The movie Bad Behaviour (2023) focuses on the complex family relationship as well as the search for self improvement, it is an Australian drama film written and directed by Alice Englert who also appears in the movie, this was her directorial debut, seem like a common thing for first time directors to appear on their own movie? not sure. The film is based on the life of Lucy an ex child star who is still trying to cling to the fame that she once had while searching for the purpose of life, she goes through a lot of searching and lands at a retreat center with a spiritual guru named Elon with the prospect of finding solace and understanding that she lacks. But the words "retreat" are still a long way from the peaceful break she had in mind, rather than serving as a healthy outlet for the character’s development it becomes a place where her unconscious processes and conflicts, especially with her daughter, Dylan.

Lucy and Dylan are roughly together yet extremely intimate with each other due to Dylan’s job as a stunt performer, they have a conflicted relationship throughout the movie because both are battling their own personal demons and trying to be the best friend they can be to each other. It is in this beautiful and serene place that their struggles in the emotional arena and some personal reflections take place. Lucy’s efforts of trying to engage with Elon and other people in the retreat are affected by her problematic interaction with Dylan make it almost impossible escaping her internal struggles no matter how much she can try to seek assistance from the outside world.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21221240/

• Platform: Theaters

• Release: June 14, 2024

Characters and Performances

The main character, Lucy, is portrayed by Jennifer Connelly and she does a great job in portraying the character as a vulnerable woman full of struggle trying to become as famous as she was when acting as since a child but for some reason she has this mental blockage and now seeks spiritual help, turns out its her relationship struggles with her daughter part of the situation although not the source of her problems. Connelly is also good at portraying the inner conflict of Lucy and thus makes her transformation quite engaging even if the plot at times rather weak.

Dylan is played by Alice Englert who was also the director of the film and Lucy is her on screen daughter, Through her performance, Englert accurately demonstrate the conflicts of the character and captures the change in the attitudes toward personal problems between mother and daughter. Dylan’s character is in some way opposite to the story line of Lucy which makes it possible to view the process of personal transformation and healing from a different angle, they both generate certain contrast despite one been the mother of the other.

Elon who is the spiritual head of the retreat is brought to life by Ben Whishaw. Whishaw’s character is very enigmatic and the actor plays this aspect very well because the audience has no idea whether the man is good or bad, seem very tricky to figure him out, Elon turn out to be more of a joke of self help culture and wellness tourism, highlighting how these efforts can often be fake and hypocritical.

Themes and Messages

Familial Relationships

Specifically mother daughter relationship can be considered one of the main motifs of the film, it is also an example of how past experiences with people may influence the current relationships which demonstrate the impossibility of asking for help from outside when the problem is inside, as in the story the themes revolving around the social construction of shame, guilt, and responsibility are explored.

Self Discovery and Enlightenment

The movie also relates to the ideological elements such as the search for identity and spiritual awakening, not that the last works for everyone but if you have strong believes it definitely helps finding the path seeking. The motivations of the main character Lucy, can be explained by her longing for a purpose in her life and her need for peace which is why she decides to go to the retreat, but the retreat turns into an opportunity to explore her personal drama she faces herself and her relationship with Dylan. During the movie the audience is presented with a "show" on the self actualization and wellness industry which can be seen as shallow and at times hypocritical. It is difficult to find someone today who does not enjoy pampering himself or herself with some kind of wellness procedure or treatment and the wellness industry is thriving due to this and for some making fun of it would not be very wise.

Bad Behavior captures the essence of how spirituality has been commercialized through the character of Elon and the plot which is set in a retreat, this way the movie easily demonstrates that such retreats are actually baseless and even full of contradictions as people attempt to find new meanings in life. Elon who secretly smokes cigarettes behind wheelie bins but passionately enacts the self realization message stands for the superficiality.

Critical Reception

Positive Reviews

While some of the reviews online criticized Englert for going for the art house market, others applauded the film’s originality and look. The cinematography was especially appreciated especially the scenes of the retreat area where the characters are surrounded by beautiful nature. While some considered Englert’s direction as erratic, others felt that there were bold attempts at innovate and the genuine development of the characters’ personality. Despite a failure to elicit laughs at some of the scenes, the dark humor that goes around throughout the movie will cause a few laugh here and there but at expenses of others pain probably not well deserve by others that have been through similar situations but still make them laugh.

Negative Reviews

However, there has been criticism on the way the film has been made or executed in general, some reviews online have noted disorientation of the plot and confusing narrative structure where Lucy’s story takes place in a wellness retreat while Dylan’s story develops in New Zealand’s movie set, how do you connect the two stories and not end up with two mid never ended story lines or at least one of them not properly ended. Same goes to the script that have received complaints of cringe like dialogue and exaggerated scenes that can be argued are a distraction to the depth and realism of the movie.

In Bad Behavior there is a solid idea and backdrop, but the approach taken by the director fails to live up to the premises of the story by exploring the complex situations between Lucy and Dylan, ranging from attraction to betrayal and back, the movie captures the essence of finding oneself and forgiveness through a spiritual journey. Alice Englert’s directorial debut can be seen promising but if the movie had been provided with better script it could’ve been a much more affecting story with a powerful message. Still, it is worth mentioning that this is a good addition to the list of drama movies, which gave a chance to the actors to demonstrate their skills.

So far the drama has been presented in many Film Festivals around the world sin January 2023, soon to be release to the public in June 18 through internet release, probably VOD at first to then be streaming in some of the most known platforms. This kind of drama might turn complicated when the director wants to go too deep into the personal problems that might emerge within a complex and distant relationship between mother and daughter.

It has been notice online that the reaction of the audience to the film shows that even though satire is a great way to make a movie very entertaining, it is not easy to combine satire with a rather dramatic story and explain such complex emotions as hatred and love.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #relationships, #selfimprovement, #comedy, #drama, #lucy, #childactress, #identitycrisis, #retreat, #spiritual, #enlightenment, #elonbello, #humor, #poignancy, #selfworth, #redemption, #happiness, #flashbacks, #fame, #motherdaughter, #dylan, #stuntperformer, #aliceenglert, #jenniferconnelly, #benwhishaw, #movie, #officialtrailer, #trailer

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

El formato de miniserie lo encuentro cada vez más interesante; creo que historia que principalmente son thrillers, pero que usan géneros como el drama y acción, hacen entretenida ciertas historias, pero creo que lo que más me atrae es saber que el comienzo tendrá un final; estas producciones han encontrado una manera de crear ciertos relatos en dónde desde la historia base de desarrollo otras tramas lo cual puede hacer entretenida o no la historia; estas características presentes en muchas producciones estarán presente en la nueva producción de Netflix, un thriller psicológico que trata varios temas desde el punto de vista de sus personajes.

I find the miniseries format more and more interesting; I think that stories that are mainly thrillers, but that use genres such as drama and action, make certain stories entertaining, but I think what attracts me the most is knowing that the beginning will have an ending; these productions have found a way to create certain stories where from the base story of development other plots which can make the story entertaining or not; these characteristics present in many productions will be present in the new Netflix production, a psychological thriller that deals with various issues from the point of view of its characters.

"Eric" es una miniserie original de Netflix, estrenada a finales de mayo, que cuenta con seis episodios que relatan la historia de "Vincent Anderson", un titiritero que lidera un exitoso show infantil para una cadena televisiva, pero que en la realidad es un adicto, alcohólico y quien hace una vida poco placentera a su hijo de nueve años llamado "Edgar" y a su esposa "Cassie"; una mañana, Edgar después de experimentar otra noche de discusiones por parte de sus padres, desaparece sin dejar rastros y ese traumático evento hará que el comportamiento erróneo y destructivo de Vincent haga relucir lo peor de su vida y de quienes lo rodean, pero también hará que otras personas traten de hacer lo correcto y resolver un turbio caso.

"Eric" is a Netflix original miniseries, released at the end of May, which has six episodes that tell the story of "Vincent Anderson", a puppeteer who leads a successful children's show for a television network, but in reality is an addict, alcoholic and who makes life unpleasant for his nine-year-old son named "Edgar" and his wife "Cassie"; One morning, Edgar, after experiencing another night of arguments from his parents, disappears without a trace and this traumatic event will make Vincent's wrong and destructive behavior bring out the worst in his life and in those around him, but it will also make other people try to do the right thing and solve a turbid case.

Está miniserie fue creada por Abi Morgan, escritora británica con mucha experiencia en obras de teatro y series de TV y que en esta oportunidad usa a la ciudad de Nueva York en mediados de los 80' como lugar principal para el desarrollo de esta historia en dónde temas como el drama familiar, el abuso de sustancias, prostitución, corrupción, prejuicios sociales y otras más, serán parte de la vida de los muchos personajes que conforman esta historia; justamente esto fue una sorpresa para mí porque esperaba que el personaje de "Vincent" tuviera un completo protagonismo convierto esta historia en la típica en donde la redención es la meta a alcanzar, pero la realidad es que profundiza más en la lucha contra demonios internos en cada uno de estos personajes que deben lidiar con un evento traumático.

La existencia de tramas aparte de la principal es algo que normalmente ocurre en cualquier producción televisiva, esto para dar descanso al desarrollo del protagonista y así alargar una historia la cual está planeada para ser relatada en varias temporadas, pero cuando eso ocurre en una miniserie, creo que de igual manera se debe formar un lazo fuerte con la historia base para así no considerar que se está viendo dos historias diferentes; justamente eso sucede en "Eric" en dónde la existencia de dos casos hacen parecer que se está viendo dos series en una y eso no me pareció acertado porque creo que una historia se minimiza a favor de la otra, siendo la que pierde importancia la historia de un padre con una vida destructiva el cual no sabe qué hacer ni como lidiar con la perdida de su hijo; lo extraño de eso es que la otra historia que se desarrolla en esta miniserie, es lo que más me ha gustado en donde el relato de la corrupción, prostitución, abuso del poder y la homosexualidad en Nueva York en los 80' es lo que tiene un mejor desarrollo que la historia principal que en mi opinión se desgastó muy rápido.

This miniseries was created by Abi Morgan, British writer with a lot of experience in plays and TV series and this time she uses New York City in the mid 80's as the main place for the development of this story where issues such as family drama, substance abuse, prostitution, corruption, social prejudice and more, will be part of the life of the many characters that make up this story; just this was a surprise for me because I was expecting the character of "Vincent" to have a complete protagonism I turn this story into the typical one where redemption is the goal to achieve, but the reality is that it delves more into the struggle against inner demons in each of these characters who must deal with a traumatic event.

The existence of plots apart from the main one is something that normally happens in any television production, this to give rest to the development of the protagonist and thus lengthen a story which is planned to be told in several seasons, but when that happens in a miniseries, I think that in the same way it should form a strong link with the base story so as not to consider that you are seeing two different stories; just that happens in "Eric" where the existence of two cases makes it seem that you are watching two series in one and that didn't seem right to me because I think that one story is minimized in favor of the other, being the one that loses importance the story of a father with a destructive life who doesn't know what to do or how to deal with the loss of his son; The strange thing is that the other story that is developed in this miniseries, is what I liked the most, where the story of corruption, prostitution, abuse of power and homosexuality in New York in the 80's is what has a better development than the main story that in my opinion was worn out very quickly.

El gancho o lo atractivo de esta producción de Netflix es contar con el protagonismo de Benedict Cumberbatch, quien interpreta a "Vincent", su personaje es un desastre, es molesto, es poco humilde, siempre a la defensiva y eso lo hace rechazar cualquier contacto con otro ser humano y por eso debe buscar en su muy afectada imaginación, un compañero con quién deberá discutir y ser su confidente para poder conectar con su desaparecido hijo; en varios momentos es de los puntos positivos de la miniserie, pero lamento que su historia sea opacada por otra que en mi opinión se hace más interesante. A pesar de que los diferentes temas que conforman esta miniserie, opino que las actualizaciones no estuvieron a la altura y es por eso que Cumberbatch es lo más destacable, es convincente y ayuda mucho a varios de sus compañeros actores cuando comparte escenas con ellos.

The hook or the attraction of this Netflix production is to have the starring role of Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays "Vincent", his character is a disaster, he is annoying, he is not very humble, always on the defensive and that makes him reject any contact with another human being and that is why he must search in his very affected imagination, a partner with whom he must discuss and be his confidant to connect with his missing son; in several moments he is one of the positive points of the miniseries, but I regret that his story is overshadowed by another one that in my opinion is more interesting. Despite the different themes that make up this miniseries, I am of the opinion that the updates were not up to par and that is why Cumberbatch is the highlight, he is convincing and helps a lot to several of his fellow actors when he shares scenes with them.

No tenía planeado ver Eric, pero no me arrepiento porque superó las pocas expectativas que tenía; es una buena producción porque se hace un excelente trabajo en recrear cada aspecto en los 80'; la música, vestimenta, vehículos y los prejuicios y problemas sociales, dos temas que tienen impotencia cuando el relato cae en un punto de vista diferente al de sus principales protagonistas y en dónde repito al decir que fue lo que más me gustó porque creo que se desarrolló mejor y opaca la historia de un hombre que por la vida que ha tenido, lo ha convertido en un mal padre, esposo y amigo; creo que si la resolución de un caso no afecte a otro se pudo tener una mejor historia, la cual en sí no es mala, todo lo contrario, es entretenida, es convincente en los diferentes temas que ofrece como historia y que solamente falla en saber dar cuál relato es más importante que el otro, pero de igual manera se hace un trabajo correcto en los seis episodios que conforman esta miniserie la cual recomiendo.

I had not planned to see Eric, but I do not regret it because it exceeded the few expectations I had; it is a good production because it does an excellent job in recreating every aspect of the 80'; the music, clothes, vehicles and the prejudices and social problems, two topics that have impotence when the story falls in a different point of view than the main protagonists and where I repeat to say that it was what I liked the most because I think it was better developed and overshadows the story of a man that because of the life he has had, has made him a bad father, husband and friend; I think that if the resolution of a case does not affect another could have had a better story, which in itself is not bad, on the contrary, is entertaining, is convincing in the different issues that offers as history and only fails to know which story is more important than the other, but also does a good job in the six episodes that make up this miniseries which I recommend.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Reseña | Review

☢️ Rated - Clasificación: PG-13 
🎭 Genre - Género: Thriller | Horror | Intrigue | Supernatural 
😜 Original language - Idioma original: English
🎥 Director: Jang Jae-hyun

📅 Release date - Fecha de estreno: 2024
🎬 Running time - Duración: 134 min.
✍️ My score -  Mi puntaje: 8 to 10

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

Netflix's Mini Series Eric (2024) is a bold attempt to blend multiple genres and themes into a single narrative. As a first impression from the trailer it promises a gripping tale of a missing child with his father going mad and probably been the first suspect, there is also a detective who struggle against corruption of the system. The series recreates a very detailed version of New York City during the 80s full of corruption and clearly going down in very aspect of society. The cast is led by Benedict Cumberbatch who plays Vincent Anderson a troubled puppeteer and McKinley Belcher III who portrays Detective Michael LeDroit a queer NYPD detective. Even though I did enjoy the series I have to say that despite its star roster cast and ambitious premise, this mini series struggles to find a balance between its competing story lines and themes, we got about three stories here each one trying to get enough attention, as a mini series I was expecting at most two side stories, there is not much time at hand to work out everything they try to expose.

The series begins with Vincent Anderson a narcissistic alcoholic who is the co creator of a popular children's show called Good Day Sunshine, Vincent's life is a mess with his marriage falling apart and he is a distant father to his nine year old son Edgar. When Edgar goes missing the next day after a heated argument between his parents Vincent's life falls into a rabbit hole, becoming obsessed with bringing his son's drawings of Eric, a giant puppet to life, believing it will help him find Edgar. This rapidly fall into madness is develop with a mix of dark humor and tragedy, but a times it feels that the character was not fully committed, I guess they wanted to look like it was something in progress because towards the end it does feel like Vincent was already there fully drawn into his madness.

Running a parallel story to Vincent's story is the subplot of Detective Michael LeDroit who is one of the few Black detectives at the polices station I say this because honestly there was no other and he has a secret relationship with and older man who is dying of AIDS, his romantic companion. His primary job is missing people, he is assigned to Edgar's case, LeDroit's investigation uncovers a web of corruption, racism, and homophobia within the NYPD and other institutions involve on the series. LeDroit's story makes a lot of contrast with Vicent story, after all the mini series is not about Edgar but then we have on one hand LeDroit story and on the other Vincent story, yes both found closure but is there any connection? sadly doesn't look like and this could be confusing for a large part of the audience.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16283824/

• Platform: Netflix

• Release: May , 2024

The Characters and Their Performance

Vincent Anderson: Very Hard to Like

Vincent Anderson is a complicated character but the audience can hardly like him and I think its intended to be that way, viewers often forget that its an entertaining business, anything that generates a feeling and reaction is good content. He has great potential as an artist but is a trouble man already diagnose who needs medication, this is evident because of his narcissistic personality and alcoholism, with his inability to build a sustainable relationships with his family, it is hard to like the guy. While watching the series, I was impressed by Cumberbatch’s performance, specially when Vincent’s start getting this hallucinations of Eric, a puppet played by Cumberbatch which symbolizes Vincent’s guilt and self blame, who constantly was beating him up and psychologically bully him but from the very first moment it was created it was intended that way, it was never to be a friendly puppet.

Detective Michael LeDroit: The Fuel of the Series

Michael LeDroit a detective and  emotional protagonist of the series, he is a cop who is very passionate about his job but full of anger for multiple reasons, not only he is going through a ruff patch with his romantic partner diying of AIDs, his boss is holding him back with an investigation and he has to pretend to be straight because back in the day people would not understand it, this is how his character fully develop and carry the mini series for the most part on his back, LeDroit’s story is the most interesting part of the series due to the detailed and convincing portrayal by Belcher. The investigation he leads into Edgar’s disappearance and the relation he makes with another case of a missing boy is the reason why it was entertaining after all.

Performances

Benedict Cumberbatch as Vincent Anderson

Cumberbatch did an excellent acting job as Vincent but most people would have a hard time liking Cumberbatch from this series and that is fine, its hard to like a villain, specially one who is a father and does everything in his power to fuck things up, Vincent is a hard core guide on what NOT to do as parent. Viewers are use to see Cumberbatch as the good guy, the Dr. Strange who is complicated and narcissist but still saves the universe. Vincent character at times felt very repetitive since you would expect him to do something worst every time he shows up so it was a lot of ups and downs, so this is the hard part where production could not get things to work together

McKinley Belcher III as Detective Michael LeDroit

Hands down the best performance in the series is offered by Belcher in his role of LeDroit, he plays LeDroit with much intensity and makes the audience feel every single of the struggle he goes through as well as his determination to find every kid he has been assign to, a man who is proud of his work and later on take hands on the subject leading the NYPD. For part of the critics and audience his character is a very sensitive one, there is a lot of contracast from how things were back in those time with the entire homophobic atmosphere comparing to now days its totally normal, although there is a continuation on the rotten and corrupt system he fights back. Going back to Cumberbatch, should Belcher be on the poster of the series? I guess that would not work neither same as it didn't work with Cumberbatch, thats the balance that some viewers talk about online.

Ambitious Themes

Eric (2024) covers a lot of social issues including mental illness, racism, homophobia and injustice, with all this topics at hand on six episodes is hard to cover them all, the series falls into the same problem of having multiple side stories with little time to develop all at once looks like an overkill. The show would have benefited from more of a cohesive story to be told so that each of these topics could be develop into in more detail

Visuals, Production and Environment

One of the most unique aspects of Eric (2024) is the production design, the setting of the series in the 1980s New York and the environment painted during the series is quite realistic with all the details and effort they put on describing New York City during those times. It also plays a major role in the theme of the series and brings a certain realism to the events, even going a bit far with the entire underground population but it was probably not too far from reality. Everything from having part of the story develop around a puppet show studio that were very popular back in the day, from the locations how buildings look from outside and inside makes me thing how much of this was AI or physically recreated, with today's technology it will turn easier for production to let us go back in time building a profile to every single detail of how certain period in time look like from clothe, buildings, cars, hair cut, the series really scream 80s.

In my opinion Eric (2024) felt quite ambitious and wont live up to what it could have been for a big part of the audience, the series try to address multiple issues and stories at the same time but due to the constant shift in mood it falls short to deliver at least one strong message. Vincent was probably suppose to be the star of the show with his complex story making think the audience at first hand that he is the focus of the story, he is the one that will blow their mind but he did not, so that's another fail, a lot of potential wasted. Then comes the most unexpected Michael LeDroit and stole the show, doing a great job with an almost impossible investigation case that was going nowhere because of how corrupt it was been push down every time LeDroit gets closer, he becomes the most interesting and emotionally driven part of the series.

While not a perfect series I do believe Eric (2024) is worth watching for McKinley Belcher III’s performance and the relevant social issues that the series tries to bring to light, it is a very entertaining series that has given the audience an insight on the challenges of telling a story especially when one wants to combine different genres and themes. The Mini series may not entirely achieve the goals it sets out to accomplish, it provides flashes of brilliance and food for thought on social problems.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #eric, #netflix, #series, #vincent, #anderson, #cumberbatch, #detective, #ledroit, #belcher, #missing, #child, #puppet, #hallucination, #corruption, #racism, #homophobia, #aids, #1980s, #newyork, #mentalillness, #drama, #thriller, #procedural, #systemic, #investigation, #tvseries, #officialtrailer, #trailer

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

Ghostlight (2024) is a beautiful drama that ties its characters fates with the story line of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the film by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson tells the story of a middle aged construction worker named Dan Mueller who battles with the grief associated with a tragic family event. Dan’s life changes completely when he joins a local theater and starts taking participation for the performance of Romeo and Juliet, with Rita, an energetic woman who once acted on Broadway, although the trailer scenes do not show the full script performed on stage, describe scenes between the play and Dan’s life as he grows more invested in the performance, the characters’ emotions reflect his own and expose his feeling of unresolved grief.

The family history is gradually explained in a gentle manner to let the viewer know that each of them has been affected by their son’s suicide, hard one. Dan who starts off as a clumsy and unwanted intruder in the theater world, discovers acceptance with the group of amateur and dysfunctional theater performers, the theater is also a place that liberates Dan and helps him face hidden feelings and start the process of therapy. The actors also play a crucial role in the story as the performances are realistic, Keith Kupferer’s play the role of Dan, a man who is in the process of grieving and feeling anger seem very convincing. The conflict of interests that lies in the background of the movie is quite realistic as Kupferer is played by the director himself, while Tara Mallen (Sharon) is his wife in real life and Katherine Mallen Kupferer (Daisy) is their daughter, building the relationship between Dan and Daisy is truly heartrending and reveals the bitter sweet and rather tense relationship between a man who lost his wife and a teenage daughter who is acting up.

The Making of the Film

In both its production and content Ghostlight is a reflection of relationships and power struggles that exist within its performers, Keith Kupferer does not only co star with Tara Mallen but also with his wife in real life while Katherine Mallen Kupferer, who portrays his on screen daughter, is his real life daughter as well. This casting choice adds a certain degree of realism and believably to the film, given that the actors own relationships are played, making the on screen chemistry all the more believable. The fact that a real family was chosen was not accidental since O’Sullivan and Thompson were sure that this approach would look more natural on the screen and convince the audience the feeling of members of a single family. O’Sullivan was the writer of the screenplay and since he shares a good working relationship with Keith Kupferer, it is believed that the character was tailored to fit him.

Dolly de Leon's Contribution

The cinema and theater actress Dolly de Leon who plays the role of Rita the theater director, seemed to draw from her theater background to give the character more authenticity. De Leon shines brightly as she plays the role of Rita, a strong- willed and compassionate woman who helps Dan move through the different phases of grief. Other members of the film’s cast are Hana Dworkin, Tommy Rivera Vega, Alma Washington, H. B. Ward, Dexter Zollicoffer, Deanna Dunagan and Francis Guinan all of who contribute in their own special ways in the cast.

Themes and Messages

Grief and Healing

The first of the detected trends that has been pointed out by reviews online is the focus on the problem of grieving and the manifestations of human coping strategies in relation to death, the film develops around Dan a construction worker who signs up for a local theater to perform in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a way to cope with his son’s death this been a way or technique to narrate the story that helps the film explore grief and the stages of moving on. As to the movie’s content reviews has raise the film for not being sensational about the theme that it develops which is very controversial depending the point of view, the movie does not overact but it shows grief itself in an organic manner.

Art as Therapy

The most popular aspect of the movie was when it sort of recreated scenes from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet for the characters’ lives with some reviews noted that it can be easily understood as a reflection of the characters’ problems, with this artistic integration of reality serves as the reminder that theater and any form of art can enlighten people on how to understand their emotions and experience growth. It means that watching the film people can find ways of accepting what has happened to them and feel tolerant to others who have gone through the same thing.

Personal Growth

The other major theme that the film presents is the theme that people have to grow and transform and that this is achievable only if one is willing to step out of the comfort zone, in the case of Dan he showed the possible transition when the person is ready to take the part, I think its a common statement saying that this theme is especially important during the current period in which many individuals are dealing with their loneliness and instability, now days this is something that affects big part of our society, lack of identity.

Critical Reception

Acclaim at Film Festivals

The movie Ghostlight was released at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024 where it was positively reviewed for the strong script, acting and the general story. Sundance was perhaps the most significant platform in which the directors show the raw and realistic emotions of the film. South by Southwest was also the venue where the film was shown and this put the movie in the right league of a standout drama.

Awards and Ratings

The film has appeared to be popular and has been well received by the audience and movie critics online with Rotten Tomatoes website gives 100% of the positive reviews from movie critics, only 18+ reviews at the moment of this post but this time around I think the audience will eventually agree once it goes out to the public, while the Metacritic website gives 87 out of 100, which shows that the movie has a good acceptance by the critics. The film has also received few awards so far including the Audience Choice Award for the directors at the Seattle International Film Festival and performance by Keith Kupferer.

Ghostlight is not only a story of a man who is struggling to come to terms with his loss but also of the power of theater, which encourages people to grow and helps them find a new purpose, balance and path in the time of their need. This aspect is well executed to the extent that none of the bond between the play and the characters real lives appears to have been thrown in arbitrarily, its this type of movie that feel so real and make it special.

This movie is has all kind of aspects like comedy, melancholy, and drama while you watch their characters evolve making you want to know more about their lives and watch them achieve their goals within the story, providing a unique experience to the audience that will make them probably cry as they get moved by the situation the family is going through but will also inspire many to look at their existence and life differently with the help of art and people

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #ghostlight, #drama, #grief, #healing, #theater, #shakespeare, #romeoandjuliet, #family, #tragedy, #community, #performance, #authenticity, #emotions, #narrative, #characters, #cinematography, #soundtrack, #acting, #directors, #sundance, #sxsw, #indiefilm, #art, #connection, #movie, #officialtrailer, #trailer

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

The legal based drama series Presumed Innocent (2024) is already expected to be among the most captivating legal thrillers of all time based on Scott Turow’s 1987 novel as per the script written by David E. Kelley, the drama series takes place in the atmosphere of Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office, describing Rusty Sabich’s complicated story of a chief deputy prosecutor who has been accused of the murder of his female coworker and ex-lover Carolyn Polhemus. This mini series features Jake Gyllenhaal play the role as Rusty which is his first leading part in a series and the series also stars Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard among others and also O-T Fagbenle as James.

The story starts with the ugly finding of Carolyn’s corpse, with considerable repercussions at the prosecuting attorney workplace. Hill, the man who was involved in an affair with Carolyn, ends up as the main suspect in the murder case as new leads incriminating him are discovered. It focuses on Rusty, having detailed descriptions of his driven intention to be with Carolyn and how far he is willing to go simply to be forgiven for his supposed crimes, consequently Rusty’s wife, Barbara Sabich, role play by Ruth Negga, is faced with the possibility of infidelity and a shattered marriage. The show does not have a tendency to hide the fact that even the representatives of the elite are confronted with the issues of morality and the everyday concerns of conscience, which makes the series rather philosophical.

The Cast and Characters

The main cast of the series is with Jake Gyllenhaal who is playing the role of Rusty Sabich, a chief deputy prosecutor whose life takes a dramatic turn when he becomes accused of murdering his close friend and former lover Carolyn Polhemus, the usually dramatic actor with a special ability to display emotions close to realistic making Rusty believable. This is the first time that Gyllenhaal has taken on a serious series and the addition of him as the main character to a TV series.

Ruth Negga as Barbara Sabich, one of the main characters is also a part of the couple with Rusty, whose life is turned upside down because of the murder investigation and a woman who has to contend with the struggles of betrayal and loyalty. She is famous for her performance in the film Loving (2016) which can be consider as one of the breakthrough roles as she got the nomination for the Best Actress Academy Award.

Bill Camp portrays Raymond Horgan, Rusty’s supervisor and a well oriented man in the system. Camp has been in numerous shows such as The Night Of (2016) and The Queen’s Gambit (2020). He bridges the gap between the film and television genres and boasts of the Joker (2019) as well as 12 Year a Slave (2013). Camp’s experience and ability to depict complex emotions and feelings performatively add realism to portraying Horgan, the main character of the series.

Lorraine Horgan is Raymond’s wife, and Elizabeth Marvel does an excellent job creating this character. Marvel has experience in television parts, television series in which she actively participated: “Homeland” (since 2011 till 2020), “House of Cards” (since 2013 till 2018). She has also acted in movies including “Lincoln”, a movie that is dated 2012, and “The Meyerowitz Stories” which was produced in 2017. The contrasting traits of strength and complexity are evident in the Marvel characters, which enrich Lorraine’s character based on the murder incident within the story.

Peter Sarsgaard plays the part of Tommy Molto, the prosecutor feared by Rusty. Sarsgaard has had established himself as an actor in such movies like Shattered Glass (2003) as well as An Education (2009), some of the latest projects include the miniseries Dopesick (2021), Sarsgaard’s acting is always credible and ruthlessness, which make him perfect for the role of Molto, a man who is fuelled by ambition and the desire to avenge his brother’s death.

The murdered woman represented by the lovely and talented Renate Reinsve in the role of Carolyn Polhemus plays the character that ignite the conflict of the series, Reinsve got global attention by appearing in the latest film The Worst Person in the World (2021) which resulted in her winning the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress.

Production and Direction

Lucky for us, the series is a creation of Bad Robot Productions in partnership with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The creator of Lost and Westworld, J. J. Abrams also worked as an executive producer for the series putting his creative spin on the show. It seems that show’s Creative Team is composed of talented people such as Rachel Rusch Rich, Matthew Tinker, Dustin Thomason, as well as Sharr White and this can explain the show’s high production values as well as rather complex plot lines.

Shooting of the series started in Pasadena California in February 2023 as the region provided the backdrop of urban landscape of Chicago that production was looking for the main setting of the series. John Paino has specifically embraced the task of production design in order to establish a theme been the high powered world of a law firm and has done an excellent job in picking details that add such aspects to the series. The series main directing responsibilities are divided between Anne Sewitsky and Greg Yaitanes with Sewitsky directing the first two and last episode of season one as well as episode three through seven handled by Yaitanes, they both continue to work together to maintain and establish continuity of the series.

Themes and Narrative Depth

There are other unique elements that can be mentioned when discussing the series, elements of obsession, erotic, politics and love powerful. It is based on the psychological and emotional states of its characters different than just offer a story besides courtroom excitement. The character of Rusty with a deep affection for Carolyn not only has a flaw, an obsession results in his demise, this demonstrates what ill can come from self serving behavior in positions of power, specifically the practical implications of the deterioration of ethical codes and principles.

Barbara Sabich, played by Ruth Negga, serves as a chief asset to the series also been mention and demonstrate by Barbara in the series through dealing with the murder investigation making her struggle to sustain her family and marriage, therefore portraying the theme of love as both strong and vulnerable.

Presumed Innocent (2024) is an exemplary show that was well developed by professionals behind the scenes and boosted by the skills of its actors, reason why this series can be seen as contributing to legal thrillers as a sub genre in a much more valuable way than others, as it adds a new layer to an older story, not being afraid to engage with some of the heavier themes in a way that previous entries in the genre had not..

The series has been a hot topic of discussion for a while now due to the giant talents attached to it such as David E. Kelley, J. J Abrams, and Jake Gyllenhaal etc, which have definitely raised the bar that this series will be a remarkable addition to the line up of TV series in 2024 with an interesting plot, excellent performances from the cast, high expectations has been set for viewers.

The series promise to be the one that changes the monotony of the classic murder based on an affair, on 2023 we had a similar series Fatal Attraction (2023) in that case as series out of the movie it had to stick to the story in certain way but Presumed Innocent (2024) attempt to do exactly the opposite and include more what the characters go through in the process instead of just looking at the case from the outside.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #presumedinnocent, #legal, #thriller, #murder, #prosecutor, #investigation, #courtroom, #drama, #obsession, #justice, #affair, #betrayal, #chicago, #gyllenhaal, #negga, #kelley, #abrams, #apple, #tvplus, #adaptation, #novel, #forensic, #politics, #love, #innocence, #tvseries, #officialtrailer, #trailer

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

If you follow my account recently you can tell I have been diving into the world of horror films, I find myself drawn to the latest addition to the exorcism sub genre, this iteration directed by Joshua John Miller this movie will portray the real and fictional world that blends with each other and the story itself is inspired by Miller’s own life and his father who acted in The Exorcist (1973). The movie is very close to Miller’s own life as he was raised on macabre stories about the events filming of The Exorcist (1973) where his father, Jason Miller played the part of Father Karras, I think such connection creates a kinda of meta horror for the audience, which makes the movie a worthy shot in the exorcism sub genre but I have a few problems with it, one been Russell Crowe coming from The Pope's Exorcist.

The main theme of the film revolves around the life of the main character, Anthony Miller played by Russell Crowe who is an actor given a role in a movie that kind off resembles his life’s struggles, including substance abuse, his character Anthony starts to exhibit pathological behavior that has his daughter, Lee played by Ryan Simpkins concerned. This is whether she should accept that her father has started to act like he used to do when he was an alcoholic or whether it is something more serious as Anthony is now subjected to bizarre incidents as the line between his actual life and the making of a horror film gets blurred. These are not mere dreams or hallucinations, as the author of the novel implies but are real occurrences in the evil forces that appear to be against the main character.

Plot Overview

When the events start to progress the viewers gets to see the sequence of scenes which shows frame by frame the main character’s transformation into a crazed maniac with behavior around those filming the documentary and his daughter gets worse as he tries to fight off the evil within him. The film has psychological horror with some supernatural appearances.

The scenes of exorcism are very painful and striking at the same time and refer to the tradition of exorcism films, it is not just Demons that Anthony fights but his own vices making the process of exorcism to be a very personal and horrifying experience, one can identify the major motifs of redemption, faith, and the centrality of family in the face of evil in the movie.

Production Insights

The filming of The Exorcism was done by some famous personalities who included Scott, Bloom, and Nelson. The brilliant and talented twins, who have written this script, are Miller and M. A. Fortin who have developed The Final Girls and Queen of the South, a USA Network drama series. This movie was produced by Kevin Williamson, Ben Fast, and Bill Block involved production companies; Miramax and Outerbanks Entertainment.

Another interesting fact about the movie’s making and shooting is its link with the ‘legend’ of the ‘cursed business’, Miller claimed that the sets adopted in The Exorcist were seriously linked with odd fires and death occurrences and therefore impacted “The Exorcism.” This sense of a cursed production can also be seen in the story line, specifically in Anthony Miller’s role of a character who encounters other worldly occurrences that accentuate the horror movie in which he is an actor, the production team attempt to do was to give the possession movie formula a new and more progressive twist.

Cast and Characters

The cast list is packed with talented actors all of whom have a vast experience in everything that they do in the film. Russell Crowe’s role is that of another troubled actor named Anthony Miller whose life starts degenerating while filming a supernatural horror movie. Crowe is an award winning actor who has been in the industry for some time now and has acted in movies such as Gladiator (2000) and A Beautiful Mind (2001), after all Russell Crowe is well suited for the psychologically demanding nature of Anthony Miller.

Starring Ryan Simpkins as Lee Miller, Anthony’s estranged daughter who bear the burden of trying to understand her father’s condition, Simpkins is also famous for appearing in the film Pride and Glory that was released in 2008 and Fear Street trilogy movies of 2021, this are both skillful complex emotions that enrich the main focus of the movie namely the relationship between the father and the daughter.

Themes and Messages

From the few opinions I could find only I would say that many viewers consider The Exorcism (2024) to be more than just a horror movie about demons and the end of the world with some have pointed out that the movie is relevant to the present-day concerns and problems, just as The Exorcist was to the 1970s. The crucial narrative of the movie deals with the life of Anthony Miller who starts behaving like a maniac while shooting a horror film and the entire episode is symbolic of the reality where the human mind and the film that he is shooting are blurred and the trauma that the man has experience himself provides clues to his behavior, embrace the problem of mental health and the effects of trauma.

Another theme that has become a focus of the discussion is the reflection on substance dependency and the process of sobriety with Anthony Miller’s character is recovering from substance use disorders and his odd behaviors on set suggest that he is falling into his previous unhealthy habits or perhaps there is hidden motive involved, starts the fight of an addict and the constant fight for the freedom from alcohol, becoming more than just a horror movie, it was about time that it evolve into something more than just scare, blood and gore.

When I think of the plot of The Exorcism (2024) I can see this movie having the capability of being a powerful horror movie with a message but from the trailer the plot over all fell as a parody of what happens on a the set of a horror movie but nothing has been said or done, the movie has definite potential with its talented cast and its director who seems to have a good grasp of the horror film format, however, there is the challenge of standing out in a bracket that has been defined by having great films with the very recent release of The First Omen (2024) setting the bar high for horror movies.

This is one of the reasons why the film works and why it is more than just your typical horror movie, because it does not only provide the psychological horror along with supernatural but also touches on issues relevant to the society today, at least from what I can tell from the trailer and plot that I have found so far. The essence of the exorcism scenes goes beyond the ritual of driving out an evil spirit but also battling with the inner demons of Anthony because in a few scenes he even mention how he is not worth saving, how do you get evil out of a person that already surrender before the fight starts?. This aspect of the film has been mention by critics as one of the best features that makes the film unique and distinguish it from other horror movies

In conclusion, it is possible to say that the future value of The Exorcism (2024) can have impact on the horror genre, this combination of the psychological and supernatural horror with the potential of providing a suspense story that the audiences might connect with, specially with his Anthony's daughter, I'm a trooper and I don't denied myself watching a good underdog movie so I must admit that I am looking forward to this movie and HOPE that it will be an exciting experience, at least in the framework of the exorcism film sub genre.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #supernatural, #horror, #actor, #addictions, #demons, #daughter, #mental, #sinister, #supernatural, #events, #possession, #exorcism, #redemption, #faith, #family, #priest, #doctor, #madness, #entity, #psychological, #filming, #production, #cast, #crew, #narrative, #movie, #officialtrailer, #trailer

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

Reseña | Review

☢️ Rated - Clasificación: PG-13 
🎭 Genre - Género: Horror | Fantastic | Vampires 
😜 Original language - Idioma original: English
🎥 Director: Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin

📅 Release date - Fecha de estreno: 2024
🎬 Running time - Duración: 109 min.
✍️ My score -  Mi puntaje: 8 to 10

When I first learned about The First Omen (2024) trailer which came out earlier this year and which is a prequel to the well known 1976 horror film The Omen, I was quite skeptical. The original movie directed by Richard Donner is among the most essential films of the horror genre, while its sequels and a remake have left a sour taste in the audience, now the concept of a prequel look a bit more greedy, another attempt at profiting off of a franchise that had been dead for years, when I was watching The First Omen, I did not feel like I was watching a lame or dull movie, as to be honest I was expecting, pulling off horror movie is not an easy thing and most people think its just blood and a few spook here and there.

The movie is based in 1971 and it describes the life of Margaret Daino, role played by Nell Tiger Free, who is a novice who is sent to Rome to fulfill her vow and serve God, invited by Cardinal Lawrence role played  by Bill Nighy, Margaret is transferred to Vizzardeli Orphanage where she finds a friend and confidant in a young girl named Carlita Scianna skillfully played by Nicole Sorace, with the help of Father Brennan played by Ralph Ineson, Margaret discovers that there is a lot more than meets the eye at the orphanage a plan that could result in the coming of the Antichrist.

A Fresh Perspective on Religious Horror

Setting the Scene

The beginning scene of the film provides a background of two priests, the main character, Father Harris, played by Charles Dance, and another priest, Father Brennan played by Ralph Ineson who are engaged in a discussion about a cursed child, you might think OK here comes The Omen right away but this is what makes the movie special, its not just about The Omen and not as simple as bring him to Earth, but off course this is the atmosphere that dominates the rest of the film that is filled with genre references to religious iconography and gloomy motifs, the use of the historical period setting of 1971 Rome as the backdrop for the supernatural events gives the story a more believable air.

Character Development

As a first impression for me one of the most significant aspects is the development of the characters, Margaret Daino is an interesting protagonist of a story who is trapped between faith and the horrors that she discovers, who had to abandon part of her childhood believes like accepting those who take care of here had their own agenda. Nell Tiger Free shines in her portrayal of the film’s protagonist Margaret, and her gradual transformation from a carefree girl into a panicking one, this last part kept evolving same as her bond with Carlita is one of the main driving forces of the story, what actually make her take the first steps into going against the other sisters and their ways.

Building Tension

There is no rush in any scene as director Arkasha Stevenson patiently waits for the tension to rise, this is another important part of the film, how they balance the horror with mystery so the audience is not constantly scare to death. This pacing proves effective as the tension steadily rises with every scene, crafting the path to the end. Stevenson takes his time with the film’s events and each scene is tuned to create and maintain suspense on top of how production uses lighting and cinematography is good to create a creepy mood and it seems that every scene is filled with danger, always made me look at Margaret back, waiting for something or someone to jump her.

The Supernatural Elements

Unpacking the Horror & Religion

Given that the movie is a prequel to The Omen (1976) it is not surprising that there is a big focus on supernatural horror, but instead of depending on simple scares or even over the top gimmicky special effects, Stevenson brought something different that I could understand some might feel the movie failed to represent evil itself but once you watch the movie you will understand it was not about The Omen itself, it was more about the path, how everything happen to get there, this gives the horror a sense of realism and therefore increases the effect of drama and mystery rather than just scary evil.

The all mighty presence of the church is also embedded in Margaret’s daily routine at the orphanage as well as the emotional twister she has to go through due to religious beliefs and I think this brings another level of conflict to the story, as Margaret loses faith in Church, but as Father Brennan explains her, the Church who wants control and this transition corresponds to her fall into disbelieve, towards the end I felt she care more about the human side rather than any of the church or believes, considering how she remain together with Carlita and her daughter in the mountains asking only to leave them alone, in peace, together.

Visual and Thematic Elements

Cinematography and Visual Style

This is one of the most noticeable aspects of the movie, its look and feel with Aaron Morton the man behind the camera and he did a great job in portraying the beauty and the danger of Rome especially when he utilized light and shadows to augment the mystery of Rome. The orphanage itself in the film had a touch of gothic in structure and coupled with low illumination inside the compound adds to the general theme of oppression that drastically increase when Margaret enter the secret room where all file where kept.

Themes of Autonomy and Control

The way how the cult / church kept Margaret and Carlita against their will and force her into this evil procedure is a breaking point in the story, therefore evident that the church has a profound impact on their lives from the physical to the emotional to the psychological, as the sinister conspiracy serves to remind the viewer of the cost of unchecked authority and abuse of control.

The First Omen is a horror film inspired by such movies as the first part of The Omen (1976) and Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (1968), from what I could find online this is not commonly use as reference to the movie but mention a couple of times by others review, this two movies which provide the link between this film and the other with similar theme in a indirect way, this makes me believe its the reason why Stevenson herself gives the film a touch of horror films from the seventies that underline the mood and suspense rather than graphic violence.

The First Omen is an excellent film which should be included to the Omen movie series as it brings a new vision of an old material, despite the film’s belonging to the horror genre, confident direction by Arkasha Stevenson and exceptionally believable acting by Nell Tiger Free allowed the project to raise the bar way higher for similar productions in the future turning the horror franchise’s formula of gradual building up of tension at the same time elevated by the emphasis placed on character and mood, creates an satisfying  experience blend of horror and mystery.

I have to confes that the plot at as any other Omen movie felt predictable and I think is a burden but the ending may not quite be what some people are looking or expecting, it could even make the audience felt that the movie is not completed but for others more positive make them excited because now there is an open door for a sequel.

If you are one of the fans of the Omen movies, you would probably like to know how one of the most evil villains in horror movies started and that is exactly what the First Omen gives us. At the same time I think the movie has a friendly format as between events the story of how everything started is explain in details, this work great for new viewers as it can be watched as a movie on its own without any knowledge of the series it belongs to.

The First Omen (2024) is one of those movies that make me felt satisfied in every single aspect, the most important that it kept me wondering and wanting more from the story, never felt rush or scary to the point that made me felt like skipping scenes, nothing felt excessively gross, bloody or scary, a movie so very well balance that I could even recommend to someone who does not like this type of evil ish movies.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #horror, #prequel, #omen, #antichrist, #nun, #rome, #church, #conspiracy, #evil, #supernatural, #mystery, #faith, #orphanage, #possession, #1970s, #cinematography, #performance, #suspense, #director, #character, #plot, #revelation, #symbolism, #atmosphere, #legacy

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

"Bad Boys: Ride or Die” (2024) is the fourth movie in the action comedy series, which started in 1995, the movie is under the direction of Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah which reintroduces the Miami cop duo Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett roles played by will Smith and Martin Lawrence,, both now confront complicated situation such as aging and the changing panorama of crime, they are challenged by a dangerous narcotics gang led by Armando Aretas, played by Jacob Scipio who have gotten kill Captain Conrad Howard but to make things worst they trying to frame Mike and Marcus to make them look like the ones who got everything plan out. The situation starts getting really complicated as Mike and Marcus begin with decoding some of the major processes of the cartel and discover that a lot of bribery and corruption exists in Miami police and even in the political circles, this chosen topics seem a bit overrated and obvious but that's what the movie is all about, such pushes them to doubt the loyalty of teammates.

The relationship between Mike and Marcus remain as hilarious as before something that old time viewers wold enjoy a lot, although this time around they try to make Mike and Marcus like the bad guys, got them dirty and with no where to go, now they not only hav eto resolve their boss case but also stay away from anyone who wants to put their hands on them. Mike’s reckless personality can make Marcus’s a bit dramatic something that I have always love and more importantly how Marcus is also family oriented, which adds comedy and emotion, classic Bad Boys movie, so my question is what is new to this iteration?.

New Characters, Old and New School

One of the standout as in all Bad Boys movies is the dynamic between Mike and Marcus, their contrasting personalities provide both comic relief and emotional depth. Mike's reckless adrenaline fueled approach often clashes with Marcus's more cautious and family oriented mindset leading to both humorous moments and intense like that time when Marcus wanted to leave Mike. The chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence remains a highlight and their performances anchor the movie, providing a strong emotional core.

The film also introduces new characters who add fresh energy to the series with Vanessa Hudgens and Alexander Ludwig play a trio of young geeky cops who assist Mike and Marcus in their mission, with their modern methods and young exuberance create an interesting dynamic with the old school tactics of the veteran detectives who most likely teach them a few lessons, with this blend of old and new approaches adds a layer of complexity to the story and highlights the evolving nature of law enforcement.

Themes and Messages

Bad Boys: Ride or Die put some attention several aspects that fit this generation, the movie is devoted to the theme of auto destruction and the consequences, using different characters the story develop outcome that one’s actions can bring to the society in terms of the generation that comes after. Mike and Marcus are made to appreciate their past actions since they have consequences to face at the professional level as well as at a personal level as they struggle within the subject of aging and the changing trends in criminal activities within their territory.

It should be noted that the main motifs that make up the movie are loyalty and camaraderie, we will always find this on Bad Boys movies. The bond they share for each other and dedication to the principles of justice are a focal point in the moves and offer a good emotional scene to the movie.

Action and Visuals

The action sequences in "Bad Boys: Ride or Die” are colorful music videos to be hones but this time from what I can tell we will get a bit more of that night live action; most of the scenes are clearly meant to create the biggest effect, escaping car chases through the streets of Miami to the fast paced bullets and anything that could visually blow the viewers mind and keeps spectators hooked. The film also holds a scene where Mike and Marcus dodge a rocket! going wild and exaggerated is part of ALL Bad Boys movies but I hope they are not leaving everything on the trailer.

Cast repeats once again

The cast of "Bad Boys: “Ride or Die”  bring back Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the film as Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett and the two actors revive their characters with new additions as expected. Vanessa Hudgens seems to play the heroine Kelly again, same as from the 2020 iteration and Alexander Ludwig to play the hero Dorn again, in my personal opinion Alexander does such a great job at doing comedy but he is mostly known for his more series role in the TV Series Vikigns. It feels refreshing to watch this characters coming back to the movie series as this gives continuity to the 2020 movie. Jacob Scipio takes his character from the prev version too as the calculating lethal hitman Armando Aretas with pure and unadulterated vengeance towards Mike but this time around ends up helping them once they turn into fugitives, the movie also has a strong cast of notable talents as Paola Núñez, Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd and Tiffany Haddish.

Conclusion

It seems that the movie managed to maintain the core essence of the first movies but I'm not sure if it does bring anything new to the series. On this iteration the movie direction is carried out by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah who did a good job at maintaining as much speed and action for a movie as possible for those who enjoy the style of the previous movie and those who have just started watching it, I do have to point out that my favorites are the 1995 and 2003 versions. We get some continuity with the relationship of Mike and Marcus filled both with humor and deep feelings, this is always a good laugh, the action scenes from the trailer seem to be well executed and give a nice visual attraction to movie lovers to embrace the adrenaline rush. Some of the characters are hot and fresh in the movie “Ride or Die,” which adds spark to the action comedy series and the best that it can happen is that there is not a second of dullness in the whole almost two hours movie.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #thrilling, #actionpacked, #miamicops, #willsmith, #martinlawrence, #drugcartel, #corruption, #bromance, #highoctane, #stunts, #shootouts, #carchases, #newcomers, #vanessahudgens, #alexanderludwig, #jacobscipio, #ericdane, #ioangruffudd, #adilelbilall, #badboys, #legacy, #friendship, #redemption, #loyality, #movie, #officialtrailer, #trailer

Posted Using InLeo Alpha

Ghostbusters is one of the many iconic movies which became a part of modern pop culture since its release in 1984, apart from its famous cartoon it remains one of the most popular shows today, with comedy, horror ish and science fiction elements. The latest iteration Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) directed by Gil Kenan is a very similar movie to the original although I did not had the same experience to be honest, this iteration is set three years after the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) let the old and new generations of characters step into new adventures and face new threats, but over all the 2021 version felt better, where the old faces necessary?. It tries to do both a tribute to everything that has been done before and new things entirely with the intention of appealing to both the old school and the new generation but in my opinion it did not got it right.

As a sequel the story focuses on the Spengler family including Callie, Trevor, and Phoebe, who has come back to New York City to live in the famous firehouse the original Ghostbusters HQ. They are joined by Callie’s boyfriend Gary Grooberson with many other characters from past movies and some of whom are new to the series. It tells the story of a mysterious relic, an artifact that when open releases a sinister power that seeks to bring darkness to the whole world again by causing another Ice Age.

The movie has been received with mixed feelings and responses with regard to humor and action but most of the audiences complaining that it leans more on nostalgia and has a large number of characters to deal with, it is entertaining but it is not perfect addition to the franchise.

The Artifact and the Threat

This time around the story focuses on a brass globe that is purchased by Ray Stantz from a man known as Nadeem Razmaadi, portrayed by Kumail Nanjiani, that I think did a good job on the comedy side. This brass globe holds the spirit of Garraka a demonic god from the old world that has the power to command all other ghosts as well as to freeze anything it comes across, the discovery of the brass globe leads to a sequence of incidents that latter on brings basically a partial second Ice Age at least on New York here the Frozen Empire theme. Its not a spoiler that Garraka escapes and when this happens the Ghostbusters try to figure out how to handle this new problem, they also have to address the fact that their containment unit in the firehouse has reached capacity and is filled with spirits captured over the past 40 years, the same age of the original movie.

Characters Development

Phoebe Spengler played by Mckenna Grace, is too young to join the Ghostbusters and participate in the daily activities like capturing ghost around the city, the younger generation is a bit reckless and feels left out. This sense of isolation make her be friends with a ghost named Melody, a ghost who becomes an important character in the upcoming events in the story. At the same time, the old Ghostbusters like Peter Venkman played by Bill Murray, Ray Stantz played by Dan Aykroyd and Winston Zeddemore acted by Ernie Hudson also appear during the movie every single on with now a different lifestyle but not all are too far away from their passion, making the film even more continuous with the earlier versions then again felt like it was an anchor despite feeling nostalgic. The film also introduces some new characters such as a Dr Hubert Wartzki who is played by Patton Oswalt and Lars Pinfield played by James Acaster, more help the Ghostbusters to fight the forces of evil.

Characters and Performances

The Spengler Family

It is a movie that revolves around the Spengler family, which is the emotional center of the movie. Carrie Coon’s Callie Spengler is a very believable and rather powerful mother, who fights for her family and tries to keep up with all the events happening around her, as well as the supernatural occurrences. While Trevor Spengler portrayed by finn Wolfhard has his funny times, he is over powered and under used in the flow of things. Mckenna Grace’s Phoebe Spengler is truly notable for an impressive acting job, reflecting the character of a young aspiring scientist who has no idea where she fits in.

The Old Guard

The presence of the first Ghostbusters team brings a lot of the fans and the feeling of 1984’s movie realness to the film. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson return to their roles and while there is a comedic element present they take it seriously. With the new generation, they have engaged in some amusing scenes that give the movie a rich flavor although some of them seem to be cameo roles. Janine Melnitz played by Annie Potts also reprised her role in the movie, thus establishing more connection with the earlier episodes.

New Additions

Nadeem Razmaadi is portrayed by Kumail Nanjiani who adds a good humour and exotic approach to the character and the team. Patton Oswalt introduced the character Dr. Hubert Wartzki to the Ghostbusters’ scientific investigations and James Acaster, Lars Pinfield to the same. Melody portrayed by Emily Alyn Lind brings into focus another interesting aspect, that of the value of friendship and loyalty even in the afterlife.

Themes and Tone

Nostalgia vs. Innovation

One of the central themes of this movie is the tension felt between the past and the future, this version heavily takes from the original one by making reference to almost everything from gadgets to the original head quarters and I get this might be helpful to the fans who have been following the series but it often takes away from new characters who actually brought in new gadgets and should be the focus of this new versions.

Humor and Horror

True to the franchise's roots Frozen Empire is filled with comedy and screams at the same time, although there is no actual horror on this movie but how else can we call it?. The comedy aspect of the movie which is embodied by Paul Rudd Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt is very helpful to create a comedic effect when compared to the darker and intense scenes lifting the movie and keeping it up float because to be honest if it was not the case then would be a total failure, although original movies were the same combination of both, mechanics that have work great for the franchise so far. The horror aspect of the film is not the greatest especially in the development of Garraka but the inclusion of ghost scenes which brings the feeling of threat and immediate danger into the movie balance the entire horror ish scene.

Mixed Reviews

The movie has receive average rating and reception from the viewers and critics is on a similar level on certain movie rating sites although on rottentomatoes seem audience had a much bigger preference for the movie. Some find it funny and full of action with an added dose of retro appeal while others think of it as excessive in the plot with so many characters at the same time on a less than 2hr movie while it is relying heavily on past figures for success, it becomes clear that the movie tries to give focus to a number of characters and narratives it also contributes to the movie feeling of over saturated.

Despite the mixed reviews the movie has managed to achieve relatively high results at the box office level since it was released in what was expected and grossed $45million in its first weekend of release and so far grossed almost $200 million worldwide, with this kind of performance indicates there is clearly a demand for more content in the Ghostbusters universe even though criticism of the movie approach.

The end of the film opens the possibility for future sequels with the Ghostbusters providing services in New York City after they manage to be accepted once again by the NY Major, with ew characters introduced and old ones can now be left in the past and move forward, but they still have to find out how to balance between the concept of the franchise and the attempts to develop something new for the fans.

The future of the Ghostbusters series holds a lot of promise as to remain engaging since there is still demand for it, the series does not have to heavily rely on the constant release of sequels and remakes, they already had  strike with the 2016 version that I hope never happens again since this will be a delicate process of finding the right balance between respect for tradition and acceptance of new characters and story since there is a potential for the Frozen Empire series but it has to grow and develop in order to succeed.

In summary the movie is entertaining until a certain level, I had a few laughs and there were some cool moments because of the new gadgets and references to the original movie has to end, Frozen Empire provide new ideas that make the audience speculate what is next for the characters and what other threats will come up in the future, overall and a bit sad this movie also falls into the "Ok one time watch" category.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #ghostbusters, #frozen, #empire, #spengler, #callie, #trevor, #phoebe, #gary, #grooberson, #newyork, #artifact, #garraka, #nostalgia, #ghosts, #firehouse, #kenan, #reitman, #comedy, #horror, #action, #characters, #reviews, #boxoffice, #franchise, #sequel

Posted Using InLeo Alpha