I spent a lot of hours in the theater this weekend! Unfortunately, I was too busy to squeeze many more in, but I did manage to see another new one via streaming.
Spencer – Well color me surprised! I am in no way interested in the Royals, and Princess Diana died back when I was 5, so I’ve only ever been aware of her in the past tense. Also, while I love what Kristen Stewart’s been doing since her Twilight days, I wasn’t totally sure how to feel when I heard she got casted to play Diana. But as it hit the festivals, all critics seemed to unanimously agree that she absolutely crushed it. I have an inkling she’ll take home the Oscar and it could potentially nab a Best Picture slot, so that’s why I gave it some time this weekend. The film itself covers a true event, but the detail within that event could be totally fabricated. Only the attendees and Diana herself will ever know. It’s clear that the Royal family makes Diana uncomfortable and the thought of spending three days with them at a sprawling estate essentially breaks her psyche. I was pleasantly surprised when this movie ended up giving off pretty strong psychological horror vibes! It also probably helped that it was filmed in drab England during the holidays. I would say this is a must-see for most!
Last Night in Soho – I struggled to push this movie to this week, but it was worth the wait. In this horror film, you’re almost fooled by the glossy and upbeat callbacks to the 60s, that is, until some seedy stuff starts going down. At first, present-day fashion student Ellie is mesmerized by the world she’s transported to in her dreams, and is taken by the magnetic Sandy. Sandy’s got dreams of being the next big singer, but she’s fooled by a pimp and things start to take an ugly turn. It’s unclear if Ellie’s dreams are truly bleeding into her reality to destroy her, too, but it is certainly terrifying. This movie took a couple of turns I wasn’t expecting, and maybe it didn’t get too deep on a couple of hot topics, but the twist at the end more than made up for it in my mind. Definitely a great thriller to get your hands on!
Eternals – I truly don’t understand the hate being piled onto this film by critics. Sure, Marvel fans enjoy it, as well as general audiences, but I still can’t wrap my mind about what specifically was so bad about this film. I quite liked it! While it did offer a lot of the same by way of action, this entry in the Marvel timeline was different in that it took a step back from all the fast-paced action and really got emotional and quiet. I appreciated that separation. This movie also managed to shock me a couple times, which doesn’t always happen with Marvel films. MVP of cutest couple has to go to Druig and Makkari. I was also impressed with the level of diversity in the film. I think it’s spectacular entry in the franchise and definitely worth a watch. Those end credit scenes also got me pretty excited!
The Beta Test – This is the third full length feature from Jim Cummings, but this time around he’s collaborating with PJ McCabe. Both share writing, directing, and acting credits and all around this satire hits the mark. Just like Cummings’ last film, The Wolf of Snow Hollow, this film is a oddball mix of horror and comedy. This time around though, he’s a Hollywood agent instead of a cop. Cummings plays Jordan, an actual hollowed out human being who hurls insults when he doesn’t get his way, is socially awkward, and…oh, yeah, cheats on his fiancé via an anonymous invite to a hotel. This movie takes some strange turns and if you’re not used to Cummings’ style of humor from his previous works, this movie may not connect with you, but I promise that the critics are right – this movie is golden!