NORTH HOLLYWOOD (2021)

 

Written & Directed By: Mikey Alfred

Cinematography: Ayinde Anderson 

Editor: Alex Tsagamilis 

Cast: Ryder McLaughlin, Nico Hiraga, Aramis Hudson, Vince Vaughn, Miranda Cosgrove, Angus Cloud, Gillian Jacobs, Blake Anderson 

A kid must decide between choosing the future his father wants and following his dream of becoming a pro skater.

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This film unfortunately feels sort of like a b-movie version of the film MID 90S or a more independent version of it, as it feels similar but being not quite as sharp. as there are no major names in the cast, except for Vince Vaughn playing the main characters, strong willed, father, and he makes his presence felt And gives the strongest performance. 

The majority of the film is plotless. It’s more of a becoming of age comedy drama, where we watch our main character who wants to be a pro skater through the ins and outs of a few weeks into his life and the various situations he finds himself in. 

As in most coming-of-age films, he finds a romance and faces alienation or the breaking up of friendships as they mature and change and head off in a different directions, though there’s a little actual plotter story a bunch of stuff happens that help to define the characters 

Though the characters being kind of unlikable, juvenile and bland, which one is sure is the main point of the film. As we all are at that time but here it doesn’t come off as fun or poignant. It comes off more as annoying more like someone looking back at that age, and trying to be hip with the current generation as it feels a little Just out of date for some reason. So that there feels like no one in particular to root for or even look forward to. 

What the film does have is a good soundtrack and greats and photography that make you sit through the film and study the shots and notice how well film they are really your patience will be tested with this film and how much you actually get into either the characters or your wonder to see what’s gonna happen next 

As the film isn’t quite as polished or confident as mid 90s and has a more open ambiguous ending, that seems a bit more downtrodden and then positive, but hold out hope strives for a DIY attitude and tone.

As it seeks to be authentic, it just constantly seems a bit off brand and a little more manufactured rather than telling it’s truth or being autobiographical or someone’s passion project

Watching it it just feels way too familiar even in different clothing and locations. You’re going to have that I’ve seen this before, but maybe it works for a new generation and will speak to them. 

The film is worth watching if you don’t have too many expectations or expect that much from me it’s perfectly fine entertainment. Give the film a chance, though you can’t say you weren’t warned beforehand 

Grade: C 

LILI (1953)

 

Directed By: Charles Walters

Written By: Helen Deutsch

Based on the story “THE MAN WHO HATED PEOPLE” By: Paul Gallico 

Cinematography: Robert Planck 

Editor: Ferris Webster 

Cast: Leslie Caron, Mel Ferrer, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jean Pierre Aumont, Kurt Kaszner, Amanda Blake, Alex Gerry, Ralph Dumke

An orphaned young woman becomes part of a puppet act and forms a relationship with the anti-social puppeteer.

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This film will automatically not be for everyone and honestly some might be repulsive, especially the sensibilities of most in modern times. Though for those wanting to get lost in a fantasy of old school filmmaking in its own world. A fairy tale of sorts. We can look at it as different times and what was acceptable at the time. Which doesn’t make it right or wrong. 

The Film is very light and more noteworthy for its design under modern eyes. 

Either way, it’s a very strange film of its time that offers magical realism with an innocence. Yet approaches adult matters at times. Which can be very dark when it comes to the material

It’s a musical that truly only has two musical sequences. It’s a strange family film that might make adults more uncomfortable, though children might love it. As it comes across as a real world fairy tale

The film is a bit creepy. As usually anything with puppets can be for some. Especially as the puppeteer uses them to distract her and seduce her. It’s where he shows his more sensitive side. Though her believing they are real continuously shows how young she is. 

At heart,  it’s a film about a man gaslighting and underage girl who’s innocence is shown demeanor, and a baby face 

Made Romantic as the puppeteer of the carnival she joins seems to try to save her first from suicide, but also seems to slowly seduce her to teach and save her from her naïveté. Though this is partially in retaliation. As she falls in love so easily with a decent flirty and romantic man. Who earlier saved her from being attacked and taken advantage of. 

Though the romantic rival, The Puppeteer is a man scarred by the war and the world becomes More and more bitter. As she seems to not see him at least not the real him only pieces of  him that are rough and angry. Though he acts like his feelings are obvious for her. Which only shows that they are not a match if anything due to maturity. That the film Tries to act like she has gained by the end. Making the romance possible.

This is a romantic fantasy truly, but watching it under modern eyes makes it more dastardly if looking at it more critically and under a microscope. 

As it is the basis of the stage musical CARNIVAL and won the Oscar for Best Music in 1953. 

FREAKIER FRIDAY (2025)

 

Directed By: Nisha Ganatra

Written By: Jordan Weiss 

Story By: Elyse Hollander and Jordan Weiss

Based on characters, Based on the book By: Mary Rodgers 

Cinematography: Matthew Clark

Editor: Eleanor Infante 

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Vanessa Bayer, Mark Harmon, Manny Jacinto, Chad Michael Murray, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Christina Vidal

22 years after Tess and Anna endured an identity crisis, Anna now has a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might strike twice.

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This was unexpected a sequel, so many decades after the original hit though will admit kind of had interest to catch this can say that it’s not disappointing. It stays fun and lively throughout. It doesn’t offer necessarily anything original but it’s perfect for its target, offering fans of the original or more first a chance to see the two stars in their element who they grew up with, and it allows their children a chance to see characters their own age they can identify with.

Though I might not be the ideal audience, it reminded me of Disney adult aimed humored films where they still have an innocence, despite being more maturely themed

The film wisely stays with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis‘s characters whose bodies are supposed to be inhabited by these teenagers and they get to major league showcase and be broad throughout whereas we do see the teenagers supposedly inhabited by older people, but the movie doesn’t rely on them as much.

It’s especially nice and surprising to see Lindsay Lohan back on the big screen and a major release making her comeback of sort. She has been making a comeback and more Hallmark and straight to streaming movies but here is the first time she’s had a chance on a major big screen platform. After so much trouble in her personal life it seemed like she was destined for tragedy or at least never really work again, which was a shame as always thought that she had the talent and goods to be a leading lady and have a long career so this film was a nice surprise.

Even though she doesn’t have as much to do or shine as in the last film, she still impresses, and it still quite the screen presence.

Jamie Lee Curtis is obviously having fun with her role here and gets a lot of time to shine and showcase and feel steadier here than in some of her more recent roles

Chad Michael Murray continues to be type cast as the hunk who gets away and kind of temptation that lays on the side, pure of fantasy, which leaves him with very little to do.

The film breezes along and mannequin to have and beat everything for each part of the audience. It can be romantic, comedic, young, mature, juvenile, and it manages to stay fun throughout, except when it goes from the second act of the third act with a plot device that of course is needed for a 3 act structure, but still has you rolling your eyes Kind of like getting a shot at the doctors office it’s needed and you know it’s coming, but the process is always a pain

Is the film is everything you expected to me, though? It also has charisma and charm. This is not going to went over anyone new to the franchise, but the fans of it will be in heaven as they bring back most of the cast from the first film and it feels like not your standard sequel. There was a lot of effort put it into this film That makes it feel like it goes above and beyond for its audience not a general audience again, but its audience.

Grade: C+

PICTURE THIS (2008)

 

Directed By: Stephen Herek

Written By: Temple Mathews 

Cinematography: Bernard Couture 

Editor: Robin Russell 

Cast: Ashely Tisdale, Robbie Amell, Lauren Collins, Kevin Pollack, Shenae Grimes, Cindy Busby, Marie-Marguerite Sabonqui, Angela Galuppo

Rich, handsome team captain Drew Patterson, the high school's dream prince, like his elder brothers before, tires of the haughty head cheerleader and shows some interest in nerdy nobody Mandy Gilbert. For her, his invitation to the party of the year of his parental estate bodes instant social promotion, but her overprotective father Tom grounds her for dishonesty. She's as determined to get in anyway with friends' help as her rival's pack to prevent that and dad to guard her. Furthermore, there's a dooming rumor about the Patterson boys.

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Now let me start this review off by saying that,  I am obviously not the normal audience for this film as I am an adult male, so I am aged out when it comes to this film and this is definitely aimed at a more teenage audience, teenage female in particular, even though as the film plays, it even seems a little too soft and innocent for them. This is something I could more imagine, preteens or children, even watching as it would make more sense to them as it just has a innocence about it even the race scenes or subjects aren’t something you would worry about too much.

The film is a starring vehicle for Ashley Tisdale who is one of the stars of Disney’s high school the musical smash hit TV movie and it’s sequel now I’m not sure if they started as a Disney original or not though would place for that kind of audience. 

The film is rather basic paint by numbers you’ve seen this all before just with different Hijinx and little adventures that all seem to take place really within a few days, which is where some of the logical problems of the film come in whereas this the school hunk who dates it seems like the queen be most popular girl is telling this girl who has lead low on the social scale and never seem to really talk. all of a sudden he’s professing that he really likes her and that how special she is and really if this was true why did he wait for the last year of high school towards the end of the year before they graduate and B? Why doesn’t he just break up with his girlfriend first, so that there would be no hijinks but then again then there would be no movie.

To tell you the truth, the only reason I watch this is because two cast members from the grassy the teenage melodramatic soap opera that I am a big fan of were in it. Shanae Grimes and Lauren collins. Who played Tisdale‘s best friends and offer quirky, comedic, and loving support.

Ashley Tisdale does have star quality though this script and doesn’t really help her shine though she is watchable the film is acceptable even though the script or film might be too juvenile for even her core audience at the time. 

what are the major problems of this film? Is that her arrival? The queen bee who was the most popular girl in school? I don’t feel like would put so much attention to taking her down if she was really secure, but of course, since there’s a team movie at heart it shows that she’s insecure and not to mention the rival isn’t even a challenge when it comes to looks, she seems rather bleach, blonde and generic and way too old to be playing high school school student. Then again, so does the male elite who’s the dream guy Robbie Amell. But I digress.

luckily, the film never comes off as offensive, so it can easily play with most audiences and some might find its silliness cute and it is directed by journeyman director Stephen Herek. (BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE) So you have to give the film credit as at least it’s competently directed even if the material isn’t the greatest. i’m not really going to write this film only because it would be unfair as normally I might give it a low grade but again to a certain audience this might be the greatest thing ever made and if you’re watching it either you have kids or you’re watching it by accident or you’re really into these sort of films so it doesn’t really matter what I have to say.

Hopefully Ashley Tisdale returns to start them again, cause she definitely has the talent and the energy to truly be an effective actress full of personality

102 DALMATIONS (2000)

 

Directed By: Kevin Lima 

Written By: Kristen Buckley, Brian Regan, Bob Tzudiker and Noni White 

Story By: Kristen Buckley and Brian Regan

Based on the Novel “THE ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIONS” By: Dodie Smith 

Cinematography: Adrian Biddle and Roger Pratt

Editor: Gregory Perler 

Cast: Glenn Close, Gerard Depardieu, Ioan Gruffund, Alice Evans, Eric Idle, Tim McInnerny, Ian Richardson, Jim Carter, Ron Cook

After a spot of therapy, Cruella De Vil is released from prison a changed woman. Devoted to dogs and good causes, she is delighted that Chloe, her parole officer, has a dalmatian family and connections with a dog charity. But the sound of Big Ben can reverse the treatment so it is only a matter of time before Ms DeVille is back to her incredibly ghastly ways, using her new-found connections with Chloe and friends.

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One can remember  this trailer making the rounds in the year of its release and the trailer actually looked funny and captivating. It took me all this time to finally watch this film and say the trailer held more promise and humor. 

take this review with a pinch of salt as obviously if you like this film already, I’m not gonna change your mind and you’re just going to think that I am a hater and I will freely admit. This is not usually my type of film, but I was hoping it would be something fun and charming and it’s neither

it took me a while to watch this film. I remember when it came out and all the brew ha ha over 101 Dalmatians and then then making a sequel live action sequel with 102 Dalmatians and I decided to give the film a chance. 

Watching it clearly is not for me. This is a film, purely for children because it’s silly joyful with a little hint of darkness, but I’d rather feels like a straight to Dvd home video TV type of production as it just seems kind of cheap and unmemorable and there are a bunch of gags, but they don’t really seem to work. 

The only good thing or promising aspect of this film is Glenn Close reprising her role as Cruella Deville and she’s fun and campy is all hell but also the weakness of the film is that it More keeps her as a supporting character.

whereas we focus on the characters played by Ioan Gruffund and Alice Evans. Who don’t even feel like real characters they feel like plat points and they’re truly is no fun when most of the movie is centered around them and the dogs as they have no chemistry and they’re not even that interesting as characters so while the film does have the basic requirements and trying to pretty much do the same thing as a 101 Dalmatians only now with Cruella supposedly being rehab and liking dogs and then halfway through the film, the rehab doesn’t work or backfires and having her go back, this is just the first film all over again with less star filled Cast.

One might be a particularly disappointed because this film is directed by Kevin Lima, who also directed A GOOFY MOVIE which was animated in which I love so I thought that he would be able to handle a live action film with the same care and touch and while it’s a film, that children will obviously adore it lacks any real nuance or any real fun so personally for me, and that just adds to the disappointment of the whole endeavor. As he has shown, he can offer up emotional yet funny material for an audience of all ages and here, even though it might be a little more skewed it’s very hard to believe that even the audience it’s aimed that will find this enjoyable or unforgettable. Then again he can only work with what he has in the script, even if Glenn Clouse shines above it all.

Though you usually know you are in trouble when a film introduces a talking animal for its comedic relief, but also shows who this film was more made for. 

So that the rest of the film feels silly familiar and just tired. It just feels like no one really had any new ideas or really any passion for this film and and it ended up just being more of the same only with lower production values and again Glenn Close is clearly having fun and truly earning her paycheck as the over the top supporting villain, but she is the only thing of note in this otherwise forgettable film.

At least the fashions through out are ridiculously over the top and leaves some room For campy humor. 

Grade: D