“Lake George.” / “Cold Meat.” / “Old Man.”

“Lake George” (2024, Hulu) crime thriller film written and directed by Jeffrey Reiner. Jeffrey is the brother of Rob; sons of Carl. You dig? The little movie had a scant plot but it somehow worked due to the dynamic chemistry between Shea Whigham and Carrie Coon as two people who go on a road trip to steal from an Armenian gangster.

       Fresh out of jail after serving a ten year stint, former insurance adjuster Don (Mr Whigham) has found that there are few options open to him. None of his former associates are of any help, so Don decides to collect on a debt owed to him by an Armenian gangster named Armen. Fully aware that Don is in desperate need of cash, Armen tells him that he will pay Don back-but only if he kills Armen's girlfriend Phyllis (Ms Coon). 

       Shea is my favorite second-man or top supporting actor who never received due recognition. But he is really good. And, of course, Carrie is always exceptional whatever role is handed to her. 🎥👍📽

“Cold Meat” (2024, Amazon Prime) thriller in the snow. Plot: David Petersen is passing through the Colorado Rockies. After saving Ana, a young diner waitress, from her violent ex-husband during a break from driving, he hits the road again through a dangerous snow blizzard with the now kidnapped waitress in the trunk of the car. Why is that? No spoilers though. 

       Wait, up. This: This little movie has a rating of 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and became a global hit. Particularly, it was praised for its tension between the two lead characters, acting, and the "uneasy element to everything (David) says that makes the film tick.”

       David is Allan Leech. Ana is Nina Bergman. Both are fine performers, convincing. However, I am not convinced of the 92 percent RT grade. “Uneasy element to everything David says,” really? Those were cliché, drained rationales. And I don't dig how the horrible situation was resolved. 

       But judge the movie yourself. 🎥💻📽

“Old Man” (2022, Hulu) horror thriller. Story: An old man wakes abruptly, alone in a cabin in the middle of the woods, and is very erratic and violent; calling for something or someone called Rascal, while also threatening to kill them if they ever return. A young hiker named Joe, who says he is lost in the woods, knocks at the cabin and is held at gunpoint by the old man, who demands to know if he knows Rascal's whereabouts or was sent by the old man's wife.

       Interesting, you reckon? It is, I guess, on the get go. Yet the show starts to plod and ramble (words words words) to a silly yet intriguing talk-show, midway. But I must concede, Stephen Lang as Old Man is a magnetic performer as is. But that'd be it. All Mr Lang although there's another person in the room or cabin, one-dimensional Marc Senter as Joe. (Take a wild guess who Rascal is.) 🎥💻📽

GAVE UP. <>“When You Finish Saving the World” (2022, Amazon Prime) comedy-drama about a mother and son who navigate their contentious relationship while trying to connect with other people. Julianne Phillips is the mom but I am not moved. Dialogues are cliché. Didn't carry on after 17 minutes or so.