What to Watch This Weekend: Trollhunters, Old, Last Letter From Your Lover, Sexy Beasts, Sword Art Online, Quiet Place Part II, Spiral, Initiation

For The Timeless Romantic: The Last Letter From Your Lover (Netflix)
The Last Letter From Your Love has two intriguing storylines, some amazing fashion and style, and some wonderful views of the French Riviera to fall in love with.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Ridiculous Reality Show: Sexy Beasts (Netflix)

Sexy Beasts is the most fun and ridiculous reality dating show you can watch, with a silly premise that makes for some interesting dates and lets these individual's personalities shine through!  For more information, check out the review!

For The Trollhunters Fans: Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (Netflix)

Trollhunters: Rise of Titans continues the Tales of Arcadia trilogy with some beautiful animation and larger than life encounters that will determine the fate of the Trollhunters world.  For more information, check out the review! 

For The Disappointed Trollhunters Fans: Sword Art Online (Netflix)

I have heard lots of mixed results with the Trollhunters ending, but for those looking for something else to watch after Trollhunters, check out Sword Art Online, an animated series that features a fantasy setting with some technology.  

For A Twisted Aging Story: Old (Theaters)

Old has a mysterious story, some very nice performances and small touches, and a trademark M. Night Shyamalan twist ending, but the quirks and odd dialogue might cast some shadows on this beach vacation.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Tense, Quiet Evening: A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount+)

A Quiet Place Part II continues the Abbott's story with the same amazing sound effects and trademark muffled horror that made the first movie such an auditory treat.  For more information, check out the review!

For The Next Chapter in the Book of Saw: Spiral (Redbox)
Spiral's star power, brutal challenges and effects, and police procedural story will draw you down into this next chapter from the Book of Saw.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Crazy, Murderous Horror Party: Initiation (Redbox)

Initiation's college slasher party is amplified with great practical effects, brutal deaths, a good amount of tension, and a social media message.  For more information, check out our review!

What to Watch This Weekend: Cruella, A Quiet Place, Deliver Us From Evil, Welcome Matt, Women, Chaos Walking, Emma, Blue Miracle

For A Stylish Origin Story: Cruella (Theaters and Disney+ Premiere)
Cruella is a stylish, bold origin story and an unexpected surprise from Disney, with a marvelously wicked performance from Stone and a darker, more fashionable film from the House of Mouse.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Quietly Good Sequel: A Quiet Place Part II (Theaters)

A Quiet Place Part II continues the Abbott's story with the same amazing sound effects and trademark muffled horror that made the first movie such an auditory treat.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Korean Man on Fire: Deliver Us From Evil (Digital and Physical)

Deliver Us From Evil has exciting action, a booming soundtrack, and a gritty story that starts as a slow-burning crime thriller and ends as a raging action inferno.  For more information, check out the review! 

For Those Wanting To Stay In: Welcome Matt (Digital)

Welcome Matt brings together a very funny all black cast for a hilarious and human story about life, love, success, and overcoming obstacles.  For more information, check out the review!

For The True Crime Fans: Women (Digital)

Women is a slow building crime drama with a well realized world, good character build up, and a dramatic, slow burning story that will capture your attention.  For more information, check out the review!

For Those Who Can't Hear Themselves Think: Chaos Walking (Redbox)
Chaos Walking's interesting premise, great chemistry between Holland and Ridley, and unusual story will invade your thoughts in this new sci-fi epic.    For more information, check out the review!

For Those Looking For Something Happy - Emma (HBO)

Emma brings the Jane Austin classic to life with a colorful style, a stellar cast, and an absolute charm that will capture you from the first scene.  It is leaving HBO after this weekend so make sure to catch it before it's gone.  For more information, check out our review!

For A Feel Good Film: Blue Miracle (Netflix)
Based on a true story, this feel good film reels you in with its balance adventure, characters, and feel good spirit.  It is not a deep film, but it is one that will at least pull at your heartstrings in all the right ways!

A Quiet Place Part II Review: A Quietly Good Sequel

Release date: May 28, 2021
Running time: 92 minutes
Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Djimon Hounsou
Directed By: John Krasinski

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

A Quiet Place was a surprisingly good film from well known actor John Krasinski.  It was such an imaginative horror / thriller where the most noticeable feature was the sound (or absence of it).  However, that film ended on a sort of cliffhanger, letting everyone know that a sequel was coming.  Enter A Quiet Place Part II, which returns much of the same cast but has them venturing outside their well crafted farm.  A Quiet Place was noticeable for its amazing sound design, where it made the silence all the more deafening, and the sequel has a similarly well crafted soundscape.  The film is an auditory treat with great positional audio and some amazingly detailed and quiet panic scenes.  I loved that A Quiet Place forced the characters to imagine running for their lives without making a sound and this one is similar.  Nothing quite matches seeing people sprinting across a dangerous area with muffled footsteps and care in where they step.  It really is something to behold.  Additionally, the film plays with sound throughout.  Millicent Simmonds character is deaf and occasionally the movie will jump to her perspective.  Having the sound around you suddenly cut off is an interesting tactic that amplifies the tension all the more. 

And A Quiet Place Part II also does an amazing job of world building.  The locales look deserted and destroyed, with a worn, dilapidated sense to many of the locations.  And the places and practices that must be observed to live in this world help to flesh out this apocalyptic setting.  There are some imaginative locations and clever tricks that these people use to stay quiet.  This film has a lot more of a sense of tension because you see the creatures that much more.  It often has a Jurassic Park type feel, with characters trying to stay quiet as a murderous death machine slowly tries to determine where they are.  A Quiet Place Part II also returns much of the same cast as the first film, but adds a few new key characters.  Most notable is Cillian Murphy, who plays Emmett who is trying to survive by staying isolated from the world.  I really liked seeing the family back again and I love Emily Blunt's strong character in this world.  She has to do a lot to survive, and some of the activities she is forced to do while silent are really amazing to see.  The film also gives a Millicent Simmonds more of a lead role here as she is starting to become more headstrong and venture out on her own.

However, the film continues the story of the first movie, and the story does progress at a relatively good pace, but the motivations for the story seem to be lost in this sequel.  In the first A Quiet Place, you had a great period of world building and then you had the main conflict.  The motivation was survival and staying safe.  But A Quiet Place Part II has the family thrust into conflict pretty early on and it is sometimes unclear why.  The characters also take some pretty risky actions (which is not unusual in a horror film) for seemingly no reason.  And despite the film having amazing sound and generally good effects, the creatures themselves just look a little off.  They are noticeably CG, and although it is a very well done CG, the film was better when you didn't know exactly what they looked like.  Similar to Cloverfield, the absence of the monsters is much more unsettling than seeing them.  Finally, I found the ending to be a little unsatisfying.  However, the world of A Quiet Place is such an interesting place and that you'll want to stick around and listen to take it all in.

A Quiet Place Part II continues the Abbott's story with the same amazing sound effects and trademark muffled horror that made the first movie such an auditory treat.

Watch it.

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Screening: A Quiet Place Part II

Do you want to see A Quiet Place Part II early and free?  If so, then sign up below for your chance to win one of our very limited number of pairs to the in person screening!  The screening will be in Dolby Vision and Atmos, so the perfect way to experience it!

Please ensure that you are comfortable going to the theater before entering.

A Quiet Place Part II

Monday, May 24th

7:00pm

AMC Tysons Corner

McLean, VA

Opens nationwide on Friday, May 28th  
Rated: PG-13 
Runtime: 97 mins 

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

Screening Link: http://gofobo.com/eJsKL44415

News: Universal Theatrical Movies to be Available to Stream on March 20

As everyone adjusts to the new Quarantine world, Universal Pictures has made the stunning move of offering some of their theatrical movies available to stream as soon as this Friday, March 20, including The Invisible Man, The Hunt, and Focus Feature's Emma.  Today, NBCUniversal announced that movies under the Universal Pictures banner will be available on-demand on the date of the theatrical release, including the upcoming Trolls: World Tour on April 10.

This should not change the delays of some prominent films such as No Time to Die, A Quiet Place 2, Mulan, and Universal's own Fast 9, but it should provide another avenue for those looking to avoid theaters but still wanting to see the newest movies.  This should also provide a boost for the box office, which saw its worst weekend since 1995 as consumers stayed home rather than head to the theaters.

Although details are still being worked out, it looks like these new theatrical movies will be $20 for a 48-hour rental period, which is about in line with how film rentals work on streaming services.  The first movies to be available will be The Invisible Man, the Hunt, and Emma on March 20.

"Given the rapidly evolving and unprecedented changes to consumers’ daily lives during this difficult time, the company felt that now was the right time to provide this option in the home as well as in theaters. NBCUniversal will continue to evaluate the environment as conditions evolve and will determine the best distribution strategy in each market when the current unique situation changes," read the company's release.

“Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse range of movies with 2020 being no exception. Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable,” said NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell in the same statement. “We hope and believe that people will still go to the movies in theaters where available, but we understand that for people in different areas of the world that is increasingly becoming less possible.”

Expect more details as this evolves!

News: A QUIET PLACE PART II - New Poster and Survival Room

A QUIET PLACE PART II NEW POSTER & SPOT AVAILABLE NOW!

AND SURVIVAL ROOM BASED ON THE FILM COMING TO NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES IN MARCH

A QUIET PLACE PART II SURVIVAL ROOM

This multi-sensory experience entails an intense 5-7 minute progression—filled with physical and mental obstacles—for groups of three. This immersive, in-world recreation of A QUIET PLACE PART II tasks guests with keeping their decibel levels down and mitigating any sound in their surroundings . . . at all costs. Reservations may be made online at http://www.aquietplace2experience.com/ and walk-ups are also welcome. This event kicks off in New York as part of the Dolby Experience, before opening in Los Angeles in the week leading up to the film’s release. The Dolby SoHo experience in New York will also include a limited time, immersive experience with tons of Instagram-worthy A QUIET PLACE PART II moments, powered by Dolby.

WHERE: New York and Los Angeles

New York: Dolby SoHo, 477 Broadway Street, New York, NY

Los Angeles: 8483 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA

WHEN:  NEW YORK

Tuesday, March 3^rd-Wednesday, March 4^th

Open to the Public: 1:00PM-8:00PM

Thursday, March 5^th

Open to the public: 1:00PM-4:00PM

Saturday, March 7^th

Open to the public: 5:00PM-8:00PM

LOS ANGELES

Monday, March 16^th

Open to the Public: 6:00PM-10:00PM

Tuesday, March 17^th-Thursday, March 19^th

Open to the Public: 3:00PM-10:00PM