At the Movies with Kane and BN

[Kane52630]

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Despite right direction of making it about Dumbledore, this movie was too little too late. There are some solid moments like making Mads Mikkelsen the new Grindelwald and having some interesting scenes with Jude Law. Other than that, it's a movie that feels fractured by trying to tie it with Eddie Redmayne's weak storyline. It's so obvious that they're making the story on the spot and this trilogy never had a focused vision. That being said, I will say the only characters in this movie that was actually written well was the Kowalski/Queenie subplot and it's the only thing that kept this movie going. Overall, it's a unfocused mess with some good moments.
2.5/5

 

[Black Narcissus]

The Northman

My second viewing.

What if A24 via Focus Features made a Conan movie?!

What if...Now, I know A24 ain't got nothing to do here, but you get what I mean.

Robert Eggers wasn't lying about making his most entertainment flick thus far. If folks want to get their friends/family into Eggers stuff..this will be the easiest film to start with imo. This was beautiful and brutal. I knew where this was going, as this is a retelling we've seen in countless other forms before, notably Conan for me. Still, my jaw and eyes were glued to the screen. I could notice uncomfortable folks reacting in some scenes, but I was all in. Alexander Skarsgard was great here, especially in the physical-violent moments, man is a beast, literally! But, I must say that he isn't on ATJ level of acting, which ain't a slight against him in the least, but she could chew the scenery around him, if let be. Nicole Kidman was great here as well, but she could play this character in her sleep. Dafoe was also very memorable in his limited time. That man is a national treasure at this point. Iceland seems like a wonder for the sight, I hope I can visit in person some day, before the brace gal takes me to the gates of Valhalla.

I truly feel like there is a before and after The Northman that a lot of similar flicks will have to live up to.


Film of the year for me.

A goddamn masterpiece

 

[Black Narcissus]

X (Ti West)

Man, this was a lot of fun. I also applaud Ti West for casting his version of a Mathew McConaughey character, it was spot on. Mia Goth has always been weirdly captivating to me, like ATJ, their beauty is not very hollywood standard by any means, but there is something about them that one can't look away, she is also a very good actress. Brittany Snow knew exactly what kind of flick this was and pretty much did her thing. This thing flew by! Hell of a comeback for Ti West.

4/5

 

[Kane52630]

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

The power of Paddington 2 has no bounds.

This was a solid buddy comedy action flick that is molded after the one and only Nicolas Cage. The meta-ness of the script is what really sells this movie and how they use Cage's star power and filmography as a reference point. The chemistry between Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal was great and it's the highlight of the film despite all the typical action stuff it gets into. In a way, it takes a bit of an influence from Last Action Hero and JCVD, but it's done in a lighter way. Also, I thought the supporting cast did a fine enough job even though they didn't really fully utilize them like Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz or even Sharon Horgan and Lily Sheen. Overall, while this movie could have been a lot more deeper with a bit more substance, I liked they chose to make it a fun popcorn flick. It was great seeing the director give Nic Cage the respect he deserves while also having fun about it.
3.5/5

 

[Kane52630]

The Northman

When Alexander Skarsgård pulled a Ultimate Warrior promo at Claes Bang, that s**t was cinema.

It's a historical fantasy epic set in the Vikings era with Robert Eggers vision and it's exactly how it plays out. It is a movie that solely about one thing and that is REVENGA! And with all the best revenge films, it's also about the emptiness that vengeance brings to the central character and the complicated nature of the situation. There's some obvious Hamlet/Lion King parallels and while the plot is pretty straightforward... it does a lot with the atmosphere, mood, and cinematography that make it stand out. And because of Eggers, the attention to detail and making sure it's as accurate as possible still reminds here. All the performances are phenomenal and while there's plenty of action, the main course is the character drama between the main cast... which I'm sure people will call it slow. There's also some stunning imagery that only Robert Eggers can deliver. Overall, perfection. It's wild that Eggers got away with what he did here on a such a big budget. It's easily one of the best theater experiences I had (mostly thanks to Dolby).
5/5

 

[Kane52630]

Mia Goth has always been weirdly captivating to me, like ATJ, their beauty is not very hollywood standard by any means, but there is something about them that one can't look away, she is also a very good actress.

Kinda feel the same about Mikey Madison.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Kinda feel the same about Mikey Madison.

Searches name on google...yeah, she reminds me of someone that I use to know. That one keyed my car.

 

[Kane52630]

We're All Going to the World's Fair

An anxiety stricken coming-of-age horror drama that showcases the loneliness of being on the internet. In a way it takes the message of Videodrome and combine it with creepypasta and the internet. It entirely falls on Anna Cobb's performance and she is incredible in here just from the opening oner alone. It's also extremely low budget, so on the surface it does look like a well crafted student film or a found footage film, but they were able to make it work for the most part. Overall, a solid little movie that explores what it means to be isolated really well.
3.5/5

 

[DKDetective]

The Northman

When Alexander Skarsgård pulled a Ultimate Warrior promo at Claes Bang, that s**t was cinema.

It's a historical fantasy epic set in the Vikings era with Robert Eggers vision and it's exactly how it plays out. It is a movie that solely about one thing and that is REVENGA! And with all the best revenge films, it's also about the emptiness that vengeance brings to the central character and the complicated nature of the situation. There's some obvious Hamlet/Lion King parallels and while the plot is pretty straightforward... it does a lot with the atmosphere, mood, and cinematography that make it stand out. And because of Eggers, the attention to detail and making sure it's as accurate as possible still reminds here. All the performances are phenomenal and while there's plenty of action, the main course is the character drama between the main cast... which I'm sure people will call it slow. There's also some stunning imagery that only Robert Eggers can deliver. Overall, perfection. It's wild that Eggers got away with what he did here on a such a big budget. It's easily one of the best theater experiences I had (mostly thanks to Dolby).
5/5

Well, isn't it a Hamlet adaptation to be begin with? Not the Shakespeare text, but the medieval legend of Amleth upon which Shakespeare based his play.

 

[Kane52630]

Yeah I didn't realize that until after I saw it.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Rolling Thunder

A rewatch.

There is a brief but masterful acting moment here by a very young Tommy Lee Jones. He doesn't over sell it, keeps it subtle, but that moment might as well been the Cap holds Mjolnir moment.

Major Charles Rane: I found them.

Johnny: Who?

Major Charles Rane: The men who killed my son.

Johnny: I'll just get my gear.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Hatching

This was such a surprise in a good way, but bizarre little flick. They clearly didn't have much of a budget, but they made the most of it. The kid actress here was great. It ends bloody strong. Worth the rental. I hope more folks get to watch it.

 

[Kane52630]

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

The incredible whiplash in quality as this movie progressed? Truly madness.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is best described as a bumpy rollercoaster ride where the seats and wood planks are ready to fall apart at any moment. It seemed to be the most consequential MCU movie that was affected by reshoots and reverse engineering. The pacing and editing felt choppy almost throughout and it felt like there was so much left on the cutting room floor (especially in the first act). The green screen and some of the CG is really poorly handled in some parts while other parts of the movie excels really well. All that being said, this is easily the most "Raimi film" that threw every ounce of his influence at it including the kitchen sink. It was as if he had years since Drag Me to Hell to think about what bizarre shots he wanted to pull off, but never had the chance to get it done. It's got everything from Evil Dead to Spider-Man in this 2 hour movie including his signature easter eggs. I really liked the introduction to America Chavez even though I wish we had more time with her. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda was fascinating in here and it's almost her movie in a way. There's also a ton of side characters that we didn't fully get to know which was a shame. And of course the big cameos in here was indeed incredible even if it's shameless fan service. While the movie seem to be all over the place on a level that only the MCU can bring, I did enjoy most of it and when the horror aspects start showing up, the movie works at its best while some other aspects works at its worst. Overall, while I loved Sam Raimi going for it, it's a Marvel movie that is a bit of a mess.
3/5

 

[Marvolo]

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

The incredible whiplash in quality as this movie progressed? Truly madness.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is best described as a bumpy rollercoaster ride where the seats and wood planks are ready to fall apart at any moment. It seemed to be the most consequential MCU movie that was affected by reshoots and reverse engineering. The pacing and editing felt choppy almost throughout and it felt like there was so much left on the cutting room floor (especially in the first act). The green screen and some of the CG is really poorly handled in some parts while other parts of the movie excels really well. All that being said, this is easily the most "Raimi film" that threw every ounce of his influence at it including the kitchen sink. It was as if he had years since Drag Me to Hell to think about what bizarre shots he wanted to pull off, but never had the chance to get it done. It's got everything from Evil Dead to Spider-Man in this 2 hour movie including his signature easter eggs. I really liked the introduction to America Chavez even though I wish we had more time with her. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda was fascinating in here and it's almost her movie in a way. There's also a ton of side characters that we didn't fully get to know which was a shame. And of course the big cameos in here was indeed incredible even if it's shameless fan service. While the movie seem to be all over the place on a level that only the MCU can bring, I did enjoy most of it and when the horror aspects start showing up, the movie works at its best while some other aspects works at its worst. Overall, while I loved Sam Raimi going for it, it's a Marvel movie that is a bit of a mess.
3/5

Raimi has said one of the cuts of the film, prior to reshoots, was 160 minutes. With everything going on I'm surprised, and a bit disappointed, he got it down to 126.

 

[Kane52630]

Firestarter

Would be nice if they didn't shoot and color the film like they were stuck in an abandon warehouse the entire time.

This was a pretty mixed bag for a remake of the original and based on Stephen King's novel. Ryan Kiera Armstrong plays the lead and it's almost a fools hope that they could find someone who can beat Drew Barrymore's performance as the lead girl from the original. I thought Zac Effron was decent as the dad despite the material he was given. I will say there were some things that they actually improved on from the original film like casting an actual native American to play Rainbird and giving him a bit more depth to his character. Having them get John Carpenter and his son to do the score was really well done and it's probably the best thing in the movie. It's almost an even match between that and the Tangerine Dream's score from the original. But overall, not great but not the worst. It's nice they try to redo the movie with a modern lens and make it more like a superhero origin story, but they went cheap on it production wise and script wise.
2/5

 

[Kane52630]

Men

Airbnb really needs to add "Cronenbergian" to their review category.

Alex Garland delivers a very nightmarish and arty horror film that uses a bunch of influences from David Cronenberg to David Lynch to Lars von Trier to even some Darren Aronofsky. On the surface level at least for the first half of the film, it's a surreal yet straightforward film that uses the same horror slasher tropes that you've seen done countless times before. However, I like how it slowly gets into body horror that takes it up a notch, and then they really hit you with something shocking at the end. The movie really sells well with its atmosphere and pace that feel like it came right out of your nightmares. I thought Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear did a phenomenal job performance-wise. That being said, it's a movie clearly not for everyone even if you're a fan of Alex Garland. The commentary on female trauma and toxic masculinity may seem a bit too on the nose (among other things)... which I totally get. Much like mother!, it's definitely gonna divide people with how they handled the story. Overall, I thought it was really well done despite a few issues I had. For a horror film that does something that really stands out among the rest, it really works.
4/5

 

[Kane52630]

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

Who knew Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness would be the 3rd best movie about a multiverse this year alone.

I thought this did a good enough job to pull a Roger Rabbit that covers the state of animation in the last 30 years in a somewhat clever way. It's by the Lonely Island crew so there's some similar DNA and tone to this from their other movie Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (and even Brigsby Bear). The meta-ness of it all mostly works into the story to where the world is full of characters that are real and living amongst regular people. So what you get is an easter egg hunt of all your favorite and obscure animated characters and commentary about the various forms and failures of animation. Seeing how they manage to name drop or showcase so many characters from different major companies and have it all be a roast fest was fascinating. It's a much better version of something like Space Jam 2 or Ready Player One. Overall, while I don't think it's perfect, it's a phenomenal midtier meta-movie that gets the history of animation right and just has fun with it.
3.5/5

 

[Kane52630]

Jackass 4.5

Much like the previous point 5 movies, this is a solid supplementary documentary to Jackass Forever that also has some stunts and gags that didn't make it in the movie. Probably the biggest thing they've cut from the movie is the skydiving stunt with Dark Shark which ends with a hilarious Johnny Knoxville crip walk after he almost slipped out of his parachute and died. It also goes into the timeline of when they filmed this and the COVID19 situation that shut them down for months. Overall, a lot of fun as per usual with Jackass.
3.5/5

 

[Kane52630]

Dual

A really well made scifi dark comedy that has a very Black Mirror type premise about a woman surviving a terminal illness after she's cloned herself thinking she'll pass away. The director Riley Stearns seems really like the Yorgos Lanthimos style of deadpan humor which you can also see it in his other movie The Art of Self Defense. It's almost plays as a comedic version of Mahershala Ali's Swan Song from last year. And it's a movie where Karen Gillan really gets to showcase her range as an actor and having able to play two different parts while carrying the movie. I also dug the supporting cast like Aaron Paul and Beulah Koale. And I really love where it goes in the 3rd act and how that all wraps around narratively. Overall, I really loved it. It's exactly one of those great hidden gems that you hope to find.
4/5

 

[Kane52630]

The Bubble

A comedy where its major sin is having it come out a year or two later after the pandemic has mostly settled. That being said, I didn't hate its much as I was expecting. It's still something even too low brow for someone like Judd Apatow to write and direct. The bulk of the movie is nothing more than a collection of on the fly skits that lampoons the movie industry and the strict covid protocols. I did enjoy a few bits that revolve around Karen Gillan, Guz Khan, Iris Apatow, and Fred Armisen but otherwise, it gets pretty repetitive really fast. Also with the movie they're trying to make, I feel like they did a lazy job trying to convince me that their Jurassic Park knock off movie looks interesting. Overall, pretty forgettable aside from a few moments.
2/5

 

[Black Narcissus]

The Trip

There is good foreign flicks still on netflix, even if you gotta keep scrolling or come across them by accident. The synopsis read as follows:

Eager to end their marriage by murdering each other, a husband and wife head to a remote cabin -- but soon find themselves facing an even bigger threat.

This is exactly what you get here. Just overall fun and entertaining. I see this being remade in the future. Hathaway would be a good unusual choice here. Eh.

Noomie and Aksel are always great to watch. Aksel is in the great and very much under rated 'Headhunters', which last time I checked was still on netflix as well. More ppl need to watch it.

A very fun and solid gem.

 

[Kane52630]

On of the Count of Three

Christopher Abbott emo raging to Papa Roach's Last Resort in a car is a whole mood.

Jerrod Carmichael does a great job making this morbid yet cathartic buddy adventure film where the dark subject matter is taken to a more comedic route while still taking in all the emotions of two guys trying to live out their final day. It's a bizarre tightrope that they manage to walk across and it's really well done from an indie perspective. There are some obvious Safdie Brothers influences in here as well as some Coen Brothers. Really solid performances by Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott, but I also really enjoyed everyone in the supporting cast especially Henry Winkler and Tiffany Haddish (who continues to impress me whenever she gets to do something more dramatic like this). Overall, another gem of a movie in an already crowded year of great movies.
4/5



@Boom have you seen this? it's got your boy doing great stuff.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Abbot has quickly become one of my recent favorite actors. I actually had him as my number 2 choice behind Pattinson for Batman. He would've given an updated Keaton-Batman performance, which is weird to say, but it makes sense to me. Heh.

 

[NDX]

There is good foreign flicks still on netflix, even if you gotta keep scrolling or come across them by accident.

That's how a friend and I came across Rammbock. After marathoning the Basket Case trilogy we were in the mood for another flick, scrolled through Netflix until we came across the most generic of zombie posters. We laughed, then read the name of Berlin Undead, laughed again, but for some reason read the description. At least that seemed interesting, so we watched it and glad we did. Became a favorite zombie flick of ours since and we almost skipped over it.

 

[Kane52630]

Abbot has quickly become one of my recent favorite actors. I actually had him as my number 2 choice behind Pattinson for Batman. He would've given an updated Keaton-Batman performance, which is weird to say, but it makes sense to me. Heh.

He's like Kit Harrington's older brother.

 

[Kane52630]

Top Gun: Maverick

Joe Kosinski: Tom, you can't do your signature running scene in this, it's movie about fighter jets.
Tom Cruise: ight, bet.

Top Gun Maverick is one of those rare sequels that manages to remake its own movie (almost beat for beat at times) but do it a lot better with the technology that didn't exist back in 1986. Tom Cruise reunites with Joe Kosinski and Claudio Miranda to make a pure cinematic spectacle that only they can deliver. The plot is also pretty straightforward. It's everything what Tony Scott did with the original Top Gun but make it a lot more shiner with aerial stunts that are absolutely incredible. One of the biggest thing is they even manage to keep in all the 80s cheesiness from the original and commit to it without being a parody of it. The movie is mostly about passing the baton from Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer over to the newer generation of actors and while it felt like it needed more scenes with the young crew, it mostly did the job. I will say the movie was doing pretty well but there weren't anything really mind blowing until we get to the 3rd act and it suddenly became a intense Christopher McQuarrie film. Overall, Top Gun Maverick is a fine sequel that also happens to be a remake that manages to deliver a phenomenal 3rd act.
4/5