"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Streaming Service: HBO Max Movie Name/Year: The Batman (2022) Genre: Action, Crime, Drama Length: 2h 56min Rating: PG-13 Production/Distribution: 6th & Idaho Productions, DC Comics, DC
Entertainment, Warner Bros., HKC Entertainment, Cinemundo, Tanweer Alliances,
Roadshow Films, Warner Bros. Pictures Germany, Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO Max,
Home Box Office Director: Matt Reeves Writers: Matt Reeves, Peter Craig, Bob
Kane, Bill Finger Actors: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz,
Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, John Turturro, Andy Serkis, Peter
Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Gil Perez-Abraham, Peter McDonald, Con
O'Neill, Alex Ferns, Rupert Penry-Jones, Kosha Engler, Archie Barnes, Janine
Harouni, Hana Hrzic, Joseph Walker, Luke Roberts, Oscar Novak, Stella Stocker,
Sandra Dickinson, Jack Bennett, Andre Nightingale, Richard James-Neale,
Lorraine Tai, Charlie Carver, Max Carver, Mark Killeen IMDb Blurb: When the Riddler, a sadistic
serial killer, begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is
forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's
involvement.
Cat’s Point of View:
Schubert’s “Ave Maria” has never sounded quite so sinister
as it did within The Batman’s
soundtrack. This is definitely not like any other live-action Batman movie we’ve seen before.
Writer/director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield,
Let Me In, War for the Planet of the Apes) went dark with his new iteration
of the beloved DC staple. Gotham City has never been a shiny happy place, after all.
It’s only fitting that this story offered a fresh, yet decidedly grungy take on
Batman’s hometown. (I swear that wasn’t a reference to the lesser-known Nirvana
song on the soundtrack. I promise.) Honestly, Reeves could have gone harder on
the edge of horror and even bumped the rating to an R level and it still would
have killed at the box office. That being said, The Batman hit just the right tone as PG-13. This was an example of a DC live-action movie
done right.
Reeves cited the Zodiac killer as one of his inspirations
drawn from for the version of The Riddler shown in this production. I’d say that
if you put the infamous serial killer, the movie Se7en (1995), and a classic detective noir film in a blender, you’d
begin to get an idea of what The Batman
brought to its audiences. The Batman
absolutely was not one of those feel-good family superhero movies. We got a
deep dive into the Caped Crusader’s psyche – his quest for vengeance and the
price paid for it. It was glorious. I was happy that this film wasn’t trying to
copy the feel of another franchise in a bid to win ticket sales. Reeves had a
clear picture of where he wanted to take the story in this first installment of
his contracted trilogy, and it was grounded both visually and by the story in the
actual comics the character hails from. (If you’re curious which, check out
IMDb’s trivia section for this listing.)
This story was fabulous for more than the dark ambiance,
kick-ass fight choreography, and grounded gumshoe work. The cast was unreal. I
had a hard time believing at first, when I first watched the trailers, that Colin
Farrell (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths,
After Yang) was portraying The Penguin. The make-up team worked a miracle
with the fat suit and prosthetics. I bought every second he was on screen and
sincerely hope that his story continues in the next sequel. Zoë Kravitz (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Big
Little Lies, Kimi) was a good fit for Catwoman, as well; and her on-screen
chemistry with the bat vigilante felt right. I would be remiss if I didn’t address the elephant in the
room by commenting on Robert Pattinson’s (Good
Time, The Lighthouse, Tenet) portrayal of the lead role. To his haters, I
say – deal with it. Pattinson nailed this performance. He captured the edge,
angst, physicality, intelligence, and humanity of this flawed character. I
covered this a bit with my #1 mention in March 2022’s Top 20 article. People need to stop holding
his early work against him, stop rolling their eyes, and instead focus on his
current film roles with some objectivity. I’m not a screaming, swooning
super-fan – I just believe in giving credit where it’s due. Reeves was onto
something great when he envisioned this role for Pattinson. I can’t wait to see what the next 2 installments will look
like. The Batman has
landed on HBO Max; so if you have a subscription and enjoy either this genre
blend or the character of Batman in general, my recommendation is to watch it
or add it to your collection yesterday.
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score – 85% Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – 87% Metascore – 72% Metacritic
User Score – 7.5/10 IMDB
Score – 7.9/10 Trust
the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5 P.S. - There isn't a full post-credit scene, but there is a teaser.
Streaming Services: HBO Max Movie Name/Year: The Suicide Squad (2021) Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy Length: 132 minutes Rating: R Production/Distribution: Atlas Entertainment, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, The
Safran Company, Warner Bros., Cinemundo, HKC Entertainment, Warner Bros.
Pictures Germany, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Singapore, HBO Max Director: James Gunn Writer: James Gunn Actors: Alice Braga, Amanda Rabinowitz,
Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian, Flula Borg, Freddie Stroma, Idris Elba,
Jai Courtney, Jennifer Holland, Joaquín Cosio, Joel Kinnaman, John Cena, John
Ostrander, Joseph Oliveira, Juan Diego Botto, Karen Fukuhara, Margot Robbie,
Mayling Ng, Michael Rooker, Mikaela Hoover, Nathan Fillion, Pete Davidson, Rey
Hernandez, Steve Agee, Storm Reid, Sylvester Stallone, Taika Waititi, Viola
Davis Blurb from IMDb: Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport,
Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the
super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote,
enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
Cat’s Point of View: I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been that The Suicide Squad was released to HBO Max
in conjunction with its theater premiere. There just aren’t enough adequate
words. It was a foregone conclusion that Selina and I both had this at the
tippy top of our Top
20 lists. In the time between the original Suicide Squad (2016) and now, as information about this new
iteration surfaced, my anticipation and enthusiasm have only grown. I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed in the least. James Gunn (Slither,
Super, Guardians of the Galaxy) was firing on all cylinders when bringing
his vision of this film to the screen. I loved his decision to focus on more B-list
antagonists for the team and honoring the feel of the comic universe the characters
spawned from. His dark and wicked sense of humor shone through every particle
of The Suicide Squad. My hats off to Warner Brothers Studios for not
fiddling with his vision.
Another decision that I was over the moon about was that the
first Suicide Squad movie wasn’t completely retconned by this one. There were small hints here and there that
this story simply moves on from that point – it neither references the former
production nor ignores it. No
one is pretending it doesn’t exist – we’re just not rehashing the same story.
It’s a fresh take on the team-up with new characters and a few core personas
returning. Let’s be real. It would have been a hell of a task to have
anyone try to fill Viola Davis’ (Fences,
Troop Zero, The First Lady) shoes for Amanda Waller, or Margot Robbie's (Goodbye Christopher Robin, Terminal, Once
Upon a Time...In Hollywood) as Harley Quinn. Honestly, I didn’t hate Joel
Kinnaman’s (Robocop, Run All Night, For
All Mankind) Flagg in the first movie – but I’m thrilled he got a chance to
explore more facets of the character in this soft reboot. I could babble for days about this cast. Seriously. Gunn and
his casting department had strokes of pure genius when they filled these roles.
I only have one quibble with this entire production. When
they lost Will Smith (Bright, Spies in
Disguise, Bad Boys for Life) as Deadshot due to scheduling conflicts, and
brought in Idris Elba (100 Streets,
Molly's Game, Concrete Cowboy) that was a stellar decision. The point where
they went a little wonky was taking Deadshot’s background and somewhat copy and
pasting it for Bloodsport. I’m glad they shifted the character so that it left
room for Smith to potentially return in the future. I just wish they’d done
more tweaking with the story surrounding Bloodsport so that his character stood
apart more. It was the only element that felt
redone out of the whole thing. Let me be clear, however, that I’m not as familiar with most
of the characters tapped to comprise the team this time around. I haven’t read
the comics where Bloodsport was featured, so I don’t know what his story is –
and my quick delve through online resources didn’t tell me much. It could just
be a coincidence that Bloodsport and Deadshot have so much in common.
Who knows. It certainly didn’t impact my ability to enjoy the hell out of The Suicide Squad or cause me to
appreciate Elba’s character any less.
The cinematography was spectacular, the action on point, the
stunts crazy and cool, the undertones of friendship and team camaraderie
heartwarming, and the effects (both CGI and practical) were killer. Speaking of such, I loved the hell out of the ‘chapter’
graphics that worked their way into scenes. Those and a few other touches
really gave me a nostalgic comic book feel. There were so many visuals that
could have been right at home on a comic spread and I was completely here for
it. Even though this film is based on comic books, I do feel
that it should be stressed that the R rating for The Suicide Squad is highly deserved and should be taken into
consideration by parents. There’s quite a bit of graphic gore, expletives, nudity, sexual situations, and innuendo. If you have a chance to go watch The Suicide Squad safely in a theater, I can only encourage you to
do so. This sort of movie is only better on the big screen, and it’s even the
first R-rated movie to be filmed entirely with IMAX cameras. Let me tell you,
if I could see this in an IMAX theater, I would in a heartbeat. However, for
those that cannot venture out, HBOMax is currently streaming The Suicide Squad for their subscribers - for no extra fee.
20 – The Kissing
Booth 3 (8/11) Production/Distribution:
Clearblack Films, Komixx Entertainment, Picture Loom, Netflix Director: Vince
Marcello Writer: Beth
Reekles, Vince Marcello, Jay S. Arnold Actors: Joey King,
Joel Courtney, Jacob Elordi, Molly Ringwald, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Maisie Richardson-Sellers,
Meganne Young, Stephen Jennings, Carson White, Morné Visser, Bianca Bosch,
Camilla Wolfson, Zandile Madliwa, Judd Krok, Sandy Shandu, Hilton Pelser,
Frances Sholt-Douglas, Evan Hengst, Joshua Daniel Eady, Trent Rowe, Michelle
Allen, Nathan Lynn, Byron Langley, Chloe Williams, Cameron Scott, Bianca Amato,
Caitlyn de Abrue, Juliet Blacher Genre: Comedy,
Romance Rated: TV-14 Length: 112
minutes IMDb Blurb: It's the summer before Elle Evans is set to head
off to college, and she has a big decision to make. I’ll admit, The Kissing Booth 3 really only made my
list because I know how much the younger generation is looking forward to it.
I, however, have some issues. I enjoyed the first movie. It was interesting, it subverted
expectations, it kept the characters from being Mary-Sues. It had its issues,
but it still stood out. The sequel, however, took no chances what-so-ever and
felt like a cut and paste recipe of all the other teen rom-coms out there. It
took every easy path there was – except one. At least there was some resolution, right? Wrong. The trailer for The Kissing Booth 3 makes it look
like nothing got resolved at all. There’s still a love triangle. There’s still
the same jealousies. There’s still the choice between colleges. It makes me
think there’s no point for this last flick at all. Still, I’ve seen a ton of anticipation for The Kissing
Booth 3 from teens, and I can’t ignore that. Maybe there’s something in
these movies that I don’t personally get. They’re not made for me anyway. That said, I will be annoyed if they break their streak and
cause the main character and her best friend to become romantically involved.
My favorite thing about the other films is that they show a male/female
friendship with no romantic tension at all. It’s the one thing that’s remained
unique and superior. I really hope they keep that. Expect me to judge the film harshly
if it doesn’t. 19 – Teddy (8/5) Production/Distribution:
Baxter Films, Les Films Velvet, Canal+, Ciné+, WTFilms, Indéfilms 8, SofiTVciné
7, Région Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée, Centre national du cinéma et de
l'image animée (CNC), Société des Producteurs de Cinéma et de Télévision, The
Jokers, Cine Canibal Director: Ludovic
Boukherma, Zoran Boukherma Writer: Ludovic
Boukherma, Zoran Boukherma Actors: Anthony
Bajon, Christine Gautier, Ludovic Torrent, Guillaume Mattera, Jean-Michel
Ricart, Alain Boitel, Noémie Lvovsky Genre: Horror Rated: Unrated Length: 88
minutes IMDb Blurb: In a rural French town, twenty-something Teddy is
scratched by an unknown beast and slowly undergoes frightening changes. Teddy is a French-language film coming out on Shudder
this August. I have to note that the trailer does leave something to be
desired. I’m not entirely sure how high the quality will be. Still… werewolves. I’ve talked about my love of garou lore in the past. It’s very
rare for a werewolf film to not catch my eye. The big question I have, though, doesn’t revolve around
quality. I can enjoy a ‘bad’ film – depending on the content. What would bother
me is if they go the absolute basic route with the subject. Very often, we see the werewolf transitions used as a
metaphor for abuse in movies. I’m not a fan of that usage. It indicates that
the abuser has no control over their actions, and that’s wrong. I disagree with
the philosophy of it, so of course I disagree with the trope as well. Any film
that utilizes this plot, is going to have a hard time winning me over. I’m really hoping that they either use another underlying
metaphor (puberty is an acceptable one), or just delve into the horror aspects.
Either way, I’m still going to watch it. 18 – Infinitum:
Subject Unknown (8/6) Production/Distribution:
Fizz and Ginger Films, Gravitas Ventures, Blue Finch Films Releasing, High
Octane Pictures Director: Matthew
Butler-Hart Writer: Matthew
Butler-Hart, Tori Butler-Hart Actors: Tori
Butler- Hart, Ian McKellen, Conleth Hill, Wendy Muir Hart, Chris Hart, Holly
Dale Spencer, Ben Lee, Graham Butler Genre: Mystery,
Sci-Fi Rated: Unrated Length: 86
minutes IMDb Blurb: A mind-bending slice of British science fiction,
with cameos from Sir Ian McKellen and Conleth Hill. Jane (Tori Butler-Hart) is
trapped in a parallel universe and is forced to find a way to alter her reality
before it is too late. Infinitum: Subject Unknown looks unbelievably cool.
The keyword there being: unbelievably. Normally, something like this would be significantly higher
on my list, but there’s something keeping me from moving this one up. Writer/director Matthew Butler-Hart (Two Down, E’gad
Zombies!, The Isle) admitted, in an interview with British GQ, that Infinitum:
Subject Unknown was created as an experiment to test the limits of
recording on an iPhone. He concentrated so much on the visual aspects that he
opted not to put as much effort into the screenwriting. That makes me uncomfortable putting it any higher than this. The trailer absolutely shows that it is visually stunning. I
doubt there will be much error in what the movie shows… but without the backup of
good writing, it’s likely to not be enough. Success of a movie is based on the harmony of all its parts.
Certainly, one could succeed with one or more of those parts not turning out
quite as expected, but to intentionally ignore a huge aspect such as the actual
writing, handicaps it. I’m hoping it’s not as bad as that interview leads me to
believe, because the trailer does look exceptional. 17 – The Last Bus
(8/27 – UK/Ireland) Production/Distribution:
Hurricane Films, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology, Kreo Films FZ, DeAPlaneta,
Filmcoopi Zürich, Gravel Road Distribution Group, Gravel Road Entertainment
Group, LDH Japan, MK2 Mile End, Odeon, Parkland Entertainment, Roadshow
Entertainment Video Director: Gillies
MacKinnon Writer: Joe
Ainsworth Actors: Phyllis
Logan, Timothy Spall, Grace Calder, Celyn Jones, Brian Pettifer, Marnie Baxter,
Kevin Mains, Iain Robertson, Colin McCredie, Garry Sweeney, Anne Kidd, Matt
Costello, Sheila Grier, Olivia Fenton, Saskia Ashdown, Maryam Hamidi, Steven
Duffy, Ciaron Kelly, Marianne McIvor, Michael Monroe, Ben Ewing, Keith Warwick,
Natalie Mitson, Manjot Sumal Genre: Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 86 minutes IMDb Blurb: An old man crosses the country just using local
buses. I couldn’t help but think of Up (2009) while I was
watching the trailer for The Last Bus. Anyone who’s seen Up
understands the heartbreaking nature of the old man’s storyline. The same
points are met in this film. The protagonist loses his wife and sets out to
fulfill a dream of theirs that they were unable to complete together. The thought is humbling, and incredibly touching. The problem I have with it is personal. The trailer makes it
seem like the film will be outstanding. However, it requires the audience to
believe the world is full of people who would help this man. If you’re a reader of Trust the Dice, then you know I’m the
cynical type. I don’t believe there’s good in this world unless you put it
there. I’ve had that frame of thought since I was in high school. Asking me to
believe that there’s a whole country of people who would aid a single old man trying
to fulfill a dream is the same as trying to convince me there’s a blessing of
unicorns living in Prospect Park shitting hamburgers. It’s just not something I’m
capable of. That means that The Last Bus is a practice in
suspension of disbelief for me, that will be very difficult for me to
accomplish. Still, I couldn’t ignore it. The trailer does look great. Who knows? Maybe it will change my mind. 16 – CODA (8/13) Production/Distribution:
Vendome Pictures, Pathé Films, Picture Perfect Federation, Apple TV+, British
Film Institute (BFI) Director: Sian
Heder Writer: Sian Heder Actors: Emilia
Jones, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant, John Fiore, Lonnie Farmer, Kevin Chapman,
Amy Forsyth, Courtland Jones, Molly Beth Thomas, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo Genre: Drama,
Music Rated: PG-13 Length: 111 minutes IMDb Blurb: As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) Ruby is the only
hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is
threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her
fear of abandoning her parents. There are a lot of films about deaf people making their way
in the world. A lot more about hearing people who meet deaf people who open
their perspective and change their lives. I have never seen a film about a hearing
child with a deaf family. It may seem like a basic redressing of the black sheep
trope. (A kid taking a path other than what their family took/wants them to
take and having to deal with push back.) The thing that makes it special is
that unique physiological aspect. I’m hoping that CODA doesn’t just go into the main
character’s desire to get into music, but the family dynamic as well. I love films like this that give you an insight into a perspective
of someone’s life that no one could truly understand without living it. This
movie doesn’t just touch on that, it revolves around it. It would be higher on my list, but I’m a little nervous. The trailer makes it seem like the family relies completely
on the hearing child, and that they might be ‘useless’ without her. If the
movie takes that route, that’s a problem. The possible issue calls to mind the situation with Sia’s Music
(2021). Although I was initially interested in that film because of the autism
awareness I thought it would raise, the outcome was devastating. It turned out
to show stereotypes that bolster stigma against autism, while promoting harmful,
outdated, and even deadly methods of therapy for it. Now, a lot of the problems with Music stemmed from
the fact that the creators didn’t bother to get any input from people with
autism. They ignored all the criticism from people in the autism community and
failed to take any responsibility for the harm that their movie caused. It was
all completely avoidable, if they’d just bothered to check in with the
community they were trying to represent. What gives me hope for CODA is that the creators took
note of reality. They didn’t just fall to whatever stereotypes they learned
from a quick google search. All the on-set interpreters were actual children of
deaf adults. That’s huge. As long as the creators listened to those people, and
took their advice, this could wind up being a great, educational, film. I’m crossing my fingers. 15 – Swan Song
(8/6 – Limited, 8/13 – Internet) Production/Distribution:
House of Gemini, Luna Pictures, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Icon
Productions, Koch Media, Magnolia Pictures, Mongrel Media, NonStop
Entertainment, Peccadillo Pictures, Tongariro Releasing Director: Todd
Stephens Writer: Todd
Stephens Actors: Udo Kier,
Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans, Michael Urie, Roshon Thomas, Ira Hawkins, Annie
Kitral, Tom Bloom, Eric Eisenbrey, Dave Sorboro, Bryant Carroll, Catherine L.
Albers, Shanessa Sweeney, Ray Perrin, Shelby Garrett, Jonah Blechman, Stephanie
McVay, Thom Hilton, Richard Strauss, Justin Lonesome Genre: Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 105
minutes IMDb Blurb: A formerly flamboyant hairdresser takes a long walk
across a small town to style a dead woman's hair. Sassy and flamboyant, Udo Kier (Downsizing, The Painted
Bird, Bacurau) looks absolutely phenomenal in this role. He’s had a career
in acting since 1966. He’s been in everything from Ace Ventura: Pet
Detective (1994) to the original Suspiria (1977) to the beloved animated
series Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010-2013) and still, I almost didn’t
recognize him because he embodied his part in this trailer so well that he fully
became the character. Everything feels so playful in Swan Song’s trailer.
It presents the feeling of wanting to dance along, travel with the main
character, and reinvent yourself with him. It’s difficult to not want to see. It is labeled a single-genre drama, however, which means we
will undoubtedly touch on themes like regret, death, and painful nostalgia.
Considering the themes, we may also see parts that delve into ageism or homophobia. In fact, I’d say it’s almost definite that the main
character will wind up, at some point, reminiscing over a time when his flamboyance
was bashed instead of treasured. Swan Song is likely to be fun and tear-jerking. 14 – Descendants:
The Royal Wedding (8/13) Production/Distribution:
A 5678 Production, Bad Angels Productions, Disney Television Animation, Final
Frontier Entertainment, Disney Channel, Disney+ Director: Salvador
Simó Writer: Josann
McGibbon, Sara Parriott, Ricky Roxburgh Actors: Dove Cameron,
Booboo Stewart, Cheyenne Jackson, China Anne McClain, Sofia Carson, Jedidiah
Goodacre, Sarah Jeffery, Mitchell Hope, Bobby Moynihan, Anna Cathcart, Melanie
Paxson, Dan Payne Genre: Animation,
Comedy, Drama Rated: Unrated Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: Follow Auradon's epic social event, the marriage
between dove Cameron Mal and Mitchell Hope's Ben. I enjoy the Descendants series. Although it has the
camp you’d expect from a Disney Channel production, the songs are always catchy
and creative, while the stories don’t feel too typical. Sure, there are a lot
of basic teen romance tropes utilized, but the delivery system is different
enough that it feels fresh. It’s almost impossible to not enjoy the series, at least a little
bit. Regardless of age. If everything was as planned for Descendants: The Royal
Wedding, it would have been part of the top 10. Unfortunately, I can’t
bring myself to put it there. There’s the obvious issue of Cameron Boyce’s absence. The
20-year-old passed away in July of 2019. As Carlos – the son of Cruella de Vil –
he stole the show, on many occasions. I’m having significant trouble picturing
a Descendants that he is absent from. According to interviews, the storyline will acknowledge the
absence of Carlos, but I’m uncertain how. There are a lot of ways they could
screw it up, and only a few ways to get it right. I’m hoping they show Boyce
the honor he deserves. The other wildcard is that this one is animated. It’s the
first in the series to go that route. When a series moves from live action to animation, there is
usually a dip in quality. The style looks pretty good in the trailer, but I don’t
know how it will hold up as a full-length film. I’m keeping my hopes up. I’m interested in seeing the
continuation of Mal and Ben’s story. With any luck, it will turn out well. 13 – Daisy
Quokka: World’s Scariest Animal (8/13 – UK) Production/Distribution:
Like A Photon Creative, Particular Crowd, Odin's Eye Animation, Screen Australia,
Universal Pictures Australia, Front Row Filmed Entertainment, Odin's Eye
Animation, Splendid Film, Vertical Entertainment Director: Ricard
Cussó Writer: Ryan
Greaves, Trudy Hellier Actors: Angourie
Rice, Sam Neill, Sharnee Tones, Grant Denyer, Lucy Durack, Frank Woodley,
Andrew Cook, Ricard Cussó, Karl Stefanovic, Alison Langdon, Richard Wilkins,
Ryan Renshaw Genre: Animation Rated: Unrated Length: 88
minutes IMDb Blurb: An unbearably adorable, eternally optimistic Quokka
named Daisy has an impossible dream - to win the 'World's Scariest Games'. My daughter is 3-years-old and she communicates fairly well.
I started wondering if it’d be a good idea to sit her down and let her watch trailers
for the family films that I’d chosen for the top 20, just to get her opinion.
Now, she’s not quite quotable yet, but her reactions did make me alter the spots
of this, and one other film. Daisy Quokka: World’s Scariest Animal looked like a cute
little film to me, but it didn’t seem all that special. Rosalie, however, is part
of their target audience… or at least closer than I am. When she watched this trailer, her eyes went super-wide and
she bounced around laughing the whole time. She kept telling me how cute she
thought the quokka character was (with pointing, of course, she didn’t know the
word quokka yet). I asked her if she thought it seemed scary at all, and she
assured me it didn’t. This is the kid I can’t get to watch any films without some
hardcore negotiating. Despite her continued insistence that she never be shown a
movie, she did say she wanted to see this one. That says a lot more than I can
express. As cute as Daisy Quokka: World’s Scariest Animal
seemed to me, it must have seemed even more special to her. I think that’s worth
noting. 12 – Demonic
(8/20) Production/Distribution:
AGC Studios, Stabiliti Studios, IFC Midnight Director: Neill
Blomkamp Writer: Neill
Blomkamp Actors: Carly Pope,
Terry Chen, Nathalie Boltt, Chris William Martin, Michael J. Rogers, Andrea
Agur Genre: Horror Rated: R Length: 104
minutes IMDb Blurb: A young woman unleashes terrifying demons when
supernatural forces at the root of a decades-old rift between mother and
daughter are ruthlessly revealed. Admittedly, the effects in the trailer for Demonic
leave much to be desired. Still, there’s so much potential in this film. It’s got a decent plot, with ideas that I don’t believe I’ve
seen explored in other flicks before – at least not in this way. The kind of demonic
essence with an Inception (2010) flair that Demonic seems to have
going for it is pretty interesting. Since most of the graphically edited parts
are likely held in someone’s mind, it could be easy to forgive them as part of
what separates reality from dreams. The concept shown here is something I absolutely believe
that writer/director Neill Blomkamp (Chappie, Elysium, District 9)
can pull off. Yes, his last full-length feature film was released in 2015 – but
we don’t know how long he’s been working on this one. As a result, I can’t
consider the gap an issue. Clearly a hell of a lot of thought, and work, went
into this. I have a great deal of faith in Demonic. The parts of
the trailer that stand out greatly outweigh the red flags. That said, I can’t
ignore that there are some, which is why I can’t put it any higher on my list. 11 – The Night
House (8/20) Production/Distribution:
Anton, Phantom Four Films, Searchlight Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures, Forum Hungary, Karo Premiere, Pathé, Ukrainian Film Distribution
(UFD) Director: David Bruckner Writer: Ben
Collins, Luke Piotrowski Actors: Rebecca
Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Evan Jonigkeit, Stacy Martin, David
Abeles, Christina Jackson, Patrick Klein, Samantha Buck Genre: Horror,
Thriller Rated: R Length: 108
minutes IMDb Blurb: A widow begins to uncover her recently deceased
husband's disturbing secrets. It’s easy to feel the thrills in the coming attractions for The
Night House. In fact, I’d say it’s an amazingly edited trailer. One of the most important jobs a trailer has is to suggest
questions the audience should have. It’s very easy to get that wrong. There
could wind up being too many questions – which is just confusing, or the
trailer could reveal everything – then what’s the point of seeing the film? This
one strikes a perfect balance. I have questions, and I really do care about whether or not
I get the answers. I’ve been seeing this trailer for a few months now, and
since the first time I’ve been practically salivating to see it. Why not put it on my top 10 then? Horror movies like this that go deep into surreal territory,
can often go so far that it becomes off-putting. Vivarium (2019) comes
to mind, as an example. Often these films can have outstanding concepts with intriguing
trailers that the actual project just can’t live up to. I’m not saying that’s definitely going to happen here. I think
that The Night House will be a decent film.
10 – PAW Patrol:
The Movie (8/20) Production/Distribution:
Spin Master Entertainment, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Animation, B&H
Film Distribution, Elevation Pictures, Paramount Pictures Germany, Paramount
Pictures International, Paramount Pictures, Towa Pictures, United International
Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International, Nickelodeon Network, Paramount+ Director: Cal Brunker Writer: Bob
Barlen, Cal Brunker, Billy Frolick Actors: Iain
Armitage, Will Brisbin, Ron Pardo, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi, Kim Kardashian,
Randall Park, Dax Shepard, Jimmy Kimmel, Tyler Perry, Lilly Bartlam, Keegan
Hedley, Callum Shoniker, Kingsley Marshall, Monique Alvarez, Al Saif Alshad,
Eva Olivia Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: G Length: 88
minutes IMDb Blurb: Ryder and the pups are called to Adventure City to
stop Mayor Humdinger from turning the bustling metropolis into a state of
chaos. PAW Patrol (2013 -) is a constant in my house. My
daughter adores the show and it has absolutely taken over my life and I hate
it. If I could wish for a movie from any of her favorite shows, it would
undoubtedly be Bluey (2018 -). Unfortunately, I got the wrong dogs. Like with Daisy Quokka: World’s Scariest Animal, I sat
down my daughter and let her watch this trailer. She had her hand covering her
mouth in supreme glee the entire time. Afterwards, she jumped up and down and
tugged on my shirt asking me if she could see it. My opinion doesn’t matter too much here. As a member of
their target audience, Rosie speaks for this top 20. Despite having a slightly different look, and feel, from the
series – PAW Patrol: The Movie still brought out the exact same
excitement from my daughter. Clearly, the spirit is the same – even if the city
they’re a part of has gotten a major facelift. The only part that makes me a little curious, is the
soundtrack. I can’t remember a non-Disney kids film that made me as
interested in the soundtrack as PAW Patrol: The Movie. It’s rumored that
we will see songs from MXPX, Juliana Hatfield, 3OH!3, Alien Ant Farm, We The
Kings, Mayday Parade, and Simple Plan. Sure, most of it is pop-punk… but that’s
still a lot of punk for a movie that’s rated G. Most films that go with a punk
soundtrack are definitely not for kids. It makes me think there may be some hidden bits and pieces
for the adults to enjoy as well. PAW Patrol: The Movie is coming out on Paramount+. I
wasn’t looking forward to getting any new subscriptions, but I think I’ll have
to for my daughter’s sake. 9 – Don’t Breathe
2 (8/13) Production/Distribution:
Bad Hombre, Ghost House Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA), Screen
Gems, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Sony Pictures Releasing Argentina, Sony
Pictures Releasing International, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International
Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI), Sony Pictures
Entertainment (SPE), Stage 6 Films Director: Rodo
Sayagues Writer: Fede
Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues Actors: Stephen
Lang, Brendan Sexton III, Madelyn Grace, Rocci Williams, Stephanie Arcila,
Bobby Schofield, Steffan Rhodri, Diaana Babnicova, Christian Zagia, Adam Young Genre: Horror,
Thriller Rated: R Length: 90 minutes IMDb Blurb: The sequel is set in the years following the
initial deadly home invasion, where Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang) lives in
quiet solace until his past sins catch up to him. I watched the first Don’t Breathe (2016) the moment I
saw that the sequel was coming out next month. Mainly because there’s been some
controversy over the trailer. Many fans of the first film are saying that the trailer for Don’t
Breathe 2 retcons some of the first movie. Clearly, I couldn’t speak on
that without seeing it first. Since I knew the likely-hood of this flick making
my list was high, I wanted to be prepared. I understand what people are saying… I both agree, and don’t. (Spoilers for the first Don’t Breathe film) There are 2 reasons people have been side-eyeing the trailer
for Don’t Breathe 2. The first reason is kind of dumb to me. I’ve heard the
argument that there’s no way for the little girl in this movie to exist. Due to
the death of his captive, and the escape of the female robber, in the first one
– he couldn’t have gotten the daughter he was trying for. I have a few ideas to combat that. One of the things to consider is how long after the first
one Don’t Breathe 2 takes place. If it’s longer than a decade… he could
have just had a kid. If it’s shorter, then we may see some of the story showing
him going after the female survivor and stealing her sister. It could even be
something as simple as him adopting, or – maybe more likely – kidnapping, a little
girl. There are many ways to explain the girl’s existence that have nothing, or
little, to do with the events of the first film. The second issue people are having, I understand a lot more. The trailer seem to be advertising the blind man as a hero
in the sequel. If you’ve seen the first one, you know why that is hard to
swallow. Sure, if Don’t Breathe had just shown him kicking the
asses of some teen robbers – even killing them – a face-turn would have been
fine. He was protecting himself, and the kids just made a bad choice. That’s
not all that happened in the first flick, though. The blind man has kidnapping and sexual assault in his
story. That’s harder to swallow. I don’t know if I can buy a redemption arc for
him. Audiences may be jumping to conclusions, though. In an interview with Total Film Magazine, writer Fede
Álvarez (Calls, Evil Dead, Panic Attack!) has explained that the trailer
was made to “fuck with people.” He insists that it’s not so much that they’re
advertising him as a hero, but as an anti-villain. It’s that explanation that allows me to hold out hope for Don’t
Breathe 2. 8 – Evangelion:
3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time (8/13) Production/Distribution:
Khara Corporation, Toho Company, Toei Company, Khara Corporation, Amazon Prime
Video Director: Mahiro
Maeda, Katsuichi Nakayama, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hideaki Anno Writer: Hideaki
Anno Actors: Megumi
Hayashibara, Megumi Ogata, Yûko Miyamura, Akira Ishida, Fumihiko Tachiki,
Kotono Mituishi, Maaya Sakamoto, Motomu Kiyokawa, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Anri
Katshu, Hiro Yûki, Mugihito, Kôichi Yamadera, Koki Uchiyama, Mariya Ise, Miki
Nagasawa, Miyuki Sawashiro, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Takehito Koyasu, Sayaka Ôhara,
Tetsuya Iwanaga, Junko Iwao, Tomokazu Seki, Akio Ôtsuka Genre: Animation,
Action, Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 154
minutes IMDb Blurb: Shinji Ikari is still adrift after losing his will
to live, but the place he arrives at teaches him what it means to hope.
Finally, the Instrumentality Project is set in motion and he will make one last
grueling stand to prevent the Final Impact. I’m opening myself to ridicule by admitting this, but I’ve
never seen any of the Evangelion (1995-2021) series or movies. That
said, I don’t feel like I have to in order to admire the work that’s been put
into Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time. Writer/director Hideaki Anno (Cutie Honey: Live Action,
Petite Princess Yucie, Ritual) fell into a depression after working on Evangelion:
3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012). He believed he was done with the story, and
possibly his work altogether. Anyone who’s ever felt that level of depression knows just
how hard it is to not give into it completely. Creativity is usually out of the
question until that person can get help, or somehow pull themselves out of it.
Sometimes it feels completely impossible to do either of those things. Four years later, a friend convinced Anno to take part in
the Shin Godzilla (2016) project. For a while, Anno pushed back, but he
eventually decided to give it a shot. His writing and directing work on that
film helped revitalize him, and pull him up out of the hole he’d fallen in. Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time has been
9-years in the making. To be made, it has not just required the hard work of a
film creation team, but the traversing of insane internal hurdles by Hideaki
Anno. It’s good, too, if the scores out of Japan are to be
believed. It’s sitting at an astounding 8.2 on IMDb at the moment. Many critics
are foreseeing the possibility that the score will rise after its world-wide
internet debut next month. It will be available on Amazon Prime Video. If you haven’t started the series, the original Neon Genesis
Evangelion (1995) is available on Netflix. Avoid the dub if at all possible. 7 – Beckett (8/13) Production/Distribution:
Frenesy Film Company, MeMo Films, Rai Cinema, RT Features, Faliro House
Productions, Netflix Director: Ferdinando
Cito Filomarino Writer: Ferdinando
Cito Filomarino, Kevin A. Rice Actors: John
David Washington, Alicia Vikander, Boyd Holbrook, Vicky Krieps, Daphne
Alexander, Yorgos Pirpassopoulos, Olga Spyraki, Panos Koronis Genre: Action,
Crime, Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 108
minutes IMDb Blurb: Following a tragic car accident in Greece, Beckett,
an American tourist, finds himself at the center of a dangerous political
conspiracy and on the run for his life. John David Washington (Tenet, Ballers, Monster) is an
absolute show-stopper. After his performance in Malcolm & Marie (2021),
I’m convinced that he can do literally anything. As an actor, I will follow him
to any project he decides to take part in. Even if the movie itself doesn’t
live up to expectations, I know his work will be flawless. At the very least it
will be worth watching for that reason alone. The trailer for Beckett, also looks pretty good,
though. There’s pulse-pounding action, political intrigue, a missing
girlfriend. I feel like I have a lot of question that I actually want answers
to. Beckett is the kind of movie that I’ll want to try and unravel as I’m
watching it, before the twists hit. And, I’ll be surprised if there’s not a twist. This is the full-length feature film debut for writer Kevin
A. Rice. That means there is a little bit of a wild card involved. He’s inexperienced
and new. I do think that we need to give a little leeway in
situations like this. I tend to be gentler in my judgment of films with new
writers and directors, because I understand that they may just be starting to find
their voice. Every one of our favorites started somewhere, after all. 6 – Respect (8/13) Production/Distribution:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), BRON Studios, Cinesite, Creative Wealth Media
Finance, Glickmania, United Artists Releasing, Eagle Pictures, Forum Film
Poland, Gulf Film, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures
Argentina, Universal Pictures International (UPI) Director: Liesl
Tommy Writer: Tracey
Scott Wilson, Callie Khouri Actors: Jennifer
Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore,
Brenda Nicole Moorer, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Kimberly
Scott, LeRoy McClain, Tate Donovan, Albert Jones, Beau Scheier, Myk Watford,
David Simpson, Nevaeh Moore, William J. Simmons, Skye Dakota Turner, Kennedy
Chanel, Peyton Jackson, Chase Burgess, Mary J. Blige, Gilbert Glenn Brown, Alec
Barnes, Aba Arthur, heather Headley, Joshua Mikel, Henry Riggs, Leandra Ryan,
Christen Sharice, Zach Strum, M. Jearl Vinot, Lodric D. Collins, Christopher
Daniel, Jerel Xavier Alston, Joe Knezevich, Kelvin Hair, Thelma R. Mitchell,
Michelle L. Williams Genre: Biography,
Drama, Music Rated: PG-13 Length: 145
minutes IMDb Blurb: The life story of legendary R&B singer, Aretha
Franklin. Aretha Franklin (Blues Brothers 2000, The Brave Little
Toaster to the Rescue, Murphy Brown) is a goddess. No one can compare to
her voice. On that idea alone, I’d support a biography about her. I think it’s important to humanize the legends of our time.
So many people look at game-changers like Aretha Franklin and forget that she
had her own journey, with her own set-backs and hurdles. Forgetting that can
lead people to give up on their own dreams because they feel like the only way
to make it is over night. That’s not the only reason I’m draw to this particular
biography, though. Franklin, herself, had a huge hand in what was done with
this movie. Not a lot of people get that kind of say in how their story is
told. In fact, she hand-picked Jennifer Hudson (Chi-Raq, Sing, Monster) to
play her. I think that means Respect is going to be more honest than
other films based on historic figures. I can’t wait to learn more about the R&B singer I grew
up on. 5 – Sweet Girl
(8/20) Production/Distribution:
ASAP Entertainment, On The Roam, Pride of Gypsies, Netflix Director: Brian
Andrew Mendoza Writer: Philip
Eisner, Gregg Hurwitz, Will Staples Actors: Jason
Momoa, Isabela Merced, Adria Arjona, Justin Bartha, Amy Brenneman, Manuel
Garcia-Rulfo Genre: Action,
Drama, Thriller Rated: R Length: 96
minutes IMDb Blurb: A devastated husband vows to bring justice to the
people responsible for his wife's death while protecting the only family he has
left, his daughter. Netflix has quite a few movies on my list this month.
Statistically, one of them is bound to under-perform. I don’t think it will be
this one. The plot for Sweet Girl really fits current issues in
the USA. It’s a story about a man avenging the death of his wife, killed by an
insurance company that refused to pay for her life-saving treatment. Two days don’t go by when the news talks about another
person rationing their insulin, killing themselves over the guilt of putting
their family in debt over their treatments, or dying because they were unable
to get a treatment/medicine/surgery they needed. Health care in the US is hopelessly
broken. Only the rich have a right to life here, and the majority of the
population does not have that kind of budget. Do I think Sweet Girl will take a serious stance on
the broken nature of our insurance companies? No… but I don’t think that’s
necessary. If it were a documentary, not as many people would watch it. As an
action film starring Jason Momoa (Frontier, Aquaman, Braven), however,
there’s a possibility that it will open more minds. Sweet Girl is probably going to be heartbreaking, and
eye-opening. I’m here for it. 4 – Reminiscence
(8/20) Production/Distribution:
FilmNation Entertainment, Kilter Films, Michael De Luca Productions, Roadshow
Films, Warner Bros. Pictures Germany, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros.
Singapore, Warner Bros., HBO Max Director: Lisa
Joy Writer: Lisa Joy Actors: Rebecca
Ferguson, Hugh Jackman, Thandiwe Newton, Natalie Martinez, Angela Sarafyan,
Cliff Curtis, Brett Cullen, Teri Wyble, Daniel Wu, Giovannie Cruz, Mojean Aria Genre: Mystery, Romance,
Sci-Fi Rated: PG-13 Length: 148 minutes IMDb Blurb: A scientist discovers a way to relive your past and
uses the technology to search for his long lost love. Who doesn’t have some kind of regret, or ‘what if’, from
their past? This film examines the idea of what people would do to learn more
about what’s already happened to them. That alone would be interesting… but
they shoved that concept into a dystopian world; a world that is more possible
than we’d like to admit. Dystopian fiction is already my favorite. Add in an extra
layer of sci-fi, and wild horses couldn’t keep me away. Writer/director Lisa Joy (Fallout, The Son, The
Peripheral) may be new to full-length feature films, but she’s sharpened
her skills on fan favorite TV shows such as Burn Notice (2007-2013) and Westworld
(2016 -). Both those shows lend a significant note of credibility to her
creative ability. In Reminiscence, she’s working with award-winning
actors, such as: Rebecca Ferguson (Men in Black: International, The Greatest
Showman, Life), Hugh Jackman (Logan, Pan, Chappie), and Thandiwe
Newton (Westworld, Rogue, 2012). This project has everything going for it. Any another month,
it might have been #1 on my list. 3 – Free Guy
(8/13) Production/Distribution:
20th Century Studios, 21 Laps Entertainment, Berlanti Productions, Lit
Entertainment Group, Maximum Effort, Forum Hungary, Kinomania, Odeon, Walt
Disney Studios Motion Pictures Argentina, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Germany, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Director: Shawn
Levy Writer: Matt
Lieberman, Zak Penn Actors: Jodie
Comer, Ryan Reynolds, Taika Waititi, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lil Rey Howery, Joe Keery,
Comille Kostek, Alex Trebek, Tyler Blevins (Ninja), Seán McLoughlin
(Jacksepticeye), Lannan Eacott (LazarBeam), Imane Anys (Pokimane), Daniel
Middleton (Dan TDM) Genre: Action,
Comedy, Sci-Fi Rated: PG-13 Length: 115
minutes IMDb Blurb: A bank teller discovers that he's actually an NPC
inside a brutal, open world video game. I have been looking forward to Free Guy since 2019. It’s
one of the films I’d say I’ve been MOST looking forward to for when theaters
reopened. I think the majority of gamers have. Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Life)
is hilarious, and this part feels like it’s absolutely perfect for his brand of
humor. There’s a special feeling that comes with films like this
that juxtapose violence with light-heartedness. In this case, the mild-mannered
NPC against the setting of a Grand Theft Auto (1997 -) type of game. In projects
like this, you can expect a huge amount of dark humor, which is one of my
favorite kinds. With Reynolds, you get that added sarcasm that makes up the
rest of what my funny bone reacts to. I do not expect Free Guy to appeal to everyone. I do
expect that it will be hilarious, and memorable, to those of us who are
interested in seeing it. 2 – Candyman
(8/27) Production/Distribution:
Universal Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, BRON Studios, Monkeypaw Productions, Creative
Wealth Media Finance, Forum Hungary, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), United
International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures Canada, Universal Pictures
International (UPI) Director: Nia
DaCosta Writer: Jordan
Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Nia DaCosta, Clive Barker, Bernard Rose Actors: Yahya
Abdul-Mateen II, Tony Todd, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman
Domingo, Kyle Kaminsky, Vanessa Williams, Rebecca Spence, Carl Clemons-Hopkins,
Brian King, Miriam Moss, Cassie Kramer, Mark Montgomery, Genesis Denise Hale,
Rodney L. Jones III, Pamela Jones, Hannah Love Jones, Cedric Mays, Heidi Grace
Engerman, Christiana Clark, Torrey Hanson, Tien Tran Genre: Horror,
Thriller Rated: R Length: 91
minutes IMDb Blurb: A "spiritual sequel" to the horror film
Candyman (1992) that returns to the now-gentrified Chicago neighborhood where
the legend began. I only saw the original Candyman (1992) for the first
time recently. I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it if I’d seen it when I
was younger – but at this point in my life it really stuck with me. I believe
it was ahead of its time. It took on so much about race that it feels like a
lot of people might have missed the point in the 90s. Most of its better
reviews are more recent. Horror is, of course, my first love. I always enjoy seeing
it combined with something, though. Comedy is my preferred mix-in, but social
commentary is a close second. Using fiction to make a point that can then be
brought into the real world feels like the best way to make people understand. I’m
hoping this Candyman semi-sequel doesn’t lose that aspect. With Jordan Peele’s (Get Out, Us, Keanu) involvement,
I’m pretty sure it’ll stay on that road. I’m thrilled that Tony Todd (Insight, Sky Sharks, Justice
League Dark: Apokolips War) is reprising his role as the titular Candyman.
He was so incredibly creepy, and iconic, in the first one that I’m sure this
film would have taken a dip in quality without him. I’ll be seeing Candyman in theaters, without a doubt. 1 – The Suicide
Squad (8/6) Production/Distribution:
Atlas Entertainment, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, The Safran Company, Warner
Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Singapore, Warner Bros., HBO Max Director: James
Gunn Writer: James
Gunn Actors: Michael
Rooker, Viola Davis, John Ostrander, Joel Kinnaman, Nathan Fillion, Jai
Courtney, Flula Borg, Mayling Ng, Pete Davidson, Sean Gunn, Margot Robbie,
Stephen Blackehart, Steve Agee, Tinashe Kajese, Jennifer Holland, Fernando
Martinez, Idris Elba, John Cena, Daniela Melchior, Dee Bradley Baker, Jaws, Crisp
Ratt, David Dastmalchian, Sylvester Stallone, Storm Reid, Jared Leland Gore,
Rey Hernandez, Ray Benitez, Alice Braga, Peter Capaldi Genre: Action,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: R Length: 132
minutes IMDb Blurb: Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker
and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret,
super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused
island of Corto Maltese. I’m sure everyone knew what #1 would be. The Suicide
Squad has been a source of excitement for movie goers for a very long time.
Long before it was originally supposed to hit theaters. I’d say the majority of
fans have been looking forward to this film since Suicide Squad (2016)
disappointed us all. James Gunn is heading up the effort this time, and I don’t
think the movie could have been placed in better hands. Gunn’s work with
meshing action and humor has given us behemoths like Guardians of the Galaxy
(2014)… a movie in which he made a dance off for the fate of the universe work.
If he can do that, he can handle some little-known DC superheroes with quirky origins
and abilities. There’s a lot I could go into with The Suicide Squad,
but I’ll try to make it short. First of all, we need to remember that it is not a
reboot/remake. There are actors reprising their roles from the first one, such
as: Jai Courtney, Margot Robbie, and Viola Davis. By definition, that makes
this some kind of sequel. Gunn has explained that he won’t be ignoring the
events of Suicide Squad, he just won’t be using them to fortify the plot
in The Suicide Squad. Next, Gunn is a fan of the comics. That’s a HUGE benefit,
because it led to him choosing the most ridiculous, least known characters in
order to better stick to the feel of what the Suicide Squad is meant to be. Finally, there’s the cast. I’m not going through every
single name of every single bad ass set to show up in The Suicide Squad.
It would take longer than I have to write this article. Every one of the actors
on the list has a following, some have full-on cults, most have awards. The
line-up of this movie is absolutely unheard of and insane. Sure, it could lead
to a ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ situation, but I don’t think so. James
Gunn has the experience he needs to heard all those cats properly. The best news, is that the critics that have been getting
their hands on advanced screenings of The Suicide Squad are coming back
with amazing reviews. As always, I believe that listening to critics is a good
guide, but to be taken with a grain of salt. I have some serious high hope for this film. I can’t wait to
watch it.
