Film Flyer No. 10: 2021 Oscars results and a series of very unfortunate events
A great Oscars blew its landing in embarrassing fashion.
WHAT I WATCHED LAST WEEK
MYSTIC PIZZA (1988) - 2 1/2 STARS - The three stories feel a little disconnected despite the love themes, and the overall importance of them in the film varies. However, Julia Roberts just oozes with charisma. Easy to see how she broke out after this in the 1990s.
REALITY BITES (1994) - 3 STARS - This isn’t a very good movie, but it’s an easy rewatchable and entrenched in a ‘90s time capsule.
BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997) *Rewatch* - 4 1/2 STARS - The ‘70s aesthetic Paul Thomas Anderson puts on display is mesmerizing, including a stellar soundtrack that sets each scene perfectly, abrupt needle drops and all. It resonated with me better the second time around, and I really can’t wait to have the prolonged PTA conversation on here once the working title SOGGY BOTTOM releases (more on that shortly).
AMERICAN BEAUTY (1999) - 2 STARS - Maybe I can’t get by Kevin Spacey playing a man who’s infatuated with a high school student and seeing the real-life parallel, but this never clicked. The homophobic father who turns out to be gay? The middle-class white man who just doesn’t care about anything in his whatever life? No, thank you. This won Best Picture, too.
SERENDIPITY (2001) - 2 1/2 STARS - This rom-com has a ton of heart, but it’s a laborious journey to move from Point A to Z.
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004) - 4 STARS - I thought I was in for just another box in movie, but this is well beyond that; a moving, heartbreaking story of a bond between a boxing trainer (Clint Eastwood) and a tenacious fighter (Hilary Swank). I’m not sure if I’ll ever rewatch this, because some of the themes are a little too personal to events in my life, but it’s a strong movie and Academy Award winner.
THE PRESTIGE (2006) - 4 STARS - A stellar piece of work from Christopher Nolan. The film is a little tied up in its topsy turvy plot, but I loved this otherwise.
YOUNG ADULT (2011) - 3 STARS - Not exactly a movie with any character development, which could have been intended. Fine movie, though, and my Charlize Theron appreciation level is currently high after LONG SHOT, so this review might be half a star better than it should be.
PRISONERS (2013) - 4 STARS - If you’ve seen Denis Villeneuve's work, you know he doesn’t like to answer every question his movies ask. Besides one instance, PRISONERS surprisingly doesn’t do that, although you still have to put the puzzle pieces together to complete the story. I like Villeneuve’s style quite a bit, so I have this rated highly. Only increased my anticipation for DUNE.
NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) - 4 1/2 STARS - What a turn for Jake Gyllenhaal. This is probably his apex mountain, taking this odd character who just wants to make money filming and selling news-worthy scenes and making him extremely complex. It’s not a movie everyone will enjoy, but I appreciated his style.
BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) (2014) - 4 1/2 STARS - This is a tragic story of an actor wanting validation amid a washed-up career after portraying a superhero on screen. The persona follows him everywhere and can’t be shaken, and trying to be more than just Birdman is Riggan’s motivation. It’s a simple narrative, but a complex and compelling ride to reach the end.
MOONLIGHT (2016) - 4 1/2 STARS - In continuing with watching Best Picture winners, I explored the beautiful film that is MOONLIGHT. So well crafted and especially intimate. Upon a future rewatch, I may have to bump it to 5 stars. It’s that good.
PHANTOM THREAD (2017) *Rewatch* - 4 STARS - I have a relatively extensive review of my rewatch of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar-nominated film on my Letterboxd Diary. I watched, however, because my first viewing wasn’t fully locked in. I appreciated it more the second time around, to say the least. First hour was five-star filmmaking. The second half shifts a bit much for my liking, but it doesn’t take away from PHANTOM THREAD being an outstanding watch.
SHITHOUSE (2020) - 4 STARS - I heard about this film for months, finally coming across it being available for free on Showtime. This isn’t your contrived college story that creates false expectations of a fantasy. It’s so relatable and real, and I want to already watch this again. Cooper Raiff, who stars and directs, is quite good on both sides, and it should make his next feature CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH an anticipated viewing. If I had watched this months prior, I would have reviewed this. It’s that enjoyable.
QUO VADIS, AIDA? (2021) - 4 STARS - Tragic, heartbreaking, dejecting, tense ... I don’t know how else to describe this gutting movie. It did not win an Oscar, but it’s quite good.
STOWAWAY (2021) - Scroll down for my review!
OSCARS 2021 RESULTS & BREAKDOWN
Award by award, let’s venture through what happened at last night’s Academy Awards!
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Emerald Fennell, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
It was likely between this and Aaron Sorkin’s THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, but a nice win to open the Oscars for Emerald Fennell. I can’t say PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN was my favorite of the nominated movies this year, but it was unique in its story. What the film covered seemed to make enough of an impact with the Academy to take home at least this award.
Plus, Fennell is the first woman to win a screenplay award in 13 years. Yes, it’s been that long.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Florian Zeller and Christopher Hampton, THE FATHER
THE FATHER is supposedly a lovely movie. Well, its story *technically* isn’t, but from what I’ve read, it’s strong. I just don’t know anyone who’s seen it—seriously. I’m not saying it’s not readily available, but the $19.99 price point is high for a rental, and it released later than all of the Best Picture nominees, I think.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed Florian Zeller’s speech, and I’m anticipating seeing his film sometime soon. Anthony Hopkins is still a master at his craft at an advanced age, so I’m intrigued at his latest turn.
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM: ANOTHER ROUND
QUO VADIS, AIDA deserves some recognition, but this was always for ANOTHER ROUND. It’s not just a celebration of alcohol, which is a dicey topic, but a terrific film. Mads Mikkelsen is just phenomenal, too. Highly recommend seeing it and venturing out of your comfort zone if you’re against subtitles. It’s on Hulu!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Daniel Kaluuya, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
If you followed the award shows of the past two months, this result was coming from a mile away. Kaluuya excelled as Fred Hampton and gave one of my favorite performances of the past year. I would have preferred to see him in the Best Actor category, but a win is a win, and I’m happy to see it.
Oh, and shoutout to Kaluuya’s parents for having sex, per Kaluuya.
Shoutout to Paul Raci, too, on SOUND OF METAL. If not for Kaluuya’s entry, I would have handed this to the newcomer.
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING: MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Not too much to say here, but the cast definitely looked good!
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Ditto on this award, but the cast definitely looked good! Nice to see this play adaption pick up a few pieces of hardware and be celebrated.
BEST DIRECTOR: Chloe Zhao, NOMADLAND
Another expected handout, Chloe Zhao burst onto the mainstream field with NOMADLAND, a beautifully directed film. She won across the board in the lead-up to the Oscars, and it’s well-deserving. Believe it or not, her next film is ETERNALS later this year, which I imagine will be unlike anything else in the MCU.
Quite early in the show for Best Director to be handed out, too. I guess trying to lure viewers in early and keep them engaged.
Another important note: Zhao is just the second female to win Best Director, remarkably, with Kathryn Bigelow (THE HURT LOCKER, 2011) as the only other female recipient. Here’s to a changing Hollywood.
BEST SOUND: SOUND OF METAL
I mean, for a movie based on sound, did you expect anything different? They even had Riz Ahmed. the star of SOUND OF METAL, hand this award out, funny enough.
BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM: TWO DISTANT STRANGERS
I have not seen any of the short films up for an Oscar, so, yeah, I can’t say anything else but cool! TWO DISTANT STRANGERS is on Netflix, so I should be watching it soon.
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU
Ditto!
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: SOUL
I was one of the few people who seemed to connect to ONWARD, and I have yet to see WOLFWALKERS, but SOUL deserved this and was the runaway choice otherwise. It’s so intimate and deep, using adult themes on the meaning of life and your purpose. Beautiful film.
If you somehow haven’t seen SOUL, it’s on Disney+. I probably need to rewatch it soon.
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: COLETTE
We’re in another category that I haven’t explored. Soon, though, I think?
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: MY OCTOPUS TEACHER
I’m a little disappointed in myself because I love documentaries, but I have not seen any of this year’s feature nominations. However, from what I’ve read and listened to (shoutout THE BIG PICTURE podcast), MY OCTOPUS TEACHER probably should not have won, but I need to see it, and the rest of the nominees, for myself. Heck, at some point I’ll do a “Revised Oscars 2021” once I see each nominee.
VISUAL EFFECTS: TENET
I was let down by Christopher Nolan’s TENET, but it was a visual delight.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Yuh-Jung Youn, MINARI
I probably should have predicted this last week given the tea leaves. Yuh-Jung Youn was a phenomenal piece of a terrific film in MINARI, so I have no issue here. Youn is also the first Korean actor to win an award, marking yet another historic achievement at this year’s ceremony.
This award seemed like a toss-up for weeks, with Maria Bakalova, Amanda Seyfried, and Glenn Close, who is now 0-8 at the Oscars, in the cards.
Side note: Shoutout to Youn for shooting her shot with Brad Pitt, who presented this award. Where were you during filming, Brad?
PRODUCTION DESIGN: MANK
Hey, MANK won something! I don’t recall any conversation around this film, which is unfortunate since it’s on Netflix, but I’m glad to see it walking out with something. Director David Fincher’s personal film had the most nominations of the night, as well, so not completely striking out was a plus.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: MANK
Hey, MANK won something—again! I appreciate this receiving recognition for its all-encompassing visual elements to revive the Golden Age of Hollywood. So, so cool. It’s a film I wanted to jump into, to explore the old movie world. I might be ready for a rewatch.
BEST FILM EDITING: SOUND OF METAL
That’s two for SOUND OF METAL, my favorite of the Oscar-nominated bunch. Well done, Academy.
However, NOMADLAND missing out on this award was surprising. Did it hint at something for Best Picture?
BEST MUSIC, ORIGINAL SCORE: SOUL
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were nominated twice in this category, which is unusual but due to also collaborating with David Fincher on MANK. Otherwise, SOUL is 2-for-2!
BEST MUSIC, ORIGINAL SONG: FIGHT FOR FOR - H.E.R., JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Good song in a great movie, so no issue here.
BEST PICTURE: NOMADLAND
I had to check, recheck, check a third time and check a fourth time to realize Best Picture was up but Best Actor and Actress had not been announced. This had to be the first time ever, right? I, and everyone on Twitter, was stunned, but the reasoning made sense for what happened later on.
After some small talk on a potential upset, which always seemed ludicrous, NOMADLAND took home the Oscar.
Just a wonderful film from Chloe Zhao and the usual elite work from Frances McDormand. Zhao became just the second female director to have a Best Picture winner. 2021 marked the 93rd Oscars. Kind of remarkable.
I have zero issue with the chalk win. The film that most deserved the victory got it.
BEST ACTRESS: Frances McDormand, NOMADLAND
Surprisingly, in the lead-up to the Oscars, Best Actress was a toss-up. It could have been Viola Davis, or Andra Day, or Carey Mulligan for that matter. Frances McDormand walked out with yet another Oscar, though, highlighting her work as Fern in NOMADLAND.
BEST ACTOR: Anthony Hopkins, THE FATHER
When the Oscars shockingly put Best Picture ahead of the Actor and Actress categories, everyone assumed it was to close as a celebration of Chadwick Boseman, who was nominated for his role in MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM. He posthumously won at most award shows prior to this, too.
Well, maybe tradition should not have been tinkered.
Anthony Hopkins won for THE FATHER. I read some people call this his best work at 83 years old, so I’m going to assume his work was Oscar-worthy. He obviously has no fault here, and if that’s who the Academy wanted to win, so be it.
How do you close the show with this, though, seemingly without knowing for sure if Boseman would win? How do you tease the audience in such a way?
To make matters worse, Joaquin Phoenix, the award’s presenter, had zero interest in being there.
To make matters even direr, Hopkins was not even on satellite to accept the award.
Show rolls credits.
The LA LA LAND and MOONLIGHT fiasco was at least entertaining in 2017. This was just embarrassing—a blind swing on Boseman winning the award to close the night in celebratory fashion for an actor gone too soon. We should have been talking about the man who connected a superhero with millions of people around the world and dazzled in so many roles across his amazing career.
Instead, we’re not even talking about controversy, but a horrific blunder on the sheer order of the awards, that should have just stayed idle as with every other year. I mean, the producers had to not know the result, right? They were just assuming, right?
Bad assumption, whoever made this decision. Just flat-out embarrassing. It’s a shame because the night had gone so well. No one will be talking about that in the succeeding days, however. Nobody.
The keyword that sums this up: avoidable.
OTHER NOTES
Anyway, to end what should have been a memorable Oscars for the right reasons, let’s hit on some of the extra details around the show:
I don’t know what the show was shot on, but the cinematic look and feel were incredible.
I felt like I was chilling in a lounge with a collection of Hollywood’s best. That was pretty cool. The show is returning to the Dolby Theatre next year, but I enjoyed the more intimate setting.
Long before the biggest blunder, the worst of the night was not showing any movie footage for nearly the entire show, until the Best Picture category arrived. I didn’t understand this.
Bong Joon-ho having some kind of presence warmed my heart.
Harrison Ford taking shots at critiques of how BLADE RUNNER was edited was the content I needed.
Tyler Perry’s speech was absolutely incredible in accepting the Humanitarian Award. The man has done outstanding work for what’s going on decades, and it’s nice to see him recognized for it.
Glenn Close was the national treasure of the night, saving us from whatever terrible bit that music thing was. Whether or not she was fed lines from the song, DA BUTT, I don’t care, because we got this as a result:
That closes our coverage of the Academy Awards! What a night it was, to say the least. I’m not sure if anyone was going to talk about this show after Sunday night, but now it has the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Hopefully, Best Picture returns to the main event, and we go live our movie-loving lives for another year.
‘SHANG-CHI’ TEASER TRAILER
Oh, have I missed breaking down a Marvel movie trailer. This is the only clip I’m going to watch because the first usually reveals the least. Eventually, Disney will air a dozen TV spots and provide minor spoilers, so I’m just enjoying the initial clip that acts as a teaser.
What movie is that? None other than SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS.
Simu Liu stars as the titular Marvel hero. If you’re unfamiliar with him, watch KIM’S CONVENIENCE on Netflix. It’s a little Canadian TV series with a big heart, and Liu more than has the comedic chops for the MCU and the presence of a badass. I’m excited to see his charismatic take on the MCU’s first Asian hero.
The trailer is loaded with action, with Shang-Chi showing off long before he appears on the big screen. It’s a nice taste of what’s to come for what could be one of Marvel’s most action-packed adventures. How about that train scene?
I’m not sure if this is an origin story; Marvel has done its fair share. Either it certainly is, or Shang-Chi is living out his memories of his upbringing to become a superhero. I’m guessing it’s the former based on the footage, and even though we’ve had plenty of these stories and arguably two more in WANDAVISION and THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, this is from the ground up. Plus, Marvel has new faces to establish for Phase 4 and beyond.
As for Shang-Chi’s nemesis, it’s the narrating voice of the video: the Mandarin.
*record scratch*
No, not that Mandarin from IRON MAN 2. This is Shang-Chi’s father, played by Tony Leung. Here, the Mandarin is the leader of the Ten Rings. His presence will obviously linger over the film, and it seems Shang-Chi will have to confront his biggest demon of all.
Supporting them are Awkwafina, who is all over this trailer and I love it, Michelle Yeoh, taking her second turn in the MCU (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 was her first go-around), Florian Munteanu, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, and Ronny Chieng.
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS arrives on Sept. 3, 2021. Notably, it’s billed as “only in theaters.’ For now, that means it won’t join BLACK WIDOW on Disney+ Premier Access, but if I had to speculate, why wouldn’t Disney do a simultaneous release on the streaming service and in theaters if this summer experiment is successful?
Oh, and about two months after this, ETERNALS releases. I can’t wait for the trailer, because the wait on that has felt endless.
‘WEST SIDE STORY’ TEASER TRAILER
Ah. I think nature is finally healing.
Yes, you saw it correctly last night; that was the WEST SIDE STORY trailer during the Oscars—Steven Spielberg’s long-awaited next film. It was supposed to release during the 2020 holiday season, but … yeah.
Now slated for a 2021 holiday release on Dec. 10, actual footage now exists of the film starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, amongst the large cast.
This. Is. How. You. Do. A. Trailer.
From the words “Stephen Spielberg” appearing on the screen, to mere flashes of scenes, to the amazing score draped over the footage, this was everything I needed to see. I don’t even need a full trailer.
I’m in. I’m hyped up.
I’ll be seeing WEST SIDE STORY in theaters later this year, for sure.
A NEW ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA’ MOVIE IS IN DEVELOPMENT
*SPOILER ALERT FOR THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER*
Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has fully embraced the Captain America role in the MCU. You probably saw that coming from the pilot episode of THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, but the culmination in the finale was a special moment for Disney’s billion-dollar empire.
Well, prepare for more of Mackie as the star-spangled hero, but in theaters, because a CAPTAIN AMERICA movie is in the works from showrunner Malcolm Spellman, who is penning the script, according to Deadline.
This will presumably highlight Sam’s first big mission as Captain America, Disney+ series aside. The stakes could be bigger, with a more focused storyline on what he will face in the titular role, including cultural and social issues that were highlighted in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, unlike any MCU project before.
No casting information was included in the report, but questions will linger on Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes potentially re-entering the fray or going to Wakanda for BLACK PANTHER 2. There is a deep pool of Captain America-related characters, in general, to dive into, so Marvel Studios can introduce a vast amount of new figures, as it did with Isaiah Bradley.
Too much is unknown to expand on CAPTAIN AMERICA 4, and the MCU has a number of series and films to venture through before even sniffing another installment of this classic hero on the big screen. I’m looking forward to hearing more over the coming weeks, months and years of this movie’s development.
RED CARPET RUNDOWN
After striking a massive deal with Netflix, Sony did the same with Disney. Once Sony movies pass through their respective Netflix window, they will go to Disney platforms, including Disney+. This applies for all theatrical releases from 2022-2026. It means SPIDER-MAN films will indeed be with Disney, so Disney+ subscribers can anticipate having every MCU film on the streaming service.
Per THR, Olivia Colman is in talks to join Marvel Studios’ SECRET INVASION for Disney+. That’s just a heck of a casting, an Academy Award-winning one, for a superhero series. Hopefully, this comes to fruition.
Emilia Clarke was then reported by Deadline to be joining the cast. This is going to be quite the show!Per Variety, Lewis Tan of MORTAL KOMBAT is joining David Ignatius’ QUANTUM SPY.
The long-rumored MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015) spin-off, FURIOSA will start shooting next year in New South Wales, Australia. Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will star. This has massive potential to be a sensational follow-up to the 2015 hit, and I’m pretty excited before any filming even happens.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s untitled film will have its limited release on Nov. 26 and go wide on Dec. 25. The working title is SOGGY BOTTOM, and while that would be an all-time stunner to see stick, my sophomoric sense of humor finds that kind of funny.
Cooper Hoffman, son of the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, will star in his film debut, with Bradley Cooper, Benny Safdie and Alana Haim, also in her on-screen debut, in the cast. There is no official plot synopsis out.Here’s the trailer for ANNETTE. Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard star in this drama feature. Driver left off red hot in 2019 with MARRIAGE STORY, THE REPORT, THE DEAD DON’T DIE, and STAR WARS: RISE OF SKYWALKER (not a good movie), so I’m excited to see his return to the screen. Cotillard has previously appeared in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, INCEPTION, MACBETH, AND ALLIED, among other films.
Denzel Washington’s A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN will have a limited release on Dec. 10 before going wide on Dec. 24. Washington will direct, with Michael B. Jordan and Chanté Adams set to star.
Per Deadline, Netflix is nearing a deal to host the KISS movie biopic, SHOUT IT LOUD, with Joachim Renning in line to direct the film. This is a money-grabber, but I’m somewhat into music origin stories that aren’t BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY.
Dove Cameron and Jordan Fisher will star in the film FIELD NOTES ON LOVE for HBO Max.
CONJURING movies aren’t my thing, but here’s a trailer for the third installment, THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT:
Dakota Johnson will star in PERSUASION for Netflix.
KARMA CHAMELEON, the Boy George movie biopic, is eyeing to start shooting this summer.
Gloria Estefan and Andy Garcia will co-star in FATHER OF THE BRIDE.
ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN will release at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11.
AnnaSophia Robb and Emory Cohen are in for Netflix’s REBEL RIDGE.
Paul Dano and Kunal Nayyar are joining Adam Sandler for Netflix’s SPACEMAN. Dano plays some psychological villain in everything he appears in, so I’m in for something wacky here.
Apple TV+ will host NUMBER ONE ON THE CALL SHEET, two documentaries, with Jamie Foxx, Kevin Hart, Datari Turner and Dan Cogan attached to the project. It will ‘celebrate Black achievement in the film industry, and explore what it takes for Black actors to find success in Hollywood.’
A live-action ROCK ‘EM SOCK ‘EM ROBOTS movie is in the works, with Vin Diesel attached to star.
Uh … sure.AMERICAN TRAITOR: THE TRIAL OF AXIS SALLY will simultaneously release in theaters and on digital on May 28. It stars Al Pacino and Meadow Williams.
‘STOWAWAY’ REVIEW
Hey, it’s a film review! Opting against the pricey the rental costs, I chose one of the streaming services movies that released. Not MORTAL KOMBAT, which I don’t think warrants an extensive breakdown, even though I’ll watch some time soon.
So, that brings us to the lesser of the releases from the weekend: Netflix’s STOWAWAY.
I love outer space movies. The scenic shots are usually unbelievable, and APOLLO 13, THE MARTIAN and AD ASTRA I find to be entertaining and easy rewatchables. Frankly, I need to revisit them all!
Unfortunately, STOWAWAY will not join that group. Heck, I’m not sure I will watch this again.
No, Joe Penna’s film isn’t a trainwreck; it’s just another Netflix Original that gets lost in the shuffle among other disappointments, including George Clooney’s own space film, THE MIDNIGHT SKY, in 2020.
Let’s start with the core of the film, which undoubtedly is Anna Kendrick. She is the heart and soul offering the most intimate moments and making this her movie. That’s not to say the other three members of the cast and space crew do not matter, but she makes this feature move. I like the rest of the actors, too, but their roles are simpler and less involved.
I’ll credit Penna for keeping a steady pace throughout; there are definitely no issues there. He slowly builds up the story to its crescendo, while maintaining a question of morality for staying alive.
Otherwise, predictable plot points are hit: everyone’s excited for the space flight; something malfunctions; a main character risks their life or dies trying to save the mission or their crew or themself. We’ve seen it before, so STOWAWAY does not reinvent the wheel.
The potential existed for something quite good, though. Seeds were planted with this faceless space company, and this mysterious stowaway could have been a more complex character. What if the space company had a face? What if the stowaway had a more compelling backstory that added intrigue? I felt a little frustrated at these missed opportunities, among others, because this felt like it should have been better.
Even beyond that, I was seeking more to happen in the nearly two hours of runtime. Again, the movie worked towards a crescendo, but that came at the expense of the rest of the movie. The first 15-20 minutes don’t draw you in, and the compelling, dramatic moments afterward are scattered. You’re kind of just waiting for something to happen, and I have no problem with a methodical pace, but it has to keep me interested.
For some, as I’ve seen on Letterboxd, they were more than satisfied with the film’s events. That’s definitely fine. I understand the pull it has. Maybe seeing something you’ve watched before isn’t the worst thing, and STOWAWAY isn’t a bad movie, but it’s just not something I’ll return to. Unremarkable is probably the best way of putting it.
RATING: 2.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
MOVIES RELEASING FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 26
THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES - April 30 on Netflix
BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ - April 30 in Theaters
CLIFF WALKERS - April 30 in Theaters
LIMBO - April 30 in Theaters
PERCY VS. GOLIATH - April 30 in Theaters
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD - Releasing April 30 in Theaters
SEPARATION - April 30 in Theaters
THINGS HEARD & SEEN - April 30 on Netflix
TOM CLANCY’S WITHOUT REMORSE - April 30 on Amazon Prime Video