What to Watch This Weekend: June 26, 2020

Political Comedy: Irresistible (Home Rental)

Irresistible will make you laugh, cringe, and think a lot about our political system, in this hilarious dark comedy that sheds a satirical light on our political process.  For more information, check out our review!

Irreverent Relationship Comedy: aTypical Wednesday (Digital)
aTypical Wednesday is an irreverent, original, and fresh comedy that takes J. Lee on a journey of self discovery that will have you rooting for and learning from him while laughing out loud.  For more information, check out our review!

Hilarious Musical Comedy: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix)

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is a classic return to form of the Will Ferrell buddy comedy, with great exaggerated characters, laugh out loud moments, and plenty of heart and talent underneath the ridiculous exterior.  For more information, check out our review!

For The Kids: Scoob! (HBO Max)
Scoob! is an entertaining animated reboot of the original television series.  It makes small updates but keeps much of what made the original show an enjoyable watch.  And it is now free to stream on HBO Max!

For The Older Kids: My Spy (Amazon Prime)
My Spy pits Bautista against his greatest challenge--a 9 year old girl--leading to some hilarious scenarios and heartwarming situations.  However, parents should be warned that this film has a little too much violence and language for young kids.  For more information, check out our review!

Anime: A Whisker Away (Netflix)
A Whisker Away is a beautifully animated Japanese film with strong characters, an interesting story, and plenty of raw emotion.  For more information, check out our review!

Anime: Okko's Inn (Netflix)
Okko's Inn is a beautiful, charming anime with bright, colorful animation, an interesting ensemble of characters, and good life lessons.  For more information, check out our review!

Serious Suspenseful Horror: The Lodge (Hulu)
The Lodge is a suspenseful masterpiece, whose visuals, sounds, and story will keep you on edge from start to finish.  For more information, check out our review!

Dark Comedy: Ready or Not (HBO)
Ready or Not tells a twisted tale with plenty of dark humor.  The setting is fantastic, the imagery feels authentic, and the performances give this deadly game a unique charm that will make you want to play again.  For more information, check out our review!

Review: The Lodge

Release date: February 21, 2020
Running time: 108 minutes
Starring: Richard Armitage, Alicia Silverstone, Riley Keough 

The Lodge is a suspenseful psychological horror film that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Richard (Armitage) drops off his girlfriend Grace (Keough) and his two children at a mountain house during the winter before heading back to the city to finish some work.  Richard hopes that this will be a good opportunity for his girlfriend and kids to experience some forced bonding time.  However, almost as soon as they are dropped off, mysterious things begin to happen at the lodge.  As Grace and the children try to figure out what is going on, Grace's past comes back to haunt her in a very real way. 

The Lodge is one of the most suspenseful movies I have seen.  The movie is built to keep you on the edge of your seat.  The cinematography is amazing with great shots and use of light to keep you guessing what happens next.  This keeps you in suspense by constantly making the audience feel a sense of impending dread.  Even the initial drive up to the lodge, where the camera only shows snow illuminated by the car's headlights and surrounded by overwhelming darkness gives you a feeling of suspense.  The cinematography is complemented by a foreboding soundtrack that escalates your anxiety.  And pretty much every sound in the film is meant to keep you on edge.  From the creepy sounds to the more mundane bangs and creeks of an old house, this movie will keep you wondering what will happen next.  This all works together to create one of the most stressful and deliciously unpredictable films I have seen. 

However, the Lodge is not for everyone.  The story is heavy and scary, with very little explained until the very end.  The characters confront aspects of their past and the trials of their present, causing the perspective to shift quickly.  Sometimes you will wonder if the characters are dreaming or in reality, and this again contributes to the sense of dread this movie promotes.  And the story does go off the rails at the end, but that is part of the overall film.  It didn't feel like the story went in a direction that wasn't predicted, it just went much farther than I anticipated it to go.  For those that like their movies dark and heavy, this is the perfect film for you.  

The Lodge is a suspenseful masterpiece, whose visuals, sounds, and story will keep you on edge from start to finish. 

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