The world is angry, dirty and dirty in three worthy films we’re reviewing this week.
Here is our collection.
“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die”: Gore Verbinski’s mad, mad, mad epic is mad, mad, mad. And for good reason. The apocalyptic drama fires its poisoned arrows at two of the most relevant areas in America right now: our addiction to social media and our willingness to let AI rule our lives. Both trends are removed, trashed and trampled (this is by no means a subtle film) in painful ways. A stylish and energetic filmmaker, Verbinski (“The Ring,” the first three “Pirates of Caribbean” films) and screenwriter Matthew Robinson express satire and social/political commentary in a very effective and finer way than 2021’s dirty “Don’t Look” with Leonardo Di Caprio and Jennifer Lawrence. Daly City veteran and “White Lotus” guest Sam Rockwell leans into his crazy side as a nameless doomsday magician with his finger on the trigger and says the end is nigh thanks to AI. You walk into a Los Angeles diner and it’s not long before things get weird as a small group tries to put the kibosh on AI taking over the world. Using the framework of “Weapons” and “Magnolia” by Paul Thomas Anderson (and even more “Black Mirror” of Netflix) the film tells three stories about their conflict with technology. One involves a school substitute teacher (Michael Pena, in another excellent performance over the years) and teacher/girlfriend Janet (Zazi Beetz) as they protect a flock of phone-addicted students; another is about a grieving mother (Juno Temple) who turns to AI to resurrect her dead son, who was killed in a school shooting; and the other is about a princess for hire (Haley Lu Richardson) who doesn’t understand all social media. Each story is wonderful, strange and angry and each adds layers to the themes of the film. Some will criticize it for being too heavy, but I say let it rip. This is a film that has something important to say and wants to wake us all up to the reality and possible future it sees with the same energy and ironic anger as David Foster Wallace’s “Infinite Jest.” Look at them, Verbinski and Robinson. Your anger and frustration prove to be fun and hopefully less obvious. Oh, and there’s a Godzilla-sized cat unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Details: 3½ out of 4 stars; opens February 13 in cinemas.
“Cold Storage”: Anyone looking to write a how-to manual for a good “B” movie should be sure to check with “Cold Storage” director Jonny Campbell and screenwriter David Koepp. The crossover experts have a winning formula, mixing irreverence with action and tipping the hat to classics like Jack Finney’s oft-referenced “The Body Snatchers.” Other ingredients, of course, can spice things up, especially a well-cast supporting cast. And this is where “Cold Storage” excels. Acting heavyweights Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville and Vanessa Redgrave add gravitas, flair and style as well as a willingness to let go. They also work well with the charming young characters of Joe Keery (“Stranger Things”) and Georgina Campbell (“The Barbarian”), the two leads. The “cold storage facility” in the article refers to one of the storage facilities in Kentucky where the green, gooey virus decades ago was thrown into space at SkyLab and returned and is now stored underground. A rapidly spreading virus turns everything around it into zombie-like invaders that, at one point, blow their tops and spit green upchuck into the mouths of the unsuspecting. Keery’s clever doormat of a warehouse worker falls for a co-worker (Campbell) who is not only very clever but brilliant. Neeson and Manville get some of the funniest lines as Pentagon investigators who are introduced to the virus when it arrives. “Cold Storage” knows exactly what it needs to be funny, gory and fast. It’s that and more as Redgrave continues to position it as the last institution’s grief-stricken client caught in the crossfire. Pure escapist fun from the first frame to the last. Details: 3 stars, opens Feb. 13 in theaters.
“State of Fear”: It’s not often that a movie leaves you breathless. The terrifying, one-take 10-minute action sequence that opens this gritty import from Brazil activated every nerve in my body. A good and gripping start that the rest of the film can’t match, although there is a one-shot action sequence found in this thriller, “The Brotherhood” series. Although you don’t have to watch the previous two seasons of this movie, it might help. An impressive standalone film that still works for the uninitiated and will appeal to fans of Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed” and other crime thrillers. Violent chaos erupts in bustling São Paulo when the Brotherhood, a gang that has been at odds with corrupt police, goes on the offensive and turns the city into a war zone. Also caught in the maelstrom is the independent 18-year-old daughter (Camilla Damião) of the founder (Seu Jorge) of The Brotherhood. He is kidnapped and it is up to his aunt (Naruna Costa) – who is a lawyer for The Brotherhood – to try to save him. With its strong cinematography, smooth and precise screenplay and the airtight direction of Pedro Morelli, this is a ruthless, uncompromising road race on certain, bloody roads where no one comes out victorious. Details: 3 stars; now available on Netflix.
Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.
