Uncut Movie Reviews

For Harambe.

Rian Johnson is very good at subverting expectations, and putting a clever spin on a well-known genre, whether it’s Brick (noir), Looper (sci-fi), or Star Wars: The Last Jedi (an exercise in pissing off half the world’s population and pleasing the other half).

With Knives Out, and the murder mystery genre, the results won’t be so divided. This is a cast that has something for everyone, from James Bond doing his best KFC commercial audition to Captain America being an absolute jerk.

Among too many other stars to name, the real stand-out here is Ana de Armas. I’ve been waiting for another film to showcase her strengths since 2017’s masterpiece Blade Runner 2049, and Knives Out is truly her time to shine as an outsider we’re rooting for.

Everyone else, of course, is great, and the beginning of the film is especially awesome as we get introduced to each zany, insanely rich character. The script does the characters justice, giving us some truly hilarious moments and conversations. Every actor in the film feels like they’re having a great time, allowed to really ham it up and have fun with it. This is what elevates Knives Out beyond the occasionally boring tropes we’ve come to expect from a murder mystery – I mean, come on, the stuttering kid from It plays a neo-Nazi in this.

And then we get to Rian Johnson’s clever twist. While successfully throwing the viewer for a loop early in the film, this deflates a lot of tension, and the inherent “whodunnit” fun that’s set up in the film’s first act. And despite all of Knives Out‘s cleverness and subversion, its conclusion is surprisingly conventional, with the expected exposition dump and reveal that comes with the murder mystery genre. Johnson also attempts to include a timely political message in the back half of Knives Out that comes across as overly obvious and forced, and just generally unnecessary.

Still, this is one of the funnier, and more entertaining films to be found in the year. At the end of the day, despite its flaws, Knives Out is something I would absolutely watch again and have just as much fun with.

The Cast: Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Michael Shannon, Christopher Plummer, Don Johnson

The Elevator Pitch: “Mo money, mo murder” – The Notorious B.I.G.

The Score: 8.75/10

Usually my idea of a good time is going to the movies with friends, but I guess Robert Pattinson is more of the rob-a-bank-with-your-mentally-impaired-brother type.

Why am I reviewing Good Time? Beyond just loving to talk about this film in general, the Safdie Brother’s follow-up starring Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems, is coming to theaters this week. What better time to reminisce on this 2017 classic?

Good Time is one of those films you feel like was written in the form of a Mad Lib, where you sound like kind of an idiot as you’re describing the plot. A bank robbery? Check. A Sprite bottle full of LSD? Check. A hospital break-in? Check. The “I am the captain now” guy from Captain Phillips? Check. An after hours amusement park? Check. That dude from Twilight? Check.

Speaking of which, this is where Robert Pattinson (as the protagonist Connie) firmly announced himself as no longer being “that dude from Twilight”. He is absolutely captivating here as someone you should definitely not be rooting for, but are anyways. One long static shot of Pattinson’s crazed, unblinking eyes in the back of a car is seared into my brain – this is a man whose life has spiraled out of control in the matter of a day.

I’ve always had a soft spot for gritty, neon-drenched, one-day-long crime stories (the all-time best of which is Collateral), and the Safdie Brothers accomplish an amazing high-wire performance here. Handheld close-ups mesh with bright colors and an unpredictable plot to create an unnerving experience unlike most other films. (Benny Safdie’s performance is also incredible and believable as Connie’s mentally handicapped brother).

Good Time sets the tone early, with maybe the best ever scene-before-the-credits-roll in film. Other than a brief lull in the middle, Good Time never stops moving from there, gripping you by the neck and dragging you along with Connie. Whether you can buy into Connie’s actions as a character (he’ll never be mistaken for a “good guy”) may determine how you feel about the film, but regardless, this is a film like no other.

For me, sometimes I just want to kick my feet up and watch Robert Pattinson absolutely lose his mind in the streets of New York.

Doesn’t that sound like a good time?

The Cast: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Barkhad Abdi

The Elevator Pitch: Twilight + Mad Libs + LSD, and it’s awesome.

The Score: 9.25/10

Unflinchingly acted and offering a realistic look into a couple’s divorce, Marriage Story surprisingly balances comedy with the obvious sadness inherent in its story.

First things first: Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, as Charlie and Nicole, are incredible. From the quiet moments to the loud ones (including maybe the best couple-fighting scene on film), they are always believable as a couple who loves each other but is falling apart.

That’s the most refreshing part of Marriage Story: it doesn’t lose track of the love at the root of their marriage, making the split all the more heartbreaking for the viewer.

Noah Baumbach’s writing is strong as always here, fleshing out characters that feel real, with real hopes, dreams, and motivations. As you’re watching Marriage Story, you find yourself understanding the point of view of both Nicole and Charlie, and wanting the best for both of them.

Marriage Story‘s humor also shines through, thanks to Baumbach. Laura Dern and Ray Liotta are especially funny as Nicole and Charlie’s divorce lawyers. I never knew I needed to see Henry Hill from Goodfellas start an argument in a divorce court, but I’m sure glad I got it here.

Despite its humor and remarkable acting performances here, Marriage Story doesn’t leave us with anything we haven’t seen before from films like Blue Valentine. While strongly balancing humor and realism, Marriage Story ends about as I expected it would, leaving me slightly wondering what the point of it all was.

Still, this is one of the best written and acted films of the year, and if you have Netflix, is absolutely worth your time.

The Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Ray Liotta

The Elevator Pitch: Kylo Ren and Black Widow get divorced.

The Score: 8.75/10

I went into Waves not knowing what to expect, and that is the perfect way to enter Waves.

Filmed almost like one 2 hour 15 minute music video, the aptly named film cascades over you with nonstop emotion and intensity. For some, this will be “too much” – with Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, or Tame Impala turned up to full blast and the camera frantically spinning around our characters in shaky long shots, this isn’t a movie for your grandparents.

And yet, this is probably the film’s greatest attribute. Waves, perhaps more than any other 2019 film, is an experience. Watching this film is like riding a roller coaster – sometimes exciting, sometimes sickening, always captivating. However, this isn’t a case of style-over-substance: the kinetic and colorful pace works in unison with a tragic first-half storyline that makes for my most intense theater experience so far this year.

As the pace slows for a meditative second half, the film’s themes and messages come into razor-sharp focus and take on a more grand (dare I say epic?) feel. This is where Waves truly differentiates itself from being a run-of-the-mill thriller, and challenges you to ask questions of what it means to be human, to make mistakes, to forgive, and ultimately, to love.

If it sounds like I’m being overly vague (and perhaps a little pretentious), that’s on purpose. Waves accomplished something that’s rare for me in a film: I had no clue what was coming next, and I was absolutely gripped waiting for what would happen to our characters. At the end of it all, the final emotions and message that the film leaves you with is universal for every viewer. This is not just a film about being a young adult, about being an athlete, about being a family, or about being African-American. Waves is about being human.

All of this comes off the back of incredible and endearing performances from Sterling K. Brown, Lucas Hedges, Taylor Russell, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (in a breakout year after the also-incredible Luce), working in wonderful conjunction with Trey Edward Shults’ urgent direction.

While its epic emotional scope and frantic filming style leads to some inconsistent pacing issues, Waves is something you should absolutely watch if you can get through some hard-to-watch events on screen.

The Cast: Taylor Russell, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alexa Demie, Sterling K. Brown, Lucas Hedges, Renee Elise Goldsberry

The Elevator Pitch: The tragic story of one American family, filmed like one long Frank Ocean music video.

The Score: 9.25/10