• Home
  • News
    • Cocalico
    • Police & Fire
    • Years Ago
    • Weather
    • Opinion
    • Archives
    • Social
      • Births
      • Engagement
      • Weddings
      • Anniversaries
    • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Shopping
    • Business Review
    • Showcase of Homes
    • Taste of the Town
    • What’s on Tap
    • Green Dragon
  • Obits
  • Contact Us
    • Advertising
    • About Us
    • Newsroom
    • Delivery Issues
    • Subscriber Services
      • Subscribe
      • Manage Your Subscription
    • Send Us Stuff
  • e-edition
Ephrata Review
Don't Miss
  • Small town theater with a big town feel: Susquehanna Stage Company
  • Gameseum officially ‘levels up’ for a March grand opening
Home   >   Entertainment   >   Reel Reviews: ‘Tag’ and ‘Hereditary’ – The LOAD phenomenon

Reel Reviews: ‘Tag’ and ‘Hereditary’ – The LOAD phenomenon

By Michael C. Upton on June 20, 2018
  • Tweet
  • Pin It

It was an incredible weekend at the box office, but I was not one of the millions flocking to theatres to see “Incredibles 2.” I must admit, I never saw “The Incredibles.” I caught parts of the 2004 Disney hit here and there, but I’ve never sat down and watched the animated movie in its entirety. So, instead of opting for the sequel, I went and saw “Tag.”

‘Tag’

Based on true events, “Tag” is the story of a group of grown men &tstr; “Hoagie” Malloy (Ed Helms), Reggie (LilRel Howery), Bob Callahan (Jon Hamm), “Chilli” Cilliano (Jake Johnson), and Jerry Pierce (Jeremy Renner) &tstr; who played a game of tag for 23 years. Every year during the month of May (February in real life) it was game on and players travelled the U.S. continuing to tag each other. At the end of the month whoever was “it” stayed “it” until the next commencement of activities. Friends tagged each other at funerals, in disguise, and sometimes with their spouses acting as accomplices.

The story was documented by journalist Russell Adams (portrayed by Annabelle Wallis as Rebecca Crosby) in the Wall Street Journal and the movie ties loosely into real facts. “Tag” is a fun movie with a potentially great homage to Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes conducted by the action star hands of Renner. But the key word in this synopsis is potentially.

I think I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in movies and “Tag” is victim to this phenomenon. Filmmakers lately are just mailing it in &tstr; or, at least they are just rushing parts of movies that, with a little extra work, could make the entire whole a much better, more enjoyable, memory-making movie. Several scenes (and jokes) just fall flat. It’s an overall Lack Of Attention to Detail &tstr; hereby to referred to as LOAD.

Director Jeff Tomsic is coming from a TV background (“Idiotsitter,” “The Detour”) and it is all too obvious as this movie almost feels like it was made for commercial breaks.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” This is the mantra of the main characters in “Tag,” who have been playing the same childish game for 23 years straight.

‘Hereditary’

I heard about “Heredity” on NPR, which gave a warm description of the movies pitch to production companies. The movie, a tale of demonic summoning and possession, was not sold as a horror, rather as a psychological expedition dealing with the death of loved ones.

“Hereditary” is a prime example of the LOAD phenomenon. This movie starts off great. I mean, halfway through I was envisioning singing its praises as a heady, quietly terrifying film that only comes around every few years. The suspense was driving &tstr; slow, but driving. The horror was creepy and had my mind racing. “Hereditary” had a subtle cinematic beauty reminiscent of 1970s European films where certain scenes could stand alone on their aesthetic beauty. But, alas, this movie goes completely off the rails and by the end becomes a what-did-I-just-watch train wreck.

The most common response online is the ability of “Heredity” to have audiences laughing, when surely this was not the intent. If it was, that in itself is a fail. I saw the movie in an otherwise empty theater and I still couldn’t wipe the look of disbelief off my face at the end. I felt I had to make some sort of comment to the theater attendant who walked in to clean between screenings.

“Well, that was bizarre,” I said.

She just laughed. Even if she hadn’t seen the movie she would probably feel the same way if she entered during the final scenes pocked with middle-aged nude figures distracting the story.

Agree or disagree? Reel Reviews works like this: 1) Watch a movie; 2) Send suggestions, comments and criticism to Michael at SomeProMCU@gmail.com.

  • Tweet
  • Pin It

About Michael C. Upton

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

  • Akron Borough looks to keep clean water out of sanitary sewers

    Heavy rains last fall dumped thousands of gallons of surface...

    • Posted February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • Something fishy’s going on in these classrooms!

    Classrooms offer a variety of learning opportunities. In addition to...

    • Posted February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • WellSpan report highlights $190.3 million 2018 community benefit

    WellSpan Health provided $190.3 million in community benefit to southcentral...

    • Posted February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • Brother’s spirit runs like the wind

    One local woman’s enduring love for her famous, late brother...

    • Posted February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • Pressed into history

    Featuring hot and cold sandwiches, soups, and salads, The Pressed...

    • Posted February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • Etta B. Brubaker Holsinger, 88, Doneckers seamstress, active at church; Lioness, hospital volunteer

    Etta B. Brubaker Holsinger, 88, of Ephrata, and formerly of...

    • Posted February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • Donald R. Leed, 86, Korean War vet, stonemason, fan of NASCAR, enjoyed deep sea fishing

    Donald R. Leed, 86, of Stevens, passed away on Friday,...

    • Posted February 20, 2019
    • 0

Subscribe

 

Susbcribe to The Ephrata Review today!

Ephrata Square Cam

Ephrata Square Cam Click the image to see the live cam
  • Latest

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Akron Borough looks to keep clean water out of sanitary sewers

    Heavy rains last fall dumped thousands of gallons of...

    • February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • Something fishy’s going on in these classrooms!

    Classrooms offer a variety of learning opportunities. In addition...

    • February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • WellSpan report highlights $190.3 million 2018 community benefit

    WellSpan Health provided $190.3 million in community benefit to...

    • February 20, 2019
    • 0
  • It’s over – Pig, rooster chases canceled

    Organizers say safety and protester disruption concerns fueled the...

    • August 31, 2016
    • 33
  • Not the same

    Editor, Record Express, As a former legislator from Lancaster...

    • April 16, 2014
    • 13
  • The Akron dream

    I suppose it was around 1970 when this new...

    • March 26, 2015
    • 12
  • Julie Boyer Mathiot says:

    Dave , I just looked at this now. I am so Sor...

  • Larry E Harsh says:

    Janice: I didn't know how to get an answer...

  • Sharon lenhart mc cauley says:

    I will miss my uncle dearly we would talk on ...

Special Section

The Hill: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and a Great New Menu

The Hill: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and a Great New Menu

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, The Hill is THE place to celebrate on March 17. Put on your gree[...]

Our Location


View Larger Map

Links

Lancaster Farming
Lititz Record
LancasterOnline

Privacy

Terms of Use

  • Home
  • News
    • Cocalico
    • Police & Fire
    • Years Ago
    • Weather
    • Opinion
    • Archives
    • Social
      • Births
      • Engagement
      • Weddings
      • Anniversaries
    • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Shopping
    • Business Review
    • Showcase of Homes
    • Taste of the Town
    • What’s on Tap
    • Green Dragon
  • Obits
  • Contact Us
    • Advertising
    • About Us
    • Newsroom
    • Delivery Issues
    • Subscriber Services
      • Subscribe
      • Manage Your Subscription
    • Send Us Stuff
  • e-edition

Copyright © 2019 The Ephrata Review, a member of LNP MEDIA GROUP, Inc.