Last Nine Movies I’ve Watched: Part One

47 Ronin (2013) is a based on a true story except the supernatural fantasy parts. The premise is a group of outcast samurai avenges the death of their master by a shogun. It is directed by Carl Rinsch and written by Chris Morgan, Hossein Amini, and Walter Hamada. The cast includes
Keanu Reeves, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rinko Kikuchi, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kô Shibasak, Tadanobu Asano, Min Tanaka, Jin Akanishi, and Masayoshi Haneda. It is rated PG-13 and runs two hours and 8 minutes.

WATCH IT for the production and costume design and acting of Rinko Kikuchi.

The Invitation (2022) is about a woman unveiling the truth about her ancestral line while staying with her newfound family. It is directed by Jessica M. Thompson and written by Blair Butler. The cast includes Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Sean Pertwee, Hugh Skinner, Carol Ann Crawford, Alana Bode, Stephanie Corneliussen, Courtney Taylor, and Scott Alexander Young. It is rated PG-13 and runs one hour and 45 minutes.

MAYBE SKIP IT as it’s pretty predictable once you realize what’s happening.

Paws of Fury (2022) is about a dog arriving to town inhabited by cats to become their samurai. It is directed by Chris Bailey, Mark Koetsier, Rob Minkoff and written by Ed Stone, Nate Hopper, and Mel Brooks. The cast includes Michael Cera, Samuel L. Jackson, Ricky Gervais, Kylie Kuioka, George Takei, Gabriel Iglesias, Mel Brooks, Michelle Yeoh, Aasif Mandvi, and Djimon Hounsou. It is rated PG and runs one hour and 38 minutes.

MAYBE WATCH IT because of the voiceover of Samuel L. Jackson, George Takei, and Ricky Gervais.

Talk to Me (2022) is about teenagers conjuring spirits until supernatural forces make them do dangerous things. It is directed by Danny and Michael Philippou and written by Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman, Daley Pearson. The cast includes Miranda Otto, Ari McCarthy, Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Marcus Johnson, Alexandra Jensen, Jude Turner, and Zoe Terakes. It is rated R and runs one hour and 35 minutes.

WATCH IT for the creepiness of what is really going on between the living and the dead.

2 Guns (2013) is about two undercover agents getting into trouble near the US-Mexican border. It is directed by Baltasar Kormákur and written by Blake Masters and Steven Grant. The cast includes Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Edward James Olmos, Bill Paxton, Robert John Burke, James Marsden, and Greg Sproles. It is rated R and runs one hour and 49 minutes.

WATCH IT for the relationship between the two characters of Bobby and Stig.

The Lost King (2022) is based on the true story about a woman doing the impossible of uncovering King Richard III’s remains. It is directed by Stephen Frears and written by Philippa Langley, Michael Jones, and Steve Coogan. The cast includes Harry Lloyd, Sally Hawkins, Helen Katamba, Shonagh Price, and Lewis Macleod. It is rated PG-13 and runs one hour and 48 minutes.

WATCH IT for the acting by Harry Lloyd and Sally Hawkins.

Paddington 2 (2017) is about Paddington trying to make his reunion with his aunt special by buying her something special. It is directed by Paul King and written by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, and Michael Bond. The cast includes Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Madeleine Harris, Hugh Bonneville, Marie-France Alvarez, Samuel Joslin, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Ben Miller, and Sanjeev Bhaskar. It is rated PG and runs one hour and 43 minutes.

DEFINITELY WATCH IT because of the voiceover of Ben Whishaw and the animation.

Hereditary (2018) is about a family traumatized over the death of their child, which brings back painful family memories. It is directed and written by Ari Aster. The cast includes Ann Dowd, Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Milly Shapiro, Mallory Bechtel, and Brock McKinney. It is rated R and runs two hours and 7 minutes.

WATCH IT for the one scene that sets the tone of the whole movie as it comes out of left field.

12 Strong (2018) is based on the true story about a Special Forces team working with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban. It is directed by Nicolai Fuglsig and written by Ted Tally and Peter Craig. The cast includes Thad Luckinbill, Lauren Chavez-Myers, Elsa Pataky, Michael Peña, Michael Shannon, Geoff Stults, Navid Negahban, Chris Hemsworth, Allison Gabriel, Kenneth Miller, Austin Stowell, Austin Hébert, William Fichtner, Trevante Rhodes, Ben O’Toole, and Rob Riggle. It is rated R and runs two hours and 10 minutes.

WATCH IT for the fighting scenes on horses.