In the picture: The Babysitter: Killer Queen

movie review

McG gives us more of the same in his sequel to The Babysitter

The Babysitter: Killer Queen

Starring: Judah Lewis, Emily Alyn Lind, Jenna Ortega, Robbie Amell, Andrew Bachelor, Leslie Bibb, Hana Mae Lee, Bella Thorne, Samara Weaving, and Ken Marino

Directed by: McG

Some films are created to express artistic ideas, engage viewers emotionally or intellectually, and/or hold a mirror to society. Others just aim to provide silly, escapist fun. The Babysitter falls firmly in the latter category. It may not have been a masterpiece by any means, but the 2017 comedy horror flick did manage to have quite a bit of fun with its R-rated Home Alone premise that revolved around a young boy trying to outwit his occultist babysitter and her minions. The characters now return for another zany, gory adventure in the sequel, Killer Queen, a retread that sticks to the style and tone of the campy original.

Things get off to a slow start as we are reunited with Cole (Judah Lewis) who is trying to navigate the hell that is high school two years after the events of the first movie (although he seems to have somehow aged about a decade during this time). Not only is he carrying the trauma of dodging death but he is frustrated by the fact that no one believes a satanic cult led by his former babysitter, Bee (Samara Weaving), really tried to kill him. His only ally is Melanie (Emily Alyn Lind), his neighbour and best friend, who witnessed some of the events during the fateful night.

The story finally makes some headway when Cole joins Melanie and her friends for a lake party where things take a fittingly crazy turn. Familiar faces return, and another attempt to perform the wish-granting demonic ritual ensues. New student Phoebe (Jenna Ortega) soon joins the action, as Cole tries, once again, to defeat the cultists.

If you have seen The Babysitter, then you know exactly what to expect from this sequel. There are plenty of silly jokes, random pop culture references, lots of gore and over the top kills. We also get several callbacks to incidents and gags from the original, flashbacks that show us how each of the baddies were recruited in the cult, and the ending gives us some closure although the film leaves the door open for a sequel/spin-off.

But the proceedings aren’t quite as entertaining as they were the first time around. For starters, the action takes a while to get going; the initial high school setup isn’t particularly interesting, and it takes a while for us to get to the craziness. And, perhaps even more importantly, the initial absence of a primary character makes the movie less engaging than its predecessor; as ridiculous as it was, the previous outing did have a more solid emotional core than the sequel does up until the final act.

All in all, the campy gorefest of The Babysitter: Killer Queen isn’t going to impress you with the depth and dexterity of its filmmaking but it is likely to please fans of the original who just want another dose of silly horror comedy.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 20th September, 2020 *

In the picture: I'm Thinking of Ending Things

movie review

A captivating build-up leads to an unsatisfying conclusion in Charlie Kaufman’s latest drama

I’m Thinking of Ending Things

Starring: Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Toni Collette, David Thewlis, and Guy Boyd

Directed by: Charlie Kaufman

His style may not vibe with everyone, but Charlie Kaufman’s idiosyncratic storytelling has certainly made him a fascinating filmmaker. And while his latest project – the eerie I’m Thinking of Ending Things – is as intriguing as you would expect, the psychological thriller is just as likely (if not more so) to confuse viewers as it is to captivate them. 

On the surface, the film appears to tell the story of a young woman (portrayed by a perfectly cast Jessie Buckley) who is going on a journey with her boyfriend (Jesse Plemons) to meet his parents (Toni Collette (wonderful, as always) and David Thewlis) while thinking of ending their six-week relationship. But Kaufman soon makes it abundantly clear that things aren’t exactly as they seem.

Glitches and anomalies enter the tale as the narrative soon degenerates into what feels like a fever dream. Details, ages, personas, behaviours, settings. circumstances … everything keeps shifting. But what exactly is going on?

It’s hard to tell. 

It all seems like (to borrow from Winston Churchill) a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. And it is a riddle that the average viewer does not have a reasonable chance of decoding, not without a superhuman ability to decipher vague clues anyway, or, barring that, at least some prior knowledge of either the Iain Reid novel the movie is based on or the many works the film references. There are some elements that are fairly obvious from the get-go (like the double meaning of the title, for instance) and other things you can pick up on if you pay close attention, but a cohesive whole remains elusive even after the end credits have rolled.

The acting is brilliant, the visuals are stunning, the creepiness is riveting, the execution is artistic and creative. But by the end, the obtuseness is frustrating and how the story is handled feels unsatisfying. In making things inaccessible, Kaufman strips the film of the impact a more comprehensible ending could have delivered. 

Ultimately how you feel about I’m Thinking of Ending Things will come down to how much you enjoy abstract filmmaking. You’re probably going to need to give this one time to fully appreciate it. The more you think about or discuss or read up on the movie (or novel – Reid’s original does seem more powerful than this adaptation), the more admiration you are likely to develop for the poignancy of its tragic tale. A second viewing thereafter is likely to be a more rewarding experience (although admittedly, if you didn’t enjoy the slow-burn drama of this movie the first time around, then you probably won’t want to sit through 134 minutes of this dark strangeness all over again).

Rating: 3 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 13th September, 2020 *

In the picture: Good Girls (season 3)

television series review

Comedy drama Good Girls doesn’t do anything particularly remarkable in its abbreviated third season

Good Girls

Season 3

Starring: Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman, Reno Wilson, Manny Montana, Lidya Jewett, Isaiah Stannard, and Matthew Lillard

Created by: Jenna Bans

As productions ground to a halt earlier this year because of the menace that is COVID-19, several television series had to cut their ongoing seasons short and retool (partially or completely) filmed episodes into early finales. Among those affected was the comedy drama Good Girls. Originally renewed for a 16 episode third season, the show only managed to make it to the eleventh instalment before the pandemic forced the crew to suspend production. What we were left with, as a result, was a truncated outing that basically gave us the (very languid) build up without delivering the payoff.

The dramedy – the story of three suburban moms who venture into the world of crime after struggling to make ends meet – maintains its tension in its latest block of episodes but the story fails to make significant headway.

Still fearing for their lives, Beth (Christina Hendricks), her sister Annie (Mae Whitman), and best friend Ruby (Retta) continue trying to get out from under Rio’s (Manny Montana) thumb, but just keep digging a deeper hole with each attempt to one-up their nemesis. Their latest money laundering venture sees them printing counterfeit bills, and, as you would expect, their activities end up hurting those in their orbit. Meanwhile, law enforcement remains on the trio’s tail; this time, it is agent Phoebe Donnegan (Lauren Lapkus) who is closing in and seems determined to take the girls down.

But it often starts to feel like the story is going around in circles. Good Girls seems stuck in a cycle of repetition, constantly putting off the change, comeuppance, and upheaval that is much needed at this point. Partially because of the stalling, certain elements of the proceedings are becoming increasingly unconvincing. Sure the last five episodes that were supposedly meant to deliver some excitement are missing because of the shutdown, but that does not excuse how slow and repetitive the 11 aired episodes have been.

It isn’t just that the storyline is dragging, but that the characters aren’t getting the development they require. While a few supporting players – like Dean (Matthew Lillard) and Ben (Isaiah Stannard) – have made meaningful progress, others, including the leads, aren’t being handled as well as they should be. Annie, for instance, slides back to her old ways just when you think she is about to show growth. And Beth still lacks the courage and control (or even the smarts to outwit Rio) that she should have had by now.

That’s not to say that the season has been an irredeemable mess altogether. Its premise, despite being derivative, remains compelling. We are invested in the tale of these complicated women who seem to want to do what’s best but often choose to dive deeper into trouble. The drama is still dark and tense, and often makes for entertaining, if frustrating, viewing. Hendricks is still terrific as the ringleader, and Montana and his smirk are still perfect.

Good Girls, in short, has a lot going in its favour, which is why it’s easy to see how much better the series can be. We have had two solid seasons, but the dramedy now seems unwilling to take the risks that are necessary to move the story forward.  The show has a good cast and setup; it just needs better writers to tap into its potential and shake things up. It’s time for the ladies to either face the music or call it a day.

Rating: 3 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 30th August, 2020 *

In the picture: Project Power

movie review

Project Power has plenty of visual flair but lacks emotional punch

Project Power

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, Colson Baker, Rodrigo Santoro, Amy Landecker, Allen Maldonado, and Courtney B. Vance

Directed by: Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost

Tagline: What would you risk for 5 minutes of pure power?

Netflix may have been the undisputed king of entertainment during this peculiar summer but the bulk of its feature length offerings have ended up being frustratingly mediocre. Now joining their list of middling releases is the action flick Project Power, a superhero caper that doesn’t make the most of its interesting concept.

At the centre of the premise is a pill that grants superpowers but comes with a catch: the powers are different for each individual – you don’t know which one you’ll get till you try the drug for the first time – and the effect only lasts for five minutes.

In a city struggling with increased crime brought on by this unpredictable and sometimes lethal drug, we meet Art (Jamie Foxx), a man who is trying to find the distributor of the Power pills. But he ends up being chased by a suspended police officer, Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who has been told that Art is the suspected source of these glowing capsules. The paths of both men intersect with that of teenage drug dealer and aspiring rapper Robin (Dominique Fishback) who sells pills to provide for her ailing mother. Frank has been buying capsules from Robin (and taking them in order to even the playing field while chasing Power-enhanced criminals) while Art tries intimidating her, hoping she will lead him to the people behind the drug.

As their arcs converge, the film reveals the true origin of the pills and the intent of the project that spawned them. With stakes that range from personal to global, the characters must team up to bring down the sinister operation and the vile operatives behind it.

Helmed by Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost (the team behind Paranormal Activity 3 and Paranormal Activity 4 as well as the film Nerve and the documentary Catfish), Project Power weaves several interesting but unoriginal threads into an uneven action thriller. There is visual flair aplenty here, but the movie doesn’t fully explore the implication – and, at times, consequences – of the topics it broaches, and struggles, in particular, with its dramatic elements. Considering how much is often at risk, it is strange that the proceedings remain emotionally hollow.

The strengths here lie in the visuals and action sequences – a scene that unfolds around a woman with Elsa-esque abilities is striking in particular. But character building and depth aren’t the movie’s strong suites. Even a very committed Foxx as well as a standout performance by relative newcomer Fishback can’t overcome the film’s weaknesses that stem from a predictable storyline and an underdeveloped script. An underutilized Gordon-Levitt also leaves you wishing he’d been given better material to work with.

Project Power is, ultimately, a watchable but forgettable entry in Netflix’s ever-expanding catalogue. It is more likely to feed your yearning for some mindless action than engage you with its supposed social commentary. 

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 23rd August, 2020 *

Animal Crackers - a sweet animated adventure

movie review

Animal Crackers

Starring (voices): John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Ian McKellen, Danny DeVito, Sylvester Stallone, Raven-Symoné, and Patrick Warburton

Directed by: Scott Christian Sava and Tony Bancroft

Filmmakers can find inspiration in the most unlikely of places. Even something like an animal-shaped cookie isn’t just a sweet treat for them; it’s the potential subject of a movie! That explains why we now have Animal Crackers, an animated fantasy adventure centred on a box of magical biscuits.

The movie tells the story of a family that inherits a “run-down, burnt-up, worn-out” circus which they must then save from being taken over by an evil uncle.

We begin in the 1960s as the film explains how circus-owner brothers Horatio (voiced by Ian McKellen) and Bob (James Arnold Taylor) have a falling out because they both like the beautiful Talia (Tara Strong). Bob ends up marrying Talia, while an angry Horatio leaves the circus. With Bob in charge, the show becomes known for its amazing animal acts.

Years later, Bob’s nephew Owen (John Krasinski) also finds love at the same circus, but he has to give up his dream of running the show in order to please his lovely wife Zoe’s (Emily Blunt) demanding father (Wallace Shaw). Meanwhile, Horatio keeps trying to discover the secret behind Bob’s act, but one day, his efforts end in tragedy. Owen then finds out that his uncle Bob has left him the circus as well as a magical box of animal crackers that is behind the show’s spectacle. If someone eats an animal-shaped biscuit from the box, they turn into that animal!

Will Bob (who works at his father-in-law’s dog biscuit factory), Zoe (who starts rebuilding the circus), and their carnival friends manage to save the show and defeat Horatio?

Maybe. Maybe not. But they will certainly learn a lesson or two along the way.

The magical world of Animal Crackers is filled with joy and fun. There are some amusing musical numbers, humorous gags, and moments of excitement.

But the adventure is quite uneven. It’s all a bit confusing at the start, very predictable by the middle, and altogether zany by the end. The characters are a little basic, although the delightful voice cast does a good job bringing them to life.

Ultimately, the film is somewhat like its namesake biscuits: sweet, a little bland, not particularly nutritious, but visually cute and fun to experience once in a while.

- By Sameen Amer

Young World, Dawn - 22nd August, 2020 *

In the picture: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend

review

An interactive special reunites us with Kimmy Schmidt and her friends for a zany adventure

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend

Starring: Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, Jane Krakowski, Daniel Radcliffe, and Jon Hamm

Written by: Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Sam Means, and Meredith Scardino

Directed by: Claire Scanlon

The Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt may have come to an end last year, but its sunny protagonist’s story now continues in a delightful special that not only gives us a chance to spend some more time in Kimmy’s whimsical company but also makes good use of its web-based platform.

Billed as a television movie at the Primetime Emmy Awards where it has snagged two nominations, Kimmy vs. the Reverend finds our resilient heroine (played with fitting gusto by Ellie Kemper) and her friends – Lillian (Carol Kane), Titus (Tituss Burgess), and Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) – continuing their shenanigans in an interactive episode in which you, the viewer, get to decide how things play out.

Since the events of the finale, Kimmy has fallen in love with a British royal and is now days away from her wedding to Prince Frederick (Daniel Radcliffe) who has had a life almost as peculiar as hers. But wedding planning takes a backseat when she discovers a book inside her old backpack that does not belong to her. Closer inspection reveals that the paperback was borrowed from a school library six years after she was kidnapped.

Realizing that something is amiss, Kimmy sets out on a quest to unravel the mystery, which leads her back to her now-incarcerated kidnapper Reverend Wayne (Jon Hamm) and the revelation that there is a second bunker with more kidnapped girls. 

Kimmy must now find and free the girls, and it is in the viewer’s hands how she gets there, if she gets there at all.

You are given the chance to make decisions, ranging from silly to serious, that impact the outcome. Choose wisely and you will lead Kimmy to her happily ever after. Make one wrong move though and you could end up dooming the victims, ruining the Time’s Up movement, or even killing the protagonist. But fear not, for the episode will always give you a do-over – make better choices, fix your mistakes, and find the happiest ending. Or mess up on purpose just to discover where each arc leads.

The special offers silliness aplenty as the absurd drama of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt proves to be perfect for a choose-your-own-adventure styled epilogue. The plot may not be very complex but it’s clear that considerable work and creativity went into crafting all the storyline. Not only are there several endings (after most of which you get chided by a character for messing things up), but even something as simple as skipping the theme song leads to humorous results.

It is fun to be reunited with the exuberant characters that populate Kimmy’s world, plus there are also several surprise cameos that keep things entertaining. The cast – from newcomers like Radcliffe (who fits right in) to old favourites like Hamm (who is as amusing as ever as the villain) – remains terrific.

A few inconsistences and dated references – do we really need more jokes about the Fyre Festival and Mark Wahlberg’s schedule? – notwithstanding, Kimmy vs. the Reverend is an enjoyable episode, the interactive elements of which work really well. Kimmy’s joyous disposition continues to be contagious, making her delightful comeback a bright spot in an otherwise dreary summer.

Rating: 4 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 16th August, 2020 *

In the picture: Feel the Beat

movie review

Dance comedy drama Feel the Beat is a formulaic but sweet family flick

Feel the Beat

Starring: Sofia Carson, Donna Lynne Champlin, Enrico Colantoni, Wolfgang Novogratz, Rex Lee, and Marissa Jaret Winokur

Directed by: Elissa Down

Tagline: Take your chance. Make your move.

A self-absorbed young dancer starts coaching a group of preteens and (eventually) learns life lessons as a result in Feel the Beat, a formulaic comedy drama that is let down by its predictability.

After a mishap not only embarrasses her publically but also threatens to end her Broadway dreams, icy perfectionist April (Sofia Carson) moves back to her hometown, where she is welcomed enthusiastically by her old dance teacher, Barb (Donna Lynne Champlin). April rejects Barb’s offer to coach the town’s struggling tween dance troupe, New Hope, but rethinks the proposal upon realizing that the situation could potentially work in her favour. Should New Hope do well and proceed to the finals of a dance competition, April could get the opportunity to perform with her students in front of judge Welly Wong (Rex Lee), a Broadway producer who could save her career.

Things unfold exactly how you would expect. No surprises are in store for viewers here. The story just puts together basic plot points that we have seen many times before (Bring It On, Glee, Pitch Perfect, School of Rock). You have misfit underdogs trying to succeed; a driven protagonist who needs to learn what’s important in life; a requisite romance (that, in this case, is never fully developed); and an uninspired, predictable resolution. 

There are Disney vibes aplenty here, and a Disney star (Carson) also takes centre stage. A considerably talented supporting cast – both in the form of seasoned actors (Champlin, Colantoni) and young performers who play members of New Hope (like Eva Hauge and Lidya Jewett) – try to make the emotional beats land, even when the drama doesn’t feel particularly authentic.

Not much about the project is very memorable, partially because the film doesn’t have anything new to say. To stand out, Feel the Beat needed a different spin on its worn-out concept, but the movie just doesn’t have a distinctive take on things or a unique flavour. The tale may have moments of warmth and there is the occasional humorous touch that works, but in its decision to take a by-the-numbers approach, the film misses the chance to make a mark. What we are left with is a safe, indistinctive retread that borrows heavily from better productions and isn’t as remarkable or joyous as it should be. 

All in all, Feel the Beat dutifully follows the competition-themed tween/teen dramedy recipe, and while it is sweet enough to be palatable, it doesn’t leave much of an aftertaste. The film isn’t likely to impress those who have already experienced numerous similar cinematic offerings but may get a more enthusiastic response from its younger, less jaded target audience.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 9th August, 2020 *