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

The final month of the Summer Movie Season is here, and after a hot July, things on the big screen will cool down a little. But this August will still bring the return of a big-name director, some re-releases, an unwelcome remake, and another entry in a classic horror franchise. Here is what’s coming to the big screen this month: 

 

 

 

TRAP – Famed director M. Night Shyamalan returns to the big screen with this thriller where a serial killer (Josh Hartnett), takes his teenage daughter to a concert, only to find out the entire event is a trap set by police to nab him. 

 

 

 

HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON – This live-action/animated fantasy serves as a sequel to the 1955 children’s’ book, and has Harold (Zachary Levi), as a man with a magical purple crayon he has owned since childhood. 

 

 

 

BORDERLANDS – The popular sci-fi video game series gets its first feature film, where an alliance of misfits comes together to find a missing girl. The cast includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It is directed by Eli Roth (HOSTEL, KNOCK KNOCK). 

 

 

 

IT ENDS WITH US – The best-selling romance novel by Colleen Hoover gets a big screen adaptation. Blake Lively and Jenny Slate star. 

 

 

CUCKOO – In this horror film, a teenager is drawn into a sinister plot by her father’s boss. Hunter Schafer, Jessica Henwick, and Dan Stevens (TV’S DOWNTON ABBEY), star. 

 

 

 

CORALINE – One of the best animated films of this millennium gets a big-screen re-release for its 15^thanniversary, in 3D. 

 

 

ALIEN: ROMULUS – The ALIEN franchise screams on with this film which is set between the events of ALIEN (1979), and ALIENS (1986). This time a group of young space colonists stumble upon a derelict space station. It is directed by Fede Alvarez, who helmed the EVIL DEAD remake in 2013. 

 

 

BLINK TWICE – Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lenny), directs this thriller where a cocktail waitress (Naomi Ackie), travels to a billionaire’s remote island…where things start to go wrong. Channing Tatum co-stars. 

 

 

THE CROW – The remake of the 1994 cult-classic film. Bill Skarsgard (IT), plays the resurrected musician who avenges the death of himself and his fiancé. It is directed by Rupert Sanders (SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN). 

 

 

 

SHAUN OF THE DEAD – Edgar Wright’s classic zombie flick, considered to be one of the best comedy films of all time, returns to the big screen for its 20^th anniversary. 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of September. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Reel Review: DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

For many years and for complicated reasons, 20^th Century Fox Studios once held the rights to several Marvel characters, including X-Men, Wolverine, Fantastic Four, and others. In 2019, Disney acquired the studio, and brought those characters home into their massive and ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). One of the most anticipated homecomings was Deadpool, and for his third solo film and first in the MCU, he brings it all together. 

 

Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), is taken from his quiet life by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), which informs him that his universe as he knows it is ending, due to the death of Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Deadpool begins skipping across the Multiverse, looking for a new Wolverine that can help him save his universe. 

 

Directed by Shawn Levy, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is a romp that combines the old Fox continuity with the MCU. The two characters, ever at each other’s throats, end up in The Void, a desolate, no-where area where heroes and villains from other discontinued universes have been sent to die. There, they encounter Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), a powerful mutant with telekinetic and telepathic powers. 

 

Does it work? Emphatically, yes. What could be a confusing ball of twine is laid out nicely. The in-joke of discontinued universes keeps winking at us, and the self-awareness of the film never lets up. All this serves as a backdrop for Deadpool and Wolverine, who are each going through their own issues; the former is looking for purpose in life while the latter is brooding (and drinking), over his tragic past. 

 

Director Shawn Levy keeps the pacing tight, the humor hilarious, and the action tremendous. The bloody fights between the two main characters are a blast, and the F-word loaded banter between the two equally funny. The many characters from old universes that show up are put to great use (they get an ending!), and each cameo is justified within the story. There are many surprises here, to the point that it feels like a miracle they pulled this off. For long-time fans of the old Fox films and the MCU…there is a lot to love. 

 

Acting is excellent. Ryan Reynolds is a hoot in and out of the mask, and Hugh Jackman seriously brings the drama. Emma Corrin is flat-out amazing. Matthew Macfadyen plays a TVA agent who brings Deadpool into this story, and is very good. To say any more about the large cast would dip into spoiler territory. 

 

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE has many boxes to check: it looks to give a proper sendoff and tribute to the Fox films while giving Deadpool his start in the MCU. This is a tough balance, but it is handled perfectly. From start to finish, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is a bloody great time. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Films of Nicolas Cage

Famed actor Nicolas Cage is once again the talk of Hollywood. His new film, LONGLEGS (read Reel Speak’s review HERE), has won the trifecta: winning with critics, audiences, and the box office. The creepy horror film is another non-traditional entry into the filmography of a non-traditional actor. How does it land in the catalog of Cage? Let’s stretch our legs and see…

 

Born Nicolas Kim Coppola (nephew of Francis Ford), Cage launched his career in 1982 in the teen comedy FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. Since then, he has earned acclaim starring in dramas, comedies, horror flicks, and action movies. He had a long spell of craptacular work where tax issues forced him to take less-than favorable jobs in low-budget films. But he has come out of the other side of those dark times, and today enjoys a comeback. He has worked with big-name directors such as the Coen Brothers, Martin Scorsese, Michael Bay, and his uncle Francis. He has played vampires, angels, drunks, treasure hunters, and even a ghost on a motorcycle. He's won awards, burned bridges, and is the face of a thousand memes. He has been loved, hated, praised, revered, and mocked. He is one of the most recognizable names in cinema.  

 

To qualify for the list of The Best of Films of Nicolas Cage, Cage must have a significant role in the film; either as a lead or supporting. Cameos and small voiceovers shall not apply. 

 

 

Now, let’s enter the Cage…

 

 

 

 

10. FACE/OFF (1997)

 

Cage and John Travolta star as a terrorist and an FBI agent, respectively, who undergo surgery to swap their faces and their identities. What follows is a chaotic chase and mind-bender as audiences scramble to keep up with who is actually who. Famed action director John Woo injects this action flick with a hefty amount of adrenaline and testosterone, and although the concept is ridiculous…who really cares when there’s so much fun to be had. 

 

 

 

 

9. RAISING ARIZONA (1987)

Cage plays an ex-convict in this action-comedy-crime caper that put the Coen Brothers on the map. A twisting and turning fun romp that is an absolute howler, and the supporting cast of Holly Hunter, John Goodman, and Frances McDormand gives Cage a lot to bounce off. 

 

 

 

8. CON AIR (1997)

Cage once again plays an ex-con, this time stuck on a prisoner transport (an airplane), that gets hijacked. Directed by Simon West, CON AIR also had an ensemble cast, and was a summer blockbuster that thrilled audiences. It is quotable, and loaded with memorable moments. 

 

 

 

7. JOE (2013)

 

Cage gets a lot of attention for his over-the-top performances, but his subtle characters produce some of his best work. In this indie drama from David Gordon Green, Cage plays a quiet, tormented man who protects a 15-year-old boy (Tye Sheridan), from his abusive father. As one of the best films of 2013, JOE went a long way in bringing Cage back into the light. 

 

 

 

6. ADAPTATION (2002)

 

There’s only one thing better than Cage: two Cages! In this comedy-drama by Spike Jonze, Cage plays twin brothers who clash and come together to finish and sell a Hollywood screenplay. An awards darling that Hollywood loved (they love movies about themselves), Cage plays the dual roles beautifully, and its storylines of creativity and human connections really works. 

 

 

 

5. LONGLEGS (2024)

 

This one may still have the new smell, but for right now it belongs here. One of the creepiest films of all time which takes inspiration from heavy-hitters such as THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and ZODIAC, LONGLEGS features Cage in a new level of holy-shit crazy that most of us didn’t think he could find. Cage also served as a producer here in what became a passion project for him, and his chilling performance shows that his whole heart was in it. 

 

 

 

4. NATIONAL TREASURE (2004)

 

After a run of action films in the late 1990’s, Cage stepped away from the explosions and chases to do more serious drama. But then he returned to the genre in 2004 with this fun romp across the good ol’ USA, playing a treasure hunter seeking a fortune lost in American history. This Disney-produced actioneer was a ton of fun, and has become one of those standard-viewing films around the 4^th of July. 

 

 

 

3. LEAVING LAS VEGAS (1995)

 

In the film that he may be the most associated with, Cage plays an alcoholic screenwriter who goes to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. Cage would win an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his performance, and some say he never really left the character. Despite this, LEAVING LAS VEGAS is one of those dramas that sticks around. 

 

 

 

2. THE ROCK (1996)

 

In what is perhaps the best film from infamous action director Michael Bay, Cage plays a lab-bound FBI agent teamed with a former Alcatraz inmate (Sean Connery), to infiltrate the old prison and stop a team of domestic terrorists…led by a magnificent Ed Harris. It was a box office monster and even when viewing from today’s standards…seriously holds up as a great action film. 

 

 

 

1. MOONSTRUCK (1987)

 

Cage is in a supporting role here, but a vital one…matched perfectly with Cher. Cage plays the brother of Cher’s fiancé, and the two fall in love which creates a complicated love triangle. Directed by the late great Norman Jewison, MOONSTRUCK is a love story from head to tail, and has that ability to sweep even the grumpiest off their feet. Saturated in family and tradition, MOONSTRUCK would earn six Oscar nominations, winning three, and be acclaimed as one of the best films of its decade. In the catalog of Cage, this is his most complete film. 

 

 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST FILMS OF NICOLAS CAGE

1. MOONSTRUCK 
2. THE ROCK
3. LEAVING LAS VEGAS
4. NATIONAL TREASURE
5. LONGLEGS
6. ADAPTATION
7. JOE
8. CON AIR
9. RISING ARIZONA
10. FACE/OFF

A Reel Review: LONGLEGS

As this Blogger has said many times in the past, horror movies can be hard to digest for many reasons. Not only can they be too scary, but they also ask us to bite into a lot; ghosts, goblins, lumbering guys with knives and chainsaws, and fantastical creatures from the depths. None of these elemental horror tropes make sense in the real world, so we have to just go with the flow when they arrive the big screen. LONGLEGS is no different, but it does ask us to swallow a little bit more…

 

FBI Agent Harker (Maika Monroe), who is described as “highly intuitive” (or half-psychic), is recruited by her boss Agent Carter (Blair Underwood), to use her gifts to solve the case of Longlegs (Nicolas Cage), a mysterious serial killer who has been active for decades. 

 

Directed by Osgood Perkins, LONGLEGS shows no shame in taking inspiration from previous horror films that have tracked serial killers; the shadows of SE7EN, ZODIAC, RED DRAGON, and the granddaddy of them all, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, are all over it. But LONGLEGS smartly, and steadily makes this chase all its own. Once Harker is on the case, she finds herself as a catalyst for more Longlegs killings, which leads back to her own family history and her mom (Alicia Witt). There are twists and turns aplenty, and there is never a predictable moment. 

 

Keeping things fascinating is the presentation. Harker spends time solving cryptic messages left behind by Longlegs which reveals satanic emblems. Director Osgood Perkins takes advantage of this, and sneakily shoots his film in angles and triangles. Some of these shapes point upwards, and some down…with the downward angles referencing “the man downstairs”, as Longlegs refers to the devil. Perkins also switches screen-formats; with the boxed-in 16mm film format for flashbacks and then widescreen for present day. The time-setting of the 1990’s helps the plot; there are no iPhones available for Agents to Google their way out of a predicament. 

 

The predicaments the characters find themselves in raises the tension in LONGLEGS. Perkins builds a great sense of anxiety in every scene which is sure to make people squirm. Characters are incredibly well-rounded and feel real. Pacing is brisk yet the film serves as a slow burn. The scares are perfectly timed. 

 

Acting is tremendous. Maika Monroe is amazing in bringing across her intelligent, socially-awkward character. Blair Underwood and Alicia Witt are also very good. The show belongs to Nic Cage and his ghostly-white, scraggly-haired troll of man who is chilling in every way. He has never been more unsettling to look at.  

 

Most of LONGLEGS crawls along as an FBI procedural with a good amount of creeps, and then the third act comes along which really goes nuts. It asks us to swallow a lot, but for the purposes of this story it works…and its best to just run with it. It’s a large bite to take, and the big and final reveal could be taken as a shortcut…but it’s certainly no dealbreaker. By the time it’s all over we will be staggering out of the theatre on shaky legs. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

 

A Reel 25: THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

“I’m scared to close my eyes…”

This month marks the 25th anniversary of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. 

 

Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was a low-budget, independent horror film which would be a box office hit, a cultural milestone, and would launch a new sub-genre of horror. It told the story of three student filmmakers (Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard), who vanish in the deep woods of Maryland while filming a documentary about a witch…only to have their footage found years later. 

 

The idea for THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was born in 1993, when student filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez were inspired by documentaries on paranormal phenomena which they found to be more scary than traditional horror films. They conceived of a film that combined documentary and fictional horror movies, intending to film in isolated areas with improvised dialogue. 

 

Filming began in 1997 in Maryland with local townspeople appearing in the film. Realism was the goal, and the three actors were given crash-courses in hand-held-camera techniques as they would be doing all the filming themselves. Myrick and Sanchez were going for real reactions, and didn’t tell the actors about events that would be happening. For example, when one of the students vanish without a trace, it was done without the knowledge of the remaining two…earning genuine fearful performances. The directors moved their actors a long way through the woods, harassing them by night and depriving them of food. Total filming took only eight days, with 20 hours of footage that would be cut down to 81 minutes. 

 

Prior to release, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT had a unique marketing technique, and it is one of the first to be showcased via the internet; it was “viral” long before the term would become common. The film’s official website showed “missing” posters and newsreel-style interviews which had many people believing that the footage was real. So real that Heather Donahue’s mother received sympathy cards from people who believed her daughter was dead or missing. 

 

The efforts paid off. After a premiere at Sundance and plenty of buzz about “a record of real events”, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT would earn $248 million total, over 4,000 times its original budget. It would be the 10^th highest grossing film of year and would earn the reputation as a sleeper hit. It would draw positive reviews from critics and would start the found-footage genre, with film franchises such as PARANOMAL ACTIVITY and CLOVERFIELD taking inspirations. 

 

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 One of the biggest arguments to be had in the summer of 1999 was over THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT; was it real or fake? This was an age before the internet with its Reddit and X apps could uncover the truth, which left us all barking at each other in circles. There is an argument to be made that the lead-up to the film was better than the film itself, but those making that claim would be depriving themselves of what was a great and scary cinematic experience. THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT on the screen was one scary S.O.B., with the realistic performances from the cast striking hard, and the murky dark home-video footage adding to the dread. And by using the JAWS-like technique of never seeing the monster in the dark, our imaginations were left to run in terrifying circles. Was it real? No…but the fear was. 

 

“You gonna write us a happy ending, Heather?”

 

 

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

Believe it or not, 2024 is now halfway to the end-credits. In any good movie, the halfway point should be raising the stakes…and this July will be doing just that with a packed month. Here’s what’s coming to the big screen this July: 

 

 

 

DESPICABLE ME 4 – The fourth main installment and sixth overall film in the DESPICABLE ME franchise which started way back in 2010. This time, Gru (Steve Carrell), protects his young son and family from a vengeful villain. The rest of the voice-cast includes Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Joey King, and Sofia Vergera. 

 

 

 

MAXXXINE – Director Ti West delivers the third film in his acclaimed horror/slasher trilogy. Mia Goth returns in the lead role, which this time has her character chasing Hollywood fame while evading a serial killer. 

 

 

 

FLY ME TO THE MOON – Set during the 1960’s space race, a romance begins between NASA’s director (Channing Tatum), and their new marketing specialist (Scarlett Johansson). 

 

 

 

THE LION KING – The return of the Disney classic to the big screen in celebration of it’s 30^th anniversary.

 

 

 

LONGLEGS – In this horror/thriller, Maika Monroe stars as an FBI agent in pursuit of a Satanic serial killer…played by Nicolas Cage. 

 

 

 

TWISTERS – The standalone legacy-sequel to the 1996 smash disaster film. This time, two rival tornado chasers (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell), join forces to save lives in Oklahoma. Anthony Ramos co-stars. 

 

 

 

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE – The long-awaited bloody team-up of Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), in the only Marvel MCU film this year. Shawn Levy (NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM), directs. 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of August.