I really do not see the hype for this movie. I mean just because this is one of the better predator films in the past couple additions does not mean it is great. A lackluster story, poor and awkward performances, janky CGI all creates a less than ideal experience. While I did enjoy the new and interesting setting, there was just not enough here for me to care.
Score: 45%
Verdict:: Poor
Vengeance was touching film filled with humor and heart. I laughed at quite a few of the jokes, but most were just kind of funny situations, somewhat Office liked, which I really dug. Performances were all pretty good. There was definitely a lot of social commentary poking fun at right wing extremists, which I thought was funny social commentary, but some might take offense to it. The pacing in the movie was a little rough, it took me a while to get hooked on it. The ending takes a hard left turn that did not really land for me. It didn't hurt the experience but it left me confused and felt forced.
Score: 73%
Verdict: Good
Lightyear is a lighthearted and fun sci-fi adventure. Let me get this out of the way first and foremost, the visuals in this film are spectacular. The artists who did this deserve a raise because this might be the best looking animated film I have ever scene. I really enjoyed the touch of changing the resolution at a certain point. With that out of the way, I really enjoyed this film, the exploration of a new world was really well done. I liked the time traveling elements that were presented, borrowing some from Interstellar, and it brought some really sad moments that nearly drew a tear from me. The cast of characters were funny and their evolution throughout the story was a joy to watch. I was not super impressed with this movies interpretation of Zurg. I just felt like there was more that could have been done with that.
Score: 82%
Verdict: Great
Bullet Train is a fast paced action packed adventure filled with great laughs and brutal fight sequences. This film is incredibly self aware, and I say that as compliment. It has fun with itself, and manages some serious story points with humor in a pleasant way. The cast is stacked and delivers excellent performances with some fun surprise cameos along the way. With the story being so full, I felt that it was trying to do too much and be a bit too cleaver. There were times where I had to backpedal in my head to keep track of all the characters and how they connect. I did find that the movie dragged on a bit towards the end, I'm not sure if this story warranted the two hour runtime. There were some lines that were mixed poorly where is difficult for me to hear what the actors were saying. Although, that could have been due to the bass of the theatre speakers. Overall, Bullet Train is a fun time and worth a watch in theaters.
Score: 75%
Verdict: Good
The Lobster is the most awkward love story I have ever watched, but despite how off putting it was it touched me in ways I did not quite expect. The plot of this film is incredibly unique. The idea of being turned into an animal if you cannot find love is so weird in the best kind of way. I found the entire movie to be very sinister in nature, always keeping me on edge about what was to come next, and that was enhanced by the sharp orchestra playing underneath every scene. Yorgos Lanthimos wrote the entire film in a very awkward way. I understand that it was aiming for that type of sharp and poignant feel, but it just did not work for me. I could not help but wonder how much better the film would have impacted me if it felt more natural. The acting in this movie is incredible, the way that everyone could act so emotionless while still feeling genuine was fantastic, even if I did not particularly care for the style. Despite all my complaints, I still genuinely enjoyed the experience, even with its ups and downs. I am still left pondering the ending of the film and that is how a movie should leave you feeling.
Verdict: Good
Emily the Criminal is a brilliant look at the stakes a person will go to in order to dig themselves out of crippling student debt. I had a really good time with the film, Aubrey Plaza is fantastic as the lead, she carried this movie and made it an absolute treat to watch. The story hits on a lot of elements that the resonant with millennials while exploring them in a way that feels genuine. The plot is pretty good, although the main story points are almost all revealed in the trailers, which was a bit disappointing. There were times where I was having a hard time believing she could continue to get away with all the illegal activity she was getting up to without even raising suspicion, but I was able to turn my mind off and still have a solid experience.
Score: 80%
Verdict: Great
Theater Verdict: See It
Brilliant! How an almost 3 hour movie kept me locked in and engaged for the entire runtime, but this accomplished it. Matthew McConaughey was so freaking good in this, one of his best performances of all time. Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain were incredible. Really everything about this movie is fantastic, the only bad thing about it is I wish I would have watched it sooner.
Rating: 100%
Verdict: Masterpiece
Benedict Cumberbatch is fantastic in this movie. I really dug this. Love movies set during WWII and this one encapsulates it brilliantly. Felt they did the story justice while also having an underlying message on acceptance.
Score: 90%
Verdict: Excellent
The Green Knight is an epic character study that takes it's time following the path of a man finding worth in his life, but that slow progression is also its downfall.
This movie was really gripping at first, I was invested in the first 30 minutes but that flow slowly starts to fade during the mid-section. At this point the scenes begin to drag a bit and the story jumps from one section to the next so quickly that it can be a bit disorienting as to where you are. Despite the slight pacing issues, this film is still a treat to watch.
The visuals and the atmosphere of this film is really well done, each scene felt perfectly crafted. The mix between CGI and practical affects are a real bright spot as today so many movies rely too much on the computerized effects. The tone had me completely captivated, as adventure unfolds there are many darks turns where our protagonist has to preserver to get to his objective. This perseverance is what evolves him as a character and is what enables him to be worthy of knighthood. I bought that evolution due to the fantastic job Dev Patel does in this film.
Patel encapsulates so much of what Gawain is, a reckless and immature child who has done nothing with his life. This causes a great deal of insecurity as he feels not worthy to be in the presence of his uncle, the king, even though he has royal blood. The sense of unsureness is carried throughout the film brilliantly by Patel, and it is not until the end where he truly becomes worthy for the crown. This performance is spectacular, and Dev Patel deserves all the accolades for this film.
Overall, The Green Knight was a really interesting experience. Although it does not warrant its runtime and pacing could have been done better, it is still an excellent film that I enjoyed. Even after watching, the more research I do and more I think about it, the more it gets better due to the complex symbolism and presentation that does not make itself known on the first watch.
Grade: 83%
Verdict: Great
Even though the story is very bare bones, Robert Eggers brings in fantastic visuals with great details that it is still a joy to watch. There are so many interesting shots that leave the viewer questioning what reality is. Although that can lead to a bit of confusion, I was still able to keep up with the ideas presented. The acting in this film was amazing all around. I really enjoyed Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgård performances. The romantic relationship between Alexander Skarsgård and Anya Taylor-Joy did feel a little half baked and underdeveloped though. The action in this movie is few and far between, but when it does peak its head out it in brutal and visceral leaving audiences gasping at the bloody details and gore. The action was done really well, with not many cuts and incredible choreography. Overall, this film was really great and I wish I would have watched it in the theaters.
Score: 87%
Verdict: Excellent
Not Okay was a pleasant surprise for me. I enjoyed a large part of this movie, with scenarios and characters feeling quite real to today's society. Although, there was a sense that writers did not really understand the culture it was writing towards. So many lines of dialogue felt like boomers writing for today's generation and I found myself physically cringing. If they could have reeled in on the over the top dialogue and eccentric character decisions I fell like the movie would have been all the better for it. Despite those negatives, this movie was still able to entertain me.
Score: 65%
Verdict: Decent
The Last Duel is fantastic. I loved how Scott decided to craft all three sides to the story. It really allowed the viewer to gather pieces and clues in each retelling to come up with there own conclusion. The action in this movie is visceral, so many gruesome and gory shots. It had me exhaling during multiple fight sequences. Performances across the board were excellent. Jodie Comer, Matt Damon and Adam Driver were so freakin good, every scene was expertly done. Overall, really strong watch, one of the better medieval films I have seen in a very long time.
Score: 95%
Verdict: Excellent
An entertaining movie filled with fantastic performances and gripping dialogue. Although, this movie is slightly directionless as I was 2/3rds of the way through the movie and had no idea where it was trying to take me. Despite that fact, I still was engaged and had a great time watching. The third act is so off the walls and crazy that it makes the entire slow burn of the film worth every second.
Score: 88%
Verdict: Excellent
Dune was a massive undertaking due to the sheer amount of lore and political backstory director Villeneuve had to fit in a two-and-a-half-hour run-time, but I am happy to say it was executed brilliantly.
The story of Dune is incredibly deep, there are so many layers of political factions and relationships that it can get quite confusing at times. I had to constantly be looking up specific individuals and their ties to each other to understand the minor nuances of the story. Despite that fact, Villeneuve is still able to deliver a coherent narrative that will allow the majority of the audience to understand the overarching plot. After the buildup of the first act, the story gets cooking, and I was utterly invested.
There is an incredible atmosphere present in this film. It begins as a Sci-Fi epic, following a house starting anew on a fresh planet and a new industry to conquer. You can feel the optimism and the sense of discovery in the shots due to the interesting angles, lighting, and a brilliant soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer. But as the narrative evolves so does the tone, as a thick fog of helplessness bleeds on to the screen and you can feel the dread form. This tone was quite refreshing in today’s blockbuster cinema, as each movie needs to incorporate a vast amount of unnecessary comedy to appeal to the broader audience. Dune is unapologetic about what the story is trying to deliver and gives you exactly what it wants without any concessions.
The visuals are stunning throughout the entire runtime. One of my favorite scenes was during the spice extraction visit. I loved the blend of realism that was used in this Science Fiction setting. The ships and equipment look like they could exist in our own world with a few technological advancements. The fight choreography is really well done, especially the hand-to-hand combat. The final scene was epic, each fist and punch were so sharp and calculated, it was really impressive to watch in the age of jump cut action.
The acting is perfect throughout the film, I really cannot point to any one character that felt off or out of place. Timothee Chalamet did an incredible job as the lead man. He delivered a heartfelt performance and evolved throughout the entire film into the confident leader the story crescendos on. Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, and Josh Brolin all did great jobs as well. I really brought the somewhat complex nature of Lady Jessic and Duke Leto, they had really great chemistry with themselves and with their son. Stellan Skarsgard had my favorite performance of the entire film. I felt entirely disgusted every time he was on the screen, and he made the hairs on the back of my neck stand tall. He is truly a man poisoned by greed and will not stop at anything on his path to fortune. Jason Momoa does a fantastic job here too. I felt he really fit his role and his lines were delivered effortlessly, much better than his performance in the DCEU.
Dune delivers a fantastic Sci-Fi epic that gave me everything I was looking for and I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel's release.
Score: 88%
Verdict: Excellent
Aquaman delivers a fun and ambitious adventure for the DCEU, but flounders at its opportunity for true greatness.
There is so much to like about Aquaman, for starters the action is on another level. The DCEU has really mastered its fight choreography allowing for the directors to get wide, interesting shots of the action without having to add unnecessary cuts. There were so many fight sequences that had me thoroughly impressed with the creativity and the scope of the action. I particularly like how James Wan was able to transition across to the battlefield to show individual fights. It gave them a sense of connectedness that is sorely missing in many superhero films today.
The plot of this film had me intrigued, although it does tend to get quite weighed down by how involved the movie is. There are so many kingdoms of Atlantis involved and their relationships can get a tad confusing during the first watch. I was constantly trying to understand the relationships between all of the main members of Atlantis, but luckily, I could grasp the gist of what the story was trying to tell. I really appreciated the fantasy parallels that the directors were going for when it came to Atlantis. It gave it a grand feel on scale to a light version of Game of Thrones. The diversity of the nations was a really nice touch as well, I found it fascinating how each nation evolved independently from each other. The main criticism that I have with the story is the writing. There are so many scenarios or lines of dialogue that were incredibly awkward to watch. I think James Wan was really out of his element writing this movie compared to his cookie cutter horror films that he has built his reputation on. Hopefully he can learn from his mistakes for the sequel.
I was not overly impressed with the acting in this film either. Jason Mamoa was acceptable as Aquaman but like I said previously there were quite a bit of lines that were delivered awkwardly. I found that the comedic timing of the jokes did not really land and felt out of place in this film. The chemistry between Mamoa and Amber Heard was non-existent, I did not buy for a second that the two were truly in love and the whole build up to the relationship felt incredibly forced. Willem Dafoe was excellent as always and Patrick Wilson was fairly adequate as well. This film had an all-star cast, so it is odd to me that so many lines were delivered awkwardly, I think it is more so on the writing and direction rather than the actors' abilities.
Even with all my complaints about the film, I still found myself having a good time. Although, I can’t help but wonder, if given a more suitable director and writer, how amazing this film could have truly been.
Verdict: Decent
Score: 68%
Nobody is a bloody good time, and I mean that literally. The action in this movie is on another level, so many creative shots and gruesome kills that had my whole body jumping in the best way possible. The slow mo shots were some of my favorites, allowing you to see every little detail of the atrocity that just occurred. The plot in this film is a little far-fetched, but that is kind of the point since the tone of the entire film is satirical. The entire second half of the movie happens due to chance. The one Russia entering the bus just so happens to have connections to the story's antagonist group. If you are able to stretch your imagination for this film, it can be overlooked for the most part. I really enjoyed how far-removed Hutch was from his previous life in the beginning, leading him farther and farther down a path of self-loathing and depression. It really juxtaposes the switch in his mind that reverted him to becoming a weapon capable of killing dozens of men at once. You can really see Hutch becoming alive again once he retakes his former mantle and that is all due to Bob Obenkirk’s fantastic performance. While this movie wasn’t perfect, it still was an incredibly fun ride and kept a smile on my face throughout the entire film.
Verdict: Great
Great conclusion to a great season!
Tenet on paper is a super interesting that I think I would have a great time with, but the execution fell flat on its face. The entire plot is so purposefully convoluted that it is really hard to follow. Christopher Nolan whips from one scene to another so fast to cram as much exposition in that so many moments just got right over the audience's head. Half the scenes are just exposition dumps with audio so poorly done that you have to read the subtitles the entire time to even understand what they're saying. The acting is all fine in this movie, but I spent so much time trying to understand the film that any mishaps could have gone right over my head. The only redeeming aspect of this film is the fights and heists. These scenes were filmed with incredible precision that really showed off the scope that the protagonist was trying to accomplish. I had a good time with that, but that was few and far between.
Verdict: Bad
I can't say I am a bit disappointed about this film, I can't really say that there was one thing in particular that I did not enjoy, it just didn't work for me as much as I would have liked. The plot line was fairly predictable, even with the twists and turns. Characters consistently make stupid decisions for plot's sake, even though that is the M.O. for slasher films, I expected a bit more from A24. The slasher elements were barely present, even though I knew that coming in, the marketing still makes this look like a different movie altogether. The comedy was lackluster, I understand it was suppose to be dry social commentary based humor, but I did not really find it funny one bit. Even with all my critiques, I still found this movie somewhat enjoyable.
Score: 65%
Verdict: Decent
Theater Verdict: Stream It
Black Swan was a really interesting character study on how the process of losing yourself to your work. This movie had some fantastic imagery that kept the viewer guessing if it was an illusion or fact. Natalie Portman's portrayal was fantastic, really solid work here. The dynamic between her and her mother was so taboo and uncomfortable, but so raw that it felt completely believable. The movie gets in to so very intense scenes that left me feeling slightly uncomfortable, but that is what the movie was trying to achieve. I was suppose to be uncomfortable and it made those scenes all the better for it. There are some pacing issues with the movie, as it did hit a few lulls for me, but overall I found myself engaged.
Score: 85%
Verdict: Great
This movie starts off slow, but by the second act I was totally invested in these characters and their developments. Cumberbatch does an excellent job in this film, how is this man so good at acting. He one hundred percent sells that he is man torn between what he should be and what he wants to be. His dynamic and evolution throughout the story was a treat to watch. I found Kirsten Dunst very sympathetic. As someone who has had alcoholism in my family, it was really hard seeing her go down that path but it was a really genuine portrayal. The movie was a tad long, but it was worth it for the characters to get the room to breath and evolve. The end of the film struck home with me and drew some tears.
Score: 85%
Verdict: Great
Just when I thought I understood what was going on, boom, the ending occurs and I am totally confused. I guess that is a positive though. The narrative is constantly evolving and keeps the viewer guessing as to what is actually occur. I was lower on this film after my initial watch, but after doing some research on to the overarching themes I enjoyed the ending and the experience much more.
Score: 75%
Verdict: Good
I didn't really care for this too much. A lot of the humor did not land for me. Really liked the touching moments with the father and her friends. The overbearing mother archetype was exaggerated to the many Chinese stereotypes. There were a few scenes that had me smiling, like the money montage, but overall I was waiting for the film to end.
Score: 55%
Verdict: Average
A slow burn filled with tremendous amount of emotion and heart. A few scenes really resonated with me and drew a few tears. The mystery elements are great in this film. It really makes you think as you try to discover what is going on.
Score: 90%
Verdict: Excellent
Sci-Fi mind bender filled with fantastic twists and turns. Performances, great. Story, excellent. Dialogue, amazing. I mean what more can you ask for? The only thing holding this movie back was some of the story felt a tad predictable, but in the best ways. The puzzle pieces were given to you and it was up to you to put them together.
Score: 95%
Verdict: Excellent
Although Nope is Jordan Peele's worst film, it is definitely a great watch. The cinematography was extremely impressive. The comedy mixed in worked well. Then tension was really good in certain segments. The film felt a little long, and I believe it could have been trimmed up a bit.
Score: 85%
Verdict: Great
A fun action packed adventure, it definitely jumps around a lot and is kind of all over the place plot wise. But the action is so good that is helps cover those downfalls.
Score: 73%
Verdict: Good
Not sure how a movie made me feel nostalgic for an era I never even grew up in, fun time though.
Score: 75%
Verdict: Good
An amazing bio pic of Jordan Belfort that has everything you'll ever want: comedy, drama, romance, heart and the list goes on. This movie was an absolute joy. The acting was superb in this movie all around. Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances of his career. Jonah Hill and Margo Robbie were fantastic! For a movie that was almost three hours, it flew by and was incredibly engaging. I can not believe it took me this long to see it.
Score: 90%
Verdict: Excellent
Candyman's story was intriguing and with spectacular visuals it is a decent watch, but for a horror film there was a significant lack of... horror. At no point in the film was there tension, dread, or a sense that I was being lead to a thrilling climax, it was more of a character study on Candyman. The character study aspect was great, I loved hearing the mythos of Candyman from different people in the community. The investigation into the backstory of Candyman paired with commentary on police brutality was really well done, but this was marketed as a horror film and it did not deliver. The cinematography was excellent, there were some really great shots utilizing mirrors and different angles but is that enough? In the end, this movie left me wanting much more.
Score: 58%
Verdict: Decent
