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

Fantastic Four: First Steps Review

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This is one of the best new installments I have seen with The Fantastic Four franchise. It feels nostalgic and historic with that comic book side swerving inside and outside of the premise. It also has some classiness with 60’s and 70’s aspects thrown into it. Especially around settings that include Panam airlines and box TVs. The biggest accomplishment though, is that it iswritten for the film to be set up with its heroes already in place. Directed by Matt Shakman, he puts his best efforts into creating The Fantastic Four: First Steps to have invigorating components and joyfulness to be adapted to what is to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If there is anything that is essential, it is the importance for its audience to remember is that the whole film matters. This is a new direction to help the moviegoer dismiss the previous franchises of The Fantastic Four. This one has grasped the idea of writing to fit into what is bound to come ahead and even bounce back. “Bounce back” if audiences need a refresher. Many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are always looped in together—some work to correlate and some do not. The Fantastic Four: First Steps does.

The heroes all have their place. They are Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). They are “The Fantastic Four.” A group of individuals with a strong media following who do good and protect their world. A solid foundation of humor and friendship exists among them being heroes, but also one where their media presence presents a bigger risk. The film is valid with making public performances and superheroes not finding political common ground. That is where the genius side is in the directing of Shakman—he creates more moving parts besides good guys and bad guys to make invigorating suspense that has mental components.

The enemy, Shalla-Ball/Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), is the aspect of the film that brings in the haunting and fueling angles of the film. She is a threat to society and many of the scientific backgrounds that the team has created. Reed and Sue are the couple and captains of the team and they have a child on the way. They ultimate question is…can all be safe? But also, can all be heroes? The uncharted territory of The Fantastic Four: The First Steps blew me out of the water. The writing foundation had me in awe, especially in the matter of its timing. The pitches of when to get political or action-packed are all thrown in at the right times. 

A success that has been bound to happen for ages. A wonderful superhero flick bound to create more new heights to fly to more exciting places. The Fantastic Four: The First Steps is one of the best films I have seen this summer. It is one that has found its way to create meaning on its way to future endeavors. The Marvel Cinematic Universe lives on positively for all of its fans. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Oh, Hi! Review

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Romance and a relationship finding itself to be sabotaged are the themes in this fling of a romcom.  This is Oh, Hi!. Written and directed by Sophie Brooks, she creates turmoil in relationship direction that tries hard to find common ground. Deep below the surface though, there is uncharted territory to be navigated in a friendship that is hard to bear. It follows one relationship assumed to be serious with an odd turn that brings the film into a context of curiousness. Why is there a lie in a relationship? Why does a romantic plan have bad news at the most unexpected time?

Its main characters are Isaac (Logan Lerman) and Iris (Molly Gordon). A couple on a getaway at a cabin. A rendezvous type of adventure. One with some weird moving parts right from the beginning. Especially with the fact that an apple stand is knocked over accidentally in route for the trip. Once Isaac and Iris arrive, they show up and are in their lovie dovie mode. However, all the romance and connection all tend to be flawed. 

Even though they appear to be a strong couple, Isaac tells Iris he does not want anything serious. This leaves her in the mood to keep him locked to bed. Yes, a rather strange setup in navigating the situation. It is like a foreplay comedy trying to get truth be admitted in the form of writing lies in terms of how some may feel when dishonesty is hidden. Iris continually tries to play mind games with Isaac to get his mind and perspective to change—desperation in love is the thriving tone here.

The writing is creative in building a scenario of figuring individuals out. Especially with Iris continuously trying to look appealing while Logan is tied to a bed. She treats him like a slave but in the tone of being polite and all. That is where there is mediocrity. More just because many times audiences will wonder when the cuffs come off. This is where psychotic behaviors begin to get out of hand. It is both funny and haunting. Especially with the fact that it is all displayed in such a quirky light. Romance cannot be true via tying someone up.

If I had to elaborate, I felt a lot of the context was more around young love finding fulfillment. Also, forcing that aspect. Especially with the fact that Iris continually loses her mind while leaving Isaac handcuffed in bed. The longer Isaac is trapped, the more of a psycho Iris pans out to be This is one-of-a-kind silliness, but it is nowhere near a masterpiece. It is mediocre in its attempt to be an experimental form. A silly and comedic direction where boundaries are never established,especially since Iris continues to not untie Isaac. The act of becoming a grown-up is dismissed. A boring film trying to find its fair form in writing with no revelation. Clever premise and personalities but writing that lacks the quality to make this feel joyful or fulfilling.  Two out of four stars.

 

 

Film reviews

I Know What You Did Last Summer Review

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This is a continuation where alumni of its cast hold strong, but the momentum falls flat. I Know What You Did Last Summer has the thrills and terror to be a blockbuster and to continue in the vein of its 1997 title almost thirty years later, and with a plot that is the most predictable yet. Overall, though, I found some joy in the fact that many of the once young celebrities were back in a feature based on what made them famous back in the day. My issue though, is how I was able to predict every single outcome. I have to say I knew that going in, but the downside is that it dismisses the fundamentals of misdirection in a feature like this.

The focus of the film is on five friends, and they are Danica Richards (Madelyn Cline), Ava Brucks (Chase Sui Wonders), Milo Grifin (Jonah Hauer-King), Teddy Spencer (Tyriq Withers) and Stevie Ward (Sarah Pidgeon). They are involved in a horrid accident, and an indescribable creeper keeps stalking them making them their prey. The same setup is used as in the 1997 version with the town being back in Southport. The terrorizing event of the past is referred to as “The Southport Massacre of 1997.”  This is a tale with revisited events and alumni returning to help these new younglings in moving forward with the threat of the killer and the risks of the town finding itself in limbo.

The returned characters are Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Grant Spencer (Billy Campbell), Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), and a brief glimpse of Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar). Ray, Grant, and Julie bring more to the table though since they have confronted a treacherous murderer before. The question though, is who can be trusted? The small town of Southport tries to keep the silence in strong forms. With the increased flow of quiet, more kills tend to happen, and with thatmore news spirals around town. It is set up where personalities mingle, and there are secrets that are looking to be uncovered. I Know What You Did Last Summer is fun in its foundational chills, however the downfall is that it leans toward being cheesy. “Cheesy” as in its writing lacks quality. The plus side though, is how it has a majority of its 90s alumni to help maintain some standards.

There is a darkness in the kills with slashing stabs. There are moments of misbelief. The tread of the depths of terror is deep and steady. The puzzle from the previous events keeps the focus at a high level. The outcome though, is mediocre. Even though I accepted the silliness, it felt good to see its cast from back in the day reliving the terrors through and upon others. Especially with Campbell and Prinze Jr, because nowadays their projects go seemingly unheard of. At least this is a fun comeback adventure for them. Overall, though, this film is rushed, funny, and kind of a bore. The gutsy scares of this script did not carry the same quality as its predecessor. I will say that my rating falls at two out of four stars for I Know What You Did Last Summer.