mother! - Movie Review

mother!

Review by Ryan Davidson

Score:8.75/10

I really dug this movie, but let me warn you that it is not for everyone. I'll keep this review fairly short since I can't really talk about much without spoilers. mother! is directed by Darren Aronofsky and stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem. This movie is very hectic and hard to watch at times. It's claustrophobic and strange. I can see where this film might come off as offensive or pretentious to some people. I myself really enjoyed the metaphorical nature of the film. I think Darren has a lot to say, and he lets his frustrations out and into this film. This is by no means his best film, but I think it is an important film in the cinema landscape today. If you like to be challenged by a movie and walk away with mountains of things to think about and talk about, then I would recommend you see this movie. Just go in prepared to not like it, and also prepared for it to not be a horror/thriller film. This just isn't that. 

Girls Trip - Movie Review

Girls Trip

Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 7/10

I was surprised that I liked this movie after walking out of the theater. This movie didn't make me laugh like I was wanting it to. There was a couple laugh out loud moments, but the lack of them was quite disappointing. What made this movie enjoyable was the surprising amount of heart that was sprinkled throughout the runtime. The chemistry between the main group of actresses was also quite astounding. It was immediately entertaining to watch these girls interact. The movie just wasn't that funny for me. Nothing crazy unique or different about this film, just a solid comedy. 

It - Movie Review

It

Movie Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 9/10

This is easily one of my favorite horror movies of all time. This movie was the definition of creepy. Taking a lot of inspiration from the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, It follows a group of kids who attempt to rid their town, and their lives, of an evil presence that can change its form to fit your greatest fear. If you already have a fear of clowns, you're going to want to stay as far away from this as possible. This movie was terrifying for me, the movie literally hit me like a punching bag with great scare after great scare after great scare. The group of kids is absolutely amazing top to bottom. I absolutely fell in love with each one of them, and all their different characterizations and personalities. It honestly felt like The Goonies or Stand By Me, or even Stranger Things! Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Dancing Clown was such a perfect casting decision. He has such a disturbing portrayal of Pennywise here, and it makes for some absolutely horrifying scenes and imagery. Right from the opening scene of the movie, Skarsgard does not disappoint. I love the writing and directing as well. The movie is surprisingly hilarious as Richie (A character in the movie) nails every one liner he says. My only complaint, and the only reason it did not receive the full 10 out of 10 from me, is that the scares can and do get exhausting. It tries hard to keep this from happening, but it's bound to happen with such scary imagery and frequent scares. By the end of the movie, I was all scared out. The positives completely outshine the negative, though, as I really adored this movie. Such a great horror film, and it deserves every penny of the massive opening weekend box office total. If you enjoy horror in any way shape or form, then you need to go see this movie.

Ingrid Goes West - Movie Review

Ingrid Goes West

Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 9.5/10

Ingrid Goes West floored me. I did not know what to expect going into this movie, and I walked out exceptionally pleased. First off, I really want Aubrey Plaza to get nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars. She plays an awkward social media stalker, and she is amazing in this. Her performance is really gripping from start to finish. Between Wind River and this, Elizabeth Olsen should also be nominated for something at the Oscars. The acting and writing are pretty phenomenal, and the directing is really solid. The idea behind this movie is extremely intriguing and exciting. There wasn't a moment in this film where I wasn't bored. I really loved Ingrid Goes West and will recommend this to anyone who enjoys tasteful cinema.

Patti Cake$ - Movie Review

Patti Cake$

Movie Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 5/10

I had some expectations for this movie. That isn't unfair, since it was a selection at both Sundance and SXSW. I was definitely disappointed by Patti Cake$. My biggest complaint was easily the music. In a film where music is a central theme, the quality of music can have a huge impact on the quality of the film. The attempt at hip hop here was, to me, atrocious. I really enjoy hip hop, and this was just awful. Now, I understand that is a very personal taste, so if you do see this and enjoy the music, then you will most likely enjoy the film much more. The acting is fine, nothing spectacular. They took a bit of a chance with a character who basically is a worshipper of satan, and it paid off maybe 50% of the time. This character was odd, and didn't really fit in with the hip hop influences of the film, but did help to further the arc of our main character. My main issue with this character is that he is a huge pushover in multiple parts of this movie. No spoilers, but with a character that has such strong beliefs and opinions, he often gives them up with the slightest bit of convincing. I enjoyed the authenticity of the film. It is very small and very low budget, but fairly well directed. You get this feeling of reality when watching the film which makes it that much more convincing as a story. Overall I am not sure that this movie knew what it needed to be. I enjoyed some of the progression of our main character, but there wasn't enough substance for me beyond that. There were definitely moments of this film that were really creative and enjoyable, but I think this movie is going to be forgettable in the end. 

Wind River - Movie Review

Wind River

Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 9.5/10

This film floored me. I had no idea what to expect going into this, but Wind River was just excellent. Written by the same person who wrote Sicario and Hell or High Water, this is an extremely down to earth and intriguing murder-mystery that is totally wrapped in excellent writing, directing, and acting. Jeremy Renner puts up one of the best performance of his entire career, if not the best. He absolutely commands every scene he is in, and is just wonderfully deep and complex throughout his role. Despite being completely out-shined, Elizabeth Olsen is also really fantastic. There are moments where I felt she came off a little over the top, but I really enjoyed her performance overall. The writing was phenomenal, and I was really glad that I went into seeing this without knowing very much. This is a great story as well as an important one, and is likely to end up as a favorite for a Best Picture nomination come Oscar season. Highly recommend seeing this one. 

Kubo and the Two Strings - Movie Review

Kubo and the Two Strings 

Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 9/10

Laika is the Pixar of claymation. At least, the early Pixar that could do no wrong. Their fourth feature film, Kubo and the Two Strings, follows a young boy named Kubo who sets out on a journey with a monkey and beetle to find out more of his strange family history. The animation is beautiful, and I really can not stress that enough. This film got nominated for Best Visual Effects at the Oscars for crying out loud. The voice acting was really solid across the board, from Matthew McConaughey and Charlize Theron to Rooney Mara and Art Parkinson as well. This was also one of the more creative and imaginative storylines in recent memory. Kids and adults alike will be highly invested in this journey. Kubo is a must watch, as is anything made by Laika. 

Logan Lucky - Movie Review

Logan Lucky

Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 8/10

A refreshing take on the heist genre, Logan Lucky tells the story of a couple of brothers who set out to perform a robbery during the Coca-Cola 500, one of the biggest Nascar events. This is just simply good filmmaking. Steven Soderbergh takes a much more simple and artistic approach to a genre that usually houses the opposite techniques. I really enjoyed Channing Tatum and Adam Driver in this film. Daniel Craig was awesome as well, but the other two really stood out in their roles. The film was a little too formulaic at times, and the script had plenty of convenient moments. That being said, the film was really well directed and written. The humor really hit the mark, thanks to the writing and some of the very subtle performances from Tatum and Driver. This is a must see and a possible Best Picture nominee come Oscar season.