All the new movies! Seriously, so many came out over the weekend, that I still didn’t get to see all of them.
Deep Water – I remember there being a lot of hype around this movie, and then Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas started dating so there was even more hype! But then they broke up and the release date kept getting pushed back that I think this had a much quieter release than initially intended. Truthfully, that was probably for the best. This movie kind of dragged on and would abruptly flit from one scene to another. The long and short of this movie is that Affleck and Armas play a seriously toxic couple that I imagine stayed together for their kid. She ends up cheating on him constantly, and he just ends up killing those people! Affleck perfects the look of someone who has just gotten done sighing for the entirety of the film, which I loved. The supporting cast was both random and fun, but it wasn’t enough to make this work. I learned that the film is based off of a Patricia Highsmith novel, so I’ll likely check that out with better results.
X – There are plenty of unnecessary remakes and reboots in the horror genre, but there is also plenty of original content out there! Enter Ti West’s X. In the late 70s a group heads out to a remote farm to shoot a “good dirty movie,” just before the home video market starts booming. Too bad the old couple that rents out their guest house are seriously looney! I don’t want to say much more and ruin the fun of this film, but it was gory, thrilling, and funny, which is what I think makes a great horror film. Also, being that it takes place in the 70s means you know there’s a good soundtrack to go along with it. Definitely go watch this! And if you like it, stick around until the credits are done for a look at a prequel film that I believe has already been shot!
Windfall – In watching this quiet thriller, I would have bet money this was based on a play. It all took place on one property and the dialogue was heavy. Turns out it’s not, but if they ever wanted to convert it to one, I think it could be done successfully. A rich couple shows up at their remote vacation home to an intruder. From there, he stumbles his way through a ransom of sorts. My friends and I immediately noticed how caviler Jesse Plemons’ character was, like he was being super inconvenienced with this robbery. He’s truly the most unlikeable in the bunch. His wife at first seems to be the same as him, but it turns out she wanted more out of life, both success-wise and morally. As time ticks on, it becomes more intriguing to determine if the robber chose them for a reason. A little boring at times, but a fun concept and great performances.
The Outfit – I think most of what I watched this weekend showed some kind of random casting choices, and this indie gangster film was no different. Also, this was another film I thought for sure was based on a play because it only takes place in the confines of a British tailor’s shop in Chicago. Alas, it was not. Anyways, Leonard Burling makes suits for a living, and his modest shop is also the location of a drop for a local crime family. Things get dicey when a tape surfaces that could have information on a rat in the family organization. From there, things get tense, and bloody, but the amount of crafty schmoozing it delightful to listen to. A great score here also helps tremendously. The final couple scenes offered up some surprises I did not see coming, so if you want a tense drama, check this one out!
Cheaper by the Dozen – Look, as someone who grew up with Steve Martin’s 2005 version of this film, I was fully prepared to be let down by this remake. In the end, I wasn’t so much let down as I was indifferent. Nothing made me laugh, the story was pretty choppy, and I think they tried to squeeze too much plot in a film where all of these kids sort of blended together. I did appreciate how they modernized the family into something more like you’d see today, but I think they should have been redoing Yours, Mine, and Ours instead. All in all, family friendly and just fine.