The Film Fix … Streaming Edition

with Jonathan W. Hickman

Capsule Reviews … New Rating System - A “Fix" is recommended with a rating between 6 and 10! a “No Fix” with ratings of 1 to 5 isn’t. http://dailyfilmfix.com/

In Theaters:

Cocaine Bear (now playing) – l Fix Rating 7/10 – In the 1980s, a cache of cocaine is dumped from a crashing plane in the Tennessee/Georgia mountains. When a black bear discovers and ingests large amounts of the powdery, white substance, she goes on a rampage.

This tongue-in-cheek comedy, loosely based on a true story, is equal parts funny and gory. Destined to be a cult classic, director Elizabeth Banks infuses her “Jaws” parody with ample amounts of 80s nostalgia. The movie features a stellar cast featuring a humorous turn by Alden Ehrenreich, an adorable and funny pint-sized, foulmouthed Christian Convery, and the last performance by the late Ray Liotta.

Creed III (March 3) – l NO Fix Rating 5/10 – In the third, and, hopefully, final, Creed film, Michael B. Jordan never lets you forget that he’s a movie star--from his expensive designer clothing, his fabulous LA mansion, to his perfect Rolls-Royce. In this slick production, Jordan looks rich from head to toe, even when his character is taking a beating in the ring.

That wealthy, polished persona belies the rough and ready one that handsomely launched the “Rocky” spin-off “Creed” in 2015. By contrast, “Creed III” lacks the raw edge and the street cred that the 2015 film captured perfectly. This entry is a marginal improvement over the cartoonish “Creed II,” but it’s a wasted opportunity for Jordan, who also makes his directorial debut.

When interviewed about this project, Sylvester Stallone said, “I like my heroes getting beat up, but I just don’t want them going into that dark space. I just feel people have enough darkness.” In exploring Creed’s relationship with an emotionally damaged childhood friend, arguably, “Creed III” might not be dark enough.

Even though Stallone does not appear in this film, the narrative he originally wrote in 1976 is partially recycled in “Creed III.” The story has Adonis “Donnie” Creed retiring after a rematch with Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew). As a second career, Creed turns to promotion and management.

One afternoon, he’s visited by an old friend Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), who has recently been released from a long stint in prison. Anderson, whose age hovers around 40, was once a golden glove champ. He desperately wants Creed to give him a shot at the title. Can Creed overcome the demons of his past and make things right with his friend? Naturally, this is gonna end up in the ring.

“Creed III” is the kind of pulpy entertainment associated with lesser installments in the prolific boxing movie franchise. But something is off, as the core theme is confused, with an irresponsible message promoting that all problems can be settled with your fists. An attempt to grapple with this dilemma is jettisoned in a false moment when Creed’s thoughtful wife (Tessa Thompson) embraces the violent solution with little explanation.

Majors, who just last month was the best thing about the MCU’s “Quantumania,” once again proves that he’s the real deal. If only this script would have allowed him to be genuinely as frightening as he could be. But what’s surprising is that despite his questionable motives, I found myself rooting for his character as the final battle with Creed hits the ring.

Streaming Selects:

Perry Mason (Season 2 starts on March 6) – The origin story for the famous 1950s-era television lawyer continues with its second season. Matthew Rhys plays the title character, a private investigator and, eventually, a lawyer, in 1930s Los Angeles. The noir drama was well-received when it launched, but nearly three years have passed since season one, meaning that viewers may have to do some heavy lifting and rewatch the first eight episodes to reacquaint themselves with the players and their place in the world.

Agent Elvis (season 1, March 17, 2023) – In this animated adventure, Matthew McConaughey gives voice to a fantastical version of the famous Memphis singer. In “Agent Elvis,” the rock star becomes a secret agent who, according to the Netflix synopsis, “trades in his jumpsuit for a jetpack” and joins forces with a secret government program. The musician-turned-spy reportedly battles “dark forces that threaten the country.” The trailer looks like adultskewing fun, and McConaughey’s voice work sounds less like Elvis and more like, well, McConaughey, which is “alright, alright, alright.”

Ted Lasso (March 15) – “If seeing is believing, I believe we’ve been seen,” Ted (Jason Sudeikis) quips, standing beside his right arm Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt). The two seasoned pros inspect the team lockers, each adorned with a custom version of his trademark motivational term, “Believe.” Believing in Lasso, Apple’s streaming platform hopes that the return of its marquee show will help viewers discover all the quality programming it has been churning out.

The Film Fix continued on page 26