CRUNCHONTHIS.COM

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of October 12, 2020

Love and Monsters
Rated PG-13 for action/violence, some suggestive material and language
Available on Demand
With its plans foiled for a theatrical release, Paramount is lunching this relatively low-budgeted action monster romance straight to homes on October 16. The story takes place seven years after the “Monsterapocalypse” destroys most of humanity when gigantic monsters start terrifying the planet. Our hero (Dylan O’Brien) is the runt of a group of survivors living underground, who is respected not for his fighting and survival skills, but only for his ability to make soup and mastering the radio. But when he discovers that the love of his young life (Jessica Henwick) is still alive dozens of miles away in another colony, he sets off by foot to reconnect with her. Along the way he runs into a veteran monster-killer and his child protege (Michael Rooker and Ariana Greenblatt) who attempt to teach him about his monster predators and how to stay alive along the journey. With its romantic element, it ends up being being like a cross between Zombieland and Say Anything where the chance of a reunion kiss is as important as living through a giant frog attack. At times it is quite creative and others it feels way too familiar. While the monsters’ very presence and actions don’t make a lick of sense, they are at least uniquely conceived, even if the supporting characters are many times an unnecessary formulaic rehash. If this were premiering on Netflix, it might have had a decent chance of gaining an audience, but without a notable cast and a sudden release on demand, it might quickly find its way to obscurity. B-

Kingdom of Silence
Unrated
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Available on Showtime
The first of two high-profile documentaries being released this year about the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Kingdom of Silence attempts to show its audience about Khashoggi’s life and lasting impact on journalism, while also painting a picture of the world events that led to his brutal murder at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Turkey. While the murder was a well-covered historical event, this film does an excellent job of providing a primer for the why’s and not just the how’s. Some might find it offensive as it heavily implicates Trump’s complicity as one of those why’s, using the premise that they wouldn’t have gotten away with it under Obama, thus placing Trump and the U.S. as central characters. But ultimately it tells a convincing story of the unchecked power of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, a man who many consider to be a ruthless dictator, able to use his corrupt relationships with many world powers in order to very literally get away with murder on the world stage. It is a much more political documentary than I expected, but it never feels like it is straying from the truth. Instead it helps us better understand why our leaders need to represent the high ideals of our country and when they stray, bad things can and will happen. A-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of September 28, 2020

John Lewis: Good Trouble
Rated PG for thematic material, some racial epithets, smoking and violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Available on Disc and On Demand
This new documentary by CNN Films follows the life and struggles of Congressman and Civil Rights hero John Lewis. From his early days with Martin Luther King, to his final days which ended earlier this year, the film attempts to show his character, his perseverance, his strategies and the legacy he is most obviously leaving behind. There is no doubt of the greatness of this man. While this film doesn’t show him as perfect, they do portray him to be one of the best, which most would agree with. Unfortunately, he deserves a better documentary than this. I’m guessing that the film changed directions with his death in July. But way too much time was spent in the modern day, with him and his colleagues just doing their thing. The meat of his legacy is what he did over the last 60 years and while some of the focus was spent on that, it needed so much more. I’m sure the point was to show that there was important work then and there is still important work now. But here that message is drowned out with a reality TV-style look, following the man around hoping something might happen. Well something did happen in his past and we would have come away with so much more had they shown us more of that. B-

The Silencing
Rated R for language, violence and some disturbing images Rotten Tomatoes Score: 16%
Available on Disc and On Demand
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) plays an alcoholic hermit who has secluded himself on a game preserve after the disappearance of his daughter. But when he becomes aware of a serial killer of teenage girls, he sets out to track down the killer in the hope of either finding his daughter or at minimum the revenge for her death. At least I think that’s what it is about. Honestly, it’s a sloppy film with a horrible script and a mess of a production. The movie ends up with not much of a mystery and the big reveals are completely underwhelming, and worse – unbelievable. The hard part is that Nikolaj is just so likable in any role, even when the material is this bad. He has the look and talent of an A-lister but is filling his resume with B-level projects. I very much hope that he finds material much more worthy of his abilities and potential so we can stop settling for junk like this. D

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of September 14, 2020

Antebellum
Rated R for disturbing violent content, language, and sexual references
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 33% at time of writing
Available On-Demand
There are two very distinct movies here with Antebellum: the one advertised in the trailers and the actual 105 minute narrative. The trailer tells the story of a highly successful black woman in modern times who somehow gets whisked away to a slave plantation where she must use her courage and wit to find a way back to reality. From the brief minutes spent watching, you can tell that this could very well be a sci-fi horror classic, in the vein of Get Out or US. Then there is this film, which contains some of the same elements, but in different order, with a cruel and bitter tone, and practically void of the theme it is begging to have standing firmly behind it. The film opens with said successful woman (Janelle Monáe) who is a slave, both physically and sexually, on a plantation in Louisiana. She is victim and witness to every sort of cruelty given to slaves in that day. And once that most dangerous of situations is firmly established, we see the same woman in the modern day, on top of the world, with a loving family and a booming career. Where it goes next is probably well-known to anyone even slightly familiar going in. To further the description would be to give the whole thing away. I don’t want to elude that every movie should be a longer version of the trailer and that I wished it was like most movie advertisements today in the way it ruins the narrative power of the picture. I hate it when I see a concise two minute version of the movie with all of its best scenes. That typically means that the film being marketed lacks substance or quality. But in this case, the trailer is quite brilliant in that it conveys a potentially powerful tale that promises to be eye-opening, compelling, and possibly, if we are lucky, mind-blowing. But here we aren’t lucky. The story we end up with is ugly, deceitful and sadly predictable, rather than intelligent, poignant and frightening. It is stripped of any kind of grander purpose it was more than capable of possessing. It’s like being promised fine dining only to discover a bag of stale fast food. The funny thing is – I still want the film I expected to see. If there was a way to retool this clunker, I would be back in a minute. C-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of September 7, 2020

First Cow
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Available on disc and paid streaming
This unusual fable tells the story of a skilled baker living on the frontier in early nineteenth century Oregon who makes friends with an ambitious Chinese immigrant looking for a business partner. When the town’s wealthiest man imports the region’s first milking cow, the two sneak out at night to secretly milk the cow in order to make their fortune selling biscuits to the local trappers and townspeople. Largely a visual picture, with much of the action taking place in the dark or in seemingly gloomy weather, the film turns out to be an immensely interesting drama with an extremely unique narrative. Accomplished director Kelly Reichardt does an excellent job here of making this slow-burn story rich with detail about life on the western frontier. What truly makes the film work though are the complex performances from John Magaro and Orion Lee, whose quiet and synergistic relationship drives a highly unconventional yet simple story into unexpected territory. The major fault of the film is its dark palette, making many scenes rather difficult to see, especially in the nighttime sequences. It was an artistic choice I could have done without as it gets in the way of the storytelling, rather than enhancing it, which I’m guessing was the goal. B+

Retaliation
Rated R for disturbing violent/sexual content, language throughout, and some nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Available on disc and paid streaming
If you normally judge a book by its cover – or in this case a movie – it would be in your best interest to take a deeper look into this one before making the plunge. From the poster, which features a rugged-looking Orlando Bloom carrying a large wooden cross, one could easily surmise that this is some sort of faith-based drama with a big star, but the opening moments would prove you wrong. Here, Bloom is an Irish ex-con whose literal job is to tear down churches in Ireland. But when he discovers that the priest who abused him as a child has moved back into their town, his life goes down an angry path of vengeance. I definitely have mixed feelings about the movie. Part of me is deeply empathetic for his character and understanding of his hatred and the need for revenge. I also think the filmmakers take the story to such a dismal place that it is distracting. But even with such disturbing material, Bloom is quite good in the role, which really shows off his acting chops. That being said, it is a dark path you must follow (maybe too dark for many) in order to make it to the powerful and unexpected ending. C+

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 31, 2020

Mulan
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence
Available on Disney+ Premier Access
Based on the 1998 Disney animated movie, Mulan follows a young Chinese girl with great fighting ability, who pretends to be a boy in order to join the military. But instead of following the path of its predecessors Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, with big musical numbers throughout, Mulan skips the songs and silliness to present an all-out action flick with a tremendous unknown talent (Yifei Liu) leading the way. Fighting alongside her (and against her) are some of martial arts greats legends: Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Gong Li and Jet Li – and there abilities are put to great use here. But personally, I miss the songs here. While Matthew Wilder’s music wasn’t the best of the big Disney musicals, a couple of the tunes are noticeably absent here – especially the song “Reflection” which only shows up in this version during the credits. But artistically that is not what they were going for here and I can appreciate that. I can only imagine how hard it is to find a young actress capable of this kind of action role, who can also sing her brains out. But for what the film misses in its Broadway feel, it more than makes up for in pure intensity. The action sequences are big and bold with lots of creative choreography and impressive stuntwork. Also, the production is out of this world with sets and costumes that are sure to garner some nominations when awards season finally hits. The film doesn’t have the emotional punch that I expected, but it certainly satisfies throughout and provides for at least one big epic film we get to enjoy as summer winds down. Originally slated for a theatrical opening on July 24, Disney obviously grew tired of pushing it back, and instead opted to make it their first movie for a new tier of Disney+ called Premier Access, where you can watch at home for an additional $30. B

Bill & Ted Face the Music
Rated PG-13 for some language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Available in theaters and paid streaming
It’s been almost 30 years since Bill and Ted (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter) graced the screen and advanced the story where their music would ultimately be responsible for saving the world. But now, decades later, the future has come back to them again, and this time they are under the gun to write that hit song which will ultimately be the savior of the universe. But with only an hour and change to write it, they opt to visit future versions of themselves to try to find out more about the song. After all – its not stealing if you are stealing from yourself. And as they are on their journey, their daughters (also named Bill and Ted) travel through time to put together the greatest band in history. As in both of their previous outings, the film is stupid and silly – but good stupid and silly. It takes a bit of effort to get through the beginning, especially the weird and out of place wedding scene, but once it does, it manages to be a funny and refreshing comedy. I’m guessing that this movie exclusively belongs to its fans, meaning that if you haven’t seen or didn’t like the first two – this might not exactly entertain you. Fortunately there are enough of us who love Bill and Ted, making this a most welcome return of our time-traveling heroes. B+

Irresistible
Rated R for language including sexual references
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%
Available on Blu-ray ray and paid streaming
Former Daily Show host John Stewart wrote and directed this political comedy about a Democrat political consultant (Steve Carell) who discovers a potential goldmine candidate in a small farm town (Chris Cooper), thus sweeping in to sign him up for the town’s mayoral race. But when his arch nemesis Republican consultant (Rose Byrne) discovers his plot, she comes in to start a circus by throwing big money behind the opposing candidate. The story seemed like a winner, as did the cast with three huge names at the top of the ticket, but not having seen it until now, I was confused about all the bad reviews. The problem with the film is that it works way too hard to try to fool you. Rather than being a sweet predictable comedy about a super relevant issue, it forgoes that pathway to pull a Fight Club, which winds up to be unwelcome rather than mind-blowing. It’s interesting how Stewart tries to tie it all together during the credits, but that’s just not enough to cast the shadow of relevancy needed to rework the narrative in your head. C

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 24, 2020

The Personal History of David Copperfield
Rated PG for thematic material and brief violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
In Theaters
So I only thought I knew Dickens. Upon thinking back, I have never read the novel or seen any of the seemingly dozens of film and television adaptations that have been popping up since the dawn of film. The story, based on the classic book “The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery” by Charles Dickens, follows the life of a little boy who goes on his journey to manhood through fun adventures and horrible struggles, from having money and love, to losing everything and being sold into childhood labor, to rising above it all and finding romance. And in this new version, all is done in grand fashion. Writer/Director Armando Iannucci (creator of Veep, Avenue 5 and 2018’s brilliant The Death of Stalin) is the star of the show, even with an immensely talented cast. Due to the masterful writing and directing, the film turns out to be a vibrant, punchy and charming comedy with huge laughs and a great heart. Before watching this, I could only imagine stuffy performances by a heavily-accented white English cast. But in full Hamilton mode here – the cast is blaringly multicultural with the handsome Dev Patel in the lead role. And the typically stuffy English types are instead played by a fabulously eclectic gang including Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi and Tilda Swinton. Just as in Ianucci’s other works, this is some seriously great ensemble storytelling where the multitude of interesting characters and their individual stories only help to bring the main tale to life, rather than detracting from it. As a final note – this makes for a terrific family film, and it happens to be the only new family film in theaters, for those in the need of braving the experience. Your kids might not be begging to go see it, but I would almost guarantee that the entire family, from young to old, will have a great time watching. And you might just end up with some new Dickens fans in your house. A

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 17, 2020

Unhinged
Rated R for strong violent content, and language throughout
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 49% at time of writing
In Theaters
After COVID-19 hit, this little-known thriller with Russell Crowe made the move to be the first official theatrical release once theaters would open in early July. Of course that didn’t happen and now it will be the first big theatrical release now that theaters might be finally opening this week. The story follows a very angry and off-kilter southerner who, after being honked at while not moving at a traffic light, decides to take out all of his life’s frustrations on an unsuspecting woman and her son, in order to show her what a bad day really looks like. Upon first watching the trailer, I was immediately convinced that the timing couldn’t be worse for a film like this, which seemed almost politically-themed with two sides that can’t figure out their differences. But I was wrong there. This is a monster movie, with Crowe playing a creature almost like a land-locked Jaws, bound and determined to wreak mindless havoc and chaos to destroy the life of a single person, without any regard for his own. He envelops his character quite perfectly and turns out to be a terrifically scary force on the screen. The film turns out to be a fast-paced road rage thriller with a resounding message that should help us all the next time we consider either getting angry or accidentally exacerbating someone else’s anger on the highway. B+

The One and Only Ivan
Rated PG for mild thematic elements
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 63%
Available on Disney+
Originally slated for a theatrical release this past week, Ivan, based on the true story from the children’s novel by K. A. Applegate, stars Bryan Cranston as a circus owner and ringmaster who runs a small mall-based circus featuring a menagerie of talking animals including a silverback gorilla (Sam Rockwall) and an elderly elephant (Angelina Jolie). Struggling to fill their seats, the flawed but loving owner does what he can to keep the circus alive and the animals in his care. Honestly, the movie has a rough start and I was ready to give up pretty quickly, not thinking I’d be able to cut through all the cheese. But once you are into the meat of the story, the film converts into an interesting and thoughtful family film with a simple yet effective message and an unexpectedly poignant epilogue. So what I thought might end up a train wreck, wound up to be a sweet surprise. B

Emperor
Rated PG-13 for violence throughout, language including racial epithets, and some disturbing images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: None at time of writing
Available on Disc and Streaming
Yet another film with theatrical aspirations whose dreams were crushed by COVID-19, is this little-know story about a slave named Shields Green, nicknamed “emperor” due to being an apparent descendant of African kings, who runs away after tragedy hits his life on his plantation, eventually finding himself fighting with a group of abolitionists during the Raid on Harper’s Ferry, the battle that is thought to have initiated the Civil War. Just as in the recent film Harriet, there is a great story here which I was thankful to learn about. As a character, Green seems like a hero whose tale needs to be told to a wider audience, and Dayo Okeniyi puts up a strong performance to represent him, thankfully overshadowing the unnecessary fluff like the cunning slave hunter hired to catch him. Unfortunately, this version of the story feels rushed at 99 minutes, and by the end it is too apparent that this is a highlights reel rather than the historical epic it might deserve. That being said, I’m glad I was able to get a little insight in this brief introduction to a seemingly important historical figure who most will want to learn more about after the credits roll. B-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 10, 2020

Boys State
Rated PG-13 for some strong language, and thematic elements
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Available on Apple TV+
This Sundance documentary winner follows a group of over a thousand young men who descend upon the Texas State Capital for a week of teenage politics and other fun during its famous Boys State week. In true Cinéma vérité style, the filmmakers start off following a select number of boys, for whom I can only assume they had high expectations for, as the boys run for political positions and even the final prize of Governor. The film starts out as fun and frivolous as the parties discuss platforms such as standing up for things like state cessation and alien invasion defense (space aliens obviously). But as the more serious discussions head to abortion and second amendment rights, the politics get uglier showing the true colors of those who are willing to do anything to win and those with high ideals trying to create change in their communities and country. It is both deeply funny, yet also frightening, as you see what could be the future leaders of America and how much trouble we could be in if underhanded tricks and propaganda keep working on those casting their votes. But overall, this movie is so engaging and filled with hope as you see the young men work out in their heads, both in word and action, what they hope to accomplish today and tomorrow. A

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 4, 2020

The Secret Garden
Rated PG for thematic elements and some mild peril
Rotten Tomatoes Score: None at time of writing
Available on Paid Streaming
Originally bound for theaters but driven to On Demand due to Covid is this retelling of the classic story based on the 1911 book by Frances Hodgson Burnett about a young girl who, upon the death of her parents, is forced to move in with her newly widowed uncle and his sick child. To cut through the gloom, the girl is led by a bird and a dog to a marvelous secret garden with the power to heal everyone’s massive depression and ailments. There have been several versions of this story over the decades, including a terrific film in 1993 and an inventive Broadway show in 1991, so I’m not sure this version is entirely necessary. They made a slight change in the timeline, as this one occurs post WWII rather than in the turn of the century, but most of the beats are largely untouched. What the film does have going for it is a beautiful score by one of my favorite composers, Dario Marianelli, a lush production and some great special effects. It also helps to have Colin Firth and Julie Walters along for the ride. But in the end, I’m not sure we needed this reimagining, as it wasn’t nearly imaginative enough to stake its claim. B-

La Llorona
Not Rated
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Available on Shudder
In Spanish with English Subtitles
Not to be confused with the silly horror film “The Curse of La Llorona” which released earlier this year, La Llorona follows the struggle of the family of a genocidal Latin American general as the spirits of the Mayan people he has brutally killed start to encroach into their lives. Premiering on the new streaming site for horror films, called “Shudder,” the film is far less horror and much more riveting drama. The storytelling really stands out here and the acting truly enhances the flow as the performances are both organic and gut-wrenching. And while the folklore of La Llorona is somewhat touched on here, the biggest flaw of the film seems to be its title, which makes it out to be just another cheesy low budget wailing woman flick, when it is really so much more. A-

You Should Have Left
Rated R for some violence, disturbing images, sexual content and language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 41%
Available on DVD and Paid Streaming
From writer/director David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man) comes this thriller staring Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried about a formerly successful businessman and his young actress wife as they rent a house in the Welsh countryside while she’s on a film shoot. But the house begins to feel like a trap as revelations are made about his past begin to make their presence known. This project seemed to be a promising one as its creator and cast are all mostly dependable. Unfortunately the whole thing seems off due to an overly predictable plot and a poor excuse for scares. There might be the bones of a decent little thriller here, but it just doesn’t come together. C-

Summer of Spielberg: Week Ten
Hook
Rated PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 28%
Available on Showtime and Paid Streaming
In 1991 Spielberg took on the story of Peter Pan, the boy who wouldn’t grow up, by casting America’s favorite comedian, Robin Williams, as the adult version of that boy, now living in the regular world as a boring lawyer who neglects his children. But when Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) kidnaps his kids, Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts) takes Peter back to Neverland for an adventure to get them back. With a lavish and beautiful production, some terrific performances and a truly magical feel, Hook ends up being a fantastic journey and a lesson in not allowing the real world to overwhelm you and completely change who you are. Of all of the films I’m exploring in this summer series – this one certainly has the most detractors. Sure the script is a bit flawed and it feels a little theme-parky. And then there are the critics who seemed to pile on pretty sharply. Try to ignore that. This film is way better than its 28% Rotten Tomatoes score. The film received 5 Oscar nominations in a really tough year and it still remains fun and emotionally resonant to this day. Hook is a much better film than it has ever been given credit for.

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of July 27, 2020

Rebuilding Paradise
Rated PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Available Through Violet Crown’s Virtual Cinema
Once again using his time to make a documentary (his last outing explored the life of Pavarotti), Ron Howard sets out here to look at the town of Paradise, CA, where 95% of the city burned to the ground in 2018, killing 85 residents and displacing more than 50,000 lives. Through interviews with a variety of people from the town and being onsite through its rebuilding process, the documentary closely and delicately allows the people to tell their story as they struggle to not only keep Paradise alive, but also find a way to strengthen their devastated community. Rather than place himself into the narrative, Howard sincerely and skillfully stays out of the fray while allowing you to feel like a first-hand observer, making decisions along with Paradise’s resilient citizens, while at the same time empathetically traversing their path. The end result is a movie not about the fire, but rather about what it takes to survive and overcome an ordeal in modern America. As an aside, some arthouse theaters have created a way to watch important independent, foreign and documentary films virtually. In this case, National Geographic is working with Violet Crown out of Austin (and other small theaters nationally) to release content for home viewing so you don’t have to miss out during Covid. A

Summer of Spielberg: Week Nine
The Color Purple
Rated PG-13 for adult situations/language, violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Available on Hulu and Paid Streaming
When I was 13 years old, I was a bigger fan of director Steven Spielberg than I was of any movie star or athlete, so when he took on the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Alice Walker, I didn’t know anything about the story, the book’s pedigree or the cast. I walked into the theater by myself for the first time (none of my friends wanted to see the movie) to watch what would become my favorite film for the next 8 years of my life. The story revolves around a young girl named Celie (played by then newcomer Whoopi Goldberg), whose life during the early part of the twentieth century in rural Georgia is chronicled as she is impregnated by her father twice as a teenager, only to have her babies taken from her, and then given to a widower (Danny Glover) to raise his babies and clean his home as an unloved and battered wife. Told delicately but shrewdly by Spielberg, who had never shot anything like this previously in his career, it’s a torturous and painful story that breaks your heart into pieces while simultaneously building up a powerful spirit of hope and love. It was also responsible for catapulting the careers of its then unknown actors including Goldberg, Glover and Oprah Winfrey who steals every scene she is in. It moved me like nothing ever had moved me before in my young age (and still is as impactful today). There are those that dismiss Spielberg’s version of the book claiming that he shied away from the novel’s more brutal and sexual elements in order to make a box office friendly PG-13 film. But I’m so thankful he did. Had it been rated R, I probably would have missed that important experience at a pivotal age. An experience which was responsible for my love of film, and thus probably my writing about movies today. The Color Purple also marks the first time I paid attention to the Oscars as I sat patiently waiting for its first win of the night, which never happened. Although it got 10 nods, it was disappointingly shut out by Out of Africa (and a couple others). The movie was my primer to the Black experience in America and the systemic racism of the time. In retrospect, that night of the Oscars probably upset me so much due to also being introduced to the racism that existed in Hollywood, which they have only recently begun addressing. At that moment, my naive and innocent version of moviemaking began to abruptly evolve.