All Movie Reviews, Drama, Indie Films, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Good Time (2017) Movie Review

Good Time opens on a brutal scene in which the mentally handicapped Nick (Benny Safdie, who also co-directs) free associates with a psychiatrist. It is a scene told entirely in tight closeups. Nick stares on at the therapist, at first emptily as he struggles to answer the questions in abstract ways. Then, his still blank face breaks into tears. It is a truly engaging scene that effectively draws you into the film.

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In this scene, it is not immediately clear where Nick is or why he is there. All we have is the claustrophobic moment of Continue reading Good Time (2017) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Drama, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Birth of the Dragon (2017) Movie Review

Birth of the Dragon is a biopic of legendary martial arts and action film star Bruce Lee (portrayed here by Philip Ng). It tells the story of his rise to prominence in the Western world, and the confrontation between him and martial arts master Wong Jack Man (Xia Yu).

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Except, Birth of the Dragon really wants to focus on Continue reading Birth of the Dragon (2017) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Indie Films, Long Reviews (>400 Words), Love It

Brigsby Bear (2017) Movie Review

For the sake of maintaining the integrity of the Brigsby Bear story (penned by Kevin Costello and star Kyle Mooney) it is difficult to go into a review without a spoiler alert. This is namely because there is a story twist inherent in the premise of the film.

Given that marketing of the movie has not been too widespread, I think it is best to throw out a spoiler warning just to be safe, even though this review will only get into a basic summary of the film’s premise.

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James Pope (Mooney) is obsessed with Continue reading Brigsby Bear (2017) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Like It, Quickie Reviews (<400 Words)

The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017) Movie Review

Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) is a bodyguard. Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) is a hitman. The bodyguard must bodyguard the hitman. Hilarity ensues.

Except, not too much hilarity. Some hilarity. Well, maybe hilarity isn’t the word. There are some chuckles.

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But mostly the film is heavy on the Continue reading The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Lemon (2017) Movie Review

Isaac is a 40-year-old out of work actor who pays his bills teaching acting classes. His girlfriend of 10 years (Judy Greer) is cheating on him. His cynical siblings (Siri Appleby and Martin Starr) see past him. His high maintenance parents (Rhea Pearlman and Fred Melamad) don’t listen to him.

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One of our first exposures to Isaac is in his element as an acting teacher. On stage, Alex (Michael Cera) and Tracy (Gillian Jacobs) play out a scene until Isaac steps in. Isaac idolizes Alex, whose approach to acting is rife with farcical nonsense about colors and animals, and demeans Tracy.

This routine is a snapshot of Isaac: deep-seated anger and regret suppressed and projected onto younger talent. The manner by which he Continue reading Lemon (2017) Movie Review →

Box Office Predictions, Movie News

Weekend Box Office Breakdown: August 18 – 20

Box Office Breakdown: Weekend of August 18

  1. The Hitman’s Bodyguard – $21.6 million
  2. Annabelle: Creation – $15.5 million
  3. Logan Lucky – $8.05 million
  4. Dunkirk – $6.7 million
  5. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature – $5.1 million
  6. The Emoji Movie – $4.35 million
  7. Spider-Man: Homecoming – $4.25 million
  8. Girls Trip – $3.84 million
  9. The Dark Tower – $3.72 million
  10. Wind River – $3.02 million

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Another grueling August weekend at the domestic box office in the books. Summer 2017 is looking to Continue reading Weekend Box Office Breakdown: August 18 – 20 →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Logan Lucky (2017) Movie Review

Steven Soderbergh marks his return to feature filmmaking after his reported retirement with Logan Lucky, a heist film in the same stylistic vein as his Oceans films. Instead of the lavish cityscape and bright lights of Las Vegas, however, in Logan Lucky we are treated with rural North Carolina. The high security casino: replaced by a low security NASCAR race track.

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The lead figure in this heist is Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum), who sees a crack in the system of pressure tubes that carry money from the race track to a nearby bank vault and decides to Continue reading Logan Lucky (2017) Movie Review →

Box Office Predictions, Movie News

Weekend Box Office Breakdown: August 11 – 13

Box Office Results: Weekend of August 11

  1. Annabelle: Creation – $35 million
  2. Dunkirk – $11.4 million
  3. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature – $8.93 million
  4. The Dark Tower – $7.87 million
  5. The Emoji Movie – $6.6 million
  6. Girls Trip – $6.52 million
  7. Spider-Man: Homecoming – $6.1 million
  8. Kidnap – $5.22 million
  9. The Glass Castle – $4.87 million
  10. Atomic Blonde – $4.57 million

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August continues to be a slow month at the box office. The latest in the Conjuring franchise, Annabelle: Creation took number one, earning over Continue reading Weekend Box Office Breakdown: August 11 – 13 →

All Movie Reviews, Drama, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

The Glass Castle (2017) Movie Review

Based on the memoir by Jeannette Wells, The Glass Castle tells the story of four children raised in an inconstant, emotionally troubling household. The family, led by an alcohol abusing patriarch (Woody Harrelson), moves from squat house to squat house to avoid paying taxes. The children do not go to school. The family, at one point, resorts to showering at the public pool.

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The films feels most readily akin to last year’s Captain Fantastic. Only, it lacks the Continue reading The Glass Castle (2017) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

Girls Trip (2017) Movie Review

Four college friends reunite to party for a weekend, and there are unexpected consequences. It is a premise not unlike another Summer 2017 film: Rough Night. Only, in Girls Trip there is no dead body, and there is a much more conventional narrative.

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Ryan Pierce (Regina Hall) and her husband (Mike Colter) have made a brand name out of their marriage. They are traveling to the Essence Festival in New Orleans in order to Continue reading Girls Trip (2017) Movie Review →

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