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

A Good Woman Is Hard To Find (2019)

A fairly credible tale of a woman in a bad situation doing her best to protect her children, even when the stakes get a whole lot bloodier.

Rating: C

Saint Frances (2019)

This movie has lady issues, and I mean that in a positive way. All things women are addressed in this character forward indie. It’s not a comedy, but there are more than a few laugh out loud moments.

Little Ramona was a delight. Hard to believe this was her first acting role. She's a natural.

Rating: B-

Greyhound (2020)

A mostly benign WWII sea battle movie filled with navy jargon and dramatic music. Character development was nil. What was the point in casting Elisabeth Shue as the token female on the production?

Quite forgettable.

Rating: C-

Come To Daddy (2019)

I liked the bizarre way things kicked off and I was excited to see where the story would go. Nowhere very interesting it turns out. 

Rating: C-

Blow The Man Down (2019)

Margot Martindale is either great or brilliant in anything she does, with her stint on Justified being one of my favorites. This sleepy Maine mystery allows its female cast to shine without coming off as a faminist statement. The movie itself was okay. 

Rating: C

The Go-Go’s (2020)

The Go-Go’s start out in the L.A. punk scene, but slowly realize they are a pop band as their success grows. Band dynamics are full of drama, and the Go-Go’s are no exception. Fans of their music will certainly enjoy this trip back to the 80's.

Rating: C+

Extra Ordinary (2019)

A very strange paranormal Irish indie with some dark humor and a lot of ectoplasm. I’d like to see more from female lead, Maeve Higgins. She was quite funny.

Rating: C+