Finch

Directed by Miquel Sapochnik
Written by Craig Luck and Ivor Powell
Starring Tom Hanks
Plot: An ailing inventor, the last man on Earth, builds an android to keep him and his dog company and goes on a journey across the country

From the beginning, Finch felt much like the Will Smith-led I Am Legend without the dark and grim look. Although it did feel a little end of the world-ish at some points, you still had a more light-hearted version of the film.

Tom Hanks is no stranger at acting alone, or acting at other objects – looking at you Wilson – and this role was no different. Hanks is great at what he does and he continues to show throughout this film that it doesn’t matter who is opposite of him, a body, a robot, a dog, a ball, etc. he will show up and get the job done.

Speaking of Hanks, who is no stranger at acting alone or acting at other things, this role was no different. Hanks is great at what he does and he continues to show that throughout this film that it doesn’t matter who is opposite of him, a body, a robot, a dog, a ball, he will show up and get the job done.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with Finch. It was a heartwarming story that has beautiful visuals and a good performance from Tom Hanks.

The Verdict: B

PVT Chat

Written & Directed by Ben Hozie
Starring Julia Fox, Peter Vack, Keith Poulson
Plot: Jack is an internet gambler living in NYC who becomes fixated on Scarlet – a cam girl from San Francisco. His obsession reaches a boiling point when fantasy materializes in reality and Jack sees Scarlet on a rainy Chinatown street.

We meet Jack (Peter Vack), who seems obsessed with technology, whether it’s his urge for internet gambling, his addiction to getting off to women via private chat, or the idea of putting chips in people’s heads to have them hear each other’s thoughts.

When he meets Scarlet on the site PVT Chat, he begins to grow keen on her and her thoughts, her moves outside of just trying to please himself. Upon seeing her in public, the movie takes a turn from the obsession in his mind to reality. The terrifying nature of which something like this could come true makes the film’s intensity even more authentic.

Once we begin to see Scarlet’s journey and why she is doing what she is doing because of her boyfriend, we see another shift in the story that reveals more about the motives on her end. Her relationship with Jack goes from somewhat fun to her trying to take advantage of him.

While the entire third act is insane, I struggled with what exactly I am rooting for. Jack is an obsessive creep and Scarlet, who we grow to like, becomes evil and every other person involved is not a good person. What was the message? Does everyone sucks? Don’t trust anyone? I wasn’t sure the message was clear on what they were trying to say.

The Verdict: C+