Pasckie Pascua's Nerdy Squirrel Reviews: Movies.

“The Amateur” (1981, Hulu), directed by Charles Jarrott , and  “The Amateur” (2025, Hulu), directed by James Hawes , spy thriller based on the 1981 novel by Robert Littell . A CIA cryptographer seeks revenge after his wife is killed in a terrorist attack in London. When the CIA doesn't pursue the case to his satisfaction, he blackmails them into training him as an operative to take matters into his own hands. He embarks on a dangerous journey to track down and kill those responsible for his wife's death.  Clearly, the 2025 version is a lot more exciting than the 1981 version. Rami Malek’s Charlie Heller is more engaging and concentrated than John Savage’s version. Plus we have engaging performers such as Rachel Brosnahan , Caitríona Balfe , Michael Stuhlbarg , Julianne Nicholson, and Laurence Fishburne as star-quality support to Mr Malek. Though Christopher Plummer was fine in the former. 🎥💻📽 <>“Official Secrets” (2019, Plex) British drama , based on the case...

“A Small Fortune” (2021, Amazon Prime) Canadian crime drama. A man lives in a small village in Prince Edward Island makes a subsistence living harvesting sea moss on the coast, resisting the urging of his wife Sam that he leaves the province to look for more stable and well-paying work. One day he finds a large stash of money on the beach and hides it for himself.         This noirish “thriller” is pretty well-acted to complement the crisp writing and minimalist direction. Reminds me of the Coen brothers’ classic “ No Country for Old Men .” To think that this indie is Adam Perry's feature directorial debut, an expansion of his earlier short film “A Blessing from the Sea.” He needs to make more movies, this guy. 🎥💻📽 “Sweet Virginia” (2017, Tubi) neo-noir thriller. In a small town where there has been a spate of recent violence, a former rodeo star meets a young man who he develops a burgeoning friendship with. However, he is unaware of his new...