Film Review: "Migration" (2023).

"Soar into a new adventure" in Migration. This animated adventure comedy film directed by Benjamin Renner, co-directed by Guylo Homsy, written by Mike White, and produced by Illumination. The Mallard family is in a bit of rut. While dad Mack is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England pond forever, mom Pam is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax and duckling daughter Gwen—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica. As the Mallards make their way South for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry. The experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends and accomplish more than they ever thought possible, while teaching them more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined.

In February 2022, Illumination announced a new film titled Migration, with Renner attached to direct with Homsy as co-director and White to pen the script. Renner described the film as Little Miss Sunshine (2006), but with ducks. The film's tone becomes more tense as the story progresses. Renner drew influences from his childhood experiences and dynamics with his family when making humorous situations for the Mallard family. When shaping the film's humor, Renner wanted to avoid "lazy jokes," which he felt were common in family films. He aimed for a sense of humor that could appeal to both children and adults. Additionally, a general rule he made for himself was for there to be no fart jokes. The filmmakers sought to treat the humans in the film in the way they believed ducks perceived them. White described the film as using a "comedic fantasy landscape" to explore its central themes. He said that the film has more depth than a standard children's film and a lot of Illumination's output, but still retains a zaniness that appeals to children. Like all the Illumination films, the film was animated by Illumination Studios Paris. Renner was tasked with adapting his minimalist drawing style from previous films for a computer-animated film, which requires backgrounds to be fully visualized and rendered instead of suggested. Renner described the difference between traditional animation and computer animation as being that the former is additive while the latter is subtractive. Working with computer animation, the director found that there were many elements he felt did not belong, such as texture, lighting, and shading.

The film stars the voice talents of Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Keegan-Michael Key, Awkwafina, Carol Kane, David Mitchell, Isabela Merced, and Danny DeVito. The film benefits from a good voice cast, bright and beautiful animation, and very funny and charming moments.

The film is consistently funny, it moves like the wind, and it's bizarre enough that adults might get more out of the odd storyline than kids just wanting to find out where babies come from.

Simon says Migration receives:

Also, see my reviews for The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (Le Grand Méchant Renard et autres contes) and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Film Review: "Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare" (2023).

From the director of The Yorkshire Ripper comes Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare. This documentary films directed by Liza Williams. Out-of-control teens across America were sent to a therapy camp in the harsh Utah desert. The conditions were brutal, but the staff were even worse.

On May 4, 2019, Steve Cartisano died of a heart attack after his long battle with cancer. However, the Challenger Foundation founder evidently left his mark on the world. Numerous teen rehabilitation programs exist today, and many of them have been accused of abuse over the years. In 1988, Cartisano created the wilderness therapy organization, which had the goal of rehabilitating "out-of-control" teenagers by utilizing negative reinforcement and forcing the campers to learn survival skills. However, conditions at the camp in the Utah desert were horrid, and the staff certainly did not make the children's lives any easier. Parents would pay thousands of dollars for workers at the Challenger Foundation to kidnap their teenage children from their homes and drag them to Utah, where they experienced awful treatment and had to hike five-hundred miles in the desert. They believed their kids would be reformed from their rebellious ways when they returned home, but most cases were not success stories. Following the death of a sixteen-year-old, Kristen Chase, in the summer of 1990 due to heatstroke during a brutal hike, the Challenger Foundation was shut down. However, Cartisano had to face the music and answer to the numerous allegations of abuse following the wilderness therapy program's end. However, according to Rolling Stone, a jury found Cartisano not guilty, and he was free to go about his life. But Chase's parents sought justice for the death of their child, so they filed a federal lawsuit against the therapy camp and Cartisano. The lawsuit was ultimately settled in 1994 for $260,000. Aside from that, Cartisano was essentially shunned from society, seeing that he had ruined his reputation by creating the controversial Challenger Foundation. But that didn't stop him from trying to continue his work. Cartisano opened more therapy camps for troubled teens and continued to leave a trail of abuse in his wake. He founded HealthCare America, which was shut down when teens under Cartisano's care were found tied to a car and had been abused. Once again, the organization's closing didn't stop Cartisano. He later opened Pacific Coast Academy, a pricey therapy camp in Samoa that the United States Embassy put an end to after a video exposing the horrific conditions the teens experienced was leaked.

Taking these omissions into account, the film remains a compelling story. Williams takes her time escalating the intensity of Cartisano's downward spiral, but the tale never feels slow, and it is perfectly plotted. An extreme documentary film that well and truly exhausts the con artist craze. An unbelievable if repetitive tale of deception and defrauding in 20th century America. In the end, it raises an important question: should you believe therapy camps entirely? And by doing so, it makes you question your own gullibility.

Simon says Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare receives:

Film Review: "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" (2023).

"The tide is turning" in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. This superhero film directed by James Wan, written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, and based on the DC Comics character crated by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris. It is the sequel to Aquaman (2018), and the 15th film and final installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.

During the production of the first film, Jason Momoa pitched a story for a sequel. However, Wan did not want to rush a sequel. Ultimately, in January 2019, Wan was in negotiations to return to the director's chair and oversee development when the first film was set to become the highest-grossing film based on a single DC Comics character. In February, Johnson-McGoldrick was hired to pen the sequel. In late February, Warner Bros. scheduled the film for a December 16, 2022 release date. In August 2020, it was confirmed that Wan would return to the director's chair. In March, the planned start date for filming was revealed to be in June, though there was potential for this to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, it was revealed that the film would begin filming in July. In June, the film's title was announced as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. By late June, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Kidman, and John Rhys-Davies were confirmed to reprise their roles, with Martin Short, Vincent Regan, Pilou Asbæk rounding out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early January 2022. Filming took place at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in London, as well as throughout England and California under the working title Necrus. The visual effects for the film were provided by Cinesite, DNEG, Industrial Light & Magic, Moving Picture Company, and Scanline VFX, with Nick Davis serving as the visual effects supervisor. In March, the film was moved to March 17, 2023. In August 2022, the film was delayed to December 25, 2023. In April 2023, the film's release date was moved to December 20, 2023. In October, the film was delayed to December 22, 2023.

Momoa continues to prove that he's one of the best casting choices of the millennium, interpreting Aquaman. I seriously cannot imagine another actor incorporating the character's essence as seamlessly as him.

And although it is true that the film is not as well-rounded as its predecessor, it maintains the elements that made the first a good film.

Simon says Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom receives:

Also, see my reviews for Malignant and Blue Beetle.

Film Review: "Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire" (2023).

"There are no heroes. Only rebels" in Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire. This epic space opera film directed by Zack Snyder, and written by Snyder, Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten. After crash landing on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe, Kora, a stranger with a mysterious past, begins a new life among a peaceful settlement of farmers. But she soon becomes their only hope for survival when the tyrannical Regent Balisarius and his cruel emissary, Admiral Noble, discover the farmers have unwittingly sold their crops to the Bloodaxes — leaders of a fierce group of insurgents hunted by the Motherworld. Tasked with finding fighters who would risk their lives to defend the people of Veldt, Kora and Gunnar, a tenderhearted farmer naive in the realities of war, journey to different worlds in search of the Bloodaxes, and assemble a small band of warriors who share a common need for redemption along the way: Kai, a pilot and gun for hire; General Titus, a legendary commander; Nemesis, a master swordswoman; Tarak, a captive with a regal past; and Milius, a resistance fighter. Back on Veldt, Jimmy, an ancient mechanized protector hiding in the wings, awakens with a new purpose. But the newly formed revolutionaries must learn to trust each other and fight as one before the armies of the Motherworld come to destroy them all.

Inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954), the project began development as a Star Wars film that Snyder had pitched to Lucasfilm, shortly after the sale of Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company in 2012. Snyder also pitched the idea as both a video game and a film to Warner Bros. Pictures. The project was later redeveloped by producer Eric Newman and Snyder, first as an original television series, before settling on a film by Netflix. By late April 2022, Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, Charlie Hunnam, Anthony Hopkins, Staz Nair, Fra Fee, Cleopatra Coleman, Stuart Martin, Cary Elwes, Jena Malone, Corey Stoll, and Ray Porter were cast. Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman and Anthony Daniels were considered before Hopkins was ultimately cast. Rupert Friend was originally cast, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, and Fee was ultimately cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early November. Filming took place throughout California, to tap into $83 million in qualified spending and tax incentives. In January 2023, it was revealed that Tom Holkenborg was hired to compose the film's score. In late August, it was confirmed that the first and second parts of Rebel Moon would be subtitled Part One: A Child of Fire and Part Two: The Scargiver, respectively.

Boutella and cast proves that they really are much more than a visually pleasing and imposing figures.

With his distinct, divisive filmmaking style completely unrestrained, for better or worst, Boutella and cast fight through the cliches, lack of character development, and excessive runtime to still offer plenty of excitement.

Simon says Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire receives:

Also, see my review for Army of the Dead.

Film Review: "Maestro" (2023).

From the director of A Star Is Born comes Maestro. This biographical drama film directed by Bradley Cooper, and written by Cooper and Josh Singer. This fearless love story chronicles the complicated lifelong relationship between music legend Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.

The project had been in development at Paramount Pictures, with Martin Scorsese initially attached to direct. However, he stepped down as director to work on The Irishman (2019). Steven Spielberg was also initially attached to direct the film and had approached Cooper to star, but offered the director position to Cooper after a screening of A Star Is Born (2018). Ultimately, in May 2018, Cooper was attached as director and to star as Bernstein. Cooper admitted that one of the challenges in playing Bernstein was that so much footage of him conducting exists, and he couldn't possibly replicate his talent. Cooper therefore focused on a single performance, Mahler's second symphony, which he spent years learning how to conduct convincingly as Bernstein. In January 2020, the project was moved to Netflix, with filming expected to begin in 2021. In September, the project was given the title Maestro with Carey Mulligan joining the cast. It was also announced that filming would begin in the spring of 2021. By late May 2021, Matt Bomer, Michael Urie, Sarah Silverman, and Maya Hawke rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late October. Filming took place in New York City; Fairfield, Connecticut; and Tanglewood, Massachusetts. Filming was initially expected to begin in early April 2021.

An endearing film with two impeccable performances from Cooper and Mulligan. Cooper extends his career into a new field with his dramatic work and Mulligan, who rivals him in both presence and raw talent, is a joy to watch. It's not easy to capture performances this raw, nor to conduct pieces such as Mahler's Symphony No. 2.  Cooper does it all to an impressive degree. Mulligan’s mere presence in the film allows Cooper a wide berth to go big with scenes and moments that play with and embrace camp. Mulligan’s performances always sizzle. Her bond with the audience is palpable and her joy in entertaining is apparent in every note.

While the story of the film may be familiar, there are enough good choices from Cooper to make his musical biopic of Bernstein feel fresh. There are moments where the pace can stop dead in its tracks. Other than that, this film is amazing and filled with an emotional story, fantastic performances, and wonderful music. For moments there, you're reminded what the power of this medium can be; the beautiful meshing of what we see and what we hear into a cataclysm of what we feel. Despite the film treading familiar ground in terms of its storytelling and having some underutilized talent, it still proves to be effective. The film is a tour de force sophomore effort that channels Cooper's off-screen struggles with his artistry that vibes deeply personal and painfully honest.

Simon says Maestro receives:

Also, see my review for A Star Is Born.

Film Review: "Finestkind" (2023).

From the writer and director of L.A. Confidential and 42 comes Finestkind. This crime thriller drama film written and directed by Brian Helgeland. The film tells the story of two brothers, raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over a fateful summer. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, the story takes on primal stakes when desperate circumstances force the brothers to strike a deal with a violent Boston crime gang. Along the way, a young woman finds herself caught perilously in the middle. Sacrifices must be made and bonds between brothers, friends, lovers, and a father and his son are put to the ultimate test.

In 2018, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ansel Elgort and Zendaya were attached to star in the film with Helgeland as writer and director. However, all dropped out after the project was stuck in development for several years. Helgeland first wrote the script in 1995 and Heath Ledger was originally attached at one point. By late April 2022, it was announced that Paramount+ had acquired the rights to the film. In addition, Ben Foster, Toby Wallace and Jenna Ortega replaced Gyllenhaal, Elgort and Zendaya, with Tommy Lee Jones, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Aaron Stanford, and Tim Daly rounding out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early June. Filming took place in Boston, Fairhaven and New Bedford, Massachusetts. During filming, some of the crew have made claims of not getting paid, and injury while on set.

The cast's individual performances are excellent, quite predictably, though their characters are two-dimensional at best. Lesser characters are caricatures - the cast as morally-ambiguous are particularly ill-used - and the film as a whole is all over the place, tonally and narratively. It's as if no one's sure whether it's a comedy, farce or tragedy.

For all its good looks, the film is a let-down, hampered by the vanity of its star and by what, for audiences, at least, feels like a Krays-lite version of a very familiar story. The film really does waste the majority of its potential, Helgeland never tapping into the story of two brothers in a way that is essential or lasting. The cast's excellent performance is sadly not enough to pick up the work of Helgeland, who is better suited writing great stories behind cameras. Even though the efforts to make the brothers likeable and endearing characters are there, we can't really empathize with them and the film feels just like another glorification of violence for violence sake. Helgeland revels in the violence and depravity, setting a dubious tone that, in that final act, has as much of a struggle as Foster's character in going straight. How you start with an epic crime tale and Forster at his most Forster and end up with something this tepid might even be a more interesting story than the movie itself. Writer-director Brian Helgeland gives us violence without felt menace, doomed romance without felt desperation, and decadence without felt pleasure.

Simon says Finestkind receives:

Also, see my review for Legend.

Film Review: "Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget" (2023).

"This time, they're breaking in!" This is Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. This British stop-motion animated comedy film directed by Sam Fell, written by Karey Kirkpatrick, John O'Farrell and Rachel Tunnard, and produced by Aardman Animations. It is a sequel to Chicken Run (2000). Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in!

In April 2018, a sequel was reported with Aardman Animations, StudioCanal and Pathé set to produce. DreamWorks had no involvement due to ending their partnership with Aardman after the release of Flushed Away in 2006. Fell was approached by Peter Lord in 2016 and was convinced to return to Aardman to direct the sequel. Kirkpatrick and O'Farrell returned to pen the sequel. In mid October 2019, the film officially began pre-production. Because very few props and models from the original film survived after being destroyed in a warehouse fire in 2005, Fell and his team resorted to use reference photos from original film's "making of" book. In June 2020, Fell released more details about the sequel, which would follow from the ending of the first film, where the chickens have settled into their new safe area. Molly, the chick of Ginger and Rocky, begins to outgrow the area, just as word of a new threat to the chickens arrives. By early 2021, Zachary Levi, Thandiwe Newton, David Bradley, Romesh Ranganathan and Daniel Mays replaced Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha, Benjamin Whitrow, Timothy Spall and Phil Daniels. While Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson and Miranda Richardson reprised their roles. Bella Ramsey, Nick Mohammed, Josie Sedgwick-Davies and Peter Serafinowicz rounded out the film's cast. Aardman said that Gibson was not asked to return as Rocky. In July 2020, Sawalha, the voice of Ginger in the first film, revealed Aardman's intention to recast her role, saying her voice now sounded too old. The decision was met with widespread criticism with some finding the decision ageist. At the same time, principal photography commenced. According to visual effects supervisor and executive producer Nick Park, the stop-motion animation used throughout the film was more complex than anything Aardman had done before.

The film stars the voice talents of Newton, Levi, Ramsey, Staunton, Ferguson, Bradley, Horrocks, Ranganathan, Mays, Serafinowicz and Richardson. The film is brilliantly voiced across the board, with special notice to Levi as Rocky, Newton as Ginger, and Ramsey as Molly. With a scene-stealing ensemble, the characters shine for their charisma and are led by three protagonists with hilarious chemistry. 

The film is not just a solid follow-up to Chicken Run, it’s an outstanding achievement in claymation: dazzling in its technical supremacy, wholesome storytelling, and universal humor.

Simon says Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget receives:

Also, see my reviews for ParaNorman and A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.

Film Review: "Wonka" (2023).

"Every Good Thing in this World Started With a Dream" in Wonka. This musical fantasy film directed by Paul King, written by King and Simon Farnaby, and based on the characters created by Roald Dahl. The film tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today. This irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

In October 2016, Warner Bros. Pictures reacquired the rights to Willy Wonka from Roald Dahl's estate, with a film in development from producers David Heyman and Michael Siegel. In February 2018, it was announced King was in negotiations to direct. In addition, it was reported the studio's shortlist of actors to star as Willy Wonka included Donald Glover, Ryan Gosling, and Ezra Miller, and it was revealed the film would serve as a prequel to the events of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In January 2021, it was confirmed King would direct the film, now titled Wonka, and it was reported that Timothée Chalamet and Tom Holland were the frontrunners for the title role. In May, Chalamet was cast, and it was announced the film would include several musical numbers. He was the director's only choice for the role, with King stating that he offered the actor the part with no audition after seeing his high school performances on YouTube, which proved his vocal and dancing skills. It was also revealed the script would be penned by Farnaby with Jeff Nathanson, Simon Rich, and Simon Stephenson provided additional literary material. By September, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman, and Hugh Grant rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place at the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, Watford, Hertfordshire. Filming also took place in Bath, Somerset; Lyme Regis, Dorset; Mapledurham, Berkshire; St Albans, Hertfordshire; and London, as well as throughout Oxfordshire. The film was originally set for a March 17, 2023 release date before its December 15, 2023 release date.

The film stars Chalamet, Lane, Key, Joseph, Lucas, Baynton, Hawkins, Atkinson, Carter, Colman, and Grant. The cast's roles are the true hidden treasures in the film. However, these actors all yield the floor to Chalamet's delightful performance as Roald Dahl's eponymous character.

This was incredibly entertaining and surprised me at every turn. All of the actors committed, the story was very sweet and I laughed several times. In the hands of the wrong director and/or actor, any script, even one this fine, might have been a disaster. Luckily, all involved were up to the task, and have delivered to us a warm, hilarious, joy-filled film. It's just what we all need right now.

Simon says Wonka receives:

Also, see my review for Paddington 2.

Film Review: "Silent Night" (2023).

"Action Speaks Louder Than Words" in Silent Night. This action thriller film directed by John Woo and written by Robert Archer Lynn. This gritty revenge tale follows a tormented father who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death.

In October 2021, the film was first announced as an action film without spoken dialogue, with Woo attached as director and Joel Kinnaman attached as lead star. The film would mark Woo's American directorial comeback, making it the first American film he directed since Paycheck (2003). In March 2022, a special effects assistant was injured during pre-production in a stunt trial run in Mexico City. The crew member was hit by a car, breaking his femur and dislocating his shoulder. By April, Scott Mescudi, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late May. Filming took place in Mexico City, Mexico. Woo decided to film the action in a more realistic manner that supports the emotional drama instead of having the action itself being the entertaining aspect, which was signature of his previous films. For the film, Kinnaman decided to try method acting for the first time and stop speaking for the entirety of the shoot. The lack of communication left the actor feeling lonely, and after multiple start attempts, he decided that the silent car ride to his first day on set was long enough to get him excited for the film.

The film stars Kinnaman, Mescudi, Torres, and Moreno. Thanks to the performances, especially from Kinnaman, the film generally holds together rather well and is bound to keep Woo's most faithful fans happy. 

Has the familiar manic energy and sincere commitment to the weirdness of Woo's original Hollywood output, but it's not quite the return to the glory days some might have been hoping for. One of the central pleasures of genre cinema is running your fingers along well-worn grooves, but while the film trots out a lot of chestnuts, it's the film's tendency to burn through them with bemusing haste. The chases and gunfights in the film are impressive and brisk, containing just as much panache as you remember from John Woo films of twenty years ago. It's got the white doves, gratuitous slo-mo and operatic gunplay that fans of Woo's earlier films would expect, but the whole thing is as slackly executed as an "Expendables" movie. It's the kind of cartoonish film where, no matter what the odds and how many bullets are flying at our heroes, they never get seriously injured. Familiar and perhaps even retro though it is, the film is a thoroughly enjoyable full-tilt action lark, which should introduce a new generation to Woo's patented style.

Simon says Silent Night receives:

Also, see my review for Manhunt (追捕).

Film Review: "Next Goal Wins" (2023).

"Inspired by a true story" comes Next Goal Wins. This sports comedy-drama film directed by Taika Waititi, written by Waititi and Iain Morris, and based on the 2014 documentary of the same title by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. The film follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around.

In August 2019, it was announced that Fox Searchlight Pictures had set up an initially unspecified project with Waititi attached to pen the script and direct prior to his obligations to Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). It was later revealed as being a feature film adaptation of Brett and Jamison's 2014 documentary. In September, Michael Fassbender entered final negotiations to star in the film. In October, he would be confirmed to star. By November, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Armie Hammer, Elisabeth Moss, Uli Latukefu, Rhys Darby, Angus Sampson, Luke Hemsworth, Kaitlyn Dever, Frankie Adams and Waititi rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, with a budget of $14 million, principal photography commenced and wrapped in January 2020. Filing took place in Honolulu, Hawaii. In December 2021, it was announced that Will Arnett replaced Hammer, due to the latter being accused of sexual assault by multiple women. The part, initially intended as a cameo, was expanded when Arnett joined. The film was originally set for an April 21, 2023 release date, before being postponed to September 22, 2023, and then to its November 17, 2023 release date.

It's worth seeing, however-particularly for Fassbender, who adds to his gallery of great performances with a turn as a down-on-his-luck, maverick coach that nearly steals the film whole.

The pace is a little leisurely, and it doesn't demand to be seen on a big screen, but much like the characters it portrays the film is an unassuming winner. Much of the comedy is too broad to truly satirise the subject matter, unable to nail the emotional beats when it finally confronts the true reality and horror of the situation. I suspect the strangely good-natured feel of the film will win the hearts of many viewers, but my own head remained too muddled by its uneven and oddly indecisive approach to embrace whatever quirky virtues it may possess. There is a gentleness here present in all Waititi films, but that soft touch does not quite work in a story dealing with the humanist idea of underdogs defying all odds, a theme diluted by the excess of supporting characters and secondary ideas. Many filmmakers have made excellent comedies about football - Waititi is the rare one to be out of his depth in finding humour in the material, and offering anything meaningful to say about the mob mentality of underdogs. The film lingers rather too long towards the end on drawing out its message, but it is a thoroughly engaging exploration of sport, culture, community and the nature of achievement.

Simon says Next Goal Wins receives:

Also, see my review for Thor: Love and Thunder.

Film Review: "12.12: The Day" ("서울의 봄") (2023).

"1979. Seoul. Everything changed that night." This is 12.12: The Day (서울의 봄). This South Korean historical action drama film written and directed by Kim Sung-su. After the assassination of President Park, martial law has been declared. A coup d’état bursts out by Defense Security Commander Chun Doo-gwang and a private band of officers following him. Capital Defense Commander Lee Tae-shin, an obstinate soldier who believes the military should not take political actions, fights against Chun Doo-gwang to stop him. The conflict between the two grows while military leaders are holding their decision and Defense Minister is gone. In the midst of chaos, the spring of Seoul that everyone longed for heads to unexpected direction.

On December 12, 1979, the military mutiny known as The Coup d'état of December Twelfth (12.12 군사반란), or the "12.12 Military Insurrection", took place. Republic of Korea Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan, commander of the Defence Security Command, acting without authorization from Acting President Choi Kyu-hah, ordered the arrest of General Jeong Seung-hwa, ROK Army Chief of Staff, on allegations of involvement in the assassination of former. After Jeong's capture, 29th Regiment of the 9th Division, along with the 1st Special Forces Brigade and 3rd Special Forces Brigade, invaded downtown Seoul to support the 30th and 33rd Capital Security Group loyal to Chun, then a series of conflicts broke out in the capital. Two of Jeong's allies, Major General Jang Tae-wan (Commander of Army Capital Security Command) and Major General Jeong Byeong-ju (Commander of Army Special Warfare Command), were also arrested by the rebel troops. Major Kim Oh-rang, aide-de-camp of Jeong Byeong-ju, was killed during the gunfight. By the next morning, the Ministry of Defense and Army HQ were all occupied. Chun and his fellow 11th class of Korea Military Academy graduates, such as Major General Roh Tae-woo, commanding general of 9th Infantry Division, and Major General Jeong Ho-yong, were in charge of the Korean military. Chun was supported in the coup and the subsequent consolidation of power by the powerful private club of military officials called Hanahoe. The Coup d'état of December Twelfth and the Coup d'état of May Seventeenth ended the Fourth Republic of South Korea and led to the establishment of the Fifth Republic of South Korea. The coup, alongside the Gwangju Uprising, is the primary justification of Chun's 1995 arrest by the Kim Young-sam administration.

By February 2022, Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Kim Eui-sung, Jung Dong-hwan, Ahn Nae-sang, Choi Byung-mo, Park Hoon, Kim Sung-oh, Park Won-sang, Jeon Su-ji, Jung Man-sik, Jung Hae-in, and Lee Joon-hyuk were cast in a historical action drama about the Coup d'état of December Twelfth, with Kim Sung-su attached as writer and director. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in July. Director Kim Sung-su revealed at the press conference that he was a senior in high school at the time of the Coup d'état of December Twelfth and was living in Hannam-dong, Seoul, where the incident occurred. He left his house and was walking around the neighborhood, and when he heard a gunshot from the Army Chief of Staff's official residence, he went there, but the soldiers controlled it. He was scared because he heard gunshots all night and he couldn't get close, but he was full of curiosity and questions at the time because he couldn't figure out what was going on, which led him to make this film.

The film stars Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Kim Eui-sung, Jung Dong-hwan, Ahn Nae-sang, Choi Byung-mo, Park Hoon, Kim Sung-oh, Park Won-sang, Jeon Su-ji, Jung Man-sik, Jung Hae-in, and Lee Joon-hyuk. A top cast deliver excellent performances all-round but it's Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung who really shined. Jung Woo-sung's portrayal of Lee is excellent as it fully encapsulates the woes of any person bounded by circumstances such as his.

Throughout the film we mostly see Defense Security Commander Chun Doo-gwang through the eyes of his cronies and victims- as a crazed psychopath who cannot be stopped and cannot be negotiated with...a fitting metaphor for the South Korean dictatorship as a whole. The film shys away from the bullet points that historians have recorded in favor of the unremembered individuals whose actions contributed to free elections in South Korea. Slick and accomplished, the film is also single-minded and forthright in its intentions, propelled by an exasperated nation which demanded more of its public officials. South Korea's fraught transition from one dictatorship to another on December 12, 1979, is shaped with fictional detail and sometimes excessive melodrama, but as a political thriller Kim Sung-su's film has a tense urgency as the resistance slowly turns the tide. The filmmakers turn these historical events into a satisfying, fast-paced, gripping and smart thriller, focusing on a myriad of characters all united by their activism and disgust for the men in charge. Heartbreaking and inspiring, dark and illuminating, the film shows us how the power and beauty of cinema can capture a moment in time, and its ability to frame and glorify the human spirit. The power struggles between all the above characters, along with the constant shifting of both loyalties and the upper hand, are the backbone of an intricate script, which is concluded, in the most spectacular fashion. The film may be painstaking in the way that he reconstructs Korea's past, but the story that he tells is also a parable of power and its abuses that resonates beyond the specificities of the Fifth Republic to any and every era. Kim Sung-su's screenplay is clever in the way it uses a straightforward premise as a hook for the deeper and more troubling elements of this story. The film is an exceptional mainstream film that uses the true-story setting to present a captivating political thriller whose atmosphere, acting and direction will satisfy all viewers. Overall, the film's involving period detail and simmering intrigue allow it to stand alongside those classic American political thrillers of the 1970s.

Simon says 12.12: The Day (서울의 봄) receives:

Also, see my review for Asura: The City of Madness (아수라).

Film Review: "The Boy And The Heron" ("君たちはどう生きるか") (2023).

From the Academy Award-winning director of Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し), Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) and Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) comes The Boy And The Heron (君たちはどう生きるか). This Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and produced by Studio Ghibli. After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself. 

In September 2013, following the release of The Wind Rises, Miyazaki held a press conference in Venice announcing his retirement from feature animation. However, Miyazaki later changed his mind after concluding work on the short film Boro the Caterpillar (毛虫のボロ) (2018) and decided to come out of retirement to direct another full-length film, a decision. In July 2016, he commenced storyboarding for the film and presented a project proposal for it in August. This proposal included a children's novel The Book of Lost Things by Irish author John Connolly, which formed "a loose framework" for the project. Edogawa Ranpo's Ghost Tower (幽霊塔), which Miyazaki loved as a child, inspired the tower in the film. Producer Toshio Suzuki later approved the project, taking into account Miyazaki's commitment and storyboard work. In February 2017, after Suzuki publicly announced the start of work on Miyazaki's new film, the studio's official website posted a call for staff for the new project on May 19, 2017, and production began in earnest. With Miyazaki coming out of retirement, Studio Ghibli reopened with many of its past collaborators working on the project. In October, Studio Ghibli announced the film would be titled How Do You Live?, after the 1937 novel of the same name by Genzaburo Yoshino. The release date was not determined, but Miyazaki voiced his desire to release the film around the time of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan. In August 2018, Suzuki stated that the film was expected to be completed in 2021 or 2022. In late October 2019, the film was confirmed to be 15% complete. In December, Suzuki confirmed that the film is not to be expected anytime soon; Miyazaki in his younger age used to produce ten minutes of animation every month, but now his speed was reduced to one minute per month. Unlike his previous films, Miyazaki did not oversee every single frame and focused solely on creating the film's blueprint through storyboarding, while the animation director Takeshi Honda took charge of the animation process. In March 2020, Suzuki disclosed that since the new film required a significant amount of time and money, the studio planned to finance the production by showcasing their previously released films on streaming platforms like Netflix. In May, Suzuki recounted that the film was a "big fantastical" film. He said that sixty animators were working on the film and that an estimated thirty-six minutes had been completed after three years of production. In December, Suzuki stated that the production was working with no deadlines, similarly to The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) (2013), which took eight years to make. He said that the animation was half-finished, that production was running faster due to COVID-19 restrictions requiring them to work at home, and that the film would be one-hundred and twenty-five minutes long. He also revealed that Miyazaki wanted to adapt Earwig and the Witch (アーヤと魔女) (2020) during development, but his son Goro ultimately directed the adaptation instead. Cinematographer Atsushi Okui introduced the idea of utilizing Dolby Cinema to Miyazaki during the production of Earwig and the Witch, which received the director's approval. In October 2022, Executive Producer Koji Hoshino mentioned during a press conference that the production of the film had progressed quite smoothly, even during the pandemic, and was nearing completion. Hoshino did not specify the exact release date for the film. Suzuki considered the film to be the most expensive ever produced in Japan. The production timeline spanned approximately seven years, comprising two and a half years dedicated to pre-production activities and about five years for the production phase. In June 2023, Suzuki clarified that the novel is not related to the film beyond inspiring the title.

The film stars the voice talents of Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura, Takuya Kimura, Kaoru Kobayashi, and Shinobu Otake. It is the perfect combination, wildly creative animation with warm and subtle performances at its core. It's easy to get lost amid the flow, as characters transform and magical powers emerge and disappear without warning.

The film undoubtedly stands out as a film with an incredible amount of passion and inspiration behind it, bringing to life a story that stays with audiences and engages them on a deeply personal level. A fascinating last film for Miyazaki and a swan song that seems to encapsulate the animator’s recurrent autobiographical strains in largely real-world terms. Miyazaki's swansong is every bit as masterful as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, tempered only by a bittersweet sadness which runs throughout. A celebration of craft, graft and inspiration, the film is a final masterpiece from an industry legend - and a ballsy statement that animated wonder needn't be confined to genre ghettos. Impossibly gorgeous, with especially painterly backgrounds and detailed attention to not only everyday sounds but the alien noises during and after a temblor.

Simon says The Boy And The Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) receives:

Also, see my review for The Wind Rises (風立ちぬ).

Film Review: "Trolls Band Together" (2023).

"There are some new trolls on the block" in Trolls Band Together. This animated musical comedy film co-directed by Walt Dohrn and Tim Heitz, and written by Elizabeth Tippet, based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls from Thomas Dam, and produced by DreamWorks Animation. It serves as the sequel to Trolls World Tour (2020), and the third installment in the Trolls franchise. After two films of true friendship and relentless flirting, Poppy and Branch are now officially, finally, a couple! As they grow closer, Poppy discovers that Branch has a secret past. He was once part of her favorite boyband phenomenon, BroZone, with his four brothers: Floyd, John Dory, Spruce and Clay. BroZone disbanded when Branch was still a baby, as did the family, and Branch hasn’t seen his brothers since. But when Branch’s bro Floyd is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains—Velvet and Veneer—Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop-culture obscurity.

In late November 2021, it was announced that a third Trolls film would be released in theaters on November 17, 2023. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake were confirmed to reprise their voice roles as Poppy and Branch. In late March 2023, Eric André, Kid Cudi, Daveed Diggs, Troye Sivan, Camila Cabello, Amy Schumer, Andrew Rannells, RuPaul, and Zosia Mamet rounded out the film's voice cast. Moreover, Dohrn returned to direct the third installment. Heitz was later announced as co-director. In addition, DreamWorks Animation revealed the official title, Trolls Band Together. According to Shay, the idea for the film came about right after Trolls (2016). Although the film was predominantly CGI animation, the film includes some 2D animation sequences done by Titmouse, Inc., with animation styles inspired by Yellow Submarine (1968) and Fantasia (1940). The film is the last film for the franchise to be animated by DWA Glendale, as past of layoffs due to cost cutting measures, with Sony Imageworks taking over as animation supervisor for future DreamWorks films, including Trolls sequels.

The film stars the voice talents of Kendrick, Timberlake, André, Cudi, Diggs, Sivan, Cabello, Schumer, Rannells, RuPaul, and Mamet. Timberlake and Kendrick's performances give this fun, colorful, and infectious musical sequel families will love some harmony.

The film is about the same as the first where it's a visually beautiful spectacle, but its weak script keeps it away from being anything more than a forgettably generic kids flick. It's a journey well-trodden, but nonetheless elevated by tight visuals, high-energy, and good vibes that make for some easy-breezy viewing. It is nowhere near the quality of the first film, with fleeting fun attached to mostly forgettable songs. What's missing is the wonderful weirdness that made the original ilm the strangest children's entertainment since H.R. Pufnstuf. Story wise, this one feels formulaic with less of an edge. The songs are kinda boring and the plot's pretty rote, but this film is shockingly beautiful and thought-through in all the design elements.

Simon says Trolls Band Together receives:

Also, see my review for Trolls World Tour and Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken.

Film Review: "Napoleon" (2023).

"He came from nothing. He conquered everything." This is Napoleon. This historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott, and written by David Scarpa. The film details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine.

In mid October 2020, the same day his film The Last Duel (2021) wrapped filming, Scott announced the film, at that point provisionally called Kitbag, as his next project for 20th Century Studios, which he would direct and produce from a script penned by Scarpa. Joaquin Phoenix was reportedly attached to star as the French general and emperor, marking his second collaboration with Scott after Gladiator (2000). In January 2021, Apple Studios announced its commitment to finance and produce the film, with shooting scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom in 2022. In September, Jodie Comer was attached to star as Josephine. However, in early January 2022, Comer revealed her departure from the film due to scheduling changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, Vanessa Kirby was announced as her replacement. In addition, the film had been retitled to Napoleon. The historian Lorris Chevalier, who worked on The Last Duel, became the historical advisor. By February, Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles, Ludivine Sagnier, Matthew Needham, Ian McNeice, and Rupert Everett rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place throughout England, France, Malta and Morocco. The film was shot under the working title Marengo, a reference to the Battle of Marengo in 1800.

The movie is distinguished by the uniform excellence of its actors, Phoenix, in particular, gives a performance of striking stillness and reserve. Phoenix's performance as the titular figure is actually worth the cost of admission, and there is exemplary supporting work by Kirby, Rahim, Miles, Sagnier, Needham, McNeice, and Everett.

Storytelling is sacrificed for spectacle, resulting in something breathtakingly epic yet partially unsatisfying and unfortunately forgettable. Even with the prospect of a four-hour director's cut, Scott's film remains a rather uneventful epic with a story that fails to completely engage. The film is an extraordinary work of art, an examination of the titular figure works because of sheer filmmaking prowess and good, old-fashioned storytelling. Any film daring to touch upon the life of the French military figure deserves to be appreciated for its candor & for its delicacy. Plus, come on, it's Ridley Scott. Scott's visual style and knack for epic storytelling carries us through, and makes his latest work passable, if not memorable, oversized entertainment. Scott's battles are ferocious things of grim beauty -- bloody, personal and deafening crashes of armored men and horses colliding at full gallop. Scott's interesting but uneven effort doesn't disappoint when it comes to Napoleon's sieges, which all has scale and a truly frightening quality. You may not leave the theater feeling better educated about history or enlightened about the titular figure, but you will leave satisfied that the filmmakers have delivered one-hundred-and-fifty-eight minutes of exciting, visceral cinema.

Simon says Napoleon receives:

Also, see my review for House of Gucci.

Film Review: "Godzilla Minus One" ("ゴジラ-1.0") (2023).

"Postwar Japan. From zero to minus." This is Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0). This Japanese kaiju film written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, and produced by Toho Studios. It is the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise, Toho's 33rd Godzilla film, and the fifth film in the franchise's Reiwa era. Japan is already devastated by the war when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster.

In 2019, following the release of his film The Great War of Archimedes, Yamazaki was hired to direct. He began preparing the project and initially spending a year developing the script, however, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the crew to postpone filming for a few years, allowing the script to be rewritten. The script was reportedly completed over the course of three years. Yamazaki said that the worldwide anxiety and government unreliability during the pandemic was one of his major inspirations for the story. He also expressed that he hopes the movie reflects these events clearly. Yamazaki later revealed that he was inspired by Shusuke Kaneko's Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (ゴジラ・モスラ・キングギドラ 大怪獣総攻撃) (2001) —which he has cited as his favorite Godzilla film — while writing the script. Yamazaki was also heavily influenced by Godzilla (ゴジラ) (1954). The film marks Yamazaki's third time working on a production utilizing Godzilla. His first being Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 (Always 続・三丁目の夕日) (2007) which featured the fictional monster in the film's dream-like opening. During preproduction on the film, he also directed and created the effects for Seibu-en Amusement Park's motion simulator attraction Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle (2021). Godzilla's appearance in the film was closely based on the design seen in the 2021 CGI short film that accompanied the amusement park attraction in the city of Tokorozawa. The short was also a period piece set in the Showa period (1926-1989), with Yamazaki considering the era inseparable from the genre. Yamazaki would reuse that design with a few alterations on the proportions for this film. In late February 2022, Robot Communications announced the film, under the working title Blockbuster Monster Movie (超大作怪獣映画), via a casting call on their official website. Robot stated Yamazaki would direct and that the film would be presented by Toho. The next day, HuffPost writer Kenji Ando mentioned the conjecture from fans on social media whether the film would be a remake of the 1954 film. Ando also noted that it is a period piece set in postwar Japan between 1945 and 1947, citing Yamazaki's comments from an interview regarding his depiction of Godzilla in Always: Sunset on Third Street 2: "You can't have Godzilla unless it's the Shōwa era." This would mark the first Godzilla movie to be a period piece, set during the American occupation of Japan and almost a decade before the original film. In early November, Toho declared that Yamazaki's unnamed kaiju project is a Godzilla film, at an event celebrating the franchise's 68th anniversary known as "Godzilla Day". The company also revealed that the film had completed filming and had entered post-production with a targeted November 3, 2023 release date. Yamazaki was also named the film's writer and visual effects supervisor. During a press conference on December 13, 2022, Toho's head of planning Hisashi Usui implied that the new film is connected to the 1954 film.

By mid March, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early June. Filming took place in Kantō, Aichi prefecture and Chūbu, Nagano prefecture, Honshu. According to Robot's website, the film would be set between 1945 and 1947, so there would be restrictions on the extras' costume sizes, hairstyles (declaring that long-haired men must have perms), and hair colors (declaring that hair dyeing would not be allowed). The production had an estimated budget of US$15 million, under 10% of the franchise's previous installment, Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). The visual effects were handled by Shirogumi at their studio in Chōfu, under the supervision of Yamazaki and direction of Kiyoko Shibuya. The team began creating the effects for the film around April 2022, per the TV Shinshu special about Yamazaki that was released the following year. Shirogumi revealed by opening a recruitment call for visual effects designers and compositors in August 2022, that post-production had begun and visual effects were taking place from that same month until January 2023; they later changed the dates to between November 2022 and February 2023. Their website also stated that the 3D animation software Houdini and Maya would be used to design and Nuke would be used to composite the visual effects. In late May 2023, post-production concluded, after the visual effects were finished. During an interview alongside Higuchi, Yamazaki noted that Godzilla's destruction in the film are inspired by Shin Higuchi's effects from Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (ガメラ3 邪神〈イリス〉覚醒) (1999). Instead of creating a new roar, the crew simply played the original Godzilla roar over loud speakers and recorded the audio.

The film stars Kamiki, Hamabe, Yamada, Aoki, Yoshioka, Ando, and Sasaki. Yamazaki's vision and the cast's portrayals of the cast of characters are thoughtful and emotional without straying too far from the Godzilla formula established in films like the original 1954 Gojira.

Populist entertainment at its finest, the film is an enormously effective one, full of exciting ocean and aerial combat, engaging story twists, and compelling characterization. A very entertaining and offbeat spin on Japan's titular giant kanji and the national mood at the time, and an intriguing if somewhat far-fetched "what if" about the country's long, painful journey after World War II.

Simon says Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) receives:

Also, see my reviews for Stand by Me Doraemon 2 and Godzilla: The Planet Eater (ゴジラ: 星を喰う者).

Film Review: "Thanksgiving" (2023).

"There will be no leftovers" in Thanksgiving. This slasher film directed by Eli Roth, and written by Jeff Rendell. After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan. Will the town uncover the killer and survive the holidays…or become guests at his twisted holiday dinner table?

After director Roth created the fake movie trailer, Thanksgiving, for the film Grindhouse (2007), plans for a feature-length adaptation began. In 2010, Roth confirmed that he was penning the script with Rendell and that he hoped to complete it once he was done with press for The Last Exorcism (2010). By August 2012, Jon Watts and Christopher D. Ford were set to pen the screenplay with Roth and Rendell after they finished writing the Roth-produced Clown (2014). In June 2016, Roth revealed that the script still needed work in order for the film to live up to the trailer. In February 2019, reports indicated that Roth was slated to direct an undisclosed horror film for Miramax the next month in Boston, Massachusetts. It was speculated that the film could potentially be Thanksgiving but was unable to verify. By mid March 2023, Patrick Dempsey, Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon, and Lynne Griffin were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late April. Filming took place throughout Ontario, Canada.

The film stars Dempsey, Hoffman, Gershon, and Griffin. It's completely goofball stuff, but engaging and, at times, exciting, giving a notoriously lazy genre a firm towel snap as it strives to turn a modest budget into a nail-biter, partly thanks to the performances.

The film is one of the best in the endless cycle of slasher flicks, largely because it arrived before the genre got set within its tired and overly familiar parameters. A well-made excursion into the bloody unknown, driven by characterization and modulated by a tone that knows when to amplify the scares and when to back away from them, usually at the service of a story with the morbid curiosity to investigate further. Like Carpenter, Roth avoids graphic gore, focussing instead on suggestion and using careful mise-en-scene, editing and use of music to build suspense. Even if it was aiming to cash in on the Thanksgiving setting, the connection to the holiday only heightens the absurd and entertaining horrors contained within its run time. While I have a great amount of love for the slasher subgenre as a whole, there's a real charm to the film that makes it a standout amongst its cinematic peers. An ideal weekend movie, the sort of entertaining modest-budget horror item that will work best for audiences looking to unwind and have fun after a long, busy work week. For a cheap cash-in (which this no doubt is), there's still a solid amount going on under Thanksgiving Day's hood, even as the bodies begin to pile toward the ceiling.

Simon says Thanksgiving receives:

Also, see my review for The House with a Clock on Its Walls.

Film Review: "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" (2023).

"You're invited to return to the games" with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This dystopian action film directed by Francis Lawrence, adapted by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt, and based on the 2020 novel of the same title by Suzanne Collins. It serves as a prequel to The Hunger Games (2012), and is the fifth installment in The Hunger Games film series. Experience the story sixty-four years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, and decades before Coriolanus Snow became the tyrannical President of Panem. The film follows a young Coriolanus who is the last hope for his failing lineage, the once-proud Snow family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute from the impoverished District 12. But after Lucy Gray's charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates. With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor. Battling his instincts for both good and evil, Snow sets out on a race against time to survive and reveal if he will ultimately become a songbird or a snake.

In August 2011, Lionsgate expressed interest in spin-offs of The Hunger Games film series, with intentions to form a writers' room to explore the concept. In June 2019, it was announced that the company was working with Collins on an adaptation of her 2020 novel. By April 2020, Collins and Lionsgate confirmed that plans were underway for the film's development. Lawrence was later confirmed to return to direct, after doing so for the prior three films in the series since The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Collins, Arndt and Lesslie were hired to pen the adaptation. Concerned over the book's length, Lawrence briefly considered to split the film in two parts like he did with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, but desisted due to his regrets over that decision. By early July, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Josh Andrés Rivera, Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Fionnula Flanagan, Burn Gorman, and Ashley Liao were cast. In addition, James Newton Howard confirmed that he would return to score the film. Cody Fern, Lucky Blue Smith, Michael Ridley, and Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen were considered for the role of Coriolanus Snow. Maiah Wynne, Thomasin McKenzie, Andrea Chaparro, and Kaylee Bryant were considered for the role of Lucy Gray Baird. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early November. Filming took place throughout Germany and Poland.

The fim stars Blyth, Zegler, Rivera, Davis, Dinklage, Schwartzman, Schafer, Flanagan, Gorman, and Liao. The strength of Coriolanus Snow as a character and Blyth's performance is what makes the film so compelling.

Even by blockbuster standards, this is some heavily recycled material, and it's pretty long. But it's well done and will spirit away a cold Saturday afternoon nicely.

Simon says The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes receives:

Also, see my review for Slumberland and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.

Film Review: "The Marvels" (2023).

"Higher. Further. Faster. Together." This is The Marvels. This superhero film directed by Nia DaCosta, written by Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik, based on the Marvel Comics characters created by Roy Thomas, Gene Colan, Roger Stern, John Romita Jr., Sana Amanat, Stephen Wacker, G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona, and Jamie McKelvie, and produced by Marvel Studios. It is the sequel to the film Captain Marvel (2019), a continuation of the television miniseries Ms. Marvel (2022), and the 33rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol's estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as "The Marvels."

In July 2019, at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios confirmed plans to make a sequel to Captain Marvel. In January 2020, development began with McDonnell was hired after working on the television miniseries WandaVision (2021) to pen the script, and Brie Larson was set to reprise her role. In April, the film was scheduled for a July 8, 2022 release date. In August, DaCosta was hired to direct. The studio had also considered Olivia Wilde and Jamie Babbit as directors. In December, Feige announced the film with a November 11, 2022 release date, and Teyonah Parris was revealed to be reprise her role alongside Iman Vellani. By late July 2021, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, and Samuel L. Jackson rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in mid August under the working title Goat Rodeo. Filming took place throughout Italy and England, as well as in California and New Jersey, and at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England. In October, the film's release was delayed to February 17, 2023. In January 2022, Laura Karpman was hired to compose the score for the film. In April 2022, the film's release was moved again to July 28, 2023. Finally, in February 2023, the film's release was delayed to November 10, 2023.

The film stars Larson, Parris, Vellani, Ashton, Lewis, Park, and Jackson. I wasn't a big fan of this movie and some of the performances. I was surprised with how low the stakes in this story were. Larson, Harris, Vellani, Ashton, Park and Jackson were wasted.

The film is undoubtedly one of the worst movies of the year and a clear indication for Marvel to start making movies again instead of peddling products that promote future products. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Shoulder Shrug kicked off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and now unfortunately continues with this film. 

Simon says The Marvels receives:

Also, see my reviews for Candyman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.