Tag: 10s

Viral is More Interesting Now

Travis Tope and Sofia Black-D'Elia embrace in a school hallway while wearing masks in the film Viral

Viral

Directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Shulman
Written by Barbara Marshall & Christopher Landon

The review:

2020 is the year to watch Viral, if only for current events comparison purposes.* This seems a fairly standard-issue horror film** but centered on a sister relationship*** and with the girls making a lot of the choices.**** It’s a creepy crawly film, but not gory, which made it a fun watch for a hot August night.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free via Tubi (with ads)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*At one point my reaction was: “Hey! We didn’t get survival kits delivered to our doors!”
**Horror is not my genre, so I can’t say for sure.
***In choosing between this film and Nerve (both directed by Joost/Schulman) I went with this one because it stars Analeigh Tipton, (Crazy, Stupid, Love and Two Night Stand) whom I love.
****Barbara Marshall, one of the writers seems to have written several movies that travel along these lines. That’s a fun treat!

Questions:

  • Analeigh Tipton as a bad girl. Did it work for you?
  • What part of this film felt very familiar?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The brief picture of the virus as seen on one of the newscasts is the same graphic used in the movie Outbreak (1995) to represent the Motaba Virus, using a red color tint rather than blue. However, the fictional Motaba Virus looks very similar to the Ebola Virus.

Other reviews of Viral:

Half the Picture is a Full Portrait of Discrimination

Colorful pictures of eyes with movie reels in them. Text: The women behind the camera. The stories behind the women.

Half the Picture

Directed by Amy Adrion

The review:

The talking heads in this movie are all women* and all are talking about how hard it is to get a job as a director in Hollywood. Various areas of discrimination are covered** as many directors get to talk about what they love about directing and what keeps them from their love. One thing I learned: it’s just as hard to break into directing TV episodes as it is to direct feature films.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: free via DVD from the Multnomah County Library
Where watched: at home

Further sentences:

*Nearly all are directors, but there’s a woman from the Sundance Institute who pops in now and then, plus a few academics and a reporter who notes that she’s written the same article about the lack of women directors nine or ten times.
**Directing is “too hard” for women. What about their families? Crews don’t like to listen to women. Women can’t direct action/horror/war/most things. Male critics tend to not “get” movies made by women. Things made by women aren’t as good as things made by men.
***This was interesting to me because I’ve noticed that most women feature film directors intersperse directing films with directing TV episodes. It turns out that if you haven’t directed TV, the powers that be aren’t convinced you can direct it, even if you’ve directed entire movies.

Questions:

  • What do you think the solution is to get more women behind the camera?
  • Who is your favorite woman director?

Other reviews of Half the Picture:

Text: I think people have the impression that being a director is like an athletic weightlifting sport, when actually so much of it is about intimacy and connection and things that women are naturally gifted at. I think so many women feel like they need to take on a persona in order to be able to direct…and that’s just not necessary.—Lena Dunham. Half the Picture. Read the three sentence movie review at 3SMReviews.com

Into the Forest: Survival and Strength

Picture of Evan Rachel Wood, Callum Rennie, and Ellen Page in the film Into the Forest

Into the Forest

Directed by Patricia Rozema
Written by Patricia Rozema

The review:

Based on the Jean Hegland book that made a big impression on me in the late 90s,* this film highlights how the bond between sisters can be strengthened and tested when the world switches to survival. As distopias go, it’s a low-key one,** though stuff goes down, giving Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood a chance to show off their skills. I thought the timing was off, and the movie wrapped up too quickly, but I so rarely get to see two-person films where both persons are women, this felt like a treat.

The verdict: Good

Cost: free via Kanopy, the library’s streaming service.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Mental note I made after reading the book: Make sure to have a library of foraging and survival books on hand. I still haven’t checked off that note.
**Northern California’s lush landscape (played here by British Columbia) keeps everything from feeling hopeless.

Questions:

  • Are you ready to survive in your landscape, should you have to?
  • What’s your favorite two-person film where both persons are women?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Ellen Page was inspired to make the film after coming across the book written by Jean Hegland while browsing through a small store in her native Halifax. It was suggested to her by the woman working there and after she read it, she decided to produce a movie-version of the story.

Other reviews of Into the Forest:

Catfish: Untangling What’s True and What’s False

Picture of Nev Shulman next to a portrait of Nev Shulman.

Catfish

Directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Shulman

Pre-review note: some people have questioned if this is a documentary or a pseudo-documentary. I’m in the camp of: Really Happened But Also Footage Recreated.

The review:

It’s quite handy when your good-looking brother provides you with the setup for an interesting documentary; in this case the brother, Nev, received a painting by an eight-year-old of a photo he’d taken. Back before the internet, perhaps a written correspondence might have developed, but in 2010* Nev connected with the girl’s mother on Facebook, and subsequently became online friends with the entire family. The strength of this documentary is not just that it coined a now-common term,** but the humanity in which all parties are portrayed.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home

Further sentences:

*When watching it’s important to transport yourself back to 2010, when we were just starting to talk about how accurate the online profiles of people are.
**Seemingly accidentally, as it’s an ancillary character telling a story that introduces the term.
***The confrontation scene in this movie could have been handled a number of ways: anger, villification, outrage. Instead it was done with compassion and resulted in an honest story that was the selling point of this film for me.

Questions:

  • What was your favorite scene in this film? (I enjoyed the reading aloud of text messages.)
  • Do you think anything good came of this incident?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

As of August 2011, the film has been hit with two lawsuits and, according to Catfish distributor Relativity Media, the film has an unrecouped balance of more than $8.5 million and will not likely ever become profitable. Both of these lawsuits have to do with songs used within the movie not being attributed to their creators.

(It’s important to do your due diligence with permissions.)

Other reviews of Catfish:

Orange background with black text: And there are those people who are catfish in life. And they keep you on your toes. They keep you guessing, they keep you thinking, they keep you fresh. And I thank god for the catfish because we would be droll, boring and dull if we didn't have somebody nipping at our fin. —Catfish. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Fast Color: Focusing on Relationships Not Super Powers

Photo: Lorraine Toussaint and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the film Fast Color

Fast Color

Directed by Julia Hart
Written by Julia Hart, Jordan Horowitz

The review:

The Venn diagram of this movie includes circles for dystopian* and super powers, but also includes a circle for created by a woman** and in these overlapping circles things don’t play out as one would expect.*** While there is some cat and mouse going on, plus some mystery, this is mostly a family drama, which makes for a nice superhero change. While I wasn’t convinced by a character’s choice at the end of the movie, there was a lot to like about this film.****

The verdict: Good

Cost: monthly Hulu charge ($12.99 with Disney+)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*No rain for eight years.
**Directed and co-written.
***It would be interesting to do a breakdown of the difference between movies with superheros and movies with characters with superpowers. Where does the power cross over into the hero category?
****Gugu Mbatha-Raw, for one. I’ve yet to see a bad movie with her in it.

Questions:

  • Would you be interested in a sequel, or a series set in this world?
  • What would be the advantage of having such an ability?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

They wanted to feature the women between the camera and their abilities as often as possible. Director Julia Hart says superhero movies, films with big effects beats, frequently put the FX first and leave characters off to the side of the screen. They instead chose to acknowledge that the characters are “extra ordinary”—a description Horowitz stole from Toussaint—and that they deserved to be front and center.

Other reviews of Fast Color:

Black text on an orange background. It's gotten harder for us to stay in hiding. —Fast Color. Read the three-sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com

Little Woods: Poverty During Boom Times

Picture of Lily James and Tessa Thompson in the film Little Woods

Little Woods

Directed by Ni DaCosta
Written by Ni DaCosta

The review:

A quality dramatic film with about the life of a person facing economic challenges is always a win in my book, which makes this film a winner.* In this “modern Western**” Tessa Thompson and Lily James play sisters who are doing what they can to hold onto their family home and vanquish other complications. For both actors, it’s a chance to be not glamorous while flexing their serious drama skills so we can see their characters’ fight for survival,*** set in the North Dakota oil boom.****

The verdict: Good

Cost: $12.99 (monthly Disney+ and Hulu combo fee)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*They’re difficult to make. Poverty is grinding and it’s harder to wring dramatic tension out of a story about ends continually not meeting than one where, say, a meteor is going to hit earth, or a ship is sinking.
**The synopsis on IMDB calls it a modern Western. I’m not sure I agree with the term.
***In the grand tradition of always questioning poor people’s choices, I found myself wondering why they didn’t rent out some rooms in the house. I think maybe the mother had just died though, so perhaps that was hampering the process.
****I enjoyed seeing this particular slice of life, which I had only read about.

Questions:

  • What past events do you think have shaped the relationship between the two sisters?
  • Breaking the law? Necessary or avoidable in this instance?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The story was initially conceived as a modern retelling of Othello, which is where the names Deb and Ollie/Oleander come from.

Other reviews of Little Woods:

Text: Your choices are only as good as your options are. —Little Woods. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

How I Live Now Showcases Young Actors

Picture of Saoirse Ronan and Tom Holland in How I Live Now

How I Live Now

Directed by Kevin Macdonald
Written by Jeremy Brock, Penelope Skinner, Tony Grisoni

The review:

While I could see what this movie was trying to do* it didn’t quite pull through, but I did appreciate it for showing war from a civilian perspective. All three leads have gone on to many good things** and it’s great to see these early performances. For anyone who ever wondering, “how would I adapt if my city was invaded during a war?” this provides some good insights.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Show how the average girls’ internal monologue is something akin to a mean girl whispering all the time and show how none of that matters when times get tough.
**I watched this because it was a Saoirse Ronan performance I hadn’t seen, but I was most intrigued to see Tom Holland. He’s tiny! Ironically, his real age when filming this movie from 2013 is two years older than the age his Spider-Man character is in Spider-Man Homecoming (2017). George MacKay was also the oldest boy in Captain Fantastic and one of the two soldiers carrying out the mission in 1917.

Questions:

  • How do you feel about the ending?
  • What act took the most bravery?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Director Kevin Macdonald chose to film the first half of this movie with a hand-held camera to give the paradise like–countryside home a sense of humanity, as though the camera was alive and breathing. The second half of this movie was shot in a more steady and smoother style to make the war-torn countryside more sharp and unforgiving, as though the camera was mechanical.

Other reviews of How I Live Now:

Text: Before the war I used my willpower for stupid stuff, like not eating chocolate. I think I thought if I could control myself, then maybe the world around me would start to make sense. —How I Live Now. Read the three sentence movie review at 3SMReviews.com

Dunkirk is Nolan’s Best

A picture of Tom Hardy from the movie Dunkirk

Dunkirk

Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by Christopher Nolan

The review:

Nolan’s love of playing with time adds a ton to this taught, tense* depiction of a memorable event. The cast is well balanced, with mostly unknowns playing the men on the beach** and more well-known actors (and members of his informal company) handling the sea and air roles.*** I love this film for portraying how random war is, for the differing time lines, and for how much feeling wells up when those boats appear.

The verdict: Recommended.

Nolan’s best film!

Cost: $3.99 via Redbox OnDemand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Unlike Interstellar and Inception, Nolan never lets the narrative get away from him. It’s also a much shorter film. Coincidence?
**It is at this point that someone usually brings up Harry Styles. Yes, he is in this film. Yes, teenage girls also like him. All of those things are okay. Move on.
***“Is Michael Cain in this film?” I asked Boyfriend Matt as it started. We both did the squinting off into the distance thing while we pondered. My question was answered quickly when Cain’s voice came over the radio, talking to Tom Hardy. And the pretty-eyed Cillian Murphy made an appearance too.

Questions:

  • Which is your favorite story: land, sea, or air?
  • Which character is the heart of this film?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

In the sequence where the Spitfire ditches into the English Channel, an IMAX camera was strapped into the cockpit to film Collins (Jack Lowden) trying to get out. However, during filming, the plane with the camera still inside sank quicker than predicted. It took so long to retrieve the plane, that the IMAX camera housing filled with water, potentially ruining the expensive camera and the film inside. Christopher Nolan used an old movie technique of keeping the film wet, and shipped it back to Los Angeles, getting it processed before it dried out. The take from that scene is in the movie.

Other reviews of Dunkirk:

Text: You can practically see it from here. —Dunkirk. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Little is Big Fun

Picture of Marsai Martin and Issa Rae stars of Little

Little

Directed by Tina Gordon
Written by Tracy Oliver, Tina Gordon

The review:

Holy cow, does the one-two-three punch of Regina Hall, Issa Rae,* and Marsai Martin charm the heck out of this movie. Marsai Martin is particularly good,** channeling a very grown, very mean Regina Hall with uncanny accuracy. Though it slumps a bit in the third act, this movie is fun, funny, and well worth your time.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $1.80 via Redbox
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*A bright spot of 2020 is that this is the year of me catching up with Issa Rae.
**She was entirely new to me, and I’m blown away by her performance. Fingers crossed for a smooth transition from adolescence to adulthood.
***Another thing I liked was that the rest of the cast looked like real people, not body-perfect actors trying to make it in Hollywood.

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite age-swap movie?
  • How would you fare if you were thrown back to your 13-year-old self?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Marsai Martin not only pitched the movie but was also one of the executive producers.

Other reviews of Little:

Text says: So you ate her? Is that what happened? Cook her in your Easy Bake Oven? —Little. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

The delivery of this line. I can’t even. Issa Rae is a comic genius.

Bad Times at the El Royale Make for Good Movie

A picture of the stars of the movie Bad Times at the El Royale

Bad Times at the El Royale

Directed by Drew Goddard
Written by Drew Goddard

The review:

I’m a sucker for stylish set design and once I saw the state line dividing the El Royale into California and Nevada sections I was all in.* Add more than one creepy mystery, a cast that owns the camera** and this was an excellent night at the movies.*** It was also just a tad too long, alas.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $2.00 via Redbox (They only had a Bluray copy so it cost more.)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

  • Knives Out (This is the opposite film: a sunny and fun mystery. It might make a nice palate cleanser.)
  • Brick
  • Widows
  • Game Night (Also an opposite. Hilarious mystery.)

Further sentences:

*Have I stood with four limbs in four states at Four Corners? Why yes I have! Human-created lines of demarcation are fascinating.
**The film does a great job cycling through the motel guests’ stories. From the beginning, it seems like it’s going to be Jon Hamm’s movie, but that shifts as we see the stories of each guest.
***Don’t go in expecting a happy ending, though. Also, it would be interesting to represent in graph form Chris Hemsworth’s (Billy Lee) repelling and magnetic energy. And then segment out how much his naked torso is contributing to that magnetic energy.

Questions:

  • How did you feel about the ending? Did it all work out okay for you?
  • Which character intrigued you the most?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The El Royale was built from scratch on a sound stage with much of the furniture and decor being custom made (including branded matchboxes and coasters for the bar). The color scheme was meticulously set out so that the California side was mostly yellows and oranges, while the Nevada side was purples and blues. Red was reserved for the borderline, jukebox, and chandelier, while green is almost entirely absent until the end.

Also this:

There was no pre-recorded soundtrack, so all of Cynthia Erivo’s singing in the film is for real. For the lengthy tracking shot scene behind the hotel mirrors, Erivo had to perform “Try a Little Tenderness” 27 times.

Cynthia Erivo can SING!

Other reviews of Bad Times at the El Royale:

Orange background. Text says: This is not a place for a priest, Father. You shouldn't be here. —Bad Times at the El Royale. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com