Renfield Review

Renfield

Dir: Chris McKay

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, 

Shohreh Aghdashloo

1h 33m

It may suck to be Renfield, but the RENFIELD film is a surprisingly fun horror comedy. 

Like most of the audience I sat with during the screening, I had no idea what I was in for with this movie. Was it going to be Nic Cage being Nic Cage? Was the cast too stacked? Was the story going to hold a flame in it's own way to the original DRACULA and other Dracula tales? 

Because the trailers, which did hint at a core piece of the story, didn't offer much.

And it was refreshing. The trailers actually

did what they were suppose to do; they hooked the audience for a wild ride of lore, gore, and laughs without giving the story away.

I personally enjoyed this film more going in somewhat blind, and I hope to create a similar experience for you and will not be diving into the plot so the movie can do it's job - entertain you.

I can tell you that if you laughed at the trailers, but do not know Dracula or Renfield's story, you will be just fine. 

Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) does an excellent overview of the Dracula/Renfield relationship (in monsterland Universal fashion) at the beginning so you understand some of their idiosyncrasies and backstory.

Some jokes may go over your head but you wont' be left in the dark to any major plot points.

All the main characters were very well-balanced. It was not the Nic Cage show but Nic Cage in a subtle way. He was a fun Dracula but he didn't steal the show - because it wasn't his show - it was Renfield's - and the writers, director, and actors did a great job of making sure that was the focus.

Additionally, the pace was fast thanks to thrilling action scenes with lots of gore. More gore than I anticipated but also not gore for gore's sake. 

All in all, Renfield is an unique story that will resonate will moviegoers in ways they least expect.

4 out of 5 stars

The Bad Guys Review

The Bad Guys

Dir: Pierre Perifel

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Alex Borstein, and Lilly Singh

1h 40m

Director Pierre Perifel introduces the cartoon caper “The Bad Guys” with a breakneck scene involving all the familiar moves of some of the greatest heist films in cinematic history. A calculated setup involving complex schemes leads to a city-wide car chase. All the players are introduced in fun moments detailing their skillset; it’s fast-paced, humorous, and clever right out of the starting gates. The crew crazy enough to conduct this crime caper is a group of scary animals: a wolf, a snake, a piranha, a spider, and a shark.

Adapted from the acclaimed children’s graphic novel from author Aaron Blabey, “The Bad Guys” offers an impressive cast of voice actors and a clear understanding of why heist films are so appealing, even with a gang of the most often feared creatures in the animal kingdom as characters. While “The Bad Guys” often falls into familiar territory with its story motivations, especially for more mature movie fans who have connected with “Oceans 11” or “Despicable Me,” the pacing of the story has the energy to keep one entertained and comic book designs offer a refreshing animated look for these capering creatures. 

The cunning group of master thieves, led by the dashing Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), are a notorious group of criminals known for hatching a perfect heist and, most frustrating for the city police chief, never getting caught. The most wanted band of bad guys also boasts the master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), the safecracking expert Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), the short-tempered “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and the expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina). The crew is ready to score the biggest heist of their careers, but they are caught at their getaway, forcing Mr. Wolf to hatch a plan to save his crew from jail. The solution: The Bad Guys will turn into The Good Guys.

“The Bad Guys” begins in a diner, with Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake bantering back and forth in a booth like two friends who have known each other for a long time. They leave their table en route to rob a bank across the street while the restaurant-goers cower in fear. In this opening scene, director Pierre Perifel establishes all the themes that the film uses for inspiration. Fast-talking bad guys with charming characteristics, frenzied car chases up, down, and all around the screen frame, and humor utilized within every dangerous scenario. The beginning moments of “The Bad Guys” establish an animated feature riffing on all the elements of beloved genre heist movies, and it accomplishes it with skill and entertainment.

Unfortunately, the promising introduction doesn’t continue farther than the halfway point of the film, which transitions into familiar trappings like introducing supplemental characters that feel unnecessary and a big bad with motivations that aren’t as interesting as watching the primary characters interact with each other. While the steam ultimately runs out of the narrative places this film can go, the characters are so enjoyable that the missteps don’t seem so noticeable when the Bad Guys are plotting a heist during a dance scene or mocking each other during a birthday party. 

“The Bad Guys” is an enjoyable romp with silly scenarios and slapstick comedy to keep the kids laughing and enough charming characters and ingenious designs to keep parents engaged. 

Monte’s Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Review

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Dir: Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring: Simu Lu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen,

and Michelle Yeoh

2h 13m

 

The first big action sequence in Marvel Studios’ newest superhero origin story, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” happens on a bus in the busy streets of San Francisco. It is easily one of the best action moments of recent Marvel movie memory. The scene boasts beautifully choreographed martial arts moves, which sometimes feel like an homage to the Jackie Chan/Sammo Hung school of battle ballet, in a traveling bus that adds a sense of danger up and down every hill road. This sequence helps establish director Destin Daniel Cretton’s film with early energy, excitement, and, most notably within the vast catalog of Marvel films, identity.

 

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” separates itself from the typical Marvel action fanfare by introducing this early, ingenious action scene, but there is more to enjoy. Cretton, who co-wrote the script with David Callaham and Andrew Lanham, takes the Marvel formula, adjusts the scope and storytelling structure, and tells a superhero origin tale with Asian-American representation. The film ultimately bends to the formulaic structure that keeps many of Marvel’s films from succeeding from start to finish. Still, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” works best when avoiding clichés and allowing the culture to lead the heart, humor, and heroics that define comic book stories.

 

Shaun (Simu Lu) works as a valet in a swanky San Francisco building with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina). The two live for simple pleasures, like driving the valet cars fast and singing karaoke all night long. When a group of assassins targets Shaun, and he suddenly reveals some impressive hand-to-hand combat skills, the secret is revealed that Shaun, whose real name is Shang-Chi, is the son of Wenwu (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), an ancient Chinese warrior. Wenwu has survived and conquered for centuries by wielding the power of the Ten Rings.

 

 
The narrative throughout “Shang-Chi” is working towards a few different goals. One is the final encounter between good and evil, in this case, Shang-Chi and his father. The journey getting to this point is where the film becomes rather complicated and hurried with the goals it’s trying to achieve. Sprinkling a Marvel crossover storyline to link the franchise universe is fun, while a trip to the past helps connect the dots of how Shang-Chi became so skilled at martial arts and why he’s hiding from his father. Unfortunately, the film rushes through some crucial character moments, leaving Awkwafina’s amusing character Katy left as an afterthought and at times robbing Shang-Chi’s story of the emotional depth necessary to make the solid familial elements have an impact when they eventually collide. 

 

Simu Lu’s charming performance keeps Shang-Chi’s character gaps from being too obvious, while Awkwafina is consistently entertaining whenever she is on screen. However, and this is an obvious statement for cinephiles, the performance of special note belongs to the great Tony Leung Chiu-wei playing Wenwu. Leung’s graceful and captivating presence allows the villainous character to be both dangerous and vulnerable, an equally unforgiving father but also a passion-driven husband. It’s a bold and confident casting choice in regards to the source material Shang-Chi is derived from. In Stan Lee and Don Heck’s original comic book, the character Fu Manchu, an offensive stereotype for Asian people, was the villain. With no mention of that character, Leung is allowed to create his complicated baddie, and the actor shines during the entire process.

 

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” struggles to find the balance in its storytelling. Still, it succeeds in maintaining a clear sight of entertainment value and allowing its cast to lead the charge into new, necessary territory for superhero storytelling.

 

Monte’s Rating

3.25 out of 5.00