A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2024 - Episode III

Every couple of years, the Cinema Gods decide to come together and treat the usually quiet month of March like the first month of the Summer Movie Season. This is one of those years, with a packed month of hopeful blockbusters and two of the most anticipated films of 2024. Here’s what’s coming to the big screen for the month of March: 

 

 

 

DUNE PART TWO – Acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve brings his second and final part of the adaptation of the classic, epic sci-fi novel. The stacked cast includes Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Furguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgaard, Lea Seydoux, Javier Bardem, and Christopher Walken. 

 

 

 

IMAGINARY – Horror film factory Blumhouse is back with this scare-fest about a young girl’s teddy bear which may not be all that it seems. 

 

 

 

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES – In this satirical fantasy comedy, a young man is recruited into a secret society with a mission of making the lives of white people easier. Justice Smith and David Alan Grier star. 

 

 

 

ARTHUR THE KING – Mark Wahlberg stars in this true story about an adventure racing team who recruits a stray dog to accompany them. 

 

 

 

ONE LIFE – Sir Anthony Hopkins stars in this biopic of British humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton. 

 

 

 

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE – The Ghostbusters, old and new, return for the fourth film in the popular head-busting (spiritually speaking), franchise. The cast includes Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Patton Oswalt, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Bill Murray. 

 

 

 

PIXAR’S LUCA – Pixar Animation Studios are releasing select films that never saw the inside of a theatre for a quick run. Next up, their coming-of-age fantasy about a child sea monster. 

 

 

 

GODZILLA x KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE – The stinking turd that has been the Monsterverse from Warner Bros. continues with this big romp, where Godzilla and King Kong team up to battle a threat to the world. The cast includes Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Dan Stevens. 

 

 

 

KUNG FU PANDA 4 – The fourth film in the KUNG FU PANDA franchise, following up from the third which was in 2016. Jack Black returns to voice Po, who is in search of a successor. He is joined by Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, and Ke Huy Quan. 

 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of April. 

A Reel Birthday

This week marks Reel Speak’s 14^th anniversary. 

 

It was the winter of 2010. Running in theatres at the time were the Denzel Washington-led THE BOOK OF ELI, and the horror flop THE WOLFMAN. 3D was all over the place ruining the theatre experience, and streaming was something we did in the bathroom. The eventual box office champion would be TOY STORY 3, and the eventual Best Picture winner would be Tom Hooper’s THE KING’S SPEECH. 

 

It was during this time where there was an idea; to share my love and passion for film. It was a passion that began in the summer of 1977, when this young padawan saw STAR WARS for the first time. Since that day over 40 years ago, nothing has brought the light to my eyes like the light of the big screen. It’s a love that had to be shared, so Reel Speak was founded. The first review was posted on February 24^th, 2010: Martin Scorsese’s SHUTTER ISLAND. Since then, over a thousand blogs have been posted: reviews, previews, opinions, Top 10 lists and Oscar picks. 

 

Every year, to celebrate Reel Speak’s birthday, this Blogger looks back on the top reasons why I fell in love with cinema in the first place. This was always a way to share, and to perhaps inspire others to look back and remember what they love about the movies too, and here in Year 14, it has reminded this Blogger that there is always magic to be found when the lights dim and the screen lights up. 

 

Why do I love the movies? Let us count the ways: 

 

20. Because the trick is not minding that it hurts. 

19. Because if they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you. 

18. Because a Jaguar Shark ate my best friend. 

17. Because all it takes is a little bit of pixie dust. 

16. Because of John Williams.

15. Because I have been, and always shall be your friend. 

14. Because what we do in life echoes in eternity. 

13. Because Red October was hunted.

12. Because the only Virtue is Vengeance. A Vendetta. 

11. Because Crom laughs at your four winds! 

10. Because it’s a wonderful night for Oscar.

9. Because they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

8. Because “I love you”, and “I know”.

7. Because if someone asks me if I’m a god, I say yes.

6. Because I will drink your milkshake.

5. Because every man dies, not every man really lives. 

4. Because they needed a bigger boat.

3. Because there had to be snakes.

2. Because the Fellowship will not fail. 

1. Because the Force will be with you, always. 

 

 

A Reel Review: MADAME WEB

For complicated legal reasons, the children at Sony Pictures own the rights to several of Marvel Comics’ superheroes and villains. On the rare occasions when they let the adults from Disney and Marvel Studios do the talking, we get masterworks like SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021). When they don’t, we get stinkers like VENOM (2018), and MORBIUS (2022). Here in the early months of 2024, the toddlers are back making a mess in their diapers with MADAME WEB. 

 

Cassie Web (Dakota Johnson), suddenly develops the ability to see into the future. Her new clairvoyance helps her save the lives of three teenagers (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor), from an attack by Ezekiel, a spider-like villain (Tahar Rahim), who is having visions of his own death by the hands of the three teens.

 

Directed by S.J. Clarkson, MADAME WEB serves as an origin story for the Spider-Man on-and-off ally or villain, and in a way, an origin story for the three teens who will eventually become variations of Spider-Woman. Spidey is absent here (sort of, more on that later), and the teens are far from their superpowers, so the focus is on Cassie as she wrestles with her new powers…which has a connection to the death of her mother at the hands of Ezekiel. 

 

MADAME WEB starts off as a chase film, with Cassie and the three teens running for their lives and hiding across New York and New Jersey while Ezekiel pursues them. But the script (which has a baffling number of four writers), finds reason to cram in a ton of backstory for the four leads. The chases pause for incredibly clumsy and awkward exposition; characters stop and blurt out endless chunks of dialogue to get out where they are from and what they are thinking…speaking in ways no real human talks, even for a superhero/fantasy film. 

 

MADAME WEB wants the hook to be the relationship between Cassie and the teens, but this is handled too lightly. The teens are paper-thin, and Cassie isn’t given anything to work with. Worse, director S.J. Clarkson is over her head in directing action; the fight scenes are a haphazardly cut mess and offer no tension or fun. The film also takes leaps in its own logic; Cassie leaves the teens behind for a trip to Peru to find answers to her powers (a trip that is handled like a run to the grocery store), and most of the set-pieces make no sense. And by movie’s end, not everything is resolved. CGI is like watching a cartoon from the 80’s. 

 

Acting is all over the place. Dakota Johnson has little to do. Sydney Sweeney is the best of the three teens but is under-used. Adam Scott appears as Cassie’s best friend Ben Parker, who is very excited about becoming an uncle for the first time in an extended and blunt Easter Egg. Tahir Rahim is bloody awful. 

 

After a boring final battle and a predictable outcome, MADAME WEB feels like a superhero film made in the early 1990’s, when no one really knew how to adapt super-characters to cinema. It’s lame, dull, un-fun, and barely qualifies as a b-movie. The toddlers at Sony Pictures have once again wet the bed. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it 

A Reel Review: The Super Bowl Movie Trailers - The Good, The Bad, & The Glorious

The Super Bowl has traditionally been an opportunity for studios to showcase their upcoming film slates to audiences that they usually won’t reach. Over the last few years things have shifted, with a mishandled pandemic messing up theatres and studios backing off on rolling out big trailers during the big game commercial breaks. This year there was another shift, as the “trailers” shown during the game were designed to be teasers for full trailers that were then released online. It may have been annoying, but the spots did offer new looks to what’s coming to big screens in 2024. Here’s how it all landed in The Good, The Bad, and The Glorious: 

 

 

 

THE GOOD

KUNG FU PANDA 4 – This one was strategically placed near the end of the game, right when the world was glued to the TV. Some new footage and recycled from the first trailer was seen here. 

 

 

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE – This prequel to the sci-fi/horror series ran just before kickoff, and featured some new shots, including some new looks at the invading creatures. 

 

 

THE FALL GUY – This re-hash of the 1980’s TV show was rightfully focused on its two stars, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Lots of action and banter between the two leads. 

 

 

MONKEY MAN – This action thriller directed by Dev Patel has been flying under the radar so far this year, and this quick spot showcased the upcoming action. 

 

 

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – Disney, who owns 20^th Century Fox, home of the Apes Franchise, didn’t do much this year, but they delivered well on this spot which gave us some new footage of the walking, talking, and warring apes. 

 

 

THE BAD

IF – This live-action/animated hybrid has a high concept of a young girl who can see people’s imaginary friends, and this trailer did a poor job in selling it. Just a random hodgepodge of shots that just made it look like Barney and his friends got loose. 

 

 

TWISTERS – This standalone sequel to the 1996 TWISTER looked like it was edited by a tornado, with footage coming in all random and chaotic directions. 

 

 

You get negative points for not showing up. Warner Bros. couldn’t be bothered to showcase their upcoming DUNE PART 2, Sony Pictures passed up a chance to promote their weird-looking MADAME WEB (opening this week), and Disney did not promote MOANA 2 or INSIDE OUT 2. 

 

 

 

THE GLORIOUS

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE – Our first look at the third DEADPOOL film with his pal Wolverine was one of those that directed everyone to go online to see the full trailer, but what we got during the game was swift and sharp. All new footage, action, laughs, and a familiar silhouette that was enough to have people diving for their phones. 

 

 

WICKED: PART ONE – The long-awaited adaptation of the famed stage musical had it’s very first unveiling to the world, with wonderful and colorful shots of the witch and the land of Oz. Music, charm, and movie magic was on full display, and was the one trailer that put in the most effort. 

 

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Super Bowl LIX will be February 9th, 2025. 

 

 

 

A Reel 20: THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

“I am he.”

 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of Mel Gibson’s THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. 

 

Often considered to be one of the most controversial films of all time, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST was a box office smash for 2004. It was brought to the screen by actor-turned-director Mel Gibson, who was coming off a string of acclaimed films including the Oscar-winning BRAVEHEART (1995), and THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE (1993). The independently produced film covered the final 12 hours before the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion, including iconic Biblical happenings such as the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, and his eventual resurrection. 

 

Gibson co-wrote the script with screenwriter Benedict Fitzgerald, drawing on the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John…along with other devotional writings and pious accounts. The film also drew from other parts of the New Testament. 

 

The role of Jesus Christ was carried by Jim Caviezel. He was joined by Maia Morgenstern as Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene. Italian actress Rosalinda Celentano played Satan. Filming took place in Italy and Rome, with the production re-using sets constructed for Martin Scorsese’s GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002). Dialogue was reconstructed in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin. John Debney provided the score. 

 

Despite mixed reviews, THE PASSION was a box office hit, finishing the year as the 5^th highest earner worldwide. Today it stands as the highest-grossing Christian film of all time, and the highest grossing independent film of all time. At the 77^th Academy Awards, it would be nominated for three Oscars: Best Cinematography, Makeup, and Original Score. The People’s Choice Awards would name it Best Drama, and John Debney would win an ASCAP award. 

 

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Today, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST is as controversial as it was 20 years ago. It’s brutal and uncompromising depictions of the flogging, beating, and crucifixion of Christ has made for cries of “torture porn” or even antisemitic. Gibson himself has admitted he went too far in places, even releasing a re-edited version of the film in theatres in 2005 with less violence.  But the original version, blood and guts and all, makes the passion out as what it should be: ugly. It was a far cry from the glorified depictions of the crucifixion seen on stained glass windows and artwork, and maybe that’s why it was so shocking.

 

The film has its many enemies, but it also has its friends. Famed critic Roger Ebert defended the violence, and other critics and audiences regarded the film as a religious experience. Gibson and his cinematographer make art out of the ugliness; the stations of the cross are filmed in ways that look like paintings, and John Debney’s score is very moving. Underneath it all, Gibson also finds a story between mother and son, giving the film a palpable emotional hook. And the idea to cast a woman as Satan, because the devil is seductive, is a touch of genius. 

 

This Blogger was working as a projectionist in the winter of 2004, taking a shift on a Sunday morning. During that winter, every Sunday afternoon would be met by busloads of church groups coming to see the film. They came not bearing crosses, but bearing a curiosity to see their icon on the big screen, brought to them by a director who fears no one…even to a fault. And when they left, many were in tears, weeping as if they had just seen the death of a loved one. It was raw power that only celluloid could deliver. If the mission of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST was to move people in mysterious ways, then Mel Gibson nailed it. 

 

“He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; by His wounds are we healed.” 

Carl Weathers: 1948 - 2024

Actor Carl Weathers has passed away at 76. 

 

Born in New Orleans in 1948, Weathers grew up as an athlete and excelled in several sports. He was a letterman for San Diego State, helping them win the Pasadena Bowl in 1969. He had a short career in the NFL, playing for the Oakland Raiders. 

 

After retiring from football in 1974, he pursued an acting career and began working as an extra. He appeared in BUCKTOWN (1975), and FRIDAY FOSTER (1976), along with TV appearances on GOOD TIMES and STARSKY AND HUTCH. 

 

His breakthrough came in 1976, when he was cast as the flamboyant World Heavyweight Boxing champion Apollo Creed, opposite Sylvester Stallone. ROCKY would go on to win Best Picture that year, and Weathers would reprise the role of Apollo for three more ROCKY films. 

 

After appearing in Steven Spielberg’s CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977), he starred in a number of action films, including FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE (1978), PREDATOR (1987), ACTION JACKSON (1988), and HURRICANE SMITH (1992). Other roles include HAPPY GILMORE (1996), LITTLE NICKY (2000), and provided the voice of Combat Carl in TOY STORY 4 (2019). 

 

On television he had roles on THE SHIELD, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, ER, and CHICAGO P.D. He had a recurring role in the STAR WARS franchise in THE MANDALORIAN, and was nominated for an Emmy. 

 

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This Blogger’s first introduction to Carl Weathers came in the late 1970’s, watching him gallop into the boxing ring decked out in red, white, and blue…ready to kick Rocky’s ass. He was the villain of the film, but somehow made the character likeable. In later films he made the character a hero, one with a heart that was bigger than his muscle. As a physical specimen, he matched up well against muscle-bound actors such as Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his role in PREDATOR, as the “company man” who had secret motives, stands as one of his best. And his TV work showed that he had the comedy chops as well. Carl Weathers leaves behind not an extensive filmography, but one that is very memorable. In our minds he will always be striding into the ring in colors that don’t run.