My Review of The Groomsmen: Second Chances (2024)

 

Written by Rick Garman

Directed by Ron Oliver

Danny (re Zack): "What if he doesn't have feelings for me?"

Jackson/Pete: "What if he does?"

Why am I reviewing the middle part of a Hallmark trilogy of The Groomsmen? Well, it's pretty obvious, isn't it? It's the gay love story part and despite not watching the first or last parts, it wasn't too hard to keep up with things.

Funnily enough we started off with a runaway bride named Elizabeth (Lily Dodsworth-Evans) who hid in a tavern owned by Kate (Annie Bird). For the life of me, I couldn't figure Kate's accent out but her curiosity as to why Elizabeth ditched her own wedding led to the latter revealing the focal point of this installment.

Our love story centred on two best friends. You've got retired baseball player turned coach, Danny (Jonathan Bennett) and you've got business manager, Zack (Alexander Lincoln). They're chalk and cheese but get along brilliantly as mates. Then there's prosecutor Nolan (Adam Rhys-Charles). He's Zack's actual boyfriend turned fiancée.

In typical fashion the moment that Danny realised he was actually in love with the Zack was also the moment where the latter got engaged to Nolan. On top of that, Danny got roped into organising the wedding and the second half of this movie relocated to Santorini.

Moving this film to Greece was definitely a good move. It gave us colourful characters like Ophelia (Sue Kelvin) and her estranged husband Constantinos (Andreas Karras) while Danny's best friends Jackson (Tyler Hines) and Pete (B.J. Britt) were there for moral support. Did Danny and Zack get together?

Yes, of course they did. It's a romantic comedy and it's usually at the last minute when couples get together. They even dived into the beautiful Greek water and got married a year later. It ended well for the pairing. Even Nolan got his own happy ending, albeit off screen.

- The movie ended with Elizabeth telling Kate that there was another story. Elizabeth was clearly meant to be the older version of Jackson's daughter, right?

- Nolan had a fear of heights that got resolved during a climbing exercise during a stag event organised by Danny. Nolan also married a weatherman and had four kids with him.

- The movie won a GLAAD media award for Outstanding Film - Streaming or TV.

- Chronology: Present day in the USA and then Greece with a flashback forward to a year. Zack's British but has known Danny since he was nine.

You know what, I'm not really a Hallmark kind of guy but that's not to say that I don't occasionally see them from time time. As a trilogy, this was a neat from Jonathan Bennett. Both him and Alexander Lincoln are on a good form with some nice chemistry with each other. The Groomsmen: Second Chances isn't anything revolutionary in terms of gay movies but it's sweet natured enough to enjoy.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of Tarzan (1999)

 

Written by Tab Murphy And Bob Tzudiker And Noni White

Directed by Kevin Lima And Chris Buck

Tarzan: "No matter where I go, you will always be my mother."

Kala: "And you will always be in my heart."

Another Disney movie that I haven't watched before until last night. For some reason, I just decided to watch this one and I was pleasantly surprised it.

One of the last of the 1990s Disney movies, we open with a shipwrecked couple and their new born son in Equatorial Africa. It's not long before the couple are killed and the baby son ended up being raised by a gorilla named Kala (Glenn Close), much to the disapproval of her mate, Kerchak (Lance Henriksen).

The boy of course was Tarzan (Alex D. Linz/Tony Goldwyn). The latter often stoked Kerchak's disappointment while Kala loved him like he was her own son. Tarzan also befriended gorilla Terk (Rosie O'Donnell) and African forest elephant, Tantor (Wayne Knight). They made for a nice friendship group.

Cut to Tarzan being all grown up and realising that he's not the only human after all. There was the arrival of an expedition group comprising of Professor Archimedes Q. Porter (Nigel Hawthorne), his daughter Jane (Minnie Driver) and the rather treacherous William Cecil Clayton (Brian Blessed). Add a few henchmen for the latter and you have got your humans here.

With Jane, she's clearly the love interest for Tarzan and while not the best written love interest, there's a likeable enough chemistry between the pair. By the end of this movie, even her father recognised that her and Tarzan were meant to be together. 

As for Clayton, he's a nasty enough baddie. It took little for him to turn on Archimedes and Jane and he had no problem with capturing Tarzan or even causing the death of Kerchak. Like all Disney villains, he got a rather suitable comeuppance to boot.

- Clayton might have been the human villain of the piece but the leopard Sabor was responsible for the deaths of Tarzan's parents and Kala's son.

- Prior to Rosie O'Donnell's casting, Terk was intended to be a male character.

- Standout music: Phil Collins gave us You'll Be In My Heart, Two Worlds, Strangers Like Me and Son Of Man.

- Chronology: 1870s then 1890s in Equatorial Africa. Porter's crew were English.

Tarzan made for something of a decent adventure. While it doesn't hit in the same way for me that either Aladdin or Hercules did, it's a very enjoyable watch with a great soundtrack from Phil Collins.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

Baywatch - FOX Greenlight New Series

Yes, in the year 2026 we are getting a brand new series of Baywatch. It'll be on FOX for the 2026-2027 TV season and right now, the pilot is currently being filmed.

What do we know so far? We know that the role of Hobie Buchannon will now be played by former Arrow actor Stephen Amell, who'll be leading a new team of recruits. The recruits are Luke (Noah Beck), Nat (Hassie Harrison), Charlie Vale (Jessica Belkin), Grace (Livvy Dunne), Brad (Thaddeus LaGrone) and Trina (Shay Mitchell) and Diego (Kylar Miranda) to round off the majority of the main and recurring cast.

In particular, a lot of the filming pics seemed to heavily focus on Noah Beck. The guy's mostly been a social media star with a football background. In terms of acting experience, he's appeared in Tubi movies and guest starred in the short-lived Doctor Odyssey. Going by the character description for his character, Luke, he does seem to be a newcomer to the team. Also looking at those filming pics with the cast, they're definitely making the effort to recapture the allure of the original series. This pilot is being directed by McG from a script written by Lara Olsen.

Now, let's talk about the original series, shall we? It ran for eleven seasons between 1989 to 2001, first on NBC and then on Syndication. This included spin offs movies (1995-2003) and a supernatural themed spin-off series named Baywatch Nights (1995-1997). It gave David Hasselhoff a career boost after Knight Rider (1982-1986) and launched the career of Pamela Anderson and Jason Momoa (during the Hawaii era) among other actors. As a show, it wasn't exactly known for it's complex writing and Emmy type acting but it was a delightful guilty pleasure that I did watch when I was younger as did many in my generation. Not to mention that theme tune was pretty iconic.

I think the question that should be asked - can the show work in the modern era? It's very much a show that feels like a product of its time and a previous attempt of modernising it with Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron's 2017 movie failed. Will this FOX attempt actually work? It's definitely going the sequel series route with Amell now playing Hobie Buchannon and David Chokachi reprising his role of Cody Madison for this show. I also wouldn't be surprised if the show at least attempts to get David Hasselhoff and/or Pamela Anderson or other former cast members to try and appear on the show if it's a hit for FOX.

The new Baywatch show will air on FOX during the autumn while the original series is available on streaming platforms to watch.

The Cottage Again, 90s Love And Game Time

And once again, here we are with a catch up of everything I've been watching since the last time I did one of these.

911: Will this show ever give audiences what they truly want with Buck and Eddie or are doomed to this weird place both characters are stuck in for eternity? They continue to act like a couple without actually being one and Eddie went into protective boyfriend mode during Buck's kidnapping episode. It's really long past time for this show to either go there with Buddie or give them permanent love interests.

911: Nashville: There's no denying that this show might be the weakest in the brand but there's a few moments where some hints of improvement are creeping in. I liked Don's flashbacks with Dixie and Blythe, the Blue/Taylor romance has potential and we even got some backstory for Roxy. Not to mention having Buck and Eddie appear certainly didn't hurt things.

Bridgerton: Into the second half of the love story between Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek. While their wedding was a mid credit scene (odd choice), the show did an excellent job with building towards their romantic conclusion. Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha absolutely delivered in their scenes together. Also, who the hell is the new Lady Whistledown? There was also Anthony/Kate's return, Francesca losing John, Violet choosing herself and good scenes with Queen Charlotte/Lady Danbury but the show could've done something with Cressida and Araminta. 

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast: How do you follow up a show like Derry Girls? Lisa McGee certainly had a task on her hands but this turned out to be a worthy follow up. Saoirse, Robyn and Dara working together to solve the mystery of their "dead" friend. Some familiar faces in the mix with Bronagh Gallagher on fine form as well as the more skittish Saoirse Monica Jackson. Oh and that ending nicely set up a potential second season.

Love Story: Ryan Murphy will forever stoke ire for these anthologies based on real people but the more they're watched, the more he's gonna keep making them. Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon are on great form with the show giving a good depiction of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette's turbulent relationship. I do think Pidgeon's the stronger actor of the two but Kelly held his own. Saying that, Naomi Watts was a bit wasted as Jackie Kennedy.

Vladimir: You know what, I totally get it. Netflix wanted a more unhinged version of Fleabag and this show kind of did that. I can't blame Rachel Weisx going cuckoo for Leo Woodall's titular character and her obsession with him was oddly entertaining to watch. Less interesting was anything involving the family of Weisz's character and some of the MeToo commentary just didn't land as well as it could've done. Given it's viewership numbers, I wouldn't expect a second season though.

• Netflix have officially cast their Scooby Doo live action show. McKenna Grace, Tanner Hagen, Abby Ryder Forston and Maxwell Jenkins will play Daphne, Shaggy, Velma and Fred respectively. Frank Weller will voice Scooby Doo.
• Amazon Prime has renewed Cross for a third season. The second season is currently being released weekly.
• The White Lotus has added more to its cast including Max Greenfield, Kumail Nanjiani and Chloe Bennett to name a few. Filming begins in France next month.
• Danielle Deadwyler has been cast as a lead in the reboot of Hulu's The X-Files.
• Firefly is being revived as an animated series with the original cast slated to reprise their roles.
• The Bear will end with it's upcoming fifth season. It'll air on FX during the summer.
• AMC have renewed The Audacity for a second season, ahead of it's first one airing next month.
• The Harry Potter series will film it's second season later this year. The first will premiere on HBO in 2027.
• FOX have renewed Doc for a 22 episode third season.
• ABC have renewed both 911 shows for further seasons.
• Family Guy is getting a Stewie based spin-off. FOX have given a two season order for the show, due to debut in the 2027-2028 TV season.
• The Vampire Lestat (aka Interview With The Vampire Season 3) will premiere on AMC from June 7th.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day - First Trailer Released

It's been a long time coming and we've had a whole series of Wonder Man and teasers for Avengers: Doomsday. This morning, Sony/Marvel released the first trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

So, what were the highlights of the trailer then? Highlights and some facts as well.

• It's the fourth solo movie with Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and it's been four years since the events of the previous one.
• Written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi, Wonder Man).
• Both MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are back and still don't remember their prior connections to Peter.
• Peter is shown to be in a cocoon and to be developing organic webbing.
• For the gays he's also in a nice black tank top, shirtless and in boxers at different points. Like the MCU don't know their audience.

• Sadie Sink's mystery character only very briefly appears. She's got to be playing someone major for this level of secrecy, right?
• MJ has a new boyfriend played by Eman Esfandi.
• There's scenes that Peter and Spider-Man share with Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) and Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal).
• Villain wise, there's an appearance of Scorpion (Michael Mando) as well as Boomerang, Tarantula and The Hand.
• Charlie Cox is expected to appear as Daredevil/Matt Murdock as well as Tombstone (Marvin Jones III).

As a trailer, I think it did a really good job in selling it. It definitely feels like a smaller scale one, compared to Tom Holland's original trilogy but that's certainly a good thing. I think it's going to do very well.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be in theatres from July 31st. The trailer is on YouTube.

My Review of Calvary (2014)

 

Written And Directed by John Michael McDonagh

Father James: "What do you want to say to me? I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say."

Jack: "I'm going to kill you, Father."

Father James: "Certainly a startling opening line."

After watching The Guard (2011), of course I had to catch up with Calvary (2014). Brendan Gleeson going from an amoral garda to a cantankerous priest and the way this movie opened, it's not hard to see why he'd be pissed off.

The movie started with Gleeson's priest, Father James taking confession with a mystery man. The latter informed Father James that he was a victim of sexual abuse by the priests and even though James wasn't an abuser, he was going to be killed on the next Sunday.

Now, given this advanced warning, you'd think James would've just relocated and avoided death but alas, he didn't. Even after getting rather unhelpful advice from fellow priest, Father Leary (David Wilmot) and Bishop Garret Montgomery (David McSavage), he stuck around.

Then again when Father James wasn't contemplating imminent death, he was spending time with estranged daughter, Fiona (Kelly Reilly). They had something of a complicated relationship, though there was a clear affection between the two of them. Perhaps James should have gone with her instead of waiting to be killed.

Then there's the mystery man himself. The local butcher Jack Brennan (Chris O'Dowd). He wanted revenge for the abuse he suffered. His wife Veronica (Orla O'Rourke) was sleeping with another man named Simon (Isaach de Bankolé) and he didn't care. He just wanted revenge for his past trauma.

There's a great dramatic performance from Chris O'Dowd on that beach as Jack succeeded in actually killing Father James. Then he went to prison with Fiona paying him a visit. It certainly ended this film on a complex note.

- There's an array of well written supporting characters played by Killian Scott (the porn addled Milo Herlihy), Aiden Gillen (the arrogant Dr Frank Harte), M. Emmett Walsh (a writer named Ger Ryan) and Owen Sharpe (a rather talkative rent boy named Leo). Domhnall Gleeson also appeared as Freddie Joyce.

- Father James never finished Moby Dick so Jack had to be a dick and spoil the book. At least Jack wasn't responsible for the death of James's dog.

-Standour music: Fred Neil's The Dolphins.

- Chronology: In a small parish, likely Sligo as that was where the movie was filmed.

As a follow up movie, Calvary (2014) did lose a point for the dog death. Saying that, it's very funny and very bleak in parts and the cast are on excellent form. It's definitely worth watching.

Rating: 8 out of 10 

My Review of The Guard (2011)

 

Written And Directed by John Michael McDonagh

Everett: "You have anybody you want me to call?"

Boyle: "Nah, I don't have anybody. Just pin a medal on my body like those boys coming home from Iraq."

Everett: "Fuck you again Sergeant."

Catching up with more Irish movies this month, would you believe this one was a first time watch? No, seriously. I only watched it for the first time last night and I nearly burst my sides laughing. 

Brendan Gleeson has given many a career best performance (and long may he do so) but pairing him with Don Cheadle might be one of the most genius double acts to happen. They're the perfect combination of chalk and cheese and bring out the best in each other.

With Gleeson, he's playing Sergeant Gerry Boyle. The character's coarse, vulgar, rude, a tad racist but also surprisingly sympathetic, savvy and quick on the draw when people least expect him to be. The things Gerry would say rightfully cause offend but it's really hard not to root for the guy.

He's got a sick mother, Eileen (Fionnuala Flanagan) who brought out his softer side. Her death also caused quite the blow to him, though it happened off screen. Gerry's also got a soft spot for the ladies as his escapades with two prostitutes resulted in a blackmail. He was more angered about one of them being physically assaulted than he was about being blackmailed by the villains of the piece.

Gerry also felt sadness for the widow (Katarina Čas) for the closeted Garda Aidan McBride (Rory Keenan). The latter was murdered at the behest of crime boss, Francis Sheehy-Skeffington (Liam Cunningham) and his cohorts Clive Cornell (Mark Strong) and the unhinged Liam O'Leary (David Wilmot). The way that Gerry dealt with them all was particularly brutal but deserved.

Circling back to Don Cheadle, his character FBI Agent Wendell Everett was the straight man in this buddy cop dynamic. He was certainly appalled, perplexed and even admiring the utterly batshit antics of Boyle. I absolutely loved their scenes together.

- Gabriela (McBride's widow) was from Croatia. She wasn't shocked by the fact that her husband was gay. Boyle pointed out that Croatia had good football players.

- Boyle was an expert swimmer, which came in handy for how this movie ended the character.

- Standout music: There's a good use of traditional songs and artists such as N.E.R.D. to boot.

- Chronology: Set predominantly in Connemara but Everett was also from Wisconsin.

The Guard was an absolute riot of a movie. Hysterically funny from start to finish and with an incredible double act from Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. Not exactly politically correct mind you.

Rating: 8 out of 10