Tag Archives: Film reviews

Trust Review


Celebrity life has challenges since privacy rarely exists. It also requires expert assistance in dealing with the media. The positives and negatives of star power swing back and forth in Trust. Directed by Carlson Young, the hostage-type dynamic was mediocre in this film, especially because of how it threw in despicable tangents. There were clever hostage scenarios and a clever plot, but the execution in Trust was full of major flaws. The point of view was not appealing, and yet it did build some momentum. Much of Trust was a blur due to writing that appeared as if it could have been quickly scribbled on pages of paper.

The film focuses on a young, high-profile actress, Lauren Lane, played by Sophie Turner. She has enjoyed many years of famebut finds herself in a scandalous bind with her co-star Peter, played by Billy Campbell. An unexpected turn of events leads Lauren to want to step away from the spotlight. Her assistant encourages her to go on a retreat in a remote cabin to escape the harsh reality and negative media around her. However, when she steps foot into her humble abode of a place for an escape, evil arises.

Then, unfortunately, the film begins to get cheesy. With the lead actress in a place to get away from the influencers in her life, some bad people break into her home. Darren (played by Rhys Coiro), Merg (played by Forrest Goodluck), and Marcus (played by Gianni Paolo) are all dangerous people. When the bad guys gain access to her Air B and B, Lauren locks herself in a room. While she is locked up and trying to find a way out, the entire film becomes about bad people (including her co-star) trying to find out what her worth is. At the same time, she is fighting for her own survival in the claustrophobic and treacherous environment she has thrown in herself into. All these scenes seem like a poorly done version of Panic Room. In this case, the film’s writing evolves poorly as the suspense attempts fulfillment. Instead of being fulfilled, I asked myself repeatedly about a wall or door breaking for survival which was not suspenseful either.  

This is one of the most aggravating thrillers and badly written suspense films I have seen in ages. Much of this was caused by the boredom of seeing a celebrity hiding in an attic setting the entire time. I did at times appreciate the tone of suspense, but the development fell completely flat. Silliness thrives and the film dies. This was a boring adventure with little excitement.Although I understand the idea of a celebrity hiding from reality because of the world we live in today, there was simply no justice in Trust. One-and-a-half out of four stars.

 

Caught Stealing


This film is directed by Darren Aronofsky, whose directing always has an eye for capturing moments that are mentally challenging. At the same time, he is able to master the craft of conjuring awareness and fear. As the many events unravel in Caught Stealing, his approach to humanistic dynamics becomes immersive in a compelling light. Caught Stealing is a work-of-art incorporating twists and turns that left me breathless. When one incident goes wrong, a past unravels, bringing in a bigger portrait with mesmerizing and unforgettable terrors with exhilarating components. Aronofsky is not afraid to bring out what his mind can envision as a director.

 The film focuses on a former ex-baseball player named Hank Thompson (Austin Butler). He works as a bartender in Brooklyn in the 1990s and has lot of weird and bipolar tendencies in his life. Along with that he has a tragic past that he cannot put behind him, as he once had everything he dreamed for and it was all stripped away from him. Everything changes when a normal day becomes one where he finds himself in a criminal underworld. Thanks to his neighbor Russ (Matt Smith), Hank must utilize his mind to navigate the bad crowd he has fallen in with. This  all starts with Hank agreeing to watch Russ’s pet cat.A strange cop named Roman (Regina King) questions Hank and two Jewish gangsters named Lipa (Liev Schreiber) and Shmully(Vincent D’Onofrio) who are also involved in the mix. A big crime boss named Colorado (Bad Bunny) also enters into this batch of bad people not much different from Hank.

Throughout the film, there is a tone of arrogance and misbelief through the eyes of Hank. This is because much of the writing presents itself make his character feel like he is in a karma mode. The volume of awry keeps turning the dial up to the extreme repeatedly in Caught Stealing making this film very enticing. What is even more compelling is how fatalities come and go in strange ways. Aronofsky creates deeper and deeper troubles that are spellbinding in Caught Stealing. He crafts a world that seems mafia-like and at the same time flies just below the radar.

Caught Stealing made me think a lot about the characterizations of Hank. Primarily, because he  leaves the impression that he is in territory that is not so new to him. With a past of some danger (it is written and seen in the film), there is a clear eye to why everything happens for a reason in Caught Stealing. As much as it should not be Hank’s responsibility, it is a landscape of rough roads that he lands himself in and must navigate. Due to Russ, Hank’s world is turned upside down with all kinds of peril. The world of treacherous environments thrives on a high level from the mind of Aronofsky in Caught Stealing. This is a one-of-a-kind sensation that blew me out of the water. Can Hank find out what is right and figure out who to trust? The 90’s world of threats and uncertainty takes the directing of Aronofsky to a new level. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

 

The Roses Review


This is a film in which the subject of change finds common ground. Storylines that focus on relationships tend to have an appeal that leads to a deeper narrative. The narrative in The Roses results in an expanded portrait. Directed by Jay Roach, this film has a form of transformative humor that is special. The Roses presents a negative dynamic that gradually gets worse, but at the same time it thrives with humoristic value within the depths of its dark comedy. With Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman playing a husband and wife, and Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon playing spouses as witnesses—the challenges are explored through a clever style of writing. The dramatic downfall results in the epitome of wonderful creativity in The Roses.

The film features Theo and Ivy Rose (Cumberbatch and Colman), and a couple that are facing several hurdles. They present a positive attitude about life, but then jealousy rears its ugly head. Theo was once a successful entrepreneur, but then later encounters some flaws. This causes Ivy to be the bigger breadwinner in the family. As Theo spends more time at home, he gets their kids to be more actively sporty and involved with life. Their friends Barry and Amy (Samberg and McKinnon) sense a form of injustice. At the same time, the success Theo and Ivy are experiencing is presented in a way that leads to unexpected, envious results.

To elaborate, I found this film to be classy. The subject matter made me think about what families disagree about and what parents might feel they are doing in terms of their parenting skills. The format of the writing seems to be in “keep the peace” mode, but gradually there is a mental ring of fire that boils the pot silently and ferociously. Lots of the intensity comes from Ivy, and because her kids are thriving based on what their dad has taught them. The competitive issues faced by the Rose family lead to a variety of interesting scenarios in The Roses.

To transition my train of thought a bit, the bright side of life also sparks glimmers of hope and optimism in The Roses. The challenges caused by failures end up opening new approaches to life which have better outcomes. There are moments of conflict, quirks, and giggles, but many scenes are presented with exaggerated and drastic measures. My point, however, is that the story presents how hard it can be to accept how things in life sometimes turn out. The pursuit of success not always being what it is cracked up to be is uncovered in The Roses.

Overall, the movie is a lovely portrait of a couple discovering more about what their guts are telling them. The family values portrayed through the performances of Cumberbatch and Colman are priceless and should not be missed. These actors are true gems which results in a film that is just shy of outstanding. The writing is classical. The Roses is filled with hidden envy, but reminds audiences to love and accept family. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.