Movie reviews

LET HIM GO

A pretty good drama that mostly fits within the western (or maybe I just think it does bc Kevin Costner stars in it). Reminded me a lot of Winter's Bone. Costner and Diane Lane are a couple trying to rescue their grandchild from the seedy new family he is now a part of. The film has some slow spots, and the evil grandmother character is a cartoon, but I was genuinely unsure of how things were going to play out. 

ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE

Okay, are we done now?

Look, this version of JL is probably the better film than the Whedon theatrical cut. The story is more coherent. Cyborg is actually a character this time. Steppenwolf isn't quite as bad a villain. Certain expanded sequences are better. But this thing is an absurd, punishing FOUR HOURS long. And doubling the length of the film only turns a mediocre 2 hours into a mediocre 4. Included is a useless half hour coda featuring a random selection of cliffhangers and teases for other DCEU films that most likely will never be made. 

THE COURIER

I expected one of those interesting but somewhat cold British war period dramas. Instead this is quite engrossing, with real human stakes. Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent, and I really liked both the man who plays his Russian contact, and the fabulous Jessie Buckley. 

NOBODY

Nobody is very much in the same genres as the Liam Neeson action oeuvre, and the John Wick universe (Wick's director produced this). But it lacks the story of the better Neeson flicks, and doesn't have the great action of the Wick franchise. Still, this is a pretty serviceable movie, with a solid lead character and a few fun kills. 

FATALE

What from the previews looked like Hilary Swank doing Fatal Attraction is actually a little more ambitious than that. It's cool seeing Swank actually be sexy for once (she's pretty routinely been uglied up over the years). The movie is done no favors by pairing her with a dull Michael Ealy though, and the ending is lame. The alternate ending included on the DVD is much better. 

SONGBIRD

Very soon after COVID hit, this Michael Bay-produced movie was made, set a few years in a future in which the pandemic was not stopped (so basically if Trump was re-elected). There is some good stuff here as far as world building goes, and some decent acting (I enjoyed Peter Stormare and man does Alexandra Daddario look good). But it's a strangely short movie and spends too much of it's short run time on a pretty dull romantic storyline. 

VOYAGERS

This sci-fi flick wastes a good premise. An expedition to a new planet involves raising kids aboard the ship traveling there. They (and their libidos) are kept in line through drugging. But then they stop taking the drugs and things get wild. Honestly this thing is crippled by a PG13 rating. Violence and sex are kept to a minimum, even though those are what the whole movie is about. And while I usually don't mind this, the characters in this movie are SO FUCKING STUPID. Too bad, cause the cast is full of solid actors (Colin Farrell, Tye Sheridan, Quintessa Swindell from Trinkets, the kid who played Brann Stark, and the blank but gorgeous Lily Rose Depp).