1. “The Bikeriders”
“The Bikeriders” (2023) is directed by Jeff Nichols and stars Austin Butler, Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy. The film is based on a 1967 book by Danny Lyon (in the film, he is portrayed by actor Mike Faist) about a real motorcycle club named the Chicago Outlaws. The book is a photography collection with descriptions of each picture.
In the film, the club is renamed to the Chicago Vandals. It was originally created by a regular working man, Johnny Davis (Hardy), after watching Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” (1953). The club comprises a wide range of different characters and one of its small but memorable characters is Zipco (Michael Shannon).
Butler plays Benny, who fits the typical rough-and-tough motorcycle rider archetype. Butler plays him with few emotions, making it difficult for the audience to decipher what he's actually thinking and feeling at the moment. Comer plays Kathy, who eventually marries Benny after only knowing him for five weeks.
The film is centered on these three characters, and each actor delivers a stellar performance. The best of the three is Hardy, who plays someone unlike any other performance he’s given in his career. The film also features a terrific soundtrack filled with songs from the 60s and 70s that perfectly fit with the tone of the film.
The cinematography is worth noting too. The film was shot on 35mm film and it looks raw and authentic to that period. If there are any weaknesses with this film, it would be a better raising of its takes with a fleshed-out story of how the Vandals went from a club to a biker gang.
“The Bikeriders” is definitely worth your time. It’s a good example of a film featuring notable names but isn’t a big tentpole film like a superhero movie. If it’s still playing in a theater near you, do yourself a favor and watch it.
Rating: 4/5
2. “Jim Henson Idea Man”
“Jim Henson Idea Man” (2024) is directed by Ron Howard and tells the life story and famous career of the legendary Jim Henson. The film features many people who knew Henson personally, such as his family, coworkers or friends. One cast member who is given a lot of screen time is Frank Oz, Henson’s closest of friends.
The documentary is told in a linear narrative, showing how Henson was in his youth. It also provides footage of Henson talking about his craft and being able to put it to work, which is the best aspect of this documentary. The large amount of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews filmed decades ago is quite the achievement.
With this footage, the audience is given the opportunity to see how Henson and crew made iconic shows like “Sesame Street” (1969–) and “The Muppet Show” (1974–1981) come to life. The audience is also treated to how popular characters, such as Kermit the Frog and Big Bird, were created and which materials were used to construct these puppets.
The documentary touches on Henson’s career outside of television. It shows how he struggled with the negative audience reception of “The Dark Crystal” (1982) and “Labyrinth” (1986). The documentary does an amazing job showing that Henson, like many in the entertainment industry, did experience times of hardship. Luckily, Henson was able to rise and be able to create more work like “Fraggle Rock” (1983–1987) and “The StoryTeller” (1987-1988).
Henson was described by his peers as always needing to be working on something. It didn’t matter what the idea was, as long as it had the potential to be something special. This led to the more serious aspect of the documentary when it shed light on the subject of Henson’s somewhat rocky marriage to Jane Henson and their eventual divorce in 1986.
Neither the documentary nor Henson’s family try to paint Henson as a bad man because of this. Instead, it makes him more human to people who were unaware of his divorce. Henson wasn’t a perfect man, but the documentary was created to pay respect and honor somebody who was a genius in what they did.
Overall, “Jim Henson Idea Man” is a love letter to someone who made millions of people all over the world feel happy. Henson wanted to make a positive impact on the world through the use of creativity, and he achieved it greatly. The documentary is available to stream on Disney Plus.
Rating: 4.5/5
3. “The Watchers”
“The Watchers” (2024) is the directorial debut from Ishana Night Shyamalan (daughter of M. Night Shyamalan) and stars Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan and Olwen Fouéré. The film is based on the 2022 novel of the same name by A.M. Shine.
The film follows a character named Mina (Fanning), who gets lost in the forest while on her way to a zoo in Belfast to deliver a parrot. She is eventually taken in by three strangers: Madeline (Fouéré), Ciara (Campbell) and Daniel (Finnegan), in a house called “The Coop” with a two-way mirror.
The reason why Mina can’t escape the forest is because it is inhabited by supernatural entities called “The Watchers.” Based on their title, they like to observe the four humans in The Coop every night. If the humans try to escape the woods, the Watchers will do any means necessary to stop them.
In theory, a film like “The Watchers” should be great. It’s got a good cast, looks exceptional and has phenomenal intrigue. However, that intrigue is lost as the film goes on and what we are left with is a mediocre film. The performances are good, however, especially Fanning.
The first act of the film is where it works best. The audience doesn’t know what the Watchers are or what they are capable of while they are rooting for Mina. By the end of the film, the audience will feel underwhelmed, to say the least. There are also some moments where characters make decisions that will leave viewers scratching their heads.
“The Watchers” isn’t terrible, it just needed more time to be worked on. Perhaps Ishana Night Shyamalan will take this as a learning experience and hopefully make something better in the future.
Rating: 2.5/5
4. “A Quiet Place: Day One”
“A Quiet Place: Day One” is directed by Michael Sarnoski and stars Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff and Djimon Hounsou. The film is a part of the “A Quiet Place” franchise and takes place on the first day of the alien invasion on planet Earth.
Nyong’o stars as the main character Sam, who is also a cancer patient. She’s tired of staying in a hospice and wants to see the city environment again. Not only that, she has an intense craving for pizza. As a bus-load of her and other cancer patients are taken into the city to see a marionette show, aliens from outer space begin to crash land and swarm New York City, attacking and killing anything making sound.
Sam and her pet cat Frodo make their way back home but notice they are followed by a man named Eric (Quinn), who is an English law student. The three of them bond, knowing that being together is better than being alone.
The non-romantic chemistry between Sam and Eric is well developed and both actors give wonderful performances. The audience gets to understand the two of them, and where they came from. While Nyong’o may be the main character, Quinn holds his own while playing Eric. Neither of them is better or worse than the other.
Like the previous “A Quiet Place” films, this film does a fantastic job of building tension and making sure the aliens are as menacing as possible. There isn’t any explanation as to where the aliens came from or why they are on Earth, which works for the story because not everything needs to have an elaborate backstory.
“A Quiet Place: Day One” does suffer from some wonky screenwriting and inconsistencies with the aliens’ enhanced hearing abilities. But, that doesn’t stop it from being a decent film. If you're a fan of the franchise, then definitely check this one out.
Rating: 3/5
