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Streaming Services: Shudder Movie Name/Year: Boys from County Hell (2021) Genre: Comedy, Horror Length: 90 minutes Rating: NR Production/Distribution: Six Mile Hill Productions, Blinder
Films, Endeavor Content, Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Automatik FX,
Egg Studios, Inevitable Pictures, Shudder Director: Chris Baugh Writer: Chris Baugh, Brendan Mullin Actors: Jack Rowan, Nigel O’Neill, Louisa Harland, Michael Hough,
John Lynch, Fra Fee, Morgan C. Jones, Robert Nairne Blurb from IMDb: A crew of hardy road
workers, led by a bickering Father and Son, must survive the night when they
accidentally awaken an ancient Irish vampire.
Selina’s Point of View: This is the flick
I’ve been waiting for all month. It’s horror comedy, it’s Irish… it’s got so
much of what I love. I’m happy to say, it didn’t disappoint. As it got
started, I began to get a slightly darker Shaun of the Dead (2004) vibe.
That didn’t last. The deeper I got, the darker it got. When the horror aspect
really got going it came out of left field and caught me completely off guard. By the end of it,
I couldn’t really compare it to the 2004 Edgar Wright zombie comedy that I
thought it would be lumped in with. If I had to compare the feel of it to
anything, now, I’d say it’s closer to Fright Night (2011). It had that
same kind of realistic humor meshed with fear. The biggest
difference is that this flick definitely went ten times harder with the terror
aspects. I enjoyed the
aesthetics of the vampire more that I can accurately convey. I’ve always been
more of a Nosferatu (1922) girl, when it comes to the ancient blood suckers.
Interview with the Vampire (1994), or stuff like Vampire Diaries (2009-2017),
is fine, but I prefer fear over romance.
No one is taking
the vamp in this film home to meet mom. The creature had
a terrifying visage: jagged teeth, long stringy hair, a hooked nose, bone-tight
skin with veins pressing to the surface and blood dripping over the dark,
nearly blue, flesh. He was gorgeously hard to look at. I spent the
entire hour-and-a-half runtime glued to the screen. Every time the horror got
so dark that I thought there was no coming back, they inserted enough humor to
add that essential balance that horror/comedy so desperately needs in order to
work. I did notice a
couple of errors in the timeline that kind of irked me. It did pull me out of
the story a tiny bit, but not enough to ruin the whole thing. Boys
from County Hell was
absolutely remarkable. Boys
from County Hell
will be available to stream on Shudder, April 22.
Cat’s Point of View:
When you mention Ireland and vampires, you generally don’t
find them in the same sentence. That could often be held true for horror and
comedy. However, every once in a while the two go together quite well and you
can end up with something absolutely fan-freaking-tastic like Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil (2010).
At the same time, that is a really tough comparison because
it’s hard for other movies to live up to that unicorn standard. I am happy to
report that The Boys from County Hell
reasonably succeeded in this particular attempt at the genre blend. The overall story here, albeit, is significantly darker. I will admit that I’m slightly biased when it comes to
Irish-based movies and stories in general. Irish lore, accents, music, and
landscape seem to speak directly to my ginger soul. That being said, I’ve
immersed myself in a lot of it over the years. I can’t say that I’ve run across
many mentions of vampires. The topic is a patch of common ground that pop-culture
horror enthusiasts can latch on to. You say ‘vampire’ and it’s immediately
recognizable by most. Unless you’re talking about banshees or leprechauns, you
don’t get that same sort of recognition with the scarier of the Irish bogeymen.
The Dullahan doesn’t ring bells for most, even if the legend bears a close
resemblance to The Headless Horseman.
The interesting tidbit here is that there is an actual Irish
legend of Abhartach. I won’t get into detail here, however. Spoilers! If you
give the movie a go and are interested in a little more background lore on the
subject, give that name a search and I imagine you’ll find it interesting. I
digress… I really liked how this story was pulled together. Urban
sprawl and its side effects are concepts familiar to many, and the price for those that live in areas under development is often unpleasant. The
characters were also relatable, and I found myself invested in them. The humor
was spot on and you wouldn’t have to entirely understand the nuances of Irish
culture to get it. There were a few words here or there that were unique to
Irish slang, but it shouldn’t be a worry. The effects were also solid. Nothing looked hokey or too fake. There was one bit that actually had me cringing a bit because of the
realistic nature of a particular wound in a scene. I mean, ow. I believed everything that they were selling. Well done for the relatively new Six Mile Hill Production
for this gem. Good acting, good story, and I had a great time watching. Shudder
has scored a good one with The Boys from
County Hell. It’s one of the many that make it worth the reasonable
subscription fee.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None Metascore – None Metacritic User Score – None IMDB Score – 6.3/10 Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4.5/5 Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5 Trust-the-Dice’s
Parental Advisory Rating:
R P.S. If you’re not overly familiar with
Irish accents, you may need captions. Movie Trailer:
Streaming Services: Netflix Movie Name/Year: Outside the Wire (2021) Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Length: 115 minutes Rating: R Production/Distribution: 42, Automatik Entertainment,
Inspire Entertainment, Leeding Media, Netflix, Pioneer Stilking Films Director: Mikael Håfström Writer: Rowan Athale, Rob Yescombe Actors: Anthony Mackie, Damson Idris, Emily Beecham, Enzo Cilenti,
Michael Kelly, Kristina Tonteri-Young, Brady Dowad, Henry Garrett, Velibor Topic,
Pilou Asbæk
Blurb from IMDb: In the near future, a drone
pilot sent into a war zone finds himself paired with a top-secret android
officer on a mission to stop a nuclear attack.
Selina’s Point of View: Outside
the Wire was a typical
war movie with a dash of science fiction thrown in. The problem is that the
sci-fi aspects were just as typical. A drone pilot disobeys
orders and launches a missile that kills 2 marines, so he’s sent to work under a
snarky, not-quite-normal, captain. Oh, and that captain happens to be the first
android in existence – which is a classified fact.
Honestly, I
enjoyed the synopsis and the trailer. I knew there would be tropey aspects, but
I still thought it had entertainment value. Which, it did.
I was surprised
with how dark the story got. It didn’t shy away from showing the atrocities of
war. It showcased mass graves, burnt corpses, and the weight of collateral
damage.
For a lot of the
film, I was on the edge of my seat. There was enough sugar to make the pill easier
to swallow, and there was an underlying message to the whole thing. Unfortunately,
I feel as though they didn’t have the balls to finish what they started.
It had a decent
twist, one that made me think they were going to take the risky path. In fact,
the risky paths for the ending outnumbered the safe.
As we neared
those last moments, I hoped it would go in any of those risky directions. It
would have elevated the movie and really slammed the point home. Instead, it
left me frustrated.
The message felt
like little more than a red herring. Nothing changes in the end. The world
keeps on keeping on.
A lot of the
negative reviews go into that. Normally I rake critics over the coals when they
attack an otherwise entertaining flick, but I kind of see their point here. It
was a decent mindless action movie, but it tried to be more and it failed so
spectacularly at that attempt that it’s really hard to ignore.
If you need
something action-based to turn your mind off to, it’s really not bad. Just don’t
go into it with philosophical questions. Especially not if you expect answers.
So much lost
potential there.
Cat’s Point of View: I’ve been eagerly
anticipating Outside the Wire, as I mentioned in this month’s Top 20
list. After watching the film and then re-reading my thoughts based solely on
the trailer, I realize that I misunderstood the movie’s general plot.
The good news is
that it didn’t matter. I still enjoyed it.
In addition to a
really solid and plausible sci-fi story, Outside the Wire brings us
thought-provoking concepts and poses some hard questions. How much collateral
damage is acceptable when seeking peace? When combat becomes machine vs.
machine, is there really a deterrent to warfare? There are some deep concepts
threaded through the plot of this fast-paced action flick.
Anthony Mackie (Triple
9, Point Blank, Altered Carbon) is at the top of his game here. I was
all-in on his performance as a top-secret prototype android. Some of his action
sequences were insane and amazing. A movie like this just gets me even more
excited for Mackie’s next projects in the MCU.
I haven’t seen a
lot of Damson Idris’ (Megan Leavey, The Commuter, Snowfall) work, though
I think he did a bang-up job with this role. I really appreciated the depth
that he brought to his character’s journey from joystick jockey to
boots-on-the-ground combatant.
Honestly, there’s
very little that I could fault with this film. The pacing was good, the twists
and turns were exciting and interesting, and I’ll reiterate that the action was
outstanding. I enjoyed seeing a drone pilot's perspective, as well. It’s an
aspect of the modern military that isn’t really shown much in cinema.
All told, if you
like sci-fi, action, and movies with lots of combat, then Outside the Wire
is going to be right up your alley. I wouldn’t hesitate to give this film a
recommendation.
Production/Distribution: Production
Co: Automatik, Delirio Films, Stay Gold Features, Amazon Studios, Kindred
Spirit, Red Crown Productions, Belladonna Productions, Adler Entertainment,
Cine Canibal, GAGA, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures, Universal
Pictures International, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, Stage 6 Films
Director: Alma
Har'el
Writer: Shia
LaBeouf
Actors: Natasha
Lyonne, Maika Monroe, Clifton Collins Jr., Noah Jupe, Lucas Hedges, Shia
LeBeouf, Laura San Giacomo, FKA Twigs, Byron Bowers
Blurb from IMDb: A
young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to
reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.
Cat’s Point of View:
When Honey Boy was
released in November of 2019 it had a lot of stiff box office competition. The
movie didn’t even make it to my Top 20, while Selina had the film listed at
number 18. Critics adore Honey Boy and it got standing ovations at film festivals
– so why did I give it a pass? It’s simple. This is just the sort of heavy
drama with emotional baggage that I tend to avoid if given the opportunity.
That being said, I did my best to watch with an open mind
and try to put myself in the young main character’s shoes.
Let me tell you, they are shoes that I would have found it
very difficult to walk around in.
Shia LaBeouf (Charlie
Countryman, Fury, Peanut Butter Falcon) excelled in portraying the
character based on his father in this somewhat autobiographical tale. It was
really hard to watch in places, and as a parent it just made me wince
internally over and over again.
I’m going to be frank in saying I didn’t enjoy this movie.
It was a raw and honest revelation about the actor’s life and the path that led
to some of his poorer decisions. That’s not to say that the film was bad. It
was executed very well. It was powerful. I connected with the characters and
hurt for them.
My rating here is on the level of execution of the story and
overall movie. While I won’t be watching this one again to spare myself a
return to this roller-coaster ride, fans of hard-hitting drama and biopics
might find this right up their alley.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score –
94%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –
92%
Metascore –
73/100
Metacritic User Score –
7.2/10
IMDB Score –
7.3/10
CinemaScore –
None
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating –
4/5
P.S. There are some photos shown during the credits of LaBeouf and his father. There is also a very small scene during the credits.
Production/Distribution: Abramorama, Atlantic Records
Director: Melanie Martinez
Writer: Melanie Martinez
Actors: Melanie Martinez, Emma Harvey, Zión Moreno, Megan Gage, Zinnett
Hendrix, Jesy McKinney, Marsalis Steven Wilson,Maggie Budzyna, Quei Tann,
Vilmos Heim, Scott Alexander Young, Anne Wittman, Genesis Ilada, Natalia Toth
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Musical
Rated: Unrated
Length: 96 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A brave-hearted girl and
her charming best friend make a bewitching pair as they embark on a mission to
take down the oppressive schooling system of K-12.
This month seems to be
a little odd for movies. There just aren’t that many releasing in September. I
have a suspicion that there will be a few hidden gems that will pop up, but we
can only consider those that have had advance press and trailers.
Right in theme with
the quirky month of movies, K-12
stands out as something rare and interesting. Melanie Martinez (Melanie Martinez: Mad Hatter, Melanie
Martinez:Pacify Her, Melanie Martinez: Dollhouse) is an American musical
artist that came to the public’s attention through participation on The Voice (2011-). She has since
released an album and is known for writing and directing her own music videos.
K-12 is Martinez’s second album offering, and to mark the
occasion of its release and the launch of her tour she has created a special
one-day-only event with the limited cinematic release of this film. She has
described it as a surrealist dark comedy; and, after watching the trailer, I can
attest that it looks to be bonkers, interesting, and entertaining. It seems to
be something along the lines of a cinematic treatment of the album, itself – as
if it were one giant music video that connects all the individual songs.
While this isn’t a
revolutionary idea, it’s not done often. I have hope that it will be
successful.
19 – Satanic Panic (9/6)
Production/Distribution: Aperture Entertainment, Fangoria Films, Cinestate, RLJE Films
Director: Chelsea Stardust
Writers: Ted Geoghegan, Grady Hendrix
Actors: Ruby Modine, Rebecca Romijn, Jerry O'Connell, Jordan Ladd,
Whitney Moore, Arden Myrin, Michael Polish, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Hayley
Griffith, Whitney Moore, Jeff Daniel Phillips
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Rated: R
Length: 85 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A pizza delivery girl at
the end of her financial rope has to fight for her life - and her tips - when
her last order of the night turns out to be high society Satanists in need of a
virgin sacrifice.
I have been dying to
see this movie since I first saw the trailer. It looks absolutely hilarious.
It’s really a bonus that Jerry O'Connell (Piranha
3D, Veronica Mars, Wish Upon) and his wife, Rebecca Romijn (The Con Artist, Phantom Halo, The Librarians),
get a rare opportunity to share the screen together.
Of course, given the
“religious” aspect of this story, it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.
For those that don’t mind taking all of that with a grain of salt, it looks
like quite the entertaining romp. I expect some camp and eye-rolling moments
just as much as amusement as a totally insane scenario plays out.
If the summer heat has
you down, a frosty air-conditioned movie theater just might be the ticket to
shake off sweaty misery.
Actors: David Call, Joshua Leonard, Alex Breaux, Ana Kayne, Maria
Dizzia, Chloe Levine, Owen Campbell, Addison Timlin
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Rated: Unrated
Length: 114 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A disillusioned field
surgeon suffering from PTSD makes a man out of body parts and brings him to
life in a Brooklyn loft.
You’ll find a lot of
horror movies on my list this month. This is largely as a result of the overall
pool of movies we had available to choose from, but it’s also fun to start
getting into that spooky fall spirit. Halloween is next month, after all.
What better way to
kick off the season than a modern re-imagining of the Frankenstein tale?
17 – 3 From Hell (9/16)
Production/Distribution: Capital Arts Entertainment, Spookshow International, Lionsgate,
Saban Films
Director: Rob Zombie
Writer: Rob Zombie
Actors: Sheri Moon Zombie, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Emilio Rivera, Danny
Trejo, Clint Howard, Richard Brake, Daniel Roebuck, Dee Wallace, Chaz Bono,
Matthew Willig
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
Length: 111 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Sequel to The Devil's Rejects.
The mind of Rob Zombie
(Halloween, The Lords of Salem, 31)
is a scary place. My summary of watching the first two movies in this trilogy
can be described with one word: disturbing. This third installment promises to
be no different. That’s really the only reason this film is placed here on my
list this month. I am likely going to be waiting ‘til I can stream this one
just so I can pause and walk away if I need to.
I have no doubt that
this movie will showcase Zombie’s masterful gift for the twisted. Insanity and
violence to the soundtrack of Baby Firefly’s cackle will certainly fill a
horror enthusiast’s gore quota.
Actors: Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Cardi B , Lili Reinhart, Keke
Palmer, Julia Stiles, Mercedes Ruehl, Mette Towley, Lizzo, Madeline Brewer,
Usher Raymond
Genre: Comedy, Crime Drama
Rated: R
Length: 110 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Inspired by the viral New
York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club
employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.
When this movie’s
trailer dropped, I can imagine all the squees of …excitement… to see Jennifer
Lopez (The Boy Next Door, Shades of Blue,
Second Act) pole dancing. Tsk tsk. Kidding. There’s no doubt that she’s a
gifted performer – both vocally and in dance. Her movies can be a little hit
and miss sometimes – but, honestly, I think she’s been honing her acting craft
rather well in recent years.
Of course, there’s
more that draws me to this movie than the obvious. I like the fact that the ‘dancing’
isn’t the sole focus of the film. At its core, Hustlers seems to be a comedic crime drama. The rest is just the
icing and decorations on the cake. I’m curious, also, how some other music
artists among the cast do in their feature film debut.
15 – Running With the Devil (9/13)
Production/Distribution:Patriot Pictures, Jaguar Bite, Quiver
Distribution
Director: Jason Cabell
Writer: Jason Cabell
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Natalia Reyes, Laurence Fishburne, Leslie Bibb,
Adam Goldberg, Barry Pepper, Cole Hauser, Clifton Collins Jr., Peter Facinelli
Genre: Crime Drama, Action, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 100 minutes
IMDb Blurb: The CEO of an
International conglomerate sends two of his most regarded executives to
investigate why shipments of cocaine are being hijacked and over cut somewhere
on the supply chain.
Speaking of hit or miss, one of
our favorite crazy guys is back on the big screen this month with Running With
the Devil. The trailer leads me to believe that Nicolas Cage (The Humanity
Bureau, 211, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse) is in his comfort zone with this
movie. There’s going to be plenty of action and tension. It was hard to tell
what ‘side of the fence’ he was really on, and that might be a really
interesting component to see play out.
My teen daughter recently wanted
to watch the Matrix (1999) trilogy. That’s only relevant here because I saw Laurence
Fishbourne (Last Flag Flying, Black-ish, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) in the
trailer and got this familiar warm and fuzzy feeling. I am excited to see him
in this role, as it seems to be a departure from the typical persona he’s
portrayed in movies and television. Of course, it’s not something alien to his
repertoire – it’s just been a bit since we’ve gotten to see this side.
14 – Corporate Animals (9/20)
Production/Distribution: Snoot Entertainment, Protagonist Pictures, Pacific Electric
Picture Company, Screen Media Films
Director: Patrick Brice
Writer: Sam Bain
Actors: Demi Moore, Ed Helms, Jessica Williams, Karan Soni, Isiah
Whitlock Jr., Martha Kelly, Dan Bakkedahl, Calum Worthy, Jennifer Kim, Nassim
Pedrad, Frank Bond, Wendy Meredith, Britney Spears
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Rated: R
Length: 86 minutes
Moviefone Blurb: An egotistical
megalomaniac CEO leads her staff on a corporate team-building trip that
involves a weekend of caving in New Mexico. When they become trapped
underground after a cave-in, the group must pull together to survive.
If you thought
team-building meetings and activities at work were scary, this takes the
corporate retreat to a whole new nightmare level. It’s the concept that’s
terrifying, really. I don’t think that the movie will really deliver many
chills and thrills. If the trailer is an accurate representation, it looks to
be leaning more towards over-the-top dark comedy rather than horror.
The cast looks
amazing, though, and I was already giggling a little with that short peek into
the film. I’d say it’s worth a watch – even if you wait to catch it on Red Box
or a streaming service.
13 – The Pretenders (9/27)
Production/Distribution: SSS Entertainment, Rabbit Bandini Films, Yale Productions,
Cleopatra Entertainment
Director: James Franco
Writer: Josh Boone
Actors: Dennis Quaid, James Franco, Jack Kilmer, Jane Levy, Juno Temple,
Brian Cox, Shameik Moore, Mustafa Shakir
Genre: Drama
Rated: Unrated
Length: 95 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A love triangle involving
a photographer, a director and an actress.
The relationships in
this film are likely going to be a complicated mess. That’s what you get with a
love triangle in a pure drama movie. While it felt a little dark and odd at
times, there seems to be something hinting at a deeper story than is portrayed
in the trailers. This might be an option for someone who’s not quite ready for
the horror-fest that is the fall movie lineup, and tired of the summer action
blitz.
12 – Dauntless (9/1)
Production/Distribution: Bayou Pictures, Gypsy Lane Films
Director: Mike Phillips
Writer: Adam Klein
Actors: C. Thomas Howell, Judd Nelson, James Austin Kerr, Aidan Bristow,
Will Ropp, Louie Chapman, Drew Garrett, Miles Tagtmeyer, Chris Roark, John
Enick, Will Jorgenson, Troy Musil, Byrne Offutt, Adam Peltier, David Snyder,
Demetris Hartman, Wyatt Derman, Mendel Fogelman, Christopher Lee Page, Jade
Willey, Jack Malykin, Jerry Buteyn, Paul Kennedy Jr.
Genre: Action, War, Drama
Rated: Unrated
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: By June 1942, the Japanese
Navy has swept across the Pacific. In an effort to change the course of the
war, a United States carrier group is positioned off the coast of Midway,
tasked with springing a trap on the enemy. During this pivotal battle, the
two-man crew of a U.S. Navy dive bomber is forced to ditch in the sea. Set
adrift, the men look towards their comrades for rescue; namely, the ragtag crew
of a PBY Catalina, who are sent to search for survivors. Amid the vast openness
of the Pacific, with days passing and the chance of rescue fading, the men are
forced to face their own mortality.
This movie has bobbled
up and down on my list a bit. While taking place from a different perspective
of the Battle of Midway to refresh the events for a new generation, the trailer
gave the impression that it will be somewhat stylized to fit in with the older
and similar war movies.
WWII films are a bit
maudlin for me right out of the gate, because they remind me of my
grandfathers’ service and how much I miss them both. Neither of them was in
this particular battle, to my knowledge. All the same, it’s hard to separate my
thoughts and feelings from the topic.
For those that enjoy a
good historical movie or war drama, this should be right up your alley,
however.
Actors: James Franco, Will Ferrell, Seth Rogen, Jacki Weaver, Megan Fox,
Danny McBride, Dave Franco, Craig Robinson, Jacki Weaver, Cynthia Murell, Thomas
Ian Nicholas, Horatio Sanz, Mia Serafino
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 96 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A young actor arrives in
Hollywood in 1969 during a transitional time in the Industry.
“This is a very weird
movie” is a line actually heard during the trailer. I am guessing that it’s
attributed to Megan Fox’s (Jennifer's
Body, The Dictator, Above the Shadows) character. By that point, I
wholeheartedly agreed with her statement – whether she meant it for the
movie-within-the-movie or not.
This is an interesting
take on 70s Hollywood. James Franco’s (Burn
Country, Why Him?, The Deuce) character seems a little strange (which may
be the point), but I am highly intrigued to see how all of this seemingly
random information we’re given fits together. This is also one of the handful
of recent movies where he’s been able to share the screen with his brother, Dave
Franco (Warm Bodies, Nerve, The Disaster
Artist).
Aside from the
aforementioned cast members, this film seems to be jam-packed with the who’s
who of irreverent comedy. This is one of those that my curiosity is dragging me
towards, to be honest.
10 – Strange But True (9/6)
Production/Distribution: Automatik, First Generation Films, Head Gear Films, Metrol
Technology, GEM Entertainment, CBS Films, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Director: Rowan Athale
Writers: Eric Garcia, John Searles
Actors: Margaret Qualley, Mena Massoud, Brian Cox, Nick Robinson, Amy
Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Blythe Danner,Connor Jessup, Tennille Read, Janaya
Stephens, Vanessa Burns
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: 96 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A woman surprises the
family of her deceased boyfriend by telling them she's pregnant with his child.
I am wondering if
there’s something dark and sinister lingering under the guise of this ‘medical
miracle’ of a ‘years later’ conception. On the surface, there’s the sweet story
of brothers, friendship, and romance. The trailer alludes to something else
going on in the wings – aside from the natural reaction that the girl is either
lying or crazy.
My curiosity is
piqued. The story grabbed me effectively and between that and the draw of the
excellent cast, I will be watching this as soon as I can.
9– Can You Keep a Secret? (9/13)
Production/Distribution: BCDF Pictures, Big Indie Pictures, Vertical Entertainment
Director: Elise Duran
Writers: Peter Hutchings, Sophie Kinsella
Actors: Alexandra Daddario, Tyler Hoechlin, Sunita Mani, Laverne Cox,
Kimiko Glenn, Judah Friedlander, Kate Easton, Sam Asgharil, Ashlyn Alessi,
Courtney Gonzalez, Bobby Tisdale, David Ebert
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rated: Unrated
Length: 94 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Thinking they're about to
crash, Emma spills her secrets to a stranger on a plane. At least, she thought
he was a stranger...Until she later meets Jack, her company's young CEO, who
now knows every humiliating detail about her. Based on the blockbuster NYT
bestseller.
If you’re looking a
break from heavier topics, like world news or deep-thinking dramas; or you’re
just ready to disconnect and want some cute entertainment, this might be the
movie for you.
Of course, a good
rom-com is great for a date movie, too.
Either way, it feels
refreshingly original for its genre, and it might just be my guilty pleasure of
the month!
8 – Downton Abbey (9/20)
Production/Distribution: Focus Features, Perfect World Pictures, Carnival Film &
Television, Universal Pictures International
Director: Michael Engler
Writer: Julian Fellowes
Actors: Matthew Goode, Maggie Smith,Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle
Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Michael Fox, Joanne Froggatt, Tuppence Middleton,
Elizabeth McGovern, Allen Leach, Imelda Staunton, Sophie McShera, Kate Phillips,
Geraldine James, Simon Jones
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG
Length: 122 minutes
IMDb Blurb: The continuing story of
the Crawley family, wealthy owners of a large estate in the English countryside
in the early 20th century.
I have been dying to
get into the TV Series of Downton Abbey,
but it is among a very long list of shows I need to get around to watching. I
was fairly giddy when they announced the upcoming movie. This should be a
fairly good litmus test for anyone wanting to test the waters to see if the
Brit drama is to their liking or not. Of course, it helps if you’re a fan of
the genre already. I’m looking forward to some subtle, dry British humor and
gorgeous set pieces. I really am a sucker for period pieces.
7 – The Day Shall Come (9/27)
Production/Distribution: See-Saw Films, Archer Gray, BFI Film Fund, Film4, Riverstone
Pictures, IFC Films
Director: Christopher Morris
Writers: Jesse Armstrong, Sean Gray, Tony Roche, Christopher Morris
Actors: Anna Kendrick, Jim Gaffigan, Kayvan Novak, Danielle Brooks,
Denis O'Hare, Miles Robbins, Pej Vahdat, Adam David Thompson, Drew Gehling,
Mousa Kraish, James Adomian, Malcolm M. Mays, Marchánt Davis, Andrew James
Bleidner, Curtiss Cook Jr., Michael Braun, Isaiah Stratton, Stephany Liriano,
Rodney Richardson, Calah Lane, Andrel McPherson, Michael Reagan
Genre: Comedy
Rated: Unrated
Length: 87 minutes
IMDb Blurb: An impoverished preacher
who brings hope to the Miami projects is offered cash to save his family from
eviction. He has no idea his sponsor works for the FBI who plan to turn him
into a criminal by fueling his madcap revolutionary dreams.
Somehow I feel like
this is something that could actually happen. It doesn’t even have to be an
actual preacher. Anyone can get ordained on the internet these days. Hell,
someone find that guy that held a political office and wore a boot for a hat. I
digress…
The big sell with this
film for me is really that Anna Kendrick (The
Accountant, Table 19, A Simple Favor) is a part of it. The trailer had me
laughing and scratching my head. I want to see how this all plays out and
think there’ll be some good entertainment along the way.
6 – The Goldfinch (9/13)
Production/Distribution: Kaap Holland Film, Color Force, Warner Bros. Pictures, Amazon
Studios
Director: John Crowley
Writers: Peter Straughan, Donna Tartt
Actors: Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn
Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Ashleigh Cummings, Willa
Fitzgerald
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Length: 149 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A boy in New York is taken
in by a wealthy Upper East Side family after his mother is killed in a bombing
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
We transition from
something lighthearted to a film that feels like it will be decidedly heavy. I
mean seriously, there might be tears involved. It’s hard to imagine not when
faced with a boy orphaned by a bombing.
There are some big names with
amazing talent attached to this movie, and the trailer did not disappoint. I
want to know where the story is going and how the titular goldfinch ties in and
brings the narrative full circle, as the trailer alludes.
5 – Rambo: Last Blood (9/20)
Production/Distribution: Millennium Films, Lionsgate, Campbell Grobman Films, Balboa
Productions, Dadi Film Group, NYLA Media Group, Templeton Media
Director: Adrian Grunberg
Writers: Matthew Cirulnick, Sylvester Stallone, David Morrell
IMDb Blurb: Rambo must confront his
past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final
mission.
I’m sure I’ve
mentioned before, but it bears repeating – I’m an 80s baby. Sylvester Stallone
(Bullet to the Head, The Expendables,
Ratchet & Clank) was just part of the cultural landscape as I was
growing up. Rambo with his long hair and headband was an icon of the era, and
even the very first R rated movie I saw (sneaking in) as a kid was Rocky IV (1985).
Aside from the trailer
giving a glimpse of a kick-ass action movie, I get this warm fuzzy nostalgic
feeling. I am intrigued at the decision to crop John Rambo’s long locks, but I
suppose it fits with the theme. Those were staples of early Rambo from the
likes of First Blood (1982) even up
to the last film. This new John Rambo is a man pushed too far when perhaps he’d
rather be living the retired life. I think it’ll have something for fans of the
franchise and regular action fans alike.
4 – Night Hunter (9/6)
Production/Distribution: Arcola Entertainment, Arise Pictures, Buffalo Gal Pictures,
Fortitude International, PalmStar Media, Saban Films
Director: David Raymond
Writer: David Raymond
Actors: Alexandra Daddario, Henry Cavill, Minka Kelly, Stanley Tucci,
Ben Kingsley, Nathan Fillion, Eliana Jones, Sara Thompson, Brendan Fletcher,
Emma Tremblay, Carlyn Burchell, Mpho Koaho, Daniela Lavender, Kristen Harris,
Jason Tremblay, Stephanie Sy, Annika Elyse Irving
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 98 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A weathered Lieutenant,
his police force, and a local vigilante are all caught up in a dangerous scheme
involving a recently arrested, troubled man who's linked to years of female
abductions and murders.
I am prepared to be on
the edge of my seat with this movie. I will admit that the cast got my
attention first, and then the plot sucked me in so far that I think I’m
going to go a bit bonkers if I don’t actually get to watch this film sometime
soon to find out what happens.
I did mention the cast, right? Not
only is it led by none other than Henry Cavill (Stardust, Sand Castle, Mission Impossible: Fallout) and the iconic Sir
Ben Kingsley (The Jungle Book, The
Ottoman Lieutenant, War Machine), but we find Alexandra Daddario (Burying the Ex, San Andreas, The Layover)
in a strong role, as well. This cast is on fire right now. Daddario even finds
herself in multiple films hitting the screen this month.
I’m so glad that Cavill hasn’t let
himself get pigeon-holed into the clean-cut hero that becoming the Man of Steel (2013) could have
triggered. His roles outside of that franchise have been more action-oriented,
but also a bit cheekier in some cases and definitely grittier. This looks like
it will definitely be a solid film to tide me over as I wait on pins and
needles for Netflix to get on with releasing the upcoming The Witcher series. Of course, the two concepts are nothing alike.
One is high fantasy, while this movie is rooted in grimy reality.
Brendan Fletcher (The Revenant, Braven, Siren) gave me a
really eerie chill from the snippets of his performance in the trailer. He does
crazy rather well. I am really hoping I get a chance to see this one in the
theater.
3 – Abominable (9/27)
Production/Distribution: DreamWorks Animation, Pearl Studio, Universal Pictures
Directors: Jill Culton, Todd Wilderman
Writer: Jill Culton
Actors: Chloe Bennet, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, Albert Tsai, Eddie Izzard,
Sarah Paulson, Michelle Wong
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
Length: 92 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A magical Yeti must return to his family.
Here, we have the best
of what September has to offer for kids movies. It helps that the film looks
absolutely adorable.
If you’re looking for
a way to beat the heat with the family, this might be a good call. Imagine
yourself in the snowy mountains or up among the clouds as this intrepid little
girl helps her yeti friend find his way home.
There’s a bonus in
this one for me, as well. I love it when movies like this one incorporate kids
playing musical instruments. The film’s heroine plays the violin and something
truly magical seems to happen. I’ve always seen music as a form of real magic.
It’s sound that can alter our moods and fuel our imaginations. In any case, I’m
hoping that there might be some inspiration here for kids to create magical music
of their own.
2 – Ad Astra (9/20)
Production/Distribution: Bona Film Group, Plan B Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, New
Regency Pictures, RT Features, Keep Your Head, MadRiver Pictures
Director: James Gray
Writers: James Gray, Ethan Gross
Actors: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, Donald
Sutherland, John Ortiz, John Finn, Loren Dean
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Length: 124 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across an unforgiving
solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father and his doomed
expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the universe.
I’m super excited
about this movie’s release. I love space movies and sci-fi in general. This
film has reportedly taken care to be as realistic as possible with the concepts
of space travel and how things work. I have much respect for productions that
actually take such things into account.
Aside from the
superstar cast and attention to detail, the story is intriguing. Just from
watching the various trailers, I have some burning questions. If nothing else,
this movie is set to be quite the visual feast. I have serious doubts that it
will let us down on the plot, however.
1 – It Chapter Two (9/6)
Production/Distribution: Rideback, Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, Toma 78, Lin
Pictures, Vertigo Entertainment, KatzSmith Productions
Director: Andrés Muschietti
Writers: Gary Dauberman, Stephen King
Actors: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay
Ryan, James Ransone, Bill Skarsgard, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff,
Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray
Taylor, Teach Grant, Nicholas Hamilton, Stephen King, Joan Gregson
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
Length: 169 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the
terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a
devastating phone call brings them back.
Have I mentioned
before that I’m a die-hard Stephen King (The
Stand, Pet Sematary, The Mist) fan? I haven’t his newest work, but I
have pored over many a volume of ‘classic King.’ IT is one of those stories
that sticks with you – whether your first introduction to it was the book, or
one of the cinematic treatments its been given. I actually saw the original It
(1990) before I read the book. Clowns are creepy, ok?
I had been somewhat
skeptical but cautiously optimistic about the 2017 remake with chapter 1 of
this story in 2 parts.
You know that
something has struck a serious chord when something as simple and innocent as a
red balloon instills a deep sense of dread that tempts you to shout at the
screen during an entirely different movie ‘stay away from the balloon you silly
bear, don’t you know it’s attached to an evil clown?!’ Needless to say, all doubts were soundly
tossed to the wind. It was terrifyingly good. I can’t wait to watch the final
installment as soon as possible. Just be cautioned that it will stick with you.
