Film Review: "Untold: Crimes & Penalties" (2021).

From Netflix and the directors of Wild Wild Country comes Untold: Crimes & Penalties. This documentary film directed by Chapman and Maclain Way. They were the bad boys of hockey - a team bought by a man with mob ties, run by his seventeen-year-old son, and with a rep for being as violent as they were good.

On April 1, 2004, the Danbury Trashers were founded as an expansion team in the United Hockey League (UHL) by James Galante, a garbage disposal mogul, who paid a $500,000 franchise fee to the league. Galante purchased the franchising rights after seeing the enthusiasm for hockey in Danbury at his seventeen year old son A. J.'s high school games. He also wanted to give A. J. experience in how to manage a professional sports franchise, naming him president and General Manager. According to UHL commissioner Richard Brosal some around the league thought it was an April Fools' Day joke. After graduating high school Galante attended Manhattanville College while maintaining his organizational duties. The new team was named the Trashers, a reference to the elder Galante's main business, with the logo being designed by A. J.'s friends. The Trashers were to play in the Danbury Ice Arena, a seven hundred and fifty-seat ice rink, used for the local hockey leagues. As part of the franchising agreement the arena needed the maximum capacity expanded. Galante invested an additional $1.5 million to renovate the arena, turning it into a three-thousand seat facility. Galante brought in Garrett Burnett, Rumun Ndur, Brad Wingfield, Jim Duhart, Brent Gretzky, and Michael Rupp. For the goaltender Galante acquired Scott Stirling, and as for the coaches, Galante hired Todd Stirling and Bob Stearns. In their first season, the Trashers set a league record for penalty minutes. The season witnessed two separate brawls and multiple player suspensions. Danbury finished second in their division and were eliminated in the playoffs by eventual Colonial Cup champions, the Muskegon Fury. In their second year, the Trashers won the Eastern Division and reached the finals. Though they lost the championship, Danbury handed the Kalamazoo Wings their only loss of the playoffs. At the end of the team's second season, Galante was arrested on seventy-two various charges including conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). He pleaded guilty, was sentenced to eighty-seven months of imprisonment, and had to forfeit his ownership interests in twenty-five trash hauling companies. During the same time the Trashers disbanded, citing financial concerns, including travel costs.

We think we all know the story of the Danbury Trashers, but the Untold entry on their lives and career is still a valuable and insightful biopic. It was pure madness and there was plenty of blame to go around - but Crimes & Penalties does a journalistically sound job of putting events in perspective. Crimes & Penalties may not be a game-changing film but it shows that Netflix has potential to rival ESPN in the sports documentary department.

Simon says Untold: Crimes & Penalties receives:

Also, see my review for Wild Wild Country.

Film Review: "The Night House" (2020).

"The truth will surface" in The Night House. This psychological horror film directed by David Bruckner and written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski. Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep it together – but then nightmares come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house calling to her, beckoning her with a ghostly allure. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into her husband’s belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and disturbing – a mystery she’s determined to unravel.

In February 2019 it was announced that Rebecca Hall would star in a psychological horror film penned by Collins and Piotrowski and with Bruckner as director. By May, Sarah Goldberg, Stacy Martin, Evan Jonigkeit and Vondie Curtis-Hall rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Syracuse, New York.

The film stars Hall, Goldberg, Martin, Jonigkeit and Curtis-Hall. The performances are fantastic, especially Hall who is perfectly cast. The cast is anchored by Hall, whose talent elevates this psychological horror film. Hall captures Beth's flinty intelligence and the vulnerability that emerges as she slowly discovers her late husband's dark secrets.

The film has crafted an elegant haunted-house chiller that turns the screw of mystery and suspense with some cunningly judged surprises and scares. It is beautifully shot and the scenery and the ambience of a large haunted house is wonderfully captured, but can this film be the upstart for the modern ghost story? The raison d'être is ludicrous and sewn up in minutes, but the cast is very good, as is the cinematography and symbolism. If you're in the mood for some serious spooks with solid acting, the film is worth checking out; but I wouldn't go out of my way if you're looking for anything more than that. The film is a ghost story that wants to be more than just a ghost story, but in the process of trying to be a movie that transcends a genre, it at least subverts the genre. The film is a handsome, well-acted thriller with a script that's never cringe-inducing. So why did it sneak its way onto home video with no fanfare? Though the story spirals a little out of control in the film's final scenes, the film offers the low-key pleasures of an old-fashioned thriller and a lovely central performance. Bruckner exhibits a deft touch for a relatively new filmmaker and can feel satisfied that his film honours the tradition of such spooky works as Hellraiser and Black Swan. Murphy shows tremendous skill with genre elements, helping the film to overcome its formulaic origins, keeping attention on panic and skepticism, not just on cheap thrills. The film takes pains to ensure that the story feel like laborious toil rather than a trip through the dark side of the ethereal.

Simon says The Night House receives:

Also, see my review for The Ritual.

Film Review: "Black Island" ("Schwarze Insel") (2021).

From Germany and Netflix comes Black Island (Schwarze Insel). This German film directed by Miguel Alexandre, and written by Alexandre and Lisa Carline Hofer. The dark secrets of a seemingly peaceful island threaten to swallow up an orphaned student when he grows close to a mysterious new teacher.

The film stars Hanns Zischler, Alice Dwyer, Mercedes Müller, Philip Froissant, Sammy Scheuritzel, Lisa Carline Hofer, Ilknur Boyraz, Katharina Schütz, Charlotte Crome, Altamasch Noor, Caroline Kiesewetter, Lieselotte Voss, Marco Wittorf, Tina Rother, Florian Hacke, Katja Geist, Jodie Leslie Ahlborn, Verena Jost, and Isabella Herbs. An American gothic soap opera and dark coming-of-age film that benefits greatly from its chilling atmosphere and stellar performances by Zischler, Dwyer and Froissant.  As much a startling coming-of-age saga as a portrait of a psychologically damaged teenager, the film emits a Gothic chill that's almost tangible, and the performances by Froissant and Dwyer are mesmerizing. Froissant has that magnetic creep that pulls us to her, but the film is afflicted by the arthouse syndrome: it renounces its pulp roots and wishes to appear high-brow -- a pretension it can't sustain. His young and elder co-stars may lead this psychological mind dance with ease, but it is Froissant who astounds the most. At first, Stoker resembles a twisted variation on Park Chan-wook's thrillers Oldboy and Stoker, with Dwyer in the role of Helena. Zischler's immobile, slightly scary face is used to great effect; Dwyer oozes malevolent charm; and Froissant skilfully keeps you guessing as to whether Jonas will be corrupted or not. The play between the three leads is terrific - a bit bonkers, quite creepy, often over-the-top. The two leading characters are so superficial that we never really know why they do the things they do, which become increasingly bizarre and eventually downright insane. Alexandre and his game cast (including Zischler, Dwyer and Froissant) do a lot of heavy lifting for a script that's really quite awful.

The skill of some sequences, the mood and symbiosis between man and nature makes this film sometimes superior to David Fincher by Miguel Alexandre. Miguel Alexandre's mise-en-scene is careful to expand to the dimensions of widescreen... the film is not, however, a masterpiece; it is at best a sympathetic film, well done, that is sometimes engaging. Nicely put together by Miguel Alexandre, its suspense derives largely from the excellent performances and imaginative use of island vistas by cameraman Alexandre himself. Like Shadow of a Doubt and Stoker, it's a self-conscious genre picture, a modern version of the traditional mystery noir used to tackle the problem of sins and crimes covered up even in insular small town or island communities. Slowly, through a process of guarded discourse, which Miguel Alexandre has built up by patient, methodical pacing of his almost young cast, an eerie light begins to glimmer. The film is both a tightly-written, suspenseful, and dramatic (with film noirish qualities) and a western. On the surface, this American film classic is concerned with the themes of individual integrity.

Simon says Black Island (Schwarze Insel) receives:

Film Review: "Stillwater" (2021).

"Secrets run deep" in Stillwater. This crime drama film directed by Tom McCarthy and written by McCarthy, Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré. The film follows an American oil-rig roughneck from Oklahoma who travels to Marseille to visit his estranged daughter, in prison for a murder she claims she did not commit. Confronted with language barriers, cultural differences, and a complicated legal system, Bill builds a new life for himself in France as he makes it his personal mission to exonerate his daughter.

In July 2019, it was announced that Matt Damon was set to star in a crime drama film loosely based on the Amanda Knox story penned and to be directed by McCarhy. By August, Abigail Breslin, Camille Cottin and Deanna Dunagan rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place throughout Oklahoma, USA and in Marseille, France. McCarthy explained in an interview how he and Matt Damon immersed themselves in the culture of Oklahoma oil "roughnecks" for the film. The film was previously scheduled for a November 6, 2020 release date, but it was later pulled from the schedule and delayed to July 30, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film stars Damon, Breslin, Cottin and Dunagan. It's those characters, and the performances given by the cast (especially Damon), who gave the rhythm to the story, they make the heart of the movie beat.

The film is a taut, pulse-pounding thriller. The all-star cast delivers realistic and transformative performances. The film is a nearly perfect example of what happens when the perfect filmmaker works with the perfect script and acquires the perfect cast and crew to bring a story to life. The film reminds us the relevance of truth in a society where the search for truth has been kidnapped by fallacies. The script is a marvel of conveying a dense amount of information and characterization with intelligence, grace, and a surprising amount of tension. For people who care about justice and the value of a just society, the film is a master class on how things should be done. The film has everything you need from a night at the movies - gripping, enlightening, shocking, distressing, triumphant. The film treats the subject of the investigation with the utmost respect and gives it the weight that it deserves. As a much-needed ode to the type of media coverage this country is desperately, painfully, ominously in need of, the film is an important film. Absorbing and understated, the film handles its complex subject matter with class, restraint and, vitally, balance. The film isn't the kind that just changes some facts; it's one where the most general plot summary contradicts what happened. It's clearly a salient story to tell, and the earnestness of the production makes it trundle along breezily enough to its predictable conclusion. The film reminds us all we should never take things at face value, our hearts should always search for the truth.

Simon says Stillwater receives:

Also, see my review for Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made.

Film Review: "Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time" ("シン・エヴァンゲリオン劇場版:𝄂") (2021).

"Bye-bye, all of Evangelion." This is Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (シン・エヴァンゲリオン劇場版:𝄂). This Japanese animated science fiction film co-directed by Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Katsuichi Nakayama and Mahiro Maeda, written by Anno and produced by Studio Khara. It is the fourth and final film in the Rebuild of Evangelion film series of the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. Misato and her anti-NERV group WILLE arrive at Paris, a city now red from core-ization. Crew from the flagship Wunder land on a containment tower. They only have seven hundred and twenty seconds to restore the city. When a horde of NERV Evas appear, Mari’s improved Eva 8 must intercept. Meanwhile, Shinji, Asuka and Rei wander about Japan.

In 2008, the film was announced as the fourth and final part of the Rebuild series under the working title Evangelion: Final. After delays of the first three films, the film was expected for a 2015 release date. However, Anno was very reluctant to return to work on the film. In 2014, Anno announced that due to other commitments, the film would be further delayed to an unknown date. In 2015, following the troubled production of the third film, Anno became depressed and stated publicly that he could not work on another film. As part of his recovery, Anno had also worked on Studio Ghibli's The Wind Rises (2013) and Toho's Godzilla reboot, Shin Godzilla (2016), which also contributed to the delay on the film. Financial reasons also played a part. In 2014, Anno's Studio Khara loaned his former company Studio Gainax one hundred million yen ($916,400). In 2016, Anno filed a claim for debt collection, fearing not only for the return of the money but also because of Gainax selling production materials to third parties, after a precedent of other sales of intellectual property without informing him. This was part of several legal issues surrounding Gainax and Evangelion. In late 2016, production on Evangelion resumed after the production of Shin Godzilla ended. After a formal apology, Takeshi Honda stated that the last film had resumed development. In early April 2017, Studio Khara tweeted that development was going smoothly. In May 2018, the studio put out a job listing for animation staff to work on 3DCG, VFX, and 2D animation starting in late June. By March 2019, Megumi Ogata, Yūko Miyamura, Kotono Mitsuishi, Fumihiko Tachiki, Megumi Hayashibara, Maaya Sakamoto, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Akira Ishida, Tomokazu Seki, Tetsuya Iwanaga, Junko Iwao, Miki Nagasawa, Kōki Uchiyama, Motomu Kiyokawa, Kōichi Yamadera, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mariya Ise, Miyuki Sawashiro, Takehito Koyasu, Akio Otsuka, Anri Katsu, Hiro Yuuki and Sayaka Ohara were cast. In addition, dialogue for Parts A and B, set after AVANT, started recording. As there were several changes to the plot, many voice actors had to come back and record lines again. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, production slowed down further and recording was mostly done by the voice actors separately as many dozens of takes were necessary, and they organized themselves through a Line group. This created a bond between the cast that was unprecedented in previous productions. At the end of recording, Anno thanked the cast for their contributions. By early October 2020, animation was going through the final check. In late November, dialogue recording wrapped. In mid December, Studio Khara announced that compositing and editing work had finished. In late 2019, the film was scheduled for a June 27, 2020 release date but received two delays due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, first scheduled for a January 23, 2021 release date, before being released on March 8, 2021. Later, Amazon Prime Video acquired exclusive streaming rights to the film; it is scheduled for an August 13, 2021 international release date, excluding Japan. However, in late July 2021, Amazon Prime Video announced that it will also stream the film in Japan on the same day as its international release.

The film stars the voices talents of Ogata, Miyamura, Mitsuishi, Tachiki, Hayashibara, Sakamoto, Yamaguchi, Ishida, Seki, Iwanaga, Iwao, Nagasawa, Uchiyama, Kiyokawa, Yamadera, Kamiki, Ise, Sawashiro, Koyasu, Otsuka, Katsu, Yuuki and Ohara. Thanks to the performances given by the talented voice cast, this newest Evangelion installment just succeeds in engaging us with characters that we can root for.

If the previous films documents the process by which these characters are worn down to nothing, then this is what happens when they're reduced to exposed nerves. It's a Lynchian picture of the tormented mind, depression's figurative end of the world made literal. Nine years after the release of its predecessor, Evangelion remains one of the few franchises that covered depression well and, perhaps, is the strongest example in cinema. Perhaps one of the most nihilistic, avant-garde and devastating endings to an anime series ever conceived. It is the best and worst of everything that is Evangelion combined to create a finale that is unlike anything that had come before it. Best when it becomes a representation of anger, depression, embarrassment, and fear that rips apart animation from the guts and reassembles it according to a brand new set of rules. The film adapts the original story with new, cutting edge, CG-assisted animation that proves to be the pinnacle of the format thus far. Thankfully, all of these new bells and whistles haven't tarnished the story. This is mighty perplexing nerd kibble, its highfalutin' philosophical and psychological banter way too outlandish to seriously engage. Yet as a visceral experience, it's entrancing. However, the convoluted plot will make any neophyte more confused than a dog in space. Desiccated by its pretensions, it's freeze-dried melodrama. Nonetheless, it is an exhilarating adventure that offers compelling characters, a wonderfully imaginative story and dazzling special effects. Newbies might feel slightly perplexed, though. You don't have to be a giant Evangelion fan to enjoy the film, it asks whether it's possible to take on grown-up responsibilities and stay human at the same time. And the answer is as complicated as the mystery of the angels.

Simon says Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (シン・エヴァンゲリオン劇場版:𝄂) receives:

Also, see my review for Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ).

Film Review: "Free Guy" (2021).

"The world needed a hero. They got a guy" in Free Guy. This science fiction action comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and written by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn. A bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story... one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way... before it is too late.

The script was included in the 2016 Black List of "most liked" scripts. Levy originally read the script in 2016 but passed on it. Several years later, Levy was introduced to Reynolds by Hugh Jackman, a mutual friend, and the pair decided to work on the film after re-reading the script together. By mid May, Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery, Taika Waititi were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late July. Filming took place throughout Massachusetts, USA. The film was originally scheduled for a July 3rd, 2020 release date but was delayed to December 11th, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In early November 2020 the film was postponed indefinitely, before being rescheduled for May 21st, 2021. The film is now scheduled to release on August 13th, 2021.

The film stars Reynolds, Comer, Howery, Keery, Waititi. No characters, lead or supporting, feel fully drawn out or have complete arcs. The character development and emotional stakes may be undercooked, but it's such a thrill to watch a cast of this film's pedigree unrestrained and having fun.

While it won't blow you away with its plot, the film delivers enough fun and adventure to more than justify the price of admission. The setting of the film allows for some truly spectacular action set pieces and these are the strongest parts of the film. While the video game preoccupation is adequately and thoroughly visualized, the real world has plenty of missing details. It's a film to watch and enjoy once, but probably not to return to again and again. It's fixated on easter eggs and it's like an easter egg itself: shiny and pretty, inducing a brief sugar high, but ultimately hollow. While it's doubtful the film will ever occupy a sacred place in the pantheon of its influences and it occasionally struggles to evoke that same feeling you had watching one of the many films it channels. There are definitely seeds of an interesting premise here, but unfortunately, they degenerate into a bundle of clichés overloaded with pop culture allusions. If you're willing to enjoy the film superficially you'll have a good time. If you spend longer than five minutes thinking about it you'll consider it a crime against cinema. So in the end, my opinion on the film is that it was a fun ride that especially kids will love. But there are other films that are better. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Simon says Free Guy receives:

Also, see my review for Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

Film Review: "The Suicide Squad" (2021).

"They're dying to save the world" in The Suicide Squad. This superhero film written and directed by James Gunn and based on the DC Comics team Suicide Squad. It is a standalone sequel to Suicide Squad (2016) and the tenth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). 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.

In March 2016, despite the difficult production and eventual polarizing response, a sequel to Suicide Squad (2016) was expected with David Ayer and Will Smith expected to direct and star for a 2017 filming start after completing their work on Bright (2017). However, ultimately, Ayer left the project. By mid February 2017, Warner Bros. began searching for a new director for the sequel, and were considering Mel Gibson, Ruben Fleischer, Daniel Espinosa, Jonathan Levine, David S. Goyer and Guy Ritchie to direct the sequel. In March, Adam Cozad was hired to pen the script. In early July, Jaume Collet-Serra became the new frontrunner to direct, Zak Penn had pitched a new story treatment for the film to Warner Bros., and both Smith and Robbie were set to reprise their roles. However, later in July, Collet-Serra left the project to direct Jungle Cruise (2021). In August, it was announced that production was not expected to begin until Smith completed his work on Aladdin (2019) and Gemini Man (2019). In September, Gavin O'Connor was hired to direct and co-write the film with Anthony Tambakis. However, in early October, O'Connor left the project to direct The Way Back (2020). In October 2018, Gunn was hired to write and possibly direct. Warner Bros. had been interested in recruiting him for the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) immediately after his dismissal by Disney as director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) for his old controversial tweets. The day after he was hired by Warner Bros., Disney decided to reinstate him as director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In January 2019, the film was officially titled The Suicide Squad and was scheduled for release on August 6, 2021. In late February, Smith was revealed to no longer be in the film due to scheduling issues. By late September, it was announced that Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis and Jai Courtney would reprise their roles, with Idris Elba, John Cena, Sylvester Stallone, Peter Capaldi, David Dastmalchian, Michael Rooker, Alice Braga, Pete Davidson, Nathan Fillion, Sean Gunn, Taika Waititi and Storm Reid as newcomers. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late February 2020. Filming took place at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as Panama and Havana.

The characters are great and the movie is often very funny thanks to the talented cast who couldn't be more perfectly cast.

The film can be very emotionally affecting and disturbing, which might not suit everyone's tastes, but it's also an absorbing, entertaining and sometimes funny deviation from the usual superhero fodder.

Simon says The Suicide Squad receives:

Also, see my reviews for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Zack Snyder's Justice League.

Film Review: "Shiny_Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord" (2021).

"A Netflix documentary". This is Shiny_Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord. This German documentary film directed by Eva Müller and Michael Schmitt. Maximilian Schmidt aka Shiny Flakes reveals how he built an online drug empire from his childhood bedroom in the true story that also inspired the series How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast).

Maximilian Schmidt, better known as his online persona Shiny Flakes, started his own internet drug empire from his boyhood bedroom, and his life story is the subject of a feature-length documentary film. In February 2015, Maximilian, then nineteen years old, was arrested for distributing drugs worth 4.1 million euros over the course of fourteen months. German law enforcement has reportedly been unable to access two Bitcoin wallets associated with Schmidt, so they still don’t know where the bulk of the money went. In August 2015, Schmidt admitted to his offenses after his arrest and was given a youth sentence of seven years due to his emotional immaturity. Vice reports that Maximilian made two critical mistakes that ultimately led to his arrest by the Leipzig Police. First, he sent a package to the wrong address, and when it was returned, the courier discovered cocaine inside. The other was that he always dropped off his packages at the same post office, which was conveniently positioned near his home and was monitored by surveillance cameras. After his arrest, authorities took control of a number of Maximilian’s belongings, including the computer on which he ran his business and which included information on thousands of his customers. After the police gained access to Schmidt’s computer, they located the database, leading to the initiation of more than four-thousand criminal investigations. Because of this, Maximilian was called as a witness in hundreds of trials involving people who claimed to have purchased narcotics from his website, many of which he attended while out on day release. In June 2019, after serving just over half of his seven-year term, Schmidt was released from jail. The new alleged crime committed by Maximilian Schmidt is the subject of an ongoing inquiry. In August 2020, a narcotics bust occurred in Leipzig, where several people were detained. In March 2021, a new inquiry into Schmidt was opened when it was discovered that he was suspected of being one of several people behind a new drug-selling website.

Eva Müller and Michael Schmitt's revealing film exposes the player and his methods in the modern German drug trade that was literally conducted in his own bedroom. At nearly two hours, Maximilian Schmidt (appropriately) doesn't know when to stop talking, but as a chronicle of a teenage drug kingpin, it's both entertaining and just about definitive. There's so much compelling material here, all of it salacious and dangerous and so enjoyable that you might just feel a little guilty afterward. The film is gleefully manipulative -- which is meant as a compliment. Edited for maximum impact, it packs the furious momentum and dramatic punch of a riveting feature film.

Simon says Shiny_Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord receives: