Action Apple Tv+ Blockbuster

“Napoleon”

By Brett_G on

5.1

Let me save you three hours of your life you can never get back. It’s… it’s bad.

For that runtime, it felt rushed, confusing, and in the end, lackluster. The battle scenes had hints of greatness, but were plagued with CGI that makes Marvel look masterful. And sex scenes that make “The Room” look romantic.

With the subtlety of a sledgehammer, let Ridley Scott drag you through a script of Napoleon’s life that feels like someone read the Amazon synopsis of a memoir, drag 6 Red Bulls, did a line of cocaine, and wrote in crayon before lighting the script on fire and just telling Joaquin Phoenix to “do Joker stuff” while dressed in a French military outfit.

Did that last paragraph not make sense? Well, you now know the feeling of leaving the theater after this one, but I saved you approximately 2 hours and 57 minutes of your life. You’re welcome.

P.S. The British had BOATS! So not fair!

P.P.S. The first word in the below trailer is “Long.” That sums it up pretty well. Freudian slip by the marketing department at Apple Studios.

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Action Blockbuster

“The Marvels”

By Brett_G on

7.1

I actually enjoyed this one! For all of the hate it got, this is one of the few in Phase 4 (this and “Guardians 3”) that didn’t earn the disdain. It was a return to form for Marvel, even if that made it feel a bit tired and played.

They finally solve for Captain Marvel’s Superman Syndrome, and she comes across quite likeable in this go-round. As do Carol and Kamala. The three amigas team up in a tight, fun hour and a half action film.

Story-wise, you can tell they jump cut some of the story development for the sake of a reasonable runtime, and sometimes it seemed a bit jarring as a viewer, but the CGI looked good for the first time in ages and I felt myself genuinely laughing at some of the gags. I left pleasantly surprised, but still committed to Marvel taking a siesta from the big screen for a while to let it breath a bit.

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Drama Indie Romance

“Priscilla”

By Brett_G on

7.8

Sophia Coppola really knocks it out of the park with this one. Definitely the best Elvis biopic. What it did best was wading into the complication of a toxic relationship. Too often, these stories either glorify or vilify completely, and that’s inauthentic and unrealistic. This film respects its audience enough to show the bad AND the good that keeps them both fighting to overcome the bad. There’s always a reason they stay for that long. Always a time they’re striving to return to.

The colors were a welcome change. A refined beauty that is also often missing in modern Hollywood. Filmed with an intimate cinematography that draws the viewer in more and more with each frame, as we invest in a perfectly cast storyline. Really well done!

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Horror/Thriller Science Fiction

“Five Nights at Freddy’s”

By Brett_G on

7.1

I didn’t expect this much Freddy Krueger in my Freddy Fazbear.

The PG-13 rating only really took away from the gore factor with this one. The kills and the tension were still there. The story was stronger and had more depth to it than I expected. Even more-so if you’re a fan of the video games, as the gentlemen behind me were. It drops a lot of Easter eggs and deepens a great deal of the lore behind the (even more) twisted version of Chuck E Cheese.

A perfect cast and a strong story made for a strong outing by Blumhouse. Unlike the recent “Exorcist” reboot attempt, I found this one much more within their wheelhouse. With the perfect song choice. 🤌🏻

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Apple Tv+ Blockbuster Documentary Drama

“Killers of the Flower Moon”

By Brett_G on

8.4

I still prefer the book on this one, but the movie gave it a run for its money and was a work of art itself presenting this important story.

While Leo puts on another great performance (and chalks up another epic meltdown scene) alongside the truly menacing Robert De Niro, I want to call attention to Lily Gladstone as Molly Burkhart and Tatanka Means as Agent John Wren. My biggest reason for preferring the book to the movie is due to the perspective of the story being told. The book’s focus on the FBI team and the community impacted was a much more impactful viewpoint, but narratively, I understand why Scorsese went this route. The ending was a creative Hail Mary pass to tie a bow on such an unsatisfying ending to the story. There was no good way to land the plane on a story with such a lack of closure/happy ending. The thing that the film nails is the tone. You’re uncomfortable for the entire runtime, waiting for the other shoe to drop, unsure of who you can trust, sensing the pervasive danger around every corner.

It’s absolutely gorgeous in its cinematography and the overall aesthetic of the film. The editing made the three and a half runtime pass more quickly than I was expecting, but it definitely tested my back’s tolerance for a single sitting in non-recliner cinema seats. It’s definitely on of those “Hollywood couldn’t write something this insane and interesting” stories, finally making its way onto the big screen, with a perfect cast and soundtrack.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI https://a.co/d/aSIbW1M

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