"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: Disney+ Movie Name/Year: Black Panther: Wakanda
Forever (2022) Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama Length: 2h 41min Rating: PG-13 Production/Distribution: Marvel Studios, Walt Disney
Pictures, Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment,
Disney+ Director: Ryan Coogler Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby Actors: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke,
Angela Bassett, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dominique Thorne,
Lake Bell, Chadwick Boseman Blurb from IMDb: The people of Wakanda fight
to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of
King T'Challa.
Selina’s Point of View: I knew Black
Panther: Wakanda Forever was going to be a rough watch for me. Chadwick
Boseman’s (42, Marshall, 21 Bridges) passing hit me hard. Most, if not all,
of MCU’s fans were rocked by the news that Boseman had died. As much as I
appreciate what he brought to Marvel, I mourned him for other reasons. There are a lot
of amazing actors out there. Plenty of award winners and audience favorites.
It’s hard to shine bright enough to be seen in the crowd of them, but Boseman
did. That’s because he wasn’t just an actor. Chadwick Boseman
was a legend of our time. He championed the fight for full representation and
racial equality in film. It would have been fine if he just did it through the
occasional speech or donation, but he took it to a place where every job he
took brought the subject further into the light. Had he lived, he
would have gone on to be the most recognizable face in entertainment. He would
have raised the bar so high that it was where it should have been to begin
with. There are few in
the entertainment world that I respect more than him. If any.
So, the first
Black Panther film after his passing was a bit of a hurdle for me. At the very start
of the movie, I was already tearing up. It was a beautiful tribute to the
character of T’Challa. Then the beginning credits played and there was a visual
tribute to Boseman that kept the tears going. By the time the
story started, I was already emotionally a bit of a wreck. Still, the flick
kept me entertained and glued to the screen. It was, however,
very much a post-Endgame MCU film. There was something missing. The first chase
scene felt more like a video game than anything cinematic. There was a strange
sound quality to it, and the dialogue was very much like NPCs talking to a
player. If you’re a gamer, you know exactly what I mean. Some of the fights
near the end also had some janky moments where actors reacted like they were
being hit, but with nothing actually touching them. It’s still a
solid movie, and it never feels like a chore to watch, I just expected
something more.
Cat’s Point of View: I have been
eagerly anticipating Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - and yet, at the
same time haven’t been in the biggest rush to watch it. It had nothing to do
with the movie, itself, and more regarding grief avoidance. I knew with 100%
certainty that I was going to do some crying during this Black Panther
(2018) sequel. Enough has been heavy and bleak these days that I haven’t looked
forward to that part - even though I adore Marvel movies and was keen to learn
how they were going to treat the story going forward. Chadwick Boseman was
simply taken too soon. Part of me worried about how the cinematic universe
would treat his absence in the realm of Wakanda. Really, I shouldn’t have.
Everyone in the Marvel camp has been outspokenly supportive of the late Boseman
and his importance to both the MCU and his impact on the world. My eyes did a
significant amount of leaking. I feel the need
to give kudos to Marvel for this stunning tribute within both the story and
visuals of the Wakanda Forever production. I was moved from the very
first moments when the animated Marvel studio logo recapped both the character
of T'Challa, and Boseman as a person, amidst a moment of silence.
The narrative of Wakanda
Forever picked up from there, and I can only imagine that filming offered
an avenue for the grieving process for his friends among the cast and
production team. It was respectful, tasteful, and I was very relieved that they
didn’t try to add new footage with creative CGI. Anything that referenced
T'Challa was either footage from the first Black Panther movie, or was clearly
a static piece of art memorial. Wakanda
Forever had several
hurdles to get over. I’d say that they cleared most of them. I loved the
casting, the performances were outstanding, and the action was on point. I
always enjoy seeing how the advanced tech of Wakanda gets brought to life on the
screen. It also well-captured the political landscape Wakanda faced in the wake
of their king’s death. The only aspect
of Wakanda Forever that I didn’t completely jive with was the new
adversaries introduced in this film. They were interesting, and the visuals
were cool. I just couldn’t help but think to myself that I’d already ‘been
there and done that’ by watching Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) in
December. I think that has to be where some of the negative reviews must be
coming from. Wakanda
Forever, overall was a
great MCU installment that serves to begin the bridge from Phase 4 to what
comes next. I felt that it was decently balanced, and I really enjoyed the
experience. If you’re a fan of Marvel movies and liked the first Black
Panther, I’d definitely recommend giving Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
a chance.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 84% Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 94% Metascore – 67% Metacritic User Score – 5.3 IMDB Score –6.9/10 Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4/5 Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5 P.S. Mid-credits scene Movie Trailer:
Streaming Service: Disney+ Movie Name/Year: The Guardians of the Galaxy
Holiday Special (2022) Genre: Comedy, Action, Adventure Length: 41 min Rating: TV-14 Production/Distribution: Marvel Studios, Troll Court Entertainment,
Disney+ Director: James Gunn Writers: James Gunn, Jim Starlin, Stan
Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, Steve Englehart, Don Heck, Roger Stern, John
Buscema, Sal Buscema, Bill Mantlo, Keith Giffen, Steve Englehart, Steve Gan Actors: Luke Klein, Sean Gunn, Michael
Rooker, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt, Bradley
Cooper, Maria Bakalova, Rhett Miller, Vin Diesel, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick,
Thomas McNamara, Daniel Bernhardt, Rusty Schwimmer, Tinashe Kajese, Barry
Curtis, Stephen Blackehart, Sarah Alami, Terence Rosemore, James Clarke, David
Moskowitz, Old 97's IMDb Blurb: Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket, Mantis,
and Groot engage in some spirited shenanigans in an all-new original special
created for Disney+.
Selina’s Point of View: I can
honestly say that the fever dream I just watched is the new most ridiculous
entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Yes,
I’ve seen Thor: Love and Thunder
(2022). I said what I said.
Now,
that’s not to say it’s bad. It was MUCH easier to sit through than the
aforementioned Thor flick. The fact that it was only 40 minutes long might have
a little to do with it, but that wasn’t the whole reason.
The Guardians of the Galaxy
Holiday Special
was not only just a special, but it was also a holiday movie. As a result, I
expected it to be campy and full of cringe. Not to mention, that’s also the
base of the Guardians in general. The whole group is a bit more on the absurd
side, so this kind of humor just fits better.
On the
note of aspects of this film that work primarily because it’s with the
Guardians instead of any other team, there were a couple of killer musical
numbers. Sure, Kevin Bacon (They/Them,
North Star, One Way) clearly lost a bet with James Gunn (The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy,
Peacemaker) – or got paid an obscene amount of money – but his little
musical interlude was outstanding. Even better than the opening number, which
was amusing enough to make even Weird Al (Bill
& Ted Face the Music, Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the
Universe, Lego Star Wars Summer Vacation) smile.
I
enjoyed The Guardians of the Galaxy
Holiday Special. Just don’t go into it expecting a serious Marvel film.
It’s much more of a ‘fuck around and have fun’ project than anything else.
Cat’s Point of View: Marvel seems to be really pulling out all of the stops this
year, giving us holiday specials. We had one for Halloween, and now we have one
for Christmas – and I’m all in. Then, of course, once I saw the trailer I was 1000%
anticipating a fun time while watching The
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. I was not disappointed in the
least. James Gunn (Super, Guardians of
the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Suicide Squad) and the Marvel team gave us quite an
early Christmas present this year. This film is hilarious and was just the
pick-me-up I needed right about now. For 45 glorious minutes, I was enrapt with the crazy
shenanigans perpetrated by some of my favorite comic book aliens. Dave Bautista (Army of
the Dead, See, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) and Pom Klementieff (Black Mirror, Uncut Gems, Thunder Force)
always deliver the best face-palm moments with Drax and Mantis. All of the
usual suspects for the Guardians were
involved in this bananas tale, of course, but those two were in the middle of
all of the whirlwind of activity shown in this special.
This sort of special presentation feature gives the platform
to easily take other members of an ensemble cast that don’t get as much screen
time and shine a little brighter spotlight on them with a ‘side quest’ of sorts.
I really hope they keep doing this in the future, as well. Though as crazy as the premise of this particular Guardians of the Galaxy escapade was,
there’s actually a lot of heart and a story that brought out all the feels. I
required tissues for a moment – but I’m a sap. Do you know what else was awesome about this production? Kevin
Bacon (The Following, They/Them, City on
a Hill) was in it. A little Bacon makes everything better – and that goes
for more than food. While some might feel his involvement in the story was a
little random, it’s actually a solid callback to plot points from the prior
Guardians movies. The Guardians of the
Galaxy Holiday Special was better than I thought it would be, and a much-needed source of cheer. If you enjoy the Marvel movies and these characters –
this is absolutely a must-see.
Streaming Services: Disney+ Movie Name/Year: Flora & Ulysses (2021) Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family Length: 90 minutes Rating: PG Production/Distribution: Walt Disney Pictures, Netter Productions, Walt Disney
Studios Motion Pictures, Disney+ Director: Lena Khan Writers: Brad Copeland, Kate DiCamillo Actors: Matilda Lawler, Alyson
Hannigan, Ben Schwartz, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Danny Pudi, Darien Martin,
Anna Deavere Smith, Bobby Moynihan, John Kassir, Nancy Robertson, Janeane
Garofalo, Kate Micucci, Christine Lee, Jesse Reid, Javier Lacroix, David
Milchard, Kyle Strauts, Victoria Katongo, Emma Oliver Blurb from IMDb: The adventures of a young girl and a squirrel
with superpowers.
Cat’s Point of View: I fell in love with the trailer for Flora and Ulysses when we were determining February’s Top 20 list.
To say I had eager anticipation for the movie’s release would be a monumental
understatement. I figured that it would be adorable and a feel-good family adventure.
I am happy to say that this film exceeded my expectations by far more than a
whisker. The timing of this release to Disney+ couldn’t have been
better. We’re in the middle of an unprecedented winter amidst a global pandemic
– at least in my neck of the woods. Things have looked pretty bleak recently. I’ll
spare you the long story that goes with that. The point is, however, that the
message of hope delivered by this production just hit home in all the right
ways.
I’ve always had a soft spot for squirrels. In fact, as I’m
writing my review there’s one sitting on the post of my deck just outside my
bedroom window, and another prancing all over the bench swing in the backyard.
We have a family of them living in the pin oak behind our house. They’ve been great
amusement for me when I’ve been laid up at various points in the last several
years. I do understand that they’re no joke when it comes to electrical grids
and sometimes like to chew their way into places they don’t belong – but we’re
not talking about those sort of mischievous squirrels. Our squirrels are
well-behaved… for wild animals, that is. I digress… It’s that sort of whimsy that everyone needs right about
now. The world has been captivated by cinematic stories of comic superheroes –
the Marvel universe especially. Flora and
Ulysses draws on that, respectfully, and finds its own niche within the
genre for the little red, furry fledgling hero. This tale is more than just a superhero origin story,
however. It’s a beacon projecting a message of hope wrapped in the experiences
of a family that could desperately use some. It is laughter, tears, and the relatable
rollercoaster ride that many families of this age know too well. The family isn't perfect - in fact, far from it. There's no saccharine-sweet perfection here. They're quirky, sometimes awkward, and often can't see how they get in their own way.
Aside from the engrossing story, the cast was also pretty amazing.
Matilda Lawler (Evil, Good Grief, The
Block Island Sound) and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Emmerdale Farm, The Recycling Man, The Haunting of Bly Manor) are
two young actors to look out for. They each had an amazing screen presence,
though Lawler stole the show for me. The adults weren’t all that bad either. You
can’t go wrong with Allison Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother, You Might Be the
Killer, Fancy Nancy). If I had to pick one thing that bugged me about this film, I’d
be hard-pressed to give an answer. I could still provide one, though – it was a
CGI cat. There was something off about the way it was done that just evaded my
ability to ignore that it was a computer rendering. The scenes it was involved
in were great, however, so I’m entirely willing to look past it. The animation
team did a spectacular job with Ulysses, and that’s what really mattered.
I was even geeking out over the soundtrack. There’s one song
in particular that plays in a scene about ¾ through the movie. Cat Stevens’ “Moonshadow”
was a staple of my youth. It was a song that got played often while riding in
the car with my mom. Aside from the nostalgia that particular track provided
for me, it underscores the message of the story very well and was excellently
placed. The song goes through a whole gauntlet of horrible things that could
hypothetically happen to the singer – and then he gives an upside of each
instance. For example, the lyrics pose the notion that if he ever lost his legs
he wouldn’t complain about it – he just wouldn’t have to walk everywhere
anymore. Flora and Ulysses
is a special movie, one of my new favorites, and well worth the cost of the
Disney subscription. This is one squirrelly tale that you’d be nuts to pass up.
(Yes. Yes, I did. Not Sorry!)
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score – 70% Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – 63% Metascore – 65% Metacritic
User Score – 4.0/10 IMDB
Score – 6.5/10 Trust
the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5 P.S.: Short mid-credit’s
scene. Movie Trailer:
Streaming
Services: HBO
Max Movie
Name/Year: Wonder
Woman 1984 (2020) Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Length: 151 minutes Rating: PG-13 Production/Distribution: Atlas Entertainment, DC
Comics, DC Entertainment, The Stone Quarry, Warner Bros., Karo Premiere, Kinomania,
NOS Audiovisuais, Vertical Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros.
Singapore, HBO Max, Sky, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Director: Patty Jenkins Writer: Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns,
Dave Callaham, William Moulton Marston Actors: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine,
Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, Lilly Aspell, Amr
Waked, Natasha Rothwell, Ravi Patel, Oliver Cotton, Lucian Perez, Gabriella
Wilde, Kelvin Yu, Stuart Milligan, Lynda Carter Blurb
from IMDb: Rewind
to the 1980s as Wonder Woman's next big screen adventure finds her facing two
all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah.
Selina’s
Point of View: There’s only one review
left to complete our ‘Tis the Season’ series for this month, but it’s going to have
to come after this. I saw Wonder Woman 1984 this weekend, I feel the
need to remark on it. So, we’re just going to have to finish our Christmas
movies on Wednesday. I’ll start by saying
that I’ve always been a fan of Wonder Woman. My mom and I used to watch the TV
show. It’s both nostalgic for me, and something I actually just enjoy in
general. I also loved the first movie. One of my favorite superhero movie
visuals is Wonder Woman walking through no man’s land. That was just superbly
done and still gives me goosebumps. I was expecting
something like that when I sat down to watch WW84. My expectations were
bolstered by the official trailer for the film. It looked like it would be a
serious DC-style film with just a couple of basic jokes thrown in now and then –
like the first one.
However, that’s
not really what WW84 was. If anything, this
sequel feels more like the original TV show than anything that DC has put out
lately. It leans further
into a campy and corny interpretation of Wonder Woman. In fact, the CGI leaves
something to be desired in a lot of places, but it almost kind of fits because
of just how campy the story is. The way I feel
about the film goes far beyond just liking the first one better. I feel like
this is another movie where DC tried to be the MCU instead of leaning into its
own dark persona. People who like DC better, don’t want to see them become the
MCU.
Granted, for the
most part, I’m a Marvel girl. But I believe there’s space in our popular
culture for the quippy films of the MCU and something darker that makes us
think more, like what DC should be. They have the heroes and the villains to
make that work. In the first
film, they gave us a world war. They dropped us into a time that was serious by
nature and wove in a couple of funny scenes. They dropped the ball on the
ending, but otherwise gave us a film that made us feel something. It was
gorgeous to look at. It was empowering. Now, in WW84,
they gave us something that had none of those goosebump-inspiring moments and
was pretty much behind the times. It’s not a bad flick
on its own; if you enjoy the older, campy handling of superhero films. However,
in our big-budget superhero-blockbuster times, especially with how good the first
film was, it’s almost insulting that it got this kind of treatment.
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score – 64% Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – 73% Metascore – 59/100 Metacritic
User Score – 4.3/10 IMDB
Score – 5.7/10 Trust
the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3/5 P.S.: There’s a quick mid-credits scene. Movie
Trailer:
Movie Name/Year: Secret Society of Second-Born
Royals (2020) Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy Length: 99 minutes Rating: Unrated Production/Distribution: Walt Disney Pictures, Disney+ Director: Anna Mastro Writers: Alex Litvak, Andrew Green,
Austin Winsberg Actors: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Niles
Fitch, Isabella Blake-Thomas, Olivia Deeble, Noah Lomax, Faly Rakotohavana,
Ashley Liao, Sam Page, Greg Bryk, Elodie Yung, Skylar Astin, Julianna Marie
Neo, Jessica Du, Alli Chung, Carlos Gonzalez-Vio, Sofia Pernas Blurb from IMDb: It follows Sam's adventures at
a top-secret training program for a new class of second-born royals tasked with
saving the world.
Cat’s Point of View: We’ve been looking forward to watching Secret Society of Second Born Royals for a little bit now, ever
since it hit our radar while going through coming attraction trailers. Both
Selina and I had this movie ranked in our Top 10 (of 20) for the month of
September. In retrospect, my #6 was estimating this a little too highly whereas
I should have probably listed it closer to #10, as Selina did. Alas, hindsight
is what it is. I digress…
My expectation for this film was a light-hearted Disneyfied
superhero origins story befitting a Disney Channel production. I imagine I wasn’t
too far from the mark, but it still seems I over-estimated.
The mouse house has a bit of a roller-coaster track record
on its productions. There have been some stellar shows and movies, and on the
flip side, there have been some less so. We’ll call those “basic Disney.” On the
one end of the spectrum, you have excellent work such as Descendants (2015). On the other end, you have…well…this. Okay, to
be fair, this film did manage to be a little more likable and less frenetic
than Artemis Fowl (2020).
The verdict isn’t all bad, though. Secret Society of Second Born Royals wasn’t a complete flop. I did
enjoy it, so please don’t misunderstand me. I’m just slightly disappointed that
the movie didn’t live up to its potential. There is an opening left by this
film’s ending, however, that says there’s room for sequels. Hopefully, they’ll
up their game with any future installments.
If the premise of the movie and overall content were
directed at a slightly younger audience, I would understand, and give more
credit. Unfortunately, this appears to be aimed at young teens – and today’s
movie-going teenagers are a bit more sophisticated in the ways of
action/adventure movies than this film gives them credit for. When you compare
with other titles available on the same streaming platform, this adds up to
merely a superhero-lite movie with training wheels.
There are good points, however. While most of the teen
characters are played by fresh-faced up-and-comers, there’s no doubt that
Disney was pulling on the popularity of its show Andi Mack (2017-2019) with Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Shameless, The Lion Guard, Stumptown) in
the lead. I was surprised to see Greg Bryk (Ad
Astra, Code 8, My Spy) and Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect, Ghosts of War, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist), and enjoyed
their performances. I do wish that they would have given a bit more oomph to
Bryk’s character.
The settings were believable and allowed immersion into the
story. I just wish that the special effects could have lived up to the
characters’ potentials regarding their powers. The production team got the
general point across so that it wasn’t cheesily lacking – it just doesn’t stack
up with theater release production quality.
I do feel that bonus points are due, though, for the story
including a best friend pairing of opposite sexes without some sort of romance
being involved. I appreciated the messages of friendship and teamwork as well.
It’s generally a core tenet of “basic Disney,” after all.
All told, I’d recommend this film for fans of the aforementioned
Andi Mack show, and probably middle-school-aged kids. There’s some very mild
violence involved with the movie, but otherwise, it’s fairly tame in that
regard. This isn’t something you’d want to watch immediately after a Marvel
marathon, however.
I was watching Captain America: Civil War, the first
appearance of Black Panther, when my best friend texted me: “Did you hear about
Chadwick Boseman.” I just about had a heart attack and googled him immediately.
I’m not going to write too much here. Understand, it’s not
because he doesn’t deserve beautiful tributes from all over the world, it’s
because I’m heartbroken.
The shock I felt at hearing that he’d been struggling with colon
cancer was extreme. In the past four years, Boseman went through the production
process of several films – the majority of them action. I had no clue he was
doing it while fighting through chemo and surgeries. I can’t imagine how
physically difficult that much have been for him. Still, he did it.
Acting must have been something he loved very much.
He made his mark. He was only here for 43 years, but Boseman
made himself a powerhouse in that time. Even if I ignore the rest of his films,
his portrayal of Black Panther alone is something that will be shaping the
cinematic landscape for years to come.
Some people turn up their noses at the superhero films, but I
will always believe they’re wrong. Superheroes come to the forefront of pop
culture when times are bad. When there’s excess violence and uncertainty in the
world. When justice seems to be unattainable. We need our fictional heroes in
order to inspire real ones.
And, where heroes are concerned, Black Panther (2018)
was a thing of beauty. It was a blockbuster film that allowed black children to
see themselves on screen. While there is so much racial tension in the world,
that’s so incredibly important.
Here was this black-led, black-acted film that just exploded
onto the screen. It was an amazing film that celebrated a culture behind the
fiction. And there, standing as tall as any other protagonist in the MCU, was
Chadwick Boseman. He brought a poise and a power to Black Panther that is impossible
to forget. More importantly, he made it all impossible to ignore.
Chadwick Boseman is an icon. He fought all his life to do
what he loved, and in the end his work helped allow others to dream.
Actors: Jamie Foxx, Joseph
Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, Rodrigo Santoro, Courtney B. Vance, Amy
Landecker, Machine Gun Kelly, Tait Fletcher, Allen Maldonado, Andrene
Ward-Hammond, Kyanna Simone Simpson, C.J. LeBlanc, CG Lewis, Joseph Poliquin,
Jazzy De Lisser, Cory DeMeyers, Casey Neistat, Azhar Khan, Rose Bianco, Askia Bennett
Blurb
from IMDb: When
a pill that gives its users unpredictable superpowers for five minutes hits the
streets of New Orleans, a teenage dealer and a local cop must team with an
ex-soldier to take down the group responsible for its creation.
Selina’s
Point of View:
This
is a little strange, but I have to start my review by talking about the
trailer.
The
trailer laid out this incredibly unique plot and showed a bit of the cinematic
quality paired to an adrenaline provoking song. It took bits from every part of
the film without resorting to spoilers. That’s a difficult thing to do. I mean,
there’s a scene from the very top of the climax in the trailer and, even in
hindsight, it’s not a spoiler. Production companies need to take note. This is
how you make a trailer. I got everything I signed up for and then some.
I had
to start there, because really good trailers are hard to come across. Let’s
move on to the movie, though, because there’s a lot worth talking about.
Project
Power was
every bit as good as I expected it to be.
I
have to start with a look at the graphics and cinematography. This was, hands
down, one of the most gorgeous films I have ever seen.
It captured
the feel of New Orleans, as a setting, well. You had the grit of city life that
felt familiar to me. Now, I don’t live in Louisiana – but I did live in
Brooklyn for over 30 years. I know how to find that beauty in the graffiti, the
grime, and the strange personalities. It felt a little like home – and then
they threw in the powers.
Holy
shit. The power graphics were insane. They took so many favorite hero-based
powers and brought them into the real world. It was done so well that I
believed it. Someone with a fire power would look like they had burn scars all
over them – from those few moments after the power wore off but their clothes
were still on fire. Someone with a bulletproof ability who gets shot in the
head would pass out from the impact and awaken with burst blood vessels in
their eye. The attention to detail was impressive. At the same time, the actual
portrayal of the powers was beyond anything any superhero movie has ever given
us.
Which
brings me to my next point: Project Power is not a superhero movie.
I
read some of the bad reviews that this film got and they all go into it as if
it’s a superhero movie. It’s not. Yes, there are powers used in the story – but
it’s not the people using the powers that the plot focuses on. At most, each
ability is used more like a gun or a shield than a focus. The main point of the
film is the connection between very real, very normal, individuals. One of the
main characters never even pops a pill.
At
most, I’d say it’s an action/crime film with some noir undertones. No one’s out
there in spandex taking down an archvillain. It’s not even a motivation to protect
the populace (for the most part). It’s closer to Taken (2008) than it is
to anything from the MCU or DCU. You know what? That’s what I’m going with. It’s
like Taken if the people in that movie had access to the power pills used
in this one.
If
you judge it like a superhero flick, it’s not going to measure up, because that’s
not what it is.
I
want to see a lot more of the world that was created here. We could absolutely
get some kind of superhero flick from it, but it’s not necessary. What’s been
done with Project Power is something new. If the creators wanted to make
other movies from this world, they wouldn’t have to stick to a certain genre or
sub-genre. They could make anything to further examine this premise and still
come out with something incredible. I could absolutely see a horror or a comedy
in this world.
Regardless
of what they do in the future, though, Project Power was good. It was
new and refreshing, while still offering just a touch of familiarity that
really helps in our current uncertain world. It’s something I think we all
really needed.
Judge
for yourself. The next time you’re having an awful day, sit down and turn on
this film. It’ll help you get out of your own head for a while.
Cat’s
Point of View:
I’ve
been really excited to watch Project Power since I first saw its
trailer. My desire to watch this film actually fought a battle with a few
others to sort the top spots in my personal Top 20 list for August 2020. I
ended up rolling a die to determine how to order the films.
The
trailer gave promising flashes of action, super-powered mayhem, cop procedural,
and general awesome badassery. Here’s the good news – the movie lived up to the
hype, as far as I was concerned.
Co-directors
Henry Joost (Catfish, Nerve, Viral) and Ariel Schulman (3x3,
Paranormal Activity 3, Nerve) are certainly no stranger to the supernatural.
They’ve taken on the ghostly series that swept theaters and streaming rentals
by storm with two of the Paranormal Activity (2007) flicks. They’re also
no stranger to action. Their talents were well put to use here.
Of
course, they had a magic trifecta within their cast comprised of Jamie Foxx (White
House Down, Annie, Baby Driver), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50, The Night
Before, Knives Out), and Dominique Fishback (Night Comes On, The Hate U
Give, The Deuce). I had a little giggle when I realized Fishback’s
character’s name is Robin. I’ll let you connect those dots.
The
core premise of this film is just really interesting. I’m an admitted comic
book geek. I know a little about a lot of titles, and a lot about a small range
of them – but I love them all the same. This movie isn’t really based on any
particular comic title; but with its plot, it could be.
There’s something
inherently appealing about popping a pill and getting super-powers even if it
is only short-term. Society as a whole is always looking for that instant
remedy or that quick fix. So many just want to throw a pill at things and find
instant results. Here that concept goes to a whole new level.
I
found it easy to just let myself sink into the story and get carried away. I
was giddy after the first moment that I realized that this story was set in New
Orleans, and I chanted right along with the occasional “who dat think they
gonna beat dem Saints,” as it appeared in the background. I could see something
like this playing out on the streets of The Big Easy.
I
would absolutely recommend anyone that’s a fan of any genre within this blend
to give this movie a whirl. I am going to be crossing my fingers that it gets
enough response that they might consider expanding on the tale with a sequel.
As it stands, the film is fine as a stand-alone. I just want more.
