Title: Arctic

Director: Joe Penna

Released: May 10, 2018 (premiere at Cannes), February 1, 2019 (released in theaters)

Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy and Netflix

Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) is doing everything he can to survive. His plane has crashed in the Arctic Circle and he’s living in the fuselage awaiting rescue. His days are spent ice fishing for food, trying to keep said fish out of the grasp of polar bears, and running a distress beacon hoping a search and rescue team will locate him.

A helicopter appears to be responding to Overgård’s distress beacon one day but falls victim to the weather and crashes when attempting to land. The pilot is killed in the crash, but the other passenger (Maria Thelma) is alive, unconscious and severely injured but alive.

Overgård tends to her wound and gets her situated in his plane while he goes to explore the helicopter wreckage. While there he finds supplies, the woman’s ID, and a picture of her family that he brings back for her. He continues to feed and tend to her, but her condition is not improving. Overgård makes the difficult decision to embark on a trek to a refuge, with the wounded passenger in tow, that is a few days away.

With limited resources, will Overgård be able to get the passenger to medical assistance?

Will Overgård himself be able to survive the trek?

Well, another week brings with it another movie with a very straightforward and lean plot. This is not a complaint by any means, I love a movie that doesn’t waste a lot of time with fluff. Instead, you know exactly what you’re in for and you buckle up for the ride.

After finishing Arctic (2018), it’s confirmed that I could watch Mads Mikkelsen watch the grass grow and be entertained. With there being so little dialogue, it fell on Mads to carry this movie through facial expressions and movements. Spoiler alert, he passed that test with flying colors. Much like Tom Hanks did in Cast Away, Mads had me captivated the entire time despite barely saying anything. You can see and feel the pain, anguish, and hopelessness that Overgård is going through. So much so, that you become emotionally invested in his outcome and well-being.

The beautiful cinematography from Tómas Örn Tómasson drives home just how alone Overgård and the passenger are in the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile, the music from Joseph Trapanese wonderfully twists that emotional knife a little deeper into you each time you hear it.

If you are a fan of Mads Mikkelsen, go watch this movie.

If you are a fan of survival movies, go watch this movie.

Shoot, even if you’ve already seen it, here’s your recommendation to go and watch Arctic (2018) again.

So, there are my thoughts, but what are yours?

Tell me what you thought of Arctic (2018) in the comments below or on social media!

Keep an eye on Bluesky and Threads/Instagram this Wednesday for a preview of what’s coming next Sunday for the letter “W”.

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

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Title: A Writer’s Odyssey

Directors: Yang Lu and Zhuang Jie Qiong

Released: February 21, 2021

Runtime: 2 hours 10 minutes

Available to stream on: Tubi

Guan Ning (Jiayin Lei) has spent the last six years looking for his daughter after she was abducted by child traffickers. Unfortunately, because of his devotion to finding his daughter, Guan’s life has crumbled around him and left him a shell of his former self. When he sleeps, he can hear his daughter shouting out to him. After six long years, Guan believes he has tracked down the traffickers.

A misunderstanding lands Guan in police custody where he is saved by Tu (Mi Yang). Tu mysteriously knows everything about Guan and offers him the opportunity to reunite with his daughter. But of course, there is a catch. He must help the CEO of the company she works for. How difficult of a task could it possibly be?

Well, turns out that it’s not as straight forward as it sounds. Those dreams that have been haunting Guan…they aren’t exactly dreams. No, those dreams are actually a fantasy novel that is being live streamed as it is being written by the author Kongwen (Zijian Dong). The mysterious CEO is having visions of the novel as well and feels a connection to the antagonist evil overlord Redmane (Yi Yang).

Guan must navigate reality and the dream/fantasy novel world to assassinate Kongwen before Kongwen kills Redmane. If successful, Guan and his daughter will be reunited. But if he is unsuccessful…

Directors Yang Lu and Zhuang Jie Qiong, along with Director of Photography Qiming Han, gave us a feast for the eyes. A Writer’s Odyssey (2021) is big, bold, and colorful. A trio that is essential to any fun and engaging fantasy movie. In some scenes the CGI might not be as impactful as it could have been, but that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.

There were a lot of subplots and not all of them were wrapped up in a tidy manner nor did they all come together completely. Although my biggest issue wasn’t even the fault of the filmmakers. The version that is streaming on Tubi is an English dub and the dubbing is atrocious. It took me out of the moment numerous times throughout the film.

However, A Writer’s Odyssey (2021) still manages to be a captivating fantasy adventure. If you haven’t seen it yet and you enjoy the fantasy genre, I highly recommend seeking this out. Just do yourself a favor and try to find a version with original audio and subtitles.

If you’ve seen A Writer’s Odyssey (2021), let me hear your thoughts on it in the comments below or on social media!

Keep an eye on Threads, Instagram, and Bluesky this Wednesday for a preview of what’s coming next week for the letter “R”. And as always, see what else I’m currently watching on Letterboxd.

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Title: Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Director: Rob Minkoff

Released: February 7, 2014 (UK)/March 7, 2014 (US)

Available to stream on: Netflix

IMDb synopsis: The time-travelling adventures of an advanced canine and his adopted son, as they endeavor to fix a time rift they created.

Mr. Peabody (Ty Burrell) is not your average pup. He lives in New York City with his adopted son Sherman (Max Charles). Yep, you read that right. Mr. Peabody is a super intelligent canine who is the “father” to Sherman.

Sherman learns history from Mr. Peabody through the magic of the WABAC machine. Yes, the WABAC machine is exactly what you think it is, a time machine. They use it to visit specific significant times/points in history, giving Sherman a front-row seat to history as it plays out.

Because of his unique way of learning history, Sherman is first to raise his hand and answer questions in class. However, his academic rival, Penny (Ariel Winter), is constantly irritated by Sherman’s ability to one-up her. One day, Penny has had enough and calls him a dog and puts him in a chokehold. In self-defense, Sherman bites her…like a dog.

As his “father”, Mr. Peabody is called down to the school to speak with the principal. However, it’s not just the Principal Purdy (Stephen Tobolowsky) waiting for him, Ms. Grunion (Allison Janney), an agent from Child Protective Services, is there as well. Ms. Grunion is worried that Peabody is not a fit parent and plans to come to the house for an investigation.

So, to try and smooth things over before Ms. Grunion’s visit, Peabody invites Penny’s parents, Paul (Stephen Colbert) and Patty (Leslie Mann) over for dinner. Peabody has one rule for Sherman for the evening, don’t bring out the WABAC machine.

Of course, seems like a simple rule to follow, right? Well, not if you’re Sherman.

It gets worse. Not only did Sherman show Penny the WABAC machine, but he also uses it to take her back in time. They find themselves in ancient Egypt and Penny decides she’s staying and is going to marry King Tut. Sherman, terrified and desperate for help, goes back to the present to get Mr. Peabody and bring him back to Ancient Egypt.

Now that they’re all three together, you’d think things would turn around and they’d be back in the present time in no time at all. Well, if that’s what you thought, you’d be dead wrong. On their way back to the present, the WABAC runs out of fuel. From here, the journey through time back to the present begins.

Will they find a way to make it back? Can they make it back without altering history along the way?

Going into this, I knew of Mr. Peabody & Sherman from the old The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show segments. Even if you had no prior knowledge of the characters, Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) does a decent job of giving you a very brief backstory without it seeming like overkill.

I chose Christi Soper because casting for an animated movie has always interested me. It doesn’t matter how much the person looks like the character they’re portraying. It’s all about how well their voice fits the look of the animated character, down to the facial expressions and mannerisms. While there are no voice performances that are particularly memorable or “great”, the casting is incredibly solid overall.

I don’t really have any issues with this movie. The animation is fun, the humor is super hit or miss, it doesn’t drag on longer than it should. But at the same time, in a year that also gave us The Lego Movie, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and Big Hero 6, unfortunately Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) is easily forgettable and lost in the shuffle.

Well, there you have it. Those are my thoughts, but what about yours? Tell me all of your thoughts on Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

Up next, the letter “D”. Have a crew member who’s name starts with “D” that you’d like to see covered? Get your suggestions in by Wednesday morning. Wednesday evening I’ll announce the individual and their movie that we’ll look at on Instagram, Twitter, and Threads!

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Title: Mr. Nice Guy

Director: Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Released: January 31, 1997 (Hong Kong)

Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy

IMDb synopsis: A Chinese chef accidentally gets involved with a news reporter who filmed a drug bust that went awry and is now being chased by gangs who are trying to get the video tape.

Honestly, there isn’t much of a synopsis or overview to give with Mr. Nice Guy (1997). Chef Jackie (Jackie Chan) has a successful cooking show on Australian television. One day after filming he bumps into an investigative journalist named Diana (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick) who is fleeing from local gangsters. As it turns out, Diana witnessed the local gang, The Demons, make a deal with drug lord Giancarlo (Richard Norton). During the deal things go sideways and Diana attempts to escape while managing to hang onto the videotape where she captured the deal.

So, when Jackie and Diana bump into each other and Diana tells him why she’s running, Jackie decides to help her escape. He fights off the gangsters and as they’re driving away, Diana’s videotape gets mixed up in a box of videotapes Jackie has in his car. That’s it, that’s about all the substance there is here. From here on out, everything becomes one giant action scene after another with gangsters trying to get their hands on the videotape now in Jackie’s possession.

There are multiple versions of Mr. Nice Guy out there. Two main ones being the original Hong Kong version and the edited down New Line Cinema version that was distributed in the United States. What I watched on Kanopy was the New Line Cinema version which apparently edited out 13 minutes, includes a partial dub, a new score, and also some rearranged scenes. I have not seen the Hong Kong version but would be curious to watch it to compare notes, not that I would expect a vastly different film though.

The script exists just to connect action scenes. The plot begins and ends with “bad guys chase and fight Jackie Chan”. The lack of a plot sure helps explain the acting we got. Our villains are all laughably awful. It’s like they took the most generic idea of what a cartoon villain would be and just ran with it, attempts at silly humor and all. One that comes to mind is Giancarlo telling his goons to take a woman to the “guest house”. Well, turns out the “guest house” is a giant gravel pit where Giancarlo buries bodies. Talk about not making your guests feel welcomed.

But let’s be real, nobody is tuning into a Jackie Chan movie for the plot. You settle in for a Jackie Chan movie to see bonkers action and fight scenes and Mr. Nice Guy (1997) delivers. There are scenes chock-full of action such as the construction site and the runaway horse carriage. But the best is saved for last as that’s when we get the giant earth mover. Take a monster truck, double it in size and probably triple it in weight, then let Jackie Chan solve all his problems with it.

While I’d rather rewatch Rumble in the Bronx, Project A, etc., before rewatching Mr. Nice Guy, that’s not to say that Mr. Nice Guy (1997) is a bad movie. Instead, it is the perfect big dumb action movie and I mean that in the nicest way. Giant action sequences? Check. Crazy stunts? Check. What more can you ask for from a Jackie Chan action movie?

Buckle up and leave your brain at the door to get the most out of Mr. Nice Guy (1997).

So, what say you? Have you seen Mr. Nice Guy (1997)? If so, let me hear your thoughts on it! Drop a comment below or reach out to me on social media!

Next up will be the letter “N”. Do you have an idea for what the movie should be? You know the drill; you have until Wednesday morning to get those suggestions in.

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Title: The Legend of Tarzan

Director: David Yates

Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes

Watched via: VOD rental

IMDb synopsis: Tarzan, having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.

I would say better late than never that we finally get to The Legend of Tarzan, but that would be a lie.

Tarzan is a character that you could build a million different stories off of and around. Yet somehow we managed to get a story with no structure. With a cast including the likes of Alexander Skarsgård (Tarzan), Margot Robbie (Jane), Christoph Waltz (Leon Rom), and Samuel L. Jackson (George Washington Williams) one forms a certain set of expectations for what they’re about to see. A very long one hour and fifty minutes later, you realize that expectations do not always equal reality.

With an estimated budget of $180 million, what we are given in terms of CGI is downright atrocious. It looks like a cheaply made video game and laughably distracts you from what is happening onscreen. Also, why is it that every other shot required a closeup? The camera work was borderline nauseating throughout. Add to that the wooden performance turned in by Skarsgård and you’re in for a rough ride once you hit play.

However, it wasn’t all completely negative. The last time we saw Margot in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, she made the best of her limited screen time. Here as Jane she has a substantially larger role and, for me, is one of the two bright spots of the entire film. She is able to get you to invest in the character of Jane, even when everything around her is doing its best to get you to turn the movie off.

The other bright spot, which should not come as a surprise to anyone, is Samuel L. Jackson. While he isn’t quite the “comedic sidekick”, I’m not sure how else to describe him in this role. You could almost argue that his character was borderline unnecessary, or at the very least that he didn’t need to make the journey to the Congo. Although you wouldn’t be completely wrong, Jackson as George Washington Williams makes The Legend of Tarzan (2016) slightly tolerable. He brings just the right amount of fun and funny to the table to make you want more of him.

Overall though, this is a hard avoid. Since it is not currently streaming for free, save your money and wait until it is. Even then, maybe checkout something that’s been rotting in your watchlist instead.

So, what did you think of The Legend of Tarzan (2016)? Are we on the same page? Did you enjoy it? Let me know in the comments below or by reaching out on social media.

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What’s next? Next up in our Margot Robbie filmography watch through will be 2016’s Suicide Squad. I have seen it once before and remember it not being as bad as everyone claimed. Curious to see how it holds up on a re-watch. You can currently stream Suicide Squad for free with an HBOMAX subscription. It is also available to rent for $3.99 through most major platforms.

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