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Film reviews

The Monkey Review

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When there is a feature of horrific scares from Osgood Perkins, it is an extravagantly adventurous treat. Perkins knows how to create elements full of surprises as a writer and a director. The Monkey contains a lot of them, even including backstories that come before the unexpected. The Monkey is a gem for its stories and the interconnected moments in which karma meets its maker. “The Monkey” is a toy that brings out the evilest of wishes and creates much peril along the way.

Perkins brings us into the story of twins: Hal and Bill (both played by Theo James). They have had a messed-up childhood due to many catastrophic events. Both accidents and bizarre deaths and accidents messed up their lives. Perkins’ focus is revealed in the title. With the presence “The Monkey” many events go awry. From childhood dangers to twisted moments, the brothers find themselves at odds and go their own separate ways. The Monkey is filled with many epic and crazy moments. The tagline on the box that reads, “Like life,” is a quote that describes the hidden can of worms waiting to be opened. Perkins knows how to entertain his audience by adding to the creative treasures The Monkey has to offer.

I was sold was on the concept from Perkins that if one faces tragedy by a stove exploding in their face, then karma is not to be dismissed. As the film continues with Hal and Bill living different lives, escaping “The Monkey” is critical. How well do they know their fate if they have had different outcomes from the many dramas they have encountered? The characterizations of their personalities and perceptions do a tango that is akin to fire from torpedoes flying gloriously and shockingly.

It is an odyssey that feels unreal because of the spectacular heights it reaches. Perkins escalates the fears of the characters and the past to a level where personification meets a new maker. The Monkey left me begging for an outcome, and I got one along with plenty of spooks. While feeling mortified. I also kept thinking about Perkins’ innovative mind. Fans will not be let down; they will be sucked in!

Perkins has a vivid imagination and knows how to place characters in the most unexpected places. With Elijah Wood playing someone who runs a church, I thought to myself that Frodo found Christ. However, it left me with a question. Does faith conflict with the outcomes in The Monkey? It may be problematic for some, but blindsiding as a tactic is essential when creating a scary flick for newer audiences. Perkins establishes a structure where hatred lies, and deadly wishes are likely. The Monkey is a film with many interactions galore that take place in a new breathtaking world.

Deep down the characters’ choices and the film’s pacing made me anxious. Once one fools around with “The Monkey” bad outcomes happen. It is like the Perkins’ version of Final Destination, but Perkins tops that by throwing in evidence and important factors which cause evil to linger in The Monkey. The treacherous feelings were awe-inspiring especially when Hal and Bill must come forth with “The Monkey” again in their lives. The words that rang in my ears were, “Whatever you do…don’t turn the keys in “The Monkey’s” back!”  Not only do the keys represent more to be fearful of, they also brought out one of the most unexpected frights I’ve ever experienced. When a director knows what it takes to shock with many unique qualities, then they also know how to bring in risks that take the cake at a surreal and award-winning level.

The Monkey is by far one of the best films I have seen since the start of this year, particularly especially in the scary movie genre. It creatively divulges and loops into the past to bring in the present. What was once dismissed always comes back with a vengeance in The Monkey. The question is, how badly will the audience want the doors to be opened? They will have to find out for themselves. This is a Perkins’ sensation filled with vivid fascination. A mesmerizing odyssey of a film that shocks its audience well. Four out of four stars for The Monkey.

Film reviews

Captain America: Brave New World Review

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The cinematic universe of superheroes may be restored. I kept my expectations neutral leading up to Captain America: Brave New World. The moving parts of the franchise and lots of questions about the storylines and what might happen with the characters kept swirling in my head prior to the screening I attended.  I am pleased to report, it is astonishing! It marks a new beginning after many events from the recent films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This one brings in key elements that audiences will be surprised by.

Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) is the new one to fill the shoes as Captain America. This film creates the storyline which sets up a new direction. Sam is training Joaquin Torres (played by Danny Ramirez) to be like him. The doors to new beginnings continue to evolve. The President is Thaddeus Ross (played by Harrison Ford), but it’s not clear if he on the good or bad side. His daughter is Betty Ross (played by Liv Tyler). There is a new conspiracy in the arena of international safety in Captain America: Brave New World. For its hero, the support is from Isaiah Bradley (played by Carl Lumbly). The film’s setup of characters who have seen new worlds and are now trying to fix the next big threat weaves in various directions in a multitude of ways.

The film does a stellar job of creating the foundation for its audience to think back to the year 2008. That was the year of The Incredible Hulk, and the last time Tyler was part of the franchise. Hulk is one of the superheroes that does not have a variety of his own separate titles (like most other Marvel heroes). However, the approach of writing in a way that causes the audience to think back keeps the pacing steady and provides hope for a later universe. The opening of doors in Captain America: Brave New World offers an intriguing combination which keeps the audience captivated.

The villains in this film truly deserve some emphasis and attention, because the film spirals with them. They are tied together. The big ones are Sidewinder (played by Giancarlo Esposito) and Samuel Sterns (played by Tim Blake Nelson). They know that Sam and Thaddeus are on the brink of teaming up for a variety of reasons. The film is able to keep a steady pace of blindsiding. The ultimate question in Captain America: Brave New World is which side seems to have more trust? The movie is extravagant in its direction and has a solid foundational approach. The battle between good and the bad in Captain America: Brave New World takes the film to a whole different level. It utilizes the tactic of keeping its characters in their ownlanes which helps establish a pattern of curiosity. The question of what may happen or go wrong when lines are faded adds plenty of excitement for what is in store. Three out of four stars.

Film reviews

Parthenope Review

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“Great actors, like great directors, do the same job. They are great observers of reality.”

-Paolo Sorrentino

Those quotes hold true to the craft of Sorrentino. He is a director that loops in beauty and presence in forms that feel connected to the purest quality. With a blend of dynamics, characterizations, and purpose, artistic craft shines in Parthenope. This film that takes place in Naples, Italy–a country that Sorrentino admires.  The humanistic value here feels vivid in its form of following its main character. With an array of ups and downs, Parthenope leaves marks of the challenges of moments portrayed and lightin the revelations revealed. All of it is through the eyes of the film’s main character…Parthenope (played by Celeste Dalla Porta).

The vibrations of scenery create the flow of Parthenope. As the film’s center, they are gorgeous in capturing the essence of Porta’s most ambitious roles. The plot is diverse, and the setting of Naples sets off a vibrant track. Parthenope is a woman of divine beauty—she has a lovely personality and dazzles the screen of her dynamic life. Continuity strolls through her journey with much to think about. She navigates her life throughher studies in Anthropology. This ties into her connection with her professor Devoto Marrotta (played by Silvio Orlando). She also navigates her companionship with Sandrino (played by Dario Aita) and Raimondo (played by Daniele Rienzo). She also has ambition to take the steps to become an aesthete because of writer John Cheever (played by Gary Oldman). On top of that, she has hopes to become an actress through her connection to Greta Cool (played by Luisa Ranieri). The many loopholes and avenues of Parthenope’s life are a journey of discovery—one that is bold and spellbinding in the thoroughness of Sorrentino’s artistic craft.

From the viewers perspective, it is like the performance of Porta is that of a creature finding open doors to beauty. “Beauty” isblended with light and creates a constructive pattern in Parthenope. The setting of Naples is one where the artistic life of one finding their track is diverse in the pattern of one finding themself. This is a journey that will take the breath away from its audience, especially through the moments where Parthenope questions her beauty and who she loves. They leave the audience to wonder who will benefit her in her journey to find a career or move toward a life that is fulfilling.

From Sorrentino, the presentation of one feeling alive and in the moment weaves the wonders of happiness and contempt into a complex tapestry. The question is where is it rewarding? Is it with her many moments of relationships? Is it with her studies? Is it with the fascinations of thinking of becoming an actress? The diverse range of places and choices are intentionally vast tocreate a correlation of unforgettable meaning.

Love finds new tones of language and empathy in Parthenope. A masterpiece of craftsmanship and looking at life in a warming,heartfelt perspective. The shifting of plateaus leads to unforgettable wonders. It does not dwell on finding a negative pattern, but the choices in Parthenope are bound to make an audacious impression. Four out of four stars for Parthenope.