Mike Goes To Movies

Under the Silver Lake (2019) Part of A24's great success has been its ability to market its wide-ranging genre of films to very specific markets - illustrating why each of this indie gems may be the perfect film for you. With Under the Silver Lake however, upon its mediocre reception at Cannes, A24 became a bit stumped, unsure of how exactly to market this enigmatic film, leading to a semi-bout between the production company/distributor and the film's writer/director, David Robert Mitchell, over a possible re-cut for the film. In the end, the director won out and the film remained intact leading to its concurrent theatrical and VOD release. It is a testament to Mitchell's integrity as an artist that he used his new industry clout following the massive success of It Follows to make such a heady and ambitious film for his follow-up. Under the Silver Lake is a large film; it is a subversive noir that both pays homage to the classic genre while also consistently poking ...

TIFF: Knives Out (2019) It is no surprise that Rian Johnson enjoys his genre films, particularly those involving mysteries, twists and intricate plots. We have already seen him tackle classic noir with Brick and the big con with The Brothers Bloom, and with this year's Knives Out he moves on to an even older mystery genre - the detective caper. Like Brick did for Raymond Chandler, Knives Out is a contemporary retelling of a Christie or Conan Doyle story involving a high profile death, a cast of exaggerated characters - each with an intriguing backstory rife with possible motive - and, of course, a renowned detective. For the most part Johnson hits all of the right notes with this film, although the back half tends to meander more and loses some of its momentum as the plot focuses down on only a few of the characters as well as some long-winded exposition and explanation that guides the final moments. There is a lot to enjoy with Knives Out. As many have seen in trailer or pos...