This Weekend On-Screen: Rush out to Barbarian, Cobra Kai spins its well-worn wheels

Plus, we'll talk about the predictions and significance of this year's Emmy Awards

Sep 11, 2022

Barbarian (Film)

Barbarian': Bill Skarsgard Movie Release Date Moves to September – The Hollywood Reporter

Synopsis: A young woman discovers the rental home she booked is already occupied by a stranger. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the night but soon discovers there's a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest.

Where To Watch: Playing in theaters

Tucked away in between theaters showing the Spider Man: No Way Home re-release and Top Gun: Maverick’s theme song blasting through speakers for the 16th week in a row, Zach Cregger has written and directed a horror-thriller so original that unraveling what lies at the center of this story is half the fun. The less you know going in the better, so the vague synopsis is the only one you’ll need to properly roam through the corridors of this house of horrors (sorry, Airbnb of horrors). No matter what kind of genre fan you are, Cregger will likely make your skin crawl with a blend of taut tension-building in the first two acts, subtly creepy imagery, and not-so-subtle weirdness that goes to some shocking places. Moments of gross-out gore and abrasive jump scares are present, but are all used sparingly enough in service of building an outcome that will stick in your head long after the credits roll. The screenplay toys with the audience’s expectations of what they expect from the unnerving setup, and Cregger’s apparent familiarity with horror tropes is more satisfying every time he pulls the rug out from under us. The usual character motivations and idiotic decisions are presented in front of us, then traded in for a smarter guessing game before you have time to roll your eyes.

Just to shake up the formula even more, he intertwines different perspectives that all weave together by the end, adding a layer of intrigue that is typically absent in such fare and making for some brilliantly jarring edits at multiple times. The team behind the camera has many of these tricks up their sleeve, a sense of dread instantly established that can only be done through cinematography reliant on long-takes, claustrophobic set design, subdued lighting, and an appropriately retro score. Though the cast is limited, the grounded charms of Bill Skarsgård and Georgina Campbell carry the first half while Justin Long takes a sharp turn into dude-bro territory with comedic messaging that feels neither misplaced or on-the-nose. There are a few narrative changes that are so sudden that they break the film’s immersion, and the third act goes into territory that became too wacky for some of the previously established rules. Likewise, the screenplay cheats a bit too much to get past some of the blatant logic issues that would’ve been irritating to ignore, but whose explanations were just as bothering. When you’re trying so much, there will inevitably be some bumps in the road along the way, but this ride was simply too much fun to care. The tight, twisty Barbarian was another shot in the arm in 2022’s stacked horror output, and proves it’s still possible to wring surprises out of age-old scares.

Grade: A-

Cobra Kai (TV)

Tensions Mount Following Heated All Valley Tournament in 'Cobra Kai' Season 5 Trailer – Rolling Stone

Season 5 synopsis: Following the shocking results of the All Valley Tournament, Season 5 finds Terry Silver expanding the Cobra Kai empire and trying to make his "No Mercy" style of karate the only game in town. With Kreese behind bars and Johnny Lawrence setting karate aside to focus on repairing the damage he’s caused, Daniel LaRusso must call on an old friend for help.

Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix

The tagline for Cobra Kai’s dojo is “Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.” This is clearly taken after the habits of the titular cobra, who are known to show off their venomous fangs at the first sign of danger. They often bite 3-4 in a rapid sequence, with each delivering approximately 7 milliliters of venom. Some have been found to bite 12 times in succession, but they will have lost a significant amount of venom. All of this is an unnecessarily long way of saying that after 5 bites, Cobra Kai has started to run out of venom. The characters we’ve grown to love are continuously placed into more ludicrous situations that are thematically rehashing what came before. Daniel and Johnny winning the tournament last season would’ve been the natural conclusion that allowed the series to go out on its own terms, but money talks and season 6 will most likely (hopefully) be the end. Season 5 ditches the setup of the many dojos teaching karate in their own ways, and focuses on Daniel and Chozen (enemy-turned-friend from The Karate Kid: Part 2) finding ways to defeat Terry Silver’s expansion of Cobra Kai. The show is made with so much energy that boredom is never the word that comes to mind, but exhaustion has started to.

That being said, marathoning this show in one binge-session is as easy as it's ever been. The dynamics between this growing cast means some are finally progressing into new territory, but others get sidelined due to how bloated both the heroic and villainous sides are. Johnny and Miguel are still the heart of the series, both in the father-son relationship with each other as well as Johnny’s clueless earnestness and Miguel’s sincerity to discover his family. Terry Silver is also an improvement on Kreese, a manipulative mastermind who can flesh out antagonists like Tory by bringing out her conflicted nature. Daniel‘s descent into a clueless hothead proves to have an earnest emotional payoff, luckily balanced out by the ferociously reliable Chozen. These all culminate into the final three episodes with so many moments of badassery that deliver the fan-service we want in some of the most epic set pieces they’ve ever done. The best aspects of these can get drowned out in a plodding pace without many new angles to explore our leads, settling for retreading relationships like Sam and Miguel having relationship for about the fourth time. The writers have proven to become reliant on lazy excuses for fights to randomly break out, Daniel to fall for obvious ploys, and Silver to easily get away with illegal acts without any police interference, all which turn credibility into caricatures. The show is too much fun to find only flaws, and this world of over-the-top karate will never not put a smile on my face. But, if this season’s cracks are any indication, it just may be time to put Cobra Kai out of its mercy.

Grade: B

This Week’s Discussion: Why the Emmys haven’t lost their relevance

Better Call Saul': Walt and Jesse Scene Explained by Director - Variety

The Emmys are once again upon us (now on a Monday, so NBC can make room for Sunday Night Football), so it’s time to reflect on how this celebration of TV is one of the few award shows left standing that has retained its validity. Whereas I wrote a piece months ago about how the Oscars are continuing to squander the goodwill they formerly had with film fans, the Emmys have consistently nominated quality series that are also talked-about by audiences. The choices are mainstream enough that the minds behind the selections don’t seem disconnected, but are prestige enough to deserve the acclaim received. I often have no idea what will win Best Picture at the Oscars because they can lean so niche, but a category like Outstanding Comedy Series is stacked with so much fantastic talent that it’s tough to even figure out a top 3. Betting on Ted Lasso would always be the smart move in my eyes, but Abbott Elementary, Barry, Hacks, Only Murders In The Building, and What We Do In The Shadows are all deserving in their own rights (Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel are both unfortunately past their prime, securing a spot based on longevity).

Who else do I think will win? It’s almost a delusion at this point, but Better Call Saul may finally get its time in the spotlight after winning 0 Emmys out of 39 nominations spanning 5 acclaimed seasons. Though Succession is a previous winner and has been HBO’s lock since Game Of Thrones ended, Saul’s latest run has been acclaimed by so many that a win for the season, Bob Odenkirk, and Rhea Seehorn is in high demand. Zendaya will most likely take home a statue for her heart-wrenching work in Euphoria, while former darlings Jason Sudeikis and Jean Smart should round out the comedy actors. Yellowjackets and Ozark may not be able to edge out the opposition, and though Stranger Things, Squid Game, and Euphoria generated plenty of buzz online, their discussions may not be able to get them into the highest honors.

One show that unfortunately will not go home with as much as it deserves is Apple TV+’s thought-provoking psychological thriller Severance. Differentiating itself from other great sci-fi like Stranger Things, it stands out with a wholly original premise about the implications of dividing your brain between your work and home life, without the ability to remember one when you’re in the other. Though acclaimed by many for the captivating writing and sleek direction, the steep competition means it won’t go home with much. This is a shame, as the execution from Ben Stiller (a slight upgrade from Zoolander 2, but just by a bit) and talented cast boosted this into a mystery box worth opening. The finale in particular (which scored noms for both editing and direction) was a treat, shifting the formula for the chilling final moments that will keep me counting down the days until season 2.

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