Sure-Fire Streaming: The 2nd, The Pursuit Of Happyness, Wander, and more!
By Jordan Parker
https://parkerandpictures.wordpress.com/
The 2nd – Available On Netflix
This low-budget, slam-bang actioner is probably the most fun I had watching a movie all spring.
It’s absolutely silly, dumb, and loud, but after a year almost fully devoid of explosive actioners, it was welcomed.
The story is simple – A Delta Force operative goes to pick up his son from university, and stumbles upon a terrorist kidnapping plot. The daughter of a Supreme Court Justice is with his son, and the bad guys are after her to force her father’s hand on a Second Amendment vote.
It’s low-budget, entirely corny and has no business being as good as it is, but you need to take it at face value.
Ryan Phillipe is in smouldering, gun-toting, ripped shirt mode as our hero, with Starship Troopers star Casper Van Dien hamming it up as the villainous head of the terrorists.
It’s brutal, violent and a whole lot of fun. At the end of the day, aren’t those the ambitions a film like this should have anyway?
The Pursuit Of Happyness – Available On Netflix
I’ve been hugely nostalgic about Will Smith’s heyday lately – but it’s not his crowd-pleaser action roles that I miss.
It’s his Oscar pedigree as an actor that used to be worthy of nominations and who could bring pure emotion to each role.
With The Pursuit Of Happyness, he arguably gets the best chance of his career to make a real impact. He stars as a struggling salesman who takes custody of his young son while he’s on the brink of professional success.
As he juggles it all, he teeters on poverty and tries to prioritize his life accordingly. It’s a beautiful, poignant film.
Will Smith is incredible here, as is his real-life son playing his onscreen one, Jaden Smith. Supporting star Thandiwe Newton is also fantastic.
You’ve likely forgotten just how good this movie is, and it’s time to refresh your memory.
Wander – Available On Prime Video
This was – by far – my favourite film of 2020, and most other critics would scoff and write me off for saying it.
But Wander, a sci-fi bender of a film, hit me like a freight train. Its claustrophobic sensibilities just left me awestruck.
Director April Mullen – best known for indie lesbian drama Below Her Mouth – changes gears entirely here, and the results are fantastic.
The film revolves around a private investigator hired to check out the suspicious death of a girl in smalltown Wander, and the events that lead him to believe the case he’s looking into is linked to the cover-up of his own daughter’s tragic death.
The acting from Aaron Eckhart is his best since The Dark Knight, and he’s so good here it was scary. Tommy Lee Jones also does a heck of a job as his similarly strange best friend.
It’s a movie you’ll either love or hate, but I hope you land on my side of the debate here.
Words On Bathroom Walls – Available On Netflix
This one flew entirely under the radar last year, but Words On Bathroom Walls was one of the most effective dramas I saw in 2020.
It is a splendid, honest showcase of mental health issues, and tackles a young high-school-aged boy who battles schizophrenia. He’s a smart, incredibly complex young man falling in love with a beautiful girl in his class, and he hides his secret from her.
He wishes to be normal as those around him try to help how they can – often unsuccessfully. The internal struggles of main character Adam are so well chronicled, and it’s one that’ll make you tear up for sure.
Charlie Plummer is incredible here, and he’s boosted by Andy Garcia, the lovely Taylor Russell, AnnaSophia Robb, Molly Parker and Walton Goggins, who I’d watch in anything.
This one will affect you and hit you hard – have the tissues ready.
The Score – Available On Prime Video
One of the biggest comfort movies I’ve ever seen, The Score has a fantastic pedigree and great talent aboard, while also being massively entertaining.
An older thief is looking to retire and live off all he’s stolen, but a young hotshot pulls him in for one last job.
Sound familiar? It is, but once you hear who’s involved, you’ll be in. Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Marlon Brando all star in this incredible crime tale.
They’re all fantastic, and Angela Bassett is also great in a supporting role. De Niro and Norton play off each other incredibly well, and you can tell they’re having a great time.
It’s directed skillfully by Frank Oz, who did the voice of Yoda and Muppet and Sesame Street characters. He’s had success with movies like In & Out and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, but this is a departure and a great serious effort from him.
The Score is a well-regarded, intense crime caper that has a few great surprises in store. You’ll enjoy every singular minute.