Indie – Page 5 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Babygirl”

By Brett_G on December 27, 2024

6.9

The audacity… telling her boy toy to break up with his girlfriend… tsk tsk tsk

All of the heat the “Fifty Shades” trilogy was missing? I found it! Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson really have a great camaraderie in this one. When Antonio Banderas is your odd man out… sheesh.

A lot of rules being broken here… most importantly, you NEVER drink water from a stranger at a rave! What is this? Amateur hour?

Definitely not for the faint of heart… or the photosensitive. Said rave scene is a doozy.

Comedy Indie

“Let’s Start a Cult”

By Brett_G on November 24, 2024

6.5

Meh…

There was potential for some funny… but it ends up almost completely squandered as this one wanders its way to the finish line. Stavros Halkias is better in small doses. Keep it to cameos.

Indie Suspense/Thriller

“Heretic”

By Brett_G on November 9, 2024November 9, 2024

8.2

Hugh Grant is so damn charming… you don’t want to believe that he’s as evil as he is here. Which coincidentally, makes him the perfect villain in this film and cranks the tension up to an 11.

What could have easily fallen flat as a “philosophy 101” lecture masquerading as a more depth-filled work actually ended up being genuinely intriguing and sinister. The twists and turns feel naturally methodical and the pacing is perfection, keeping the tension at the brink of boiling over almost the entire runtime, which was perfectly balanced for this type of film. Not dragging, but also not rushed. Extremely well done!

Drama Indie Romance

“My Old Ass”

By Brett_G on October 24, 2024October 20, 2024

7.9

When the third act twist hits in this one, it’s a gut punch for the ages. I really didn’t expect the depth that I got from this one. I expected funny moments interlaced with some heartfelt moments, but I didn’t expect this to be one of the most insightful and inspirational movies I’ve seen this fall. Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella play off of each other perfectly, and I can’t imagine anyone else in these roles. Hug your loved ones, gang… and don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith just because it might have an ending or hurt along the way.

Drama Indie

“Ghostlight”

By Brett_G on October 23, 2024October 20, 2024

8.4

Unexpectedly sweet. As family dramas go, this one fires on all cylinders and knocks it out of the park. The strength of the personality clashes really raises the stakes and the value of the payoff in the end. It took a while to find its footing and take off, but I did NOT expect the third act to hit as hard as it did. The dad processing his grief from the safety of portraying Romeo was such a tough watch but such a beautiful moment. Though I didn’t recognize any of the cast, they could not have been more perfect for their roles. A small but mighty film about family, love, grief, forgiveness, and getting outside of one’s comfort zone. Highly recommend!