Well, August was a much better month at the theater, than July, that is for sure!!
Remember, I post these short film reviews to help you decide which films, I feel, will be worth your time when they become available for streaming at home. Still, remember to support your local Cineplex.
Eleven films I took the time to watch in the theaters in August, and here they are ranked...,.
11
SKETCH
Oh boy this looked promising. A young girl, going through grief, whatever she sketches ends up becoming real. This was really bad. People with children walked out. It is somewhat scary. Makes no sense. No reasoning. The storyline is boring. Skip this.
10
BAD GUYS 2
The first Bad Guys was very entertaining, it was very much like an old fashioned caper film. So I had hope. This was just not good. Made no sense, I felt like it was being made up as it went on, It wasn't even funny.
Skip it.
9
THE ROSES
Not a fan of turning a marriage break up into a comedy. I found this not funny. The trailer that was played, that we saw for months, all takes place in the last 15 minutes, every part of the trailer. The movie feels slow. Mundane. Uninteresting.
8
FREAKIER FRIDAY
I cannot say its a bad movie. In fact a good part of the film I found entertaining. I just felt the movie blew up in the back half. The film became sooooo cringe, I kinda felt bad for Curtis and Lohan. Throw in...I did not care what happened to anyone, which is a bad sign.
7
BOB TREVINO LIKES IT
Written and Directed by Tracie Laymon. I was able to watch this film in the theater before it ended up on Hulu the following week.
Lily Trevino has an awful father, one of the worst in cinematic history, she find someone on line named Bob Trevino, who has the same name as her father. They become friends.
Oh boy, great performances by Barbara Ferreira as Lily and John Leguizamo as the other Bob. It is sweet and heartbreaking. Almost, too heartbreaking, the ending is crushing, and that is why Bob Trevino is not higher ranked for the month.
6
NOBODY 2
I loved the first Nobody. Is this as good? No. Is it bad? No, in fact it is very entertaining. Full of action and laughs. Good performances: Bob Odenkirk is always good; Colin Hanks and Sharon Stone are really good here as the bad guy/woman. Also, important to note, the film comes in at 90 minutes, Director Timo Tjahjanto makes sure the film does not overstay its welcome. Looking for an action film to watch at home? You can do no wrong by choosing this one. He just wants to spend time with his family!
5
HONEY DON'T
Ethan Coen brings us a kinda old fashion film noir. Does it work? Kinda. I loved all the characters:
Aubrey Plaza as cold as ice MG Falcone; Chris Evans as the perverted Reverend Drew Devlin; and there real star Margaret Qualley as Honey. I just wished the story and the mystery and the outcome lived up to the level of all the performances. The film just lies there at the end. Still, I would love to see Qualley's character Honey in another film.
4
RELAY
A really good old fashioned tense thriller.
Directed by David Mackenzie and written by Justin Piasecki. We follow Ash (The Fantastic Riz Ahmed) who acts as a broker or a go-between corporations and individuals trying to get out from under an issue, such as Sarah (Lily James). This film, was exciting and was becoming one of the best films I have watched all year. However there is a twist at the end that made no sense and I will leave it there. It was unnecessary. Still I put it at 4 because...it worked for a while, a long while. Watch it and see if you agree with me.
3
CAUGHT STEALING
Tarantino like. Great performances by all, led by Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz.
Ex-Baseball Player Hank Thompson finds himself thrown into a game of life and death by making the mistake of helping his neighbor.
Loved this movie. However,and a big HOWEVER, I had a lot of problems getting past a decision made by Darren Aronofsky and writer Charlie Hutson in the middle of this film. I hear I am not the only one.
I am saying every performance is perfect. I was all in. However....
2
AMERICANA
The lives of local outsiders and outcasts collide in this slow burn of a small town westernish drama.
I do mean slow burn...
What is strange about the film is not the plot that makes it great it's the performances and the characters:
Sydney Sweeney in her best ever performance as Penny Jo a waitress with a stutter and a dream
Paul Walter Hauser as Lefty Ledbetter. I good soul who happens to not be left-handed.
Halsey as Mandy Starr a mom trying to cut a deal for a better life
Director and writer Tony Tost throws a lot at us:
A little boy who thinks he is sitting bull
A Ghost Shirt
A strange cult
A bunch of dreamers
A very good film with a soft ending which may have been too sad and soft...
1
SHE RIDES SHOTGUN
Directed by Nick Rowland written by Ben Collins; Jordan Harper; and Luke Piotrowski.
What a great story.
A man gets out of prison and picks his daughter up from school and takes her away. Is he a bad guy?
Oh...who are the bad guys?
This is a run from the law/ bad guys movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
A fantastic performance by Ana Sophia Heger as the little girl Polly. If she does not get a nomination for this performance something is wrong!!
Taron Egerton is so dirty and great as the father Nathan.
Rob Yang and John Carroll Lynch with fantastic supporting roles.
Well anyway, father and daughter are running from the law and maybe some others....
Just exciting and tense...just wish for a better ending. It's almost like they did not know how to finish this film.
Still one of my favorites of the summer.
So August was a bit better than July. Here comes the Fall...and Downton!!!
As always from the shadows thanks for your time.
