This hidden gem borrows elements from "Psycho", but still manages to be fresh. It stars Anthony Hopkins as a ventriloquist who gets noticed by a TV company. However, the reason he's so good at his job is because he has a personality disorder, unable to make the act stop, and his agent notices this.
Meanwhile, he tries to rekindle a high school romance, at odds with her husband. These obstacles are perceived as threats by the dummy, which seems to have a mind of its own, and things turn dangerous.
What separates "Magic" from "Psycho" is that the dummy is on full display, rather than being hidden like Norman Bates' mother. Anthony Hopkins gives a manic performance, and the agent, played by Burgess Meredith, contrasts this in a way that creates nervous tension. At one point, he challenges the main character
not to use his dummy for five minutes, and they sit silently, while you just know he's not going to make it. Ann-Margret plays the former high school sweetheart, which foreshadows the love triangle in "Grumpy Old Men" 15 years later. The dialogue is also unique in this movie, with "f-ck" being inserted mid-word every time, such as "abso-f*cking-lutely".
"Magic" was disowned by 20th Century Fox and acquired by Dark Sky Films. Did Fox even watch the movie? The performances border on Oscar-worthy, and the plot takes genuinely surprising turns. It's one of the best forgotten horror films.
Available on DVD and Blu-Ray
Grade: B+
Jim Carrey was in three major Hollywood productions in 1994, and his best would have to be "The Mask". It allows him to channel his cartoonish energy in literal form, and unlike in "The Pest", it actually makes sense. Taking place in Edge City, a bank clerk named Stanley Ipkiss finds a wooden mask in a river, which unbeknownst to him, is powered by the Norse gods.
When he puts it on, it unexpectedly turns him into a cartoon character with all of his repressed emotions, causing chaos. When he barges into the criminal-operated Coco Bongo nightclub, he catches the attention of Dorian Tyrell, who wants to gain control of the club. After suspecting that Stanley is behind the Mask, he sees obtaining it as
his opportunity.
"The Mask" may seem like a typical Jim Carrey comedy, but it was actually a big risk for New Line Cinema. They were primarily known for horror at the time, and were slated to make a more faithful, ultra-violent adaptation of the comic book series. Instead, they saw the potential in Jim Carrey, and restructured the film around him. Cameron Diaz, the love interest, was
a model with no acting experience, and the effects for the Mask had never been done before, combining makeup with CGI. All things considered, it's impressive how it turned out. The Mask's antics combine the influences of Fleischer Studios and Looney Tunes, and the plot subverts old Hollywood tropes, such as when there is an impromptu musical number. While Carrey would later expand to more serious roles,
this is arguably his most iconic role.
Available on VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, and Blu-Ray
Grade: B+
I'm beginning to see a pattern with A24. "Midsommar" is another technically excellent production, but the underlying story isn't given the same attention. It follows a woman whose sister committed suicide, prompting her to take a vacation in Sweden with her boyfriend. The two of them
are already drifting apart, and when the community they stay with turns out to be a psychotic cult, it activates the subtle things that were separating them.
The cult uses a deformed inbred person as their messiah, and executes the inhabitants at the age of 72 in brutal ways. When the protagonist's friends try to intervene, they find themselves trapped in a dangerous Midsommar festival. It takes a while to get to the kills, with long stretches of characters
making small talk over drugged tea. While these scenes are atmospheric, they have little bearing on the story, and neither does the suicide at the beginning. Still, the movie has an unsettling combination of beautiful Swedish scenery and festivities, with strange rituals that break unspoken expectations. At one point,
there is a communal sex scene. "Midsommar" eventually succeeds at being scary, but it could have been streamlined significantly.
Available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and UHD
Grade: B-
"Moonlight" isn't bad, but I prefer the other movie in the 2017 Oscars mix-up. This one follows a black boy growing up and coming to terms with his homosexuality, and this self-discovery manifests itself in various ways.
While it isn't often that black and gay life are viewed through an intersectional lens, the movie is divided into three acts - childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Between those acts are huge gaps, making you
wonder what happened during that time. "Moonlight" is artistically shot, but the character dynamics feel cold and disconnected.
Available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and UHD
Grade: C+
Fans of the game may immediately scoff at the PG-13 rating, but this adaptation of "Mortal Kombat" is a surprisingly fun watch. Shang Tsung is the host of Mortal Kombat, a martial arts tournament, luring Liu Kang by killing his brother.
Other fighters enter the competition for various reasons - Johnny Cage is a movie star who wants to prove he can fight for real, Sonya Blade is a Special Forces officer going after a crime boss with ties to the tournament, and so on. If the forces of the Outworld
dimension win Mortal Kombat one more time, they will reign supreme over Earth.
While a PG-13 rating prevents any human gore, there is plenty of creature gore, as well as brutal human deaths that avoid showing blood. The CGI effects are harder to defend - they often look superimposed onto the footage, ironically resembling video game polygons. Still, the fight
choreography is quite good, and the lore of the game is effectively recaptured. There are ample one-liners and an energetic soundtrack, always keeping you on your toes. "Mortal Kombat" may be a disappointment to gamers, but with an open mind, you'll find that it succeeds as
a martial arts movie.
Available on VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, and Blu-Ray
Grade: B-
"Movers & Shakers" is the only movie I know where the tagline describes the entire plot. "A new comedy about a movie that doesn't get made and the people who don't make it." Walter Matthau plays the protagonist, promising his dying friend
to turn a sex manual into a film adaptation. The studio executives are not efficient enough to get the project off the ground, and the characters ramble and wander for 80 minutes. Steve Martin makes a cameo appearance, but it's not enough to
save a movie when there really isn't one.
Available on VHS
Grade: D-
This comedy is...interesting. It features a street musician who turns into a demon whenever he's sexually aroused. When random people are killed, he begins to wonder if he's
unconsciously responsible, which poses a problem when he enters a relationship.
Scott Valentine's overacting is...something else. He behaves less like a person possessed by a demon and more like an animal that escaped from the zoo. The movie is unique in its attempt
to hybridize slasher horror and sex comedy. It does neither of those things particularly well, with hardly any killing or sex. Still, with heavy use of makeup effects and a soundtrack that reminds me of
a Sega Genesis game, there isn't quite anything like "My Demon Lover".
Available on VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray
Grade: C