Play it Again, Garrett.
Hey everyone! Here's my second weekly catch up, where we look at all of the films I've watched this week. There were two films covered on the podcast this week, and a slew of others that I watched throughout the week. What's interesting is that there are four movies we reviewed on the podcast that never made it to episode for a number of reasons, so I included them here! Were they all masterpieces? Or do we have a few dumpster fire films? Let's find out!
Let's start with the films reviewed on The Drive Back this week.
Parasite (2019) REVIEWED ON PODCAST
SCORE: 99/100 (MUST WATCH)
Directed By: Bong Joon Ho
Starring: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Cho
Synopsis: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
Quick Review: Unflinching, uncompromising, funny, and relevant. Parasite more than earns its near perfect reputation amongst film fans as Bong Joon Ho is in total control of his passion to deliver an unforgettable and damn near perfect film.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Hulu.
The Lighthouse (2019) REVIEWED ON PODCAST
SCORE: 97/100 (MUST WATCH)
Directed By: Robert Eggers
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman
Synopsis: Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890’s.
Quick Review: The Lighthouse is a masterwork from Robert Eggers. Dafoe gives an Oscar worthy performance, Pattinson outperforms all expectations in his best role yet, and the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife. Easily among the best films from A24.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Prime Video.
The Man with the Iron Fists (2012)
SCORE: 58/100
Directed By: RZA
Starring: RZA, Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu
Synopsis: On the hunt for a fabled treasure of gold, a band of warriors, assassins, and a rogue British soldier descend upon a village in feudal China, where a humble blacksmith looks to defend himself and his fellow villagers.
Quick Review: RZA is clearly a fan of Kung Fu movies and it shows here. The choreography is fun and engaging, and the fights stand out because of its unique characters. Everyone seems to be having fun here, but the film is not without flaw. The biggest issue here is the editing, which feels choppy and hastily put together. Some of the visual effects don't hold up as well either, particularly the ones with David Bautista's brass character. While stylistic, I don't feel that the hip hop and rap music fits the film consistently, only working about half the time. However, I feel that this film is fun enough and unique enough to recommend for a viewing if you're looking for a fun fighting movie, but nothing more.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on HBO Max.
Cinderella (2021)
SCORE: 4/100
Directed By: Kay Cannon
Starring: Camila Cabello, Billy Porter, Nicholas Galitzine, Idina Menzel, Pierce Brosnan, Minnie Driver, James Corden
Synopsis: A modern movie musical with a bold take on the classic fairy tale. Our ambitious heroine has big dreams and with the help of her fab Godmother, she perseveres to make them come true.
Quick Review: Musicals can be hit or miss with me, but usually they are at least competent. This film is flat-out awful with almost no redeeming qualities. The song choices don't fit, there's a blatant ripoff of Hamilton, and all of the actor/singer choices are horrid. Even Idina Menzel, who's an amazing singing talent, is awful here. Camila Cabello is terrible, in both acting and singing, and lends nothing to the role. The only thing that I enjoyed, even though it was inconsistent with tone, were the mice in Cinderella's basement. That's it. In a princess musical, I only enjoyed the vermin. That speaks volumes.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Prime Video.
The Strangers (2008)
SCORE: 67/100
Directed By: Bryan Bertino
Starring: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward
Synopsis: A young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three masked, unknown assailants.
Quick Review: This movie is just as tense and scary as I remember being told it was when I was a kid. Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman play their characters realistically and with enough drive that you feel like this could actually be happening. The suspense and terror are really on point here, and continues the trend I love of using the background to provide the scares. However, the story leaves a lot to be desired, and I wanted to know more about the masked home invaders and why they do what they do. Also, there's a really forced and unnecessary jump scare at the end.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Netflix.
Midsommar (2019) FROM UNUSED PODCAST EPISODE
SCORE: 92/100
Directed By: Ari Aster
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter
Synopsis: A couple travels to Scandinavia to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.
Quick Review: I love Midsommar. It's an incredibly beautiful, haunting, and bizarre film that leaves you genuinely shaken and disturbed. Florence Pugh gives an incredible and layered performance as someone who goes through a very vibrant and colorful hell. The music here is also hauntingly beautiful, adding a constant sense of unease that, combined with the awesome cinematography and production design, creates a sense of tension that permeates through the entire film. While it may seem a little too artsy for some, it's an incredible vision from Aster who's two for two on his films.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Prime Video.
The Descent (2005) FROM UNUSED PODCAST EPISODE
SCORE: 55/100
Directed By: Neil Marshall
Starring: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid
Synopsis: A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.
Quick Review: The majority of the horror in this movie comes from the situation these characters are placed in as well as the location. The set design here is awesome, as well as the creature design, and adds a lot to the movie. Unfortunately, this film relies too heavily on cheap jump scares rather than innovate with new and interesting types of scares or tension. The acting also isn't very good, more like passable, but each character feels unique. While it's considered a horror classic, I just think it's good for a few jumps and its awesome location, but nothing more.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Prime Video.
The Platform (2019) FROM UNUSED PODCAST EPISODE
SCORE: 80/100
Directed By: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Starring: Ivan Massague, Zorion Eguileor, Antonia San Juan
Synopsis: A vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. Only one food platform and two minutes per day to feed. An endless nightmare trapped in The Hole.
Quick Review: Netflix's The Platform is an incredibly interesting piece that can have many different interpretations. It's acting is impressive, especially Massague, and conveys the true reality of the dire situation they are all in. It only really falters by not explaining enough about its world or the prison itself, but that would definitely ruin a lot of the fun of thinking about it for yourself. I also wish it was a little longer, which could help with expanding the story. However, The Platform is still a great time and I'd highly recommend watching it. I'd also say to watch the original Spanish version, but there is an English dub as well.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Netflix.
They Shall Not Grow Old (2018) FROM UNUSED PODCAST EPISODE
SCORE: 99/100 (MUST WATCH)
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Starring: Thomas Adlam, William Argent, John Ashby
Synopsis: A documentary about World War I with never-before-seen footage to commemorate the centennial of the end of the war.
Quick Review: Easily the best documentary I've ever seen. Peter Jackson and his team have assembled actual footage from World War 1 and made it look more realistic than ever. It's more than a colorized version, they add voices, sounds, and interviews that truly show the horror and beauty of the Great War. As much as I want to gush about this movie, I also want you to go in with no expectations or information. It's an incredible experience with no context.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available for rental only.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
SCORE: 72/100
Directed By: James Algar, Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney
Starring: Bing Crosby, Basil Rathbone, Eric Blore
Synopsis: An animated adaptation of "The Wind in the Willows" followed by an adaptation of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".
Quick Review: I'd never watch the full movie before, but I'm glad I did. The animation holds up surprisingly well, and Crosby and Rathbone are incredible narrators. There are some scarier images in the Ichabod story, so I wouldn't recommend showing it to younger children, but if your child can handle it I recommend it! I don't really have any criticisms, but this doesn't hit the heights of the other, more memorable Disney animated films. A great watch for animation buffs and Disney fans (since it inspired the ride at Disneyland), but also not a MUST watch.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Disney+.
The Death of Stalin (2017)
SCORE: 89/100
Directed By: Armando Ianucci
Starring: Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Jeffrey Tambor
Synopsis: Moscow, 1953. After being in power for nearly thirty years, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin takes ill and quickly dies. Now the members of the Council of Ministers scramble for power.
Quick Review: It's been a while since a comedy movie has made me laugh out loud consistently, and that's what The Death of Stalin did. It's constantly dark and funny, but also an intriguing (if completely ficitonal) account of what happened after Stalin died. While it does veer into some pretty dark areas, and its comedy may not be everyone's style, it's still a film I can heartily recommend for anyone looking for something different for their movie night.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Netflix until September 30..
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
SCORE: 27/100
Directed By: Jay Roach
Starring: Mike Meyers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York
Synopsis: A world-class playboy and part-time secret agent from the 1960s emerges after thirty years in a cryogenic state to battle with his nemesis Dr. Evil.
Quick Review: It's fair to say this movie hasn't aged well, but it's also just not good. While there are a few funny jokes and the first time that nudity is covered in clever ways is good, it wears out its welcome very fast. The film is supposed to be a parody of spy films like James Bond, but ends up too focused on sex jokes and toilet humor to really be considered a true parody film. This one is definitely worth a skip, but maybe the sequels will be better?
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on Netflix and HBO Max.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
SCORE: 47/100
Directed By: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum
Synopsis: Jack Hall, a paleo-climatologist, must make a daring trek from Washington, D.C. to New York City to reach his son, trapped in the cross-hairs of a sudden international storm which plunges the planet into a new Ice Age.
Quick Review: Without the iconic New York flood scene, the LA twisters, and the awesome score, this film would've faded into obscurity. These things make this movie standout from other disaster movies, but this film drags in the last half due to a half-baked story. The science also makes no sense, but provides for the usual spectacle. Compared to 2012 and Independence Day, this film suffers from not enough destruction, which is weird given that it's an Emmerich film. It's a fun time, but just to say that you've seen it.
If you'd like to watch it, it's available on HBO Max.
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