Oh Hi! | Review by: Benjamin Garrett

There’s the inevitable point in any new relationship where labels start getting thrown around. Sometimes, people are simply looking for different things romantically, leading to an uncomfortable conversation. Oh, Hi! puts a darkly comedic spin on this idea, and although it doesn’t fully embrace its zany potential, it’s well worth watching for its small but immensely entertaining cast.

The chemistry between Logan Lerman and Molly Gordon is off the charts. The beginning chapter of this story sees the two of them caught up in the beginning stages of a new relationship. They’re adorable together, with flirtatious jabs and longing looks of affection. They seem like a match made in heaven, but the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) foreshadowing hints that this might not be the case. When confronted with defining what their relationship is, things begin to… escalate.

That escalation had me hooked, and once I had an idea of where the movie was headed, I was excited for the possibilities. While it does provide some ridiculously unhinged exchanges between this “happy couple”, I can’t help but feel it could’ve gone much further with the idea. It builds to a point of intrigue, and then just kind of holds at that level for the majority of its runtime. It’s never dull, but it plateaus in a way that causes it to drag slightly in the second and third acts. There are some fun full circle moments toward the end that loop back into events from the beginning of the movie, but I wanted a tad more darkness from this dark comedy.

Despite those shortcomings, the cast made every scene a joy to watch. As mentioned. Lerman and Gordon are both fantastic, especially once they start trying to navigate the situation they’ve gotten into. Gordon’s able to switch from sweet and endearing to manic in the blink of an eye. Lerman’s character isn’t exactly flawless either, and he plays it so well. When Geraldine Viswanathan and John Reynolds are thrown into the mix, that’s when the movie hits its peak comedic potential.

Oh, Hi! offers a fun take on the turbulence of labeling new love. It constantly flirts with embracing its darker comedic potential, but settles for something a little milder and more digestible instead. Led by two strong lead performances and backed by a pair of hilarious supporting players, this is still a movie you’ll want to swipe right on.

3/5

Review by: Benjamin Garrett

Boss Level Film Review

Boss Level is a new addition to the time loop genre, with a twist. Ex-special forces officer, Roy Pulver, played by Frank Grillo, relives the same day until he dies. Every day he is hunted by assassins and when killed, he wakes up back in his bed where he started, only to have to try and survive all over again. Roy has no idea why he is stuck in this infinite time loop but he must do what he can to survive, and the longer he survives, the more he uncovers about his particular situation. Unlike most action films that take time to build up, this film gets right into it and offers tons of non-stop combat sequences that would satisfy any lover of action films. Its erratic flow makes for some fun action scenes which come out of nowhere since Roy can expect the assassins to attack at any moment. If you play video games often and have ever been stuck on a level for hours or even days, you know the feeling of having to repeat the same thing over and over again u...

Godzilla vs. Kong Film Review

Godzilla versus Kong is the action movie we have been longing for since all major blockbuster films pushed back their release dates. After three solo films between Kong and Godzilla, we finally see the two titans clash on film for the first time in what is the culmination of the Universal Monsterverse. The story is split nicely in two as team Kong and team Godzilla each have their own mission. Team Kong is on a secret mission to the center of the earth to uncover the mystery of the titans. This team consists of Dr. Nathan, Dr. Ilene, Maia, and the Youngest character in the film, Jia. Team Godzilla consists of Madison, Josh, and Bernie who are also on a secret mission, to infiltrate Apex Cybernetics with the theory that they are up to no good and are the reason why Godzilla has been acting up recently. The dynamics of the teams are well balanced as the Kong story provides us with serious and more action-heavy bits in contrast to the Apex team story that ...

Better Man | Review by: Benjamin Garrett

What at first feels like a CGI gimmick allows Better Man to climb and swing it’s way beyond standard biopic conventions. This larger than life musical is worth a watch even if, like me, you needed to ask “Who the hell is Robbie Williams?”. A pop icon in the UK who didn’t quite make a household name for himself in North America, Robbie Williams bares his life (the good the bad and the drug fueled ugly) in this dazzling account of his rise to fame. Musician biopics often focus too heavily on the creation of the artist’s work, and not enough on the actual artist. Better Man gives audiences a sobering portrait of the man behind the monkey, with his songs placed in pivotal life and career moments to move the narrative forward. This works especially well if you aren’t entirely familiar with Williams’ work, because you won’t find yourself waiting to hear specific needle drops. Instead they flow organically into the story, with gorgeously choreographed musical numbers. And bo...

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