What's Good At The Box? The Redbox Recommendation Thread

MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN
3.5/5

Writer/director/actor Edward Norton’s interpretation of Jonathan Letham’s 1999 novel of the same name is a bit uneven at times, but it is never not entertaining.
Essentially a neo-noir, the film bounces between being quirky and a turgid murder mystery.
Norton proves to be rather skilled behind the camera, delivering deft action sequences like the engaging opening sequence; the tension he creates in this long introductory scene is fantastic. Norton also has a great eye in regards to the composition of scenes. Many shots in the film are beautifully staged as if they were meant to be still photos exhibited at a gallery. He also makes wonderfully creative use of reflections and shadows throughout the film.
When it comes to the acting, Norton has seriously stacked the decks in his favor. The entire film, especially the nuanced dialogue, comes alive thanks to the likes of Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Ethan Suplee, Willem Dafoe, Michael K. Williams, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Fisher Stevens (when was the last time you recall seeing him in a film, right?), all of whom are supplemented by a host of amazing character actors. The aforementioned dialogue is sharp and witty causing you to dwell, with extra concentration, on every syllabel uttered. In fact much of the time it feels as if Norton has given all the best lines to his co-stars, in addition to coaxing undeniably great performances from them.


RIYL
Road to Perdition; History of Violence;

Rented Terminator: Dark Fate. It's entertaining enough.

Without any spoilers: lots of this movie feels very familiar, like Terminator 2 rehashed. The story abandons a lot of previous plot lines, in ways that aren't wholly satisfying. You do get to see Linda Hamilton and Ahhhnold together again on screen, so there's that. It's worth the $2.

KNIVES OUT is totally worth a rental.
If you have watched enough whodunnits, you may easily figure out who did it within the first 15-minutes, but the ride is wild and well-paced and the cast is stellar.

The Good Liar. 2.5 / 5. Kinda meh. The twist is pretty obvious from the beginning, but I expected the reveal to be a bit more clever. It wasn't. Mirren and Mckellen are decent- they're really the only thing that saves the movie.

Jojo Rabbit. 4.5/5. There's a separate thread on it, but yeah, great movie. Great cast, great story. Hilarious and poignant all at once.

UNCUT GEMS is a divisive drama cum thriller with an amazing thespian turn from Adam Sandler..

ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP (https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...66#post5805366) is actually a highly entertaining romp. Far better than I expected.

I rented this on Amazon but figured here was a good spot and didn’t find it elsewhere.

“The Greatest Showman”

I loved it. Great musical. Zendaya is super hot.

https://www.redbox.com/movies/the-greatest-showman

VIVARIUM
If you are game for a giant Twilight Zone-cum-Black Mirror mindfuck, then this little gem sufficiently fits the bill.
A deeply layered examination of suburban hell, this film manages to repeatedly lull you into a false sense of surreal ennui and then bitch slap you into a jarring twist when you least expect it.
Well acted, evenly paced, and teeming with just the right amount of WTFery.




PS
I highly recommend that you also watch the director and screenwriter's short film Foxes, either before or after you watch Vivarium. It actually was the precursor to Vivarium in terms of setting and some of the underlying themes.

THE HUNT is a hoot.
It skewers the alt-left and alt-right in equal measures.
The real irony of the film is that the underlying theme rails against fake news and internet trolling, yet prior to the film's initial 2019 release it was slagged because of these very things (news outlets and even the POTUS condemned the film without having seen it and based solely on hearsay and their interpretations of the original trailer).
At any rate, the film's message is both blunt and poignant. More importantly, it is well paced, well acted, and bristling with kinetic action.
Completely worth the $1.95.

So ..... "hoot" = 3.75 stars? 4.0? 3.5? I'm uncomfortable with a non-numerical eval!! :rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PB

So ..... "hoot" = 3.75 stars? 4.0? 3.5? I'm uncomfortable with a non-numerical eval!! :rolleyes:

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I'll go 4/5 as I was thoroughly entertained and would easily watch it again.

IP Man 4: THE FINALE
Apparently largely fictious and containing some over-the-top cartoonist bad guys (which are actually highly relevant considering the current socio-political climate), this final entry in the official series is a well paced and slick martial arts escapade.

AMULET
4/5
Rented this last night (The Box sent me an 18th birthday code, so it cost me 67cents).
This is a solid, slow burn folk-meets-revenge horror effort dripping with arthouse sensibilities.
The pacing is deliberate and quietly ramps up in intensity. But where the film really succeeds is in the creepiness factor. There is a sense of off-kilter weirdness lurking in the shadows that is almost oppressive and downright insidious in its delivery.
Rich and atmospheric cinematography and a solid cast round out the experience.

RIYL:
Don't Leave Home; Rosemary's Baby; The Sentinel; A Dark Song

Fatman
3.5/5
Rented this soon-to-be holiday cult classic for a Christmas Eve viewing and was not disappointed.
Mel Gibson sports a seriously lush beard and some extra pounds to fill out the role of a badass Santa. Walton Goggins plays the hamster loving viplain. And Marianne Jean-Baptiste rounds out the cast as the cookie baking Mrs. Cringle.
Mel proves that he can still bring the heat in his old age, managing to be macho, endearing, and curmudgeonly in equal measures.
Writer/directors Eshom and Ian Nelms strike a nice balance between irreverence and holiday warm fuzzies, injecting just the right amount of heart and off-kilter humor along with some blazing guns and fisticuffs.

Master Z: The Up Man Lagacy

Not as good as the 4 Donnie Yen Ip Man vehicles or even Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster, but it is still entertaining. Some of the wire work is a bit wonky, but the final fight is pretty gonzo. Overall it harkens back to HK martial arts films of the 1990s.

My internet connection went down on 12/24 due to Snowmageddon 2021, so I had to revert to the old school ways of the DVD.

I actually ended up finding some decent films buried deep inside The Box.

OLD HENRY
Tim Blake Nelson shines in this stripped down western.
The whole vibe reminded me of vintage Louis L'amour.
The film is character driven, although there are some blazing guns near the end. And while the story feels familiar, there is a nice twist at the end.

RIYL
Slow West; Open Range; Blackthorn

Loved Old Henry because it was dirty; probably why I didn't like The Harder They Fall.

The run continued with @ZOLA

I totally dismissed and subsequently slept on this little gem when it came to the theaters in November.

This is a gonzo bonkers road trip odyssey based upon, of all things, an epic tweet.
A stellar cast and stranger-than-fiction real life events combine with a breakneck pace to create a wacky adventure.
Imagine a Carl Hiassen novel on drugs.

RIYL
Spring Breakers

The third film in my Redbox run was:

SMALL ENGINE REPAIR
Based on a stage play, this is a nice little character driven slice-of-life story about three working class blokes from Manch Vegas (Manchester, NH).
But the film pulls a last minute u-turn and morphs into something much more than three dudes enjoying beers and brats at the local repair shop.

My run ended with COPSHOP
I skipped this when it had a limited run in the theaters because the trailer was kind of wack, imho.
Well, they pulled a fast one as the trailer was pure bait-and-switch, with the film being something else entirely.
This is a gritty neon western filled with some great character actors, some familiar faces, and a leading lady who is beyond badass.
There is also an insane turn from Toby Huss, who, as the saying goes. steals the show.

RIYL
Assault On Precinct 13; Brawl In Cellblock 99; Free Fire; Shoot 'Em Up

RED ROCKET
Subtitle this one "A Month In The Life of a Disgraced Homeless Suitcase Pimp."

I have not seen writer/director Sean Baker's previous films--Tangerine and The Florida Project--but based in this indie gem they have moved to the top of my "must see" list.

This film is an interesting character study of an outwardly charismatic, inwardly creepy and slimey manchild.
A stellar cast delivers a wonderful throwback to the glory days of American indie cinema (think early Linklater and early Soderbergh).

It's a shame Simon Rex didn't get an Oscar nod, because he delivers a tour de force performance as Mikey Saber.

RIYL
@Zola; Spring Breakers; sex, lies, and videotape

THE OUTFIT
This is a wonderfully taut psychological drama-cum-gangsters with guns-cum-noir-cum-one room neo thriller teeming with hints of Hitchcock, Mamet, and Tarantino.
Propelled by a stellar cast, some downright fantastic dialogue, and myriad twists, it is tightly knit and seamless. While some of the plot elements are ultimately predictable, they never feel forced or faux and often times they emerge with a sense of off-handed subtlety, having been obscured by the bravura acting and numerous sleight-of-hand red herrings. Lurking underneath the subdued action is a wonderfully complimentary score by Alexandre Desplat.
The whole film is as well-tailored as one of the bespoke suits cut by the lead protagonist.

RIYL
The early plays of David Mamet (think American Buffalo) as well as his early films; Reservoir Dogs; The Petrified Forest (1936)

CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
While by no means up there with the cream of David Cronenberg’s oeuvre, his latest endeavor is still heads and tails more interesting, perplexing, and thought provoking than 90% of the films released so far this year. Perhaps not as provocative or gory and twisted as the trailer suggests, there is still enough detached dystopian flair and slow burning angst to keep one continually engaged. The story borrows some elements and nuances from eXistenZ, though where that film loosely tackled virtual reality, here the theme seems to be on pollution.
There are a few plot holes that will leave you scratching your head at the end and I am not sure if their vagueness is meant to elicit discussion or just create a sense of mystery and dread.
At any rate, Viggo Mortensen gives a riveting and off-kilter performance, skulking around the screen like a ninja clad Quasimodo, Kristen Stewart is wonderfully over-the-top as a mousey bureaucratic office drone, and Lea Seydoux is beguiling as a performance artist surgeon.

EMILY THE CRIMINAL
This is a taut little drama/thriller that doesn’t necessarily re-invent the genre so much as deliver nicely upon its familiar tropes, specifically that of a young woman fallen on hard times who gets sucked into the shady, criminal underbelly of Los Angeles.
Anchored by a fantastic performance from Aubrey Plaza, solid pacing, a streamlined story, and filmed in stripped down neo-verite style, it’s understatedly gripping.

RIYL
Stillwater; The Card Counter

(Note: Rented from Redbox streaming)

I never saw this one mentioned around here: Infinite Storm. Yes, it got bad reviews. But hey, mountaineering and Naomi Watts, so might as well check it out. I thought it had plenty of redeeming value. It isn’t often that you can turn on a well produced flick that delivers an almost continuous Type Two Fun audiovisual experience; snow, grey skies, howling wind… it’s been a few months since I’ve trudged through a snowstorm and I miss that stuff, and Naomi Watts’ righteous solo hiker character seemed up for it as well. Too bad she had to deal with having to rescue such an annoying guy. On the other hand, that aspect was probably realistic; a guy already on a pathway to death by hypothermia, whose physical cooperation is necessary to save him, is likely to be a pain in the ass.

Less easy to swallow, were a couple of episodes (including an unrealistic snow tree-well scenario) that almost certainly were tossed in, or greatly embellished. Which kept the drama flow going, but they didn’t ring true. Granted, maybe the original true story just didn’t have enough meat on its bones, and these were necessary to flesh out a film adaptation. Still, coming to Infinite Storm for a generally true story about a real rescue, stuff like that is disappointing. (IMDB user reviews also relentlessly dump on this film for, clearly, not being filmed on Mt. Washington, where the drama is set and where the actual incident occurred. Personally I’m fine with that; give me some real mountains, and more than just one!)

The final act (the rescue itself wraps up 2/3 of the way through the movie) actually worked pretty well.

So, overall… not great, suffering mainly for the usual Hollywood bullshit drama seeping into an otherwise decently well made mountain flick. But not terrible either.

Not sure where to put this but… WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVICH STORY is up on Roku.com, and it’s good silly fun, along a similar vein as Walk Hard, if perhaps not as fully realized. Daniel Radcliffe plays Weird Al (and Weird Al plays a music exec). Lots of fun off the wall stuff thrown in… a Pablo Escobar subplot, huh??!?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bobz

Not sure where to put this but… WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVICH STORY is up on Roku.com, and it’s good silly fun, along a similar vein as Walk Hard, if perhaps not as fully realized. Daniel Radcliffe plays Weird Al (and Weird Al plays a music exec). Lots of fun off the wall stuff thrown in… a Pablo Escobar subplot, huh??!?

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This is the Redbox thread man.

BULLET TRAIN
While this film certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel in regard to action films, it is a highly entertaining diversion that knows how to integrate humor and alacrity into a cohesive package.
This is a moderately high concept and labyrinthine action comedy that embraces numerous tropes and cliches, but rises above them more often than not thanks to a great cast with great chemistry and pacing that rivals its namesake.
Brad Pitt is front and center, channeling some of his early roles here (think J.D. and Floyd), but the tag team of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Bryan Tyree Henry may actually steal the show.
The up close hand-to-hand fight sequences are kinetic and clever, owing no small debt to the 1980’s work of Jackie Chan. And the comedic moments are nice, bouncing between ironic and snarky with ease and aplomb.
Granted, some of the speeding train effects dwell in the uncanny valley and there are three completely unnecessary high profile cameos that serve no real purpose other than smacking of over handed fan service aimed squarely at the mainstream moviegoer and stalwart social media starfkrs, but these slights are fleeting amidst the high octane action and quasi-intricate plot. On the subject of cameos, there’s actually two cool ones, if you’re a fan of The Boys and Heroes.
All in all this is an enjoyable action romp teeming with some clever moments and featuring a largely wonderful cast.

RIYL
Bad Times At The El Royale; Smokin’ Aces; Free Fire

SISU
The specters of The Dollars trilogy, as well as Eastwood’s WB output (most notably Hang ‘Em High, Unforgiven, and Pale Rider) hang heavy over writer/director Jalmari Helander’s WWII set endeavor. It also gives a quick nod to Peckinpah’s seminal The Wild Bunch.
So, yeah, this is essentially a Western, albeit taking place in 1944 in the wastelands of Finland and with Nazi’s, tanks, land mines, aeroplanes, and bombs.
Sure, the story is a familiar one, yet the pacing is whip quick, the violence energetic, sudden, and visceral, and the acting is taut, riding the line between camp and dramatic bravura with deftness and aplomb.
While delivered with a sense of seriousness by all involved, there is also a cartoonish fantasy element burbling underneath, which helps keep things entertaining.

RIYL
Dead Snow; Shoot ‘Em Up; Crank; Conan the Destroyer

The fake gold was a little hard to get past.