Suspense/Thriller – Page 17 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“The Little Things”

By Brett_G on February 24, 2021

7.1

It’s the little things that get you caught. It’s also the little things that kill this film.

Two titans of the silver screen team up in this phenomenal 3/4 of a crime drama thriller. The story unfolds with a horrific beauty, the acting is superb… Then it completely shoots itself in the foot in the third act.

Jared Leto played the best creep being investigated that gets under the cops’ skin since Donald Sutherland in “Backdraft, ” only to have it wasted.

What is initially framed as a struggle between seeing the good and giving in to the evil in the world, becomes nihilistic remarkably quickly and without much explanation or motivation.

Worth a watch if you enjoy great acting. It just seemed to me like going mudding with a Maserati.

“No Country For Old Men”

By Brett_G on February 23, 2021February 24, 2021

7.7

… because they killed each other. But you’ll enjoy the adrenaline-soaked, razor-sharp story that leads to there being no country for old men. It turns out two face isn’t the only one who leaves fate to chance. A definite slow burn, but worth it.

Suspense/Thriller

“Fatale”

By Brett_G on January 27, 2021

6.8

Half hour in, my eye roll was palpable. This was the most predictable popcorn fluff thriller of all time.

Then, it redeemed itself with just enough twists and turns, tight directing, and flat out fantastic acting to bring it home with a bang! Hillary Swank keeps the audience genuinely uncomfortable from her first frame onscreen to the last.

Ignore the Hot/Crazy scale… This is what you get.

Suspense/Thriller

“Alone”

By Brett_G on January 22, 2021January 19, 2021

6.8

Similar cinematography to “The Revenant.” Just imagine it’s that, but instead of a bear chasing Leo, it’s one of the creepiest characters on the big screen in 2020 chasing this… unwise young woman. Unwise, because she makes literally every wrong move in every situation. It’s a car crash you can’t turn away from. Get ready to scream “No, don’t do that!” and “Look behind you!” for the entire runtime until you lose your voice. In between facepalming.

Blockbuster Documentary Suspense/Thriller

“Antebellum”

By Brett_G on November 27, 2020

Definition – existing before a war, especially : existing before the American Civil War.

Now I understand why the band shouldn’t have used it in the first place. Good lord, don’t they hire PR teams to say ”probably not the best idea.”

Back to the movie… Get ready to get uncomfortable, but in a productive way. If this film doesn’t make you uncomfortable, there is another conversation to be had. Janelle Monáe kills it as our two main characters. An absolute powerhouse performance.

The cinematography is downright breathtaking. The score is perfectly complementing the visual elements. The attention to detail, second to none. So many easter eggs to be discovered within almost every frame, driving you to a second viewing to immerse yourself in every nuanced “a-ha” moment fully. Hauntingly beautiful comes to mind.

You won’t expect or believe what you see upon first viewing. The film wasn’t at all what I expected, but it was better than I could have imagined.