#the beekeper 2024

[the-masked-reviewer]

The Beekeeper (2024) Review

Potential spoilers ahead...

This film is interesting and exactly what you want based off of the trailers. It's very played up and exaggerated in terms of the score and sound design. For example, many of the punches sounding more cartoonish than realistic. The fight scenes are very well choreographed and visually interesting. Many of the deaths are creative and add to the proof that Clay, the main character and The Beekeeper, is on another level when it comes to accomplishing his goal. One of the fight sequences includes two of my favorite deaths and great examples of the creativity; a man getting split in half by a falling elevator and one where clay hangs a guy mid fight and the camera follows him as he uses the guy as a pulley to get out of the ceiling.

For an R rated action full of creative deaths and big fights, there is a distinct lack of blood. For instance in one of the fight scenes we see Clay shoot a guy in the face twice, and you are clearly shown blood splattering up but the next cut reveals that he has almost no blood on his face or clothes, despite this happening in the middle of the final fight and them actually showing blood splatter.

This movie uses some absolutely amazing framing, the camera movement and what they choose to focus on in both close up and range shots is just expertly done. The bee symbolism and parallels are extremely present and allow the audience to predict where the story is going, especially the moment framed as the twist. The cast does wonderfully at portraying their character, and the acting adds so many layers and interest to the entire story.

[crowdvscritic]

round up // JULY 24

An unofficial July theme: optimism! 

From a rom-com about the possibilities of the Space Race, silly Minion antics, movie theaters making a comeback, traveling to new places, and the most exciting Olympics in years, things are looking up. July is also a great time to take stock of the year’s movie output. The writers at ZekeFilm rounded up our individual top five films and named our cumulative top five in our Best of the Year (So Far) piece. (I also did a deeper dive on my favorite film so far.) I'm not saying we've found the joy of a dull moment of precedented-ness, but these Round Up of pop culture picks gave July a more relaxed, celebratory feeling.

July Crowd-Pleasers

1. Fly Me to the Moon (2024) 

If you’ve ever watched a romantic comedy baked in misunderstandings, secrets, and false identities—think Pillow Talk or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days—then you know the appeal of Fly Me to the Moon. Romances are about chemistry, which Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum have to spare, and comedies require a light touch, which is just what this semi-real retelling of the first moon landing needs. Read my full review for ZekeFilm or watch my review on KMOV. Crowd: 9.5/10 // Critic: 8/10

2. Despicable Me 4 (2024)

I have no new insight into this cinematic universe, and the plot points are so becoming interchangeable you could just read my review of 2022’s Minions: The Rise of Gru to understand what I thought of Despicable Me 4. All I know is Minions make me feel like I’m a giggling 6-year-old again, and I don’t care about the lack of innovation as long as that lasts. Crowd: 10/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

3. Twisters (2024)

The joy of Twisters is that in spite of its empyrean spectacle, it always stays grounded. Also, Glen Powell (and Brisket). Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 10/10 // Critic: 8/10

4. Thelma (2024)

Imagine The Beekeper if Phylicia Rashad decided to go after the scammer criminals herself. Also, imagine she was 93 years old and could only use resources available to nonagenarians. June Squibb is hilarious as a grandma who doesn’t know when to quit, and Josh Margolin’s debut feature finds a sweeter center than Jason Statham did earlier this year. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

5. A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

All hail sequels that are much better than they need to be! Though, in this case, keep your hails to a whisper. Lupita N’yongo, Joseph Quinn, and one endearing feline prove this franchise has legs—albeit spindly alien ones—and a heart outside the single family we saw in the first two chapters. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

MORE JULY CROWD-PLEASERS // About Time (2013) is an underseen rom-com that graciously does not overthink its time travel mechanics // I have never seen a commercial for Paddington (2014) or Paddington 2 (2017) that made me want to watch them—why were these charming, clever movies hidden behind gross-out jokes in their marketing? // The Great Debaters (2007) and The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018) prove Glen Powell has always had it, and both films have plenty to recommend apart from his small roles // Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024) may not be as vibrant as in the '80s but it does capture the same fun // Is Andrew McCarthy’s navel-gazing documentary Brats (2024) preoccupied with a therapeutic exploration of self? Is it extremely watchable for anyone with a love for 1980s popular cinema? Yes, and YES.

July Critic Picks

1. London! 

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford.” That Samuel Johnson quote is overused for a reason. This month I returned to the United Kingdom for the first time since a three-week study abroad trip in 2012. A few activities were repeats from my college days (Harrod’s, National Gallery, Westminster Abbey), and I’ve now seen Six on two continents (great on both). Aside from a quick day trip to Stonehenge and Bath, the rest of my time was spent in London, discovering new coffee shops with baked goods on every corner and packing in as many museum visits as possible. If you’re headed across the Pond anytime soon, these are my top new-to-me cultural picks: 

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Christian Heritage City Walk Tour

Churchill War Rooms

The Design Museum, specifically Barbie: The Exhibition

High tea at The Rosebery in the Mandarin Oriental

National Portrait Gallery, especially the exhibit Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens

Natural History Museum, specifically the dinosaur fossils because Jurassic Park rules

Portobello Road Market, including standing in front of the Notting Hill Bookshop asking it to love me 

Roman Baths

St. Paul’s Cathedral, though make sure you’re warmed up before attempting to climb to the top

Stonehenge

Victoria and Albert Museum, which is extra special when you wait in the gift shop line behind Tessa Thompson, who seems just as lovely in person as she does on screen

2. Double Feature — Classic Espionage Thrillers: Saboteur (1942) + Mirage (1965)

Because we all need more plot twists in our lives. In Saboteur (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10), Robert Cummings is framed for sabotaging the U.S. war efforts and goes on the run to discover the real culprits in true Hitchcock fashion. In Mirage (8/10 // 8/10), Gregory Peck realizes he’s lost two years of memories and goes on the run to discover the real conspiracy in similar fashion to Charade (since they share a screenwriter and co-stars).

3. Gambit (1966)

Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine are trying to pull off an art heist in swinging ‘60s style. What else do you need to know? Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

4. Making Movies by Sidney Lumet (1996)

Before The Big Picture podcast celebrated Sidney Lumet’s 100th birthday, I read his memoir/filmmaking guide and wished I’d read it years ago. The director of Network and The Verdict explains his filmmaking philosophies and techniques without getting too inside baseball or talking down to us. It feels like joining him in production meetings, sound stages, and editing rooms. I won’t look just at his work differently—these insights will impact my perspective on all watching going forward.

5. Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony

So far this Olympics has felt like the burst of joy and optimism I’ve wanted the Olympics to feel like since 2020, and the opening ceremony was full of all the pomp, circumstance, spectacle, sparkle, fireworks, Lady Gaga, and Minions I could ask for. 

MORE JULY CRITIC PICKS // Wicked Little Letters (2024) is a fun twist on the Parable of the Two Sons // The gender politics of Forever, Darling (1956) are silly today, but boy, did Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball have chemistry! // Death on the Diamond (1934) is a silly murder mystery set on the baseball diamond, but I can’t resist the St. Louis Cardinals as heroes // When Ladies Meet (1941) lets Joan Crawford shine in a rom-com

Also in July…

As Kyla and I continue the final season of SO IT’S A SHOW?, we dig into references Gilmore Girls makes to Sylvia Plath and The Bell Jar in ep. 141. What is the tragedy that Rory and Lorelai allude to? Is Gwyneth Paltrow any good at playing this poet in a movie? And why does Rory love her work so much? No need to finish that copy of The Bell Jar that’s been sitting half-read on your nightstand for years—we’ve got all the answers!

Photo credits: London my own. Making Movies. All others IMDb.com.

[cinquecolonnemagazine]

The Beekeeper

Leone Film Group ha finalmente e dopo tanta attesa pubblicato su internet il primo trailer ufficiale di The Beekeeper. L'action thriller è diretto da David Ayer mentre Jason Statham ricopre il ruolo di protagonista. Scritto da Kurt Wimmer, il film ha nel suo cast anche Josh Hutcherson e il Premio Oscar Jeremy Irons. Il film uscirà nelle sale italiane a partire dall prossimo 11 gennaio 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cze4sDdeXZo&feature=youtu.be La sinossi di The Beekeeper La spietata vendetta di un uomo si trasforma in una minaccia nazionale  quando emerge il suo passato come membro di una potente organizzazione segreta chiamata i "Beekepers". Read the full article