Taking Chance is a tender little movie that most people have probably never heard of, let alone given the inclination to give it a watch. Quietly released by HBO in early 2009, first-time director Ross Katz debuts a gem of a based on actual events movie about a high-ranking marine officer escorting the slain body of a soldier home to his final resting place after the young man was killed in action during Operation: Iraqi Freedom.
Category Archives: Drama
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Perhaps a perfect popcorn flick for moviegoers who can close off their brains and enjoy a decent action story with some pretty good cinematography that also stars one of the most marketable movie actors of the last 25 years, Those Who Wish Me Dead is a movie that fails to capitalize on its potential. Outside of Maleficent, Angelina Jolie (Girl, Interrupted, A Mighty Heart) hasn’t had the best decade in front of the camera. However, her fanbase is still tremendous. Her opportunity to return to the action-adventure drama helped solidify her career (Salt, Wanted, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Mr. and Mrs. Smith). She may have done enough to secure future starring roles with her physically impressive performance as a Montana smokejumper named Hannah. She was the highlight of Taylor Sheridan’s (Sicario, Wind River) movie that otherwise failed to deliver.
Judas and The Black Messiah (2021)
Of the three best picture Oscar-nominated movies (Mank, The Trial of the Chicago Seven) that have a chance to knock off Nomadland, the odds on favorite to be selected as the year’s best movie, Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah was undoubtedly my favorite. It’s ironic since the other two films have a better chance of earning the night’s biggest prize. But much like the other five nominated pictures, there isn’t anything particularly remarkable about this trio. As a whole, it wasn’t a great year for movies. There were some great acting performances during the year. Judas and the Black Messiah was no exception, earning not one but two nods for Best Supporting Actor.
Promising Young Woman (2020)
The astounding Gone Girl, unfortunately, it is not. The disappointing The Girl on the Train it, fortunately, is not. First-time director Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Women (intentional or not) is a film that falls somewhere in between, even if that was never an intention or a consideration by anyone else watching the film. I mention comparing the three because 2014’s nearly flawless Gone Girl was this intense, methodical movie based on a novel centered on revenge against a man she felt had wronged her. Then it felt like 2016’s The Girl on the Train was a movie that was rightfully or wrongfully being compared and expected to be as successful as Gone Girl, partially because it was also based on a very successful novel, had an A-list leading actress (Rosamund Pike, Emily Blunt) had an edgy and creepy vibe to it, and ironically had the word “Girl” in the title. Promising Young Woman has elements of both movies. It has an amped-up revenge plot similar to Gone Girl and the mystery detective aspect of The Girl on the Train. You don’t need to watch either of the movies mentioned above to see Promising Young Woman. While there are some aspects of each, this film carries its weight, though it doesn’t hurt to be in the same conversation as two well-known films in the movie community.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Just because a film has the revered Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, Steve Jobs, The American President, Charlie Wilson’s War, Moneyball) attached to it as a screenwriter doesn’t mean we should automatically assume it will be a hit. The screenwriter has hit some home runs on the big screen. He’s the mastermind behind a few of the most revered television shows (The West Wing, Sports Night, The Newsroom) of the last 25 years. But that doesn’t mean that everything he touches will turn to pure gold. Venturing into just his second movie as a director (Molly’s Game), The Trial of the Chicago 7 is far from a film that should receive a Best Picture nomination. Sadly, it could very well win the top prize for 2020. Of the eight Best Picture nominated movies for 2020, only three finished in my top ten. In other years, I don’t think any of the three would have found a spot in my end-of-the-year list. 2020 was not a great year in the history of the world. The year in film was no exception.