Andrew Daume
As the leaves start to fall and the temperatures drop, the movie theatre seems to beacon my name more and more. This is especially prevalent with all the new movies that have dropped lately. Strap in, hot takes are incoming because it’s time to review the latest movies that have hit the silver screen! From Beetlejuice to Venom, Here are 5 movie reviews from this fall. (Film order not significant, just irl chronological.)
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
As someone who only vaguely remembers the first Beetlejuice, and only rewatching parts during reruns on TV, I was satisfied with how this movie went. One thing Beetlejuice shines at is practical effects. When Betelgeuse’s (yes that’s how you spell his name) face contorts with giant eyes and a huge face I can’t help but clap like an ipad kid. The plot was unmemorable, but it did its job. It started with a basic plot about Lydia Deetz’s, the medium and Betelgeuse’s previous one-sided love interest, show about being a medium and cleansing spirit. Her daughter, played by teen heartthrob Jenna Ortega, is in the middle of a rebellious stage in her life going against her family to carve her path. Then she meets a boy, which catapults the plot, then begins a simple but entertaining storyline, with a slight plot twist, that leads to the all-important Betelgeuse summon. Micheal Keaton nails the role, as expected. Overall the boyfriend plotline is thrown away too easily, and the romances are shallow but get the plot moving enough. This unnecessary sequel was entertaining but could have benefitted from some additional runtime, and the different plotlines could’ve been cleaned up. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a good time at the movies, especially when turning off your critical lens and sitting back to watch the show go on.
- Joker: Folie à deux
Joker: folie à deux seems like a strangely unnecessary musical sequel, right up until the final act. The beginning is a decent, slow burn. It begins by showing us the daily prison life of Arthur Fleck, and the aftermath of the first movie. Arthur is infamous among the guards and prisoners, frequently bullied and treated like trash, despite getting his fellow prisoners riled up. The movie hits its stride when Arthur goes to court and the courtroom drama sections, and we finally get to see Arthur be the Joker. Although most of these scenes take place in his head, Joaquin Phoenix nails this role as both Arthur and the Joker, spotlighted by these metal scenes where Phoenix gets to play with the character to the world’s dismay. The Joker, although paced unsteadily, is still a gripping story of a man dealing with the aftermath of being America’s next potential Charles Manson. We see this idea peak after the climax of the film, where one of Joker’s followers takes the verdict into his own hands. Then a thrilling car chase follows, that ultimately caps off with a disappointing ending, where we see the fruits of Joker’s desperate labor fall flat when he reaps exactly what he sowed. We see the rise and fall of a sad man, clinging to any hope his followers give him, ultimately being shot down by those he trusted. It is a film meant to stab you right in the expectations and keep you guessing until you leave the theatre profoundly gutted and yet wanting more, while knowing that’s the end. Also, it’s a musical…and Lady Gaga is in it. Both of those things add a lot to it, but ultimately don’t go anywhere.
- Long Legs
This horror/thriller movie kept me hooked. The main plot about the FBI investigator and psychic was a gripping perspective. Some intense moments were effectively nailed by the actor’s performances and the directing. Although the killer character could’ve benefitted from some mystery, there was still plenty to keep you guessing. This “Silence of the Lambs” inspired piece features Nicholas Cage in a new light, and new cosmetics. His performance is unrecognizable, and yet his unwavering talent shines through. When it comes to the plot, the buildup is gradual and sincere. The plot twist, that being the main character gets more involved then she bargained for, is a shocking and exciting twist. It’s almost predictable, but just fresh enough to throw viewers off. The ending scene shocked me, but in a way made it all come full circle. The film ends right when the climax ends, which is rare for movies nowadays, but the lack of epilogue kept me interested in the ideas presented, long after I walked out of the theatre.
- Saturday Night
Coming out of nowhere, this low-budget film is about the first night of SNL’s life, the very first Saturday Night Live show to be aired. This tense moment-to-moment movie takes place within 90 minutes before air. This movie keeps you on your toes and you stay on those toes right up until the end. The shining stars in this film are… well the stars. Gabriel LaBelle does a fascinating job capturing the emotions of a stressed-out producer who wants to do it all but doesn’t have enough time. The cast really saves this movie from being a run-of-the-mill behind-the-scenes look at producing a now-prominent show. The constant bits and jumping back from character should get overwhelming for the audience but I can only recount a few times where I would question “Who is this character again? What’s their role?” and even then I can ride along with the plot and still have a good time. The chaos of the film can become a little disorientating, and seeing it through the lens of the producer was less interesting thanm I thought. This doesn’t bog the film down too much The surprise appearances of JK Simmons, and William Dafoe, both starring as older men who want to tear down SNL’s start to make room for themselves, are surprising, but welcome conclusions to the story. Even though the viewer knows SNL premiered and was successful, the tense seconds leading up to the approval of the show had me on the edge of my seat. Overall this film was not the most memorable, but it sure kept your eyes glued to the screen with a glowing cast and a tight moment-to-moment storyline.
5. Venom: The Last Dance
The finale of the hit or miss Venom trilogy is here. After 2 mediocre, but enjoyable venom films the finale is here. The film itself is very entertaining in the beginning, spotlighting Venom and Eddie’s dynamic which is one of the best parts of the film. The visuals are also quite spectacular, especially the symbiote CGI. The spectacle of the film is good, taking Eddie from location to location to avoid the evil minion things, and it keeps the audience engaaged. The films B-plot follows a military operation to elimainate the symbiotes, and I can’t describe how disjointed and unengaging that part is. Every time it cuts away from Eddie, I knew I was about to check out for a solid 5 minutes until Eddie came back on screen. Don’t even get me started on the family C-Plot, whats supposed to be a representation of what Eddie wants, a peaceful life with a family, comes off as an unnecessary bloating of the plot to eventually give more stakes to the already tense final battle. The ending of this film is satisfying, as it closes off Eddie and venoms story with a messy bow. But the post-credits scene, featuring the underutalized badass Knull, a universal threat to end all threats stuck being chained in place, shows the potential to what the Sony-verse might offer. But knowing Sony’s history with following up on their superhero-movie promises (where’s Amazing Spiderman 3 Sony? The promised Sinister Six movie?), this epic teaser might just age like milk.
This film caps off Sony’s “villain-verse” that started when Venom 1 hit theatres in October 2018. Since then we’ve been blessed with delicious junk like Morbius, Madam Web and of course the upcoming Kraven the Hunter movie our this December… only time will tell if that movie follows the junk path, or breaks the cycle.
