Tag Archives: Jack Reynor

THE PERFECT COUPLE (2024): The Things I Liked…

I had certain expectations about what The Perfect Couple, creator Jenna Lami’s six-part crime/drama/mystery series starring Nicole Kidman, Dakota Fanning and Liev Schreiber would be like. Especially after enjoying the trailer several times over. 

However, outside of the polished surroundings, sunny days, understated luxury fashion and some interrogation scenes, The Perfect Couple proved to be largely slow and boring. 

I’d hoped for a somewhat sophisticated story execution in a series about a wedding gathering gone wrong – thanks to a murder at a rich family’s Nantucket Harbour estate. Unfortunately, the result felt more comparable to a dull soap opera than a well-written and engaging series starring Kidman and Schreiber.

The Perfect Couple (2024), Nicole Kidman, Netflix
The Perfect Couple (2024), Nicole Kidman, Netflix

Worst of all, I certainly didn’t expect to have to watch The Perfect Couple the way I ‘watch’ some reality TV shows, but I was left with no choice. 

Just like much of reality TV, which has a habit of barely moving the story forward in each episode, Lami’s show had this issue. To the point where,  after sitting through the first two episodes of The Perfect Couple, I could then only watch the last ten minutes of episodes three, four, and five – before skipping forward to watch the final sixth episode. Believe me when I say that I missed next to nothing by skipping almost half the episodes.

When I watch reality shows, once the key characters are established in the first couple of episodes, I’ll only watch the first few minutes of the start of the following episodes, where they recap what happened previously. Brilliant time saver, if I say so myself.

Back to The Perfect Couple, I always had the option to stop watching altogether, but, the acting wasn’t terrible. Plus, I wanted to see the mystery solved. I only wish it had felt less tedious overall.

Lastly, as always, if you’re curious enough, give The Perfect Couple a chance. You may have a better time than I did.

Happy Film Loving, 

G

MIDSOMMAR (2019): The Things I Liked

Midsommar (2019), Florence Pugh, A24
Midsommar (2019), Florence Pugh, A24

I wanted to watch Midsommar because it came recommended by many. I needed to watch Midsommar because the murals in the very intriguing trailer looked great. I had to watch Midsommar because of its young, talented cast, mainly Florence Pugh and Will Poulter.

Now that I’ve finally seen Midsommar, what I really wouldn’t have done is watch Midsommar; had I remembered that it is, in fact, a horror film.

For those who might be thinking ’How could you not have known?’ Well, in my defence, the trailer I initially saw didn’t scream ‘scary movie,’ and neither did the synopsis, at first.

The original synopsis said something along the lines of ‘Things start to go awry on a summer trip after a young woman reluctantly caves in and goes along with her boyfriend’. Now, doesn’t this sound more like ‘relationship woes’ than ‘increasingly violent and bizarre competition involving a Pagan cult?’

The things that impressed me most about director Ari Aster’s film, in addition to the performances include the story and tension. There’s also the sense of dread and the general unease that never seems to leave, but instead expertly builds and builds until the very dark and scary end. There’s also the memorable vulnerability and intensity in the way the opening scenes are captured.

The main thing I wish wasn’t quite so is how long it took for things to unfold at specific points. For example, approximately fifty minutes in, there’s a ceremony that went on for eternity, before a scary revelation happened. I also found it irksome to watch several of the characters make some extremely poor decisions; the kind that went against every single one of my survival instincts.

For everyone who isn’t a horror fan, including the version of me before watching this movie, ‘Stop right there!’ For the rest of you, enjoy!

Happy Film Loving,

G

KIN (2018): New Trailer From Zoë Kravitz, James Franco, Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, Denis Quaid…

Kin (2018), Myles Truitt  
Kin (2018), Myles Truitt

In Kin, a recently released ex-con and his teenage brother are forced to go on the run from a vengeful criminal, the feds and a gang of otherworldly soldiers. And their only protection is a weapon of mysterious origin.

Written/directed by Josh Baker and Jonathan Baker; Zoë Kravitz, Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, Denis Quaid and James Franco star.

I’m in because it looks different, this is a good trailer, and I’m partial to good stories about siblinghood.

Kin, Release Dates: August 31st, 2018 (US)…

Happy Film Loving,

G