Jackie Brown
I had seen a little bit of this movie as a kid but I cannot remember how much because my parents shut it off and we probably returned it to Blockbuster Video. Now I can finally watch it on my own. It was well worth the wait. In this, a flight attendant finds herself stuck between a criminal and law enforcement and must concoct a plan to get out of trouble. Pam Grier is so good in the titular role. She is so clever, vulnerable, and funny. I now want to go back and watch some of her blaxploitation films. Samuel L. Jackson is on top of his game as a conniving criminal “mastermind”. Robert Forster often steals the show as a no-nonsense bail bondsman. Robert Deniro, Bridget Fonda, and Michael Keaton have memorable minor roles. The movie is full of twists and turns and excellent dialogue. It is not gory but it can be intense. I recommend this movie.
The Vault
I watched this movie on a whim and was thankful that I did. This movie is about a crew of divers who recruit a genius engineering student to get back a treasure that was taken from them. The movie stars Freddie Highmore in a role where he gets to use his actual accent. He is the genius engineering student and he does a good job as a fish out of water who is great at adapting. Astrid Bergès-Frisbey plays the female lead, a clever and funny con artist. Liam Cunningham is great as the almost fatherly leader of the group. Sam Riley plays a snarky spy-type character who constantly clashes with Highmore. The movie’s pace felt slow in the beginning as I warmed to the ensemble of characters but it really started picking up in the second half. The heist scenes were appropriately exciting and tense and well worth the wait. I recommend this movie.
Army of Thieves
These were the wacky hijinks that I was looking for. This is the story of how a bank teller becomes a criminal safecracker. This movie really rests on the shoulders of Matthias Schweighöfer who plays the quirky lead character. He also directs the movie. He is an instantly likable and absurd character. Nathalie Emmanuel is great as the jewel thief with an eye toward becoming a legend as well as getting rich. The movie follows the progress of three heists. It plays a lot with the traditional heist movie tropes while still keeping things feeling fresh. I recommend this movie and I will be checking out the sequel Army of the Dead.
Music of the Week:
Bobby Shmurda – They Don’t Know
Mashup of the Week:
Matt OldbutGold – Lullaby for Gorillaz
Weekly Update:
- This week’s theme is “Heist”
- I finished Peacemaker Season 1
- I finished The Mentalist Season 7
- I finished What We Do In the Shadows Season 1
- I watched more Nancy Drew Season 3
- I watched more Batwoman Season 2