THE LAST THING HE WANTED
Imagine a political thriller starring Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, and Willem Dafoe. Now the reality is that same political thriller isn’t really a thriller at all; it’s aggravatingly dull and incoherent, yet somehow still has Hathaway, Affleck, and Dafoe in it. It’s flat out puzzling how director Dee Rees’ adaptation of Joan Didion’s novel has such a disconnect from anything and everything almost from the start. WTF happened? There’s a lot that us viewers wanted, and we get nada from gifted individuals that know better.
A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON
Aardman Animations’ creations are one of a kind, using amazing stop-motion claymation that’s loaded with personality without relying on a single distinguishable word of dialogue. Such is the case for this Shaun the Sheep sci-fi sequel. And even though the story is light, not too cleverly inventive, and could’ve been funnier – the charming and joyful world that we find ourselves in is still a delight to watch thanks to directors Richard Phelan and Will Becher. They keep it snappy and playful and are in total touch with why folks enjoy this British brand of fun.
TO ALL THE BOYS: P.S I STILL LOVE YOU
Lana Condor is delightful as ever in this teen rom-com sequel that’s not as enjoyable as the original, but still stirs up enough high school drama to be effective. Its adorability is on full display – and director Michael Fimognari milks it for all its worth. Still, the love triangle is a bit weak, losing a bit of its appeal as Lara Jean and Peter’s young love gets more complicated. As the story inches closer to becoming unnecessary, there’s a sense of sweetness that swoops you up and carries you away. Luckily, we’re willing to go with it…for now.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
LOCKE & KEY
After the murder of Rendell Locke, his wife Nina and three kids move across the country from Seattle to Massachusetts to live in the Locke family home, Keyhouse. Magical keys start calling to the Locke children. As they find them, they discover that the keys can do things that defy the laws of physics. It doesn’t take them long to realize that not all magic is good magic, though.
Locke & Key‘s first season is dark, gloomy, and mysterious up until the very end. Based on a popular graphic novel, the story bobs and weaves, giving you tiny little nuggets here and there to try and piece together a larger story about what is really going on at Keyhouse and the circumstances surrounding Rendell’s death. It’s suspenseful, and though it takes a couple of episodes to really hit its stride, once it does, it is nonstop. I will say the ending did leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, but all in all, a fun, digestible series.
SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL
“Police corruption in Boston? Say no more, fam!” –Mark Wahlberg…probably. Look…with Peter Berg‘s track record, you ought to know what you’re getting into. What you see is what you get, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a barrel of fun. If you can’t sit down with a beer and a bag of chips and have some fun with this one, then I don’t know what to tell you. It’s an absolute blast to watch Wahlberg and Winston Duke kick some ass. Alan Arkin steals a few scenes as well. It’s about as Wahlberg as Wahlberg can get. But it is fun enough to make you ignore those inner voices calling you shallow for enjoying it.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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