Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
4.5
Take it from the gentleman snoring behind me in the theater two-thirds of the way through… save your time and money. This one is rough. It’s too slow, hard to understand, and never really makes much sense. This is why the feature length tale of “the crooked man” stumbled trying to make its way into the Conjuring universe.
The special effects were well done, but there was nothing tying the scenes together or moving the story forward. Very meh…
8.3
“It’s the perfect time for jokes!”
The better version of “The Father.” There, I said it! This movie should have been in the running for best picture instead.
I spent at least 2/3 of the runtime misty-eyed. But I also laughed more genuinely than most films are able to achieve. Such a horrific story and situation that forces moments of profound beauty and perspective.
Tiffany Haddish kicks ass in a drama role in this one. Just as unexpected as Billy Crystal. They both toe the line of seriousness and humor with grace not many have. It illustrates the balance between the two we often struggle with within our own lives. This is why I prefer this version of “old man losing his marbles” to “The Father.” The films have very different approaches with a similar intent of bringing awareness to Alzheimer’s/dementia. I just preferred this more human feeling, struggle to be lighthearted in the face of darkness approach. Very well done and worth the time and tears.
8.2
Divine darkness.
Guy Ritchie works his magic yet again. You want an over-the-top, tightly wound action film that’s a work of art at its core? He’s your man. Very similar to “The Gentlemen,” which was also a favorite of mine from last year. Plenty of twists and turns, gore, and Jason Statham growling at people as he methodically massacres in his hunt for justice. Think “John Wick” with just a few more lines of dialogue and a much different haircut.
God, I wish I could pull off stubble like Statham…
Some of the story points were predictable, which is somewhat a symptom of watching this many movies, but they are so well executed (pun intended) that you won’t care. One thing this crew does better than almost anyone in the biz is action. Strap in, and get ready for a wildly entertaining edge of your seat ride.
7.5
Much better than expected!
Definitely not Oscar bait. Definite Shudder film.
I couldn’t tell if they were being serious or joking at times, but chose to see it as deadpan humor at its finest. Similar to “The Dead Don’t Die.” Satirical horror at the height of its powers. A fantastic cast. Special effects that mix incredible technology with “this looks like the claymation from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” Either way, you will depart thoroughly entertained and asking yourself “how in the hell does this have a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes?!?!”
8.4
So many societal issues, handled with the perfect mix of grace and awkwardness. Ed Helms and Patti Harrison shine as the two perfect people to bring this story to the screen. Similar to “Promising Young Woman,” this film takes incredibly awkward topics and brings them to life on screen in such a way that they seem much more approachable. The beauty of human life and the relationships between people. The wonder of what life can be when we let go of “the plan” and “normal.” I laughed, I got a little misty-eyed, I came away with a lot to ponder in how to present this. The only beef I had was with the ending, but I can also understand and support the artistic choice. A lot of heart in this one. The kind of storytelling that has come through and shined on the big screen in the past year with the almost absolute absence of big, blockbuster franchises sucking up all of the silver screen real estate. Well worth a watch!
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 