Drama Indie

“Nine Days”

By Brett_G on

7.9

Serene Simplicity

This film accomplishes so much with so little on the screen. The meaning of every frame, every action, every word is magnified by the framing of this journey to enlightenment we find these characters on. It’s definitely one you have to focus on to catch the details in order to fully enjoy. The meaning of life, the meaning of the connection between beings, purpose, societal constructs… all tackled with a breathtaking balance by the time the credits roll. Definitely not a popcorn flick. Don’t watch when you want to mush-mind. When you want a thinker, this is it for 2021. It’s just as strange as the trailer would lead you to believe, but much more profound and fulfilling than one would expect walking in.

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Comedy Drama

“The French Dispatch”

By Brett_G on

6.8

As with most Wes Anderson films, I was fascinated by what I saw but cannot explain what it was that I saw.

There was love, there was war, there was nudity. Young love. Old love. A guy with an incredible memory. A “revolution.” And the death of a legend in journalism.

Don’t cry in the theater.

I tried to make this sound like I wrote it this way.

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Drama Indie

“A Mouthful of Air”

By Brett_G on

7.3

A mouthful of air, a heart full of sadness, and eyes full of tears.

Holy crap, this movie is sad. But, it does a phenomenal job of shaping a narrative and framing things so that, as a viewer, you feel deeply connected to the actors’ emotions on the screen. You can feel the tension of some scenes in your soul.

Some of the dialogue was a bit shallow for such a deep, rich story, but it didn’t distract too much from the incredible impact of the overall picture.

Content Warning: If you are sensitive to the subject of suicide, beware.

If you are reading this and could use a listening ear and assistance, https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ is a phenomenal resource.

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Drama Suspense/Thriller

“Last Night in Soho”

By Brett_G on

8.7

Beauty fades, but terror lasts forever.

This is the film Edgar Wright was born to make. The soundtrack was pure ear candy, the setpieces breathtaking steps into an idyllic past long ago stained by the sins of those who survived it. The choreography of the action on the screen and the story’s pace combine in perfect concert with each other as this terrifying tale of the gore behind the glamour comes to fruition. Ana Taylor-Joy and Thomasin Mackenzie steal the spotlight and hold it for nearly every frame of this masterpiece.

This film is the antidote to the current Hollywood wave of nostalgia. As we clamor for a taste of “what it was like” to live in a bygone era or location whose darkness has been painted over in gold by each passing generation, this film reminds us that the shine often hides the sinister. The human cost is front and center in this story, as our protagonists wrestle with how much of their soul their willing to exchange for fame and success and how they choose to find redemption once they’ve gone past the point of no return.

There is a lot to unpack after leaving the theater for this one and a lot to ponder and rearrange on the floor of one’s mind. Luckily, the soundtrack is enough of an exquisitely curated collection of audio experience that you can lose yourself in that as you search your psyche for the ultimate meaning.

If you can’t tell, I loved this one. I may be a tad biased in my excitement that this lived up to and exceeded the hype.

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Horror/Thriller

“Slumber Party Massacre” (2021)

By Brett_G on

7.5

My favorite and least favorite part is how meta this hour and a half sometimes became.

This remake is everything I wanted in the remake of the phallic weapon-wielding psycho killer of the 80s favorite target of cinematic slayers – teenage girls at a slumber party.

There are just enough tongue-in-cheek references to the original 2, including the ridiculous guitar from the sequel and the feather-filled half-naked pillow fight (the gents this time). A nice balance of self-awareness and horror movie blissful ignorance in our main cast. This was one of the more lightweight and fun remakes of the year. I went in expecting ridiculousness and a few chuckles, and this delivered that and more! I feel this achieved what one of my most loathed horror remakes, “Black Christmas”(2019), was attempting to. This pointed out the stereotypes of the original, played into the “there’s a reason these don’t age well culturally,” but didn’t turn into a preachy nag fest that forgot it’s a slasher film and is also supposed to entertain the audience while enlightening them in the process. Chef’s kiss. Solid work, *checks notes* SyFy network…

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