Malcolm & Marie

 

Malcolm & Marie is a Netflix produced drama starring Zendaya and John David Washington. When director, Malcom and his girlfriend Marie, come home after a successful movie premier, tensions fly and fights ensue over lingering frustrations that are about to implode.

The movie’s plot was inspired by director Sam Levinson’s fight with his wife after he forgot to thank her during an award ceremony for his hit HBO show Euphoria. I liked the idea of this story line but I do not think there was enough material to warrant an entire movie.

I know that Levinson is a fan of a lot of convoluted dialogue but this was too dialogue heavy. It literally felt like an hour and a half of verbal abuse. I don’t know anyone who could sit and fight for that long at 2am. At a certain point it just seemed unrealistic.

In regard to the cinematic choice, I know that Zendaya stated that the movie was filmed in black and white to give the movie a timeless element and to reclaim a bit of that golden age of Hollywood from the Black perspective but I didn’t get all of that when I saw it. I thought that perhaps it was chosen because the character of Malcolm had an affinity for classic movies, so Levinson chose to film in black and white as an ode to him. Regardless of the reasoning behind it, I wasn’t a huge fan. It’s hard to tell time with a black and white movie and honestly I just prefer the pops and pleasures that color gives on screen.

The only true positives I have for this movie are that Zendaya and John David Washington are true professionals. They really delivered in this film. It’s hard to keep someone engaged in a move that only has two cast members but they were able to do it. Filmed during the COVID lockdown, I think these two really brought their A game. This was by far Zendaya’s most mature role to date and she carried it well. She was the show stopper. She gave a wide range of emotions and I really connected to her heartbreak. John David Washington was a bit of the same for me with just an extra ump of intensity and a sprinkle of comedy. They played well off each other and had a good chemistry. To be honest, I will watch these two in anything, and commit until the end, even if it’s as lackluster as Malcom & Marie.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

For those who don’t know, Zack Snyder had to leave prior to the completion of filming Justice League due to a family emergency, so Joss Whedon stepped in to complete 2017's Justice League. After much protest from fans and the actors in the film, Zack Snyder has finally released his version of Justice League and it did not disappoint.

The movie is 4 hours long but doesn't feel like it. The story moves well, it gave a fresh take to the original version with a darker, more interesting path, to the conclusion. There is less focus on the corny one liner jokes and more of a seriousness and focus on the depth of the characters and the telling of the story.

Because the movie was longer it opened up for more character development, which was great. I liked how they dove deeper on The Flash and Cyborg. In the original Cyborg was very angry and one dimensional, but in this version he is more complex, you see the origins of his story, his family dynamic and his overall purpose. The Flash was just the comedic sidekick on the original but he also got more of a backstory and although still quirky and funny, got more depth to his role as well.  It made me like both their characters even more and has me super excited for The Flash's upcoming movie.

In the end, Snyder’s version was completely different and so much better than Whedon’s in every sense of the word. The epilogue was kind of all over the place but has me really intrigued on what could be for future films. I hope Snyder can work out his issues with DC and complete his vision for a Justice League trilogy.

The Devil All The Time

 

The Devil All the Time is a Netflix produced drama, based on the novel of the same name by, the film narrator, Donald Ray Pollock. The story is about the unexpected intersection of the lives of small town people, in the southern Midwest, and how they weave together over the course of 15 years.

The plot was interesting and engaging. It definitely encourages you to stay locked in because of all of the twists and turns though out the film. It also jumps time quickly and often so you have to stay on top of it to properly follow the story.

The cast included Marvel's Tom Holland and Sebastian Stan, along with Robert Pattinson. The acting and character development from the entire group was pretty good. There were a number of well-known British actors in the troupe, all of whom properly mastered the southern accent. Holland stole the show with his range and intensity. He brought something completely different from his Spider-Man character. The only issue I had with the casting was the director’s lack of focus on any sort of diversity.

I thought that this movie exercised some creative liberties so it wasn’t entirely realistic but it was still entertaining and showed the darkness and grittiness of humans at their worst. I liked that this film truly came full circle and was a proper subgenre of Hyperlink cinema. For those looking for an unpredictable crime drama, this one is worth a watch.

American Skin

 

American Skin is the story of former marine, Lincoln 'Linc' Jefferson’s, decision to take the law into his own hands after his son was murdered by a police officer during a traffic stop.

The plot was interesting and thought provoking with a lot of potential. Unfortunately the ending was predictable and a bit of a disappointment.

The script, casting and the acting were superb. Nate Parker’s direction and acting were excellent. He did a wonderful job of getting the audience to connect to his character, Linc, and to truly feel his pain. Power’s Omari Hardwick, Sons of Anarchy’s Theo Rossi and Seven Seconds’ Beau Knapp also did well in their respective roles on opposing sides. There was a great dynamic with all of these characters that brought a fierce tension that at any point could boil over.

Although the movie didn’t wrap up the way I wanted, I still thought it still made a strong effort to highlight the conversations that people of color have around the anxieties of police interactions due to systemic racism and racial profiling. Therefore, I still think this movie is worth checking out.

Coming 2 America

 

Coming 2 America is the sequel to Coming to America, 30 years in the making. When Prince Akeem discovers he has an illegitimate son in America, he returns to locate him to offer him the opportunity of a lifetime, Prince of Zamunda. It stars Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan and new comer Jermaine Fowler.

I came into this move knowing it was not going to be a critically acclaimed, thought provoking, emotional roller-coaster of a movie. It’s exactly what you would have expected it to be, a walk down memory lane. Full of nostalgia and flashbacks.

A good chunk of the original cast came back and some incredibly talented young new additions, Rotimi from Power & Teyana Taylor, were also included. Leslie Jones and Tracy Morgan were their typical comedic selves, Leslie brought the raunchy and Tracy brought the funny.

The plot was predictable, almost from the beginning, but it was still entertaining enough for me to want to keep watching. I thought the themes around a patriarchal society and how certain characters were working to push back against the norms, were interesting.

The anecdotes were typical Eddie Murphy, a bit on the corny side. He, as the writer, was very aware of the audience and made puns that were self-deprecating for their enjoyment.

Overall, it was a fun watch. Just note, if you haven’t seen the first movie, you definitely want to watch that one to properly connect to the story and the inside jokes.