The Shallows (2016)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: Anthony Jaswinski
Stars: Blake Lively, Oscar Jaenada, Lozano Corzo

Synopsis: 
Nancy (Blake Lively) is on the search for an island her deceased mother had found when she was pregnant with her many years ago and she encounters a shark in the surrounding waters only a couple hundred yards away from shore.

Review:
This movie is the best shark movie since Jaws, which honestly hasn't had an honest contest considering not many other shark films, if any, before this even touched the bar set by Jaws 41 years ago. That isn't to say that this movie isn't good, it's quite unnerving and terrifying honestly. This is this generation's Jaws because along with being filmed with a Go Pro camera a tiny bit, the use of cell phones and Instagram being apparent in this movie even video calling shows up in a scene, this movie makes you afraid of the water again.
Now I would still say that Jaws is a better film but I would be shocked if something could be released today with the amount of heart and suspense that surrounds Jaws and makes it the classic it is. But with the white knuckle thrills and amount of tension that this movie delivers makes it a worthy competitor and could be used as a nice opener for a summer double header at a drive-in or at home next year with jaws.

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Recommendation: See it

Swiss Army Man (2016)

Director: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Writers: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Stars: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Synopsis:
It starts out with Hank (Paul Dano) being stranded on an island and loosing all hope on being saved and is setting up to hang himself until he finds Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) washed up ashore. The only problem is that Manny is dead. The thought of love though does seem to reanimate Manny, more progressively the more he can remember what love was. Through this reanimation progress Hank realizes Manny's potential at being a helpful tool in helping Hank return to civilization.

Review:
Swiss Army Man is every bit as original as it is hilarious. I can't exactly remember a movie this charming and every bit bizarre as this movie was. Now I can guess that there probably are going to be some people that watch this and want to walk out or turn it off within the first 10 or so minutes because of the bizarre content in this film, but it does reward those who stay by delivering a once in a lifetime cinematic experience that I'd love to experience again before it leaves theaters.

Rating: 5 Stars

Recommendation: See it

The Hateful Eight

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Writer: Quentin Tarantino

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Synopsis:

Eight strangers are stuck together in a shelter while waiting out a blizzard.

Review:

Quentin Tarantino I feel like at this point, can do no wrong. He knows what movies are for, and knows why people want to go see movies, his writing is smart and straight to the point, often witty as well. He gets movies and makes movies that he would like to see himself, he’s done so many genre epics, from westerns to mobster films, he’s made movies in ways that haven’t been done in years, like the way he went and made The Hateful Eight, filming it in the style that hasn’t been done in 40 or so years. I don’t know how he does it, but even when his movies have the simplest of plots, like this and Django Unchained, they’re some of the most enjoyable films I’ve seen in recent years. He strikes gold again with this, and while some people might be turned off with the simple plot and nearly three hour runtime, I know that some people will find this boring, and believe me, if this was in the hands of anyone else, then it might have been, but with Quentin’s writing and direction, it is just simply splendid, and I don’t think there’s much that needed to be changed or tweaked, it’s direct and beautiful to look at, the climax is just as much a bloody good time as any other Quentin Tarantino film. It’s probably the best three hours I’ve spent in a theater all year.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Recommendation:

Any fans of Quentin Tarantino knows what they’re getting into, if you don’t like his films then of course you’re not going to like this one, but if you love him and his films then you know just about what you’re getting into. I’d recommend going to see it in 70 mm if you can, I’ve seen it twice in 35 mm and can only imagine how amazing this would look in that format.