Bottoms

 

Bottoms is a satirical coming-of-age comedy that takes a no-holds-barred approach to exploring the absurdities of high school life. Directed by Emma Seligman, the film follows two unpopular best friends, PJ and Josie, who start a high school fight club to meet hot girls and lose their virginity. However, their plan backfires when some of the most popular students fully commit to the fight club idea and start beating each other up in the name of self-defense.

The film's strengths lie in its bold and original concept, its strong female voices, and its diverse cast. The female perspective felt more authentic because it was written by women who also directed, Emma Seligman, or starred, Rachel Sennott, in the film. The premise of two girls starting a fight club is certainly attention-grabbing, and the film's satirical tone allows it to poke fun at the tropes of both teen comedies and coming-of-age stories.

Sennott and Ayo Edebiri deliver captivating performances as PJ and Josie, bringing depth and humor to their characters. The film also features a strong supporting cast, including Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, and Dagmara Domińczyk.

However, the film's over-the-top and excessive nature may not appeal to everyone. The use of blood and violence can be off-putting, and the film's raunchy humor may not land with all viewers. For me, it will be a film will need a repeat viewing to fully understand its purpose.

Even though it may be objectionable to some, one cannot deny that Bottoms is a bold and unapologetic film that offers a fresh perspective on the coming-of-age genre. Its themes of female empowerment and the absurdity of high school life are sure to resonate with certain audiences.

The Marvels

The Marvels is the action adventure comic book sequel to Captain Marvel (2019) and a continuation of the television miniseries Ms. Marvel (2022). Directed by Nia DaCosta, Marvel's youngest director and first-ever Black female director. Starring Brie Larson reprising the titular superhero, Carol Danvers, who finds herself grappling with the unintended consequences of her past actions. As she encounters a formidable adversary, her powers intertwine with those of two other extraordinary women: Monica Rambeau, played by Teyonah Parris, and Kamala Khan, portrayed by Iman Vellani. Together, they must learn to work together to restore order and save the universe.

This film was a captivating blend of action, adventure, and heartfelt storytelling. The action sequences were both creative and visually stunning, with vibrant colors and breathtaking special effects, showcasing the incredible powers of its characters. But what truly set The Marvels apart was its emphasis on character development.

I appreciated that The Marvels made a definitive effort in presenting a fully formed and diverse cast, reflecting the world we live in. It was refreshing to see a superhero film where women and people of color were not just sidekicks but central to the story. The film delved into the complex relationships between the three leading ladies and their adversary, Dar-Benn played by Zawe Ashton. The script did well in exploring their individual struggles and triumphs. Monica Rambeau and Dar-Benn had to grapple with grief and loss, while Kamala Khan stepped more firmly in her newfound identity as a superhero. And Carol Danvers had to confront the weight of her past actions and the responsibility that comes with her immense powers.

Director DaCosta masterfully weaved together the threads of these characters' stories, creating a cohesive and entertaining narrative that was heartfelt. The film explored themes of redemption, friendship, teamwork, and sacrifice, giving depth and emotional resonance to the action-packed sequences. The film also did a great job of filling in viewers who haven't seen Captain Marvel, WandaVision, or Ms. Marvel in a while, making it an enjoyable standalone experience for both newcomers and fans of the franchise. 

In the end, I found The Marvels to be an exhilarating journey through the cosmos, filled with action, humor, and heart. It is a must-see for fans of superhero films and action-packed adventures.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

 

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to the popular Hunger Games franchise, taking us back to the 10th Hunger Games, where an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12. The film stars Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, and Viola Davis.

The plot was creative and engaging throughout. I also appreciated the film's numerous references to the original Hunger Games franchise. These references served as fun Easter eggs for fans of the series and helped to connect the prequel to the original story.

One of the film's biggest strengths was its diverse casting and acting. Zegler was outstanding as Lucy Gray Baird, fully transforming into the character. She captured Lucy's sensitivity, caring nature, leadership, and formidability. Her portrayal was truly remarkable, and her singing was beautiful. I didn't realize how extensive her musical range was as I was only familiar with her singing in Westside Story. Tom Blyth was also commendable as a young Coriolanus Snow. He masterfully portrayed the evolution of Snow from an innocent young man to a ruthless leader. His performance was believable and engaging. Viola Davis was perfectly cast as the diabolical villain Dr. Volumnia Gaul. She brought her signature intensity and gravitas to the role, making Gaul a truly formidable and menacing antagonist.

The film did rely on singing quite a bit, which might not appeal to everyone. However, I had to remember that singing was an important part of Lucy Gray's character and her story. It was, in a sense, like her superpower and allowed her to connect with people and express herself in a way she otherwise couldn't.

While the film was visually stunning and the acting is top-notch, it did feel a bit long at times and could have benefited from a slightly shorter runtime.

Overall, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was a well-made and entertaining prequel that will appeal to fans of the original franchise. The open-ended nature of the story makes me excited for potential sequels. There are many different ways the sequels could go, so I’m hoping future films will come so we can see how the story unfolds in the years to come.

Old Dads

 

Old Dads is a Netflix comedy that follows Jack Kelly (Bill Burr) and his two best friends, Connor Brody (Bobby Cannavale) and Mike Richards (Bokeem Woodbine), as they struggle to adjust to life after selling their company. The film is written, directed, and produced by Burr.

In Burr's directorial debut, I thought that he put together a plot was easy to follow and entertaining. For me the film was a bit misleading though as it leant more toward drama than comedy. Unfortunately, despite Burr's comedic background, the jokes often fell flat and some of the scenarios felt over the top and unrealistic. Additionally, the Gen X vs. Millennial premise was not entirely new, but the film did a decent job of poking fun at both generations. 

I appreciated the diversity in casting and thought that everyone played well off of each other. Burr was entertaining and did a good job carrying the film as the lead. It was nice seeing Rachael Harris in a role that was different from her more well-known role in Suits. Her performance as the villainous Dr. Lois Schmieckel-Turner was enjoyable as she was able to bring a good amount of range to make her unlikeable. Overall though there were a lot of one dimensional characters. It would have been nice to see a deeper dive on the majority of the cast, especially the females.

In the end, Old Dads was a decent watch for a casual Netflix movie night. The film had its moments, but it ultimately failed to deliver on its comedic potential. Burr's directorial debut showed promise, but the film's humor and overall tone could have used some tweaks. 

Oppenheimer

 

Oppenheimer is a biographical drama about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who played a key role in the development of the atomic bomb. The film was directed by Christopher Nolan and stared Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as his wife Kitty, and Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, a government official who oversaw the Manhattan Project.

The film was interesting and suspenseful, and it explored a number of complex themes, such as the relationship between science and society, the ethics of developing weapons of mass destruction, and the personal toll that such work could take on the scientists involved.

One of the film's strengths was its cast. Murphy was excellent as Oppenheimer, capturing his intelligence, charisma, and inner turmoil with great nuance. Blunt was also superb as Kitty, a strong and supportive wife who was not afraid to challenge her husband or those who challenged him. Downey Jr. was also unrecognizable as Strauss, giving a transformative performance.

Even though the film was over three hours, it was generally well-paced and visually stunning. Nolan and his team created a truly immersive experience, with recreations of the Manhattan Project facilities and atomic bomb tests that are both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Ludwig Göransson's score perfectly captured the film's tone and atmosphere.

However, the film was not without its flaws. One of the biggest issues was the lack of diversity. The cast was overwhelming white and male, which was a missed opportunity to explore the contributions of scientists from different backgrounds to the Manhattan Project.

Overall, Oppenheimer was a thought-provoking and visually stunning film with a strong cast. However, its lack of diversity prevented it from being a truly great film.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the animated action adventure sequel to 2018s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It follows Miles Morales as he embarks on an epic journey across the multiverse, where he meets a team of Spider-People from different realities. Together, they must face a new threat that could destroy the multiverse.

The film's cinematography was creative. The filmmakers used a variety of animation styles to create a truly unique and visually stunning experience. The film is also full of artsy embellishments and imagery.

The story was original and interesting, but the cliffhanger ending left something to be desired. It would have been nice to see the film complete its thought and resolve its conflicts without priming the audience for a sequel.

The script was well-written and the themes around friendship, responsibility, and the importance of embracing challenges were resonant and relatable.

The film also featured an even more diverse cast of characters than the original film, which was appreciated.

The soundtrack and score were also excellent, keeping the style of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse which helped to add to the overall experience of the film.

In the end, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was an enjoyable and thought-provoking film. It was visually stunning and emotionally resonant taking the multiverse concept to new heights. It's a must-see for fans of the Spider-Man franchise and animation in general.

Expend4bles

 

Expend4bles is the fourth installment in The Expendables film series, following The Expendables 3 (2014). In this film the aging mercenaries team up with a new generation of soldiers to take down a ruthless arms dealer with his own private army.

The movie is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it had much better fight sequences and cinematography than the previous films. The action is brutal and exciting.

On the other hand, although the story was interesting with some decent twists, the script was corny, unrealistic, and full of cheesy dialogue. And during certain action sequences the CGI was painfully cheap and fake looking.

Regarding casting Sylvester Stallone stated that this would be his last film in the franchise which was made abundantly clear in how they focused the story more on Jason Statham's character, which I was okay with. I also liked that they finally had a film in the franchise where a woman took more of the lead. Megan Fox is good as Gina, a CIA operator and member of the Expendables. She was tough and capable, and held her own against the male cast members. However, Fox's character doesn't have much in the way of character development. The same was true of the rest of new cast members. Even though the character development wasn’t very strong I did appreciate that they added some additional diversity with Tony Jaa as Decha, a former member of the Expendables, Iko Uwais as Suarto Rahmat, a mercenary and the secondary antagonist, Jacob Scipio as Galan, a new member of the Expendables and son of former member Galgo., Levy Tran as Lash, a CIA operator and a new member of the Expendables and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson as Easy Day, a new member of the Expendables.

Regarding the old guard, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture were back as Gunner Jensen and Toll Road, respectively. I liked the evolution of Gunner character. His wig was a mess but I did like the play on him getting older and needing glasses. They were both still fun to watch, but their characters had a lot of the same running jokes since the first movie. It was starting to feel a bit washed up. And Andy Garcia's character with the toothpick in every scene is a particularly odd choice.

In the end Expend4bles was a fun but forgettable action movie.