I have to say, it was kind of an underwhelming weekend of movies, but I was busy. Here’s hoping I make up for it next weekend.
The Bikeriders – Did I necessarily want to see this drama again only a week after I saw it the first time? No. But the theater I went to left me with no choice! Who takes away a published time slot the very next day?! This is the second time this has happened to me and I am absolutely NOT a fan. Especially this time when it means I should have been watching Thelma at 9pm the night before the 4th. So yes, stuck in a theater that was arguably more expressive than when I saw this last week, which ultimately made it more enjoyable. I was also not nearly as tired this time around, so I came to appreciate the pacing this time around. The performances were still great and I enjoyed it, but I definitely don’t need to see this again anytime soon.
Maxxxine – I kind of can’t believe how long we had to wait for the final film in the X trilogy, but we’re finally here. And I can tell you it was worth the wait, though part of me thinks the hype would have been even bigger if they could have turned it around more quickly. Either way, we’re back with Maxine Minx in a new decade in Hollywood. She’s finally given her big break in a horror film. She’s looking to be the next Brooke Shields and even though her past actions do seem to have a bit of a lasting impression, it just means she’s more determined than ever to make something of herself. And that means she won’t let anything get in the way of that, even if there is a new serial killer out there, brutally murdering the people in her new life. I loved how they wove the Night Stalker into this film, and Ty West did an incredible job of building campy horror all throughout this film. This was a truly excellent and wholly original trilogy that deserves all the praise it’s been getting – and then some!
Monster – Even though I bought this incredible Japanese drama a few months ago, I only now popped it in to give it a much deserved second watch. Again, I was struck by how brilliant this storytelling was. As they say, there’s my version, your version, and the truth, and that’s exactly what this movie captures. Saori doesn’t know why her son has been acting so strangely, but it’s after he hurls himself from her car that she learns he’s being bullied by a teacher. Then we learn that teacher, Hori, is exasperated at the behavior of his class and tries to handle the situation with no avail. In fact, his life it turned to ruins, but it’s then that we finally learn that Minato, the boy this whole film centers around, just doesn’t know what to do with the love he feels for his outcast classmate, Yori. Gosh, everyone needs to watch this expertly crafted film.