Love Wedding Repeat

My View:  Love Wedding Repeat  (2020)   Jack (Sam Claflin) is trying to make sure that his little sister has the perfect wedding day. Little did Jack expect that the girl of his dreams (Olivia Munn) that he let get away will come back in his life while the wedding falls apart at the seams. I loved the first half of the film, as everything that could go wrong with the wedding reception does. I didn’t quite enjoy the 2nd half of the film, once a plot twist happens and I felt the ending felt a little rushed and weak. Overall, I enjoyed the film, especially the two leads, Sam Claflin and Olivia Munn, who have incredible chemistry with each other and play off of each other with beautiful results. I also thoroughly enjoyed Aisling Bea, who plays Rebecca, a loudmouth, very opinionated friend of the bride who has a crush on one of the members of the wedding party. Bea has a fabulous, humorous presence that lets her dominate the too few scenes she is in. Overall it’s a fun romp about a wedding that is destined to go wrong, or is it?    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Love Wedding Repeat Website   Currently available on Netflix.

Indiefest: Extra Ordinary (2019) R   Rose (Maeve Higgins) looks like an ordinary driving instructor, but this sweet, lonely Irish woman has supernatural talents. Rose is determined to use her powers to save Martin’s (Barry Ward) daughter from the clutches of a washed-up rock star (Will Forte) that has made a pact with the devil to return to his glory days. This is one of those movies that if you saw it at a midnight showing at a film festival, you would have had a great time. It’s a film full of interesting characters that are put in some humorous situations but doesn’t always hit the funny bone the way you want it to. Barry Ward, playing the widower whose dead wife is a ghost that is still trying to run his life from the afterworld, has some sweet comedic moments in the film and shows a knack for physical comedy. Maeve Higgins, as the driving instructor who reluctantly helps Barry with his wife/ghost, is mildly funny but has a hard time keeping up with the antics in the plot. I got tired of Will Forte as the one-hit-wonder who is willing to do anything to get back into the limelight. Forte lays the act of the pompous rock star a little too thick, and it drags the film down a bit. It has a plot that isn’t quite funny enough to be a hit other than with that late-night crowd.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Extra Ordinary Website   Currently available on the KinoNow digital platform.

Indiefest: Almost Love (2019)   Ensemble comedy revolving around Adam (Scott Evans) and Marklin (Augustus Prew), whose once hot relationship has forced them to reconcile with each other’s shortcomings while their friend's lives are crumbling around them. I saw this delightful romantic comedy at the Out on Film Festival last year in Atlanta under the title of Sell By. It’s a smart, funny film with a cast that continually hits their performances out of the park. Evans and Prew, as the central couple that everyone revolves around, are perfect as the struggling artist and his hugely successful social influencer. While the film does revolve around Adam and Marklin’s eroding relationship, what I enjoyed was each of the supporting cast is allowed to shine with their own storylines. Michelle Buteau gives an inspired performance as Cammy, a single woman who gets involved with a homeless guy against her better judgment and Zoe Chao, who plays Haley, a young woman who is desperately fighting her attraction to a high-school student who she is tutoring. The film is bolstered by notable actresses Kate Walsh, who plays Adam’s best friend and Patricia Clarkson as a pretentious artist whom Adam moonlights for. Almost Love treats all it’s characters with respect and love, all the while allowing us to have fun with a bunch of people who are all trying to find ‘the one.’    My Rating: Full Price    Almost Love Info    Available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Forgotten Film: Bite the Bullet (1975) PG   A motley group of cowboys go on a 700-mile race in the desert to win a monetary prize. Writer/director Richard Brooks gives us a gripping tale of grit, determination, and survival when the cowboy way of life was just about done. Two of the contestants are played by Gene Hackman and James Coburn as two former Rough Riders who are looking for one last bit of glory. Candice Bergen plays an ex-prostitute that can ride with the best of them and Jan-Michael Vincent as a brash cowboy who is willing to do anything to win. The film was shot on location at the White Sands National Monument, and it uses the rough and harsh location to show just how hard the completion is on both man and horse. Made during a time when westerns were out of favor, Bite the Bullet is everything you would want in the genre and more.    My Rating: Full Price    Bite the Bullet Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Extra Ordinary: Finger Man

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Green Knight (2020)   The story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur’s nephew, who is determined to make his own legend as he takes on the Green Knight, a gigantic green-skinned stranger. When I studied the classics in college, this was one of my favorite stories.    The Green Knight Website

Until Next Time!

The Predator

My View:  The Predator (2018) R  A young boy (Jacob Tremblay) accidentally triggers the universes most lethal hunters’ return to Earth. A ragtag group of ex-soldiers and a science teacher (Olivia Munn) are the only hope to prevent the end of the human race. This is a movie co-written and directed by Shane Black who also made Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, so you know this isn’t your normal Predator movie. This film is full of humor and is a fun ride (there are a couple of jokes that fall flat, but that’s pretty rare). Now, I’ll let you know that this film is really violent, with heads being cut off and limbs flying around, but it’s also a fun film to watch. The third act has a few problems, but it didn’t hurt the movie much. If you like action films with a lot of humor, then this film is for you.  My Take:  Full Price   The Predator Website

My View:  A Simple Favor (2018) R  A mommy blogger, Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend’s, Emily (Blake Lively), sudden disappearance from their small town. The film is directed by Paul Feig, who directed Bridesmaids, Spy, and Ghostbusters, so you know there is quite a bit of humor in this film. The film is a mystery and is very dark at times. Blake Lively is brilliant as the best friend who says anything on her mind and forms a friendship with the somewhat naive mommy blogger played by Anna Kendrick. Henry Golding, who plays Emily’s husband, is having quite a run having also starred in the big hit, Crazy Rich Asians. This film is a delight to watch, and I think will be in my top ten list at the end of the year, and I could see Blake Lively getting an Oscar nomination next year.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    A Simple Favor Website

Indiefest:  Pick of the Litter (2018) Documentary that follows a little of puppies from the moment they’re born and begin to train to become Guide Dogs for the Blind. I can’t tell you how much I loved this film. I was crying two minutes into the movie with stories about how guide dogs had saved lives, including a man who was led down 79 flights of stairs by his guide dog during the 9/11 Twin Towers attack. This is a fantastic feel-good film where all the dogs end up with great homes, even if they didn’t make it as guide dogs (only 300 dogs out of a pool of 1100 make it as guide dogs every year). You will fall in love with these dogs, especially a dog named Phil. Go see this film, you will feel better about the world we live in if you do.    My Rating:  Full Price    Pick of the Litter Website

My View:  The Basement  (2018)  R  A deranged serial killer known as ‘The Gemini,’ (Jackson Davis) tortures and slays his victims in the basement of his home. The Gemini selects his next victims the musician Craig Owen (Cayleb Long) and a long night of role-playing is in store for Craig, a night that could end with his death, I did not like this film. It’s not scary but one long act of torture porn. The film mostly takes place in the Gemini’s basement as he appears as a number of characters, all bent on making Craig suffer through the worst night of his life. The dialogue made it feel like this was a production of a small neighborhood play production. The film is hard to watch, I would have walked out if I wasn’t reviewing the film.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again    The Basement Website

Forgotten Film:  Hard Times  (1975)  PG  A drifter, Chaney (Charles Bronson) during the depression, meets a street fight promoter (Jame Coburn) and they team up to make money in a tough sport. This is one of Bronson’s best performances, and the film is perfectly directed by Walter Hill, who after this film (his first) went on to direct The Warriors (1979), Southern Comfort (1981), and 48 Hrs. (1982). This is a gritty film about an ugly sport but is well worth your time.   My Rating: Full Price   Hard Times Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Predator:  Specialty Suit Costumer 

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Colette  (2018)  R  Colette (Keira Knightley) is pushed by her husband (Dominic West) to write novels under his name. When the novels become a success, she fights to be known as the writer of the books, challenging gender norms. Hey, it’s Keira Knightley, do I have to say anymore?    Colette Website

Until Next Time!