Thrills and action were promised. And thrilling action is precisely what Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Ryan Gosling’s latest, The Gray Man delivered.
A key highlight of the Anthony and Joe Russo-directed action/thriller is all the action sequences that made it impossible for me to look away for at least two-thirds of the movie. Even more so during the scenes set in Prague.
Evans as the bad guy in a story about the CIA’s most skilled operative’s uncovering of dark agency secrets is a fun surprise. I rather enjoyed his well-dressed turn as a psychopath. Gosling has always been fun to watch in action roles, and The Gray Man is no different.
And to think that my Friday wasn’t quite going to plan today. It turns out that all it took was to watch the first ten minutes of The Gray Man to have me cheering and ‘woohooing’ at the thrilling action, smile-inducing dialogue, rich visuals and heart-thumping musical score.
Undeniably, perfect is not the word to describe The Gray Man. However, it is a perfectly entertaining escape that isn’t so easy to turn away from, especially during the highly engaging action scenes.
If you’re a fan of the cast and directors, I implore you to alter your mood and take in all the highlights mentioned above, including the fun camera work.
The Lost Husband (2020), Leslie Bibb, Six Foot Pictures
Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb and Nora Dunn’s latest movie The Lost Husbandis a film I enjoyed a little more than I expected to.
Directed by Vicky Wight, it follows Libby (Bibb), a newly single mother trying to put her life back together after her husband dies. She starts by moving, along with her two children, to her no-nonsense aunt’s goat farm in central Texas.
What stood out immediately for me was the pleasant musical score. Then I noticed the even pacing, and the way the film isn’t quite as clichéd as the Hallmark movies you may or may not have seen (wink, wink). This story is just a little bit more complicated, for one thing.
I was in the mood for something easy and a little romantic, which is why I chose The Lost Husband. The trailer also made me want to see Libby work through her grief so she could get back to enjoying life.
As Libby met the colourful townsfolk and learned more about farm life, mostly from Duhamel’s character, James, it became clear she was going to be all right. That’s when I started wishing I had an aunt with a farm… until I remembered my irrational fear of earthworms, bugs, and most other animals.
The only thing I wish had been handled differently is a specific cliché involving a group of jealous, unpleasant women at the town market. The writing and acting in that scene stood out for the wrong reasons. Still, if you’re intrigued, give The Lost Husband a chance, especially when you’re in the mood for an easy-viewing film session.
And, of course, there’s the simple pleasure of Josh Duhamel in a cowboy hat. You know… in case watching Libby get her life back on track and the idea of a virtual farm escape don’t quite do it for you.
1917, the latest release from American Beauty (1999) and Skyfall (2012) director Sam Mendes is a memorable film that features all the great things we’ve come to know and love about Mendes’s work.
Once again, partnering with notable cinematographer Roger Deakins, a fair amount of the visuals and lighting in 1917 has stayed with me long after viewing. Especially regarding at least two stand-out scenes which involve running, and snippets of which you get to see in the film’s trailer.
Dean Charles-Chapman and George MacKay, who play two young British soldiers tasked with delivering a life-or-death message across enemy lines, performed well. Anyone, if not all, with siblings can likely relate to the sense of urgency and arguably foolhardy determination displayed by Charles-Chapman’s character in his effort to get the message to his brother’s battalion. I, for one, started tearing up almost immediately. I found myself moved and often at the edge of my seat as I wished desperately for a successful message delivery.
The brotherly bond, humour, beautiful friendship and stunning moments of great cinematography make up several of my favourite moments in 1917. However, I’m not sure that all those combined had me more excited and happy to be experiencing Mendes’s movie more than the scenes featuring the more seasoned actors.
I’m sure that having been a long-time fan of Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Scott, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, and Richard Madden had something to do with it. Or, maybe it’s the fact that their dialogue, plus the ways their scenes were captured on screen, was just incredibly arresting. Perhaps it’s their gravitas, great voices and excellent dramatic timing. Without a doubt, the scenes featuring the above five actors were some of my absolute favourites. Especially Scott’s single scene, and when we finally get to meet Cumberbatch’s Colonel MacKenzie.
In terms of what I wish were different about 1917, I’d say a bit more of an even pace, and perhaps a slightly differently edited story, because there were moments where I felt as though my surrender to the storyteller was interrupted with small moments of recognition that my expectations of how seamlessly everything would flow were not fully met. To put it another way, in some moments I got lost in the story in a great way, whereas other moments had me wishing I was that little bit more satisfied with it all; you know, kind of the way Green Book (2018) had me feeling, and led me through the story in a way that proved completely satisfying.
I wouldn’t say overall that 1917 is my favourite war movie. That ‘highly prestigious’ title still belongs to The Hurt Locker (2008) – but it does have a fair amount of highlights you’ll be glad to have experienced.
Starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Romany Malco and La La Anthony, I was initially drawn to Holiday Rushfor the festive theme, the decorations (which were OK), and hopefully a good story of someone making their way back after a setback.
Story-wise, I like the general outline of the way popular radio DJ Rush Williams (Malco) managed to bounce back after suffering a career disappointment. And I’m not mad at how, like almost every Christmas themed movie with a focus on family, love and togetherness, Holiday Rush had its own version of a ‘Christmas miracle.’ Meaning that everything came together in the end, just in time for December 25th.
My issue is with the execution. Director Leslie Small’s movie relied quite a bit on the usual cliches to build the story and move things along, sometimes in a way that unfortunately felt rushed and contrived in places. Acting-wise, Malco and Martin-Green didn’t do badly. The story edit just didn’t help anyone overall.
At a push, the brief musical performance towards the end is likely my favourite thing about Holiday Rush.
If you’re super curious, Netflix is where it’s showing.
In comedy/drama Brittany Runs A Marathon, Brittany (Jillian Bell) is a New Yorker who doesn’t have her life together; a reality she’s forced to face after her rejected request for an Adderall subscription leads to the wake-up call she’d been needing.
Also starring Michaela Watkins, Lil Rel Howery, and Alice Lee, director Paul Downs Colaizzo’s film is well-acted and does a good, believable job of capturing the ups and downs of one woman’s personal journey of transformation. A transformation that was necessary for her to finally take charge of her life and go after the things she wants.
There are indeed some humorous moments in Colaizzo’s movie. However, those don’t stand out for me quite as much as the parts that proved difficult to watch. Especially when Brittany was hurting, disappointed and particularly how those negative feelings affected the people closest to her.
Overall, for me, the best thing about Brittany Runs A Marathon, besides its general believability, is getting to see someone achieve what they, at the start, may have perceived as impossible. I’m also not mad that it had me reflecting on the gift of great friends. May we all recognise and appreciate them when they show themselves.
Lastly, for the shortest of moments, as the movie played, the idea of running a marathon seemed like a good one. That was until I remembered how much I like my blister-less feet and intact toenails.
