Popcorn Perspectives by Danny Minton
Week of July 9, 2018
A Quiet Place
Rated PG-13 for terror and some bloody images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Available on disc and streaming
John Krasinski writes, directs and stars in this novel new horror film about a family trying to survive and outlast an alien invasion. The kicker here is that the aliens have incredibly powerful hearing, so if a word is uttered or a sound made, an attack is imminent. The idea is simple as is the plot, but it is so well-acted and so fast-paced that you hardly have time to critique the very forgivable shortcomings. At 90 minutes, the film almost feels surgical in its horror delivery. Overall, it turns out to be a nail-biting and nightmare-inducing thriller worthy of the large audience it has already attracted. B+
Chappaquiddick
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, disturbing images, some strong language and historical smoking
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Available on disc and streaming
In the summer of 1969, an inebriated Ted Kennedy (played here by Jason Clarke) accidentally drove off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, killing his 28-year-old passenger who was trapped inside the vehicle. The controversy set off an investigation that would eventually keep the famous Kennedy brother from ever reaching the White House. Masterfully acted by a superb cast, the movie makes it easy to imagine that you are right along with the characters, fully experiencing the tragedy and the missteps that follow. It’s a challenging film, and does not attempt to sugar coat or make excuses, but rather to lend a broader understanding to this pivotal event in our country’s political history. B