Displaying items by tag: Martin Lawrence

MINDCAGE

US, 2022, 96 minutes, Colour.

Martin Lawrence, Melissa Roxburgh, John Malkovich, Rob Knepper, Aiden Turner.

Directed by Mauro Borelli.

For audiences who enjoy detective stories, especially in the pursuit of serial killers, Mindcage is an unexpected surprise.

The plot is quite complex. Six years earlier, a number of sex workers have been murdered, an artist using plaster, making them statues, adorning them lavishly, presenting them as angels. Jake, Martin Lawrence, was one of the detectives finding The Artist, but witnessing his partner pouring gasoline over himself and setting himself alight. He is still traumatised.

The film opens with a priest going into a church and discovering a victim, the plaster, the adornment, an angel. Once again Jake is involved in the investigation, working with his superior, Rob Knepper, but a difficult relationship with his partner, Mary. Mary is played with great strength, the main character in the film, by Melissa Roxburgh, a detective with a psychology background, and gradual revelation of a difficult upbringing, an abusive father, her marrying a former priest, her commitment to her work.

The key to the effectiveness of the serial killer is the presence and performance by John Malkovich, one of his most sinister. He is a controller, proud of his artwork and killings, some flashbacks to his childhood explaining why his victims were sex workers, the whole background of his artwork. Mary visits him in prison, his promise of collaboration, his knowing all about her, his background of illness, his seizures.

There are various suspects throughout the film, but a final revelation, twists, psychologically possible, or not, the final confrontation and Mary proving herself finally superior to The Artist.

1. A different serial killer drama? Investigation?
2. The American city, streets, police precincts, churches, prisons and cells, art studios, sinister homes and basements…? Atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The intricacy of the plot, the murders, The Artist, the pursuit, arrested, Jake and the death of his partner, setting himself alight, in prison, his cell, drawing, John Malkovich and his performance, presence, appearance, way of speaking, the doctor supervising him, the death sentence?
4. Jake, as a detective, his manner, with the authorities, with Mary, the tensions, the new murders, Mary as partner, the brutal relationship, discussions? Her volunteering to interview The Artist? Jake not going in, listening outside? His reactions, his story, memories, the investigation, the discussions with Mary?
5. Mary, her back story, her abusive father and burning his hand, his dying, Mary not going to see him, her marriage and relationship to her husband, former priest, the planned trip to Rome at the Vatican, devoted to her work? Psychology background? With Jake, her manner? With Lt Owings, his trust in her, backup? Going to the prison, the encounter with The Artist, the to and fro, her manner, the conditions, his wanting stay of execution, wanting his paints and artwork back? Her granting these? The paintings, the mythology, Samael and Lucifer, the art of Hieronymus Bosch?
6. The new killings, the opening in the church, the priest, the victim adorned as a lavish angel? The further killings, the women as sculptured, embalmed, decorated, angels? The moments of discovering, the shock for those finding the dead women? The backgrounds, sex workers? The kidnapping of the governor? Her being chained in the basement? The issue of the stay of execution?
7. Mary, the further discussions with The Artist, his knowing all about her life, her father in hospital and dying, the abuse in the past, her marrying the former priest, her dreams and anxieties? Issue of belief and disbelief?
8. The buildup, the discovery of the bodies, the chemicals used? The wings and the discovery of the bottle? The missing point of the compass? The later discovering the whole compass?
9. The vagrant and Mary, at the car, home invasion, suspect, death?
10. The Artist, the supervision of the psychiatrist, his phone calls, with Mary, promises, his seizures? And the flashbacks to his story, his art, his mother and sex work, her spurning his art, injuring him, the brain damage, two years in the wheelchair, looking out at the children, his sketching, discovering the art and the mythologies?
11. His giving the address, the discovery of the Lieutenant Governor? His sculpting Mary, her understanding, opening the sculpture, finding the address? Jake, his appearance, The Artist inhabiting him? The confrontation with Mary, her shooting him? The revelation about The Artist and his powers to inhabit other people? Inhabiting Jake, killing and designing the angels through him?
12. Mary, with the Lieutenant, with her husband, the aftermath, the plan to go to Rome? Her father’s funeral and going to see him?
13. The doctor appearing at the cemetery, possessed by The Artist, the turning of the tables, his sucking the end of the pen, Mary putting the poison on it, his death?
14. The ultimate impact of the various twists, art, madness, murder, detection?

BAD BOYS, RIDE OR DIE

US, 2024, 115 minutes, Colour.

Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Nunez, Eric Dane, Ioan Grffud, Jacob Scipio, Melanie Liburd, Tiffany Haddish, Joe Pantoliano..

Directed by Abdil el Arbi, Bilall Fallah.

Quick review: probably want everybody was expecting. So, it all depends on audience expectations!

Young audiences who enjoyed the original Bad Boys movie in 1995 are now approaching 50 (or have reached it). Audiences enjoyed a sequel in 2003 but there was a 17 year gap before the third Bad Boys movie in 2020. And, here they are again, Martin Lawrence a bit larger than life, playing a grandfather, Will Smith having an adult son, Armando, in prison for murder and drug dealing, who appeared in the third film.

So, that is the setting and the expectations – and, quite a number of the cast of Bad Boys 3 reappear, including Joe Pantoliano who has been in all four films as Captain Howard, who died in the previous film, is still dead but appearing in videos he had made as well as in some near death experiences for Martin Lawrence’s Markus.

In the middle of the film, Will Smith’s Mike has a panic attack and Marcus slaps his face, vigorously. So, reference to the famous Oscars slap by Will Smith on Chris Rock. Clearly, it is now time to look at the slap in perspective, an acknowledgement, some rehabilitation.

So, we get to know the Bad Boys once again, the jovial repartee and banter. Marcus has a heart attack, near death experience which convinces him that he cannot die now. And it happens at the wedding when Mike surprisingly becomes a husband again. But, we get into a whole lot of drug dealing, cartel brutality, the framing of the dead Captain Howard, his police daughter angry with the Bad Boys, their being targeted by her as well as by the cartel leaders, especially the ruthless Joe McGrath, played with sinister relish by Eric Dane.

As expected, there is a lot of action, helicopter action and crash, small plane crashing through an abandoned amusement park building, lots of shootouts, lots of fights, lots of Bad Boys heroism.

And, there is quite some sentiment, nostalgia and memories, friendships, saving lives, and emotions all the next generations.

Audiences can congratulate themselves because as soon as a smarmy character steps onto the scene early in the film, we are sure that he is going to turn out to be the smarmy contact with the cartels. And, as the climax builds up and there is reference to a giant albino alligator at the abandoned amusement pier, we are sure that his villain is going to end up in the alligator jaws. Not a  spoiler because we can work that one out for ourselves!

With its immediate box office success and Will Smith restored to popularity, it looks as though this Bad Boys film was what worldwide audiences were looking for.

1. The popularity of the films and stars for almost 30 years?
2. The Miami settings, the police, the FBI, the Mayor’s office, the cartels, crime, framing, the criminal situation?
3. Audience respond to Mike and Marcus, over 30 years, their friendship, repartee, the decades, getting older, Marcus as husband and grandfather, the extended family, Mike, his relationship with a Mondo, as marrying Christine? Their police work?
4. The early part of the film, getting to know them again, Mike and his wedding, Marcus and the collapse, the near death experience, Captain Howard, believing he could not die? Walking through the traffic? The visions of Captain Howard? Reassurances? Reassuring Mike? Mike and his disbelief? Mike and his own panic attacks, Marcus and the slaps?
5. The Mayor, audience suspicions, too smooth? The relationship with Rita? His later dealings, smooth, his gradually being exposed, turning on Rita? His attempt at escape, the alligator?
6. The cartels, McGrath, the signing over the money in Captain Howard’s account, his being dead, named blackened, his daughter and granddaughter? The daughter and her blaming Mike for her father’s death? The revelation of the videos, his explanations, the clues, the clue about Fletcher, going to his club, the attack and the shootings, the image of his artwork, opening up the videos, Captain Howard and his explanations? His forgiving them?
7. The targeting of Mike and Marcus? Their own investigations, Armando in prison, the attack on him, the fight, the escape, the Mayor’s agreement, the helicopter, the information, the fight, the crash, teaming up with Dorn and Kelly, the equipment, Armando identifying McGrath? His being on the helicopter?
8. The evidence, persuading Rita, her reaction against the Mayor? Howard’s a daughter, the abduction of his granddaughter, a relentless pursuit of the couple?
9. The buildup to the confrontation, the abandoned pier, the giant alligator, the mere trying to escape, the plane crash? Fighting, the shooting? Final confrontation with McGrath?
10. The happy ending, the barbecue, the banter, Reggie and his heroism in saving the family, and his getting to grill chicken?