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
What a joke! (CREDIT: Warner Bros. Pictures/Screenshot)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Harry Lawtey, Bill Smitrovich, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Leigh Gill, Ken Leung, Jacob Lofland, Sharon Washington
Director: Todd Phillips
Running Time: 138 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: October 4, 2024 (Theaters)
Whenever they weren’t singing in Joker: Folie à Deux, I thought, “Why aren’t they singing?” And even when they were singing in Joker: Folie à Deux, I often thought, “Why aren’t they singing… more?” Occasionally, they were putting the right amount of emphasis on the Crooning & Hoofing.
The cartoon at the beginning was pretty good. Maybe they should’ve just done that the whole way through. Or if the animation just had to be a one-off lark, perhaps they could’ve at least behaved cartoonishly.
Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karaguilan, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksei Serebryakov, Darya Ekamasova
Director: Sean Baker
Running Time: 139 Minutes
Rating: R for Stripping, Partying, Shtupping, and Maybe a Concussion or Two
Release Date: October 18, 2024 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Multilingualism is a skill that can help you get ahead in the workplace, but can also be taken advantage of for somewhat questionable purposes. Mikey Madison learns that the hard way as the title character of Anora, a loopy and tragic farce about a not-exactly-promising romance. Ani is a Brooklyn-born stripper who can speak Russian and does some high-end escorting on the side, which is how she hooks up with Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), a bratty Russian heir who’s looking to have some fun with a nice lady in between all the video games he plays at his mansion. Their dalliance leads to an impromptu wedding in Vegas, and just as it looks like Ani and Vanya can beat the odds, word gets back to his parents, who don’t exactly approve of what their boy has been up to. So then a group of handlers suddenly show up to rectify the situation, leading to an all-night odyssey through seemingly every Russian-speaking corner of the borough to settle this matter once and for all.
What Made an Impression?: Always an Adventure!: Perhaps you’ve heard the slogan “sex work is work,” which is generally meant to restore humanity and remove the stigma from a group of people who are often shamed and ostracized. The idea is to emphasize that everyone, no matter what they do for money, is just trying to get by like everyone else. But in the films of Sean Baker, the emphasis is more about how a sex worker’s life can be just as ridiculous as anybody else’s. Anora slots right into his typical m.o. with what is essentially Pretty Woman by way of the Coen brothers. It’s basically an increasingly absurd comedy of errors in which nobody really has any idea what they’re doing. At times, the chaos threatens to become so over-the-top that you might start to wonder if the Russian goons will have to fight Ron Burgundy and the rest of the Channel 4 News Team with fire and pitchforks. The Promise of the Real: But as loopy as Anora is, it remains fastened to the rails of realism thanks to a series of performances that give off vibes like “Won’t you just let me do my job?” or “Can’t you just let me love who I love?” or “Won’t you just let me be me?” Madison anchors it all in what the entire world simply must accept is a star-making turn. If you’ve been anxiously awaiting for something like this after seeing her shine for five seasons as the oldest daughter on the FX sitcom Better Things, then your prayers have been answered. All of the supporting performers around her slot in with the appropriate amounts of cuckoo, unhinged, and/or harried. And WATCH OUT when Aleksei Serebryakov and Darya Ekamasova show up as Vanya’s mom and dad; if you only encounter one cinematic pair of disapproving Russian parents this year, you could do much worse than Nikolai and Galina. And keep a close eye on Yura Borisov, whose henchman character will keep you guessing. That brings me to another classic mark of a Sean Baker movie: it features plenty of interesting people.
Anora is Recommended If You Like: The vicarious thrill of watching other people getting up to misadventures while staying up all night
Still wondering whose line it is after all these years… (CREDIT: The CW/Screenshot)
It’s no secret that one of my favorite TV shows of all time is the comedy improv “game” show Whose Line Is It Anyway? I’ve podcasted about it. I’ve written about it here on this very website. I’ve quoted it incessantly in real life. So having proselytized about the Gospel According to Clive, Drew, & Aisha so much already, why do I suddenly feel the need to talk about it at length once more?
Well, I’ve had multiple conversations recently with people who aren’t even aware that new episodes are still airing. And I’m not surprised about that! They’re not being advertised very heavily, after all. But if you do want to watch, all you have to do is turn on The CW on Friday nights at 8:00 PM Eastern! Or stream the next day on The CW’s app or website.
I’m glad that these people got to spend some time together (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.
Happy Middle of October, Everybody! I hope you’ve been spending plenty of time with your boos.
Anyway, I’m here to review the 971st episode of Saturday Night Live, which just so happens to also be the third episode of the 50th season. Stevie Nicks was the musical guest for the second time ever, but the first time in more than 40 years. As for the host, well, that was Ariana Grande, who’s now in the rarefied territory of having been the host and musical guest of the same episode, the host but NOT the musical guest of the same episode, and the musical guest but NOT the host of the same episode.
You may have noticed that Ms. Grande was promoting her starring role in the upcoming film Wicked, which is based on a well-known stage musical, which was in turn based on a novel, which was in turn inspired by another novel. With all that in mind, I’ll be reviewing each sketch in this episode by saying something like “That was wicked…” (Please feel free to imagine me doing so in a Bah-ston accent.)
It’s another edition of The Classics, as Aunt Beth recommends a series of pop culture selections from 1978. First up is a trip through early 20th century America, Malick-style.
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Piece by Piece (Theaters)
–Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Theaters
–Terrifier 3 (Theaters) – I might also watch Terrifier and Terrifier 2, although I doubt I need to.
TV –Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Season Premiere (October 14 on ABC)
–Family Guy Halloween Special (October 14 on Hulu) – Entitled “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater”
–Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? Series Premiere (October 16 on Amazon Prime Video) – Hosted by Travis Kelce.
–Shrinking Season 2 Premiere (October 16 on Apple TV+)
–Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Series Premiere (October 17 on CBS) – A spinoff of Young Sheldon, which was itself a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory.
–Ghosts Season 4 Premiere (October 17 on CBS)
–Elsbeth Season 2 Premiere (October 17 on CBS)
Music
-Becky G., Encuentros
-Myles Kennedy, The Art of Letting Go
-The Linda Lindas, No Obligation
-The Offspring, SUPERCHARGED
Video Games
–Super Mario Party Jamboree (October 17 on Nintendo Switch)
A Trio of Movie Stars (CREDIT: Shout! Studios/Screenshot; Matt Infante/A24; Lionsgate)
Frankie Freako
Starring: Conor Sweeney, Kristy Wordsworth, Matthew Kennedy, Meredith Sweeney, Adam Brooks, Rich Evans
Director: Steven Kostanski
Running Time: 85 Minutes
Rating: Unrated
Release Date: October 7, 2024 (Theaters)
A Different Man
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson
Director: Aaron Schimberg
Running Time: 112 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: September 20, 2024 (Theaters)
Megalopolis
Starring: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Dustin Hoffman, Talia Shire, Grace VanDerWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Running Time: 138 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: September 27, 2024 (Theaters)
Hey dudes! I saw a few movies this week that I’m catching up on my thoughts about. Did they have any themes or intellectual concerns in common? Let’s take a closer look and find out.
Release Date: October 11, 2024 (Theaters)/Expands Nationwide October 18
What’s It About?: At various points in their life together, Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and/or Almut (Florence Pugh) meet each other via cute-but-awkward circumstances, argue about whether or not they want to have kids, raise a daughter, struggle through a cancer diagnosis, and compete in a prestigious cooking competition. They seem more or less destined to be with each other, though their courtship and union is not without its strife, both mundane and overwhelming. They’re the two main characters of a movie called We Live in Time, and as it turns out, their story is told in non-linear fashion. Because they don’t just live in time, they bounce around in it.
What Made an Impression?: Boyle’s Law: Every individual viewer’s moviegoing experience is affected by the circumstances in which they see the movie. So in the interest of establishing context, I shall let it be known that the auditorium in which I saw We Live in Time was excessively stuffy. Perhaps the air conditioning wasn’t working properly, or maybe it was shut off prematurely in the early fall, but either way, I was fanning myself with my notebook way too often. So not exactly ideal conditions! But even if I had been in a perfectly temperature- and humidity-regulated environment, I doubt that I would have been blown away by We Live in Time‘s twisty format. Its achronological composition feels rather haphazard, as opposed to unveiling a scintillating mystery or finding resonance through juxtaposition. Put another way: I imagine a straightforward approach would’ve had the same effect. Why So Dramatic?: Are Tobis and Almut #RelationshipGoals? Or is this a case of just muddling through? Eh, somewhere in the middle, I guess. They have their fair share of arguments, some of them quite nasty and personal, but they ultimately work them out more maturely than not. Plus, they have enough shared values that it feels like they’re working towards the same big goals. Which is why the moments when they don’t see eye-to-eye can be rather frustrating, as they fumble through awkward conversations and make ungenerous assumptions. Romances of course don’t always have to be perfectly lovey-dovey all the time, but these moments are all a bit a bit too petty to be dramatically fulfilling. Who has the time for that?! Anyway, there’s also a scene where Almut goes into labor in a gas station bathroom, and it’s kind of memorable.
We Live in Time is Recommended If You Like: Breaking things and then putting them back together
Clap along if you feel like you’re going to watch Piece by Piece (CREDIT: Focus Features)
Starring: Pharrell Williams and His Collaborators
Director: Morgan Neville
Running Time: 93 Minutes
Rating: PG for Mildly Explicit Lyrics
Release Date: October 11, 2024 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: There was something in the air in Virginia Beach in the 70s and 80s. Or maybe it was just synesthesia. Either way, Pharrell Williams was obsessed with music while growing up in The Old Dominion, and he was lucky enough to connect with a whole crew of other like-minded future professionals along the way. Soon enough, he was one of the most unique and in-demand producers and songwriters in the industry, which he eventually parlayed into his own string of inimitable hits as a lead artist. Somewhere along the way, he met up with acclaimed documentarian Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), and it all culminated in a decision to produce Piece by Piece, which tells Pharrell’s life story in animated LEGO-style form.
What Made an Impression?: Listen Up, Listen Up!:Piece by Piece flirts a little bit with hagiography (although it doesn’t shy away from its subject’s downtrodden moments), but you can understand why Neville takes such a loving approach. Pretty much everyone who has ever worked with Pharrell (or at least everyone interviewed for this movie) was immediately enthralled by him, as he has a knack for unveiling beats unlike anything they’ve ever encountered before while also uncannily capturing their essences. His collaborators are basically a who’s who of the past 25 years of hip hop, pop, and R&B, and as Piece by Piece reveals the stories behind his handiwork, I found myself marveling, “Oh wow, Pharrell was behind my favorite songs of so many different artists.” You might not have the same reaction, as individual tastes differ after all. But if you care about popular tunecraft, chances are high you’ll be tapping your toes and feeling your heart skip a beat at least a little bit. Pharrell the Blockhead: But ultimately what sets apart Piece by Piece as a step above is in fact its gimmick. That’s right, those iconic Danish construction toys do a mighty fine job of conveying what it’s like to live in Pharrell’s head. After an intoxicating opening sequence, I wondered if this hook could sustain its novelty over a feature length running time. But whenever my skepticism reached a tipping point, PbP responded with another hit of its signature playful Lego craftsmanship. Maybe you’ve gotten to the end of this review and find yourself still asking: does Pharrell’s career merit an entire documentary? Well, if it’s going to be as creative as Piece by Piece, then sure it does.
Piece by Piece is Recommended If You Like: Talent shows, Falsettos, Rump Shaking
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