THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW ISN'T WHAT YOU EXPECT

 John Marshall (Jim Cummings) is a small town cop with big problems. He's a recovering alcoholic, a struggling father/divorcee, and he has anger management issues. When a rash of grisly murders seemingly committed by a werewolf terrorizes his small town, the pressure to catch the monster responsible sends John down a dark spiral that threatens to destroy him.

Jim Cummings doesn't just star in this dark horror comedy, he also directed it and wrote the screenplay. He has an expert grasp of the material he created and the character he plays, and is the shining star of the movie. He is simply phenomenal here (as is the script). John is kind of a dickhead, but a sympathetic one that is understandable, immensely likable, and easy to root for. That said, he continually gets into arguments with his fellow officers, doesn't treat any of them all that well, and even slaps some of them around at points.

John is a guy who's trying his best to do what needs to be done, yet continually comes up short. His co-workers are also trying their best but some are quite incompetent, so it's understandable why John would become frustrated (doesn't excuse his behavior, though). It's tough to watch John go through a negative transformation of sorts as his inner demons slowly begin to swallow him whole (Yes, the whole werewolf thing also acts as a metaphor for the monsters inside of us). Yet, even in his darkest moments, Cummings keeps John sympathetic, relatable, and likable. It's not an easy task that Cummings pulls off with surprising ease.

Luckily for us, Cummings isn't the only great actor here. Rikki Lindhome co-stars as fellow officer and friend to John, Julia Robson. She is one of the only people who's able to somewhat tolerate John's behavior throughout the film and is also very likable. Robert Forster plays Hadley, John's aging, unwell father and current Sheriff. John and him share a strained relationship. John clearly looks up to and admires his father, yet is continually very frustrated with him. Hadley refuses to admit that he has health problems, and is determined to see this case through to the end.

The Wolf of Snow Hollow deals with some very heavy, dark subject material (violent assault of women, alcohol abuse, the monsters lurking inside each of us) and the murder scenes are harsh, gruesome, and grisly. Despite all this, it's also a painfully funny film a good deal of the time. It's not often we get a film that is trying to tell us something, yet it does so while getting us to laugh along the way. It's honestly impressive.

The Wolf of Snow Hollow sets itself up to be a murder-mystery with a supernatural horror twist yet, it's biggest trick is that the film is more-so about one good man's descent into the darkest pits within himself. It's funny, it's tragic, it's dark, it's deep, and it's cathartic. With a phenomenal leading man, great supporting actors, a compelling mystery/story, and plenty on it's mind, The Wolf of Snow Hollow is one of the best surprises to come out in recent years. I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this.

5 STARS

WONDER WOMAN 1984 IS MINDLESS FUN

 In Wonder Woman 1984, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) finds herself in the year 1984 and has adjusted nicely to the "modern" world. A mystical stone that has the power to grant wishes (for a price) is about to throw everything on it's ear. When broke business man/con man Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) comes into possession of the gem, the future of civilization is threatened. Diana, along with a newly resurrected Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), will have to set things right. 

Gal Gadot continues to fit the role of Diana Prince incredibly well. She excels in a few emotional scenes and is always incredible in her action scenes. Pedro Pascal makes for an incredibly charismatic, likable, and sympathetic/empathetic villain. He starts the film as a man on the edge, about to lose everything, and he only grows more unhinged and desperate as Wonder Woman 1984 progresses. His quest for success, power, and MORE might lead to his self-destruction. Maxwell Lord's villain arc is a satisfactory one, and he makes for a memorable character.

Chris Pine, once again, might be the strongest part of this latest outing for Wonder Woman. His awe and wonder at how far flight technology has advanced is adorable as hell. Here, he plays a fish out of water, constantly awed (and sometimes thrown off balance) by just how much the world has changed and progressed since his passing. He is still the beating heart of the Wonder Woman franchise (though it's best if they lay his character to rest for good after this one) and acts as a bit of a moral compass for Diana this time around. 

Kristin Wiig plays Barbara Minerva/Cheetah, a mild-mannered, milquetoast, warm-hearted worker at The Smithsonian Institute and close friend of Diana's. Wiig sells her role pretty well, and it's interesting to watch her character slowly turn into a villain. Her interactions with Diana are also very entertaining, and there's a nice poetry to the changes undergoing her character and Diana's. That said, she doesn't feel like she belongs here, and let's be honest, she's only here so that Wonder Woman will have a super-villain to fight in the last act. Barbara Minerva/Cheetah is definitely a good character, she just would have been better served if they had saved her for a later film (or maybe just have her be Barbara, and save her transformation into Cheetah for another outing). 

Wonder Woman 1984 is set in 1984 (duh), and the visual palette and score are very appealing. This is a colorful film that pops off the screen, and the score has some synth vibes to it (always appreciated). There are also some nice set pieces (like a shopping mall) that are utilized to good effect. That said, the aesthetics of the 80s was not the only reason they chose to set this sequel in that decade.

Wonder Woman 1984 is a film that condemns the virtues of excess (the theme of excess and material culture play a role here, hence the 80's setting. The choice to set this film in the 80's was, in retrospect,  an obvious one) , yet one of it's biggest problem is that there's too much here (ironic, no?). The film's first two acts work very well, and are very entertaining, though you can't help but feel it's more often than not bogged down in sub-plots, like it has too much on it's plate or that it's trying to do too much. There are also some scenes that feel like they could have been easily excised with little to no negative impact on the proceedings. 

The third act is what ends  up bringing an otherwise very good film down to the level of just good. The last 30 minutes just flat-out sucks. The final battle with Cheetah is murky, dark, and unsatisfying. The big showdown with Maxwell Lord quickly turns into a schmaltzy, preachy, unfulfilling message-fest. The final holiday segment was clearly done  in a self-aware attempt to market towards the Christmas time demographic (it feels like execs knew this flick would be released around the holiday time). It's a shame that Wonder Woman ends up falling flat on it's face on the pavement, breaking it's nose, and cracking it's skull wide open as it nears the home stretch (I'm serious, the last act really is that bad. It makes all of Wonder Woman 1984 feel like a message movie....ugh).

Wonder Woman 1984 is a mixed bag. If you reach inside you'll find some Skittles and Blow Pops along with some lemons and TaB soda. In the end, Wonder Woman 1984 is not  a strong film. That said, it's not really bad. I would qualify it as "good". Go in expecting some popcorn munching, soda slurping fun and you should be fine. It should have been better, but it could have been worse.

3 STARS

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN'S GOT CLAWS

 Cassie is an unhinged barista at a coffee shop who, along with her best friend Nina, was headed for great things. After Nina is sexual assaulted, her allegations fall on deaf ears. Cassie and her drop out of college, and a traumatized Nina eventually chooses suicide. Cassie, unable to cope, winds up living with her parents. In her free time she frequents clubs and bars where, a master at acting completely shitfaced, she preys on any male unwise enough to take her home. Things change when Cassie discovers that Nina's assaulter is soon to be married and will be hosting a private bachelor party soon. This proves too much for Cassie, and she enacts an elaborate revenge scheme that encompasses everyone involved in Nina's assault.

Promising Young Woman is a fierce evisceration of date rape culture, "the nice guy", violence against women, and college ethics when it comes to sexual assault allegations. Carey Mulligan is great as our lead, Cassie. The film plays with just exactly what she is doing to her victims, but ultimately only hints at the truth, allowing audiences to come to their own conclusions. 

Bo Burnham shines as what is essentially the second lead of the film. He plays Ryan, a fun-loving children surgeon who knew Cassie back in college and manages to break down her defenses. He's the first guy Cassie has had any feelings for since Nina's assault, He nails his role as a guy who genuinely seems like he might be the only real nice guy in the flick. He is in the film a lot, but ultimately isn't given a whole lot to do. That said, it's nice to see him here.

The rest of the supporting cast is strong as well: Clancy Brown plays Cassie's father, Jennifer Coolidge (aka Stifler's mom) plays Cassie's mom, Molly Shannon play's Nina's mother, Connie Britton plays the dean of Cassie's old college, Alison Brie plays an old schoolmate of Cassie's, Alfred Molina as an attorney for Nina's assaulter, Adam Brody and Christopher Mintz-Plasse play "nice guys" whom Cassie meets at bars, and Laverne Cox as Cassie's boss at the coffee shop. 

When Promising Young Woman isn't ripping into it's subject material with zeal, the film is covered in bright, bubblegum pastels and it's soundtrack consists of poppy, catchy tunes. It's enough to make you forget you are watching something tragic and dark.

Promising Young Woman has quite a bit on it's mind, and it isn't shy about the messages it has to share. This is a film that doesn't pull any punches and doesn't care about your feelings. It's a splash of ice-cold water to the face and is guaranteed to make any guy think twice about picking up drunk women at bars. Thought-provoking, mean, darkly comic, and "fun", Promising Young Woman achieves what it sets out to do.

4 STARS