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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.
Fighting With My Family (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn, and Dwayne Johnson
Synopsis: This film is based on the true story of Saraya Knight, a WWE performer. It traces her start in England and her rise to become a household name. It also tells the story of her quirky family and the scout who discovered her and championed her run. There have been a lot of films that have touched on the world of wrestling with varying degrees of quality, but I actually thought this film was pretty fun. It helps that they were blessed with Pugh in the lead role. Between this, "Midsommar" and her Academy Award-nominated turn in "Little Women," Pugh had quite the 2019. This one's streaming free on Amazon right now and a bit of light, fun entertainment to fill those quarantine nights.
Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual material, language throughout, some violence and drug content .
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Starring: Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Jack Lowden, Vince Vaughn, and Dwayne Johnson
Synopsis: This film is based on the true story of Saraya Knight, a WWE performer. It traces her start in England and her rise to become a household name. It also tells the story of her quirky family and the scout who discovered her and championed her run. There have been a lot of films that have touched on the world of wrestling with varying degrees of quality, but I actually thought this film was pretty fun. It helps that they were blessed with Pugh in the lead role. Between this, "Midsommar" and her Academy Award-nominated turn in "Little Women," Pugh had quite the 2019. This one's streaming free on Amazon right now and a bit of light, fun entertainment to fill those quarantine nights.
Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual material, language throughout, some violence and drug content .
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
I See You (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Helen Hunt, Jon Tenney, and Owen Teague
Synopsis: This time of isolation and closed theaters has been a chance to explore stuff we might have missed. Some of them have been diamonds in the rough. Some have just been rough. "I See You" falls into the latter category. It's a murder mystery of sorts, and focuses on the trend of phrogging, which is where people sneak into a house and live there for a period while hiding from the residents. I didn't know that was a thing, and now I'm glad my house isn't that nice. That was about the most memorable thing in this turkey, which is best avoided.
Rating: R for violence and language.
Verdict: Zero stars out of four.
Starring: Helen Hunt, Jon Tenney, and Owen Teague
Synopsis: This time of isolation and closed theaters has been a chance to explore stuff we might have missed. Some of them have been diamonds in the rough. Some have just been rough. "I See You" falls into the latter category. It's a murder mystery of sorts, and focuses on the trend of phrogging, which is where people sneak into a house and live there for a period while hiding from the residents. I didn't know that was a thing, and now I'm glad my house isn't that nice. That was about the most memorable thing in this turkey, which is best avoided.
Rating: R for violence and language.
Verdict: Zero stars out of four.
The Lighthouse (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson
Synopsis: This psychological thriller is about two men trapped in a lighthouse on a remote island who slowly begin losing their sanity. The film is shot in a very boxed style and in black-and-white, adding to the mood. That's the part of the reason it earned an Academy Award nomination for Cinematography. It's also got a couple great performances that make what could be a concept that grows tired quickly one that keeps you watching to the end. That being said, watching people in isolation slowly losing their mind and turning on one another isn't incredibly edifying in this new world in which we find ourselves, so it's a bit of an odd quarantine watch. It's well made, but it's probably an acquired taste kind of film.
Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, violence, disturbing images, and some language.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Starring: Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson
Synopsis: This psychological thriller is about two men trapped in a lighthouse on a remote island who slowly begin losing their sanity. The film is shot in a very boxed style and in black-and-white, adding to the mood. That's the part of the reason it earned an Academy Award nomination for Cinematography. It's also got a couple great performances that make what could be a concept that grows tired quickly one that keeps you watching to the end. That being said, watching people in isolation slowly losing their mind and turning on one another isn't incredibly edifying in this new world in which we find ourselves, so it's a bit of an odd quarantine watch. It's well made, but it's probably an acquired taste kind of film.
Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, violence, disturbing images, and some language.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Roped (Netflix)
Starring: Casper Van Dien, John Schneider, Lorynn York, and Josh Swickard
Synopsis: This Netflix film is a romance between a small town girl who is the daughter of the conservative, spiritual leader, town councilman who opposes all things Rodeo and the young rodeo cowboy in town for a show. If you can get past the seeming oddity of a religious conservative in the Midwest also being an animal rights activist, you still probably won't be into this movie. It's OK, but it feels like a lower-end Hallmark film that exists. If you're desperate, OK. Otherwise, you've seen this story before in a better way.
Rating: PG for some language.
Verdict: One star out of four.
Starring: Casper Van Dien, John Schneider, Lorynn York, and Josh Swickard
Synopsis: This Netflix film is a romance between a small town girl who is the daughter of the conservative, spiritual leader, town councilman who opposes all things Rodeo and the young rodeo cowboy in town for a show. If you can get past the seeming oddity of a religious conservative in the Midwest also being an animal rights activist, you still probably won't be into this movie. It's OK, but it feels like a lower-end Hallmark film that exists. If you're desperate, OK. Otherwise, you've seen this story before in a better way.
Rating: PG for some language.
Verdict: One star out of four.
Scoob! (VOD)
Starring: Will Forte, Amanda Seyfriend, Gina Rodriguez, Mark Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, Zac Efron, Jason Issacs, and Frank Welker
Synopsis: "Scoob!" became the second first run film to skip the theaters given the current situation and premier on digital streaming platforms. It worked well for "Trolls World Tour" in April, and "Scoob!" has enjoyed some similar success in its digital release, which was about the time it was due to drop in theaters for the summer. And, you know what, it's quite a bit of fun. It has a strong voice cast and a decent story. Scooby-Doo stories have been a part of the culture for a while, and this re-boot begins with a bit of an origin story and moves to new adventures. I could see it being the start of a few animated films, and that would be welcome. This one was entertaining and a fun addition to the quarantine lineup.
Rating: PG for some action, language and rude/suggestive humor.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Starring: Will Forte, Amanda Seyfriend, Gina Rodriguez, Mark Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, Zac Efron, Jason Issacs, and Frank Welker
Synopsis: "Scoob!" became the second first run film to skip the theaters given the current situation and premier on digital streaming platforms. It worked well for "Trolls World Tour" in April, and "Scoob!" has enjoyed some similar success in its digital release, which was about the time it was due to drop in theaters for the summer. And, you know what, it's quite a bit of fun. It has a strong voice cast and a decent story. Scooby-Doo stories have been a part of the culture for a while, and this re-boot begins with a bit of an origin story and moves to new adventures. I could see it being the start of a few animated films, and that would be welcome. This one was entertaining and a fun addition to the quarantine lineup.
Rating: PG for some action, language and rude/suggestive humor.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
The Wrong Missy (Netflix)
Starring: David Spade, Lauren Lapkus, Molly Sims, Sarah Chalke, and Nick Swardson
Synopsis: Adam Sandler's deal with Netflix has resulted in a variety of films. Some have featured Sandler, and some have been films he produced, like "The Wrong Missy." This one is a starring vehicle for Spade, who plays a buttoned down guy that has one terrible blind date and one incredible date in an airport. Both women are named Melissa, and he accidently invites the wrong one to come with him on a corporate retreat in Hawaii. Hilarity ensues, and awkward encounters. But, along the way, he begins to consider whether he really got the right Missy all along. This is a wild comedy at times, but it also doesn't wear out its welcome, has affable performances and feels like the kind of comedy you'd typically get during the summer. Netflix has been the biggest content producer during the past few months, and they haven't all been winners. But this one found a nice groove and felt like a decent addition the the light-hearted days of the season.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Starring: David Spade, Lauren Lapkus, Molly Sims, Sarah Chalke, and Nick Swardson
Synopsis: Adam Sandler's deal with Netflix has resulted in a variety of films. Some have featured Sandler, and some have been films he produced, like "The Wrong Missy." This one is a starring vehicle for Spade, who plays a buttoned down guy that has one terrible blind date and one incredible date in an airport. Both women are named Melissa, and he accidently invites the wrong one to come with him on a corporate retreat in Hawaii. Hilarity ensues, and awkward encounters. But, along the way, he begins to consider whether he really got the right Missy all along. This is a wild comedy at times, but it also doesn't wear out its welcome, has affable performances and feels like the kind of comedy you'd typically get during the summer. Netflix has been the biggest content producer during the past few months, and they haven't all been winners. But this one found a nice groove and felt like a decent addition the the light-hearted days of the season.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
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