So many “original” independent films were released this weekend. Obviously, I say that with a huge dose of sarcasm because there are excellent independent films hitting theaters all the time. People just aren’t paying attention. The reason I think they are this time around is because they’re touting some heavy A-list hitters. Although, most awesome independent films I watch have heavy A-list talent. For some reason people are only just now paying attention…I digress. Let’s see what made the cut this weekend.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – Nicolas Cage playing a heightened version of Nicolas Cage?? Say no more. I was in the second I heard the title of the film really. Cage’s involvement was just the cherry on top. In this version of Nic Cage’s life, he’s essentially abandoned his family and the acting offers just aren’t rolling in like they used to. In a last ditch effort to make some cash before quitting effort for good, he accepts a one million dollar invitation to attend a rich foreigner’s birthday party. While he immediately connects with the birthday boy, Javi, Cage soon learns that he might be involved in some shady business. Great fun and an obvious must-watch!
The Northman – I drug my feet for a day on going to see Roger Eggers’ latest, but for no good reason because this movie was awesome! The cinematography was stunning, and somehow a film with minimal dialogue managed to hold my attention for the entire runtime. If you at all watched and enjoyed 2021’s The Green Knight or The Tragedy of Macbeth, then you definitely need to check this out. To seal the deal even more, it’s got Vikings, a beefed-up Alexander Skarsgard, and some pretty savage plot twists. Go see this!
Let’s Go to Prison – I’m slowly trying to work through all the movies I have recorded on my DVR, and I wanted a light comedy this weekend. Thus, Bob Odenkirk’s Let’s Go to Prison made the cut. John is a repeat offender who’s just gotten out of prison and wants to make the judge who’s sent him behind bars multiple times, to suffer. Only thing is, he’s dead. John settles for the next best thing, which is his son, Nelson. In an effort to make sure he suffers in prison, he gets sent back himself and hilarity ensues. I wasn’t expecting much from this film, so I found that I quite liked it.
The Hating Game – I enjoyed this rom-com, but at the same time it also made me wildly uncomfortable. Weird, I know. Lucy and Josh are executive assistants both vying for an executive management role in their newly merged publishing company. While they hurl insults at each other, they also occasionally succumb to each others hotness (because of course they’re both hot). I thought their chemistry was pretty spot on, but they flip-flopped on their relationship status so many times, I was convinced they’d never work. That was just frustrating, but the uncomfortable part was all the vitriol being spewed at work! I can’t believe their HR department didn’t can their asses immediately! Still a nice watch though.
The Bubble – Of course I ended the weekend with a real stinker. This “comedy” from Judd Apatow about making a film during the pandemic was painful. It was over two hours which is insane and everything just kept kind of repeating itself. Who knows, maybe that never ending runtime was meant to mimic how it felt to make a movie in the early stages of the pandemic. Either way, I think it’s a little late in the game for anyone to care about the trials any production went through to shoot a movie. And actually, people who don’t care about behind-the-scenes stuff in film would not find this watchable in the first place! Such a shameful waste of an excellent, if odd, cast, although I did find myself cackling at all the Tik Tok clips they incorporated. There’s something so funny about watching David Duchovny doing an intense choreographed dance.