Producer/actor Lin-Manuel Miranda has been on fire as his movie adaptations of In The Heights and Hamilton have been a surefire hit with the critics; however, Tick, Tick…Boom! is the first time that the veteran will step into the director’s chair and its features a talented cast headlined by The Amazing Spiderman himself, Andrew Garfield. This list comprises of the excellent films that feature the cast of Tick, Tick…Boom! Let’s immediately get started with the first film.
99 Homes
In one of the more underrated films on the list, 99 Homes is an excellent character driven piece with a strong message about the American economy. What’s so engrossing about the 2015 feature is Garfield’s character Dennis Nash; We’re sympathetic towards his situation when him, his son, and mother are coldly forced out of their house, and we understand his reasoning for accepting a job under Rick Carver. During that time, Nash’s morals are challenged, and the film does an excellent job of exploring the actions and consequences of the choices Nash makes throughout the 1hour and 50-minute runtime. Michael Shannon steals the spotlight as Carver, you understand his point-of-view on the world despite the fact that his actions are less than honorable. My only criticism of 99 Homes is the use of Laura Dern, who isn’t given much to do in her lackluster supporting role.
The Social Network
Who would’ve thought that a movie about the creation of Facebook would be so compelling? Of course, it helps that Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher anchored this top notch bio picture that showcases the rise of the popular social media website created by Mark Zuckerberg. The Social Network is a fascinating character study on Zuckerberg in general, who doesn’t come across as the most likeable human being on the planet; however, his character is a complex being that’s impeccably humanized thanks to Sorkin’s incredible writing and Jesse Eisenberg’s magnetic performance. While The Social Network lost to The King’s Speech as Best Picture Oscar winner, it’s easily one of the best films to come out in the early 2000s.
Hacksaw Ridge
A war film that does an excellent job of showcasing Pfc. Desmond T. Doss and his incredible story of heroism. It’s an compelling story that tackles faith in the midst of war and never holds back on the themes explored in the Mel Gibson picture. Hacksaw Ridge is graphic and gory in its depiction of war; however, those moments are never glorified because it highlights the dangers and sacrifices that these men take, and further emphasizes the impressive feat of Doss refusing to use a gun to fight a battle that’s mostly about killing. While Ridge could’ve gone into some more depth above Doss’ decision to never use a gun following the incident with his father, that never takes away from the impact of it’s overall story.
Straight Outta Compton
An excellent biographical film that showcases one of the pioneers of rap music, N.W.A. While the film completely ignores the domestic issues that found most of the group members in trouble with the law that could’ve really gotten to the heart of the legendary rap group, there’s no denying the impact that Ice Cube, Eazy-E, DJ Yella, and Mc Ren had on the music industry as a whole. Straight Outta Comption manages to veer away from the classic autobiography tropes and yet still maintain a compelling story due to the struggles the group had to deal with throughout their livelihood. The themes of racial injustice in films and television is nothing new, but to catch that prospective through the eyes of the popular group in the music industry made for an engrossing watch. It also helps that the core cast perfectly embodies the spirit of Cube, Eazy-E, DJ Yella, and Mc Ren. A must watch for any movie lover in general.
Get Out
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut shocked both critics and audiences as it’s easily one of the best horror films to come along in the mainstream media. While Get Out does have some third-act issues and the dialogue can be eye-rolling at times, the themes that Get Out explores makes this a fascinating and timely watch. The imagery is also stunning, mainly Daniel Kaluuya‘s sunken place scene. Speaking of Kaluuya, he leads a top-notch cast that includes Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford. Thankfully, Peele doesn’t make the antagonists cartoon villains, and their layered characters really help balance out the intriguing story. A strong directorial debut for Peele who’s sharply written social commentary heightens the true horror of the film.
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