Now Playing
Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.
Honey Boy (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Lucas Hedges, and Noah Jupe
Synopsis: This film was written by LeBeouf as part of his recovery, and so you get the sense it is very personal. In fact, it's likely a close approximation of his life story and his relationship with his own father, who he plays in this film. It's about a young actor, played as a boy traumatized by an abusive, alcoholic father by Jupe and as a young adult battling his own demons by Hedges. As a young adult Otis (Hedges) drinks too much and winds up in rehab after getting in legal trouble. As he's going through counseling, he remembers the difficult times with his father (LeBeouf), and how that plays into his current issues. There are some strong performances here, but this movie is a little weird at times. It probably is more of a metta experience for LeBeouf, or those who've suffered similarly, than as a general piece of entertainment.
Rating: R for pervasive language, some sexual material and drug use.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Lucas Hedges, and Noah Jupe
Synopsis: This film was written by LeBeouf as part of his recovery, and so you get the sense it is very personal. In fact, it's likely a close approximation of his life story and his relationship with his own father, who he plays in this film. It's about a young actor, played as a boy traumatized by an abusive, alcoholic father by Jupe and as a young adult battling his own demons by Hedges. As a young adult Otis (Hedges) drinks too much and winds up in rehab after getting in legal trouble. As he's going through counseling, he remembers the difficult times with his father (LeBeouf), and how that plays into his current issues. There are some strong performances here, but this movie is a little weird at times. It probably is more of a metta experience for LeBeouf, or those who've suffered similarly, than as a general piece of entertainment.
Rating: R for pervasive language, some sexual material and drug use.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
The Lovebirds (Netflix)
Starring: Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae
Synopsis: This film was originally supposed to premier in theaters in April, but with the pandemic ending the theater experience for a bit, it was purchased by Netflix, where it debuted for Memorial Day weekend. This one features Nanjiani and Rae as a couple going through a rough patch in their relationship, which doesn't get any easier as they end up embroiled in a murder that is part of a bribery scheme for a weird sex cult. In order to save themselves, they have to try and solve the crime, which leads them on a weird series of adventures. This film is pretty funny, and Nanjiani and Rae have a great on-screen chemistry and comic timing. This would have been a fun theater movie, but it's nice to have it stream where we can enjoy during this strange time. If you enjoy comedies, this is well worth checking out.
Rating: R for sexual content, language throughout and some violence.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Starring: Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae
Synopsis: This film was originally supposed to premier in theaters in April, but with the pandemic ending the theater experience for a bit, it was purchased by Netflix, where it debuted for Memorial Day weekend. This one features Nanjiani and Rae as a couple going through a rough patch in their relationship, which doesn't get any easier as they end up embroiled in a murder that is part of a bribery scheme for a weird sex cult. In order to save themselves, they have to try and solve the crime, which leads them on a weird series of adventures. This film is pretty funny, and Nanjiani and Rae have a great on-screen chemistry and comic timing. This would have been a fun theater movie, but it's nice to have it stream where we can enjoy during this strange time. If you enjoy comedies, this is well worth checking out.
Rating: R for sexual content, language throughout and some violence.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Ready Or Not (HBO Max)
Starring: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell, and Kristian Bruun
Synopsis: This was one of the horror comedies that flew a bit under the radar in 2019, but now it's streaming on HBO and HBO Max. I gave it a shot, and thought it was pretty interesting. It's ultra violent to be sure, in fact the last act is one of the goriest I've seen in a while. But it's the premise and the performances that make it work. On the day of her wedding, a young woman (Weaving) discovers her husband and his family are crazy. They made a pact with the devil, and now they have to play games. When she unfortunately chooses the card for hide-and-seek, that means she has to die by morning for them to live. Understandably, she's not cool with that. And some of the family don't seem that cool with it, either. So it's an all out war for survival that leads to a lot of bloody encounters and a fun surprise twist at the end. This one's just under 90 minutes, so it works pretty well. Weaving is great in the lead role, and the rest of the cast is a lot of fun, too. I particularly enjoyed Brody in the supporting role. If you're a fan of horror, this is definitely one to check out.
Rating: R for violence, bloody images, language throughout, and some drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Starring: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell, and Kristian Bruun
Synopsis: This was one of the horror comedies that flew a bit under the radar in 2019, but now it's streaming on HBO and HBO Max. I gave it a shot, and thought it was pretty interesting. It's ultra violent to be sure, in fact the last act is one of the goriest I've seen in a while. But it's the premise and the performances that make it work. On the day of her wedding, a young woman (Weaving) discovers her husband and his family are crazy. They made a pact with the devil, and now they have to play games. When she unfortunately chooses the card for hide-and-seek, that means she has to die by morning for them to live. Understandably, she's not cool with that. And some of the family don't seem that cool with it, either. So it's an all out war for survival that leads to a lot of bloody encounters and a fun surprise twist at the end. This one's just under 90 minutes, so it works pretty well. Weaving is great in the lead role, and the rest of the cast is a lot of fun, too. I particularly enjoyed Brody in the supporting role. If you're a fan of horror, this is definitely one to check out.
Rating: R for violence, bloody images, language throughout, and some drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Unplanned (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Ashley Bratcher, Brooks Ryan, Robia Scott, and Jared Lotz
Synopsis: This Christian film was released in 2019 and tells the true story of Abby Johnson (Bratcher), a young woman who rose up the ranks for Planned Parenthood only to be moved by what she saw and her Christian faith to become a staunch opponent. It's a powerful story and one that's pretty well produced here. Bratcher is an affable lead that carries some tough material. That being said, this feels a bit preachy and it is quite graphic at times. It also feels like it's trying to emphasize something from a certain perspective and, therefore, telling the story in a specific way in response. I doubt this is the kind of film that will really change anyone's mind or opinion, but it's worth checking out, especially if you're a person of faith.
Rating: R for some disturbing/bloody images.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Starring: Ashley Bratcher, Brooks Ryan, Robia Scott, and Jared Lotz
Synopsis: This Christian film was released in 2019 and tells the true story of Abby Johnson (Bratcher), a young woman who rose up the ranks for Planned Parenthood only to be moved by what she saw and her Christian faith to become a staunch opponent. It's a powerful story and one that's pretty well produced here. Bratcher is an affable lead that carries some tough material. That being said, this feels a bit preachy and it is quite graphic at times. It also feels like it's trying to emphasize something from a certain perspective and, therefore, telling the story in a specific way in response. I doubt this is the kind of film that will really change anyone's mind or opinion, but it's worth checking out, especially if you're a person of faith.
Rating: R for some disturbing/bloody images.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
The Way Back (VOD)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, and Janina Gavankar
Synopsis: This was one of the few theatrical releases that made it into the market in 2020 before everything shut down. Now it's available on VOD, and I caught it over the long weekend. Affleck stars as a former high school basketball star who fell away from the game and endured some tough turns in his life. He's estranged from his wife, maintains a tense relationship with family and has a drinking problem. But he begins to come back to life when he's invited to coach the basketball team for his former high school. It's a scrappy group, but one that lacks cohesion and the ability to achieve. As Affleck's Jack sinks more into coaching, he begins to right his ship. He, in essence, begins to find the way back to the man he wants to be, albeit with a few more bumps along the road. This is a sports movie, but it's more of a personal story of a man in need of purpose to help overcome personal demons and grief. In that sense, it works well and is somewhat inspiring. Affleck is solid in the lead role and this is one of the better new films that was released in 2020. It's worth checking out.
Rating: R for language throughout including some sexual references.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, and Janina Gavankar
Synopsis: This was one of the few theatrical releases that made it into the market in 2020 before everything shut down. Now it's available on VOD, and I caught it over the long weekend. Affleck stars as a former high school basketball star who fell away from the game and endured some tough turns in his life. He's estranged from his wife, maintains a tense relationship with family and has a drinking problem. But he begins to come back to life when he's invited to coach the basketball team for his former high school. It's a scrappy group, but one that lacks cohesion and the ability to achieve. As Affleck's Jack sinks more into coaching, he begins to right his ship. He, in essence, begins to find the way back to the man he wants to be, albeit with a few more bumps along the road. This is a sports movie, but it's more of a personal story of a man in need of purpose to help overcome personal demons and grief. In that sense, it works well and is somewhat inspiring. Affleck is solid in the lead role and this is one of the better new films that was released in 2020. It's worth checking out.
Rating: R for language throughout including some sexual references.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Comments
Post a Comment