Displaying items by tag: Natasha Lyonne

ROOMMATES

US, 2026, 107 minutes, Colour.

Sadie Sandler, Chloe East, Aidan Langford, Natasha Lyonne, Nick Kroll, Carol Kane, Megan Thee Stallion, Billy Bryk, Sarah Sherman, Steve Buscemi, Janeane Garofalo, Martin Herlihy.

Directed by Chandler Levack.

A long tradition of films about roommates, some sinister, some dramatic, some comic.

This film is produced by Adam Sandler’s company and features his daughter, Sadie, in the central role while other members of the family have various credits. And, it is very much on Adam Sandler -like comedy.

There is a framework to the main narrative, two college students bickering, screaming insults at each other, into the supervisor’s office where she tells a story. During the film we see its impact on the two angrily students – and, ultimately, some understanding and reconciliation.

The supervisor’s story has a focus on Devon, 18-year-old, high school, very supportive mother and father, Natasha Leonne and Nick Kroll, very good friends with her brother who is about to come out. In fact, he is her best friend. She is accepted at school but only just. She finds an outlet in sport activities.

She is about to go to college hoping to find a friend and roommate. Surprisingly she does and is all enthusiastic. She is going to study architecture and meets a senior student and feels she has a bond with him. The friend is played by Chloe East, Celeste.

Best friends, moving in together, out to socials, Celeste making sure that Devon comes out of herself. But, it does not last. Devon is irritated by Celeste’s sometime irresponsibility. Yet, her parents invite Celeste to visit and she makes friends with the young brother.

However, it becomes too much for Devon, having to pay for spring break plane trips, seeing Celeste kissing the architecture student…

Celeste plans with her brother a revenge scheme, building a model house for roommates, Devon presenting it on stage as part of her student competition, reenacting the difficulties with Celeste, naming her, Celeste incognito in the audience. Then Celeste humiliates the younger brother by putting up a huge poster about his going to the prom with a boyfriend.

The buildup to a confrontation between the two young women, Celeste putting the case that she comes from a wealthy dysfunctional family, mother with Alzheimer’s, and feels that Devon has been imposing her ideal family on her. Devon lights a fire, it spreads, the house burning down, Celeste’s father coming, her trying out at a number of schools, while Devon, because of the fire, is sentenced to 2 months in jail where she meets a dominating roommate whom she tells off – but, the fellow prisoner is only joking. End of film, they form a friendly partnership with architecture and design, best friends.

A film mainly of interest for the female audience, high school and college students, parents and grandparents (with a bizarre comic cameo by Carol Kane as Gigi, the grandmother). The male audience – perhaps a learning experience!

THE BAD GUYS 2

US, 2025, 104 minutes, Colour.

Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Zazie Beetz, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Maria Bakalova, Alex Borstein, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Kelly Stables.

Directed by Pierre Perifell.

Everybody enjoyed The Bad Guys in 2022. So, here we are again. There is a special Australian interest in this very American animated production. The series of The Bad Guys, graphic novels, designed for children’s audiences, was written by Australian author, former actor, Aaron Blabey. He also serves as executive producer for this film.

So, what would we expect, if we did not know the series, from a movie called The Bad Guys? Whatever it might have been, most audiences will be satisfied, many will be highly entertained.

The characters are well drawn, quite individual, a charming wolf who is the mastermind of The Bad Guys, a slithering snake who wants to be bad, a petite tarantula who is adept at computers and technology, a rather cumbersome shark with a genial personality able to adapt to many situations, and a piranha who likes baring teeth and taking over. And there are some other interesting principal characters, the governor of the state, Diane, a pleasant and attractive fox, a do-gooding Professor, minute, a guinea pig, and a large, forward bending, teeth baring, intense police chief. And, as can be seen by the credits, there is a very talented voice cast.

Actually, these paragraphs came from the review of the first film. So, this sequel will mean that the characters are very familiar, Wolf and the wisecracks, love for Diane, the secrets of the other characters, especially the police chief who is now Commissioner.

In many ways this screenplay is a repetition of the first film, the newly rehabilitated Bad Guys, trying to make good in the world, then suspected of going to the bad, their being set up by a criminal group of female characters. There is a huge climax at a wrestling match which is a cover for stealing the competition winning but which contains a highly desired element.

Then, unexpectedly, the action becomes cosmic, spacecraft, travel into space, a giant station and everyone involved in confrontations and battles.

One of the main advantages for all audiences is that the screenplay is quite humorous, a lot of repartee and banter, some ironies, not just for the young but engaging enough to entertain older audiences.

1. The popularity of Aaron Blabey’s books, graphic novels series? Characters, adventures?
2. The style of the animation, each of the distinctive characters, settings, conventions, prisons, cells, public meetings, the laboratories, the wrestling match, the crowds, the sea of crowds in pursuit, space, spacecraft, the giant plant, conflicts, special effects and stunts? The musical score?
3. The title, the group of animal characters, their reputation, philosophy of life, camaraderie? An interesting group of characters? Plus Professor Marmalade, plus Diane, plus the police chief? The introduction of the trio of villains, female, Susan and Snake and flirting, people in the wrestling, Kitty Cat and the mastermind?
4. The dialogue, the humour, wit, repartee? Engaging for younger audiences? Entertaining for adult audiences?
5. Audience interest in each of the characters, Wolf as leader, his appearance, manner of speaking, self-confidence, thinking himself as a Big Bad Wolf, mastermind, the various crimes and robberies, his plans, his repartee? Reform, lack of opportunities, the romance with Diane and then meetings?
6. Snake, drawing, voice, characteristics of snakes, wanting to be bad, feeling betrayed by Wolf when he becomes good? Skills in the plots, slithering, x-ray eyes? Voice? Suspected of being the thief? The relationship with Susan? The betrayal and disillusionment?
7. Tarantula, many fingers, adept at technology, her voice, loyalties?
8. Shark, large, variety of voices, impersonations, as female, as male, improvising, meeting people, singing, providing diversions?
9. Piranha, teeth, small, vicious, taking over at times, performing and attracting attention?
10. Diane, the governor, the smooth fox, charm, political career, condemning the Bad Guys, her interviews? Her wanting them to be reformed? Handing over to Professor Marmalade? Her supervision, the revelation that she was a jewel thief, her reform, being good, helping people? Her being abducted, the video of her past identity, in the spacecraft, helping Wolf, the final romantic ending?
11. Professor Marmalade? His very British voice? Guinea pig? Diminutive? With Diane, and the revelation about the theft?
12. The police chief, now Commissioner, large, her teeth, her walk, vigorous, always on the attack, wanting to get the Bad Guys? The encounter with Wolf, the element, the belt, the robbery, the wrestling match, the further revelations, the solution, and her plan to show that the Bad Guys had died, but they are about to become secret agents?
13. Susan, her charm, with caps late, the seduction, the revelation, the wrestling match, the peak, setting up The Bad Guys, Kitty Kat and her personality, thief, the gang?
14. The plans, the vast centre, into space, the Bad Guys versus the bad females, battles, Diane and her intervention, the fights? And the transition to the Bad Guys being mourned, dead but heroes?
15. The Commissioner and her plan, the agents, the car, the romantic ending – and the plans for the next sequel?

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

US, 2025, 115 minutes, Colour.

Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Egon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, Mark Gattis. Voices of Ralph Ineson, Matthew Wood.

Directed by Matt Shakman.

2025 as been a superpower blockbuster movie year, Thunderbolts*, then DC with Superman and Marvel with The Fantastic Four. The latter two performed beyond expectations at the box office in the US and around the world. Still popular!

The Fantastic Four are not as familiar to moviegoers as Superman or Batman. There were two films in 2005-7 and an attempt to revive the franchise in 2017. This film is another attempt – and with the promise that the Fantastic Four will appear in forthcoming Avenger films.

One of the features of the Fantastic Four is that they are a very friendly group, especially likeable for the audience. For anyone not familiar with them, and for those who are, there is a prologue to this film, a TV program, a kind of This is Your Life summarising with clips the personal lives and origins and all the exploits of the Four, their venture into space, their DNA being altered, then becoming superheroes, and very popular with the citizens of New York City and the world.

Reed Richards, played sympathetically by Pedro Pascal, is the scientist, mathematician, intelligent, cerebral in his approach to crises. By contrast, Vanessa Kirby is his wife Sue Storm, her discovering she is pregnant, and she and the family, and the audience, happy anticipating the forthcoming birth. Then there is her younger brother, Johnny Storm, played enthusiastically by Joseph Quinn sometimes brash, literally full of fire, eager to be an uncle. The fourth member is Ben, played by Egon Moss-Bachrach, seen as his ordinary self in the prologue but then DNA drastically altered to some thing of a monster look, but genial behind all that orange granite that forms his exterior.

Casting is interesting because two of the Four are British, Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn. Pedro Pascal is from Chile.

When Earth is threatened by a strange alien, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), and threatened by the archetypal cosmic villain, Galacticus (voiced by British Ralph Ineson), the Four go into space to confront him.

Part of the drama is their initial failure (though with some spectacular sequences in space, and, emotionally and dramatically, the birth of the baby), the brief press conference where they tell their adoring public that there is no hope, then the determination to find a way of confronting Galacticus who has set his ambitions on taking over the new born child and its powers.

Which means that the second part of the film is the confrontation of Galacticus, the intervention of the Silver Surfer, the giant Galactic is heavily treading through New York City demolishing huge areas (as Lex Luthor did in Superman) intense demonstration of the superpowers by the Four.

And, there is nothing like a baby to elicit audience sympathy – and there is a pleasing preview during the final credits of the baby at four, with his mother, just having spent a day reading Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species.

1. The status of the Fantastic Four in the marvel comics, created by Stan Lee? The previous film versions, modest, this version as a new beginning?
2. The basis of the plot, the Marvel universe, the four characters, Reed and Sue, their backgrounds, marriage? Johnny as Sue’s brother? The work with Ben?
3. The opening, a kind of resume of the characters and their superpowers, their activities, their reputation in New York City?
4. The relationship between Reed and Sue? Background of their space mission, the experience, overwhelmed, the changes in their DNA, superpowers? The marriage, Sue, discovering she was pregnant, Reed, the scientist and mathematician, his more cerebral approach, his joy? Johnny and his enthusiasm?
5. Ben, in the television program, his normal self, the space experience, the DNA, the granite and its colour, his size? And his voice, human and humane, his interventions? The encounter with Rachel, the students and his comic behaviour with them, his later going to find Rachel?
6. The situation with Galactus, origins, age, giant, sinister, eager for power, targeting the baby? The Silver Surfer, her appearance, the surfboard, through space, arriving on earth, the warning?
7. The status of the Four, Ed Gilbert and his show, the program, the exploits, the public and acclaim?
8. The decision to go into space, travel, the space ship, the equipment, technical skills, Reed and intelligence? The confrontation with the Silver Surfer, with Galactus, their being caught, the escape, travelling back to earth, the pursuit by the Silver Surfer, her skills, evading capture, each of the Four coping, Ben and his piloting, reading the calculations, Johnny and his attempts with his fire? Their eventually arriving home?
9. Sue, pregnant during the return, her experience, everybody involved in the delivery of the baby, the happy birth? Franklin?
10. The television show, Mary and her friendship, the press conference on return, no hope, the reaction of the public, gradually turning against them?
11. Reed and his experiments with transportation, the plan to move the planet Earth to the outer reaches away from Galactus? Its failing?
12. The determination to resolve the situation, the public learning about Galactus wanting the baby, accusations of selfishness with the family not giving up the baby? The calculations, seemingly impossible? The discovery of the lever, the calculations, the appeal to the public, the television response, the collecting all the materials, the building of the bridges, the issue of electricity, the world collaborating in blacking out to give full power?
13. The plan, times square, the central landing, the ring to trap Galactus?
14. The encounter with The Silver Surfer, her coming for the baby, the dialogue with Johnny, her back story, her experience with Galactus, giving up family for the sake of the planet? Her hostility, her embarrassment and shame, her finally turning against Galactus and sacrificing herself?
15. The help of Harvey Elder, his role in the past, sinister, ruling in the subterranean area, the clashes with the Four, their appeal to him, selfish, but agreeing, taking all the refugees from New York City?
16. The arrival of Galactus, gigantic, walking through New York, crushing the buildings, the tremors for those in the underground? Capacities, voice, penetrating sight to see the baby, his being blinded, the substitute group, but his seeing where it was hidden, the continued pursuit, Ben and his interventions, Johnny willing to sacrifice himself, read in the calculations, Sue and her willpower, forcing Galactus back, almost to the Circle, the machine, the 37 seconds, his destruction?
17. The Four, acclaimed, the public, Ed Gilbert and the program, Mary and the studio, the sudden call and their going out on mission?
18. The preview for the Avengers films, four years later, the baby and reading Charles Darwin, Sue finding the baby with the sinister hooded figure?

HIS THREE DAUGHTERS

US, 2024, 101 minutes, Colour.

Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Rudy Gavan, Jose Febus, Jovan Adepo, Jay O.Sanders.

Directed by Azazel Jacobs.

Anton Chekhov was first with his evocative title, Three Sisters. This time the three sisters are three daughters.

This is a very strong film about family relationships, sibling relationships, the daughters and their relationship to their father, the occasion of his dying. In fact, the father does not appear through the major part of the film, emerging from his room at the end of the film. The focus is on the three daughters.

This is a dialogue and character-driven screenplay which could easily be adapted to theatre. Most of the action takes place within a house, some scenes outside with one of the daughters smoking, a visit to a shop to buy drugs, glimpses of the street. But, mainly interiors.

The father (eventually seen in the performance of Jay O.Sanders) has had two happy marriages, to sad deaths of his wives, two daughters from his first marriage, Katie and Christina, and the stepdaughter from his second marriage whom he raised as his own, Rachel.

The action takes place over the days of the father dying at home, a nurse coming in for several hours to relieve the vigil of the sisters, the liaison officer with information about their father’s condition, and Rachel’s boyfriend who is looked down on by the older sister but who speaks his mind.

Which means that the drama is mainly the interactions between the three sisters. The film opens with the oldest, Katie (Carrie Coon) married with a family and clashes with her teenage daughter, often on the phone, but practical, cleaning, cooking, severe, difficulties with Rachel who has stayed in the house to be companion to their father over the years. Christina, the youngest, (Elizabeth Olsen) is the softer character, married, a young baby, continually caring on the phone, wanting to communicate with her sisters, having to mediate in moments of anger between the two.

Rachel is casual in her manner, a very strong performance by Natasha Lyonne. Continually smoking, drugs, watching sports on TV and betting, something which she did in companionship with her father over the years. And she is being left the house. She is moody, casual, at times seemingly uninvolved, the target of Katie’s criticisms, some feelings of resentment about the two sisters, the one who is always there for their father, supporting him, sharing his life over the years.

Which means then that His Three Daughters offers audiences strong characterisations, some powerful dialogue, some dramatic interactions. It challenges the audience to check on their own family relationships, harmonies, quarrels, times of falling out.

The themes, of course, are significant and well worth thinking about and discussing.

1. The title? Reminiscent of Chekhov, three sisters?
2. An American story, American families, devotion, alienation, death, clashes, reconciliations?
3. The screenplay, dialogue and character driven, easily adaptable for theatre?
4. The situation, the dying father, past memories, his two marriages, his daughters, their place in the family, bringing all of them up? One living in New York, the other across the country, the stepdaughter from the second marriage living at home, sharing life with him?
5. The audience not seeing the father until the end, his being nursed at home, the nurse coming in for several hours and helping? The consultant and his wife, indicating death to come soon, the conversations, the sisters phoning him?
6. The portrait of the three sisters? The immediate impact of Katie, oldest, her situation, marriage, clash with her teenage daughter, the phone calls, strong-minded, organising, cleaning, cooking, getting exasperated? Drinking? Attitude towards Rachel, stepsister, Rachel’s character, behaviour, living at home, the prospect of her inheriting the apartment, drugs, sports, air for her father? Her growing exasperation, harsh words, angers? Her attitude towards Christina?
7. Christina, youngest, quieter, more feeling, her marriage, her daughter, the continued phone calls and her care? Care for her father, sitting with him? Katie’s attitudes, her mediation? Attitude towards Rachel, attempts at communication? The two sisters and their outbursts, her trying to mediate? Her own loss of temper?
8. Rachel, her mother, her stepfather becoming her father, at home, a character, sports, continued smoking, drugs, Katie asking her to leave the house, the supervisor and smoking not permitted outside? Benji, the relationship, the sports, watching, bets, doing this with her father? Her living in the house, detached, not necessarily wanting to have it? The outsider, going to the shops, buying the drugs? The clashes with Katie? Discussions with Christina? Unwilling to go in to see her father?
9. Benji, the relationship with Rachel, watching the sports, his attitude towards the sisters, Katie and her disdain, his having met her before, not remembering, his strong words to Katie? Ousted?
10. The days passing, the sisters and their routines, going to see their father, sitting with him, his breathing? The issue of the signing of the declaration that he not be revived, the timing, the pressures, the eventual signature?
11. The father coming out, his speaking, their care, concern, attitude towards his daughters?
12. The fantasy sequence, his talking, his relationships, his memories, the links with each daughter, with Rachel? And then seeing him sitting dead?
13. The prospects for the future, Christina going home to her family, Katie and her concerns with her daughter, Rachel and the apartment – and future bonds, friendship, memories?