The Warriors

At a retro screening at the Academy of Motion Pictures museum, producer Lawrence Gordon explained that he took pride in the detail that the Warriors were a mixed-race gang, and how progressive that was at the time. What else is there to say? It’s a great movie for eleven-year-olds.

Ready or Not: Here I Come

Brace yourself for a bold statement: Samara Weaving is the new Bruce Campbell. Her enthusiasm for stunt work and physical comedy, her willingness to be covered in mud and sprayed with blood, and her commitment to the underlying fear and emotion of a scene — while still finding the humor — are on par with the Raimi muse and maestro of the form. During her character's horror trials, her face and eyes twist with pain, her lips tremble, and through sheer reliable technique she completely embodies a woman consumed by terror and frustration. Her willing and skilled co-stars match Weaving's manic energy, and the rising tide lifts all boats, making this a treat. It's not as surprising or original as its predecessor. That's the hazard of sequels, I guess. But it's still bloody fun.

Focker-in-Law

I watched a test screening of this November release, which I’m not allowed to write about because I signed an NDA - dutifully protecting the Focker story secrets. The last name “Focker”, you see, sounds like “fucker” and the comedy potential there is off the charts.

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel

Centered primarily on original Chili Pepper Hillel Slovak, this rock doc still follows the tried-and-true formula of the rise and fall and rise of a band, as the band members destroy their lives with drugs. Bassist Flea comes off as the most meepy and sincere in his telling, while Anthony Kiedis reads as distant and guarded. Filmmaking is on par, as documentarians do what they can with limited amounts of archival footage and photos. There were certainly things I didn’t know about the band, so that’s a plus. But I didn’t find this very moving.