By: Dominic La-Viola

In her latest role, Sydney Sweeney proves that she is more than just a pretty face with an exquisite body. 

From her debut on HBO’s “Euphoria,” Sweeney was unofficially dubbed a sex icon. For her portrayal of Cassie. The hyper sexual “it” girl who was shown in compromising scenes, including nudity. 

Something that many believed cost her a nomination at the Emmys for her role .

Make no mistake, for this film does deal with sexual situations, sexual expression, and sexual topics that are far more intense than frat dudes making sex videos. 

Yet the way the film approaches the matter is so tastefully done. Capturing the story and the events in the way in which they occurred without sexualizing the situations.

For the film tells the story of Christy Martin, a world champion female boxer. The one who truly put women’s boxing on the map and gave the sport a platform. 

However, there is more to the story than simply the entertaining and downright amazing fights in which she took part. 

The film not only tells the story of how she got her start, from being nothing more than a coal miners daughter from West Virginia. A girl who just  enters a tough man competition (boxing match)  for fun. 

A closeted lesbian with no boxing background and no real interest in the sport at first. Someone whose personal and home life is more of a fight than any match in the ring. 

“Christy” deals with a lot of sensitive material. Such as sexual identity, sexual preference, domestic violence, religious overreach, and so much more. Yet none of the subject matter ever overwhelms the forefront of the story. The story of how Christy Martin changed boxing history. 

Director David Michôd does a spectacular job crafting the story in such a way that you are pulled in completely. Captivated by everything you’re seeing and hearing, feeling every punch and emotional jab. The film has this perfect balance that is so flawless, you almost miss there’s nothing out of place. Not a single scene. 

Sweeny’s performance is, of course, top-notch. Showing and proving to everyone that she has what it takes to be one of the greats. Putting herself on another level of her generations up and coming Hollywood A-Listers.  

Ben Foster, an actor who always brings it and never phones it in, is no exception here. His performance is so spot-on that you have this distaste for his character from the first time you meet him, and it rightfully never goes away. 

Overall, this is a masterful film. One that pulls no punches and doesn’t try to shield you from anything, nor does it shy away from subject matter that other films wouldn’t touch. Capturing the story perfectly. This is one of the best and possibly going to be one of the most underrated films of the year. A film you don’t want to miss!  

Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars. 

By: Dominic La-Viola

For this week’s film club, I had the opportunity to see “Wallace & Gromit: Cursed Of The Were-Rabbit” the 2005 Oscar winning film for best animated feature. Beating out “Howl’s Moving Castle” which, when the presenter said that. I knew I was in for a treat, for how astonishing “Howl’s Moving Castle” is. Although, they are two completely different types of films. 

One of the reasons I was excited for this film, was the claymation, for I haven’t seen many films in claymation, and I honestly couldn’t tell you the last movie I’ve seen that was created that way . I can’t say for certain, but I feel Iike claymation is something that adds to the already complexity of creating an entire animated film.

To which Wallace & Gromit makes it look effortless. For the expressions, paired with the dialog and the voice over play out so pitch perfect. It made me believe, or would have made me believe that it was the easier of the styles of animation. Although, I know that it took them over 4 years to make the 89 minute movie. For they worked all day to be  able to get 3 seconds of footage. 

A fact isn’t needed to be known to see how much craft and care was put into this film. Using the lack of emotional expression that one can get using claymation. But using other methods to effectively express emotion is part of where the brilliance lies in this film. 

Starting with the script. Which is just flat out, funny, witty and spot on the entire time. At no time does the jokes feel incompetent or dull to accommodate the kids, whom are the target audience for the film .  

The jokes, acts and actions are both humorous, and solid. Making them entertaining to the kids, while adults can enjoy it too.  As a parent, I would without question let my 2 year old watch the movie and I feel like he would enjoy it and the jokes just much as I did. For they’re not complex or sophisticated, while retaining from being mind numbing.

Although there are moments in the film, that has jokes that are geared towards adults, the parents who are dragged to the movie by their kids to see the movie. Giving them something to laugh at too, yet done just right, so it will go over the kids heads and they won’t pick up on them. Something that I feel a lot of 90’s and early 2000’s “kids” movies did, that we no longer see. 

Especially the movie references from classic films such as “King Kong” and “Scarface”, yes there is even a “Scarface” reference in the movie. One that you will easily miss if you’re not paying attention and you’re kids will never know, unless they’ve seen “Scarface” and really paid attention and didn’t just watch the action scenes on YouTube. 

The actors voicing Wallace and Gromit are fantastic and to think that the studio tried to replace them with actors that American Audience’s would know. Although I would argue, what difference that makes for an animated movie where the kids are the target audience. What kid is going to see a movie based on who is voicing the characters? Not really a marketing tool, in my option, that is. 

Overall, I think this was just a fantastic film. One In which the whole family can enjoy, for the characters are kid friendly without being overly animated in the sense of cheesy and irritating. The jokes land, the dialogue is witty and the claymation esthetic really adds to the charm of the film. 

Overall Rating 4/5 Stars.  

By: Dominic La-Viola

Nothing prepares you for Bugonia, for the first time, in quite some time. I left the theater uncertain on how I truly feel about what I just watched. Which I believe is an achievement within itself.

For anytime you leave a movie and said movie leaves you with mixed emotions, pounding it long after the end credits roll.  There’s almost nothing more accomplishing than that. 

This is a film that has been on my most anticipated movies of the year list since I first saw the trailer, and the film doesn’t disappoint.

Jesse Plemons gives one of the best performances of his career as he portrays Teddy, a conspiracy-obsessed thirty-something male. Who believe’s that the head of his company is an alien. 

Emma Stone who plays opposite Plemons, gives an Oscar-worthy performance. Playing said CEO and according to Teddy, an alien live form who is here to take over the world. She shaved her entire head for this role. Doing something very few actresses have done, as a complete transformation for a role. 

Separately, the characters and the performances are good, but nothing outstanding. Not until the two characters’ paths cross and we are given the opportunity to see them interact together on screen.

They share a type of on-screen chemistry that isn’t sexual or romantic, nothing of the usual female, male duo that we’re used to seeing in films. But something so much more.

Playing two completely different roles and characters on opposite sides of the spectrum. Bouncing off each other with an intensity that not only pulls you in but always leaves you wanting more. 

In the first few scenes after the audition, is when we first bear witness to this. For the two character go toe to toe in a, what I can only describe as a heated debate. 

Teddy, whom giving the situation you would be led to believe is simply a whack job, but isn’t. He is a whack job, but he’s also so much more. 

Stone’s character, Michelle, is obviously a very intelligent, persuasive wordsmith, given her background  and success.

 Although Teddy’s character is just as intelligent without having the degrees or traditional qualifications or experience.

At first, of course, her character tries to take charge and manipulate Teddy by taking control of the situation without taking control of the situation. But fails to do so, showing us firsthand that Teddy is more than just a conspiracy theorist who lives off the grid and is completely ignorant and unaware of anything and everything around him. 

Which is where director Yorgos Lanthimos comes in, really flexing his skills by blending  the genres of dark comedy and thriller so effectively and effortlessly. Setting the stage for Plemons and Stone to carry the film across the finish line. Something that couldn’t have been done without Lanthimos’s direction and notably a spectacular script from Will Tracy. 

For what starts off as simply a conspiracy theory nut job talking his cousin, who is very influenceable young man on this insane journey. 

Quickly turns into something more. Piece by piece, we learn more and more about Teddy’s past and all these horrible things that have happened to him and to those around him. Which doubles down on why he’s become the person he is, along with reinsures the audience of his insanity. 

All the while, the film touches on social issues and hot topics while never hovering around them long enough to be considered problematic. Yet touches on things that one would question about Teddy’s mindset. Which he confirmed that over the course of 5 years, he was indeed a right-wing, a rightist, a leftist, a left-wing, an activist, among other radical groups before discovering the truth. 

The film overall has this perfect balance between  arthouse and mass market. A concept in which can be wrapped and sold off to the masses, while the core of the film is built like an arthouse movie. Crafted piece by piece, using the various tools at his disposal, Yorgos Lanthimos crafts an intriguing and distinguished film. 

Using the cinematography to carefully create emotion. The incredibly wide, landscape-style shots, not to measure distance like in “Lawrence of Arabia” when he’s standing in the middle of the desert. But to measure emotional disconnect from everyone around them. 

Even when the framing and shots seem out of place or off-kilter, they still manage to feel very deliberate and intentional. Rather than merely being shots that capture the images in frame.  Ultimately, making me question what was the intention for this or that shot, when it wasn’t obvious or followed the pattern of framing that had been established.  

The score elevates emotion when needed, and is silent at moments when the actions are emotional enough to completely flow and overwhelm you.  There were even moments  when I felt like the score was there, playing to an actionless scene just to keep the intensity of the film. 

Overall, I absolutely loved this movie. The dialogue was well-crafted and gave us hints to what the truth held for us long before it showed us. The performances were beyond astonishing. Both Plemons and Stone deserve Oscar nominations for their performances . My only real issue with the film is the ending. I feel like if it had ended 60-90 seconds sooner, cutting off right before the montage scene with the elaborate score. The film would have been so much crisper and intense. Leaving the viewer more unsettled, yet more fulfilled and satisfied.

Overall Rating: 4.5/ 5 Stars. 

By: Dominic La-Viola

YouTube movie reviewer, turned indie filmmaker, Chris Stuckmann released his first feature film this week, with Shelby Oaks. The horror film gem that is executive produced by modern horror icon Mike Flanagan.  

 I went into this film completely blind, having no idea what the movie was about, other than the fact that it was indeed an indie horror film. I can honestly say I never really followed Stuckmann on YouTube, or had any interest or ill feelings towards him prior to this screening . 

Although, that doesn’t mean I’m not fully aware of who he is or the rather large fan base that he has built over the years as a YouTube movie reviewer. Not to mention the enemies that come with the territory. 

Before seeing the movie, I saw a few posts on Blusky, in which “film critics” spoke poorly of the film and even made comments about how he was a “YouTube Reviewer” and not a real film critic. 

More so the posts were bashing him, then the film itself or should I say belittling his status as a serious critic of film, due to the platform in which he expressed his opinions. Adding to the power struggle, pay gap and availability in that space, causing issues between film critics and YouTube reviewers.

Given the fan base and the work in which he did before making the transition, there is going to be a lot of basis. Going both ways. 

The film opens very much as a found footage film, mixed with a POV of someone being interviewed, giving it a documentary style tone. Which, I wasn’t the most excited about and thought, it was going to be just another found footage film. 

One that lacked three-dimensional characters, a real plot or storyline. Given the subject matter that was introduced thus far. Although to my surprise, the film did pick up and made a rather interesting pivot from found footage to narrative storytelling. 

Which is where the film really starts, and we get a better understanding of what it is we’re watching and where it’s going. 

Giving us a proper introduction to the characters with whom we will be spending the film, bringing me back into the loop of the story. 

Now, as much as I wasn’t a huge fan of the opening of the film, I have to admit, I asked myself what would have been a more compelling opening, and I really could only think to move some parts, break up the found footage pieces to make it feel more balanced instead of two separate parts. 

 For once, we are actually introduced to the main character, and the story actually begins. I find the film to feel a lot better paced and more engaging. Which is why I feel breaking up the opening would allow the film to feel more engaging and more flowing. 

However, once the film gets started, it not only holds your attention. It completely brings you in. At points, I could literally feel the Shriners dawn the back of my spine. 

Stuckmann does a great job of building up the story after the initial opening, yet finding the landing is the problem. The film ends, yet nothing is truly answered, and nothing feels resolved. Making me, as the viewer, feel cheated and robbed. 

There are moments throughout the film that answer some questions, but not nearly enough. I feel like there are some plot issues and gaps within the film. Topped with quite a few technical problems throughout the film that really stand out. Pulling me out more often than I would have liked. 

Yet, given the budget and the way in which the film was produced, I overlooked the issues with lighting, CGI, and various other technical issues that the film had. All that are completely related to the budget and resources had to make the film.

At no point do these moments truly take out of the movie, yet they are there and they are noticeable enough to throw you off and make you question some of the decisions that are made. 

Overall. The opening is slightly slow and uneventful, while the middle is, without question, the meat and backbone of the film. The ending, a lot like the beginning, comes up short. Leaving you unsatisfied and wondering if you were just cheated out of what you paid to see. Diminishing the overall film up to this.

Overall Rating: 3/5 Stars