One Cut of the Dead Is Constantly Full of Wonderful Surprises (SPOILER REVIEW)

SPOILERS FOR ONE CUT OF THE DEAD FOLLOW

I've mentioned this in prior reviews, but when I'm watching a movie, I tend to live in the present. Sometimes I can predict plot beats coming a mile away if a movie is really just tedious, but usually I'm like a horse on a racetrack; stuck with blinders on that keep me focused on only what's in front of me. I'm not sure if that's something related to my particular form of Autism or if that's just a Douglas Laman thing, but this means twists and turns in movies tend to hit me extra hard. This means the barrage of already clever surprises that make up the crux of One Cut of the Dead were like a revelation to me. Going into this movie totally unaware of what it was beyond just being the newest acclaimed zombie comedy made this such a rich and exciting cinematic experience!

Judy Has A Great Lead Performance But a Middling Script

As the movie Judy begins, the titular lead character of Judy Garland (Renee Zellweger) is struggling to keep herself afloat. Money is scarce, she's struggling to maintain custody of her kids and job opportunities are few and far between. The chance for some money emerges in a series of shows in Lond, England, though it means Garland will have to spend even more time away from her kids. That's a prospect she despises, but in order to make ends meet, she agrees to the tour. Doing these shows turns out to be complicated to Garland's struggle with addiction and her time doing this gig brings out both the worst and best elements of Garland's later years in show business.

Between Two Ferns: The Movie Is Slight But Does Deliver Enjoyable Awkward Comedy

In doing research for this review, I stumbled upon something pretty nifty about the Between Two Ferns web-series on Funny or Die starring Zach Galifianakis that Between Two Ferns: The Movie is based on. Between Two Ferns actually predates the release of Galifianakis' big break in The Hangover! I had always thought his role in that feature had paved the way for him to headline a comedy series but in actuality, Between Two Ferns premiered about a year-and-a-half prior to the Todd Phillips directorial effort that would change the career of Galifianakis forever. Well over a decade after its premiere, Between Two Ferns makes the transition to the world of feature-film narratives with Between Two Ferns: The Movie.

North Texas Film Festival 2019: The Laundromat Is Expansive To A Fault

Where has all the money gone? That's what Ellen Martin (Meryl Streep) wants to know. She just lost her husband in a tragic accident on a tour guide boat and in the wake of such a miserable turn of events has been informed that the company behind the boat her significant other perished on has lousy insurance that won't be giving her any kind of pay-out to help soothe her turmoil. Who could be behind such a scam? Well, that would be Jurgen Mossack (Gary Oldman) and Ramon Fonseca (Antonio Banderas), two men running an insurance company that operates numerous shell companies that allow the wealthiest people on the planet to keep their money secure and free of being taxed. It benefits the powerful but for everyday individuals like Ellen Martin, it only produces nightmares.

Ad Astra Takes Brad Pitt On A Thoughtful Voyage To Space

Judging by the basic plot and tone of Ad Astra, it appears that writer/director James Gray is a big fan of both Apocalypse Now and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Can you blame him? Both of those movies are, like any Lizzo album, flat-out excellent. Taking the story structure of Apocalypse Now concerning an internally tormented man making a trek to a mysterious legendary figure isolated from general society and then mixing it with the slow-paced cosmic aesthetic of 2001: A Space Odyssey is already an interesting framework for a somber exploration of Astronaut Brad Pitt's daddy issues. Much like how last weekends Hustlers used a clear love for Scorsese to make something new, so too does Ad Astra take two beloved films from decades past as a springboard for its own distinct feature film.

Writer/Director Lorene Scafaria and Jennifer Lopez Excel In The Wildly Imaginative Hustlers

Dorothy (Constance Wu) just wants the bare essentials. She just wants to take care of her grandmother (Wai Ching Ho) and not live out on the street. To get the money for these necessities, she works as a dancer at a strip club alongside Ramona (Jennifer Lopez), the most talented dancer in the place. The two of them hit it off as fast friends and begin making a lot of money, particularly from clients who are also wealthy Wall Street brokers. For a little while there, everything is perfect. But once the 2008 financial crisis hits, the club is hit with money woes while Dorothy also leaves the profession to take care of her newborn kid. After a few years, Dorothy's financial troubles return worse than ever. Where is she gonna get the cash she needs? Well, an impromptu reunion with Ramona delivers a possible solution as Ramona reveals she's got a new scam brewing involving drugging Wall Street tycoons and then taking thousands from their bank accounts.

It Chapter Two Ends The Pennywise Saga On An Underwhelming Note

It's been thirty years since the events of the first It movie. All the members of the Loser's Club have grown up and gone their separate ways outside of their hometown of Derry, Maine. Well, all of them except for Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa), who stayed behind to do research on how to definitively kill Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard). When it becomes clear that Pennywise has risen from his slumber and devour people once again, it's time for Mike to turn on the Loser's-Signal and call the other members of the Loser's Club home. Soon, Beverly (Jessica Chastain), Bill (James McAvoy), Ben (Jay Ryan), Richie (Bill Hader) and Eddie (James Ransone) have all reunited with Mike in Derry to figure out how to defeat Pennywise., though this clown isn't going down without a fight.

A Review of Downton Abbey: The Movie From Someone Whose Never Seen Downton Abbey

I rarely keep up with popular television shows. I still haven't watched The Sopranos, let alone The Boys, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I haven't watched the beloved TV show Downton Abbey yet. Of course, I'm well aware of the program's existence and certain characters on it, it's impossible to be ignorant of a show that gets this popular. But for the most part, me and the characters on Downton Abbey have been two boats that get close to each other but never directly meet. That changed with the theatrical feature film Downton Abbey, which takes the characters of the PBS show and takes them to the big screen in an adventure that I watched despite not having any prior exposure to the residents of the titular residence.