Some Thoughts About ‘Oldboy’ on the Occasion of Its 20th Anniversary Restored & Remastered Re-Release

August 15, 2023

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The Oldest of Boys… New Again (CREDIT: Neon/Screenshot)

Starring: Choi-Min sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung

Director: Park Chan-wook

Running Time: 120 Minutes

Rating: R for Unbridled Vengeance and Surprisingly Tender (But Also Somewhat Aggressive) Sexuality

Release Date: August 16, 2023 (Theaters)

If you only see one Restored & Remastered movie in 2023, then it’s time to summon that vengeful spirit and get thee to a viewing of Oldboy!

If you’re a cinephile who came of age in the early 20th century, then chances are high that this landmark feature from Park-Chan wook has loomed large in your cultural travails. Perhaps you’ve never actually seen it, or maybe you watch it at least once a year. Wherever you are on that spectrum, now’s the perfect time to check out this thrilling cinematic reverie.

My recollections of the beginning of my Personal Oldboy Journey are a little hazy. I believe I first saw it when I was in college, so sometime between 2006 and 2010. But I’m not sure whether or not I actually saw the entire thing. I might have walked in a little bit after one of my roommates turned it on. Nevertheless, there are a few moments that have remained indelible in my subconscious: Choi Min-sik’s untamed hair, the coffin on the rooftop, the live octopus feast, the one-shot hallway melee, and of course, that taboo-busting ending.

So when I took in an advance screening of this 4K remastered version a few weeks ago, I was a little taken aback about how much it felt new to me. Sure, it had been 15 years or so since my first Oldboy encounter, but it all feels so unforgettable in the moment. Paradoxically, though, any forgetfulness makes perfect sense, as it also feels like a dream in the deepest recesses of our recollection. As soon as you walk out of the theater, you can’t help but doubt the reality of what you just saw. Even 20 years later, there’s nothing quite like Oldboy. It’s transgressive and treacherous, but also an absolute treat.

Grade: 5 out of 5 Remasters

A Few Sentences to Read If You’re Thinking About Staying at the ‘Haunted Mansion’

August 13, 2023

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A Haunting in Mansion (CREDIT: Walt Disney Studios/Screenshot)

Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Chase W. Dillon, Jared Leto, Jamie Lee Curtis

Director: Justin Simien

Running Time: 122 Minutes

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: July 28, 2023 (Theaters)

The titular abode in Haunted Mansion doesn’t strike me as particularly scary, but it does look like a hell of a ride. So honestly I wouldn’t mind an overnight stay there. It’s mostly safe, with some rocking and swaying, and the threat of death is nbd. Maybe this is how Scorsese felt when he compared Marvel to amusement parks?

Grade: You Can Let Me In, But I Won’t Stay Too Long

Entertainment To-Do List: Week of 8/11/23

August 11, 2023

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Four-k yeah! (CREDIT: Hulu/Screenshot)

Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.

Movies
–Gran Turismo (Limited Theaters August 11, Wide August 25)
–The Last Voyage of the Demeter (Theaters)

TV
–Solar Opposites Season 4 (August 11 on Hulu) – The Solar Opposites are back! (Dan Stevens takes over for Justin Roiland.)
–Killing It Season 2 (August 17 on Peacock) – I still haven’t finished Season 1 though!

Music
-Neil Young, Chrome Dreams – This was originally supposed to come out in 1977.
-The Hives, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons – Swedish.

Sports
-Little League World Series (August 16-27 on on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC)

‘Red, White & Royal Blue’: Straightforward Queer Love Story, or Something Kookier?

August 10, 2023

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A couple of party dudes (CREDIT: Jonathan Prime/Prime Video)

Starring: Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicholas Galitzine, Uma Thurman, Clifton Collins Jr., Sarah Shahi, Rachel Hilson, Ellie Bamber, Thomas Flynn, Malcolm Atobrah, Akshay Khanna, Sharon D. Clarke, Aneesh Sheth, Juan Castano, Stephen Fry

Director: Matthew López

Running Time: 118 Minutes

Rating: R for Explicit and Tender Sexuality

Release Date: August 11, 2023 (Prime Video)

What’s It About?: Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) is the son of the first female President of the United States (Uma Thurman). Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) is one of the grandsons in the British royal line of succession. (Although, just like a certain real-life prince, he’s a spare, not an heir). They’re forced to interact with each other at various diplomatic functions, but they hate each other’s guts. Do I need to make it any more obvious?

In case I do, it’s a modern-day queer Pride and Prejudice. Or at least that’s the first third of Red, White & Royal Blue. Alex and Henry are actually able to get past their shallow first impressions relatively quickly, and once they accept each other, the bigger question is whether or not everybody else can. The world that we see in the movie generally reflects the most progressive modern attitudes towards queer love stories, but there are a few snags. For one thing, there are worries that Alex’s dalliances could derail his mom’s re-election campaign. And more pressingly, there’s the question of whether or not there’s even a place for a gay prince in the royal family.

What Made an Impression?: Searching for Personality: It’s nice to see a globally released queer rom-com that doesn’t shy away from the most explicit parts. But it would have been even nicer if it didn’t feel so generic. Perez and Galitzine are charming enough, and their chemistry is serviceable, but the paint-by-numbers setting isn’t doing them any favors. A political backdrop certainly doesn’t need to perfectly recreate the real world, but it ought to at least be interesting if it’s going to be so integral to the story. Alas, we never really get a sense of what it’s like to have an America with a female president beyond mere platitudes. There’s at least some more urgency on the other side of the pond, as the presence of a gay prince is something that the crown hasn’t fully grappled with, and the juice of that drama is squeezed enough to feel the tension.
Strange Bursts of Personality: Thankfully, Red, White & Royal Blue isn’t entirely a slog through the most generic story beats possible. It has some sparks of coming to life, particularly a New Year’s Eve party soundtracked by perhaps the dirtiest mainstream hip-hop song of all time. Then when Alex opens up with his parents about what’s really going on, they have conversations that can best be described as “shockingly open-minded.” Thurman and Clifton Collins Jr. (as Alex’s senator dad) absolutely relish these opportunities to wax poetic about the likes of Truvada and gender-neutral bathrooms. I just wish the rest of the movie had been this inspired to let its freak flag fly. It’s what Alex and Henry (and those of watching) deserved.

Red, White & Royal Blue is Recommended If You: Can Handle a Watered-Down Version of Reality

Grade: 2.5 out of 5 Giant Wedding Cakes

Entertainment To-Do List: Week of 8/4/23

August 4, 2023

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3 Murders and a Building (CREDIT: Hulu/Screenshot)

Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.

Movies
–Meg 2: The Trench (Theaters)
–Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Theaters)

TV
–Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Season 2 Premiere (August 6 on HBO)
–Only Murders in the Building Season 3 Premiere (August 8 on Hulu) – Streep and Rudd join the cast.

Music
-Mammoth WVH, Mammoth II – Wolfgang Van Halen’s band.

Sports
-AIG Women’s Open (August 10-13 on USA, NBC, and Peacock)

‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ is a Mighty Good Time

August 1, 2023

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Mayhem in More Than Just a Half-Shell (CREDIT: Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies)

Starring: Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, Jackie Chan, Ayo Edebri, Ice Cube, Hannibal Burress, Rose Byrne, John Cena, Natasia Demetriou, Giancarlo Esposito, Post Malone, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Maya Rudolph

Director: Jeff Rowe

Running Time: 100 Minutes

Rating: PG for Stylized Action Violence and Jokes with a Rude ‘Tude

Release Date: August 2, 2023 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael (Micah Abbey, Nicolas Cantu, Shamon Brown Jr., and Brady Noon, respectively) just want to spend more time living out of the sewers. Is that too much to ask?! Alas, their adoptive father Splinter (Jackie Chan) insists that they must remain in the shadows. He’s a walking and talking rat, and they’re walking and talking turtles, and all the evidence indicates that humans just aren’t ready to interact with mutated animals. But the boys are growing up, and New York City has plenty of delicious pizza. So when they befriend budding journalist April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri), they really start to believe that humans are worth getting to know. And when they encounter a cadre of other mutants led by the giant housefly Superfly (Ice Cube) intent on taking over the surface world, they decide that they must become humanity’s protectors.

What Made an Impression?: Not Afraid to Be Scary: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a fascinatingly enduring franchise. What began as a reputedly dark comic book in the 80s turned into an inescapable cheesy phenomenon with the live-action 90s films. It was a supernova that burned out quickly, but it’s hung around with occasional reboots and several TV series. You don’t need to know any of that backstory to enjoy Mutant Mayhem. But you do have to be comfortable with some kid-targeted entertainment that isn’t afraid to get dark. The animation and the fantastical nature softens the edges a bit, but still, this is a movie where the threat of mutant-on-mutant and mutant-on-human violence is very real. Younger viewers might be spooked a bit, but they’ll appreciate how hardy the heroism feels.
Milking the Gags: The turtles are a bunch of adolescent jokesters, so any TMNT flick worth its ooze will deliver the laughs. Mutant Mayhem pulls this off by crafting its own yuks from the ground up. There’s one particularly satisfying running gag about whether or not the turtles can be milked. (They don’t have nipples! … Or do they?) Two of the producers and screenwriters are Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen (the latter of whom also voices mutant warthog Bebop), and you can just feel how much they’ve been itching to put their own spin on these characters for quite some time. These aren’t just tossed-off quips and catchphrases, but zingers and character beats that reward you for paying attention.
Sliced-and-Diced Animation: The sharpness of the comedy meets its match in the animation, with every cel feeling like it’s been lovingly sliced by a katana blade. This is no standard-issue CG rendering; instead, deep thought has clearly been considered about what style fits the story’s personality. It’s an irreverent, adrenaline-filled adventure crossed with a neon sugar rush. Every pixel feels like it’s working, and the whole picture just undeniably pops on screen.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is Recommended If You Like: Pizza, Viral puking videos, The Spider-Verse

Grade: 4 out of 5 Half-Shells

jmunney’s Top Cinematic Choices for August 2023

August 1, 2023

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Do you know where your dog is? (CREDIT: Chuck Zlotnick/Universal Pictures)

They keep making new movies, and some of them are even worth watching. Here’s what’s at the top of the slate for August 2023:

Strays: Will Ferrell is voicing a terrier that kind of looks like my brother’s dog. Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, and Randall Park voice the other dogs. Will Forte plays the human they have beef with.

Strays will sit and lie down in theaters on August 18.

More

Entertainment To-Do List: Week of 7/28/23

July 28, 2023

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(CREDIT: HBO/Screenshot)

Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.

Movies
–Haunted Mansion (Theaters) – The cast looks pretty cool.
–Talk to Me (Theaters)

TV
–How To with John Wilson Season 3 Premiere (July 28 on HBO) – Final Season Alert!
–Run the Burbs Series Premiere (July 31 on The CW) – This began airing in Canada last year, now it’s premiering on U.S.A.* TV (*not the network, the country).
–Physical Season 3 Premiere (August 2 on Apple TV+) – Final Season Alert!
–Reservation Dogs Season 3 Premiere (August 2 on Hulu) – Final Season Alert!

Music
-Bethany Cosentino, Natural Disaster – Debut solo album for one half of Best Coast.
-Joni Mitchell, Joni Mitchell at Newport
-Post Malone, Austin

Podcasts
–Full House Rewind – Dave Coulier reminisces about the Tanner clan.

‘Talk to Me’ Invites You to Talk to the Hand and Take a Death Trip

July 27, 2023

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Start talking (CREDIT: A24)

Starring: Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen

Directors: Danny and Michael Philippou

Running Time: 95 Minutes

Rating: R for Bloody Possessions and Horny Dialogue

Release Date: July 28, 2023 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Let’s give ’em a hand! On second thought, maybe not. Especially if the hand in question is the one from Talk to Me, the feature directing debut from Australian brothers Danny and Michael Philippou. At first glance, it looks like a harmless, though creepy, piece of porcelain, with a bunch of handwritten messages all screwed across. But when you go in for a handshake and say “talk to me,” suddenly a pus-spewing spirit appears. Then when you add “I’ll let you in,” you’re suddenly possessed. It’s treated like a viral social media challenge, but of course it turns about as deadly as you might expect. Specifically, 17-year-old Mia (Sophie Wilde) takes it too far when she thinks she’s made contact with her mother Rhea (Alexandria Steffensen), who recently committed suicide. Her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) urges at least some semblance of caution, but the opposite is in store when her younger brother Riley (Joe Bird) ends up with a bloody body and a trapped soul.

What Made an Impression?: A New Vision: Horror audiences are perhaps the most seen-it-all breed of moviegoer in the multiplex. So it’s special when you stumble across something that really doesn’t feel like anything else you’ve ever encountered before. Talk to Me‘s individual components are familiar, from the young people foolishly meddling with the supernatural, to the trauma-filled backstory, to the visions that can’t be trusted. But it’s all combined into a package with a new, spruced-up veneer. Maybe it’s all those thick Aussie accents giving me fresh vibes. Or it’s probably that hand – it’s quite a hook!
Young, Dumb, and Very Dumb: Horror movie characters aren’t exactly known for their sensible decision-making, especially if they’re teenagers. But the kids in Talk to Me take it to another level. Every possible warning was there to convince them not to mess with the hand in the first place. A prologue presents an earlier chapter in which a previous handshaker ended up stabbing his own brother and killing himself. The current batch of kids are fully aware of this backstory. It’s not some urban legend, but a well-known cautionary tale. But there’s a certain rush to flirting with death, and they’re all onboard for the extreme risks. It doesn’t make it any less maddening to watch them put themselves in harm’s way, though.
Fully Uncompromising: Talk to Me is not for the faint of heart. It fully earns its R rating with faces stuffed into bloody pulps and unrelenting treatment from demented spirits. It’s of course no surprise for this genre to be as deadly as possible, but it’s still an accomplishment when the demises are as devastating as they are here. Mia and her crew are immature and in over their heads, but their sudden twists of fate are much crueler than they deserve. The Philippou brothers aren’t here to let you get comfortable, though. So make peace with your maker, because if you’re looking for relief, you’ll need to find it elsewhere.

Talk to Me is Recommended If You Like: Sinister, Final Destination, It Follows

Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Hands

‘Kokomo City’ Review: A Quartet of Black Trans Sex Workers Give Us the Scoop

July 26, 2023

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Way down in Kokomo… (Courtesy of Sundance Institute and Magnolia Pictures | Photo by D. Smith)

Starring: Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell, Dominique Silver

Director: D. Smith

Running Time: 73 Minutes

Rating: R for Unfiltered Conversations and Some Unfiltered Nudity

Release Date: July 28, 2023 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Sex workers tend to operate within the shadows of society. And for transgender sex workers, that’s even more true. But director D. Smith is pulling back the curtains on that world in the documentary Kokomo City, as she touches down in New York City and Atlanta to interview four of these ladies: Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell, and Dominique Silver. For a little more than an hour, they get the chance to spill as much tea as they want. No explicit detail is spared, nor should it be, if we want to get the full picture. So reserve your judgment and let go of your pearls, because they’re got plenty of stories to tell.

What Made an Impression?: Tale as Old as Time: In my 35 years on this planet, I can’t remember a time when the culture at large was more open-minded about both sex work and transgender people. Of course, there’s also been a concerted pushback against the progress of queer groups, but that resistance makes it clear just how visible they’ve become. This is all to say, I can’t imagine Kokomo City arriving in theaters anytime before now. (Although, it does feel like the sort of thing that you might have stumbled upon on HBO or Showtime at 3:00 AM 25 years ago.) Its existence is remarkable, but it treats its subject matter as unremarkably as possible. As the ladies talk about guiding their clients through taboo desires and navigating threats of violence, it’s all so matter-of-fact, and I imagine it’s always been that way for them.
Casual Intimacy: When D. Smith sat down with her interviewees, I don’t think they imagined that some random white cishet male critic would be analyzing their stories so closely. Or maybe they did! By committing their stories to a documentary, it opens up the possibility that any theoretical audiences could stumble upon them. And they seem to be okay with that. Or at least, they were comfortable enough around their director that they were willing to be open about pretty much anything without worrying about the secondary listeners. That sense of intimacy was underscored particularly for me during some footage shot at Brooklyn Bridge Park, a location I’ve run through on plenty of occasions. I certainly haven’t lived the same experiences as these ladies, but I’ve trod the same ground, and so surely have millions of others.

Kokomo City is Recommended If You Like: Talking heads, LGBTQ activism, Gossip

Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Confessions

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