Movie Reviews (Arkansas, First Cow, New Mutants, Enola Holmes), Some Stink And Some Are Good!
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With movie release schedules all whacky, we decided to drop a batch of reviews for some fresh(ish) released: 'New Mutants', 'Arkansas', 'First Cow', and 'Enola Holmes'.
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Five teenage mutants -- Mirage, Wolfsbane, Cannonball, Sunspot and Magik -- undergo treatments at a secret institution that will cure them of their dangerous powers. Invited by Dr. Cecilia Reyes to share their stories, their memories soon turn into terrifying realities as they start to question why they're being held and who's trying to destroy them. (via Google)
JeffDLowe (65/100): One of the most cursed movies of all time took years to release, and after all of the chaos, hype, changes, what is my final verdict on the movie? It's fine.
That's it. It's fine. It's a movie.
But, to be fair, I guess that means the movie is better than I expected? With how long it took this thing to hit the big screen, one just had to assume it would be a steaming pile of trash, but it was far from that. 'New Mutants' certainly wasn't perfect, but the movie carried enough originality, and unique flair to at least stick out a little bit.
The biggest issue with this movie is, oddly, that it isn't long enough. I enjoy that Josh Boone tried to go deeper into the characters with the movie, along with a more Young Adult and horror feel, something we don't often get with the genre. The problem is we don't have enough time to truly care about everyone and their stories as it plays out on screen. Creativity and fun elements can only go so far, and in this case, they go to a decent length before you just need more depth to be an above-average movie. 'New Mutants' just misses that mark, and it results in a ride worth taking, but one you won't remember all that much after seeing it.
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KenJac (47/100): This movie beat insurmountable odds to get made, which was reason enough for me to root for it as an underdog. Between the reshoots, studio meddling, and the Disney-Fox merger, I’m honestly shocked we even got to the point of seeing it. We had an encouraging discussion with director Josh Boone which gave me some hope, but this movie ultimately fell flat. The death rattle of Fox’s Marvel properties is less of a William Wallace “FREEDOM!!!!” and more of a strained fart.
There are a couple of problems with this movie, and I think that part of it stems from the cast. It doesn’t feel like the cast had particularly strong chemistry, and some of the individual performances outside of Anya Taylor-Joy’s were… rough. I think the harshest issue, though, was that it tried to do too much. It’s obviously a superhero story, but there are elements of both horror and coming-of-age combined with it. The superhero stuff works just fine, but I think it fails in the other two departments. Plenty of movies have done that right, look at ‘Carrie’, ‘The VVitch’, etc. That balance is just never quite found here.
It makes me sad that we finally got to see this movie after a three-year wait and it turned out to be a bummer, but it is what it is.
Low-level criminals Kyle and Swin have never met the Arkansas drug kingpin who rules their lives, but a series of mistakes puts them on a deadly collision course straight to him. (via Google)
JeffDLowe (80/100): With how many times I was asked about this movie following its release, I was stunned to learn that both audiences and critics have been a bit cold when receiving 'Arkansas'. What I thought we got with 'Arkansas', comedy actor Clark Duke's directorial debut, is a hell of a good time that mashes up everything from the thriller genre to dark comedy, mystery, crime, and more.
This neo-noir thriller has its moments of uneven pacing, which is to be expected from a first-timer at the helm such as Clark Duke, but there's an undeniable charm to this movie that I can't help but love. The cast is also quite stellar, with Duke joined by Liam Hemsworth, Vince Vaughn, John Malkovich, and Michael K. Williams, just to name a few. The whole thing works in a bit of a bizarre way and is the perfect palette cleanser amongst a slew of crime movies that can be streamed during this theater shut down.
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By no means is 'Arkansas' going to light the world on fire, but people who love something with a bit of a different edge in the crime and thriller genres should find it worth giving it a try.
KenJac (70/100): There are a few things to dislike about this movie, but there is a lot more to love with ‘Arkansas’. I’m not sure what to compare it to, but it’s sort of like a Coen Brothers Neo-Western if it was made by a mystery 3rd Coen Brother that was really into ketamine.
Clark Duke ('Hot Tub Time Machine') wrote and directed as well as co-starring alongside Liam Hemsworth (Hunger Games). I rather liked Duke’s performance as an actor, and I actually thought he was Caleb Landry Jones for at least the first 10 minutes of the movie. Hemsworth was solid as well in a role that actually let him be something a little beyond a single dimension, which isn’t what he is usually afforded. The smaller roles by Vince Vaughn, Michael K. Williams, Vivica Fox, and John Malkovich were also just as rewarding for the movie.
My issues with the movie come more with some of the dialogue and editing of the movie. The dialogue is a little choppy and forced, especially when relationship-building between characters. And the way the movie is put together makes it a little too drawn-out. All of that said, though, there is a collection of scenes in this movie that I really like. Combine that with some great, dirty southern characters and you got a recipe for a movie that’s right up my ally.
The way the critics shat on this movie, I thought it was going to suck. Fuck ‘em. By their metric, this movie is an underrated gem and is worth the watch.
Two travelers, on the run from a band of vengeful hunters in the 1820s Northwest, dream of striking it rich -- but their tenuous plan to make their fortune on the frontier comes to rely on the secret use of a landowner's prized dairy cow. (via Google)
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KenJac (90/100): ‘First Cow’ is definitely not for everyone. For those of you that enjoy something more deliberate, though, you will find a delightful story about friendship and the desperation of the frontier.
John Magaro, who I recognized from ‘Umbrella Academy’, was great in the lead role as a meek but gifted prospector. Orion Lee, who I did not know, left a great impression. I could listen to that guy tell stories for hours. There were some smaller roles from Ewen Bremmer, who is one of the great “oh, that guy!” actors, as well as Toby Jones, and they were both great. Also, this was one of René Auberjonois' last film roles, as he passed away late last year. As a big fan of 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine', I’ve always loved his work and I’ll miss seeing him on the big and small screen.
Like I said at the start, the movie is very deliberate. I think the story director/writer Kelly Reichardt tells is a sweet one about friendship that really immerses the audience into the setting as well as doing some great character work. Reichardt is a minimalist director, and the visual notes of the movie along with great use of both quiet scenes and a simple OST make this a real joy to watch, in my opinion.
If you know anything about A24, then be warned that this is an extremely A24 movie. That happens to be my bag, baby.
JeffDLowe (84/100): Ah man, A24 is back on their bullshit with this movie.
Normally when it comes to A24, that would be a through-and-through positive compliment, however, I found this to be a little closer to an "above-average" release than their top movies. Don't get me wrong, 'First Cow' is a solid movie, and I enjoy a slow burn as much as the next guy, but I didn't quite connect with this one as much as similar releases from the studio.
The movie does a wonderful job as it gradually, and deliberately (if you review this movie, you're required to use the word) soaks you into the story and characters. My issue might just be a personal connection thing for me because while I felt greatly immersed, I didn't exactly care a ton emotionally about the characters and what played out on screen. The slow pacing might have just been too much for me to handle with 'First Cow'. Again, it's a really well-made movie, with a solid story, but it never quite reached that level of "great" for me.
There is a specific audience for a movie such as 'First Cow', and those who don't like stories that play out like this will quickly find themselves tuning out. But if this is your cup of tea, it may be one of your favorites from a thin lineup of 2020 movies.
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While searching for her missing mother, intrepid teen Enola Holmes uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brother Sherlock and help a runaway lord. (via Google)
JeffDLowe (86/100): Not only is 'Enola Holmes' a fantastically fresh addition to the Sherlock Holmes Universe, but it's also an absolute blast and one of 2020's more enjoyable movies. Lifted by a star-worthy performance from Millie Bobby Brown, and the usual charm of Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin, you can easily place this release among Netflix's best original movies.
With the exception of the hot trash that was 'Holmes & Watson', movies and series in the Sherlock Universe have often been excellent in the last 15 years or so. Even though it is heavily placed in the world of Sherlock, the movie stands on its own in every element, which is even more commendable considering the final product. They didn't take an easy road, or play to the crowd, and the commitment to the source material and a new origin story for the big screen within the familiar universe equaled out to an incredibly entertaining movie.
It might be easy to dismiss this movie as a run-of-the-mill family movie from Netflix, but there is a ton packed in here, and 'Enola Holmes' is a highly-engaging, high-octane Sherlock Holmes movie for all to enjoy.
KenJac (89/100): Considering how old the story is, all the recent adaptations of Sherlock Holmes have been nothing but heaters. The BBC series is amazing, and the RDJ movies are underrated in how good they are. While I was a little skeptical of the kid aspect, I was definitely excited to see what the duo of Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill could do. I’m happy to report that the movie not only met my expectations but exceeded them quite a bit! It’s a charming, fun movie that’s an easy and enjoyable watch for any age.
Obviously Millie Bobby Brown has the brunt of the work as the titular character. I think her performance in this movie is going to be the jumping-off point for her as far as separating herself from Stranger Things and entering the world of movie acting. She was sharp, funny, and was outstanding in some pretty tense emotional moments. Henry Cavill exists mostly in the periphery, but his brother-sister dynamic with MBB was effortless. Sam Claflin was also solid in playing a rendition of Mycroft that was essentially an extension of his Peaky Blinders character, Oswalt Mosley. I also rather enjoyed Louis Partridge in the supporting role of Enola’s love interest.
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One thing that I really appreciate about this movie is that Sherlock and Mycroft had the perfect amount of screentime in this movie. They exist in the periphery, as this is Enola’s story, but also adds some great characterization for her. The actual plot and mystery that Enola solves, while working on her own coming-of-age issues, is fairly straightforward. A classic story with all the expected twists and turns that come associated with the name Holmes. The dialogue is quick and funny, and the set pieces look fitting for the era while also sort of manicured for modern-day, if that makes sense.
To sum it all up, ‘Enola Holmes’ is a fantastic, YA adventure that defines the word charm. I very rarely say that a movie needs a sequel, let alone a franchise, but I would love it for this movie. The chemistry, dynamic, and stories are all there, so why not?
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No matter what you do this weekend, head to MovieRankings.net, and enjoy whatever you watch!