Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Prey for the Devil“

By Brett_G on October 28, 2022October 28, 2022

7.1

I see what the did there… touché on the word play.

Anywho… a really solid exorcism film, “Exorcist” homage streetlight establishing shot and all!

The story got a little clunky in the bridge and could have benefitted from maybe 5 more minutes in the middle, but overall I really enjoyed this one. The characters were all well done, the Catholicism touched on just enough to establish the story but not Bible thump, and just enough originality on the formula. The jump scares definitely aren’t for the faint of heart, but aside from the cardiovascular risk, you’ll have a spooky good time with this one!

Horror/Thriller

“Halloween Ends”

By Brett_G on October 14, 2022

8.2

… or does it? Dun dun dun!

They finally nailed the theme of “Halloween 3: Season of the Witch!” After all, Michael Myers is ultimately “the shape.” Evil incarnate. What happens when that evil spreads beyond its original vessel? One of the essential overarching questions of the franchise, especially with this newest trilogy.

Carrying on the themes of the first two installments, this film dives into the psychological aspect behind the classic slasher much more than one would expect. Man in a mask stabs people – the end. Not for this film. We examine emotions spanning the entire spectrum of possibilities, from grief to violent eroticism, and everything in between.

That being said, we still get some of the best kills in the series by the time the credits roll to “Don’t Fear The Reaper.” Hilarious and surprising cameos by the original “Shape” Nick Castle and infamous Darcy the Mail Girl from Shudder’s “The Last Drive In” Diana Prince. Taking the trilogy in totality – a well done reboot and re-invigoration of the franchise!

Rom-Com

“Bros”

By Brett_G on October 9, 2022October 9, 2022

7.9

The marketing really did this movie dirty. It’s so much more than the trailers portray. Hopefully a future cult classic in the making.

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve laughed this hard this often in a movie in a theater. Despite the runtime being. A little long for the rom-com genre, the cast fill it with love and laughs, which is all you can ask for.

At first, I was afraid this film was going to settle for surface. Lacking any sort of true exploration of new territory and just hit par until the credits rolled. Luckily, I was proven wrong again and again, as the film turns some expectations on their head while delivering on the Disney must do’s of a romantic comedy better than most everything outside of Netflix.

Peacock Rom-Com

“Meet Cute”

By Brett_G on October 9, 2022

8.2

So… Pete Davidson is really growing on me, gang. He’s got some serious acting chops here, and the chemistry between these two really makes this bonkers premise work. I’m as surprised as anyone.

This starts off cute, turns very dark, and ends with a nice warmth to it… much more depth than I anticipated from a tight hour and a half streaming rom-com. The lesson here is also timeless, and perfectly executed.

It hit me much harder in the feels than I ever expected. Almost on par with Facebook memories coming in hot with the morning gif punches lately. If you’ve ever had one of those magical moments in life that serve as a reminder of why we’re all here… this one will resonate with you. But then it goes the extra step, diving into why these moments mean so much to us. They’re messy. They’re one of a kind. To attempt to recreate them would be to ruin the magic…

Documentary Drama

“Hysteria”

By Brett_G on August 29, 2022

7.4

Man can’t get his fellow physicians to believe in germ theory. Gets fired from his job at the hospital.

Man joins a women’s medicine clinic, treating “hysteria” by providing orgasms by hand.

Man injures said hand due to a busy practice.

Man develops the mechanical-electric vibrator after his roommate’s electric muscle massager helps cure his hand and sparks an idea.

I kid you not… that’s the premise of this movie. Loosely based on the life of Joseph Mortimer Granville. Wrapped in a tale of women’s rights and progression of liberalization of a traditional, puritan European culture. It’s just as wild as it sounds, and far better than expected at first glance.

Maggie Gyllenhaal absolutely kills it as a revolutionary who takes over every scene she’s in, and delights as the incomparable Charlotte. A rather stimulating film, if I do say so myself.