Not Scary...But All Kinds Of Creepy..."Gerald's Game"

Gerald's Game (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carel Struycken, Chiara Aurelia, Henry Thomas

Written and Directed by Mike Flanagan

The Story:

Gerald (Greenwood) and Jessie (Gugino) head to their isolated lake house for a long overdue romantic getaway. Gerald is hoping to spice things up, and brings along some handcuffs to have a little fantasy role play with his wife. Naturally, it's that moment when your wife is completely shackled to the bed that you keel over from a heart attack and die. How exactly is Jessie going to get out of this situation?

In the annals of cinematic history, Stephen King novels are either translated well into a cinematic counterpart, or they suck.

There is rarely any middle ground.

It seems that 2017 has been the rebirth of King's works as first The Dark Tower and then IT were released in theaters.

I've seen neither, but once again, it appears we  have one of each of King's adaptations according to critics and box office receipts.

Meanwhile, Netflix puts out their own original, and really doesn't trumpet that it's a King adaptation at all.

Perhaps that's to avoid any preconceived notions by those that may find they aren't fans of Stephen King's work?

Either way, here it is, and much like my favorite King adaptations, The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, this one really works.

And there really isn't any horror to the film.

Which isn't to say it isn't creepy.

Whether's it's Gerald's fantasies, or Jessie's mind splintering as she remembers what happened to her when she was just a kid (Aurelia), this movie keeps a hold on you similar to the hold the situation has on poor Jessie.

Kudos to Gugino for what is likely the performance of her career. She does so much more in this film than just be a helpless wife cuffed to a bed. Greenwood also gets a much meatier role than that of dead husband, so that is very welcome here.

Very well done, with some disturbing moments, and a scene in a bed that brings back the squeamish nature of that scene in Misery all over again.

Final Grade: B+ 

"Double Jeopardy"... Legal Thriller Or TV Game Show?

Double Jeopardy (1999)

Rated R

Starring Ashley Judd, Tommy Lee Jones, Bruce Greenwood

Directed by Bruce Beresford

The Story:

Libby (Judd) is sentenced to prison for the murder of her husband, Nick (Greenwood). She swears she's innocent and has been framed. As she rots away in prison, she discovers that not only was she framed, that Nick is actually alive. Once she is paroled, she escapes from her parole officer (Jones) and begins a mad dash across country to find her husband and retrieve her son. Staying one step ahead of the law and getting her son back is Libby's frantic mission.

What if "The Fugitive" was a girl?

That would be an easy way to sum up this film, especially when you include Tommy Lee Jones in the cast.

The difference is the spin of adding the child into the mix.

If it weren't for Libby wanting to see her son, she would have served her time and went along with her life after prison.

However, her son kept her drive and passionate because she missed him, and knew something was wrong.

Add in one seemingly innocent phone call when she hears him say, "Daddy", the film turns into her mission of revenge.

Great job by all three of the lead actors who elevate the story above just a regular thriller.

Worth a look if it's been ages, or never.


Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own this one. It's been over a decade since I had last seen it, but still holds up.

We're In For a Bumpy Ride..."Flight"

Not based on a true story...


The Story:

Airline pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is an alcoholic, and enjoys cocaine, and really, any other drug he can get his hands on.  Unfortunately, he likes to indulge this before work, after work, and heck, during work.  The really weird part, he seems to be completely functional at that level of impairment.  Amazingly enough, his plane malfunctions, and Whip does everything in his power to save the jet and the 102 onboard.  It crashes, 6 die, and then the trial and true test of his piloting and his character will be put to the test.


A story so unbelievable, you believe that it's real, but it's not.  Completely fictional, a rarity in Hollywood these days.

Denzel is on his game, as always, as a pilot who is really good at what he does, but he's not really that nice of a guy.

In his corner is the union rep for the pilots (Bruce Greenwood) who brings in a sharp lawyer (Don Cheadle) to save his friend, but even their attempts at working magic get hampered because of Whip's constant addiction, fed with great amusement by John Goodman.

It's a double-edged sword of a movie.  He's not a bad guy, he just did some foolish things.  However, he's done them so well, for so long, that's simply how his body works.

None of that had anything to do with causing the crash, and you wonder if he will get away with murder, or at least, manslaughter.

The ending is both wonderful, and terrible, at the same time.

I give all the credit in the world for that to Denzel, the story, and the superb direction by Robert Zemeckis.  It's nice to see him not doing that weird animation style for a change. : )


Final Grade: B

Would I Own It: Since it is a drama, it's unlikely, but I could watch it again in the future.