McCharlize / Photoshoper: McCabe Webb
It is that time of year once again. The weather is cold and there are about five inches of mud covering the ground. It is perfect weather for staying inside with a blanket and a mug of tea. With that being said, here are my reviews of four movies that are great for any stormy day.
“The Greatest Showman”: This is definitely the best musical since “La La Land”, and since it shares the same songwriters, it is a safe bet that if you enjoyed Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s music-filled love story, you’ll love “The Greatest Showman”. Sporting an all-star cast including Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Zendaya, the movie is certainly not lacking in the character department. The music is amazing, and Jackman brings real-life entertainer P.T. Barnum to the silver screen with unparalleled skill. If you are looking for a great movie to watch or if you are getting a bit tired of the “Hamilton” playlist on loop in your car and are looking for new songs to enjoy, I definitely recommend this movie.
“Jumanji: Into the Jungle”: Truthfully, I went into this movie not expecting much. I have always been a huge fan of the original “Jumanji”, and expected this to be a shameless cash grab. I almost laughed out loud when the legendary board game turned into a video game. However, once the main story began, I genuinely began to enjoy it. It strays away from the original movie’s almost horror-like qualities and became a comedy. The cast did an amazing job, especially Jack Black, who hilariously portrayed a teenage girl. The plot is simple, but well done, helped by great acting jobs from the entire cast. I also appreciated the Easter egg reference to Robin Williams’ character in the original “Jumanji”. This movie is great if you are looking for a light, humorous watch that does not take itself too seriously.
“The Evil Dead”: Cold, stormy weather is perfect for a horror movie, and there are very few horror movies better than the 2013 remake of “The Evil Dead”. Just so we do not get angry calls from parents, I will put this disclaimer in now: viewer discretion is advised. It was a very risky move to remake one of the most famous cult classic horror movie titles of all time, but the risk was certainly worth the reward. It is marketed as “the most terrifying movie you will ever experience”, and it certainly lives up to that claim. The movie is simply terrifying in the best ways possible; it does not solely rely on jump scares and buckets of fake blood like so many of the modern horror movies. This movie, however, utilizes the atmosphere and slowly rising tension beautifully, yet does not shy away from a good amount of gore. I would recommend not watching it alone, so grab a buddy and prepare to be amazed and get no sleep.
“Atomic Blonde”: Like “Jumanji: Into the Jungle”, I had low expectations for this movie. I expected a Ghostbusters-style movie that tried (and failed) to be “Jason Bourne” or “Mission Impossible”. My doubts were shut down immediately, and almost every other spy thriller I have seen got blown out of the water. This movie is beautiful; the shots and cinematography are stunning and very reminiscent of a noir-style film with modern capabilities. The characters are incredible; Charlize Theron does an astounding job playing a stone-cold spy during the time of the Berlin Wall. James McAvoy was also at his best, giving us one of the best and most violent attack scenes I have seen. The plot is also worth mentioning; like any good spy thriller, it is full of twists and turns that leave the viewer breathless from an incredible game of cat and mouse. It also has a twist ending that should make M. Night Shyamalan jealous. All in all, I have run out of big words to describe how great this movie is, but it is certainly in the top three movies of 2017.