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-