Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of March 2, 2020
The Invisible Man
Rated R for some strong bloody violence, and language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
In Theaters
From the first commercials and trailers they showed for this low-budget horror film from Blumhouse, I was quickly turned off. It looked predictable, and worse, I felt like they showed practically the whole movie in a two-minute preview. So naturally I was shocked when strong reviews started pouring in. But then I discovered the filmmaker was Leigh Whannell, the mind behind 2018’s spectacular low-budget thriller Upgrade. So I decided to check it out and I am so glad I did. This version of the popular horror character stars Elizabeth Moss as a young woman on the run from her ex-boyfriend, a technology mogul who has held her prisoner in his mansion for years. But after it is reported that he killed himself, she starts to feel his presence in her life, following her around like a dangerous ghost. I still feel the trailer showed way too much of the plot, but there is more here than you expect and the scares and chills are frequent and effective. There are plenty of plot holes to be found if you think too hard, but they are easy to forgive and overlook. So unexpectedly, The Invisible Man becomes a welcome and excellent representative of the horror genre. B+
Queen & Slim
Rated R for violence, some strong sexuality, nudity, pervasive language, and brief drug use
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Available on Disc and Streaming
Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith are a sweet young professional black couple on a first date when a racist cop (played by Sturgill Simpson) ruins their night, with events that turn them into a couple on the run from the law. This could have been a one-sided narrative designed specifically for black audiences, but due to the fantastic script by Lena Waithe and the masterful directing of Melina Matsoukas, the film turns out to be a memorable, powerful and relevant journey that can be appreciated by anyone who loves great movies. It also helps that Daniel and Jodie here have an amazing chemistry that is sexy, fearless and captivating. The movie captured my attention quick and didn’t let go for two hours. B+
Dark Waters
Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some disturbing images and strong language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
Available on Disc and Streaming
In this based-on-a-true-story drama that really wants to be a thriller, Mark Ruffalo stars as a lawyer who leaves his cushy gig to take on DuPont after it is discovered that one of its biggest products, Teflon, is killing people. I have mixed feelings about the project. It does a very good job of telling the story about one of the most important consumer protection events of our lifetime, with great purpose and a sense of duty. But on the other hand, it very much has a movie-of-the-week feel to it that does nothing to elevate the story to greatness. So while this is a decent representation of a story that changed our world, it’s not told in a way that will call you to arms, which unfortunately is the only way a film like this works. B-