The Death of Stalin

Here is a film that almost no one has heard of. It’s truly an independent. Starring Steve Buscemi as Nikita Kruschev, it is the story of the transition of power after Stalin died. His chosen successor is a dolt so Kruschev and another are fighting for the second position. Believe it or not Kruschev is the good guy. The movie is a farce with many comical characters including Stalin’s son who is one step above an idiot. This is a black comedy, so some people may not like the morbid humor, but I enjoyed it. You will probably have a hard time finding it in theaters so look for it on cable or streaming video. It really is a gem.

The Leisure Seeker

We went to see this film because it stars Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland figuring how could it be bad? It’s a slice of life movie about an older couple taking off on a road trip in their 40+ year RV. He is a retired English professor who has Alzheimer’s and she is his devoted, bossy wife who has some disease that is supposedly fatal. They have all kinds of adventures and meet interesting people along the way. Ultimately it is sad as they know they are near the end, but they keep going anyway. Of course it is beautifully acted. Mirren, as an aging Southern Belle, gives a performance that is different than normal. Sutherland, who has always been an underrated actor, does a wonderful job as a once brilliant man who goes in and out of touch with reality. It is fascinating to watch him, not knowing if it’s his old self or not. This is a small movie and it drags in places. If you don’t see it on the big screen, watch it on Netflix or HBO. They don’t make them like this anymore.

Red Sparrow

Let me preface this review with the fact that I think Jennifer Lawrence is an incredible actress. Unfortunately, being so good, sometimes the material that she is working with does not live up to her talents. “Red Sparrow” is fair, maybe good, but not great. Lawrence is excellent with a Russian accent. The plot is a throwback to a Cold War spy story. Her character starts out as a gifted ballet dance who suffers a career ending injury. She is recruited by a clandestine spy network that does terrible things. The film is bloody and graphic with nudity. It is also too long. The ending will knock you out and makes it worth sitting through. Not a bad thriller.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

This film is a remake of the early 2000’s version starring Angelina Jolie. First, Alicia Vikander is no Angelina Jolie, but then who is? She is a great update and a badass in her own right. The movie is a worthy remake, with a lot of action and nasty bad guys. Lara goes in search of her father who, of course, is a billionaire explorer bent on saving the world from an evil ghost. He has been lost for seven years and Lara ends up on the island he allegedly died on. As you would expect she is the only one who believes he is alive. Lots of action, some of it even believable with an ending that all but says “and we’re going to make a sequel.” Fun and mindless.

Proud Mary

Who knew that Taraji P. Henson could play a bad ass? In “Proud Mary” she plays an assassin who works for the Black mob in Boston. The head of the organization, played by Danny Glover, raised her as a daughter. She ends up taking in a boy whose father was one of her hits. To help the boy she ends up killing the guy who “owns” him and sets off a war. She wants out, but Glover won’t let her go. There is a lot of action and a huge body count. The film is entertaining and full of action. Not the greatest, but it kept my interest.

The Commuter

Liam Neeson has become the go-to guy for action movies debuting in January. His latest entry is “The Commuter” where he plays an allegedly mild mannered insurance salesman who has an epically bad day. As bad as that day is, his commute home is ten times worse. He is drawn into a plot that he has no control over, a sort of sick game of cat and mouse. It is not your typical terror on a train movie. Instead it is one of the most suspenseful movies I have seen in a long time. There are just enough action sequences to keep your interest. They might have subtitled it “Taken on a Train”, but it’s more than that. The plot is tight, clever and keeps you guessing until the end. If you like suspense, action and Liam Neeson being a bad ass, go see this movie.