Kinetic Go-Big Spectacle ‘Twisters’ Is Familiar, But Less Fresh Than Original

Kinetic Go-Big Spectacle ‘Twisters’ Is Familiar, But Less Fresh Than Original

By Lynn Venhaus

The manufactured mayhem of “Twisters” may check off all the boxes for an entertaining summer blockbuster, but its unremarkable storyline neutralizes the visually stunning weather-induced shock and awe.

While the film showcases state-of-the-art modern technology, both in digital effects and severe weather tracking tools, this retread doesn’t feel new or fresh, but rather repetitive in its brutal storm depictions.

After all, dealing with dangerous weather patterns has become a routine part of real life in the Midwest in the 21st century. Case in point: our current summer.

So, what distinguishes this from a Weather Channel special report? This second go-round, loosely based on the 1996 disaster epic “Twister,” is super-sized in fury and look, and the mostly rural setting feels like a theme park meets “The Amazing Race,” stoking frantic chase scenes on a grander scale.

Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Kate Cooper, a retired tornado-chaser and brainiac meteorologist who is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies during a once-in-a-generational series of terrifying storm systems. She encounters swaggering social-media star Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) heading a team of hotshots. Will sparks fly or fizzle, and will they save anyone but themselves?

Debris flies, and people are flung like the Wicked Witch of the East. The visual effects and stunt work are impeccable, and a collapsing water tower, explosions at a massive oil refinery, and destruction of a movie theater exemplify the ‘go-big’ playbook.

The alarming sudden onset of extreme weather is emphasized in multiple scenes, such as a carnival atmosphere turning deadly with little warning. Interestingly though, the phrase “climate change” is never uttered but looms large in our minds.

Simply stated, no, this ‘sequel’ is not as good as the 1996 original, which endeared itself to countless millennials for its ground-breaking digital effects (a flying cow!) and its revered lightning-rod cast of Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Cary Elwes, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lois Smith, Jamie Gertz, Alan Ruck and other familiar ‘90s faces at a far more cinematically adventurous time.

In retrospect, the first one wasn’t anything more than a popcorn-type thrill ride, and cheesy at that, but there remains great affection for this ragtag group of adrenaline junkies because they were a fun bunch to watch – and were doing something different. Adding to the poignancy is that beloved Paxton and Hoffman are no longer alive.

The twist? The monster wasn’t a colossus like a T. Rex or Godzilla, but Mother Nature – and just as scary.

The original’s daredevil director was Jan de Bont, fresh from making the riveting action film “Speed” in 1994. Its tech-talk-rekindles-romantic-sparks screenplay was written by Michael Crichton and his then-wife Anne-Marie Martin. He was on a roll after his “Jurassic Park” novel was adapted by Steven Spielberg in 1993. (Spielberg is executive producer of both “Twister” and “Twisters,” by the way.)

While one can wonder why a sequel pops up 28 years later, this “Twisters” is similar because characters are based on fired-up storm chasers and Oklahoma is again the Tornado Alley center of dangerous activity. Oh, an apparatus named Dorothy is in both.

This time, the project is helmed by Lee Isaac Chung, a surprising choice after his 2020 gentle, intimate semi-autobiographical film “Minari,” but he does know how to tug heartstrings. He competently handles the powerful dustups on the Plains and the propulsive action but is saddled with a formulaic script.

After scoring big with the epic “The Revenant” screenplay, Mark L. Smith penned the George Clooney duds “The Boys on the Boat” and “The Midnight Sky.” He is unsurprising here, both in action and interpersonal relationships, from a story by Joseph Kosinski, director of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

(I mean, really, a skittish fish-out-of-water British journalist tagging along with a crew of quirky influencers? That’s a tired character.)

Wisely, though, the lead role is a whip-smart female scientist, who is introduced as a bright-eyed college student brimming with brilliant ideas, an uncanny knack at sizing up impending storm shifts, and a fearless save-the-world bravado. Yay for STEM girls!

The film’s best scene is a harrowing account of her spirited team’s encounter with an F5 tornado that she misread as an F1 earlier as they tried out her theory on dissipating its strength. That tragic result set the tone for the obstacles ahead.

Her life’s plans altered, it’s five years later, and she is a meteorologist- analyst for the National Weather Service in New York City, sad-eyed and deflated.

Old friend and fellow guilt-ridden survivor Javi (Anthony Ramos) pleads with her to join his corporate-funded team back home. It’s the height of a troubling storm season, and he’s trying to implement new radar hardware he devised.

With some trepidation and heavy emotional baggage, Kate returns, although she can’t forecast that this time she’ll renew her life’s purpose. You do root for her success.

Edgar-Jones, an appealing actress best known for “Where the Crawdads Sing,” and BAFTA-nominated for the TV show “Normal People” opposite Paul Mescal, shows off spunk and verve with a very obnoxious guy getting under her skin and in her way. That would be newly anointed heartthrob Powell.

Spoiler alert: They’ve met their match, but they don’t know it yet.

Charming It-guy Powell knows his lane, and fits the modern image of a smiling happy-go-lucky movie star. He doesn’t stray from the formula that got him to headline status. Cowboy scientist? Sure, why not? Throw in rodeo background and computer skills.

He is at his most annoying early on as a You Tube sensation, showboating as a “Tornado Wrangler” and leading a motley crew of fame-obsessed whooping and hollering trackers.

The real serious scientists ‘tsk-tsk’ the reckless hobbyists, and the city girl vs. the celebrity clown showdown is on, with lots of zingers being fired.

Turns out he isn’t what he appears to be, and neither is anyone else – although you might feel deja vu. Future “Superman” David Corenswet looks like a no-nonsense guy as Javi’s wingman Scott — and a lot like Elwes’ Dr. Jonas Miller. Brandon Perea is trying to be kookier as the videographer Boone than Hoffman’s Dusty. As Kate’s mom Cathy, Maura Tierney assumes the Aunt Meg role played by Smith.

As the competition intensifies between the groups, battle lines become blurred as the focus shifts to helping devastated victims. Sasha Lane is a kind drone operator, Lily. Katy O’Brian and Tunde Adebimpe are part of hotdoggers’ squad.

Powell’s cockiness conveniently melts away as a more compassionate do-gooder emerges. At this point, is anybody paying attention to the science theories or personal motives as trucks bearing heavy equipment speed through country roads while a who’s who of country music blares above the sirens?

Impressive artisans excel on an enormous canvas – cinematographer Dan Mischel, whose credits include the Star Wars’ reboots “The Force Awakens” and “The Rise of Skywalker,” editor Terilyn A. Shropshire, production designer Patrick M. Sullivan Jr. and composer Benjamin Wallfisch.

Noteworthy is a cameo by James Paxton, the late Bill Paxton’s son. His father will be forever remembered as TV weatherman Bill Harding and he plays an aggravated customer complaining just before cyclone chaos is about to erupt.

Early work by Daryl McCormack as Kate’s boyfriend Jeb, and Kiernan Shipka and Nik Dodani as pals Addy and Praveen is also memorable.

A special shout-out to Waterloo, Ill.’s own Alexandra Kay, a country singer who is featured on the Jelly Roll song “Leave the Light On,” which is a part of the soundtrack including such heavy hitters as Lainey Wilson, Zach Bryan, Luke Combs and others.

“Twisters” will satisfy audiences who want to be swept away like retro summer blockbusters once achieved, without the pesky environmental messages and science lessons. However, those looking for more than imitation, with some discernible gumption, will have to be content with a pleasant-enough engaging cast and fear-inducing stormy weather.

“Twisters” is a 2024 action-adventure directed by Lee Isaac Chung and starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, Maura Tierney, David Corenswet, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O’Brian and Harry Hadon-Patton. It is rated PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language and injury images, and run time is 2 hours and 2 minutes. It opened in theatres July 19. Lynn’s Grade: C+

‘Dumb Money’: Redditors Fight the Rich in Crowd-Pleasing Underdog Story

‘Dumb Money’: Redditors Fight the Rich in Crowd-Pleasing Underdog Story

By Alex McPherson

Less smart and invigorating than it thinks it is, but containing strong performances and comedic zing, director Craig Gillespie’s “Dumb Money” eschews the nuance of its recent-history narrative in favor of amiable watchability.

Gillespie’s film, based on “The Antisocial Network” by Ben Mezrich, dramatizes the tumultuous happenings of the Gamestop “short squeeze” of January 2021. A red headband-and- cat-shirt-wearing Redditor named Keith Gill (Paul Dano), a.k.a. DeepF*******Value on Reddit and Roaring Kitty on YouTube and Twitter, rallies an Internet army to fight back against The Rich and make it big.

After determining that the company is undervalued, Keith goes all in on GameStop — convincing his large swathe of followers on the subreddit r/wallstreetbets to buy GameStop stock and eventually make the price skyrocket to $500 a share. 

The uber-wealthy hedge fund managers betting on GameStop’s failure — Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen), Steve Cohen (Vincent D’Onofrio, sometimes accompanied by a CGI pig), and Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman) — lose billions by underestimating the demographic they disparagingly refer to as “dumb money,” while still having some nefarious tricks up their sleeves that result in a Congressional investigation.

Paul Dano as Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty

Beginning at the peak of the squeeze, where Rogen’s Plotkin runs to make a phone call in sheer panic, the film jumps back and forth between five groups of characters showcasing various perspectives on the situation, each introduced with text indicating their net worth.

There’s Gill, whose genius (or luck) and expertise in online parlance helped start a movement — facing pressure to sell his skyrocketing stock from his loving wife, Caroline (Shailene Woodley, mining some pathos out of a fairly simplistic role), his amusingly deadbeat brother Kevin (Pete Davidson, in top form), and his somewhat clueless parents, Steve (Clancy Brown) and Elaine (Kate Burton) — while never quite knowing when to call it quits.

There’s the down-on-his-luck Gamestop employee Marcos Barcia (Anthony Ramos), who’s passionate about the company but contending with a condescending boss (Dane DeHaan). There’s the indebted University of Texas undergraduates Riri (Myha’la Herrold) and Harmony (Talia Ryder), who follow Roaring Kitty religiously and feel compelled to hold their shares as long as he does.

We also follow Jenny (America Ferrera), a stressed, underpaid nurse raising two toddlers and listening intently to Keith’s instructions. Last, and certainly least, there’s the hedge fund managers, caught with their pants down and scrambling to recover their losses, with Vlad Tenev (an underused but smarmily effective Sebastian Stan), the head of day-trading company Robinhood, playing a skeevy role in the whole kerfuffle.

With so many mini-narratives taking place under one umbrella, “Dumb Money” lacks the focus and thematic depth necessary to make any individual subplot hit with the force it could have. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a breezy interpretation of a true story, but it feels like Gillespie is only scratching the surface of the subject matter here — combined with filmmaking that lacks energy or pizazz, coasting on the appeal of its performers and snappy dialogue.

The whole cast delivers, doing what they can with characters of varying degrees of dimensionality. Dano is as reliably committed as always — weaving in and out of Keith’s various personas with ease; his confidence and quirkiness before his viewers reverting to awkwardness and defensiveness in front of his family. We never doubt the passion and devotion Keith has to his mission.

Davidson, once again definitely not playing against type, delivers the film’s most successful comedic lines. Lauren Schiker Blum and Rebecca Angelo’s screenplay mines dry comedy out of his laissez-faire approach to Kevin’s DoorDash job and his dumbfoundedness at Keith’s ever increasing ambition (and risk-taking) over not selling his stock. 

Ramos, Herrold, and Ryder are fine, bringing energy to their characters, even though we don’t learn all that much about them besides their participation in the short squeeze, and Ferrera sells Jenny’s anxiousness and desperation, putting her livelihood on the line and leaving her social life behind. 

Strength of the cast aside, though, one can’t help but feel like “Dumb Money” didn’t have to be an ensemble piece to begin with. What’s sacrificed by Gillespie’s approach is a deeper, more involving watch, where viewers fully understand the characters’ motivations rather than solely being told facts and being expected to buy into them.

Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen as hedge fund billionaires.

Viewers jump back and forth between the characters at various stages of the short squeeze, never spending enough time with them to fully appreciate their para-social bond with the man they’re risking their livelihoods over, relying on the heavy-handed screenplay to tell us how to feel in largely black-and-white clarity. 

Marcus, Riri, Harmony, and Jenny never meet Keith in-person — distanced yet hanging by his every word — and Gillespie misses an opportunity to explore the allure, compulsion, and righteousness they each feel by following Keith’s lead, besides bluntly stating that they feel certain ways before viewers cut away to a different character.

The hedge fund managers, brought to life with entertainingly snooty performances, are fun to sneer at, but one-note. It doesn’t help that Gillespie’s direction lacks energy, failing to capture the dynamism of directors tackling similar subjects like Adam McKay did with “The Big Short.”

Indeed, no amount of memes flashing on screen, Cardi B music drops, or amusing lines of dialogue can ever fully make up for the fact that “Dumb Money” is simplistic and devoid of true insight into the rigged game of stocks or wealth inequality. At least this David vs. Goliath tale remains an agreeable watch despite all this.

The screenplay’s preference for comedy — not dwelling on the stress or darker aspects of the story too much before reverting to laughs — undersells the stakes to a certain extent, but shines in moments separated from the Internet, especially involving Keith’s family and characters navigating mask-use during COVID. 

Additionally, it’s commendable that Gillespie makes all the stock-chatter mostly understandable and digestible. This approach, though — streamlining real-world events into accessible entertainment — applies to the film’s emotional element as well, rendering the attempts at both first-pumping and sobering moments all the more manufactured and lightweight, especially when the arguably more engaging epilogue is conveyed through on-screen text. 

At the end of the day, however, watching smug grifters get their just desserts remains satisfying to watch unfold, no matter how shallow Gillespie and company frame it. “Dumb Money” is too slight to linger long in the mind, but as a crowd-pleasing underdog story, it rises enough to the occasion.

Rushi Kota and Sebastian Stan as the Robinhood investors

“Dumb Money” is a 2023 comedy directed by Craig Gillespie and stars Paul Dano, Seth Rogan, Nick Offerman, Pete Davidson, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrara, Vincent D’Onofrio, Sebastian Stan, and Anthony Ramos. It is rated R for pervasive language, sexual material, and drug use, and the run time is 1 hour, 45 minutes. It opens in theaters Sept. 22. Alex’s Grade: B-

Note: this review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Exuberant ‘In the Heights’ Pops with Charismatic Performances and Heartfelt Story

Exuberant ‘In the Heights’ Pops with Charismatic Performances and Heartfelt Story

By Lynn Venhaus
“In the Heights” is indescribably delicious — and one of the best movie musicals of the 21st century, splendidly transferred from stage to screen.

Bursting with exuberance and featuring a bustling street tableau, this long-awaited adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2008 Tony-winning musical is teeming with colorful sights and sounds.

Besides a richly textured, pulsating score with primarily hip-hop lyrics and a salsa beat, what made the musical special is how it captures a universal story of people chasing their dreams with a specific sense of place.

Usnavi de la Vega (Anthony Ramos) is the owner of a small bodega in New York City’s Washington Heights. As the neighborhood braces for changes and people follow their dreams, family stories are revealed.

Usnavi has a crush on Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), who dreams of being a designer and wants to live in the West Village. His childhood friend, Nina (Leslie Grace), the “one who made it out” by landing a scholarship to Stanford University, thinks she is disappointing her dad, Kevin Rosario (Jimmy Smits), who owns a local car service company. Nina’s love interest, Benny (Corey Hawkins), works for her dad. Meanwhile, Abuelo Claudia (Olga Merediz) dispenses love and advice as the neighborhood’s matriarch. Merediz played the role on Broadway.

And Usnavi discovers his store has sold a winning lottery ticket for $96,000 – money that could make a lot of dreams possible.

Anthony Ramos and Melissa Barrera

As a celebration of Latino heritage, from Caribbean islands, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico, this film arrives at the perfect time – it’s a valuable immigrant representation and a major achievement in 2021.

Set during a blistering summer heat wave in the barrio over the course of three days, you feel “all the feels” — You will fall in love with these characters and their devotion to family, culture and finding their place in the world.

Showcasing an abundance of charisma, three stars are born: Anthony Ramos as Usnavi, Melissa Barrera as Vanessa and Leslie Grace as Nina. Ramos, most known as John Laurens and Alexander’s son Philip in “Hamilton,” sings and dances up a storm, but also has the emotional heft for good-hearted, hard-working Usnavi. Barrera and Grace dazzle in every musical number – and their personal stories tug at the heartstrings.

The entire cast is terrific — Corey Hawkins as Benny, Daphe Rubin-Vega as Daniella, Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario and Gregory Diaz IV as Sonny, among them.

Jon M. Chu, who directed “Crazy Rich Asians,” has a flair for keeping things moving at a brisk pace in massive musical numbers but also creating an intimacy with the duets and personal struggles. For a movie with a running time of 2 hours and 23 minutes, that is no small feat.

Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the musical’s original book plus the screen adaptation) brings it into today, with references to Dreamers (DACA), activism and current class struggles. The women characters are all strong role models, too.

Best of all are the energetic dance scenes. Vibrant choreographer Christopher Scott will have you moving and up from your seat! He brings so much joy to these lively street scenes, and their precise moves – on asphalt, park, water or sand – are striking. He is a Busby Berkeley for the modern age, keen on making the action ‘pop.’

And for Miranda’s devotees and “Hamilton” fans, there are a few tasty in-jokes. Check out the phone muzak while Jimmy Smits is on hold – recognize a signature tune? — and there is a rivalry between his “The Piragua Guy” and a Mr. Softee truck (with a certain actor once known as Mr. President – and who played Benny in the original cast). Christopher Jackson and Miranda go way back to 2002.

Miranda was the first composer to put hip-hop lyrics in a Broadway show — and the youngest to win the Tony for Best Music Score in 2009. While that is remarkable in itself, what he has managed in his career to date is awe-inspiring — and means a lot is expected from him. Next up, his directorial debut with “Tick, Tick…Boom,” basically the Jonathan Larson story, which will premiere on Netflix this fall. He credits the “Rent” composer with being one of his influences.

His “Hamilton” Dream Team of Tommy Kail, Alex Lacamoire and Andy Blankenbuehler worked together on all the stage versions of “In the Heights,” so while not specifically involved in the movie, their influence can be felt.

Miranda wrote a new song, “Home All Summer,” which plays over the credits and features Marc Anthony, who has a minor role as Sonny’s father, in addition to Ramos and Grace.

Sonny’s father wasn’t in the original musical, and there are a few alterations here, including a new framing device and ending, but it only adds to the material, not detracts. A few songs were cut from the 25, and the soundtrack now includes 17, including the new one.

Movie musicals can be a dicey proposition these days, for every “Chicago” (Oscar winner) and “Les Miserables” (Best Picture nominee), there is an epic failure like “The Phantom of the Opera” and the unwatchable “Cats.”

This is a fun, global experience that will be a certain summer sizzler. After a pandemic delay, “In the Heights” is a welcome refresher in the magic of music and movies.

“In the Heights” is a musical directed by John M. Chu and starring Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Daphne Rubin-Vega,  Corey Hawkins, Marc Anthony and Jimmy Smits. It is rated PG-13 for some language and suggestive references, and runs 2 hours, 23 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: The movie is in theaters starting June 10 and on HBO Max June 10 – July 11.