3 Razors

The Djinn

  • Title: The Djinn
  • IMDb: link

Written and directed by the team of David Charbonier and Justin Powell, The Djinn plays on several classic horror tropes including children and monsters and the unforeseen price of asking for wishes from a demonic source (Hint: it’s never a good idea).

The film takes place entirely within the apartment of the mute pre-teen Dylan (Ezra Dewey). On night when his father (Rob Brownstein) is at work, Dylan makes use of a satanic book of spells left over from the apartment’s previous tenant and makes a wish. To see his wish granted, he’ll need to survive an hour of being hunted by a malevolent creature known as the Djinn (a mix of CGI and performances from multiple actors including John Erickson, Donald Pitts, and Tevy Poe).

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The Book of Boba Fett – Stranger in a Strange Land

  • Title: The Book of Boba Fett – Stranger in a Strange Land (Chapter 1)
  • wiki: link

The opening chapter of The Book of Boba Fett sets the stage for the season with two storylines. The first takes place in the present with Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) taking over the role as head of Jabba the Hutt‘s criminal empire on Tatooine. The other, taking place in flashbacks when Fett takes a dip in the Bacta tank, begins to fill in the gaps of what happened to the character between his apparent death in The Return of the Jedi and his reappearance last year on The Mandalorian. In the opening chapter of both these tales, things don’t exactly go Fett’s way. While having the same feel as The Mandalorian, it lacks a funny little co-star, and the dual storylines often trip over each other while trying to decide which is the main story The Book of Fett wishes to tell.

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House of Gucci

  • Title: House of Gucci
  • IMDb: link

House of Gucci is one of the sillier movies of 2021. Taken from true events of the Gucci family, with some obvious embellishment for effect by screenwriters Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna, it struggles when it needs its more dramatic moments to hit home. With a tone more to parody winking at the camera, and characters who feel ratcheted up to 11, we’re left with an amusing, but largely empty, experience.

The film follows the ups and downs of Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) and Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) after their marriage. We witness how their relationship changes both of them as the reluctant member of the Gucci family is drawn back into the family business. If there’s a point to director Ridley Scott‘s film it might be that despite their troubles and the eventual misery they caused each other, Patrizia and Maurizio appear to have been made for each other.

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Cleopatra in Space – My Pharaoh Lady

  • Title: Cleopatra in Space – My Pharaoh Lady
  • wiki: link

“My Pharaoh Lady” brings back Pharaoh Yosira (Kari Wahlgren) who needs to oversee delicate talks attempting to bring to separate alien races into the fight against Octavian. But when in intelligence suggests someone at the summit is already working for Octavian, Cleopatra (Lilimar) takes her place going in undercover as Yosira in hopes of discovering the traitor before it’s too late. There’s some fun Cleo in over-her-head moments here, and Yosira rubbing off on the the impulsive time-traveler. The unexpected piece of the episode involves Cleo rubbing off on the Pharaoh as Yosira discovers she quite likes Cleo’s more adventures lifestyle. 

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American Underdog

  • Title: American Underdog
  • IMDb: link

Adapted from Kurt Warner‘s autobiography, American Underdog follows the unlikely journey of small-time college quarterback Kurt Warner (Zachary Levi) from college, to being completely out of football stocking shelves at a Hy-Vee, and ultimately to the NFL. Much of the film focuses on Warner’s personal life, his relationship with Brenda Meoni (Anna Paquin) and her children, and his struggles in finding life after football.

The film from directors Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin is attempting to cash-in on a tale similar to Invincible and The Rookie. However, both of those films were produced by Disney who has a better feel for the genre. While it may not measure up to either of those two films, American Underdog is still an interesting look at the lesser-known aspects of Warner’s life although it skirts over his professional relationships in the NFL with everyone except his coaches. 

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