Romance – Page 9 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Book Club: The Next Chapter”

By Brett_G on June 10, 2023June 5, 2023

7.2

A feel good sequel to one of my favorite Boomer Bait films of the 2010’s. And of course, they’re going global! You go to Italy, and you know you have to run into a long lost love. “Letters to Juliet” told us so. If I ever travel to Italy, I expect to run into the Italian foreign exchange student I had a wonderful time getting to know my junior year of high school. If not, my love of film has been all for naught!

Friendship and fun. That’s what you expect and it’s what you get a lot of from this film by the time the credits roll. A perfect match of expectations and execution.

Romance Suspense/Thriller

“Bitter Moon”

By Brett_G on April 23, 2023

7.8

^In essence, it’s a two hour reflection on the intricacies of the above chart. Polanski keeps to his niche of passionate oddity put to film. An immaculate introspection on the intensity of intimacy.

What could just be dismissed as an x-rated episode of “The Love Boat” has so much under the surface to explore for those willing. As erotic thrillers go, this has a much stronger delivery, in my opinion, than the likes of “Fatal Attraction” and “Eyes Wide Shut.” They all dance on the same floor, but this one is the definite belle of the ball. Perhaps it’s Polanski’s touch for the eccentric, added to by the fact that he ended up marrying Emmanuelle Seigner, who is electric in her performance as the minx muse Mimi. The heat of the passion shared between the main couple is only topped by the intensity of the revenge enacted in the final act.

The film spends the entire runtime ruminating on the razor’s edge of the results of such powerful passion… both the beauty and the dread. Only such a strong affection could lead to such affliction as this rose blossoms and then withers on the vine in the most violent of fashions.

Drama Netflix Romance

“Unexpected”

By Brett_G on April 4, 2023April 3, 2023

6.7

Unexpectedly middle of the road. There was way too much firepower in this cast for this to be this blah…

Couple having trouble getting pregnant meets couple who takes “wrap it” a little too literally and learns the hard way that cling wrap doesn’t work the same, despite the logic that might dictate that plastic is plastic. Then everyone’s life gets ruined in a unique way and you end the movie sad for all involved in a way you never really expect… mostly because the movie never gives you any inkling it’s coming.

Drama Romance

“Magic Mike’s Last Dance”

By Brett_G on February 12, 2023February 11, 2023

7.7

I slipped in a puddle on my way out of the theater, but the movie was surprisingly great…

Dare I say, this was the best of the trilogy, AND has more heat in the first 5 minutes than the entirety of the “Fifty Shades” trilogy. The stripper-verse ends up having character arcs and everything! AND, Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum… both still got it!

Well directed, well written, well executed. I’m as shocked as you are. Almost as shocked as the theater of all women who commended me for braving an opening night showing.

Drama Indie Romance

“Empire of Light”

By Brett_G on February 8, 2023February 8, 2023

6.7

It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen a movie this calculated to win Oscar’s. There’s typically one every year that crosses the line into being ham-handed with its intent.

While there may not be much in the way of story here, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, along with perfectly cast set pieces. Past that, it’s a movie about loving movies, race relations, feminism, and mental illness… checking off all the boxes on a “let’s win some awards” bingo card more so than treating any of the subjects with much care, unfortunately.