Over this past (long) weekend:
A Quiet Place
I tend to avoid horror movies (the rhythm of suspense building to a shock, rise and repeat, isn’t my cup of tea), but the premise intrigued me and the reviews promised a well made movie, so I went and it is a very well made picture, with gore only to a level necessary and very good acting all the way around. Not a profound movie, but well worth a viewing and may well prove to be one of the most memorable movies of the year.
The Miracle Season
I was expecting a by the numbers sports tale with a heavy side of religion, but, to my surprise, it was a very affecting (and effective) sports tale with a refreshing (and casually) female-centric narrative (let’s face it, we expect the story of an underdog girl’s volleyball team to be about the redemptive arc of the male coach or a father or other male authority figure) and only a subtle background of religion (most, but not all of the main characters are church attendees- that’s it). Add in that it apparently tells true facts in its story (stay for the credit sequences) and it was an enjoyable viewing. The bottom line: I enjoyed it, but in a year you will probably have to remind me I saw it.
Finding Your Feet
A movie you’ll swear you saw a couple of years ago, or maybe a few years before that, or even in the 90’s. A stellar British cast of seasoned (old) actors makes you laugh and tugs on your heart. See it if you like this type of film and for the performances and the perfect final shot, but this is another one that will be hard to remember in a year.
Lean on Pete
I came in expecting another by the numbers coming of age story of a boy and his horse and got a wrenching story of hopelessness at the bottom of the rungs of our society (with some redemption as seasoning at the end). A very good movie that will stick with you due to a narrative arc that is unexpected, superb performances, and some truths that we all know but don’t necessarily acknowledge in the United States. A warning for those who avoid animals in peril or that are subject to abuse during a movie- don’t watch this movie. The bottom line: If this movie was released later in the year, it would be in the Oscars discussions.
You Were Never Really Here
My movie experience began a bit differently than most. I was at the early morning screening (~10:30) at a theater that always sends a member of the crew in to let the audience know the title, running time, exits, etc. So, a couple of minutes before the starting time, I hear someone say, “I’ll make the announcement”, then someone walks into the front of the Studio and I look up and he says to the audience, “Hi, I’m Joaquin and this is (can’t remember the name), one of our producers. We’d like to thank you for choosing this movie…”. So my review may be a bit tainted by elements outside the actual movie. That said, the movie is a tight, interesting noir/action film with an arresting central performance by Joaquin Phoenix. The best way to describe it is as a mix of Hardcore(74), Joe(70), and Taxi Driver(76), with a light dusting of the Parallax View(74). Worth seeing if you are a fan of hard-hitting noir stories or just want to see a strong performance by Phoenix.
