Clayface – Review

Clayface – Budget of $30 – 44 million – 1 hour and 48 minutes

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Actor Matt Hagan anxiously waits for the Academy to announce their nominees for Best Male Actor. When they call his name, Matt walks away to cry alone. Afterward, Matt’s best friend, aspiring actor Corey, takes Matt to a club. A beautiful woman, Mia, recognizes him. She wants to be an actor too. She gives Matt a drug, and they kiss. Corey pulls Matt aside and warns him that Mia is dating crime boss Markos. Matt doesn’t care and takes Mia home. 

Matt wakes to Markos and his goons standing by his bed. Mia jumps out, and Markos tells her to go. Markos’s goon holds Matt down while Markos cuts up Matt’s face. The ambulance takes Matt to the hospital, and they save him. However, his scars are significant. Matt’s manager, Frank, begs Matt to let it go. But Matt wants to go to trial. Matt grew up in Gotham City’s Narrows and saw mobsters get away with crimes. He doesn’t want to be another nameless victim. Frank warns him that this will be costly. So, Matt puts up his apartment as collateral and makes Frank his power of attorney. Markos’s mob ties prove too powerful. Mia claims Matt drugged and attacked her, and his school friends say Matt is a menace. Soon, Matt loses his career, agency, home, and money. Matt moves back to the Narrows. He examines his life through magazine articles. He rips out a page and sees an ad for Dr. Caitlyn Coor. She works with nanotechnology to heal degenerative disease. She was doing good research until her investor stole her idea for a makeup company.

Matt finds Caitlyn’s office and begs for a treatment. She explains that it’s illegal because the nanotech hasn’t been approved for human trials. He’s willing to sign anything to absolve her. Caitlyn relents after hours of watching Matt’s interviews. She gives Matt weekly injections and monitors his progress. After 12 weeks, Matt’s scars are gone. He wants to celebrate by bringing Caitlyn to a red carpet premiere of a play that fired him after his attack. She says no because she’s engaged to Detective John and warns him to stay off the red carpet until she can conduct more tests. Matt goes to the premiere anyway and shocks everyone with his new face. His old agent, Hildie, asks him to rejoin her agency but notices something wrong with Matt’s eye. Matt sees his reflection and runs to Caitlyn’s office. She gives Matt another shot. Then, Caitlyn runs to the freezer for pain reliever. Matt grabs Caitlyn’s needle and injects all the nanites into his body. He has a painful reaction but heals. 

Now, Matt enjoys life. He falls on the basketball court and checks his face. It heals on its own. Matt goes home and cuts his face with a scalpel. His skin and blood absorb back into his body, healing him. Matt runs to show Caitlyn, and she records it. He wants to tell the world, but Caitlyn says no. They will arrest her, and he will become an experiment. He agrees. For the first time in his life, Matt feels invincible. What will he do with his newfound powers?  

This horror film has jump scares and moments that will make you squirm. This plot tells an intriguing villain story. Viewers will side with Matt as he suffers multiple tragedies. The beginning lays out a good man who overcomes a tough upbringing. Matt is still kind, polite, and fun. He knows everyone’s name on set and is respectful. Seeing his downfall is heartbreaking. One mistake and a corrupt system ruined everything. The director used practical effects and location shooting to help the audience focus on the plot. It’s wonderfully terrifying to see Matt cut his face or scissor his eye apart. The editor did an outstanding job amplifying Matt’s transforming abilities by flipping between characters in a scene. It’s a testament to the actors’ ability to play Matt, play them, and make it believable. The script is one of the best villain arcs from DC Studios. With no post- or end-credit scenes, you don’t see Clayface’s final form until the end, but it’s worth it. This film will become a favorite. 

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

You know me; guilty until proven innocent – John

He’s pretty – Markos

It is tomorrow – Matt

The best revenge is to live your life well – Caitlyn

Wicker – Review

Wicker – Budget of $10 million – 1 hour and 45 minutes

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The fisherwoman arrives in town with her day’s catch. The tailor’s wife and her sister-in-law, the doctor’s daughter, joke about the smell. The fisherwoman compliments the basketmaker on the hooks he had created for her before heading home. The fisherwoman sits by her fire, eats, and goes to bed. She attends the doctor’s daughter’s wedding. Now, she will be known as the bottlewasher’s wife. After the ceremony, all the unmarried women and girls get an egg. Two girls fight, and one egg falls near the fisherwoman’s foot. Each girl and woman shakes their egg, and yellow dust spills out. Everyone is aghast when they see purple smoke in the fisherwoman’s face. She will be the next to get married. The tailor’s wife scoffs and quips that the fisherwoman should take any man, no matter what. The fisherwoman leaves town and charges to the basketmaker. She asks him to make her a husband. He considers it an odd request but doesn’t judge paying customers. He tells her to be at the chapel in a month. 

One month later, the fisherwoman arrives at the church and finds a man standing at the altar. He is made entirely of wicker. He knows his purpose is to marry her, and they do. Rumors spread. Most women are intrigued by the skillful man who’s passionate in the bedroom. However, the tailor’s wife believes it is an abomination. The town sees the fisherwoman’s husband for the first time during a reception. Women stare at him as he admires the fisherwoman. The wives complain about their husbands’ inattention, while the husbands grumble about their wives’ neediness. The tailor’s wife thinks the fisherwoman’s husband has caused chaos in their small community and vows to end it. Can the fisherwoman and her husband’s love last?

Based on The Wicker Husband by Ursula Wills, this film is the most authentic romantic fantasy comedy ever written (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It bucks marriage traditions while showing their beauty. The audience may notice that none of the characters have names. The men are defined by what they do, while the women are know for being their wives or daughters. This highlights what society values in both men and women. The only person who stands apart is the fisherwoman. She is an orphan whom everyone ridicules. The comedy is a pearl-clutching good time. Some jokes are obvious, like the bedroom scenes. Others, like the marriage collar, are subtle. The makeup department created a magnificent look for the fisherwoman’s husband. He can express emotions while looking like a basket. The prosthetic pieces enhanced the actor’s performance. The love story between the fisherwoman and her husband didn’t feel forced, although he was created. The plot kept a steady pace and balance. The only downfall was the sound editing. The actors’ voices were garbled at times. Otherwise, this film is an instant classic and a frontrunner for award season. 

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

This is not your fault – Tailor’s Wife

Easier to believe the bad than the good – Fisherwoman

A man’s work is greater than the man himself – Basketmaker

You can trust me – Fisherwoman’s Husband

Street Fighter – Review

Street Fighter – Budget of $82 million – 2 hours and 0 minutes

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In 1987, fighters compete in the World Warrior tournament. After Ryu wins, his mentor, Gouken, asks Ryu’s adopted brother, Ken, to protect Ryu from himself. Ryu summoned a demon named Akuma when he used Hadou to win the match. After Akuma kills Gouken, the brothers go their separate ways. Ryu goes into hiding, and Ken becomes a wild superstar. 

Six years later, Ken’s manager, Dan, wakes Ken up. An unknown woman introduces herself as Chun-Li. She works for Lord Bison, who is using his arena to host the second World Warrior tournament. He sent Chun-Li on a mission to find the world’s best fighters to compete. Chun-Li picks Ken and Ryu. Ken agrees, but can’t reveal Ryu’s location. Chun-Li finds Ryu, and he rejects her until Akuma threatens to kill the winner. Ryu knows Ken will be the best in the tournament. So, he will enter, win, and face Akuma. However, he has to find a place in the match because Chun-Li filled all 8 slots after he rejected her.

Chun-Li returns to Bison. He’s happy she found fighters, but she didn’t get his most highly coveted fighter, Ryu. Bison wants to extract Ryu’s powers for himself. Chun-Li feigns a smile because she’s working undercover. She’s an Interpol agent on a revenge mission. She will do anything to bring Bison to justice. Chun-Li prepares to put her plan into action when she learns that Ryu will join the tournament. Ryu must save Ken from Akuma. Will they fall to Lord Bison or die at Akuma’s hands?

Based on Street Fighter, this film mixes anime with an action film (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). The editors presented Ken’s memories in an anime style. The style is clean and bright, with layers of authenticity. It also allows the story to pull off more magical elements. The plot has fans’ favorite video game characters and their fighting style. The makeup and costume department studied the video game characters’ style and perfectly imitated their outlandish looks. However, the script examines only a few backstories. The film starts funny and action-packed. In the middle, it has a lull that’s too hard to overcome. The film could be 30 minutes shorter and still be impactful. The post-credit scene leaves the door open for part two, but will viewers want it? Without a compelling storyline, the second movie should go to streaming.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

This is going to sting a little – Cammy

Yo, can I keep this – Ken

Envy is the seed on which evil grows – Gouken

I see something in you – Lord Bison

If you want to save him, fight me – Akuma

How disappointing – Chun-Li

I’m sorry – Ryu

Whalefall – Review

Whalefall – Budget of $60 million – 1 hour and 46 minutes

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Jay accompanies his mother, Zara, to the cemetery but refuses to see his father’s grave. Jay doesn’t want to visit an empty grave after his father, diver Mitt, ended his life after the doctors diagnosed him with mesothelioma. Mitt wrote 3 letters, added weights to his body, and jumped off his boat. Jay returns to Zara’s home and laughs with his sisters, Eva and Nan. Eva asks Jay if he opened his father’s letter. Jay confesses he hasn’t.

Jay sneaks out in the morning after leaving a note for Zara. He wants to find his father’s remains. Jay straps on an ocean tank, adds batteries to his pocket for weight, and checks his gear. He sees the Coast Guard by the water because an incoming storm stirs up the orcas. Jay slips past the Coast Guard and dives. It’s been years since he went diving. Jay sits at the edge of a sea canyon and sees a skull-like figure in the distance. He swims down to it, but it’s a rock. Jay hears something before a giant squid swims out of the canyon. He flees when he sees the sperm whale chasing it. The whale captures the squid and swims toward Jay. Jay tries to get out of the way, but the squid’s tentacles grab him. Jay opens his eyes and realizes he is inside the whale’s stomach. He takes off his mask but can’t breathe. Jay’s O2 meter displays that he has 45 minutes of air. Can Jay free himself?

Based on Whalefall by Daniel Kraus, this thriller balances its pacing between Jay’s survival and his flashbacks (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). As he struggles to live, Jay remembers what Mitt taught him. The writers created a tense father-son relationship that drives the story forward. Each memory brings Jay peace or a new skill. It also explains why Jay had to do this while adding heart to the plot. These moments help the audience overcome claustrophobia. The set designer created a practical whale, and having Jay surrounded by whale stomachs amplifies your fear. The script had Jay move through several organs and face real danger in each. Jay tries solutions the audience could consider. The sound engineer ensured the audience could understand Jay even with a breathing apparatus in his mouth. You will groan for each of Jay’s setbacks, flinch at his injuries, and hold your breath at each attempt. This film is a wonderful survival story if you can stomach it.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

All he talks about is you – Eva

You are who he’s holding on for – Nan

If you die, I die – Jay

You won’t make it. You have soft lungs – Mitt