Exorcising A Lot Of Potential For Shallow Spread of Story

            A horror movie in June is not the common trend when it comes to this genre.  Yet, here we are again back in the theater to take a look at the latest silver screen showing.  I had my doubts about this one and couldn’t quite wrap my head around the unique twist to the premise of a rather tested plot.  Will this work?  Can an impressive cast help spice things up and bring more to the spooky spectacle?  Robbie K thanks you for your time as he reviews:  

Movie: Exorcism (2024)

• Director

• Joshua John Miller

• Writers

• M.A. Fortin
  • Joshua John Miller

• Stars

• Russell Crowe
  • Ryan Simpkins
  • Sam Worthington

LIKES: 

The Special Effects

The Use of Shadows 

Great Sound Effects

A Few Good Scare Tricks

The Acting Is Just Fine

There Is Some Character Redemption 

Short Run Time

Summary: 

            The Exorcism is a movie that thrives on the loud and the dark for its primary gimmick.  The sound is loud and verbose, perfect for the very few scary moments where the banging walls, breaking glass, and screams are amplified in the theater-worthy presentation.  There are great uses of shadow and darkness to terrorize our characters, much of which is shot beautifully to capture the terror of the moment.  It shakes things to the foundation and really gets the perfect shot to draw out the full emotional spectrum of the moment. Beautiful cinematography is the most impressive part of this movie for me and in the dim lighting has a spirit of its own to pursue.  As for the nontechnical side of things, The Exorcism has a few glimmers that shine.  It gets points for a twist on the genre, and the characters are okay and have some heft to a rather stereotypical cast of characters to play in this religious feature.  These characters are brought to life by some decent acting that has to play some awkward roles.  Worthington has his moments and deals with some good plays as an idolizing fan who is also a loyal friend.  Simpkins plays the dutiful daughter well, bringing fire, fervor, some surprising layers, and representation to the movie without getting too lost in any one quality.  Crowe’s role wasn’t as entertaining as when working for the Pope, but he continues his stint in the horror game, this time bringing some challenging problems to coincide with his character facing the horrors on set and at home.  The characters have potential and fulfill various things that a variety can find some spark of interest in the movie.  And if not, then take solace in the short runtime so you don’t waste too much time.  

DISLIKES: 

Not Scary

The Story  Is Okay

Characters Need More Development

Waste of Sam Worthington

The Monster Is Lame At Times

Needed More Scares and Intensity

Movie Set Twist Was Irrational

Language With Minimal Need

The Direction Of The Movie

Summary: 

            Sadly, most of the reviews are correct in stating there are many limitations to this movie that take away from the expected thrills.  The film is not scary for the most part, with only a few moments holding any merit for causing a jump or memorable scare tactic.  A genuine story with some promise sort of falls flat, becoming very predictable, dry, mundane, and did not reach the heights they were trying to achieve.  Characters needed more challenges, there needed to be more involvement in the mystery, and even more so a mystery to pursue.  The monster’s purpose was simple and lacked any real bite or purpose until the very end with a lackluster flashback, and we had to try and push some story that could have come a lot easier.  The whole twist of the movie set was lost and almost not needed given most of the stuff could have been done practically at any other location.  I would have liked to see more integration into the movie, some twist, clue, or element that suggested why this movie set was the choice of acting.  I’m sure there is an undertone that you can stretch, but the payoff was not worth the investment.  The language used was more insulting than needed, the first few times worth the scene, but then becoming excessive filler that contributed little to the movie.  Sam Worthington’s inclusion was minimal and a waste of his talent and character, and the scares were almost as bad, but at least had some moments that were creepy enough to get a leg up. My biggest thing is that the movie could not seem to pick a direction to take it as this might have helped with a lot of the problems.  The Exorcism starts at the foot of a horror movie and then adds some drama to the mix to help get some depth. After that though, a mystery comes in to help, then turns to religious-centered plot lines that begin to overshadow the other elements. Because it keeps passing the tone and focus, the jumbled direction continues to interrupt and hurt the quality of the movie.  Picking one or two elements and building that plot would have helped take this to the full level and accomplish the mission of scares and a deeper story.  

The VERDICT: 

            The Exorcism has elements that are beautiful, and effective, and show promising direction in terms of helping get a story out with the best emotional punch it can yield. The acting is fine and the twist was engaging, but it just didn’t quite come to fruition, and will be very difficult to recommend a visit.  Mostly due to the spread direction that it takes, the movie fails to gain momentum to be all it can be and tries to shift too extreme at times and in directions that feel very forced and shallow instead of having meaning.  I needed a scary antagonist with a purpose, characters that uncover mysteries or things about themselves and not in very cut-and-dry explanations, and suspense for investing my time.  Sadly, all of this failed and we were left with a modicum of a movie that should have and could have been better.  The plus side outside of the production value is that it’s a short run time, but for me, this movie is best left for streaming at home.  My scores are:

Horror/Thriller:  5.5

Movie Overall: 5.0

Taking a Ride On The Dramatic Side

            Gas up the hogs and hit the road, because it’s the lifestyle that so many embrace on the U.S.A highways.  Bikers is a brand with a mixed bag of stereotypes that like many things aren’t quite so black and white as they once were.  We’ve seen plenty of movies that give the biker a different look and feel, and many environments to ride their choppers through in some errand or quest that may or may not involve self-discovery.  And tonight, we get a film that potentially dives a bit more into the historical “Golden Age” of the chopper kingdom in American history.  Does it have the “chops” to ride into the victory lane, or is this another artistic flop that will bore the masses?  Please read on as I review: 

Movie:  The Bikeriders (2024) 

• Director

• Jeff Nichols

• Writer

• Jeff Nichols

• Stars

• Jodie Comer
  • Austin Butler
  • Tom Hardy

LIKES: 

Acting

The Sounds Of The Cycle

The Old Timey Film/Feeling

Setting/Costumes

The Dive Into The Biker Persona

Good Food For Thought

The Dialogue To Some Degree

Summary: 

            Nichols’ movie is very smart and has that artistic design, direction, and heightened writing that adds realism and depth to the movie.  The Bikeriders is set on a book from interviews that focused on the lives of road warriors and what made a biker a biker.  It’s a way of life, and smartly summarizes each member to grant them a personality that contributed to the gangs.  These profiles change throughout the movie, and the material does well to help break through the Sons of Anarchy drama and crime for something with more layers to each member of the club.  It was fascinating to see these personalities come together, especially from the added perspective of one woman who seemed to recollect the tale which the movie captured and organized beautifully.  Fantastic food for thought and engaging psych evaluations to these members, The Bikeriders excels in the drama profiling that the trailers promised.  The acting is stellar on so many accounts, with many secondary characters enjoyable to watch as they help both break and add to the tension of the movie with solid contributions to the film.  Butler is okay, his portrayal is a lot more monotone and one note than Elvis, but captures one profile of a man whose life is all about riding and the feel of freedom.  Hardy may still have a limited range, but he is so good at curbing it to a character, this time adding that creepy focus and strength into the head of the club and taking charge in a variety of intimidating ways.  But it is Jodie Comer who was my most impressive of the bunch.  Her range continues to be incredible, this time taking on the thick Minnesota dialect and running with it, giving you all the hurt, frustration, confusion, and happiness and bringing it into this fun package that serves as an awesome narrative.  I loved her engagement with the interviewer and enjoyed the other engagements that were fun to watch.  Her chemistry is engaging, and all of them, bring out the deep dialogue that is central to this movie to our cast expressing themselves. 

            Past the acting and story, the movie has a style that feels like modern times and nostalgia combined into one, including the grainy images of the cameras of yesteryear.  It’s got this old-time feeling to it, and it works to bring to life the sixties and seventies that this movie takes place in.  The replica bikes are beauties, stunning pieces whose engines rev in high-quality sound that had the theater rumbling, beautifully moving through the streets with that desperado vibe.  A fantastic location squad with a set helps add that rural town/city charm with a setting loaded to the nines with props and memorabilia of the times.  And the costumes are wicked cool and representative of the times from the conservative sweaters to the individualized colors of the bikers.  Amazing attention to detail helps bring you back to the time and ingrain you into the movie, a big plus for reviewers like me in this movie. 

DISLIKES: 

Feels A Tad Aimless

Some Hard To Watch Stuff

Language At Times

Needed More Music

More Actual Bike Riding Moments

A Tad Too Dialogue Heavy For Pace

Slow

Summary: 

            With all this thought-provoking material and challenging content, the movie does tend to spin off into artistic territory that may not mix well with audiences.  For me, the movie felt a tad aimless, an attempt to concise the interviews and legacy into two hours and do little to actually move despite the trailer’s hype.  I found that the bike riding moments were limited to what other movies do, more about the biker than the actual action, which felt a tad disappointing from my expectations.  Other things felt absent as well, music that I love in period pieces that help add some fun elements or a feel of the times was lacking, or even a clear impasse to get over.  In addition, the dialogue feels a bit heavy-handed at times, slowing things down further and making it boring, something only drawn out by the random bouts of focused cursing and groaning.  It’s a lifestyle portrayal definitely and those with intense biopic admiration will love it, while others may find this a bit mundane to the promised excitement of the trailers.  And of note, some moments might be hard, the Midwestern venue a frontier where rugged personalities might lead to very dark actions that will make some very uncomfortable or face trauma. 

The VERDICT: 

            Overall, The Bikeriders is a movie that feels very much like an Oscar candidate in the production, feel, and direction of the movie.  It’s a very quippy and elevated movie that holds strong acting performances, very realistic dialogue, depth in characters, and immersion via the audio and visual elements.  Nichols’ direction is still as artistic as ever and brings out the book elements in a concise package to help put the biker stereotype under the microscope.  However, the movie’s Oscar-like presentation may be a tad much more than what the trailers hinted at, primarily in too much drama and not enough of the moving action events that this movie could have had.  With a pace that feels like the air is low in the tires at times and some aimless direction, this film needed a little Hollywood touch to get the splendor in the movie and help add that engaging direction I like in a biker movie.  Is it worth a trip to the theaters?  Yes in terms of acting, but this film is going to be optimized for watching at home in case it doesn’t quite ignite your engine in movies.  My scores are: 

Crime/Drama:  7.5 

Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0

A Delightful Backtrack To The Mind That Needed Just A Bit More Thought To Elevate

            Emotions are a complex array of sensations that make life both rewarding and challenging. They foster our character, forge our beings and beliefs, and often are a guiding beacon for our responses to actions that may leave us on the news.  And this weekend, they are the focus of the movie by the beloved animation studio that stole our hearts three decades ago.  Pixar’s first dive into the internal mind was a success for some and an obsession/way of life for others that many of my friend group use as their belief system.  Despite a perfectly fine finish, Disney’s desperation for dollars has brought a sequel out with the hopes of recapturing the magic and helping “promote” our characters to new avenues to resonate with the modern audience.  Will a sequel prove just as emotionally fulfilling as the predecessor?  Robbie K reports his thoughts as he reviews: 

Movie: Inside Out 2 (2024) 

• Director

• Kelsey Mann

• Writers

• Meg LeFauve
  • Dave Holstein
  • Kelsey Mann

• Stars

• Amy Poehler
  • Maya Hawke
  • Kensington Tallma

LIKES: 

The Animation

The Character Development

The Emotional Development

Balance of Inside and Out

Clever

Funny At Times

Cute

Decent Pace

Great Voice Acting

Used All The Characters Pretty Evenly

SUMMARY: 

            In terms of likes, Inside Out 2 is summarized as the usual Pixar magic with the modern-day approach of Disney’s studio agenda.  The animation is gorgeous with vivid colors, immaculate curves and angles, and fluid movements that are now an expectation for the studio to keep.  It’s eye-catching and stimulating, easily hypnotizing most of the younger members in my showing, but yet clever in design so that older fans can be entertained by the usual wit Pixar’s cleverness brings.  Both inside and outside of Riley keep to the themes, still being that cartoonish style for the humans, but somehow playing with light and shadow to add that flare that we love in a Disney production.  It all plays a solid part in eliciting the emotions they are going for and is almost as much of a character as the literal characters themselves. 

            As for the story and characters, this is where most of the movie is going to shine in my opinion.  The second installment’s story does a nice summary and introduction to the transitions in a fun montage, but quickly throws a wrecking ball into things that introduce the new emotions.  From there, the movie becomes one part adventure and two parts emotion, in a delicate dance that is reflected in both inside and outside events to what I loved in the first film.  Many of the emotions get some level of character development, alongside Riley who has complexity that is just as complicated as the age range the trailers have fixated on for the past few months.  Yet, the emotional dive is the biggest development of the movie, with various scenarios coming that strummed the nostalgic strings of growing up and bombarded the relevant elements that added to the experience.  It’s a roller coaster that is deep and entertaining for viewers like me, moving at a decent pace that brings comedy, cleverness, storytelling, and cuteness into one vibrant package.  The voice acting further adds to the mixture, sometimes being done to levels that had me envisioning the actors experiencing this pain as they delivered their lines to shockingly accurate degrees.  All the emotions get shockingly balanced time, nine characters, plus Riley, actually having importance for inclusion and giving me adequate time with every emotion, which many studios fail to accomplish.  All of this was very surprising to a degree given the amount of delays and controversy with this movie, but Mann’s direction with her writers has made a story that is very relevant and somehow still holding some of the Pixar 90s-2000s adventure that for a while has been gone.  

DISLIKES: 

Less Creative World Building

The Antagonist Is More Metaphorical Than A Threat

More Contributions By Some Characters Could Have Been Done

The Adventure Is Okay, Yet Still Mundane

The Retconning

Relevance Plays A Big Key

Summary: 

            Where some of the cuts and costs of this balanced emotional tale come in the cost of the adventure and creative elements though.  Maybe it’s the teenage years and the metaphorical development that comes with growing older in some, but Inside Out’s second ordeal didn’t quite have the same creativity and unique flavor that the first did.  The layout changes, but kind of in the laziest way possible with only a few moments being humorous more than wow.  Even the antagonist and threat are less stellar than Joy’s monster and Bing-Bong’s shifting direction, as the new waves are again more a relevant force than a truly unique character.  It leads to the adventure part being a bit blander and superficial, the excitement ebbed by very flash-in-the-pan moments and exaggerated jokes that fit well in the modern era.  Some characters could have had more, Disgust needing to do more than just sound like a Valley Girl, or Fear maybe adding a little more protection or something, but that’s a nitpicky component that ties back to other areas to get Riley through puberty. And true there are story misfires and changing an entire structure that is a bit farfetched to make the new belief system work, but they are easily overlooked in the long run.  Perhaps the biggest thing I can warn, is that relevance and relatability may be more of a motivating factor for people to enjoy this movie that might sway the review scores one way or another.  

The VERDICT:

            Inside Out 2 is a movie that has been timed beautifully given the current timing of the year and the lack of animation movies for at least the next three weeks.  Much like the first movie, it hits hard in both emotional/poetic glory with the same fun adventure that Pixar proves it still has despite a focus on realistic stories.  I loved the balance to many degrees, and because of my own relevance with these emotions and characters had extra levels that enhanced my viewing experience.  With a great blend of acting, design, animation, and storytelling, despite not paying attention or explaining some key factors being changed, the movie does accomplish much for the targeted audience group and the supporting group around them.  True, the adventure lacks some of the originality, cleverness, and obstacles that add spice to a movie that I enjoy and want Pixar to return to.  However, the movie was worth a theater visit, with only the animation style’s colors being the 3-D nature of the movie.  I’d check this one out if you can get a chance, but also I won’t call this the best sequel or Pixar movie ever. 

My scores are: 

Animation/Adventure/Comedy:  8.0

Movie Overall:  7.0

Do You Watch the Watchers?

            The horror game continues to try and be strong this year with all the movies coming out in 2024.  This week, another attempt to creep us into our seats emerges, a focus this time on mysterious appearances and a house within to watch.  An intriguing concept with an invisible enemy, the trailers have been going wild as they shoot for the stars in another Shyamalan-led production that is hoping to take a book adaptation to the next level.  Will it work?  Can the family of the director grow something in the dry spell of horror?  Or is this yet another flop doomed to become lost in the mediocrity media market?  Robbie K thanks you for your time as he reviews: 

Movie:  The Watchers (2024)

• Director

• Ishana Shyamalan

• Writers

• Ishana Shyamalan
  • A.M. Shine

• Stars

• Dakota Fanning
  • Georgina Campbell
  • Olwen Fouéré

LIKES: 

The Setting

The Camera Work

The Acting

The Character Story To A Degree

The Graphics

The Writing 

The Bird

The Overall Story Is Okay

SUMMARY: 

            The Watchers is a movie that for the most part relies heavily on the imagination and the isolation effect to do the lifting of the movie.  Under the guidance of Ishana, I found this movie successful in accomplishing this goal with camera work that finds optimum angles to convey the emotion of isolation.  A fantastic setting of the grey European forest alongside dynamic lighting and special effects draws out a dismal and isolated feeling that leaves one feeling hopeless at times given the desolate world.  As the world continues to reveal itself and the Watchers begin to emerge, the graphics continue to look decent, with smooth and horrific animation, some awesome details in the skin texture, and some haunting movements that further rip away the comfort and elicit the horror element.  Sound editing that accompanies it further immerses you into the doomed forest, done well to optimize the terror and try to set you up for the jump scares they were shooting for.  

            In regards to the story to which the scares are built from, it’s okay.  Another symbolic and artistic approach, The Watchers’ story relies heavily on some folklore for adaptation, something that does not show up until the second half of the film, and that revelation is both a bit more original and lackluster at the same time. A gradual revelation shows a bit more merit helps escalate how far this tale goes, and assists with helping draw out the horror and help fill in some of the story gaps.  The character stories flesh things out a bit more, each of the four “heroes” holding some light and depth that hold some realistic relatability to care for the characters stuck in this mess.  This movie holds heavy dialogue and the writing is smart at times and engaging, with heavy words, engaging delivery, and a strong atmospheric tone to establish the rules.  I found the words brought to life well by most of the acting in the limited cast of this film.  Fanning is about the same as always, listless, and creepy, and can portray the more somber emotions better than most as she faces the horrors of her past and present.  Campbell offers more variety, bringing a bit of light into the movie that helps cut through the monotone depression and keep things engaging, especially during some of the trials forced upon her.  Fouere is articulate and creepy in her role, all of her words so heavy, deep, and accented that they bring gravity to help enhance the story elements and somehow make the unknown more uncomfortable. Oliver Finnegan as well plays his role well, adding that unbalanced nature that adds a bit more of that psychological component to the film, further keeping the teeter-totter swaying back and forth  Add in a cute bird that does very little and yet so much to help contrast the tone of the movie, and you round out the movie’s likes for me. 

DISLIKES: 

The Plot’s Ending

More Character Story Needed

The Revelation is Disappointing

The Twist Was Predictable

More Danger and Suspense Needed

Some Odd Plot Gaps

A Bit More Emotional Components To the Characters

SUMMARY: 

            Despite all the elements that were engaging, The Watchers has issues with some of the usual nuances this movie genre suffers from.  In the story department, the plot’s ending is a bit of a letdown for me, not because of the content that they chose, but because the execution is mediocre and rushed at times.  Perhaps we needed more gradual discovery in the woods, more time spent in the danger field, and a few moments edited to be earlier in the film.  The characters needed more depth as well, helping to give them more layers like they tried to give Fanning’s character and helping give me more to either root for or against. The editing might have helped with smoothing out plot gaps and questions that distracted me during the time.  They do answer some of the questions, but there are still some unresolved or a stretch.  And the twist that came was predictable for many reasons, and thus the revelation was mediocre for me as well. Perhaps the biggest thing needed though, is more terror and close calls.  The Watchers is missing so much of that, with the climactic components very mundane because there was so much more they could do.  After such an epic setup with the environment and camera work, the lack of real challenges and trials was a very disappointing finish for horror fans who like a little more bite to their thriller.  

The VERDICT

            Another movie of mundane horror, The Watchers has elements that the Shyamalan tribe knows how to do well in their movie media.  Fantastic visuals, audio, and dialogue are the centerpieces of this film, with good characters and acting to a degree to bring it to life.  It blends folklore and scares in a nice hybrid with some emotional depth beyond the typical horror movie. A smarter approach to conveying terror, returning to your imagination being the primary painter, it works so hard to play off of the fears of isolation, desolation, and hopelessness that made me feel more uncomfortable than the bad guys themselves.  Where the movie fails is the pacing of the plot, spreading out that allure and explanation to give the film more bite, alongside needing more time and writing to the characters to build them up past the solemn humans we get.  In addition, more scares, close calls, and strategy needed to be executed so that we might have a bit more excitement in suspense in their attempts to get out of the forest.  Is this film worth a trip to the theater… I’m mixed.  I would encourage you to support your local theater, but this movie feels better used at home to get the most out of your experience.  In regards to my score, I rank The Watchers at: 

Fantasy/Horror/Mystery:  6.5-7.0

Movie Overall:  6.0

Bad Boys Riding For Fun and Dying Very Little

            What are you going to do when they come for you?  That’s a question that can be answered in many ways in this day and age.  Despite the odds, the dynamic duo of Lawrence and Smith were greenlit for a sequel that many might not have been excited about after the last film.  And this weekend, I walked back into my local theater to see if this installment could recapture the magic of the buddy cop tale.  Will it work?  Robbie K sharing his thoughts as he checks out:  

Movie: Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

• Directors

• Adil El Arbi
  • Bilall Fallah

• Writers

• Chris Bremner
  • Will Beall
  • George Gallo

• Stars

• Will Smith
  • Martin Lawrence
  • Vanessa Hudgens

LIKES:

Moves At a Great Pace

Funny

Acting On Point

Decent Character Development

Movie Theater Elements

Kicking Sound Track

Action Scenes Return to Glory (mostly)

SUMMARY:  

            Our Bad Boys have always been entertaining as the detectives dive into the heart of the Miami underworld.  This film is stupid fun, with an exhilarating and fast pace like the cars they drive, holding little time to get into deep artistic dives.  It pulls from previous stories, integrates fun references that many will remember, and helps push our characters down familiar avenues.  The fourth installment offers some character development, nothing too deep or poetic, but enough to extend our characters to something more than bullet-launching bad boys.  It fits into the themes well, helps pick up from the better qualities of Bad Boys Three, and keeps their fingers on the pulse of just a fun and engaging period.  And much like the other films, they are just fun, with the same comedic splendor of the earlier films with the insults, slapstick humor, and the response to the stupid antics occurring.  It’s rated r for sure, but that attitude blends so well and makes this movie another nostalgic trip worth taking.  One thing that has improved is the technology to bring the exciting elements to life, loading this film with plenty of theater-worthy qualities to shake up the theater.  The action is fast, frantic, and has lots of the familiar elements, with little deviation from the edgy goodness that comes with it. In my showing, my seat quaked from the sound assaults, with visuals that were crazy busy, but so exciting and filled with that attitude you expect in this film franchise.  Load in the kicking soundtrack this franchise has, including a few comedic songs to lighten the mood, and you get so much of the original formula to just have a fun time at the movies.  

DISLIKES: 

Some Story Elements Feeling Unfinished

Very Fast Wrap Up

The potential Setup up

Aggressive Language At Times

A Better Developed Villain

Not That Original

Summary: 

            No movie is perfect though and this film still struggles with some elements that continued additions can struggle with.  Despite a decent story, several elements felt unnecessary, unfinished, or perhaps very stupid and overdone that I had wished been left out and the time focused on another story.  A few of these moments involved the captain’s family which feels very bland and could have gone more, while others are set-ups for what feels like not only a fifth movie but the next duo to join forces in the cartel wars.  These elements are okay and not the worst by far, but they didn’t do any favors to strengthen the story.  A better-developed villain could have gone a long way, one with more tricks and threats that weren’t so familiar or done before.  Several of his associates were also holding potential, but alas, fell to mediocre levels that pale to some of the other auxiliary characters from the past. More action would have been nice for me, especially at the end where things seemed to wrap up faster than anticipated, and could have done more.  A small thing for me, but big for others, the movie’s foul language gets a tad out of hand, but there are far worse games in this field, just be warned.  

The VERDICT

            Perhaps not the most original movie sequel, Bad Boys’ fourth installment is familiar, fun, and feels fresh that they took a step back into their wheelhouse.  With a great buddy system in motion, Smith and Lawrence bring the magic of the decades back and keep things fun and engaging while always edgy.  The story elements serve their purpose of developing their characters, while the action gets major upgrades worthy of a theater visit to take full advantage.  I loved the comedy, the pacing, and just getting lost in another fun summer flick.  Sure, the movie needs some more originality, trimming off some storylines reserved for whatever is to come, and could have put some more time into making a better villain.  Yet, most aren’t going to care and just enjoy the fun experience for what it’s worth.  Therefore, I give this movie: 

Action/Adventure/Comedy:  8-8.5

Movie Overall: 7.5-8.0