COCO
4 out of 5 stars
A wonderful family movie, full of color & culture, that beautifully makes music for the heart & soul, having the Day of the Dead dance to life. @DisneyPixar knows how to get emotional w/o being depressing,showing us the gift of life & the everlasting love for those who are gone but not forgotten.
GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
2.5 out of 5 stars
The strength of imagination is severely weakened in this hopeless, not-so family friendly movie. Gleeson plays the tortured creator of the most beloved children’s tale, & Robbie plays his wife that seems to be in it for fame & fortune. Selfishness & neglect makes you despise them & you’re left rooting for the son to escape from the shadows of a lovable bear. Nothing like realizing Christopher Robin hated Winnie the Pooh in real life.
LOVING VINCENT
3 out 5 stars
A Van Gogh biopic/murder mystery told within a dazzling painting that could’ve very well come from the tortured master of modern art himself. The artistry that is displayed makes this animated feature an absolute visual standout. Unfortunately, the story can’t quite compete w/ it, yet still moderately enthralls by exploring his tragedy while engulfed in the beauty he created.
WONDER
3.5 out of 5 stars
A hopeful,heartwarming movie of looking past appearance & embracing acceptance. It spreads kindness, forcing it on you at times, but the story’s spirit is gentle & genuine. The entire cast is fantastic &, no matter how scared, uncomfortable, confused or different we may be, they remind us to never give up on seeing the beauty within the scars that life provides. Oh, & that school sucks no matter who you are.
THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER
4 out of 5 stars
Director Lanthimos serves up a chillingly vengeful psychological thriller that’s horrifying w/ a shot of sickening humor. It’s an unthinkable premise, but feels so real while witnessing the wrath. Farrell & Kidman are stellar as parents being pushed in to the most extreme position possible, while Keoghan is marvelous in his menace.
WONDERSTRUCK
3 out of 5 stars
Two deaf kids searching for a parent in the Big Apple decades apart doesn’t sound overly daring, but director Haynes’ vision, while juggling tone, is precisely that. The stories intertwine & what’s revealed is not too surprising. It doesn’t help that what you’re wanting to know results in just being read to you through notes. Regardless, the cast is wonderful & there’s a flow of childlike enchantment & discovery to be cherished.
SWEET VIRGINIA
3 out of 5 stars
Unfolding in a relentlessly tense atmosphere, this tightly wound thriller is dense, but the darkness it digs up makes you take notice. Bernthal & Abbott are excellent as mysteries that carry the intensity this story thrives on.
MUDBOUND
4 out of 5 stars
Returning home from WWII to a country & state that’s muddied w/ rage & despair, while deeply rooted in racial inequality, is just the beginning of this powerful, absorbing film. Two veterans w/ different skin color & backgrounds form a friendship based on the atrocities of war, leading to a confrontation of race & social class down in the Delta. Mulligan, Mitchell & Hedlund are mesmerizing as folks desperately dreaming of a way out of the disquiet, violent hole they’re being buried in.
LADY BIRD
4 out of 5 stars
Greta Gerwig superbly sculpts those awkward teenage years where you don’t know who you are & gotta get out of town in order to find out. The pairing of Metcalf & Ronan as mother/daughter respectively, is funny, grinding & amazingly affectionate as they duke it out over the yearn for freedom.
JIM & ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND
3 out of 5 stars
Talk about getting lost in someone. Carrey was meant to be Kaufman in Man On the Moon, & this illuminating documentary states its case crystal clear. The whole process & dedication is mind-boggling, yet full of intrigue & admiration at the same time. Within the intimacy & insight of their artistry lies the honesty of being famous & successful by creating something you’re not & it becoming less & less gratifying.
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE
EBBING, MISSOURI
4 out of 5 stars
McDonagh’s murder mystery won’t provide all of the answers to your questions, but it remains a rousing rough & rugged story of revenge & redemption. Its unapologetic attitude & wicked wit compliments the unforgettable performances of McDormand, Harrelson & Rockwell. They’re three high-powered yet opposite forces in need of forgiveness, & no one is going down w/o a fight.
NOVITIATE
2.5 out of 5 stars
A terrifying tale of what religious freedom, devotion, & restraint can do to a teenage girl wanting to be a nun. It’s challenging & uncomfortable to take in what is expected of these ladies & the backlash of being disobedient. Qualley is splendid as one who is conflicted w/ who she is & what she should feel, while Leo is a force not to be messed w/.
MY FRIEND DAHMER
3.5 out of 5 stars
Normalcy doesn’t exist in this morbid yet luring dive in to the high school days of an awkward teen who is swallowed up by the monster within. Blame can be placed all around, but this origin story has their killer w/ bad thoughts already in his head. As Dahmer, Lynch is sensationally chilling, his creepiness conquers his need for a connection, leading friends to maybe becoming his first victims.
DADDY’S HOME 2
2.5 out of 5 stars
The interest comes from Lithgow & Gibson joining the absurdity, but can’t say the movie really benefits from them in it. It’s a comedy for the holidays that’s thankfully not laugh-free, but desperately wants to be a Christmas Vacation & it ain’t fooling anyone.
THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS
3.5 out of 5 stars
The festive spirit flies high w/ this delightful holiday movie about the creation of a Christmas classic. Scrooge is born by Dickens & both men are haunted by the same thing, but there’s always room for redemption. Stevens charms as the author, & Plummer’s insolence as Mr. Bah Humbug himself, brings a deserving smile to your face.
THE SQUARE
3 out of 5 stars
A fluctuating,but oddly appealing film that approaches the absurdity of art w/ a snicker. Then,it reveals its fangs by showing humanity’s ugly side & our capability of cutting out compassion for others. Claes Bang is stellar as Christian causing chaos while prejudice pollutes his life.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter@SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
Buy our shirt. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Listen on SoundCloud. Watch on YouTube. Shop our store on Redbubble.
