by Josh Sewell
Renfield
(Rated R for bloody violence, some gore, language throughout and some drug use. Opens in theaters on April 14.)
The premise: Updating the Dracula mythos for the modern era, this horror comedy centers on Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), the tortured servant of the world’s most notorious vampire (Nicolas Cage). For centuries, he has been forced to do his master’s bidding – most importantly, finding him fresh victims – but now he’s finally ready to escape the monster’s clutches.
The verdict: For the most part, Renfield is gross, bloody fun, boasting yet another ridiculously over-the-top performance from Cage. Sometimes the actor goes way too far, but this time it’s a perfect fit for screenwriters Ryan Ridley and Robert Kirkman’s interpretation of the legendary character.
Since Cage goes so big, it makes sense that Hoult doesn’t try to match his energy. Instead, he plays Renfield like someone in a co-dependent relationship with an abuser – which, to be fair, isn’t that far removed from Stoker’s original take on the character. He starts off timid and jittery, but grows more confident and outgoing as he gradually breaks free from his captor’s influence.
Awkwafina is a pleasant surprise here, dropping her usual boisterous, slacker persona. Instead, she plays a police officer who is a much more focused and headstrong role than most viewers are used to seeing the actress portray. (Except for those of us who saw 2019’s phenomenal The Farewell, of course.)
The gore is quite intense throughout, although it’s the extremely cartoonish CGI variety. As such, most of it comes off as comedic rather than scary. I really miss the old days of corn syrup and red food coloring; I know it’s probably more expensive and unwieldy, but it has a tactile, real-world quality instead of making everyone look like a video game character.
Director Chris McKay (recovering nicely from 2021’s sci-fi fiasco The Tomorrow War) juggles the movie’s contrasting tones pretty well. Still, the mobster/corrupt cop subplot seems unnecessary, and the third act comes close to getting away from him because of a too-neat, slightly confusing resolution.
Grade: B
Mafia Mamma
(Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content and language. Opens in theaters on April 14.)
The premise: A mild-mannered suburban mom (Toni Collette) learns her estranged grandfather died and left everything to her – most notably a mafia empire she knew nothing about. Tired of being a doormat for everyone around her, including her philandering husband and misogynist boss, she travels to Italy and finds herself in the middle of a mob war. With her grandfather’s trusted right-hand woman (Monica Bellucci) to guide her, she discovers a surprising knack for the job.
The verdict: Poor Toni Collette. She’s one of the greatest actresses of her generation, but this so-called “comedy” is one of the worst movies I’ve seen in a long time. I can only assume she signed on for a hefty paycheck and a free trip to Italy. No judgment here – I’ve certainly done more soul-killing work for a lot less reward. Plus, it’s not like anyone will even remember Mafia Mamma exists in a few weeks.
The sad thing is Collette genuinely tries to elevate the awful screenplay (credited to J. Michael Feldman and Debbie Jhoon, based on an original story by Amanda Sthers), which mostly relies on lazy mob tropes and jokes about The Godfather, and Catherine Hardwicke’s flat, uninspired direction. Too bad the same can’t be said for Bellucci, another strong actress, who is left completely squandered by the material. It gives her absolutely nothing to work with, despite her best efforts.
Furthermore, Mafia Mamma never seems to figure out who it’s for. The vast majority of the time, it feels like a bad ABC sitcom from the 1990s with an occasional f-bomb thrown in. But sporadically there will be a burst of graphic violence (usually intended for comedic effect) that may turn off the one lucrative demo most likely buy a ticket: middle-aged women.
Regardless, I’ll be shocked if the film finds any success at all – critical, financial or otherwise. To speak in the parlance of the story’s characters, it feels like a slapdash money laundering scheme (or at least a tax write-off).
Grade: D-
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
(Rated R for language throughout and some drug use. Opens in select theaters on April 14.)
The premise: In this tense eco-thriller, a group of young activists (Ariela Barer, Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, Marcus Scribner, Jayme Lawson, Jake Weary, Kristine Froseth and Lukas Gage) attempt a dangerous mission to sabotage an oil pipeline so they can bring greater awareness to the ongoing climate crisis.
The verdict: I knew nothing about this indie flick, written by Barer, Jordan Sjol and Daniel Goldhaber (who also directs), going in, so I was excited to find myself instantly drawn in by the harrowing, ticking-clock narrative. Another benefit is the group of compelling characters at the heart of the story. Almost all of them are more complex than they initially appear, made relatable and empathetic along the way via skillfully placed flashbacks.
As the provocative title suggests, How to Blow Up a Pipeline makes no attempt to hide or sugarcoat its revolutionary politics, which will make it a nonstarter for some viewers. However, those willing to consider looking at the world through seemingly criminal characters’ eyes will likely walk away at least acknowledging why each protagonist believes they must take this shocking step – even if ultimately not condoning their actions.
Granted, the filmmakers’ desire for the audience to understand where these characters are coming from means there are times when the tension dissipates because they stop what they’re doing to speechify. Fortunately, it never derails the momentum completely.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for bloody violence, some gore, language throughout and some drug use. Opens in theaters on April 14.)
The premise: Updating the Dracula mythos for the modern era, this horror comedy centers on Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), the tortured servant of the world’s most notorious vampire (Nicolas Cage). For centuries, he has been forced to do his master’s bidding – most importantly, finding him fresh victims – but now he’s finally ready to escape the monster’s clutches.
The verdict: For the most part, Renfield is gross, bloody fun, boasting yet another ridiculously over-the-top performance from Cage. Sometimes the actor goes way too far, but this time it’s a perfect fit for screenwriters Ryan Ridley and Robert Kirkman’s interpretation of the legendary character.
Since Cage goes so big, it makes sense that Hoult doesn’t try to match his energy. Instead, he plays Renfield like someone in a co-dependent relationship with an abuser – which, to be fair, isn’t that far removed from Stoker’s original take on the character. He starts off timid and jittery, but grows more confident and outgoing as he gradually breaks free from his captor’s influence.
Awkwafina is a pleasant surprise here, dropping her usual boisterous, slacker persona. Instead, she plays a police officer who is a much more focused and headstrong role than most viewers are used to seeing the actress portray. (Except for those of us who saw 2019’s phenomenal The Farewell, of course.)
The gore is quite intense throughout, although it’s the extremely cartoonish CGI variety. As such, most of it comes off as comedic rather than scary. I really miss the old days of corn syrup and red food coloring; I know it’s probably more expensive and unwieldy, but it has a tactile, real-world quality instead of making everyone look like a video game character.
Director Chris McKay (recovering nicely from 2021’s sci-fi fiasco The Tomorrow War) juggles the movie’s contrasting tones pretty well. Still, the mobster/corrupt cop subplot seems unnecessary, and the third act comes close to getting away from him because of a too-neat, slightly confusing resolution.
Grade: B
(Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content and language. Opens in theaters on April 14.)
The premise: A mild-mannered suburban mom (Toni Collette) learns her estranged grandfather died and left everything to her – most notably a mafia empire she knew nothing about. Tired of being a doormat for everyone around her, including her philandering husband and misogynist boss, she travels to Italy and finds herself in the middle of a mob war. With her grandfather’s trusted right-hand woman (Monica Bellucci) to guide her, she discovers a surprising knack for the job.
The verdict: Poor Toni Collette. She’s one of the greatest actresses of her generation, but this so-called “comedy” is one of the worst movies I’ve seen in a long time. I can only assume she signed on for a hefty paycheck and a free trip to Italy. No judgment here – I’ve certainly done more soul-killing work for a lot less reward. Plus, it’s not like anyone will even remember Mafia Mamma exists in a few weeks.
The sad thing is Collette genuinely tries to elevate the awful screenplay (credited to J. Michael Feldman and Debbie Jhoon, based on an original story by Amanda Sthers), which mostly relies on lazy mob tropes and jokes about The Godfather, and Catherine Hardwicke’s flat, uninspired direction. Too bad the same can’t be said for Bellucci, another strong actress, who is left completely squandered by the material. It gives her absolutely nothing to work with, despite her best efforts.
Furthermore, Mafia Mamma never seems to figure out who it’s for. The vast majority of the time, it feels like a bad ABC sitcom from the 1990s with an occasional f-bomb thrown in. But sporadically there will be a burst of graphic violence (usually intended for comedic effect) that may turn off the one lucrative demo most likely buy a ticket: middle-aged women.
Regardless, I’ll be shocked if the film finds any success at all – critical, financial or otherwise. To speak in the parlance of the story’s characters, it feels like a slapdash money laundering scheme (or at least a tax write-off).
Grade: D-
(Rated R for language throughout and some drug use. Opens in select theaters on April 14.)
The premise: In this tense eco-thriller, a group of young activists (Ariela Barer, Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, Marcus Scribner, Jayme Lawson, Jake Weary, Kristine Froseth and Lukas Gage) attempt a dangerous mission to sabotage an oil pipeline so they can bring greater awareness to the ongoing climate crisis.
The verdict: I knew nothing about this indie flick, written by Barer, Jordan Sjol and Daniel Goldhaber (who also directs), going in, so I was excited to find myself instantly drawn in by the harrowing, ticking-clock narrative. Another benefit is the group of compelling characters at the heart of the story. Almost all of them are more complex than they initially appear, made relatable and empathetic along the way via skillfully placed flashbacks.
As the provocative title suggests, How to Blow Up a Pipeline makes no attempt to hide or sugarcoat its revolutionary politics, which will make it a nonstarter for some viewers. However, those willing to consider looking at the world through seemingly criminal characters’ eyes will likely walk away at least acknowledging why each protagonist believes they must take this shocking step – even if ultimately not condoning their actions.
Granted, the filmmakers’ desire for the audience to understand where these characters are coming from means there are times when the tension dissipates because they stop what they’re doing to speechify. Fortunately, it never derails the momentum completely.
Grade: B+
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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