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Film reviews

Novocaine Review

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When it comes to an unexpected hero to save the day, Novocaine delivers lots of spellbinding revelations. Jack Quaid successfully plays a nerdy introvert whose life is altered when his reality becomes his biggest nightmare. Novocaine is boggled up with emotions waiting to be unleashed.

This is a thriller where there are lots of laughs. Audiences can really rock thanks to the premium 4DX format at select cinema chains which includes moving seat and strobe effects. Novocaine is the right title for this format, because its main character has a disease which makes him unbreakable. 

In Novocaine, Quaid plays Nate who has a career in accounting and leads a relatively sheltered life due his disease. The layout of Nate’s life provides the writing on the wall at the start of the film. Due to Nate’s genetic disorder, CIPA which stands for “congenital insensitivity to pain, with analgesia,” puts him to the test.  He is in love with a girl named Sherry (played by Amber Midthunder). A heist takes place at his bank, and she is kidnapped. Nate decides to put himself at risk to save her. By doing so, he utilizes his condition which shields him from feeling pain in his body. 

As the film moves forward, Nate goes on a spree to get answers about Sherry’s kidnapping. His presentation is dorky and witty which makes the film so joyful. Quaid’s babyface seems to be easy to punch. However, he is going bananas trying to save Sherry. He does so with every fragment of his body. The heist features events ranging from car crashes to fights in restaurants to combat with tattoo machines, and a whole lot more. The film is relentless with a variety of high hazard jams. The fact that there are no feelings in the main character’s body makes Novocaine a daring ride. Nate continues to display his dominance while the submissives hold Sherry hostage.

There is a sense of exasperation which takes effect during the film. A lot of the scenes are predictable, but then there are moments that are lethal and unanticipated. The aspect that impressed me the most was in Quaid’s performance as a hero who comes out of his shell due to his disease. His unusual, yet creative superpower makes Novocaine shine. There is also a nerdy connection, his gaming buddy Roscoe (played by Jacob Batalon) who helps him with his troubles.

There is a rapid dynamic in this story that is out of this world. Quaid is monumental in his quirky yet realistic portrayal of Nate. Quaid, Midthunder, and Batalon have an intriguing dynamic as last-minute heroes. With Quaid as the leader and Midthunder and Batalon as his sidekicks—their performance is fueled with adrenaline. Novocaine is a thrill ride of chills and hysterical aftermaths.

For the full effect, Novocaine is a movie I would suggest seeing in 4DX. I saw it at the Regal City North in Chicago. During moments when Nate was in motion, my seat was also in motion.When he got wet, water splashed in my face. During every key perilous scene …4DX provided the ideal format to feel mesmerized. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Novocaine.

Film reviews

Companion Review

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Why do humans rely on technology? They do for many reasons such as organization, boredom, and life essentials. But where is the line drawn? It is drawn at utilizing technology to enable human connections. Writer and director Drew Hancock pushes the boundaries of AI in Companion. It is a film that correlates with robot and human suspense for an entertaining result. The level of seriousness just right. Companion is about a matter that goes awry which leads to twists and secrets to be revealed.

The film focuses on a couple, Iris and Josh (played by Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid). They go on a weekend getaway at a lake house with friends. The other folks are a gay couple, Eli and Patrick (played by Harvey Guillen and Lukas Gage). There are also Sergey and Kat (played by Rupert Friend and Megan Suri). Iris is a robot and her emotions are mixed. Josh tells her, “Remember to smile and act happy!” For Iris, this is rather complicated. She displays feelings of tension which arecultivated by the narration from the very beginning of the film. The script delivers the key fact that Iris is not a normal human. Her sensitivity is the cornerstone of intriguing suspense in Companion.

The film’s genius is aided by the uncomfortable vibe in its lake house setting. Given Iris already has a boiling mind of vengeance, Companion loops in the feeling that many cans of worms are waiting to be released. Companion boils until the film’s point of destruction as so much goes wrong along the way. Iris commits homicide due to being unable to properly handle human emotions. After the homicide she walks into the living room holding a knife with spattered blood. Josh, Kat, Eli, and Patrick are stunned and horrified. Josh must figure out how to clean-up Iris’s mess which was prompted by a technical failure. Josh refers to Iris as a “companion robot” or “emotional robot.” He does this to try and cover his tracks before her functions worsen… which they certainly do. 

The film gets hysterical when it becomes a battle between an “emotional support robot” against real humans. On top of that,the scenes have an interactive component when the “emotional support robot” uses the functions on a tablet to help with functionality. This happens in moments of suspense. The storyline of covering up a murder and getting a crazy machine on the loose is results in a crazy ride that dangles shambles of wonderous audacity in Companion. AI takes a deadly turn of demise in Companion. Despite the quirky layout, what makes this film a gem is its ability to create an atmosphere where viewers must think. There is more here than what is expected and that gets the audience involved.

The vividness comes from the desperation in the performances of Thatcher and Quaid. Since Thatcher is a machine and Quaid is the consumer (of her). The error falls on both sides but there is no excuse for the cause. They both have the minds to fend for their lives. The film’s message is NEVER RELY ON TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMAN EMOTIONS! No good comes from that! The creativity behind the boisterous disasters results in a grandeur of comedy and suspense with technology going full throttle. Not entirely a masterpiece, but very close. Three out of four stars for Companion.