Horror/Thriller Suspense/Thriller

“Blink Twice”

By Brett_G on

7.9

https://www.thehotline.org/

Unlike “It Ends With Us,” this one warns the audience that shit’s going to get dark.

… And holy crap does it ever get dark. I figured things would get weird, but not quite this deep into the worst of humanity. I can honestly say that I was caught as off guard as I’ve been in a long time by this one. But I can also say that not since “Promising Young Woman” and “Ready or Not” (or “Kill Bill) have I seen such an empowering tale of revenge on the silver screen.

I feel like he gets a lot of shit for “Magic Mike,” but Channing Tatum is one hell of an actor. He plays the villain perfectly in this one. Naomi Ackie on the screen and Zoe Kravitz behind the camera make for a hellacious one-two punch that really makes the film. I can’t imagine this coming together and being as balanced and impactful without their immense talents at play. Get ready to be befuddled for 2/3 of the runtime and sick to your stomach for the final act until the resolution right before the credits roll makes you want to laugh and cheer. It’s a WILD ride!

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Drama Horror/Thriller Romance Uncategorized

“It Ends With Us”

By Brett_G on

7.6

https://www.thehotline.org/

So… Blake Lively’s 100% in the wrong on this press tour. Damn… there’s nothing light about this movie. It’s an UNCOMFORTABLE watch. It’s a productive discomfort, but will definitely be triggering.

Going in with a fear that there would be a deference towards glorifying or worse yet romanticizing domestic violence, I was pleasantly surprised by the care that Justin Baldoni took to not only treat the subject matter with the utmost respect, but also delve into the nuance of broken people hurting other broken people when their broken pieces fit together and neither has the strength to pull out of the tailspin. The challenge of trying to help someone who needs but doesn’t want or isn’t ready for help. The weight of generational trauma.

It’s far better than the “Fifty Shades” fiasco. This one was well worth being the only guy in the theater not dragged there by his significant other.

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Action Blockbuster Comedy Romance

“Deadpool & Wolverine”

By Brett_G on

9.1

Ah… the magic of cinema.

It’s not often you get to experience the culmination of 25-30 years of storytelling and wish fulfillment with 500 of your closest friends in an IMAX theater. This one truly turned out to be Fox-Marvel’s “Endgame.” Not only did Reynolds manage to stick the landing and close out one of the greatest superhero trilogies on the highest of notes, but also managed to shoehorn in every cameo and magical moment we didn’t even know we needed. A comic book movie that can cause guttural laughter and move me to tears is something of beauty. A work of cinematic art. Those ripping on the film are doing so because they’re not bought into the bit. Which is fair. It’s a weird world to enter. But if you’re willing to take off your thinking cap and let the Merc with a mouth work his magic for two and a half hours… you’re going to be hard pressed to find a more entertaining film this year. If we’re talking comic book movies, this is honestly the first one since “Avengers: Endgame” to not tarnish the brand.

*Stay through the credits for a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I didn’t expect such care to be taken, but I’ll be damned if this wasn’t the most “respectful of the legacy” film in AGES in Marvel. Well done!

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Indie Rom-Com Suspense/Thriller

“Strange Darling”

By Brett_G on

8.5

I can honestly say that I had no idea what the hell was going to happen next this entire film… I was blown away with every twist and turn here. The film pulls the rug out from under you every time you make an assumption or feel assured you’re finally on steady footing. A mix of Tarantino and Nolan, the story unfolds in out of order chapters, slowly blossoming and colliding with the serendipity of a romance novel. Gird your loins… I guarantee that you’re not ready for this one.

Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are ELECTRIC, and perfect for their roles. Not a second wasted, and not an emotion missed in a tight one and a half hour thriller/horror/romance that will leave you laughing(?) at the MOST inappropriate times. One of my top movies of the year. Booking it now.

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Action Blockbuster

“Borderlands”

By Brett_G on

3.0

An hour and forty minutes (that feels like two and a half) of my life that I will never get back…

Runescape level graphics, straight up lazy writing, uninspired performances, culminating in a hot mess of a movie. There was a reason I was the only one in the theater to see this one. If I didn’t have AMC A-List I would have felt even more ripped off.

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