A Quiet Place Part II: Fair or not, there were some lofty expectations being put on A Quiet Place Part II. Not only did it have to deal with the expected pressure that comes with following up a beloved, successful film that wasn't expected to turn into a franchise, it was basically anointed as the movie that the entire studio system was banking on to re-ignite public interest in the theatrical moviegoing experience. Well, Paramount brass and their peers across Hollywood can breathe a huge sigh of relief because they hitched themselves to the right potential cinema revival pony.
The long-awaited horror sequel is a project that extols the sacred virtues of movie theaters film nerds like myself have been rambling on about at length since the experience was stripped away from society for over a year to the fullest possible extent. The way every little noise in this largely silent world slowly trickles through the booming symphony of speakers in the auditorium establishes a visceral sense of unease that never really subsides, how the big screen heightens the effectiveness of the giant monster action setpieces and of course, the undeniable power that comes from sitting in a room with a group of people that are all experiencing a suspense-and-jolt-fueled ride together makes this the commanding showcase piece theaters needed after enduring the darkness of the past 15 months.
Even if it wasn't the exact right film at the exact right moment for theaters, John Krasinski would deserve major acclaim for delivering a bigger, tenser sequel that manages to pave the way for another intrigue-filled installment without sacrificing the emotional backbone that makes A Quiet Place something more than just a cutting-edge technical showcase. If this storm that theaters are currently facing ultimately gets weathered, I hope the history books properly reflect the role A Quiet Place Part II had in saving them.
Grade: B+
Cruella: Cruella is effectively a 70's London-set version of The Devil Wears Prada that replaces the romantic comedy elements with a spattering of crime/heist/revenge movie influences. Does that unusual mashup of genres paired with the required villain origin story beats and nods to 101 Dalmatians result in something that's extremely messy? 110%, but the slickness of Craig Gillespie's direction, perfectly-calibrated overacting from Emma Stone as the title character and Emma Thompson as the relentlessly cruel fashion tycoon who quickly becomes Cruella's arch nemesis and strong commitment to selling the flashy camp bullshit it so proudly revels in makes it a refreshingly energized, compelling foil to the depressingly soulless crap that typically comes off the Disney live action remake assembly line.
Grade: B
Plan B: There's this absurd widespread idea that exists in the world of comedy right now that the current social/political climate that has put an increased emphasis on highlighting diversity is quickly killing the artform. After they clean the poop out of their diaper and muster up the courage to log off Twitter for a couple of hours, maybe they should go watch Plan B and see how well their pouty rants hold up.
This buddy road trip comedy from veteran character actor Natalie Morales does what this portion of the population has deemed to be an impossible task: make a hard-R comedy that is fearless, consistent and inspired in the delivery of its vulgar humor without ever being rooted in anything that's hateful or mean-spirited. Pair that strong humor with some pointed commentary on the immoral red tape American women face when attempting to make a decision about their own bodies -particularly in conservative areas of the country and a pair of relative unknown lead actors (Kuhoo Verma, Victoria Moroles) that handle everything from the sex gags to the heart-to-heart friendship moments with an impressively natural ease, and you have a great comedy that just might be the best original film Hulu has commissioned to date.
Grade: B+
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