“Honest Thief” is directed by Mark Williams and stars Liam Neeson (Taken, The Commuter), Kate Walsh (The Umbrella Academy, Grey’s Anatomy), Robert Patrick (Scorpion, True Blood), Anthony Ramos (Trolls World Tour, Godzilla: King of the Monsters), Jeffrey Donovan (Sicario, Burn Notice), and Jai Courtney (Suicide Squad, Divergent). This film follows a bank robber who meets a girl, falls in love, and aspires to spend his life with her. Although, because he wants to live a clean life, he requests to turn himself in for a reduced sentence, only to have every moment of his be interfered by two FBI agents.
There is not much playing in theaters right now in regards to new content, but “Honest Thief” did just debut this past weekend, and I managed to see it on the first Thursday it was playing. So, I consider myself lucky in getting to review another movie during a year which nothing really has happened. “Honest Thief,” marketing-wise, comes off as another cliche action flick starring Liam Neeson, and as far as the final product goes, that is pretty much what it is. If you’ve seen other action flicks starring Liam Neeson, this will seem stylistically similar to those. This is not exactly a punch to the face as far as this movie is concerned, because I will admit, I did enjoy myself from start to finish. This is not Shakespeare, but it is a damn good time, and worth the price of admission if you choose to support the film during its theatrical run. I am one of those people who will state that every movie is better in a theater, but I think many people would agree that action flicks are pretty much essential viewing on the big screen.
This movie has it all! Combat, shootouts, chases, and so on! This movie is worth it all the way through if you want to see some fun action scenes. Neeson carries the film quite well and I almost cannot imagine anyone else playing his character, even though this movie takes place in Massachusetts and almost embellishes that from start to finish. So if this is remade in 5 or 10 years, who knows? Maybe Ben Affleck, Chris Evans, or Matt Damon could step in. They’re competent actors from the area! Why not give them a shot? This is not a complaint against Liam Neeson. Again, he portrayed the lead role with excellence.
I will say once again, this movie is not Shakespeare, but it does not mean I failed to get attached to anyone on board. Liam Neeson’s character, Tom, is very likable. His love interest, played excellently by Kate Walsh, is also pleasing to watch. Their first scene together, is admittedly a little sappy, but that also brings me to one of my biggest compliments about the film. Despite how this film is a masculine adrenaline rush of an action flick, I was still able to feel some sense of emotion all the way through.
I also really liked the film’s antagonists. I will try not to spoil too much about the film, but I will point out that the antagonists are these two FBI agents who meet with Tom as he is trying to turn himself in. The police reveal that plenty of people have called them trying to claim they were the bank robber they were looking for, and when these two FBI agents find out this guy is for real, they try to take advantage of his earnings. I kind of like their motivation and the depth behind their backstories, especially when it comes to the character of Ramon Hall, played by Anthony Ramos. He’s got a kid, and it is brought up that when it comes to the amount of money at stake, one would probably want it all just to take care of a kid without a worry in the world. This movie is not going to be remembered as the greatest story ever told, but this side story from one of the villains did add something to the film itself.
I don’t know what it is about recent action films and dogs, I mean, “John Wick” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” if you can call it an action film, have become iconic because of their dogs and the scenes they’re in. Some of the best chemistry in this film comes from this tiny little dog, and Jeffrey Donovan. This comes from a guy who loathes dogs in real life, but even I will admit that every moment these two were on screen together amused me.
I will point out once again, “Honest Thief” is a pretty good action film, but that does not mean it does not come without flaws. For starters, despite how good it is, it really just covers the basics. Yes, you’ve got a kick-ass Liam Neeson who is not really phoning it in. You’ve got some slick-looking action. You’ve got a story that goes from point A to point B. But there’s nothing really that changes the game. It’s familiar content. Familiar is not always the worst adjective however, I enjoyed the familiarity of this movie. This movie is like that one cheap pizza place you may end up always ordering from. It may not be the best, but with the close location and inexpensive options, it makes itself pretty attractive. It’s a good pizza that gets the job done, nothing more. If you want to watch a good action movie, watch “Honest Thief,” but if you want to watch a great action movie, I don’t know, here’s another example with Liam Neeson, put on “Taken!” Skip the sequels, just watch the first one. Although parts of the third one are good. …Just, skip “Taken 2.” I’ve pretty much forgotten almost all of it by now.
If I had to state any other notable cons, it would probably just be one particular scene two thirds the way through the movie. I know that this movie does not have the biggest budget in the world, but given how it is 2020, the effects that a movie has should look at least somewhat real. To be completely honest, there’s this scene past the midway point of the movie with this really big explosion, the fire effects in that scene, especially towards the end, looked like they came from a middle of the road movie that came out in 2003.
Liam Neeson’s character of Tom, otherwise known as the In and Out Bandit, which… WHY DID THIS MOVIE NOT TAKE PLACE IN CALIFORNIA? What a missed opportunity! You know what? This guy’s from Massachusetts! He should be called the Dunkin and Dunkout Bandit! He’s on the run on Dunkin’! Anyway, this character took a lot of money from banks. Thankfully, this movie did not feel as if it was robbing me from start to finish. If you have a chance, give it a shot! I’d give it a thumbs up.
In the end, “Honest Thief” is a bit basic, somewhat familiar, but is entertaining enough to pass the time. Is it worth seeing in the theater? Well that depends. There’s not much playing at the cinema, and I know not everyone wants to go to the cinema. If you don’t want to see this in a cinema, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is out for home viewing by sometime next year. But if you choose to go to a theater and you want something big and loud, this is almost your best option unless “Unhinged” and “Tenet” are playing somewhere near you. If you are a fan of Liam Neeson, you like action, and you just want to see somebody kick some asses, this may be a good movie for you. Just because it has been done before, does not mean it is terrible. I am going to give “Honest Thief” a 7/10. So far I’ve seen two Liam Neeson movies this year. This one, and “Made in Italy.” I’ve stated positive thoughts on both films, so in my book, Neeson is 2 for 2 in 2020. Well done!
Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for an unusual film. That my friends is the brand new animated musical “Over the Moon,” which hits Netflix October 23rd. Right now it is playing at select theatres if you want to see it early. I played a song from the movie on a loop as I did my review for “Honest Thief.”
…Take that as a hint for how good this movie is. I cannot wait to talk about it!
Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Honest Thief?” What did you think about it? Or, what are your thoughts on the “Taken” franchise? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“Yellow Rose” is directed by Diane Paragas (NextWorld, Brooklyn Boheme) and stars Eva Noblezada, Dale Watson, Princess Punzalan, and Lea Salonga (Aladdin, Mulan). This film follows a 17-year-old Filipina, who also happens to be part of a family of undocumented immigrants living in the United States. When Rose Garcia’s mother gets picked up by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, she runs off and attempts to adapt to a new life and new reality as she aspires to become a country singer in Austin, Texas.
This movie played at a plethora of film festivals in 2019. Not only did this film get to play at these film festivals, but it did something else. WIN. On IMDb, there is a list of the many festivals in which this movie played. At almost every single one, it took home whatever each festival’s equivalent to Best Picture happens to be. It’s that good. Simply from the awards potential and what it has racked up so far, I had high expectations for this film. At the same time, it’s 2020, the year where each day I wonder if the next one is going to be less intolerable than the one before. For those who must know, it’s not like we have not had any good films this year. “Tenet,” “Summerland,” and “The Last Shift” are incredible. I’ll also happily defend “Impractical Jokers: The Movie” until the day I die! It’s worth a watch, trust me! Check it out on HBO Max!
In all seriousness, I saw “Yellow Rose” in an empty theater, given how cinemas are the only way you can watch this movie. Over the past couple year, we’ve had quite a few music-based movies that became popular, including “A Star is Born,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “Yesterday.” Honestly, I’d rather forget that last one, it’s terrible. Here’s some good news. “Yellow Rose” is not as bad as yesterday.
Here’s some GREAT news… “Yellow Rose” is one of the best movies of the year!
This year in general started off fine, became bad, it’s gotten worse, and it hasn’t stopped progressing down the rabbit hole in terms of how terrible it truly is. For movies, it’s kind of the opposite point of view. We started off with a couple duds, got some good movies here and there, but overall, this year has been nothing special. We were so spoiled in 2019 with movies like “Parasite,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” and “Ready or Not.” But I will say one thing about this year, that’s kind of like last year. The sweet stuff comes later. And trust me, “Yellow Rose” is, in the words of Peter Griffin, freakin’ sweet.
Now I don’t know if this movie will be for everyone, specifically because the main character and her mother are living in the United States illegally, so I imagine some people will look at this movie, witness the main character, and simply ignore it. Movies are not made for everybody, that is the subjectivity of film. But when it comes to how this film tells this story, you cannot deny its power. You cannot deny its impact. I honestly don’t care about the status of our main character, because overall she is incredibly likable. I am a legal citizen of the United States. That is something which I will admit I have not been proud to say in recent years, but that’s not the point. Nevertheless, I enjoyed how the film deals with its issues, themes, and overall conflict.
Not only is “Yellow Rose” a great film about an aspiring artist, but it is a fantastic film about being an illegal in the United States. You’re trying to get by, you may not have the best accommodations, although you’re managing, and when it comes to dealing with I.C.E., it’s a brutal game of hardball. At the same time, even WITHOUT that, this film is still a lively presentation of how someone aspires to be something bigger than themselves, which is a story I enjoy from time to time. Minus the legality factor, I related to the character Rose. From the first five or so minutes of the film, I was instantly hooked from just seeing her on screen. And I’ll tell ya why. Like her, I have enormous aspirations. I spend all my time in my room. I’m a creative type. And there’s even a scene where I got the sense that she hides her creative self from other people. My eyes lit up from that very moment, and I knew I was in for what could possibly be the best movie of the year. By the way, Rose is played by Eva Noblezada, this is her first role that is not on a stage, and it is PERFECT. I do not think she will win Best Actress, but for a first performance, I could not be happier.
Speaking of songs, there are a lot of them in this movie, and there is a good chance that I’ll listen to some of them again. I will say though, one of the few cons, and there are not that many, that I have with “Yellow Rose” is despite the fact that “Yellow Rose” heavily centers around music, I don’t remember many of the songs in the film or the lyrics of said songs. At the same time, this stands true for much of the music I enjoy, so I could debunk this. Nevertheless, no movie’s perfect. This is a philosophy that has stood true for years, and I am willing to abide by it. This is not to say the songs suck, and I will say that many of them are spectacular, but a flaw’s a flaw.
If I had to say anything else about this movie, this came out at the perfect time for me. I still live with a parent, but I can see myself starting my own life pretty soon. This girl, embodies me as someone who sees their future and even a little bit of their present, and it ain’t always pretty. I can’t always rely on the best transportation, I make things up as I go along, and the living conditions may not always be great. I am very thankful to have such an incredible life right now where I can get three meals a day, and maybe a little more. This movie made me appreciate what people, regardless of their legality, go through just to survive. This movie is not only relatable, but emotionally gripping. My eyes and ears were engaged from start to finish, and it never let me go. In this wreck of a year, we need more movies like “Yellow Rose.”
In the end, “Yellow Rose” is quite high on my must see list! The film is only available in theaters now, which I will say, as usual, I get it, not everyone wants to go to the movies. But, if you are one of those people who wants to go see a movie, “Yellow Rose” is mandatory viewing. If you don’t enjoy the movie, maybe you’ll enjoy the songs. Who knows? This movie deals with multiple stories and issues, with each one coming out to top notch perfection. “Tenet” is one of the big movies out right now, and it has gotten a lot of attention, but if you want to support something with a smaller budget, I implore you to watch “Yellow Rose.” Again, some of the songs are not that memorable, but that could change upon listening to the album or a second viewing. And you bet I will want to participate in a second viewing because I’m going to give “Yellow Rose” a 9/10!
Now, IMDb technically lists this as a 2019 movie, but it came out for a public theatrical release in 2020, so I am going to count this as a 2020 film. With that being said, this may be my favorite film of 2020. I’m a little torn between this and a couple other films, but I am glad that 2020 has picked up the pace movie-wise. I’m really hoping we can get a 10/10 movie by the end of the year, but I’m so happy. By the way, about that 10/10. THIS MOVIE CAME SO CLOSE that I almost gave it that score. Maybe things will change with a second viewing! We’ll have to see!
Thanks for reading this review! Pretty soon I’m going to have my review up for “Honest Thief” starring Liam Neeson. I hope to publish my thoughts on that film by the end of next week. School may be keeping me a little busy during these times. Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or a WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Yellow Rose?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite piece of music, either song or score, from a movie this year? For me, it has to be the “Tenet” score, Ludwig Göransson created a banger! Leave your thoughts down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“Time” is directed by Garrett Bradley, stars Sibil Fox Richardson alongside Robert G. Richardson, and follows a couple’s slice of life, most specifically from Sibil’s point of view. This documentary follows Sibil as she raises her kids and fights for her husband’s release from Louisiana State Penitentiary for armed bank robbery. Sibil did her time for three and a half years, but her husband, Robert, is forced to serve 60.
For all the historians who read this in the future, I saw this movie in 2020, the year where literally nothing happened. With that said, I witnessed this film through an early online screening provided by Amazon. By the way, thanks guys! Going into the documentary, I had no knowledge as to what it would be about. It could cover anything really. Maybe I read one or two snippets about the film before going in, but still. So for all I know, I could have known the story, but I will point out that I avoided all trailers. Safe to say, regardless of the subject matter, I was ready for the movie. It’s nice to go in as blind as possible.
For those of you who know about my thoughts on 1996’s “Mission: Impossible,” you may know I enjoyed the movie, but I had a greater appreciation for it once I saw some information on what went down behind the scenes. “Time” is sort of in the same boat. I genuinely enjoyed what I saw. But as I did this review, I brushed up on the film’s Wikipedia page, and I came across this.
“She (Garrett Bradley) originally set out to make a short documentary about Rich, but after shooting wrapped, Rich gave Bradley a bag of mini-DV tapes containing some 100 hours of home videos that she had recorded over the past 18 years. At that point, Bradley transitioned the short into a feature.” –Wikipedia
This movie became a feature by a miracle, and it shows. The runtime of the film clocks in at an hour and twenty-one minutes. That’s shorter than most theatrical features today. You can argue that this is barely a feature, but I’d say that the sudden transition made the movie feel like it is one of a kind. Part of me would have liked to see how the short turned out, and not because I think the short would have been better. In fact, I think if this were a short, it wouldn’t have as lasting of an impact. It quite frankly would have been informative, but after seeing the beginning footage presented in a full screen aspect ratio, I could not imagine this movie in any other way.
Regardless of what footage they used, this documentary does what many movies, including those specifically in the documentary genre should do. It encapsulates the meaning of life, and a specific moment in time that may be important to someone. I got the sense that everything that went down on screen was of supreme importance to Sibil. We got a sense of who she was, the people she knew, her personality, and it’s like the movie opened up its arms to allow her into our lives.
Garrett Bradley has done other work in the documentary genre, some of which includes shorts. I have no idea when I will watch any of her other content, even though 2020 has proven that we have plenty of time in this world. However, there are various aspects of “Time” in particular that really show how committed Bradley is to carrying out a singular vision. The movie is done in black and white, it is cleanly edited, the music matches all the edits as well. Honestly, in terms of the final edit, this is probably my favorite documentary of the year. I don’t think any of the documentaries I have seen this year are perfect, but in terms of how “Time” edits and lays out its story from beginning to end, it is easily the most satisfying to watch. It has a major reliance on showing, not telling, one of the most proper principles of visual arts, and it does such a thing very well.
Does this mean I will watch the movie a second time? Probably not. Although it is free with my Prime Video subscription so such thoughts could change. Compared to other movies that came out this year, “Time…” may not stand the test of time. Although I don’t regret seeing it at the same time, because it was an informative, compelling, and engaging story. I cannot believe I’m saying this in 2020, there are other movies that I’d rather watch before this one. I think when it comes to documentaries, it may deserve another shot, because that genre has not really provided anything perfect this year. No, I have not seen Netflix’s “The Social Experiment,” and I don’t plan on watching it.
If I had any real cons against this movie, I’d say that there are some times that maybe I was a little disengaged with specific content. For all I know, maybe it is because I was watching the movie at home on my laptop, where it is a little harder for me to pay attention to what’s going on with all sorts of distractions nearby. There are also a couple scenes that I think go on a little too long. There’s one snippet of archive footage, or b-roll, that could have ended and the impact would have either been slightly better or not made too much of a difference. I won’t go into it, because I went into this movie blind, and I am willing to bet that if I let you do the same, maybe you’ll have an enchanting experience. I don’t know, this is an experiment! I have a degree in Master Film Reviewing! I made that up, and I don’t care! I stand by it!
I will say though, going back to positives, one of my favorite parts about this movie is the way it ends. Not only is the subject matter of the end fulfilling, but it goes to show how well edited and put together this movie is. If the emotions of the ending could not be achieved through visuals, I will guarantee that the audio and music do such an excellent job that MAYBE, you don’t even need to rely on visuals to strike such feelings. Granted, this is a movie, and visuals are perhaps necessary at all times, but it goes to show how much can be achieved through audio. It’s perhaps the most satisfying part of the movie, and made the whole experience worth my time. That’s what every good ending is supposed to do. Well done!
In the end, “Time” is not maybe as timeless as I would expect, but it does not mean the movie blows. In fact, when it comes to documentaries, it is probably my favorite of the year. It encapsulates its story effectively, it pulls you in, and does not let you go. I admired Sibil, her journey, and everything she does throughout this film. She is without any doubt, the heart of the story, and I am glad that her story has been told. I am going to give “Time” a 7/10. Thanks for reading this review! This weekend is the release of “The War with Grandpa,” I might end up seeing that by Monday, and I’ll have my thoughts on that soon. I’m looking forward to it, the film looks like it has some laughs. I might go see another movie this weekend, I’m not sure what it will be, but it will likely be something. After all, Massachusetts is now allowing theaters to serve food again, so I’m pretty excited just to get popcorn. Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out the official Scene Before Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Time?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite documentary of 2020 so far? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“You Should Have Left” is directed by David Koepp (Ghost Town, Premium Rush) and stars Kevin Bacon (Apollo 13, Footloose) alongside Amanda Seyfried (First Reformed, Ted 2) as a couple who book a vacation at a home in the Welsh countryside. I won’t say much, but strange things happen as we get to know our characters, their personalities, and their backstories.
“You Should Have Left” is the first film I watched on Peacock. For the record, I’ve had the service for a couple months now, but for the price, I’m digging it. It’s got a good selection of content, but one of my favorite things about it is the novel “channels” feature where programming is logged into a particular non-stop lineup. Nevertheless, as I stepped away from familiar territory to watch this movie, I was not sure what to expect. 2020 has been a roller-coaster of year. Not just for everything that’s been going on, but for film as well. The year started off horrible, stayed horrible, got slightly better. And unfortunately, I still don’t even have a 10/10 movie yet! I will say, I gave “Tenet” an 8, and upon repeat viewings, that score may have bumped up to a 9. Although that’s been pretty consistent with Christopher Nolan’s library.
As for “You Should Have Left,” it’s got a 5.3 on IMDb, mostly poor reviews from both critics AND audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 46 on Metacritic. Not the best verdicts if you ask me. But I watched the movie anyway, because it’s 2020, who cares anymore. I gotta tell you. I sat through this movie, waiting for something to happen. And yes, things were happening on screen. But nothing of value showed up for a long time. It got to a point where I really didn’t care about our two leads.
I’ve said this before this year, I’ll say it now for “You Should have Left.” This movie is BOOOOORRING!
Now, it didn’t make me want to shove ten knives in my eyelids, which is a positive sign. But I had nothing that I felt I would remember all that well by the end of the year. The house where most of the movie takes place looks nice. It’s a proper location for a movie like this. But welcome to my house! Welcome to the Jack Cave! You’re under my authority now, and as an authoritative figure. I command that “You Should Have Left” pays attention to my demands. My demand being, listen to my negative review!
As mentioned, this movie stars Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried. Two competent actors. Both of them played their part well, I have nothing against their performances for the most part. I don’t think I would give them Oscar buzz or anything, but both actors serve their purpose in this movie and play their parts as best they can. But the problem is that I haven’t reached the opportunity to get fully attached to either of their characters. I don’t mind either of these actors, just the characters they’re playing. They try to give some depth to Kevin Bacon’s character, and said depth does play a sizable part in the film. However, for whatever reason, I never found myself 100% in love with either of the leads. I never had a chance to care. This movie goes for an hour and a half, but unfortunately, this movie spends much of its time making it feel like nothing’s happening.
Now I don’t mind slow burn type movies where not everything happens lickety split. I like challenges for the attention span every now and then. But this movie… I– wow! I can’t even describe it coherently! Nothing happens!
I will be positive here with my next statement, not just because I’m trying to lighten the mood, but because I like being honest. This movie also features Avery Tiiu Essex (Modern Family) and this is her second role… Ever. Her first documented role, at least according to IMDb, is Young Claire from “Modern Family.” I have not seen the episode where she appears. Admittedly, I quit watching the show during the middle of the series because I don’t see the humor other people see in it, but having seen her in this movie, I think she did a good job, and for a second documented performance. This ain’t half bad. I think Avery Tiiu Essex has a bright future ahead of her, but I simultaneously wish she just has better movies to back her up. At the same time though, this is perhaps the life of an actor. You do something to get your name out there, maybe the movie will suck, but you nevertheless put yourself before an audience. If I were a casting director, I’d consider her for a role depending on the project.
But honestly, just because this movie was competently performed throughout, does not excuse the lackluster writing. This movie has some cool traits behind it. The beginning is well-written and somewhat intriguing. It’s kind of spooky as well, and given how this movie’s in the horror genre, it works! But there are so many times where I just wanted to look at my phone. Keep in mind, I was watching this at home, not at a theater.
There were a couple times where the movie slowed down enough to give me the urge to rewind. And one line in particular caught my attention. And by that I mean, it sent an electrical shock into my brain.
This movie is based on a book by Daniel Kehlmann. For all I know, the book is better than the movie, I have not read it myself. But there’s a line where the family looks around the house to see what’s what. They come across what would become the daughter’s bedroom, and the mother suggests that her bed “is the size of Connecticut.” I know this is nitpicking… Connecticut is not that big of a state! CONNECTICUT IS THE 3RD SMALLEST OF THE UNITED STATES! There are so many other states you can choose from! Texas! Alaska! California! New York! Florida! BUT CONNECTICUT?! I know… This is admittedly, possibly the stupidest thing I could ever complain about, but it nevertheless irks me! Word choice matters! I’m sorry, but that line caught me off guard! I don’t know where it came from! The book, the movie! I don’t know! Maybe there’s something I don’t know about the character that could make the line better. What is their relationship with Connecticut? Did they go there? Did they live there? Do they hate that state with a burning passion? Which, if you do… Try Frank Pepe’s pizza! I It’s a place that started in New Haven and it now has become a chain in the northeast! This is not sponsored, I’m just a fan!
I gotta say though, before I watched this movie, I don’t recall watching the trailers. Although I did watch a bunch of On Demand previews because they showed up on my TV from time to time. This movie is not only less spooky than I would want it to be, but it feels very confused in its identity. I know sometimes there are movies where you don’t know what box to put them in because they are one genre or another, but if that were the case with “You Should Have Left,” it didn’t work. Is it a family drama? Is it a horror flick? I don’t know. It kind of tries being both, but in doing so, it can’t do either successfully. So if you get Peacock, kind of like I did, I’d look for another movie before turning this one on.
To add on even further disappointment, I should point out that this movie is written and directed by David Koepp. While I don’t talk about David Koepp too often, his resume is solid! Especially when it comes to his writing credits. “Jurassic Park,” “Spider-Man,” “Mission: Impossible.” He has screenplay credits for all three of these great blockbusters! I’ll even say that one film in particular he wrote and directed, specifically 2012’s “Premium Rush” is a film that I wish more people talk about. To see a guy with an admirable history in the film industry do something like this is profoundly disappointing, and it kind of makes the movie a little worse than it should be. Although I would imagine some would be willing to acknowledge his blunders as well. While I have not seen the film myself, many have pointed out that “Mortdecai” is one of the inferior additions to Johnny Depp’s cinematic library. Even so, Koepp’s a man who has brought some positive additions to Hollywood’s history! If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have gotten to hear Willem DaFoe sing “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Just, make better movies. That’s all I ask.
In the end, “You Should Have Left” is the best possible title they could have given this movie. Because it was basically telling me, the viewer, that I should have left. This movie is dull, confused as to what it wants to be, and even though it has some scares, a lot of them are forced, cheap, and shoehorned! I think the young girl in this movie has a bright future ahead, but this movie will not shine on my best list at the end of 2020. I’m going to give “You Should Have Left” a 3/10.
Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for the all new movie “The Last Shift.” This is exclusively out in theaters now, so per usual, I won’t force anyone who doesn’t feel safe going to a theater to go see this movie, but without saying anything else, I highly recommend “The Last Shift.” I will explain more about why I recommend it in my review, which should be up later this week. Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or a WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “You Should Have Left?” What did you think about it? Or, what are your thoughts on Peacock? Did you get the service? Do you have a certain plan for it? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“Becky” is directed by Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion, the team who also brought you the movie “Bushwick,” starring Dave Bautista. This film stars Lulu Wilson (Annabelle: Creation, The Haunting of Hill House), Joel McHale (Card Sharks, Community), and Kevin James (The King of Queens, Paul Blart: Mall Cop). This film follows its titular character, Becky, as she and her dad drive-up to a house by a lake. Her life has hit rock bottom between family matters and trying to keep herself together. Aside from that, she’s a rather typical teen girl. Suddenly, convicts break into the house, so we begin our tension-filled ride where it is a matter of life and death.
I bought this movie for one reason, and one reason only. This might shock some of you considering how I imagine this guy can sometimes be considered a punchline when it comes to modern movies. Kevin James. I grew up watching his work like “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “The King of Queens,” “Here Comes the Boom,” “Grown Ups,” (which sucked), and so on. I even liked “Zookeeper!” How many people can say that?! Granted, I haven’t watched it in years, but it got plenty of laughs out of me through the times I have watched it. My fascination for his work has not died down in recent times, I went to his stand-up show, I follow his social media, and I checked out his YouTube channel, which has pretty cool concept behind it. Kevin James plays a sound guy on a film set, and I’ll show you an early video, where his character worked on “The Empire Strikes Back,” where one of the movie’s iconic scenes is about to go down.
I think the man is hilarious. Keep this in mind.
With that being said, I know a bit about one other lead, specifically Joel McHale. I’ve seen him in other movies, not to mention on ABC’s “Card Sharks,” which is coming back for season 2 very soon. Prior to this film, I didn’t really know much about Lulu Wilson, but I should also point out she’s mainly known for horror projects. When it comes to my knowledge about film, horror is one of my weak spots. So all in all, this was kind of my major introduction to Lulu Wilson.
Overall, “Becky” is a movie that I don’t think will be remembered for much buzz by the end of the year. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. I watched this movie at home, and I will always defend the theatrical experience, even during a pandemic, although I would never force anyone to go during such a time if they didn’t want to. With that in mind, this movie had my attention like some of the better theatrical experiences I’ve witnessed this year. Movies like “Tenet,” “Summerland,” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.” But part of why it had my attention is because of the movie’s simplicity. It all comes down to the basic want to survive. And I think “Becky” does a really good job at highlighting the potential stakes. What does this family do? Will Becky make it? I was rooting for them, and when the movie can get me to do that, there’s a sign it is doing something right.
I will say though, when it comes to Lulu Wilson as Becky, I think there are a couple snippets of her performance that are a bit inferior to the rest of said performance. Wilson has IMDb credits going back to 2012, so it is not like she’s starting, but having not seen much of her acting career, I don’t really have much to say except, she’s “alright.” Much of the second half of the film is where she truly gets to shine. I won’t go into much detail, but when the movie intensifies, so does Wilson. For all I know, maybe this is a directorial issue. The duo behind this movie, like Wilson, has some experience helming media, but they are not as experienced as other filmmakers. I’m not saying they didn’t have a vision for this film, but what I am saying is that I feel like there are certain scenes where they managed Lulu Wilson and her character better and others where they just didn’t do as swell of a job.
Speaking of mixed thoughts, I have mixed thoughts on this film’s score. I know this film does not have a big budget, so it’s not like I was expecting something of the likes of John Williams to show up, but it’s got a very techno feel, and I’m not sure if I dug it. This film’s score comes from Nima Fakhara, who has a lot of credits. Can’t say I’ve seen many of them, but I imagine he’s done better work in the past.
But what may be the best thing in this film, and I sort of talked about this already, but it is worth bringing up once more, is the casting. This film has a good fit for Becky (Lulu Wilson), her father (Joel McHale), but I feel like the antagonistic side in particular is what stands out the most. Robert Maillet, who has appeared in a few blockbusters including “300” and “Pacific Rim,” makes an appearance here as a villainous sidekick of sorts. He. Is. Perfect. Some roles in movies will be remembered based on how an actor performs his or her lines. This role however will be remembered just because Robert Maillet… exists. That’s the best way I can describe this. Just seeing him on screen is scary enough. Just his height and physical structure makes for an outright intimidating character! He looks like Lou Ferrigno if he were always pissed off by his kids! Angry, muscular, tall, and he’s often got a murderous look on his face!
But of course, I cannot leave this review without mentioning Kevin James. This is complete subversion of my expectations. Because I’ve always seen Kevin James as the big, goofy, pasty white dude that tries to go for a laugh. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But here, there’s none of that. Kevin James isn’t funny here, and if he was, it would honestly ruin the movie for me. Because in reality, he’d be playing someone I’m used to seeing, perhaps “himself” as some would say for certain actors. Kevin James gives dialogue in a rugged manner that I am not used to seeing from him, his physical stance throughout the movie is intimidating at times, and so are some of his lines due to solid writing. I have always classified James as the guy who is charismatic, lively, and upbeat in a comedic way. This is a guy who lead a sitcom for almost a decade where he jumps on a couch in the nude eating pizza.
Just for clarification…
This guy…
Is this guy.
This is not my favorite thing with Kevin James in it, but I cannot deny that this might be his best performance as an actor mainly because of how much of a diversion he’s taken with this. Gotta say though, after this movie, if they ever do an “Avengers” parody, I would not mind seeing James play Thanos. If it’s a full blown Marvel movie, that’s a no from me unless he changes his physical structure a little, but I would not mind seeing him in a parody.
In the end, “Becky” is a good movie, a thing we could all use in 2020. Although one thing I should mention, this movie’s not for everyone. If you don’t like blood and gore, you might want to stay away. My mother came into my room as I watching this film, I told her it has Kevin James in it, as she admires the actor. I’m starting to wonder if I’d recommend this film to her. It’s a good movie, but you probably have to have the right mindset and personality to fully enjoy it. I’m going to give “Becky” a 7/10.
Thanks for reading this review! TOMORROW, I’m going to be doing something fairly unusual, TALKING ABOUT TV! Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of what is arguably my favorite television episode of all time, “Family Guy’s” And Then There Were Fewer! I will be doing a spoiler-heavy dive into the episode, and talk about some of the reasons why I love it so much. As for movies, I’m not sure if I’ll see anything this weekend, but if I do, I will talk about it. Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Becky?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite project with Kevin James in it? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“The Personal History of David Copperfield” is directed by Armando Iannucchi (The Death of Stalin, Veep) and stars Dev Petel (Slumdog Millionaire, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Anuerin Bernard (War & Peace, Dunkirk), Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, Paddington), Morfydd Clark (The Man Who Invented Christmas, Crawl), Daisy May Cooper (This Country, Avenue 5), Rosalind Eleazer (Howards End, Death in Paradise), Hugh Laurie (Stuart Little, Tomorrowland), Tilda Swinton (Doctor Strange, We Need to Talk About Kevin), and Ben Whislaw (Skyfall, Paddington).
This film is based on the similarly titled book written by Charles Dickens and follows David Copperfield, an orphan who finds himself needing to get through a series of obstacles.
“The Personal History of David Copperfield” already released in several film festivals last year, which eventually led to the film being nominated for a Best Casting BAFTA. The movie has not hit the United States until this past March, specifically at a festival, and has gotten a full fledged release in August. In my view, that officially makes this a 2020 movie. IMDb says this is a 2019 film, but it has not had an official theatrical release until this year, so I rest my case for now. As of late August, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” has hit several theaters in the United States, and so far has earned over a million dollars. Now, that’s a great total if I went on NBC’s “The Wall,” but the film’s budget is $15.6 million. The collective total at the box office worldwide is $11.6 million. That’s not entirely pleasing so far, but given how movie theaters are coming back to life at this point, it should not be too surprising. Nevertheless, I used one of my A-List tickets to see this movie last Sunday, and having never once read the “David Copperfield” book, I did not really know what to expect. I will have you all know, when movie theaters were allowed to reopen in my state, the first screening I attended contained one trailer, which was for this exact movie. That’s all. I could tell you I really enjoyed the trailer, but the reality was that I was more focused on the notion that a movie theater was actually open.
Even so, this movie had an advantage, because it was *that first trailer* I’ve seen in a while, it stuck in my mind like a catchy tune. So was this movie worth my time when I finally saw it? I’d say so.
Going into “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” I did not entirely know what to expect. Keep in mind that this review is written by someone who never read the book. I walked out of the movie fairly delighted. There was a series of well-directed, marvelously written scenes. I could thank the writers for this film, but maybe I should thank Charles Dickens considering how he wrote the material. It also goes to show how timeless this movie feels, and how one can possibly connect to some guy living in the 19th century. All the factory scenes from this film are incredible. Not only are they atmospheric, but they allow for this movie’s writing to shine. I felt for Dev Patel’s character of David Copperfield several steps of the way.
This movie manages to maintain its own vision from beginning to end, and I was massively entertained by said vision. While “The Personal History of David Copperfield” is not my favorite movie of the year, I will not deny that this movie manages to maintain its own flair every step of the way. I do not feel like I will end up remembering every character’s name, although I do imagine if I read the book maybe I will. Speaking of which, this brings up another point.
A lot of people tend a read a book, watch a movie, compare the two side by side. Personally, I see books and movies as two separate entities and I don’t always think they should be compared just to be one thing since they are two different mediums. However, let’s reverse what I just brought up for a moment. I watch a ton more movies than I read books, but if I were to take this movie, “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” I would definitely read the book that inspired it because I enjoyed the end product of the film. I don’t know when I’ll dedicate time to it, but it is a thought that I am intrigued by.
In terms of performances, I think everyone across the board did a great job from Dev Patel to Hugh Laurie to Peter Capaldi and Benedict Wong. Their performances help provide a refreshing take on what must be a classic. One of my favorite performances in this movie however comes from Darren Boyd, who plays Mr. Murdstone, who marries Copperfield’s once widowed mother. In addition to that, Copperfield has to work for Murdstone in his factory, which as previously suggested, makes for some of the finest scenes in the movie. This movie is PG, so according to the MPAA, kids can watch this and feel fine. There are some notable scenes where that PG rating shows, but at the same time, as I watched those scenes, I got the feeling I was watching somebody who was pushing the barrier a little higher. They say a movie is only as good as its villain, and “The Personal History of David Copperfield” utilizes that saying to full potential.
There are few other antagonists from movies this year that I can think of that I will remember for years to come. Maybe Dr. Robotnik from “Sonic the Hedgehog,” perhaps Sator from “Tenet,” and this might shock you, Paula Abdul from “Impractical Jokers: The Movie.” Just being honest. Murdstone is up there with the greats for me. I really hope we get a couple more comic book movies this year, because I am curious to see Taskmaster in “Black Widow” and see how he ranks against the rest of the Marvel villain crew. IF “BLACK WIDOW” MOVES AGAIN OR GOES STRAIGHT TO DISNEY+ I MIGHT BE DONE WITH MOVIES. Nevertheless, Murdstone is one of my favorite characters in this movie and his attitude says a lot about who he is.
If I have anything else to say, I also enjoyed the score in this film. I don’t know if I’ll end up listening to it during free time later, but hearing it in the theater was most certainly atmospheric and occasionally gave a larger than life vibe. The score is done by Christopher Willis, who has also done work for a couple Disney television shows and HBO’s “Veep.”
In the end, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” is a fine adaptation of the well-known Charles Dickens novel. I have never read the book, but after seeing this movie, who knows? Maybe I’ll give it a shot. I imagine it is better than the movie, given how Dickens is a household name. Even so, I found myself delighted with “The Personal History of David Copperfield” and I am going to give it a 7/10.
Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for “Becky,” which stars Lulu Wilson, Joel McHale, and Kevin James. I just got the Blu-ray recently, watched it, and I want to say some things about it. I’m not sure what my next review after that is going to be. I’m thinking either “Bill & Ted Face the Music” or there is also this one movie that has supposedly been out for a month called “Tesla.” I saw trailers for it at one theater, it never showed up, but it is also available On Demand for a cheap price. Maybe I’ll watch that. Although one of my local theaters, the Lexington Venue, just recently opened once more, so maybe I’ll check something out there if I have time. Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “The Personal History of David Copperfield?” What did you think about it? Or, did you read the original “David Copperfield” book? Tell me your thoughts on that! Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“All In: The Fight for Democracy” is directed by Lisa Cortes and Liz Garbus. This documentary mainly revolves around, not to mention stars Stacey Abrams, who ran for governorship in the state of Georgia and ended up losing to Republican Brian Kemp. The documentary in particular partially goes over the events of the election, but also dives into history behind voting. And despite the claims that everyone in the United States has a right to an equal vote, this movie plunges into why that may not always be the case.
Before the pandemic, I had an opportunity to watch several movies in theaters through early access screenings. But unfortunately, due to the way things are, I have not been invited to any, and I have not been reminded of any for months. Although I will say that Amazon Studios has been coming through because they recently showed “Radioactive” early online, which at the time, may have been the best movie of the year in terms of acting and production design. This is yet another time they have come through during the pandemic as they are showing the all new documentary, “All In: The Fight for Democracy.”
Little info about me. Yes, I have my preferred candidates. Yes, I sometimes observe the goings on regarding the United States government. But let me tell you, this is arguably the hardest review for a movie I have made in my four and a half years doing Scene Before. For one, I don’t traditionally review documentaries. I typically review like one per year. I also will point out that I don’t really like talking about politics. Maybe in 2016 when the whole election was… Hilarious, I would have been delighted to dive into some conversation. But no matter what happens, I am guaranteed to piss somebody off if I don’t say exactly what they want to hear. And I will say that this documentary in particular reminded me of that. This movie is one of those cases where footage plays during the credits. Specifically, you have everything rolling through, everyone’s name is showing up, and you see cameras in action. A lot of it is related to the subject matter of the film. That’s great and all, but when all these main statements came to a close, the movie ended with a phrase that kind of stood out to me.
“Tell everyone you know.”
I don’t know how I felt about that phrase, because I remember all these public figures a couple years ago, even if they were not involved in politics, basically just telling everyone to vote. And I get it, voting is a right, but all of these people suggesting to do such a thing at one time feels incredibly overwhelming. Plus I remember scrolling through social media and I saw one post that I kind of took to heart, and I will not give much away about my political views, but I don’t devote myself to parties. Overall, I think they’re kind of ridiculous. But I remember I saw a post that said something along the lines of “Please vote for whoever I say.” It’s definitely a much different phrasing than what I just suggested, but with that in mind, I feel like a lot of these people are trying to get you to vote for whoever THEY want you to. I don’t know why, and this shouldn’t take much away from the film as a whole, but that statement felt icky if you ask me. Because it felt like it just forced itself into your brain. It felt very propaganda-like. And yes, propaganda is everywhere. It is a tool that probably works on everyone. But as I grow and mature, I have a greater wish to think for myself than have someone else form my thoughts. This is why I don’t watch cable news!
Overall, as an American vote-based documentary, this is informative. It gives a great deal of information regarding our history on the good, the bad, and the ugly. It also deals with issues of today including gerrymandering, which is a word I often have in mind, but not one I always choose to reference or reflect upon. So this was a good reminder of a few things that maybe I don’t often always consider. It even goes into a fascinating experiment on trying to see who has already registered to vote, and as for those who aren’t registered, why that is the case. Let’s face it, Americans, including myself, happen to be lazy.
Yes, I type reviews that I traditionally like to produce with a thousand words at minimum. But you know why I’m lazy? For starters, I just used up my word count by telling you that I like to use a thousand words at minimum in my reviews, and this is helping me get there. But I often use the excuse, “I don’t have time.” Maybe there’s a number of cases when I say that and mean it because I take public transportation, and as much as I want to respect the environment, public transportation doesn’t always respect my time. But there’s always other cases where I might as well just suggest that because I have “more important things to do.” I have time to ride elevators for fun. I have time to go see “Tenet” again. I have time to sleep in. Do I have time to vote? More important question is, do I, and to add further translation, do other Americans have the willingness to vote? Between long lines, not knowing everything about every single candidate, and wondering if your vote actually counts, the act of voting perhaps raises a lot of questions. In fact, this upcoming Election Day is perhaps at the worst possible time. Most of my in-person classes at college are set for Tuesday right now. I have a rather extended commute. I wonder if the Post Office will even be a thing. And guess what? Guess how many people can say this?
I turn 21 the next day.
Therefore, on the same day that the next president is supposedly announced, there’s a good chance that depending on the result, I might want to drink so much alcohol that I forget every single U.S. president that has ever existed!
Now, a good documentary can change your perspective, yourself, the way you see the world, your thoughts on a subject matter, but I think that this documentary in particular has not changed my thoughts on voting. For one, I’m already registered, so maybe I’m not in the key demographic they’re really trying to aim for. I will admit, even though I don’t devote myself to a party, some of the stuff that is going on in the Republican Party right now is driving me nuts. This documentary, even though it seems to never avoid shying away from obviously leaning left, does a good job on objectifying some wrongs from the right. However, I can obviously see some people giving this documentary a low score because they don’t like anything liberal or left. But did this documentary alter my perspective on voting? Not really. It gave me a greater look at some of the reasons why not everyone’s vote may end up counting, but I often think about the electoral college. So even though we should go out and vote, someone else ultimately has the say for the United States. It’s just weird. I don’t usually talk politics this much, I don’t particularly like talking politics this much, and I hope that even though Election Day is coming up, I don’t have to dive too far into the subject matter again. It could be worse, it could be 2020–WAIT A MINUTE!
In the end, “All in: The Fight for Democracy” is watchable, but I don’t think I’ll recall it that much by the end of the year. Unlike some superior documentaries, it did not alter my perspective or add anything to it. I think Stacey Abrams makes a good case for herself here and her history was nice to see, and speaking of history, some of the backstory behind voting was intriguing. It wasn’t enough, however. This movie is playing in some theaters right now, but it’ll be free on Prime Video pretty soon, so if you have a Prime subscription, maybe you won’t be COMPLETELY robbed. I’m going to give “All in: The Fight for Democracy” a 6/10.
Thanks for reading this review! Just a reminder, “Tenet” is out in theaters right now! If you want to read my review for it, click right here! If you’ve already seen it, great! You didn’t have to like it, but good for you! If you haven’t seen it, I will just let you know that it definitely is worth the big screen treatment! Audio could use some work though. Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out the official Scene Before Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “All in: The Fight for Democracy?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite documentary of 2020? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“The Rhythm Section” is directed by Reed Morano (The Handmaid’s Tale, Divorce) and stars Blake Lively (The Shallows, The Town), Jude Law (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) in a film… Zzzzzzzzz.
Sorry, what was that? I’m very sorry. This film is about a woman who seeks revenge after discovering the plane crash that killed her family was an act of terrorism.
This film is based on a book written by Mark Burnell. Interestingly, he also wrote the screenplay for this movie. I don’t know how the book is, I have personally never read it, but for all I know, it’s a masterpiece of a generation. Although I will say this movie took me back to my high school years when I was forced to read certain texts. I’m looking at you, “Pride & Prejudice!” You guys remember English class in high school? If you liked every single book, text, or piece of reading material you’ve gotten in high school, good for you. To me, this movie felt like a book I was forced to read in high school, ended up detesting from the first ten pages, and I would either drudge through it or leave it to the last minute.
Want to know something else? This movie is not that long. It’s not the shortest movie ever, but it has a total runtime of an hour and forty-nine minutes. I could totally see myself splitting some movie viewings into a couple of parts to take some things in. I did it with “Braveheart,” which is about 3 hours long. Heck, many movies have intermissions! I’ve even heard some countries apply intermissions to modern movies playing in theaters that don’t even come pre-packaged with them! A movie like “Braveheart,” even though was a little heavy at first, is exciting and exhilarating until the very end! “The Rhythm Section” is… BOORRRRING!
Now, it’s not “Gretel & Hansel” boring, it’s definitely not “Cats” boring, but “The Rhythm Section” is still pretty stinkin’ boring! The training scenes, which are… Okay, I guess, don’t feel like something I’ll remember two weeks from now. The action is fine, in fact there is a scene in this movie that is brilliantly shot, but that might be the best part of the movie even though it probably doesn’t say all that much, because it really doesn’t have anything to write home about.
Speaking of that awesome action scene, I do want to say something about it. I won’t go into much detail about the scene itself, partially to avoid spoilers, as usual, but much like some of those books I’ve read in high school, I’m forgetting about it as we speak. What did Virginia Woolf do again? I will say though, there is one action sequence where a car chase is going down, Blake Lively’s character is driving, and the camera is in the car pretty much the whole time. For like a minute or so, the frame doesn’t cut, break, or switch. It just stays put the entire time in the same shot. I’ve noticed a lot of movies have done something like this in recent years, or more specifically, they take a bunch of shots together and make it look like one shot. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” had an awesome throwdown scene in a church where Colin Firth beat, shot, and stabbed everyone to death. “Zombieland: Double Tap” had an insane scene like this go down in Elvis Presley’s house. “Atomic Blonde” had something like this too, where Charlize Theron spends eight minutes taking everyone down. While the first two examples feel fantastical, this shot felt more like something that had an “Atomic Blonde” vibe. Unfortunately, “Atomic Blonde” is a much better movie, a more engaging movie as well, but like these examples sort of relate to “The Rhythm Section” in terms of camerawork. There were some scenes, like that one cool action sequence, where the camera was well-utilized. Unfortunately, I can’t always say the same about the editing.
I rarely talk about edits in movies that I don’t like, although I still wonder why “Bohemian Rhapsody” won an Academy Award for it, so there is that. There was a scene in the beginning that caught my attention, everything is all quick cutty and fast. And I get it, people have slow attention spans, but this was honestly too fast for my liking. Speaking of which, remember that awesome action scene? Well forget about that for just a sec, because I remember a scene towards the end of the film that took place on a bus, and it reminded me of the typical jumpcutty bullcrap that’s been seen a lot in recent action flicks. One moment we’re here! One moment we’re there! One moment we’re flying everywhere! It’s like the world’s worst Dr. Seuss book!
And of course, I should not go without mentioning one other thing, this movie has the same curse some other films manage to have. It’s a January movie! Honestly, this crap feels like it belongs in that month, it is one of the few months that many general audiences are not focused on new movies, even though “Bad Boys for Life” grossed a ridiculous amount of money for a January flick this year, surpassing 2009’s “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” by over double its total worldwide. Note, “American Sniper” came out in January 2015 and earned more money than both movies, but it does not count, considering how the movie was screened in a limited run since December 2014. Speaking of box office achievements, “The Rhythm Section” has the *honor* of earning the worst weekend for a wide release movie playing on over 3,000 screens. In fact, in just a couple weeks, that screen count dropped to just double digits! The film also brought in just short of $6 million worldwide! When your film has a budget of $50 million, this is a definite failure. And I know 2020 sucks for everyone right now, unless you’re a higher-up at Amazon, you work for Charmin’, or if you are an introvert who likes staying home all day, but this sort of makes me wonder how Paramount’s 2020 has been going since the beginning.
Well, at least “Mission: Impossible 7” is back in production.
Nevertheless, this feels like it deserves a January spot on the calendar, not only in terms of quality, but in terms of content. A lot of it either feels cliche, cold, or something that could easily be tuned out. This may also not be the easiest movie to market either. I’m not sure how popular the book is, so I guess the easiest way to tell is to find out how many people in the world have read the source material.
The actors are alright in this movie, and I will say, whoever the makeup and hairstyling crew for this movie happens to be, they deserve a thumbs up because Blake Lively looks the part. She comes off as a woman who really has seen some s*it in her life, and her hairstyle projects that idea to me. Unfortunately, some halfway decent acting could not contribute to a halfway decent movie. I don’t feel like I’ll remember most of the characters, the happenings, the movie as a whole. It’ll probably be a blur at some point. Technically speaking, it’s very hit or miss. I don’t see myself watching this movie in the near future even as background noise.
I don’t want to end this review too harshly, after all, even though I’ve been bogging the screenplay, because it is admittedly boring and nowhere near satisfying, it is also Mark Burnell’s debut, so I’ll cut him some slack here. In fact, he’s got another project lined up, so maybe he’ll knock it out of the park next time, maybe even learn from some flaws here. Unfortunately it’s based on another one of his books so… We’ll see. Burnell, if you are reading this and want my recommendation, get another guy who is well versed in screenwriting to collaborate with you. Maybe you can still go with your vision, but I think a voice of experience would be helpful in a case like this. The movie’s still in pre-production… Maybe there’s time for another draft? I don’t know.
In the end, “The Rhythm Section” unfortunately did not make its money back at the box office, but nevertheless robbed me of $12.99 that I ended up paying for the Blu-ray. Granted, that’s a cheap price for a fairly new release, but nevertheless. This movie feels like alcohol. Only I didn’t drink it to forget something, instead the alcohol leaped off the screen and slowly poured itself down my throat. I do not feel like I’ll remember this movie that well. If you want a good revenge movie, just go watch “Taken,” go watch “John Wick,” they’re much more worth your time. Even the “John Wick” sequels are better than this! I’m going to give “The Rhythm Section” a 4/10.
Thanks for reading this review! If you want to see a review for a much better movie, be sure to check out my review for “Tenet!” Big movies are back, baby! This is what I’m talking about! I wanted to watch “Bill & Ted Face the Music” this past weekend, as it was playing in some theaters (although it was available on VOD too), but unfortunately I just couldn’t find time to do it. So, if I have the motivation for either format this upcoming weekend, I will probably check that movie out. What else am I gonna watch this weekend? “The Broken Hearts Gallery?” I like one of the actresses in it… But, what else does it have to offer? Maybe I’ll get a last minute A-List screening or something, I dunno. Be sure to follow Scene Before either with an email or WordPress account so you can stay tuned for more great content! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “The Rhythm Section?” Or did you contribute to its unfortunate records? What did you think about the movie if you saw it? Or, what is your favorite movie with Blake Lively in it? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
Before we dive into this review, I just want to remind everyone that this is spoiler free. “Tenet” is one of the biggest movies of 2020 for a lot of reasons. There are not only a lot of people waiting desperately to see this movie, like myself, but there are also many people who might want to wait to see this movie depending on how safe it is to do such a thing. There’s also some areas like New York, California, the country of Japan that for the most part, cannot obtain access to this movie yet. With this in mind, I am going to attempt to be as vague as possible with my thoughts on “Tenet.” Kind of like its own trailers. What did we learn? Not much, which I don’t mind because I’d rather go into a movie knowing as little as possible. What’s the point of a trailer if it’s going to simply show the entire movie? I do go into detail on one or two things, but the things I take the deepest dives into don’t have much to do with plot, story, or characterization. Without further ado, it is time to start my review for “Tenet,” otherwise known as the movie I have waited since the Jurassic era to witness on the big screen.
The day we’ve waited for has arrived…
“Tenet” is written and directed by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Dunkirk) and stars John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman, Ballers), Robert Pattinson (Good Time, The Lighthouse), Elizabeth Debicki (The Burnt Orange Heresy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), Dimple Kapadia (Bobby, Fearless), Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules, Interstellar), and Kenneth Branagh (Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Hamlet) in a film involving NOT time travel, but time INVERSION, which makes time move backward. John David Washington plays The Protagonist (yes, that’s his actual name) who journeys through a twilight world and faces a mission that could mean the difference between peace… or World War III.
It’s finally here! “Tenet” is arguably my most anticipated movie of 2020, not to mention of all time. For the record, I keep saying “Dune” is my most anticipated film of the year, but given how “Tenet” is supposedly the movie that will “save cinema,” that’s an added bonus for me. I’ve talked about this movie long before it came out. I reviewed one of the trailers, I did a couple posts on what we knew about the movie at the time, and I even brought it up a couple times during my temporary “Movies and COVID-19: Behind the Scenes” series. I don’t think I’ll be updating that anytime soon, because I can only take so much talk about COVID-19 at this point. “Tenet” is also directed by Christopher Nolan, my favorite director working today. “Dunkirk” ended up being one of my favorite movies of 2017, taking my #4 spot at my end of the year countdown series. Two of his movies showed up in my “Top Movies of the 2010s (THE BEST 25)” countdown, which by the way, one of them ended up being my #1 pick! That movie by the way is “Interstellar,” which is one of my favorite movies of all time! Christopher Nolan is a director who individualizes his work in the industry, partially because he’s developed a distinctive style himself, but also because a studio as big as Warner Bros. trusts him at this point to make “his movie.” Plus, this movie was shot entirely in 65mm film, much of which was through IMAX. I’m a sucker for large format filmmaking, and I knew that this movie was gonna look CRISP.
To this day, Christopher Nolan has not made a bad film. Keep in mind, I still have not watched “Following,” but I’ve seen every other film from him. I really enjoyed “Memento” and I thought its storytelling methods were pretty solid. His “Dark Knight” trilogy is not only fun, but kind of refreshing in a world full of big CGI comic book movies. “Interstellar” is incredibly rewatchable and I stand by it being arguably my most cherished movie experience. “The Prestige,” while I don’t recall much about it, was fairly enjoyable. “Insomnia” is an entertainingly gritty thriller and features a fine performance from Al Pacino. “Dunkirk” is proof that you don’t always need a centralized character to tell a story, and I kind of like that. As if “Inception” wasn’t already cool enough, I rewatched it four times this year! Two of those times were in IMAX! It’s that good! So, is this the movie we’ve been waiting for? Is this the savior of cinema? Is “Tenet” 2020’s goldmine? Is it worth the hype?
Honestly, I’d say yes. The best way I can describe “Tenet” is this. If you’ve never been to Fenway Park in Boston before, they have this one section where all the seats happen to be green, except for one. Why? Because former Red Sox player Ted Williams hit a 502 ft home run towards that seat, and even though all the other seats remain green to this day, that one seat, which is 502 ft from home plate, is red. I feel like in my imagination, all the other movies that I’ve seen this year, all possess the typical green seats, but “Tenet,” because of how much I enjoyed it, gets the special spot. I say that because as I’ve discussed on here before, 2020 sucks, not just in general, but in the case of what I focus on regarding Scene Before, our cinematic calendar is pretty much a waste.
We’ve barely had any animated features this year, and while they are not my goto genre, I’ve watched at least five per year in the past couple years. It’s something I miss, and I really hope more can come out because Best Animated Feature is a category I do during my awards show that I put on here. There’s one movie that I have lost all motivation to review partially because of the pandemic, and partially because I’ve pretty much put it out of my mind upon leaving the theatre (That movie is “Bloodshot,” by the way.) All the big blockbusters like “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “F9,” “Morbius,” “Eternals,” and “Top Gun: Maverick” have all been pushed back about a year. “Tenet” is not only a movie that, unexpectedly, would supposedly “save cinema,” but it was one that was made to specifically show off the power of cinema.
I saw “Tenet” at a regular 2D screening at an AMC, and it felt like I was at an RPX or something. It really felt like the audio was cranked up beyond the maximum limit. This movie has some of the most immersive, and all time best sound editing I’ve heard in my life. Everything from the opening scene to the grand climax is magic for the ears. As for sound MIXING… That’s a different story, and quite honestly, it’s my biggest problem of the film.
I’ve witnessed a few reviews before going to see “Tenet,” not mainly because I wanted to know how the movie was, but because I want to support the content from those who created it. Anyway, they seem to be having the same issue as me. “Tenet” is an audible, earth-shattering movie. Christopher Nolan is no stranger to this description. Have you guys seen “Dunkirk?” That’s gotta be one of the loudest movies I’ve heard in my life! Nolan is my favorite director of all time, but if there is one valid critique I will give to him, and this even stands true for “Interstellar,” my favorite movie of his. Christopher Nolan seems to be hyper-obsessed with having the sound mix be as obnoxious as possible, allowing sounds in the background like shotgun blasts, explosions, even music to take over the ears, thus making us lose some of what could be important dialogue. This wasn’t a huge dealbreaker because as someone who is an aspiring screenwriter, I know that words are not always necessary. Film is a visual medium. As long as I can see what’s going on and do so coherently, everything seems to be fine. Granted, I will always take good dialogue whenever possible, but what’s the point of making a movie when you can’t see or hear what people are “doing?”
I will also say, this movie has a lovable ensemble. Everyone from John David Washington to Elizabeth Debicki to Kenneth Branagh all happen to be great in the film. I enjoyed the presence of all their characters. I will point out though, once again, John David Washington plays a character whose name happens to be “The Protagonist.” I won’t say much about it, but I like the direction in which the movie took that meaning. I’ve read some things about “Tenet” before seeing it and I had no idea what that name could have to do with the movie, but the way they handled it was surprisingly pleasant, so kudos!
Speaking of “Tenet’s” ensemble, I will also bring up Michael Caine. For those of you who don’t follow Christopher Nolan, I should have you know that Michael Caine has been in every one of his movies since “Batman Begins.” He even had an uncredited role in “Dunkirk!” I’ve read about this before the film, and this is not spoiler, but Michael Caine’s character in the movie… is named Michael. Because, he’s already played everybody else in Nolan’s imagination, right? I won’t say much about Caine’s appearance in this film, but there’s a moment in the movie where The Protagonist ends a chat with him and my brain clicked as soon as I heard The Protagonist refer to Caine’s character as “Sir Michael.” Did Christopher Nolan originally write this movie with himself in mind for the lead role? I seriously want to know at this point!
I have already raved about this movie from an audio perspective, calling it one of the most immersive experiences I’ve had all year. I’ll also point out, I have never seen a movie “live in concert” before, but if they ever get to a point where they do such a thing for “Tenet,” I will IMMEDIATELY buy a ticket! Because let me just tell you one thing right now. “Tenet” may just have my favorite film score that I have heard in years!
One thing I’ve gathered about Christopher Nolan as a director is his tendency to work with people he’s worked with in the past. I recently mentioned Michael Caine. Nolan’s worked with Tom Hardy a couple times. Same goes with Anne Hathaway. He brought back Kenneth Branagh for this film. Hoyte Van Hoytema is the cinematographer for this movie, making this his third collaboration with Nolan. And if you ask me, this is another solid entry to his resume and I cannot wait to see how they used the IMAX cameras for this film. But I will point out one collaboration that I was shocked to see missing once I heard about it.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 16: Composer Hans Zimmer arrives at the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on January 16, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
No Hans Zimmer.
HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 24: Composer Ludwig Goransson poses with the Best Original Score award for “Black Panther” in the press room during at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Why is he not here? He’s busy. He’s been doing “Wonder Woman 1984,” “No Time to Die,” “Hillbilly Elegy,” and perhaps the biggest reason why he couldn’t fit “Tenet” into his schedule, “Dune.” Hans Zimmer said “no” to doing the score for “Tenet” because he wanted to fit “Dune” into his busy calendar. There’s no beef between him and Christopher Nolan, but he just wants to do “Dune” so bad to the point where he had to give up doing the score for “Tenet.” I was a bit disappointed considering how Zimmer and Nolan are one of the best duos in Hollywood history. The score for “Interstellar” is one I listen to quite often. However, the movie ended up getting Ludwig Göransson (The Mandalorian, Black Panther) who I will point out, may have made my favorite main theme for all the characters in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, specifically for Black Panther.
RIP Chadwick Boseman and Wakanda forever.
I must say… This score very much reminded me of a few movies. It felt like something out of the “James Bond” franchise, which does make sense as this is a spy movie. But it also reminded me of the “Blade Runner” franchise, especially “Blade Runner 2049,” and I say that because, and pardon my unprofessional-sounding diction here, the score sounded “boomy” at times. That’s the best way I can describe it. There’s this occasional drum pattern of some sort that comes and goes, I cannot get it out of my head at this point. In fact, when I got home, I did something regarding this movie that I have never done before. I went online, and tried to see where I could buy a physical copy of the CD. There are a few movies like “Knives Out” or “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” where I would watch it, enjoy the soundtrack, and maybe a couple days or a week later find the soundtrack on YouTube and listen to it. This is one of those rare times where I wanted to pay money for a physical copy.
Going with a different than usual composer for Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” sounded like a rather bold, not to mention somewhat peculiar move when it comes to my first impression, but this may have been the best thing that could have happened to “Tenet” overall. Honestly, looking back, I don’t mind this change. Let me just say, the last film that Nolan did before “Tenet,” specifically “Dunkirk,” was undoubtedly amazing. And if you ask me, a couple parts of the score were worthy of a thumbs up. However, if I had compare that to many of the other entries to Hans Zimmer’s resume, not just the projects he’s done with Nolan, but even projects like “Man of Steel,” “The Lion King,” “Kung Fu Panda,” and “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the “Dunkirk” score felt kind of underwhelming.
The thing I really enjoyed about Ludwig Göransson’s score is that it really emphasized the scale of the movie. The entire time I felt like I was on an action-packed theme park ride that specifically caters to adults. Aside from that, it’s fast-paced, and I would not mind listening to it every single day for the rest of my life. I know funerals are supposed to be sad and that sort of thing, and honestly, the last thing I want to do is know that I will make everyone cry at my funeral, no matter what I bring to society. So, if anyone wants some epic music for my funeral that way not many people cry but it’ll still tie into a “Jack Drees” theme, download the “Tenet” soundtrack on your preferred service! Then again, when I die, why should I care? I can’t plan a funeral when I’m dead! It’s for the living to remember the dead as they choose! I can’t interfere! It’s improper!
Would I like to see Ludwig Göransson collaborate with Christopher Nolan again in the future? Yes and no. Let’s say they do a “Tenet 2.” I’m not implying I want a sequel. I’m not implying the movie ends highlighting plans to do a sequel. I’m just saying IF they do a “Tenet 2,” that’s an obvious yes from me. I cannot imagine anybody else handling this IP from a musical perspective at this point.However, I would either like to see Hans Zimmer come back because he and Nolan go together like bread and butter, or they get some other composer to come in like Danny Elfman or Alan Silvestri. It would also have to depend on the type of movie they do. I may be getting ahead of myself here, but I think Ludwig Göransson smashed this score so hard, that if he does another one, I will probably end up looking forward to it so much that I will just end up feeling underwhelmed upon hearing it no matter what happens. In addition, I don’t know how Göransson could top this score in another Nolan project. To be fair, he’s a musical genius and one of the more unique film composers I’ve heard, so he could find a way, but I also have my doubts. It’s kind of like when I watch “America’s Got Talent” sometimes during the quarterfinals or semifinals and there’s one act that does something so amazing that even though I WANT to see more from that act and I want them to succeed, I don’t see them topping what they just did, so it would be hard to tell if they could do something nearly as cool if they advance. It’s a compliment, but also kind of a curse.
“Tenet,” to be quite honest, is not my favorite Christopher Nolan movie. Nor is it my least favorite. As of right now, when it comes to my rankings, it ends up somewhere in the middle for me. I enjoyed it more than all the films in the “Dark Knight” trilogy, but I’d say that I enjoyed films like “Dunkirk” and “Inception” more. But as a filmmaker, Nolan is like Pixar. Bad Pixar is still better than a lot of movies. Remember “Onward?” I gave that movie a 7/10. That’s a low grade for Pixar, but a lot of filmmakers would kill to have their movie receive that positive of a review. But I will say that when it comes to “Tenet,” this movie has something going for it. Rewatchability.
Now, I already bought tickets for a second “Tenet” screening BEFORE going to my first one. The main reason is because I bought a ticket for myself, but I wanted to see the film in IMAX, but I didn’t buy an IMAX ticket, plus I figured it would make for a good outing with my father. So my second outing is so he could see the movie as well.
Not gonna lie, I’m already thinking of buying tickets to a third screening. Maybe I’ll do Dolby Cinema this time. I gotta check all the boxes for different formats I can see this movie in. In all seriousness, not only is this film rewatchable for entertainment purposes, but like some other Nolan flicks, I feel like I missed some things the first time around that could be picked up on a second, third, maybe even fourth viewing. And I’m not saying that as someone who feels like they HAVE to watch “Tenet” again, I’m saying that as someone who wants to. I don’t think I’ve wanted to go back to the movies to rewatch something this much since… I don’t know… Maybe ever. This film has some problems. The sound mixing is the most obvious and I think going forward, I’m not sure how much control Nolan has over the sound mixing process, I think that could be something that he needs to either stay away from, or something he should leave to others. Either that or just make a silent film. Nice little throw back. It could be shot in 4:3 on 8mm film. AMC could bring in special projectors for select screenings. It’s event cinema! Come on, Nolan! I’m writing your ideas for you! Use them! Although between the likable performances, the dazzling camerawork, the unreal use of practical effects, one of the most heart-pumping opening scenes I’ve witnessed in recent memory, one of the craziest climaxes I’ve witnessed in recent memory, and THAT. FREAKING. SCORE. “Tenet” is a good time at the movies. I repeat, AT THE MOVIES.
I cannot thank Warner Bros. enough to sticking to a theatrical release for this film. This is a movie that is literally MADE for the big screen, perhaps more so than any other this year. I’ll be honest, if this went straight to HBO Max… I don’t know if I would have watched it. Maybe I would have since I paid for the service and I want to get my money’s worth, but I would have been missing a lot of what I’ve gotten from my recent experience. Thank you, Warner Brothers, and I’m hoping you stick to your guns for films including “Wonder Woman 1984” and “Dune.” Cannot wait for those movies!
In the end, “Tenet” is exactly as it was advertised, an “event” film. It has the best and worst of Christopher Nolan’s cliches. Massive scale, but sometimes it’s too massive when it comes to the sound mix. Even so, it does not take away from this film’s long list of positives. Is “Tenet” my favorite movie of the year? No. I still think “Summerland” is my #1, and for all I know, it could stay at my #1 spot for some time. But again, “Tenet” comes off as an incredibly rewatchable film. If this film warrants enough repeat viewings, and maybe some more aspects regarding it stand out with greater positivity, “Tenet” could become my favorite film of 2020, but for now I’m going to give “Tenet” an 8/10!
“Tenet” warrants a viewing on the biggest screen possible. And I know that not everyone feels comfortable being inside a movie theater right now. But, if there is a drive-in open near you and it happens to be playing “Tenet,” it could make for a fun night out with an easier chance to remain socially distant. Otherwise, the film will probably be out on Blu-ray sometime in the future, but I really don’t know when. Because if I’m not mistaken, “Tenet” is supposed to be in cinemas for a long time, and if Warner Bros. wants to keep that promise alive, I would imagine that they’d go on long past the traditional theatrical window to keep exhibitors happy. I don’t know what’ll happen, but I highly recommend “Tenet” if you feel safe enough to get out of the house. Go see this damn thing! It’s freaking sweet!
Thanks for reading this review! I just want to remind everyone that “Tenet” is playing in several different formats to choose from. Many of the screenings perhaps near you happen to be in digital projection, but if you want other options, read this handy guide! I’m not sure what my next post is going to be as I am getting ready for my next year of college and I have a rather important family birthday coming up that requires major prioritization. But we’ll see what happens! Maybe it’s “Bill & Ted Face the Music,” maybe it’s “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” maybe it’s “Tesla,” who knows? Maybe I’ll cave in and get Disney+ so I can review “Mulan.” I really don’t want to, I think this is incredibly greedy, but who knows? I know you have seen more great content from Scene Before, it just hasn’t happened yet! With that in mind, do yourself a favor and follow Scene Before either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Tenet?” What did you think about it? Or, who is your favorite film director of all time? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“Unhinged” is directed by Derrick Borte (American Dream, London Town) and stars Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Cinderella Man), Caren Pistorius (Slow West, Mortal Engines), Gabriel Bateman (Child’s Play, Lights Out), Jimmi Simpson (Date Night, Westworld), and Austin P. McKenzie (When We Rise, Speech & Debate). This film mainly follows the actions of two characters. A mother happens to be down on her luck and is not having the best of starts to her day. Eventually, she comes across a truck sitting at a green light. She’s sitting behind it, she honks her horn, but passes the truck in anger. The guy inside the truck, played by Russell Crowe, starts following this woman and makes her life a misery, all because she refuses to give a “proper apology” to this man.
When it comes to theatrical releases in the United States, “Unhinged” came out during the first big weekend when major theaters reopened. This movie released on Friday August 21st, the weekend that many of AMC and Regal’s locations welcomed back customers. But I waited until Saturday August 29th to see this movie because I had priorities that other weekend. Plus, on an unrelated note, I just got AMC Stubs A-List, so this was a “free” movie for me. “Unhinged” comes with a rather simple, but intriguing concept, especially as someone who is able to drive a car in the United States. Many people look at driving as a privilege, and they are not wrong per se, but it is also a reason behind why society is freaking crazy. I feel like many of us are hyper-entitled whenever we get behind the wheel. We think that just because we spend five figures or something on a ride, it means we can do whatever we want. I still think the car horn is one of the most overrated inventions ever. Does it inform? Sure. But it’s also anxiety-inducing and incredibly startling. I cannot say that my local transportation system is as fine as I would want it, but at least I get the assumption that the people on transit vehicles are more willing to put up with everyone else. A little acceptance goes a long way, I’m just saying. Everyone has a bad day. Rant over!
Now, I went to “Unhinged” after spending a couple hours or so in a car. And I knew some things about this movie before going into it. I knew it was about road rage. I also knew that cars seem to have some heavy involvement in the script.
With that being said, “Unhinged” is probably the most uncomfortable movie experience I’ve had all year. And you should see it for that reason alone. This is a movie that reminds me of why I hate driving sometimes. Not only are you operating a vehicle that society is putting over its own environment, but sometimes the people inside other cars can lose their mind from time to time. Granted, I haven’t many bad experiences as a driver, but sometimes it scares me to know how much my own country is attached to personal vehicles. I will also point out that when it comes to performances so far this year, Russell Crowe might have given my favorite thus far. He plays a guy who seems pretty chill, but kind of has a sinister side to him. I really like his portrayal of the character of “The Man.” Wow, no wonder I didn’t know his character’s name! That’s his credit according to what I saw on IMDb.
In… Actuality… Russell Crowe plays a character named Tom Cooper. Nevertheless!
This movie goes on for an hour and a half, and I think this happened to be the perfect runtime for a movie like this. The concept is to the point and doesn’t require any expansion. The movie also does a really good job at not wasting any time and completely focusing on the main subject matter at hand. I don’t think there is one scene that should be taken out for reasons having to do with coherence. Nothing feels too self-indulgent or unnecessary. I will say though, and this may have part to do with what I saw from the movie’s marketing and not just the movie itself. Even though the supporting characters properly serve the plot at all times, I don’t think I will remember all of them that well. They were competently performed by their individual actors, but still, when I look back at this movie, it’s almost like they’re pawns or really JUST there to make one of the two characters behave a certain way. Granted, that is a proper definition of a “supporting character,” they’re not supposed to have all the spotlight. I just wish they were more memorable or had a bigger pinch of personality.
One thing I will say though about the main story of the film, I agree with both the protagonist and antagonist. I even disagree with both characters at times. I enjoy movies like this and it’s why I view “Avengers: Infinity War” to be the best movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the case of “Unhinged,” our main protagonist, Rachel, needs to get where she needs to go, but she has Russell Crowe standing, or more appropriately, driving in her way. When she gets angry, I understand her, I get what she’s going through, but it also brings me back to the wish that people would be more patient with others behind the wheel. Everyone’s got a story, you just haven’t heard them all yet. Soon thereafter, Russell Crowe, who seems nice, recognizes that a lot of people are impatient and they lose control in today’s society. So he wants an apology, which again, is understandable. I want what’s best for Rachel, but I do feel that she needs to be careful when talking to other people. She’s a flawed protagonist, and I was admittedly a bit skeptical as to whether or not I’d end up liking her, but I felt Rachel had a good presence by the end of the film. And of course, Russell Crowe turns into the biggest dick in the world, so of course I rooted for Rachel.
“Unhinged” is one of the first movies to release in an effort to welcome customers back to the theater. And let me just say, I would probably have a good time watching “Unhinged” at home. It would probably be a delight to put on my TV, but I welcome it as a major theatrical release because I imagine that this is one of those movies, kind of similar to a lot of Marvel or “Star Wars” projects, that gives a certain feeling in the theater that cannot be replicated at home. I was on the edge of my seat, and I thought this movie made me a bit more unsettled than any other experience I had this year. Maybe if I watched this movie at home I would have felt rather similar to the way I felt after watching it in the theater, but that is hard to tell at this point. Point is, if a theater is open near you and “Unhinged” is playing, see it if you feel safe!
In the end, “Unhinged” packs a wallop! I really enjoyed watching this movie as a theatrical experience. The plot is very simple, but I understood the motivations behind each character. I was able to relate to them. Again, I think some of the supporting characters will end up fading from my memory, but it does not take away from the swell time I had watching this movie. It’s fast-paced, dark, and occasionally heart-racing. Go watch it! I’m going to give “Unhinged” a 7/10.
Thanks for reading this review! This Tuesday, I’m going to see “Tenet,” in a theater, the way it was meant to be seen! I still wish I could have a closer spot playing it in 70mm, but I will happily support the theater industry at this time. Early access screenings begin tonight in the U.S., but I decided to go tomorrow for a couple reasons. So with that being said, I hope that the movie is fantastic! I will say, I’m also seeing it again Thursday in IMAX, so if I don’t have the review up by Thursday, it may be because I need to pick up some things I missed, or because I want to judge the IMAX-shot scenes in this movie. If you want to see my review for “Tenet,” be sure to follow Scene Before, that way you’ll be notified when the review goes up, and you can stick around for more content as well! Also, check out my Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Unhinged?” What did you think about it? Or, have you been to the movies recently? Describe your experience! Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
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