Movie Review Monday: Minority Report

Welcome to another edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's film is the 2002 sci-fi action thriller, Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise.

This is another sci-fi movie that has been on my list to check out for some time now. I rented it on iTunes for full transparency (it isn't on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime yet) so this will be a review with that in mind, meaning is it worth paying for outright (short answer: yes).

The plot follows John Anderton (Cruise) who works in the prototype "Pre-Crime" division in Washington, DC in the year 2054. Utilizing special individuals who can tell the future, "pre-cogs", Anderton and his team prevent crime from happening and imprison the individuals for their future crime. Everything is going well until Anderton gets caught up in a conspiracy and finds himself alleged of the future murder of someone he has never met.

Minority Report is carried mostly by the performance of Cruise, and it works. They build a universe around him and give some depth on his character's personal struggles and drive. Anderton fully believes in the system he works in, until he has doubt in it and then is alleged of a crime himself. The twists and turns all make sense and add to the fun of the movie, which has some great action and a solid performance from Cruise.

This movie is certainly worth paying a few dollars for to rent. It's not the best movie or a perfect movie, but it works and is entertaining. It is also certainly of it's time. With the John Williams score and early 2000s CGI, it reminded me of Star Wars Episode II, but this movie is far better than that. Colin Farrell gives a strong turn as a skeptical federal agent in one of his earlier major film roles. It also has some substance, depth, and a dark angle to it as Anderton is a depressed, grieving, drug using cop who is compelled by a regret for losing his young son years before.

I recommend checking out Minority Report if you are looking for some unique, original, modern sci-fi. I also enjoy finding new, different stuff in the genre, so I am happy I was able to watch this movie.

You can find Minority Report on any and all of your favorite VOD services!

Thanks for stopping by!

Movie Review Monday: Rain Man

Welcome to another awesome edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's movie is the 1988 classic Rain Man starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.

The plot of the movie surrounds Cruise's character, Charlie Babbitt, as he discovers he has a brother, Raymond (Hoffman) he never knew about in the wake of their estranged father's death. Charlie only is interested in his brother for the possibility of an inheritance that he lost out on, but eventually Charlie learns more about his father, his brother, and why he never knew about Raymond. Charlie grows as a person from the experience and the journey in unexpected ways for him.

This movie is now dated quite a bit but it holds up for the most part. I had some problems with the pacing of the film, but the dialogue is excellently done. Cruise and Hoffman have to carry the movie on their shoulders and they do wonderfully. Cruise's natural charisma is here even when his character is being awful to the people around him. Hoffman gives depth to his portrayal of Raymond as an autistic savant. I've seen a lot of actors try to do this and fail miserably. At the very least, it comes across as gimmicky or inauthentic. Hoffman does well here to avoid any of the common pitfalls, and it is surprising he is able to do so since his was one of the first major film roles of a character with autism.

If you're looking for a heartwarming dramatic comedy, this is a great choice. It is a classic film that you should also just watch at some point regardless.

You can find Rain Man streaming right now on Netflix!

Thanks for stopping by!