There was a time when the low-brow comedy styles of legendary stoner duo Cheech & Chong were right up my alley, and although I may have grown considerably since those days, I knew it wasn’t an option to miss Last Movie on the big screen while the chance was still there (and caught it just in time, too – on the very last day it was showing at the AMC Theater near me).
Things start off innocently enough with the two driving across the desert together and recalling their own individual stories and upbringings before reaching their inevitable joining of forces in the late 1960s, and eventual breakthrough of comedy albums and films in the ’70s.
It may be funny enough to see the two now sharing THC gummies these days in place of a joint, but things get a little uneven by the time the story reaches the duo’s split in the mid-’80s, and many of the events or films leading up to it feel glossed over (no mentions to be found of 1985’s After Hours or 1989’s Rude Awakening, among others). Unfortunately many of the clips shown from the old films with their gross-out humor have also not aged very well, either.
While it’s far from a perfect swan song, Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie caps off the career of two of history’s most iconic comedians of all time. If nothing else, see it just to say goodbye.
Here’s about as much that I honestly knew about Minecraft (the game) prior to entering the theater for A Minecraft Movie this past weekend; it was some sort of building block game that also included zombies and various other animals and weird creatures in it that my kid just ate up (and seemingly had to have anything Minecraft related) around six or seven years old at the time.
And here’s what I know about it now after watching the film on the big screen – still not much! That does not mean I didn’t find the new film starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black to be a fun ride of sheer video game escapism entertainment, similar to 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which coincidentally also featured Black in a voice role).
The simplest breakdown of the film’s events involves nerdy outcast Henry (Sebastian Hansen), his newly acquired friend and washed-up video game Champion Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (played brilliantly by Momoa), his older sister Natalie (Emma Myers), and their realtor Dawn (Danielle Brooks) all getting zapped through a portal into another world (or “Overworld”) after Garrison locates a magic orb and crystal that previously belonged to Steve (Black) in this very magical land (are you following me yet?).
Meanwhile good guy Steve, who’s been imprisoned by the evil piglin ruler of the Nether Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House) believes he needs to get these items back in order to rescue his wolf and faithful companion, Dennis, back from Malgosha. There’s plenty of fish-out-of-water jokes and running and screaming as events rapidly unfold along the way, but surprisingly it never loses its viewers’ attention.
Many critics have so far described the film as “mindless” or even a “cash grab” (what movie isn’t though?), but at the end of the day, it still maintains its heart. I may not have been much of a Minecraft connoisseur prior to going into the film per se, and I may have found some of the crowd interaction more distracting over anything else, but after catching it this past weekend, I can definitely say I’m willing to give it a try now more than I’ve ever been.
Nearly 40 years after Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) ushered in the golden age of animation revival, Warner Bros. has released its first fully animated Looney Tunes feature film.
The long road toward this milestone is one of constant studio re-branding and mixed results. Space Jam (1996) originated from the highly popular ’90s Nike commercials, featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny. Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) continued the trend much later, for some reason with LeBron James in the lead.
Among these live-action animated crossovers, Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) (directed by the great Joe Dante) was ultimately disappointing. All were not without charm or technical merits, but the latest incarnation returns to the basics. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie successfully captures the original Looney Tunes spirit, delivering pure escapist entertainment to audiences of all ages.
The new science fiction comedy stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck as lifelong friends born on the same farm. Petunia Pig (Porky’s love interest) is a welcomed addition of a Looney Tunes character rarely seen since the 1940s. The rest of the cast consists of humans and a gleeful, villainous alien billed as “The Invader” fantastically voiced by Peter MacNicol.
Kids will surely enjoy the onslaught of jokes, zany humor, and vivid animation. Adults and animation buffs alike are bound to find something worthwhile. Of course, one’s enjoyment may rely on how well the film represents the Looney Tunes brand. It doesn’t always hit the mark, but it does evoke the iconic pairing of Porky and Daffy from some of the greatest cartoons ever made.
The 1950s shorts Robin Hood Daffy, Rocket Squad, and the Duck Dodgers series, to name a few, were nothing short of brilliant thanks in part to legendary animators Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, and Robert McKimson. The Day the Earth Blew Up pays tribute to their legacy with a traditionally 2D animated film released outside the saturated realm of CGI.
In 2023, Warner Bros. inexplicably shelved their live-action animated Coyote vs. Acme film, leaving an uncertain fate for future Looney Tunes projects. The Day the Earth Blew Up was originally supposed to be released streaming on HBO Max before being given a theatrical release. The made-for-streaming feel is undeniable, but the film rightfully deserves its place on the big screen.
The film’s golden-era aesthetics, impressive art design, and quality animation are a visual triumph. Despite some unevenness, it remains a fitting tribute to an increasingly lost art form. Emmy Award-winning voice actor Eric Bauza, known for voicing numerous Looney Tunes characters over the years, lends his talents to both Porky and Daffy. While he does fine, he steps into the unique legacy left by the inimitable Mel Blanc.
The premise follows Porky and Daffy as two perpetual screw-ups about to lose their home. In need of quick cash, they get jobs at the local gum factory. They soon discover an ominous intergalactic conspiracy involving tainted gum that leads to mind control of the population. Naturally, all hell breaks loose, and the world’s fate is in their hands.
The character portrayals are not without their flaws, particularly Daffy. While Porky plays the familiar good-natured straight-man role, Daffy comes off as a bit one-note. Any trace of his occasionally sharp-witted and cunning personality is mainly gone. In its place, his unrestrained, boisterous chaos dominates the film’s 90-minute duration.
Despite its modernized approach and occasional stumbles, the movie offers plenty to appreciate. Its bold vision, deep affection for the source material, and skillful blend of humor and heart showcase the power of artist-driven storytelling.
The Day the Earth Blew Up is an absurd and wild ride that hopefully encourages the making of more Looney Tunes features to come.
After more than forty-five years since disbanding after the loss of legendary drummer John Bonham rock royalty Led Zeppelin finally get the long-overdue documentary treatment that so many other contemporaries have since received before them.
The result is nothing short of extraordinary, with surviving members Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), and John Paul Johns (bass and keyboards) recounting the band’s early formation in great detail (Bonham also provides some post input via some never-before heard unearthed interviews).
Learning the paths that each member took in order to get from point A to point B is nothing short of fascinating, though those unfamiliar with the band might find their attention spans easily wandering. There’s also some early live performances thrown in to add to the excitement, though not one but two takes of the track “Communication Breakdown” is a bit of a head scratcher indeed.
The two-plus hour runtime might also cause some fatigue for non-fans, but overall it’s a well put together (and deserved) piece of immaculately shot cinema.
A demonic, shadowy figure spreads doom, despair, and death upon a 19th-century German town. The story of Nosferatu originates from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, which set the stage for all vampire lore and mythology to follow. Along with Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein, two of the horror genre’s greatest monsters were created.
The 1922 silent film Nosferatu was my gateway into German Expressionist films of the 1920s, which included The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), The Golem (1920), and Faust (1926), among others. The golden age of German cinema culminated with Fritz Lang’s epic sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis (1927) and his equally brilliant mystery thriller M (1931), starring Peter Lorre.
This period of innovation and landmark filmmaking ended upon the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazi Party, which subsequently turned the film industry into a propaganda machine for their twisted goals.
As an unofficial film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s famous novel, Nosferatu was accused of copyright infringement by the Stoker estate. German courts ruled all copies to be destroyed, but several prints survived. It remains one of the most influential horror films of all time.
2024’s Nosferatu embarks as a tribute to the original silent film and Expressionist filmmaking. The familiar story of Dracula is told through a landscape of dreamlike visuals, fantastic settings, foreboding doom, and grotesque imagery. Unfortunately, it fails to realize its potential as a memorable Gothic horror film.
Director Robert Eggers delivers grandness to this obvious passion project. There’s no doubt he’s a talented filmmaker. His eye for authenticity in set design, costumes, and dialogue is admirable and immersive. I liked The Witch (2015) but never saw The Northman (2022). And I’m not a fan of The Lighthouse (2019).
Ultimately, I was taken with Nosferatu’s style, atmosphere, and darkness, but something didn’t quite add up. Its deliberate pacing and attention to detail should have left little room for confusion, whereas Eggers does exactly that.
His attempts to bring something new gloss over pivotal details and turn Nosferatu into a tale of possession, obsession, and psychic connections. Aside from muddled character motivations, the plot unfolds conventionally in the fictional 19th-century town of Wisborg, Germany.
Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), newlywed husband to Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), is summoned to a remote castle in Transylvania by his employer Herr Knock (Simon McBurney) to finalize a real estate transaction with the mysterious Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). Herr Knock (aka Reinfeld) is actually a devoted servant to the Count, aiding him in his menacing quest.
After an arduous journey, Hutter finds himself captive in Orlok’s castle unable to warn his wife of impending doom. The Count purchases property in Wisborg after seeing a small portrait of Ellen on her husband’s locket. He then travels by ship with coffins of cursed earth and unleashes a plague of disease-ridden rats upon the unsuspecting town.
Hutter escapes, returns home, and finds his wife in the throes of demonic possession. A sympathetic doctor, Dr. Wihelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson), can’t determine what’s wrong with her. They then enlist the aid of disgraced Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) to save Ellen and stop Count Orlok before it’s too late.
Hutter and Von Franz are, of course, based on Jonathan Harker and Dr. Abraham Van Helsing from Stoker’s novel, and the film reuses most of the names from its 1922 predecessor which changed them to avoid similarities to Stoker’s novel. Dafoe also naturally stands out, bringing some much-needed warmth and humor.
Perhaps the greatest treat is the depiction of Count Orlok famously played by Max Shreck in the original. Skarsgård’s portrayal may be polarizing, but it completely worked for me. His deep, menacing voice, thick accent, labored breathing, and guttural growls were jarring and fascinating to behold.
Largely shot within shadows, Orlok looks the part of a repulsive and immortal recluse from the Carpathian Mountains, replete with decayed skin, long, claw-like hands, and a thick mustache. Keeping his appearance a secret from the trailers and movie posters was also a genius stroke in advertising, as his brooding, mysterious presence carries the film.
This is no romanticized vampire tale either. As an ominous prophet of doom, Orlok embodies pure evil and leaves behind a wasteland of apocalyptical horror in his wake. Scenes of a desolate, disease-ridden Wisborg are chilling and harken back to the profound bleakness brilliantly captured in Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake, Nosferatu the Vampyre. There are also lots of rats, so consider yourself warned.
Nosferatu’s tragic tale of sacrifice lives on in an effectively dark and sinister reimagining. Though it’s not a movie without flaws. Those expecting a conventional big-budget horror experience might be disappointed. Random jump scares employed throughout worked on the audience but mostly annoyed me.
The results make one long for the visual splendor, excitement, and coherence of Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), which remains a modern-day classic, in my opinion.
Conversely, the movie’s trappings could also be its strong points. If Eggers had simply remade Nosferatu, emulated Coppola’s vision, or modernized the story to make it more accessible, it would be something else. It wouldn’t be art in all its confounding glory.
Growing up in the ’80s, Ronald Reagan was a big part of my childhood. I recall his Oval Office addresses on TV or addresses to the nation with First Lady Nancy Reagan by his side.
Granted, I had little understanding of what was happening in the world, and the non-stop coverage of the Iran-Contra affair of the mid-’80s bored me to tears (as all news did). But I remember his black hair and measured, kindly-speaking voice. They called him “the great communicator” for a reason.
Reagan won two landslide Presidential elections, ushering in a new era of conservative governance. He was as emblematic of the time as the Sony Walkman, Alf, Mr. T, and neon apparel.
In the 1980s, we were in the final throes of the Cold War. This ideological battle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union lasted for decades almost immediately after WWII. Russia established an Iron Curtain dividing Europe into two separate areas. The Berlin Wall, dividing East and West Germany, was a part of this tyranny. Fear of nuclear war was a very real concern.
Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. faced immeasurable odds hindering Russian influence and the spread of Soviet-style communism worldwide. Reagan came along with a singular vision. His strategy was simple, “we win, they lose.”
Nearly twenty years after his passing in 2004, the new biopic Reagan (2024) examines the life and times of the nation’s 40th President and his lasting impact. The film covers a lot of ground, from Reagan’s earliest days to his acting career, his tenure as president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), Governor of California, and rise to President of the United States.
Based on Paul Kengor’s 2006 book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, the historical drama delivers a surprisingly complex portrayal of Reagan’s motivations, failures, and triumphs. It acts as neither a hit piece nor a glorification. As a sentimental biopic, it hits all the right notes and confidently breezes past its two-hour running time with style and grace.
Perhaps the most interesting (and impressive) aspect of the film is Dennis Quaid’s excellent performance. He transcends caricature, defying skeptics like me to fully embody Reagan—down to his mannerisms and speech patterns. I don’t care what mainstream critics say, it’s great acting and fascinating to watch.
Penelope Ann Miller also holds her own as the devoted Nancy Reagan who seemingly came into Reagan’s life at the right time and helped propel him to greatness. Mena Suvari portrays Reagan’s first wife Jane Wyman. Kevin Dillon plays Jack L. Warner, co-founder president of Warner Bros.
Other recognizable faces include C. Thomas Howell as Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger, Xander Berkley as Secretary of State George Shultz, and Robert Davi as Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev.
Jon Voight portrays fictional former KGB Soviet analyst Viktor Petrovich (a composite of KGB agents tasked with keeping tabs on Reagan for decades). In a clever plot framing device, Petrovich narrates the story of Reagan’s life to a Russian underling in the present Moscow.
The young Russian agent seeking his counsel is baffled as to why the U.S.S.R fell. In detailing Reagan’s rise to politics amidst a declining acting career, Petrovich explains that the “cowboy from America” was always a threat to the Soviet Union because he truly believed in defeating them. He was a man driven toward antipathy to communism at an early age. And as Petrovich explains, Reagan’s views emboldened over time.
Following the failure of his first marriage and tenuous tenure as SAG president, Reagan (a former Democrat) met Nancy and entered Republican politics in the early 1960s. He ran and lost against Gerald Ford in the 1976 Republican primary, only to run and win against Jimmy Carter in 1980. The rest was history.
The film moves chronologically throughout these key moments in Reagan’s life at a hurried pace that teeters on summary. Much of the second half is devoted to Reagan’s time as President and the showdown with the Soviets.
We get glimpses of his assassination attempt in 1981, Iran-Contra, the AIDS crisis, “Reaganomics,” Regan’s proposed Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), tense meetings with Soviet officials, and an unlikely respectful relationship between Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
The rousing climax delivers the defining moment of Reagan’s legacy, his 1987 Berlin Wall Speech in West Berlin. “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” is a moment in history and in the film that should make anyone proud to be an American.
However, the story is nuanced enough to acknowledge the contributions of U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II, and Gorbachev himself in bringing down the Soviet Union.
Reagan is not the end-all to the man’s legacy. The film accomplishes what it sets out to do—tell the story of one of the most consequential figures of the 20th century. It’s not without its flaws and pacing issues, as the tendency to overlook or summarize historical events seems choppy.
It also lacks the technical prowess and brilliance of something like Oliver Stone’s JFK (1991) or Nixon (1995). However, with Stone at the helm, it would have been an entirely different picture.
In addition to great performances, Reagan is filled with humor and heart. It undoubtedly presents a positive portrayal of our 40th President and, as a result, has plenty of detractors. Just look at what the mainstream critics are saying. Only someone like Ronald Reagan could be so revered and abhorred even today.
Most importantly, the movie validates Reagan’s lifetime fighting communism and bringing down the Soviet Union. We did win, and they lost, and the world was a better place because of it.
Many moons ago, my Aunt Sharron took me to a video store (couldn’t tell you if it was a major rental chain such as Blockbuster, or simply a mom and pop type of place), where we picked up a “new release” for the night called Beetlejuice from Director Tim Burton, whose Pee Wee’s Big Adventure a few years earlier I was already a huge fan of.
I was in awe as I watched in the dimly lit room full of ’80s decor (I definitely recall there being plenty of furniture with wood paneling surrounding us), partially frightened, yet fully intrigued. There was no doubt about it, I was falling in love (and in more ways than one…Winona Ryder as goth goddess Lydia Deetz was actively stealing my heart as one of my very first, and very real crushes).
Fast forward more than three decades later, and Burton finally returns to the unique world that is Beetlejuice. Upon initially hearing this, I instantly knew I had to be there in the theater with the family as soon as possible, even if so many long-awaited sequels, reboots, etc…in recent memory have only tarnished once-great franchises (ahem, the Halloween “requels” are the first things to come to mind).
But much like the more recent Ghostbusters entries, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the exception to the rule, even if there may be a hiccup or two along the way. All these years later we find Lydia (Ryder) has (most appropriately) become a ghost-hunting TV show host. When her stepmother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) informs her that her father Charles (played by the now-disgraced Jeffrey Jones in the first movie) has died in a horrific plane crash, she brings her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) and Producer boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux) home to Winter River for the funeral.
It doesn’t take long before the “ghost with the most” himself, “Betelgeuse” – who is dealing with problems of his own in the afterlife when his ex-wife Delores (played by Monica Bellucci, who oozes on the screen with massive sex appeal) – rises from the grave seeking revenge on him – starts becoming a factor in their lives again.
Like the original, there’s twists and turns around nearly every corner, with just enough side/back stories thrown in without any of them becoming overwhelming. Willem Dafoe stands out as one of the films unsung heroes Wolf Jackson, a former action movie star who in the afterlife thinks he’s a legit detective, and even the often overly-exposed Oretga does an admirable job here.
The only real complaints are the way several other aspects are handled; the quick glossing over of the Maitland couple (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis in the 1988 original), and the disappointing treatment of the Charles Deetz character is admittedly in pretty bad taste.
But I digress; like the first film, I found myself getting completely lost in the world Burton has created here. As a follow-up to a movie like Beetlejuice, it’s a perfectly suitable continuation; I’m not really sure what else audiences could really expect from such a film.
It’s been seven years now since we’ve seen the old Xenomorph hit the big screen in 2017’s Alien:Covenant, and based off of more recent entries such as the aforementioned film, I was not expecting much going into Romulus. However, within minutes I found myself lost in its giant world, glad that I had taken the journey.
Granted, the story is nothing all that original (how much can one expect it to be after all, seven entries in?); in a timeline set between the first and second films, a group of young miners devise a get rich (or in this case, out) quick scheme to a better life via an old spacecraft. Predictability, things quickly go awry after a pesky stow away or two quickly hinder their plans with gruesome results.
Despite the routine plot, it somehow feels fresh, and the initial slower pace adds an unease and tension that hasn’t really been felt as deeply since 1986’s Aliens. The dialogue has its cringy moment or two, but overall the acting is quite impressive (namely via Caliee Spaeny and David Jonsson), and the action itself worlds above previous entries.
Watching Romulus, I obtained that feeling of wonderment I felt while seeing the first and second Alien films that very first time; I might even go as far as to say this has quickly become my third favorite overall in the franchise (despite a slightly head-scratching ending, but that’s a conversation for another day).
Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) is a runaway and lone survivor of a Texas massacre who travels to Hollywood with dreams of stardom. She’s tough, determined, and seemingly amoral in pursuing fame. Her takeaway line of “I will not accept a life I don’t deserve” and her goals to transcend adult film into a legitimate acting career are the driving force of a story that makes us wonder why we should care.
MaXXXine is the third entry in writer/director Ti West’s horror/thriller trilogy preceded by X and Pearl, both released in 2022. As a straightforward slasher film, X follows a group of friends who travel to rural Texas to shoot a pornographic film. Maxine (Goth) is first introduced as an aspiring adult film star, with her producer boyfriend, fellow actors, and small production crew. They rent a barn from an elderly couple who turn out to be homicidal maniacs.
Pearl acts as a prequel to the first film, delving into the origins of the elderly woman/killer from X named Pearl (also Goth). Set in 1918, during WWI, Pearl transcends into a brooding psychological character study of a tragic and mentally unstable woman corrupted by her surroundings.
For fans of the two starkly different films, there are two camps. Some prefer the first film, while others prefer the second. I’m in the latter category with Pearl and didn’t care much for X at all.
Both films pay stylistic tribute to the cinema of their respective periods. While X acts as a homage to gritty exploitation horror films of the ’70s (with the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre aesthetically leading the fray), Pearl harkens back to the silent film era and Technicolor films of Hollywood’s golden age, with a Hitchcockian tone throughout.
MaXXXinecontinues the trend as a cinematic tribute to ’80s slashers and Italian Giallo/murder mystery films. It is a direct sequel to X, presenting a visceral backdrop of the 1980s or at least Ti West’s seedy depiction of it, replete with ’80s fashion, music, mixed media, and cocaine usage throughout. And what would a movie based in 1985 be without several scenes in a video store?
Despite its impressive style and aesthetic,MaXXXinemisses the mark in many ways. It’s an incredibly well-made film with great cinematography, a killer soundtrack, and a streak of brilliance. Like the films before it, the incredible Mia Goth shines as always. Her masterful performance in Pearl should have garnered an Academy Award nomination if not a win. But even she can’t overcome the trappings of a script that leads to a predictable climax and several lost opportunities to be something more.
MaXXXine continues the journey of Goth’s character reeling from the trauma she endured in X. She finally gets her big break with a co-starring role in the horror movie, The Puritan II. Meanwhile, a shadowy figure with black leather gloves straight out of Giallo cinema stalks her, seemingly killing off anyone she’s associated with.
Maxine must decide between pursuing her dreams or solving the mystery of a malicious force out to get her. The fictitious world of MaXXXine runs parallel to the true story of serial killer Richard Ramirez aka “The Night Stalker,” who terrorized the Greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area in the 1980s. West captures the ominous dread of the time perfectly, while the focus on the moral outrage and satanic panic movements of time become predictably heavy-handed and one-dimensional, especially the fundamentalist religious cult at the end.
The cast features familiar faces along with some big stars. Kevin Bacon as a sleazy PI is a lot of fun, but his purpose in the film is a bit muddled and ultimately pointless. Fresh from his career-defining roles in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Giancarlo Esposito adds some weight and humor as Maxine’s dedicated agent and confidant. The movie moves along briskly within its short runtime, culminating in an unfortunately weak climax and baffling finale.
Both West and Goth seem enamored with the world of Maxine and her distant counterpart Pearl—enough to make three movies about them. The shared similarities between the two characters remain a continual theme in West’s trilogy about the pursuit of fame and need for acceptance. With so much thought, passion, and talent in front of and behind the camera, I was expecting something more.
MaXXXine is a mixed bag, both enjoyable and disappointing. But there’s also a lot going on beneath the surface. The slasher elements and gore effects range between effective, shocking, and poorly done (namely the stabbing scene in the video store). Part of the problem is the character herself. Maxine is tough and fiercely independent but not all that likable or interesting.
Ti West is a talented filmmaker, and Mia Goth is undeniably one of the best actresses today. As we continue to lose Hollywood greats (most recently, Donald Sutherland, Robert Towne, and the irreplaceable Shelley Duvall), it’s encouraging to know there are still some real artists to carry the torch.
My initial thoughts on Beverly Hills Cop IV (other than why couldn’t it had just been titled that to begin with instead of Axel F?) was of skepticism; while bringing back established franchises might look good on paper, they’re often filled with disappointment (I’m looking right at you, Coming 2 America).
But for what it’s worth, this fourth entry is world’s above the last time we saw Eddie Murphy portray his greatest role ever as Axel Foley since the third entry back in 1994. Almost instantly the movie checks all the boxes, starting the action at a Detroit Red Wings hockey game that filters out onto the streets and becomes a massive car chase reminiscent of the 1984 original (complete with The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance” for good measure).
The plot is fairly standard though; Foley is called back to Beverly Hills after receiving a tip from old friend Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) that his adult attorney daughter (Taylour Paige) is in danger after representing a high stakes client being framed by police.
Again, the action is generally spot-on, while most jokes hit their intended marks (the meter maid scene is fairly humorous). The throwbacks themselves are undeniably likable (even Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” from 1987’s Part II is represented here). Original cast members John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot all help add to the nostalgia, while newcomers Paige, Kevin Bacon, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt all help contribute to the fun in some way or another.
Perhaps the only other thing I would have liked to had seen done differently would have been a theatrical release in order to watch on the big screen at least once rather than just on Netflix. But otherwise, Axel F is at the very least worth a watch all things considered.
