400 Days

I was worried about watching this sci fi thriller right on the heels of "Approaching the Unknown", which I felt was a very successful and impactful movie, and I was right. This film was overshadowed in every way by "Approaching", and I think my opinion of it suffered because of it. I felt the acting was weak, the plot stale, and the last half hour of the film very strange. I did like the ambiguity of the ending - that much was done right, but not much else. All in all, this really didn't work for me. 2/5

400 Days on Netflix

[REC] 2

This was a worthy sequel to a great original first film. While the first film was one continuous recording, this film found creative ways to splice footage from different camera and areas together in a way that made sense and was true to the original intent. I liked the resolution and will be interested to see the third installment. 3.5/5

[REC] 2 on Netflix

Approaching the Unknown

This is a difficult movie to watch at times. As the utter hopelessness of the situation settles in, the sense of dread becomes palpable and claustrophobic. The direction and acting were kept very minimalist, which I felt enhanced the growing feelings isolation and loneliness. The ending was both triumphant and filled with absolute despair, which was really the only way this film could end. It's a good film, but I'm not sure how fun it was to watch. 3.5/5

Approaching the Unknown on Netflix

Holding the Man

I was extremely moved by this film. The acting was spectacular, and, overall, the story was well-told. However, I was a bit put off by some of the holes in the plot - there were several years in the story that simply weren't mentioned at all, which contained information that was vital to my understanding of the story. I wish we could have learned more ab out those missing years, but the love story was very powerful and moving nonetheless. 3.5/5

Holding the Man on Netflix

Uno

A few months back I watched the Norwegian film "Buddy", and was impressed enough by it that I was interested to see the writing and directorial debut of "Buddy" costar Aksel Hennie. I'm so glad I did, because this is a truly exceptional film. Watching Hennie's character David fall further and further down a well of misfortune and despair was absolutely captivating. I felt for him so strongly for the length of the film, and the tendrils of the plot spooled themselves out to perfection. The direction was deft with a strong use of music to highlight key moments. The acting was really solid, and the ending very appropriate and strong. I really loved this and will be actively searching for more films by Hennie - he's a talent to watch. 4.5/5

Uno on Netflix

Ma Mere

This French erotica was billed as a festival of the taboo - I imagined something of a cross between "Spanking the Monkey" and "The Piano Teacher". Sadly, it was entirely tame until the last ten minutes. Huppert, who I've liked in the past, failed to bring the  subtle sizzle to this role, but Louis Garrel delivered a tortured and striking performance as her son. There was potential here, but it was never realized to my eye. 2/5

Ma Mere on Netflix

Insidious: Chapter 3

Now this is the "Insidious" film I've been hoping for! Leigh Whannell made his directorial debut with this film he also wrote, and it turns out he's as gifted a director as he is a writer. The flow and feel of this film was deft and well-paced. I loved seeing Elise as a total badass, and filling in all the holes with this prequel was a genius stroke. The acting was very strong, and the palette dark and brooding. I really enjoyed this - a wonderful end to a series that only got stronger with each film. 4/5

Insidious: Chapter 3 on Netflix

Independence Day: Resurgence

I don't know about the rest of the world, but I liked this. It had a more cohesive plot than the original (not hard to do) and the acting was very solid. The effects were really outstanding, and the flow of the film was solid and strong. It's a better film than the first one, and it had enough nostalgia factors that I really liked it. A strong showing, and it certainly opened the way for a third film in the future. 4/5

Independence Day: Resurgence on Netflix

Blood Father

The plot of this wasn't bad, but the acting sure was. Gibson had two notes - monotone and furiously angry, and we didn't see him angry nearly enough. If the script had been more fleshed out and had more room for the characters to breathe I think it could have been special. As is, it was just okay for me. 3/5

Blood Father on Netflix

Insidious: Chapter 2

I watched the first "Insidious" film before my massive "Saw" marathon, so I didn't realize that Leigh Whannell, the writer of the first three "Saw" films, was also the author of the "Insidious" films. I felt Whannell's presence as a writer in this second film, which I felt was more cohesive and had more plot twists to it than the first in the series. Wan has definitely grown as a director in the last several years, and I thought the style and palette of this film was grainy and mealy as it should be. I liked this second film more than the first - I will be interested to see the third. 3.5/5

Insidious: Chapter 2 on Netflix

Jessabelle

This Southern Gothic thriller is deliciously creepy and atmospheric. I felt the heat and damp of the bayou throughout the film, and the palette was perfect for the setting. Sarah Snook was just perfect in the lead role, and the plot doled it's surprises out slowly and carefully, which built the suspense. I enjoyed this thriller quite a bit. 4/5

Jessabelle on Netflix

High Tension

Whoever thinks that American horror has a corner on the gore and brutality market hasn't been watching what the French have been doing. I've seen some French horror films that have pushed all the boundaries of gore and taste directly out the window, and this fright fest is no exception. The direction and effects of the film are quite good, and the two lead actresses really sell the feelings of being trapped with a madman marvelously. However, it's the end twist that I have to take issue with. As interesting as it is, I don't believe it holds up to scrutiny. If you think about it for more than a few seconds, the entire film starts to unravel badly. I'm sorry, but that really ruined what was a strong showing in French horror for me. I'm keeping it at three stars, but just barely. 3/5

High Tension on Netflix

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House

Reviewers of this Netflix original psych thriller are heavily divided about it. Half feel this is a work of brilliance, and the other half feel it's a terrible waste of time. Surprisingly, I find myself in the former camp - I thought this film was stunning. I don't mind slow-moving films, but the pace of this is glacial at best, and normally that annoys me quickly. But I could have watched this for hours, I really could have. The tone and atmosphere of it is just breathtaking, and the scenes are interwoven with poetry that is so haunting and lovely that I was mesmerized. I tried to find the opening monologue somewhere online, but it seems no one has capped or transcribed it. I absolutely feel that there are symbolic layers to this I didn't pick up on in this viewing - I'll have to watch it again to get it all I think. Ruth Wilson was captivating in this - I really enjoyed it. I certainly won't forget it. 4/5

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House on Netflix

Wetlands

I have no earthly idea how this German sex comedy wound up on my queue, but it was completely strange and utterly fun. I found myself cringing in disbelief quite a bit, but, even though it had it's gross moments, it also had heart and depth and a soul to it. Carla Juri was wonderful in the lead as well. I'm surprised I liked this a lot, but I did. 3.5/5

Wetlands on Netflix

Ricki and the Flash

This is truly lovely movie with a lot of heart and soul. Meryl Streep was dynamic and real in the lead role, and DAYUM she sings her heart out in this. As soon as the movie was finished I grabbed my tablet to see if the movie's soundtrack was on Spotify, and thankfully it is. I really enjoyed this, it was quite moving. 4/5

Ricki and the Flash on Netflix

Sausage Party

This movie had its moments. There were some really funny things, and a lot of the voice acting was really quite good. However, in an effort to be like "South Park: The Movie" this film tried to push the envelope as far as it could. Unlike "South Park", they largely failed. This is just crudeness for crudeness' sake, and the thin plot didn't really support it all. I wanted to like this more, but I ended up rolling my eyes as much as I laughed, so it was just okay for me. 3/5

Sausage Party on Netflix

Saw: The Final Chapter

It's a rare feat for any franchise with seven films to have as strong a seventh chapter as they had a first, but that is what the "Saw" franchise managed to accomplish. To my eye, there is only one small, insignificant question left unanswered from the whole of the series - all else was developed and realized fully and completely. I have been careful not to list cast members or give character names, as I want to preserve the secrets of these films for those who haven't seen them. And, if you haven't seen them and you are a horror fan as I am, you really really need to, as they are truly excellent. I didn't even mind the extra gore in this, as there is a perfect reason for that too. But there's a reason for everything in this series, if you give it long enough. Magnificent job, and bravo to the team who kept this franchise going so well. 3.5/5

Saw: The Final Chapter on Netflix

Saw VI

Well, when I'm wrong I'll say it, and I was wrong when I thought the "Saw" team was moving too far from its origins in "Saw V", because this film is right back in the pocket. In my review of "Saw V" I mentioned the one big question from the series, one from the end of film three, that hadn't been answered and I thought never would. Well, they answered it in the sixth film in brilliant fashion. I am completely stunned by the seamless nature of this franchise. There are no holes, no mistakes, no gaping problems, no hiccups in the plot or the characters. It's impossible for me to believe this whole story wasn't scripted from the beginning, but, were that true, there would be a "story by Leigh Whannell" credit and there isn't. I have read that they planned to go to eight films but ended at seven, so I'm just dying to see how this ends. Only after I watch the last film will I search out to see if this was all plotted from the beginning. As it is, I truly understand why this is such a beloved horror franchise, because it's just brilliant. 4/5

Saw VI on Netflix

Me Before You

I believe this movie gets a bad rap because of it's very controversial stance on ending life. Many people object morally to the notion that a quadriplegic person could and should have the right to end their life. I get that, I do, and, as a mental health professional, I would want to do everything I could to help change this character's mind. However, as a mental health professional, I also know that, if someone is determined to end their life, there really isn't anything you can do about it, and I would want it to happen in as kind and loving a manner as possible. I think the characters in this film were well scripted, the acting was lovely, and the direction solid. It's a tough movie on some levels, but I enjoyed it all the same. 3.5/5

Me Before You on Netflix

King Georges

This profile of French chef Georges Perrier is fascinating. He has the temper one expects from a master chef, but, by the end, he shows such grace and humility that I was honestly surprised by it. Also, I am very, very hungry right now! A good and short documentary. 4/5

King Georges on Netflix

Edge of Winter

I wanted to like this movie more but I just couldn't connect with the character motivations. It seemed so strange to me that a father who had been as distant and unconnected to his kids as Kinnaman's character was would suddenly become so desperate to keep them that he would resort to the actions in this film. The acting was great, especially the two young boys, and Kinnaman was very believable, but the plot had enough holes for me that I had a hard time getting from good to great. 3/5

Edge of Winter on Netflix

Saw V

This installment of the "Saw" franchise was a bit of a let-down for me, especially after the rather exceptional fourth film. This film was neither directed by Bousman nor written by Whannell and I felt the lack of their input. The plot of this was limited in scope and tenuous at best. It relied very heavily on flashbacks that reinterpreted past films instead of filling in the questions left behind as every previous "Saw" film has done. There are still two elements - a small question from the second film and a huge one from the third - that I hope get answered, but I'm now a bit worried this team is moving too far away from the original vision of the films. It was even in the little details that should have been simple to get right. For example, Jigsaw always ends his tapes with "Live or die. Make your choice" - but in this film he altered those crucial few words for no apparent reason. I do love how Tobin Bell's character died in the third film but the team always finds ways to bring him back like an omnipresent ghost. This is the weakest "Saw" film so far, and I really hope they can pull it together for "Saw VI". 3/5


Saw V on Netflix

Saw IV

Well now, things just got interesting, didn't they? This is the first "Saw" film I haven't already seen, so it was all new to me. I admit I spent the first half of the film rather confused. The ending of "Saw III" was so ripe for an immediate sequel that I couldn't understand why we were seeing the story we were. And then, as they always do, the pieces started falling into place, and it was absolutely amazing how all of the first three films were tied in together for this installment. I was shocked that Whannell didn't write this, but it's clear that those who did paid a great deal of attention to his details. Director Darren Lynn Bousman, who has directed all but the first film, has really come into his own in this film. And the excessive gore problem I had with "Saw III" is gone here - this went right back to the thriller roots. I really enjoyed this and am in wonder at the ending. Well done, and I just got "Saw V" today, so onward! 4/5

Saw Iv on Netflix

Amanda Knox

 I admit I only knew some of the more sensational details about the Amanda Knox story, so I was very interested in learning more in this documentary. I wasn't disappointed - this film gave a thorough accounting from the views of Knox and Sollecito, the police, and the press. I can see how Knox's demeanor must have seemed strange to many, but it is so important to remember that trauma affects everyone in very different ways. Coming out of this film, I am inclined to believe Knox is innocent, but, as with most true crime, we'll never truly know. A fascinating film. 4.5/5

Amanda Knox on Netflix

Yakuza Apocalypse

I have no bleeding idea what I just watched. I knew I was getting a movie about Yakuza vampires, but the trailer made this seem like a pretty straightforward thriller. But it was about the time when the head Yakuza vampire was fighting a dude in a big plushy green frog suit, and the dude in the suit took the suit off to reveal a man with a frog head and hands, who then grew to be 200 feet tall and started breathing fire on the world.... well..... that was when they lost me. So... yeah. 2/5

Yakuza Apocalypse on Netflix