From directors Matthew Festle and Matt Leal comes an independent horror thriller that capitalizes on its limited budget with an effective use of horror elements. Hacks presentation and continuity will thrill viewers due to its dark music, inviting cinematography, and impressive performances.  The two leads play podcasters, Michael (Matthew Festle) and Darren (Jackson Turner), who are fanatics of crime podcasts, but one has a nightmare awaiting. It is a twisted, mind-bending, and daring film which is a seventy-minute thrill-ride of surprises and tension. The script was written by brothers Matthew and John Festle, both of whom possess creative minds which tend to shock their audiences.

The film gears on two podcasters who are focused on growing their podcast by featuring crime stories. Due to some flaws, they believe they have a chance to gain popularity once they interview a special guest named Dr. Brennan (Thom Michael Mulligan). However, when Michael begins to become intrusive while trying to schedule an interview with Dr. Brennan, he comes across haunting discoveries and visions. The discoveries cause viewers to wonder if the horror is real or a nightmare. Michael’s obsession and egotistical attitude causes tension, and it begins to rise as the disagreements with Darren escalate. As Michael grows angry, his mind begins to deteriorate as he experiences more nightmares out of the blue.

What spoke to me the most about Hacked was the acting between the two podcasters. Michael and Darren have personality differences which play an important role in Hacked. Darren is the laid-back, but knowledgeable podcaster who wants to take appropriate steps to build their podcast and its positive reputation. Michael is the impatient and foul-mouthed podcaster. As positives things happen for Darren, Michael encounters more negatives. In addition to unexplained nightmares, he burns more bridges with Darren as well as other, and others due to his unprofessional attitude. The differences between these two characters are where the essence of brilliant horror is in Hacked.  I found myself asking what is the next bridge for Michael to burn and what shocking vision or nightmare will then ensue? Hacked will leave viewers questioning due to a variety of unexplained fragments.

When I reflect upon Hacked, I believe it is a film by two directors who know the formula that grabs fans’ attention. Festle and Leal add to their film’s shock value by combining continuity and karma. The use of karma in this film is portrayed by showing how a person’s actions in the present can decide their fate in the future. The decline of Michael’s reputation is where the karma lies. Hacked is a film that is psychologically engrossing, and an example of the promising projects Festle and Leal have in the works. Three and a half stars.

The goal of Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks is for its characters to find light and reconnection. Laura (played by Rashida Jones) and her father Felix (played by Bill Murray) are both trying to find those two elements. Laura is trying to find that in her career, her lifestyle and with her husband Dean (played by Marlon Wayans). Felix is trying to find that in reconnecting with Laura and determining if she is happy in her life and in her marriage. Both Murray and Jones are heartfelt in this lighthearted comedy with some edgy scenes. The absurdity of Murray’s performance which causes his daughter’s character to experience moments of humiliation and embarrassment creates an interesting spectacle.

In the plot of the film, the focus is strongly on Laura. She is mom who has a background in writing as a career. However, she has transitioned to a stay-at-home mom to her two kids while her husband Dean has become the new workaholic. Often, however, she starts to question Dean’s behavior. Many times, he is spacey, always saying he is out working late or taking last minute trips. Laura feels he is not focused on her and seems to have his priorities in other places instead of trying to focus on her as his wife. When Laura’s father Felix comes into her life and they begin to have meals together and engage in social activities, Felix convinces Laura that Dean may be up to no good. Laura questions if Felix is the right one to help navigate her struggles.  In the past, he has struggled to maintain relationships due to his own ego and life in New York City. Still, Laura starts to look up to Felix, because he is creative with adventures which is helping her find some joy in her life.  At the same time, she is also questioning Dean’s behavior based on the evidence of her father’s spying schemes.

On the Rocks connects in many ways to Coppola’s 2003 masterpiece Lost in Translation (which also starred Bill Murray). On the Rocks is as entertaining as Lost in Translation, though in my opinion, Lost in Translation is (slightly) better. Lost in Translation was original, and On the Rocks is almost a repeat, just in a different city featuring different relationships. Lost in Translation was about two people that become friends in a country where they are lost, and On the Rocks is about a father and daughter trying to find resolution in a big city. Both films are about of two people connecting in order to find meaning in their own lives.  Overall, On the Rocks is still a stellar film.

Murray is the perfect choice for On the Rocks to play the satirical, opinionated, but caring father. He has that laid-back charming tone with the smart mouth in many quirky moments. Murray is talented at playing this character that goes above and beyond with expensive restaurants and clothes, and acts like it is no big deal at all cost-wise. Also, Felix is a risk-taker and cares about his daughter being happy despite his cynical past. Murray delivers a true knockout performance as he did with Lost in Translation and I could not help but laugh at his humor and his bizarre attitude.

I felt On the Rocks was very touching as it was easy to relate to the feelings Jones demonstrated in her performance. During the film’s introduction to her life, her character feels boring and not a priority. On the Rocks will make some laugh and some cry, but also leave you pondering what makes people feel connected in life. Laura wants connection to her husband.  Felix wants connection to his daughter and for his daughter to feel connected to her marriage with Dean. The film’s dynamic had me deep in thought over what truly holds the key to a person’s happiness. I give this Coppola classic three and a half stars.

From director Aaron Sorkin comes a riveting and emotional drama based on true events in the late 1960s in Chicago. The Trial of the Chicago 7 will have viewers on the edge of their seats. The film is politically thrilling and emotional as viewers feel like they are right in the action of the cases that are seeking resolution or resurrection. I was deeply involved in both the setting and the dialogue because of how the film was filmed in Chicago.  During many of the scenes, I kept remembering times when I have walked through the locations in downtown areas where scenes of The Trial of the Chicago 7 were filmed. Certain parts of the movie, however, are quite emotional, but very compelling.

The film is the true story of seven people who were on trial based on charges related to actions that occurred during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. Those seven defendants were Abbie Hoffman (played by Sacha Baron), Tom Hayden (played by Eddie Redmayne), Lee Weiner (played by Noah Robbins), John Froines (played by Danny Flaherty), David Dellinger (played John Carroll Lynch), Jerry Rubin (played by Jeremy Strong), and Rennie Davis (played by Alex Sharp). All of these men were charged by the federal government for inciting riots after the Vietnam War. The Judge is Julius Hoffman (played Frank Langella), and the film goes back and forth between court scenarios and previous actions during the riots these seven defendants took part in. The film was somewhat similar to The Social Network (2010), because that movie utilized flashbacks between court scenes and previous events. Sorkin also did the writing for the Social Network and is brilliant at holding the viewers’ attention throughout many of his writing credits.

Sorkin fans can tell this is his work. The Trial of the Chicago 7 established lines of structure, and much of the dialogue was not repetitive, but instead on point, honest, and made sense throughout many of the conflicts that were seeking resolution. I especially felt this way in the moments between the defendants and the attorneys. Sorkin’s style of writing and directing creates transitions where the film jumps back to moments that are being discussed. When that happens, the audience naturally ponders who is or is not to blame. The Trial of the Chicago 7 includes many resolutions and hidden conspiracies. They are assembled thoughtfully through the talent of Sorkin’s directing and writing.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is probably one of the best films I have seen this year. 2020 has been a weird year for movies.  While this one comes to Netflix on October 16, I saw it in the cinema on a whim. Honestly, the true experience of The Trial of the Chicago 7 is on the big screen, because the ambience of the cinema makes the tension and conflicts more enticing. Therefore, I am giving this film four stars.