Hey there, everyone! I’ve missed you! I trust you’re all doing well. It’s true we have something of a problem in our world at the moment, but there are always problems, and we’ve (mostly) come through safely. Not to belittle anything anyone’s going through, but here’s something that’s helped me a lot in stressful times: I avoid people who annoy me. And, panicking over anything is utterly useless, so I try not to. And now, let’s see the best of what’s opening this weekend, should you find yourself at the theater…
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Ho hum.. another teen trauma flick? Nope. This one’s good. But is it coronavirus good? You tell me. Autumn and Skylar (Talia Ryder, Sidney Flanigan), two broke teenagers in the great state of Pennsylvania (requires parental consent for an abortion), travel to New York so that Autumn may get an abortion. The amazing accomplishment here is how the director sidesteps the minefield of predictable teen melodrama, yet beautifully illustrates the plight of teenage girls—a sector of society plagued by many predators. Dialogue is minimal, and the emphasis is more on the non-verbal, visual aspects of the film. Particularly appealing is the sequence where Autumn is asked a series of questions by a healthcare provider, the answers to which are multiple choice (always/ sometimes/ rarely/ never). Check out the trailer:
THE HUNT
My favorite opening this weekend! It’s truly a pity the coronavirus has shown up to this party, because THE HUNT is a well-made thriller. It was to be released in 2019, but due to the numerous public gun violence incidents then, it was postponed.
You’ve probably already heard about this flick from our White House movie critic… Donald Trump 🙂 In reality, it’s not the political statement people make it out to be (the most significant fact is that the protagonist is from the working class South – that’s it). It’s really just a great B movie about a hunt. Six (working class) people wake up in a clearing, find themselves bound, and near a box full of all sorts of weapons. They’ve barely woken up, when they find they are being hunted by other (filthy rich) people.
Now you’ll find the script full of all sorts of political statements. Don’t follow them. You’ll be led to think this political party is behind the flick… no, it’s this other party… no, it’s this entity… nope! Ignore it – it’s just window dressing, a fancy background for the fantastic conflict between our two main characters: Crystal (Betty Gilpin), a war veteran (Afghanistan), and Athena (a very rich corporate go-getter, played by Hilary Swank). These two women totally make the movie – the acting is terrific, and the fight sequences, intense. But again: is it corona virus-worthy? Is it worth the risk to go see this in a theater? I really wish I could tell you what to do. But I will say this: if you find yourself in a theater seeking a thrill, this one will do nicely. Here’s the trailer:
And that’s the best of the lot this weekend for me. Like I said before, stay away from a*holes, don’t panic, and try relax as much as you can. That right there will win you half the fight. Tell me your war stories ! Should you have any 🙂 And, see you next time!
