Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Ghostbusters: Afterlife”

By Brett_G on January 19, 2022January 18, 2022

8.4

Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd make this movie.

Did they carbon copy the story from parts one and two? Yeah… kinda. Did it work like a charm because they changed it just enough to make it interesting? Also yes. This was an incredibly fun and well-done film. It had the nerdy factor that made the first two seem genuine instead of cheesy, the character depth to make it interesting, and the perfect callbacks to pay homage to the originals, including some really well-done cameos by the original busters. This one doesn’t go overboard or overcorrect like “Answer the Call” did once upon a time. Turns out that not EVERYONE on screen has to play the comic relief. You can be silly and fun without losing the plot. Bravo to the team on this one. It is deserving of the canon.

Action Blockbuster

“Spiderman: No Way Home”

By Brett_G on January 18, 2022January 18, 2022

8.9

An incredibly depth-filled Marvel movie with *gasp* actual stakes involved!

The Spidermen not only reenact the three Spidermen pointing at each other meme but all get the closure that Sony had thus far denied them in their respective franchise reboots. All three shine in their own ways and have lovely chemistry while sharing the big screen. I was impressed with how balanced this movie felt, given the sheer amount of content filling the runtime. There’s so much that this movie accomplishes before the credits roll, which left me feeling successfully satisfied and hopeful for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s not the perfect happy ending that has come to be the hallmark of so many of Marvel’s entries to the MCU, but it leaves room for and builds a strong foundation for the films to come.

“Eternals” notwithstanding, I say this a lot with new MCU movies, and again find myself shrugging my shoulders as I declare, “Marvel did it again.”

Comedy Horror/Thriller

“Scream” (2022)

By Brett_G on January 18, 2022

8.4

*Chef’s Kiss*

This film is a masterclass in self-aware, fourth-wall-breaking horror-comedy filmmaking.

New technology and horror tropes to play with. Incredibly well directed suspenseful violence. The perfect balance of nostalgia and newfound room to grow into a second renaissance. Wes Craven would be proud.

A fantastically fun two hours in the theater. I highly recommend it.

Blockbuster Drama

“House of Gucci”

By Brett_G on January 9, 2022January 4, 2022

7.8

So much pettiness, so little time, so many family members to keep track of. One of the dumbest public missteps since Jerry Springer tried to pay a sex worker with a check. Lesson: don’t hire a hitman on the cheap.

Who would have believed that Lady Gaga would be the best actor in a film alongside such powerhouse names? Not I, but here we are. The woman commands your attention every time she’s on-screen, elevates Adam Driver’s already fantastic performance, and is worlds better than whatever offensively Mario Brothers impression Italian accent Jared Leto landed on. How did no one tell him that his entire character was overshot?

The film may be about a half-hour too long, but every frame is absolutely gorgeous to take in. Ridley Scott focuses his talents usually stretched over an epic scale film onto an intimate family drama, and the attention to detail shows in every scene.

Side Note: Sperry’s Movie House is AMAZING! The heated, massaging recliners, the prime location, the delicious food… Home run!

Horror/Thriller Throwback

“I Spit on Your Grave” (1978)

By Brett_G on January 8, 2022January 4, 2022

7.4

You know the violence and gruesome revenge that “Promising Young Woman” was missing? I found it, and then some. In the vein of the hyperviolence of 1970s slashers like “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” this film gets… uncomfortable at times with how far it’s willing to push the envelope. If you have a weak stomach, this is definitely one to avoid. Also, a trigger warning to those sensitive to violent sexual encounters. As mentioned before, like in “Promising Young Woman,” our main character Jennifer has all the justification in the world to leave these men mangled by the time the credits roll.