Archives for : movie
If there’s any takeaway from Jeff Baena’s new comedy, “Spin Me Round”, it’s that Allison Brie and Aubrey Plaza need to be in more films together. But they aren’t the only shining stars in this movie.
Alison Brie plays Amber, a manager of an Italian chain restaurant (similar to Olive Garden) that gets selected to go on an all-expense paid trip to the company’s training program in Italy. Amber is not only thrilled at the chance to further her career, but she’s excited at the opportunity to fall in love. Once she arrives at the “institute”, she soon gets wrapped up in a different kind of “romance”.
Amber is not alone in this experience. The other managers in the program are Deb (Molly Shannon), Jen (Ayden Mayeri), Susie (Debby Ryan), Dana (Zach Woods), and Fran (Tim Heidecker), who are a little quirky. But they are the least of Amber’s worries. The group is not staying at a villa, but a rundown hotel. Their guide Craig (Ben Sinclair) is a mono-toned weirdo. And they can’t leave the compound. But, when Amber meets the restaurant’s handsome founder, Nick Martucci (Alessandro Nivola), his assistant, Kat (Aubrey Plaza) sneaks Amber away so that her and Nick can “get to know each other”. This eventually leads to one crazy adventure.
I’m not sure how many people will enjoy this film. There will be a lot of confusion, and some will wonder if there was a purpose for the movie. Well, the purpose is fun. Not every film is going to have a deep underlining meaning. “Spin Me Round” does touch on inappropriate power dynamics and manipulation tactics used in seduction, but that’s hardly the point. Director and co-writer, Jeff Baena (alongside co-writer Alison Brie), succeeds in making a hilarious, oddball comedy that is elevated by his excellent cast.
No surprise, Brie and Plaza are fantastic. They have great chemistry and engaging banter. While they may be the backbone of this wacky story, the ENTIRE comedic cast serve up plenty of laughs. Shannon might one of the best characters with her hot & cold, “mentally off” behavior. Mayeri plays a delightfully ditzy, overly positive manager. And Woods is the most endearing of the bunch, as he plays the awkward, number one fan of the chain.
The only negative is a certain character being removed from the film far too early and in a manner that felt unintentional, but the rest of the strong supporting cast makes up for this random disappearance.
If you allow yourself to be immersed in this weirdly entertaining story, then you’re in for a really great time. Believe it or not, I didn’t want it end. All these characters were so intriguing, I was craving an extended trip.
Rating: B
“Spin Me Round opens in theaters and available to rent August 19, 2022.
I got the chance to speak with the director and stars of the Netflix action/comedy, “Day Shift”. Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, and J.J. Perry discuss the film, which ring tone they would choose for each other, who they fanned out over and more!
Be sure to watch the hilarious interview, and the movie when it releases on Netflix August 12, 2022.
B.J. Novak’s directorial debut, “Vengeance”, is a thought-provoking, hilarious, dark comedy. The talented filmmaker also, wrote and starred in the film. I got a chance to speak with him about the film, the best way to connect with people, what he loved about Texas, and much more!
Check out the interview and the movie when it opens in theaters on July 29, 2022.
This week I review Jordan Peele’s latest sci-fi horror, “Nope” and the film adaption of the Delia Owens’ best-selling novel, “Where the Crawdads Sing”.
“Nope” and “Where the Crawdads Sing” are currently playing in theaters.
This week I got a chance to speak with director, Hannah Marks and actors, John Cho & Mia Isaac about their new movie, “Don’t Make Me Go”. The four of us chat about life lessons, road trips, how to know when you’ve found the right partner and more!
“Don’t Make Me Go” is available to stream on Amazon Prime July 15, 2022.
A comedy about an aspiring film crew doing whatever it takes to make it big, from starting a porno, to fighting demons, to starting a gang.
About this event
Raw Lemon’s first feature-length film “We Start A Series” screening at Texas Theatre on Jefferson! Experience the biggest comedy movie event happening in Oak Cliff, by Oak Cliff filmmakers. We’re buying three kegs of beer and handing them out to all who arrive on time! Come out, have a drink, have lots of laughs, and enjoy the night with us!
Date and time
Sun, July 17, 2022
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM CDT
Location
Texas Theatre
231 Jefferson Boulevard
Dallas, TX 75208
Purchase tickets here:
We Start A Series (Movie Event) Tickets, Sun, Jul 17, 2022 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite
We’ve come a long way since the first “Jurassic Park” (1993). And by that, I mean we’ve gone down, WAY down. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two Jurassic Park movies. I didn’t mind the forgettable third film, but it wasn’t good.
Then, director Colin Trevorrow decided to reboot the franchise with a film about what would have happened if the park actually opened, and it was a promising start. “Jurassic World” had a simple plot, it was relevant, and a whole lot of fun. However, that slight spike plummeted after the tragedy that was “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”, and now has officially crashed after the unfortunate end to this trilogy.
“Jurassic World Dominion” had all the potential with the return of original cast and the idea of what happens now that the dinosaurs from the park are out in the real world living among us. But somehow, they managed to take that potential and squander it with a convoluted plot, redundant dinosaur scares, and forced, corny dialogue.
In “Jurassic World Dominion”, we are seeing the effect of dinosaurs being part of our world. There are basically two stories going on; one follows Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen (Chris Pratt) as they try to protect their sort of daughter, Maisie (Isabella Sermon), from those who want to study her genetic make-up. All the while, Ellie (Laura Dern), Alan (Sam Neill), and Ian (Jeff Goldblum) unite to investigate the shady dealings at BioSyn which is now run by another Jurassic Park character, Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott). Genetic experimentation done by BioSyn has created an “ecological disaster” that might destroy the world’s food chain.
I’m not sure how much the plot matters here. Trevorrow clearly just wanted a reason to show off the dinosaurs and provide enough nostalgia for fan service.
It seems Trevorrow bit off more than he can chew. He had all the key ingredients to serve up a satisfying conclusion, but somehow, he didn’t create the right recipe. Though I’m sure he put a lot of effort into this script, he missed a huge opportunity to better connect the original characters with the new ones; and failed to deliver a screenplay that had us invested in them. Any sort of “development” is rushed, and the emotions that are supposed to feel impactful are never earned. The cast and this franchise deserved so much more from this “grand” finale.
Though “Jurassic World Dominion” isn’t a roaring success, it does rumble out some joy. Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcom is hilarious. The man is effortlessly entertaining. And of course, the dinosaurs! The kid in me still enjoys seeing the different dinos running around and terrorizing on screen. But I don’t think this morsel of fun justifies the two and half hours of chaos and confusion.
The only takeaway from “Jurassic World Dominion” is that the franchise is ready for extinction.
Rating: D+
You can also watch my ICTN review of the film along my thoughts of “Ozark” Season 4 in the video below!
“Infinite Storm” tells the powerful, true story of Pam Bales, a climber who encounters a stranded stranger during a blizzard and must get them both down a mountain before they freeze to death. I got the chance to speak with the star of the film, Naomi Watts and director Malgortzata Szumowska about the movie. They discuss why an act of kindness from strangers can have a lasting effect, the person in their life that had the biggest positive impact, and more.
“Infinite Storm” opens in theaters on March 25, 2022.
Mimi Caves directorial debut serves a familiar dish, but with a “fresh”, new taste.
I hate to spoil anything about Fox Searchlight Pictures’ “Fresh”, so I’m going to keep it brief.
The film follows, Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a young woman whose tirelessly looking for love through dating apps. The opening scene of the movie is an awkward, horrible first date. Noa is left feeling hopeless, and thinking that she’ll ever find a good guy. Her best friend, Mollie (Jojo T. Gibbs) is always by her side to console her and tell her she doesn’t need a man, but Noa still hopes for that special someone.
On a random evening at the grocery store, a handsome, charming man named Steve (Sebastian Stan) hits on Noa by the produce section. Sparks fly and they begin to date. They seem to have a true romantic connection. After a few dates, Steve suggests taking Noa away for the weekend. Unfortunately, this dream vacation quickly turns into an unthinkable nightmare.
Cave’s debut feature goes from rom-com to a dark, provocative horror. Audiences may think they’ve seen this story before, but it hasn’t been told quite like this. For starters, the film features a Grade-A cast. Stan’s character is unlike anything he’s played before. Between this film and “Pam and Tommy”, he’s proving his incredible versatility as an actor. And Edgar-Jones gives an unforgettable performance, as she brings a whole new level to the “damsel turns badass” story arc.
Screenwriter, Lauryn Kahn carves out a sharp, witty, and thrilling script. Caves brilliantly brings Kahn’s words to life with her directing. The film’s images range from picturesque to beautifully grotesque. “Fresh” delivers the whole package. It’s a deliciously, twisted horror/comedy that leaves you craving more.
“Fresh” is available to stream on Hulu on March 4, 2022.
Rating: A