LoganLerman – Credits Rolling

Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) have been dating for four months when they decide to go away together for a weekend. What starts as the perfect romantic getaway complete with stopping at a roadside strawberry stand, swimming in the private pond and a scallop dinner complete with dancing under the stars quickly escalates. When Iris finds out that Isaac isn’t exactly on the same page as she is in their relationship, she does the only thing she can think of – leave him tied up against the bed to try and convince him why they would be good together.

Sophie Brooks wrote and directed this offbeat, quirky romantic comedy. I went into the film not really knowing what to expect; I certainly did not think it was going to be so funny. This helped balance out the slow descent of chaos that Iris eventually finds herself in. What could have very well been something dark and unsettling was actually believable enough that the audience can understand why she makes the choices that she does.

I love that this took place primarily in one location. It made the whole thing feel a lot more intimate and like we were right there with the characters. The farmhouse and its surrounding landscapes were beautiful; it was a great juxtaposition for what ends up happening. There also was a small amount of characters which made it easy to keep track of. Gordon and Lerman did a fab job as Iris and Isaac. Throughout the film you find yourself siding with both of them and seeing where they are both coming from in this predicament. Geraldine Viswanathan and John Reynolds star as Max and Kenny, Iris’s best friend and her boyfriend. Their addition halfway through the film is a welcome one as the comedy ramped up even more.

Oh, Hi! surprised me in the best way possible. I knew very little going into it and I think that was the best way to experience it. While the loose ends are tied up a bit too neatly, the overall message shone through. As a result it was way more relatable than I was expecting it to be.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Ladybug (Brad Pitt) is an assassin who has been unlucky in his latest missions. Now he finds himself on a train going from Tokyo to Kyoto where all he wants to do is his job. What he doesn’t bargain for is the many other assassins that are traveling along with him, all for their own purposes. What started off as something seemingly easy turns out to be the complete opposite.

One of the summer’s hottest blockbusters, Bullet Train is an action adventure romp that doesn’t let up for one moment. It starts off with a bang and keeps going until the credits roll. The fight sequences, in particular, were entertaining and exciting. Sometimes it was as if they came from a comic book and while the gore was pretty graphic, it was executed in a way that made it funny.

Brad Pitt is one of the best actors of our generation and he knocked it out of the park as Ladybug. He carried the movie on his back and had great interactions with his fellow costars. Other standouts for me include Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) and Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). They captured every scene they were in and made me laugh constantly. I wish we’d had more of them because they were just that good. And while we didn’t see much of her, I loved Sandra Bullock’s role as Maria, Ladybug’s handler.

The movie may have boasted even more well known names such as Joey King, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, Logan Lerman and Zazie Beetz but they weren’t featured nearly as much as I would have liked. I guess that is one of the downsides of having such a large cast of characters. There were a couple here that we didn’t learn anything about which was a pity.

With bright neon lights and a killer soundtrack complete with Japanese covers of Stayin’ Alive and Holding Out For A Hero, Bullet Train sucked me into a thrilling adventure. There were a couple of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat and while it was totally bonkers at times, I was able to let go and get lost in it.

Rating: ♥♥♥