Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
6.2
Yes… that one. They finally snuck it out into theaters. A very, very strange film. Exactly what I expected going in. A lot of political talking points, brutal violence, and “I’m going to hell for laughing at this” style humor. Solid performances by all involved. Think “the most dangerous game” meets “the purge.” It’s basically a more politically (hard to believe, I know) version of “the purge.”
8.2
Can an animated dog win best actor at the Oscars? If so, Buck needs to be the first. He even brought ornery old man Harrison Ford to life in a way that hasn’t been seen in years. Thoroughly impressed by this film chuck full of gorgeous wildlife, rich characters (even the animated creatures) and a story that elicits genuine emotions from viewers. Everything from laughter to the tear jerking moments. Never thought I’d shed a tear over an animated dog movie, but here we are…
9.1
One of the best seasons so far. The dynamic between agent Breslin and Miguel Gallardo is electric, and caps off the finale with one of the best speeches this side of Benicio Del Toro in “Sicario.” Controlled chaos slow long devolving into complete anarchy, only to be momentarily reigned back into temporary peace… however, Gallardo’s final line of “the animals have been set free” leaves a sense that the next season is going to be especially epic. The heinous violence this series has become known for, set in gorgeous set pieces. Rich characters, exciting “real life often writes better than Hollywood” story… another home run for the red menace. (Netflix.)
7.8
Solid superhero film from DC. The tone feels more “Suicide Squad” than “Dark Knight” or “Joker,” but it works. Margot Robbie fully comes into her own as the character, and really starts to embrace the chaos and take over the screen. Everyone in the film really seemed to enjoy playing the off the wall characters, which really comes across. Solid standalone. She’s Harley F**king Quinn, and she’s here to party!
5.0
Disappointed in EON Productions. (The production company behind the James Bond Franchise) Come on, guys! And Paramount should know better by now… Clunky, poorly directed action. Choppy at best story development. One dimensional characters throughout. What attempted to be a “strong woman gets destroyed and comes back to be the next Bryan Mills from ‘Taken'” lands somewhere between Mr. Bean and Frank from “Naked Gun.” Ouch… Blake Lively being cornered by a shark for 2 hours was worlds better.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 