Mike Goes To Movies

Sound of Metal (2020) TLDR: Easily one of the best films I have seen in a long while. Grounded by an absolutely stellar performance by Riz Ahmed (and co-star, Olivia Cooke), Darius Marder's Sound of Metal is a moving and deeply-empathetic look into the journey and struggle to find peace with one's self through the lens of a musician who loses his hearing.  Have no doubt, if you are not yet familiar with the names Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke you are about to be. Both actors - Ahmed in particular who leads the film - are transcendent in Darius Marder's Sound of Metal. Ahmed plays Ruben, a heavy metal drummer, in a duo group led by guitar/singer, Lou, played by Cooke. The two are as much a pair off-stage as they are on it. It is clear from early on that they are all that the other really has in life and they are content to travel across the country in their RV together playing shows and making ends meet as best they can. However, all goes awry when Ruben - who batters his eardr...

Thoroughbreds (2017) This film is very much one of those indie-gems that flies under the radar but is absolutely worth a watch. It is a creatively-made dark comedy about two polar-opposite high schoolers who decide to of one of their horrible step-dads. Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) is highly emotional, put-together and academic, while Amanda (Olivia Cooke) feels, literally, nothing at all, lacks motivation for school and has a dark and troubled past. They are old friends though, and, after a number of years apart, upon Lily beginning to tutor Amanda they reach the decision to send Lily's step-dad to sleeping with the fishes. To do so they decide to bring in help from another older and no-less troubled teen, Tim (Anton Yelchin). First-time director/writer, Cory Finley's, direction and script are both sharp, intelligent and captivating. Finley is a definite talent to keep an eye on and I foresee him having a long and successful career ahead. There is an exhilarating momentum that...