CinemAddicts Reviews: ‘Out of Darkness,’ ‘The Monk and the Gun,’ ‘Past Lives’

On episode 229 of CinemAddicts we review Out of Darkness and The Monk and the Gun. All of us recommend The Monk and The Gun. Eric and I love Out of Darkness and had an engaged talk with Bruce Purkey, who gave it a mixed review. Other movies covered include Past Lives, Amy and Dicks: The Musical.

Directed by Andrew Cumming, Out of Darkness centers on six people who are struggling to survive in an unforgiving and almost barren land. Food and shelter are almost impossible to find, and a mysterious figure is stalking their clan. The ensemble includes Safia Oakley-Green, Kit Young, Luna Mwezi, and Chuko Modu.

Although he praised the technical aspects of the film, Bruce felt the movie did not live up to its potential. Eric and I both enjoyed the film, and I gave it the highest marks with a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ rating. Safia Oakley-Green delivers a standout performance as the strong willed outsider Beyah and Kit Young is equally memorable as the hesitant leader Geirr.

Check out Eric’s interview with Out of Darkness director Andrew Cumming:

Out of Darkness hits theaters on February 9, 2024.

Listen to episode 228 of CinemAddicts:

The Monk and the Gun is writer/director Pawo Choyning Dorji’s successful follow-up to his acclaimed feature Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom. This feature has several interweaving stories that centers on a mock election set to bring experience to remote Bhutanese villagers. Coinciding with the new democracy of Bhutan is a young monk who is searching for a gun at the behest of an elder monk and an American who is searching for a priceless item in Bhutan.

Here is my interview with The Monk and the Gun filmmaker Pawo Chonying Dorji:

All of us love The Monk and the Gun, and the feature hits theaters on February 9, 2024.

Bruce Purkey anchors the rest of the podcast with reviews on Past Lives, Amy, and and Dicks: The Musical. For the “What’s in the Box” segement, Purkey reviews A Christmas Tale.

Listen to episode 228 on CinemAddicts via Apple Podcasts or YouTube:

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