Weekend Movies: Damien, Dev, and Democracy

Let's look at a few new releases.

I’m not crazy about studios screening their movies in Atlanta the day before those movies open. When you screen the movie on Wednesday, and you’re showing it to audiences starting on Thursday night, you really weren’t in a rush to give local critics any time to think about it, so I’m reluctant to give the new theatrical releases—The First Omen and Monkey Man—too much ink. By the same token, I attended the screenings, so I may as well write something, so here are a couple capsule review plus a film you should watch if you have AppleTV+.

The First Omen

Nell Tiger Free as Margaret in The First Omen | Image via 20th Century Studios

If you’re looking for a horror film this weekend, The First Omen is technically that. It’s a direct prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film The Omen, and tells us about the mother of Damien, the antichrist figure of The Omen series. The First Omen lures you into think it may be a worthwhile prequel thanks to the gorgeous craftsmanship, but the story is utter garbage. While I admire Arkasha Stevenson’s direction relying heavily on practical effects instead of CG as well as largely avoiding jump scares, the script makes no sense, relies too heavily on an obvious reveal, and has almost nothing in the way of stakes. There are also times where the movie is so clumsy in seeking a scare that it veers into unintentional comedy. There’s a moment in The First Omen that would not have been out of place in an Austin Powers movie.

Who Is This For: A horror fan who has already seen Immaculate and can’t get enough of pregnant nuns, which is something I wouldn’t freely share with others.

Monkey Man

Dev Patel in Monkey Man | Image via Universal

I like the structure of this one where it hints at being a straight revenge film a la John Wick (a title that even gets name-dropped), and then tries to aim for something more spiritual while retaining its vengeance-driven mission. I don’t think the story gets all the way to where it needs to be (and this great review by Siddhant Adlakha does a great job of explaining why the film’s Indian politics are muddled), but I admire how it shifts its protagonist’s motivations without abandoning the plot. Coupled with some bone-crunching action, you’ve got a solid flick that may not reach the dizzying highs of its influences, but also shows that director Dev Patel (who also stars) can’t easily be dismissed. I’m eager to see what he’ll direct next.

Who Is This For: Fans of John Wick and RRR who are in withdrawal, and need their hyper-violent action movie fix.

Girls State

Participants in Missouri’s 2022 Girls State in Girls State | Image via AppleTV+

I was a big fan of the 2020 AppleTV+ documentary Boys State, and now we’ve got the follow-up, Girls State, which is also on AppleTV+. The film is a thoughtful way of probing deeper not only into the format of the week-long program (how much is this really teaching teenagers about government when a large part of it is about campaigning, which is different from governing), but creating a microcosm of the difficulties women face in America. While the boys could simply accept the program and dive into politics, the girls have to deal with discrimination on the dress code, less funding, and less official recognition. You still have inspiring stories about women finding their voices in a political landscape, but also showing how they have to contend with systems are invisible and frictionless for their male counterparts. I was incredibly impressed by how directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss thread the needle between a feel-good coming-of-age stories and the systemic sexism stacked against women at every turn.

Who Is This For: People who want to be inspired by the youth of tomorrow but also infuriated by the inequality of today.