The trailers for this film make it seem like Promising Young Woman delivers a Harley Quinn vibe from The Suicide Squad. However, it is quite the opposite in a most brilliant way. Promising Young Woman has many moments of darkness in spectacular and intriguing ways. Carey Mulligan is at the top of her game as she portrays a woman that no one should mess with.  Throughout the movie, I found myself mesmerized by the betrayals and the tricks she pulls to seek revenge. 

Carey Mulligan is Cassandra, a medical school dropout who works in a coffee shop and still lives with her parents. In her free time, she plans and executes an array of dangerous schemes. A tragic event in her past has left her with emotional scars that set her on a path of revenge.  She is determined to make those involved with the event pay. Cassandra often acts drunk, goes home with guys, but then blindsides them by revealing she is not drunk once they treat her inappropriately. While she spends a great deal of time on these risky activities, she is also slowly trying to resume a normal life as she begins to date Ryan (played by Bo Burnham). However, her desire to seek revenge is something she simply cannot let go. 

The revenge scenarios in the film are very clever, and Mulligan is perfect for this role. Slowly over the course of the movie, the clues are revealed about what happened and why she is on her current path.  Each time a revenge scene occurred, I found myself wondering who the next victim would be or how they were related to what happened in the past. The screenplay and the pacing of the movie deliver the story in a brutal and honest way. The audience knows that there is always evil around the corner with Cassandra, but then are left to question whether Ryan is on her side or if he may also play a part in her revenge scheme.

Mulligan’s performance is outstanding.  I had the privilege to meet her in person a few years ago at a film festival, and she was quite positive and fun to talk with. She is known to play roles in films that are sad or depressing, and most of the time I am used to seeing her portray someone more mellow. In Promising Young Woman, she still can come off that way, maintaining her quiet demeanor, but then can transition to someone who is haunting and daring. That is what makes her performance so stunning in Promising Young Woman. Her chameleon-like ability to transition from a quiet and gentle soul to a woman with a truly evil side makes her performance Oscar-worthy.

Promising Young Woman has many twists and fun dialogue which had me entertained. I loved this film despite its darkness and absurdity. Those two elements were combined in an unexpected way that made the film unpredictable. That is why I loved this movie.  It creatively depicts a woman with her own issues who is set on revenge and smart about getting her way. Four stars for Promising Young Woman.

Another Round tests the waters of those in professional positions that are expected to maintain boundaries. Director Thomas Vinterberg transforms the Mads Mikkelsen we know from a framed predator in The Hunt (2012) to a hard-partying, satirical teacher. Another Round is a masterpiece due to how it portrays the radical behaviors as they begin and start to grow. As Mikkelsen consumes ridiculous amounts of alcohol, the laughs created are memorable. Another Round was set to be in the 2020 Cannes Film Festival.  If the festival had run, Another Round would have had its audience from across the world soaring with joy.

Another Round introduces us to four friends; Martin (Mikkelsen), Tommy (played by Thomas Bo Larsen), Nikolaj (played by Magnus Millang), and Peter (played by Lars Ranthe). All are teachers and colleagues at a Gymnasium (i.e. school) in Copenhagen, Denmark, and are at a breaking point due to facing a mid-life crisis. Then, however, they come across a discovery that having a low percent of alcohol in one’s system can lead to relaxation and creativity. This prompts them all to begin drinking consistently, testing their alcohol intake with breathalyzer tests, and living their lives to the fullest in many irresponsible and irreparable ways. As a result, disputes begin to build, and jobs are on the line.  Their increased alcohol consumption makes them feel that the party will never stop for them.

The brilliance of Another Round is how the humorous moments are also the serious moments. It is in those scenes where I found myself laughing hard, but also wondering where things are headed. The friends find theories of motivation to drink and to feel they are not in the wrong to do what they are doing. They link their decisions to connect with historical events, like Winston Churchill and World War II, which then leads them to believe their success as teachers can be impacted positively by consuming alcohol before work.  Another Round is spellbinding, because what they are doing is wrong, yet it is causing them to achieve more despite making the terrible choices as teachers.

There are some clever, unexpected twists in Another Round.  While I anticipated this film to be almost like The Hangover (2009), it is different in that the party goes on for days as do the consequences. The teachers’ motivation to keep drinking comes from what the friends think they know about their profession and history. Watching their antics kept me laughing out loud throughout the movie.

Another Round is one of those rare masterpiece films that is hard to come by. Not surprisingly, Vinterberg is one of those auteur directors with foreign films that earn tons of buzz throughout the globe. Another Round may be one of the best films I have seen him release. His clever mind paired with his ability to have actors deliver unexpected punch lines is what makes the film a pure joy. Another Round is worth the time and can be found on Music Box at Home. Four stars.

After going through another stage of cinema abstinence when most theatres in Illinois closed around thanksgiving due to COVID concerns, I was thrilled when a couple of cinemas recently reopened.  Almost immediately, I decided to go see The Marksman on the big screen. It is directed by Robert Lorenz and stars Liam Neeson. The Marksman may look like a repetitive hero film for Neeson, but it is clever and gripping due to its title, plot, and interesting twists throughout its 108-minute showing time.  The Marksman has many moments that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats wondering what conflict is around the next corner. The most intriguing element is that unlike many of Neeson’s other action films which are based on a one-day problem, the suspense in The Marksman goes on for multiple days.

Liam Neeson plays Jim, a widower and rancher living on the Arizona Border. He has different debts to pay and is trying to figure out what path is right for him in his life of solitude. All that changes when he comes across a mother and her son trying to flee from cartels along the border. He tries assist with the situation.  However, when the cartels get into a shooting spree, Jim does what he can to protect the boy and his mother, but only the son survives. This leaves Jim to make the dangerous choice to protect the boy and get him across the U.S. border where he can be with a member of his family and be safe for good. But as they make their treacherous journey with the cartels on their tail and border patrol challenges to deal with, Jim does all he can to cover his tracks and get the boy to safety. While they are being tracked, Jim becomes more resourceful.  This is when The Marksman becomes attention-grabbing, but the setup is somewhat predictable.

The cat and mouse game between Jim and the cartels is exactly what fans want. Any film that has Neeson involved in shootouts or fights to protect someone is precisely what his fans anticipate. I found the most exciting action scenes were when someone was being blindsided. for Although some seemed quite predictable, they still kept the audience wondering if things would become more dangerous or lead to more irreparable consequences.  Clearly, we are accustomed to Neeson being the hero and he continues to fit that label well.

The Marksman is a fun action film that provides viewing pleasure but is not amazing. While there is good acting and lots of action, the predictable plot makes it just a decent movie. Also, during a time when cinemas are facing financial challenges, these types of movies are what is needed to help cinemas slowly regain some business momentum.  Given the films is very commercial and has grade A actors, I give two and a half stars to The Marksman.