I've watched a series of random movies this month. So whether you're interested in basketball, boxing, dinosaurs, romcoms, English history, or Greek gods, you're guaranteed to find something to enjoy.
65: Adam Driver is fighting dinosaurs. That's basically all you need to know about this movie. I have likened it to
Plane, which was another film that came in at a tight 90 minutes, had a simple premise, and didn't bother to add any fluff. Be prepared to watch Adam Driver and his co-star, the wonderful child actor Ariana Greenblatt, struggle to get back to their spaceship as they encounter a number of obstacles in their path, but mostly just a bunch of angry dinosaurs. I got so used to the idea of this film being a one-trick pony where the only danger that could befall these characters was a dinosaur, that something happened towards the end of the movie that I absolutely didn't see coming. It was insanely obvious in retrospect (and my boyfriend - now fiancé! - had been expecting it from the very beginning), but I was charmed by this final hurdle in the path of our intrepid duo. Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, this is a silly and spectacular action adventure, and with that perfect runtime, I cannot complain about it one bit. It served its purpose to entertain, and I am grateful.
: Directed by Michael B. Jordan, this is the third film in the
Creed franchise, so come on, you know what to expect. You're going to get a slick movie about Adonis Creed (Jordan) who is facing a new nemesis, this time in the form of his childhood friend, Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors, currently starring in all the things), and they will have to deal with their feelings both inside and outside the boxing ring. Inside the ring, you can expect some spectacularly choreographed fight scenes where you can feel the force of each punch and are swept away by the blood and sweat. Outside the ring, you can expect some training montages and some light attempts at talking through the emotional beats, but let's be real, this is a boxing movie and these men are only going to work out their issues with their fists. Written by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin, this is a classic sports film that follows the familiar beats and does not disappoint. It is rousing, features some great performances, and is still firing on all cylinders. Bring on the fourth installment.
: Netflix appears to now be the place to go to get your romcom fix. This time around, they've presented us with a The Holiday-esque tale, where Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher are two best friends, Debbie and Peter, who live on opposite coasts and end up swapping houses for a week for reasons I won't get into here. But come on, you know what's going to happen to these "best friends" eventually right? There are dalliances with some other people, there's lots of refusal to process their underlying emotions, there's of course a moppet involved, aka Debbie's son, Jack (Wesley Kimmel), who Peter has to take care of for this eventful week. Obviously Peter is a bachelor wastrel who has poor work-life balance and must learn how to reset his priorities, and Debbie is an uptight mom who must learn how to be more chill. And their houses alternately reflect their cool and cozy personalities. Written and directed by Aline Brosh McKenna, this is certainly not a movie you would pay to see in theaters but would happily watch on your couch during a rainy afternoon. Stuffed to the gills with every trope, you won't be surprised by a single thing, but it'll scratch your romcom itch for now.
: Adapted by Mark Rizzo from the Spanish film Campeones, and directed by Bobby Farrelly, this is a sweet little movie about Marcus (Woody Harrelson) a temperamental minor-league basketball coach in Iowa who is forced to coach a team of intellectually-disabled athletes as community service when he is arrested for drunk driving. As you can imagine, this man is the last person you would want to be offering up supportive and positive inspiration to these athletes, and at first, he is horribly out of his depth, with no idea how to talk to these people or connect to them. However, of course, over time, his wonderful team manages to teach him how to be a better coach and build up a rapport with everyone and get them to successfully play some basketball. This movie stars some phenomenal actors and gives everyone equal time to display their particular tics and talents. It is warm and kind, without being too preachy or self-righteous, and manages to strike an affable balance that keeps you engaged for two hours.
The Lost King: One of my favorite things to do when I travel is watch a movie on the plane that I didn't manage to catch in theaters. This time, I got to watch a British film that came out in October in the UK, but is just now entering limited release in the US, so I felt like I hit the jackpot. Directed by Stephen Frears and written by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, this is the wonderful true story of Philippa Langley (played by the wonderful Sally Hawkins), who was the woman who embarked on the quest to find Richard III's grave, that eventually led to his remains being dug up in a car park in Leicester. I remembered the news stories of Richard III's remains being found, but didn't know anything about this extraordinary woman and her odd fixation on this issue. She was an amateur, yet managed to do extensive research and connect the dots in a way that no other historian had managed. She was also led by a fair amount of intuition and superstition, often hallucinating visions of Richard III, but ultimately, she was vindicated. The movie is a riveting story about a weird and wonderful discovery, the rampant sexism and dismissal encountered along the way, and finally gives Langley the credit she deserves. If you need a cozy English movie to watch this weekend, this is exactly what you're looking for.
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: It's a safe bet that if you liked the first
Shazam! you'll probably like this one too. But if you're not into superhero movies, move right along. I particularly enjoy this franchise because it's the only DC property that isn't dark and dour - it's the most Marvel-esque DC movie you will find. It's odd and light-hearted, it references the Fast and Furious franchise, it's just delightful. And this installment adds in Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu as the Titan Atlas's daughters, who are the villains that our intrepid children who turn into adult superheroes when they say Shazam! have to battle against. What's not to love?! There are jokes, plenty of cinematic action sequences, some great production design though the costumes still look a bit weird and low-rent, and a compelling cast of characters who are simply charming and fun to watch for two hours. There are some twists you won't see coming, plenty that you will, and overall, it's a mindless popcorn movie that will deliver your requisite monthly dose of superhero entertainment. This movie is exactly what you need it to be, nothing more, nothing less.
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