Review By: Alicia Glass
Studio: Blumhouse Productions
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Phil Joanou
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Twenty years after the fact, the lone survivor of a cult suicide massacre returns to the scene of the crime with a film crew, for answers.
You really can’t be sure what to expect, even reading the synopsis and knowing who’s going to be in the film before watching it. Jessica Alba as Maggie Price, leader of the documentary crew returning to the site of the Heaven’s Veil compound, is no stranger to attempting odd horror flicks, as she did with The Eye and Awake. Lily Rabe as cult survivor aptly named Sarah Hope is also versed in horror, and she does a perfectly serviceable job as the chosen one of the movie. The rest of the cast that rounds out the camera crew are more or less completely normal, generally wanting to get the hell out of dodge as soon as the extra-creepy stuff starts happening. Perhaps the oddest choice for casting is Thomas Jane as the Jim-Jones-like cult leader, oh-so-originally named Jim Jacobs. Jane ends up looking like Jim Morrison would if he had found spirituality on the heels of alcoholism: all riotous hair, messiah whites, many necklaces, and tons of “I’m so wasted” cult followers.
So some 20-odd years ago, Jim convinced the entire Heaven’s Veil community to take the sugar cubes laced with some serious poison, and shock and surprise, everyone died. Everyone except one little scarred girl the cops and FBI found, coining her Sarah Hope as she couldn’t even recall her name. Now Maggie, who turns out to be the daughter of FBI Agent Price who was first on the scene of the Heaven’s Veil massacre, wants to revisit the old compound and find the ancient VHS tapes to learn what the hell Jim was attempting to do! The ruins are still standing, and across the river past the main house compound is Jim’s private residence, where indeed, the missing tapes are discovered. The camera crew sets up to record various parts of the house, and watch and digitize the VHS tapes, basically becoming their own watered-down version of Ghost Hunters. Because the spirit of Jim and his closest followers are still very much alive, and the house and surrounding grounds is the staging area for the biggest event of Jim, and even Sarah’s, lives!
Trying to understand the stuff Jim spouts as he rants in ecclesiastical fury about removing the nails that bind the spirit to the flesh to his congregation, makes about as much sense as any other spiritual whackjob you’ll find today, except for one thing. The compound and houses of the Heaven’s Veil cult really is haunted, and it looks like Jim and company just need two things to further the next stage of their psycho take-over-the-world plan. One is a catalyst, present in the returned form of Sarah herself, and the other, well. Rather powerful bent on world-conquering poltergeists need new bodies to inhabit, and oh look, here’s a whole unaware film crew, just waiting to be consumed and repurposed.
The haunted house and grounds concept comes over fairly well, as does the mood music to help heighten the tension. While the idea that a group of terrorizing ghosts led by their enigmatic and definitely psychotic leader will go out into the world to feed like demonic poltergeisty vampires on the living can work, the mind of their leader might have been a little too crazy for even the audience to understand. It takes a bit away from the good haunting vibe the film boasts.
You can get haunted by The Veil on Netflix right now!
If you were born in the ’80s, ’90s, or literally ANY decade after those, you know about Super Mario. A cultural phenomenon was brought to life on the big screen this last weekend. One that has not only stood the test of time but reinvented itself time and time again. This wasn’t even the first time it’s been made into a movie but, well, let’s be honest.. some of us choose not to acknowledge the LIVE action adaptation of the beloved game from 30 years ago.
It was pretty bad… But this was animation. ILLUMINATION animation at that. The Universal company that brought us Gru and his Minions, showed us the Secret Life of Pets, and gave us a reason to SING! Still, I had my reservations and even some concerns, especially when the casting was announced.
Eyebrows were raised. As big of stars as they were on paper, could they really deliver on voicing characters from a staple of our childhood? They did.
Chris Pratt and Charlie Day may not be Italian, and Jack Black may not be a King or Turtle creature from the Mushroom Kingdom, but they make the characters their own all while paying homage to the lore of a video game.
From the jump, the story reintroduces us to the brothers that just want to save Brooklyn one clogged sink at a time. We feel an instant connection and relate to these “underdogs of the plumbing world”. The movie is riddled with easter eggs, each of which tugs on the heartstrings of every generation of Mario fandom. And the soundtrack was beautifully put together to not only make us feel like we’re taking a walkthrough of the game but like an experience all its own with some familiar favorites thrown in.
Every word in the movie is pure eye candy for both those that are casual fans, and those analyzing every frame to see what they’ll catch next. Bowser’s ship, the Mushroom Kingdom, Kong’s arena, and the Rainbow Road.. They’re all meant to give us just enough of a “new” look at these amazing worlds, but stay true to how we remember them.
The movie itself moves along at the perfect pace. Although, if you don’t really know ANYTHING about the Super Mario Bros, you may have gotten a little lost and felt left behind in the green tunnel. But that’s ok! It’s an adventure of the imagination and a classic story of a boy that meets a girl and tries to save the world from a monster that wants to destroy it.
What’s funny is that you could easily say this is a story about two characters who couldn’t be more opposite if they tried, battling to win the heart of a princess. Who would’ve thought that the King of the Koopas was just trying to impress his crush?
And that song? Ohhh THAT song! It’s my new ringtone and deserves the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Back to the movie.
Universal and Illumination clearly understood the assignment. Is it missing some things or could things have been done differently or even better? Absolutely! We’re the worst critics of the things we hold nearest and dearest to our hearts. But if you’re up for going on a 90-minute adventure through amazing worlds, with awesome music, and characters that’ll make you smile and laugh, then this is the perfect movie to spring you into that warm summer feeling.
Plus there’s the whole part with karts and shells, and banana peels and oh my goodness how amazing was that?? It’s enough to make you want to stand up and cheer, then go home and destroy your friends and family on your favorite track haha.
The bottom line, it pays homage in all the right ways to the little guy with the mustache, while giving us something new and exciting. Take the kids and go see Super Mario Bros. You’ll be glad you did!
Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Opening Act Saturday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. on North 200A. Talent confirmed so far to participate in the post-screening panel is Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and longtime RWBY cast member Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle ( RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (Detective Now Dead) as Blake and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang – along with Jeannie Tirado (Soul, Saints Row) as Green Lantern and Tru Valentino (The Rookie, The Cuphead Show!) as a cyborg. Also attending the panel will be producer/director Kerry Shawcross (series RWBY) and writer Meghan Fitzmartin (Supernatural, Justice Society: World War II).
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023 with the big screen debut from DC Animated Films: highlights this year include the world premieres of the highly anticipated Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham and Justice League x RWBY: Superheroes & Hunters Part One the weekend of March 24-26 in Anaheim, California. Both screenings will be followed by panel discussions with actors and creators. Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham premieres at The Arena on Friday, March 24 at 6 p.m. Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Uncharted) as Kai Li Cain, Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, David Dastmalchian (Dune, Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon, producer/co-director Sam Liu (The Death and the Return of Superman), co-director Christopher Berkeley (Young Justice) and screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem Across the Multiverse).
Both films will have encore screenings in the Arena on Sunday, March 26. Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One will screen at 12:15pm, followed by Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham at 2:00pm
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Crunnchyroll presents ‘BOFURI: I don’t want to get hurt so I’ll max out my defense’: You’re not twinking!
‘Knock at the Cabin’: Puttin on your boogie shoes!
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Illinois’ financial crisis could bring the state to a halt
The final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season
No Question Mark Box Here; Super Mario Delivers a 1-Up in Theaters
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment returns to WonderCon 2023
