Weapons

“The less you know the better.” Weapons is a secret club; an exclusive contract with the culture kids to not discuss or spoil, but instead just experience the movie. It’s a marvel of marketing more than anything else because it’s not THAT mysterious. If you were to pitch it to a horror movie nerd in the snack line at Comic-Con, this would sound pretty conventional. But the odd pacing, the comedic cuts, and the wild detours make this a fun ride. It’s the original method that the story is told that makes this special. Filmmakers grant the audience key, very necessary resolutions. But several of the odd detours and departures showcasing details of the lives of supporting characters don’t really factor in and stay unresolved. So, what’s the point of showing us? It’s hard to say. These nods to the “peculiar” people feel like an homage to David Lynch -- the reasons for them being there will never be fully understood. It’s just for the “vibes,” as the kids say. But it’s “fun” weird rather than “weird” weird which makes this a wild ride and a satisfying endeavor.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Something happened between episode 2 and episode 3 that I don’t understand. It’s as if some studio executive said, “The last movie was too perfect. We need to shake this one up a little. Film it rough, edit it poorly, rattle the can a little. That’ll bring the kids in!” Maybe their timeline or their deadlines were different. Suffice it to say, something is off here. Pans are too fast. Close ups are too close. Cuts are too abrupt. It’s the filmmakers fault for making “A New Era” so perfectly perfect. “The Grand Finale” had nowhere to go but down(ton). Not that it’s a first-class train wreck. The trials of Lady Mary still engage, as expected. She’ll be missed by her demographic.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

The day-to-day life of the vacuous rock star isn’t mined here. There are no conversations about cold cuts, amp knobs, or album covers. We know these guys now. This is much more about getting older, mending fences, cheese, and sitting than it is about Heavy Duty rock and roll. The timing could not be better for this release after a summer of public feuds from The Who and the death of Ozzy. That being so, this document arrives a little more grounded in reality. Different from the first, the big surprise here are the cameos from real rockers, especially Paul McCartney who can hold his own with the improv ninjas. Stringently paced by Rob Reiner and Editor Bob Joyce, one wonders how much silliness ended up on the “cutting room floor” hard drive. There might be ten more movies in there! Such a sweet, funny, nostalgic dessert, and an apolitical tonic for trying times.