The blog of Logan Tyler Smith

It may not seem that the movies 21 Jump Street (2012, dir. Phill Lord and Christopher Miller) and Star Trek (2009, dir. JJ Abrams) have much in common at first glance. But upon closer inspection, both are remakes/reboots based on a television series popular in its time period.  When choosing which is the best among them, however, the answer is fairly obvious: it's 21 Jump Street, and here’s why. 5 It does not lean into supreme fan service Star Trek, much like Star Wars, is known for certain degrees of fan service. The movie (directed by Force Awakens and Rise of Skywalker director JJ Abrams), while it does have some good performances and character moments, is built upon an understanding of Star Trek’s history and who the characters are. The same cannot be said of 21 Jump St; it requires no prior knowledge of the 80s television series and can be watched independently of insider knowledge (although that Johnny Depp cameo can be hit or miss for some...). 4 It actually updates elements

 It’s no secret: the superhero movie boom we’ve been in the thick of for so long has started to plateau. While we will not fully know how far the boon has fallen until Deadpool 3 released in June* or when we see how Superman: Legacy turns out is released, but it doesn’t look good. Superhero movies in general (both Marvel and DC) have been underperforming. While there have been high points such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on Marvel and The Suicide Squad on DC (interestingly both directed by filmmaker James Gunn), it seems like modern audiences are not as excited about superhero movies post-Avengers: Endgame and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (box office numbers are the most obviously example, but critical response on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic to these post-Endgame movies are all over the place). Ultimately these trends do lead to an interesting - if somewhat arrogant sounding - question: where should Marvel (which is, of course, owned by Walt Disney Pictures) and DC (which is o

 I don’t always like to have ‘things’ but I’ve clearly accumulated a lot in my lifetime.  Multiple sunglasses, watches, gifts, gadgets and trinkets that often add give my life value and create a positive atmosphere. I do not have my worth tied to this stuff and I am in no way bragging, but I have been thinking a lot about our connection to ‘stuff’ and ‘things’ and maybe I’ll come up with a more compelling post in the future. Stay tuned.  

 I haven’t seen as many movies as I have in the past few years but I have a long list to get through. Until then, here are my current five favorites of 2024. 5. Dune Part 2: Dune Part Two manages to continue the story from the first movie in all the right ways. It also doubles down on the mix of different special effects types and driven themes that make the new(ish*) series worthwhile. 4. Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga: it very nearly matched the energy of Mad Max Fury Road…nearly. But that energy is absolutely worthwhile and shines in every seen. Director George Miller has done it again. 3. Challengers: it has by far the best new film score I’ve listened to in a while. Composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross absolutely kill it. The score and performances elevate what may be a pretty slight movie otherwise. Love it! 2. Maxxine: it may not appeal to traditionalists, but it doesn’t need to. X (2022) was also really good and sadly? I still need to see Pearl (2022). Maybe I’ll give you a ranking

  In Furiosa, we witness the origin of Mad Max Fury Road character…Furiosa. We watch her journey to survive and adapt to the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max. This film has a lot going for it: good performances, kinetic action, and a constant sense of momentum. If you’re comparing it to Mad Max Fury Road (which this is a prequel to, so comparisons are unavoidable) then it may be a step down, but it stands well on its own for all these elements. Anya Taylor-Joy is electric as Furiosa, but even more electric is Chris Hemsworth (deliberately overacting his own natural accent) to play a villain we love to hate and can’t look away from. We look forward to seeing him getting what’s coming to him, and Furiosa’s revenge goal in his direction keeps us engaged. While the film has all the elements that make Fury Road work, the film is about as brutal as one would expect. Your mileage may vary on how much violence you can take, but it absolutely works within the material. It’s absolutely worth wa

  In Gray’s Anatomy, a man named Spalding Gray monologues about his medical mishaps for a really long time. As he describes his journey, he showcases his neuroses and fears along the way. Gray’s Anatomy is not a typical film: a man monologues to the camera for a few hours while some visual choices are made around him to add to the story. This may not appeal to everyone, but it’s anchored by the fact that the main character is a truly impressive speaker.  Gray speaks coherently and engagingly for the whole movie, which is hard to come to terms with considering it’s pretty much all him talking. He tells the story with enthusiasm and wit, rarely ever relenting to make sure we are entertained.  The visual choices made around him (some through editing, some through lighting) truly add to this storytelling and makes it more engaging. However, there is an argument to be made that this could be distracting to some people who just want to hear him talk.  It is not a typical film by any stretch

 In Sex Drive, a young virgin steals his brothers car to meet a girl he met online who may give him sex. However, he learns so much about himself along the way it may not inevitably be worth it.  Some standout performances aside, the film is not especially interesting. Even compared to some other teen comedies around the same time and since the 90s, the teen movie sub genre had apparently reached a breaking point long before Sex Drive.  While it’s hard to know the exact cutoff, Sex Drive’s lacking originality and sub-par humor (barring some funny moments here and there) do not do it any favors. The film feels like it’s trying way to hard to be funny, and it can be at worst insufferable.  There are some standout performances that come out of no where though (Seth Green as a sarcastic Amish man comes to mind). Ironically, they seem completely out of place in a movie of this mediocre caliber.  If you like teen comedies regardless of originality or humor, chances are you may actually enjoy

 In Fast Times at Ridgemont High, a series of interconnected stories among high schoolers stand out. All of them have a goal that may prove trivial in their larger life stories.  Fast Times is about as funny as one can expect from the teen comedy sub genre. All the performances are on the same wavelength: from Sean Penn as the stoner to Jennifer Jason Leigh as the young high schooler navigating her sexuality.  While some aspects are dated, it’s no doubt the character-centric humor anchors the whole thing. Even the most ridiculous ideas (like the scene in the baseball dugout or the pool fantasy) are grounded in the sense that you know these characters well enough to know that’s how they think and act.  That being said, your mileage may vary on how much you’re willing to put up with sexually or in terms of crudeness. While it is not AS crude as some of its later imitators (American Pie comes to mind) it still isn’t for everyone.  Basically, if you like John Hughes teen movies, you may lo

 In the food, a group of prison guards and prisoners are at the center of a gigantic flood. As they try to navigate that, a horde of monstrous alligators comes after all of them.  The gore and camp are among the best parts of this horror movie. Unfortunately, nothing else about the film works any wonders on me or its intended audience audience.  The CGI alligators look ugly as opposed to scary, and I doubt I’d ever understand the choice to have the alligators lean into the uncanny valley of bayou animals, This isn’t helped by a cast of characters that is undercooked and reductive at best.  None of the performances (even the most sympathetic one; Starship Troopers veteran [pun partially intended] Casper Van Dien) are on an effective wavelength; clearly it had to be a paycheck job if anything at all. This also isn’t helped by a script that does none of these ragtag characters (not even the Sheriff, who should be the center of the movie) any justice.  This movie wasn’t very effective for

 In The Hunt, political dissidents are hunted by powerful elites. One of the dissidents stands out and tries to unravel this dangerous conspiracy.  I’ll be honest, this is one of the most politically confused movies I have ever seen. It seems to side with conservative dissidents (who are, in some ways the heroes of the movie) as opposed to the incompetent and over-priveleged (in the movie’s mind, liberal) elites. However, considering the movies framing of violence as necessary in this already frightful divide, and if you do ANY level of research outside of the movie, it will fall flat on anyone with a sense of reason.  It’s easy to think conservatives and morons will enjoy this movie (I know some regrettable people who might) but for anyone with half a brain? You’re better off watching The Hunger Games than this. I much prefer movies that know they’re dumb and are dumb then movies that think they’re smart and are dumb.  Ultimately this is a matter of political opinion. If you like this

 In The Bikeriders, a young author dedicates eight years of time to documenting the rise of a motorcycle club from 1965-1973. As the club expands, however, its criminal side becomes more apparent. I did not expect to enjoy this movie as much as I did. Coming in with low expectations, I thought it would be a needless depiction of horrible people rather than a thoughtful and nuanced look at amoral characters - and I was pleasantly mistaken. The performances are all on the same wavelength, but special standout goes to Austin Butler and Tom Hardy as friends in the motorcycle club who are inevitably driven apart. An even more special shout out goes to Jodie Comer, who’s accent and personality endears us to her right away as she becomes the star and moral center of a movie predominantly filled with immoral or amoral characters. For people who do not like following these kinds of characters, this probably won’t appeal to you. Sincere bikers may not even like this presentation, but it works we