Drama – Page 16 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Secretary”

By Brett_G on January 24, 2024January 24, 2024

7.8

Where did he find that tiny saddle? One of many questions I found myself pondering with this one.

His positive punishment scheme also backfired on him here, becoming positive reinforcement real quick. Who woulda thunk it?

Being a lawyer, he should have known that you’re not allowed to ask ANY of those questions in an interview. Let alone the next hour and forty five minutes of OSHA violations. Pretty sure that spreader bar was a workplace injury waiting to happen.

Oh yeah, the actual movie – this Mr. Grey at least has some depth to him. As does Lee. James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal killed it here. They had much better source material than the “50 Shades” trilogy to work with, in defense of Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. Unlike the purely (and poorly executed) sexual nature of that series, this film puts forth a valiant effort to venture into the deeper psychology behind BDSM. The definition of character study.

I can’t remember how this one ended up in my Amazon Prime Video queue, but I’m glad I finally gave it a go.

Comedy Drama Indie

“American Fiction”

By Brett_G on January 23, 2024January 21, 2024

8.6

“At least he’d be rejecting the real me.” – This line, in the context of the scene it comes from, was a gut punch for the ages.

Eccentric, esoteric, and in the end, exceptional.

I’ve been intrigued as hell about this one since I first came across the trailer. Jeffrey Wright, Sterling Brown, and Issa Rae never miss, however, this takes things to a whole other level of cerebral subtext. I’m happy to report that not only does it give “South Park” a run for its money in holding a mirror up to the occasional absurdity of our human culture, but it’s also a fabulously crafted family drama under the hood. I didn’t expect the deep emotional impact of that plot to really round out and ground a wild main plot as it did. From the first to the very last frame, I can honestly say I was in disbelief. Absolutely brilliant!

Documentary Drama

“Steve Jobs”

By Brett_G on January 8, 2024January 7, 2024

8.6

I’m a sucker for Aaron Sorkin dialogue and a good walk and talk, so I’ve loved this film since the first time seeing it in the theater. Since then, I’ve occasionally passed by it in my library, meaning to one day re-watch it and see if it recaptured the magic. Spoiler alert – it does! Even more so after I finished the Steve Jobs biohgraphy recently, which prompted my re-watch recently. The attention to detail in the film was all the more breathtaking and spot-on than I had realized during that first watch years ago. What it does better than most, that “Oppenheimer” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” also later did, was nailed the tone of the story. A complicated, dynamic character that goes on to change the world. Weighing the impact they have on the world with the destruction they left in their wake. Uncovering the dark sides of once unknown or little known details that shine a new light on what had become a fairy tale image of history.

Michael Fassbender kills it as Jobs, with Kate Winslet as his character foil. The framing device of product launches was the perfect choice, as Apple became the center of Jobs’s being, with supporting cast came in and out of his life during different episodes in the saga. It wasn’t quite as reflective as the book, but the impact was nearly the same. It’s a busy 2+ hours, but well worth the runtime if you’re game for a breakneck pace of words per minute.

Book: https://a.co/d/97Q8XDY

Action Documentary Drama

“Ferrari”

By Brett_G on December 30, 2023December 30, 2023

7.1

It’s no “Ford v. Ferrari.”

That being said, it’s still solid. Much more family drama than racing epic. The racing scenes that are part of the film are gorgeous and as intense as they come. I want to definitely warn those heading into this one that there is carnage galore when the rubber meets the road. The early days of road racing were downright deadly, and this film doesn’t shy away from it.

The cast is full of sneak attacks, and everyone fits exceptionally well, especially the main love triangle of Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz, and Shailene Woodley. The man liked fast cars and even more dangerous women. Respect.

A nice cap on my year at the movies! Look for the yearly recap tomorrow!

Documentary Drama

“Bank of Dave”

By Brett_G on December 25, 2023December 25, 2023

8.4

Me as the credits began to roll – “THIS WAS A DOCUMENTARY?!”

Feel good movie perfect for the holiday season!

The way they were able to fit such a wonderfully executed tale of financial David vs. Goliath, leveraged the overarching and impactful theme of community and the strength of small towns… I was quite frankly in awe. AND there’s a quite pleasant accompanying love story. AND a courtroom scene that took me back to “The Judge” and “A Few Good Men.” The film really fires on all cylinders and has something for everyone! Especially Def Leppard fans, or just fans of karaoke. Well done to all involved, earning a strong recommendation from me. Unlike in “A Few Good Men,” I trust you can handle the truth that they knocked it out of the park with this one.