The weekend is finally upon us, and with it brings a slew of new viewing options, both in theaters and on various streaming services. The ScreenRant reviews team has got you covered, with our takes on all the big and small films available for the mᴀsses as moviegoers settle into their weekends.
The ScreenRant team has reviews from the two biggest theatrical new releases — Universal’s Black Phone 2 and Lionsgate’s Good Fortune — the latter of which is expected to easily top the box office this weekend. We also have reviews of the indie films Blue Moon — which reunites Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater — and The Mastermind, the latest from auteur Kelly Reichardt.
For those who plan on staying at home this weekend, we’ve got you covered as well. There are new reviews of Netflix’s new Roald Dahl adaptation of The Twits, plus a 25-years-later review of the iconic classic Battle Royale, as it returned to theaters ever so briefly last week. Take a look at excerpts from each review below.
Black Phone 2
While critics seemed to embrace this horror sequel from director Scott Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill — which debuted with 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently at 72% — ScreenRant’s own Graeme Guttman was not quite as enthusiastic, as you can see in this excerpt below.
That Black Phone 2 is beholden to the events of the first film is both a blessing and a curse. It expands on the mythology of The Grabber, connecting him to Finney and Gwen on a deeper level. But, one can’t help but wonder if that’s not holding the film back… The Grabber is beholden to their emotional journey.
Read Graeme Guttman’s full review of Black Phone 2.
Good Fortune
Lionsgate’s Good Fortune had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and our own Rachel Labonte was among the first to see it on the big screen. The celestial comedy debuted with a strong 75% on Rotten Tomatoes after the premiere, and it has since improved to 77%, with Rachel among many to sing its praises.
Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune contains what just might be the most endearing character of the year thus far: Gabriel, an earnest angel tasked with stopping people from texting and driving who is eager to do more with his powers of divine intervention. The set-up is already strong, but it becomes even greater thanks to the person playing Gabriel: Keanu Reeves.
Read Rache Labontel’s full Good Fortune review.
Blue Moon
Ethan Hawke reunites with his longtime collaborator Richard Linklater for the first time in over a decade (since 2014’s Boyhood) to tell a unique piece of Broadway history with Blue Moon. The biopic focuses on playwright Lorenz Hart (Hawke) – the former partner of Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) before he teamed up with Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney).
ScreenRant‘s own Rachel Labonte was on hand for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) screening ahead of its theatrical release this weekend. While she wasn’t too keen on the opening, Labonte was ultimately mesmerized by the final product.
As a character study, Blue Moon is imperfect, but its smart framing of a pivotal moment in Hart’s life elevates it. I may not have been on board with every moment, but the ending has lingered in my brain since I first saw it, and for that reason alone, I think Linklater has pulled off something almost remarkable.
Read Rachel Labonte’s full review of Blue Moon.
The Mastermind
Beloved indie director Kelly Reichardt (Showing Up, First Cow) returns to the big screen with The Mastermind, which was inspired by the true story of a brazen art heist in 1972 where paintings by Rembrandt, Picᴀsso, and Gaugin were stolen. Josh O’Connor stars as the тιтle character who lives a double life as a family man and an art thief.
O’Connor has been earning rave reviews thus far as the film arrives in limited release, with ScreenRant’s own Gregory Nussen is among the many critics who are offering heaps of praise on the unique heist film.
Through the period and genre trappings of a 1970s heist film, Reichardt explores the inherent isolation of staying neutral at a time of ballooning cultural and political unrest. She sees the parallels with today and exploits them through the lens of someone whose talent and charm belies a wayward resignation.
Read Gregory Nussen’s full review of The Mastermind.
The Twits
Roald Dahl’s 1980 children’s novel The Twits comes to life in this animated musical comedy from Netflix, though it hasn’t been a critical darling like many other projects arriving this weekend. It debuted with 50% on Rotten Tomatoes upon arriving on the streaming service, though it has since improved slightly to 57%, though still not in “Fresh” territory yet.
ScreenRant‘s own Gregory Nussen had a much more favorable view of the film than most critics, calling it a “raucously good and gross time” in his 8/10 review, where he examines the film’s themes at length.
While the film may thematically point to real-world struggles in the United States, The Twits is mostly an accessible story about the power of empathy in the face of naked evil, all to the tune of about a thousand fart jokes. On the mayoral candidate debate stage, the Twits claim that their open thievery has been done for the benefit of the citizens, and then they (literally) make Mayor John-John’s ʙuтт explode with a poisoned cake. High-brow themes, low-brow humor indeed.
Read Gregory Nussen’s full review of The Twits.
Battle Royale
While it was never released theatrically in the United States, Kinji Fukasaku’s Battle Royale has gained a worldwide cult following in the 25 years since its release. Director Quentin Tarantino called it his favorite film released since he started his directorial career with Reservoir Dogs and it has landed on several “best of” lists throughout the years.
With the film given a limited re-release this week, ScreenRant‘s Gregory Nussen went back and explored the film’s legacy and the themes of survival that have continued to pop up in films that seem to have been inspired by this controversial Japanese classic.
It’s been 25 years since Battle Royale first came out, and its vast media legacy is ubiquitous. This year alone has seen the release of Squid Game‘s final season and The Long Walk‘s long-anticipated adaptation. The second Hunger Games prequel (and the sixth in that series) is set for release at the end of next year.
From The Purge series to Ready or Not to The Belko Experiment, Kinji Fukusaku’s exercise in cynical brutality remains entrenched in the zeitgeist as much for its absurdist conception of violence as its reflection of a society that continues to gamify the very act of survival.
Read Gregory Nussen’s full review of Battle Royale.
