News Of The World (2020)

Living in the Old West sucked. Traveling in the Old West really sucked. It’s like a 50/50 chance you’ll get killed or raped each trip; at least according to all the Westerns I've seen. 

Cable newsman of his times, Tom Hanks, travels from town to town reading old newspapers for dimes. It’s a living. Along the way he picks up an orphan German-Squaw girl. It’s a road trip movie, but with a terrible soundtrack. Hanks sports a really sweet jacket. The girl eats chili with her hands. It’s gross. 

Rating: C

Thoroughbreds (2017)

I felt engaged the entire film, yet unsatisfied and a bit annoyed at the end. A horse ride to nowhere. 

Rating: C-

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Angry woman takes things to the extreme to reinforce the message that no means no. The dark humor and writing was more fun in the first half than the second. 

Rating: C

Sound Of Metal (2019)

Going deaf terrifies me, so in a way this movie was a horror film. The sound editing really allows the audience to experience a glimpse of the trauma that comes with losing your hearing. I imagine losing one’s sight would be similar. You go from living one life to living a completely new one. 

Rating: C+

War On Everyone (2016)

Two unprofessional cops work out their retirement plan through theft and murder, with some dark comedy on the side. 

Rating: C-

The Speed Cubers (2020)

A short documentary about cubing, friendship, and autism. Watch for a heartwarming pick-me-up. 

Rating: C+

Half Brothers (2020)

This was much better than the preview led me to believe. The story isn’t perfect, but it felt personal and was often funny. 

Rating: C+

The Kid Detective (2020)

Encyclopedia Brown grows up, and life isn’t as sweet as it used to be. He hopes solving a big case will bring him back to his former glory. 

Rating: C+

Run (2020)

Best to watch this without knowing anything in advance. I may need some of Chloe’s drugs to deal with the anxiety this film gave me. 

Rating: B-

The Wolf Of Snow Hollow (2020)

A small Utah town deals with a werewolf problem. Quirky characters elevate it to above average. 

Rating: C+

Mortal (2020)

Thor, on a Norwegian budget. More of an origin reboot really. 

Rating: C

Army Of One (2020)

It’s a low budget revenge flick with no-name actors, but you won’t throw it out of bed for not being entertaining. 

Rating: C

High Ground (2020)

A high stakes conflict set in the Australian Outback 100 years ago. 

Rating: B-

Let Him Go (2020)

It’s a slow burn with a sense of tension and dread that becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. This takes trouble with the in-laws to another level. 

Rating: C+

Greenland (2020)

Whether it be economic disaster, a pandemic, war, political crisis, or a comet; the result will be the same--pandemonium. It takes surprisingly little to cause mass panic and looting. 

Watching it play out on screen is a little unnerving, because it feels too real. You start thinking about your own preparedness as you watch. Do we have enough food, medicine, fuel, clean water, and supplies on hand to sustain us during a prolonged disaster. Could we defend it if we do? 

I like movies that entertain as well as make me think. The action and special effects felt real. Guess it’s time to get an underground bunker. 

Rating: B

George Harrison: Living In The Material World (2011)

 

I really wanted this documentary to be better. I expected more from director Martin Scorsese. Unfortunately the direction and editing were choppy and confusing. Songs were abruptly cut off between scenes. New segments began without any introduction or context. Shockingly sloppy. At least that’s how I felt about Part 1. 

Part 2 was more coherent and heartfelt. Just as the subjects of the film were maturing, so did the storytelling. The two parts could certainly have been edited down to just one. Fascinating subject and themes, but overly long and uneven. 

Rating: C-

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

 

Curiosity got the better of me and I give this sequel a viewing. All the awkwardness and crudeness of the original, but without any of the humor or fun. To say it was in poor taste would be an insult to poor people. A lot can be forgiven if a movie is funny. There is nothing to forgive in this one. 

Rating: F

Brave Blue World (2019)

It was nice to see a documentary about a problem that was filled with a lot of innovation for how to solve it. I especially enjoyed some of the ingenious ideas developed locally from water starved areas. One hopes that this same innovation can be applied to climate change. We’re pretty screwed otherwise. 

Rating: C

Love And Monsters (2020)

Despite there being monsters, the scares are pretty tame. On par with Jumanji. It’s more about creativity and fun. Teen angst in a time of apocalypse. 

Rating: C+

The Social Dilemma (2020)

The docu-drama your socially conscious friends already told you about. For anyone even moderately tech savvy, the information provided here isn’t new. We all know that if we are using a product for free, then odds are *we* are the product. 

Those of us that are more tech savvy can circumvent a lot of this noise through AdBlocker Plus, the Facebook Purity App, using a VPN, etc. They may be manipulating our data, but at least we can avoid their ads and get the most out of their services through hacks and tweaks. 

I can see how the message of this film would be much scarier to moms and dads. Kids are way more susceptible to these behavior changing algorithms. I hope parents who watch this documentary will do more to protect their children from the negative effects of social media. 

There are some good messages here. I just think most people were already aware of them, and if they aren’t, it’s probably too late for them to be reached. 

Rating: C

Expedition Happiness (2017)

Travel documentary by a cute German couple through the US, Canada, and Mexico, with their dog Rudy. They travel in a converted school bus that becomes a fourth member of the cast. Mogli, the girl, is an accomplished singer. She provides delightful songs for the soundtrack. 

I’m going to sound like a downer here; but if there’s one thing I learned from this trip (that I already knew), it’s to not travel with pets. Total nightmare.

Rating: C+

Vampires Vs. The Bronx (2020)

 

Two guesses what the plot of the movie is. More silly than scary. Things unraveled at the end, sliding my grade below average. 

Rating: C-

A Prayer Before Dawn (2017)

Likely the most raw and authentic Thai prison film you will ever see. Difficult to watch at times. An English muay thai boxer gets locked up for selling drugs. He has a tough go of it to say the least. Cinematography is very in your face. Strong performances. Gritty. 

Rating: C+

Save Yourselves! (2020)

Clueless hipsters try to survive an alien invasion. 

Rating: C

Words On Bathroom Walls (2020)

A movie about schizophrenia that struck the right balance between dread and upbeat. Some parts felt a bit contrived, but I’m not an expert on mental illness. In the end, the film has a nice message about acceptance and understanding, which are good life lessons for all of us, no matter the issue at hand. 

Rating: C+

Murder Party (2007)

When you receive an invitation to a Murder Party, it’s probably best not to attend, even if you are curious. I was curious. Total stinker. Shoutout to Sir Lancelot the cat though. 

Rating: D-

About Time (2013)

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat--the time traveling element makes no sense and defies all logic, which puts it on par with nearly all time traveling movies. This only annoys me when the plot of a film is scientific based, and they are making a real effort to make sense, but fail. 

In About Time, the jump backs are merely a story device, so I didn’t allow my mind to get bogged down in plot holes. The characters and relationships are all very sweet. It’s an upbeat ride for the most part. The ending is a little sad, but satisfying. It made me miss my dad. 

Rating: B-

Green Room (2015)

Nazis are the classic bad guys throughout cinema; mainly historic dramas centered around Germany and the war. These days, however, there are plenty of Nazi white power groups shopping at Walmart and posting in our Facebook groups. The classic bad guy is back as the movie villain. 

In Green Room, a struggling punk band takes a gig at a venue with an audience that leans to the right--the far far right. Things go south and I won’t spoil the rest, but it’s not for the squeamish. 

This was released in 2015, before we elected a hardcore racist. Now if we want to see white power hate crimes, we can just flip on the news. New plots are unfolding weekly. I hope the story arc moves in a better direction. 

Rating: B-

Tenet (2020)

There is confusing, and then there is Tenet. Chris Nolan may be the only one who knows what the hell is going on. Everything is moving forward and reverse so fast that while you are trying to figure out what just happened, five more things flew by on screen that you didn’t understand. 

Does this make for a fun night out at the movies? Not really. It all looked cool though and the sound effects vibrating my theater chair didn’t disappoint. A television series may have been a more appropriate format for this story, but then again, that might just prolong your frustration. 

Rating: D

Top 10 Favorite Time Travel Movies

Top 10 Favorite Time Travel Movies

Rank	Title	Year	Grade
1	Groundhog Day	1993	A
2	Back To The Future	1985	A-
3	Safety Not Guaranteed	2012	B+
4	The Fountain	2006	B+
5	Edge Of Tomorrow	2014	B+
6	Back To The Future Part II	1989	B+
7	The Time Traveler's Wife	2009	B
8	Run Lola Run	1998	B
9	Kate & Leopold	2001	B-
10	Donnie Darko	2001	B-

 

Bill & Ted Face The Music (2020)

An inter-dimensional hot mess. I remember very little about the first two films except that they were funny. I’m not opposed to sequels that take place decades later, especially if they are done with the same care and heart that went into Cobra Kai. That wasn’t the case here.

In Face The Music, a washed up Bill & Ted bounce around through space and time trying to steal a great song from themselves while their daughters put together what’s supposed to be the greatest band of all time + Kid Cudi. Nothing made sense and few jokes landed.

Please stop making sequels to classics unless you can do it justice. I’m okay if Goonies 2 never comes out.

Rating: D

The Binge (2020)

I was kind of into it for the first half. Some genuinely funny lines and scenes. Dumb, but funny. Second half, not so much. Shades of Superbad, a far superior film.

Rating: C-

Vivarium (2019)

Reminiscent of Cube, S.F.W., and maybe Saw, in that the main characters are trapped inside an enigma wrapped inside a mystery they can’t escape.

As a viewer, it’s fun watching something weird and different, but these types of films often have trouble coming to a satisfying end. Twas the case with Vivarium.

Rating: C

Project Power (2020)

I got pulled in by the premise of a pill giving people superpowers for 5 minutes. Mostly held my attention, but definitely lacked a compelling narrative and depth.

Rating: C

Sputnik (2020)

Russian’s try their hand at the age-old sci-fi plot where an alien invades the body of an astronaut.

Rating: C

Echo In The Canyon (2018)

Jakob Dylan tells a version of the 60’s music scene around Laurel Canyon through interviews, live performances, and old video footage. Old artists reminisce about the good old days. 

Rating: C

Driveways (2019)

Authentic, sweet, and thoughtful. RIP Brian Dennehy.

Rating: B

An American Pickle (2020)

Jewish Encino Man provides a few laughs and some commentary on today’s social climate, but the film never quite rises above its initial gimmick.

Rating: C

Miss Juneteenth (2020)

Sometimes watching a movie about people with problems way worse than yours makes you feel better about your own life. Not the case here. Mostly depressing with a dash of hope.

Rating: C

Buffaloed (2019)

It’s a helping of fun with a side of Debt Collection 101.

Best line of the movie: “I did not come to the promised land to fondle soft wieners”

Rating: C