Brett_G

“Little Women”

By Brett_G on January 7, 2020

8.5

In the wise words of Owen Wilson, “wow.” This one caught me a little off guard. May or may not have gotten a little dusty in the theater a couple of times. Bucking the trend of numerous news outlets lecturing everyone on “men aren’t going to see ‘little women’,” I thought I’d check this one out. Definitely glad I did.

A tale of elegance and humanity, love and independence. A character study in how we love and whether we have a choice in who we love or when it hits us. Heavy stuff handled deftly in this well-crafted film. Beautiful set pieces and cinematography, brilliant acting, and a razor sharp story tie it all together. Bravo!

Also, apparently the perfect revenge on the girl you fall in unrequited love with who strings you along under the guise of friendship with potential for something more but really doesn’t know who she is or how to love, leaving her with a void she is perpetually unable to fill and her pining after what you once had and trying to find it in other people or making a grand gesture in “too little, too late” fashion, destroys your heart and will to love again… is to become a hard partying playboy for a few years, regain your confidence, and marry her attractive sister.

Horror/Thriller

“The Grudge” (2020)

By Brett_G on January 2, 2020

6.9

A great by the numbers studio horror film! Well crafted tension, terror, and jump scares. A tight story. Only downside being that the story is told in 4 different time periods that the film jumps between, so it can be a little hard to keep track of if you’re not paying attention. The characters were pretty one-dimensional, but it’s a horror movie, so there’s a pretty low bar for that going in. As with most films in the genre, the final 20-25 minutes ties it all together nicely. One of my favorite endings in a while, as well!

Indie

“Uncut Gems”

By Brett_G on January 1, 2020

3.0

This movie is a rock that someone mistook as an uncut gem… yikes. By far the worst Adam Sandler movie I’ve ever seen, by a long shot. Good lord… creepy, no story, raunchy for no reason, and way too long. The jokes are a mix of trying too hard to be relevant and way out of date. Adam Sandler fight The Weekend and Kevin Garnett… and watches his mistress do unspeakable things from a closet doorway before yelling “surprise!” AND THEY LAUGH! (I kid you not.). I think they were going for a new take on 2014’s “The Gambler,” but without the charm of Mark Wahlberg, solid action, a coherent story… humor that makes you laugh.

Yikes… Go see ANYTHING else at the theater this week. Not necessarily the way I wanted to start my year in reviews… staying hopeful that this is me getting the bad ones out of the way early on.

Action Blockbuster Suspense/Thriller

“The Hurt Locker”

By Brett_G on December 25, 2019

8.2

Definitely can see why this cleaned house at the Oscars back in the day… what a wild ride! Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie team up pre-Marvel Universe to bring the same chemistry to this pulse pounding thrill ride of a film. Director Kathryn Bigelow at the height of her powers, directing actions scenes with unmatched intensity and thrill. Overall, a classic war film, and a great Christmas movie.

Blockbuster

“Cats”

By Brett_G on December 22, 2019

3.0

Well, the title doesn’t lie… there are cats… and that’s about it. 3 points, one for each good thing about this film.

1. Taylor Swift graces the screen for one song.

2. The lead actress, Francesca Hayward, does her best to save this dumpster fire.

3. Jennifer Hudson sings her ass off and rocks “memory.”

Aside from these moments, spend 2 hours (way too long) trying to figure out why they couldn’t decide on the scale of sets and props. Causing even more mental anguish than the CGI cats that bend the mind like AI deep-fakes. It’s no “Jersey Boys” or “Phantom of the Opera.”