As we get towards the end of the summer movie season, audiences will have the option of seeing a long-gestating bird-brained idea for a remake. There are also plenty of streaming options and recent releases as well. This set of write-ups includes a dark crime comedy, a spy action-comedy, a satirical thriller, a family-friendly drama, an adult drama, a wacky action-comedy, a martial arts flick, and a 3D Laika re-release. The following features reviews for Greedy People, The Union, Skincare, My Penguin Friend, It Ends With Us, Jackpot!, Life After Fighting, and Coraline.
Greedy People: 6 out of 10
The Setup: Follows the residents of a small island town who must navigate a sensational murder and the discovery of a million dollars, a series of increasingly bad decisions upend the once peaceful community.
Review: In simple terms, director Potsy Ponciroli and writer Michael Vukadinovich want to make it clear that crime doesn’t pay, but it does lead to seeing the worst sides of people. Greedy People is another Coen Brother-lite affair, in which a small town of quirky individuals find common ground in the form of a large sum of money. There are a variety of amusing and sometimes dangerous scenarios that break out based on the discovery of this stash of cash, and the film has the most fun when it comes to watching its two leads deal with what’s at stake.
Himesh Patel stars as the new cop in town with a pregnant wife (Lily James, making this a Yesterday reunion..and technically no Beatles songs are heard, so odd sequel?). He’s partnered up with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s seemingly well-meaning but hard-headed local cop. The story is designed to fill us in on a series of events occurring both concurrently with the action and previous to other scenes. It’s a bit of a jumble, and despite being a dark comedy, the mean-spiritedness threatens to ruin the vibe of the film one time too many to keep it from being stronger. With that said, the performances are solid, which includes supporting work from Uzo Aduba, Tim Blake Nelson, Simon Rex, and Jim Gaffigan, among others. There is the matter of “what was all this for” when looking at how things shake out, but that’s the nature of greed, even in a decent enough film.
Where To Watch: Available in theaters starting August 23, 2024.
The Union: 4 out of 10
The Setup: Mike (Mark Wahlberg), a down-to-earth construction worker, is thrust into the world of super spies and secret agents when his high school sweetheart, Roxanne (Halle Berry), recruits him on a high-stakes US intelligence mission.
Review: This must be one of Netflix’s ultimate dad movies. Mark Wahlberg plays a single blue-collar construction worker from Boston with no real aim in life, until all that changes when his ex-girlfriend, played by Halle Berry, recruits him to be a part of a super spy team because he’s just an average guy, making him perfect for infiltration. It’s like Arnold Schwarzenegger walking back into Recall and asking for another fantasy to make his life look better for a couple hours. With all that in mind, credit where it’s due, this is not the worst fake blockbuster Netflix has put out, nor is it as bad as Apple’s Ghosted.
Much of this comes down to Berry and Wahlberg, who work well together and are solid movie stars in their own right. They know how to make scenes work in a way that seems to escape others who have transitioned to streaming releases on more than one occasion. Director Julian Farino, who’s worked on a lot of TV series, including 20+ Entourage episodes (oh yeah), is not exactly providing much in the way of scope, but at least there’s some momentum here. Not hurting is the presence of J.K. Simmons, Jackie Earle Haley, Mike Colter, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who try to make this film look more legitimate than usual. All of that said, there’s still not a lot here. The plot is on autopilot as far as asking for anything for the audience to consider; laughs are barely there, and the action is entirely unmemorable. The Union may not sink to Red Notice lows. However, it’s still offering little from a group who’ve largely delivered much stronger work elsewhere.
Where To Watch: Now streaming on Netflix.
Skincare: 4 out of 10
The Setup: Famed aesthetician Hope Goldman (Elizabeth Banks) is about to take her career to the next level by launching her very own skincare line. However, she soon faces a new challenge when a rival opens a boutique directly across from her store. Suspecting that someone is trying to sabotage her, she embarks on a quest to unravel the mystery of who’s trying to destroy her life.
Review: While the first film in this post focused on greed, here’s one dealing with envy and pride. Loosely inspired by events involving an actual beauty guru, I wanted to be on board with what this film had to offer, but the script needed more work than the faces being treated by Bank’s Hope Goldman. Rarely finding a proper tone for all the disparate elements taking place, director and co-writer Austin Peters ends up trying to spin way too many plates for the sake of a story that could lean more into the severity of what’s taking place or have a keener eye on what it’s attempting to satirize.
As it stands, while Banks is giving it her all, Skincare finds too many ways to drag Hope through the mud without finding a better balance to give better meaning as to what this is all for. Even from a filmmaking standpoint, whatever effort is being made to highlight how beauty care routines factor into all of this, let alone life coaching, misogyny, and other prevalent ideas, becomes null after spending so much time in the same few locations for 90 minutes. A film that can be glossed over.
Where To Watch: Now playing in theaters.
My Penguin Friend: 7 out of 10
The Setup: A heartbroken fisherman (Jean Reno) finds a penguin drifting alone in the ocean, drenched in oil from a spill. He not only rescues the sea creature but also takes it under his wing, finding a sense of joy for the first time in years.
Review: Jean Reno is 76 years old and has had a broad career full of interesting choices. Yes, many of his more memorable turns were in action films and thrillers, but he hasn’t avoided comedies or dramas either. It took me a second to reconcile him playing a Brazilian fisherman, but once settled, I was entirely on board with this fun lark of a film. Inspired by a true story, while the easy breeziness of this concept, matched with the well-meaning nature of it all, doesn’t quite ascend to Paddington levels of charm, it’s still a lovely story about how a man and an animal were rehabilitated in different ways and forged a friendship of sorts that was enjoyed by all around them.
Director David Schurmann knows what he has with this film and doesn’t attempt to do more than what’s needed here. That said, capturing a penguin on film using some old-fashioned approaches (80% of the penguin footage is real) means getting an adorable sight on camera and letting the movie’s energy handle the rest. Entirely pleasant entertainment, with Reno leading the way effectively.
Where To Watch: Now playing in theaters.
It Ends With Us: 5 out of 10
The Setup: Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) moves to Boston to chase her lifelong dream of opening her own business. A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) soon sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, she begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents’ relationship. When Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), suddenly re-enters her life, her relationship with Ryle gets upended, leaving her with an impossible choice.
Review: It’s important to note that It Ends With Us being anchored by solid work from Lively and working towards a very affecting climax makes the whole endeavor worth it. The message is nowhere near subtle, but this film very assuredly gets it across. Based on a novel by Colleen Hoover (that I’ve gathered is more popular than it is liked), a lot of effort is certainly put in to deliver the appearance of a lighthearted romantic drama focused on characters with troubled pasts, and what sort of obstacles will lead to an eventual happy ending. Given how clear it’s been made that there’s more to it than that, it comes down to whether director/co-star Justin Baldoni is equipped to handle the tonal changes necessary to compensate for the dramatic shifts that occur. Given the awkward insertion of flashbacks focused on Lively’s youth and the abuse she witnessed from her father, it’s not so much that It Ends With Us has to battle tone. Really, I just wish the film was more well-rounded.
A lot of time passes over the course of the film, and yet, for all the things that occur, there’s very little we learn about any of the cast outside of what directly matters to the plot. I’m all for getting behind a melodramatic story that is clearly appealing to audiences who are not always well-served by theatrical releases, but being glossy and soapy can only get a movie so far. The people on screen look nice together, but the amount of drifting taking place before the stakes rise led to a film not always being as compelling as it could have been. It is worth noting that Jenny Slate’s Allysa appears out of nowhere early on, instantly becomes best friends with Lively’s Lily, and at least supplies the film with energy and personality. If only more of the film could harness that power and apply it to other areas.
Where To Watch: Now playing in theaters.
Jackpot!: 5 out of 10
The Setup: In the very near future, the Grand Lottery has been established in economically challenged California. The only catch? Kill the winner before sundown, and you can legally claim their prize. New LA transplant Katie (Awkwafina) accidentally finds herself with the winning ticket and must join forces with amateur jackpot protector Noel (John Cena) to make it to sundown in order to claim her multi-billion-dollar prize.
Review: There’s a fun premise here, and given the popularity of things like The Hunger Games and The Purge, the prospect of a comedic take on a society that has grown so outlandish that a form of murder has become an acceptable means of assuaging fed-up populations and desperate governments, one would hope director Paul Feig could deliver. Alas, Jackpot! is so utterly devoid of any attempt to really analyze what it has on its hands that it’s a bummer not to appreciate a movie like this more, despite the winning chemistry between Awkwafina and Cena. Seriously, while I don’t need every comedically bent social thriller to dive deep into the themes it presents, Jackpot! is almost comically shallow. It amounts more to the value of friendship and being a good person, as opposed to having anything more useful to say.
Still, the leads have fun here, which isn’t nothing. Cena, in particular, seems to be playing on his own nice guy persona by bending it with just how far his level of hospitality and patience can go. As a man of action, Cena gets the job done here, and Feig, not unlike with Spy, shows a touch more effort in filming these fight sequences, even if the film is still lit like a sitcom. Not falling too hard under the weight of comedic performances overdoing it with too many improv’d line readings padding out the runtime, Jackpot! doesn’t quite land, but it features some small treasures within.
Where To Watch: Now streaming on Prime Video.
Life After Fighting: 8 out of 10
The Setup: A martial arts instructor (Bren Foster) is confronted with the disappearance of two of his students, leading him into a direct confrontation with a group of international child traffickers.
Review: This movie has the goods. Much like 2023’s Fist of the Condor, which allowed Marko Zaror to step into a lead role and show people what he’s got, director and writer Bren Foster puts his best foot forward, spins around, and puts another foot forward into some guy’s chest while showing off just how capable he is as an action star. At two hours, this film is perhaps a touch long. Still, beyond a compelling enough first half that sets the stage for things to come, the final portion of this film really delivers on killer fight choreography, workable stakes, and a great level of tension. I had a blast with this film, which doesn’t ask much of its audience but is willing to get to intense levels. Fortunately, Foster doesn’t hold back from the action. He pushes hard right through it and then some.
Where To Watch: Now available on VOD.
Coraline – 15th Anniversary: 8 out of 10
The Setup: While exploring her new home, a girl named Coraline (Dakota Fanning) discovers a secret door, behind which lies an alternate world that closely mirrors her own but, in many ways, is better. She rejoices in her discovery until Other Mother (Teri Hatcher) and the rest of her parallel family try to keep her there forever. Coraline must use all her resources and bravery to make it back to her own family and life.
Review: As big a fan as I am of the stop-motion animation studio Laika, I’ve never actually had the chance to write about their first feature film. With Coraline re-entering theaters for its 15th anniversary, complete with a remastered 3D release, I was happy to watch it on the big screen again. Here’s the thing – this film is truly one of the best features ever to incorporate 3D, as it works not only on a visual level (it looks fantastic) but also on a narrative and thematic one. Rarely are features actually aided by this visual formatting choice, but with characters entering other worlds, battling with insecurities regarding identity, and having a final confrontation pushing animation boundaries to certain limits, it’s a real win for director Henry Selick.
As far as the rest of the film is concerned, Coraline is a delight, even when realizing that it is a straight-up horror film for kids. Honestly, that’s good. It’s great to have gateways for younger audiences to allow their interest in various genres to grow. While ParaNorman remains, hands down, my favorite Laika film, there’s so much wonder on display in this film, working as a great meld between Selick’s sensibilities and the writing of the original story’s author, Neil Gaiman. All of this makes for an animated feature that is well worth celebrating.
Where To Watch: Now playing in theaters.
