Movie Man Dem | Wayne's World, Party Time, Excellent. He's been Shrek, he's been Austin Powers, but his claim to fame, the iconic role that was and remains the most successful film based on a Saturday Night Live sketch, Wayne's World!Starring Mike Meyers, and Dana Carvey as Wayne and Garth, with the most iconic use of a Queen song in a movie. We're joined by the one and only Quizz to talk all things Wayne's World.
'Gran Turismo' (2023) Review: Surprisingly Solid From the young to the old, people from all walks of life enjoy video games. Whether you fancy the immersive worlds of fantasy, the grounded realism of an interactive simulation, or simply flipping your finger to crush some candy. The pastime is regularly regarded as the ultimate time wasting brain rotter, which might relieve stress but doesn’t exactly lead to productivity. Unless of course, your name is Jann Mardenborough, who took his obsessive hobby and turned it into a lucrative lifestyle.Based on a true story, ‘Gran Turismo’ tells the story of a young man who dreams of taking his skills behind the wheel to the next level. His racing aspiration is met with ridicule, but when a competition gives him a chance to earn his spot on a racetrack, he takes it.‘Gran Turismo’ is an unconventional story with a very rote setup. It takes the formula of the underdog movie, complete with the gruff coach, and oh so many montages. The first half of the film plays out as predictably as you might expect, and the film never quite breaks free of its by the numbers plotting. Then, in the second half, ‘Gran Turismo’ does the impossible. It actually manages to thrill. The movie takes big swings for an emotional gut punch and miraculously pulls it off. It’s thanks in no small part to the one two punch of David Harbour and Djimon Honsou, whose performances transform…
Movie Man Dem | An Interview w/ Cinematographer Randall Richards (Randy Randeh) Cinematography is the stuff that takes a movie script and turns it into a moving picture. It's the ability to turn a camera on and produce visuals that no one else can. It's an art, and a science, and we have local art scientist Randy stop by to break it down for us.
'The Equalizer III' (2023) Review: Denzel’s Last Stand? With nothing more than a stopwatch and a steely eyed look, Denzel Washington has delighted viewers. Now with the third installment, things have taken a much appreciated beat. After his latest mission leaves him limping, he’s forced to recuperate. Lucky for Robert Mccall, he happens to fall ill in the idyllic Italian countryside, filled with friendly townsfolk who take him in as their own.For a moment, ‘The Equalizer 3’ seems to be taking its lead character on a near mythic journey. Robert even finds his own personal Bishop Myriel to cleanse him of his sins as he nears his final showdown. The town of Altamonte feels too good to be true, down to its angelic inhabitants. It’s enough to suggest the main character succumbed to his injuries in the first 10 minutes, with the rest of the film showing his personal afterlife.When things get too heavenly, the devil rears his ugly head. Robert must take a stand against the crime lords who wish to corrupt his new paradise. In doing so he becomes the man with no name, a drifter in this town becoming its protector, standing up to those who underestimate him, like so many have before. While the story of Robert in his new home is captivating, everything outside of that is a bit half baked. Dakota Fanning plays a CIA agent on the brink of uncovering an insidious international plot, something she…
'Blue Beetle' (2023) Review: New Face, Same Old Story This year alone has seen four superhero movies released, with two more on the way. Now, with a new character to introduce ‘Blue Beetle’ aims to stand out in a year packed with heroics. On one hand, ‘Blue Beetle’ succeeds, with a relatable character whose Mexican-American culture provides meaningful representation of an underrepresented group in superhero fiction. On the other hand, the film struggles to hold its own against the moniker of just another superhero movie.‘Blue Beetle’ has a better time with character than it does with plot. Xolo Maridueña plays Jaime Reyes, a recent college graduate with aspirations to lift his immigrant family out of poverty, and save their home and family business from the scourge of gentrification. It’s strong standing for a protagonist, and Maridueña gives Jaime the sense of wide eyed innocence that endears you to him. Much like the ancient alien artifact that clings to Jaime.Once Jaime gets bonded to the super scarab, the movie starts to feel like a mash up of comic book films of the last 15 years. It’s a little bit Iron Man, a little bit Ant-Man, a little bit Venom, and a little bit Spider-Man. The stakes are just high enough to feel personal to Jaime and his family, but the first time superhero doesn’t exactly have the fate of the world in his hands.When the film keeps the focus on the family, it’s…
'Meg 2: The Trench' (2023) Review: Mega Misfire I have not seen ‘The Meg’. Something tells me the narrative of a giant prehistoric shark causing mayhem and destruction didn’t require too much background. Then again, I could be wrong. Perhaps the 2018 blockbuster had the foundational mythos that would have turned ‘Meg 2 The Trench’ into a must-see epic, rather than a middling megalodon mess.You’d never believe a movie like this could be dull. Yet, ‘Meg 2 The Trench’ manages to turn a journey to the deepest depths of the ocean into tepid tedium. All the wonders lying in the deep are certainly eye-popping, but far too sparing. ‘Meg 2 The Trench’ spends most of its time with bland characters spouting cliche dialogue and passing off undercooked science sounding jargon as profound fact.Characters don’t take steps that make any kind of sense. Their decisions are without logic, and can’t even skate by as matters of the heart. ‘Meg 2 The Trench’ has characters that are meant to be brilliant but come off as oafish. They’re established as close enough to be family, yet the untimely demise of their crew is followed by one liners and cheesy humour.If not for the film’s last act of destruction, ‘Meg 2 The Trench’ would be a complete wash. Its cartoon villains make for ample opportunities for action with bite. The film has some of the best 3D I’ve seen in years and makes a theme park…
Movie Man Dem | Happy Birthday, John Cazale John Cazale had roles in 5 movies. All 5 were nominated for best picture. 2 in the same year. 3 of them won. If that's not enough of a bio for you, I don't know what is.
Movie Man Dem Minisode: Boat Dracula Bombs, Gal Gadot Out as Wonder Woman 'Last Voyage of the Demeter' spawns hilarious Dracula on a Boat memes, not so much for ticket sales Gal Gadot back as Wonder Woman! Except she's not. But she's back! And now she's not. Across the Spider-Verse releases on digital, and people are mad about it?
'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem' (2023) Review: Ninjas With Attitudes For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The four reptilian rapscallions have been a presence in film and television for decades, and have collected their fair share of tropes along the way. With such history it would be easy for a modern adaptation to phone things in, falling back on the tried and true tricks of the characters. Instead, Mutant Mayhem offers up a fresh take on classic characters.They are still the turtles you know and love, but with some simple effective adjustments. Mutant Mayhem makes a point of hiring teenagers to play teenagers. As obvious a move as that may be, the results are undeniable. Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon, bring a camaraderie and a chemistry to Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael.While all relative newcomers, the cast is rounded out by some heavy hitters. Ice Cube’s menacing Superfly, and Ayo Edebiri’s passionate April O’Neil being standouts as well as Jackie Chan’s overprotective Master Splinter. The performances are top notch, and humour in the script is grounded and relatable. Several characters are mutants with grotesque and eccentric designs, but they couldn’t feel more human.When it comes to the design, the animation in Mutant Mayhem is a triumph. It’s yet another portrayal of 3D animation with a hand drawn aesthetic. It further builds on the style with…
Movie Man Dem | Billion Dollar Barbie Barbie has made over a billion dollars! It's the first film directed by a woman to hit that milestone. To celebrate, we talk about the film phenomenon of the year with a cast full of barbies. We have Barbie, Barbie, Barbie, Barbie, Barbie, and Barbie, and with a little help from Ken and Allan. It's a fun show, so give it a listen.