Mike, Darren, and Dave discuss Smile‘s effectiveness as well as its profitability (contrasted with the reboot “Jeepers Creepers: Reborn”) and Bros‘s effectiveness despite its box office.
Mike, Dave, and Darren discuss how “Don’t Worry Darling” is kind of a “Stepford Wives”-type of film, neither offensively bad nor grippingly good; how the David Bowie doc “Moonage Daydream” was “really repetitive, which kind of bothered [Mike],” despite awesome performance footage; and how “Luck” is a generic kiddie film with a really solid premise and troublesome voice-casting decisions. And Mike’s blanket love of movies is OVER! YES!
Mike, Dave, and Darren discuss why Mike has been liking practically everything he’s seen lately (exaggeration); how “The Woman King” has rightfully received critical and commercial acclaim; how “God’s Country” is tight and intense, and you should catch it when it streams because it’s left the cinemas; how “See How They Run” is a fun real-world mirror of the plot points to Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap”; how “Pearl,” a prequel to the movie “X,” looks like a Fifties Technicolor melodrama set during the Spanish flu epidemic (description, not judgment); and “Confess, Fletch” (also gone), with Jon Hamm’s comedic range on full display.
Mike, Dave, and Darren discuss how “Barbarian” leaves you asking “What’s going on?” so many times that your neighbors will think you’re Marvin Gaye — but nevertheless manages to reflect well upon writer/director Zach Cregger; and the Czech-epic (Czechpic?) “Medieval,” which might also be called “Bohemian Bravehart”. . .
Mike, Dave, and Darren discuss Mike’s torn feelings re “Gigi & Nate,” as it’s “both better and worse than what [he] though [he] expected”; and how Regina Hall steals all her scenes in the mockumentary “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul,” about an embattled Baptist church’s dubious rebirth.
Mike, Dave, and Darren discuss Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba’s magical chemistry (or chemical magic); how “Breaking” is like “Dog Day Afternoon,” “but not fun” — not even with Michael Kenneth Williams present; and how “The Invitation”’s $6.8M weekend take-in seemed about right, considering how ridiculous it is.
Mike, Dave, and Darren return to discuss the narrative knots the sequel “Orphan: First Kill” ties for itself, often to unintentionally-hilarious ends; how “Beast” is “‘Jaws,” but with paws” — and how that’s not necessarily a bad thing; and why Ron Howard’s “Thirteen Lives” is so unnecessary, given how the 2018 Tham Nuong Nan Nom cave rescue in Thailand has been documented on-screen thrice before. . .
Reader publisher Todd McGreevy talks about the importance of print news now, more than ever, as well as the cultural importance of the local small press, in this interview with Aaron Dali, GM at WQUD FM 107.7, to commemorate the Reader’s 1,000-issue milestone.