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Reviews
Bird (2024)
Flying with Broken Wings
'Bird' has similarities to Andrea Arnold's earlier film 'Fishtank' where an alienated teen put herself in serious danger while trying to escape loneliness and domestic dysfunction. In this new work Arnold focuses on pre-teen Bailey who lives in a chaotic squat with her father and an older brother. Her dad Bug is planning to marry his kooky new girlfriend, while her troubled mother lives nearby in even more squalid conditions with a violently abusive boyfriend, a clutter of Bailey's younger siblings and a long-suffering pup called Dave. None of the adults in her universe seem capable of providing much guidance, leaving Bailey to chart her own course.
Following a row with Bug, Bailey shadows a gang of street kids engaged in some random criminality. After evading the police, sleeping in a field and being awakened by a horse, she encounters a kilted stranger called Bird. This eccentric itinerant had been born in the area, raised elsewhere and is trying to find a father he can scarcely remember. After some hesitation, Bailey decides to help him. Nykiya Adams delivers a courageous and convincing performance in the lead role as Bailey's pursuit of Bird's quest mingles with other digressions, distractions and sub-plots. Her apparently aimless wanderings eventually arrive at a revelatory moment which is depicted in an extraordinary passage where the film briefly departs from gritty realism and enters the realm of the fantastic. Somehow Arnold pulls off this trick, transforming her urban drama into an intense and memorable fable.
We Strangers (2024)
Stranger than Truth
In 'We Strangers' Ray is a young blue collar black woman working as a housekeeper for middle class residents of bleak post-industrial Gary, Indiana. During the course of her domestic duties, she catches glimpses of commonplace deceit among her employers. When one of these clients brings up the subject of psychic abilities, Ray impulsively fibs that she possesses ESP and can receive communications from the dead.
The film doesn't make a great melodrama from this incident - instead it focuses on the more subtle consequences. Ray's lie leads to altered treatment from her employers, while her invented messages from the afterlife provide the necessary justification for others to make different choices in their own lives. The story is enhanced by excellent cinematography, which is complemented by a riveting performance from Kirby in the lead role. The camera lingers over the beauty of her face, fascinated by the enigmatic expressions which flicker across it in response to the events unfolding around Ray.
La Cocina (2024)
Cooking up a Spicy Stew
Transposed from 1950s London to a contemporary midtown NYC diner, Arnold Wesker's play 'The Kitchen' shows its subject matter still possesses vitality and relevance despite the passing of almost seventy years. Major plot points have been altered but the general theme remains the same as overworked restaurant staff go through their daily grind to put food on the table for demanding customers.
At the outset of 'La Cocina' $800 has gone missing from the till, resulting in an internal investigation which causes additional stress for employees. Meanwhile one of the cooks Pedro attempts to persuade his waitress lover not to abort their child. Many of the workers are immigrants, and the atmosphere is raucous, profane, coarse and combative. The B&W cinematography, flamboyant direction and astonishing acting capture these elements in a fantastic display of film-making pyrotechnics that leave one open-mouthed in admiration.
The screenplay's self-indulgent 140 minute length turns out to be the project's weak link. Several scenes go on too long - an interlude between the lunch and dinner service drags somewhat - and although Raul Briones' delivers a breathtaking performance, Pedro's histrionics become tiresome some time before the end. It's a pity, because there's so much to admire here.
Magpie (2024)
Magpie's Cuckoo Plot
Living in a sumptuous modern country house, successful but blocked Anglo-Pakistani author Ben is stuck in a dour marriage to Annette. This state of affairs is telegraphed from the outset, with much of the marital discontent Ben's own fault. He is clearly bored by his unhappy spouse, while Annette is suppressing anger over Ben's dismissive attitude and giving up her career to raise their two children. The eldest is 6YO Mathilda, who has been cast in a film as the daughter of its principal character. As Ben escorts Matilda to the set on a daily basis, he becomes attracted to lead actress Alicia, and Annette soon becomes suspicious.
Deeper discord becomes apparent as jealousy grows, leaving one wondering why the couple doesn't just call time on their bleak union. Meanwhile the narrative settles into a creative rut with all three main characters depicted as deceitful, manipulative and fairly unlikable. The story trots along an unexceptional path until it arrives at the surprise twist and melodramatic climax which is obligatory for this genre of movie. The project may well be commercially successful, but thirty seconds of reflection after the end titles will have many shaking their heads at the characters' shallowness and the plot's implausibility. The acting is decent, but the film has the aftertaste of thin gruel that leaves one yearning for the subtleties of a classic like 'Body Heat' which transformed deceit and manipulation into an art form.
Darkest Miriam (2024)
Waking the Dead in a Library
Although fully functional in her job as a Toronto librarian, Miriam is cut off from engaging with the world due to grief over the loss of her father. Through repeated references to the opera Rigoletto, the film hints that Miriam's father may have been over-protective of his daughter, even as strange and somewhat sinister notes left in the library suggest Miriam may have a stalker.
The narrative builds slowly, showing the library's quirky daily routines which contrast neatly with strong but nuanced emotions running under the surface. Miriam takes steps to broaden her experience of life when she starts conversing with Janko, a Slovenian who drives a taxi to subsidize his artistic aspirations. Britt Lower and Tom Mercier do nice work in the lead roles, endowing Miriam and Janko with humanity and making their relationship credible. Miriam's journey is observed through beautifully composed images and largely static camerawork as directing, screenwriting, acting and cinematography combine to give the story the sensibility of a visual poem.
His Three Daughters (2023)
Squabbling Siblings at Dad's Deathbed
Three sisters come together for the passing of their father in his NYC apartment where he is in the final stages of a terminal illness. The trailer hints at a wry and quirky film, but it turns out that niggling acrimony is the dominant theme. Petty resentments between the oldest and youngest daughter monopolize the dialog-heavy narrative while the middle sister attempts to keep the peace.
The trio of accomplished actors in the main roles struggle to maintain interest, but many of the scenes are repetitive with similar content and tone. Overall the project delivers a low-key experience without much of a pay-off. The characters go through minimal development as the story moves towards its conclusion, where quirkiness does make a fleeting appearance, but it's too little too late.
The Perfect Couple (2024)
An Imperfect Wedding
The six episode Netflix series 'The Perfect Couple' is an Agatha Christie-style who-dun-it with some modern wrinkles. Apparently it couldn't decide whether to be a black comedy or murder mystery, and ends up most resembling a soap. As far as plot is concerned, a suspicious death occurs the night before a wedding at a beachfront Nantucket mansion, and the family and guests are required to stay on while the local police investigate. The residence is home to wealthy celebrity author Greer and weedhead husband Tag. They have three sons, the middle one of whom is about to get married to a bride from a modest background. Most of the cast belong to the class of blazered twits or harpies in frocks, and needless to say, everybody has secrets and is mildly eccentric. Meanwhile the servants see all, but keep their lips buttoned - until they don't.
A 'surprise' ending is obligatory for this genre, but the biggest surprise is that producers are still producing such formulaic potboiler productions. The actors do what they can, but are limited by the material. 'The Perfect Couple' has been compared to 'Big Little Lies' and 'The White Lotus', but the only commonalities are Nicole Kidman's presence in the former and Meghan Fahey in the latter. Both earlier series are far superior in all the important categories, boasting more sophisticated characters, dialog, plots, direction and acting.
Kaos (2024)
Camp Chaotic Kaos
The Netflix series 'Kaos' opens with Jeff Goldblum's Zeus prowling around his Mar-a-Lago style palace atop Mt Olympus. The king of the gods summons minions on his iPhone like a Mafia godfather clad in silk dressing gowns and 1970s leisure suits. His wife Hera fumes about his extra-marital affairs, while his dissolute son Dionysius hangs out at nightclubs with earthbound party people, stressing about his father's disdain for his lifestyle. Meanwhile Hera flirts with her brother-in-law Poseidon who makes family visits in his Speedos, The bigger problem for Zeus is that the Cretan populace no longer venerates his family deity business, which could lead to losing his immortality - and behind his back, Prometheus is plotting to facilitate this outcome.
As far as ordinary humans are concerned, the series mostly focuses on rock star Orpheus searching for his wife Eurydice, who is trying to come to terms with her altered circumstances in Hades. There's also intrigue about the budding relationship between foreign bodyguard Theseus and Ariadne, who is the daughter of Crete's dictatorial ruler President Minos. The tragic Cassandra from the Iliad is added to the mix in her traditional role as a seer whose prophecies are never believed, while the Furies take the form of a butch female biker gang who torment erring mortals.
Updating Greek myths from the world of togas and sandals always has potential since the stories are intense and layered. Even though the difficulties of depicting gods are obvious, 'Kaos' correctly portrays them as compromised elementals rather than omnipotent immortals. However, the satirical approach has a disappointing consequence - it might be novel and fun, but the flippancy prevents strong engagement with the characters - and despite some witty moments, the joke starts wearing thin by the second episode.
The human stories zero in on the Orpheus, Prometheus and Minotaur myths. With consummate arrogance the writers upend the the traditional versions and concoct 'clever' modern variations, which are muddled and heavy on irony. This failing is exemplified by the innovative conceit that Eurydice is about to break up with Orpheus - reducing the story's emotional charge and losing its meaning. There might be some justification for these alterations if they enhanced the allegories in some way, but it just seems like change for change's sake. 'Kaos' seems to forget there might be a reason these stories have lasted more than two thousand years, but the project has value if it provokes people to read the originals. For a contemporary audience, it might have been wiser to dump the Olympus cast along with the supernatural trimmings, and lavish the budget on a contemporary re-imagining of the labyrinthine career of Theseus, the most complex of Greek heroes. This narrative could encompass the Minotaur, Ariadne, Minos, Pasiphae, Daedalus and Icarus - perhaps even including the sequences with Aegeus, Medea, Phaedra and Hippolytus. If endowed with the seriousness it deserves, the result could be a riveting drama about a corrupt political or crime family similar to 'Succession'.
Friends with Benefits (2011)
Film Without Benefits
'Friends With Benefits' provides an all-you-can-eat buffet of RomComs' usual failings - a hackneyed narrative arc, shallow characters, an implausible dilemma, contrived 'witty' dialog, formulaic acting and facile conclusion.
After encountering dating setbacks with previous partners, two acquaintances decide on a friends-with-benefits arrangement. During Jamie and Dylan's subsequent couplings, instead of whispering sweet nothings into their partner's ear, they exchange love-making instructions in a phony unromantic manner. Subplots involving parental neglect and Alzheimers are given a similarly glib treatment. Timberlake and Kunis struggle against all the artifice, but are unable to achieve anything better than low-level irritation. Needless to say, Jamie and Dylan's quick fix turns into a problem when they discover feelings for one another. This predictable development leads to a manufactured estrangement, and the tiresome pair are obliged to muddle their way to an unsatisfying climax.
The Little Things (2021)
Credibility is a Big Thing
'The Little Things' starts off with police deputy Joe Deacon returning to a town where he had previously been a detective. His visit on a routine errand coincides with a homicide similar to an earlier series of murders which had obsessed him and resulted in a failed investigation, followed by a mental breakdown and his subsequent resignation. When his replacement invites Joe to assist on the new case, he decides to stay on and confront his demons.
After a promising beginning, the story gradually turns into an unconvincing potboiler. Although the acting performances are acceptable, the film is let down by lazy screenwriting. The police inquiry leading to a possible perpetrator is rushed and glib, followed by characters acting illogically to facilitate an unlikely final twist to the tale. The last half hour consists of multiple sequences which sink below any reasonable level of plausibility, culminating in an unsatisfying conclusion.
Scoop (2024)
Scooping the Poop on a Creep
If the events of 'Scoop' are ever transformed into a future fairy tale, it might tell how three deceitful witches, driven by the desire for fame and riches, lured a naive prince into disastrous confrontation. But modern audiences will know better - that 'Scoop' relates how vanity and complacency led Prince 'Randy Andy' Andrew into a catastrophic 2019 interview with the BBC's Emily Maitlis about his association with notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Well aware that Ms Maitlis would question him on the matter, Andrew's lifetime of privilege surrounded by sycophantic courtiers, servants and professional toadies left him ill prepared for this test. Most people will know how it turned out, with his claims of being "too honorable" greeted with particular derision. The film provides an engrossing spectacle as it shows how these intrepid journalists conjured up a royal train wreck. The acting performances across the board are close to flawless.
Fair Play (2023)
Foul Play
A film about gender issues in the workplace should display some subtlety if it wants viewers to take it seriously. Unfortunately both screenplay and direction of 'Fair Play' lack this essential quality as a young NYC couple struggle to deal with the fallout after the female gets a promotion that her boyfriend had coveted.
Employed at a hedge fund, Luke and Emily are handicapped from the outset by a shortage of charm and excess of ambition. Luke is far more blameworthy as the pair's relationship deteriorates, but Emily loses sympathy points by crudely mimicking porn star behavior during their amorous coupling. As mutual resentment grows, compassion for their dilemma evaporates. The conclusion of the story compounds the lost opportunity with its melodramatic overkill.
Hit Man (2023)
Hit Man Misses the Target
Richard Linklater's movie career has been punctuated by intense narratives originating from everyday events. 'Hit Man' somehow achieves the opposite - it's a fluffy confection based on the exploits of a psychology professor who poses as a professional hit man.
The purpose of Gary Johnson's masquerades is to help his local police department entrap those wanting to hire a killer. The film's introductory sequences show several unconvincing restaurant encounters where he assures a procession of would-be murderers he's a hardened criminal in the liquidation business. When a beautiful Latina asks him to terminate her abusive husband, Gary baffles his handlers by refusing her down-payment, and suggesting she initiates divorce proceedings instead of contracting a homicide. By this point, the narrative has departed from anything close to gritty realism - and clownish complications ensue when Gary secretly starts an affair with this 'femme fatale' while maintaining his assassin persona.
'Hit Man' could have followed in the footsteps of modern classics like 'Body Heat', but Linklater chooses to play it for comedy rather than drama. Tension is lost as the story becomes increasingly frivolous, until it arrives at a conclusion that belongs in a farce. The acting performances and lightly amusing screenplay just about hold one's interest, but the final product feels like an insubstantial appetizer that could have been a memorable main course with a different approach.
Atlas (2024)
Not Worth a Shrug
There's nothing to recommend in this Sci-Fi saga about a future human-AI conflict. The trailer promises the glimmer of an idea, but once the film starts, all the possibilities are swiftly reduced to the level of a juvenile comic book. Early on, the viewer learns Jennifer Lopez's character Atlas is a rebellious super-smart programmer, and mankind's best hope to outwit an AI mastermind leading an insurrection against his human creators. It's soon revealed she's just a middle-aged hot mess wearing too much make-up and skin-tight outfits.
In the past, Lopez has shown acting ability, but there's none of that in this vacuous potboiler, which she also produced. Dialog, acting, direction, action sequences and science background are all wooden to the point of embarrassment - the CGI is better than average, but it's undermined by the shortcomings of every other element. Nothing is at stake because neither characters nor story possess any credibility in a universe where an intergalactic journey appears to take as long as a transatlantic flight.
Dark Waters (2019)
Dark Business
Based-on-true-story films about corporate malfeasance follow a fairly well-trodden path seen previously in 'A Civil Action', 'Erin Brockovitch' and others. In this particular instance, the tale told in 'Dark Waters' has relevance to almost everybody on the planet. The narrative begins with a crusty West Virginia farmer losing his cows and livelihood to suspected pollution close by a Dupont chemical plant. Stymied by executives at the mammoth corporation, a compromised EPA and local lawyers, he takes his evidence to a big city corporate attorney. Lawyer Rob Bilott takes on the case despite his firm's disapproval, and as the years pass the local contamination widens into a horrendous global disaster.
Dupont attempt the usual legal shenanigans to avoid the consequences of poisoning humanity, but Bilott is persistent. The excellent cast is led by Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway and Tim Robbins so there can be no complaints about the quality of acting. If only corporate greed and amorality were not quite such a routine story.
The Holdovers (2023)
Much Ado about Not Much
'The Holdovers' is a film for those who like formulaic stories with generic characters. In this case three misfits are closeted at an exclusive boys' school over a Xmas vacation in the 1970s, and somehow they must reconcile with their dysfunctions, discontent, disappointments and each other during that period. They comprise an unpopular veteran teacher, a troubled student and the school's cook. Paul Giamatti's teacher is essentially a repeat performance of his character Miles from director Payne's 2004 film 'Sideways' - and problem student Angus has been seen many times previously. The film might have possessed more originality if it had focused on Mary the cook, who is grieving over the loss of her son, recently killed in the Vietnam war.
Nothing noteworthy occurs during the proceedings - with little by way of drama or comedy and several scenes meandering off into irrelevance. At the film's conclusion the resolution of these characters' issues seems artificial, glib and unsatisfying. The acting is above average, but it's mystifying that so many are drooling over this stale cupcake.
Let Them All Talk (2020)
Let The Golden Girls Do Improv
'Let Them All Talk' liberates a fabulous trio of veteran female actors from the constraints of a script in this compact tale about three friends reunited on an ocean voyage. The project was filmed over eight days during Covid, and is a nifty riff on relationship difficulties created by misunderstandings and ego. Unfortunately many movie-goers dislike improvised dialog and it didn't meet with much commercial success.
The intro reveals Alice is a successful US author who has been invited to London to collect a literary prize. She cannot fly, so her new agent Karen wangles a complimentary Atlantic crossing aboard the Queen Mary for Alice, her old college pals Roberta and Susan and her nephew Tyler. Tension is provided by Roberta's long-standing resentment that Alice had portrayed her negatively in an early novel, Karen's semi-secret presence onboard and the discovery of a mega-successful thriller writer among the other passengers. Mild but flavorful intrigues follow, with the cast showing off their improv chops to fine effect. Candice Bergen steals the show, making Roberta simultaneously awful, sympathetic and believable, while the others provide structure and sub-plots. There's plenty to enjoy in their exchanges, but anybody who considers car chases and gunfights essential movie ingredients is going to be disappointed.
Saltburn (2023)
Brideshead Revisited by the Kind-Hearted Mr Ripley
One has to assume 'Saltburn' was conceived as subversive satire or parody, but it's difficult to discern which it might be, since it possesses minimal sarcasm and humor. The copycat plot is derived from several sources - it initially follows the 'Brideshead Revisited' blueprint, relating how socially-challenged working class undergraduate Oliver Quick becomes friends with upper crust fellow collegian Felix at Oxford University. After a fairly shallow acquaintance, he's invited to spend the summer vacation with the latter's family at their stately home, Saltburn.
The invitation is a mystery since Oliver has neither wit nor allure, and upon arrival he's treated with universal condescension. The aristocratic clan are portrayed as eccentrics who would fit more comfortably in a farce - and they seem especially out of place when the story gallops off towards the territory of 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' and 'Talented Mr Ripley'. Since everyone is tiresome and unpleasant, it's hard to maintain interest as the shadows deepen. Despite attempts to shock with some gratuitously distasteful episodes - including a muddy bout of virtual necrophilia - this protracted tale becomes tedious long before its end.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Leave Your Brain Behind
A middle class couple leave NYC with their two teenage kids to stay in a luxurious Long Island beach house for a weekend getaway. Phone, TV and internet stop functioning shortly after their arrival, and when the family try to relax by the ocean a huge oil tanker inexplicably runs itself aground on the beach. Late that night the home's affluent African-American owner and his college-age daughter arrive seeking refuge from societal disintegration in Manhattan, and a prickly introduction follows before the ill-matched group falls asleep uneasily under the same roof.
Morning brings a truce, but no illumination about the nature of the crisis. The vacationers stay on as numerous disturbing incidents demonstrate all is not well with the world - airliners crash out of clear blue skies, wrecked cars block the highways, animals behave strangely, loud noises blare and the teenage son falls ill. Theories are proposed that the mayhem might be caused by hostile foreigners or native extremists, but nothing is certain, and the story never develops much of an arc.
The cast manages to keep the project afloat until all the bizarre happenings start undermining credulity. The various disasters have little rationality behind them, and the absence of other human beings within sight of the city seems implausible. Once belief has been lost, the movie shows how a suspenseful mystery about world-changing events can turn into a bit of a bore. As the film sputters out of existence, it feels like it might have been conceived as a pilot for a TV series. The deeply unsatisfying conclusion leaves the impression that the writers were as clueless as their characters about the catastrophe which they'd invented.
Reptile (2023)
Cops and Realtors
After a female realtor is murdered at a vacant property, her developer boyfriend finds the body and is considered a prime suspect. The initial police investigation zeroes in on him but the case gets murkier when it's revealed he had an alibi and the victim had a bitter ex-husband.
All this is just the opening passage, after which homicide detective Tom Nichols sets to work and finds a labyrinth of additional complications. With the plot unfolding at an unhurried pace, Nichols' nuanced relationship with his wife Judy is given unusual prominence for a neo-noir mystery movie. The rest of the excellent cast is well up to the task of portraying individuals being devious and hostile as Nichols ruffles the feathers of his suspects and colleagues. 'Reptile' is a thoroughly professional debut by a first time director which offers several modest innovations to the genre.
Babylon (2022)
Love, Lust and Loose Bowels in La La Land
The opening scenes of 'Babylon' show an orgiastic party during Hollywood's period of excess just prior to the arrival of the 'talkies'. Amidst the debauchery, Mexican studio gofer Manny spots starlet Nellie and falls in love, and their tepid romance is utilized as an intermittent thread running through this marathon movieland saga by writer/director Chazelle.
From the outset the film dispels any notion that old Hollywood was all glamor, with episodes depicting an incontinent elephant and Fatty Arbuckle receiving a golden shower, followed by a display of projectile vomiting from Nellie. The movie then busies itself portraying some real-life Hollywood scandals mingled with invented ones. The love affair fizzles like a damp squib just as it did in Cazelle's previous big success 'La La Land' - Margot Robbie wears out her welcome with over-acted tantrums and meltdowns, while Diego Calva as her suitor Manny is limited to expressions of unrequited longing. Providing some relief from the histrionics, Brad Pitt does contribute a nuanced turn as a silent star confronting his fading career, but everything else is immediately forgettable. After a procession of flashy set pieces, none of which accomplish much story or character development, the curtain mercifully falls after three long hours.
Promising Young Woman (2020)
A Glib Take on Sexual Assault
Thirty-year-old underachieving med school dropout Cassie works in a coffee bar and lives with her parents. By night she moonlights as a vigilante by posing as an intoxicated party girl, allowing predatory males to pick her up and take her to their apartments. When they begin to molest her, she abandons her pretense of helplessness and reprimands the would-be ravishers for their poor behavior, which supposedly transforms them into emasculated drones.
Cassie's crusade is interrupted when Ryan, a fellow student from her time at med school, visits the coffee bar and asks for a date. A tepid romance blossoms, but complications ensue when it turns out Ryan is pals with Al who has a history of preying on inebriated women. This development provokes Cassie to resume her revenge mission, leading to a melodramatic conclusion that attempts to satisfy all tastes. Despite Carey Mulligan's decent performance, it's difficult to take Cassie's story seriously. Very little of this film passes a credulity test - it's also peppered with artifice, and filmed in a Barbieland color palette amid baroque suburban interiors. Sexual assault is a serious matter but writer/director Fennell gives it a flippant satirical treatment. Ultimately the film isn't half as clever as it imagines itself.
Run Rabbit Run (2023)
Down the Rabbit Hole
'Run Rabbit Run' begins with single mother Sarah stonewalling her seven year old daughter Mia, when the girl claims she's the reincarnation of a deceased person. Mia then demands to meet her grandmother, who is estranged from Sarah and resides in an institution suffering from dementia. Sarah reluctantly drives her to the rest home, where the grandmother mistakes Mia for Sarah's sister Alice, who went missing during childhood. After this unsettling encounter, Mia insists she be addressed as Alice, and the plot starts dishing up a steady diet of gloom and discord.
There are good reasons for the oppressive atmosphere, but the film forgets to make either of the two principal characters sympathetic. Sarah is portrayed as frazzled and frumpy, while Mia appears difficult and resentful - and as a result most viewers will find it hard to care when the big reveal arrives. The core idea is powerful and disturbing, but the writing and direction fail to deliver the project's full potential whether one interprets it as a psychological mystery, ghost story or horror film.
Daisy Jones & the Six (2023)
Rock by the Numbers
Anybody hoping this series will offer an edgy take on the 70s rock scene is likely to feel premonitions of disappointment within the opening fifteen minutes. This introductory passage shows two brothers kick-starting a garage band in blue collar Pittsburgh, while a middle class LA teen called Daisy goes through the required growing pains to become a singer-songwriter. Using live action flashbacks combined with documentary-style interviews, the project promises to reveal how various members of a rock group are fated to meet, merge, become megastars and break up.
As the story gets underway, it focuses on Daisy and the band's mercurial frontman Billy, but their issues are given only superficial treatment. The two leads don't have much to do beyond illustrating the typical misbehavior and insecurities of egotistical rock stars, while the other band members provide fodder for trivial sub-plots. The lives of these imaginary musicians turn out to be as hollow as the songs created for them. There's minimal character development as the narrative unfolds over the first six episodes, and it remains a bit of mystery why fans or record labels would have considered them destined for stardom. After seeing Riley Keough create intense nuanced characters from minimalist material, it's particularly frustrating watching Daisy constrained by the straitjacket of uninspired writing and direction.
Sicario (2015)
A Thriller for Crackheads
'Sicario' boasts superior production values and an impressive cast, but the third-rate screenplay could have been written by Skinny Pete and Badger, the wasted drug dealers from 'Breaking Bad'. The plot trudges from one tired cliche to the next as two cynical CIA officers manipulate a naive female FBI agent in order to entrap the head honcho of a Mexican cartel.
The film's action sequences are set up by the dopey decisions of supposedly elite crime-fighters and criminal masterminds. The most half-witted of these assumes helicopters don't exist as a conspicuous CIA convoy of black SUVs enters Mexico to collect a cartel member from prison, and returns through a gridlocked border crossing. In the interludes between scenes of violence and CIA torture, the actors deliver tired performances as they agonize over such necessities. This fable of felons on both sides of the law possesses neither credibility nor tension because the characters are all stereotypes. It eventually arrives at a climax enabled by the unlikely event of a cartel big-shot traveling without minders. Whoever conceived and produced this formulaic hogwash has a fine understanding of action-thriller movie fans, and how they'll gulp down the cinematic equivalent of junk food.