Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Mickey 17” (2025)

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Bong Joon-Ho follows his universally acclaimed 2019 Best Picture winner “Parasite” with the wildly ambitious yet wildly uneven “Mickey 17”, a science-fiction dark comedy based on Edward Ashton’s novel “Mickey7”. While nowhere near as absorbing and clever as the filmmaker’s heralded Oscar darling, Bong’s social critique wrapped in sci-fi dressing has a lot to say and has a lot of fun saying it. But that alone doesn’t equal a good movie.

“Mickey 17” is as wacky as it is unwieldy. As you might expect from a Bong Joon-Ho film, it has a wealth of big ideas swirling all around. But while it delivers a few well-packaged laughs here and there, it’s never as funny as it tries really hard to be. Similarly, the big budget world Bong creates never quite lives up to its promise. Worst of all, the story he’s telling drags on for an eternity and is hampered by pacing that ranges from erratic to lethargic. In a nutshell, “Mickey 17” is an extravagant mess.

Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

To his credit, an endearing Robert Pattinson gives it his all playing Mickey Barnes (Pattinson). After their business venture goes belly-up, Mickey and his childhood friend Timo (Steven Yeun) find themselves on the run from a sadistic loan shark. In an impulsive act of desperation, the two sign up for a space expedition leaving Earth to colonize the distant planet of Nilfheim. Timo gets hired on as a pilot. Mickey signs up for the Expendable program without really knowing what it is. Not the best idea.

As an Expendable Mickey is assigned to an array of extremely dangerous missions that almost always result in his death. But here’s the catch – each time he dies his body is “reprinted” using a controversial cloning method that has been outlawed on Earth. The scientists then upload his mind from their database (quite literally a brick with a few flashing lights) into his new body and get him ready for his next mission.

Filling out the supporting players, Naomi Ackie plays Nasha, a security guard and Mickey’s supportive love interest. Her character is all over the map, but Ackie’s performance is solid. The same can’t be said for the comically bad Mark Ruffalo playing Kenneth Marshall, a failed politician and raving egomaniac who’s somehow leading the expedition. The deliberately exaggerated Ruffalo keeps his act cranked up to 10, gnawing the scenery whenever he’s in front of the camera. He’s exhausting and often smothers out the much funnier Toni Collette who plays Marshall’s devious wife, Ylfa.

Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The second half shakes things up after the 17th iteration of Mickey is believed to be dead after an encounter with a native species. So they “reprint” Mickey 18. But what they don’t realize is that Mickey 17 is still alive leading to a strictly forbidden case of “multiples”. From there the movie seems to take one wild swing after another. It lurches from point to point, leaving holes all throughout its story while stitching them up with handy voiceovers and vain attempts at humor. It results in a long-winded and surprising unfunny affair.

Bong’s track record may earn him a pass with the faithful, but it’s hard not to see “Mickey 17” as a disappointment. We do see some of his signatures including his unique use of visual language and his commentary-soaked storytelling. But much of what he is going for gets bogged down amid so-so digital effects and a lumbering (and at times incoherent) story. Even Bong’s sermons, hammered most through Ruffalo’s shrill authoritarian televangelist impersonation, pale in comparison to his more incisive and insightful past efforts.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

EDFF 2025 Rundown: Southern Made Short Films Block

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The El Dorado Film Festival saved one of its best short film blocks for last. As its name reveals, the Southern Made selections highlights a wonderfully curated assortment of short films that have a distinct Southern flavor to them. Together they make for a diverse and entertaining collection that once again promotes a wide arrange of styles and visions.

Here are a few impressions out of the nine films included in the block...

“Love is Neat.” takes the simplest of titles and the oldest of stories and turns it into a bittersweet tale of self-discovery. Director, writer, producer, and editor Taylor Deville attempts to add her own unique spin to the storybook romantic comedy. She starts by introducing us to James (Caleb Lemon) who genuinely hates his job as a barista at a small coffee shop. But he sticks with it because of Jessica (Anne Nichols Brown), a regular customer who won’t give him the time of day. He obliviously believes she is his dream girl, but over time reality sets in with the help of a straight-shooting bartender named Kate (Ivy McGrew). Deville’s romcom inspiration is hard to miss. But her film has a lot of charm and a good central message that comes together nicely by the end.

VERDICT – 3.5/5

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Of the many films at the 2025 El Dorado Film Festival, there was nothing quite like “Fast”. This entertaining psychological horror and black comedy genre blend came from the mind of writer-director Clayton Henderson who puts a gonzo spin on his own personal experience with fasting. Desperate to lose weight, Jake (Samuel Bosh) is put on an extended fast by his maniacal personal trainer (Donnovan Roe). It’s an intense regiment consisting of seven days with no food. During that time, all he is allowed to drink is bone broth. He’s doing it for his girlfriend Sydney (Sara Patterson), but over time he begins to mentally unravel, culminating in a suitably bonkers finish that’s sure to get a reaction. Henderson has a blast dabbling in horror while making his audience laugh. At the same time, his themes of self-confidence and fulfillment really strike a chord.

VERDICT – 4/5

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David Michael Long grabs your attention with his work in front of and behind the camera in “The Artiste”. Long directs, writes, and stars in this dark dramedy of sorts that follows his character Terrence, a frustrated and temperamental street mime who encounters a man named Ben (Paul Petersen) who starts as a nuisance and turns into an admirer before becoming a rival. “The Artiste” is equal parts funny and sobering with much of its energy coming from Long and Petersen’s well-tuned chemistry. But most of all it’s the themes at its core that gives the film its identity. Holding onto your legacy, art versus entertainment, fleeting fame in the viral era – just some of things on Long’s mind in this well-conceived and well-made short.

VERDICT – 4/5

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Shirley Ford (Gail Cronauer) is an 83-year-old widow from East Texas who gains an unhealthy infatuation with a fellow she sees as the spitting image of the Marlboro Man in director Diffan Sina Norman’s shrewd and unpredictable film “Pasture Prime”. Shirley first lays eyes on Marvin Clope (Patrick Kirton) when he pays a visit to her church. The two have a friendly greeting which (for Shirley) turns into a wild obsession. Her son Dean (Chris Alan Evans) and daughter-in-law Debbie (Susan Kirton) plead for her to leave Marvin alone, but for Shirley that’s easier said than done. Norman and screenwriter Carolyn Purnell approach the story with an almost Hitchcockian verve. But sprinkled in with the eerie music and earnest narration are moments of well-timed humor which help give the film its form.

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A seasoned but disillusioned magician prepares for his final performance in director and screenwriter Jeremy Enis’ “The Stage”. A terrific Lance E. Nichols plays Arthur, a classic magician who has owned and performed in his own theater for years. But just as he’s about to go onstage, he surprises his faithful and longtime assistant, Evelyn (Sherri Eakin) with the news that this will be his last performance. Even more, he’s determined that he doesn’t need her for his final show which he will end with a brand new trick. But as the two cut through their frustrations and begin pouring their hearts out, the film reveals a real beauty in tragedy. Enis puts a lot of heart into this well-written two-hander that is ultimately a showcase for Nichols and Eakin. The two beautifully convey the emotional stakes through an onscreen exchange so rooted in truth that you nearly forget you’re watching a screen.

VERDICT – 4/5

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EDFF 2025 REVIEW: “Anxiety Club”

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Director Wendy Lobel poured years of her life into making “Anxiety Club” and the end result is pretty terrific. This funny, truthful, and ultimately hopeful documentary focuses on a group of working standup comedians, all of whom suffer from some form of anxiety. Informed by her own experiences, Lobel tackles the subject through an open and honest lens, not only letting the comics share their struggles, but in some cases showing what they’re doing to get hold on their anxieties.

Full disclosure – I’ve never been a big standup comedy guy. But it’s a testament to the effectiveness of Lobel’s film that I found myself fully connected to the collection of comics who shared their stories. Among them are Tiffany Jenkins, Marc Maron, Joe List, Aparna Nancherla, Mark Normand, Baron Vaughn, and Eva Victor. All bring their own distinct humor to the film. But it’s when their barriers are down that they get real about their own bouts with anxiety.

Lobel does a good job developing trust and a comfort level with the comics. Many speak to their lack of self-confidence that in some cases leads to an expectation of failure. Others talk about the weight of depression. In the case of one comic, their anxiety stems from persistent worrying. Early on, the comics use jokes to poke fun at their conditions. But later we get a good sense of the near crippling effect these anxieties have on them.

“Anxiety Club” doesn’t just present the struggles these comedians endure. It also shows how they’re trying to overcome them. Some see their comedy as therapeutic with the stage being their outlet. Others went for more formal therapy which Lobel gets incredible access to. During several sessions her camera sits like a fly on the wall, allowing us to see the doctor/patient process firsthand. The exchanges are sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and always enlightening.

Whether in comedy clubs or therapist offices, there is a truth and authenticity in Lobel’s approach that ultimately gives “Anxiety Club” its punch. In can be very funny in ways that sometimes feel like natural defenses. Other times it’s simply due to the inherently comical natures these comics share. But we never lose our grasp on the film’s more serious undertones. Lobel handles that balance incredibly well.

Again, I’ve never been big into stand-up comedy, but that instantly proved to be irrelevant. That’s because “Anxiety Club” is much more concerned with the people themselves. This is a richly human documentary that explores a subject nearly everyone can relate to. Honing in on people who make others laugh for a living poses its own compelling and thoughtful questions. But it’s their shared experiences with anxiety that extends beyond their work that will connect with people and earn our empathy and understanding.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

EDFF 2025 Rundown: Arkansas Shorts Block

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The El Dorado Film Festival has treated cinema lovers to a fascinating variety of short films from all around the globe. But it has always taken the time to showcase an exciting range of filmmakers with Arkansas connections. The year’s Arkansas Shorts Block featured an impressive group of films that offer just a sample of the filmmaking talent found right here in the Natural State.

Here are a few impressions out of the eleven films included in the block.

Director Jennifer Gerber’s intriguing short film “Generational” takes a family drama and adds a pinch of psychological horror to tell an affecting story that many people are sure to connect with. Gerber and co-writer Samuel Brett Williams introduce us to Layla (Harper Keith) and her mother Katie (Lacy Dunn) as they get ready to leave home for a cheer audition. Layla gets a phone call from her distressed grandmother, Diane (Kristine Artymowski) and insists they check on her despite Katie’s objections. What they find is troubling to young Layla who makes a life-changing discovery about her family. Strong performances, solid production value, and Gerber’s shrewd handling of the material ensures “Generational” leaves a deeply felt impression.

VERDICT – 4/5

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Co-directors Laura Shatkus and Russell Sharman bring their own special seasoning to the traditional Thanksgiving dinner in “Carving”. Working from a script by John Walch, the directing duo craft a compelling daddy/daughter story that keeps you involved right through to its gut-punch ending. Two terrific performances anchor the story. Tyler Meredith plays a young woman named Sarah who is preparing for her first Thanksgiving since splitting from her husband, Pete. She asks her father Davis (Eric Dean White) to teach her how to carve a turkey. In the process, the two have an extended conversation that cut me right to the heart. The film was shot in one uninterrupted take with DP Adam S. Hogan employing an array of techniques including slow zooms, pans, and tracking shots. It’s exceptionally well executed and plays a crucial part in telling this subtly rich and poignant story.

VERDICT – 4.5/5

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A granddaughter Clark (Andie Van Kuren) and her grandfather George (Barry Clifton) playfully set up a plan to sucker his Vietnam war buddies at their next poker match in the sweet yet genuine short film “Two of a Kind”. Clark has gotten closer with her grandfather since he began teaching her how to play poker. In one lesson he instructs her on how to notice when other players are tipping their hands, namely his three friends and fellow vets (charmingly played by the trio of Marx Mitchell, Faron Ledbetter, and John Gale). Director, writer, and producer Skylar Nelsen shows great instincts by leaning into her characters and giving her actors room to bring out their personalities. And once the game starts, Nelsen makes us feel as if we’re at the table, playing cards, laughing at corny cracks, and soaking up old heartfelt war stories.

VERDICT – 4/5

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Though only six minutes in length, there is an overflow of personality, heart, and humor in “Little Bit”, a spirited, inspiring, and well-made documentary short film from director Raeden Greer. Following up her powerful and thought-provoking 2023 film “The Hill We Climb”, Greer’s latest shares the story of Elaine “Little Bit” Kirkpatrick whose 25-year career as a heavy equipment operator turned heads in what remains a male-dominated industry. Shooting in Kirkpatrick’s home, hearing her experiences in her own words, sharing old snapshots from past jobs, incorporating dashes of stylish animation – it all adds character and texture especially when combined with Kirkpatrick’s infectious energy and charm. Greer has teased the idea of a series of similar films highlighting trailblazing women. Here’s hoping it happens.

VERDICT – 4.5/5

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Early into “Smoothie” it’s hard to make out what the film is going for. That ends up being key to the genius of director, writer, and editor Chris Churchill’s sly and restrained drama. Michael B. Woods plays John, a model stay at home dad on the surface. While chopping up fruit for smoothies, his daughter’s best friend Lily (Rylee Bolls) pays a surprise visit. Their conversation that follows is revealing in a number of ways. Chief among the revelations, Lily informs John that she spotted him the night before with another woman. I won’t spoil how things plays out, but uncertainty mounts once John’s wife Annie (Kristen Bush) comes home. The performances are a real strength as is Churchill’s patient uncoiling of his story. He leaves us with plenty of questions which fits with the elusive truth at the heart of his film.

VERDICT – 4/5

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REVIEW: “Queen of the Ring” (2025)

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“Queen of the Ring” takes us on a historical journey through the underground turned mainstream world of women’s wrestling. Writer-director Ash Avildsen does so by telling the story of Mildred Burke, a pioneer of her day who overcame a litany of obstacles and biases to put women’s wrestling on the map. From the early 1930s to the late 1950s, Burke would earn multiple championships and draw big crowds wherever she wrestled. She would go on to become the first million-dollar female athlete in sports history.

“Queen of the Ring” is inspired by journalist Jeff Leen’s 2009 book “The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend”. It stars a spirited and intensely committed Emily Bett Rickards who plays Mildred “Millie Muscles” Burke with tenacity and grit, capturing what made the legend special both inside and outside of the ring. It’s a breakout performance from Rickards who wonderfully balances sheer physicality with emotional vulnerability.

Image Courtesy of Sumerian Pictures

Avildsen chronicles different phases of Burke’s remarkable career, beginning with her time as a single mom working as a waitress in a diner owned by her mother, Bertha (a very good Cara Buono). Her dream is born after attending a Kansas wrestling event led by mid-tier wrestler turned manager Billy Wolfe (Josh Lucas). Later, Billy and his son G. Bill (Tyler Posey) come into their diner where Millie introduces herself and begs for Billy to train her. It takes some convincing but he eventually agrees.

Millie proves to be quick learner and she and Billy fall in love. Millie agrees to marry Billy much to the chagrin of her disapproving mother. They end up taking her act on the road, working carnivals across the Midwest where Millie would wrestle (and beat) men for paying audiences. Billy sees there’s money to be made and begins adding more lady wrestlers to his stable. Among them is the plucky Mae Young (Francesca Eastwood), the ambitious Elvira Snodgrass (Marie Avgeropoulos), and the driven Gladys Gillem (Deborah Ann Woll).

But Millie’s rise to stardom has its obstacles. First, in many territories it was illegal for two women to wrestle each other which made it difficult for Billy to showcase her talent in certain big venues. Then there is a brutal knee injury she suffers at the hands of a brawny Texan named June Byers (a striking Kailey Farmer) which puts her out of commission for several months. But the biggest obstacle is Billy, whose rampant infidelity and suffocating control leads to a marriage that’s nothing more than a business arrangement.

During a festival presser, Avildsen revealed that at least an hour of footage had been cut from the final release and you can tell. For example, the movie speeds through Millie’s entry into wrestling at such a rapid pace that we never get a good sense of what drew her to wrestling or what inspired her to push forward in the early days. And later on there are noticeable gaps in the timeline which you can’t help but miss.

Image Courtesy of Sumerian Pictures

But honestly, those things piqued my interest more than hurt my experience with the movie. That’s because there is so much else to keep you involved, starting with Rickards standout performance. The supporting cast are fantastic as well, with especially strong turns from Lucas, Eastwood, Buono, Farmer, and Woll. We even get the great Walton Goggins as crafty wrestling promoter Jack Pfefer. Then you have Sofija Mesicek’s impeccable costumes, Molly Coffee’s period-perfect production design, and Andrew Strahorn’s rich cinematography – all key reasons why we feel transported from the first to last frame.

With “Queen of the Ring” Ash Avildsen pulls us into a world that may be foreign to many. He takes several liberties (some pretty significant) in chronicling Mildred Burke’s fascinating true account. But most of his choices add to the drama without taking away from the trailblazing spirit of her story. The wrestling scenes inside the ring are thrilling, the bonds that form outside the ring are authentic, and Millie’s resilience in the face of countless adversities is nothing short of inspiring. “Queen of the Ring” hits select theaters March 7th.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

EDFF 2025 REVIEW: “Breakup Season”

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Set during what the late, great Andy Williams christened as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, writer-director H. Nelson Tracey’s “Breakup Season” is a hard movie to categorize (which is actually a strength). At times you’ll swear you’re watching a romantic comedy. Other times it plays like a sensitive domestic drama. And it’s all festively wrapped as a holiday movie. It just screened at the 2025 El Dorado Film Festival and earned quite a reaction from an enthusiastic audience who were all onboard with what Tracey was going for.

Ben (Chandler Riggs) has big holiday plans with his girlfriend Cassie (Samantha Insler). He has made the decision to take her to his hometown of La Grande, Oregon to meet his family for the first time. Their plans are to stay seven days with his colorful crew which consists of his parents, Mia (Brook Hogan) and Kirby (James Urbaniak), and his two siblings, his older brother Gordon (Jacob Wysocki) who recently moved back in with his folks after his own messy breakup, and his younger sister Liz (Carly Stewart) who is a rabid social media maven.

The initial greetings go well despite Cassie seeming a bit detached. But things sour at the dinner table as blowhard Gordon relentlessly hounds Cassie over being a vegetarian. But the big turn comes later than night when Cassie informs Ben that she wants to break up. Her plans are to stay the night and then book a flight to Portland first thing in the morning. But those plans are squashed after a snowstorm forces road closures and shuts down all flights.

And that sets up the bulk of the story as Cassie is snowed in with the guy she just broke up with and his family who she hardly knows. While she begins to bond in unexpected ways with Ben’s folks, she grows more irritated with him. On one hand, Cassie is opaque to a fault and not really able to explain to Ben why she wants to split up. “It just feels like clockwork,” is the best she can come up with. Meanwhile a well-meaning Ben is oblivious to the point of smothering Cassie. His constant badgering only pushes her further away.

Ben’s family adds energy and personality to the story while playing their own specific roles. For example, Gordon and Liz are mostly there to add some welcomed comic relief. As for Mia and Kirby, they’re always around to speak truth whenever things get heavy. Yet while they play the parts the story needs them to, these aren’t one-dimensional characters. Tracey gives each of them their own distinct identities which helps create an entertaining and organic family dynamic.

As for Ben and Cassie, Tracey strikes a good balance of sympathy and frustration. At times I found myself put out with Cassie and sympathetic towards Ben. Later I might be annoyed at Ben while having sympathy for Cassie. Neither are villainized and by the end we recognize them both as ordinary people navigating a tough situation the best way they know how. That said, I did find myself slightly siding with one more than the other. But it could be different for someone else which speaks to the genius of how they’re written.

“Breakup Season” boasts a superb cast, a smart and assured script, and a savvy director who avoids the many traps that can come with this kind of material. Tracey sticks with his convictions rather than go a more conventional route. His film takes breakups seriously, showing them as messy, painful, and often hard to sort out. Add in a healthy helping of humor and you have a movie that tells a poignant relationship story while making us laugh along the way.

VERDICT – 4 STARS