Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
7.7
Summertime in Northern Michigan… there’s nothing like it!
Every story a different angle looking at the same beautiful canvas and complicated humanity that fills it every year in between the snow falling in the great mitten state. An incredibly well done independent film project that does end on a weirdly abrupt note… but kept me 100% in it until then. Enjoy the ambiance of the reasons I love calling Northern Michigan home.
9.1
It’s not often that a sequel is better than the original… here is one of those rarities. I was genuinely surprised, then blown away by how well this film builds on the original, how well the brothers play off each other, how well comedy and violence blend, and how well they land the plane in the end. I was on the edge of my seat the entire runtime and left wanting to recommend it to everyone in the lobby. Fun, well crafted action with a heavy dose of heart at the center. Incredibly well done! One of my favorites of 2025!
8.8
Partially exactly what I expected, but so much more at the same time. In the spirit of “The Great Gatsby,” the brothers chase their dreams of throwing a great party and meet poetic ends. The music, the cast, the scenery… Everything fires on all cylinders here! The ending giving Tarantino a run for his money had me speechless. The vampire angle surprisingly fits and doesn’t disrupt the momentum or seem silly. Instead, it fits remarkably well as an allegory. One of the best of 2025!
8.2
Sad I didn’t get to see this one in IMAX. Even on a TV screen, it’s EPIC. The grandeur of this film is off the charts, every frame beautifully crafted and dripping in gravitas. Guillermo del Torro doing what he does best, at the height of his powers. Oscar Isaac turns in a surprisingly great performance as the good doctor. This iteration of the story tackles the complicated themes of the original in a way not many have in recent iterations. There was a great weight to things and a tension throughout that was palpable. Truly a work of art!
7.6
So many twists and turns that it almost tips the scales into comical territory, but the drama feeds the dedication to hit “continue watching.” A solid Netflix whodunit series with a nice mix of ridiculousness to keep things interesting. Brittany Snow has a very interesting post “Pitch Perfect” career so far. You’ll say “what the hell am I watching?!?” at least once per episode.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 