I say nostalgic because most of what I watched was on the older side. Some were new to me, while others I just revisited, but you know I made time for some new films, too. Who would I be if I didn’t? Let’s take a stroll down memory lane first.
The Oldies:
Watchmen – This was new for me! This controversial comic book series came out when I was a junior in high school, so it wasn’t really on my radar. Over the years as I’ve gotten more and more into superhero films Watchmen was always on my list, especially with the cast attached. I believe at the time they all weren’t that well known, but have all since really made a name for themselves. My biggest hesitation was its run time. Well, after watching Zach Snyder’s Justice League, why not watch his original superhero film? I’m so glad I did because it was incredible! Just visually stunning and the story was so dark. Everyone in it was pitch perfect, and I’m sort of counting down the days before I inevitably watch it again. This has also got me primed to start the highly acclaimed series of the same name that just aired last year. And I might even check out the comic! Look at me go!
Thin Ice – Watchmen reminded me of how much I like Billy Crudup, who first came to my attention in this black comedy film back when I was working in a video store. I came for Greg Kinnear, but I stayed for Billy Crudup’s crazy ass. This was a delight watching Kinner’s Micky flounder as a con man and then get in over his head when a security installer (and former convicted felon), Crudup’s Randy, kills a neighbor of an old man he’s trying to swindle. Strangely an old violin plays a pretty large part, and I also completely forgot that pre-Stranger Things‘ David Harbour has a nice amount of screen time! From my understanding, the version that made its way to the masses wasn’t even really close to the original that premiered at Sundance, but I found the end product entertaining enough. Not quite Fargo, but it’ll satisfy.
Stoker – I first watched this 2013 thriller last year after Google kept incessantly kept telling me I would like it…turns out they were right! This movie was gorgeously shot in a creepy mansion, and the plot had me squealing “WHAT?!” to myself several times. That’s good stuff. And sometimes disturbing stuff which is really my cup of tea. Nicole Kidman is hit or miss for me, but the on-screen chemistry between Matthew Goode (a perfect human?) and Mia Wasikowska is off the charts given how insane their characters were. In this, on India’s eighteenth birthday her father dies in a horrific car accident, but her absent uncle, Charlie shows up instead. He sticks around intent on befriending India while also seducing her mother. What happens beyond that premise is stuff you probably won’t guess until it happens. Pure genius of a script by Wentworth Miller (I know, right?!), and I just learned that he wrote an Uncle Charlie prequel that I hope sees the light of day sometime in the near future. Please watch this!
The Newbs:
Cherry – Truthfully, I was really excited to watch this drama film that was shot in Cleveland, and based on a man’s actual life until the reviews started coming in. Not a single one I found was good. The Avengers: Endgame directors tapped Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland to play Nico Walker, who had quite the tumultuous life before ending up in prison. The Russo’s tried their best to put his whole life on the screen, but it all just came out a bit jumbled and quite honestly, pretty boring. Nico fell in love, got dumped, joined the army where upon his return home suffered tragically from PTSD, which he tried to smother with opioids. In order to maintain his drug habits, he took up bank robbing, which was eventually his downfall. Even though Walker’s life story is pretty extreme, I think the Rosso’s didn’t have to make it an action film. They should have kept it more true to a drama, as well as focus on the PTSD aspect that lots of veterans suffer from, and also the opioid epidemic that’s a major problem in Cleveland. A swing and a miss, but I hope the Russo’s keep filming in Cleveland!
Nobody – I’ve never seen Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul, so I went to go see this action movie solely based on the premise, which after watching it, is pretty obviously based on John Wick, but I’m okay with that! Bob Odenkirk plays the titular “nobody” named Hutch who is living a very routine life. That is until one night when his house gets broken into. He very nearly goes to kill the intruder, but then lets them go. Soon after we learn that Hutch used to be an “auditor,” which is from my understanding just a really intense hitman. That break-in prompts him to be a bit of a vigilante for the night until he learns that he killed someone connected to the Russian mob. Now he’s got a whole tail of them on his ass! While there’s a little more humor peppered throughout this movie, it no doubt called my memory back to the John Wick films, but again, that is a good thing here! Very entertaining and brilliantly violent, which definitely inspired my seeing Watchmen over the weekend! Check this action flick out when you can, especially since we won’t get a new John Wick film until next year!