Hey there in cyberspace! Lovely to see everyone again. Never mind the nonsense happening in real life—let’s escape for a bit and dive into theaters to see what’s new and exciting there… come with?
THE PRODIGY
A predictable horror flick about an evil little boy, starring Taylor Schilling from Netflix’s hit Orange Is The New Black as the mother, Peter Mooney as the father, and Jackson Robert Scott as the kid. We find out way too early the real cause of the child’s behavior, which I thought a poor move on the part of the filmmakers; because all we then have left to relish is the anticipation surrounding the next horrifying event in the story. That being said, that (atmospheric) tension is excellent, along with the cinematography. If it’s a simple horror (versus psychological) flick you want, you’ll be satisfied. Here’s the trailer:
WHAT MEN WANT
This is a gender-reversed What Women Want. Sorry, but there’s no easy way to put this—the premise behind this 2019 version is just plain stupid, because what men want has never been a mystery. The original worked because back then, it was (apparently) difficult for men to figure out what women want. Unsurprising, because we’ve constantly had to tiptoe around men and their egos, and cloak our desires in whatever was permitted in those eras. Men have never had to tiptoe around anything, ever, ever, so the premise of this flick is utter nonsense.
The only thing good about this is Taraji P. Henson, who plays an aggressive sports management agent flummoxed by a lost promotion: apparently her bosses want her to step off and leave the flashy, high-value deals to her male colleagues. One psychic session later, she has the power to read men’s thoughts… and then it’s watch out, fellas! The comedy also stars Tracy Morgan. Here’s the trailer:
COLD PURSUIT
A revenge thriller with insight—now that’s a rarity. But don’t let that scare you off—this Liam Neeson starrer has plenty of kills—at one point so many, you lose track. The noirish sense of humor is a nice touch. The story is about a Colorado snow plow driver named Nels Coxman (Neeson) seeking revenge after his son is axed by drug dealers. Tom Bateman stars as the a*hole drug lord, Laura Dern as Nels’ wife, and Tom Jackson as the leader of a rival Native American league of henchmen. The film is undone by the bland supporting characters and acting. Unfortunate, because the sense of insight in this revenge thriller distinguishes it from its peers—it makes one very aware of the unneeded misery humans callously cause. Check out the trailer:
And that’s it for me! Let me know what you think. How about we meet back here again next week? It’s a date!
