Tuesday, May 21st, 2024

ABOUT DRY GRASSES - The Criterion Channel

What we like:

• Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan is back with his first film in 5 years, and he delivers another masterwork. His style is best described as…unhurried. But his films are never boring.

• Lead actress Merve Dizdar was the surprise Best Actress winner at last year’s Cannes Film Festival for her role as the school teacher who challenges the self-centered male protagonists.

• At 3 hours and 17 mins, this richly told story feels like settling in to a long, satisfying novel.

What we don’t like:

• Did we mention it’s 3 hours and 17 minutes long? It could be a tough sit for some. But this is where home viewing has an advantage over watching in theaters. You can get comfy and pause if you need a bathroom break.

• The title sounds like a parody of boring arthouse films. Don’t be put off. It’s well worth your time.

BOY KILLS WORLD - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

***PLEASE NOTE: THIS TITLE’S RELEASE DATE HAS BEEN PUSHED TO 5/28***

What we like:

• Bill Skarsgård gets to lead a film without having to wear clown makeup. He plays ‘Boy,’ a martial arts expert rendered deaf-mute by an attack that killed his entire family, whose thoughts are presented as an inner voice derived from a childhood video game.

• Sam Raimi is a producer on the film, and he knows his way around over-the-top action sequences. This film has plenty of them.

• Famke Janssen plays Hilda Van Der Koy, the matriarch of the crime family who wronged ‘Boy.’ We always look forward to seeing Famke Janssen.

What we don’t like:

• Reviews were mixed/negative, with many citing the film being style over substance.

DUNE: PART TWO - Max

What we like:

• A big budget, sci-fi epic that’s both eye-popping spectacle and exciting storytelling? What’s not to like?

• Young actors building their resumes: Timothée Chalamet continuing his hot streak as a leading man. Austin Butler shedding his movie star looks to create an interesting villain. Zendaya’s one-two punch of Dune/Challengers.

What we don’t like:

• Talented filmmakers getting monopolized by tentpole golden handcuffs. We marvel at what Denis Villeneuve has achieved with these two films, but we’re looking forward to him getting back to non-IP projects.

THE FALL GUY - $29.99 Sale / $24.99 Rental

What we like:

• Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in full movie star-mode. Coming off Barbenheimer, these two actors have natural chemistry both on-screen and off.

• Stunt performance as an art form. It’s ridiculous that the Academy has not yet created a category to honor the countless men and women who contribute so much to moviemaking.

What we don’t like:

• The Fall Guy was supposed to kick-off the summer box-office, and it massively underperformed. A real bummer of a start to the season.

• Is it time for Universal to start re-thinking short theatrical windows for their bigger titles? Are audiences now conditioned to wait for PVOD? It’s probably not that simple. A significant portion of the audience prefers home viewing to theater-going, and they’re willing to pay a premium for early access to theatrical titles. But…18 days?

JEANNE DU BARRY - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

What we like:

• Director Maïwenn…how do we say it delicately…has a fascinating history. She met film director Luc Besson when she was 12 and he was 29, and they began dating when she was 15. In January 1993, at age 16, she gave birth to their daughter.

• In 2023, Maïwenn was accused of assaulting the journalist Edwy Plenel, who alleged she approached him in a Parisian restaurant and grabbed him by the hair before spitting in his face.

• This lavish costume drama was the opening night film at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and received a 7-minute standing ovation.

What we don’t like:

• Unfortunately, Cannes standing ovations are a dime-a-dozen. The film received mostly negative reviews.

• It’s tough to see a movie star like Johnny Depp have such a fall from grace. Whether his decline was self-inflicted or not, he was once a vibrant performer and great movie star. Like his idol Marlon Brando, his demons got the better of him. He still has his ardent (and vocal) defenders, but it’s just a sad story all around.

STRESS POSITIONS - TBD Sale / TBD Rental

What we like:

• John Early is a major comic talent, and it’s great to see him get a showcase in this well-reviewed indie.

• Director Theda Hammel is a trans filmmaker, and Stress Positions is her feature debut. It’s been praised for its satirical approach to issues of race, gender, and sexuality.

What we don’t like:

• Well…’COVID period-piece’ isn’t ever a huge selling point. Still too raw. But it sounds like the film mines some laughs from that grim moment in history. We’re looking forward to catching up with it.

Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

THE BLUE ANGELS - Prime Video

What we like:

• After the exhilarating experience of watching Top Gun: Maverick in IMAX, this real-life one-year look at the US Navy’s elite flight demonstration squadron, from selection through training, should provide some eye-popping visuals…

What we don’t like:

• …but will those visuals pop on the small screen? The film is getting a brief IMAX release this week, so that’s likely the preferable way to see it. But if you have a big enough TV at home, it might provide some thrills.

THE SEEDING - Hulu

What we like:

• Any movie whose description includes ‘feral children.’ Preferably horror movies. But any movie, really.

• In The Seeding, a hiker lost in the desert takes refuge with a woman living alone, and soon discovers that she might not be there willingly. Good premise.

What we don’t like:

• Reviews weren’t great, though the film definitely has its defenders.

Friday, May 24th, 2024

ATLAS - Netflix

What we like:

• JLo, of course. She’s a national treasure. And while her personal life seems complicated at the moment, we want only the best for her.

• She plays the titular character here. Yes, her character’s name is Atlas Shepherd. That’s hilarious.

• Sterling K. Brown is in it as well. His follow-up to his Oscar nomination!

What we don’t like:

• JLo’s straight-to-streaming track record of late. Shotgun Wedding, The Mother, Marry Me. All left us underwhelmed. Let’s get Jen back to theaters and rekindle that Hustlers momentum.

• It sounds like this is another sci-fi film where AI is good. From Netflix’s log line: ‘Her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it.’ Hollywood really wants us to trust AI, folks!

THE BEACH BOYS - Disney+

What we like:

• We love co-director (with Thom Zimny) Frank Marshall. How’s this for a directorial 1-2-3 punch: Arachnophobia (1990), Alive (1993), Congo (1995). Two bangers and a camp classic.

• This celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music will be catnip for fans.

What we don’t like:

• The recent news of Brian Wilson’s health struggles. A man who has brought the world so much beauty should not have to go through so much hell.

CIVIL WAR - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• A24 entered the big leagues with this (relatively) big-budget wide release. It’s already grossed $100M worldwide, so that’s something to celebrate.

• Kirsten Dunst continues to be one of the finest actors of her generation. She’s at the top of our ‘Best actors never to be only to be nominated for one Oscar’ list.

  • Editor’s note: We are morons. Of course she’s been nominated (The Power of the Dog)

• Dunst’s husband, Jesse Plemons, absolutely kills it in a small role here.

What we don’t like:

• We’re worried A24’s pivot to bigger budgets could make their films less interesting. But we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope their commitment to talented auteurs reaps greater rewards.

FERRARI - Hulu

What we like:

• Penelope Cruz gives a powerhouse performance. Should have been Oscar-nominated.

• We found this movie super-watchable and entertaining. The reviews had us worried, so maybe our expectations were lowered, but give this one a shot if you haven’t gotten to it yet.

What we don’t like:

• The accusations that Adam Driver is box-office poison. The man continues to work with top-tier auteurs, and always delivers interesting performances. We can’t wait for Megalopolis.

Happy Streaming Everyone!

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