In less than 72 hours, I’ve managed to squeeze five movies into my life without feeling like I’ve neglected any other area of my life. That is quite a feat! I also managed to accomplish this after cleaning up a bunch of glass off of my kitchen floor (courtesy of my cats)! As in the past few of these, rather than bore you with the details, I give my quick-take and a general summary of the films’ events in the hopes of helping you make some choices in your viewing leisure.
The Hunt – Yes, this movie came out just before quarantine shut all the theaters down, and I did manage to see it in theaters. Not really knowing what to expect ended up making this movie quite delightful for me. First they tease you with an abundance of celebrities, and then as the bloodshed starts they start peppering in some fairly heavy political context. It’s essentially a unique take on Democrats vs Republicans, but with a lot of blood and guts, and sometimes, comedy. Betty Gilpin’s southern accent is my favorite thing about this film, for sure.
Anna – Just an overall meh for this film. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Most importantly though, I didn’t feel as though I’d wasted my time watching it, which is always a good sign. What was most creative about this film, but also slightly confusing, is the timeline. It jumps back and forth to fill in the gaps of Anna’s life as an assassin. Lots of pretty decent action that never really honed in on the amount of noise that probably should of taken place, which sort of tamped it down too much. But with co-stars like Luke Evans and Cillian Murphy, I let it slide.
Blow the Man Down – What a strange title for a movie. Fitting though, as it takes place in the small town of Easter Cove, Maine. Full of accents, and character actors (here’s looking at you, Margo Martindale!), there was a very pleasant mix of Wes Anderson and Coen Brothers style throughout the entire film. It centers on two young women who have just lost their mother to cancer. Getting into a real dicey situation reveals more about their mother and their sisterly bond than they ever thought possible. A very fun mystery film!
I See You – It’s like the film Prisoners, only not quite as good. Gripping though. You’re fooled at the start into thinking this is a supernatural film, but swaps between focus on the kidnapping of several local children and the strange happenings in the lead detective’s home. The music makes this film automatically more tense and scary, but the twists that come at the end will seriously blow your mind.
Troop Zero – Hey, as a former Girl Scout, I felt obliged to give this comedy/drama a go. And it was pretty well worth my time if not for cast alone! When you’ve got the likes of Viola Davis, Allison Janney, and Jim Gaffigan, you know the film isn’t going to flop too hard. And it didn’t! A group of oddball misfits band together to create their own Birdie Scout group and hope to win the talent show. Good laughs and very heartfelt.
Red Eye – It’s been a minute since I’ve watched this movie! Coming out in 2005, I’m somewhat convinced that this is the first thriller I ever voluntarily watched, and it’s greatness has stayed with me ever since! Cillian Murphy (catching onto this week’s theme?) makes a wonderfully handsome a charismatic red eye companion, until it’s discovered that he’ll do anything to get what he wants. I can always recall the amount of tension, fear and apprehension I had watching this movie, but it’s so good I could never stop it! If you’ve never seen this, then what are you waiting for?!