The Lenient Critic Podcast Episode 9: Scream, Brazen, The King’s Daughter, The Tragedy of Macbeth

See, January isn’t all bad! Bernard Ozarowski, founder of The Invention of Dreams and co-host of Final Review, joins Rowan to discuss Scream, the latest in one of the best horror franchises; Brazen, a paint-by-numbers new Netflix film; The King’s Daughter, a movie filmed 8 (eight!!!) years ago; and, finally, The Tragedy of Macbeth, the Coen Brother movie that you definitely know the plot of! They’ll also preview some upcoming releases, chat major horror franchises, and talk about what they’ve been watching in the last month. 

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“Scream” Review: Ghostface is back. Hope all is well. 🙂

Amidst a whole host of “legacy sequels,” the horror genre is catching up and, as usual, it’s subverting any trope it can find. The latest sequel-that’s-not-really-a-sequel is Scream — yes, with the same title as the first film — as the Ghostface Killer returns to Woodsboro once again for another murder spree. The final murder spree, perhaps? With the inevitable success of 2022’s Scream, not bloody likely.

Series mainstays Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette are back in action for Scream, but unlike the previous four films, they’re not the focal points. Melissa Barrera takes the reins as our “final girl,” Sam Carpenter, who returns to Woodsboro with her boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid) after her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) is attacked and gravely wounded. True to form, a new killer has donned the by-now trademarked Ghostface mask and black robes, and seems to be targeting victims connected to the original massacre, depicted in the original 1996 Scream.

Expanding the Universe: August 2021 (Part One)

As you are reading this, I am heading off to college, so you might imagine that my last month living at home was a busy one. However, as the summer wound to a close, I still found time to sit down and enjoy movies (and TV series) alike. Without further ado, here is what I watched in August 2021.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Gary Oldman enters the fold as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter film that dares to go deeper, and darker, with its narrative. With new revelations come new villains, and the story is so compelling you might completely forget Voldemort is completely absent. David Thewlis is also an excellent addition to the cast, in a beautiful adaptation that has some of the best character moments of the franchise. [Grade: A+]

Scream 4 (2011)

While not the best Scream sequel, the franchise continues to honor its influences and pay tribute to the horror of its time with Scream 4. Sidney, Gail and Dewey are all back, and while the supporting cast is not nearly as delightful as the big three, Wes Craven still knows how to make a damn good horror movie. Not necessarily a scary one, but a fun one nonetheless. [Grade: A-]

Expanding the Universe: July 2021

Another month has come and gone, and the summer is drawing to a close. Blockbuster theatrical releases picked up in July 2021, but I still found plenty of time to revisit some old favorites. Here are succinct reviews of what I watched in July 2021.

Minions (2015)

By all rights, this movie should not have worked. Take the main characters: silly yellow talking fire hydrants who speak a nonsensical, hodge-podge language. How would you be able to stand 90 minutes watching them travel the world and romance actual fire hydrants? Somehow, though, Minions pulls it off, giving the titular characters motivations and *shudder* personality. Pierre Coffin does wonders as both director and the voice of the Minions, and there are entertaining visual gags aplenty. [Grade: A-]

The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021)

The Boss Baby: Family Business manages to top the original, cramming more inventive ideas in addition to an absolutely insane villain reveal. I can describe it as nothing more than typical action-packed family fun; there is always something happening onscreen, oftentimes too much. The themes cover family and growing up -- nothing new there -- but something about Family Business feels fresh. Perhaps the charm of a returning Alec Baldwin carries the film, but it is quite possible Family Business is simply a better film. [Grade: B+]

The Fear Street Trilogy (2021)

One advantage of the Fear Street trilogy, released by Netflix over three weeks and based loosely on novels by R.L. Stine, was that all three of the films were made sequentially with a singular, interconnected story in mind. Every revelation is intricately set up, references carry over and pay off, and the viewers are rewarded for catching little, seemingly superfluous details. Part One: 1994 is a stylized nostalgia fest undoubtedly made with a ‘90s ‘to do’ list side-by-side with the script. It introduces us to the mythology of the Sarah Fier, the so-called Witch of Shadyside, a town with increasingly bad luck and a growing number of bodies. Part Two: 1978 brings us back in time to show us a massacre at a summer camp, with awesome performances from Sadie Sink and Emily Rudd. Part Three: 1666 shows us the necessary context behind Sarah Fier and her curse, and does a great job of answering almost every question we have. The Fear Street series also has the benefit of being rated R, which means each one is a no-holds-barred gore fest. And to top it off, each one is better than the last, in a rarity for horror movie franchises. [Grade: A+]