Round-up 10: Distracting myself from Jared Hess

Decided to take a different direction this week. While I had a blast last week rewatching some old favorites with a couple of new ones sprinkled in, this time around I want to really push myself and watch some new films that I’ve been kicking around for a while. I have so many buddies and pals recommending cinema and television shows to me, and I always say I’ll get around to them, but ultimately never do. That being said, let’s take a look at my watchlist for the period.

Buddy-pal of mine with a stronger stomach than I continuously recommends to me horrors and thrillers of all walks, and while I’ve occasionally indulged him, never have I decided to go in deep on the matter. This week I did.

            I started with the brand-new release on MAX that is Companion (2025), starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid in the lead roles. This is a black comedy, horror, thriller film that delves into the world of artificial intelligence and how our relationship with it is likely to evolve. Thatcher plays a robot disguised as a girlfriend, except everyone is in on it except for her. The true comedy and thriller aspects of the story emerge once she becomes cognizant of this truth. What follows is a fun cat-and-mouse chase back and forth between the artificial intelligence wrapped up as a robot sex doll of sorts (the characters refer to them with more malice and vulgarity than I care to). A good time, but not the most engaging pacing, in my opinion. It takes a bit too long to get into the flow, but I’ll admit, once it finds its rhythm, it entertains quite well.

            The next evening, I watched A24’s Heretic (2024), also starring Sophie Thatcher and Hugh Grant as the creepy antagonist. This one I absolutely adored. As a screenwriter, and moreover, somebody who takes a great deal of time and care when it comes to the pillars of a film or story in general, this was exactly the motivation I needed. With the majority of the limited physicality relegated to the final act, the rest of the film centers around a set of thrilling conversations between the pair of protagonists, young Mormon converts spreading the message of their church, and the theology-obsessed weirdo living alone in the woods. Hugh Grant carries the film as the noted antagonist, delicately balancing on the line between over the top and controlled rage. Sophie Thatcher, though, is quite a remarkable young actress! I can see the talent almost matching her counterpart, who’s been in the game longer than she’s likely been alive. She’s the clever counterpart to Hugh’s repressed anger. Had a blast watching this one and will definitely be revisiting it soon for studying purposes. There’s a scene about halfway through where the major monotheistic religions are being compared and contrasted, and I couldn’t help but be giddy through the whole sequence at its structure and execution. Brilliant screenwriting.

The true challenge of the week: David Cronenberg’s Crash (1996). Not only was it immensely uncomfortable to sit through, but it was not a great film experience. This is borderline vanilla pornography layered between boring, anti-climactic drama. Following a sexually frustrated film producer who gets into a car accident and is thrust into the underworld of people who, well, for lack of a better phrase, “get off” on the trauma of automobile accidents. The understood trajectory of the story is the clashing of this newly found world with the reality he lives in with his wife. Thematically weak, but I will give credit where credit is due; the cinematography at a number of points was very pretty. Particularly during the (very few and far between) car-action sequences. I find it rather difficult to recommend this to anyone other than cinephiles and the depraved. It’s films like these that make it hard for me to get into graphic cinema, for whatever the intention may be. To put forward striking and controversial visuals means you need to back it up with artistic meaning and prowess; this did not have that backup.

            Switching up the mood, I watched Dirty Work (1998) next, a screwball midnight comedy starring Norm MacDonald in the leading role. There’s not a whole lot to say about this other than if you loved Norm’s comedy style, you’ll love this flick. Raunchy, ridiculous, and highly rewatchable right off the bat. It’s a machine gun with rapid fire joke after joke after joke. The cast of cameos matches the comic speed of its leader, with the likes of Chevy Chase, John Goodman, and Don Rickles, just to name a few. Every single line is something to smile and laugh at. Adding this to my Rolodex of comfort “hang-out” movies.

I wrapped up the week with a viewing of Jared Hess’ A Minecraft Movie, which just came out… There will be a separate piece written about this experience, as there are quite a few things I feel need to be said. Expect that in the next few days or so. Other than that, finals season is approaching, and I am feeling the overwhelming weight of them. NBA finals are on, the weather is finally warming up, and the summer season will be here in no time at all. Writing this while listening to Frank Ocean’s blond with Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai on passively in the background. Wishing the same relaxing vibes to you as well.