Let me start this blog entry with a confession:
I’ve been in a funk. Normally these come and go but this one has just insisted on sticking around. In any given month I see a bunch of movies but my numbers for April 2017 are unusually high. I think me avoiding and trying to get out of this funk contribute to that.
There’s still a few things I want to see this month that are being released this weekend. (The Circle and Colossal are those titles). Looking back there were some stand out films for me, some mediocre films, and some just plain bad.
Let’s start with the just plain bad and move forward. Gifted was awful. I thought the film took its message and slapped me across the face with it repeatedly. This insulted my intelligence. The other film I just couldn’t stand this month was Unforgettable. I didn’t care for the characters and feel I’ve seen the premise done better in dozens of other films.
Moving up the chain to the mediocre. Going in Style tops this list. The film was entertaining but it’s not something I feel I’d watch over and over again. I went to a late show one Saturday night, enjoyed myself at the movies, but feel I would of had the same experience at a matinee or a red box later down the road. I enjoyed Their Finest but have to admit it took me a while to get into. I do have to say I enjoyed Bill Nighy in the film, as I often find myself doing. The Promise I found to be just mediocre as well. Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale are both talented actors and give good performances. I found the story to be cookie cutter. My big problem with this movie was the music. It was unnecessary with its cues. I felt it over powered some great moments in the film and brought the film down as a whole. It’s ok to let your actors act.
Up next the chain of positivity, yes you read that cornball statement right, is the good. The Fate of The Furious rests here for me. It’s the eighth film in the franchise and fits nicely in the cookie cutter, international ensemble. What makes this one stand out for me this month is Charlize Theron’s performance as the films villain. She was menacing and looked like she was enjoying herself in the film. I also found the anime flick Your Name to be good as well. I really enjoyed how the story was told in this one. I must say I enjoyed Phoenix Forgotten. It’s not a great film but it’s 90 minutes of entertainment. The movie plays like one of the Unsolved Mysteries segments played over an hour and a half.
For me there were two stand out films I saw this month. The first is the foreign language feature Frantz. The trailer does not do the story justice. There is a lot more there and the film plays beautifully on the big screen. The majority of the movie is in black and white which I really loved. I was captivated by the characters and how they moved the plot forward. The other movie I loved this month was The Lost City of Z. I was taken in very easily by the story. Though a bit long it didn’t drag all that much and was beautifully filmed.
There’s a few films I’ve left out and I’m ok with that. Next week the summer blockbuster season opens with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and I’m looking forward to it!!!
