Given how I still had a few movies to watch before I finalized my list for my top five favorite movies of the first half of the year, I needed time to view them. With that, I didn’t have much time to write full-length reviews for theses films. In this case, I’ve written mini reviews for some last-minute movies that I’ve watched over the last two weeks. Here they are!
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| Clayne Crawford in "The Killing of Two Lovers" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
1) The Killing of Two Lovers - Written and directed by Robert Machoian, this tightly wound drama follows David (Clayne Crawford), who becomes more and more jealous after his ex-wife starts dating another man. Crawford delivers an intimidating performance, showing someone who’s unpredictable in his actions and could very well commit regrettable actions at any moment. His chemistry with Sepideh Moafi, who plays his ex-wife, Nikki, includes moments of equilibrium and opposition, adding to the constant unease within their strained relationship. Machoian’s screenplay creates so much tension with just a few characters, opening with a quiet, yet impactful sequence that has you wondering what could possibly happen by the time you reach the conclusion. His use of long takes from cinematographer Oscar Ignacio Jimenez allows for dialogues to play out in real time as you watch what the relationships are like between the characters, getting to know their histories and where they might be at the end of the film. This is a disquieting movie that keeps you enthralled right up to its haunting final scene.
Grade: A
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| Toni Collette in "Dream Horse" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
2) Dream Horse - I know many sports movies have their clichés, but as long as the films are well-acted and handled with some fine technical craft, I can forgive the clichés. This is the case with director Euros Lyn’s true-story account, “Dream Horse.” The movie follows Jan Vokes (Toni Collette), who, with the help of her husband and other town residents, breeds a race horse named Dream Alliance to compete in the Welsh Grand National. Collette provides terrific work as a determined individual who rallies the belief of others to support Dream Alliance, making you feel her character’s excitement for and commitment to the races. The screenplay, written by Neil McKay, is inspirational and cheer-worthy, and cinematographer Erik Wilson films the racing scenes with some thrill to them, having the camera glide across the track as you become immersed in the speed of the galloping horses. If you’re looking for a movie to put in a good mood, this one’s a winner.
Grade: B+
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| Eric Bana in "The Dry" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
3) The Dry - It’s great when you come across a mystery film that has more to it than just thrills, and that’s the case with director Robert Connolly’s film, “The Dry,” which is based on the 2016 novel by Jane Harper. The story follows an Australian federal agent, Aaron Falk (Eric Bana), who returns to his hometown to attend the funeral of a childhood friend and that friend’s family, who have died in an alleged murder-suicide. When Aaron’s asked to investigate the crime, he also must face the distrust of the townspeople, who still view him as the prime suspect in the murder of his girlfriend 20 years ago. Bana provides a subdued, yet powerful performance of someone who falls back under the microscope of the people around him, but must stay calm and solve the case at hand. Although the supporting characters aren’t quite as interesting as Aaron, the screenplay by Connolly and Harry Cripps succeeds in how it weaves back and forth between the primary story and the flashbacks of Aaron’s younger years, keeping you captivated by both storylines as you try to figure out the mystery at the heart of each plot line. Meanwhile, Connolly maintains the richness of the drama and mysterious aura as we’re brought through the dark corners of the town at the center of the story. This is a mixture of thrills and smarts on which you shouldn’t pass.
Grade: A-
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| Emma Stone in "Cruella" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
4) Cruella - Disney’s latest live-action treatment of an animated property is another example that, no matter how many talented people they assemble for such a project, it’s rare that it works. The studio now gives audiences a backstory to one of its most-famous villains, which is directed by Craig Gillespie. Emma Stone plays Estella Miller, an aspiring fashion designer in 1970s London who soon goes on a path to becoming Cruella de Vil. Stone gives a devilishly entertaining performance, as does Emma Thompson, who portrays Estella’s mean-spirited boss. However, despite the performances and some eye-popping costumes, there’s quite a bit going against this movie. The screenplay by Dana Fox and Tom McNamara creates an overlong story with pacing that’s all over the place (this movie didn’t have to be two hours), as well as a reveal that I guarantee will make you roll your eyes. Not once does this movie give a reason as to why this backstory needed to be told, and because of that, the film never feels like more than a product. Gillespie does what he can with the technical aspects to at least bring some creativity to the movie, but those factors are brought down by the story. Unlike the dogs in this movie, “Cruella” doesn’t have much of a bite.
Grade: C+
Be on the lookout for the list of my top five favorite movies of the year so far, which will be out in a few days.
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