The Legend of Ochi

When it comes to films that are fantastical, they are typically made with quality and audiences usually love them, considering how entertaining they can be. The genre of fantasy has virtually no limits and this is a filmmaker's dream. So, when "The Legend of Ochi" came along, the premise and how the story was treated intrigued me. 

In a fictional remote village on the island of Carpathia within the Black Sea, a shy farm girl named Yuri (Helena Zengel) is raised by her over-bearing father, Maxim (Willem Dafoe) to fear an elusive animal species known as ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby ochi has been left behind, she escapes from the clutches of her father on a quest to bring him home. Her quest includes others who attempt to help her such as Dasha (Emily Watson) and Petro (Finn Wolfhard). 

Others to round out the cast are Razvan Stoica as Ivan, Carol Bors as Oleg, Andrei Antoniv Anghel as Vlad, David Andrei Baltatu as Gleb, Eduard Oancea as Pavel, Tomas Otto Ghela as Tudor and Paul Manalatos as The Ochi.

This was directed with pathos with the ability of being heartfelt by a virtual newcomer to feature films, Isaiah Saxon (shorts, music videos and videos). This was stunning in how this film delved into the possible connection of animal and human, although through a challenging process. Saxon's ability to pace and stage his actors were amazing and seemed like he's a real pro. Considering this film was a Sundance Film Festival favorite, it's no wonder that it was pushed to be released in theaters. It was also well executed by Isaiah Saxon (TV, shorts and music videos). Surely his experience in the TV and music video realm has worked for this writer and this film proves it in spades. The only problem I had with this movie was with the sound editing such as near the beginning where Yuri is narrating, it was difficult, at times, to understand all that she was saying due to the fact that the music was a bit overly powerful. And also there were a couple of places that were a bit choppy, but otherwise it was a spot on script. The special effects by John Nolan in the design of the ochi were stunning indeed. 

This is a little bit like a dark, gritty "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial" even though this was not an alien. But since the creature is within the fantasy realm, it had that flavor. Certainly in seeing this, it showed us that we can, with patience and a bit of understanding, co=exist, whether it is a fantastical beast or other human beings, all the while presented in an entertaining way. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: PG                                           95mins.

The Accountant 2

Political films have been produced from Hollywood for decades and since there is an incredible fascination with them, they will always be offered. We saw "The Accountant" back in 2016 and it was a gripping, well honed story, so, a mere nine years later, we have "The Accountant 2" to sink our teeth into. 

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an Old acquaintance, Ray King (J.K. Simmons) is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to "find the accountant" written on his leg, Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal), to help in partnership with U.S.Treasury Deputy Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried. 

Others to round out the cast are Daniella Pineda as Anais, Alison Wright as Justine (voice of), Robert Morgan as Burke, Allison Robertson as Justine, Grant Harvey as Cobb, Andrew Howard as Batu, Yael Ocasio as Alberto, Lombardo Boyar as Tomas and Michael Tourek as Ike Sudio. 

This was directed effortlessly by Gavin O'Connor (" Comfortably Numb" '95, "Tumbleweeds" '99, "Murphy's Dozen" (TV movie) '11, "Miracle" '04, "Pride and Glory" '08, "Warrior" '11, "Cinnamon Girl" (TV movie) '13, "Only Human" (TV movie) '14, "The Prince" (TV movie) '15, "Jane Got a Gun" '15, "The Accountant" '16, "The Way Back" '20) plus TV and a short. It was brilliant to use the same director as with the original so the similar feel of the two films will be evident. O'Connor did such an exemplary job of "The Accountant" that helming the sequel gave an effortless appeal. He was able to pull off these two brothers as though they were like the quintessential 'odd couple'--Affleck being the controlling autistic savant that is amazingly intelligent and Benthal pulling off the role of someone that's a loose cannon, totally over the top, very dramatic that it became humorous and added a light sibling rivalry to this. If you like his brand of directing, his "Fast" is in pre-production. It was equally well written by Bill DuBuque ("The Judge" '14, "A Family Man" '16, "The Accountant" '16) plus TV, based on characters created by Bill DuBuque. Since the original ended up being the surprise hit of the summer of 2016, a sequel by the same writer was an obvious next step. What's surprising is that it took nine years to finally produce the follow up. And with this outing, this new film is every bit as well directed and written and acted as its predecessor. The only issues I felt with this was that I felt that it had a couple of very small places of disjointedness and confusion, but otherwise, the screenplay soared. Again, Affleck's role as the mathematical, practically autistic savant accountant was stunning and he could possibly see a nod come Oscar time. If you appreciate this writing DuBuque's "The Six Billion Dollar Man" is in pre-production. 

This was so entertaining that if the makers of this film decided to make a "The Accountant 3", it would be welcomed. Of course, like with other films, it is dependent of how much money is raked in the box office. I'm usually not into sequels, but with this, I'm willing to make the exception.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                         133m.

The Ballad of Wallis Island

As we are about to enter the summer film season, we are typically offered smaller, indie films that often times don't fair well economically because of all the huge, CGI driven films that are bigger than life. So, we are offered a small film called "The Ballad of Wallis Island" that is quirky as it is entertaining.

This film follows Charles Heath (Tim Key), an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island and dreams of getting his favorite musicians, Herb McGwyer / Nell Mortimer (Tim Basden and Carey Mulligan) respectively, back together. His fantasy turns into reality when the bandmates, who were former lovers, accept his invitation to play a private show at his home on Wallis Island. Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig. 

Others to round out the cast are Sian Clifford as Amanda, Akemnji Ndifornyen as Michael, Steve Marsh as Peter, Luka Downie as Marcus, Kerrie Thomason as Marie and Arron Long as Tour Guide. 

This was directed with dry wit and quirkiness by James Griffiths ("Royal Wedding" (TV movie) '10, "Cuban Fury" '14, "Charity Case" (TV movie) '16, "Delilah" (TV movie) '20) plus TV and a short. Even though this director only has one other feature film to his credit, his list of TV movies and other TV has certainly served him well. His staging and pacing is spot on as is ability to encourage his actors to strive to 'find' their characters with conviction. It was equally written with heart and humor by Tom Basden ("Brave Young Men" (TV movie) '09, "Very Few Fish" (TV movie) '13, "Plebs: Soldiers of Rome" (TV movie) '22) plus TV and a short, and Tim Key (TV and shorts). Neither writer has any feature film work when it comes to writing, however, they have enough TV movies and other TV and shorts between them to make up the difference. Certainly since these writers were the two main stars in this movie, it definitely caused this to be more powerful than otherwise. If this is their first feature film, I would like to see what they could do with writing another feature film, since this was well thought out and was moving and forced these individuals to dig deep in coming to realize their past in order to obtain a happier present. The only issue with this was that there were a couple of areas that were slightly disjointed, but otherwise was amazing. The acting by all three of the lead stars, and even the supporting cast was effective and endearing

If you're into small, independent films, this is the film for you. This was well written, directed and acted with compassion, passion and style all the while bringing humor in the form of dry wit and was amazingly entertaining. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                           Rated: PG-13                                        99mins.

The King of Kings

At this time of year two things occur: the summer film season is ramping up and it is the time for the Easter season. And with "The King of Kings" being released, it's an animated film which is typically a favorite form of film during the summer, and, it being an Easter film, it falls into theaters during this time as well. For movie companies, it's the best of both worlds. 

A father, in this case is Charles Dickens (Kenneth Branagh), tells his son, Walter (Roman Griffin Davis) the greatest story ever told, and what begins as a bedtime tale becomes a life-changing journey. Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus (Oscar Isaac), witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. "The King of Kings" invites us to rediscover the enduring power of hope, love and redemption through the eyes of a child. 

Others to round out the cast are Pierce Brosnan as Pontius Pilate, Uma Thurman as Catherine Dickens, wife of Charles, Mark Hamill as King Herod, Forest Whitaker as Peter, Ben Kingsley and High Priest Caiaphas, Jim Cummings as James the Greater/Pharisee Hillel, Dee Bradley Baker as Willa the Cat and Fred Tatasciore as Pharisee Eleazar. 

This film was compassionately directed by Seong-ho Jang (visual effects). Even though this filmmaker has no feature film experience--certainly none in the direction realm, he absolutely pulled this off. With his passion and sensitive handling of the subject matter, he took this story and produced a movie that all could envision and could take something from it. It was also well written by Seong-ho Jang (visual effects) as well. Additional writing was actually commissioned by Rob Edwards ("Treasure Planet" '02, "The Princess and the Frog" '09, "Captain America: Brave New World" '25, "Sneaks" '25) plus TV, a short and a video game and Jamie Thomason. Now, was this writing as talented as it was because of Jang's work or because of the two individuals who provided the additional writing? Not sure, however the resume of that of Edwards would conclude in most peoples' hearts that Edwards had a huge influence. But either way, the culmination of writers certainly brought us a powerful script. It actually followed the sequences in the bible extremely well which tells me that there were Christians involved in this, and it would need to happen, otherwise the story very likely would become convoluted. 

Certainly if you're a Christian, this will be very easy to follow along with the story, but even if you're not, it is a film that will speak volumes to one's heart. It is a film for all to see, but even though it's seen through the eyes of a child, kids will gravitate to this, after all, it is the greatest story ever told. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: PG                                            104mins.

The Amateur

Hollywood and espionage films have been about as common, for many decades, as John Wayne and westerns. We've seen many through the years, i.e. "All the President's Men", "The Day of the Jackal", "Three Days of the Condor", "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", "Body of Lies", the James Bond franchise and others, and now we have yet another one where it centers around someone that's not even a spy.

Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley whose life is turned upside down when his wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) is killed in a London terrorist attack, When his supervisors, Chief Moore (Holt McCallany) and Caleb (Danny Sapani) refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible.  Along with a trusted decoding source, Inquiline (Caitriona Balfe) and on again, off again Agent Henderson (Laurence Fishburne), and his intelligence, this intelligence serves as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge. 

Others to round out the cast are Jon Bernthal as The Bear, Nick Mills as Finn, Jullianne Nicholson as Director O'Brien, Adrian Martinez as Carlos, Evan Milton as Slater, Tiffany Gray as Esther and Kate Sumpter as Anchor. 

This was brilliantly directed with grit and intensity by James Hawes ("The Earth in Balance" (TV movie) '90, "A Line in the Sand"(TV movie) '04, "The Lift" (TV movie) '07,  "The 39 Steps" (TV movie) '08, "Enid" (TV movie) '09, "Pulse" (TV movie) '10, "The Challenger Disaster" (TV movie) '13, "One Life" '23). This filmmaker's staging and pacing of this film was incredibly tight considering the movie was shot in many different countries where keeping the project all together can deem daunting. It was easy to follow along with each scene and Malek's presence is amazingly captivating and this is incredible directing, even though Malek is a consummate actor. It was well executed by writers Ken Nolan ("Black Hawk Down" '01, "Dawn" (TV movie) '16, Transformers: The Last Knight" '17, "Only the Brave" '17) plus TV and a short, and Gary Spinelli ("Stash House" '12, "American Made" '17) plus TV, based on the novel by Robert Littrell. As aforementioned, considering this was shot in many countries, this was held together very well. It was tight, concise and definitely kept one's attention. The only issue with this is that there were a few areas of slowness in the script, and maybe an area of a bit of choppiness in the middle of the story, but otherwise, it simply excelled. 

Certainly if you like espionage films, you'll revel with this, but the captivating aspect of this is clearly that of Malek. He is quite the chameleon when it comes to acting--he will play any role as long as it's challenging and gripping. This is the sign of a true artist. It's a great way to escape into this two hour running time. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: PG-13                                            123mins.

Warfare

When it comes to war films, and more to the point, Middle East war films, we've seen a plethora of them, but not quite to the extreme intensity of "Warfare". This film cuts to the chase with no lead in, character development or message of it except to survive. This gives a one two punch that aims for the juggler. 

November 19, 2006. Iraq. "Warfare" embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs on a surveillance mission gone wrong in insurgent territory. A visceral boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare and brotherhood, told like never before in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it. This unit of men consisting of Erik (Will Poulter), Ray (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Rai), Elliott (Cosmo Jarvis), Sam (Joseph Quinn), Lt. MacDonald (Michael Gandolfini), John (Finn Bennett) and others, not only were calibrating men, but also were 'brothers', looking out for one another especially when things went awry. 

Others to round out the cast are Aaron Mackenzie as Kelly, Evan Holtzman as Brock,Jo Macauley as Mo, Laurie Duncan as Pete, Jake Lampert as Ted, Aaron Deakins as Bob. Kit Connor as Tommy, Henrique Zaga as Aaron, Taylor John Smith as Frank and Alex Brockdorff as Mikey.

This was directed with stunning reality by Ray Mendoza (Upcoming TV) and Alex Garland ("Ex Machina" '14, "Annihilation" '18, "Men" '22, "Civil War" '24) plus TV. It certainly shows that this film was produced through the eyes of Middle East war veterans since the story was laced with as much intensity and stunning acts of soberness and camaraderie. The fact that it was shot in real time showed it was almost like a documentary. It was also incredibly well penned by writers Ray Mendoza (Upcoming TV) and Alex Garland ("28 Days Later" '02, "Sunshne" '07, "Never Let Me Go" '10, "Dredd" '12, "Ex Machina" '14, "Annihilation" '18, "Men" '22, "Civil War" '24) plus TV, video games and novels. The writing in this film was obviously from the heart with these writers--them being war vets, and the way this script played out, it was incredibly gut-wrenching that, at times, it was difficult to keep watching it. It was amazingly sobering and simply drained its audience through the key hole many times over. Intensity wise, it reminded me of the film, "United 93", about the doomed airliner that crashed in rural Pennsylvania post 9-11-2001. That film was so painstakingly realistic that it became difficult to watch. I believe these types of films are films people should see ever so often to remind us that our lives, as compared to these lives we're witnessing on the screen, are nearly as fraught with impending doom. The writing, even though the lion's share was that of Garland, was riveting and captivating. 

Although this film was incredibly well written, directed and acted, this film was not made with the mass audience appeal in mind since the story is so shockingly volatile and intense. I was squirming in my seat more than once and afterward, I cried in the car due to what these guys were put through in this wartime hell. "War is hell" is what the selling slogan of this film should be. If you're into this genre, but more to the point, this intensity, you'll be at home. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: R                                         95mins.

Drop

There are slasher films and there are whodunnit thriller films, and typically never the twain would meet. However, with "Drop", we have a little of both--mostly it being a thriller. The thriller whodunnit is a winning combination as this film showcases. It's short and definitely cuts to the chase. 

Violet Gates (Meghann Fahy), is a widowed mother on her first date in years, who arrives at an upscale restaurant where she is relieved that her date, Henry Campbell (Brandon Slkenar) is more charming and handsome than she expected. But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone. She is instructed to tell nobody and follow instructions or the hooded figure she sees on her home security cameras will kill Violet's young son, Toby (Jacob Robinson) and babysitting sister Jen (Violett Beane). Violet must do exactly as directed or everyone she loves will die, Her unseen tormentor's final directive? Kill her date, Henry,

Others to round out the cast are Reed Diamond as Richard, Gabrielle Ryan as Cara, Jeffery Self as Matt, Ed Weeks as Phil, Travis Nelson as Connor, Michael Shea as Blake, Sarah McCormack as Hostess and Ben Pelletier as Bearded/Masked man. 

This was rivetingly directed with grit and suspense by Christopher Landon ("Burning Palms" '10, "Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones" '14, "Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse" '15, "Happy Death Day" '17, "Happy Death Day 2U" '19, "Freaky" '20, "We Have a Ghost" '23) plus TV and a short. By his very resume, this filmmaker has certainly kept within his comfort zone, but when a certain genre works for you and you excel well, why not? The way he built the tension in this through Violet seemed realistic and more gripping. His pacing of the plot was amazing and also added to the calamity involved. It was written with grit and intensity by Jillian Jacobs ("Truth or Dare" '18, "Fantasy Island" '20) and Chris Roach ("Non-Stop" '14, "Truth or Dare" '18, "Fantasy Island" '20) plus TV. As aforementioned, this story builds slowly so as to let us see how much peril we see Violet is getting involved in and what makes that even more challenging is that she can't say anything lest her loved ones will die. Her facial expressions are so real as is Henry' s concern for her. Neither writer has a plethora of experience, but with this outing, they undoubtedly will receive more work. Lastly, considering the chemistry between Violet and Henry was strained in certain places of the story, they were still able to display an amazing chemistry throughout the film. If you like Roach's writing, his "Run" is in pre-production. 

If you like whodunnits or thrillers, this is a film you'll be right at home with. It's short, concise, with a tight script and engaging cast. It's tense, thrilling, riveting and definitely keeps you on the edge of your proverbial seat. Grab the popcorn for escapism at its best. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                      Rated: PG-13                                           96mins.

The Friend

Hollywood has a fascination with incorporating animals in their films and TV shows, i.e. "Lassie", "Marley and Me", "Old Yeller", "The Red Pony", "My Friend Flicka", "Dog", "Rin Tin Tin", and although there are a plethora of them, they never seem to get old with audiences. They typically profit, so in this day and age of finding profitable films, it's no wonder that "The Friend" has come along to continue that tradition. Hopefully as with the other films, this will also profit as well.

In this story, writer and teacher, Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closet friend and mentor, Walter (Bill Murray) commits suicide and bequeaths her his beloved 150 lb Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo (Bing), immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's choice to take his own life. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding to the animal, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend, and her own creative inner life.

Others to round out the past are Sarah Pidgeon as Val, Carla Gugino as Elaine, Constance Wu as Tuesday, Noma Dumezweni as Barbara, Ann Dowd as Marjorie, Owen Teague as Carter, Carrie Vu as Viv, Annie Fox as Jenna, Sue Jean Kim as Blossom and Gary Littman as Grant.

This was directed with a clear, concise delineation of drama and comedy by Scott McGehee and David Siegel ("Suture" '93, "The Deep End" '01, "Bee Season" '05, "Uncertainty" '08, "What Maisie Knew" '12, "Montana Story" '21) plus a short and a music video. The transformation that Watts had to endure was subtle yet incredibly moving, and this isn't just fine acting, but amazing directing as well. Their staging and pacing were second to none. It was equally well penned by writers Scott McGehee and David Siegel ("Suture" '93, "The Deep End" '01, "Uncertainty" '08, "Montana Story" '21) plus TV and a short, based on a novel by Sigrid Nunez. Obviously these filmmakers are both a directing and writing team which typically creates a unity that other films with different directors and writers don't have as much. The continuity is refreshingly fluid and certainly one can see why they stick together professionally. The only issue I could see with this film is that it took a while for the film to find itself and become the film that it was looking to be. Once it found itself, the story simply took off and was a gripping and captivating film. The more the story unfolds, the more we come to realize that, through taking care of this dog, Iris realizes more about the relationships that she had been confused about, so it became an epiphany in her life. 

This is an interesting film in that it speaks volumes about relationships and the confusion around them using this dog as the centerpiece in which those involved could find their answers to questions they didn't even know they had. The performance by Watts was amazing with the subtleties she brought to this role. If you're into 'dog' films, this is for those people for sure.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                      Rated: R                                        120mins.

Audrey's Children

Anymore in Hollywood, films based on true stories seems to be the staple of films made in lieu of fictional movies. Even though I can understand considering how many true and intriguing stories there are out there, it would be nice to experience something of pure fiction. Until that time, we are offered an interesting film based on a true story that will pull ones' heartstrings.

Philadelphia. 1969. Based on the incredible true story, British physician, Dr. Audrey Evans (Natalie Dormer), is newly recruited to a world-renowned children's hospital and ends up battling sexism, medical conventions, and the subterfuge of her peers to develop revolutionary treatments, purchase of the first Ronald McDonald House for families of patients and ultimately impact the lives of millions of children around the world.With her help from Dr. Dan D'Angio (Jimmi Simpson), Dr. Brian Faust (Brandon Micheal Hall) and the reluctant help from Dr. C. Everett Koop (Clancy Brown), she was able to convince skeptics in her field of her unorthodox methods. 

Others to round out the cast are Ben Chase as Dr. Jeremy Lewis, Evelyn Giovine as Kate Watson, Julianna Layne as Mia McAlister, Stephen Burgi as Boardroom Doctor, Joe Pistone as Distraught Dad of Mia, Maggie Toomey as Young Audrey and Tony Robine as Tech A. 

This was poignantly and compassionately directed by Ami Canaan Mann ("Morning" '01, "Texas Killing Fields" '11, "Jackie & Ryan" '14) plus TV and a video. The way this director was able to encourage Dormer to truly dig deep so as to bring out the compassion, the passion and the amazing concern for these kids of this doctor was captivating. This is a true ability of fine directing. She doesn't have a plethora of feature film experience, but with her TV work, this has served her well. It was well written by virtual newcomer to feature films, Julia Fisher Farbman (TV). This film was handled well in that the scenes were well thought out and the medical techniques were explained with clarity. There were a couple of scenes that were slightly disjointed, but considering the limited experience, this writer excelled. Her TV experience certainly was pivotal in her screenwriting. More work is what this writer needs to hone her talents. 

Since this is about the different cancers these children are experiencing, there are some scenes that will pull the heartstrings, especially considering some of these kids are babies. Natalie Dormer as Dr Evans was the perfect casting in that her performance was riveting and compelling.This is a must see, not just to see a gripping story, but to experience a little of what the families go through having their children so vulnerable.

Out of 4 Stars: 3,5                                   Rated: PG                                         116mins.