First Glance: “Spiral: From the Book of Saw”

April 6, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Ok, so technically this isn’t a first glance at the movie since its first teaser trailer dropped several months back. Instead consider this a first glance at trailer #2 for “Spiral: From the Book of Saw” which gives us a better feel for what this movie is going for. It’s officially the ninth movie in the “Saw” franchise and considered a sequel and not a reboot. I’m hardly what you would call a “Saw” movie connoisseur (I’ve only seen a couple of them). But this trailer caught my attention most notably for its casting.

“Spiral” stars comedian Chris Rock as a big city detective who gets caught up in a grisly murder investigation. Soon he’s sucked into a gruesome and deadly game by someone with all the markings of the Jigsaw killer. The film also stars Samuel L. Jackson playing a retired detective and Rock’s father. I’ll be honest, I’ve had a hard time visualizing Chris Rock in a role like this and the trailer doesn’t do much to ease my mind. It looks like it could be an interesting turn for the franchise but it will depend on how big of a hurdle Rock’s casting turns out to be.

“Spiral: From the Book of Saw” releases May 14th. Check out the new trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “SAS: Red Notice” (2021)

April 6, 2021 by Keith Garlington

I’ve always been able to make time for a good action flick. Norwegian filmmaker Magnus Martens directs “SAS: Red Notice”, the new British action-thriller based on the novel of the same name by Andy McNab. Hardly original but reasonably entertaining, “SAS: Red Notice” squeezes everything it can out of its “Die Hard on a Train” premise. But it turns out to be a classic case of a movie that simply runs out of ideas. And while it does throw in a handful of original twists, most of them land with a thud.

The film stars Sam Heughan from television’s “Outlander” giving us his best ‘James Bond meets John McClain’ impression (sadly he doesn’t seem comfortable filling either’s shoes). Heughan plays cold-as-ice SAS Special Agent Tom Buckingham III (how’s that for a British name). His ability to shut off his emotions makes him one of the British government’s most lethal and effective agents. It has a much different affect on his relationship with his loving girlfriend Sophie (Hannah John-Kamen). He plans on asking her to marry him, but she’s concerned about his frosty demeanor.

Image Courtesy of Sky Cinema

The film opens with a beautifully shot prologue that quickly turns gritty and violent. In the beautiful mountains of Georgia near the Black Sea we’re introduced to the Black Swans, a mercenary group led by by William Lewis (Tom Wilkinson) and his family – his hardcore daughter Grace (Ruby Rose) and his dimmer but loyal son Olly (Owain Yeoman). The Swans secretly meet with a crooked military liaison named Clements (Andy Serkis) working for the Prime Minister (Ray Panthaki) who hires them to clear out a local village who refuses to relocate so that a gas pipeline can be ran through the area.

The Swans carry out the blood-soaked contract but are tagged by British SAS who issue red notices (essentially high-priority arrest warrants) for William, Grace, and Olly. This leads to the story’s labyrinthine political sub-plot involving the SAS attempting to take down the Swans, the Prime Minister trying to cover his tracks, and the Swans threatening terroristic attacks for being hung out to dry by the Prime Minister. All of it adds some okay twists and a few interesting layers to the story. But it also bogs things down and leaves you thirsty for the bigger action bits.

During all of this Tom schedules a romantic trip to Paris with Sophie where he plans on popping the question. But their train ride is interrupted by none other than a ruthless Grace and her mercs who hijack the Paris-bound Eurostar and bring it to a stop in the tunnel that runs under the English Channel. But little does she know Tom Buckingham III is onboard and he’s going to use his particular set of skills (I know, different guy) to make sure Grace and her goons have a fight on their hands.

Image Courtesy of Sky Cinema

The inevitable action in the tunnel starts strong and even though it’s familiar and formulaic, there’s enough energy to keep things upbeat and entertaining. Ruby Rose is a big reason why, gelling charisma and psychopathy to create a fun and engaging villain. Unfortunately the story does start to run out of gas both narratively and in the action scenes. Things pep up when Tom’s friends with the SAS and Clement and his team all converge on the tunnel. But even then the movie doesn’t seem confident in what it wants to do with all of its moving parts. It ends with an inevitable but really satisfying showdown that would have ended things on a high note. But regrettably there’s a laughably bad epilogue that even my far more forgiving wife couldn’t help but chuckle at.

Despite being a little too long and all over the place, “SAS: Red Notice” is still a pretty easy watch. There’s not much here that will stick with you or that will encourage a revisit. I understand there are two more books in Andy McNab’s Tom Buckingham series. It’s hard to say this movie warrants a trilogy, but I’ve seen franchises built on a lot worse. As usual, time (and more importantly money) will ultimately tell. “SAS: Red Notice” is now streaming on VOD.

VERDICT- 2.5 STARS

First Glance: “Profile”

April 5, 2021 by Keith Garlington

After watching the new trailer for “Profile” you might be tempted to think of it as a crafty little indie made during the pandemic. It takes place entirely over computer screens, it has a relatively small cast, and so on. Actually this taut looking thriller from director Timur Bekmambetov premiered way back at the 2018 Berlin & SXSW Film Festivals. Now it’s finally getting its US release courtesy of Focus Features.

The film stars Valene Kane as a British investigative journalist who goes undercover to expose extremists who recruit young women over social media. She creates a fake internet profile in hopes of baiting a terrorist recruiter. She gets a bite from a charismatic jihadist (Shazad Latif) who soon begin luring her into his trap. The movie advertises itself as “a new genre of thriller” and looks to tap into some of the same intensity as 2018’s “Searching” which starred John Cho and was produced by Bekmambetov.

“Profile” opens in theaters May 14th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Concrete Cowboy” (2021)

April 5, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Idris Elba is an actor I’ve always admired. Whether he’s speaking with power and passion as Nelson Mandela or declaring himself Black Superman in “Hobbs & Shaw”. He has always possessed both leading man charisma and supporting role restraint. He uses a little of both in the new Netflix drama “Concrete Cowboy”, directed by Ricky Staub from a screenplay by Staub and Dan Walser. The film is based on the 2011 young adult novel “Ghetto Cowboy” by Greg Neri. Elba plays the estranged father of a troubled teen and brings just the right amount of gravitas and sincerity.

“Concrete Cowboy” tells a story set within the free-spirited horseriding subculture of Philadelphia’s inner-city. These modern-day urban cowboys from predominantly African-American communities (such as the Fletcher Street Riding Club) mentor youth and offer them an alternative to the dangerous street life. Staub’s film shines eye-opening light on this compelling pocket of humanity and the performances fill his film with character and heart. Yet this is a very by-the-numbers coming-of-age story and within 10 minutes you’ll have a good idea of where it’s going and how it will end.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

Elba is a key player but the film’s lead is Caleb McLaughlin (“Stranger Things”). He plays 15-year-old Cole, a wayward teen living in Detroit with his working single mother Amahle (Liz Priestley). After Cole is expelled from school following yet another fight, a helpless and heartbroken Amahle picks him up from school and drives him straight to Philadelphia. There she drops him off with two garbage bags full of clothes at his father’s place downtown and then drives away in tears. Staub wastes no time introducing us to this low-income yet richly cultured neighborhood where the rest of the movie is set. In fact, one of the real strengths is the film’s ability to capture a strong sense of place and community.

Cole and his father Harp (Elba) don’t exactly hit it off. Harp is a no-nonsense guy with strict take-it-or-leave-it house rules. Cole pushes back and ends up reconnecting with a shady childhood friend named Smush (a very good Jharrel Jerome). But Cole is also introduced to his father’s passion – horses and the small group of neighborhood riders who make up their club. And this forms the dichotomy Cole will wrestle with for most of the movie – two vastly different lifestyles with significantly different outlooks pulling him in opposite directions.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

The movie is at its best when it’s sitting us down with the riders and letting us listen to their playful banter and personal stories. Or when it allows us to tag along and watch Cole’s challenging initiation into Harp’s group. We get to meet some interesting characters in these scenes, none better than Lorraine Toussaint’s Nessie, a wise and tough-loving mother figure with her finger on the neighborhood’s pulse. Her stables are a safe haven from the allure of street-life and the balm that help heal the film’s central father/son relationship. Staub also casts some real-life Fletcher Street riders who add a noticeable layer of authenticity to the stable scenes.

The film’s predictability turns out to be its biggest weakness. Not a single plot point, story beat, or character angle will surprise you. Instead it’s the vibrant community setting that feels fresh and unexplored. There’s something to watching Idris Elba and his fellow urban cowboys stoically riding their horses, not across an open rolling plain, but through cramped inner-city streets. And you never doubt it for a second. This is just one of many segments of Black America with stories waiting to be told. And as surreal as it sometimes looks and sounds, this horseback riding culture has for decades fought for its very existence. Staub captures that unique essence even though the particulars of the story he’s telling are nothing new. “Concrete Cowboy” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

First Glance: “The Mitchells vs. the Machines”

April 2, 2021 by Keith Garlington

There is some pretty impressive talent behind the upcoming animated feature “The Mitchells vs. the Machines”. It’s produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, big names who had their hands in huge hits like “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “The LEGO Movie” (full disclosure – I wasn’t as smitten with “Spider-Verse” as many were but I loved “LEGO”). Like so many other films, this one had its release plans upended by COVID-19. Now it has been acquired by Netflix who recently gave us our first look.

The new trailer for “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” introduces us to a self-described “weird” family who ends up being the world’s only hope against a robot apocalypse. The Mitchells are an everyday family who have essentially lost their ability to communicate. In an effort to regain the loving connection they once had, the four and their trusty pug head out on a bonding trip only to have it upended by a global machine uprising. Sounds ridiculous which is okay with me. I love the look of the animation and there are several comedy bits that land really well. I’m anxious to see this one.

“The Mitchells vs. the Machines” premieres April 30th on Netflix. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Every Breath You Take” (2021)

April 2, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Casey Affleck stars as a psychiatrist protecting his family from the unhinged brother of a patient in the new thriller “Every Breath You Take”. It’s directed by Vaughn Stein who did last year’s relatively fun but wacky “Inheritance”. This time Stein doesn’t have that kind of outlandish plot angle to play around with. Instead he’s handed an idea that plays like a watered down “Cape Fear” laced with a Lifetime Original. You know, a ticked-off charmer with a grudge seeks revenge by secretly seducing a man’s wife and daughter. That’s this story in a nutshell.

Affleck plays Dr. Phillip Clark, the quintessential movie shrink. He has all the markings – a bookish look, a soft tone, and a notebook full of handwritten doctor scribble. Phillip has a pretty good gig in upstate Washington, working out of his stylishly modernist home while teaching a few university classes on the side. But personally things aren’t so sunny. A devastating family trauma has left Phillip, his wife Grace (Michelle Monaghan), and his daughter Lucy (India Eisley) splintered and individually coping with the tragedy on their own. It’s clearly not going well. Phillip submerges himself in his work, a detached Grace furiously swims laps in their pool as her lone release, and Lucy has been kicked out of boarding school for doing a line of cocaine in the science lab.

Image Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

As a therapist you would think Phillip would recognize the harm it’s having on his family. But his own emotional repression keeps him focused everywhere but inward. Then we get to sit in on one of his sessions with a young woman named Daphne (Emily Alyn Lind). She has a history of mental illness and suicide attempts but she seems better than she’s been in years thanks to some unorthodox experimental treatment. But then Phillip gets the chilling news that Daphne has taken her own life.

Enter the hunky Sam Claflin who plays Daphne’s grieving brother James. He shows up at Phillip’s house to return a book Daphne borrowed and is invited to stay for dinner by a sympathetic Grace. At the table James wins over Grace with his humble charm while stealthily wooing a clearly smitten Lucy with subtle looks and flirty grins. On the way out to his car he tells Phillip “You’re a lucky man. Family is all there is, and you have a great one.” It doesn’t take a flashing neon sign for us to realize the creepy James is up to no good.

Phillip suspects something too but not before James has found emotional cracks to slither into. And driving a wedge between family members proves to be a lot easier when there’s already no communication between them. So the bulk of the story follows James as he tries to shatter a family one member at a time while Phillip comes to grips with his past in order to save his present and future. We’re treated to several scenes of palpable tension and genuine discomfort. At the same time it’s hampered by characters making some really bad decisions – the kind that will have you slapping your forehead and yelling at your screen.

Image Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Claflin makes a dandy psycho despite having a character who is woefully underwritten. The movie uses his disarming good looks and genteel manner to make him believably deceptive. On the other hand he never really gets to explore the personal anguish or rage that supposedly drives his character’s actions towards Phillip and his family. All we get is a muttered quote he takes from his sister, “The deepest hurt I’ve ever felt was when I tried to do good and was shamed for it.” Its repeated several times and I’m still not sure what it means within the context of the movie.

The movie attempts to rectify this and other issues in the final act, but the rushed out-of-left-field ending and inevitable ‘big twist’ hurts more than helps. The performances are solid, the film musters a little tension, and the Pacific Northwest (shot in Vancouver) makes for a good setting and is nicely captured through Stein’s lens. But as a whole the story is more frustrating than satisfying. It’s a psychological thriller that leaves most of the psychology buried and unexplored. So we’re left with undercooked characters, thinly sketched motivations and a story begging for more attention and detail. “Every Breath You Take” opens today (April 2nd) in select theaters and on VOD.