Not ever after

 

Happily (2021)

Written & directed by BenDavid Grabinski this film stars Joel McHale and Kerry Bishe. After murdering a man a couple start to wonder if their friends had something to do with his visit.

Starting off with a good premise the back half of this film fails to do anything good with the set up. We really need more time with the friend group and they need a better tie into the mysterious man to make the whole film work. Problems aside this is a fairly fun black comedy regardless.

3/5

Cinematic Sin

 

Cosmic Sin (2021)

Directed by Edward Drake this film stars Bruce Willis, Frank Grillo and Perrey Reeves. After making first contact with a parasitic species rogue elements of the military take it on themselves to wipe out the aliens.

If you ever wondered which is the worst film that Bruce Willis has been in then wonder no more, this is it. The script is littered with terrible dialogue and scenes that make no sense. Whatever small budget this film was made on must have mostly gone to the stars because everything else looks incredibly cheap.

1/5

Wood you believe it?

 

Pinocchio (2019)

Directed by Matteo Garrone this film based on the book “The Adventures of Pinocchio” stars Federico Ielapi, Roberto Benigni and Marine Vacth. A man makes a wooden puppet boy who comes to life.

The real star of this film is the lush visuals which are by far and away the best we have seen in an adaptation of this story. Sticking closely to the source material the plot is fantastical and dark, maybe a little too dark for some younger viewers. A real joy to watch.

4/5

Use your imagination

 

Edison Drawn by “World” Artist (1896)

Directed by James H. White this short film features J. Stuart Blackton. A man sketches Edison in front of the camera.

Unfortunately the image quality is such it is pretty difficult to see what the artist is drawing. Not a lot to go on here really. Kind of a disappointment really.

2/5

Is pickle.

 

An American Pickle (2020)

Directed by Brandon Trost this film stars Seth Rogen in two roles. After falling into a pickle barrel 100 years ago a Jewish immigrant spends time with his great-grandson.

Taking a kind of reverse Back to the Future look at the American experience the concept of this film is a little more interesting than the execution. As a comedy the film is fine but I would have liked something a little more positive spirited. Decently made in the parts where Rogen has to interact with himself.

3/5

Never rings true

 

The Call (2020)

Directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. this film stars Chester Rushing, Erin Sanders and Lin Shaye. After killing herself an old woman seeks revenge from beyond the grave on teenagers who harassed her.

The major issue with this film is that the protagonists have no redeeming features so we care very little about what happens to them. A major overhaul is needed with the script to get this premise to work, at times it makes little sense. As usual the film pretty obviously casts thirty year olds as teenagers which does not help matters either.

2/5

Like Friday night at kicking out time

 

Cripple Creek Bar-Room Scene (1899)

Directed by James H. White this is an early short film. Men in a saloon get drunk and rowdy, a tale as old as alcohol.

There is not a huge amount to the plot of this film and the image quality on the version I saw was not great either. If you have ever seen drunken idiots get thrown out of somewhere then you know what to expect here. Not the most interesting example of early cinema.

2/5