Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Bullet Train

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Apple Rating:

Brad Pitt plays a very unlucky assassin nicknamed Ladybug who is tasked with finding and removing a particular briefcase by his handler (voiced by Sandra Bullock). The action takes place entirely on a high speed train in Japan (A ‘bullet train.’ Coincidence? Unh unh).  Ladybug discovers that seemingly everyone on the train has an ulterior motive for being on board, AND for wanting the briefcase. No surprise that the gloves are off, and they all will stop at nothing to get it.  Some of his adversaries include Bad Bunny playing the Wolf, Joey King as Prince, Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Tangerine, and Bryan Tyree Henry as Lemon.  The man behind it all has a complicated back story, but it will become clear that he’s earned his sobriquet ‘White Death.’ (The ever daunting Michael Shannon). This movie reminded me a lot of Pulp Fiction because of the witty dialogue, violence, and timeline mash ups. The action is fast paced and full of twists and unforeseen turns. Right in the middle of the action, for example, the movie shows you the journey of a water bottle from the vending machine where it is purchased through it’s appearance on the train and it’s inventive use as a weapon.   Oh and don’t forget some tongue-in-cheek cameos by Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds. This is an extremely violent, but yet, highly entertaining summer pop-corn movie.  I wouldn’t take young kids to see it, but otherwise, if you go, I doubt you will be bored.

Ad Astra

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Apple Rating:

Wow, what amazing cinematography!  Wow, what a boring movie!  How could a movie that features Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones be so bad?  I really don’t know.  The story simply plods along.  In the beginning, there is a little action.  Disastrous events are happening!  Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) is called in to talk with the brass at US Space Command.  His father, Cliff (Tommy Lee Jones) had gone on a secret mission 26 years earlier to search for intelligent life.  He goes missing around Neptune after ten years, and is presumed dead. Now, the solar system is bothered by mysterious power surges that threaten to destroy all human life! Roy is tasked to go to Mars and send a message to his dad, who they now think may still be alive. On the moon base, he undergoes one of the most pointless ambushes and chases you could imagine.  He was to have been accompanied by an old friend, COL Pruitt (Donald Sutherland).  Luckily for Donald, his character suffers a heart attack and is out of the film. He is replaced by four Space  Com crewmen, who fall by the wayside one by each. Brad Pitt finds his dad in one of the most anticlimatic scenes of a father son reunion ever recorded.  That is it!  Confused? I sure was. That is the whole two hour movie.  Getting to Mars is not eventful and finding his father is super-easy. The end is anticlimactic and predictable. The  only reason I can think for anyone to see this is for the breath-taking interstellar shots; but you can see the same thing by going to nasa.gov.

Once Upon a Time…..In Hollywood

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Wow! Another great movie from quirky writer/director Quentin Tarantino.  ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ takes place in 1969 Los Angles, which is changing from the apple pie, Ozzie and Harriet world of the 1950’s to the era of Woodstock and hippies.  In the middle of this wave of change is TV cowboy star Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio in one of the best performances of his career.  Dalton is confused by these changes, which see his appeal and marketability shrink.  But even though he is reduced to starring in Spaghetti Westerns, he is still committed to his career and gives each performance his all, including all the booze he can manage.  He is helped out by his stunt double/gofer/friend Cliff Booth, played of course by Brad Pitt in another career highlight performance.  The writing for these two characters is so crisp and Tarantino really fleshes them out in such a way that by the end of the movie, you not only like them, but feel like you really know them.  Since the Sharon Tate murder plays a big part of the story, it is helpful to read a little bit about if you are not familiar with Charles Manson or his followers.  Everything that you love about Quentin Tarantino movies can be found here:  witty dialogue, character development, multiple story lines, revisionist history, and a plethora of supporting/cameo appearances.  The one big hallmark of Tarantino that you won’t find though is excessive, gory violence.  Don’t get me wrong, there is violence in this movie, but it is more restrained than in any of his past movies.  I also loved how 1969 was recreated.  The small details are spot on, even down to the way Taco Bell looked when I got my first job there selling tacos and burritos.  If you are looking for a quirky, thought-provoking movie with Oscar caliber writing and performances, this is the movie for you!! Just remember, it’s “once upon a time…in Hollywood.”