Ingrid Goes West (2017)

Sometimes the films I chose for the challenge can be totally random like a lot of the films or they can be planned right from the start like a lot of the films I choose. Nonetheless, I have grown to become a huge fan of independent films due to the creative and artistic freedom that they possess. I had heard a lot of buzz surrounding this week’s film Ingrid Goes West and the fact that it starred Aubrey Plaza (An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn) made it easier to choose. Ingrid Thorburn (Plaza) is not your normal everyday girl who does your normal everyday stuff. You see she has a problem and that is as soon as someone likes or responds to her on Instagram, she becomes instantly obsessed with that person. In fact after a Instagram star (Elizabeth Olsen) responded to her, Ingrid packed up and moved west, but will the Instagram star figure it out or will Ingrid be able to slide right in to her friends list? The film also stars O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton) as Dan Pinto, Wyatt Russell (Overlord) as Ezra, Billy Magnussen (Game Night) as Nicky, Pom Klementieff (Uncut Gems) as Harley Chung, Meredith Hagner (Horse Girl) as Charlotte, Hannah Pearl Utt (Eat Prey) as Nicole, and the film was directed by Matt Spicer (It’s Not You It’s Me).

Ingrid Goes West is able to take the classic obsession genre of films like Single White Female and it’s able to make it current with the social media aspect. While I believe that everyone in the film did a wonderful job as far as the acting was concerned, I feel that Aubrey Plaza stepped it up big time in this film. She was able to play this vulnerable woman who just wants to be accepted, but can’t help that there is something seriously wrong with her. O’Shea Jackson Jr. is another actor in the film that definitely deserves some props as he went from playing the rough and tough Ice Cube role in Straight Outta Compton to playing this lovable, cool dude who just happens to be obsessed with Batman. It was definitely a role flip for him and I love that because he challenged himself. The film features a bright young cast that could be giving us a preview of the future, maybe? Even if it doesn’t mean that, you still should check out this film because it has so much to offer from the black comedy aspects to the cinematography which is pretty good as well. I thought the ending was going to be pretty dark as it seemed like it was going to end on such a horrific note very reminiscent to what happens today, but luckily we get some sort of a happy ending. The film could be considered to be social commentary on the way things are today and maybe we should look at social media differently. Anyways, I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.

An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn (2018)

There are times when you check out films just based on the name itself because it intrigues enough to want to press play. There are definitely times when you check out films based off of who is in the film or even who directs it and that was definitely the case with today's film in 2018's An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn which was written and directed by Jim Hosking (ABC's Of Death 2). The film stars Aubrey Plaza (The Little Hours) as Lulu Danger, a woman whose marriage is so unsatisfying, she just needs the slightest reason to run away. One day all her prayers are answered when a mysterious figure from her past is schedules to perform an event called An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn; For One Magical Night Only in her hometown. What ensues is one wild and crazy adventure as Lulu looks to finally get the answers she deserves no matter the costs. The film also stars Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine) as Beverly Luff Linn, Emile Hirsch (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood) as Shane Danger, Jemaine Clement (Moana) as Colin Keith Threadener, Matt Berry (Toast Of London) as Rodney Von Donkensteiger, Zach Cherry (You) as Tyrone, Sky Elobar (Candy Corn) as Carl Ronk, Jacob Wysocki (Unfriended) as Lawrence Doggi, Sam Dissanayake (This Is 40) as Adjay, Maria Bamford (Barnyard) as The Elegant Woman, and Michael D. Cohen (Suburbicon) as Mitch Stemp.

This film was just so weird from beginning to end that I thought it was written by the people behind Tim & Eric and some of the best Adult Swim comedies out there, but I looked it up and it wasn't. The film has that certain brand of comedy that is just so dumb that it's funny, but at the same time you're like what is wrong with them and I get that watching Adult Swim shows like Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule, and even some of Eric Andre's stuff. I don't know how to describe that brand of comedy, but if you've seen those then you know exactly what I am talking about. One thing that I left this film with was the fact that if it wasn't for Jemaine Clement, I think this film would not have been as great without him. I love his style of comedy and he shines in this film as the most interesting character of them all so its safe to say that he is the MVP of the film. I definitely loved some of the other actors in this film and I love what each of them brought to the film, but Clement brought out the best in all of them. I just love some of the over the top ridiculousness that is presented in this film like the hotel manager or Tyrone's mom which is really played by a dude and so many other things that put this film over the top like the music and costumes as well. It's funny for most of the film, Robinson just has to grunt and moan for most of it until we get to the performance and how lucky was he? The film is on Netflix right now and I definitely suggest you give it a shot as I am giving the film an B+ for a final grade.

The Little Hours (2017)

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of the film that I chose for today, but it featured a really good collection of a cast that I couldn't resist watching it. Back in the 14TH century, Giovanni Boccaccio wrote a collection of novellas that has been restored to it's original form in the book The Decameron and director Jeff Baena (Life After Beth) decided that he would write the script and turn it into a film called The Little Hours. The film stars Dave Franco (The Disaster Artist) as Massetto, a guard for a wealthy Lord who gets into something he shouldn't have and now he is on the run. Massetto by chance runs into a priest by the name of Father Tommasso (John C. Reilly) who agrees to take him in under one condition, that he pretends to be a mute. That will prove to be challenging when the nuns in the convent begin tempting him. The film also stars Alison Brie (How To Be Single) as Alessandra, Kate Micucci (The LEGO Batman Movie) as Ginevra, Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West) as Fernanda, Molly Shannon (Wet Hot American Summer) as Sister Maria, Fred Armisen (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy) as Bishop Bartolomeo, Jemima Kirke (Girls) as Marta, Nick Offerman (Bad Times At The El Royale) as Lord Bruno, Adam Pally (The Mandalorian) as Guard Paolo, and Paul Reiser (Mad About You) as Ilario.

Have you seen the collection of actors in this film in the above paragraph? That alone should be the sing that you are actually about to watch a really good film. Now I will warn that there is a lot of sexual content in the film because that is what the story was based around in that no matter what we do sometimes even the holiest of people can give in to sexual desires. These are women that are training to be nuns so that they can make their families proud because I guess back in those days it was the noble thing to do. Today we want our kids to go to college and get a great job and back in the 14TH century it was I would like my son or daughter to be a priest/nun. At one point in the film, I wanted to be frustrated with how over the top Audrey Plaza was as she acted like herself, but then again I said this is a comedy after all so I believe it fits the context of what they are doing. Dave Franco deserves all of the honors in the film as he did such an amazing job in the film. I mean John C. Reilly was simply John C. Reilly and that equals great, but Franco deserves some credit as well for everything he had to do. Alison Brie and co were fantastic as well and big props to Molly Shannon who held her own as well. I loved the chaos of the film especially during the witchcraft scenes because it added something different to the film and I loved the cinematography and imagery of it. I definitely think the film is worth checking out and you can find it on Netflix as we speak. I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.