This blog is part of my 3837 before 38 series. I write a blog for every single day for the 38 days leading up to my 38th Birthday.
So it finally happened. I missed a day. Here is something simple to get back in the grove.
It’s What Inside(2024)
Originally posted on letterboxedRating: 🌟🌟½
The comparisons to Bodies Bodies Bodies are apt. A dark comedy horror filled with vapid people gathering in a secluded location and playing a game. It is better directed than BBB, but that’s about the end of its appeal. Maybe am a jaded media-savvy jerk, but it seems to take no chances. Every direction it takes is as predictable as a the taste of a fast food chain menu item.
Bottoms(2023)
Originally posted on letterboxed
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟½
I am so glad went into this movie blind. I thought it was a queer sex comedy. It is not. One of the best exercises in absurdism ever. It takes the idea of the underdog high-school movie and flips it on its head. Blows way past the 6-laughs test.
Rebel Ridge(2024)
Originally posted on letterboxed
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
It is a shame that Hollywood is dead. Saulnier’s movies Would be a trend now. Blue Ruin would have ushered in an era of Naturalism in action thrillers.
Rebel Ridge continues his streak. It starts out very strong. Depicting the banal nature of modern corruption in pretty reasonable fashion. But what sticks with Saulniers movies is the Natural way people act. In any other film, the exposition dumps would be clunky. Here they feel like something that happened in real life.
It does drop off slightly in the last act. Still a great action thriller that almost no one will see because it was dumped on Netflix.
Hit Man(2023)
Originally posted on letterboxed
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The film has a Glen Powell problem. The movie depends upon the Jerry Lewis Nutty Professor transformation, but Powell is Buddy love. He’s working his ass off on the movie.
The people complaining about the tonal weirdness seem to be missing the point. Both Linklater and Powell are trying to explore satire in the same way as Chris Morris was doing in Four Lions. It just lacks the edge of that movie. Despite, a great work on identity, law enforcement, and entrapment.
Also a good time at the movies.