Charlie’s Angels (2019)

“Are we on a boat?” “Yeah.” *Cue reflective pop music*. This odd scene with Sabina making funny faces with a little girl exemplifies the fun femme B-movie charm that K. Stewart in particular brings (“I need you to exhibit some attention-seeking behavior.” “I have so many ideas!”); it’s just a shame the rest of the script is such an awkward mess, especially in the second half (see the unecessary asides with Fatima and Langston). Good fight choreography though, and the Brok break-in was well done.

4

Personal Shopper (2016)

A personal shopper in Paris refuses to leave the city until she makes contact with her twin brother who previously died there. Her life becomes more complicated when a mysterious person contacts her via text message. (IMDb)

Stylish, and there are hints of a couple good movies in here (either a chilling psychological character study–see Maureen realizing she took home the jewelry bags–or a moody modern ghost story–see the edge-of-your-seat final scene with a great last line) but there’s also a bad one (see the monotonous texting thriller), and the good ones come and go and never tie together in a clear enough manner to build any manner of suspense. As it is, it’s frustrating and comes off as a tad pretentious.

6/10 (Mediocre)

 

Panic Room (2002)

A highly engaging thriller featuring some really cool swooping film shots and solid acting all around. There are a couple of questionable plot points and the bad guys seem a bit too conveniently incompetent at certain important moments, but none of this ever keeps you from the edge of your seat. The central concept is interesting, and the tension, action, and emotion that surround it make the film an entertaining watch overall.

7/10 (Good)