Beast

My View: Beast (2022) R A father (Idris Elba) and his two teenage daughters (Iyana Halley, Leah Sava Jeffries) are in the African Savannah to go on a photo safari. Instead of a fun outing, they encounter a rouge lion determined to show that there is only room for one apex predator. So it’s man vs. beast, or should I say Elba vs. CGI? With some dialogue that seems to be right out of a bad TV soap and a CGI lion that doesn’t always look real, this film is a bit of a disappointment. There are some cool action sequences, but you can’t overlook that the last third of the film feels very contrived and goes to an ending you can see from a Savannah away. I just wanted more thrills and scares from Beast; instead, I got a few roars and a lot of whimpers.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Beast Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Look Both Ways (2022)   On the eve of her college graduation, Natalie (Lili Reinhart) discovers she might be pregnant. We follow Natalie’s story as she takes two different paths: she is pregnant and stays in Austin to have the baby, or she isn’t pregnant and moves to LA to pursue her dream job. The reason to watch this film is the performance of Lili Reinhart, who makes Natalie someone you like and can root for. Reinhart has an effortless grace to her, making her performance seem real and fun. This is a strange film that flows back and forth without any warning between the two stories of Natalie’s life. In both cases, it's her choices that keeps the film moving along, whether it’s pining for the man who got away or having to decide on what she wants in life with her job. Look Both Ways could have ground to a halt very easily, but Reinhart keeps us interested in what happens to Natalie, with or without the child.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Look Both Ways Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: Orphan: First Kill (2022) R  Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) has escaped from a psychiatric facility in Estonia. Esther finds her way to America and cons her way into impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. We know what the family doesn’t; she isn’t their daughter and isn’t well. The original 2009 film, Orphan, was a darn good horror movie with a great cast, including Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard as the married couple who has suffered a tragedy and decided to fill the void by adopting. Isabelle Fuhrman made the film work, who scared the crap out of you with a performance so creepy it's downright horrific. But it’s hard to capture magic twice in this prequel to the first film. Not to give too much away, Fuhrman plays Esther again, and despite a plot that tries to tie up a few loose ends from the first film, the film doesn’t deliver. The film isn’t scary, with Esther more of a sadistic killer than a disturbed young girl. The film, after the setup, goes off the rails about halfway through the film and never gets back on track. A disappointing revisit with one of the great horror characters in the history of scary movies. My Rating: Cable  Orphan: First Kill Website  Now playing in select theatres and on the Paramount+ platform.

Indiefest: Spin Me Round (2022)   Amber (Alison Brie) is a manager of a chain Italian restaurant who dreams of a better life. When Amber is selected to travel to Italia and take an immersive cooking course, she thinks her life has turned a corner. Boy, was she wrong. I was disappointed in this film, as it never quite got going, leaving a lot to be desired. The film starts out well with Amber in a dead-end job and no life to speak of; she is given the chance of a lifetime to go to Italy and spend a week learning about the craft of cooking, Italian style. Right off the bat, it's one disappointment after another until she meets the CEO and founder of the company, who begins to whisk Amber off her feet. Soon Amber feels that she is living a dream, but that dream turns into a nightmare. This should have been a better film, with all the heavy hitters in the cast, including Aubrey Plaza, Molly Shannon, and Fred Armisen, to name a few. Instead, we get a plot that tries too hard to make points right and left and a mystery that comes out of left field. I did enjoy the interplay between Brie and Plaza, but even that became a bit tired by the end of the film. I wanted Spin Me Round to be funnier, but instead, the comedy came out a little too al dente.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Spin Me Round Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Central Station (1998)  R  Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) is a former school teacher with a small stand in the rail station where she makes her living writing letters for illiterate people. One day she is asked to write a letter for a mother of a young boy. When the boy’s mother is killed in an accident, the young boy, Josue (Vinicius de Oliveira), finds the only adult that he knows, Dora. This starts a journey that will change Dora's and Josue's lives. Central Station isn’t a feel-good, happy movie, but at its core, it's a film about people finding out that they need each other to survive in this hard, harsh world. To tell you how good this film is, the movie garnered two Academy Award nominations, including one, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Montenegro, a rare thing for a foreign film actor in the 90s. I don't know if you will even like Dora, but I guarantee that you will fall in love with the relationship between a hardened woman and the boy who she decided to help.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Central Station Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Spin Me Round: Ballon Tech

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: See How They Run (2022)  R A Hollywood film producer sets out to turn a popular play into a film, but one problem, members of the production are being murdered, one by one. In to solve the mystery and catch the killer are the world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and his over-enthusiastic rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan). This looks like so much fun, with Ronan possibly stealing the film from a great cast.   See How They Run Info

Until Next Time!

46th Annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference April 21 - May 1, 2022

 

It’s time for my favorite event in Atlanta, the Atlanta Film Festival! With 29 feature-length films, including 11 Marquee screenings and a total of 155 creative works from around the world, the Atlanta Film Festival is an event film lovers won’t want to miss. ATLFF is presenting some of the best upcoming films that Hollywood has to offer, including movies from top studios and films that previously played at Sundance.  

ATLFF 2022 will be more accessible than ever, offering a mix of in-person and virtual screenings and virtual Q&A sessions with filmmakers. Screenings will be held at three venues, the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE), Dad’s Garage (569 Ezzard St SE), and The Carter Center (453 Freedom Parkway). All virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive. 

The long-running festival has always been a distinguished event, recognized as the ‘Best Spring Festival’ by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and one of the ’25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’ and one of the ’50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee' by MovieMaker Magazine.

The Opening Night Presentation, taking place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 22, 892, is a dramatic thriller starring John Boyega, the late Michael K. Williams, Nicole Beharie, and Connie Britton. 892 follows a Marine war veteran who faces mental and emotional challenges when he tries to reintegrate back into civilian life. Screenwriter Kwame Kwei-Armah will be on-hand for the red carpet screening. 

The Closing Night Presentation on Saturday, April 30, at the Plaza Theatre is the Disney+ documentary Mija. Directed by Isabel Castro, the film follows Doris Muñoz, who began a career in music talent management and met Jacks Haupt, an auspicious young singer, and both share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born members of their undocumented families.

The narrative features lineup is outstanding, including Cha Cha Real Smooth starring Dakota Johnson and written and directed by Cooper Raiff, Emily the Criminal starring Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi, and Summering, a coming of age story directed by Georgia-native and celebrated ATLFF alumni James Ponsoldt. Documentary feature highlights include Look At Me!, an inside look at a gifted young rapper's tumultuous rise to fame before his death at the age of 20, with never-before-seen footage as XXXTentacion's inner circle speaks out, and REFUGE, a story about fear and love in the American South from local Atlanta directors Erin Levin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship. 

The festival is also known for its short film categories and is one of the few festivals in the country that offer Academy Award-qualifying for all three of the short categories: Narrative, Documentary, and Animated. One hundred twenty-four short films make up the festival, 24 of which are from Georgia.

The popular Creative Conference will be ongoing again at the festival, with workshops, panels, talks, and demos will delve into the world of filmmaking, focusing on topics such as screenwriting, pitching, acting, producing, casting, funding, and distribution, and how they all come together to make a film or television episode. The highlights include Masterclasses, panels, and conversations with actress Antonia Gentry (star of Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia), actress Priah Ferguson (Stranger Things), actor Atkins Estimond (Hightown), producer/director Cherien Dabis (Only Murders in the Building, Ozark), actress Danielle Deadwyler (The Harder They Fall), showrunner Nick Antosca (Candy), cinematographer Daniel Patterson (The Last OG), director Stacey Muhammed (Black-ish, Queen Sugar), comedy writer Robert Peacock (Mad About You), VFX editor Barry Murphy (1883), and many more.

The full schedule of films and events is now available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com. Festival passes and tickets for individual events are on sale now on the site.

The Atlanta Film Festival is the chief annual operation of the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS), one of the oldest and largest organizations dedicated to the promotion and education of film in the United States, which enriches the community through screenings, classes, workshops, and other events year-round.

Murder on the Orient Express

My View:  Murder on the Orient Express  (2017)  PG-13  A murder has been committed on the Orient Express, and the world’s greatest detective, Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh), is on the case. Branagh makes a perfect Poirot, highlighting his quirks (like wanting his two hard boiled eggs the same height) without making it seem weird. The first half of the film works, especially the opening scenes where Poirot solves a crime in Jerusalem, but once he gets on the train and starts to solve a murder, the film slows down. I like when films don’t spell out everything, but, unfortunately, this movie does just that and gives us far more information than we need. There are some brilliant performances that stand out:  Josh Gad, as a bookkeeper to a gangster, does a magnificent job, flop sweat and all, Willem Dafoe gives a clever performance as a German businessman, and the chemistry between Tom Bateman, who plays the train’s manager and is an old friend of Poirot and Branagh, is one of the best things about this film. All characters play off each other exceptionally well, with most of the humor of the film coming from the conversations. Daisy Ridley gives the worst performance of the bunch with a shallow portrayal of her character.  If you are interested in this film, then see it on the big screen because the cinematography is gorgeous. Overall, it’s an interesting murder mystery, but I just wish it hadn’t felt the need to give us so much information.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee     Murder on the Orient Express Website

Indiefest:  The Square  (2017)  R   Christian (Claes Bang) runs a contemporary art museum and is a devoted father of two. His world will change when his phone and wallet are stolen. This is an uncomfortable film to watch, scenes go on too long, the humor in the film is due to absurdity (like a chimp in a reporters room that is never even acknowledged), and the film deals with how we see the homeless in our daily life. The film is two hours and twenty-two minutes, and you feels it’s length. I enjoyed some of the absurd moments of the film but much like it’s contemporary art work in this film (like a pile of chairs with sounds of them crashing or piles of pebbles in a room), it might be something you like, but it’s not for me.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Square Website

Indiefest:  Tragedy Girls  (2017)  R    Best friends Sadie (Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla (Alexandra Shipp) are on a mission to boost their social media status as they track down a local serial killer. This is a strange and funny black comedy that uses the tropes of horror/slasher films and turns them upside down. Hildebrand and Shipp have superlative chemistry, making their friendship feel genuine. There are lots of blood and body parts, but the humor makes it seem a bit surreal. The film is helped by a stellar supporting cast including Josh Hutcherson, Craig Robinson, and Kevin Durand. If you liked Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, you will like this film.    My Rating:  Full Price    Tragedy Girls Website

In Case You Missed It (Movies that Just Released on DVD/Blueray):  Ingrid Goes West  (2017)  R  An unhinged social media stalker (Aubrey Plaza) moves to LA and figures out a way to become part of an Instagram Star’s (Elizabeth Olsen) life. Not quite a comedy, more like a drama with a few light-hearted moments, Ingrid Goes West works because Aubrey Plaza is a chameleon of an actress. You both pity her character at the same time that you are rooting for her against all the odds that she will find happiness. The film doesn't always work, but those moments that do work are magical. There is great chemistry between Olsen and Plaza, making their almost instant friendship seem real, though you feel that both characters aren't genuine or telling the truth. The film covers a lot of ground in this day of instant gratification and celebrities that make their living endorsing products online. Aubrey Plaza makes this movie worth seeing, and if you follow some of the 'Instagram stars' you just might find that you want to unfollow them after seeing this film.    My Rating: Full Price   Ingrid Goes West Website

Forgotten Film:  Dead Presidents  (1995)  R    A Vietnam Vet (Larenz Tate) struggles to adjust to life after the war while he tries to support his family. Things become so bleak that he has to turn to a life of crime to survive. The Hughes Brothers wrote and directed this tough-to-watch but touching tale highlighted with an exceptional performance by Larenz Tate. The first half of the film works better than the second as we get to know Tate’s character and how he became the way he is in the present.  This is a flawed film but still worth watching because the main character is so interesting.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Dead Presidents Info

Weird Credit:  From the credits of Murder on the Orient Express:  Drapes Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Wonder  (2017)  PG  The story of August Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) who was born with a facial deformity, who has been in and out of hospitals for years. Previously homeschooled by his mother, Isabel (Julia Roberts), she decides that August should go to public school so he can try to be an ordinary kid. Based on the best-selling book by R.J. Palacio, the trailer looks like this could be a winner.   Wonder Website

Until Next Time!

The Secret Life of Pets

Family Faire:  The Secret Life of Pets  (2016) PG   Max (Louis C.K.), a Terrier, is living the good life. He has an owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper), who spoils him.  He has great friends like Gidget (Jenny Slate) whom he talks to on a daily basis. That all changes when Katie brings home another dog named Duke (Eric Stonestreet).  Now Max is going to have to show Duke that he is running the show in this apartment. While not in line with recent animated films like Zootopia (2016) or Inside Out (2015), this is still a fun and enjoyable film. The plot gets a little bogged down in too many storylines, but there are plenty of jokes to keep the film from slowing down too much. The film has a fantastic cast with Jenny Slate as the over anxious Gidget and Eric Stonestreet as the bumbling Duke. Kids and adults will have a good time with this film. The film was shot in 3-D, and, it looks it, as many of the sight gags utilize the technology to its fullest. There is a hysterical short film starring the Minions before the movie, proving once again that the Minions should stay as a supporting role in films and not a full-length headliner.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Secret Life of Pets Website

My View:  Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates  (2016) R  Michael (Adam DeVine) and David (Zac Efron) have a history of ruining their family events. They are told by their parents that they must attend their sister’s upcoming wedding with respectable dates. They meet Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza) and Alice (Anna Kendrick), and they seem like the perfect date material. Little do they know that Tatiana and Alice are a parent’s worst nightmare. I found this film mildly amusing, which is sad with a cast like this movie has. The best jokes/stunts were in the trailer, so what was hilarious, was just fun the second time around. The plot is incredibly predictable, though I did like the song and dance numbers at the end of the film. I just wish the producer and the director of the film had added a third scriptwriter to punch up the script so that the laughs were sustained throughout the movie.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Website  

Indiefest:  Zero Days  (2016) PG-13  The documentary explores the scary world of malware software that is threatening to shut down the inter-structure of the world.  When you watch this film, you will be at times frustrated, angry and downright scared. Filmmaker Alex Gibney presents the information about “Stuxnet” in tidbits, bringing the mystery to a full and complete tension-filled reveal that just might have your jaw on the floor. He crafts this film as if we are on a spy mission with him, delving into topics we could get in trouble investigating. A few times during the movie I worried about Gibney, wondering if he was pushing this subject too far. Would he end up like some of the people in the film, mysteriously dying in car bombs or disappearing into the mist, like a John Le Carre novel? While not one of Alex Gibney’s best, “Zero Days” is an important film that will be the subject of much discussion by the media and its audience. Just be warned, after seeing this movie, you may invest in new antivirus software because you are going to get a little paranoid at the end.    My Rating: Full Price   Zero Days Website

Forgotten Film:  Night Moves  (1975) R  Harry (Gene Hackman) is a private detective who is hired by a former actress to find and return her daughter.  He travels to Florida and begins to unravel a plot that involves a murder and a connection back to Hollywood. Hackman is brilliant this modern day film noir. This is a stylish film that has plenty of twists and turns, making you guessing until the very end. Look for an incredibly young Melanie Griffith in the movie.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Night Moves Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: Special Makeup Effects Artist: Animatronic Pigs

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Bleed for This (2016)  World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller) is in an automobile crash and is told he might never walk again. Vinny is determined not only to walk again but to fight again.  I am eager to see Miles Teller, who I think is one of the best young actors out there, perform this role.   Bleed For This Info

Until Next Time!