Tag: Drama

Sinners

2025   Warner Brothers Pictures

Rated:  R

Length:  2 hr 17min

Action ~ Drama ~ Music ~ Southern Gothic ~ Gothic Horror ~ Supernatural Horror ~ Thriller ~ Vampire Horror

Directed by:  Ryan Coogler

Starring:  Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, and Delroy Lindo.

You Keep Dancing With The Devil,

One Day He’s Gonna Follow You Home.

Clarksdale, Mississippi.

October 15, 1932.

Two brothers, Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore (Both played by Michael B. Jordan) return back home after leaving to become soldiers in WWI and then spending time in Chicago working for Al Capone’s Crime Syndicate. They have returned home to Clarksdale, Mississippi in the Delta to open up a Juke Joint. They have stolen cash and a truck load of Irish Beer, Italian Wine and corn liquor. They have found an abandoned sawmill and meet with the owner to purchase it and the land it sits on. Their cousin Sammy has convinced his Pastor father to let him use the Resonator Guitar from the church for the evening and they also recruit the older Bluesman Delta Slim who plays piano and harmonica. They have also lined up a huge amount of Catfish and sides to serve in the Juke Joint that evening. The word spreads and The Juke Joint is soon filled up with eager patrons and lively blues music by Sammie and Delta Slim. Sammie’s musical gifts and transcendent blues music soon summon more than good times. There is evil coming, drawn by the rhythm of the blues and the scent of fresh blood.

So….where do I start? With History? With the History of The Southern United States? With Slavery? With the K.K.K. ? With Racism? With Jim Crow? With Music History? The History of The Blues? The History of Mojo? Mojo Bags? Haints? Vampires? Voodoo? Al Capone? Chicago Crime in the 1930’s? I honestly don’t know because this movie touches on all of that and I just don’t know how much you know about all of that. Let’s start with Robert Johnson…….

Robert Johnson was a legendary blues musician and songwriter from the Mississippi Delta, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of blues music. Though his recorded career lasted only about seven months, he produced 29 songs that would become foundational to the Delta blues style and deeply influence later rock and blues musicians such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton. Johnson’s vivid guitar playing and haunting vocals earned him lasting fame, but part of Johnson’s mystique stems from a famous legend that he acquired his extraordinary musical talent by making a deal with the devil at a crossroads, where Highways 61 and 49 intersect in Mississippi. According to the myth, Johnson traded his soul to the devil in exchange for mastery of the guitar, which explains his sudden, astonishing improvement in skill after a period of obscurity. As the legend goes the devil offered Robert a guitar, and by grabbing the guitar around the neck and taking it from his hands, he would therefore be accepting the deal of trading his everlasting soul for mastery of the guitar.

In the very beginning of the movie they talk about how music has been intertwined with legend and folklore. Music and rhythm being used to conjure up spirits and commune with the afterlife. The Native American Indians, African culture and the slaves of the deep south in America all used music and rhythms to conjure up and communicate with the spirit world. The Blues in the delta was often referred to as the devil’s music. Right after we see the brief introduction of that history, we see young Sammie heading into his Father’s church. His clothes are torn, he is traumatized and bloody with one hand on the neck of what’s left of that resonator guitar. His Preacher father tells Sammie to just let go, choose goodness and let the devil’s music go. A direct reference to the Blues legend of Robert Johnson and the Devil at The Crossroads.

As I am writing this I realize that there is so much imagery and substance in this movie, I could probably write a book about it. I have never seen a movie where it touched on so many themes across so much history. Honestly, it is based in the south in 1932 complete with Delta Blues folklore, cotton fields, sharecroppers, corn liquor, juke joints, Saturday night fish fry’s, and Delta Blues music. The sharecroppers work all week, 6 days a week, 12 hours a day and then on Saturday they head to the local juke joint with their hard earned money and blow off steam for the week. They dance the blues away, drink and forget their troubles, and have as much fun as they can before the Sunday morning sun comes up. Then there is the Haint aspect, the evil spirits, vampires. Complete with garlic, wooden stakes and the rising of the morning sun. Hoodoo Voodoo, Mojo bags, Rootwork, using herbs and cantations to protect and ward off evil sprits.

See what I mean? We haven’t even discussed Jim Crow, Slavery and racism. I have to draw a comparison with From Dusk Till Dawn, it had to have been an influence on this movie. I must confess I am a huge fan of Blues music and Delta Blues. That era also fascinates me, the 1930’s, so I love this time period and the music. I am also a big Horror Movie fan, I love the old school monster movies and Vampire movies. So for me, this movie checks all the boxes. Honestly I don’t know what else to say, if you are looking for a blues history or period movie only, this might not be for you. If you are looking for a Vampire horror movie, all the blues references, settings and music might be too much for you. It combines both of those kind of like Cowboys and Aliens combined Western and Sci-fi.

I forgot the ending…as the credits start to roll and you think the movie is over, don’t look away. Buddy Guy is seen playing and there is a final scene where Buddy Guy (who is Sammie 60 years later) has a conversation with the Haints from the beginning of the movie. It ties it all together.

If you are looking for a Southern Gothic Supernatural Thriller full of Blues Music, Blues Folklore, Vampires, Action and Drama set in 1932 Clarksdale, Mississippi…….This is your movie!

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie!

Currently on HBO MAX

and for rent on Prime.

We Live In Time

2024   A24

Rated:  R

Length:  1 hr  48min

Drama ~ Romance

Directed by:  John Crowley

Starring:  Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.

Every Minute Counts

Andrew Garfield stars as Tobias Durand, a sales representative for The Weetabix Breakfast Cereal Company. He is going through a divorce and has received the divorce papers. In a hotel, after just getting out of the shower, he sits down in his robe and decides to sign the papers. The pen quits writing part way through his signature. Frustrated he grabs another and it doesn’t work, then another. Tobias completely loses it, throws the pen and leaves the hotel in his robe heading for the corner store down the street. He purchases a pen and heads back to the hotel walking on the side of the street when…….

Almut Brühl (Florence Pugh) happens by in her car, just as Tobias steps into the street, and hits him. Tobias passes out in the street and comes to later in the hospital with a neck brace and some pretty good facial bruises. He looks over and sees Almut who explains who she is and what happened. She apologizes and offers to buy him and his wife dinner at the restaurant where she is the Chef. He agrees and, not wanting to talk about his going through a divorce, the next evening he shows up alone. When Almut finally comes out of the kitchen, she asks Tobias about his wife and he explains that they are going through a divorce. In the very short time they have met each other, they both have feelings for each other and Almut invites him to go home with her.

And that is the start of their decade long romance and the beginning of a life together. And as with any couple they experience love, laughter, joy and heartbreak. They must also contend with some serious medical news about Almut, which they must make major life changing decisions about. They decide to enjoy every minute of every day, no matter what. As we all should. Throughout all of it they share their commitment and deep love for each other as they navigate the changes that life always seems to throw at you. Throughout the movie there are flashbacks going back to certain moments in their history together that reflect on their current circumstances. And you can see how one thing led to another. It is a little hard to keep up with, trying to figure out when they are flashing back to. But in the end it all makes sense.

I am being a little vague about the details because I don’t want to spoil it. I think Andrew and Florence did a fantastic job together with this movie. I honestly don’t think anybody else could have pulled this movie and story off the way they did. They were meant to play Tobias and Almut, their chemistry together carried this movie. I liked it, I really enjoyed Florence and Andrew together as Almut and Tobias. It isn’t a Hallmark Movie with a happy ending, you know, everybody smiling and riding off into the sunset, but I thought it was a real good Romantic Drama. That’s two thumbs up for Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield and We Live In Time.

Juror #2

2024   Warner Brothers Pictures

Rated:  PG-13

Length:  1  hr 54min

Crime ~ Drama ~ Mystery ~ Legal Thriller

Directed by:  Clint Eastwood

Starring:  Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Francesca Eastwood and Kiefer Sutherland.

Justice Is Blind, Guilt Sees Everything.

Nicholas Hoult stars as Justin Kemp, a journalist and recovering alcoholic in Savannah, Georgia, who is called to serve jury duty during a high-profile murder trial. As Kemp listens to the prosecution’s case, a young man accused of killing his girlfriend after a public altercation, he soon discovers unsettling parallels between his own actions on the night of the crime and the evidence presented in court. The prosecutor, Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette), sees the case as an opportunity to further her campaign for district attorney, while Kemp’s personal struggles add mounting tension to his role as a juror.

As the trial unfolds, Kemp realizes that he may have unwittingly contributed to the victim’s death on the same night of the incident, igniting a powerful moral conflict. Desperate for guidance, he seeks advice from his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor and weighs whether to sway the jury’s verdict in light of his possible involvement. Within the jury room, debates intensify as forensic evidence and conflicting eyewitness testimony cast doubt on the defendant’s guilt, while Kemp must grapple with emotions of guilt and responsibility without exposing his secret.

Kemp’s inner turmoil challenges him to confront issues of justice, personal accountability, and family loyalty as cracks begin to show in the prosecution’s narrative. Pressures from the courtroom and worries about his wife’s difficult pregnancy further complicate his moral choices, pushing him toward a decision that might change the outcome of the trial and his own life forever. The narrative artfully explores themes of truth and redemption, keeping the resolution tightly guarded as Kemp’s fate, and the real story behind the crime, hangs in the balance.

I honestly can’t say much more about this movie without giving anything away. And I think it is best viewed that way. I am going to write a separate review/story about the movie and do a deep dive into the story, the plot, the dilemma and the ending complete with a SPOILER ALERT WARNING. Did I like the movie? Would I recommend it? Would I watch it again? The answer to all those questions is an absolute yes. Clint Eastwood did a great job with this movie that sucks you in deeper than quicksand at every turn. As did Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Francesca Eastwood and Kiefer Sutherland. It is a different take on the Legal Thriller and the jury process, well worth a watch.

Give it a go and let me know what you think………….

Last Breath Coming To Prime Video Friday August 29, 2025

2025   Focus Features

Rated:  PG-13

Length:  1  hr 33min

Drama ~ Thriller ~ True Story

Directed by:  Alex Parkinson

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, and Cliff Curtis.

Make Every Breath Count

Last Breath is a Feature Film Remake of the 2019 Documentary of the same name. It recounts the real life drama played out in 2012 during a deep-sea diving accident involving Veteran Saturation Diver Chris Lemons. During a routine deep sea dive to work on gas lines on the ocean floor, the heavy seas on the surface cause a malfunction in the ship’s DPS (Dynamic Positioning System) which results in the ship drifting from their work site down below. The two divers below, Chris Lemons and David Yuasa realize they must look after their umbilical supply lines so they don’t lose oxygen or communication. David makes it to the top of the gas line in time but Chris’s lines become tangled and the lines snap. Chris finds himself completely isolated in the ocean depths with only ten minutes of emergency oxygen and no communication. He can’t rise to the surface because of being in a deep dive, if he does the pressure difference will kill him.

Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, and Cliff Curtis star in this Thrilling True Story Dramatization coming to Amazon Prime Video Friday August 29, 2025.

Broke

2025   Sony Pictures

Rated:  R

Length:  1 hr 43min

Drama ~ Romance ~ Western

Directed by:  Carlyle Eubank

Starring:  Wyatt Russell, Dennis Quaid, Auden Thornton, Mary McDonnell, Johnny Berchtold, and Tom Skerritt.

Eight seconds of glory, one lifetime to get back up.

Wyatt Russell stars as True Brandywine, a Bareback Bronc Rider clinging to a fading Rodeo career. Age and injuries are catching up to him before he can achieve the level of success he is striving for. In between travelling the rodeo circuit he lives with his Father George Brandywine (Dennis Quaid), his Mother Kathy Brandywine (Mary McDonnell), and his younger brother Caleb (Johnny Berchtold). They live on a farm in Montana and True works alongside his father and brother on the family farm when he is home. True’s father George used to be a Bareback Bronc Rider when he was younger and is trying to convince True that he needs to think about his future and join the Marines, telling him he can’t make a lifelong career out of the rodeo. But that is all True knows and wants to do with his life. There is a lot of tension between True and his father over his  persistence that True give up the rodeo life. One of the things that George nags True about is the alternator in his truck, telling him constantly that if he doesn’t fix it he is going to end up stranded somewhere.

Out on the road in between Rodeo gigs, True stops at a Napa Auto Parts store in a small town and attempts to fix the alternator in the parking lot. It is still hot from the road and True accidently leans his forearm on the hot Radiator cap and gets branded with the circle of the cap and the word “Hot”.  Ali (Auden Thornton) is a young Nurse living in town and just happens by and sees True is in distress. She asks True if he is alright and he says “Yes, I’m fine.” Then she tells him that she is a nurse and can help if he would like. He agrees and she attends to the burn going across the street to the pharmacy, for burn ointment and bandages, and patches him up. He asks if he can repay her with a drink and she tells him that she is on her way to meet friends for a drink and invites him along. They end up getting close and become romantically involved. Ali notices True’s drawing talent and tells him that he could make money with his art. True dismisses it as just a hobby as his father doesn’t think much of his artwork.

True has a bad fall after a Bronc Ride and suffers serious brain damage and is advised by the Doctor that he will never ride again. He becomes addicted to pain pills and that, coupled with not being able to ride and his father’s constant nagging to “do something with his life” bring a lot of tension in between True and Ali. True eventually snaps and, not wanting to do anything but Ride Broncs in the Rodeo circuit, packs up his gear in the truck with his horse and tells Ali that he needs to go without her back to the Rodeo circuit. It is not going good for True out on the circuit as he is broke and addicted to pain killers. He pulls into a remote ranch looking for work to help him along his way and meets Cliff (Tom Skerritt), the owner of the ranch who lives alone. Cliif tells him he could use some help on the ranch for a little while and takes True in. The next day True heads out on the remote southern pasture of the farm looking for a stray calf. He finds him and ropes him in but has a seizure, collapses and passes out. When he comes to he is covered in snow and suffering frostbite on one foot.

And that’s where the movie starts, with True lost in a snowy wilderness, trying to survive a freak spring blizzard, with flashbacks revealing the events leading up to his precarious situation. True’s identity and passion are deeply tied to rodeo riding, but injuries and family pressures complicate his path, forcing him to confront harsh realities. True is forced to rely on his resilience and confront his life choices amidst a fight for survival in the freak blizzard. The experience prompts a profound personal reckoning about what truly matters beyond his rodeo ambitions. True is a man caught between his love for the adrenaline-filled rodeo life and the dangerous physical toll it has taken on his body. His strained relationship with his father, who insists on a military path for him and his brother, adds to the tension. Despite his talent for drawing, True dismisses art as a viable escape, clinging instead to the diminishing hope of returning to the rodeo. As True battle injuries, illness, and the bitter cold, he is also forced to face his choices and the circumstances that led him to his tenuous situation.

Filmed in Anaconda, Deer Lodge, Butte, Drummond & Three Forks Montana it features some beautiful scenery. I noticed that Wyatt Russell and Vince Vaughan co-produced the movie. I think that even though it is classified as a Contemporary Western (meaning it is set in current times and not the 1800’s) it could be classified as a Romance. The relationship between True and Ali is pretty central to the story and figures pretty prominently in True’s thinking as he battles for survival and reflects on his past. Wyatt Russell I am not familiar with so I did a little research on him. He is the son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. I really liked him in this and will look out for him in future movies. He did star in Thunderbolts which I have not seen yet, so I’ll add that to the list. Dennis Quaid was good as always, nice to see him again, as well as Tom Skerritt who is 91 years old by the way and still working! Go Tom! Auden Thornton is also new to me, she has been acting in a lot of TV series and a couple of movies I have not seen. I really liked her in this as Ali, she might be one of my new favorites.

I loved this movie….I loved the story, the characters, the scenery, the drama between True and his father, the romance and chemistry between True and Ali, True’s battle to find himself amidst all the things life does to shake your tree. It is a contemporary Western in that it is a modern day Cowboy in the rodeo business, but the story, the relationship themes and the search and struggle of self are universal themes that could apply to any story and backdrop. Yes, this is a good one…….

Do yourself a favor, turn off the lights and the devices……

Make some popcorn

Grab a beverage

and Stream This Movie

On Netflix!