Displaying items by tag: Zazie Beetz

THEY WILL KILL YOU

US, 2026, 94 minutes, Colour.

Zazie Beetz, Patricia Arquette, Heather Graham, Tom Felton, Myha'la, Patterson Joseph.

Directed by Kirill Sokolov.

Over the top – sometimes physically with gymnastic leaps of fights with knives, axes, swords. This is a hyper-terror and menace film, though with an increasing amount of horror. It begins with some violent human interactions but soon veers into a Manhattan covenant of Satanists.

Probably best first to alert audiences who find a lot of bloodletting and slashing in films that they will probably find this one too much (understatement). Those who with glee describe thei response to this kind of ultra-violence as “fun”, definitely their film.

The title is accurate. However, there is an underlying plot which gives the film some character and dramatic momentum. The film opens with a brutal father, his daughters trying to flee, the confrontation, the shooting, the older daughter, Asia, caught, in prison, the younger, Maria, back to her father’s control. When Asia gets out, it looks something like a possible revenge story on the father as well is the rescue of her sister.

But…

Who would have thought of an enormous Manhattan building, old classic style, corridors reminiscent of The Shining, a huge staff of maids, a collection of self-indulgent, rich clients? Well, perhaps a lot of screenwriters. But, this is the work of a Russian director, Kyrill Litkov, successfully invading the territory of American slasher screenwriters. He is a director with the courage of his intentions, no holds barred, especially in the continuous, incessant, confrontations, one-to-one, group attacks – with a surprising discovery, especially by Asia, that while these inhabitants can die excruciatingly, they have the satanic power of rising from the dead, an everlasting cycle of death and new life.

As with so many of these terror films, there are also sequences so exaggerated, they are played for laughs, part of the fun. A lot of the resurrections from the dead are parodies of the violence – and special note for that gouged-out eye that scurries along the crawlspaces spying.

The star of this film is Zazie Beetz, tough, prison-hardened, willing to take on everyone. And she does. And over and over… There is an interesting supporting cast including veterans Patricia Arquette (acting like a cousin of Amy Madigan in Weapons – but Patricia Arquette already has an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress), Heather Graham and, a long way from Hogwarts, Tom Felton.

Zazie Beetz has to portray one of the most put-upon screen heroines for a long time, a will to survival, a will to save her sister, and a will to destroy Satan himself.

Just as well, They Will Kill You is definitely anti-Satan.

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 HARDER THEY FALL

US, 2021, 139 minutes, Colour.

Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beeta, Delroy Lindo, Dion Cole, Michael Beach, R.J. Cyler, Edi Gatghegi, DeWanda Wise, Damon Wayans Jr, Danielle Deadwyler,

Directed by Jeymes Samuel.

The strong Western, using the various conventions of the American West, outlaws, violence, rivalries and politics. What makes it more significance is that it is a film which focuses on African-American characters in the West, very few white characters to be seen. And, as been written Jeymes Samuel, a British writer, producer, director, but also a songwriter and musician. And music featuring significantly throughout this film.

There is a very strong opening, in version of a home, parents and their child, the death of the parents, the leader of the troop, the carving the boy’s forehead – and moving 20 years forward.

The star of the film is Jonathan Majors as the boy growing up, leader of his own group, involved in robberies, but also a journey of vengeance, and his relationships with various members of his group.

The other central character of the film is Idris Elba as the gunfighter who carved the boy, was freed from prison, involved in money dealings, taking over a town, ousting the Mayor, and his followers. And, at the end, quite a revelation about the relationship of the two men.

There is a very strong cast indeed, a range of key actors, African-Americans. There are significant male actors like Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Damon Wayans Jr. But, it is even stronger, the African-American women, Regina King, Danielle Deadwyler, Zazie Beetz.

With seeing as a western, is a picture of the characters in the white American West, playing on the conventions, heroes and villains, and ambiguities of characters and behaviour.

1. The title, in the context of the West?
2. The settings, the western locations, action?
3. The cast, African-American cast? Africans Americans in the 19^th century West?
4. Nat Love story, as a child, parents, the attack, their deaths, the carving on his forehead, the passing of 20 years, his new life, associates, killing Cortez? The robbery? The news about Rufus block? Nat and his relationship with Mary Field?
5. The portrait of the supporting characters, in themselves, their Association with Nat Love, with Rufus Buck? Loyalties, betrayals, shootouts?
6. Rufus Buck, at the opening, 20 years later, prison, pardon, the stolen money, his relationship with Trudy Smith, Cherokee Bill, the escape from the train? Killing the corrupt guards?
7. Redwood City, wily escape, the mayor, buck whipping him? Escape and the money?
8. Marshall Reeves, the arrest, capturing Love, the issues of revenge? The relationship with Cuffee? Mary, the proposal, the refusal? The buying of the saloon?
9. The action, the to-ing and fro-ing, between Nat story, Rufus Buck’s story, the deals, the love for Cuffee?
10. The wagon, the friends and betrayals, the money, the shootouts? Tesco’s death?
11. The confrontation between the women, their fighting?
12. Rufus Buck, with Love, the revelation about their father, his abuse, their being half-brothers, the shooting of the revenge? That killing Buck?
13. The end, Marshall Reeves, in control, Cuffee in support? The grave? The death of Buck, the freedom for Nat Love?