Today we finally got our first look at one of my most eagerly anticipated films of 2021 and one of the movies I’m most curious about. “The Last Duel” is the new film from director Ridley Scott which automatically puts it on my must-see list. Not because all of his films are great, but because I always find his work interesting and have enjoyed far more of his movies than not. Adding to the intrigue, its written by Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck. Cap it off with a cast that includes Damon, Affleck, Adam Driver, and Jodie Comer.
The story is based on Eric Jager’s 2004 book about the last recorded Trial By Combat duel in France. Set in the 14th century, a mullet-topped Matt Damon accuses his squire Adam Driver of raping his wife Comer. Driver’s character denies the claim which leads to the eponymous duel to the death. Scott is no stranger to period epics and I love the brutal setting. I’ll admit I did snicker a bit at Damon’s mop and Affleck’s all-blonde look. But I’m all-in with this and I hope it reaches its enormous potential.
“The Last Duel” hits theaters October 15th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
In can be difficult giving a nostalgia-driven movie a fair shake when you have no emotional connection whatsoever to what it’s reflecting on. It’s why I almost didn’t review “Space Jam: “A New Legacy”. I wasn’t a fan of the original “Space Jam” back in 1996 so understandably I hold no attachment to it today. Perhaps that lack of connection or attachment is one reason I sat with a cold blank stare through most of this stand-alone sequel. Perhaps that explains why I not only entered it with utter indifference but left caring even less. Or maybe it’s just a bad movie. That’s what I’m going with.
“Space Jam: A New Legacy” is one big airball for Warner Bros. and the film’s star LeBron James. It’s not so much a movie as it is one massive marketing exercise with WB using it to highlight their many IPs and James using it to boost his brand. Some have called it “a shameless cash grab” and I’m sure there’s some of that. But for the most part the entire production plays like one big, long, excessive advertisement that ends up being one of the most grating movie experiences I’ve had in 2021.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.
The film comes from director Malcolm D. Lee working from a script written by a team of SIX screenwriters. That’s often a pretty good sign of where things are heading. The story is your basic father-son reconciliation bit. Playing himself, Lebron is an overbearing dad who can’t understand why his youngest son Dom (Cedric Joe) would rather design video games than play basketball. Lebron’s wife Kamiyah (Sonequa Martin-Green in a thankless role) chides her husband, telling him that Dom needs a father, not a coach. Wise words but of little value in a movie like this.
Later, LeBron and his family are invited to the Warner Bros. lot for a pitch meeting with some empty-headed studio execs. They want to make LeBron their next big movie star (hilarious considering the god-awful performance he gives in this movie). The studio’s cutting-edge algorithm named….ahem…Al-G Rhythm (poor Don Cheadle) has developed a way to scan LeBron’s likeness and inject it into their other properties like “Justice League” and “Game of Thrones”. LeBron hates the idea and turns down the offer which infuriates the fame-craving algorithm.
Al-G Rhythm lures LeBron and Dom into the Warner Bros. server room where he somehow sucks them into a digital world that he calls the “Serververse”. In order to get out with his son, LeBron will have to assemble a team and defeat the algorithm’s Goon Squad in a no-rules basketball game. As dumb as it sounds there is a method to the algorithm’s madness. It’s just so glaringly inconsequential that you won’t care. The main thing is LeBron puts together a team of classic Looney Tunes characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote, Tweety, and so on.
In truth, none of the family stuff carries much weight and none of Al-G Rhythm’s mischief really matters. It’s all there just to get us to the big basketball game which is nothing more than a deluge of chaotic slapstick and cringe-worthy gags that seems to goes on for eternity. And while there are no rules to the game, there doesn’t seem to be any rules for the filmmaking either. Lee and company apparently threw everything that came to mind at the screen resulting in a hollow 40-minute assault on the senses. And for anyone looking to torture me, making me sit through that excruciating Porky Pig rap sequence again would be unbearable.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Back to James, no one is going into “Space Jam: A New Legacy” expecting him to be a revelation. And most people would probably be content with him being forgettably average. But his performance here ranges from remarkably bland to so bad it’s distracting. And while I don’t mean to pile on him, we laughed more his stiff and unnatural line delivery in any of the film’s countless gags. Michael Jordan was never in any danger of getting an Oscar nomination for his performance in the original film. LeBron should be the instant front-runner for a Razzie.
Some may argue that this is just a kids movie and such scrutiny is unfair. But Pennywise, The Matrix, Game of Thrones, A Clockwork Orange, Casablanca, The Godfather – these are references we get that certainly aren’t aimed at children. And those are just a few of the movie’s innumerable cameos and callbacks. It ends up being hard to choose what’s most annoying, the relentless lionizing of LeBron or WB’s brazen self-promotion. Either way, it’s pretty clear that story, characters, good humor, and heart took a back seat to the misguided corporate priorities. Even the classic Tunes, the only real reason to watch this thing, feel like props there to fill space rather than have any fun and meaningful impact. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is now showing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.
Today was a cool day for those of us eagerly anticipating Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” remake. Today Warner Bros. released NINE new character posters and they look amazing. They also show off the unreal amount of talent set to appear in this nearly $200 million movie. Check ’em out.
DIRECTOR – Denis Villeneuve
WRITERS – Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth
STARRING – Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, Chang Chen, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinley Henderson
RELEASE – October 22, 2021
So what do you think? Share your favorites in the comments section below.
The delightfully strange and occasionally perplexing “Loki” is the third foray into streaming television for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. First there was the homage heavy and magic filled “WandaVision”. It was followed by the scattershot yet stage-setting “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”. Then along came “Loki”, a six-episode mini-series that I can safely say has practically nothing in common with the previous two shows. It is completely it’s own thing which is part of what makes it work so well.
The enigmatic “Loki” was created by Michael Waldron who set out to make a time-hopping adventure that would constantly subvert audience expectations. Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige brought in Kate Herron, a big fan of the Loki character, to direct all six episodes. Their creative efforts would result in a show that Feige said would have “more impact on the MCU than any show so far” and “lay the groundwork” for the MCU’s future.
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
So was he right? Well, in a nutshell YES. It’s true that we don’t know for sure how things are going to play out, but “Loki” is a genuine game-changer and its events are certain to reverberate throughout the entire MCU. One thing’s for sure, “Loki” has a style all its own (both visually and narratively) that feels unique within the MCU catalog. It’s also brazenly bizarre at times which is one of its biggest strengths. As usual some episodes are better than others, but overall there’s more than enough fun and offbeat ambition to make this a must-watch for any Marvel fan.
To no one’s surprise, a key ingredient that makes the whole thing work is Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as the titular god of mischief. I feel like we say this a lot about the MCU’s stellar casting, but Hiddleston has been a perfect fit and he has truly made the character his own. Like many, I was surprised to hear that Marvel Studios was investing in a Loki series. I was even more surprised to see how fun and wildly original it turned out to be. And not just that, but it is the first Disney+ series that I would call essential viewing for anyone following the MCU. Both “WandaVision” and “TFATWS” set up some things for the future but nothing as far-reaching as what we get here.
The series begins with Loki being snatched up by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an secret bureaucratic organization tasked with monitoring and protecting the “Sacred Timeline”. Loki threatened the timeline with his hijinks way back in the first Avengers movie. While in custody he is questioned by Agent Mobius (an absolutely delightful Owen Wilson) who reveals that Loki is what’s called a variant, a term that suddenly carries a lot of weight in the MCU. Essentially a variant is someone who branches off of the pre-ordained Sacred Timeline, disrupting its flow and creating an alternate path. The TVA then apprehends the “criminal” variant and restores the timeline.
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
To no surprise Loki doesn’t buy it, but Mobius can be pretty persuasive especially when showing off just how powerful the TVA really are. Standard procedure would be to eradicate Loki. Instead Mobius recruits him to help catch a rogue variant who has been killing TVA agents and wrecking havoc across the timeline. Over time Mobius takes a liking to the cunning trickster. Hiddleston’s manic energy along with Wilson’s goofy charm brings a fun buddy time-cop vibe to some of the earlier episodes.
Not everyone at the TVA is as convinced as Mobius that Loki can be an asset. Namely Mobius’ friend and superior Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a high-ranking TVA judge overseeing the Loki investigation. She has a lot on her plate with running the TVA and reporting to the Timekeepers, three all-knowing ancient beings who basically write and preserve the Sacred Timeline. Loki wants an audience with the Timekeepers in exchange for his help catching the rogue variant. Renslayer doesn’t trust him and is only allowing him to help because of her friendship with Mobius. So there are several interesting dynamics at play.
But then a wild card is added to the mix – a pivotal character named Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) whose identity is best left for you to discover for yourself. She turns out to be a major piece of the story going forward and has discovered some damning revelations about the TVA that makes her a threat. Di Martino and Hiddleston have a sparkling chemistry that’s a nice mix of humor and dramatic tension. And the relationship between their characters has a surprising amount of depth and nuance.
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
To say anymore about the story or character arcs would be a disservice. Just know you can expect all kinds of time-hopping shenanigans, fun character moments, and some wild unexpected flourishes that you never see coming. There is one stray episode that’s slower and less compelling than the others. But even it move things forward by focusing on and building up one of the story’s central relationships. And then you get to the end, a surprising and welcomed departure from the MCU’s usual action-fueled finales. Instead “Loki” finishes with an mesmerizing dialogue-rich showdown that’s sure to have MAJOR implications.
There’s even more to like about “Loki” including Natalie Holt’s beguiling score, the terrific production design (highlighted by the eye-popping TVA headquarters with its ominous blend of Soviet brutalism and neo-futurism), and the truly zany turns it takes in the later episodes (episode 5 introduces a certain scaly caiman variant that more-or-less steals the show). It all adds up to the strongest MCU series to date. Not a perfect one, but a show that feels important, is full of surprises, and adds a spark that the MCU roadmap needed. All six episodes of “Loki” are now streaming on Disney+.
And we’re finally here, the conclusion of the “Fear Street” trilogy which began in 1994, backtracked to 1978, and ends up in 1666 (well, kinda). Cool in theory and certainly ambitious, this Netflix trilogy set itself up as a gory nostalgia-soaked horror adventure. Despite their numerous flaws and frustrations, the first two movies did feel like throwbacks in some regards. But both milked too much from their inspirations and came across as knockoffs rather than inspired. Yet they still did a passable job of keeping the audience interested enough to stick around for the finish.
“Fear Street Part Three: 1666” was supposed to be the big payoff but sadly it wasn’t worth the wait. This is a mess of movie plagued by baffling creative choices, haphazard storytelling, and scattershot pacing. It always felt like “1666” would be the most challenging for the filmmakers to pull off due to the vastly different time period and the need for the movie to wrap everything up in a cohesive and satisfying way. That’s a tall order and they certainly had a lot to tackle. But what’s crazy is that the film covers all this ground yet it feels remarkably lightweight.
Returning director Leigh Janiak, who co-wrote the script with Phil Graziadei and Kate Trefry, set their story (obviously) in 1666. It revolves around a small village called Union which has staked out a patch of land that will one day be known as (you guessed it) Shadyside. Throughout the first two movies we hear a lot about the legend of Sarah Fier, a witch whose curse is believed to be responsible for Shadyside’s long and gruesome history of death. “1666” sets out to finally tell the real story of Sarah Fier, a teenage girl who’s part of the Union settlement.
Image Courtesy of Netflix
One of the strangest and most ineffective choices for “1666” was the decision to use the same actors from the previous films to play the “pilgrim ancestors” of their earlier characters. Maybe it was for budget reasons or maybe it just sounded better on paper. But onscreen it comes across as cheap and gimmicky. Outside of a character or two, most of the appearances offer nothing more than familiar faces and play out like needless cameos. For example Sadie Sink pops up for a scene then vanishes. Emily Rudd is only allowed to wear a bonnet and walk around in various states of confusion and distress. Julia Rehwald gets a throwaway line or two while Benjamin Flores Jr. is there and quickly forgotten.
Kiana Madeira, who plays the lead character Deena in the first film, plays Sarah Fier here. Although in keeping with the weird decision-making, she’s not the REAL Sarah Fier according to the credits. Elizabeth Scopel plays the REAL Sarah Fier but we only see her in these arbitrary flashes of her face that pop up from time to time. Anyway, Madeira’s Sarah has a thing for the local pastor’s daughter Hannah (Olivia Scott Welch, aka Sam from “1994”). One night the village teens are partying around a campfire and getting high on berries stolen from a creepy widow’s house (you know, as they were prone to do in 1666). Sarah and Hannah sneak off for some ill-advised necking but are spotted by Mad Thomas (McCabe Slye) who promptly spreads their secret throughout the settlement.
The next morning as word of the indiscretion gets around, the laughably puritanical settlers turn on the two girls. In what seems like a manner of minutes, the food begins to rot, animals start flipping out, blight hits the crops, and various other signs of an evil curse hits the village. For no discernible reason whatsoever the village simpletons determine that one or both of the girls must be witches. The girls’ strongest ally is Solomon (Ashley Goode who played the town sheriff in “1994”), but all he does is look disgusted and retreat to his cabin on the outskirts of Union.
Image Courtesy of Netflix
I won’t spoil how it plays out, but let’s just say it’s shallow, hurried, and unremarkable. Janiak rushes through the 1666 story, cramming it all into the film’s first half. No real character development. No real drama. No meaningful buildup. Thankfully there are enough weird accents and unintentionally bad dialogue to laugh at (and to make it bearable). Lines like “Who among you has welcomed the devil to Union?” spoken in hysterically stoic period-speak. Or Deena..errr Sarah proclaiming like a poor woman’s Éowyn, “I am no lamb.”
From there the movie shifts from its superficial 1666 backstory to 1994 where the first film’s surviving cast members spend the second half putting together a wacky plan the purge the evil from Shadyside. I’d like to say it’s a noticeable upgrade from the first 45 minutes but it’s not. In fact, aside from the seismic tonal shift, nothing about it grabs your attention. There is one scene and one scene alone, where the summoned killers engage in a blood-slinging, limb-flying battle royale, that’s actually fun and feels like something fresh. Otherwise it’s a pretty corny and forgettable way to wrap up the trilogy.
“Fear Street” had a lot of promise but none of the films manage to live up to it. “1666” is by far the weakest, bringing nothing new to the trilogy and even going away from what made the previous films watchable. The ridiculously gory kills along with the overused yet admittedly entertaining retro kick are what kept “1994” and “1978” above water. Those things vanish in “1666”. There is a smattering of gore but hardly anything that you’ll remember and I don’t recall any nostalgic callbacks. And can I just say this may be the most overscored movie in cinema history. The music never stops and is far too often cranked up to 10. It’s just another place where this disappointing YA horror trilogy wears out its welcome. “Fear Street Part Three: 1666” premieres today (July 16th) on Netflix.
There has been no shortage of true-crime movies, television shows, and streaming specials on Theodore “Ted” Bundy, one of the most notorious and frightening serial killers in United States history. And at this point I’m not sure if there is anything new to learn about the good-looking and charismatic sociopath. But the new trailer for “No Man of God” is hard to look away from and its ‘based-on-true-events’ story isn’t as much about the killings themselves as it is the confessions that finally came after months of lies, misdirection, and denials.
The most chilling thing about the trailer is Luke Kirby’s staggering resemblance to Bundy. His look, temperament, mannerisms all match the footage we’ve seen of the killer. Elijah Wood (who also produced the film) plays FBI Special Agent Bill Hagmaier, one of the Bureau’s first criminal profilers. Hagmaier is tasked with getting inside of Bundy’s head, earning his trust, and rooting out confessions. The movie shows the uncomfortable interviews and the effects it has on Hagmaier outside of the interrogation room. I like the film’s tight focus and it looks to be going for authenticity which is definitely the right move.
“No Man of God” lands in theaters and on VOD August 27th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
Keith & the Movies 