Reel Recap: April-August 2019

In case you didn't catch my review of Doctor Sleep, I'm starting a new review format called "Reel Recap." This will enable me to write brief thoughts on everything I watch monthly going forward. In this first Reel Recap, I'm going to cover every 2019 release I watched from April to August. This includes Pet Sematary, Child's Play, Good Boys, The Art of Self Defense, Guava Island, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, and Where'd You Go, Bernadette.

Reel Recap: April-August 2019

Pet Sematary (2019) - Watched April 4, 2019

Synopsis: Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.
Runtime: 101 minutes
MPAA Rating: R (for horror violence, bloody images, and some language)
Who should see it? Adult fans of Stephen King.

In the recent flurry of Stephen King adaptations, horror fans found themselves faced with a new iteration of Pet Sematary. Thirty years after the first attempted feature, directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer chose to take another stab at King's source material. Though it boasts solid performances from a cast of known actors and a few compelling moments of tension, the film's never genuinely gripping. There's plenty to be mined from King's thematic ground, but this remake hardly offers more than a surface level examination. As the title suggests, Pet Sematary is as devoid of life as an empty graveyard and serves as an unfortunate reminder that sometimes, staying home is better.

Film Assessment: C+ 

Child's Play (2019) - Watched June 22, 2019

Synopsis: A mother gives her 13-year-old son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature.
Runtime: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R (for bloody horror violence, and language throughout)
Who should see it? Adult fans of Chucky and the Child's Play franchise.

Lars Klevberg's Child's Play reboot hints at sentimentality but fails to find a convincing connection between a boy and his AI doll. The film never amounts to much more than ninety minutes of a rampant doll on a killing spree with superficial messaging against consumerism. There are some creative kills, and Mark Hamill's voice work is fantastic, but CGI-Chucky was very off-putting, and it all felt a bit too over-the-top for my taste. Though slasher fans may enjoy it.

Film Assessment: C+

Good Boys - Watched July 10, 2019

Synopsis: Three 6th grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party.
Runtime: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R (for strong crude sexual content, drug/alcohol material, and language throughout involving tweens)
Who should see it? Fans of R-rated comedies.

The premise of Good Boys is simple, it's an R-rated comedy starring 6th graders. That aspect of it can be highly amusing at first. Still, just when the gimmick begins to feel worn out, the film surprises with an endearing message about the value of friendship. Holding it all together are the three lead child actors Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, and Brady Noon. They each sell the naivety of their characters as inappropriate, over-the-top hilarity soon ensues.

Film Assessment: B-

The Art of Self-Defense - Watched July 19, 2019

Synopsis: After being attacked on the street, a young man enlists at a local dojo, led by a charismatic and mysterious sensei, in an effort to learn how to defend himself from future threats.
Runtime: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: R (for violence, sexual content, graphic nudity, and language)
Who should see it? Adults who like dry, off-beat humor.

Written and directed by Riley Stearns, The Art of Self Defense employs biting satire to karate chop the hell out of toxic masculinity. Operating as a quirky, off-kilter comedy, The Art of Self Defense is hilarious and pretty profound. Channeling his trademark awkward energy, Jesse Eisenberg's well-suited to play a down-on-his-luck protagonist and makes the most of the role. Amongst the supporting cast, Alessandro Nivola and Imogen Poots are notable stand-outs.

Film Assessment: B+

Guava Island - Watched August 3, 2019 (Prime Video)

Synopsis: A young musician seeks to hold a festival to liberate the oppressed people of Guava Island.
Runtime: 55 minutes
MPAA Rating: TV-MA
Who should see it? Fans of Donald Glover and Rihanna.

Serving as the streaming equivalent of a tropical vacation, Guava Island relaxes viewers with an eye-catching aesthetic and laidback approach. Coming in just under an hour, you'll be left wishing you could stay longer when it's all over.

Film Assessment: B

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark - Watched August 14, 2019

Synopsis: On Halloween 1968, reclusive Stella and her friends uncover a sinister notebook of stories.
Runtime: 108 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for terror/violence, disturbing images, thematic elements, language, and brief sexual references)
Who should see it? Fans of PG-13 horror.

Translated from Alvin Schwartz's bestselling series of books, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark strings together a collection of short anthology stories into one cohesive narrative. The characters are mostly thinly sketched archetypes realized by subpar actors, and the plot's not particularly strong or compelling in the slightest. Convincing practical effects enhance the scares, but also draw more attention to the hit-or-miss nature of the computer-generated imagery.

Film Assessment: C+

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Watched August 16, 2019

Synopsis: A loving mom becomes compelled to reconnect with her creative passions after years of devotion to her family. Her leap of faith takes her on an epic adventure that jump-starts her life and leads to a triumphant rediscovery.
Runtime: 109 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some strong language and drug material)
Who should see it? Fans of Cate Blanchett, Richard Linklater, and the novel.

Cate Blanchett shines in Richard Linklater's latest feature Where'd You Go, Bernadette adapted from Maria Semple's novel. Otherwise, the film's fairly pleasant but rarely scratches beneath the surface to reach its full potential. The core family relationships are endearing, and there's some amusing banter, but there's unfortunately little else of interest.

Film Assessment: C+