On Apple TV -- Ghosted
There is no arguing Ghosted is a “good” film, but it is definitely one of the more entertaining ones of the year so far.
When farmers market employee Cole falls for Sadie – an art curator – the two make an improbable connection. Despite their obvious differences, they end up having a one-night-stand.
But when Cole – apt to take things too far, too quickly in his relationships – decides to travel by plane to pay a surprise visit to Sadie in London during her work trip, he becomes embroiled in a arms deal plot and his life is at risk.
Sadie is a secret agent, and the pairing must team up to stop an international criminal. While stars Ana De Armas and Chris Evans don’t have the best on-screen chemistry, they are charming enough individually to command the screen.
This comedy-actioner from the writers of Deadpool and director Dexter Fletcher – of Rocketman fame – is plenty of fun, and features Oscar winner Adrien Brody hamming it up as a villain.
I’m unlikely to ever watch Ghosted again, but it’s an entertaining rainy Sunday movie that won’t make your brain do backflips. Sometimes that’s entirely necessary.
On Netflix – Florida Man
Sometimes a show works based on its top-billed star alone – Florida Man is one such shining example.
Edgar Ramirez – a two-time Emmy nominee – is splendid and captivating as Mike, a recovering gambling addict paying off his debt to a gangster by working as an enforcer.
The ex-cop lost everything – His wife, his job, his home and had to flee his home state of Florida. When his mobster boss Moss Yankov realizes his girlfriend fled and left him, he sends Mike back to Florida to find her.
But a quick trip soon becomes a huge, tangled web that Mike gets caught up in, while he reckons with his past as well.
Ramirez stars with Abbey Lee, Otmara Marrero, veteran actor Anthony LaPaglia, and there’s also a fun, B-movie turn from Emory Cohen as mob boss Moss.
It’s all a bit silly and on-the-nose, but with seven brisk episodes, you can get through it with a weekend binge-watch.
On Disney+ -- Rye Lane
I fully ignored this movie when it was originally released on the platform a few weeks ago, but absolutely stellar reviews made me take pause.
Revolving around a young man and woman – both getting over recent break-ups in different ways – who have a happenstance meeting that leads to a full day together in South-London.
They tell stories, get up to all manner of hijinks, and begin to open up to each other, even though they were strangers just hours prior.
David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are really wonderful and charismatic in the leads, and they share a beautiful on-screen bond.
It’s Before Sunrise with a bit more humour, and I couldn’t believe how much I absolutely fell for these characters and this film. See it immediately.
On Crave -- Nope
Writer-director Jordan Peele has emerged as one of the most prolific auteurs of this generation – and not just as a horror director.
His game-changing debut Get Out was wickedly funny and a terrifying look at race relations, while his follow-up Us left me absolutely stunned.
With his film Nope – shrouded in secrecy for months – he tackles something new and ambitious, to varying results. That said, the bravura with which he makes this film is nothing short of astounding.
OJ and his sister Emerald live in inland California, and begin to see and hear things they can’t believe. As they become convinced there’s an uncanny presence in the sky, they set out on a quest for knowledge.
Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Oscar nominee Steven Yeun and Michael Wincott all give sterling performances here.
It’s a scary, admirable, confusing and incredible adventure that – while not without its problems – garners a definite recommendation from me for the wonderment of it all alone.
On Amazon Prime Video – Pearl
When X came out last year, I was absolutely astounded by the artful horror film. Little did I know that its prequel, Pearl, had been shot with it back-to-back.
Arriving mere months later, it represents not only a more interesting level, but a major step-up in almost every aspect – both technical and creative – to its predecessor.
It’s 1918, and Pearl is a lonely woman – Married to an army man who’s fighting the war, she waits day after day for him to come home. But she never gets return letters, and lives on a desolate farm with her jaded mother and father, the latter of whom has taken ill.
She toils on the farm, cares for the patriarch, and wishes to become a Hollywood star, much to the chagrin of her mother, who doesn’t seem to understand her. But Pearl is destined for bigger things, and it becomes clear she’ll stop at nothing to get what she desires.
Mia Goth is terrifying and enigmatic as Pearl, and brings so much depth to a character that could have been thinly-drawn.
She penned the film with Writer-Director Ti West, who blends so many eras and genres to make this one. Part nostalgia for the old Hollywood age, part drama and a mad dash of bizarre, horrific blood and mayhem, Pearl is a bit of everything.
See “X” first. You’ll have such a better understanding of Pearl if you do, and they’re great companion films for fans of elevated horror.
About The Author:
Jordan Parker is a freelance journalist and runs entertainment firm Parker PR. A huge lover and supporter of the local arts scene, he’s an avid filmgoer and lover of all genres.
A 2SLGBTQIA+ professional, he also works doing Events & Fundraising for the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia, and has a passion for giving a platform to queer events and artists.
His writing often skews toward local businesses, productions, events, and covering arts & entertainment. He’s also an avid sports fan and spends every May getting let down by the Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs.
Jordan believes in an open-door policy, and welcomes story pitches and questions from readers.
Email: [email protected]
