Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of June 18, 2018
The Death of Stalin
Rated R for language throughout, violence and some sexual references
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Available on disc and streaming
From Armando Iannucci, the creator of HBO’s Veep comes this dark comedy about the last days of Joseph Stalin and the aftermath that followed his passing. Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Palin and Jason Isaacs head up this amazingly talented cast of actors who drop the Russian accents and instead play themselves as the men desperately trying to take control of the country by any means necessary. Like Veep, the dialog is razor sharp and quick and if you didn’t know it was a comedy going into it, it might escape you that you are supposed to laugh. I loved the absolute dryness of the script and the amazing deliveries of the cast. It’s not a film for everyone, but for history buffs with a warped sense of humor, it will serve as a wicked and enjoyable satire. A-
Paul, Apostle of Christ
Rated PG-13 for some violent content and disturbing images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%
Available on disc and streaming
This lushly produced biblical epic follows the latter days of the Apostle Paul (James Faulkner) as he works with the physician Luke (Jim Caviezel) to put his story into writing while waiting for his execution. I certainly applaud the chance the filmmakers took with this unique story-telling method and its desire to concentrate on a short part of Paul’s life rather than focus on the immense life’s journey which would take much longer than two hours to tell well. And while Caviezel and Faulkner turn in some strong performances, much of the supporting cast and the convoluted timelines make for only a slightly better than average Christian film. While it is certainly leaps above the made-for-television movies which we have previously seen, it can’t compare to Passion of the Christ or even the recent Risen in terms of overall quality. And while I really wanted to love it, I found myself too judgmental about too many little things. B-
Unsane
Rated R for disturbing behavior, violence, language, and sex references
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
Available on disc and streaming
From director Steven Soderbergh comes this low budget indie about a depressed woman (Claire Foy) who accidentally commits herself after admitting to a counselor that she on occasion has suicidal thoughts. While locked up, things take a dark turn as the more she fights the deeper into the hole she falls. This is an interesting psychological drama that takes a dark and unexpected turn, giving the film an almost horror-like dimension. While it won’t blow your mind, it turns out to be quite a unique little picture with a subtle message about the state of our current medical system. B-
Pacific Rim Uprising
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action and some language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 43%
Available on disc and streaming
This follow-up to the Guillermo del Toro monster film takes places years later as mankind once again fight giant inter-dimensional giant creatures by manning giant protector robots. While I loved the first film, this newest edition is just a hollow shell of a story, attempting to commit to a lower budget in the hopes of getting the same modest returns. John Boyega does an admirable job in the leading role, but the story is a mess and the plot with Charlie Day is as stupid as I’ve ever seen in a movie. The whole thing feels like a lame and unsuccessful attempt at a money grab. C-