Title: Terminal

Director: Vaughn Stein

Released: May 8, 2018 (US premiere)

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Available to stream on: Pluto

Well, there isn’t really much of a plot to give a synopsis of. We have 5 “main” characters which the “plot” revolves around.

There’s the two hitmen Vince (Dexter Fletcher) and Alf (Max Irons), Bill (Simon Pegg)- the teacher with a terminal illness who wants to kill himself before his illness does, a bizarre and quirky janitor named Clinton (Mike Myers), and of course Margot Robbie as Annie the creepy and borderline crazy waitress.

Throughout the course of the film, each of their lives intersect and become intertwined with one another.

But when they cross paths, what will the fallout be?

Look, there’s no way to nicely dance around it, this isn’t a good movie.

The 95-minute run time feels like it’s 180-minutes. With so little plot, and only 5 characters, how everyone is connected is easy to determine long before the big reveal. Also, with there being only 5 characters, you’d expect some sort of depth to them as to allow the viewer to invest in them. Well, we are completely robbed of that. Everyone is shallow and stiff as a board.

Also, it feels like a waste of both Margot Robbie and Mike Myers. For Myers, he just seems horribly miscast. He’s been the funny guy for too long. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but placing him in this role is just a big swing and a miss. Yes, he does the best with what he is given. Although, I’d much rather have a capable filmmaker be the one directing him in a more dramatic role. When it comes to Margot, the saving grace for her is that she’s what ultimately makes Terminal (2018) watchable. However, she is just hamming it up and overacting in almost every single scene.

Now, that’s not to say that there isn’t any good at all here. If nothing else, it looks like a Neo-noir. Every scene either is dripping in neon and/or plays in and with the shadows. Looks wise, I think they nailed what they were going for. Kudos to the DP (Christopher Ross), along with the whole art and production design teams.

So, as you hopefully have gathered by now, Terminal (2018) is a film that I would not recommend. If you’re a completionist and are following along in this watch through of Margot’s filmography, more power to you. Otherwise, there are far better ways to spend 95-minutes of your time.

Well, now I want to hear from you.

Have you seen Terminal (2018)? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

Drop a comment below or reach out to me on Bluesky!

As always, you can follow me on Letterboxd to see what else I’ve been watching lately.

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Title: Susotázs (2018) ‘Chuchotage’

Director: Barnabás Tóth

Released: April 24, 2018 (Russia – Moscow International Film Festival)

Runtime: 16 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy

Pál (Pál Göttinger) and András (Géza Takács) are both Hungarian translators who have been selected to work a business conference in Prague where they’ll be translating English speeches on “Environment-effectological mechanism of ammonia-based condensers”. Sounds like riveting topic, right?

Well, Pàl and András feel the same. When they find out that there is only one person in the crowd who they will be translating for, they decide their mission for the day is to figure out who the individual is.

But will they be able to stay professional while pinpointing the one Hungarian they’re translating for?

There isn’t anything in Susotázs (2018) that will particularly “wow” you. The story is pretty straightforward, two guys try to figure out who in the crowd is the one person listening to their translations.

However, the way they go about trying to find the person walks a pretty fine line. Can it be interpreted as humorous? Yes, it could. But it could just as easily come across as sexual harassment. Still, even though you see the twist coming from a mile away, it’s funny when it plays out.

The production design perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be at a dull work conference. You can feel the boredom in the room just by looking at it. This helps us to better understand why Pál and András decide to play their games to liven up the day.

Overall, Susotázs (2018) on Kanopy is further proof that having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.

So, have you seen Susotázs (2018)?

If so, leave a comment below or reach out on Bluesky and tell me what you thought!

As always, you can follow me over on Letterboxd to see what else I’ve been watching lately.

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Title: Harvie Krumpet

Director: Adam Elliot

Released: June 19, 2003 (France – Annecy International Animated Film Festival)

Runtime: 22 minutes

Available to stream on: Tubi

Harvie Krumpet, born Harvek Milos Krumpetzki, entered the world “upside down and back to front.” He was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome early in life. As a result, his classmates frequently harassed and bullied him.

Not one to let her child be subject to bullying, his mother pulls him from school and decides to homeschool him. While she may be illiterate, Harvie’s mother knows plenty of “fakts”. In fact, Harvie makes sure to write each one down and carry them around his neck.

However, Harvie’s world turns upside down after his home burns down and his parents freeze to death. With nowhere to go, Harvek Krumpetzki migrates to Australia and becomes Harvie Krumpet.

Unfortunately for Harvie, his new home has just as many problems waiting for him. As a result of taking a punch, Harvie’s skull is split in half. After his recovery, as if things couldn’t get worse, lightning strikes Harvie while he collects golf balls.

No matter what happens to him, Harvie Krumpet manages to keep on going. But how does he do it?

Prior to viewing this, I was somewhat familiar with Adam Elliot’s work. While I haven’t seen Mary and Max, yet, I did write a review earlier this year on his other feature, Memoir of a Snail. So I at least had some sort of an idea as to what to expect going into Harvie Krumpet (2003). If nothing else, I knew I’d love his style of stop motion animation.

There’s a whole lot of message packed into a short 22 minute runtime.

Sometimes life is just unexplainably cruel to certain people. However, Harvie shows us that no matter how bad things might seem, life is what you make it. As long as you can find joy in the little things, the big things won’t seem so bad.

Seeing as Harvie Krumpet (2003) is streaming on Tubi, where you don’t need a subscription, there’s no reason for you to not check this one out. It is absolutely worth 22 minutes of your day.

So, have you seen Harvie Krumpet (2003)?

If you have, I want to hear what you thought of it! Leave a comment below or reach out to me on Bluesky!

Curious to see what else I’ve been watching lately? You can give me a follow over on Letterboxd!

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Title: Jimmy the Gent

Director: Michael Curtiz

Released: March 9, 1934 (United Kingdom)

Runtime: 1 hour 7 minutes

Available to stream on: MAX

A shady Genealogist by the name of Jimmy Corrigan (James Cagney) has figured out quite the hustle. He figured out how to track down heirs of people who died without a will. To collect his fee, he goes so far as to provide fake claimants to get the job done.

However, his former girlfriend and employee, Joan Martin (Bette Davis), wasn’t so fond of his tactics. She leaves him because she says he lacks ethics. Joan winds up getting a job working for Charles Wallingham (Alan Dinehart) because she is led to believe that he is an honest man who runs a legitimate firm.

Jimmy is now determined to investigate Wallingham, prove that he isn’t so squeaky clean, and win Joan back. But what if there isn’t any dirt on Wallingham? What if he truly is on the straight and narrow?

With a runtime of only an hour and seven minutes, Jimmy the Gent (1934) definitely gets in and gets out without wasting too much time.

I haven’t seen many of James Cagney’s films, but after watching this I can understand why he was a star. He can expertly play the smarmy sleaze bag but can also flip a switch and become a lovable loser with a heart of gold.

Meanwhile, I felt as though Bette Davis was sort of underutilized here. Despite being the leading lady, they give her little to do. I don’t know, just seems like a waste when you had someone of her talent at your disposal.

Overall, there is enough comedy to keep things light and enough drama to keep you engaged throughout the rather brisk runtime.

If you have yet to see Jimmy the Gent (1934), I’d say it’s definitely worthy of at least one viewing.

Well, how about you? Have you seen Jimmy the Gent (1934)?

If so, leave a comment below or over on Bluesky sharing your thoughts on it!

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Title: Goodbye Christopher Robin

Director: Simon Curtis

Released: September 20, 2017 (Premiere in the United Kingdom), September 29, 2017 (Theatrical release in Ireland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom)

Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes

Available to stream: Nope, but it is a $3.99 digital rental (or a $4.99 purchase)

Alan Alexander Milne (Domhnall Gleeson), better known to the world as A.A. Milne and to his family and friends as Blue, returns from World War I a different man. He now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder which makes readjusting to life in London quite a challenge. Meanwhile, his wife, Daphne (Margot Robbie), is only concerned about improving and maintaining her social status.

So naturally, the smart thing for a couple like that to do is to bring life into the world. Enter Christopher Robin (Will Tilston), who commonly goes by the nickname Billy Moon. Unfortunately for him, Daphne was dead set on having a girl and is profoundly disappointed when Christopher winds up being a boy.

But having a child won’t deter her from keeping her spot in social circles. No, they simply hire a nanny named Olive, who Christopher calls Nou (Kelly Macdonald). As Christopher ages, he becomes more attached to Nou as she’s the one there with him while he grows up.

Meanwhile, Daphne is off hobnobbing with the elites while A.A. is spending time with Christopher. While Christopher is playing in the woods with his stuffed animals, yes the same ones that would later become Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger. His wartime pal, Ernest (Stephen Campbell Moore) illustrates Christopher while he plays and it’s these drawings that become the inspiration for the stories that we all know and love today.

Yes, Winnie the Pooh became a massive success. But at what cost?

Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) is an incredibly interesting story that winds up being a mixed bag.

At its core, it’s a dark tale of child exploitation. Two parents who have only their own best interests in mind trot out their kid to further their own success. Christopher is tricked into doing interviews, public appearances, and having to deal with abandonment. To anyone paying attention, it is clear that Christopher is hurting. However, his parents don’t catch-on until it’s too late.

Pretty bleak, right? Well, so is the real story. However, Simon Curtis almost feels a bit hesitant to fully destroy any beloved childhood connections we have to the fictional characters in the Hundred Acre Wood. Either fully commit to the truth or fully commit to glossing over it, but don’t try and do a little of both.

The pacing doesn’t do the film any favors either. We spend the first two acts deep into the creation of Winnie the Pooh and the impact it has on Christopher. This leads to a third act that feels rather clunky and unfocused. Did we need to see how an older Christopher fared from all of the fame? Of course, but it felt half-hearted and rushed.

The performances, as a whole, were serviceable. The child actor playing young Christopher grew on me as the story unfolded. Gleeson seemed a bit wooden and detached throughout, though I’m sure this was mostly due to the character he was portraying. While there were no memorable performances, there also weren’t any offensive performances either.

Regardless of how you feel about the story, you can’t help but enjoy the cinematography from Ben Smithard. His vision allows you to feel the emotions that the characters aren’t always as keen to let you in on.

Overall, Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) is certainly worth a watch. Despite being unsure of how much of the truth to reveal, and mainly being about child exploitation, at its core it still packs a lot of heart. While it may not be easy to find on streaming, I’d definitely recommend spending the price of one coffee to rent and check it out.

Well, now it’s your turn. Have you seen Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017)?

If so, leave a comment below or reach out on Bluesky and let me know what you thought!

As always, you can give me a follow over on Letterboxd to see what else I’ve been watching lately.

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Title: The Parenting

Director: Craig Johnson

Released: March 13, 2025 (Streaming on MAX)

Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes

Available to stream: Exclusively on MAX

Josh (Brandon Flynn) and Rohan (Nik Dodani) have rented a house for vacation. However, this isn’t just any vacation. No, this will be the first time that their parents meet each other. While Josh’s parents, Liddy (Lisa Kudrow) and Cliff (Dean Norris), seem to be a more laidback couple, Rohan’s parents, Sharon (Edie Falco) and Frank (Brian Cox) are quite the opposite.

What none of them are aware of though is that the house they’re all staying in is haunted. This is a fun fact that the groundskeeper, Brenda (Parker Posey), fails to disclose when Josh and Rohan first arrived. In addition to the house being haunted, the families unknowingly summon a demon who then wreaks havoc on the entire weekend.

It is an absolute shame that The Parenting (2025) had a cast that talented and a script that did them all a disservice.

Usually with a horror-comedy you have a movie that leans-in one way or the other. Well, if you’re The Parenting, you prefer to skirt the edges of each genre without ever fully committing to one. It isn’t funny enough to be a comedy nor is it scary enough to be a horror. Unfortunately, the attempts at comedy wind up missing much more frequently than they land. I thought, after seeing the opening sequence that took place in 1983, that the horror side of it could be promising. I would soon find out that was not going to be the case.

Oddly enough, had they ditched the horror aspect altogether and fully committed to a 2025 take on Meet the Parents, it would have wound up being a much more enjoyable watch.

With so many different options as to what to stream, I can’t recommend that you spend 94-minutes of your day on this one.

So, have you seen The Parenting (2025)?

If so, what did you think of it?

Leave a comment below or reach out to me on Bluesky and let me hear your take!

As always, follow me over on Letterboxd to see what else I’ve been watching lately.

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Title: L’Argent

Director: Robert Bresson

Released: May 16, 1983 (premiere at Cannes Film Festival), May 18, 1983 (theatrical release in France)

Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes

Available to stream on: The Criterion Channel and MAX

A schoolboy named Norbert fails in an attempt to get a little extra out of his father for his allowance. In doing so, the boy unknowingly sets into motion a series of events that will impact many different lives.

In order to obtain the money to repay his friend, Norbert decides to pawn his watch to another friend in exchange for a forged 500 franc note. Unsure of how to get rid of the forged note, Norbert decides to try and pass it off at the local photographer’s.

Much to his surprise, it worked and the woman at the counter accepted the note. However, the boss discovers that it is a forged note. Instead of doing the right thing, he decides to then pawn off the note on someone else. Unfortunate timing on the part of the local gas man named Yvon (Christian Patey) leads to him being paid for services rendered with the forged note.

Yvon has no idea that the note he’s in possession of is a forgery. That is, until he tries to pay for a meal with the note and the police are called. Through no fault of his own, Yvon’s whole world is about to come crumbling down.

All because little Norbert couldn’t swindle a few extra francs out of his father.

Funny enough, last year I wrote about the only other Robert Bresson film I have seen. That was for Pickpocket and it came off of the Sight and Sound’s Greatest Films of All Time 2022 list. I quite enjoyed Pickpocket so I was hoping I’d feel the same way about L’Argent (1983).

From a purely technical standpoint, I love the way it looks. The blocking, the editing, the seemingly odd cuts to a single stationary item that somehow manages to intensify the lingering stench of trouble and despair.

Whether intentional or not, the almost expressionless line delivery from everyone in the cast really helps to establish and maintain a cold and detached feeling that is present throughout.

However, despite clocking in at just under 90-minutes, this feels like a 2+ hour-long movie. We all know that money is the root of all evil. When you’re reminded of that in the bleakest of terms, over and over, it wears on you.

Despite my feeling every second of the runtime, I still found that I enjoyed L’Argent (1983).

Would I say that I enjoyed it more than I did Pickpocket? Not even close.

That being said, it is still definitely worthy of at least one viewing.

Well, now it’s your turn!

What are your thoughts on L’Argent (1983)?

Leave a comment down below or reach out to me on Bluesky and let me hear your thoughts!

As always, you can follow me over on Letterboxd to see what else I’ve been watching lately.

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Title: Perrier’s Bounty

Director: Ian Fitzgibbon

Released: September 11, 2009 (Canada)

Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes

Available to stream on: Peacock and Tub

Michael (Cillian Murphy) is a bit of a lowlife who finds himself €1,000 in debt to a local gang boss with a violent streak, Perrier (Brendan Gleeson). Time is running out for Michael to pay off his debt in order, if he fails to do so, he dies.

Two of Perrier’s goons are on their way to send a message to Michael when his neighbor, Brenda (Jodie Whittaker), winds up saving his life. As it turns out, she stole Michael’s pistol in order to commit suicide but before she could, she saves Michael’s life by killing one of the goons before he can shatter Michael’s leg.

If Michael didn’t have enough going on, his father, Jim (Jim Broadbent), reveals that he is dying of terminal cancer.

Now with his neighbor and dying father along for the ride, Michael is on the run and determined to stay alive. But when word of Perrier’s bounty on them begins to spread, will it prove to be too much of an uphill battle?

Perrier’s Bounty (2009) is the poster child for decent movies that will wind up being mostly forgettable.

The story itself is about as paint-by-numbers as you could get. It follows a predictable pattern and it is fairly easy to pick up on where things are going. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t also enjoyable.

For instance, the cinematography from DP Seamus Deasy really helps to draw you in. The way he frames the gritty backgrounds with hues of blue paint the picture of a seedy Irish underbelly. Despite there not being a lot of violence, you feel like there could be danger lurking behind every corner.

While the cinematography is a bright spot, it’s the performances that really steal the show. You can just tell that everyone from top to bottom on the call sheet is genuinely enjoying themselves. Seeing them feed off of each other’s enjoyment and give their all to the underwhelming script is what makes Perrier’s Bounty (2009) a genuinely enjoyable watch.

Is this something that you’ll rush to revisit or think about weeks after you’ve watched it? More than likely, no.

That being said, Perrier’s Bounty (2009) is definitely worthy of at least one viewing.

Well, now it’s your turn. Have you seen Perrier’s Bounty (2009)?

If so, drop a comment below or reach out to me on Bluesky and let me hear your thoughts!

And by now, you know the drill, to see what else I’ve been watching, go follow me on Letterboxd.

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Title: Bombshell

Director: Jay Roach

Released: December 13, 2019

Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes

Available to stream on: MGM+

Whether it’s the right-wing brainwashing of your parents and grandparents or the horrific work environment they foster, Fox News is an inherently evil entity, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Bombshell (2019) takes a look at two instances specifically, Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) and Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron).

Gretchen Carlson bravely exposes years of sexual harassment by FOX CEO Roger Ailes (John Lithgow), ready to expose him as the predator he is. In doing so, however, she ultimately loses her job.

Meanwhile, Megyn Kelly decides to press presidential nominee Donald Trump on his sexist attitude towards women. In doing so, Megyn winds up receiving a barrage of abuse via social media, ironically proving her point on Trump’s sexism.

Margot Robbie plays a character who isn’t based on a singular person. Rather, the role of Kayla Pospisil is said to be a combination of different women’s stories of abuse. Kayla is a representation of all the other women to have suffered under the watchful eye of Roger Ailes.

This was my second viewing of Bombshell (2019) and I remember thinking that it was an alright movie. On a rewatch, I still feel the same. It is an aggressively okay movie that, honestly, deserved more capable direction.

That’s not a total knock on Jay Roach. When it comes to comedic films, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, and Austin Powers trilogy were smash hits. But was he the best available option to direct here?

Yes, he is able to point out the toxicity in working at Fox News, although, things fall a little short. We’re made aware of the toxicity in the newsroom but that’s sort of swept under the rug with the focus remaining on Ailes. This is a multi-faceted story that does its best to remain single-faceted. In doing so, the story as a whole winds up feeling a little incomplete, offering up more questions than answers.

Now that’s not to say that there wasn’t anything enjoyable about Bombshell (2019). For instance, the casting and hair/make-up was fantastic. Charlize Theron looks like the spitting-image of Megyn Kelly. Additionally, everyone in a primary role played their part exceptionally well. Unfortunately, being led by not incapable but ill-suited hands sort of prevented everything about Bombshell (2019) from being the hard-hitting and memorable film that it could have been.

Well, what say you? Have you seen Bombshell (2019)?

If so, leave a comment below or reach out on Bluesky and tell me what you thought of it!

As always, you can find me over on Letterboxd to see what else I’ve been watching lately.

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Title: 97%

Director: Ben Brand

Released: November 1, 2013 (Netherlands)

Runtime: 8 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy and Youtube

A man (Bert Hana) boards a train and takes his seat. Suddenly, he gets an alert on his phone from a dating app informing him he has a 97% match that is less than 25 meters away.

Seeing as he’s on a moving train, the match must be on the train with him. He begins scanning the fellow passengers on his car, trying to see if the smile in the app can be found in the sea of faces. When the train comes to a stop, the app informs him that the match is getting further and further away.

He runs off the train, changing directions as quickly as the app updates his distance from the 97% match. Finding himself on the train again, the app says the match is less than 25 meters away.

Surely he’ll be able to find who it is on his second attempt, right?

Over the course of 97% (2013), the only dialogue we hear is the announcements of the upcoming stops on the train. I am always impressed, regardless of the runtime, when a film can keep the viewer engaged while not having a character ever utter a single word.

Bert Hana is able to convey the excitement of a dating match and the ensuing panic/struggle of trying to find her solely through his movements and facial expressions.

What was equally as impressive as Hana’s performance is the cinematography. The use of reflections and imagery to playfully reveal flirtations really added to the overall charm of the short.

To wrap it all up, the 8-minute short delivers an ending that, depending on what you were hoping for may be divisive. Personally, I didn’t find issue with it and liked how it sort of called out online dating as a never-ending rat race in pursuit of perfection.

If your library offers the Kanopy streaming service, 97% (2013) is definitely a short film worth checking out. If you don’t have access to Kanopy, seek it out on Youtube. There are far worse ways to spend 8 minutes of your day.

Well, now it’s your turn.

Have you seen 97% (2013)?

If so, leave a comment below or reach out to me on Bluesky and tell me what you thought of it!

As always, if you want to see what else I’ve been watching lately, give me a follow over on Letterboxd.

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