KPop Demon Hunters

Not my demographic. But the studio that made Into the Spider-Verse (my demographic) sticks the landing here with snazzy animation, exploding color, funny banter, and above-par musical sequences. The moral of the story is a broad-stokes parable about not judging people by the color of their skin or something, and also not jumping to conclusions. Kid stuff, really. But the movement, color, and expressions of the characters are all whatever the Korean word for “dope” is.

Caught Stealing

This didn’t do it for me. It’s too violent to be a comedy and too talky to be an action movie. It’s an unforced error of tone. Reading that it was based on a novel, it made sense. A novelist can characterize tragedy differently. Darren Aronofsky and company attempt a Guy Richie/Shane Black milieu but the events of the story don’t add up to a hero's journey – in a comedy or an action movie. The hero gets his ass kicked the entire time, he doesn’t protect the princess or save the cat, and he’s nowhere around during the big shoot-out between some supporting characters. It’s a bummer. Yes: stylish filmmaking occupies time. The end credits were cool. But in the end I felt kind of dirty.

Devo

The hazards of rockumentaries are that you can’t really cover all the things about a band in a two-hour show. There was plenty more I wanted to learn about Devo, although I was still happy to see/hear the broad strokes. I’m more inclined to want a straight telling of the history instead of a post-impressionistic, avant-garde essay that tries to invoke the style of the art the band is known for. So I’m grateful to the director (Chris Smith, the American Movie guy) for keeping it moving and pulling the thread. Devo had so many ideas about violence, America, consumerism, and pop-art, it’s a wonder they were able to focus at all. It’s a satisfying aperitif of an extremely influential band.

Nobody 2

Another violent everyman revenge fantasy. This one is the highly-trained assassin from the first movie played capably by Bob Odenkirk. The original chapter has some strong themes about emasculated men in the protector role and really touched a nerve. This sequel is more like Home Alone with adults. You know “Hutch” is never going to die, so you watch with glee as he blows up bad guys with cinematic zeal. Odenkirk’s performance stands out; he’s never quippy or sadistic. He really does just want to go on vacation, and his beleaguered manner sells this. But there’s nothing original here. All the good stuff is in the first one. So it’s not miserable to watch. It’s just a confection and nothing more.

Novocaine

Once you hear the premise, you want to believe that it will be used as an analogy about overcoming your weaknesses and turning them into strengths. Every disease is a superpower. But the superpower disease here is really just used to plunge our guy into more and more danger, have him live though it somehow, turn up the violence, and make him go another round. It’s like a hyper-violent, inexpensive version of Superman. Dennis and Meg’s nepo-baby Jack Quaid is a pretty good actor, and delivers his hapless banker everyman with ease and skill, despite a ridiculous conceit that belongs in a Jason Statham movie. Anyhoo, there’s plenty of killin’, so that’s neat.

Venom: The Last Dance

Oops! I did it again: I watched another Venom movie on an airplane. These movies are action-packed and super weird. They’re filled with well-respected British actors and, while the action scenes are first-rate (this one has an expensive chase in some roaring rapids) the point seems to be depicting the embodiment of the id. “Venom” the character, an alien species that wants to kill, eat, dance, and kill some more, is actually pretty funny. He’s this awkward, brutal, child voice inside of Tom Hardy that desires all the classic stuff that’s bad for you. Tom Hardy is, more often than not, bickering with and playing off of himself as this pretty funny monster. So it’s actually a buddy comedy. His commitment to the bit is unwavering. Will this series of Marvel movies change the course of human history for the better? No, it will not. But it’ll enjoyably pass the time on an airplane, and maybe satiate the deep-seated desire to punch that TSA agent who looked at you threateningly for forgetting to empty your water bottle.

Thunderbolts*

Florence Pugh's Yelena is having an existential crisis. She carries out her assassinations and spy missions with the ennui of a French shoe model. Not only is she an anti-hero but she is firmly “anti-hero.” Like most heroes in most things, though, she gets dragged reluctantly into saving the day, only because she’s taken a liking to “Bob”, a lab-made super-soldier as confused as she is about the world and its supposed protectors. Akin to DCs Suicide Squad, a rag-tag motley crew of malcontents must team up and prevent a catastrophe, and crack wise as often as possible during the ordeal. It works, I think. Mainly because the plot is relatively easy to follow and there’s a very imperfect grump driving the action. Pugh is so good at acting bored, I almost suspect that she’s phoning it in and she wouldn’t normally be caught dead in this genre. But the whole cast is that way – outsiders being flippant, as though they’re not being paid enough. God forbid this surly crew should get a gig they care about.

The Naked Gun

Liam Neeson “takin’ the piss” out of his tough guy persona is a no-brainer. He’s game, and the rest of the cast is, too. It’s enjoyable enough, if not always original or hilarious. The old Naked Gun movies derived from the Police Squad series which was a send-up of a certain kind of cop drama. This comedy avoids spoofing certain Liam Neeson movies and various CSI/Law & Order cop shows, which is a missed opportunity. It’s almost like it’s a “spoof” of the Naked Gun franchise, which is a weird thing to say. Some fan-service moments, and certain cameos, feel random and forced. Other sequences, like one bit of lunacy in a mountain chalet, are risky and inspired. Truly silly comedies are rare these days, so I appreciate the effort.