Tonya, The Ritual, Cloverfield Paradox, and Winchester.

I, TONYA

Do you remember Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan? Back in the early 90’s, the tragic tale of a skating rivalry gone awry was all over the tabloids. Kerrigan had been wounded in a sudden attack while training, her knee busted with a pipe and the perpetrator on the run. The image of Kerrigan on the floor, screaming “Why?!” had been burned into the zeitgeist of the era. It wasn’t long until the light was shone on rival competitor, Tonya Harding, and her husband Jeff Gillooly. Events quickly spiraled and they were both found guilty of conspiracy to wound Kerrigan-

“I, Tonya” offer a wonderfully unique and often contradictory glance into the life of Harding and her struggles in marriage and competition, including an especially painful childhood driven by a relentless “stage” mother who often seemed cold and distant. It’s important to note that this is HER story, based on an autobiographical account of her life. Interviews with other involved people will sometimes contradict her narrative or occasionally corroborates it but it’s important to note that this is her story. It’s not necessarily the truth, and much of that simply doesn’t matter.

Beautifully scripted and acted, the film unfolds in a relentless comedy of errors as the players are none too bright or sympathetic. We’re shown stark and realistic portrayals of domestic abuse and Margot Robbie delivers an incredible performance as Tonya. She makes Tonya into a believable, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes out of her depths, and often manipulative competitor with a tendency to shift the blame from herself when it suits her. Allison Janney nearly steals the show as LaVona Harding, Tonya’s domineering and abusive mother. The film deserves every award it’s garnered a nomination for and is an absolute MUST SEE.

9 out of 10.

THE RITUAL

“The Ritual” is an intense and atmospheric film set in the deep dark wilderness of Sweden’s Hiking trails. As important as the capable cast, the beautiful landscapes thick foliage and creeping fog creates a tense atmosphere that will rattle the nerves as effectively as any score could. And the film works to promote the surroundings as a very real and credible threat. In addition to whatever things may be hiding within.

Directed by David Bruckner (V/H/S and The Signal), the films story is about four friends who plan a holiday hiking through the mountains. The group are approaching their mid-forties and find their strained relationships stretched as each leads their separate lives. The trip is held in honor of a fifth member who had recently died, with one person in particular haunted by the event. The mounting tension works to build upon these strained relationships and drive the protagonists deeper into a dark wilderness that may never let them go.

Streaming on Netflix.

8 out of 10.

CLOVERFIELD PARADOX

Dropping right after the Superbowl, Netflix continues to find new ways to promote their original content when they decided to drop the third film in the popular franchise that has featured a giant Kaiju, space aliens, a psychotic killer, and now brings us to the near-future and a space station orbiting earth as it prepares an experiment that will provide limitless power to the beleaguered people far below. In what is basically a twist on the “Heddron Collider” theories, the Cloverfield Space station activates and something truly devastating happens.

From here on out, any information I could give would be a woeful disservice to you. Suffice to say that things get shook up all over the place and the space station’s inhabitants begin to experience bizarre events while the people down below are also facing repercussions of their own.

Tying some of these events in a nice little bow, the Cloverfield Paradox does a terrific job in linking the previous films in the franchise while cementing its own unique story along the way.

7 out of 10.

WINCHESTER:

Dames aside, this one is a fairly standard spook film that tries to copy formulas from other recent films and to cash in on urban legends surrounding the very real and, subsequently, very near Winchester House. Billed as “The house that ghosts built”, the film plays heavily on its major conceit that “guns are bad” and the souls of those who had been killed by guns are haunting the matriarch of this family estate. There is a somewhat interesting story involving the psychiatrist sent to evaluate Mrs. Winchester’s mental awareness, but the film is basically a haunted house attraction with creaking steps, jumping ghouls, and howling moans.

4 out of 10, maybe rent it if you’re bored.