First off, my sincerest apologies for making this episode just 30 minutes, as I had to pick up my niece within the hour. That said, Anderson and I have a couple of movie recommendations this weekend (Adopt A Highway, The Current War: Director’s Cut, Terminator: Dark Fate). Take a listen to our episode below!!
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Ridley Scott’s one of my favorite directors, and the features The Invitation and Upgrade absolutely blew me away, so I was all in to see if actor Logan Marshall-Green could cut it as a filmmaker (Marshall-Green starred in Scott’s Prometheus). Instead of making a splashy, studio driven debut, Marshall-Green’s Adopt a Highway is a seductively low key yet ultimately evocative look at a man who’s trying to turn his life around, even if he feels the world is passing him by.
Russell Millings (Ethan Hawke) has spent 21 years in prison for marijuana possession (due to a 3rd strike conviction), and upon his release his finds work as a dishwasher at a restaurant. Alone and gradually trying to find his way, Russell finds a baby in a dumpster and instead of calling the authorities, he becomes the de facto parent. Having no idea how to raise baby or even use the internet, Russell is understandably overwhelmed by his responsibilities (being a reserved soul, understandable due to his circumstances, certainly doesn’t help matters).
Marshall-Green avoids cloying sentimentality and opts for a more realistic take on Millings’ journey. By not offering viewers a saccharine laden narrative, he delivers a first rate and memorable narrative (the movie continues to stick with me, and I’m hoping for a Blu-ray release!). Elaine Hendrix, as the woman Russell befriends on a bus, and Loni Love (playing a supermarket employee who gives Russell baby care advice) also provide depth to the proceedings. Ethan Hawke, whose excellent performances are too numerous to count (please check him out as Chet Baker in Born to Be Blue), is once again superb in an introspective role that, by the film’s final moments, should pay emotional dividends for the viewer.
Marshall-Green’s use of Jason Isbell’s guitar driven score also provides a sturdy backbone to the tale, and his ability to let a scene play out is also a plus (there is one moment, as Russell gradually becomes aware of his current situation, that’s masterfully done). My exclusive interview with Logan Marshall-Green is available to our CinemAddicts Patreon members (https://www.patreon.com/cinemaddicts).
Anderson Cowan has been a devotee of Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s work since watching Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and he also enjoyed Gomez-Rejon’s feature directing debut The Town That Dreaded Sundown. Even with the two year delay of The Current War’s release, Cowan was still excited to see how The Current War: Director’s Cut would fare. Cowan had pretty high marks for the feature, which stars Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Holland, and Benedict Cumberbatch, and he added that this flick is currently on his Top 10 list!
If you’re into big ticket movies, Terminator: Dark Fate, a feature that pulls from the first two Terminator films and ultimately succeeds as a propulsive action adventure, should be your #1 choice this weekend. I loved Mackenzie Davis as the super human who is sent back to save a young woman named Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes). Arnold Schwarzenegger is “back” but the biggest return comes from Linda Hamilton, and she proved to be more than up to the task as the laser focused badass Sarah Connor. I had a great time watching the film, and I know it’s getting its share of mixed reviews – I’d love to hear your thoughts on the film!
Take a listen to the latest episode of CinemAddicts below, as Anderson Cowan also discusses his thoughts on The Irishman and Jojo Rabbit!