Category: Three Sentence Movie Reviews

I Used to Go Here: Winning Failure

A picture of Gillian Jacobs and Rammell Chan in the film I Used to Go Here

I Used to Go Here

Directed by Kris Rey
Written by Kris Rey

The review:

Much as I was charmed by a unique aspect of Kris Rey’s Unexpected, so was I by the flailings* of Gillian Jacobs’ character Kate in I Used to Go Here. It’s the relationships that make this film fun, and the humor is sly and subtle.** There’s a wistfulness to this film that I loved,*** as well as the exuberance of youth viewed by someone past that stage.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $6.99 via Redbox On Demand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I love a good woman-flailing movie, especially if the flailing doesn’t have to do with romantic relationships.
**Kate’s book reading is a great example of this.
***There are so many good things to remember about being in college, and so many reasons to be glad you are through those years.

Questions:

  • What do you think Kate will do next?
  • Who was your favorite college student?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Kate’s address is given as 4569 N. Baltimore Rd, Chicago, IL 60640 (on the letter to her ex boyfriend), however the building she enters is actually 4623 N. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60625, and is above Spyners Pub. The interiors may have been shot elsewhere.

Oh, internet, you are so detail oriented!

Other reviews of I Used to Go Here:

Orange background. Text: Personal essay is dead. —I Used to Go Here. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

The Hitch-Hiker: One More Argument Against Thumbing a Ride

Drawing of the stars of the Hitch-Hiker: Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman

The Hitch-hiker

Directed by Ida Lupino
Written by Collier Young and Ida Lupino

The review:

Here’s a brief film* about the dangers of picking up hitchhikers** back before the word got compounded. I like a tense drama with few characters and especially loved William Talman’s performance as Emmett Meyers. But mostly, I loved that film had a lot of scenes set in Mexico and the Mexican people featured in the film were not bumbling stereotypes.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free via Kanopy, the library’s streaming service
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

(Ideally I would recommend a list of tense mid-century noirs. But I haven’t seen enough of them, so we’re going with good car movies.)

  • Speed
  • Drive (I actually hate this movie, so I don’t think you should watch it. Read my review to find out why.)
  • The Italian Job (1969)

Further sentences:

*Seventy-one minutes! Honestly, films like this are a delight, especially if I don’t have to pay for them. Get in, get the story told, get out.
**Born in 1974, I’ve grown up with the clear message that any hitchhiker I picked up would instantly rape and/or murder me, but I know that in the 1950s, hitching was more common. Also, should I stick my thumb out, I’d only be asking for assault or death. Probably both. Is this true? Probably not. But that’s the message that has been pushed since at least the 1970s.
***Kind of a miracle, given the release date.

Questions:

  • Do you think that Collins and Bowen could have done more to overpower Meyers?
  • What was the tensest moment for you?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

In an interview, Talman recalled an incident that happened shortly after the release of The Hitch-Hiker, in which he gave a chilling portrayal of escaped murderer and serial killer Emmett Meyers. He was driving his convertible in Los Angeles with the top down, and he stopped at a red light. Another driver in a convertible who was stopped next to him stared at him for a few seconds, then said, “You’re the hitch-hiker, right?” Talman nodded, indicating that he was. The other driver got out of his car, went over to Talman’s car and slapped him across the face, then got back in his car and drove off. In recalling the story, Talman said, “You know, I never won an Academy Award but I guess that was about as close as I ever will come to one.”

Other reviews of The Hitch-hiker:

An orange background with text: You guys are soft. You know what makes you that way? You're up to your neck in IOU's. You're suckers! You're scared to get out on your own. You've always had it good, so you're soft. —The Hitch-Hiker. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

Night Comes On Captures Complex Sister Relationship

Picture of Dominique Fishback and Tatum Marilyn Hall in Night Comes On

Night Comes On

Directed by Jordana Spiro
Written by Jordana Spiro and Angelica Nwandu

The review:

Dominique Fishback (Angel) and Tatum Marilyn Hall (Abby)* play sisters separated due to both foster care and Angel’s time in juvenile detention. As they reunite, each has ulterior motives and it’s marvelous to watch them navigate around those motivations. While this is a movie about Angel seeking vengeance, it plays out in a very real-life, testing-the-waters way.**

The verdict: Good

Cost: Kanopy
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I came to this movie after seeing Dominque Fishback in Project Power so I wasn’t surprised how good she was in this role, but Tatum Marilyn Hall was also excellent especially for someone so young.
**Much like as in real life, there are mundane obstacles and complications which shift this film from vengeance to relationships in an interesting way.

Questions:

  • Did you agree with Angel’s choices?
  • What was the best sister moment in this film?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

(Also the only trivia item)

This film was partially supported by the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a nonprofit organization that awards grants to female actors, writers, and/or directors of short films, feature films, and documentaries. The foundation was created by Andy Ostroy, the widower of actress, writer, and director Adrienne Shelly, after Shelly was murdered in 2006 at the age of 40.

Other reviews of Night Comes On:

(Metacritic had 15 reviews, 14 of them were by men)

Orange background with a white frame. Text: She used to say the cars in the night could sound like the ocean. Like the waves, running in and out like the tide. You squeeze your eyes tight enough, you could almost see the sun, smell the salt, feel the sand. —Night Comes On. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

Project Power Has Dominque Fishback

Picture of Jamie Foxx and Dominique Fishback in the film Project Power

Project Power

Directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Written by Mattson Tomlin

The review:

Project Power is an entry into the powers-not-heros genre of films* and includes an interesting premise, and a more interesting performance by Dominique Fishback.** This plays out as a perfectly serviceable action/sci-fi flick with some amusing parts,*** some fine fight scenes, and movie logic that doesn’t quite come together. Aside from Fishback**** it was nice to have have Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an undercover cop, and Jamie Foxx did his can-do Jamie Fox thing.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched:

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Also recently watched in that subgenre: Fast Color
**”Who is that actress?” I wondered as her scenes piled up. It turns out she played Amandla Stenberg’s half sister in The Hate U Give and has done mostly television work. But she’s one to watch.
***The muddled storming of the container ship was fun.
****Really, the reason to watch this film

Questions:

  • What was your favorite power in Project Power?
  • Would you take the pill?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Not related to the Marvel Comics series Powers, though it has a slightly similar plot: Combining the genres of superhero fiction, crime noir and the police procedural, the series follows the lives of two homicide detectives assigned to investigate cases involving people with superhuman abilities, who are referred to colloquially as “powers”.

Other reviews of Project Power:

Orange background with text: There are no laws on this drug. They don't exist officially. 'Cause every time we try to deal with it, some guys in suits show up to tell us to stop. —Project Power. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

All Movies Watched on Kanopy February–Present

Kanopy. Quality films for free.

Recommended

  • I Am Not Your Negro
  • Memento

Good

  • Heartburn
  • Girlhood
  • The Watermelon Woman
  • Picture of Evan Rachel Wood, Callum Rennie, and Ellen Page in the film Into the Forest

Skip

  • The Lobster
  • Lady Macbeth
  • The Beat Beneath My Feet
  • A picture of Francisco Solorzano and Patrizia Hernandez with a sketch of NYC brownstones behind them

Viral is More Interesting Now

Travis Tope and Sofia Black-D'Elia embrace in a school hallway while wearing masks in the film Viral

Viral

Directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Shulman
Written by Barbara Marshall & Christopher Landon

The review:

2020 is the year to watch Viral, if only for current events comparison purposes.* This seems a fairly standard-issue horror film** but centered on a sister relationship*** and with the girls making a lot of the choices.**** It’s a creepy crawly film, but not gory, which made it a fun watch for a hot August night.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free via Tubi (with ads)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*At one point my reaction was: “Hey! We didn’t get survival kits delivered to our doors!”
**Horror is not my genre, so I can’t say for sure.
***In choosing between this film and Nerve (both directed by Joost/Schulman) I went with this one because it stars Analeigh Tipton, (Crazy, Stupid, Love and Two Night Stand) whom I love.
****Barbara Marshall, one of the writers seems to have written several movies that travel along these lines. That’s a fun treat!

Questions:

  • Analeigh Tipton as a bad girl. Did it work for you?
  • What part of this film felt very familiar?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The brief picture of the virus as seen on one of the newscasts is the same graphic used in the movie Outbreak (1995) to represent the Motaba Virus, using a red color tint rather than blue. However, the fictional Motaba Virus looks very similar to the Ebola Virus.

Other reviews of Viral:

Yes, God, Yes is Amusing, Sweet

Picture of Natalia Dyer in the film Yes, God, Yes

Yes, God, Yes

Directed by Karen Maine
Written by Karen Maine

The review:

One of the hardest things about being a teenage girl is all that sex stuff* and Karen Maine captures one girl’s experience exploring self-pleasure while also balancing what’s being taught at her Catholic school, plus dealing with rumors that have to do with her performing a sex act identified by slang she isn’t familiar with.** While she navigates her own path by mostly trying to stay on her church’s version of the straight and narrow, the rumors spread to the adults in her community and her standing falls. Natalia Dryer is a pro at capturing Alice’s befuddled confusion and growing skepticism in this amusing film.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $6.99 via Redbox On Demand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*The Madonna/whore thing is a tough needle to thread, plus add in religious and family expectations, peer group expectations, gossip, cultural markers gleaned from the entertainment world, not to mention the possibility of past or current sexual abuse or assault.
**Maine makes the most of her time period: AOL when chat rooms could turn dirty without warning and search functions were minimal.

Questions:

  • What’s the best way to deal with unfounded rumors?
  • How do you think Alice’s friends shaped her choices?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

No good trivia, instead a quote from Jezebel.com

There’s a lot of really great coming-of-age films, but they often show painful sex. I wanted to see women exploring their own bodies more. American Pie, The Squid and the Whale—there’s a lot of films that show male masturbation. But I wanted to show the female part of it. I definitely want to find other ways to show women portraying new roles in cinema that feel very familiar to the women we are and that we know—but we’re either afraid to talk about, or men have been afraid to show on screen.

Karen Maine

Other reviews of Yes, God, Yes:

Orange background with text: We pretended each marshmallow was a different mortal sin before burning it. Yours was lust. —Yes, God, Yes. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Half the Picture is a Full Portrait of Discrimination

Colorful pictures of eyes with movie reels in them. Text: The women behind the camera. The stories behind the women.

Half the Picture

Directed by Amy Adrion

The review:

The talking heads in this movie are all women* and all are talking about how hard it is to get a job as a director in Hollywood. Various areas of discrimination are covered** as many directors get to talk about what they love about directing and what keeps them from their love. One thing I learned: it’s just as hard to break into directing TV episodes as it is to direct feature films.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: free via DVD from the Multnomah County Library
Where watched: at home

Further sentences:

*Nearly all are directors, but there’s a woman from the Sundance Institute who pops in now and then, plus a few academics and a reporter who notes that she’s written the same article about the lack of women directors nine or ten times.
**Directing is “too hard” for women. What about their families? Crews don’t like to listen to women. Women can’t direct action/horror/war/most things. Male critics tend to not “get” movies made by women. Things made by women aren’t as good as things made by men.
***This was interesting to me because I’ve noticed that most women feature film directors intersperse directing films with directing TV episodes. It turns out that if you haven’t directed TV, the powers that be aren’t convinced you can direct it, even if you’ve directed entire movies.

Questions:

  • What do you think the solution is to get more women behind the camera?
  • Who is your favorite woman director?

Other reviews of Half the Picture:

Text: I think people have the impression that being a director is like an athletic weightlifting sport, when actually so much of it is about intimacy and connection and things that women are naturally gifted at. I think so many women feel like they need to take on a persona in order to be able to direct…and that’s just not necessary.—Lena Dunham. Half the Picture. Read the three sentence movie review at 3SMReviews.com

Into the Forest: Survival and Strength

Picture of Evan Rachel Wood, Callum Rennie, and Ellen Page in the film Into the Forest

Into the Forest

Directed by Patricia Rozema
Written by Patricia Rozema

The review:

Based on the Jean Hegland book that made a big impression on me in the late 90s,* this film highlights how the bond between sisters can be strengthened and tested when the world switches to survival. As distopias go, it’s a low-key one,** though stuff goes down, giving Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood a chance to show off their skills. I thought the timing was off, and the movie wrapped up too quickly, but I so rarely get to see two-person films where both persons are women, this felt like a treat.

The verdict: Good

Cost: free via Kanopy, the library’s streaming service.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Mental note I made after reading the book: Make sure to have a library of foraging and survival books on hand. I still haven’t checked off that note.
**Northern California’s lush landscape (played here by British Columbia) keeps everything from feeling hopeless.

Questions:

  • Are you ready to survive in your landscape, should you have to?
  • What’s your favorite two-person film where both persons are women?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Ellen Page was inspired to make the film after coming across the book written by Jean Hegland while browsing through a small store in her native Halifax. It was suggested to her by the woman working there and after she read it, she decided to produce a movie-version of the story.

Other reviews of Into the Forest: