Bad Times at the El Royale

Last movie of the year! Whoda thunk that I could squeeze in one more movie this year....

You know it's the year end when it took me longer than it normally would (on a Wednesday night) to find parking at the second home for a movie. Am kinda glad that GSC brought in Bad Times at the El Royale, cos there's only so many franchise, sequel, prequel movies I could stand to watch.

Circa 1969, several strangers, most with a secret to bury, meet by chance at Lake Tahoe's El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one night, everyone will show their true colors - before everything goes to hell.

I didn't go in cold because this movie had been out for a while, so I had time to look it up and read the summary to see if it was worth my time and money to watch it in the cineplex. 

I also didn't have to worry about not being able to either get a ticket or be in a bad seat. That said, the seats in the International Screens hall was plusher than I remembered the other halls are. For RM10 on a Wednesday, I can't complain. I also saved myself the 50-cent booking fee. There were probably fewer than a dozen people with me watching this while everyone else was watching the other big budget movies. 

I also went into this movie fully expect most, if not everyone, to not live to the end. I was right in this respect. 

• The idea of a motel straddling two state borders is not a terrible conceit. (Apparently based on an actual hotel resort that straddled the borders of two different states, though not as straight down the middle as the El Royale) 
• OMG Nick Offerman was in the movie for less than 5 minutes of screen time, hahaha.... the bulk of it in the cold open. 
• Was $8 in 1969 a lot of money ah? 
• Well no wonder there's only one guy working the hotel.... speaking of which, does the FBI own the place ah? 
• Chris Hemsworth still looked pretty good for having to lose the bulky Thor muscle for this role (apparently he just finished Infinity War, hence the fine physique). Also, he not cold ah since he pretty much goes around in really low rise jeans and also unbuttoned shirt?
• I'm kinda glad that the person who's there at the wrong place and the wrong time survived and not the first person to die. 
• Who knew the clerk was also such a good shot?
• You know John Hamm's character didn't have long to live (which was just as well since he apparently only had a couple of days to shoot the movie).
• I don't hate that we never get to find out which recently deceased public figure was on that incriminating piece of film. If you look online, there's several guesses as to whom it could be. 

Not a terrible movie, IMO. It's over 2 hours long and some might find the pacing a bit slow. If you're looking for a kid free movie night and something different to watch, do support GSC's International Screens and watch this movie while it's still being screened.