Nine Days: Where did this come from? The logline was this: a man interviews five unborn souls to determine which one can be given life on Earth. It brought with it extended conversation that didn’t over-do it, with strong and acting and an understated atmosphere that when it wasn’t scary felt practically angelic — I guess that makes sense. Loved it. ****
Bullet Train: This movie inspired by a Japanese book about assassins on a train just never felt cohesive or clever enough to take advantage of all its’ acting talent, and while they all seemed to have fun the overall tone felt so serious the movie didn’t capture any value on a camp level, either. Aw man. **1/2
this was too clever for its’ own good, too messily put together (?) and also too serious to even have some kind of campy charm. So, I didn’t like it. **1/2
The Redeem Team: As a recently converted basketball junkie I ate this up, but this documentary on the 2008 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team does boast some really cool footage of Kobe and LeBron. I thought it held back in trying to push any narrative the title didn’t already accomplish, too — it wasn’t about redemption; it was about basketball. ***1/2
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: If you can get past the main character being an actual talking sea shell – and you should get past it – this is a pretty wonderful movie, funny and empathetic and just… nice. With an assist from Leslie Stahl and 60 Minutes there’s somehow enough material for a 90-minute movie too. ****1/4
Vesper: Couldn’t take my eyes off this imaginative little apocalyptic thriller about a teenage bio-hacker whose father is paralyzed and communicates by drone. ****
