Movies Extravaganza 23: BLINK TWICE, IT ENDS WITH US, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, IT WAS ALL A DREAM, DREAMS IN NIGHTMARES, INKY PINKY PONKEY

If you liked “Triangle of Sadness”, “Glass Onion” and “The Menu”, then you’ll most likely enjoy “Blink Twice” as it feels like a mashup of the three. Not to take anything away from Zoë Kravitz‘s screenwriting and directorial debut, as I feel she’s proven she has a knack for both. There’s a good number of little clues and lines that seem organic to the story while watching, but after, you realize, Oh! that was foreshadowing for this Or that’s why that character said or did X (not the lighter, that was overkill). Nothing is meant to be an unbelievably clever twist, as you know going in things are not as they seem, and the women will find themselves in danger; yet there is just enough that I didn’t realize was happening early on that makes me want to watch it again, and see things from a slightly different perspective.

We first meet friends Frida (Naomie Ackie, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) in their grungy apartment. Jess is asking Frida for her portion of the rent. Frida says she’s spent it on a surprise for Jess. Jess’s doesn’t love this – but seems to understand Frida well enough that she lets it go. We soon find out they are both cater waiters working special events. Frida is excited to be working this particular event again, as it’s for famous tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum). He’s sexy, gorgeous and a former bad boy full of contrition and seeking public forgiveness. It seems he was semi-cancelled a year or so ago, but removed himself from the spotlight, sought therapy and has been healing and trying to find himself, while living on his private island. There’s an overall playful element to the film, juxtaposed with the feeling of foreboding. We’re not meant to buy Slater King is a reformed man, but we do feel he’s cool, and even cooler that he seems genuinely attracted to Frida. The invitation he extends for them to join his entourage as they head off to his island, would be too hard to resist. It would feel like a once in a lifetime opportunity to see how the other half lives. I don’t think I would turn down a brief affair with a fun, wealthy, playboy in a fabulous locale.

The others in Slater’s entourage seem typical, a mix of young female socialites or perhaps groupies, and an older personal assistant. The guys seem like they either come from wealthy families or have made some good business moves. Or they all work for Slater King Industries. It’s kinda hard to say, but it’s a constant, sumptuous party, with clothing, toiletries and more provided for everyone. The only minor concern being the yellow snakes that seem to fully inhabit the island, and the eerie island woman whose job it is to kill them.

As good a time as everyone seems to be, and keeps saying they’re having, we do feel the tension and suspense building steadily with every presumably lovely day into party filled night. Eventually this psychological thriller does delve into some very horrific scenes; yet never becomes horror. Kravitz obviously wants to entertain, while working in a social satire on what women are asked to push down, forgive and forget.

Rating: 4 outta 5

I never hear about popular books anymore until they become movies. I don’t have the attention span to read a book any longer, but that shouldn’t preclude me from knowing what’s been a best seller, regardless of the genre, but I feel as someone who grew up on romance novels, I should be somewhat aware, yet this was the first I’d heard of Colleen Hoover; who’s an Executive Producer on the movie; so, unlike the way I understand the movie “The Idea of You” is almost nothing like the book by Robinne Lee, Colleen Hoover was on set throughout the filming of “It Ends with Us”, so hopefully it doesn’t miss the mark for the fans of the novel.

Blake Lively, who plays the lead Lily Bloom, is made for this type of role – her big smile, shining eyes, cascading locks, long legs and overall appealing personality, is what’s needed to sell this type of movie. By the same token, the extremely sensual, swarthy, good looks and muscular frame of director/lead Justin Baldoni, who plays Ryle, and the all American farm boy sexiness of Atlas (Brandon Sklenar) is the other important half of that sale. Yet, I can’t help but wonder, given the crux of the story is about two generations of women suffering physical abuse from the men that love them, wouldn’t the story be taken more seriously without the glamour and Hallmark overtones?

I mean I literally left the theater saying, well, if Ryle was in my bed, I think I could put up with a little roughing up here and there. Terrible thing to say, I know. Abuse is no joking matter, but you get my point. I was more captivated with Lily’s jewelry and the masculine thrift store coats she throws casually over gorgeous runway gowns, then I was with her finding strength to admit there’s a problem with her marriage.

Also, I don’t know if Lily is younger in the book, but it made no sense to me that it would take Lily this long to open up her frigging flower shop. She’s white, gorgeous, an only child, and comes from a well-off family, there’s nothing that I could see as an impediment to her having achieved this dream before now. Yet it’s unclear what she’d been doing up until she comes home for her father’s funeral.

It’s interesting that Colleen agreed to sell the rights to a man, and it’s pretty interesting that Baldoni felt like this was a property he’d like to produce and direct. He wasn’t thinking of it as a acting vehicle for himself, that came later. I like that Baldoni says in his CBS Morning interview, that he’d like everyone to come away from the movie no longer asking why do women stay? But rather why do men do harm?

Rating: 3 outta 5

As often as Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) makes a reference to Wolverine (Huge Jackman) in the first two movies, I suppose I should have been waiting for this match up, but I didn’t have it on my wish list. And then after the movie Logan, I truly felt Jackman had retired his adamantium claws for good. So for me, Deadpool and Wolverine is like a snow day the weathermen didn’t predict. It’s just all unexpected fun and frolic!

And truly that’s the obvious intention, light on plot, big on breaking the 4th Wall, violent battles they both know they can’t win or lose, homoerotic overtones, cameos galore and overall stupidity. It’s glorious!

They do manage to use Loki’s ATV (Time Variance Authority) to assist in the storytelling, which gives it some shape and reason. Anyone who hasn’t watched Loki on Disney+ (2 seasons) is not going to really get the nuances, but there’s enough explanation that you’ll get the gist. Of course there’s no Kang or Kang references, still so mad at Jonathan Majors for f’n things up for himself and the MCU. But they’ll figure themselves out. In the meantime, we get this gem, to play with timelines and variants and the ugliest pooch the world has ever seen!

Check out Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds on Hot Ones. It would seem spicy wings are Deadpool and Wolverine’s Kryptonite.   Rating: 4.5 outta 5

Rating: 3.5 outta 5

Old college friends on a road trip may not sound innovative, but I have to say, “Dreams in Nightmares” does a fantastic job of making it feel fresh. Z is in a very intimate relationship with Reece, it looks like a traditional hetero romance when they wake up in bed and Z describes her reoccurring dream; but later we see Reece is also in an open and intimate relationship with a colorful trans person. And maybe Z is a lesbian, that’s never clear.  She has a close friend Tasha, who I assumed was born female, until a scene at a club reveals otherwise. Tasha’s roommate, Lauren, is obviously a trans woman. The last person in this squad is Kel, who no one has heard from in months. It’s this worry that sets Z, Tasha and Lauren on a road trip across the Midwest to find Kel.

It’s impossible to describe the film without talking about genders and sexuality, but that’s not truly the crux of the story. The humor is authentic, situational and character based, at times catching me off guard. But mainly, it’s about people in their early 30’s trying to figure out what makes them happy and what sacrifices may be too high a cost to keep paying as they navigate this thing we all do here on earth, and knowing friendships make it all a little easier.

Cast: Denée Benton, Mars Storm Rucker, Dezi Bing, Sasha Compere, Charlie Barnett, Molly Bernard, Alfie Fuller, Malek Mouzon, Joss Barton, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Regina Taylor, Robert Wisdom

Rating: 3 outta 5