September movie reviews

In theaters:

FLAG DAY

Sean Penn directing and co-starring with his daughter Dylan Penn? That could reek of nepotistic self-indulgence, but I actually thought this was pretty good. Dylan (a dead ringer for a young Robin Wright) is really great. She absolutely could and should be in things independent from her dad. The movie flubs the ending though which is poorly staged (no way it actually happened like that).

THE CARD COUNTER

I don't understand poker, so movies about it could go either way with me (Rounders was riveting). This isn't really about poker that much, more just a backdrop for the Oscar Isaac character who is one of those movie characters who is mysterious for the sake of being mysterious. I still don't really get why he does what he does in this movie. I liked the casting of Tiffany Haddish in a more serious part. 

BLUE BAYOU

A thoroughly engrossing drama about a Korean born American (director Justin Chon, who I was unfamiliar with but who is great) facing deportation to a country he only lived in as a baby. Yeah it's an issue movie but it does a superb job of making you understand how cruel this system can be. Alicia Vikander is wonderful as Chon's wife. A couple other characters are needlessly one note. The ending is manipulative, but damn if it doesn't work. 

COPSHOP

Just a rough, dirty, vulgar cops and crooks flick. And a lot of fun. It's a Joe Carnahan movie so you know it's going to have lots of fun dialogue. Gerard Butler and Frank Grillo chew scenery left and right. But the star here is newcomer Alexis Louder as one of the best female badasses in recent memory. 

THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE

Jessica Chastain is far and away the main reason to watch this otherwise iffy biopic of the titular televangelist and her husband (Andrew Garfield). When I saw it was directed by Michael Showalter I expected something more comedic and campy. But it follows a lot of the genre formula. Chastain, often behind pounds of ghastly makeup, is stellar though at humanizing a person I only ever knew of as a punchline. She is going for an Oscar here, and while I seriously doubt that will happen, a nomination would not be out of the question.

Everything else:

FEAR STREET: 1978
FEAR STREET: 1666

Finally got around to finishing this Netflix horror trilogy. 1978 was largely an 80s slasher homage and probably the best of all 3. 1666 is half tedious gothic horror (just one scene after another of people accusing others of sin and witchcraft) and half a wrap up in 1994. Hey, as long as Kiana Madeira was on screen I was in. 

LIFE IN A YEAR

One of the most shamelessly sappy movies I have maybe ever seen...but sue me it kind of got me. This is the latest sick kids in love movie, with Jaden Smith (healthy) falling for Cara Delevingne (terminal cancer). I think it works as well as it does due to the sincerity and charm of the leads. In particular I got a real thing for Delevingne's spirit. I also got a kick out of Smith's parents being played by Cuba Gooding Jr. and Nia Long. It's like a Boyz N The Hood sequel in which Tre became an uptight disciplinarian. 

KATE

I wanted to like this more on general principle. Mary Elizabeth Winstead as a sexy badass assassin? Sign me up! But aside from the hook that she is poisoned and is going to die if she doesn't find the person responsible this is pretty much just generic stuff. 

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