Halloween Ends (2022) Review

Title: Halloween Ends
Year: 2022
Director: David Gordon Green
Country: US
Language: English

Admittedly, I've never seen a Halloween movie, so starting at Halloween Ends is pretty darn strange. Best case scenario, I'm not tainted by the fandom of the original and can view this installment with fresh eyes. While I don't know much about the Franchise, I do know that the original was the best & every sequel "ruined" the canon for various reasons. For example, Rob Zombie's Halloween was bad because they tried to explain the character's backstory too much. 

Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis), after allowing the specter of Michael to determine and drive her reality for decades, has decided to liberate herself from fear and rage and embrace life. But when a young man, Corey Cunningham, is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can't control, once and for all.

If you enjoyed the Halloween series solely due to Michael Myers then you will be very disappointed. He is only around for 15 minutes of the film, has no menacing qualities, and the story really doesn't revolve around him. I have no attachment to the character, so I found this film somewhat appealing! I like that this is a somewhat philosophical film about the nature of evil. Is Corey innately evil or is a cruel society pushing him towards it? 

This could be a pretty great thriller, but it is weighed down by its Halloween-ness. Its attempt to appeal to longtime fans, which is ultimately doesn't, makes the picture less compelling. The whole film builds up to Corey's serial killer origin story, but the last act forgets about him and instead gives us Laurie vs. Michael Myers. Haven't fans of Halloween seen that confrontation before? I think a "passing of the torch" scene between Michael & Corey would have been a great use for both characters. 

Halloween Ends is a film with a lot of potential. Its journey is intriguing, but the outcome isn't very satisfying and will leave many feeling like they wasted their time. If I were a Halloween fan, I would think the franchise needs to move on & stick with a new baddie. 

Bros (2022) Review

Title: Bros
Year: 2022
Director: Nicholas Stellar
Country: US
Language: English

The trailer for Bros looked unappealing to me. It makes the picture come across as obnoxious, condescending and preachy. Quite frankly, I didn't think Billy Eichner had the "leading man" appeal to carry a romantic comedy. I was wrong. Bros is one of the funniest comedies I've seen in a long time; perhaps producer Judd Apatow's best...and he made The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) 

Two men with intimacy problems, Bobby (Billy Eichner) and Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), attempt to enter a relationship. 

Claimed to be the first feature film starring an all LGBTQ+ cast, and one of the rare queer films produced by a large studio, Bros is quite a daring endeavor. It is an innovative satire that makes fun of Hallmark Movies, "Woke" culture, Romantic Comedies, Cishet norms, Popcuture etc. while also weaving into a meaningful and heartfelt drama. I found myself literally laughing out loud as much as I did on the verge of tears. 

Under a less talented crew, Bros could have been overly preachy & lack any subtlety in regards to its messaging. Thankfully, Bros is a fairly smart picture that confirms the need of LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream pop culture. Perhaps, despite it bombing at the box office, this picture will be seen as the beginning of a new genre of popular pictures. 

Bros was sweet, funny, sad, heartwarming and, as stated before, absolutely hilarious. A particular scene I loved is when Eichner is full of "roid rage" and lesbians are pinning him down. Eichner's comedic timing is remarkable; on track with the best of comedians.

She-Hulk (2022) Review

Title: She-Hulk
Year: 2022
Director: Jessica Gao
Country: US
Language: English

She-Hulk has to be the most abysmal entry into Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's impossible to critique because Disney has successfully politicized the show. The character herself constantly breaks the fourth wall to mention her "haters", which are portrayed as vile incels who obsessively lurk about on the internet. Do you like patriarchy? If you're against She-Hulk you must be supportive of patriarchy!

Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany)  navigates the complicated life of a single, 30-something attorney who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered Hulk.

There is legitimate criticism of She-Hulk beyond "I dislike this female character because I dislike women." For one, the episodes seem to be written at random with no thought of the next. One episode ends with Wong as a fugitive & in the next it's completely forgotten about. Very emotionally heavy issues, such as Walters being assaulted, are laughed about moments later. Her character arc is pretty much non-existent. The CGI looks awful. 

She-Hulk tries to be cute by breaking the fourth wall and, for some inexplicable reason, openly trolling its viewers. "Not EVERY episode is going to have a cameo." (spoilers: every episode except that one is held together by cameos) You like Deadpool, but not She-Hulk? Misogynism! Ok, but Deadpool doesn't break the fourth wall solely to troll us or comment on "the haters". 

but...context!

She-Hulk's method of addressing patriarchy is creatively bankrupt. Visual media has a near endless supply of creative & artistic ways of exploring themes, messages, motifs etc. Having the character look at the camera & vent to us is insulting to the viewers' intelligence. "You need this spelled out for you." 

No Rating

 

Carrie (1978) Review

Title: Carrie
Year: 1978
Director: Brian De Palma
Country: US
Language: English

Based on the first published novel of acclaimed writer Stephen King, Carrie would seem to be a challenging film to adapt onscreen for a director of lesser talent. Too much or too little of one element could make the picture tasteless, misogynistic or exploitative. Thankfully Brian De Palma is immensely talented; he takes Kings' heavy text and creates a meaningful feministic drama. 

Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a shy, friendless teenage girl who is sheltered by her domineering, religious mother, unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated by her classmates at her senior prom.

Carrie is a story wherein the most horrific elements come from society itself. Our cruelty towards women speaks volumes & inevitably comes back to bite us. De Palma manages to use his camera to create stunning visual thematic elements that highlight our contempt for women. The picture is a punishing experience as we are faced with the worst of our misogynistic tendencies, but incredibly necessary. 

Carrie is a remarkable socio-political picture that ought to be elevated above the rest of the horror genre. Beloved film critic Pauline Kael once wrote, “No one else has ever caught the thrill that teenagers get from a dirty joke and sustained it for a whole picture.”  It is quite fascinating that Carrie is written to be a sympathetic figure and yet, as the climax happens, we are not happy by the comeuppance. We feel bad for being bystanders of this cruelty. 

The film represents the frustration women as a collective unit have over their many battles against a tyrannical patriarchal system that often leaves them behind. Our fear of women create this monster; we can only expect tragedy if we continue down a patriarchal road. 

The Girl Can't Help It (1956) Review

Title: The Girl Can't Help It
Year: 1956
Director: Frank Tashlin
Country: US
Language: English

Currently Netflix's Blonde (2022), a biography about Marilyn Monroe, is roused in controversy due to the exploitative nature of its content. While I love the blonde bombshell. particularly in Some Like It Hot (1959) I felt like watching another film starring an equally talented Playboy Playmate; the stunning Jayne Mansfield. Her film, The Girl Can't Help It (1956), is a remarkable window into the late 50's. 

A gangster  (Edmond O'Brien) hires a down-and-out press agent (Tom Miller) to make his airheaded girlfriend (Jayne Mansfield) a singing star.

The Girl Can't Help It is a beautiful time capsule of 1950's pop culture. It is both a critique and a celebration of the era's manic teeny bopper capitalism. The colours are as brash and bold, vibrant and pop as much as the musical acts featuring Little Richard and and the Platters. Much of the double entendre visuals, which include Mansfield holding a pair of jugs, push the envelope of what was acceptable in Cinema. 

Jayne Mansfield is presented as a huge star. Her Va-Va-Voom figure rivals Jessica Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) Only the magic of cinema could produce a woman so mesmerizing. Hired by Fox as a counterpart to Monroe; Mansfield was a once in a lifetime actress who excelled in comedic and dramatic roles. 

The Girl Can't Help It is a fun comedy that is filled with smart insight, clever visual gags and entracing writing. The music itself would be a standout in any film and, while the numbers somewhat interrupt the flow of the picture, make for good re-watch viewing.