Review: The Night Clerk

Release date: February 21, 2020
Running time: 90 minutes
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Ana de Armas, Helen Hunt 

The Night Clerk follows Bart (Sheridan), a voyeuristic hotel clerk, who becomes the subject of a murder investigation.  Bart works the nights at a hotel and has installed a series of cameras in the rooms to observe the occupants.  And while this would normally seem sinister, Bart is on the spectrum and is doing this in order to try and understand and practice conversations.  However, this sinister but innocent practice goes awry when his cameras witness a murder.

The Night Clerk has a nice, compact story with decent characters.  Sheridan does a good job as Bart, with his quirks and sensibilities.  He fashions him into a likable character who just happens to have some different practices.  And Sheridan has to do a good job because although the practices that Bart does are innocuous when explained, they could have come off as very creepy.  Thankfully, the character stays in the more mundane realm rather than crossing over.  After witnessing the murder, Bart meets Andrea (de Armas), an intriguing, understanding traveler who instantly takes a liking to Bart.  As with everything, de Armas is great as Andrea, and provides a love interest for the awkward hotel clerk.  However, the relationship that they have is a little weird, especially the way that it starts.

The story of The Night Clerk is a nice, compact journey but it has some issues.  Despite being a relatively short movie, the story is slow at times and has a lot of coincidences that move it along.  However, these coincidences can feel contrived.  There are not a lot of characters to meet and a lot of it does take place through hidden cameras.  The voyeuristic style that tells a lot of the story is an interesting one, and definitely gives a different perspective to how some of the scenes playout.  But the conclusion of the story is a little too convenient and feels unfulfilling.

The Night Clerk has an interesting premise and some good characters, with a voyeuristic style that gives a unique perspective on this thriller.

Rent it.

News: CHILDREN OF THE SEA is Available on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD September 1st

From STUDIO4°C (Tekkonkinkreet, MFKZ, Mind Game) and director Ayumu Watanabe comes Children of the Sea, a beautiful adaptation of the prize-winning manga. Featuring a score from legendary composer and long-time Studio Ghibli collaborator Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro), this critically-acclaimed film will be available digitally, as a Blu-ray™ and DVD combo pack, and on DVD September 1, 2020 from GKIDS and Shout! Factory.  Additionally, Children of the Sea is scheduled for a nationwide theatrical release in select cinemas via Fathom Events on August 11 and 12--assuming that theaters are open then--in subtitled and English dubbed versions, with more details to be revealed soon.

All editions of the release will include a number of bonus features, including an interview with director Ayumu Watanabe and CGI director Kenichiro Akimoto, an interview with composer Joe Hisaishi, a behind the scenes featurette, animatic sequences, and more! The Blu-ray™ and DVD Combo pack will also include the exclusive "Turep - Looking for Children of the Sea", a feature-length pseudo-documentary from the creators of Children of the Sea that explores the legends that inspired the film and engages with its larger themes. Framed as a search for a lost brother with an affinity for the sea, this journey takes a young woman through old videotapes, conversations with marine and anthropological experts, and eventually, a small island nation far from Japan.

Review: 7500

Release date: June 19, 2020
Running time: 91 minutes
Starring:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Omid Memar, Passar Hariky

7500 follows the flight of a commercial airliner where soft-spoken young American co-pilot, Tobias (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and German pilot, Michael (Carlo Kitzlinger) are forced to fly under very difficult conditions.  What starts out as a routine day on the job quickly turns into a life-or-death struggle when terrorists determined to take control of the plane force their way into the cockpit.  Now, Tobias and Michael are forced to fly the plane while trying to keep themselves and the passengers alive.

7500 is a tense movie that mostly follows Tobias and his interactions with one of the terrorists Vedat (Memar).  These unpredictable, sometimes very human, and often stressful interactions lead to much of the dialog and tension of the film.  JGL is engaging as the young American co-pilot, who has to display a wide range of emotion during this ordeal.  From anger, to pain, to sadness, to pure despair, Tobias has to go all over the map.  But that is matched by Vedat's range.  Memar is asked to display a similar range of emotions and often must do so very rapidly.  He has the unenviable task of being unpredictable, enraged, but also strangely empathetic at times.  The rest of the small cast are likewise good, but the movie is dominated by these two. 

And the story of this film is tense, if a little short and uneventful.  Much of this film involves waiting for the next event; which can be unpredictable and nerve-wracking, but often times can lead to downtime in the story.  The filmmakers do use the limited space of the film (it takes place mostly in an airplane cockpit) and time masterfully, but it does make the movie feel small.  And although the writing is good, there are some odd choices that occur and some motivations are not fully fleshed out.  And finally, although this is an interesting movie, it does not appear to be based on any real life event, nor does it really seem to teach much.  It is a well done, stressful foray into a commercial highjacking, but in the end you don't really learn much other than that JGL and Memar are phenomenal actors.  

7500 is a tension-filled film with fantastic acting from its main characters and a compact story that depicts a stressful highjacking. 

Rent it.

News: Interview With Actor Neal Bledsoe About A Soldier's Revenge

On Friday we had the privilege of sitting down with actor Neal Bledsoe, the star in the western film A Soldier's Revenge.  We discuss how he got the role, what it was like to make the movie, and advice he has for young actors (WARNING this interview contains SPOILERS).  We also were able to get some funny stories about Neal's experiences on set and with his coworkers.

So take a listen and if you haven't already seen the film, it is available to rent or purchase here.

Youtube Video Link

Soundcloud Audio Link

WatchorPass · Watch or Pass Interview - Neal Bledsoe

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News: HBO's Roy Cohn Documentary Airs Thursday, June 18

BULLY. COWARD. VICTIM. THE STORY OF ROY COHN, will now debut THURSDAY, JUNE 18 (9:00-10:40 p.m. ET/PT). Originally scheduled to air June 19, the film takes an unflinching look at the life and death of infamous attorney Roy Cohn, who first gained prominence by prosecuting Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in what came to be known as the “atomic spies” case. The documentary draws on extensive, newly unearthed archival material to present the most revealing examination of Roy Cohn to date. Director Ivy Meeropol (“Indian Point,” HBO’s “Heir to an Execution”) brings a unique perspective as the granddaughter of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg; having spent much of her life feeling both repelled and fascinated by the man who prosecuted her grandparents, obtained their convictions in federal court and then insisted on their executions.

Review: Da 5 Bloods

Release date: June 12, 2020
Running time: 156 minutes
Starring: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Chadwick Boseman 

Spike Lee is back with Da 5 Bloods, a new Spike Lee Joint. This film is the story of four African American vets who return to the jungles of Vietnam on a search to find their fallen Squad Leader Stormin’ Norman​ (Boseman)'s remains and buried treasure. Norman taught these gentleman how to coexist as rebels and patriots, while bonding them into a surrogate family: Da 5 Bloods.  Led by Paul (Lindo),the brotherhood of heroes along with his son David (Majors) are truly tested by the forces of man and nature along with the lasting devastation from the Vietnam War. 

Part of Netflix's Black Lives Matters Collection, Da 5 Bloods delivers an abundance of powerful messages along with educational pieces on African American Culture. The cast does an amazing job across the board but Delroy Lindo makes this a must watch with his performance. This movie highlights the consequences and tragedy of war.  This is most seen through Lindo's character Paul, who is suffering from PTSD, a flawed relationship with with his son David, and refusing to seek therapy for help.  His time in conflict wired him differently and he carries that burden into his civilian and daily life.  And despite the war being over for many years, the war truly is never over for these soldiers and their foes as displayed very early in this film in a powerful scene.

Spike Lee once again displays his strength and skill in being one of the best political filmmakers. And in true Spike Lee fashion, this is done in a heavy yet stylish way.  For example in a few scenes he would make references to events in African American history and display beautiful and original graphic images to compliment it, seemlessly educating the viewers.  I also loved how Spike Lee filmed them movie in different aspect ratios, standard widescreen ratios for modern scenes and the 4:3 aspect ratio at about 16mm for the Vietnam flashback scenes.  It really helps to visually separate these two times and is a striking touch.  

The display of brotherhood and camaraderie amongst these gentleman was powerful. This display spoke to humanity in general and also helped to highlight the significance that African Americans played during the Vietnam War.  They went to fight for a country who didn't believe in them yet they still did it as elite soldiers.  This style of layered storytelling is especially poignant today with our current world events.  Da 5 Bloods speaks to America's history of racism and societies practice of diminishing the contributions of its Black citizens.  Da 5 Bloods hopes to educate its viewers with an amazing film and a call for empathy. 

In a time in which the world is in flux, protesting against social injustice and mourning the murder of George Floyd and many other black citizens, the messages from Da 5 Bloods are well timed and needed to further this fight for freedom.  Spike Lee's latest picture is a poignant reminder of brotherhood and the contribution of black Americans, with a striking visual style that will educate while entertaining.  

Watch it.

Review: Artemis Fowl

Release date: June 12, 2020
Running time: 95 minutes
Starring: Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Josh Gad, Judi Dench

Artemis Fowl was originally scheduled for a theatrical release this summer, but when the world shut down Disney made the admirable move of releasing the film on its Disney+ service.  After his father is taken, young Artemis Fowl, a criminal prodigy, hunts down a secret society of fairies that he thinks are responsible for this.  In the process, he will discover much about his own family and the world that we cannot see.

Artemis Fowl is a mixed bag.  First the good.  It has an all-star cast, including the likes of Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Colin Farrell, and Nonso Anozie.  Now how these characters are used is a different story but at least they got a good group to star in this.  And it also has admirable work from newcomers Ferdia Shaw and Lara McDonnell.  In fact, all the cast put in good performances in a script that is a mixed bag.  And on top of the cast, the story is filled with beautiful special effects.  The film went all out on the CG, and for most part it looks good.  Sometimes it is a little too much, hurting the suspension of disbelief, overall it is a beautiful movie.  And the story has some interesting parts, with a secret fantasy world hidden right under our noses.  It feels at times like part Men in Black, part Harry Potter; a fantasy world that regular humans cannot see and that the fairies must jealously protect.

However, this story feels all over the map.  There are some interesting concepts, but the Fairy world just didn't hold my attention like I was hoping.  And there are some aspects that are not explained, which I imagine is paving the way for a sequel of this film.  Unfortunately, although this is an ambitious film, I don't think that it will be starting a franchise.  The characters are over the top, but I didn't love them.  Like I said, the actors all put in fine performances but I believe they are let down by the story.  And poor Judi Dench, going from Cats to a gruff Fairy queen.  This film is also in a weird place in terms of content.  It is too scary for young kids, but not advanced or serious enough for young adults.  I don't know if this will appeal to older kids and teens, but my own children didn't want to see this.

Artemis Fowl is a bold effort, with an all star cast and really beautiful effects, but the hit or miss story and odd choices hold this film back from soaring. 

Rent it.