Dearest Blog: After a two-week hiatus, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for The Predator and White Boy Rick.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
First on my agenda: The Predator.
They're baaa-aaack...
I have sometimes been accused of using too many words, so today I'm going to tell you in not very many words, dear readers, that this movie is very stupid and I didn't like it. I love the original Predator. It is the only film in cinema history that has ever actually scared me. The latest entry in the series features hokey effects, lame dialogue, and action sequences that are frequently too dark to see much of anything. The tone feels wrong from the outset, with crass, unfunny stabs at humor. I fell for the entire cast quickly and against expectations, which was enough to provide the occasional briefly-entertaining interlude, but it was far too little to redeem the whole.
The Predator runs 107 minutes and is rated R for "strong bloody violence, language throughout, and crude sexual references."
The Predator exploits a popular franchise for a cash grab, an all-too-familiar Hollywood tale. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Predator gets four.
Next on the docket, White Boy Rick.
In the Just Say No era, a young man from a troubled family says yes.
White Boy Rick is the disturbing true story of Rick Wershe, Jr., a Detroit-area teen who, seeing no other escape from his family's dismal existence, begins dealing drugs and ends up an FBI informant. The grimy reality of 1980s Detroit is the perfect backdrop for this depressing tale. It's difficult to watch, but outstanding work by the cast makes it worth your effort. There were some spots where I felt the film moved too quickly (such as explaining Rick's initial acceptance by his gang), but it's a petty quibble with a well-done picture that you'll be thinking about long after you leave the theater.
White Boy Rick clocks in at 110 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout, drug content, violence, some sexual references, and brief nudity."
White Boy Rick is a dark tale buoyed by superb performances across the board.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, White Boy Rick gets seven.
Until next time...
