Movie reviews of Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen

Coffee & Kareem is an action-comedy buddy film failure. Review

Tigertail is an ambitious and promising but somewhat incomplete directorial feature film debut, and, frustratingly, with some fine-tuning this could’ve been a truly memorable debut. Review

Martin Scorsese’s After Hours is an overlooked and clearly influential genre-bending gem from the legendary director’s exceptional filmography that feels like a mixture of a hellish episode of The Twilight Zone and cringe comedy. Review

An effective science-fiction horror film with something on its mind. Review

It feels frustratingly unfulfilled because of the narrow scope of the film, but not because the mystery at the center of the film is unsolved. Review

Spenser Confidential is a Boston-set action-comedy buddy film on auto-pilot. Review

Whannell’s The Invisible Man is a truly outstanding psychological thriller... Review

For better or worse, Road to Roma is as much a celebration of Roma as it is a celebration of the auteur who made the film what it is. Review

An inconsequential but mostly pleasant continuation of Netflix’s hit teen romantic comedy... Review

It is a funny but crude continuation of the hit cringe comedy series that I think is significantly better than the previous entry — Klovn Forever — to some extent precisely because it doesn’t foolishly try to reinvent the concept of the tried and true series. Review

Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey is, from top to bottom, head and shoulders above David Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Though I think this spin-off film does suffer from a serious structural problem, Birds of Prey is still, on the whole, a very entertaining film about female empowerment. Review

Josh and Benny Safdie’s Uncut Gems is a nail-biting stunner. It is a truly overwhelming and, at times, exhausting film that nevertheless completely hooks you. Adam Sandler is exceptional as an infuriating character whose waking nightmare is every bit as grueling as it is mesmerizing. Review

Though Troop Zero is charming, and even though the film does feature notable actors who possess the skill to liven up even the hackneyed or blandest scenes, it ultimately did not leave a strong impression on me. It is a little bit ironic that Troop Zero is essentially a very ordinary and unmemorable film about embracing what makes you special. Review

It brings me no pleasure to report that the first 2020 Netflix film from a well-known filmmaker, Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace, is a rushed and unskilful mess of a film. Review

1917 is a breathtaking technical achievement that is a remarkable showcase for its cinematographer and composer. Review

Nicolas Pesce’s reboot of The Grudge tries but fails to breathe new life into a crowd-pleasing but outworn franchise. The scares are predictable and tedious, the creature design is bland and disappointing, and Pesce and co-writer Jeff Buhler’s overlapping storylines make the film feel jumbled. Review

Bong’s genre-bending Parasite is, like Lee Chang-dong’s Burning, a South Korean class-conscious masterpiece that I both admire and adore. Review

Though I will concede that I have some doubts as to how well it will play on further viewings, Zahler wrings this nihilistic and unforgiving crime thriller for everything it has, and I never tired of his dedication to his resolute method in Dragged Across Concrete. Review

Fernando Meirelles’ The Two Popes is basically an odd-couple buddy dramedy about finding common ground disguised as a stale two-person drama. It features two truly excellent performances from Pryce and Hopkins, as well as several both heartwarming and intriguing scenes. Review

The Force may not have been strong with J. J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker, the low-point in the sequel trilogy, but it works just well enough for me to feel good about recommending it. Review

6 Underground is Michael Bay’s violent, no-holds-barred interpretation of the Fast & Furious and Mission: Impossible-franchises, and, while it is not as entertaining as either of those franchises, 6 Underground works just well enough to make me even a little bit interested in a potential sequel. Review

Though by no means unique, I think that Marriage Story is a masterpiece and one of the very best films of the year. Review

Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir is an arthouse favorite that will not be accessible to most modern audiences. I am fascinated by this film, and I do admire a number of things about it, but I cannot recommend it. Review

This is a suspenseful, surprising, sharp, and side-splitting film. Rian Johnson’s Knives Out is filled to the brim with gloriously eye-catching production design and set decoration, witty, modern, and surprisingly political dialogue, and a star-studded cast having the time of their lives. It is a riveting and glorious crowdpleaser that is probably going to be regarded as one of the year’s most rewatchable films. Review