You and Your Monster (CREDIT: Vertical Entertainment/Screenshot)
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster, Meghann Fahy, Ikechukwu Ufomadu
Director: Caroline Lindy
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: October 25, 2024 (Theaters)
Would I like to have a monster in my closet, just like Laura Franco (Melissa Barerra) discovers that she does in the new feature film Your Monster? Well, I’m kinda leaning towards the interpretation that the Monster (Tommy Dewey) is a metaphor and that he was really inside Laura all along, so maybe I already do! Honestly, I think that’s the most palatable interpretation, because the Monster is initially pretty rude to Laura in ways that really cross the line, although they eventually certainly soften and warm up to each other. Anyway, they still have some work to do by the end. Speaking of the end, the conclusion is bloody and over-the-top in a way that reminded me of The Substance, although I suppose those aren’t the only two movies that have ever gone for broke.
It turns out that this album isn’t coming out this week
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Conclave (Theaters)
–Your Monster (Theaters)
TV
–American Dad! Season 21 Premiere (October 28 on TBS)
Music
-JC Chasez, Playing with Fire -Bootsy Collins, Album of the Year #1 Funkateer (Rescheduled for April 2025)
-Ben Folds, Sleigher – Christmas Album
-Halsey, The Great Impersonator
-Pixies, The Night the Zombies Came – Lol.
-Soccer Mommy, Evergreen
Sports
-World Series (Begins October 25 on FOX) – Yankees v. Dodgers
Eddie and Venom horsin’ around. (CREDIT: Sony Pictures)
Starring: Tom Hardy, Juno Temple, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, Andy Serkis, Clark Backo, Cristo Fernandez
Director: Kelly Marcel
Running Time: 110 Minutes
Rating: PG-13 for Aliens Eating Humans and a Couple of F-Bombs
Release Date: October 25, 2024 (Theater)
What’s It About?: Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his alien symbiote soulmate have been laying low after their last Venom-ous adventure. But then it turns out that Eddie’s one of the most wanted men in America (or at least the Bay Area), and also some guy named Knull (Andy Serkis) who’s the master of all symbiotes is on an intergalactic trek to regain control of Venom and his ilk. So they head out for safer pastures, eventually making their way to Nevada, where they converge with a group of science and military types looking to exploit symbiote technology for their own purposes, as well as Knull’s beastly minions and an extraterrestrial-obsessed family excited about the recent declassification of Area 51.
What Made an Impression?: Science vs. Soldiers vs. Power vs. True Love: At the core of the Venom film trilogy is the unlikely, occasionally destructive, but ultimately mutually beneficial relationship between a broken man and a needy extraterrestrial creature. The Last Dance theoretically could just be about Eddie Brock walking across the desert while talking to the chaotic being living inside him, but their interpersonal tension has mostly been resolved over the course of the two films. So instead there are a few external conflicts that criss-cross with each other, though they all struggle to get their narrative fill. Juno Temple plays Dr. Teddy Payne, the Avatar of Science who wants to keep dangerous aliens alive for the sake of science; while Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Rex Strickland, the Symbol of Law & Order who wants to arrest Eddie and keeps yelling at Dr. Payne about all the men he keeps losing in the line of duty. Meanwhile, Rhys Ifans is the UFO-loving, Hippie Wild Card who throws a kumbaya wrench into the whole proceedings. Ultimately, all of these opposing factions eventually realize that they need to team up to defeat the power-mad Knull, which results in a kinetically conclusive set piece, though the characterization that gets us to that point is a little thin and petty. Aliens Are Always Bugging Out: How long has it been since insects have become the go-to design inspiration for big screen extraterrestrials? The xenomorphs of Alien are perhaps the proto-example, While the bugs of Starship Troopers were obviously a big deal in 1997. But it’s probably only been in the past decade or so that it’s become frustratingly de rigueur. The Last Dance continues this trend in the form of the creatures that are hunting down Venom and the other symbiotes, although there are some hints of creativity trying to break out. They’re basically giant, apparently indestructible, pointy-legged arachnids that can shoot out supersonic bursts (a weakness of the symbiotes). It sounds like it could be kind of cool in theory, but in practice, it’s just a chaotic swarm of fiery bursts and barely coherent screaming. And that’s The Last Dance in microcosm: there’s genuine personality scattered about, but it’s stuck in an inelegant mess. The desire to have fun is there, but it can’t quite hit it into overdrive.
Venom: The Last Dance is Recommended If You: Keep Your Own Personal Index of Every Single Marvel Comics Symbiote
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini, Lucian Msamati, Carlos Diehz, Brian F. O’Bryne, Merab Ninidze, Thomas Loibl, Jacek Koman, Loris Loddi
Director: Edward Berger
Running Time: 120 Minutes
Rating: PG for Some Smoking
Release Date: October 25, 2024 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: When it’s time for the Catholic Church to pick a new pope, the process is performed in secret by the highest-ranking members of the church hierarchy. Conclave doesn’t have any real footage to lift that veil, but it is bold enough to wonder: what if that deliberation went a little something… like this? Leading the titular conclave is Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who quickly finds himself wrangling diametrically opposed ideological factions and navigating a series of scandalous secrets that the deceased pontiff was apparently trying to uncover. Meanwhile, as the votes to elect the new pope fail to meet the majority thresholds, various contenders emerge and fall, potentially leading the church onto a path it has never trod before.
What Made an Impression?: Where Does the Church Go From Here?: As a born-and-bred, still-practicing Catholic, I appreciated immediately that Conclave understands how the Church membership is far from a monolith. That’s represented in microcosm by the cardinals, with the liberal wing represented by Lawrence, Stanley Tucci’s Cardinale Bellini, and John Lithgow’s Cardinal Tremblay; and the conservative flank led by Sergio Castellito’s Cardinal Tedesco. It definitely seems that Peter Straughan’s script (based on the novel of the same name by Robert Harris) is more sympathetic to the progressive side, but it’s clear that whomever is elected will be leading a worldwide congregation filled with various, difficult-to-reconcile ideas about how the church should exist in the 21st century. Efforts to bridge the gap within the conclave are not exactly satisfying; for one thing, the progressives consider compromising by supporting the most popular African cardinal (Lucian Msamati), but he’s even more socially conservative than Tedesco. Furthermore, it’s made consistently clear that none of these men are infallible, despite the immaculate position they’re in the running for. A passion for justice and unity does not shield one from the temptations of power, after all. A Sin to Fear Above All Others: If you’re a fan of deeply experienced thespians talking about big ideas that could possibly change the course of history, then Conclave has you covered as much as its cast list would suggest. Even if the final vote had been dramatically inert, this movie still would have had its pleasures. But the conclusion is not dramatically inert. Far from it, in fact, thanks to some admirable philosophical convictions (as well as a revelatory performance from Carlos Diehz, an actor I’ve never heard of before with a very thin IMDb). If there’s one thing that this movie comes out unmistakably against, it is Certainty. Indeed, in a tradition that places supremely high value on mystery and faith, certainty is not only foolish, but dangerous. And I would argue that you don’t have to be religious to understand that healthy skepticism is preferable to being absolutely sure about absolutely everything. In that vein, if you can keep an open mind, there’s plenty to appreciate, and maybe even love, about the mysterious wonders of Conclave.
Conclave is Recommended If You Like: The Second Vatican Council
A screenshot for the promo of this episode (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)
Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.
Hellooooo, my SNL family! Well, it’s time to talk about the October 19, 2024 episode of this here sketch comedy program that we all love to laugh at. The guest lineup, in case you weren’t paying attention, consisted of Michael Keaton and Billie Eilish. Interestingly enough, this was both his fourth time as host AND her fourth time as musical guest. But there was much more time elapsed in his case, as he first stopped by in 1982, while she made her Studio 8H debut in 2019.
As for my reviewing style this week, I’m going to stick with a classic, as I transcribe the notes I wrote in my notebook while watching the episode.
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Anora (Theaters)
–Goodrich (Theaters)
–Smile 2 (Theaters)
–Woman of the Hour (October 18 on Netflix) – Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut.
TV
–Happy’s Place Series Premiere (October 18 on NBC) – It’ssssssssssssssss Reba!
-2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (October 19 on Disney+) – An edited version of this event will also just so happen to air on ABC later this year.
–Poppa’s House Series Premiere (October 21 on CBS) – Starring Wayans Sr. and Jr.
–What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 Premiere (October 21 on FX) – Final Season Alert!
Music
-Tim Heidecker, Slipping Away
-Jennifer Hudson, The Gift of Love
-Japandroids, Fate & Alcohol
-MC5, Heavy Lifting
-Kylie Minogue, Tension II
Starring: Michael Keaton, Mila Kunis, Carmen Ejogo, Michael Urie, Kevin Pollak, Vivien Lyra Blair, Jacob Kopera, Nico Hiraga, Danny Deferrari, Laura Benanti, Andie MacDowell, Poorna Jagannathan
Director: Hallie Meyers-Shyer
Running Time: 111 Minutes
Rating: R for Gently Explicit Profanity
Release Date: October 18, 2024 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Andy Goodrich (Michael Keaton) wakes up one day to discover that his wife (Laura Benanti) is in rehab and that she’s leaving him. And he simply cannot believe it! He had absolutely no idea that she was struggling with prescription pills, and he didn’t pick up on any signs that he was drifting apart. So he uses this moment as a wake-up call to be a more mindful father to his nine-year-old twins Billie (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Mose (Jacob Kopera), as well as his pregnant adult daughter Grace (Mila Kunis). Meanwhile, he’s also trying to keep his struggling art gallery afloat by convincing the jazz musician daughter (Carmen Ejogo) of a recently deceased artist to let him exhibit her mom’s works.
What Made an Impression?: Is He a Bad Dad?: Writer-director Hallie Meyers-Shyer needs us to take a lot on faith in the setup of her second feature (after 2017’s Home Again). Because here’s the deal: based on what we actually see of him, Goodrich is a pretty dutiful dad. It’s reasonable to infer that he wasn’t always this attentive, as Blair, Kopera, and Kunis’s performances are weighed down by years and years of frustration. But even the picture that they paint doesn’t sound all that bad. Sure, he often works late and is kind of clueless, but he’s clearly making an effort to be available to the people who are important to him. You can’t tell me that he figured all that out in one day! But putting that straining of credulity aside, Meyers-Shyer has not bungled into a formula for disaster. Far from it, in fact. It’s a pleasure to watch Keaton play a guy who takes the extra step to do the right thing, especially when that entails obliviously but enthusiastically attending a feminist-themed performance space. The Kids Are All Right: One of the reasons that Andy doesn’t struggle to be a better dad is undoubtedly because his kids are just a delight to hang out with. Billie sets the tone early on when she announces, “If you don’t want me to talk like I’m from L.A., don’t raise me in L.A.” If that line sounds too precociously showbiz-y for you, then why are you even watching this movie? Honestly, a good chunk of the script is catnip for anyone who’s ever worked as an entertainment journalism professional. At one point, someone even declares, “You’re the Senior Entertainment Writer!” Maybe I’m making this sound a bit too niche for a general audience, but let me amend by saying that I suspect that its charms are fairly accessible. It’s grounded by the story of a family of intuitive folks who like to hash things out with each other through vulnerable conversations, and that’s pretty relatable and engaging.
Goodrich is Recommended If You Like: One-Season SNL Cast Members, Wacky open-mindedness regarding sexual orientation, Classic Michael Urie Neuroticism
TFW you’re not smiling… (CREDIT: Paramount Pictures)
Starring: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, Raúl Castillo, Kyle Gallner, and Drew Barrymore as Herself
Director: Parker Finn
Running Time: 127 Minutes
Rating: R for Disturbingly Creative Self-Mutilation, Some White Powder, and a Lot of F-Bombs
Release Date: October 18, 2024 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: The cursed entity from the first Smile is back at it again! Its latest victim is pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), who’s about to embark on a world tour one year after being seriously injured in a car accident that killed a dear friend. She’s mostly recovered, but she still has some gnarly scars and terrible back pain. Alas, nobody will prescribe her anything stronger than over-the-counter painkillers, thanks to her history of substance abuse. So she turns to an old classmate (Lukas Gage) for some Vicodin, but as luck would have it, he’s under the sway of the Smile Demon, and his sudden graphic demise passes it onto her. Soon enough, she’s seeing the creepy upturned lips among her fans, handlers, and most traumatic memories. Her demise feels as inevitable as that of everyone else who’s been infected, although a mysterious stranger might have some ideas about how to break the curse.
What Made an Impression?: Curses Are Gross: When I looked up my take on the original Smile, I recalled how frustrating I found that initial go-round due to the profound inability of the main characters to fight against the evil. With Parker Finn returning as writer and director, the sequel doesn’t do much to deviate from the already well-established formula. Like Sosie Bacon’s overworked therapist in the original, Skye is too psychologically vulnerable to fight back in any meaningful way (although the dynamism of a showbiz career does allow for a little more chaos). But a shot in the arm to mix things up does arrive in the form of Dylan Gelula as Skye’s estranged best friend Gemma. Ever since her breakout performance on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, she’s been a reliable avatar of disaffected youth, which allows her to convincingly react to the horrors that Skye is going through with lines like, “Ew, oh my god, what?” Sometimes evil just needs to be called out for being lame and disgusting. Symphony of Blood: Horror movies can be satisfying whether or not the monster is defeated at the end. But it’s hard to remain engaged if evil’s triumph feels inevitable. Smile 2 proposes a solution that could potentially end the Smile Demon, though it also resorts to a series of fakeouts that dash any sense of hope. That’s not exactly a problem, as the hallucinations are consistently tantalizing. On the other hand, at a certain point you can’t help but wonder: is anything that Skye experiences after being possessed real in any way? While it might be nice to have a little more clarity on that point, Finn papers over that concern with a more playful and daring approach than he utilized before, with disorienting upside-down cityscape shots and a bravura final set piece that may not conclude every plot point but does wrap things up emotionally with quite a bit of finesse. He’s an orchestra conductor directing his mayhem with devilishly perfected timing. The final note will leave you screaming, in pain and/or excitement, about the possibility of this story never ending.
Smile 2 is Recommended If You Liked: The First Smile But Thought It Should’ve Been More Like Beyond the Lights
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