THE NAKED GUN (2025)

Written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer



Directed by Akiva Schaffer



Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. August 3, 2025 5:10 PM



After David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker had incredible success with "Airplane!", their wacky spoof on aerial disaster movies back in 1980, they moved to television with a parody on police procedurals. With Leslie Nielsen (who had a long career as a dramatic actor before his gift for deadpan comedy was revealed in "Airplane!") as Detective Frank Drebin, "Police Squad!" premiered two years later but was cancelled after only six episodes. But the comedy team still had faith in the concept and transferred the idea to the big screen. Reaching theaters in 1988, "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" became a huge box-office hit and spawned two equally successful sequels.

Now "The Naked Gun" has been rebooted for a continuation of the movie series directed by Akiva Schaffer, one third of the musical comedy outfit, The Lonely Island which features his childhood buddies, Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. Liam Neeson, the Irish actor best known for his brooding and deadly serious performances in many popular action films, is on board to let loose and make us chuckle as the son of Frank Drebin. This version certainly has the uproarious looney spirit of the previous films and there are plenty of laughs to be found. But this "Naked Gun" feels somewhat restrained compared to the other movies, too timid to really go all the way in with jokes that some might consider too outrageous and potentially offensive.

Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. (Neeson) may have single-handedly stopped a violent bank robbery while disguised as a little girl but his unorthodox methods puts him in hot water with the police chief (CCH Pounder) who reassigns him to less public duty. During an investigation of a fatal car crash involving a software engineer, Drebin decides it was a suicide. But Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), a crime novelist who is the sister of the victim, visits Drebin at the station trying to convince him that her brother was actually murdered.

This leads Drebin to Edentech, the tech company Davenport worked with and the billionaire owner, Richard Cane (Danny Huston). Connecting over the hip-hop group, the Black Eyed Peas, the two men get on well enough that Cane even gives Drebin a self-driving electric car. However, Cane is behind a secret sinister plot involving a device, P.L.O.T. (get it?) which will convert the average man back into wild, primitive state while the wealthy will be unaffected to rule over them.

What we have in between this basic plot are rapid fire jokes, comical sight gags and hilarious puns. There are moments I found myself laughing out loud, particularly during an oddball romantic interlude between Frank, Beth and an amorous snowman. But some of the jokes land with a thud and running gags (Anderson's goofy jazz scatting at a club and Drebin trapped in the racing EV that Cane uses in an attempt to kill him comes quickly to mind) go on far too long. And as the film progresses to reach the conclusion of Drebin trying to defeat Cane's plan, the pacing becomes more slack and the humor feels more forced.

Neeson and Anderson may not be fully comfortable (or skilled) with performing the broad comedy in the film yet they give it their all with exuberance and gusto. We know that what was considered funny has changed considerably since the original movie was made and there is now a much stronger desire not to offend anybody. But this film pushes just enough to create a sense of outrageously silly fun. "Naked Gun" is a very welcome return of the big-screen comedy and hopefully will spark a much needed revival of the genre.

MICKEY 17 (2025)

Written & Directed by Bong Joon Ho



Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. March 10, 2025 3:40 PM



For the follow-up to his Best Picture Oscar-winning film, "Parasite, the South Korean filmmaker, Bong Joon Ho has continued exploring social themes involving class and politics with "Mickey 17". But this dark comedy travels deep into the future and set in an English-language, new-fashioned world. Since this is an absurdist fantasy, although with a heavy critique on our current political landscape, Bong lets his imagination run wild, creating a bleak, chaotic and wacky environment that remains thoroughly entertaining.

When we first met the seventeenth "reprinted" version of Mickey (played by a game Robert Pattinson), he prepares to meet his end once again after falling in an ice cave and about to be devoured by alien creature. Explaining how he ended up in this predicament, Mickey had signed up to leave an increasingly uninhabitable Earth as crewmember for a spaceship traveling to colonize the planet, Niflheim. But he also had another reason to get off the planet quickly as he and his friend, Timo (Steven Yeun) made a bad business deal and owe some nefarious men a lot of money they are unable to pay back.

While Timo is brought on board as a crew pilot, Mickey, failing to read the fine print, signed on as an "expendable worker". What this entails is that Mickey is essentially used as a human Guinea pig to test how the body will react to the foreign pathogens found on this new planet which will help doctors create cures and vaccines. This will also lead to a lethal demise for Mickey. But he is continuously regenerated as a photocopy of himself yet with memories of his former lives still firmly intact.

Since his first feature, "플란다스의 개 (Barking Dogs Never Bite)", released over twenty-five years ago, Bong has always injected his wickedly perverse yet playfully offbeat sense of humor throughout his films. Based on the novel, "Mickey7" by Edward Ashton, Bong freely strays from that writer's narrative, exploring deeper into the cost of capitalism while keeping the tone of "Mickey 17" tense yet hilariously silly. There is a jumble of genres at play here and the clashing of sci-fi, horror and slapstick comedy isn't always effective. Yet Bong is a gifted visionary with a provocative style, managing to keep this discordant tale engaging much of the time.

The last time we saw Pattinson on screen, he was playing the grim, costumed crime-fighter in "The Batman. With "Mickey 17", the actor reveals his less-seen, comedic gifts as the sweet yet incredibly dim, slack-jawed lab rat, reminding us once again of Pattinson's impressive range as a performer. It turns out that the planet's creatures in the cave had no interest in bringing harm to Mickey, actually helping him out of the icy cavern. He manages to make it back to the space station but since it was assumed that he was a goner, a Mickey 18 has been created. Yet while this new Mickey might look the same, he is far more astute and aggressive than the previous version. Since the rule is that there cannot not be multiples of any "expendable" existing at the same time, "18" tries to kill "17" but the former Mickey manages to convince the new clone that they would be better off working together and sharing duties. And Mickey's girlfriend, Nasha (Naomi Ackie), who also happens to be one of the ship's security agents, is thrilled to enjoy the benefits of having two variants of the same man.

Even in a new ecosystem, there is always someone who wants to grab hold on to power, forcing their will and use it for their own self-serving needs while convincing the population that it's for their best interest. Here we have Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo), an ego-fueled, failed politician along with his Lady Macbeth, Ylfa (Toni Collette) clinging closely as a bug in his ear to guide her less sharp husband.

Their plan involves eliminating all of the native species on the planet (with Ylfa considering their tails a delicacy to be used for special sauces she's creating), calling them "creepers" and assuming they are nothing more than brainless creatures. However Mickey is aware they are far from unintelligent, with each alien being able to communicate with each other cerebrally. The two Mickeys are discovered following 18's attempt to assassinate the fascist Marshall. As punishment, they are forced out (with bombs strapped to their bodies to make sure they comply) to collect more creatures for their tails while the creatures are swarming the space station trying to rescue two held captive.

"Mickey 17" might not be considered one of Bong's masterworks, it's far too broad and unwieldy narratively speaking. But with striking camerawork by the great Darius Khondji (who also shot Bong's 2017 sci-fi fantasy, "Okja"), captivating visual effects and impressive performances, the film succeeds in taking us on weird, wild thrilling adventure.

THE SUBSTANCE (2024)

Written & Directed by Coralie Fargeat




Where & When: Landmark Theatres Sunset, West Hollywood, CA. September 20, 2024 8:15 PM



"The Substance", the sophomore feature from French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat, is a hyper-stylized, pitch-black feminist satire on aging and the low value placed on maturing women in society. But Fargeat pumps up her engaging film by utilizing body horror to convey the extremes that women will go through to maintain their youth and beauty. Between the blood and mayhem, the director has something quite intriguing to say. And while the message is clearly understood, it tends to get a little too muddled through all of the excessive gross-out carnage.

Demi Moore, in her first prominent starring role in some time, plays Elizabeth Sparkle, an award-winning actress in Los Angeles that has been reduced to having to appear as a host of a television fitness show called, "Sparkle Your Life". But following a taping on her fiftieth birthday, Elizabeth is informed by Harvey (Dennis Quaid), a boorish studio executive, that it's time for her to move on, making it clear he's looking for someone younger to host. Devastated by this news, a distracted Elizabeth ends up getting into a car crash. She is uninjured but while getting checked out, a young male nurse, sensing what she's going through, slips a flash drive and phone number into her pocket.

What is discreetly being offered is an experimental drug called, "The Substance" which promises to create a younger and more "perfect" version of yourself. Elizabeth initially rejects the idea but as she spends her newly free time wallowing in booze and her increasing anxiety, she decides to get her hands on this serum. After injecting herself, a fully formed, young being (played by Margaret Qualley) emerges from Elizabeth's cracked open back, leaving the host unconscious while the other is left to sew Elizabeth's body shut. This new form calls herself "Sue", enjoying her youthful body and successfully getting hired back as the host of the exercise program.

But there are strict rules that must be followed: each body can only be out for seven days before exchanging places so that their bodily fluids can recalibrate, they must feed each other intravenously; a "stabilizer" is to be withdrawn from Elizabeth's spine and injected into Sue in order to keep her balanced and most importantly, they must remember that while they are two separate bodies, they are still only one person.

Fargeat was first recognized for her 2017 debut feature film, "Revenge", about a young woman who is sexually attacked by three men and left for dead but she survives and seeks bloody retribution. While it was difficult to sit through at times, I still greatly admired the director's brutal yet razor-sharp cinematic statement. And with her follow-up, Fargeat continues to have no interest in subtlety, preferring to batter viewers severely over the head with her gruesome, surrealistic vision and unsettling themes. She is clearly inspired by fellow filmmakers who embrace the provocative and experimental (Kubrick, Cronenberg, Lynch, Haneke) and with "The Substance", Fargeat liberally borrows visual cues from some of these esteemed directors while still managing to forge ahead with her own distinctively ferocious style. The flashy camerawork by Benjamin Kracun is designed to keep you feeling unsteady, offering full-screen close-ups of eyes and mouths, darting down long narrow hallways, entering vast spare rooms and one particularly unpleasant moment of watching Quaid eating crawfish.

Moore's career took off when she became part of the ensemble of the daytime soap-opera, "General Hospital" in 1982. The following year, she moved on to movie roles, becoming a member of the Brat Pack after her appearances in "St. Elmo's Fire" and "About Last Night...". But it was Moore's tear soaked, moving turn in the 1990 supernatural romance, "Ghost" that helped make her a movie star. She became part of a Hollywood power couple when she married Bruce Willis, starred in several box-office hits and went on to become the highest paid female actor (receiving over twelve million dollars) in 1996 to appear in the movie, "Striptease". But this black comedy was a critical and box-office failure and her marriage to Willis came to an end not long after with Moore largely retreating from the spotlight. She would make the occasional film appearance over the following years, mostly in indie and arthouse fare.

With "The Substance", Moore delivers a bold and fearless performance, revealing herself completely emotionally and physically. She doesn't have much dialogue yet the actress rises to the challenge of expressing all of the anguish, fear and intense desires of Elizabeth, even through moments later in the film when she's no longer recognizable as her former self. And as her other half, Qualley is a compelling presence, a sweetly smiling, malevolent version of Elizabeth with a dark-edged soul. Elizabeth and "Sue" might share the same body however they display vastly different personality traits. While this variance might possibly be due to their age-gap yet over time this conflict leads to complications. Being young and impulsive, Sue begins to abuse the seven day rule, extending her time awake, at first just a few days and then later by weeks, which causes Elizabeth's actual body to age more rapidly.

I will admit that by the time we reach the final act, with the introduction of a third being called "Monstro Elisasue" which leads to an explosive shower of blood, gore and body parts flying in all directions from a stage onto an audience, it felt a little too much, becoming even more silly and excessive. But that's okay. This doesn't take away from "The Substance" being one of the most thrilling, adventurous and uncompromising films I've seen so far this year. I can also say with complete certainty that no US filmmaker, male or female, would have made "The Substance", at least not in a way that wasn't far more cautious and focused on appealing to the widest audience possible. Fargeat (who actually shot the film in Paris) has made a clever, biting and humorous commentary on the horrors of America's obsession with eternal youth and the emotional torture this causes, especially for women. "The Substance" is absolutely insane and twisted. Yet the film also reveals Fargeat to be a true visionary, a modern filmmaker who respects the historical artform of cinema with no interest in making films that are easily digestible and a strong desire to challenge viewers to open their minds to unexpected and outrageous possibilities.

COMING SOON

I can't believe this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the live television, comedy sketch program, "Saturday Night Live". I am old enough to remember when this show premiered and although I didn't see the first episode at the time, I did begin to watch it regularly not long after. And ever since that very first televised show, when the sketches work, they are uproariously, laugh-out loud funny. However when a skit fails to coalesce, it can be agonizingly painful to sit through. But that is exactly what's makes "SNL" so great; it's a completely wild and unpredictable comedy show.

Jason Reitman has made a new film, "Saturday Night" which highlights all the unbelievably crazy and chaotic events that led to that first broadcast on October 11, 1975, originally called "NBC's Saturday Night". Gabriel LaBelle ("The Fabelmans") plays Lorne Michaels, the Canadian-born comedy writer who creates the idea of the late show performed live in front of a studio audience with producer, Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman) that they bring to the network. We witness all of the problems of getting the show ready to air that include deciding on the tone of show with his writers, wrangling his inexperienced yet talented cast of comedians dubbed "the not-ready-for-prime-time players" and convincing a skeptical NBC programing chief, David Tebet (Willem Dafoe) that the program should even make it to broadcast .

"Saturday Night" is due in US theaters on October 11, 2024

BABES (2024)

Written by Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz



Directed by Pamela Adlon



Where & When: Los Feliz 3, Los Angeles, CA. June 3, 2024 9:45 PM



In the movies, pregnancy has been typically displayed as women being somewhat uncomfortable, wearing unflattering oversized clothing as their bellies grow while having a strange desire for pickles. Then the baby arrives with the mother, after some pushing and a little sweat, looking refreshed and ready to get back out in the world. But with "Babes", a comedy that marks Pamela Adlon's feature film debut as a director, we are given a more realistic (and humorous) look at the nine months involved (and after) for a woman, revealing many possible complicated mental challenges and extremely, uncomfortable physical situations that she may go through before giving birth.

Ilana Glazer (who co-wrote the screenplay with Josh Rabinowitz) and Michelle Buteau play Eden and Dawn, best friends since middle school, who are out on their annual Thanksgiving tradition of an early movie, followed by a hearty meal. But Dawn is pregnant and goes into labor in the middle of their outing. Eden is with Dawn and her husband, Marty (Hasan Minhaj) as they welcome their first child. Since she's not family, Eden is sent on her way by the nurse despite returning to the hospital with a celebratory sushi dinner for them all.

On the subway ride home, Eden meets a man named Claude (Stephan James). After bonding over sushi, shared life experiences and a quirky sense of humor, they spend the rest of the evening together before ending up in bed together. Eden is surprised that Claude doesn't reply to any of her texts but assumes it was going to be nothing more than a one night stand. With Dawn suffering from postpartum and struggling with breastfeeding, Eden invites her bestie over to cheer her up with a wild night of drinks and drugs. While under a hallucinogenic state, Eden has a sense that she is pregnant and after taking several tests discovers that a baby is actually on the way. An attempt to track down Claude only leads to the sad discovery that he will be unable to help with their child. But Eden decides she wants to keep the baby and raise it as a single mother, especially since she'll have her best friend around to help her out.

With it's rapid fire jokes, broad characterizations and loose structure, "Babes" has far more in common with a television sitcom than a feature film. This isn't all that surprising since Glazer (co-creator/writer of "Broad City") and Adlon (co-creator/writer of "Better Things") have both spent an extensive period of their careers creating and finding great success on television. And there isn't much of a visual style to be found here with the set-ups and the camera work by Jeffrey Kim pretty much ignoring the opportunity for grander cinematic effects, preferring to remain in the narrower visual scope of the small screen.

Yet this can all be overlooked for "Babes" is laugh-out-loud funny, offering hilariously sharp observations (some very TMI) on pregnancy and motherhood that is rarely discussed in entertainment. But at it's core, "Babes" is about female friendship and the struggle to maintain that tight bond while life changes forces the relationship to shift and evolve. This is helped by Glazer and Buteau having a great chemistry that makes you believe that they have been life-long buddies, managing to remain friends even after going through puberty together.

"Babes" is absolutely enjoyable in a breezy, well-written situation comedy, sort-of-way. Yet it doesn't feel special, never rising much above anything you could watch in the comfort of your home, missing a chance to boldly make a much needed and too infrequently made big screen comedy about women for women by women.

DRIVE AWAY DOLLS (2024)

Written by Ethan Coen & Tricia Cooke



Directed by Ethan Coen



Where & When: Landmark Theatres Sunset, West Hollywood, CA. February 27, 2024 5:45 PM



For his first narrative feature film without his long-time collaborator (and sibling), Joel, Ethan Coen has delivered "Drive Away Dolls", a dark-edged, queer positive, road trip comedy-thriller that captures some of the style that this team of filmmaking brothers have been crafting for almost forty years. And while the film begins promising, the tone of "Dolls" shifts abruptly midway through, creating a disjointed, rough-and-tumble farce.

Set in 1999, a man named Santos (Pedro Pascal) waits nervously at a Philadelphia restaurant clutching a briefcase. Attempting to make a hasty exit, Santos is chased into an alley by a gang of intimidating thugs who forcefully remove the case from his person.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Jamie (Margaret Qualley), a charming yet horny gal from Texas, is a notorious skirt-chaser. But one person who has had enough of her womanizing and sexual inappropriateness is Sukie (Beanie Feldstein), Jamie's police officer girlfriend who kicks her out of their apartment. Jamie's friend, Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) is her polar opposite: uptight, anxious and sexually repressed. Marian plans to visit a relative in Tallahassee and Jamie, now without a home, decides to tag along. She talks Marian into getting to Florida using a drive-away service which offers free use of a car by transporting the auto to a specific location for a client. But a mix-up by the owner, Curlie (Bill Camp) has the girls in the wrong car which was supposed to have gone to a nefarious trio of criminals lead by a man named Chief (Colman Domingo).

As they travel down the freeway, Jamie makes detours to local lesbian bars, actively trying to loosen up Marian to help get her laid, where she is met with much resistance from her road buddy. Yet unbeknownst to the girls, this ruthless gang is hot on their trail. A flat tire leads Jamie and Marian to discover the briefcase and a box, which contains the most recognizable part of Santos on ice, in the car trunk.

As part of a team with his brother, Coen has been an effective cinematic storyteller, together creating their own distinctive, offbeat style of filmmaking. Now with Tricia Cooke, his partner in life and film, Coen seems to want to explore a new direction. Yet with "Drive Away Dolls" (which began with the much better and more accurate title, "Drive Away Dykes"), this team, with Cooke also serving as editor, struggle with coherence and inventiveness. The film's pacing is sluggish and as the story moves along, these plot developments come across as more baffling than intriguing.

So what exactly is inside of this briefcase? Let's just say that the contents are probably the last thing you would ever have imagined. And while I will give points for this unexpected silly gag, the real problem lies with this not making much sense in regards to the relentless pursuit of these girls nor require the amount of disturbing bloodshed and mayhem involved in the desperate retrieval of the case. From this point to the conclusion, "Drive Away Dolls" turns into a weirdly violent and strangely wacky comedy with no real connective tissue to the provocative, mildly humorous mystery in the first part of the film.

There are certainly a few laugh-out-loud moments and some engaging, cerebral conversations to be found in the film. And Qualley and Viswanathan have a great connection on screen. Yet visually and thematically, "Drive Away Dolls" comes across like of a poorly conceived imitation of a Coen Brothers movie.

COMING SOON

A new teaser trailer has just dropped for "The Fall Guy", an upcoming action-comedy that features two of this year's Oscar nominees, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. It's a modern revisit of the '80's television show starring Lee Majors about a Hollywood stunt man who moonlights as a bounty hunter. Gosling stars as Colt Seavers, a veteran action choreographer working on a film when the leading man, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, mysteriously disappears. Seavers begins to investigate to find him and save the film for the director (Blunt) who also happens to be former girlfriend of Seavers and the current girlfriend of missing actor. The director David Leitch is a former stunt man turned filmmaker (behind the first "John Wick", "Atomic Blonde, "Bullet Train") and "The Fall Guy" seems like the perfect fit. And Leitch looks like he's using the irresistible charm, comedic timing and sex appeal of Gosling to the full advantage of the film.

"The Fall Guy" is due in US theaters on May 3, 2024

COMING SOON

Early next year, there will be not one but two thrillers involving lesbians on-the-run: one dark and treacherous and the other dark and wacky.

Ethan Coen, one half of the filmmaking team, the Coen Brothers, is about to release his first narrative feature film without his brother, Joel who made his own solo directorial debut with "The Tragedy of Macbeth" in 2021. "Drive-Away Dolls", co-written with his wife, Tricia Cooke, is a comedic road-trip caper. Margaret Qualley plays a young free spirit that has just ended a relationship with a girlfriend and looking for adventure. Geraldine Viswanathan is her more uptight friend who is ready to let loose. They get their wish when they take off on the road to Tallahassee. But their trip is interrupted when they end up getting mixed in with a group of menacing yet inept gangsters. Bill Camp, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon also star. "Drive-Away Dolls" (which had the more interesting working title, "Drive-Away Dykes") was supposed to have been released last fall but was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

"Drive-Away Dolls" is due in US theaters on February 23, 2024

For the follow-up to her acclaimed horror-drama, "Saint Maud", the filmmaker Rose Glass returns with "Love Lies Bleeding", a gritty thriller with a touch of sweet romance. Kristen Stewart stars as Lou, a manager at a gym who becomes infatuated with a female bodybuilder (Katy O'Brian). But their love affair leads them into the crosshairs of Lou's criminal family lead by her father, played by Ed Harris.  The film will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Fest in January before reaching theaters in March.

"Love Lies Bleeding" is due in US theaters on March 8, 2024

BOTTOMS (2023)

Written by Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott



Directed by Emma Seligman



Where & When: AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, CA. September 5, 2023 7:30 PM



"Bottoms" is a teenage, romantic comedy from filmmaker, Emma Seilgman that is very far removed from your standard comedy in this genre. What Seilgman's film delivers is unhinged, extremely dark and features a couple of horny, young lesbians as our unexpected protagonists in this wildly, offbeat story. And while it's not entirely successful, "Bottoms" is a teen comedy that boldly presents queerness as a natural state of being, propelled by an insane, manic energy and off-the-wall laughs.

PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri) are best friends in high school who happen to be nerdy, unpopular and lesbians. They are both lusting after two of the popular cheerleaders at school who are also best friends: Josie has the hots for Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) while PJ is infatuated with Brittany (Kaia Gerber). After an incident involving an argument between Isabel and her boyfriend, Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), the quarterback for the school's football team, a rumor spreads around that PJ and Josie spent the summer in juvenile detention and had beaten up Jeff during this quarrel. Now this didn't actually happen yet none of the participants correct this misinformation especially after the girls are called into the principal's office demanding an explanation for injuring the quarterback (who was never seriously hurt but enjoying the attention).

In order to avoid expulsion, PJ comes up with the excuse they had been practicing in order to start a self-defense club for the girls at school. This leads to a plan to actually start a fight club and after PJ points out this will be a great way for them to meet girls, a reluctant Josie agrees to the crazy idea. With teacher, Mr. G. (former football player, Marshawn Lynch) on board as an advisor, the girls begin teaching female students how to fight. But PJ is disappointed that the girls attending are not attractive enough until Isabel and Brittany show up for lessons.

Seligman first became noticed with her NYU senior-thesis short, "Shiva Baby" which was later selected for the South by Southwest film festival in 2018. The Canadian-born filmmaker later further developed this comedy about a young bisexual Jewish woman (also played by Sennott) who attends a shiva with her parents where her complicated love relationships collide into a feature length film. I will admit I was not a big fan of this film, but I certainly recognized her potential gifts as a director and admired what she accomplished in telling a rarely told story in cinema involving the "B" in the LGBTQ communities.

"Bottoms" began with Seligman and Sennott wanting to create a film that featured queer characters prominently in your standard Hollywood-style comedy. I'm sure there were several films that sparked their imagination, but the clear inspiration behind "Bottoms" seems to be "Heathers", the 1989 cult film that has gone on to become the quintessential dark teen comedy. And while they both share in gleeful, irreverent humor, quirky characters and unexpected bursts of bloody violence, "Bottoms" is not fully formed enough to become memorable in the high school comedy canon. The script by Seligman and Sennott features some emotionally grounded moments in between the weird, zany humor but the writers are just not there yet to make it work together cohesively. At times in the film, some moments are heavy-handed, the pacing is ragged, the jokes are not always sharp and the motivations behind some of the characters are wobbly. And as "Bottoms" progresses to its conclusion, the situations become far more surreal and shockingly brutal, making it feel like we have suddenly entered into another movie.

As a teen comedy, "Bottoms" feels fresh and modern by successfully challenging traditions of the genre and aggressively flipping expectations regarding gender and sexual identity. The film is further elevated by solid performances and a hilarious, edgy vibe. But with a little more work to refine some details, "Bottoms" would have easily shifted from a good to a great comedy.

PAUL REUBENS (1952 - 2023)

Paul Reubens, who is probably best known to the world for his hilarious, man-child creation, Pee Wee Herman, passed away on July 31st. He had been privately dealing with cancer for the last six years. Reubens was seventy years old. 

Born Paul Rubenfeld in Peekskill, NY and grew-up in Sarasota, FL, Reubens got interested in entertainment early as a child after being fascinated with the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus and watching television sitcoms, leaving him with a strong desire to make people laugh. After heading to California to attend college, Reubens honed his improv skills by performing at comedy clubs and joining The Groundlings. It was during his time with this improv comedy team that he first started to develop Pee Wee Herman around 1978. These elements, a grown man still filled with adolescent wonder with a cartoon-character voice, shrunken, gray suit, little red bowtie and the name "Pee Wee" which came from a brand of harmonica, would come from various ideas and experiences from Reubens' life.

After failing to land becoming a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" in 1980, Reubens decided to start his own stage show in Los Angeles with his Pee Wee Herman character, which was forming a cult following, landing him a bit part in the stoner-comedy film, "Cheech & Chong's Next Movie". This caught the attention of HBO who offered Reubens to bring "The Pee Wee Herman Show" as a television special, expanding his character to an even wider audience. And this led to the 1985 movie, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" which gave Tim Burton, who was gaining attention at the time with his animated shorts, his first feature film as a director. This box-office hit would lead to Pee Wee Herman to be featured in a live-action children's program, "Pee Wee's Playhouse" in 1986 which had a cast that featured Laurence Fishburne, Phil Hartman and S. Epatha Merkerson.

After a less than successful movie sequel, "Big Top Pee-wee" in 1988 and the end of the series two years later, Reubens was suffering from burn out playing this popular character, wanting to be seen as a versatile actor. Not surprisingly, Reubens had difficulty being viewed outside of Pee Wee but he did manage to get a few roles in television ("Murphy Brown", "Ally McBeal", "30 Rock") and movies ("Batman Returns", "Blow", "Mystery Men") with plenty of character-voice parts in between.

COMING SOON

With only two films under his belt, Ari Aster has already proven to be one of the more intriguing filmmakers working today. Following the wildly offbeat horror dramas, "Hereditary" and "Midsommar", Aster is due back with "Beau is Afraid". And while the trailer seems to reveal that the writer/director has not strayed far from his comfort zone, this film also seems to move in a different direction than expected. Joaquin Phoenix stars as the title character, Beau Wassermann who is just trying to get to his mother after she unexpectedly passes away, leading to a surreal journey that has him looking back on his life, filled with disturbing imagery and dark humor. There is an impressive supporting cast that includes Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Parker Posey and Patti LuPone.

"Beau is Afraid" is due in US theaters on April 21, 2023

SHARP STICK (2022)

 

Written & Directed by Lena Dunham

Where & When: Nuart Theatre, West Los Angeles, CA.  August 3, 2022  5:20 PM

Back in 2010, Lena Dunham released "Tiny Furniture", her debut feature film she wrote and directed. This semi-autobiographical, indie dramatic-comedy gave us the first taste of her quirky, self-referential voice. Dunham spoke with caustic humor about how her generation feels unsteady trying to maneuver through this modern world as a young adult. This low-budget film, which featured her mother, Laurie Simmons, a New York artist who was the big name at the time, received plenty of critical acclaim and awards, leading Dunham to collaborate with Judd Apatow and create the HBO series, "Girls" two years later.

This urban comedy expanded upon characters and ideas from "Tiny Furniture", focused on addressing the challenges facing a group of aimless, twenty-something women. After six captivating seasons, "Girls" made Dunham a bigger name, introduced us to a future star (Adam Driver) and helped open the door to shows built around unconventional female protagonists who are deeply flawed and not necessarily likable.

Now Dunham has just made her second feature film, "Sharp Stick", an offbeat, coming-of-age story of an awkward young girl who treats her sexual awakening as if she's a determined student trying hard to get a top grade in school. There are certainly some interesting, funny ideas at play here yet they are muddled due to a narrative that falls uneasily between a strange, dark comedy and an uncomfortably creepy satire.

Sarah Jo (Kristine Froseth) lives in the Hollywood area of LA with her mother, Marilyn (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a new-age, Earth mother type and her sister, Treina (Taylour Paige) who is focused on finding success through being a social media influencer. Although she's in her twenties, Sarah Jo comes across as much younger due to her sweet, Pollyanna nature. Yet underneath lurks a lustful, passionate woman with burning desires that wants to be noticed. Sarah Jo decides to set her sights on Josh (Jon Bernthal), the married, stay-at-home dad of Zach (Liam Michel Saux), the special needs child she tutors, to lose her virginity with. And while this good-natured goofball tries to resist, Josh ultimately gives in to Sarah Jo's seduction, especially after she informs him that she had a hysterectomy at fifteen.

This one-time encounter soon evolves into an actual love affair. Later, Josh introduces Sarah Jo to the world of digital pornography with her far more fascinated than aroused. But Sarah Jo is unceremoniously dumped after Josh's pregnant wife (Dunham) discovers their affair. Lost and despondent, she tries to mend her heartbreak by focusing on her favorite porn star, Vance Leroy (Scott Speedman), writing him pages of long letters seeking guidance through his sexual wisdom to help her win Josh back. Then, as a way to impress Josh, Sarah Jo makes a cute, homemade poster board listing all of the sexual acts she plans to perform with random men from A to Z, with a place to check off when completed.

Dunham has finally moved away from relying so heavily on a fictionalized version of her life in her work, moving towards characters outside of her comfort zone. But with this film, she doesn't push far enough into the absurd that feels necessary, lacking clearly defined characters and creating a false sense of female empowerment. "Sharp Stick" also doesn't have much of a cinematic scope, never feeling more than an enhanced, expanded television episode.

Froseth plays Sarah Jo as child-like and very naïve, an unbelievable trait with her growing-up in this fast-moving, modern city of Los Angeles living with her worldly mother and sister. She also comes across as a bit dim which could explain some of her behavior yet her motivations remain unclear. Dunham adds race into the story with Treina being African-American and taken in as a baby to be raised by this family due to sad circumstances. Yet there is no commentary or development from this addition with the character sidelined for much of the film, leaving a feeling that this was too much of a calculated after-thought.

"Sharp Stick" seems to be making a statement about our society's obsession with sexuality and gender politics. But Dunham's use of oddball characters, provocative comedy and feminist ideology is not clearly conceived to make this film entirely compelling or enjoyable. Yet I am glad that Dunham has returned to the big screen and that it will not be over ten years until her next feature (she has written and directed an adaptation of the children's book, "Catherine Called Birdy" for Amazon Studios due out in September). While I have not always been won over by her work, I greatly appreciate what Dunham tries to achieve, offering a bold challenge to conventional themes utilizing a commanding female perspective.

ALINE (2022)

Written by Brigitte Buc and Valérie Lemercier




Directed by Valérie Lemercier




Where & When: Laemmle NoHo 7 theatres, North Hollywood, CA. April 18, 2022 4:20 PM




The last of fourteen children in a poor yet loving French-Canadian family in Quebec, Aline Dieu has a remarkable singing ability, first displayed at the wedding of one of her brothers at the age of five. With music playing an important part of the Dieu family and recognizing that the world should hear Aline's singing, her mother and brother write a song that will showcase the amazing talent of the now-twelve year old. They manage to get a recording of this song into the hands of a well-known music manager in Canada who is moved to tears by Aline's voice, promptly deciding to devote all of his energy into helping make this young girl a star.

If this story sounds oddly familiar, well, it's intended to. The French performer, Valérie Lemercier has co-written, directed and stars in "Aline", a loving, fictionalized tribute based on the life and career of the Canadian pop superstar, Céline Dion. And the fifty-eight year old Lemercier impressively plays Dieu from a five year old to middle-age with the aid of digital effects. The film is a meticulously designed fantasy that dives into the world of a real-life singer yet surprisingly lacks a bold, imaginative spirit.

With Guy-Claude Kamar (Sylvain Marcel) now managing Aline, he takes steps to mold the shy, awkward girl into an image closer to what is expected of an international pop star. He arranges to have her teeth straightened, transforms her with a fashion make-over and begin to have her learn English. But Aline's budding career almost comes to a grinding halt when she damages her vocal cords. Her options are surgery or to not speak at all for three months with Aline wisely deciding to remain silent.

And as her music career begins to rise, Aline finds herself falling in love with Kamar who is twenty-five years older than herself. While this couple initially kept their romance secret from the public, fearing that they would not be accepting, they couldn't keep this information from her family with Aline's mother, Sylvette (Danielle Fichaud), in particular, appalled by the idea. After finally announcing to the world that they are together, fans embraced the news of their relationship (and eventually Sylvette) which was followed by the singer and her manager getting married in a lavish wedding ceremony.

Valérie Lemercier may not be well-known on this side of the Atlantic but in her native France, she is a celebrated star. She made her film debut in Louis Malle's "Milou en mai (May Fools)" in 1990 and would go on win two César Awards for Best Supporting Actress (for "Les Visiteurs" and "Fauteuils d'orchestre") before receiving the Best Actress César for her performance in "Aline" last year. Lemercier began working behind the camera in 1997 and had a big hit with her third feature as a director, "Palais royal!", a 2005 comedy based loosely on the adultery scandal involving the British royals, Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Unlike that film, Lemercier handles her fact-based fictional character in "Aline" with a more delicate, respectful touch. The actress, with her expressive, pliant features, is captivating as she evolves from a small, shy child with a big voice to a powerful and confident superstar performer. As a filmmaker however, Lemercier is competent yet lacks a distinctive visual style that might have elevated this routine rags-to-riches musical love story.

There is no doubt that Lemercier is a big fan of Dion, honoring this musical icon in a unique way, but it's hard to understand what is the actual point of "Aline". The character at the center of this film is definitely not supposed to be Céline Dion. And "Aline" is not a parody. Yet Lemercier painstakingly recreates the major events in the singer's life, the clothing that she has worn and even performs several of the songs that Dion has made famous (with vocals provided by French singer, Victoria Sio who puts in the extra effort to sound like Dion). It just feels odd to do a pseudo-biography on a performer who is still very much alive and in the middle of her career that is not really intended to poke fun or offer critical evaluation. What might have made "Aline" even more intriguing is if Lemercier had played up the fantasy-comedy elements in this story even further instead of remaining so faithful to the real-life of Dion.

I can look back at "Dreamgirls" which was clearly based on the story of the Supremes yet was far enough removed from the actual hitmaking Motown girl-group (which included original songs that conveyed the emotions of these characters) that the similarities were never a real distraction. "Aline" is literally retelling Céline Dion's life story with only thinly veiled name changes and minor creative liberties to make it appear fictional. This musical-dramedy certainly has it's charms but since Lemercier had no intention to offend in any possible way, the narrative and characterizations are mostly too blandly generic to effectively thrill. I mean, if you're going to invent a movie about the life of one of the biggest pop singers on the planet, then the most shocking and scandalous event they experience should involve more than falling in love with a divorced, older man.

COMING SOON

After twelve seasons on television, "Bob's Burgers" is ready to take on the big screen. A movie about the Belchers, Bob (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) who runs the family restaurant with his wife, Linda (John Roberts) and their three kids, Louise (Kristen Schaal), Tina (Dan Mintz) and Gene (Eugene Mirman) is due to hit theaters this summer that will offer what we love about the show; funny, wacky adventures and strange musical numbers. As for "The Bob's Burgers Movie", Bob and Linda are struggling to keep the business afloat (as usual) while the kids try to solve a mystery that could save their family's restaurant. I've been a big fan of this show from the beginning and can't wait to see the Belchers in a movie theater.

"The Bob's Burgers Movie" is due in U.S. theaters on May 27, 2022

DON'T LOOK UP (2021)

Written & Directed by Adam McKay

When & Where: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. December 14, 2021 6:30 PM

Available to stream now on Netflix

"Don't Look Up", Adam McKay's latest satirical jab, looks at how our modern society would receive the news of the impending end of the world. And the reaction that is presented is apathetic, divisive and over-the-top yet also feels strangely accurate. With broad, biting humor, the film drives home the idea that we have become so incredibly self-involved, politically fractured, paranoid and uncivil that a giant meteor on a collusion course to the planet is not nearly enough to bring us all together to try and come up with a plan to save ourselves. Much like McKay's recent films, "The Big Short" and "Vice", "Don't Look Up" features a dazzling array of very famous actors, each given a moment to shine while having some fun being wild and absurd.

Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), an astronomy student at Michigan State University, discovers a previously undetected asteroid. With her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy's (Leonardo DiCaprio) assistance, they realize that not only is it on course to collide with the planet in six months but the impact will wipe out mankind. Panicked and unsure of what to do next, they first contact Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan), who presents their finding to his contacts at NASA, leading them to be whisked off to the White House.

But their discovery is not a high priority and when the scientists finally meet with President Janie Orlean (Meryl Streep) to inform her of Earth's impending doom, she is more concerned about how this could effect her poll numbers. The snarky Chief of Staff, Jason Orlean (Jonah Hill), who is also the President's son, offers no help, with the official decision to put this information on hold and re-access at a later date.

With this disturbing news, Kate and Dr Mindy decide to go another route by leaking the story to the media. They make an appearance on a morning talk show with the smiling, vapid hosts, Jack Bremmer (Tyler Perry) and Brie Evantee (Cate Blanchett). But the only thing that's accomplished is Kate's on-air meltdown going viral and Brie flirts aggressively with the married Dr. Mindy. And after President Orlean becomes involved in a sex scandal, she decides to use this leaked news of the threat to divert attention from her disgraceful story and for political gain.

As a filmmaker, Adam McKay doesn't naturally gravitate towards subtlety. Beginning his career as a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade improv group, he became the head writer on "Saturday Night Live" in 1996 before moving on to write and direct the Will Ferrell comedies, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and "Step Brothers", McKay likes his humor boisterously wild and silly, bordering on slapstick. But over time he has toned down his base comedic instincts and began to make more introspective films on subjects that were important to him, with a compelling desire to inform and entertain.

With "Don't Look Up", McKay's focus is on the evils of capitalism, the dangers of unregulated big tech, the continuous inaction on climate change and how the news media has been corrupted by corporations. I think the dark comedic tone works at first yet as the film progresses, becoming more serious and somber, the blunt force delivery of these complicated ideas overwhelms and feels sermonizing.

After his amazing performance in "The Wolf of Wall Street", DiCaprio has proven to be a naturally gifted comedian and he really should do more comedies. In the film, the actor brilliantly captures this frazzled scientist who is thrusted in to the limelight, overwhelmed by the attention. As a young woman trying to cope with her imminent end, Lawrence is comically frantic yet resolved. The always dependable Blanchett is hilarious as a career-focused, Fox News-styled television anchor. While President Orlean's political affiliation is not explicitly revealed, it's quite obvious that from her deep self-involvement and red baseball cap which side of the aisle she's on. Streep is great fun to watch as she effortlessly captures the causal menace of this President. There are also notable appearances by Timothée Chalamet, pop-star, Ariana Grande and Mark Rylance as Sir Peter Isherwell, a tech billionaire who at first plans to send a spacecraft to knock the comet off course before discovering he could make money if it actually lands on Earth.

I laughed out loud several times throughout "Don't Look Up". Yet I was also left feeling very anxious and distressed by the conclusion. Perhaps that is what the director has intended with the goal to make people uncomfortable, forcing them to open their eyes about, in his opinion, their impending doom, one that will not require an outside force to bring us to a premature end. McKay has clearly made a left-leaning message movie that uses comedy to distract so you will pay attention. Some will definitely find "Don't Look Up" far too smug, heavy-handed, preachy and political, lacking in optimism and hope. But when hasn't a filmmaker used the medium to express their personal viewpoint and shared ideas that are important to them? "Don't Look Up" may not be the movie we want to see right now but it does contain some conversations we really should be considering right now.

ZOLA (2021)

Written by Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris



Directed by Janicza Bravo



Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. July 6, 2021 5:35PM



It all started with a tantalizing Tweet: "Y'all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out?????? It's kind of long but full of suspense" and the world became transfixed on Aziah "Zola" King's story. The filmmaker, Janicza Bravo has taken King's collection of short ruminations and expanded them in to a thrilling feature film that takes us on a wildly irreverent, hilariously dark journey. And even though we are told that the events in this story are "mostly true" during the opening credits, there is never a doubt for a moment that what we see happening in this film has been wildly embellished.

Zola (Taylour Paige) was working at her dead-end job at a Detroit diner when everything changed once Stefani (Riley Keough) entered the restaurant and her life. Their connection was immediate and intense with these two women becoming fast friends. Aware that she dances occasionally to supplement her income, Stefani invites Zola to join her on a road trip to a Florida strip club where they will earn a huge payday.

But once the car door closes, Zola feels this might be a big mistake. Along for the trip is the driver, Stefani's roommate who will only be known as "X" (Colman Domingo), an imposing figure that will make one uncomfortable even when he's smiling and Derrek (Nicholas Braun), Stefani's boyfriend, a gullible dimwit who worships the ground she walks on.

Once the group reaches Tampa, Zola's instincts prove correct. After dumping Derrek off at filthy motel, the girls head to the club. At the end of the shift, Zola didn't make anywhere near the amount of money she was promised. But the evening is far from over. It turns out that Stefani lured Zola on this trip under a false pretense; "X" is Stefani's pimp and the girls are expected to turn tricks all night in a luxury suite. And "X", whose actual Caribbean accent comes out when he's angry, will not take "no" for an answer.

Trying to build a movie around a Twitter thread was always going to be a bit of a challenge so Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris (the award-winning playwright of "Slave Play" who was a promising student dramatist at Yale when he came on board) also used the 2016 Rolling Stone article, "Zola Tells All: The Real Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted" by David Kushner to help them flesh out their screenplay. The tone remains largely light and comedic despite the dark undercurrent of the harrowing lives that sex workers have to endure. Race and privilege is also touched upon with Zola being made clear, implicitly and explicitly, that Stefani holds more value as a commodity due to her being pretty, blonde and white.

As we know, there are two sides to every story and "Zola" is King's version of events, which paints her out to be a streetwise and far too classy for these people. As Zola, Paige lets her expressive face reveal the annoyance and frustration of the situation she finds herself trapped in. We will have to take King's word about what really went down but the woman who Stefani is based upon plans on suing for defamation, unhappy with how she has been portrayed. 

Keough delivers a brave and compelling performance as Stefani, a chatterbox speaking in her idea of an African-American dialect. The film doesn't make it clear if she's just a ruthless manipulator or a victim of her circumstances yet she was fully involved with seducing Zola. There is a brief mini-movie that's supposed to give Stefani a chance to tell her side, with her trying to be viewed as a virtuous woman who fell victim to the dirty dealings of a devious Zola, with hay in her hair and wearing trash bags. That's not exactly believable either but like many hustlers, they are far more interested in a great, juicy story than the boring, exact truth.

Ms Bravo began her career writing and directing several short films before making her feature debut, "Lemon" in 2017. I saw this film, a quirky comedy that starred Bravo's then-husband, Brett Gelman as a theater director who becomes unhinged after his blind girlfriend dumps him while he's trying to put on an unusual production of Chekhov's "The Seagull". And while I found "Lemon" to be largely tedious, I did think that the novice filmmaker actually showed promise. With "Zola", Bravo was able to tap in to her offbeat instincts with a narrative that would benefit from her distinctive storytelling, expanding a dark and twisted story with surreal visual flourish and pitch black humor. 

I enjoyed this movie, greatly admiring the remarkably inventive approach Ms Bravo has taken to tell Zola's outrageous story and laughed out loud several times throughout (the biggest laugh for me was when a white patron tells Zola while she is dancing that she looks like Whoopi Goldberg . I'm still chuckling days later at that one). But I can also understand how "Zola" might be too bleak and disturbing for some viewers. At it's core, "Zola" is tragic and sad; two abused and exploited sex workers exploiting each other for the service of men and the almighty dollar. It is really hard to completely escape this fact no matter how humorously or stylishly this entertaining story is told.

THE PROM (2020)

Written by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin



Directed by Ryan Murphy



Available to stream now on Netflix



Actors have famously used their fame as clout to bring attention to serious and important causes, believing that their endorsement will help make this matter take on greater significance to a large number of people. One example was an incident in 2010 involving a teenage girl who wanted to take her girlfriend to their senior prom in Mississippi but where denied by school board. The girls pushed back and the board decided to cancel the prom instead of allowing them to attend. A lawsuit was filed and a Federal Court found the couple's First Amendment rights had been violated. However, the judge did not force the school to reinstate the prom. Some celebrities heard this story and jumped in to sponsor a fund-raiser so that the girls could attend an inclusive prom event.

This was the inspiration for the stage musical, "The Prom", created in 2016 by Bob Martin, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin which would end up on Broadway two years later, winning critical praise and award recognition. Ryan Murphy, who almost single-handedly reinvigorated television by inventively bringing progressive stories and marginalized characters to the small screen, returns to feature films to direct a version of the musical with a cast of impressive major stars on board to spice up the production. But Murphy has taken a relatively small scale story and pumped it up in to a colossal explosion of overbearing sights, unremarkable sounds and gaudy colors. It is a politically-minded, musical spectacle that demands you pay attention yet in an obnoxious, "look at me! look at me!" sort of way.

During opening night on Broadway of the new musical, "Eleanor!: The Eleanor Roosevelt Story", stars, Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep), a two-time Tony Award winner and Barry Glickman (James Corden) are waiting for the reviews to come in for the play. With a rave from a critic in New Jersey, the team is convinced they have a winner on their hands and begin to celebrate. However, the review from the New York Times is ugly and brutal, effectively killing the show.

Depressed and wallowing in self-pity, Dee Dee and Barry drown their sorrows at a local bar where Julliard graduate, Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells) works only between theater jobs which has been few and far between of late. Joining in to commiserate with them is Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman), a long-time chorus girl who has just quit her job in "Chicago", frustrated by never getting a chance to play one of the leads. They decide to find a cause that will make them appear to be caring people and deliver them plenty of much-needed publicity. Angie finds the perfect case happening in a small town in Indiana, leading them to quickly head out to save the day.

Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen Pellman) is at the center of the dilemma at her high school. As an open lesbian, the teen wants to bring her female date to the prom but the head of the school PTA, Mrs. Greene (Kerry Washington) announces she will cancel the dance instead of allowing that to happen. The only one on Emma's side is the principal, Mr. Hawkins (Keegan-Michael Key) yet he's unable to stop the board about the prom.

Our four stage actors burst into the PTA meeting, outraged by the decision and demand justice for the lesbians. No one in town really knows what to make of these frivolous, self-involved performers but they won't leave. The actors befriend Emma, determined to help her so that will help them in their goal of getting some great press. Meanwhile, there is a little sexual tension simmering between Principal Hawkins (who is a big fan of the actress) and Dee Dee. And Emma's date is secretly the popular cheerleader, Alyssa (Ariana DeBose), the daughter of Mrs. Greene, who had decided to use the prom to publicly come out of the closet.

The major problem with "The Prom" is that it's not nearly as much fun as it thinks it is. You can see all the effort put in to this whirling, hyper-colored fantasia yet the payoff is minor and extremely disappointing, It's clear Murphy had difficulty figuring out how to merge the lives of wacky, over-the-top, self-indulgent theater actors with the more somber political statements involving inclusivity and tolerance. And the film suffers under the weight of trying to make the story bigger and louder than it really needed to be.

The staging of the musical numbers are hampered by poor blocking and odd location settings. The dance sequences are far too slick and robotic to make any impact. The key to any successful musical, obviously, are the songs. And while the songs in "The Prom" (with music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics from Chad Beguelin) certainly moves our story forward, they felt only serviceable, leaving no lasting memory beyond the film. It doesn't help that many of the actors deliver these tunes loudly, without much subtilty or emotional investment.

It's no real surprise that Ms Streep is the best thing here. Looking an awful lot like a bedazzled Shirley MacLaine, it's always fun watching La Streep mugging while kicking up her heels and belting out a song. Ms Kidman is another one breaking out of her dramatic comfort zone and joyfully delivering her big solo number, "Zazz", full of jazz hands and Fosse-styled dance moves. They are clearly enjoying themselves yet we are left only mildly satisfied. I was less offended by Mr. Corden's performance than by the fact that he always seemed like he was delivering a performance. The popular late-night television host never for a moment comes across convincingly as a narcissistic gay actor. You can actually see him at times struggling to figure out how big he should go. And I'm gonna repeat what I've heard a few people say which is Mr. Cordon was in a role that seemed tailor-made for Nathan Lane who could have brought an effortless charm and outrageousness that was sadly lacking here.

"The Prom" seemed like a movie that would be right up my alley, featuring an inventive director, a positive story involving love and tolerance and a cast of some of my favorite actors singing and dancing. I really, really wanted to find comfort and enjoyment from this timely musical yet all I was left feeling was numb and brutalized.

THE 40 YEAR OLD VERSION (2020)

Written & Directed by Radha Blank



Available to stream now on Netflix



All artists just want to be able to express themselves and share their creativity to the world. Due to talent, circumstances and a lot of luck, some people are fortunate enough to have their gifts noticed, appreciated and rewarded by a large audience. But there are others, despite their fierce determination and debatable skills, that are not as fortunate while spending many years struggling for someone to take notice and give them a chance.

Writer/director Radha Blank has cleverly built her debut feature film, "The 40 Year old Version" around her own experiences as an artist struggling for many years to be noticed, creating a comedy that is razor-sharp, heartfelt and a fitting showcase for a gifted emerging filmmaker.

Blank, feeling no need to be coy, stars as Radha, a New York playwright who is struggling to get her career off the ground. Once named one of the "Most Promising 30 Under 30" a number of years ago, she is now rapidly approaching forty with no real prospects in sight. Archie (Peter Y. Kim), Radha's sassy, gay friend since childhood is also her agent and one of her biggest supporters . He's pressuring her to meet with Josh Whitman (Reed Birney), a theater producer, to discuss getting behind her play. While Whitman claims to love her work and wants to produce it, he has few suggestions on ways to  improve her play. Radha's reaction is unexpected (and a little violent), ending with her hands tightly around his throat.

Realizing that might not have been a great move to help her career yet it does lead Radha down a path to embarking on a new and unlikely career. No longer wanting to wait for approval from the gatekeepers nor make her work easier for white people to digest, she wants to express herself with an authentic voice through rap and hip-hop. Radha begins her journey on making a mixtape by acquiring some beats from a DJ named D (Oswin Benjamin). She finds ease in spitting out rhymes in an intimate setting yet is far less confident rapping in front of an audience, choking very badly during her first live performance. Quiet and unassuming, D patiently offers Radha words of encouragement and reveals to her the endless possibilities by taking her to see other female performers.

Radha also works with students at a high school to write and put on a play, trying to inspire a future generation for a love of the theater. But like many teenagers today, they are far too distracted with social media and their raging hormones to be that focused on the stage. Archie has managed to convince Whitman to overlook the choking incident (don't ask), with the producer still wanting to work with Radha. And while her dream has been to have her work produced on a theatrical stage, she's unsure if that's what she still wants to do under such oppressive artistic conditions.

On the surface, "The 40 Year Old Version" may not appear to be a particularly fresh idea for a comedy. Yet Blank delivers a fresh perspective on the creative process, in front of and behind the camera, dealing with race, gender and age in ways that are rarely seen or considered. With an impressive ability to indicate high production values from a small budget and visually inventive with crisp black and white cinematography from Eric Branco, Blank's film brings to mind the debut feature of another filmmaker from Brooklyn, Spike Lee. "She's Gotta Have It", Mr. Lee's 1986 comedy, focused on the independent spirit of Nola Darling and her pursuit of relationships and sexuality on her own terms, much like Blank's character and her desire to express herself creatively without compromise or interference. 

Blank spent many years trying to get her career going after discovering theater in college. She acted, did stand-up and wrote many plays (almost all never produced) without ever feeling like she was getting anywhere. A shift began when she wrote a web series about a rapper, RadhaMUS Prime which was loosely based on herself. The filming of the project fell apart after her mother sadly passed away. But Blank managed to keep the idea alive and sometime later the work evolved from a television series to eventually a screenplay. The pain, struggle and hard work would pay off for Blank with her winning the Best Director prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival and earning a production deal with Netflix.

"The 40 Year Old Version" is an accomplished and groundbreaking first film. Blank's wonderful comedy is less about jokes (even though there are some very funny ones here) and more about finding dark humor in the odd and challenging moments an African-American woman of a certain age faces during her journey of self-acceptance and creative fulfillment. Anyone who has tried to make their dreams come true yet just can't quite get there, whether due to considerable obstacles or self-sabotage, will be able to relate to this story, finding a little hope and some inspiration. This film delivers a simple yet powerful message that honest work will always lead to good work.

COMING SOON

The critically-acclaimed Broadway musical, "The Prom" is getting the Hollywood treatment by way of Ryan Murphy and Netflix. The powerhouse television and film producer has managed to lure such glittering stars as James Corden, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Kerry Washington, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep to sing and dance for the movie version in which he also directs. "The Prom" tells the story of four New York stage actors whose careers are on the decline and hear about a high school student in a conservative Indiana town not being allowed to take her girlfriend to the prom. Realizing this could help bring them great publicity, the actors head to Indiana to save the day. However, these self-absorbed performers wind up actually causing more harm than good for these high-school lovers. "The Prom" looks like it could be a lot of fun which is something we are in desperate need right now.

"The Prom" is due in select U.S. theaters in November and Netflix on December 11, 2020

MY VIEWING DIARY: PART NINE

"Lenny" (1974)

Since he spent most of his career as a dancer and highly inventive choreographer for the stage, Bob Fosse did not have much of an opportunity to leave behind an extensive body of work once he decided to focus on film making. A driven workaholic combined with an unhealthy lifestyle, Fosse died of a heart attack by the age of sixty. 

He was an incredibly gifted director yet would only make five feature films; the movie adaptation of the stage musical-comedy, "Sweet Charity" (Fosse's film debut which he had also directed and choreographed the original Broadway show); "Cabaret", another adaptation of a Broadway musical which would win eight Academy Awards (including Best Director for Fosse); "All That Jazz", the semi-autobiographical musical-drama that was nominated for nine Oscars and won four; "Star 80", a fact-based drama on the tragic murder of Playboy playmate, Dorothy Stratten and "Lenny" which was the only film by Fosse I had not yet seen. 

This stylish bio-pic examines the life and career of Lenny Bruce, a New York comedian in the 1960's who would challenge the obscenity laws on what could be said on stage, ultimately paying a high price for his defiance. Dustin Hoffman (in one of his greatest screen performances) play Bruce, a Jewish comic who struggles trying to do the standard comedy routine. He falls hard for a stripper named Honey Harlow (Valerie Perrine, who won the Best Actress Award at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival), who he calls his "Shiksa goddess" and they marry quickly. After the couple moves to Los Angeles, Bruce begins to riff on stage invovling subjects that are not usually discussed in public with language that some considered highly inappropriate. And while he would achieve great success and popularity, Bruce would be arrested frequently for charges of obscenity. This was also when he and his wife would become severely addicted to drugs, causing them to suffer marital issues and additional legal problems.

What makes "Lenny" particularly intriguing was how Fosse assembled the film, shooting in exquisite black & white (with cinematography by Bruce Surtees) and using a non-linear story structure which was not commonly done at the time, particularly with American films. "Lenny" only highlights key moments in the chaotic life and controversial routines of the comedian, not giving us a complete picture of his importance as a historical figure. This film does reveal that while his motivations may have been self-serving and short-sighted at the time, Bruce's legal challenges for his First Amendment rights would help open the door for all performers to express themselves uncensored without fear of criminal indictment.

"The Opposite Sex" (1956)

"The Opposite Sex" is based on Clare Boothe Luce's 1936 play, "The Women" which was adapted in to a delightfully camp comedy in 1939. But this inert remake isn't much fun, having awkwardly been turned in to a musical set in the world of the theater and the physical presence of men is featured prominently throughout the film. With their attempt to open up the story, the director, David Miller and writing team of Fay and Michael Kanin has made a conventional 1950's Metrocolor rom-com with the significant altering of the structure and tone of the story not helping matters. 

The casting also leaves a lot to be desired with bland MGM musical star, June Allyson playing Kay Hilliard, a former popular nightclub performer who gave it all up for love, marriage and family. But when Kay's frenemy, Sylvia Fowler (Dolores Gray) hears the gossip that Kay's husband, Steven (Leslie Nielsen), a producer of an upcoming Broadway musical, is having an affair with a dancer in the show, Crystal Allen (Joan Collins, struggling with a wobbly American accent), she can't wait to spread this dirt. It's not long before this news reaches Kay and while she still loves her husband, sadly heads off to Reno to end her marriage. During her stay at a ranch for divorcees run by the butch, Lucy (Charlotte Greenwood), Kay befriends fellow soon-to-be-single-again gals, Gloria Dell (Ann Miller) and the Countess Lavaliere (Agnes Moorehead), avoids a clumsy seduction by the ranch hand, Buck (Jeff Richards) and has to deal with Sylvia who arrives to end her own marriage. And when Kay discovers that Crystal is being unfaithful to Steven, she decides to try and win her ex-husband back. 

That this "contemporary" version (which also features Ann Sheridan and Joan Blondell) manages to feel even more dated today than the original eighty-one year old film is actually quite a feat. And although the musical numbers fit organically in to the show-business setting, these lame songs and garish production fail to ignite any magical sparks.

"Lady of Burlesque" (1943)

"Lady of Burlesque" is a silly, musical-comedy-mystery caper about some strippers who are being strangled to death while on the job with their own g-strings. Based on the aptly titled book, "The G-String Murders", allegedly written by the world-famous strip-tease artist, Gypsy Rose Lee whose colorful life would be the basis of the classic stage musical (and later movie), "Gypsy". The only reason to even consider watching this low-budget hooey is for the dazzling star presence of Barbara Stanwyck. The actress gives her all singing, dancing and displaying her expert comedy chops but it is all sadly wasted here. 

Stanwyck plays Dixie Daisy, a new attraction at the Old Opera, a New York burlesque theater on 42nd Street. The crowd loves her and she also captures the attention of Biff Brannigan (Michael O'Shea), a comedian at the club. Daisy, who has found that comedians are better with jokes than romance, is not interested. During a raid of the theater, someone tries to strangle Dixie but she escapes her attacker. However, another dancer, Lolita La Verne (Victoria Faust) is not so lucky, ending up dead with her undergarment wrapped around her neck. After another performer has been murdered, we have plenty of possible suspects yet there never seems to be much of an urgent concern to capture the killer. Even though someone that they all work with is, um, killing their fellow co-workers and the bodies are piling up in the theater yet the show continues to go on. 

"Lady of Burlesque" is set in a world where scantily-clad ladies seductively remove what little items of clothing they have on. Yet there isn't much skin to be seen here. That is because the Hays Code was in full effect, making sure nothing objectionable ever made it on to the the big screen. So William A. Wellman (the director behind the first Oscar winner for Best Picture, "Wings" and the first version of "A Star Is Born" in 1937) winds up having to rely on uninspired musical numbers and routine comedy skits to move the story along. As the film aims for wanting to be viewed as titilating, harmless fun, "Lady of Burlesque" is actually unsettling and a little ghoulish. Oh, and forget about the mystery. This is one of those who-dun-it where there are never any actual clues dropped and everything is explained with a lengthy conversation at the end.