• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Film
  • DVD
  • Editorial
  • About ScreenFish

ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • News
  • OtherFish
  • Podcast
  • Give

Chris Rock

8.21 CODA + Oscar ReCap!

April 1, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

With an eye on diversity, this year’s Oscars featured some fabulous performances and recognition of some amazing films, such as this year’s winner of Best Picture, CODA. Unfortunately, however, they will best be known for one confrontation than any particular award winner. This week, we welcome Deb Whalen and newcomer Sallyanne Hadzalic to discuss the Academy’s big night (including the fallout surrounding the Smith/Rock debacle) and CODA’s ability to build bridges between the Deaf Community and the Hearing.

You can stream on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify, iHeart Radio or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can downoad the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

8.21-CODA

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Chris Rock, CODA, Daniel Durant, Lady Gaga, Liza Manelli, Marlee Matlin, Oscars, Sundance, Troy Kotsur, Will Smith

Last Survivor: The Line between Love & Violence

March 29, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Things always get weird when art imitates life. Especially when one seems to have nothing to do with the other.

Last Survivors tells the story of Jake (Drew Van Acker), a young man who has been living off the grid with his father, Troy (Stephen Moyer) for over 20 years. Convinced by his father that the world has ended due to World War III, Jake has lived a life of survival at all costs. Isolated in the woods, he believes that all of humanity is evil and that the best way to deal with them is to eliminate those who threaten them. When he discovers Henrietta, a beautiful woman (Alicia Silverstone) who lives alone in the woods, Jake becomes intrigued with her. (After all, he’s never seen a woman before.) Initially, their relationship is one of fear and threat but her kindness eventually breaks through, leaving Jake confused about the world around him. 

Directed by Drew Mylrea, Last Survivor is a direct-to-video release that almost works. With a premise that actually has an interesting premise and some surprises along the way, Survivor has the seeds of a solid entry. Unfortunately, the film is let down by its writing and, to a lesser extent, its cast. Awkward writing creates awkward moments between characters that should carry some serious heat between them. What’s more, the cast don’t really seem that interested in the material themselves, leaving the viewer feel chilly. (Having said this, it’s worth noting that Silverstone does provide some interesting work here as the surprisingly complex Henrietta.) 

Where this film becomes particularly interesting though is in its timing. In light of the Will Smith and Chris Rock confrontation at this year‘s Oscars ceremony, there is an enormous conversation taking place right now about the relationship between love and violence. While the stories have nothing to do with one another, this too becomes a central theme in Survivors as well. For example, the actions that Jake’s father takes stem from (what he believes to be) out of love. To him, the act of isolating him from the outside world is a protective instinct from the hurt and pain caused by others. What’s more, the film almost validates his position. There’s a brokenness throughout each of Survivors’ characters that highlights the darkness that exist within us all. In this world, everyone has secrets that involve pain and suffering. 

If the world is such a dark, terrifying place, who wouldn’t want to retreat to protect their family?

However, thankfully, the film also never justifies his behaviour either. Instead, the film seems to recognize that, whereas one person can justify violence as an act of defense, it seems to completely counterintuitive to the nature of love itself. As Troy’s secrets are gradually revealed, we understand that his actions stem out of hurt and anger towards those who have wronged him as opposed to honour and love. Consequently, Survivor seems oddly appropriate today. (However, not of its own volition.) 

Despite a unique premise and some quality moments, Last Survivors may not live up to expectations. While the film itself may not be particularly memorable though, the conversations surrounding violence, love and the boundaries between them sparks some life within Survivors.

Even so, this film may still be a Last pick in your queue.

Last Survivors is available on VOD on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Alicia Silverstone, Chris Rock, Drew Mylrea, Drew Van Acker, Last Survivors, Oscars, Stephen Moyer, Will Smith

Murray’s Christmas is Kinda Merry

December 8, 2015 by Jason Stanley Leave a Comment

A Very Murray Christmas

Bill Murray has done what few have been able to do in the last several years. He has put together a likable Christmas special that is not a parody and is not a variety show. Murray, along with his director Sophia Coppola and co-writer Mitch Glazer, write the bad-weather plotted story of Murray’s Christmas special that doesn’t happen.

Murray begins the special lamenting that his live special from New York isn’t going to happen because none of his high profile guests can make it into the city.  “The airports are closed,” he laments. “The trains are closed. The buses and bridges and tunnels are not working. A couple of saloons have closed. The entire city of New York has shut down.” After convincing Chris Rock to sing with him, the power goes out, putting an end to it all.

Murray, along with Paul Shaffer, spends the rest of Christmas Eve in the hotel’s bar. This is where the bulk of the special actually takes place. Because the show was produced for and aired on Netflix, bar language is permitted but not in a way that is vulgar, if that makes sense. And of course, there’s drinking.

And lots of singing.

Murray is like a Dean Martin, emceeing a group of his friends asking them to sing. Some of it is ridiculous, like Murray and Rock singing, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Or humorous like Murray and George Clooney singing “Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’.” But much of it is really good. Miley Cyrus sings “Silent Night,” reminding us that she really can sing. Maya Rudolph and Jenny Lewis balance out the ridiculous and humorous with their selections, not to mention Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York.”

There is an air of gloominess throughout the special. Murray opens the show with singing “Christmas Blues” due to the snow storm. There is a bride and groom unable to get married. Rudolph is drinking alone. It’s Christmas Eve and no one seems to be happy. But Murray is not Grumpy Bear. He tries to replace the grumpy with the merry. I’m not convinced that he gets there, but it is only an hour-long special. The important thing is that he tries.

Filed Under: Television Tagged With: Bill Murray, Chris Rock, George Clooney, Miley Cryus, Murray Christmas, Netflix, television

A Very Murray Christmas

December 7, 2015 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

very murray christmasSometimes Christmas just doesn’t work out. In A Very Murray Christmas (directed by Sofia Coppola and currently streaming on Netflix) Bill Murray’s live Christmas Eve TV special is completely undone by a massive storm and power outage. When he and Paul Shaffer head to a hotel bar to drown their holiday sorrows, they encounter others who are experiencing a very blue Christmas. Along the way there are appearances from (among others) Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Maya Rudolph, and Jason Schwartzman, some of whom have roles, others who play themselves. It is built around the kind of low-key humor that Bill Murray is famous for.

Like most TV Christmas specials, this is a paean to the secular version of Christmas. The one religious touch is Miley Cyrus’s rendition of “Silent Night”. The focus on the cultural celebration of Christmas centers on these people who are nearly alone as Christmas approaches: Murray and Schaffer who have basically been left without the show that was to be their holiday, a bride and groom who had to cancel their wedding because of the storm, the staff at the hotel bar who are stuck where they are, and other lonely people who have come here. Most of the songs that fill the show are about the idea of missing someone at Christmas.

While we usually think of Christmas as a joyous season, this is also a time when many people are indeed alone and depressed. That sorrow is only made worse when they are bombarded with the message that everyone is happy. We should note that much of that happiness is just as manufactured and counterfeit as the Christmas spirit of shopping malls (or of TV Christmas specials). The stresses of the holidays can wear on even those who find great meaning in either the secular or religious versions of this season. For those in this story, relief is found in discovering that there are others who share their plight—that they are not alone in their blues. Just knowing that we are not as alone as we may feel can bring a bit of relief.

Filed Under: Reviews, Television Tagged With: Amy Poehler, Bill Murray, Chris Rock, George Clooney, Jason Schwartzman, Maya Rudolph, Miley Cyrus, Netflix, Paul Shaffer, Sofia Coppola

Primary Sidebar

THE SF NEWS

Get a special look, just for you.

sf podcast

Hot Off the Press

  • The Last Victim: Lost in the Darkness
  • SF Radio 8.24: Bending our Minds Around DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS
  • GIVEAWAY! UNCHARTED on Blu-Ray!
  • The Last Victim – No light in the darkness
  • The Duke – Being a good neighbor
Find tickets and showtimes on Fandango.

where faith and film are intertwined

film and television carry stories which remind us of the stories God has woven since the beginning of time. come with us on a journey to see where faith and film are intertwined.

Footer

ScreenFish Articles

The Last Victim: Lost in the Darkness

SF Radio 8.24: Bending our Minds Around DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

  • About ScreenFish
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 · ScreenFish.net · Built by Aaron Lee

Posting....
 

Loading Comments...