Brawl in Cell Block 99

     Brawl in Cell Block 99 is directed by S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk) and stars Vince Vaughn (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story), Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter), and Don Johnson (Django Unchained). It tells the story of Bradley Thomas, a locked up drug runner who must learn how far he will go for the ones that he loves.
     S. Craig Zahler directed the film Bone Tomahawk, a criminally underrated western-horror-thriller hybrid that more people need to see. That film has some of the most unnerving scenes that I have seen put to film, so the prospect of a new Zahler film had me excited from day one. Vince Vaughn is hit and miss an actor, with more hits than misses. But last year's Hacksaw Ridge showed a different side of Vaughn, which led me to think we would get another good performance from him.
     This film is another gritty, dark drama that sputters but ultimately pays off in the end. Zahler's violent sensibilities are again on full display in the best way possible. Another low budget affair aids the creativity and the lengths a filmmaker has to go to show anguish on full display. No moments of levity give you as the viewer a moment to breathe as Vaughn dives deeper into the underground world of the prison system.
     Vaughn is near unrecognizable as Bradley Thomas. A shaved head and cross tattooed on his skull are just the start of his transformation. Although he is still smug, his quips are kept to minimum, replaced by stares and intimidating stances as he fights his way through whatever is in front of him. His performance alone is worth watching the film. Don Johnson also shows up for a small role as the warden of the highest security prison, and he eats up every second he is on the screen.
     But at a certain point, the bleakness crosses a line. The realism of the film is put to the side as Zahler looks for a way to continue the violence for no apparent reason. From a gore standpoint, it is pretty fun. But the story seems to rest on the violence and when that is what propels a movie forward, it does not have as much of an impact. Violence for the sake of violence is not compelling.
     Overall, Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a good character study for Vince Vaughn from an interesting upcoming creative mind. The violence, while gritty, feels overbearing, which stalls the movie towards the end. But the movie is still worth viewing, which you can do today.

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

     Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is directed by Martin McDonagh (In Bruges) and stars Frances McDormand (Fargo), Sam Rockwell (Moon), and Woody Harrelson (Zombieland). It tells the story of a mother looking for answers to the murder of her daughter seven months ago, by creating hysteria in a small town by purchasing three billboards.
     Since premiering at the Venice Film Festival in September, Three Billboards has gotten nothing but praise. Currently, it sits as the front runner for best picture at this upcoming Academy Awards. And Martin McDonagh has created some of my favorite films of all time with his smartly written scripts and darkly comic timing. All the pieces were in place for this to be a great film, so how did it hold up to expectations?
    Starting with the positives, Frances McDormand was incredible as a single mother, trying to navigate the world post losing a daughter. Her ability to change emotion within the same scene was a masterclass in acting. I believe the Oscar is hers to lose at the moment. Sam Rockwell also has a strong case for best supporting actor. He somehow was likable despite his bigoted attitude towards many different people groups. Harrelson played his role well, but was a little too Woody to see much acting actually going on. One person to note is Caleb Landry Jones, who is quietly having a terrific year after staring in this movie, Get Out, The Florida Project, and American Made.
     It is difficult to discuss much of the actual plot without going into spoiler territory, so I am going to avoid it because the movie is worth seeing based off the performances alone. But many of the twists and turns were welcome surprises, going in directions I had not even considered. And by the end, I was not ready to let these characters go, which is a testament to the power of McDonagh's ability to write characters with real depth and the power of the performances on display.
    Although I enjoyed the movie, it was not without it's flaws. The most glaring of them was the shocking violence that appeared to come out of nowhere. Rather than cutaway at some of the more gruesome parts, Three Billboards shows it in all its glory. The ultra violence felt like a tonal clash with what the rest of the movie had going on. Another issue goes into spoiler territory but involves a scene in the gift shop that McDormand's character works at. The character introduced feels like a caricature and too easy a solution for such an otherwise brilliant film.
     Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a very good film that was almost great. It is worth seeing based off the performances of McDormand and Rockwell, but its ultra violence and questionable character motivations held it back.

When should you watch it?
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