Halloween Horrorfest: The Babysitter: Killer Queen

 

Back in 2017, a little Netflix movie called The Babysitter came out that I really dug for it's crazy sense of humor and the way it loved to subvert expectations as it's plot unfolded. Three years later, we got the follow-up, The Babysitter: Killer Queen. If anything, it's even more bonkers, goofy and over the top than the original film. It is also a film that proved to be even more divisive than the original film. 

We catch up again with Cole (played by Judah Lewis) two years after the events of the first film. He regularly sees the school counselor, Dr. Big Carl McManus (played by Carl McDowell) and no one believes his claims about his babysitter Bee (played by Samara Weaving) and her cult of Satanic worshippers. Meanwhile, his parents (played by Leslie Bibb and Ken Marino) fear he has had a psychotic break. The fact that he is plagued by nightmares of that's night's events aren't helping. He really freaks out when he finds a brochure for a psychiatric hospital and realizes his parents intend to take him there after school. His friend Melanie (played by Emily Alyn Lind) offers an alternative option, accompany her on her lakeside weekend getaway. He eventually agrees only to discover also joining them on this adventure are Melanie's friends Jimmy (played by Maximillian Acevedo), Diego (played by Juliocesar Chavez) and Boom-Boom (played by Jennifer Foster). Upon their arrival at the lake, Cole is also suprised to see the new girl in school, Phoebe (played by Jenna Ortega), show up as well after apparently hitchhiking. That night, while staying on a nearby docked houseboat, Cole discovers to his horror that not only has Melanie restarted the same cult Bee headed up, but he is once again intended as the sacrifice. To make matters even worse, he also discovers that the previous members of the cult, Max (played by Robbie Amell), Sonya (played by Hana Mae Lee), John (played by Andrew Bachelor) and Allison (played by Bella Thorne), have returned from the dead looking for revenge as well as to make their resurrection permanent. When Phoebe turns up looking to borrow some gas for her Jet-ski, Cole uses the distraction to escape from the cult's clutches and flees with Phoebe on her Jet-ski. He explains everything that has been going on and to his astonishment, she believes him. Still, they have a bigger problem as all the cultists are in hot pursuit so they have to beat feet if they want to stay alive. 

The film was directed by McG from a script he co-wrote with Dan Lagana, Brad Morris and Jimmy Warden. This outing is even more over the top than the first film. The filmmakers fling so many jokes at the screen over it's 100 minute runtime, along with quick witted snarkiness and so many movie references I actually lost count, this movie almost plays like a satire of the first one. Now, that is not necessarily a bad thing as Gremlins 2 had a similar approach and I may love that one more than the first. But like that film, this one isn't even really trying to be scary. Rather, it excels at going even more over the top than the first movie. The death scenes are completely ridiculous, whether it be by flamethrower, boat motor or even more outrageous means, with assorted characters being sprayed in the face with absurd amounts of gore at one point or another. Still, some of the humor can come across as a bit smug obnoxious at times as well as all the majority of the characters being overly snarky can rub some viewers the wrong way. These aspects are only amplified in this film, so it is easy to see why some viewers were turned off. Still, as a film geek who definitely got the multitude of film references McG was shoehorning in alongside all the mayhem, I did find myself enjoying the movie. The film does have some curious choices within it though, primarily the shooting locations for much of the movie. Based on the license plates on all the cars, the film takes place in Illinois, but the film looks like it takes place in Arizona, based on the southwestern scenery. It certainly does add a unique backdrop to the film, even if it's completely incongruous. Adding to the fun is a really eclectic soundtrack that includes needle drops from the Sugar Hill Gang and some of Tangerine Dream's score for Risky Business.         

Much of the cast of the original film returned for the sequel. Judah Lewis slips back into the role of Cole rather well, once again capturing his characters insecurities and anxieties which have only been exacerbated with everything that has followed the events of the first film. He does repeat a fair amount of the story arc from the first film and beyond as he goes from scared kid to more brave as he not only fights back against his attackers but also finds a first romance of sorts with Phoebe. Emily Alyn Lind returns as Melanie and handles her character's 180 turn from ally to Cole to main villain pretty well. She certainly does make for a reasonably effective villain this time around. Robbie Amell continues to steal the show as Max whose character has the interesting dynamic where on one hand he still wants to kill Cole yet can't help but cheer him on when he bests not only the others but him as well. It's such an amusing contradiction for a character and I love it. Hana Mae Lee is clearly also having a blast playing the demented and crazy Sonya and is a lot of fun to watch, even wielding a flamethrower at one point. Jenna Ortega is a great addition to the cast as Phoebe who gets thrown into Cole's new adventure and proves to be a good partner for him and just as capable in a crisis. Samara Weaving does may a welcome return for the sequel, showing up in a series of flashbacks showing how the original cult members got involved before turning up in the climax to round out her character of Bee. It was a thrill to see her come back since she was such a memorable part of the original film. 

Overall, if you enjoyed the original film, The Babysitter: Killer Queen serves up more of the same, dialed up to eleven. It is an even more comedic film than the first one and so far over the top it's impossible to take seriously. It's probably one where the viewers mileage is going to vary if the other reviews are indication. It's definitely going to be a love it or hate it for sure. I, for one, loved it for all it's absurd mayhem and quick witted dialogue.    

Halloween Horrorfest: Mayhem

 

I find myself wondering where to start when it comes to talking about the crazy, demented joys of Mayhem. It's a movie that I think anyone who has had to deal with office politics would find a great deal of cathartic glee with. It plays like Office Space gone insane with far more homicide. The film plays out with a wicked sense of humor and style to spare, it's the perfect movie to watch after a really bad day at the office. 

Derek Cho (played by Steven Yeun) may have started off working for Towers and Smythe consulting as a fresh-faced and optimistic new attorney, but it wasn't long before he was worn down by the corporate machine, losing his moral compass as he climbed the corporate ladder. One morning, he discovers that one of the higher ups, Kara Powell (played by Caroline Chikezie) is setting him up to take the fall for a bungled case for one of their biggest clients even though he had nothing to do with it. When he confronts her, they take the issue to the CEO, John Towers (played by Steven Brand) who orders Derek be fired. As he is about to be escorted out of the building by the head of HR Lester McGill (played by Dallas Roberts) and security, the entire building is surrounded by a SWAT team as the building is put into quarantine. Censors in the building ventilation system picked up the presence of the ID-7 virus. This nasty bug causes anyone infected to lose any inhibitions and act on their darkest impulses. A neutralizing agent was released into the building to treat the rampant infection and should take full effect in the next 8 hours. Until then, everyone has to remain in the building. Knowing that in the past those effected by the virus have not been held legally responsible for their actions, Derek sees an opportunity to get even. Sensing that may be the case, Towers has Derek locked in the basement of the building. There, he encounters Melanie Cross (played by Samara Weaving) who was in the building trying desperately to get the impending foreclosure of her home overturned only to be coldly turned down. Realizing they both have a common goal in righting the wrongs done against them, the two raid a maintenance locker for tools that can be used as weapons and prepare to battle their way to the board of directors and Towers on the top floor of the building to get even with Towers and hopefully get Melanie an extension on her mortgage. It's going to be a hard fought battle though as the entire building has descended into chaos as everyone begins to succumb to the effects of the ID-7 virus. 

The film is directed by Joe Lynch from a script from Matias Caruso. The two clearly had a lot of fun crafting this dark satire of office life. Lynch does a fantastic job bringing to life the utter chaos that erupts in the building as everyone gives into their wildest inhibitions. Derek and Melanie may be fighting against the villainous executives and their associates to try and get to the Board on the top floor, but in the background of various shots are all sorts of hilarious antics playing out whether it's other fights, temper tantrums or in one particularly amusing moment someone off camera re-enacting the scene from Half-Baked where Scarface quits. All the little antics in the background are certainly the things that reward repeat viewings of the film since with the initial viewing I was more focused on Derek and Melanie. The outline of the story is also pretty unique as it is almost structured like a video game. Derek and Melanie move from level to level, fighting off one executive or another to get a keycard to get them to the next person who will eventually get them to the penthouse and the Board. All the while, there is a ticking clock of eight hours they have to complete their mission before quarantine ends and the virus runs it's course, therefore becoming culpable for their actions again.  

Steven Yeun gives a fantastic performance as Derek, perfectly capturing his character's fresh faced idealism in the opening scenes as well as how quickly he becomes more and more worn down and cynical as the corporate world takes it's toll on him. He also perfectly captures his character's growing derangement as the virus takes hold and he becomes increasingly willing to do whatever it takes to get to the top floor, including any of the sadistic, nasty executives that stand in his way. Samara Weaving likewise does great as Melanie, capturing her character's growing frustration at the company's apathy, her rage only amplified by the virus as she increasingly feels she has nothing to lose any everything to gain as she joins Derek in battle. It's a fantastic and very entertaining performance. Steven Brand makes for a memorable main bad guy as the narcissistic, apathetic, coked up CEO of the company. He really sells how slimy his character is, a trait that comes out more and more as the film goes on and it becomes clear he is willing to do anything to save his own skin, including selling out his associates. 

Overall, Mayhem is a wild ride of a movie with thrilling action and a wicked sense of humor. Any time I see a post on Facebook or Twitter asking for recommendations what to watch on Shudder (sort of like Netflix for horror movies), my first recommendation is always Mayhem. It's just an absolute blast from beginning to end and one I have always enjoyed every time I've watched it.

Halloween Horrorfest: Re-Animator

 

I still can't believe I slept on Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator for as long as I did. I didn't actually wind up seeing it for the first time until earlier this year when I discovered that Joe Bob Briggs was going to be showing the sequel, Bride of Re-Animator as part of his "The Last Drive-In" show on Shudder. I went in pretty much blind and a short 90 minutes later came out with a silly grin. This is easily one of the craziest and downright hilarious (in a really dark and twisted way) horror comedies I have ever seen. 

Herbert West (played by Jeffrey Combs) has just transferred to the Miskatonic University School of Medicine to further his studies as a medical student and quickly finds lodging in the home of fellow Medical Student Dan Cain (played by Bruce Abbott). Of particular interest is Dan's unfinished basement, which provides ample room for him to carry out his studies. Soon enough, Dan discovers Herbert's extracurricular studies with a formula of his own creation that can re-animate dead tissue. He demonstrates this by re-animating Dan's dead cat. The resulting chaos causes them to be discovered by Dan's girlfriend, Megan Halsey (played by Barbara Crampton), who is naturally horrified. Yet, Dan finds himself drawn into Herbert's admittingly groundbreaking research. As their research progresses to recently human subjects, things start to get out of control as their subjects do indeed come back to life, but far more violent and vicious. This attracts the attention of not only the school's dean (and Megan's father), Alan Halsey (played by Robert Sampson) but one of their professors looking to steal Herbert's research for himself, Dr. Carl Hill (played by David Gale). 

The film was directed by Stuart Gordon from a script he co-wrote with Dennis Paoli and William J. Norris and is loosely based on the short story "Herbert West - Re-Animator" by H.P Lovecraft. The filmmakers waste no time getting the film going as the movie kicks off with Herbert West already in the midst of his research while working in Switzerland, having given a dose of his "re-agent" to a subject only to rather gruesomely discover he used to much when the man's eyeballs bulge out of his head and explode. They play out the scenario and all the mayhem that follows throughout the film with a strong dose of very black humor that sets this film apart from others. It's hard to tell if it was all intentional or just the effect of how the actors performed their scenes but either way, it makes the film. It is also hard to believe some of the more outrageous moments in the film involving a reanimated zombie carrying around their own decapitated head were meant to be taken the least bit seriously as the whole thing is so far over the top it's hilarious. I also have to give the filmmakers credit for opting to release the film unrated rather than mess with the MPAA as the film is quite gruesome, with fantastic makeup effects by John Naulin. Everything is capped off with a memorable score by Richard Band, with a bopping and playful main theme that shamelessly builds on Bernard Hermann's theme for Psycho.   

The cast for this film is really good, starting with Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West who just completely steals the show. He does a great job showing West's single minded obsession with unlocking the secrets of life and death and doesn't stop for a second to consider the consequences. His obsession just continues to grow throughout the film as he tries to find the right dosage of his re-agent. Not only that, but his curiosity leads him to do things he probably shouldn't and Combs plays these scenes wonderfully. You can just see the wheels turning in West's head as he wonders what would happen if he did something, such as deciding to inject a decapitated head with the re-agent and then perfectly playing the comedic aspect as he absent mindedly taps the head with a pencil as he waits for it to re-animate. On the other side of the coin, Bruce Abbott plays the far more straight-laced Dan who wants nothing more than to be a good doctor and help his patients. Still, when we are first introduced to him, we see him desperately trying to save a patient and losing the battle, so it's easy to see how he will be seduced by Herbert's research. It's that desire to save his patients and triumph over death that pulls him into the experiments. Barbara Crampton does well as Megan, bringing a lot of intelligence and strength to her character as she finds herself having to deal with the escalating insanity alongside Dan being unleashed by Herbert West. David Gale is clearly having fun playing the evil Dr. Hill who only wants to steal West's creation for himself and will do whatever it takes to get it. To add to the creep factor, he also has an obsessed fixation on Megan that escalates over the course of the film to some really wild and uncomfortable places. 

Overall, Re-Animator is one wild ride of a movie. It has some similar themes as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein but is pared with a very healthy dose of black humor as the film goes way, way over the top with both it's gore effects as well as it's overall story. With memorable performances, especially from Jeffrey Combs, this film is a hoot from beginning to end. It is certainly one I regret waiting so long to see. I will concede that it is not going to be a movie for everyone as it does get pretty twisted as it goes along. But if you have a twisted sense of humor like I do, you'll probably have a good time with it. 

Halloween Horrorfest: House of Wax

 

The last of that first run of horror movies from Dark Castle was a in name only remake of the the Vincent Price classic horror movie, House of Wax (itself a remake of The Mystery of the Wax Museum). Aside from the basic premise of a nefarious Wax Museum, this film is completely new, taking it's cues more from the exploitation cinema of the late 70's. Still, taken on it's own merits it's actually a pretty intense and gnarly little horror flick. 

Carly (played by Elisha Cuthbert) is traveling with her boyfriend Wade (played by Jared Padalecki), her brother twin brother Nick (played by Chad Michael Murray), and friends Paige (played by Paris Hilton), Blake (played by Robert Ri'chard) and Dalton (played by Jon Abrahams) to a football game in Baton Rouge. After an intended shortcut turns out to be a bust, the group decide to camp in a nearby field for the night and continue on the next day to the game. The next morning, Wade discovers the fan belt on his car has broken. The group meets Lester (played by Damon Herriman), a local resident who clears roadkill from the roads and agrees to take Carly and Wade to the nearby town of Ambrose to get a new fan belt while the others continue on to the game. Carly and Wade arrive to find a virtual ghost town. They eventually run into Bo (played by Brian Van Holt), who runs the local gas station who tells them that he will meet them at the gas station in a half hour to get him the fan belt. To kill some time, they decide to check out the local attraction, an old Wax Museum. Meanwhile, Nick and their friends find themselves faced with a huge traffic jam and realizing they aren't going to make the game in time decide to turn back to meet up with Carly and Wade. Soon enough, they all discover the dark side of Ambrose and the titular House of Wax. They'll have to fight for their lives to not only escape but also avoid becoming the latest attraction. 

The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a script by Chad and Carey Hayes. The three of them manage to put a nice polish on a very well worn horror movie scenario. The plot line itself is fairly predictable, although they do add a few novel twists to the story and once it really gets going Collet-Serra keeps the tension high. The biggest is probably the museum itself which is uniquely creepy from the minute Carly and Wade step inside. There is just something about each of the displays that I found so unnerving, which is naturally what the filmmakers intended. It's also an inspired choice that the entire museum itself is primarily made from wax. It may not make much logical sense, but it does make for a memorable finale as the place is predictably set ablaze and begins melting around the characters. The town itself is equally unnerving with just one street, a few houses and a few businesses with no one in sight much of the time. Of course, once the action picks up that only adds to the tension as we realize there is no one to help our main characters. Things are topped off with an impressive score from John Ottman that helps keep the tension and suspense quite well.   

The film assembled a strong cast for the film which also helped smooth over some of the more well-worn aspects of the plot. Elisha Cuthbert does well in the lead role as Carly as she nails the final girl archetype well, giving her character the resourcefulness and strength needed. Chad Michael Murray also does well as her far more hot headed brother Nick, who has a troubled life and recently had done some time in jail. Of course, when things get crazy those personality traits come in handy as they find themselves having to defend themselves against the crazed proprietors of the House of Wax. Jared Padalecki is a real sport in this movie, both in trying to keep his character likable even though he spends much of it complaining as well as everything his character goes through later in the movie. Paris Hilton doesn't come off quite as well here, more or less just playing herself and manages to skate by because of it. Still, it's an interesting piece of stunt casting that the studio and even Hilton herself leapt on with promoting the film with the tease that they can "See Paris die," which given her then annoying public image at the time audiences were all too eager to do. Brian Van Holt makes for a nasty and frightening villain in this as Bo, who really puts our intrepid characters through the ringer alongside his equally demented brother Vincent.     

Overall, House of Wax marked the end of a very short era of the annual Dark Castle horror flick. This one was even inexplicably released at the beginning of the summer of 2005 rather than during Halloween. Still, this is one of their better ones they made as they took a familiar premise and aside from that built a whole new movie. Yes, it is built from familiar parts but the filmmakers give them a good polish and present them with style as the events don't quite play out exactly as one might expect. Nonetheless, it's a thrilling and wild ride from beginning to end and sometimes that's all a movie needs to be.  

 

Halloween Horrorfest: Ghost Ship

 

As I have previously mentioned in my reviews for The House on Haunted Hill and Thirteen Ghosts, I have a soft spot for the Dark Castle films. In the early '00's, they would release a new horror flick around Halloween each year and while they weren't great they were fun, if undemanding, popcorn entertainment. The third offering from Dark Castle was Ghost Ship and while probably being the worst of the bunch still has it's moments, especially a memorably gruesome opening sequence.

A ragtag salvage crew led by Captain Sean Murphy (played by Gabriel Byrne) and including Maureen Epps (played by Julianna Margulies), Greer (played by Isaiah Washington), Dodge (played by Ron Eldard), Munder (played by Karl Urban) and Santos (played by Alex Dimitriades) are approached by Jack Ferriman (played by Desmond Harrington), a weather pilot who stumbled across a seemingly abandoned ghost ship drifting in the ocean and offers a partnership in salvaging the large ship. Sensing a huge payday, the entire crew quickly agrees and set out to find the ship. Upon discovering the drifting ship, they discover it is the lost Ocean Liner Antonia Graza. Upon boarding the ship, they are surprised to see no signs of life on the board. No bodies of passengers or anything. It is completely abandoned, apparently in the middle of a party. As the explore the ship and take stock of it's current state to see if it's seaworthy, the ghosts that occupy the ship begin to make their presence known. A little girl named Katie (played by Emily Browning) starts trying to make contact with Epps to warn her about the evil forces occupying the ship while other, more sinister spirits start to work on her fellow crew members, including a seductive singer, Francesca (played by Francesca Rettondini).     

The film was directed by Steve Beck from a script from Mark Hanlon and John Pogue. The film does start off with a bang with a memorable opening sequence and I have to say I have not seen a movie before or since this one that peaks as early as this one. Once we get into the main story, the film settles rather comfortably into a very familiar ghost story with the novelty of being set on a decaying mid-20th century luxury liner. The writers do add in a few twists and turns to the story to keep things interesting, but you can also see that the filmmakers are getting influences from a lot of previous haunted house films of the past as well as well as Beck's own rendition of Thirteen Ghosts. Much like that film, the production design of the titular ship is one of the most interesting aspects of the film, capturing perfectly the time period of when the ship first went missing, as well as the effects that time and the unforgiving sea has had on it over the several decades it's been drifting. The filmmakers also manage to pull off some nifty effects, including a sequence where an old and decaying ballroom on the ship quickly begins springing back to life and restoring itself around Greer as he watches in surprise and awe. 

The film has assembled a fairly game cast for the film. Gabriel Byrne may not be doing his best work but still gives a decent performance as the captain of the crew. He really gives the sense that he's a guy his crew respects and trusts, which helps sell them agreeing to follow him on this new expedition. Juliana Margulies functions well as the heroine of the film and the action oriented role suits her quite well actually. It's the same sort of role that Sigourney Weaver played in the Alien films, but Margulies does well in the film as a character we can root for. Desmond Harrington captures his character's inexperience and awkwardness among the more experienced characters quite well, while also hinting there may be more to his character than at first appears. Emily Browning does well as Katie, managing to make her character both sympathetic and yet a bit creepy, as a ghost should be. 

Overall, Ghost Ship is not as good as one would hope. But the unique location, matched with impressive art direction, does set the mood for a classic ghost story quite well with plenty of atmosphere. It certainly has it's moments and can be a fun watch that doesn't over stay it's welcome with a game cast that is trying their best to make it all work. It may feel all too familiar at the same time, but that's not always a bad thing either. If you've enjoyed the other, similarly themed Dark Castle films then this is very much in that same vein here as well.      

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

 

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the second Marvel film to arrive in 2021 (of a staggering four films total) and is easily one of their absolute best. This film is a blast from beginning to end with it's deft mix of dizzying action, awe inspiring fantasy and perfectly executed humor. This movie was some of the most fun I've had in the theater in quite awhile. 

Shang Chi (played by Simu Liu) is living a quiet life in San Francisco getting by working as a valet with his best friend Katy (played by Awkwafina) and spending nights hanging out and sometimes staying out too late, drinking too much and singing a lot of Karaoke. Everything changes when he is confronted by some goons on a city bus, demanding the pendant Shang wears around his neck. Unwilling to give it up, a extensive fight ensues on the bus and after Shang has to confess to Katy that there is a lot of his past she doesn't know about. He explains he is the son of the leader of the criminal empire known as the Ten Rings, Xu Wenwu (played by Tony Leung). The men he fought off were sent by his father to retrieve the pendant, which was a gift from his mother, Ying Li (played by Fala Chen), was said to show the way home. He tells her he needs to go to China to find his sister, Xu Xialing (played by Meng'er Zhang) and Katy insists on going along. Upon finding his sister at her underground club in Macau, the club is descended upon with numerous Ten Rings soldiers. Unable to escape, Shang, Katy, and Xu are taken to the Ten Rings compound. There, they discover their father intends to use both their pendants to unlock the path to the fabled mythical village of Ta Lo, where their mother was from. He is convinced the villagers are holding her captive and refusing to release her back to him, despite both Shang and Xu knowing full well she died a long time ago. He will do anything to get her back, including burning the entire village to the ground. Knowing they have to escape the compound and find a way to Ta Lo ahead of their father to warn them, they get an assist from a very unlikely source: former British Actor Trevor Slattery (played by Ben Kingsley), who previously posed as The Mandarin and was subsequently captured by Xu Wenwu and has been acting as a bit of a court jester for him and his men. With some help from Trevor's Hundun companion, they are able to escape and find the village. Upon their arrival, they meet their Aunt, Ying Nan (played by Michelle Yeoh) who explains that their father is being manipulated by an ancient evil force imprisoned in the mountain beyond the village, posing as his beloved to manipulate him to come to Ta Lo and set him free. If that were to happen, it could bring about the end of the world. Knowing they can't let that happen, Shang, Xu Xialing, and Katy along with the Ta Lo village prepare to do whatever is necessary to make sure Xu Wenwu does not succeed in his mission.    

The film was directed by Destin Dellan Cretton from a script he wrote with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham. They strike a fantastic balance with this film between incredible action sequences, awe inspiring fantasy, genuine heartfelt emotion, and some seriously gut busting funny moments. The filmmakers drew inspiration from some classic martial arts films when crafting the film's big fight sequences, turning to frequent Jackie Chan collaborator and supervising stunt coordinator Brad Allen to help craft some memorable sequences, including the early bus fight and the fight on the scaffolding outside Xu Xialing's building. I loved the way both fights escalated and continuously raised the stakes for our characters as the sequences progressed as it effortlessly moved from one character to another in the ensuing chaos while working in genuine and frequently amusing surprises. The filmmakers also craft some really impressive and unique fantasy sequences as well, including the reveal of the map to Ta Lo using water from a water fountain freezing into a map and a gateway into the same village being a rapidly changing maze through a dense bamboo forest. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg for some of the crazy visuals the filmmakers managed to create throughout the film. Also, the filmmakers really know how to lay the groundwork and then pay off some great gags in the film in true Brick Joke fashion that had me laughing my butt off. 

Simu Liu is great in the title role of Shang Chi who really captures his character's struggles as he tries to figure out where he belongs and what he wants from his life. He knows he can't follow in his father's footsteps, especially after his mother died and is just kind of sliding by with Katy not really making any decisions and instead passing time in a dead end job and partying with his friend. It's only when he's drawn back into his father and his sister's worlds that his is forced to confront his future. Awkwafina's role of Katy is primarily as comic relief, but the filmmaker's do give her a really nice arc that she handles beautifully. Her character, much like Shang Chi, is feeling lost in her life as she struggles finding the right path as previous attempts haven't worked out. Yet on her journey she starts to see her worth and a place in the world beside her best friend. Tony Leung gives a lot of depth to his villain character as Xu Wenwu. His character has been basically immortal due to his possession of the ten rings he wears that allowed him to wield unimaginable power. Yet, he fell in love and set aside that quest for power for a time. And now that same love is what is driving him again with an obsession to reclaim it, even blinded by it oblivious to the dark forces manipulating him. Leung does an amazing job portraying all the different aspects of his character, giving him a well rounded and nuanced character that is very uncommon, and also a breath of fresh air. Meng'er Zhang does well as Xu Xialing, who much like Shang Chi is hiding from their father, growing her own empire after a lifetime of being shut out of his. You really get a sense of her character's animosity towards that fact as it comes through wonderfully in her performance. As always, it is a delight to see Michelle Yeoh show up in a movie. While her role is largely to deliver much needed exposition, she handles it wonderfully. There is a fantastic scene between her and Simu Liu that was performed incredibly well between the two of them that just took my breath away. Finally, I have to say that Ben Kingsley's return appearance as Trevor Slattery provided a great deal of joy. I always loved his performance in Iron Man 3 as this space cadet Shakespearean actor and seeing him come back here, now sober but no less eccentric just cracked me up to no end. 

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is easily one of the best Marvel movies I have seen in recent memory. Everything about this entry feels fresh and exciting. For all the action and effects, it's the story and performances that really make it resonate. There is an unexpected emotional depth to this movie, beyond all the action, spectacle and laughter. It's those aspects, handled with great care by the filmmakers that really made the film most impressive for me. I loved every minute of this movie and I can't wait to watch it again. 

Candyman (2021)

 

The new iteration of Candyman is a unique film that functions both as a direct sequel to the original 1992 film as well as a film that can stand on it's own. Filled with imaginative imagery and a compelling new story that both honors the original film and carves it's own path, this is one frightfully entertaining new addition to the Candyman legacy.  

Anthony McCoy (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is a visual artist working in Chicago and living with his girlfriend, art gallery director Brianna Cartwright (played by Teyonah Parris). One night, Brianna's brother Troy (played by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) is visiting with his boyfriend Grady (played by Kyle Kaminsky) and while waiting for dinner to be ready Troy enthralls the group with the urban legend of Helen Lyle, who had apparently gone on a killing spree through the Cabrini-Green projects before abducting a baby and attempting to sacrifice it before self-immolating in a massive bonfire. Interested in the story and searching for inspiration, Anthony decides to check out the remains of the old Cabrini-Green projects and it is there he meets a local laundromat owner, William Burke (played by Colman Domingo) who tells Anthony the story of Candyman and the fact that he can be summoned when someone looks into a mirror and says his name 5 times. Once summoned, he will kill whoever summoned them as well as anyone else in the room too. Inspired by the story, Anthony creates a series of paintings based on the legend. What begins as inspiration soon becomes obsession for Anthony as the legend begins to spread again, leading to a new wave of deaths. 

The film was directed by Nia DaCosta from a script she co-wrote with Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld. I was impressed with the way the three of them re-visited the iconic character of Candyman as well and the events of the original film showing how the events of that film have been filtered and warped through 30 years of storytelling to become a urban legend in it's own right. I love that DaCosta opted not to utilize footage from the original film for flashbacks but rather use shadow puppetry to portray the various legends told throughout the film. This is a great touch because it is not only a unique choice but adds a real spooky mood to the film as well. I also loved how the film showed how the urban legend had grown and changed over the years with different years adds some interesting new angles to the film. They then take it further, borrowing a page from the original film, using them to examine real world issues including racial violence and gentrification. No doubt some people will call this movie "woke" but they need to go back and watch the original again. The new film continues and builds on the same themes quite well, I thought. 

The acting in the film is quite good led by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony who does a great job portraying his character's increasing obsession with the titular urban legend and how it grows over the course of the movie as Anthony discovers more and more about his connection to those legends. Teyonah Parris also does well in a very well worn role in these types of movies as the concerned girlfriend but does a great job of making Brianna a smart and capable heroine in her own right. There's a great moment late in the movie when she's trying to figure out what's going on and opens a door to a dark basement. She takes one look, says "Nope!" and closes the door. It's one of the best laughs in the movie and she sells it perfectly. Colman Domingo also has a good turn as William Burke, who first sets Anthony on his journey in the story. There is something off about the character, still haunting the remains of Cabrini-Green and running this old run-down laundromat that seems a bit off. He really makes an impression with his short amount of screen time. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Kyle Kaminsky are delightful as well in the supporting roles as Brianna's brother Troy and his boyfriend Grady as both make the most of their screen time and create such an endearing couple.

Nia DaCosta's latest iteration of Candyman is one that manages to both be able to stand on it's own as well as function as a faithful sequel to the 1992 original film. I imagine anyone who knows the original film well, as I do, will have a different viewing experience with this film than someone coming in to it new, but that's ok. Either way you see it, it is still a genuinely frightening and fun film with maybe a little more weight to it than your average horror movie. Yet, it carries that weight well just like the original film did.