Tag: Review

During her early years of acting in independent theater and film, Luiz Guzmán took a job as a youth counselor in New York. The world-weary, red-faced voice actor seems to have tapped into these memories for the play Story Avenue. In Aristotle Torres' impressive feature debut (co-written with Bonsu Thompson), the actor brings great warmth to his role as an MTA driver trapped by his insecure and tormented but angry manager.

Asante Black – "This Is Us" and "When They See Us" – Kadir is a high school student and aspiring artist whose younger brother has just died. The reception after the funeral makes it clear that he and his mother (including her lover) are not comforting each other in this sad moment. He is haunted by vivid nightmares that curse Kadir for not doing anything to save his brother, who has cerebral palsy. His notebook is full of sketches of his beloved younger sister.

By capturing both Kadir's reflection in the bathroom mirror and then seeing him reenter the reception desk (contrasted with Spike Lee's trademark two-handed shot), the film suggests Kadir's dual nature and isolation. He is injured. He is, he is not. Like the cinematography, the mix of sounds throughout the film is evident: whispered conversations, squealing subway brakes and screeching rails, well-modulated music and the sound of smashing paint cans make for art and vandalism. .

Kadir is disillusioned with his home and wants to join a group of street artists known as Outside the Lines (or "OTL"), led by his best friend's older brother Mo, who goes on schemes. Described by Melvin Gregg as a mix of bombshells and street attractions, the scheme honestly lives up to its name.

Alex Hibbert ("The Chi" and "Moonlight") stars as Moe. Torres's deeply personal film is not a bleak advertisement for the drama of poverty. Moe and Kadi are two black boys trying to find a place together in their world. They stand behind each other. They have expertise and even support. Kadir is encouraged by at least one enthusiastic teacher. His mother (Cassandra Freeman) may be there to see him, but she is too consumed by her grief and anger over the death of her young son to be there for Kadir.

The Skeme crew seems pretty good at first. Bathed in thick fog, neon lights and darkness, the gang's base feels more like a club than a hideout, and the crew feels more like an avant-garde artist collective than a criminal enterprise. "Story Avenue" presents a plot about different ways to mentor a young man in Kadir's position. By offering a kind of familial love in return for loyalty, schemes attempt to shape and exploit the adolescent's desire to be known, to be seen. He is an expert in identifying weaknesses and exploiting them. Their reasons may be complex, but their motives are selfish.

Torres deftly walks the line between establishing Schem's charisma and critiquing it. Later in the film, another artist Kadir meets provides the backdrop at an art gallery, but before long, Skims challenges Kadir to demonstrate his skills with a pistol.

At the end of his shift, he runs into a subway driver named Luis Torres and heads to his favorite spot for a Cubano and a beer. He has a big belly and walks with a little front leg and other fatigue. Torres does not soften the meeting of these two souls on a train platform in the Bronx. Qadir is scared and more dangerous because of his adrenaline. That weapon might explode in his angry hands.

Luis talks to him, or at least negotiates: he will pay Kadir, but in return the boy must agree to eat with him. From Luis's chat with photography student waitress Gloria (Coral Pena), it becomes clear that he is going to the restaurant they go to. Not only is Lewis patient with Kadir, but the director is equally careful in uncovering the past of this subway savior. Louis' perseverance reflects. He also has demons created from pain. Nevertheless, Guzman is easy to love for his compassion and humility.

The gang's opening night turns violent and Kadir takes it out on Louie. At the same time, teachers stepped in and offered other opportunities to the painting fraternity, including art schools. Kadir obeys (he pays an emotional visit to the Spanish society, where he meets the artist Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida), but is also stern about the teenagers' "human pain" to those who offer their help. His resistance extends to Gloria, as well as Luis, who becomes more human as "Avenue of Stories" unfolds. There will be reckoning and regret for Kadir, but at the same time he will be reborn in a very difficult year and the kindness of a stranger can be appreciated. With a name like Aristotle, it's only fitting that Torres ends Kadir's story with a catharsis.

Hire this riot artist to paint

John Wick 4 has received rave reviews, with critics saying that 4K is packed with great action but maybe a little long.

The new film follows the events of John Wick 3 and sees killer Keanu Reeves take over at the high table. Bill Skarsgard joins the franchise as the evil Marquis, while Rina Sawayama, Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada are also new. . In addition to the training. Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Lance Reddick reprise their roles from previous episodes.

We've collected 4 John Wick reviews below so you can get an idea of ​​how the latest film in the franchise has been received. And don't worry – the following is completely spoiler-free.

Total Movies – 4/5 – Kim Taylor-Foster

“If you like what Wick can do with a pen (JW2) and a book (JW3), wait till you see what he can do with playing cards, let alone a set of nunchucks. Battle sequences, action scenes, neon. Chapter 4 All Aspects plus 11111 (Deep Reference Alert!) And if there's one place where returning director Chad Stahelski's film fails, it's when comparing the characters from the previous installment to Donnie Yen's blindness and perspicacity.

With sets that are bigger, bolder, longer and almost bigger than a movie can comfortably handle, this action tale ups the ante. It's hard to shake the "chaos overload is too close" sentiment at times, but it seems appropriate for a series with more than a few deaths.

IGN – 10/10 – Tom Jorgensen

“In Chapter 4 of the story, John Wick's revenge forces the table to open a war and that's because John accepts that he can't even win this war alone. The rules and consequences are handled well in the John Wick universe. Director Chad Stahelsky and actor Keanu Reeves present a symphony of on-screen action. “The fourth part is a strong framework that allows all elements to collide. This is the longest John Wick film. This is the longest John Wick film. The best John Wick film."

The story goes on

Guard – 2/5 – Charles Bramesco

"In short, a lot happens to our hero of the death machine on his bloody journey from New York to Osaka, from Berlin to Paris. The scene moves away from the point of excess, infinity of order, and off-shoulder wasteland. In the graceful monotonous certainty, death laughs to the song.” It's a hit, reminiscent of Roger Ebert's declaration that no good film lasts long. Its purpose is not perpetual entertainment, but a well-told story. So Long He's Director Chad Stahelski, who opened the doors, didn't have the publisher's instinct for construction and credits.

Variant – Owen Gleiberman

“John Wick: Season 4 is 2 hours and 49 minutes long, but it told a story more clearly that might fit the 83 minutes you saw at The Mill in 1977. Under his direction, each new act is filled with silence, frustration and bound to be mesmerizing as he sets the scene, Ceremony Clash of Words, Season 4 The first John Wick film looks like Clint Eastwood is trying to eat spaghetti be like Sergio Leone meeting John Woo in Times Square.

BBC Karin James

“The difference from Chapter 4 is that John Wick becomes the real James Bond, traveling the world exploring amazing cities in spectacularly designed missions. At 2 hours and 49 minutes, the film is longer than the previous film. In every way – no better or worse, more."

Deadline – Pete Hammond

“This new film begins with the assumption that Wick is dead, the high table, unseen crime bosses looking to make a deal for John's head. He isn't, and instead he can only be described as John Wick in the sequence. When we "Meet Lawrence of Arabia," we travel with the stars on horseback into the Jordanian desert for most of the action. Interest in the first few episodes is high. Director Chad Stahelski, Reeves' former martial artist and stuntman on "The Matrix", knows exactly what audiences want and expect, and he seems determined to take it up a few notches. Fortunately, John Wick presents Chapter 4, even if it looks cute at times.

John Wick hits theaters on March 4th and 24th. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the important movie release dates this year.

Ellen Degeneres was officially deleted after…

At this point , we know that Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was one of the biggest games in the new movie release schedule in 2023 . The trailers have so far teased the eloquent Chris Pine and cute characters, as well as huge monsters and fun gags . However, some longtime fans of the iconic board game might want to hear what the critics have to say before deciding whether or not to go see it in theaters. Well, the film was screened at SXSW, and film pundits have had their say on Pine's fantasy film.

Given how much love there is for D&D , Honor Among Thieves director and screenwriter Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daly had a high bar to reach. And according to many early reviews, the duo (who also made Game Night and Vacation ) nailed it. Lovia Giarquier, who reviewed the film for THR , praised the filmmakers for creating a film that builds on the franchise's roots and is very entertaining in the process. Although he did praise Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and the rest of the cast in particular:

© Shauna Townley/Focus Features/Focus Features/TNS From left: Kevin Iannucci as Johnny, Kaitlyn Olson as Alex, James Day as Keith Benny and Woody Harrelson as Marcus Champions.

A humorous story about two boys and one woman, Special Olympics basketball hopefuls with intellectual and developmental disabilities who seek to become cynical coaches, played by Woody Harrelson, whom the champions adore.

The structure is similar to The Green Book, directed by Bobby's brother Peter Farrelly, which deals with racial prejudice and the mindless shopping of white men in the civil rights era. In both films, you might be wondering: are we really focusing on the most interesting character? Or someone who can get the green light for production?

The film is a remake of the hit and loved 2018 Spanish comedy-drama Campeones. (Another remake, this one is set in India.) Stuck in Des Moines, Iowa after being fired as a semi-professional assistant coach and due to a DUI sentenced to 90 days of community service, Marcus (Harrelson) is reluctantly concerned about the fate of the opposing team at a troubled community center.

© Courtesy Focus Features/Focus Features/TNS From left: Casey Metcalf as Marlon, James Day Keith Benny, Woody Harrelson Marcus, Ashton Gunning Cody and Tom Sinclair Blair Bobby Farrelly Champions.

Primarily friction and irritation for our main character. Little by little, he and his teammates, the friends, learn some basics and lower their defenses. I've seen the original, although most people who will see champions haven't seen it; A quick look at the film's Spanish-language trailer reveals its similarity to the remake, albeit with changes.

No longer a man tied to his wife, Coach Marcus is a lone wolf we meet after purposely setting him up with actress Alex (Caitlin Olsen) on Tinder. Johnny (Kevin Iannucci, excellent), Down Syndrome, is the older sister of one of Marcus' players.

Neurodivergent characters in Champions have the ability to express themselves in different ways. But that's the way some things are done, and there's a cut to Harrelson's giggle/hate/piss.

However, there are tradeoffs. Best known for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Olson makes his scenes with Harrelson fresh and sensitive. Des Moines starred in Winnipeg, Canada, and this time see and enjoy the snow and cold in a low-budget studio project; it serves the story. It's also important to be mindful of hiring neurodivergent film crews, where Farrelly's film is sure to be accepted. I just wish side characters weren't covered here and that Champions wasn't primarily about another trainer hitting rock bottom and getting back up. In reworking the 2018 film, the filmmakers missed an opportunity to focus more on the actors than on brief cuts about how things are going in their lives.

Meanwhile, in a new "Champions" trailer, an actor said to a friend during the credits, "I want to be in this movie!" It's an honest statement. There are moments and scenes that develop an interesting complexity, including the dinner sequence – Marcus arrives for dinner at his girlfriend's, his brother's and his mother's home – and his hidden feelings are finally revealed in a way that feels like the real thing Live and not feel like a movie. (or at least the rest of this movie). Disarming one minute and grossly manipulative the next, "Champions" is hard work. At one point, Marcus commends his players for dealing with "what you do to ignorant people every day," which, while well-intentioned and grounded in grim reality, helps these characters, as the film itself explains. Repayment history selected.

———

"CHAMPS"

2 stars (out of 4)

Rating: PG-13 (for violence and gross/sexual innuendo)

Duration: 2h03

How to watch: Friday at the cinema

———

©2023 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Woody Harrelson at work and in the bush

© Netflix Zero

Detectives and hackers seem to be enjoying a renaissance right now, thanks in large part to Rian Johnson's projects like Glass Onion and Peacock's refreshing detective anthology Poker Face . But before there was Benoit Blanc or Charlie Cale, there was John Luthor, and Idris Elba had long hoped to bring the master detective to life on film. That time has finally arrived as Luthor. Fallen Sun will be available to Netflix subscribers on Friday, March 10, following a limited theatrical release beginning today, February 24. Fortunately, the reviews tell us if it was worth the wait.

Luthor ended in 2019 after five seasons. When Idris Elba returns as the character, he will be joined by newcomers Cynthia Eriva as Chief Inspector Odette Raine and Andy Serkis as serial killer David Robbie. Dermot Crowley also reprises his role as Detective Inspector Martin Schenck. Let's address the critics, starting with CinemaBlend 's Luther. from the review "Fallen Sun" . Eric Eisenberg rates the Netflix movie 2.5 stars out of 5, saying that the movie feels like an entire season was cut into a shorter time frame, but it's still a lot of fun to watch. It concludes:

IGN's Siddhant Adlaha believes that “Luther. The pace of the setting sun transports the audience to the most enjoyable part of the detective story, watching together the mystery in the masterpiece. This critic rates it a "poor" 4 out of 10, saying:

In fact, many critics noted that Fallen Sun could have been better as a series that would have given the story room to breathe. Collider's Carly Lane says the film opens with a fast pace that always builds to breakneck speed. However, reviewers generally love the film and give it a four.

Mashable's Sam Haysom says a movie is in the works, but not for long. The critic says that it is an amusing and well-acted story, which cannot but confuse him;

IndieWire's Steve Green gave the film a C+, noting that bigger isn't always better and that Fallen Sun was a sloppy piece of television that fell out of its depth. Verification is in progress.

All critics seem to agree on Netflix's dynamic film, but they disagree on whether the end result was worth it. If you want to see “Luthor. setting sun” on the big screen, you have a small chance during today's limited release. Otherwise, it will be available on Netflix on March 10. In the meantime, you can check out some of Idris Elba's other best performances, as well as all the new stuff coming to Netflix soon.

Vanessa Williams – Save the best for last!

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We interview the director of Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania – Peyton Reed | designed

Some movies don't know how to start and take a while to get hooked. Not so with The Sanctified , Christopher Smith's new horror film that starts almost literally with a bang. The film opens with a young woman walking down the street on what seems to be an ordinary day in London. Out of nowhere, an old nun came out and approached him. Dressed in a white monastic robe, she drew a pistol and pointed it at the young woman, smiling softly and looking as surprised as the onlookers.

Not a bad way to start a movie, right? What prompted this nun to act in such a hopeless and atypical way? He is angry? It's young. At a good hour in its 90-minute runtime , The Sanctification is considered a supernatural horror film with better-than-usual cinematography and direction, as well as a good performance by the lead actress. But after unraveling the main secret, the consecration will fail, and you will understand that the film is staged and worthless. It's a shame, because the previous film promised to be better than it was.

obscene incident

After this impressive prologue, Sanctification reappears a few months ago. A young woman about to be shot by a nun turns out to be London eye doctor Grace (Jena Malone). Her daily life is quickly turned upside down by the death of her brother Michael (Stephan Kneid), a pastor in a remote Scottish village. Worst of all, he kills himself after killing another priest. Of course, Grace couldn't believe that her brother had hurt himself, let alone another church member, so she went to the parish to find out.

Arriving there, he quickly realized that something was wrong. All the monks seem to have secrets they want to tell him but can't. Mother Superior (Janet Suzman) must be hiding something she doesn't want to reveal. And the head priest, Father Romero (Danny Huston), is too charming to console Grace. What happened to his brother?

Grace is assisted to some extent by the detective (Torren Ferguson, lost in a secure role), but mostly she alone figures out what he's up to. It helps that the brother leaves behind an encrypted diary that only Grace can decipher, which unlocks many extended flashbacks of his brother's religious upbringing. Grace herself is gradually revealed to be connected to the convent and more than she cares to know why her brother killed himself, and the film soon ends with multiple stab wounds, broken bones, and car rides. time. (do not ask)

Not good enough to be decent, and not too bad to act.

The journey is as interesting as the destination, and to its credit, The Rite is a very effective horror film in its first hour. Director Smith skilfully set the scene and, along with cinematographers Rob Hart and Sean Monet, used the beautiful Scottish setting to create an ominous mood. He also patiently builds out the central mystery of Michael's death and actually makes Grace a somewhat unreliable narrator. It is difficult to imagine the exact setting in which one can believe all this holy horror, but Smith believes, and for a while, Sanctification manages to balance the sadness of grace with otherworldly revelations.

Smith seeks unusual help from Malone, who punishes Grace very severely. In year _ ). neon demon). ). ) a little better. Even though the movie falls apart quickly at the end, Malone makes you want to know what happened to Grace.

But man, that ending was a disaster. It was clear that screenwriters Smith and Laurie Cooke had no idea how the film would end or what Grace was supposed to portray. Is he a living symbol of a supernatural God? Was he a fallen angel doing "miracles" as an optometrist? Or is he reincarnated as Satan? The film is set to have all three things true, but not enough support to make all three believable or satisfying.

Unused capacity

What's left is a bewildering climax that wastes all the good intentions in the beginning. Smith was clearly influenced by earlier horror films, and it's not hard to believe that The Sanctification could join Whiplash and Midsummer as classics in the "independent horror community" subgenre.

But it disappointed everyone because the story wasn't focused and wasn't sure what it wanted. To delve deeper into the rebellious nature of the faith into which he originally entered, or even into the elemental courage of the Omen , proves to be completely useless. I generally agree with this, but the film needs to be supported by the faith it's trying to create. This is what is lacking in worship , and it is a sin that even God cannot forgive.

"Consecration" is currently in theaters.

Editor's note

Life in Christ, Volume 2 | Charles H. Spurgeon | Christian audiobooks.

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7 (UPI) — The Magic Mike franchise has come a long way from the 2012 film inspired by Channing Tatum's experience as a stripper to acting.

Magic's Last Dance , which hits theaters Friday, is the perfect combination of Tatum's dance moves and showmanship.

Mike lost his furniture business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a fitting way to prepare him for new opportunities. While bartending at a party hosted by Maxandra (Salma Hayek Pino), a guest tells her about Mike's previous job.

Max convinces Mike to give him one last dance, but Mike is so nice that he convinces him to return to London, where he owns a theatre. Max gives Mike the right to host a dance show, which challenges him and complicates their romance.

Mike's private lap dance for Max convinces viewers that there is more juice in this franchise. He began remodeling the space for his performance and testing the equipment he would later rely on.

Tatum, like Mike, gets really excited when he gets close enough to Max to be intimate, but never kisses or makes out. Together they create a sexual desire and can be seen to provide much needed release – in a way that is physically and emotionally safe.

Hayek plays the role of the erotic Ginger Rogers. He also does a bit of dancing, but it's more of a fiery reaction than an addition to Tatum's choreography.

Mike and Max sleep together and it's honest. Mike doesn't do this with every client, and Max keeps Mike in the dark about his plans until he takes him to the theater.

This leads to a fairly standard "put on a show" story, but the vibe of the film's dancers should surpass the moves that fans of the first two films have seen.

The dancers Mike brings together in London are impressive. They never become backstage characters, but they pull off his choreography impressively.

As auditions and rehearsals progressed, the show began to take shape. Mike isn't on the show, but he still has to play to show newcomers how it's done.

Max's radical new ideas run into trouble when Max and Mike run into obstacles. They are chosen as much as possible and luckily some of them are chosen by jumping.

The problems in Max and Mike's relationship are not so obvious. Max has an unfinished business history and his impending divorce is complicated by a prenuptial agreement.

Mike makes peace with London snobs and meets Max's daughter Jaydee (Jemelia George). Zadie is skeptical about mom's new toy, but Max's butler Victor (Ayub Khan Din) seems even worse.

The show that Mike is doing is really cool. He has a lot to say about feminism and desire, all with an epic dance number.

The Last Dance is Mike's solo show. It's about the four dancers from the previous two films, and luckily they're fine, but they'll be missed.

They're calling it Magic Mike's Last Dance, but instead of wrapping up the trilogy, it might be " Fast Five " that takes the franchise in a bold new direction. Magic Mike could be a series where Mike fills his company with new members and builds more and more ambitious shows with each sequel.

Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a Los Angeles-based entertainment writer for UPI. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012. Learn more about his work in entertainment.

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