Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
7.7
Instead of your typical Victorian/Colonial age film from A24 that makes your skin crawl, this one has robots!
Brilliant performances by all involved precisely weave a cautionary tale of AI gone awry. The age-old scientific inquiry, “we can, but should we?” Michael Crichton would be proud! Get ready to have your mind bent, then blown by this masterpiece of science… Fiction? (only because this feels all too real in the not so distant future)
8.5
WAY better than this film had any right to be. A strong message of living your life with a sense of bravery anchored in purpose. Beautiful special effects, world building, and storytelling. A cast with a natural chemistry, perfectly assigned to their roles. All set to a rocking soundtrack with a masterful mix in of classics. Like I said, on paper this makes no sense, but it works beautifully and had me terrified, cheering, tearful, and ultimately satisfied. Glad to still have gems like this one out of the woodwork in the hot mess that is watching movies in 2020.
7.9
… and you thought you hated Jai Courtney before. Sheesh, this guy can’t catch a break on exclusively playing unlikeable characters.
Liam Neeson does Liam Neeson things. This time, his girlfriend is taken, blowing up his plans for a normal life. Kate Walsh does a fantastic job as Liam’s accomplice, as does Jeffrey Donovan as his enabler at the Bureau. Strap in, and watch everything go boom in this edge of your seat thriller. Then, get ready to go “awe…” right before the credits roll. It’s a wild ride.
7.6
Almost all the way through the Christopher Nolan cinematic universe. Pretty fitting this is coming out late at night, given the title.
No one does manic like Al Pacino. Walking that fine line between genius and insanity. And an absolute masterclass performance by Robin Williams… as a villain! He plays it straight, and it works. No goofball in this character, only sinister intent. Nolan really has a knack for casting to subvert expectations of us moviegoers. Keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. My money is still on us finding out that all Christopher Nolan movies are connected in the end. We’ll have a “saw”-type flashback montage showing how they all connect. Book it.
This film, similar to “Memento,” is an integral stepping stone in a legendary director’s journey honing his craft. The storytelling, casting, and cinematography being further refined as the resume grows over time.
8.1
Did not see this one coming out of left field. A super fun 10 episode ride full of debauchery, treachery, and straight up fun. Such an oddball group of characters. A mix between “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Insatiable.” Turn your brain off and, like, kick ass.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 