Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
7.3
The… beauty… of small towns? Haha Yeah, we’ll go with that.
A beautiful illustration of how easy it would be to simply record the things that happen around these parts and have it go viral since it’s so unbelievable. The cultural differences were so perfectly played, and made for a hilarious story of family, love, and revenge. With a WILD twist at the end, as any good true crime podcast needs to make it complete.
In summation – be careful which exes numbers you keep in your phone.
7.2
Nothing like the threat of impending death to motivate one to live their best life, I guess… But instead of the usual terminal illness, this is a suicide pact. Not going to sugarcoat it and want to warn you upfront. It’s one of the strangest movies of the year by a long shot, but also a fascinating character study.
* PSA: If the trigger warnings missed the boat, always good to be aware that the National Suicide Prevention hotline can now be reached by dialing 988 in the United States.
7.8
Have you ever lost a friend? Not that they died, just, didn’t want to be friends any longer? That’s the premise of this whole movie. But it’s as brilliant as the countryside wide shots in this film are breathtaking.
Our two main characters get in a “Grumpy Old Men” style bickering match when one is confronted with his mortality, and they are set on diverging paths. One believing friendships and the impact we have directly on people is our lasting legacy, while the other is insistent that the work we do and the things we create are our lasting legacy. With those set as our corners, let the shenanigans begin!
6.8
There’s a great deal of firepower in this cast for the story being told. It’s essentially “The Devil Wears Prada,” but with books instead of clothing. An interesting tale of a pen name and the journey of an intern finding her way in the world. Really well done by all involved, as long as you’re not bored to tears by so much literary subject matter.
7.3
An absolute masterclass in practical effects!
The most unabashedly brutal film this side of “Cannibal Holocaust.”
Possibly the most blood I’ve ever witnessed painted across the big screen.
Art the clown cements himself as a horror icon, in my opinion.
Definitely not for the faint of heart. If you enjoy the classic slashers of old, and don’t mind a loose storyline, this is the film for you this spooky season! What feels like a guerrilla film that no studio in its right mind would green light. One of my favorite scores of the past year. This fall has been phenomenal for original horror films!
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 