Author Archives: Keith Garlington

First Glance: “Monkey Man”

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Dev Patel has proven to be a fabulous actor, but his latest film “Monkey Man” promises a grit and intensity we’ve never seen from the 33-year-old Brit. Even more exciting, the film marks Patel’s directorial debut. Working from a story he conceived, “Monkey Man” looks to be a stylishly fierce action movie as evident by the kinetic first trailer.

In our first look we see Patel playing an anonymous young man known only as Kid who scrapes by working low-paying jobs and street fighting underground. But following the murder of his mother by big city elites, the Kid’s festering pent-up rage boils over, sending him on a John Wick-styled rampage of revenge. But this is no John Wick knockoff. The setting, the cultural inspiration, and the cinematic style give the movie an exhilarating original feel. I can’t wait.

“Monkey Man” hits theaters on April 5th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “American Star” (2024)

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Director Gonzalo López-Gallego is perhaps best known for 2011’s “Apollo 18”, a creepy found-footage sci-fi horror film that never got the respect it deserved. After a few direct-to-video feature films and some work on television, López-Gallego returns with “American Star”, a captivating thriller led by its equally captivating star, Ian McShane.

Set in the Canary Islands, “American Star” tells the tried-and-true story of a hitman on what might be that one final assignment. But rather than going the more conventional action-packed route, López-Gallego and screenwriter Nacho Faerna give us something existential and melancholic. They give us a slow-burning character study that’s far more interested in exploring humanity than generating genre thrills.

Image Courtesy of IFC Films

What better actor to lead a movie like this than Ian McShane. The 81-year-old Englishman, more recently of John Wick fame, oozes sophistication and charm like few others. Here he plays Wilson, a contract killer who seems worn down by the life he has chosen. He’s quiet and somewhat cryptic; easygoing yet clearly burdened with emotion. McShane conveys it all through a brilliantly tempered performance that allows us to glean as much through sheer observation than anything we hear or are told.

We first meet Wilson as he arrives on the island of Fuerteventura. After renting a car, he drives out to a posh ultra-modern residence in the middle of nowhere only to discover his target isn’t home. So Wilson drives out to the coast and checks into a beachside hotel, intent on waiting for his target to return so he can carry out his job. But over the next couple of days he finds himself drawn to the cozy island and its community which prompts him to contemplate the life he has lived.

There are several things that spur Wilson’s self-reflection. Among them is his reoccurring encounters with a young woman named Gloria (Nora Arnezeder). She’s a bit of a free spirit who immediately takes a liking to him. There’s also a young boy named Max (Oscar Coleman) who’s staying in the same hotel. He’s vacationing with his parents and forms a sweet bond with Wilson. Then there’s his feelings of kinship to an old shipwreck on the other side of the island – a massive vessel called the American Star that has been grounded since the early 1990s.

But no matter how much he entertains these tastes of inner peace, Wilson is frequently reminded of who he is and what he’s there to do. His employer sends a younger fellow hitman named Ryan (Adam Nagaitis) to the island. The two colleagues know each other well and even share dinner. But the more Wilson keeps running into Ryan the more suspicious of his presence he becomes.

Image Courtesy of IFC Films

López-Gallego’s patience is one of the film’s greatest assets. His deliberate pacing allows the story to develop and unfold organically. And he wisely leans into McShane’s scene-carrying charisma and the gorgeous cinematography of José David Montero who artfully captures the many facets of the alluring island, often using his images to convey something much deeper than just pretty scenery.

I can almost sense specific criticisms “American Star” will face. Some may feel it meanders while others may say nothing happens. There may even be some who are hungry for more action. I get those critiques to a degree. But (respectfully) they almost seem rooted in a misunderstanding of what this film is going for. “American Star” is far less interested in intricate plotting or genre expectations. It’s a pensive yet slightly opaque character study that delves into the complexity of life via one man’s soulful reckoning. He just happens to be a hitman with a job to do. “American Star” releases January 26th in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Miller’s Girl” (2024)

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Jade Halley Bartlett writes and directs “Miller’s Girl”, a wobbly new thriller backed by Seth Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures production company. It’s a film that tries hard to take a nuanced approach to the familiar story of a teacher-student relationship that crowds or crosses the line of appropriateness. But what we get is a movie full of potential that’s never realized.

“Miller’s Girl” teases us with some interesting and possibly complex ideas only to muddle them with its own cleverness. The script is the main culprit, oscillating between artfully provocative and downright silly in its attempt to be subversive and heady. What’s more of an issue is that we are never given a reason to care about any of the characters. There’s no emotional attachment or investment whatsoever, making the story hard to connect with beyond a few surface-level flashes of humanity.

Image Courtesy of Lionsgate

Martin Freeman plays Jonathan Miller, a frustrated middle-aged man reserved to being stuck in a rut both professionally and personally. Jonathan is a failed writer who now teaches high school literature. Meanwhile at home he gets no support from his wife Beatrice (Dagmara Dominczyk), an unsavory alcoholic who never passes up on a chance to emasculate her husband and take shots at his insecurities. There’s clearly more to their marriage story than what we’re given, but as with so much else in the story it’s merely glazed over.

But things take a turn at school with the arrival of a new student to his class, Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega). She’s an 18-year-old writing prodigy who has been left alone by her parents to live in their rural Tennessee mansion. As a character, Cairo comes across as smart and assured but ultimately impossible to read. Nothing she does makes much sense. This is especially true after she decides to seduce her teacher for reasons murkier than a glass of muddy water. Is it an act of naïveté from a young girl drawn to her teacher’s attention? Is it a devious use of her sexuality to get what she wants?

As for Jonathan, he’s instantly impressed by his promising new student who shows a surprising amount of interest in her assignments and in him. Their teacher-student relationship grows as Jonathan tries to encourage Cairo to push her creative boundaries. But one particular creative writing assignment pushes things too far, blurring the lines between mentorship and attraction.

Image Courtesy of Lionsgate

Bartlett steers her audience towards what she hopes is a multilayered examination of sexual politics and power dynamics. But the whole thing is paper-thin and comes across as little more than a half-baked erotic thriller. There are efforts to challenge our notions of complicity and make us question who’s to blame – the feckless attention-starved Jonathan or the overly cryptic and sexually charged Cairo. But too many details are missing, and too much time is wasted on side stories that go nowhere, such as the seductive cat-and-mouse game between Cairo’s notoriously flirtatious best friend Winnie (Gideon Adlon) and a coach (Bashir Salahuddin).

To their credit, Freeman and Ortega navigate the shaky material the best they can, almost convincing us to buy into their characters. But even they can’t add bite to a mostly toothless story that’s not nearly as prickly or as uncomfortable as it should be. Bartlett shows she has a knack with the camera and we get flashes of ambition that you don’t always see from first-time filmmakers. But her story and her characters need a more focused script – one that would give the time and attention necessary to make a movie like this have the impact it should. “Miller’s Girl” opens in theaters Friday, January 26th.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

Movie Poster Spotlight: “Road House” (2024)

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I can honestly say that out of all of the 1980s movies to remake, “Road House” wasn’t among the first to come to mind. Yet here we are, a couple months away from a new “Road House” movie. It’s said to be a remake that tells a similar story but with a modern twist. It comes from director Doug Liman and stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a former UFC fighter who finds work at a roadhouse in the Florida Keys.

The film is set to release March 21st on Prime Video. In anticipation of its upcoming trailer drop, Amazon MGM Studios has released a new poster. Check it out below and tell me what you think.

REVIEW: “Dream Scenario” (2023)

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I think it’s safe to say that we never know what we’re going to get from Nicolas Cage. And that’s one of the things that makes him such a favorite among moviegoers. Cage is liable to pop up in anything, from gritty crime thrillers to cerebral dramas to bonkers off-the-wall comedies. If you need further proof just look at his latest film, “Dream Scenario” from A24.

Written and directed by Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, “Dream Scenario” is a fascinating exploration of modern media culture, dressed up as a gonzo dark comedy with sinister undertones. Borgli’s story locks onto the fickle nature of fame in our current social media age – a time where a person can be elevated to celebrity status despite no real accomplishments and then tore apart and ruined despite no real offense. It examines how quickly someone can become a viral sensation only to be destroyed just as fast once their 15 minutes of fame is up.

Image Courtesy of A24

Cage is no stranger to taking a character and walking the precariously thin line between playful and unhinged. But here he does it with impressive subtlety. He plays mild-mannered Paul Matthews, a tenured evolutionary biology professor at Osler University. The balding bearded Paul is about as ordinary and unassuming as a man can get, shamefully called “a remarkable nobody” at one point.

Paul lives a relatively quiet life. He’s been happily married to his wife Janet (Julianne Nicholson) for 15 years and together they have two daughters (played by Lily Bird and Jessica Clement). Outside of teaching and his family, Paul likes to think of himself as a writer. He’s hoping to publish his book which he has yet to start writing. And that is Paul in a nutshell. He’s the kind of everyday guy who you would walk by on the street and never notice.

But that anonymity changes after he inexplicably starts showing up in people’s dreams – family members, students, former girlfriends, complete strangers. People begin recognizing him on the street and in restaurants. And much to his chagrin, they all say the same thing. Regardless of what kind of crazy thing is going on in their dream, Paul just pops up, never doing anything, just strolling by and observing. Word gets to scientists who are baffled by the phenomenon and inevitably the media gets wind of it, turning Paul into an instant celebrity.

Suddenly the once ignored middle-aged professor is recognized by everyone and even has a marketing firm (ran by Michael Cera) wanting to represent him. He’s now loved by his enamored students and his daughters see him as a “cool dad”. Paul finds himself excited by the sudden wave of attention. But he quickly learns that fame can have strange and unpredictable consequences, even if you’ve done nothing to deserve them.

Image Courtesy of A24

Borgli takes his story in a pretty dark direction yet maintains a slyly comic tone which surprisingly never clashes. Instead it gels into a movie that can be strangely funny and brutally heartbreaking at the very same time. Borgli isn’t particularly subtle with his messaging but his points are shrewdly woven into his story. Rabid fandom, groupthink, cancel culture, the dark side of celebrity, the perils of instant fame – they’re all topics that resonate within Borgli’s well-executed and highly imaginative metaphysical framework.

We never get an explanation for why Paul is suddenly appearing in the dreams. We’re never told why his noninvasive appearances take a nastier turn. Borgli doesn’t seem interested in the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ which is both admirable and a bit of a cop-out. And while it goes slightly off the rails in its final act, there are so many intriguing elements to “Dream Scenario” including yet another beguiling Nicolas Cage performance. He embraces every complicated facet of his character, making us laugh with his sheepish comic delivery and breaking our heart with his agonizing insecurity.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Random Thoughts: The 2024 Oscar Nominations

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Early this morning the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their highly anticipated nominees for this year’s Oscars. As is always the case, the morning had its share of surprises and head-scratching snubs. But in their defense the Academy also got a lot of things right. Either way, I have plenty on my mind about this year’s batch. So here are a few Random Thoughts on the 2024 Academy Award nominations.

  • It was a huge morning for “Oppenheimer” which led the way with a whopping 13 nominations. It’s shaping up to (finally) be the year that Christopher Nolan fully gets his due on Oscar night.
  • Not only did “Oppenheimer” mop the floor in the technical categories, but it also received nominations in Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. Who knows how it will turn out, but things are trending up for Nolan’s brilliant awards-worthy latest.
  • Only two behind “Oppenheimer” was “Poor Things” which once again revealed the soft spot (and the mind-boggling leniency) the Academy has for Yorgos Lanthimos. The film was an overindulgent mess yet here it sits with 11 nominations.
  • We have a pretty good selection of Best Picture nominees this year with only two that I would toss out in a heartbeat. But it’s hard for me to gripe. My top three movies of 2023 are all in the group and I like most of the choices.
  • Could it be that the Academy isn’t as enamored with “Barbie” as other awards shows (which I would applaud them for)? The box office smash hit but incredibly flawed film still earned 8 nominations. But it missed out on a couple of pretty big categories.
  • Sticking with “Barbie”, one of the more face-palm moments came with the nomination of America Ferrera in Supporting Actress. It’s essentially a nomination for a speech which stands out even more by the fact that the film’s lead, Margot Robbie didn’t get a nod. There were far more deserving supporting performances from actresses such as Rachel McAdams, Penélope Cruz, or Julianne Moore. Whatever, it’s Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s to win.
  • As for that Lead Actress category, Robbie’s omission is a bit of a stunner. Again, I’m no fan of “Barbie”, but Robbie was pretty great. It’s especially perplexing considering Annette Bening was nominated for the so-so at best “Nyad”. Robbie deserved a spot.
  • The far more egregious snubs in the Lead Actress category was Greta Lee for “Past Lives” and Natalie Portman for “May December”. I would put both in over any nominee not named Lily Gladstone. C’mon Academy!
  • Last thing on “Barbie” – outlets are already expressing shock and crying foul on Greta Gerwig not being nominated for Best Director. I’m sorry, but but it was a good choice especially if it meant Jonathan Glazer getting in for his masterful “The Zone of Interest”. The biggest bummer in Directing was Lanthimos. Replace him with Celine Song (“Past Lives”) and the category would be nearly perfect.
  • Martin Scorsese’s brilliant “Killers of the Flower Moon” racked up an amazing and well-deserved 10 nominations. Sadly there’s a big possibility it follows in the footsteps of Scorsese’s “The Irishman”. That 2019 film received 10 nominations but won nothing. Lily Gladstone should keep “Killers” from going home empty-handed, but it will have a tough time winning much else.
  • Speaking of “Killers”, being left out for Adapted Screenplay is terrible especially in light of what else was nominated. The screenplay was the biggest problem with “Barbie” and with “Poor Things” it was a scattershot mess. Yet both get nominated.
  • One of the great joys of the morning was seeing “The Zone of Interest” getting five nominations. I was especially excited that it was included for Best Picture and Best Director. For those who have yet to see it, make every effort to catch it. It’s easily one of 2023’s very best movies.
  • “The Zone of Interest” looks like it may be the front-runner for Best International Feature. I love it. This is a wild category made interesting by its notable omissions, namely “Anatomy of a Fall” and “Society of the Snow”. Am I missing something?
  • John Williams received his 54th (!!!) Oscar nomination for his score in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”. Did it deserve a nomination? Maybe not. But I’m never going to gripe when I see this living legend get recognition.
  • Absolutely nothing for “The Iron Claw”. I realize it was a longshot, but I held out hope that the film might receive some kind of recognition. It certainly deserved it.
  • Sterling K. Brown surprised with his Supporting Actor nomination for “American Fiction”. It’s a good performance and I’m guessing his inclusion knocked out Charles Melton (“May December”).
  • Aside from Mark Ruffalo, the Supporting Actor choices are pretty strong. Brown is a nice addition, Robert De Niro is getting a lot of nominations but no wins, and Gosling has the fan love but I’m not sure how much else. That leaves Robert Downey Jr. who is (by a pretty large margin) the most deserving. Hopefully he’ll finally get his statue.
  • Just a quick plug for Donnie Yen in “John Wick: Chapter 4”. I’d put him ahead of Ruffalo, Brown, and even Gosling for Supporting Actor. Alas…
  • Among the most competitive categories heading into Oscar night will be Best Actor. It looks to be a one-on-one showdown between Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”). They were my two favorite Lead Actor performances of the year so it’s good to see. That said, I’m rooting for Murphy.
  • Despite getting recognition from the Golden Globes and BAFTA, “Saltburn” was completely ignored by the Academy and you won’t see me shedding any tears. “Saltburn” was one of the more frustrating movies of last year and apparently the Academy saw through it.
  • It wasn’t a particularly good morning for “The Color Purple”. Outside of Danielle Brooks for Supporting Actress, the musical remake didn’t make a dent. I can understand why. The first half of the film was some of the best cinema I saw in 2023. The second half was messy and rushed.
  • I like the sound of Oscar-nominated “Godzilla: Minus One”.
  • Among the other big names not nominated this morning was Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor and Bradley Cooper for Best Director. Both seemed to be on the bubble and now they’ve both fallen short.

Here is a Full List of This Year’s Nominees…

Best Picture

American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest

Best Director

Justine Triet – Anatomy of a Fall
Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things
Jonathan Glazer – The Zone of Interest

Best Actress

Annette Bening – Nyad
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Emma Stone – Poor Things

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
America Ferrera – Barbie
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

Best Original Screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Maestro
May December
Past Lives

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction
Barbie
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest

Best International Feature

Io Capitano
Perfect Days
Society of the Snow
The Teachers’ Lounge
The Zone of Interest

Best Animated Feature

The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Cinematography

El Conde
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Original Score

American Fiction
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Original Song

“The Fire Inside,” Flamin’ Hot
“I’m Just Ken,” Barbie
“It Never Went Away,” American Symphony
“Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People),” Killers of the Flower Moon
“What Was I Made For?” Barbie

Best Editing

Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Production Design

Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Costume Design

Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Golda
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Society of the Snow

Best Sound

The Creator
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest

Best Visual Effects

The Creator
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon

Best Animated Short

Letter to a Pig
Ninety-Five Senses
Our Uniform
Pachyderme
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko

Best Live-Action Short

The After
Invincible
Knight of Fortune
Red, White and Blue
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Best Documentary Feature

Bobi Wine: The People’s President
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
To Kill a Tiger
20 Days in Mariupol

Best Documentary Short

The ABCs of Book Banning
The Barber of Little Rock
Island in Between
The Last Repair Shop
Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó