Tag: Colman Domingo

Spoiler-Free Review of “Drive-Away Dolls” in Theaters: Saucy & Sex-Crazed Crime Comedy

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Love is a sleigh ride to Hell…”

Drive-Away Dolls released in theaters on February 23rd 2024. The crime thriller-comedy film stars Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Matt Damon, and Pedro Pascal. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-four minutes.

Two friends decide to take a road trip to Tallahassee, but when they are given the wrong vehicle in error, they discover a mysterious case in the trunk that puts them in danger with a group of criminals.

Here is the trailer:

Drive-Away Dolls features a fun concept with two likable leads, but does all the buildup lead to anything worthwhile? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Focus Features

Two worthy leads.

I really like Margaret Qualley as an actress and she lit up the screen in this one with her over-the-top accent and carefree portrayal. There were some fun cameos in this as well, but our two main leads stole the show. I thought the friendship and chemistry between them was believable and even though there were some ridiculous and trippy parts to this movie, this bond was grounded in something real.

Images courtesy of Focus Features

Fun concept.

I really liked the vibe of this film. The bright colors popped in an aesthetically pleasing way and for a time, this kind of felt like a mix of Pulp Fiction, Thelma & Louise, and Bottoms. This may seem like a crazy mash-up, but it kind of worked at some points as long as you don’t take it too seriously.

I also liked that this movie was on the shorter side. It could have dragged certain story-lines out more, but I think that would have taken away from the film.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Focus Features

Needed some more violence thrown in…

This film was filled to the brim with sex galore, but I think it could have benefited from some more blood and violence. The opening sequence hinted at unlocking this film’s true potential and I was hoping we would get a lot more of this throughout the rest of the film, but we never really got there.

I also thought that the ending needed a bit more of a bang to really sell me on this.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Focus Features

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I think that people will either love or hate this film. I’m somewhere in the middle of that. It had some entertaining moments, but the trailer was a lot more convincing than the actual result.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Drive-Away Dolls in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Candyman” (2021) in Theaters: A Solid Direct Sequel

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Say it…I dare you.”

Candyman (2021) released in theaters on August 27th 2021. The film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Colman Domingo, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Vanessa Williams and Tony Todd. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

In present day, Anthony and Brianna move into the now gentrified Cabrini-Green. Anthony is trying to make a name for himself as an artist when he comes across the legend of Candyman, which inspires his latest work. He encourages others around him to summon Candyman, which unleashes something sinister into the world once again.

Here is the trailer:

Candyman attempts to make itself relevant in today’s world while still recognizing the original film in the process. Is it worth a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Visually stunning.

The visual effects in this movie were really so well done. The art, the use of light, the focus on the reflections and even the body horror was done in such an interesting way. I really loved the elevator scene in particular and I thought that the visual choices really gave the film a genuine chilling quality.

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

A continuation of the original story that made sense!

I’ve seen so many different reboots, remakes, and re-imaginings over the years and I was wondering what we were going to get to witness with the new Candyman. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it continued the original story.

The film still branched off into something new, but it kept the story going in an effective way. It truly felt like a direct sequel and it worked.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I wanted more from our main characters.

The acting was well done and I genuinely liked all of the performances, but I wanted a little bit more. I didn’t really believe the chemistry between Brianna and Anthony, which impacted the reveal later on.

I also thought that we could have expanded on some of the flashbacks a bit more and Colman Domingo was so fantastic, but I wanted to see him in more scenes. I also think him randomly showing up seemed a bit out of place, but I’ll just go with it…

Attempted to do A LOT.

The film was not very long and it really tried to cram so much in. I think it created several discussions worth having but I also found myself being bounced around a little bit too much. I didn’t want to lose focus in this film because there were so many things that were so well done, but this could have been tightened up a little bit in my opinion.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m in!

This movie was a worthy direct sequel.

It was chilling, unique, and visually stunning. While it did attempt to do a lot in one film, there was still enough substance here to keep me entertained.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Candyman (2021) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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