REVIEW: “Cuckoo” (2024)

August 14, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Rarely has a title fit a movie quite as well as “Cuckoo”. This bizarre yet original horror-thriller comes from the imagination of its writer and director, Tilman Singer. Reactions to this crazy concoction will probably be all over the map and understandably so. It’s undeniably fun and bonkers in ways that only horror movies can be. But narratively it’s a bit of a mess, and almost undone by an unsatisfying ending that leaves far too many unanswered questions and dangling loose ends.

Hunter Schafer plays Gretchen, a 17-year-old still grieving the recent death of her mother. As a result, she leaves America and moves to the Bavarian Alps to live with her father, Luis (Marton Csokas), his new wife Beth (Jessica Henwick), and their mute daughter Alma (Mila Lieu). With little in terms of explanation, Luis moves them to a vaguely defined mountain resort that’s ran by the enigmatic Herr König (Dan Stevens). But the change of scenery doesn’t help Gretchen. The only thing that offers her solace is leaving voicemails on her late mother’s answering machine.

As the family settles into their new home, König offers Gretchen a job as a receptionist at his hotel in an effort to help her adapt. But then weird things start to happen. There are the eerie screeches coming from the nearby forest. There are the unresponsive guests seen vomiting around the hotel. And what’s with the weird time loops (a question I’m still asking myself). Most concerning of all are Alma’s sudden seizures. Of course we learn quick that there is more going on at König’s “resort”.

From there the movie hits us with one deliriously demented turn after another. There are several gnarly pieces to Singer’s twisted puzzle including König himself, whose slipperiness makes it clear that he’s hiding something. You have the terrifying blonde-haired woman in a long trench coat, with glowing red eyes that she hides behind large gaudy sunglasses. And then there’s the appearance of Henry (Jan Bluthardt), a police investigator who knows more than he’s letting on. He convinces Gretchen to join his secret investigation to stop whatever König is up to.

While the gonzo and sometimes grisly horror elements are a lot of fun, not everything in the story gets as much attention. For example, Gretchen makes several knee-jerk choices that seem out of the blue. None are bigger than her seemingly random attraction to a free-spirited guest named Ed (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey). Their actions that follow have no weight because their connection is too thinly drawn. It’s the same with Luis and Beth and some of their unexplained motivations.

But where the movie disappoints most is in its ending. Singer begins pulling back the veil on his twisted and macabre mystery leading to a bloody final showdown that attempts to put a cap on all he has revealed. Interestingly, it’s the resort’s crazy cryptic mystery with all of its deranged moving parts that comes together best (not seamlessly, but best). But outside of it, too much is left unresolved from character arcs to plot logic.

“Cuckoo” succeeds at luring you in and keeping you anticipating the next wacky turn it takes. But by the time the end credits roll, it’s hard to shake the feeling of being shortchanged. Still that doesn’t disqualify Tilman Singer as being an exciting emerging voice. Dan Stevens delivers another deliciously creepy and slyly hilarious performance (I dare you not to laugh when he pulls out his wooden flute). Meanwhile Schafer is a sturdy enough lead to guide us through the film’s big ideas and its hole-riddled storytelling. “Cuckoo” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

New on Home Video: “The Bikeriders” Collector’s Edition 4K Uktra HD + Blu-ray + Digital

August 13, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is bringing “The Bikeriders” to home video via a fabulous new collector’s edition. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, “The Bikeriders” is a gritty period biker drama inspired by Danny Lyon’s 1968 photo-book of the same name. In the film, Nichols tells the story of the Vandals Motorcycle Club, putting a special focus on two close-knit brothers. Incredible performances by the trio of Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer drive this fascinating feature.

This special collector’s edition of “The Bikeriders” features the film on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Digital. It will be available to purchase on August 13th. See below for a full synopsis and release information including special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2023

Runtime: 116 Minutes

Director: Jeff Nichols

Screenwriter: Jeff Nichols

Cast: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reedus, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace, Happy Anderson, Paul Sparks, Will Oldham

Rating: R

“The Bikeriders” captures a rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals, led by the enigmatic Johnny (Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols (“Mud”, “Take Shelter”), “The Bikeriders” boasts a power-house ensemble cast including Emmy, BAFTA, and Tony Award winner Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”, “The Last Duel”) alongside Academy Award nominee Austin Butler (“Elvis”, “Dune: Part Two”) and Academy Award nominee Tom Hardy (“The Revenant”, “Dunkirk”, “Inception”). Other impressive cast members include two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”, “The Predator”), Mike Faist (“Challengers”, “West Side Story”), and Norman Reedus (“The Walking Dead”, “Triple 9”).

Special Features:

Bonus Content for “The Bikeriders” includes:

FEATURETTE: Johnny, Benny, & Kathy

From the accents to the attitude, get to know the lead characters of “THE BIKERIDERS”. Hear from the cast and producing team on how they took the personalities and environments from a book of photographs and brought a narrative to the big screen.

FEATURETTE: The Era of “THE BIKERIDERS“

Grab your leather jacket and gear up for a ride as we enter the era of “THE BIKERIDERS”. This piece focuses on the authenticity that was captured by the brilliant production team who nailed the look, feel, and sound of the late 1960s Midwest.

FEATURETTE: The Filmmaker’s Eye: Jeff Nichols

Go behind the lens with director Jeff Nichols as he shared his overall vision for the film, stylistic choices, and how he works with talent. Members of the ensemble cast along with producers chime in on the significance of working on a Jeff Nichols film.

Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Jeff Nichols

REVIEW: “Borderlands” (2024)

August 12, 2024 by Keith Garlington

With “Deadpool & Wolverine” still sucking up most of the oxygen in theaters, it was going to be an uphill climb for “Borderlands”, the big screen adaptation of the popular Gearbox Software video game series. But what has been most concerning is the complete lack of buzz leading up to its release. And when some opening weekend box office projections came in as low as $8 million, let’s just say there are plenty of reasons for the studio to worry.

I’ve played most (if not all) of the “Borderlands” video games. For the most part, the movie gets a lot right which is both good and not so good. The world of “Borderlands” is like a Wild West wasteland. It’s vast, violent, and full of chaotic comic energy. That also describes the crazy collection of colorful characters and creatures who exist in it. All of these things come alive in the movie.

But for me the games could be exhausting. The action could turn repetitive; some characters grew obnoxious; the humor wore thin. Those very same things are true about “Borderlands” the movie. Directed and co-written by Eli Roth, this $120 million sci-fi action-comedy attracted a terrific and overqualified cast that includes two Oscar winners, Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Gina Gershon, Ariana Greenblatt, Edgar Ramirez, Haley Bennett, and Florian Munteanu. They keep the film watchable but can’t cover its blemishes.

The story, penned by Roth and Joe Crombie, follows a ragtag group of misfits brought together through some convenient circumstances. A rogue soldier named Roland (Hart) infiltrates a space station to kidnap Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), the young daughter of megacorporation magnate Atlas (Ramirez). With the help of the hulking “Psycho” Krieg (Munteanu), Roland snatches the girl and heads to the treacherous planet of Pandora.

Atlas hires a bounty hunter named Lilith (Blanchett) to travel back to her home planet of Pandora and retrieve his daughter. Aided by a chatty one-wheeled robot named Claptrap (Black), Lilith eventually tracks down and confronts Roland only to learn a not-so-surprising secret. Atlas doesn’t actually care for his daughter’s safety. Tina is key to opening a hidden vault believed to house powerful ancient tech that could have cataclysmic consequences if in the wrong hands. Atlas wants her back so he can open the vault and claim the tech for himself.

So Lilith, Roland, Tina, Krieg, and Claptrap employee the help of Pandora expert Dr. Patricia Tannis (Curtis) and set out to find the vault first. But hot on their heels is the dogged Commander Knoxx (Janina Gavankar), armed with Atlas’ private army and one hideous haircut. They also encounter a gang of deranged subterranean psychos, giant titan-sized monsters, and eventually Atlas himself. It leads to a number of action sequences that range from outrageously fun to glaringly unremarkable.

Roth and company do manage to create a visually exciting Pandora. It’s covered in sand and rust, with jagged canyons and grimy cities. It’s dirty and unwelcoming yet richly detailed both practically and digitally. If only it was filled with compelling inhabitants. As fans will attest, the “Borderlands” games have been known for their wacky array of personalities. But despite adding characters like Mad Moxxi (Gershon) and Marcus Kincaid (Benjamin Byron Davis), we’re never given a sense of what makes them fan favorites.

But the film’s problems extend further. For starters, Hart’s casting is puzzling. He doesn’t have the grit to be a good tough guy and he isn’t given the lines to be a funny guy. Meanwhile an insufferable Jack Black stays cranked up to ten and is really hard to endure. And it doesn’t help that Atlas is just another bland corporate villain. Add in the cobbled together and mostly empty story, and you have a movie that captures the look of the video games more than the spirit that made them so successful.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “It Ends with Us” (2024)

August 10, 2024 by Keith Garlington

As her husband continues his never-ending whirlwind promotional tour for his latest superhero jaunt, Blake Lively has her own movie out that will likely appeal to a much different audience. “It Ends with Us” is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel of the same name. The book was an intensely personal endeavor for Hoover who was inspired by the real-life relationship between her own mother and father.

The film is directed by Justin Baldoni who works from Christy Hall’s script. Baldoni also co-stars opposite of Lively who plays Lily Bloom. The movie opens with Lily arriving in the small Northeast town of Plethora, Maine where she is to give the eulogy at her father’s funeral. He was a highly regarded man in the small community. But for Lily and her mother Jenny (Amy Morton), life with her father was its own violent hell.

**Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing**

The funeral doesn’t go well and Lily hurries back home to Boston. She’s there to fulfill a life-long dream of opening her own flower shop. She has the perfect location and a supportive best friend Allysa (Jenny Slate) to help her get it on its feet. But her life really takes a turn when she meets Allysa’s brother, a hunky neurosurgeon named Ryle (Baldoni). The two had a chance meeting several months earlier, but soon after meeting again they both fall in love.

While that storyline is playing out, Baldoni and Hall frequently transport us back in time to Lily’s teen years. There we get a second storyline that follows a young Lily (played by really good Isabela Ferrer) who helps and eventually falls in love with a struggling neighborhood boy named Atlas (Alexander Neustaedter). It takes a while before we’re given any real context for the flashback story. It isn’t until later that we understand why it’s relevant.

Lily’s life gets complicated after she runs into Atlas (now played by Brandon Sklenar) for the first time since they went their separate ways as teens. Old feelings are instantly rekindled yet she remains committed to Ryle. At least until their relationship takes a sudden and deeply troubling turn that stirs up painful memories of her abusive father. It’s here that the movie takes a dramatic twist, moving from soapy melodrama into something considerably more substantial.

From the very start, Lively is the movie’s lifeblood. She gives a heartfelt performance that conveys both confidence and vulnerability while remaining authentic, even on the occasions when the material turns syrupy. She’s carries the bulk of the load, appearing in nearly every non-flashback scene, and in many ways saves the movie from its own unevenness. Lively brings emotional layers that prove to be critical to the story’s impact. Without them (and her) it’s hard to imagine the film staying afloat.

While “It Ends with Us” has its moments, the film has a tough time balancing its crowd-pleasing romance with its heavier subject matter. Themes of domestic violence and generational trauma play big parts, but they’re often undercut by the love story angles. But Baldoni deserves credit. Whenever his movie turns sudsy and saccharine, he eventually steers it back on track. And overall he offers a unique yet honest perspective on abuse. Some may find it too tidy, but I’m guessing it will hit home with the enthusiastic target audience. “It Ends with Us” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

REVIEW: “The Instigators” (2024)

August 9, 2024 by Keith Garlington

With “The Instigators”, director Doug Liman reteams with Matt Damon for the first time since their 2002 franchise launching hit “The Bourne Identity”. Their new film is a star-studded affair both in front of and behind the camera. Damon stars alongside Casey Affleck and is co-producer with his longtime friend Ben Affleck. In addition to co-starring, Casey Affleck also co-writes the screenplay with Chuck Maclean. Then you have the rich supporting cast which includes Hong Chau, Ron Perlman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames, Paul Walter Hauser, and Toby Jones among others.

Despite that wealth of talent, “The Instigators” is a buddy heist movie that never quite kicks into a higher gear. It comes close in spots. But as a whole, there’s too little action to be considered exciting, there’s not enough laughs to make this a satisfying buddy comedy, and it lacks the grit to be good crime thriller. “The Instigators” dabbles in a lot but isn’t committed to much of anything. It’s a lackluster misadventure that spends too much time sitting idle. And every time you think things are about to ramp up, its momentum stalls.

The story goes something like this – a Boston crime boss named Mr. Besegai (played by Michael Stuhlbarg) hatches a plan to steal campaign money from the corrupt Mayor Miccelli (Ron Perlman) during a $500-a-plate re-election gala. He puts the heist in the hands of Scalvo (Jack Harlow), a young and dense hood who (for reasons that are never quite clear) hires a desperate former marine, Rory (Damon) and a chatterbox ex-con, Cobby (Casey Affleck) to help him with the job.

From the outset we know the heist is doomed. The inept trio botches the robbery at nearly every turn, Scalvo ends up dead, and Rory and Cobby go on the lamb. And they’re not only running from the cops. Besegai hires an unreliable goon named Booch (Paul Walter Hauser) to take them out. Meanwhile the Mayor calls on Frank Toomey (Ving Rhames), an efficient and hard-nosed fixer to track down our harebrained protagonists.

The pursuit takes the pair across greater Boston, plunging us into the characters’ blue-collar milieu. What humor there is comes through the often organic banter between Damon and Affleck. The pair do a good job playing off each other, and both are convincing as clueless mismatched dolts. But their unremarkable journey struggles to generate much energy, though it gets a spark from Hong Chau playing Rory’s therapist, Dr. Donna Rivera. She’s roped into their hijinks through some ludicrous circumstances and offers a much-needed presence.

The film’s biggest sin is its massive waste of a wonderful and overqualified ensemble. Understandably Damon and Affleck are the centerpieces. But the supporting cast are either woefully underused or constricted by bad material. Chau and Rhames are able to whittle a little fun out of what they’re given. Stuhlbarg is stuck constantly screaming. Perlman is just a caricature. Hauser and Jones are barely blips. And somehow the great Alfred Molina comes across as an afterthought.

There are a few good laughs scattered throughout, mostly during the movie’s low-key moments, and we’re treated to a couple of well-filmed chase scenes that click. But “The Instigators” teases a lot more than it delivers. As a result, most of what we get is routine and old hat. And despite its obvious hometown intentions, nothing much feels authentic, including its nicely polished and hard to buy ending. “The Instigators” premieres August 9th on Apple TV+.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Girl You Know It’s True” (2024)

August 8, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Regardless of whether you were a fan or not, if you were alive in the late 1980s and early 1990s you probably heard of Milli Vanilli. The German duo of Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan became overnight pop music sensations. They would go on to sell millions of records, release three #1 singles, and win a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. But scandal erupted once it was discovered that Rob and Fab didn’t actually sing their songs. As a result, Milli Vanilli received instant backlash and they would eventually have their Grammy taken away.

Rob and Fab would make several attempts to save their careers but to no avail. In 1998 the duo recorded a return album and were planning a full promotional tour. But tragedy struck, putting an end to any potential comeback. Without question they have a heartbreaking ‘rise-and-fall’ story which has been chronicled in several documentaries. Director Bret Ratner had a Milli Vanilli biopic in the works, but it fell apart after sexual harassment allegations against him became public.

And that leads to “Girl You Know It’s True”, a new biographical drama written, directed, and co-produced by Simon Verhoeven. The film makes an effort to rescue the sullied reputations of Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan. Yet it does so without exonerating them of their roles in the elaborate ruse. Verhoeven sets out to humanize Milli Vanilli by looking beyond their celebrity status. He offers a sympathetic cautionary tale told through an illuminating and stylish lens.

In 1988 Rob Pilatus (Tijan Njie) met Fabrice Morvan (Elan Ben Ali) on the Munich, Germany club scene. The two dancers had a lot in common including their love for music and their dreams of becoming big stars. After some low-paying, go-nowhere jobs as background dancers and catalog models, Rob and Fab realize they need to get noticed. So they put aside working on songs to work on their image. They design their own unique look – the signature long braids, torn jeans, frilly jackets. And it works. They get noticed by Milli (Bella Dayne), the assistant to successful record producer Frank Farian (Matthias Schweighöfer).

Frank had struck it big in 1976 with the German disco band Boney M. Now he’s working on a new project. He has a song, “Girl You Know It’s True”, and two great singers, John Davis (Samuel S. Franklin) and Brad Howell (David Mayonga). But they weren’t “MTV material”. So Frank sits down with Rob and Fab and tells them, “I’m looking for stars.” The young, naive, and vulnerable duo sign a contract without fully understanding the terms. They believe they’ll get to sing the track. In reality, they’re hired to be good-looking, lip-syncing frontmen for a group Frank calls Milli Vanilla.

From there, Verhoeven details the duo’s meteoric rise from a popular local act in Germany to being the biggest pop stars on the planet. He includes Milli Vanilli’s signing with Arista records, their subsequent move to Los Angeles, the 1989 Club MTV disaster, the 1990 Grammy night performance, the ruthless legal battle over a potential world tour, and the public revelation that brought their entire world crashing down on top of them.

Through all of that, the movie never shortchanges the human side of Rob and Fab. They add to their own troubles after being swayed by the allure of fame. Drugs, alcohol, and women all play their parts. But we also see them manipulated by people they trust, most notably greedy executives who swoop in like vultures to cash in on their successes. Opportunity is dangled in front of them like a carrot on a string by devious and powerful opportunists. Yet through it all Rob and Fab kept believing they could turn the illusion into reality. They kept believing they would one day get their chance to sing.

In one of the film’s stranger choices, the story is partially narrated by Rob and Fab (and briefly by Frank) who appear intermittently, breaking the fourth wall to share their perspectives before ushering us into another key moment on their timeline. It’s a peculiar yet moderately effective approach that offers more human layers and a surprising amount of insight. But (as with most of the movie) it’s the superb performances from Njie and Ali that makes it all click.

In showing Milli Vanilli’s crushing fall from pop superstardom, Verhoeven doesn’t let anyone off the hook. Rob and Fab’s gullibility and love of the limelight certainly played a part. But the film is just as much an indictment of an industry so obsessed with record sales that the art and artists are often afterthoughts. And it also points out the culpability of the consumers, who devour acts who look the part and tickle our senses. As Rob states in one solemn moment of truth, “We gave you what you wanted.” That kind of candor, mixed with unexpected helpings of heart and humor, helps elevate this into something more than another run-of-the-mill biopic. “Girl You Know It’s True” opens August 9th in select theaters and on VOD.