Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of February 21, 2022
Studio 666
Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, sexual content and pervasive language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79% at time of writing
In Theaters
The Foo Fighters are trying to figure out what to do for their 10th album, hoping that a special retreat might help the magic happen. When their manager suggests a creepy mansion with a violent history, they jump in and start creating. But once in, lead singer Dave Grohl finds himself under the influence of the evil presences in the home, threatening both the album and the lives of his bandmates. Since the Foo Fighters hit the scene almost 30 years ago, they’ve always managed to make the most creative of music videos, collaborating with award-winning filmmakers to tell fun and silly stories set to their loud arena rock. Personally, I’ve been a fan since day one and look forward to every new release and especially every new video. This film basically has the feel of a two hour video, filled with graphic but hilarious violence, sex (also hilarious) and some really, really bad acting that you actually tolerate quite well. It’s not a great film, but it is far more entertaining than you would think it would be. If you aren’t a Foo fan, you probably won’t understand, but since their fans are numerous worldwide – the film has potential to become a cult-classic amongst those who like to fight the foo. B
American Underdog
Rated PG for thematic elements and some language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
On Disc and Streaming
Since I’ve never been a pro football fan, I sadly had little concept who Kurt Warner was or what he was famous for. But I must admit, I am quite impressed by the story of this small college quarterback from Iowa who went on to work for minimum wage in a grocery store only to later become one of the most famous football players in the history of the sport. Zachary Levi (Shazam) plays Warner while Anna Paquin (True Blood) plays his wife Brenda in this fairly star-studded faith-based sports flick that chooses to inspire rather than preach, making it far more accessible than most films from the genre. What could have a been a cheeseball Warner worship-fest turns into a pretty compelling story worth watching, and even cheering for. Levi and Paquin are a bit over-the-top at times, and the story gets a little dramatic too often, but that doesn’t make it much less enjoyable and only gives you more to like about the characters. On top of that, it is an incredible family film that should be interesting enough to teach the kids a solid lesson in never giving up on your dreams. B