Azrael (2024)

Movie Name/Year: Azrael (2024)
Genre: Action, Horror 
Length: 1h 26min 
Rating: R 
Director: E.L. Katz 
Writer: Simon Barrett
Actors: Samara Weaving, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Vic Carmen Sonne, Katariina Unt, Sebastian Bull Sarning

Blurb: In a world in which no one speaks, a mysterious, devout community hunts down a young woman named Azrael (Samara Weaving) who has escaped their imprisonment. Recaptured by its ruthless leaders, she is to be sacrificed to pacify an evil which resides deep within the surrounding wilderness – but Azrael will stop at nothing to ensure her own freedom and survival. From the seeds of this gritty, relentless parable of sacrifice and salvation, comes an immersive, real-time, action horror tale from the visionary minds of Simon Barrett and E.L. Katz. 

Samara Weaving in E.L. Katz’s AZRAEL. Courtesy of Gabriela Urm. An IFC Films and Shudder Release.  

Cat’s Point of View:
I'm of two minds about Azrael, now that the credits have rolled.

Let's take it from the beginning before we delve a little deeper into that, though.

Azrael did have a place on September's Top 20 List, and I have been eagerly anticipating watching to find the answers to my questions the trailer left me with. I noted that I adore Samara Weaving (Mayhem, Ready or Not, Guns Akimbo) and I'd be giving this movie a chance even if I wasn't already fascinated with the story behind the teased events from the film.

I'm happy to say that Weaving knocked this out of the park, as usual. She conveyed every emotion and nuance I could have asked for within Azrael – and all without a single word. Her expressiveness and physicality were on another level bringing this role to life. I maintain that she is one of the best scream queens of this age.

Samara Weaving in E.L. Katz’s AZRAEL. Courtesy of Gabriela Urm. An IFC Films and Shudder Release.  

I actually giggle, looking back at what I wrote in my article blurb for Azrael that “...the writer/director production team for this film have the potential to really sink their teeth into this story...” If you watch this movie, you'll definitely see where I made an unintentional funny, there. I digress...

Getting back to the nuts and bolts of it all, however, I am not sure where I land overall with Azrael. On one hand, this production team set out to challenge themselves with this concept. They intended to create some cinematic art within the action-horror-thriller landscape. I think they were generally successful.

I was on the edge of my seat for a good bit of Azrael. Given the utter lack of dialogue from the majority of the cast (yes, you read that right) that was an absolute feat. This was by no means a “silent picture,” however there just wasn't any speaking – because that was part of the story of post-Rapture civilization. There was plenty of action, quite a bit of violence, enough blood to make the gore-hounds happy, and an excellent tale of justified rage and quest for vengeance.

E.L. Katz’s AZRAEL. Courtesy of Gabriela Urm. An IFC Films and Shudder Release.  

What Azrael doesn't have is a lot of exposition. There were a few title cards in between segments of the movie, but there's not any cast-driven explanation of what's going on. Nor is there any sort of voice-over narration. We're, as an audience, thrown into the middle of events and given just a basic premise of why no one is talking. Then everything takes off into the violent cat and mouse game that ensues.

I was hoping for answers to the questions that the trailer sparked as it piqued my interest – but I'll have to live without some of them. I'm satisfied with how everything played out, all the same. I was thrilled, I was horrified, I felt an emotional connection to Weaving's character, and this story even begrudgingly drug a little bit of empathy out of me for one of the antagonists.

The writer and director, Simon Barrett (You're Next, The Guest, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire) and E.L. Katz (ABCs of Death 2: A is for Amateur, Channel Zero, The Haunting of Bly Manor) respectively, really did a pretty great job with this one – and intentionally wanted their audiences to make some conclusions on their own rather than have the information spoon-fed to them.

Samara Weaving in E.L. Katz’s AZRAEL. Courtesy of Gabriela Urm. An IFC Films and Shudder Release.

It's a little frustrating for my level of burning curiosity, but it didn't really impact my enjoyment. I will say that it was a little harder to watch than some films given that there was no dialogue to keep me pulled in to what was going on – but that's on my ADHD. When subtitles or a quiet film are involved, I have to stay laser focused on the screen and can't dither about with various fidgets to help me take the edge off, if needed. I watched late at night for the ambiance factor of darkness and a quiet household, and it just had my nerves slightly frazzled by the end with the combination of the 'what the fuck' sensation that the story, itself brought about.

Azrael isn't going to be for everyone, but it is definitely worth giving a chance for action-horror fans, especially with the dearth of original concepts out there. There have been very few mainstream movies that have even touched on this topic, so there's that.

While Shudder is one of the production/distribution companies listed for Azrael, it is getting a theater run before it will become eligible for streaming. You can catch Azrael in participating theaters beginning today, Friday September 27^th, 2024.

E.L. Katz’s AZRAEL. Courtesy of Gabriela Urm. An IFC Films and Shudder Release. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 73%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –None
Metascore – 52%
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6.0/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Consecration (2023)

Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Consecration (2023)
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 1h 31min
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: AGC Studios, Bigscope Films, Moonriver, IFC Midnight, Shudder
Director: Christopher Smith
Writer: Christopher Smith, Laurie Cook
Actors: Jena Malone, Danny Huston, Ian Pirie, Janet Suzman, Thoren Ferguson, Eilidh Fisher, Steffan Cennydd
 
Blurb from IMDb: After the alleged suicide of her priest brother, Grace travels to the remote Scottish convent where he fell to his death. Distrusting the Church's account, she uncovers murder, sacrilege, and a disturbing truth about herself.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
The trailer and promotional material for Consecration had me amped.
 
Horror flicks based on faith are a dime a dozen, but it felt like there would be an interesting twist with this one.
 
On the one hand, I was right. There was an interesting twist involved. It was giving The Omen (1976), but there were some tweaks that altered the feel. The problem was that most of what led up to that decent twisty ending was boring.
 
By the time Consecration was over I was exhausted from just trying to keep myself awake.
 

The best thing I can say is that the cast was on point. Jena Malone (Lorelei, The Public, Swallowed) did the best she could with what she had. Danny Huston (Marlowe, Calls, The Constant Gardener) and Janet Suzman (Felix, Max, The Curse of Minerva) were appropriately creepy, though Eilidh Fisher (The Power, The English Game, The Nest) showed them both up with her performance. Thoren Ferguson (Matriarch, The Spanish Princess, Matriarch) was a suitable good-guy type as well.
 
Ian Pirie (The Last Duel, Guilt, The Matrix Resurrections) shined above them all. He had the one thread of storyline that was truly frightening – and his performance was equally so.
 
Consecration had a good idea with great actors. It even had an interesting ending that was tweaked just enough to feel fresh. The problem was the rest of it.
 
I wouldn’t be able to sit through it again. But if you want to give it a shot, it comes out on Shudder, May 19th.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
I have some strong feelings about Consecration, and I’m frustrated about it. This is primarily because if I discussed them, it would reveal massive spoilers. Since that is generally not our intention in these reviews, I’ll just flail internally for a moment and move on to what I can offer spoiler-free.
 
Let’s start with some positives.
 
I was happy that Consecration showed off the gorgeous landscapes of Scotland in general, and especially the Isle of Skye. The cinematography was spot-on there. While I’m not particularly familiar with the clifftop ruins utilized within the film, it was quite fitting for the story and the beautifully rugged setting.
 
The fact that this was a primarily Scottish story had me very excited when it came to this production. I was craving that scenery; and Scottish brogue is like music to my ears. Irish and Scottish language, accents, art, music, and landscapes all call to parts of my soul more than any other and I am rather voracious when it comes to partaking of such things.
 
I was hoping that Consecration would utilize native actors to maximize the feeling of authenticity. This production mostly succeeded with that by utilizing actors like Ian Pirie, Eilidh Fisher, and Thoren Ferguson.
 

While watching the film, the story seemed to support the fact that Grace, Jena Malone’s character, had an English accent rather than Scottish - but as things unfolded and the more I have thought about it, I think it was a wasted opportunity to not have her utilize a Scots accent instead. Perhaps it was a difficult dialect for her - I have no idea if it was specifically intentional or not. Regardless, I feel it was a disservice to the tale. Other than that, though, I really didn’t have any problems with her overall performance.
 
Danny Huston also didn’t disappoint. His character was disarming and exactly how one would expect a priest in his position to be.
 
Consecration had a slow burn going on with a blend of religion-based horror and that of the horrific acts of man. It could have benefited from some better editing when it came to the flashbacks because it was put together a little clunkily in that regard. I did appreciate the full-circle nature of the story, but there were bits that just nagged at me and damaged my ability to suspend disbelief. The ending twist was decent. I didn’t see it coming.
 
Overall, Consecration wasn’t a bad religious horror movie, it just had room for improvement and a few pacing issues. I’d say it’s worth a watch if the trailer intrigued you at all.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 42%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 32%
Metascore – 40%
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score –5.1/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Apocalypse Rising (2018)

Streaming Service: Paramount+
Movie Name/Year: Apocalypse Rising (2018)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Length: 83 minutes
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: Giant Meteor Films, Rathe Productions, Gravitas Ventures
Director: Richard Lowry
Writer:  Gregory P. Wolk
Actors: Hunter Alexes Parker, Shane Samples, Justin Lebrun, Johanna Rae, Victoria Steadman, James R. Frey, Kelly Brown, Shiah Luna, David Namminga, Ketalyn Levario, Dennis Marin, John R. Mangus
 
Blurb from IMDb: They came from a doomed world to save us from the same fate.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Apocalypse Rising is a low-budget B-movie, so I’ll be comparing it only to other films like it. Fish can’t climb trees, after all.
 
The thing that drew me to this movie was the plot. The mix of undead horror and hard sci-fi, at least in this context, is not something I’ve ever seen before. Aliens coming from a warring planet only to find Earth in the process of starting a zombie apocalypse? I knew it was risky, but I was so here for the idea.
 
What makes a B-movie good is not necessarily quality. It’s when the flick is fun to watch. Either because it’s over-the-top ridiculous – like Sharknado (2013), super relatable to at least one group – like The Gamers: Dorkness Rising (2008), accidentally funny – like The Wicker Man (2006), or because it’s so bad it’s good – like The VelociPastor (2018). Are any of them the kind that people would spend 20 bucks to see in theaters? Of course not. But they make for good watching with a group of friends and a bucket of popcorn.
 

Luckily, Apocalypse Rising didn’t take itself too seriously. I found it watchable, actually. It could have been as good as Starship Troopers (1997), but there were a few missteps. The most glaring of which was the sex scenes. I could have done with about 87 less of them. It might have made the flick come in at just around an hour long, but it also would have wound up being good enough to have that possibility of cult status.
 
I do believe that Apocalypse Rising dips a toe into the ‘so bad it’s good’ category. It walks the line a little closer than I’d prefer, but I don’t regret watching it. I did have some fun.
 
It’s absolutely not for everyone. As mentioned, there are WAY too many sex scenes (even if they are more parody than porn), there’s a lot of over-the-top acting, and one-note characters. If I was comparing Apocalypse Rising to a bigger film, it would not make the cut. For what it is, however… it was a lot better than most. It had a decent story, and I liked the ending. It was unique.
 
Apocalypse Rising could make for some funny watching for a friends-night-in or a zoom-movie-call. Just make sure to bring your sense of humor. Don’t take it too seriously.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 4.4/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Fantasia 2021: Agnes (2021)

Movie Name/Year: Fantasia 2021: Agnes (2021)
Genre: Drama, Horror
Length: 93 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Language: English
Production/Distribution: Divide/Conquer, Perm Machine, QWGmire
Director: Mickey Reece
Writer: Mickey Reece, John Selvidge
Actors: Molly C. Quinn, Sean Gunn, Hayley McFarland, Chris Browning, Rachel True, Jake Horowitz, Zandy Hartig, Bruce Davis, Chris Freihofer, Ben Hall, Cait Brasel, Mary Buss
 
Blurb from IMDb: Rumors of demonic possession at a religious convent prompts a church investigation into the strange goings-on among its nuns. A disaffected priest and his neophyte are confronted with temptation, bloodshed and a crisis of faith.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
A lot of the tropes involved in an exorcism horror plot can be off-putting. The trailer for Agnes makes it seem like they intend to hit every point. It’s a bit misleading. In fact, it’s like one of those ‘spoilers without context’ posts you see on social media.
 
Agnes had some really unique turns. A lot of the aforementioned tropes were present, but in inconsequential ways. I don’t mean they flipped the stereotypes around; I mean they literally didn’t matter by the end.
 
Agnes seems to be made up of two completely different stories. As original as that made it, it also added a sense of intense confusion. I’ll be honest, at a few points I had no idea what was happening or how it had anything to do with where the movie began.
 

The thing is, both the first and the second half of the film would have made decent projects in their own right – but they’re so different in genre and tone that they feel awkward when stuck together. On one hand, you have the horror of a demonic possession. On the other, a dramatic look into the people affected by what happened. The titular character is never seen again after a certain point. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it is a simple way of explaining how sharp of a turn the movie takes.
 
It felt like a bait and switch.
 
The actual method behind the film-making was impressive. There was a decent use of imagery, with intuitive lighting, and some scenes utilizing interesting perspective shots. None of that was particularly flawed. I don’t, however, believe it will find a footing with wider audiences. 
 
The transformation of genres, the jarring transitions, and slow burn of the second half will make Agnes less accessible to general movie-goers. Amongst film critics, people who hyperfocus on cinema, and students of the industry – I get why it would do well. I just don’t think a wider audience would go for it.

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer:

The Banishing (2021)

Streaming Services: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: The Banishing (2021)
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Length:  97 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: WestEnd Films, Blue Lantern Entertainment International, Ecs Films, Entermode, Koch Media, Prima, Shudder, Suraya Filem, Suraya Film Productions, The Jokers
Director: Christopher Smith
Writers: David Beton, Ray Bogdanovich, Dean Lines
Actors: Jessica Brown Findlay, Sean Harris, John Lynch, John Heffernan, Adam Hugill, Jason Thorpe, Anya McKenna-Bruce, James Swanton, Cokey Falkow, Seamus O'Neill, Amy Trigg, Nigel Travis, Sara Apostolaki, Danny Shayler, Jean St. Clair, Matthew Clarke
 
Blurb from IMDb:  The Banishing tells the story of the most haunted house in England. In the 1930s, a young reverend, his wife and daughter move into a manor with a horrifying secret.

 
Selina’s Point of View:
 
There’s a lot to like about the subtlety of The Banishing.
 
If you rely on the trailer alone, it looks like it’s going to be a run-of-the-mill haunted house flick. In fact, it looked like it would be so basic, that I almost didn’t even bother with the screener.
 
I absolutely believe that trailers shouldn’t spoil the films they represent… but they have to at least be cut in a way that sparks interest. In this case, the trailer for The Banishing was cut to make it seem like there was nothing unique about it – and that’s not true.
 
Although it was a relatively slow burn, The Banishing managed to subvert so many expectations for haunted house films, that it winds up being worth it.
 
I’ll admit that I do tend to forgive tropey films, as long as they’re done well, but I’m always hoping to see something that goes in a different direction. The Banishing never falls to complete tropes. There’s some mirror work, but it’s unexpected. There are some locked doors, but it’s not what anyone thinks.
 
The horror is subtle. There are some big, paranormal scenes, but they don’t fall into a ‘basic’ category.

 
Throughout the film, I kept thinking that the cinematography, story, and direction reminded me of classic horror flicks from the late 60s or early 70s. I don’t mean the setting or the costumes… but the overall feel of it. Like it could have been made around the same time as Rosemary’s Baby (1968) or The Exorcist (1973).
 
In films like that, the focus is almost completely on the characters, instead of the setting. We know that the house is haunted. We are made to understand the past. In the end, though, it’s all about who the main characters are, and what they offer to the story. A lot of haunting flicks just seem to progress regardless of what the characters do. The ending was going to be the ending, regardless of what took place. In that way, they tend to feel pointless. That’s not a pitfall that affects this one.
 
I particularly enjoyed the ending. It was understated.
 
There were a few issues.
 
Some of the transitions definitely felt a bit jarring and it seemed disjointed at times. There were also a couple of scenes that really didn’t belong. I don’t think that’s enough of a reason to condemn the film.
 
I mostly enjoyed it, though I don’t think it will be for everyone. If you’re looking for something fast-paced and pulse-pounding, this isn’t it. If you’re up for something with a touch more depth, something that gives off the feel of another era – you’ll like The Banishing.
 
The Banishing will be released through Shudder on April 15.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
When the credits rolled I felt like I had just wandered a maze rather than watched a movie. The Banishing meandered through so many twists and turns – many leading nowhere. I was worried for a little while that there wasn’t going to be a point at all. There was a rather nice depiction of a tango that had absolutely nothing to do with the overall story, aside from one of the characters involved with it. That’s how random some of this film seemed.
 
Surprisingly enough, there was an actual story buried in there. It had some holes and left its audience to do some reading between the lines, but it existed nonetheless.
 
From what I gather by comparing IMDb’s blurb for the film and the paragraph at the very end of the credits, this movie was based on an actual place in England. The disclaimer at the end of the film indicates that while based on actual events, a good deal was fictionalized for the purpose of this story. I’m moderately fascinated about the real place and what may have happened there. I might just go look it up at some point. It doesn’t ring any bells for me, however, so I’m unable to compare the depicted story with historical events actual or lore-based. I digress…

 
I felt moderately bad for the main characters, but beyond that, I really couldn’t bring myself to care much for what was going on. The movie simply wasn’t all that frightening. There were some jump-scares that got me, but I startle so easily that it’s not a good measure for a movie. I was really hoping for a good dread-filled horror movie. Unfortunately, since this particular tale was light on that aspect and heavier on drama it left me rather disappointed.
 
There’s always something positive about a film – even if you have to grasp at proverbial straws to find it. For this one, I’d have to say that the production did a great job at conveying the era in general for Britain between the World Wars. I couldn’t really fault most of the acting, either. In fact, the overall film seems to be growing on me, now that I've slept and had some time to process it a little more. I am a fan of subtlety and the ending ties things together better than expected. Unfortunately, I just can't seem to shake the disappointment. 
 
If you’re looking for a movie that’s going to make you side-eye dark hallways and sleep with the light on, this isn’t likely going to be the one for you. If you’re looking for a dramatic period piece that’s low on the thrill threshold with a sprinkle of paranormal and a few jump scares…well maybe The Banishing might be something you’d enjoy. 

 
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 74%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore –None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 4.5/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Trust the Dice Parental Advisory Rating: PG-13
 
Movie Trailer:

The Devil All the Time (2020)

Streaming Services: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: The Devil All the Time (2020)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Length: 138 minutes
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: Nine Stories Productions, Netflix
Director: Antonio Campos
Writer: Antonio Campos, Paulo Campos, Donald Ray Pollock
Actors: Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Haley Bennett, Harry Melling, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, Mia Wasikowska, Eliza Scanlen, Jason Clarke, Douglas Hodge, Given Sharp, Drew Starkey, Lucy Faust, Abby Glover, David Maldonado, Cory Scott Allen, Kristin Griffith, Michael Banks Repeta
 
Blurb from IMDb: Sinister characters converge around a young man devoted to protecting those he loves in a postwar backwoods town teeming with corruption and brutality.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
I have come to love Tom Holland (Onward, Spider-Man: Homecoming, In the Heart of the Sea) as an actor. That’s what primarily drove my interest in The Devil All the Time, at least initially. Eventually I took note of the rest of the phenomenal cast and watched the trailer – but none of that would have been enough to keep me interested without Holland.
 
Period piece films, especially ones that are rooted in mainly drama, just don’t tend to speak to me. On top of that, it’s long. It’s as if the writers took several different films and connected them into one. All the stories converge eventually, but you bounce back and forth a bit first. I had some suspicions that I might have trouble watching.
 
I was shocked that they were able to keep things from being difficult to follow. I thought I was going to get confused, but everything from the content, to the settings, to the acting kept me sucked in. My attention never wavered.
 

The people involved in The Devil All the Time were absolutely at the top of their game. Every branch of the setting was in place. There was not a single performance that was flawed. The writing was on point, except for one scene that I felt was a bit gratuitous.
 
There was one particular death that was much harder to watch than the others, the third one – I believe it was. There was no body horror, no torture involved. Something about the way the scene was done just made it feel very real. The director opted to go for a muted use of blood and music that caused everything to match up to what you would expect to see at a real crime scene. That made it more horrifying than any torture-based horror flick I’ve ever seen.
 
Honestly, even with how great the film is, a lot of it is difficult to watch and listen to. It goes to some seriously dark places and there are triggers everywhere. Keep that in mind if you’re interested in watching.
 
And you should be interested in watching. Netflix did a great job picking this movie for distribution. It’s unforgettable.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
When I see a movie labeled with the genres of crime, drama, and thriller; it tends to set me up for an experience that will either hold me in suspense or pull me into intrigue while I sit on the edge of my seat. I expect to be clawing for hope that the protagonist skates by to whatever their story’s favorable conclusion might be.
 
When “thrills” are promised, I expect time to fly by.
 
If I had to pick one word to describe The Devil All the Time, speedy would definitely not be it. The not-quite two and a half hours of this film felt more like three. I get it, though. The story spans several decades, after all. I guess I just wish the pacing was a bit faster. I suppose feeling the passage of time towards the inevitable conclusion could have been purposeful.
 
My take on this all-star Netflix original is that it gives us a reminder about that phrase we sometimes bandy about – “it’s a small world.” Expanding on that, the film also gives us a lesson in six-degrees-of-karma… or you could even argue fate.
 
I appreciated how immersive into that bygone era between World War II and Vietnam the film felt. The fact that the movie was shot on 35mm likely added to that ambiance and was a risk that, hopefully, paid off for Netflix.
 

The cast was amazing in their roles. I was invested in the characters regardless of how intensely I felt the passage of time. Of course, the time period depicted in the tale is, by nature, “slower-paced” in comparison to the “fast-lane” of the “future” that we live in, today.
 
If I’m being fair, I have to admit, it is also possible that the pain I’ve been experiencing in my right arm lately could also be coloring my perception of the passage of time. (I have a doctor’s appointment later this week, thankfully.)
 
I expect that the production was fairly true to the novel that it was adapted from, however; considering that the author of the titular book lent his voice to the role of the narrator of this story. Donald Ray Pollock hasn’t even voiced his own audiobooks before, so this seems to be telling for the production’s benefit.
 
Overall, it’s a solid dramatic piece, and satisfying for the most part. I definitely wouldn’t steer anyone away from the movie.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 64%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 83%
Metascore – 54/100
Metacritic User Score – 7.9/10
IMDB Score – 7.2/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

An American Pickle (2020)

Streaming Services: HBO Max

Movie Name/Year: An American Pickle (2020)

Genre: Comedy

Length: 88 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Production/Distribution: Point Grey Pictures, Gravitational Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Max, HBO España, HBO Max

Director: Brandon Trost

Writer: Simon Rich

Actors: Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook, Molly Evensen, Eliot Glazer, Kalen Allen, Kevin O’Rourke, Sean Whalen, Geoffrey Cantor, Carol Leifer, Jorma Taccone, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Alyse Zwick, Dalon Huntington, J Michael Grey, Liz Cackowski, Ian Poake

Blurb from IMDb: An immigrant worker at a pickle factory is accidentally preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern day Brooklyn.

Selina’s Point of View:

This film surprised the hell out of me. It’s not at all what I thought it would be.

I’d call that a good thing, this time. That means that An American Pickle didn’t succumb to the pitfalls I worried about. As I mentioned in my Top 20, using the same actor for two characters, especially in silly comedy flicks, has a tendency to go spectacularly wrong.

Seth Rogen (Long Shot, The Disaster Artist, The Interview) makes it work here, though. I saw the difference in the mannerisms very clearly. Even in scenes where they’re supposed to look the most alike, Rogen carried himself in ways that helped define the two characters.

I’m not saying that it was Orphan Black (2013-2017) good. After all, that’s a serious show and An American Pickle very much is not.

There’s nothing serious about this film. The ‘science’ is yadda-yadda’d. We never even get to hear the explanation, which is fine. We’re seeing things through Herschel’s eyes at the time, and he’s a bit overwhelmed from being pickled for 100 years.

I mean, I don’t think anyone would watch this movie for science reasons anyway, but still.

The humor was outstanding. I loved the way An American Pickle compared the lives of people from a century ago to our time through the eyes of a Jewish immigrant time-transplant and his great-grandson. You get to see the way things have changed. This flick takes a look at religion, cancel culture, and family in ways that other films can’t really explore when they take a more serious tone.

Lightening serious subjects with humor is a good way to objectively examine them.

I do not understand the reviews for this film. From what I’m seeing, it’s incredibly underrated. I almost always agree with the audience over the critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but I can’t this time.

Whatever the reason audiences have to dislike this film, I think they’re wrong. I had a beautiful time watching An American Pickle. I started laughing at the beginning and only stopped once, near the end, because I got hit with some feels.

This is a great film. It’s hilarious. If I had paid money to see this on the big screen, I’d have been more than satisfied. Honestly? I think it’s worth getting HBO Max for.

  

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 74%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 47%

Metascore – 58/100

Metacritic User Score – 4.1/10

IMDB Score – 5.8/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5

P.S.: There’s a short scene after the start of the credits.

Movie Trailer: