Tag: GlenPowell

The Running Man

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In a near futuristic world, Ben Richards (Glen Powell) has just been let go from his job. He desperately needs to find a way to make money to get some medication for his sick daughter. With no more choices, he joins a game show called The Running Man where contestants are allowed to go anywhere in the world while trying to escape the hunters who are hired to kill him. If he survives, he will win one billion new dollars.

I was not familiar with the book by Stephen King nor with the original 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. If I’m being completely honest I probably wouldn’t have checked this reboot out if it weren’t for Glen Powell as I have the biggest crush on him. I’m glad that I did though.

Powell was such a great choice for the lead. He’s like the new Tom Cruise, but better. His character had so much grit and determination to do whatever he needed for his family. He has more than proven his leading man status and I cannot wait to see what role he takes on next. Josh Brolin starred as Dan Killian, the creator of the competition. Manipulative and selfish, he mostly see him on screen and yet he’s still someone you wouldn’t want to mess with. Colman Domingo was a scene stealer as Bobby T, the host. He truly shined every time he was on screen. I only wish we had more of his backstory. The same could be said for Lee Pace, William H. Macy, Katy O’Brian and Michael Cera. Though they all played important roles, the audience didn’t get to know them very well.

Censorship and controlling media is a running theme throughout. As Ben continues on with the game, he learns more about the government and how they are trying to hide the truth of what is really going on. This is something that has been happening more and more in present day and I believe it will only continue. It’s scary to think of a reality where game shows of this nature could exist, but I could see it happening.

Overall, The Running Man was a thrilling and heart pounding blockbuster that kept me mostly on the edge of my seat. I do think that it lost some steam along the way however. The first half was engaging, but somewhere at the halfway point it stalled and the ending was a bit anti-climatic. That being said, I still had a good time with it and that’s all that matters.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Twisters

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The blockbuster hit of the summer has arrived with Twisters! Serving as a standalone sequel to the 1996 version of the same name, former storm chaser Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is lured back to Oklahoma by her old friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) after a tragedy. Out on the field they come across Tyler (Glen Powell), a social media superstar. First at odds, Kate and Tyler end up working together to figure out how to beat the twisters once and for all.

I’ve never seen the original film so I cannot compare it to this new version. What I can say is that I had a total blast! Right from the very beginning I was gripped with that hardcore opening sequence and that feeling didn’t go away until the credits started to roll. The storm sequences were heart pounding and constantly had me on the edge of my seat.

One of the main areas in which the film excels is in its cast. Edgar-Jones is someone I’ve enjoyed watching since Normal People and Where The Crawdads Sing. Now that she is in such a mainstream movie, she has proven that she can do anything. Ramos was perfect as Javi, a man who didn’t always do things for the right reasons, while Powell killed it as Tyler. Words cannot express how much I love that man; he is so incredibly charismatic and this douchebag character was so much fun! I also need to shoutout the players that made up Tyler’s team (Brandon Perea, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sasha Lane, Tunde Adebimpe and Katy O’Brien). They were fab and I would totally go storm hunting with them.

Something I didn’t expect was that the story, with all its crazy moments, had an emotional tone to it. The tragedy that occurs at the beginning comes back throughout the course of the film. It helped make the characters more realistic and multi-dimensional. I also liked the hints of romance between Kate and Tyler. It was never the full focus, but the way in which it was handled was really sweet.

I honestly did not think I was going to enjoy Twisters, but it’s certainly up there with one of my favorites of the year so far. With its action packed storm sequences, fabulous cast chemistry and emotional heart, this is the film of the summer that you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Hit Man

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From director Richard Linklater comes a caper full of twists and turns that is a guaranteed good time! Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is a college psychology professor who also moonlights as a hit man for the New Orleans police. When he breaks protocol to help Madison (Adria Arjona), a woman who is trying to leave her abusive husband, the two lives that he has worked so hard to keep separate suddenly blur together.

Powell is hands down one of the best actors around right now. He has been on a steady incline and I’m sure he will only keep getting better. This role solidifies him as a bona fide star. The different personas that he dons while dealing with different clients just got better and better; I couldn’t decide which one was my favorite! Arjona, who I was not previously familiar with, holds her own against Powell. Their chemistry is electric and full of passion and I couldn’t help but swoon when they were on screen together.

I have to admit that there were some pacing issues throughout the film. It seemed as though a lot of time passed until things really started to happen. I didn’t mind the slow burn because I feel like the payoff was worth it, but I can imagine that other people would have expected more. Once the twists kept coming however, they didn’t stop. I do think that they tried to pack so much in that the ending was abrupt as a result.

Hit Man is a film with something for everyone to enjoy. The fact that it is based on true events is pretty cool! Having the chance to join Gary on his adventures and never knowing what to expect was a great way to spend a Friday night.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Anyone But You

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Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) have the most amazing first date until a misunderstanding thwarts their feelings for one another. When fate intervenes and they are thrown together at a destination wedding in Australia, they do what anybody in their situation would do: pretend to be a couple! Initially thinking it’ll be a walk in the park, they don’t expect the old sparks to reignite.

My expectations for Anyone But You were through the roof from the moment I heard about it. Having been a fan of Sweeney’s since Euphoria, I was looking forward to seeing the other types of roles she would take on next. Similarly, Powell captured my heart in last summer’s Top Gun Maverick and hasn’t seemed to let it go yet. There was no way this film could go wrong with the two of them tackling one of my all time favorite tropes. Luckily I was right – their chemistry was HOT and I could not take my eyes off of them.

What I didn’t know going into this was that it was loosely based off of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. This did become apparent, however, as I was watching the miscommunications unfold and all the meddling the various supporting characters took part in. Bea’s sister Halle (Hadley Robinson) and Ben’s best friend Claudia (Alexandra Shipp) aka the two brides, as well as respective parents Leo (Dermot Mulroney) and Innie (Rachel Griffiths) and Roger (Bryan Brown) and Carol (Michelle Hurd) played their roles perfectly. I also loved Ben’s friend Pete (Gata) and stereotypical Aussie Beau (Joe Davidson) who brought even more laughs.

Though there were some moments throughout that were on the slower side, the jokes were consistent and had me giggling. I especially couldn’t hold it together during the hiking scene and I found myself singing along at the top of my lungs during Unwritten which will undoubtedly find its way back to the charts.

Every once in a while, a romcom will come around and sweep you off your feet. Anyone But You was exactly what I needed at this time of the year – two extremely good looking leads, fiery passion, some comedy and the beautiful backdrop of Australia. It was an absolute blast from start to finish and the perfect movie to end my year on.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Top Gun Maverick

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Since its release in 1986, Top Gun has become a classic that is beloved by many. Thirty six years later, the sequel fans have been waiting for finally hits theatres this weekend. Now a captain, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is called back to Top Gun to train a new crop of the best aviators in the country for their most dangerous mission yet. But with his late friend Goose’s son Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw (Miles Teller) in the line up, Maverick has no choice but to confront the ghosts of his past.

I’m going to be completely transparent here. The only reason I went to see this movie was because my husband wanted to go. Neither one of us had watched the original until two days ago when we realized we probably should educate ourselves. He enjoyed it thoroughly whereas I found myself on my phone most of the time. Sure I was able to follow along with the story and knew more or less what happened, but it didn’t captivate me as much as I had been hoping. Going into my showing last night, I had no idea what to expect.

Slowly but surely, I found myself completely and totally engrossed in the story. I wanted to learn more about these new characters and I wanted them to succeed. A lot of that was due to the incredible cast that came together to make this happen. Tom Cruise proves once again that he is a king when it comes to action movies. He’s not one of my favorites, but even I have to admit that there is no one else like him.

Other stand outs for me include Miles Teller. As Rooster, his arc with Maverick tugged at the heartstrings and really made you feel for him. Glen Powell, who portrayed Hangman brought the good looks and cockiness whereas Monica Barbaro as Phoenix represented females everywhere. Additionally, I enjoyed watching Maverick’s love story with Penny (Jennifer Connelly) unfold. She was feisty and certainly no pushover which I appreciated.

Seeing this film in AVX was such a good choice. The sounds of the jets mixed with the score and special effects are really on a whole other level. Combined with a great soundtrack, it really adds to the overall experience. I’ve had Danger Zone in my head ever since.

I’m surprised as to how much I liked Top Gun Maverick. Seeing it on opening night certainly heightened my experience as the audience kept breaking out into applause. It was rather emotional now that I think about it to be able to experience something like this. It proves just how special film really is. This movie is going to be the talk of the summer. Don’t miss it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥