Autism Awareness Month: Making Movies Magic For Everyone

    April is national autism awareness month and though the month is almost over, I would like to spend a little time praising movie theaters that have special autism friendly film screenings.  Regardless of who you are, I can’t think of too many people who don’t enjoy catching a movie here and there.  The thing is, people with autism tend to be more sensitive to lights and noises so these special screenings are great ideas and a great way for everyone to experience the wonders of the cinema.

    It’s no secret that theaters are trying hard to keep their customers coming back.  With streaming services and physical media widely available shortly after a movie premieres in theaters, theater chains are pulling out all the stops to keep you coming back.  From reclining and heated seats to bars to free popcorn days and other discounts, theaters want you to feel more comfortable at their cinemas than you could at home.

    While all these little extras certainly help make the theater experience more enjoyable and every perk helps to get butts in those seats, it is crucial for theaters to not overlook the personal touches.  Having events like autism friendly screenings is a way to show that theaters haven’t forgotten that their customers are more than their worth in cash and should be treated accordingly.

    As someone who has loved ones and friends with autism, I really value and appreciate the fact that theaters go the extra mile to make the movie going experience more inclusive for everyone.  I wish more theaters would do special screenings like this.  As autism month comes to an end, I would encourage everyone with a loved one or friend with autism to seek out one of these screenings and share a movie going experience with them soon!

“If Beale Street Could Talk” Movie Review

    I was rather surprised the other day as I was searching through Hulu and I saw that the movie “If Beale Street Could Talk” happened to be on there.  The movie was released late last year if memory serves me well and was a critical darling so I wanted to check it out as soon as possible.

    The film tells the rather simple story of young love between two African Americans, Fonny and Tish.  The pair struggle to make it during the 70s in New York.  Unfortunately, Fonny is falsely arrested on a rape charge and was set up by a corrupt police officer so his case doesn’t look very good.  After Fonny’s arrest, Tish reveals to him and later her family that she is pregnant with his child.

    I can definitely see why critics loved the movie.  The film is based on the acclaimed novel by James Baldwin.  It is the kind of drama that tells a story that is relatable to anyone who has experienced struggle.  The film is vibrant and feels like it was shot in the 70s.  The film feels as close to a blend of a book and painting as a movie can get.  I guess that is part of the reason I don’t tend to gravitate towards films like this though.  For all of it’s brilliance, I tend to enjoy a movie that makes me forget my problems.  Escapism, to me, is the main reason I go to the movies.  I have to be in a particular mood to watch a movie in order to be depressed.

    All of that being said, the film is beautifully written and the dialogue sounds eloquent and powerful.  The film is filled with powerful performances that help transcend this film from the average family drama.  The film also features a wonderful jazz infused score which you can just shut your eyes and listen to.

    Although the film acts as a framework for the struggles African Americans went through and how it effected their lives, it does provide a ray of hope at the end.  Sometimes living through a struggle but being able to look towards the future anyway is a strength no one can take away from you.  It is a strength both Fonny and Tish have even in the face of the hardships they must still overcome.  Life isn’t easy but you have to keep moving forward for the sake of your loved ones and yourself.

    “If Beale Street Could Talk” isn’t for everyone by any means.  It is slowly paced and though it has many strengths, it is also kind of a downer.  I would say that the movie does an incredible job transporting the audience to New York in the 70s.  Depending on your mood, it’s worth the trip.

Grade: C+

“Tomb Raider” Movie Review

    I recently decided to visit our local library and while I was there, I had to check out the film selection they had to rent.  While looking through the titles, I mainly saw either movies I already owned or movies I didn’t care to see.  As I was about to consider the quest a bust, I happened upon a little title called “Tomb Raider”.  Now, I didn’t have much interest in checking this out in theaters but for a free rental, what was the harm?

    The movie tells the story of Lara Croft as she tries to come to terms with her dad’s passing.  As she dives into what happened to her father, she sets off on an adventure to unlock the secrets to a supernatural power which may help her figure out what really happened to her father.

    The film is of course an adaptation of the popular “Tomb Raider” game franchise that has been around since the era of the first PlayStation game console.  I remember playing the first couple of “Tomb Raider” games on my brother’s PlayStation and really enjoying them.  This marks the third film they have made adapting the game franchise, with the first two being “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” and “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider -The Cradle of Life” both of which starred Angelina Jolie.  This film is more of a direct adaptation of the 2013 reboot of “Tomb Raider” made for the PlayStation 3.  The film even lifts direct elements and gameplay from that particular title.

    As previously stated, Angelina Jolie had played Lara Croft in the first two films but in the reboot Swedish actress Alicia Vikander takes over the role.  Anyone who has seen “Ex Machina” knows what an incredible actress Vikander can be but in this film, she really isn’t given much to do.  She plays the character as less of a vixen sex symbol and more as a tough as nails bad ass.  The problem with that is that her Lara Croft never feels like Ronda Rousey in her prime, she feels more like Rousey after her loss to Holly Holm.  Walton Goggins is always a great addition to a cast but he doesn’t even show up until a good forty minutes into the movie and he is supposed to be the big bad of the movie.

    The biggest problem with this “Tomb Raider” film is that it ironically tried to make Lara Croft feel too human.  In the original PlayStation games, Croft was always portrayed as basically a sexy female Indiana Jones.  I don’t mind them taking the vixen out of the character, but the Indiana Jones aspect was crucial.  Croft was supposed to be an adventurer and archeologist.  Lara Croft was never a pizza delivery girl who happened on to adventures.  I am all for changing Lara Croft and trying not to make her a sexual object, but I think you should also try to make her a strong female lead in the process and Croft in this film does not feel empowered in the slightest.

    In “Tomb Raider”, Croft proves to be a classic “damsel in distress” more than any Disney princess ever was.  From the beginning to the end, Croft loses a fight, loses a bike race, gets swindled by a pawn dealer, gets randomly almost robbed by a gang in Hong Kong (although a drunk man saves her), gets kidnapped and forced to do labor (although the same man saves her), and almost releases a supernatural plague on the world (though she is saved by her dad).  It is a shame that the film didn’t make an attempt to make Lara Croft feel more bad ass.

    “Tomb Raider” ultimately feels like a waste of a couple of hours.  It is like playing a game loaded with quick time events that make you feel like a loser time and time again.  Added to that the awful cookie cutter plot, this movie could have and should have been so much better.

Grade: D

“The Take” (1974) Movie Review

    After watching the trailer for “Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker”, I was beyond excited and one of the best moments of the trailer showcases the return of franchise favorite Lando Calrissian as played by the ever so suave Billy Dee Williams.  Luckily for me, the kind folks at Mill Creek Entertainment were kind enough to provide me a review copy of the Blu-ray set that includes “Black Gunn” and “The Take”.  I decided to watch “The Take” first because I needed my Billy Dee Williams fix.

    The film follows a police officer named Terry Sneed as he joins a local police force in New Mexico to clean up their criminal underworld.  The only problem with that is that Sneed is already getting paid off and is out for himself.  Sneed, despite accepting a payout, still decides to go after the racketeer his department is after.

    As stated before, the film stars a pre “Star Wars” Billy Dee Williams in the lead role of Terry Sneed.  I met Billy Dee Williams several years ago at the Motor City Comic Con and his appearance led to one of my favorite stories involving my dad.  Williams was very nice and I was happy to get his autograph.  The film also featured Eddie Albert as the head of the police force Sneed transfers to.  It was nice seeing Albert in a commanding role although it was hard for me not to see him as Oliver Douglas in “Green Acres” because I loved that show and watched it all the time when I was a kid.  Vic Morrow plays the ‘villain’ of the film which is interesting because I was just telling my girlfriend about him around a month ago.  We were talking about actors that died before a film was completed and I told her about Vic Morrow’s tragic death on the set of “Twilight Zone: The Movie”.  That was a little eerie.

    So, what was my take on “The Take”?  (See what I did there?). Joking aside, the very first thing that struck me about the film was the quality.  For being a relatively obscure film, it actually was comparable to the likes of films like “Chinatown” and “The French Connection” in it’s style.  Now, “The Take” isn’t quite as masterfully done as those two classics, but it wasn’t too far behind those movies.  “The Take” has some pacing issues but so did “The French Connection” and Billy Dee Williams gives a pretty solid performance as well so the acting isn’t the sole reason.  Still, something about the movie felt ‘off’ for it’s time and it took me a little while to put my finger on it.

    “The Take” is one of the few 70s era films to feature an African American lead where his race wasn’t an issue.  Seriously, that may sound like a no brainer now, but this was the era of “Shaft” and “Dolemite”.  I would almost argue that “The Take” should be remembered more now for being so far ahead of it’s time.  With blaxploitation films finding success at the box office, could it be that audiences just felt a disconnect with this film?  Am I reading too much into this?  I loved the fact that this film didn’t rely on racial issues but was it too much of a game changer?  The more I studied the film, the more things started to make sense.  Learning can be fun as it turns out. Lol

    The film is based on G.F. Newman’s novel “Sir, You Bastard”.  As the title may allude, Newman is an English author and in his book, Sneed is not an American police officer but a Scotland Yard inspector.  That explained a lot to me about why the film didn’t focus on racial issues.  The fact that the film was a British and American production made even more sense since Europe tends to be more accepting to people of color, especially in the 1970s.

    My biggest complaint about the movie is that the film came to a sudden stop.  The main story was resolved but I thought there would be more to the ending then there was.  I guess part of the reason for the abrupt ending might come from the fact that the Sneed story was told over a trilogy of books.  So this film is basically the first act of a three act story.

    Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this film.  The editing and car chases remind me of something straight from “Bullitt” (though it is hard to top that film’s car chase).  I really admire the film for having an African American lead in the 70s and not relying on racial overtones.  The closest to a blaxploitation movie this film gets is it’s brass heavy jazz infused score.  The film reminds me of something I watched on network television (probably UPN) on the weekend back in the day.  So it was also a nice sense of nostalgia for me to see this.

Grade: B-

Buy “The Take” and “Black Gunn” on a Double Feature Blu-ray Today!

“Mute” Movie Review

    I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Duncan Jones’ “Moon” a few years back so when I heard Jones had a new film on Netflix, I knew I had to check it out.  It took me awhile to get around to watching it but I finally did.  “Mute” was an interesting experience from the get go.

    The film follows Leo, a bartender who is left mute after a boating accident as a child.  Leo is dating waitress Naadirah and the pair seem to be doing good together until one afternoon Naadirah disappears without a trace.  Leo sets off to find Naadirah before crossing paths with a man named Cactus Bill who may have more ties with Naadirah than Leo ever imagined.

    “Mute” offers an interesting look at an alternate future which could come to pass.  In many respects, “Mute” feels more like “Blade Runner” or “Total Recall” than Jones’ own “Moon”.  The set pieces feel organic and lived in unlike most other sets from other science fiction movies.  The production design is amazing and showcases the gritty futuristic noir style the movie was aiming for perfectly.

    The film features some great performances which helps elevate the movie above the usual Netflix fair.  Alexander Skarsgård plays the main character of Leo and does a good job conveying his emotions without being able to say any dialogue.  The breakout performance of the movie is that of Paul Rudd as Cactus Bill.  Rudd is able to use his natural charm and humor in his favor as you begin to realize there is more to his character than it appears.  Paul Rudd plays against type and nails it.  Justin Theroux is almost unrecognizable as Duck and plays the character in an unnerving and repulsive manner.

    So I guess the question is, with all this praise, how could “Mute” be anything but a masterpiece?  Well, I guess it largely depends on what kind of science fiction you prefer.  The film feels like something straight out of the mind of Philip K. Dick.  The story takes place in a bleak future with morally questionable characters like in most of Dick’s works.  I personally prefer a more hopeful outlook on the future like in “Star Trek”.  That doesn’t mean I hate films like “Mute”, it is just films like this are a little depressing.

    Director Duncan Jones masterfully places you into the world of “Mute” with all of it’s world building.  The combination of English and German languages as well as sign language creates a world that isn’t unlike the one we live in now.  The connective tissues to his previous film “Moon” including a cameo from Sam Rockwell early on helps establish the world these characters inhabit quickly.

    The biggest issue with “Mute” is that it is too long.  Not only is the runtime too long, but the pacing of the film makes it feel even longer.  With so much going on, the movie still feels boring at times as a result which is a shame.  Some sharper editing would have greatly helped this film.

    “Mute” is an interesting film with lofty ideas and a sharp style that gets bogged down by it’s runtime.  The long runtime ends up making the film seem pretentious at times which is a shame.  Still, it’s a cut above most other Netflix films.

Grade: C+

“Dumbo” (2019) Movie Review

    Disney Pictures has been starting to turn it’s classic animated film library into live action movies for a few years now.  “Alice in Wonderland” was the first of the trend in 2014 and has been followed with the likes of “The Jungle Book”, “Maleficent”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Cinderella”, “Christopher Robin”, and “Alice Through the Looking Glass”.  The latest remake Disney has unveiled is “Dumbo” which is the classic tale of a young elephant trying to find his place in the world.  My girlfriend and I had wanted to see this movie for a few weeks now but we finally got to see it this week.

    The film follows a WW1 veteran and his children as they work in a traveling circus.  Holt, the father who lost his arm in the war, was once a trick rider for the circus but is now tasked with taking care of the newly purchased elephants Mrs. Jumbo and her new baby.  The baby elephant was born with giant ears and the owner of the circus considers the baby to be a freak of nature.  Holt is assigned with hiding the newborn elephant’s ears during his first performance but his ears end up becoming exposed anyway leading the audience to turn hostile on the poor baby elephant.  Mrs. Jumbo goes into a rage in defense of her son and ends up being sold off because she is deemed dangerous.  The baby elephant is given the name Dumbo shortly after he is separated from his mother.  Dumbo isn’t like other elephants though as Holt’s children later find out.  Dumbo’s large ears allow him to fly!  Following this revelation, Holt’s children hatch a plan to reunite Dumbo with his mother.

    The film received decidedly mixed reviews from critics who seemed to mainly complain that the film “lacked heart” compared to the original Disney classic.  Now, everyone is entitled to their opinion but I have to respectfully disagree with those critics.  I thought the film showed a lot of heart and in some ways is a better kid’s movie than the original.  The moral of “Dumbo” remains in tact in both incarnations of the film but the live action remake also dumps the racist subtexts the original had.

    The film succeeds largely due to it’s cast.  Colin Farrell gives a solid performance as Holt.  Michael Keaton plays against type as the antagonist of the story.  Danny DeVito shines as the owner of the traveling circus.  It was fun seeing Keaton and DeVito together again in a mini “Batman Returns” reunion.  Speaking of “Batman Returns”, “Dumbo” was also directed by Tim Burton.  Burton’s visual flair and his love for Art Deco style actually plays into “Dumbo” very well.

    At it’s core, “Dumbo” is a sometimes cute and sometimes heartbreaking movie that pulls all the right heartstrings.  The movie teaches us the value of being different.  I really enjoyed the movie and cgi used to create Dumbo was top notch.  This is a movie you can take the kids to see and not have to worry what you are exposing your children to.  It is also a movie you can see as an adult and feel like a kid again and I personally feel like that is important sometimes as well.

Grade: B

“Green Book” Movie Review

    I had wanted to see “Green Book” ever since I saw the trailer for it last year.  The film, which was said to be inspired by a true story, looked inspiring and thought provoking.  Unfortunately, I only have so many hours in the day to catch up on movies.  There are movies I want to see at the theater, some on video, some I have watch because I was kind enough to be given review copies, and I also have to juggle work full time, my eBay business, and spending time with my beautiful girlfriend.  Twenty four hours a day just doesn’t seem long enough these days.  Still, I was determined to see “Green Book” by the time it hit store rental shelves.  Last night, I finally squeezed in enough time to watch it.

    The film depicts the span of around two months when club bouncer Frank Vallelonga Sr. got a job as the driver of pianist Don Shirley.  During those two months, the pair formed an unlikely bond as Shirley toured down south.  In 1962, the African American Shirley wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms down south and it was up to Vallelonga to protect him from trouble.

    Inspired by the true story of Don Shirley and Frank Vallelonga Sr., “Green Book” may take some creative liberties with history but it was done to showcase the growth of both characters.  Shirley helped teach Vallelonga to be more refined and dignified while Vallelonga taught Shirley how to be more comfortable in his own skin so to speak and to stand up for himself.  Don Shirley was a famous pianist and the namesake member of the Don Shirley Trio in real life.  Vallelonga was a real life bouncer who later became an actor, going under the stage name Tony Lip.  Tony Lip appeared in such classics as “The Godfather”, “Goodfellas”, and “The Sopranos”.

    The cast was stellar with a performance led by Viggo Mortensen as Frank Vallelonga Sr.  I don’t think Mortensen has delivered a bad performance in a film and “Green Book” is among his best work to date.  Mortensen manages to make Vallelonga slightly slimy but still likable.  Mahershala Ali portrays Don Shirley with excellent gusto.  Ali delivers a performance which is calm on the outside but internally a storm is brewing.  As Shirley, Ali channels the inner rage through his concert performances.  The film was surprisingly directed by Peter Farrelly, one half of the famous Farrelly Brother directing duo famous for films like “Dumb and Dumber”.

    “Green Book” is, without a doubt, a story about race and class and how we are effected by our place in the world.  The film does a good job at depicting how ridiculous African Americans (and even Italians to a lesser degree) were treated not that long ago.  Even the title of the movie refers to the culturally insensitive road guide entitled “The Negro Motorist Green Book”.  The guide let African American tourists know places they were allowed stay down south.  It is a bit sickening to think about to be honest and that is the point of the movie.

    The film did have some controversy surrounding it.  Firstly, some critics disliked the fact that the film had what they considered to be a ‘white savior narrative’.  I personally disagree with this because after viewing the film, I felt Shirley’s character was depicted as the stronger and most impactful of the characters.  In the film, Shirley took a pay cut to tour the south knowing how he would get treated in the hopes of inspiring change.  Vallelonga was just more or less his driver and muscle.  Everyone sees art differently however but I personally disagree with this particular controversy.  Lastly, Don Shirley’s family was hurt by their depiction in the movie (or lack there of) and unhappy with the fact that the filmmakers didn’t consult with them.  The Shirley family stated that the relationship between Vallelonga and Shirley was one of an employee and employer and not that of friends as depicted in the film.

    Regardless of how real the friendship between Shirley and Vallelonga was, the pair did make a historic journey touring down south and that is something that I hope isn’t lost in the controversy.  Sadly both men died in 2013 so we may never hear a definitive answer but it is also important to remember that “Green Book” is only just a movie.

Grade: B+

“Malibu Express” Movie Review

    I have only recently become aware of the film library director Andy Sidaris has created.  Now, I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing but it definitely makes for some interesting viewing experiences.  Thanks to the good folks at Mill Creek Entertainment, they provided me “Malibu Express” for review purposes.

    The film tells the story of a private eye named Cody Abilene as he gets wrapped in a family conflict which includes infertility and murder.  Through his journey, Cody encounters boobs, butts, more butts, more boobs, and a few jokes about butts and boobs.

    Darby Hinton stars as Cody Abilene and rocks an amazing mustache.  I can’t say much about his acting or the acting of the others in the film other than it is about on par with your average 70s porno film.  With a cast that includes a great deal of Playboy playmates, is it any wonder?  The film objectifies women to an almost comical degree.

    How ridiculous is this movie you might ask?  Well, right off the bat, a mechanic exclaims “This car is tits” right before a character named June Khnockers exposes her breasts.  Did you get the subtly there?  Which brings to light the real tragedy of this film, “Malibu Express” was so low budget, they couldn’t even afford bras for the actresses.

    Let me discuss Cody again for a moment.  In the film, he is a private eye who is willing to help any woman in distress, or out of their dress in most cases.  Anyway, he does some great detective work in the movie, tampering with a crime scene and removing evidence before accidentally having the wrong person arrested for murder.  “CSI” this is not.  Hell, this isn’t even “Police Squad!”’

    What did I just watch?  Director Andy Sidaris sure does love his tasteful shots of butts.  Did I say tasteful?  I meant tasteless.  People remove articles of clothing in this film like they were playing hot potato with them.

    This movie was so incredibly silly it’s hard to put to words.  The hillbilly infused score left a sour taste in my mouth.  I did like the DeLorean vs. Fiero race scene however in part because my father owned a Pontiac Fiero.

    Like “Hard Ticket to Hawaii”, “Malibu Express” is a famous B movie and considered a fun movie to watch in a group of film buffs.  I have to admit that I found this film to be more consistently silly personally.  Was the movie enjoyable?  Was it good?  I guess it depends on your sense of humor.  

Grade: D+

(Although in a group of film buffs who enjoy B movies, I would grade this film a B because double D isn’t an actual grade I can give it).

Buy “Malibu Express” on Blu-ray Here!!!

“Shazam!” Movie Review

    When this project was first announced, I was very excited about “Shazam!” because I knew how amazing it could be.  The comic book featuring the character is original and heartwarming.  Plus the prospect of DC expanding their film brand outside of proven commodities like Superman and Batman was a refreshing sign of faith in their own properties.

    The film follows a young foster child named Billy Batson who keeps running away from his foster homes in an attempt to find his biological mother.  After defending his current foster brother from bullies at school, Billy is teleported to a magical realm where a wizard named Shazam transfers his power to him.  The primary job of the wizard is to keep the seven deadly sins imprisoned.  Billy is challenged from the get go by Thaddeus Sivana.  As it turns out, Sivana was actually rejected by the wizard Shazam to be his champion which led Sivana on a quest to release the seven deadly sins.  Can Billy Batson stop him now that he is the new Shazam?  No spoilers from me.

    Now I can finally discuss my thoughts on the movie and I loved it!  It was everything I hoped it would be and more.  The film was both hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt at times.  “Shazam!” isn’t your typical superhero movie and works largely because of that.  At it’s core, “Shazam!” delivers pure wish fulfillment, which is why comic books were made in the first place.  What kid doesn’t dream of becoming a superhero?

    “Shazam!” has an interesting comic book history.  Before Marvel released their “Captain Marvel”, there was Fawcett Comics’ own Captain Marvel, the character later renamed “Shazam!”.  In the original comics, Shazam was the name of the wizard who provided Billy Batson with his powers by saying his name (like in the film).  This may be hard to believe now, but at one time, the comics featuring Shazam outsold the likes of Superman.

    This isn’t the first film adaptation of “Shazam!” made to the surprise of some.  In 1941, “Adventures of Captain Marvel” serial hit the silver screen and delighted audiences.  A few decades later, the tv show “Shazam” ran from 1974-1976 and was about as corny as corny could get.  Speaking of films, this modern “Shazam!” also references many other films in fun ways.  The best reference to me was the “Big” reference, seeing as “Shazam!” is basically “Big” crossed with “Superman: The Movie”.  I also enjoyed the several nods to “Rocky” since the film was also set in Philadelphia.

    A large part of the success of “Shazam!” comes from the cast.  Zachary Levi does an amazing job as Shazam and channels his inner kid amazingly.  Asher Angel is also a great find as Billy Batson.  Angel and Levi do such a good job channeling each other that it seems perfectly feasible that Billy Batson and Shazam are one in the same.  I thought Jack Dylan Grazer did a phenomenal job as Freddy Freeman, Billy Batson’s foster brother.  Mark Strong did a good job capturing the tragedy behind Sivana and his evil doing.  Director David F. Sandberg delivers a special superhero movie that really separates itself from the pack.

    The movie is a treat for all ages.  It features many amazing special effects and imaginative visual gags that will delight the entire family.  It is also full of surprises, from cameos to nods of things to come.  Much like “Iron Man 3” and “Batman Returns”, this film also makes for a fun new non-traditional Christmas film.  Be sure to stay after the credits for a treat, but don’t get your hopes up that Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam will appear.

    “Shazam!” marks yet another success for the DCEU as it tries to course correct after “Justice League”.  At this rate, the DCEU might just become the juggernaut of a franchise the MCU has become.  So, if you are looking for a great movie, just say the word.

Grade: A-

“Love, Simon” Movie Review

    I few months ago, I was hearing a lot of goods things about a movie I had never heard of before.  The movie I heard a lot of praise for was called “Love, Simon” and I figured I would look into it when it came out on home video.  After some time passed, I forgot about the movie and happened to run across it again at our local video store, Family Video.  I had no idea what it was about and decided to blind buy the movie.

    Well, as it turns out, the film is about a young man named Simon who is trying to survive High School without his sexuality being revealed before graduating.  Simon realized he was gay from a young age but wasn’t sure what the right way to do it or when the right time to reveal it would be.  Simon seems to have everything in his life under control until an anonymous post by a fellow student leads them to writing each other and discussing their frustrations about how or when to come out.  Unfortunately, another student discovers that Simon has written this student and threatens to out Simon on the school’s website if he doesn’t help him get a date with one of his good friends.  Simon must choice between his friends and his secret as he navigates High School with increasing pressure.

    “Love, Simon” is based on the popular young adult novel “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli.  I am guessing the title was shorten to make it easier for marketing reasons and perhaps they felt the book’s title was a little on the nose.  The adaptation is important because it was the first major Hollywood film to feature a gay teenage romance.  Seeing as High School is a tough period of time for almost everyone, it’s refreshing to have a movie someone in the LGBTQ community can relate to.  The best part of the movie is it is funny and charming and really lets you connect with Simon which helps remind audiences that people are people regardless of their sexual orientation.

    The film was directed by Greg Berlanti and he proved a wise choice.  Berlanti is an openly gay producer and director and I imagine that helped him navigate the sensitive subject matter while also bringing a great deal of warmth and humanity to the project.  The only slight problem I had with the film was the tone was a little inconsistent (which is common with teen romantic comedy-dramas so I won’t be too down on it for that).

    The cast was filled with a lot of talented newcomers led by Nick Robinson as Simon.  Robinson really puts into focus the struggle his character is going through.  Robinson was charismatic and he really made you root for Simon.  Katherine Langford from “13 Reasons Why” also shines as one of Simon’s best friends.  There are also a lot of cast members from Berlanti’s Arrowverse in the film.

    The film succeeds largely because of how simple it takes the subject matter.  “Love, Simon” isn’t about what it’s like to be gay, it’s about what it is like to be in love.  The sad part of the film is that it reminds us that we live in a society where the bravest thing a person can do is be themselves.

Grade: B+

“Us” Movie Review

    The other night after work, my girlfriend and I had planned to see “Dumbo” but a work friend and her family changed our plans and we all decided to see “Us” instead.  The film received good reviews (unlike “Dumbo” unfortunately) so it seemed like a safe bet.  The trailer for the film also looked super interesting.

    The film starts off in the mid 80s as a young girl wanders off the boardwalk at Santa Cruz and enters a hall of mirrors on the beach.  As the young girl makes her way through a maze of mirrors, she witnesses something that changes her life forever.  Flash forward to present day, we are introduced to a family of four which includes the now grown Adelaide along with her husband and children.  Adelaide still has bad memories from her mysterious encounter years ago and is not looking forward to returning to Santa Cruz for vacation.  After returning from the beach one night, a group of people break into their vacation home, but these people are more than meets the eye because they happen to be doppelgängers for each member of the family.  Through twists and turns, the family learns the truth behind the attacks and fight for their lives against dark reflections of themselves.

    Now without getting into spoilers, I enjoyed the allegory of classism the film depicts.  It reminded me a bit of classic episodes of “The Twilight Zone” and “The Outer Limits” in which the subtext of each episode tries to hammer across an important moral lesson.  Subjects such as nature vs nurture are explored as we see how different people can change being raised in different circumstances.  The film wants us to explore who we really are as individuals and what we might be capable of if we were pushed to our limits.

    The movie works largely due to it’s cast.  Each main cast member was tasked with not only giving a realistic performance of a normal family, but also exploring the bizarro versions of their personalities.  Lupita Nyong’o is given the most character development as both Adelaide and her mirror version named Red and stands out the most.  I wouldn’t be overly shocked if Nyong’o manages to get an Oscar nomination for her work on this film, though the release date and it’s genre may end up hurting her chances.  Winston Duke also does a stellar job as Adelaide and Red’s husband(s) Gabriel and Abraham.  Duke gave such a varied performance that it was hard to believe he played both roles aside from the physical resemblance.  Duke seems to be a bit of a chameleon, being able to play Gabriel as a bit of a yuppie while his Abraham was a monster brute (not to mention his performance in “Black Panther” in which he played a prideful warrior).

    In what seems to be an overly increasing trend, “Us” came under a bit of fire due to director Jordan Peele mentioning that he doesn’t imagine he will ever cast a white lead in his movies because he “has already seen that movie”.  Peele has become a breakout success in Hollywood and he ruffled a few feathers with his remarks.  Now, while I admit he could have more gracefully addressed the subject matter, I just want to point out that if his vision is to explore film’s from his perspective, it makes sense that he wouldn’t want to cast a white lead.  As a white person myself (and one who isn’t even a big fan of race and gender swapping characters in films), I think the whole controversy surrounding Jordan Peele is unfair and stupid and I personally think the man has a point, 99% of mainstream movies made in Hollywood feature white male leads.

    Interestingly, “Us” explores the concept of duality as a spiritual concept as well.  The film directly addresses the subject of the human soul and other concepts of Christianity as our main characters start to learn the truth about what is going on.  In addition to Christianity, the very nature of the yin-yang relationship the family and their doppelgängers share directly relates to religions such as Confucianism and Taoism.

    The film is filled with Easter eggs which helps give the audience hints about the twists to come.  One such Easter egg came right away as a television surrounded by VHS tapes is shown.  One of the VHS tapes was “C.H.U.D.” which I noticed right away largely because I wondered who would own a copy of that film?

    “Us” is a very entertaining film on a surface level and loaded with a ton of thought provoking subtext.  Despite the praise I am giving the film, it isn’t perfect  as some of the reveals create more questions than answers and it’s clear logic went out the window when it came to reveals.  Still, the film makes for a great conversation piece and a great horror movie.

Grade: B+

Shop Next Level Blockbuster on eBay!!!

    I thought this blog would be a good place to let you know that we at Next Level Blockbuster have an eBay store with loads of collectibles, movies, memorabilia, and other assorted items!  We are always in the hunt and have a lot of stock not featured in the store yet so if you have any requests, feel free to contact us and we can look into any requests you might have and we always try our best to offer you these items at the best possible price we can.  Also, shopping with us also greatly helps to keep the store and this blog going so any business is always greatly appreciated and welcomed.  Thank you!

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“First Man” Movie Review

    I have always been a big fan of science fiction with “Star Trek” being one of my favorite shows so one could probably assume the subject of space exploration would be one that has always interested me but, perhaps surprisingly, it’s actually a subject matter I have never found all that interesting.  Now, I have always greatly respected NASA and the accomplishments of every individual involved with the space program, regardless if they were members of the flight crew or scientists on the ground.  I guess on a scientific level, they are so beyond me that it is hard for me to connect to the subject matter on an emotional or intellectual level.  As someone who enjoys writing, I rely a great deal on what connects to me emotionally.

    I am not a complete stranger to the subject however, as I had a brother who was very much obsessed with NASA and space exploration in his youth.  My parents tried to visit locations on vacation that my siblings and I would enjoy and also educate us.  One such location was the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  It was an interesting place to visit and I even remember watching a documentary on the Hubble satellite in 3D there.  I remember as we left the theater there was a kid and his mother leaving the theater with us and she asked her son if he enjoyed the movie.  Her son quickly informed her that he found the film to be extremely boring.  The boy’s mother quickly pointed out that the film was in 3D and how engrossing and fun that was (this was before “Avatar” came out and popularized 3D again so it was uncommon at that point).  Without missing a beat, the child responded with “Great, it was boring...IN 3D!”.  I never agreed with a kid more.

    When the movie “First Man” came out, it wasn’t exactly on the top of my list of movies to see in theaters because of the subject matter.  The film looked decent and I did want to see it, but as someone who works a lot, I only have so much time in the week to go to the movies.  As I was checking out the local video rental store, I noticed “First Man” and decided to buy it so I could watch it anytime.  Well, after viewing it, I can finally share my thoughts on the film.

    “First Man” tells a pretty straightforward story about the life of Neil Armstrong from his time as a test pilot until the Apollo 11 moon mission.  The mission and decade leading to it showcases the hardships Neil Armstrong and his follow astronauts went through before Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon.  The film paints Armstrong has a sort of tragic figure, a man lost of Earth after the death of his daughter trying to find some kind of purpose to move forward.

    Unlike a film such as “Apollo 13” which focuses on the nitty gritty of the mission, “First Man” instead focuses on the love and passion that leads individuals to aspire to greater things.  Ryan Gosling perfectly captures the feeling of emptiness a person can feel after the loss of a loved one while still pressing on.  Claire Foy did an excellent job as his Neil’s first wife Janet.  Foy managed to play Janet as a strong figure who supported and loved her husband and family even through the emotional turmoil the couple went through leading to the Apollo 11 launch.

    From a technical prospective, the film shines.  The special effects are both serial and yet realistic capturing the breathtaking beauty of outer space.  I also liked the camera work used in the film a great deal.  The score was also phenomenal.

    I should discuss the controversy that hurt the film at the box office and had some people claiming the movie was unpatriotic for not depicting the American flag being planted on the moon.  I don’t like to pick sides on issues typically when discussing controversies surrounding films because I typically feel it is not my place.  That being said, to say this film is unpatriotic is ridiculous in my opinion.  The film didn’t show the American flag being placed on the moon because the film was focused on Neil Armstrong’s journey to come to grips with the death of his daughter.  The scene that showed Armstrong dropping his daughter’s bracelet into the dark abyss of a crater on the moon was heartbreaking and showcased humanity as a whole would have taken away from that.  As far as patriotism goes, how could you get more patriotic than John F. Kennedy’s stirring speech about the moon mission?

    As far as films based on NASA missions go, this film connects with me most due to it focusing primarily on the human condition over the science and math aspects NASA missions require.  The eagle has landed and this film definitely has the right stuff.

Grade: B+

“Cargo” Movie Review

    I have been checking out more of Netflix’s original movies lately and one of the films I came across was called “Cargo”.  I probably would have skipped the film had it not starred Martin Freeman to be honest.  So, with no idea what I was getting myself into, I started watching “Cargo”.

    The film is essentially a father and daughter survivor story during a post apocalyptic future in which zombies roam what is left of Australia.  Martin Freeman plays Andy Rose, a father traveling with his daughter who only has 48 hours left before turning into a zombie after being bitten.  Will he manage to save his daughter before turning into a zombie?  No spoilers here!

    Despite being a low budget film, the cast was stellar and Martin Freeman helps elevate the film beyond what it could have been.  It’s amazing how many “The Office” alumni are killing it in the horror genre.  Newcomer Simone Landers was also a revelation as Thoomi, the young woman accompanying Andy and his baby on their journey.

    While “Cargo” isn’t the most original movie of all time, there have been countless zombies movies of varying qualities, it does treat the subject matter more seriously than most other zombie films.  The post apocalyptic setting of Australia also helps set it apart from most other films in the zombie genre.

    The film does have pacing issues and sections could have been edited out since they don’t necessarily advance the  plot along but they do let us get to know the characters better as well.  “Cargo” is beautifully shot and the setting of Australia provides a great deal of rich visuals.  The film’s score was also better than the average film score and added a sense of tension to a great deal of scenes.

    “Cargo” may or may not appeal to the average viewer since at times, it feels like a film that has been made a hundred times before.  The acting is what makes this film worth a watch, and even I have to admit I shed a tear or two over the heartbreaking ending.

Grade: C+