REVIEW: “Til Death Do Us Part” (2023)

August 2, 2023 by Keith Garlington

For those who haven’t been tipped off by its devilishly cool poster, some readers may see the title of Emmy Award winner Timothy Woodward Jr.’s new movie “Til Death Do Us Part” and immediately have their heads filled with images of love-struck soulmates and wedding day bliss. Beautiful brides, heartfelt vows, overflowing joy. Well, for the sake of anyone who might think that’s what they’re signing up for here, let me emphatically say that is not this movie.

It doesn’t take long to figure out that Woodward Jr. has something much different in mind for his movie. Something crazy, something violent, and something that is perhaps a little too ambitious. And that’s pretty much “Til Death Do Is Part” in a nutshell. It’s a movie that surprised me with its big aim even though it doesn’t quite hit its target.

Co-written by Chad Law and Shane Dax Taylor, this peculiar John Wick meets Kill Bill thriller mixes straight action with black comedy while sprinkling in a dash of home invasion horror. The framework is actually quite clever with the story building itself around one key reveal and playing it out across two different timelines. The problem is with the execution. Simply put, too much of what it’s trying to do simply doesn’t mesh. More on that in a second.

Woodward Jr. opens his movie in a way that makes you think you’ve stepped into a sappy romcom. The Best Man (Cam Gigandet) sits in a church pew working on his best man speech, the Groom (Ser’Darius Blain) slides into his stylish tuxedo, and the Bride (Natalie Burn) puts on her finishing touches all while the whimsical music builds up to what’s sure to be a storybook crescendo, right?

Well, not exactly. Just as she’s about to walk down the aisle the Bride gets cold feet. She leaves the church, hops in her car, and heads to a remote house that (I think) belongs to her family. The jilted Groom doesn’t take kindly to being left at the alter but still hopes that they can work things out. So he sends his Best Man and six groomsmen to see if she’s at the house and keep her there until he arrives.

Obviously questions abound. Why did she leave? What changed her mind? What is she running from? There’s actually more to it than just another runaway bride story. The road to answers begins when we’re suddenly transported to Puerto Rico where the Bride and Groom are enjoying their honeymoon. They look to be having the time of their lives. But later some pretty clear tension surfaces. Yet another layer is added after the Bride and Groom meet and hit it off with a Husband (Jason Patric) and Wife (Nicole Arlyn) who are in Puerto Rico to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Back on their wedding day the Bride’s showdown with the groomsmen quickly turns violent and it becomes pretty obvious that these people aren’t quite who we thought they were. There’s a whiff of a cool idea especially once the bloody game of cat and mouse kicks into gear. The B movie schlock vibes are actually kind of endearing. Also, Burn makes for a compelling protagonist even if she isn’t given much that shows her range. And Patric almost single-handedly saves the film with a killer second-half monologue that brings most everything into focus.

But over time the flaws begin to add up. The movie’s bread-and-butter is supposed to be the Bride one-by-one offing her well-tailored invaders with gruesome blood-soaked precision. The problem is the action is never as edgy as it wants to be. And the fact that the groomsmen are thinly sketched dullards doesn’t help. Then you have the Best Man, easily one of the most annoying characters of the year. Gigandet seems stuck in one gear, overacting within an inch of his life (think Chris Hemsworth in “Bad Times at the El Royale” but minus the coolness and restraint). It’s a character who grows harder and harder to endure.

“Til Death Do Us Part” deserves points for subverting expectations. It certainly turns out to be something much different than it first teases. Natalie Burn eviscerating her dumbbell foes while still decked in her elegant white wedding gown can be a fun and funny sight. And Jason Patric is a hoot especially when driving what is easily the film’s best scene (you’ll know it when you see it). But those things can’t cover or cure the movie’s nagging issues. And being 20 minutes too long only makes those issues stand out even more. “Til Death Do Is Part” hits theaters August 4th.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

New On Home Video: “Rio Bravo” on 4K Ultra HD

August 1, 2023 by Keith Garlington

Warner Bros. Studio continues their 100th anniversary celebration with the release of another classic from their timeless catalog. “Rio Bravo” is coming out on 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (HDR) for the very first time in a handsome new combo pack. Directed by the great Howard Hawks and based on a short story by B. H. McCampbell, the beloved Western starred the trio of John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson. It also starred Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, and Ward Bond in his final major movie role.

The new 4K UHD edition of “Rio Bravo” will release on August 1, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and release information.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS

Year: 1959

Runtime: 141 Minutes

Director: Howard Hawks

Screenwriter: Jules Furthman, Leigh Brackett

Cast: John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, John Russell, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, Estelita Rodriguez, Claude Atkins, Bing Russell

FROM THE STUDIO

A small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.

The 1959 American Western film is directed by Howard Hawks. The screenplay is by Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett and is based on the short story “Rio Bravo” by B.H. McCampbell. The film stars John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, and Ward Bond.

In 2014, Rio Bravo was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

4K Ultra HD Features

Rio Bravo Ultra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:

Commentary by John Carpenter and Richard Schickel
Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French
Ultra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Parisian French

REVIEW: “Talk to Me” (2023)

August 1, 2023 by Keith Garlington

Thanks to A24 horror fans won’t have to wait until October for the next horror film of the year to come around. “Talk to Me” has been getting a lot a buzz since its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Australian twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou (best known for their massively popular YouTube channel RackaRacka), this supernatural chiller leans on several familiar tropes yet has just enough of its own flavor to get by.

“Talk to Me” may have a small budget ($4.5 million to be exact), but it’s what the Philippou’s do within those constraints that’s so impressive. There aren’t a ton of special effects and what we get are predominately practical. But they’re also extremely effective and show how smart and crafty filmmakers can do a lot with a little. Equally impressive are three key performances from what amounts to a mostly inexperienced cast. More on them in a second.

The writing is more of a mixed bag. The story itself is inherently silly which is part of the fun. But it’s hard to overlook the gaping holes in logic. Dumb nurses, even dumber cops, shallow teen “friends” who no one in their right mind would hang out with – they all add quite a bit of head-scratching to the proceedings. But the brothers are shrewd in their presentation and it’s hard not to get sucked into the scenario they envision (even if much about it feels familiar).

The story follows a group of thrill-seeking high school friends who learn how to conjure up the dead through a ceramic-covered embalmed hand (yep, you read that right). As you can probably figure out, they soon go too far with their new favorite party game and accidentally open a gate that allows some truly malevolent spirits to cross over. Horror hijinks ensue.

While that may sound ridiculous (probably because it is), the Philippou brothers maintain a serious tone (with one pretty hilarious exception that I won’t spoil). It works well in large part thanks to their ability to not only build tension but sustain it. It’s also helped by the three central characters and the strong performances behind them, Mia (Sophie Wilde), Jade (Alexandra Jensen), and Riley (Joe Bird).

We first meet 17-year-old Mia on the two-year anniversary of her mother’s suicide. Not only is she still struggling with the loss, but it has put a strain on her relationship with her father (Marcus Johnson). But she has found comfort in the family of her best friend Jade. Along with Jade’s 15-year-old brother Riley, the three have formed a strong sibling bond that has helped Mia cope. A lot of attention is given to the trio with their relationships being a crucial part of the story. All three are well-conceived characters as is Miranda Otto as Jade and Riley’s mom – not quite as fleshed out but a great fit and a lot of fun.

Not all the characters fare as well with the worst being Haley (Zoe Terakes) and Joss (Chris Alosio) – the annoying one-dimensional dime-a-dozen horror genre “friends” who have populated countless horror movies over the years. Still, there’s enough good stuff in the film to hold our interest and the movie steadily generates a palpable sense of unease that culminates in a handful of genuinely chilling scenes and one cracking ending that makes the film’s frustrations a little easier to digest. “Talk to Me” is out now in theaters.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

REVIEW: “Haunted Mansion” (2023)

July 31, 2023 by Keith Garlington

Dropping right on the heels of the biggest movie weekend of the year (aka Barbieheimer) is no enviable task. Yet that’s where Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” finds itself. Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” broke records and shattered expectations during their opening weekend and both are still bringing in huge numbers heading into week two. And the terrific “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” is still in the early weeks of its release as well.

So from the very start it looked to be an uphill battle for this supernatural horror comedy. That’s tough news for Walt Disney Studios who is in desperate need of a big screen winner. Sadly this somewhat fun yet mostly unnecessary reboot isn’t likely to provide the box office kick the House of Mouse needs. “Haunted Mansion” certainly has a talent-rich cast and the studio has put nearly $160 million into its production. But the movie is the very definition of a mixed bag and it’s hard to imagine it’ll make the kind of mark needed at the theaters.

Directed by Justin Simien and written for the screen by Katie Dippold, “Haunted Mansion” is a tale of two halves. Things start promising as we’re introduced to Ben (LaKeith Stanfield) – once an ebullient and ambitious astrophysicist with a girlfriend he loved deeply; now down on his luck and living alone in New Orleans where he gives walking tours through the city’s historical district.

**Image Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios**

One day Ben is paid a visit by a local priest named Father Kent (Owen Wilson) who tells him about Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), a single mother who has just moved to New Orleans from New York with her young son Travis (Chase W. Dillon) in hopes of making a fresh start. Gabbie has purchased an old mansion outside of town with hopes of turning it into a bed and breakfast. But she has one very specific problem. Yep you guessed it – it’s haunted.

So Gabbie sought out Father Kent who in turn sought out Ben. You see, years earlier Ben invented a quantum lens (aka ghost camera) that’s able to do “spectral photography” (i.e. it can take pictures of invisible spirits). At first Ben has no interest in helping. But when he’s offered $2000 he agrees to drive out and humor the young family (and make some quick cash). But Ben soon learns that once you cross the threshold into their haunted mansion that you’re forever bound to the house.

Ben and Father Kent seek the help of Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), the only psychic in their price range, and Bruce (DannyDeVito), a history professor at Tulane who happens to specialize in haunted mansions. Together their paranormal “Dream Team” set out to uncover the secrets of the mansion so that can sever its bonds and free the young family and themselves. There are some good laughs baked into these moments and there’s a fun, playful spirit that comes out most in these early scenes.

But in the second half the movie starts to run out of steam. That laughs are harder to find which makes some of the hokey dialogue stand out more. And some characters get lost for extended periods of time. It’s all mostly due to the film’s length. You get the sense that there’s a much better 90-100 minute movie there somewhere. Instead the cut we get tops two hours and you can feel it during those last 20 minutes.

The performances are mostly what you would expect from such a stellar cast, but even they suffer a bit in ways you might not expect. Take Stanfield (a great actor) who at times seems unsure of how to deliver some of the lines he’s handed. But is it him or the direction? Dawson is terrific with what she’s given, but her character is so tightly confined to a specific type that we rarely get to see the actress show her chops. And then there’s the always affable and delightfully goofy Owen Wilson who is very much playing an Owen Wilson character. Unfortunately he often fades into the background. More Wilson would’ve been better.

I do appreciate Simien’s attempts at bringing some emotional weight to the story. For the most part it has the desired impact. The same could be said for the visual effects. They’re noticeably shaky in spots, but overall they get the job done. Still the movie can’t quite kick into gear during its second half and stalls during what should have been it’s big buildup to the final act. It’s unfortunate because there’s some really good talent onscreen. And you hate to see that kind of quality ensemble go to waste. “Haunted Mansion” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Sound of Freedom” (2023)

July 29, 2023 by Keith Garlington

Easily one of the biggest surprise hits of the 2023 movie year is “Sound of Freedom”, a gripping fact-based thriller that was completed five years ago but struggled to find distribution. With the help of crowdfunding rather than big studio backing, “Sound of Freedom” has finally made its way it to theaters and has found itself a passionate and vocal audience. To no surprise the movie has also found plenty of detractors.

Unfortunately slanted positions on politics and faith have clouded much of the discourse surrounding the film to the point that its overarching message is often being overlooked. That’s a shame because “Sound of Freedom” strikes up a sensitive yet necessary conversation about the world’s fastest growing international crime network – the under-reported human trafficking trade. It’s an issue we all should be affected by, and the film’s clear-eyed perspective shines a much-needed light on this horrifying reality.

Directed and co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, “Sound of Freedom” doesn’t sugarcoat the very real subject matter at its center, addressing it with an almost uncomfortable clarity. At the same time there is a deep sense of compassion that comes through in both Monteverde’s focused direction and the intense performance from the film’s lead, Jim Caviezel.

Caviezel plays Tim Ballard who in real-life quit his job as a Department of Homeland Security Agent in 2013 and founded Operation Underground Railroad, a non-profit organization dedicated to stopping human sex-trafficking. The film dramatizes his days working on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. We’re also given a good grasp of the frustration that led him to break off on his own to track down and save captives (many of them children) and bring to justice their captors.

The film begins with a devastating gut-punch of an opening that paints for us a clear picture of how crafty traffickers can be in luring children into their webs. In this case it’s an 11-year-old girl Rocio (Cristal Aparicio) and her 7-year-old brother Miguel (Lucás Ávila) who are abducted in Honduras. In California, Ballard and his team arrest a local pedophile who they discover has deep ties with Central American human traffickers. Through the creep (and in a way I won’t spoil) Ballard finds out about Miguel and manages to rescue the young boy.

Afterwards Ballard learns of Miguel’s sister, Rocio who he pledges to find and bring home. He tracks her to Cartagena, Columbia where he teams up with a local police officer named Jorge (Javier Godino) and Vampiro (Bill Camp), a former cartel collaborator seeking to atone for his past sins. After landing some strong leads, the trio put together an ambitious plan. But just as they’re about to pull the trigger, Ballard’s agency pulls his funding and orders him back to California. Tired of the bureaucracy, Ballard promptly resigns and begins working on another way to save Rocio before it’s too late.

The film’s riveting first half is followed by a second half that draws itself out a little too long. Yet it remains enthralling throughout largely thanks to Caviezel. His performance is a captivating mix of steely determination and heartfelt vulnerability. Better yet, he’s no Rambo archetype. Instead we’re given wisely grounded portrayal that is exactly what the story needs.

And despite its meager backing and modest budget, the movie looks as good (and as expensive) as most Hollywood studio productions. Much of it is due to Monteverde’s keen instincts with the camera and the stellar lensing from cinematographer Gorka Gómez Andreu. Shooting on location in Cartagena only adds to the visual authenticity.

“Sound of Freedom” is a tough movie to watch and it should be. At the same time it never overplays the dangers or milks the audience’s emotions. Yes, it has specific scenes that are sure to provoke responses from those watching. But they’re mostly well earned rather than manipulative, especially if your heart is in the right place while watching. So say what you will about the movie. In the end it rises above the dubious claims and disingenuous concerns to offer a compelling and at times unflinching exposé that will stick with you for a long time. “Sound of Freedom” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Wham!” (2023)

July 28, 2023 by Keith Garlington

The latest in the long line of musical documentaries is “Wham!”, Netflix’s new film chronicling the rise of the eponymous English pop duo which became a global sensation during the early and mid 1980s. It may be easy for some to forget the far-reaching popularity of Wham! in large part due to George Michael’s solo career success. But during their four-year run Wham! would sell over 30 million records worldwide.

“Wham!” is directed by Chris Smith who has found himself a comfy home on Netflix. Coming out on the 30th anniversary of the duo’s debut album “Fantastic”, his documentary tells the story of friends Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael through audio interviews and archive footage from concerts, television appearances, and home videos. All together it follows a pretty basic music doc formula, but it should be a nice ‘turn back of the clock’ experience for fans.

The film touches on Ridgeley and Michael’s childhood including their first meeting as preteens at Bushey Meads School in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England. But it doesn’t waste much time before jumping into their music career starting with their early struggles to get their feet in the door with record companies. Then came their big break when they were unexpectedly scheduled to perform on the popular BBC television show Top of the Pops.

Suddenly Wham! was getting noticed and after signing with Epic Records and embracing a more poppy image they became known worldwide. As their story progresses Smith finds room for nearly every one of their songs including early stuff like “Wham Rap” and “Club Tropicana” to their chart-topping hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, “Careless Whisper”, and “Everything She Wants”.

To a much lesser degree Smith also looks at the duo’s personal lives. It includes Michael’s well-documented struggle with his sexuality and his embrace of his pop-star persona as a means of defining his true self. And there is a little about Ridgeley’s experiences falling into Michael’s shadow as well as hints of his hard partying lifestyle which became tabloid fodder.

But the documentary doesn’t offer much past that, coming to a full stop with the duo’s sold-out 1986 farewell concert at Wembley Stadium. It doesn’t touch on anything beyond their final show. Nothing about Ridgely’s post-Wham! life which was mostly out of the public eye and nothing about Michael’s legal troubles or drug issues.

As a fan piece “Wham!” works pretty well. It highlights the bands ups while steering mostly clear of the downs, and it’s full of the music fans love. As a meatier documentary it falls a little short. It does a good job reminding people just how big Wham! became (something I admit to have forgotten) and we get a little insight into their creative processes. But some things remain unexplored leaving us with a fun time capsule movie but not much more than that. “Wham!” is now streaming on Netflix.