10s Movie Review - Ready or Not

Director: Matt Bettinello-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Comedy
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Samara Weaving, Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Description: A bride’s (Samara Weaving) wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.

Review: “Ready or Not” is entirely set on and around the estate of a ealthy family that owns its fortune in large part to the production of board games. Young Grace will know this too, because as soon as she wants to start the wedding night with her new husband Alex, a rather special tradition intervenes. It prescribes that someone who marries into this family has to play a randomly chosen game on the wedding night with the other family members. In Grace’s case this turns out to be hide-and-seek. She is told beforehand that participating is more important than winning, but in this game losing turns out to not be an option either. There is a rather mature variant being played: Grace is the only one who has to hide, after which the whole in-law family tries to find her… and finish her off.
An explanation for this thirst of blood lies in the conviction of the family members that they are cursed and will die if they do not catch their prey before sunrise. Well, as if that initial premise wasn’t bizarre enough. But somewhere the film can hardly be judged on this utterly idiotic premise, because in its banality it is so wonderfully simple. And I did love this concept. The film doesn’t pretend to be high art for a moment (although the set design does look like a living piece of art), so let’s not try to make it that way.
The fact that the viewer remains in limbo right up to the last scene is the main reason the film works.
Samara Weaving is without a doubt the best thing about “Ready or Not”. Fairy unknown with the bigger audience, Weaving does a fine job in carrying this film and her character is fantastic. She had to undergo a lot of and we see her character develop withing the runtime of the film. With mentioning character development, there is also the downside of the film. Most of the characters don’t have depth and their motives are a vague.
I always like it when something goes against your expectations. But I think everyone was pleasantly surprised by “Ready or Not”. I love a good thriller/ horror film that is combined with some good laughs. It’s a definite fun time and an original premise. No masterpiece by all means, but super fun for the horror fans among us.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 71: Short Cuts

Director: Robert Altman
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 187 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, Jack Lemon, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Fred Ward, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Penn, Tim Robbins, Lili Taylor, Robert Downey Jr., Madeleine Stowe, Lily Tomlin, Frances McDormand, Tom Waits, Lyle Lovett, Lori Singer, Anne Archer

Description: The day-to-day lives of a number of suburban Los Angeles residents.

Review: I always like films with multiple storylines. So I was excited to finally see ‘Short Cuts”, where we follow a bunch of Los Angeles suburban residents.
Suburban life in “Short Cuts” is anything but ordinary and perfect: adultery, suicide, loveless marriages, alcoholism. Long live the nineties.
The storylines are all basically about relationships stuck in their day to day life. The storylines wouldn’t be interesting on their own, together they work a bit better. But still not so much to keep me interested for the entire runtime. Because that for me is the biggest problem. The film is 187 minutes long, way too long for a film like this.
I get why people might like this film, but I’m not a big fan of the film. I found it pretty mediocre, not compelling, it just didn’t interest me. Later movies with themes like this, like “American Beauty” and “Magnolia” are much better.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 101: Magic Mike XXL

Director: Gregory Jacobs

Genre: Comedy/ Drama

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Elizabeth Banks, Amber Heard, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell

Description: Three years after Mike (Channing Tatum) bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, he and the remaining Kings of Tampa hit the road to Myrtle Beach to put on one last blow-out performance.

Review: Channing Tatum broke through as the lead in a dance movie called “Step Up”and returned to his ‘roots’ in “Magic Mike”. This Steven Soderbergh directed movie was loosely based on Tatum’s past as a stripper. The movie was a hit and fans were really excited about a sequel. This time without Matthew McConaughey and director Soderbergh, but some extra women in the cast and more sexy dance movies and six-packs.

Like the character that Donald Glover plays says in the movie: “All we got to do is ask them what they want”. And that is “Magic Mike XXL”. We get more naked body parts and lap dances. The ‘Kings of Tampa” have to practice for their last performance, where Mike returns after being absent for three years. During their road trip they get in trouble a couple of times and they meet some colorful people along the way. Like Rome, played by Jada Pinkett-Smith, the owner of a club. She actually outplays all the guys in the film.

There isn’t as much humor in this film as the first. The story on the other hand, has become more important. This takes the pace out of the movie, it drags a bit. And that final dance act should be the highlight of the film. For many people it probably is, but I hated it. Male strippers should look masculine, but for me it’s a big turn off.

For the fans of the first movie, they get what they want: more half naked men and more sexy moves. But for the people who want a bit more, like humor and pace, it’s a letdown. The movie was saved by the women, pretty strange when it’s about stripper men.

Rating: 2/ 5