will update soon
Joker
Maybe there’s a good movie to be had by delving into the psyche of a sociopath who turns to violence when he feels betrayed by society, but I’m not sure the director of the Hangover is the guy to bring it to us. While better writers than me have tackled a lot of the issues surrounding the film, I think the biggest problem I had is that it raises all sorts of interesting concepts without actually having anything to say about them. It’s provocative by being provocative without attempting to look at anything deeper. It wants to be an indictment on depravity even as it celebrates it. Couple that with how dark (in every way) and bleak the film is, it’s a mostly miserable experience, even as it’s anchored by an(other) amazing turn by Joaquin Phoenix.
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Brittany Runs a Marathon
The best movie experiences are when experience exceeds expectation. This can make a highly-anticipated flick falter in comparison to an unexpected gem. Brittany Runs a Marathon benefits from a campaign that suggests a lighthearted romp but the actual experience is a lot richer and deeper than that. I was pleasantly surprised by the entire experience even if the spoiler in the title telegraphs the ending.
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Ad Astra
The slow-moving space poem that is Ad Astra is more heart of darknessy than the sci-fi action promised in the trailers. The near-future film is big on introspection and beautiful shots of the vast expanse of space and the planets of our solar system. It’s light on logic, unfortunately, and suffers under a tedious and maudlin voice-over that makes even the most beautiful scenes feel exhausting. I left the theater wanting to watch The Martian or Gravity because it piqued my interest in a space travel story without actually delivering a good one.
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Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s 9th film is a paean to the golden age of Hollywood, complete with grizzled actors, mysterious stuntmen, earnest starlets and an underlying sense of chill that permeated the hippie era. There’s a lot to like in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, with Tarantino’s knack for detail and ability to get unexpected performances out of great actors. There are a few aspects that keep it from being peak Quentin for me, but it’s still one of the highlights of the summer.
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Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw
The Fast and Furious movies have always been mildly enjoyable popcorn fare, but crumble under the weight of their sheer inanity. That a group highly-functional criminals would continually get called in to save the world by racing their cars is a tough burden to bear and it makes the not remotely possible stunts almost forgivable in comparison. Yet, with Hobbs and Shaw, a not at all stray from the formula, the franchise might have its best installment based on the sheer charisma and chemistry of its stars, and a plot, while still completely ridiculous, actually makes sense in context.
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excellent awkward 