SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
3 out of 5 stars
This good ole fashion galactic adventure of how Han became Solo makes for an unnecessary prequel to say the least. Yet, Ron Howard makes it fast & fun, bringing the highlights of the illustrious Star Wars history w/ him. It’s more content than crazy, but Ehrenreich is noble as the rebel pilot, flying w/ the swagger we have come to respect. Glover though is a scene-stealer, & if we get a sequel, there better be more between Lando & Han!
BEIRUT
3.5 out of 5 stars
A political spy puzzle w/ a lot of pieces,but all manage to fit inside this tense thriller. Hamm is excellent,giving a charged performance as a savvy negotiator plowing his way through detriment & betrayal. There are larger issues at hand, yet it still convincingly challenges those conflicts that we generally can’t comprehend.
YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
4 out of 5 stars
Phoenix is astonishing as a hired-killer w/ a hammer who balances himself on the edge of ending it all. Director Ramsay is rigorous in her uncompromising film where beauty is buried in the brutality of our suffering, unlikely hero. Their joint effort forms this into an exceptional, yet excruciating viewing experience. Try keeping up w/ a tortured soul haunted by trauma. Its intensity & danger rings out even in the faint of whispers.
THE RIDER
3 out of 5 stars
The disappointment of seeing a dream die is life-shattering, especially when it’s all you’ve ever known. Brady Jandreau is stunning as a young cowboy in denial of life after the rodeo. He’s left w/ only memories & scars to show for it. As a moving western rich in authenticity, director Chloé Zhao uses non-actors to tell a true tale of being unable to fulfill your calling in life while maintaining your masculinity in America’s heartland. This quiet, disheartening film’s grit is its true gift, even if the ride never gets immersive enough to get a good grip.
A QUIET PLACE
4.5 out of 5 stars
Krasinski brings brilliance to the simplicity of storytelling. He uses startling sound & deafening silence to make this a heart-racing, emotionally exhausting creature feature. The small cast is spectacular, especially Blunt, expressing everything humanly possible while remaining silent. Feeding off the fear of being heard takes this terrific thriller to unbelievably unprecedented heights. We may have a new horror classic on our hands here.
BOOK CLUB
3 out of 5 stars
This sex comedy for the older generation is about as cheesy as you might imagine. Feeling extinct in finding love & how to keep it interesting in the bedroom is what this movie is barely built on. However, there are scenes of sincere sweetness involving four legendary ladies who are lively & ultimate pros at getting laughs. Their talents are ageless, but it’s Keaton & Bergen who get to have the most fun.
LOVELESS
1.5 out of 5 stars
A bleak & boring film about the disappearance of a child belonging to soulless parents in a soulless country. While director Zvyagintsev uses his characters’ misery, abandonment, & loss of humanity as a metaphor for the environment around them, it’s such a damn drag. Patience is key w/ this one & it requires a ton of it.
BORG VS. MCENROE
3.5 out of 5 stars
A riveting recreation of the epic clash of two tremendous tennis giants at the 1980 Wimbledon. LaBeouf is fantastic & perfectly cast as McEnroe, while Gudnason conveys layers of great devotion & the loneliness that accompanies it. Ditching some details, it still serves up excellent insight into their mental & physical capacity of what it takes to be a champ on the court & the overwhelming obsession that consumes them off the court.
ISLE OF DOGS
4 out of 5 stars
With an amazing voice cast, director Anderson has shaped a dazzling animated story about man’s best friend. His patented perfection to detail is entrancing, as is his narrative of gullibility & hysteria. The unmistakable imagery & refined waggery, in conjunction w/ incredulous imagination, puts this superb stop-motion adventure in a league all of its own.
LIFE OF THE PARTY
2.5 out of 5 stars
A cluttered comedy that encourages the empowerment of women, but ditzy in its delivery. McCarthy is much better than the material her & her husband wrote, but she’s a master at getting laughter & goes all out to get them.
CHAPPAQUIDDICK
3 out of 5 stars
This lucid, cogent film turns an accident into a tale of integrity, shame, & abuse of power. Clarke is brilliant as Ted Kennedy, a hungry politician hoping to live up to a political legacy set by his brothers, & that last name is a magnet for controversy. We’re left to decide his guilt, but there’s more to uncover here & its limitations make it a little lackluster.
I FEEL PRETTY
3 out of 5 stars
You know how this story goes, & Schumer has an unlimited amount of sweet & sass to make this well-intention comedy stand up for self-image & self-worth. Yet, the meaningful message is dampened by its delivery a little more than halfway through. We’ve been laughing at the absurdity of how society defines beauty, but when it wants to be serious, it hasn’t allowed us to take it that seriously.
DISOBEDIENCE
3.5 out of 5 stars
Weisz & McAdams are two lost souls, one needing forgiveness from her father & the other wanting her freedom. They’re both spectacular in this beautifully constraint love story about the choices we must make to find happiness. The film uses magnified silence, motions & glances to let the inner-turmoil & sexual tension burn bright. Even in the most forbidden of times, there’s an impassioned yet delicate battle to take control of one’s life. Director Lelio captures it all w/ great care & concern, knowing an escape from where you grew up comes at a cost.
TULLY
4 out of 5 stars
Theron is marvelous in Reitman’s motherhood meltdown, revealing an emotionally raw & physical perception of what it truly takes to raise a child on a daily basis. There’s nothing typical in this dynamite dramedy where humor is hidden in misery, the acting is fearless, & the direction & writing is sharp, puncturing holes in the illusion of only having joy in bringing up a family. It’s provocative by providing eye-opening authenticity that movies are simply scared to show. The fact of the matter is being a mom is a messy business, & we’re now finally getting the admirable attitude that comes w/ it.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter@SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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