“Velvet Buzzsaw” Movie Review

    Sometimes it can be hard to decide what to watch before bed, especially if you want to watch something you haven’t seen before.  Fortunately, Netflix makes life a little easier in that regards.  Unfortunately for me, Netflix usually doesn’t have the highest quality of films.  That being said, I remembered Netflix ‘released’ a film earlier this year that looked interesting and I just had to remember the name.  After a few minutes and some exploring, I happened to find the film I was looking for, “Velvet Buzzsaw”.  With a name like that, it had to be interesting, right?

    The film follows art critic Morf Vanderwalt as he rekindles a relationship with Josephina.  Josephina works for an art gallery owned by Rhodora Haze before she is terminated for being late after discovering the dead body of her neighbor Vetril Dease.  As it turns out, Dease had an apartment full of his paintings he asked to be destroyed after his death.  Josephina steals the paintings and when the art community sees them, they go crazy for them.  Morf agrees to write a book about Dease to gather the art more attention in exchange for a few pieces.  Strange happenings begin to happen to people associated with the art and it turns out there may be something supernatural to the paintings.

    Let me start by saying I am torn by how I feel about this film.  The film is interesting and does sort of pull you in but, for the most part, the characters are unlikeable and I wasn’t invested in their fates (though the actors really do a fabulous job despite not playing emotionally accessible characters).  I know the movie is a bit of a satire of the art community and how pretentious artists and critics can be, but it is hard to relate to the characters as a result.

    The cast was solid and they were all convincing in their roles, perhaps too convincing at times.  Jake Gyllenhaal delivered a great performance and his character was the most likable in the film.  Gyllenhaal gave a delightfully unhinged performance he hasn’t given since “Donnie Darko”.  It was also nice to see Rene Russo deliver a solid performance in a lead role.  Russo is a talented actress and this film proves she is still an awards worthy performer.  My only complaint is that the great John Malkovich was severely underused in this movie.

    Writer and director Dan Gilroy developed this film years ago while working on Tim Burton’s “Superman Lives” (which you can actually see him do an interview on that subject in the movie “The Death of Superman Lives”).  I enjoyed the film’s successful transition from a look into the current art scene into a supernatural suspense thriller.  In some respects, this film very much reminds me of “Eyes of Laura Mars” in both subject matter (art) and genre (horror/thriller).  I wonder if Gilroy was a fan of that film or if it just happens to be a coincidence.

    “Velvet Buzzsaw” is an interesting experience and a film I recommend watching around Halloween.  The film is a step up for Netflix in my opinion.  While I wish the film’s characters were more likable, the film is fascinating enough on it’s own to make for an enjoyable viewing experience.

Grade: B-

“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” Movie Review

    It is getting around the time of year when studios start releasing spooky films in hopes they might have legs until Halloween, however some studios release their films around summer in time for a Halloween release on home video.  “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” decided to gamble on a late summer release so it will be interesting to see if the film does better on DVD and Blu-ray than it did at the multiplex.  The film is based on the book series by Alvin Schwartz and the illustrations by Stephen Gammell.

    The film tells the story of friends Stella, Auggie and Chuck as they get their revenge on bully Tommy on Halloween night only to have Tommy chase them to a local drive in theater where the trio hide in the vehicle of Ramón.  The group decides to check out the Bellows haunted house after and they discover a secret room where Sarah Bellows was supposedly locked away.  The group get locked away in the room when Tommy finds them.  Upon discovering the diary of Sarah Bellows, they are eerily set free and each go home.  The diary begins to add a scary story by itself about the bully Tommy and a scarecrow.  Once Tommy goes missing, the group realize that maybe something is going on with the diary and they are write, for the book begins to write scary stories about them all.  Now they must race to figure out how to stop the diary before it is too late.

    Let me start by saying this is an enjoyable horror film geared towards the pre teen demographic.  The film contains plenty of jump scares and twisted visuals but nothing too graphic either.  The creepy visuals might by too much for some younger visuals but young adults will no doubt enjoy the frights.  It’s amazing how the drawings of the book seem to come alive and the visual flair of Guillermo del Toro is easy to see in the movie.  It is definitely a creepy experience.

    The story plays out with plenty of scares but not much character development.  The four main characters aren’t given a lot to do except seem scared.  Gabriel Rush reminds me of a young Jason Sudeikis but that was about all I took away from his performance, while Austin Zajur seemed to channel Shia LaBeouf throughout the film.

    One aspect that I thought took something away from the movie slightly was that the film shared a plot that was very similar to the recent “Goosebumps” adaptation.  Seeing as how both films were also based on popular young adult horror books, it slightly took away from an overall enjoyable film going experience.  They just needed to change up the plot device a bit more in my opinion.

    “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” will probably never be considered a classic but it has such a unique style that it shouldn’t fade away completely either.  It is an overall enjoyable popcorn flick and I have a feeling the film will be destined to cult classic status at the very least.

Grade: B-

The 2019 Next Level Blockbuster Award Winners

Best Picture

Avengers: Infinity War (Winner)

Aquaman

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

Creed II

Green Book

Isle of Dogs

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

A Star Is Born

Best Comedy Picture

Crazy Rich Asians (Winner)

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Blockers

Deadpool 2

A Futile and Stupid Gesture

Best Action Picture

Mission: Impossible- Fallout (Winner)

Aquaman

Black Panther

Bumblebee

Venom

Best Horror Picture

Halloween (Winner)

The First Purge

The Nun

A Quiet Place

The Strangers: Prey At Night

Best Inspirational Picture

I Can Only Imagine (Winner)

God Bless the Broken Road

March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step

Pick of the Litter

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Best Drama Picture

Bohemian Rhapsody (Winner)

Creed II

First Man

Green Book

A Star Is Born

Best Science Fiction Picture

Avengers: Infinity War (Winner)

The Cloverfield Paradox

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Ready Player One

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Live Action Family Picture

Paddington 2 (Winner)

Benji

Christopher Robin

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween

The House with a Clock in Its Walls

Best Animated Family Picture

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Winner)

The Grinch

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

Incredibles 2

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

Best Digital or Direct to Video Picture

Bird Box (Winner)

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

The Cloverfield Paradox

A Futile and Stupid Gesture

Roma

Best Actor

Rami Malek/Bohemian Rhapsody (Winner)

Christian Bale/Vice

Chadwick Boseman/Black Panther

Bradley Cooper/A Star Is Born

Robert Downey Jr./Avengers: Infinity War

Ryan Gosling/First Man

Michael B. Jordan/Creed II

Viggo Mortensen/Green Book

Ryan Reynolds/Deadpool 2

John David Washington/BlacKkKlansman

Best Actress

Lady Gaga/A Star Is Born (Winner)

Yalitza Aparicio/Roma

Emily Blunt/A Quiet Place

Sandra Bullock/Bird Box

Jamie Lee Curtis/Halloween

Jennifer Lawrence/Red Sparrow

Evangeline Lilly/Ant-Man and the Wasp

Danielle Macdonald/Dumplin‘

Tessa Thompson/Creed II

Constance Wu/Crazy Rich Asians

Best Supporting Actress

Michelle Yeoh/Crazy Rich Asians (Winner)

Jennifer Aniston/Dumplin‘

Awkwafina/Crazy Rich Asians

Marina de Tavira/Roma

Cynthia Erivo/Bad Times at the El Royale

Claire Foy/First Man

Danai Gurira/Black Panther

Zoe Kazan/The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Regina King/If Beale Street Could Talk

Lupita Nyong’o/Black Panther

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali/Green Book (Winner)

Josh Brolin/Avengers: Infinity War

Adam Driver/BlacKkKlansman

Donald Glover/Solo: A Star Wars Story

Woody Harrelson/Solo: A Star Wars Story

Tom Holland/Avengers: Infinity War

Michael B. Jordan/Black Panther

Tim Blake Nelson/The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Sylvester Stallone/Creed II

Patrick Wilson/Aquaman

Best Ensemble

Avengers: Infinity War (Winner)

Aquaman

Black Panther

Crazy Rich Asians

Mission: Impossible- Fallout

Best Director

Bradley Cooper/A Star Is Born (Winner)

Wes Anderson/Isle of Dogs

Steven Caple Jr./Creed II

Damien Chazelle/First Man

Ryan Coogler/Black Panther

Peter Farrelly/Green Book

Ron Howard/Solo: A Star Wars Story

Anthony and Joe Russo/Avengers: Infinity War

Bryan Singer/Bohemian Rhapsody

James Wan/Aquaman

Best Adapted Screenplay

Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely/Avengers: Infinity War (Winner)

Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole/Black Panther

Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan/Solo: A Star Wars Story

Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman/Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, and Will Fetters/A Star Is Born

Best Original Screenplay

Anthony McCarten/Bohemian Rhapsody (Winner)

Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, and Peter Farrelly/Green Book

Wes Anderson/Isle of Dogs

Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski/A Quiet Place

Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian/Searching

Best Original Music

Ludwig Göransson/Black Panther (Winner)

Alan Silvestri/Avengers: Infinity War

Justin Hurwitz/First Man

Alexandre Desplat/Isle of Dogs

John Powell/Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Original Song

“Shallow” performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

from the motion picture “A Star Is Born” (Winner)

“All the Stars” performed by Kendrick Lamar and SZA

from the motion picture “Black Panther”

“Pray for Me” performed by The Weekend and Kendrick Lamar

from the motion picture “Black Panther”

“Sunflower” performed by Post Malone and Swae Lee

from the motion picture “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

“Venom” performed by Eminem

from the motion picture “Venom”

Best Production Design

Black Panther (Winner)

Aquaman

First Man

Mute

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Cinematography

First Man (Winner)

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

Roma

A Star Is Born

Best Costume Design

Solo: A Star Wars Story (Winner)

Aquaman

Avengers: Infinity War

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Bohemian Rhapsody

Best 3D Presentation

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Winner)

Aquaman

Avengers: Infinity War

Skyscraper

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Film Editing

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (Winner)

Avengers: Infinity War

Bad Times at the El Royale

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Sound Editing

Bohemian Rhapsody (Winner)

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Solo: A Star Wars Story

A Star Is Born

Best Sound Mixing

Bohemian Rhapsody (Winner)

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Solo: A Star Wars Story

A Star Is Born

Best Special Effects

Aquaman (Winner)

Avengers: Infinity War

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Ready Player One

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Makeup Effects

Vice (Winner)

Avengers: Infinity War

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Deadpool 2

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Stunt Work

Mission: Impossible- Fallout (Winner)

Black Panther

Deadpool 2

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Skyscraper

Best Home Video Release

Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition Blu-ray Set (Winner)

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes MVD Rewind Collection Blu-ray

Avengers: Infinity War 4K Blu-ray

Deadpool 2 Super Duper $@%!#& Cut 4K Blu-ray

Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Blu-ray Set

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Blu-ray

Justice League 4K Blu-ray

Night of the Living Dead The Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Stranger Things Season 2 4K Blu-ray Set

Supergirl Warner Bros. Archieve Collection Blu-ray

Next Level Blockbuster Icon Award

Marlon Brando

Heath Ledger

Christopher Reeve

Gene Roddenberry

Orson Welles

Next Level Blockbuster Legacy Award

Ghostbusters

The Godfather

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Superman: The Movie

“Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” Movie Review

    With a slew of new movies hitting theaters this October, it’s easy to see how a movie can get lost in the shuffle.  What is a little harder to believe is that a sequel to a relatively fun family movie would get overlooked but that is exactly what happened with “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween”.  The first movie was an entertaining Halloween offering for the family, much like this sequel, setting it apart from films like “Halloween” and “The Nun”.  Plus there is the nostalgia factor, what 30ish year old didn’t read at least one “Goosebumps” book growing up?  Was the movie just not up to snuff?  Is it because the target age bracket doesn’t have as much dispensable income?  Or perhaps was the marketing campaign poor?
    First, let’s look at the movie at hand and it’s premise.  The movie starts out with a couple of odd ball friends who start a trash pickup service.  The two friends open a book at the old house they are cleaning and accidentally unleash Slappy the Dummy.  The book happened to be R.L. Stein’s first unfinished “Goosebumps” book and like in the first film, the subject of the book comes to life.  Slappy decides the world needs to experience a true “Goosebumps” haunted Halloween and brings many creatures and monsters to life.
    Okay, so did this film give me goosebumps?  Well, I liked the movie overall.  Was it perfect?  Of course not.  Was it as good as the first movie?  I don’t think it was personally.  That being said, it was fun and the whole family could enjoy it, which is becoming less common lately.
    The movie had some pacing issues.  Towards the middle of the film and even the beginning, the movie drug some.  Once Slappy started his rampage, the film’s pace picked up quickly, but it took some time.  I did really enjoy the monster rampage though.
    The film starred Jeremy Ray Taylor and Caleel Harris as the two friends trying to survive school and unleash Slappy.  Taylor seems the more natural of the two child actors but neither were bad.  Madison Iseman plays Taylor’s sister in the film.  “Reno 911” and “The Goldbergs” vet Wendi McLendon-Convey plays their mother.  Chris Parnell plays the cashier with a crush on McLendon-Convey’s character.  They have a fun and funny chemistry while flirting in the film.  Most notably, Jack Black returns in an extended cameo as R.L. Stein.  Black is great and even though his role is very small, he is the highlight of the film.  Also of note is Ken Jeong as a “Goosebumps” and Halloween fanboy.  He was extremely humorous in the film.
    Of the stuff I liked, the “It” reference had me laughing out loud especially considering Jeremy Ray Taylor co-starred in the recent remake.  I also liked the cliffhanger ending which reminded me of the book series.  I also really enjoyed the character of Slappy the Dummy.  His cartoonish scheme and cackle had me laughing (although I am not sure it was always supposed to make me laugh, I did regardless).
    “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” wasn’t a game changer or the most entertaining film I ever watched.  It was worth the ticket price though which you can’t say about every movie these days.  Most importantly, like the book series, it’s a fun few years to waste.

Grade: B-