March Movies Part 1: How to Make a Killing & Hoppers

I headed back to the movie theatre and watched two very different movies this month. One is a murderous comedy that's strictly for adults, while the other is a sweet animated film that is appropriate for all ages. What are you in the mood for?

How to Make a Killing: Written and directed by John Patton Ford (who was inspired by the 1949 film, Kind Hearts and Coronets), Glen Powell stars as Becket, a young man whose mother was disowned by her eye-wateringly rich family after she slept with an unsuitable man and then insisted on keeping the baby. When the unsuitable man died, she became a single mother, who did the best she could to provide for little Becket, with absolutely no contact from any member of her family. After she died, he scrambled to make ends meet, but was then reminded that even though his mother was disowned by her family, the irrevocable nature of the family trust meant they couldn't actually disinherit her or her descendants. Which means that he could inherit a huge pile of money...provided all the other heirs in line before him were to die. I assume you can see where this is going.

When the first murder goes much more easily than he expected, Becket starts to think that maybe he could genuinely pull off this crazy scheme. Margaret Qualley stars as a femme fatale childhood friend who is the demon on his shoulder, egging him on, while Jessia Henwick stars as a new love interest who makes him want to be a better man. But murder is like a can of Pringles - one you pop, you just can't stop. While lightly comic throughout, the final tone of this movie is decidedly more ambiguous. But it's an entertaining ride, and if you enjoy that Glen Powell charisma, this movie will let you bathe in it for a crisp 105 minutes. Sometimes, that's all you want at the movies.

Hoppers: Pixar is back and better than ever. Written by Jesse Andrews and directed by Daniel Chong, this movie follows Mabel Tanaka (voiced by Piper Curda), a young girl who loves animals, but is furious that the adults around her seem to be so callous to their needs. Her grandmother is the only person who seems to understand, and together, they spent a lot of time at a local glade, quietly observing the pond life, listening to the sounds of Nature, and enjoying the contentment of that serene place. Her grandmother eventually dies, but Mabel always remembers her fondly, and as she enters into college, she continues to be a passionate advocate for Nature. Which means she frequently butts heads with Jerry Generazzo (Jon Hamm), the local mayor whose passion project is to build a beltway that will help to reduce commutes by four whole minutes! And where will a portion of that beltway cut through? The glade, of course.

Mabel is naturally indignant and determined to save her beloved glade. But the only way to do so is to re-introduce animal life into the area, since they have all mysteriously disappeared. She discovers that one of her college professors has developed "hopping" technology, that allows users to jump into a very life-life robot replica of an animal and then interact directly with animals. So, Mabel "hops" into a beaver, and sets off to convince animals to return to the glade and help her defeat Jerry.

I've barely scratched the surface here - the plot is so deliciously twisty and inventive that you really need to experience it for yourself. And like any great Pixar film, while there are cute animals and gorgeous animation to satisfy kids, there are a lot of poignant observations about seeking meaning in your life, having to regulate your emotions, and the dangers of end-stage capitalism, to make it very resonant for adults. I didn't bawl during this film, but tears definitely threatened to make an appearance at various stages. This is such a sweet, funny, and captivating movie - hop to it!