Category: Documentary

Blockbuster Documentary

“Reagan”

By Brett_G on

7.5

Pretty much exactly what I expected… which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I feel like I forgot how good of an actor Dennis Quaid is. John Voight as a Russian spy was an interesting choice, but Quaid turns out to be a perfect pick.

What I was afraid was going to fall into the trap of being pure “Boomer Bait” in the first half actually lets some punches fly in the second half. I figured they would shy away from the skeletons in the closet of one of the more conflicting legacies in American politics, but they actually went there. From calling in the National Guard as Governor, to losing his jelly beans (Alzheimer’s) likely before departing the White House, to running guns and destabilizing Central America, South America, and the Middle East in just 2 terms… I figured “Narcos” and “Sicario” were going to be the only projects willing to admit we created our own enemies for the last 50 years trying to “fix” things.

The framing device of an old Russian recounting his life’s work was a weird choice, but fades more into the background as things take off, and you’re left with a mildly entertaining, albeit long biopic.

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Documentary Netflix

“How to Rob a Bank”

By Brett_G on

7.2

It’s kind of real life “Point Break.” But the FBI is doing anything but play along. The enigmatic main character was hard to turn away from and ever intriguing as this story unfolded. Netflix nailing another documentary. I wish they had delved more into the treehouse, but also understood it was one of a million interesting details in this saga. A fun couple of hours!

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Documentary HBO

“Ren Faire”

By Brett_G on

6.5

So… it’s kind of a “Tiger King” ripoff. This guy is INSANE, and his cult is INSANE. The only thing I might have to copy from this is his hiring someone to manage his dating app profiles and set up his dates down at the local Olive Garden once I make my millions from this whole movie reviewing thing.

The ending was a letdown for the ages, but perfectly on-brand for this shitshow. If you’re just looking to kill a couple of hours and feel better about your life… here ya go.

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Documentary Drama

“The Bikeriders”

By Brett_G on

7.2

I’ll watch anything with Jodie Comer in it… so count me in.

THEN I discover that Austin Butler may have finally lost his Elvis accent?!?! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

I’d file this one under “PG Sons of Anarchy.” There’s still violence, but it’s much more subdued and the overall feel of the film is much lighter. There’s a thoughtfulness here that really ties in to the fact that it’s the result of a photojournalist’s work. The cultural factors at play, lurking under the surface, really shined and elevated a tale as old as time. The backdrop of war and its effect on the youth, the ever-present search for purpose and evolution of these as we age was on full display and well handled by all involved. There are many heralding Tom Hardy as some sort of genius in this one, but I feel like he plays mostly variations of a similar character lately. There’s nothing wrong with that – it works. However, I’m left lost by the level of the fawning. It was a surprisingly good film, albeit a tad long in the tooth by the time the credits rolled.

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Action Amazon Prime Documentary

“The Blue Angels”

By Brett_G on

8.2

I had to actually hunt a bit for a nearby IMAX screen to see this one, which was an unexpected hurdle. Once we got that out of the way, it was full afterburners, baby.

Strap in and get ready to be in awe of the dedication to the craft for almost 2 hours straight as real life Top Gun takes place. Watching the team come together and grow over the the course of a Blue Angels season was truly inspirational. As expected, there were quite a few life lessons tucked away in between the wing tips of the formations that make you wince on the edge of your seat, but the action rarely stops the entire time. You’ll leave with a newfound or renewed appreciation for aviation and expertise. Way to go Glen Powell and team!

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