HQ Picks for the Week of April 10, 2023
A Stamp Used by Arch Nemesis for Identifying Recommended Movies
Watch Society (1989), not Cocaine Bear
Devin DeVasquez giving her best twist on the “girl-next-door”
This year, we’ve seen a smorgasbord of CGI goop on the silver screen: Shazam 2, Quantumania, 65, and Dungeons and Dragons come to the forefront of my mind. And don’t forget Cocaine Bear, which didn’t even feature a real bear.
The perfect cure for CGI overload is an 80’s horror film named Society (1989). Are you in the mood for practical effects and removing all concepts of what is socially correct and decent? Well, I have just the movie for you. Currently streaming on the Criterion Channel, Society (1989) is a wild ride through the rapidly maturing thoughts of an 80s teen boy. Billy Warlock plays an innocent teen who starts noticing weird things at home. Is he just going through puberty? Are these normal feelings to have after seeing your own sister naked? The real answer is even more hideous than anything you can imagine!
Devin DeVasquez’s Clarissa steals the show. She plays Clarissa as a naive love interest for Bill, who doesn’t see anything wrong with the terrifying secret Bill discovers. You’re going to love all of her creative nicknames for Bill.
Samara Weaving in The Babysitter
Prudes, sit this one out. The film touches upon subjects that aren’t for everyone. Think Samara Weaving’s The Babysitter, but the authority figures are blood relatives. If you want to expand your horizons, know that the special effects wizard’s name is Screaming Mad George. If you ask me, a name like that guarantees a good time.
Watch Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), not Super Mario Brothers (2023):
Jim Carrey reminds us of Ace Ventura as Dr. Robotnik
We are seeing a lot of variety at theaters this year with options for nearly every demographic … except kids, surprisingly. In fact, Super Mario Brothers (2023) was the first major family film released this year (Puss in Boots came out in late 2022).
I caught my theater’s first showing of Super Mario Brothers last Wednesday. There were only two other moviegoers in the theater. I can confidently say one enjoyed the film and the other did not. And I hate to do this, but my tie-breaking vote has to be against Mario. Nintendo’s choice to play it safe over doing something unique makes this a forgettable movie. It has a plot, but it’s hidden behind 90 minutes of Easter eggs crammed on the screen. There was no real world-building like you’d hope to see with a new animated franchise.
I wasn’t a fan of the animation style either. Textures were drawn realistically, but the rest of the animation resembled your typical modern Mario game. So the juxtaposition between realistic and classic animation created an unnatural, uneasy feeling inside me.
Super Mario Bros (1993) is better than Super Mario Brothers (2023) - Seriously
Instead of Super Mario Brothers, check out Sonic the Hedgehog (2020). Jeff Fowler’s first entry for the Sonic franchise was overshadowed by a controversy involving the original design of Sonic’s fur and teeth. But if you set aside the teeth controversy, you are left with a fun adventure that balances world-building and Easter eggs with character development, comedy, and empathy. Add a Jim Carrey performance reminiscent of his best slapstick comedy from the 90s and you’ve got a hit! The sequel isn’t bad, either.
I plan to publish a “recommendations” email once a week going forward. Recommendations will eventually be behind a paywall, but I want to work out any kinks first. Expect one or two more free recommendation emails over the coming weeks.
Starting tomorrow, I will visit the theater every day up to and including Sunday to see Renfield, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, and Suzume (dubs, not subs). The following week, we have Evil Dead Rise, and Beau is Afraid - and it’s not even May! I’ll review each film, so keep your eyes peeled for our next newsletter.