Movie Reviews
Alien Country (2024) – Movie Review
Alien Country, 2024.
Directed by Boston McConnaughey.
Starring Renny Grames, K. C. Clyde, Rachele Brooke Smith, Austin Archer, Dalton Baker, Corbin Alred, and Payton Myler.
SYNOPSIS:
A couple accidentally opens a portal, releasing a horde of alien creatures into their small town. They find themselves in a race against time to save not just their home but the entire galaxy.
The chthonic earthly nature of Country and Western music is right there in its very name, and the American variant of folk music always holds a signpost as being very much of a type. It is a music very much born of its land, which makes the contrast with interstellar and interdimensional invaders an intriguing proposition. Duelling banjos, blazing saddles, and fired up shot-guns versus ancient beasts from the other side of the universe?
It also sounds a little reminiscent of Cowboys versus Aliens, that flick from 13 years back. However, Alien Country, a film very much made out of love for its concept, had only a tiny portion of the budget of that particular Western sci-fi.
The story is rooted in the relationship drama of long-term couple Jimmy, a demolition truck driver and Everly, a C & W singer. Just as the pair are discussing the news that they are expecting a pregnancy, a mysterious portal is somehow opened up and a bunch of fierce alien creatures are let loose in their small town. The fast-talking couple have to work out their differences and work together to save the town and probably the whole world from an apocalyptic fate.
There is some old-school action comedy at play at the heart of the film that makes it a colourful watch. The older conspiracy theorist/stargazer with a gun (Barta Heiner) is amusingly played out for some spaced out laughs. But for me, the plot just got rather confused and did not particularly complement the solid comedic performances at play.
As much as I could grab was the fact that there are good aliens and there are bad aliens, and there is a way to stop the destruction. Mostly the special effects work well and there is a high-speed chase aspect to the film that works well when the chatter cools down – and there is a lot of dialogue involved in the script. Also, quite a bit of country music, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make for a very particular style and feel.
As an old-school adventure that ultimately doesn’t break too many barriers, metaphysical or otherwise, Alien Country is a fun enough movie. Just don’t go expecting anything too far out of this world.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/playlist
Movie Reviews
Brandon Rhiness’s ‘GROTESQUE 2’ (2024) – Movie Review – PopHorror
Recently I reviewed my new indie horror obsession Grotesque, which features slasher icon in the making Mildred Moyer. Director/writer Brandon Rhiness was kind enough to let me check out Grotesque 2 for review.
How does it hold up to the original? Read on for my thoughts.
Synopsis
Mildred Moyer is at it again, unleashing her unique brand of vengeance on a corrupt religious organization that took advantage of her and others.
Grotesque 2 was written and directed by Brandon Rhiness (Grotesque) from a story by Rhiness and Julie Whelan. The film stars Elizabeth Chamberlain returning as Mildred Moyer, Jaime Hill (Grotesque), Nick Gauthier (Hot Box), Julie Whelan (Grotesque), Natasha Hurlburt, Laura Fuentes (I’m Haunted 2), Jarvis Greiner (Grotesque), Chris Schuler (Grotesque), and Alice Wordsworth.
I really enjoyed getting to see Mildred Moyer return in Grotesque 2, though it kind of shattered the sense of happiness she found in the original. I liked that the story took its time to develop and spent time establishing the villains of the story and how truly awful they are. The villains are a corrupt religious organization who steals from those in need of prayer, and drugs their congregation into compliance. The fact that they were so awful made their deaths all the more satisfying.
Speaking of deaths, we get a ton of them here, one of my favorites being a woman who gets cut in half. The deaths lean heavily into comedy and Mildred Moyer’s trademark one liners are back. Some of them are pretty cringe but the film leans into it by having Mildred poke fun at just how bad some of them are.
I enjoyed how people kept telling Mildred that she looks like infamous serial killer Mildred Moyer and how she thought on her feet and hilariously figured out ways past it, like, “I have glasses and she didn’t.” I loved Mildred’s look in Grotesque 2 and how it was an inverse of her look in the first film. I thought it was cool that so many actors from the original returned as different characters. I loved how the story came full circle and tied everything back to the original and wrapped up some loose ends.
The one thing I didn’t really care for was the ending, which left me feeling pretty upset as it seems to mark a definitive ending to the series. Besides that one complaint I really enjoyed the hell out of Grotesque 2.
Final Thoughts
Grotesque 2 is a fun slasher sequel that leans into the comedy present in the original and brings the story full circle. Highly recommend.
Movie Reviews
Anora | Reelviews Movie Reviews
Going into Anora, I wasn’t sure what to expect but it
certainly wasn’t a screwball comedy. Yet, following an explosively erotic, wild
twist on the Pretty Woman cliché, writer/director Sean Baker guides his
movie into an extended period of warped comedy. By the third act, he returns to
a drama-based foundation, focusing on concluding with a modicum of closure but Anora
stands out as an airy experience full of surprises (big and small), all
anchored by Mikey Madison’s tremendous performance.
Madison is a revelation as the title character, stripper
Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, who lives in Brooklyn and works in an upscale club in Manhattan.
Madison has mastered the accent and attitude of someone eking out an existence
in Ani’s circumstances. The character is bold and brassy, taking shit from no
one (including her fellow dancers) and seizing any opportunity that comes her
way. Madison is fearless, seemingly comfortable with the nudity required for (numerous)
scenes in the film’s first 45 minutes (she reportedly felt so at ease with
Baker and her co-star, Mark Eydelshteyn, that she turned down the offer of an
intimacy coordinator) and showing an admirable capacity for physical comedy
during the film’s midsection. But her most remarkable moment comes during the
final scene.
Early in Anora, Baker, who has a gift for a you-are-there
filmmaking, takes the viewer behind-the-scenes at the strip club where Anora
works, providing glimpses of how the dancers view their work. The conversations
aren’t fundamentally different from what one might hear from servers in
restaurants or performers in a stage show. This is a job. They know how to do
it and how to skirt the rules to get the best tips. Anora is willing to do a
little extra on the side (off club grounds) to make some additional cash but
she’s not cheap and doesn’t perceive herself as a prostitute. In fact, she
bristles at being called a “whore” or “hooker,” evidence to the contrary.
Her fortunes, which are illustrated briefly with a shot of
her flat, take a turn for the better when the club owner introduces her to
Vanya (Eydelshteyn), the spoiled scion of a Russian oligarch who’s looking for
a good time with a woman who can speak Russian (one of Anora’s talents). Smitten
and unsatisfied with what she offers in a VIP room, Vanya asks for a meeting at
his mansion and the two are soon negotiating a deal where she will be his
exclusive, live-in “girlfriend” for a week (she gets $15K for the job). While
on a trip to Vegas, Vanya impulsively proposes and the two return to New York
as a wedded couple. This news alarms Vanya’s Armenian handler, Toros (Karren
Karagulian), who is ordered by Vanya’s irate parents to “take care of” the
situation. When his bumbling henchmen, Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura
Borisov), arrive at the mansion, Vanya is initially stubborn and belligerent but
then runs away, leaving Anora to deal with the Three Stooges.
Vanya’s flight signals a shift in tone from the playful
romantic interaction between the newlywed couple to the comedic interactions
between Anora and her three captors. It’s a twist on O. Henry’s “Ransom of Red
Chief,” where the victim is more than the kidnappers can handle. Although this
segment probably goes on a little too long (the movie as a whole feels like it
could benefit from some trimming, mostly during the third act), it vacillates
between darkly amusing and laugh-out-loud funny. The thugs aren’t particularly menacing
and Anora never seems to be in danger. By the time Anora reaches its
final 40 minutes, the Baker shifts into a more grounded exploration of the emotional
toll of the experience on Ani.
In 2017, when Baker had his international breakthrough with The Florida Project, I remember being surprised at how engaging such a small, seemingly
simple production could be. I wrote the following: “The Florida Project feels genuine from start to finish and Baker
doesn’t wander onto a Hollywood-inspired detour despite many opportunities.” Some
of those same qualities are evident in Anora. By using handheld cameras
(but not in a way that threaten to bring on nausea) and favoring longer takes,
Baker opts for a gritty, intimate perspective to present a narrative that could
best be described as a twisted fairy tale. He navigates tonal switches and
story beats that could doom another production but which end up elevating this
one.
Anora has proven to be liked by both critics and
everyday movie-goers, at least those that give it a chance. (I saw it on its
local opening night and there were only a dozen attendees.) After winning the
Golden Palm at Cannes, it went on to capture the Audience Award at Toronto and
currently holds a 91 rating (Universal Acclaim) at Metacritic. But marketing
the film has proven tricky for distributor NEON. The movie’s essential
qualities don’t translate well to a two-minute trailer and the confusing platform
release strategy has left some viewers uncertain when it might open at a
theater near them. Here’s hoping the movie finds its audience because it’s one
of the freshest and most audacious films available in this year’s sparse
cinematic landscape.
Anora (United States, 2024)
Movie Reviews
Janaka Aithe Ganaka Movie Review (Aha)
Overview:
“Janaka Aithe Ganaka” is a comedy-drama starring Suhas, crafted with a mix of humor and emotions. Directed by Sandeep Reddi Bandla and produced under Dil Raju Productions, the film was released in theaters on October 12 and is now streaming on Aha.
Plot Summary:
The story follows Prasad (Suhas), a middle-class man from a modest family, which includes his wife (Sangerthana), parents, and grandmother. Prasad’s life is marked by financial struggles, making him firmly believe that one should only have children if they can provide a comfortable life. This perspective intensifies when he sees his friend Kishore (played by Vennela Kishore), a struggling lawyer, grappling with raising his kids due to financial constraints.
When Prasad learns his wife is unexpectedly pregnant, he is startled, questioning how this could happen despite his strict family planning. Discovering a possible failure of the contraceptive he used, he decides to sue the company for compensation. The case takes them to court, where Prasad’s decision brings a series of challenges, ultimately leading him to a realization about family and responsibility.
Analysis:
The title, “Janaka Aithe Ganaka,” carries an embedded humor, suggesting the burdens of fatherhood. The movie starts by exploring the dynamics of a middle-class family and then transitions to a court drama with Rajendra Prasad as the judge and Murali Sharma as a prominent lawyer. The courtroom scenes blend humor with societal issues, particularly the challenges middle-class families face and the impact of these on parental emotions.
The film centers on the concept of family planning, which becomes both its strength and limitation. While individual viewers might find the storyline amusing, watching the film with family could be somewhat uncomfortable due to the focus on contraception. Nevertheless, the humor, especially from Vennela Kishore and the scenes with Prasad’s grandmother, adds a lively element.
The film’s twist ending, leaving audiences laughing even after the credits roll, is a high point, enhancing the overall narrative with an unexpected and comedic punch.
Performance:
Suhas delivers a natural performance that resonates with his character’s struggles. Debutant Sangerthana as his wife fits well in her role. Vennela Kishore, portraying a frustrated father, brings humor, while seasoned actors Rajendra Prasad and Murali Sharma add depth and authenticity to the court scenes.
Technical Aspects:
Director Sandeep Reddi’s narrative approach and character development are commendable, weaving humor and social commentary seamlessly. Vijay Bulganin’s music, Sai Sriram’s cinematography, and Kodati Pavan Kalyan’s editing contribute to a polished, engaging presentation.
Verdict:
“Janaka Aithe Ganaka” is a light-hearted comedy that addresses middle-class concerns with a humorous touch. While it may not resonate with everyone, it’s a decent watch for those looking for a blend of humor and relatable issues.
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