HungryCreatureProductions Reviews

Day of the Dead (1985)

Not Romero's Best (certainly not his worst)

[7/10 · 25 June 2020]

Not nearly as well known as it's two older siblings Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead truly has iconic shoes to fill.

Shot on a fraction of the budget it was written for, Day of the Dead has difficulty living up to its excellent script. The story involves four factions at odds with one another in the worst of circumstances and the audience is torn between allegiances. For every possible solution to the zombie threat there is an equal negative consequence. Some characters are fine paying the price for a given solution, some are not, tension and social commentary ensue...this is classic Romero.

The characters are well written, some racial stereotypes aside, and the overarching narrative is truly inventive and stands the test of time quite well. Despite a tense build-up to a third-act-twist that makes zero sense and doesn't even affect the overall plot, the narrative in general feels just as fresh today as it did in 1985. Acting ranges from rabid scenery-chewing to solid and nuanced. Given the tense nature of the character interactions, this imbalance works with the film's B movie vibe to decent effect, though this may resonate with some viewers more than others.

The effects are mostly practical and are extremely well executed, a little too well-executed depending on who you ask. The violence and gore are so extreme that it garnered an X rated back when that was a thing, X being typically used for films with intense violence and NC-17 for strong sexual content. Depending on who you are this will either make or break the film for you, I personally found it to be distracting from the inventive nature of the story more than anything else...which is a real shame because Day of the Dead takes the very idea of what a zombie is and what it is capable of to ingenious new heights. Instead of working to enhance the story and raise the stakes, the gore is so in your face and the violence so constant that it becomes nearly meaningless; used as a constant rather than punctuation.

When it comes to soundtracks, Day of the Deads' is distinctly 80s, ominous synth soundscapes work to underscore our characters' precarious situation while, in retrospect, working to either horribly date the film or gloss it with layers of powerful nostalgia. If you are at all into synthwave, retrowave, or glitchwave music, this soundtrack could easily be an addition to your regular rotation.

Should you see Day of the Dead? If B-Movie zombie flicks that wallow in gore and melodrama don't bother you or if you are a sucker for inventive new takes on the zombie concept, then Day of the Dead would be a welcome addition to your calendar. If your stomach turns easily or you can't deal with strong 80s vibes or campy acting, then you might want to avoid Day of the Dead.

-Josh Evans

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Gets under your skin

[7/10 · 25 June 2020]

Every parent to be has fears regarding the prospect of becoming responsible for a young life. Can I really handle this responsibility? What if maternal or paternal instincts never kick in? What if my child hates me? Is the adult a child becomes dictated by the care their parents provide or is their final form dictated by their personality?

So many questions, so many what-ifs.

We Need to Talk About Kevin may be a different kind of film to different viewers. Some may see it as a gripping drama, others a creepy slow burn character study, and yet others may find it to be straight up horror. This film is every parent's darkest nightmare, beautifully manifest on film. It's not popcorn entertainment, but it IS a masterful work.

The narrative hops between two timelines, giving enough information for the audience to remain invested but never fully holding them by the hand. Sometimes character moments are furthered through symbolic imagery and haunting sound rather than standard film exposition techniques. This gives the film an ethereal quality that is only enhanced by absolutely incredible performances by both Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller. While the other actors in the film turn in fine performances, these two stand out so much that their characters transcend the actors themselves and live, breathe, and experience life on their own terms, fully divorced from the recognizable faces.

It's not an easy story to watch, flowing like fresh flower petals down a stomach-acid stream, but it IS an important and moving one. The cinematography, lighting, and editing are gorgeous and meticulous. Great pains are taken with each and every shot of the film, the resulting images and flow are nearly flawless. The soundtrack is comprised of pre-existing music, from classical Chinese movements to old-school bluegrass, and is often used to work as juxtaposition to the action on screen. This tension pervades nearly every minute of screen time, while I personally found the music choices to be inventive and interesting, I could see how some may find it distracting or off-putting in places.

The cacophony of sound, symbolism and vivid color, while inspiring in a queasy way, can add up to an occasionally heavy handed sum. There's no real on screen violence, but the results of alluded violence are clearly shown. As it is a film about parenthood and relationships, there is a fair bit of nudity and many uncomfortable situations. If the subject matter isn't enough to turn some audience members off, the films occasionally graphic nature might just do the trick. On a personal note, I felt the film could have actually taken the horror elements a bit further but I'm sure there are many that disagree.

Should you see, We Need to Talk About Kevin? If a slow burn, character driven, drama horror film about parenthood and personal identity, fueled by striking visuals and gorgeous imagery sounds interesting, You Need to Talk About Kevin. If nudity, a prolonged sense of unease and discomfort, or a heavy reliance on style to tell a story are big turnoffs for you, it might be best if You Do Not Talk About Kevin.

-Josh Evans

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Pretentious yet Glorious

[8/10 · 25 June 2020]

The film has a monolithic reputation, yet relatively few people seem to have seen the whole thing. Of those who have viewed the film in it's entirety, opinions seem to be binary. One camp hails the experience as an unparalleled masterpiece and the other claims it to be a colossal bore.

2001 was MADE for artists or art appreciators. The composition, camera movement, lighting, and sound for every frame of film is constructed as though the filmmaker's career hangs off that frame alone. The image is meticulous to the point of nearly transcending human creation, serving as the perfect visual counterpoint to the film's narrative themes exploring sentience, the essence of humanity, and the link between spatial exploration and introspection.

This aesthetic integrity is made even more impressive when the historic context of the film is taken into account before viewing. 2001: A Space Odyssey was released in 1968. It predates Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, practically any science fiction classic on film that still maintains pop-culture relevance. As an extension of this context, 2001 also predates any semblance of digital effects, what you see is what you get. All images are occurring, albeit through masterful sleight of hand, on camera. There's a scene with a pen floating in midair. Nowadays we would just have the actress work around an imaginary pen and create a digital object, animate it, render it and perfectly blend it into the shot with compositing tricks. There's nothing wrong with that and it would have looked just fine. But in 1968, they had to be a bit more creative. What we see on screen in 2001 is a pen stuck to a piece of glass in front of the camera, the camera/lights carefully arranged to eliminate giveaway reflections. There is a shot of our hero exercising in a seemingly zero-g environment. There are no wires to paint out, no green screen wizardry to key. The entire set is a giant drum with the actor always at the bottom, behaving normally. The camera itself is on a rig, rotating with the set to give the illusion of the actor being the one moving.

The entire film, on a technical level, is both groundbreaking and fascinating.

The narrative will be pretty familiar to most viewers as an uncountable number of films, TV shows, and video-games have either paid homage to or straight-up ripped off 2001 A Space Odyssey in the many years between 1968 and today. Because of this familiarity, very little within the story will come as a surprise to modern audiences. That said, the story is engaging and interesting. We never get to know the characters very well, yet this impersonal nature feels intentional as a counterpoint to the narrative theme of human nature vs artificial nature. For viewers who need something to connect with emotionally, this might be a difficult watch as neither the characters nor the narrative arcs are meant to be connected to. The film very purposefully looks at it's players from above. It is intentionally impersonal, direct, and cold.

Given the lack of subtlety in the film's point of view, the story doesn't unfold in your standard blockbuster manner. It builds themes visually, layering ideas using scenes that don't directly tie into the main story to convey the narrative rather than the usual plot point by plot point exposition typically used in major motion pictures. Some viewers may not appreciate this approach and will spend their time being confused about how a given sequence fits INTO the story rather than thinking about what the sequence ADDS to the story's themes and overall narrative layers.

You cannot watch 2001 A Space Odyssey from a purely literal standpoint and get much enjoyment from it. Most films are constructed around this conceit, yet 2001 plays with the concept of a visual format, leveraging thematic juice from image rather than constant exposition. Though it must be said, when the film, albeit infrequently, dips into exposition mode, the overall narrative does take a stumble.

One of the biggest complaints about 2001 is that IT IS SLOW. There's nothing snappy or quick about this movie. For many people this may be a deal-breaker. Once again though, Kubrick directed many films, some with a very brisk pace, so this is a deliberate choice by the filmmaker to work hand in hand with the subject matter. He uses time itself to leverage a sense of scale or grandeur.

While not all the effects may look photo-realistic by today's standards, these long slow-moving takes, accompanied by the grand music really sell the physicality of these ships and space stations while underscoring the isolation and danger of space exploration.

2001 A Space Odyssey is not a film that can be watched, it must be experienced. I can think of no other film that makes such demands of it's audience. There is nothing passive about watching it, the viewer must succumb to it's hypnotism in order to fully appreciate it. Modern audiences will have to resist the urge to fiddle with phones or talk during the film, to reach the state of paranoid-zen the film demands, watch it on the largest screen possible, with the sound as loud as possible, in a dark environment with a quiet and respectful group.

This is not a movie. This is an Art Experience and, frankly, that's not for most people. Mass modern audiences may not have the patience for such things, but if you are willing the approach the film on it's own terms, you just might love it.

-Josh Evans

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

A beating heart lies behind this film's mask

[6/10 · 25 June 2020]

In a world where Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and Hellraiser are real, a documentary crew out to prove themselves as serious filmmakers commit to following around a man who is training to be the next big slasher antagonist, Leslie Vernon.

This micro-budget mockumentary slasher delivers a lot of earnest laughs, homages, and spookiness to compete with the best the genre has to offer. The narrative has a preponderance to rush itself and several titanic logic gaps may throw some people off, but it makes up for it by being legitimately clever and charming! Sadly, the final cut of the film is content to be a simple comedy slasher, several deleted scenes actually dive into the ethical qualms of the situation and make some really interesting comments on the often voyeuristic nature of the genre. This removed material elevates the film as a whole and gives the often hurried narrative room to breathe, but alas, unless you want to make your own edit of the film, a simple, well-constructed slasher comedy is what you are left with. Additionally, there's a really divisive twist that, depending on who you are, may make or break the movie for you. Either way, it meshes well with the narrative, and adds some variety to the three act structure. I personally thought the change in direction was fantastic!

Cameos by horror icons add some needed flair to the proceedings and the two central characters are both fantastic actors! Some of the side characters deliver truly regrettable performances but, as they aren't given much time on screen, it's not a fatal blow to the overall film.

Violence and gore, as is common with the slashers, is certainly present but comes off as fairly restrained in comparison to the genre it lampoons. The soundtrack leaves no impression whatsoever, which is a shame as a nice synth-driven theme might have really boosted the niche kitsch factor already present, but not having it is no major loss.

The Rise of Leslie Vernon is, oddly enough, really charming. The cast and crew are clearly having a blast and the resulting film exudes the kind of rough charisma that may not have survived if the budget were considerably larger. Unfortunately the film just didn't find it's target audience as planned and the second film they were hoping to crowdfund never got off the ground. It's a real shame too, these are great characters and I, for one, would love to see more of them!

-Josh Evans

The Good the Bad the Weird (2008)

More Good and Weird than Bad

[8/10 · 25 June 2020]

Despite being inspired by The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; The Good, The Bad, The Weird is a truly unusual movie. A South Korean Spaghetti Western set in a fantasy-Manchuria, The Good, The Bad, The Weird, lives up to all three portions of its name.

All three central characters are decently well developed, well acted, and a lot of fun to watch interact. The idea of their paths crossing brings the proceedings a lot of tension and energy, and all three characters are so different that they keep the movie from falling too deeply into any genre conventions or stereotypes. Some delightful surprises aside, this isn't a narrative that is going to thrill you through the depth of its characters or deep emotional arcs. The Good, The Bad, The Weird knows it's an action movie, and it commits fully to that idea.

The action scenes are inventive and often hilarious, each one distinct and offering something I had never seen before. For example: ever seen a cowboy swinging rope to rope like a western spider-man through a shantytown while firing a rifle with deadly precision? I sure hadn't. Now I have.

Given the audacious visual style and larger than life characters, it'll be easy for many viewers to forgive the movie when it wants to completely ignore physics and just have fun. It should be said however, that in the last act this suspension of disbelief gets pretty stretched. Another noteworthy point regarding the action, there are harsh shifts in the tone of violence in this film. It can swing from watching-through-your-fingers level of stomach churn (if you've seen this one, you know what scenes I'm talking about) to more standard superhero-level pseudo-violence. If you're going into this expecting it to be a standard western in this regard, you might be thrown for a bit of a loop. Making this juxtaposition even more stark is just how funny some of the characters can be. Not all the humor survives translation, but what does is usually pretty clever stuff. The film moves along at a brisk pace, bouncing from adventure to adventure but it starts to lose its focus a bit and slowly drag to a crawl near the end, which may test the patience of some viewers.

The cinematography is gorgeous, with rich color tones and great compositions throughout. The camera knows when to deliver an epic sweep and when to remain motionless, it's a good mix which serves the action-heavy story well. Musically, the soundtrack is a patchwork quilt of influences and serves to both elevate the imagery as well as drive the emotional veins forward without ever devolving into pure cheese. There are a ton of fantastic practical effects, a bit too many, as the film had to be edited for its international release to remove some animal abuse. It also has some, for 2008, really great digital work as well.

There are several endings to the movie, but both have a similar feeling to the end. They are different enough though, to justify digging up the other ending if you are unsatisfied with the one you saw. To my knowledge they released one ending internationally (which was more in line with the director's original vision) and one ending to South Korea specifically.

In terms of content some may find objectionable, other than the aforementioned bits of ultra-violence, The Good The Bad The Weird has an off color attempt at a joke involving sexual assault, children participating in particularly gruesome (annnnnnd hilarious) violence, and some minor drug use. Given the R rating though, none of the content really pushes the boundaries of the rating and is clearly intended for an adult audience.

Should you see The Good, The Bad, The Weird?

If you're looking for a roller-coaster of an adventure that is unique, silly, violent, and beautiful, then this off kilter western might just be the perfect blend of good, bad, and weird for you! If the deserved R rating, tonal fluctuations, emphasis on action over character, and general yet joyful disregard of realism adds up to more bad and weird than good for you; I recommend you find another train to board.

-Josh Evans

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

The film leaps into our hearts

[7/10 · 25 June 2020]

Adolescence is a confusing stage of life, things adults may find silly can be of paramount importance to the young teenage mind and priorities are seemingly a deck of cards in a continuous state of shuffle. It can be confusing and frustrating, but it can also be a little magical amidst the turmoil. Few movies capture this feeling and time in human development as well as the girl who leapt through time does. It's lengthy title cleverly alluding to both its coming-of-age theme and sci-fi leanings.

The cast is small and the characters are complex, rich in life, yet not conforming to traditional teenage stereotypes. They feel like real people. The story is refreshingly focused, yes as the title suggests there is time travel involved, but the narrative resists devolving into a bog-standard, action-packed, save-humanity kind of tale and instead, keeps its feet firmly planted with the characters and their emotional journeys. There isn't much practical science involved and this creates some potential plot holes for some viewers, yet what may not make sense for the head in this story, always makes sense for the heart.

Aesthetically, the visual style is very firmly anime, reduced frame rate, giant eyes, and wildly fluctuating amount of visual detail...the works. Your mileage may vary.

The story takes a while to get into high gear, opting to spend more time getting to know the characters and how they interact with each other rather than rushing the plot device or spouting much exposition at all. That said, when the narrative begins clicking, it trots along at a brisk pace. Many science fiction films fall into the trap of over explaining their plot device, something The Girl Who Leapt Through Time barely even attempts. To some, this will be refreshing, letting the unknown science be unknown science and focusing on character instead. To others, it may bother them that the writers didn't pack some pseudo-science babble in to gloss over potential plot holes through narrative distraction. Either way, the approach almost seems like a brave choice in a film genre so dependent on flashy, scientific gimmickry, that it almost loses sight of character. That stated, as the crux of the narrative is character driven, and the characters are all young teenagers, some audience members may not be able to relate to them or their choices, possibly diminishing their investment in the story.

Overall though, with some suspension of disbelief, the film has a charmingly light touch. It's moving without attempting to be life-changing, it's subtle without being vague, and it's angsty without being grim-dark or emo.

Content-wise, there's very little here to keep this one from being a good watch for the whole family. An objectionable joke is repeated twice and there's a moderate amount of danger, but nothing's pervasive, and the film has a general feeling of innocence and exploration.

Should you see The Girl Who Leapt Through Time? If spending a couple hours with carefully crafted anime teenagers trying to figure out their place in the world with a mild sci-fi flavor seems pleasant (or unpleasant), then you have the answer appropriate for you.

-Josh Evans

Night of the Comet (1984)

80s Perfection

[10/10 · 25 June 2020]

Some movies exist solely to paint upon the canvas of the mind, to explore hidden beauty and meaning, inspiring its viewers while thrilling them with intellectual, spiritual, or scientific possibilities.

Night of the Comet has different goals. It's the kind of movie that transcends being cheesy and reinvents itself as being cheese personified; yet it's earnest, heartfelt even.

A comet strikes the earth, wiping out most the population. Few survive unharmed, some become unhinged, yet hilariously intelligent, zombies. Our story follows teenage sisters as they grapple with their place in this new world, struggle to survive, and endure the hardship of having to decide what to do when humanity's supply of hair product runs out.

Crafted on an ultra-low budget in 1984, this film is set in LA and features visuals, music, and filmic stylings that are, in my view, the clearest and most entertaining distillation of everything that made the 1980s both great and terrible in equal measure. The overall tone is that of comedy, tinged with schlock horror elements and, oddly enough for the time, sporting unusual and well-developed characters. We really get to know these sisters and their differing personalities. We root for them as a team, in over their heads against a world turned mad. Tension builds, but it's kept in check by truly funny moments. It takes time to slow down every once in awhile and build a believable sibling relationship that feels both real and interesting. I left the movie wanting to hang out with these characters more.

There are some cheap scares and useless dream fake-outs, but in general the characters, mood, and narrative rise above some of the less-than-quality film-making. Compared to similar films from the 80s the overall gore factor seems pretty restrained and the film is free of nudity or adult situations, though there IS one totally unnecessary exploitative underwear scene...it's a shame too, because the scene is part of one of those meaningless "gotcha" dream sequences. It's really the weakest point of the movie.

The soundtrack goes 80s hard, we're talking soaring synths and poppy hooks with some nice atmospheric stuff thrown in for good measure. The hair, the city, the clothes, the mall, man...this is one movie that scratches that 80s-retro itch. It's a comedy, it's a light zombie movie, it's a drama about sisters, and it's a love letter to the era in which it was made. Night of the comet, as a piece of entertainment and a time capsule, only seems to get better with age.

For the same reasons that I love this movie, others may be unable to stand it. I'd recommend this one for fans of cheesy creature features, horror, comedy, and 80s kitsch. If you find yourself in the small camp of people who actively enjoys ALL of those genres, then this may be your new go-to favorite. For anyone else, well...your mileage may vary!

-Josh Evans

The Exorcist (1973)

Still. Holds. Up.

[10/10 · 25 June 2020]

The Exorcist certainly has a reputation. From being protested by the Catholic church to making people pass out in the cinema during its theatrical run, it's one of the godfathers of controversial horror. The difficulty with these kinds of films is that they run the risk of becoming comedic with age. Sometimes, as audience expectations and standards shift, the original experience of watching a movie like this with fresh 70's eyes will be lost forever. Also, many films since The Exorcist have in some way, re-used or payed homage to iconic elements of the movie. This too can make it hard to go back to the source material of all this praise and ripping-off; running the risk of being underwhelmed.

The narrative's setup seems simple, an actress thinks her daughter is possessed by a demon. A priest who doubts her claims is tasked with finding out. Despite the stripped-down story, there is so much time spent really getting to know all the characters involved that the emotional weight of the movie is carried, not by frights, but by the nuanced performances of the actors and the personal struggles of their characters. While this is The Exorcist's strength, it's also a weakness. There's a distractingly long and vague buildup which attempts to set up exactly what and why the events that take place are occurring...but it really only succeeds in muddying the water of what should be a crystal clear story.

This blip aside, The Exorcist is a masterfully crafted film. It kicks off quaintly enough at first, tricking the modern viewer into thinking that any shocks to come will be antique scares from a simpler time. Oh boy. There are some downright uncomfortable moments here that go further than many current horror films will even dare to go. This ramp up gets pretty intense; though, as feared, the iconic moments don't always hold up very well (head spinning and spider walking, I'm looking at you). Despite slight 70s cheese moments, there's enough meat on these bones that have stood the test of time. The acting is great, the characters are interesting, the story is engrossing and sometimes surprising, the horror is chilling and shocking, and the cinematography is sublime. I'm always amazed at just how great the composition and lighting in this film is. It appeals to horror fiends and movie buffs but has retained enough of its shock value over the years to still alienate most everyone else.

Despite the Catholic church's boycott of the movie when it was initially released, I found the movie to be unexpectedly reverent of the church's beliefs. The priests are portrayed as flawed individuals, some have doubts, some drink, some gamble, but overall they all have good hearts and a desire to change the world for the better. They are the flawed heroes, not the villains. Though it's pretty understandable that the church would want to avoid being the hero of a work of art so shocking and potentially offensive, the movie really ends up being great PR for them amongst the horror set...a group often passed over by the church. That aside, there's some pretty extreme language, visuals, and legitimately horrifying occurrences, despite the age gap. So, with that in mind, the boycott makes a bit more sense.

Should You See the Exorcist?

By and large, this movie HOLDS UP. If you are a fan of classic, slow-burn horror in general, you have to see this. It hasn't aged perfectly but it's fair to say that this is still one of the scariest movies of all time. If horror isn't your thing, you probably want to avoid this one. It may be one of several pinnacles of the genre for fans, but it's not a great entry point if you don't consider yourself part of that community.

-Josh Evans

Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

Meandering Mess Gets Stranded in it's own Runtime

[4/10 · 25 June 2020]

Set in the 1800's, a family fleeing unrest in their home country seeks refuge in a new land. Their plans are altered when their ship is attacked by pirates and the crew flee, stranding the family in the wreck. The ship seems stable enough, should they stay? There's an island nearby, but how safe is it really? Is it even an island, is help coming, or are they on their own?

There are going to be some hefty spoilers in this review so if you haven't seen this one yet just know that there's some really cool stuff in the movie, but there's an equal amount of things about it that just might aggravate even the easiest to please viewer.

The coolest part of this movie doesn't really have to do with the story or characters, no, the real star of this show is the amazing, gigantic, hodgepodge-mansion of a tree house the family builds. Seriously, as a kid I would have dreams about this thing. It's functional and fanciful, dangerous yet homey. So if forts and tree-houses are your jam, then this movie might get a recommendation on this aspect alone.

But if you are more focused on things like character and story, well, here is where things become mixed. Half the characters exist simply to complicate the plot. For example, the brothers rescue an annoying young boy, BUT WAIT, that's no young boy, remove his hat and it's a fully grown woman! Immediately AND I MEAN IMMEDIATELY the brothers snap from wanting to sock the kid in the mouth to wanting to woo her, simply because of the removal of a hat. She then proceeds to spend the rest of the movie gleefully pitting the brothers against each other, resulting in lots of shouting, scuffling, and glowering between the brothers. This is just one example of just how shockingly bad the writing and character development can be, which is frustrating because the overall plot is a lethal game of tower defense meets home alone style traps against waves and waves of pirates. Why did this movie need a love triangle? Oh wait. It didn't.

There are much more interesting character threads that are hinted at but never explored.

The father is wracked with guilt, taking the weight of their situation upon himself as he made the choice to leave the country in the first place. This potential character arc is never fleshed out.

The mother struggles as the only female on the island, fluctuating between her new role as co-leader of her own new world and her Victorian role of no-fun subservient stereotype. There's a real conflict here just itching to be explored. This potential character arc is never fleshed out.

Instead we get to spend just under an hour of the running time, not doing cool tree-house things, not developing characters, but watching two brothers squabble over a girl they only just met and mistook for a boy. Really.

The old school effects are alright. The matte paintings are nice, but clash with little things like wind direction and ocean wave movement. The stunts are OK, but things like boulders bouncing like rubber balls off pirate heads and tree trunks bending like rubber snakes instead of steamrolling people as they are supposed to really undercut any tension the movie may have. The violence in general is pretty tame, the effects don't help. Other Disney films of this era have way better effects, see Mary Poppins or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Don't get me wrong, the effects in Swiss Family Robinson are serviceable, they just haven't aged well at all.

Musically, the score is orchestral and very old-school Hollywood. To modern sensibilities though, it may come off as though it is trying very hard to be emotionally manipulative.

Should you see Swiss Family Robinson? If you love forts, tree-houses, and tales of survival with a dash of mischief and pirates mixed in for good measure. This might just be a good pick for your next family movie night. If outright aggravating characters, a long, slow runtime, a vestigial love triangle, and mediocre practical effects get you down; you might want to sail away from this island at full speed!

-Josh Evans

The Final Girls (2015)

Restrained yet effective takedown of the slasher genre

[8/10 · 25 June 2020]

Important side note: This is NOT to be confused with the movie Final Girl which came out the same year as The Final Girls and shares a male lead actor. Very weird.

The fabric of reality itself is toyed with when a group of movie nerds are sucked into a famous slasher movie. Their struggle to both escape the film in which they are trapped and to understand the rules by which they must follow to progress is actually a secondary plot-line to a surprisingly emotional core. Our lead character, Max, is in a personal hell as her late mother was the lead actress in the movie in which she and her friends are trapped. Not only must she escape, but she has to watch a younger version of her mother playing a different character attempt to escape the psycho-camp-killer as well.

This all sounds kind of traumatic, but in practice it walks a fine line between hilarious and touching. As it is a send-up of the slasher genre, expect a lot of humor specifically tailored to those who've seen a good many slasher movies. Our hero and her mother are the most fleshed out of the characters and, while their bond is very skillfully handled, we never learn much about them or the rest of the characters to be honest. The acting is generally pretty good, the actors gamely embracing stereotypes of stereotypes for comedic value. Some of the actors embrace the silliness a bit too hard, pushing their performances from hilarity to unintentionally cringeworthy-levels, but these instances are few and far between.

While the characters may be a bit stale, the story is anything but. While a similar movie, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, opted to make light of the genre by inserting slasher tropes into the real world, Final Girls sidesteps reality entirely. Pulling the real world characters into a movie world allows the story to explore the comedic side of slashers in a whole new way entirely. What might be stale and frustrating in non-comedies, flashbacks, voice-overs, characters with no depth, etc, becomes a playground for inventive new ideas in The Final Girls. It establishes firm rules in which its world operates, then plays by those rules to great effect. It manages to both effectively mock slashers while creating something completely distinct for itself!

This imaginative elbow-to-the-ribs-satire vibe is only dampened by the films refusal to go for the throat. Slashers are known for their excesses, a balance between stupid raunch and blunt morality tale. The Final Girls wants to have it both ways, it tries to pay homage to the slasher as a concept, yet stays safely within the confines of a very conservative PG-13. As I personally am not a fan of the slasher genre in general due to its excesses, I found the restraint in The Final Girls to be right up my alley; however there are moments where the film feels chained up. The choice to hold back in key areas feels made in a boardroom. Some of the restraint doesn't feel natural, despite my personal appreciation of that choice.

Overall, if a horror-comedy send up of the slasher genre with a faint Back to the Future vibe mixed with original and unexpected ideas in a PG13 package sounds fun, you're in for a treat with The Final Girls! Honestly, this movie has something that'll appeal to most viewers. The only people I can think of who might not like this one are people who've never liked fright films in any capacity.

-Josh Evans

Ponyo (2008)

Sweet and Shrill

[6/10 · 24 June 2020]

When the name Miyazaki is brought up, most people familiar with his work automatically recall the incredible bath house from Spirited away, the mechanical caretakers from castle in the sky, or the gigantic rampaging insects from Nausicaa. Thoughts probably don't often stray to mermaids, enter screen right, Ponyo!

A loose adaptation of the fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, Ponyo follows a redheaded toddler with a penchant for ham, loud opinions, and the ability to grow very quickly upon drinking human blood. Yeah, you probably won't find an animated mermaid movie more different than Disney Animation's Little Mermaid. Oddly enough though, Ponyo really isn't even the main character in her own movie. The heart of the film centers on a little human boy named Saske as he struggles to come to grips with the fact that his father's job requires him to be at sea a lot. The movie contrasts animal life of the sea with human life on land and actively subverts the stereotype of humans as being the evil destroyers of nature that one often finds in Miyazaki's work.

The moralizing romantic tone of the original fairy tale is jettisoned in favor of light, family-based melodrama with Ponyo's arrival serving as a catalyst for Saske and his mother to grow as people, and for Ponyo's parents to explore their ingrained perceptions of humanity.

Unlike much of Miyazaki's other work, there's no real bite to this story. It's aiming for a very, very young audience and older viewers may find it to be less engaging for them than say, something like Princess Mononoke. There are no real villains to speak of, no action sequences really. There's a little peril when a flood sweeps into town, but the majority of the film is a quiet, sensitive affair. It displays a wild, yet borderline incoherent, imagination visually yet in terms of story, the narrative doesn't have much structure to speak of. It floats along, content to occasionally move the story, but it's not as tight as some of the studio's other efforts and to some people the ending may feel like it comes out of nowhere.

Ponyo herself presents a bit of a problem, while she is a great character and is fascinating to watch, she can yell a lot, she's very demanding and the English dubbed voice actor's high pitched shouts can grate on the ears a bit after a while. The movie also feels very long, the story is far too slight to really drive the hour and forty minute runtime. While young children may be entranced, adults may start checking their watches near the end. That being said, Ponyo is probably the best entry point into Studio Ghibli's catalog for very young children.

Should you see Ponyo? If a fresh, innocent revamp of The Little Mermaid, with gorgeous art, a relaxed pace, and no content issues to speak of for young children sounds like the perfect ocean-side view to you, then Ponyo might be right up your alley. However, if the gorgeous art and whimsical charm isn't enough to distract you from the reality that this is a film primarily aimed at toddlers, you might want to sail to sunnier seas.

-Josh Evans

Mary Poppins (1964)

A Spoonful of Perfection

[10/10 · 24 June 2020]

Odds are good you've seen Mary Poppins, it came out in 1964 and is a pop-culture touchstone. If you haven't seen it, go see it, I'm going to be getting pretty spoilery in this review. Go see it, that's the short version of this review.

This was a hard one to review as I grew up watching this one frequently. I hadn't seen it in many years before this write-up and attempted to watch the movie with fresh eyes. That said, I've loved this movie since before I could walk, so there's my bias. I'll be as objective as possible, but it is what it is.

The first thing that struck me upon re-watching this film was just how very weird it is. It has a level of quirk usually only seen in indie comedies these day. Think about it, there's a possibly homeless man who is the only character that recognizes the audience and communicates with them directly, but not as a narrator, as a friend. There are two men who live on top of a house and shoot cannons across the city; one is named, of course, Admiral Boom. The children's mother and their cook have a no-nonsense discussion about saving rotten eggs to throw at the prime minister. An umbrella decides to start talking 5 min from the end of the film, it was never really set up as a character, but it is now apparently! This is one odd duck of a movie!

Another element that leapt out at me is just how full of herself Mary Poppins really is! She's a perfect combination of straight-laced confidence and cunning manipulator. Mary isn't here for the kids, they're not that bad to begin with, she's here to knock some sense into their father...to force him to BE their father. She's utterly amazing!

The songs are catchy and occasionally moving, the antiquated visual effects still hold up incredibly well, and the story is equal parts fanciful and emotional. There's a mix here of kid-centric material, such as an entire sequence linking loss of gravity to uncontrollable laughter, as well as sequences that will hit adults right in the feels. The section of the film where the children's father, Mr. Banks is walking to work late at night to his own career's end is heartbreaking. The camera angles, the music, the lack of dialogue, this is one of my favorite parts of the movie.

The movie often gets distracted by it's own rabbit trails, which can lead to some portions dragging a bit. Some of the songs go on far too long but, perhaps it's my bias, I find myself disappointed when these bits end. From a strict film-making standpoint, songs like "feed the birds" don't feed the story, but I think they go a long way towards establishing a feeling, a tone for the film. One that sticks with its audience long after the credits have rolled.

The acting here is all pretty great. Dick Van Dyke turns in a hilariously bad attempt at a cockney accent but, once again this could be my bias, but it kind of ends up becoming part of the character and making him all the more crazy and charming. The kids are cute, but not too cute. Mrs Banks, Glynis Johns, is perfection as a staunch feminist in the streets and a subservient housewife as soon as her husband shows up. Her struggle to maintain both sides of her is underplayed to perfection and is one of my favorite character through-lines of the movie. Mr Banks is played by the ever-typecast David Tomlinson. This is the role he was born to play and he totally sells the overbearing control-freak workaholic who's entire life is crumbling around him.

But the standout is, of course, Mary Poppins herself. Julie Andrews IS Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins IS Julie Andrews. I will never believe otherwise. From her deadpan delivery of hilarious lines to her angelic singing voice, Julie Andrews dominates this movie. She is the dark mysterious figure, frightening and strange. She is the warm teacher, pulling back the veil on just how amazing every-day life is to the entire Banks family. She is the relationship doctor, knowing exactly what's wrong, how to cure it, and how to bend the people in her way from enemy to unwitting ally. Mary Poppins is a force of nature and without Julie Andrews, this movie would not have half the impact and relevance it still holds to this day.

If you love musicals, watch Mary Poppins.

If you love amazing practical visual effects, watch Mary Poppins.

If you enjoy interesting, comedic characters, watch Mary Poppins.

If you have never seen Mary Poppins, watch Mary Poppins.

If you've watched it many times, watch it again.

In my opinion, Mary Poppins is "practically perfect in every way".

-Josh Evans

The Secret of Kells (2009)

Great Visuals, Mediocre Story

[6/10 · 24 June 2020]

A leader driven by fear turns his back on intellectuals and artists to focus on building a giant wall to keep out threats. That's not...timely...at all.

The Secret of Kells is a fascinating movie, it's traditional-looking art style takes a pretty big risk with the medium, blending medieval illuminations, Celtic themes, and M. C. Escher style sensibilities. I had never seen anything like it and found the visual style to be utterly enthralling the entire time. It's possible to to be completely un-invested in the story or characters and still have a fantastic time watching this film due to it's astounding aesthetic alone.

While the whimsical art style lends a light, breezy tone to the proceedings; its hard-edged medieval inspiration allows it to jolt from fairy-tale to nightmare. This aspect may make it a bit frightening for young children as this story can get really grim. The lead character lacks any real depth but the three supporting characters are utterly fascinating, unfortunately though, their motivations and personal stories are only hinted at. Through this, there's enough depth in the story to keep most adults at least interested, though they may feel like they wanted more when all is said and done.

I would personally be thrilled if Ashling got her own movie! The narrative tone and music are spot on, both feeling historic, fantastical, and unpredictable. It's the surprisingly easy combination of strict Catholic religion and Celtic mythology. Based on the fairy tale origin of the Book of Kells, the movie takes creative license with the story, but these changes end up only making the result a more interesting movie.

Overall, if you are a fan of animation, a family with children who aren't easily frightened, or someone really into Irish folklore, I highly recommend to you The Secret of Kells. If the abstract style of the visuals isn't your thing or you are looking for a more complex story with a fully-realized, fleshed out lead character, these secrets may not be for you.

-Josh Evans

Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)

Razor Sharp Condemnation of Fanboy Culture

[9/10 · 24 June 2020]

Why don't you play in hell, well that sounds a little aggressive right? First off, to answer the question, Should you see why don't you play in hell? The answer is probably going to be no. UNLESS. You happen to be a mega-cinema nerd who loves comedies with buckets of blood and uncomfortable satire that cuts to the bone (often literally).

The film sets an odd tone from the very first few scenes, a young girl shills toothpaste in a commercial while singing a cute, catchy song. A group of preteen filmmakers film a local gang's tussle while shouting acting directions at them, much to their confusion. These first couple scenes hit the bell of tonal juxtaposition with a sledgehammer. The rest of the movie rides this exaggerated, joyful, violent note right up until the closing credits. Our protagonists are filmmakers who cannot tell fiction from reality, which turns their craft into a slightly sickening, yet giddy, voyeurism.

Speaking of sickening, giddy voyeurism...the viewer's going to be feeling this way frequently while participating in the story by watching it. Sion Sono walks a very fine line by crafting a narrative which wildly celebrates the passion of film-making while also calling it out as being kind of a pathetic goal at the same time. It's a loving ribbing of the art-form and it's artists; if by loving you mean cocaine coated and by ribbing you mean a chainsaw to the face. That's not to mean the story has the snarky, condescending hipster attitude of a Coen brother film, it fully celebrates everything it destroys, drinking the blood of it's victims to gain their power.

"Why don't you play in hell" launches a full scale assault on the very idea that obsession, nostalgia, and fanboy-ism are in any way admirable qualities. Every single character has a heightened fixation of some kind. The yakuza boss who thinks he'd be a better father for an adorable girl than her current one. The would be director who is obsessed with cinema yet has never finished a single film. The hapless romantic fixated on the woman of his dreams whose father is dead set on killing him. Every character is driven by acute obsession or nostalgia and every character is utterly pathetic as a result. This isn't to say that they're uninteresting or saddening to watch, no, this movie is laugh out loud funny and delights in its characters while also capturing their own pitiful self-destruction. Their fanboy-level focus on one thing strips them from reality, like paint thinner splashed on a masterpiece. In Sion Sono's world, reality cannot compete with their fantasies. Obsession, nostalgia, and living in their own fantasy world, leads to utter destruction.

Stripped down, the movie works as both a scathing condemnation of and glittery celebration of the mere concept of pop culture as a shallow, self-destructive, and pathetic drug whose participants willingly strip themselves away from everything real in a desperate attempt to inject some kind of passion into what would probably simply be a white-bread, lackluster life. Now, that sounds a little harsh. That sounds a little harsh because it IS harsh. Despite this bitter pill, Siono's film never suggests we pity the pathetic character's camping out in front of the cinema weeks before the next marvel/star wars/transformers sequel/spin off/remake comes out. The film suggests these characters are joyful in their own pathetic decay and we, as their audience, shouldn't pity them, but instead, should delight in the absurdist fun they're having DESPITE their pathetic decay!

As you may have guessed, this is NOT a movie everyone's going to enjoy. Wildly gory, directly confrontational, aggressively cheerful, and oddly charming, "Why Don't You Play in Hell" is hands down the most entertaining act of self-mutilation put to film. Because, you get the sense while watching, the message isn't a weapon Sion Sono is wielding against hapless convention nerds. No. This is a movie Sion Sono made to call out Sion Sono. And if you're the right kind of insane, as I consider myself to be, this is a movie with a message that punches you in the gut while clapping you on the back. When it's over, if you're anything like me, you'll be grinning from ear to ear.

-Josh Evans

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)

So many gifts, it might as well be Christmas!

[8/10 · 24 June 2020]

If you're at all into horror, it's entirely possible that you're wholly burnt out on zombie movies.

That's reasonable, at one point in time zombies were as prevalent and boring as many superhero movies are today. If you give it a chance though, you'll find that the Girl with all the Gifts brings some truly interesting new elements to the table and sticks the landing in a bold, inventive, and fresh way.

The acting across the board is pretty solid, Glenn Close is (as usual) phenomenal. Paddy Considine and Gemma Arterton are both interesting characters and believable in their roles, but their portrayals do suffer in a way I'll describe later. The real standout here though is Sennia Nanua in the title character of Melanie, she truly IS the girl with all the gifts. Her performance has a stumble here and there, but overall Sienna single handedly carries most the movie on her emoting power alone. Much is asked of her as an actor and, for the most part, she really delivers! The biggest problem with the movie is that it desperately needed more character moments with the characters of Sgt Eddie and Helen. Both characters gave off the impression of having more going on below the surface of their personalities, and fleshing them out a little bit more would have really made the story stronger.

The narrative starts out strong, establishing a unique central mystery and clear sense of place. The movie doesn't spoon-feed you answers but it also doesn't hold your hand. It's able to pull off mysterious and meaningful without dipping into pretension. The situation our characters find themselves in gets turned on its head several times throughout the course of the movie. While this is great because you'll never really know what's going to happen next, the film is never able to recover that initial sense of strong space and mystery, instead, occasionally settling into something a bit more tired and familiar.

Fortunately, this narrative uneasiness is salvaged by several truly memorable characters, all with clashing yet understandable motivations. There are no real cut and dry villains here, just people with very different goals. The movie's ending is bombastic, unexpected, and probably pretty divisive. As someone who's seen way too many zombie movies, I was thrilled to have an ending that felt brand new while still leaving me satisfied...but I can see where some may be disappointed with the direction it goes in.

Another point to the movie's credit is its budget. At a reported budget of 5 million pounds, this is a post-apocalyptic movie with visuals more interesting than many I've seen with ten times the cost. Given the low price point, that alone both speaks to the focus of the filmmakers and to the excess of most Hollywood blockbusters.

In terms of content, there's some minor gore and harsh language as is expected. It never reaches the gross-out levels of something like Day of the Dead, in fact it feels like something that's just a couple snips away from a PG13.

So, should you see the Girl with all the Gifts? If some uneven narrative fluctuations and minor gore aren't enough to scare you away from yet another zombie movie, then you're going to receive some unique and powerful gifts from an unforgettable girl!

-Josh Evans

Green Room (2015)

Blunt, Topical, and Grimy

[8/10 · 24 June 2020]

A down-on-their-luck punk band find themselves trapped in a neo-nazi bar after a last minute gig goes horribly wrong. The movie takes its time initially, establishing a real sense of place and atmosphere. We never really get to know our cast of characters all too well, but character complexity is traded for situational complexity. There is more going on under the hood of this film than initially meets the eye and we unearth its insidious machinations alongside our earnest, yet occasionally dimwitted heroes. About halfway through the runtime, things take a turn for the worse. Green Room isn't kidding around. The tension is unrelenting and the violence is extreme yet realistic in its depiction...which only makes it harder to witness.

I consider myself a fan of the horror genre and I wouldn't really consider Green Room to be a horror movie...yet I certainly had difficulty watching some moments. Overall, the movie is brutally nihilistic in execution. It hammers the audience with waves of sickly anxiety, dead serious, brutal, and single-minded in its aims. But then, at the last second, it hits the audience with an unexpected laugh out loud joke and cuts to the credits. It's certainly a ride that's not for everyone. Some movies lose impact and relevance with age, Green Room is NOT one of those movies. The longer it's around, the more layers it gains.

Several months after Green Room's release in the states, the star of the film, Aton Yelchin was tragically killed in a freak accident. Couple this sad circumstance with the reality that we exist in a time when neo-nazi's openly march in the streets and the president of the united states has white supremacist ties and, well, Green Room packs quite the incidental punch in addition to it's intentional ones. A character's ignorance early in the film about the political leanings of white-supremacists has dire consequences. He's not sure what they are, he thinks they're either far right or far left but he doesn't know and doesn't care. His perspective matches that of many people today, the film through this lens acting as a vinegar rebuke to willful political ignorance. Current revelations about sexual abuse or poor treatment of workers in the entertainment industry adds further relevance to Green Room's central point of conflict. When spending money on music, movies, or products in general; we aren't thinking of the views of those BEHIND the music, movies, or products. But if we ended up being the ones victimized by said people, our consumption habits would change in a heartbeat.

The punk band doesn't share the views of the skinheads at the dive they're playing, they take a big gamble by making a huge point of it. But they do intend to profit from them, this choice has consequences. There are characters who are trying to get out of the white supremacist group altogether and one who wants to stay in the community because she likes the music but, in her own words, isn't a neo-nazi. Green Room is cut and dry with it's messaging. Once you're implicit in evil, no matter how far removed from it you think you are, it's going to catch up with you in the end. It's terrifying, it's disgusting, it's riveting, and (for the right audience) it's utterly worth watching.

So, should you see Green Room? If a nail-biting thriller with realistic gore, razor barbed social commentary, and a haunting Patrick Stewart; all marinated in a grimy punk rock/hardcore music needle-bath sounds like a roller coaster tailor-made for your particular brand of weird. Then yes, sit on down next to me and please keep arms and legs inside the ride vehicle at all times.

-Josh Evans

House (1977)

An experience like no other.

[8/10 · 24 June 2020]

The year is 1975.

Jaws is in theaters globally and it's just dominating. In Japan it catches on like wildfire, the Japanese film industry is terrified that they won't be able to keep up with this newfangled blockbuster invasion craze, so one of the biggest studios decides to throw a ton of money into a Jaws-killer. A homegrown blockbuster capable of dethroning the western juggernaut. They got House instead.

An acid-trip of a haunted house, horror-comedy directed by a man who had only previously directed commercials. It might also be the strangest film I've ever seen. Light on coherent plot and vague on characterization, House's strength is in it's whimsical sense of humor, it's striking, gorgeous-yet-kitschy visuals, and it's catchy soundtrack (which,oddly enough, was completed and distributed long before pre-production on the film was done). The movie plays it pretty lighthearted for the most part, there aren't any real gross-out moments simply because they're executed with such a high degree of visual abstraction. There IS some surprising and uncomfortable nudity, so yeah, look forward that.

I honestly don't know what more to say about this goofy little gem. Have you ever wanted to watch a man turn into a pile of bananas? Does the idea of a piano eating a girl whose limbs continue cheerfully playing the keys after the rest of the body is gone sound hilarious? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then you, a friend, and some alcoholic beverages are going to find a lot to love in House. For everyone else, this one might be a bit too strange for your taste. In my view, it's perfect. I cannot think of a single way to improve it. It's a work of stupid, stupid capital "A" Art.

-Josh Evans

Rare Exports (2010)

An Army of Naked Old Men!

[8/10 · 24 June 2020]

Rare Exports is exactly the heartwarming tale of a boy learning about the selfless joy of giving, the warmth of family, and the importance of friendship that you expect a Christmas movie to be. It's the story of a man relearning how to be a father after the passing of his wife. It's the story of loss and heartbreak, when their yearly crop yields far less than it should have. It's also a no holds barred tale of childhood terror featuring graphic violence and a flock of fully nude old men running through the woods. Merry Christmas indeed.

The film is a bit of a tease, it starts innocently enough. Childhood holiday shenanigans a la A Christmas Story abound, but then it veers into straight up horror territory. Just when the movie's about to get really nuts, it reigns it in for a heartwarming, eggnog fueled Christmas style finale! It's an odd little movie that never really fits together tonally, but that's also part of it's charm. The film treats the holiday as more of a dire tiding than a treat. The rituals, cookies, trees, lights, and presents...all sting of painful memories for both father and son. The niceties, in the face of their near financial ruin, are reminders of what they don't have. And, to cap it off, there is a true primitive evil awakening, stalking. It's not a season of joy. Yet the childlike spirit of wonder, of magic, and charity win out in the end. It's a movie that faces up to the harsh feelings that sometimes accompany the Christmas season, acknowledges them, and then chooses to have a magical time regardless.

Rare Exports is a rare package indeed. It's too violent and coarse for the children who would appreciate the enchanting yet nonsensical ending. It's too restrained for horror buffs looking for a blood soaked stocking above the mantle. Who exactly is this movie for? If you're the kind of person who has difficulty choosing between re-watching Lilo and Stitch or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on a snowy Friday night, then you might be the blend of audience Rare Exports is targeting.

-Josh Evans

Keanu (2016)

They're not kitten around!

[8/10 · 24 June 2020]

We've all seen what Keanu will do if you mess with his dog, but how do Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael Key react if you mess with their kitten...named Keanu. These gentle hearted best buds will have to take on an entire criminal underworld if they ever hope to see little Keanu again. Hilarity ensues. Some occasional splattery action, nudity, and pervasive language will keep mainstream audiences away, but I'm sure that this movie has a long life ahead of it as a cult classic. The movie has a very silly sense of humor but never loses sight of what makes our two protagonists unique and endearing. They're in over their head chasing a cat but we get the sense that this quest is much more meaningful than what we see on the surface. Jordan Peele's character can't walk away from the situation, he's not just chasing his lost kitten. He's chasing the very notion that his broken emotional state can ever be whole again. His personal life was shattered and Keanu the kitten represented hope that he could be whole again one day, he can't just walk away from that. Keegan Michael Key's character is a father who feels generally weak and ineffective. He can't leave his best friend to certain self-destructive doom. Additionally, he's driven by the need to prove to himself that he's tough enough to stand up for those he cares about. This isn't just a movie about chasing a kitten, it's a hilarious fish-out-of-water journey of self-actualization for our protagonists and that's what makes Keanu great.

-Josh Evans

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Above Average RomCom or Propaganda?

[7/10 · 24 June 2020]

Cultures clash when a suitor must introduce their fiance to their "crazy" family. No this isn't My Big Fat Greek Wedding or Meet the Parents or Guess Who's Coming to Dinner or...you get the picture.

Point being, on its surface, there is nothing special about the story in Crazy Rich Asians and yet it still manages to transcend that shortcoming by excelling in nearly every other area. The cast is engaging and charming, the setting of Singapore is a fresh and interesting setting for a North American made film to utilize, and the visuals pop with color and life! You'll probably be able to call out the story points before they land, but there's just so much effort and energy thrown at the mediocre narrative that it's practically impossible to be bored. Instead of being a bog-standard romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians feels like a celebration of standard romantic comedies!

The cast is all very capable, but Awkwafina runs away with every scene she's in. Standout role right there! The story errs on the side of overcrowding, they could have probably left a couple extended family story threads on the cutting room floor but overall there's very little to critique.

Except for one gigantic factor.

The movie as a whole is a sweet, kindhearted affair and that's a bit of a problem. It's the tale of an American being thrust into the high wealth upper class of Singapore; a country known for its authoritarian oppression, rigid class divide, and corrupt government. We're talking about everything from fines for chewing gum in public, the death penalty for petty crimes, limitations on public gatherings, erasure of their indigenous peoples and culture...the place is, on a fundamental legislative level, a prison. Bringing an American into the high, privileged end of such a country and forcing them to struggle with the divide between the well-to-do and the so called "common folk" could easily provide a strong emotional undercurrent for the narrative to rest on. To make matters worse, a character spouts a brief history of the country which is a revisionist part-lie embraced and promoted by the current government. The movie never bothers to contest blatant propaganda like this. Ignoring this aspect of Singapore and instead just using it as an exotic backdrop for a bog-standard love story feels naive at best or purchased propaganda at worst.

But hey, that's probably just me. I could easily level similar criticisms of any film set in the United States of America, with it's continuing worldwide list of inflicted atrocities, so why am I holding this movie to a different standard?

That's just it, I suppose. Because it's different, it was championed as this great step made in cinematic representation. To a point it really is, it's hard to find wide release films featuring an all Asian cast and it must certainly get credit for that on top of being a fine example of its genre.

Crazy Rich Asians, on its own terms, is a frivolous delight. But for me personally, its careful omissions muddy the aftertaste. -Josh Evans