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| Courtesy of Sony |
(Rated R for brutal violence throughout, language and some drug content.)
The cast: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Bill Pullman and Melissa Leo.
What it’s about: In the first sequel of his career, Washington returns as Robert McCall, a former government agent who now uses his deadly skills to help people who have nowhere else to turn. But when his best friend is murdered while investigating a crime overseas, he vows to find the culprits and exact revenge.
The good: Coming from someone who wasn’t a big fan of the first installment, I was pleasantly surprised at how much Washington, director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter Richard Wenk stepped up their game. Sequels rarely outshine their predecessors, but in this case it’s not even close.
Most importantly, they fix what didn’t work about the first one: the pacing is vastly improved and there’s no boring, unnecessary subplot (that Russian mafia storyline was a snooze). Instead, they spend far more time on enjoyable story elements, namely Washington as a street-level superhero who makes connections with everyday folks in trouble while mourning his wife’s death.
The actor handles himself astonishingly well in the film’s many fight scenes, but the rapid-fire editing and strategically placed stuntmen indicate he might be aging out of the action genre. Regardless, it still suits him for the moment, so I’ll enjoy it for as long as I can.
Washington is surrounded by an effective supporting cast, including Leo and Pullman reprising their roles as McCall’s friends and sole connection to his former life. However, most viewers will likely find themselves connecting with Sanders, playing a troubled kid who finds a kindred spirit in McCall. One scene between the two, a lesson in tough love at a critical moment, is especially powerful. The same goes for a poignant surprise near the end that I must admit I didn’t see coming. Who would’ve thought I’d get choked up during The Equalizer 2?
The not-so-good: Fuqua’s penchant for ultra-violence continues unabated. If the graphic way McCall dispatched his opponents in the first movie made you squeamish, the director doesn’t go easy this time around. The body count is high and the blood flows freely. Granted, the violence makes sense considering the story’s subject matter, but Fuqua depicts it far more brutally than your typical action flick.
Grade: B
The King
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| Courtesy of Oscilloscope |
The cast: Alec Baldwin, James Carville, Chuck D, Lana Del Rey, Emmylou Harris, Ethan Hawke, Ashton Kutcher, Mike Myers and others.
What it’s about: In this fascinating documentary, director Eugene Jarecki drives Elvis Presley’s Rolls Royce across America, examining the impact that the legendary performer had on the country. As he interviews a host of celebrities, musicians, political figures and everyday people, Jarecki argues that the King’s meteoric rise and tragic fall is a fitting representation of the United States’ decline.
The good: While not the traditional look at Presley’s life that some viewers might expect, I found Jarecki’s approach to the material refreshing and far more engaging than the typical “old photos and archival footage” biography we’ve seen a million times. It’s one of my favorite movies of the year.
By focusing on the legend surrounding Presley and tying it to the similar weight we place on the American Dream, the film becomes a far richer and impactful experience. Although some interview subjects are puzzling, most of them provide unique and compelling perspectives on the Elvis mythos.
That’s particularly true for Public Enemy member Chuck D, who memorably trashed Presley in the hip hop classic “Fight the Power.” Lyrics like “Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant shit to me you see / straight up racist that sucker was, simple and plain / motherfuck him and John Wayne” are deliberately incendiary, but contextualizes them in a measured, thought-provoking way that helps viewers see where he’s coming from.
Surprisingly enough, Myers turns out to be another excellent interview subject. He’s the first one to admit he’s a weird choice, but, as a Canadian, he offers incisive commentary on how Presley and the United States are inextricably linked – in good ways and bad – in the minds of people outside our country’s particularly strange pop culture bubble.
Jarecki also showcases several fantastic musicians, which had me scrambling to write down the names of artists I was unfamiliar with. I could listen to their stuff on YouTube later. Kat Wright and Maggie Clifford (now known as Loveful Heights) are particularly incredible; their haunting “Train Song” gave me instant goosebumps.
The not-so-good: The King might be too meandering for some attention spans, and the unapologetic political tone will inevitably turn off certain viewers. But Jarecki lets you know almost immediately what you’re in for. Some of his arguments don’t quite connect, but others are so powerful that it’s easy to forgive the few places where his ambition doesn’t quite match his evidence.
Still, there’s no excuse for Baldwin’s pompous bloviating. He’s clearly only here because he plays Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, but the movie would’ve been much stronger without his segments (brief as they are).
Grade: A-
Sorry to Bother You
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| Courtesy of Annapurna |
(Rated R for pervasive language, some strong sexual content, graphic nudity, and drug use.)
The cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Danny Glover, Steven Yeun and Armie Hammer.
What it’s about: In his astonishing feature debut, writer-director Boots Riley juggles a range of tones and genres to craft a blistering dystopian satire about the current state of capitalism and race relations in America. At the center of this scary, darkly hilarious tale is Cassius Green (Stanfield), who utilizes an entry-level telemarketing position to gain access to a part of society he didn’t know existed.
The good: Easily a contender for my Top 10 List in December, this brilliant, funny, deeply unsettling film is a breath of originality. I promise you’ve never seen anything like this. When it was over, my friend and I stayed in our seats for a long time, processing what we just witnessed.
Once I was finally able to formulate words again, my gut reaction was that Sorry to Bother You is what you’d get if Spike Lee decided he wanted to make a David Lynch film. As you can imagine, there’s no way to put into writing what that kind of experience is like. You just have to let it wash over you.
It helps that Riley has such a clear, unique comedic voice, one that matches the strengths of his stellar cast, especially Stanfield (finally getting his shot a lead role after years of phenomenal supporting performances), Thompson, Fowler and Hammer. Although at first it seems like the filmmaker is going to rely on tropes we’ve seen in plenty of other satires, it quickly becomes clear Riley has something completely different in mind.
There are a handful of genius sight gags (which I wouldn’t dream of spoiling) and a brilliant “fight” between Stanfield’s and Fowler’s characters that let me know I was dealing with something special. Then, once the third act kicked in, I knew we were going to be talking about this movie for years to come. To say anything else would be criminal for people who still plan on seeing it.
The not-so-good: This is more of a heads up than a negative trait – Sorry to Bother You is destined to divide audiences and alienate viewers who aren’t interested in engaging with the ideas Riley presents. It’s rare that you can pinpoint the exact moment in a movie where people will tap out, but you’ll know precisely when it occurs. I’m still cackling about it, but I can see why others will flee for the exit.
Grade: A-
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