Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu, Nathalie Emmanuel

Director: Simon Cellan-Jones

Language: English

Animals are not merely equal to humans, sometimes their resistance ends up being far superior and far more rousing for us to witness as audiences in cinema. We recently saw the apes protecting their planet, what belonged to them. We wept when the adorable pet Hachiko waited for its master to come back even when we knew he would never. And then there are creatures that turn into monsters that revel in galloping their prey in the most hideous and monstrous of visuals. Think of Jaws, Jurassic Park, Anaconda. Films that can still send a chill down the spine.

We now get Arthur The King, where it’s a dog who’s the King and not its master, played by Mark Wahlberg. So what is the film all about? In 2015, in Costa Rica, Michael Light, an American runner, and his adventure racing team gets stuck on the first day after their leader takes the poor decision to kayak against the tide. Leo, one of the members of the team, is outraged that Michael has not paid attention to their opinions. This is how Wikipedia has described one half of the plot. The rest is mystery for those who would choose to watch the film now available on Lionsgate.

The visuals are stunning and the film keeps you on the edge of your seats. Cinematographer Jacques Jouffret sucks you in the world he shoots and handled ably by Simon Jones, the director. The dog, no, the king does a fine job of doing what these creatures do best- share a loyal chemistry with their master and save lives when needed. And since this is a film filled with some thunderous adventure, there comes an opportunity when Arthur literally puts his life to allow others in this game of life and death to survive.

It says a lot about where humanity is heading when you constantly root for animals more than humans. Okay, not to mention those creature features again where humans were being wiped out at the speed of light. But here, you root for the canine from the word go. And the director shoots their scenes with care and attention. Humans can fumble when it comes to acting, but infants and animals are the most natural and effortless, acting or not. The more they are not acting, the more they are. And the better for the film. And Arthur The King is no exception. A theatrical experience would have been much better since the film boasts off some adrenaline pumping action choreography and impressive visuals, a small screen won’t harm either. By the end, Arthur would have stolen the show, size of the screen notwithstanding.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

Arthur The King is now streaming on Lionsgate

Whether you want a job done right, or just done right now, do it yourself. That’s the fearless edict uniting first-time feature filmmaker Chris Stuckmann and his headstrong final girl Mia (Camille Sullivan) in the winding mystery of “Shelby Oaks.” 

An ambitious horror exploration born of the found footage format, which honors genre but rarely attempts to subvert it, this spooky procedural unearths a new kind of cold case for Neon — this one, fittingly acquired on the heels of the viral “Longlegs,” still running away with the box office now in its second week. When four internet ghosthunters known as the Paranormal Paranoids find trouble in an abandoned town, three turn up dead and the last (Sarah Durn) is never discovered. 

“Who took Riley Brennan?” graffiti across the surrounding Ohio area wants to know 12 years later. It’s very Derry and just one of many warm details that make Stuckmann’s universe, smartly but subtly shaped by EP Mike Flanagan, feel closer to a Stephen King joint than a “Paranormal Activity” successor. 

The police and public might be useless here, but Mia won’t give up. She doesn’t know if she believes in ghosts; what she does know is that her sister isn’t a liar. A true crime documentary picks up where the grainy footage recovered from the victims’ camera leaves off — examining the dead investigation through the eyes of a dogged loved one operating outside of a broken system. Something similar could be said of Stuckmann who, as a history-making champion of the Kickstarter campaign (his scrappy feature raised more than $1.3 million online), pulled off a small miracle getting his movie made this way. He’s a YouTube talent himself, known for complex video criticism and a deep love of genre. Using a story by him and his wife Samantha Elizabeth, Stuckmann makes his impressive but imperfect debut backed by a built-in fanbase already appreciative of his film philosophy.

Killers aren’t always afforded the opportunity to explain themselves, and after a movie review goes live, directors even less so. Stuckmann has made a poetic career out of appreciating the magic of production, graciously and methodically considering how a totality of factors impact what ends up on screen. Through his impassioned YouTube channel, which was founded in the very internet hey-day the “Shelby Oaks” opening recalls, Stuckmann has spent years bravely beating back cinematic shit-posting. Instead, he’s repeatedly emphasized his love of all things The Movies — rarely if ever lobbing “bad” criticism at anyone — and his mosaic-like feature reflects that affection back ten-fold. To critique his film then, it seems important and fair to say upfront that its existence is a good thing. As plainly put as a review this early can be (most audiences won’t see “Shelby Oaks” until sometime next year): Chris Stuckmann can indeed make a movie and, all things created equal, he should probably make more movies. That’s even truer if he’s able to keep his admirably pure production pipeline protected from business-minded studios.

Now, the hard part. 

As aggravating in its logic gaps as it is frustrating with its stop-and-go propulsion, this confused debut effort knows what it wants to be (a dryer, more cynical “Lake Mungo” maybe?) — but it isn’t that. There’s tremendous promise in the first twenty minutes, which in a bit of meta commentary has Stuckmann writing dialogue for news anchors who quietly mock viral creators and question whether Riley’s disappearance was somehow still just a hoax. (Shout out, lonelygirl15, long may she vlog!) And yet, much like a first-time marathon runner, the writer/director gets off to a stronger start than he can maintain. After a jaw-dropping opening, a collapse in the tension arrives mid-way through the second act — somewhere between Mia and her husband’s (Brendan Sexton III) second or third fight about vigilante justice and the baby they’re not having — and the suspense never recovers. 

Cops are rarely the answer to, well, anything, but it would do wonders to have absolutely anyone helping Mia get her investigation under control. Alone for most of the movie, Sullivan isn’t given nearly enough scene partners (blink and you’ll miss Keith David) and Mia wastes tons of screentime silently spinning her wheels. “Shelby Oaks” is the kind of movie that will show you montage after montage of old photographs, dream journals, and library documents — allegedly poured over by Mia for more than a decade — and then seriously ask you to join in her surprise when she inexplicably starts to piece together the facts she already had in evidence. 

The scares face diminishing returns too as Mia’s decision-making betrays her as an inconsistent, if not outright dimwitted, hero. Running through nightmarish scenes ranging in genre reference from hixploitaiton to gothic romance, the stunning surroundings photographed by cinematographer Andrew Scott Baird almost cover up for Mia’s baffling lack of intellectual direction. But what real person, pray tell, has their sister go missing for more than a complete Chinese zodiac cycle, only to spur of the moment visit a derelict prison… with an almost dead flashlight… in the middle of the night? The scene is pretty, but she seems like a moron.

It’s those obvious loose ends that allow “Shelby Oaks” to devolve into an unmotivated pursuit of an unremarkable character. The fault doesn’t lie with Sullivan (she does what she can!), but as Mia’s behavior makes less and less sense, her sister’s story grows equally confused. Pops of comedy suggest a self-awareness to some of the script (yes, at least one character will acknowledge that saying the name “Paranormal Paranoids” is orally atrocious) and yet there aren’t enough jokes throughout to classify it as a horror comedy. Toss in some well-intentioned but ill-conceived “Hereditary” inspiration that’s nothing if not gravely serious and for-the-love-of-funniness stops working as a believable excuse.  

That said, it bears repeating, Stuckmann should make movies. “Shelby Oaks” was obviously written by a critic, one with a near-legendary knowledge of the pop culture archives, and it’s directed with a palpable confidence that could lead to better things. Doubling-back to that marathon metaphor, Stuckmann finishes his race only somewhat worse for wear. He manages a beautiful final shot that, no matter what comes before it, is fun as hell and hints at what we’ll no doubt someday learn this freshman filmmaker does best. Easily the smartest journalist-turned-producer working in horror today, Stuckmann is going to be even better when he leaves “Shelby Oaks.”  

Grade: B-

A Neon release, “Shelby Oaks” debuted at Fantasia Fest 2024. It’s expected in theaters next year.

Disneyland employees have voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike, paving the way for what could be the first major work stoppage the Anaheim theme park has seen in 40 years.

Members of the Master Services Council — an alliance of unions representing custodians, ride operators, candy makers, merchandise clerks and other Disneyland employees — on Friday voted 99% in support of a walkout.

As a result, union leaders now have the option to call a strike if they are unable to negotiate a new contract with Disney.

“We stood up and showed Disney that we won’t sit by and allow them to intimidate, surveil and unlawfully discipline cast members for exercising their rights,” the union team said in a memo posted online.

“A strike is always a last resort,” the memo continues, “and we have committed to return to the bargaining table Monday and Tuesday prepared to bargain in good faith.”

The Disneyland employee contract expired on June 16, and the Master Services Council scheduled the strike authorization vote earlier this month. Disneyland employees haven’t staged a major walkout since 1984. That work stoppage lasted 22 days.

“We greatly appreciate the important roles our cast members play in creating memorable experiences for our guests, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement that focuses on what matters most to them while positioning Disneyland Resort for growth and job creation,” Disneyland spokesperson Jessica Good said in a statement.

“Master Services Council’s strike date authorization is not unusual as part of a negotiations process, and we look forward to continuing discussions at upcoming meetings on Monday, July 22 and Tuesday, July 23. A strike has not been scheduled, and Disneyland Resort continues to welcome guests.”

Tensions between workers and the company escalated in June when the Master Services Council filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board accusing Disney of threatening to discipline employees for wearing union buttons at work.

The Master Services Council maintains that wearing the buttons — which depict Mickey Mouse’s raised fist — is a protected form of union activity and that the company cannot take action against employees for doing so. Disney has argued that the pins violate the staff dress code and that only “a handful” of repeat incidents have led to disciplinary action, starting with a verbal warning.

Some 14,000 workers at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney are simultaneously bargaining for new contracts. They are seeking wage increases to keep up with the cost of living in Southern California and reward senior employees, as well as stronger safety measures and changes to the company’s attendance policy.

Disney has publicly stated that Disneyland “will remain open and ready to welcome guests if any number” of employees go on strike.