This week is weirdly packed, complete with animated Transformers, Halle Berry horror, and Apple’s one-week release. Still, plenty of smaller films await audiences as well. This set of write-ups includes a satirical body horror film, a dystopian horror flick, a time loop comedy-drama, a coming-of-age comedy, a sci-fi YA movie, and a psychological horror film. The following features reviews for The Substance, Azrael, Omni-Loop, The 4:30 Movie, Uglies, and The Unraveling.
The Substance: 8 out of 10
The Setup: Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), renowned for an aerobics show, faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her. Amid her distress, a laboratory offers her a substance that promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself (Margaret Qualley). The only catch is making sure the substance is properly used, as it has horrifying side effects.
Review: There will be a lot of talk about how crazy The Substance gets, and it’s not the wrong way to address this film. Writer/director Coralie Fargeat has delivered a satire focused on vanity and celebrity culture pushed through the filter of an audacious body horror flick. There are no limits to grotesquery on display, which balances well with the very game performances from Moore and Qualley, both delivering some of their best work. Moore, in particular, really pulls off something fearless as she dives into an idea that finds her parodying her own image for the sake of this bizarre arthouse feature.
Inviting the question of how much is too much, at 140 minutes, while I was never less than entertained with everything on display, it’s understandable that not everyone will be on board with this sickly hilarious feature. That really comes down to the sort of barriers that may naturally be put up regarding the limits filmmakers tend to put on themselves. Well, with Fargeat being a European filmmaker, it’s only fitting for me to feel as though Titane and Triangle of Sadness are the closest recent films I would compare at least the mood and tone of The Substance to.
With that in mind, with the fantastical element on display (not unlike Titane), it’s truly daft to think about the steps taken to develop such a gonzo work like this. Part of the film’s success is how simple it spells out the premise from the outset, only to complicate things dramatically as it goes on. And yet, so much dark humor extends from the behavior of not just the two main leads but the LA world they exist in (which is only heightened to an extent). Dennis Quaid, for example, is having a ball here as a slimy producer fittingly named Harvey. A running gag involving exaggerated billboards and posters speaks loudly to how fame works in this industry. It’s about as subtle as a jackhammer, but it works at making The Substance one of the loudest, wildest, and funniest films of the year.
Where To Watch: Opening in theaters on September 20, 2024.
Azrael: 6 out of 10
The Setup: Years after the apocalypse, a devout cult of mute zealots hunts down Azrael (Samara Weaving), a young woman who escaped her own imprisonment.
Review: While the circumstances for how I see movies are not always important, I will note that I walked into Azrael blind. All I knew was that the film was written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next) and directed by E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills). As a big fan of those specifically noted works, I expected something darkly humorous and probably bloody. I was right about the latter. I was not at all expecting to get into what amounted to a live-action Last of Us: Part II downloadable content spin-off mission that replaces infected humans with theologically-based demons.
I say all that in a good way, as this movie is mean, lean, and quite the ride. Weaving is apparently wholly on board with getting into these demanding roles that require her to be hunted down and covered in gore occasionally. Still, she’s undoubtedly adept at doing so. As an entirely mute character, you feel the pain she’s going through during a film serving as one long chase during a very eventful 24 hours. It speaks well to the way tension is maintained throughout, with the violence reminding me a lot of what director Neil Marshall can pull off at his best. That said, Katz finds himself plenty able to create various threats and keep us involved with what’s taking place. Minus a few narrative turns that weren’t always the most favorable, there’s little holding this horror flick back from satisfying anyone in the mood for some proper thrills.
Where To Watch: Opening in theaters on September 27, 2024.
Omni-Loop: 6 out of 10
The Setup: A quantum physicist (Mary-Louise Parker) finds herself stuck in a time loop with a black hole growing in her chest and only a week to live. When she meets a gifted student (Ayo Edebiri), they team up to save her life and unlock the mysteries of time travel.
Review: Time loop movies have become much more popular in recent years, and I can understand why. Beyond just seeing newer filmmakers working with their influences, which include 1993’s modern classic Groundhog Day, the notion of figuring out one’s life, mistakes, potential, and more can be explored in interesting ways through this high concept. I’m sure it’s also an excellent way to pitch a movie. Still, it helps to see variations on this structure that not only result in a solid feature but mix up the expectations.
Parker is ideal for someone sardonic and underwhelmed with her life when we meet her. Her dryly funny remarks are pretty fitting for someone who’s been stuck in this loop for a while. It also means Edebiri is an excellent pairing, as her quick but also sarcastic wit allows these two to make for a compelling team for a film with things it wants to explore. Writer/director Bernardo Britto perhaps overstuffs the film with a few too many ideas and characters. Yet, by the time certain emotional elements really need to kick into gear, Omni-Loop has plenty working in its favor.
Where To Watch: Opening in select theaters and on digital on September 20, 2024.
The 4:30 Movie: 6 out of 10
The Setup: During the summer of 1986, three 16-year-old buddies spend their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local cineplex. When one of the guys (Austin Zajur) invites the girl of his dreams (Siena Agudong) to see an R-rated film, all hilarity breaks loose as a self-important theatre manager (Ken Jeong) and teenage rivalries interfere with his best-laid plans.
Review: It’s been frustrating to wish the best for writer/director Kevin Smith despite what I have felt were continued misfires as a director. Great to see his ambition extending into other forms of media, but as a feature filmmaker, there’s been so much left to be desired when looking at his Canadian horror comedies and his returns to the well with Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob. Fortunately, The 4:30 Movie is a step in the right direction. I have my share of issues with the film, but it’s at least doing more than just having its heart in the right place.
First and foremost, it’s the best-looking Smith film in a decade. Cinematographer Yaron Levy isn’t reinventing anything, but as a period film, while Smith’s directorial choices are still rarely inspired, there’s at least a stronger effort concerning how we see the world these characters occupy. As far as the script goes, Smith’s last true great strength, it is amusing to see him put together a heightened origin story for himself, allowing this movie to feel like an 80s The Fabelmans. However, instead of having a lead obsessed with filmmaking, he instead features a lead obsessed with watching movies. That’s a fun idea, and The 4:30 Movie gets the most mileage out of the films within the film and some of the talk regarding movie-watching culture.
I wish the effort to create new, interesting characters was better handled. Whether or not I believed this group as kids from the 80s, there was more to be desired when it came to the film properly creating actual conflict between them. At under 90 minutes, while I know this is another low-budget effort from Smith, it feels like he’s stripped this thing down to the bone as far as what it could offer. A shame, as he has some scenes reflecting Linklater-type influence, let alone a series of familiar faces (Jason Lee, Justin Long, Adam Pally, Rachel Dratch, Sam Richardson, the Clerks, of course, among many others) all willing to have fun on a Kevin Smith set. So I’m mixed on this one, but I’d still recommend checking out the matinee showing.
Where To Watch: Now playing in select theaters.
Uglies: 3 out of 10
The Setup: In a futuristic world that imposes cosmetic surgery at 16, Tally (Joey King) is eager for her turn to join the rest of society. But when a friend runs away, Tally embarks on a journey to save her that upends everything she thought she wanted.
Review: The unfortunate news is that director McG’s banishment to Netflix (or whatever you choose to call it) still hasn’t yielded good results. Okay, so maybe The Babysitter wasn’t awful, but regardless, while I have nothing against the former music video director, having gone from expensive blockbusters that at least had some visual invention to these crushingly generic streaming features has really made his features feel like a burden. But hey, at least fans of the Scott Westerfield novel may be satisfied in seeing an adaptation surface.
I know nothing about the book series, but I am aware that the time for dystopian societies being dealt with by young adults who must reckon with making adult choices and possibly dealing with romance seems quite dated by now. Plus, on a streaming budget, it will only offer so much to offset that feeling. Looking at Uglies, there’s just next to nothing going for it. King does her best in the lead role. I was amused at seeing Laverne Cox promoted to “important veteran character actor role in a YA sci-fi film.” Still, there’s little else to be intrigued by. The story is pretty standard, and while not insultingly bad, it’s all just very bland, with little to latch onto. And with that title, it only felt all the more like this was being set up for disaster.
Where To Watch: Now available to stream on Netflix.
The Unraveling: 6 out of 10
The Setup: After suffering a traumatic brain injury, a woman (Sarah Zanotti) is haunted by a gruesome presence and the suspicion that her husband has been replaced by an impostor.
Review: There’s a good premise at this film’s core and director Kd Amond has a good handle on how to inject jump scares at the right moment. Sometimes, that’s all you really need for a small-scale thriller that balances a standard trauma-based story with a mild mystery surrounding identity. The effort from star Zanotti is certainly not lost on me, as she must bring a lot of intensity to a role, constantly requiring someone to be very alert and feel as though they haven’t slept for days. There are limits to what this film offers based on its minimalism. However, it’s creepy enough to work with what it has and hold off from unraveling as a film.
Where To Watch: Opening in October 2024.
