I had a three-day weekend and decided to watch as many movies as possible. I watched The Unbreakable Trilogy on Sunday but decided to only talk about the movies released in 2023.

Friday

Priscilla-Dipson Amherst

"Priscilla" looks at the life of Pricilla Presley (Callee Spaeny) from the time she met Elvis (Jacob Elordi) until she divorced him. 

Last year's "Elvis" was a sprawling Baz Lurman epic, "Priscilla" is the exact opposite. It is a much quieter film focused on a smaller time frame. The performances are career-making. I have never been a massive fan of Elordi. The characters he usually plays are always very dull to me, but he was great as Elvis.

By far, the standout is Spaeny as Priscilla. In the movie, you see her fall deeply in love with him (she was 14 when they first met) and, as she gets older, realizes that this is not a loving relationship. Spaeny portrays this transformation in such a heartbreaking way. She is obsessed with Elvis. She convinces her parents to let her move in with Elvis before she graduates high school and changes her appearance to make him happy. This is the man she loves, so these are small sacrifices, but when the more controlling elements of his personality take over, she becomes more aware of what he is doing. 

8/10

Rated R for drug use and some language

1hr 53min. 

The Killer-My Couch

The Killer (Michael Fassbender) is forced to deal with the consequences of a botched assassination attempt. 

"The Killer" is a filmmaking masterclass. David Fincher's directing is as good as ever and continues to show that he is an incredible storyteller. Fassbender gives one of the best performances of his career. Most of his dialogue is in voiceover and puts the viewer in this character's mind. 

The first 20 or so minutes of the movie are him waiting to make the kill shot. He is in a building across the street from where his target will be, preparing for days before. Through the voiceover, he explains all the small things he does to prepare for the moment when he fires his weapon. He spends hours watching the other people in the area, ensuring his getaway vehicle is ready, and anticipating potential problems. 

I was riveted for the entire runtime. When I watch something at home, it is hard not to check my phone/ computer or get up and do something else. I am actively working on not doing the "two-screen experience," but "The Killer" is so engaging that I did not even think about anything besides the movie. 

"The Killer" is on Netflix

9/10

Rated R for strong violence, language, and brief sexuality

1hr. 58min

Saturday

Hell House LLC Origins: Carmichael Manor-My Couch

I will not write a plot synopsis because this one would usually not be a review, but it was a part of my big weekend of movies, so here we go. 

I think the original, "Hell House LLC," is one of the best found-footage horror movies I have ever seen. It followed Hell House's preparation and disastrous opening at the abandoned Abadon Hotel. I liked the second one, which dealt with an investigative journalist returning to the hotel years after Hell House. It was a decent follow-up. The third one's last act was not good (I appreciated what it was trying to do). Then there is this new one.

I liked parts of it. There were some excellent, creepy scares, and I liked how it tied all the movies together. It just had the same problem: the other sequels did-it could not live up to the original. 

Hell House LLC Origins: Carmichael Manor is on AMC+/Shudder

6/10

1hr. 38min

The Holdovers-Dipson Amherst

Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) gets stuck with watching the students without a place to go for the holidays. Over those two weeks, he and student Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) and school cook Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) understand one another better. 

I have a shaky history with Alexander Payne movies. I think that "Sideways" is overrated. I enjoyed "The Descendants" and "Nebraska," but I don't love them. His best film, by far, is "Election." It is with that baggage that I saw "The Holdovers."

This movie was too long. Whenever I say that, I think about what I would have cut, and never has it been more apparent than this movie. Angus is joined by four other boys who are holdovers, but they leave 20 minutes in (I won't spoil that). That is what I would have cut. All it does is set up things that we never get resolutions of. That would take the movie under two hours (which I always appreciate). 

I enjoyed the interplay between the cranky Mr. Hunham and Angus. This is Sessa's first major role, and he is terrific. He perfectly balances the snotty teenager and the kid dealing with deeper issues. Besides the length, it was a good movie and is easy to recommend. 

7/10

Rated R for language, some drug use, and brief sexual material

2hrs. 13min

The Marvels-Market Arcade

When their powers become entangled, Captian Marvel (Brie Larson), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) must work together to save the universe. 

The standout is Vellani. The "Ms. Marvel" show on Disney+ was enjoyable, but she was a revelation. She was cosplaying as Ms. Marvel at comic conventions a few years ago. Now, she gets to play the character in the MCU. She is living every nerd's dream. Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel's secret identity) is a nerd and loves superheroes, so it is the role that Vellani was destined to play. She is great in this role and, as one of the final scenes in the movie indicates, she has a bigger role to play in the MCU.

Much of the discourse around this movie is about how the MCU is in trouble, and it is unfortunate that "The Marvels" is bearing the brunt of this discussion. The movie is a lot of fun-which is something not many Marvel movies have been in the past few years. The interplay between the three leads is excellent, and the scenes with just them are when the movie is at its best. 

7/10

Rated PG-13 for action/violence and brief language

1hr. 45min.