BradWesley123's Movie Journal- July 2019

Though not as brazenly, hilariously terrible as some of his most recent efforts, John Travolta's new straight-to-Redbox flick The Poison Rose is an exceptionally slapdash affair. I'm a sucker for a good mystery/noir story. Hell, I'll take subpar ones if they capture the genre's classic feature; that feeling of leisurely cool, with a tinge of dread and uncertainty. That seediness can smooth out a lot of story problems. Unfortunately, even when the film comes close to touching that, it's just too damn sloppy to grasp it. Poor writing (the voice-over in this film is a doozy), barely-competent direction and performances that range from bored to bizarre (Brendan Fraser is so goddamn awful that it's hard to watch) kneecap this one early. It does have some absurdly funny moments, but it doesn't commit enough to be so bad it's good. It just keeps moving with no purpose.

Monthly Wesley AwardBest Worst Picture

Combine a present-set Thomas Pynchon novel with a David Lynch flick, and you come somewhat close to describe the feel of Under the Silver Lake. And, to be quite honest, this film is all feel. Sure, the story is original and unpredictable, the cast is terrific, and the craftsmanship is stellar, but it's the mood and atmosphere that David Robert Mitchell's direction and screenplay elicit. He doesn't go particularly deep with his storytelling (global conspiracies about the influential manipulating through subliminal advertising), but it's enveloping in a way that few films are. It's such a surreal, paranoid rabbit hole of a feature that hands you a shovel and tells you to dig. Either you do and enjoy, or throw it down and say fuck off; I can understand either response. Personally, I was happy to grab it and go.

Monthly Wesley AwardsBest Picture
Best Director- David Robert Mitchell
Best Ensemble Peroformance
Best Original Screenplay- David Robert Mitchell
Best Cinematography- Mike Gioulakis
Best Costume Design (Contemporary)- Caroline Eselin
Best Production Design (Contemporary)- Michael Perry and Melody Lavigna & Paul Roome
Best Score- Disasterpeace
Best Soundtrack
Best Sound Mixing
Best Makeup

The pleasures that can be derived from a film like Along Came a Spider are the same pleasures that one can get reading an airport paperback (which it really is); easy storytelling, pulpy twists, sturdy characters. Most importantly, you just get what you expect. You don't have to work that hard. If you enjoy a solid procedural, the kind that values the inherent intrigue of watching a seasoned pro thrown into a complex (not really) web of mystery, then this is probably for you. I wouldn't vouch for it's merits cinematically, the most I could say is that it's competently made (though Jerry Goldsmith's score is, as always, pretty strong, and Morgan Freeman is typically compelling), but it's an easy film to sit back and let wash over. It's akin to a cinematic Law & Order episode.

The 13th Warrior is just a complete slog. A story that should be a fun, swashbuckling throwback is rendered a lifeless bore by an anemic script and flat direction. There's really not much to say about this one. There was rarely a moment that went by that I didn't feel guilty for not turning it off and watching something with, at the bare minimum, a pulse.

Monthly Wesley AwardsBest Costume Design (Fantasy)- Sandra J. Blackie, Nancy Duggan and Kate Harrington
Most Forgettable Picture

There's some solid buildup and tension to be found throughout The Prodigy, as well as a commendable willingness to wade into some murky moral quandaries, but this is a film that is, ultimately, done in by a script too accepting of formula. Jeff Buhler's never commits to it's larger implications and themes, approaching chilling lines but never quite touching them, falling back on "bad seed", evil child cliches. Nicholas McCarthy's direction does, frequently, find ways to make this chilling, letting a foreboding atmosphere and uncertain mood to a lot of the heavy-lifting, as well as getting top-notch work from his performers. Close to a hidden gem, but lacks conviction.

High Crimes should be a gimme. It's a legal thriller with a solid story, craft and two appealing leads; it has the essentials that a film needs to excel or, at the very least, entertain. It just never really takes off though, with execution that just goes through the motions. It's watchable, sure, even interesting at times, but Crimes is an overall flat, forgettable exercise.

The romance between Connery and Zeta-Jones is, charitably, a bit off-putting at times (uncharitably, gross), and the plot machinations are predominantly bunk, but Entrapment is a diverting enough trifle with some solid filmmaking, strong leads (outside of the romance), and a fun, ridiculous story. It's a testament to Jon Amiel's direction that the film is as watchable as it is. The story does have a lot of fun bits, but it's too wrapped up in the idea of being clever to actually be clever. Luckily, the set pieces crackle, with the finale of particular not, and Connery and Zeta-Jones carry the film through it's flaws. While their romance is mostly awkward, both are expert performers that sell it with gusto. Solid genre picture.

Monthly Wesley AwardBest Editing- Terry Rawlings

I Am Mother doesn't reinvent the wheel in terms of dystopic sci-fi storytelling, but it's exceptionally well-crafted piece of work that is often able to transcend genre trappings thanks to deft direction and great performances. The script writes the film into a bit of a corner; where does the suspense come from when you've got an all-knowing, all-powerful robot being? That does, in the long run, take some of the tension out of things, and I'm not sure the film probes the A.I./humanity theme deeply enough. With that said, however, it does enough so that we can invest in the characters and their plight, which is (as with all movies) the ball game. Much of the success is owed to director Grant Sputore. While every department brings some top-notch work to the film, he takes a small-budget sci-fi chamber piece and adds enough craft (seriously, this a surprisingly well-made movie, especially the visual effects) and intelligence to compete and, even, outdo the majority of studio pictures made today. Easily in the upper-tier of Netflix films.

Monthly Wesley AwardsBest Supporting Actress- Hilary Swank
Best Production Design (Fantasy)- Hugh Bateup and Lisa Brennan
Best Sound Editing
Best Visual Effects

This was one a saw several times when I was younger. It was one of the first DVDs my parents bought after we got a PS2, presumably because it was a cheap disc and they wanted to try out the DVD player on it. I hadn't seen it, probably, fifteen or so years, so I was curious if the fond-ish memories I had of it from my youth would hold up. They did not.

It's an amiable motion picture, competently made with occasional flashes of wit, but it's a cover-all-the-bases political movie, going the toothless route and playing the "both sides are equally right/wrong" card that has, most likely, lead to the deterioration of our national political discourse (there's a "real people" scene set it a family trip ride that is stunningly patronizing). There are a few funny moments though, as this approach does, on occasion, leads to a few hits, but the movie works, when it does, thanks to Lemmon and Garner, enlivening every scene with their typical pep and charm. They're a strong comedic team, and the movie only works when grips that fact like a drowning kid does a lifeguard.

Monthly Wesley AwardBest Rewatch (TIE)

Monthly Wesley AwardBest Rewatch (TIE)

Monthly Wesley AwardBest Rewatch (TIE)

A bit too staid at times, too reserved and predictable as well, The Mustang is, nevertheless, an effectively made drama, benefiting greatly from a strong sense of directorial control and a simmering, powerful performance Matthias Schoenaerts. Despite, and likely due to, that reservedness, de Clermont-Tonnerre's direction is key to the film's power. She wisely revels in the smaller, more intimate moments, allowing the big emotional beats to hit. Unfortunately, those big moments aren't as big as one would hope for. Histrionics are unnecessary, but the underplaying is a bit overdone, to the point were the film can, understandably, leave viewers cold. Schoenaerts' power does quite a bit of heavy lifting though. You see so much in his eyes here; pain, despair, anger, joy. He reads every scene perfectly and, even when the film feels a bit monotonous, gives soul to every scene. Superb in spots, with exceptional parts (the craft, supporting performances), but could've used a bit more fire.

Monthly Wesley AwardsBest Actor- Matthias Schoenaerts
Best Supporting Actor- Bruce Dern

It loses it edge with a routine ending, but Family is a surprisingly off-kilter, funny and endearing comedy. Despite it's bland and forgettable title, Family, for it's first two acts at least, is an odd little film. Everything's recognizable; the characters, the setup, etc. These elements are a bit tilted though; there's a charming brittleness to the proceedings that forgoes the kind of preciousness and saccharine quirkiness that have become part and parcel to this genre. Much of this can be attributed to writer-director Laura Steinel's unique approach (even the stuff that should be cloying, like the Juggalo love, is handled well) and leads Taylor Schilling and Bryn Vale, who forge a believably thorny bond. The last act falls apart, unfortunately, succumbing to life lessons about family and love that sit uneasily against the first two. With a bit more finesse in the last 30 minutes or so, this really could've been a terrific film. As is, it's damn close, but not close enough.

To review this thing would be to accept that it is a film, and I'm not entirely sure I'm willing to go that far. Watching this thing is like staring directly into a stuffed animals eyes; you recognize it's human features, but understand the lifelessness inherent within it.

Monthly Wesley AwardWorst Picture

Secret Obsession is one of the latest examples of Netflix trying to appeal to a Lifetime Network audience. Even with that low bar, however, the film doesn't have that punch. A proper Lifetime ripoff has to have a certain carelessness; a thoughtlessness cause by rushed production schedules and slim budgets. Even here, the perks of a Netflix production are apparent; not obvious, but noticeable enough (i.e. it's, at the very least, competent). There's fun here and there, but not enough to recommend as trash, which is the film's purpose. Watchable, I guess.

I just... I just don't know what to say with this one. Of course it's bad, I knew it would be going in. I simply assumed that it would be reasonably fun; it was not. At the very least, and I mean very least, I thought it would be competent; not competent competent, like a good film, but not outright laughable; I was wrong. There's nothing here to recommend. That's not quite true, actually; I'd recommend it to people hoping to find the most poorly shot film in history. Throughout the film, the lighting is so shitty that even if the film wasn't hacked to death in editing, you still wouldn't be able to make out what was going on. I honestly don't think the production could afford them.

It never comes together as a coherent whole, but We Have Always Lived in the Castle's parts are strong enough to warrant praise. The storytelling is the film's weakest link; director Stacie Passon captures a suitably unnerving atmosphere with tension mounting throughout. Superb craft and terrifically odd performances (Farmiga, in particular, is hard to turn away from) too, aid the film for it's first two acts. Unfortunately, she doesn't really fix screenwriter Mark Kruger's problems, particularly mistaking obfuscation for subtext, leading to a hollow finale that doesn't payoff the buildup. A solid piece of filmmaking that can't quite reconcile a disappointing story.

Monthly Wesley AwardsBest Actress- Taissa Farmiga
Best Adapted Screenplay- Mark Kruger
Best Costume Design (Period)- Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh
Best Production Design (Period)- Anna Rackard

It loses steam towards its last act, when things get so rushed and frenzied that feels like action movie autopilot, but Transporter 2 is a solid action yarn, with fun, lean sequences that are well-shot, not haphazardly edited. I say "haphazardly" instead of "overly" here because, well, this is still an over-edited film, it's just that this time it isn't hacked to hell. There's some solid choreography that's present and tangible, especially in the doctor's office rumble, that allow Statham to flex his action movie bona fides nicely. This likely comes down to director Louis Leterrier, not the finest of directors but, clearly, the most accomplished of this series, and one that seems to understand that frenzy isn't a substitute for craft. He does forget this in the last act however, when the film goes through the motions to a bland, forgettable finish. Better than the original, but missing the control or, even, creativity to go beyond genre cliches.

Meh. After building some goodwill with the second one, the Transporter series ends with a rather ho-hum affair. To be fair to the movie, this one is the only one that gets better as it goes on, finishing with the series' best third act. Prior to that though, we get a hyper-edited riff on the first one with diminishing returns. Statham still controls the screen with a cool confidence that makes his lead one of the more memorable action leads of the modern age, but he, and the film, get lost in a chemistry-free romance with a woefully miscast Natalya Rudakova, who is staggeringly flat in an, admittedly, poorly written role. The last act is solid though, and the film benefits greatly from a strong villainous turn by Robert Knepper. More of the same, but reasonably entertaining with lowered expectations.