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The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Austin Powers? The Godfather? Wild Things? Our writers on the franchises they would like to revive
The Thin Man series should not be rebooted so much as remixed, shaken a little and strained into crystal coupes. These glamorous 1930s capers starred the debonair duo of William Powell and Myrna Loy as frisky husband-and-wife sleuths Nick and Nora Charles, who solve crimes while cracking wise and necking cocktails, accompanied by their precocious wire fox terrier Asta. There were six films in the original run, starting with 1934's The Thin Man, an adaptation of the Dashiell Hammett novel of the same name, and ending in 1947. The perfect recipe for a new Thin Man film would comprise two charismatic movie stars with sizzling chemistry, the kind who look stunning in evening dress, but who can also ad lib their own gags, a cavalcade of plot twists and saucy co-stars, a happy ending, and of course a scene-stealing pooch. It's good, old-fashioned fun, but that's why it's so timeless, and a formula that can run and run – until the ice bucket is empty. Pamela Hutchinson Wild Things is a movie Film Twitter might say they just couldn't make anymore, which is pretty much the best reason to give it a try. The gloriously trashy original, which spawned a series of straight-to-DVD sequels, starred Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon and Kevin Bacon (shocking audiences by showing off all his meat) as exceptionally hot grifters using their sexual currency to break open trust funds. Wild Things was the neo-noir driftwood arriving after a wave of 90s erotic thrillers, when Girls Gone Wild was a thing and wet T-shirt competitions were peaking. That vibe is built into the movie's lurid South Florida aesthetic, which was an ogle fest certainly, but also deceptively clever and sensational with its knowing high camp performances and over-the-top accumulation of double and triple crosses. Wild Things is exactly the franchise to revisit now that we're in a moment when the erotic thriller is making a comeback (think Halina Reijn's smart and subversive embrace in Babygirl). It's got the room to improve and challenge what the original had to offer, but also embrace what it did well, showing a lot of skin but only revealing the true nature of its plot and appeal just when we thought the movie – and its moment – was over. Radheyan Simonpillai Look, I frankly can't conceive of a hunger for reviving any long-running franchise of the past half-century. Pretty much all of them have had their turn at this point. So let's take it back a bit further and yield the floor to Torchy Blane. This lady reporter and de facto gumshoe was played mostly but not exclusively by Glenda Farrell and featured in nine feature films released between 1937 and 1939, starting with the aptly titled Smart Blonde. Feature films meant something a little different back then; these B-movie mysteries and light adventure thrillers hovered around the 60-minute mark. They're also the kind of personality-driven plots that are more typically run into the ground by network TV. But wouldn't it be fun to see a true big-screen star like Amy Adams, Emma Stone or Zoe Saldaña cracking cases every year or two without the TV commitment or the obligations of brainless spectacle? Hire Torchy at an imperiled publication and bring back the crisp, short, well-made mystery picture! If the execs need a craven superhero connection, consider this: Torchy supposedly helped inspire the comics character Lois Lane. Whaddaya need, a road map? Jesse Hassenger There's nothing official yet on the books for a return to Elm Street but given the unending churn of horror resurrections (Scream continues, Halloween is getting another do-over, Friday the 13th is heading to TV, Texas Chainsaw has inspired a frenzied auction), something must be edging closer. The delay might be down to how nightmarish the last attempt was – 2010's drab and unscary retread, loathed by critics and disowned by lead Rooney Mara – but also how difficult it is to reinvent Freddy Krueger for a modern audience. A violent, sleepover-ruining villain had turned into a quippy, exhaustingly over-merchandised joke and those wishing to bring him back have surely been having sleepless nights trying to figure out the right balance. But there remains something terrifying, and endlessly inventive, about the engine at its core, allowing for a smart, visually ambitious film-maker to go wild on a new canvas. There's also mileage in exploring, and potentially tweaking, Krueger's cursed backstory for an even more divided small-town America (what if an outsider was framed for the wrongdoings of a corrupt community and returned with a vengeance?), finding nasty new ways to keep us up all night. Benjamin Lee 'One million dollars!' In the '90s, the Austin Powers franchise rightly achieved heavy cultural weight and widespread memeification for the way it hilariously dismantled spy thriller tropes while lambasting the uptight and power-hungry 1% – far before it was trendy to do so. But that was 20 years ago. As oligarchs today melt the ice caps to force-feed us self-driving cars and AI slop, and while Donald Trump amasses a Dr Evil–worthy group of sycophants in the executive branch, what could be more timely than a reboot of the Austin Powers series? In times of political upheaval and social unrest, comedy has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to speak necessary truths in a way that resonates broadly; even more importantly, mockery and laughter are proven deterrents against authoritarian regimes. Veronica Esposito I can personally live without movie franchises: I lost interest in Star Wars halfway through Return of the Jedi, gave up on Alien after Resurrection, and actually fell asleep during Matrix Reloaded, it was such a letdown. Recapturing lightning in a bottle is a task seemingly beyond everyone except James Cameron (I'll grant that Aliens and T2 are top-notch exceptions to the rule). The Godfather – not really a franchise as such, but in effect the inventor of the modern film series – is the biggest conundrum of them all. Godfathers 1 and 2 are both brilliant, which makes the awfulness of part III one of the most baffling disasters in cinema history. (Even more baffling, where did Sofia Coppola find the confidence to be such a great director herself after being so badly exposed as an actor, by her own dad.) Well, history records that Coppola – still then a fillm-maker to be reckoned with – only did part III to get out of a financial hole; and it also records he did discuss a fourth film with Mario Puzo, but it hit the buffers when the author died in 1999. So my vote is: if we can guarantee Godfather 4 is as good as 1 or 2, then please can we have it? If not, forget about it. Andrew Pulver The most incisive movie franchises reflect the time they arrived. By that measure, this would be the ideal moment to resurrect The Brady Bunch series. The original TV version of the show, which aired between 1969 and 1974, couldn't have been more popular, or more insipid, inspiring no fewer than five spin-off specials for the small screen, each dimmer than the next. In stark contrast, the movie series, which spawned three projects between 1995 and 2002, took a far more sophisticated and satirical approach, positioning the naivete and self-absorption of its '70s characters as hilarious foils to the larger world they now found themselves in. Fast forward several decades to the reactionary age of Trump. In key ways, today's climate echoes the Nixonian era of the original TV series, which had been conceived, in part, to re-asserted 'traditional values' in the wake of the '60s revolution. But there's a built-in twist with this franchise: The Bradys were always kind people at heart, so placing them in the context of today's cruel cultural backlash could open up a whole new layer of nuance, allowing the family to find a sweet and funny balance between their simplistic notion of 'normalcy' and the complex world we actually live in. Jim Farber It has been over 30 years since Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar partied on from the basement set of their public access show in Aurora, Illinois, and the Saturday Night Live stars who originated them, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, are not exactly at the peak of their fame. But that's exactly why a new Wayne's World is a promising idea: Just as Wayne and Garth are on the wrong side of middle age, nostalgic for their brief time in the national spotlight, rock music itself has been on the decline, relegated mostly to legacy tours aimed at gen-Xers with deep pockets and bad backs. That may sound like a melancholy premise for a franchise built on silly banter and pop-culture references, but a YouTube-channel revival of Wayne's World seems plausible, as does the hilarious disconnect between old guys looking to 'party on' and a younger generation unaccustomed to guitars getting plugged into amplifiers. Scott Tobias If the three intervening decades since the release of Species – a period of time that's yielded Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin, Sally Hawkins's fishy fornication in The Shape of Water, and not one but two azure-skinned, kinda-nude Mystiques – have taught us anything, it's that the viewing public's desire to make it with not-quite-human organisms is only growing in ardor. That's the sturdy foundation upon which Roger Donaldson's admirably smutty sci-fi staple of adolescent sleepovers was built, its servicing of peculiar fetishes less out of joint with the present than the conditions of its making. That MGM would throw $35m (in '90s dollars!) at a softcore B-movie scans as utterly alien to today's studio protocols, and as such, a similar investment would be the ideal tonic for an anemic summer movie landscape. Right now, every tentpole is grasping for an air of can't-miss ceremony, which leads to leaden seriousness and self-importance; the people crave base pleasures, the dumb horny fun of getting ravished by a sextraterrestrial. (And just think of how well the novelization will sell with fan-fiction types.) Charles Bramesco How well do Shanghai Noon and Knights – the Owen Wilson/Jackie Chan martial arts/western buddy movies from the earlier noughties – stand up, 20 odd years on? A brief gander at the trailers feels … unencouraging but at the time I remember really liking these for their loose limbs and nimble feet, charming performances and some surprisingly good jokes. The first was set in the old west and had a lot of broad stroke nudge-nudge genre nods, the second in Victorianish London, with ribald support from Gemma Jones, Aidan Gillen and a very young Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Charlie Chaplin. A third was reportedly planned a few years later, set in Mexico, but it never happened because Jackie Chan 'lost interest'. Maybe the healthy box office for the Karate Kid reboot might reignite that? Perhaps Owen Wilson is finding his mojo again, post Stick? Either way, it's one breezy bit of entertainment I'd happily lap up again. Catherine Shoard
New York Times
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Ponyboi' Review: The Cost of Living Authentically
Classic neo-noir motifs are upended by a rare antihero in 'Ponyboi,' thanks to its titular character: an intersex sex worker. Ponyboi's job servicing regular clients is a dangerous necessity that offers him access to hormones to maintain his male identity. They're supplied by Vinnie (Dylan O'Brien, perfectly smarmy), a pimp running a prostitution ring out of a laundromat in New Jersey. Predictably, a high-stakes death occurs, leaving Ponyboi (River Gallo, who wrote the screenplay) to confront the cost of living authentically. A fractured relationship with his father haunts him from the start. In a flashback, Ponyboi jolts awake after remembering his dad placing a cowboy hat on his head and promising he'd grow into a 'big, strong man.' Amid this macho posturing is Bruce (Murray Bartlett). Seemingly conjured from Ponyboi's imagination, Bruce is a drifting embodiment of human decency, moving through the film like a cool breath against the heat. Their scenes together are welcome dreamlike escapes. Directed by Esteban Arango, 'Ponyboi' mimics the visual style and thematic tropes of pulpy crime noir (think 'Blood Simple' and 'Drive'), from double crosses to a past that torments its gritty protagonist. What better distillation of old-school manliness than sleazy swagger and neon-lit vendettas? Yet Gallo's star-making turn pushes back against this version of hypermasculinity, reshaping genre conventions that have privileged rigid gender binaries. Watching Gallo carve out space for Ponyboi is its own kind of powerful assertion. PonyboiRated R for explicit drug use, graphic sexual content, nudity, strong language and scenes of violent abuse. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes. In theaters.
The Review Geek
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Deep Cover (2025) Movie Review – Is it as funny as it sounds?
Is it as funny as it sounds? Deep Cover is a crime comedy that dropped on Amazon Prime in June 2025 and caught attention for its hilarious trailer. It has Orlando Bloom looking even more like Luke Evans than Luke Evans does, Nick Mohammed finally leading a comedy after Ted Lasso, and Bryce Dallas Howard redeeming herself after the mess that was Argylle. Let's not forget the undercover trope, but for once, it doesn't involve cops but three improv comedians. Helmed by the Jurassic World team, Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden and co-star Alexander Owen, Deep Cover seems to be going all out as it also stars Ian McShane, Paddy Considine, Sean Bean and Sonoya Mizuno. The Amazon Prime Original begins with Detective Billings enlisting failed comedian-turned-improv teacher, Kat, for an off-the-books undercover program to bust a small contraband operation. With all her good students being booked by agents, Kat teams up with method actor Marlon and Hugh, a socially inept officegoer. Unfortunately for the trio, and fortunately for Billings, Marlon goes too method and gets them an in with Fly, a drug lord. Hoping to make a big bust, Billings pushes the trio to improvise their way into Fly's gang and bust his next big drug deal. At the same time, unbeknownst to everyone, Inspector Dawes and his Gen-Z of a partner, Beverley, are looking into the three assassins who are suddenly wreaking havoc all over town. Surprisingly, Deep Cover sticks to a neo-noir aesthetic, complete with the dank alleyways of London and low-lit bars. The comedians get the whole shebang, watching in shock as dead bodies are dragged through shady mansions and harshly-lit morgues. Shootouts and confrontations are peppered with Scooby Doo chases and fake guns. While the rest of the characters belong very much to the underbelly, our trio sorely stands out with their over-the-top thuggish outfits and grimey makeup. The movie is fast-paced and keeps the ball rolling, barely giving time to viewers and the trio to stop and catch their breath. The jokes don't always land but unwittingly highlight the core message of the movie – how one shouldn't try hard to be funny, but go with the flow. Nick Mohammed's Hugh is the awkward wallflower who tries too hard, literally following the 'yes and' rule of improv which just ends up escalating the situation every single time. Bryce Dallas Howard is the mother hen of the group, the viewers' spokesperson. You'll be able to relate and roll your eyes with her Kat as she tries to keep Marlon and Hugh in check every time they mess up. But it is Orlando Bloom who steals the show with Marlon's one-liners. The jokes are pretty meta, constantly poking fun at method acting and to the extremely unnecessary lengths some go. There are some fun and clever references to the cast's past work as well, from Sean Bean's fatalistic roles to Marlon's 'elvish' gig being a Christmas elf instead of Bloom's iconic elvish character, Legolas. All of the characters end up being a part of the absurdity in some manner or another. While Detective Dawes finds himself in a crime thriller, Beverley keeps the scenes light with his meta-commentary on why cop characters of the genre act so vague and mysterious. Of course, Dawes and the gang members are unable to break through the fourth wall, which leads to hilarious misunderstandings and miscommunication as the comedians are able to coast by on pure luck. Of course, the premise is nothing original. Deep Cover has a classic gang war trope with some cliched back story on how the cops just cannot catch a break until our misfit heroes land the jackpot. The trio keeps messing up but it never catches up with them until it is time to wrap up all the conflict and give them a happy ending. The first plot twist is quite predictable but it is our improv actors and how they are stuck, how they react that makes us keep watching. That luck we spoke about is just heavy plot armour that constantly gets them out of hard spots but it is hilarious and entertaining. By the time the movie ends, viewers will realise that the script is a cliched, predictable, half-empty tank of a narrative. Every single plot twist can be guessed a mile away. But what saves Deep Cover is the cast and their commitment to stick to the bit till the end. Despite how goofy and silly it gets, the characters keep 'yes and'ing till the credits roll. Very meta, we know. Read More: Deep Cover Ending Explained
Geek Vibes Nation
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
‘BA' Review – Impressive Style Gets Lost In Clunky Narrative
The first thought that comes to mind while watching writer/director Benjamin Wong's BA is how gorgeous it looks. It is no secret that cinematographer Ming Jue Hu-famous for Laroy, Texas's stunning look-is the one behind this saturated, blue/green color palette. Add some orange hues and use anamorphic lenses to evoke a neo-noir aesthetic, and you have a sensory feast that preserves a haunting and resonant storyline. The feature starts slow with the devoted but broke dad Daniel (Lawrence Kao), who accepts a creepy job offer to work as the Grim Reaper to better provide for his daughter Collette (Kai Cech). From the first moment, Wong makes the viewer sympathize with Daniel. He is a dancer who suffered an injury that likely contributed to the decline of his career and financial situation. But he is a dedicated father who will do anything for his daughter, so his choices, though questionable, are ones to root for. But as the saying goes, everything comes at a price, and his nightly trips don't pay off very well. It's amusing to present a struggling, working man as a Grim Reaper instead of an overpowering, larger-than-life manifestation of limitless power and success. This adds depth to the narrative, which is weighed down by the cheesier, more endearing elements. Daniel's problems pile up, and soon he gets chased when the reality of his job clashes with his daily activities, and that leads to a strained relationship with his daughter. Then more troubles ensue. Admittedly, BA works best during night shoots when Daniel is the Grim Reaper. The costumes, the neon lighting, and the boxes within boxes as frames within frames, work best in creating the atmospheric mood throughout the film. However, the film loses its footing when the focus shifts to real-life Daniel, and not Grim Reaper nighttime Daniel. As complicated as that sounds, this feature works best at its darker moments. I wish I had seen more of Daniel's Grim Reaper night flights rather than his daily life, and what a good father he is. The emotional resonance of the film is great on its own, but the powerful impact of Daniel's scary night job is too cool to waste on familial dynamics and his guilty conscience. In terms of acting, Kao is good as Daniel during his dad phase. Kudos to him for acting half of the film draped in layers of clothing. It must have been suffocating to embody Daniel with his daughter. When it's time for the Grim Reaper Daniel to be unleashed on the world, Kao struggles to create an alternate persona for that. It's not as much his problem as it is the script that lacks a poignant structural unity, nor even the perfect separation of two moody aesthetics that complement one another. Cech excels as Collette, and her storyline as the struggling daughter wondering what is wrong with her father is surprisingly more compelling than the turn of events for Daniel, probably due to the fact that the stunning poster (designed by Drew Struzan) and the high expectations whoever saw it placed on the film. What I would've also wanted to see more of is Daniel's feelings and physicality as the Grim Reaper. What his new night obligations do to his body, his soul, and his interactions with the people around him. This could have elevated this film to a suspenseful, blood-pumping thriller with a touch of drama, rather than merely a family drama with scant elements of the supernatural and fantasy sprinkled in between. BA is a twist on the horror-drama genre. It lacks the needed cruelty, but aesthetically it's perfect nonetheless. It has its moments, but generally, the drastic shifts in tone take away from its power. BA is currently available on digital platforms courtesy of Ethos Releasing.
News.com.au
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Spike Lee thinks Highest 2 Lowest will be his last collaboration with Denzel Washington
In the neo-noir crime thriller, an English-language reimagining of the Japanese film High and Low, Washington plays a music mogul who becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped by mistake. It marks Lee and Washington's fifth collaboration after Mo' Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game and 2006's Inside Man - and it may well be their last. "I think this is it – five. He's been talking about retirement, so... Even though he just did another deal. I thought you said you were retired Denzel, what's up?! But those five films together, those stand up.".
