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Directed by Julius Avery and written by Bragi F. Schut, we’re not just entering a good vs evil superhero story in Samaritan, although it may seem like it at first. A young boy named Sam (played by Javon Walton) is convinced that his neighbour Joe, played by action-star Sylvester Stallone, is in fact Samaritan – a forgotten superhero that went missing 25 years ago.
The relationship between Sam and Joe is what really stood out the most. The interactions between them felt genuine, and I loved the curiousity of Sam’s character. I also like the restoring of humanity aspect that does wax and wane a bit but in the end, we know that one act of kindness can have a domino effect in life.
The movie is predictable in some ways, but surprising in others. I never read any of the comics so I am just basing my judgment solely on this film. We can’t forget the action of course, as there were some pretty amazing fight scenes, especially the warehouse battle and also the unexpected twist. The villain, Cyrus, was lame though, so that was a bit of disappointment as I think a stronger one would have really helped the movie along. He was like a watered-down version of Bane from the Dark Knight mixed with a little Keifer Sutherland appearance-wise. He was rather forgettable.
Despite some of the flaws, the acts of heroism always hold up. The fact that Stallone has not aged as gracefully as others in the Hollywood spotlight and people might criticize that element, I didn’t really mind as his performance was heartfelt and highly entertaining overall.
Hustle is directed by Jeremiah Zagar and produced by basketball legend, LeBron James, Adam Sandler, and others.
Sandler plays a Philadelphia 76ers scout named Stanley Sugerman, who lives and breathes basketball. His job sends him travelling all the time, which clearly has an impact on his family life, but he is determined to find his next talent and prove he can rise up to be more than just a coach. While in Spain, Stanley comes across Bo Cruz, played by Juancho Hernangomez who is a phenomenal streetplayer (and is a pro Spanish b-ball player in real life too! ) who doesn’t back down from anyone or anything. Stanley believes he can mold him into the next superstar basketball player with some tough love and mentoring. Bo has what it takes but carries a lot of skeletons in his closet that will test the limits of how far he’ll go with or without Stanley by his side.
The movie is so impactful on many levels, as we see the struggles of Stanley on and off the court especially his desperation to be somebody. It’s heartbreaking but we’ve all been in his shoes in some way or another, so it’s relatable and his performance hits straight to the heart. The friendship between him and Bo is so genuine with real tender moments and shows how trust is the foundation to build upon anything else.
Hustle is one of the best movies of 2022 for me and a total slam dunk!
Swinging Safari is an Australian comedic and dramatic romp of craziness with a 70’s vibe, starring Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Julian McMahon (biggest crush from the series Nip/Tuck) and more. It was written and directed by Stephan Elliott, who is well-known for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The movie is funny, fast-paced, loud and bordering on obnoxious at times, showing the perspective of life through the lens of the adults and children in Australia during the 1970’s. Throw in a random beached whale that is really the most exciting thing to happen to the town of Wallaroo in a long time, maybe forever.
There are so many characters in this one, it is hard to keep track. I loved the innocence and sweet relationship of Melly (it’s rare I can find a movie with a “Melissa” in it – so yaay!) played by Darcey Wilson and Jeff (Atticus Rob), as they had to both navigate dealing with their dysfunctional families. I also appreciated Guy Pearce, who played Keith Hall, who was as eccentric as his fashion choices.
The narration helps to create some sort of cohesion of telling the stories of each of the families, including the sad stories of two pets specifically Doody the Dog and Tommy the Turtle, but a lot of scenes are disjointed and that’s probably intentional, to show what it was like to grow up in suburbia with cruel parental discipline and moral compasses tossed out onto the barbie.
Some scenes were so outrageous that I was thinking of giving up on the movie, but then it pulls you back in and you’re laughing awkwardly while tapping your feet to the great soundtrack with songs like Spirit in the Sky and Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep.
So grab a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and have a swingin’ good time!
Directed by Tom Reeve, Hard Times (known prior with the title Holy Water), is a crazy, tushy-grabbing good time Irish comedy that pokes fun of all our insecurities, religion, sex, and it’s “fecking” bizarre.
Set in the village of Killcoulin's Leap, what could possibly go wrong when you have a group of men who are desperate to make quick money and try and hijack a Viagra truck? Well you get the FBI after you and of course, with fear of now being caught, the only logical thing to do is dump all the pills into your local "Holy" well. Unfortunately, all goes haywire as everyone from the town takes a sip, and another sip, and another, of the water, which leads to many residents “rising up” to these miraculous feelings thrusted upon them.
The movie is funny but a little long-winded at times. It was actually filmed in Devon, England, and the scenery is gorgeous throughout so that's a plus. One thing that seems to be apparent is that Irish movies never shy away from nudity so you’ll be seeing a lot of anatomy in this one!
💜Have you seen any of these films? Drop me a note in the comments, or send me an email using my webform on the side and also let me know what you've been watching!
