All posts by Tarek Fayoumi…The Paterson of his Craft!

I am someone who strives to become a professional critic. I watch and review many movies. I view the eyes of movies as something as an art form. I have followed many critics over the years, but once I was thirteen I knew writing film reviews was going to be my passion. I learned from watching multiple episodes of Ebert And Roeper in my teen years, and then in middle school I began writing film reviews for a newspaper club. I am also an avid fan of the arts of Chicago including Theatre, Comedy, and music. Films, however, are my primary focus.
Film reviews

Together Review

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When it comes to terror and having fragments that create elements making a scene feel even more creepy, Together captures that aspect and weaves it thoroughly. This film is written and directed by Michael Shanks and stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie. Franco and Brie are also the producers, the leads, and are married in real life. This is by far one of the most daring films that they have made as a couple. When connection and bonding are already in a blur, there is a force that makes disconnect impossible. This is especially true in a forest setting where a change is intended to happen.

The couple is Tim and Millie (Franco and Brie). They move out to a wooded area outside of a city setting for a change of pace.Tim is a struggling musician, and Millie is a teacher. They have underlying conflicts where resolution feels or seems complicated. Millie feels that the move is a way of restoring them. Once they get there, weird events begin to happen. Tim begins to lose his mind with anxiety and sees imagery of dark souls and moving parts. Above all that, Tim and Millie find themselves stuck with each other. The force to keep them together is harrowing and within their new home lies a key to breaking through that barrier.

The essence of an illusion and a strange upbringing with an immersive tone is where Together has that terror and classiness in its film making. The problem around the couple is one bound to be unbreakable, especially with the home bringing in so many moments of creepy attachments. At the same time, viewers will ask themselves why this is all happening. Chemistry and writing and mixed messages spiraling through the characterizations is where immersive components find a new tone of disturbing material.

Together has aspects where the weird moving parts of Tim and Millie spiral into grotesque matters. No spoilers, but I will say this is not a film to watch on a full stomach. Mostly because its glamourization is in the depths of the attachments finding themselves in rather graphic depictions. Together grapples with a relationship becoming more challenging with physical moments added on top of it. Almost like a special on the menu, but the downside is there is no sending anything back.

An above average terror ride where mentality is focused on in great depth. Stunning scenery and unexpected surprises with mixed characterizations from the performances of Franco and Brie. Freaky and at moments disgusting, but one that is bound to create memories for constructing an aspect that is different from any other horror film. Two-and-a-half out of four stars for Together.

 

Film reviews

She Rides Shotgun Review

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For Taron Egerton, he has taken on roles that are diverse with accomplishments from playing a boy to being a young spy in The Kingsman. He played as a rookie athlete with the hopes of doing high jumps at the Olympics in Eddie the Eagle as well assinging his heart out in Rocketman. Take all those blockbusters and throw them out the window. She Rides Shotgun is by far one of the best films he has starred in! Directed by Nick Rowland(director of Calm Horses and Floodlights), this is a low-budget feature that gives its all with a rare tenderness in what is all bound to be lost. The film revolves around a struggling father in the center of conflict, and a riveting direction that has many heart pumping moments for its audiences. This is a story where criminality carries consequences through the hurdles of agony. On top of it all, it maintains a consistency of thriving to stay alive. An auteur’s force of direction that is bound to receive attention for its realism.

The setting of the film is around Albuquerque, New Mexico. The film’s plot revolves around a father and his daughter. The father is Nate, and he is played by Taron Egerton. The daughter is Polly, and she is played by Ana Sophia Heger. Nate is in all kinds of trouble with the law with many legalities surrounding a drug lord. So much to the point that his problems chase him until he is dead. With time of the essence, Nate is repeatedly scrambling and running. He puts Polly in the car and takes heron his fleeing journey. Polly begins to realize that the many conflicts around her are due to her father’s errors. At the same time though, she wants to protect him, especially with her age playing a factor. She does not understand the very grown-up problems of what is put in front of her. The young mind seeing all kinds of dangers sparks a new adventure of vengeance in She Rides Shotgun.

The film keeps its politics and criminality to be a cat-and-mouse game with the vulnerable side of Polly as the driving force of the film’s wonders. It is hard to predict her outcome. Around the running from all the dangers, there is clarity to making it out alive. Rowland’s usage of sabotage has an eloquent approach tomoving parts that are damaged and looking to be reconciled. This aspect is truly expressed when it comes to the law enforcement party of, She Rides Shotgun. With a detective assigned to hunting down Nate and the danger to his daughter Polly, there is the tone of truth finding light. The detective is John, and he is played by Rob Yang (Succession and The Menu). John is put in the middle of all the moving parts but also knows the corruption of the landscape. Where Nate chooses to run his problems will continue to follow him.

The juxtapositions of livelihood, fatherhood, and criminality all tango intrepidly. Nate teaches his daughter Polly how to defend herself, as she is in the front seat throughout the many crimes of this odyssey. The film’s exploration of the criminal underworld loops into a landscape of fear that is relentlessly aching. The pain of fear stands for a sacrifice of purpose in She Rides Shotgun. The biggest factor and enemy though, is the criminal boss Dave, and he is played by John Carroll Lynch (The Founder and Lucky). Lynch is an actor that can play any type of happy, negative or empowering character. With this one, he goes off the edge of the deep end to make evil swirl under his hands.

All of the characters play a role in getting themselves to a place where they feel safe and stable. The setup of there being laws and ways around them is where Rowland’s directing is a knockout. He knows how to have the troubled characters test the waters of tolerance and the law. But also, he does so with those who are the law enforcement. The masterful talent of Egerton, Heger, Yang, and Lynch are all superb in playing those wanting to find their heroism. Much of my appreciation shouts out to Heger, because for a young girl her seriousness dives into the realistic feeling portrayed in She Rides Shotgun. How did riding that seat truly make her feel though? Find out for yourself with She Rides Shotgun. Four out of four stars.

 

Film reviews

The Naked Gun Review

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A cop movie with some of the most unadulterated humor I have seen in ages, The Naked Gun is full of slapstick fun mixed with heavy tones of seriousness and many disastrous moments that come through in genius writing. Silly to the max, but it works…because it is all from the voices, performances, and attitudes of Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. Based on the television series Police Squad and written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer. Schaffer is also the director of the film. The writing and characteristics are all combined to make this a cop movie that had me laughing really hard. Neeson has thatcharacteristic voice of his that does not fit the context in serious moments. That is why he is perfect in The Naked Gun.  Neeson has played in many films as a detective and Anderson has her past role as that cool girl with attitude from her many years with Baywatch. It is these two roles in past projects that create a strong duo to keep the slapstick moments rolling vigorously throughout. So funny… I could not get enough of The Naked Gun.

In The Naked Gun, Neeson plays Frank Deblin Jr. A long-time detective bound for retirement and making all kinds of foolish choices and witty mistakes. Some of these include hit and run, causing more damage to do less paperwork, and his very inappropriate cop humor through it all. He has, “A secret set of skills,” as is said in his role in the Taken franchise, but this is one where he lollygags it all to the full-throttle mode. He finds himself up against the world at risk from AI weapons run by a man by the name of Richard Crane (played by Danny Huston). There are a lot of incidents occurring with Tesla vehicles and all other kinds of devices. Regardless, Frank is distracted by making his errors but somehow pulls off the job as a detective. With his lacking capabilities love may be his chance for a strong revival.

Dim-wittedness thrives in the fun of The Naked Gun. Neeson and Anderson are like two characters in an Austin Powers universe, because they are two people in a mixed-up relationship where one has a goal to save the world. The question is can he do so without his nonsense getting in the way? “Nonsense” of champions is what I call The Naked Gun. That is because Neeson can pull it off as a detective that is absent-minded but still goes bananas when in savior mode.

Anderson truly stands out in The Naked Gun. She dazzles the film with her goofiness and wonderful gem of caring personality. She also has a high level of tolerance. Neeson’s performance brings a lot to the table when they go into a relationship mode. Throwing together a couple, the world being at risk, and a detective who keeps making messes and trying to cover them up makes for a joyful ride that I could not get enough of. Neeson still jumps and talks like a master of suspense. Quirky, but well written and clever with many puns, tangents, and a whirlwind of punchlines that will just make audiences heads go crazy. A masterpiece of comedy that may present itself as looking absurd, but I found it to be genius. While some moments over fuel its ridiculousness, the voice and ego of Neeson is the magic touch to it all. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for The Naked Gun.