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Atomic Blonde

Atomic Blonde scratched a spy movie itch I didn’t know I had. From the opening scene of a bruised and battered Charlize Theron going in for a debriefing to awesome fights and spy craft against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall, I loved this movie. We also get to see Sofia Boutella’s acting chops.

And the soundtrack. Just perfect for the time and setting of the movie.

I hope this is the start of a new franchise.

Being a spy movie – too much knowledge of the plot would spoil essential details. Suffice it to say, an MI6 agent is killed and highly volatile intelligence was stolen from him. Lorraine is sent to find the missing intelligence with support from McAvoy’s character. That brief synopsis does not do this movie justice.

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Karate Kill



Karate Kill is a fun, low budget martial arts film from Kurando Mitsutake, the Director of Gun Woman.

Kenji is working multiple jobs in Japan and sending money to his sister, Mayumi. He goes a month without hearing from her and heads to the US to find her. This leads to Kenji fighting his way from California to Texas, and finding out the fate of his sister.

I highly recommend that you watch this movie. It is available on Video on Demand and on bluray and dvd. The bluray comes with a soundtrack cd.

Starring: Hayate, Asami, Mana Sakura, Katarina Leigh Waters, Kirk Geiger, David Sakurai

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Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is an ambitious movie. Perhaps too ambitious. It has a lot of world building to accomplish and that detracts from the narrative.

It did make me curious about the source material.

I honestly think this would work better as a series than as a movie.

Starring: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Sam Spruell, Sasha Luss, Aymeline Valade, Elizabeth Debicki, Pauline Hoarau, Barbare Weber Scaff

IMDB Synopsis:
A dark force threatens Alpha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

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Spider-Man: Homecoming

I love this third iteration of Spider-Man. It had the right amount of humor and action. We get to see the beginnings of the Parker Luck as Peter has to make choices about doing things with his friends or patrolling as Spider-Man. The Vulture is way more sympathetic than I thought he would be.

I tried to go into this with my expectations lowered, but recently re-watching Civil War took that notion away. Thankfully my high expectations were met and exceeded.

Plus – no origin story! We do not have to live through Uncle Ben dying and imparting the life lesson on Peter. At most, we get Peter telling someone that he was bit by a spider. That’s it.

Mid-Credits scene was good. But the after credits scene is a game changer for the MCU.

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Bokeem Woodbine, Kenneth Choi

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It Comes at Night



It Comes at Night is an emotionally and paranoia-driven thriller. The trailer is a bit misleading. It makes you think there are creatures that attack during the night (zombies? infected people?), but that is not the case. There is a disease running throughout the country and an isolated family is working to stay safe.

The movie opens with this family having to deal with the grandfather who is beginning to show signs of infection. Later someone attempts to break in looking for supplies. He, his wife and child are eventually invited to stay.

The story continues on with the new members integrating into the family and their chores. Everything is going fine until the 17-year old son finds the entrance open one night.

The consequences of this discovery show just how far people will go for their family when pushed into a corner.

The final scene is still sitting with me.

A word of warning – this is a slow-burn movie.

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Griffin Robert Faulkner, David Pendleton

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