This movie has all the standard western tropes but elevates them by layering in meaning via Christian metaphor. It’s not nearly as gritty as many of its peers, which allows a less muddied overall experience with a more fulfilling story and ultimate resolution.
Closest comparison: It’s like Shane by way of The Outlaw Josey Wales.
Setting: Western
Plot: Western
Tone: Western
This movie is one of the most understated action movies of the last century. Most of the film isn’t action, but a long cat-and-mouse buildup to lay the groundwork for the action-packed finale. It’s a multi-layered plot and plays its cards close to the chest, cueing the audience in that there’s more going on but not explaining what exactly until the end. It’s an incredibly solid WWII stealth action film and is a must-watch for fans of the genre.
Closest comparison: It’s like The Guns of Navarone by way of The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.
Setting: WWII Action
Plot: Infiltration
Tone: Drama / Action
This movie is passable in its presentation of war, muddled in its statements on hero worship, and goes on far too long to do justice to its subject matter. The battle scenes, acting, and score are all serviceable, but the writing and directing are noticeably lacking here, bringing nothing to the table. Its greatest crime is being a boring war movie, which is downright difficult to pull off.
Closest comparison: It’s like We Were Soldiers by way of Thank You For Smoking.
Setting: War
Plot: War / Drama
Tone: Drama
This movie is an intimate character portrait that masterfully juggles story, character, and pacing. It’s slow in places to get the audience into the headspace of the protagonists so that when everything starts happening at once we can follow what’s really going on. Of course Sam Rockwell and the legendary Kathy Bates are fantastic, but the true standout performance is Paul Walter Hauser who disappears into the starring role. The film is appropriately tense and somber but lets out the tension enough to keep from being too depressing. This is the way docudramas should be made.
Closest comparison: It’s like a cross between The Blind Side (2009) and The Fugitive (1993).
Setting: Family Drama
Plot: Biography
Tone: Tragedy
This is a meandering, low-brow adventure comedy that may appeal more to fraternity pledges than the average citizen. The heist isn’t particularly interesting and doesn’t go according to plan, to the surprise of no one. If the humor is up your alley it’s probably a fun watch, but there’s too little depth and too much juvenile nonsense to be worth it for me.
Content warnings: female nudity
Closest comparison: It’s like Pineapple Express with the aimlessness of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but with much less action.
Setting: Adventure
Plot: Heist
Tone: Drug Movie
Not to be confused with Deadpool (2016), this fifth and final installment in the Dirty Harry series is lackluster at best. It forgets to be exciting and instead muddles through the plot just to get to the end. A few simple action scenes and lots of tired hard-boiled detective beats make this movie old hat, even for the era in which it was made. The most fun aspect of it is seeing Liam Neeson and Jim Carrey in bit parts before they were as famous as they are today. On the whole, though, it only amounts to the last gasp of better films.
