Film Review: "Extraction" (2020).

From the Russo Brothers, directors of Avengers: Endgame, comes Extraction. This action-thriller film directed by Sam Hargrave, in his feature debut, adapted by Joe Russo, and based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, Fernando León González, Eric Skillman, Russo and his brother Anthony Russo. Tyler Rake is a fearless black market mercenary with nothing left to lose when his skills are solicited to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord, but, in the murky underworld of weapons dealers and drug traffickers, an already deadly mission approaches the impossible, forever altering the lives of Rake and the boy.

In late August 2018, it was announced that Hargrave would direct Dhaka written by Joe Russo with Chris Hemsworth was set to star. In November 2018, Randeep Hooda, Golshifteh Farahani, David Harbour, Pankaj Tripathi, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Rudhraksh Jaiswal rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in March 2019. Filming took place in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, India; as well as Ban Pong and Ratchaburi, Thailand under the new working title Out of the Fire. In late February 2020, the film's title was finally revealed to be Extraction.

The film stars Hemsworth, Hooda, Farahani, Harbour, Tripathi, Painyuli, and Jaiswal. The cast get to make vivid impressions, but of course it's Hemsworth who must carry this swiftly paced picture. As rugged as ever and attractively weathered, he does so with ease. The dialogue between the cast and Hemsworth's entertaining performance make this action worth seeing.

A slightly underwhelming action thriller derivative of the great Escape from New York. But not without its cheesy only-in-the-1980s charm. The film is too preposterous to be a good one. But in keeping with its title, it does provide a couple of hours of entertaining escapism. Hargrave's debut feature isn't smart, it doesn't have anything to say about the human condition and it never takes itself remotely seriously, but none of that matters with a film this much fun. Hargrave's vision of modern Dhaka, Bangladesh is a go-for-broke action extravaganza that satirizes the genre at the same time it's exploiting it. Not exactly the movie that would rescue Hargrave's sagging career, but it makes for an entertaining Saturday matinee show nonetheless. Intermittently clever ideas are rarely executed to full effect, but the film moves reasonably well on its way to surround-sound pyrotechnics amid a climactic aerial attack. An adrenaline fuelled amalgamation of frantic thrill-per-minute action with the claustrophobic tension of a modern action thriller. They don't make 'em like this anymore, except when they do and you remember why they stopped. Daft, but broadly enjoyable if you're in a charitable mood. Lean, fun, and always equipped with a one-liner, the film is refreshingly free of the bull**** that plagues so many genre films. It is a film derivative of several notable genre classics, but the film does offer some entertainment value. Nothing in this Russo Brothers-produced Netflix-filler is at all novel or particularly well-orchestrated, so it's down to an enjoyably sarcastic script to come to its rescue.

Simon says Extraction receives:

Series Review: "Devs" (2020).

From the writer and director of Ex Machina and Annihilation comes Devs. This science fiction thriller television miniseries created, written, and directed by Alex Garland. A young software engineer, Lily Chan, investigates the secret development division of her employer, a cutting-edge tech company based in Silicon Valley, which she believes is behind the murder of her boyfriend.

In mid March 2018, the series was announced with Garland as creator, writer and director, and that FX had given the production a pilot order. In early August, during the Television Critics Association's annual summer press tour, FX announced that they had decided to bypass the pilot process and instead were giving the production a straight-to-series order consisting of eight episodes. By August, Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Zach Grenier, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Cailee Spaeny, Karl Glusman, Alison Pill, Linnea Berthelsen, and Jefferson Hall were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and filming took place in Marin County, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco, California, as well as London, Manchester, and Cumbria, England. In November 2019, it was announced the show would premiere on Hulu instead of FX, as part of "FX on Hulu". In early January 2020, it was announced that the series would premiere on March 5, 2020.

The series stars Mizuno, Offerman, Grenier, Henderson, Spaeny, Glusman, Pill, Berthelsen, and Hall. Excellent performances from the cast elevate this compelling material even further. The cast, especially Mizuno and Offerman, are equally effective at conveying the ethical perils posed by a future that could be closer than we are prepared to admit. Mizuno's ability to give her character an emotional edge is a major reason why this works - asking the audience to invest in her journey.

What's amazing about Devs is Garland's precise control over the audience both visually and through a singularly perfect script. The characters and the audience are both captive, processing the slightest information as fast as they can. Beautifully told, stunning with occasional outbursts of humour, it will leave you reeling. Garland's finest achievement may be his old-fashioned faith in science-fiction as an engine for profound parables about the state of humanity. It is a smart, slow-burning and fascinating sci-fi thriller that deals with themes of humanity and morality against a truly luscious backdrop. There are many questions raised in this enthralling psychological drama that begins with a meteor strike, a shimmer and a secret mission to a terrifying but wondrous world where astonishing possibilities are on display. Don't miss it! Absorbing and hypnotic, it is the best kind of sci-fi series - the kind that challenges and subverts the genre, all the while introducing new ideas that you'll see in films to come. It's certain that the astonishing special effects would have worked better on a larger cinema screen, and it's a shame to lose their impact. It is a smart and intelligent series. It's super ambitious and maybe a bit tedious. The movie requires patience and at times gets a bit too showy.

Simon says Devs receives:

Also, see my review for Annihilation.

Film Review: "Rising High" ("Betonrausch") (2020).

From Germany and Netflix comes Rising High (Betonrausch). This German comedy-drama film written and directed by Cüneyt Kaya. Ready to do anything to get rich, a young man upends the Berlin property market with his shady pal, till the good times threaten to destroy it all.

The film stars David Kross, Frederick Lau, Dejan Bucin, Janina Uhse, Sophia Thomalla, Anne Schäfer, Uwe Preuss, Jerry Kwarteng, Silvina Buchbauer, Heike Hanold-Lynch, Alexander Yassin, and Jimmy Gutzeit. Kross was born to play this part. There's something about him that makes me want to smack him when he smiles his big, ingratiating smile. Kross more than adequately conveys the kid-in-a-candy-store mentality of a teenager who has stumbled onto a great scheme.

The lighthearted tone and smart pacing allow for unwavering entertainment, plenty of natural humor, and the film's knack for sympathizing with antiheroes. Long and complex, the agility with which the film tells the story of Viktor performed with incredible naturalness, promptness and charisma by Kross. Some may see the film as frivolous, but I believe it is an expertly-made popcorn film alive with energy, style, momentum and heart. It maintains a gripping balance between comedy and drama. The film is one of those deceptively slight offerings that manages to reveal more about its maker than the intended masterpieces often do. It may be nitpicking, but since this a movie about a con-artist constantly wanting more, it needed a smarter screenplay and a brisker pace. With its extended epilogue, the film feels about a half-hour too long, but the story is so good and there are so many fabulous set pieces that you can't imagine leaving anything out. It's a fascinating story, and the film is just as fascinating to watch, especially with Kross taking the reins as the suave, persuasive con artist. The film's shiny wrapping paper of clever counterfeit schemes, pretty girls and fairytale cinematography belies the larger, richer themes that attracted such heavyweight talent to the project. The film would have been one of the best films to stream on Netflix for the year if not for the film's overbearing mommy and daddy issues hijacking the plot. The film is impeccably made, wonderfully performed and enjoyable (if overlong), though it never actually gets a grasp on the brass ring. Though there's certainly nothing wrong with seeing these cinematic titans take a breather and kick back for a change, it still would have been nice to see them break a little sweat. The film slips in social commentary between Viktor's prodigious feats of lawlessness & capitalizes on the glee of watching someone beat the system. Breezy and entertaining, the film's essentially an examination of the rise and fall of a con artist, but it displays his cleverness and panache as well as his dishonesty, and ends on a satisfyingly redemptive note. While the critical consensus is that the film is not one of Netflix's 'major works,' it's also his least flawed and most purely entertaining movie for the year.

Simon says Rising High (Betonrausch) receives:

Film Review: "Tigertail" (2020).

From Netflix comes Tigertail. This drama film written and directed by Alan Yang. In this poignant multi-generational drama, Pin-Jui is a free-spirited yet impoverished young Taiwanese factory worker, who makes the difficult decision to leave his homeland - and the woman he loves - behind in order to seek better opportunities in America. But years of monotonous work and an arranged marriage devoid of love or compassion leave an older Pin-Jui a shadow of his former self. Unable to sympathize with his daughter Angela and at risk of living out his retirement in solitude, Pin-Jui must reconnect with his past in order to finally build the life he once dreamed of having.

In May 2018, it was revealed that Yang would write and direct a Taiwanese American drama film for Netflix. By late August, Tzi Ma, Joan Chen, Hong Chi-Lee, Yo-Hsing Fang, Fiona Fu, Kunjue Li, Christine Ko, Hayden Szeto, Margot Bingham, Yang Kuei-mei, and John Cho were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and took place throughout New York and Taiwan. All of the flashback scenes were shot on film with the Arricam LT camera with Panavision G-Series and Zeiss Super Speed Lenses, while all the present day scenes were shot on digital.

The film stars Tzi Ma, Joan Chen, Hong Chi-Lee, Yo-Hsing Fang, Fiona Fu, Kunjue Li, Christine Ko, Hayden Szeto, Margot Bingham, and Yang Kuei-mei. So well-acted, you felt it. I thought it was a really, really solid movie, and I was very surprised by it. Yang and his fine ensemble of actors will soon enfold you in a journey of delightful twists and turns. And in the end, a romance you'll long remember. What makes a movie like this work is how much you care for the characters, and each one here is very well-drawn and fully dimensional. Playing a character who allows endless opportunities to speak his heart pass her by, Ma displays his full heartbreaking range dealing with the worst situation imaginable.

A richly textured drama about the tensions across two generations of a Taiwanese family, Tigertail typifies the filial focus of Yang. A wise and touching piece that matches the films of Wong Kar-wai and Ang Lee in its depiction of character and family dynamics as a source of human examination. The film is seasoned with humor and has a brisk pace. It's pleasing to the eye and stocked with zesty performances all the way around. This is a startlingly superior piece of craftsmanship, with the flavour of life and richness of the script conveyed via uniformly wonderful performances. The film is tender without being mushy, sweet without being syrupy -- and surprising in ways that can only make you feel moved. The film wins fans with its serious disposition as it turns a contemporary story about unrequited love into a deft Confucius farce and humanist drama. What the film isolates so incisively is a sense of cultural melancholia specific to the immigrant experience, a mourning for something lost in the process of existing between worlds.

Simon says Tigertail receives:

Film Review: "Trolls World Tour" (2020).

From the creators of Trolls comes Trolls World Tour. This computer-animated fantasy musical film co-directed by Walt Dohrn and David P. Smith, written by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger, Elizabeth Tippet, Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky, and produced by DreamWorks Animation. It is a sequel to the 2016 film Trolls. Poppy and Branch discover that there are six different troll tribes scattered over six different lands. Each tribe is also devoted to six different kinds of music -- funk, country, techno, classical, pop and rock. When rockers Queen Barb and King Thrash set out to destroy the other music, Poppy and Branch embark on a daring mission to unite the trolls and save the diverse melodies from becoming extinct.

In late February 2017, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation announced the sequel, with Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake reprising their roles. James Corden, Ron Funches, Icona Pop, Kunal Nayyar, Zooey Deschanel, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse also returned to reprise their roles. Rachel Bloom, Karan Soni, Sam Rockwell, Jamie Dornan, Kenan Thompson, Kevin Michael Richardson, Ozzy Osbourne, Kelly Clarkson, Chance the Rapper, Anthony Ramos, Flula Borg, J Balvin, Mary J. Blige, George Clinton, Ester Dean, Gustavo Dudamel, the McElroy brothers, and Red Velvet rounded out the voice cast. In mid June, the film's title was revealed as Trolls World Tour. Universal Pictures originally planned the film for a April 10, 2020 theatrical release date. However, it was later pushed up to February 14 before being moved to April 17. It was once again pushed up to its first release date, but in mid March, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Universal announced that the film would be released simultaneously in theaters and for rental on digital platforms. In response to Universal releasing the film without consulting theater owners, as well as comments from NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell suggesting that future Universal releases would premiere simultaneously in theaters, AMC Theatres stated that they would not license films that also premiere at the same time on digital release; "[AMC] will not license any Universal movies... on these terms." Regal Cinemas followed suit in a statement not just directed at Universal, saying they will "not be showing movies that fail to respect the [theatrical] windows".

The film features the voice talents of Kendrick, Timberlake, Corden, Funches, Pop, Nayyar, Bloom, Soni, Rockwell, Dornan, Thompson, Richardson, Osbourne, Clarkson, and Red Velvet. The voice cast, led by Kendrick and Timberlake, is energetic, sure, though sometimes predictable, and periodically bland.

Trolls World Tour is gloriously colourful, simultaneously silly yet often deceptively clever, and actually rather enchanting. However, the music in the film is programmed by your local karaoke bar and sung like everyone's getting paid REALLY WELL. Additionally, I didn't like it, not at all, and while I'm certain there are kids out there who will undoubtedly feel differently don't expect me to sing a different tune on the matter anytime soon. This inoffensive, highly formulaic affair differs only from other average 'toons in that it merrily pours on the audiovisual sugar to overload proportions.

Simon says Trolls World Tour receives:

Also, see my review for Trolls and Abominable.

Film Review: "Gretel & Hansel" (2020).

"A grim fairy tale." This is Gretel & Hansel. This horror film directed by Oz Perkins, adapted by Rob Hayes, and based on the German folklore tale Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm. When their mother descends into madness, siblings Gretel and Hansel must fend for themselves in the dark and unforgiving woods. Hungry and scared, they fortuitously stumble upon a bounty of food left outside an isolated home. Invited inside by the seemingly friendly owner, the children soon suspect that her generous but mysterious behaviour is part of a sinister plan to do them harm.

In October 2018, the Hollywood Reporter reported that Orion Pictures had started developing a film adaptation of the German folklore tale, with a script penned by Hayes, Perkins as director and Sophia Lillis to star. By early November, Lillis, Charles Babalola, Alice Krige, Jessica De Gouw, and Sam Leakey, in his debut role, were cast. At the same time, with a budget of $5 million, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in December. Filming took place in Dublin, Ireland. In January 2019, dditional filming and reshoots started in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.

The film stars Lillis, Leakey, Babalola, Krige, and De Gouw. The cast are all uniformly excellent, but they're stuck in a film that doesn't seem to know what to do with them. If a filmmaker tries to cast doubt over every character and every action, it can be hard to work up suspense, because it's unclear who is in danger. This is the case with this film. But beyond its compositional breadth, what Perkins conveys in the film lends itself a more feminine persuasion, one that addresses a set of impossible social responsibilities exclusive to women.

This methodical possession riff further establishes Perkins as one of the few horror filmmakers whose every work will have my attention, as the film is a beautiful way to get the jitters. Deserves to be studied in terms of its visuals and learned from by those who write and want to learn how to tell a story with minimal, haunting dialogue. A cold descent into madness in then hands of a director that manages to capture the very essence of evil in uncommon places. It is a haunting tale that breaths new life into the idea of possession and the loss of innocence. By the time the credits rolled I felt stunned and awestruck. It takes its time slowly setting its pieces into place, and some expecting a more full-throttled horror experience might get a little restless waiting for the jolts to come. The film layers on the dread until it's almost physically challenging to keep watching as shadows grow ever more oppressive and the school ever less welcoming. Something wicked this way comes, indeed. There are creepy moments throughout the film that stick with you, truly adding to the stylistic, haunted-house atmosphere of this whole narrative. While the film is intriguing and seductive at the start, in the end it doesn't quite live up to the insinuations it made in the beginning.

Simon says Gretel & Hansel receives:

Also, see my review for I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House.