5 Things I Know: The best Chris Evans role since Captain America
Which new movie have I seen five times already? Click to find out.
It’s Tuesday evening, the sun is still out, and here are a few (or five) things on my mind about the world of entertainment. Sports and adulting bullshit only clog the drains if you discuss them too often, so let’s leave them on the bench tonight.
#5 The Best Chris Evans role since he stopped being Steve Rogers
It’s not Knives Out, where he played a conniving and quite murderous family member. Out of all the roles he’s taken on after playing Captain America, the one I can rewatch and appreciate the most is Lloyd in The Gray Man. The Russo Brothers know how to put him to great use, and this ‘80s bad guy role showed more shades of gray than his shadowy, turtleneck-wearing relative in Rian Johnson’s mystery thriller gave audiences. Critics didn’t adore the Netflix original, but it’s incredibly rewatchable and the perfect scenery-chewing role for a hero to slide into. Taking on Ryan Gosling’s anti-hero made for something special.
The quotables are numerous, but the one about having his wounds licked by a miserable fat chick or having knife moves that fuck take the cake. It was a different usage of Evans’s charisma. Sometimes, most critics don’t know what’s good for them. He has made a lot of duds, but outrageous Lloyd wasn’t one of them.
#4 Ryan Coogler doesn’t want to make a Sinners sequel
THANK YOU! Count me among the few who haven’t seen his blockbuster movie. After over a decade of rushing out to every new movie screening or release, as if my dinner depended on it, I am admittedly slow to see the newbies these days. After all, they aren’t going anywhere. When asked if there would be a follow-up to the Michael B. Jordan-starring thriller, the director has resisted the idea of a sequel, citing that its original intent was to be a solo effort.
One can only hope Warner Bros. doesn’t hand him a blank enough check to change his mind, because we need more one-offs and fewer sequels in the flooded arena of Hollywood. Why does every successful film need an often useless second act? The best movies are lightning-in-a-bottle creations that don’t leave much unsaid in the end. Without seeing it, I can readily stand by Coogler’s decision to leave a so-called masterpiece, a film beloved by critics and audiences alike, alone.
#3 Lionsgate shouldn’t oversaturate John Wick’s presence
Chad Stahelski spoke about originally not wanting Keanu Reeves’s hitman to appear in the new Ana de Armas film, Ballerina. In a nutshell, there was no need for him to be there outside of the need to inform the audience that this was a story in the John Wick universe. Without having seen the film yet, I agree with the need to withhold showing off a popular character in a new movie. Still, I understand the financial incentive to capitalize on the character’s popularity.
The box office receipts reveal that there was no need to show Reeves in a small role as someone whom Armas’s character comes across on her path to revenge. It goes back to the need for fewer sequels. Let original films breathe on their own.
#2 F1 has Brad Pitt, Kerry Condon’s wonderful accent, and visceral racing scenes
If there were an award for best trailer, Joseph Kasinski’s upcoming film would take the prize handily over other contenders. It perfectly encapsulates the competitive world of Formula 1 racing while acting as a sturdy vehicle for its Oscar-winning movie star lead. Damon Idris as the young racing counterpart of Pitt’s aging marvel and Javier Bardem as the man putting an improbable plan together (moving a NASCAR driver to Formula 1) amp up the authentic action sequences, but the preview is so good because the lovely Condon gets to use her natural Irish accent. Unlike Pierce Brosnan leaning too hard into his brogue, she makes you long for more dialogue from her team member sizing Pitt’s racer up in the latest trailer below.
One hundred forty-six minutes is a tad long for this genre, but the cast and director of Top Gun: Maverick have me invested in the finished product. It arrives on June 27.
#1 The Accountant 2 is that good
My proof: Watching it five times. The last time I saw a new movie five times in its first two months of release dates is a time I can no longer recall. Something entertaining, original, and well-written makes the Gavin O’Connor sequel work so well. I could watch it a sixth time. He took the original formula and made it even better. Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal at the top of their game help the operation run smoothly, but it’s the crowd-pleasing finale that cements its place as a worthy sequel. When done correctly, follow-ups can be effective. That doesn’t mean we need more of them. It’s available to stream for free on Amazon Prime.
That’s all for now. Enjoy the evening, find something good to watch, and know that Heat is never a bad choice.
