Review: "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" Ups the Ante to Glorious Results

by Christopher James

Sometimes, bigger is actually better.

Over Thanksgiving weekend in 2019, Knives Out became a sleeper hit, delivering a perfectly fun and witty whodunnit perfect for all generations. The Netflix sequel, Glass Onion, ups the ante in every way possible. The set is bigger, the cast is starrier, the cameos are plentiful. Despite the excess on screen, none of the magic of the original is lost. In fact, Glass Onion improves on the original, taking a character we know and love and thrusting him into a funnier and more zany mystery. The heart is still there so sign me up for plenty more chapters of Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) solving elaborate mysteries.

For those concerned, never fear. No major spoilers are ahead. The latest Benoit Blanc tale, which just opened in cinemas, deserves to be seen with as fresh of eyes as possible...

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Review: Stuber

by Dancin' Dan

Stu is a nice guy. Far too much of a nice guy, in fact. After he clocks out from his job working a big-box sports store, he cleans his car and clocks in to Uber, enduring all the assholes and drunks that use the car service in and around Los Angeles. He does this to get the money to help his best friend Becca open an all-women spin center, because he's also hopelessly in love with her. So after a rash of particularly bad (and mostly unfair) Uber reviews puts his precious star rating in jeopardy, and taciturn cop Vic Manning gets in his car, Stu is willing to do just about anything to make sure he gets a five-star rating. The problem is, Vic is reeling from the death of his partner, has just gotten a lead on his killer, and just had Lasik eye surgery. He can't see, and needs someone to drive him. Let the sparks - and laughs - fly.

Yes, the plot of Stuber is pretty boilerplate buddy comedy stuff. But it gains a lot from its casting...

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Old Man and the Link

• EFA You can now vote on the People's Choice Award at the European Film Awards and maybe win a trip to the ceremony (strange choices this year. I don't like it when it's easy to decide!)
• Variety Buzzy titles at TIFF without a distributor that are hoping to inspire big sales / awards buzz -a la I Tonya last year
• NWI Robert Redford's swan song in Old Man and the Gun
• Playbill Megan Hilty singing "Suddenly Seymour" (!) from Little Shop of Horrors
• Bobby Rivers TCM's "The Black Experience on Film" - set your DVRs
• Deadline Cats, the movie musical, has moved into Wicked's previous release date December 20th, 2019. It's so weird that Cats is going to happen before Wicked when the latter so clearly needs to be a movie and the former so clearly shouldn't.
• The Playlist Dave Bautista not sure if he wants to continue his Marvel Universe contract post James Gunn firing
• The New Yorker great piece on the shaming of character actor Geoffrey Owens for his grocery bagging job on the side
• Vulture let these photos of Lady Gaga be your air conditioning
• Film School Rejects Crazy Rich Asian's had a historically big Labor Day weekend. It's also the first romcom to win that weekend since Bring It On in 2000!
• Next Best Picture a potential controversy for A Star is Born
• Gothamist the Village Voice is officially dead, after publishing since 1955 *sniffle*

Finally, over at Towleroad I shared feelings about the Summer Movie Season as we bid it goodbye. You've heard most of that article's introduction feelings before here at TFE but if you want to see the silly awards I handed out like "sexiest men," "stealth MVPs," and "best quotes", click on over.

Blade Runner 2049's Three Prequel Shorts. Excited Yet?

What’s good? My name is Salim Garami. You may have read my stuff at Movie Motorbreath under my initials, STinG, where I sometimes participated in Nathaniel's "Best Shot" series. I’m happy to be here writing my very first post for The Film Experience.

What better way to introduce myself than to explore one of my favorite movies of all time Blade Runner and its imminent follow-up Blade Runner 2049. This week has been filled with whoppers of new revelations on the sequel - from director Denis Villeneuve saying the theatrical 163-minute version is his final cut to the late great David Bowie being the original choice for apparent antagonist Niander Wallace or the initial responses from advance screenings, some even suggesting it surpasses the original. 

All of these stories - as well as my recent positive turnaround on Villeneuve in consideration of his last three films - are more than enough to keep me anticipating rather than dreading the science fiction extravaganza...

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New Spectre Pic

Jason shared this last night at MNPP due to Dave Bautista's violent but potentially sexy manhandling of Daniel Craig ...as Jason would. The second I saw the picture I was all 'ohmygod, Léa Seydoux's wearing a blue satin gown!'

Ladies and gentlemen, the secret to the franchise's 50+ years of fandom -- there's truly something for everyone!