Cinematic Sommelier
7.8
Elise’s still got it! Who would have thought that the Insidious series would still pack such a punch this far in!
Just enough freshness mixed with the ambiance we all know and love… a recipe for horrific success! The blanket/pillow fort sequence may be one of the scariest in the franchise for me!
7.9
Holy shit… how did I miss this one!?!?
In the vein of “Four Good Days” and “Ben is Back,” this one cracks open the worst of humanity to see the slivers of light that make it through even the darkest moments. The unexpected laughs, the deepest connection, and the basic human decency we too often overthink and overshoot. An all star cast firing on all cylinders and killing it from the first frame to the last!
6.9
The tension in this one is UNREAL… the cognitive dissonance second to none! Just in time for us millennials raised on “Barney” coming of age. Giving the strange guy who directed the “too many cooks” Adult Swim sketch a feature film budget proves to be a stroke of genius here. Too many one-liners and darkly hilarious laughs to count… definitely going to hell for laughing at this one. More blood than you expect… but also more laughs.
8.1
Ever since “The Holdovers,” I will see anything Dominic Sessa is in. He really embodies the essence of Anthony Bourdain within the pages of “Kitchen Confidential,” scars and all. I really didn’t remember how much entitlement he overcame on the journey to enlightenment. Antonio Banderas also surprises as a mentor figure in “chef,” emitting fatherly energy to the max in every frame he graces with his presence. Hell, even Stavros is likeable in this! Enjoy the tunes, reminisce on summers gone by, and remember why we all loved the humanity underpinning every episode of “Parts Unknown”…
7.9
Somehow stumbled upon this one and it made my night!
A reflection on the personal nature of obituaries and reflecting on ones life was surprisingly refreshing. There were so many darkly comedic, yet touching moments in this one. I love these surprises buried in streaming services. A warm reminder to ensure we all take the time to take a step back and reflect on things to never lose sight of those things that are truly meaningful and impactful.
