Death on the Nile

 

8/10

In Death on the Nile, based on Agatha Christie's book of the same name, Hercule Poirot (played by director Kenneth Branagh) solves a murder upon a ship sailing the Nile containing the members of a wedding party. 

Though I wouldn't say this had as many stand out moments as its predecessor Murder on the Orient Express, this is the better structured film. I think Branagh learned from the last film feeling a little rushed, which was natural considering that that film had a wider cast of suspects to cover. Death on the Nile does a good job of defining the characters and placing all the pieces for this mystery. The buildup to the murder might be a bit slow for some. Admittedly, a lot of that is people lounging about and engaging in white, rich people activities. Things pickup when the actual investigating starts. Also, like the last film but even more, the dialogue may not be to everyone's taste. People are too quick to describe everything about themselves, especially their problems, like they were in a play of earlier years.

This is definitely darker than MotOE; a lot of mining of human emotion. The strongest part of this isn't the main mystery, but actually Poirot himself. There is a lot more of his backstory here and what makes him tick.  

What I like about this movie is that it manages the fine line between being modern and changing some things while maintaining the basic structure and story of the original work. One major change is that Poirot's friend Bouc (Tom Bateman) from the last film returns here. I honestly don't mind the addition. He makes a fine associate to Poirot. The script does a good job of having him be a humorous layabout, but making it believable that he also has a serious side when things go deadly.

Great cast, maybe not quite as many household names, but there's still some big/veteran players. Especially effective are Annette Bening as Bouc's sharp-tongued mother and Sophie Okonedo as a quick-tongued songstress. The most surprising role is that of comedian Russell Brand, known for his specific outgoing personality, as a doctor. Taking over MotOE's Josh Gad slot as traditional comic actor who wants to prove he has chops, Brand plays it completely straight, and I didn't even recognize him as first. I can't say he has the strongest character in this, but he really gave it his all with becoming the character.      

Branagh brings the same visual panache he did in the last film, bringing some pretty majestic or interesting shots. The whole thing is retro fashion porn. There a couple of shots that didn't work for me, but I credit the director for at least taking a chance.

Recommended. Liked the first one a little more, but this is a solidly made film that has a real cinematic feel to it.

The Wheel of Time- Season 1

6.5/10

In this Amazon Prime show based on the popular fantasy series by Robert Jordan, several inhabitants of a small village are hunted by dark forces as one of them may be the Dragon Reborn, basically a gussied up title for a "chosen one."

I have very mixed feelings about this. At times the story is pretty good. You've got a lot of world building with interesting characters, customs, and places. Events can be pretty exciting at points. Some of the middle episodes are particularly engaging.

The problem is that not every decision or scene knocks it out of the park. The show suffers a little from the post-Game of Thrones era in that the writers automatically feel that awful stuff happening to people and killing off random civilians automatically equals good story telling. Don't get me wrong, it's not like the books were violence free and sunshine and butterflies, they just weren't trying too hard to be mature. In the show's defense, it doesn't go straight up obviously grim and kill-happy like the Shannara adaptation and that mature Wizard of  Oz show did.

I don't hate the ending as much as some people, but it is a let down. After following the characters' journey for eight episodes, the finale does not make me feel like it was worth it. It just kind of ends saying "you better stay tuned for the next season" without feeling like anything of substance happened. Yeah, the ending of the first book (which I believe this first season is based on) served as a setup to the next book, but it actually felt like an ending with a satisfying conclusion.

Show looks nice. Kind of wish it was more colorful, but that just may be because I remember the design of the original book covers, and that may be an unfair comparison. Solid costume fantasy world building design. Nothing too standout, but a show like this probably costs a lot of money, and you can only do so much.

I don't know if I can recommend this or not. This is one of those shows where I definitely see people having higher or lower opinions than me on this. There are legitimate arguments for saying this is either bad or good. It couldn't hurt to check this show out and see if you like it, but it doesn't need to be an immediate watch.

The House

8/10

This new English felt stop-motion anthology on Netflix contains three dark tales about the drawbacks and unhealthy societal expectations of home ownership. (Well, two tales that are basically horror and one that's more of a psychological piece; to quote Sesame Street: one of these things is not like the others.)  

Well, this was definitely different. You don't see a lot of adult animated films, especially in stop-motion. Writer Enda Walsh displays a lot of talent, coming up with some unique, atmospheric stories that draw you in. The first two are really effective at being creepy. I thought the whole home ownership thing was a really interesting idea. Though this is predominantly horror, don't expect it to be a traditional cursed/haunted house movie. Walsh has legitimate and thought-out stuff to say on the subject matter. 

Breaking down the stories:

First segment (8/10)- A family is offered a new, grand house by a mysterious benefactor. The best one. This is a really unsettling story. 

Second segment (7/10)- The Developer (voiced by Jarvis Cocker), a mouse desperately trying to sell a house he's flipped over, deals with some unusual potential buyers.  This is the weakest as is often the case with the middle segment with an anthology. Some interesting ideas, definitely different, and the ending leaves an impression. However, it feels drawn out, and it's on the viewer to try to piece things together.

Third segment (8/10)- Cat and landlady Rosa (Susan Wokomo) tries to keep her large, old house afloat, both financially and literally. The rest of the area has completely flooded, and the water is creeping in. This is the one that's the odd one out; not scary or dark, but moody in a modern Gothic sort of way. I'm rather okay with the movie ending on a less harsh note; sort of a film equivalent of a chaser. Segment could've been a little shorter, but it's a decent character piece and has a dreamlike feel to it.

Nexus Studios really outdid themselves with the animation here. Movement is so fluid. However, I wasn't a big fan of the design of the human characters in the first story. The felt look works well with the furry animals, but it is just weird seeing it represent human flesh. Also, not a big fan of how small the mouths are. 

There are moments where the set design is so good and the camera angles at times are so well placed that it produces some cinematic shots. In particular, the appearance of the third segment's house surrounded by water as far as the eye can see is truly memorable.     

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. If you want something different, I highly recommend this. Unless you scare easily; you won't like this then.

Lupin III: Prison of the Past

7.5/10

In this latest Lupin anime TV movie, master thief Lupin and the gang try to break Finnegan, a famous Robin Hood-style thief, out of a formidable prison in the Kingdom of Dorrente.

This is one of the most lighthearted Lupin movies in recent years. The director Hatsuki Tsuji was a key animator during the second series during the eighties, perhaps a reason for it's more playful, old-school feel. 

The movie's creative in a weird way. A lot of unexpected concepts are thrown at you. Though this isn't the first story where Lupin has had to get out of a prison, this is the best executed. In fact the movie manages to be one of the more memorable Lupin entries in general as it does things a little differently than the traditional formula. (Not to say that you won't find certain Lupin cliches in this.)

Movie's entertaining, but I admit it's not perfect. There are a lot of fun ideas, but, especially in the beginning when the exhibition is set up, you also get a bunch of dialogue scenes that are just okay. Some of the random or goofy parts might be too random or goofy, especially if you prefer more adult or serious Lupin. It's difficult to connect point A to point B when it comes to the villain's plan and how he or she got his or her operation set up in the first place. 

The movie does a good job of juggling all the main cast and having them interact with each other. This is one of those situations where Lupin and his rival Investigator Zenigata end up being in the same boat and have to work together. That's always fun because it doesn't happen too often. I'm liking how they handled Zenigata all together here. The script manages to include him in the main story more than a lot of other films. They also play him smart and resourceful here, which not always interpretation of Zenigata does. Interestingly, this special reuses a character other than the main five. (Lupin is like Scooby-Doo in that's it's a small gang of recurring characters.) Zenigata's assistant Goro Yatagarasu returns from Lupin series six. I'm okay with adding someone new to the formula. Since Zenigata isn't on Lupin's side, it makes sense to finally give him a regular to talk to and interact with. Though the movie might lean a little too hard on Goro's being wet-behind-the-years, he's a decent enough character who's endearing in his earnestness. 

Since this is TV, you can't expect the film to be theatrical quality. The budget only goes to far, but the animators are clearly doing the best with what they have. Especially like the backgrounds in this; nice use of color.

Recommended. Not perfect, but it's fun. Not one of the best Lupin entries, but one of the better ones. Definitely more likely to leave an impression than many of the other Lupin films that tend to merge together in your memory.

Jack@$$ Forever

8/10

In what is supposed to be the last JA entry (at least for the original gang), Johnny Knoxville and company do what they always do: subject themselves to a ton of intensely rough pranks and stunts. 

Except for maybe one or two clips, I didn't see the original show or the first three films. Never had much interest. However, the movie trailers have been shown a LOT in theaters and for what feels like forever. It got in my head, and I couldn't resist it's siren's call.  

I can't say as to whether this is as good as "classic" JA, but I found it to be hilarious. The pranks and stunts here are pretty clever, sometimes bizarrely so, and delightfully violent. (Yes, I'm aware I am taking pleasure from people royally messing themselves up, which might have terrible long term effects on them later in life. I'm not proud of this.) The guys are having fun and their merriment is infectious. 

Be prepared for a lot of male genitalia in this. I mean a LOT. Also, there's a lot of gross stuff. (Not a fan of that part.) I was not expecting to see so much poop, or any poop at all. Weird thing is, there's more poop in this than vomit. I'd have thought it'd be the other way around. Live and learn.

The pacing in this is really tight as we're competently switch from one prank or stunt to the next. I can read between-the-lines with this film and a lot of pranks or longer scenes got cut. They clearly knew what to stick with. 

I give Knoxville and company credit for being honest about the toll and dangers of the stunts on this show. The movie doesn't flinch from showing when the paramedics are called in. Knoxville got brain damage from a stunt here.

Speaking of the toll the movie took, that's one reason it's the gang's last film. They're not getting any younger, and one can only take so much. To help lighten the load, the movie brought in several new faces, which I liked well enough. Again, not a long time follower of the show, so I really can't compare them to the OG crew. Understand that this is missing a couple JA members. Ryan Dunn died in a car crash (supposedly another reason this was made as a sort of tribute and last hurrah) and Bam Margera broke his sobriety clause.

If you like hardcore pranks and stunts, then this movie is for you. I guess this would probably satisfy any longtime JA fan. However, if you don't like gross out humor or things just getting weird then you'd best avoid.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

6/10

In this new reboot for the Resident Evil franchise based on the first and second video games, a group of people become trapped in Raccoon City (which I'm not sure is actually a city; feels more like a large town; kinda isolated) when there is a zombie outbreak. 

This movie can both be entertaining and frustrating. The horror is solid. There's a lot of freaky, memorable imagery. Interesting use of color in this; makes you feel like you're watching a 70's scary movie. The original RE films got criticism over the years for drifting so much from the original look and feel of the video games. This one really tried veer closer. Loved some of the sets in this. It has that sort of grandiose gothicness that doesn't really exist in American architecture and that you'd only find in Japanese video games. I also like the northern forest area, brings a secluded look to the area separating the town. (Also, I just like pine trees in films. I think they make nice scenery.) 

But as creepy and good looking as the movie is, the script is really weak. The first act exposition and dialogue is pretty clunky. The whole backstory for the leads siblings Claire and Chris Redfield (Kaya Scodelario and Robbie Amell) and the villain's choices feel really mishandled, and I really wish they went with something completely different. Going back to the dialogue, it's nothing to be proud of, but in fairness there are a couple fun lines when the movie isn't taking itself too seriously.

I recommend this to horror fans, because the scary stuff really delivers. I would've considered this an 8/10 if it wasn't for that pesky script. Just make sure to temper your expectations.

Hawkeye

8.5/10

In this new MCU show on Disney+, the retired-from-superheroing Clint Barton/Hawkeye (played by Jeremy Renner), on a trip to New York, has to go back into action when a shadow from his past resurfaces and ends up having to work with wannabe superhero Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), who's his biggest fan.

Of all the the MCU shows, this is the one that's just trying the most to just have fun (not to say there aren't serious parts, especially with Clint). This is a bit of a madcap program as Clint and Kate run into one big personality or out-of-control situation after the next as they keep sinking deeper and deeper into trouble. This takes place on Christmas, and the festive feel adds to the show.  Also, action's pretty good with some occasional memorable moments, though expect more street level hand-to-hand style combat than the other shows.

Admittedly Hawkeye is no one's favorite Avenger, but I'm glad he finally got a solo project. Clint's more of an every guy. What's interesting about him is he didn't go through a major life-changing event to cause him to want to become a hero. He's a soldier who sort of fell into it. Unlike a lot of the other Marvel superheroes, you really don't go into his back story and have to fill in the gaps, which I like. A lot is said about guy through actions and attitude alone. Renner does a great playing a job playing a man who's burned out and just tired of the costs of supeheroing. Plus, he's shouldering his own guilt not in a brooding Batman way, but in a more realistic manner.

The core of this show is definitely the relationship between the jaded, grumpy Clint and the optimistic, but unprepared Kate. Hailee does a great job selling the character. Though there have been plenty of Marvel superheroes who have to learn to be a hero really quickly, Kate feels a little different as she's clearly always wanted to be a hero and already has her skill set, she's just a bit vague on the details on how to do it. Also, I love the explanation of why out of all the Avengers, Hawkeye's her favorite. Excellent exposition scene.

Thing is, they do spend a little too much time on Clint and Kate. There are a lot of interesting characters in this, but most of them don't feel like they were fleshed out or given enough to do. The show suffers the same kind of issue Loki did in that it feels like they posed most of the mysteries early on and just dropped all the answers on us in the last couple episodes. What made Wandavision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier work was that they doled out plot points carefully throughout the shows. Here we get a LOT of Kate and Clint shenanigans that start to run together, and there could've been more variety in the plotting.

Overall, highly recommended. I'd say this is the weakest of the four live-action Marvel shows, but that's just compared to the others. This is definitely a fun romp with some good Clint beats and more entertaining than a lot of other shows out there.