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Film reviews

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Review

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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is one which crosses the line into mediocrity, yet somehow manages to nostalgia alive. A follow-up from Ghostbusters: Afterlife, this installment steps up the game of evil lurking through artifacts by employing loads of CGI. The characters loved by fans are back, and include Callie (played by Carrie Coon), Grooberson (played by Paul Rudd), Trevor (played by Finn Wolfhard), Phoebe (played by Mckenna Grace), and Lucky (played by Celeste O’Connor). These characters arenow considered alumnus of the franchise since their appearance in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The old-school alumnus (who add much necessary humor and quirks to the experience) are Peter Venkman (played by Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (played by Dan Aykroyd), Winston Zeddemore (played by Ernie Hudson) and Dana Barrett (played by Sigourney Weaver). Surprisingly, even with a cast this impressive, the movie has flaws which make it difficult for it to be memorable.

The film consisted of four writers including the director, Jason Reitman.  Joining him as contributors were his father, Ivan Reitman, Gil Kenan, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis. I guess the compilation of writing is why the film is not as straightforward and nostalgic as I would have expected. The film begins in 1904 in New York. This introduction is familiar to the films in this franchise. It then jumps to the present where the family hunting ghosts returns. The team of Grooberson, Callie, Trevor, and Phoebe are all ghost hunters which causes some misbelief with their reputation due to their dynamics as a team.The newest trend with the ghosts features ice and snow. When an old artifact is discovered, it’s time to call Ghostbusters! With Peter, Ray, and Winston making appearances, the team has grown, but is skillful enough to take on the monsters of the snow? The film lacks in establishing a quality foundation, but manages to finds a way to detail the situation moderately well.

Philosopher Dr. Hubert Wartzki (played by Patton Oswalt) is part of a backstory which explains how the new monsters of ice and snow have come into the city of New York. Also, a third-party seller, Nadeem Razmaadi (played by Kumail Nanjiani), is also part of the puzzle. Many of his collectables are artifacts, but much of his collection hold secrets related to ghosts as well. Ray’s character and his experience with ghosts does help add to the story. The various moving parts are fascinating but tend to drag the movie down and cause boredom before the excitement of ghost hunting swerves into the picture.

The scenes with quirky humor boost the nostalgic feel of this film. The CGI also adds more in-depth visual interest to the film’s adventure of stopping one giant ghost. Truly, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is not amazing…partly because the lines of understanding seem unnecessarily blurred. The nostalgia provided by Murray, Aykroyd, and Hudson is where the film has its most memorable moments. As always, the ghost hunting is when this franchise shines. Two-and-a-half out of four stars for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Film reviews

Road House Review

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Directed by Doug Liman and written by Anthony Bagarozzi, this remake of Road House begins its introduction with a promising setup. The film opens with the initiation of a fight scene. It takes place in a club with street fighting. Carter, played by singer/rapper Post Malone, is in the ring.  Dalton, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is his opponent.  Dalton is the new Patrick Swayze in this different type of remake of the 1989 version of Road House. Gyllenhaal and Malone are retro street fighting in Road House. Dalton may be a bouncer, but he has a past, an ego and a lot of attitude.

Dalton is the main character, and he is offered a job as a bouncer by Frankie (played by Jessica Williams). Franke is the owner of a bar called The Road House. Dalton is a former UFC Fighter, and accepting this job puts him in a place where he realizes his territory of risks are not as promising as they seem. The settingis in the Florida Keys, a place where paradise meets a questionable habitat. The luxury environment sets the stage forlaunching into uncharted territory…it is a lot for a new bouncer. Dalton begins to realize how his new situation leaves him opento all kinds of abuse from many strange characters.

The Road House is disorganized and unorthodox—a bar with frequent conflicts and a lack of positive energy. There is one who says, “It’s like the morgue in here,” and indeed it may be. That is because Dalton has got some vengeance with an attitude that is hidden. There is a conflict with gangsters where Dalton asks, “Before we start, do you have insurance?” That question is the voice of a man with a giant ego and a hardcore vision of destruction for a better cause…Gyllenhaal is superb. His other question after the first one is, “Is there a hospital nearby?” The hospital question leads to a climax where the audience will hope there is a hospital for its characters to get to. This outcome leads Dalton to meet Ellie (played by Daniela Melchior). She is fascinated by Dalton’s personality and traits of enthusiasm.

This version of Road House is one where there are always conflicts of dynamics…not only at the bar, but all around the Florida Keys. Soon, Dalton is the new talk of the town. His mainchallenge are the crime bosses, and they are Ben and Knox (played by Billy Magnussen and Connor McGregor). Dalton begins to realize how he encourages others around him to stand their ground more firmly with the odd characters throughout the town. This is a frustration for Ben and Knox, because they want to take over much of the property surrounding the bar.

The first arena of danger was in Missouri in 1989 where Swayze was the hero. The new territory is in the edgy paradise setting of the Keys with Gyllenhaal. Dalton says, “People seem a little aggressive around here,” and those words hold true throughout the film’s many moments of treachery. The storyline follows the good and bad times of this chosen lifestyle—a journey into both aspects that thrive vividly. To an extent, it is very blockbuster-like with its writing and continuity—it keeps going in the route of heroism, and that leads to much of the film feeling habitual. Gyllenhaal’s performance is eloquent—his role as a bouncer is mellow, soft-spoken, and he displays intensity. Magnussen’s performance is out of his league—he plays a criminal that thinks he has got power. However, it is not enough to take on someone like Gyllenhaal as the new bouncer and a popular newcomer to town. Knox though, is the most lethal enemy.

The gangster atmosphere is what sold me with Road House—no matter where Dalton goes, there is always a treacherous trap awaiting. Are Dalton’s hidden days of being a pro-fighter enough to protect the ones around him? I do give the film credit for its suspenseful dynamics, it just does not execute them withthe brilliance one might expect. Gyllenhaal played a boxer in Southpaw in 2015 and returns to a role of a former boxer turned bouncer…with a lot more vengeance to release. The criminalelement is a blur, with the use of overrated actors that do not fit the theme of harsh bad guys. However, Gyllenhaal in roles with a boxing background is where his dramatic characterizations give his performance the fulfilling impact of unfettered rage. Basically the story of a bouncer in a world of mayhem that continues to feel rhetorical. Two out four stars for Road House.

Film reviews, Girl-By-Girl Film Festival 2024 Chicago

Film-Girl-Film Festival…The Mother of All Lies Review

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It premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival, the 28th Busan International Film Festival, and is now premiering at the Film Girl Film Festival in Chicago at the Music Box Theatre. It is a complex narration of an honest reality through the eyes of writer, director, and narrator Asmae El Moudir. The filmportrays the truth of Asmae’s life growing up in Morocco. The way this filmmaker deeply explores issues and delves into uncharted territory makes The Mother of All Lies simply unforgettable.

The plot of the film lies in the depths of Asmae’s family where they are trying to find light. Asmae’s grandmother is Zahra, and her father is Mohamed. Her family is coping with much mental turmoil due to the massacres during the 1981 Bread Riots. The films realism is portrayed through both lightness and darkness.  There are haunting truths which encourage empathy because of the dynamics the family is facing. The poetics of Asmae’s exploration of her family history is full of surrealistic grandeur. Asmae’s grandmother is against photographs, because she feels it captures moments that are too painful for her tolerate. Because Asmae  is the film’s director, she controls the setup from anartist’s perspective. As a result, she is able to get to the root of where the pain lies within her family and herself.

The foundational story comes through the fascination of Asmae’s father. He builds an atelier with clay figurines which serves the purpose of representing moments in from the family’s past. The setting of the clay figurines is the Sebata District of Casablanca during the 1981 Bread Riots. This perspective featured in the film enthralled me.  Asmae’s father puts a great deal of effort into his models and clay figurines. They all serve a purpose in the present by representing some of the hardest moments from the past. I found it spellbinding.

This film set in Morocco is based upon a story which is beautifully written and thoughtfully examined. Asmae’s voice tells the story of many events in her turmoil-filled life that stir up her family dynamics. The story may portray a celebration for some, but for Asmae, it is about portraying the truth about her life growing up in Morocco. I felt empathy for Asmae while also being enchanted by the film’s visually grand odyssey. The street models and clay figurines representing a specific era serve to create a form of acceptance and appreciation in The Mother of All Lies.

All the explorations through Asmae’s family history make thismovie experience special. It is a unique documentary which is on point because of the value created by this landscape of faithful curiosity. It is extremely intriguing to explore the various aspects of the events which Asmae examines with her family. The voyage into uncharted territory of the past hits anemotional chord where art comes to life in The Mother of All Lies. Four out of four stars.