Three 2023 releases today: One quite good, one stupid good, and one just a bit stupid.
To Catch A Killer (2023)
Directed by Damián Szifron
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ben Mendelsohn, Jovan Adepo, Ralph Ineson
Plot Synopsis: (via Wikipedia)
In the film, a talented but troubled young Baltimore cop is recruited by the FBI to help profile and track down a serial killer.
My Opinion:
Thought this was surprisingly good for a film I’d heard nothing about & for a “too much like real life” crime thriller, which is not a genre I often like. I’d rather movies gave me an escape from society’s horrible realities & daily American gun violence. That’s two decent crime thrillers that I liked this year: this one & Boston Strangler (and I especially dislike most serial killer movies).
The events in this were intense, especially at the very start of the film, so it kept me watching. The movie did drag in the middle a bit and I’m sorry to say that I couldn’t buy into Shailene Woodley as a cop AT ALL, although she did a decent enough job in the film. I loved Ben Mendelsohn, though, who I never noticed much before but have started to really appreciate. They worked very well as a team.
Good stuff. Glad I checked it out despite it not really being my type of thing. I’d recommend it to those who like a good crime thriller.
My Rating: 7/10
Extraction 2 (2023)
Directed by Sam Hargrave
Written by Joe Russo
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Bernhardt, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Idris Elba
Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
After barely surviving his grievous wounds from his mission in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tyler Rake is back, and his team is ready to take on their next mission.
My Opinion:
This wasn’t bad. Ridiculous but entertaining. I vaguely remember the first being about Hemsworth saving a kid from baddies? And now he’s saving 2 kids & their mother from baddies. Next one is gonna throw in some puppies. Or would that be too much like John Wick? I can see these turning into a similar franchise. I’ll watch them all & smile as thousands of bullets never kill Hottie Hero Hemsworth.
My Rating: 6.5/10
Maybe I Do (2023)
Directed by Michael Jacobs
Based on Cheaters by Michael Jacobs
Starring: Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, William H. Macy
Plot Synopsis: (via IMDb)
Michelle and Allen are in a relationship. They decide to invite their parents to finally meet about marriage. Turns out, the parents already know one another well, which leads to some differing opinions about marriage.
My Opinion:
Oh dear. This movie is certainly a waste of some very big talent. They all do what they can with the material, though, so I did like seeing four seasoned actors doing their thing. Emma Roberts felt very out of her depth in comparison, although this is the perfect sort of movie for her at least (but she does too many like it).
The movie is pretty dreadful at first but does pick up when you realise their connections & I was indeed looking forward to the moment when they all came to the realisation themselves. The Roberts/Luke Bracey romance was mostly just annoying as was Sarandon‘s character (but she played it well). Then it all ended exactly as you’d expect from a cliche rom-com. Meh. I’ve seen worse, I guess. But it’s maybe the worst rom-com of 2023 that I’ve seen.
My Rating: 5.5/10