Tiffany Haddish Schools Kevin Hart Values and Comedy in 'Night School'

Night School is about Teddy Walker (Kevin Hart), a high school dropout who becomes an impressive and successful salesman with an out-of-his-league fiancé, Lisa (Megalyn Echikinwoke). At first, it seems like another dropout success story ala Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. But when an accident happened in his workplace, Teddy is definitely neither Jobs nor Zuckerberg. He got terminated. To find a new job, he had to go to ~Night School~ at his former alma mater, where his former school nemesis, is now working as a principal (Taran Killam).

There, Teddy meets his no nonsense teacher Carrie (Tiffany Haddish), and a group of misfits as his classmates. Together, they push each other to pass the GED exam for each of their own purposes.

Photo Credit: United International Picture

To be frank, Night School feels like a big excuse for Kevin Hart to lead another movie. As funny as he is, his humor is not everyone's cup of tea. And appropriately enough, he needs more support from other actors to make the cheap laughs worthy of our time, and alas, this is a stacked cast of talented actors and needless to say, thank you movie gods for Tiffany Haddish!

As the lead, Hart does most of the comedy here, but it's Tiffany Haddish who proves to be the main comedic force. Here, she does what we love her for but remains refreshing with the role. Intelligence suits her. She still got the dance moves, the funny faces, and most of all, the SASS. I bet the movie would have been funnier if she’s the lead, front and center.

The ensemble shines despite the weak material that they're working on. Particularly Lynn Rajskub, as a homemaker who goes to night school to help her family when clearly, she just wants to get out of her house for some fun, peace and quiet. Each of them has their own story to tell, but then again, everything feels like a bogus.

For what it's worth, it's still a funny movie because everyone commits to their roles however silly it gets. And as for Haddish's limited screentime, she leaves us wanting for more. 

It's difficult to say that this movie is about self-improvement even after his supposed-to-be movingly funny speech at the end of the film because it's really just about Kevin Hart, doing what he's done in his previously lead films. Reverse his role with Tiffany Haddish then it would definitely be a different story.

'The House with a Clock in its Walls' Embraces its Weirdness

Jack Black and Cate Blanchett team up in a spooky adventure with Owen Vaccaro, as the young Lewis Barnavelt, who goes to live with his peculiar warlock uncle in an old-house with a cryptic tick-tocking sound. It's The House with a Clock in its Walls, based on the first of six volumes of the beloved children's book series by John Bellairs, directed by master frightener Eli Roth and penned by Eric Kripke.

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

The House with a Clock in its Walls is comprised of what seems to be a perfect project for Tim Burton featuring a familiar Amblin mood with a lot of quirky characters and spells. There is a lot of kid-friendly humor in this, but it might be too highfalutin especially with Lewis's love for dictionaries. It helps a lot that the scare tactics involve a lot of magic, and children would surely appreciate that.

However, the film fumbles to exude a lot of crucial appeal and bewilderment a children's movie needs. The characters are not as iconic as the story requires it to be and the magic is not as prominent aside from the necromancy spell, which we have already seen in a lot of movies. If anything, it reminded me of Michael Jackson's Thriller music video and the latter did a better job in making it engaging.

It also moves a little slow to get to the point, making the mystery of the titular clock seem a bit astray and uninteresting. It's not until the final act--Cate Blanchett headbutts one of the jack-o-lanterns while using her magical umbrella (not the Mary Poppins kind), creepy dolls coming into life, and Jack Black turns into a weird-looking, crying baby--when the exciting and spellbinding action elevates the film even just by a little.

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

If there's one thing to commend about this, though, is how it fully embraces its weirdness, and it works for the most part. Cate Blanchett and Owen Vaccaro are fantastic in the job, especially Vaccaro in the end when he finally embraces his courage to perform spells and face the demonic villains of the film. Cate Blanchett's turn as a cartwheeling old witch, a bit reminiscent of Eva Green in Miss Peregrine, is also a welcoming change in her choice of characters.

Kids will love this. They would relate to Lewis, especially with his school dynamics as a young student who wants to belong. And also, let's face it, kids love to be scared. Eli Roth designed this film for that, so much that adults might not fully enjoy, but the kids they bring with them would.

Ranking Tofarm Film Festival 2018

I haven't watched 1957 and Alimuom yet, both won the 2nd and 3rd Best Picture of TFFF but I've seen the rest. Here are my thoughts:

1. Tanabata's Wife

Charles Ong, Choy Pangilinan, & Lito Casaje

“We may not understand the language we speak, but the love you’ve shown nurtures my soul.”

An exquisite cross-cultural love story between a lonely Japanese farmer and a strong independent Bontoc woman seemingly amidst the American colonialism.

This is a simple story told in the simplest way but its impact is lasting with one of the most haunting endings I’ve ever seen.

Both Fas-ang and Tabanata are characters I’d love to see more. Watching them bargain money and rice, to living together with each other’s unique culture, falling in love... and even simply planting vegetables together is weirdly therapeutic. Helps a lot that it’s furnished with magnificent cinematography of Bontoc matched with a sad oriental-sounding score.

2. Sol Searching

Roman Perez, Jr.

Funny, disturbingly silly even, but always grounded with the sad reality, vision about farming :), and humanity, at least with some of its characters.

It’s scene after scene of hilarity, that one would find themselves guilty for laughing, because it’s about death and the unfortunate truth of the titular character’s legacy.

There’s that one scene in Sol’s wake where her daughter gives an intense heartfelt tirade against their disrespectful visitors only to be outshined by an explosive scene involving Chokoleit. It’s ridiculous, but in a good way. Patay Na si Hesus could never. JK

Pokwang has always been good in dramatic roles. Like her turn in Mercury is Mine, she thrives in characters that are morally complex.

Lastly, I love the Carol-esque same beginning and end scene with different meanings treatment. Genius!

3. Mga Anak ng Kamote

Carlo Catu

Set in the Philippines, 2052, sweet potato planting has been outlawed and those caught planting and selling them are put in jail, no thanks to the "Kamote Planting Regulation Act".

I like it better as a mystery drama. Loses me in the second act when it tries to overexplain and be political. Lures me back in the dramatic third and final act.

I’d like to see another version of it without the politics because there are several interesting moments even without it.

Carlo Catu and Pacala are really fond of metaphors and I love it. Although I’d like to know why half of the movie was spent on Katrina Halili’s enigmatic and deglam'd (daw) face. It’s not until the ending when we saw a wide shot of her in a cathartic breakdown moment.

4. Kaugayan

Julienne Ilagan

“When was the last time you embraced your way of life?”

Kauyagan has a concrete story of family, identity and culture complete with restrained but impactful climax, enhanced by soaring music that elevates the film and uplifts hearts, but stricken by terrible acting that it makes the whole thing look unnatural.

Makes me wonder, what matters more for filmmakers? Opportunities for indigenous people to act in movies? or simply make a well-acted film regardless of the actors? Can’t it be both? James Mayo did in The Chanters so it’s definitely possible.

Still, this movie has a lot of heart and tender moments that one can’t help but be smitten by its simplicity, and what it’s trying to convey.

'The Nun' Teeters Across The Line Blurring Horror and Fantasy

It must be true that haunted ghosts wandering in holy places are the scariest and the most powerful. "The Conjuring Universe" tries to prove that with their new horror thriller, The Nun, which dives into the origins of the demonic nun Valak who plagued Lorraine Warren's visions in The Conjuring 2.

Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene | Warner Bros. Pictures

The film goes back to 1952 when priest slash exorcist Father Burke (Demián Bichir), and young novitiate Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) were ordered by The Vatican to investigate the case of a young nun who killed herself in a secluded abbey in Romania. Along with a young man who found the decaying body of the nun (Jonas Bloquet), they unveil the secrets of the gothic nunnery only to find out that it's being haunted by one of the most powerful forces of evil disguised as a nun.

The Nun has jump scare tactics as effective as the previous Conjurings while maintaining a refreshing anecdote from the Dark Universe. The franchise's usual familiar household setting, however, is badly missed that The Nun's gothic Romanian convent, and eerie (and smoky) cemetery suffers from being mystical and too away from home.

Demon nun Valak’s folklore leaves a little space for realism and logic that its impact is not as lasting and scary as its predecessors. Doesn't help that the story often teeters across the line blurring horror and fantasy, that it comes across as a fantasy world than a scary one.

Still, it's another fun and stylish horror movie that would remind its audience why they love the genre.

Demián Bichir as Father Burke | Warner Bros. Pictures

Anchored by the solid trio of Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir and Jonas Bloquet, they make their characters rootable against the evil forces of Bonnie Aaron's Valak. Farmiga, in particular, matches her sister Vera Farmiga's energy and grit in the franchise, and she does this with elegance and likability. Her turn as a simple novitiate to a tenacious nun leading the pack in defeating the monster nun, is one of the assets of the film. Bloquet provides the titters but are often out-of-place and hackneyed.

To me, The Conjuring's twisted magic seems lost in the spectacle of The Nun. Valak was effective as a ghost in the halls of a modern house, but doesn't quite feel at home, or perhaps the problem is it's too at home, in the gothic corridors of an old Romanian abbey.

'Searching' is a Twisted Whodunnit Told Via Internet

John Cho as David Kim in Searching | Columbia Pictures

An investigation is opened after David Kim's (John Cho) 16-year-old daughter suddenly goes missing. After days of this 'gone girl' case, David decides to search her daughter's laptop revealing secrets, not only about her daughter, but about his family as well.

The story unfolds just by watching a series of events in a computer screen giving an immersive effect as if we are searching along with David Kim. It’s like Unfriended minus the supernatural stuff, and more of a twisted whodunnit told via internet.

It explores enticing, some familiar and some new, internet features especially for teenagers nowadays who use these tools to explore their identities and validate themselves in the process. It also shows the good and bad effect of this in family relationships and the society in an innovative cinematic way posing questions like "how much independence to afford your children?" "When should one interfere in one's privacy?" and more.

I love the witty internet references—from Reddit conspiracy theories, to stock photos, to "I dont usually post on Facebook” clichés and other inventive feats.

The film is fast-paced with turns in almost every ten minutes, and the second half provides bold and countless twists without going absurd. The reveal tends to over-explain, though, especially Debra Messing's character who reveals all the twists in the end as the weirdly frantic investigator.

It also carefully tackles coping up with death in the family, thus, it is not devoid of family values. It’s a family drama first before it becomes a mystery thriller. The father-daughter relationship, after all, is the fuel of the movie. Its formula is reminiscent to Up in a sense that the adventure is fueled by family. Not to mention, Searching also starts with a family montage ala Carl and Ellie’s married life, and along with it we saw a clever glimpse of the evolution of the internet.

Searching is an inventive and detail-oriented mystery thriller about the endless possibilities of what the internet can do and how it affects everyone in the society. The possibilities are scary, but the movie itself is pretty fun!