Drama – Page 17 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Barbie”

By Brett_G on July 22, 2023July 22, 2023

7.5

Yes, I completed the “Barbemheimer” opening night double feature. It was a truly wild ride.

Like “Oppenheimer,” this film also surprised me. The pendulum swings both ways, and actually finds much more common ground than I anticipated during the first five minutes of the runtime. The opening act essentially spells out that women working together and living in peace, empowering each other is… a fantasy land? The message of this movie depends on how deeply you dive into the narrative.

First and foremost, it’s a brilliant marketing move by Mattel. For a movie that lectures in multiple points about the evils of capitalism… it’s a cog in the machine, man.

The story does a great job of showing how both sides can overcorrect in the face of adversity, leading to an unnecessary breakdown in society, when things become disingenuous and performative… and actually lands on a high note of everyone growing as characters and a fairly positive outlook towards the future that I did not see coming.

Stylistically, it’s absolutely gorgeous. The set design is amazing, as expected, and everything is over the top. As with “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie” is also perfectly cast, and that cast is firing on all cylinders.

Comedy Drama Science Fiction

“Asteroid City”

By Brett_G on June 24, 2023June 24, 2023

7.9

One word – bizarre.

That being said, it’s Wes Anderson at the height of his powers. The aesthetic is awe-inspiring, and the alien invasion amusing. The typical cast of this time different characters unveil a narrative that had the packed theater both tilting our heads in confusion and tossing them back in laughter in unison. A really enjoyable opening night experience at the theater.

Documentary Drama

“Blackberry”

By Brett_G on June 8, 2023June 5, 2023

6.8

If you enjoyed “The Social Network” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” you’ll enjoy this one. Why we need so many corporate biopics, I’ll never know, but they keep being good so here we are. The casting was one of the stronger points of this film, along with the screenwriting. What could have very easily been the most boring film of the year only worked because of the souls of the people involved. Comedic timing, nuanced performances, and the perfect dash of nerdiness made this click like the signature keyboard of the film’s namesake.

Drama Indie Suspense/Thriller

“The Gardener”

By Brett_G on June 7, 2023June 5, 2023

6.8

You’re not ready for this movie. I wasn’t ready for this movie. No one is ready for this movie.

Paul Schrader, the same man who brought the Abu Ghraib reckoning masked in a poker playing road trip coming of age film to life brings us… this. A white supremacist who falls in love with a black woman masked as a love story intertwined with a revenge tale masquerading as a film about horticulture. It’s a lot to take in, and definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s clunky at times, but similar to “The Card Counter,” this film deals in the most tense of situations. There’s really no breathing room until the credits roll.

Action Blockbuster Drama

“The Covenant”

By Brett_G on April 25, 2023

8.1

Holy shit this is intense. From every angle. Not only does the action leave you sitting on the edge of your seat, but the emotional impact will leave you slumped in your chair trying to recover before the next barrage of violence in these 2 men’s pursuits of honor, commitment, friendship, and brotherhood. It’s a beautiful display of the best and worst of humanity, and how they often coexist side by side in our world, mixing in a gray middle at times, left to our own perceptions.

Guy Ritchie can do no wrong with the action, but where this film goes above and beyond is in the characters. The story is demonstrated expertly, instead of spoon fed to the audience. There’s an understanding reached while going on this journey together, and it leads to much more impactful twists and turns. I found myself enveloped by this film in a way not many achieve. Bravo!