Author: Brett_G

Comedy Drama Throwback

“Bringing Out The Dead”

By Brett_G on

7.4

Nic Cage as a paramedic? Sign me up!

In what could be a sequel to “Taxi Driver,” we join Cage and his carousel of rig partners in trying to wrangle the chaos of New York City, as well as the chaos within themselves.

Oddly comforting was the portrayal of the Emergency Room waiting area. Some things never change…

The film itself was a cross between the ambiance and inner monologue of “Taxi Driver” and the cinematography of “Seven.” It was an interesting mix. Ving Rhames and John Goodman turn in fantastic supporting performances opposite Cage. As does Tom Sizemore, of all people. An unexpected reflection on healthcare ethics and coping mechanisms in the face of insurmountable stressors.

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Peacock Rom-Com Romance

“Ms. Match”

By Brett_G on

7.4

Did they steal the ending from “License to Kill” (see below)? Yes. Did they earn the right? Also yes.

A surprisingly adorkable rom-com from the gang at Peacock. Anna Savcic and Brad Harder’s chemistry really makes it a home run in the 9th. The key to these things is the end of the second act, where you get your heart ripped out alongside the main characters. This film delivers on that, which makes the third act triumph all the sweeter. And no, I’m not just sappy because I found a good red Zinfandel the weekend after Valentine’s Day… although, for those inquiring minds, FitVine Red Zinfandel has been a solid clearance rack find thus far. I’ve only reviewed 74 wines though… much less refined of a palate when compared to the 658 movies that I’ve reviewed, with many more actually consumed over the years.

https://www.vivino.com/wines/156188316

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Documentary Drama Suspense/Thriller

“Argo”

By Brett_G on

8.8

I’ll admit – I slept on this one too long.

With the tension building of “Sicario” interwoven with a plot akin to “American Hustle,” this film establishes itself as one of the best of the historical drama boom of the 2010’s.

The razor sharp script, masterful directing, and perfect cast really took this to the next level. Even the supporting case is a who’s who of the industry who turn in a-list performances. And the soundtrack… chefs kiss.

It’s no surprise it won so much praise back in the day. Not only is it a fantastic film with a powerful plot, but it’s a movie about Hollywood as well, which is always the secret ingredient to becoming an awards season darling. The best of Affleck on full display!

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Action Blockbuster

“Madame Web”

By Brett_G on

5.4

You can put Sydney Sweeney in glasses all you want movie… I still noticed she was in a schoolgirl outfit… “dorky” did not overpower the hot. Do better. The pigeonholing of what could have been interesting characters as caricatures was insulting.

It’s really as bad as you’ve heard. I was hoping to prove the tide wrong, but I can’t do the mental gymnastics. I could point out 3-4 different exact points where I’ll wager the walk-outs are happening. And half of them aren’t even the plot, they were the nauseating action. There were more jump cuts and camera tricks than Liam Neeson hopping the fence in “Taken 3.” This made Michael Bay’s “Transformers” choreography look artistic in comparison.

“The Room” (yes, that one) has a more coherent plot and better developed characters. Half of this movie is shot with the actors facing away from camera so that they could voiceover to try and patch things together in post.

The soundtrack is pretty sweet. I’ll give it that. And it had promise. There was so much potential to work with… but when you botch the “with great power, comes great responsibility” speech and force the audience to spend most of the runtime trying not to hurl from the cinematography… you’re gonna have a bad time.

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Drama Indie

“How to Have Sex”

By Brett_G on

4.5

Hint – this ain’t it. The “50 Shades” trilogy is a better example. I never thought I’d say that.

I was going to make a joke to start this one, but after trudging my way through, I couldn’t muster comic relief. Maybe they were going for “pain is the purpose,” but leave that to the “Promising Young Woman”’s of the world. AND WHY IS EVERYONE SMOKING IN EVERY SCENE?!?!?

The bright side – it was only an hour and a half of my life I can’t get back.

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