Now that we’re almost halfway thru Sept, I should prolly finish talking about what I watched in August, yeah?
Free Guy – This is one of those movies where I left feeling happy, lighter than air. It was so cute and fun and original, I can’t help but smile when I hear it mentioned.
Don’t Breathe 2 – And on the other end of the joy spectrum, I don’t understand how this got a theatrical release. In order for a suspense to be truly effective, you either need to sympathize with your imperiled characters or really believe they’re in danger. I’m sorry, but just because our blind baddie from before has a daughter somehow, we’re supposta forget the truly awful stuff he did before and root for him? And also believe that he doesn’t always have the upper hand? It took me all of 2 minutes in to realize I didn’t care and didn’t wanna be there any more. So I took a nap instead.
Reminiscence – Reminiscence was a mess, but a very beautiful mess. It never quite settled on the genre blend it wanted, and the story didn’t always make sense. But I love where it ended up, going for a much more romantic spin than I expected or realized I was in the mood for. You just gotta sweep some of the mess under the rug and be sure not to revisit those memories.
The Night House – Really great on suspense, but very lacking in payoff. The mystery that was building was so juicy, and then it threw an ending out there that felt very unsatisfying and unworthy of the journey. Rebecca Hall was at the top of her game tho. She often comes off a bit standoffish in her work, but she played that as her strength in a way where being icy fit the character and gave her some real bite and depth. We just needed a better place to take her to.
The Protege – I enjoyed this much more than I expected. I’d pushed it back a week because it looked very basic, so I was willing to skip it if scheduling needed. And it was very basic. I adore Maggie Q and I want very much for her to have a mega action film or franchise, but this wasn’t quite enough heft or flash. The saving grace was her unexpectedly intense chemistry with Michael Keaton. He’s amazing in everything he does and the way the two played off each other was delicious. They just needed a more interesting film to channel that towards.
Candyman – Among the best I saw this summer. The creep factor was way up there, but the social issues it tried to highlight were equally present. This movie had A LOT to say and did so in a way that heightened the terror. Super impressed with director Nia DaCosta, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. Also, right after I saw the film I stopped at H&M to shop for part of my Halloween costume, and was freaking the eff out riding down their mirror covered escalator. So yeah, well done Candyman crew.