Could it be that we are finally going to see the 25th installment of the James Bond franchise? After several delays due to a pandemic and other things, “No Time to Die” is just over a month away. Directed by Cary Fukunaga, this action-packed spy thriller has teased us with some exhilarating glimpses that show off the movie’s $300 million budget. And with Daniel Craig ready to hang up his tux (allegedly), the film is sure to wrap up several storylines that fans have followed as far back as “Casino Royale”.
The final trailer for “No Time to Die” dropped today and it did what I didn’t think was possible – it made me even more excited. It starts with a cool flashback to Craig’s four other Bond movies. Then it shifts to the new film which shows Craig with a number of familiar faces: Lea Seydoux, Rami Malek, Naomie Harris, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Jeffrey Wright and Ben Wishaw. There’s also some intriguing new faces: Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, and Billy Magnussen. No need in repeating story details. Just watch the final trailer and enjoy!
“No Time to Die” is set to hit theaters October 8th. Check out the new trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
I have to admit, when Clone Force 99 (aka The Bad Batch) were introduced in Season 7 of “The Clone Wars” I thought they were cool but somewhat of a novelty. Five soldiers, each with their own military specialties and each with their own unique personalities. Nothing especially new there. For that reason I had some reservations about giving them their own series. Was there enough to fill a 16-episode season much less a full series?
Well if there’s one thing Star Wars fans have learned it’s to have faith in Dave Filoni. It only took one episode for the creator and showrunner to erase any doubt or hesitation I had. “The Bad Batch” Season One not only proved that the titular group is more than a novelty, it also earned this series a firm spot withing the vast and wonderful Star Wars canon. Fans should be pleased.
Image Courtesy of Disney+
From the very start “The Bad Batch” places itself in a fascinating and underexplored segment of the Star Wars timeline. Order 66 has been executed killing most of the Jedi and giving control to the Galactic Empire. Clone Force 66 (Hunter, Tech, Crosshair and Wrecker and Echo) are genetically enhanced clones with unique mutations. Originally created by George Lucas himself, Clone Force 66 were given special abilities but weren’t super powered. More importantly, their mutations kept them from uncontrollably following Order 66. At least all but one of them.
As the episodes unfold, Filoni, his head writer Jennifer Corbett and supervising director Brad Rau not only build an impressive premise, but they do a great job defining each individual team member – Hunter’s by-the-book leadership, Tech’s dry and elusive sarcasm, the soft-hearted straight-shooting Wrecker, Crosshairs and his cold cynicism. The one member who feels undercooked is Echo. He’s a bit of an outsider by design, but the show rarely gives him any big defining moments of his own.
The one wildcard is also one of the show’s biggest treats – Omega, wonderfully voiced by Michelle Ang. Omega is a young female clone genetically altered on Kamino much like Clone Force 66 which creates a kind of kinship between the group. It only grows when the Bad Batch and Omega find themselves wanted by the Empire. Suddenly this unconventional team of elite troopers and one spunky little girl are on the run against a galactic army, bounty hunters, smugglers and even one of their own.
One of the biggest treats is watching how the series fills in a lot of information about people and most notably places left in the gap between the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy. Several familiar faces pop up not only filling us in on where they’ve been, but also setting up potential storylines that should keep the series interesting for seasons to come.
Image Courtesy of Disney+
And you can’t talk about “The Bad Batch” without mentioning how great it looks. Lucasfilm Animation has taken the same style as “The Clone Wars” but added more polish and detail. It shines most in the incredible vistas and jaw-dropping environments. Season 7 on “The Clone Wars” gave us a good sense of what this series would look like, but the animation team exceeded every expectation.
“The Bad Batch” continues the tradition of strong animated entries into the sprawling Star Wars universe. Like any series some episodes are stronger than others. But you won’t find a single bad one and plenty of great ones. More importantly, it does a great job building and growing its central characters to the point that we genuinely care about their plight. And it’s hard not to be affected by its central theme – the loss of innocence. Omega is the centerpiece; a young girl witnessing and forced to reckon with the ugliness of the galaxy. Her eye-opening journey with her four father-figures has shown to be both harrowing and heart-warming. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. Season one of “The Bad Batch” is streaming now on Disney+.
There is no shortage of feature films and documentaries about the notorious serial killer Theodore “Ted” Bundy. The handsome and charismatic Bundy would eventually confess to kidnapping, raping and murdering thirty women across seven states through the mid-to-late 1970’s (the actual victim count is estimated to be higher). Hollywood’s interest in Bundy’s killings remains to this day.
There has long been an unsettling mystique surrounding Ted Bundy and when making movies about him filmmakers are forced to walk a tightrope out of fear of iconizing the twisted sociopath. Director Amber Sealey takes that challenge to heart in her new film “No Man of God”.
Working from a script by Kit Lesser, Sealey dodges the usual trappings by not concentrating on the killings themselves. Instead she puts her laser-sharp focus on Bundy’s last four years. More specifically, Sealey examines Bundy through the eyes of bright-eyed FBI agent Bill Hagmaier. Her film is inspired by authentic FBI transcripts and tape recordings of Hagmaier’s interviews with Bundy leading up to his execution in 1989.
Image Courtesy of RLJE Films
The film’s eerie opening flashes back to the morning of January 24, 1989 as Bryant Gumbel gives his Today Show audience the news that Ted Buddy had died in the electric chair after ten years of appeals. It’s followed by a collage of images that pulls us into the film’s 1980s setting. It won’t be the only time Sealey uses flashes of from the past to great effect.
From there Sealey sits us down in 1985 where the FBI’s newly-founded Behavior Analysis Unit (BAU) assigns Bill Hagmaier, the youngest member of their five-person team, to the Ted Bundy case. Hagmaier (played by a perfectly calibrated Elijah Woods) is tasked with winning an audience with the shrewd and savvy Bundy (Luke Kirby) who sits on death row at the Florida State Prison.
The psychological motivations are some of the most intriguing elements to the story. The Bureau believes that getting into Bundy‘s head and understanding his pathology will give them an edge in apprehending other serial killers. They also hope to root out any confessions that could finally give hurting families some much-needed closure. But getting the killer to open up wouldn’t be easy. “He won’t talk to you,” laughs the prison warden. “He hates the feds.”
But Bundy surprises everyone and agrees to meet with Bill, certain he can outwit the young profiler and unearth the Bureau’s real intentions. He also has his own personal reasons. With his execution date getting closer, the crafty and confident killer needs a reprieve and he’s running out of cards to play. So maybe appearing to “help” the government can buy him some time.
And that sets up the bulk of this true-crime two-hander that follows the pair of men as they meet over the course of four years. We watch as their cat-and-mouse game yields to a mutual trust and eventually an uncomfortable camaraderie. Most of their scenes are just the two of them in a small prison room. But the magnetic script combined with Sealey’s terrific sense of pacing and trust in her actors leave us captivated and locked into every exchange.
Image Courtesy of RLJE Films
The film also benefits from its gripping female perspective that comes through via several gutsy and powerful choices. My favorite may be when the increasingly desperate Bundy grants an interview with Christian psychologist and anti-pornography crusader James Dobson (Christian Clemenson). As the two agenda-driven men prattle, Sealey’s camera hones in on a young woman standing in the background. The shot lingers on her, slowly pulling us closer. As she listens to the words of a monster her expression speaks volumes. She knows who he is. She knows what he has done. She knows it could have been her.
I can’t end the review without talking more about Kirby. He’s certainly not the first actor to portray Ted Bundy (there was Mark Harmon, Cary Elwes and Zac Efron to name a few). But none have captured Bundy’s sinister calm and unnerving vanity quite like Kirby. His performance is made all the more potent by his chilling physical likeness both in appearance and in mannerisms. It also comes through in the tone of his voice and in his handling of the dialogue. Meanwhile Sealey and cinematographer Karina Silva shoot him in a way that adds to the unease. It’s a remarkable portrayal that’s both illuminating and terrifying.
“No Man of God” may not offer much new to those who are already well-versed in Ted Bundy’s story. But the film’s focus on a particular point late in his life allows us a unique look at the smug calculated murderer, always driven by his own selfish lusts, coming face-to-face with his own mortality. And the story is just as much about Bill Hagmaier and what his encounter with Ted Bundy brought out in him. It’s these kinds of differences that make the movie stand out from all the other Bundy treatments. “No Man of God” is now showing in select theaters and on VOD.
How can any true movie fan not love the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s? The once popular genre was recognized for its witty rapid-fire dialogue, wacky situations, bold and brash female leads, occasional slapstick humor and a feverish battle of the sexes.
During this zesty time for comedies many actors and actresses saw their careers flourish including screen legend Cary Grant. In “My Favorite Wife” Grant matches wits with Irene Dunne in what is a shining example of what makes this hysterical sub-genre so attractive.
The movie starts with arguably the funniest courtroom scene ever filmed. Nick Arden (Grant) is before a judge seeking to have his wife Ellen (Dunne) declared legally dead after being missing at sea for seven years. He’s there with Bianca (Gail Patrick) who he plans to marry after the judge’s ruling. Everything goes as planned, but as with most screwball comedies the harmony doesn’t last long. You see, Ellen isn’t really dead and she shows up after being rescued from a deserted island.
When Ellen reveals herself to Nick things get pretty complicated. He’s crazy about her yet he doesn’t know how to end it with Bianca. It also doesn’t help that he’s a bit spineless and cowardly. Of course he drags things out leading to one comedic complication after another. And there you have what makes this movie so great – the nutty situations, the back-and-forth banter and the hilarious head-butting between the two leads.
One of the biggest strengths of “My Favorite Wife” lies in its screenplay. It’s smart, crafty and it avoids the annoyances found in many of today’s “comedies”. The film is plump with great scenes and hilarious lines. For instance take the opening courtroom scene. Veteran character actor Granville Bates plays the grumpy and cantankerous Judge Bryson. He steals the scene with his grumbling and impatience. It’s a perfect tablesetter for the fun and playful tone that carries through the rest of the picture.
Of course a movie likes this has to have good performances from capable leads. I’ve already talked about Cary Grant and as expected he is fabulous. He has his usual charisma and that impeccable comedic timing he would become known for. But the real star just may be Irene Dunne. Some have called Dunne the greatest actress to never bring home an Oscar. Watch her here and you’ll get it. She matches Grant line for line and gag for gag. Randolph Scott and Gail Patrick are also a lot of fun in solid supporting roles.
“My Favorite Wife” is a really good film featuring sharp and sometimes corny wit and some really fun performances. Even though it was nominated for three Academy Awards, the film is rarely mentioned among the great screwball comedies of the time. And while I’ll admit that it may be missing that special ‘something’ that makes it truly great, I still think it’s a load of fun and it’s a movie that any lover of comedy should seek out.
“Vacation Friends” is yet another movie that was originally planned for theaters, ended up delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then eventually moved to streaming. Ideas for the film sprang up as far back as 2014 and over the years there have been several big names attached including Chris Pratt and Ice Cube. It’s set to premiere this weekend on Hulu and suffice it to say tossing it to streaming was definitely the right move.
In this COVID-19 world of quarantines and lockdowns, this is the kind of movie that may attract those of us who have postponed trips or canceled reservations. But don’t let its title fool you. While the idea of a ‘vacation movie’ may sound strangely cathartic, in reality this proudly raunchy and glaringly unfunny endurance test makes the idea of staying at home and skipping vacation a lot more appealing.
Produced by 20th Century Studios, “Vacation Friends” comes from first-time feature film director Clay Tarver (perhaps best known for his work on HBO’s “Silicon Valley”) who also co-writes with a team of four other screenwriters. Their unapologetically simple story opens with Marcus and Emily (Lil Rel Howery and Yvonne Orji) arriving in Mexico for a romantic week-long getaway. But this is more than just a vacation. The uptight and antsy Marcus has meticulously planned-out the perfect marriage proposal. What could possibly go wrong?
A series of rather unfortunate events leads to Marcus and Emily crossing paths with the aggressively free-spirited Ron (John Cena) and his flighty girlfriend Kyla (Meredith Hagner). Soon the two couples are jaunting around Puerto Rico (posing as Mexico) engaging in all kinds of mind-numbing debauchery. Cocaine-laced margaritas, trippy hallucinogens, tons of booze and one extremely wild and hazy final night together.
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
This is all stuff we’ve seen before – dull yet seemingly normal characters losing any sense of sound judgement or common sense and going wild for reasons that only make sense in movies like this. And it’s nothing new seeing a strait-laced stiff paired on screen with a rambunctious hedonist. Here it just happens to be a couples movie rather than a buddy feature.
Mercifully the grating vacation horseplay only lasts around thirty minutes and soon Marcus and Emily are on a plane heading home, eager to erase the rowdy week with Ron and Kyla from their memory. But as the press notes so eloquently put it, what happens on vacation doesn’t always stay on vacation, and leaving behind their new hard-partying chums turns out to be easier said than done.
Six months pass and Marcus and Emily are ready to formally tie the knot in an extravagant ceremony put on by her snooty upper-crust parents. But in keeping with the movie’s unwavering predictably, the oblivious Ron and Kyla pop back up and crash the wedding, bringing along their clueless chaos and turning the starchy festivities into their own personal party.
And just like that we’re thrust right back into the maddening mayhem of the earlier scenes. It’s toned down some, but barely enough to notice. As for the rest of the story, it’s nothing more that one wacky mishap after another; scene after scene of Ron and Kyla driving Marcus and Emily (and the audience) crazy. Of course most of it could be avoided with a few words of dialogue or some common everyday discernment. But most movies like this require a certain level of idiocy from all of its characters.
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
If you look close, underneath the lowbrow humor and relentless silliness, you’ll find a handful of lightly breaded themes. The most obvious is the idea of living in the moment, although the example Ron and Kyla set is hardly worth following. There’s also the issue of classism which is used in a couple of interesting ways. Marcus and Emily see Ron and Kyla as beneath them, much like Emily’s haughty father (a really good Robert Wisdom) sees Marcus.
As for the performances, Howery finds himself stuck in one of those roles as old as cinema itself. He’s the movie’s straight man who for 95 minutes is tortured by the irritating antics of others. We do get a few scenes of him doing his Lil Rel “thing”, but for the most part he’s the film’s punching bag. Orji is a good match for him, but her character doesn’t get much to do other than react to the craziness.
As for Cena, he’s certainly committed. But there are scenes where he’s working so hard to sell himself as the lovable buffoon. Sometimes he’s believable, other times he’s almost mechanical. Hagner is amusing early on, but her ditzy act gets old well before the halfway mark. Together the two share a playful chemistry, but they’re so over-the-top, and the film’s attempt at humanizing them in the final 10 minutes falls flat.
Movies like “Vacation Friends” are a dime a dozen, but they often manage to find an audience. If you’re a fan of this kind of stock quality try-hard comedy then chances are you’ll like this one. But it does nothing to separate itself from countless similar movies that came before it. Sure, it has a fairly unique premise. But having a a fresh idea and then doing the same old tired thing isn’t much to get excited about. “Vacation Friends” premieres this weekend on Hulu.
After teasing us with some stunning images and one terrific poster, Neon has dropped the first teaser trailer for “Spencer”, their much-anticipated Diana Princess of Wales biography. Directed by Pablo Larraín (“Jackie”) from a script by Steven Knight, “Spencer” is set to have its big premiere next week at the Venice Film Festival. The rest of us will have to wait a while longer, but Neon has given us a captivating first look to tide us over.
“Spencer” sees Kristen Stewart playing Diana and up until now all we have seen were the eerily similar appearance she shared with the late Princess. Now we get to see bites from the actual movie and it looks like Larraín is really going for it. The production design and costumes really stand out, but it all comes back to Stewart. Many are predicting a possible Oscar nomination which doesn’t seem out of the question. Hopefully “Spencer” delivers on the enormous promise it has shown so far.
“Spencer” lands in theaters November 5th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
Keith & the Movies 