The Dog Stars

 

           Directed by Ridley Scott and based on the best selling novel by Peter Heller,  this is a bit of a fresh take on a post apocalyptic story. 

            It's 2035 (too close for comfort) and a strain of flu has wiped out most of mankind. Some survivors roam the countryside as "ravengers", feral armies taking supplies and killing at random. Other people, apparently immune to the virus try to survive where they can. Thankfully there are no zombies. The ravengers are bad enough.

             The film stars Jacob Elordi as Hig, a mechanic and pilot who lives with Bangley, an ex-marine, played by Josh Brolin (always cast as a tough guy lately), The two have great chemistry having lived together for years in a small deserted airfield. Co-starring are Margaret Qualley as Cima and Guy Pearce as her father "Pops".

             Hig meets Cima and Pops when he has plane trouble and is forced to land in a remote area. Other co-stars include Benedict Wong as the leader of a small Mennonite community and Alison Janney as the leader of another "community". Ms. Qualley has played her share of interesting characters of late and it's refreshing to see her in a more down to earth role.

            The cinematography by Eric Messerschmitt, is wonderful, especially when Hig is flying through the Italian skies (standing in for Colorado). Mr. Scott is no stranger to action driven scenes and while the film is more character driven and almost low key, there are a few exciting action sequences film. Late in the film, things get very weird for a short time, that seems out of place (more of a "Walking Dead" scenario minus the zombies) but it's forgivable as the story gets back on track pretty quickly.

             While it is marketed for IMAX, it's not really necessary to see it that way but the flying scenes and action scenes do look great on a big screen.

             

Coyote Vs. Acme

 

           If you grew up watching Looney Tunes cartoons, this new film will be nostalgic nirvana. It is the best example of live action combined with animation since "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

           Of course if you have never seen a Roadrunner/Coyote cartoon, this is not the film for you. But for those of us familiar with the characters, it's a blast (literally and figuratively).

            Based originally on a New York satire article, the film imagines a world where cartoon characters co-exist with people. After seeing a commercial for a lawyer who represents cartoons, Coyote, tired of using defective Acme products to catch the Roadrunner, decides to sue Acme and hires Kevin Avery to represent him. The name Avery being a nod to animator, Tex Avery.

             The film stars Will Forte as Avery (perfect casting), Lana Condor as Paige, his niece and assistant, and John Cena, as Buddy Crane, the head attorney for the Acme corporation. Other humans in the film include Tone Bell as Sal Maltese (a nod to Michael Maltese, co-creator of Roadrunner), Luis Guzman, Martha Kelly as Dottie Jones ( a nod to Chuck Jones, co-creator of Roadrunner), P.J. Bryne, and Kenneth Choi.

             Eric Bauza does the voices for about 13 different Looney Tunes characters, Candi Milo voices four characters and Jim Cummings does the voice of The Tasmanian Devil. The minor characters and cameos of other famous Looney Tunes characters are just terrific. Mr. Bauza does great voice work and honors the original work of the legendary Mel Blanc. 

             There are sight gags galore as well as some very funny dialog. Interwoven into the craziness is a heart warming story that integrates the live action with the cartoon aspects seamlessly. 

              It's a lot of fun for young and old alike. "That's all Folks"

              

The Rivals of Amziah King

 

           Wow...how refreshing to discover a totally original film that succeeds on so many levels. And welcome back Matthew McConaughey after a five year hiatus.

            Writer and director Andrew Patterson wisely cast Mr. McConaughey as beekeeper and blue grass musician, Amziah King, living in rural Oklahoma. His easy going charm welcomes you in from the first scene and lingers throughout, even after a surprising turn of events.

             Co-starring a wonderful Angelina LookingGlass (in her major film debut), even she is not immune to Amaziah's charms as his former foster charge. Her character, Kateri, is a force of nature herself and owns the second half of the film. In addition, the film co-stars Owen Teague, Scott Shepard, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Cole Sprouse, Jake Horowitz, and Kurt Russell. Members of the cast play a terrific part time Bluegrass band and provide much of the film's soundtrack and songs.

            We learn quite a bit about the raising and caring of honeybees (shot incredibly without CGI) but the story is also filled with music, murder, revenge,  an unusual heist and ultimately a love of community. It's entirely original in plot and enjoyable throughout. I highly recommend it as a refreshing summer blast.

              

The End of Oak Street

 

  

        Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell (who made the excellent film "It Follows"), this big budget follow up is a strange mix of storytelling, at once suspenseful and yet also ridiculous at times. 

          The plot is "Jurassic Park"  meets suburban America, circa 1982. Mr. Mitchell's costumes, visuals, and choice of music all represent the time period perfectly. Things start to go off the rails once a cosmic wormhole (at least that seems to be the explanation) sends the entire neighborhood back to the age of dinosaurs,

            Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor star along with Maisy Stella and Christian Convery as the Platt family, the core family trying to survive their horrific situation. Their struggles, along with a subplot of underlining issues within the family dynamic, form the drama that is the emotional center of the film. All four actors do a great job of expressing fear and anxiety. 

            At times, the film is exciting and suspenseful, especially in tight quarters but there are moments that truly make no sense and others that are really laughable. While most of the film stays within the range of its PG-13 rating, there are moments of visceral violence that could have easily given it an R rating instead. These moments are fairly shocking and seem out of place with the overall tone of the film. 

              While ultimately disappointing due to the confusing story construction, it's still a reasonably fun "popcorn" movie due to it's hard working stars and decent visuals. 

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma

 

      Imagine walking through a contemporary art exhibit, taking in all the exhibits and liking some, while at the same time, hating some and being confused by the rest. That's how I felt watching writer/director Jane Schoenbrun's latest film. 

      One part slasher film parody, one part psychosexual love story, and one part film within a film, there is a lot to digest after seeing "Camp Miasma. The film is certainly bizarre, yet oddly touching as it explores self-awareness and queer themes in a satirical setting of a slasher film. It is also very funny.

       Hannah Einbinder stars as Kris, a queer filmmaker looking to make a reboot of an old slasher franchise. Her co-star is Gillian Anderson as Billy Presley, the original "survivor" actress from the first film, who is now a recluse living on the abandoned set of the film.

       Co-stars include  Patrick Fischler, Arthur Conti, Zach Cherry, Sarah Sherman and a cameo from Dylan Baker. The film really belongs to Ms. Einbinder and Ms. Anderson though, as the majority of screentime features just the two women as their initial relationship grows more intimate and certainly more intense as the story goes on.

       You can easily see flourishes of "Sunset Boulevard", "Psycho", and of course "Friday the 13th" throughout the film. Ms. Anderson plays it straight even as she channels Gloria Swanson. As for the slasher film backdrop, the killer in the film is named "Little Death", no coincidence that the French refer to an orgasm as "Little Death". In addition, the character lives in a hole at the bottom of a lake, born with a confusing sexual identity. Again, a lot to digest. 

         Not necessarily done for a mainstream audience, fans of both Jane Schoenborn and Hannah Einbinder will definitely enjoy the film and have a lot to discuss after the credits roll (by the way, there is a short post credit scene as well).

        

I Want Your Sex

 

       Yes, it's a provocative title but in the hands of director and co-writer (with Karley Sciortino) of Gregg Araki, I would consider this new comedy/drama a parody of contemporary art and sexual politics. This is Mr. Araki's first film in twelve years after a string of independent films (including "The Doom Generation") and he has a lot to say about the world today.

        The film opens with a clever nod to "Sunset Boulevard" and "9 1/2 Weeks" setting the stage for an unusual relationship between an artist with an open mind towards kinky sex and her new art gallery  assistant, who becomes her latest "boytoy".

         Cooper Hoffman stars as Elliot, the naive gallery assistant looking for a connection he is not getting from his current girlfriend (played by Charli XCX) or his life in general. Olivia Wilde is Erika, the gallery owner and artist hoping to make a splash with her latest outragous exhibit. Erika sees something in Elliot and he soon becomes entangled in a serious BDSM sexual relationship with the domineering Erika. The film also co-stars Mason Gooding, Daveed Diggs, Chase Sui Wonders, Margaret Cho and Johnny Knoxville.

         While erotic up to a point, Mr. Araki's exploration of sexual dynamics becomes more comedic than sexy, but he blends his genres so well the film becomes a smart commentary while, at the same time, poking fun at Generation Z's expense. His stylish and colorful direction is visually appealing and Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Wilde don't hold back in their onscreen chemistry. Their sex scenes are wild without being overly explicit.  These are daring roles for both actors and they pull it off. Mr. Hoffman, in particular, is exceptional as the conflicted Elliot.

          A mainstream audience may be put off by the title and apparent subject matter but the film sneaks up on you and certainly has more to offer than what one might think going in. 

            

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

 

           Tom Holland returns in his fourth go round as Spider-Man. The twist for anyone who missed "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is that no one recognizes Peter Parker as Dr. Strange's spell wiped the memory of anyone who knew him.

            Spider-Man continues to battle old and new adversaries but his friends no longer know his alter-ego. That includes MJ, played again by Zendaya and Ned, played again by Jacob Batalon. Jon Bernthal also returns as Frank Castle aka "The Punisher" (in a slightly watered down version). Sadie Sink joins the cast as a surprise character. And, anyone who has seen the trailer knows that Mark Ruffalo aka "The Hulk" makes an appearance but there are other surprise cameos that I won't spoil here.

             The film is a blast from start to finish. Mr. Holland has matured in the role and so has his character. There are plenty of action sequences but surprising moments of genuine gravitas as well as humor. CGI works overtime here but it's done so well, you hardly notice. There is real emotional interplay among the characters in a story that is a bit darker than the previous films.

              For fans who enjoy hidden "Easter Eggs", there are plenty to spot including recreating classic Spider-Man comic covers and other references to elements in the Marvel universe. It will probably take multiple viewings to spot them all.

               As with all Marvel films, audiences wait through the credits for extra scenes and while this one does have one tiny scene at the very end, it is cryptic and on the surface doesn't reveal any plot details about future Marvel films. My personal takeaway is that while Spider-Man will return, it won't be in "Avengers: Doomsday" coming later this year but rather "Secret Wars" slated for 2027.

                 For now, we can enjoy "Brand New Day" as it is terrific entertainment and try to see it on the biggest screen possible.