I'm putting my Film Critic pants on right now, to give you some short capsule reviews of some New Releases for the week of Friday, July 26th, 2024:
1) DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE
Smug, desperately unfunny, annoying, ineptly directed nonsense that thinks it's brilliant, but is actually one of the least clever, and most painfully stupid films I have seen in years.
It's an embarrassment, and it's as bad as bad movies get....only worse. (For the FULL DETAILED REVIEW, check out Wednesday, July 24th's Blog Post) - Zero Stars
2) THE BEAST WITHIN
Unfortunately, this is NOT a re-release of the 1982 horror/trash classic that features one of the most awesome (and ridiculous) monster transformations of the practical FX era. It is, in fact, a werewolf movie with Kit Harington from "Game of Thrones."
It's about a 10 year-old girl who has to deal with her parents' weird relationship, and the fact that her father is a werewolf.
Unimaginatively directed by Alexander Farrell, and featuring lots of jump scares and cheap gimmicks, this is a pretty dull thriller, that is almost (almost) redeemed by how batshit crazy it gets in the final third.
The allegorical themes are fun, but stale, and any humanity is almost impossible to find. Not good, but it could have been worse. - ⭐️⭐️
3) MADE IN ENGLAND: THE FILMS OF POWELL & PRESSBURGER
A MUST-SEE documentary directed by David Hinton, and presented by Martin Scorsese, who takes the viewer on his personal journey through the works of filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Powell and Pressburger were the British duo behind such classics as "Black Narcissus," "The Red Shoes," "Peeping Tom," and "A Canterbury Tale."
Using a deft mix of archival footage, old interviews, clips from the remarkable films, and Scorsese's own passionate testimony, this doc is incredibly captivating and very, very insightful. It's as much a movie about these two enduring and legendary artists, as it is about Scorsese himself.
This is the best documentary I've seen so far this year, and it's one of the finest movies about cinema that you're likely to see for a long time. Terrific stuff. - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4) NON NEGOTIABLE
A choppy, schizophrenic thriller from Mexico, that wants to be a comedy, a thriller, and a social satire all at once, and only succeeds at being intermittently entertaining at best.
It's about the best hostage negotiator in Mexico who has to face his most challenging case. It's a case that involves the kidnapping of the President, and the negotiator's lover.
This situation is filled with confusion, tension, and misunderstandings leading to a pretty decent climax.
The director, Juan Taratuto, mishandles the material by mixing the tones so jarringly that you never really know if you're supposed to care, not care, scream, laugh, or fall asleep.
The talented, and very attractive cast, lead by a quite solid and charming Mauricio Ochmann, seem pretty game for the shifts in style and storyline, but the film seems to upend their efforts over and over again. It's frustrating and inconsistent, but, there are certainly worse ways you can kill 87 minutes.
By the way....PLEASE opt for the subtitled, Spanish language version, because the dubbed version (which I watched about ten minutes of) is worse than any poorly-dubbed "Godzilla" flick from the 60's. (NEW & streaming on NETFLIX) - ⭐️⭐️1/2
So, those are the new releases this week.
Look for FULL and CAPSULE reviews of new films right here. Next week's releases include: "Harold and the Purple Crayon," "Kneecap," "Sing Sing," and the latest from M. Night Shyamalan, "Trap."
Oh boy.
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