Tag: JoshBrolin

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

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It’s been three years since the last Knives Out instalment dropped on Netflix. Now Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) and director and writer Rian Johnson are back for another mystery. Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) is a young priest who is reassigned to a remote parish in upstate New York. There, he must work together with Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) who is equal parts charming as he is threatening. When someone dies under puzzling circumstances, Benoit Blanc finds himself on the scene.

The original Knives Out is one of my favorite films of all time. I’ve seen it a handful of times and always recommend it to people when they are looking for something to watch. Glass Onion, its predecessor which came out in 2022, was slightly more wacky, but still highly entertaining. To say that Wake Up Dead Man was one of my most anticipated films of the year is an understatement. I could not wait to see what Blanc would be up to this time. While I did enjoy the film, I have to say that I was a little bit disappointed with it too.

One of the major draws of this franchise is its stacked cast. Craig is back for his third outing and he’s just as iconic as usual. My only qualm was that he didn’t come in until the fortieth minute mark! I definitely think he could have been introduced much earlier on. This is hands down O’Connor’s shining moment and boy does he take it. With a perfect mix of innocence and determination to clear his name as being suspect, he truly delivered. Glenn Close portrayed Martha Delacroix, a devoted servant to the church. She was fabulous yet slightly unhinged in her role and I found myself looking forward to whenever she would be on screen.

Unfortunately there were so many other characters who we just didn’t get the chance to know very well. Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church and Mila Kunis were all well casted. Because they didn’t have much backstory, they were just kind of there instead of seeming like real people. In the previous films we got to know who everyone was and each seemed suspicious. This time around some of the talent was wasted.

While I did appreciate the locked room element of the story, I’ll admit to getting lost in the religious themes. This, combined with the slower pace, and the fact that some of the scenes were just so drawn out made it hard for me to stay invested. Also, unlike in the previous films, there was no exciting reveal and it just kind of fell flat.

Overall, Wake Up Dead Man is my least favorite of the Knives Out trilogy. The cast were great, but I couldn’t help feeling like something was missing. Perhaps my expectations were simply too high, I don’t know. I appreciate Johnson wanting to do something different, but I was missing the thrill that the first two brought to me.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

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: ♥️♥️♥️

Dune

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Based on the book series of the same name, Dune follows the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a gifted young man who must fulfill his destiny. To make this happen, he must travel to a dangerous planet to secure the life of his family and his people. His journey, however, will not be an easy one as multiple forces hunt for a supply of a unique and special resource that will change the universe forever.

Let’s get this out of the way: I am not a fan of science fiction. Most of the time I end up confused and missing out on half of the story because they are way too intricate for me to comprehend. So, my expectations for this movie weren’t very high. Here I was thinking I would be spending the entire time struggling to keep up. I can gladly say that the opposite happened though and I ended up completely entranced in the story. While it took some time for things to get going, once it did, I was fully immersed and could barely turn my eyes away from the screen.

With such a stacked cast, it was impossible for me not to enjoy the various performances. While I was initially interested in seeing Zendaya and Jason Mamoa, even I have to admit that I wasn’t as bothered by Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Paul. He’s not usually a favorite of mine. Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista and Stellan Skarsgård were all flawless in their roles. Rebecca Ferguson’s role as Lady Jessica was the standout however. She stole every scene she was in.

I think the most impressive part of the film was the world building and the sets. I don’t think I had seen anything quite like it before and I couldn’t get over how realistic it all looked. That is something that I admire most about this genre and Dune was no exception. I felt immediately transported to those places which I greatly appreciated. Additionally, the musical score was beautifully haunting and fit perfectly. Hans Zimmer is a genius. I had chills multiple times throughout.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Dune. It was very well done and I can say that it is worth the hype it has been receiving. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥