Watch What I Said 6

IMDb: 7.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%

My Grade: A+

So as part of adding content to this increasingly shitty blog, I've decided to include a weekly segment detailing a movie-a-week that people should check out. I know anyone that reads this blog does so primarily for my reviews, but I'm lazy and don't want to review anything right now. This weekly segment may also contain suggestions from other members of the Public Nerdity Podcast from time to time.

As I said, I'd have a second recommendation for this week. And it's a film I recommend to most people I talk to. If you've been paying attention to Jake Gyllenhaal the last several years, you'll notice he's been quietly doing the best work of his career. Snubbed last year for Nightcrawler, he's also been phenomenal in Prisoners and Enemy. However, the film that really kicked off this excellent stretch was End of Watch. This cop drama thriller from David Ayer, who directed Fury and the upcoming Suicide Squad, mixes traditional filming with a found footage, first person style. It follows two LAPD officers, Mike Zavala (Michael Pena) and Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal), who are partners as well best friends. We follow Mike and Brian as they deal with the aftermath of a drug bust, and the fallout it ensues. Both Gyllenhaal and Pena are brilliant, making you believe they are the first to bust each others balls, as well as take a bullet for the other. The rest of the cast is great too, boasting the likes of Anna Kendrick, Frank Grillo, Natalie Martinez, America Ferrera, Cody Horn and David Harbour. I tend to dislike the found footage shooting style, but I really love this film.

Do yourself a favour and check out End of Watch. 

Watch What I Said

IMBd: 8.0

Rotten Tomatoes: 99%

My Grade: A+

So as part of adding content to this increasingly shitty blog, I've decided to include a weekly segment detailing a movie-a-week that people should check out. I know anyone that reads this blog does so primarily for my reviews, but I'm lazy and don't want to review anything right now. This weekly segment may also contain suggestions from other members of the Public Nerdity Podcast from time to time. 

So without further ado, this weeks selection that people should check out is a little film that I absolutely adore called Short Term 12. The basic premise revolves around workers at a juvenille detention facility and the stories of neglect and abuse that follow. If it sounds like a downer, that's because it can be at times. But it also tells a beautiful story, with rich, fully formed characters. The performances from the likes of Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr and Keith Stanfield are all outstanding, and there will be numerous times throughout the film that you'll have a lump in your throat and will be fighting back tears. Larson, in particular, delivers an Oscar caliber performance that was so unfairly overlooked in 2013. In truth, this was a movie that stuck with me long after I saw it, and one that I mananged to get Pasan and Justin to check out.

Boasting an 8/10 score on IMDb and an astounding 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, this is simply a film you must check out. Currently, Short Term 12 is available on Netflix.