Playwright and Pulitzer Prize finalist Aleshea Harris makes her feature film debut with Is God Is, a jarring and intense tale of siblings tasked with revenge.

Is God Is Movie Review

A Lauded Playwright Becomes a Vital New Filmmaker

Is God Is, which Harris adapted from her own play, follows a pair of twin sisters bonded by blood — and trauma. When they were very young, their abusive father attempted to murder their mother, leaving both sisters with disfiguring burn scars; they were raised in foster care, believing their mother had died in the attack. In the present day, they’ve learned their mother is alive — and she has a deadly mission for them.

Harris approaches the film with both practiced pacing and a rookie’s daring. In its structure, characterization and pace, her script is a marvel; this is a tale with intimate stakes and epic sweep. In her approach, however, she is unafraid to be bold. The twins communicate to one another with looks and gestures that are transcribed on screen like living subtitles. Dialogue flows into narration, soliloquy and aside with a poet’s grace. Shots are composed with immediacy and suspense.

Is God Is announces Harris as an important filmmaker — one who will undoubtedly make more excellent films in the years to come.

A Violent, But Immensely Satisfying, Tale

I do not, however, mean that this film is a warm-up. It is a powerful, if grim, achievement of its own — and it is packed with fantastic performances.

Kara Young, who plays more talkative twin Racine — billed in the credits as Racine the Rough One — is one of Broadway’s most decorated stars, a two-time Tony winner. She’s not new to the screen, having appeared in a number of well-received (if little seen) independent productions, but Is God Is serves as an emphatic announcement of her power. Mallori Johnson — playing the other twin, Anaia the Quiet One — says as much with silence and uncertainty as Young does with bravado.

They’re buoyed by an all-star supporting cast, including Vivica A. Fox, Janelle Monáe and Sterling K. Brown; the latter plays the twins’ sinister father, named only as The Monster. He turns his charming persona into a manifestation of evil with little more than a slow delivery and an unsettling stare.

The experience of watching Is God Is will be jarring to some viewers; it’s violent, unflinching and bold. In its wake, however, you’ll know you’ve experienced an important film. Expect it to linger; expect Harris to make masterpieces.

Another Comedy Icon Gets a Documentary and More New Films This Week

Martin Short becomes the latest comedy star to receive the streaming-documentary treatment in Marty: Life is Short, premiering on Netflix. Short’s friend Lawrence Kasdan directs the film, which delivers the familiar beats of a friendly biography: interviews about Short’s life and career, testimonials from famous friends, and clips from his most iconic performances. This material is fine, if unremarkable; the film shines, however, when it shows Short’s home movies. A lover of camcorders, Short captured his family and all-star buddies in unscripted moments for decades. You’ll wish that this material made up more of the film; a hilarious and touching twist on Grey Gardens-style filmmaking would’ve been delightful. As it is, Life is Short is a pleasant diversion with some great footage buried within.

Obsession — Be Careful What You Wish For

A classic be-careful-what-you-wish-for tale gets a modern update in Obsession, also new this week. A lovelorn young man longs for his childhood crush to obsess over him. After some metaphysical chicanery grants his wish, her fixation spirals into something terrifying. Director Curry Barker isn’t exactly a newbie. The sketch-comedy veteran also made the feature Milk & Serial on a budget of just $800, but this marks the first time he has worked with a significant budget.

The 40th anniversary screenings of Top Gun continue through this weekend. Audiences still seem to crave the need for speed, so theaters have paired some showings with screenings of the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick.(Don’t tell anyone with a strong nostalgia drive, but the latter film is much better.)

Speaking of anniversaries: We regret to inform you that it’s the 25th anniversary of Shrek. Not out of an objection to Shrek per se, that’s just a crippling reminder of the passage of time. See the ogre as well as his donkey friend back on the big screen this weekend at select multiplexes.

Story by Sean Collier
Featured Photo Courtesy of Patti Perrit / Amazon Content Services

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If you haven’t seen the delightful trailer for The Sheep Detectives, the title may convince you this is an animated, family-friendly adventure. It’s certainly gentle enough — but, talking sheep aside, the film is actually a witty and even erudite murder-mystery satire.

Someone’s Been Very Baa-d in The Sheep Detectives

Hugh Jackman stars as the lonely but gentle shepherd George Hardy. He lives a simple life tending to his flock outside of a quaint English town. Each night, he reads to the appreciative sheep from his collection of pulpy whodunits. When he turns up dead, the local police are outmatched, and the townsfolk are bewildered.

Fortunately, these are no ordinary ungulates. The group of clever sheep and lambs — voiced by an enthusiastic cast including Julia-Louis Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Patrick Stewart and Regina Hall — have been taking notes on the plots of all those page-turners. Determined to do right by their fallen friend (and avoid being sold to a rival farmer’s slaughterhouse), the sheep set out to unravel the mystery.

In an era when too many comedies remain fundamentally mean-spirited, this one is pleasantly kind-hearted. That should not, however, suggest a lack of depth; these are barnyard animals with some serious concerns. I expected to laugh; I didn’t expect to consider whether the occasional memento mori was essential for a true appreciation of life. The Sheep Detectives has surprising power.

A Seasoned — and Multifaceted — Screenwriter

Much of the credit must go to screenwriter Craig Mazin. He made his name on broad comedies such as Identity Thief and entries in the Scary Movie franchise. But he also turns to prestige TV, writing the acclaimed HBO miniseries Chernobyl and directing The Last of Us. A combination of wit and gravitas is a powerful thing; Mazin’s career has allowed that confluence to develop nicely.

The look of the film is less impressive. It’s sets are a watered-down repeat of last year’s Wake Up Dead Man, and Kyle Balda’s direction is presentational. Unfortunately, the sheep themselves recall the errors of Disney’s “live-action” animated animals, seen in the recent Lion King installments. There’s no good way to combine photorealistic animals and awkwardly moving CGI faces. You’ll be charmed enough to overlook the awkward appearance of these rams and ewes but not ignore it.

Otherwise, though, The Sheep Detectives is a rare thing: An all-ages film that will actually appeal to all ages.

Mortal Kombat II and More New at Theaters

The long-running video game series Mortal Kombat gave rise to a very bad movie in the ’90s, then a surprisingly entertaining one in the pandemic era. Now, a sequel to that film arrives, and it’s a serviceable affair. Mortal Kombat II, directed by rising Australian action helmer Simon McQuoid, has no delusions about it: Neither too tongue-in-cheek nor overly maudlin, it’s content to be a gory and vivid spectacle. The sets impressively recall the games; while the acting leaves something to be desired, the action will satisfy fans.

We’ve seen a number of lavish concert films from pop superstars. Only now, however, have we seen one helmed by superstar director James Cameron. Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) is credited to Eilish herself alongside the Titanic and Avatar auteur. The famously effects-focused Cameron opted to film the tour in 3D; expect performances of hits including Birds of a Feather, Bad Guy and the Oscar-winning What Was I Made For?

Happy 40th birthday to Top Gun, which was released to giant box office (and elevated Air Force recruiting, if you believe the legend) back in May of 1986. The Tony Scott film will be back in theaters this week.

Story by Sean Collier
Featured Photo Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

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