Culture Representation: Taking place in Hyderabad, India, and in New York City, the comedy/drama film “The Family Star” features a predominantly Asian cast of characters (with some white people) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: A workaholic architect, who is the main financial caretaker for his large family, physically beats people up in various circumstances and has a volatile relationship with a woman who becomes his tenant.
Culture Audience: “The Family Star” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and stupid movies with egotistical main characters.
Vijay Deverakonda and Vennela Kishore in “The Family Star” (Photo courtesy of Sarigama Cinemas)
“The Family Star” is a disgusting glorification of toxic masculinity. This horrible movie excuses the arrogant protagonist’s physical abuse of his love interest. The film’s messy tone goes from melodrama in the first half to wretched comedy in the second half. “The Family Star” is a shameful and shoddy waste of time and has the putrid gall to literally describe the abusive main character as a “superhero” multiple times in the movie. It shows an appalling and warped attitude about what it means to be a decent and respectful human being.
Written and directed by Parasuram, “The Family Star” has a total runtime (about 159 minutes) that is as bloated as the protagonist’s ego. “The Family Star” has an unrelenting materialistic message that a man is a “hero” if he provides gifts and financial security to his loved ones. The problem is that the movie’s protagonist does a lot of things to show that he’s definitely not a hero: He physically beats up people in business deals. He cruelly slaps his love interest very hard in the face because she described him as financially struggling. He is obsessively controlling over who can spend money on his family. The movie’s fight scenes are over-the-top idiotic because the central character has superhuman strength with no explanation.
In “The Family Star,” the jerk who is grossly elevated to “superhero” status is Govardhan (played by Vijay Deverakonda), a 25-year-old bachelor architect who financially supports several family members who live with him in Hyderabad, India. The family members are his grandmother, his two older brothers, his brothers’ wives, his two nephews and three nieces. The children’s ages range from about 5 to 11 years old. Almost all of these relatives of Govardhan do not have names in the movie, which is the movie’s way of saying that Govardhan is the only family member who matters the most in this trashy story.
Govardhan’s grandmother (played by Rohini Hattangadi) tells Govardhan that he needs to get married so that he doesn’t have to carry the burden of taking care of his brothers’ families. One of Govardhan’s brothers (played by Ravi Prakash) is an unemployed alcoholic. The other brother (played by Raja Chembolu) has a struggling business and is heavily in debt. The brothers’ wives (played by Vasuki Anand and Abhinaya) are passive and mainly react to whatever Govardhan does.
It’s mentioned several times in the movie that whenever something needs fixing in the household, Govardhan takes care of everything. He also helps with grocery shopping and cooking. “The Family Star” keeps trying to make Govardhan look like he’s caring and responsible. And there are times he can be affectionate to his family members. But the reality is that he uses his “head of household” status as a way to manipulate and control his family and other people in his life. He also has a nasty temper and often verbally lashes out at people, including his family members.
Govardhan is obsessed with social class status and being upwardly mobile. He is middle-class, but he wants to be thought of as “upper middle-class.” Throughout “The Family Star,” it’s pretty clear that Govardhan is on an ego trip about being the family “breadwinner,” and he likes feeling superior to everyone in the household. Govardhan also likes to make his family members feel guilty that he’s their main source of financial support. He takes advantage of that guilt by acting like a dictator to his family. He also likes using his “breadwinner” position as a way to boost his public image, so that people can admire him for being such a “great” family man.
At Govardhan’s office job, an attractive female co-worker (played by Divyansha Kaushik), who’s about the same age as Govardhan, seems to be in love with Govardhan. She has proposed marriage to him several times, but he has rejected her proposals every time. (These marriage proposals are not shown in the movie, but they are mentioned in conversations.) Govardhan smugly tells her that he’s too caught up in his family’s problems and responsibilities to get married.
“The Family Star” is so stupid, there’s a scene early in the movie where Govardhan does a business pitch in a meeting for one of his ridiculous architectural designs. His design is a three-bedroom household that is only 600 square feet. Govardhan says that people who are psychologically happy with this small living space won’t complain. However, it’s obvious that the real size problem is Govardhan’s small mind.
Govardhan has a penthouse that he barely uses. This penthouse is next to the place where Govardhan lives with his family. The penthouse is being rented by a wealthy young woman named Indu (played by Mrunal Thakur), who is a graduate student at Central University. A flashback shows that before Indu rented the place, she was warned that Govardhan is very protective of his family and doesn’t want his family’s privacy to be disturbed. She decided to rent the place anyway.
Govardhan doesn’t really like a stranger living on his property. He has told his grandmother that he’s going to tell Indu to leave. However, Govardhan has been postponing this eviction conversation with Indu for two reasons: First, he doesn’t really want give up the rent money he’s getting from Indu, who makes sure that Govardhan sees that she carries large wads of cash. Second, Govardhan is infatuated with Indu, but he doesn’t want to admit it to anyone yet.
Govardhan is such a control freak, he tells Indu that she can’t buy delivery meals because the kids in the household will want the same meals when they see the meals being delivered. Govardhan orders Indu to only have meals that she can cook in her own home, or else she can go out somewhere else to eat instead. Indu tells Govardhan that if the kids request certain things to eat, there’s nothing wrong with agreeing to their requests. Govardhan strongly disagrees.
The real issue for Govardhan is that Indu has been trying to befriend the women and children in the household. She is kind to them and often gives them gifts. Govardhan is insecure and feels threatened that Indu (who has a lot more money than he does) will be more respected than he is by his family members.
One day, Indu treats the women and children to a party dinner at a shopping mall’s food court. They all have a good time. But when Govardhan finds out, he has a temper tantrum and orders his family members to stay away from Indu. Meanwhile, Indu sees and hears Govardhan go on this rant, and she feels insulted, but she eventually forgives Govardhan, and they start dating each other.
“The Family Star” is an annoying, tedious mishmash showing the ups and downs of the relationship between Govardhan and Indu. It’s a repetitive loop of Govardhan doing something wrong, Indu getting upset and distancing herself from him, and then she eventually goes back to him. It’s the movie’s terrible attempt to make a co-dependent, abusive relationship look romantic.
The scene where Govardhan slaps Indu on the face happens in front of several of her university colleagues. This slap was not done in self-defense. Govardhan slapped Indu because he was angry that Indu did an academic report where she truthfully described Govardhan as having financial problems. What makes the scene even more heinous is that no one says or does anything about this physical assault, which is a crime where the attacker should be held accountable. However, “The Family Star” makes this physical abuse look acceptable and eventually acts like the slap never even happened.
The movie’s not-funny-at all attempts at comedy, especially in the second half of the film, have no imagination and just regurgitate things that have been seen and done in so many other romantic comedies where a rich woman is being courted by a man who is not wealthy. In this part of the movie, Indu’s student lifestyle completely disappears and turns into something else that involves Indu’s business mogul father (played by Jagapathi Babu) and one of his hapless employees named Samarth (played by Vennela Kishore), who is ordered to spend time with Govardhan, for reasons that are explained in this garbage movie.
“Family Star” has a pathetic “battles of the sexes” storyline that’s phony and unappealing. All of the acting performances in “The Family Star” are mediocre or substandard. The musical numbers are unimpressive. Everything about “The Family Star” is creatively bankrupt, so it deserves to be the flop that it is.
Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City, the horror film “Sting” features a predominantly white cast of characters (with a few African Americans, one Asian and one Latina) representing the working-class and the middle-class.
Culture Clash: After a mysterious spider’s egg drops into the apartment where a 12-year-old girl lives, she takes care of the spider that hatched from the egg, and the spider turns into a large, deadly monster.
Culture Audience: “Sting” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in “creature feature” horror movies that don’t take themselves too seriously.
Alyla Browne and Ryan Corr in “Sting” (Photo courtesy of Well Go USA)
“Sting” is an intentionally campy horror film about a spider monster and the 12-year-old girl who unwittingly unleashes this terror and tries to stop it. The movie is a mostly skillful blend of gruesome and comical. “Sting” has some continuity issues between scenes, and don’t expect a lot of witty dialogue, but these flaws are overshadowed by a movie that is entertaining to watch for people who are inclined to like horror movies.
Written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, “Sting” takes place almost entirely inside a shabby apartment building in New York City’s Brooklyn borough. (The movie was actually filmed in New South Wales, Australia.) The movie has some flashbacks but shows that the terror began when an egg fell from the sky and crashed through a window of the apartment of a family where 12-year-old Charlotte Krouse (played by Alyla Browne) found the egg and secretly kept it. A regular-sized female spider hatches from the egg. Charlotte calls the spider Sting.
Charlotte lives in the apartment with her mother Heather (played by Penelope Mitchell); Carlotte’s stepfather Ethan Miller (played by Ryan Corr); Heather’s mother Helga (played by Noni Hazlehurst), who apparently has dementia; Helga’s stern sister Gunter (played by Robyn Nevin); and Charlotte’s half-brother Liam (played by Jett Berry and Kade Berry), who is 6 months old. Charlotte’s biological father, who is only called “The Professor” in the movie, abandoned Charlotte and Heather several years ago.
Charlotte still admires her father and has had trouble accepting Ethan (who is the father of Liam) as part of her family. Charlotte is also somewhat resentful of Liam, who is taking up a lot of her mother’s attention. Charlotte still has a lot of her worship of her father—so much so, that she has created a professor character modeled after her father for a comic book series that she writes called Fang Girl. Ethan is the illustrator of the comic book series, which is a hit. “Sting” doesn’t really give an adequate backstory for this unusual collaboration, but there’s a scene where Charlotte is very nitpicky with Ethan about how he is illustrating the professor character in the most recent comic book that they are working on together.
Also in the building are two neighbors who are featured in this movie: a widowed mother named Maria (played by Silvia Colloca) and a nerdy scientist named Erik (played by Danny Kim), who has an aquarium so that he can study fishes’ ability to recreate pancreatic cells. There’s also a talkative exterminator named Frank (played by Jermaine Fowler), who is repeatedly called to the building.
The trailer for “Sting” gives away a lot of what happens in the movie. Sting grows into an enormous deadly spider. Charlotte also finds out that Sting has the ability to expertly mimic sounds. Because this is a horror movie, not everyone is going to make it out alive. A running joke in “Sting” is Helga calling for an exterminator (usually Frank), every time she hears noises in the walls. Helga seems to be unaware that these noises could be people getting killed.
“Sting” does exactly what you think it will do in a movie about a killer spider on the loose in an apartment building. The cast members’ performances aren’t outstanding, but there is good comedic timing in the right places. Fowler (who seems to want to be a younger version of Chris Tucker) has some of the funniest lines in the movie. The gore in “Sting” isn’t over-the-top bloody, but a lot of it will make some viewers squirm. “Sting” serves up enough jump scares and laughs to make it a solid option for mature viewers who want to see a horror flick that isn’t too disturbing or nauseating.
Well Go USA will release “Sting” in U.S. cinemas on April 12, 2024. A sneak preview of the movie was shown in select U.S. cinemas on March 25, 2024.
Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City, the dramatic film “5Lbs of Pressure” features a predominantly white cast of characters (with some African Americans and a few Asians) representing the working-class, middle-class and criminal underground.
Culture Clash: After spending 16 years in prison for murder, an ex-con is paroled and tries to form a bond with his estranged teenage son, as the brother of the ex-con’s murder victim contemplates getting revenge on the ex-con.
Culture Audience: “5Lbs of Pressure” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and tacky crime dramas that are trying to be more artistic than they really are.
Alex Pettyfer and Rory Culkin in “5Lbs of Pressure” (Photo courtesy of Lionsgate)
“5Lbs of Pressure” tries to be a gritty and realistic crime drama with multiple storylines converging. But the clumsy handling of the plot and the vapid dialogue result in an unappealing mush of a movie that lacks suspense. If you can imagine what 2005’s “Crash” would be if it had a lower budget and all of the main characters were connected in some way to criminal activities, then you have a pretty good idea of what type of movie “5Lbs of Pressure” wants to be but comes up very short.
Written and directed by Phil Allocco, “5Lbs of Pressure” is based on his 2005 short film “The Mirror.” The title of “5Lbs of Pressure” refers to a scene in the movie when someone with a gun tells one of the main characters that the gun has only five pounds of trigger pressure. It’s a title that is meant to convey how little strength it takes to pull the trigger on a gun that can kill.
So much of “5Lbs of Pressure” looks like it wants to be artistically meaningful, but the movie has a shaky foundation of a substandard screenplay and unfocused direction that are not helped by unimpressive acting from most of the cast members. The movie takes place in New York City but was actually filmed in Manchester, England.
In “5Lbs of Pressure,” there are three main characters whose lives cross paths in the movie’s big climactic scene.
Adam DeSalvo (played by Luke Evans) is a recently paroled ex-con, who spent 16 years in prison for murdering a young male stranger because of a petty argument.
Eli (played by Zac Adams) is the angry younger brother of the guy who was murdered.
Mike (played by Rory Culkin) is a dimwitted drug dealer who really wants to be a professional musician.
“5Lbs of Pressure” goes through a tedious and often lackluster back-and-forth between showing the storylines for these three characters. Adam is first seen showing up unannounced at the workplace of his friend Steve (played Jazz Lintott), who owns a small business. Adam has recently been discharged from a halfway house and needs a place to live. The best that Steve can offer at the moment is a cluttered and small storage room, which Adam accepts.
Adam tells his parole officer Patricia Earl (played by Julee Cerda) that he’s gotten a job as a bartender at a pub called Mirror Bar, located in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood. The opening scene of “5Lbs of Pressure” shows Mirror Bar from the outside at night, while gunshots are being fired inside the bar. The movie then circles back to this scene to show what happened during this shootout.
As an example of how poorly written “5Lbs of Pressure” is, parole officer Patricia tells Adam that because he’s a convicted murderer on parole, he’s not supposed to have a job where he will be around a lot of alcohol. He’s also not supposed to be in places, such as Mirror Bar, which are known hangouts for criminals. Adam tells her that having this job is better than being unemployed, so Patricia quickly drops the matter.
In reality, a parole officer could get in serious trouble for knowing about this parole violation and not doing anything about it. There would also be other people who could easily find out about this parole violation and get Adam in trouble. But “5Lbs of Pressure” doesn’t care about those realistic details because of how it wants to contrive the movie’s climactic scene at Mirror Bar.
Meanwhile, Mike works for his uncle Leff (played by Alex Pettyfer), a local drug dealer who has a nasty temper and who constantly disrespects and belittles Mike. Leff sells cocaine and marijuana, but he thinks he has “ethics” because he refuses to become a heroin dealer, no matter how lucrative the offer. Leff’s sister, who was Mike’s mother, died of a heroin overdose.
Eli, Mike and a thug named Sicky (played by James Oliver Wheatley) work for Neff. All of them regularly snort cocaine. Mike and Eli are in a rock band together that’s on the level of playing small nightclubs, but the band seems to be going nowhere its career. Mike is more committed to being a musician than Eli is.
Eli is currently preoccupied with thoughts of revenge because he knows that Adam has been paroled. Eli and his widower mother Anna (played by Olivia Carruthers) are upset that Adam didn’t get a longer prison sentence. Eli is offended that Adam has gone back to live in the same neighborhood where Eli’s family lives. Eli is also having some relationship problems with his girlfriend Lori (played by Savannah Steyn), who doesn’t want to live in New York City anymore.
There’s a very monotonous part of the movie about Mike wanting to do a heroin deal that would get him out of debt to a local gang boss named E.R. (played by Gary McDonald), but Neff is completely against the idea of dealing heroin. Mike secretly goes to Neff’s drug supplier Jamal (played by Lorraine Burroughs, doing a very fake-sounding Caribbean accent) to set up the heroin deal on his own, without telling Leff. You know where all of this is going, of course.
One of Neff’s customers is a rebellious 16-year-old named Jimmy (played by Rudy Pankow), who was told all of his life by his bitter single mother Donna (played by Stephanie Leonidas) that she and Jimmy were abandoned by Jimmy’s father, whom she was married to for an unnamed period of time. Jimmy will soon find out that Donna didn’t tell Jimmy the entire truth: Jimmy’s father Adam wasn’t there for them because he was in prison for murder for the past 16 years, and she cut off all contact with Adam. Jimmy was born while Adam was in prison.
This major plot point (which is not spoiler information) is another example of how the “5Lbs of Pressure” screenplay is badly conceived. Considering that Jimmy and Donna live in the same area where Adam used to live before Adam went to prison, it’s very hard to believe that Jimmy wouldn’t be able to find out what happened to Adam before Adam got out of prison. It’s as if the “5Lbs of Pressure” filmmakers want viewers to believe that no one in the community would tell Jimmy the truth about Adam, or that Jimmy is incapable of doing an Internet search.
At any rate, “5Lbs of Pressure” tries to shoehorn in some family melodrama and sentimentality, as Adam tries to get back in Jimmy’s life, against the vehement objections and disapproval of Donna. Adam is a recovering drug addict who likes to draw illustrations in his spare time. Adam shows his drawing talent to Jimmy and encourages Jimmy to start drawing too.
“5Lbs of Pressure” isn’t a completely terrible movie. It just has just too many boring or idiotic scenes that outnumber anything in the film that can be considered enjoyable entertainment. The acting performances range from adequate to lackluster to awful. The movie’s ending is meant to be “shocking,” but it’s actually quite predictable because of all the clues that are telegraphed so blatantly. “Crash” is remembered for being a controversial Oscar winner for Best Picture, but “5Lbs of Pressure” can’t even claim to be very memorable at all.
Lionsgate released “5Lbs of Pressure” in select U.S. cinemas, on digital and VOD on March 8, 2024.
Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City and in Maine, the comedy/drama film “Problemista” features a racially diverse cast of characters (Latin, white, African American and Asian) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: Cartisano, who died of a heart attack in 2019, at the age of 63, was sued several times and had many allegations that his camps illegally abused the children who were forced to be there.
Culture Audience: “Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in documentaries that show how abuse and exploitation are excused or covered up, but some questions remain unanswered by the end of the movie.
RZA and Greta Lee in “Problemista” (Photo by Jon Pack/A24)
“Problemista” has enough quirky charm to keep most viewers interested in what will happen next. It’s a unique comedy/drama about an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, his immigration issues in New York City, and his eccentric artist boss. It’s not a spectacularly great movie, but it has entertaining and memorable moments for viewers who are interested in watching slightly weird independent films about artistic people. “Problemista” has some sci-fi elements that come to the forefront near the end of the movie.
Written and directed by Julio Torres, “Problemista” had its world premiere at the 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival. Torres also stars in the movie as protagonist Alejandro Martinez, who was born and raised in El Salvador, by his single mother Dolores (played by Catalina Saavedra). Now in his 20s, Alejandro has been living in New York City, and working at low-paying jobs while trying to fulfill his goal of becoming a toy designer. His dream job would be to work at Hasbro, the company known for numerous popular toy brands, including G.I. Joe, Transformers, My Little Pony and Mr. Potato Head.
Isabella Rossellini is the movie’s unnamed voiceover narrator, who explains in the beginning of the film: “This is the story of Alejandro. His mother was an artist. And he was a project. She gave him everything, so he wished for everything. “Problemista” has occasional flashbacks to Alejandro’s childhood in El Salvador, with the flashbacks looking like Alejandro lived in a whimsical, playground-like fantasy land. In these flashbacks, Logan J. Alarcon-Poucel has the role of Alejandro as a boy.
Alejandro’s fantastical childhood memories are in stark contrast to his current realities: He lives in a small, drab apartment and is struggling to pay his bills with a job he doesn’t like. In the beginning of the movie, Alejandro gets a low-level job at a company called Freeze Corp., which is in the business of freezing the bodies of people who want to be unfrozen and resurrected in the future. Alejandro soon gets fired from Freeze Corp. for accidentally unplugging a backup generator.
Alejando is in the United States on a work visa, which means he can legally stay in the U.S. if he has an employer as a sponsor. He seeks guidance from an immigration attorney named Khalil (played by Laith Nakli), who has his own law practice. Khalil has some grim news for Alejandro: If Alejandro doesn’t find a work sponsor in one month, then Alejandro will be in danger of being deported. In the meantime, Alejandro has to find a way to make some fast cash because his rent and other bills are due.
It just so happens that a demanding, fast-talking and quick-tempered artist named Elizabeth Ascencio (played by Tilda Swinton) is looking for a freelance assistant. Elizabeth crossed paths with Alejandro because her husband Bobby (who is a painter artist) is a customer of Freeze Corp., a company that Elizabeth does not like. And so, when she hears that Alejandro was fired from Freeze Corp., Elizabeth hires Alejandro to be her assistant.
Elizabeth is unpleasantly neurotic, argumentative and difficult. A great deal of the movie is about the uneasy work relationship that Alejandro and Elizabeth have with each other. Alejandro has a “fake it ’til you make it” attitude about the job, such as when he pretends to Elizabeth that he knows how to use FileMaker Pro software on a computer, and he has to go to certain lengths to cover up this lie.
Bobby (who makes paintings of eggs) wants to do a gallery exhibit called “13 Eggs.” Elizabeth tells Alejando that she will be Alejandro’s work sponsor if Alejandro successfully helps her pitch this exhibit to a gallery. And so, there’s a long stretch of the movie where Alejandro has to track down all of Bobby’s paintings (some of which were given away or sold) for this exhibit.
Elizabeth and Bobby (who have homes in New York City and Maine) have an unconventional marriage, not just because of their age difference (she’s about 10 years older than he is) but also because they also have an open marriage and they don’t spend a lot of time together. She tells Alejandro that she and Bobby fell in love with each other because they are both people “who feel misunderstood.” Even though Bobby and Elizabeth have an open marriage, there are still jealousy issues. Elizabeth doesn’t like that Bobby has gotten very close to a woman named Dalia Park (played by Greta Lee), who is one of Bobby’s most promising students.
“Problemista” also shows some of Alejandro’s life when he’s not working. He gets a roommate named Bingham (played by James Scully), who likes to party. Alejandro doesn’t have a love interest in the movie, but it’s shown that he is gay or queer. Alejandro can’t get paid for his assistant job until Elizabeth officially becomes his work sponsor. When he runs low on money, he resorts to a desperate way to make some cash.
One of the movie’s quirks is showing fantasy sequences involving a character named Craigslist (played by Larry Owens), who appears to Alejandro in hallucinations that make Craigslist look like he’s in a disco nightclub or drag-queen ballroom. Craigslist gives advice and pep talks to Alejandro when Alejandro is feeling doubt and fear. Even though Alejandro is in his 20s, Alejandro often looks and acts like an insecure teenager. He has tendency to dress like a high school student, including wearing a backpack. He shuffles when he walks, and he often stammers in conversations with people.
“Problemista” has some pacing and tonal issues when the movie has an awkward balance of comedy and drama. The story also gets a little repetitive in showing Elizabeth’s negative outbursts and ranting. However, the performances in the movie (especially from Torres and Swinton) are compelling. And “Problemista” shows with compassion and some grittiness what it looks like to be a lonely immigrant with visa problems in America. It’s a life that is often lived in quiet desperation but gets to live out loud in a movie like “Problemista.”
A24 released “Problemista” in select U.S. cinemas on March 1, 2024, with an expansion to more U.S. cinemas on March 8, 2024.
Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City, the dramatic film “Memory” has a predominantly white cast of characters (with a few African Americans and Latinos) representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: A recovering alcoholic, who has traumatic memories from her past, forms an unexpected bond with a former high school classmate who has dementia.
Culture Audience: “Memory” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of stars Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard; filmmaker Michel Franco; and movies that have realistic portrayals of emotionally damaged adults.
Jessica Chastain in “Memory” (Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment)
“Memory” is a skillfully acted character study of how memories can be blocked out, preserved, or warped to shape personal self-identities or perceptions of others. This drama’s sluggish pacing drags down the movie, but it doesn’t ruin the film. And some of the film’s subject matter, such as taking care of someone with dementia or having dementia, might be triggering or upsetting for people who’ve been through those experiences. However, the movie has a powerful message about how human connections can thrive in unlikely circumstances.
Written and directed by Michel Franco, “Memory” (which was filmed on location in New York City) had its world premiere at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival, where “Memory” co-star Peter Sarsgaard won the prize for Best Actor. The movie made the rounds at other film festivals in 2023, including the Toronto International Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival. Viewers who see the trailer for “Memory” before seeing the movie should know in advance that the trailer is somewhat misleading, because it makes “Memory” look more suspenseful than it really is.
“Memory” is told from the perspective of middle-aged Sylvia (played by Jessica Chastain), a social worker whose job is at an adult care facility for disabled and emotionally troubled people. Sylvia is a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for the past 13 years. It’s revealed later in the movie that Sylvia was a very rebellious teen who began drinking when she was an adolescent.
The movie opens with a scene of Sylvia in an Alcoholics Anonymous support group meeting, where she is highly respected, and the feeling is mutual. Sylvia is a single mother to a 15-year-old daughter named Anna (played by Brooke Timber), who is an intuitive and obedient child. Sylvia and Anna live in a small apartment in New York City’s Queens borough. They aren’t poor, but they have some financial struggles. Anna notices that their refrigerator isn’t working again, and Sylvia seems bothered that it’s another expense that will put a strain on her finances.
Sylvia doesn’t have a social life and seems every emotionally closed off to many people. At her high school reunion, she sits by herself, looking bored, and she doesn’t really talk to anyone. A man named Saul Shapiro (played by Sarsgaard), one of her former classmates, sits down at the same table and tries to start a conversation with her.
Sylvia looks very annoyed. She gets up and walks out of the building. But then, she notices that Saul is following her. He follows Sylvia on the subway all the way back to her apartment building, but she is able to get to the building’s front door before he does, and she locks it behind her. And then, Saul does something even creepier: He stands outside her apartment building like a stalker, even when it begins to rain.
Sylvia has become alarmed but she doesn’t call the police. The next morning, she sees that Saul has spent the night outside the apartment. She can see that he’s not mentally well, so she asks him for his phone and calls a number of anyone who can identify him and pick him up. Sylvia gets Saul’s protective bother Isaac (played by Josh Charles) on the phone.
Isaac explains that Saul has dementia and that Saul has episodes where he wanders off and goes to places and has no memory of how he got there. Isaac picks up Saul, but that isn’t the last time that Sylvia sees him. She calls Isaac the next day to ask to see Saul and to find out if he’s doing any better. Isaac, who is a single father, lives with teenage daughter Sara (played by Elsie Fisher), who has an almost immediate rapport with Sylvia.
Through a series of circumstances, Sylvia reluctantly accepts Isaac’s offer to be Saul’s part-time caregiver during the day. The rest of “Memory” shows the up-and-down relationship that develops between Saul and Sylvia. She is haunted by traumatic memories of her past that have affected her self-esteem and her relationships with her soft-spoken, married older sister Olivia (played by Merritt Wever) and their widowed mother Samantha (played by Jessica Harper), who has been estranged from Sylvia for years.
“Memory” is not the type of movie where healing comes easily. There are moments of self-awareness and self-sabotage that happen throughout the story. Sylvia has a tendency to be a caretaker to others, but she also has to come to an understanding that she needs a lot of emotional self-care that she has neglected. “Memory” is a testament to how people can find solace in simple moments that can have a much larger impact than expected.
Ketchup Entertainment released “Memory” in U.S. cinemas on December 22, 2023, with an expansion to more U.S. cinemas on January 5, 2024.
Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City in 2017 (and briefly in 1996), the horror film “Dear David” (based on a real Internet story that went viral) features a predominantly white cast of characters (with a few African Americans, Latin people, and Asians) representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: A comic artist who works for BuzzFeed believes that he is being haunted by a ghost named David, and he chronicles his experiences in messages on Twitter.
Culture Audience: “Dear David” will appeal primarily to people who don’t mind watching mindless and incoherent horror movies with annoying characters.
Jarrett Siddall in “Dear David” (Photo courtesy of Lionsgate)
“Dear David” is what happens when misguided filmmakers think a social media fad story can be made into a movie that a lot of people weren’t asking for in the first place. This pointless horror flick is boring, jumbled, and a complete waste of time. “Dear David” is based on true events from 2017, when a BuzzFeed comic artist named Adam Ellis went on Twitter to detail his supposed encounters with a murderous ghost named David. BuzzFeed Studios is one of the production companies behind this forgettable flop movie.
Directed by John McPhail and written by Mike Van Waes, “Dear David” is the first feature film for Van Waes. The “Dear David” screenplay is the weakest link in this terrible movie, but it’s certainly not the only reason why “Dear David” is a complete failure on every level. What viewers will see are monotonous and repetitive scenes of protagonist Adam Ellis (played by Augustus Prew) having nightmarish visions that he’s not sure are real or part of his imagination.
The beginning of this movie shows this introductory statement: “In 2017, Adam Ellis began documenting a series of strange encounters that were happening in his apartment, He posted them on Twitter, and these ‘Dear David’ posts became a viral sensation. The following is based on those true events.”
If you believe that “on Twitter” and “true events” are automatically synonymous, then perhaps you’d like to think that Twitter owner Elon Musk can buy the Brooklyn Bridge too. Hauntings that were fabricated to make people famous have been around much longer than social media existed. You only need to look at the proliferation of paranormal-themed TV shows and Web series to see that plenty of people are trying find fame and fortune from “investigating” hauntings.
And so, the motives of Adam Ellis are obviously suspect from the start. In real life, Ellis has been open about his mental health issues, which might or might not have played a role in his ghostly sightings. The fact that BuzzFeed cashed in on an employee’s admittedly shaky mental health by making this awful movie makes “Dear David” even more repulsive.
“Dear David” begins in New York City in 1996, a year when the Internet was fairly new to the world. A reclusive loner boy named David Johnson (played by Cameron Nicoll), who’s 10 years old, spends a lot of time using the Internet on a computer in the basement of his family home. David’s mother is worried about his Internet activities. David’s father has the opposite opinion: He thinks that the Internet is a sensation that will take over the world.
An early scene in the movie shows David getting cyberbullied in a chat room by an anonymous person, who sends David a message calling David a “loser.” David writes back, “Why are you so mean?” The harasser answers, “Why don’t you kill yourself?”
The movie then fast-forwards to 2017. At BuzzFeed headquarters in New York City, Adam is a comic artist who’s not doing very well on the job. He’s distracted by Internet harassers who insult his work. Adam’s annoying boss Bryce (played by Justin Long, in a quick cameo) hints that Adam could be fired if Adam doesn’t get a larger audience for Adam’s work. Bryce says that Adam has “relatable” content, but Adam’s audience reach is “kind of lame.”
Adam has two writer co-workers whose desks are right next to his. Evelyn (played by Andrea Bang) is Adam’s closest friend at work and one of the few people he trusts will be supportive of him when things in his life get weird. Norris (played by Tricia Black) is phony and very competitive. Norris is the type of person who tries too hard to impress the boss while making passive-aggressive digs at her co-workers.
“Dear David” spends quite a bit of time on Adam’s relationship with his boyfriend Kyle Sanchez (played by René Escobar Jr.), who is loving and loyal but getting impatient and feels somewhat hurt that Adam is not ready to introduce Kyle to Adam’s mother. (The movie never says what happened to Adam’s father.) There’s also some other drama about how Adam hasn’t come out as gay to everyone in his life.
Who is the ghost that’s causing the terror in the movie? Two unlucky teens named Kevin (played by Seth Murchison) and James (played by Ethan Hwang) find out when they use false identities to go on the Internet to play pranks on people. An example of the pranks is Kevin and James pretending to be attractive young women looking for dates with men, and when they get men to be interested, Kevin and James reveal that they are really underage boys and shame the men for being perverts.
One day, someone on the Internet named David falls for one of their pranks. David doesn’t think it’s funny and tells Kevin and James that they are both going to die. During their contentious online conversation, David warns Kevin and James that when people first talk to David online, they can only ask David two questions.
It should come as no surprise that one of the teens breaks this rule and asks more than two questions. One of the questions Kevin asks is: “How am I going to die?” David answers, “Alone, afraid, and wetting your bed.” You can easily guess what happens to Kevin in this dreadfully predictable movie.
Adam also encounters David online, but David torments Adam much longer than David’s usual victims. After doing some research, Adam is convinced that the David who’s been contacting him on the Internet and who’s attacking him in these haunting visions is the ghost of a boy named David, who had a tragic story. Take a wild guess which David that is. The ghost who is haunting Adam appears to be an adult version of David (played by Jarrett Siddall), who doesn’t look very menacing and looks more like psychiatric facility patient who needs to brush his teeth.
“Dear David” could’ve had so many interesting things to say about cyberbullying and ghost hauntings, but the movie doesn’t know what to do with these narratives and just makes everything a mess. The acting performances are subpar for the movie’s characters, who are hollow, irritating or both. The overall direction for “Dear David” is sloppy and unfocused. Because the foundation of “Dear David” is a weak and gimmicky Internet story that briefly went viral, that foundation sinks quickly into a cesspool of cinematic muck where stupid horror movies are quickly forgotten.
Lionsgate released “Dear David” in select U.S. cinemas, on digital and VOD on October 13, 2023.
Michael J. Fox in “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (Photo courtesy of Apple TV+)
The following is a press release from the Critics Choice Association:
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) unveiled the winners of the Eighth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards at a gala event in New York City. Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie took home five trophies in all including the top award of the evening for Best Documentary Feature. The film’s other victories were Best Director for Davis Guggenheim, Best Editing for Michael Harte, Best Narration for Michael J. Fox, and Best Biographical Documentary.
The Critics Choice Documentary Awards recognize the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members.
20 Days in Mariupol, American Symphony, and The Deepest Breath each took home two awards.
20 Days in Mariupol won the awards for Best First Documentary for director Mstyslav Chernov, and Best Political Documentary.
Jon Batiste won Best Score for his work on American Symphony and the film also took home the award for Best Music Documentary.
The Deepest Breath was another of the evening’s double award-winners, with wins for Tim Cragg in Best Cinematography and Best Sports Documentary.
The trophy for Best Archival Documentary was awarded to Being Mary Tyler Moore.
Best Historical Documentary went to JFK: One Day in America.
The award for Best Science/Nature Documentary was presented to Secrets of the Elephants.
In the True Crime Documentary category, there was a tie between Lennon: Murder Without a Trial and Telemarketers.
The Last Repair Shop won the award for Best Short Documentary.
Best Limited Documentary Series went to The 1619 Project.
30 for 30 took home the award for Best Ongoing Documentary Series.
At the ceremony, the Pennebaker Award was presented to acclaimed documentarian Ross McElwee. The award, formerly known as the Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award, is named in honor of D A Pennebaker, a past winner. It was presented to Kopple by Chris Hegedus, Pennebaker’s long-time collaborator and widow.
For the fourth year in a row, the Critics Choice Documentary Awards welcomed National Geographic Documentary Films as the Presenting Sponsor.
TheCatalyst Sponsors for the Eighth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards were Amazon MGM Studiosand Netflix.
The Spirits Sponsor of the event was Milagro Tequila.
To stream the ceremony, learn more about the Critics Choice Documentary Awards, and see the full list of nominees and winners, visit the Critics Choice Association website.
###
Winners of the Eighth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards
*=winner
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
20 Days in Mariupol (PBS) American Symphony (Netflix) Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions) The Deepest Breath (Netflix) The Eternal Memory (MTV Documentary Films/Paramount+) Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Studios) Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures) The Mission (National Geographic) Stamped from the Beginning (Netflix) Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)*
BEST DIRECTOR
Maite Alberdi – The Eternal Memory (MTV Documentary Films/Paramount+) Madeleine Gavin – Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions) Davis Guggenheim – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)* Matthew Heineman – American Symphony (Netflix) Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss – The Mission (National Geographic) Steve McQueen – Occupied City (A24)
BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
20 Days in Mariupol (PBS)* 26.2 to Life (Film Halau) Bad Press (Oklafilm) Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic) Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures) Orlando, My Political Biography (Sideshow) Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Greenwich Entertainment) The Thief Collector (FilmRise)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Tim Cragg – The Deepest Breath (Netflix)* Tony Hardmon, Matthew Heineman, Thorsten Thielow – American Symphony (Netflix) Lennert Hillege – Occupied City (A24) Franz Lustig – Anselm (Sideshow) D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures) Toby Strong, James Boon, Bob Poole, Neil Fairlie, Wim Vorster, Joshua Tarr, Pete Allibone, Neil Harvey, Andreas Knausenberger – Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic)
BEST EDITING
Sammy Dane, Jim Hession, Matthew Heineman, Fernando Villegas – American Symphony (Netflix) Madeleine Gavin – Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions) Michael Harte – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)* Michelle Mizner – 20 Days in Mariupol (PBS) D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures) Aaron Wickenden – The Mission (National Geographic)
BEST SCORE
Jon Batiste – American Symphony (Netflix)* Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans – The Mission (National Geographic) Nainita Desai – The Deepest Breath (Netflix) Philip Glass & Paul Leonard-Morgan – The Pigeon Tunnel (Apple TV+) Katya Richardson & Kris Bowers – The Last Repair Shop (Breakwater Studios) D. Smith – Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures)
BEST NARRATION
20 Days in Mariupol (PBS) Written and Performed by Mstyslav Chernov
32 Sounds (Abramorama) Written and Performed by Sam Green
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films) Written by Nicole Newnham, Eileen Meyer and Shere Hite Performed by Dakota Johnson
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+) Performed by Kiefer Sutherland
Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic) Written by Martin Williams, Caroline Hawkins and Jonathan Frisby Performed by Natalie Portman
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)* Written and Performed by Michael J. Fox
BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY
Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO | Max)* The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films) It Ain’t Over (Sony Pictures Classics) JFK: One Day in America (National Geographic) The Lady Bird Diaries (Hulu/ABC News Studios) The League (Magnolia Pictures)
BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY
The 1619 Project (Hulu/Onyx Collective) JFK: One Day in America (National Geographic)* The Lady Bird Diaries (Hulu/ABC News Studios) Lakota Nation vs. United States (IFC Films) The League (Magnolia Pictures) Occupied City (A24) Stamped from the Beginning (Netflix)
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY
Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO | Max) The Disappearance of Shere Hite (IFC Films) Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (HBO Documentary Films) Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Studios) Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (Hulu/ABC News Studios) Sly (Netflix) Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)*
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
American Symphony (Netflix)* Carlos (Sony Pictures Classics) Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop (Netflix) Little Richard: I Am Everything (Magnolia Pictures/CNN Films) Love to Love You, Donna Summer (HBO | Max) Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (AMC Theatres) What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears? (Abramorama)
BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
20 Days in Mariupol (PBS)* Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions) Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic) Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court (Showtime) Every Body (Focus Features) Lakota Nation vs. United States (IFC Films) Silver Dollar Road (Amazon MGM Studios)
BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
32 Sounds (Abramorama) Between Earth & Sky (PBS) Life on Our Planet (Netflix) Path of the Panther (National Geographic) Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (Netflix) Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic)* Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West (Gravitas Ventures)
BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
Black Ice (Roadside Attractions) BS High (HBO | Max) The Deepest Breath (Netflix)* It Ain’t Over (Sony Pictures Classics) The League (Magnolia Pictures) Reggie (Amazon Studios) Stephen Curry: Underrated (Apple TV+) Welcome to Wrexham (FX)
BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY
Burden of Proof (HBO | Max) The Jewel Thief (Hulu) John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+)*(tie) Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (Netflix) Telemarketers (HBO | Max)*(tie) The Thief Collector (FilmRise) Victim/Suspect (Netflix)
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
The ABCs of Book Banning (MTV Documentary Films/Paramount+) The Barber of Little Rock (Story Syndicate) Between Earth & Sky (PBS) Keys to the City (New Yorker) The Last Repair Shop (Breakwater Studios)* Last Song From Kabul (MTV Documentary Films/Paramount+)
BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
The 1619 Project (Hulu/Onyx Collective)* Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul (Netflix) Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court (Showtime) JFK: One Day in America (National Geographic) John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+) Secrets of the Elephants (National Geographic) Shiny Happy People (Amazon Studios) Telemarketers (HBO | Max)
BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES
30 for 30 (ESPN)* Frontline (PBS) Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (Netflix) POV (PBS) Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic) Welcome to Wrexham (FX)
About the Critics Choice Awards
The Critics Choice Documentary Awards are an offshoot of the Critics Choice Awards, which are bestowed annually by the CCA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.
The Critics Choice Awards ceremony will be held on January 14, 2024 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City, CA, and will be broadcast live on The CW.
About the Critics Choice Association (CCA)
The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 580 media critics and entertainment journalists. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, in recognition of the intersection between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com.
To learn more about the Critics Choice Documentary Awards and see the full list of nominees, visit the Critics Choice Association website.
Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City and briefly in Delaware, the comedy/drama film “She Came to Me” features a predominantly white cast of characters (with a few African Americans) portraying the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: An opera composer, who is in a stale marriage to his psychiatrist, overcomes his writer’s block after he has a sexual encounter with a female tugboat captain, who has a history of stalking, while his 18-year-old stepson has relationship problems of his own that involve an accusation of statutory rape.
Culture Audience: “She Came to Me” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and movies that try to be “slice of life” but aren’t very realistic.
Evan Ellison (pictured in front, at left) and Anne Hathaway (pictured in front, at right) in “She Came to Me” (Photo courtesy of Vertical)
“She Came to Me” is a meandering, off-balance dumpster of half-baked ideas. It fails to have much compelling drama and isn’t very funny in attempts at absurdist comedy. Everything really falls apart in the last half-hour that is annoying nonsense. The movie’s talented cast members mostly flounder around in characters who often don’t have believable chemistry with each other in relationships where they’re supposed to have believable chemistry.
Written and directed by Rebecca Miller, “She Came to Me” had its world premiere at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival. The fact that this subpar movie was at such a prestigious film festival is an example of how family connections (Miller is married to Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis) and having famous cast members can give certain filmmakers an advantage to get their movies into a major film festival. The Berlin International Film Festival tends to choose very artsy movies. There’s nothing artsy about “She Came to Me.”
“She Came to Me” is a clumsy back-and-forth stumble between two storylines that are shoved together in the last 20 minutes in a way that looks completely fake and unearned. It’s as if Miller couldn’t think of a good way to end the movie and came up with something that panders to the lowest-common, silly denominator in the last third of the film, when the tone for the previous two-thirds of the film aimed to have more of a cutting-edge comedic tone.
In “She Came to Me” (which takes place mostly in New York City and briefly in Delaware), the two storylines that are awkwardly placed are about the love life problems of a father and his 18-year-old stepson. The marketing of “She Came to Me” misleadingly makes it look like the father’s storyline is the only focus of the movie, but the son’s storyline gets nearly as much screen time. The teenage romance that takes up so much time in “She Came to Me” is not hinted at in the movie’s poster or trailer.
In the beginning of “She Came to Me,” viewers are introduced to New York City-based opera composer Steven Lauddem (played by Peter Dinklage) and his psychiatrist wife Patricia Jessup-Lauddem (played by Anne Hathaway), who are experiencing a rough patch in their marriage. Steven is mopey and anxious because he has writer’s block and is expected to meet a deadline in a few weeks to complete the first draft of his next opera.
Patricia has her own issues: She seems to be obsessive-compulsive about keeping everything neat and clean. Patricia has relegated her sex life with Steven to be “by appointment only.” She is also conflicted about her interfaith background (her mother was Catholic; her father was Jewish), but Patricia is currently a practicing Catholic.
The first scene in the movie shows Steven and Patricia at a house party. Some of Steven’s colleagues in the opera industry are there. Steven is very uncomfortable and reluctant to be at the party, because he doesn’t want to have to answer questions about his next opera, which he secretly hasn’t even begun to write. Only a few people, such as Patricia, know that Steven has writer’s block. Patricia thinks this party will be a good networking opportunity for Steven.
One of the people at the party is Duftin Haverford (played by Gregg Edelman), a high-ranking official at an opera company. Duftin inevitably asks Steven when Steven’s next opera will be completed. Steven pretends that he can meet Duftin’s deadline for a first draft in two weeks. It’s a deadline that Steven is dreading.
As Duftin walks away from Steven and Patricia, Duftin tells his party companion that Steven had a nervous breakdown five years ago and went into a deep depression. Patricia was Steven’s therapist, but at some point, their relationship obviously became more than a doctor-patient relationship, and they got married. Duftin quips, “If she were my therapist, I’d marry her too.” Little does Duftin know how stagnant this marriage has become.
Meanwhile, Patricia’s 18-year-old son from her first marriage is Julian Jessup (played by Evan Ellison), who is having a happy romance with his 16-year-old girlfriend Tereza Szyskowski (played by Harlow Jane) while they are students at the same high school. Julian and Tereza, who have no siblings, are good students in school and spend as much time as they can together. Tereza and Julian are lab partners in a science class, and they both have aspirations to become “futurist” engineers. It’s mentioned later in the movie that Patricia’s first husband (Julian’s father) left her and Julian and then died after the divorce.
Julian and Tereza are very close, but apparently not close enough for Tereza to introduce Julian to her parents or invite him into her home. Tereza’s mother Magdalena Szymkowski (played by Joanna Kulig) is a Polish immigrant who works as a house cleaner. Tereza and Magdalena have a tension-filled relationship that is typical of what can happen between a parent and a teenage child: The teenager wants more freedom than the parent is willing to give.
Magdalena is protective of Tereza because she doesn’t want Tereza to make wrong decisions when it comes to love and romance. The movie doesn’t go into too many details of what happened to Tereza’s biological father. However, Magdalena says enough in conversations for viewers to know that it was a bad marriage, where Magdalena felt disrespected and stifled, so she has vowed to never be financially dependent on a man again. She’s teaching Tereza to have the same outlook on life.
Ironically, Magdalena is now with a live-in partner who is very controlling. Magdalena’s current beau is Trey Ruffa (played by Brian d’Arcy James), who has adopted Tereza, even though he and Magdalena aren’t married. Trey works as a courtroom stenographer. Trey likes to think that even though he didn’t go to college, he knows enough about the law that he could be a prosecutor if he had the credentials for it.
Trey is a very strict parent, while Magdalena is willing to have more flexibility in parenting of Tereza. There’s a useless tangent in the movie about Trey being a Civil War re-enactment enthusiast. He brings an uninterested Magdalena and Tereza to a Civil War re-enactment event where participants have to dress in Civil War-era costumes.
There are other reasons (that are at first unspoken, but come out later in the movie) to explain why Tereza doesn’t feel comfortable bringing Julian to her home to introduce him to her parents. There are differences between Julian and Tereza when it comes to their ages (and what they can legally do because of their ages), social classes and races. (Julian is black, and Tereza is white.) If there’s a racist in Tereza’s family, it’s easy to guess who it is. Tereza is reluctant to show Julian what her family is like, but she is welcome in Julian’s home, where Tereza has a very good rapport with Patricia.
One day, while Steven is wallowing in self-pity over his writer’s block, he decides to walk his French bulldog Levi and go to a local bar at around 11 a.m. to have a drink or two. At the bar, he meets an unusual stranger: a tugboat captain named Katrina Trento (played by Marisa Tomei), who lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but is passing through New York City for work-related reasons. Steven and Katrina have a conversation where they tell each other a little bit about their lives. He doesn’t tell Katrina right away that he’s married.
Katrina mentions that her tugboat business has been in her family for generations. She makes it obvious that she’s attracted to Steven and invites him to go on her tugboat nearby. Steven is curious but a little nervous. On the tugboat, Katrina reveals more about herself. She confesses, “I’m addicted to romance.” She also says she’s been in court-ordered rehab, because she has a history of stalking love interests.
Most people with common sense would steer clear of someone with these problems, but Steven seems to crave the attention that Katrina is giving him at that moment. And so, when she starts taking off her baggy work clothes to reveal that she’s got slinky lingerie underneath, it comes as no surprise that Katrina seduces Steven. None of this is spoiler information, since this plot development (and many others) are revealed in the trailer for “She Came to Me.”
At the end of this sexual encounter, Katrina starts babbling to Steven as if she expects them to be in a relationship. Steven tactfully tells Katrina that what they had is a one-time encounter, and he doesn’t want to see her again. He also urges her to get psychiatric help for her obsessiveness. He then quickly leaves the tugboat.
Steven’s tryst with Katrina (and his accidental fall in the dock’s water when he leaves the tugboat) jolt him out of his writer’s block and inspire him to write the opera “She Came to Me,” which is about an attractive female tugboat captain who seduces men and kills them. The opera is a hit. Katrina eventually finds out that she’s the inspiration for the opera when she goes to a performance. After the show, Katrina tells Steven (who is surprised to see Katrina) that she has permanently moved to New York City. (This plot development is also revealed in the movie’s trailer.)
All of this sounds like more than enough for two movies, which is why “She Came to Me” is often unfocused and unwieldly. The movie’s opera scenes are embarrassingly horrible. In no way, shape or form would this amateurish opera ever realistically be on any legitimate, major opera stage in New York City. There are some high school productions in real life that look better than the opera scenes in “She Came to Me.”
And although the “love triangle” between Steven, Patricia and Katrina is a major part of the movie, the three middle-aged adults in this situation are a lot more foolish and less mature than the two teenagers (Julian and Tereza), who go through their own personal drama. The storyline involving Steven, Patricia and Katrina gets so unrealistic, it’s almost like it belongs in a completely separate movie. “She Came to Me” starts off with a somewhat offbeat comedic tone, then makes an abrupt turn into a melodrama, and then sinks into a cesspool of ridiculous schmaltz.
The cast members are not to blame for why this disappointing movie has such an unfortunate identity crisis. Dinklage, Ellison, Jane and Kulig give solid performances. Hathaway and Tomei (the two Oscar winners in the movie’s principal cast) make an effort to bring nuance to their roles, but the characters of Patricia and Katrina are such cringeworthy clichés (the sexually repressed wife and the wacky, uninhibited mistress), these stereotypes are borderline misogynistic. Toward the end of the movie, certain characters make decisions that are nonsensical and look very inauthentic. Ultimately, viewers are more likely to feel disconnected from most of the characters in this dreadful dud of a movie, instead of feeling connected and invested in what will happen next.
Vertical released “She Came to Me” in select U.S. cinemas on October 6, 2023.
Norman Reedus in “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” (Photo by Emmanuel Guimier/AMC)
The 18th annual New York Comic Con takes place October 13 to October 15, 2023, in New York City. In 2022, New York Comic Con returned to being an in-person-only event, after being a hybrid event (where people could attend in person or virtually) in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York Comic Con was cancelled as an in-person event in 2020, and instead presented as a scaled-down virtual-only event.
Before the pandemic, New York Comic Con attracted about 250,000 people per year since 2017, according to ReedPOP, the company that produces the event. The first New York Comic Con took place in 2006. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, attendees are no longer being asked to wear a face covering/mask while inside a New York Comic Con building. In 2022, attendees were no longer required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, which were requirements in 2021.
In 2023, New York Comic Con’s main hub remains the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, which began in July 2023, New York Comic Con in 2023 for the first time will not have panels with cast members of movies, TV shows, or video games that are owned by companies that are members of Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP)—essentially, any major, corporate-owned company that makes or distributes movies, TVs and video games. If any SAG-AFTRA members make speaking appearances at New York Comic Con, they can’t talk about any “struck” work (work that is part of the strike) that they’ve been involved with in any way.
Exceptions are made for projects owned by companies that are not AMPTP members—in other words, independent projects. Cast members who are involved in these independent projects are allowed to work on and promote those projects. For example, AMC Networks (not a member of AMPTP) has showcases at New York Comic Con in 2023, including a panel on October 12 for AMC’s “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” that will feature an appearance by star Norman Reedus to promote the show. In August 2023, SAG-AFTRA granted a waiver for AMC shows “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” and “Interview With the Vampire” for cast members of these three shows to work for and promote these shows during the strike.
TV shows continue to dominate the most high-profile panels and activities. New York Comic Con in 2023 has the following TV shows with panel showcases in the event’s largest rooms: Apple TV+’s astronaut drama “For All Mankind” will have a panel on October 12. The fantasy Web series “Critical Role” gets a spotlight on October 12. Apple TV+s horror series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” has a showcase on October 13. On October 14, several cast members from Max’s comedy series “Our Flag Means Death” will have panel discussion not about the show (which is struck work) but about themselves and their comedy experiences.
“Star Trek” Universe series will once again get a spotlight at New York Comic Con, with a panel discussion on October 14. Also on October 14, Prime Video will have a two-hour showcase of its sci-fi/fantasy/action/horror programming, with some sneak previews and exclusive footage. The Disney+ live-action fantasy series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” (based on Rick Riordan’s book series) will have a panel and sneak preview on October 15.
“Goosebumps,” the TV series version of R. L. Stine’s fantasy novel series, will show its first episode and have a Q&A with creatives from the show on October 13, the same day that the series will premiere on Disney+ and Hulu. The Season 3 premiere of USA Network/Syfy’s “Chucky” will have its world premiere at New York Comic Con on October 12. More TV show panels with special screenings on October 13 include FX’s animated series “Archer” and Crunchyroll’s anime series “My Hero Academia.”
Other animated series getting their own panels at New York Comic Con include Hulu’s “Futurama” on October 12; Crunchyroll’s “Dragon Ball” series on October 12; Crunchyroll’s “Attack on Titan” on October 13; Netflix’s anime series “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” on October 14. Adult Swim’s “Ricky and Morty,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” and “Smiling Friends” have a panel showcase on October 12.
Fox’s animated series “Krapopolis” and “Grimsburg” (a show that debuts in 2024) will share a panel session on October 14. The English-language voice cast members of Crunchyroll’s “One Piece” animated TV series will have a panel on October 14. Disney Channel’s animated series “The Owl House” (2020-2023) has been cancelled, but some of the voice actors from the show are doing an October 15 panel (not sponsored by Disney) to talk about the show.
Henry Cavill, Dua Lip, and John Cena in “Argylle” (Photo by Peter Mountain/Universal Pictures/Apple Original Films/Marv)
Most of the feature films that have panels at New York Comic Con this year are animated films, action films and horror movies. On October 12, sneak preview information will be given about 2024’s “The Stranger” horror film series, directed by Renny Harlin. Shudder is having a panel bringing together several directors of its popular “V/H/S/”horror movie anthology series. Animated films getting their own panels or screenings include “The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes” (anime film dubbed in English) on October 12. The comedy sequel “Good Burger 2” will be showcased on October 15.
[September 12, 2023 UPDATE: A panel for the horror movie “Thanksgiving,” with director Eli Roth in attendance, was set to take place on September 13, but the panel has been cancelled for an unspecified reason.]
On October 12, prolific horror movie/TV producer Jason Blum will talk about his current and upcoming movies, including “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” “Night Swim” and “Totally Killer.” For a panel taking place on October 14, filmmaker Matthew Vaughn will discuss his movies that he’s directed, including “Kick-Ass,” the “Kingsman” series and “Argylle.”
In addition, the 2023 edition of New York Comic Con will have Q&As that each spotlight different actors and actresses. Ewan McGregor (star of several “Star Wars” movies and Disney+’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series) will do a Q&A on October 12. David Tennant, who is best known for his starring roles in BBC’s “Doctor Who” and Prime Video’s “Good Omens,” will also do a Q&A on October 12. Several stars from the Marvel Cinematic Universe will take to the stage on October 14: Chris Evans, also known as Captain America, gets a solo spotlight, while “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” co-stars Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Pom Klementieff and Michael Rooker will do a group discussion. Because they cannot talk about “struck work,” the focus of the talks will be other topics.
Stars of Broadway shows and other musicals are represented on several panels presented by Playbill. “The Big Broadway Nerd Panel” will return and this year will feature Broadway stars such as Casey Likes, Roger Bart and Liana Hunt on an October 12 panel. There are also panels for “Back to the Future: The Musical”(October 13); “Wicked” (October 13); “Death Note: The Musical” (October 14); and “The Broadway Bard Party” (October 15).
The 2023 Harvey Awards Hall of Fame ceremony will be take place during New York Comic Con on October 12. The recipients are Marv Wolfman and George Pérez (who is being inducted posthumously) of DC Comics’ “New Teen Titans” fame; Chris Claremont (Marvel Comics’ “X-Men”); Walt Simonson (Marvel’s “Thor”); Louise Simonson (Marvel’s “Power Pack”)l and Bill Griffith (the nationally syndicated “Zippy the Pinhead” comic strip).
New York Comic Con also offer specialty areas for attendees with specific identity needs. Returning after its 2022 debut is the Pride Lounge (located in Room 1C01-02), for people with LGBTQ interests, with some LGBTQ-themed discussion panels and guest appearances. Family HQ (in Room 1E05-06) is a family-friendly environment, with an emphasis on activities for pre-teen children. In addition, Gaming Zone (in Room 1E) returns to offer a variety of options for gamers. The Community Lounge (located in the River Pavilion) is for informal gatherings and if attendees just need a place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the other areas of the event. Professional Programming (for industry professionals) will also take place in the River Pavilion.
And, of course, there will be plenty of panels, exhibits and previews for comic books, video games, podcasts, fantasy novels and other pop-culture attractions. It wouldn’t be a Comic Con without cosplaying and merchandise sales. The Cosplay Central area returns to the River Pavilion at the Javits Center. While at Cosplay Central, cosplayers can mingle, pose for photos, use the dressing rooms and attend panel discussions. The New York Comic Con finalist round for the Cosplay Central Costume Showcase will take place on October 15 at Main Stage 1D Hall. New York Comic Con also has an enormous amount of merchandise for sale for numerous types of entertainment.
AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS AND PHOTO OPS
Several stars from movies and TV shows will have individual autograph sessions and/or photo opportunities with fans, for a fee. All celebrities are offering autographs and photos, unless otherwise noted. Prices will vary, according to the celebrity. Participants include:
Charisma Carpenter (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) on October 12 and October 15.
John Carpenter (“Halloween,” “The Thing”) on October 13, October 14 and October 15
Tim Curry (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “It”) on October 12 and October 13.
Rhys Darby (“Our Flag Means Death,” “Flight of the Conchords”) on October 14 and October 15.
Chris Evans (“The Avengers” and “Captain America” movies) on October 13 and October 14.
Karen Gillan (“Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, “Jumanji” movies) on October 13 and October 14.
Sean Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, “Gilmore Girls”) on October 13 and October 14.
Tom Hiddleston (“Thor” movies, “Loki”) on October 14 and October 15.
Chukwudi Iwuji (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”) on October 12, October 13 and October 14.
Pom Klementieff (“Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, “Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One”) on October 12, October 13 and October 14.
James Marsters (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Slayers: A Buffyverse Story”) on October 12 and October 15.
Ewan McGregor (“Star Wars” prequel trilogy; “Obi-Wan Kenobi”) on October 12 and October 13.
Shameik Moore (“Spider-Verse” movies, “Samaritan”) on October 13, October 14 and October 15.
Kathryn Newton (“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “Freaky”) on October 14.
Kathy Najimy (“Hocus Pocus,” “Sister Act”) on October 13 and October 15.
Ron Perlman (“Hellboy,” “Sons of Anarchy”) on October 14 and October 15.
Michael Rooker (“Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, “The Walking Dead”) on October 12, October 13 and October 14.
Katee Sackoff (“Battlestar Galactica,” “The Mandalorian”) on October 14 and October 15.
Susan Sarandon (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Blue Beetle”) on October 12 and October 13.
David Tennant (“Doctor Who,” “Good Omens”) on October 13 and October 14.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Birds of Prey”) on October 12 and October 13.
TELEVISION AND WEB SERIES PANELS
(All panel descriptions are courtesy of New York Comic Con.)
“The Cast of Critical Role”
October 12, 2023, 11 AM – 12 PM
Empire Stage
From Twitch streaming to a tabletop media empire, Critical Role has grown significantly from their humble beginnings. Join the cast as they sit down at NYCC to chat about their history together and answer fan questions! Panelists: Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Liam O’Brien, Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray and Taliesin Jaffe.
“Dragon Ball”
October 12, 2023, 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM
Empire Stage
Delivering the latest information on the world-famous manga and anime franchise “Dragon Ball.” We will talk about new developments in the “Dragon Ball” series, along with a mysterious new teaser. Also the appearance of special guests!
“Dr. Stone”
October 12, 2023, 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Main Stage
The beloved sci-fi, animated series “Futurama” triumphantly returned to Hulu with all new-episodes after a 10-year hiatus. Celebrate with a room full of “Futurama” fans as we screen the season finale episode and get a sneak peek at Season 12, followed by a panel with the creatives behind the show.
“Futurama”
October 12, 2023, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM
Main Stage
We’re celebrating 10 years of the “Attack on Titan” anime! Join Crunchyroll and the “Attack on Titan” main dub cast for a special program, including Q&A and activities, as we look back at the long journey of AOT.
“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon”
October 12, 2023, 4:15 PM – 6:15 PM
Empire Stage
NYCC attendees will be the first to see The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season finale ahead of its airing on Sunday, October 15 at 9pm ET/8c on AMC and AMC+, followed by a Q&A with Chief Content Officer of the Walking Dead Universe Scott M. Gimple, Showrunner David Zabel and Executive Producer Greg Nicotero and moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Dalton Ross.
“Scavengers Reign”
October 12, 2023, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Room 405
Join Max Original Animation for an expansive conversation surrounding “Scavengers Reign.” Co-Creator/executive producer Joe Bennett and the team of writers and directors Benjy Brooke, Sean Buckelew, and James Merrill will explore and dive into the creative process that has turned their award-winning animated short into Max’s newest adult animation series. The panel features a first look into the season with a screening of the debut episode before it premieres on Max.
“Adult Swim”
October 12, 2023, 5:45 PM – 7:15 PM
Main Stage
Immerse yourself in the world of Adult Swim with a must-see screening event. NYCC fans will be the first to see a collection of new Adult Swim content from the Emmy-winning global phenomenon “Rick and Morty,” the iconic, long-running series “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” the second season of the hit series “Smiling Friend,” and more breaking news. This is a can’t-miss event for Adult Swim fans.
“Monarch: The Legacy of Monsters”
October 13, 2023, 11 AM – 12:30 PM
Empire Stage
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives. Panelists: Chris Black, Matt Fraction, Tory Tunnell, Andy Goddard, Ronna Kress and Sean Konrad.
“Attack on Titan: 10 Years of Anime”
October 13, 2023, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Empire Stage
We’re celebrating 10 years of the “Attack on Titan” anime! Join Crunchyroll and the “Attack on Titan” main dub cast for a special program, including Q&A and activities, as we look back at the long journey of AOT.
“Goosebumps”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIiUwbBxZo8
October 13, 2023, 3 PM – 4 PM
Main Stage
Join the team behind “Goosebumps” as they screen the premiere episode of the chilling new series, inspired by R.L. Stine’s worldwide bestselling books, debuting October 13 on Disney+ and Hulu.
“My Hero Academia”
October 13, 2023, 5 PM – 6 PM
Empire Stage
Join Crunchyroll for the world premiere of the new Original Episode from My Hero Academia Season 6, UA HEROES BATTLE! This exclusive early screening features the English dub, and will be available to NYCC attendees before Japan. Get ready for some card game action that will showcase your favorite heroes like never before!
“Evil”
October 13, 2023, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Room 405
In honor of all things “Evil,” Friday the 13th, and the upcoming fourth season of the series coming exclusively to Paramount+, fans will be treated to a special screening of a fan-favorite episode. Fans will also have a chance to participate in an “Evil”-themed trivia contest, so study up and come prepared to win demonic swag!
“Shining Vale”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiJlR9bQxnA
October 13, 2023, 6 PM – 7 PM
Room 405
Watch the first two episodes of season two of Starz’s hit horror-comedy “Shining Vale.” Attend for a chance to win tickets to the SOLD OUT premiere night party, “Escape to #ShiningVale!” on Friday, October 13. Must be present to win.
eight-part drama stars and is executive produced by Academy Award-nominee LaKeith Stanfield and created by Kelly Marcel, who also serves as executive producer.
“Chucky”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9NtkEWqkeI
October 13, 2023, 6:45 PM – 7:45 PM
Empire Stage
The murderous doll we all know and love is back for more mischief just in time for Halloween! Join Chucky for an exclusive screening of a new episode from the series and much more. “Chucky” airs Wednesdays at 9PM on USA & SYFY.
“The Changeling”
October 13, 2023, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Room 405
Adapted from the acclaimed best-selling book of the same name, “The Changeling” is a fairytale for grown-ups — a horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed. Join us for a special “Friday the 13th” Q&A with some of the brilliant minds behind the all-new dark, mythical fairytale that will intrigue viewers at every shocking turn, hosted by “The Changeling” author, Victor LaValle. The
“Rhys Darby, Con O’Neill, Vico Ortiz, Nathan Foad, Kristian Nairn & Matthew Maher In Conversation”
October 14, 2023, 10:45 AM – To Be Determined
Empire Stage
Join these six comedic geniuses as the talk about their craft and their careers.
“Krapopolis” and “Grinsburg”
October 14, 2023, 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Main Stage
FOX Entertainment is bringing “Krapopolis” and “Grimsburg” to New York Comic Con! Set in mythical ancient Greece, “Krapopolis” tells the story of a dysfunctional family of humans, gods and monsters that try their hand at running the world’s first cities – without trying to kill each other, that is. Created and exec produced by Dan Harmon (“Rick and Morty”), the series features the voices of Hannah Waddingham, Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, Pam Murphy and Duncan Trussell. “Grimsburg,” the all-new animated comedy starring and executive produced by Jon Hamm, joins the iconic FOX Animation Domination block in 2024. Grimsburg centers on Marvin Flute (Hamm), who may be the greatest detective ever to catch a cannibal clown and correctly identify a mid-century modern armoire. But there’s one mystery he still can’t crack — himself. To do that he must return to “Grimsburg,” a town where everyone has a secret or three, and redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow detectives, his ferocious ex-wife and his lovably unstable son.
“Star Trek Universe”
October 14, 2023, 1:45 PM – 3 PM
Empire Stage
The fan-favorite “Star Trek” universe returns to New York Comic Con, featuring a special advance screening of an all-new episode from the current season of the hit Paramount+ original animated comedy series “Star Trek: Lower Decks” plus more exciting reveals and surprises for “Star Trek” fans in attendance. Panelists: Mike McMahan and Alex Kurtzman.
“Prime Video Presents: The Power of Prime”
October 14, 2023, 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Empire Stage
Join Prime Video at New York Comic Con’s Empire Stage for a special presentation featuring exclusive first looks and never-before-seen footage of returning fan-favorite series and highly anticipated new series.
“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off”
October 14, 2023, 5 PM – 6 PM
Main Stage
Bryan Lee O’Malley, BenDavid Grabinski & Edgar Wright are bringing back the beloved cult-classic world of Scott Pilgrim with the upcoming Netflix series, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. In this new reimagining of the beloved comics, Scott Pilgrim meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, but learns he must defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. Then things get even more complicated. Join Bryan & BenDavid for a Q&A and exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming anime series from UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, and animation studio, Science SARU. Based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley.
“One Piece Dub Villains Panel”
October 14, 2023, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Main Stage
Join Crunchyroll and Toei Animation for an early “One Piece” dub episode premiere screening followed by Q&A with the English dubbed voices for some of One Piece’s most iconic villains. Panelists: David Sobolov (English voice of Kaido), Gabe Kunda (English voice of King).
“The Owl House”
October 15, 2023, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Room 405
Come back to the Boiling Isles with Sarah-Nicole Robles (she/her; Luz Noceda), Avi Roque (they/them; Raine Whispers), Cissy Jones (she/her; Lilith Clawthorne), and Mela Lee (she/her; Kikimora) as they recount favorite stories from their time on The Owl House, and why giraffes are absolutely terrifying. This event is not being organized or sponsored by Disney.
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians”
October 15, 2023, 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Empire Stage
The highly anticipated Disney+ Original series makes its debut at New York Comic-Con with an exclusive sneak peek. Based on the best-selling book series by award-winning author Rick Riordan, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers. When the sky god, Zeus, accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt, Percy sets off on an adventure of a lifetime with his friends, Grover and Annabeth, to find it and restore order to Olympus. “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” will debut with a two-episode premiere on December 20 on Disney+.
MOVIE PANELS
(All panel descriptions are courtesy of New York Comic Con.)
Blumfest NYCC
October 12, 2023, 7 PM – 8 PM
Empire Stage
Blum is in the house. Blumhouse founder and reigning king of horror Jason Blum, the producer of “M3GAN,” the “Halloween” trilogy and “The Black Phone” reveals exclusive details about the company’s terrifying upcoming films, including “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” “Night Swim” and “Totally Killer.”
“Shudder Presents: The Latest in Horror”
October 13, 2023, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Main Stage
In celebration of the return of the popular V/H/S franchise – V/H/S/85 begins streaming on October 6 – Shudder brings together directors from each installment of the horror phenomenon to talk about their respective films, the horror genre today, the evolution of the franchise and what’s to come. The panel, moderated by Shudder’s VP of Programming Samuel Zimmerman, will feature David Bruckner (V/H/S/1), Chloe Okuno (V/H/S/94), Natasha Kermani (V/H/S/85), Jason Eisener (V/H/S/2), and Tyler McIntyre (V/H/S/99), among others.
“Karen Gillan, Chukwudi Iwuji, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn & Pom Klementieff In Conversation”
Star of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” gather for a discussion.
October 14, 2023, 11 AM – To Be Determined
Main Stage
“Matthew Vaughn: From Kick-Ass to Kingsman to Argylle”
October 14, 2023, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Empire Stage
With his brand new spy thriller “Argylle in the can, master filmmaker Matthew Vaughn takes you behind the curtain of the blockbusters that could only come from his twisted mind, including “Kick-Ass,” “The Kingsman” films, “X-Men: First Class,” “Stardust” and “Layer Cake.”
“Good Burger 2”
October 15, 2023, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Main Stage
This panel will feature never-before-seen clips and artwork from “Good Burger 2,” the all-new Paramount+ original movie and sequel to the iconic ‘90s feature film based on the sketch from Nickelodeon’s hit comedy series “All That.” “Good Burger 2” will premiere later this year exclusively on Paramount+.
Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City, the dramatic film “Rare Objects” (based on the 2016 novel of the same name) has a predominantly white cast of characters (with a few African Americans and Latin people) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: A working-class college student, who is recovering from trauma in her personal life, gets a job at a high-end antiques store, where she meets some eccentric people who have backgrounds that are very different from hers.
Culture Audience: “Rare Objects” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of star/director Katie Holmes and slow-moving movies that don’t have much that’s interesting to say.
Katie Holmes in “Rare Objects” (Photo courtesy of IFC Films)
“Rare Objects” is a boring slog of a film with a flimsy plot and main characters who sound very phony. Katie Holmes has directed yet another cinematic misfire in which she’s cast herself as the star. Her awkward over-acting in “Rare Objects” does not help.
Holmes co-wrote the turgid “Rare Objects” screenplay with Phaedon A. Papadopoulos. They adapted the screenplay from Kathleen Tesaro’s 2016 novel of the same name. “Rare Objects” does something that most movies that take place in New York City don’t do: It actually makes vibrant, “love it or hate it” New York City look dull. The story in “Rare Objects” is fairly unfocused and doesn’t seem to have much of an idea about what do with the main characters, who sort of meander along in life and have very shallow conversations.
“Rare Objects” begins by showing protagonist Benita Parla (played by Julia Mayorga) in a major life slump. Benita is a student at the City University of New York, but she’s taking a break from school because she had an abortion after getting pregnant from rape. She also temporarily checked herself into a psychiatric facility for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Benita has flashbacks about the rape throughout most of the movie. Her rapist was on a dinner date with her on the night that he raped her. During this dinner date, he told her that he was new to the area and worked in finance. These flashbacks are put into the movie without further exploration about what these memories are doing to Benita.
Adding to Benita’s woes, she’s not completely over her ex-boyfriend Anthony (played by Giancarlo Vidrio), whom she hasn’t seen in a while. Benita decides to suddenly visit Anthony unannounced. He’s surprised to see her and tells Benita something that she doesn’t want to hear: He’s getting married. Any hope that Benita might have had that she and Anthony would get back together is now gone.
Benita has kept the rape and abortion a secret from most people who are close to her, including her best friend Angie (played by Olivia Gilliatt), who is a single mother to a baby. And so, when Benita tells her immigrant single mother Aymee Parla (played by Saundra Santiago), who works as a seamstress, that she’s taking a break from school and wants to move back in with Aymee, Aymee’s reaction is one of judgmental disappointment. Aymee thinks that Benita is just being a lazy flake, but ultimately she supports Benita’s decision and lets Benita move back in with her.
Benita is stressed-out about her student loans. Aymee tells Benita to be grateful for the opportunities that Benita has and to “just pray.” However, “just praying” doesn’t pay Benita’s bills, so she starts looking for a job. She sees an ad for a job as a sales assistant at the Colony Club, an upscale antiques store. Benita doesn’t know anything about antiques, so she goes into the interview with a “fake it ’til you make it” mindset.
Colony Club owner Peter Kessler (played by Alan Cumming) interviews Benita. Peter has high standards and is very fussy. He’s an elitist, but he’s not a mean-spirited person. Peter can sense that Benita doesn’t know much about antiques, but he hires her anyway because she seems pleasant and very eager to learn. He tells Benita that her job requires greeting and assisting clients and to be “attentive but un-presuming.”
A great deal of “Rare Objects” shows Benita working in the store and meeting a range of people who are usually wealthy. Two of those people are Diana Van der Laar (played by Holmes) and her brother James Van Der Laar (played by David Alexander Flinn), who have a slightly weird, overly co-dependent relationship. Diana takes a liking to Benita, and it isn’t long before Benita is hanging out with Diana when Benita isn’t working.
Diana has a lot of issues. She uses illegal drugs, and she’s spent time in a psychiatric facility through involuntary admission. Diana blames her haughty socialite mother Linda Van der Laar (played by Candy Buckley) for most of the emotional damage that Diana has. There’s a lot of cringeworthy dialogue in “Rare Objects,” and most of it comes from Diana.
When Benita tells Diana that she was raped, Diana’s response is: “When you think about it, it was a bad dream, like it never happened.” When the conversation turns to whether or not Diana and Benita have ever fallen in love with someone, Diana says to Benita: “Our mothers teach us how to be desired, but not how to be loved. I think you’re a goddess, made more perfect by experience.”
The movie is about two-thirds over when another character awkwardly shows up: His name is Ben Winshaw (played by Derek Luke), who is a married father working for the Colony Club, but he was away when Benita was hired. Benita is surprised to meet him because Peter never told her about Ben. In this role, Luke (who is American in real life) has a very fake-sounding Caribbean accent that we do not need to hear. “Rare Objects” starts to set up a subplot about a rivalry between Benita and Ben, but this subplot ultimately goes nowhere.
The character of Ben (and the phony accent that Luke gives this character) can best be described as “unnecessary” to this movie. One might assume that Luke is in “Rare Objects” because he was in Holmes’ 2022 flop “Alone Together,” which she wrote and directed. This Ben character looks like a role that was given to a friend so the friend could have a job, even though the role is not essential to the story. There’s nothing about “Rare Objects” that’s essential viewing, unless you want to see a lot of mediocre-to-bad acting in a lackluster movie that most people will forget soon after seeing it.
IFC Films released “Rare Objects” in U.S. cinemas, digital and VOD on April 14, 2023.
