Movie Reviews
‘The Crow’ Tells a Flawed and Fractured Story With Untapped Potential – Review
![‘The Crow’ Tells a Flawed and Fractured Story With Untapped Potential – Review ‘The Crow’ Tells a Flawed and Fractured Story With Untapped Potential – Review](https://www.cinelinx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Crow-2024.jpg)
With great apprehension, we went to see the remake of The Crow to see how this new adaptation treated the source material.
*note: this review contains minor spoilers for The Crow
It is important to start this review by making it known that I am a huge fan of The Crow starring Brandon Lee. I personally was against anyone remaking The Crow, as I feel that some stories should not be touched again. However, when I saw the cast and the trailers for this new take on The Crow, I was willing to give it a chance. After all, it’s been 30 years, maybe this adaptation could bring something new to the table.
I will give the filmmakers this much credit: they did attempt to bring something new to the table. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work.
As you might expect with an adaptation of The Crow, the story features the star-crossed love story of Eric Draven and his girlfriend Shelley. When both are cruelly murdered, Eric is brought back by a crow to set this massive wrong right. That, as far as I’m concerned is where the film’s similarities to the source material end.
The Crow
Directed By: Rupert Sanders
Written By: Zach Baylin, William Schneider
Based on: The Crow by James O’Barr
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, FKA Twigs, Danny Huston
Release Date: August 23, 2024
What really hampers The Crow is that the story takes far too long to get going. The entire film is plagued by pacing issues, especially in the first act. I can understand the desire to properly flesh out Eric and Shelley’s relationship before pulling the metaphorical trigger on the plot, but this was not the way to do it.
And even when Eric is brought back to enact his vengeance, the story still doesn’t take off. It’s a constant back and forth of “start and stop” until the last act of the film. The film’s final act is what partially redeemed the film for me, as that is when I finally felt like I was seeing the film we were promised in the trailers. The action in the opera house is gloriously bloody, but it was also something we should’ve gotten throughout and not just at the end of the film.
Then there’s the film’s antagonist. I feel like the filmmakers misstepped in creating a new villain for this story. Part of what made the original film work as well as it did is that it drew on the characters that appeared in the comic book. In this film, the only recognizable characters are Eric, Shelley and, of course, the crow. With all these changes, not to mention a potentially interesting villain that we ultimately learn very little about, this feels very unlike a “Crow” film until, as stated before, close to the end. If several sequences featured in the final act had appeared instead in the second act (after Eric is brought back), this would’ve been a much improved film.
The Crow does get some things right. One of its best features is the visual aesthetic of the film. The city is dark, rainy, and there’s a general feel of griminess, which is fitting considering this is the world of The Crow. I especially like the “in between realm” where Eric ends up after dying. This is an aspect that wasn’t really explored in the original film and it felt like an extension of the Crow mythos that didn’t feel forced and worked rather well.
I also, as a musicologist, really appreciated how the film utilized music throughout. In particular, there’s the aforementioned sequence in the opera house that is far and away the best part of the film. Watching Eric fight his way through a number of enemies to the strains of Meyerbeer’s opera Robert le diable is a sight to behold and I genuinely wish the rest of the film lived up to the bar set by this scene.
Ultimately, The Crow is full to the brim with potential. The star power is there, the acting ability is certainly there, but almost none of it is used properly. This could’ve been a proper update of The Crow story, but instead it’s likely to be remembered as the remake that failed to launch. I won’t go so far as to say that the film should be hated and avoided, as the film isn’t all bad. However, it never once reaches its full potential and is very likely to leave the viewer feeling disappointed.
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Movie Reviews
‘The Air He Breathes’ Movie Review: A Well-Done Romantic Drama
![‘The Air He Breathes’ Movie Review: A Well-Done Romantic Drama ‘The Air He Breathes’ Movie Review: A Well-Done Romantic Drama](https://fangirlish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AHB-Friends.jpg)
Grief is universal, but how we handle it is not. Everyone who has lost someone has their own story and way of dealing with it. Passionflix’s latest adaptation, The Air He Breathes, follows two people working to find their way through the grief that has taken hold of their lives.
Based on the book of the same name by author Brittainy Cherry, “The Air He Breathes follows Elizabeth (Kelcie Stranahan) and Tristan (Ryan Carnes), who find solace and healing in each other’s company after suffering devastating losses. As they navigate their grief and past traumas, they discover the power of love and second chances.”
I’ve seen many Passionflix movies over the years, but I have to say The Air He Breathes was the first one that made me cry several times from start to finish. When we’re introduced to Elizabeth and Tristan, they are both on their grief journeys. Elizabeth, who lost her husband, Steven, has decided to take her little girl Emma (The incredibly adorable Charlotte Ann Tucker) back home to Meadows Creek to try and start fresh. Meanwhile, Tristan, who lost his wife Jamie and their son Charlie, has essentially run away and gone into a sort of hiding. When the two meet, it’s not under the best circumstances because she accidentally hits his dog, Zeus, while driving. Naturally, this is not the best way to meet someone, and Tristan is rightfully upset. But Elizabeth sees something in Tristan. She sees the vulnerability under the anger and frustration, especially when he breaks down after hearing that Zeus will be fine.
As Elizabeth gets settled back home, she learns that Tristan is her next-door neighbor. This quickly sends us right into the good old enemies-to-lovers trope, which is one of my personal favorites. Even though almost everyone in town seems to have something negative to say about Tristan, Elizabeth sees beyond that because she senses something in him. She also appears to identify with him in many ways because she knows what it’s like to have the people in town pass judgment on her. Everyone expects her to behave a certain way since she lost her husband, which is tough enough because she’s still trying to figure out how to exist without him.
![The Air He Breathes](https://i0.wp.com/fangirlish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AHB-Lawn.jpg?resize=1024%2C493&ssl=1)
Tristan is a bit of a recluse in some ways because he makes it a point to keep his distance from everyone, and he’s just existing and not living. That is until Elizabeth enters his life. Try as he might, he really can’t avoid her. I mean, she lives next door. And secretly, he enjoys her company. Come on, how many people do you know that would willingly cut someone’s grass? Sure, Tristan initially claimed that he did it because he didn’t want her to wake up the neighborhood, but when he learned that, like him, she had lost her spouse, his views on her changed. During this time, Elizabeth and Tristan learn that they are not so different.
Soon, Elizabeth and Tristan begin spending a lot of time together. He helps her out a lot with the maintenance of her home. As they grow closer, their relationship shifts, and they sleep together. However, the twist is that they both agree they will use each other to keep the memory of their spouses alive. What could possibly go wrong? Except, you know, both genuinely develop feelings for each other. Elizabeth and Tristan are not emotionally equipped to have relationships that do not involve real feelings. They both love hard, and that’s obvious in the way they each love their spouses, Steven and Jamie. Watching their love scene was heartbreakingly beautiful because they feel everything so deeply. To some people, it probably seemed weird that they would do this, but ultimately, we all want to be loved and seek companionship. That’s the void these two were filling.
![The Air He Breathes](https://i0.wp.com/fangirlish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AHB-Big-Day.jpg?resize=1024%2C492&ssl=1)
Even when they decide that sleeping together involves too much of their hearts, Tristan makes it clear he still wants Elizabeth in his life. Even if that means they can only be friends. And of course, we all know that doesn’t work either because these two have already been intimate, and now they know what it’s like, so it becomes even more difficult for them. As the saying goes, the heart wants what it wants. And Tristan and Elizabeth want each other. Unfortunately for them, there are a lot of people who don’t want them to be together. And old wounds are opened up in ways none were even prepared for. I am NOT going to go into that any further because I wouldn’t want to spoil the twist I didn’t see coming when I read Cherry’s book.
The Air He Breathes was a well-done book-to-screen adaptation. Both Stranahan and Carnes gave powerful performances as Elizabeth and Tristan. Stranahan added such a lightness to Elizabeth; there was a quiet stillness about her approach that was also so palpable. I also have to acknowledge that she brought out Elizabeth’s fiery nature. Carnes, whose character is a man of few words at first, was able to convey Tristan’s closed-off demeanor, and I loved that we could slowly, bit by bit, begin to see him become more open again to friendship and then to loving and being loved again. As I said, quite a few tears were shed while watching this. It’s probably the same amount as I did when I read the book.
![The Air He Breathes](https://i0.wp.com/fangirlish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot_20240823_204934_YouTube.jpg?resize=1024%2C495&ssl=1)
I have to say this may be one of my new favorite films adapted by Passionflix. Director Rachel Annette Helson and Cinematographer Sean Conley created something beautiful with this film, showing a lot of care with Brittainy Cherry’s book. Her characters were indeed in great hands because it’s daunting to try and capture a story that not just the author loves but readers as well. We all know that readers are picky when we hear the words “book-to-screen adaptation,” so it’s beautiful when a director gets it right. If you’re looking for a romantic drama (believe me, The Air He Breathes has the drama) with heart and some twists that will make your jaw drop, this is the film for you.
The Air He Breathes is now streaming on Passionflix.
Movie Reviews
New Francis Ford Coppola film trailer axed for using fake movie reviews
![New Francis Ford Coppola film trailer axed for using fake movie reviews New Francis Ford Coppola film trailer axed for using fake movie reviews](https://entertainment.inquirer.net/files/2024/08/AFP__20240517__34RZ6VH__v3__HighRes__TopshotFranceFilmFestivalCannes.jpg)
US director Francis Ford Coppola poses during a photocall for the film “Megalopolis” at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2024. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)
A trailer promoting Francis Ford Coppola’s new film “Megalopolis” has been withdrawn after it was found to have incorporated fake movie reviews, reportedly generated by artificial intelligence.
Coppola’s wildly ambitious, decades-in-the-making movie, which hits theaters next month and stars Adam Driver, has starkly divided critics.
A trailer released this week drew parallels to earlier works by the revered Hollywood director that also initially left some professional reviewers cold before going on to become classics — suggesting “Megalopolis” can do the same.
“True genius is often misunderstood,” a voiceover began, before quotes from famous critics calling “The Godfather” a “sloppily self-indulgent movie” and “Apocalypse Now” a “spectacular failure” were presented on the screen.
The problem? None of those quotes were real.
Instead, the trailer appears to have used AI-generated imitations of the type of withering put-downs associated with renowned reviewers such as Pauline Kael.
In at least one case, a criticism appears to have been lifted from a review of an entirely different film
The trailer was quickly recalled, with Hollywood studio Lionsgate offering “our sincere apologies to the critics involved and to Francis Ford Coppola” for an “inexcusable error in our vetting process.”
“We screwed up. We are sorry,” said a statement.
Lionsgate has since parted company with the marketing consultant behind the trailer, trade outlet Variety said Friday. Meanwhile Deadline reported that the quotes were generated by AI.
The furor comes at a time when Hollywood is roiled by the encroaching impact of AI. Fears the technology could replace entertainment industry jobs — from actors to writers — were central to last summer’s devastating strikes.
The trailer episode is just the latest controversy to hit “Megalopolis,” an already hugely divisive epic.
Legendary director Coppola has said he spent $120 million of his own money to make the film, selling a stake in his California vineyard.
But its much-hyped world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival left the industry confounded.
Critics’ responses ranged from “a true modern masterwork” to a “catastrophe.”
Driver stars as a seemingly magical architect whose efforts to rebuild a decaying city into a futuristic utopia are thwarted by its resentful mayor (Giancarlo Esposito).
US actor Adam Driver (L) and US director Francis Ford Coppola pose during a photocall for the film “Megalopolis” at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2024. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)
The movie also stars Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf and Dustin Hoffman.
It receives its North American premiere at the Toronto film festival next month, before being released in US theaters on September 27.
The controversy has provoked theories among some Hollywood observers that the entire unseemly debacle could have been staged to provoke headlines.
Lionsgate did not respond to an AFP request for comment.
But a source familiar with the marketing plan told AFP the studio did not deliberately fabricate the quotes, and removed the trailer as soon as it became aware of the situation.
Movie Reviews
1984 Movie Reviews – Cal, Old Enough, Oxford Blues | The Nerdy
![1984 Movie Reviews – Cal, Old Enough, Oxford Blues | The Nerdy 1984 Movie Reviews – Cal, Old Enough, Oxford Blues | The Nerdy](https://thenerdy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1984-Movie-Project-Cal-01.jpg)
Welcome to an exciting year-long project here at The Nerdy. 1984 was an exciting year for films giving us a lot of films that would go on to be beloved favorites and cult classics. Imagine a world where This is Spinal Tap and Repo Man hit theaters on the same day. That is the world of 1984.
We’re going to pick and choose which movies we hit, but right now the list stands at nearly three dozen.
Yes, we’re insane, but 1984 was that great of a year for film.
The articles will come out on the same day the films hit theaters in 1984 so that it is their true 40th anniversaries. All films are also watched again for the purposes of these reviews and are not being done from memory.
This time around it’s August 24, 1984, and we’re off to see Cal, Old Enough, and Oxford Blues.
Cal
A film about the IRA and its complicated relationship with its countrymen, as well as the anger between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland, was a weird place to set a love story, but that is precisely what Cal is.
Cal (John Lynch) is adrift in life. He has trouble finding work, and relies on his father, Shamie (Donal McCann) for everything. What Shamie doesn’t know, however, is that not only is his son wrapped up with the IRA, but he even assisted in the murder of a policeman. A year later, he unknowingly runs into the policeman’s widow, Marcella (Helen Mirren), and is enthralled by her.
Cal’s life from that point forward is a mixture of bliss and tragedy until the film arrives at its rather odd conclusion that I won’t spoil for anyone.
It’s well acted, but the script is lacking in a lot of ways. The eventual resolution of Shamie’s story happens completely off-screen and almost feels like the actor left the set for some reason.
Then, there is the lighting of the film. While I understand setting a mood, large portions of night shots felt as though they were lit with two drug store flashlights that had been dropped in the mud, and no one had cleaned them off. It is a muddy mess that is incredibly difficult to follow at times.
Overall, it’s a fine film, but not one I can ever imagine me spending a second thinking about ever again.
Old Enough
I knew absolutely nothing about this film going into it, and lucked out that I walked away pleasantly surprised.
Lonnie (Sarah Boyd) is the 11-year-old daughter of a well-off family in New York City who ends up meeting and befriending 14-year-old Karen (Rainbow Harvest), the daughter of a family that struggles to get by, one summer. Over the course of the summer break, both of them find different ways to expand the life experiences of the other while also coming of age. They have their ups and downs, but both come out of the experience better for it.
Both girls turn in excellent, believable performances. They are not perfect, but they are enjoyable watch.
The only major issue I had with the story was the constant attempts by Karen’s older brother, Johnny (Neill Barry), to sleep with Lonnie. Yes. Things such as that happen, but it was still uncomfortable to watch it.
It’s a fun little, unassuming movie, that’s not a bad time if you’re looking for a slice of teenage life pre-technology.
Oxford Blues
I would love to tell you what Oxford Blues was about, but I’m not sure the people who made it knew themselves.
Nick Di Angelo (Rob Lowe) wants to go to Oxford University, not because an incredible rower, but because he wants to meet and woo Lady Victoria Wingate (Amanda Pays). After a bit of a turn as a gigolo, he makes it there and sets his sights on Victoria, while also befriending Rona (Ally Sheedy), setting up a rivalry with Colin Gilchrist Fisher (Julian Sands), getting into trouble with the school, learning the value of teamwork, and, I guess, going to class.
The movie hits on so many college film tropes that it’s as if someone put several movies in a blender, and Oxford Blues popped out. At the very end of the film, after only the most tenuous examples of Rona and Nick having feelings for one another, they kiss. Nick looks at Rona and says, “Why didn’t we ever do that before?” Rona replies, “I don’t know.”
Don’t worry fictional characters, the audience didn’t know either.
If you have time for only one 80s college film, I guess make it this one as it will serve essentially as the Cliff Notes for all of the rest of them.
1984 Movie Reviews will return on August 31 with Choose Me, Bolero, C.H.U.D., and Flashpoint!
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