A Man Called Otto

Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, Truman Hanks, Manuel García-Rulfo, Mike Birbiglia, Cameron Britton, Mack Bayda, Juanita Jennings, Peter Lawson Jones, Kelly Lamor Wilson 
Running Time: 126 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)    

Despite the Oscars, affability and success, Tom Hanks still strangely faces a certain degree of skepticism when taking roles that clash with his nice guy reputation as the modern day Jimmy Stewart. Having consistently impressed in all kinds of dramatic parts, there's a nagging belief among critics and audiences that he can't really go anywhere too dark. Even the mere suggestion elicits groans, as if even his most ardent fans don't want him traveling too far outside that perceived comfort zone.  

In Marc Forster's A Man Called Otto, Hanks tackles the type of ornery, irascible character Jack Nicholson perfected in As Good As it Gets and About Schmidt, prompting those overly familiar complaints about his miscasting. It's based on the acclaimed 2015 Swedish film A Man Called Ove, and while it's a leap to call this material dark, it does take steps forward in challenging those unfair preconceptions. While giving Hanks something more somber, it still manages to deliver the feel good, tug-at-the-heartstrings project viewers have come to expect from him. More importantly, it's done well, which wasn't a lock considering the depressing territory it navigates in between laughs.

Otto Anderson (Hanks) is a 63-year-old recent widower living outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who lost his schoolteacher wife Sonya six months earlier and has just been pushed into retirement at his steel company job. A grumpy curmudgeon constantly complaining about the most trivial of inconveniences, he's irked by anything and anyone in the neighborhood. No longer seeing a reason to live, he plans to hang himself, until being interrupted by the arrival of friendly new neighbors Marisol (Mariana Treviño), Tommy (Manuel García-Rulfo) and their two young daughters Abby (Alessandra Perez) and Luna (Christiana Montoya). 

Marisol slowly punctures holes in Otto's icy exterior, but he still has a bone to pick with neighbor Anita (Juanita Jennings) and her husband Reuben (Peter Lawson Jones), an unresponsive stroke survivor who he fell out with years ago. But more justifiable is his disdain for the hilariously named real estate company, Dye & Merica, whose agent (Mike Birbiglia) is scoping the area to build high-priced condos. As Otto begrudgingly grows closer to Marisol's family and recommits to protecting his neighborhood, he's forced to confront the reality of a future without Sonya.

The central idea of not really knowing who lives next door makes Hanks' casting hit differently now than it would even just a few years earlier. David Magee's script capitalizes on society's increased cynicism, realizing it's hardly a stretch to imagine your neighbor isn't nearly as warm as you assumed from afar. That's why having Hanks in the role is so effective, causing us to question whether Otto was always this much of a jerk or it's entirely a reaction his wife's passing. Going out of his way to avoid meaningful interaction extending beyond snide, fleeting criticisms, many tolerate his hostility to a point knowing the circumstances. 

Somewhat surprisingly, the film contains more suicide attempts than Harold and Maude, only with a protagonist actually intending to do it. Or maybe not, given how many times he fails, knowing it's not what his late spouse would want. We get that much from the flashbacks that precede them, accomplishing exactly what's necessary in informing the present day narrative. It's also highlighted by two terrific performances, the first of which comes from Hanks' own son Truman Hanks, who as young Otto perfectly channels a more awkward version of his famous dad opposite an enchanting Rachel Keller as Sonya. In just a handful of minutes, these scenes go a long way in making us understand why present-day Otto is so helplessly devastated. 

All of that certainly plays better than a distracting, extremely awkward de-aging scene that chronicles Otto's long-standing grudge against old pal Reuben. Even while the story works at conveying the former's stubbornness over silly issues, the poor special effects undo it. Luckily, it's a minor quibble, as most everything else succeeds and comes together nicely by the end, which isn't a small feat considering the quantity of plot.

Aside from neighborly feuds, clingy stray cats and unauthorized medical records access, separate side stories involving a social media journalist (Kelly Lamor Wilson) and a local transgender teen (Mack Bayda) manage to come together with reasonable payoffs. There's also some humorous character work from actors like Birbiglia as the real estate rep and Cameron Britton as an exercise obsessed neighbor. But it's Mariana Treviño who steals every scene she shares with Hanks, never crossing the line into irritatingly maudlin when connecting with this crank and slowly bringing him out of his sad shell.

That A Man Called Otto delivers what's expected from its trailers and commercials isn't necessarily a negative here, especially when adult mainstream movies about people struggling with real problems continue to search for an audience. This found one and it's easy to see why. You don't walk away feeling cheated by the experience, as Forster keeps the material from coming across too cloying or manipulative. Whether it'll be remembered or discussed beyond the end credits is a trickier question, but as somewhat of an outlier in Hanks' filmography, it doesn't disappoint.

Inside

Director: Vasilis Katsoupis
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Gene Bervoets, Eliza Stuyck
Running Time: 105 min.
Rating: R

★★½ (out of ★★★★)

As much an endurance test for viewers as it is the film's protagonist, director Vasilis Katsoupis' Inside finds a thief trapped in a Manhattan high-rise penthouse apartment, making you wonder about the effectiveness of its high tech security system. But working from a script by Ben Hopkins, Katsoupis clearly hopes no one's looking at his debut feature that literally, instead too absorbed in the metaphorical implications of a man inadvertently caged. The movie's title carries two meanings, both describing the predicament itself and how we're taken deep inside the mind of someone slowly unraveling as he loses touch with reality. 

Fitting squarely into the pandemic era of isolation cinema, it's somewhat of a slog, kept afloat by Willem Dafoe's tour de force turn, which goes a longer way toward redeeming this than you'd expect. Described as "a solitary exhibition" on its poster and promotional ads, that's exactly what it is, compelling much of the way through thanks to him. But for an existentially themed project this reliant on observing human behavior, it doesn't exactly linger long in the mind or go anywhere you'd hope.

Disguised as a handyman, art thief Nemo (Dafoe) breaks into the New York City penthouse of a wealthy art collector (Gene Bervoets) to steal three valuable Egon Schiele paintings, one of which is missing. Despite this, he attempts to leave, in the process accidentally setting off the security system and locking him inside the apartment. With his walkie talkie contact abandoning him and a now broken thermostat causing the temperature to wildly fluctuate, Nemo frantically searches for a way out.

Running dangerously low on food and water, a chance at rescue could come from a maid named Jasmine (Eliza Stuyck) he sees on the security camera and gradually becomes obsessed with. Basically tearing the place apart, he works on building a structure that could possibly facilitate an exit. But hallucinating and starving, Nemo's losing all grasp on reality, turning this personal prison into a messy, disastrous art exhibit reflective of his lonely existence.     

The film starts with a introspective voiceover from Nemo about the permanence of art, foreshadowing that this posh dwelling may soon become the gallery where he leaves his expressionistic mark. There are some clever aspects to the setup, but after a while the challenges of following through with such a concept start piling up as high as the furniture Nemo stacks in his attempts to climb out. Fun gags like a refrigerator door playing the Macarena or him dining on dog food and drinking from the sprinklers hold our attention largely because Dafoe rarely needs words to convey the anguish and dark comedy of this thief's situation. 

The irony isn't lost that the apartment is completely inaccessible to any class of person in the building but its owner, who at any point you half expect to see just casually walk in and discover Nemo's bruised, malnourished body on the floor of this now trashed residence. The set design team deserves a lot of credit for creating a sterile "smart home" space that's aesthetically paradise, but proves unlivable because of the overbearing technology. If a seasoned art burglar could be trapped in this seemingly impenetrable fortress, it stands to reason the same scenario could easily befall anyone attempting to enter or leave.

With Nemo physically and mentally deteriorating, you realize this has essentially turned into an indoor Cast Away minus Wilson the volleyball. He also starts looking like absolute hell and all of his good ideas to get out are accompanied by some unexpected obstacle preventing it. Security camera access should provide creative potential but that never really goes anywhere, nor does his fascination with the housekeeper. As he spirals further downward into the ugly recesses of his mind, there are numerous questions. How long has this been? Is the apartment ever cleaned? And you wouldn't be wrong  assuming the alarms should notify police or the owner, which seems even likelier in a residence containing priceless pieces of art.

Fatigue sets in after an impressive dream sequence, as the narrative crawls along until petering out and coming to a close. In the meantime, it's fun imagining all the untapped scenarios this premise could have provided and wondering why none occurred. Even accounting for Katsoupis' attempts to replicate in audiences a similar sense of his tortured character's disorientation, it seems as if major opportunities are missed. 

Playing better as self-contained acting showcase than a twisty psychological thriller, this is still highly watchable, at least until frustrations start bubbling over. While it isn't exactly fair to expect a single location picture titled Inside to open things up a little more, there is some truth to that complaint. Without a clue of what's happening on the outside, stakes lessen as we approach an anti-climactic finish, leaving its lead performance and top notch production design to pick up the slack.                   

Air

Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis, Matthew Maher, Julius Tennon, Damian Young, Jay Mohr
Running Time: 112 min.
Rating: R 

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

After a montage of 80's milestones set to Dire Strait's "Money For Nothing," Ben Affleck's Air kicks off by taking us straight into Nike headquarters, where something huge is about to go down, even if no one knows it yet. Based on a true story, it's about one man's gut feeling based on extensive knowledge and experience. Having already rolled the dice on a number of bad ideas and some really good ones he didn't get credit for, key employee Sonny Vaccaro has a new one he thinks can turn the fledgling company's fortunes around. And it just might be crazy enough to work.

This details how a Nike basketball scout signed college standout Michael Jordan to the sponsorship deal that transformed sports as we know it, to this day still generating a seemingly endless revenue stream. Unlike others, Vaccaro knew what bringing Jordan aboard would mean and was willing to do anything to get him. In retrospect, it's almost impossible to envision another outcome, but the film transports us into a world where it's not such a sure bet, as Alex Convery's script reveals everything that needed to fall exactly into place.

So accessibly mainstream that even those uninterested in basketball or sports in general will be hooked, it's easily the best in its genre since Moneyball, if slightly lighter in tone, but representing the type of adult-driven Hollywood picture that doesn't get made nearly enough. It also marks the long anticipated onscreen reunion of Affleck and Matt Damon, which doesn't disappoint, as both bring their best to this deceptively accomplished audience pleaser.

It's 1984 and Oregon-based Nike is on the verge of shutting down their unprofitable basketball shoe division as CEO and co-founder Bob Knight (Affleck) tasks Marketing VP Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and Sonny (Damon) with picking recently drafted NBA players to sign. Lagging far behind Adidas and Converse in sales, they're still primarily known for running shoes, leaving this division hurting for resources and attention. 

With North Carolina's Michael Jordan out of their price range and already planning to sign a lucrative Adidas contract, they go down the list of more attainable draft picks like Melvin Turpin and John Stockton. But Sonny can't let it go, pushing Knight to spend the department's entire budget on acquiring an uninterested, unaffordable Jordan and build their entire brand around him.  

While Jordan's understandably protective mother Deloris (Viola Davis) drives a hard bargain, Sonny will have to first find a way around his fast-talking, abrasive agent David Falk (Chris Messina), who makes the player's feelings about Nike abundantly clear. After gauging interest from Jordan's friend and Olympic coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) and consulting with upper level executive Howard White (Chris Tucker), Sonny remains undeterred. He's willing to risk it all, even if Nike's entire basketball division goes down with him.     

Sonny's tenacity causes headaches, but he's the real deal when it comes to knowing the game, as we see him continuously rewatch the most famous highlight in Jordan's NCAA career, but through an entirely different lens than everyone else. While Knight got Sonny this job and clearly respects the hustle, he still has a board to answer to, so the latter has to make things happen on his own. If shaking up the status quo and challenging the entire system is what it takes then that's what he'll do. 

Standing out as a likable straight shooter in a sports business full of used car salesmen, it's easy to see why Michael's dad, James (Julius Tennon) immediately takes to him and even the far more skeptical, business-minded Deloris respects his straightforwardness. Sonny's face-to-face with her at the Jordan home is one of the film's best scenes, as he cleverly exposes the competing companies' weaknesses before Deloris eventually finds out just how right he is. It's probably the closest this comes to being any kind of cynical capitalistic critique, which is fine since such an approach would seem wildly inconsistent with what Affleck's trying to accomplish.

If the first few minutes weren't clue enough, the 80's nostalgia rarely lets up, from the clothes to office decor and barrage of period specific needle drops on the soundtrack. There's even a washed-out, VHS look to Robert Richardson's cinematography. But Affleck gets away with it since there's something unabashedly sincere about his intentions, aside from also benefiting from a story that's never been explored to this extent in a dramatic feature.

Damon plays Sonny as disheveled and defeated, until inspiration strikes and he hits the ground running. He knows Jordan is a generational talent who needs to stand out rather than be the third wheel with Magic and Bird at Converse. He has to be the whole brand and treated as such for this to work and many of Damon's strongest moments involve him trying to sell his bosses on exactly that.

Affleck's performance as Knight is something else, almost as if every sad sack internet meme of the actor looking stressed, conflicted and frustrated was suddenly transposed to the screen. Not knowing much about the real Knight beyond him being an eccentric guy, it's hard to tell how much of the portrayal was intended to be comical, but it's a hoot anyway. 

A mullet-haired Jason Bateman steals the movie out from under everyone, as his perpetually irritated Rob Strasser grounds the insanity, reining in some of Sonny's less desirable instincts. He initially comes off as a slick, sarcastic company yes man before Bateman gradually peels back the layers to remind Sonny that while taking risks can pay off, the negative consequences of bigger, less calculated ones don't just fall on him. 

Everything comes to a head in their pitch to the Jordans when Nike sneaker designer Peter Moore's (Matthew Maher) "Air Jordan" masterpiece is revealed. Credited as being played by actor Damian Young, there's a deliberate attempt not to show Michael, other than briefly from the side or behind. Stepping into this iconic role would be daunting for anyone, but you have to wonder whether this decision unintentionally causes the distraction Affleck was looking to avoid. But since the picture isn't technically "about" Jordan he gets a pass and you just roll with it.

Supposedly, Jordan himself suggested Viola Davis play his mom and was that ever the right call. Falk might be his agent, but it's clear from the get-go who really is. Tough but fair, she doesn't suffer fools, remaining acutely aware of her son's worth. What she asks for is unprecedented, but not unreasonable, at least knowing what we do now. The final meeting is full of ups and downs until Sonny digs deep to deliver an unforgettably emotional speech that both predicts and understands Jordan's place in the cultural landscape.      

Lifted by its tremendous cast, you could imagine a few of Air's performances being remembered come awards time, regardless of when or where this was released. It's a rousing, well-made sports drama about recognizing someone's value and fighting for it, especially when no one wants to listen. You could argue all day about how Nike's deal permanently moved the industry goalposts, but there's no questioning the undisputed impact of the player who got it.    

Scream VI

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Mason Gooding, Roger L. Jackson, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Jenna Ortega, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, Skeet Ulrich, Samara Weaving, Hayden Panettiere, Courtney Cox
Running Time: 122 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)   

Ghostface takes Manhattan in Scream VI, a bigger, more brutal follow-up to the 2022 requel rightly credited with resurrecting the franchise after some underwhelming entries. And high expectations accompany it, mostly due to a drastic shift in setting that moves the action from Woodsboro to New York City. With the series currently riding high on momentum, the idea makes perfect sense, and while the execution isn't flawless, it's still a worthy next chapter that marks an official torch passing to the next generation of characters.

The "Radio Silence" duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett resume directorial duties, proving their last outing wasn't a fluke by again hitting the right balance of thrills and meta humor we've come to expect from the stronger entries in the franchise. As for Neve Campbell, she's hardly missed, since it's hard to imagine a version of this story where Sidney Prescott doesn't feel shoehorned in. Even if her reasons for opting out are entirely valid and future appearances could still be in the cards, the timing couldn't be better for focusing entirely on the new cast. Utilizing legacy characters has always been a challenge since their impact tends to lessen the more you lean on them. This wisely centers around two fresh faces who in short time have built just as strong a connection with audiences.

A year following the Woodsboro killings, sisters Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) are now living in New York City attending Blackmore University with twins Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding) when another string of murders indicate Ghostface (voiced again by Roger L. Jackson) is back. Leaving previous killers' masks behind while seemingly framing Sam for the crimes, those "core four," along with Mindy's girlfriend Anika (Devyn Nekoda), Sam and Tara's nosy roommate Quinn (Liana Liberato), Chad's awkward roommate Ethan (Jack Champion), Sam's secret boyfriend Danny (Josh Segura) all emerge as suspects. 

On the case is Quinn's dad Detective Bailey (Dermot Mulroney) and FBI Special Agent Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere),who returns after surviving the 2011 attacks. Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) is also back, attempting to help despite having penned another book exploiting the sisters' recent ordeal. With a traumatized Sam still coming to terms with her lineage as Billy Loomis' (Skeet Ulrich) illegitimate daughter, she attempts to protect a fiercely independent Tara, as the new killer looks to Woodsboro's past for inspiration. Bolder and more dangerous, Ghostface leaves a bloody trail, targeting Sam as the final victim.

For horror fans, the NYC setting was bound to invoke numerous comparisons to the much maligned Friday The 13th Part VIII, which mostly took place on a boat, failing to fully capitalize on its urban surroundings. This stands in stark contrast, as apartment buildings, congested streets, restaurants, bodegas, subways and parks are all put to use, with the filmmakers making good on their promise to have the action differ from anything that came before. It has a tough opening to follow after the last entry, but kicks off with a shocking Ghostface swerve that'll have you do a double take. The story then sort of settles back into what we'd typically expect, while still managing to be clever and subversive.

The strained sibling relationship between Sam and Tara evolves, but an increased focus on the former's trauma elevates Sam to main protagonist. In a timely, inspired twist, she's essentially becomes a public pariah, with online conspiracy theories and misinformation circulating that she's the killer. Things have gotten so bad that even her therapist (Henry Czerny) wants nothing to do with it. Tara responds by wildly partying to bury the pain and move on, continuing to resent her sister's overprotective ways. But if the last film belonged to Ortega, it's Barrera who owns this one, effectively filling Campbell's shoes.

With a script that digs deeper into the psychology of Sam, Barrera knocks it out of the park in a tough, sympathetic portrayal that carries the picture through its highs and lows. Ortega again impresses, particularly when it comes to her realistic registering of genuine fear and terror when confronted by Ghostface. A thrilling sequence where the shotgun wielding killer hunts both in a bodega is a highlight that finds the actresses at the top of their respective games.With Campbell and David Arquette gone, Courtney Cox carries the torch for the original legacy cast, even as she goes through the usual paces as Gail. Aside from an excitingly staged apartment showdown with Ghostface, there's just not much left for her, which isn't a travesty since Cox still excels in serving the character's diminished purpose. 

Considerable mileage comes from Panettiere's return as more hardened Kirby, whose role as an FBI Agent is larger than you'd expect, with her motives generating curiosity and suspicion. The same could be said for the others, as any one or more could easily be Ghostface, whose warehouse shrine to Woodsboro's history hugely factors into the plot and eventual reveal. The intrigue in determining the killer is still ridiculously fun and this ending might be the craziest yet. As usual, it rarely holds up to logical scrutiny, but the enjoyment in speculating who's behind the mask makes up for it.

The only obvious flaw involves Ghostface, who's never been this ruthlessly violent, but strangely claiming few victims. The far lower body count could stem from a desire to subvert expectations, but too many targets miraculously survive certain demise. Hesitation to kill off anyone in an extremely likeable cast is understandable, but sometimes it has to be done, especially when the characters openly tout how all bets are off under these "new rules." Sometimes the only thing that really raises the stakes and suspense for subsequent encounters are deadly consequences, which are in shorter supply here. Aside from that, there's little to complain about.

Scream VI will ultimately be remembered for two masterful set pieces. The first involves an unbearably tense ladder escape with a gruesome payoff and another finding the group in crowded subway full of masked Ghostfaces. Clocking in as the longest entry yet, a slight trim wouldn't have hurt, but it's offset by the performances and those sequences, which rank among the series' best. Should the franchise stay this course, there's reason to believe even better sequels could await. And that's a resurgence few saw coming, especially for the sixth installment of a decades old horror staple.      

You (Season 4)

Creator: Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble
Starring: Penn Badgley, Tati Gabrielle, Charlotte Ritchie, Tilly Keeper, Amy-Leigh Hickman, Ed Speleers, Lukas Gage, Stephen Hagan, Adam James, Aidan Cheng, Niccy Lin, Eve Austin, Ben Wiggins, Greg Kinnear, Victoria Pedretti, Elizabeth Lail
Original Airdate: 2023

**The Following Review Contains Plot Spoilers For The Fourth Season Of 'You' **

★★½ (out of ★★★★)

After a hugely successful run following its move to Netflix in 2019, the psychological drama You finally breaks the streak, with a messy and confounding fourth season. But it's not as if leaps in logic haven't always accompanied the show's premise of an outwardly charming but obsessively sociopathic serial killer who moves from woman to woman as he attempts to curb his violent impulses. Ridiculous developments often caused former bookstore manager Joe Goldberg to evade capture and even death, with the writers (and Penn Badgley's instinctually creepy performance) often doing an unusually decent job covering his tracks. 

As crazy as these scenarios got, there was this sense the show remained somewhat bound to the rules created for its own universe. And even on the occasions those were violated, a pretty good reason accompanied it and they'd get a pass. This marks the first time believability flies off the rails, and while it doesn't spell doom for a series that could still easily recover in the final season, it's definitely indicative that wrapping things up soon may not be such a bad idea. 

Broken into two parts, the entire season hinges on a big plot twist that has to be discussed since all ten episodes hinge on it, which could be part of the problem. That this revelation comes so late doesn't help, giving viewers little time to process the fallout before being blindsided by another turn or two. After a while you just start rolling your eyes at certain plot holes that detract from the occasionally gripping second batch of episodes. But the first half is the bigger problem, introducing us to a multitude of unlikable, headache-inducing characters before knocking most of the them off.

Even what's arguably the series' most inventive creation in Joe's "glass box" strains credibility this time, with viewers more likely than ever to be distracted by lingering questions of its transport and construction. Still, it results in the most thrilling episode, despite its somewhat convoluted follow-up. Thankfully, the series isn't running on fumes yet, at least attempting to put the pieces into place for a stronger closing chapter.

After killing wife Love (Victoria Pedretti) and setting a fire to fake his death, Joe (Badgley) is approached by a fixer working for her father who offers him a new identity, provided he ties up loose ends by murdering his ex, librarian and single mom Marianne (Tati Gabrielle). But after tracking her down in London, he can't go through with it, instead letting her escape before starting anew as university English professor "Jonathan Moore." 

It isn't long before Joe's sucked into a group of spoiled rich aristocrats consisting of hard partying department colleague Malcolm Harding (Stephen Hagan), his ice cold girlfriend Kate Galvin (Charlotte Ritchie), ditzy but well intentioned socialite Lady Phoebe (Tilly Keeper) and her arrogant playboy love interest Adam Pratt (Lukas Gage). Rounding out the pack are artist and influencer siblings Simon (Aidan Cheng) and Sophie (Niccy Lin) Soo, loud, abrasive socialite Gemma Graham-Greene (Eve Austin), Kate's dour childhood friend Roald Walker-Burton (Ben Wiggins) and rags-to-riches author and aspiring politician Rhys Montrose (Ed Speleers). 

When Malcolm and others turn up dead, Joe begins receiving anonymous texts from the murderer threatening to expose him as this "Eat The Rich" Killer. With his secret life and true identity suddenly hanging in the balance, he relies on advice from star student sleuth Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman), to determine who the blackmailing mastermind is. Matters are further complicated as he falls hard for the standoffish Kate, potentially endangering them both. But like Joe, she has a painful history of her own.

From the start, there's just something missing this season, which could partially stem from Joe now being the hunted, or so it seems. That and barely escaping a previous season where he was married to someone just as dangerous appears to have maybe tamed him a bit. But if entering these episodes with a lower body count and new identity temporarily lulls you into considering Joe's turned over a new leaf on his fourth try, think again.

It isn't immediately apparent Kate will become Joe's latest obsessions, much like Beck, Love and Marienne before her. Of all the twists and turns this season, how their relationship plays out might actually be the most shocking given its uneventful beginning. Because the cast is so large and overstuffed, Kate almost initially fades into the background, but that doesn't last long since Joe needs someone to fulfill his twisted proclivities as the bodies start piling up.  

Kate's at least radically different from the rest, coldly and sarcastically pushing back in ways he doesn't expect. While her aloofness practically guarantees she won't extract the same emotional response from viewers as his preceding victims/girlfriends, Charlotte Ritchie really commits to the role, peeling back layers to reveal a past and present that more than explains Joe's fascination with her. And as we already know, it's not a good sign when he's fascinated with anyone.

While the idea of dropping Joe into this new London setting as a professor probably looked great on paper and promised a dynamic scenario, some of these early episodes become a chore to sit through due to some obnoxious supporting characters. That's especially true of Adam, and to a lesser extent, his British Paris Hilton-like girlfriend Lady Phoebe, who Tilly Keeper does manage to inject with some wounded humanity. 

The fact that so many of these people are cut from the same cloth starts to wear on you, especially since it's obvious most won't be surviving. And seeing Joe on the defense rather than the primary instigator of destruction isn't something we're used to. In a reversal, he's supposed to feel what it's like to be stalked and tormented.   

A more platonic target of Joe's obsessions is author and politician Rhys Montrose who, aside from Kate, proves to be the only wealthy aristocrat whose company he can stand. Devouring his book and advice, Joe digs into his socio-political philosophies, but it's only when Rhys reveals himself as someone far more important than Joe suspected that the season's off and running, nearly five episodes in. Despite being led to believe Rhys is the killer framing him, he's actually Joe's own Tyler Durden and a psychological manifestation of his worst impulses. 

Once again Joe's responsible for all the murder and chaos, with this Rhys alter ego representing some kind of psychotic break. While it reframes everything we've seen, the reveal does feel kind of empty, taking an entire season to return Joe to where he should have started at. And since this specific gotcha device has become such a storytelling crutch of late, you can't really blame anyone for viewing it as a cheat, especially looking back on the totality of events that unfolded. 

What ends up selling any of this is Badgley's performance, with Joe awakening from his fugue state to realize he's as demented as ever. Reaching new levels of madness and depravity by compartmentalizing his actions with another personality, the realization sets in that he's still holding Marienne...somewhere. Episode 8 (""Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?") is easily the most accomplished of the season, harkening back to what originally made the series so suspenseful. Kidnapped and drugged, she struggles to survive inside Joe's glass prison, even as he has no memory of exactly where that is.

Only reinforcing how much Tati Gabrielle's presence is missed from the rest of the season, her portrayal of Marienne's anger and desperation distracts from the logic holes of a scrambling Joe contending with Kate's meglomaniacal businessman father Tom Lockwood (Greg Kinnear) and an increasingly suspicious Nadia. The logistics of the glass box notwithstanding, this is probably the most amount of time the show's spent with someone inside of it. And is Marienne ever battling, with Joe taking advantage of her history as an addict and the very real possibility she may never see her daughter again. It's a match of wills as she nears the end of her rope, before having to put all trust in someone else. 

There's a moment toward the season's close where one phone call to police would end everything and the only reason it doesn't happen is so this predicament can continue. It's the kind of obvious misstep the show never used to make, or at least took proactive measures to ensure wouldn't occur. This choice leads to an even more complicated plan and diminishing sympathies for a supposedly heroic character who just doesn't know when to say when, still trying to expose a proven serial killer after accomplishing what's necessary. Of course, we're fully aware the writers are using every possible tool to extend this, regardless of how much sense it makes. The irony is that Joe still ends up exactly where he should at season's end, as sloppy as it was. 

With Joe preparing to start over with Kate by his side, the writers were smart enough not to tie up the many loose ends, as more than a few characters remain who could still fully expose his crimes. While Elizabeth Lail and Victoria Pedretti's deceased characters both briefly cameo in a Joe dream sequence, the writers may have accidentally struck gold when they opted to have Joe send Jenna Ortega's Ellie away unharmed at the end of the Season 2 with that bag of cash and more than enough motive to return.

If ever there was a time to bring out the big guns it's in the last season, as you could see anyone suddenly reappearing to upend Joe's new life, delivering the final fitting blow this character and the series deserves. Whether the writers can successfully pull that off after such a hit-or-miss season is the bigger question. Either way, there are still plenty of options left on the table to give fans hope that even after this shaky showing, You is still capable of going out on top.                                                                          

Creed III

Director: Michael B. Jordan
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Thaddeus J. Mixon, Spence Moore II, Mila Davis-Kent, Florian Munteanu, Phylicia Rashad, José Benavidez Jr., Selenis Leyva, Anthony Bellew
Running Time: 116 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Now seemingly even further removed from its Rocky origins, Creed III contains something few films in either series had: a supervillain origin story. Making his directorial debut, star Michael B. Jordan asks the audience to consider what kind of movie we'd have if the 1977 original focused entirely on Apollo rather than Rocky, or maybe even if the fourth was instead titled "Drago." While both those memorable antagonists were far from afterthoughts, Stallone's underdog role always served as the driving narrative force. And that successful formula would be reinvented in this series with Apollo's son, Adonis Creed, who had to fight from the bottom up to prove himself. Two films in, he's done that, so it's as good a time as any to cut ties and try something new. 

A similar blueprint remains, but gone is Stallone (who's still credited as a producer) and Bill Conti's rousing "Gonna Fly Now" Rocky theme. Neither absence is surprising since they're not all that necessary in fleshing out a story with different stakes. A film anchored by Apollo's adversary should be a misalignment of priorities, if not for the fact that their backstories are so intertwined and far more complex than we're used to seeing in the franchise. This time the villain's the underdog, and for a while you understand where he's coming from, making his reemergence especially problematic for a hardly blameless Donnie. It's not just a matter of when we get to this ultimate confrontation between two former friends with a messy, violent past, but how.

It's 2002 Los Angeles when a young Adonis Creed sneaks out with his older best friend, amateur boxing prodigy and Golden Gloves champion Damian "Diamond Dame" Anderson to a match that Damian wins. But later, when Donnie attacks a man in a liquor store altercation and escapes while Dame's arrested, their lives take very different paths. We cut to the present, with Donnie (Jordan) retired from boxing, instead focusing on wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson), their hearing-impaired daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent) and his adopted mother Mary-Anne's (Phylicia Rashad) declining health. 

Donnie's promoting his boxing academy protégé Felix Chavez (José Benavidez Jr.) for an upcoming world title defense against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) when he receives a shocking visit from Dame. Released from prison after twenty years, he's seeking help from his childhood friend in resuming his boxing career. After reluctantly agreeing to let Dame train at his gym, it soon becomes apparent his intentions aren't what they appear. Angry, jealous and believing Donnie's enjoying the life he should have, he's back for the title and respect, and won't hesitate running through anyone in his way to get it.

Seeing a retired Donnie in promoter mode is a reminder of just how far we've gotten in the series, as he seems content having passed the torch, thriving comfortably in his new role. What works best about this setup is how the events of the preceding films almost feel as if they occurred centuries ago because he's at such a different stage now. While far from old, his fighting days are behind him and he's settled into a new career as trainer, business owner and ambassador for the sport. If Donnie has any itch to get back in the ring, he's not showing it, which makes Dame's return more impactful, dredging up one of the most emotionally painful moments of his life. And for a story that was essentially cooked up on the fly and never previously acknowledged, it's compelling. 

Donnie knows the friend he loved as a brother spent most of his life in jail because of him, with Jordan subtly conveying this burden he's carried while rising to the top of the boxing world. It retroactively adds another dimension to our protagonist, perhaps partially explaining where all that drive and determination came from. Despite reaching the pinnacle, it's entirely possible he's always secretly seen himself as a fraud and not deserving enough. Dame knows he should be Donnie, and based on what we're shown, it's easy to believe he's right. 

If Dame got a raw deal, his monstrous actions soon cause our sympathies to waver, as he uses Donnie's guilt and generosity to his advantage, all while resisting the notion he's interested in taking any handouts. Dame knows exactly how to get to him and Majors takes us on a ride with his slow-burning turn, brilliantly playing both side of the fence before exposing the character as the dangerous threat he is. 

Simmering with rage and carrying giant chip on his shoulder, Dame knows the clock's running out, with Majors believably transferring the ex-con's most vicious traits to the ring. With moves that sometimes more closely resemble a street brawler than former boxer, there's an undeniable physical transformation, but not an entirely unrealistic one, as he climbs back to fighting form. Everything about this guy is scary, especially how he propels out of the corner at the start of each round, nearly dancing in the face of his prey before preparing to pounce. 

Reopening a painful chapter he thought was closed causes Donnie to completely shut down, straining his relationship with Bianca, who hadn't a clue about this part of his past. He's also in no hurry to tell her, even as his ailing mother Mary-Anne knows the history all too well, harboring strong opinions about what he should do. The big fight sneaks up on you in terms of how fast we get there, but all the groundwork's been laid, with Donnie realizing only one thing can settle this for good. 

Jordan makes some inspired directorial choices in the final match that lift it to another level, particularly a dreamlike sequence that visually hammers home just how personal this feud is. Even then, the film doesn't take the easy way out, reminding us this isn't a battle of good and evil. Mistakes were made, choices dictated their paths and a confluence of unpredictable events led them here. Regardless of its eventual outcome, the fight was always inevitable, as both men desperately need this to shed their pasts and move forward.

Some of the usual franchise tropes are still prevalent, but the core story and performances carry it through. Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin's script skillfully create this antagonist from the ground up, but it's Major's charismatic work that makes him incomparable to any final boss since Apollo or Drago. Knowing the series inside out, Jordan invisibly takes the directing reins from Ryan Coogler with no noticeable dip in quality, nearly equaling the first film while surpassing its unspectacular 2018 sequel. You could even argue he does certain things better, building a relationship complicated enough that when it's time for the champ to put back on the gloves, we're all in.