Theatrical Experience - Stupendously Wrong Edition - The Book of Henry

The Book of Henry

Director - Colin Trevorrow

Writer - Gregg Hurwitz

Starring - Naomi Watts, Jaeden Lieberher, Jacob Tremblay, Dean Norris, Sarah Silverman, Lee Pace, Maddie Ziegler

Why yes, that is an image of an 11 year old wearing stupid goggles, an old leather hat with a japanese character holding a plunger outside of his magical forest fort and yes, the film tries to use that outfit to set up its emotional climax. No, I have no idea what anybody on set was thinking. From the director of the upcoming Star Wars Episode IX, Colin Trevorrow (I think every Book of Henry review is legally required to mention that) comes what is easily the worst movie of the year so far. A word of warning, this film is best seen cold so I would encourage you to stop reading now, bookmark this page, see the movie, and then come back. This movie is a fucking avalanche of snowballs of bad ideas rolling down a hill barreling into everything incoherently generally making a giant mess.

Netflix Original #6 - Shimmer Lake

Shimmer Lake

Director - Oren Uziel

Writer - Oren Uziel

Starring - Benjamin Walker, Rainn Wilson, Adam Pally, Rob Corddry, Ron Livingston, Wyatt Russell, John Michael Higgins, Stephanie Sigman

"If I ate your mommy's breakfast I'd end up a fat fucking bastard like everyone else in this town."

Schurmann Score - 8/10

Fifth Paragraph: In which Kyle concludes his review

Shimmer Lake is a film that is shot and plotted as a crime thriller but acted and written as a comedy. It is a tough dynamic to pull off but it largely succeeds. Anchored by a strong cast and some great use of reverse chronology, Oren Uziel's directorial debut is the best Netflix original movie to date that is sure to reward multiple rewatches.

Theatrical Experience - Red Door Edition - It Comes at Night

It Comes at Night

Director - Trey Edward Shults

Writer - Trey Edward Shults

Starring - Joel Edgerton, Carmen Ejogo, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Christopher Abbott, Riley Keough

"But just to be safe the red door stays closed and locked all the time."

It Comes at Night is the new horror film from independent studio A24 (Moonlight, The Witch, 20th Century Women, Ex Machina, pretty much every good movie of the last few years) and much like those movies buck expectations in pursuit of greater things Trey Edward Shults has much more in mind than making a standard claustrophobic horror film. Starting with a cold open that reveals what is at stake and how far Paul (Edgerton) and his family are willing to go to preserve themselves Shults never loses his focus on this unit. Paul, his wife Sarah (Ejogo) and their son Travis (Harrison Jr) form an unbreakable unit that prioritizes their own safety and well being above all else.