The Unofficial Ongoing Current Movies in Theaters thread

TALK TO ME
At quick glance one could easily dismiss this film as being another ho-hum teen-slanted “possession” film in the vein of tepid Blumhouse efforts like Truth or Dare and Ouija. But then you see the A24 banner and shed a sigh of relief, since even the company’s mediocre horror films are still 10x better than other production companies’ efforts.
Honestly, this film has more in common with the original Flatliners and classics like Carnival of Souls and The Sentinel than any of its contemporaries.
But I digress. For their first feature film YouTube sensations the Philippou brothers tweak the all-too-familiar demon-let-out-of-its-box trope just enough to keep things interesting. Toss in some jarring jump scares, some brutal moments of gore, dizzying camera work, and insane sound design and you’ve got a winner.
The ending may be viewed as a cop-out by some; sure, if you take it at face value it makes the third act come off like a mess of plot holes and unfinished ideas. Yet another interpretation of the ending changes the whole film, potentially rendering the protagonist as an unreliable narrator. Regardless of how you decide to read the finale, the ride there is fast, furious, and fun.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM
I loved the grainy, gritty, Edward Sala-esque art style and the score by Reznor and Ross is fantastic.
But despite being produced and written by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg, the film is very much aimed at elementary school aged kids. If there was any “adult” jokes or innuendo lurking in the dialogue, I missed it (unlike in either Barbie or Sonic the Hedgehog 2).
Heck, I woulda been cool with more fart and poop jokes, even, but the humor overall was tame and kinda lame; the whole film needed to be a tad more subversive. Even the supposedly hip and deep music references were kinda weak (Ice Cube’s character rapping an Ice-T verse didn’t make any sense).
But the action scenes were cool and, again, the animation/art style was quirky and keen.

LANDSCAPE WITH INVISIBLE HAND
This is a quiet lo-fi sci-fi film that mostly deals with class and social mores, yet it also mirrors occupation-styled war films and examines how people cope with surviving under economic domination by outsiders. While it has a few underdeveloped threads, the core story about love and family, plus rising above adversity, is handled well.
Additionally, one of the sun-plots about using art for subversive means and quiet political dissension is pretty nifty.
The fx are super cool, especially in regards to the slimy coffee tables.
I plan to track down the YA novel that is the source material as the film was intriguing and beguiling.

Both TIFF and Fantastic Fest kick off soon, which means quite a smattering of interesting films will be screened and maybe, hopefully eventually make it to the cineplex…

Here’s one that I hope lives up to its gonzo implications and didn’t blow its whole wad in the trailer:

Loved me Black Dynamite and I’ve always dug Michael Jai White…

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

Loved me Black Dynamite and I’ve always dug Michael Jai White…

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Ok that looks fun

BOTTOMS
This is literally Not Another Teen Movie meets Dodgeball aimed at zillennials and with a LGBTQ slant.
While not really bringing much in the way of new ideas to the risqué teen comedy genre, it does skewer it pretty hard and proves that the ladies can bring the raunch harder and dirtier than the fellas. I did laugh a bit.
I went to a 10 am showing and there was one other guy there who looked like a dirty old grandpa (and he probably thought I was a creepy middle aged guy for all I know…) :eek:

THE EQUALIZER 3
This is the best of the series, by far; it’s clean, lean, and mean with Denzel doing Old Man action waaaay better than Liam Neeson.
The story is familiar and doesn’t bring anything new to the retired Black Ops badass trope, but Denzel looks good in black, easily rivaling Johnny Cash, plus he does a good job kicking ass. He also has the uncanny ability to have chemistry with all of his costars.
Antoine Fuqua keeps it all bundled tight and the pacing is smooth and slick. The action sequences are cool and the whole film has that OG 1980s action film vibe, but with much better production values.
If this is indeed the last entry with DW, he and Fuqua are ending it on a high note.

Saving Private Ryan turned 25 back in July.

Galaxy Theaters, one of the cineplex chains in my “City” (Reno) turns 25 this year, too.

They’re showing retro films that opened the same year (1998) starting this month and going through December.

Full schedule here: https://www.galaxytheatres.com/blog/...alaxy-theatres

But I am rather stoked that I may finally get to see this on the Big screen…

https://www.galaxytheatres.com/movie...G-PRIVATE-RYAN

I loved Bottoms. Familiar territory, but new enough to be really fun. The second act drug a little but the first and third made up for it. One of the top movies of the summer for us.

Did not like Equalizer. I’d categorize it as gore more than thriller. It was a slow and boring trudge watching Denzel being Denzel doing predictable things. Just watch the trailer, all the good scenes are there. Polled the family afterwards and it was agreed that this was the stinker of the summer for us.


We’ve really enjoyed watching old movies on the big screen but none has had me as excited as seeing this in 4K.

Attachment 469269

^^^ Cillian Murphy could play a convincing David Byrne.

As of right now SMS is only playing near me (Reno) for one day (this Sunday 9/11) for one show and the price tag on tickets is $30!!!

Looks like the cheaper “regular” showings start 9/22, but the closest theater for this run is 100 miles away…

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

As of right now SMS is only playing near me (Reno) for one day (this Sunday 9/11) for one show and the price tag on tickets is $30!!!

Looks like the cheaper “regular” showings start 9/22, but the closest theater for this run is 100 miles away…

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EDIT/UPDATE
Looks like it’s coming back to Reno/Sparks starting Sept 23 for a limited one week, one screening a day engagement…

Also, here’s the official website where you can search for screenings:
https://tickets.stopmakingsense.movie/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

BOTTOMS
This is literally Not Another Teen Movie meets Dodgeball aimed at zillennials and with a LGBTQ slant.
While not really bringing much in the way of new ideas to the risqué teen comedy genre, it does skewer it pretty hard and proves that the ladies can bring the raunch harder and dirtier than the fellas. I did laugh a bit.
I went to a 10 am showing and there was one other guy there who looked like a dirty old grandpa (and he probably thought I was a creepy middle aged guy for all I know…) :eek:

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I thought this was really funny. Took me a bit to realize it was satire and suspend a bit of disbelief.

Marshawn was great in it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

TALK TO ME
At quick glance one could easily dismiss this film as being another ho-hum teen-slanted “possession” film in the vein of tepid Blumhouse efforts like Truth or Dare and Ouija. But then you see the A24 banner and shed a sigh of relief, since even the company’s mediocre horror films are still 10x better than other production companies’ efforts.
Honestly, this film has more in common with the original Flatliners and classics like Carnival of Souls and The Sentinel than any of its contemporaries.
But I digress. For their first feature film YouTube sensations the Philippou brothers tweak the all-too-familiar demon-let-out-of-its-box trope just enough to keep things interesting. Toss in some jarring jump scares, some brutal moments of gore, dizzying camera work, and insane sound design and you’ve got a winner.
The ending may be viewed as a cop-out by some; sure, if you take it at face value it makes the third act come off like a mess of plot holes and unfinished ideas. Yet another interpretation of the ending changes the whole film, potentially rendering the protagonist as an unreliable narrator. Regardless of how you decide to read the finale, the ride there is fast, furious, and fun.

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Loved it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

Loved me Black Dynamite and I’ve always dug Michael Jai White…

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Looking forward to this one! Love MJW. Didn't you interview him before?

For a couple lesser known performances by him, go check him out in the Métal Hurlant Chronicles episodes, "King's Crown" and "The Endomorphe." As a fan of the OG Heavy Metal comics, I ended up REALLY digging that whole series. Might be right up your alley, dookey.

A HAUNTING IN VENICE
Kenneth Branagh and Michael Green’s third Agatha Christie adaptation is an entertaining diversion if only for Mr. B’s delightfully delicious interpretation of Hercule Poirot, his camera trickery, the lushly gothic cinematography of Haris Zambarloukos, and the locale; even still, it’s easily the best of these films so far. That said, I figured out whodunnit before the third act. :eek::D
The cast, for the most part, is stellar, yet there are a few hiccups, specifically in the casting of both Kelly Reilly and Tina Fey, the latter of whom wears a smug RBF throughout the entire film as if she’s bored and above the proceedings. Perhaps this was the intent, as she plays a bossy, self-inflated American mystery novelist, but if it was, then that was a misstep, too. Ms. Reilly seems to be there solely because of her popularity from Yellowstone and not much else. Then again, casting in these films has always been interesting, to say the least.
Quibbles aside, the rest of the cast is top notch. Kyle Allen, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Emma Laird, Camille Cottin, and Riccardo Scamarcio all shine in small roles that bring depth and nuance to the film.
The real draw here, however, is Branagh; he is unquestionably mesmerizing from the moment he appears onscreen all the way through to the end credits.
Suffice it to say, I’m down for him to continue with further Poirot projects for sure!

Qien es mas Poirot: Branagh o Suchet?

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Originally Posted by PB

Qien es mas Poirot: Branagh o Suchet?

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Actually never seen any of the Suchet endeavors.

I've only seen the Albert Finney Murder on the Orient Express and the Peter Ustinov Death on the Nile. I prefer Branagh's Poirot to either of those (though PU was kinda cool...)

OUTLAW JOHNNY BLACK
Michael Jai White’s Hollywood trajectory has always puzzled me. Dude is a triple threat—he can do drama, he can do comedy, and he can kick ass (literally)—yet he has largely been relegated to low-budget, direct-to-video B-movies. One could easily come to the conclusion of Tinsel Town’s systemic racism, yet Scott Adkins (who is white) suffers the same fate. Perhaps those in charge have an aversion to athletically muscular martial artist thespians? But I digress.
With OJB White attempts to skewer—and simultaneously pay homage—to the Western genre, much as he did to the blaxploitation era with 2009’s Black Dynamite. The result is a mixed bag that largely coasts along thanks to White’s infectious charm and fisticuff finesse.
The first act is pretty solid, with some sagebrush kung fu and laugh-out-loud moments, but the second act drags on for far too long, leaving the third act scrambling to regain the momentum from earlier on in the film.
Some of the comedic riffs suffer from a deadpan, almost cavalier tone, leaving many bits to fall flat where a more blunt Mel Brooks/Zucker Bros.-styled approach might have worked better. There are a few semi-cringe inducing scenes where I know the intent was to point out the troubled history of the Western using white actors to portray Native Americans, but the tone is off. And while the opening credit sequence pays tribute to innumerable Spaghetti Westerns, I wish White and company had included more drastic ocular close-ups lampooning Leone (if they had done this repeatedly throughout the film I woulda been on the floor laughing my ass off).
Likewise, the film could have used more action in the form of White’s kung fu fighting; the few moments where he lets his fists fly are glorious, as are the brief respites of gunplay.
The film is also way too long, clocking in well over 2 hours; it could very easily have been trimmed by 30-45 minutes.
Yet despite these shortcomings the cast is pretty stellar, featuring a few nice surprises. Plus White is just so damn charismatic that he fully carries the film and compels you to keep watching.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

A HAUNTING IN VENICE
Kenneth Branagh and Michael Green’s third Agatha Christie adaptation is an entertaining diversion if only for Mr. B’s delightfully delicious interpretation of Hercule Poirot, his camera trickery, the lushly gothic cinematography of Haris Zambarloukos, and the locale; even still, it’s easily the best of these films so far. That said, I figured out whodunnit before the third act. :eek::D
The cast, for the most part, is stellar, yet there are a few hiccups, specifically in the casting of both Kelly Reilly and Tina Fey, the latter of whom wears a smug RBF throughout the entire film as if she’s bored and above the proceedings. Perhaps this was the intent, as she plays a bossy, self-inflated American mystery novelist, but if it was, then that was a misstep, too. Ms. Reilly seems to be there solely because of her popularity from Yellowstone and not much else. Then again, casting in these films has always been interesting, to say the least.
Quibbles aside, the rest of the cast is top notch. Kyle Allen, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Emma Laird, Camille Cottin, and Riccardo Scamarcio all shine in small roles that bring depth and nuance to the film.
The real draw here, however, is Branagh; he is unquestionably mesmerizing from the moment he appears onscreen all the way through to the end credits.
Suffice it to say, I’m down for him to continue with further Poirot projects for sure!

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I didn't see this review before I saw it last night, but I pretty much agree with all of this.

One thing that stood out to me was the cinematography. Lots of the same beautiful establishing shots as Death on the Nile, but once they are in the house it feels so different from the other two. Haris Zambarloukos did all three I think, so well done on his part creating a disorienting and spooky feel to the film.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

Actually never seen any of the Suchet endeavors.

I've only seen the Albert Finney Murder on the Orient Express and the Peter Ustinov Death on the Nile. I prefer Branagh's Poirot to either of those (though PU was kinda cool...)

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Agree regarding Branagh over AF and PU. I'll take Suchet over Branagh, though. I'm actually pretty Luke warm towards most Agatha film adaptations, the basic plot lines always seem one dimensional, as do the characters generally. Suchet as Poirot really was wonderful - might have taken good thing and driven into the ground, though, as many times as he reprised the role. Suchet is also delightful as a villain - The Bank, Job, Executive Decision.

Pretty sure I saw this flick back in 1986 when it was called The Golden Child…:biggrin:

Still planning to see it though, since offerings at the cineplex are thin these days.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

Michael Jai White’s Hollywood trajectory has always puzzled me. Dude is a triple threat—he can do drama, he can do comedy, and he can kick ass (literally)—yet he has largely been relegated to low-budget, direct-to-video B-movies. One could easily come to the conclusion of Tinsel Town’s systemic racism, yet Scott Adkins (who is white) suffers the same fate. Perhaps those in charge have an aversion to athletically muscular martial artist thespians?

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You're not wrong. While I don't think it has anything to do with systemic racism due to A-list stars like Will Smith, Denzel, Freeman, Murphy, among many others, I DO think it's a serious injustice that MJW can't seem to get make it to the top. He is SO crazy talented and even if you give him a low-budget schlock-fest, he has the acting chops to make it awesome. Not many actors can pull that off near to the level that he can. Total badass and according to wikipedia "White holds seven legitimate black belts in Kyokushin Karate, Goju-Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate, Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Kobudo, and Wushu." Dayum!!!

For the very reasons that you and I both see in him, he is seriously one of my favorite actors in Hollywood. Definitely deserves waaaaaay more mainstream recognition.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dookeyXXX

Pretty sure I saw this flick back in 1986 when it was called The Golden Child…:biggrin:

Still planning to see it though, since offerings at the cineplex are thin these days.

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The Golden Child, with Eddie Murphy???

Prepare to be confused!