I sit in with NewsTalk 1010 host Jim Richards on the coast-to-coast-to-coast late night “NewsTalk Tonight” to play the game “Did Richard Crouse Like This?” This week we talk about the prequel “The First Omen,” the revenge flick “Monkey Man” and the documentary “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
I join “CTV News Toronto at Five” with host Zuraidah Alman, to talk about the prequel “The First Omen,” the revenge flick “Monkey Man” and the documentary “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor.”
Watch the whole thing HERE! (Starts at 15:18)
Fast reviews for busy people! Watch as I review three movies in less time than it takes to stamp your feet! Have a look as I race against the clock to tell you about the prequel “The First Omen,” the revenge flick “Monkey Man” and the documentary “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I join CP24 to have a look at the prequel “The First Omen,” the revenge flick “Monkey Man” and the documentary “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I joined CP24 Breakfast to have a look at new movies and television shows coming to theatres and streaming services. Today we talk about the prequel “The First Omen,” the revenge flick “Monkey Man,” the Apple TV+ series “Loot” with Maya Rudolph and the Starz historical drama “Mary & George” with Julianne Moore.
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I sit in with CKTB morning show host Tim Denis to have a look at the prequel “The First Omen,” the revenge flick “Monkey Man” and the documentary “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
I sit in on the CFRA Ottawa morning show with host Bill Carroll to talk the new movies coming to theatres and streaming including the prequel “The First Omen,” the revenge flick “Monkey Man” and the documentary “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
It’s a question asked of Dev Patel’s character in “Monkey Man,” a new thriller from producer Jordan Peele, now playing in theatres, but it’s also something you may want to ponder before buying a ticket.
Like the Keanu Reeves franchise, “Monkey Man” is ripe with R-rated violence, crowd-pleasing action and quirky world-building, but extreme brutality and a healthy dose of socio-political rhetoric separates the two action heroes.
Patel, who directed the film, stars as Kid, a man from the fictional Indian city of Yatana. He exists at the bottom of the caste system, tamped down by the elites, and memories of his mother’s (Adithi Kalkunte) death at the hands of corrupt police chief Rana (Sikander Kher). “In this city,” he says, “the rich don’t see us as people. To them, we’re animals.”
His suppressed rage explodes on the underground fight circuit. Wearing a monkey mask in tribute to the Hindu monkey deity Hanuman, his fists to do the talking, giving voice to his trauma. “When I was a boy,” he says, “my mother used to tell me a story of a demon king and his army. They brought fire and terror to the land until they faced the protector of the people… the White Monkey.”
Driven by revenge against those who took his mother, his childhood and his home, he exacts bloody retribution from those who wronged him. “Just one small ember can burn down everything,” says his guiding voice.
The ferocious violence of “Monkey Man” is abundant, but doesn’t have the elegance of the abovementioned Keanu Reeves franchise. It’s grittier, driven by rage, a manifestation of Kid’s brutal revenge against the people that did him wrong. The powerful fight scenes, à la “Only God Forgives” or “Raid,” establish Patel as a filmmaker outside the mainstream, unafraid to take risks.
He keeps the camera up-close-and-personal, using close-ups to convey Kid’s anguish and wrath and the pained looks on his victim’s faces. It makes for an intense viewing experience as Patel’s frenetic camera paints the screen with wild, occasionally surreal, images.
“Monkey Man” is an experience, an in-your-face flick about a guy who takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Part exploitation cinema, part revenge story, it’s elevated by Patel’s arthouse flourishes and the film’s political and spiritual bent.
Richard speaks to “CTV News at Six” anchor Andria Case about the best movies and television to watch this weekend including the action adventure of “Jungle Cruise” (theatres and Disney+ with premium access), “The Green Knight’s” (in theatres) journey of self discovery and the documentary “For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close” (VOD) about the most famous funny person you’ve never heard of.
Watch the whole thing HERE! (Starts at 37:41)
