may be the more serious brother and went with his adaptation of MacBeth, Joel may be showing that he's the more comedy-oriented one. (Not claiming this as an original idea. I'm not the first one to make this conjecture online.) DAD may be the guy's most over-the-top film and makes for a fun ride. This has that Cohen/Pulp Fiction style of chaotic, gonzo, pulpy comic feel that latter movies haven't been able to recapture. There are some solid comedy bits with a great cast and unexpectedness to where the story is going. This is also Cohen's raunchiest comedy, so if you like hard R than this is for you. 

Admittedly, at a short 84 minutes the movie does still have a few scenes that felt unnecessary or drawn out. There are definitely two dream segments that could've been cut. Also, there are a few trippy interstitials that feel indulgent and the budget for the graphics doesn't feel great. The endgame of what is in the car may not live up to expectations of what you want it to be.

Viswanathan and Qualley make the film. They may be playing ropes, but they really manage to shine with great delivery and chemistry amongst them. Qualley shows that he she finally deserves a lead role. Viswanathan who was already a great comedic talent in Miracle Workers, but the first three seasons did have her shackled down with a straight man role, gets to show her talent a lot more. Other fun performances are Beanie Feldstein as Jamie's rightfully angry ex-girlfriend and Twisters' Joey Slotnick as a goon who is also a people person.

Recommended. This was a pretty good time. This isn't top tier Cohen like Fargo and Big Lebowski, but it's up there, and I liked it better than the likes of Brother Where art Thou? or Hail Caesar. 

Madame Web

 

5/10

In Sony's continued quest to mine whatever Spider-Man characters they own the rights to, we get a tale about the psychic Madame Web which serves as a Spider-Man prequel (but doesn't appear to take place in any specific movie timeline). EMT Cassandra Web (Fifty Shades of Grey's Dakota Johnson) discovers she can see the future and tries to save the lives of three teens (all three to become different spider heroines) from being assassinated by the spider-powered Ezekial Sims (The Mauritarian's Tahar Rahim).

Little surprised they went with MW as the first female lead and used some of the less prominent Spidey women (no offense to Julia Carpenter and Anya Corazon fans). Black Cat, Silver Sable and the first Spider-Woman should've been the logical choices. Oh well. Just musings. Not an attack on utilizing the character. I think anyone can properly be utilized if given the right direction. (The Riddler had only two appearances before in the comics before he was used in the 60's Batman show and look what that did to his popularity).

Here's an actual criticism. Again, this is a Sony Spidey film that feels like it was from the 2000s. (An excellent film to compare this to is Elektra). I don't know why Sony keeps taking this basic serious route when the fun ones, the Tom Holland and Spider-Verse films, are doing so well. The MCU films may be too quippy and DCEU films too dark and serious but at least they had a solid identity. 

The is very uneven. There are a few good comedy bits but there is also a lot of dialogue that just doesn't work. I give the movie credit for naturally introducing multiple characters. However, the movie drops the ball in the third act completely. It feels choppy with odd choices just there to advance the plot. 

I give credit for giving each of the teens a backstory, but the kids-with-sad-lives tropes feels really worn out by now. (Didn't need it in Stargirl and didn't need it here.) Also, I don't feel like any of the trio completed a character arc.

We got a good cast who just can't make the bad script work. There are a couple exceptions, especially Park and Rec/Severance's Adam Scott, who deserve an award for sounding natural, but most can't. Johnson is pretty good in the funny parts but that's the best she can do. 

Credit should be given to the movie for at least basically knowing what it is and having an identity compared to recent superhero films that are messy or feel derivative. Web doesn't have super strength or other offensive powers, only her psychic abilities which makes for a very different dynamic when going against a villain.

Faring the worst is Rahim. He has the worst lines and you can tell he was poorly ADRed at times. To be honest, Sims feels like an odd choice to use as a villain. He wasn't really an antagonist in the comics. (You'd think that they would've learned from the outrage of Psylocke being made a villain in not one but two X-Men films). The sad thing is that Sims in this had the DNA to make a decent baddie. You understand his motive and was pretty competent in his strategy if only he was better written.

Going back to the 2000's feel this has a bland white lighting scheme. However, the action and the look of Webb's vision powers are actually pretty good.

Not particularly recommended or not recommended. This is messy and this is definitely not a must-see. However, I don't think this is bad as some say. It's distinct in its way, and I don't regret watching it. Have no plans to rewatch but would stay in the room if someone else had it on.

Argylle

7.5/10

In this new movie from Matthew Vaughn (director of the Kingsman films), Elly Conway (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) is the author of a successful series of novels about a spy named Argylle. Her books predict real world events which puts her in the sights of a secret organization and ends up having to go on the run with her cat and a spy named Aidan Wilde (Sam Rockwell).

Since this is a Vaughn spy film, we get his love for fun 60's/70's spy stories. There are decent moments of humor. This is PG-13, so Vaughn can't get as crazy as he did for the Kingsman films, but he still delivers some creative action. The final fight really is something. Visually, Vaughn's still got that colorful flair he's known for.

The biggest issue is definitely that the movie didn't need to be 2 hours and 19 minutes. You can feel it in the first two acts. Howard and Rockwell work well off of each other, but there is way too much time spent on them talking and arguing. However, once we get to the third act and secrets are revealed, everything flows a lot more smoothly. The trailer advertised that there is a big secret. To be honest, it's not a Sixth Sense level reveal, but it's well played, especially one part.

Howard was good casting. Her Elly is naturally likable, and she has this way with her facial expressions. Catherine O'Hara is Elly's mother. The actress is always good, but I got to say that this might be one of her best performances. 

Bryan Cranston is the main villain. He's not bad (definitely determined, I'll give you that), but he is marred a little by an accent or voice choice that's a bit hard to pinpoint and the character itself could've been stronger. I've realized that an Achilles Heel of Vaughn's is that his villains can have the tendency to be a bit broad. The West Side Story remake's Ariana DeBose is in this as a character in the Argylle novels and she is poorly utilized. Her character could've been easily cut. 

Recommended. This could've been a leaner, stronger piece, but it's still fairly entertaining, and I do love the finale.

Hazbin Hotel- Season 1

7.5/10

In Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime, the forces of Heaven, fearing the great numbers of sinners in Hell, hold an extermination once a year where they kill a lot of souls. (In this world, all dead people either become demons or angels.) Idealistic Charlie Morningstar (voiced by Erika Henningsen, who was the original lead in Broadway's Mean Girls the Musical), is tired of this, so she decides to create a hotel that specializes in redeeming any who stay there so that they can get into heaven.

The pilot for this came out four years ago (this was an indie animation that had to first be picked up, plus animating takes time), and I've been waiting, genuinely curious as to the final outcome, and yeah, this doesn't disappoint. Characters are well defined, there's great world building, and the show manages to hit the funny bits pretty well. One is engrossed with the story as it develops and whether Charlie will achieve her dream. This is kinda like The Good Place in that it questions the concept of eternal damnation for people that were lousy or made poor decisions but weren't evil, evil.

Be forewarned that this is very adult. Very, very adult. Maybe more sexed up than the Rocky Horror Picture Show and more foul-mouthed than South Park (I've heard the words b**** and holes, as in orifices and not in the ground, more times than I ever have.) And this, show can be pretty bipolar when it comes to its content. Hazbin Hotel can have a funny part and then something dark may happen. Unlike Bojack Horseman, which was known for balancing lighter and darker humor, I don't know if this finds the balance. The creator Vivienne Medrano is definitely a talent, but she's like those two guys who created the Venture Brothers, they're definitely creative, but you're truly worried about their state of mind. Medrano's original pilot and her web cartoon Helluva Boss, which didn't have to censor for streaming, are a LOT. Things can get uncomfortable with her. The subplot of hotel occupant and porn star Angel Dust (Blake Roman) gets DAAAARRRKKKK. It is front and center in episode four and their is a reason why it is rated 18+ while all the others are 16+.

Also understand that this season is only eight episodes long. The show has a lot of characters and ideas, but they don't all have their equal time to shine. There's so much plot being revealed that it's easy to remember what's going on this season but so hard to remember what was the main story of each individual episode.

The voice cast is good. This show is a musical, and I'm happy to say everyone they cast are good singers. Henningsen really manages to sell Charlie's sheer unbridled optimism. (A big part of her character is how pure she is despite living in a terrible place with awful people.) The other star of the show is Alastor, the Radio Demon (Amir Talai), who sounds like he's speaking over an old-timey radio. He's a very powerful demon that's sponsoring the hotel not because he believes in it, but because it amuses him. He's the "aren't-you-glad-I'm-on-your-side"-type, equally charming and funny and a terrifying fellow when you cross him.

People have already pointed out that Charlie's girlfriend Vaggy (Reno 911/Encanto's Stephanie Beatriz) sounds like and is kinda similar to Poison Ivy in the Harley Quinn show. But in fairness, the pilot came out before HQ. Credit to be given to the show for how the lovers' relationship is made clear through showing without having to explain.

The animation feels like a Deviantart artist's page come to life with a distinct type of character design. It's a very unique depiction of the afterlife. The animation is colorful, and the quality itself is really fluid and detailed. 

The songs are pretty good; there are weaker entries but no bad ones. I particularly like the variety; none of the songs feel like parodies/homages of existing songs like I've seen in many other musical TV shows.

Kinda recommended. This is definitely not for everyone. If you don't like M-rated stuff, stay away. And I do not fault anyone for episode four being too much. However, if you're okay with all of that, you may very well like this creative, well produced work. (You might want to see the pilot on Youtube first. The first episode does explain the premise, but the pilot explains stuff more.)

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters- Season 1

8/10

In this television spin-off of the Godzilla/King Kong theatrical Monsterverse on Apple+, Cate Randa (played by  Anna Sawai) travels to Japan to uncover questions about her missing father where she is drawn into a mystery involving Monarch, the agency that deals with giant monsters.

The plot does start a little tepid. Story is initially decent but doesn't feel like it is excelling. However, things really pick up during the second half. The plot becomes far more intricate and surprising and the character relationships really develop. (There's a lot you can't predict from the outset.) A lot of this also looks at the history of how Monarch first came to be (this doesn't do a half bad version of keeping steady with the movies' continuity) and it's pretty good and planned out.

Also, this is for you if you're looking for something for the whole family. The show maintains the audience level of the movies.

The monster effects are practically movie quality. This is still television, so they are always in short bursts, but you never get an episode without a monster.

Cast is good and the characters are distinct. I liked the main actors but to be honest I think the best performances are probably Joe Tippett as the likable everyman member of Monarch and Hell on Wheels' Christopher Heyerdahl as a general.

Be aware that this takes place approximately after the first Godzilla movie but before the second one. The show could've done a better job of making that clearer from the onset. I first thought it took place currently in the franchise. There a couple other nitpicks: one brief antagonist that is just too caustic and there is one plot point here that doesn't line up with what happened in Godzilla vs. Kong.

Highly recommended. This a popcorn movie made into TV form without feeling overextended.

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.

Origin

9.5/10

Ava DuVernay's latest film Origin chronicles Isabel Wilkerson's research for her book Caste: the Origins of our Discontents, which looks at various examples of caste throughout the world, including slaver/Jim Crow laws, the Holocaust, and India's caste system, and how it underpins racism.

I only ended up seeing this because I took a chance on AMC's mystery movie, and I'm so glad I did. This is just a really well written film. You'd think a movie that is 60% a woman doing research and interviewing people could be slow and perhaps dull but this is an excellently paced affair with reliable dialogue.  

The subject matter is very moving and interesting. Usually a movie about racism focuses on how it affects a particular race/religion. Looking at the general aspect of it and shows the interrelations of humanity. This all results in a very emotional ending. 

The movie follows Wilkerson (played by King Richard's Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) all of the way except for the occasional historical flashback. The focus wouldn't have worked if the script wasn't there and Wilkerson wasn't up to the performance. There's an understanding and strength to the author (who was dealing with personal struggles as well) that makes her very engaging. The cast is good all around including Reno 911/Claws' Niecy Nash as Wilkerson's cousin and The Punisher's Jon Bernthal as her husband.

At least part of this film appears to be shot on location in various parts of the globe, and I appreciate the effort.

If there are any nitpicks to this movie, it showcases the data of caste systems, but maybe there could've been more of a conclusion of how it all ties together and why the system occurs. Also, you do kinda get the feeling that the movie could only include the highlights of what was in the book and that there were other examples of caste that there wasn't time for.

Highly recommended. This is a very compelling work.