Tag: Comedy

‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit’ (TFD Supplies) Review

My first TFD Supplies movie review! I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity. Please visit the original link below the trailer embed!

https://www.tfdsupplies.com/blogs/educator-panel/sister-act-2-movie-review

The first Sister Act succeeded on the combined humor of Whoopi Goldberg’s (Ghost, The Color Purple) fish out of water comedy and the villain turned ally of Maggie Smith’s (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) deftly named Mother Superior. The first film ended on a high note with Sister Mary Clarence, AKA Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg’s character), surviving her killer mobster ex-boyfriend, bringing St. Paul’s Catholic Church back to prominence, and successfully repairing the church’s defunct choir. During the credits it is revealed that Deloris becomes a successful Vegas performer and everyone lives happily ever after.

Deloris aka Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopi Goldberg) in ‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit’ (photo: Touchstone Pictures/Buena Vista Pictures)

Back in the Habit picks up soon after Deloris becomes a successful Las Vegas headliner. Sisters Mary Patrick, played by Kathy Najimy (King of the Hill, Hocus Pocus), Mary Lazarus, played by Mary Wickes (White Christmas,The Hunchback of Notre Dame), and Mary Robert, played by Wendy Makkena (State of Play, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), travel to Las Vegas to seek out Deloris’s help. The local school which the nuns teach at in San Francisco, St. Francis Academy, is in dire straits; without a miracle the school is going to close. Mother Superior believes that Dolores could help reform the inner-city school’s rowdy music class… by reviving her former guise as Sister Mary Clarence.

The unruly class led by Rita Watson (Lauryn Hill) in ‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit’ (photo: Touchstone Pictures/Buena Vista Pictures)

Sister Mary Clarence underestimates the disrespectful class filled with loud, raucous high schoolers who have no intention of learning. Led by Rita Watson, played by multi Grammy award winning singer Lauryn Hill (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, The Fugees’ The Score), the class does their best to undermine Sister Mary Clarence. While Sister Mary Clarence squares off against the unruly class the suspicious school board, led by Mr. Crisp, played by James Coburn (The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven), suspect “Sister Mary Clarence” isn’t who she purports to be. Will Sister Mary Clarence be able to tame the wild class? Will the school board find out Sister Mary Clarence’s secret identity?

Sister Mary Patrick (Kathy Najimy), Deloris aka Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopi Goldberg), and Sister Mary Robert (Wendy Makkena) in ‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit’ (photo: Touchstone Pictures/Buena Vista Pictures)

The brilliance of Sister Act 2 is the simplicity of the story. It’s a classic teacher vs. student story, filled with entertaining and well-choreographed musical segments. Both teacher and class eventually learn something new about one another, ultimately bringing them together. Unbelievably, the film is directed by classic action star Bill Duke (Predator, Commando), who has 60 other directing credits! Despite the film having a low metascore on IMDb, it is a classic 90’s film, which are without a doubt formulaic in the way they are written, directed, shot, and edited. The thing is… the formula works. It is a great example of 90’s humor and culture as well as having a heartwarming story of coming together to becomes something greater.

Deloris aka Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopi Goldberg) takes the class on a field trip in ‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit’ (photo: Touchstone Pictures/Buena Vista Pictures)

Whoopi Goldberg does a fantastic job of slowly breaking through to the stubborn students. Conversely, she also learns to open her heart to hard cases like Rita. Like the first film, she transforms a ragtag group of off-key, self-conscious kids into a confident, unified choir. Her character is based, in part, on a real nun, Mother Dolores Hart, and there is also contention that the character was based on Delois Blakely, who sued Disney and Sony Pictures. While it is a stretch, I believe the film is a great demonstration of a teacher going up against the odds to break through and help the proverbial unruly, disobedient classroom. The film’s musical numbers add heart, soul, and tons of emotion as the students slowly begin to believe in themselves and climactically compete in the All-State Choir Championship. 

MPAA Rating: Rated PG for some mild language
Runtime: 107 Minutes
Produced by: Touchstone Pictures
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures

Uncut Gems Review

Experience the Safdie Brother’s Latest Underworld Odyssey Featuring Adam Sandler in New York’s Diamond District

The Safdie Brothers (Good Time, Heaven Knows What) have directed a near-perfect crime drama/comedy which has resulted in an outstanding performance from Adam Sandler (The Meyerowitz Stories, Punch-Drunk Love), loads of breakout roles by newcomers like Kevin Garnett, The Weeknd, Keith Williams Richards, and Tommy Kominik to name a few, and a guaranteed two hours of being on the edge of your seat. The film revolves around an eccentric Jewish jeweler in New York’s diamond district with a serious gambling addiction named Howard Ratner, played by Adam Sandler. While owing money all over town, including his brother-in-law Arno, played by Eric Bogosian (Talk Radio, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory), Howard struggles throughout the film to keep the various loan sharks at bay in order to make one giant score with a rare (and questionably legal) Ethiopian black opal. Howard is also dealing with a failing marriage, his children don’t seem to care for him except his eldest son, and he is having an affair with a far younger woman who works at his shop. When he finally comes into possession of the afore-mentioned black opal it seems his monetary problems are over, until he is talked into letting Kevin Garnett, who plays himself, borrow the rare and valuable stone for good luck as he faces the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals. The film is a non-stop thrill ride filled with relentless suspense as Howard delves deeper and deeper into an abyss of greed and depravity in order to emerge victorious… and alive.

The film is beautifully shot by Darius Khondji (Se7en, The Ninth Gate) with a gritty and realistic look. The graininess to the film and digital shots (Khondji shot on both) is fantastic and creates a seamless look throughout the film. While I noticed a few shots seemed to be slightly out of focus, overall, I think the film looks gorgeous compared to some of the unbelievably oversaturated “popular” films of the twenty-tens. It gives the film an 80’s feel to it, as if it were taking place in another decade. If you’ve seen Good Time then you’ll be prepared for the cinematography of Uncut Gems, which includes plenty of extensive zooms, long lenses, and tracking shots. The trailer does a good job of rounding out a lot of the different shot types that are achieved throughout the film. 

Daniel Lopatin (Good Time, The Bling Ring), aka Oneohtrix Point Never (no, I’m not making that up), composed the music for the film. While it arguably works wonders to create an exhaustingly stress-ridden film, it is very similar to his score for Good Time. Contrary to how it sounds, this is a compliment as both scores complement the style and substance the Safdie Brothers are going for. Both films work on many levels to make the audience feel as anxiously claustrophobic and trapped as their protagonists. The score of Uncut Gems is an interesting blend of synths and jazzy sounds, which creates a unique feel to the film and the story. The score is as unconventional as the Safdie Brothers’ themselves.

The performances in the film are outstanding. The hype for Adam Sandler is well-deserved, as he gives thepowerhouse performance of his career. It’s a shame he wasn’t nominated at the Golden Globes, but I’ll hold out hope for his chances at the Oscars. The newcomers all did a fantastic job as well. Kevin Garnett and the Weeknd play over-exaggerated versions of themselves, while the two real standouts have to be Arno’s henchmen Phil and Nico, played by Keith Williams Richards and Tommy Kominik. The sheer intensity of both their characters have Howard and the audience constantly reevaluating the stakes and the levity of the situation Howard is in. Another standout was Idina Menzel (Frozen I & II, Rent) who plays Elsa in the Frozen franchise. In Uncut Gems she plays Howard’s estranged wife, who constantly seems to be apologizing on Howard’s behalf, while simultaneously berating Howard’s constant and numerous failings. Her acting is made stronger by the lack of words she has for some of Howard’s ridiculous situations/actions, which is conveyed through her subtle facial expressions. She is clearly used to his many fuck ups and it’s obvious she has had enough of his shit. LaKeith Stanfield (Get Out, Knives Out) plays the accurately named Demany, who works for/with Howard by bringing customers to the store and selling stolen watches on the side. He absolutely crushes it in this role as an unlikeable foil to Howard’s struggle to get the black opal to auction. The film is rounded out by the main antagonist of the film, Arno, played by Eric Bogosian and Gooey, Howard’s father-in-law, played by the excellent Judd Hirsch (Ordinary People, Independence Day). 

Needless to say, Uncut Gems is anxiety personified. The entire film works similarly to Good Time, creating an unending source of stress and anxiety for its’ protagonist as well as for the audience. In both films we follow an unlikeable protagonist who we can’t help but to root for. The Safdie Brothers are interesting filmmakers who seem to have a handle on telling unconventional stories. Combined with their ability to defy audience expectations, it is a film definitely worth seeing. Just make sure you take your blood pressure medication before you see Uncut Gems, because you’re gonna need it!

MPAA Rating: Rated R for pervasive strong language, violence, some sexual content, and brief drug use
Running Time: 135 Minutes
Produced/Distributed By: Elara Pictures, IAC Films, A24

Yesterday Review

Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis Imagine a World Where The Beatles Never Existed

Based on a story by Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, About Time) and Jack Barth (Japanorama, The Fabulous Picture Show), with a screenplay written by the former, comes the delightfully refreshing Yesterday, directed by Danny Boyle (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire). In this comedy/fantasy/musical Jack Malik, played by big-screen newcomer Himesh Patel (EastEnders, Damned), is a struggling singer/songwriter with his childhood best friend Ellie, played by Lily James (Baby Driver, Cinderella), as his manager and sole believer. Working part-time at a mass grocery store in London, Jack is well-liked by his customers, but very dismally received by his musical audience. When he decides to quit the music business for good, against Ellie’s fervent wishes, he sets off for home on his bicycle with his guitar strapped to his back. This is where things get weird.

In a freak, global power outage that happens at the very moment Jack is crossing the street on his bicycle, a bus hits him. Waking up in the hospital to his friend Ellie, he discovers he has lost two teeth, but other than that he is physically okay. When Ellie and Jack’s other friends come to take Jack out after he leaves the hospital, they shower him with gag gifts including a new guitar. When they ask him to play a song, Jack decides to sing Yesterday by the Beatles. His friends are absolutely blown away and continue to ask him how he came up with something so beautiful. After a bit of Google searching, Jack discovers that after the accident/power outage the Beatles have ceased to exist. In a moment of existential crisis, Jack decides to play the Beatles songs as if he wrote them and slowly but surely he becomes more and more popular, finally realizing his dream of becoming a famous singer/songwriter, with his trusty roadie/comedic sidekick, Rocky, played by Joel Fry (Game of Thrones, 10,000 B.C.).

Without spoiling things, Richard Curtis has written yet another fantastic screenplay that warps the real world we live in just slightly enough to be utterly bizarre. Danny Boyle takes this screenplay and perfectly adapts the feeling it is to be trapped in a small hometown with desperate aspirations to get out and be successful. The film is filled with dry British humour as well as plenty of music numbers, mainly by Jack, but also by the self-deprecating Ed Sheeran, who helps Jack along the way. The film challenges what the definition of success is with Jack being pulled between Ellie and his new manager, Debra Hammer, played by Saturday Night Live alum Kate McKinnon (The Spy Who Dumped Me, Ghostbusters 2016).

Danny Boyle proves he is the master of tackling different genres as he directs Yesterday with so much ease, it’s as if he has been making comedies his entire career. Well, when you look at his filmography, I suppose he does have a knack for comedy, even in his more twisted film 127 Hours. It’s truly inspiring that he can make so many truly great films that touch on so many different unique genres. He directs the actors extremely well, as each and every character in the film is just that: a character. Very memorable performances given, especially by the supporting cast, with shout outs to Jack’s hilarious parents Sheila & Jed Malik, played by Meera Syal (Doctor Strange, Absolutely Anything) and Sanjeev Bhaskar (Absolutely Anything, London Boulevard) respectively. Kate McKinnon injects her own dry sense of humor into the veritable “devil on the shoulder” talent manager. Himesh Patel and Lily James own the screen with their charisma and charm, both dealing with an odd situation in completely different ways. Patel also proves he has a very beautiful voice, and that he can carry a movie on his shoulders, as he sings the majority of the songs in the film himself. 

With such a wacky world-building device as a mass blackout where things are literally forgotten from the world, it’s only fitting that Jon Harris (127 Hours, Kingsman: The Secret Service) edits Yesterday. Harris’s films are consistently edited with a fresh and kinetic style like no other. With one Oscar nomination under his belt already for 127 Hours, don’t be surprised if his name comes up during awards season. Filled with tons of interesting title crawls introducing the many different locations the characters visit, Yesterdayis a melodically, warm summer film. Combined with the lovely & colorful cinematography from Christopher Ross (Black Sea, Blackout) Yesterday is, simply put, the feel-good movie of the summer. If you enjoy the Beatles, wacky British humour, and/or Danny Boyle, I highly recommend this film, which takes a pretty insane plot device to lengths you couldn’t imagine. 

Late Night Review

Emma Thompson Shines in Mindy Kaling’s Screenwriting Debut

I can honestly say, at one point, I absolutely could not stand Mindy Kaling (The Office, Inside Out). All I knew her from for the longest time was her role of Kelly Kapoor on The Office, and I felt like Ryan most of the time: exasperated. It wasn’t until I started watching The Mindy Project with my girlfriend that I realized how wonderfully talented she is. After a recent re-watch of The Office, she easily has become one of my favorite characters on the show, and anyone who has seen it (c’mon, slap yourself if you haven’t watched it yet) knows those are some pretty strong words considering the strength of the cast. Mindy brings her raw, untapped wit to Late Night which is a brilliant film about a woman who is being pushed out of her late-night show in a male-dominated field.

The woman in question is Katherine Newbury, played dourly by Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Saving Mr. Banks), and at the beginning of the film her head writer Brad, played by Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story, This is Us) tells her she needs to hire a woman on the writing staff. Enter Molly Patel, a perky woman who is absolutely head over heels in love with Katherine and her show. After beating out a nepotism hire, she gets the job and realizes she is in for more than she bargained for when she meets the male-dominated writing staff, led by Tom, played by Reid Scott (Veep, Venom), the head monologue writer. Almost immediately after the oft joked about “diversity hire” of Molly, Katherine is told by her boss, played delightfully cruelly by Amy Ryan (The Office, Beautiful Boy), that Katherine has until the end of the season before she has to give up the show. Katherine realizes after a discussion with her maligned husband Walter, played by John Lithgow (Cliffhanger, 3rdRock from the Sun), that her show needs an injection of fun.

The writers room has a vast array of different personalities, including the sex icon Charlie, played by Hugh Dancy (Hannibal, The Path), the veteran Burditt, played by Max Casella (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jackie), the flamboyant Reynolds, played by comedian John Early (Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, The Disaster Artist), and the loveable goofball Mancuso, played by Paul Walter Hauser (I, Tonya, BlacKKKlansman). The writers must figure out a way to make the show relevant again, all while Katherine seemingly doesn’t want to change. Molly, meanwhile, is thrilled to just be a part of the team, as she idolizes the show and Katherine herself, although her experience proves the old adage, “don’t meet your heroes.” As the writers struggle to come together as a team and accept Molly at the same time, Katherine is dealing with a serious moment of regret which could cost her everything. Late Night is an absolutely hilarious example of a witty and relevant film taking chances left and right and succeeding every single time. 

This story came from the mind of Mindy Kaling, and it is pretty apparent that she is set to take over Hollywood if she continues this stream of success. Her characterizations are so poignant and wonderful that I instantly felt a draw to the characters. I felt like I could relate with each and every character on multiple levels. These characterizations are brought to life by the amazing actors, who each serve their purpose, but also by the wonderful direction of Nisha Ganatra (Chutney Popcorn, You Me Her). The film is a nonstop rollercoaster with tons of laughs with all sorts of combinations of different types of humor, whether it is slapstick, witty, or even bathroom humor, this film just keeps busting guts throughout its’ entire runtime of one hour and forty-two minutes. 

As for Emma Thompson… WOW. Mindy Kaling wrote this film with Emma Thompson specifically in mind, and after seeing the film I totally understand why. She absolutely nailed the role of Katherine Newbury in a way that couldn’t be done by anyone else. Katherine is a cold, arrogant woman, who refuses to change (as many protagonists often do), yet underneath all her armor, she is a human being, with loads of emotional baggage and fragility which we rarely see her express. This is what makes her such an amazing character. In a day and age where women are finally breaking through the glass ceiling, Katherine Newbury is the epitome of the hard work that led up to this cultural awakening. She is a tough and gritty woman who once knew how to connect with her audience, and slowly over time this same toughness and grit has turned her against the world in many ways. As a character there are so many layers to peel back and Emma Thompson allows the viewer to experience life from her point of view, which in a single word is lonely. I’d be surprised if she isn’t one of the frontrunners for an Oscar at this moment, because her performance alone made it a good movie. Adding in everyone else’s performance made it a fantastic movie.

I wanted to address the acting performances of the supporting writing team. I have been a fan of Hugh Dancy since his breakout role of Will Graham on the hit show Hannibal. It was nice to see his depth as an actor. Reid Scott blew me away at how naturally funny he was. Denis O’Hare proves yet again that he can provide more than most of his twisted characters on American Horror Story suggest. Paul Walter Hauser’s performance definitely didn’t hurt his chances of winning the envious role of Richard Jewell in Clint Eastwood’s The Ballad of Richard Jewell with this role. Max Cassela brings the male side of the old school way of doing business to life in this film and shows that even the tough-hearted can change. John Early provides another hilarious performance. Last but not least, Ike Barinholtz (Blockers, Neighbors), who worked with Kaling on The Mindy Project turns in a strong performance as the dim-witted stand-up comedian Daniel Tennant, who is clearly a caricature of Dane Cook, oh how the mighty have fallen.

Lesley Barber (Manchester by the Sea, Nappily Ever After) wrote the score for Late Night, and like her previous work suggests, she is able to hit both the light and serious notes. Her theme for Katherine Newbury’s show (every late-night talk show host has a theme) reminds me of Damien Chazelle’s scores for Whiplash and La La Land, with plenty of percussion and strings. The film isn’t entirely light though, as it deals with some intense subject matter involving Molly’s deceased father, which may have stemmed from real life (Kaling’s mom died from cancer in real life). Barber approaches these more emotionally driven scenes with a lovely piano theme tied with a beautiful guitar melody. As a movie score aficionado, I am excited to dive into Lesley Barber’s body of work after discovering her with Late Night.

Late Night’s key players are all women, and it clearly shows that these women all have something to say. I was incredibly blessed to have heard that message. I urge everyone to go see this movie, because it bears an important message that diversity is important and better yet, the unique perspective it can provide is rewarding in more ways than one. I know this first hand, as I am dating a talented, driven, beautiful, Indian woman myself and the amount of perspective I have gained from our relationship, I am forever grateful for. I am on the edge of my seat for more to come from Mindy Kaling, and I am equally excited to see what Lilly Singh brings to the table, as she has recently become the first Indian woman to host a late-night show. On that note, as Katherine Newbury would say, I thank you for your time.

– For Karuna

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

While The Lego Movie 2 is no Godfather 2, it’s still a pretty darn good sequel!

The Lego Movie 2 played to the strengths of its’ predecessor and got rid of most of the weaknesses, which leaves an equally creative and brilliantly animated film. Mike Mitchell (Trolls, Sky High) takes over the directing reigns on this go around, but don’t worry, Lord and Miller still wrote and produced the film, so it is filled with their unique brand of comedy and action.

The Lego Movie 2 immediately follows the events of the first film, with the characters having to face a new enemy in the form of the “Sistar”. Quickly the state of affairs turns ugly for our characters Emmet, voiced by Chris Pratt (Avengers: Infinity War, Parks and Recreation), Wyldstyle AKA Lucy, voiced by Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect, Wet Hot American Summer), and Batman, voiced by Will Arnett (Lego Batman, Arrested Development), with a time jump of 5 years leading them into an apocalyptic wasteland, similar to Mad Max: Fury Road. Emmet of course maintains his optimistic view on life that everything is awesome, which causes some friction in his relationship with Wyldstyle, who can’t seem to stop brooding about everything.

Suddenly, a new foe emerges, General Mayhem, voiced by Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Ice Age: Collision Course) and kidnaps all of Emmet’s friends, sending him on a cosmic adventure to rescue them. When all seems lost, Emmet meets Rex Dangervest, also voiced by Chris Pratt, who embodies the kind of person Wyldstyle wants Emmet to be. Emmet and Rex race to the Sistar Galaxy to save their friends, who are caught up in a mysterious and malicious plot concocted by the nefarious Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi, voiced by Tiffany Haddish (Night School, Girls Trip).

With hilarious writing from Lord and Miller, fantastic direction from newcomer Mike Mitchell, and a terrific score from Mark Mothersbaugh, The Lego Movie 2 wildly exceeded my expectations and while it might not quite reach the success of its’ predecessor, I think it is just as good, if not for different reasons. The film can drag a little at times, but it is made up for in brilliant payoffs that are extremely unexpected, and it retains the heart and soul of the original. Fans of pop culture will not be disappointed as there are plenty of references and easter eggs to enjoy and Lord and Miller’s writing is edgy enough for adults to enjoy and is still appropriate for kids.