A Nice Indian Boy, Hollywood Film Review, Picks And Piques, Johnson Thomas

Hollywood Film Review
Johnson Thomas
A gently persuasive romcom
Film: A Nice Indian Boy
Cast: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, Harish Patel
Director: Roshan Sethi
Rating: * * * 1/2
Runtime: 96 m

‘A Nice Indian Boy,’ based on a play by Madhuri Shekar and directed by Roshan Sethi, is a romcom that ekes out genuine sentiment, while delineating a gay love story between an introverted American Indian and a extroverted white man adopted by Indian parents. Karan Soni who became known for being Deadpool’s regular taxi driver plays Naveen, a doctor who hesitates to take the first step in a relationship for fear that his parents would disapprove. He is conflicted and inarticulate and needs to be nudged into expressing himself. His first meeting with Jay (Jonathan Groff), his polar opposite in personality, a queer freelance photographer, happens in a Ganesh temple. The next time they meet is when Jay is appointed the official staff photographer for the hospital. It takes a while for Naveen to warm up but eventually they click and end up in a live-in.

Jay’s adoptive parents, the Kondurkars, now deceased, were Indian and so he has a sympathetic cultural background; his favourite film, as is Naveen’s, is Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) and he has a working knowledge of Hindi. So the cultural differences are minimal. It’s Naveen’s conflicted parents that become the problem when it’s time for them to express their wishes to get married. Naveen’s mother Megha (Zarna Garg) is well-meaning but a little overbearing, while his father Archit (Harish Patel) still finds it difficult to fully accept having fathered a Gay son. Naveen’s sister Arundhati (Sunita Mani), who had to go through an arranged marriage is also having relationship issues and is vexed when her parents seem to go out of the way to accept her brother’s choice when they were unwilling to do the same for her.

The film is divided into five neatly assembled chapters. The writing is crisp and to the point. Eric Randall’s script, adapted from Madhuri Shekar’s play of the same name, is both heartening and comedic. The romance plays out with genuine affectation. Naveen’s awkwardness, Jay’s acceptance of that, the gentle nudging from friends that get their relationship going, the differences in each one’s approach, the way they evolve into being a couple and the final reckoning, play out with a sincerity and authenticity that is hard to find. The journey to their joyous marriage feels legitimate and credible. It is also deeply affecting. Each of the characters are developed well enough to make them count.

The riff on DDLJ is charming. The references to Indian pop-culture doesn’t come across as forced. Like in DDLJ the groom wants the acceptance of Naveen’s family. When Jay bursts into song in public singing ‘Tujhe Dekha tho yeh Jaana Sanam,’ the socially awkward Naveen is embarassed but secretly likes the fact that DDLJ is their meeting ground. As their romance progresses, Naveen starts opening up but when it counts he is still found wanting. Naveen gradually develops the courage to acknowledge his desires and convince his parents about the suitability of his choice. Their romance evolves at a natural pace. Nothing is rushed. The narrative showcases the family learning how to appreciate each other, accept the inevitable and gradually renew their bonding with each other.

Jonathan Groff is easy on the eye and eases into the role of the gay charmer splendidly. Karan Soni’s journey as Naveen is much more deeper and heartfelt. As the overbearing mother Garg basically mirrors her own comedy style. Patel and Mani also leave a strong impact in their brief but luminous roles. Director Roshan Sethi handles things with innate sensitivity and grace, allowing tender moments to resonate while keeping the narrative moving at a brisk pace.

A Nice Indian Boy is a bewitching mix of comedy and deeply felt romance. The subtle and nuanced nature of the romance enriches the experience. It portrays relationships with empathy and compassion. The Director skillfully threads through challenges that cultural differences throw up, conflicting world views and the yawning gap between generations. The film celebrates love and shows us that it has a way of balancing everything out. It is both profoundly illuminating, insightful and charming. It’s certainly among the best Asian based movie one has seen in a long time.

Johnsont307@gmail.com

Gabby's Dollhouse, Hollywood Film Review, Picks And Piques, Johnson Thomas

Hollywood Film Review
Johnson Thomas
Candy colored child-friendly fare
Film: Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie
Cast: Laila Lockhart Kraner, Gloria Estefan, Kristen Wiig, Logan Bailey, Eduardo Franco, Juliet Donenfeld, Donovan Patton, Sainty Nelsen, Thomas Lennon, Jason Mantzoukas, Ego Nwodim, Kyle Mooney, Melissa Villasenor, Fortune Feimster
Director: Ryan Crego
Rating: * * 1/2
Runtime: 98 min.

The popular Netflix show gets a live-action animation movie makeover, DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie, directed by Ryan Crego, with Laila Lockhart Kraner as Gabby, Kristen Wiig as Vera and Gloria Estefan as Grandma Gigi.

The film probably hopes to create a franchise nearing the size of the Netflix series that spawned 11 seasons, 76 episodes. This film, given the pre-teen target demographic may not achieve that kind of success but certainly the kids would love it.

The titular character Gabby, played in both human and animated form by Laila Lockhart Kraner, possesses a special dollhouse, made for her by her loving grandmother Gigi (Gloria Estefan), with a collection of miniature cats who come to life. Gigi has taught Gabby to miniaturize herself by pinching each put on ear and launching into “The Pinch Pinch Song.”

When Gabby joins her grandmother in her “Kitty Wagon” — on a road trip to “Cat Francisco,” her beloved dollhouse and its denizens accidentally fall off and land into the hands of Vera (Wiig). Vera, a successful businesswoman, having invented “Pretty Glitter Kitty Litter,” has a pet feline Marlena, who accompanies her everywhere. In order to get back her dollhouse, Gabby is forced to set off on an adventure through the real world. Gabby puts on the magical ears, shrinks in size, so that she can rescue her toy friends and reclaim the dollhouse.

Along with her furry animated friends and an assortment of others, she also encounters Chumley (Jason Mantzoukas), a stuffed animal who resents Vera because she stopped playing with him.

Gabby starts out as a live girlish 17yr old and then transforms into an animated version of herself. The Movie, like the series, is interactive, so kids are likely to get excited. The animation is glitter bright and colorful. The events sewn together have a fresh and weird appeal. From start to finish there’s music and song and the kiddie audience is encouraged to sing along and dance. So it’s easy for kids to stay glued to the screen.

The adults accompanying them are more than likely to fall asleep because there’s absolutely nothing in the movie to rouse their interest. The narrative veers into mild life lessons while serenading the young audience with lively pop songs and cat puns. For kids it’s fun to be told “ You’re never too old to play” and “grab the hands of the person sitting next to you.” I can just imagine what the accompanying adult would have to face if he followed that latter instruction.

Kraner serves up likability like in the series. Estefan as the grandmother lends nurturing warmth to her role and Wiig does well to ratchet up some comedic moments. The voice performers —Donovan Patton as CatRat, Julien Donenfield as Cakey the cupcake, Maggie Lowe as Baby Box, and the others including Thomas Lennon, Kyle Mooney, Melissa Villasenor, and Fortune Feimster perform with an effusiveness suitable for a live action animation film .

The script panders to easy acceptability by kids, like in the episodes on TV. There is nothing challenging here. That a 17 year old Gabby is still playing with a dollhouse seems a little innocuous. This is a patchy series of events brought together to seem like a magical realm with bright colors and animation of the most unlikely of toys. The Golden Gate Bridge gets a lavender glow, a cupcake sprinkles tears, miniature cats, winter wonderland of cotton-candy clouds, a doughnut raft, giant gummy worms, Day-Glo underwater dance-pop number - all add to the charm of this hybrid combo specially targeted at children. Ryan Crego manages to draw affection from unchained fantasy and uncomplicated visual design that is why the film garners interest.

Johnsont307@gmail.com

Caught Stealing, Hollywood Film Review, Picks And Piques, Johnson Thomas

Hollywood Film Review
Johnson Thomas
A genre-bending thriller that keeps you on your toes
Film: Caught Stealing
Cast: Austin Butler, Zöe Kravitz, Regina King, Matt Smith, Nikita Kukushkin, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Carol Kane, Laura Dern, Tonic the cat
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Rating: * * * 1/2
Runtime: 107 m

In Caught Stealing, a genre-bending crime thriller based on Charlie Huston’s novel, Darren Aronofsky pivots from an intense psychological drama to an accelerating, wild adventure set in late 1990s New York. Stylish and capricious this crime thriller is sprinkled with dark humor, and works in some depth along with it.

Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), a burned out former high school baseball player who has an alcohol problem, and a past trauma that haunts him, now tending a bar and dating a paramedic Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), is called on to cat-sit for his neighbor, Russ (Matt Smith). Before he knows it, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival, forced to deal with a dangerous underworld inhabited by Russian, Jewish, and Puerto Rican gangsters. Is mistaken identity the reason?

Russ, a punk-rock junkie has a stash of money that belongs to some gangsters and Hank becomes the guy they chase because he is on the scene at the wrong time.

The wild adventure takes us through the seediest streets of New York, as Hank gets chased by goons (Benito Martinez Ocasio, Bad Bunny, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio). Police detective Roman (Regina King) is also giving chase.

Hank wants to protect Yvonne and his new cat, Bud - but his tryst with the seedy side of New York is both unpredictable and absurd. He gets beaten up at regular intervals and indulges in alcohol to offset that aggravation.

The chaotic narrative encompasses a series of escalating encounters studded with thrilling action interventions, stylized chases and gritty kinesis. Aronofsky’s signature visual style makes it all the more thrilling. The narrative sparks a playful tone while emotionally charging up the audience and keeping them thrilled out by the sheer energy, inventiveness and swiftness of the encounters.The film is totally gripping, combining dark humor, frenetic action and nail-biting suspense. The narrative goes from comical to emotional to dark in a matter of minutes. The frequent tone-switching keeps the audience on their toes, eager for more. The incredibly vivid cinematography from three-time Oscar nominee Matthew Libatique, taut editing by Andrew Weisblum, gruesome action sequences and comedic moments, keep you intensely engaged throughout. The songs from the Spin Doctors, Madonna, and Semisonic, playing in the background suit the 90’s setting.

Butler’s fully-committed performance works well with Aronofsky’s edgy style. Caught Stealing, gets you all caught up in its tone-switching rapacious adventure. It is undoubtedly a captivating and thrilling experience at that!

Johnsont307@gmail.com

The Lost Bus, Hollywood Film Review, Picks And Piques, Johnson Thomas

Hollywood Film Review
Johnson Thomas
An immersive survival thriller
Film: The Lost Bus
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez, Levi McConaughey, Kay McCabe McConaughey
Director: Paul Greengrass
Rating: * * * 1/2
Runtime: 129 m
#AppleTV+

“The Lost Bus,” is an adaptation of a book, Lizzie Johnson’s nonfiction book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, which dramatizes the events of the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California history.The film focuses on a school bus driver’s efforts to save a group of kids from a rampaging wildfire while ensnared by debilitating personal problems himself.

Director Paul Greengrass who has made some memorable films based on true stories (“Bloody Sunday,” “22 July,” “United 93,”) returns to screens with yet another thriller true story in “The Lost Bus.”

Kevin (Matthew McConaughey) who is in his late forties, has returned to his childhood hometown of Paradise, California, following his dad’s passing. He has a troubled family life. He has an ex-wife who hates him, his dog has cancer, his mother, Sherry (Kay McConaughey, his real life mom) has dementia, and his son, Shaun (Levi McConaughey, real life son), is resentful of everything he does. Kevin needs to earn more as a school bus driver, but Ruby (Ashlie Atkinson), the director of transportation, won’t help him with extra shifts.

Kevin is totally frustrated and at the end of his rope, when more troubles arrive with the fast spreading wildfire. Fire chief Ray (Yul Vazquez) and his teams are all at sea. Evacuation seems like the only option. At the school, teacher Mary (America Ferrera) and 23 kids hop on to Kevin’s bus for a ride to safety.

This is a typical disaster-movie that plunges the viewer into the danger zone with a swiftness that could catch you unawares. Characters get introduced quickly and the narrative moves fleetly towards showcasing how people react to the disaster happening in front of their eyes.

The wildfire is filmed with burgeoning ferocity and provides the necessary enhancement for the drama of rescue under great peril. Greengrass tracks the development of the fire over time as it burns its way to Paradise. Burning heat intensity rages uncontrolled and the viewer can almost feel its singe. This film plays like a true blue disaster movie. Some of the sequences in this film are truly terrifying. Handheld cinematography, evocative visual effects makes us experience Kevin’s precarious situation. A large part of the narrative concentrates on Kevin and Mary’s tryst with the raging fire and the critical decisions they have to make on the run. Time is of essence, danger at every turn, and that is conveyed with a great deal of trepidation and suspense.

Vibrating giant power lines, shuddering transmission towers, wires and metal structures, magnify the risk involved as the roaring flames spreads across the mountains and cliffs of Northern California. Watching Kevin drive dangerously to navigate the horrors that surround him is likely to make you hold your breath. Even though Kevin is shown to suck at life his heroism in the face of disaster is something that would rouse you and make you appreciate his efforts.

This helps us follow the spread of this real-life disaster and also conveys the insignificance and helplessness of the mortals fighting it.

The screenplay by Greengrass and Brad Ingelsby gets bogged down by character detail but it’s all to the benefit of the viewer who walks out of the theatre with a satisfied look. This is a survival against all odds picture and the survival challenges add sharpened thrills to the overall viewing experience.

Johnsont307@gmail.com

Steve, Hollywood Film Review, Picks And Piques, Johnson Thomas

Hollywood Film Review
Johnson Thomas
Emotionally compelling drama
Film: Steve
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Youssef Kerkour, Emily Watson
Director: Tim Mielants
Rating: * * * 1/2
Runtime: 93 m

#Netflix

An emotionally poignant character driven drama set in 1990s, adapted from the book Shy by Max Porter, Steve follows headteacher Steve (Cillian Murphy) as he battles the looming closure of the institution and struggles with his own mental health issues. Parallel to this Shy (Jay Lycurgo), a volatile student is shown wrestling with his past and uncertain future.

The narrative focuses on 24 hrs in the life of Steve. The focus here is on Steve and not on Shy like in the book. He is the head of a boarding school for troubled young men called Stanton Wood. Steve loves his job, is devoted and has great compassion for the inmates there. But it is clearly taking a heavy toll on him. He is stressed out and beleaguered to the point of exhaustion.

The residential reform school for delinquent teenagers also has a headmaster's assistant (Tracey Ullman), the therapist-counselor (Emily Watson), and a new teacher (Little Simz)— who together with Steve must somehow maintain order in a chaotic setup.

Steve is very very tired - that’s how he describes himself when someone asks him. He wants to do good but finds roadblocks at every turn. We see Steve descend into frustrated alcohol and substance abuse. This is also the day when a documentary/news crew has come to chronicle life at Stanton Wood for a social media segment. It also happens to be a day when the pompous local MP (Roger Allam) decides to visit. On that day Steve also receives news from the hospital trust that the school buildings will be sold and the school itself will be closed without consulting the staff.

The students respond to their presence with bizarre behaviour bordering on dark humor. Shy, who Steve is particularly fond of, has run out of chances with his mother and has nowhere to turn to when Stanton Wood gets shut down in 6 months.

Mielants narrative draws you in and makes you feel their pain. We might not get much information about the other students but the battles raging within Steve and Shy are enough to make you feel strongly for them. This drama makes emotion its trump card. Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, in another collaboration with this Belgian director after “Small Things Like These”, shines with an emotively beckoning performance that subtly draws you into it’s soaking embrace.

Both Cillian Murphy and Jay Lycurgo are outstanding in conveying the trauma that Steve and Shy experience. They brilliantly capture the emotional seesaw that they experience in one chaotic day.

This is a deeply moving film that showcases the deteriorating mental health of it’s main characters. We become privy to a deeply moving portrait because of authentic heartfelt performances and fairly good character writing. The audience is sure to be affected by this strong display of emotion.

Johnsont307@gmail.com

Play Dirty, Hollywood Film Review, Picks And Piques, Johnson Thomas

Hollywood Film Review
Johnson Thomas
Busy, Entertaining Action-Comedy
Film: Play Dirty
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Lakeith Stanfield, Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, Chukwudi Iwuji, Nat Wolff
Director: Shane Black
Rating: * * *
Runtime: 125 m
#AmazonPRIME #MXPlayer

Parker, the career thief from Donald E. Westlake’s popular Parker novels, has been played by various actors over time. The likes of Lee Marvin, Jim Brown, Robert Duvall, Mel Gibson, and Jason Statham come to mind but in this adaptation it’s Mark Wahlberg who gets to reprise the famous… or is it infamous character. And he is a decent fit for this Shane Black directorial which plays like a buddy comedy and is busy with action-comedy antics that will gladden your hearts.

Black frames the narrative as a non-stop incident prone, adrenaline-fueled chaotic run that works in heists, shootouts, daring-do, betrayal, murder, vehicle chases and spectacular crashes.

To start with, Parker(Wahlberg) and his crew, Philly Webb (Thomas Jane), Zen (Rosa Salazar), and others, pull off a successful heist and are on the verge of escape when a bystander chances his luck and makes a grab for the heist loot. After a chase that involves random shooting, cars and horses, Parker is able to get back the loot - only to be double crossed by his partner Zen who kills everyone in Parker’s team. Parker manages to escape by the skin of his teeth and is obviously looking for revenge when he visits Philly’s widow (Gretchen Mol) …but then he gets waylaid by the chance of a bigger booty. And that’s where Lakeith Stanfield makes his entry as Parker’s buddy Grofield, a thespian who commits crimes to fund his struggling theatre, and literally steals the show.

There are many more players involved as the heist gets bigger, difficult and more dangerous. The Outfit, a criminal organization run by Parker’s nemesis Lozini (Tony Shalhoub), Keegan-Michael Key and Claire Lovering as Ed and Brenda McKay, as Parker’s partners who get comic as they join in with disguises, Nat Wolff as Kincaid, one of Lozini’s henchman, Peta Wilson, Chukwudi Iwuji, and more, all get involved in staccato rush to pull off a heist that gets more and more daring as the movie plays on.

Wahlberg plays Parker with easy grace but it’s Stanfield who makes the movie interesting with his larger than life antics. Stanfield’s laid back persona helps him easily shift from action-comedy to absurdist humor and back again. Rosa Salazar as Zen does well to stick it when she pulls off the double cross but after that she has nothing much to make an impression with. The screenplay co-written by Black, Charles Mondry, and Anthony Bagarozzi focuses on setting up helter-skelter action beats and comedy so motivations are up in the air. The vengeance bit is left for last and it’s not satisfyingly done either.

Shane Black’s playful approach with funny banter and non-stop action sets up multiple set-pieces that keep the adrenaline rush going. The huge body count doesn’t register though. Alan Silvestri’s score keeps us buzzzing throughout. This is Black’s first directorial after 2018’s flop “The Predator,” so it’s been quite a long wait. “Play Dirty” finds Black playing safe with a familiar concoction that provides the fun without much distinction. Even so, Play Dirty manages to stay exciting and keep you grinning throughout.

Johnsont307@gmail.com

Dangerous Animals, Picks and Piques, Hollywood Film Review, Johnson Thomas

Hollywood Film Review
Johnson Thomas
This survival thriller hooks you like no other
Film: Dangerous Animals
Cast: Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston, Ella Newton, Liam Greinke, Rob Carlton, Ali Basoka, Michael Goldman
Director: Sean Byrne
Rating: * * *
Runtime: 98 min

Sean Byrne’s Dangerous Animals is a shark attack movie with a double bite. The opening pre-credits interlude itself sets the stage for some attention grabbing series of sequences. Here sharks are only the second biggest threat to Zephyr (Hassie Harrison). The sharks just do what you’ve seen in countless movies but it’s one particular man who emerges more dangerous than them.

Bruce Tucker (Jai Courtney), seems like a good-natured captain of the boat that takes tourists into the ocean for cage diving experiences. It’s only when they are in the water that his true nature surfaces. He overpowers the tourists, feeds them to the sharks as live bait while videotaping the whole despicable act. Zephyr a tough surfer, is his latest victim. But she has no intention of becoming shark dinner. As soon as she goes missing her boyfriend, Moses (Josh Heuston), starts looking for her.

The tension increments as the cat and mouse games between Zephyr and Tucker get played out. Zephyr is not an easy prey. She attempts to outwit Tucker, fights back by using her brain to survive. The protagonist’s fighting spirit and never say die attitude is what helps her escape from being chained to a bed and a locked room.

Nick Lepard’s screenplay is sharp and smart, making every moment in the narrative count. For most of this film’s run time, it is Tucker vs. Zephyr, with sharks circling around. Bryne’s direction does the rest. The narrative is lean and tight with not many characters distracting from the main battle. The action is crunchy and has visceral power. Michael Yezerski’s score keeps you attentive and involved.

Courtney as Tucker is suitably demented. His Jekyll and Hyde personality makes for a fascinating turnaround when it counts most. He’s a cold-blooded psychopath, but also quite pathetic. Courtney and Harrison’s performances keep you glued to the tableau that unfolds. Bryne shows himself to be a master at old-fashioned thrills. This movie really makes you sit up and take notice of his exceptional genre skills. Johnsont307@gmail.com