Jurassic World's Joker?

By Brandon T. McClure

The ending of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom promised a very different sequel. In the final moments of the 5th film in the long-running franchise that started with Jurassic Park, Maisie triumphantly decided that these animals deserved to live and freed them to roam the world. Jurassic World: Dominion picks up that thread and returns to a world now changed by these new dinosaurs roaming free. There are a number of new dinosaurs being introduced to the franchise with this film, including one of the largest carnivores that ever walked the Earth: the Giganotosaurus.

Giganotosaurus in Jurassic World Dominion

Fans who saw the IMAX screening of F9: The Fast Saga will probably remember the Jurassic World: Prologue that was available to see for a limited time. It introduced audiences to the prehistoric version of the Giganotosaurus (It’s the one that killed poor Rexy in her past life). Recently director Colin Trevorrow expanded more on what the Giganotosaurus’ role in Jurassic World: Dominion will be by explaining that the enormous dinosaur just “wants to watch the world burn”. With this quote, Trevorrow is channeling Michael Cain’s Alfred Pennyworth from The Dark Knight. He explained that he wanted something that felt like the Joker. But that’s certainly an odd way to describe something that is essentially an animal.

Interestingly, this goes back to a struggle that the Jurassic World films have been facing since the first reboot in 2015. An issue that might have even started in Jurassic World III. Villain dinosaurs have always been important for the franchise. In order to go through any sort of challenges, characters like Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) have to go up against some of the most dangerous predators this world has ever seen. The first two films, Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park relied on the Velociraptors with a healthy dose of Tyrannosaurus Rex action. Not wanting to go back to that well for a third time, director Joe Johnston and writers Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne, and Jim Taylor, used the Spinosaurus and had him kill the Tyrannosaurus Rex to show how dangerous this new dinosaur could be.

Talk of a 4th Jurassic Park film started almost immediately after Jurassic Park III was released. From the beginning, talk of hybrid dinosaurs had dominated the discussions around the film. Initially, concept art pointed to the idea that there would be human/dinosaur hybrids that would be used in some sort of war scenario. Eventually, Colin Trevorrow came on board the project, and that idea evolved into the Indominus Rex. Not wanting to repeat the mistakes fans felt Jurassic Park III made by killing the Tyrannosaurus Rex and a plotline that relied heavily on hero Velociraptors, the Indominous Rex was created to fill the role of the “villain” dinosaur. The Indominous Rex was a large predator that was exploring its place in the world and was created because Masrani, the company that took over InGen, wanted to create something that would scare the visitors who they felt were beginning to get bored with the standard dinosaurs. It was an idea that was handled to the best of their abilities.

Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) in Jurassic World Dominion

In total, the franchise has created three hybrid dinosaurs. One being the Scorpious Rex from the Netflix animated spin-off Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous. Another included the Indo-Raptor from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom which was portrayed as a truly evil and unhinged monster. Quite honestly, Indo-Raptor was not unlike the Joker. It’s refreshing that the creative team for Jurassic World: Dominion didn’t want to go back to the hybrid dinosaur route and going bigger makes a certain amount of sense, so it can go up against Rexy. But giving it the kind of motivation that villains in superhero films have seems like an odd choice for something that has something more in common with a crocodile than a person.

These carnivorous dinosaurs see humans and other animals as food. They’re essentially predators at the top of the food chain. Describing one of the newer dinosaurs like the “Joker” of the Jurassic World franchise creates the idea that it’s an intensely smart and calculating creature that assigns preemptive thought to everything that it does. But, it’s not like the Giganotosaurus has some sort of endgame plan. The franchise isn’t a superhero story and it’s not one with supervillains. The Raptors from the first two films wanted to eat the main characters, the Spinosaurus wanted to eat the main characters, the Indominous Rex and the Indo-Raptor wanted to kill the main characters, and so on. So why is the Giganotosaurus the one that is assigned something more than what has come before? What make’s this animal so special?

Jurassic World Dominion hits theaters on June 10th, 2022.

Why Pixar?

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

On January 7, 2022, Disney announced that the latest film from Pixar Animation, Turning Red, was going to skip its theatrical release, and instead be released exclusively on Disney+ at no extra cost. This move follows similar decisions for the likes of Pixar’s 2020’s Soul and 2021’s Luca. It’s no secret that Disney is putting a lot of effort into building the Disney+ library, but this isn’t happening as frequently as other studios under Disney’s umbrella. Marvel and Disney Animation, for example, are guaranteed to receive exclusive theatrical windows, so why isn’t Pixar getting the same treatment?

When the announcement came for Soul, it was a surprise, but Disney framed it as a “Christmas gift” to the fans who have been waiting patiently for the film's release. Since 2020 was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were stuck inside as everything was closed, including movie theaters. Even though Disney had successfully rolled out Mulan with a $29.99 one-time payment, Disney seemed unsure if they were going to continue that financial approach for their future releases. Soul ended up being a big streaming hit for Disney+ and that seemed to be the end of it. That was until March of 2021, when Luca was announced to be heading straight to Disney+ at no extra cost.

Disney Pixar 2021 Luca animated film.

Luca was a major surprise, while theaters were struggling, they were at least open. At the time, the move was criticized because other movies had been released as a hybrid model. Cruella, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Black Widow all had theater releases as well as same day streaming on Disney+ at an added cost of $29.99. If Disney truly felt that Luca’s box office performance would be negatively impacted by the pandemic, then why didn’t they decide on a hybrid model or at the very least, a premier release?

Insiders at Pixar have already spoken about these perplexed decisions. Many felt confused and hurt after they poured so much love into the creation of an anticipated hit, that they were baffled it wouldn’t get to be seen in the format that it was made for. Pixar was being treated as a Disney+ content generator and not the major box office draw it had been countless times since Toy Story. Of course, there were some saying that it’s nice that kids could safely see the film, and that is true, but then why wasn’t the same concession made to Raya and the Last Dragon, which had a hybrid release, or Encanto which was released exclusively in theaters?

Meilin “Mei” Lee from Disney Pixar’s Turning Red.

After Luca, Disney stopped the hybrid model and released all of their major tentpoles, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Encanto exclusively in theaters. So then, why not Turning Red? Pixar’s latest film about a young girl who begins to turn into a giant red panda was all set for its March theater release date, before Disney once again pulled the rug out from under Pixar. To the many animators at Pixar, this seemed to have come without a warning, and certainly to the audiences who were excited to see a new Pixar film on the big screen. No real explanation has been given to why this is, and it’s unlikely any explanation would be believed.

While many studios these days rely on recognizable IP (intellectual property) to get audiences into theaters, Pixar only ever had to rely on their name. A Pixar film was a guaranteed box office hit, and if something like The Good Dinosaur wasn’t a hit, then a film like Inside Out would be. Their focus on original animated films that the whole family could love has put them at the top of the animation industry for decades now. They are more than a content generator for Disney to shuffle onto Disney+. They are a staple in the homes of peoples of all generations. They are the metric by which other animation studios are compared to. With Lightyear’s June release date fast approaching, many are left wondering if the rug will be pulled out once again and Lightyear will be the fourth Pixar film to release exclusively on Disney+ at no extra cost. Unfortunately, the decision to move Turning Red has created a precedent that could potentially change Pixar’s entire future.

Disney Pixar’s Turning Red.

FOUR EYES REVIEW / The Batman

Welcome back to another “Four Eyes” review. We take this moment to share 2 opinions on a single geek topic.

Below both Justin and Dave will each dive into what they thought about Matt Reeve’s The Batman. Join us for a “Fan”-tastic, gushing with praise, recap.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on social media using #foureyesreview

MOVIE: The Batman

STARRING: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravits, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Keoghan, Andy Serkis

RELEASE DATE: March 4th, 2022

WHERE TO WATCH (as of March 2022): Theaters (Streaming on HBO Max on April 19th, 2022)

FROM JUSTIN POMERVILLE:

Cue the 60’s Batman theme song, because our favorite caped crusader is back again on the big screen. When The Batman was first announced with Robert Pattison as Bruce Wayne/Batman, I was a little hesitant. It wasn’t Pattison’s acting capabilities, but more or less the direction this film was going to go. As time went on and the more information released, it became clear that Pattison (and director Matt Reeves) had a clear vision of what exactly this Batman story would be and how it would stand out from the rest of the pack. Their story, as well as the overall style and feel, was told in a fantastic way that kept you on the edge of your seat.

The main plot focuses on a young Bruce Wayne who has only been Batman for a few years. That is the biggest difference, and because of that, we got a very different kind of Batman. We get a Batman that was still learning what exactly it means to be the hero Gotham needs. His fighting style, detective work, even his gadgets are still being honed and crafted. His interactions with the rest of the characters is fabulous as he learns to form relationships in order to become that better hero. This is the kind of Batman story where we actually get to watch Batman’s growth. With that growth, we learn how it affects Gotham and lays out the beginning rise of his rogue gallery.

Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in Warner Brother’s 2022 release of The Batman.

Bruce’s relationships with both Selena Kyle (played by Zoë Kravitz) and Jim Gordon (played by Jefferey Wright) were meticulously put together. They all intertwine with each other flawlessly and it never felt forced to move the film forward. We got to see the beginning romance between Bruce and Selena as well as the trust and friendship (which is what I would call it) between Bruce and Jim as they work the murder case. Everyone’s role played out great and left me wanting to see the next step in their evolution.

Everyone’s performance was top-notch, but a couple really stood out. Paul Dano’s portrayal of The Riddler was maybe my favorite because they took such a weird villain in the comic whose whole bit is elaborate traps that can be solved by riddles, and they made him dangerous, smart and gave his whole character a fresh direction. He became visually terrifying in his mask, giving him a Zodiac killer vibe, but with the intelligence that is just as scary. The Riddler has been that character in the comics that in recent years has been taken more seriously, but this representation took it to a new level.

Jim Gordon (played by Jeffrey Wright) and Batman (played by Robert Pattinson) in The Batman.

The overall feel of this film is thrilling, Gotham felt claustrophobic and gave you a real sense of how dangerous the place is. The soundtrack is just insane and fits with the tone. Reeves littered this movie with Easter eggs and Batman lore that could make this a solid franchise going froward (if he so chooses to go in that direction). This wasn’t just a superhero movie. This was a thriller detective film that just so happened to involve Batman. That is something we don’t see very often. You can’t really compare it to the others,. If I had to choose, this may have become my new favorite Batman film.

FROM DAVE CLARK:

For as long as I can remember, my two favorite comic book properties have been the X-Men and Batman. I remember my excitement to see Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989. I would have to wait for the VHS but I was still very excited to see this larger-than-life hero played out in movie form. For me it wasn’t about world building or easter eggs. It was about seeing my favorite superhero take it to his most feared enemy on the big screen. It would then lead to the greatest animated series in the history of Batman cartoons. It would define comic book movies for a very long time and we’d set the scale as to who would portray Batman, The Joker, Alfred, Gordon, and so on. They’d be rated alongside the cast of the original film and even Adam West’s Batman. Here we are. We are in the twenty-first century and I’m getting the seventh actor to portray Batman/Bruce Wayne in live action form.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman.

I was extremely apprehensive when they announced the casting and idea behind this film so soon after Ben Affleck’s portrayal in Justice League. It started when Matt Reeves joined as Writer and Director after Affleck dropped from being the Director. Then Affleck dropped out altogether, opening the door for Robert Pattinson. Pattinson was a man I thought as horrible at acting based solely off the Twilight films alone. For the record, I was wrong and the actors are not to blame fully for those films being so bad. So many of them would go on to have amazing careers, including Pattinson. Recently, I loved him in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. Pattinson taking over the cape and cowl for this potential new take of the story gave me confidence in the capable creative hands of Matt Reeves.

This film is now not only my favorite Batman film, but it may also very well be one of my all-time favorite films ever. It establishes our Batman as a great detective, though not the greatest, not yet at least. He’s still not the polished Dark Knight as it is only his third year on the job. However, right from the title screen, we’re getting a Batman film with narration. We’re treated with an inner monologue from Batman explaining his thoughts and observations, which in turn end up being the vocalization of his ritual of writing in a journal during this Gotham Experiment he calls being the Batman. While there has been Batman narrating before, this felt different. It felt stronger and a more intimate look into the mind of Batman. Without getting too long winded, the portrayal of every character in this film was done with respect and knowledge of the source material.

Robert Pattinson as The Batman.

The music throughout set the tone and was perfectly fit for a Gotham that no person would choose to live in unless they had no other choice. Each character had their own theme and they worked well to establish the tone of their character in the scene. The music and sound production was stellar. You felt every punch, every footfall from Batman as he emerged from the darkness. You felt the car chase with every crash and explosion.

I really could gush about this movie for thousands of words but I’m going to cut myself short and direct you to our podcast we’ll be releasing this week (link to come) with our more detailed review of The Batman. This was a strong Batman movie, and best of all - it’s simply just a great movie overall. It’s a crime thriller about a desperate chase of a maniacal serial killer who has a political agenda to expose the city’s corruption at its core. The inspiration for this film from Zodiac, Seven, and Chinatown can be noticed even after the credits have rolled. It’s safe to say, we’re in good hands for the future of Batman and his Rogues Gallery and perhaps his extended Bat-family. The future is bright in a dark dank Gotham.

REVIEW / Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

There has been great success lately with old horror franchises like Halloween, Candyman, and to an extent, Scream. Each movie getting a new film that is a direct sequel to the original. This direction brings fresh life to the films and an easy introduction to those who have never seen the original. Also, they have added a nice bit of legacy by bringing back past characters (ie: Laurie Strode return in Halloween Kills). This helps for both nostalgia and story purposes. This trend has been a great success but I was curious if they could keep the momentum going with this new Texas Chainsaw Massacre?

As a horror fan, I love it all. I enjoy the good and the bad, the suspense and the gore. Sadly, Texas Chainsaw Massacre suffers from a lot of problems. I am not confident I was the target audience. The only real positive for this film is the gore aspect. An audience that thrives on butchery over plot, this update would most likely be a blast. There are a couple fun kills, but beyond that, this film did nothing to make the franchise and Leatherface stand out for me. It comes down to the story. The whole narrative is a group of entrepreneurs selling off the properties of the town of Harlow (the town that the original story was based). They are ironically looking to build a new, safe community. However, Leatherface has other plans and begins to murder every single person in sight.

Lila (Elsie Fisher), Melody (Sarah Yarkin), Ruth (Nell Hudson and Dante (Jacob Latimore) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The script is barely held together with characters that are unlikeable and hard to get behind. The main protagonist is Lila (played by Elsie Fisher). She has an updated and poignant backstory of being a victim of a school shooting. This film really wants you to remember this group's disdain for guns. We don’t know the reason for the shooting until we are halfway through the film. Even after the revolution, it had very little impact to the plot. Everyone else just has cookie-cutter attributes despite having a competent cast. You get the overbearing sister who is obnoxious (for me), but also a local that you are supposed to hate yet end up liking. On top of those characters, they also brought back a legacy character, Sally (played by Olwen Fouéré) from the original film. I was very excited to see the flashback and how a veteran of the original mayhem would handle things today. Unfortunately, she brought nothing substantial to the film. She is misused and under appreciated. She is just another body on the pile. I feel cheated that she was not allowed even a proper showdown with Leatherface.

Sally Hardesty (played by Olwen Fouéré) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I believe the other problem with this film is it never felt like a big deal in horror. Halloween, Scream, and Candyman all had huge budgets and theatrical releases (including months of planning and ads) building excitement for their releases. They embraced promoting the return of past characters. As far as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, all I saw in terms of advertisements was one trailer when it was first announced and then forgotten about until the release date. It felt more like an afterthought. After great success with Fear Street and Army of th Dead, I had just expected more from Netflix. I am curious if that impacted the reviews? It appeared everyone online completely forgot this film was coming and thus its reception was lackluster, to say the least.

Leatherface (Mark Burnham) in Netflix’s 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I wish they had put more into this film to give it more substance. As it stands, it is near the bottom of the pile of the Texas Chainsaw franchise, and rightfully so in my opinion. As noted, I know others have enjoyed it, which is appreciable. Woefully, I am not one of them.

Sony and the Curious Case of Andrew Garfield

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a runaway success, there’s no doubt about it. It’s Sony’s highest-grossing film ever, the highest-grossing film of the pandemic era, and even if there wasn’t a pandemic, over a billion dollars is nothing to scoff at. Fans were enamored with the film and the hype was at an all-time high. Despite what Andrew Garfield had to say, everyone knew he and Toby MacGuire were returning as their various Peter Parkers to help Tom Holland's Spider-Man fend off their previous villains.

The film came, and curiously, Andrew Garfield’s return is the one that’s gained the most hype. It’s no secret that Garfield loves the character, loved playing the character, and was heartbroken when they canceled the third Amazing Spider-Man film. Returning to the role was something that clearly excited him, but is it the last time?

In the weeks since the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, reports have stated that Sony is looking to bring Andrew Garfield back to the role of Spider-Man in some way. Since so many reports have come out, it seems like a safe bet to assume that nothing is set in stone and that discussions are ongoing about what that return could possibly be. Garfield, himself, stated in an interview recently that he would be open to returning.

This is not the first time that Sony has haphazardly put the bull before the horns. Back in the Amazing Spider-Man days, Sony and Amy Pascal had announced various films such as Silver and Black, The Sinister Six, and an Aunt May prequel spy movie. Most of these ideas had directors and writers attached and were going ahead until the infamous Sony leaks lead to a deal with Marvel Studios to put Spider-Man in the MCU. Even then, most of these early projects were still moving forwards, and that’s how we ended up with Venom. Even now Sony is still looking to capitalize on Spider-Man spin-off films such as Morbius and a Kraven the Hunter solo film starring Aaron Taylor Johnson.

Any number of these projects that Sony discusses could just as easily fall through, but it is exciting to think about a possibility that Andrew Garfield could once again return to the role of the wall-crawler that he loves so much. One report states that the next Venom film could be a multiversal adventure that pits him against the Amazing Spider-Man. It’s been a prominent fan theory for some time that Venom and The Amazing Spider-Man exist in the same world, so fans are already primed for this match-up. Since the beginning, Sony has been eager to tie in Venom to the MCU and this might be the best middle ground approach.

Another report states that Emma Stone is being courted to come back as an alternate universe version of Gwen Stacy who becomes the Spider-Women of her timeline. Matching Garfield and Stone up again seems like a no-brainer, their chemistry carried the two Amazing Spider-Man films, and seeing Peter Parker interact with a Gwen Stacy who didn’t die could create some exciting drama for a future project.

Sony seems very interested in trying the multiverse angle again, and why wouldn’t they? It’s made them more money than they’ve ever made before. Maybe a multiversal adventure isn’t even the way they go, perhaps they just go ahead and greenlight The Amazing Spider-Man 3. With everything Sony has announced in the past, no one should put it past them. No matter which way they go after Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s safe to say they’re excited and they want to bring back Andrew Garfield somehow.

Justin's "Not Your Standard" Christmas Movie List

By Justin Pomerville (@justin.pomerville @2bgpod)

Tis’ the season!

We all have our holiday traditions. One of those traditions may be having a favorite holiday film that is a must watch every year. Most people will have classic holiday features like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Carol, and The Santa Claus. Others will choose films like Die Hard and Gremlins that you can argue whether or not they are actually Christmas films (but we are not going to open that can of worms). 

There are so many films that surround Christmas to some extent; from the classics, the Rankin/Bass specials, and the huge bin of Hallmark originals. Beyond that, there are also some interesting gems that are Christmas themed that I believe you should know about. One of them might even become your new Christmas tradition film.

Because this is a ME list, the majority of these will be horror films, because….why not?

Of course, this is just a small portion of the plethora of choices.

I would love to hear your thoughts on what other holiday films are a must during the Christmas season.

BETTER WATCH OUT

STARRING: Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Aleks Mikic, Dacre Montgomery, Patrick Warburton, Virginia Madsen

RELEASE DATE: October 6th, 2017

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Peacock, Amazon Prime, Shudder)

A psychological thriller about a babysitter defending a 12 year old from a home invasion that gets weirder and weirder by the second. 

Levi Miller as Luke in Better Watch Out

ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE

STARRING: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sara Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu

RELEASE DATE: November 30th, 2018

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD ( Vudu, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime, AppleTV)

A horror/comedy that is basically a musical Shaun of the Dead. A zombie infestation threatens the little town of New Haven during Christmas. Anna and her friends are forced to fight for survival.

Anna (played by Ella Hunt) and John (played by Malcom Cumming) encounter a monster snowman in Anna and the Apocalypse.

FATMAN

STARRING: Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Chance Hurstfield

RELEASE DATE: November 13th, 2020

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Peacock, Amazon Prime, AppleTV)

A very different Santa Claus (played by Mel Gibson) fights to save his failing business. At the same time, a naughty child hires a hitman (played by Walton Goggins) to take the jolly man out for giving him a lump of coal.

Mel Gibson as Santa Claus in Fatman

RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE

STARRING: Jorma Tommila, Onni Tommila, Peeter Jakobi, Tommi Korpela, Rauno Juvonen, Per Christian Ellefsen

RELEASE DATE: December 3rd, 2010

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Shudder, AppleTV)

A secret drilling expedition in northern Finland has caused children to go missing, reindeer being slaughtered, and the appearance of an old feral man. Two boys believe that Santa Clause’s tomb has been unearthed.

Onni Tommila as Pietari Kontio in Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

SANTA’S SLAY

STARRING: Bill Goldberg, Douglas Smith, Emilie de Ravin, Robert Culp, Dave Thomas

RELEASE DATE: January 1st, 2004

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Peacock, Amazon Prime, Vudo, AppleTV)

Santa (played by wrestler Bill Goldberg) is actually a demon that lost a bet with an angel and is forced to bring Christmas cheer around the world. When the bet is off, Santa goes back to his evil ways and spreads Christmas fear.

Bill Goldberg as Santa Claus in Santa’s Slay

SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS

STARRING: John Call, Leonard Hicks, Vincent Beck, Bill McCutcheon

RELEASE DATE: November 14th, 1964

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Youtube, Tubi)

Martian Fuler Kimar is unhappy that the children of Mars have become lazy and under the influence of too much pop culture from Earth. In order to hopefully get the children all peppy again, Kimar orders the kidnapping of Santa Claus, in hopes he can help out.

Santa Claus (played by John Call) in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Movie Review / Black Friday

MOVIE: Black Friday

STARRING: Devon Sawa, Ivana Baquero, Ryan Lee, Stephen Peck, Michael Jai White, Bruce Campbell, Louie Kurtzman

RELEASE DATE: November 19th, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH: Theaters / VOD Rental (Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vudo)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

As we get into the holiday spirit, it’s only fitting that I watch a new “festive” film to get me into the holiday spirit. As someone who works in retail, one of the more horrific days that basically rings in the Christmas season for me is Black Friday. So, it almost felt necessary to watch the new horror/comedy film starring Bruce Campbell that has the same name.

This film feels like a mash-up of Night of the Comet and Night of the Living Dead but with a Christmas theme. The plot is very, very simple; comets crash land inside toy stores and start turning people into undead aliens. They then merge together to become a giant monstrosity. We follow a small group of retail workers and their horrible manager as they try to survive the invasion.

Stephen Peck as Brian and Bruce Campbell as Jonathan in Black Friday

With a very straightforward plot, I was hoping that the main focus would be in solving the mystery of where the aliens came from and the best way to deal with the threat. To an extent, that is what happens. They did seem to focus a little too much on the side plots of the lives of the retail workers which is fine, except the plots don’t feel like they ever have a resolution of some sort.

You have Kevin (played by Devon Sawa) who is a divorcee that got the short end of the stick when it comes to seeing his kids. Marnie (played by Ivana Baqeuro) is Kevin’s love interest. We also have Chris (played by Ryan Lee) who is a germaphobe whose father is not proud of him. Although we have these storylines, it really focuses on Kevin and how everything just keeps coming up short for him. It never really hits, mainly because of how the whole invasion plays out.

Marnie played by Ivana Baquero and Devon Sawa as Ken in Black Friday

Practical monster effects and gory were pretty decent in this film. There is one monster that kind of looks like The Blob from the 1988 remake, but these aliens felt like cannon fodder overall and second fiddle throughout the film. In my opinion, there wasn’t even a scary scene throughout the film. That’s why this was geared more as a comedy/horror, right? Unfortunately, the comedy feel pretty short as well. The majority of the comedy comes from Johnathan (played by Bruce Campbell), the terrible manager. Bruce plays the role like most of his roles; cocky and dumb. That works in some roles, but in this movie, it feels he was just a name to get people to run to the theater.

With all that said, it was exactly what I needed to recover from the real retail Black Friday (which isn’t too far off sometimes to the movie Black Friday). It’s a mindless fun popcorn movie. Enjoy!

Practical Effects in Black Friday

Spider-Man: Freshman Year - What it Could Mean For his Future in the MCU

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

Disney+ Day has come and gone. As expected, there were tons of announcements (though not as many as people expected). One of the most surprising announcements came in the form of a new Disney+ exclusive animated series called Spider-Man: Freshman Year.  This, in canon series from Marvel Studios will follow the exploits of Peter Parker’s first year as Spider-Man as he learns that with great power comes great responsibility (even though Civil War was meant to be 6 months into his career, but who’s keeping track any more). 

As Spectacular Spider-Man fans will know, Disney holds the animation/television rights to Spider-Man. This is one of the many reasons why that series was cancelled in favor of Disney XD’s Ultimate Spider-Man.  A new animated adventure for the MCU’s Peter Parker was practically inevitable when Marvel Studios began building up their animation division.  There seems to be two potential reasons why Marvel Studios is interested in pursuing this series.

Spider-Man only exists in the MCU thanks to a deal between Sony and Marvel/Disney, effectively giving Kevin Feige creative control of the solo Spider-Man movies. A deal that won’t last forever.  After Spider-Man: No Way Home, the future is unclear for the MCU’s wall crawler. There are conflicting reports if another MCU appearance was part of the deal. Behind the scenes, a deal is no doubt being worked on to continue Tom Holland's Peter Parker, but Spider-Man: Freshman Year could point to Marvel being uncertain what the future could hold for him. Potentially, Marvel Studios would be looking for other mediums to keep telling Spider-Man stories. In the event that a deal isn’t struck, this series could be a way for them to continue telling stories with the MCU Peter Parker without having to go any further into the future. Effectively leaving the door open for Sony to return to the negotiating table someday down the line.

On the other hand, this move could signal Marvel Studios confidence that a new deal will be signed and are already setting up plans for the next few years of the MCU Spider-Man. It would be beneficial for both parties to keep Spider-Man in the MCU, even if Sony insists on making other Spider-Man related films, they’re aware of the fans desire to keep seeing Tom Holland interact with the wider MCU. At this point, continuing Spider-Man’s MCU journey is impossible for Marvel to do without Sony as it’s proven to be a huge success for all parties.

Of course, realistically and optimistically speaking, the second option is far more likely then the first. Fans are not only eagerly anticipating the next Spider-Man film but holding their breath as to what the future for this character could be. By its very nature, Spider-Man: Freshman Year is probably not going to be a long series but it is nice to know that there is more MCU Spider-Man in our future, even if it is a prequel series.

Movie Review / Lamb

MOVIE: Lamb

STARRING: Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Ingvar Sigurdsson

RELEASE DATE: October 8th, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH: Theaters / VOD Rental (Amazon Prime, Apple, Google Play, YouTube, AMC On Demand)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

I have been watching a good amount of A24 films and have shared my praises for films like “Midsommar”, “The Lighthouse”, and most recently, “The Green Knight” (Go read that review HERE if you haven’t yet). This company has a very successful track record of making some of the most interesting films in the last couple of years. However, I do recognize that they are not all great films. Examples that come to mind are The Death of Dick Long and Slice.

Unfortunately, “Lamb” falls into that category.

Noomi Rapace n LAMB

Directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson, Lamb is the story of a childless couple on rural island that come across the weirdest discovery in their sheep barn, a sheep giving birth to a hybrid lamb/human child. They decide to raise her as their own. They give her the name Ada. In all honesty, that’s 90% of the film. Just a couple raising their “child”. This film is labeled as a horror/fantasy piece and I’m sure that someone out there might find the horror of this story, but it doesn’t actually set in till the last 15 minutes of the film.

This film has a run time of 1 hour and 46 minutes and the majority of that time is literally this couple going about their daily lives, while also caring for Ada. From the get go, they recognize her as different for a total of about 10 minutes. The movie only takes a moment before it turns it around as “this is our child now” and they go back to their normal lives. To me, this just doesn’t work. How are these guys not freaking out over it? How come they are not calling anyone? It doesn’t feel natural.

There is a scene where the mother visits a grave that has the name “Ada” on it, so I assume that maybe they did have a child at one point so this new Ada is a coping mechanism. It’s not addressed at all, so the whole act feels hollow and forced. They add some drama as the husband’s brother comes to visit and there is an implication that he had an affair with the wife. However, the problem seems to solve itself in a matter of 20 minutes.

Scene from LAMB

I said this film is labeled as a horror film, and honestly, the trailers made it feel way more horror than what it actually was. Like I said before, the only “horror” comes at the end of the film. It’s an interesting twist for sure, but overall, feels weirdly thrown in.

Overall, this film had an interesting idea, but fell short on what it was trying to accomplish. I give it praise for its interesting usage of making Ada come to life, but beyond that, this film felt like it needed more substance than what was delivered. All the problems felt like after thoughts to the main story of a grieving family that were giving this “gift”, but was it really a gift?

I give this film a 2 out of 5.

Analyzing the Daniel Craig James Bond Film

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

“The name’s Bond, James Bond” is one of the most iconic film lines of all time.  First uttered by Sean Connery in Dr. No, it has been said by more than 6 actors, throughout more than 24 films.  Very few characters have had the lasting impact and staying power that James Bond has had in cinema. Each actor has brought a new element to the long running franchise but Daniel Craig may have made the greatest contribution to the franchise since Sean Connery.

Regardless of what fan theories will have you believe, Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan are meant to be the same James Bond.  James Bond isn’t a time lord and the name “James Bond” isn’t meant to be a codename.  While Daniel Craig’s Bond is familiar, he’s not the same man as the others, and in many ways, he can’t be. After Die Another Day was released, and in no small part thanks to the Austin Powers franchise (a very popular James Bond parody), Eon Productions, the production company that owns the rights to Bond, felt that the character should go in another direction. So instead of moving forward with a fifth Pierce Brosnan film, they recast the character and decided to tell the story of how he became 007, with Casino Royale.

Le Chiffree played by Mads Mikkelsen, Felix Leiter played by Jeffrey Wright, Madame Wu played by Tsai Chin and Jame Bond played by Daniel Craig in Casino Royal 2006

Casino Royale was a huge shift for the franchise when it was released in 2006. The film removed much of the tropes that had become a huge staple to the franchise: no over the top gadgets, no over the top action sequences and for the first time since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond fell in love.  For the first time in a long time, James Bond was a more relatable human character.  The producers wanted the film to be more realistic and bring Bond into a post Jason Bourne world.  Just six months before Die Another Day was released, The Bourne Identity redefined the spy genre that had been dominated by James Bond for many decades. Audiences were clearly hungry for this new take on the spy genre and not all that interested in Bond surfing a tidal wave to escape a space laser.

Sean Connery as James Bond in Thunderball 1965

For many years, the Bond franchise were the spy films to beat.  Tons of spy movies tried to copy the Bond formula to no success (The MCU currently sits in a similar place).  In many ways the Mission: Impossible and Kingsman films owe something to James Bond, but what happens when the student surpasses the master?  Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond has been the best received since Sean Connery in the 60s but they have clearly been influenced by other films. For example; The Bourne Trilogy, the last four Mission: Impossible films and, even The Dark Knight.  They all have played a hand in shaping the last four James Bond films.

Javier Bardem and Daniel Craig in Spectre 2015

Much like a long running comic book universe, James Bond had a “sliding scale continuity”, which allowed him to remain the same age for more than 50 years.  Major characters would remain the same (like M or Q), and sometimes they would call back to a previous film adventure. An example like when Roger Moore visited the grave of Bond’s wife who was killed in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.  While loose, there was a continuity for long-time fans, but each adventure was standalone so newer audiences could always find a way into the franchise. Quantum of Solace was the first film to break that trend, following up a loose end from the end of Casino Royale.  While Skyfall brought Bond “back to basics” in some ways, it’s sequel Spectre decided to run with a “it has all been connected to Spectre” plot-line, leaving Bond in a place where he’s never been before: locked in a set continuity. 

As it stands, the Bond franchise seems to have limited options in regards to moving forward.  It’s unlikely they’ll be able to move on from the Craig era as they have before.  So what could be next for James Bond?  Eon Productions has shown interest in spin-off films before, with Haley Berry’s Jinx from Die Another Day, moving forward with a new 00 agent or even Lashana Lynch continuing as the new 007 is an option.  If they decide not to go that route then another complete reboot would be the next best option.  Recasting Bond is nothing new but continuing in the manner they previously did, went out the window by the time Spectre rolled around.  Casting a young up and coming actor (Henry Golding for Bond) and setting it in a different time period and could give the franchise the fresh perspective they’ve been chasing.

Halle Barry as Jinx & Pierce Brosnan as James bond in Die Another Day 2002

The final option on the table would be to just let the franchise rest.  This is the most unlikely option since Bond is really the only thing that Barbara Broccoli and Eon Productions have, but it might ultimately be their best option.  They’ve just been chasing the success of other spy franchises since 2006, and maybe letting the franchise lie for a few years and waiting for the right idea to come along is what Bond needs.  Bond is a relic of the Cold War and has been struggling to survive in the modern era for more than 20 years (that’s the point of Skyfall), so perhaps it’s time to let it go.

Daniel Craig as James Bond n No Time To Die 2021

FUN FACTS:

• George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton were both attempts to bring the character more in line with his book counterpart, but Craig is the only one to do it successfully.  Guess audiences weren’t ready.

• Lazenby and Dalton were also the second choices to play the character and were only cast because their first choices, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan were doing successful TV shows. When Lazenby and Dalton didn’t reprise the role, the TV shows were cancelled and Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan would go on to play the role anyway

Random Thoughts / The Addams Family Movies Cast Revisited

MOVIE: The Addams Family (Part 1 - 1991) & Addams Family Values (Part 2 - 1993)

STARRING: Raul Julia, Anjelica Houston, Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Cusack, Jimmy Workman, Carel Struycken, Christopher Hart

By Patrick Nagy

Getting into the spooky season here and I had the most random thought. The Addams Family films in the 90’s were cast perfectly! Haven’t seen them in a while, but I remember really liking those films. Yes, I even liked Addams Family Values. The only random one is Pugsley, but then again how hard is it to find some random Bobby Hill looking kid?

Okay, getting down to brass tacks!

First up is Gomez. I remember thinking when they cast the late Raul Julia it was a bit confusing. I only remembered him vaguely from a few dramas and a thriller or two in the 80’s. The only comedy I can think of was 1988’s Moon Over Parador with Richard Dreyfuss (also it felt weird not seeing John Austin after years of Addams Family re-runs, but I digress). Anyway, Raul Julia killed it! Just the right amount of suave vs odd and the pencil thin mustache was a nice touch. He played the character very Peter Lorre-esque.

Raul Julia as Gomez Addams

Next up was Uncle Fester. Originally played by silent film child actor Jackie Coogan, Fester is by far the strangest of the strange when it comes to the Addams’. Bald, dumpy, pale, can light a lightbulb with his mouth…who could've played such a mad-cap character better than Doc Brown, and Reverend Jim himself?! I mean Christopher Lloyd in that role will be tough to beat. He had the quirks, and the child like mischief that Coogan brought to life so many years before, down to a science. A bonus is fellow Taxi co-star Carol Kane playing Grandmama in the sequel.

Christopher Lloyd as Fester Addams

One of the more interesting Addams that the films focused on was the daughter Wednesday (played by up and coming star Christina Ricci). The cynical (and slightly psychotic) Wednesday was the perfect foil for any outside forces trying to get the best of the fish out water family. Whether it was trying to steal their fortune, kill her beloved uncle, or getting sent off to summer camp, Wednesday with Pugsley in tow always seemed to get the better of their opponents in the most dark and hilarious way.

Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams

There are many other fun and slightly off family members appearing here and there that help keep the story moving. Such classic oddballs like their monstrous butler Lurch, the ever helpful bodiless hand simply named “Thing”, and the bowler cap wearing talkative hairball Cousin Itt are all in there, but there is one Addams whom is the most perfectly cast…

Dana Ivey as Margaret Alford with John Franklin as Cousin Itt

Anjelica Huston playing the sultry dark matriarch Morticia Addams. Even before the internet and social media you could just feel the buzz coming out of Tinsel Town, this was the perfect cast! I don’t know if there has ever been a better choice for an actor to play a classic role. Huston is Hollywood royalty, and her Oscar winning portrayal as a Mafia daughter in 1985 Prizzi’s Honor gave her the sex appeal. Her turn as a veteran con-artist in 1990’s Grifters added to her mystique, and her take on Roald Dahl’s The Witches sealed the deal. She could be all the things that make an amazing Morticia. I would argue she was better than the original.

Anjelica Huston as Morticia Addams

So there you have it! No point or reason to this article, I just wanted to say The Addams Family films from the 1990’s, are some of the best cast films in history!

Headlines / Black Widow vs The Mouse

Covered by: Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure)

In any other year, a film like Black Widow would have done huge numbers at the box office. Since this isn’t any other year, the 24th film in the expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe has struggled in theaters, only making around $368M, and is predicted to unlikely gross much more in its theatrical run. No doubt, one of the facts related to this low box office gross was due to Disney deciding to release the film same day on Disney+ for a premium price. Now Scarlet Johannson, the film's star, has decided to sue the House of Mouse for a breach of contract.

Johannson claims that she is owed money because she was guaranteed a percentage of that box office gross for the film. According the suit filed “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.” Shortly after this reached the news, Disney fired back with their own statement, saying “[this is] especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.” The company said it “fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20 million she has received to date.”

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow

The statement made by Disney is an obvious smokescreen to turn the blame on the actress and away from Disney. Disney’s new CEO Bob Chapek has decided to stand by his decision to release the film on Disney+ at the same time. Chapek claims that Disney’s former CEO Bob Iger is behind him on this decision, something The Wrap has heard is not true, claiming that Iger has said they’ve “bungled” this whole thing. 

Among the parties supposedly not happy is Marvel CCO Keven Feige, who pushed hard for an exclusive theatrical release of Black Widow.  At the time of this writing, no official statements from either Iger or Feige have been released.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow with Taskmaster

On the surface it’s easy for the general consumer to look at this and say that it’s just a greedy millionaire suing a mega corporation but this could have far reaching ramifications. If Disney is willing to breach a contract and deny one of the biggest stars in the world the money she’s owed, then what’s to stop them from doing this to a smaller creator?

This could also set a precedent with other companies. For example, Warner Bros releasing their films on HBOMax for no extra cost (same day as in theaters) has forecasted doom for Dune at the box office. Perhaps what Johansson is doing could embolden Denis Villeneuve to demand the money he would have gotten had the movie had an exclusive theatrical run (of course depending on the verbiage of that contract or renegotiations).

So far during these unprecedented times, F9: The Fast Saga seems to be the exception and not the rule. That could be because Universal gave it an exclusive theatrical release, or it could just have been a random fluke. The narrative of what is a “flop” is going to have to change as we once again enter unprecedented times, that’s for sure. 

One thing is certain, if studios insist on releasing major tentpole movies, the filmmakers and stars need to get the proper compensation.

Movie Review / The Green Knight

MOVIE: The Green Knight

STARRING: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Erin Kellyman, Barry Keoghan, Ralph Ineson, Sean Harris, Joel Edgerton

RELEASE DATE: July 30th, 2021 (Theaters) / August 19th, 2021 (VOD)

WHERE TO WATCH: Theaters / VOD Rental (Amazon Prime, Apple, Google Play, FandangoNow)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

The Green Knight is the latest film by David Lowery, whose other films up to this point have included 2016’s “Pete’s Dragon” and 2017’s “A Ghost Story”. This film is also an adaptation of the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In short, this film is probably one of the best films that have come out of A24’s library, in my honest opinion.

"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", from the Cotton Nero A.x manuscript

As the title of the poem states, the film is about King Arthur’s nephew, Gawain (played by Dev Patel), who accepts to play a game by The Green Knight on Christmas Day.  The game is simple, strike a blow to the Green Knight and then you claim his ax. However, Gawain must return to the Knight’s castle in one calendar year's time and give the knight the same courtesy in letting him strike an equal blow to Gawain. 

Gawain played by Dev Patel

After Gawain beheads the Green Knight, Gawain waits almost the entire year until he decides to go on the adventure. Along the way, Gawain finds himself meeting interesting characters, each one being a test of the 5 virtues of what it means to be a knight; friendship, generosity, chastity, courtesy, and piety.

This film is very beautiful in every way. Although it is a slow-moving film, it never feels like you are waiting for the next scene to happen. They give you time to take in the splendor of the scenery. They pull you in with the great score from Daniel Hart that accompanies the film. I don’t want to spoil too much about the film because I want everyone to go check it out. So, I highly recommend you check it out and see what you think.

Movie Review / Guilt, Grief and Self-Hatred: How three new female-directed horror films intersect

1 ) Saint Maud

DIRECTOR: Rose Glass

STARRING: Morfydd Clark, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Jennifer Ehle, Marcus Hutton, Carl Prekopp, Lily Frazer, Lily Knight

RELEASE DATE: January 29th, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH (as of August 2021): Hulu

2 ) Censor

DIRECTOR: Prano Bailey Bond

STARRING: Niamh Algar, Michael Smiley, Nicholas Burns, Vincent franklin, SophiaLa Porta, Adrian Schiller

RELEASE DATE: June 11th, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH (as of August 2021): Amazon Prime Video (rental)

3 ) The Stylist

DIRECTOR: Jill Gevargizian

STARRING: Najarra Townsend, Jennifer Seward, Lindsay Solomon, Angela Dupuie, Brea Grant, Davis DeRock

RELEASE DATE: February 21st, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH (as of August 2021): Amazon Prime Video (rental)

by Dave Palamaro

The protagonist as the outcast/anti-hero used to be mostly the realm of male film directors (think Taxi Driver, Joker, Fight Club, Goodfellas etc.). But three new female horror directors are showing audiences that complex, emotionally damaged main characters need not be gender specific. Thank God for that because their films (Saint Maud, Censor and The Stylist) are a revelation.

***SPOILERS AHEAD FOR SAINT MAUD, CENSOR AND THE STYLIST***

Disturbed Heroes

Saint Maud, Censor and The Stylist all have one major element in common: they showcase female lead characters that are emotionally damaged, socially distant and possibly a danger to themselves or others. Where these characters differ, however, is why each of them reached such a state.

(Morfyd Clark plays Maud in Saint Maud)

In Saint Maud, directed by Rose Glass, Maud (played by Morfyd Clark) is a young nurse who experienced a traumatic event in her past that cost a patient their life. She blames herself for this death since the patient was in her care at the time. The shock and guilt she feels spins Maud out of her normal orbit and into a self-imposed extreme form of catholicism.

(Julie Ehle in Saint Maud)

She finds a new patient to save in terminal cancer victim Amanda (played by Julie Ehle). Saving Amanda’s soul soon becomes Maud’s mission. She believes that converting Amanda to catholicism before she succumbs to her cancer will make up for her failing to save the life of her previous patient. But Maud’s methods for this would-be salvation turn out to be...well, extreme.

(Niamh Algar as Enid in Censor)

Prano Bailey Bond’s Censor, Enid (Niamh Algar) is a seemingly emotionally healthy young woman. She works as a film censor in 1980’s England and spends her days watching endless “video nasties” (British horror films from the 1980’s). Her job is to determine which of these horror films are fit for public consumption, and if they are, which parts of the movies to cut out.

All seems normal until we meet her parents. We discover that Enid’s sister went missing years ago. It turns out that Enid blames herself for the disappearance of her sibling because she was with her sister when it happened. Enid’s parents want to move on and forget about their lost child (even presenting their missing daughter’s death certificate to Enid at dinner).

But Enid, not so much. She believes that her sister is out there somewhere and nothing her parents do will shake her from this belief.

(Niamh Algar in Censor)

Clearly, Enid’s personal mission is to find her lost sister. At some point she thinks she sees her sister (now an adult) in one of the “video nasties” she’s evaluating for work.

From that point on, any good intentions Enid has to locate her lost sibling quickly turns into an unhealthy obsession.

(Najarra Townsend plays Claire the stylist in The Stylist)

Unlike Maud or Enid, Claire (Najarra Townsend) in The Stylist isn’t given a reason (at least on-screen) as to why she is so damaged.

Director/writer Jill Gevargizian shows us who Claire really is in the very first scene.

Claire is a hair stylist who drugs and surgically scalps her clients. She then uses their hair as a macabre wig to act out her fantasies of being other people. In this way, Claire can be anyone she chooses. Anyone but herself. Why does she do this?

In several scenes it is very clear that Claire hates herself to an almost unimaginable degree. She puts up a good front to those in her public life but in private, she brings self-loathing to a whole new level.

(Najarra Townsend and Brea Grant in The Stylist)

When Claire is hired to do her friend Olivia’s (Brea Grant) wedding hair, it seems that she might finally be making a real connection with another human being. It appears that this just might be enough to break the murderous hamster wheel she’s trapped in. But director Gevargizian doesn’t give us such an easy way out of Claire’s psychosis.

Does anybody ever really get what they want?

So does Maud (Saint Maud), Enid (Censor) and Claire (The Stylist) get what they want by the end of their respective stories? Well, yes and no.

Directors Rose, Bailey-Bond and Gevargizian leave it up to the audience to decide if their damaged female protagonists achieve their goals by the end of their respective journeys.

Which is only fitting, as these films are as complex as their main characters. These three talented directors have shown audiences that mentally and emotionally challenging characters are not just for men anymore.

Ratings:

Saint Maud: 9.5/10

Censor: 8.5/10

The Stylist: 8/10

Dave Palamaro is a filmmaker known for Murder Made Easy (2019) and In Heaven There Is No Beer (2014).

Movie Review / JOLT

MOVIE: Jolt (Amazon Original)

STARRING: Kate Beckinsale, Jai Courtney, Laverne Cox, Stanley Tucci, Lili Rich, Bobby Cannavale, David Bradley, Susan Sarandon

RELEASE DATE: July 23rd, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH: Amazon Prime

By Animated Annie @hessian_hellcat

Jolt is my 2nd favorite action movie of 2021, seconded only to Nobody. The movie kicks off with our heroine, Lindy, as a child unlike any other. She’s overly triggered by mean people, and has some solid super strength and anger to boot. After some traumatizing years being experimented on and tortured, she finally finds a bandaid type treatment with the help of her shrink, Dr. Munchin, played by Stanley Tucci. 

Everything seems to finally be coming together for Lindy (played by Kate Beckinsale, who looks amazing as always), until it isn’t. She absolutely slayed every one of her action scenes. With every imagined & actual fight, I was grinning ear to ear, and fully engulfed. Some of her triggers had me cackling, and were very relatable. I’ve definitely dreamed of doing some of the same things.

Laverne Cox was my 2nd favorite character, as Detective Nevin. Knocking out some solid humor as a brutally honest, by the book detective partnered with the endearing Detective Vicars (Bobby Canavale).

I did have the story figured out less than halfway through, but that didn’t take any of the fun out of the movie for me. Jolt is witty, action packed, solidly casted, and well written. Hopefully we will be getting a sequel/franchise. The ending gave us our first onscreen view of the movies narrator (no spoilers), and a quick bonus scene in the credits with a character I really enjoyed that we only got a few minutes of. All of this makes me think we will, so I’ll be crossing my fingers!

Movie Review / Blood Red Sky

MOVIE: Blood Red Sky (A Netflix Film)

STARRING: Peri Baumeister, Carl Anton Koch, Alexander Scheer, Kais Setti, Gordon Brown, Dominic Purcell, Graham McTavish

RELEASE DATE: July 23rd, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix

By Patrick Nagy

Let me preface this review by stating, I’m not very into horror movies in general. Then again, I don’t know if I would categorize this film as “horror”. It’s more like an action flick with a supernatural twist. There will be a few spoilers, but trust me, there is still plenty of surprises to see.

The Netflix original film Blood Red Sky revolves around Nadja (played by German actress Peri Baumeister) and her son Elias (Carl Anton Koch) traveling from abroad to New York to seek treatment for Nadja’s “condition”. It isn’t fully explained yet what her issue may be as she sneaks off to the bathroom mid-flight to inject herself with some sort of serum, which appears to cause her much pain. The entire experience and journey seem to be very desperate for Nadja.

Somewhere over the Atlantic tragedy strikes when it is revealed some of the passengers and crew aren’t what they appear. In a very gruesome and violent takeover of the plane’s cabin and cockpit, this group of terrorists make their intensions clear that this plane is theirs, and there will be no shenanigans or heroes. The leader of the terrorist group is Berg (played by Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell) and they do an all right job of fleshing out his character, even though he’s a little two dimensional with your classic tropes. For example, forcing prisoners to read a written statement condemning a government or political group, planning to crash the plane in a populated area…you know…terrorist stuff. The more interesting part is his merry band of mercenaries. You have the sensible one, the angry one, the violent one, and then there’s Eightball (played by Alexander Scheer). He’s a real problem. The wild card. The psychotic killer that seems to enjoy inflicting pain and chaos. Unfortunately one of Eightball’s random targets is Nadja’s son Elias. During a scuffle for Elias, Nadja is injured and forced to reveal her secret she’s been fighting so hard to conceal.

Without giving away too much, you can picture the madness that ensues after a full blown Nosferatu style vampire is thrown into your classic hostage film! Picture the 1996 Kurt Russell film Executive Decision meets The Strain.

What I liked most about this movie and the character of Nadja, is the pain she’s going through to save her son and the plane. With every drop of blood, every kill, she’s loses herself a little. She’s afraid of Elias seeing her this way. No hair, fangs, pointed ears, and covered in blood…a monster. Her greater fear is losing him to the disaster that is unfurling.

We do get some flashbacks from time to time of a car break down and an old farm house in the German wilderness. Piece by piece these memories explain how Nadja became this way. They also reveal an ominous warning from an old farmer that she must end this vampire disease for good. This foreshadowing really helps explain who Nadja is (or at least was), and why she is fighting so hard to get back to some sort of normal. It adds a lot of sympathy and strife to her character. Imagine going through an uncertain future not even knowing what you’re becoming or how to stop it. Would you do anything and everything to just feel normal again?

During the battle it becomes very apparent everyone Nadja takes down or consumes her blood will also be infected. She does her best to stop the spread, but you can imagine what happens next. Now our anti-heroine has one more HUGE thing to worry about! How will Nadja save her son (without scaring the living daylights out of him), save the plane, and stop a vampire outbreak! This really takes anyone’s fear of flying to a ridiculous level.

Blood Red Sky may not be for the squeamish, but if you are looking for Action / Thriller plus Vampires, this is the film for you! It was done very well which is saying a lot because you can just picture how badly it could have gone from the pitch meeting to screen.

Shot in English and German overdub, Blood Red Sky is available on Netflix streaming now.

FOUR EYES REVIEW / Willy's Wonderland

Welcome back to another “Four Eyes” review. We take this moment to share 2 opinions on a single geek topic.

Below both Allan and Justin will each dive into what they thought about Nicolas Cage’s movie Willy’s Wonderland. Join us for a LOVE/HATE recap. Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on social media using #foureyesreview

MOVIE: Willy’s Wonderland

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, Beth Grant

RELEASE DATE: February 12th, 2021

WHERE TO WATCH (as of July 2021): Hulu

FROM ALLAN DAVID:

Plot: An out-of-towner’s (Nicolas Cage) car runs over police road spikes. He is stuck in an old country town. To pay for the repairs, all he must do is spend the night cleaning up Willy’s Wonderland (a Chuck E Cheese/Five Nights at Freddy’s type of restaurant). The kids in this town sure know how to have a party. Oh, don’t worry, , that’s not blood on the walls that’s fruit punch.

My Thoughts: Nicolas Cage delivers an Oscar worthy performance as The Janitor. In one of his best roles since Raising Arizona, Nick (that’s what his friends call him) gives depth and complexity to the Janitor. He doesn’t utter a word throughout the entire movie. Which is fine by me.  The Janitor faces off against killer robots. No not the Terminator kind, but the soft fluffy kind. The kind you want to have at your kid’s party. Oh wait…

This movie has a little of everything. Angry townsfolk, blood, robots, superb acting by said robots, and lots of laughs, blood, and pinball. Lots and lots of pinball.

Should you watch it? Hell yes!!! Get off your computer right now and watch Willy’s Wonderland!!! 

FROM JUSTIN POMERVILLE:

I first need to preface that I am a huge Nicolas Cage fan. Cage has this uncanny ability to resurrect his career no matter what. With this ability, he has turned out such amazing and interesting films like Mom and Dad, Mandy, and Color Out Of Space. However, he also has been the butt of a lot of jokes because of the volume of films he has made that have been less than stellar. One such film is Willy’s Wonderland.

Willy’s Wonderland had a simple idea: What if Nicolas Cage was in Five Nights At Freddy's? Cage is the silent protagonist who’s vehicle is disabled outside of a tiny town. He is tasked to clean a run-down “Chuck E. Cheese” style joint called “Willy’s Wonderland”. But, what he doesn’t know is that he is locked in overnight with possessed murderous animatronics.

It’s a creative idea for sure but fails to be entertaining. I don’t mind if your main character is a silent, mysterious type. As someone who is viewing this film, usually by the end of the film we would have learned something about our hero. We learn nothing. He spends the whole movie cleaning, playing pinball, drinking a soda every hour, and killing animatronics. The only interesting element to his personality is that killing is nothing to him. He’s not even surprised that there are giant robotic murder machines. They are a minor inconvenience to him, at best.

Between the shaky camera fights, the illogical character choices and confusing dialogue, this movie is definitely not the worst in Cage’s repertoire. Would I watch it again? No way. However, for those of you who do enjoy it (Allan), I’m glad you do. And I have some amazing news for you, Aftershock Comics is making a prequel comic series this fall. Now you have something to look forward to (and hopefully finally some backstory on The Janitor).