BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER (2025)

 

Directed By: Edward Berger

Written By: Rowan Joffe

Based on the novel by: Lawrence Osborne

Cinematography: James Friend

Editor: Nick Emerson 

Cast: Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton, Fala Chan, Alex Jennings, Deanie Ip, Jason Tobin, Adrienne Lau

Lord Doyle is laying low in Macau spending his days and nights on the casino floors, drinking heavily and gambling what little money he has left. Struggling to keep up with his fast-rising debts, he is offered a lifeline by the mysterious Dao Ming, a casino employee with secrets of her own. However, in hot pursuit is Cynthia Blithe a private investigator ready to confront Doyle with what he is running from. As Doyle tries to climb to salvation, the confines of reality start to close in.

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Unfortunately , this is another film where it’s a case of style over substance and the strange part is that there is enough substance to truly match the style, but by the end, it just feels so empty and almost like an opportunity wasted.

The film tries to tell the tail as the title suggest in a small way, even though it’s international, it sure does live up to the title. As it shows a small time player who wants to be bigger and more successful than what he is in this growing huge international market, and no matter how much he wins or loses, he still stuck almost insignificant in this world.

Even though director, Edward Berger gives his all and making this film flash and a visual delight with plenty of color and style throughout, not quite making the images always surreal, but definitely always making them feel alive when bright, but also feeling chill and coldness when there is no color and it’s rather plain 

which is rather shocking as with his previous two films conclave and all quiet on the Western front adaptation both seem to be simple yet highly visual with the media stories that seem to plane at the time, but as the film goes along, truly brings the audience in deeperz.

where as here the film seems to go for flash and slowly reveal a more dramatic story underneath, but there’s just no meat to be chewed on as we watch so that the only time the film truly is entertaining is when it comes to the visuals and more visual storytelling rather than the dialogue scenes and the little meat that they offer

Colin Farrell gives his all in his performance as the gambler in the middle of this, but again it’s something we’ve seen before and many other films, and we never quite understand why he makes certain decisions. There are explanations that has left more for the audience to read into. 

Just as Tilda Swinton having a supporting role here, though it feels more like a special appearance as her role is vital, but she’s not given much to do other than have kind of a frumpy noteworthy look and style. 

This one was like watching a steak or a meal that just looks so big and delicious but then when you bite into it is undercooked and thus disappointing 

Where you can imagine how great it could’ve been but have to deal with what it actually is. 

There is glitz and glamour, but they’re still seems to be something missing things. We are supposed to take for granted or figure out from little information we are given as there aren’t that many explanations, but big decisions and actions that we question the meaning behind all of them.

Grade: C

EANIE MEENIE (2025)

 

Written & Directed By: Shawn Simmons 

Cinematography: Tim Ives 

Editor: Chris Patterson and Dirk Westervelt

Cast: Samara Weaving, Karl Glusman, Andy Garcia, Steve Zahn, Marshawn Lynch, Jermaine Fowler, Mike O’Malley, Randall Park, Chris Bauer

A reformed teenage getaway driver is dragged back into her unsavory past when a former employer offers her a chance to save the life of her chronically unreliable ex-boyfriend.

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This film comes so close, but no cigar as it does play out like an Elmore Leonard story or novel. As it has the gritty details, the quirky characters and the down on their luck protagonist.

It also has a story that is set in the underworld of crime and a high story that doesn’t overreach and make it seem like this is the score of the century or will set everyone up for life but more just a simple heist that will help all involved get out of previous trouble and be financially lucrative .

Even though it is mainly a crime story, it does take its time to be a character piece for the main character played by Samara weaving and explain her character’s choices, upbringing, and mentality, which helps, especially when she is essentially in love with a screwup 

The film has a great cast, but that is the problem while the quirky supporting character shine. We don’t really ever get enough time with them to learn maybe how they tick or just to enjoy them in general. It’s longer than blink and you miss them, but still not quite enough 

Even Marshawn Lynch, who is usually comedic gold in movies here has the chance to create such an iconic character, and while he does, what is necessary, his impact isn’t felt the way that it should nor strong as it should. It feels here more like he scripted rather than where his strength is an improv. 

Samara weaving as the lead is more of the straight woman, whereas she surrounded by all these crazy quirky characters so she lies at the heart of the film, and obviously the protagonist were rooting for .

The film stays surprising throughout as well as engaging with a surprisingly strong and down, tried ending of sorts, though it feels like there’s something missing to push it quite over the top to passable. 

As it is a film, that is entertaining enough, but not quite not worthy to play with the others in its genre. It comes across his lightweight, even though it does have some heavy material. Maybe it’s just because of the story that it tells you want it to be stronger.

Even with it quirky characters it’s surprisingly violent and hard hitting, but it still doesn’t quite make it to Mark

As the film does have the juice and the ingredients and even the recipe, but the taste isn’t quite uproot or tastes fine but not quite special as you had hoped. No matter how it tries. 

Grade: C 

THE LAST RUN (1971)

 

Directed By: Richard Fleischer 

Written By: Alan Sharp

Cinematography: Sven Nykvist 

Editor: Russell Lloyd 

Cast: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Tony Mustane, Colleen Dewhurst, Aldo Sandrell, Robert Coleby 

A former getaway driver from Chicago has retired to a peaceful life in a Portuguese fishing village. He is asked to pull off one last job, involving driving a dangerous crook and his girl-friend to France. However, the job turns out to be a double-cross and the trio are pursued back to Portugal where they make one last stand on the coast while the enemy assassins attempt to gun them down.

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This might seem typical for its time period. A getaway driver working on his last job after a semi retirement while it has its fair share of car chasing action sequences this film actually seems a little bit more existential.

Though this film had a lot going on behind the scenes. As originally it was set to be directed by John Boorman, until he and Scott disagreed on the script and then John Huston was brought into direct and filmed a few days before him and Scott’s arguing got so big and constant that he quit the film. Usually about the screenplay. Then finally Richard Fleishser was hired to direct the film but, as he was not considered an auteur as the other directors before him. He was never given Final Cut.

The other piece of trivia about this film is that this film spelled the end for his marriage to Colleen Dewhurst. As he met and fell in love with his co-star Trish Van Devere on this film and married her a year later. She wasn’t even the first choice of leading lady. Original director John Huston had hired another actress and Scott and him fought over re-casting the female lead and ended up with Van Devere. So that the relationships his character has with these two ladies on screen, mirrors his personal life in real life at the time.

So that this film is almost like George C. Scott’s. Person of THE GETAWAY in front of and behind the scenes.

That is pretty much said by the end of the film. As Scott’s character is pretty much almost a ghost having a last hurrah on a mission that he knows isn’t necessarily gonna be a suicide mission, but suspects that it might be and this is really the only time where he feels alive on the edge as the desire for survival awakens him, even though he’d rather be dead, especially after losing a child. 

there are points in the story where he could survive and surrender to romantic delusions of the safecracker who he busted out of jail girlfriend as a safe cracker seems to be pretty much a career criminal and wants to be one who idolizes the lifestyle, but is sloppy and not exactly respectful and see George C.  Scott’s character more as ancient and on his way out whereas himself he is one of the new players

Throughout the film, there are constant double crosses, triple crosses, and surprises that keep the story lively, but the film is strangely a lot more greedy and grounded than expected even with international localales 

The film has very few cast members and stay small scale, but feels bigger than just the story it’s telling. It feels more soulful than it should and one wonders is it the script or is it the cast under the direction of Randall Fleischer?

As the director adds plenty of great visuals, but it’s the performance is that really ground the film and make it more noteworthy and effective than expected 

Grade: B 

IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU (2025)

Written & Directed By: Mary Bronstein 

Cinematography: Christopher Messina 

Editor: Lucian Johnston

Cast: Rose Byrne, A$ap Rocky, Conan O’Brien, Ivy Wolk, Delaney Quinn, Danielle Macdonald, Christian Slater, Josh Pais, Ella Beatty, Mary Bronstein

While trying to manage her own life and career, a woman on the verge of a breakdown must cope with her daughter’s illness, an absent husband, a missing person, and an unusual relationship with her therapist.

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This is dramatic, but present presented as a dark comedy

One can remember the first time I saw Rose Byrne in a film. It was in a disastrous epic movie Troy and I remember not being that impressed by her and it seems like since then if she had heard, she took it as a personal upfront because it seems like since then she has done nothing but build her career and impress in numerous performances that she sometimes gets credited with, but not enough in my view and here she gives an Oscar level performance think general Rowlands in a woman under the influence and her intensity

The film also has her character leading with all sorts of catastrophes that are making her breakdown and the camera seems to present most scenes, especially with her an extreme close-up, so you can never escape her intensity just as she seems to never be able to escape her ongoing problems and challenges

IT’S interesting that her character is a therapist as clearly she is breaking down and has her own therapist, and her job is to listen to other people‘s problems and give advice, but she can’t seem to solve her own as well as taking care of a disabled daughter and a husband who is not supportive truly, and never there

Randomly Conan O’Brien is in this movie, which is a welcome surprise, especially if you’re a fan of his though in a role that is quite different 

One of the wisest decisions is that her child is often in the scenes, but remains unseen, so while she has this illness, we never quite see her. She is kind of a phantom where we wonder what she looks like, but it might also be because it would be hard to find a child to give a physical and unbelievable performance for that character. While mostly throughout we are given fl glimpses of her. when eventually the child is revealed it is at a pivotal point. It seems as a must rather than play the character is almost invisible or imaginary.

Not sure that this film was produced by Josh Safdie, as it does feel like one of his films maybe not visually but with a main character going through increasing pressure and as the film goes on, they’re being an unrelenting tension that doesn’t seem to offer any distractions and the character coming more and more unhinged

Though the film is like the character at first, it seems a little light, a little more comedic and then as it goes along, it gets a little darker and has a little more pressure then by the end it just feels like there’s nowhere to go nowhere a turd and it doesn’t offer any answers or show that any character is a saint nor a villain they are just who they are in life. Is that way too there’s no definitive answer. There’s no let up Sometimes. It can be random.

It is surprising how much it has gripped you by the end and how much you care. Even as itnolays like an emotional horror film as it unfolds especially towards the end.

Grade: B+

BOB TREVINO LIKES IT (2024)

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Written & Directed By: Tracie Laymon 

Cinematography: John Rosario 

Editor: Anisha Acharya 

Cast: Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones, Ted Welch, Tony Milder, Ashlyn Moore 

When lonely 20-something Lily Trevino accidentally befriends a stranger online who shares the exact same name as her own self-centered father, encouragement and support from this new Bob Trevino could change her life for the better. Inspired by a true story.

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Wow, this movie surprised the heck out of me practically came out of nowhere and while at first, it seemed like a small streaming dramatic title. It might be because it’s premise seems like one of those or some quirky Indie drama that might’ve played big at Sundance and won an audience award. I do remember that this film got a theatrical release and more independent theaters, getting by decent reviews but never quite knew what it was about.

 Now I kick myself for not actually checking it out then, As this is one of those that seems to slip through the fingers of audience is really looking for underrated gems, or diamonds in the rough 

Going into the film, it will feel somewhat familiar and going or heading towards a tearjerking motivational film, which is at heart, but it’s so much more and it’s not overcomplicated. It keeps it rather simple but quite moving. and got me very emotional. A true earnest and charming movie.

I knew the movie was gonna make me emotional halfway through as it was all ready, stirring up things by the end you know out came, the water works in the tears and then finding out it’s based on a true story, really amazed and destroyed me, but it also allowed me to have faith That there are good people out there honest and you can make a true connection with strangers and can care for one another almost like family or as family

Now, while I have seen a lot of movies I have liked recently. This is the first one that really got to me emotionally and one that I really needed as I haven’t had an overall emotional response to a movie. In quite some time and this really helped was almost like a lot of repressed feelings finally coming out. 

This isn’t a flashy film, nor really an emotionally manipulative film where in the score tries to truly direct you or your emotions rather this did it on its own and it’s almost its own personal therapy session. Where you can watch the drama of someone else’s life and identify with it. Even if the details in situations differ. 

It’s also nice to see John Leguizamo get somewhat normal role, not outrageous, not over the top, not a criminal and to see Barbie Ferreira get a chance to be in the spotlight of a film, especially after her noted Work in the first season of the television show EUPHORIA and since then, while she has had Supporting and small roles and other things, nothing that truly let her shine or show her depth of talent. Even if in these various roles, it allowed her to showcase her range 

Here she is the real deal And the only weak or puzzling part of this film is the performance by French Stewart. Who seems like he’s more going for some kind of weird western accent or just seems over the top, but maybe that is how the character needs to be played. Whereas he’s always putting on a performance to scam other people in whichever way he can do it. So that he is never quite genuine.

The film might be so affecting, because the writer/director based the film on her own experiences. So that the film always feels real and identifiable with human emotions . Who make good and bad decisions in the character stay three dimensional and not perfect.

This is the type of film that in the past would’ve won the Sundance film festival, for being a bit offbeat, but maybe a little bit more mainstream and identifiable. So that it could find an audience that is a bit more mainstream. if they would give it a chance as it is Something that feels pure and it’s all about connection and family. That might not necessarily be blood and it’s chosen a little more randomly

When I was younger, I would’ve felt that this performance or this type of character felt too unrealistic, but as you live life, you do realize that some people are just this way unemotional unless it comes to themselves, but while you’re thinking, you have created a bond or have earned or inherited one due to bonds, either born into or ones that would naturally happen. Nothing is ever promised in some don’t feel bound by any of those connections

Maybe I got suckered by the emotions on display mixed in with the storytelling more than any technical achievements. As this could perfectly fit into some kind of hallmark lifetime TV movie, but this feels a little more real, not quite hard edged, but a little more blunt and direct than those films are not offering a façade or an entirely happily ever after of promise. I wasn’t seduced by the filmmaking but the story and emotions. Which I believe audiences will appreciate and truly enjoy 

Grade: B+