Horror/Thriller Indie

“Lovely, Dark, and Deep”

By Brett_G on

7.2

Just like my love life *rim shot*

All jokes aside, this movie is terrifying. The beauty of nature intertwined with the real-life creepiness of disappearances in the national parks woven into an intricate web of interdimensional intrigue the likes of which I haven’t seen pulled off in a hot second. I can honestly say that this one kept me guessing until the very end, and bravely left me hanging with a gut punch of an ending that is unlike most Hollywood fare of late. The darkness doesn’t just help you see the stars better…

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Drama Indie

“Perfect Days”

By Brett_G on

7.4

I never thought I could feel so comforted by a film… Watching this man clean public toilets, read paperback novels, and take pictures of trees was the most calming presence imaginable for two hours. An incredibly powerful portrayal of the beauty of simplicity and the calm found in routine. This is a tough one to put into words. I found the initial explanation of Komorebi to be the best, tying everything together as “soothing sunlight through trees.” This was soothing light on a screen.

Komorebi (木漏れ日): Sunshine filtering through the trees.
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Horror/Thriller

“Imaginary”

By Brett_G on

7.5

Blumhouse doing what Blumhouse does best!

The third act madness of this one was such a fun ride that I couldn’t help but be won over. The fake outs, the world building of the alternate universe. I loved it. You can’t help but be creeped out and a little “well, no shit!” when an imaginary friend turns out to be imaginary foe. A really well developed premise put to screen by the best in the business. We’re off to a strong start in the horror genre this year!

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Documentary Drama

“Bob Marley: One Love”

By Brett_G on

6.1

The music’s great… The film? Not so much. It fell into the trap of the biopic overseen by the subject’s family. A middle of the road, safe, uninteresting tale that doesn’t portray the messiness that makes the subject interesting in the first place. And for some odd reason, the story skips huge chunks of Marley’s life and skips back and forth on the timeline like a Christopher Nolan film, but without the narrative clarity. Without a lot of Bob Marley background knowledge, it left me feeling like I barely knew anything more by the time the credits rolled, which left me feeling like a great deal of wasted potential was left on the cutting room floor on this one.

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Comedy Indie

“Drive Away Dolls”

By Brett_G on

7.2

You know, come to think of it, this is a better version of “Love Lies Bleeding” but without the bodybuilding. I finally figured out the connection!

A fun road trip caper with unlikely… heroes(?) At least we finally get the answer to the age old question “what’s in the box?!?” and it does not disappoint.

Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan “Thelma & Louise” it with just enough twists along the way to keep it fresh and just a tad nostalgic. They may not pick up a Brad Pitt lookalike hitchhiker, but they do stumble upon a softball team that pinch hits in his place as a temporary love interest for our dynamic duo as Jamie slowly but surely gets Marian’s nose out of her book and headfirst into… adventure.

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