It was 2018 when filmmaker Ari Aster burst onto the scene with his brilliant supernatural psychological horror film “Hereditary”. He has followed it up with the almost great “Midsommar” and the unmitigated mess “Beau Is Afraid”. Aster’s latest looks dramatically different than any of his previous films. “Eddington” is described as a contemporary Western but it looks to have a lot of other elements. It also has a sparkling cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, Luke Grimes, Micheal Ward, Amélie Hoeferle, Clifton Collins Jr., and William Belleau.
Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, tensions rise in the small town of Eddington, New Mexico between the anti-mask local sheriff (Phoenix) and the town’s mandate-pushing mayor (Pascal). It doesn’t take long before the sweeping paranoia turns to anxiety and the anxiety turns to violence. The first trailer has dropped and reveals a gritty, rural texture. While Aster hasn’t quite matched his freshman film’s success, his latest looks loaded with potential. And its cast really stands out, even for those of us experiencing some Pascal fatigue.
“Eddington” is set to release on July 18th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
I wonder if there has ever been a filmmaker more devoted to his or her style than Wes Anderson? If you went into a movie blind, chances are you would know it was a Wes Anderson movie midway through the opening credits. His new film, “The Phoenician Scheme” is about as Wes Andersonian as a Wes Anderson movie can be. So your appreciation for his latest will undoubtedly hinge on your feelings towards his work as a whole.
I proudly consider myself a Wes Anderson fan and (sometimes) apologist. For that reason, “The Phoenician Scheme” was a must see for me. But that doesn’t mean I’ve fallen for every movie he has made (sorry “The French Dispatch”). But there’s so much admire in a Wes Anderson production – the immaculately detailed compositions, his distinct color palette, the quirky characters, the hilarious deadpan performances, etc. His latest features all of those elements plus some.
Image Courtesy of Focus Features
Yet despite having all the Andersonian hallmarks, “The Phoenician Scheme” stealthily surprises with its mix of humor and heart. There are plenty of wry and whimsical laughs scattered throughout the movie’s zany adventuring, corporate espionage, and family melodrama. But at its core is a sweet father-daughter reconciliation story. And while it takes some time to fully develop, the slow and subtle healing of that central relationship adds an unexpected tenderness that leads to a heartfelt payoff.
“The Phoenician Scheme” brings together another colorful ensemble that mixes longtime Anderson favorites with fresh new faces. Benicio Del Toro gets top billing playing Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda, a ruthless industrialist and overall controversial figure who narrowly escapes the latest in many assassination attempts from an unknown enemy. It prompts him to reach out to his estranged daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton) who is studying to become a nun.
Liesl reluctantly meets with her father where she learns he wants to make her the sole heir to his fortune and the overseer of his grandest and most ambitious scheme yet. Korda’s meticulously planned scheme involves a number of large infrastructure projects meant to revitalize the long-dormant region of Phoenicia. Of course Korda sets himself up to make a nice profit, namely a 5% annual revenue share for the next 150 years. Liesl is suspicious and hesitant, but she eventually agrees, hoping she can bring some good out of her father’s shady plans.
Unfortunately for Korda, it doesn’t take long for his scheme to hit a snag. A clandestine international business consortium led by a driven bureaucrat codenamed Excalibur (Rupert Friend) use their power to fix the prices of essential construction materials. Realizing the crippling effects of a funding deficit, Korda sets out to meet with each of his underground investors, hoping they will help financially cover the gap. He’s accompanied by Liesl and Bjørn (Michael Cera), a nerdy entomologist who gets promoted to Korda’s administrative assistant.
Image Courtesy of Focus Features
As the motley trio travel across the region they encounter all kinds of threats from business rivals, hired assassins, and terrorists. Meanwhile each stop they make plays like its own Anderson vignette, and each eccentric investor they visit have their own distinct peculiarity. They’re wonderfully portrayed through the finely tuned talents of Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, and Benedict Cumberbatch.
While Benicio del Toro is a pitch-perfect lead and we’re treated to my very favorite Michael Cera performance, it’s Mia Threapleton who will have most people talking. Her bone-dry delivery and off-kilter charm gels perfectly with Anderson’s world. And it’s a world we know well. “The Phoenician Scheme” has all the visual artistry, striking symmetry, and stunning production design fans have grown accustomed to. And the dense dialogue has that same witty tenor. But to his credit, Anderson often delivers something unique amid all the creative sameness. And that is certainly the case with his latest.
Now here’s a movie with a lot to live up to. “Ballerina” (marketed with the tag “From the World of John Wick”) is a spin-off to one of the most heralded action movie franchises in recent years. That makes for some big shoes to fill. But to director Len Wiseman’s credit, he doesn’t necessarily try to fill them. He and screenwriter Shay Hatten (who helped pen “John Wick: Chapter 3” and “Chapter 4”) put their attention on a new character, and star Ana de Armas does the rest.
Without question Wiseman leans into the visual, visceral, and violent world of John Wick. Even the near mythical ‘Baba Yaga’ himself (Keanu Reeves) makes an appearance. Yet while the film is in harmony with the franchise’s established sense of style, unique world-building, and ferocious fight choreography, “Ballerina” is more than some cheap knockoff. And much like its revenge-fueled protagonist, the movie has enough of its own flavor to stand out within this well-defined world.
Image Courtesy of Lionsgate
De Armas plays Eve Macarro, a lethal assassin set on a path for vengeance. As a child she witnessed her father’s murder at the hands of a mysterious sect. As a result, Eve was taken to the Director (Anjelica Huston), a crime boss and head of the New York branch of the Ruska Roma. The Director raised Eve and over the years taught her how to channel her pain. Eve would eventually be trained as one of the Director’s ‘ballerinas’ who in reality are highly skilled assassins.
While fulfilling a contract, a memory is triggered after Eve encounters a group of killers bearing the same mark as the men who murdered her father. She approaches the Director for information and is sternly ordered to let it go. But Eve is determined and follows a body-littered trail that eventually leads to a mysterious off-the-grid leader known as the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). But their world is one of rules. And by breaking them Eve ends up as the hunter and the hunted.
Several new names enter the world including Norman Reedus as an assassin on the run and Byrne who makes for a worthy villain. But none are better than Ana de Armas who holds her own as an action star and John Wick protagonist. Then there are the welcomed familiar faces such as Ian McShane’s Winston, the enigmatic and charming owner of the New York Continental Hotel, Charon (the late Lance Reddick), the Continental’s concierge and a loyal friend to Winston, and of course John Wick himself.
Image Courtesy of Lionsgate
If you’re a fan of the John Wick movies you’ll be thrilled to know “Ballerina” fully embraces the franchise’s rich mythology. We get it all including the dynamic locations, the underworld codes, and the array of colorful characters. And of course you have the kinetic, pulse-pounding action sequences which have become a staple of the franchise. We see de Armas firing bullets, throwing axes, swinging ice skates, spraying fire – essentially using whatever she can grab as a weapon.
Filled with killer characters, callbacks and carnage, “Ballerina” earns its spot amid the ever-growing John Wick canon. And all while highlighting the budding star power of a terrific Ana de Armas. She brings a fitting yet fresh energy to the franchise, committing herself completely and giving us a character who we hope to see again. And I can’t think of a better compliment to give the movie than this – I want more Eve Macarro. “Ballerina” is in theaters now.
The Predator universe was infused with new life following the release of the surprise hit “Prey” in 2022. The franchise kicked off in 1987 with “Predator”, a sci-fi action feature that remains one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s very best films. Since then there have been a number of sequels, spin-offs, and crossovers of varying degrees of quality. But director Dan Trachtenberg offered a new take on the franchise with “Prey” and since has been given the keys to the series.
Trachtenberg has a standalone movie coming out in November titled “Predator: Badlands”. But in October of last year, it was revealed he had made a secret film that was set for release between “Prey” and “Badlands”. That movie is “Predator: Killer of Killers”, an adult animated anthology(ish) film co-directed by Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung. Releasing as a Hulu Original, “Killer of Killers” puts a fresh spin on Predator, similar to what “Into the Spider-Verse” did for Spider-Man movies. And it sets the standard for animation’s potential in future Predator projects.
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
Built upon an action-fueled script by screenwriter Micho Robert Rutare and extraordinary visuals from the animation studio The Third Floor, “Killer of Killers” takes us through centuries and across cultures in telling the stories of three warriors. The three – a Viking raider, a ninja assassin, and a World War II pilot – fight their battles at dramatically different points on Earth’s timeline. While they all could be considered killers, they also have something else in common. Each encounter a technologically advanced alien predator who turns these warriors into prey.
The first chapter is titled “The Shield” and is set in 841 AD. It follows Ersa (Lindsay LaVanchy), a Scandinavian Valkyrie who leads her son Anders (Damien C. Haas) on a quest for revenge against a brutal chieftain. The second chapter titled “The Sword” takes place in 1629 feudal Japan where a ninja assassin (Louis Ozawa) confronts his shogun brother who now leads their family’s clan. And the third chapter, “The Bullet” sees a young man from Florida named John Torres (Rick Gonzalez) drafted to the military during World War II.
Rutare’s script does a nice job introducing and defining each character, stumbling only with some shaky dialogue in “The Bullet”. Each story is distinctly compelling in its own way, exploring such themes as vengeance, trauma, and generational cycles of violence. But franchise fans needn’t worry. Each story is action-packed with brutal fight sequences often playing out through stunningly choreographed set pieces. They’re fittingly and unabashedly bloody and each alien predator is uniquely menacing.
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
Most surprising is the unexpected yet satisfying way Trachtenberg, Wassung, and Rutare brings the three stories together. It’s best you see it for yourself, but just know it involves an unanticipated turn that sets up the film’s big finish. And it’s capped off with a killer final shot that has intriguing implications for past and future movies, especially with Trachtenberg at the helm of the franchise (for the time being).
“Predator: Killer of Killers” is arriving with very little attention, but it’s a movie worthy of some buzz, especially for anyone interested in the Predator universe. The inventive story and savvy storytelling work hand-in-hand with the many rousing action sequences. And it’s all enhanced by a visually captivating art style that does justice to the time periods and cultures as well as the brutally violent Predator world. “Predator: Killer of Killers” premieres June 6th on Hulu.
If you follow this site you probably know I have a special affection for character posters. The latest ones comes from Sony Pictures who dropped four new character posters for Danny Boyle’s upcoming post-apocalyptic horror film, “28 Years Later”. Directed by Boyle and written by Alex Garland, “28 Years Later” is the third film in a series that began with 2002’s “28 Days Later” and continued with 2007’s “28 Weeks Later”. This latest installment is the first of two parts which were shot back-to-back.
“28 Years Later” is set (obviously) 28 years after the aggressive Rage Virus was first released from a Cambridge laboratory, turning the infected into ravenous zombies and resulting in the ultimate breakdown of society. One particular group of survivors have built a heavily fortified community on a small island that’s connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. But the people soon discover horrific secrets and menacing threats are closer to them than they might think. Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, and Alfie Williams star.
Check out the brand new character posters below and see “28 Years Later” exclusively in theaters when it releases on June 20th.
Shark movies are a dime-a-dozen these days and it seems like we get several new ones each year. We’ve reached a point to where it’s rare to find a shark movie that offers something original. “Dangerous Animals” certainly does, although reducing it to a simple shark movie is patently unfair. It’s more of a high-stakes blend of deepwater horror and serial killer tension. And it’s driven by a brilliantly menacing Jai Courtney.
Directed by Sean Byrne, “Dangerous Animals” tells a taut tale that is unquestionably outrageous yet never feels outrageous in the moment. That’s because Byrne has a good grip on screenwriter Nick Lepard’s material and he knows how to immerse his audience in the kind of movie he’s making. There’s a nastiness to it that approaches exploitation yet Byrne (smartly) doesn’t take things too seriously. It results in a visceral and at times darkly funny genre cocktail that stands as one of the bigger surprises of the year.
Image Courtesy of IFC Films
Hassie Harrison plays Zephyr, a free-spirited American surfer living out of her van on Australia’s Gold Coast. Old baggage from her past led her to become a loner. But we see a small crack in her self-established walls when Zephyr meets Moses (Josh Heuston), a sweet and smitten real estate agent who also enjoys surfing. After spending the night together, Zephyr takes off to wrestle with these newfound feelings she has.
But before their potentially cheesy love story can get off the ground, things take a terrifying turn. While parking her van near the beach for the evening, Zephyr is attacked, sedated, and kidnapped. She wakes up in a metal room with another young woman named Heather (Ella Newton). We quickly learn they’re in the belly of a ship belonging to the burly Tucker (Courtney).
Tucker takes vacationers out to sea for private underwater shark encounters. But that’s just a facade. In reality he’s a maniacal serial killer who gets his kicks chumming the water and then feeding his victims to the sharks. To make it more unsettling, he films their gruesome deaths with an old VHS camcorder. And let’s just say he has a pretty large home movie collection. But the determined and resourceful Zephyr proves to be Tucker’s biggest challenge and she’s not willing to go down (literally) without a fight.
Image Courtesy of IFC Films
Within the first ten minutes it becomes obvious the title “Dangerous Animals” is referring to more than the well-known ocean predators. The much bigger threat is Tucker who is as mesmerizing as he is sadistic. Courtney is a psychotic force of nature, delivering a brawny, unnerving performance that’s laced with a disarming charm. Byre gives Courtney room to create a truly memorable villain, leaning into his star rather than over-explaining his character’s psychopathy.
“Dangerous Animals” hits its mark thanks to its straightforward storytelling approach and a truly sinister undercurrent. The film is a nail-biting thriller at heart but with a chilling horror movie edge. Add in a dash of sharksploitation and a career best performance from Jai Courtney and you’ve got a wildly entertaining feature with a gnarly B-movie bite. See it on the big screen; see it with a crowd. “Dangerous Animals” opens June 6th exclusively in theaters.
Keith & the Movies 