Drama – Page 36 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Our Friend”

By Brett_G on February 14, 2021

8.1

They had me in the first half, not gonna lie. I felt I was watching a group of narcissists feed off of each other until their ultimate, deserved demise. Then, the story blossoms in the third act that you’ll have to watch through a layer of tears as the hits just keep coming. Taking you to a beautifully dark place where the emotions of the finale of life reside.

Casey Affleck is officially sad guy now. He’s continuously kicked in the balls guy and does it better than anyone else in Hollywood. Jason Segal rocks it as the loveable loser with a heart of gold. Dakota Johnson expands her skillset in yet another outstanding dramatic performance.

Bring some tissues, and be prepared to call a loved one/loved ones afterwards. Another tremendous entry in the “dying person” genre, a la “Me, Earl, and the dying girl.”

Drama Netflix

“Mank”

By Brett_G on January 26, 2021

7.9

Gary Oldman shines as the secret screenwriter behind the masterful manuscript of “Citizen Kane.” Hollywood studio politics, national politics, and international politics all collide in a wonderfully witty and dramatic period piece.

The black and white cinematography was a solid choice and lent itself to the story’s style itself. I felt truly immersed in the narrative the entire runtime. It strikes me as somewhat predictable that, of course, the famous author-screenwriter is a hellacious lush. Oldman finds an outstanding balance and hits all the necessary notes to round out the main character. I had no idea the hidden agendas behind all of the classic tale characters. Very well done!

Comedy Drama Indie

“Chick Fight”

By Brett_G on November 13, 2020

7.2

There are chicks, and they do fight.

Alec Baldwin comes in clutch as the Mickey to our blonde Rocky working her way atop this female fight club. Malin Akerman kicks ass literally and figuratively, delivering a performance as reliable as her headbutts. Lace-up your gloves, and get ready for another Bella Thorne being a badass movie.

Drama Suspense/Thriller

“Let Him Go”

By Brett_G on November 12, 2020November 12, 2020

6.5

Do you want to be really uncomfortable, then really angry, then really sad? Well, do I have the movie for you!

The beautiful backdrop of the Dakota’s serves as the setting for this menacing tale of family dynamics run amuck. Somewhere between “Taken” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” resides this film in Hollywood history. So many warning signs are ignored, and all pay a high price. The title sums it up pretty well. It all boils down to that simple request that turns out to not be so simple.

Comedy Drama

“The War With Grandpa”

By Brett_G on October 17, 2020October 17, 2020

8.1

Right up there with “The Intern” for me in Robert De Niro’s repertoire. A heartfelt, laugh out loud film with a fantastic cast. Everyone fits their role perfectly, and really pulls at the heart strings at just the right times in between laughs. I wasn’t expecting as much emotional depth as I got from this hour and a half. The subtle love story, the unique play on family dynamics, this film really hit them all.

One hidden blessing of this unprecedented time is finding these usually buried films playing front and center on the big screen. The audience in the theater covered ages 8-80, and we all came out smiling under our masks.