Author: Brett_G

“Founders Day”

6.2

I’m still so conflicted about this one. There were such beautifully done moments, but then a scene immediately following it that was so cringe that I found myself laughing at the absurdity. I didn’t hold the lack of character depth against them, it’s a slasher after all. That being said, “Thanksgiving” nailed what this movie was trying to do and fell short of consistently. There were some promising twists and turns, especially in the third act. The biggest downfall was the dialogue throughout. It took me out of multiple scenes and losing sympathy for multiple characters that I initially quite liked. Interestingly mixed bag here.

“Queen Rock Montreal”

8.3

The only thing preventing this from being a higher score is the legendary Live Aid performance. That aside, this is the band on its ascent to infamy, at the height of their powers. “Firing on all cylinders” doesn’t do the performance justice. Similar to “The Eras Tour” and “Stop Making Sense” last year (sorry for missing “Renaissance”), this is best seen in IMAX – the biggest screen and the loudest cinema you can find. They will, they will, ROCK YOU!

“Self Reliance”

7.8

Anna Kendrick was in it, so you know I had to watch it.

Once I dove in, I was pleasantly surprised by this one! A mix of “Squid Game,” romantic comedy, “It Follows,” and the “Purge” series… in a blender of head-scratchers. The sweet moments and genuine chemistry between Jake Johnson and pretty much every member of the cast caught me off-guard, and really added to the movie itself. Hulu’s known for sleeper hits, and this is no exception! Definitely not your typical action or romance movie, but a fun hour and a half ride!

“Detroiters”

8.5

This one walked so that “I Think You Should Leave” could run… Such a perfect balance of Michigander inside jokes and beautiful Detroit scenery alongside Tim Robinson’s insanity. Sam Richardson was such a perfect pairing, along with pretty much every member of the supporting cast. I have no idea how I missed this one for so long, and now feel sad that it only lasted two seasons. Wonderfully weird lightning in a bottle.

“Slap Shot”

6.9

The hockey version of “Major League”… about a decade before “Major League.” A lot less polished, but just as much ridiculousness, charm, and laughs. I had forgotten just how off the rails this movie gets, but for those who love the game of hockey there’s an undeniable charm about it… in between cringe moments that remind you that the movie was made almost 50 years ago.

A fun classic film night at the theater with this one!