Tuesday, September 17th, 2024

1992 - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

Synopsis: In 1992, Mercer is desperately trying to rebuild his life and his relationship with his son amidst the turbulent Los Angeles uprising following the Rodney King verdict. Across town, another father and son put their own strained relationship to the test as they plot a dangerous heist to steal catalytic converters, which contain valuable platinum from the factory where Mercer works. As tensions rise and chaos erupts, both families reach their boiling points when their worlds collide.

What we like:

• The sort of genre film that, when done well, is the perfect late-summer moviegoing experience. We didn’t catch it in theaters, and reviews were not great, but we’re still curious to check it out.

• The film was shot on location in Los Angeles and…..Bulgaria? Might be a fun drinking game to identify which scenes are in each country.

What we don’t like:

• This is Ray Liotta’s final screen credit. The actor completed his work on the film before his death in May 2022.

BLINK TWICE - TBD Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. But despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne, and late-night dance parties, Frida can sense that there’s something sinister hiding beneath the island’s lush façade.

What we like:

• Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut (she also co-wrote with E.T. Feigenbaum) features a fantastic cast:  Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Kyle MacLachlan, Geena Davis, and Alia Shawkat. Amazing!

• Kravitz started writing Blink Twice under the original working title Pussy Island and intended on keeping this title for the film. But a negative reception from the MPA, women, and theaters lead to her changing it. We’re with you Zoë, Pussy Island is a better title.

What we don’t like:

• This was the second summer flop for leading man Channing Tatum. July’s Fly Me To the Moon grossed only $20M domestic, and Blink Twice is currently hovering around that number. Tatum is such a likable actor, we hope he rebounds with his next project.

CLOSE TO YOU - $8.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: A trans man returns to his hometown for the first time in years. On his journey, he confronts his relationship with his family, reunites with a first love, and discovers a newfound confidence in himself.

What we like:

• Director Dominic Savage used to be a child actor. He was featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 masterpiece Barry Lyndon, playing young Bullingdon.

• This is Elliot Page's first feature film role post-transitioning.

What we don’t like:

• This passion project failed to make much of an impact at the box-office, grossing less than $100K in the US. Hopefully it finds its audience on streaming.

CUCKOO - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: After reluctantly moving to the German Alps with her father and his new family, Gretchen discovers that their new town hides sinister secrets, as she's plagued by strange noises and frightening visions of a woman pursuing her.

What we like:

• German filmmaker Tilman Singer’s second film gives Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer a chance to lead a feature film. And she nails it.

• Another bonkers performance from Dan Stevens, who lives up to the title and gives the film a nice deranged energy. He’s becoming the British Nicolas Cage, and we’re here for it.

What we don’t like:

• With the success of NEON’s Longlegs, Cuckoo’s box-office seemed comparatively disappointing. Still, we think it’ll gain an audience on streaming and should play well in the Halloween season.

HANDLING THE UNDEAD - Hulu

Synopsis: On a hot summer day in Oslo, the dead mysteriously awaken, and three families are thrown into chaos when their deceased loved ones come back to them. Who are they, and what do they want?

What we like:

• Director Thea Hvistendahl’s Swedish horror film is adapted from the novel of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist, the author of Let the Right One In, which was turned in to two feature films a television series, and stage production.

• Lead Renate Reinsve made a big impact a few years ago in The Worst Person in the World, and was quite good in this summer’s Apple TV+ series Presumed Innocent.

What we don’t like:

• While the film received praise for its emotional depth and unique take on the zombie genre, it may not appeal to audiences expecting a more traditional horror experience. The film emphasizes atmosphere, character development, and psychological tension over jump scares and gore.

SLINGSHOT - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

Synopsis: An astronaut struggles to maintain his grip on reality aboard a possibly fatally compromised mission to Saturn's moon, Titan.

What we like:

• It’s a big week for movies that got dumped in late summer. This twisty sci-fi thriller got mixed reviews and no audience traction. And yet…we’re intrigued.

• Laurence Fishburne is the draw for us here. We’re always up for giving his movies a chance.

• And look! It’s Tomer Capone, who plays Serge/Frenchie on the Prime Video series The Boys.

What we don’t like:

• This is Bleecker Street’s second brainy sci-fi flop of the year, doing even less business than their January release I.S.S. We root for these movies, we want more mid-budget sci-fi in theaters, not less.

Friday, September 20th, 2024

DANDELION - AMC+

Synopsis: A struggling singer-songwriter falls into an intoxicating romance that leads her to a deeper appreciation of her artistic journey and the discovery of a voice that is authentically her own.

What we like:

• Filmmaker Nicole Riegel follows up her 2020 film Holler with this touching romantic drama, which world premiered at this year’s SXSW Festival.

• If Beale Street Could Talk’s KiKi Layne, so memorable in that Barry Jenkins film, gets another lead role worthy of her talent.

What we don’t like:

• The film failed to find an audience at the box-office, grossing less than $100k.

HIS THREE DAUGHTERS - Netflix

Synopsis: Emotions run high when three estranged sisters reunite in a cramped New York City apartment to watch over their ailing father during his final days.

What we like:

• We’ve been anxious to see this family drama since Netflix acquired it our of last year’s Toronto Film Festival. It’s been a year!

• Carrie Coon. Natasha Lyonne. Elizabeth Olsen. Credible as sisters? We don’t care. We can’t wait for the acting fireworks.

• The Criterion Channel currently has a ‘Directed by Azazel Jacobs’ collection if you’re looking to catch up on the filmmaker’s earlier works.

What we don’t like:

• It’s been a year! Seriously…it’s tough waiting for these buzzy festival titles to hit theaters, or in this case, streaming. Toronto is particularly frustrating, as many of the acquisition titles with awards aspirations can’t be rushed to theaters the same year. See also: Woman of the Hour.

I SAW THE TV GLOW - Max

Synopsis: Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate Maddy introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

What we like:

• Director Jane Schoenbrun’s follow up to 2021’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair is a knockout.

• The stellar cast includes Justice Smith, Brigitte Lundy-Paine, Danielle Deadwyler, and Fred Durst (!).

• Lots of discussion about how the film is an allegory for the trans experience. We love writer Emily St. James’s perspective at Vulture.

What we don’t like:

• We wish this had performed better at the box-office. A24 definitely gave it a proper theatrical release, but the film failed to crack $5M in the US. Still, it should have a healthy post-theatrical life.

OMNI LOOP - $16.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Synopsis: Diagnosed with a black hole growing inside her chest and stuck in a loop reliving the last five days of her life, a 55-year-old wife and mother from Miami, Florida decides to solve time travel in order to go back and be the person she always intended to be.

What we like:

• Well…did you read the synopsis? It had us at ‘Diagnosed with a black hole growing in her chest…’

• Mary-Louise Parker and Ayo Edibiri are two actresses we’ll watch in anything, and they both continue to make fascinating choices.

• The film got very positive reviews out of this year’s SXSW Festival. We’re pumped for it.

What we don’t like:

• A day-and-date streaming/theatrical release is a disappointment. This is why we fear mid-budget, brainy sci-fi is going to go extinct.

Saturday, September 21, 2024

THE GARFIELD MOVIE - Netflix

Synopsis: Garfield, the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic – Garfield and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.

What we like:

• Lasagna! That grumpy cat Garfield sure does have a point. It’s delicious.

• A stellar voice cast that we hope got nice paychecks: Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong, Harvey Guillén, Brett Goldstein, and Bowen Yang.

What we don’t like:

• We have nothing against Chris Pratt. But his movie-star persona is such a far-cry from his television persona as Andy on Parks and Recreation. Pratt as Andy was goofy, doughy and lovable. Pratt the movie star persona is chiseled, heroic, and kinda mirthless. In other words, Pratt as Garfield is about 10 years too late.

Happy Streaming Everyone!

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