Miracle Workers – Dark Ages (2020), Daniel Radcliffe, tbs
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Geraldine Viswanathan, Steve Buscemi, Karan Soni and directed by Simon Rich, Miracle Workers is a comedy series set in the offices of Heaven Inc.
After learning that God has plans to destroy the Earth, two low-level angels bet him that they can pull off their most impossible miracle yet to save humanity…
Season 1 Trailer
Season 2 Trailer
I actually haven’t watched season one of this series but after seeing the trailer for season two, I’m interested. Especially in filling in the gaps between the seasons, since I rather like the humour in the second trailer; which also happens to remind me of the quite fun British comedy series Plebs.
Jon Bass, Karan Soni, Sasha Compère, Lolly Adefope, Mike Dunston, Theresa O’Shea, Caleb Emery, Joey Thurmond and Myles Evans also star.
Starring Emma Roberts, Awkwafina, Eiza González and Milla Jovovich, Paradise Hillsis not the kind of fantasy movie that I’d shout about so that no one misses out on the experience of seeing it. Yet, I wouldn’t say that it’s a completely terrible movie either.
Set in a mysterious boarding school with a mission to transform wayward girls so that they fit heir surroundings’ exact desires, it was inevitable that some of the girls were going to resist and rebel. A rebellion led by Roberts’s Uma character because she has zero desire to marry the man her family insists that she does.
What grabbed me immediately about director Alice Waddington’s film, besides a plot about rightful youthful rebellion is the generally visually pleasing colours, costume and set design. Paradise Hills has a general look and theme that reminded me of Melanie Martinez’s recent K-12 (2019)music film. I liked that the movie became more disturbing in a way that proved entertaining towards the end. I’m also glad for the one or two twists I didn’t see coming.
A definite downside to Waddington’s movie however is that something about the fantasy elements of the story and the films general execution didn’t quite have me fully buying into everything that was happening. This is likely why I wasn’t as horrified as I perhaps should have been when the most disturbing things were happening.
I was still very much about the uprising and grateful for the thrilling moments in the second half. Yet there remained an air of ‘this isn’t at all real’ and that truth very probably made me that little bit less invested emotionally in all that was happening. In other words, everything I needed wasn’t there to make me fully immerse myself and get lost in the story.
With that said, watch Paradise Hills you’re really curious.
It’s time for the final Star Wars – The Rise Of Skywalker trailer; co-written / directed by J.J. Abrams and starring John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Lupita Nyong’o Adam Driver…
‘Confronting fear, is the destiny of a Jedi‘
I like this statement because it makes me think that confronting fear is the destiny of all of us and in that way, we are all Jedi. Right? Right?
Additional key cast includes Dominic Monaghan and Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Domhnall Gleeson, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac …
Bloodshot (2020), Vin Diesel, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Bloodshot is a new Vin Diesel action / drama / fantasy about the popular comic book story of Ray Garrison, a slain mobster re-animated with superpowers.
Directed by Dave Wilson, Bloodshot also stars Eiza González, Sam Heughan, Guy Pearce…
This looks pretty good. Maybe it’s time for my favourite Vin Diesel movie. Maybe.
Toby Kebbell, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Talulah Riley, Maarten Römer, Tamer Burjaq, Patrick Kerton, Alex Hernandez, Lamorne Morris and Siddharth Dhananjay also star.
Dolittle (2020), Robert Downey Jr, Universal Pictures
New Fantasy / comedy Dolittle stars Robert Downey Jr, Tom Holland, Michael Sheen and Marion Cotillard in a retelling of the Doctor little story.
A Stephen Gaghan directed tale about a physician who discovers that he can talk to animals and based on a character created by Hugh Lofting…
The animals and Downey Jr’s talents are why I’m interested – and naturally, I’ll of course be comparing this to the 1998 version starring Eddie Murphy.
Antonio Banderas, Kumail Nanjiani, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Jessie Buckley, Selena Gomez, Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, and John Cena also star.
Jungle Cruise (2020), Emily Blunt,Dwayne Johnson, Walt Disney Studios
Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Jesse Plemons and Jack Whitehall are the stars of Jungle cruise, a new fantasy / adventure based on Disneyland’s theme park ride.
A ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travellers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals, reptiles, and with a supernatural element…
Looks like quite a fun cross between, Tarzan, and Jumanji. Also, just yesterday I was thinking, ‘I haven’t seen Emily Blunt in a while…’ And now, here she is.
Paul Giamatti, Edgar Ramírez, Veronica Falcón, Andy Nyman, Raphael Alejandro, Mark Ashworth and Quim Gutiérrez also star.
Starring, written and directed by Melanie Martinez,K-12 is a fantasy / horror / musical about two best friends and their mission to take down an oppressive schooling system. A schooling system where students are force fed medication to stop them from revolting / leaving and teachers are more concerned with exerting their authority than anything else.
K-12 is essentially Martinez holding a mirror up to several of America and society’s recent and long standing ills and social injustice issues. Issues including but not limited to bullying, transphobia, police brutality, suicide, women’s rights, body image and racial discrimination. K-12 also features several positive and uplifting messages that many of her young fans no doubt appreciate. For example…
‘The greatest power we will hold is that of acceptance’
‘Any strain we face will transform itself into a crystal rainbow in divine timing’
K-12 (2019), Emma Harvey, Hair by William Scott Blair
Having not really been aware of Martinez and her music prior to K-12, I was drawn to her aesthetic, the creativity and humour in the K-12 trailer. The world Martinez’s film occupies is visually interesting. I enjoyed the costumes, hair and endless pink – a feature reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014).
The music in K-12 certainly isn’t bad either – even though I have to admit that there was a point where it all started sounding the same. Yet, even with that said, a week has passed since I watched K-12 and I can’t deny that I wrote this entire review while listening to all the film’s music. Some things just grow on you,I guess. The vocals and production on Wheels On The Bus andStrawberry Cupcake are two key highlights.
There was definitely a point when it felt like the film could have been 30 minutes shorter. Still, I don’t regret watching K-12. It’s quite the filmic and musical achievement for the young (24) and talented Miss Martinez. On another note, I think my not especially beady but certainly observant eyeballs may have noticed a continuity error regarding a cut on a character’s arm that materialized on her upper arm, only for it to be misrepresented on her forearm a short while later.
