Movie
‘The Exorcist Believer’: I find your lack of faith disturbing
Spoilers get demonic too!
Set some 50 years after the events of the exorcism of Raegan MacNeil, a single father with an unusual past has his and a neighbor’s daughter disappear for 3 days in the woods together, returning irrevocably changed and apparently possessed.
This is a muddled one folks, even for an entry in the legacy that is Exorcist, and the only actually clear theme that runs through the film is missed and/or wasted opportunities. But tis the Halloween season, and so into the suffering and torment of not one but two little girls we dive!
So Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) is, or perhaps was, a professional freelance photographer. He and his heavily pregnant wife Sorenne (Tracey Graves) are off in Haiti where he’s getting some great real-life shots, and somehow Victor isn’t bothered when his quite vulnerable wife is taken away to get Voodoo healing and protection rites placed on her unborn child, by some kind if not mildly suspicious strangers. Note the protective rites were apparently only for the child, so when a massive earthquake strikes their inn and poor Sorenne gets tossed down a broken stairwell like a ragdoll, devastated Victor is left with an impossible choice of whom to save, because you can only save one.
Cut to some teenaged-years-odd later in the good ole US of A, Victor is a loving father to a fairly typical if a bit lonely teenager, uninspiringly named Angela (Lidya Jewett). His baby girl is his world, and honestly, the few bits of love we see between Victor and Angela as they prepare for their day, cheerfully arguing about the poor little piggies that sausage comes from, are some of the only bright spots of the movie. Angela is a good girl, does fine in school, and has a friend or two, but of course, she misses the mom she never knew, guiltily going through mom’s hidden things when she can, and the innocent theft of a scarf kicks off a whole lot of ruckus that could have been avoided if Victor had been a smidge more understanding.
But that’s not what’s important right now, because both Angela and her classmate Katherine (Olivia Marcum) have gone into the woods for some kiddie rituals, and have vanished without much trace.
It seems a common writers trope these days, for younglings to want to delve more or less innocently into the occult, as they test the waters of interest in their formative years. Plenty of movies establish why it’s never a good idea to mess with an Ouija board, but Believer seems to imply that the naïve usage of the pendulum by Katherine and Angela acts as an open invitation to all kinds of deviltry.
Victor seems to pride himself on being open-minded and yet also practical, but begins to understandably become rather frantic whilst looking for Angela. Katherine’s parents, mother Miranda (Jennifer Nettles) and father Tony (Norbert Leo Butz), are desperate too but involve their church brethren almost immediately too, and make a bit of a muddle of things by doing so.
While the strange hidden tunnels that Angela seems to have found herself in could have been explored way more for audience understanding if nothing else, the scene is downgraded to atmospheric jump scares full of empty nothing. Honestly, the whole scenes where the cops and the medical examiners do their best to make it as painless and not humiliating as possible but have to go through every last test including the rape kit, are more horrifying than the gloss of what actually happened to Angela and Katherine in the woods.
But that doesn’t matter now either, because Angela and Katherine are home, safe and sound. Right? Except neither one of them is acting very safe, or sound for that matter. Victor in his resignation to give every last avenue to save his baby girl a try, has reluctantly brought in a woman he considers to be a potential expert on the matter, Chris MacNeil (Ellyn Burstyn), author of a certain book of her experiences with exorcism and mother to one Raegan MacNeil, who went through this some time ago. Poor Katherine just let it all come out in Church, much to the horror of her mother and father, and the Baptist pastor Don Revans (Raphael Sbarge), while possessed Angela just starts straight up attacking people. Their physical appearance gets worse and worse, in the grand tradition of Exorcism body-horror tells, and while Marcum as Katherine looks more or less like a copy of Raegan at her worst, the makeup and practical effects used on Jewett as Angela, as a demonically possessed black child, could have been better realized.
Aided by the rogue former nun turned caretaker Ann (Ann Dowd) and the rebellious priest Father Maddox (E.J. Bonilla), a genuine attempt is made to get permission from the diocese to perform the rite of Roman exorcism on both girls. And inevitably, despite all the evidence and Chris’ damning testimony and hell, the innocence of both girls, the Church ultimately rules against performing the exorcism, citing the need for “mental assistance” instead. And like Father Merrin before him, Father Maddox is now faced with a crisis of conscience, and perhaps also, one of faith.
Time is running out, the girls are both slipping away, and the useless adults decide to go ahead and do the damned rite of exorcism anyways. The Baptist pastor Revans is there, along with Victor’s neighbor the Pentecostal priest Stuart (Danny McCarthy), the ritualistic black healer Dr. Beehibe (Okwui Okpokwasili), Ann, and Chris “I’ve studied the rite of exorcism in every culture” MacNeil, even the cowardly Father Maddox came to help finally. (Not that it does him, or Angela or Katherine, a lick of good.)
Finally, finally, this is what we’re here for after all that buildup, we are doing this thing, the Roman Catholic rite of exorcism. But we have several different representatives of other flavors of faith here already, and Chris kept going on about all the research she’s done on the rite of exorcism in every culture, why does it have to be the Roman Catholic one from Raegan’s time? All the power and faith the Church is purported to contain didn’t do Father Maddox a damn bit of help, either before or during the rite, and even with Chris there to pick up the slack as Father Maddox’s dead body hits the floor, she’s not sanctified in any particular way and basically according to the “rules” set down by the former Exorcist movie, it shouldn’t have worked. The presence of Dr. Beehibe too, as a ritualistic earthen type healer, very closely skirts what the Church would define as Witchcraft, yet she alone is more effective in her faith and power, than these other ineffectual white men standing around yelling at a demon.
It’s apparently the very misinformed choice on Katherine’s father’s part, that finally sets the endgame in motion, and the final casting-out of the demon Pazuzu (we assume it’s the same demon from the first films by the way it speaks; why couldn’t we have Pazuzu’s cousin Zipzap the Grotesque come visit?). And we’re left with a lovely little end-scene where the MacNeil’s are finally reunited, despite how Pazuzu warned Chris she’d never see Raegan again. I mean, technically, she didn’t.
The first in a trilogy of new Exorcist films, Believer asks a lot of open-ended questions about faith, spirituality in general, and the way humanity interacts with each other but especially our children. Citing the Dogma idea that it doesn’t matter what you have faith in so long as you do indeed have faith, doesn’t actually seem to fly in Believer – it didn’t save the cowardly priest who finally decided to defy his Church and perform the rite; couldn’t save all the grown adults from various religions who would swear they were unshakable in their beliefs; couldn’t even prevent the innocent children from being possessed in the first place. If Believer couldn’t support its’ own characters faiths, the film is highly unlikely to sway audience converts.
Grab your salt and crucifix for protection, and see The Exorcist Believer in theaters now!
Movie
Blink Twice: Another snake venom shot please!
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Tech mogul Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at a fundraising gala, and whisks her and her friend Jess off to a vacation on his freaking private island, where things begin to take a turn for the sinister!
Any film where the main character keeps near-constantly asking his companions if they’re having a good time is going to start looking suspicious. Slater King (Channing Tatum) professes to be a firm believer in, let’s say for the sake of argument, alternate forms of therapy when it comes to dealing with one’s traumas and tribulations. The island, Slater’s own private island ffs, boasts at least the appearance of opulence, with white barely-there vacation clothes for both men and women, free-range chickens amongst the lush greenery, yoga, posh catered food on the daily, mountains of club-kid drugs and rivers of alcohol, pools and a ridiculous mansion to hide all kinds of horrific secrets, all surrounded by special purple lilies with a distinctive scent they turned into the perfume Desideria (meaning desire, longing) to give to the women as gifts. Oh, and like, a lot of snakes.
It’d be easy to explain away how Frida (Naomi Ackie) doesn’t remember the first night – she’s here and overwhelmed by the opulence and purported acceptance of them-all, plus we’re talking all kinds of designer drugs she willingly partook in, who wouldn’t close their eyes and indulge a little? The gang Slater’s surrounded himself with all seem like real nice welcoming people – photographer Vic (Christian Slater) in his fishing hats constantly taking potentially incriminating polaroids, unwilling to talk about how his pinkie went missing; Cody (Simon Rex) the personal chef can’t seem to remember not to call former reality-show star Sarah (Adria Arjona) ‘babe’; DJ Tom (Haley Joel Osment) turns out to be a joiner no matter what the wicked game happens to be; and rounding out our boys is innocent little graduate Lucas (Levon Hawke), who definitely does not have the stomach for the real purpose of the sinister island life. Stan (Cris Costa) is there as security, stoic and uncompromising, and even Slater’s dubious therapist Rich (Kyle MacLachlan) shows up on the island at some point, where he wigs the hell out of Frida’s already-increasing paranoia.
For the feminine side of the foreboding island setup, we have – Camilla (Liz Caribel) and Heather (Trew Mullen), basically pretty mindless party girls always up for everything, even snake venom shots; the former reality show star who actually bothered training for months for the physicality of the role, Sarah; Frida and her long-suffering friend Jess (Alia Shawkat); and finally, like all good assistants, she who knows way more about the truth of the island than she should, the heavily beleaguered Slater King personal assistant Stacy (Geena Davis). Given that your movie reviewer here happens to proudly sport she/her pronouns, it’s safe to say I am completely biased towards the female side of the movie because, make no mistake, gender lines, like battle lines, are about to be laid on the island and crossed in the most vile, violent fashion possible.
Saying much of anything more would give the entire game away – why the helper maid with the snake tattoo keeps calling Frida ‘Red Rabbit’ in the most familiar fashion, the whole deal with the red gift bags and unique flower perfume, the fishing trip for the men that is most definitely not a red herring, and perhaps most especially, the whole surreal forgetting-what-day-it-is nature of the island for the womenfolk only apparently.
For a tale of horror turned into some well-deserved retribution, keep your eyes open for Blink Twice, in theaters now!
Movie
Top 5 DC Jokers
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- Cesar Romero, played the Joker in the totally zany Batman TV show from the 1960s, starring Adam West as the titular hero. Romero did it first, among all these other versions of the Joker, you could always tell that Romero was having a blast being the Clown Prince of Crime, a mastermind and a villain you bet, but constantly full of that laughter that puts one in the mind of the Tim Curry version of Pennywise the clown. Romero enjoyed a long and great career in TV and film both before and after his stint as Batman, and his fashion sense as the Joker has echoes in the beloved green-and-purple even to this day.
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It has to be said, though the movie came out when I was less than double-digits-old, that the Jack Nicholson version of the Joker, from Tim Burton’s Batman, is the IT Joker for my generation. He had it all – fashion sense to knock your socks off, aspirations of being the world’s first fully functioning homicidal artist, a penchant for over-the-top gestures that begin as entertainment and end in your death, and of course, he could succumb to massive violence at any given moment. Nicholson was already hugely popular at the time he starred as the Joker, and his quite different portrayal of Jack Napier, the ruthless gangster turned to madcap murderer is forever a classic. Plus Nicholson delivering lines like, “You ever dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?”, makes his Joker absolutely unique.
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- It turns out, the person who’s portrayed the Joker arguably the longest, is a far cry from the major movie roles he’s generally known for – Luke Skywalker, aka Mark Hamill. Premiering as the Clown Prince of Crime in what is also arguably still the best Batman cartoon series put out, now known as Batman the Animated Series from 1992, Hamill breathed new life into our beloved villain in his own highly unique way. Even the iconic Joker laugh, Mark Hamill managed to make that his own too, and given the fact that Hamill’s voiced the Joker in, let’s see here, Batman TAS, Superman the Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Static Shock, and yes, even Justice League, is all a great testament to his dedication to the character and how everyone else seems to love his version of it. Hamill even voiced the Joker in the animated movie adaptation of Batman The Killing Joke, based on the award-winning graphic novel that offers us a potential Joker origin story.
It’s also entirely worth mentioning that Mark Hamill has also voiced the Joker in what are generally believed to be the best Batman video games, and this one’s even a trilogy – Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, and Batman: Arkham Knight. Even if you don’t play video games, it’s worth looking into the Joker cutscenes from any of the Batman Arkham games.
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- The Gotham TV show had some big aspirations, trying to do a prequel series before Batman was even a Thing in Gotham City, and yet still have a city full of crime, intrigue, and comfortingly familiar villains. We loyal fans sat through a season of crime boss gang wars, a season of the rise of various familiar wicked faces, and finally were rewarded for our patience and belief in the showrunners when, in season three, a cult of personality and ruin rose for Jerome, and eventually Jeremiah, Valeska, both played to excellent reviews by Cameron Monaghan. The name the Joker was never uttered in character for Monaghan’s performance, but every single last person watching knew damn well who the Valeska twins were meant to represent, and it’s all due to Monaghan’s outstanding and unforgettable acting.
It’s another reverse irony that while Mark Hamill enjoyed Star Wars fame first and then went on to do his own version of the Joker, Cameron Monaghan played a very different version of the proto-Jokers we’ll say, and then went on to become huge in the Star Wars Jedi video games.
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And finally, we have what could be said to be the most depressingly accurate version of a real-world Joker, Arthur Fleck as played by Joaquin Phoenix. Arthur is a failed clown and aspiring stand-up comedian with a whole boatload of issues, a severe neurological laughing disorder, and is surrounded by the hedonism and the indifference of the High vs the Low, set in a gritty ready-to-explode Gotham City during the early 1980’s recession. Phoenix’s portrayal of Fleck’s descent into clown-laced craziness, from an everyday person with normal hopes and dreams dashed against the nobody-cares reality causing him not to fall into madness but dive headfirst, is a unique and even sympathetic version of the Joker that left audiences stunned. Even Phoenix’s look for the Joker had different colors and a different strut. Still, there was absolutely no doubt that, after Fleck shot Murray Franklin quite dead on live TV, it was the same familiar, absolutely batshit insane clown we all love.
Movie
“It Ends with Us” Review: A Heartfelt and Compelling Adaptation of a Beloved Novel
This review provides a comprehensive look at the film while ensuring that viewers can experience the story’s twists and turns for themselves. Whether you’re a fan of the book or new to the story, “It Ends with Us” is a film that offers a compelling and heartfelt journey worth watching
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Adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, “It Ends with Us” is a powerful and emotionally charged drama that delves into the complexities of love, family, and self-discovery. Directed by Justin Baldoni, the film features standout performances and brings to life the nuanced and deeply human characters that have captivated readers worldwide.
The story follows Lily Bloom, a young woman navigating the challenges of a new life in Boston. After the death of her abusive father, Lily leaves her hometown to start fresh and pursue her dream of opening a floral shop. In Boston, Lily meets Ryle Kincaid, a charismatic and ambitious neurosurgeon who sweeps her off her feet with his charm and determination. As their relationship blossoms, Lily finds herself falling deeply in love with Ryle, who, despite his initial reluctance, begins to open up to the idea of a committed relationship.
However, the arrival of Atlas Corrigan, Lily’s first love and childhood friend, complicates matters. Atlas, who has overcome his own share of hardships, rekindles old feelings within Lily, reminding her of a time when life was simpler. As Lily grapples with her feelings for both men, she must confront painful memories from her past and make difficult choices that will shape her future.
The film excels in its portrayal of the main characters, with each actor delivering a compelling and authentic performance. Blake Lively shines as Lily Bloom, capturing the character’s strength, vulnerability, and resilience. Her portrayal is both heartfelt and relatable, making it easy for audiences to empathize with her journey. Justin Baldoni brings depth and complexity to the role of Ryle Kincaid, expertly navigating the character’s charming exterior and hidden insecurities. Brandon Sklenar delivers a standout performance as Atlas Corrigan, portraying a character that is both endearing and strong-willed.
At its core, “It Ends with Us” is a story about the enduring impact of love and the difficult choices we must make in its pursuit. The film explores themes of domestic violence, trauma, and healing, shedding light on the struggles faced by survivors and the strength it takes to break the cycle of abuse. It also emphasizes the importance of self-love and the power of forgiveness, both towards others and oneself.
Justin Baldoni does a commendable job of adapting the novel for the screen, maintaining the essence of the original story while adding visual and emotional depth. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing the narrative to unfold naturally and keeping the audience engaged throughout. The cinematography, led by Barry Peterson, beautifully captures the contrasting landscapes of Lily’s past and present, enhancing the emotional impact of the story.
It Ends with Us” is a moving and thought-provoking film that stays true to the spirit of Colleen Hoover’s novel. It offers a poignant look at love, loss, and the journey towards self-discovery. Fans of the book will appreciate the faithful adaptation, while newcomers will find themselves drawn into the compelling and emotional narrative.
With its strong performances, heartfelt storytelling, and powerful themes, “It Ends with Us” is a must-watch for fans of romantic dramas and those who appreciate stories of resilience and personal growth. It is a film that will leave a lasting impression and spark important conversations about the complexities of love and the strength it takes to overcome adversity.