‘Ballad of a Small Player,’ ‘The Home,’ ‘Det Andet Offer,’ and More | Bite-Sized Reviews

Top Row (L-R): ‘Ballad of a Small Player (Netflix);’ ‘The Home (Lionsgate /Roadside Attractions);’ ‘Det Andet Offer (SF Studios).’
Bottom Row (L-R): ‘Under Stjernerne På Himlen (SF Studios;’ ‘Opus (A24),’ ‘The Amateur (20th Century Studios).’

Every once in a while, I don’t quite have enough to say or the time to put it into enough words for me to write full, dedicated reviews for everything new that I see. So, from time to time, I will just post a short review on Letterboxd, and, as you may have noticed, sometimes these reviews find their way to this site in the form of bite-sized reviews in a compilation article. That is exactly what’s happening today.

In this article, I’ll give you my thoughts on two Danish films starring the same stand-up comedian turned actor, an action thriller that came and went without much fanfare, a mystery thriller that also came and went without making an imprint, a recent Netflix casino flick, and a retirement home-set horror film that may just be one of the worst films I’ve seen this year. Let’s get to it.

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Fast X (2023) | REVIEW

Jason Momoa in Louis Leterrier’s FAST X — PHOTO: Universal Pictures.

Directed by Louis Leterrier — Screenplay by Dan Mazeau and Justin Lin — Story by Dan Mazeau, Justin Lin, and Zach Dean.

Louis Leterrier’s Fast X follows Dominic Toretto (played by Vin Diesel) and his team — which consists of family, friends, and former villains (all of whom Dom considers to be ‘family,’ of course) — as they are put in danger when an unknown crazy enemy from their past named Dante Reyes (played by Jason Momoa) seeks vengeance.

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Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) | REVIEW

(L-R) Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Chase Sui Wonders, and Rachel Sennott in BODIES BODIES BODIES — PHOTO: A24.

Directed by Halina Reijn — Screenplay by Sarah DeLappe — Story by Kristen Roupenian.

This summer I’ve been trying to catch up on specific releases that I may have missed from last year. One of these catch-up releases is Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies, which piqued my interest last year but which I never got the chance to see. Until now, that is. Bodies Bodies Bodies follows Bee (played by Maria Bakalova), a young Eastern European woman, and her girlfriend Sophie (played by Amandla Stenberg), as they travel to a mansion owned by one of Sophie’s friends — David (played by Pete Davidson). Upon arrival, it becomes clear that Bee’s inclusion in the so-called ‘hurricane party’ that Sophie’s friend group — which, other than David, also includes Jordan (played by Chase Sui Wonders), Alice (played by Rachel Sennott), Jordan (played by Myha’la Herrold), and Greg (played by Lee Pace) — has set up has not been OK’d beforehand. After a round of introductions, they partake in alcohol and drugs before they decide to play a party game called — you guessed it — ‘bodies bodies bodies,’ which is a ‘murder in the dark’ whodunnit type game in which they have to figure out who the murderer in their midst is. Later, as the storm worsens, the power goes out, and they soon find one of them actually dead. Now it appears to be all real. They now have to figure out — as the saying goes — who’s done it.

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REVIEW: The Dirt (2019)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of Netflix’ The Dirt — Directed by Jeff Tremaine.

Based on the tell-all biography-of-the-same-name, which is co-authored by the band, Jeff Tremaine’s The Dirt tells the rise-and-fall-and-rise-again story of hair metal band Mötley Crüe, which included drummer Tommy Lee (played by Machine Gun Kelly), guitarist Mick Mars (played by Iwan Rheon), lead singer Vince Neil (played by Daniel Webber), and bassist Nikki Sixx (played by Douglas Booth).
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