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Barbarian (2022)
Fantastic. Finally a Horror Film that Delivers
Legitimately terrifying, enthralling and expertly delivered, Barbarian is one of the best horror movies in recent memory. Set in an Airbnb in a rundown part of Detroit, it's part Silence of the Lambs, Hill Have Eyes, and eerily reminiscent of the X-Files episode "Home". Unlike others in the genre that rely on cheap scares, Barbarian earns them and dares to take risks. No cheap jump scares but ones that are built organically and surprise the viewer. The plot is never fully explained, yet subtly unfolds for the audience-letting us know just enough to be horrified. Its always enjoyable to watch, smartly written, and never loses us for a moment. A must see.
Raymond & Ray (2022)
Lost Opportunity
An interesting premise that far outlives itself, Raymond & Ray, is the tale of two brothers grudgingly brought together by their estranged fathers death. Despite two good performances by both McGregor and Hawke, the writing meanders to the point where what starts as an interesting journey discovering evermore interesting aspects of their eccentric father becomes slows to a crawl and de-volves in to a cheapened version of itself-too self satisfied to really develop. What we end up with is something we should have enjoyed more-something of promise that underperforms to the point of boredom. A miss.
The Good Nurse (2022)
Refreshingly Well Made
A slow burn with a rewarding payoff, The Good Nurse is well made, consistently intriguing and poignant. It doesn't get carried away with melodrama, plot devices, or sentimentality, but rather lets the tension build in an organic way. We are pointed to Charlie early on as the perpetrator, but are left guessing at how and why, blindsided as much as Nurse Amy, played powerfully by Jessica Chastain. For his part, Eddie Redmayne is pitch perfect as the prolific killer Charlie Cullen. His performance makes the inexplicable real, humanizes yet also disturbs, and is exceedingly unnerving.
In the end, the film's not so much a true crime story as it is an indictment of trust in the 'system' and the innate human desire to cover your ass. Good Nurse knows that doing the right thing costs and, instead of papering over that with a storybook ending, leans in to this fact and uses it to leverage the dramatic tension. We are distributed by what enabled Cullen's horrifying actions yet we, to our tragedy, understand it.
Pawn Sacrifice (2014)
Enigmatic and Captivating
Pawn Sacrifice
Captivating, confounding, and utterly enthralling, Pawn Sacrifice is a gem of a film that deserves much more attention and praise than it is receiving. Set during the Cold War, Pawn Sacrifice follows what is perhaps the infamous Bobby Fischer's most memorable chapter, that of his showdown with then world champ and Soviet representative--Boris Spassky.
The film does a great job of building the tension and setting the stage for what was a very precarious geopolitical time. A time when tensions were so high with the Russians that even a chess match would take on significance. The performances were strong, this being the best role I've ever seen Tobey Maguire in. The dialogue is rich, the characterizations nuanced, and the scenes well executed. In the end we are left both admiring and vexed at the enigma of Bobby Fischer, and that's undoubtedly how it should be.
4/5 Stars
Concussion (2015)
Trouble in Overtime
Concussion
Earnestly told, indignant, and passionate--Concussion takes on America's biggest sport to a largely effective degree. Based on a true story, the film tells the story of a pathologist, Dr. Bennet Omalu, an incredibly pious and straight-laced immigrant who, through his work, uncovers what would soon be termed CTE. In short, his resiliency and tenacity led him to the shocking reality that repetitive concussions can have profound long-term damage translating to death. Obviously not well received, the film follows his struggles for attention and the attacks he inevitably received.
It's hard to say this is a fair film. I don't know quite enough to say definiteively, but certainly the film is biased, and has a dramatic flair that you would expect. I do believe it's very real, but perhaps the film's assertions that "football kills" are a bit over-the-top at times. Still, as a movie--it's an effective one, with a brilliant performance by will Smith. The entire cast is strong, and the film has a way of unfolding that makes it a very enthralling story, even though the actual events took much longer to unfold. In short, the director did an excellent job of condensing a subject in to a confined story, and an effective one.
4/5 Stars
Cartel Land (2015)
Reality has Never Been So Riveting
A visceral, kinetic, breath-taking, and highly effective documentary, Cartel Land is a film that stands above the rest in its story-telling and authenticity. The embedded filmmaker follows two organic resistance groups to the incredibly violent drug cartels, a group of disgruntled and frustrated militia members on the US side, an an armed civilian uprising on the Mexican side. What results is a film that absolutely mesmerizes the viewer with heart-pounding action, first-person testimony, and undeniable carnage. You can read about Cartel violence or be transported to it with this documentary, a film that is apolitical and only seeks to inform.
Excellent
4.5/5 Stars
The Giver (2014)
Give me a better Movie
A great concept with poor execution and inconsistent acting, The Giver is a frustrating film. It's a film that's both hard to watch and yet hard not to like, at least on some levels. Based on the novel of the same name, the film finds a futuristic society which can either be seen as a utopia, for the less imagined, or rightly a dystopia—where emotions are surprised, conformity rules, and memories lost. One person, the Receiver, is allowed to remember. He is tasked to train his successor, who proves to be vastly changed by what he learns.
While I appreciate the themes of the film, and thought some of the world building was adequate—the overall feel of The Giver is stilted and a bit cheesy. I blame this on lackluster direction, there's no real suspense or sense of stakes, and bad acting. There are two main heavy-hitters in The Giver, Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep. Bridges is solid, and Streep is okay. Outside of that, the acting is shallow, devoid of emotion, and uninspired. This is especially true of Brenton Thwaites as Jonas, whose performance is more akin to that of a Disney movie than a major Hollywood production.
The film also fails to deliver on what would otherwise be really interesting developments. It just doesn't feel like it got what it could out of good material. By the end it succumbs to profoundly silly plot devices. The sequence involving Jonas and a child and their exploits crossing mountains, snow, and desert, is laughable and indicative of the film's larger failings.
Not good.
2.5/5 Stars
Forsaken (2015)
Old, Tried and True
Brooding, intense, and dreary, Forsaken is an old fashioned Western told in an old fashioned way. A former Civil War soldier returns home after a series of ill-defined violent exploits only to be met with a deceased mother and a disappointed father. Eager for redemption, though not sure how to find it, he soon finds himself in the midst of another bloody conflict. Sound familiar? Yes, but the execution proves too good to write off.
Though there are some clichéd motifs, to be sure, the film still feels authentic and offers some of the best acting in a genre that unfortunately has become awash in straight-to-DVD mediocrity. The characterizations are liking in some parts, yet their emotional integrity and presence is nearly visceral in this film—with an all- star ensemble cast featuring real-life father and son combo Kiefer and Donald Sutherland, Brian Cox, and Michael Wincott.
Besides the acting, the film itself is restrained, with a slow build. Thought it has a short run-time, it never feels rushed, the action beats feel earned, and the ending resonates with the nearly poetic vibe of the film. Narratively it may seem slight, yet the parts work too well to be ignored in Forsaken.
3.5/5 Stars
Patterns of Evidence: Exodus (2014)
Fair. Balanced. Compelling.
Insightful, even handed, restrained, and yet utterly compelling, Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus is an intelligent documentary and mature treatment of a very sensitive subject. It's a film that values exploration and questioning, rather than hand wringing and partisanship. It's a film of value, a film of questions, and one that can serve to better inform. As the documentary relates, the establishment view is that the Exodus didn't happen as described in the Bible, or is entirely fictional. This criticism seems to revolve around the established timeline for the Exodus. The documentary challenges this assumption, and does so convincingly. Experts of every stripe are shown, yet the film gives a notable voice to those who point to startling evidence of exactly what the Bible describes, just earlier than accepted.
Director Tim Mahoney navigates the ensuing web well, keeping the viewer anchored with excellent visuals and a concise yet intelligent description off the correlation of events, and how they may fit from an archaeological standpoint.
It's not perfect, some of the dramatization is unnecessary and the narration uneven, yet the questions poignant, and the execution striking.
4/5 Stars
Spotlight (2015)
A Light in the Dark
A true story told from the point of view of a gumshoe group of investigative reporters, Spotlight is a film that needed to be made, deserves to be seen, and was composed with a grace and maturity toward its subject that is hard to come by. An exploration of the child molestation scandal that rocked Boston and later the entire world, Spotlight covers an uncomfortable subject.
Good journalistic films in the vein of All the Presidents Men (though overrated) are hard to come by, and one wonders how much this has to do with Hollywood or how much it has to do with the state of journalism in America. For ounce, what the Spotlight team uncovered, though far too late, was an example of what journalism should be. Unrelenting, focused, and guided by the public interest.
The film captures this and evokes the enormity, depravity, and emotion of the time. It accomplishes this through mature direction, a phenomenal ensemble cast, and intelligent dialogue. It's not always easy to watch, yet something that gains in appreciation as we confront what we don't want to.
4.5/5 Stars