You're Next (2011)

3/5

You're Next is a fairly standard slasher movie with a somewhat clever premise. A dysfunctional family plans a reunion in an isolated vacation home in the woods when a group of psychotic murderers start picking them off one by one. But the family soon realizes that it wasn't a random act of violence; they were being watched and tracked for days. The "clever premise" is the twist at the end, the explanation of what's happening, but that's about the only novel part of the movie. The rest is predictable and expected gory filmmaking with a badass heroine. All in all, a decent flick if you're a fan of the horror genre, but nothing that will sway horror-haters.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1853739/

Drinking Buddies (2013)

3/5

Drinking Buddies is a fairly standard indie romantic dramedy with quirky characters and a mildly unique perspective. The plot follows two brewery co-workers, Luke (Johnson) and Kate (Wilde), who start to develop feelings for the other person, despite both being in relationships. On a camping trip with the two couples, Luke's partner (Kendrick) and Kate's partner (Livingston) share a kiss. How Luke and Kate react, how they involve themselves in the other person's life, and how alcohol affects their decisions is what the movie focuses on.

Whereas most Hollywood romances tend to be intentionally escapist, this movie grounds itself firmly in reality. All four leads deliver well-crafted, nuanced performances. It is who they are, not the situations they find themselves in, that gives the movie its voice. The characters are not perfect, and their decisions often frustrate us, but their charm and humor win us over. The character development is so warmly authentic that it is hard to stay mad at them.

But the movie as a whole, whether it's because of the worn-out, too-familiar storyline or the plodding progression, was not particularly compelling. The ending is not what I was expecting or hoping for, but perhaps that is the point of the movie and the reason for its title. Like its characters, the movie has its ups and downs, but ends up squarely in the middle of the pack.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2265398/