Ick

Oh, what an absolute blast! This is genuinely some of the most fun I've had with any movie in theaters this year. I loved everything about it. Legendary music video director Joseph Kahn brings a vision to life here that harkens back to such a specific period of time. It fits right in with so many movies of the era it's emulating. Visually, it's quite incredible and I found myself in awe of what was being brought to the screen. The craft displayed here is masterful, and Kahn commits to his bold concept all the way through. It is so kinetic, imaginative, and has a powerful energy, moving seamlessly from shot to shot in a way that feels natural to the film's style. The production design is amazing. The film is honestly enchanting and just oozes charm. It wastes no time and throws you right in. So much is happening within the frame and the pace is nonstop - but as fast as this film goes, it never loses you. The aesthetic itself makes it feel like a feature length music video, and I mean that in the best way. It's defined especially by its unbelievable soundtrack, which is maybe the most impressive curation of songs I've seen in a long time. This is seriously a soundtrack that someone would only dream of having in their film. They're just INSANE needle drops, and I give major props to the team for being able to lock down all of them. I was truly blown away. We were cheering!

As Kahn mentioned in his intro to the film, he has as many creature jumpscares as he does punk rock jumpscares. The music of the All-American Rejects, Good Charlotte, Wheatus, Creed, Paramore and tons of other great bands popping up throughout the film instantly brought me back to my childhood, when my sisters were in high school and I was growing up with the songs they played. It was amazing to hear all this music in a feature film, and especially with the context of which they were used. Their place in the film feels quite motivated, as the story has a focus on the disconnect (and also similarities) between the generation of teens from the 90s/00s and those of today. Telling a modern story while using nostalgic music like this really worked to get into the headspace of Hank, played so brilliantly by Brandon Routh (who absolutely needs more starring roles today). I found him to be an excellent protagonist with a really compelling arc. I loved his transition from all-star quarterback/prom king to a broken man, stuck in one spot, whose life didn't go as planned. The opening perfectly depicts his tragic downfall, and the remainder of the film allows us to explore him as a character. He has to battle his past and the direction his life took, while also trying to move forward and own up to his newfound discovery of responsibility. The Ick itself serves as a clear allegory for the pandemic and how our society has handled it, but I think it doubles as a representation of the force that holds us back and keeps us stuck in the past. The film is all about the fact that we can't fix our mistakes, but we can move forward from them. Hank's leg is a constant reminder of this. So many are quick to embrace the problem as the solution, but it takes effort to be better and create progression in your life. I thought it was a beautifully heartfelt story to be told in a dark time of our world currently.

Also, like this month's Eddington, it makes hilarious commentary about insane people willing to get infected in the name of freedom, as well as teens using social awareness as a tool for selfish reasons. It gives us a very funny satirical look at different generations and ideologies that made me laugh, showing absurdities from all sides. I think I was smiling throughout the entire movie. It's so clever and has a heart of gold. Routh is immensely great in the film, and I dug how he played off of Malina Weissman (who heavily reminded me of Sabrina Carpenter). She was awesome here and clearly has a bright career ahead of her. I also can't stress how happy it made me to see Mena Suvari in the film, who is just a staple of so many 90s teen films. Her appearance in the opening could've been pulled straight from one of her older movies and I wouldn't have batted an eye. Such a cool meta role to include her in. Our theater also showed American Beauty and American Pie this month, making it an unofficial Mena Suvari month! This was just such a refreshing movie that blends a 2000s coming of age tone with a social satire/creature feature, soaring at every genre it taps into. It's full of endearing characters and performances, very impressive VFX work, a generationally great soundtrack, and the movie does not overstay its welcome at all. What a gem and a smart throwback film - I will definitely be rewatching this and I hope everyone gets the chance to see it this week! I wish it was getting a wider release. I desperately need to seek out Joseph Kahn's other movies and can't wait to see what else he has in store! This simply rules.

ICK is honestly one of the most electric and inventive films I've seen in a while. It's a 2000s-infused creature feature with incredible performances by some of the best/most iconic names of the 2000s as well as a bunch who got to grow up watching these people. It had to have hit Malina Weissman at least once her teacher/father figure in the film was Superman.

Anyways, the script was super fun and extremely self-aware. It wasn't eye-rolly either. It actually had something to say and said it in a way that was exciting while also getting the message across. It was also a breath of fresh air to see a film that was actually directed and not shot on telephoto lenses at several points throughout the room. Each shot was meticulously crafted, blocked and executed. I mentioned Routh and Weissman before, but they were the heartbeat and soul of this film. Weissman specifically though has the chops that could definitely blow some A-listers out of the water. I know she came from A Series of Unfortunate Events working with Neil Patrick Harris, but her charm and charisma flows through the theater. Her chemistry with Routh too was so dynamic, and their banter literally made the movie that much more fun. The ick itself as an allegory for COVID was very fun to digest and allowed for the film to look upward towards a brighter future if we were to take a step against the societal woes that locked is inside the pandemic for so long. This movie just proves that you can use the medium of movies and storytelling to inspire instead of just depicting pure cynicism on screen for two hours. I can't believe I've gotten this far too without mentioning the soundtrack, and it was absolutely beautiful to be able to hear the soundtrack of my childhood to destroying monsters and fighting for what you believe in. It just reinvigorated my love for the medium, and I IMPLORE that EVERYONE go out and see this over the next couple days. You won't regret just having a blast at the movies!

IT'S WHAT WE GO TO THE MOVIES FOR!!!

Saw this opening at Screamfest at The Mann Chinese Theatre. Super fun film with a great cast. You can tell watching it that everyone involved had a really great time making the film. It feels like a movie made by people who really love films especially those from the 90s and early 2000s. Parts reminded me of Eight Legged Freaks, the Faculty, and Lawnmower Man. It harkened back to a time when popular horror films were more about having a good time then being a deep intellectual pursuit. Not that I mind a brilliant brain bender, but it is refreshing to see a film not take itself so seriously.

The cast was brilliant. Brandon Routh was incredibly charming and funny as the lead, Mena Suvari was great as well. Malina Weissman really carried the film well with her grounded yet endearing performance. Harrison Cone was hilarious as the overly performative, virtue signaling douchebag. Two great breakout performances came from Taia Sophia and Zeke Donovan Jones. Their awkward goth romance added a ton a heart to the film. I suspect these two actors will be future fan favorites.

There is an eight-screen movie theater in my town, and since I'd had some work successes, I wanted to treat myself to a movie. My choices were; yet another Superman reboot, yet another Fantastic Four movie (unsure if reboot or not), yet another Jurassic sequel, Elio, a Smurfs reboot, something called "The Home," and the "How to Train your Dragon live action."

Then, there was this.

It starred Brandon Louth, which made me go hm. Since his turn as the Man of Steel, he has kept fairly busy on television, but I remember his appearance in "Zack and Miri make a porno," which was only a short while after Superman Returns. He seemed animated and relaxed in his role (a very brief but somewhat important one in that movie) and I remember thinking that if they allowed that side of him to come through in his Superman movie it might have been better received.

For the first part, he's in high school and it made me wonder if they used de-aging technology or if, with the makeup he could still look that young even in his mid-40s. I think it might be both. Happily, for the rest of the movie he got to show the side of him that was so appealing in "Zack and Miri."

The movie itself is somewhat of a rapid-fire assault on the senses and is made for a completely different demographic than me. As other reviewers have said, the "Ick" depicted in the movie might be a metaphor for culture rot so prevalent today.

And yes, it does get a little slapdash at the end, but overall it was fun to see a little creativity and fun in a movie for a change. I also got the sense that some of the easter eggs other reviewers have described might reveal themselves more in a repeat viewing.

The length and pacing hit the sweet spots for a movie such as this, and as another reviewer has said, it looks like everybody had a good time making it. I had a good time seeing it, and since Brandon was one of the producers, I want to say thank you to him for turning out something semi-original.

Saw it on opening night at ScreamFest 2024 in LA. Was absolutely hysterical. Moves at TikTok speed and passes by very quickly even though it's not a short movie. The direction was great, the pace was quick, the cast was strong, and the soundtrack was incredible. Overall the movie was fun, satirical, and a good mix of jump scares and laugh-out-loud moments. I can't remember the last time I saw a cast that was this strong in a film that was relevant for my generation. Old people might not get it, but if you grew up in the early 2000's and after, you will.

This film won't cast a light on big world issues, but it will make you laugh at how terrible humanity is. Ick is the kind of movie you'll watch over and over again to discover new funny details in you hadn't noticed before. Ick is awesome and one-of-a-kind in the best way possible. Would highly recommend!