El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

 

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a 2019 crime thriller that serves as a sequel and conclusion to the original series, picking up right where Jesse Pinkman left off; on the run from the law and his past.

For the most part, the film was pretty boring and relied way too much on cameos to keep people interested. While it was great to see Aaron Paul reprise his role alongside familiar faces like Jesse Plemons and Bryan Cranston, the movie honestly felt a bit like album filler. It felt more like a trap for fans to spend time and money on nostalgia bait rather than a necessary addition to the story. 

The six year gap between the show ending and this movie filming was really obvious too, as many of the actors looked significantly older or heavier than they did in 2013, which made the timeline feel a bit out of place. I’m not even sure the flashbacks were necessary to add context since these characters were already so well developed over five seasons.

That being said, I did appreciate seeing the evolution of Jesse’s character. After years of watching him struggle as the underdog, it was satisfying to see him finally take control of his own narrative. It provides a sense of closure that fans of the series might appreciate, but as a standalone movie, it still felt a little unnecessary.

Project Hail Mary

 

Project Hail Mary is a science fiction film based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir. It follows Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, a school teacher and former biologist who wakes up on a spacecraft with amnesia.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not typically a fan of space movies. I usually find them boring, like Gravity, but this felt different. Andy Weir has a very specific writing style that connects you to the character immediately, similar to his other work in The Martian.

The movie was definitely long, but once the stakes were upped, I didn’t feel the runtime. Ryan Gosling produced the film and carried almost the entire thing, which can be hard to do when you have 90% of the dialogue, but he was so likable as Grace that he made the journey feel painless. I really appreciated the diverse supporting cast as well. It was great to see Lionel Boyce in something outside of his role in The Bear, and Ken Leung played a character that was such a 180 from his role in Industry. I do wish the film had dug a little deeper into those supporting characters though. While I thought the alien was a little corny at first, I ended up really liking the connection between it and Grace.

In the end, Project Hail Mary is a total win even for people who usually find space movies a bit dry. It’s a cute, funny, and heartfelt story about bravery and sacrifice that actually pulls at the heartstrings.

Half-Baked

 

Half-Baked is a ’90s stoner comedy about three slackers trying to raise bail for their arrested friend, written by and starring Dave Chappelle alongside Guillermo Diaz and Jim Breuer.

The script leans heavily on simple, slapstick humor that often felt lazy, like the writers weren’t really pushing themselves. I also wasn’t a fan of the set design. It oddly leaned into a stereotypical ’60s aesthetic. I understood the connection to the so called “golden age” of marijuana culture, but it felt out of place in a movie clearly set in the ’90s.

The acting was where the film really fell apart. There was a lot of overacting, especially from Jim Breuer and even Chappelle, which led to several cringe worthy moments and unnecessary voiceovers. Rachel True was the only one who came out of this relatively unscathed, bringing some actual poise to the on the nose role of Mary Jane.

The movie also leaned hard on nostalgia bait cameos, including Snoop Dogg, Tommy Chong, Willie Nelson, plus Bob Saget and Janeane Garofalo, but none of them do much to elevate the material.

I now understand why the film was poorly received. The title ends up being unintentionally accurate. It really does feel like a half-baked idea that never fully comes together. While it wasn’t a good movie, it was interesting to see where so many well-known quotes and GIFs originated. There are a few funny moments, but overall it feels sloppy and doesn’t quite earn its cult status. In the end, it plays less like a polished film and more like a group of Dave Chappelle’s friends rallying around his first major writing and starring project.

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.