“Collin, it seems kind of weird for you to be doing movie reviews when I’ve already watched everything on Netflix while I’ve been stuck at home.” Yes, well, we won’t be talking about the most depressing documentary I have ever seen. Indeed, I AM talking about your beloved Tiger King. Oh, I’m glad you all enjoyed it but all it made me want to do was bite every person in that thing. Every. One. Of. Them.
No doubt, you have probably used your shelter-in-place time to catch up with things that were just in the theater or that got moved to digital distribution thanks to good ol’ COVID-19. So instead, let’s dig into some classics and talk about a pair of older films that you might never have seen yet from a little further back. Who knows how much longer we’ll be stuck at home and you can only watch the second season of You so many times.
Shutter Island (2010) [R]
By now, you may have already watched all 3+ hours of Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman. Pretty good, right? Movies about the mob…that is the water Scorsese swims in. But what about an unhinged psychological thriller/horror film about a U.S. Marshall that is tracking down a murderer that has escaped a home for the criminally insane? A little different than you would expect from Scorsese, right?
The Marshall, Teddy, who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio and his partner Chuck, played by Mark Ruffalo are sent to a hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a child murderer. But as Teddy digs deeper into the case, he starts to believe that maybe the doctors have summoned him for other, more nefarious reasons.
I’m not saying it is perfect. While I think Shutter Island is very well made, I do think there are points it tries a little too hard to outsmart the audience. And really, it is kind of an old-style B-movie that just happens to have Scorsese and a very talented cast. But it is also creepy, stylish and just plain fun to watch even if it does seem to go on just a little bit too long.
This is a hard movie to predict. And I don’t mean that plot wise. Shutter Island has divided critics and movie goers for a decade now. Some people love it. Some hate it. And I can see merit in both of those positions. But overall, I have to tell you, I still find it really entertaining and interesting to watch. If for no other reason than to watch a master film maker flexing his muscles and trying new things.
7.5 paws out of 10
Sicario (2015) [R]
Here is a film that is definitely more of a “thinking” movie than one that you just experience (Like Extraction on Netflix, which I give a 6.5 out of 10 just for the pure enjoyment the action scenes provide).
Sicario follows the story of FBI field agent, Kate, played by Emily Blunt, who is asked to join a special anti-drug task force. While she isn’t given much information by the head of the task force, she knows that they are there to disrupt and dismantle a drug cartel. Paired with a mysterious defector from the cartel, played by Benicio Del Toro, Kate starts to question the methods of the task force as well as her place in the unfolding scheme.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, who will be bringing us his take on Frank Herbert’s Dune later this year, is an expert at building tension. Villeneuve’s work in conjunction with cinematographer Roger Deakins here is masterful. The script is tight and dense but as long as you pay attention, you won’t get lost. Surprisingly it was the work of first-time screenwriter Taylor Sheridan who you might know better as Deputy Chief David Hale from Sons of Anarchy.
I really enjoyed watching Sicario even though it was actually my fourth time (at least) to see it. The performances are great. The direction is top notch. The soundtrack from the late Jóhann Jóhannsson is fantastic as always. This movie might have been made five years ago but, frankly, the plot could have been written today. It was, and still is, a great movie. It may not be easy to watch, but you’ll be glad you did.
9 paws out of 10
As always, if you have a movie you think I should check out or you want to talk further about one of these reviews, drop me a line on Facebook.