First Glance: “The Night House”

April 1, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Wasn’t I just saying there has been no shortage of horror movies in 2021? Now Searchlight Pictures is adding one to your watchlist. “The Night House” comes from horror director and fan David Bruckner. It premiered way back at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. With Covid-19 (hopefully) in our rear view the film is finally set to get its proper release. The first trailer hits some familiar beats – a spooky house, a grieving widow, creepy visions, and one of those ominous movie lines custom made for horror flicks – “Everyone has secrets.” But it also teases us with some really cool ideas that I’m anxious to see play out.

The film sees Rebecca Hall playing a woman still dealing with the sudden death of her husband. The now lonely lake house he built for them is full of memories which slowly turn into terrorizing visions. As she begins looking deeper into his life she discovers the above movie line is spot-on, everyone does have secrets. His just happens to lead to bloody footprints, ghostly apparitions, and (???) a gate to a parallel universe. I like everything in the trailer and it looks like Bruckner has some pretty original twists up his sleeve.

“The Night House” opens in theaters July 16th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “The Unholy” (2021)

April 1, 2021 by Keith Garlington

While this year’s movie releases have clearly been affected by the pandemic, there has been no shortage of horror movies in early 2021. One of the latest is the new Sam Raimi produced supernatural horror flick “The Unholy”. The film marks the directorial debut for Evan Spiliotopoulos who also wrote and co-produced this adaptation of James Herbert’s 1983 best-selling novel “Shrine”.

“The Unholy” sees Jeffrey Dean Morgan playing a very Jeffrey Dean Morgan character. He stars as Gerry Fenn, a disgraced Boston journalist and overall slimeball who lost his job and credibility fudging facts to spice up a news story. Now he’s forced to take any small freelance assignment he can get just to make ends meet. And that’s what leads him to Banfield, a small and cozy central Massachusetts town with a warm welcome sign that reads “A little piece of God’s country”. He’s there to report on claims of mutilated livestock by area farmers. When one is quick to attribute it to Satanists having “unholy orgies”, Gerry realizes his trip was a bust.

But before he leaves town something potentially newsworthy happens. An 18-year-old hearing-impaired girl named Alice (Cricket Brown) who has never uttered a word in her life shocks the small town when she suddenly speaks. Not only that, but she can now hear and she seems to possess the gift of divine healing. Alice claims to have been touched by the Virgin Mary and begins relaying messages from “the Lady” to the local Catholic congregation. Gerry smells a story and more importantly for him a chance to reignite his career.

Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures

But remember, this is a horror movie so of course things aren’t quite what they seem. Alice’s “miracles” soon gets national attention and believers flock to Banfield. Even the Vatican takes notice and begin their own investigation to either confirm or debunk the miracle. During it all Gerry is given exclusive access to Alice, something that starts as an opportunist’s dream but soon opens his eyes to his own self-absorption.

The movie’s slow-burning buildup turns out to be considerably better than its iffy ending which for several reasons doesn’t quite pass the smell test. Along the way Spiliotopoulos manages to capture some chilling imagery and pretty good horror movie atmosphere. But too often the tension feels manufactured and it’s pretty easy to see how some of the scenes are going to play out. And if jump scares aren’t your thing, beware. There aren’t a ton of them but enough to cheapen what could have been some of the movie’s spookier scenes.

Some fun faces pop up in supporting roles including William Sadler as the haggard town priest and Alice’s uncle. And Carl Ewes plays a church-sanctioned investigator sent by the Vatican to comb over and evaluate Alice’s miracle. Small treats aside, “The Unholy” ends up being a pretty vanilla horror movie. It starts with promise but hits too many familiar beats and can’t fully stick its landing. It’s far from terrible, but it’s an example of a movie built around some good ideas but not really sure how to bring them all together. “The Unholy” opens tomorrow (April 2nd) in theaters.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

First Glance: “In the Earth”

March 31, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Ben Wheatley taps into some timely horror with his upcoming film “In the Earth”. Following some good buzz at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, “In the Earth” sees the filmmaker returning to his horror roots after 2020’s imperfect yet thoroughly entertaining “Rebecca”. Wheatley shot this film over 15 days in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic with a small budget and an even smaller cast. The first trailer sells itself well, diving into its creepy setting and showing off a tense and moody appeal.

Set during a world-ravaging pandemic, the movie follows a scientist (Joel Fry) and a park ranger (Ellora Torchia) as they venture into the deep forest of a nature reserve to track down a former colleague who hasn’t been heard from in some time. Turns out (you guessed it), there’s something terrifying ‘in them there woods’. In his Variety review Peter Debruge called the movie “raw and weird and deeply unsettling”. Sounds perfect, I’m in!

“In the Earth” premieres in theaters April 23rd. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Yes Day” (2021)

March 31, 2021 by Keith Garlington

After seeing the trailer for the upcoming family comedy “Yes Day” I immediately wondered if the two likable leads could make the movie’s otherwise shaky premise more appealing. After all it stars the ever-pleasant Jennifer Garner who makes credit card commercials charming and the talented, often underappreciated Édgar Ramirez. Without question both make the movie better, but carrying the movie especially through its loud and contrived second half proves to be a tough task.

Garner and Ramirez play Allison and Carlos Torres. From the day they first met their relationship has been full of excitement and they would say “Yes” to every adventure that would come their way. Now happily married with three children, things are a lot different. Now it seems like they’re always telling their kids “No”. Some of it is just good responsible parenting. But there’s no denying their sense of adventure has fizzled. Allison takes the brunt of their children’s frustrations, to the point of being branded “fun killer” by their oldest daughter Katie (Jenna Ortega) and compared to Mussolini and Stalin by their son Nando (Julian Lerner).

Image Courtesy of Netflix

In need of a jump-start, Allison and Carlos take the advice of a kooky school guidance counselor, teacher, and coach (a funny but overused Nat Faxon) and decide to have a ‘Yes Day’. The idea is that for 24 hours the parents must say “Yes” to everything their kids ask with a few rules of course. It has to be legal. They can’t ask for something in the future. Requests have to stay within a 20-mile radius and so on. The Torres five set out to rekindle their spark during a day of silly fun and family bonding. And who knows, through it all both sides may come to better understand the other.

Directed by Miguel Arteta from a script by Justin Malen, “Yes Day” starts with a lot of promise as it introduces its characters through some cute family moments and some pretty funny family-oriented humor. Even the first couple of stops on their ‘Yes Day’ journey are sweet and smile-worthy. But in a snap Artera amps things up past 100 and the rest of the movie plays out to a lot of screaming, scenes of over-the-top mayhem, more screaming, some really cheap humor (gas gags, a crotch shot, it’s all here), and even more screaming. I quickly realized I was grimacing much more than grinning.

The ending scrambles to get back to the sweetness and charm of the earlier moments, but the high-volume silliness and the artery-clogging cheese that comes before it makes it hard to readjust. It’s unfortunate because Garner and Ramirez have a delightful chemistry and the movie gets off on a good foot. Who knows, maybe there is enough good-natured, big-hearted fun for kids to enjoy on a rainy Saturday afternoon. But that doesn’t shake the feeling that this could have been a lot better. “Yes Day” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Godzilla vs Kong” (2021)

March 30, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Sometimes a movie’s title says it all. That’s definitely the case with “Godzilla vs. Kong”, the fourth film in Legendary Entertainment’s MonsterVerse following two “Godzilla” movies and 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island”. It should go without saying, but you don’t enter into something called “Godzilla vs. Kong” with expectations of an emotionally layered and deeply nuanced story. Instead this is exactly what the title advertises. It’s 100% geek food and I was more than happy to fill my plate.

I’ve really enjoyed the MonsterVerse movies so far, much more than I expected. The three previous films each fed the shared-world space while still feeling individually unique. Some of the creative choices (especially in the “Godzilla” flicks) didn’t resonate with everyone, but I love how they gelled the classic approach to Godzilla with a more modern perspective. Meanwhile “Kong: Skull Island” was a straightforward, high-energy blockbuster full of fun yet surprisingly interesting characters and stunning eye-candy from start to finish.

Image Courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures

“Godzilla vs. Kong” goes for all of that plus some. When it goes big (which it does often) it makes good on its promises of big monster action and an epic showdown between two pop culture titans. The problems seep in with some of the human characters. But come on, this is all about King Kong, Godzilla, and a story that brings them together in a way that at least makes sense. By that measure director Adam Wingard and a writer’s room full of talent manage to pull it off, delivering a rousing crowdpleaser that’s sure to have kaiju fans high-fiving in the theater or on their couches.

The movie starts with some necessary table setting. The title creatures are believed to be the last two Alpha Titans on the planet. Kong is being held in a massive virtual reality containment dome on Skull Island by the Titan-studying organization Monarch. The facility is overseen by Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) who has discovered a communication link with Kong via her adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a young deaf girl orphaned on Skull Island. The sweet bond between child and primate highlights the human bond Kong has always possessed dating back to his original 1933 RKO Radio Pictures movie. In that regard it makes sense that he gets more screen time.

Image Courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures

Though it took two movies of convincing, Godzilla is now viewed as a protector of mankind (although a moody one). But something has him stirred up and nobody knows what. For the first time in three years the scaly King of the Monsters emerges from the ocean waters and attacks a Pensacola, Florida research facility of Apex Cybernetics, an international tech corporation ran by the dapper Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir). Godzilla’s seemingly random rampage on the Gulf Coast complex has people of earth a little concerned including a returning Kyle Chandler who’s really only here to deliver deliciously hokey lines like “Godzilla is out there, and he’s hurting people, and we don’t know why!”

Following the attack, Simmons recruits tarnished ex-Monarch scientist Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) to head an expedition to Hollow Earth, a deep subterranean world and secret home of the Titans. Lind’s mission is to study a new-found energy source believed to possess enough power to enable mankind to defend itself against Godzilla. But to get to Hollow Earth Lind will need a guide. So he contacts Ilene on Skull Island and convinces her to let Kong lead them to the earth’s core. One problem – once Kong is out of containment Godzilla will likely sense the new threat and come for him. And of course he does. As a convoy of aircraft carriers and destroyers transport a lightly sedated Kong across the ocean, Godzilla attacks which leads to an exhilarating heavyweight rumble, the first of several eye-popping CGI clashes we’re treated to.

Image Courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures

I won’t labor on the plot (and there is more plot than you might expect), but it’s all quite ridiculous and that’s part of the fun. The biggest misfire is a silly side-story with Brian Tyree Henry as a podcaster and self-proclaimed whistleblower teaming up with a returning Millie Bobby Brown and her unfunny tag-along pal played by Julian Dennison. The trio suspects Apex of hiding something regarding Godzilla’s attack and through a series of meant-to-be-amusing sequences effortlessly break into and infiltrate the corporation’s highest security areas. The whole scenario is absurd and too hard to believe, and that’s saying a lot in a movie about two 350-foot(ish) tall behemoths duking it out. There are some smaller touches that are a lot funnier, mostly involving the creatures (take Kong waking up on Skull Island and taking a morning stretch to Bobby Vinton’s “Over the Mountain, Across the Sea”).

And that leads back the movie’s biggest draw – Godzilla and King Kong. Few of the human characters will stick with you save for young Kaylee Hottle who brings a ton of heart and warmth to the movie. But it’s the Rock’em Sock’em creature combat that audiences are going to show up for and the filmmakers know it. People want to see Godzilla’s radioactive fire breath and Kong’s primal chest pound. We come to a movie called “Godzilla vs. Kong” for big action and giddy spectacle. Wingard does exactly what he needs to – give us just enough story to move from set piece to set piece and then deliver the goods on a massive and glorious scale. I caught myself cheering, pumping my fist, and letting out more than one audible “WOW“, and that from a screener at home. I can’t wait to see it again this weekend, this time on a big screen. “Godzilla vs. Kong” opens Wednesday, March 31st in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “The Courier” (2021)

March 29, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Dominic Cooke’s Cold War drama “The Courier” tells the incredible true story of businessman turned British spy Greville Wynne. An electrical engineer by trade, the unassuming Wynne became a key MI6 asset who played a vital part in securing intelligence from the Soviet Union including secret documents which helped bring an end to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Similar to 2015’s “Bridge of Spies”, this is a story of a non-combatant willing to put his life on the line for the greater good. And like that Steven Spielberg picture, “The Courier” works thanks to its immersive storytelling, strong supporting work, and a terrific lead performance.

Written by Tom O’Connor, “The Courier” sets itself in the early 1960’s where nuclear tensions between Russia and the United States were at a boil. It was a time when many people feared the world was on the brink of destruction. In the movie we hear radio broadcasts relaying instructions on what to do in case of a nuclear attack. We see newspaper headlines telling of new fallout shelters being built by the U.S. government. These are just some of the period touches that help immerse us in the uneasiness and uncertainty of the setting.

Image Courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a knockout lead performance playing Greville, a simple salesman who is recruited by a British MI6 agent (Angus Wright) and an operative with the CIA (Rachel Brosnahan). They want the reluctant Greville to establish business dealings in the Soviet Union while connecting with Col. Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze), a senior Soviet intelligence officer with top-secret information he desperately wants to get to the West. Much of the film highlights the unexpected bond that forms between Greville and Oleg – a genuine friendship built on the shaky foundation of trust and mutual respect.

Greville’s ‘mission‘ seems simple enough at first – set up sales meetings, wine and dine potential business partners, and make the occasional stop at the Russian ballet. But when the agents and Oleg want Greville to be their go-between and smuggle secret Soviet documents and weapons plans out of country, the danger level of his work skyrockets. Meanwhile at home his wife Sheila (a wonderful Jessie Buckley) grows suspicious of her husband’s frequent trips to the USSR. It doesn’t help that he’s had an “indiscretion” in the past. Now she notices him suddenly into exercise and scurrying off on business trips with little explanation. So naturally it’s easier to believe her husband is having an affair than working as a secret agent for the Crown.

Image Courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Cumberbatch has the perfect makeup for these types of roles. He effortlessly captures the timid self-effacing everyman type while also seamlessly blending into whatever period setting he’s playing in. Here he brings all of that but with some extra intensity that especially shows up in the final 30 minutes. But in many ways Penkovsky is the heart of the movie. Ninidze’s performance reveals a man of deep conviction who loves his family, mourns for his country, and understands both are in jeopardy. Therefore he feels obligated to act in order to save what is dearest to him. Buckley never gives a bad performance and here she provides us a deceptively potent emotional attachment to the story. I also really enjoyed Brosnahan. I wish she had more to do but she’s great with what she is given.

If I have any gripes it’s that in some ways “The Courier” feels like a standard issue spy thriller and it comes with the tropes to prove it. The film employs several stock techniques from the spy genre both narratively and visually. And while the cinematography from Sean Bobbitt is superb in terms of compositions, camera movements and framing, the drab desaturated colors are a bit overdone. Those things aside, “The Courier” is helped by its compelling ‘based on true events‘ element and by its deep respect for its characters who effectively pull us into this remarkable story of valor, sacrifice, and friendship. “The Courier” is now showing in theaters.