-Reviews and scores for films I saw from the rest of January through till the end of February

This article will act as a quick place-holder as I talk quickly about films I saw through the end of January and through February. In the upcoming weeks, I will have one which goes into the 12 or so films I saw from this March, as well (so hold your horses on Captain Marvel and Us)

 

First, here’s a podcast I did on the films Glass, Serenity, and The Last Laugh from this year, with catch-ups on 2018 releases Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Stan & Ollie, and Burning

https://anchor.fm/blendedopinion

 

Finally, here’re some quick hitters on some other releases:

Velvet Buzzsaw

-Bizarre and twisted satire on the world of contemporary art and art criticism. This movie has its funny moments and has a horror flare, from director Dan Gilroy of Nightcrawler. It’s currently streaming on Netflix.

 

Cold War (2018)

-A gorgeous folk fairy-tale romance set in the Cold War days of Poland that has impeccable chemistry but an occasionally inaccessible rooting in foreign culture.

 

Untogether and Replicas

-Two misguided early year stumbles for good actors like Keanu Reeves, Jaime Dornan, and Lola Kirke.

 

The LEGO Movie 2

-Does exactly what the first one did. It’s just less funny, less surprising, and more gimmicky.

 

Cold Pursuit

-Has occasional sequences which stand out in the pantheon of the Liam Neeson thriller genre, but it never really finds its footing in tone or plot.

 

High Flying Bird

-An extremely intelligent, thoughtful, and introspective look at the underground of the NBA and the dedication it takes to make such a big product so easily consumable

 

Happy Death Day 2U

-Misplaces what the first one did well and turns into more of an uninspired sci-fi romp.

 

Alita: Battle Angel

-Flawed narratively and emotionally, but it somehow has enough in it to recommend. It stuck with me for some time after, just thinking about the choices and world-building it decided to go for.

 

Never Look Away (2018)

-Overlong and plodding, but there’s a reason it was nominated for cinematography. Gorgeous film and powerfully subtle subject matter.

 

Fighting with my Family

-A surprisingly inspirational sports film that hits the genre cliches but also is crowd-pleasing and enjoyable.

 

Isn’t It Romantic?

-I laughed a bit, especially at Liam Hemsworth, but then it becomes the very type of movie it tries to mock.

 

Greta

–Greta is a movie about a stupid girl, acting stupid, with a totally game Isabelle Huppert there to try to right the ship. Ends up as an extreme cliche.