Review: 'Hobbs & Shaw' Delivers Big Tag-Team Action By the Truckload

After eight movies so far, the Fast and the Furious franchise (which launched in 2001) gets its first spin-off as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (most recently in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Skyscraper) and Jason Statham (from the Crank movies and The Meg) reprise their roles (first introduced in Fast & Furious 6) as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. Directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde), from a screenplay by Drew Pearce (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Iron Man 3) and longtime Fast & Furious scribe Chris Morgan, the film delivers on the over-the-top action, on-the-nose scripting, and off-the-charts charisma that the series has been known for.

Ever since the tough, trash-talking Hobbs (Johnson), an agent of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and former British Special Forces operative Shaw (Statham) first faced each other in 2015's sequel Furious 7, the two have been sworn enemies. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton Lorr (Idris Elba of Thor: Ragnarok and The Dark Tower) gains control of a chemical weapon – and frames Hattie (Vanessa Kirby of Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Netflix's The Crown series), an MI6 agent who just happens to be Shaw's sister – the two alpha males have to put aside their differences and partner up in order to bring down the superhuman villain before he unleashes the deadly pathogen upon the world.

While it isn't as exhilarating as this year's other big action sequel John Wick: Chapter 3, Hobbs & Shaw is an entertaining action-comedy and the best entry in the Fast & Furious series since 2011's Fast Five. Hobbs, Shaw, and Hattie traverse the globe – from Los Angeles to London to the ruins of Chernobyl to the islands of Samoa – to stop Elba's cybernetic super-soldier. Brixton is a relentless, motorcycle-riding killing machine hellbent on wiping out humanity – he's a goddamn Terminator. On paper, there isn't much to the character, but Elba brings charm to the role and gives the villain a bit of refined ruthlessness. If you've ever dreamed a dream (in times gone by) of The Rock and Jason Statham opening an ice-cold can of whoop-ass on a Terminator, well, you are in for a real treat with this movie.

Also great is Kirby, whose whip-smart, rough-and-tumble MI6 agent gets almost as much screen time as the two leads. I will be shocked if we don't see Hattie Shaw in future Fast & Furious movies – maybe even her own Atomic Blonde-esque spin-off. The rest of the supporting cast is rounded out by Helen Mirren, who reprises her role as Magdalene Shaw; Cliff Curtis, who plays Hobbs' brother Jonah; Eiza González (of Baby Driver, Alita: Battle Angel) as weapons dealer Madam M; along with a few surprise cameos that will no doubt delight audiences. As for Hobbs & Shaw themselves, Johnson and Statham are so charismatic and versatile – they can pivot from action to comedy to drama effortlessly – and the chemistry between the two is what really makes the movie work.

Look, if you enjoy the Fast & Furious movies, you're going to like this one. It's the last big popcorn movie of this year's summer movie season, and it's one of the most entertaining entries in the series. There are cheesy one-liners, absolutely ludicrous set pieces – the kind of gravity-defying vehicular gymnastics fans have come to expect from this franchise – as well as the theme of family, which has been one of the unifying threads of the series since its inception. It isn't original, but at least Leitch and screenwriters Pearce and Morgan steal from the right places, delivering a crowd-pleasing flick that gives you a bit of everything: the hand-to-hand combat and gunplay of John Wick, the high-tech gadgets and spycraft of Mission: Impossible, and the comedy of Johnson's Central Intelligence.

There are, however, a few things still holding Hobbs & Shaw back from being a truly great action flick. In addition to the tedious, cookie-cutter narrative, the biggest issue is the movie's pacing and its visual style (or lack thereof). Aside from some beautiful locations – like the lush, sun-drenched islands of Samoa – and the movie's beyond-attractive cast, there isn't much to look at. There's an electrifying high-speed chase with Brixton pursuing Shaw and Hattie in a McLaren 720S through the streets of London, but the action is forgettable and often unintelligible otherwise.

It's baffling to think that the director and cinematographer (Jonathan Sela) of Atomic Blonde, with its sophisticated one-takes and super-stylized set pieces, made a movie this bland. The missing ingredient is Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, who edited Blonde (and all of Leitch's previous movies). Here, it's Christopher Rouse putting the pieces together. Rouse, who won an Academy Award for 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum, is obviously talented, but his frenetic style doesn't jive with Leitch's methodical approach. The result is an uneven, overlong movie that feels like the cinematic equivalent of blunt force trauma. Still, for those who are looking to wring the last bit of escapism out of the summer movie season, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw has enough star power and spectacle to make you forget about reality for a couple of hours.

Adam's Rating: 3 out of 5
Follow Adam on Twitter - @AdamFrazier

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'Come Home' Featurette Takes Us Back to Derry for 'It: Chapter Two'

"The evil in Derry is lurking, so they have no choice but to finish what was started…" Warner Bros has released a new making of featurette for horror movie It: Chapter Two, the highly anticipated sequel to the first It movie from 2017. We also featured the full-length official trailer just a few weeks ago, and it looks horrifyingly awesome. The "Losers Club" from Derry, Maine, returns home after 27 years to the confront the creepy clown from their past. This featurette includes interviews with Stephen King and most of the cast. Starring James McAvoy as Bill, Jessica Chastain as Beverly, Jay Ryan as Ben, Bill Hader as Richie, James Ransone as Eddie, Andy Bean as Stanley, and Isaiah Mustafa as Mike; with Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Clown, plus Jess Weixler, Teach Grant, Jake Weary, & Xavier Dolan. The more they show from this sequel, the more excited I am. It's looking good, really good, hopefully scarier than the first.

Here's the new "Come Home" featurette for Andy Muschietti's It: Chapter Two, direct from YouTube:

You can still watch the teaser trailer for Muschietti's It: Chapter Two here, or the main official trailer here.

Twenty-seven years after the events of the summer of 1989, It (Bill Skarsgård) returns. The Losers' Club fulfill their promises and return to Derry to put an end to the evil being once and for all. Unbeknownst to them, It has returned, stronger and crueler than ever. It: Chapter Two is again directed by Argentinian filmmaker Andy Muschietti (aka Andrés Muschietti), who directed It: Chapter One and the "Locke & Key" series, and originally made his feature directorial debut with the 2013 film Mamá produced by Guillermo del Toro. The Chapter Two screenplay is again written by Gary Dauberman; adapted from Stephen King's horror novel of the same name, first published 1986. Warner Bros will release Muschietti's It: Chapter Two in theaters everywhere starting on September 6th, 2019 coming up in a few months. Who's scared now?

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Jim Gaffigan Gets Desperate in Trailer for Thriller 'American Dreamer'

"Somebody took something from me." Saban Films has debtued an official trailer for a crazy indie thriller titled American Dreamer, from director Derrick Borte (The Joneses, Dark Around the Stars, H8RZ). The film first premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year, and also played at the Virginia Film Festival. Playing off the rideshare society we live in, the film is about a driver who works for a company called HAIL who makes extra cash chauffeuring a low level drug dealer around town. But when he finds himself in a serious financial bind, he decides to kidnap the dealer's kid - and obviously this doesn't go very well. Jim Gaffigan stars, joined by Robbie Jones, Isabel Arizza, Tammy Blanchard, Alejandro Hernandez, Brian K. Landis, and Curtis Lyons. Yeah, this looks as predictable and as mediocre as you might expect.

Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Derrick Borte's American Dreamer, direct from YouTube:

A down on his luck rideshare driver (Jim Gaffigan) who makes extra cash chauffeuring a low level drug dealer around town finds himself in a serious financial bind and decides to kidnap the dealer's child. American Dreamer, once known as All the Animals Come Out at Night, is directed by German-American writer / filmmaker Derrick Borte, director of the films The Joneses, Dark Around the Stars, H8RZ, and London Town previously. The screenplay is written by Derrick Borte and Daniel Forte. This originally premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year. Saban Films + Lionsgate will release Borte's American Dreamer in select theaters + on VOD starting September 20th this fall. Anyone interested in seeing this?

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‘Hobbs and Shaw’ Review: Delivers What It Promises and Nothing More

The Fast and Furious franchise is a tedious film series that found life in its later years. In 2001, it sold itself as nothing more than a hot, schlocky piece of garbage high on speed and glitzy, early aughts conceptions of cool. It’s morphed over the years into an explosive, medium-sized cinemaction universe complete with heists, cyber-genetics, intelligence agencies, and unseen mastermind villains. Now, 18 years later, the franchise has checked a new box by releasing its first spinoff — minus any significant characters featured in the first four films (sorry, Dom) — focused on rogue good cop, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), and nemesis Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), a cruel villain turned bad boy protagonist.

For those that don’t know, Hobbs has a habit of putting Shaw in prison whle Shaw’s habit is to find reasons for Hobbs to put him there. They also fit perfectly into the Fast and Furious franchise because they care about family more than anything (Hobbs delivers a “family” speech here within the first 12 minutes). They’ve had to work together in the past, but it was always a twisty and begrudging effort. In that regard, not much has changed. Shaw is still slicing sports cars through narrow openings beneath moving eighteen-wheelers. Hobbs is still doing insane things like corralling a helicopter connected to a chain he’s holding with one hand. And both still hate each other.

The film opens with an MI6 mission gone wrong. Hattie’s (Vanessa Kirby) team is swiftly eliminated after genetically engineered super-villain Brixton (Idris Elba) and his squad unexpectedly arrive on the scene to steal a virus the team is trying to secure. If unleashed on the public, the virus will wipe out a large portion of humanity. It isn’t designed to dismantle society; rather, to make the human population stronger by eliminating the weak. In other words, it’s a self-enacting viral genocide. Unwilling to risk it falling into Brixton’s hands, Hattie injects herself with the virus and escapes only to discover that she’s been framed for murdering the whole team. Cut to the boys.

The first sequence with the titular characters is a split screen showcase of their morning routines, Hobbs in L.A. and Shaw in London. Hobbs is surrounded by sunshine and palm trees, Shaw showered in rain and fog. The two screens illuminate some lighthearted similarities and differences. For example, the bit eventually develops into parallel showdowns in which each one handily kicks small-time-crime-lord ass without breaking a sweat or sacrificing a one-liner. They both deliver critical hits straight to the balls of their victims, but before they do, one self-identifies as a “can of whoop ass” and the other a (significantly less intimidating) “champagne problem.”

Hobbs is then met by an old CIA buddy (whose identity I’ll let you find out for yourself) and Shaw’s met by a prototypical black-cloaked agent of sorts. We learn that Hattie is Shaw’s little sister, and we know how he (and everyone else in the franchise) feels about family. With Hobbs under the impression that Hattie is a bloodthirsty loose cannon in possession of the virus and Shaw determined to save his sister from death by virus, they individually commit to do whatever they can to find her — whatever they can that doesn’t involve each other, of course.

As soon as they realize they’ve been intentionally teamed up, they’re furious, refusing to work with one another. The initial confrontation shapes the tone of the following two hours — violent, high-octane slapstick built on ungiven fucks and brawny brawls worthy of They Live’s iconic alley scene. They troll each other every chance they get, brandishing their childishness by giving each other fake identities like “Mike Oxmaul” and “Hugh Janus.” The duo bickers and flings testosterone around as freely as chimpanzees fling feces. Director David Leitch shows self-awareness by utilizing the alpha male embattlements to comedic effect, but it’s so overt it develops a redundancy complex at times.

The abrasive, insulting mono-e-monos are genuinely funny every once in a while — often when they’re in troll mode — but it’s hit and miss. When a few in a row don’t land, it feels like someone put a subpar Drake diss track on repeat. And the number of times someone in the film references Hobbs and Shaw’s clipping masculinity or inability to look past differences for the common good is nauseating. It’s a joke that only garners a faint laugh the first time, so recycling it in ten-minute intervals is just sluggish screenwriting, which, ultimately, is the name of the game for Hobbs & Shaw.

In the first few minutes, Brixton, a.k.a. “Black Superman,” literally says “I’m the bad guy” when asked who he is. That’s not clever. That’s lazy, shameless, curdled material from screenwriters Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce. Other stuffed-crust lines like, “In life, things happen. You may not want them to, but they do,” and “I’ve been running my whole life” warrant eye rolls long enough to miss the rest of the film, but they’re delivered with the apparent intention of stirring up real, human emotion. Frankly, it’s insulting. But, who am I kidding? No one is going to see Hobbs & Shaw to glean wisdom. Still, a better version would’ve strayed away from the abhorrent philosophizing.

Back to the plot, Hobbs and Shaw quickly find Hattie, and the three—Hattie as kickass as the other two—fly all over the world to find the antidote to the virus coursing through her veins and stop Brixton. In the meantime, we learn more about Brixton and Eteon, the supreme evil that guides him: a progress-driven think tank mercenary tech conglomerate that owns the media, experiments with biotech weaponry, and supports eugenics. Yes, it’s a bit on the nose. Brixton is one of these experiments, his body technologically resurrected and advanced by Eteon after Shaw put a bullet in his brain years ago. We never meet the mastermind behind Eteon because he’s merely a distorted voice that surrounds his underlings. But the series suggests we might meet him in the future.

The choice to characterize Eteon as a militant, media-controlling tech giant is relevant and fine, but Hobbs & Shaw doesn’t have the wherewithal to deal with the implications of such a conglomerate. It never reaches past the face value comparison of industry versus humanity, despite feigning dialogue that thinks it does. As mentioned earlier, a movie like this exists for the explosions, body count, general excessive action, belittling buddy cop routine, and sexy sweat. Audiences know that as well as the filmmakers do. That’s why it’s frustrating when the movie tries to address nuanced issues it doesn’t have the language or creative agency to do justice.

Hobbs & Shaw is simply what it is, and that is an action blockbuster. It feels like a modern version of 48 Hrs., infused with Transporter franchise ventures and Untitled Big Budget Dwayne Johnson Adventure Movie playfulness (think: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Walking Tall, San Andreas, etc.). Anyone jonesing for girthy biceps, hardheaded conflict, satirical masculinity, lovable cameos, occasional laughs, guns losing to fists, and a taste of the Fast and Furious universe, is going to love it. Everyone else will just be happy to revel in the catharsis of celebrities mocking Game of Thrones season 8 on the big screen for the first time.

The post ‘Hobbs and Shaw’ Review: Delivers What It Promises and Nothing More appeared first on Film School Rejects.

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New Trailer for Coppola's 'Apocalypse Now: Final Cut' 4K Re-Release

"You either surf or fight. That clear?" Lionsgate has debuted a new US trailer for the re-release of Francis Ford Coppola's iconic war movie classic Apocalypse Now. This "final" version is called Apocalypse Now: Final Cut and runs a total of 183 minutes. Restored from the original negative for the first time ever, this is Coppola's "most realized version of the film," which was nominated for eight Academy Awards. Coppola's "visually dazzling masterpiece is a surreal, hallucinatory, epic tragedy about the horror of the Vietnam War. A U.S. Army Intelligence officer is sent on a bizarre river journey deep into the jungle to assassinate Colonel Kurtz, a renegade Green Beret who uses primitive tribesmen to wage his own war." The film stars Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Dennis Hopper, Laurence Fishburne, & Harrison Ford. This has already been showing in Europe this summer, and will play briefly in US theaters in a few weeks. Final Cut "will be shown in the optimum way Francis has always meant for it to be seen." How does it look?

Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now: Final Cut, on YouTube:

A U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god. Restored from the original negative for the first time ever in celebration of the film’s 40th anniversary, Apocalypse Now: Final Cut is Coppola’s most realized version of the film, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, won three Golden Globes (Best Original Score, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor, 1980), and is one of AFI's Top 100 films. Experience Coppola's spectacular cinematic masterpiece the way it was intended. According to Francis, "It's my favorite version because I feel the first one we released was clipped too short and REDUX is a little too long. This one is 'just right.'" Apocalypse Now was directed by American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, and first opened in August of 1979 after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival. Lionsgate will release the Final Cut in select theaters for two nights only: August 15th and August 18th. Then it arrives on VOD and 4K Blu-ray to own forever.

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First Official Trailer for Sam Mendes' Intense World War I Movie '1917'

"There is only one way this war ends: last man standing." Universal has unveiled the first teaser trailer for Sam Mendes' new film 1917, set during World War I in the year 1917 (as the title clearly indicates). The war movie takes place over the course of one day, following soldiers on a "seemingly impossible mission" to deliver a message across enemy lines to stop an attack that will kill their own soldiers. The rumor is that this will play out over the course of one long-take, following these soldiers around the battlefield. The excellent ensemble cast features: Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden, Andrew Scott, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, George MacKay, Teresa Mahoney, Dean-Charles Chapman, Daniel Mays, Adrian Scarborough, Justin Edwards, Gerran Howell, Anson Boon, and Richard McCabe. This is such an exhilarating, intense reveal! What a trailer. This looks even better than I was expecting. Time is the enemy.

Here's the first official trailer for Sam Mendes' 1917, direct from Universal's YouTube:

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will put a stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers – Blake's own brother among them. 1917 is directed by Oscar-winning English filmmaker Sam Mendes, director of the films American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, Away We Go, plus James Bond's Skyfall and Spectre previously. The screenplay is written by Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Produced by Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Sam Mendes, and Jayne-Ann Tenggren; co-produced by Michael Lerman. Amblin + Universal Pictures will open Sam Mendes' 1917 movie in theaters everywhere starting December 25th, on Christmas Day, at the end of this year. First impression? How does that look?

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Promo Trailer for Nadège Trebal's French Drama 'Twelve Thousand'

"Find better than me, you little bastard." Shellac has debuted a festival promo trailer for the indie drama Twelve Thousand, originally titled Douze Mille in French (which just translates to the same). The film is premiering at the Locarn Film Festival coming up in a few weeks, and is seeking international distribution to go along with the initial unveiling. From French filmmaker Nadège Trebal, the film is about a man and a woman. After he loses his illegal job, Frank thinks his wife Maroussia won’t love him anymore. In a bid for equality, he decides to leave in order to make as much money as she does: 12,000, before he returns. "Will Frank succeed in collecting this sum? Will he come back?" Starring Arieh Worthalter, Nadège Trebal, Liv Henneguier, Françoise Lebrun, and Florence Thomassin. Looks quite good - check it out below.

Here's the first festival promo trailer for Nadège Trebal's Twelve Thousand, direct from Shellac's Vimeo:

While he loses his clandestine work, and because he believes that Maroussia and him will no longer not be able to love each other as well, Frank leaves to win as much as she: twelve thousand, just what it takes to have a year before them. No more no less. In the course of his proletarian odyssey, he becomes the hero he dreamed of being. But there is a price to pay… Twelve Thousand, originally titled Douze Mille in French, is written and directed by French filmmaker Nadège Trebal, making her feature directorial debut after two other documentaries (Bleu pétrole, Casse) previously. This premieres at the Locarno Film Festival coming up this summer. No international release dates have confirmed - stay tuned for updates. Anyone interested?

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The ‘Blade’ Reading List

Better put those ice skates away, Blade is back. Probably the last Marvel superhero we expected to be announced at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, the Daywalker brought the house down in a big way thanks to the Academy Award-winning actor attached to the role. To hear Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige tell it, without the interest of Mahershala Ali, the chances of Blade‘s resurrection were pretty slim. Hell, the original vampire slayer, Wesley Snipes, was still holding out hope that he’d get another crack at the bat — or stake as the case may be.

A lot of credit gets thrown to the first adaptation from 1998. As our own Kieran Fisher states in his guide to superhero horror movies, “Until Blade came around, comic book movies were stuck in a rut.” From its success stems 20th Century Fox’s foray into the X-Men universe and Sony’s swing at Spider-Man. The rest, as they say, is history.

The effect of removing Blade from the timeline is debatable. What’s not debatable is the massive alteration a character like Frank Brooks (a.k.a. Frank Blade) will have once inserted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As Thor eased audiences into the more fantastical elements of Marvel comics in 2011 and Doctor Strange introduced magical terrors in 2016, Blade will smash down the supernatural door barely left hanging by the hinges after Scott Derickson hopefully swings it wide in his 2021 sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Vampires, werewolves, demons, oh my.

Blade first appeared as an antagonist to Bram Stoker’s infamous bloodsucker in Tomb of Dracula #10. Written by Marv Wolfman and penciled by Gene Colan, the character was a stereotypical blaxploitation avenger that quickly overtook the rest of the book. Wolfman was so concerned by the larger-than-life personality that he pressed pause on his narrative, removing Blade from the title for almost a year. When Blade returned, his dialogue was a little less problematic (uhhhhh — still not great) but a lot duller. Many writers would have their hand at Blade, dropping him into comics like Adventures into Fear, Ghost Rider, and Morbius. He failed to exhilarate.

The truth is that you have to give most of Blade’s respectability to Snipes. After 1998, Marvel Comics had a financially successful model to follow, and the Daywalker began to resonate on a deeper level alongside the usual superhero suspects. We need to ask the man himself, but I’m guessing that whatever fandom Ali has formed around the character has its roots in Snipes’ portrayal. As such, if you’re looking to study up on Blade, the best comics to launch your odyssey were published in the last 20 years. For those still interested in the character’s origins, I would recommend experimenting with the compilation Blade: Black and White. Inside you’ll discover a smattering of Blade’s early appearances and few curious excitements like Blade: Crescent City Blues #1 and Marvel Shadows and Light #1.

5. Blade MAX Vol. 2 (2004)

This mature content (blood, sex, swears) collection of comics is a little tricky to track down but well worth doing so if you have the money and the time. Writer Christopher Hinz and artist Steve Pugh basically do their take on Guillermo del Toro’s Blade 2 with the Daywalker taking on other vampire-killing vampires that are more mutant than simple creatures of the night. The real appeal is Hinz’s ability to transfer Snipes’ cool stillness to the page and deliver a threat fitting of the superhero confines. After all, vampire slayers practically grow on trees these days, so the Marvel variety needs to up its game from the usual literary or Universal Monster threats. Comic book vampires gotta offer more than fangs and bat wings.

4. Blade: Undead Again (2007)

Ok, this one is a little nuts, but hear me out. The Daywalker is a Marvel Comics Superhero. That means he needs to interact with other Marvel Comics Superheroes, battling the big threats back-to-back with The Avengers. Published a few years after the Max line of comics reached their end, Blade: Undead Again pits Blade against Doctor Doom, Spider-Man, Dracula, Wolverine, and a shopping mall Santa Clause. I probably lost you on that last one, but I’m asking you to trust me. Artists Howard Chaykin and Marc Guggenheim run Blade through a gauntlet of characters and it is as compelling as it is silly. On top of all that, this quick miniseries found new ways to expand on the Daywalker’s beginnings, introducing Blade’s complicated and self-involved father.

3. Captain Britain and MI13: Vampire State (2009)

In all seriousness, the nifty thing about Blade coming to the MCU is to witness him clash against our most beloved characters. Stuck in his corner of the franchise, Blade is not that interesting. Battling vampire hordes next to spandex-clad European badasses like Captain Britain and The Black Knight is our jam. When the British government runs afoul of Dracula, there is only one ally to call. Blade + Excalibur = hell, yeah.

2. Ultimate Comics Avengers: Blade vs. The Avengers (2011)

From the violently demented brain that brought you Wanted, Kick-Ass, and Kingsmen. Mark Millar‘s Ultimate Comics Avengers: Blade Vs. The Avengers technically takes place in an alternate reality from the other three storylines, but it’s always healthy to shake things up with a multiverse. Looking at Phase Four of the MCU, movie audiences are going to have to adjust to this concept quickly. When vampires begin transforming superhumans into their kind, S.H.I.E.L.D. reluctantly teams-up with the Daywalker. The situation escalates quickly, and the heroes nearly succumb to the bloodsuckers until Captain America gets…worthy. Yup. Avengers: Endgame has nothing on this patriotic sledgehammering climax.

1. Doctor Strange: Damnation (2018)

This is a comic book epic that spans multiple supernatural Marvel titles including Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Iron Fist, and Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider. All hell breaks loose after Stephen Strange attempts to magically aid the crumbling city of Las Vegas (see the controversial Secret Empire). The demon Mephisto summons an army of Ghost Riders to wage war against the Sorcerer Supreme, and his BFF Wong is forced to call reinforcements. Answering the alarm is an eclectic band of B- and C-list characters including Blade. While our favorite hero is somewhat second fiddle in this book, the moments he gets shine viciously. We’ve seen the Daywalker take on numerous vampires in the past, but for the character to properly settle into the MCU he needs to prove his worth against the cosmic threats. Blade is more than a vampire slayer. He can kick a demon’s ass just as well. He does plenty in Damnation.

The post The ‘Blade’ Reading List appeared first on Film School Rejects.

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‘Inception’ and the Therapeutic Nature of Dreams

Christopher Nolan has long demonstrated a keenness towards cracking the code of cinema. Each of his movies employs exciting narrative constructs for maximum audience immersion and engagement. For instance, this may occur through the use of non-linear storytelling, or via wider, more complex themes that touch the realm of science fiction.

However, what makes Nolan’s work so unique to experience is the fact that his outwardly convoluted ideas seamlessly blend with more elementary, emotion-based narrative throughlines. Nolan’s films are a delicate balance of simplicity and artful imagination, often morphing precise cinematic technique into something far more heartfelt and memorable.

Take Nolan’s 2010 sci-fi epic Inception as a prime example of this. On one hand, the film boasts an undeniable technical prowess, reveling in its portrayal of the limitless visual grandeur of lucid dreams. Yet on the other, the movie’s massive dreamscapes are populated with empathetic characters who are on a very personal, cathartic quest of self-discovery.

This particular marriage of emotion and craft wasn’t always on Nolan’s mind. The filmmaker initially wrote a treatment that lacked a vital sense of depth, which contributed to the shelving of the project for a number of years. Inception was originally conceived as a glossy heist film, which, per Nolan’s own words, “traditionally are very deliberately superficial in emotional terms.”

Luckily, the director eventually found lasting relatable acuity in his early script. Notably, he largely credits Inception’s toplining actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, for such an epiphany. DiCaprio evidently insisted on honing in on Inception‘s character-driven moments. Pure emotional motive became part and parcel of the film as a whole. As Nolan explained to Collider:

“[After DiCaprio boarded the film] I finally found that emotional connection with the material that I depend on as a filmmaker, because what I’ve realized about myself over the years is if I don’t engage with something on that level, I’ll never sustain my interest in it for the two years it takes to make it.”

Inception wastes no time in establishing its protagonist’s personal drive, even if these pieces take time to fall into place. The movie opens on DiCaprio foggily waking up on the shoreline of a nondescript beach. Waves crash loudly – overwhelmingly – around him. Almost immediately, he is preoccupied with the sight of two children building sandcastles nearby. Their backs are turned to him. Despite the character’s visible exhaustion, he fervently clings to this image.

DiCaprio is soon revealed to be playing Dom Cobb, a man who is greatly skilled in the art of corporate espionage. Utilizing experimental military-grade technology, he is able to tap into his subjects’ subconscious via a shared dream world. After which, Cobb “extracts” sensitive information from certain targets at the behest of specific clients.

This is a very detail-oriented con job. Particular rules of time guide the constraints of extraction; five minutes of dream time equates to an hour in the real world. In a typical dream-sharing experience, death is generally enough of a “kick” to wake one up and bring them back to reality.

Importantly, agents specializing in architecture are responsible for constructing believable settings for each target; one that subliminal projections can inhabit without raising any red flags. Rich, complex mazes make for ideal locations, as they aptly disguise the boundaries of any given dream world.

Finally, the success of any extraction job largely requires a great deal of personal detachment and objectivity on the part of extractors’ themselves. Constructing a dream world from distinct places rooted in memory is frowned upon for this reason. Extractors must be cognizant of what’s real and what isn’t, too. They keep track of this fact through the use of personalized totems.

Alongside all that exposition, Inception eventually divulges that it is still virtually impossible to truly separate the deeply intuitive nature of dreams from the physical minutiae required to formulate and control them. This is especially so in the eponymous case of inception — the act of planting an organic concept into a target’s mind.

That is exactly what Japanese tycoon Saito (Ken Watanabe) hires Cobb and his associate, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), for. Specifically, Saito wishes to inject an idea – one that is “like a virus; resilient; [and] highly contagious” – into the heart of a rival business to precipitate its collapse.

Arthur immediately proclaims that this is an unattainable request. As he states, “true inspiration’s impossible to fake.” However, Cobb appears more pliable than his partner and is finally convinced to complete the job once Saito hits an emotional nerve. The latter encourages Cobb to “take a leap of faith” anyway. After all, due to Saito’s presumed governmental and political connections, participating in the heist in question is the only way for Cobb to reunite with his estranged family.

As this series of events have played out so far, the audience is made aware of Cobb’s many personal setbacks which collectively hamper his effectiveness as an espionage agent. He is a wanted criminal barred from returning to the United States due to murder charges. This eats away at Cobb, who longs to return home to his young son and daughter. As a result, his children appear as projections of his own subconscious, often distracting him from the subject at hand whenever he’s perusing through a dreamscape.

They aren’t the only ones, though. Cobb’s deceased wife Mal (Marion Cotillard) has her own hold over his mind. She is the reason he is on the run, as authorities believe that he killed her. Cobb’s close connection to Mal’s death, in turn, causes her to materialize as a particularly disturbing and invasive projection; vindictive and violent enough to directly foil his plans time and time again. And the more he refuses to confront his unresolved feelings surrounding her demise, the more vicious she becomes.

Herein lies the concurrently therapeutic and creepy possibilities of Inception‘s shared dream space. The film makes it abundantly clear that reveries are most believably born by attaching themselves to feeling, whether they be good or bad.

Saito’s proposed con is to incept his business competitor, Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy), and convince him to tear down the empire he is soon to inherit from his ailing magnate father. The job requires careful construction and calibration of the dream space to create emotional anchors that did not previously exist in Fischer’s subconscious.

This is largely achieved by turning Saito’s broad pitch into a powerful “emotional concept.” According to Eames (Tom Hardy) — another member of Cobb’s team — inception isn’t just about infiltrating the deepest levels of a target’s mind. Rather, “the simplest version of the idea” must be allowed to naturally germinate there as well. Only then will it grow to define a subject’s motivations and have a big enough influence on their organic decision-making.

Cobb then adds that, if possible, inceptors ought to approach their subjects from an optimistic standpoint when planting any impression:

“…positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time. We all yearn for reconciliation. For catharsis.”

For a couple of reasons, the quote above is a perfect distillation of Inception’s overall thesis statement. Firstly, it succinctly determines how Cobb’s crew can succeed with Fischer, flipping the script of the strained relationship between him and his father and linking the dissolution of his inheritance with an independent, positive drive.

In spite of this, there’s a foreboding layer to Cobb’s observation, as well, circling back to the emotional limbo that continuously plagues the character from the get-go. As Inception‘s persistently haunted protagonist, we’re encouraged to ask: why exactly is he chasing absolution?

This question is slowly answered throughout the course of the film by the highly perceptive architect Ariadne (Ellen Page). Although a fresh-faced member of Cobb’s crew, she picks up on his furtive behavior practically immediately. Furthermore, having personally encountered Mal during shared dreaming exercises in the lead-up to their big heist, Ariadne is wary of the possible danger she poses to the upcoming job. On more than one occasion, she confronts Cobb about such secrets, demanding that he be honest with the rest of the group to protect their safety.

Cobb’s truth encompasses the bombshell revelation of Inception. His mounting guilt over the circumstance surrounding his wife’s death ultimately highlights the dangerous nature of dream manipulation. Fischer’s case demonstrates that the potential to heal flawed relationships exists in dream-sharing. Sadly, Cobb has also used it in more manipulative ways.

His actions were borne out of good intentions, yet they undoubtedly reaped a terrible outcome. Together with Mal, who was once a fellow dream-sharer, Cobb spent many years constructing a literal dream life. But after overindulging in the unbridled creative promises of the dreamscape for so long, Mal began to severely lose track of reality. When she refused to leave the state of dreaming and return to raise their family, Cobb chose to incept her with a nagging idea — namely, “your world is not real.”

His treachery inadvertently causes Mal to question all semblance of existence long after she had finally returned to the real world. Cobb’s unwitting decision to plant that insidious concept into Mal’s subconscious only leads her to believe that she must do everything she can to “wake up,” resulting in her suicide. Fascinatingly, while this fact paints Cobb in a considerably unsavory light, his admission certainly triggers the process of catharsis. Without the need to repress a shameful past any longer, the character now has a chance to defeat from the “shade of [his] real wife,” letting Mal go and kickstarting the beginning of a restorative process.

Hence, Inception manages to draw audiences to an unusually satisfying conclusion. The film’s main heist – complete with high-octane chase scenes, mind-bending fight sequences, and utterly thrillingly tense narrative beats – ensures that its ensemble barely has time to catch a breath. Nonetheless, the devil is in the details further still. The only true navigator guiding these characters through their near-impossible job is the power of emotion. The dreams of Inception allow characters to dig deep and explore themselves. Although this doesn’t necessarily free them of their responsibilities, the potential for reprieve is undeniably powerful.

The post ‘Inception’ and the Therapeutic Nature of Dreams appeared first on Film School Rejects.

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Fantastic Fest 2019 Brings Taika Waititi, Takashi Miike, and More With Its First Wave Announcement

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we here at Film School Rejects are big sloppy fans of film festivals in general and Fantastic Fest in particular. It’s the premier genre fest in the United States, and each September it projects new cinematic wonders from around the world directly into our eye holes. 2019 is the fest’s 15th year — and it will be my 11th! — and we’re once again expecting another ridiculous week of films, friends, and fun.

“The fifteenth edition of Fantastic Fest blasts off with the widest selection of weird and wonderful films gathered from across the world to screen in Austin, TX, from September 19 – 26, 2019, featuring an opening night with the US Premiere of highly anticipated new Taika Waititi film JOJO RABBIT with the director in attendance plus the World Premieres of Netflix titles, including Jim Mickle’s brilliant new sci-fi thriller IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON, Vincenzo Natali’s adaptation of eponymous novella by Stephen King & Joe Hill IN THE TALL GRASS, Brad Anderson’s tense & unrelenting FRACTURED, Takashi Miike in person, and much, much more.”

That’s the intro to this year’s first wave title announcement, and if you’re like us you’re already salivating. Taika Waititi in person with his buddy comedy about a kid and his imaginary friend Adolph Hitler? A new Stephen King adaptation from the director of Cube? A new thriller from the maker of Session 9? Freaking Takashi Miike on hand with his critically acclaimed new film?!

Yes please… and that’s still only the tip of the first wave spear. The fest will also be home to a couple titles I can already vouch for as being great (Why Don’t You Just Die!, Come to Daddy), some new restorations of genre classics from the fine folks at the AGFA (including Bloody Birthday and The Peanut Butter Solution), and much, much more. Keep reading for a look at the entire first wave, and then hurry up and plan your trip to Austin this September!

4X4
Argentina, Spain, 2019
North American Premiere, 93 min
Director – Mariano Cohn

A 4×4 car will be the battleground between a brash thief trapped inside and the mysterious man who will do anything to keep him imprisoned.

BLOODY BIRTHDAY: Presented by AGFA + Arrow Films
USA, 1981
World Premiere of Restoration, 85 min
Director – Ed Hunt

The classic Killer Kids slasher, newly restored by Arrow Films and presented by AGFA.

THE CLEANSING HOUR
USA, 2019
World Premiere, 95 min
Director – Damien LeVeck

Reverend Max and his best friend Drew have a hit web show where they make a pretty good living faking exorcisms for hundreds of thousands of fans until the evening a real demon takes over and terrorizes their crew.

COME TO DADDY
New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, 2019
Texas Premiere, 94 min
Director – Ant Timpson

When 30-year-old Norval receives a letter from his estranged dad begging him to visit, he is set on a weird path of discovery, unusual encounters… and a lot of violence.

Cosmic Candy

COSMIC CANDY
Greece, 2019
World Premiere, 95 min
Director – Rinio Dragasaki

Anna, an eccentric supermarket cashier with an obsessive taste for a trippy treat called Cosmic Candy, undergoes a quirky transformation when forced to care for a ten-year-old neighbor girl.

THE DEATH OF DICK LONG
USA, 2019
Austin Premiere, 107 min
Director – Daniel Scheinert

Dick is dead but no one knows how, and Zeke and Earl are desperate enough to go to any lengths to stop anyone from finding out the reason… but a small town in Alabama is not the kind of place where secrets can stay buried for long. Soon all hell breaks loose, engulfing the two men in a reckoning they had never even considered.

DEERSKIN
France, 2019
North American Premiere, 77 min
Director – Quentin Dupieux

When Georges buys himself a deerskin jacket, he will find his life on a collision course with madness, crime, and the desire to be the only man wearing an overgarment.

DIE KINDER DER TOTEN
Austria, 2019
North American Premiere, 90 min
Directors – Kelly Copper & Pavol Liška

In this experimental adaptation of an epic Elfriede Jelinek novel, a group of Austrian tourists is killed in a traffic accident before reanimating as zombies and terrorizing a local pub.

DOGS DON’T WEAR PANTS
Finland, Latvia, 2019
US Premiere, 105 min
Director – Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää

A heartbroken heart surgeon is introduced to the dark and extreme when his daughter gets her tongue pierced, sending him down a path of pain, dreams, life, love, death, and awakenings.

First Love

FIRST LOVE
Japan, 2019
US Premiere, 108 min
Director – Takashi Miike

When aspiring boxer Leo discovers that he may not have long to live, he goes all out to help drug-addicted call girl Monica, facing down gangsters, assassins, corrupt cops, and much more over the course of one long night.

FRACTURED
USA, 2019
World Premiere, 100 min
Director – Brad Anderson

An unfortunate accident at a truck stop means Ray has to rush his daughter to the nearest hospital for a broken arm, but when his family disappears, he soon finds himself in a frantic fight to discover what happened.

THE GOLDEN GLOVE
Germany, 2019
North American Premiere, 110 min
Director – Fatih Akin

Based on true events that transpired in the grimy slums of 1970s Hamburg, loner-turned-murderer Fritz Honka stalks his local drinking spot, The Golden Glove, in search of his next victim.

HAPPY FACE
Canada, 2018
Texas Premiere, 97 min
Director – Alexandre Franchi
In Attendance – Director Alexandre Franchi and Actor E. R. Ruiz

An attractive teenager infiltrates a support group for those with facial differences in hopes of learning how to connect with his cancer-stricken mother in Alexandre Franchi’s (THE WILD HUNT) deeply personal, often hilarious, and powerfully inclusive sophomore feature.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON
USA, Canada, 2019
World Premiere, 115 min
Director – Jim Mickle

In 1988, a Philadelphia police officer doggedly hunts a serial killer whose crimes seemingly follow no pattern, but he hasn’t considered how far the repercussions of his hunt may go.

In the Tall Grass

IN THE TALL GRASS
Canada, 2019
World Premiere, 90 min
Director – Vincenzo Natali

Adapted from the eponymous novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill, IN THE TALL GRASS follows siblings Cal and Becky who find themselves trapped within a vast field of tall grass when they venture in to answer the cries of a young boy.

JOJO RABBIT
USA, 2019
US Premiere, 108 min
Director – Taika Waititi
In Attendance – Director Taika Waititi

Writer director Taika Waititi (THOR: RAGNAROK, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE), brings his signature style of humor and pathos to his latest film, JOJO RABBIT, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis as JoJo) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.

KNIVES AND SKIN
USA, 2019
Texas Premiere, 109 min
Director – Jennifer Reeder

The disappearance of popular teenager Carolyn Harper has a profound ripple effect across her small midwest town in Jennifer Reeder’s hypnotic musical mystery.

KOKO-DI KOKO-DA
Sweden, Denmark, 2019
Texas Premiere, 86 min
Director – Johannes Nyholm

When a disconnected couple take a camping trip in an attempt to mend their marriage after tragedy, they find themselves tormented by a peculiar band of misfits.

THE LAST TO SEE THEM
Germany, 2019
Texas Premiere, 79 min
Director – Sara Summa

One summer evening in rural Italy, the Durati family is murdered during a home robbery. THE LAST TO SEE THEM chronicles the previous — and final — day of their lives.

Limbo

LIMBO: Presented by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!
USA, 1999
Texas Premiere of Restoration, 55 min
Director – Tina Krause

Tina Krause’s unseen and unreal shot-on-video horror movie, newly preserved by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!

THE MCPHERSON TAPE: Presented by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!
USA, 1989
World Premiere of Restoration, 63 min
Director – Dean Alito

The world’s first found footage horror movie, newly preserved by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!

MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN
USA, 2019
Texas Premiere, 93 min
Director – Alexandre O. Philippe

Following up his deconstruction of PSYCHO’s shower scene in 78/52, documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe is back with his analysis of ALIEN, its origins, and the impact of Ridley Scott’s classic sci-fi shocker.

NAIL IN THE COFFIN: EL VAMPIRO CANADIENSE
Canada, 2019
World Premiere, 88 min
Director – Michael Paszt
In Attendance – Director Michael Paszt

An intimate and heartfelt look at professional wrestler Vampiro’s past, and his new life navigating the management of a lucha libre federation in Mexico, while raising his teenage daughter in Canada.

NIGHT HAS COME
Belgium, 2019
World Premiere, 56 min
Director – Peter Van Goethem
In Attendance – Director Peter Van Goethem

In a dystopian society, the population is threatened by a virus eating its way through the brain, erasing memories. After developing a treatment to store and classify memories, the State requires citizens to comply.

The Peanut Butter Solution

THE PEANUT BUTTER SOLUTION: Presented by AGFA + Severin Films
Canada, 1985
World Premiere 2K Restoration, 93 min
Director – Michael Rubbo

The Canadian children’s oddity takes youthful fantasy to strange new places in a brand new 2K restoration.

THE POOL
Thailand, 2018
Texas Premiere, 90 min
Director – Ping Lumprapleng

When a dog trainer and his pet finish their commercial gig, it’s time to head home and enjoy a lazy afternoon floating in the pool… until he wakes up to the pool being drained and no way out.

REFLECTIONS OF EVIL: Presented by AGFA
USA, 2002
World Premiere of Restoration, 137 min
Director – Damon Packard

The new ground zero for gonzo horror surrealism in the 21st century, newly preserved by AGFA.

ROCK, PAPER, AND SCISSORS
Argentina, 2019
North American Premiere, 83 min
Directors – Macarena García Lenzi & Martín Blousson

When Magdalena returns to Argentina to confront her half-siblings about her share of the inheritance, the stage is set for a family reunion both bloody and brilliant.

SHE MOB: Presented by AGFA + Something Weird
USA, 1968
World Premiere 2K Restoration, 82 min
Director – Harry Wuest

A gang of lesbian prison escapees kidnaps a gigolo in a 2K preservation of this sexploitation classic.

Something Else

SOMETHING ELSE
USA, 2019
Texas Premiere, 83 min
Directors – Jeremy Gardner & Christian Stella
In Attendance – Directors Jeremy Gardner & Christian Stella

When Hank’s longtime girlfriend Abby leaves him, he spirals into a cycle of drinking and depression. But it’s the monster that shows up every night that’s really driving him crazy.

SON OF THE WHITE MARE
Hungary, 1981
US Premiere 4K Restoration, 81 min
Director – Marcell Jankovics

A psychedelic animated cult classic is back on the big screen in this brand-new restoration. Three brothers join forces to restore order in their kingdom, encountering bizarre and mind-bending challenges along the way.

SWALLOW
USA, 2019
Texas Premiere, 94 min
Directors – Carlo Mirabella-Davis

Beautiful newlywed Hunter has a perfect home, perfect life, and perfect husband. When the pressure to maintain that perfection builds after the announcement of her pregnancy, she develops an unusual craving: swallowing random household objects.

TAMMY AND THE T-REX: Presented by AGFA + Vinegar Syndrome
USA, 1994
World Premiere of Restoration, 91 min
Directors – Stewart Raffill

Fully restored and ready to tear your head off. Literally.

THE WAVE
United States, 2019
World Premiere, 87 min
Director – Gille Klabin

Frank (Justin Long), a bored corporate lawyer, decides to shake it up with a wild night out. In the process, he takes a mysterious drug that launches him into a mind-bending time travel adventure.

The Whistlers

THE WHISTLERS
Romania, 2019
US Premiere, 97 min
Director – Corneliu Porumboiu

Corneliu Porumboiu mixes Romanian New Wave with Hollywood noir beats as he follows a corrupt detective who helps a wealthy criminal escape from jail by learning the ancient, secret language of silbo whistling.

WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE!
Russia, 2019
Texas Premiere, 100 min
Director – Kirill Sokolov
In Attendance – Director Kirill Sokolov

After agreeing to kill his girlfriend’s father, Matvei gets in way over his head when he arrives at her parents’ apartment to learn her dad’s a cop.

WRINKLES THE CLOWN
USA, 2019
World Premiere, 78 min
Director – Michael Beach Nichols
In Attendance – Director Michael Beach Nichols

Pennywise isn’t real. But Wrinkles is. This documentary explores the story of the infamous freaky clown from Naples, Florida who makes a living being hired by parents to terrorize their naughty children.

YOU DON’T NOMI
USA, 2019
Texas Premiere, 94 min
Director – Jeffrey McHale
In Attendance – Director Jeffrey McHale

Using cleverly edited clips of Paul Verhoeven’s genre-spanning filmography, Jeffrey McHale’s video essay explores the decidedly un-titillating and delightfully inexplicable SHOWGIRLS and its continued, ever-expanding legacy.

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