By JASON GUYER
By Jason Guyer
We are weeks into the world coming to a near standstill in the face of a pandemic. This has meant — at least in the short term — that fewer and fewer films are being released to buy and none are being released into theater. This invariably means the pickings for reviews are getting scarce.
For next week, I am looking forward to the release of a film called “Bit” starring Nicole Maines. As for this week of releases, they were few and far between and the ones that were made available are not worth your time. So here I will offer you some films that are.
A few weeks ago I did a piece on the top movies to watch on Netflix. Well, now I present the best things to watch on the streaming service Hulu. They range from one of the smartest and fun movies I have seen in years in “Booksmart” to one of the best speeches ever spoken in a film in “Assasination Nation.”
I am also including an Academy Award-winning documentary named “Free Solo” and a film that had New Hampshire native Matt Renner as an executive producer.
1. Booksmart — Perennial overachievers Amy and Molly always felt that keeping their noses to the grindstone gave them a leg up on their high school. On the eve of graduation though, the best friends suddenly realize that they may have missed out on the special moments of their teenage years. When the pair become determined to make up for lost time, the girls decide to cram four years of fun into one night and chaos ensues. Fun, smart, witty and as good as filmmaking got in 2019.
2. Kill Bill Vols. 1 & 2 — A former assassin, known simply as The Bride (Uma Thurman), wakes from a coma four years after her jealous ex-lover Bill (David Carradine) attempts to murder her on her wedding day. Fueled by an insatiable desire for revenge, she vows to get even with every person involved. One of Tarantino’s best stories.
3. Assasination Nation — Lily, a high school senior, and her three best friends live in a haze of texts, posts, selfies and chats. When their small town gets turned upside down by an anonymous hacker who starts to reveal personal messages and secrets of thousands of people. Anger erupts in the town and turns into full-blown violence and the four girls find themselves in a fight for their lives. The best in film speech ever written is in this film.
4. Lady McBeth — Katherine finds herself confined to the house and starved of companionship. As she is forced to spend her days in endless tedium while her husband is often called away. Katherine begins a passionate and fiery relationship with a young groom from the estate. An affair that sets off a conflict with her stern and unforgiving family that inevitably ends in tragedy. This film is when everyone knew Florence Pugh would be a star.
5. Mission Impossible: Fallout — Ethan Hunt and the IMF team join forces with CIA assassin August Walker to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. Fallout is one of the best films in the franchise.
6. The Full Monty — After losing his job at a steel factory, Gaz learns that his wife wants to sue him for missed child support payments. Gaz and his friend Davedecide to create their own male strip-tease act to earn extra cash.
7. I Kill Giants — Barbara Thorson struggles through life by escaping into a fantasy life of magic and monsters. This is a magical movie full of importance.
8. Super 8 — In Ohio in 1979, several youngsters try to make a zombie movie with a Super-8 camera. While filming, the friends witness a horrifying train derailment and are lucky to escape with their lives. The friends discover that the catastrophe was no accident.
9. Odd Thomas — In one of Anton Yelchin’s last and best roles, wackiness ensues when a clairvoyant cook joins forces with his sweetheart and the town sheriff to prevent an unknown catastrophe that may be linked to a weird stranger.
10. Little Woods — Set in North Dakota, two estranged sisters are driven to extremes when their mother dies. Lily James sets fire to the screen in this little gem.
11. The Nightingale — Clare, a young Irish convict, chases a British officer through the rugged Tasmanian wilderness and is bent on revenge for a terrible act of violence the man committed against her family.
12. Wild Rose — Rose, who is fresh out of prison juggles her job and two children while pursuing her dream of becoming a country music star. Jessie Buckley is wonderful in this role, especially with the singing.
13. Free Solo — Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber attempts to conquer the first free solo climb of famed El Capitan’s 900-metre vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park. Matt Renner, a NH native, was an executive producer and it is good to support those who hail from NH.
14. Villains — After a pair of amateur criminals break into a suburban home, they stumble upon a dark secret that two sadistic homeowners will do anything to keep from getting out. Bill Skarsgard, fresh off playing Pennywise, lightens up a little but still stays in the horror genre.
15. BalletNOW — Ballet dancer Tiller Peck, who was the first woman asked to curate the famed BalletNOW program, prepares and executes her vision of the show.
Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the graphics department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected].
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