A SIMPLE FAVOR/ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR

 A SIMPLE FAVOR (2018). Director: Paul Feig.

ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR (2025). Director: Paul Feig. 

In A Simple Favor widow Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) bonds with Emily (Blake Lively) because their little sons are buddies. Emily seems quite a bit edgier than Stephanie, but the latter has her own secrets, such as sleeping with a sexy guy even though she knew he was her half-brother. Emily asks Stephanie to watch her kid for a few days, but she never comes back. Then her body is found, drowned in a lake. But why does her little boy insist that he sees and even talks to his mother? Stephanie decides to investigate, and discovers a weird plot going on ... 

A Simple Favor is entertaining, although it employs over-familiar suspense elements and doesn't have the most original plot. The acting is good, but the light-hearted approach and almost campy style doesn't serve the story as well as a more serious approach might have. Brief girl-on-girl action is thrown in more for the usual titillation than for any other reason, which actually makes the film seem more hokey than edgy. The lead characters are not at all likable.   

In the sequel Another Simple Favor -- an Amazon Prime original movie -- the two ladies and actresses are back for another round, and things are somewhat more intriguing. Emily, now engaged to a handsome mafioso, has every reason to detest Stephanie, but instead of strangling her she demands that she be her maid-of-honor and fly with the wedding party to Capri. Afraid of being sued by Emily because of things she said in her book about her, Stephanie agrees to go but can't help worrying over what exactly the sociopathic female might be up to. Then there are a couple of murders, for which Stephanie is accused. Another Simple Favor, which is even more of an out and out black comedy than the first film, is unpredictable, but some of its developments are as irritating as they are unexpected. The contrivances quickly outweigh the logic and the kind of "girl power" finale, while interesting, doesn't necessarily work. 

Verdict: These movies may hold your attention, but they won't stay in your mind for long. A Simple Favor. **1/2. Another Simple Favor **1/2. 

THE GHOST WALKS

Johnny Arthur, Richard Carle, John Miljan

THE GHOST WALKS (1934). Director: Frank R. Strayer. Colorized.  

On a dark and stormy night producer Herman Wood (Richard Carle), his nervous secretary, Homer (Johnny Arthur), and playwright Prescott Ames (John Miljan) manage to make it to the home of Dr. Kent (Henry Kolker). Prescott is engaged to Kent's daughter, Gloria (June Collyer), but she is also pursued by a persistent Terry Shaw (Donald Kirke). During dinner Beatrice (Eve Southern) says that the ghost of her dead husband will be joining them -- after dinner she is found dead. It develops that, aside from the murder, everything that transpired at dinner is taken from Prescott's play, and Wood and Homer still think everyone is just acting when Beatrice's corpse disappears ...

Rivals: Donald Kirke and John Miljan

Even by 1934 standards this comedy-mystery film is creaky with the usual quota of hoary elements, such as an old mansion, a thunderstorm, even an escaped maniac from an asylum conveniently located nearby. As the emphasis is on humor it's hard to get much involved with the "plot," such as it is. The only thing that keeps one watching is the relatively fast pace and some of the performances, with Carle and Arthur making an amusing combo of secretary and impatient, grumpy employer. The others in the cast are professional enough although no one stands out, which is no surprise given the material. At one point Homer winds up in a bed straight out of a Hawthorne  story when the canopy begins to descend. 

Verdict: Where are Abbott and Costello when you need them? **.