FILM REVIEWS:
ALIEN ROMULUS (USA 2024) ***
Directed by Fede Alvarez
ALIEN ROMULUS is a 2024 American science fiction horror film. Directed by Fede Álvarez, (EVIL DEAD, 2013 and DON’T BREATHE) who co-wrote it with Rodo Sayagues, the film was produced by Scott Free Productions and Brandywine Productions. It appears that the director of the regional ALIEN Ridley Scott can just sit back and collect the money from this cash cow franchise leaving the directing to someone else. The film is the seventh installment in the Alien franchise and serves as a standalone sequel set between the events of ALIEN (1979) and ALIENS(1986).
ALIEN ROMULUS is set between the events of ALIEN (1979) and ALIENS (1986). The story concerns a group of young space colonists who, while scavenging a derelict space station, come face to face with a Xenomorph. The cast and colonists include:
Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine, an orphan working a dead-end job at a mining colony
David Jonsson as Andy, an android programmed by Rain's father to act as her brother
Archie Renaux as Tyler, Rain's ex-boyfriend and Kay’s brother
Isabela Merced as Kay, Tyler's younger sister
Spike Fearn as Bjorn, Tyler and Kay’s cousin
Aileen Wu as Navarro, a pilot and Bjorn's girlfriend
The film has a strong female slant with Rain Carradine being the main female protagonist, as do many of the other films in the franchise which featured Sigourney Weaver.
ALIEN ROMULUS should satisfy its ALIEN fans and win more over because director Alvarez plays it safe, as the film contains many elements seen and made popular by other ALIEN films. Much of what is expected is delivered like gooey births of aliens sprouting from a human being’s chest like an overgrown parasite. Again there are close-ups of the monster's face right up close to the female protagonist, the alien’s mouth dripping with drool and other disgusting fluids. The dialogue contains phrases like Die bitch and die motherfucker as the heroes destroy the monsters. Included in the dialogue are a few lame astronaut jokes like: “I cannot put down the book on zero gravity” and ‘The claustrophobic astronaut needs space”.
The alien, nicely done by the special effects make-up crew worthy of the best of the ALIEN films is called the xenomorph (also known as a Xenomorph XX121 or Internecivus raptus, a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that serves as the title antagonist of the Alien franchise.
The question on the audience’s mind is why the film is called ALIEN ROMULUS. In Roman mythology, Romulus is one of the twin brothers who founded Rome. The name could imply themes of origin, creation, or the founding of something new, which might relate to the plot or the nature of the alien species in the film. The title might refer to a specific place, such as a planet or colony named Romulus within the universe of the film. This could be a key setting where significant events unfold. The reason is not made clear, however, there is one brief scene in which neon lights flash the word ROMULUS at the top of the screen which could imply perhaps the name of a space station in the film.
Trailer:
CLOSE TO TOU (UK/Canada 2024) *
Directed by Dominic Savage
CLOSE TO You, an intimate family drama on the effects of family dynamics on transitioning, stars Elliot (formerly Ellen) Page. On December 1, 2020, Page himself came out on social media as a trans man, specifying his pronouns as he and they, and revealed his new name, Elliot. Who better than Page, a Canadian actor and producer with accolades including nominations for an Academy Award, (for JUNO) three British Academy Film Awards, a Golden Globe Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, to play the role of a trans returning from Toronto to the small town of Cobourg to visit for her father’s birthday. Cobourg is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario 95 km (59 mi) east of Toronto and 62 km (39 mi) east of Oshawa. It is the largest town in and seat of Northumberland County. The film is shot in both Toronto and Cobourg.
Living in downtown Toronto, Sam (Page) hasn’t been back to his hometown of Cobourg since he transitioned. Now, after a four-year absence, he’s returning for his father’s birthday and a dreaded family reunion. The family was what made Sam leave Cobourg in the first place. On the train, Sam has a chance encounter with Katherine (Hillary Baack), an old friend he has not seen since high school. The two were once very close. Although Katherine is settled in Cobourg and married with children, the spark between them is still there. “You look so good… the same, just more you,” she says. Meanwhile, the family visit itself will force Sam to confront long-buried memories, and not-so-good ones at that,
Despite what appears to be a simple family drama, Page is an excellent actor, bringing meaning and thought to every line she recites from the script. Director Savage knows this, and utilizes Page as best he can, Page appearing in almost every scene in the film.
Canadian actors Wendy Crewson and Peter Outerbridge play Sam’s parents while Alex Paxton-Beesley, Janet Porter and Daniel Maslany play the siblings, and David Reale and Andrew Bushell his brothers-in-law.. There is also a cameo at the film’s start by former CITY TV icon Sook-Yin Lee as Sam’s roommate in Toronto’s Kensington Market area.
The one problem with films where a dysfunctional family meets on some occasion is that all the skeletons in the closet come out, which though might be different for different films, still feel cliched and forced into the script. The treatment of Sam’s family towards her and her transition all come out during the short gathering, which is of course, too much for any person to take in. The rekindled romance between Sam and her high school friend now currently married does not really work either.
The film is extremely personal with the topic transitioning and for this reason, will be a hard sell to the commercial public despite decent and committed portrayals in the film.
CLOSE TO YOU opens August 16 across Canada, including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Calgary, Victoria and more!
Trailer:
JACKPOT! (original title: Grand Death Auto) (USA 2024) **
Directed by Paul Feig
JACKPOT! is an outrageous action-comedy about a ‘Grand Lottery’ with a catch: kill the winner before sundown to legally claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot
Any title with the word death or hell or something bad almost seems a curse on the success of a movie. An example is the Sylvester Stallone flop HELL’S KITCHEN re-titled PARADISE ALLEY though the tactic did not work. The new MGM Studios Prime Video action comedy also goes on with the name change to JACKPOT! but the film, basically a one-joke movie runs out of steam faster than Katie can run out of her predators.
The premise is set in the dystopian future not too far off, where in order for California to obtain funds, they have created a lottery. When the lottery winner is announced the whole of California will be allowed to hunt down and kill the winner and thus recover the prize money. The only rule is that no guns are allowed. Everything is within the law. So unsuspecting Katie (Awkwafina) who has just arrived in California finds herself the recipient of the prize, only to be hunted down by everyone else (well, almost) including her roommate. Enter the scene Noel (John Cena) who provides protection to the winner for 10% of the stake. It is Noel and Katie versus the rest of California.
The story is a bit of a take-off of the successful PURGE franchise. In THE PURGE, a day is allotted in the United States where any crime can be committed, killings included in which all is lawful. It is a silly and unbelievable premise, according to this reviewer and one of the surprises is how this franchise has managed to do so well and spawned so many sequels including a sort of rip-off like JACKPOT!
Cena and Awkwafina make a good pairing but a one-joke movie can only go so far. Also, the action comedy genre has been more than overdone this year with films like THE FALL GUY and the recent DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE that is still playing in the theatres. Even director Paul Feig, best known for his terribly funny BRIDESMAIDS is unable to do much for the film. The only person to come out unscathed in the film is Simu Liu who plays the villain Louis Lewis.
The film does have a bright start with Seann William Scott (from the GOON movies and the AMERICAN PIE movies) being a lottery winner and running away before entering the apartment of a granny played by Dolly de Leon (TRIANGLE OF SADNESS). These are two big-name stars who make their cameo appearances during the film’s introductory segment. But whatever anticipation is soon lost after the segment.
Note that The JACKPOT! Jackpot Sweepstakes is launching with the campaign. Fans can go to TheJackpotJackpot.com to enter for a chance to win GOLD, CASH and BUFFALO WILD WINGS FOR A DECADE!! (Combined value is over $35,000 for one lucky winner.)
JACKPOT! Premieres Globally on Prime Video on August 15, 2024
Trailer:
MY PENGUIN FRIEND (USA/Brazil 2024) **
Directed by David Schurmann
With the closing credits comes the line: “The filmmakers wish to save the planet and all its precious inhabitants.” Inspired by a true story, MY PENGUIN FRIEND is a sappy story of a simple human being, a fisherman and his penguin friend. The penguin is not my pet, but my friend. What one would expect is a family movie so endearing that it can be a bit sickening - even though one might think that it is impossible to dislike a film about a human being and his trusty penguin. Aimed at pulling at the audience’s heartstrings at all costs, the film treads the fine line between credibility and ridiculousness. The film stars French actor Jean Reno who has been in French action films, though he was also in the disastrous Pink Panther film with Steve Martin.
Inspired by a true story; an enchanting adventure about a lost penguin rescued from an oil spill, who transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. The two soon become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them.
The story begins with Jaoa's (Jena Reno) loss of his son as he takes him fishing on his birthday in the boat that capsized. As if by Providence, Jaoa is gifted with the rescue of a penguin who becomes friends with Jaoa and his wife, Maria. Every year, this penguin swims 5000 miles back to Antarctica only to return to the island to reunite with Jaoa. Brazilian marine biologists discover this and the two are made famous. ‘You can interview me, but Dimdin (the name given to the penguin) comes and goes as he pleases.’ But offered a grant if the penguin is given to the university for research, poor Dimdin is captured only to escape a story that seems too incredible to be true. Director Schurmann makes no effort to create credibility in the story. The impossible incident involves Jaoa finding his penguin unconscious in the water at night around the island.
Many will not be familiar with the island where the film is set. The setting is Ilha Grande, one of the most pristine examples of Brazil's endangered Atlantic rainforest habitat, containing a multitude of species of plants and animals. A hotspot for biodiversity and conservation, Ilha Grande is home to at least 110 resident and migratory avian species, including Magellanic penguins, the one assumed to be the species the penguin in the film belongs to.
Good intentions aside, MY PENGUIN FRIEND is too implausibly made to be believed even though the film claims that a true story inspires it. Only young kids will believe what they see and perhaps that would be the target audience of this impossible film.
Director Schurmasnn is known to be fluent in creating poignant stories. His directorial debut, "Little Secret," was a triumph, representing Brazil at the 2017 Oscars. Based on the true story of his adopted sister, Katherine Schurmann, the film highlighted Schurmann's ability to craft poignant tales that leave a lasting impact on viewers. To his credit, beyond his cinematic pursuits, Schurmann leads the environmental initiative "Voice of the Oceans," raising awareness about critical ocean-related issues and demonstrating his commitment to positive change.
The film will open across Canada on Friday, August 16.
Trailer:
THE UNION (USA 2024) **
Directed by Julian Farino
A construction worker(Mark Wahlberg) is roped into the espionage world by his former high school girlfriend (Halle Berry).
Lots of small talk in the film. When Mike talks about last night, his woman tells him that it is their last night. Or during the meeting, Mike and Roxanne talk about puking on his tuxedo in high school that he claims he can still wear. The small talk runs throughout the film which is typical for a film that runs out of ideas for an action comedy.
The film is called THE UNION not because of the union between the two leads but because it stands for the name of a covert spy agency that works with ordinary working people like Mike who is a construction worker. The agency trains them with James Bond-type skills. The audience is to believe so, that Mike can turn into James Bond, driving fast cars and fighting enemy agents, Director Julian Farino is a British director and producer best known for his TV film MARVELLOUS which won him the BAFTA Television Craft Award for Best Director.
Unfortunately, neither director Farino, Halle Berry nor Mark Wahlberg is able to bring any fresh excitement to this well-worked romantic action comedy genre, the likes of which have seen better days in the recent THE FALL GUY or even FLY ME TO THE MOON. The film contains at most decent action, mostly missing in the first half of its running time, There is also little comedy, unless one likes small talk, not to mention the lack of Chemistry between the two stars. No one really cares if their mission is successful.
THE UNION is a Netflix original 9though one can hardly call it that) open for streaming this week.
Trailer:
