Colin Trevorrow’s follow up to “Jurassic World”, his non tentpole picture before “Star Wars Episode XI” (2019), takes him back to “Safety Not Guaranteed” territory. Despite appearances, “The Book of Henry” still functions within Trevorrow’s fantasy repertoire. The closest thematic resemblance here would be the 1992 flick “Radio Flyer”. The script abandons predictable narrative structure, […]
Over the past weekend distributor A24 released their deceptively marketed It Comes at Night. The sophomore film from Houston born director Trey Edward Shults whose directorial effort Krisha won both the audience and grand jury prize at SXSW in 2015 (but mainstream audiences never heard of). This film has a budget, Hollywood actors, marketed as
Director Roger Michell’s films can be quite good or forgettable depending on what he is working with. His latest was very anticipated on my part, the adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel. Maurier is the nearly forgotten author behind two of Hitchcock’s best adaptations The Birds and Rebecca. The first trailer for My Cousin Rachel
Room has certainly inspired similar films to come out of the woodwork. Berlin Syndrome is the latest, taking the concept of one person locked in a room against her will. Presented as a thriller, Berlin Syndrome is a cat and mouse game that never finds a profound message. Teresa Palmer (Hacksaw Ridge) called this role
I had all but given up on the Memorial Weekend movies until I saw new thriller Black Butterfly. The trailer didn’t show anything too enticing, it looked like another cat and mouse thriller, set in a remote location, shot on a cheap budget. The first few minutes of the thriller even met my lower expectations,
Unforgettable’s weak plot contrasts with strong performances of the main characters. After a traumatic childhood and recent past, Julia (Dawson) is eagerly anticipating her new life with David (Stults), someone who seems ideal—sensitive, caring, and responsible. He has a lovely house in California and gives her his grandmother’s ring upon their engagement. Julia is initially
Ben Wheatley’s follow-up to High Rise is just as divisive. The entire movie takes place in a warehouse with a 90-minute shootout. Each of the characters, about 15 of them total, are split into two sides, like Battleship. We get brief introductions before they take sides and begin shooting at one another. The cast most
Mine creates one of the most gut wrenching, impossible situations I’ve seen on cinema in a long time. The suspense in the first 26 minutes that leads us to a devastating situation is everything you expect from an action film putting the lead in dire circumstances. The big question is what happens next? You still
While Aftermath is based on true events of two planes crashing in Germany in 2002, the premise of loved ones dealing with the “aftermath” is universal with any plane crashing. Arnold Schwarzenegger continues trying to mount a comeback after a few failed starts, including Terminator Genisys and the indie zombie flick Maggie. Aftermath, which is
Olivier Assayas’s follow-up to Clouds of Sils Maria begins like any formulaic horror movie; Young girl in a dark, secluded, old house by herself. Personal Shopper is anything but formulaic as Assayas reteams with Stewart juggling narratives in this genre bending thriller/drama/horror film. Stewart is fascinating to watch, as always, whether cursing on SNL, breaking