You know, for still being in the midst of a pandemic that keeps pushing back the release of so many films, there is still a boatload of new films to be seen! Yes, my Film Independent membership certainly helps with this, but if you look they are there. You just have to be more open to some indie titles!
The Mauritanian – A Film Independent offering, this film follows the true story of Mohamedou Ould Salahi, who was detained by the U.S. government at Guantanamo Bay for years and years, but was never convicted of any crimes. They claim they have evidence linking him to 9/11, among other things, but never produces it to show him. It also depicts the tough as nails defense lawyer, Nancy Hollander, who decides that everyone deserves a fair trial, regardless of how controversial his case may be. This is especially true after the stories Mohamedou relays to her. Even the prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Crouch, eventually relents after finding unsettling documents detailing the torture methods going on at “Gitmo.” Actor Tahar Rahim should not be overlooked for his powerful performance.
Falling – In Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut, he’s pulling off double duty by also acting in the film as John, and follows the relationship he has with his mentally ailing father, Willis. John lives in California with his husband Eric and daughter, Monica, and brings his father there in hopes to move him there permanently to look after him. Willis is a very traditional man with a gruff past, which we see in flashbacks, but frequently shouts out very hurtful sentiments, along with racist and homophobic remarks. His anger and stubbornness to change his way of life despite John’s almost never-ending patience is the main grift of the film, but it’s nice to see the man John has become in defiance to his upbringing.
The Kid Detective – This black-comedy thriller gave off some gentle Fargo vibes, and I loved every second of it. A moderately-paced mystery, this film follows the now-grown kid detective, Abe Applebaum, as he struggles to adult after his success at such a young age. That is, until one day, a high school girl named Caroline hires Abe to figure out who murdered her boyfriend. I loved watching the two of them drive around and sleuthing together. Over the course of the film, Abe slowly acquires evidence that he finally manages to put together. Of course, that comes with some failures along the way, but once he connects some dots, the truth he discovers keeps revealing more and more to him. And that’s all I can say about that without ruining it! This movie was so great that I watched it twice in one weekend. That’s high praise.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown – This movie was part remake and part sequel, but regardless of what it was, it contained a heavy dose of meta. In current day, it’s Halloween in the town of Texarkana, where Jami and Corey are watching The Town That Dreaded Sundown at their local drive-in. The two decide to leave early and make-out before they are attacked, and Corey killed, by the Phantom Killer. Thus starts a chain of murders and a big old mystery about who the killer is. Because he certainly can’t be the same Phantom Killer from the 40s! I enjoyed the level of gore in this film, along with a truly delightful twist at the end. However, the film itself seemed rather clunky in it’s pacing and storytelling. For that, it just hits the middle of the road for me.
Parallel – What an unexpected surprise this movie turned out to be! I decided to rent it with no inquiries because I saw that Mr. Robot‘s Martin Wallstrom was in it. Turns out, so was Hannibal alum, Mark O’Brien, and The New Normal‘s Georgia King! They, along with Aml Ameen, play a close-knit group of friends who are trying to get a parking app to market with little luck. After a little disappointment and a night of drinking, they stumble upon their boarded-up attic where they find a mirror that is able to transport them to alternate universes! At first, they use it to help them get ahead with their app, but then they ultimately start abusing the benefits of the mirror. While one friend turns dirty, and another gets killed, the remaining friends make it their mission to stop the madness. Again, a really fun twist shows up in the final shot!
In Darkness – This is an older movie that I remember seeing on the shelves of my local video store, but it honestly seemed too scary to rent! Then a few months back I saw it pop up on Netflix and decided I was going to give it a go, especially after learning it was more of a thriller than an outright horror film. Sofia is a very talented blind pianist whose life alters quickly when her upstairs neighbor suddenly jumps from her window to her death. Suddenly, she tangled with corrupt figures and “security” teams, but it all may not be what it appears with Sofia. I found this to be a very entertaining movie! I loved the relationships she had throughout the film, as well as how she carried herself as a disabled individual. Sure, if this film were made today, perhaps it could benefit with an actual lead who was blind, but for what this film was when it came out, I liked it a lot. It’s on Netflix, people, so add it to your list!
The Climb – As this comedy progressed, I got some pretty strong Wes Anderson vibes, which made this film really enjoyable! The film starts with the crumbling of a friendship as Kyle learns that Mike has been having an affair with his fiancé, Ava. It turns out that Mike and Ava get married, but she dies unexpectedly a short time later. After this first part, the film is broken up into seven different chunks throughout the pair’s lives and examines their complicated friendship. For a good while Kyle wants nothing to do with Mike and gets engaged again. Kyle’s mother essentially reunites the two at Christmas, with Mike’s life in shambles. It’s clear that Kyle’s fiancé Marissa, detests Mike, but fails at breaking apart their fairly fragile friendship throughout the film. Ultimately, their bond is too strong to break forever, and that’s the relationship that lasts. My favorite scenes came at the Christmas reunion with a trashed Mike passing out an obliterating a coffee table, and a synchronized skiing routine. Definitely worth your time!