At the Movies with Kane and BN

[Kane52630]

The Long Walk

I can't prove it, but you just know the studio really wanted to include a Proclaimers needle drop somewhere, but got told no.

This was a fantastic, dark, and brutal thriller with a great and simple setup that is a very clear parable to the Vietnam War, with an anti-fascist commentary, but it is vague enough visually to make it feel timeless, so that it can be about any kind of war with any kind of fascist government. I think most people will probably compare this to The Hunger Games or Squid Game, but this reminded me more of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery and Lord of the Flies, with a little bit of Stand By Me and The Running Man. It's a movie filled with great actors and great performances, most notably Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, who are pretty much the co-leads, and they elevate the movie. The movie is at its best when it's the banter between the cast. The movie does not shy away from the violence, which adds to the heartbreaking moments in the movie when it happens. My only issue with the movie is that the ending feels a bit rushed and abrupt, and it would have been more interesting to build out the world just a little bit. Overall, it's definitely one of my favorite movies of the year.
4.5/5

 

[Kane52630]

Straw

Between this and Acrimony, Tyler Perry is really obsessed with tech devices that look like bombs.

Hilariously awful that becomes a bore to watch at times on a soap opera level. It's Tyler Perry thinking he can make a crime thriller on the level of John Q and John Boyega's Breaking, but ended up making something more in line with Unhinged, Kidnap, and his other films more than anything else. It's got pretty awful acting and dialogue across the board, with Taraji P. Henson overacting her ass off. I will say the movie did start off somewhat promising with the premise, but that only lasted a good 10 minutes. Overall, it's so bad that it's mostly entertaining.
1/5

 

[Kane52630]

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

Sure, that scene may be a super blatant Burger King commercial, but that might be the best someone has ever looked while eating a burger. Burger King. Have it Your Way.

It's a beautifully looking romantic drama by Kogonada that really wants to work on a "Before Sunrise" level, but falls short in the middle, where it mostly becomes a trauma dump movie that meanders around too much and is fairly predictable. That being said, I still really enjoyed Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell's performances, even though their chemistry goes in and out. Some of the supporting cast were decent enough, like Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Hamish Linklater. Overall, the movie is visually stunning, but many of the deeper themes feel underdeveloped or linger for far too long.
3/5

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Highest 2 Lowest

$17.5 million just seems oddly specific for a ransom.

A mixed bag of a crime drama by Spike Lee that works so much better in the second half of the film. The movie works best when it's a love letter to NYC and explores the outside, and it's at its worst when it's a dry chamber piece with some of the most bizarre, whimsical TV music playing in the background. I thought Denzel Washington was pretty good in it playing a music exec and ASAP Rocky was pretty good later on. I thought Jeffrey Wright was good, but I couldn't tell if he was playing the character poorly or if he was playing a really accurate"Nation of Islam" Muslim convert. While I don't think the movie overall works, the best scene in the movie is easily the money drop off/chase, where it showcases NYC so well, as well as the confrontation scene at the end. Overall, it was a flawed but solid Spike Lee joint.
3/5

Leave it to someone from Queens not respecting a modern day Brooklyn masterpiece (with a splish splash of the Bronx).

 

[Kane52630]

Leave it to someone from Queens not respecting a modern day Brooklyn masterpiece (with a splish splash of the Bronx).

Let's go Mets!