Finding Your Boots 👢

Jan 27, 2021

"Pete. It's a fool who looks for logic
in the chambers of the human heart."

PINNED: this newsletter is supposed to be a friendly recapping of the movies in, and coming to, theaters. But things be real weird right now. So until that changes in earnest, I'll either be suggesting old favorites to revisit, pointing out recent flicks you may have missed or calling out notable new VOD / streaming options.

I had a fairly long internal debate about what movies to feature this week. That's because Warner Bros. is doing their first simul-release (theaters and HBO Max on the same day) of their 2021 slate - it's the Denzel Washington / Rami Malek / Jordan Cata...sorry, Jared Leto 90's throwback suspense thriller The Little Things.

I debated because while it's probably the most prominent release of the week, it also looks kinda, I don't know, bland? bad? meh? Some word of that sort. But as I've often said, movie taste is supremely subjective, so who am I to judge? Maybe you want to be told about movies that get 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. I mean that indicates almost half the people recommended it, right? Plus, it stars Denzel Washington, the actor who The New York Times said in November was, without question, the greatest actor/actress of the 21st century (so far). That ain't nuthin.

But instead, I featured the three movies below, hoping you'll hear about The Little Things from other places (and uh, this diatribe); and thinking maybe you would've been less likely to hear of the ones I chose. 🤷‍♂️

But ultimately, I'm writing this newsletter for you, and for it to be helpful. So I'd love to hear any feedback you have. Do you still want to know about movies that don't get amazing glowing reviews, or look very good in general, but are still "notable?"

Do tell.

LOOK BELOW THE SURFACE

(from top, left to right)

The Dig: When you watch the trailer, this movie may look like a stereotypical "British drama." Which, honestly, is the most specific non-specific genre. But I get it, the queue of movies set in and around WW II where people drop a "bloody 'ell" here and a "spot oh tea" is almost as long as the list of barbs tossed by Violet Crawley. But even if you're one of those people who use PBS' Masterpiece as your friendly napping partner, The Dig should at least engender a second look. Because while the (true) story of an aristocratic widow (Carey Mulligan - nice to see you again so soon Carey!) employing a lower class excavator (Ralph Fiennes) to help her discover what's under the mounds of dirt on her land does indeed sound a bit stuffy, it gets at much more than just dusty museum pieces. See, this unearthing takes place right as England is on the precipice of entering dubya dubya two, which helps put a very important archaeological discovery, and the war itself, in a much different and larger context. Now, if you're wondering if this is all fodder for a love story, you'd be right. But not as you think. While there are multiple tales of the heart contained within the film, some romantic, some platonic, the overarching love here is between humans and humankind. 🧀🤓

Watch On: Netflix
Trailer | PG-13 | 1 hr 52 mins
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

The Night: this is probably the best Iranian produced, Farsi language, psychological horror thriller shot in the United States you're gonna see all year decade (here's hoping that's wrong). Cuz even though the US has the largest Iranian diaspora in the world, as well as the largest film business, it's still as common to have a Persian centered film as it is to have the Iranian and US governments agree on... uh, anything? But the film's rarity isn't the reason you should give it a look. That would be the super creepy wtf is going on here vibes you get from Los Angeles' Hotel Normandie - a cross between the Overlook Hotel and Hotel California - where a couple decide to crash one night after partying a bit too much with some friends. The other reason would be the secrets the couple have kept from each other, that slowly get revealed as the malevolent building presses in on them, the friction and fear increasing until...

Fun Fact: this is the first movie produced in the US that's been given the ok to be shown in Iran since 1979 (i.e. the year of the Iranian Revolution).

Watch On: VOD
Trailer | N/A | 1 hr 45 mins
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%

Notturno: This is not a documentary about war, but it is definitely a documentary about war-adjacent. It's one of those docs that sits with the experience of others, rather than someone staring into a camera and explaining their story. Instead, you'll be the one gazing at footage shot over three years in various countries / areas (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Kurdistan) affected by the likes of ISIS, civil war, and Western armies (see: the US) in an effort to show the way some people live; circumstances most of us reading likely have little understanding of. Expect to be affected, but not in the sweeping narrative way a fictional story might bring, but in the "this is life" quotidian manner as well as the more grandiose sense.

Watch On: VOD
Trailer | N/A | 1 hr 40 mins
Rotten Tomatoes: 80% (Certified Fresh)

Note: this is a bit of a special renting scenario (you have to do "virtual cinema," which means you have to rent on a computer and stream to your TV - here's a guide), but I figure those of you keen may be a bit more accommodating.

Highlights

Godzilla vs Kong - not much mystery here. Except for why they used such a cheesy song in the trailer. 😬

The World to Come - love story set in the 1800's between two women (Katherine Waterson / Vanessa Kirby) who are also married to men. It might make you think of an American Portrait of a Lady on Fire, except here the reality of the impact men have is far more in your face. Early reviews very good.

Raya and the Last Dragon - second trailer for Disney's next animated flick. In addition to being in theaters, they're doing the "premiere access" thing again (a la Mulan) where you have to have Disney + and pay another $30 (although it'll come to Disney + without the fee later).

The Courier - Benedict Cumberbatch in a Cold War spy thriller (based on a true story) where he plays an everyday salesman recruited by the British gov.

What's In Theaters +

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