Slingshot

The genre of sci-fi is about as old as films themselves, and although we seemingly have covered every aspect of what could happen when in space, along comes "Slingshot". This takes the psychological thriller to an all new level replete with a minimal cast, and a premise where the audience has to figure out who is the good and bad guys.

A psychological thriller starring Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne, "Slingshot" follows an elite trio of astronauts, Captain Franks (Fishburne), John (Affleck) and Nash (Tomer Capone) aboard a years-long possibly compromised mission to Saturn's moon Titan. As the team gears up for a highly dangerous slingshot maneuver that will either catapult them to Titan or into deep space, it becomes increasingly difficult for one astronaut to maintain his grip on reality. As tension grows between the three of them, who's right and who's wrong about the project?

Others to round out the cast are Emily Beecham as Zoe, David Morrissey as Sam Napier, Charlotta Lovgren as Gale, Mark Ebulue as Gordon and Nicolett Barabas as voice of the ship. 

This tightly wound film was directed with grit and tenacity by Mikael Hafstrom ("Terrons finger" (TV movie) '89, "Vendetta" '95, "Days Like This" '01, "Evil" '03, "Drowning Ghost" '04, "Derailed" '05, "1408" '07, "Shanghai" '10, "The Rite" '11, "Escape Plan" '13, "Quick" '19, "Outside the Wire" '21, "Stockholm Bloodbath" '23) plus TV and other TV movies. By this filmmaker's resume, he certainly knows his way around an intense thriller. His actors came across incredibly believable in their respective roles that the audience is totally back and forth with who is right and who is not, or is anything really going on and they are experiencing space psychosis? His pacing and staging of the actors were well thought out as well. It was executed well by writers R. Scott Adams ("Donner Pass" '11) and Nathan C. Parker ("Moon" '09, "Blitz" '11, "Equals" '15, "2:22" '17, "Our House" '18) plus TV and a short, based on a story by R. Scott Adams. The premise of this film was riveting as it was entertaining. Assuredly Adams received top billing for this since it was his story, however with Parker obtaining the lion's share of the experience, looking at his resume will tell one that this screenplay has his name all over it. His film, "Moon" with Sam Rockwell was reminiscent of this film--Rockwell played an astronaut in a psychological drama finishing up a three year stint on the moon and his only companion being a ship computer. It was a brilliant film, and although this was a good film, it was not quite the caliber of "Moon". This film had a problem was becoming a bit disjointed and meandered in a couple of small places, but otherwise was a tight script. It does have an amazing twist that will take the audience by surprise and, at that point, the story definitely picked up. The visual effects by Automatik were designed well and definitely did not override the story. 

Certainly, if you like sci-fi, you'll be in that heaven. Typically films that have a limited cast turn out to be strong and captivating, i.e. "Moon", :Alien", and this film. This has issues, but truly not enough to not see this film. I recommend this just for the cat-and-mouse aspect of it. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                           Rated: R                                           108mins.

Reagan

While we've all seen many biopics throughout the decades, some simply stand out more than others. "The Iron Lady", "The Queen", "The King's Speech", "The Darkest Hour", "JFK" to mention a handful all come to mind, but after viewing "Reagan", this was certainly as well crafted as the aforementioned list.

From dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage, "Reagan" is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds. Told through the voice of Viktor Petrovich (Jon Voight), a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan's when Reagan first caught the Soviets' attention as an actor in Hollywood, this film offers a perspective as unique as it is captivating. Dennis Quaid brings to life a story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman--his wife, Nancy (Penelope Ann Miller), who supported him in his journey. 

Others to round out the cast are Mena Suvari as Jane Wyman, Amanda Righetti as Nelle Reagan, Ronald's mother, C. Thomas Howell as Casper Weinberger, Xander Berkeley as George Schultz, Lesley Ann Down as Margaret Thatcher, Olek Krupa as Mikhail Gorbachev, Kevin Dillon as Jack Warner, David Henrie as young Reagan and Kevin Sorbo as Reverend Cleaver.

This was deftly directed with clarity by Sean McNamara ("Hollywood Chaos" '89, "P.U.N.K.S." '98, "Raise Your Voice" '04, "Bratz" '07, "Soul Surfer"'11, "Space Warriors" '13, "Spare Parts" '15, "Hoovey" '15, "Field of Lost Shoes"'15, "The Miracle Season" '18, "Orphan Horse" '18, "Mighty Oak" '20, "The King's Daughter" '22, "On a Wing and a Prayer" '23) plus other films, TV movies, TV, videos and shorts. Every character in this production simply jumped off the screen and it was almost as if we were peeking into these different lives. Considering this filmmaker's extensive resume, it should be no surprise that he could convey this to his audience. If you like his brand of direction, his "On Fire" is in post production. It was well penned by writer Howard A. Klauser ("Space Cowboys" 2000, "The Grace Card" '10, "The Last Ride" '11, "The Identical" '14, "Hoovey" '15, "The Secret Handshake" '15, "God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness" '18), based on the book "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism" by Paul Kengor, This film was concise , cohesive, staged and paced well, and I felt that, however it was a bit odd that the film was being told through a former KGB agent, it turned out to be an excellent idea showing the extreme contrast between the Soviet Union and the USA. The acting by both Quaid and Miller as Reagan and his wife Nancy respectively was incredible and could possibly be nominated come Oscar time. 

No matter what side of the political aisle you reside, this film is captivating, exhilarating and very informative, all the while being entertaining with amazing acting and directing. Some of the same mistakes we're experiencing now are very similar to back in the 1980's. It's amazing how we seemingly do not learn from our history, 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                     Rated: PG-13                                          141mins.

The Forge

Through the years we have seen a plethora of inspirational/Christian type films with many of them very encouraging if not life affirming. Some of the best filmmakers of these films are the Kendrick Brothers--the ones that brought us "Fireproof", "The War Room", "Courageous", "Facing the Giants", etc. Now they have offered us "The Forge" so we can learn more about our relationship with God. 

A year out of high school with no plans for his future, a young man, Isaiah Wright (Aspen Kennedy Wilson) is challenged by his single mom, Cynthia (Priscilla C. Shirer) and a successful businessman, Joshua Moore (Cameron Arnett) to start charting a better course for his life. Through the prayers of his mother and biblical discipleship from his new mentor, he begins discovering God's purpose for his life is so much more than he could hope for or imagine. 

Others to round out the cast are Karen Abercrombie as Miss Clara Williams, T.C. Stallings as Tony Jordan, Isaiah's uncle, B.J. Arnett as Janelle Moore, Joshua's wife, Ken Bevel as James, Stephen C. Lewis as Emmett, Willie Mellina as Todd, Justin Sterner as Cody, Brendan Goshay as Curtis, Marianne Haaland as Wanda and Dylan Cruz as Carlos. 

This was directed with the same conviction and pathos as his other films by Alex Kendrick ("Flywheel" '03, "Facing the Giants" '06, "Fireproof" '08, "Courageous" '11 "War Room" '15, "Overcomer" '19). Every one of his films simply tug at ones' heartstrings so as to convey to his audience of the extreme importance of the message he's attempting to bring forth. You can feel the characters' pain as well as excitement considering the scene at hand. It is equally written well by Alex Kendrick ("Flywheel" '03, "Facing the Giants" '06, "Fireproof" '08, "Courageous" '11, "War Room" '15, "Like Arrows" '18, "Overcomer" '19, "Lifemark" '22) and Stephen Kendrick ("Flywheel" '03, "Facing the Giants" '06, "Fireproof" '08, "Courageous" '11, "Beyond the Mask" '15, "War Room" '15, "Overcomer" '19, "Show Me the Father" '21, "Lifemark" '22) These two brothers constantly work together to produce these films, and considering how many people have been positively affected  by their writing, I suspect they will be a writing as a team for quite some time. They, being Christian, certainly have the ability to write stories that convey to people's hearts. Their stories are often heartwarming, convicting and entertaining all the while teaching us a much needed lesson. Their writing, which is similar, is concise, coherent, and sequenced well. 

This film is a film for Christians and non alike--it's a real shot in the arm for Christians all the while teaching them something about the relationship they have with God, while with non-Christians, it's a film that will hope to speak to their hearts so maybe, just maybe, they can have the same relationship with God as Christians do. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: PG                                             124mins.

Blink Twice

We've all seen questionable if not outright bizarre films which every now and then are produced; the list is not huge but interesting: "Bruno", "Babylon", "Very Bad Things", "Eraserhead", "Triangle of Sadness", most recently "Poor Things"and the like. So now we have a cross over of Jeffrey Epstein's island and "The Stepford Wives", with a little of "The Chef" and viola!, you have "Blink Twice", which is about as bizarre as any film can come. 

When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her and her friend, Jess (Alia Shawkat) to join him and his friends including Sarah (Adria Arjona), Tracy (Geena Davis), Vic (Christian Slater), Cory (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), Lucas (Levon Hawke), Heather (Trew Mullen) and others on a dream vacation on his private island. It's paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone's having a great time. Nobody wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. Something is wrong with this place. She'll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive. 

Others to round out the cast are Kyle MacLachlan as Dr. Rich Stein, Liz Caribel as Camilla, Cris Costa as Stan, Maria Elena Olivares as badass maid, Saul Williams as emcee, Tiffany Persons as Interviewer and Ben Jacobson as Ben. 

This was surprising directed with clarity and foreboding by Zoe Kravitz. For being a filmmaker with absolutely no other experience, i.e. feature films, TV, shorts, etc, this was delineated with clarity, and her ability to showcase her actors' slow transition from simply enjoying one another's company to it being a cat-and-mouse game including a slow progression, was brilliant. She is an actor and that certainly had to have been an element that helped her tremendously. And, since Tatum has a ton of experience and him being her boyfriend in real life also has to have assisted her as well. Where this film got bogged down was with the writing. It was written by Zoe Kravitz (TV) and E.T. Feigenbaum (TV), and their TV experience was writing one episode of the same TV show, so their writing experience is extremely low.There were areas of the script that were disjointed which caused the story to become a bit bogged down. Since this was Kravitz's film, she should've passed the screenplay to a much more experienced writer that could've taken this very strange story and made more sense of it. It wasn't a total wash--the ending, although bittersweet, was something that the audience wouldn't see coming, but the getting there was difficult at best. The cast was a great ensemble of actors, especially Tatum and Ackie and for that reason it did create more of an ease to watch. It is rated 'R' for a reason: it's gratuitous everything. Certainly by halfway through the film, with the exception of Frida and maybe Sarah,  it was difficult to feel sorry for anyone. They all deserved each other due to their insecurities and total selfishness. Maybe Kravitz needs more experience, but this film suffered. 

If you're into the bizarre, you will revel with this, however, if you're looking for more of a polished film with tighter writing, you might want to pass. Kravitz does have a future as a director which will add to that increasing list of actors who become directors--she should just get another writer. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                       Rated:R                                                  102mins.

My Penguin Friend

We've all seen films based on true stories, inspired by true events and the like, but of all the films that have been produced based on a true event or story, "My Penguin Friend" has got to fall into the best five films under this category. This simply put the 'H' in heartwarming since it chronicles the unlikely friendship between a human and a penguin.

Inspired by an epic true story, comes this enchanting adventure about a little lost penguin, subsequently named 'Dindim' who--after being rescued from an oik spill--transforms the life and soul of a heartbroken Brazilian fisherman, Joao (Jean Reno) years after he experienced a life altering tragedy. The support he receives from their tight-knit community is overwhelming as he gets to know Dindim. His wife, Maria (Adriana Barraza) didn't understand at first, however, after a while,  couldn't say no to him staying with them. 

Others to round out the cast are Alexia Moyano as Adriana, Nicolas Francella as Carlos, Rocio Hernandez as Stephanie, Juan Jose Garnica as Miguel, Ravel Cabral as Paulo, Duda Galvao as Lucia, Roberto Berenstein as Luis and Ellen Camp as young villager. 

This was remarkably directed by David Schurmann ("O Mundo Em Duas Valtas" '07, "Desaparecidos" '11, "Little Secret" '16, "Conexao Schurmann: Patagonia" (TV movie) '18) plus TV and a short. The pathos and heart that this filmmaker used in reaching his audience was utterly brilliant. His innate ability to be able to encourage his actors to exude the emotions they conveyed was incredibly effective. It was equally written brilliantly by Kristen Lazarian ("Tales of Everyday Magic" '12, "My Greatest Teacher" (co-writer) '12, "Trust" '21) plus TV and a video and Paulina Lagudi Ulrich ("Mail Order Monster" '18) plus TV and shorts. As this story unfolded, I was amazingly swept away with the heart, the hurt, the despair by Joao, and as his relationship slowly starts to heal him as he goes through this transformation, I could see how the simplest of things/events can radically change someone. And the fact that this was based on true events makes it that much more appealing since it's a story that is remarkable that it could ever happen. The writing was sequenced impeccably well as was the staging and pacing. It was cohesive and concise as well.  

This is a story that everyone should see, especially if they are hurting--physically or emotionally. It has it all: fear, hurt, despair that is turned into heart, hope and redemption. With a world that is falling apart, this is just  the kind of film we all could use right about now. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                       Rated: PG                                             98mins.

Alien: Romulus

Ever since Ridley Scott's "Alien" premiered in 1979, we have seen a plethora of sequels, prequels and the like. None of them match the original, but are interesting in their own way. And if you must see any of them, it's got to be on the large screen. Unless I miss my count, "Alien: Romulus" is the 12th film within this franchise. If anyone had told me back in 1979 that there would be 11 more installments of the original, I would've said they were insane. Well, here we are. 

While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers including Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), Andy (David Jonsson), Tyler (Archie Renaux0, Navarro (Aileen Wu), Kay (Isabella Merced), and Bjorn (Spike Fearn) ultimately come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. As in the original "Alien", these are space miners to report to a remote abandoned space station only to realize that everyone has been killed or missing, except one science officer Rook (voice of Ian Holm)--he is a synthetic humanoid like in the original. From this point all hell breaks loose while the visiting crew is only attempting to survive. 

Others to round out the cast are Rosie Ede as WY officer, Robert Bobroczkyi as Offspring, Daniel Betts as facial and voice of Rook, and Trevor Newlin as Xenomorph. 

This was intensely directed with grit and grandeur by Fede Alvarez ("Evil Dead" '13, "Don't Breathe" '16, "The Girl in the Spider's Web" '18) plus TV and shorts. By his very resume, this filmmaker knows his way around a film that is horrific. His actors were staged and paced in just the most strategic way. The photography and editing were both amazing in keeping that scary effect to the film and that is effective directing. Alvarez's "Don't Breathe" was incredible in that it showcased the intense build up within the story that simply kept the audience on the edge of their seat. It was equally penned well by writers Fede Alvarez ("Evil Dead" '13, "Don't Breathe" '16, "The Girl in the Spider's Web" '18, "Don't Breathe 2" '21, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (story) '22) plus TV and shorts, and Rodo Sayagues ("Evil Dead" '13, "Don't Breathe" '16, "Don't Breathe 2" '21, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (story) '22) plus TV and shorts, based on characters created by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. The two writers are obviously a team which can be effective when creating a script or premise. When I saw the trailer on this film, it actually didn't sell it--I basically figured that I had to review something, so since it would look great on the large screen, it being grandiose, I decided to give it a shot, and I was pleasantly pleased. It had all the elements needed for an effective 'Alien' film. There were some areas that were a homage to its original and I loved those features. Other than a couple of very small places of slowness (believe it or not), the script was tight, cohesive, sequenced well and the creative, obviously patterned off of H.R. Giger's designs were presented well and represented that monster as we all know him. The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Weta Digital and Weta FX were seamless, but look at the companies and you'll realize why.

Assuming that one is an 'Alien' fan automatically concludes you'll love this, but even if not, the effects and the sheer factor of scaring you out of your theater seat is enough to get you to the multiplex. Even though Ridley Scott doesn't direct, he is one of the producers, so we know the film will be handled the way it should. Prepare to be scared! As the original tagline went: "In space, no one can hear you scream."

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                          119mins.

It Ends with Us

With all the summer season big-budget films out right now, it's refreshing to see a smaller film interspersed within the season. "It Ends with Us" is a small film centering around domestic violence which dissects the reasons behind the issue from the perpetrator and the victim's perspective. If there is anything unique about this, that's it. 

This tells the compelling story of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a woman who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life in Boston and chase a lifelong dream of opening her own business. A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, Lily begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents' relationship. When Lily's first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar) suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with Ryle is upended, and Lily realizes she must learn to rely on her own strength to make an impossible choice for her future. 

Others to round out the cast are Jenny Slate as Allysa, Hasan Minhaj as Marshall, Amy Morton as Jenny Bloom, Lily's mom and Kevin McKidd as Andrew Bloom, Lily's dad. This was delineated with precise dissection by director Justin Baldoni ("Rebel with a Cause: The Sam Simon Story" (TV movie) '15, "The CW Presents: My Last Days, a Special Event" (TV movie) '16, "Five Feet Apart" '19, "Clouds" '20) plus TV and shorts. Considering this filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of experience under his belt, his sequencing, staging and pacing was amazing and integral. Certainly his acting background can and has helped him in is ability to work behind the camera, however he simply has an innate ability to encourage his actors to exude the emotions needed to convey what these characters are like. He also starred in this and has joined that list of directors who also act in their respective films, i.e. Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, John Krasinski, etc. This was executed well by writer Christy Hall ("Daddio" '23) plus TV, based on the book  by Colleen Hoover. I truly understand why this running time exceeded two hours--given the subject matter that was persistent in delineating what happens to those that are involved in a domestic violence situation--both sides of it, however the running time, being 130 minutes, could've been cut to two hours and still not sacrifice the integrity of what the writer wanted to convey. This was definitely better than the trailer depicted since it went much farther than the victim being 'saved' and the perpetrator being carted away. The entire cast were cast well, especially Lively and Brandon Sklenar as Atlas, as being introduced to films, was strong and played his role effortlessly. He should go far in this biz.

Certainly if you like domestic romantic dramas, this is the film for you, but even if you don't, the characters were developed and carried out with expertise. If one doesn't have the time to see this in the theater, it being a small film, you can get away with viewing this on Netflix or whatever and won't kill any impact. The positive about this is that we need to face this issue that happens to so many people in this society, and if anyone is going through this or knows of someone who is, there is information of where to receive help during the closing credits. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                   Rated: PG-13                                          130mins.