New trailers this week! This year, like most years, we have major blockbusters on the calendar, and before this week, we had two of those films that we had seen nothing of them. Up first was Dune: Part Three on Tuesday, and what I noticed right off the bat is that it doesn’t look like things are going to be as weird as the books get, which is probably the wise choice by Villeneuve. Instead, we seem to be getting a war film as the capper to what has so far been an awesome series. The next day, we got the first trailer or Spider-Man: Brand New Day. What I like about that trailer is it looks to be showing a smaller story, focusing on villains like Tombstone, and Scorpion, while telling a classic Peter’s inner demons” storyline. Organic shooters! Spidey will be in July, and Dune is in December as part of the deathmatch with Avengers that is still on the schedule. I’ll talk more about that next week. On to the reviews!
John Davidson grows up with Tourette syndrome in 1980s Scotland. He faces a society that does not understand his condition. He eventually becomes a campaigner to increase public awareness.
Every once in a while, the Screen Unseens are a film that I don’t see coming. This had a release date of April 24, so getting it a month and a half early was nice. This is the film that was the cause for the controversy at the BAFTAs this year, when the real life Davidson had an unfortunate episode to put it lightly. We are having a nice day, so let’s focus on the actual film. What was the saddest to watch was the section of story where Davidson first started to show the disorder while he is in school. By seeing everyone around him (parents, teachers, other students) confident he is just seeking attention, it does lead Davidson to make a tragic choice that shifts the tone of the discussion. As the adult Davidson, Robert Aramayo is fantastic. I see why he was chosen for Best Actor at the BAFTAs, and if the film would have been eligible for this year’s Academy Awards, he might have had a good shot at getting the Oscar rather than Michael B Jordan. This won’t be a game changer in regards to bio pics for anyone. What it should be though is a thoughtful film the spreads awareness of what those who have deal with Tourette syndrome. This isn’t the first time Davidson’s story has been told if you want further information. There was a 1989 documentary called “John’s Not Mad” if you can find it, and are interested.
After surviving one deadly game, Grace and her sister Faith must now outrun four rival families competing for a powerful throne – winner takes all.
2019’s Ready or Not was a a film I really liked. Samara Weaving was great in it, and it was just a fun film to watch. So, for the sequel, Weaving is back as Grace. She was the character who was still alive after the first movie after all. Also back as the directors are Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The sequel starts right after where the first film ended. Grace is in the hospital, and also she is the one everyone thinks is responsible for the death of the Le Domas family. What Grace doesn’t know is that the La Domas Family was just one of six families that made a deal with Le Bail, and because she lived, that means that she has to play the game again against all of the families with the winner claiming the High Seat of the council that controls the world. To convince Grace to go for Round 2, they force her estranged sister Faith (played by Kathryn Newton) to join her in the game of Hide and Seek. While there are four families we watch hunting down the sisters, we really only are following the Danforth twins, Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Titus (Shawn Hatosy). They are the family trying to retain the power they had before Grace ruined the plans. Last, but not least, is Elijah Wood as the Lawyer who is just having a ball.
Part of what I think is lost in this sequel is the element of surprise. In the original, both the La Domas family and us the viewer aren’t quite sure the danger is real up until the point dawn arrives. It is then people start exploding, and the answer is known. So, going into the sequel, we are already aware of what will happen if the Satanists fail by dawn yet again. Another thing that doesn’t work nearly as well is the hunt itself. Gone is Grace trying to navigate a mansion. Instead, it’s a sprawling resort with so many different locations. The hunters themselves are mostly less interesting. I did enjoy Maia Je’s Francesca. That character is Alex La Domas’s fiance before Grace that wants revenge, and her and Grace’s fight scene was fun to watch. Rest assured, it wouldn’t be a Radio Silence film without exploding people, and there are so many of those in this one. Overall, this was fun, but in a less way than the first film. The story itself kind of wraps things up making a third film kind of tricky. I’m ok with them not trying to find a reason for it if I’m being honest though.
Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun, and save Earth. An unexpected friendship may be the key.
In 2014, we got Ridley Scott’s The Martian. That film was based on a novel by Andy Weir. In 2021, Weir came out with Project Hail Mary. One year previously though, MGM secured the filming rights for the then upcoming novel. One would assume their hope was history would repeat itself, and they would have another great space film on their hands. As far as I’m concerned (after now watching the film twice) is that they very much do have one. This hit nearly all the marks I was looking for, and in a couple places, I enjoyed it more than The Martian. Now, there is no connection between the two except they take place in space, but one can’t help but compare the two. That could be mostly due to screenwriter Drew Goddard, who wrote the screenplay for both films in question. Directing their first film since 2014’s 22 Jump Street is the duo of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. This is by far the duo’s most grown up film, and this film runs so well that it didn’t feel like it was 2 and a half hours long. The choice to tell the story in a non-linear fashion really makes the film work. By showing the lead up to the mission intercutting throughout the current happenings doesn’t add to what is happening per se, but it builds upon the characters themselves and shows us that we are dealing with people who know what their doing, and this mission really is a hail mary for Earth as the Sun is dying.
Much like The Martian being the Matt Damon show, Hail Mary is very much a showcase for Ryan Gosling. He is simply fantastic as Dr. Ryland Grace. Through the first act of the film, he is the only character we see as he is alone on the ship in space years away from Earth. Of the Earth bound characters, Sandra Hüller is given the most to do as the project leader, and she really works in the role. The ensemble that was cast as the project team worked so much for me that I was looking forward to each flashback. The credit to the film is the current timeline was equally as interesting. The real key to the film is the alien named Rocky that comes across Grace’s path. Voice and puppeteer of Rocky, and part of a team of puppeteers that called themselves “The Rockyteers”, is James Ortiz. It is when Grace figures out a translator for Rocky to give him a voice that I think the film is fully unlocked. The friendship between the two is the real focus for the second and third acts, as both are trying to save their worlds from a common problem.
This film has a heart to it that really makes this enjoyable to watch on repeat viewings. I will point out that seeing this in IMAX is the better option here. There are a couple sequences that as made for that format, so it worth spending the extra couple dollars to see it on the biggest screen you can. The bar wasn’t incredibly high, but this film is easily the best of this short year so far. It is such a nice feeling to have when a film you have been anticipating for quite a while lives up to it. There are some rumblings of this being in the conversation for some Oscars next year, and I certainly see where they are coming from. This is a technical marvel, that doesn’t sacrifice spectacle for substance. Sometimes you can have everything.
Don’t really look for a strong showing from the new releases this upcoming weekend. What we should have is another weekend for the already released films to pad their numbers before Super Mario blots out the Sun on Easter weekend.
- Project Hail Mary
- Hoppers
- Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
- Reminders of Him
- They Will Kill You
Yet another Scream Unseen on Monday and depending on what it is may or may not alter the plans for Thursday night. It’s also the final week for the foreseeable future with no baseball games for me to navigate around.
Mitten Film Nerd 
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