Category Archives: Films

My Thoughts on: Cruella (2021)

*warning minor plot spoilers for Cruella can be found below

I still have no idea how we got an origin story for Cruella DeVil, and I maintain that nobody actually asked for this film to be made. But since it was made and looked like a lot of fun, I decided to go ahead and see what it was all about.

And, to my delight, I actually enjoyed Cruella for the most part, though the film is far from perfect. Emma Stone absolutely KILLS it as the titular character, which isn’t something I thought I’d say at first, but by the end of the film I was completely invested in her as Cruella. And speaking of Emmas, I’m also a big fan of Emma Thompson’s work as the Baroness. She is, for plot reasons, my new favorite villainous character and I absolutely love to hate her due to her work in this film. She is the quintessential “you hate her guts but you can’t stop watching” type of character and by the end of the story you’re just itching to see her taken down.

Also have to give a shout out to John McCrea who plays Artie. Outside of Emma Stone as Cruella, he is my favorite part of this film. I love how he plays the character, and I wish there was more of Artie in this film because he is a delight to watch! And I also have to mention how much I enjoyed Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser as Jasper and Horace respectively. The verbal interplay between the two is so very funny at times, I loved to watch it.

All of that being said….Cruella does have its fair share of flaws. For one, this film is too long for the story it’s trying to tell. I feel like if about twenty minutes were shaved off and the plot subsequently tightened up, it would’ve done the film a huge favor. It’s not that any part of the story is bad, it just takes too long to get where it’s going. This is especially true in the opening of the film, which takes way too long to get to the point. In fact, the opening is so meandering that I almost lost interest in the film at the very beginning.

The other big flaw comes late in the film right before the last act gets going. This is where the story almost goes off the rails but thankfully it gets everything together for a good finish. Also, I’m not entirely sure if all of the narration from Cruella was necessary, it sometimes took me out of the moment.

One final flaw I have to highlight is the CGI. Maybe it was just me, but during the film it was blindingly obvious when certain canine characters were being CGI-generated. I get why it has to be done, but it’s distracting when you’re watching a scene and suddenly your brain registers that the dog (or dogs in several scenes) is not real. The point I’m trying to make is that if you’re going to CGI a dog, don’t make it obvious.

Fortunately, once the story finally gets going, it’s a good story. My favorite parts are all the scenes where Cruella appears in her trendy outfits. I swear the costumes in this film had better get recognized at the Oscars next year because I could look at Cruella’s costumes all day long and never get bored. I love the contrast between the Baroness’ idea of fashion and Cruella’s, you can tell immediately how they differ and why the latter’s is so popular. I also like the way that the main character is pulled between her competing personalities of Estella and Cruella. It’s an interesting take on the character because not only does it set up that this version of Cruella is different from the animated character, it also insinuates that she does have the capacity to become that character if she so wished. For what it’s worth, I’m happy this version of Cruella is different. Her story has layers now, and she’s a borderline sympathetic character now (though I wouldn’t go so far as to call her one of the “good guys” she’s more of an in-between character by film’s end).

The other thing I really liked about Cruella? If you read between the lines, this film is simultaneously an origin story for Cruella deVil AND a set up for an all-new live-action 101 Dalmatians with a new Roger and Anita. Seriously, I will be shocked if there is not a new 101 Dalmatians movie announced in the near future, all the pieces have been laid for it to happen. And based on how Cruella ends, I could see THIS version of 101 Dalmatians playing out with a significant twist, though I won’t say what it is lest I spoil the plot of Cruella. I will say that there is a viable opening for a sequel and I wouldn’t be surprised if Disney makes one happen in the next few years.

In the end, I’m glad I went to see Cruella, it’s flaws don’t overshadow the good and it’s a fairly interesting take on a character that honestly I didn’t think could be expanded upon, but I’m glad they did.

Let me know what you think about Cruella in the comments below and have a great day!

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Soundtrack Review: Chaos Walking (2021)

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Back in April, Milan Records released Chaos Walking (Original Score) with music by Marco Beltrami and Brandon Roberts. Available everywhere now, the album features score music from Lionsgate’s new film starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland from the director of The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow. The score continues a long tradition of collaborations between the two-time Academy Award®-nominated composers Beltrami and Roberts, who also garnered an Emmy® Award together for their work on Free Solo.

Of the soundtrack, Beltrami and Roberts had the following to say:

“The score for Chaos Walking provided a unique opportunity for us to create a musical language for a fictitious world that was simultaneously both familiar and alien, and in so doing, explore crossing genres that are rarely combined. There are otherworldly sci-fi elements, as well as classic gritty western themes. We had a lot of fun implementing new instruments that would define this cross pollination. It was an adventure to live in this new musical world.”

The music for Chaos Walking is indeed a blend of the familiar and the alien and it is so much fun to listen to. Marco Beltrami has yet to let me down in any film score he has worked on, and that remains true here. It’s somewhat mind-bending to hear sci-fi music blended with classic western music, because off the top of my head that strikes me as a musical combination that should NOT work. But you know what? It works! Somehow, it all comes together and creates a sound world that is strange and new but oh so enticing for the ears.

While I appreciate that the composers have blended together music from the sci-fi and western genres, I’m still more drawn to the sci-fi elements in the score (it is my favorite genre for a reason), particularly ‘Chaos in Space’, I really like how that one track is practically vibrating with tension. Any time strings can be made to make me feel tense or uncomfortable, it’s a good day because that’s one of my favorite ways to hear those instruments being used in a score.

I’m glad I finally sat down to listen to the music for Chaos Walking. I can’t speak for the film itself, but the music is definitely worth it!

Track List

1. Main Title (2:03)
2. Love That Knife (1:41)
3. Friendship Theme (1:58)
4. Lost in the Woods (1:25)
5. Chaos in Space (1:09)
6. Thief / Gotta Tell (2:35)
7. First Encounter (1:14)
8. Motor Horse Chase (2:11)
9. Posse on the Move / Exploring the Ship (4:41)
10. Spackle Tackle (2:05)
11. Farbranch (2:02)
12. Letter From Mom (3:01)
13. Town Attack (6:52)
14. Lonely (2:09)
15. Riverbank Chase / Rapids (3:32)
16. You’re a Good Man, Todd Hewitt (1:35)
17. Preacher Attack / Antenna Climb (3:14)
18. Showdown (3:42)
19. Women Unite (2:11)
20. I Am Todd Hewitt (2:20)

Let me know what you think about Chaos Walking and its soundtrack in the comments below and have a great day!

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My Thoughts on: Candyman (1992)

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I’m going to be honest right at the start and just admit that the only reason this film came on my radar at all is because I saw the trailer for the upcoming Candyman film when I went to see Spiral. That trailer intrigued me so much, I got curious and asked the Internet if I needed to see the original Candyman film first. As most of them said yes, I picked up a copy of the film, have just finished watching it and let me tell you that film is an experience I will not soon forget.

Honestly, I’m not sure where to start with Candyman, there’s so many parts of it that are incredible. I might as well start with Philip Glass’ score for the film. Had I known that Philip Glass composed the music for Candyman, I probably would’ve attempted this film years ago, as I have the highest respect for his work. This won’t surprise many of you who’ve been following my work, but the music was undoubtedly one of my favorite things about this film. It gives the story of Candyman an almost sacred feeling in some places, which is fitting given the titular character is a supernatural being and the hapless Helen is forced to join that realm by the film’s end. The thing is, I can’t imagine this film being scored any other way, that’s how good the music is! The air of solemnity it gives to the story in just the right moments, that’s what you want in film music, something that elevates the story.

Apart from the music, the story itself is equal parts enthralling and horrifying. Like, this is the stuff of my nightmares horrifying. After invoking Candyman and then attempting to disprove his legend, Helen is literally forced to watch as her life is systematically torn apart and destroyed beyond all hope of repair. The emotional angst and trauma in this film is so palpable that it will be a long time before I can watch this film again. You can feel Helen’s pain as she tries to comprehend what is happening to her. You can definitely feel Ann Marie’s pain in a scene that I found so distressing I’m scared to see what the unrated version of the scene looks like. If the goal of this film was to make me deeply uncomfortable, it worked. My mind was taken places it didn’t want to go, but the story was so compelling I literally could not look away.

And then there’s Candyman himself. I was completely mesmerized by Tony Todd’s performance as the titular character. Once he properly arrives in the film after being teased several times, you literally can’t look away whenever he’s on the screen. Between his deep voice and the sheer presence with which he plays the role of Candyman…I don’t know what to say other than I was enthralled. What really drew me in were the hints at Candyman’s hidden depths. He’s not just some random killing being, there’s a purpose to what he does and it makes a twisted amount of sense if you think about it long enough. And that scene with the bees, yes THAT scene, that pretty much put me over the edge (and that’s all I can say about that).

Was there anything I didn’t like in this film? Well, not exactly. I was uncomfortable with some of the more bloody moments, but that’s because I’m a generally squeamish person. It can’t be a complaint against the film because if I’m watching a rated R horror film, I know I’m going to be in for something messy. However, I do think that sub-plot with Helen’s husband was almost unnecessary. I kind of get why it’s in there, since it provides the final push Helen needs to realize she needs to give in to the Candyman (and it helps set up a fantastic closing sequence to the film), but it still feels like almost an afterthought given everything else going on. That’s really nitpicking though, as I loved pretty much everything else in this film.

Now that I’ve made it through the original Candyman film, I’m more excited than ever to see Nia DaCosta’s take on the story (especially since I’ve seen that Tony Todd will be in that film as well). I am also definitely adding Candyman to my list of must-see Halloween films that has slowly been growing since I managed to watch Halloween (1978) last year.

Let me know what you think about Candyman (1992) in the comments below and have a great day!

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My Thoughts on: The New Mutants (2020)

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So when I announced that I was finally watching The New Mutants, the reaction was so mixed that I was genuinely nervous when I put the blu-ray in to watch it, even though I’d promised to go in with as open a mind as possible.

As it turns out, I shouldn’t have worried because, believe it or not, I liked The New Mutants!

Now, to be sure, the film does have its flaws (and I’ll be getting to them) but they don’t negate the fact that I found The New Mutants to be an overall enjoyable experience. The film is based on the Marvel comics team of the same name and focuses on Dani Moonstar, Rahne, Ilyana, Roberto and Sam, five young mutants who are allegedly being treated at a hospital until they can control their powers. The truth proves to be slightly more complicated, and Dani’s arrival at the facility brings events to a head.

First of all, I love all of the mutant powers featured in this movie, especially Ilyana’s. The idea that you can visit a magic dimension that you made real….I just love that. She’s also a total badass with that sword. I really hate that I know that there aren’t any plans to make a sequel of this film, because I want/need to see more of Ilyana and what her powers can do. Also, no surprise since I’m still a big fan of Game of Thrones, Maisie Williams as Rahne was one of my favorite parts of the movie (though am I the only one who finds it ironic what her mutant power is given Arya Stark’s connection to wolves in Game of Thrones?). Her chemistry with Blu Hunt (who played Dani) was so much fun to watch and is the exact kind of friendship/relationship I like to see form in movies between characters.

There are however, as I said, some flaws in this film that keep it from being a truly great film. The biggest issue for me is that Dani’s connection to the demon bear isn’t explained to my satisfaction. I kind of get what the film is trying to tell me about how it works, but a more straightforward explanation would have helped. Don’t get me wrong though, I ultimately love that demon bear for what it does to a certain character. At the same time, Dani’s powers in general could have used a slightly better explanation. I’m also a little confused by Ilyana’s past trauma; like, I initially thought she’d been kidnapped by aliens and it wasn’t until later that it dawned on me that they might’ve been a symbol for something much, much worse.

I also feel like the film could’ve gone into the horror part of the story a little more (though it’s my understanding that was due to events outside of the director’s control). The horror elements that ARE there are fantastic, I just want more of it! The overall tone is also uneven in places. One minute it’s a semi-serious story, the next I’m vividly reminded of a 90s flick where the teens are all goofing off (complete with peppy rock music). It’s almost like the story can’t make up its mind what genre it’s in.

The one character I actually don’t like at all is Dr. Reyes (and not just because she’s an antagonist). For most of the film she came off as very one note. At least towards the end she finally begins to show some emotion, if she’d been that way earlier in the story I might have liked the character better.

Even with those flaws, I still love The New Mutants. It’s the very definition of a fun popcorn film, whose flaws don’t (or at least shouldn’t) get in the way of enjoying it. I’m glad I finally sat down to watch it and I can’t wait to see it again in the future.

Let me know what you think about The New Mutants in the comments below and have a great day!

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Soundtrack Review: The Mitchells vs The Machines (2021)

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Sony Music Masterworks has released The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with music by prolific composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of DEVO Mark Mothersbaugh. Now available everywhere, the album includes score music written by Mothersbaugh for the animated film, which follows an eccentric family in the middle of the robot apocalypse. The soundtrack is the latest in a longstanding creative partnership between Mothersbaugh and film producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, having previously worked together on titles like The LEGO Movie, 21 Jump Street, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and more.

Of the soundtrack, composer Mark Mothersbaugh had the following to say:

“Just thinking about working on this film during a once-in-a-century, world-wide pandemic makes you want to draw correlations between the story of the film and what was happening in this world (the so-called real world). Doing so really gave everything more meaning and added gravitas to an already amazing project to begin with. I will always remember this film for the added attention the pandemic allowed the directors and producers to bring to it, as we were able to work on an extended schedule. It gave us the rare chance to play with the parts, to get them just the way we wanted them and to make a dang-near perfect film!”

“’On My Way’ is a song about new beginnings. I really wanted to capture Katie’s sense of urgency to grow up and expand her horizons while still being grateful of where she has come from and the people that have gotten her where she is. It’s that push and pull of being on a path towards something new and exciting while remembering and celebrating what you’re leaving behind. I think that is something we can all relate to. ‘On My Way’ is one of my favorite songs I have ever worked on and I am so happy it has found a home in the wild world of the Mitchells,” adds singer-songwriter Alex Lahey of her inclusion on the soundtrack.

This soundtrack is a lot of fun to listen to. Mothersbaugh has created a delightful blend of several musical genres that make for a great experience. As near as I can make out, the music for The Mitchells vs The Machines is a blend of action music, sci-fi music, and family music. It’s really mind-blowing when the music switches over from the quiet-ish family music opening to the sci-fi music that enters when the robot apocalypse begins. That’s not the easiest transition to make given the wide disparity between those two styles, but Mothersbaugh makes it feel easy and the music pulls you along for the ride without hardly missing a beat.

The sci-fi music portion of the soundtrack is easily the best part (though it’s all good if I’m honest). It’s wild, it’s zany, you can almost picture what’s going on, it’s exactly what an animated robot apocalypse should sound like. What really surprised me though, is how quiet the soundtrack can be when the music isn’t focused on the robots. I won’t say if this is good or bad, but sometimes it feels like all of the energy is devoted to the music for the robot apocalypse, and the rest is just…quiet, soft, not as important (though I may be overthinking it).

All that being said, I can’t get over how much I love the way Mothersbaugh can switch between musical styles. There’s traditional instruments in there, there’s electronic music, there’s music that blends BOTH. This is a complex musical score, one that grows on you the more you listen to it. I certainly recommend listening to the soundtrack apart from the film if you get the opportunity.

Track List

Columbia Opening / Apocalypse (1:15)
Katie’s Life / Good Cop Dog Cop (3:17)
Laptop Breaks / Home Movies (3:43)
Rise of the Robots (1:30)
Robots Falling from the Sky (1:25)
Eat Laser Robots (1:15)
Robots Capture Humans (1:36)
On the Roof H (1:53)
Two Dumb Robots (0:55)
We Could Get Our Lives Back (0:13)
Katie’s Speech (1:28)
Drive Drive ! (2:07)
Robots March on PAL (0:45)
Foolish Human Air (0:53)
Abandoned Mall ! (1:35)
Mall Robots Attack (1:56)
Furbies Attack_Router Knocked Out (3:29)
Rick’s Pep Talk (2:21)
The Stealthbots (1:21)
Katie and Linda (1:56)
Entering Robot City (3:05)
The Pod Falls (0:51)
They Capture Linda and Rick (0:57)
Hiding in the Woods (2:36)
Katie’s Video (1:52)
Katie to the Rescue (2:03)
Screwdriver Escape (1:47)
Yub Tub (2:00)
Linda Kicks Ass (1:35)
Katie Explains (1:45)
Katie and Rick Work Together (2:17)
I’m a Mitchell! (0:44)
Humanity Is Saved (1:17)
Katie’s Dead (0:56)
Arriving at College (2:32)
On My Way – Alex Lahey (3:05)

Let me know what you think about The Mitchells vs The Machines and its soundtrack in the comments below and have a great day!

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My Thoughts on: Army of the Dead (2021)

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warning: minor spoilers below for Army of the Dead

I was originally going to skip this film altogether because I normally avoid zombie films (I’m scared to death of zombies and the undead in general). However, after I was able to successfully get through Spiral earlier this week, I decided to give Army of the Dead a try because after all, why not? I’ve been proven wrong before with scary films (the Saw franchise being a notable example), so maybe Army of the Dead would be a similar case where finally, FINALLY, I would find a zombie film I could get into.

Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out that way.

Don’t get me wrong, Army of the Dead does have some good moments in it (I’ll get to them shortly) but as a whole….I just don’t like it. I don’t know if I went in with the wrong expectations or I’m just not that familiar with how Zack Snyder makes movies, but Army of the Dead by and large was nothing like what I expected it would be. For one, it’s much too long and worse, it begins with a first act that, after a killer opening, is almost dead on arrival afterward. I feel like if you’re going to do a big zombie heist film, you should get to the zombie action part sooner rather than later and the movie just took way too long to get to where it needed to go.

Thank goodness there were some fun moments along the way. The zombie tiger is one of my favorite parts of the whole movie and I love the role it plays within the story as a source of karma. I also love that I was right about the tiger being one of Siegfried and Roy’s (well who else in Las Vegas would have white tigers?).

And then there’s Dieter (the safecracker, played by Matthias Schweighöfer). To quote Looney Tunes, I like him, he’s silly. Seriously, Dieter is my favorite non-zombie character as he’s probably the closest you’ll ever come to seeing how I would act in a zombie apocalypse situation. It was genuinely fun to watch his character arc develop from beginning to end. Also, his chemistry with Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick) is genuinely funny. It’s an odd couple pairing that totally works (if only the rest of the film had clicked so well as those two).

On the zombie side of things (outside of the tiger), I was really intrigued by the film’s presentation of “Alpha” zombies. I’m pretty sure the concept of “smart zombies” has been explored before, but I like what Snyder was going for, the idea of there being a type of zombie that still continues to have some form of functional society and order, even if it’s taken on a cruder form. There’s even a mention of “trading” being done with the zombies, which is something you really don’t encounter that often (or ever??) in zombie films and it’s a plot point I wouldn’t mind seeing explored further. I really did enjoy the performances of the two lead zombies. Since we can’t understand zombie speak, most of their performances is channeled through their movements and body language and that was all very well done.

Oh, and on a quick note: I LOVE Tig Notaro, you’d never guess she’d been digitally inserted into the film after the fact.

But these good things don’t change the fact that most of the film rubbed me the wrong way, particularly in how it ends. I had a feeling early on that things wouldn’t end well for most everyone going in to Las Vegas because it’s a zombie film and that’s how zombie films work. But for the love of all things holy in cinema, one of the film’s primary subplots was rendered absolutely moot by how the ending pans out. What was the point of trying to rescue that one character if they die in the end? I get that not all stories have a happy ending but that plot trope in particular drives me crazy. As for the ending scene itself (not THAT scene with Vanderohe, the one before that), I get it, I do. It tugs at all the right heartstrings and is downright heart wrenching. But…I might have felt it even more if the preceding hour hadn’t bummed me out with disappointment.

If you enjoy Army of the Dead, I am genuinely happy for you and I’m glad you enjoyed the ride. But for me, it just felt wrong for the most part, and I felt more disappointment than satisfaction by the time the credits rolled.

Let me know what you think about Army of the Dead in the comments below and have a great day!

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My Thoughts on: Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)

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I finally did it.

After years and YEARS of hemming and hawing and chickening out of watching a new Saw film in theaters when I had the chance, I finally summoned my courage and went to see Spiral: From the Book of Saw in theaters.

Here’s the good news: I did make it through the entire film without bailing out. Since this was my first time watching a Saw film in theaters, that was huge for me and I’m so proud of myself for making it all the way through.

However….is the film any good? Well, I’m not entirely sure and that’s a big part of what I wanted to talk about in this review.

Here’s the thing about the story of Saw: after the conclusion of Saw: The Final Chapter, I thought the long and twisted story of the Jigsaw Killer had finally come to an emphatic end, rendering the need for any future sequels nonexistent. That’s why I ignored the Jigsaw film when it came out, it didn’t seem necessary. After all, in-story the Jigsaw Killer died a LONG time ago, what more could the story possibly tell us?

As it turns out, Spiral: From the Book of Saw decided there was in fact more to be told. But not, and I cannot emphasize this enough, NOT in the way you might expect if you’ve watched the previous 8 films. For most of its runtime, Spiral: From the Book of Saw does not play like a Saw film, even the trap sequences feel different in a way that I can’t quite put my finger on. Oh, the classic “Saw death trap” look is there, but if you compare these traps to the ones in, say, Saw II or Saw III, there’s a distinct difference in how they play out. I can’t decide if that’s good or bad, but it was disappointing, because even in the midst of my fear and discomfort, I could tell that the earlier films would’ve scared me MORE than what this film was doing.

However, there were promising glimmers in this story that spent most of its time trying to decide what type of film it wanted to be. It felt like Spiral was yo-yo’ing between being a twisted cop drama and a traditional Saw film. Which is to say, outside of the trap sequences, it doesn’t feel like a Saw film at all (even the references to John Kramer didn’t help). But as I said, there was a glimmer of promise that came in the last 5-10 minutes of the film when the story finally came together as only a Saw film can. Once all of the puzzle pieces were assembled and the true diabolical plot laid bare, I was enraptured (if utterly terrified). There is the potential for a fantastic new villain here, one that I desperately want to see explored in a sequel.

I didn’t think anyone could top the twisted logic of John Kramer’s Jigsaw, but THIS new villain, oh they proved me wrong. If a sequel is permitted to go forward, I would love to see what this character could do now that we know who and what they are. Plus, given how the film ends, it’s fairly obvious the door is wide open for this sequel to happen. But will we get that sequel? I’m not sure, like I said most of the film is pretty uneven and can’t decide what type of film it wants to be. I think it might have worked slightly better if they’d leaned a little more into the traditional ‘Saw movie’ mold, but I also understand why the filmmakers would want to try a different format too.

If the goal of Spiral: From the Book of Saw was to scare and terrify, then congratulations it succeeded with me, because I stumbled out of the theater an absolute wreck (though I admit I do scare easily). For that alone, I have to call this film at the very least a passable success.

But was it GOOD? Well, no, not really. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I can admit that much. It had its enjoyable moments, and I was never bored, but there was too much back and forth in tone to make this film “good.”

Maybe I’m wrong though. Let me know what YOU think about Spiral: From the Book of Saw in the comments below and have a great day!

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Soundtrack News: ‘Army of the Dead’ Soundtrack Releasing 5/21

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Milan Records announced the May 21 release of Army of the Dead (Music from the Netflix Film) by multi-platinum producer, musician, composer and educator Tom Holkenborg aka JUNKIE XL. Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL, is a Grammy nominated multi-platinum producer, musician, composer and educator whose versatility puts him on the cutting edge of contemporary music, and whose thirst for innovation is helping to reimagine the world of composition.

Available for preorder now, the album features music written by Holkenborg for director Zack Snyder’s upcoming zombie heist film. The project is the latest in a longstanding creative partnership between Snyder and Holkenborg, who most recently collaborated on Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but started their relationship in 2014 with the Snyder-written and produced 300: Rise Of An Empire.

Of the soundtrack, composer Tom Holkenborg had the following to say:

“A zombie heist movie in Vegas with Zack and Netflix, how could I say no? Army of the Dead was a chance to start something very new and fresh, which is certainly ironic for a movie about the undead! It was such a fun project as we got to rip up the rule book, and really re-examine what a zombie movie could sound like. It’s a LOT of fun!”

From filmmaker Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, Zack Snyder’s Justice League), Army of the Dead takes place following a zombie outbreak that has left Las Vegas in ruins and walled off from the rest of the world. When Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), a former zombie war hero who’s now flipping burgers on the outskirts of the town he now calls home, is approached by casino boss Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), it’s with the ultimate proposition: break into the zombie-infested quarantine zone to retrieve $200 million sitting in a vault beneath the strip before the city is nuked by the government in 32 hours. With little left to lose, Ward takes on the challenge, assembling a ragtag team of experts for the heist. With a ticking clock, a notoriously impenetrable vault, and a smarter, faster horde of Alpha zombies closing in, only one thing’s for certain in the greatest heist ever attempted: survivors take all.

Track List

1. Viva Las Vegas – Richard Cheese & Allison Crowe (5:55)
2. Scott and Kate Part 1 (5:24)
3. Scott and Kate Part 2 (2:49)
4. Scott and Kate Part 3 (4:42)
5. Toten Hosen (3:56)
6. Swimming Pool (1:05)
7. Not Here (1:50)
8. 3 Flares (4:42)
9. Battle Hallway Part 1 (4:00)
10. Battle Hallway Part 2 (6:41)
11. Zeus and Athena Part 1 (3:17)
12. Zeus and Athena Part 2 (4:14)

Be sure to pick up the soundtrack for Army of the Dead when it becomes available on May 21, 2021.

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My Thoughts on: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train (2020)

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I was so excited when my local movie theater opened back up that I started booking tickets for pretty much everything, including Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train. Given how popular the movie has been, I was excited to check it out, even though I haven’t seen any of the Demon Slayer anime before.

As it turns out, maybe I should have checked out the anime and/or the manga first because I feel like that would have really helped me enjoy the movie more. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad movie, it’s just….it’s not really my style if that makes sense. Some of the fighting animations were spectacular, but the story overall, I just didn’t like it. It felt too uneven, especially the last part.

No, really, the last fight scene of the film feels like it should belong to a completely separate story. Just when I thought the movie was drawing to an end, a completely DIFFERENT character steps in and all I can think is “Who is this guy and why are they introducing him NOW when the story is almost over?” Sure, the fight itself was pretty dramatic, but it didn’t feel like it belonged to the movie as a whole.

Maybe I’ll appreciate the movie better if/when I check out the anime. However, right now I have to admit I’m pretty disappointed. I feel like they could’ve done a better job of making the movie enjoyable for viewers who perhaps haven’t seen the anime yet.

Let me know what you think about Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train in the comments below and have a great day!

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Animated Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Wrath of Man (2021)

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Before today, the last film I saw in theaters was Onward, all the way back in March 2020 (right before everything locked down). Fourteen LONG months later, I finally sat down in my local movie theater to watch Wrath of Man, starring Jason Statham, and I couldn’t have been happier with my choice.

Wrath of Man, directed by Guy Ritchie, is a revenge film that is admittedly a bit by rote in terms of the plot points it hits, but please don’t let that stop you from checking this film out. The story may be predictable but it is still entertaining. The film’s story follows “H” (Jason Statham), a man on a mission that unfolds a little unevenly (as the film does skip backwards and forwards in time) in the wake of a robbery gone bad. Statham is great in this film playing a man on the edge of going completely psychotic. It’s not the most action filled role he’s ever done (it’s nothing like his role in The Expendables series or his work in The Fast Saga for instance) but there’s enough to satisfy any fan of Statham’s previous work.

Rote plot aside, the part of this film I enjoyed the most (and I suspected I would) was the film’s soundtrack, which I’ve already reviewed. Composed by Chris Benstead, the music for Wrath of Man, as I’d hoped, really does reach out and grab you by the throat, forcing you to pay attention to it. I love this soundtrack even MORE now, because of how much it elevates the film. It raises the tension, it makes you feel every pulse-pounding moment, soundtracks like this are why I love talking about film music so much.

Going back to the plot, while it is very by-the-numbers, I think there is an important message in there. If you look at who the ultimate culprits are, I think Ritchie was trying, on some level, to say something about how screwed up the US is. Maybe if a certain part of society were better taken care of, this entire plot situation might have been avoided. As it is, it felt entirely too plausible given how messed up the news has been in recent months.

I also have to say I really like how the film is split up into individual acts (denoted with title cards). It helps measure the progression of the story, and I like how the title card is quoted in each section of the film. I don’t know why, but that’s a film element I’ve always liked.

Is Wrath of Man a masterpiece? Well, no, it’s too rote for that. But it is a good popcorn film and I wouldn’t say no if someone asked me to watch it again. Acting-wise, Jason Statham is the best part of this movie. Scott Eastwood is pretty good too (though I admit I didn’t work out which character he was until after the movie when I got home). Outside of that, the music is the single greatest part of this movie and I hope everyone checks out Chris Benstead’s great soundtrack.

Let me know what you think about Wrath of Man in the comments below and have a great day!

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Soundtrack Review: Wrath of Man (2021)

Film Reviews

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