Train Dreams

Movie Name: Train Dreams
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Clint Bentley
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, William H. Macy, Kerry Condon, John Diehl, Clifton Collins Jr., Paul Schneider, Will Patton, Nathaniel Arcand, Eric Ray Anderson, Beau Charles
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

"Train Dreams" is Clint Bentley's sophomore directorial endeavor, following his well received "Jockey". It's an adaptation of the novella by Denis Johnson, adapted by Bentley and his creative partner Greg Kwedar. The film follows the narrative of Robert Grainier, born in the late 1800s, who as an adult makes a living as a logger and railroad worker in the Idaho area. Robert stays mostly to himself, though he observes how other construction workers go about their lives and how they interact with each other. He eventually meets Gladys Olding, whom he falls in love with, and they both marry and build a log cabin near the Moyie River. They have a daughter whom they name Kate. Robert stays away from his family for months at a time, since he goes where work is available, and that means leaving his loved ones behind. As Kate keeps growing up, he feels that he is missing out on what matters the most to him, Gladys and Kate. They discuss scenarios that will enable him to make an income and stay closer to home, something that is a challenge particularly with the wrecked economy from post-World War I. However upon returning from his last contract as a logger, Robert is crushed to witness his family's log cabin destroyed in a wildfire, with Gladys and Kate nowhere in sight. Robert is desperate and keeps sleeping on the site and waiting for something to happen, raising the worries  of his friend Ignatius Jack. He eventually rebuilds the cabin and goes back to logging but soon realizes there's new ways of working in the field, and that he is out of place. He keeps walking through the woods in the hopes he can somehow connect or feel the spirits of his wife and daughter.

"Train Dreams" immediately brings to mind the work of Terrence Malick. The combination of a certain aesthetic, with this quasi philosophical and introspective stance, and voice-over/narration, are very indebted to the point of view Terrence Malick has created with some of his most well known features (including "The Thin Red Line" and "The Tree of Life"). However and what is interesting about Mr. Bentley's perspective, and how he has carved his own point of view with this feature, is the fact that he grounds the existence of his lead character in something more realistic and not so random as is typically the case with Mr. Malick's more recent filmic endeavors. There's nothing particularly self-indulgent about this film, quite the contrary: the writer/director manages to breathe life into the existence of Robert, making it feel authentic, even as he fails to overcome the pain of the loss of the life he was building with his wife, and how he eventually realizes just how distant from modern life he has become. He is portrayed as someone not entirely integrated with how most people live their lives, and he only truly blossoms when he discovers and embraces Gladys' love. It's ultimately a film that illustrates a quiet life, at a time when that was still possible to be lived, when all cruelty and brutality were visceral and violent, at times unavoidable, where people lived for shared experiences and not necessarily for grandiose gestures. It is a film that does bring to life another time, with characters that feel lived in, and with enough color to make them memorable. The cast is fantastic, particularly Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, William H. Macy, Kerry Condon, and the wonderful narration of Will Patton. The production team is equally impeccable, particularly Adolpho Veloso's cinematography, Bryce Dessner's score (and the beautiful song he and Nick Cave have created), and Alexandra Schaller's production design. It may not be for everyone's taste, but there's something quite arresting that stays with you after watching this film, even if it does feel a bit too much Terrence Malick derivative. Worth watching.

Sliding Doors

Movie Name: Sliding Doors
Year of Release: 1998
Director: Peter Howitt
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, John Hannah, John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Zara Turner, Douglas McFerran, Paul Brightwell, Kevin McNally, Nina Young
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon Prime

Synopsis and Review

"Sliding Doors" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival of 1998, and it was one of 5 (!) feature film releases that had Gwyneth Paltrow as a lead during that year alone (the other being "Shakespeare in Love", "Hush", "Great Expectations", and "A Perfect Murder"). It was also Peter Howitt's feature directorial debut, after an already established career as an actor. The film focuses on the story of Helen, a young woman working in PR in London, who immediately suffers a setback at the beginning of the narrative: she's fired/let go very dramatically by her bosses. On her way back home the story has a bifurcation: on one part of the story, Helen catches the subway, and on the other she does not. The Helen who catches the subway briefly chats with James, a man she casually meets in the same carriage, about what just happened to her. James makes her smile. She comes home to find her live-in boyfriend fooling around on her with an American woman he had previously dated. Helen who did not catch the subway on time, comes home after the tryst has already happened, and is inquiring Gerry, her boyfriend, why there are liquor glasses in their bedroom. While the first Helen moves out of the apartment, and moves in with her best friend Anna, deciding to change her visual, and start her own business, the second Helen tries to make ends meet by working multiple jobs, one of them as a waitress, the other as a caterer, all this to also support Gerry, who is a writer and does not work for a living. The first Helen also strikes a relationship with James, who turns out to be funny, kind, and insightful, whereas Gerry tries to ingratiate himself with her since the relationship with Lydia isn't going anywhere. These parallel threads come to a halt when Helen(s) suffer an accident, and she suddenly realizes decisions have to be made.

One can't help but realize that as "Sliding Doors" goes on (and on), that the events taking place are eerily similar to any plot that could have easily been illustrated in any soap opera, from whatever country you pick. The film thankfully isn't pretentious and the writer/director doesn't attempt to do a more straightforward version of "The Double Life of Veronique" which is one of Krzysztof Kieslowski's masterpieces, but the path Mr. Howitt chooses to take is a rather banal one, that also seems underdeveloped since Helen remains elusive and under-developed for the entire duration of the narrative. It's startling to realize that for once the supporting characters seem to have a bit more of backstory and motivation, than the actual lead character does. Both James and Gerry get a chance to have more of their lives and motivations flushed out, whereas Helen feels more reactive to whatever the situations are presenting at her, and we never get to understand where's her family, what motivates her to stay with Gerry, or even how she found herself in that particular professional path of hers. While the film does provide a slice of her life, in that particular time frame, it simply feels under-developed, with plenty of narrative gaps and filled with tropes that feel quite dated. The cast is solid, though Gwyneth Paltrow with the brunette wig, trying to portray a waitress/caterer, simply doesn't work, she's not particularly convincing as a working class/Mike Leigh inspired character. Her other version, blonde with the fancier haircut, seems closer to her comfort zone, and she's more convincing there. She gets solid support from John Hannah, John Lynch (whose character Gerry, though a loser, seems like a magnet for beautiful women), and the always solid Jeanne Tripplehorn (who tries really hard to convince us that looking like she does, she has a deep desire for someone with Gerry's moral compass and professional abilities!!). The production team is solid, though Remi Adefarasin's cinematography is a bit washed out (the work he did for Shekhar Kapur's "Elizabeth" was far more inspired). It's not a particularly inspired film, and one that is ultimately quite forgettable. 

Trick

Movie Name: Trick
Year of Release: 1999
Director: Jim Fall
Starring: Christian Campbell, John Paul Pitoc, Tori Spelling, Steve Hayes, Brad Beyer, Clinton Leupp, Kevin Chamberlin, Lacey Kohl
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon Prime

Synopsis and Review

"Trick" came out at the end of the 1990s, following a string of LGBTQIA independent films that defined the New Queer Cinema wave, which included Todd Hayne's "Poison", Tom Kalin's "Swoon", Rose Troche's "Go Fish", Gregg Araki's "The Living End", and the ones from the end of that decade such as Dan Ireland's "The Velocity of Gary" and Don Roo's "The Opposite of Sex". All these films were made on shoestring budgets and were met with different levels of acclaim, however Jim Fall's feature directorial debut, "Trick", which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival of 1999, attempted to bring an almost rom-com styling to this story of boy meets boy in New York. The narrative follows the story of Gabriel, a young gay man who moonlights as an office temp worker during the day, but who actually has the ambition and dream of becoming a successful Broadway composer. While at a gay bar he makes eye contact with one of the go-go dancers, Mark, whom he sees once again in the subway later that night. They decide to hook up but their attempt is firstly derailed by Gabriel's best friend and wannabe actress, Katherine, followed by a second derailment brought on by Gabriel's roommate Rich, who also wants to hook up with his girlfriend. The two young men spend the rest of the night trying to figure out where to consummate their lust, while progressively learning more about who they are and what their lives are all about.

There's something "After Hours" inspired going on with the film "Trick". The central characters' attempts at having some intimacy are constantly derailed, either by egocentric friends, or by viciously obnoxious characters, sadly none of these with the levels of entertainment or color that Martin Scorsese captured so fantastically in the classic "After Hours" (no one in "Trick" reaches the heights of Teri Garr nor Catherine O'Hara). Most of the characters in "Trick" are somewhat of a cliché, very common to so many of the films with a LGBTQIA tone that premiered in the 1990s, including the shy and sensitive central lead, the quasi-unapproachable hunk who functions as the love interest, the annoyingly delusional best friend, and an array of somewhat "colorful" supporting cameos, that don't register enough to be considered characters, but who show up to illustrate just how diverse the gay vibe actually is (they're embodiments of a particular trait, not so much characters). One of biggest issues with "Trick" is the tone that it has: for a film that is about two people wanting to be together, it lacks urgency, passion, the same going for all the characters that populate the film, they lack authenticity, something that renders them as more than just passive bystanders. This illustration of gay New York resembles more of a postcard rather than a visceral and memorable portrayal of gay youth at the time. Whereas "After Hours" was feverish, surreal, genuinely funny, and tremendously sexy, and for instance the deeply flawed and controversial "Cruising" from director William Friedkin, had a mix of half-baked characters, with others that were far more complex, they all attempted to create something memorable and representative of the culture at the time, "Trick" is a subdued and almost anemic view of the city and gay life in the late 1990s (far different than what Darren Star and Michael Patrick King were doing at the time with "Sex and the City"). It's a film that fears cranking the volume too much, and therefore ends up being almost too quiet (in comparison, Paul Bogart's "Torch Song Trilogy" from a decade earlier, manages to be more vibrant even if at times it's stage legacy is very present). The cast tries their best with the material, particularly Christian Campbell who makes for a solid lead presence, with good cameos from the talented Kevin Chamberlin and Clinton Leupp/Ms. Coco Peru. The production team is serviceable but unremarkable. It's a watchable but ultimately forgettable film that closed the decade that saw some striking films in this genre make some bold statements. 

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

Movie Name: If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Mary Bronstein
Starring: Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Delaney Quinn, Asap Rocky, Mary Bronstein, Christian Slater, Ivy Wolk, Manu Narayan, Daniel Zolghadri, Mark Stolzenberg
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on HBO Max

Synopsis and Review

"If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival of 2025, and has been collecting accolades for Rose Byrne's leading performance since then. It's the feature directorial debut for actor/writer/director Mary Bronstein. The film focuses its narrative on Linda, a psychotherapist whom we first encounter dealing with serious health issues related to her young daughter's ability to eat (her daughter is fed through a gastric feeding tube each night). Linda's stress levels increase when one evening while attempting to have dinner with her daughter, the roof of her apartment caves in and the space is flooded. Her husband whom she talks to every day on the phone is working remotely and isn't able to come in to help them. Linda and her daughter are forced to move into a motel while the renovations on the apartment take place, which also become delayed when the chief contractor has to leave the assignment due to personal problems. Linda's clients at the clinic where she works are also getting increasingly troublesome, with one in particular whose name is Caroline and is suffering from paranoia and postpartum anxiety, calling her at late hours. Linda's stress levels are also heightened by the constant pressure from her daughter's doctor who almost berates her incessantly due to the fact that she doesn't show up for family therapy sessions. Linda's unparalleled pressure, her lack of rest, start a downward spiraling of her life, firstly with Caroline, her client, who abandons her newborn baby in one of their sessions, followed by Linda's decision to abandon one of the group meetings at the hospital where her daughter is getting treated.

"If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" is a quirky film. At least for me. I spent most of my time trying to understand if this film was a conceptual piece on the disintegration of someone's mental health/sanity, or if this was a contemporary take on John Cassavetes' "A Woman Under the Influence". At the end of watching this film I was puzzled by what exactly is it trying to say or illustrate. Most art pieces create different reactions from the audience who consumes it, and after consuming this feature the most striking aspect about it was how little I knew about Linda after spending two hours witnessing the deluge of challenges she was presented with. This wasn't exactly "stress porn", where the lead character is placed through the ringer, until she finally snaps, though it walks a fine line in the neighborhood of that topic, but ultimately what surprised me the most about this film, is how little was understood from the characters that populated it. Granted this is a character study on Linda, her tribulations, and her spiraling, but all the characters who populate her orbit, are puzzle pieces that don't particularly fit, and of whom we know very little of as well. After spending 2 hours with these characters, and going on this journey with Linda, witnessing much of these events from her perspective, I asked myself once more "what is the point that this writer/director is trying to make". And maybe I'm not sophisticated enough to perceive what is happening here, but ultimately I realize all we do in life is tell stories, sometimes more linearly than others, and sometimes more deconstructed and metaphorical than others. However, most of what I got from this feature film was more questions than insights, more bewilderment than realizations, and maybe that's what the auteur/director was trying to create, but overall and as a feature film, it's not a particularly satisfying one. The cast is game for what happens in this film, particularly Rose Byrne, a performer whom I tremendously admire (she's so versatile and solid in everything she does). The production team is equally solid, with highlights going to Christopher Messina's cinematography and Carmen Davis' production design. It's an interesting film, but one that I don't think hits the target that it thinks it does. 

Caught Stealing

Movie Name: Caught Stealing
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoe Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D'Onofrio, Carol Kane, Griffin Dunne, Laura Dern, Action Bronson, Nikita Kukushkin, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Bad Bunny, Janelle McDermoth, Tenoch Huerta
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon Prime

Synopsis and Review

Following the well received "The Whale", director Darren Aronofsky is back with an adaptation of the book "Caught Stealing" by the author of the novel itself, Charlie Huston. The narrative follows the story of Hank Thompson, a twenty-something bartender in New York in the late 1990s, who is charismatic and friendly, but who also carries with him the burden of an unfulfilled dream of being a big baseball player. His dream was shattered as a result of a brutal car accident which also resulted in the death of one of his high school friends. Hank gets along with his boss Paul, and has a solid relationship with Yvonne, who is hoping he finds a way to overcome his trauma and make something out of his life (or at least embrace something that will make him have more ownership of his destiny). Hank's friend Russ shows up at his place, asking him to take care of his cat while he goes to London to check on his dad who is not doing so well. Shortly after Hank receives the visit of two Russian mobsters who are looking for Russ. They beat him up pretty severely and Hank ends up in the hospital, minus one kidney as a result of the beating. Yvonne tends to him. He is also visited by narcotics detective Elise Roman who reveals that Russ is a drug dealer who is connected with various criminal gangs, including the brutal Hasidic Drucker brothers. Hank uncovers a hidden key Russ left behind, which he realizes is tied with what all the gangsters are looking for. While being interrogated by the returning Russians and their Puerto Rican associate, he admits to it, though after a night of drinking he doesn't know what happened to the key. Hank is eventually also pursued by the Druckers, and fearing for what might happen to Yvonne he goes back to her apartment to let her know. However he's too late, as she's been brutally murdered, which sends him down a spiral of grief and retribution. 

"Caught Stealing" is possibly one of the most straightforward features Darren Aronofsky has created thus far in his career. It perfectly captures the energy of New York of the late 1990s, and does so with the right amount of grit, humor, and energy. Of all of his features thus far it is also quite possibly his most lighthearted and funny, bringing to mind the ironic noir/thrillers of the early 2000s such as Paul McGuigan's "Lucky Number Slevin" or Jonathan Lynn's "The Whole Nine Yards". Most of these characters are very slight in their characterization and description, existing mostly on the courtesy of the charisma of the performers, but they all feel quite colorful and always engaging. Where Darren Aronofsky's gifted hand comes across is particularly on the pained existence of Hank, his everlasting bruise of missing his big opportunity, of the disappointment for himself and his mother, and the cross he bears on the death of his high school friend. There's something hinting at a different vibe and direction there, but that doesn't really crystalize, with the narrative instead being mostly focused on this fish out of water type of scenario, where Hank just wants to get out of all the trouble his friend brought up. The film has some tonal issues that could have been handled a bit better (the dark comedy could have been emphasized a bit more), but overall it ends up being a quite entertaining feature. The cast is solid and quite talented, particularly Matt Smith who creates a great punk has-been, while Austin Butler manages to make Hank a sweet and lovable self-saboteur type of hero. The production team is top notch, particularly the impeccable cinematography from Matthew Libatique, score from Rob Simonsen, and production design from Mark Friedberg. Worth watching.