Double Feature Review

    That's right, my beautiful readers, it's time for another round of Double Feature! 

    Today, we will be looking at two brand new movies released this past week. Both films feature similar elements of minimalism and pulse-pounding thrills. Similar enough to share the same review spot here on my blog. Which one do I favor more? Keep reading to find out.

    The first item on the docket: 

Streaming on Hulu 

    Based on the novel by Taylor Adams, the story follows a young recovering drug addict named Darby (Havana Rose Liu) on her way to see her mother, who's in the hospital after a brain aneurysm. While on the road, she's stopped by violent winter winds and heavy snow blocking the highways and finds herself directed to a nearby visitor center to wait out the storm. After greeting some of the other travelers finding themselves stuck together, Darby attempts to find a cell signal outside to call her sister and check on the situation. Things take a scary and unexpected turn when she discovers a little girl tied up and screaming for help in the back of an old van. Now, Darby must figure out who the kidnappers are and call for help unless she can find the courage within her to save this little girl's life herself. 

    The film succeeds in making the most out of its minimalism: taking place in predominantly one location with a handful of talented actors utilizing the whole environment to tell a nail-biting yarn. Darby succeeds in becoming an unlikely hero with a satisfying character ark that makes you glad to eventually root for her, even if it can take a little while to get there. Havana Rose Liu delivers a spectacular performance and sells every moment she's on-screen. 

    While the violent moments (few and far between) can be pretty graphic, they never overwhelm the overall narrative. It's a compelling premise with skilled actors and a sharp script. I genuinely hope to see more of Havana Rose Liu in the future. 

    Totally check this one out. 

    Next up is something similar but not quite as engaging. 

For rent on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Plus, and YouTube 

    Some artists and other such creative types can best be described as "one note": they do one thing and one thing only, but they do it incredibly nicely. Even so, that doesn't mean that it can't get boring or overdone at times. Such appears to be the case with the latest offering from screenwriter Chris Sparling, whose previous works include Buried (a movie set entirely inside a small box with a single person trapped inside) and ATM (a film about three people trapped inside a self-enclosed ATM for fear of getting killed by a mysterious hooded stranger if they try to leave). Therefore, it should come as no surprise that his latest film, The Desperate Hour, spends most of its time with a single actor running through the woods while on her phone. I'm starting to notice a pattern. 

    The story follows a mother named Amy Carr (Naomi Watts) who receives a series of calls about an incident at her son's school while on her morning jog in the woods. She hears of an active school shooting and must make her way there, only she's about five miles away with no car. So, she has to run back, all the while making frantic calls to various people trying to piece together what's happening. 

    As you might have inferred, about 85% of the film is just various shots of Naomi Watts running through the Canadian forest while on her iPhone. Granted, the tense situation does add some drama, and the various drone shots from above the trees are pretty cool, but there are only so many ways we can watch someone screaming into an earpiece while on a hiking trail. 

    To be fair, Naomi Watts does a fantastic job as usual. The film does get some bonus points for at least trying to commentate on the tragedy of school shootings and how not enough is being done about them. Still, for a film like this, if there's something incredibly intense going on in another area, and you spend the vast majority of your time focusing only on one part of it, you tend to lose tension rather quickly. 

    A valiant effort made unintentionally dull. I still recommend checking it out for yourself but don't expect anything nuanced. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.