Sentimental Value

 

Sentimental Value is a Norwegian drama that explores the fragile dynamics of family through Nora, played by Renate Reinsve and Agnes, played Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, as they reunite with their estranged father, Gustav, played by Stellan Skarsgård.

I appreciated that the film was primarily in Norwegian, which added a layer of authenticity to the performances. While it took home the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, I’ll be honest, it didn’t quite give me "Oscar winner vibes." The storytelling was incredibly nuanced and unique, but the pacing was quite slow and required me to pay close attention.

Skarsgård was brilliant as Gustav, portraying a morally reckless artist who prioritizes his work over his family. The contrast between the sisters was well-defined with Nora as the resentful, guarded older child struggling with intimacy, while Agnes was the more responsible and forgiving sister with a stable home life.

Despite the complex characters and strong acting, I found it hard to connect with the story emotionally. It’s a thoughtful look at sadness and forgiveness, but it ultimately felt a bit too detached to truly pull me in.

You, Me & Tuscany

 

In the romantic comedy You, Me & Tuscany, Halle Bailey stars as Anna, a young woman who ends up "squatting" in a stunning Tuscan villa after a brief encounter with its handsome owner. The situation spirals when the owner’s family discovers her and mistakenly assumes she’s his fiancée, a lie made even more complicated as she begins to fall for his skeptical brother, Michael played by Regé-Jean Page.

The film is a delightfully frothy drink that feels like a warm Italian summer captured on film. It delivers a predictable but super cute story that is incredibly easy to follow. Beneath the sunny surface, the film touched on deeper themes of grief, loss, and the importance of taking a leap of faith to live a life that is truly yours.

What really impressed me with this film were the landscapes and the food presentation. The vibrant, bright colors of the dishes and the sweeping vineyard views made me want to book a flight immediately. Additionally, Halle Bailey's wardrobe; as Anna, was super cute, effortless, and perfectly breezy for the summery setting.

While the chemistry between Bailey and Page was undeniable, some supporting characters felt a bit one-dimensional, leaning heavily into tropes like the "no-filter" inappropriate aunt and the "tough-on-the-outside" grandma.

With that being said, I still felt like this film was a perfect Saturday afternoon watch if you're looking for something light, sweet, and visually stunning.

Crime 101

Crime 101 is a crime thriller starring Chris Hemsworth as a meticulous jewel thief and Mark Ruffalo as the detective obsessed with catching him.

I got some vibes of The Departed but what it really felt like was the ultimate intersection of Heat and The Thomas Crown Affair. It’s a sleek, high-stakes film that is heavy on style, fast cars, and elaborate heists. The plot hit some familiar beats, including the "one good cop vs. a corrupt station" trope, which felt a bit overplayed, but overall it was easy to follow and kept me engaged.

Hemsworth played well off of his cast mates and shined as a guarded and careful man with a complicated past. I really appreciated the diverse, star-studded supporting cast that included Halle Berry and Corey Hawkins. Berry’s arch in particular was interesting because the writers tapped into aging in an industry that doesn’t want you there and what you would do about it. With that being said, I did find myself wishing for more character development for the rest of supporting players like Nick Nolte, Monica Barbaro, and Barry Keoghan. There was also some questionable accent work from Hemsworth and Keoghan, whose American voices tended to fade in and out, making some of dialogue a bit distracting. Keoghan also seems to be settling into an "unhinged villain" typecast, though his energy was undeniably effective.

Despite an unrealistic ending, the film had a lot of heart, exploring themes of finding connection through loneliness and the drive to reinvent oneself. Thus providing a satisfying sense of closure.

The Departed

 

The Departed is a 2006 Oscar winning crime drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson in a high-octane cat-and-mouse thriller set in South Boston that follows as an undercover cop and a mole in the police as they attempt to identify each other, before they themselves are found out, while infiltrating an Irish gang in.

The film did an authentic job of portraying the city's internal racism and the raw tension of law enforcement. The plot twists were top-tier and the story was surprisingly easy to follow for such a complex premise. While it’s a remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, Martin Scorsese made it entirely his own, diving deep into themes of identity confusion and the blurred lines between loyalty and betrayal. My only criticism is looking at it today, the cinematography and action sequences didn't hold up as well as I would have liked.

Leonardo DiCaprio gave a performance with incredible range, and his chemistry with Jack Nicholson was electric; even though Nicholson was essentially playing "The Joker”, it still worked for his role of Frank Costello. Mark Wahlberg’s performance felt a bit one-note as he’s largely the same in everything. I also found myself wishing for more character development for the people of color in the story.

In the end, this film perfectly captured the grit and moral ambiguity of the Boston Police Department and the Irish mob. I can definitely see why it is a fan favorite and why it swept the Oscars two decades ago.

Hit Man

 

Hit Man is an action comedy film from Richard Linklater starring Glen Powell as a mild-mannered professor who moonlights as a fake hit man for the police, the story takes a dangerous turn when he falls for a woman, played by Adria Arjona, who tries to hire him.

Though the plot was a bit predictable, it was very easy to follow and made for a fun watch. I really appreciated the deeper themes around choosing the life you want to live. It explores the idea that we are all capable of great change if we actually put our minds to it. This was a clever, genre-blending film that sat somewhere between a romantic thriller and a dark character study. While it was marketed as a comedy, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a "comedy" per se as it didn’t have me rolling in laughter, though it certainly had its humorous moments.

Powell was fantastic here, showing off his charisma and impressive range as he jumped between various "hit man" personas. He and Arjona had great chemistry, which made the morally complex situation they found themselves in much more engaging.

In the end, this was a nice Saturday night Netflix stream, even if it won’t necessarily be something I’d feel the need to watch a second time.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man serves as a gritty continuation of the beloved series, bringing Cillian Murphy's Tommy Shelby out of exile during the chaos of the Birmingham Blitz. 

Directed and written by the same team behind the original show, Tom Harper and Steven Knight, the film doesn't miss a beat when it comes to world-building. The costumes and sets perfectly immerse you in WWII-era England, capturing that signature Peaky Blinders atmosphere.

The casting remained a high point, with original players returning alongside fantastic newcomers like Rebecca Ferguson and Barry Keoghan. Keoghan was a particular standout, bearing a striking physical resemblance to Murphy, and the two played off each other brilliantly. There was some diversity with Jay Lycurgo as Elijah and Stephen Graham returning as Hayden Stagg, but unfortunately, there were still no BIPOC women represented in significant roles.

While the plot is interesting, the film as a whole didn't land quite as well as the television show. It felt predictable and a bit slow-moving in its execution, lacking some of the urgency and tension that made the series so gripping. It also missed the dark comedy that was sprinkled throughout the TV show, those moments of levity that balanced out the heaviness and gave the characters more dimension. That said, I appreciated the deeper themes woven throughout, coming to terms with trauma and doing the right thing without expecting recognition or reward. I also genuinely appreciated seeing an evolution of Tommy Shelby's character, watching him grapple with his past and move toward something resembling redemption.

By the end, I found the movie to be just okay. It provides a satisfying conclusion to Tommy's story while leaving the door open for potential future stories centered on the Shelby family. If you're a fan of the series, it's worth watching for closure, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of the show's best moments.

Hamnet

 

Hamnet is a historical drama directed by Chloé Zhao. The film follows William Shakespeare, played by Paul Mescal, and his wife, Agnes, played by Jessie Buckley, as they navigate the devastating loss of their young son, Hamnet, a tragedy that eventually inspires the creation of Hamlet.

The cinematography was stunning and vast, yet the story remained intimate and easy to follow. It was a breathtaking exploration of the intersection between personal tragedy and timeless art.

While the chemistry between the leads was undeniable, Jessie Buckley was the star. She handled Agnes with such range and grace that you felt every ounce of her grief. Paul Mescal played a more reserved version of a father managing his pain, turning it into purpose, which was a vital and moving contrast to Buckley's raw performance.

Hamnet is a beautifully paced film that explores the enduring power of memory and pulls at the heartstrings in the best possible way. It is a well-deserving film of its massive awards sweep including Jessie Buckley’s well-earned Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Actress.